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Showing posts from 2016

7 New Year's Eve traditions from around the world

I pray and wish for a happy and blessed New Year to all who visit 'Where the Rubber Hits the Road'! 7 New Year's Eve traditions from around the world – For Her

Before & After: 13 Beautiful Sanctuary Renovations Worth Celebrating

While these examples are spectacular, the transformation we underwent in our little country parish of St. Joseph on Allumette Island sure touched the hearts of parishioners. In the wake of the liturgical renewal of Vatican II, the high altar was stripped out of the sanctuary and destroyed. It was a wound that people carried in their hearts for decades. Thanks to the power of the internet and the generosity of parishioners, we were able to find an identical one that was being removed from a church in the USA that was being torn down. It took some doing and lots of repairs, sweat, and paint, but eventually we installed it in our little church to the appreciation of all concerned. Now when you walk through the front doors, you know you've entered into a Catholic Church once again! Before & After: 13 Beautiful Sanctuary Renovations Worth Celebrating | The Christian Review

A “Merciless Assault on Human Dignity” by George Weigel

The archbishop of Toronto is given to deprecating himself as “just a simple country cardinal.” In my experience, though, Cardinal Thomas Collins is one of the premier leaders of the Catholic Church today. He’s a bishop of the New Evangelization who does a lot of his evangelical work retail: like treating potential seminarians to early morning pancakes at a greasy spoon—“but it’s a good greasy spoon”—a couple of blocks from his residence. Now that retail approach is being applied to another urgent matter, as Cardinal Collins works one-by-one with members of the Ontario Provincial Parliament to ensure that the conscience rights of Catholic health care providers are not compromised by Canada’s recent embrace of euthanasia. Click on the link below to read entire article on the First Things blog: A “Merciless Assault on Human Dignity” | George Weigel | First Things

RNC denies intentionally comparing Trump to Jesus in holiday memo

Just when you think that American politics can't get any weirder, the RNC proclaims the arrival of 'The Donald' as America's new king. Didn't they go to war with the British back in 1776 to get rid of that position? If they want to bring it back, let them permit us to take them over. We never gave up our ties to the monarchy, and even if we did, we sure as hell wouldn't pick Trump as the start of a new dynastic line. RNC denies intentionally comparing Trump to Jesus in holiday memo - NY Daily News

To all my friends who visit 'Where the Rubber Hits the Road'....

A modern day Christmas meditation

A BEAUTIFUL instrumental version of 'Silent Night'

Not all Canadian bishops take a liberal approach to Euthanasia

As a balance to the previous two articles criticising the Atlantic Canadian Bishops on their approach to offering the sacraments to those intending to be euthanised, check out this letter posted earlier on this blog by our local Pembroke Bishop (+Michael Mulhall) to the priests and laity of our diocese. It strikes a far more 'Catholic' approach. http://frtimmoyle.blogspot.ca/2016/10/a-letter-from-bishop-michael-mulhall.html

‘Arrival’ and the Unique Manner of God's Speech: By Bishop Robert Barron

'Arrival' now playing in cinemas across the country! ‘Arrival’ and the Unique Manner of God's Speech | ncregister.com

An interview with Dr. Colin Kerr, publisher of 'The Catholic Review of Books'

Where The Rubber Hits the Road recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Colin Kerr, PhD (theology) on his recent project, The Catholic Review of Books . It is a high gloss publication published from his home office in Barry’s Bay and stands as another tremendous resource emanating from the dynamic Catholic community built around Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy where he worked as a professor until 2011. WTRHTR:   What inspired you to start the CBR? I have long thought about this. I never thought I would be able to bring something like this to fruition. I didn’t know anything about printing and had no money. But I wanted to share my love of books. Books had done so much for me; I thought they could do things just as ideal for others. Books taught me about Jesus and His Church and the world that God has always been a part of. They fed and directed my questioning. Books by Plato and Tolstoy got me thinking about the bigger questions of life when I was in high school. Books b

Champlain CCAC rations patients’ personal care in their dying days

I've been predicting that in a time of financial stress to government coffers it's a bad idea to legalise euthanasia because it's cheaper to offer death in lieu of treatment. That process is clearly beginning already in Ontario. Soon we will see the same all across our country. Read Dr. Hacker's article for yourself and decide whether or not you think I'm wrong. ----------------------------------- Champlain CCAC rations patients’ personal care in their dying days By: Dr. Paul Hacker PUBLISHED ON  November 30, 2016 I am a General Practitioner practicing in Community Palliative Care in Ottawa. I, and several other physicians working in this field in Ottawa, see patients every day in their homes and at hospice. We care for people in the final stages of illness, to ensure comfort for them and for their families and caregivers. While our services are in constant demand, and sometimes patients have to wait for our care, I have always felt that we in Ottawa and

Believe it or not... this is an actual photo taken from the cover of the New York Times. TRAGIC doesn't begin to express how wrong this is.

The Star of Bethlehem was no star. ‘Wise men’ may have followed rare alignment of planets: astrophysicist

The Star of Bethlehem was no star. ‘Wise men’ may have followed rare alignment of planets: astrophysicist | National Post

A musical moment to reflect on 'My Church' - by Home Free

Life advice from an old farmer. (Just a little something I found on Facebook I thought you might like.)

ADVICE FROM AN OLD FARMER Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong. Keep skunks and bankers at a distance. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor. Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled. Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight. Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. You cannot unsay a cruel word. Every path has a few puddles. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty. The best sermons are lived, not preached. Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway. Don’t judge folks by their relatives. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Live a good, honourable life… Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time. Don‘t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none. Timing has a lot to do with the out

Come to Christ this Advent season!

The Lying, Scheming Altar Boy on the Cover of Newsweek

Let me be clear on one point. The majority of people who come forward with allegations of abuse are telling the truth. But as this article makes clear, there are others who are profiting from gaming the system at the cost of the lives of some very good priests. Read the article for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Feel free to share them if you wish in the comment threads of this blog. The Lying, Scheming Altar Boy on the Cover of Newsweek