Some are starting to wonder -- and they raise some good points.
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani has this to say about it:
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those paranoid religious folks who believes that there is an organized effort to take the Christ out of Christmas orchestrated by a clandestine cabal of secular humanist movie moguls, feminists and vegetarians who plot their nefarious attack on family values (and the Baby Jesus) in triannual meetings at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows, to paraphrase a brilliant line from the movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer."
I am no proponent of the alleged "War on Christmas."
And I'm all for inclusiveness and multiculturalism, as much as I am for inexpensive cotton T-shirts and reindeer-themed boxer shorts.
But this year's Gap "holiday" ad campaign just rubs me the wrong way.
In its effort, I would surmise, to be inclusive and inoffensive, the Gap has made the mortal advertising (and cultural) error of being twee. Not to mention spiritually facile.
Adding fuel to the Yule log fire: the American Family Association has now called for a boycott of the Gap. If you haven't seen it yet -- who with a TV set has missed it? -- check it out below.
As the esteemed Fr. Z notes, it's a "vicar of online ministry."
He makes a persuasive case (one, sadly, most dioceses will likely dismiss or ignore) that the future lies in the electronic pulpit -- the one you're giving attention to right now.
And he concludes that Christ himself was a communications pioneer:
Our Lord asked to be let out on the water in a little boat at the end of a line so that He could address a much larger crowd on the shore. He thereby gave us the first example of "on-line ministry" (cf Mark 4). He used technology to address a wider audience.
We must contribute not merely more of the same to the digital pulse of this age. We must find ways to adjust the very frequency of that digital pulse. We need what Pope Benedict called a "'diaconate of culture' on today's 'digital continent'".
Prayer for the Presentation of Mary
from the Melkite Liturgy
Troparion of the Vigil Today Anne brings us glad tidings,
bearing in her arms the precious fruit that dispels all sorrow,
the one being ever-precious fruit that dispels all sorrow,
the one being ever-virginal.
In fulfillment of her vow,
she joyfully presents on this day in the Lord's temple
the true tabernacle of the Word of God,
His immaculate Mother.
Troparion Today is the prelude to God's munificence
and the announcement of the salvation of men:
in the temple of God the Virgin is visible to all foretelling the coming of Christ.
Wherefore let us cry out to her with all our strength:
Hail, fulfillment of the Creator's plan.
Kontakion The most pure temple of the Saviour,
the most precious bridal chamber, the Virgin,
the sacred treasury of God's glory,
enters today into the house of the Lord,
bringing with her the grace of the divine Spirit.
Wherefore the angels of God sing to her:
Behold the heavenly Tabernacle.
Hirmos The angels were stunned as they beheld the most pure one coming in,
and they said: O Wonder. The Virgin enters into the Holy of Holies.
O Mother of God, you are the precious Ark of God:
no profane hand may touch you.
But the lips of the faithful will never cease to sing your praise,
repeating with joy the angel's word:
O pure Virgin, you are indeed raised above all creatures.
Kinonikon I will take the chalice of salvation
and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia.
This stunning image is from the Catholic Key blog shows the massive eucharistic procession of 22,000 high school students, following Christ through downtown Kansas City yesterday, for the National Catholic Youth Conference.
Their motto this year -- fittingly, for the weekend of the feast of Christ the King -- is "Christ Reigns."
Going through old boxes, I stumbled on a 33 rpm recording of this TV special from way-back-when: "Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall." I have fond memories of hearing it on my parents' big boxy wooden stereo in our living...
Time will tell if it will actually have any impact, but the significance of this piece of news can't be overstated: More than 150 Christian leaders, most of them conservative evangelicals and traditionalist Roman Catholics, issued a joint declaration Friday...
In this Year for Priests, few stories could be more surprising, or inspiring, than this one, about a priest named Msgr. Leon Dobosiewicz, from Florida Catholic: At 90, the monsignor, who is parochial vicar at Holy Spirit Parish in Lake...
It didn't get much attention, but news moved yesterday that a beloved prize-winning Catholic author won another prize: Among the National Book Awards winners named on Wednesday night whose names may elude you, one honoree you've almost certainly heard...
The intense debate over the same-sex marriage bill in Washington, DC has now led to talk that maybe the two sides can come to a compromise. From the Washington Post: Some D.C. Council members and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton...
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