Whispers in the Loggia: "The Czar's" Gift to Connecticut – Brooklyn's Caggiano to Roiled BridgeportPALMO: Resolving the longest-standing vacancy on these shores – and one that's had the natives even more on edge than usual – at Roman Noon the Pope named Bishop Frank Caggiano, the 54 year-old auxiliary and lead vicar-general of the 1.7 million-member Brooklyn church, as bishop of Bridgeport.
At the helm of the 430,000-member diocese comprising Connecticut's Fairfield County, the nominee succeeds now-Archbishop William Lori, who was transferred to the Premier See of Baltimore in March 2012.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Bishop Frank Caggiano appointed to head Diocese of Bridgeport, filling oldest episcopal vacancy in U.S.
New bishop named for Bridgeport diocese - Connecticut Post: An auxiliary bishop in Brooklyn, N.Y. has been named as the new spiritual leader of the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Pope Francis announced the appointment of the Most Rev. Frank J Caggiano, 53, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Bishop Caggiano succeeds The Most Rev. William E. Lori, who was named Archbishop of Baltimore in March 2012.
No date has been announced for the installation of Bishop Caggiano, who is a native of Brooklyn. There is a press conference later this morning at the Catholic Center in Bridgeport to formally announce the appointment.
Pope Francis announced the appointment of the Most Rev. Frank J Caggiano, 53, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Bishop Caggiano succeeds The Most Rev. William E. Lori, who was named Archbishop of Baltimore in March 2012.
No date has been announced for the installation of Bishop Caggiano, who is a native of Brooklyn. There is a press conference later this morning at the Catholic Center in Bridgeport to formally announce the appointment.
The Pope's overlooked marriage comments could be more significant than anything else he said on the plane...
Francis’s marriage comments could be more significant than anything else he said on the plane | CatholicHerald.co.ukLUCIE-SMITH: That press conference with journalists on the plane back from Rio contained the following words on the theme of sacraments for the divorced and remarried which may well be highly significant, and which have not attracted much comment.
The whole press conference is here in Italian and the words of particular interest are these: “I think this is the moment for mercy. The divorced may have access to the sacraments. The problem regards those who are in a second marriage … who cannot receive communion. But, in parenthesis, the Orthodox have a different praxis. They follow the theology of economy, and they give a second chance: they allow that.
The whole press conference is here in Italian and the words of particular interest are these: “I think this is the moment for mercy. The divorced may have access to the sacraments. The problem regards those who are in a second marriage … who cannot receive communion. But, in parenthesis, the Orthodox have a different praxis. They follow the theology of economy, and they give a second chance: they allow that.
I was once enslaved to lust through pornography. God set me free from this sin, and he can set you free as well...
The Compulsion of Lustful Vice | St. Joseph's VanguardDEVINROSE: The habit of lust wore deep ruts in my soul, ones that the wheels of my interior car could not escape from on their own. It took God’s grace for those ruts to be filled in, slowly, over the course of years. Then it took more years for the habit of purity to take root and grow into a towering oak tree, one that could not easily be cut down.
I want to explain to women especially how powerful this compulsion to lust is in men, especially in those of us who were addicted to pornography for years, even from the early teens. I knew it was wrong; I wanted to stop doing it, but I couldn’t. Even once I became a Christian, the desire to look lustfully at women and be impure with myself was stronger than my nascent virtue.
I want to explain to women especially how powerful this compulsion to lust is in men, especially in those of us who were addicted to pornography for years, even from the early teens. I knew it was wrong; I wanted to stop doing it, but I couldn’t. Even once I became a Christian, the desire to look lustfully at women and be impure with myself was stronger than my nascent virtue.
If you let yourself be vulnerable to Christ's thirst, you will see how precious it is to offer your own sufferings...
ANTHONY LILLES: To Satiate the Thirst of JesusLILLES: When we begin to pray, we implicate ourselves in the plight of others, especially those who are suffering. Prayer binds us to offer a cup of cold water to those who are thirsting because prayer allows us to suffer the thirst of God, His divine passion for the salvation of souls. In this way, prayer disposes us to see Jesus in those who are suffering, especially those who most need a reason to hope. If we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to the thirst of Christ, we realize how precious it is to offer our sufferings and to help others offer their own sufferings to satiate that thirst.
Here's why the U.S. government's international religious freedom policy has been such a failure...
Why U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy Fails | First ThingsWEIGEL: In his June 13 testimony before the National Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform, Dr. Thomas Farr of Georgetown’s Berkley Center described the failures of U.S. international religious freedom policy over the past decade and a half and suggested some of the structural reasons for that failure: lack of strategic integration, such that religious freedom doesn’t “fit” with other U.S. foreign policy objectives; resistance in the Department of State to the very idea of an international religious freedom policy and a special ambassador for promoting religious freedom; little or no leadership from presidents and secretaries of state.�
How to survive an airplane crash: 10 tips that could save your life...
How to Survive a Plane Crash: 10 Tips That Could Save Your Life | The Art of Manliness: We often think that plane crashes are catastrophic and unsurvivable events. Thanks to movies and 24/7 news channels, the enduring image of a plane crash usually involves an aircraft plummeting to the ground from 30,000 feet and obliterating everyone on board in a terrifying fireball.
Thankfully, that isn’t the case. In a report analyzing airline accidents from 1983 to 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board found that the survival rate of crashes was 95.7%. Sure, there are some accidents where everyone, or nearly everyone, died, but those are much rarer than you’d guess based on what you see in the news. The NTSB found that even in serious accidents where fire and substantial damage occurred, 76.6% of passengers still survived.
Thankfully, that isn’t the case. In a report analyzing airline accidents from 1983 to 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board found that the survival rate of crashes was 95.7%. Sure, there are some accidents where everyone, or nearly everyone, died, but those are much rarer than you’d guess based on what you see in the news. The NTSB found that even in serious accidents where fire and substantial damage occurred, 76.6% of passengers still survived.
We weren't always so secular: A remembrance of times not long past...
We Weren’t Always So Secular – A Remembrance of Times not Long Past � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: The times in which we live are often described as “secular.” This word comes from the Latin “saecula” meaning “world.” Hence in saying our age is secular is another way of saying our times are worldly.
We may think it has always been so but such is not the case.
To be sure, it IS the human condition to be a little preoccupied with the world. But previous times have featured a much more religious focus than our own. The Middle Ages were especially known for way in which faith permeated the culture and daily experience. The Rose window to the right presents a typically Medieval Notion: Christ (the Lamb of God) at the center and everything surrounding Him.
We may think it has always been so but such is not the case.
To be sure, it IS the human condition to be a little preoccupied with the world. But previous times have featured a much more religious focus than our own. The Middle Ages were especially known for way in which faith permeated the culture and daily experience. The Rose window to the right presents a typically Medieval Notion: Christ (the Lamb of God) at the center and everything surrounding Him.
From Rio de Janeiro to Rome, from poetry to prose
From Rio de Janeiro to Rome, from Poetry to ProseMAGISTER: If the Pope had held his press conference on the flight of departure, topics like the lobbies, gays, the divorced, the curia, the IOR would have inevitably monopolized the attention of the media. Who instead, as soon as they landed in Rio, were able to dedicate themselves first of all to the pope's vehicle, which ended up by mistake in a traffic jam and assailed by admirers, who were even able to lean inside the cabin of the vehicle, with the window fearlessly rolled down.
From that first day on, the accounts of the voyage in Brazil of pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio were an uninterrupted crescendo of successes, culminating in the record-setting event of the vigil and Mass on the beach of Copacabana. With the director of the highly authoritative “La Civiltà Cattolica," the Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, telling "Corriere della Sera":
From that first day on, the accounts of the voyage in Brazil of pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio were an uninterrupted crescendo of successes, culminating in the record-setting event of the vigil and Mass on the beach of Copacabana. With the director of the highly authoritative “La Civiltà Cattolica," the Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, telling "Corriere della Sera":
Holy Father chooses theme for 2014 World Day of Peace: "Fraternity, the foundation and pathway to peace"
VATICAN World Day of Peace, 2014, Pope chooses theme: 'Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace' - Asia News: A "throwaway culture" and the "globalization indifference" can be defeated if we allow ourselves to be won over by the concept of "fraternity" - not to be confused with sterile aid.� In short, if we learn to see all human beings as brothers and sisters " called to share the gifts of creation, the goods of progress and culture, to be partakers at the same table of the fullness of life, to be protagonists of integral and inclusive development". 'Pope Francis has chosen 'Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace' as the theme for the 47th World Day of Peace in 2014, his first as Pope.
How to destroy satanic secrets with holy transparency...
Secrets and Transparency � Neal Obstat Theological OpiningNEAL: Happy feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola!
I was listening to a lecture recently on St. Ignatius’ Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, which offer ways to interpret the alternating states of consolation (e.g. faith, hope, charity, joy, peace, gratitude) and desolation (e.g. anxiety, fear, sloth, despondency, temptation) that people striving for holiness typically experience in the spiritual life. The speaker was focusing on Rule 13, in which Ignatius asserts the importance of not keeping struggles, sins and temptations secret.
I was listening to a lecture recently on St. Ignatius’ Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, which offer ways to interpret the alternating states of consolation (e.g. faith, hope, charity, joy, peace, gratitude) and desolation (e.g. anxiety, fear, sloth, despondency, temptation) that people striving for holiness typically experience in the spiritual life. The speaker was focusing on Rule 13, in which Ignatius asserts the importance of not keeping struggles, sins and temptations secret.
“Your Holiness, I want to be a priest of Christ!”
“Your Holiness, I want to be a priest of Christ!” – VIDEO UPDATESCALIA: This is almost like one of those stories out of a saint’s hagiography; I mean Nathan’s not the Pope’s. “At a young age Nathan ran to Pope Francis and declared, ‘I want to be a priest of Christ!’”
Pray for this young one, and for all who hear the small, still voice but are not sure what it is they’re experiencing.
And take note of that photograph; think about it. We’re crossing a Rubicon, as a Church. Thanks also to Kate O’Hare who sent me this video, which shows the moment. At 1:25, we see Nathan being handed off the popemobile, reluctantly. It’s a beautiful moment.
Pray for this young one, and for all who hear the small, still voice but are not sure what it is they’re experiencing.
And take note of that photograph; think about it. We’re crossing a Rubicon, as a Church. Thanks also to Kate O’Hare who sent me this video, which shows the moment. At 1:25, we see Nathan being handed off the popemobile, reluctantly. It’s a beautiful moment.
In rare move, Pope Francis sacks Slovenia's two leading bishops over $1 billion financial mess
Slovenia’s 2 leading prelates resign : News Headlines - Catholic Culture: Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of both of Slovenia’s archbishops, the Holy See’s Press Office has announced.
Archbishop Anton Stres of Ljubljana, the nation’s capital, is 70; Archbishop Marjan Turnsek of Maribor is 58. The nation, located in south-central Europe, has only six dioceses.
In a statement posted on Ljubljana’s archdiocesan website, Archbishop Stres said that “the financial collapse of companies associated with the Archdiocese of Maribor has cast its shadow for more than two years” and has compromised the Church’s mission.
Archbishop Anton Stres of Ljubljana, the nation’s capital, is 70; Archbishop Marjan Turnsek of Maribor is 58. The nation, located in south-central Europe, has only six dioceses.
In a statement posted on Ljubljana’s archdiocesan website, Archbishop Stres said that “the financial collapse of companies associated with the Archdiocese of Maribor has cast its shadow for more than two years” and has compromised the Church’s mission.
Here are all the major products Apple will announce in the next 12 months
Apple's iPhone, iPad, TV, And iWatch Schedule - Business Insider: Why did Apple's stock crash from $7o0 to $400?
Because the company went from being a fast growing beast to posting year-over-year profit declines, and flat revenue growth.
And why did that happen? Because it stopped releasing new products.
The last time Apple announced a new physical product was in October of 2012. That's ten months and counting since a new product.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says that's going to change.
Because the company went from being a fast growing beast to posting year-over-year profit declines, and flat revenue growth.
And why did that happen? Because it stopped releasing new products.
The last time Apple announced a new physical product was in October of 2012. That's ten months and counting since a new product.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says that's going to change.
10 things you need to know today: July 31, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 31, 2013 - The Week: Zimbabwe votes for president, San Diego votes to sue its mayor, and more
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
NASA finds the hottest place on Earth, and it's not where everyone thought it was...
New Advent: NASA finds the hottest place on Earth, and it's not where everyone thought it was...: Published by MinuteEarth on July 22, 2013...
The New York Times: How "Catholic and Jesuit" Georgetown became a gay-friendly campus...
How Georgetown Became a Gay-Friendly Campus - NYTimes.com: “Come out of the closet in style!” read the poster, and on a crisp fall day, dozens of students on Georgetown’s Red Square did, metaphorically at least. They formed a winding conga line and sashayed through a life-size closet door. That afternoon, they gathered for same-sex smooching in a campus “kiss-in.”
Indy's Wager: At the most dire moments, Indiana Jones knows that it's reasonable to have faith...
Blaise Pascal and Indiana Jones: Friends to the End | Truth & Charity The Intersection of Faith & LifeANDREWSCIBA: By my movie-buff estimation the character of Indiana Jones* is not only amusing and entertaining, but also interestingly fallible and occasionally the recipient of correction from others or even himself. In other movies that follow a singular protagonist, the character is often portrayed as not having any weakness or having some level of idiocy as a weakness. Dr. Jones has neither as he is a man of education and intelligence who is refreshingly human. I could go on describing the approachable flappability Harrison Ford brings to the character or how he takes it to those crazy Nazis(!), but I fear that even this far into the post it’s beginning to feel like watching a slide show of Aunt Erma’s Atlanta vacation. So I’ll quit.
Is the Beatles' "Let It Be" about the Blessed Virgin Mary? Yes, absolutely...
A Lesson on Text Criticism and the Beatles’ Let it Be : Catholic StandMCLEOD: It is a beautiful song. A studio outtake reveals that the earliest version had a nearly-solemn quality. Of course, many know that Paul McCartney and John Lennon had a friendly songwriting competition. It is evident in many of their outtakes. Unsurprisingly then, just seconds before the tape rolls on the first recording of Let it Be, you can hear John being naughty, trying to unnerve his friend, asking, “Are we supposed to giggle in the solo?” Paul replies without missing a beat, “Yeah.” Then he adds with affected braggadocio: “This’ll – this is gonna knock you out, boy.” McCartney knows a good song, and this was one of his best. The studio goes quiet, the light goes on, and the familiar piano chords commence. The take comes out very close to what the final take will sound like, as many of McCartney’s first takes do.
Franciscans of the Immaculate decree worries traditionalists
Franciscans of the Immaculate decree worries traditionalists :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The Vatican Congregation for Religious, with the approval of Pope Francis, has appointed a commissioner to oversee the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate and has restricted their celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, touching off a storm of speculation about the reasons and broader implications.
The news of the decree was first reported by the veteran Vatican journalist Sandro Magister, who described the move as the first time that Pope Francis has contradicted his predecessor Benedict XVI.
“But what is most astonishing are the last five lines of the decree of July 11,” writes Magister.
The news of the decree was first reported by the veteran Vatican journalist Sandro Magister, who described the move as the first time that Pope Francis has contradicted his predecessor Benedict XVI.
“But what is most astonishing are the last five lines of the decree of July 11,” writes Magister.
Franciscan of the Immaculate denies claims that Francis's restriction upon his institute 'contradicts' Benedict...
The FI’s and Pope Francis: Updated | Mary Victrix: It was reported in the Catholic online press today that our religious community, the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, has been assigned an Apostolic Commissioner by the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated life. �Pope Francis has ordered the decree which goes into effect on August 12.
Pope Francis has also severely restricted our use of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, and this has been reported by a major italian journalist as a “contradiction” of Pope Benedict’s permission granted in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. �This is an unfortunate instance of an overeager journalist sensationalizing something he can only speculate about.
Pope Francis has also severely restricted our use of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, and this has been reported by a major italian journalist as a “contradiction” of Pope Benedict’s permission granted in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. �This is an unfortunate instance of an overeager journalist sensationalizing something he can only speculate about.
Steubenville, Peter Kreeft, and a peek inside Scott Hahn's 40,000-book library...
Peter Kreeft, Scott Hahn, and 40,000 Books | BrandonVogt.comVOGT: This past weekend, I had the joy and honor of speaking at the Defending the Faith Conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville. The whole thing was a blast. I think it was one of the best and well-organized conferences I've ever been to. The talks were deep and insightful, the worship holy and powerful, and the sheer excitement of 1,500 devoted Catholics rocked the fieldhouse all weekend.
However, the best part was spending several days with the other speakers, men and women I deelpy admire. I got to meet Dr. Peter Kreeft for the first time, who dazzled me with his wit and wisdom over several meals. I also chatted with Dr. Ted Sri, an erudite biblical scholar who teaches at the Augustine Institute, which I'll be attending (digitally) this Fall. I reconnected with good friends like Mark Shea, Dr. Ralph Martin, Teresa Tomeo, and Jeff Cavins while meeting others I've admired from a distance like Jason Stellman (you've got to hear his story), Marc Barnes (aka Bad Catholic), Patrick Madrid, Mark Hart, Bob Rice, and more.
However, the best part was spending several days with the other speakers, men and women I deelpy admire. I got to meet Dr. Peter Kreeft for the first time, who dazzled me with his wit and wisdom over several meals. I also chatted with Dr. Ted Sri, an erudite biblical scholar who teaches at the Augustine Institute, which I'll be attending (digitally) this Fall. I reconnected with good friends like Mark Shea, Dr. Ralph Martin, Teresa Tomeo, and Jeff Cavins while meeting others I've admired from a distance like Jason Stellman (you've got to hear his story), Marc Barnes (aka Bad Catholic), Patrick Madrid, Mark Hart, Bob Rice, and more.
We put the hurt in yurt
We Put the Hurt in Yurt |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: If you're reading this, I survived.
We went camping on Sunday, and are just getting back today. Yep, camping with all nine kids and two decidedly indoorsy adults. Two things made this plan just a shade less than criminally insane: we left the puppy with my mother-in-law (and the bird with a friend. The gerbils, the tadpole, and the raccoons who've built their retirement plan around our garbage cans fend for themselves), and we rented a yurt.
To some, the use of anything that makes camping more convenient -- whether we're talking about a change of socks, or a GPS device, or a tin cup in which to simmer your wild caught possum and toadberry stew -- means that you're not actually camping. "Why leave your house at all?" they scoff. "If you're just going to bring all the comforts of home along with you, might as well just stay there!"
We went camping on Sunday, and are just getting back today. Yep, camping with all nine kids and two decidedly indoorsy adults. Two things made this plan just a shade less than criminally insane: we left the puppy with my mother-in-law (and the bird with a friend. The gerbils, the tadpole, and the raccoons who've built their retirement plan around our garbage cans fend for themselves), and we rented a yurt.
To some, the use of anything that makes camping more convenient -- whether we're talking about a change of socks, or a GPS device, or a tin cup in which to simmer your wild caught possum and toadberry stew -- means that you're not actually camping. "Why leave your house at all?" they scoff. "If you're just going to bring all the comforts of home along with you, might as well just stay there!"
The 45-year epic war over Humane Vitae
Humanae Vitae at 45: An Epic War | Daily News | NCRegister.comJANETSMITH: When Joseph Ratzinger stepped out on the balcony and became Pope Benedict XVI, I fell in love with him immediately. I actually felt a bit like an unfaithful spouse: I had loved Pope John Paul II so much, how could I so quickly transfer my allegiance? I didn’t love Pope Francis immediately, but I have come to do so quickly.
Pope Francis is just the pope we need at this time. He never ceases exhorting us to grow close to Christ and to take his message out to the world. He wants us to build the civilization of love so beautifully described by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis is just the pope we need at this time. He never ceases exhorting us to grow close to Christ and to take his message out to the world. He wants us to build the civilization of love so beautifully described by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
We've seen it all: the exotic and quirky Masses we've attended while road tripping...
We've Seen It All: the Exotic and Quirky Masses We've Attended While Road Tripping - Aleteia: I don’t know about other families, but visiting new parishes is one of our favorite parts of any trip. It’s that feeling akin to gambling – what are we going to wind up with on the liturgical lottery after walking through those foreign parish doors?
The years ahead will be more God-centered than you might like
Years ahead will be more God-centred than you might like | Columnists | Opinion | Toronto SunCOREN: When the conclave to elect the pope was held earlier this year, more than 6,000 journalists gathered in Rome to discuss why nobody was interested in the Catholic Church anymore. Irony, it seems, isn’t big with contemporary media.
Whether you like it or not, religion is not of the past but is the key ingredient on the menu of modern and future politics and public life. And if you doubt me, observe the staggeringly large crowds in Brazil gathered for World Youth Day.
The North American and European chattering classes may swoon over the late Christopher Hitchens and pretend to have read Richard Dawkins, but nobody is going to die, or live in the real sense, for secular humanism and atheistic materialism. The dynamic, the driving force of, in particular, younger people is religion.
Whether you like it or not, religion is not of the past but is the key ingredient on the menu of modern and future politics and public life. And if you doubt me, observe the staggeringly large crowds in Brazil gathered for World Youth Day.
The North American and European chattering classes may swoon over the late Christopher Hitchens and pretend to have read Richard Dawkins, but nobody is going to die, or live in the real sense, for secular humanism and atheistic materialism. The dynamic, the driving force of, in particular, younger people is religion.
Here's how to argue the Catholic case against same-sex marriage...
Aggie Catholics: The Catholic Case Against Same-Sex MarriageLEJEUNE: Recently I spoke at a conference and stated I could see no argument for same-sex marriage which was logical enough to withstand scrutiny. Some responded they wanted to talk about the subject more, because they struggled to counter the arguments for same-sex marriage and not come off as hateful.
Before I begin, I want to be very clear, we cannot accept the fallacy that opposing same-sex marriage = "hate" of persons who have a same-sex attraction. Nor is it "homophobic", mean, discriminatory, etc. This is rhetoric and ad hominem which is a distraction and does not add anything to the discussion at hand.
In fact, if you believe same-sex marriage is not good for someone and say nothing about it, that isn't love at all. Love compels us to seek out what is good for the other.
Before I begin, I want to be very clear, we cannot accept the fallacy that opposing same-sex marriage = "hate" of persons who have a same-sex attraction. Nor is it "homophobic", mean, discriminatory, etc. This is rhetoric and ad hominem which is a distraction and does not add anything to the discussion at hand.
In fact, if you believe same-sex marriage is not good for someone and say nothing about it, that isn't love at all. Love compels us to seek out what is good for the other.
A devilish perspective: Dr. Peter Kreeft shows how to lose the culture war in seven steps
OSV Daily Take Blog: A devilish perspective: Dr. Peter Kreeft shows how to lose the culture war in seven steps: It really is a simple strategy. All you have to do is follow this acronym: PHONEYS. Get people out of the real and true and into the false, instructed Dr. Peter Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at Boston College.
During his tongue-in-cheek presentation — reminiscent of C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" — Kreeft wore devil horns and all. The presentation was part of the Defending the Faith conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville this past weekend, which was attended by approximately 1,500 people from around the world.
During his tongue-in-cheek presentation — reminiscent of C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" — Kreeft wore devil horns and all. The presentation was part of the Defending the Faith conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville this past weekend, which was attended by approximately 1,500 people from around the world.
Most people might dismiss Pope Francis' remarks about a Masonic lobby. I'm not sure that we should...
CATHOLIC HERALD: Most of us would laugh at the idea of a masonic mafia at work in the Vatican. I’m not sure that we should - kcknight@gmail.com - GmailLUCIE-SMITH: Italians love conspiracy theories, and with some justification. Italy is a land of mysteries. No one knows who was behind the bombing of Piazza Fontana, or the massacre of Ustica, for example, and we are never likely to know now. But are there really freemasons in the Vatican?
Most English people would laugh at the idea of a masonic mafia at work in the Vatican. I am not sure, though, that we should. Masonry is far from harmless. There is a strong belief – on what evidence is not clear – that Continental masonry is markedly different from the British variety. While the British masons are supposed to be well represented in the police and the courts, Italian masonry is strongly identified with big business and banking, and the powerful secretive elites that are supposed to be the ‘real’ government of the country. Masonry is also seen as strongly anti-clerical; thus a masonic lobby in the Vatican would be opposed to virtually everything the Church stands for, and a real enemy within.
Most English people would laugh at the idea of a masonic mafia at work in the Vatican. I am not sure, though, that we should. Masonry is far from harmless. There is a strong belief – on what evidence is not clear – that Continental masonry is markedly different from the British variety. While the British masons are supposed to be well represented in the police and the courts, Italian masonry is strongly identified with big business and banking, and the powerful secretive elites that are supposed to be the ‘real’ government of the country. Masonry is also seen as strongly anti-clerical; thus a masonic lobby in the Vatican would be opposed to virtually everything the Church stands for, and a real enemy within.
If you wanted to anchor an airplane to the ground so it couldn't take off, what would the rope have to be made out of?
Restraining an Airplane: Ah, the Just Cause 2 scenario.
At takeoff, a 747's four engines can each generate 281.57 kN of thrust. I have no real sense for what that number means, so let's put it in different terms...
At takeoff, a 747's four engines can each generate 281.57 kN of thrust. I have no real sense for what that number means, so let's put it in different terms...
Why are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God?
The Human Person: Such Value, Dignity, BeautyETIENNE: Recently I was speaking with someone who was having a difficult moment. The basic issue at hand was a proper understanding of her own beauty, which means being able to see herself as God sees her.
Life can be difficult, and our many experiences, particularly as young people, begin to form the way we think about our self.� When enough bad experiences add up, depending upon our personality and chemistry, we can begin to think very negatively of our self, and even of others, God, and the world.
One of the critical challenges of our time is to recover a proper understanding of the human person, namely as being created by God and for God.� Today’s feast of St. Peter Chrysologus provides one of his many beautiful writings which speaks to this particular need.
Life can be difficult, and our many experiences, particularly as young people, begin to form the way we think about our self.� When enough bad experiences add up, depending upon our personality and chemistry, we can begin to think very negatively of our self, and even of others, God, and the world.
One of the critical challenges of our time is to recover a proper understanding of the human person, namely as being created by God and for God.� Today’s feast of St. Peter Chrysologus provides one of his many beautiful writings which speaks to this particular need.
Snickering at FoxNews while getting duped by the author of ‘Zealot’
Snickering at FoxNews while getting duped by ‘Zealot’ authorCARTER: Many of us who came of age during the birth of New Media are reflexively defensive about the medium’s journalistic credibility. We defy the outdated notion that real journalism is printed on paper or broadcast on TV screen. Quality journalism is as likely to be found on a blog as in a newspaper or in a web video as on a cable news channel.
At least that’s the theory.
The reality is that much of what passes for journalism on the Internet is substandard. A prime example can be found in both an interview on FoxNews.com online show Spirited Debate and the New Media responses to it.
At least that’s the theory.
The reality is that much of what passes for journalism on the Internet is substandard. A prime example can be found in both an interview on FoxNews.com online show Spirited Debate and the New Media responses to it.
There is a deep and violent intolerance at the heart of the homosexualist movement...
I don’t have any strong views on people who regard themselves as ex-gaysSHEA: That’s because I’ve never felt homosexual attraction. It’s fairly simple. C.S. Lewis once remarked that he resented it when officers who had never been in combat came to the lines to give the troops moral lectures about temptations they had never borne. He therefore did not offer moral advice on things like homosexuality or gambling addiction because he’d never felt those temptations.
Who is Father Z?
Father Z Is Not the EnemySCHIFFER: For weeks -- no, for months -- I’ve been watching from the dark corners as Catholic bloggers disparage and demean and dismiss fellow blogger Father John Zuhlsdorf (Father Z).� “Who is he?” some have demanded to know.� “Why doesn’t he have any parish responsibilities?”
And what sport it is to assault an enemy of faith and reason, to fluff one’s feathers at the mere mention of his name!� But the thing is, Father Z is not the enemy...
And what sport it is to assault an enemy of faith and reason, to fluff one’s feathers at the mere mention of his name!� But the thing is, Father Z is not the enemy...
10 things you need to know today: July 30, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 30, 2013 - The Week: Bradley Manning awaits his verdict, Flossie exits Hawaii a weaker storm, and more...
The FFI and the TLM. Wherein Father Z rants, and offers some tough love...
Card. Braz de Aviz moves on the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, curtails use of Usus Antiquior. Fr. Z rants, offers tough love. | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: It has been a tough week, friends.
Now there is news which will make a lot of the traditionally inclined go bonkers. My email is filling up with panicky bile.
Before any of you readers have a spittle-flecked nutty, in a spittle-flecked nutshell, the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFIs) underwent an Apostolic Visitation which finished 3 July. There was division among the FFIs about Summorum Pontificum, their use of the older form of Mass, and criticisms made by some of Vatican II. As a result of the Apostolic Visitation, a decree dated of 11 July, signed by the Prefect of the Congregation for Religious, João Card. Braz de Aviz (remember him?) and the Secretary Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo (a Franciscan and one of the first appointments Pope Francis made). It was approved by Pope Francis before its publication.
Now there is news which will make a lot of the traditionally inclined go bonkers. My email is filling up with panicky bile.
Before any of you readers have a spittle-flecked nutty, in a spittle-flecked nutshell, the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFIs) underwent an Apostolic Visitation which finished 3 July. There was division among the FFIs about Summorum Pontificum, their use of the older form of Mass, and criticisms made by some of Vatican II. As a result of the Apostolic Visitation, a decree dated of 11 July, signed by the Prefect of the Congregation for Religious, João Card. Braz de Aviz (remember him?) and the Secretary Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo (a Franciscan and one of the first appointments Pope Francis made). It was approved by Pope Francis before its publication.
"A change in tone, but not in doctrine": Cardinal Dolan explains papal remarks on Today show as media reaction continues
Cardinal Dolan on pope's gay remarks: We can judge actions, not people - TODAY.com: Pope Francis’ comments about gays may have signaled a change in tone within the Catholic Church, but they did not reflect a break in church policy, a leading American Catholic cleric said Tuesday.
The church teaches to treat everyone — including gays — with dignity, even if they do not approve of the relationships they have, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
The church teaches to treat everyone — including gays — with dignity, even if they do not approve of the relationships they have, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Monday, July 29, 2013
Don't tell the press: Pope Francis is using them...
Don’t Tell the Press: Pope Francis Is Using Them | First ThingsSCALIA: While traveling to Rio de Janeiro to preside over his first World Youth Day, Pope Francis declined to do a formal interview with the press pool. “I don’t give interviews. I don’t know why. . . It’s tiresome. But I enjoy your company.”
On the return to Rome, the Holy Father—perhaps feeling energized by a spectacularly successful event that saw an estimated three million souls gather for Mass at Copacabana Beach—surprised the media with an eighty-minute Q-and-A that resulted in screaming headlines, and more than a few clenched jaws in the pews.
On the return to Rome, the Holy Father—perhaps feeling energized by a spectacularly successful event that saw an estimated three million souls gather for Mass at Copacabana Beach—surprised the media with an eighty-minute Q-and-A that resulted in screaming headlines, and more than a few clenched jaws in the pews.
'Comet of the Century' ISON already may have fizzled out
'Comet of the Century' already may have fizzled out | Reuters: Astronomers slated to meet this week to discuss observing plans for Comet ISON may not have much to talk about. The so-called "Comet of the Century" may already have fizzled out.
"The future of comet ISON does not look bright," astronomer Ignacio Ferrin, with the University of Antioquia in Colombia, said in a statement on Monday.
Ferrin's calculations show the comet, which is currently moving toward the sun at 16 miles per second, has not brightened since mid-January. That may be because the comet is already out of ice particles in its body, which melt as the comet moves closer to the sun, creating a long, bright tail.
"The future of comet ISON does not look bright," astronomer Ignacio Ferrin, with the University of Antioquia in Colombia, said in a statement on Monday.
Ferrin's calculations show the comet, which is currently moving toward the sun at 16 miles per second, has not brightened since mid-January. That may be because the comet is already out of ice particles in its body, which melt as the comet moves closer to the sun, creating a long, bright tail.
On the human tendency to "postpone" the Resurrection...
On The Human Tendency to “postpone” the Resurrection. A Meditation on Something Jesus said to St. Martha � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In the Gospel of Monday of this week, the Feast of St. Martha, there is an interesting dialogue between Jesus and Martha. Martha begins by saying, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. And thus Martha expresses her faith and hope in Jesus. But Jesus seeks to draw her out a bit and to get her to focus her faith in the moment. And thus the dialogue between them continues...
WATCH: Video highlights from Pope Francis' airplane press conference
New Advent: Video highlights from Pope Francis' airplane press conference: Pope Francis talks to press about Benedict XVI, Vatican Bank and 'gay lobby'...
CNA Rome editor David Uebbing named chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver
CNA's Rome editor takes on new role with Denver Archdiocese :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila has named CNA's Rome Bureau News Director, David Uebbing, to serve as his assistant as the chancellor to the Archdiocese of Denver.
“I'm really looking forward to working with Archbishop Aquila,” Uebbing told CNA July 29. “I am blessed to be able to help him in his work to encourage people to meet Jesus, support marriages, defend life at all stages, and engage in the New Evangelization in the archdiocese.”
As chancellor to the Denver Archdiocese, Uebbing will serve as a special assistant and senior counselor to the Archbishop.
“I'm really looking forward to working with Archbishop Aquila,” Uebbing told CNA July 29. “I am blessed to be able to help him in his work to encourage people to meet Jesus, support marriages, defend life at all stages, and engage in the New Evangelization in the archdiocese.”
As chancellor to the Denver Archdiocese, Uebbing will serve as a special assistant and senior counselor to the Archbishop.
English translation of the Pope's "gay lobby" remarks to journalists
A Note on the Pope’s Remarks to Journalists en route to Rome | Salt Light BlogROSICA: In response to many messages and calls earlier today regarding Pope Francis’ meeting with journalists aboard the return flight to Rome from Rio de Janeiro last night, below is a working transcript of the question about Monsignor Ricca and the gay lobby. I have included the question and the full answer of the Pope in English and the original Italian, as well as the full paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on homosexuality to which the Pope referred.
"Our authority is exercised in our ability to serve": To the bishops, Francis leaves one last bomb...
Whispers in the Loggia: "Our Authority Is Exercised In Our Ability To Serve" – To the Bishops, Francis' Leaves One Last BombPALMO: Shortly before the Volo Papale left Rio last night, word emerged that the Pope would hold an in-flight presser.
While some quick bytes from the 21-question, 80-minute extravaganza that ensued have unsurprisingly set off this Monday's news-cycle elsewhere, it's more advisable to wait for a complete transcript so that the full context in which the remarks were couched is duly at-hand. So far, the closest thing we've reliably got is 16 of the exchanges transcribed in Spanish by Elisabetta Piqué, the veteran Bergoglio-watcher of La Nación, Argentina's daily of record – a figure close enough to Francis to swap the customary besos with the Pope before her turn at the Q&A.
While some quick bytes from the 21-question, 80-minute extravaganza that ensued have unsurprisingly set off this Monday's news-cycle elsewhere, it's more advisable to wait for a complete transcript so that the full context in which the remarks were couched is duly at-hand. So far, the closest thing we've reliably got is 16 of the exchanges transcribed in Spanish by Elisabetta Piqué, the veteran Bergoglio-watcher of La Nación, Argentina's daily of record – a figure close enough to Francis to swap the customary besos with the Pope before her turn at the Q&A.
What the Pope did and didn't say on the plane
What the Pope Did and Didn’t Say on the Plane | National Review OnlineLOPEZ: Papal plane rides have been known to get people talking. Infamously, there was Pope Benedict’s 2009 plane ride to Africa, when a remark about condoms was woefully misunderstood (and the cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, the man who would later be pope, was one of the explainers/B16 defenders, as it happens).
And here we are again! After spending time with each reporter on the plane ride over, but expressing his reluctance to do interviews, the pope talked openly with reporters on the trip back to Rome, even thanking them for their questions about sensitive issues.
What’s making news is an announcement that he has broken away from Pope Benedict on the issue of homosexuality and the priesthood. Reading John Allen’s notes from the conversation, that doesn’t quite seem to be the story.
And here we are again! After spending time with each reporter on the plane ride over, but expressing his reluctance to do interviews, the pope talked openly with reporters on the trip back to Rome, even thanking them for their questions about sensitive issues.
What’s making news is an announcement that he has broken away from Pope Benedict on the issue of homosexuality and the priesthood. Reading John Allen’s notes from the conversation, that doesn’t quite seem to be the story.
Congregation for Religious orders group of Franciscans to stop offering Traditional Latin Mass...
For the First Time, Francis Contradicts BenedictMAGISTER: One point on which Jorge Mario Bergoglio was eagerly expected to weigh in, after his election as pope, was that of the Mass in the ancient rite.
There were those who predicted that Pope Francis would not distance himself from the stance of his predecessor. Who had liberalized the celebration of the Mass in the ancient rite as an “extraordinary” form of the modern rite, with the motu proprio “Summorum Pontificum" of July 7, 2007...
There were those who predicted that Pope Francis would not distance himself from the stance of his predecessor. Who had liberalized the celebration of the Mass in the ancient rite as an “extraordinary” form of the modern rite, with the motu proprio “Summorum Pontificum" of July 7, 2007...
An update on Catholic blogger Thomas Peters: It looks like he'll have to undergo spinal surgery after all...
Thomas Peters to Undergo Surgery After AllSCHIFFER: Last week, things seemed to be going so well.� Thomas Peters (aka the American Papist), who fractured the fifth cervical vertebra in a swimming accident on July 16, had been outfitted with a HALO and it appeared that spinal surgery would not be necessary.
Today the report is not so good.� Infection has set in, resulting in fever and exhaustion. �Thomas’ vertebrae have shifted, making surgery likely.
Today the report is not so good.� Infection has set in, resulting in fever and exhaustion. �Thomas’ vertebrae have shifted, making surgery likely.
The press is twisting the words of Pope Francis terribly...
Pope Francis in Favor of Gay and Women Priests?LONGENECKER: The media remind me of Middle School bullies who use “mock friendship” to bully others. Anybody who has worked with Middle School kids has seen it. The boys gang up on poor little Franky, and when they are called on their bullying they switch tactics and when they see Franky they cry, “Franky old buddy!! Howareya?” They rush up and give him bear hugs that are too long, slaps on the back which are too hard and high fives that hurt.” They know they are bullying him. He knows they are bullying him, and everybody knows they are bullying him, but there isn’t anything much the teachers can do about it.
April 27 is the most likely date for the canonizations of John XXIII and John Paul II. But don't pack your bags just yet...
The Two Canonizations: Don’t Pack Your Bag Yet!SCHIFFER: When will Pope Francis canonize his two predecessors, Blessed Pope John Paul II and Blessed Pope John XXIII? Early speculation regarding the date for Blessed Pope John Paul II was October 20—the nearest Sunday to JPII’s October 22 feast day. Then it was announced that Pope Francis had also cleared the way for Pope John XXIII to be canonized. Would the date be changed? But now, Catholic News Service seems to have gotten the inside scoop. Cindy Wooden, traveling aboard the airplane from Rio back to Rome with Pope Francis, quotes the Holy Father...
A World Youth Day, and a pope, full of surprises...
A World Youth Day — and a Pope — of Surprises |Blogs | NCRegister.comCONLEY: The sun rose over Copacabana beach Sunday morning, and 3 million young people assembled along the water’s edge. They were preparing for the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2013 with Pope Francis.
Most of those 3 million pilgrims had spent the night on the beach. The previous night they’d shared in Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction with Pope Francis. The vigil lasted well into the night.
Most of those 3 million pilgrims had spent the night on the beach. The previous night they’d shared in Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction with Pope Francis. The vigil lasted well into the night.
7 things you need to know about what Pope Francis said about gays
7 things you need to know about what Pope Francis said about gays |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: The press is buzzing right now with claims that Pope Francis has taken a sharly different line than his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, on the subject of homosexuality.
Some are suggesting that the new pope has announced that "gay is okay."
What did Pope Francis really say, and how unusual is it?
Here are 7 things to know and share...
Some are suggesting that the new pope has announced that "gay is okay."
What did Pope Francis really say, and how unusual is it?
Here are 7 things to know and share...
On the flight to Rio the Pope said, "I don't give interviews." But on the flight home, he gave a whopper of one...
Pope on homosexuals: 'Who am I to judge?' | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: Pope Francis took questions from reporters traveling aboard the papal plane for a full hour and 21 minutes with no filters or limits and nothing off the record. Francis stood for the entire time, answering without notes and never refusing to take a question. The final query was an especially delicate one about charges of homosexual conduct against his recently appointed delegate to reform the Vatican bank, and not only did Francis answer, but he actually thanked reporters for the question.
On background, officials said the decision to hold the news conference aboard the 12-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Rome was a personal decision by Francis and that aides at one point had counseled him against it.
On background, officials said the decision to hold the news conference aboard the 12-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Rome was a personal decision by Francis and that aides at one point had counseled him against it.
Pope Francis says he'd rather trust God than live in a bullet-proof bubble
CNS STORY: Pope says he'd rather trust God than live in bullet-proof bubbleWOODEN: With a few Vatican police standing at attention in the very back of the Alitalia plane flying him back to Rome, Pope Francis told reporters about his security even before being asked.
"My security staff is very, very good and now they are letting me do a little bit more," but they must do their jobs, which is to protect him, he said.
Beginning his first news conference as pope with a review of his July 22-28 stay in Brazil for World Youth Day, Pope Francis said it was "beautiful" and "spiritually it did me good."
"I am tired, but happy," he said, explaining that the joy of the Brazilian people and the happiness of millions of young people gathered in Rio de Janeiro rubbed off on him. And that was partially because he actually had an opportunity to be up close and personal.
"My security staff is very, very good and now they are letting me do a little bit more," but they must do their jobs, which is to protect him, he said.
Beginning his first news conference as pope with a review of his July 22-28 stay in Brazil for World Youth Day, Pope Francis said it was "beautiful" and "spiritually it did me good."
"I am tired, but happy," he said, explaining that the joy of the Brazilian people and the happiness of millions of young people gathered in Rio de Janeiro rubbed off on him. And that was partially because he actually had an opportunity to be up close and personal.
Highlights (in Spanish) of papal press conference on flight from Rio de Janeiro...
Papa Francisco: "Quién soy yo para criticar a un gay?" - lanacion.com �: Las respuestas del sumo pontífice sobre el Vatileaks, la corrupción en la Iglesia, el aborto, el matrimonio igualitario, su recuerdo de Buenos Aires y su relación con Benedicto XVI...
Watch: Before leaving Rio, Pope Francis gave a half-hour interview to a Brazilian TV reporter (Portuguese and Spanish)...
Entrevista Papa Francisco na Globo Fant�stico - YouTube: Não vou entrar nessa polemica boba de ideologia religiosa , apenas vou continuar arregaçando as mangas e servindo aos pobres como venho fazendo nos últimos anos em minha vida , e agora com esse exemplo de humildade do Papa Francisco tenho meus ânimos renovados na Igreja católica e na minha caminha de Fé e serviço ao próximo , Que Jesus todo poderoso abençoe o Papa e nossa famílias ............. Criticas de cunho religioso são dispensadas , sugestões de trabalho e ideias para servir nosso próximo , nossos jovens e nossos idosos são bem vinda
10 things you need to know today: July 29, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 29, 2013 - The Week: Middle East peace talks resume in Washington, the U.S. scores a big soccer win, and more...
Holy See, Italy sign "memorandum of understanding" to prevent money laundering
Vatican, Italy sign money laundering prevention agreement :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The Vatican and Italy have reached an agreement on sharing financial information that will help the two countries prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
“The Holy See and the Vatican City State take international responsibilities concerning Anti- Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism very seriously, and Italy is an especially important partner for us,” said René Brülhart, the director of the Vatican Financial Information Authority.
The memorandum of understanding between the Vatican and Italy is based on a model prepared by the Egmont Group, the global organization of national Financial Intelligence Units that the Holy See joined earlier this month.
“The Holy See and the Vatican City State take international responsibilities concerning Anti- Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism very seriously, and Italy is an especially important partner for us,” said René Brülhart, the director of the Vatican Financial Information Authority.
The memorandum of understanding between the Vatican and Italy is based on a model prepared by the Egmont Group, the global organization of national Financial Intelligence Units that the Holy See joined earlier this month.
Pope talks about security, Curia reform, gay lobby, VatiLeaks in 80-minute press conference aboard papal flight
CNS STORY: Pope answers questions about Curia reforms, gay lobbyWOODEN: Pope Francis said he was responding to the clear wishes of the College of Cardinals when he set up commissions to study the Vatican bank, Vatican financial and administrative procedures and the reform of the Roman Curia.
The pope also said he knows people have spoken about some kind of "gay lobby" at the Vatican protecting certain priests by threatening to blackmail others. The pope said the "lobbying" is what is worrisome.
Pope Francis held his first news conference July 28, shortly after the Alitalia flight taking him back to Rome departed from Rio de Janeiro. He answered questions from 21 journalists over a period of 80 minutes. The questions were not submitted in advance and no topics were ruled out of bounds.
The pope also said he knows people have spoken about some kind of "gay lobby" at the Vatican protecting certain priests by threatening to blackmail others. The pope said the "lobbying" is what is worrisome.
Pope Francis held his first news conference July 28, shortly after the Alitalia flight taking him back to Rome departed from Rio de Janeiro. He answered questions from 21 journalists over a period of 80 minutes. The questions were not submitted in advance and no topics were ruled out of bounds.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
This is a pope who likes to shake things up
John Thavis | A pope who likes to shake things upTHAVIS: What to make of a pope who tells young Catholics to go back to their dioceses and “make a mess!”
Or, allowing for ambiguity in translation, “stir up trouble!” or “shake things up!”
However the words were rendered into English, one thing was clear: Pope Francis believes that the old ways of the church are not enough in today’s world, that it needs new approaches, a shake-up – which of course is what the pope is trying to do at the Vatican, as well.
Or, allowing for ambiguity in translation, “stir up trouble!” or “shake things up!”
However the words were rendered into English, one thing was clear: Pope Francis believes that the old ways of the church are not enough in today’s world, that it needs new approaches, a shake-up – which of course is what the pope is trying to do at the Vatican, as well.
Pope Francis makes it official: "The next World Youth Day will be in 2016 in Kraków, Poland"
Krakow to host next World Youth Day :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): “The next World Youth Day in the year 2016 will be in Krakow, in Poland!” the Pope said at the close of Sunday Mass in Rio July 28.
The event is sure to attract millions.
Bl. Pope John Paul II was Archbishop of Krakow before his election to the papacy. The archdiocese has about 1.5 million Catholics and over 1,100 diocesan priests across 439 parishes, according to the website Catholic Hierarchy.
Cardnal Stanis?aw Dziwisz, the present Archbishop of Krakow, was personal secretary to John Paul II.
Poland has over 38 million people, about 90 percent of whom are Catholic, the CIA World Factbook says.
The event is sure to attract millions.
Bl. Pope John Paul II was Archbishop of Krakow before his election to the papacy. The archdiocese has about 1.5 million Catholics and over 1,100 diocesan priests across 439 parishes, according to the website Catholic Hierarchy.
Cardnal Stanis?aw Dziwisz, the present Archbishop of Krakow, was personal secretary to John Paul II.
Poland has over 38 million people, about 90 percent of whom are Catholic, the CIA World Factbook says.
Go, be fearless, and serve: Homily for closing Mass of World Youth Day
WYD 2013: Full text of Pope Francis’s homily for World Youth Day’s closing Mass | CatholicHerald.co.ukCOATOFARMS: “Go and make disciples of all nations”. With these words, Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: “It was wonderful to take part in World Youth Day, to live the faith together with young people from the four corners of the earth, but now you must go, now you must pass on this experience to others.” Jesus is calling you to be a disciple with a mission! Today, in the light of the word of God that we have heard, what is the Lord saying to us? Three simple ideas: Go, do not be afraid, and serve.
What we've learned about Pope Francis in Brazil
What we learned about Pope Francis in Brazil – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com BlogsALLEN: We didn’t need Pope Francis’ trip to Brazil this week to grasp that the new pontiff, who’s set a tone of simplicity and love for ordinary people, is a hit.
Polls around the world show approval ratings that would be the envy of any politician or celebrity, while vast crowds show up in Rome for even his most routine activities.
What Brazil confirmed, perhaps, is that his act plays as well on the road as at home.
During his week in Brazil for World Youth Day, an international Catholic event, mob scenes erupted everywhere Francis went, despite cold temperatures and driving rain for much of the week.
Polls around the world show approval ratings that would be the envy of any politician or celebrity, while vast crowds show up in Rome for even his most routine activities.
What Brazil confirmed, perhaps, is that his act plays as well on the road as at home.
During his week in Brazil for World Youth Day, an international Catholic event, mob scenes erupted everywhere Francis went, despite cold temperatures and driving rain for much of the week.
The New York times profiles YouVersion, the wildly successful Bible app for smartphones
In the Beginning Was the Word - Now the Word Is on an App - NYTimes.com: For millions of readers around the world, a wildly successful free Bible app, YouVersion, is changing how, where and when they read the Bible.
Built by LifeChurch.tv, one of the nation’s largest and most technologically advanced evangelical churches, YouVersion is part of what the church calls its “digital missions.” They include a platform for online church services and prepackaged worship videos that the church distributes free. A digital tithing system and an interactive children’s Bible are in the works.
Built by LifeChurch.tv, one of the nation’s largest and most technologically advanced evangelical churches, YouVersion is part of what the church calls its “digital missions.” They include a platform for online church services and prepackaged worship videos that the church distributes free. A digital tithing system and an interactive children’s Bible are in the works.
10 things you need to know today: July 28, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 28, 2013 - The Week: Thousands camp out on Brazil's Copacabana beach to see Pope Francis, Anthony Weiner's campaign manager steps down, and more...
Pope Francis makes it official: "The next World Youth Day will be in 2016 in Kraków, Poland"
The Pope at Rio - Mass and Angelus for the WYD - YouTube: Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Mass with the young people from all over the world taking part in the WYD at the Copacabana. The Angelus prayer follows and the place and date of the next WYD is announced. (9.45 am-12.30 pm local time)
A pilgrimage is never about our own plans. This has certainly been true in Rio...
A Pilgrimage to Simplicity, Joy and Courage |Blogs | NCRegister.comDEMELO: A few days ago WYD Witnesses blogger Justin Bell that WYD Rio is about going with the flow.� And that’s been totally true both on a personal level, but also event-wide during this week of World Youth Day.
Due to the rainy weather earlier in the week, the World Youth Day vigil is being held at Copacabana beach rather than Campus Fidei (Field of Faith), a large airfield outside of the city.� The people of the Guarabita area of Rio de Janeiro, where the event was to be held, were devastated so were the organizers who spent two years planning and creating a beautiful setting to host the Holy Father. Father John Paul Zeller met one of the main organizers of the Guarabita venue shortly after she found out the field was so wet that the event would need to be moved.� She was in tears and all he could do was pray with her. We should pray for those who spend time and money preparing for the event at the Campus Fidei (Field of Faith).�
Due to the rainy weather earlier in the week, the World Youth Day vigil is being held at Copacabana beach rather than Campus Fidei (Field of Faith), a large airfield outside of the city.� The people of the Guarabita area of Rio de Janeiro, where the event was to be held, were devastated so were the organizers who spent two years planning and creating a beautiful setting to host the Holy Father. Father John Paul Zeller met one of the main organizers of the Guarabita venue shortly after she found out the field was so wet that the event would need to be moved.� She was in tears and all he could do was pray with her. We should pray for those who spend time and money preparing for the event at the Campus Fidei (Field of Faith).�
"Silence! Let's listen to the Holy Spirit": Young man in wheelchair moves three million hearts in Copacabana
Wheelchair-bound man moves three million hearts in Copacabana :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The young Brazilian Felipe Passos moved the hearts of three million World Youth Day participants, including Pope Francis himself, when he told the story of how he became bound to a wheelchair and discovered “the Cross.”
Felipe, 23, spoke at the World Youth Day prayer vigil July 27 at Copacabana Beach.
He told how at the end of the past World Youth Day, held in Madrid in 2011, he made two spiritual promises. He promised to stay chaste until marriage and to work hard so his prayer group of Ponta Grossa, in Brazil’s southern state of Paraná, could participate in this year’s World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
With few resources, Felipe and his friends began saving money by working several hard jobs at the same time that they prepared themselves spiritually: praying, adoring the Blessed Sacrament, fasting and doing works of solidarity.
Felipe, 23, spoke at the World Youth Day prayer vigil July 27 at Copacabana Beach.
He told how at the end of the past World Youth Day, held in Madrid in 2011, he made two spiritual promises. He promised to stay chaste until marriage and to work hard so his prayer group of Ponta Grossa, in Brazil’s southern state of Paraná, could participate in this year’s World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
With few resources, Felipe and his friends began saving money by working several hard jobs at the same time that they prepared themselves spiritually: praying, adoring the Blessed Sacrament, fasting and doing works of solidarity.
Uncle Ralph, the Rosary and the Korean War
Uncle Ralph, the Rosary and the Korean War | The American CatholicMCCLAREY: I love praying the rosary. It always has given me peace whenever I have recited it, and my family prays the Sorrowful Mysteries together each Lent. However, the person who had the greatest devotion to the Rosary in my family was my Protestant Uncle Ralph.
When I was growing up my family lived next door to Uncle Ralph and his family. Uncle Ralph was my favorite uncle. He always had a sense of fun, loved to shoot the breeze with kids and did a hilarious Donald Duck imitation. My Dad’s family were all Protestant; my brother and I were Catholic because my Dad had married my Catholic Mom, so I was surprised one day during my teen years when Uncle Ralph pulled out his rosary and told me how he came to always carry it.
When I was growing up my family lived next door to Uncle Ralph and his family. Uncle Ralph was my favorite uncle. He always had a sense of fun, loved to shoot the breeze with kids and did a hilarious Donald Duck imitation. My Dad’s family were all Protestant; my brother and I were Catholic because my Dad had married my Catholic Mom, so I was surprised one day during my teen years when Uncle Ralph pulled out his rosary and told me how he came to always carry it.
Three basic teachings from Jesus on prayer
Three Teachings from the Lord on Prayer – A Homily on the Gospel of the 17th Sunday of the Year � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Our prayer life should feature much joyful praise. Take a psalm of praise and pray it joyfully. Take the Gloria of the Mass and pray it with gusto! Rejoice in God, praise his name. Give glory to him who rides above the clouds.
There may be times when, due to some sadness or difficulty, we do not feel emotionally like praising God. Praise the Lord anyhow! Scripture says, I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1). Praise is to be a regular discipline of prayer, rooted even more in the will, than just the feelings. God is worthy our praise.
Ultimately praise is a refreshing way to pray, since we were made to praise God, and when we do what we were made to do, we experience a kind of satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. The second element and discipline of the spiritual life is a life of vigorous praise: REJOICE!
There may be times when, due to some sadness or difficulty, we do not feel emotionally like praising God. Praise the Lord anyhow! Scripture says, I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1). Praise is to be a regular discipline of prayer, rooted even more in the will, than just the feelings. God is worthy our praise.
Ultimately praise is a refreshing way to pray, since we were made to praise God, and when we do what we were made to do, we experience a kind of satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. The second element and discipline of the spiritual life is a life of vigorous praise: REJOICE!
Watch live: Pope Francis joined by 3.2 million people for WYD closing Mass at Copacabana
The Pope at Rio - Mass and Angelus for the WYD - YouTube: Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Mass with the young people from all over the world taking part in the WYD at the Copacabana. The Angelus prayer follows and the place and date of the next WYD is announced. (9.45 am-12.30 pm local time)
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Full remarks at Copacabana's World Youth Day prayer vigil (July 27, 2013)
xCOATOFARMS: We have just recalled the story of Saint Francis of Assisi. In front of the crucifix he heard the voice of Jesus saying to him: “Francis, go, rebuild my house”. The young Francis responded readily and generously to the Lord’s call to rebuild his house. But which house? Slowly but surely, Francis came to realize that it was not a question of repairing a stone building, but about doing his part for the life of the Church. It was a matter of being at the service of the Church, loving her and working to make the countenance of Christ shine ever more brightly in her.
Today too, as always, the Lord needs you, young people, for his Church. Today too, he is calling each of you to follow him in his Church and to be missionaries. How? In what way? Well, I think we can learn something from what happened in these days: as we had to cancel due to bad weather, the realization of this vigil on the campus Fidei, in Guaratiba. Lord willing might we say that the real area of faith, the true campus fidei, is not a geographical place - but we, ourselves? Yes! Each of us, each one of you. And missionary discipleship means to recognize that we are God’s campus fidei, His “field of faith”! Therefore, from the image of the field of faith, starting with the name of the place, Campus Fidei, the field of faith, I have thought of three images that can help us understand better what it means to be a disciple and a missionary. First, a field is a place for sowing seeds; second, a field is a training ground; and third, a field is a construction site.
Today too, as always, the Lord needs you, young people, for his Church. Today too, he is calling each of you to follow him in his Church and to be missionaries. How? In what way? Well, I think we can learn something from what happened in these days: as we had to cancel due to bad weather, the realization of this vigil on the campus Fidei, in Guaratiba. Lord willing might we say that the real area of faith, the true campus fidei, is not a geographical place - but we, ourselves? Yes! Each of us, each one of you. And missionary discipleship means to recognize that we are God’s campus fidei, His “field of faith”! Therefore, from the image of the field of faith, starting with the name of the place, Campus Fidei, the field of faith, I have thought of three images that can help us understand better what it means to be a disciple and a missionary. First, a field is a place for sowing seeds; second, a field is a training ground; and third, a field is a construction site.
Come to Papa! On Copacabana, Francis draws 3 million...
Whispers in the Loggia: Come To Papa – On Copacabana, Francis Draws 3 MillionPALMO: Even if we've already seen more than our share of incredible moments lately, well, here goes another one.
All of five months ago, Jorge Bergoglio was unassumingly riding the buses and subways of his hometown and, at 76, preparing for his retirement as cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires. Tonight, as the first Latin American Pope, Francis drew the biggest crowd in the history of Rio de Janiero as city officials confirmed a turnout of over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach for the climactic Saturday vigil of this World Youth Day.
All of five months ago, Jorge Bergoglio was unassumingly riding the buses and subways of his hometown and, at 76, preparing for his retirement as cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires. Tonight, as the first Latin American Pope, Francis drew the biggest crowd in the history of Rio de Janiero as city officials confirmed a turnout of over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach for the climactic Saturday vigil of this World Youth Day.
14 things you need to know about the new book 'Zealot'
14 things you need to know about the new book Zealot |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: There’s a new best-seller out there which claims to give us “the real story” on Jesus.
It’s called Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, and it is one in a long line of books challenging the portrait of Jesus given in the gospels.
The author is giving interviews in the major media, promoting his book, and people are asking questions about it and how to respond.
Here are 14 things to know and share
It’s called Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, and it is one in a long line of books challenging the portrait of Jesus given in the gospels.
The author is giving interviews in the major media, promoting his book, and people are asking questions about it and how to respond.
Here are 14 things to know and share
Watch: "Seven Acts of Mercy", the video shown to millions of WYD participants Saturday night (autoplay video)...
Seven Acts of Mercy was our Mission at World Youth Day, Now We Go Home to Live | OneBillionStories.comDEMOOR: We came together from all corners of the world to love, serve, and film at World Youth Day 2013 in Brazil. Film what you ask? The suffering of the human race, and how Christ shows us the way to overcome that suffering through the Seven Acts of Mercy. In filming over the last 10 days in Brazil, the challenges were many, but the grace of God brought us through. Tonight, at the closing vigil with millions of young people, the video aired on 28 jumbo screens along the shores of the white sandy beaches at Copacabana.
"The field of faith is your own heart": 3 million pilgrims join Pope Francis for WYD prayer vigil at Copacabana
The field of faith is your own heart, Pope tells WYD pilgrims :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Pope Francis told the crowd of pilgrims at World Youth Day's Saturday night prayer vigil that the “field of faith” is found in their own hearts, which Christ wishes to till.
“This, dear young people, means that the real ‘Campus Fidei,’ the field of faith, is your own heart, it is your life,” the Pope told the pilgrims gathered in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of a vigil July 27. The prayer vigil was held on Copacabana beach rather than “Campus Fidei” in Guaratiba, which was rained out.
He stressed that the deepest meaning of “Campus Fidei” is not a geographical place, like the massive plain east of Rio that was closed to pilgrims after heavy rains. Rather, the field of faith is, most profoundly, the human heart.
“This, dear young people, means that the real ‘Campus Fidei,’ the field of faith, is your own heart, it is your life,” the Pope told the pilgrims gathered in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of a vigil July 27. The prayer vigil was held on Copacabana beach rather than “Campus Fidei” in Guaratiba, which was rained out.
He stressed that the deepest meaning of “Campus Fidei” is not a geographical place, like the massive plain east of Rio that was closed to pilgrims after heavy rains. Rather, the field of faith is, most profoundly, the human heart.
PGA tournament leader Hunter Mahan withdraws from Canadian Open after his wife goes into labor
Wife Goes Into Labor, Mahan Withdraws From Tourney - ABC News: Tournament leader Hunter Mahan withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday after his wife went into labor.
The 31-year-old American was at 13 under after 36 holes and had yet to tee off in the third round.
"I received exciting news a short time ago that my wife Kandi has gone into labor with our first child," Mahan said in a statement. "Kandi and I are thrilled about the addition to the Mahan family and we look forward to returning to the RBC Canadian Open in the coming years."
The sudden departure now puts the spotlight on John Merrick, who finished the second round two strokes back of Mahan after tying the course record with a 62 at the par-72, 7,253-yard Glen Abbey Golf Club.
The 31-year-old American was at 13 under after 36 holes and had yet to tee off in the third round.
"I received exciting news a short time ago that my wife Kandi has gone into labor with our first child," Mahan said in a statement. "Kandi and I are thrilled about the addition to the Mahan family and we look forward to returning to the RBC Canadian Open in the coming years."
The sudden departure now puts the spotlight on John Merrick, who finished the second round two strokes back of Mahan after tying the course record with a 62 at the par-72, 7,253-yard Glen Abbey Golf Club.
Watch live: Millions of pilgrims gather around Pope Francis for WYD prayer vigil
The Pope at Rio. Prayer Vigil with the young people - YouTube: Pope Francis attends the Prayer Vigil of the young people of the WYD and answers some questions at the Copacabana (7.15 pm - 9.00 pm local time)
About those "photo ops" in Brazil’s slums
Pod people: About those photo ops in Brazil’s slumsMATTINGLY: The question explored in this week’s “Crossroads” podcast is not whether all of those media-friendly events during World Youth Day are, in fact, “photo ops” — chances for Pope Francis to be photographed making the kinds of symbolic gestures for which he (and the soon to be John Paul the Great) is already famous.
Of course, these are photo ops. Michelle Obama visiting an inner-city vegetable garden is a photo op, too. This is a part of leadership in a visual, 24/7 cable age.
The question Todd Wilken and I explored this past week (click here to listen to that) is whether or not these events — which are almost always directly linked to formal or informal papal remarks/texts — are MERELY photo ops or events that often contain a doctrinal level of content that is linked to newsworthy subjects.
Of course, these are photo ops. Michelle Obama visiting an inner-city vegetable garden is a photo op, too. This is a part of leadership in a visual, 24/7 cable age.
The question Todd Wilken and I explored this past week (click here to listen to that) is whether or not these events — which are almost always directly linked to formal or informal papal remarks/texts — are MERELY photo ops or events that often contain a doctrinal level of content that is linked to newsworthy subjects.
Pope to bishops: "Many are like the two disciples of Emmaus. The Church must walk with them and warm their hearts"...
xPALMO: It's long been the case that papal remarks to bishops tend to find a Pope speaking in his strongest terms. Accordingly, the following doesn't merely do that – it's the most extensive word Francis has offered since his election... and is already being spoken of as one of, if not the, most important messages of his pontificate.
Pope Francis addresses Brazilian Catholics at lunch on Saturday: "We need a Church capable of warming hearts"...
“We need a Church capable of warming hearts” - Vatican InsiderTORNIELLI: Francis was addressing the Brazilian Church but today’s lunch with the region’s cardinals and bishops in Rio’s Archbishopric was much more than this. The Pope laid out a plan for his pontificate. He presented the image of a Church which walks beside its faithful in order to be truly missionary and “is able to make sense of the “night” contained in the flight of so many of our brothers and sisters from Jerusalem.” In order to do this, the Church must stop being “too cold, perhaps too caught up with itself, perhaps a prisoner of its own rigid formulas, perhaps the world seems to have made the Church a relic of the past, unfit for new questions.” It needs to learn to be simple again, warm people’s hearts and “rediscover the maternal womb of mercy.”
Do you suffer from FOMO ("fear of missing out")? Be careful. It can lead to something much worse...
Aggie Catholics: FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) & The Better OptionLEJEUNE: I believe the Devil is highly entertained by this culture of the better option. If we don't commit to something and stick to it, we don't commit to anything. If we don't commit to anything, we live our lives without meaning.
Too often today, we stand paralyzed in making a choice, because there are too many options. We leave our options open, waiting for the better one, but we end up not committing to anything and then the moment passes us by and we seem unsatisfied - afraid we "missed out" on something better.
What a sorry way to live!
Life is meant for us to make a choice, stick with it, and the result is living a better life because of it.
Too often today, we stand paralyzed in making a choice, because there are too many options. We leave our options open, waiting for the better one, but we end up not committing to anything and then the moment passes us by and we seem unsatisfied - afraid we "missed out" on something better.
What a sorry way to live!
Life is meant for us to make a choice, stick with it, and the result is living a better life because of it.
Pope Francis at WYD: "Those who are farthest away are the VIPs at the Lord's table"
Whispers in the Loggia: "Those Who Are Farthest Away... Are the VIPs at the Lord's Table"PALMO: Seeing this Cathedral full of Bishops, priests, seminarians, and men and women religious from the whole world, I think of the Psalmist’s words from today’s Mass: “Let the peoples praise you, O God” (Ps 66). We are indeed here to praise the Lord, and we do so reaffirming our desire to be his instruments so that not only some peoples may praise God, but all. With the same parrhesia of Paul and Barnabas, we proclaim the Gospel to our young people, so that they may encounter Christ, the light for our path, and build a more fraternal world. I wish to reflect with you on three aspects of our vocation: we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel, and called to promote the culture of encounter.
The first American pope makes a comeback
The First American Pope Makes a Comeback | National Review OnlineLOPEZ: Cardinal O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, is in Brazil for World Youth Day, a gathering of young Catholics from every continent. Planned by Pope Benedict XVI, it is the first international apostolic journey for Pope Francis. It is also his first return to the continent of his birth since he left Argentina to attend the conclave in Rome that elected him pope.
The non-Rio quotes above come from the foreword O’Malley wrote for Thomas J. Craughwell’s new book, Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth, which serves as an introduction to the former bishop of Buenos Aires and recaps the scene in Rome as the world watched him become pope. Craughwell, whose book Stealing Lincoln’s Body was adapted into a History Channel documentary, talks about Pope Francis, the future of the Catholic Church, and its relevance to our lives as Francis continues to pray with the millions gathered in Rio.
The non-Rio quotes above come from the foreword O’Malley wrote for Thomas J. Craughwell’s new book, Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth, which serves as an introduction to the former bishop of Buenos Aires and recaps the scene in Rome as the world watched him become pope. Craughwell, whose book Stealing Lincoln’s Body was adapted into a History Channel documentary, talks about Pope Francis, the future of the Catholic Church, and its relevance to our lives as Francis continues to pray with the millions gathered in Rio.
Pope Francis meets Brazilian leaders: "My advice is always 'dialogue, dialogue, dialogue'"
Pope Francis: My advice is always “dialogue, dialogue, dialogue: Pope Francis met with leading members of Brazilian society on Saturday and stressed the importance of constructive dialogue, saying this was essential at the present moment. “Between selfish indifference and violent protest," he said, "there is always another possible option, that of dialogue.” The Pope also called for more inclusive and humanistic economic and political process, eliminating “forms of elitism” and eradicating poverty.
1,000,000 line Rio's Atlantic Avenue for the Way of the Cross
Way of the Cross, A Most Intense Moment, says Pope. |Blogs | NCRegister.comDEMELO: Pope Francis celebrated the Way of the Cross last night at Copacobana beach with more than a million people.
During his address after the 14th station, the pope called the Way of the Cross “one of the most intense moments of World Youth Day” and he invited participants to “bring to Christ’s Cross our joys, our sufferings and our failures.”
During the dramatic re-enactment of the passion of Christ, the WYD Cross was carried by representatives from each of the five continents to 14 stations set up along a mile stretch of Rio’s Atlantic Avenue next to the beach.
During his address after the 14th station, the pope called the Way of the Cross “one of the most intense moments of World Youth Day” and he invited participants to “bring to Christ’s Cross our joys, our sufferings and our failures.”
During the dramatic re-enactment of the passion of Christ, the WYD Cross was carried by representatives from each of the five continents to 14 stations set up along a mile stretch of Rio’s Atlantic Avenue next to the beach.
Pope to clergy, religious, seminarians: respond to God’s call in three ways
Pope to clergy, religious, seminarians: respond to God’s call in 3 ways: Pope Francis today urged clergy, seminarians and religious to respond to the call of God, proclaim the Gospel and promote a culture of encounter in their lives and ministry. In his homily at mass Saturday at Rio de Janeiro’s Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, the Pope cited these three aspects of their vocation as essential to evangelization. The Holy Father is in Brazil for a week long visit to celebrate World Youth Day with young people from around the world.
Millions of Muslims, spurred on by Marian devotion, flock to Christian pilgrimage sites
ISLAM-CHRISTIANITY Millions of Muslims devoted to Our Lady and eager for exorcism - Asia News: Fatima, Harissa, Damascus, Samalut, Assiut, Zeitun and many other places where the Virgin appeared are the destination of incessant pilgrimages from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iran. Pilgrims in search of physical but also spiritual healing; spontaneous and mystical prayer and not the schematic and formal verses of official Islam. The iconoclast Salafists destroy places of pilgrimage every year. But the devotion to Mary is growing, also fueled by the stories of the Koran. The spiritual dialogue between Christians and Muslims is much more promising than cultural, theological or political dialogue.
Know the secret price codes at major retailers to save more money
Know the Secret Price Codes at Major Retailers to Save More Money: Several popular retailers use "secret" price codes that can clue you in on whether an item is the best deal at the store or not. Here's a handy chart you can use while shopping to decode those numbers.
Here are the pricing structures for Costco, Target, Sam's Club, BJ's, Home Depot, Gap/Old Navy, Sears, and Office Depot. Look for the price on the tag and if it ends in one of these numbers or letters/symbols, you'll know if you're getting a really good deal or just the regular price.
Here are the pricing structures for Costco, Target, Sam's Club, BJ's, Home Depot, Gap/Old Navy, Sears, and Office Depot. Look for the price on the tag and if it ends in one of these numbers or letters/symbols, you'll know if you're getting a really good deal or just the regular price.
A flawed friar and cowardly clergy
A Flawed Friar and Cowardly ClergyLONGENECKER: One of the most difficult minefields to tiptoe through as a priest is the need to fix things, be nice to everyone and make the world a better place. Joseph Pearce’s study of Romeo and Juliet has an extended discussion on the character Friar Lawrence.
You may remember from your high school reading of the play that Friar Lawrence warns Romeo not to be hasty in his pursuit of Juliet, but then agrees to marry them with the idea that the union might bring peace between the feuding families. Big mistake, and the same problem exists within our own every day choices. How often we depart from the objective morality that the church teaches for some seemingly good objective. How often we’re tempted to “be nice” to people who are in error or who are on the path of destruction because we don’t have the courage of our convictions. We don’t have the guts to stand up for what’s right.
You may remember from your high school reading of the play that Friar Lawrence warns Romeo not to be hasty in his pursuit of Juliet, but then agrees to marry them with the idea that the union might bring peace between the feuding families. Big mistake, and the same problem exists within our own every day choices. How often we depart from the objective morality that the church teaches for some seemingly good objective. How often we’re tempted to “be nice” to people who are in error or who are on the path of destruction because we don’t have the courage of our convictions. We don’t have the guts to stand up for what’s right.
Enjoying food for body and soul in Rio de Janeiro
Enjoying Food for Body and Soul in Rio |Blogs | NCRegister.comCONLEY: It has been a rainy few days since my last blog entry, but the sun has come out on Friday in Rio, and it looks like more sun is in the forecast for the weekend. Thank you for your prayers!
The drizzling rain on Thursday, however, didn’t put a damper on the welcoming celebration for Pope Francis. His arrival at Copacabana beach late Thursday afternoon was telecast on the jumbotrons as over 1 million young people gathered on the beach to welcome the Successor of St. Peter.
The drizzling rain on Thursday, however, didn’t put a damper on the welcoming celebration for Pope Francis. His arrival at Copacabana beach late Thursday afternoon was telecast on the jumbotrons as over 1 million young people gathered on the beach to welcome the Successor of St. Peter.
Watch live: Pope Francis meets Brazilian politicians, dignitaries at Rio's Municipal Theatre
The Pope at Rio - Meeting with the Brazilian leaders - YouTube: Pope Francis meets the politicians, diplomats, the representatives of the Brazilian society, of the economic and cultural world and the leaders of the main religious communities in Brazil, at the City Theatre (11.30 am-12.30 pm local time)
Pope to WYD pilgrims at the Via Crucis: "On the Cross, Jesus is united with every person who suffers"
BRAZIL - VATICAN WYD: follow the Cross, pope says, smitten by his love, stepping outside of "ourselves" to go towards those who suffer, those who need help - Asia News: With the Cross, Jesus "is united to families in trouble, those who mourn the loss of their children, or who suffer when they see them fall victim to false paradises, such as that offered by drugs. On the Cross, Jesus is united with every person who suffers from hunger in a world where tons of food are thrown out each day; on the Cross, Jesus is united with those who are persecuted for their religion, for their beliefs or simply for the colour of their skin; on the Cross, Jesus is united with so many young people who have lost faith in political institutions, because they see in them only selfishness and corruption; he unites himself with those young people who have lost faith in the Church, or even in God because of the counter-witness of Christians and ministers of the Gospel."
10 things you need to know today: July 27, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 27, 2013 - The Week: Violent protests rock Egypt, the U.S. government says it won't pursue the death penalty for NSA leaker Edward Snowden, and more...
Pro-abortion protesters storm Chilean cathedral during Mass, destroy confessionals, scrawl blasphemous graffiti on altars
Abortion rights activists vandalize cathedral in Chile :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Abortion activists interrupted Mass at the Cathedral of the Chilean capital Santiago the evening of July 25, destroying confessionals and defaming several side altars with blasphemous graffiti.
“We were celebrating the feast of St. James the Apostle, with the mayor in attendance, and offering thanks to so many Catholics who serve the public, in an atmosphere of peace and recollection when protestors suddenly came in,” said Bishop Pedro Ossandón Buljevic, an auxiliary bishop of the Santiago de Chile archdiocese.
“The truth is that we are always for dialogue, for civilized debate. We believe in the God-given gift of reason.”
“We were celebrating the feast of St. James the Apostle, with the mayor in attendance, and offering thanks to so many Catholics who serve the public, in an atmosphere of peace and recollection when protestors suddenly came in,” said Bishop Pedro Ossandón Buljevic, an auxiliary bishop of the Santiago de Chile archdiocese.
“The truth is that we are always for dialogue, for civilized debate. We believe in the God-given gift of reason.”
Friday, July 26, 2013
Too poor to afford transportation to WYD, teenager travels 1,829 miles on foot to see Pope Francis
Teenager crosses South America on foot to see Pope :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Unable to afford transportation, a teenage boy traveled 1,829 miles to Rio de Janeiro by foot in order to see Pope Francis during World Youth Day.
Young Facundo spent one month horizontally crossing almost the entire South American continent – from his hometown of Jujuy, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – to take part in the July 23 - 28 global youth event.
“I wanted to come with the people of Jujuy but I couldn’t because I would have had to pay 7,000 pesos ($1,280 U.S. dollars) and that’s a lot of money,” said Facundo.
“I kept asking them if I could come with them, but they wouldn't let me,” he told CNA July 26.
Young Facundo spent one month horizontally crossing almost the entire South American continent – from his hometown of Jujuy, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – to take part in the July 23 - 28 global youth event.
“I wanted to come with the people of Jujuy but I couldn’t because I would have had to pay 7,000 pesos ($1,280 U.S. dollars) and that’s a lot of money,” said Facundo.
“I kept asking them if I could come with them, but they wouldn't let me,” he told CNA July 26.
“Lest I be full and deny you”: A meditation on the secularizing influence of riches, as seen in a video...
“Lest I be full and deny you” A meditation on the secularizing influence of riches, as seen in a video. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: One of the great “evils” of our time is satiation. I put the word “evil” into quotes here to emphasize that no particular good thing that God has made is, in itself evil. But we, on account of our own inordinate drives, accumulate and indulge beyond reason. And in becoming satiated, that is filled, we leave little room for God or others for that matter.
The more affluent we become in material things, the more spiritually poor we seem to become. The higher our standard of living, the lower our overall morals. The more filled our coffers, the emptier our Churches. This is the evil of our times. And it is no theory. The numbers demonstrate well that, over the past 60 years that as our standard of living has risen, church attendance and other signs of belief and spirituality have plummeted. So has family time, and the developing of deeper human relationships. Marriage rates have plummeted, divorce has soared. Birthrates are down. Kids are a burden in a satiated world with a high standard of living.
The more affluent we become in material things, the more spiritually poor we seem to become. The higher our standard of living, the lower our overall morals. The more filled our coffers, the emptier our Churches. This is the evil of our times. And it is no theory. The numbers demonstrate well that, over the past 60 years that as our standard of living has risen, church attendance and other signs of belief and spirituality have plummeted. So has family time, and the developing of deeper human relationships. Marriage rates have plummeted, divorce has soared. Birthrates are down. Kids are a burden in a satiated world with a high standard of living.
On Saint Anne's Day, the Lord's grandmother and the Pope's...
Whispers in the Loggia: On St Ann's Day, The Lord's Grandmother... and The Pope'sPALMO: Whether for a Pope or a pauper, though, when this experience has marked and defined one's life, it remains everything forever – and, to be sure, not even the papacy has a shot of changing that. Accordingly, returning to a theme he's already emphasized repeatedly over this WYD week – the figure of Nonna Rosa again looming large in his mind – the pontiff led a noontime Angelus on the balcony of the Archbishop's Residence in Rio on this feast of the patrons of grandparents, Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, before yet another massive crowd...
Watch live: Pope Francis leads Way of the Cross at Copacabana in Rio
The Pope at Rio - Way of the Cross with the young people - YouTube: Pope Francis attends the Way of the Cross with the young people of the WYD on the Copacabana waterfront of Rio de Janeiro (5.45 pm - 7.20 pm local time)
Ana-Maria Cordoba, employee of Catholic Diocese of Arlington, among those killed in Spanish train crash
Local woman dies in train crash in Spain - The Washington Post: Ana-Maria Cordoba was traveling from Northern Virginia to Spain with her husband and daughter to meet up with her son Santiago, who had just completed a pilgrimage to a renowned holy site. The plan was for the family to celebrate the Feast of St. James.
The family’s journey ended tragically when Cordoba was killed in the crash of a train that derailed Wednesday in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain. According to the Associated Press, at least 80 people were killed and scores were injured in the accident near Santiago de Compostela, a site of Christian pilgrimage for hundreds of years.
The family’s journey ended tragically when Cordoba was killed in the crash of a train that derailed Wednesday in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain. According to the Associated Press, at least 80 people were killed and scores were injured in the accident near Santiago de Compostela, a site of Christian pilgrimage for hundreds of years.
The lost technologies of ancient Rome and Renaissance England
Lost Techs of Ancient Rome and Renaissance EnglandMCDONALD: One of the more persistent myths is the idea of continual progression: man advances, building on the great wisdom of those who came before. This notion of movement towards an achievable ideal is one of the more charming delusions of liberalism. I really do wish it were true, and that mankind was advancing towards a perfectible state. It’s just not.
This idea of progression has a particularly persistent hold in the realm of science and technology. Scientists may believe it to be so, but historians know the truth: societal disruption, political and economic forces, plague, war, and plain ole time can knock us back and strip knowledge from us. If we think we’re immune to this now, say hello to my little friend, the EMP weapon.
This idea of progression has a particularly persistent hold in the realm of science and technology. Scientists may believe it to be so, but historians know the truth: societal disruption, political and economic forces, plague, war, and plain ole time can knock us back and strip knowledge from us. If we think we’re immune to this now, say hello to my little friend, the EMP weapon.
Finding a good spiritual director is hard. Don't give up, don't stop praying, and don't settle for a confused sheep...
Finding a Spiritual Director : The Integrated Catholic LifeDANBURKE: Foundational to any sound spiritual direction is the idea that there actually is a tangible direction to discover. That objective reality – just as objective and real as a map of your own hometown. For instance, if you asked someone to give you directions to the Cathedral and you ended up at the town dump, you would clearly know that something was amiss. The Cathedral and the dump can’t be the same thing at the same time. Those of you who have a rational basis for your thinking are shaking your head right now saying, “Of course – who in their right mind would disagree with this?”
Cardinal Burke: Contrary to "Communist misconception", the liturgy is "the glorious Christ coming into our midst"...
Bringing the Liturgy Back to the Real Vatican II | ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome: First of all, the liturgy is about Christ. It’s Christ alive in his Church, the glorious Christ coming into our midst and acting on our behalf through sacramental signs to give us the gift of eternal life to save us. It is the source of any truly charitable works we do, any good works we do. So the person whose heart is filled with charity wants to do good works will, like Mother Teresa, give his first intention to the worship of God so that when he goes to offer charity to a poor person or someone in need, it would be at the level of God Himself, and not some human level.
Latin words and phrases every man should know
Latin Words and Phrases Every Man Should Know | The Art of Manliness: What do great men like Benjamin Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill have in common?
They all were proficient in Latin.
From the Middle Ages until about the middle of the 20th century, Latin was a central part of a man’s schooling in the West. Along with logic and rhetoric, grammar (as Latin was then known) was included as part of the Trivium – the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. From Latin, all scholarship flowed and it was truly the gateway to the life of the mind, as the bulk of scientific, religious, legal, and philosophical literature was written in the language until about the 16th century. To immerse oneself in classical and humanistic studies, Latin was a must.
They all were proficient in Latin.
From the Middle Ages until about the middle of the 20th century, Latin was a central part of a man’s schooling in the West. Along with logic and rhetoric, grammar (as Latin was then known) was included as part of the Trivium – the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. From Latin, all scholarship flowed and it was truly the gateway to the life of the mind, as the bulk of scientific, religious, legal, and philosophical literature was written in the language until about the 16th century. To immerse oneself in classical and humanistic studies, Latin was a must.
Slowly but surely: Five newly translated liturgical books are on the way...
PrayTell - Worship, Wit & Wisdom: Now that the new English translation of the Roman Missal is in place, five newly translated liturgical texts are moving through the process of revision and approval.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Martin Foster, Director of the Liturgy Office of England and Wales, to learn more about these documents and the process that will bring them into use in years to come. The Liturgy Office is small and Martin is a very hands-on director; he not only oversees the whole process of helping the Church in England and Wales follow the liturgical guidance of the bishops but also leads courses on liturgy and personally maintains the large website of the Liturgy Office (www.liturgyoffice.org.uk). The focus of the Liturgy Office is on implementation of texts that have been approved and promulgated.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Martin Foster, Director of the Liturgy Office of England and Wales, to learn more about these documents and the process that will bring them into use in years to come. The Liturgy Office is small and Martin is a very hands-on director; he not only oversees the whole process of helping the Church in England and Wales follow the liturgical guidance of the bishops but also leads courses on liturgy and personally maintains the large website of the Liturgy Office (www.liturgyoffice.org.uk). The focus of the Liturgy Office is on implementation of texts that have been approved and promulgated.
1968 was perhaps the worst year imaginable for the release of the prophetic Humanae Vitae
National Review Online | PrintWEIGEL: A few weeks ago, while pondering the upcoming sapphire anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) and the continuing controversy over the “birth control encyclical” throughout both Church and society, I came across the following, in an essay the Polish Nobel laureate Czesław Miłosz wrote shortly before his death in 2004: “Increasingly the institution of marriage is being replaced by simply living together, which has followed upon the sundering of the link between sex and fertility. This is not just a revolution in the area of moral norms; it reaches much deeper, into the very definition of man. If the drive which is innate in man as a physiological being conflicts with the optimum condition that we call a human way of life (sufficient food, good living conditions, women’s rights), and therefore has to be cheated with the help of science, then the rest of our firmly held convictions about what is natural behavior and what is unnatural fall by the wayside.”
Three new fires have erupted in Rome this week. The Pope will have his work cut out for him when he gets back...
Pot still boils in Rome while Francis is away | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: I wrote last week about the explosive piece published by veteran Italian journalist Sandro Magister concerning the pope's hand-picked choice to serve as his prelate, or papal delegate, for the Vatican bank, an Italian clergyman named Msgr. Battista Ricca.
Magister's story appeared July 19, three days before Francis left for Brazil.
In a nutshell, Magister charged that when Ricca was a Vatican diplomat in Uruguay from roughly 1999 to 2001, he had a live-in male lover; that he cruised gay bars, and once was beaten up; and that another time, he brought a young man back to the Vatican embassy in Montevideo and ended up trapped in an elevator with him overnight.
Magister's story appeared July 19, three days before Francis left for Brazil.
In a nutshell, Magister charged that when Ricca was a Vatican diplomat in Uruguay from roughly 1999 to 2001, he had a live-in male lover; that he cruised gay bars, and once was beaten up; and that another time, he brought a young man back to the Vatican embassy in Montevideo and ended up trapped in an elevator with him overnight.
The box that built the modern world and changed the way you live
The Box That Built the Modern World - Issue 3: In Transit - Nautilus: It was 11:30 am on a sunny Tuesday in mid-April, and the Hong Kong Express had been docked at Hamburg’s Container Terminal Altenwerder for exactly 33 hours. Already, the ship was half empty. Cargo from Asia was stacked in neat rows of shipping containers on the dock.
Standing in its shadow, it’s hard to appreciate just how big the Hong Kong Express is. From stem to stern, it’s 1,200 feet, nearly a quarter of a mile; from side to side it’s 157 feet, about as wide as some mega yachts are long. Fully loaded, it can carry 13,167 20-foot-long containers, the standard box used in commerce around the world. Laid end to end, that many boxes—each one containing anything from T-shirts to TVs to truck parts—would stretch for 50 miles.
Standing in its shadow, it’s hard to appreciate just how big the Hong Kong Express is. From stem to stern, it’s 1,200 feet, nearly a quarter of a mile; from side to side it’s 157 feet, about as wide as some mega yachts are long. Fully loaded, it can carry 13,167 20-foot-long containers, the standard box used in commerce around the world. Laid end to end, that many boxes—each one containing anything from T-shirts to TVs to truck parts—would stretch for 50 miles.
Thanks to Pope Benedict XVI, all "doctrinal obstacles" to Archbishop Romero's beatification have now been cleared...
Path for Romero’s beatification cleared now examination of doctrinal orthodoxy is complete - Vatican Insider: The Salvadorian archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero “was a great witness of the faith and of social justice” and the verification process for the doctrinal “nihil obstat”, or approval, of his cause for beatification was sped up under Benedict XVI’s pontificate. The news was revealed by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Gerhard Ludwig Müller. As Francis embraces Latin American Catholicism, in Rome, the German bishop and theologian confirms that no more doctrinal obstacles stand in the way of “San Romero de America’s” beatification. This is the name many faithful have given to him. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith gave the go-ahead for the beatification when Ratzinger was still Pope.
This evening, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith flies to Rio de Janeiro where he will be taking part in the World Youth Day closing ceremony. Archbishop Müller’s comments on Francis’ World Youth Day show how in tune he is with the “pastoral conversion” the Pope has been so keen to promote in the Church.
This evening, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith flies to Rio de Janeiro where he will be taking part in the World Youth Day closing ceremony. Archbishop Müller’s comments on Francis’ World Youth Day show how in tune he is with the “pastoral conversion” the Pope has been so keen to promote in the Church.
Obama administration forces school district to let teenage girl use boys' restroom, showers, sleeping quarters
Obama admin forces school district to let teenage girl use boys restroom, showers, sleeping quarters | LifeSiteNews.com: The Obama administration’s Justice Department has pressured a California school district into allowing an incoming high school freshman who is anatomically female but identifies as a boy to use the restroom and changing facilities assigned to her preferred sex, rather than her biological sex.
Her family filed a federal discrimination lawsuit after the school district twice refused to allow the girl to sleep in a room with boys without a chaperone.
Her family filed a federal discrimination lawsuit after the school district twice refused to allow the girl to sleep in a room with boys without a chaperone.
Candy Crush Saga is no longer my dirty little secret...
The Devout Life: Candy Crush Saga...for the win.GOORCHENKO: For the longest time I managed to steer clear from games, but eventually "Words With Friends" appeared as an innocent and stimulating opportunity to interact with friends and hone my vocabulary. Of course, anyone with a halfway decent vocabulary and ability to spell learns early on that "Words With Friends" is NOT that. So many weird, made-up words running rampant all over the screen, along with some questionable spellings—still, we scroll on, filing away those misspellings in case they come in handy for one of our own turns someday.
Lent would come and go, the internet and related pastimes always included in possible fasts. This past year, with Lent particularly long, I honestly relished my minimal time on Facebook. I occasionally logged in to publicize blog posts, but otherwise, my mind had the chance to become disengaged from its state of being electronically observed. I had quietude interiorly. I prayed more.
Lent would come and go, the internet and related pastimes always included in possible fasts. This past year, with Lent particularly long, I honestly relished my minimal time on Facebook. I occasionally logged in to publicize blog posts, but otherwise, my mind had the chance to become disengaged from its state of being electronically observed. I had quietude interiorly. I prayed more.
Pope marks the feast of "God's grandparents" at Friday Angelus: "How precious is the family for transmitting the faith!"
Family life the 'privileged' place to receive faith, Pope says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Marking the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, during his Angelus address today Pope Francis said the transmission of faith takes places first and foremost in the home and among families.
“Saints Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us,” Pope Francis told World Youth Day pilgrims on July 26.
“Saints Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us,” Pope Francis told World Youth Day pilgrims on July 26.
For Pope Francis, hearing confessions is the most important thing he'll do all week
For Francis, confessions the most important thing he'll do all week | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: From a news point of view, Francis' visit to a Rio slum Thursday, telling the poorest of the poor that "the church is with you," may be the highlight of his July 22-28 Brazil trip.
In terms of visuals, the vast crowds sure to gather for the youth vigil Saturday night and the final Mass Sunday morning, both now set against the picturesque backdrop of Rio's Copacabana beach, will certainly be stunning.
It's quite possible, however, that for Francis himself, the most important thing he'll do all week comes Friday morning, when he moves across town to Rio's Boa Vista Park to hear five confessions.
Every pope seems to have a signature spiritual idea. For John Paul II, it was courage: "Be not afraid!" was his catchphrase to invite the church to recapture its missionary swagger after years of introspection and self-doubt. For Benedict XVI, it was "faith and reason," the idea that religious belief and intellectual reflection need one another to remain healthy.
In terms of visuals, the vast crowds sure to gather for the youth vigil Saturday night and the final Mass Sunday morning, both now set against the picturesque backdrop of Rio's Copacabana beach, will certainly be stunning.
It's quite possible, however, that for Francis himself, the most important thing he'll do all week comes Friday morning, when he moves across town to Rio's Boa Vista Park to hear five confessions.
Every pope seems to have a signature spiritual idea. For John Paul II, it was courage: "Be not afraid!" was his catchphrase to invite the church to recapture its missionary swagger after years of introspection and self-doubt. For Benedict XVI, it was "faith and reason," the idea that religious belief and intellectual reflection need one another to remain healthy.
Pope Francis leads midday Angelus prayer, greets crowd from balcony
The Pope at Rio - Angelus and greetings of the Pope - YouTube: Pope Francis appears from the balcony of the archbishopric of Rio de Janeiro for the Angelus prayer and greets the people present. (11.45 am-12.15 pm local time)
Friday is the feast day of Jesus' grandparents, Sts. Joachim and Anne...
Joachim and Anna – Redemption’s Turning PointLONGENECKER: In my own journey from Protestant fundamentalism to the Catholic Church the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was a stumbling block. I understood the doctrine–that the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived in the natural way, but by direct action of God was preserved from the stain of original sin. I also understood the reasoning for it and the dogma’s fittingness, but I didn’t see the necessity and didn’t much like the seemingly arbitrary nature of God’s intervention in the world.
Is hell just spiritual suffering, or will it be physically painful as well?
Will There Be Pains of Sense in Hell? |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: One of the points of Catholic teaching that goes with the fact that the Church teaches the resurrection of the dead is that the pains of hell will include bodily pain (since it is the whole person that suffers hell just as it is the whole person that enjoys heaven).� Jesus, after all, says, “the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29).� The Church’s teaching is not that the pain of sense is an extra bit of vindictiveness tacked on by God just to make hell extra-horrible, but simply a corollary of what those who have chosen hell will experience as a result of their choice.� Humans are intended for bodily existence and so the Resurrection will therefore encompass all humans, good and bad.� Those who have chosen evil will experience the consequence of that in their risen bodies just as those who have chosen salvation will experience the consquences of that choice.
Hair of the heir: Thoughts inspired by the birth of Prince George
Hair of the Heir: Thoughts Inspired by the Birth of Prince George | Crisis MagazineRUTLER: The birth of Prince George Alexander Louis stirred up much celebrating, save for a few curmudgeons like Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party, who rather excessively predicted that the little prince would� “suck the blood” of the Russian people by the middle of this century. Choice of the name George was particularly gratifying to those under the patronage of that saint.� He may well be the patron of more nations, provinces and institutions than any saint save Our Lady. The removal of Saint George to a third class minor saint by Pope Paul VI in 1963 was undone by Pope John Paul II when he restored him to the universal calendar and gave him special first class rank in England and India. George is the baptismal name of Pope Francis, and so April 23 will have special resonance during his reign.
10 things you need to know today: July 26, 2013
10 things you need to know today: July 26, 2013 - The Week: Spain mourns train crash victims, Weiner loses his lead in New York's mayoral race, and more
Thursday, July 25, 2013
This ESPN segment is worth the seven minutes of your time to see Richie Parker in action...
The Disability That’s Not So Much of a Disability, After AllROSSI: Sometimes when parents receive a diagnosis that their unborn child will suffer from a disability, they might believe the quality of that child’s life will be so negative or troubled that it would be in his or her best interest not to be born at all.
Yet, there are plenty of examples that prove the opposite is true.
For instance, take Richie Parker. Richie rides a bike, drives a car and engineers chassis and body components for NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports, which boasts legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson as clients. None of that may sound like a big deal until you realize that Richie Parker has no arms.
Yet, there are plenty of examples that prove the opposite is true.
For instance, take Richie Parker. Richie rides a bike, drives a car and engineers chassis and body components for NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports, which boasts legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson as clients. None of that may sound like a big deal until you realize that Richie Parker has no arms.
Thursday's words of greeting to World Youth Day pilgrims
Pope Francis: Prayer service at Copacabana with WYD pilgrims (full texts)COATOFARMS: The train of this World Youth Day has come from afar and has travelled across all of Brazil following the stages of the project entitled “Bota fé – put on faith!” Today the train has arrived at Rio de Janeiro. From Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer embraces us and blesses us. Looking out to this sea, the beach and all of you gathered here, I am reminded of the moment when Jesus called the first disciples to follow him by the shores of Lake Tiberias. Today Christ asks each of us again: Do you want to be my disciple? Do you want to be my friend? Do you want to be a witness to my Gospel? In the spirit of The Year of Faith, these questions invite us to renew our commitment as Christians. Your families and local communities have passed on to you the great gift of faith, Christ has grown in you. I have come today to confirm you in this faith, faith in the living Christ who dwells within you, but I have also come to be confirmed by the enthusiasm of your faith!
WYD kicks off with rain-soaked "Popeacabana"; mud forces change of venue for final Mass; Krakow rumored as site of next WYD
Whispers in the Loggia: Amid the Rain, "Put On Faith" – On "Popeacabana," The Day BeginsPALMO: For the second World Youth Day running, difficult weather has become a key element of the storyline. Even the ongoing rain, however, couldn't wash out the electricity on Copacabana Beach as a crowd estimated at a million welcomed Pope Francis not only to his first encounter with the pilgrims at the church's "Olympic event," but the first WYD he's ever attended.
That said, the unusual deluge over Rio has spurred a major change to the agenda – earlier today, organizers announced that "Campus Fidei," as the planned site for Saturday's vigil and Sunday's closing Mass on the city's outskirts had been dubbed, was rendered unusable by the rain, requiring the events' transfer to what some have taken to calling "Popeacabana." In the same vein, the WYD tradition of pilgrims spending the night at the vigil/Mass venue has been scrapped.
That said, the unusual deluge over Rio has spurred a major change to the agenda – earlier today, organizers announced that "Campus Fidei," as the planned site for Saturday's vigil and Sunday's closing Mass on the city's outskirts had been dubbed, was rendered unusable by the rain, requiring the events' transfer to what some have taken to calling "Popeacabana." In the same vein, the WYD tradition of pilgrims spending the night at the vigil/Mass venue has been scrapped.
Why would God sow seeds He knows will bear no fruit?
Why Would God Sow Seeds He Knows Will Bear No Fruit? – Pondering the Parable of the Sower � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: There are hundreds of billions of stars in over 100 billion galaxies, most of these seemingly devoid of life as we understand it. Between these 100 billion galaxies are huge amounts of, what seems to be, empty space. On this planet where one species of bird would do, there are thousands of species, tens of thousands of different sorts of insects, a vast array of different sorts of trees, mammals, fish etc. “Extravagant” barely covers it. The word “extravagant” means “to go, or wander beyond.” And God has gone vastly beyond anything we can imagine. But God is love, and love is extravagant. The image of him sowing seeds, almost in a careless way is thus consistent with the usual way of God.
Pope Francis greeted by massive WYD crowd at Copacabana waterfront
The Pope at Rio - Welcoming celebration by the young people - YouTube: The young people taking part in the World Youth Day welcome Pope Francis on the occasion of his first meeting with them on the Copacabana waterfront, the most famous site of Rio de Janeiro. (5.45pm-7.20pm local time)
Pope to youth: "Please, do not water down the faith. Stir things up, make a mess, profess Jesus Christ"...
Pope to youth: shake things up, bring Church to the streets :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Pope Francis told a gathering of some 30,000 youth from his homeland that they are to “make a mess,” shaking up the comfort, self-satisfaction and clericalism of a Church closed in on itself.
“What do I hope for from World Youth Day? I hope for a mess, such a mess: that the Church takes to the streets. That we defend ourselves from comfort, that we defend ourselves from clericalism,” the Pope told a group of pilgrims from Argentina during this week's World Youth Day.
“The Church must be taken into the streets,” he said in the cathedral of Rio de Janeiro July 25.
Pope Francis' meeting with the youth of Argentina was not originally planned, and forced a rearrangement of his schedule. The encounter was not announced until Tuesday, when the Pope was already in Brazil. At least 35,000 Argentines flocked to the cathedral to see their Pope.
“What do I hope for from World Youth Day? I hope for a mess, such a mess: that the Church takes to the streets. That we defend ourselves from comfort, that we defend ourselves from clericalism,” the Pope told a group of pilgrims from Argentina during this week's World Youth Day.
“The Church must be taken into the streets,” he said in the cathedral of Rio de Janeiro July 25.
Pope Francis' meeting with the youth of Argentina was not originally planned, and forced a rearrangement of his schedule. The encounter was not announced until Tuesday, when the Pope was already in Brazil. At least 35,000 Argentines flocked to the cathedral to see their Pope.
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