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Michael Jensen

Michael Jensen

I am a Catholic Christian. Husband of Hope Elizabeth Jensen. Father of Shane and Matthew Jensen. Step-father to Daniel, Stephanie and Carlo (may he rest in peace) Wilcox...

I read scripture, play pool (master BCA) study history and proclaim the Catholic Faith...

Jesus is Lord and God! Amen. more »
  • Sherwood, OR, USA
  • member since April 9 2008

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Michael Jensen’s last login was 2 weeks ago.

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Public Notes

  • Earl

    Earl says

    This may well be classified as trivia, Michael, but given your affinity for pool, you may find it of interest. I don't know about the present day, but when I was a seminarian in the 60s, every seminary had a pool table, and in the major seminary, it was generally slate and a Brunswick, if memory serves. The standard game was 8-ball and the competition fierce.

    P.S.--I've just resent my friendship request. Thanks for whatever consideration it may merit.

    posted 8 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits

    Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits says

    Think about it this way... in a company, you have managers. Possibly, lots of them. But while all of them have the same general duties (planning, organizing, leading, control, staffing) not every manager is the same.

    In terms of hierarchy, you have upper management, middle management, and front line management. The functions of upper management are usually strategic, while those of front line management are much more limited in scope. And to add to the pot, in terms of function, you have production managers, control managers, line managers, staff managers, etc.

    As Catholics, we share in Jesus’ threefold office of Priest, Prophet and King, that is, participate in Jesus’ ministry to sanctify, to teach and to govern.

    But how we fulfill these roles depends on our ordination, or more accurately our initiation. Specifically, through the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Orders, and Holy Matrimony.

    Like a manager in a company, you have limits to your office. If you are in charge of production, you are not supposed to go next door, tie up the the personnel or marketing department managers and do their jobs for them. I'm sure that when you go to Mass and the Priest is late, you don't jump up and say: "I can't wait anymore! Help me into the chausable! I'll do the Mass!" Duties and limits of responsibilities. Everyone has their specific jobs to do.

    Through the initiation of Baptism, a Catholic is called, not to save souls or proclaim the gospel, but "to know God, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven." At this stage of initiation, who is to be sanctified, to be taught, and to be governed? I'll let you figure this out.

    (I suggest two good books which really help me: "Baltimore Catechism No. 1" by Baronius Press, ISBN: 978-1905574315 and "My Catholic faith: A Catechism in Pictures" by Bishop Louis La Ravoire Morrow, ISBN: 978-0963903266. The books were originally intended for children way back when, but are of great aid to Catholics. Sometimes, it is great to just step back from what you are doing and read the instruction manual. God knows, I learned more about the Catholic Faith from these two books than I did in thirteen years of Catholic education!)

    Any truly baptised Christian may administer the Sacrament of Baptism. He doesn't have to be an ordained Priest, or for that matter, even a Catholic. As long as he was baptised by another truly baptised individual with water using the formula "I baptise you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit", he too may baptise others doing the same. Witness the story of Saint Athanasius (http://www.tanbooks.com/doct/athanasius.htm)

    But even if you are truly baptised, there are certain duties that are withheld from you without further initiation. For example, without the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, you do not have the authority to have relations with another and without the Sacrament of Holy Orders, you do not have the power to change bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

    Setting aside, the ordained Priesthood (which I am sure you know how they operate in the role of priest, prophet, and king), but let us concentrate on the third, practically dismissed-from-thought Priesthood... the married individual.

    Through Matrimony, man and woman not only establish a household, but what is known as the Domestic Church. (Properly, Priests do not marry the couple, the couple marry each other and the Priest acts as witness to the union.)

    Like the ordained Priesthood, they too have the roles of priest, prophet, and king. Who do the married couple sanctify, teach and govern?

    Their children.

    That is both their duty and the limits of their priesthood. It is not in their jurisdiction to sanctify, teach and govern their neighbor's kids. They certainly do not fulfill this duty by delegating this function to the community school board who then appoints professional teachers to do the parent's job for them while the parents complain about the curriculum and their kids' grades.

    By virtue of Holy Matrimony, every parent may successfully raise their children to wisdom of the Faith EVERY TIME, just as Priests cause bread and wine to become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ EVERY TIME. (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2221.)

    Pope John Paul II stated the mandate of the married couple quite clearly: “Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area: they are educators because they are parents.” John Paul II, Letter to Families from Pope John Paul II, 1994. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_02021994_families_en.html

    The Church doesn't guarantee you will sucessfully teach your kid algebra and chemistry, but with proper trust in the FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCE granted to the married couple by the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, you WILL SUCCESSFULLY raise your children as God-fearers.

    In the Domestic Church, the family has an altar just like the regular church. The parents lead the congregation (their family) in prayer, teach them the faith, and even bestow blessings upon the family.

    For a more coherent overview (I suck at explanation, but I'm great at pointing out where to look!) on the Principle of Subsidiarity and of education as a priestly function of the Domestic Church, please read "Designed to Fail: Catholic Education in America" by Kellmeyer, S. L., ISBN: 978-0976736806. http://www.skellmeyer.blogspot.com/

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits

    Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits says

    Have you ever heard of the "Principle of Subsidiarity" ? It's the Catholic Church's answer to the oft asked question "Who's Job Is It Anyway?" ...to win souls, ...to teach the faith, etc.

    (For more info, see Catechism of the Catholic Church № 1883. & Rerum Novarum № 13.)

    Most Catholics, having never heard of this, either go for either extremeties "Not my job, the Church should do it" or "My church is staffed by idiots, I'll do it myself!"

    I remember runningn into some modeling agency nutjob once. She goes to Mass daily. And yet she and the others in the parish don't exactly fill up the collection plates. Her reason? "Don't worry, Father/Bishop is a holy man, God will provide for him!"

    The principle of subsidiarity holds that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.

    This assumes that matters ought to be first handled by the smallest (or, the lowest) competent authority and that only when those initiatives exceed the capacity of individuals or private groups acting independently, should the central authority attempt to undertake them.

    I see the spreading of the Faith done in three main roles. The MISSIONARIES bring forth the Faith to new lands, EDUCATORS then take over to see that Faith is expounded, and APOLOGISTS provide stability and encouragement to the wavering. Kinda like and analogy for primary school, secondary school, and tertiary education... kinda.

    These roles do not exactly coincide with duties of priest, layman, family, individual, etc. since any of these may assume any of the three roles. Subsidiarity just explains who does what first.

    I'm a little worried that since most educators have been slacking off for generations "Not my job, its the teacher's job.", that we, as a society have dropped back to primary school.

    I know we're overwhelming the capacity of apologists who are running around putting out brush fires that should have been taught properly by primary (missionaries) or secondary (educators).

    Maybe we should consider society to be new lands and start over with missionaries again. I remember Pope Bendedict saying some time back that we might have to go down to "mustard seed" level... chuck everyone out and start it all over properly from the start again.

    Case in point. Our local parishes. We gotta get them back on track from all the experts from the hippie era. Everything needs fixing. Physical space, music, liturgy, rubrics, music, etc.

    The Pope is calling for more Latin Mass in both forms and I support it great, but without proper education (missionary work?) you're just going to wind up with two Masses nobody pays attention to... except that you have to show up on Sunday.

    Aaargh.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits

    Grand Abbot Silverfish2910 of the Shelfari Hermits says

    You might want to check out "How Not to Share Your Faith: The Seven Deadly Sins of Apologetics" by Mark Brumley. (ISBN: 978-1888992304) Its got a forward by Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput.

    Before reading this book, I confess my main approach towards apologetics has usually been: "It's totally self-evident that everything the Catholic Church says is right! If you don't see that, what are you... a moron?"

    Not exactly the best way to win souls for Christ. I'm a little better now. Still working on it, but I know I'm never going to a public speaker. Stick me in with the research and I'll pass the ammunition. Let someone else less abrasive do the meet-and-greet.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Heather

    Heather says

    Do you have insomnia too? I saw that you just logged on and it's well 2 am.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Heather

    Heather says

    Glad to see your enjoying the Shelfari experience! Now you just need to accept my friend request so I don't feel neglected :)

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Heather

    Heather says

    So how do you like Shelfari so far?

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )


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