Empire State Building honors Commies but not Saints (or Blesseds)

Bill Donahue petitioned the Empire State Building to light the building with blue and white in honor of her 100th birthday which is being commemorated by the US Postal Service by issuing a stamp featuring her. (see here and here). They refused. Without offering any explanation. Why? They honored some Chinese Communist who was responsible for the deaths of millions and 60 years of oppression of an entire nation. Sign the petition to support Bl. Mother Teresa.

My first question is why the hell would they honor a Communist Dictator to begin with. Fox News is the only news website that I could find that is covering this story. (not including independent blogs) What story? There's no story here. At least not according to the ESB spokesperson. Jeffrey Scott Shapiro did a little digging, as journalists are supposed to do. Some of his expericences:

This morning I called the Empire State building so they could explain why they decided to honor a communist state responsible for causing the death of millions of their own people, but not a Catholic nun who won the Nobel Peace Prize who spent 45 years saving lives. After all, at the time of her death, Mother Teresa’s charity was operating 610 missions in 123 countries.
Although I called several times, I could not reach Melanie Maasch, Director of Brand Development and Public Relations, but I did receive a call from Daniel Hernandez, a public relations representative working for an outside firm hired by the Empire State Building. Mr. Hernandez insisted that “there is no issue here,” and told me that his firm had been directed not to “comment on anything involving this story.”
I told Mr. Hernandez I disagreed with him that there was no issue here, and that in a free society like the United States it was the free press that decides whether or not there is an issue or a story to be written, not public relations officers.

“Obviously it’s an issue or I wouldn’t be calling you,” I told him during a telephone interview this morning.
“Who decides when to illuminate the building?”
“There’s a committee.”
“Who’s on that committee and how many people are on it?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Why? I’m just asking a general question about how the Empire State Building works.”
“I know, but you’re asking in relation to this story, the story about the lights, and as I told you, we’re not commenting on that story because we don’t feel there’s any issue here.”
“Don’t you think that’s kind of ironic?
“What do you mean?
“Well, you won’t respond to the free press about a story that accuses your organization of honoring a dictatorship. I mean, I kind of feel like I’m dealing with a dictatorship now. You’re telling me – a journalist – there’s no story as if you can dictate the news to the press and then you refuse to tell me anything as if you’re above explaining it.”
“I’m only telling you what I’ve been directed to say.”
“But there has to be an answer, there has to be a reason for all of this. Why can’t you just tell me and justify the committee’s position?”
“I’m only telling you what I’ve been directed to say.”
When Mr. Hernandez finally hung up, I stared dumbfounded at my BlackBerry Storm and wondered if I’d just lost contact with a spokesman for the Empire State Building management committee or the People’s Republic of China’s Central Committee. (read the full piece here).

 This is what I mean when I say we are heading to Hell in a Handbasket.

Who would YOU honor?

St Justin, martyr

via Father Zuhlsdorf:


There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to genoito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. And this food is called among us Euxaristia, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body; "and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood; "and gave it to them alone.

First Apology 65-66

St Therese of Lisieux

Today (in the old missal) is the Feast day of my Confirmation saint, Therese of Lisieux also known as "The Little Flower".But she is officially known as Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She is quite popular and rather than go into her life story (which can be read at The Society of the Little Flower) I'll go on to why I chose her (or she chose me rather) to be my patron. But the thing is, I don't really know why. There are many photographs of St. Therese. Right away I thought she looked like a relative of mine in a vague way. (Although my grandmother claimed to be French, I'm not 100% sure I have any French ancestry). Reading some of her words, one quote in particular stood out to me: "After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints. My mission is to make God loved..." She has very often kept this promise quite literally. A Jesuit priest was praying a novena to her in December of 1925. On the fourth day, a Sister brought him a white rose saying "Saint Therese sent you this". Amazed, the priest asked her where she got it. She replied: "I was in the chapel, and as I was leaving I passed the altar above which hangs the beautiful picture of Saint Therese. This rose fell at my feet. I wanted to put it back into the bouquet, but a thought came to me that I should bring it to you."
But more important than roses are the graces she obtains for us. I think that's one of the reason she is so popular, her powerful intercession.

St. Maximilian Kolbe

Today is the feast day of one of my most favorite saints, Maximilian Kolbe. Founder of the Militia Immaculata, he was killed in Auschwitz in 1941. Before that he started the largest religious community in the world "Niepokalanow: City of the Immaculata". He traveled to Japan to start a similar community. He was a man of stunning intellect, yet possessed the utmost humility. Suffering from tuberculosis, the Franciscan brothers gave him a fur coat. He asked "Do the other Brothers have such fur coats?" But they did not give up: they made a warm, leather-lined jacket. When he asked they told him that they had made similar jackets for all the sick, and so he had to accept it. An excellent book about St. Maximilian called "A Man for Others" by Patricia Treece. It consists mainly of reminisces of those who knew him. His holiness and goodness just leaps off the page. He wanted to win all souls for Christ through Mary Immaculate. He considered the Miraculous Medal to be a "bullet" against the enemy of souls. His death was the same as his life, giving to others. When a prisoner of his cellblock had escaped, the guards chose 10 men to die in the starvation bunker. One of those chosen began to weep for his wife and children. St Maximilian stepped forward and offered himself to replace that man. It was accepted. After two weeks in the death bunker, only 4 men were still alive, St. Maximilian was one of them. He was injected with carbolic acid on August 14th, the Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.
I could go on and on about how much I love St. Maximilian. And it gives me such joy to know that he is in Heaven now, praying for me. St. Maximilian Kolbe. ora pro nobis!