Monday, October 31, 2016
Agnostic director of ‘The Exorcist’ describes his encounter with a real-life case of possession...
The Devil and Father Amorth: Witnessing “the Vatican Exorcist” at Work | Vanity Fair: Sunday morning, May 1 of this year, was Father Amorth’s 91st birthday, but he had no plans to celebrate. He awoke just after dawn, said his usual morning prayers and one to Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th-century saint, and another to the late Father Candido Amantini, his mentor. Clutching a walking aid, he shuffled from his cell-like room to the dining room on the third floor of the Paulist Fathers residence, south of Rome’s historic center.
Set your Catholic mind at ease about Halloween
Set your Catholic mind at ease about Halloween – Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgFISHER: Are scary Halloween costumes okay for Catholics? Jimmy Akin has answered this common question in a typically thorough and reassuring way. Sexy, offensively disgusting, or occultish stuff is out (gee, what a loss). But everything else, including spooky stuff, is in.
He makes the sensible point that people are attracted to spooky stuff for a reason — that God made us so that we enjoy small doses of peril and tension, because it prepares us to deal with the real thing, which will surely come along sooner or later. So as long as we don’t spend our lives wallowing in gore and ghoulishness, it’s healthy and normal and perfectly fine to indulge in a little dramatic scaring and screaming from time to time. Therefore, spooky Halloween stuff? A-OK.
He makes the sensible point that people are attracted to spooky stuff for a reason — that God made us so that we enjoy small doses of peril and tension, because it prepares us to deal with the real thing, which will surely come along sooner or later. So as long as we don’t spend our lives wallowing in gore and ghoulishness, it’s healthy and normal and perfectly fine to indulge in a little dramatic scaring and screaming from time to time. Therefore, spooky Halloween stuff? A-OK.
A glimpse inside the ‘bone churches’ of Europe
Yikes! Inside Europe's Super Creepy "Bone Churches" | ChurchPOP: The Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic looks very normal on the outside...
‘A Man for All Seasons’ is a movie for our time
'A Man for All Seasons' is a Movie for Our Time | Christianity TodayOVERSTREET: Don’t worry. I won’t spoil the ending. But you need to know (if you don’t already) that something extraordinary is coming soon to a theater near you.
Before the clock strikes 2017, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese will deliver his passion project, a movie he’s been planning for decades. It’s based on a beloved novel by Shusaku Endo about a Portuguese missionary striving to serve persecuted Christians in Japan. And if Scorsese is true to his literary source, and brings his formidable powers to the occasion, he may well deliver one of cinema’s most excruciatingly intense films about faith.
Before the clock strikes 2017, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese will deliver his passion project, a movie he’s been planning for decades. It’s based on a beloved novel by Shusaku Endo about a Portuguese missionary striving to serve persecuted Christians in Japan. And if Scorsese is true to his literary source, and brings his formidable powers to the occasion, he may well deliver one of cinema’s most excruciatingly intense films about faith.
Become a saint, and start making disciples of this nation...
Make Disciples of This NationCONLEY: I have said before that today’s America is becoming defined by a kind of utilitarian, technocratic gnosticism.
That sounds complicated, but the idea is simple, and I'll explain it:
The moral compass of our political and cultural leaders seems mostly governed by a set of false ideas: That we can define reality according to our preferences. That we can remake every human relationship according to the power of our wills. That we have the unconditional right to use technology or wealth to overcome the limitations of our humanity, or achieve whatever we think will make us happy.
That sounds complicated, but the idea is simple, and I'll explain it:
The moral compass of our political and cultural leaders seems mostly governed by a set of false ideas: That we can define reality according to our preferences. That we can remake every human relationship according to the power of our wills. That we have the unconditional right to use technology or wealth to overcome the limitations of our humanity, or achieve whatever we think will make us happy.
Pope Francis arrives in Sweden
Pope Francis Arrives in Sweden |Blogs | NCRegister.comPENTIN: Pope Francis arrived in Malmö, Sweden, this morning to participate in a commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and celebrate Mass with Swedish Catholics on All Saints Day tomorrow.
Under gray, autumnal skies, the papal plane landed at Malmö’s international airport ten minutes ahead of schedule, at 10.50am local time. The Pope was welcomed by among others Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Bishop Anders Arborelius, head of the Swedish Catholic Church, and the head of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, Archbishop Antje Jackelén.
The Holy Father, in good humor and looking well and rested, briefly greeted journalists on the plane on the way over, saying “this is an important trip, very special because it is an ecclesial journey, very ecclesial in the field of ecumenism.”
Under gray, autumnal skies, the papal plane landed at Malmö’s international airport ten minutes ahead of schedule, at 10.50am local time. The Pope was welcomed by among others Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Bishop Anders Arborelius, head of the Swedish Catholic Church, and the head of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, Archbishop Antje Jackelén.
The Holy Father, in good humor and looking well and rested, briefly greeted journalists on the plane on the way over, saying “this is an important trip, very special because it is an ecclesial journey, very ecclesial in the field of ecumenism.”
Pope in Sweden: Catholics and Lutherans should recognize past ‘errors’
Pope urges Catholics and Lutherans to recognize past errors - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis on Monday urged Catholics and Lutherans to recognize past “errors” and seize "the opportunity to mend a critical moment of our history by moving beyond the controversies and disagreement that have often prevented us from understanding one another." He said the division between Catholics and Lutherans was “perpetuated historically by the powerful of this world” rather than by the faithful people of God. The Pope was speaking during his homily at an ecumenical prayer service in the Lutheran Cathedral of Lund shortly after his arrival in Sweden for a 26-hour pastoral visit.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Amazing video of Christian soldiers erecting a cross in a town once held by ISIS
Amazing Video of Christians Erecting a Cross in Town Once Held by ISIS |Blogs | NCRegister.comARCHBOLD: To me, this is like a Christian version of that famous Iwo Jima photograph. It is moving and beautiful.
The video originally aired on France 24 and re-shown on Catholic World Report shows a group of Christian fighters in a town just outside Mosul returning home after having been violently driven from the town two years before.
The first thing these Christians do is erect a cross to put atop the Church and ring the bells. It's truly amazing.
The video originally aired on France 24 and re-shown on Catholic World Report shows a group of Christian fighters in a town just outside Mosul returning home after having been violently driven from the town two years before.
The first thing these Christians do is erect a cross to put atop the Church and ring the bells. It's truly amazing.
The Benedictine basilica at Norcia has toppled. Here’s how to help...
TRAGEDY UNFOLDING: Benedictine Cathedral at Norcia Has Toppled. Here’s How to Help! – Seasons of GraceSCHIFFER: The Monks of Norcia, the group whose chant CDs have gained popularity in the United States, have lost everything in yesterday’s 6.6 magnitude earthquake in central Italy. Their 14th century St. Benedict Cathedral, which was constructed over the fifth century ruins of the home of St. Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica, has crumbled–leaving only the facade standing.
Calling Catholicism a 'Middle Ages dictatorship' is laughably ignorant
Calling Catholicism A 'Middle Ages Dictatorship' Is Laughably IgnorantZMIRAK: It is clear that prominent left-wingers and Democratic operatives think about the Catholic Church quite a lot—and they have some potent opinions on the subject. Last year we learned that George Soros dropped $600,000 on leftist Catholic front groups, trying to spin Pope Francis’ visit as a campaign tour for Hillary.
Last week it emerged that Clinton’s communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, agrees that Catholic terms of art such as “Thomistic thought” and “subsidiarity” are merely sophistical smoke screens for rich conservatives such as Rupert Murdoch, who are in search of a faith with “severely backward gender relations,” but too snobbish to join an evangelical church.
Last week it emerged that Clinton’s communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, agrees that Catholic terms of art such as “Thomistic thought” and “subsidiarity” are merely sophistical smoke screens for rich conservatives such as Rupert Murdoch, who are in search of a faith with “severely backward gender relations,” but too snobbish to join an evangelical church.
To make a long story short: A homily for the 31st Sunday of the Year
To Make a Long Story Short – A Homily for the 31st Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel today features the familiar and endearing story of Zacchaeus, a man too short to see Jesus, but who climbs a tree (of the cross), encounters Him, and is changed.
The danger with familiar stories is that because they are familiar and we can easily miss their remarkable qualities. Perhaps it is well that we look at today’s Gospel anew, searching for the symbolic in the ordinary details.
The danger with familiar stories is that because they are familiar and we can easily miss their remarkable qualities. Perhaps it is well that we look at today’s Gospel anew, searching for the symbolic in the ordinary details.
Jesuit media influence is fading at the Vatican
Goodbye, Jesuits. Vatican Media Get a New Face and New BossMAGISTER: Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first Jesuit in history to sit on the throne of Peter. And yet precisely during his reign the Society of Jesus is at risk of disappearing from the Vatican.
It still has charge of the astronomical observatory. But it has lost command of the press office, the radio network, the television station, the heart of the communication system of the Holy See.
For a few years Fr. Federico Lombardi was at the head of all three of these installations. But one after another they have been taken from him, and no other Jesuit has replaced him.
The new boss of the Vatican media, placed by Pope Francis at the helm of the newly created secretariat for communication, is the Lombard monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, an expert on cinema, as far as can be imagined from the vision of his predecessor.
It still has charge of the astronomical observatory. But it has lost command of the press office, the radio network, the television station, the heart of the communication system of the Holy See.
For a few years Fr. Federico Lombardi was at the head of all three of these installations. But one after another they have been taken from him, and no other Jesuit has replaced him.
The new boss of the Vatican media, placed by Pope Francis at the helm of the newly created secretariat for communication, is the Lombard monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, an expert on cinema, as far as can be imagined from the vision of his predecessor.
That forgotten Person, the Holy Spirit
The Catholic ThingMCCLOSKEY: We are now on the verge of completing (November 20) the Year of Mercy. We don’t know what particular person or theme the Holy Father will pick for Catholics to focus on for next year. But it would not surprise me if he dedicated a year to the mission of the Holy Spirit, taking a leaf from his predecessor, St. John Paul II, who led up to the new millennium with years devoted to each of the three Persons of the Trinity and also wrote an encyclical on the action of the Holy Spirit.
In my view, focus on the Holy Spirit’s action in the world, the Church, and individual Catholics is very much needed, given the great difficulties humanity faces globally. The third person of the Blessed Trinity is the personification of the love and self-giving of the Father to the Son of God. Hinted at throughout the Old Testament (beginning with the opening of Genesis), in the New Testament, the Spirit gets increasing focus from Jesus, culminating in his Last Supper discourse in the Gospel of John. At the brink of his salvific death, Jesus promised to send the Spirit, identifying him as consoler and advocate, the one who will convict them of sin but also lead them into all truth.
In my view, focus on the Holy Spirit’s action in the world, the Church, and individual Catholics is very much needed, given the great difficulties humanity faces globally. The third person of the Blessed Trinity is the personification of the love and self-giving of the Father to the Son of God. Hinted at throughout the Old Testament (beginning with the opening of Genesis), in the New Testament, the Spirit gets increasing focus from Jesus, culminating in his Last Supper discourse in the Gospel of John. At the brink of his salvific death, Jesus promised to send the Spirit, identifying him as consoler and advocate, the one who will convict them of sin but also lead them into all truth.
3 lessons from Sunday's Gospel about Zacchaeus
This Sunday: Pay, Repay and Pray | Daily News | NCRegister.comHOOPES: The first way to understand any Gospel passage is to simply take it at face value.
When Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree, he says, “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” This immediately got the grumblers started, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus quieted the grumblers by promising, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”
Says the Catechism, “Jesus blesses Zacchaeus for his pledge. … Those who, directly or indirectly, have taken possession of the goods of another are obliged to make restitution of them”
When Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree, he says, “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” This immediately got the grumblers started, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus quieted the grumblers by promising, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”
Says the Catechism, “Jesus blesses Zacchaeus for his pledge. … Those who, directly or indirectly, have taken possession of the goods of another are obliged to make restitution of them”
Strong earthquake hits Norcia, destroys historic Basilica of St. Benedict
Strong Earthquake Hits Norcia Destroying Basilica of St. Benedict |Blogs | NCRegister.comPENTIN: A powerful 6.6 earthquake has struck close to Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, destroying both the basilica of St. Benedict and the co-cathedral in the town.
The quake was so strong it also caused cracks and other minor damage to the basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome, about 120 miles away. The basilica, which is also run by Benedictine monks, is often used to promote major ecumenical events. All the monks of Norcia are reported to be safe and so far there are no reports of casualties, although there are injuries.
The quake was so strong it also caused cracks and other minor damage to the basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome, about 120 miles away. The basilica, which is also run by Benedictine monks, is often used to promote major ecumenical events. All the monks of Norcia are reported to be safe and so far there are no reports of casualties, although there are injuries.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Pope makes complete overhaul of Vatican liturgical congregation
Pope makes complete overhaul of Vatican liturgical congregation : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: In a stunning move, Pope Francis has replaced all of the members of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship, the body in charge of liturgical questions.
It is routine for the Roman Pontiff to appoint a few new members to each Vatican congregation, rotating out members who have served for several years. But on October 28 the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has appointed 27 new members to the Congregation for Divine Worship, completely transforming the membership of that body.
It is routine for the Roman Pontiff to appoint a few new members to each Vatican congregation, rotating out members who have served for several years. But on October 28 the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has appointed 27 new members to the Congregation for Divine Worship, completely transforming the membership of that body.
Friday, October 28, 2016
If you haven’t prayed yet for the U.S. election, it’s never too late to start...
If we haven’t prayed yet for the US Election...it’s time to start praying! | TOM PERNAPERNA: In all my years, I can’t remember an election cycle that has had more contention and open hostility than the election cycle we are currently in. Not to be overly dramatic, but this election could potentially have effects on many of us for years to come. And with such ill content for the Catholic Church, at least the Catholic Church that is faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Magisterium, I think we need to be aware of the threats to religious freedom, which includes, openly professing our faith in the public square.
The Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude
St Simon and St JudeLONGENECKER: What is interesting about St Simon is that he was a Zealot. The Zealots were a Jewish religious party that believed in changing the world through political activism even to the point of revolution. They were the liberation theologians of their day. The peace and justice crowd who reduce religion to some ideological agenda to change the world.
The delicious irony is that he comes at the end of the list of apostles and is remembered along with St Jude–errr–the patron saint of lost causes. Every movement that reduces religion to political activism is doomed for the poor you shall have with you always, and the tyrants you will have with you always. Furthermore, all political causes are bound to be lost in the long run because they are all founded on some temporary political or cultural phenomenon. Once that phenomenon fades their reason to be is taken away.
The delicious irony is that he comes at the end of the list of apostles and is remembered along with St Jude–errr–the patron saint of lost causes. Every movement that reduces religion to political activism is doomed for the poor you shall have with you always, and the tyrants you will have with you always. Furthermore, all political causes are bound to be lost in the long run because they are all founded on some temporary political or cultural phenomenon. Once that phenomenon fades their reason to be is taken away.
God wants you to aim for Heaven, not Purgatory
Straight to Heaven or - Is Purgatory Our Destiny?CLARK: In the coming days, we members of the Church Militant will turn our thoughts to the members of the Church Suffering in Purgatory; rightfully so, because we have a duty to pray for these poor souls.
But in thinking about these souls, many of us are convinced—many of us even desperately hope—that Purgatory is our penultimate destiny on the way to Heaven.
We often see Purgatory as an inevitable and, frankly, welcome pit stop on the road to salvation; as a place for those who, though they lived pretty good lives and died in the state of grace, nevertheless failed to stick the spiritual landing. With Heaven in our certain grasp, even a prolonged stint in Purgatory seems to be almost too much to hope for.
But in thinking about these souls, many of us are convinced—many of us even desperately hope—that Purgatory is our penultimate destiny on the way to Heaven.
We often see Purgatory as an inevitable and, frankly, welcome pit stop on the road to salvation; as a place for those who, though they lived pretty good lives and died in the state of grace, nevertheless failed to stick the spiritual landing. With Heaven in our certain grasp, even a prolonged stint in Purgatory seems to be almost too much to hope for.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Video: The sublime fall leaves of Colorado
New Advent: Video: The sublime fall leaves of Colorado: This looks like it was shot a little late in the season, as many of the trees have dropped their leaves, but it's gorgeous nonetheless.
Whatever happened to the dignity of the human person?
Whatever Happened to the Dignity of the Human Person? - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: So much has been said and written about the present Presidential election campaign that many of us are no doubt feeling overloaded with unwanted and ill-tempered debate and are suffering from political-spin-fatigue. This being so, I have no desire to add to the political overload nor do I intend to descend to the sewers and gutters in which much of the so-called debate has been taking place. Instead, I’d like to draw attention to something that has been singularly lacking in the whole campaign, namely the respect and dare one say reverence that is due to the dignity of the human person.
Why is a psalm of creation proclaimed on the feasts of the Apostles?
Why Is a Psalm of Creation Proclaimed on the Feasts of the Apostles? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Mass for today’s feast of Saints Simon and Jude, like that for almost all of the Apostles, contains passages from Psalm 19. This has always intrigued me because this psalm is not a reference to human preaching or witness at all, but rather a reference to the wordless witness of creation.
Must-see: Pentecostal Benny Hinn says Catholics have more miracles ‘because they revere the Eucharist’
Pentecostal Benny Hinn Says Catholics Have More Miracles, Credits Eucharist | ChurchPOP: This is a bit unexpected.
A video is being shared around on social media (watch it at the bottom of this article) of Pentecostal preacher and supposed faith-healer Benny Hinn telling a Pentecostal audience that Catholics experience more miracles than Pentecostals. Amazingly, he credits this to the Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which Hinn says he also affirms (at least a version of it). He also credits the fact that Catholics don’t “church hop” (or jump for church to church) as much as Pentecostals.
A video is being shared around on social media (watch it at the bottom of this article) of Pentecostal preacher and supposed faith-healer Benny Hinn telling a Pentecostal audience that Catholics experience more miracles than Pentecostals. Amazingly, he credits this to the Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which Hinn says he also affirms (at least a version of it). He also credits the fact that Catholics don’t “church hop” (or jump for church to church) as much as Pentecostals.
Archaeologist uncover Jesus' tomb for first time in centuries: ‘What was found is astonishing’
Archaeologist at Jesus' tomb site: "What was found is astonishing" - CBS News: In the innermost chamber of the site said to be the tomb of Jesus, a restoration team has peeled away a marble layer for the first time in centuries in an effort to reach what it believes is the original rock surface where Jesus’ body was laid.
Many historians have long believed that the original cave, identified a few centuries after Jesus’ death as his tomb, was obliterated ages ago.
But an archaeologist accompanying the restoration team said ground penetrating radar tests determined that cave walls are in fact standing -- at a height of six feet and connected to bedrock -- behind the marbled panels of the chamber at the center of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Many historians have long believed that the original cave, identified a few centuries after Jesus’ death as his tomb, was obliterated ages ago.
But an archaeologist accompanying the restoration team said ground penetrating radar tests determined that cave walls are in fact standing -- at a height of six feet and connected to bedrock -- behind the marbled panels of the chamber at the center of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Woman's stolen Subaru returns with gas money and apology note from thief
Woman's stolen Subaru returns with gas money and apology note from thief | OregonLive.com: Erin Hatzi's story has all the makings deserving of a "That's So Portland" label: It involves a Subaru, an accidental theft and an apology note accompanied by gas money for the mileage involved in the ordeal. The Woodstock neighborhood resident's husband noticed her red Subaru Impreza was missing from the couple's driveway Tuesday night. Soon afterward, she uploaded security camera stills of the then-supposed theft, asking her Facebook friends for help in finding the vehicle.
From Word on Fire: The 10 most haunted Catholic sites in America
10 Most Haunted Catholic Sites in America | Word On Fire: Well, it’s Halloween season: a time when folks dress up in all manner of costumes while enjoying candy, parties, scary movies and ghost stories. The ghost stories in particular arouse the interest and wonder of many a lively imagination at this time of year. All over the world, stories of hauntings, spirits and monsters, including some supposed hauntings of Catholic locations, frighten and delight believers everywhere, especially during the Halloween season. Some stories are scary and mysterious. Others, not so much.
Do ghosts really exist?
Do ghosts really exist? | Philip KosloskiKOSLOSKI: Around this time of year “ghosts” are everywhere. You can find them at school, on the doorsteps of homes and on the shelves of WalMart. Most of the time, instead of looking scary they are cute and cuddly like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or like the kids showing up at your doorstep, wrapped in a sheet and shouting “boo!” But what about ghosts? Are they even real? Can Catholics believe in them? Well, yes, if you’re talking about spirits, then Catholics most certainly can believe in “ghosts.” For many years the Latin word “spiritus” was translated into English as “ghost” and Catholics would intone, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,” while crossing themselves at prayer. God is pure “spirit” and so using this definition makes perfect sense.
Ask Father: Bless or exorcize a new home?
ASK FATHER: Bless or exorcize new home? | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: First, it is never wrong to have your house blessed! Let’s put that another way. It is always right to have your house blessed. In Italy, for example, parish priests go about in the Easter season to bless dwellings, even putting up posters in neighborhoods saying when he will “strike” on that block, etc.
I doubt that you would need an exorcism of a place for your house. You should start with the blessing. Should you have any other concerns after that, then talk to the priest about the exorcism of a place.
I doubt that you would need an exorcism of a place for your house. You should start with the blessing. Should you have any other concerns after that, then talk to the priest about the exorcism of a place.
The Art of Manliness: How to measure height and width in the field
Field-Expedient Tricks for Estimating the Height and Width of Objects | The Art of Manliness: When you’re out in the field navigating the land or doing any number of outdoor chores and tasks, you may for a variety of reasons need to measure the heights and widths of objects like trees and rivers. But oftentimes these objects are so large and out-of-reach that trying to measure them with a tape measure would be foolhardy and impractical.
Luckily, there are a few little field-expedient tricks that scouts have used for centuries to estimate the height and width of objects using nothing but sticks and a bit of geometry. While there are smartphone apps out there that can do the same thing, in order to become more antifragile, it’s always good to know how to do this kind of thing sans technology. Plus, it’s fun.
Luckily, there are a few little field-expedient tricks that scouts have used for centuries to estimate the height and width of objects using nothing but sticks and a bit of geometry. While there are smartphone apps out there that can do the same thing, in order to become more antifragile, it’s always good to know how to do this kind of thing sans technology. Plus, it’s fun.
The ruins of the biblical city where Goliath lived have been found
The ruins of the biblical city where Goliath lived have been found - World - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org: Archaeologists from Bal-Ilan University in Israel have discovered monumental fortifications and a gate belonging to the biblical Philistine city of Gath, the home of the giant Goliath. These ruins give an idea of the importance of this city, considered the largest one in the area during the 9th and 10th centuries before Christ.
The 2015 discovery took place in Tel Zalfit, an archaeological site that has been under excavation for two decades and which was populated practically from the Chalcolithic period (about 5,000 years ago) until 1948, when its inhabitants abandoned what was then an Arab village.
The 2015 discovery took place in Tel Zalfit, an archaeological site that has been under excavation for two decades and which was populated practically from the Chalcolithic period (about 5,000 years ago) until 1948, when its inhabitants abandoned what was then an Arab village.
Tabernacle destroyed, Hosts desecrated at site of our Lord's Transfiguration
Desecration of the Church of the Transfiguration Prompts Outcry | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Suspected burglars’ desecration of the Church of the Transfiguration has prompted outcry from leading Christians in the Holy Land.
“The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, together with all churches and the Custody of the Holy Land, condemn this desecration as a heinous crime and an act that violates the sanctity of the Holy Sites,” the patriarchate said Oct. 25.
“We also ask the police to conduct an investigation, to seriously look into the matter and apprehend the perpetrators who are culpable of these disgraceful actions.”
“The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, together with all churches and the Custody of the Holy Land, condemn this desecration as a heinous crime and an act that violates the sanctity of the Holy Sites,” the patriarchate said Oct. 25.
“We also ask the police to conduct an investigation, to seriously look into the matter and apprehend the perpetrators who are culpable of these disgraceful actions.”
Watch these guys scale a climbing wall attached to a hot air balloon 4,000 feet over Denver
Watch These Guys Climb From a Hot Air Balloon At 4,000 Feet | 5280: While you were sipping pumpkin spice lattes last November, Dan Krug was brainstorming how to take his passion for climbing to (literal) new heights.
The rock climbing guide and founder of Denver Climbing Company enjoys two hobbies above most others—climbing and skydiving—so he decided to put the two together. Krug got to work, building a contraption that could hoist a three-piece climbing wall onto a lowering system, attached to a hot-air balloon. The wall folded up onto the side of the balloon for launch and landing, and climbers used a rope to rappel down and scale the wall at (insane) altitude.
The rock climbing guide and founder of Denver Climbing Company enjoys two hobbies above most others—climbing and skydiving—so he decided to put the two together. Krug got to work, building a contraption that could hoist a three-piece climbing wall onto a lowering system, attached to a hot-air balloon. The wall folded up onto the side of the balloon for launch and landing, and climbers used a rope to rappel down and scale the wall at (insane) altitude.
The entire continent of Australia sways (a little) with the weather
The entire continent of Australia sways (a little) with the weather | Ars Technica: Our planet does some weird stuff that escapes our notice simply because of scale. The Earth spins faster during an El Niño year—or after some earthquakes—but we’re never going to miss a millisecond here or there. It’s also easy to forget that the plates that make up the Earth’s crust are in constant motion, changing various locations incrementally. In fact, Australia will be updating GPS coordinates again this year to correct the continent’s drift away from its last-mapped whereabouts.
I pray every day. It's changed my life...
I pray every day. It's changed my life.GOBRY: This election might have you praying for a swift death, or indeed the destruction of all life on Earth. I get that. I really, really get that. The campaign drives me insane, too. And when it does, I've found something to restore my sanity. I pray.
Now, I've always prayed. But recently, I've become more serious and deliberate about it. And it's changed my life.
I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, perhaps the oldest liturgical practice of the Catholic Church after Mass and the sacraments. Indeed, the Acts of the Apostles record the Apostles observing the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, the practice from which the Hours sprung. Although the Hours are associated with religious orders and priests, who all pray them, every Catholic can, and indeed is encouraged to, pray them. The Hours have been woven into the fabric of Catholic spirituality for centuries. In the Middle Ages, wealthy patrons ordered richly illustrated and embroidered Books of Hours, which are truly artistic masterpieces.
Now, I've always prayed. But recently, I've become more serious and deliberate about it. And it's changed my life.
I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, perhaps the oldest liturgical practice of the Catholic Church after Mass and the sacraments. Indeed, the Acts of the Apostles record the Apostles observing the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, the practice from which the Hours sprung. Although the Hours are associated with religious orders and priests, who all pray them, every Catholic can, and indeed is encouraged to, pray them. The Hours have been woven into the fabric of Catholic spirituality for centuries. In the Middle Ages, wealthy patrons ordered richly illustrated and embroidered Books of Hours, which are truly artistic masterpieces.
The moral courage of Justice Antonin Scalia
The Moral Courage of Antonin Scalia | The Stream: On Wednesday night a sold-out crowd of Catholics celebrated the life and faith of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia with a call to moral courage and a place for faith in the public square.
The Catholic Information Center (CIC) posthumously honored Justice Scalia with their annual Saint John Paul II Award for the New Evangelization, in recognition of Scalia’s faith and witness for Christ.
The Catholic Information Center (CIC) posthumously honored Justice Scalia with their annual Saint John Paul II Award for the New Evangelization, in recognition of Scalia’s faith and witness for Christ.
Be close to struggling families, Pope urges John Paul II Institute
Be close to struggling families, Pope urges John Paul II Institute – CatholicHerald.co.uk: The “indissoluble bond” of the Catholic Church with its members, including those struggling to live up to Church teaching on family life, “is the most transparent sign of the faithful and merciful love of God”, Pope Francis has said.
While many people today struggle to live the Christian ideal of marriage and family life, the chief task of the Church’s theologians and pastoral ministers is not to point to failures, but to draw close to people “so that grace can ransom them, reanimate them and heal them”, the Pope told staff, faculty and students of the Rome-based Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.
While many people today struggle to live the Christian ideal of marriage and family life, the chief task of the Church’s theologians and pastoral ministers is not to point to failures, but to draw close to people “so that grace can ransom them, reanimate them and heal them”, the Pope told staff, faculty and students of the Rome-based Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.
Encouragement from Jesus in the face of worldly threats
Encouragement from Jesus in the Face of Worldly Threats - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: In this strange and provocative saying of Jesus’ from the Gospel of Luke is an important perspective for all of us: no matter how powerful it may seem, evil cannot stand; it will ultimately self-destruct and be overcome by the light. No matter how awful Good Friday seemed to those first disciples, Jesus was casting out demons and bring healing in that very act of suffering. And His apparent disappearance into death and down into Sheol was only for the purpose of bringing life into the place of the dead and healing to the deep wounds caused by sin.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
AP turns anti-Catholic superstar Jack Chick into an all-purpose fundamentalist hero
AP turns anti-Catholic superstar Jack Chick into an all-purpose fundamentalist hero — GetReligionMATTINGLY: This will be risky, but I'd like to talk about Adolf Hitler and religion for a moment.
The problem with creating a metaphor involving Hitler is that, as journalist Ron Rosenbaum told me long ago: What people say about Hitler usually reveals more about their biases and beliefs than about those of Hitler.
So here goes. Readers, especially Jewish readers, what would you think if you read a news feature covering the life and legacy of Hitler and, right at the beginning, it stressed that he was known for his oppression of Marxists, Catholics, faithful Lutherans, gays, Jews and gypsies?
The problem with creating a metaphor involving Hitler is that, as journalist Ron Rosenbaum told me long ago: What people say about Hitler usually reveals more about their biases and beliefs than about those of Hitler.
So here goes. Readers, especially Jewish readers, what would you think if you read a news feature covering the life and legacy of Hitler and, right at the beginning, it stressed that he was known for his oppression of Marxists, Catholics, faithful Lutherans, gays, Jews and gypsies?
Archdiocese of New York schedules pre-election Holy Hours in multiple churches...
Holy Hours for Elections in Parishes - Catholic New York: The following is a listing of parishes in the archdiocese hosting Holy Hours on Monday, Nov. 7, the evening before the elections.
Rock, Rock, Rock around the Clock: A Pius meditation
Rock, Rock, Rock Around the Clock: A Pius Meditation |Blogs | NCRegister.comDICAMILLO: The first thing you have to understand is that this is not a joke. It actually exists: a clock that, instead of having numbers, has pictures of the twelve popes who shared the name of “Pius” throughout the centuries.
The second item is more of a question: could you have possibly thought up this clock if it didn’t exist?
Well, the Pope Pius Clock does exist and you can buy your own right here: http://www.popepiusclock.com. Because my wife loves me—and has a terrific sense of humor—she surprised me with my very own Pope Pius Clock which proudly hangs in our kitchen. It is, if nothing else, a wonderful conversation piece for visitors.
The second item is more of a question: could you have possibly thought up this clock if it didn’t exist?
Well, the Pope Pius Clock does exist and you can buy your own right here: http://www.popepiusclock.com. Because my wife loves me—and has a terrific sense of humor—she surprised me with my very own Pope Pius Clock which proudly hangs in our kitchen. It is, if nothing else, a wonderful conversation piece for visitors.
The “good news” comes with a large dose of suffering
The “good news” comes with a large dose of suffering ~ The MotherlandsRENNER: Praying the mysteries of the Rosary means that each week, after meditating on joy, glory, and light, we wake up to sorrow. Just another day but suddenly there is the agony, scourging, and death. Gone is the warm glow of the nativity, the presentation in the temple, the coronation of the Virgin.
Instead, like Job waking up one morning to his life falling apart, sorrow comes on suddenly, just as it so often does in our daily lives. Few sudden slides from joy to sorrow are easy to understand. There’s often no ready explanation, or none that “make sense.” A bad diagnosis, an accident, a miscarriage—these things come out of the blue. And they are an inevitable part of life.
That’s why the prosperity gospels, propounding the belief that we are destined for only happiness in this life if God loves us, if we do the right things, if we truly believe, are so wrong.
Instead, like Job waking up one morning to his life falling apart, sorrow comes on suddenly, just as it so often does in our daily lives. Few sudden slides from joy to sorrow are easy to understand. There’s often no ready explanation, or none that “make sense.” A bad diagnosis, an accident, a miscarriage—these things come out of the blue. And they are an inevitable part of life.
That’s why the prosperity gospels, propounding the belief that we are destined for only happiness in this life if God loves us, if we do the right things, if we truly believe, are so wrong.
If you want to end up happy with the Lord forever, leave it to Him to determine when you die...
How Faithful Catholics May Use the Law at the End of Life | Catholic Lane: The last time I checked, the mortality rate in this country was still 100%. To die usually involves unavoidable suffering. I don’t think these things will be changing any time soon.
This is not a cause for anxiety or dread. Christ our Savior has made death and suffering into pathways to eternal life. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” (Ps. 116:15). “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”�
This is not a cause for anxiety or dread. Christ our Savior has made death and suffering into pathways to eternal life. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” (Ps. 116:15). “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”�
‘Beyond Radical Secularism’ exposes weakness of secularism
NCRegister | ‘Beyond Radical Secularism’ Takes on Stain of the Secular: Beyond Radical Secularism was originally published in Europe in the fall of 2015, when it caused quite a ruckus, and became even more relevant with the Nov. 13, 2015, incident of terrorism in Paris. The author, Pierre Manent, is a Frenchman who wrote the book after the earlier terrorist attack in France the previous January.
Manent’s main thesis is that radical secularism does not have the capacity to counter the challenge presented in our era by Islam.
Although he believes that the threat posed by Islamist fanatics requires a resolute response, security measures alone are insufficient to protect the French (and European) way of life and to assimilate the large numbers of Muslim immigrants in their midst.
Manent’s main thesis is that radical secularism does not have the capacity to counter the challenge presented in our era by Islam.
Although he believes that the threat posed by Islamist fanatics requires a resolute response, security measures alone are insufficient to protect the French (and European) way of life and to assimilate the large numbers of Muslim immigrants in their midst.
7 wonders of the biblical world you can see only in Jordan
Seven Wonders of the Biblical World You Can Only See In Jordan |Blogs | NCRegister.comMCDONALD: In October the Jordan Tourism Board took a group of Christian journalists and bloggers on a pilgrimage to the holy and historical sites of their country. It was a life changing experience for everyone involved, and one of the hardest parts was simply processing it all emotionally, intellectually, and, most of all, spiritually. This is holy ground where the events of our sacred history took place. I plan to explore some of the striking locations in more detail, but for now I just want to give you a taste of what the pilgrim to Jordan will see and experience, along with the scripture that mentions them and the people who walked these roads.
To welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ, Pope Francis says
To welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ, Pope Francis says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): When we perform the corporal works of mercy – specifically welcoming the stranger in the form migrants and refugees – we are welcoming Christ in them, and helping to restore their full dignity as humans, Pope Francis said Wednesday.
“These works, in fact, make evident that Christians are not tired and lazy in waiting for the final encounter with the Lord, but every day go out, recognizing his face in the many people asking for help.”
“These works, in fact, make evident that Christians are not tired and lazy in waiting for the final encounter with the Lord, but every day go out, recognizing his face in the many people asking for help.”
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
How Jack Chick (ironically) brought me to Catholicism
How Jack Chick (Ironically) Brought Me To Catholicism: Late Sunday evening, a 92 year old man died in his sleep. I never met him personally—indeed, he was known for being very reclusive—but his work played a huge part in my conversion to Catholicism. Through his art, I discovered the Eucharist. Because of his writings, I explored the Early Church. In many ways, this man’s work gave me the push I needed to really dive into what Holy Mother Church teaches about Herself.
And yet he was no mentor, and I can’t say that I truly mourn his passing. Oh, I’ve been praying for the repose of his soul constantly since learning about his death, and I have hope in God’s infinite Mercy, but I tremble for this man’s judgment.
And yet he was no mentor, and I can’t say that I truly mourn his passing. Oh, I’ve been praying for the repose of his soul constantly since learning about his death, and I have hope in God’s infinite Mercy, but I tremble for this man’s judgment.
Our open hands can open the hearts and arms of mothers
Our Open Hands Can Open the Hearts and Arms of Mothers |Blogs | NCRegister.comSPENCER: There is a growing feeling among pro-life Catholic Millennials that those segments of the pro-life movement that focus just on law have failed to see and do what will really save lives. Having all been born since Roe v. Wade, we have lived all our lives with the reality of legal abortion. Many of us spent countless hours of our youth praying outside abortion clinics, being yelled at by passing drivers, being scorned by the media, but not afraid to be persecuted for our defense of life. We have heard from our earliest days that Pope Saint John Paul II told us, “Do not be afraid!” So we have been brave in our defense of truth and life issues, and we are not afraid to continue to face persecution.
It’s cutthroat competition at the Masters of Mini Golf
New Advent: It’s cutthroat competition at the Masters of Mini Golf: Miniature golf may seem like one of America's more laid-back pastimes, but its competitive side is no joke. To be a champion requires a high level of precision and patience. Just like in the PGA Tour, the winner of the Masters National Pro Mini Golf Championship gets a coveted green jacket. Last year's champion, Matt Male, describes what it takes to putt your way to victory.
Here's what I miss about being poor
Here's What I Miss About Being Poor |Blogs | NCRegister.comFRECH: There was a time in our lives when my husband and I were poor. There were years when we dreamed about actually having a comma in his monthly paycheck. If only we could get to the point where we had a comma, everything would get easier. We eventually got to that comma, and thought if only the number in front of it were a 2, we wouldn't have to worry about money at all.
Now in our 40s, my husband now makes a pretty nice salary. By the standards of a lot of people, we are well off. It doesn't feel that way though. It feels as if we still have to work just as hard to make ends meet as back when we were poor. Only, there are things which are a lot harder now. There are things I miss about the days when we had less.
Now in our 40s, my husband now makes a pretty nice salary. By the standards of a lot of people, we are well off. It doesn't feel that way though. It feels as if we still have to work just as hard to make ends meet as back when we were poor. Only, there are things which are a lot harder now. There are things I miss about the days when we had less.
Why your kids need their grandparents (and grandparents need their grandkids)
Why Your Kids Need Their Grandparents (And Grandparents Need Their Grandkids) | The Art of Manliness: This year, both Kate and I lost our last, and most beloved grandparents — Kate, a grandmother who she adored, and me, a grandfather who I deeply admired.
These deaths have had us reminiscing about the role these loving elders played in our lives and in creating some of our fondest childhood memories. Kate fondly recalls summer weeks she spent with Nana in Florida, playing cards, doing crafts, and going back-to-school shopping. I remember Thanksgivings spent at Grandpa’s New Mexico ranch, waking up to the smell of pinion wood and riding horses.
These deaths have had us reminiscing about the role these loving elders played in our lives and in creating some of our fondest childhood memories. Kate fondly recalls summer weeks she spent with Nana in Florida, playing cards, doing crafts, and going back-to-school shopping. I remember Thanksgivings spent at Grandpa’s New Mexico ranch, waking up to the smell of pinion wood and riding horses.
How to read the secret language of Starfleet uniforms
How to Read The Secret Language of Starfleet Uniforms | Atlas Obscura: It’s Halloween time again, and as it has been for the past 50 years, a Star Trek costume is a safe bet for anyone looking to dress up. But do you want to be a Starfleet captain in 2268? A ship's doctor in 2368? For the uninitiated, deciphering the language of colors and symbols that place you in the show's universe is a crapshoot.
Luckily, Atlas Obscura is here to help, with a bit of cosplay codebreaking.
Luckily, Atlas Obscura is here to help, with a bit of cosplay codebreaking.
What might Screwtape say about the “Yoga Pants Protests?”
What might Screwtape say about the “Yoga Pants Protests?” - Society - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgSCALIA: My Dear Wormwood, Forgive my tardy response to your last flaming missive (or — if you really want to impress me — don’t) in which you attempt to berate me for insufficiently appreciating your efforts at sowing discord within the venue of American Politics. As they say in your circles, “Goon, get over yourself.” Political discord, especially in America, where headlines and soundbite analyses are accepted even when they are false or as penetrating as prop knives, is easy stuff...
Bringing back the dead... Catholic style
Bringing back the dead… Catholic style - Spirituality - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgROMANOWSKY: Forget about ghosts and goblins on Halloween; how about a walk through a dark cemetery where dead people who once walked the earth appear out of nowhere and talk to you about life and death, heaven and hell?
The “Back from the Dead Cemetery Walk” in Emmitsburg, Maryland has provided such an experience every October for the past 12 years. Held in the historic cemetery on the grounds of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine, it’s the brainchild of Fr. Brian Nolan, chaplain for Mount Saint Mary’s University.
The “Back from the Dead Cemetery Walk” in Emmitsburg, Maryland has provided such an experience every October for the past 12 years. Held in the historic cemetery on the grounds of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine, it’s the brainchild of Fr. Brian Nolan, chaplain for Mount Saint Mary’s University.
Jack Chick passes on to his reward: 9 things to know and share
Jack Chick Passes on to His Reward: 9 Things to Know and Share |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: According to his company’s web site, more than 750,000,000 Chick publications have been distributed.
That’s three quarters of a billion-with-a-“b” comic books.
And that would make him the single most published comic book creator in history—with far more copies of his works placed in circulation than even comic book legends like Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Jerry Siegel, and Joe Schuster.
That’s three quarters of a billion-with-a-“b” comic books.
And that would make him the single most published comic book creator in history—with far more copies of his works placed in circulation than even comic book legends like Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Jerry Siegel, and Joe Schuster.
The ultrabonkers genius of Jack Chick
The ultrabonkers genius of Jack Chick – Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgFISHER: God have mercy on the soul of Jack Chick, the father of countless garish mini comics that litter laundromats and bus stations around the globe. Chick’s infamous cartoon tracts have been translated into hundreds of languages and are meant to terrify unbelievers into a godly way of life.
Chick was 92 when he died yesterday. He had been pumping out his comics for decades and decades, warning people away from such dangers as Harry Potter, Dungeons and Dragons, C.S. Lewis, evolution, Pat Robertson, Halloween, and of course Catholicism. The Catholic Church was a favorite target, and his tracts advance a version of Church history that can only be described as ultrabonkers.
Chick was 92 when he died yesterday. He had been pumping out his comics for decades and decades, warning people away from such dangers as Harry Potter, Dungeons and Dragons, C.S. Lewis, evolution, Pat Robertson, Halloween, and of course Catholicism. The Catholic Church was a favorite target, and his tracts advance a version of Church history that can only be described as ultrabonkers.
The mystery of the newly discovered giant Celtic cross in an Irish forest
The Mystery of the Newly Discovered Giant Celtic Cross in an Irish Forest | ChurchPOPMILLEGAN: The giant cross was only recently spotted by airplane passengers flying into a local airport. And it really is huge: comprising of hundreds of trees, it’s estimated to be at least 100m long and 70 m wide.
Amazingly, no one seemed to know who made it or how long it had been there.
An investigation by UTV found the answer: local forester Liam Emmery secretly created the image years ago by planting two different kinds trees, telling few people about it outside his family. His wife Norma said she had forgotten about the image since Liam died 6 years ago. Prior to his death, he had been very sick and suffered brain damage. The image is especially visible this year due to a dry autumn.
Amazingly, no one seemed to know who made it or how long it had been there.
An investigation by UTV found the answer: local forester Liam Emmery secretly created the image years ago by planting two different kinds trees, telling few people about it outside his family. His wife Norma said she had forgotten about the image since Liam died 6 years ago. Prior to his death, he had been very sick and suffered brain damage. The image is especially visible this year due to a dry autumn.
What I learned about my vocation from Tiger Woods
What I learned about my vocation from Tiger Woods - Top Stories - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgSEWELL: Just a few weeks ago, golf nuts around the world rejoiced. Tiger Woods put a date on his long-awaited return to professional golf, this time to really make a run at the World No. 1 ranking he once held.
It didn’t take long, however, for those hopes to be somewhat dashed, as Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open, the planned site of his return. The reason?
“After a lot of soul searching, and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA TOUR or compete in Turkey. My health is good and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be. It’s not up to my standards, and I don’t think it would be up to yours.”
It didn’t take long, however, for those hopes to be somewhat dashed, as Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open, the planned site of his return. The reason?
“After a lot of soul searching, and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA TOUR or compete in Turkey. My health is good and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be. It’s not up to my standards, and I don’t think it would be up to yours.”
The Los Angeles Times hears the voices: A nun, a dying woman and prayers that last forever
The Los Angeles Times hears the voices: A nun, a dying woman and prayers that last forever — GetReligionMATTINGLY: On one level, it was a simple assignment. The metro desk at The Rocky Mountain News had received a call about a wedding that was sure to be poignant. The bride had cancelled her church rites several months in the future so that a simple ceremony could take place beside the deathbed of her father, whose cancer had taken a sudden turn for the worse.
My editor's instructions: Make me cry by the third paragraph or you're fired. His advice: Look for crucial details and let their voices tell the story. One symbolic detail was the copy of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" on the father's nightstand.
My editor's instructions: Make me cry by the third paragraph or you're fired. His advice: Look for crucial details and let their voices tell the story. One symbolic detail was the copy of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" on the father's nightstand.
When someone you love is an addict
When someone you love is an addict - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org: When I first saw him walk into the parish hall, I wondered if he was lost. Hat on backwards and pants slouched, he walked with the swagger of a kid who was used to demanding the respect and fear of those around him.
Since I was the one in charge of the parish event, I steeled myself and approached him.
“Hi,” I said, trying to be assertive but kind, “Are you here for the game night?”
The guy’s eyes immediately lost their hardness and he looked embarrassed. A broad smile broke across his face, “Yeah, thanks!” He sat down like a young child and eagerly watched the Uno game in progress.
I first met my friend, let’s call him Ben, at a social gathering I had organized for my parish in Oakland. He quickly revealed to me and several other regulars at the parish that he had just been released from prison. But, he assured us, when he was incarcerated he had found Jesus and had returned to his Catholic faith.
Since I was the one in charge of the parish event, I steeled myself and approached him.
“Hi,” I said, trying to be assertive but kind, “Are you here for the game night?”
The guy’s eyes immediately lost their hardness and he looked embarrassed. A broad smile broke across his face, “Yeah, thanks!” He sat down like a young child and eagerly watched the Uno game in progress.
I first met my friend, let’s call him Ben, at a social gathering I had organized for my parish in Oakland. He quickly revealed to me and several other regulars at the parish that he had just been released from prison. But, he assured us, when he was incarcerated he had found Jesus and had returned to his Catholic faith.
What passes for ‘free’ speech on a Catholic campus
What passes for ‘free’ speech on a Catholic campus: When pro-life students at the largest Catholic university in America set out to recruit others to their cause, they probably didn’t expect a Catholic cleric to brand them bigots for it.
But that’s what DePaul University’s president the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider seemed to do in a recent note to Chicago’s Blue Demons.
College Republicans were not permitted to advertise their group’s meetings with a flier that read: “Unborn Lives Matter.” Holtschneider suggested the provocative poster was an example of “bigotry that occurs under the cover of free speech.”
The Vincentian priest cited the conservative students for violating a university document on free speech and expression that declares: “Speech whose primary purpose is to wound is inconsistent with our Vincentian and Catholic values.” A university spokesperson even accused the students of intending to “do a disservice to the Black Lives Matter and pro-life movements.”
But that’s what DePaul University’s president the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider seemed to do in a recent note to Chicago’s Blue Demons.
College Republicans were not permitted to advertise their group’s meetings with a flier that read: “Unborn Lives Matter.” Holtschneider suggested the provocative poster was an example of “bigotry that occurs under the cover of free speech.”
The Vincentian priest cited the conservative students for violating a university document on free speech and expression that declares: “Speech whose primary purpose is to wound is inconsistent with our Vincentian and Catholic values.” A university spokesperson even accused the students of intending to “do a disservice to the Black Lives Matter and pro-life movements.”
How German nuclear scientists reacted to the news of Hiroshima
How German nuclear scientists reacted to the news of Hiroshima: As part of Operation Epsilon, captured German nuclear physicists were secretly recorded at Farm Hall, a house in England where they were interned. Here’s how the German scientists reacted to the news (on August 6th, 1945) that an atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima, taken from the now-declassified transcripts...
Learning in Election Time
Learning in Election Time | Classical Catholic EducationLANGLEY: Now I can only guess about the anxiety and feelings of dread that Lewis was addressing among the student body at Oxford at that time. Bombs had not yet dropped on London as they would a year later during the German Blitzkrieg of 1940. I don’t know how his sermon was received at St Mary’s Church that particular evening in the Fall of ’39, but I regret to say that my own sense for self-preservation would probably have precluded me from sticking around to the end of it should the bombs have started dropping a little earlier.
Nonetheless, I wonder if he might have delivered the same sermon during the 2016 election season here in the United States?
Nonetheless, I wonder if he might have delivered the same sermon during the 2016 election season here in the United States?
An evening with a 'Pope Francis cardinal'
John Thavis | An evening with a 'Pope Francis cardinal'THAVIS: Minnesotans got a glimpse this week of what a “Pope Francis cardinal” looks and sounds like, and it was a refreshing change from the “princes of the church” figure of the past.
Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis delivered a talk on immigration at the University of St. Thomas Oct. 24. Titled “Welcoming the Stranger While Challenging the Fear,” it pulled no punches when it came to the demands of the Gospel on an issue that has become a political football.
Archbishop Tobin cited comments by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has denounced refugee resettlement programs, including those sponsored by the Catholic Church, and claimed they raise the threat of terrorism in the United States. Trump recently called efforts to resettle refugees from Syria “the great Trojan horse of all time.”
Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis delivered a talk on immigration at the University of St. Thomas Oct. 24. Titled “Welcoming the Stranger While Challenging the Fear,” it pulled no punches when it came to the demands of the Gospel on an issue that has become a political football.
Archbishop Tobin cited comments by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has denounced refugee resettlement programs, including those sponsored by the Catholic Church, and claimed they raise the threat of terrorism in the United States. Trump recently called efforts to resettle refugees from Syria “the great Trojan horse of all time.”
Since Death Valley is below sea level could we dig a hole to the ocean and fill it up with water?
Flood Death Valley: Yes! We can do anything we want. We shouldn't do this, though, because it would be gross. Here's why...
America is about to enter four years of turmoil...
America: There May Be Trouble Ahead...LONGENECKER: Whoever is elected president, I predict that America will enter into four years of turmoil.
The passions stirred up in this election have revealed an America more divided than ever before, and the divisions are bound to get worse.
Racial divisions are at boiling point. Class divisions are brewing. Educational disparities are obvious. Ethnic suspicions are on the edge. Economic divisions are sharp.
Why is this?
The passions stirred up in this election have revealed an America more divided than ever before, and the divisions are bound to get worse.
Racial divisions are at boiling point. Class divisions are brewing. Educational disparities are obvious. Ethnic suspicions are on the edge. Economic divisions are sharp.
Why is this?
Vatican issues instruction on burial and cremation, reiterates that scattering of ashes is forbidden
Vatican: Cremated bodies may not be scattered :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released an instruction Tuesday regarding burial and cremation, reiterating the Church's teaching that cremation, while strongly discouraged, can be permissible under certain restrictions – and that scattering the ashes is forbidden.
Ad resurgendum cum Christo, or “To rise with Christ”, published Oct. 25, states that while cremation “is not prohibited” the Church “continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased.”
Ad resurgendum cum Christo, or “To rise with Christ”, published Oct. 25, states that while cremation “is not prohibited” the Church “continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased.”
Monday, October 24, 2016
4 ways St. Faustina shows us how to pray for our country
4 Ways St. Faustina Shows Us How to Pray for Our Country |Blogs | NCRegister.comGRESS: As the presidential election looms, now seems like a good time to pray for our country. There is no doubt that America is in an unprecedented struggle – a struggle that goes well beyond the election, but to something much deeper.
In her diary, St. Faustina speaks of praying for her own country of Poland and calling upon Jesus’s mercy to hold back the hand of his justice. She says, “I often pray for Poland, but I see that God is very angry with it because of its ingratitude. ... I constantly remind God of promises of His mercy. When I see His anger, I throw myself trustingly into the abyss of His mercy, and I plunge all Poland in it, and then He cannot use His justice.” (Paragraph 1188)
In her diary, St. Faustina speaks of praying for her own country of Poland and calling upon Jesus’s mercy to hold back the hand of his justice. She says, “I often pray for Poland, but I see that God is very angry with it because of its ingratitude. ... I constantly remind God of promises of His mercy. When I see His anger, I throw myself trustingly into the abyss of His mercy, and I plunge all Poland in it, and then He cannot use His justice.” (Paragraph 1188)
The saints who battled Satan
Despatches from the Frontline: The Saints Who Battled SatanTURLEY: The nights grow darker.
The air becomes more chill.
There is a feast day approaching: All Saints. Another celebration, albeit of a different hue, precedes it. All Hallows’ Eve, better known as Halloween, will soon be upon us. We will watch as children are dressed in occult-inspired costumes and taken to parties dedicated to dark supernatural themes; meanwhile, in public places, there will be a sudden proliferation of esoteric signs and symbols.
The air becomes more chill.
There is a feast day approaching: All Saints. Another celebration, albeit of a different hue, precedes it. All Hallows’ Eve, better known as Halloween, will soon be upon us. We will watch as children are dressed in occult-inspired costumes and taken to parties dedicated to dark supernatural themes; meanwhile, in public places, there will be a sudden proliferation of esoteric signs and symbols.
Jack Chick, author of anti-Catholic and other odd comic tracts, reportedly dead at 92
RIP Jack Chick, father of the Satanic Panic / Boing Boing: Things Jack Chick hated (a partial list): Dungeons and Dragons, Catholics, Freemasons, Muslims, Jews and Satan.
The paranoid, hateful minicomics pioneer is now dead. No one will say how he came to be dead.
The paranoid, hateful minicomics pioneer is now dead. No one will say how he came to be dead.
101 style tips for men (but feel free to ignore no. 15, please)
101 Style Tips for Men | The Art of Manliness: It can seem like there’s a lot to know about good style, and there is, at least if you want to be enrolled in its master class. But looking sharper than 99% of other guys is actually fairly simple and merely requires knowing and doing little stuff right. The kind of stuff that can be encapsulated into short, easy-to-remember principles and adages.
Below you’ll find the best of the best of such tips: a hundred things (plus one extra) that you can be doing, right now, to make yourself look sharper. You can thank us later.
Below you’ll find the best of the best of such tips: a hundred things (plus one extra) that you can be doing, right now, to make yourself look sharper. You can thank us later.
From fibs to fraud: New scientific study says lying is a slippery slope
From Fibs to Fraud: Why Lying Is a Slippery Slope - D-brief: It’s the plotline of countless romantic comedies: a tiny lie or deception grows into a monster until everything falls apart in hilarious, heart-breaking and ultimately heart-melting fashion. It’s the ol’ “snowball lie” trope, and it plays out in classics like “Sabrina” to more modern flicks like “Wedding Crashers.”
There’s a reason the snowball lie is a popular premise in movies; it’s a reflection of real life. Tax evaders, cheating spouses and blood-doping athletes often recall dipping their toe in the shallow waters of deception long before they found themselves drowning in a sea of increasingly severe, perhaps criminal, fabrications. So why have so many tumbled down this slippery slope? Maybe we just can’t help ourselves.
There’s a reason the snowball lie is a popular premise in movies; it’s a reflection of real life. Tax evaders, cheating spouses and blood-doping athletes often recall dipping their toe in the shallow waters of deception long before they found themselves drowning in a sea of increasingly severe, perhaps criminal, fabrications. So why have so many tumbled down this slippery slope? Maybe we just can’t help ourselves.
1898: Spanish at Guam thought the attacking USS Charleston fired salute shots and asked for gunpowder to return gesture
1898: Spanish at Guam Thought the Attacking USS Charleston Fired Salute Shots & Asked For Gunpowder To Return the Gesture: Manning a remote island fort, seemingly without any imminent danger on the horizon, must have made for a fairly comfortable post. That was the situation on Guam until June of 1898, during the outbreak of the Spanish and American war.
Guam had been held by Spain since the 1660s. Spain had communicated with officials on the island on April 14 1898, but war was yet to be declared. When it was, authorities forgot to communicate the news to their forces on Guam.
The United States was quick to take action and decided that seizing several Pacific islands would give it leverage in years to come. Guam, in particular, would be a great coal replenishing pit-stop for U.S. naval ships.
Guam had been held by Spain since the 1660s. Spain had communicated with officials on the island on April 14 1898, but war was yet to be declared. When it was, authorities forgot to communicate the news to their forces on Guam.
The United States was quick to take action and decided that seizing several Pacific islands would give it leverage in years to come. Guam, in particular, would be a great coal replenishing pit-stop for U.S. naval ships.
‘When the lab girl went to church’: Forbes profiles Catholic scientist (and writer) Stacy Trasancos
When The Lab Girl Went To Church: Ever since Cardinal Bellarmine warned Galileo against teaching that the earth revolves around the sun, the Catholic Church has had what might be called an ambivalent attitude to science.
I don’t mean in the sense of rejecting the findings of science (admittedly late in the case of Galileo), but rather in deciding where the heck science should fit in the Christian life.
As philosophers and historians of science have noted, the Church has often adopted an instrumentalist view of science, best summed up by the very man who condemned Galileo, Pope Urban VIII.
I don’t mean in the sense of rejecting the findings of science (admittedly late in the case of Galileo), but rather in deciding where the heck science should fit in the Christian life.
As philosophers and historians of science have noted, the Church has often adopted an instrumentalist view of science, best summed up by the very man who condemned Galileo, Pope Urban VIII.
Catholic spring? Sounds like a great idea...
Catholic Spring? Great Idea! | Rocking the Cradle CatholicMOORE: I’m not a naturally political person, but this whole Wikileaks thing has really gotten me on board with the concept of Catholic Spring. I haven’t read the entire email chain that mentioned it, but I am all over that idea. What could be better than a specifically Catholic bath soap? If Irish Spring could do it back in the day, why can’t we?
Can’t you just see it? Catholic Spring, all the smells and bells of Christendom coming together in an ecclesial cloud of cleanliness—which is next to you-know-what.
Catholic Spring could be the official soap of the showers for the homeless at the Vatican…and maybe even at the famous Catholic cafeteria people are always talking about. Having eaten there myself from time to time over the years, I can tell you that a good wash-up is always called for afterward.
Can’t you just see it? Catholic Spring, all the smells and bells of Christendom coming together in an ecclesial cloud of cleanliness—which is next to you-know-what.
Catholic Spring could be the official soap of the showers for the homeless at the Vatican…and maybe even at the famous Catholic cafeteria people are always talking about. Having eaten there myself from time to time over the years, I can tell you that a good wash-up is always called for afterward.
7 of the longest U.S. interstates...
7 of the Longest U.S. Interstates: Seattle to Boston. San Francisco to Teaneck, New Jersey. Even Miami to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The routes U.S.'s longest interstates cover a variety of our nation's landscape, some deluged by major metropolis traffic, others linking oceans to the heartland.
But the plan started by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 to create a 41,000-mile national system of interstate highways has continued to this day. All but four state capitals—Juneau, Alaska; Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; and Pierre, South Dakota—are directly served by the system, and our reliance on the ever-widening roads isn't disappearing any time soon...
But the plan started by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 to create a 41,000-mile national system of interstate highways has continued to this day. All but four state capitals—Juneau, Alaska; Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; and Pierre, South Dakota—are directly served by the system, and our reliance on the ever-widening roads isn't disappearing any time soon...
"Inconceivable beauties": What St. Faustina saw when she was given a glimpse of Heaven
"Inconceivable Beauties": The Secrets of Heaven Revealed to St. Faustina | ChurchPOP: St. Faustina was one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century, and perhaps of Church history in general.
We’ve previously talked about her sobering visions of hell and purgatory. But did you know she also had incredible visions of heaven?
“Today I was in heaven, in spirit,” she wrote in her diary on November 27th, 1936, “and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death.”
As with all of her visions, what she saw constitutes “private revelation,” and is thus not binding on the Catholic faithful, as public revelation (Scripture and Tradition) is. Nonetheless, it can aid in building up one’s faith.
We’ve previously talked about her sobering visions of hell and purgatory. But did you know she also had incredible visions of heaven?
“Today I was in heaven, in spirit,” she wrote in her diary on November 27th, 1936, “and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death.”
As with all of her visions, what she saw constitutes “private revelation,” and is thus not binding on the Catholic faithful, as public revelation (Scripture and Tradition) is. Nonetheless, it can aid in building up one’s faith.
Why offer God the finest of human artistry?
Why Offer God the Finest of Human Artistry? - The Imaginative ConservativeKWASNIEWSKI: Laud was Anglican, of course, but it is no more than ecumenical common sense to recognize that we Roman Catholics could learn a thing or two from his devout attitude. Do we not need “greater ceremonial dignity in the church?” Why are our processions in church so slapdash, casual, and quick, almost as if we’re embarrassed to be engaged in divine worship? Why are there so few processions outside of church? We could certainly use “a spirit of deepest reverence” in conducting our services. Less of the informal greetings, smiles, and handshakes—more of the reverent fear of the Lord that brings us to our knees in homage to the great King of all the earth, begging for His mercy. We need music, vessels, and architecture that “make manifest the beauty of holiness.”
Is religion really the main cause of war in history?
The Myth that Religion Causes War | Catholic AnswersAKIN: War is not unique to humanity. Other species—including ants, bees, and chimpanzees—wage war, understood as the organized, collective use of lethal violence against external enemies (such as for control of territory).
Yet these species do not have religion. War’s roots are thus non-religious.
Religion is a human universal, and historically there have been no atheist societies. It is thus impossible to argue that non-religious societies were less violent than religious ones. The officially atheist societies that arose in the Communist world in the twentieth century were not more peaceful than others. They warred, exported revolution, and killed tens of millions of people, including their own citizens.
Yet these species do not have religion. War’s roots are thus non-religious.
Religion is a human universal, and historically there have been no atheist societies. It is thus impossible to argue that non-religious societies were less violent than religious ones. The officially atheist societies that arose in the Communist world in the twentieth century were not more peaceful than others. They warred, exported revolution, and killed tens of millions of people, including their own citizens.
Pope Francis: Rigidity is something ‘pathological’
Pope Francis: Rigidity Is Something 'Pathological' |Blogs | NCRegister.comPENTIN: Pope Francis again returned to the theme of “rigidity” today, calling some who unbendingly follow the law of God “pathological” and in need of the Lord’s help.
In his morning homily at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope drew on today’s Gospel reading from Matthew in which Jesus’ healing of a crippled woman angered the Pharisees, leading him to denounce the leaders of the synagogue as “hypocrites”.
This is an accusation Jesus often makes to those who follow the Law with rigidity, the Pope said. “The Law was not drawn up to enslave us but to set us free, to make us God’s children”, he said.
In his morning homily at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope drew on today’s Gospel reading from Matthew in which Jesus’ healing of a crippled woman angered the Pharisees, leading him to denounce the leaders of the synagogue as “hypocrites”.
This is an accusation Jesus often makes to those who follow the Law with rigidity, the Pope said. “The Law was not drawn up to enslave us but to set us free, to make us God’s children”, he said.
Christian girls who hid from ISIS: ‘The Virgin Mary closed their eyes from seeing us’
Christian Girls Who Hid From ISIS: Blessed Mother Helped Us | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Seven young women in Kirkuk credit the Virgin Mary for their safety after spending a harrowing eight hours hidden underneath beds while Islamic State group fighters used their room as a hideout during an assault on the city.
“The Virgin Mary was with them,” Father Roni Momika told CNA Oct. 23.
The priest, who ministers in the refugee camps of Ankawa, Erbil, in northern Iraq, was in cellphone contact with two of the girls while they hid under the beds. They gave him a play-by-play account of what was happening.
Seven university students in Kirkuk found themselves threatened by the Islamic State group’s assault on the city on Oct. 21.
“The Virgin Mary was with them,” Father Roni Momika told CNA Oct. 23.
The priest, who ministers in the refugee camps of Ankawa, Erbil, in northern Iraq, was in cellphone contact with two of the girls while they hid under the beds. They gave him a play-by-play account of what was happening.
Seven university students in Kirkuk found themselves threatened by the Islamic State group’s assault on the city on Oct. 21.
What to do when an old priest gets confused and hard to understand
ASK FATHER: An old priest gets confused, hard to understand | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: Isn’t it a wonderful consolation that Christ took our human infirmity into mind before founding His Church and priesthood? He knew that we – his priests – would grow old, get sick, suffer from the effects of the Original Sin which He came to resolve.
There were a couple summers when, back from Rome at my home parish, the pastor would send me over to the chapel each day to help the octogenarian priest he allowed to come every day for the afternoon Mass. I often questioned this choice by the pastor. This priest, by the way, was in the 3rd wave at Normandy and was at the Battle of the Bulge. He was an ornery little cuss. Many were the times when I would have to have him back up and do something over for validity, though I learned to let some things slide. He was hard to work with. However, over time, this former Lutheran of Prussian descent learned a lot from having a church in Italy and helping this old priest.
There were a couple summers when, back from Rome at my home parish, the pastor would send me over to the chapel each day to help the octogenarian priest he allowed to come every day for the afternoon Mass. I often questioned this choice by the pastor. This priest, by the way, was in the 3rd wave at Normandy and was at the Battle of the Bulge. He was an ornery little cuss. Many were the times when I would have to have him back up and do something over for validity, though I learned to let some things slide. He was hard to work with. However, over time, this former Lutheran of Prussian descent learned a lot from having a church in Italy and helping this old priest.
The Spectre Bridegroom and the immortal love for ghost stories
The Spectre Bridegroom and the Immortal Love for Ghost Stories - Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: There is a cobwebbed corner in every heart and in every library for the things that go bump in the night. Whether thrillers, shockers, or flesh-crawlers, the haunted volumes of literature and the chilling fireside chronicles are venerable indeed, and will remain beloved so long as human beings have lives to lose and souls to save. And what a joy it is rediscovering the ghastly delight of the ghost story by discovering a buried relic—some encrusted piece unheard of that can hold its own against anything by Stevenson, Dickens, Hawthorne, Wells, or even the great Poe. Known for his contributions to the eerie annals with the Headless Horseman, Washington Irving’s Sketch Book delivers just such a gem. Though obscure, The Spectre Bridegroom is a terrific tale of terror, valor, and true love; a story that renews the gloomy glory of the ghost story and the corporal convention that, though doomed to the grave, men cannot seem to keep out of the graveyard to save their lives.
Pope Francis addresses the Society of Jesus: ‘Not clericalists, but men of the Church’
Whispers in the Loggia: "Not Clericalists, But Men of the Church" – Jesuit Pope Calls His Own To "Consolation, Compassion, Discernment"PALMO: As the 36th General Congregation of the Jesuits prepared to elect the 30th successor of Ignatius earlier this month, it was noted that the unprecedented reality of a member of the Company being Bishop of Rome had turned the order's fraught dynamic of recent decades with the Holy See on its head.
Earlier today, then, perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that, yet again, the Pope fully punctuated the thought by going down the street to the Jesuit Curia to visit the supreme assembly of his own community, breaking the usual practice of the delegates being called to see him at the Vatican.
Earlier today, then, perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that, yet again, the Pope fully punctuated the thought by going down the street to the Jesuit Curia to visit the supreme assembly of his own community, breaking the usual practice of the delegates being called to see him at the Vatican.
U.S. bishops' upcoming vote likely to be seen as referendum on Pope Francis
US bishops' vote likely to be seen as referendum on Pope FrancisALLEN: As it turns out, the Trump v. Clinton showdown isn’t the only election of interest to American Catholics this fall.
The U.S. bishops are also going to be voting for their own new leaders in mid-November, and in some ways their choices are almost certain to be read as a referendum on how the American hierarchy wants to position itself vis-à-vis the new winds blowing in the Church under Pope Francis.
By tradition, a slate of ten candidates is nominated for the presidency and the vice-presidency of the conference, and they select both positions from among those nominees. The new president will replace Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, who’s served the usual three-year term.
The U.S. bishops are also going to be voting for their own new leaders in mid-November, and in some ways their choices are almost certain to be read as a referendum on how the American hierarchy wants to position itself vis-à-vis the new winds blowing in the Church under Pope Francis.
By tradition, a slate of ten candidates is nominated for the presidency and the vice-presidency of the conference, and they select both positions from among those nominees. The new president will replace Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, who’s served the usual three-year term.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
I can’t shake the premonition that, shortly, we are really going to be in it up to our necks...
The war is here. | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: I would like to be able to write like Anthony Esolen every day. His latest, at the increasingly useful Crisis, is not to be missed.
Most of us who are paying attention to the signs of the times, know that something is heading straight towards us that, while it will be done unto us according to God’s permissive will, we aren’t going to enjoy. Esolen says it in his piece as bluntly as I’ve been saying it for a while too: We are at war.
In this War, there will be the usual suspects. History repeats and we tend to divide up rather like stock characters in commedia dell’arte.
Esolen identifies four groups which will emerge when the persecution of the Church really gets going. I’ll give you a taste, by means of excerpts, but you really must go there to read it yourselves.
Most of us who are paying attention to the signs of the times, know that something is heading straight towards us that, while it will be done unto us according to God’s permissive will, we aren’t going to enjoy. Esolen says it in his piece as bluntly as I’ve been saying it for a while too: We are at war.
In this War, there will be the usual suspects. History repeats and we tend to divide up rather like stock characters in commedia dell’arte.
Esolen identifies four groups which will emerge when the persecution of the Church really gets going. I’ll give you a taste, by means of excerpts, but you really must go there to read it yourselves.
As battle for Mosul rages, Pope appeals for an end to violence in Iraq
As battle for Mosul rages, Pope appeals for an end to violence in Iraq :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): With the Iraqi Army currently embroiled in an effort to liberate Mosul and the Plains of Nineveh from the Islamic State, Pope Francis Sunday offered prayers for an end to violence in the country so it can move forward on the path of hope and reconciliation.
“In these dramatic hours, I am close to the people of Iraq, in particular those from the city of Mosul,” the Pope said Oct. 23.
“Our hearts are shocked by the heinous acts of violence that for too long are being committed against innocent citizens, whether they are Muslims, Christians or whether they belong to other ethnic groups and religions,” he said, and voiced his sadness that many have been killed “in cold blood,” including children.
“In these dramatic hours, I am close to the people of Iraq, in particular those from the city of Mosul,” the Pope said Oct. 23.
“Our hearts are shocked by the heinous acts of violence that for too long are being committed against innocent citizens, whether they are Muslims, Christians or whether they belong to other ethnic groups and religions,” he said, and voiced his sadness that many have been killed “in cold blood,” including children.
Archaeologists find battle site where Romans breached Jerusalem’s walls
Archaeologists find battle site where Romans breached Jerusalem walls | The Times of Israel: Israeli archaeologists found the site of a fierce battle where the Roman army bombarded and breached the walls of Jerusalem before conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple almost 2,000 years ago, officials said Thursday.
The veins of America: Stunning map shows every river basin in the lower 48
Imgur user shows map of every river basin in the US | Daily Mail Online: A stunning new map shows the complex network of rivers and streams in the contiguous United States.
Created by Imgur user Fejetlenfej, a geographer and GIS analyst with a ‘lifelong passion for beautiful maps,’ it highlights the massive expanse of river basins across the country – in particular, those which feed the Mississippi River.
The map visualizes Strahler Stream Order Classification, the creator explains, with higher stream orders indicated as thicker lines.�
Created by Imgur user Fejetlenfej, a geographer and GIS analyst with a ‘lifelong passion for beautiful maps,’ it highlights the massive expanse of river basins across the country – in particular, those which feed the Mississippi River.
The map visualizes Strahler Stream Order Classification, the creator explains, with higher stream orders indicated as thicker lines.�
“Your son’s addiction will become a blessing to your family...”
From Addiction to Hope - Kevin Lowry: A Grateful Convert : Kevin Lowry: A Grateful ConvertLOWRY: A loud thud startled me awake from a deep sleep. Alarmed, my wife and I immediately sat up. Confused, I groped for the light switch as something heavy fell on my wife’s side of the bed. “What is it?” I asked, to no one in particular. As parents of eight children, my wife and I had been awakened in the middle of the night before. But this time, something was different.
I finally found the light switch, and leaped out of bed to find my teenage son’s limp body lying in my wife’s arms. “Are you sick? What’s the matter?” Blinking repeatedly, I strained to make sense of the sight. My wife, ever attuned to our children, was already cradling him, assessing his condition.
I finally found the light switch, and leaped out of bed to find my teenage son’s limp body lying in my wife’s arms. “Are you sick? What’s the matter?” Blinking repeatedly, I strained to make sense of the sight. My wife, ever attuned to our children, was already cradling him, assessing his condition.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: The courage to be a Christian
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: The Courage to be a Christian - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: In these dark days in which the power of secular fundamentalism appears to be on the rise and in which religious freedom seems to be imperiled, it is easy for Christians to become despondent. The clouds of radical relativism seem to obscure the light of objective truth and it can be difficult to discern any silver lining to help us illumine the future with hope. In such gloomy times the example of the martyrs can be encouraging. Those who laid down their lives for Christ and His Church in worse times than ours are beacons of light, dispelling the darkness with their baptism of blood. “Upon such sacrifices,” King Lear tells his soon to be martyred daughter Cordelia, “the gods themselves throw incense.”
The world needs Rosary champions
AngelusLOPEZ: “It would be impossible to name all the many saints who discovered in the rosary a genuine path to growth in holiness,” St. John Paul II said in his 2002 apostolic letter on the Most Holy Rosary. Father Donald Calloway, a priest with the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, the community that runs the national shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, quotes him in his new book, Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon (see here or here), in which, in over 400 pages, does his best to help readers to meet many of them. It’s a mix of history, tradition, prayer, and witness. It’s good as an intense primer for study or reminder – entreaty, really – to dip in and out of, to go deeper in prayer with Mary for the healing salvation of your own soul and the world. In an interview with Angelus, he talks about the Rosary and the book.
Pope’s Sunday Angelus: “Today is a time of mission and courage”
Pope Francis at Angelus: a time of courage in mission - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis used his remarks to pilgrims and tourists ahead of the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer to reflect on our being creatures in time, but destined for eternity with God – the uncreated author of all that is, the source of our being, and the font of truth and joy: all in the key of mission.
Drawing on the Second Reading of this XXX Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Mission Day, which was taken from the 2nd Letter of St. Paul to Timothy, Pope Francis said, “Today is a time of mission and it is time of courage: courage to strengthen tottering steps, to rediscover the delight of spending ourselves for the Gospel, to regain confidence in the strength that mission brings with itself.”
Drawing on the Second Reading of this XXX Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Mission Day, which was taken from the 2nd Letter of St. Paul to Timothy, Pope Francis said, “Today is a time of mission and it is time of courage: courage to strengthen tottering steps, to rediscover the delight of spending ourselves for the Gospel, to regain confidence in the strength that mission brings with itself.”
How to recognize and root out your hidden pride
Standing in Need of Prayer – Homily for the 30th Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: There’s an old saying that goes, “Faults in others I can see, but praise the Lord, there’s none in me.” But one is snared in sin by the very act of claiming to have no sin! In fact, it’s the biggest sin of all: pride.
In today’s Gospel, the Lord illustrates this very point in speaking to us of two men who go to the temple to pray. One man commits the greatest sin of all, pride, and leaves unjustified. The other, though a great sinner, receives the gift of justification through humility. Let’s look at what the Lord teaches us.
In today’s Gospel, the Lord illustrates this very point in speaking to us of two men who go to the temple to pray. One man commits the greatest sin of all, pride, and leaves unjustified. The other, though a great sinner, receives the gift of justification through humility. Let’s look at what the Lord teaches us.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Two weeks in the mountains can change your blood for months, scientists say
Two weeks in the mountains can change your blood for months | Science | AAAS: When Lauren Earthman signed up for a research project studying the effects of altitude on the human body, she thought she knew what to expect. It would be tough, but Earthman—a freshman at the University of Oregon in Eugene—was a competitive 1500-meter runner, after all. Then, she climbed out of the oxygen-equipped bus that had carried her to an elevation of 5260 meters in the Bolivian Andes. She felt OK—until she had to walk up a set of stairs. Suddenly, even that simple action, she says, was “immensely more difficult” than what she was expecting.
Iranian refugees in Germany are starting to become Christians
The Christian Refugees of Germany - The Atlantic: When I first met Mattias in July at a refugee shelter just north of Berlin, he went by the name Mohammed. He had arrived in Germany from Iran the previous fall, along with thousands of other asylum-seekers—sometimes up to 10,000 arrived in a single day. After the German government assigned him to this shelter, he converted to Christianity. “I wouldn’t say I was a Muslim” before, he told me. “I didn’t go to a mosque for an entire year. Now I am going to church every week.” He expects it will take about three weeks to get off his church’s waiting list to be baptized. Perhaps once he’s more settled in Germany, he’ll be able to change his name legally to Mattias, his chosen Christian name.
4 times St. John Paul II was almost killed by someone but survived...
4 Times God Miraculously Saved John Paul II from Being Killed Before His Time | ChurchPOP: Pope St. John Paul II is considered by many to be on the Church’s truly great popes. Reigning as the Vicar of Christ for more than 26 years, he died at the ripe old age of 84.
But did you know he was nearly killed at least 4 times during his lifetime?
Each time he seemingly barely survived. It’s almost as though God had more work for him to do…
But did you know he was nearly killed at least 4 times during his lifetime?
Each time he seemingly barely survived. It’s almost as though God had more work for him to do…
From Muslim to Christian: The Atlantic offers sensitive look at Berlin community
From Muslim to Christian: The Atlantic offers sensitive look at Berlin community — GetReligionDAVIS: When you share lentils and rice pilaf with people; when you attend church with them and talk to their pastor; when you pay a follow-up visit weeks later; you naturally convey a more intimate feel for your topic. This traditional wisdom of journalism is used to great effect in The Atlantic's feature on Muslim converts to Christianity in Germany.
The writer, Laura Kasinof, talks to three Iranian refugees in Berlin. She gets an overview with their pastor, a Lutheran minister, as well as an interchurch leader. She conveys the jubilant mood at a worship service. And she attempts to hint at the size of the trend of conversion, although she doesn't get comprehensive figures.
Kasinof did the story on a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Whatever the sum, it was well spent. Her article is sensitive and thoughtful, and vastly superior to a similar piece in the Daily Beast this spring. As my colleague Julia Duin said then, the Beast somehow managed to link the trend to the U.S. presidential elections. Almost like clicking a nation-level selfie.
The writer, Laura Kasinof, talks to three Iranian refugees in Berlin. She gets an overview with their pastor, a Lutheran minister, as well as an interchurch leader. She conveys the jubilant mood at a worship service. And she attempts to hint at the size of the trend of conversion, although she doesn't get comprehensive figures.
Kasinof did the story on a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Whatever the sum, it was well spent. Her article is sensitive and thoughtful, and vastly superior to a similar piece in the Daily Beast this spring. As my colleague Julia Duin said then, the Beast somehow managed to link the trend to the U.S. presidential elections. Almost like clicking a nation-level selfie.
‘Born twice’: Baby removed at 4 months for surgery, returned to womb, delivered healthy at 9 months...
Born twice: Baby removed from womb for surgery, then returned - CNN.com: Margaret Boemer went for a routine ultrasound 16 weeks into her pregnancy with her third child. She quickly found out that things were far from routine.
"They saw something on the scan, and the doctor came in and told us that there was something seriously wrong with our baby and that she had a sacrococcygeal teratoma," the Plano, Texas, mom said in an interview shared by Texas Children's Hospital. "And it was very shocking and scary, because we didn't know what that long word meant or what diagnosis that would bring."
"They saw something on the scan, and the doctor came in and told us that there was something seriously wrong with our baby and that she had a sacrococcygeal teratoma," the Plano, Texas, mom said in an interview shared by Texas Children's Hospital. "And it was very shocking and scary, because we didn't know what that long word meant or what diagnosis that would bring."
Open house: Vatican opens papal apartments at Castel Gandalfo to public
Open House: Vatican Opens Papal Summer Apartment to Public - ABC News: Now this is an open house: The Vatican on Friday opened the private apartments at the papal summer retreat to the public, giving visitors a rare look at the bed where Popes Pius XII and Paul VI died and where John Paul II recovered from an assassination attempt in 1981.
Pope Francis has declined to use the palazzo in Castel Gandolfo, preferring to spend his summer downtime at home in the Vatican hotel suite where he lives. That has meant that the 55-hectare (135-acre) estate in the Alban hills south of Rome has increasingly been opened up to the public.
Pope Francis has declined to use the palazzo in Castel Gandolfo, preferring to spend his summer downtime at home in the Vatican hotel suite where he lives. That has meant that the 55-hectare (135-acre) estate in the Alban hills south of Rome has increasingly been opened up to the public.
The 13 newly named cardinals reveal 4 priorities of the Holy Father
Pope Francis and the Conclave: Cardinals, Continuity and Innovation | Daily News | NCRegister.comDESOUZA: The most obvious aspect of the new cohort is geographical diversity, which has been the hallmark of Pope Francis’ preference for the peripheries. Eleven of the new electors are bishops of dioceses that have never had a cardinal, including Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis, as well as Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga of Bangui, Central African Republic; Archbishop Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka, Bangladesh; Archbishop Baltazar Porras Cardozo of Merida, Venezuela; and Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico. Two — Bishop Maurice Piat of Mauritius’ Port Louis and Archbishop John Ribat of Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby — come from island-nations. Three of the electors are the first cardinals from their countries
Vatican and China in final push for historic deal on bishops, says Reuters
Exclusive: Vatican and China in final push for elusive deal on bishops: Representatives from the Vatican and China are expected to meet before the end of the month in Rome in an effort to finalize a deal on the ordination of bishops on the mainland, a move aimed at ending a longstanding dispute, according to Catholic Church sources familiar with the negotiations.
The Church sources also told Reuters that China is preparing to ordain at least two new bishops before the end of the year and these appointments would have the blessing of the Vatican. A person with ties to the leadership in Beijing confirmed that these ordinations would go ahead.
The Church sources also told Reuters that China is preparing to ordain at least two new bishops before the end of the year and these appointments would have the blessing of the Vatican. A person with ties to the leadership in Beijing confirmed that these ordinations would go ahead.
Discerning a call to the priesthood? Some questions you should be asking yourself...
Discerning a Call to Priesthood? Some questions you should be asking yourself. – Homiletic & Pastoral ReviewBERG: As Catholic seminaries across the country commence a new academic year and re-engage in the crucial work of priestly formation, so too a throng of young Catholic men—some finishing high school, some in college, some into the first years of a secular career—together, with not a few older Catholic men, will find themselves discerning the possibility that they are called to the priesthood. Vocational discernment is a delicate process. Aided and guided by God’s grace, and assisted by friends, family, spiritual directors and diocesan vocation directors, it will lead many of them to the seminary, possibly as early as a year from now.
If you are in the thick of that discernment process (or if you are trying to support someone who is), here are a few key questions about sexuality and emotional maturity (also referred to as affective maturity) that you should be asking yourself and discussing with your spiritual director and—in a lesser, yet sufficiently transparent degree of self-disclosure—with your diocesan or religious vocation director as well.
If you are in the thick of that discernment process (or if you are trying to support someone who is), here are a few key questions about sexuality and emotional maturity (also referred to as affective maturity) that you should be asking yourself and discussing with your spiritual director and—in a lesser, yet sufficiently transparent degree of self-disclosure—with your diocesan or religious vocation director as well.
Richard Dawkins and the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima
Richard Dawkins And The Miracle Of Sun�|�The Wanderer NewspaperFOLEY: This month sees the 99th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, which took place on October 13, 1917, and this article will look at the “scientific” approach of people such as Richard Dawkins, to this extraordinary manifestation of the supernatural.
The first thing to say about the miracle is that was announced three months in advance to three simple children, and was seen by at least 70,000 people, who reported that the sun danced in the sky, that the color of the whole landscape changed successively, and that the sun seemed to come down toward them, to the extent that many of the crowd thought it was the end of the world.
It was also seen at a distance by various people, thus effectively ruling out any notion of hallucination.
In his book, The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins deals with the miracle of sun at Fatima in connection with the topic of religious visions — he takes a dismissive attitude toward them, categorizing them as “hallucinations.”
The first thing to say about the miracle is that was announced three months in advance to three simple children, and was seen by at least 70,000 people, who reported that the sun danced in the sky, that the color of the whole landscape changed successively, and that the sun seemed to come down toward them, to the extent that many of the crowd thought it was the end of the world.
It was also seen at a distance by various people, thus effectively ruling out any notion of hallucination.
In his book, The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins deals with the miracle of sun at Fatima in connection with the topic of religious visions — he takes a dismissive attitude toward them, categorizing them as “hallucinations.”
A Magnificent Seven: 7 wonderful quotes from the newest 7 saints
A Magnificent Seven: 7 Wonderful Quotes From The Newest 7 SaintsCLARK: Just a few days ago, in what is becoming an enduring hallmark of his papacy, Pope Francis canonized another group of men and women.
Though they all lived unique lives, they were in some ways strikingly similar. In fact, studying their lives reminds one of Aristotle’s observation that “men are good in one way, but bad in many.” These men and women were good in one way: they loved God. Let’s stop for a moment and learn more about these magnificent seven and ask for their heavenly prayers.
Though they all lived unique lives, they were in some ways strikingly similar. In fact, studying their lives reminds one of Aristotle’s observation that “men are good in one way, but bad in many.” These men and women were good in one way: they loved God. Let’s stop for a moment and learn more about these magnificent seven and ask for their heavenly prayers.
Cardinal Müller pens new book on Benedict XVI and Pope Francis
Cardinal M�ller Pens New Book on Benedict XVI and Pope Francis |Blogs | NCRegister.comPENTIN: Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has written a new book about Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.
Called Benedict and Francis, Successors of Peter in the Service of the Church, the Vatican’s doctrinal chief offers a “frank analysis and reflection” on the challenges that societies and contemporary culture pose to the Church in light of the two pontificates, according to publishers Edizioni Ares.
The book, a series of essays to be released in the coming days in Italian, covers the “role of the papacy today, the value of secularism for a Christian, the apparent dichotomy between the uniqueness of the Church founded by Jesus of Nazareth and ecumenism, and the universal call to the apostolate and to holiness amid the demands of a ‘new evangelization’.”
Called Benedict and Francis, Successors of Peter in the Service of the Church, the Vatican’s doctrinal chief offers a “frank analysis and reflection” on the challenges that societies and contemporary culture pose to the Church in light of the two pontificates, according to publishers Edizioni Ares.
The book, a series of essays to be released in the coming days in Italian, covers the “role of the papacy today, the value of secularism for a Christian, the apparent dichotomy between the uniqueness of the Church founded by Jesus of Nazareth and ecumenism, and the universal call to the apostolate and to holiness amid the demands of a ‘new evangelization’.”
In Catholic Gotham, the final show
Whispers in the Loggia: In Catholic Gotham, The Final ShowdownPALMO: Going into tonight's Al Smith Dinner, last week's Wikileaks claimed release of emails written by top aides to Hillary Clinton seeking a "Catholic Spring" and bashing church conservatives – and the fury the disclosures wrought from leading prelates (tonight's host included) – became just the latest hurdle in a relationship between the hierarchy and the Democratic nominee that, over some two decades, could be described as "difficult" or "chilly" at best.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Watch: Clinton and Trump trade jibes at New York’s Al Smith Dinner
Watch Hillary And Trump Roast Each Other At The Al Smith Dinner - Digg: A night after they faced off at the tense final debate, Hillary Clinton And Donald Trump each got an opportunity to denigrate each other at length — without the risk of being interrupted — at the 2016 Al Smith Dinner, an annual benefit for Catholic charities.
He who hates reproof is stupid...
Reproof — Catholic Beer ClubBONNER: There is a great humor as we gain days, if we are lucky enough to laugh at our constant inability to predict what the next moment may bring. It seems to me the bare option before us is to either grow embittered at our stunning incapacity to guess how things will next unfold, or instead, to give praise that we are ever being reproved by the world before us, which continually grants us the opportunity to be children once more.
Case in point: like many folks I suppose, I retroactively realize that I put far too much thought into the silly little tokens I post on social media for the world to see. Sure, I try to act like it is something blithe, off-the-cuff, a cool toss of an idea, nothing more. But secretly, I know I wonder what exactly it is that will make people read this post, or like this picture and not that one, or what all this is saying about me to others. The petty lengths we go to groom our “broadcasted selves” knows no bounds.
Case in point: like many folks I suppose, I retroactively realize that I put far too much thought into the silly little tokens I post on social media for the world to see. Sure, I try to act like it is something blithe, off-the-cuff, a cool toss of an idea, nothing more. But secretly, I know I wonder what exactly it is that will make people read this post, or like this picture and not that one, or what all this is saying about me to others. The petty lengths we go to groom our “broadcasted selves” knows no bounds.
For the culture to be healthy the Church must be the Church...
For the Culture to Be Healthy the Church Must Be the Church - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: This week I have been writing about the problems of our culture. Today I continue in that vein with a short reflection on the Church’s role, based on the animated short below. For indeed, the darkness and dysfunction of our times cannot be simply blamed on the world, the Church, too, bears a large share of the responsibility.
The video features a woman in a clock tower; it is she who keeps the clock running. As the video progresses, we see that the clock itself plays a pivotal role in keeping the world around it alive and colorful. Consider the woman as an image for the Church, and the clock as an image for our culture
The video features a woman in a clock tower; it is she who keeps the clock running. As the video progresses, we see that the clock itself plays a pivotal role in keeping the world around it alive and colorful. Consider the woman as an image for the Church, and the clock as an image for our culture
One feast day, two popes, and a remarkable Eucharistic procession in London
One feast day, two popes, and a remarkable procession | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsBOGLE: The feast-day of St. John Paul the Great is on October 22, and there will be a Blessed Sacrament procession through London on that day.
The procession is an annual event that gives thanks for the highly successful state visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. One year after that visit, it was decided to hold a procession in thanksgiving, and because it was popular it has been held every year since, making this the fifth successive year.� The procession has so far always been in October to link with the feast of Blessed John Henry Newman (October 8), who was beatified by Pope Benedict during his visit. Next year the plan is to move it to September to link with the actual date of the pope’s visit. But this year, its last in October, the procession happens to fall on the feast of St. John Paul. Which offers an excellent opportunity to see the whole thing in its context.
The procession is an annual event that gives thanks for the highly successful state visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. One year after that visit, it was decided to hold a procession in thanksgiving, and because it was popular it has been held every year since, making this the fifth successive year.� The procession has so far always been in October to link with the feast of Blessed John Henry Newman (October 8), who was beatified by Pope Benedict during his visit. Next year the plan is to move it to September to link with the actual date of the pope’s visit. But this year, its last in October, the procession happens to fall on the feast of St. John Paul. Which offers an excellent opportunity to see the whole thing in its context.
The ‘humiliating’ debate that may have led C.S. Lewis to quit apologetics
The "Humiliating" Debate that May Have Led C.S. Lewis to Quit Apologetics | ChurchPOPMILLEGAN: If you take a careful look at a list of the books C.S. Lewis authored, one thing stands out: almost all of his best apologetic works were written in the 1940s, while his famous children’s fiction series, Narnia, was written in the 1950s.
One of Lewis’ closest friends and biographers George Sayer thought he knew why: because Lewis lost a debate with Catholic philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe in 1948.
Here’s the story: In the 1940s, Lewis was on something of a roll with apologetics. With WWII raging, he published The Problem of Pain in 1940, The Screwtape Letters in 1942, The Abolition of Man in 1943, and The Great Divorce in 1945. Between 1941-1944, he gave a series of radio talks defending Christianity that were later compiled into Mere Christianity. And finally, after WWII in 1947, he published Miracles.
One of Lewis’ closest friends and biographers George Sayer thought he knew why: because Lewis lost a debate with Catholic philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe in 1948.
Here’s the story: In the 1940s, Lewis was on something of a roll with apologetics. With WWII raging, he published The Problem of Pain in 1940, The Screwtape Letters in 1942, The Abolition of Man in 1943, and The Great Divorce in 1945. Between 1941-1944, he gave a series of radio talks defending Christianity that were later compiled into Mere Christianity. And finally, after WWII in 1947, he published Miracles.
An exorcist explains how to protect yourself against demonic harassment
An Exorcist Explains How to Protect Yourself Against Demonic Harassment |Blogs | NCRegister.comARMSTRONG: The battle rages on against “the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). The devil’s main activity is tempting us to sin but that rarely rankles us. It’s when things go bump in the night that people are shaken up.
If the devil is making his presence felt, an exorcist is often called in. Cases of suspected possession first go through the bishop for a referral and an investigation, but they are rare. Demonic harassment, however, happens more frequently.
If the devil is making his presence felt, an exorcist is often called in. Cases of suspected possession first go through the bishop for a referral and an investigation, but they are rare. Demonic harassment, however, happens more frequently.
Here's a pre-election novena to the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the U.S.
Here's a pre-election novena to Mary, patroness of the US :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): With the Nov. 8 election approaching, the Knights of Columbus have released a novena addressed to Mary, the Immaculate Conception, who is the patroness of the United States.
The novena consists of nine days of prayer, starting Oct. 30 and running through Nov. 7, the eve of the election.
In 1791, America’s first bishop, John Carroll, entrusted his diocese – which was the entire country at the time – to Mary in 1791. The U.S. bishops affirmed that dedication in 1846, declaring Mary the Immaculate Conception to be patroness of the United States.
The novena consists of nine days of prayer, starting Oct. 30 and running through Nov. 7, the eve of the election.
In 1791, America’s first bishop, John Carroll, entrusted his diocese – which was the entire country at the time – to Mary in 1791. The U.S. bishops affirmed that dedication in 1846, declaring Mary the Immaculate Conception to be patroness of the United States.
How to resolve alleged Gospel contradictions
How to Resolve Alleged Gospel Contradictions: Christians have always known that the four canonical Gospels describe the same major events in Christ’s life but in different ways. For example, consider what God says at Jesus’ baptism. In Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22, God says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” But in Matthew 3:17 God says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” So which is it? Did God say, “You are my beloved son” or “This is my beloved son?”
Pope’s ‘favourite journalist’ Andrea Tornielli alleges opposition to Francis is linked to Vladimir Putin
Pope’s ‘favourite journalist’ alleges opposition to Francis is linked to Vladimir Putin – CatholicHerald.co.uk: Andrea Tornielli, who has been described as the Pope’s favourite journalist, has suggested that opposition to Francis is linked to Vladimir Putin.
Tornielli makes the suggestion in a piece co-written with Giacomo Galeazzi for the Italian newspaper La Stampa. It is headlined “Catholics who are anti-Francis but love Putin”.
The article quotes sociologist Massimo Introvigne as saying: “It is the mythical idealization of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is presented as a ‘good’ leader in contrast to the ‘bad’ leader, the Pope, because of his stance on homosexual people, Muslims and immigrants. Russian foundations that have strong ties with Putin co-operate with the anti-Francis opposition.”
Tornielli makes the suggestion in a piece co-written with Giacomo Galeazzi for the Italian newspaper La Stampa. It is headlined “Catholics who are anti-Francis but love Putin”.
The article quotes sociologist Massimo Introvigne as saying: “It is the mythical idealization of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is presented as a ‘good’ leader in contrast to the ‘bad’ leader, the Pope, because of his stance on homosexual people, Muslims and immigrants. Russian foundations that have strong ties with Putin co-operate with the anti-Francis opposition.”
Two-state solution necessary for Mideast peace, Holy See reiterates
Holy See: Two-state solution necessary for Mideast peace - Vatican Radio: The Holy See reiterated its support for a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Wednesday during a United Nations Security Council debate on the situation in the Middle East.
“If Israel and Palestine do not agree to exist side-by-side, reconciled and sovereign within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders, peace will remain a distant dream and security an illusion,” said a statement by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.
“If Israel and Palestine do not agree to exist side-by-side, reconciled and sovereign within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders, peace will remain a distant dream and security an illusion,” said a statement by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.
What will you do when the persecution comes?
What Will You Do When the Persecution Comes? - Crisis MagazineESOLEN: I know there are plenty of Catholics who are, in one way or another, looking forward to the relentless institutional persecution that is coming our way unless we surrender the One Thing Needful to the secular left, and that is the family-destroying and state-feeding beast called the Sexual Revolution, with its seven heads and ten horns and the harlot squatting atop it. As I see it, these Catholics belong to four groups.
When is mortal sin not that big a deal? The National Post debates ‘medically assisted death’
When is moral sin not that big a deal? The National Post debates 'medically assisted death' — GetReligionMATTINGLY: News stories about issues in medical ethics – take physician-assisted suicide, for example – tend to be rather complicated affairs.
Add in ultimate questions about Catholic theology and things get even more complicated. Changing the name of the procedure in question to "medically assisted death" doesn't erase the moral and doctrinal questions involved in all of this.
Thus, editors at The National Post had to know they were headed into tricky territory when working on a recent story that ran with this headline: "Catholics hoping for a funeral after assisted death face different answers from different churches." Read the following carefully – Catholic readers, especially – and see if you can spot any problems that start right at the top of this story.
Add in ultimate questions about Catholic theology and things get even more complicated. Changing the name of the procedure in question to "medically assisted death" doesn't erase the moral and doctrinal questions involved in all of this.
Thus, editors at The National Post had to know they were headed into tricky territory when working on a recent story that ran with this headline: "Catholics hoping for a funeral after assisted death face different answers from different churches." Read the following carefully – Catholic readers, especially – and see if you can spot any problems that start right at the top of this story.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
No matter who is elected president, Christ will still be King...
No Matter Who is Elected President, Christ Will Still Be King |Blogs | NCRegister.comMANN: As I prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ I am deciding how to cast my vote in accord with a properly formed conscience. I want my voting at the national, state, and local level to further the cause of Christ the King on earth, here and now: to uphold the causes of the dignity of human life, traditional marriage, and religious freedom.
After Election Day, I’ll prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe...
After Election Day, I’ll prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe...
Holy Confession can free a soul from the sin of contraception...
Holy Confession Can Free a Soul From the Sin of Contraception |Blogs | NCRegister.comMARTIGNONI: We need to continually keep our priests in prayer so that they may be bold in preaching and teaching the truth, the whole truth, that Jesus Christ has given to us through the Church that He founded on the Rock of Peter, and that they not be influenced by the culture of death in which we currently live and of which contraception is an integral part.
God’s love is a pro-creative love. He creates because He loves. Love between husband and wife should mirror God’s love. It should be a pro-creative love. When someone uses contraception, their love becomes a selfish, anti-creative love and it no longer mirrors God’s love.
God’s love is a pro-creative love. He creates because He loves. Love between husband and wife should mirror God’s love. It should be a pro-creative love. When someone uses contraception, their love becomes a selfish, anti-creative love and it no longer mirrors God’s love.
Every confession is a first confession – or at least it could be. It should be...
Unloading Onscreen: Of Film, Formation, and First Confession |Blogs | NCRegister.comBECKER: Earlier this month, Nick stopped me after Sunday Mass with a viewing tip. “Ever heard of ‘Ray Donovan’?” he asked, undoubtedly knowing in advance that I hadn’t. “It’s a crime series on Showtime – very intense, and not for family viewing at all. But there’s a confession scene in one episode that I want to talk to you about.”
Since I don’t watch any TV, I rely on others to keep me abreast of trends, and Nick’s recommendations are always worth following up. I told him I’d check it out.
The confession Nick referenced appears in the last episode of the third season. Donovan, a high-stakes “fixer,” is shown in the confessional visibly distraught, and Father Romero is across the grill, coaxing and pressing him to lay it all out there. And Ray has plenty to unload, for he’s guilty of murdering a priest — a priest that abused him and his brother when they were boys. It’s not the tidiest of confessions by a long shot, but Ray manages to blurt out his transgressions with plenty of remorse.
Since I don’t watch any TV, I rely on others to keep me abreast of trends, and Nick’s recommendations are always worth following up. I told him I’d check it out.
The confession Nick referenced appears in the last episode of the third season. Donovan, a high-stakes “fixer,” is shown in the confessional visibly distraught, and Father Romero is across the grill, coaxing and pressing him to lay it all out there. And Ray has plenty to unload, for he’s guilty of murdering a priest — a priest that abused him and his brother when they were boys. It’s not the tidiest of confessions by a long shot, but Ray manages to blurt out his transgressions with plenty of remorse.
Teen suicide is contagious, and the problem may be worse than we thought
Teen Suicide Is Contagious, and the Problem May Be Worse Than We Thought: Lucrecia Sjoerdsma knew what to watch for: the lingering moodiness, the sudden disinterest in what once brought joy. But her daughter, Riley Winters, a ninth-grader at Discovery Canyon Campus High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was always smiling—the 15-year-old used whitening strips because she loved showing off her perfect teeth. “Her smile really matched her personality,” Sjoerdsma says. A petite girl with brown hair that went just past her shoulders, Riley seemed to be a happy, goofy kid and a kind young woman who could sense when others were down and find a way to cheer them up. Riley liked hiking and rock climbing. She spoke of joining the military or becoming an archaeologist, a physical therapist or a dental hygienist. She had plenty of time to decide.
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