While we're at it, let's drag out some other goodies the English lexicon has to offer, such as in·sip·id, ba·nal, dis·in·gen·u·ous, and con·de·scend·ing.
In a word, em·bar·rass·ing.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
~ Winston Churchill
"I would like to suggest four guidelines for determining the presence of true charisms. (1) The individual or the community lives the Gospel in a profound way. (2) The individual or the community performs the services completely free -- not even accepting donations, as through these it is easy to become wealthy. (3) The practices used must be common means to obtain grace approved by the Church, avoiding unusual or superstitious actions. For instance, they must not use 'magic' formulas but prayers, the Sign of the Cross and imposition of hands, and nothing that could offend modesty. They should avail themselves of water, incense, and relics and avoid anything that is extraneous to the normal ecclesiastical use. They should pray in the name of Jesus. (4) The fruits must be good. This is an evangelical rule that sums up all the other rules, 'the tree is known by its fruit' (Mt 12:33). . . .
"I will say that the seers and sensitives I have chosen to consult -- among the many that I have been offered as such -- have all been very prayerful individuals, rich in goodness and charity, and especially very humble. If I had not discovered them by chance or because someone informed me of their talents, they would never have told me. What are these talents? Charisms? Paranormal abilities? I tend to believe that it is a paranormal gift that the person uses to serve others. I do not exclude that it can be a charism. I have never noticed in these people any sign of tiredness or loss of strength. I have witnessed a gradual strengthening of these gifts through their use; this leads me to believe that we are faced with paranormal talents. I will add that it is very difficult to find true seers or sensitives. On the other hand, there are a multitude of people who believe they have and are reputed to have these gifts. We need to be very careful."Obviously, trying to contact the dead is still very much out of the question. And like all extraordinary gifts and graces, being "psychic" is not something anyone should go clamoring after. So don't even think about sending an application to any of those psychic schools or spiritual colleges popping up everywhere.
A PRAYER FOR THE PRINTING OF GOOD BOOKS
O glorious Apostle of the Gentiles, Saint Paul, who with such zeal didst busy thyself in destroying at Ephesus those books which thou knewest well would have perverted the minds of the faithful: turn upon us thy gracious eyes also at this present day. Thou seest how an unbelieving and licentious press is attempting to rob our hearts of the precious treasure of faith and spotless morals. enlighten, we beseech Thee, O holy Apostle, the minds of so many perverted writers, that they may cease once for all to do harm to souls with their evil doctrines and lying insinuations; move their hearts to hate the evil that they have done and are doing to the chosen flock of Jesus Christ. For us, too, obtain the grace of being ever docile to the voice of the Supreme Pontiff, that we may never allow ourselves to indulge in the reading of bad books, but may seek instead to read and, so far as it is given to us, to diffuse those books which by their salutary doctrine shall assist all of us to promote the greater glory of God, the exaltation of His Church and the salvation of souls. Amen.