In the News...*
News Highlights
The following are some recent news highlights...
* Pope Benedict has announced that a guidebook is being developed to assist couples in preparing for marriage.
* USCCB at it again: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is reportedly sponsoring an event which includes speakers who have been called "prominent anti-Catholic bigots". Speakers include a homosexual activist (related story here) and a priest "forced to resign by the Vatican" over his publishing of articles which question Church teachings.
* Ecumeniacs at it again: Cardinal Kasper has "floated the idea" of an "ecumenical catechism" that would be "written in consultation" with non-Catholics. Anyone doubt the work would conveniently exclude the terms "papal infallibility", "heretic", "schism", and "no salvation outside the Church"? Save us, O Lord!
* An immensely popular daytime television program which has "greatly harmed morality in the U.S." through its airing of scandalous, raunchy, and otherwise offensive content will apparently feature Dominican sisters on an upcoming show. The Oprah Winfrey Show is scheduled to feature the habit-weaning sisters on 2/9/10. The sisters hope the program will "further understanding of religious life."
* A "self-proclaimed anti-Catholic bigot" who is a member of the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships has come under fire for his insulting & inaccurate comments about Pope Benedict XVI. Harry Knox has charged the Holy Father with "hurting people in the name of Jesus" over the Pope's opposition to (gravely immoral) c*ntraceptives. News accounts indicate that a coalition of Catholic leaders has sent an open letter to President Obama demanding that Knox be fired.
* Msgr. Michel Schooyans, professor emeritus of the Catholic University of Louvain, has published an essay which discusses "true and bogus compassion in acts and standpoints observable in the world today." He charged the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, and the President of the Pontifical Academy for Life (a organization that is said to be expressing "fear for its future") with "pseudo-compassion" over their response to the recent scandal involving a nine-year old Brazilian girl who had an abortion. He noted that, "Pseudo-compassion, frequently invoked in favor of the perpetrators of acts which are inherently wrong, such as abortion, hence leads to scandal; it invites others into grave sin". He also warned that "'pseudo-compassion' leads to heresy and division."
* An Anglican "Archbishop"* has created a stir by his remarks concerning the Pope's provisions designed to make it easier for Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church. The Anglican "prelate"* said: "If people genuinely realize that they want to be Roman Catholic, they should convert properly, and go through catechesis and be made proper Catholics" and noted that "...if I was really, genuinely wanting to convert, I wouldn’t go into an ordinariate. I would actually go into catechesis and become a truly converted Roman Catholic and be accepted." [* Reminder: Anglican 'clergy' are not true priests - their orders have been ruled invalid by the Church: "Wherefore, strictly adhering, in this matter, to the decrees of the pontiffs, our predecessors, and confirming them most fully, and, as it were, renewing them by our authority, of our own initiative and certain knowledge, we pronounce and declare that ordinations carried out according to the Anglican rite have been, and are, absolutely null and utterly void." (Pope Leo XIII, "Apostolicae Curae", 1896 A.D., emphasis added)]
[2/8]
USCCB President Warns: "Don't Be Mislead"
USCCB President Cardinal Francis George has reminded that a dissenting group's support of gay 'marriage' is not authentic Church teaching. He reiterated that "No one should be misled by the claim that New Ways Ministry provides an authentic interpretation of Catholic teaching and an authentic Catholic pastoral practice" and noted that "Like other groups that claim to be Catholic but deny central aspects of church teaching, New Ways Ministry has no approval or recognition from the Catholic Church and...cannot speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful"
Related: Listing of Possible Dissenters
[2/6]
Toying With The Devil
Faithful Catholics have two more companies to add to their boycott list, namely Hasbro and Toys R Us. The reason? It has been discovered that the large toymaker recently created a new 'game' targeted at young girls. But it's not just any 'game' - it's a occultic Ouija board dressed up in pink. Apparently the satanic 'toy' has been sold by the large toy retailer Toys R Us since 2008. The retailer also sells a "glow-in-the dark Ouija board marketed to children 8-14 years old." A boycott of both companies has been launched. Warning to parents (and all persons!): Exorcists strongly condemn such 'games' and warn that they may provide an opening to evil spirits - with terrible consequences. Stay far away from these deadly 'games'!
"Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour." (St. Peter, 1 Pt. 5:8)
Related: Reflections: Evil / Satan (quotes from popes, saints, scripture...)
[2/6]
Strife among the Irish hierarchy?
An Irish newspaper is reporting that "As the countdown begins to the forthcoming Vatican meeting between Pope Benedict, senior Curia figures and the Irish bishops, Vatican insiders have suggested the Holy See has been alarmed by recent signs of internecine strife within the Irish hierarchy." The paper claims that the Holy See "has been confused and alarmed by apparent factional in-fighting among the hierarchy" and claims that Pope Benedict's forthcoming pastoral letter to the Irish may be held off until after the meeting.
[2/5]
Risk of becoming 'insipid'
An "interesting tidbit" from a recent CNA article regarding Cardinal Francis George's new book...
"In the second treatise highlighted by the Vatican paper, 'The Crisis of Liberal Catholicism,' Cardinal George provides a definition of theologically, not politically, 'liberal' Catholicism. He talks about the 'creative' attempt of 'liberal Catholics' to live in the contemporary culture, albeit 'running the risk of progressively permitting the values of the culture to take priority over those of the Gospel' and thereby becoming 'insipid.'"
[2/5]
Cardinal Rodé says there is "a certain ignorance, a certain lack of liturgical knowledge and training in young men and women religious"
Cardinal Franc Rodé, the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, recently told Vatican Radio that his office has found "a certain ignorance, a certain lack of liturgical knowledge and training in young men and women religious." His dicastery is preparing a new document to promote "proper liturgical formation of religious."
Related: Latin Mass & Catholic Tradition | Mass / Holy Eucharist
[2/4]
Lawsuit challenges federal 'hate crimes' law
The Thomas More Law Center has filed a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of new federal 'hate crimes' legislation. The lawyer in charge of the case says the law "creates a special class of persons who are ‘more equal than others’ based on nothing more than deviant, sexual behavior." It is believed that the legislation may harm religious freedom by intimidating persons from expressing biblical condemnations of homosexual acts.
Related: Bibles to become illegal? (4/09 news brief)
[2/4]
Priest sues accusers for defamation
A Chicago priest has filed suit for defamation and malicious prosecution against a former altar boy, his attorneys, and an abuse victims' group which pursued abuse allegations against him. The abuse allegations were investigated and dismissed by the Department of Child and Family Services. The priest is seeking over $500K in damages.
[2/4]
25th Jubilee for TLM in New Haven
The traditional Latin Mass community in New Haven will begin celebrating its 25th anniversary of the return of the ancient Mass on Sunday, February 7, 2010. The festivities are said to include a "series of public functions" marking the quarter-century anniversary of the return of the TLM to New Haven.
Related: Latin Mass & Catholic Tradition
[2/3]
Jesuit Leader Apologizes Over Abuse Scandal in Germany
In response to abuse allegations involving the "prestigious Jesuit-run Canisius College and spreading to other parts of Germany and beyond", a German Jesuit leader, Fr. Stefan Dartmann, recently apologized "that those responsible at the time did not investigate and react as they should have done". Fr. Dartmann also said he was "ashamed" over the handling of abuse allegations involving two former teachers who left the order in the 1980's. It is alleged that the two former Jesuits at the center of the scandal "repeatedly and systematically abused students in the 1970s and 80s." One of the perpetrators reportedly sent a letter of apology to "some" of his victims. The recently uncovered abuse allegations in this still-unfolding scandal have "shocked and angered" Germany.
Related: Scandal in the Church (apologetics)
[2/2]
Highlights From Pope Benedict's Recent Addresses
The following are highlights from recent addresses of the Holy Father...
* The Supreme Pontiff reminded that "Charity is the 'greatest' gift, which gives value to all the others... In the end, when we find ourselves face to face with God, all other gifts will fail and all that will be left to last for eternity is love", and also reminded that "charity is the distinctive mark of Christians. It is the synthesis of all their lives, of what they believe and what they do."
* Pope Benedict noted that "Love is God's very essence, it is the meaning of creation and history, it is the light that gives goodness and beauty to the existence of each man and woman. At the same time love is, so to say, the 'style' of God and of believers, it is the behaviour of those who, responding to the love of God, order their lives as a gift of self to God and to neighbour"
* The Holy Father spoke on the saints & charity: "If we think of the saints, we recognise the variety of their spiritual gifts and their human characters. But the life of each one of them is a hymn to charity, a living canticle to the love of God"
* Pope Benedict recently confirmed his "forthcoming Apostolic Visit to Great Britain". He also spoke against dissent, telling the bishops of England and Wales that "In a social milieu that encourages the expression of a variety of opinions on every question that arises, it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate. It is the truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition and articulated by the Church’s Magisterium that sets us free."
* The Holy Father furthermore criticized Britain's proposed Equality Bill that would impose "unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs", saying that the legislation "[in] some respects...actually violates the natural law". He also noted that "Fidelity to the Gospel in no way restricts the freedom of others - on the contrary, it serves their freedom by offering them the truth." He instructed the bishops to "Continue to insist upon your right to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society. In doing so, you are not only maintaining long-standing British traditions of freedom of expression and honest exchange of opinion, but you are actually giving voice to the convictions of many people who lack the means to express them: when so many of the population claim to be Christian, how could anyone dispute the Gospel’s right to be heard?"
* Pope Benedict called for the bishops to be "generous" in implementing his recent provisions to make it easier for Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church, saying that the groups of converts "would be a blessing for the entire Church."
[2/1]
Catholic Schools Week
Catholic schools across the U.S. are celebrating Catholic Schools Week from 1/31-2/6/10. The theme for Catholic Schools Week - "which celebrates the role Catholic schools play in providing an education that emphasizes academics, plus spiritual, moral and social values" - this year is "Dividends for Life". Various events are planned at Catholic schools throughout the country in celebration of Catholic Schools Week.
[2/1]
Suspect in Ohio murder pleads not guilty
The teenager arrested in connection with a recent shooting of an elderly Ohio woman in the parking lot after Mass has pleaded not guilty. Bond for the suspect - who reportedly already has a criminal record and was out on bond when the murder occurred - has been set at $3 million.
[2/1]
Shooter of late term-abortionist found guilty of first-degree murder
After only 37 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict against the shooter of late-term abortionist George Tiller. Found guilty of first-degree murder, his killer now faces life in prison. Pro-life groups have strongly condemned the killing.
[1/30]
Highlights From Address of Archbishop Chaput
The following are some highlights from a recent speech of Archbishop Charles Chaput...
* "God has never been more absent from the Western mind than he is today. Additionally, we live in an age when almost every scientific advance seems to be matched by some increase of cruelty in our entertainment, cynicism in our politics, ignorance of the past, consumer greed, little genocides posing as 'rights' like the cult of abortion, and a basic confusion about what – if anything at all – it means to be 'human.'"
* "While many people in the developed world still claim to be religious, their faith – in the words of the Pontifical Council for Culture – is 'often more a question of religious feeling than a demanding commitment to God.' Religion becomes a kind of insurance policy for eternity. Too often, it is little more than a convenient moral language for daily life."
* "Much of modern technology isolates people as often as it brings them together. It attacks community as easily as it builds it up. It also forms the human mind in habits of thought and expression that are very different from traditional culture based on the printed word. And that has implications..."
* "It is very odd that in the wake of the bloodiest century in history – a century when tens of millions of human beings were shot, starved, gassed and incinerated with superhuman ingenuity – even many religious leaders are embarrassed to talk about the devil. In fact, it is more than odd. It is revealing."
* "This is the kind of Being – once glorious, but then consumed by his own pride - who is now the Enemy of humanity [the devil]. This is the Pure Spirit who betrayed his own greatness. This is the Intellect who hates the Incarnation because through it, God invites creatures of clay like you and me to take part in God's own divinity. There is nothing sympathetic about Satan; only tragedy and loss and enduring, brilliant anger."
* "If we do not believe in the devil, sooner or later we will not believe in God. We cannot cut Lucifer out of the ecology of salvation. Satan is not God's equal. He is a created being subject to God and already, by the measure of eternity, defeated. Nonetheless, he is the first author of pride and rebellion, and the great seducer of man. Without him the Incarnation and Redemption do not make sense, and the cross is meaningless. Satan is real. There is no way around this simple truth."
* "We live in an age that imagines itself as post-modern and post-Christian. It is a time defined by noise, urgency, action, utility and a hunger for practical results. But there is nothing really new about any of this. I think St. Paul would find our age rather familiar. For all of the rhetoric about 'hope and change' in our politics, our urgencies hide a deep unease about the future; a kind of well-manicured selfishness and despair. The world around us has a hole in its heart, and the emptiness hurts. Only God can fill it."
* "...but the really essential questions, the questions that determine everything else in our life as Christians, are these: Do I really know God? Do I really love Him? Do I seek Him out? Do I study His word? Do I listen for His voice? Do I give my heart to Him? Do I really believe He's there?"
* "We have an obligation as Catholics to study and understand the world around us. We have a duty not just to penetrate and engage it, but to convert it to Jesus Christ."
* "The Love which moves the sun and the other stars. That is the nature of the God we preach. A God so great in glory, heat, light and majesty that He can populate the heavens and call life out of dead space; yet so intimate that He became one of us; so humble that He entered our world on dirt and straw to redeem us. I think we can be forgiven for sometimes running away from that kind of love, like a child who runs away from a parent, because we simply cannot understand or compete with that ocean of unselfishness. It is only when we give ourselves to God that we understand, finally, that we were made to do exactly that. Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him. We should not be afraid to believe and to love; it took even a great saint like Augustine half a lifetime to be able to admit, that 'late have I loved thee, Beauty so old and so new; late have I loved thee.'"
[1/28]
Ohio Commission Recommends Designating Six More Catholic Churches as Historical Landmarks
The fight over church closures in Ohio is continuing with the recommendation by Cleveland's Landmarks Commission that six additional Catholic churches be "designated as historical city landmarks, which would give them some protection against demolition or structural changes." Many Catholics welcome the government intervention to save their parishes, but the diocese opposes the plans, calling city proposals "extremely offensive." The issue may ultimately be resolved through the courts.
[1/27]
Recent News Highlights
Recent news highlights include...
* The Diocese of Phoenix is revising their marriage preparation requirements, lengthening the preparation time to 9 months and - they hope - better preparing persons for marriage
* Recent "Tweets" that some claimed were from the Vatican were found to be impersonations. No word yet on who may be involved
* LifeNews.com reports that the major networks ABC, CBS, & NBC once again ignored the large pro-life rally on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade which was attended by "tens of thousands" of pro-lifers
* The Holy Father has reassured Haiti that the Church "will remain - and not only in these moments of great commotion - alongside the people who have been so sorely tried by this tragedy, and will, to the limit of her powers, help them regain the chance to build a better future"
* The funeral held this past weekend for Church leaders who died in the earthquake in Haiti was attended by hundreds, including Archbishop Dolan who said that the apparently untouched crucifix in front of the ruined cathedral "brought [him] to tears". More than 150,000 people are now believed to have fallen victim to the devastating earthquake, which also injured or displaced millions of people
* The previously announced book on Pope John Paul II has been released. The book indicates that the late pope practiced mortification, including self-flagellation. The book also reveals that Pope John Paul II would resign if he became incapacitated. The book was authored by the postulator ("main promoter") of the late pope's cause for canonization. The cause itself has been marked with some controversy. While many have been anxious for the popular pope's canonization, others have expressed unease with the fast-tracking of his cause and have called for a more critical examination of the late pope's novel actions and teachings [Related User-Submitted Article: "Great" Popes: When a Pope Should Be & Should Not Be Called Great]
* A recent Washington Post article has created a stir portraying "ordained" Catholic women as "faithful Catholics". Of course, the pseudo-ordinations undergone by these feminists prove precisely that they are not faithful Catholics. In fact, their supposed "ordinations" are entirely invalid and confer absolutely no power whatsoever on these disobedient women. The Church's teaching against women's 'ordination' has characteristics of infallibility and will never be subject to change, despite the dissenters' seemingly relentless efforts. [Related: Top Reasons Why Women Can't Be Priests]
* The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter has announced that the Pontifical
Consecration of its newly built chapel at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary is
scheduled to occur on March 3, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. (CST). The consecration
will be celebrated by Bishop Bruskewitz, with Cardinal Levada, the Prefect
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in attendance. The FSSP
website states that "Any and all the faithful are cordially invited and are
most welcome to attend this joyful event and enjoy refreshments afterward."
Their site also notes that the Pontifical Consecration and Mass will be
televised live on EWTN.
[1/26]
Pope John Paul II "can't do anything"?
Recently released details concerning a possible miracle attributed to Pope Pius XII are causing controversy - but not about this pope. According to a CNA account of the purported miracle (drawn from an Il Giornale article), the husband of a woman diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma prayed for Pope John Paul II's intercession, but instead of receiving help from Pope John Paul II, the man had a dream in which the late pope - with a "serious face" - spoke to him, saying "I can't do anything, you must pray to this other priest..." Several days later, the man saw a picture of Pope Pius XII and realized he was the one that Pope John Paul II spoke of in his dream. After praying for Pope Pius XII's intercession, the man's wife - pregnant at the time - was "miraculously" cured of cancer. Needless to say, the comment attributed to the late Pope John Paul II that he "can't do anything" to help has stirred controversy. While many have sought fast canonization of the popular pontiff, whom some call "Great", others have urged that the process be suspended in favor of a more critical examination of his novel actions and teachings.
Related User-Submitted Article: "Great" Popes: When a Pope Should Be & Should Not Be Called Great
[1/22]
Reputed Relics of St. Joan of Arc Questioned Once Again
Relics previously thought to be the charred remains of St. Joan of Arc are, once again, being called into question. The artifacts had been labeled "Remains found under the pyre of Joan of Arc, maiden of Orleans", but according to results of recent scientific tests, the remains have "relatively little chance" of belonging to the 15th century saint. A previous test also concluded that the remains were not hers. Furthermore, the historical record (e.g. "After death her ashes were thrown into the Seine" - Catholic Encyclopedia) calls into question the possibility of any existing remains.
[1/21]
Recent Activities of the Holy Father
The following are some highlights from Pope Benedict's recent activities...
* The Pope has reconfirmed Cardinal Bertone as Vatican Secretary of State even though the Cardinal has passed the age limit for resignation
* The Holy Father participated in the traditional blessing of lambs on the feast of St. Agnes. The lambs have the honor of having their wool be used in palliums
* Pope Benedict reportedly told a rabbi that he has finished his second book on Jesus of Nazareth
* The Holy Father has asked for prayers for unity during this week of prayer for Christian unity. He notes that unity is "first and foremost a gift from God"
* The Pope appointed a female, Flaminia Giovanelli, as under secretary of
the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace[1/21]
'Parents can't be too careful'
Add another one to the "parents can't be to careful" file... A former music director for parishes in IL has been arrested for allegedly storing child p*rn on his personal computer, along with his roommate. A diocesan spokesman has confirmed that the former music director "underwent an extensive background check before he was employed at either church" and reportedly gave "no indication of any problems (and had) no arrests in the past." Although there are apparently no reports of inappropriate behavior with children, parents may still find it unsettling that one who is alleged to view child p*rn may have had access to their children through the church choir.
[1/21]
CRS says there has been a "tremendous response" to appeal for aid
According to CRS, there has been a "tremendous response" to the appeal for aid for Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake, both internationally and from the United States. In addition to financial assistance, CRS Chairman Archbishop Timothy Dolan asks persons to "Please keep in your prayers the people of Haiti and those who are working so hard to bring them aid and comfort"
[1/20]
First 2010 Vatican-SSPX Meeting
The doctrinal discussions between the Vatican and the SSPX apparently continued on Monday January 18, according to news reports. While details of the meeting are scarce, they have reportedly "started to deepen the themes of the agenda in the doctrinal talks" and plan to meet again "in mid-March"
[1/20]
Cardinal Schönborn Issues Apology
CNA is reporting that Cardinal Schönborn issued an apology to Bishop Perić over the Cardinal's recent "private" visit to Medjugorje. The Cardinal's visit has "aggravated the turmoil in the diocese", which is already "plagued by dissent". The faxed "handwritten letter of apology" was issued shortly after Cardinal Schönborn's private meeting with Pope Benedict, a meeting which took place on January 15. The beginning of the letter has been made public. It reads:
"Your Excellency, Dear Brother in Christ. I have received your letter from January 2 of this year. I am very sorry that you got the impression that my pilgrimage has disturbed the peace. You can be sure that this was not my intention."
Related: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?
[1/19]
Attempted Assassin of Pope John Paul II Released From Prison
The attempted assassin of Pope John Paul II, Mehmet Ali Agca, has been released from prison. Upon his release, the attempted assassin - who is believed to mentally ill - stated, in part, that...
"I proclaim the end of the world. All the world will be destroyed in this century. Every human being will die in this century"
He also reiterated his claim to be Christ.
In recent statements, he indicated his supposed desire to be baptized as well his plan to "write the perfect gospel". He has also sought multi-million dollar book deals for his story.
Pray this man stays far away from Rome!
[1/18]
Religious Freedom 'Wake-Up Call'
A senatorial candidate's remarks that pro-lifers "probably shouldn’t work in the emergency room" is being viewed as a "wake-up call" regarding threats to religious freedom. The U.S. Senate candidate Martha Coakley (D-Mass.) said in a recent interview that "The law says that people are allowed to have [religious freedom]. You can have religious freedom but you probably shouldn’t work in the emergency room." Her comments have been "sharply criticized" in Catholic circles.
[1/16]
Mark This Day On Your Calendar
Some long-needed clarity has finally arrived regarding the ecumenical movement. In the annual plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Pope Benedict XVI affirmed that the conversion of Anglicans into the Catholic Church is "is in no way contrary to the ecumenical movement", affirming that "rather, it reveals the ultimate aim thereof, which is the realisation of the full and visible communion of the disciples of the Lord"
Deo Gratias!
Related: Ecumenism: Q & A | Necessity of Being Catholic for Salvation | "Figuratively Speaking: There once was a vacuum cleaner salesman..." (Guest Article) [see far right column]
[1/15]
Cardinal Etchegaray Released From Hospital
According to an AP report, the elderly Cardinal who was injured in the Christmas Eve security incident at St. Peter's has been released from the hospital and is in "good" condition.
[1/15]
Update: Situation in Haiti
The following is a brief update on the situation in Haiti after the devastating earthquake...
* The exact number of victims is unknown, but estimates say 50,000 were killed (including the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince), while another 3 million were left "injured or homeless"
* The devastation in Haiti (population 80% Catholic) includes "the cathedral, the archbishop's residence, all the great churches, all the seminaries"
* Earthquake survivors have been forced to remain outside due to safety concerns, even sleeping outdoors overnight
* Nearly 1 in 8 of all priests in Haiti are reportedly either dead or missing
* Catholic Relief Services will send more staff to Haiti to assist in relief efforts
* Observers have described the devastation as "immense" and "unimaginable"
* Some looting has already broken out and there is "very little visible presence of the police"
* At least some good news: Various emergency supplies were "stockpiled" since the neighboring Dominican Republic "had a mild hurricane season"
* CNS has provided a list of Catholic agencies accepting donations for relief efforts (see link at right labeled "Catholic aid agencies accepting donations for Haitian relief efforts") [Commentary: One should support good Catholic relief organizations rather than non-Catholic religious charities. For more on this topic, try the user-submitted article: "Please Don't Do That! Reasons Catholics Shouldn't Lend Their Support To Non-Catholic Efforts"]
* There will be second collection nationwide this Sunday to assist in Haitian earthquake relief efforts
[1/14]
Recent News Highlights
Recent news highlights...
* Reports indicate that more than 600,000 people have already made reservations to see the Shroud of Turin which will be displayed at the Cathedral of Turin this year from April 10 - May 23. Pope Benedict is scheduled to view the Shroud on May 2.
* According to new study by a sociology professor at Texas Tech University, persons who have multiple tattoos or body piercings were significantly more likely to "use illegal drugs, get arrested on criminal charges, fornicate with multiple partners, or cheat at college". The study's author notes that "escalating levels of body art acquisition and social deviance seem to be concurrent phenomena."
* A documentary film is being made about Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the traditionalist bishop who ran afoul of Church authorities by consecrating four bishops without an apostolic mandate
* Under-population crisis: According to a report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, elderly people worldwide will outnumber children in 2045, significantly impacting taxes, healthcare, and the labor pool
* Reports indicate that there has been a "mass exodus" of liberal Catholics in Austria. A dissenting group claims the departures began when the Pope lifted the excommunication of a controversial member of the SSPX. A diocesan spokesman, however, attributes the departures to "church tax" that is collected in that nation.
* A Jewish rabbi has suggested that since Pope Pius XII did not lay down his life, he is not a saint. He said, that "Jews perceive as insensitive the idea that anyone who did not put their life on the line at that time can be considered saintly or as warranting a move in that direction." They apparently are not swayed even by the mounting "piles of evidence" showing that that Pope Pius XII's efforts were instrumental in saving many thousands of Jews - not to mention that his efforts of behalf of Jews did put his life at risk.
* In a recent interview, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship has stressed the liturgy as the center of the life of the faithful which has "first priority", saying that all else comes after. He says that the "great contribution" of Pope Benedict is his "leading us to the truth of the liturgy" and that it is an "urgent duty" to correct liturgical abuse. He also reminds that without tradition, the Church would be "converted into a changing human institution"
* A Georgetown University professor who is a consultant to Pope Benedict XVI's Council for the Laity has written an article blasting Obama's controversial, homosexual activist, "Safe Schools Czar". The article states that "The appointment of a 'czar' like Kevin Jennings is one way in which President Obama can ensure the influence of homosexual-rights-activists in important places – like our nation’s public schools – without the president’s having to pass a law, or even hold a Congressional hearing, both of which might generate public attention and opposition."
* Archbishop Niederauer of San Francisco has attempted to set the record straight regarding pro-abort 'Catholic' Pelosi's comments regarding "free-will" and abortion. He reminds that "the exercise of freedom does not imply a right to say or do everything" and that "it is entirely incompatible with Catholic teaching to conclude that our freedom of will justifies choices that are radically contrary to the Gospel - racism, infidelity, abortion, theft. Freedom of will is the capacity to act with moral responsibility; it is not the ability to determine arbitrarily what constitutes moral right." He reminds that "free will cannot be cited as justification for society to allow moral choices that strike at the most fundamental rights of others. Such a choice is abortion, which constitutes the taking of innocent human life, and cannot be justified by any Catholic notion of freedom."
* Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani spoke on the "grave responsibility" that parents have to raise their children in the faith. He reminds that "Raising them in the truth is to know that sin is the true enemy. From a young age we must make them see what sin is, how it is manifested, why it is sin, and of what it consists. And at the same time, we must teach them that Jesus has come with his life to reveal to us the kindness of his love, his forgiveness and his help. They should learn to forgive and to ask for forgiveness"
* A liberal Jesuit magazine has published a piece defending the proposed new translation of the Roman Missal (Novus Ordo) in response to a priest who argued against it. The article defending the new translation discusses the matter from the writer's vantage point as a former participant in the ICEL translation effort (where, he says, "Ideology, it seemed, had taken precedence over accuracy"). He writes that "So much of what I have witnessed or had described to me by eyewitnesses has been nothing shy of a betrayal of the council’s great vision and, in my judgment, largely responsible for the rapid emptying of the pews." He also reveals that he assembled a team to replace the prevailing translation ("a paraphrase instead of a translation") with a new translation, which he says was received with "hostility" by the bishops' committee, but enjoyed "guarded interest" from Rome. Using the example that "If a man is told by his physician that he must lose 50 pounds or face serious problems, he must 'turn back the clock' to the time when he was lighter in order to save his life", he says "that is what the church at the highest levels is calling us to do." He even speaks of "very positive reactions" to the new translations over the past year which he says are "a vast improvement over the uninspiring, banal and all-too-often theologically problematic texts we have been using for nearly 40 years."
[1/14]
Possible Good News for Brussels
The respected Vatican analyst Andrea Tornielli says that a progressive Brussels prelate will soon be succeeded by the country's "most traditional bishop." Although the likely future Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels presently heads the "country's smallest diocese", it "reportedly boasts half of Belgium's 70 seminarians." The prelate is said to be an "enthusiastic supporter" of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. Deo Gratias!
Related: Summorum Pontificum Info.
[1/13]
Scottish Bishops "Secretly Wish" Pope Wasn't Coming?
The Blogs Editor of the Telegraph Media Group suspects that Scottish bishops may "secretly wish" the Holy Father wasn't visiting. Although he admits it may seem "a crazy suspicion to harbour", he cites one "church source" that says "They want an easy life, and Benedict spells trouble for them. They are wedded to the outdated and discredited liturgical practices of the 70s and all that spurious inclusiveness." The source says to "Expect a polyester-style folk liturgy which will put Scotland to shame after what happens south of the border."
[1/13]
'Marriage on Trial'
Observers note that a federal court trial over California's Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment passed by voters which declared that only marriage between a man and a woman is recognized in that state, may have an impact in "determining the future of marriage in the entire U.S." The trial kicked off Monday (1/11) and is ultimately expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, regardless of which side prevails.
"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22)
[1/11]
Update on Cardinal Etchegaray
The elderly Cardinal who was injured on Christmas Eve when a mentally ill woman jumped the security barrier to approach the Pope is said to be in "excellent" condition and is expected to be released from the hospital the middle of next week, according to the Director of the Holy See Press Office.
[1/11]
Update on the Situation in Malaysia
Religious tension in Malaysia has increased as the violence against non-Islamic religious structures has continued. At least nine structures have been firebombed or otherwise vandalized since a controversial court ruling permitted a Catholic newspaper to use the word "Allah" as a translation for God. The court ruling, which has angered many Muslims, has been suspended.
[1/11]
Pope Benedict Says Freedom Cannot Be Absolute
The following is from Pope Benedict's speech to members of the Diplomatic Corps...
"Creatures differ from one another and can be protected, or endangered, in different ways, as we know from daily experience. One such attack comes from laws or proposals which, in the name of fighting discrimination, strike at the biological basis of the difference between the sexes. I am thinking, for example, of certain countries in Europe or North and South America. Saint Columban stated that: 'If you take away freedom, you take away dignity' (Ep. 4 ad Attela, in S. Columbani Opera, Dublin, 1957, p. 34). Yet freedom cannot be absolute, since man is not himself God, but the image of God, God’s creation. For man, the path to be taken cannot be determined by caprice or willfulness, but must rather correspond to the structure willed by the Creator."
The Holy Father also noted that...
"Sadly, in certain countries, mainly in the West, one increasingly encounters in political and cultural circles, as well in the media, scarce respect and at times hostility, if not scorn, directed towards religion and towards Christianity in particular. It is clear that if relativism is considered an essential element of democracy, one risks viewing secularity solely in the sense of excluding or, more precisely, denying the social importance of religion."
[1/11]
French Fried?
The Rorate-Caeli blog has highlighted a survey concerning the (already well-known) decline of Catholicism in France, the 'eldest daughter' of the Church. The survey indicates that the number of French who attend Mass once a week was "no more than 4.5% in 2009" and that "63% of practicing Catholics think all religions are the same."
Pray for France!
Note: Earlier story here ("God Help France")
Related: Mass / Holy Eucharist | The Importance of Being Catholic: Combating Religious Indifferentism
[1/11]
Need a Chuckle? Media Bias
Should you need a chuckle, consider reading news accounts regarding Archbishop Burke's upcoming talk at the 40th annual Red Mass at St. Mary's Basilica in Arizona. A couple examples...
1- "One of the Catholic Church's most controversial figures, Archbishop Raymond Burke..."
2- "Divisive bishop to speak at Red Mass"
If you didn't know any better, what might you think of such a person? Truth is, he's an orthodox, faithful prelate who takes the Catholic faith seriously. Perhaps that is why he was made the "chief justice" of the "Catholic Supreme Court" and is "one of the highest ranking Americans in the Vatican."
For a little more ...um...fun... try comparing media accounts regarding this faithful prelate with articles concerning prelates who have publicly dissented from Church teachings. A betting person might wager one would see outright praise - or at least muted acclaim - for the "progressive" prelates, without a hint that such prelates were "controversial" or "divisive" (unless, of course, they made a point to decry the "unjust" Church teachings that their 'hero-like' prelate disagrees with).
Gotta love that oh-so-impartial secular media.
[1/11]
Setback for personhood initiative
A personhood measure in Nevada recently suffered a setback as a state judge ruled that a one-line (14 word) ballot measure was too broad and covered more than one subject. The simple pro-life measure which was rejected read: "In the great state of Nevada, the term 'person' applies to every human being."
Regarding the ruling, the judge said, "The issue to me is, are we adequately informing voters on what they're voting on" and claimed that "There's no way for the voter to understand the effects of the initiative."
Cynic's translation: "Truth be d*mned. Who cares if they're persons? We don't want to have to give fellow human beings rights if doing so might interfere with our materialistic lifestyles."
The decision is expected to be appealed.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..." (Jer. 1:5)
[1/11]
U.K.: Goodbye Religious Freedom?
The Church's freedom in the U.K. may be severely threatened by a controversial equality bill according to a new report by "the leading charity – backed by a legal opinion from a leading QC". It is feared that the bill will make it illegal for the Catholic Church and other Catholic organizations and charities to hire and fire based on allegiance to Church teachings. For example, a Catholic charity may be prohibited from firing openly gay employees and they may be forced to hire non-Catholics. Also, the Church may be prevented from hiring only male, celibate priests. The fact that the Church has important reasons for maintaining priestly celibacy (click here) or the fact that the male gender is essential for the valid transmission of priestly orders (click here) may not prevent such practices from being considered "illegal" under the controversial equality bill that is likely to severely threaten religious freedom in the country.
[1/11]
Critic Suggests Demonic Influence in Blockbuster Works
LifeSiteNews is reporting on an "insightful analysis" written by "one of the world's best-known critics of the Harry Potter series." The critic says the popular Twilight vampire novel series "dangerously twists evil into good and may even be demonically influenced." He notes similarities between the vampire book author's experiences and the Harry Potter author's experiences - both received ominous "inspiration" for their work (the vampires author heard "quite literally, voices in my head" as she wrote and had a "terrifying conversation" in a dream; the other author says "The character of Harry Potter just popped into my head, fully formed" and claimed the books "almost wrote themselves", an experience she called "quite spooky"). The critic also notes that both novels are "permeated with occultism", and that both writers were novices before authoring these books (both are now multi-millionaires). Looking at their similar experiences and the occultism in the works, the critic asks, "Based on this, it's appropriate to wonder, is there a supernatural source behind these revelations?"
The works have been condemned by various persons in the Church (including the Chief Exorcist of Rome, Father Gabriele Amorth, who said, "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil"; Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, who said, "It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly"; and Monsignor Franco Perazzolo of the Pontifical Council of Culture who referred to the recent vampire film as "a moral vacuum with a deviant message"). Unfortunately, both works are "immensely popular", even among some Catholics who fail to see the moral dangers - in fact, many Catholics even allow their children to be exposed to these works which are "permeated with occultism".
"Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour." (1 Pt. 5:8)
[1/9]
Simple Solution For Church Leaders: Smash the Image
An uproar has developed over an image of the disgraced former Archbishop of Milwaukee, Archbishop Rembert Weakland, which appears in St. John the Evangelist Cathedral. The homosexual former Archbishop of Milwaukee - "the most liberal bishop in America" who "wore his dissent as a badge of honor" - is no stranger to scandal. The former Archbishop shuffled around priests who faced abuse allegations and also paid "hush money" to a seminarian he had an affair with. He just recently published a controversial memoir and claims he had "no understanding" of the criminal nature of s*xual abuse of minors, and indicated that he "accepted naively the common view that it was not necessary to worry about the effects on the youngsters: either they would not remember or they would 'grow out of it'". Accordingly, victims groups are upset about the image, commissioned in 2000, which "portrays the former archbishop alongside images of the Virgin Mary, St. John and various other figures including children." The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has, unfortunately, defended the image even though it claims that its "priority remains to work toward healing and resolution. Identifying ongoing sources of pain is important to that process." Church leaders: Heal our pain - smash the image! One can't help but think Church leaders in a holier age would have already done so - without having to be told.
[1/9]
Catholic Portugal is a step closer to legalizing gay 'marriage'
As predicted, Portugal's parliament has passed a bill to 'legalize' homosexual 'marriage' in the traditionally Catholic country. The measure must be reviewed in committee before coming back for a final vote. It is possible that the final vote will occur prior to Pope Benedict's May visit to the country.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
Related: The End of Freedom in America? (article covers the 'homosexual rights' movement in the U.S.)
[1/8]
'Religion of peace' at it again
Certain Muslims in Malaysia, angry over a controversial court ruling which permits a Catholic newspaper to use the word "Allah" as a translation for God, are apparently firebombing non-Islamic religious structures in the area, including at least one Catholic church. These militant actions are occurring despite the fact that the court ruling has been suspended.
[1/8]
Papal Security: The Sedia Gestatoria
In the wake of the Christmas Eve incident where Pope Benedict was knocked to the ground by a mentally ill woman - only one of a number of recent security incidents - there has been talk about bringing back the traditional sedia gestatoria ("portable papal throne for carrying the Pope on solemn entries"). The following is an excerpt from a recent Catholic Herald article:
"One only has to look at old black and white footage of pontiffs prior to Paul VI to see how popes always used to enter the basilica being carried shoulder high in the sedia gestatoria. Not only that, but there was always a throng of people around the chair, not only the actual bearers but numerous chamberlains and nobility and a large number of guards: Swiss Guards, uniformed Gendarmes, the Palatine Guard and Noble Guard. These comprised the old papal court which Pope Paul VI abolished and which formed a kind of buffer zone between the Pope and the crowds, no doubt as much a practical defence measure as a piece of ceremony.
The use of the sedia continued until very recently and many are unaware that the last pope to use the sedia was actually Pope John Paul I. While the abolition of this ancient form of transport may have since been considered appropriate in the context of the late 20th century and the [supposed] need to democratise the appearance of papal ceremonies, the reality has left the Pope an isolated and vulnerable figure separated from the deacons ahead and the MCs behind, one who appears all too often like the figure in the Third Secret of Fatima: a victim walking alone simply waiting to be attacked."
They also note that bringing back the sedia gestatoria would "save an elderly [Pope's] tired legs" and would allow people to see the Holy Father better.
Bring back the sedia gestatoria!
[1/7]
More trouble for Catholics in Vietnam
A press release of the Archdiocese of Hanoi reports that "Police attacked the [Dong Chiem parish on Wednesday], in the early morning, when both its pastor and the pastor’s assistant were at the annual retreat in the Archbishop Office. An estimated 500 heavily armed and well-entrenched police officers and a large number of trained dogs were deployed in the area to protect an army engineering unit that destroyed a large crucifix erected on a boulder inside the parish cemetery,"
News accounts indicate that the police attacked parishioners who had "rushed to the site to protect their crucifix". At least six parishioners were hurt, with at least two of those sustaining serious injuries. One article describes the incident as "one of the most serious recent incidents in a long-running series of church-state land disputes."
[1/7]
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Canadian court finds man who beat an elderly nun to death 'not guilty' by reason of insanity [2/8]
Good news for Alaskans: New weekly TLM [2/6]
Archdiocese of Turin closes cathedral for three months to prepare for public viewing of Shroud [2/5]
'Life in Haiti on day 23' [2/5]
Researchers discover that some diagnosed as 'vegetative' are "able to answer questions internally" [2/4]
Vatican officials deny claims regarding false documents that led to editor's resignation [2/4]
Vermont diocese to sell diocesan headquarters to pay for abuse settlements [2/3]
Death toll for religious in Haiti up to 47; Total casualties up to 170,000 [2/3]
New, more accurate Mass translations "should be" ready for use in U.S. by Lent 2011 [2/3]
"Enormous decline" in number of religious brothers in last few decades [2/2]
Earthquake in Haiti caused deaths in 30 religious communities [2/2]
Vietnamese priest calls for an "end of the besiegement" [2/2]
Pope Benedict's prayer intentions for February [2/1]
Holy Father calls for "great sense of responsibility" over job losses [2/1]
Vatican decides to keep nails on Michelangelo's last painting - the Crucifixion of St Peter [2/1]
Teenager arrested in slaying of elderly woman after Mass in Ohio [1/30]
Nigerian priest charged with embezzling nearly $200K from Wisconsin parishes [1/30]
Salesians face "slight decline" in membership [1/28]
Timeline shows teen pregnancy rates fall with abstinence education, rise with s*x ed [1/28]
Hundreds of NJ parishioners sue bishop for return of $1.4M in donations after parish merger [1/28]
Pro-life group issues report on President Obama's nominations & appointments; Group's founder says "President Obama has nominated and appointed the most radical group of ideologues ever assembled by an American President" [Warning: Article contains disturbing, graphic references] [1/27]
Vatican experts speculate that a consistory is likely to take place "soon" [1/26]
Holy See to use postage stamp as fundraiser for Haitian earthquake survivors [1/26]
Leaked document on papal primacy is a draft that has "no authority or official status" [1/26]
Elderly woman shot in parking lot after Mass in Ohio [1/26]
Diocese of Fairbanks emerges from bankruptcy; Bishop to meet with, apologize to abuse victims [1/26]
IL priest arrested for shoplifting [1/26]
Baseball MVP retires to become priest; Grant Desme to join St. Michael’s Abbey in California [1/23]
Pro-lifers urged to keep up their efforts at pro-life rally which was attended by 23 bishops [1/23]
Holy See's budget forecasts "slight improvement" for 2010 [1/22]
Possible good news: Blogger claims announcement of Cardinal Mahony's successor is imminent [1/22]
Pope Benedict recalls his seminary days, ordination [1/21]
More anti-Catholic violence in Vietnam [1/21]
Pro-life activities of Catholic colleges planned for this week [1/21]
Pope Benedict summons Irish bishops to Vatican this February to address abuse scandal [1/20]
'Prominent rabbi' calls Israel's behavior towards the Holy See "outrageous" [1/19]
Aid is failing to reach many earthquake victims in Haiti [1/19]
Pope Benedict prays for victims of earthquake in Haiti, entrusts Haitians to the Blessed Virgin Mary [1/18]
Smithsonian debuts exhibit on nuns [1/18]
Misguided Catholics at it again: Laity boycott Mass over firing of 'transgendered' employee [1/18]
Band of Muslim youths attack Catholics on way to Mass in Nigeria [1/18]
Vatican investigating possible miracle of Pope Pius XII [1/18]
Principal slashed by knife-wielding teenager at Catholic school in California [1/16]
Vatican website offers online bible in Chinese [1/16]
The rainbow - oft-used symbol of the 'homosexual movement' - a new liturgical color? [1/16]
Pope Benedict may have advised Cardinal Schönborn to use more prudence over Medjugorje [Related Resource: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?] [1/16]
Parishioners in Springfield appeal church closure to Vatican [1/15]
Program for Pope Benedict's trip to synagogue [1/15]
Good news: KY appeals court rules display containing Ten Commandments is constitutional [1/15]
Elderly Italian priest testifies to Pope Pius XII's efforts on behalf of Jews during WWII [1/15]
Papal nuncio's "dramatic report on the Church in Haiti" [1/15]
Disgusting: PP uses disaster as fundraising opportunity to promote c*ntraceptives in Haiti [1/15]
Good news: New Hampshire rejects bill 'legalizing' assisted suicide [1/14]
Former prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints critical of Cardinal Schönborn's recent visit to Medjugorje; Regarding the alleged 'apparitions', he says "The Madonna could not, in any case at all, be anti-hierarchical and incite disobedience, even if the Bishop of Mostar were wrong"; Reminds that conversions happen regularly in ordinary parishes and are not proof of authenticity of alleged 'apparitions' [Related Resource: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?] [1/14]
Catholic aid agencies accepting donations for Haitian relief efforts [1/14]
Canada's first Asian-born bishop is great-grandson of martyr [1/14]
Petition to free the ND 88 has been launched [1/14]
Priest who admitted to using $432K in parish funds for gambling avoids jail time [1/14]
"Huge victory" for homeschoolers in New Hampshire [1/14]
Pope Benedict makes appeal for prayers, assistance for victims of devastating earthquake in Haiti [1/13]
Fatima shrine vandalized, statues painted with Islamic words [1/13]
U.S. bishops launch massive '11th hour effort' to keep abortion out of healthcare legislation [1/12]
Priest, Catholic journalist attacked by Vietnamese police [1/12]
Cardinal Razafindratandra dies at age 84 [1/12]
L’Osservatore Romano publishes Pope Benedict's 2011 prayer intentions, one year in advance [1/12]
Unbelievable: Ignoring the negative judgments, lies, disobedience, questionable messages & bad fruits, Cardinal Schönborn compares alleged apparitions at Medjugorje to Lourdes [Related Resource: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?] [1/12]
Pope Benedict baptizes 14 infants in Sistine Chapel [1/11]
For second time in three months, grenade explodes in Philippine cathedral [1/11]
Anti-Catholic discrimination in European Commission [1/11]
L'Osservatore Romano discusses "hidden epidemic" of premature births [1/11]
Pope visits hospitalized Cardinal injured in security incident on Christmas Eve [1/9]
Healthcare reform proposals contain annual $2K 'marriage tax' [1/9]
"Top ten most important bioethics stories" of last decade [1/9]
Pope thanks agents of the General Inspectorate for Public Security [1/8]
Priest accused of abuse in IL apparently attempted suicide by jumping from church balcony [1/8]
"A must read": Pope Benedict renews traditions [1/8]
Good news: New Jersey state senate votes down measure legalizing homosexual 'marriage' [1/8]
Retired Bishop Pelotte dies at age 64 [1/8]
Thousands of brave Chinese mourners attend funeral for underground Chinese bishop [1/8]
Holy Father thanks Carabinieri police for their service [1/7]
U.S. bishops launch "massive postcard campaign" urging immigration reform [1/7]
As many as 24 U.S. bishops could retire due to age in 2010 [1/6]
Over 2.2 million attended papal events at the Vatican & Castelgandolfo in 2009 [1/5]
Security change has been made at St. Peter's in wake of Christmas Eve incident [1/5]
Online TLM petition [1/5]
Police recover chalices stolen from Indiana parish; Historic vessels are "badly damaged" [1/4]
VIS bulletin 2010 schedule [1/4]
How sad: Montana becomes 3rd state in U.S. to allow euthanasia [1/4]
Bishop of Mostar-Duvno Diocese "regrets" Cardinal's personal visit to Medjugorje [Related Resource: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?] [1/4]
Good news: Priests’ conference in Rome to feature 'Tridentine' liturgies [1/4]
More good news: New weekly TLM in Anchorage [1/4]
2009 saw increase in killings of priests, nuns and missionaries [1/4]
»
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Guest Article:
25 reasons to reject airport full body scans
By "Former Flier"
It's sickening that many television personalities have been so willing to violate the privacy of honest Americans over fear due to the recent foiled terror attempt. On the matter of full body scans, they are wrong, not to mention terribly shortsighted. They have one - and ONLY one - supposed argument in favor of full body scans; that is, such scans MAY make airline travel safer. But will it? Certainly there is no guarantee that this will occur. Rather, it is their "hope" or "belief" that this will result. But it is wrong - immoral even - to subject innocent people to this degrading procedure.
The following are my 25 reasons to reject these full-body scans...
1. These scans are a total violation of privacy! (Have you seen the full body scan images on TV? You can see everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!)
2. This procedure is immodest and will further a sense of immodesty as people become accustomed to allowing strangers to examine images of their body.
3. It is wrong to allow strangers who are not doctors to examine images of your private parts and the private parts of your family members. You wouldn't dream of allowing this to occur in any other setting.
4. The people who will be viewing every single nook and cranny of your body are government employees. Think of that, government agents viewing full body images of you. Did such privacy violations even occur in Communist Russia on such a wide scale?
5. Most likely you won't be allowed to know, see, or give your consent to the individual chosen by the government to analyze your body scan from head to toe. You will not be given their resume or information on their criminal record (if any) or about their mental health or any past transgressions involving others' scans. For all you know, the person who views images of your entire body and the entire bodies of your loved ones will be a pervert. The person viewing the images will be able to focus on any part of your body they want, free from any objection of yours and with your knowledge & consent. (If you go through the scanners, you are consenting to this.)
6. I wouldn’t allow my 13 year-old daughter's body to be viewed in the nude by a stranger - would you allow your daughter's to be? So why would you allow a revealing full body scan of your teenage daughter to be viewed by a stranger at the airport?
7. When this becomes widespread, EVERYONE who flies will be subject to this invasion of privacy - be they minor, grandparent, man, woman, priest, nun, or bishop. This is plain wrong.
8. When viewers of the full body images can't make out certain details on their screen, people will be subject to even more evasive, exploratory searches. Watch out if you have a safety pin, underwire, fancy zipper, unique button, or unusual growth!
9. Americans are supposed to be constitutionally protected from unreasonable searches. If revealing full body scans of INNOCENT people who simply want to visit relatives doesn't count as an unreasonable search, what does?
10. It is impossible for full body scans to be a foolproof security measure. Obviously they are only as good as the equipment and the (probably overworked) government employee viewing them. Eventually something will get through. People aren't perfect.
11. Full body images will eventually be stored. How would you like yours or your loved one's to turn up on the Internet? It WILL happen sometime, somewhere, to someone, especially to celebrities or "controversial" persons (e.g. pro-life activists). Do you bring forth the argument that they aren't saving the images? Maybe they aren’t now, but after the first security breach, people will call for storing body scan images to see "what went wrong".
12. There can be no guarantee that these full body scans are safe. We often discover long after the fact that procedures that were supposed to be "safe" were more dangerous than first thought. Just recently, ubiquitous CT scans were shown to be much more dangerous than previously believed. Ironically, although CT scans may be used to detect cancer, they have been found to cause cancer in some patients. In contrast to CT scans done with "meticulous care" in medical facilities, full body scans in airports will be conducted by non-medical personnel on people in a rush. Even though a different technology is used in airport scans vs. CT scans, rushed patrons combined with non-medical government personnel in a public setting is not an especially good combination for personal safety. Plus, who will control any settings on the machines? Who will make sure all emissions are always within proper limits? How often will the equipment be tested for dangerous leaks? And what about the effect of these scans on pregnant women and their babies? What about the cumulative effects of exposure to this equipment on frequent fliers or airport personnel who will be standing next to the machines for hours at a time, day in and day out? The extent of the effects may be unknown for decades.
13. Some persons involved in the scanning process may use the opportunity to harass people (e.g. subject them to more searches, spend more time on "beautiful" bodies, force persons to engage in immodest postures, etc.). Once people are in the scanner, airline ticket in tow, with a booked hotel, car rental, and waiting relatives, most will probably just consent to whatever they are told to do. They may not have the will to complain or they may be embarrassed to do so. Even if they did, it will be one person's word against another's.
14. On one hand, certain body images may tempt some scan viewers to lust (Jesus says a person who looks at another person with lust has committed adultery with the person in their heart). On the other hand, body images of some persons will probably become the "butt of screeners' jokes" (pun intended). The job of airport scanner has got to get boring after a while and an unusual body shape here and there may provide the employees with some "comic relief"
15. This practice will further a loss of respect for the dignity of the human body, especially for operators who will view nude images all day
16. Since these revealing scans put bodies on display for strangers, they may be a violation of one's right over a spouse's body. In fact, strangers viewing full body scans that expose every crevice of someone's body may view more of that person's body than their own spouse does!
17. Conducting full body scans won't solve the terrorist threat. Terrorists will just get more creative - and we will keep trying to play catch up - spending endless sums of money and giving up more of our freedoms. Eventually they may require people to remove false teeth to look for contraband or force us to strip nude, all for the "privilege" of flying. If you think terrorists will just give up because we implement full body scans, you're sadly mistaken.
18. Full body scans are just one more example of the government punishing many good people for the crimes of a few bad people. The good people will be hurt by lost freedom & violations of privacy. The terrorists will be undeterred in their plans, and they will probably be happy to see the disruption & harm they have caused the good people.
19. What effect do you think the revealing full-body scans will have on rape survivors or others who have been violated? Wouldn't it be reasonable for them to feel as though they've been violated again?
20. If we allow full body scans at airports, we'll soon be forced to undergo them in other public places - schools, office buildings, sporting events, and the like. In many places, the scans will not be optional because people will not be allowed to avoid them. In time, police may start carrying portable versions of the scanners when the technology becomes available. Allowing this practice at airports is likely to unleash a slew of new privacy violations against innocent Americans.
21. Full body scanning at airports may give passengers a false sense of security. Recent events prove that it is dangerous to be complacent with regard to airport security.
22. Full body scans are unnecessary and may be overcome. We already have (non invasive) metal detectors in place for metal objects. At this point, the most feared items may be powder or liquid. While full body scans thoroughly expose the naked body to the gaze of the scan viewer, it is questionable whether the machines will be able to clearly indicate the presence of small amounts of powder or liquid, especially when you factor in a creative terrorist. For example, how can the scanning equipment differentiate stuffing in a jacket from stuffing plus powder? Talk about looking for a needle in a haystack! And certainly even the zealous airport workers may hesitate to make passengers cut open their jackets so they can inspect the stuffing inside them.
23. Full body scans focus on the external part of the body. They would not show items taken orally or other items hidden internally (e.g. in feces). As drug enforcement agents might tell you, criminal persons don't refrain from using such unsavory tactics if they work.
24. Full body scans are incapable of solving the problem. Even if a terrorist is prevented from hiding items on their person by a full body scan, they can still keep items in their bags (who would question a prescription medicine bottle which appeared to contain real pills or a sealed shampoo bottle which seemed to actually contain shampoo?). The scans also won't prevent terrorists from recruiting insider employees who can help them evade the procedure.
25. This practice will harm the airline industry. Some people (myself included) will stop flying altogether. Costs will go up to pay for the new equipment and the additional personnel required to operate it. Airport delays will increase.
This is not a case of sacrificing "a bit of privacy for the good of the many". This practice will bring harm to many - in fact, all of us! Even if we don't fly, we should be concerned for our bothers and sisters who do and who will either, unfortunately, agree to the procedure or be involuntary pressured into it. And, as time goes by, this precedent will spill into other areas and we will ALL suffer invasions of our privacy because "new threats" have been found.
Let's not allow this to happen. Those who support this practice have only one argument in their favor - that the scans MAY make airline travel safer. But this is not the case. It will NOT be a security panacea. Rather, it is a harmful and dangerous road that we should not go down. God Himself made Adam & Eve garments after the fall. Let's not allow the government to force us to "shed" ours.
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Does the New Replica Disprove the Authenticity of the Shroud of Turin?
By: Ed Kelley
I love it when you can smell the bias right up front: "Shroud of Turin Once Again Proven a Fake". What can you expect from CNN and from a San Francisco "alternative" daily column by Tommi Avicolli-Mecca, author of something called "Smash the Church, Smash the State: The Early Years of Gay Liberation"? Hardly unbiased sources, are they?
As I look at the pictures, and read the articles one thing is for certain - they have made a cloth that looks like the face on the Shroud, but so far, that is it. The Shroud has undergone decades of research - it is the most studied relic in history - and yet there are still many characteristics that scientists cannot explain or reproduce. Several attempts to make a "copy" of the Shroud have scientifically turned out to be ridiculously simple by comparison to the actual Shroud. Some attempts to reproduce the Shroud have contained a few of the characteristics of the Shroud. Others have contained different characteristics of the Shroud. But none have even scratched the surface of the hundreds of known, unique and scientifically proven qualities that the Shroud holds. Most of these authentic characteristics would not be identifiable except for the many, very sophisticated modern tests that it has undergone. No attempted reproduction of the Shroud has passed more than a few of these scrupulous exams.
Only time will tell as to how accurate a copy this will turn out to be. I have rarely heard of any reproduction attempt that has continued to be studied after it has been initially revealed and held up as a "true copy" of the Shroud. Most likely, like all the other "explanations", it will turn out to be hollow 'gotcha' attempt, a "Hah!, look what we have done! We have created a copy that 'proves' the Shroud is a fake." Then, after the 15 minutes of fame has worn off, this fake will be tossed into the scrap-heap of other so-called proofs that go no further in their scientific study than the highly flawed radio carbon dating which "proved" the Shroud was a medieval fake based on a sample cut from an area still disputed as not being part of the original Shroud fabric.
The true Shroud is a photographic negative and the pictures shown in recent articles appear to show an image similar to the Shroud. Let's assume that the pictures in the articles exhibit the same photographic negative characteristic as that of the Shroud. That makes it similar to the Shroud in one instance. The scientific community and their biased media accomplices should be asking if it also projects 3D characteristics under the VP-8 Image Analyzer. The Shroud does. Only one other "copy" has shown some 3D characteristics, albeit very distorted and disfigured. The Shroud's 3D image is surprisingly detailed and clear.
They used pigmented paint, heating and washed the cloth afterwards to leave a stain on the cloth fibers. They suggest that the Shroud was similarly painted and that the pigment simply wore off over the centuries. Not true. The Shroud cloth's fibrils, the fine strands of material that form the woven-together threads of the cloth, are not stained. The fibrils that make the image have decomposed at a more accelerated rate that the rest of the cloth fibers, making the sepia colored image that can only be seen at distance. There is no seepage of materials or stains. The image does not go beyond the uppermost strands of the threads. How can these scientists conclude that this was made by "paint" when there is no stain, just discolored fibrils? Are the threads of the cloth they made stained through the threads with the pigment they used? I'll bet they are. An important note that frustrates scientists skeptical of the true Shroud - the only test that they have come up with that simulates rapid decomposition of the fibrils similar to Shroud - is enormous bursts of radiation, causing the exposed (upper fibrils on each thread) to decompose at a more rapid rate. (Can you say "Resurrection"?)
Other materials such as pollens that are only found in specific geographic regions that put the cloth in specific geographic areas are also on the Shroud. They did not "wear off over time" so why would we assume that pigment would be completely gone?
Why are there descriptions and drawings that show specific details on the true Shroud that predate any modern dating methods?
Is their image still visible when backlit or does it disappear like the image on the Shroud, indicating that there is no actual material comprising the image such as paint or stain?
Recently, scientists who work with and test the actual Shroud found that image information is on the topmost fibers of the other side of the cloth. But there is no image the fibers in the center of the threads. Can these scientists explain this? Get back to me when you have finished putting an image on the other side of your shroud and clean up the likely stained interiors of all the threads on your image. Make sure they line up exactly. Don't worry, I'll wait.
Why did they put blood on after they made the image? Tests show that there is no image under the blood stains on the Shroud, indicating that the cloth was touching the body before the image on it was created. Please remake your image and put on real human blood before heating and washing the cloth.
One could go on endlessly about how remedial an attempt this is at actual scientific study. File this under "One more critical self-proclaimed scientist attempts to make a Shroud copy and ends up looking the fool". We may never know for sure exactly how the image was made on the Shroud of Turin. But one thing is certain - few other relics are as truly miraculous as the Shroud. And, if it is a fake, and all of these critics have "proven" that it is, why are they still trying so hard?
Guest Commentary
The Shroud Debate
By: Deanne Costello
Summary: "The Shroud has been a topic of heated debate. This is where our faith is tested. Only God could have created this wonderful Shroud. I believe it to be very real! I enjoyed Mr. Kelley's article and agree with him. The Shroud was protected for centuries for a reason. Some things are meant to be left unknown, and only God knows why. Jesus was definitely covered with the shroud. Just my opinion. Thank you."
Commentary: "Science has come a very long way, but I don't need science to tell me if the Shroud is real. In my studies, no one can reproduce this great Shroud.
One book gave the blood type on the Shroud, after careful study. Think about it, do we need absolute proof that it is real? My faith tells me no. Science can do just so much. If God wants us to verify this God-given artifact, He will let us know.
When I first knew about the Shroud, there was a heated debate with my co workers, as to if it is real. Most were not sure, others said it is not real, but in the end, the most of us think it is a miracle of God, and I will believe it until I die.
Maybe the truth will never be known, but in my heart, I think there is a cover up, maybe to protect it from being stolen or other reasons.
Let science keep trying, they will never reproduce another Shroud. There is only one Shroud like The Shroud of Turin."
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What Not To Pray For
Some Prayers Are An Abomination
By: Toby F.T.
Unfortunate numbers of Catholics today appear poorly educated in the true Catholic faith. I admit that certain activities & comments of some Catholics leave me quite exasperated. When it comes to prayer or invoking the saints, I wish Catholics would keep in mind that not all prayer is good. Surprised?
Did you know the Bible says some prayers are an abomination? Look it up. Proverbs 28:9 says "When one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination."
The Bible also says some prayers are not heard, that to some He will turn His face against them:
Sirach 34:25-26: If a man again touches a corpse after he has bathed, what did he gain by the purification? So with a man who fasts for his sins, but then goes and commits them again: Who will hear his prayer, and what has he gained by his mortification?
Jn. 9:31: We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
Prov. 15:29: The LORD is far from the wicked, but the prayer of the just he hears.
1 Pt. 3:12: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers.
Jer. 11:10-11: They have returned to the crimes of their forefathers who refused to obey my words. They also have followed and served strange gods; the covenant which I had made with their fathers, the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken. Therefore, thus says the LORD: See, I bring upon them misfortune which they cannot escape. Though they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.
Zech. 7:11-14: But they refused to listen; they stubbornly turned their backs and stopped their ears so as not to hear. And they made their hearts diamondhard so as not to hear the teaching and the message that the LORD of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Then the LORD of hosts in his great anger said that, as they had not listened when he called, so he would not listen when they called, but would scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they did not know. Thus the land was left desolate after them with no one traveling to and fro; they made the pleasant land into a desert.
Obviously then not all prayer is heard. A sure rule of thumb is to never pray for assistance with any action contrary to God's laws. All of the following would be examples of things NOT to pray for...
* for help with divorce (if lawfully married) & 'remarriage'
* that IVF will be successful
* that birth-control will not fail
* for a successful abortion
You cannot seriously expect that God will be happy to help you do something that will offend Him, can you? Isn't asking the all-holy God to assist in sin demonic? Do you imagine you please Him by such a request rather thank invoke His wrath?
Likewise, don't expect that a patron saint will help you sin. A patron who would assist in sin would be no saint! Listen to what a true saint, St. Alphonsus Liguori, has to say about the topic of prayer by obstinate sinners...
"There are some unhappy persons who love the chains with which the devil keeps them bound like slaves. The prayers of such men are not heard by God; because they are rash, presumptuous, and abominable. For what greater presumption can there be than for a man to ask favors of a prince whom he not only has often offended, but whom he intends to offend still more? And this is the meaning of the Holy Spirit, when he says that the prayer of him who turns away his ears so as not to hear what God commands is detestable and odious to God: 'He who turneth away his ears from learning the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.' To these people God says, it is of no use your praying to Me, for I will turn My eyes from you, and will not hear you: 'When you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away My eyes from you; and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear.'"
God does hear the prayer of sinners (we are all sinners), but don't ask Him to be a partner in your sin. Rather, ask to be delivered from your sins. If you mean it, He will definitely hear you.
May God hear your prayers.
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Reflection of Pope Pius XI
"We remember saying that these manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and His holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and We said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of Our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations."
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Reflection of Dom Gueranger
"May Faith, without which love and charity cannot exist, be maintained in all its purity; may the serpent of heresy be crushed, and its poisoned cup find neither teachers to offer it not disciples to drink it. May the attachment to the doctrines of the Church be firm and courageous; may no human schemes or theories, or cowardly toleration of error, enervate the principles of truth and morals; may the children of light boldly disown fellowship with the children of darkness."
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Reflection of Pope Pius XI
"When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony."
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"Food For Thought"
"For if any of those who are present should think to tempt God's grace, he deceives himself, and knows not its power. Keep thy soul free from hypocrisy, O man, because of Him who searcheth hearts and reins. For as those who are going to make a levy for war examine the ages and the bodies of those who are taking service, so also the Lord in enlisting souls examines their purpose: and if any has a secret hypocrisy, He rejects the man as unfit for His true service; but if He finds one worthy, to him He readily gives His grace. He gives not holy things to the dogs; but where He discerns the good conscience, there He gives the Seal of salvation, that wondrous Seal, which devils tremble at, and Angels recognize; that the one may be driven to flight, and the others may watch around it as kindred to themselves. Those therefore who receive this spiritual and saving Seal, have need also of the disposition akin to it. For as a writing-reed or a dart has need of one to use it, so grace also has need of believing minds." (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)
"Food For Thought" From St. Ambrose
"[N]o one can repent to good purpose unless he hopes for mercy." (St. Ambrose)
"[T]he Spirit of God is more inclined to mercy than to severity" (St. Ambrose)
"How unfit were it, since with men credit is given for endurance in a struggle, that one should assert that it had no value with God! For often in this world's athletic contests the public crown together with the victors even the vanquished whose conduct has been approved, especially if perchance they have seen that they lost the victory by some trick or fraud." (St. Ambrose)
"Is it not evident that the Lord Jesus is angry with us when we sin in order that He may convert us through fear of His indignation? His indignation, then, is not the carrying out of vengeance, but rather the working out of forgiveness, for these are His words: 'If thou shalt turn and lament, thou shall be saved.' He waits for our lamentations here, that is, in time, that He may spare us those which shall be eternal. He waits for our tears, that He may pour forth His goodness. So in the Gospel, having pity on the tears of the widow, He raised her son. He waits for our conversion, that He may Himself restore us to grace, which would have continued with us had no fall overtaken us. But He is angry because we have by our sins incurred guilt, in order that we may be humbled; we are humbled, in order that we may be found worthy rather of pity than of punishment." (St. Ambrose)
Guest Article
There once was a vacuum cleaner salesman...
There once was a good vacuum cleaner salesman. He worked for the top company. He had an excellent product. A product so good in fact you "couldn't live without it", if you only knew! The product took a reasonable amount of work, but the results were wonderful beyond any possible expectation. The product was priced fairly and was unquestionably within the reach of every potential customer. The good salesman had been commissioned by the good & honest manufacturer in an exclusive arrangement to promote the good vacuum to all persons. The manufacturer was upright & caring and always looked out for the good salesman and for his customers. The manufacturer trained the good salesman with meticulous care and left him with all instructions and helps necessary for his customers to use the product properly. The salesman was repeatedly warned about his "competitors", who were "wolves."
For many years the good salesman presented his product just as the manufacturer had guided him. He did so well, in fact, that a very large percentage of the entire earth's population used his product. Taking to heart the manufacturer's instructions, he promoted his product and expended every effort to warn customers and potential customers everywhere about the imposters who lurked around every corner who might try to sell them a dangerous vacuum that could have tragic consequences.
There once was a bad vacuum cleaner salesman. He joined up with a dishonest manufacturer who made illegal, dangerous contraptions that resembled vacuums. The bad product may have been somewhat easier to use than the good salesman's product, but it was almost impossible to escape the serious consequences that were likely to result from its use. In fact, those who used his product risked having their house entirely destroyed by fire. The bad salesman didn't tell anyone about this (he may not have even known himself). Nevertheless, he continued selling the product to misguided and unsuspecting people. He would even promise potential buyers things "too good to be true" (which of course weren't true at all). At one point the bad salesman started wearing a uniform and driving a vehicle that closely resembled the good salesman's uniform and vehicle so that many people could not tell the difference between the good and the bad salesman. In fact, to hear the bad salesman explain things, he worked for the good manufacturer (even though he could produce no contract or proof that he worked for the good manufacturer and it was known that the good manufacturer had an exclusive contract with the good salesman).
The rivalry between the good and the bad salesman continued for many years. The good salesman often pointed out the danger inherent in the bad salesman's product while the bad salesman spoke errors and lies about the good salesman and his product. Despite the persecution, the good salesman worked tirelessly to protect his customers and others by explaining the superiority of his product as well as the dangers of his competitor's product. Due to his efforts, his customers could easily identify and explain the difference between the two products, as well as describe the risk of using the bad salesman's product. They knew to stay away from the competitor's dangerous product and they also realized the benefit of trying to help others avoid the bad salesman's dangerous goods.
Then suddenly things changed. The good salesman stopped warning people about the bad vacuums. He also stopped warning people to avoid the bad salesman. He stopped calling the bad salesman a "wolf" and began to call the bad salesman his brother. He cultivated a friendship with the bad salesman even as the bad salesman continued selling the dangerous, illegal vacuums to unsuspecting customers - and his own customers as well. In a surprising turn, the good salesman could be found referring to the bad salesman - in public - by the title the bad salesman chose for himself - a title which gave the impression that the bad salesman worked for the good manufacturer (even though he didn’t).
In an effort to foster friendship, the good salesman decided to put some stickers on his vehicle to cover up parts of his vehicle that the bad salesman found offensive. The changes made the good salesman's vehicle more closely resemble the bad salesman's vehicle. He was delighted.
However he was still not satisfied. Eventually, the good salesman was found to occasionally praise the bad salesman. He sometimes even managed to find some good words for the bad salesman's dangerous, illegal goods. Occasionally the good salesman would share company property with the bad salesman, even though people may have found this action confusing (at best).
As time marched on, the good salesman became loathe to talk about deficiencies in the bad vacuums and he came to find the idea of criticizing the bad salesman "outdated" or even offensive. From now on he would only speak positively about the bad salesman and his product.
All along, he knew - or should have known - that the bad salesman continued selling dangerous, illegal contraptions to people who would ultimately suffer the consequences. Not only that, but the bad salesman presented these dangerous, illegal contraptions to people as if they were equivalent to the good vacuums that the good salesman sold. He also knew that the bad salesman held himself out as a representative of the good manufacturer - for which the good salesman knew he didn't work for. And, of course, every sale of a bad vacuum meant one less sale of the good vacuum (especially since the good salesman now preferred to remain silent about the superiority of his product and the serious dangers of the competing product).
The good salesman apparently began overlooking the fact that houses were burning - or would burn. He instead focused on unity between the users of the bad vacuums and the good vacuums, leading some to wonder if they still had to worry about using the bad vacuums at all. The good salesman certainly didn't want to criticize the bad vacuum and at times acted as if he saw "very little difference" between the two products. He no longer seemed overly concerned if people chose the bad vacuums - as if these people might somehow escape the imminent consequences he had so consistently warned of in the past. No, he would no longer sound the alarm that houses would be destroyed by fire as a result of using the dangerous product. He didn't want to offend the bad salesman or the bad salesman's customers by sounding a warning.
As time went by, sales of the good vacuum went down. Houses burned. Many who used the good vacuum modified it in dangerous ways to better suit their liking - ways that more closely resembled the bad vacuum. Houses burned. Numerous people could no longer tell the difference between the good and the bad product. Houses burned. Sales of the bad vacuum remained strong. Houses burned. Some preferred the bad vacuum because it seemed easier and because no one had told them of the danger. Houses burned. A relatively small group of people tried to warn of the danger, but they were usually written off. Houses burned.
Were the homeowners well served?
Is the good manufacturer happy?
By the way, the good manufacturer built each home that burned and lovingly regarded each one. Still think the good manufacturer is happy?
Houses continue burning.
Can you say 'false ecumenism'?
[Related: Ecumenism Q & A]
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"Food For Thought"
"But what is it, dearly beloved, to have peace towards God, except to wish what He bids, and not to wish what He forbids? For if human friendships seek out equality of soul and similarity of desires, and difference of habits can never attain to full harmony, how will he be partaker of divine peace, who is pleased with what displeases God and desires to get delight from what he knows to be offensive to God? That is not the spirit of the sons of God; such wisdom is not acceptable to the noble family of the adopted. That chosen and royal race must live up to the dignity of its regeneration, must love what the Father loves, and in nought disagree with its Maker, lest the LORD should again say: "I have begotten and raised up sons, but they have scorned Me: the ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib: but Israel hath not known Me and My people hath not acknowledged Me."
"Food For Thought"
"By the consideration of time--for seeing that time seizes upon all things human, we also in turn ought to snatch from it something which may profit us to eternal life, especially since a certain awful expectation of the approach of the divine judgment importunately demands increased earnestness in religion, while the subtle craftiness of new heretics calls for no ordinary care and attention." (St. Vincent of Lerins)
"Food For Thought"
"Observing the institutions of the Apostles' tradition, dearly beloved, we exhort you, as watchful shepherds, to celebrate with the devotion of religious practice that day which they purged from wicked superstitions and consecrated to deeds of mercy, thus showing that the authority of the Fathers still lives among us, and that we obediently abide by their teaching. Inasmuch as the sacred usefulness of such a practice affects not only time past but also our own age, so that what aided them in the destruction of vanities, might contribute with us to the increase of virtues. And what so suitable to faith, what so much in harmony with godliness as to assist the poverty of the needy, to undertake the care of the weak, to succor the needs of the brethren, and to remember one's own condition in the toils of others. In which work He only who knows what He has given to each, discerns aright how much a man can and how much he cannot do. For not only are spiritual riches and heavenly gifts received from God, but earthly and material possessions also proceed from His bounty, that He may be justified in requiring an account of those things which He has not so much put in our possession as committed to our stewardship. God's gifts, therefore, we must use properly and wisely, lest the material for good work should become an occasion of sin. For wealth, after its kind and regarded as a means, is good and is of the greatest advantage to human society, when it is in the hands of the benevolent and open-handed, and when the luxurious man does not squander nor the miser hoard it; for whether ill-stored or unwisely spent it is equally lost." (Pope St. Leo the Great)
Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas
Ineffable Creator, Who out of the treasures of Thy wisdom hast appointed three hierarchies of Angels and set them in admirable order high above the heavens and hast disposed the divers portions of the universe in such marvelous array, Thou Who art called the True Source of Light and super-eminent Principle of Wisdom, be pleased to cast a beam of Thy radiance upon the darkness of my mind and dispel from me the double darkness of sin and ignorance in which I have been born. Thou Who makest eloquent the tongues of little children, fashion my words and pour upon my lips the grace of Thy benediction. Grant me penetration to understand, capacity to retain, method and facility in study, subtlety in interpretation and abundant grace of expression. Order the beginning, direct the progress and perfect the achievement of my work, Thou who art true God and Man and livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
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Reflection of Pope Pius XII
"We do not hesitate to affirm again publicly that We put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils which afflict our times. Not with force, not with arms, not with human power, but with Divine help obtained through the means of this prayer, strong like David with his sling, the Church undaunted shall be able to confront the infernal enemy"
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