Catholic Internet Abbreviation Lexicon

Most people who chat, red blogs or forums are familiar with a variety of short words that people use to stand for other things such as LOL for Laughing Out Loud. I have recently realized that us Techno-Catholics out here on the Web 2.0 have developed a series of less common abbreviations and I feel it my duty to attempt to compile them. As this is a work in progress, feel free to make your own additions in the comments below or e-mail them for addition.

DINC = Dual-Income, No Children
OINC = One-Income, Nine Children
LMAO = Laughing My Alb Off (Should just be used by ordained clerics)
DD = Dear Daughter
DS = Dear Son
DW = Dear Wife
DH = Dear Husband
TLM = Traditional Latin Mass
SAHM = Stay At Home Mom
WAHM= Work At Home Mom
EMHC = Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
NO = Novus Order (in english, New Order, The Current Catholic Liturgy)
VII = Vatican Two
JPII = John Paul the Second (The Late Pope)
BXVI = Benedict the Sixteenth (Our Current Pope)
CDF = Congregation for Doctrine and Faith (Formerly, the Holy Roman Inquisition)
SSPX = Society of Saint Pius X (Schismatic Group that is very Traiditional)
FSSP = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (This is the Enlish but the initials are Latin)
AMDG = Ad Majoram Dei Gloram (For the Greater Glory of God)
MP = Motu Proprio
CBT = Courteous Biretta Tip (Used by a cleric like CHT or HT would be used)
PLB = Profound Liturgical Bow (In place of CBT, CHT, or HT)
HV = Humane Vitae
PPOTD = Pope Picture Of The Day (usually found on The American Papist)
WYD = World Youth Day
AMP = AMerican Papist
NFP = Natural Family Planning
RSV = Revised Standard Version (of the Bible)
NRSV = New Revised Stanadard Version (of the Bible)
CE = Catholic Edition (Usually seen after one of the above two)
NAB = New American Bible
TTC = Trying to Conceive
STM = Sympto-Thermal Method (of NFP)
HS = Homeschooling
CM = Charlotte Mason (on Homschool Forums) Cervical Mucus (On NFP forums)
CHC = Catholic Heritage Curriculum
MODG = Mother of Divine Grace (Another HS provider)
STAA = Saint Thomas Aquinas Academy (Yet another HS provider)
MM = Maria Montessori (Education Method Developer)
HP = Harry Potter
RSS = Normally Really Simple Syndication but here its Rosary Said Silently
MIL = Mother-In-Law
CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church
BVD = Blessed Vocations Director (Used at times by seminarians)
LOTR = Lord of the Rings
CON = Chronicles of Narnia
ESCR = Embryonic-Stem Cell Research

Special thanks to The Curt Jester for review the list.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S

catholic blog lingo blog+lingo

The perfect discipline technique, well almost.

I have what could possibly be one of the greatest parenting tools ever, The Manual Buzzer. Okay, let me explain what the manual buzzer is for those of you who are not acquainted with Jim Rome.

Jim Rome is a radio and television sports commentator of significant popularity these days. He has developed something called, The Manual Buzzer. Basically, if you can imagine a school buzzer that designates the begininng or end of class but produced with the human vocal chords you have the essence of the manul buzzer.

Now, Jim Rome uses it on the callers to his show like the judges of The Gong Show used the gong. It is a way of ejecting callers from the show that are doing something that is just plain wrong, silly or makes no sense. So, on the spur of the moment I decided to eject a behavior I caught my kids in the middle of.

I heard something crinkling in the kitchen and so I ran in their to find the middle two children loading toy plates up with the Fruit Loops that my mother-in-law had bought for them. Instead of counting them, straight up punishing them or getting upset (I was slightly tired) I just said to them, "Okay, you are supposed to ask before getting into those, EEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR." Kids immediately put Fruit Loops down, heads were bowed in shame of being caughter and life was completely perfect from then on, ok, well not perfect but it sured seemed like I had stumbled upon something almost magical in terms of discipline.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S


Jim+Rome parenting manual+buzzer The+Gong+Show kids discipline

Aid Marriage by Heeding Nature, Says Pope [2007-07-25] and Commentary On Pope B XVI

With the recent release of the Motu Proprio and the CDF statement I have heard mentions that the real Ratzinger is back. Some of these comments are spoken favorably and some are unfavorable. I think these comments miss the whole point of who Pope Benedict XVI truly is as a person.

In his prior duties as the head of the CDF the only thing we saw of him was him fulfilling his role as "the Papal Rottweiler." Now that he is Pope he has not changed but his role has. He is more freely able to express not only his theologcal considersations but he is also expressing his pastoral side. That is what I think was the best part of Summorum Pontificorum, the pastoral side. The article linked to and quoted from below I think is an example of the Pastor and the Theologian. It also shows the influence of his predecessor on him.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S

BXVI Pope+Benedict Pope marriage divorce Catholic

Sent to you by Matthew via Google Reader:

Aid Marriage by Heeding Nature, Says Pope [2007-07-25]

via ZENIT RSS-Newsfeed on Jul 25, 2007

Calls for a Return to Creator's Design

Some Quotes that I find to be powerful from Pope BXVI on this are included here:

"Nature invites us, in fact, to marriage for life, a lifetime of faithfulness, along with the suffering of growing together in love."

"But preparation is not enough, the big problems come after that," he said. And he highlighted the importance of accompanying couples, "at least in the first 10 years" of marriage.

"To help couples truly prepare for marriage, not only as the Church intends it, but as the Creator intends it, we must recoup the ability to listen to nature, to rediscover what lies behind what everyone else does, and what nature itself tells us, which speaks in a way much different than this modern way. "

"This model of 'what everyone else does' becomes a model in contrast to that dictated by nature."

Things you can do from here:

• Visit the original item
  on ZENIT RSS-Newsfeed
• Subscribe to ZENIT RSS-Newsfeed using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Totus Tuus

This week my parish is hosting Totus Tuus. Basically, it is Vacation Bible School that is hooked up and faithful to the Magesterium of the Church. It was started 20 years ago by someone in our Diocese who is now a priest. In fact, this year we will ordain our 23rd Priest here in Wichita that lists Totus Tuus as a significant influence on his vocation.

My oldest daughter is attending this week long affair for the second time this year (she is going into the 3rd grade). This year they are learning about the sorrowful mysteries. It is a great opportunity, daily Mass, confession and lots of Fun activities but very joyful and faithful. The best thing about it is that its not watered down and the kids love it. I will write more about some of the activities and some of my past experiences later, check out the website above and see if your diocese has this program or talk to someone about bringing it to your diocese.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S

If saying the Holy Mass was ever a video game....

I think we have already seen the effects of this one...



"It's not how you pray,
its how you MOVE
to the GROOVE
EXPRESS the love you feel,
let it SWAY
through your body,
and dance all through
the Liturgy of the
WORD, to your mother!!!"

Complete your training with an expansion pack, "Guitar Liturgist." After hours of playing this game you will be able to freestyle dance in front of the altar playing the greatest praise songs including the perpetual favorite, Kumbya.

Thanks to Pope Benedict XVI we ARE going to be seeing the effects of this one. . . and I am pretty sure it will never be made into a game.

"There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place."
--Pope Benedict XVI, Summorum Pontificum

Under the Mercy,
Matthew S

TLM Tridentine+Mass Tridentine Latin Catholic Liturgy

Being my Children's Curriculum

"You are the curriculum."

This phrase is something that I cringe at hearing because it means that I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing. I suppose I should explain what I am talking about for everyone reading this who is not my wife and is just now jumping into the conversation.

Our household is a Catholic Home schooling household. I have four beautiful daughters from eight months to eight years old that don't go away for school but instead it is part of their day here at the house. Every year we have debated over, researched and lost hair over trying to decide what exact curriculum and curriculum style to use.

We have lots of different ways to teach your children at home and they all have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses. They also have unique products that have to be purchased, different levels of time commitment and wildly varied price tags.

This has really caused us to step back and reevaluate what our priorities in home schooling are. Our prestige is not at stake, a cute notebook isn't important, approval of others doesn't make it, nor does smooth quiet idealistic days that are carefree and have no problems the point.

What we are trying to accomplish is the formation of an eternal soul, a gift from God that is given to my temporary care. I am responsible for raising this child to know, love and serve the Lord. My goal is to be greeted at the gates of heaven with the words, "Job well done my true and faithful servant." It is also my job that my children be greeted similarly.

I want to spend eternity in heaven and my children learn that love for the Lord not from coloring pages or singing Kumbaya but from seeing me. I am the curriculum and though I fail, I will ask forgiveness and continue to run the race before me. That is the most important lesson they learn, perseverance unto the end in abiding in the Lord.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S.
Catholic Catholic+homeschooling homeschool homeschooling education children fatherhood

Silence. . . . .

There is something truly special about going to adoration in the middle of the night that is awe-inspiring and very instructional.

In the quiet of the night we come with all of the worries and business of our day and our minds spinning with our thoughts and worries. Our Blessed Lord is present to quietly teach us a lesson. He is simply and silently present for us. He invites us to Himself. He invites us to join Him who fasted in the dessert, praying to His Father.

It is here in the quiet we learn to be like Him. We can learn to empty ourselves and achieve Serenity. Let me accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can. The wisdom to know the difference. The prayer of silent surrender, practicing the presence of God.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S.


adoration eucharist eucharistic+adoration prayer chrsitianity Jesus Jesus+Christ Biblical+Christianity

Prayers please

As someone in emergency services I deal with life or death situations daily, it is almost a routine occurence. I would like to ask everyone to pray for some fellow emergency workers that we dispatch for that were hurt the other night. Its always a little harder when its a member of the team that gets hurt, almost as bad as when a child gets hurt.

Under the Mercy,
Matthew S

Why I love Jesus Meme

Well, Ye Ol' Curt Jester has tagged me for the Why I love Jesus Meme.

The Rules:
Those tagged will share 5 things they "love" about Jesus. Those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers. Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here with their name so that others can read them.

Well, hmmmmmmm, so I am sitting here trying to pick just five things, and which five mean the most. Of course when you are speaking philosophically and talking about loving and dealing with an infinite being this could get hard and confusing. So, I am going to attempt to make a video based response.

#1 I can only Imagine, but I don't have to....




#2 Something I have always liked about my best friends is that they had awesome Mom's





#3 I spent 2 years in seminary and learned that Jesus reaches out to us in some amazing ways through others that He specificaly calls, the best of them wear black. I love home for the gifts he gives us through the priesthood.





#4 Heaven with him will be a stomping good time......





#5 Because loving Him is more than just a feeling and yes, He brought me home before I loved Him, because He first loved me.....







I imagine this will take a bit longer to get through than a regular blog post but I hope you enjoyed it. In conclusion, I love Jesus for who He is and I tag 5 of my fellow Catholic Dads:

Bruggie Tales, Real Life Rosary, Kyrie Eleison, Bettnet, and Blowing San #1

Now, this is not a suprise

CHT to Knit Together in Love.

It really comes as no suprise the Pope Benedict XVI uses the prior rite for his private masses. We used the prior rite for the baptism of our third child (in english) the meaning is very deep.

Under the Mercy,

Matthew S