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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
video: The Great Restoration
There is more hope in the Church than there is cause for despair. Despite the disasters of the past 50 years in the Church .. the work of Restoration has begun.
Book Review: "Dead of Night" by Brandilyn Collins
As a serial killer has her town in fear, sketch artist Annie Kingston draws the faces of the victims and tries to help solve the case. Annie not only wants to help stop a killer, she is also afraid that it may involve the trouble her son Steven has recently gotten himself into, particularly when the killer strikes close to home. The whole town is praying that the killer will be caught.
A very suspenseful story of good vs. evil that personifies the power of prayer and faith.
If you enjoy a good murder mystery without the sordid and offensive content that is so prevalent in today's media, I urge you to try Ms. Collins' novels. She manages to provide Christian-themed murder mysteries you won't be able to put down.
Judge Orders Kansas to Send Tax Money to Planned Parenthood
This is absolutely disgusting.
First, Barry insists on sending Federal taxpayer money to the nation's biggest abortionist.
Then, the states began to defund Planned Parenthood at the state level.
Now, Planned Parenthood is going to court, and, amazingly enough, these pro-abort judges are making the states fund the nation's biggest abortionist. The same thing happened here in North Carolina.
In the latest skirmish in the battle between Kansas and Planned Parenthood, a judge has ordered the state to send taxpayer funds to the abortion business following complaints from it that it lost state public funding.
U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten ruled today that Kansas must fund the abortion business even though it did not cancel an contracts with the agency that were in effect at the time a new state provision went into place denying taxpayer funding via the family planning program to any agencies that do abortions.
Marten, in his ruling, also rejected the state’s request to only give Planned Parenthood taxpayer money on a monthly basis while its lawsuit moves forward rather than in a quarterly lump sum covering three months. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Western Missouri had complained earlier today that it would have to close its Hays, Kansas abortion referral clinic by Friday if the judge did not order the stand to fork over tax money to fund it.
Scottish archbishop tells Catholics not to kneel for communion
One word: Why? What's wrong with showing reverence for the Eucharist?
The Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland has told Catholics in his archdiocese not to kneel to receive communion.
“The Faithful should follow the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, namely coming to communion in procession and standing to receive Holy Communion,” wrote Archbishop Mario Conti in a letter to all his priests, dated August 25.
“Standing in our Western culture is a mark of respect: kneeling at the altar rails (where they continue to exist) is not the practice envisaged by the instructions in the Missal,” he stated.
The archbishop’s letter was issued ahead of the introduction of the new translation of the Roman Missal, which comes into effect throughout the English-speaking world this coming November. The new Missal is more reverent...unfortunately, I think some Bishops and Priests will be resisting that.
Ironically, his instruction comes only a year after Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in Glasgow. At that papal Mass, all those receiving communion from the Pope did so kneeling on a pres-dieu.
St. Raymund Nonnatus
The Saint of the Day for August 31 is St. Raymund Nonnatus
Peter Nolasco, a native of Languedoc, founded in the early thirteenth century a society known as the Mercedarians, devoted to ransoming Christians captured by the Moors.
Amongst those he received into the society was a Catalonian named Raymond. This Raymond's mother had died giving birth to her son, and he was delivered by a caesarian section — hence his nickname Nonnatus, which is Latin for 'not born'. So determined was Saint Raymond Nonnatus that when Peter Nolasco retired as chief ransomer, the saint succeeded him in this office. He set off for Algiers with a great sum of money, and there ransomed many.
When his money ran out, Saint Raymond Nonnatus could have made his own escape. But this would have involved leaving several slaves behind. He gave himself up in exchange for their liberty.
His own life was now in great danger. The Moors of Algiers were enraged that he had managed to convert some of their number. The governor would have put him to death by impaling the saint on a stake. What saved him were others who realized that a rich ransom would be paid for this particular Christian. Even so, he was still whipped publicly in the streets — partly to discourage those who might be tempted to learn from him the Christian faith. Reports of his tortures probably exaggerated the cruelty of his Moorish captors but after eight months of torture, Peter Nolasco arrived with Raymond Nonnatus's ransom. Even then he wanted to stay behind, hoping to convert still more men and women to Christianity; but Peter Nolasco forbade it.
On his return, Pope Gregory IX made him a cardinal. The pope wished to see Raymond Nonnatus in Rome, but on his way there in the year 1240 he reached only Cardona near Barcelona, where he died at the age of thirty-six.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò expected to be next US nuncio
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is set to become the new papal nuncio to the United States, according to Vatican sources who asked to remain anonymous.
Archbishop Viganò will succeed Archbishop Pietro Sambi who died in July from complications that developed after he had a delicate lung surgery.
Archbishop Viganò, 70, is currently the second in command within the Governatorate of the Vatican City, the office in charge of many of the City State’s departments such as its police, observatory, museums, post office and tourist information service.
The Italian newspaper La Stampa this week claimed to have copies of the private correspondence confirming the appointment of Archbishop Viganò as nuncio to the U.S.
The paper reported that Archbishop Viganò made it clear to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State that he had no desire to be posted overseas, and that he preferred to remain in Rome.
The response came in a letter from the Vatican Secretary of State, dated Aug. 13, which informed Archbishop Viganò of Pope Benedict’s personal desire that he go to the U.S. It stated that the Pope wanted an experienced diplomat in charge of the Washington, D.C. nunciature during an election year in the U.S.
video: Betting on the Young
They are holy, wise, unafraid, and understand fixing the crisis in the culture begins with fixing the crisis in the Church.
St. Jeanne Jugan
The Saint of the Day for August 30 is St. Jeanne Jugan.
St Mary of the Cross (in the world: Jeanne Jugan) was born at Cancale, in Brittany, France, on 25 October 1792 in the turbulent period of the French Revolution. She was the sixth of eight children, four of whom died in infancy. Their fisherman father was lost at sea when Jeanne was only four. From her mother and the place of her birth, Jeanne inherited a lively, deep faith and a profound determination that could overcome any difficulty. The political climate and the family's financial plight prevented Jeanne from going to school. She learned to read and write from some ladies of the Third Order of St John Eudes who were numerous in the region.
In Jeanne's world children began working at an early age. She would pray her Rosary while tending the herd, on the high cliffs above the Bay of Cancale. The beautiful view uplifted her soul. At the age of 15 she left home and went to work in a wealthy family not far from Cancale. With her new employer, she went to the help of the needy.
In 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte restored religious freedom and a true spiritual awakening ensued. Numerous missions were preached and it was in this fervent atmosphere that the future Foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor heard the Lord's call.
When a young man asked for her hand in marriage she told him that God wanted her for himself, and was keeping her for a work as yet unknown. And as an immediate response she divided her clothes into two piles, leaving the prettiest to her sisters. She then left for Saint-Servan where for six years she worked as an assistant nurse. She enrolled in the Third Order of St John of Eudes. From that time her one desire was to "be as humble as Jesus".
Health problems obliged Jeanne to leave the hospital. She was taken in by a friend in the Third Order, Miss Lecoq, whom she would serve for 12 years until her death in 1835. In 1839, Jeanne was 47 years old and shared an apartment with two friends: Fanchon, 71, and Virginie Trédaniel, a 17-year-old orphan. In Saint-Servan at that time the economic situation was disastrous; 4,000 out of population of 10,000 were reduced to begging.
One winter evening in 1839, she came across a poor and blind old lady. Jeanne did not hesitate to give the lady her own bed. This was the initial spark that kindled a great blaze of charity. From that time, Jeanne was not to be deterred. In 1841 she rented a large room in which she welcomed 12 elderly people. In 1842, without money, she purchased a dilapidated convent where she soon provided 40 elderly persons with accommodation.
Encouraged by a St John of God brother, she begged for the poor in the streets and founded her institution on abandonment to Providence. In 1845 she won the Montyon Prize, awarded each year "to a poor French man or woman for outstandingly meritorious activity". She founded homes in 1846 in Rennes and in Dinan, in 1847 in Tours, and in 1850 in Angers. The Congregation spread throughout Europe, America, and Africa and shortly after her death, to Asia and Oceania.
It would seem that this fruitfulness was the result of a total and radical dispossession. In 1843, Jeanne had been re-elected Superior. Contrary to all expectations and solely on his own authority, Fr Le Pailleur, named as Superior instead Marie Jamet, who was 21 years old. In his action, Jeanne discerned God's will and supported the work, encouraging the younger sisters by her example.
In 1852, the Bishop of Rennes officially acknowledged the Congregation and appointed Fr Le Pailleur Superior General. His first act was to call Jeanne Jugan back definitively to the Motherhouse for a retirement that was to last 27 long years.
The younger sisters, ever increasing in number with the expansion of the Congregation, did not even realize that she was their Foundress. Jeanne, living in their midst, with her serenity and wisdom, transmitted a constant spirit of praise. "Love God very much; he is so good. Let us entrust ourselves to him".
She died peacefully on 29 August 1879. Her Congregation then numbered 2,400 Little Sisters in 177 homes on three continents. John Paul II beatified her on 3 October 1982.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Bert and Ernie to remain best buddies
The good news is that children won't be indoctrinated by subjecting them to a gay union on Sesame Street. The bad news is that the homosexual activists tried to make it happen.
Sesame Workshop, the company that produces the kid’s show “Sesame Street,” announced last week the Bert and Ernie will not be getting married.
Bert and Ernie, two of the show’s Muppets, are best buddies. They live in the same house and sleep in the same room — in separate twin beds. They bicker, they share, they enjoy a bedtime cookie together every night.
They’re such good friends that some assume they must be gay. And one group used an online petition to ask “Sesame Street” to let the truth be known. Bert and Ernie, they say, should come out of the closet and get married. This would presumably teach tolerance and respect for differences — something, the petitioners note, “Sesame Street” has tried to do for years.
But “Sesame Street” has made it clear that Bert and Ernie are puppets and as such, “Do not have a sexual orientation.” Good point: but that’s not the only reason that their getting married was a bad idea.
New Poll: 55% of Americans Say Abortion Morally Wrong
A new national poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports finds more than half of Americans still believe abortions are morally wrong, although the polling finds different results from most surveys when asking whether respondents are pro-life or pro-choice.
Rasmussen found 55% believe abortion is morally wrong most of the time, a finding that shows little change since April 2007, when it started asking the question. Thirty percent (30%) think abortion is morally acceptable in the majority of cases, while 15% are undecided.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of GOP voters and 60% of unaffiliateds think abortion is morally wrong most of the time. The plurality (46%) of Democrats disagree and feel abortion is not morally wrong in most instances.
Despite that pro-life response, 48 percent of likely voters classify themselves as “pro-choice” on abortion while 43 percent say they are pro-life. Fifty-one percent (51%) of female voters say they’re pro-choice, but just 44% of male voters say the same. Voters under the age of 40 are more likely to be pro-choice than their elders, the survey shows, which is also at odds with most polls.
Feast of the Martyrdom of John the Baptist
August 29 is the Feast of the Martyrdom of John the Baptist.
In addition to the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24), the Church, since the fourth century, commemorates the martyrdom of Christ's precursor. According to the Roman Martyrology, this day marks "the second finding of his most venerable head." The body of the saint was buried in Samaria. In the year 362 pagans desecrated the grave and burned his remains. Only a small portion of his relics were able to be saved by monks and sent to St. Athanasius at Alexandria. The head of the saint is venerated at various places. That in the Church of St. Sylvester in Rome belongs to a martyr-priest John. Also in the Dominican church at Breslau the Baptist's head is honored.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: "I am the truth"? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.
Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men. He was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ.
To endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.
Since death was ever near at hand, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ's name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: "You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake." He tells us why it is Christ's gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us."
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Movie Review: One Day - PG13
Warning: Potential Spoilers
At their graduation, Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. Over the next 20 years, they go their separate ways: He becomes a TV host, she is a teacher aspiring to be a writer. They have different partners, but they remain part of each others' lives. Neither of them seems to achieve true happiness.
I found "One Day" disappointing on several levels:
The story really seems to drag on.
It was disappointing how cavalier their attitude toward sex is.
There is a tremendous amount of drinking, especially by Dex.
There is a tremendous amount of drinking, especially by Dex.
The ending is not only anti-climactic, but falls far short of what is anticipated.
To be honest, I left the theater very depressed.
One word: a Downer
I
Saturday, August 27, 2011
St. Monica
The Saint of the Day for August 27 is St. Monica.
St. Monica is an example of those holy matrons of the ancient Church who proved very influential in their own quiet way. Through prayer and tears she gave the great Augustine to the Church of God, and thereby earned for herself a place of honor in the history of God's kingdom on earth.
The Confessions of St. Augustine provide certain biographical details. Born of Christian parents about the year 331 at Tagaste in Africa, Monica was reared under the strict supervision of an elderly nurse who had likewise reared her father. In the course of time she was given in marriage to a pagan named Patricius. Besides other faults, he possessed a very irascible nature; it was in this school of suffering that Monica learned patience. It was her custom to wait until his anger had cooled; only then did she give a kindly remonstrance. Evil-minded servants had prejudiced her mother-in-law against her, but Monica mastered the situation by kindness and sympathy.
Her marriage was blessed with three children: Navigius, Perpetua, who later became a nun, and Augustine, her problem child. According to the custom of the day, baptism was not administered to infants soon after birth. It was as an adolescent that Augustine became a catechumen, but possibly through a premonition of his future sinful life, Monica postponed his baptism even when her son desired it during a severe illness.
When Augustine was nineteen years old, his father Patricius died; by patience and prayer Monica had obtained the conversion of her husband.
The youthful Augustine caused his mother untold worry by indulging in every type of sin and dissipation. As a last resort after all her tears and entreaties had proved fruitless, she forbade him entrance to her home; but after a vision she received him back again. In her sorrow a certain bishop consoled her: "Don't worry, it is impossible that a son of so many tears should be lost."
When Augustine was planning his journey to Rome, Monica wished to accompany him. He outwitted her, however, and had already embarked when she arrived at the docks. Later she followed him to Milan, ever growing in her attachment to God. St. Ambrose held her in high esteem, and congratulated Augustine on having such a mother. At Milan she prepared the way for her son's conversion. Finally the moment came when her tears of sorrow changed to tears of joy. Augustine was baptized. And her lifework was completed. She died in her fifty-sixth year, as she was returning to Africa. The description of her death is one of the most beautiful passages in her son's famous "Confessions.
Friday, August 26, 2011
video: Pius XII and the Jews
Contrary to commonly held belief, Pius XII fought stridently to save the Jews of Europe from the gas chambers of Nazi Germany. Moreover, his courageous efforts were universally recognized until the mid 1960s... until liberal Catholics began to spread lies about his actions.
Sts. Timothy And Titus
The Saints of the Day for August 26 are Sts. Timothy And Titus.
Timothy (d. 97?): What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.
Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.
Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.
Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your youth,” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12a.) Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).
Titus (d. 94?): Titus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, and great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel: “When I went to Troas...I had no relief in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.... For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears. But God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus...” (2 Corinthians 2:12a, 13; 7:5-6).
The Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete, charged with organizing it, correcting abuses and appointing presbyter-bishops.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Komen Gave $569K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2010
New figures directly from the Komen for the Cure foundation show 18 affiliates of the breast cancer charity gave a total of more than $569,000 to the Planned Parenthood abortion business in 2010.
The donations will certainly prompt the continued boycott of the Komen breast cancer group by millions of pro-life Americans who find it disingenuous that the women’s organization would partner with an abortion business when abortions are linked to an increase in breast cancer and when Planned Parenthood has been proven to mislead the public by falsely claiming it performs mammograms.
The new figures come from an American Life League study of Susan G. Komen affiliates’ federal forms 990 and they show 18 Komen affiliates gave $569,159 to Planned Parenthood in 2010, the latest year for which figures are available. That’s down from the $731,303 Komen officials publicly confirmed in October 2010, when they acknowledged that 20 of the 122 Komen affiliates gave to Planned Parenthood during the 2009 fiscal year.
video: English Martyrs
The history of the Church is one of martyrdom. The martyrs of England may prove to be excellent role models for contemporary Catholics.
Chaput: NY Times, CNN, MSNBC can’t be trusted on abortion, faith
Many of us have known this to be the case, but it's great to hear a Bishop speak out about the so-called 'main stream media' who in fact oppose the morals and values of a majority of people.
When it comes to finding information on vital issues like abortion, same-sex “marriage,” and faith, the mainstream media simply can’t be trusted, the incoming archbishop of Philadelphia told a group of youth in Spain last week.
“Being uninformed about the world and its problems and issues is a sin against our vocation as disciple,” Archbishop Charles Chaput told his audience during a special World Youth Day session in Madrid. And yet, he went on to note, the Christian believer is faced with a unique challenge in finding accurate sources of information on key issues.
“In the United States, our battles over abortion, family life, same-sex marriage, and other sensitive issues have led to ferocious public smears and legal threats not only of Catholics, but also against Mormons, evangelicals, and other religious believers,” he said.
“And with relatively few exceptions, the mass media tend to cover these disputed issues with a combination of ignorance, laziness, and bias against traditional Christian belief.”
St. Louis of France, King and St. Joseph Calasanz
The Saints of the Day for August 25 are St. Louis of France, King and St. Joseph Calasanz.
St.Louis of France
Reigning from 1226 to 1270, Louis IX showed how a saint would act on the throne of France. He was a lovable personality, a kind husband, a father of eleven children, and at the same time a strict ascetic.
To an energetic and prudent rule Louis added love and zeal for the practice of piety and the reception of the holy sacraments. He was brave in battle, polished at feasts, and addicted to fasting and mortification. His politics were grounded upon strict justice, unshatterable fidelity, and untiring effort toward peace. Nevertheless, his was not a weakly rule but one that left its impress upon following generations. He was a great friend of religious Orders, a generous benefactor of the Church.
The Breviary says of him: "He had already been king for twenty years when he fell victim to a severe illness. That afforded the occasion for making a vow to undertake a crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. Immediately upon recovery he received the crusader's cross from the hand of the bishop of Paris, and, followed by an immense army, he crossed the sea in 1248. On the field of battle Louis routed the Saracens; yet when the plague had taken large numbers of his soldiery, he was attacked and taken captive (1250). The king was forced to make peace with the Saracens; upon the payment of a huge ransom, he and his army were again set at liberty." While on a second crusade he died of the plague, with these words from the psalm upon his lips: "I will enter Thy house; I will worship in Thy holy temple and sing praises to Thy Name!" (Ps. 5).
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
It was his mother's supreme desire that her son should become a kind, pious and just ruler. She was wont to say to him: "Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin." These words remained indelibly impressed upon his mind.
St. Louis was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and so is included in the family of Franciscan saints.
St. Joseph Calasanz
St. Joseph is the founder of the Poor Clerks Regular (Piarists), a community devoted to the task of educating youth. At an early age Joseph loved to care for children; he gathered them together, conducted religion classes in boyish fashion, and taught them how to pray. After a time of severe illness he was ordained a priest. His zeal found expression as he organized the Order of the Poor Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools and directed the members in the instruction and rearing of children from poor parents.
While residing in Rome, Joseph endeavored to visit the seven principal churches of that city almost every evening, and also to honor the graves of the Roman martyrs. During one of the city's repeated plagues a holy rivalry existed between him and St. Camillus in aiding the sick and in personally carrying away for burial the bodies of those who had been stricken. On account of his heroic patience and fortitude in the midst of trouble and persecution, he was called a marvel of Christian courage, a second Job. When eighty years old, he was led as a criminal through the streets of Rome by the Inquisition. His life is a consoling example of how God permits misunderstandings and opposition, even from ecclesiastics, to harass noble undertakings. At the time of his death his Order had almost been destroyed. Then, however, it again began to flourish.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
video: In Service of the Queen
Many non-Catholics marginalize Mary, but even members of the Church should take a moment to see just how important she is.
Rick Perry Signs Pro-Life Pledge on Abortion, Judges
Texas Governor Rick Perry, who entered the GOP presidential race less than two weeks ago, is the latest Republican presidential candidate to sign a pro-life pledge put forward by the Susan B. Anthony List on abortion and judges.
The pledge has the candidates promising to support only judicial nominees who won’t interpret the Constitution in a way that supports Roe v. Wade, select pro-life Cabinet members on positions affecting abortion policy, supporting legislation to stop taxpayer funding of abortions and Planned Parenthood, and to support a fetal pain bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
“I not only pledge to protect unborn life, but have a record of doing so in Texas,” Perry said in signing the pledge. “I have signed legislation requiring parental consent for a minor to obtain an abortion, and have long advocated adoption as an alternative to abortion in order to protect unborn children.”
St. Bartholomew
The Saint of the Day for August 24 is St. Bartholomew.
In St. John's Gospel, Bartholomew is known by the name Nathaniel (the liturgy does not always seem aware of this identity). He hailed from Cana in Galilee, was one of the first disciples called by the Lord. On that initial meeting Jesus uttered the glorious compliment: "Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!" After the Resurrection he was favored by becoming one of the few apostles who witnessed the appearance of the risen Savior on the sea of Galilee (John 21:2). Following the Ascension he is said to have preached in Greater Armenia and to have been martyred there. While still alive, his skin was torn from his body. The Armenians honor him as the apostle of their nation. Concerning the fate of his relics, the Martyrology says: "His holy body was first taken to the island of Lipari (north of Sicily), then to Benevento, and finally to Rome on an island in the Tiber where it is honored by the faithful with pious devotion."
The Church of Armenia has a national tradition that St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew visited the Armenians early in the first century and introduced Christianity among the worshippers of the god Ahura Mazda. The new faith spread throughout the land, and in 302 A.D., St. Gregory the Illuminator baptized the king of Armenia, Dertad the Great, along with many of his followers. Since Dertad was probably the first ruler to embrace Christianity for his nation, the Armenians proudly claim they were the first Christian State.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Movie Review: Conan the Barbarian - R
I saw Conan on Sunday, and have been debating whether to post a review. (I didn't want to provide any sort of publicity)
I have decided to post instead a warning.
I expected some violence, but the level of gore was excessive and unnecessary (literally blood and guts).
There was also a sex scene including nudity, which was completely unnecessary to the story.
I strongly advise anyone considering seeing it to NOT see it.
Biden: I won’t ‘second-guess’ China’s one-child policy
CINO Joe misses the opportunity to tell China how wrong it is to dictate how many children people can have, and why it is even more wrong to force women to have abortions.
In remarks before a Chinese audience Sunday, Vice President Joe Biden said he would not “second-guess” China’s coercive population control policy, although he said the scheme was not economically sustainable.
Biden noted that Chinese officials “share a similar concern” with American leaders in terms of a shaky economic outlook.
“You have no safety net. Your policy has been one which I fully understand (FYI Joe...there's plenty of people who don't understand it, because it's WRONG) - I’m not second-guessing - of one child per family,” said Biden.
“The result being that you’re in a position where one wage earner will be taking care of four retired people. Not sustainable.”
The implementation of China’s one-child policy is notoriously brutal – with women routinely forced to undergo abortions and sterilizations, or handed crippling fines and other punishments for “illegal pregnancies.” Human rights activists say as many as 35,000 abortions are performed in China each day, nearly ten times the rate of the United States.
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video: Our Lady of Fatima
Join Michael Voris and RealCatholicTV.com in renewing the consecration to Mary, Queen of Heaven, at Fatima in Portugal.
Catholic doctors’ group launches petition against contraception mandate
The St. Gianna Physician’s Guild has launched an online petition asking the Obama administration to remove references to contraception and contraception counseling from its new health care guidelines and to provide a conscience clause to protect the religious freedom of Catholics.
“We are going to send a message to the Obama administration that this contraception mandate is wrong, discriminatory and violates the religious rights of Catholics all across America,” said guild president Thomas McKenna.
On Aug. 1, the Department of Health and Human Services adopted new guidelines for women’s health that mandate coverage for surgical sterilization and all FDA-approved prescription contraceptives, including abortifacient drugs like Ella. They also mandate counseling to promote contraception.
The guild’s petition charged that the guidelines are “bad medicine” because they encourage “unhealthy and immoral sexual practices” which will increase demand for more STD treatment and abortion services.
The petition said that the regulation undermines “fundamental principles of the Catholic faith.” It is “discriminatory against Catholic institutions” and violates their freedom of conscience. It is “biased” against health care professionals.
The petition also contended that the regulation is “misleading” because increased access to birth control will increase the need for abortion. It cited the Guttmacher Institute’s finding that over 50 percent of women go to abortion clinics because of failed birth control.
Pray if You Want to!
I don't watch 60 Minutes or Andy Rooney, but this is an excellent commentary by Andy on our 1st amendment right to pray.
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin , but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.
Yes, and this is the United States of America and Canada , countries founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad , I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China , I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome .....
But what about the atheists? Is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humour us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, "You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honour Him. That is your right, and we will honour your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!"
God bless us one and all...Especially those who denounce Him, God bless America and Canada , despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nations of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
Let's make 2011 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.
Keep looking up.
St. Rose of Lima
The Saint of the Day for August 23 is St. Rose of Lima.
Rose of Lima, a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, was the "first blossom of sanctity that South America gave to the world." Hers was a life heroic in virtue and penance. She expiated the evils perpetrated by the conquerors of the land in their lust for gold. For many her life was a silent sermon of penance. Pope Clement X stated in the bull of canonization: "Since the discovery of Peru no missionary has arisen who effected a similar popular zeal for the practice of penance."
Already as a five-year-old child (born 1586), Rose vowed her innocence to God. While still a young girl, she practiced mortifications and fasts that exceeded ordinary discretion; during all of Lent she ate no bread, but subsisted on five citron seeds a day. In addition, she suffered repeated attacks from the devil, painful bodily ailments, and from her family, scoldings and calumnies. All this she accepted serenely, remarking that she was treated better than she deserved. For fifteen years she patiently endured the severest spiritual abandonment and aridity. In reward came heavenly joys, the comforting companionship of her holy guardian angel and of the Blessed Virgin. August 24, 1617, proved to be the day "on which the paradise of her heavenly Bridegroom unlocked itself to her."
Monday, August 22, 2011
Judge: North Carolina Must Fund Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
This is WRONG. The State Legislature voted not to fund Planned Parenthood. There is NO constitutional issue for a state to decide how to allocate its own budget.
A federal judge has ruled that North Carolina must fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business while it moves forward with the lawsuit it filed against the state over a decision by state lawmakers to revoke its taxpayer funding in the state budget.
In North Carolina, the state legislature approved a measure to remove federal funds from the pro-abortion organization in its state budget. The abortion business receives $434,000 through state family planning programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancies and providing birth control. Although the money can only be used for non-abortion services, the same organization is also the nation’s largest abortion business — doing more than 330,000 annually and comprising more than one-quarter of all abortions in the United States annually.
Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina (PPCNC) filed suit in federal court to declare invalid the portion of the state budget that yanks its tax money. Planned Parenthood CEO Janet Colm claims the abortion chain is wrongly singled out for a revocation of tax dollars and complains the abortion business may have to close or scale back offices and potentially lay off staff if the funding is not received.
video: Ugly Americanism
World Youth Day 2011 in now in the records books. But the lessons learned there go FAR beyond Madrid Spain.
Catholic Bishop: Church Can’t Back Komen Because of Abortion
I am very glad the Bishops are speaking up about this . Many people are not aware of how much money Komen gives Planned Parenthood.
Bishop Frederick F. Campbell of Columbus, Ohio, is the latest Catholic bishop to instruct churches and schools that he oversees to not engage in fundraising for the Komen for the Cure organization because of its ties to Planned Parenthood.
In July, Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, the Bishop of Toledo, Ohio, said numerous questions Catholic have raised about Komen prompted him and his fellow Ohio bishops to investigate and his conclusion is that Komen has connections to the Planned Parenthood abortion business and embryonic stem cell research. Bishop Blair said he wanted to direct money in his diocese away from Komen and towards other charities without the same concerns.
"Susan G. Komen has given over $3 million dollars between 2003 and 2008 to Planned Parenthood which is the nation’s leading abortion provider. "
"The Komen Foundation admits to encouraging affiliates to give money to Planned Parenthood, America’s leading abortion business, and its chapters gave Planned Parenthood $731,303 in 2009 and have given the abortion business $3.3 million from 2004-2009, according to its own figures."
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 22 is the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal, and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ, and Christ is God; and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things; and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer. And lastly, this same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of her motherly intercession in the presence of the Son and of the Father.
Without doubt, then, does our holy Virgin possess a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son she takes precedence over everyone else. In order to help us understand the preeminence that the Mother of God enjoys over all creation, it would help to remember that from the first moment of her conception the holy Virgin was filled with such a plenitude of grace as to surpass the graces enhancing all the saints. Recall what our predecessor Pius IX, of blessed memory, wrote in his Bull Ineflabilis Deus: "More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffable freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the divine treasury; and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness so great as to be unthinkable apart from God Himself, a fullness that no one other than God will ever possess."
Spurred on by piety and faith, may we glory in being subject to the rule of the Virgin Mother of God; she bears the royal sceptre in her hand, while her heart is ever aflame with motherlove.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
St. Bernard
The Saint of the Day for August 20 is St. Bernard.
Bernard, the second founder of the Cistercians, the Mellifluous Doctor, the apostle of the Crusades, the miracle-worker, the reconciler of kings, the leader of peoples, the counselor of popes! His sermons, from which there are many excerpts in the Breviary, are conspicuous for genuine emotion and spiritual unction. The celebrated Memorare is ascribed to him.
Bernard was born in 1090, the third son of an illustrious Burgundian family. At the age of twenty-two he entered the monastery of Citeaux (where the Cistercian Order had its beginning) and persuaded thirty other youths of noble rank to follow his example. Made abbot of Clairvaux (1115), he erected numerous abbeys where his spirit flourished. To his disciple, Bernard of Pisa, who later became Pope Eugene III, he dedicated his work De Consideratione. Bernard's influence upon the princes, the clergy, and the people of his age was most remarkable. By penitential practices he so exhausted his body that it could hardly sustain his soul, ever eager to praise and honor God.
Friday, August 19, 2011
WYD Madrid: Pope participates in the Stations of the Cross
Surrounded by youths from different parts of the world, the pope participated in the Station's of the Cross along Madrid's Paseo de Recoletos which runs from the Plaza de Colon to the Plaza de Cibeles.
Obama Admin Forces More Tax Funding of Embryonic Stem Cells
Sometimes it seems that Barry just can't get enough of death. He insists on directing taxpayer money toward abortion and embryonic stem cell research, which destroys life without having shown results. On the other hand, adult stem cells have shown much promise with successful results (and no one has to die :)
For those keeping track, late yesterday NIH Director Francis Collins approved four more human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines for the embryonic stem cell registry.
The four newest approvals are sold by the company BioTime, Inc., which had two other hESC lines approved June 2, 2011. Details of the embryo destruction and hESC derivation (including from siblings) were published by ESI and Sydney IVF workers in 2007, around the time that ESI abandoned its schemes for therapies based on hESC. BioTime subsequenctly acquired ESI in 2010.
The total number of approved hESC lines is now 132, after a push of approvals earlier this year at NIH.
St. John Eudes
The Saint of the Day for August 19 is St. John Eudes.
Born on a farm in northern France, St. John was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious communities and a great promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He joined the religious community of the Oratorians and was ordained a priest at twenty-four. During severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered to care for the stricken in his own diocese. Lest he infect his fellow religious, he lived in a huge cask in the middle of a field during the plague.
At age thirty-two, John became a parish missionary. His gifts as preacher and confessor won him great popularity. He preached over one hundred parish missions, some lasting from several weeks to several months.
In his concern with the spiritual improvement of the clergy, he realized that the greatest need was for seminaries. He had permission from his general superior, the bishop and even Cardinal Richelieu to begin this work, but the succeeding general superior disapproved. After prayer and counsel, John decided it was best to leave the religious community. The same year he founded a new one, ultimately called the Eudists (Congregation of Jesus and Mary), devoted to the formation of the clergy by conducting diocesan seminaries. The new venture, while approved by individual bishops, met with immediate opposition, especially from Jansenists and some of his former associates. John founded several seminaries in Normandy, but was unable to get approval from Rome (partly, it was said, because he did not use the most tactful approach).
In his parish mission work, John was disturbed by the sad condition of prostitutes who sought to escape their miserable life. Temporary shelters were found but arrangements were not satisfactory. A certain Madeleine Lamy, who had cared for several of the women, one day said to him, "Where are you off to now? To some church, I suppose, where you'll gaze at the images and think yourself pious. And all the time what is really wanted of you is a decent house for these poor creatures." The words, and the laughter of those present, struck deeply within him. The result was another new religious community, called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge.
He is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness, Mary as the model of the Christian life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary led Pius XI to declare him the father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He was also the author of several books which served his work, e.g., The Ideal Confessor and The Apostolic Preacher. He died at the age of seventy-nine.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Bill Donohue's Advice for David Letterman
Though I never mentioned Muslims or Islam in my June 8 monologue, I received a serious death threat from al Qaeda. This has forced me to reconsider the propriety of my humor about religion.
I have come to the conclusion that it is wrong to smear an entire religion and its clergy, which is why I am going to stop bashing Catholic priests. For too many years, I have taken wild swipes at priests, generalizing from the particular to the collective. I don't do this to any other demographic group, and I shouldn't do this to Catholic priests, either. Just because Catholics don't threaten to cut off my tongue, break my neck, or put a hit on me, doesn't mean I shouldn't respect their religion. Ethics alone demands they be treated like, say, Muslims.
Donohue adds: "Bad as Letterman has been, he is positively saintly compared to Jay Leno. It would be great if both men, especially Leno, took this opportunity to stop with their sweeping generalizations about Catholic priests. It shouldn't take a death threat to bring them to their senses—it should simply take common decency."
story
video: Shut up, Socialists! 08-18
When you preach the truth, expect blowback. That's what a group of protesting Socialist atheists are doing in Madrid with the Holy Father.
Pro-life ‘flash mob’ launches massive balloon rosary above Chicago skyline
These young people are awesome :)
Last Friday, a pro-life “flash mob” launched a massive 75-foot floating LIFE balloon rosary over the streets of Chicago.
The rosary, crafted of helium-filled yellow balloons bearing the word LIFE and a six-foot gold cross, was the work of 20 elementary-school-aged girls and their counselors from a summer camp at St. John Cantius Catholic parish. It was carried by the girls through downtown Chicago traffic following a prayer vigil in front of a local abortion clinic.
The floating rosary was the latest in a series of pro-life “flash mobs” utilizing the yellow balloons across the U.S.
In an interview with LifeSiteNews (LSN), Illinois Right to Life Committee Executive Director William Beckman noted the importance of last week’s public demonstration, pointing out that “abortion in Chicago is a big problem.”
Benedict XVI arrives in Madrid for World Youth Day
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Madrid for World Youth Day 2011, to the delight of a massive throng of young people. Over the next four days, he will meet and pray with over a million young pilgrims.
“I come as the Successor of Peter, to confirm them all in the faith, with days of intense pastoral activity, proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life,” he said upon his midday arrival at Madrid’s Barajas Airport.
Pope Benedict was formally welcomed by a King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain along with Cardinal Rouco Varela of Madrid.
Archbishop Dolan says marriage redefinition in NY harms Catholic families
Archbishop Timothy Dolan predicts that the recent redefinition of marriage in New York will have a “big impact” on future attempts by young people to build up Catholic family life.
“That’s a good example of how our young people find, very often, the culture of our society to be at odds with what they treasure as Catholics,” the Archbishop of New York told CNA on Aug. 17 prior to an evening prayer service for hundreds of young New Yorkers at World Youth Day.
Gay “marriage” became legal in New York State last month following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in the state legislature by 33 votes to 29. The approved bill was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo the same day.
Archbishop Dolan says the most effective thing that young Catholics can now do to defend marriage is “to model happy, faithful, life-giving marriage. That’s the best thing we can do.”
But he also stressed that young Catholics will have to be prepared to “never to shy away from the prophetic part of speaking the truth” in “letting people know that the defense of traditional marriage is not just some weird, superstitious, medieval Catholic cause.” Instead, it “is at the heart of the common good - namely providing the healthiest, most wholesome environment for children.”
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