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Vatican praises The Simpsons
I’m not a huge fan of The Simpsons, but I just watched a episode about Bart going to Catholic school called “The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star.” [S16E21] In the classic Simpsons’ satire, Bart & Homer become Catholic while Protestant Marge tries to bring them back. WOW! A great episode to use with high school discussion groups. This episode touches on all kinds of questions about faith and religion (and there’s lots of paintball in it, too!).
I also found an article about the Vatican praising The Simpsons show.
Animated US television show, The Simpsons has gathered praise from the Roman Catholic Church for their “realistic” way of dealing with religion and spreading happiness among viewers. An article published in the Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano has lauded the long-running show, insisting “many today wouldn’t know how to laugh” if the series hadn’t been aired, reported Contactmusic.
The newspaper story thanked the show’s producers for depicting family patriarch Homer’s struggle with his own faith through its 20 years on the small screen. “Homer finds in God his last refuge, even though he sometimes gets His name sensationally wrong. But these are just minor mistakes, after all; the two know each other well,” the article said. The story also insisted that The Simpsons success is due to its “realistic and intelligent writing”.
The same newspaper had recently paid tribute to ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’, for highlighting the “sacrifice” needed for good to triumph over evil.
WOW! Who would think The Simpsons would be watched at the Vatican? What next, Family Guy?
parent’s love + sons of God + Bart Simpson + Flanders
MASS – (Fr Santos) — today’s Gospel is the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist where ‘ “a voice [God the Father] came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” ‘ (Matt 3:17)
With a very loose (but very illustrative) connection with a scene from The Simpsons Movie (since Fr Santos is a BIG Simpsons fan), he reminds us of our need to be affirmed as “sons of God,” countered with the experience of abandonment as Jesus on the cross pleading, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).
In The Simpsons Movie, Bart Simpson sees an affirming and nurturing side to Ned Flanders (Christian father with 2 kids next door) that he does not recognize in his own father Homer Simpson. Bart agrees to let Flanders take him fishing, where Bart drops Flanders’ favorite fishing pole to an agressive fish. Bart, expecting to be choked for messing up (like Homer would), starts gagging and shortly realizes Flanders doesn’t hit him in disappointment. 
In fact, Flanders reaffirms Bart by saying the only reason to lay his hand on his son would be to “pat him on the back” affirming him. Even as Flanders pats Bart on the back, Bart flinches expecting a “hit” but, instead, realizing affirmation feels so good that he requests another.
We all need affirmation … in what we do … in what we think … in times of struggle … in times of joy … but, mostly, in who we are, “sons of God.” — the Lord loves us more than we love ourselves … it’s hard to accept, but a parent’s love is the grace of our relationship that makes our Christian lives so alive, so joyful, so fruitful, and so awesome!
wineskins + Homer’s crayon
MASS – (Fr Joseph) — homily began and ended with 2 great stories: the “Amazon Explorer” (who can’t fully explain his experience, but encourages others to experience the journey themselves) and the “outstreached arms of Alexander the Great vs Jesus” (Alex conquered all, but died with nothing — while Jesus began with nothing and died to complete everything). Today’s gospel reading was the parable of the “Old & New Wineskins” where Jesus is the wine and we need to become “new” skins to accept him fully — experience him for ourselves “personally.”
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — today surveyed the concepts of the universe from “geocentric” to “heliocentric” challenging in many ways to faith and the Church. Included was another Simpsons illustration using the episode where Homer has a crayon removed from his brain, becomes smart and Flanders surpress Homer’s ideas because they are too challenging to his belief system. — Ignorance is bliss. We also have to learn the Greek alphabet for next Friday.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — more Sophists, their subjectiveness and birth of self-awareness. Also used “Homer’s crayon” and Greek alphabet. — I never really cared for the “Simpsons,” but now I feel like I’m missing out.
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — continue with the Greeks. We need to watch the movie 300 be next Friday. — cool … I get to post more stills from the movie in this week’s posts.
EVENING — had a “Spiritual Direction” session, watched “Pursuit of Happyness” & did some studying.
SJVCS Seminary Life Album
July '09 -- hospital chaplains @ IPF
Easter '09 -- Miami SJVCS friends
the Son always finds a break in let the clouds
Feb '09 -- school vocation talks @ AMHS
Feb '09 -- cold breakfast with brothers (Matias, Fenly & Randy), now at SVDP and Imad (at SJVCS)
Superbowl '09 -- eating great @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- Worklist Coordinators?
St Raphael Chapel mural @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- retreats @ SJVCS
"It's not easy being green"
Catholic Kermit 
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