Keep
your eyes open!...Keep
your eyes open!...
July 30, 2005
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN IN TWO WEEKS, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Mat 10:32) So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven;
THE
GOSPEL WITHOUT COMPROMISE
The excerpt below is a chapter from the book by
Catherine
de Hueck Doherty:
The Trouble With Christians
There is no denying that I am a modern traveller. One time when I was out visiting our other houses, I travelled around the world twice according to air miles. Everywhere I went - hotels, restaurants, pubs, cocktail lounges, humble native huts, rich Italian palaces, American and European suburban homes - everywhere my impression was that there is one main topic of conversation in our day and age.
That topic is GOD.
Be He dead or alive, He preoccupies men's minds with His strange and eternal fascination. Do people deny Him? They cannot do it calmly. Do they accept Him? They accept Him often with great passion. But alas, in most instances, those who say they believe in Him are somewhat lukewarm and far from passionate in their argumentation, as if they were not quite sure of themselves. There is no dynamism, no pentecostal fire burning in them.
Yes, my deepest impression from my travels was that man's hunger for God is at its peak, but that Christians do not know how to fill this hunger. Maybe it's because they do not recognize this hunger for what it is, and thus do not realize how to fill it.
But let's face it. If the world is atheistic, if much of it has not yet heard the Good News, or if it has heard but not accepted it, then the main fault lies with us Christians who have not lived the Gospel.
We have only filled the libraries of the world with books which have more or less watered down the message of the Gospel.
Christianity has become an affair of ethical, moral behaviour.
An affair of going to church, of learning rules to make sure that one will get to heaven. The gap between the reality of the Gospel and the teaching contained in all those library volumes has reaped its harvest of damage.
My impression from travelling was that the world is crying for the Bread of Life, for the Living Waters that Christ promised - in fact, for God Himself. But Christians who possess the bread and the water do not know how to share the bread they eat. They forget that whoever eats the bread of the Lord must be truly "eaten up" by others.
Having received Love, the Christian should give love.
My impressions were that few Christians were in love with God, and fewer yet realized that He was in love with them. So the voice of those who say that "God is dead" is louder than the voice of those who say that He is alive.
We should stop talking about God and start living out the Gospel in our lives, manifesting the image of the Lord so clearly in our hearts that no one can possibly say that He is dead. We should stop worrying about theological theory and begin building among ourselves communities of love.
We live in pentecostal times. Once again the invincible love of the Holy Spirit is among us. We have only to open our hearts to it and we shall change the world. Then our own hearts will contain the fire and flame that Jesus sent to renew the earth.
When the apostles went to preach the Good News and to baptize as the Lord instructed them, they didn't have any catechetical manuals. They had the Gospel. They had the Holy Spirit. They brought the kingdom of Christ to an immense portion of the then-known world.
Why can't we modern Christians adopt the "techniques" of the apostles and of the early Christians? True, we may wind up in some prisons, prisons of rejection, ridicule and maybe even physical prisons. We may be crucified in a thousand ways, maybe even locked up in psychiatric wards as St. Francis of Assisi might be if he were alive today. But so what? The Gospel would be preached to the poor and the kingdom of God would begin at least to have a toehold in our modern world. Yes, Jesus came to cast fire on the earth. Would that this fire were enkindled in our hearts today!
MORE EXCERPTS FROM CATHERINE'S WRITINGS
Poustinia
- Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer
Not
Without Parables - Short Stories
Donkey
Bells - Advent and Christmas
Season
of Mercy - Lent and Easter
Dear
Father - A Message of Love to Priests
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
30. Take for your motto: Love has conquered me,
it alone shall possess my heart.
July 29, 2005
(Mat 13:47-48) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.
EXCERPT FATHER CANTALAMESSA ON HEAVEN'S INSURANCE
Matthew 13:44-52
Hidden Treasures and Pearls
What did Jesus want to say with the two parables of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl? More or less this: The decisive hour of history has arrived. The kingdom of God has appeared on earth!
Specifically, it's about him, and his coming on earth. The hidden treasure, the precious pearl, is none other than Jesus. It is as if, with those words, Jesus wishes to say: Salvation has come to you freely, by God's initiative, make the decision, hold firmly to it, don't let it escape. This is a time of decision.
What comes to mind is what occurred on the day World War II ended. In the city, partisans and allies opened the provisions stores left by the German army in retreat. In a flash, the news spread to the camps and all came running to get some of the goods, some returning burdened with blankets, and others with baskets full of food products.
I think, with those two parables, Jesus wanted to create a similar atmosphere. As if to say: "Run while you have time! There is a treasure freely waiting for you, a precious pearl. Don't miss the occasion." All is risked for all. The kingdom is the only thing that can save us from the greatest risk in life, which is to mistake the reason why we are in this world.
We live in a society that can't live without insurance. We insure everything. In some nations it has become a sort of mania. One can even take out insurance in case one has bad weather during vacation. The most important and frequent of all is life insurance.
But let us reflect for a moment. For whom is such insurance useful? Against what does it insure us? Against death? Certainly not! It insures that, in case of death, someone receives an indemnity.
The kingdom of heaven is also a life insurance and against death, but real insurance, which is useful not only to the one who stays behind, but also to the one who goes -- to the one who dies.
"He who believes in me, though he die, will live," said Jesus. One must also understand the radical need that a "matter" such as this poses: To sell everything; To detach oneself from everything. In other words: Be prepared, if necessary, for any sacrifice. We must work not to pay the price of the treasure or the pearl, which by definition is "priceless," but to be worthy of it.
SOBERING HEADLINES
‘America’s
Hiroshima’: America’s Date with Disaster
American
Hiroshima: Old News
Al-Qaeda
Threatens European Nations to Leave Iraq By August 15
Attacks
on UK will continue, radical cleric says
Al
Qaeda now threatens Rome. Berlusconi personally addressed
Pondering
the Chances of a Nuclear Attack
Hiroshima
Survivor Recalls Devastation
CHRISTIAN CALL FOR PRAYER AND FASTING: http://www.injesus.com/Groups/ViewMessage.cfm?MessageId=RB00720O&UCD=g3t
EXCERPT Message from Our Lady Queen of Peace for the 16th July 2005:
"My dear children, I desire you to wake up before it is too late. Many changes will have taken place one year from now. There will be many of you caught in the web of the evil one, more deeply than you realize. Others among you will be called unprepared from your earthly life. I call you, my children, into the Light and Life of My Son, Jesus.
I plead with you to hear and live My call, and to open your hearts in love, to receive the message I give you. I beg you to respond to My call as never before. Your worldly existence as you know it to be, will soon come into a great crisis.
The purification is upon you, and few of you are prepared. I weep for your safety. You will see many upheavals in the world. You will experience the climate changes more and more. There will be many abnormal calamities, throughout the world. The changes in the season’s behaviour have already begun, but will increase and intensify, floods in many parts of the world beyond normal capacity, mud slides, typhoons, earthquakes and many many other abnormal and strange happenings. You have been given the gift of Pope Benedict to fulfil the work needed to be completed, but pray, pray for him.
The Church of My Son, Jesus, is experiencing the labour pains of its purification. Many will run. Others will hide, like scattered sheep and My poor lambs whom they have permitted to stray. But, Jesus will shepherd His poor little lambs that are lost".
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
29. Love Him with all your strength, think always
of Him, let Him do with you, in you and for you, whatever He wills, and
do not be anxious about anything else.
July 28, 2005
(Isa 5:20) Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
We have, over the last several decades, removed the stigma from behavior that once was considered simply bad. Conduct that would have brought scorn 50 years ago gets little if any notice at all today.
It began with minor things, such as children calling adults by their first names rather than "Mr. or Mrs.," and in standards of dress. In 1950 a man would hardly be seen in public without a hat, now tee-shirts and cut-offs are standard. A woman then would be embarrassed to show a knee in public; now, one would be embarrassed to name what is shown in public.
The "First Tier" social standards were pretty easy to render out-dated. It took much longer to make "Second Tier" conduct, things like "shacking up" and divorce acceptable. But liberals accomplished it. And one no longer raises eyebrows to have children out of wedlock, to live together prior to marriage, or get divorced. Whether the general acceptance of these practices is good for society is certainly debatable. . . but the debate is over and we have now moved on to rendering "Third-Tier" offenses acceptable.
Third-tier offenses are those actions which were once unspeakable: things such as sado-masochism, homosexuality, and pedophilia. With cunning PR campaigns, proponents of these and similar behaviors have managed to break down traditional opposition, and have actually convinced many Americans that such conduct is somehow "normal."
This done, of course, without actually explaining what they do! This behavior, which if explained, would turn stomachs and carry an X rating at best, is given the imprimatur of social acceptance and equality with normal heterosexuality while violating every standard of good, moral, decent or healthy conduct! And while pedophilia has not yet gained the acceptance that general homosexuality has, organizations such as NAMBLA (which openly advocates adult/child sexuality) are sparing no efforts to gain culture wide approval for it as well!
Americans must understand that there are not only two options available. First, abusing any human being is unacceptable. As God’s image bearers, all people, regardless of race, age or behavior, deserve respect. But we must not accept deviant and deadly behavior as normal either! People deserve respect, bad behavior does not.
It is a sad fact that people who are overweight often face ridicule or even prejudice. Should we, in order to correct that abuse, decree that obesity is normal, ignore its harmful effects and no longer attempt to help people overcome it? To be consistent with the trends of our day, we would have to do just that.
Homosexual behavior robs the average participant of fifteen to thirty years of life yet we are told that we must accept it as good, normal, and equivalent to heterosexuality. The facts are clear: homosexuals die much younger than heterosexuals do! Anyone who tried to say that obesity is normal and is to be celebrated would be scorned, yet those who claim homosexuality is as healthy and normal as heterosexuality are called open-minded, loving and courageous.
There are multitudes of people who struggle to stop overeating, smoking, or abusing alcohol and drugs. We all know that these things are harmful and because of that harmfulness, there is a social stigma attached to them. We have gone so far as to take legal action against companies that appear to be pushing these harmful things upon the public, yet homosexual conduct is more deadly than any of them, and possibly all of them combined!
Something doesn’t add up, and it is long past time to begin dealing with the truth.
Homosexual conduct is neither normal nor healthy, but its practitioners must not be hated or abused. They should be offered hope and escape. Many have left the lifestyle for good; and to do so is wise. Jesus Christ offers an honest and gracious solution to all mankind’s sin problems, including homosexuality: Forgiveness, cleansing and victory to those who come to Him.
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA David:
You can find the book in full detail on the Internet at http://www.jesus-passion.com/DOLOROUS_PASSION_OF_OUR_LORD_JESUS_CHRIST.htm.
This is what Mel Gibson used as a source for his movie.
I would draw your attention to the below paragraph from Chapter 20. Many of us have felt that things in America started going "off the rails" sometime in the 1950s and definitely after 1960.
I have italicized that portion of this paragraph that seems to speak of the present times we are living in.
308 The tremendous explosion of oaths, curses, cries of despair, and frightful exclamations which, like a clap of thunder, burst forth when the gates of Hell were thrown open by the angels, would be difficult even to imagine; our Lord spoke first to the soul of Judas, and the angels then compelled all the demons to acknowledge and adore Jesus. They would have infinitely preferred the most frightful torments to such a humiliation; but all were obliged to submit. Many were chained down in a circle which was placed round other circles. In the centre of Hell I saw a dark and horrible-looking abyss, and into this Lucifer was cast, after being first strongly secured with chains; thick clouds of sulphurous black smoke arose from its fearful depths, and enveloped his frightful form in the dismal folds, thus effectually concealing him from every beholder.
God himself had decreed this; and I was likewise told, if I remember rightly that he will be unchained for a time fifty or sixty years before the year of Christ 2000. The dates of many other events were pointed out to me which I do not now remember; but a certain number of demons are to be let loose much earlier than Lucifer, in order to tempt men, and to serve as instruments of the divine vengeance. I should think that some must be loosened even in the present day, and others will be set free in a short time.
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
28. Your love for God must be so great that grace
may triumph over your heart and over all human respect. No more self-introspection.
Provided that the good pleasure of the Sacred Heart is accomplished, suffering
or enjoyment must be a matter of indifference to you.
July 27, 2005
(Mat 5:10-12) "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
CATHOLIC PRIEST ARRESTED ON CONVERSION CHARGE
Following the revelation in an inquiry report that the Christian population in the tribal Jhabua district in western Madhya Pradesh rose by 80 percent, a Catholic priest running a middle school has been arrested on the charge of abetting conversion to Christianity.
Father P T Thomas, director of the St Michael School, run by the Catholic mission at Jhaparda village in this district's Meghnagar tahsil was arrested yesterday under the Freedom of Religion Act.
He was released on a bail of Rs five thousand, Superintendent of Police Umesh Joga said today.
The arrest followed complaints from eight tribal parents that the school management was charging higher admission fees from non-Christians.
''The management had offered the inducement to reduce the fees if they adopted Christianity,'' the parents complained.
''Since the school management had not replied to a show cause notice within the stipulated three days, steps were being taken to cancel the school's recognition,'' said Tribal Development Assistant Commissioner B G Mehta, who is currently holding the charge of District Education Officer.
The complaint was found true during a preliminary inquiry by the Education department, Mr Joga said.
Meanwhile, VHP leader Rajendra Yadav has demanded a CBI inquiry into the activities of Christian missionaries and de-recognition of the school.
A high-level inquiry by former DGP Narendra Prasad into the frequent disputes between Christian missionaries and Hindu activists in Jhabua district revealed that the Christian population in the district had gone up by 80 percent in the past two decades.
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION IN THE HEADLINES
Persecution
Blog Calls Attention to Plight of Persecuted Christians Around the World
Christians
in Iraq Raise Fears Over New Islamic Laws
Concerns
Remain over Proposed Religion Law in Kosovo
VIETNAM:
Three fundamental causes of persecution remain
Christian
Persecutions in Asia & China Worry British Parliament
Wave
of arrests of Chinese Christians sours hope in nation's new religion regulations
ZENIT INTERVIEW: On the Plight of Catholics in Pakistan
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
Pope's
funeral singer made priest
Former
Methodist pastor breaking new ground
Sisters
serve Lord by helping poor
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Frank
Rega: Padre
Pio's Mass (Part 1 of 3)
Many pilgrims affirmed, “Finally I have heard a
true Mass!”
Important highlights from the official biography
of Padre Pio The official biography, “Padre Pio da Pietrelcina: Crocifico
senza Croce” (Crucified without a Cross), is written in Italian by Padre
Fernando da Riese Pio X.
St. Padre Pio (1887 – 1968) celebrated the traditional Latin Tridentine Mass during his entire priesthood. The first stigmatized Catholic priest, he bore the stigmata for 50 years.
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
27. The love of creatures is as poison in your
heart and destroys the love of Jesus Christ. If you seek the esteem of
creatures and try to insinuate yourself into their good graces, you will
lose those of the Sacred Heart. You will be deprived of Its treasures in
proportion as you enrich yourself with created things.
July 26, 2005
SUPREME COURT NOMINEE JOHN ROBERTS' CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Focus
on the Family: By now you've heard the news -- President Bush has nominated
Circuit Judge John G. Roberts to replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor
on the U.S. Supreme Court. This is encouraging news to those of us tired
of the federal bench being overrun with judicial activists who believe
their job is to make new law, not interpret existing law in light of the
Constitution.
Judge Roberts is, by most accounts, no such activist. He appears to be what current Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia calls an "originalist" -- a judge who will interpret the Constitution faithfully and respect the limits of his own power. That has liberal special-interest groups -- and leading liberal senators like Charles Schumer, Ted Kennedy, Patrick Leahy, Harry Reid and Richard Durbin -- already making noise about derailing his nomination.
These left-of-center voices don't care that Judge Roberts seems well qualified for the honor President Bush has bestowed upon him. He has clerked for the current chief justice, served as a deputy U.S. solicitor general, worked as an associate counsel in the Reagan White House and argued more than three dozen cases before the high court. In each of these endeavors, as well as in his work as a private-practice attorney, he has demonstrated the legal acumen, judicial temperament and personal integrity necessary to be a Supreme Court justice.
Of course, no one can discern with perfect accuracy what lies in the heart - and specifically the philosophy and beliefs - of this nominee. It will not be until future decisions are handed down by the Supreme Court that the ideology of this man, if confirmed, will become evident. We're all aware of the tragic consequences that have resulted from the David Souter appointment by President George H.W. Bush, who believed at the time that Souter was a social conservative. He has turned out to be a radical liberal who has done great damage to this country. I know Souter has been a source of great embarrassment to former President Bush, who thought he knew the man but didn't. Unfortunately, the extremely liberal influences of Washington, D.C., when combined with a position of enormous power, can often change a person for the worse. That is why we need to be in prayer that Judge Roberts' true colors will become apparent before a final confirmation decision is reached. For right now, however, the man looks good.
Will the U.S. senators who will ultimately vote to approve or reject Judge Roberts' nomination focus on his qualifications -- or on the demonizing labels the left is smearing him with? That could in large part depend on what senators hear from you -- their constituents.
Won't you please take a moment to contact your state's two U.S. senators and urge them to make sure Judge Roberts receives what the Constitution guarantees him: a full, fair hearing and an up-or-down confirmation vote? To reach your senators by phone, call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. To send a follow-up e-mail, visit the Action Center at our CitizenLink Web site.
Let me also invite you to tune in to our daily radio broadcast on Tuesday, July 26, when I will discuss the nomination of Judge Roberts with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins and Princeton University law professor Robert George. To find a station in your area that carries the show, please visit our Web site.
RELATED: Abortion looms as key issue in Roberts' confirmation battle
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
26. Since in His mercy, He has consecrated me to
His love and to His glory, I care not in what manner He treats me. Provided
He is satisfied, I am content. Whether He raises me up or casts me down,
consoles or afflicts me, it is all the same to me, as long as His good
pleasure is fulfilled.
July 22, 2005
(John 20:23) Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
MARY MAGDALEN, PATRON SAINT OF PENITENT SINNERS, PRAY FOR US!
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Ronald
Smith: Official teachings of Holy Church regarding the Sacrament of
Penance and Venial Sins
From the Code of Canon Law: “#2: It is to be recommended to the Christian faithful that venial sins also be confessed.”
From the Catholic Encyclopedia: “Catholics are urged to confess their sins to a priest in the sacrament of Penance frequently as a way of growing in holiness and virtue. Even if penitents are conscience of only venial sin, they should still have recourse to the sacrament of Penance, because it is the ordinary means of obtaining God's merciful forgiveness for any sins committed after Baptism.”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with Him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God's forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.”
“From that time on (7th century), the sacrament (Penance) has been performed in secret between penitent and priest. This new practice envisioned the possibility of repetition and so opened the way to a regular frequenting of this sacrament. It allows the forgiveness of grave sins and venial sins to be integrated into one sacramental celebration. In its main lines this is the form of penance that the Church has permitted down to our day.”
“Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.”
“Priests must encourage the faithful to come to the sacrament of Penance and must make themselves available to celebrate this sacrament each time Christians reasonably ask for it.”
“The priest is the sign and the instrument of God's merciful love for the sinner.”
“The confessor is not the master of God's forgiveness, but its servant. The minister of this sacrament should unite himself to the intention and charity of Christ.”
“It must be recalled that…this reconciliation with God leads, as it were, to other reconciliations, which repair the other breaches caused by sin. The forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being, where he regains his innermost truth. He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounded. He is reconciled with the Church. He is reconciled with all creation.”
From Catholicism for Dummies: “Venial sins may be and are encouraged to be confessed, but all mortal sins must be (confessed).” “Any and all venial sins committed since the last confession may be and are encouraged to be confessed as well (as mortal sins).”
From The Faith of Our Fathers: “My (James Cardinal Gibbons) experience is that the confessional is the most powerful lever ever erected by a merciful God for raising men from the mire of sin. It has more weight in withdrawing people from vice than even the pulpit. In public sermons we scatter the seed of the Word of God; in the confessional we reap the harvest. In sermons, to use a military phrase, the fire is at random, but in confession it is a dead shot. The words of the priest go home to the heart of the penitent. In a public discourse the Priest addresses all in general, and his words of admonition may be applicable to very few of his hearers. But his words spoken in the confessional are directed exclusively to the penitent, whose heart is open to receive the word of God. The confessor exhorts the penitent according to his spiritual wants. He cautions him against the frequentation of dangerous company and other occasions of sin, or he recommends special practices of piety suited to the penitent's wants.”
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
22. Our Lord loves you and wishes to see you advance
with great speed in the way of His love, however crucifying to nature.
Therefore, do not bargain with Him, but give Him all, and you will find
all in His divine Heart.
July 21, 2005
ACTION ALERT: http://www.townhall.com/action/ProtectOurConstitution4.html
(Mat 26:26-28) Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Nadine:
Your Best Way to Offer Mass!
By the late Father Kilian McGowan, C.P.
In his encyclical on the sacred liturgy, "Mediator Dei", Pope Pius XII wrote that our participation in the Sacrifice of the Mass is "our principal duty and the highest dignity" as a Christian. Vatican Council stated that this participation should be done intelligently-consciously-fully and actively.
All are now aware that the Council's "Constitution on the Liturgy" has encouraged the greatest possible participation of the laity in the liturgy as the first and indispensable source of the Christian spirit.
The essential disposition at Mass is the same as it always was..and that is..to be united as closely as possible with the Heart of Christ, Priest, and Victim, in the offering of this gift to God.
To appreciate the best manner of attending Mass, we must recall exactly what the Sacrifice of the Mass is. It is a renewal and representation of the most perfect gift God ever received from our human nature-the infinitely pleasing sacrifice God's own Son made Himself on Calvary. This sacrifice perfectly paid off debts of adoration, thanksgiving, petition and reparation owed to God by mankind.
Our Blessed Lord offered this supreme sacrifice in our name and as Head of the Mystical Body of which we are the members. Therefore, the loving obedience present in the Heart of our Infinite Priest and Divine Victim becomes, in some manner, our own to offer to God.
What, therefore, should our disposition be at Mass? Pope Pius XI answers that question in another encyclical "Miserentissimus Redemptor": "In the degree to which our oblation and sacrifice will more perfectly correspond to the Sacrifice of the Lord...so much the more plentiful fruit of propitiation and expiation will we gain for ourselves and others."
To correspond to the sacrifice of the Lord means to seek the dispositions of Christ on Calvary. To offer Mass more perfectly means to approach this sacrifice with an ever-deepening likeness to the Son of God. For God looks not only upon His Well-Beloved Son...nor to you alone, but rather He wishes to see One Christ offering Himself!
This fact re-stresses what has been said so often in this book...the supreme importance of being in contact with our Lord in every phase of our Christian lives. This is true above all of the Mass.
It is true to say that on Calvary our Blessed Lord summed up His entire life in one supreme act of self-sacrificing love. Everything that God ever wanted or demanded form mankind was given Him that first Good Friday. And it happens again at every Mass. Is it any wonder that the people of God are expected to play a personal part in this daily drama?
This also explains why we priests are so concerned over the so-called Catholic who is indifferent to the Mass. To turn our backs on the Mass is to turn our hearts away from Calvary. To ignore the Christ of Calvary is to throw away our hope for eternal salvation. To be indifferent to the Mass means we are indifferent to Christ Himself!
VIA Father Bill: I can personally tell you that as a priest, one receives great graces when she or he visits the Most Blessed Sacrament. When we are there Our Blessed Lord Jesus is so very happy to see us that He often dispense great graces of Mercy and Love and if you listen closely with your spiritual heart, you will hear some wondrous talks between two close friends, Jesus and the soul. I can speak from personal experience. He is personally interested in EVERY soul, who takes time to visit Him, whenever he or she can.
For priests and all the clergy, actually, Our Blessed Lord clarifies the things he learns in seminary. Our Lord is a great professor, explaining to him the great graces of His Divine Passion and how to combat the devil, and even lectures on the nature of the unseen spirits, we either call angels or demons.
It is from Our Blessed Lord that I receive the best material for sermons, homilies, and retreats, that speak to that terrible hunger that Catholics suffer.
But the best thing I am beginning to learn is the privilege of keeping Our Blessed Lord company and the valuable lessons he gives to those, who alleviate the suffering He experiences while alone in the tabernacle. He is the strength of those who come for help in carrying one's cross with Jesus.
For me, He often uses the term, "Where are My Simons, Father, where are My Simons.
RELATED: The Cosmic Dimension of the Eucharist
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
21. It is attachment to creatures and to self-satisfaction
that weakens the blessing of love in your heart. You must die to
all that, if you wish the pure love of God to reign therein.
July 20, 2005
(Rev 3:14-16) "And to the angel of the church in La-odice'a write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth".
CATHOLICS ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ROOM FOR MASS IN A MATERIAL WORLD
Roman Catholic families feel in danger of being swept away by a “tide of materialism” and want the Church to do more to counter it, according to a report today.
Families are under increasing pressure from the “work ethic” and the treadmill of exams and assessments at their children’s schools. Many end up too tired to go to Mass.
The report paints a picture of religiously active families under pressures from increasing consumer and other demands. Some criticised the Church for its lack of awareness of the reality of modern life.
The Listening 2004 survey of 15,000 families by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales represents the first part of a three-year plan to make parishes more welcoming and supportive of the family.
The 90-page report, Not Easy but Full of Meaning, is intended to help the Church to understand better the spiritual dimension of family life and the role of parents and grandparents in passing on the faith. It illustrates the complexity of issues facing families.
The Right Rev John Hine, an auxiliary bishop in Southwark who chairs the Church’s marriage and family life committee, said: “Despite the fact that families described their biggest blessing as their time spent together, hardly anyone talked about God’s presence in that togetherness. Perhaps as a Church we should address this together.”
RELATED: Phoenix Bishop says "No Sunday Shopping" - A Wedge Issue in the Culture Wars
SEE ALSO: Sundays no longer day of rest
HOMILY BY FATHER ALTIER: Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath
CHRISTIANS CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THE EUCHARIST, SAYS ARCHBISHOP ANTONINI
Christians cannot live without the Eucharist, Vatican ambassador to Zambia Archbishop Orlando Antonini has said.
Closing the National Eucharistic Congress 2005 at the Pope Square yesterday, Archbishop Antonini said the Eucharist was a public worship, a solemn thanksgiving of the Church to God expressed through the offering of the best gifts people could give him.
He said it was understandable why the Catholic Church surrounded the sacrament of the Eucharist with all the precautions, rules and cares.
"In the early centuries of Christianity, the Eucharist was even celebrated in an almost secret way. It was not only because of the persecutions. No. The ancient Eucharistic meetings were celebrated in a reserved way first of all because of respect for the sacrament," he said.
He said today, Eucharist discipline was not so severe but it did not mean that the celebrations could be banalised.
Archbishop Antonini said that was why people were reminded in time and out of time not to receive communion or celebrate Holy Mass in a casual way and in any case never without being in the state of grace and without sacramental confession in case of mortal sin.
POPE BENEDICT XVI: "I ask everyone to intensify in coming months love and devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus and to express in a courageous way the Real Presence of the Lord. Only there will we find the strength to persevere and be joyful in our defense of human life at any cost".
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
20. Taking your heart, as it were, in your hands,
offer and consecrate it to our Lord, that He may be forever the sole Owner
thereof, that He may reign therein absolutely and may teach you to love
Him perfectly.
July 19, 2005
(2 Tim 3:1) But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days.
A FLURRY OF SUICIDE BOMBING SHAKES IRAQ
Another rash of suicide bombings swept across Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least eight people, as the number of casualties from a suicide attack Saturday night south of Baghdad that torched a Shiite mosque and a crowded open-air market climbed to 71 dead and 156 wounded, officials said.
In the worst attack on Sunday, a suicide car bomb exploded at a Baghdad checkpoint manned by Interior Ministry commandos, killing three commandos and wounding 10 civilians, a ministry official said.
A surge of suicide attacks, most involving car bombs, has terrorized greater Baghdad during the last eight days and seemingly confounded Iraqi security forces and the American-backed military coalition, which has been trying to figure out how to effectively undermine the insurgents' use of such a weapon.
No obvious pattern has appeared in the attacks except that, like the scores of others that have made suicide bombs a prominent, gruesome feature of this war, they have often target Shiites in large numbers or Iraqi and international security forces. The wave of attacks comes several weeks after U.S. authorities trumpeted what they said was a successful campaign to severely reduce the ability of insurgents to launch attacks in the capital — timing that suggests that the bombings may be a response to the claims of the American command.
RELATED: AL-QAEDA: WE'LL RULE BAGHDAD BY TERROR
LATEST: Gunmen Kill at Least 24 in Iraq Monday
TheFactIs.org EDITORIAL: Truths About Terrorism
VIA Zenit: What Makes Terrorists Tick
POPE DEPLORES MURDER OF BISHOP IN KENYA
Pope Benedict said on Saturday that he was deeply saddened by the murder of an Italian missionary in Kenya's lawless north this week and prayed that the peace and reconciliation he sought would soon come about.
The pope did not, however, comment on the possible motives behind the murder of Bishop Luigi Locati, 77, in the town of Isioli, north of Nairobi.
"The Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Bishop Luigi Locati and he extends his heartfelt condolences," said the telegramme sent by the Vatican's secretary of state to the Holy See's ambassador to Kenya.
Locati was attacked on Thursday night as he returned home from a pastoral centre. His death followed a week of clan violence in the lawless Marsabit district near the Ethiopian border in which 75 people were killed.
But there have been mixed opinions over whether the killing of the well-known bishop was connected to the unrest.
RELATED: Bishop confided in sister that his life was threatened
LINK: Father Cantalamessa, Pontifical Household Preacher, on Sunday's Gospel- On True Patience
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
19. Do everything through love and for love, making
good use of the present moment, and do not be anxious about the future.
July 15, 2005
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Phi 4:6-7) Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
OUR
LADY of MOUNT CARMEL
THE
SCAPULAR of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
LITANY
OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
FROM THE MAIBAG
VIA Ma. Evelyn
Ambrosio: Please pray for the Philippines, for economic recovery and
moral reformation. Let us pray for a better future for the future generation.
Kindly read the article by Fr. Reuter. Its really simple, as suggested
by Fr. Reuter, we're launching an email prayer brigade.
KINDLY INCLUDE FIVE MINUTES OF PRAYER FOR THE PHILIPPINES IN YOUR DAILY INDIVIDUAL AND YOUR CORPORATE PRAYERS. PASS THE EMAIL ON TO EVERY FILIPINO IN YOUR DIRECTORY AND TO YOUR E-GROUPS. WE NEED ALL THE HEAVENLY HELP WE CAN GET! GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES
by Father James Reuter, S.J.
The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. But not even two people revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward.
We need a force far greater than our collective
efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle
to the spiritual realm. It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of
the land for His people. It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees
to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation.
Is prayer really the answer?
Before you dismiss this as just another rambling
of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean
from history.
England's ascendancy to world power was preceded
by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fuelled by intense prayers. The
early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most
powerful nation today - a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer
life.
Throughout its history, and especially at its
major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across
the land.
In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.
Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity.
YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope.
Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to foward this email to your close friends and relatives. This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center.
We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on GOD's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children. GOD bless and GOD save our country (from stupid and corrupt politicians)!
"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14).
"I expect to pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow
creature, let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not
pass this way again." --
Stephen Grellet, Quaker clergyman (1773-1855)
Remember: 'Anything not worth dying for is not worth living for'. Live each day of your life for Jesus!
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
15. If we love this sovereign Good and forget ourselves,
all will be well.
July 14, 2005
(Luke 21:24-25) And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captives into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles till the times of the nations be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea, and of the waves:
ISRAEL TO PASS U.S. AS BIGGEST JEWISH COMMUNITY
Israel will by next year become home to the largest Jewish community in the world for the first time, surpassing the Jewish population in the United States, a think tank said on Tuesday.
Not for nearly 2,000 years has the Holy Land been home to the globe's biggest Jewish community.
The report from the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute said the Jewish population of Israel was about 5.24 million and of the United States some 5.28 million, but the balance was shifting quickly.
Although immigration to Israel has dropped, especially since a Palestinian uprising blew up in 2000, the birth rate of Israeli Jews is much higher than abroad -- each woman has an average of up to 2.7 children.
There are also fewer marriages between Jews and non-Jews in Israel than in communities abroad.
The last time this region was home to the world's largest Jewish community was in the 1st century, when the Romans put down a rebellion and much of the Jewish population scattered.
RELATED: Record number of North American Jews move to Israel on single day
HURRICANE EMILY POUNDS WINDWARD ISLANDS
Hurricane Emily pounded Grenada early Thursday, packing sustained winds of about 90 mph.
"They took a major portion of the brunt of the storm," said Trisha Wallace, a forecaster with the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The storm was heading west, and a tropical storm watch was in effect for Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, which Wallace said could expect heavy rain. According to the current forecast track, the storm could hit the southern coast of Texas by early next week.
The struggle to recover from last year's Hurricane Ivan had prevented Grenada from thoroughly preparing for this year's hurricane season. Amid a shortage of construction supplies, many islanders still have no roofs and some children are still taught under tarps.
"If the situation gets worse then I'll have to go to the shelter but meantime I'll stick to my prayers," said Winston St. Bernard, 51.
Emily trails Hurricane Dennis, which destroyed crops and killed at least 25 people in Haiti and 16 in Cuba last week, according to authorities in the two countries.
Emily's formation late Monday was the earliest date on record for five named storms to develop, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.
NATURE'S GROANING IN THE HEADLINES
Panhandle
Assesses Damage
Mexican
volcano rumbles to life once more
Shiveluch
volcano becomes active in Kamchatka
Alert
upgrade for Indonesian volcano
Quake
shakes northwestern Iran
Moderate
quake shakes northern Japan
(Rom 8:22-23) We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
14. Assuredly there is no one in the world who
would not receive every kind of help from Heaven, if he had a truly grateful
love for Jesus Christ, such as that which is shown by devotion to His Sacred
Heart.
July 13, 2005
(1Pe 5:8-9) Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.
PONTIFICAL ACADEMY REGINA APOSTOLORUM'S COURSE TO COMBAT SATANISM
To help combat youths' interest in Satanism, a Vatican-recognized university in Rome is offering a follow-up course to an introductory one on exorcism given earlier this year.
Pontifical Academy Regina Apostolorum's new course, which begins in October, will explore biblical, theological, historical and legal aspects of Satanism.
The university said fascination with Satanism was on the upswing and priests needed "solid preparation" on it. Exorcists will give the last lesson in February.
"Some recent crime episodes must represent the alarm bell to take seriously a problem that's still too underestimated," said the university, run by the conservative Legionaries of Christ.
When the first course began, Italy was gripped by a gruesome investigation of ritual Satanic deaths of three people near Milan, including a 19-year-old allegedly stabbed to death because her killers believed she personified the Virgin Mary. Two rock band members were later convicted of murder.
In recent years, police have discovered sites in the hill towns outside Rome where they say Satanic cult followers hold Black Masses.
ARTICLE BY FR. CORAPI: Angels and Demons - Facts not Fiction
FRUITS OF DEMONIC OBSESSION IN THE HEADLINES
Murder
Defendant Says Victim Told Her He Had Pact With Satan
Child
sex on the rise in South Africa
Suicide
bomb kills three in Israeli city
Spain
approves fast-track divorce
SF
Archdiocese Settles Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Suspect
in Dutch filmmaker's murder makes dramatic court room confession
EXCERPT HOMILY BY FATHER ALTIER: "We need desperately to continue to pray and to continue to offer our sufferings and sacrifices to the Lord. It is the only way. The devil right now has such a hold on the people of this world that our only hope for being able to snatch them from the hands of Satan is going to be through prayer and sacrifice. There are many who are willing to do so, yet when we look at the whole world, it is hardly a handful by comparison. God needs generous souls and He needs them desperately. We can be guaranteed if we are willing to offer up those sacrifices to the Lord that we will see extraordinary things happening, that we will know there are graces being brought to this world and there are souls who are being touched and converted. Even if things continue to go the wrong way on the large scale, we can be guaranteed that God's grace is working in the lives of individuals to save their souls. That may be at the last moment of their life as they are dying, to get turned around, it may be in some other circumstance, and it may well be people that we do not even know. It does not matter. All that matters is that we have the faith, the confidence, and the trust that the Lord is going to accept what we offer Him and that He will apply it where it is most needed. So we need to do our part".
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
13. Why do we not burn with the divine fire which
He has come to enkindle on earth! We ought ot be consumed therein. To love
and be consumed by this sacred fire will be my constant endeavor.
July 12, 2005
TERRORISM: VATICAN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
"Joint international efforts" are needed in the face of the aggressive terrorist onslaught according to the Vatican's UN delegate during talks on illegal arms trading in New York. According to Bishop Celestino Migliore the fight against "terrorism, organised crime and human trafficking" requires a common approach. Apart from "illegal arms trading, we should be looking into the causes of such demand". What's needed is a concerted effort aimed at "establishing the culture of peace". The Vatican also highlights to human rights side of conflicts and the need to "safeguard child-soldiers". This requires "long-term strategies" and "investments towards prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding". The Vatican also emphasised its open support of "a binding international arms trade convention".
MORE FROM THE VATICAN
Vatican:
Punish Clients of Prostitution
Pope's
hand seen in CBCP declaration
Pope
Benedict urges prayers for London bombers
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Jim McCrea:
Darwinian Evolution Incompatible with Catholic Faith says Cardinal and
Author of Catholic Catechism
(LifeSiteNews.com) – On July 7, after years of media-generated confusion, Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, a theologian who helped author the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, wrote in the New York Times clarifying the Church’s understanding of human origins.
Since 1996, the world’s secular media have claimed that Pope John Paul II endorsed Darwinian evolution as being “more than a hypothesis.” The remark, taken out of context, established in some minds that the Catholic Church was ready to abandon its adherence to the notion of a personal God who created life, the universe and everything.
In his article, Schonborn said, that the “defenders of neo-Darwinian dogma have often invoked the supposed acceptance - or at least acquiescence - of the Roman Catholic Church when they defend their theory as somehow compatible with Christian faith.” “This,” the Cardinal says bluntly, “is not true.” Schonborn unequivocally establishes that the Catholic Church does not endorse Darwinism. “Evolution in the sense of common ancestry might be true, but evolution in the neo-Darwinian sense - an unguided, unplanned process of random variation and natural selection - is not.” Cardinal Schonborn, a close associate of both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, continued, saying, “Any system of thought that denies or seeks to explain away the overwhelming evidence for design in biology is ideology, not science.”
As early as 1950, Pope Pius XII wrote that it is Catholics teaching that all human beings in some way are biologically descended from a first man, Adam. “The faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains that either after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all,” Pius wrote in his encyclical Humani Generis.
Cardinal Schonborn’s full essay: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/07/opinion/07schonborn.html?incamp=article_popular_5&oref=login
WORLD'S OLDEST PRIEST REGAINS SIGHT AND GETS A SECOND WORLD RECORD
The world’s oldest priest is about to gain a second world record after undergoing an operation to regain his sight, a media report said on Monday.
Father Nicolaus Kao Se Tseien, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest Catholic priest, will be recognised shortly as the oldest man to have a cataract operation.
Since regaining his sight after the operation in May, sprightly 108-year old Father Kao gleeful told the South China Morning Post: ”My legs have not got enough strength to walk, but I can see clearly now. I can read the Bible and all the good books now. It is great.” He told the female newspaper reporter interviewing him: “You are beautiful.”
Born in Fuzhou, on China’s east coast on January 15, 1897, Father Kao said his tips for a long life were “don’t smoke, eat less and exercise more”.
He studied at a Catholic school, joined the priesthood at 18 and was a missionary for 40 years in Taiwan, Malaysia and China. He arrived in Hong Kong in 1973 to join the Trappist Monastery on Lantau Island.
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
12. Grant, O my God, that throughout my life, I
may love Thee with true, ardent and persevering love.
July 9, 2005
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE DENNIS.
ZENIT: Father John Corapi on the Eucharist and Benedict XVI
GOSPEL COMMENTARY: Tilling Souls By Fr. Paul Scalia
MATTHEW 10:7-15: Homily by Father Altier
FROM THE MAILBAG
Reflection by Father
Ted:
My dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting us to come to You. You did this in a most special way yesterday, as You spoke to us in the Gospel.
You want us to come to You so that You can reveal to us the depth of the Father’s love for us.
You know how much He loves us.
He made us.
Yet how often do we fail to realize just how great His love is.
So You exhort us - "Come to me, you who labor and are burdened."
You say - "Come to Me ... and I will give you rest."
When we come to You, as You exhort us, we begin to experience that awesome truth – My God, You do love me!
My God, I am Your beloved child!
My God, You created me because You want me to share life with You.
You have given to me a portion of Your life so that I can really enjoy life.
I do want to live life to the fullest, Lord.
Yet so often I do not realize that I can only do this when I surrender myself to Your Way.
I need to listen to You, Jesus, as You call out to me - just as You did so clearly yesterday - "Come to Me [ Yes, come to Me, my little child] .. and I will give you rest."
And yet, isn’t the truth - You call out to me every day?
You call out.
But do I hear You?
You call.
But do I listen to You?
Help me, once again, to not only hear You, but to also listen to You.
Help me to do what You ask of me.
Help me to accept Your help.
For with Your help I can become that fulfilled person that You and the Father created.
Thank You, for having created me. Thank You, for having called me. Thank You for having given to me Your very life.
I am Your most beloved child! Alleluia!
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
9. You ask me for some short prayer by which to
testify your love for God. I know of and consider nothing more efficacious
than this same love, for when one loves, everything speaks of love, even
our most absorbing occupations can be a proof of our love. Love then-
as St. Augustine says- and do what you will.
July 8, 2005
(2Ti 3:1) Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times.
LONDON BOMBS: POPE BENEDICT XVI PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF ATTACKS
Pope Benedict XVI has condemed the attacks in London during the Thursday morning rush hour, describing them as inhuman. A telegram sent from the Holy See to the archbishop of Westminister, Murphy O'Connor, said that the pope is deeply saddened by the news of the attacks in central London, which are so far confirmed to have killed at least two people.
The telegram, signed by the Vatican secretary of state, cardinal Angelo Sodana, and addressed to O'Connor, stated: "The Holy Father offers fervent prayers for the victims and for all those who mourn. While he deplores these barbaric acts against humanity, he asks you to convey to the families of the injured his spiritual closeness at this time of grief."
RELATED RESPONSES
Muslim,
Christian and Jewish leaders condemn attacks
Terrorist
attack: a joint statement from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
and The Muslim Council of Britain
Masses,
prayer vigils scheduled across Britain for bombing victims
MORE "JIHAD" IN THE HEADLINES
Egypt's
Iraq envoy murdered, Zarqawi group claims killing
Analysis:
War declared on Britain
Taliban
threatens to kill U.S. commando hostage
VATICAN- CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT ABORTION RIGHTS
The Vatican on Thursday said too many Roman Catholics were not taking their religion seriously and that those faithful who receive communion and still support abortion rights were behaving scandalously.
In an 88-page working document for a synod of bishops to be held in October, the Vatican also decried dwindling attendance at Sunday Mass and reaffirmed a rule that Catholics who divorce and remarry outside the Church cannot take communion.
The document on the theme of the Eucharist said many Catholics had lost the sense of the sacred surrounding communion, which the Church teaches becomes the body and blood of Christ during the Mass.
Some Catholics say they personally would not have an abortion but, in pluralistic societies such as the United States, feel obliged to support a woman's right to choose.
But the Church, which teaches that life begins at the moment of conception and that abortion is murder, says Catholics cannot have it both ways.
The document lamented what it called "a crisis in the meaning of belonging to the Church" and an inadequate understanding of the Catholic teaching that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is real and not symbolic.
It said an increasingly secularised society had weakened the sense of mystery in the sacrament of communion. Too few Catholics were approaching communion with the "fear and trembling" that the true presence of God warranted.
It also listed a series of other "deficiencies and shadows" related to communion, lamenting that too many Catholics were taking the sacrament while they were in a state of sin because they had not gone to confession first.
"The faithful frequently receive Holy Communion without even thinking that they might be in state of mortal sin," it said.
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
8. As it is love alone which produces in us the
desire of conformity with our Sovereign Master, we can only attain to this
conformity by loving Him supremely.
July 7, 2005
(Mat 5:14-16) You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
POPE TELLS MADRID TO BE BEARERS OF THE GOSPEL
Benedict XVI this past weekend received a group of pilgrims from the archdiocese of Madrid, Spain, accompanied by their archbishop, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, and his auxiliaries. The visit marked the close of the third diocesan synod the theme of which was: "The transmission of faith, lived and practiced in communion with the Church."
The Pope pointed out how during the synod assembly "the ecclesial community became conscious of being a 'family in faith'," and a "symbol of unity for all society. It is a Catholic community, and Catholic means precisely that it is an open gathering, repository of a universal message destined for all human beings. ... This Catholic community today makes its pilgrimage to Rome as a sign of communion with Peter's Successor and, consequently, with the Universal Church."
"In a society thirsting for true human values and suffering so many divisions and fractures, the community of believers must become bearers of the light of the Gospel, in the certainty that charity is, in the first instance, the communication of truth."
He went on: "To this end, the Church in Madrid wishes to be present in all areas of daily life, ... because the Spirit impels us to bring to all men and women the love that God the Father showed us in Jesus Christ. ... We must go to the confines of society in order to bring to everyone the light of Christ's message on the meaning of life, of family and of society, reaching those people who live in the desert of abandonment and poverty and loving them with the love of the Risen Christ."
"Following the guidelines of the synod," he concluded, "seek to nourish yourselves spiritually with prayer and with an intense sacramental life; deepen your personal knowledge of Christ and walk with all your strength towards sanctity, 'the highest level of Christian life' as the beloved John Paul II used to say."
VATICAN REACHES OUT
Vatican
says it hopes to normalize diplomatic relations with Vietnam
Bahrain
is praised by Vatican
Pope
supports Zimbabwe bishops
Chinese
Catholics get new bishop
Pope
to Say Prayers in Hebrew at Synagogue
Pope
Accepts Invitation to Visit Israel
Pope
Urges the G8 On Poverty Eradication
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
7. If we wish to have the love of the divine Heart
as our guest, we must empty and detach our heart from its affection for
creatures and for ourselves.
July 6, 2005
(Mat 9:36-38) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
AFTER JOHN PAUL, MORE POLES SEEK PRIESTHOOD
Poles already make up a quarter of Europe's Roman Catholic clergy and interest in vocation for the priesthood is on the rise after the death of compatriot Pope John Paul, church officials said on Monday.
John Paul's death three months ago sparked an unprecedented emotional outpouring in Poland, with millions drawn to the church for prayers for Karol Wojtyla, a man credited with inspiring the peaceful revolution that toppled communism.
Daily Gazeta Wyborcza reported that in some dioceses twice as many students were interested in studying for the priesthood than a year ago.
"This year's recruitment is not yet finished but we already see much higher interest," Father Andrzej Szcieszko, head of the Lodz seminary in central Poland, told Reuters.
"Surely this is linked to the death of Pope John Paul. Through his death we have been endowed with Divine Grace and we should pray for these young boys."
Gazeta said about 1,400 Poles started in priesthood seminaries last year, the second highest figure in Europe after Ukraine, a predominantly Orthodox country with a large Catholic minority.
OF INTEREST: Reports: John Paul wrote letter to gunman
RELATED: The case for sainthood
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
6. Never forget Him Who died for love of you. You
will only love Him in so far as you know how to suffer in silence, preferring
Him to creatures and eternity to time.
July 1, 2005
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Eze 28:6-8) ...therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you consider yourself as wise as a god, therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you, the most terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. They shall thrust you down into the Pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas.
MAD SCIENTIST FEVER?
Deep
Impact From NASA Closing In On Comet
Sperm
and Eggs To Order? Stem Cells May Make it Possible
France
will be the first experimenting with nuclear fusion reactor
Seed
of extinct date palm sprouts after 2,000 years
U.S.
to resume plutonium production
Better
Eating Through Nanotech
Human
Cloning Possible at Any Time
ACTION ALERT VIA PRIESTS FOR LIFE: We need as many pro-lifers as possible to contact the White House about the new Supreme Court vacancy. Please call the White House Comment Line at (202) 456-1111 and tell President Bush that you strongly agree with his view that Justices on the Court should not write law, but apply it. You may also contact the President via e-mail at [email protected] or by fax at 202-456-2461. Because time is of the essence, it is best to use one or more of these methods of communication, as mail will likely be too late to have a serious impact on the decision. Please also forward this to all of your pro-life friends and relatives. Any given call could mean the difference between protecting women and children in three years and not protecting them for decades to come.
FROM THE MAILBAG
Via Lee Penn:
In previous years, we have corresponded about the United Religions Initiative
and similar heterodox movements in the churches. I appreciate the interest
you have shown in these matters.
I have not recently sent anything out to my e-mail list because I have been working on a book - which is now done.
False Dawn (about the United Religions Initiative, the New Age movement, and utopian globalism), is now available. The book is written from an orthodox Catholic point of view. Using the teachings of Vatican II and present-day Vatican authorities, it shows that these movements are - despite their benign appearance - contrary to our Faith and opposed to freedom.
False Dawn is 490 pages long (including the bibliography and the index), with over 3,000 footnotes. It contains new information on the predecessors, history, ideology, members, allies, stated aims and implied agenda of the United Religions Initiative (URI) – the most ambitious, far-reaching interfaith movement in the world today.
Learn more about the book:
Visit the web site, FalseDawn.us. There are excerpts from the book for download or on-screen viewing, and an "order now" link to buy the book directly from the publisher, Sophia Perennis. Visit the table of contents and the "teaser questions" to see the scope of the work.
Buy the book:
There are several ways to do this:
1) Buy False Dawn directly from the publisher, Sophia Perennis. Go to the FalseDawn.us web site, click on the "order now" button, and place the order there.
2) Buy the book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Search those sites for the author "Lee Penn" and the title "False Dawn."
3) Other suppliers of the book -- American, Canadian,
and European -- can be found at:
BookFinder.com: Search Results (Matching Books)
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?isbn=159731000X¤cy=USD&st=xl&ac=qr&src=dir
Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Love of God
1. On awakening, enter in the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and consecrate to It your body, your soul, your heart and your whole being,
so as to live but for Its love and glory alone.
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