Catholic bishop addresses Mormon Institute students

[saemo]

There's no particular reason not to make a bigger deal of it than we do. There's an historical/cultural reason, however. Our puritan forebears who were there in the early days of the Restoration had a real problem with it. Things like Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, as I'm sure you already know, are big time no-nos for the Protestants. Even today.

Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians...all observe Ash Wednesday and Holy Week. Fat Tuesday celebrations are cultural in nature. Culturally, many people coming from western traditions do things like have a waffle or pancake bust with friends and family. Thus giving the name "Pancake Tuesday" to the day. Not hardly as exciting or titillating as a New Orleans Mardi Gras, but done in the same celebratory spirit! Protestants also participate in "Fat Tuesday" celebrations, Pancake Tuesday again being a popular form of celebrating.

The traditional name for the day is Shrove Tuesday, an English word rooted in the word "shrive", which means to absolve people of their sins. Fat Tuesday also being a traditional day of confession, in preparation for the beginning of Lent on the following day; the forty penitential days of fasting, alms giving and charitable works that proceed the fifty days of the Easter season (Paschaltide). The end of which, is the octave of Pentecost!

[WalkerW]

I know your not Daniel Peterson, if you look I was quoting him and asking him the question.

That was rather unnecessary and rude.

Gee, I'm sorry. I guess I should ignore you from now on.

Based on the above and the majority of his other posts, I think we all should.

[volgadon]

I'm not Daniel, and I don't know about BYU, but we Sellers do it frequently, but not annually. With 27 grandchildren, it's more than a bit of a production, but we think it worth it.

Lehi

I do annually, but that should hardly come as a surprise.

[LDS Guy 1986]

Gee, I'm sorry. I guess I should ignore you from now on.

This is a public forum. Anyone can see your messages, and anyone can respond. If you don't like this, I suggest you ... well, maybe you could grow a thicker skin.

Lehi

I have no problem with you responding, but you response indicated that you believed the question was directed at you instead of Daniel. So I wanted to let you know that it was directed at Daniel, I have no problem with others replying, and I have skin thinker than most I have met, all I was doing was clarifying that it was a question directed specifically at Dr. Peterson.

There was not direct or implied insult or offense, nor should any of been taken. If such was the case then I apologize for the misunderstanding.

[LDS Guy 1986]

That was rather unnecessary and rude.

I disagree completely but that is not much of surprise really, any insult or offense taken only happens if someone takes the simple clarification and makes it something it is not.

Based on the above and the majority of his other posts, I think we all should.

It looks like LeSellers comment about needing thicker skin, would of been better directed at you, if you are so quick to be biased against someone he knows nothing about.

[Mike Reed]

Thanks Kolipoki and Walker. It is a bit embarrassing that the book still isn't out yet. Patiently waiting for my editor (who has been busy with countless other projects) to complete the galley. I'm going to be really sad if it isn't out by Easter.

Although my book has taken longer than I had expected to be published, I think it will be WELL worth the wait. Just got a sneak peek at my editor's magic on the first couple chapters. All I can say is WOW!!!

[USU78]

Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians...all observe Ash Wednesday and Holy Week. Fat Tuesday celebrations are cultural in nature. Culturally, many people coming from western traditions do things like have a waffle or pancake bust with friends and family. Thus giving the name "Pancake Tuesday" to the day. Not hardly as exciting or titillating as a New Orleans Mardi Gras, but done in the same celebratory spirit! Protestants also participate in "Fat Tuesday" celebrations, Pancake Tuesday again being a popular form of celebrating.

The traditional name for the day is Shrove Tuesday, an English word rooted in the word "shrive", which means to absolve people of their sins. Fat Tuesday also being a traditional day of confession, in preparation for the beginning of Lent on the following day; the forty penitential days of fasting, alms giving and charitable works that proceed the fifty days of the Easter season (Paschaltide). The end of which, is the octave of Pentecost!

I don't disagree, hence my use of "Puritan" antecedents. Scratch an old-timey Mormon, and it won't be long till you get to that Puritan iconoclast core. JSJr was the grandson and greatgrandson of New England Puritans. The "City of G-d" built just inland from Plymouth Landing just got moved by its true heirs to the Finger Lakes . . . to the Ohio . . . to the Missouri . . . to the Mississippi . . . to the Logan River

It actually takes conscious effort for me not to go to that Puritan Default my inner computer always wants to return me to.

USU "Wait a minute . . . did I really just say that out loud?" 78

[Calm]

There is an Easter message on lds.org, plus the First Pres. message for the month is Easter related for those interested:

http://lds.org/pages/his-sacred-name-an-easter-declaration?lang=eng

[kolipoki09]

Although my book has taken longer than I had expected to be published, I think it will be WELL worth the wait. Just got a sneak peek at my editor's magic on the first couple chapters. All I can say is WOW!!!

That's the beauty of editors. They make everyone look much smarter than they really are.

[Scott Lloyd]

In church, we should make sure that we start singing our rich Easter hymns at least the Sunday prior to Easter, and not only on Easter Sunday -- why do we sing Christmas carols for so many weeks? because the commercial shopping season has lengthened out the Christmas holidays more than bunnies and colored eggs and chocolates have thus far managed to do for the celebration of Christ's resurrection? -- and we should guarantee that no Easter Sunday sacrament meeting will be devoted to amusing high school antics culled from the biographies of soon-to-depart missionaries, or to food storage, instead of commemorating the atonement and the resurrection (which are, after all, the fundamental principles of our faith).

... What can possibly be wrong with extending and deepening the Saints' reflection on the atonement and resurrection of Christ?

I teach gospel doctrine in my ward. Though we won't take up the Crucifixion and the Atonement for several weeks yet, looking at the schedule, I note that, if a ward has been staying on track, the lesson for Easter Sunday will be "I Was Blind, But Now I See," or perhaps "The Light of the World." Handled in the right way, both subjects are very appropriate for Easter.

[Scott Lloyd]

I don't know, everyone in my little corner of the world(and all the little corners I've lived in) knows when Easter is. It may only be because it follows Good Friday a day that schools, banks, state and local offices and, many businesses are closed but they do know when Easter is.

I can tell you that Easter is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, but in any given year, I have to look at a calendar to know when that is. I don't think it all that surprising that one who hasn't yet checked a calendar would not know.

And doesn't closing schools to observe an expressly Christian holiday -- one that draws its scheduling from lunar phases -- raise issues about the separation of Church and state?