August 8th, 2008

CU Episode 83: Also Episode 82

in this episode, Josh is unhappy with Apple and their iPhone Ordering process, Fr. Ryan is excited about the Olympics, and a shadowy figure from cu’s past resurfaces one matrimony and a baby later.  Also, our picks of the week and the return of backChat!

Episode 83 (mp3) – click to play

Fr. Chris | Posted in CU Podcast | 22 Comments »

  • http://catholicboard.com Carson Weber

    Now let’s see how long it takes for the shownotes to be posted. :)

  • http://catholicboard.com Carson Weber
  • http://www.cybercatholics.com Josh

    For the record, I’m not disgruntled with Apple but rather with “the new” at&t. They’ve completely mismanaged my iPhone order and now I have two iPhone charges on my credit card – one of those better disappear soon.

  • http://www.catholicunderground.com Fr. Chris

    @Carson: perhaps you overlooked them? :O

  • Jason

    Most Favored Nation, or MFN status, is often misunderstood to mean that beneficiary countries are getting a ‘better deal’ than anyone else. However, a country with MFN status means only that the country will not be treated any worse than any other country. Contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) were required to give each member nation MFN status, and it is also a requirement of the successor organization to the GATT, the World Trade Organization, of which China became a member in 2001. I think that the granting of MFN status during the Clinton years had little to do with the ‘opening up’ of China to American corporations. I think most of that had more to do with Nixon’s China policy and the realization of the Chinese government over the years that they would need a source of revenue to keep up their oppressive system, and so they would make their economic laws extremely attractive to foreign businesses and investors.

  • http://anotherseminarian.blogspot.com Washington Correspondent Corey Campeaux

    @Carson I really like that website. I’m especially interested in the advertising campaign.

  • http://fatherryan.tumblr.com Fr. Ryan

    @Jason

    Absolutely Right regarding the meaning of MFN. A large part of my point is that the US regularized trade with them. This is a big deal for me because the US made a big drama of the rights abuse in the UN (and continues to do so) but has basically denied any concern for it in policy. This issue came to my attention during the signing of the horror that is NAFTA. With the drama surrounding Cuba and Honduras, I began to lose most of my faith in US federal trade policy. I don’t know how convinced I am that Clinton’s hands were tied by Nixon’s polciies. Clinton was a big supporter of stupid policies NAFTA, but his party is filled to overflowing with leftover hippies who did make a huge stink about the rights issues. I think there was a serious amount of money over morality – which, of course, is a hallmark of the Clinton debacle presidency. But I don’t think he can pretend that the wheels were already in motion.

    I’m sorry if I misconstrued the meaning of MFN, I assure you it was accidental.
    Thanks!
    FrR

  • Jason

    Hey, enough of this trade business…. you guys have mentioned horrible parish websites in the past… check this out:

    http://www.ourladyofsorrowsparish.org/

  • Justjoan

    Jason, I just went to that site – wow! He’s right. You guys should check it out.

  • http://www.catholicunderground.com Fr. Chris

    I visited it. I nearly went into some form of designer’s coma. catholicunderground.com cannot be responsible for any medical problems that may (or will) occur from visiting the above site!

  • http://members.cox.net/pmoroney3/ hopeless case

    Oh, come on, a little Christian charity for the parish volunteers! They put a lot of time in it. God, being a good Father, probably loves it.

  • Joe

    liturgical catechesis — if you are in a parish that is lucky enough to have a pastor who cares enough. No in any of the places I’ve been in. Did you know that every pastor is an expert liturgist who doesnt need to explain anything ? Just by doing is explanation enough !

  • http://www.catholicunderground.com Fr. Chris

    @hopeless

    We’re certainly blessed to have volunteers. But, of course, there’s always room for continuing education!

    God always loves our best efforts to please him, as do I, lest I be accused of being a bad father!

  • http://fatherryan.tumblr.com Fr. Ryan

    @Joe – There are two meanings of ‘Lit. Catechesis.’ One implies the need to instruct people in the meaning\symbology of the Sacred Liturgy. However the much more popular meaning if left-leaning circles is that all Catechesis should somehow be worked into a Lectionary-based approach. The basic idea of it is that you have some kind of Sunday-school type thing and whatever the readings are for that week then the leader is supposed find a way to explain some aspect of the Catholic Faith. I’m very hostile to this kind of instruction because human beings don’t just naturally put everything together in their heads – systematization is a necessary part of the Catholic Faith. The first type is ok, but it’s only really necessary if the symbols are unable to express their meaning on their own.

  • http://members.cox.net/pmoroney3/ hopeless case

    @ Fr. Chris
    ps My husband thinks you should call this the cu padre-cast. :D

  • Joe

    Thanks for the reply.I think we are on the same page with this. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with putting something in the parish bulliten that explains why certain things are said, and certain actions are not performed. That type of information is very valuable in itself. To me its like explaining a great piece of art. Take “Sunday in the park on the Isle of La Grand Jarrat “. To look at it one most definitely enjoys it for its on sake. But once the work is studied – OMG ! what is there not to like about that painting. The liturgy is so much more dynamic, and yet how fragile it is in the parish with it being done mechanically and without any explanation of depth of meaning.

  • http://catholicboard.com Carson Weber

    @Jason – ROTFLMAO.. that website gave me cataracts :)

    @Fr. Ryan – well said! (re: Lectionary-based Catechesis). You would enjoy this article (PDF). I liken (1) being a diocesan official and convincing RCIA folks that this method of devising a curriculum is a bad idea to (2) pulling teeth.

  • http://fatherryan.tumblr.com Fr. Ryan

    @Joe – you’re right on. I’ve done about a dozen flyer-type pages which I called “Mass Etiquette” explaining different elements of the Mass. I think it’s necessary to explain symbols in the modern sacraments. We should definitely explain the spiritual & symbolic meaning of the words and gestures.

    @Carson – Amen to that.

  • http://www.catholicunderground.com Fr. Chris

    @hopeless:

    now that…that’s a good idea for another cast all together!

  • Jeff Sirianni

    There was a mention on this podcast concerning the Olympic boycott. Fathers, Josh,…. you dated yourselves on that one (young kids you are…) That was 1980 (not 1960 or 1964). The Soviet Union had invaded Afganistan to suppress the Mujahedin rebels who wanted to have Afganistan break away from Soviet rule. The US provided the Mujahedin rebels with weapons to fight the Soviets.

    Anyway, the US decided to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow as a political statement against the Soviet military invasion of Afganistan.

    Where any of you born before 1980? Ha Ha He He…

    That only makes me feel old….

    Jeff

  • http://fatherryan.tumblr.com Fr. Ryan

    Ha! Thanks for the correction. I recently watched an excellent 12 part documentary called ‘The Olympic Series.’ I highly recommend it. It had tons and tons of historical info about the games going back at some points to the 1904 Olympics. (I think it was ’04…). At any rate, my brain, which is bad with dates to begin with, got overloaded with them.

    And I hate to make you feel old – but my B-Day is 05\06\1979 – I believe Joshua is 1980 and I think Fr. Chris is 1981.

    Thanks for listening & for the correction Jeff – God Bless.
    F.r

  • Jeff Sirianni

    When you all were “little babes”, I was a freshman at St. Paul Catholic High School in Bristol, CT.

    I can remember when JPII visited the US back in 79/80/??, we were all given the day off to stay home and watch him on TV. This was obviously before the days of video streaming….

    Keep up the good work everyone…. Love the PodCast…. God Bless You All…. Jeff