Frassati Society of Detroit

Bible In a Minute

2008-10-23T14:25:00.001-04:00

Saw this at BW3's site and all I can say is....that I don't know what to say!

Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible on YouTube

2008-09-11T15:53:00.001-04:00

Not too bad...wouldn't mind seeing more of this.

Looking for a Good Edition of the NAB

2008-08-26T11:09:00.001-04:00

I firmly believe that this is the best overall edition of the NAB. The folks at Fireside did a wonderful job putting this Bible together. The cover, the quality of the paper, the layout of the page, and the extras all make this the best NAB that I have seen. You can use this not only for personal reading, but it can be used in study and prayer.

My Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible

2008-08-17T13:38:00.001-04:00

I tend to agree with the review given by Stan Williams. It is a wonderful edition of the NAB, and I dare say the best one available. It is truly a pleasure to read from.

As some of you may know, there is a revision currently going on for the NAB Old Testament. Who knows when it will be published. I surely hope they redo the '91 Psalms, which I find to be very bland and not very accurate at times.

My Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible

2008-08-16T00:12:00.003-04:00

Check out this review and promotion of the new Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible.

My Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible

2008-08-16T00:12:00.001-04:00

Check out this review and promotion of the new Fireside Librosario Catholic Bible.

More Than Just Pizza (Part 2 of 2)

2008-05-16T10:55:00.003-04:00

More Than Just Pizza (Part 1 of 2)

2008-05-16T10:55:00.001-04:00

Third Day - Creed (Live at Papal Visit, NY, 2008)

2008-04-22T08:19:00.001-04:00

A great Christian Band, Third Day, playing at the Papal youth rally.

CYAS-- Catholic Young Adult Soccer

2008-04-15T22:02:00.001-04:00

Frassati United will be the dominant force in this years Catholic Young Adult Soccer league.

Urbi et Orbi

2008-03-23T09:47:00.002-04:00

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
EASTER 2008

Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum. Alleluia! - I have risen, I am still with you. Alleluia! Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus, crucified and risen, repeats this joyful proclamation to us today: the Easter proclamation. Let us welcome it with deep wonder and gratitude!

Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum – I have risen, I am still with you, for ever. These words, taken from an ancient version of Psalm 138 (v. 18b), were sung at the beginning of today’s Mass. In them, at the rising of the Easter sun, the Church recognizes the voice of Jesus himself who, on rising from death, turns to the Father filled with gladness and love, and exclaims: My Father, here I am! I have risen, I am still with you, and so I shall be for ever; your Spirit never abandoned me. In this way we can also come to a new understanding of other passages from the psalm: “If I climb the heavens, you are there; if I descend into the underworld, you are there … Even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as clear as day; for you, darkness is like light” (Ps 138:8,12). It is true: in the solemn Easter vigil, darkness becomes light, night gives way to the day that knows no sunset. The death and resurrection of the Word of God incarnate is an event of invincible love, it is the victory of that Love which has delivered us from the slavery of sin and death. It has changed the course of history, giving to human life an indestructible and renewed meaning and value.

“I have risen and I am still with you, for ever.” These words invite us to contemplate the risen Christ, letting his voice resound in our heart. With his redeeming sacrifice, Jesus of Nazareth has made us adopted children of God, so that we too can now take our place in the mysterious dialogue between him and the Father. We are reminded of what he once said to those who were listening: “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Mt 11:27). In this perspective, we note that the words addressed by the risen Jesus to the Father on this day – “I am still with you, for ever” – apply indirectly to us as well, “children of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (cf. Rom 8:17). Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we too rise to new life today, and uniting our voice with his, we proclaim that we wish to remain for ever with God, our infinitely good and merciful Father.

In this way we enter the depths of the Paschal mystery. The astonishing event of the resurrection of Jesus is essentially an event of love: the Father’s love in handing over his Son for the salvation of the world; the Son’s love in abandoning himself to the Father’s will for us all; the Spirit’s love in raising Jesus from the dead in his transfigured body. And there is more: the Father’s love which “newly embraces” the Son, enfolding him in glory; the Son’s love returning to the Father in the power of the Spirit, robed in our transfigured humanity. From today’s solemnity, in which we relive the absolute, once-and-for-all experience of Jesus’s resurrection, we receive an appeal to be converted to Love; we receive an invitation to live by rejecting hatred and selfishness, and to follow with docility in the footsteps of the Lamb that was slain for our salvation, to imitate the Redeemer who is “gentle and lowly in heart”, who is “rest for our souls” (cf. Mt 11:29).

Dear Christian brothers and sisters in every part of the world, dear men and women whose spirit is sincerely open to the truth, let no heart be closed to the omnipotence of this redeeming love! Jesus Christ died and rose for all; he is our hope – true hope for every human being. Today, just as he did with his disciples in Galilee before returning to the Father, the risen Jesus now sends us everywhere as witnesses of his hope, and he reassures us: I am with you always, all days, until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28:20). Fixing the gaze of our spirit on the glorious wounds of his transfigured body, we can understand the meaning and value of suffering, we can tend the many wounds that continue to disfigure humanity in our own day. In his glorious wounds we recognize the indestructible signs of the infinite mercy of the God of whom the prophet says: it is he who heals the wounds of broken hearts, who defends the weak and proclaims the freedom of slaves, who consoles all the afflicted and bestows upon them the oil of gladness instead of a mourning robe, a song of praise instead of a sorrowful heart (cf. Is 61:1,2,3). If with humble trust we draw near to him, we encounter in his gaze the response to the deepest longings of our heart: to know God and to establish with him a living relationship in an authentic communion of love, which can fill our lives, our interpersonal and social relations with that same love. For this reason, humanity needs Christ: in him, our hope, “we have been saved” (cf. Rom 8:24).

How often relations between individuals, between groups and between peoples are marked not by love but by selfishness, injustice, hatred and violence! These are the scourges of humanity, open and festering in every corner of the planet, although they are often ignored and sometimes deliberately concealed; wounds that torture the souls and bodies of countless of our brothers and sisters. They are waiting to be tended and healed by the glorious wounds of our Risen Lord (cf. 1 Pet 2:24-25) and by the solidarity of people who, following in his footsteps, perform deeds of charity in his name, make an active commitment to justice, and spread luminous signs of hope in areas bloodied by conflict and wherever the dignity of the human person continues to be scorned and trampled. It is hoped that these are precisely the places where gestures of moderation and forgiveness will increase!

Dear brothers and sisters! Let us allow the light that streams forth from this solemn day to enlighten us; let us open ourselves in sincere trust to the risen Christ, so that his victory over evil and death may also triumph in each one of us, in our families, in our cities and in our nations. Let it shine forth in every part of the world. In particular, how can we fail to remember certain African regions, such as Dafur and Somalia, the tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land, Iraq, Lebanon, and finally Tibet, all of whom I encourage to seek solutions that will safeguard peace and the common good! Let us invoke the fullness of his Paschal gifts, through the intercession of Mary who, after sharing the sufferings of the passion and crucifixion of her innocent Son, also experienced the inexpressible joy of his resurrection. Sharing in the glory of Christ, may she be the one to protect us and guide us along the path of fraternal solidarity and peace. These are my Easter greetings, which I address to all who are present here, and to men and women of every nation and continent united with us through radio and television. Happy Easter!

© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Holy Triduum

2008-03-19T10:36:00.006-04:00

Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and many Anglicans, to denote, collectively, the three days from the evening of Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday) to the evening of Easter Sunday. The Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper (or, where this is not celebrated, Vespers of Holy Thursday) and ends after Vespers at sunset on Easter Day. The term was used at the Second Vatican Council, when the revised liturgical calendar set the final part of Holy Week apart from Lent proper. Previously, these three days had already gained distinction from the rest of Holy Week with an observance of silence, which were also known as "the still days."During Mass, music was not to be played and all church bells were silenced. People were also encouraged to observe silence in their homes during this time. The tradition of silence and lack of music is continued in Vatican II practice.

Lord, by the suffering of Christ your Son you have saved us all from the death we inherited from sinful Adam. By the law of nature we have borne the likeness of his manhood. May the sanctifying power of grace help us to put on the likeness of our Lord in heaven who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Thou Shalt Not Kill... One's Reputation

2008-03-16T18:51:00.010-04:00

One aspect of this commandment which we often overlook is the defamation of character. One way to "kill" is to propagate harmful untruths about someone. Another causes scandal by making public the imperfections and brokenness of others in such a way that it harms their reputation and propagates negativism about someone.

While the mainstream media does enough damage to character because scandal sells, the world of the Internet has become a slaughter house for people's dignity with almost no controls. This also extends to company reputations... not as serious as an attack against the dignity of the person, but it can be personal for those committed leaders to a just (albeit imperfect) business.

There are acceptable reasons to present & discuss such topics when an individual or corporate sin is public and it threatens others security, causes scandal or harm, and making light of the injustice can prevent further harm or accelerate needed change. Far too often, as we see even in presidential races, defamation of character is used for selfish gain. This is a direct sin against the fifth commandment.

We have a local establishment that does great work for the community, having donated large sums of money to support great charities such as Cornerstone Schools, Grace Centers of Hope, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society to name a few. Albert & Mitsie Scaglione, the founders of Park West Gallery in Southfield, Michigan have also taken several young inner city women under their care who have "graduated" from foster care, and have no place to go. These girls who often end up in prostitution and on drugs are challenged with Albert & Mitsie's "tough love" that offers them a chance to beat the odds if they stay clean and out of trouble.

Yet Park West Gallery, which has become the largest art dealer in the world, is under attack from competitors that are soliciting any blogger or customer that may have had a less-than-perfect experience at one of their cruise art auctions. Wanting to make sure Park West Gallery has addressed any internal wrongdoing, an independent auditor verified they had a 50,000-to-1 customer satisfaction ratio. Not bad for a company with over 1 Million customers. A handful of disgruntled customers can still make a lot of noise, especially when it is enabled by a competitors seeking to tackle the leader. Albert Scaglione and Park West Gallery have done its best to address customer issues, and they are working hard to improve, striving to provide educational experiences of art at sea and land auctions through very successful partnerships with almost all of the major cruise lines.

Albert Scaglione is the first to admit that they haven't done everything perfectly, but it doesn't justify the smear campaign on his business and even him personally. If a customer is unsatisfied with a purchase, he wants them to call and have the chance to address the concerns. Park West Gallery guarantees that every piece of artwork is authentic that they sell at their art auctions at sea or land, yet his competitors have stooped to suggesting otherwise. This has hurt both their business and their efforts to support the community.

Think about it the next time you are about to attack someone's character... is it justified? What are your motives? Is it for selfish gain, or out of envy? Would you want someone revealing your imperfections to others? The next time we think, "I'm a good person, I've never killed anyone..." think again.

As we enter Holy Week, let us reflect on Christ who suffered character assassination prior to his crucifixion.... and that was all part of His love for us.

Christ's Birth

2007-12-24T10:08:00.000-05:00

BENEDICT XVI

GENERAL AUDIENCE

Paul VI Audience Hall

Wednesday, 19 December 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters,In this Advent season, the Church invites us to reflect on Christ’s birth and to prepare ourselves, in watchfulness and prayer, for his second coming. Advent is thus a time of joyful expectation that our hope, and indeed the hopes of all humanity, will find fulfillment in the peace and salvation which only God can give. “Waiting in joyful hope” for the Lord’s coming also means preparing his way, and welcoming him as the incarnate Son of God, the Truth which gives meaning to every human life.

How important it is, then, to proclaim this mystery in all its saving power: the Son of Mary, born in Bethlehem, is the Light which illumines our life, the Way that leads to human fulfillment. The Good News of our salvation in Christ must be made known to a world which longs for this message of reconciliation, solidarity and hope.

May this Christmas be for everyone a celebration of peace and joy: joy at the birth of the Prince of Peace. Together with Mary and Joseph, let us contemplate the new-born Child lying in the manger. Through the prayers of the Virgin Mother, may we grow in the knowledge and love of Christ the Saviour. A happy Christmas to you and your families!

Website for Spring Papal Visit!

2007-12-21T09:04:00.000-05:00

The new website is up and running, so make sure to check it out over the next few months:
http://uspapalvisit.org/

Wonderful Story about Adoption

2007-12-19T10:53:00.000-05:00

Adopted son finds birth mom at his workplace
December 18, 2007 14:06PM

GRAND RAPIDS -- For years, Steve Flaig, a delivery truck driver at the Lowe's store on Plainfield Avenue, had searched for his birth mother.
He found her working the cash register at the front of the store.
For several months, he and Christine Tallady had known each other casually as co-workers. Last Friday they met for the first time as mother and son.
"I have a complete family now, all my kids," said Tallady, who has two younger children. "It's a perfect time of year. It's the best Christmas present ever."
For Flaig, it was the reunion he had dreamed of for much of his 22 years. He had always known he was adopted, and his parents, Pat and Lois Flaig, who raised him since his birth, supported his decision to search for his birth mother.

It was a tough decision for Tallady, unmarried at the time, to give him up when he was born on Oct. 5, 1985, but "I wasn't ready to be a mother," she said.
She left the adoption record open, figuring he might want to contact her someday, and she often thought of him, particularly on his birthday. But life went on. She got married, had two more kids.

Four years ago, when Flaig turned 18, he asked DA Blodgett for Children, the agency that arranged his adoption, for his background information. A couple of months later, it came, including his birth mother's name.

He searched the Internet for her address and came up empty. In October, around the time of his 22nd birthday, he took out the paperwork from DA Blodgett and realized he had been spelling his mother's surname wrong as "Talladay." He typed "Tallady" into a search engine and came up with an address on West River Drive less than a mile from the Lowe's store.
He mentioned it to his boss, and she said, "You mean Chris Tallady, who works here?" He was stunned.

"I was like, there's no possible way," he said. "It's just such a bizarre situation."
He had been working at Lowe's for two years. She was hired in April as head cashier.
Over the past two months, "I would walk by her, look at her from a distance, not knowing how to approach her," Flaig said. "You don't come stocked with information on how to deal with this."
It would seem tactless to walk up and say, "Hi, I'm Steve, your son." What if she rejected him?
Last Wednesday, on his day off, Flaig happened to be driving past the DA Blodgett offices. He decided to stop in and tell them of his find. An employee there volunteered to call Tallady for him.

Tallady, 45, was surprised to get the call at Lowe's. How did the DA Blodgett people know where she worked?

"The first thing that crossed my mind is something was wrong with him," she said. Was he sick? Did he need a blood transfusion?

"And then she said, 'Christine, he works with you,'" Tallady recalled. "It was a shock. I started crying. I figured he would call me sometime, but not like this."
She sobbed a lot that day, tears of joy. Flaig called her later that day, and last Friday the two, who until then had occasionally said "hi" as coworkers do, met at the Cheers Good Time Saloon near the store. They hugged, sat and talked for 2 1/2 hours.

On Tuesday, they hugged again in the store where both were working the day shift. They know their paths must have crossed many times. Both graduated from Northview schools. Both attended St. Jude's Catholic Church.

"We both hate olives, both love roller coasters," Tallady said.
Flaig hasn't decided whether to search now for his birth father. He's anxious to meet Tallady's other two children, Brandon, 10, and Alexandra, 12. Her husband, Dale, out of town on business, wants to be there when they meet, maybe this weekend.

"My husband is wonderful," Tallady said. "He wants it to be a whole family thing

The Pontiff is Coming...the Pontiff is coming!

2007-11-13T12:37:00.000-05:00

Nov. 12, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) will visit the US in April 2008, stopping in Washington and New York, the apostolic nuncio to the US has confirmed.

Speaking on November 12 to the US bishops, who are gathered in Baltimore this week for their annual meeting, Archbishop Pietro Sambi discussed plans for a papal visit on April 15- 20.
"He will not travel much, but will address himself to the whole people of the United States," the nuncio said. The Pope will visit the White House and speak at Catholic University during his stay in Washington.

The highlight of the papal visit is expected to be an address to the United Nations on April 18. He will also visit Ground Zero-- the site of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001-- and celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's cathedral.
During his trip the Pope is scheduled to preside at two outdoor Masses, held at baseball stadiums in New York and Washington.

The tentative schedule for the papal trip does not include visits to Boston or Philadelphia, two other cities that had lobbied for inclusion on the papal itinerary. (Earlier plans for the papal tour had included a stop in Boston, according to informed officials.)

Although the Vatican has not yet announced official plans for the trip, and Church spokesmen say that details could be altered, the public statement by Archbishop Sambi, the Pope's official representative in Washington, indicates that the plans are well established.

But if you can't wait until April to discuss all things Benedict....then come to:

Beer Brats and Benedict 5

Friday December 14th

7:00PM

St. Alfred's (Taylor)Bishop Francis Reiss

Bishop Reiss will speak about Pope Benedict's vision on economic justice. As usual, there will be brats, beer, soda, and other snacks. The event is free, but if you will be drinking alcohol you must bring a valid ID. St. Alfred's is located at 9500 Bann in Taylor, MI 48180.

Chad Henne eats it after Michigan State Game

2007-11-06T11:58:00.001-05:00

As a long suffering Spartan alumnus, this is all I have to laugh at from last weekend.

Water for Life - Malawi

2007-10-29T11:58:00.001-04:00

Found this interesting video on youtube that deals with CRS work in Malawi. It is very informative and reminds us how we can easily take things like water for granted.

Official Bella Trailer

2007-10-24T13:06:00.001-04:00

Bella!

2007-10-18T14:21:00.001-04:00

Right To Life—LIFESPAN is hosting a screening of the wonderful Pro-Life film “Bella”, on October 26th @ 7:30 p.m. at the Livonia AMC 20. “Bella” has won top awards at the Toronto Film Festival and is projected to win an Oscar. It stars Latin superstar Eduardo Verastegui and Emmy award winning actress Tammy Blanchard in this heart-warming movie about the power of true love. To pre-order your ticket, please call Melanie Bruss at 586-596-9477 or 734-422-6230. Tickets are $9 each. Checks to be received by Wed. October 24 to secure tickets. Checks made payable and send to:RTL-LIFESPAN Educational Fund29200 Vassar, Suite 545Livonia, Mi 48152 (Please include names of people you are reserving tickets for.) http://bellathemovie.com/

Returning Thanks

2007-10-15T14:25:00.000-04:00

Readings:
2 Kings 5:14-17
Psalm 98:1-4
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Luke 17:11-19

A foreign leper is cleansed and in thanksgiving returns to offer homage to the God of Israel. We hear this same story in both the First Reading and Gospel today. There were many lepers in Israel in Elisha's time, but only Naaman the Syrian trusted in God's Word and was cleansed (see Luke 5:12-14).

Today's Gospel likewise implies that most of the 10 lepers healed by Jesus were Israelites - but only a foreigner, the Samaritan, returned.In a dramatic way, we're being shown today how faith has been made the way to salvation, the road by which all nations will join themselves to the Lord, becoming His servants, gathered with the Israelites into one chosen people of God, the Church (see Isaiah 56:3-8).

Today's Psalm also looks forward to the day when all peoples will see what Naaman sees - that there is no God in all the earth except the God of Israel. We see this day arriving in today's Gospel. The Samaritan leper is the only person in the New Testament who personally thanks Jesus. The Greek word used to describe his "giving thanks" is the word we translate as "Eucharist."And these lepers today reveal to us the inner dimensions of the Eucharist and sacramental life.

We, too have been healed by our faith in Jesus. As Naaman's flesh is made again like that of a little child, our souls have been cleansed of sin in the waters of Baptism. We experience this cleansing again and again in the Sacrament of Penance - as we repent our sins, beg and receive mercy from our Master, Jesus. We return to glorify God in each Mass, to offer ourselves in sacrifice - falling on our knees before our Lord, giving thanks for our salvation. In this Eucharist, we remember "Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David," Israel's covenant king. And we pray, as Paul does in today's Epistle, to persevere in this faith - that we too may live and reign with Him in eternal glory.

(posted w/ permission from © 2003 The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. All rights reserved) http://www.salvationhistory.com

Catholic-owned soccer team meets Pope

2007-10-11T11:53:00.000-04:00

Vatican, Oct. 11, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) met with members of the AC Ancona soccer team after his general audience on Wednesday, October 10. Reports on the meeting indicated accurately that the Pontiff had given the team his blessing-- and thereby added to the confusion caused by earlier reports that the Vatican had bought a controlling interest in the team.

AC Ancona, which plays in the 3rd division of Italy's professional league, was bought earlier this month by the Centro Sportivo Italiano, an organization of lay Catholics. The new owners immediately announced plans to make the team a model for ethical competition in soccer.
Numerous reports circulating in Italy had conveyed the inaccurate impression that the Vatican, or the Italian hierarchy had purchased the team-- prompting the Vatican press office to issue a clarification that while the Pope and the Italian bishops applaud such lay initiatives, they "have nothing to do with this project." The players' presence at a papal audience was arranged separately from the purchase of the team.

At the October 10 papal audience, members of AC Ancona presented Pope Benedict with a team jersey, carrying the number 16. They also gave the Pope a soccer ball signed by each team member.

Giovanni Langella, the captain of the squad, said that the meeting was "a great thrill." Questioned about the suggestion that players who are penalized with a red card should be asked to do social work, Langella replied, "I'll do it even if I'm not red-carded."

Farewell to Luciana Frassati

2007-10-10T08:18:00.000-04:00

Luciana Frassati Gawronska

After a long and accomplished life of 105 years, Luciana Frassati, the sister of Blessed Pier Giorgio, died at her home in Pollone, Italy on Sunday, October 7, 2007, at about 7 a.m. The funeral was held in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin on Tuesday morning. Luciana was the main driving force behind her brother's cause for sainthood. Through her many books, the world has come to know and admire the wonderful example set by Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Let us all remember her in our prayers. (Her obituary can be found, in Italian, at: http://www.repubblica.it/2007/10/sezioni/cronaca/luciana-frassati/luciana-frassati/luciana-frassati.html)

O Gentlest heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatoryhave mercy on the soul of Thy departed servant, Luciana Frassati. Be not severe in Thy judgment but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames, and do Thou O merciful Saviour send the angels to conduct her to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, And let perpetual Light shine upon her.May her soulAnd the souls of all the faithful departed Through the mercy of God Rest in peace. Amen.

Survey: More Americans know Big Mac ingredients than Ten Commandments

2007-10-08T17:31:00.000-04:00

(From Mark Pattison of Catholic News Service)

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Quick. Name each of the Ten Commandments. OK. Now name the ingredients in a Big Mac hamburger sold at McDonald's.

According to a new survey, the Big Mac wins the memory contest.

In truth, the Big Mac has advantages. There are only seven ingredients to remember, and they have a catchy jingle behind them. McDonald's Corp. has poured enough money into commercials that the decades-old jingle remains familiar today.

The survey of 1,000 Americans, by Kelton Research, was undertaken to help promote the new animated movie "The Ten Commandments," which will open on 700 screens nationwide Oct. 19. Voice talents featured in the movie include Ben Kingsley as the narrator, Christian Slater as Moses, Alfred Molina as Ramses and Elliott Gould as the voice of God.

The vast majority of those surveyed could easily name the primary ingredients in a Big Mac: two all-beef patties (80 percent), lettuce (76 percent), sesame-seed bun (75 percent), special sauce (66 percent), pickles (62 percent) and cheese (60 percent).

By comparison, "You shall not kill" was known to fewer than six in 10 respondents. Less than half (45 percent) could recall the commandment to "Honor your father and mother."

Even those who said they go to church at least once a week had trouble naming all of the commandments. Seventy percent recalled "You shall not kill" and 69 percent remembered "You shall not steal" but the Big Mac's all-beef patties and lettuce got more recognition from the survey group (79 and 76 percent, respectively).

Survey participants also had an easier time remembering the names of the kids from the old TV series "The Brady Bunch." The least remembered of that sextet, Bobby and Peter, had a 43 percent recognition rate, better than the two least-remembered commandments to keep holy the Sabbath (34 percent) and to not have any gods besides God (29 percent).

During an Oct. 2 conference call to promote the movie, Paul Lauer of Motive Marketing said survey respondents were asked to write down the commandments they remembered, so even though Catholic and Protestant formulations of the Ten Commandments differ slightly, responses from either faith group would have been declared correct.

Here's a quick review of the Ten Commandments, as found in Chapter 20 of Exodus in the 1970 edition of the New American Bible:

-- "I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me."

-- "You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain."

-- "Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day."

-- "Honor your father and your mother."

-- "You shall not kill."

-- "You shall not commit adultery."

-- "You shall not steal."

-- "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

-- "You shall not covet your neighbor's house."

-- "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, or anything else that belongs to him."

The screenwriter of the "Ten Commandments" film, Ed Naha, a Catholic whose previous credits include "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," said he hopes the movie "will appeal to people who don't know the Bible."

Cindy Bond, president and chief operating officer of Promenade Pictures, said, "'The Ten Commandments' was the movie he (Naha) was being called to write." Bond added that it is the first in a series of 12 planned animated "Epic Stories of the Bible."

"Noah's Ark: The New Beginning" is halfway through production, she said. "David and Goliath" has just started production. "We're looking at 'The Battle of Jericho' as the fourth" in the series, Bond added.

Other Bible stories still in the discussion stages may include Daniel in the lions' den, Samson and Delilah, the Book of Genesis, and stories from the New Testament.

END

Inside of the Pollone Cemetery

2007-10-03T13:19:00.001-04:00

This is an amateur video of Pollone Cemetary where the Frassati tomb is located.

Higher Grounds Coffee

2007-10-01T14:13:00.000-04:00

For those who have asked, the fair trade coffee we use at our monthly Holy Hour and Coffee House can be purchased at: http://www.javaforjustice.com/

I really enjoy the different blends that they offer. They also make great Christmas gifts!

Chris Padgett and Jesse Manibusan dance off

2007-09-27T22:26:00.001-04:00

Don't Forget Tim in Kenya

2007-09-24T09:52:00.000-04:00

http://timinkenya.blogspot.com/

(I have a feeling this lion could play better defense than our own Detroit Lions!)

20th Anniversary of JPII's Trip to Detroit

2007-09-20T10:11:00.000-04:00

For more extensive info on JPII's 1987 pilgrimage to the USA, go to: http://www.aodonline.org/AODOnline/News+++Publications+2203/Papal+Visit+15734/Remembering.htm

Archbishop Collins Lectio Divina - Youth Rally 2007 - Part 2

2007-09-20T09:14:00.001-04:00

Here is part 2 from the Archbishop of Toronto. Good stuff!

I Like Our Quarterback

2007-09-17T15:17:00.000-04:00

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna was one of the NFL's most thankful players Monday.

"I've never felt anything like that, and for it to clear up and go right back to as normal as I can be, is nothing short of a miracle," Kitna said Monday. "I just definitely feel the hand of God. That's all it was. You can't explain it.

"I have no headaches, no symptoms, no lingering effects. But that was the worst my head has ever felt, and the worse my memory was in the second quarter. Yet, after halftime there was nothing."

Kitna said it was the third concussion of his NFL career, and the first since 2001.
After saying he knew who he was during the game, a reporter asked Kitna if he knew where he was. "Barely," he said.

He was knocked out of the game in the second quarter and appeared to be out for the rest of the day, standing on the sideline without a helmet. But the team cleared him to play in the third quarter and he came back in the fourth.
Kitna passed a follow-up examination Monday morning.

"He's fine," coach Rod Marinelli said. "He didn't have any symptoms, no headaches."
Kitna ran the ball twice on the final possession, leading a game-winning drive when Detroit trailed or was tied for the third straight game, including a win last season at Dallas.
"It was a courageous effort," offensive tackle George Foster said. said
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Archbishop Collins Lectio Divina - Youth Rally 2007 - Part 1

2007-09-13T19:27:00.001-04:00

Very cool talk by Bishop Collins of Toronto. If you like.....make sure to check out part two!

Heather and JT Hernandez!

2007-09-10T13:00:00.001-04:00

Congrats on your wedding!

Evangelical Catholicism

2007-09-06T16:31:00.000-04:00

Reform rollback or emerging ‘sane modernity’ – Evangelical Catholicism triumphant, Vatican watcher states

By John L. Allen Jr. 8/28/2007
National Catholic Reporter -- (www.ncronline.org )

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (National Catholic Reporter) – History always cuts deeper than headlines, a point that clearly applies to recent Vatican moves to dust off the old Latin Mass and to declare Catholicism the one true church. Beneath the upheaval triggered by those decisions lies a profound shift in the church’s geological plates, and perhaps the best way of describing the resulting earthquake is as the triumph of evangelical Catholicism.......

Interesting and important article by John Allen. You can read the rest at: http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=25181

I Find This Truly Alarming!

2007-09-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

British researchers to proceed with "hybrid" embryos?

London, Sep. 4, 2007 (CWNews.com) - A British regulatory body will apparently give approval to the creation of "hybrid" embryos including human and animal material.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has concluded a 3-month study of the issue, issuing a report that says most members of the public are "at ease" with the prospects of research that would combine human genetic material and animal eggs.

In May, under pressure from research scientists, the British government backed away from a preliminary plan to outlaw the creation of hybrid embryos. Calling for "an evaluation of a number of different viewpoints," health minister Caroline Flint sought more opinions on the question.

In June, the Royal Academy of Medical Sciences gave its backing to the hybrid-embryo research, provided that scientists guarantee that any embryos created by this technique are harvested for their stem-cells, so that no such embryos can survive until birth.
During the May 2007 debate on the research, Bishop Elio Sgreccia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, pointed out that the policies of the European Union forbid the creation of any human-animal genetic material.

Catholic Music

2007-09-05T09:28:00.001-04:00

Here is a sample of the Catholic music I mentioned last week. Enjoy!

Catholic Music CD's Coming Soon!

2007-08-27T14:58:00.001-04:00

Spirit Wing Records announces two brand new projects, Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas!

CONNEAUT, OH - AUGUST 26, 2007 - On the heels of the overwhelming success of their Catholic Music 2007 project, Spirit Wing Records proudly announces the upcoming release of two new projects, Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas. Catholic music 2008 features 34 Catholic recording artists, giving music fans a rich sampling of the diverse styles in Catholic music today, from Opera to Rock and Roll. Catholic Christmas features 17 Catholic recording artists offering heartwarming music celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas, are expected to be released on October 1, 2007, however pre-sales have already begun on the Spirit Wing Records web site.
The creators of Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas, Gary Gersin of Cleveland, Ohio and Mike Beloud of Los Angeles, California hope to continue to bring awareness to the variety of Catholic music ministries that exist today.

Gersin, of 1360AM WWOW radio in Conneaut Ohio, said, “I am constantly trying to think of new ways to introduce people to all of this great music that exists within the Church today. Catholic Music 2007 was very well received, so we wanted to continue to use these projects to introduce people to Catholic music ministries they may have never heard of before. It’s all about sharing our Faith and serving God through His gift of music”

“Gary and I really took a leap of faith when we “volunteered” to spearhead the Catholic Music 2007 compilation project. We had no idea that the response was going to be so overwhelming; it has been a very fun and exciting ride to be able to share this wonderful music with people everywhere. It has also been an absolute joy to work with these artists, their hearts are really in the right place” said Beloud, member of the Catholic-rock group Rise. “I am very happy with the music featured on the Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas projects.”

“Praise” is first of the two CDs on the Catholic Music 2008 compilation, which features modern upbeat music, while Disc 2 “Worship” is more traditional/prayerful music. Catholic Christmas is a heartwarming and spirited Christmas compilation from 17 of today’s talented Catholic Artists.

The 34 artists featured on the Catholic Music 2008 CD project are: Nick Alexander, Angelina, Susan Bailey, Gerry Brown, Ceili Rain, Kitty Cleveland, Sean Clive, Critical Mass, Chris D’Alfonso, Dan Duet, Deacon Anthony Siino and Sherry Ottoson, Trish Foti Genco, Paul Harrigan, Gretchen Harris, Lorraine Hartsook, Father David Hemann Annie Karto, Last Day, Donna Lee, Mike Mangione, News at Eleven, Rise, Nancy Scimone, Servant Song, Simonetta , Margo B. Smith, Teresa Smith, Joel Stein, Ned Tonner, Amanda Vernon, David Vogel, Valerie Von Fange, Xaltar, and Celeste Zepponi.

The 17 artists featured on the Catholic Christmas project are Angelina, Renee Bondi, Kitty Cleveland, Sean Clive, Trish Foti Genco, Lynn Geyer, Gretchen Harris, Father David Hemann, The Interior Castle, Nancy Krebs, The Love Movement, Father Charles and Laurie Mangano, Remember Rome, Elizabeth Schmeidler, Chuck Stevens, Amanda Vernon, and Celeste Zepponi.

Copies of Catholic Music 2008 and Catholic Christmas can be pre-ordered by visiting the Spirit Wing Records website at www.spiritwingrecords.com.
For a limited time, all pre-orders will receive free shipping.

For more information, contact Mike Beloud at Mike@SpiritWingRecords.com or Gary Gersin at Gary@SpiritWingRecords.com.

Contact: Spirit Wing Recordshttp://www.SpiritWingRecords.com OH, USGary Gersin - Owner, 440 - 669-7081

St. Monica

2007-08-27T10:31:00.000-04:00

St. Monica was married by arrangement to a pagan official in North Africa, who was much older than she, and although generous, was also violent tempered. His mother lived with them and was equally difficult, which proved a constant challenge to St. Monica. She had three children; Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Through her patience and prayers, she was able to convert her husband and his mother to the Catholic faith in 370· He died a year later. Perpetua and Navigius entered the religious Life. St. Augustine was much more difficult, as she had to pray for him for 17 years, begging the prayers of priests who, for a while, tried to avoid her because of her persistence at this seemingly hopeless endeavor. One priest did console her by saying, "it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish." This thought, coupled with a vision that she had received strengthened her. St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose in 387. St. Monica died later that same year, on the way back to Africa from Rome in the Italian town of Ostia.

By the way, she is the patroness of: abuse victims; alcoholics; alcoholism; difficult marriages; disappointing children; homemakers; housewives; Mabini, Bohol, Philippines; married women; mothers; victims of adultery; victims of unfaithfulness; victims of verbal abuse; widows; wives

A Tribute to John Paul II on YouTube

2007-08-19T13:49:00.001-04:00

See! The internet isn't all bad!

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary!!!

2007-08-15T12:33:00.001-04:00

Follow the link for a great article on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm

Interesting Article from Detroit Free Press

2007-08-09T10:23:00.000-04:00

(Thanks Raquel for the Link!)

Act of defiance to Nazis still reverberates today
Austrian a hero to antiwar movement
August 8, 2007
BY DAVID CRUMM

FREE PRESS RELIGION WRITER
The name of an obscure Austrian peasant, whose friends warned him that he was throwing his life away in 1943 in a worthless effort to defy the Nazis, will echo in the streets of Detroit on Thursday as a patron saint of the contemporary antiwar movement.

Franz Jägerstätter isn't officially recognized as a saint by the Vatican yet, though he is scheduled for beatification by Pope Benedict XVI in October. That is one step away from canonization.
AdvertisementThousands of peace activists around the world aren't waiting on the pope. They already regard him as a saint for his heroic refusal to fight in the German army during World War II, a decision that led to his beheading by the Nazis in Berlin.

"Thursday is the day of his martyrdom on Aug. 9, 1943, so we're holding this prayer service in his memory in the street outside the Archdiocese of Detroit chancery building," said the Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, a Detroit United Methodist pastor and author who is nationally known as a peace activist.

"He pointed out to all of us what the gospel really says about our moral responsibility in the face of war, and we're remembering him because we're trying to encourage people to resist the current war," Wylie-Kellermann said.

Michael Hovey, now an archdiocesan spokesman on Catholic social teaching, worked for many years with sociologist Gordon Zahn, the scholar who launched an effort in 1964 to pull Jägerstätter's story from the shadows of World War II history.

Born in 1907 in the tiny Austrian village of St. Radegund, Jägerstätter lived the typical life of a farmer, but his Catholic faith led him to refuse induction to the German army. Despite pleas from friends and neighbors to reconsider his defiance, he calmly refused to budge. He was imprisoned, tried in Berlin and beheaded.

"Gordon's biography of him, 'In Solitary Witness,' influenced a lot of people after the book came out in 1964," Hovey said. "It's true that this was one of the books Daniel Ellsberg was reading that influenced him to release the Pentagon Papers in 1971."

Wylie-Kellermann said he thinks that's the most powerful part of the story: This link between a seemingly insignificant act of defiance by a peasant and Ellsberg's fateful decision to expose U.S. Defense Department documents about American failures in Vietnam.

"It's a great lesson: an Austrian peasant dies in complete obscurity -- a story that literally should have been a dead end in history -- but his story is retold and winds up helping to end the war in Vietnam," Wylie-Kellermann said. "Zahn's book tells the story so well, because he was able to interview directly many of the people who knew Jägerstätter."

In the 1980s, Hovey worked with Zahn on global peace and disarmament campaigns. He accompanied Zahn on trips back to St. Radegund to meet with Jägerstätter's widow, Franziska, and raise awareness of the story.

In October, Hovey will travel back to Austria and participate in the beatification ceremony. He hopes to visit Franziska Jägerstätter, who still lives in the village near Salzburg.
The campaign to promote Jägerstätter's story included an hour-long documentary about his life on Austrian television in the late 1980s that was followed by 500 local discussion groups held across the country.

"After all these years of work to bring his story to more people, when we heard in June that the Vatican would beatify him, I just felt numb," Hovey said. "I was so glad to hear it. He's the kind of example we need today of a good Catholic who was courageous enough to say no to war."
Contact DAVID CRUMM at 313-223-4526 or crumm@freepress.com.

August 6, 1945

2007-08-06T18:45:00.000-04:00

I found this brief article by Catholic Answers president Karl Keating about the use of nuclear weapons by the USA at the end of World War II. He wrote this article a few years back, but I think his points are spot on. I think it is worth a look.

Karl Keating on Nagasaki and Hiroshima

"[C]annot be squared with Catholic moral principles:"

Many justify the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima by saying the abrupt end to the war saved as many as a million American lives that would have been lost had Japan been invaded. I don't know where the figure of one million came from. My understanding is that the War Department estimated a maximum of 46,000 casualties in an invasion. That was a worst-case scenario, meaning the likely number of casualties would have been far lower.

Some commentators have argued that no invasion was needed at all, since Japan no longer had an air force or navy and had no domestic source of oil for its industries. A blockade would have resulted in the Japanese war machine and economy grinding to a halt. The war thus could have ended without an invasion, though the end probably would have come long after the summer of 1945.

Be that as it may, what concerns me is the attitude, so prevalent among political conservatives (most of whom are religious conservatives), that there are no limits in defensive warfare: If the other guys started the fight, they deserve whatever they get. In a defensive war it is not a matter of "My country right or wrong" but of "My country can do no wrong," which is an odd thing coming from conservatives who, on domestic matters, can be highly critical of their government's moral failings (as regards abortion or homosexuality, say).

Catholic moral principles are easy to apply to other people, difficult to apply to ourselves. This is as true in public life as in private life. During World War II our enemies did atrocious things on the battlefield, to conquered nations, and even to their own people. Many of these evils we knew about during the war; others came to light only after the cessation of hostilities.

Even those evils we knew about during the war were so prevalent and so gross that, to many, it seemed permissible, for the duration, to lay aside a principle that we insisted be followed by our enemies: The end does not justify the means.

Rephrase that in Catholic terms: To achieve a good, you may not perform a sin. To provide your family financial security, you may not rob a bank. To protect your wife's health, you may not abort the child she is carrying. And to defeat an enemy in war, you may not violate just war principles. But we did--and more than once, sad to say.

The atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, like the fire bombings of Dresden and other German cities, cannot be squared with Catholic moral principles because the bombings deliberately targeted non-combatants. The evil done by our enemies did not exonerate us from the moral law. Their evils did not provide us justification for evils of our own. Being a Christian in peacetime is difficult; it is more difficult, but even more necessary, in wartime.

Fat Man exploded directly above the Catholic cathedral in Nagasaki. The city was the historical center of Catholicism in Japan and contained about a tenth of the entire Catholic population. The cathedral was filled with worshipers who had gathered to pray for a speedy and just end to the war. It is said their prayers included a petition to offer themselves, if God so willed it, in reparation for the evils perpetrated by their country.

[from Catholic Answers: Karl's E-Letter of August 3, 2004]

Catholic Bible Poll

2007-08-04T08:50:00.000-04:00

Asked and Answered (Reflections on the Sunday Readings)

2007-07-29T11:21:00.000-04:00

Readings:
Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8
Colossians 2:12-14
Luke 11:1-13

Though we be "but dust and ashes," we can presume to draw near and speak boldly to our Lord, as Abraham dares in today's First Reading. But even Abraham - the friend of God (see Isaiah 41:8), our father in the faith (see Romans 4:12) - did not know the intimacy that we know as children of Abraham, heirs of the blessings promised to his descendants (see Galatians 3:7,29).

The mystery of prayer, as Jesus reveals to His disciples in today's Gospel, is the living relationship of beloved sons and daughters with their heavenly Father. Our prayer is pure gift, made possible by the "good gift" of the Father - the Holy Spirit of His Son. It is the fruit of the New Covenant by which we are made children of God in Christ Jesus (see Galatians 4:6-7; Romans 8:15-16).Through the Spirit given to us in Baptism, we can cry to Him as our Father - knowing that when we call He will answer. Jesus teaches His disciples to persist in their prayer, as Abraham persisted in begging God's mercy for the innocent of Sodom and Gomorrah. For the sake of the one just Man, Jesus, God spared the city of man from destruction (see Jeremiah 5:1; Isaiah 53), "obliterating the bond against us," as Paul says in today's Epistle.

On the Cross, Jesus bore the guilt of us all, canceled the debt we owed to God, the death we deserved to die for our transgressions.We pray as ones who have been spared, visited in our affliction, saved from our enemies.We pray always a prayer of thanksgiving, which is the literal meaning of Eucharist. We have realized the promise of today's Psalm: We worship in His holy temple, in the presence of angels, hallowing His name. In confidence we ask, knowing that we will receive, that He will bring to completion what He has done for us - raising us from the dead, bringing us to everlasting life along with Him.

'Holy' is His Name

In the Liturgy for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus teaches His disciples to acknowledge God's name as "hallowed" - that is, holy or sanctified. "Holy" is God's name - that is, His essential identity. The name of God is His own covenant identity - His personal identity. It's what proves our personal relationship with Him.

When we call upon that name - "Our Father!" - God responds as a Father, and we receive His help. We also bring on His judgment, but that judgment is a blessing to those who avail themselves of His help. The Virgin Mary said, "Holy is His name" (see Luke 1:49). Holy is His name for all eternity, for we invoke Him with the proper name "Holy Spirit." As God's family on earth, we share in His holiness because we are called by His name and are children of His covenant, which we invoke whenever we say, "Our Father."

When we call upon the name of the Lord, we are reminding God of the special relationship that He has with us. The Lord has revealed His name so that we might call upon His power and draw closer to Him in communion.

- Adapted from Understanding 'Our Father': Biblical Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, by Dr. Scott Hahn (© 2003 The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology)

The Cool Pontiff

2007-07-25T18:54:00.001-04:00

A Cool You-Tube Video featuring John Michael Talbot

2007-07-24T11:46:00.001-04:00

The "Timidity" of the Holy Father

2007-07-16T09:48:00.001-04:00

(By Russell Shaw, from www.catholicexchange.com)
Pope Benedict XVI's critics say he's timid, overly cautious, slow to make decisions. Against that background, and without suggesting the criticism has no basis in fact, it's enlightening to observe that in recent days, Benedict has taken the following steps: reversed important policy decisions of two of his predecessors, taken a big gamble aimed at healing a dangerous schism, reminded the world's bishops that he's boss, risked offending ecumenical dialogue partners — and then headed off cheerfully on vacation.

If this is timidity, one might reasonably ask, what must boldness look like?
The matters involved in these recent papal moves are well known. First, on June 26, the Vatican released a document from Benedict that makes a potentially crucial change in the procedure for electing a pope.

Back in 1996, in a departure from long tradition, Pope John Paul II decreed that after a conclave had spent 13 days trying unsuccessfully to elect someone by a two-thirds majority vote, the cardinals could switch to election by a simple majority if they wished. Many people felt this was a bad idea, since potentially it allowed a determined group composed of just half the electors plus one to stand pat on its candidate and resist compromise until the time arrived when it could get what it wanted. That's no way to choose a pope, it was privately said.

Evidently, one of those who shared that view was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — now, Pope Benedict XVI. His new rule for the conclave insists that, come what may, a pope must have the votes of two-thirds of the cardinals. That also involves potential difficulties, but at least it guarantees that whoever gets is elected will be a true consensus choice.

Benedict followed up on July 7 with a second document, in effect restoring the old form of the Mass to a position of virtual parity with the new form. In doing so, he was, for practical purposes, reversing Pope Paul VI's decision back in 1970 which virtually banned celebration of Mass in the old form.

Not only that — Paul VI had allowed for continued celebration of Mass the old way by elderly priests, but only if they got special permission. John Paul II expanded authorization of the old form in 1984 and 1988, while also insisting on the local bishop's permission. Not any more. Under Benedict XVI's regulations, starting September 14 any priest who wants to celebrate Mass in the old form can do so, with no further permission required.

Pope Benedict's intention is clear. "Internal reconciliation" in the Church, he calls it — in other words, reconciliation with traditionalists who yearn for Mass in the old form and, especially, with the 600,000 members of the Society of St. Pius X, the schismatic group of followers of the late, breakaway Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Will it work? Hard to say. Unhappiness with the new form of Mass isn't the Lefebvrists' only complaint. They also have problems with things like ecumenism and religious liberty. Significantly, the Vatican, on July 10, issued a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reaffirming the salvific uniqueness of the Catholic Church — a principle traditionalists believe has been obscured by ecumenical excesses.

The point isn't that Pope Benedict has suddenly found the key to resolving all these difficulties. But — patient, methodical, fond of consultation as he is — he has the moxie to try. The critics need to let this man be pope his own way. He's going to do that anyway, after all, whether they like it or not.

Simpsons: Protestant Vs. Catholic Heaven

2007-07-12T11:20:00.001-04:00

With the Simpsons Movie coming out this month, I can't help but post this funny clip.

2007-07-10T10:26:00.000-04:00

New Vatican document affirms centrality of Catholic Church

Vatican, Jul. 10, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has issued a new doctrinal statement confirming the essential role of the Catholic Church in God's plan for salvation.

The short document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), presented in question-and-answer format, addresses questions about the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that the Church founded by Jesus Christ "subsists" in the Catholic Church.

The CDF affirms that while other Christian bodies can play a role in bringing people to salvation, it is in the Catholic Church that "the Church of Christ is concretely found on this earth." The Vatican document makes a further distinction between Orthodox churches that have preserved valid sacraments, and should be recognized as "sister churches," and Protestant groups that have not preserved the Eucharistic presence.

The document, entitled "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church," is approved by Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) and signed by Cardinal William Levada and Archbishop Angelo Amato, the prefect and secretary, respectively, of the CDF. The document is available on the Vatican's website.

Questions #2 and #3 address the teaching of the conciliar document Lumen Gentium (doc) (#8) that the Church of Christ "subsists" in the Catholic Church. The CDF document explains: "It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them." Nevertheless, only the Catholic Church is characterized by identifying marks of Christ's Church: being one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Christian communities separated from the Catholic Church, the CDF continues, "though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation." These communities can act as instruments of salvation, because of their partial participation in "that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church."

In the 4th and 5th questions that complete the document, the CDF draws a clear distinction between the Orthodox and Protestant denominations. The Eastern churches, the document notes, "have true sacraments and above all – because of the apostolic succession – the priesthood and the Eucharist." They are therefore sister churches, even if they fall short of universality because of their separation from the Holy See.

The Protestant communities, on the other hand, "do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders." Because these communities "have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery," the CDF writes, they "cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called "churches" in the proper sense.

Lets see how the American press reports this new document. I am sure they will focus on the last part of the document, relating to Protestants. Prepare for the outrage!

July 4th Feast of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

2007-07-04T11:26:00.001-04:00

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
(April 6, 1901-July 4, 1925)

"O Father, you gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in the service of the poor and the sick; through his intercession may we, too, walk the path of the beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society. Through Christ our Lord, Amen."

Decaf - Handmotions in Heaven

2007-07-02T09:39:00.001-04:00

Pope Restores 2/3's Requirement for Papal Election

2007-06-26T12:02:00.000-04:00

Vatican, Jun. 26, 2007 (CWNews.com) -

Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) has restored the rule requiring a two-thirds majority among the voting cardinals to elect a new Roman Pontiff.

The Vatican today made public a motu proprio in which Pope Benedict amends the rules that had been established by Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in 1996. With those rules Pope John Paul had allowed for the election of a Pope by a simple majority if a conclave was unable to produce a two-thirds majority after 33 ballots.

With a brief document, written in Latin and signed on June 11, Pope Benedict revived the older standard that had called for a two-thirds majority in every case. In the motu proprio the Pope reported that a number of cardinals had called for the amendment, reasoning that the requirement for a two-thirds majority could discourage cardinals from procedural maneuvers that might stall a conclave and force a simple-majority ballot.

The new norms set forth by Pope Benedict allow for a different means of preventing a deadlock. If the conclave has not produced a decision after 21 ballots, the top two vote-getters will be selected for a run-off ballot. However the requirement for two-thirds support still holds.
Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, observed that the motu proprio was an indication that Pope Benedict "wants to ensure that whoever is elected pope enjoys the greatest possible consensus."

Because You Wanted More.....

2007-06-25T14:06:00.001-04:00

Actually, I should have entitled this entry: Nerd II. But hey, the song is pretty sweet!

The Vatican's 10 Commandments for Motorists

2007-06-20T11:03:00.001-04:00

The Vatican took a break from strictly theological matters on Tuesday to issue its own rules of the road, a compendium of do's and don'ts on the moral aspects of driving and motoring. A 36-page document called "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" contains 10 commandments covering everything from road rage, respecting pedestrians, keeping a car in good shape and avoiding rude gestures while behind the wheel. "Cars tend to bring out the 'primitive' side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results," the document said. It appealed to what it called the "noble tendencies" of the human spirit, urging responsibility and self-control to prevent the "psychological regression" often associated with driving. It urged readers not to behave in an "unsatisfactory and even barely human manner" when driving and to avoid what it called "unbalanced behavior ... impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, ..." Vatican City, the world's smallest sovereign state, doesn't have many of the problems listed in the document. It has about 1,000 cars, the speed limit is 19 mph and one Vatican official said the last accident inside Vatican City's walls was about 1.5 years ago, resulting in only minor damage. (Reuters)

For more info on the document go to: http://www.zenit.org/article-19915?l=english

Godzilla vs Contra

2007-06-19T15:36:00.001-04:00

Hey, I know....I am a nerd. But this video contains two things I loved when growing up. So, if you can bring them together, how awesome is that?

I Need to Get Me One of Those!

2007-06-13T14:10:00.000-04:00

Pope on Eucharistic Adoration

2007-06-11T15:21:00.000-04:00

What? The Pope promotes Eucharistic Adoration, what is the world coming to? ;)

Says Silence Is Needed in Scattered World

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 10, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI recommends the practice of Eucharistic adoration, saying that the capacity for interior silence and recollection is ever more important in life that is often "noisy and scattered."The Pope said this today after praying the Angelus with crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square.

His address centered on the Eucharist, as many nations celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi today."Even after the celebration of the divine mysteries, the Lord Jesus remains living in the tabernacle; because of this he is praised, especially by Eucharistic adoration," the Holy Father said."

There is an intrinsic connection between celebration and adoration. The holy Mass, in fact, is in itself the Church's greatest act of adoration," he added. "Adoration outside holy Mass prolongs and intensifies what happened in the liturgical celebration and renders a true and profound reception of Christ possible."I would like to take the opportunity that today's solemnity offers me to strongly recommend to pastors and all the faithful the practice of Eucharistic adoration."

Benedict XVI noted that youth are showing great interest in adoration. "I invite priests to encourage youth groups in this, but also to accompany them to ensure that the forms of adoration are appropriate and dignified, with sufficient times for silence and listening to the word of God," the Pope said.

He continued: "In life today, which is often noisy and scattered, it is more important than ever to recover the capacity for interior silence and recollection: Eucharistic adoration permits one to do this not only within one's 'I' but rather in the company of that 'You' full of love who is Jesus Christ, 'the God who is near us.'"

May the Virgin Mary, Eucharistic Woman, lead us into the secret of true adoration. Her heart, humble and silent, was always recollected around the mystery of Jesus, in whom she worshipped the presence of God and his redemptive love."

Pope-Bush Meeting

2007-06-09T14:40:00.001-04:00

by Mark Silva
VATICAN CITY – Greeted by the archbishop of the Pontifical Household and a line of Technicolor-suited Swiss Guard on the cobblestone – and on this cloudless and warm, sun-splashed day -- San Damaso courtyard of the Vatican, President Bush arrived for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

Inside today, the pope gave the visiting president a 17th Century lithograph of St. Peter's Square and a gold medallion, and the president gave the pope a walking stick that a former homeless artist in Dallas had inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The pope also was heard to inquire about the president's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they had discussed a defensive missile shield for Europe.

"Sometimes I'm not poetic enough to describe what it's like to be in the presence of the Holy Father,'' Bush, who had visited Pope John Paul II during the president's re-election campaign in 2004, said during an interview with European press before departing for this weeklong tour of Europe.

"It is a moving experience. And I have not been in the presence of this particular Holy Father. Obviously, three visits with the last great man, and I'm looking forward to this,'' Bush said of Benedict XVI. "I'm looking forward to hearing him. He's a good thinker and a smart man. I'll be in a listening mode.''
Bush has been in a talking mode for much of an eight-day tour that started in Prague, continued in Germany for the three-day summit of the Group of Eight nations and carried him briefly through Poland – site of the missile battery that Bush proposes for a new European defense network -- before arriving in Rome.

(c/o http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/)

How to tell if a Catholic is driving too fast!

2007-05-31T11:50:00.000-04:00

A Reflection on Pentecost

2007-05-28T15:33:00.000-04:00

A Mighty Wind

Readings:

Acts 2:1-11

Psalm 104:1,24,29-31,341

Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13

John 20:19-23

The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth as God's chosen people, in the covenant Law given to Moses at Sinai (see Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9-11).

In today's First Reading the mysteries prefigured in that feast are fulfilled in the pouring out of the Spirit on Mary and the Apostles (see Acts 1:14). The Spirit seals the new law and new covenant brought by Jesus, written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of believers, as the prophets promised (see 2 Corinthians 3:2-8; Romans 8:2). The Spirit is revealed as the life-giving breath of the Father, the Wisdom by which He made all things, as we sing in today's Psalm. In the beginning, the Spirit came as a "mighty wind" sweeping over the face of the earth (see Genesis 1:2). And in the new creation of Pentecost, the Spirit again comes as "a strong, driving wind" to renew the face of the earth.

As God fashioned the first man out of dust and filled him with His Spirit (see Genesis 2:7), in today's Gospel we see the New Adam become a life-giving Spirit, breathing new life into the Apostles (see 1 Corinthians 15:45,47). Like a river of living water, for all ages He will pour out His Spirit on His body, the Church, as we hear in today's Epistle (see also John 7:37-39). We receive that Spirit in the sacraments, being made a "new creation" in Baptism (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). Drinking of the one Spirit in the Eucharist (see 1 Corinthians 10:4), we are the first fruits of a new humanity - fashioned from out of every nation under heaven, with no distinctions of wealth or language or race, a people born of the Spirit.

(c/o: St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: http://www.salvationhistory.com/)

A Real Tomb is Found!

2007-05-18T08:26:00.000-04:00

Herod's Tomb Found

JERUSALEM - An Israeli archaeologist on Tuesday said he has found remnants of the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem, on a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert where the biblical monarch built a palace.Hebrew University archaeologist Ehud Netzer said the tomb was found at Herodium, a site where he has been exploring since the 1970s.Netzer said a team of researchers found pieces of a limestone sarcophagus believed to belong to the ancient king. Although there were no bones in the container, he said the sarcophagus' location and ornate appearance indicated it is Herod's.

Read the rest at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070508/ap_on_sc/israel_herod_s_tomb_15

This discovery is helpful because it reminds us that disciplines like archaeology are wonderful. There have been a number of great discoveries during the last 100 years that has helped us to understand the world of the Bible. Unfortunately, oftentimes the press reports on the most outlandish "discoveries" like the recent foolishness by James Cameron and the "Jesus Tomb." This however, should never cause us to avoid searching for a greater understanding of the biblical world.

Book Excerpt from Benedict's "Jesus of Nazareth"

2007-05-14T08:02:00.000-04:00

Conflicting movements, hopes, and expectations shaped the religious and political climate around the time of Jesus’ birth. Judas the Galilean had called for an uprising, which was put down by the Romans with a great deal of bloodshed. Judas left behind a party, the Zealots, who were prepared to resort to terror and violence in order to restore Israel’s freedom. It is even possible that one or two of Jesus’ twelve Apostles—Simon the Zealot and perhaps Judas Iscariot as well—had been partisans of this movement. The Pharisees, whom we are constantly meeting in the Gospels, endeavored to live with the greatest possible exactness according to the instructions of the Torah. They also refused conformity to the hegemony of Hellenistic-Roman culture, which naturally imposed itself throughout the Roman Empire, and was now threatening to force Israel’s assimilation to the pagan peoples’ way of life. The Sadducees, most of whom belonged to the aristocracy and the priestly class, attempted to practice an enlightened Judaism, intellectually suited to the times, and so also to come to terms with Roman domination. The Sadducees disappeared after the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), whereas the pattern of life practiced by the Pharisees found an enduring form in the sort of Judaism shaped by the Mishnah and the Talmud. Although we observe sharp antagonism between Jesus and the Pharisees in the Gospels, and although his death on the Cross was the very antithesis of the Zealot program, we must not forget that people came to Christ from every kind of background and that the early Christian community included more than a few priests and former Pharisees.

An accidental discovery after the Second World War led to excavations at Qumran, which brought to light texts that some scholars have associated with yet another movement known until then only from literary references: the so-called Essenes. This group had turned its back on the Herodian temple and its worship to withdraw to the Judean desert. There it created monastic-style communities, but also a religiously motivated common life for families. It also established a productive literary center and instituted distinctive rituals, which included liturgical ablutions and common prayers. The earnest religiosity of the Qumran writings is moving; it appears that not only John the Baptist, but possibly Jesus and his family as well, were close to the Qumran community. At any rate, there are numerous points of contact with the Christian message in the Qumran writings. It is a reasonable hypothesis that John the Baptist lived for some time in this community and received part of his religious formation from it.
And yet the Baptist’s appearance on the scene was something completely new. The Baptism that he enjoined is different from the usual religious ablutions. It cannot be repeated, and it is meant to be the concrete enactment of a conversion that gives the whole of life a new direction forever. It is connected with an ardent call to a new way of thinking and acting, but above all with the proclamation of God’s judgment and with the announcement that one greater than John is to come. The Fourth Gospel tells us that the Baptist “did not know” (cf. Jn 1:30-33) this greater personage whose way he was to prepare. But he does know that his own role is to prepare a path for this mysterious Other, that his whole mission is directed toward him.
All four Gospels describe this mission using a passage from Isaiah: “A voice cries in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Is 40:3). Mark adds a compilation of Malachi 3:1 and Exodus 23:20, which recurs at another point in Matthew (Mt 11:10) and Luke (Lk 1:76, 7:27) as well: “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way” (Mk 1:2). All of these Old Testament texts envisage a saving intervention of God, who emerges from his hiddenness to judge and to save; it is for this God that the door is to be opened and the way made ready. These ancient words of hope were brought into the present with the Baptist’s preaching: Great things are about to unfold.

We can imagine the extraordinary impression that the figure and message of John the Baptist must have produced in the highly charged atmosphere of Jerusalem at that particular moment of history. At last there was a prophet again, and his life marked him out as such. God’s hand was at last plainly acting in history again. John baptizes with water, but one even greater, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, is already at the door. Given all this, there is absolutely no reason to suppose that Mark is exaggerating when he reports that “there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Mk 1:5). John’s baptism includes the confession of sins. The Judaism of the day was familiar both with more generally formulaic confessions of sin and with a highly personalized confessional practice in which an enumeration of individual sinful deeds was expected (Gnilka, Matthäusevangelium I, p. 68). The goal is truly to leave behind the sinful life one has led until now and to start out on the path to a new, changed life.

(for more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18618066/site/newsweek/)

Review of "Jesus of Nazareth"

2007-05-03T08:22:00.000-04:00

Review by John Allen:

Intellectually, the aim of Jesus of Nazareth is, in the first place, to defend the reliability of the gospel accounts; and secondly, to argue that that gospels present Christ as God Himself, not as a prophet or moral reformer. Over and over, the pope uses phrases such as "implicit Christology," "hidden Christology," and "indirect Christology," to argue that even where the gospel accounts don't draw out the theological consequences of stories and sayings of Jesus, their message is nonetheless discernible..........(to finish this long review, go to: http://ncrcafe.org/node/1056)

Those interested in being involved in a book study of this book, contact Tim at mccormickt@macomb.edu. "Jesus of Nazareth" will arrive in bookstores on May 15.

Unfortunate News Regarding Amnesty International

2007-05-02T13:52:00.000-04:00

(c/o http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/)

AI's move to changing its policy on abortion has been murmured about for a while now. While looking through the group's website, Anderson discovered that it's a done deal and that AI is prepared:

Karen Schneider, the chair of the Sexual and Reproductive Rights Working Group, posted a letter, “Updated April 20th, 2007,” and addressed to volunteer leaders. Before I reveal the beginning, here’s a bit of the ending:

It is very important to be aware of the following: This policy will not be made public at this time. As the IEC [Amnesty International’s International Executive Committee] has written to all sections, “There is to be no proactive external publication of the policy position or of the fact of its adoption issued. This means no section or structure is to issue a press release or public statement or external communication of any kind on the policy decision.” (emphasis original)

Anticipating that news might get out anyway, the website contains links to four other documents—a two-page overview of the new policy, a letter from the executive director explaining the change, and an already-written letter to the editor “that should be used only to respond to critical editorials or letters to the editor in local newspapers.” Members were encouraged to circulate these documents to the public but only in response to prior attacks on Amnesty’s new policy—they’d prefer not to generate any PR if possible, and do damage-control only if they have to. All the documents had the same tone a student takes who after being sent to the principal’s office is then forced to talk with the secretary while awaiting his appointment—defensive rationalizing at the service of cleansing the conscience.

The fourth document, a FAQ, could only “be used to respond to inquiries, but not distributed to the public.” Schneider ends by telling volunteers that they were not to “respond to any inquiries from the news media” but to direct reporters to the AI Communication Department.
Why the preemptive cover-up? Why the anticipatory responses? A letter to the editor already drafted in response to negative stories that haven’t even been written? An answer sheet to frequently asked questions before the new policy has even been announced and enough questions could be asked to generate frequency? Something’s up.

So, how did that letter begin? Schneider started with this: “Amnesty International’s International Executive Committee (IEC) has adopted a new position on Sexual and Reproductive Rights that includes support for abortion in very particular circumstances, in the context of our work to stop grave human rights abuses against women and girls.”

The new policy has three basic goals: (1) provide access to abortion in what they claim will only be “particular circumstances,” (2) ensure that women have access to medical care after botched—whether legal or illegal—abortions, and (3) eliminate all penalties against women seeking abortions and against abortion providers.

The various supporting documents all stress the legitimate concerns of female health and liberty and the good work Amnesty International has done in the past on these issues—but then argue for what will amount to an unlimited right to abortion.
snip

Amnesty International’s new abortion policy will strain—if not completely sever—the close ties it enjoys with many of the staunchest defenders of human rights: religious believers, in particular, the Roman Catholic Church. Though they hope to preempt such a conclusion—and gave their members just such a set of talking points—they are only kidding themselves.

"Yeah that's right....I'm the Pope!"

2007-05-01T12:23:00.000-04:00

Frassati Soccer Teams!

2007-04-27T13:03:00.000-04:00

Frassati Society will be fielding two teams in the Catholic Young Adult Soccer League, which will begin May 12.

Here are the rules and guidelines:

*The season will cost $10.00 per person.

*Games will be 7 vs. 7, on modified fields. (One of the 7 may be a goalie, but he/she cannot use their hands)

*We must have at least 2 people of opposite gender on field at all times.

*The season will run May 12 to the end of June, ending with an all day tournament.

*Two 30 minute halfs, with 10 minute break at half.

*Substitutions will be on the fly.

*Games will be on Saturdays in two locations beginning at 10AM.

*Each team will have a team Shirt.

*Soccer equipment (shin guards and shoes) is optional but encouraged

If you are interested, contact Tim - mccormickt@macomb.edu ASAP!

Now Thats A Birthday Cake!!!

2007-04-19T10:36:00.001-04:00

New JRR Tolkien Book!

2007-04-17T15:20:00.000-04:00

I am a big fan of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and books. I am planning, God willing, to read through the Middle Earth series of books this summer. So, I was happy to see that today "the Children of Hurin" was published. It is an unfinished book of Tolkien that his son Christopher has edited and compiled for the past 30 years or so, since JRR Tolkien's death in 1973. It is set 6500 years before the events of "The Lord of the Rings." So far, I have gotten through the first two chapters and have found it to be a wonderful read. I am looking forward to finishing it....either before or after my finals next week. JRR Tolkien is important since he was not only a genius writer, but also a devout Catholic. Even if you have only seen the movies, you can certainly see the various christological influences in "The Lord of the Rings."

One note: The book itself is beautifully put together, with gorgeous illustrations, an appendix, glossary of names, and a map. Also the type-setting is very readable.

Easter Commentary by NT Wright

2007-04-10T13:43:00.000-04:00

I am a big fan of biblical scholar, and Anglican bishop, NT Wright. Below is an editorial he wrote about Easter. I find it to be quite insightful!

Face to Faith

Tom Wright Saturday April 7, 2007The Guardian
When Easter stops being a surprise, it stops being Easter. The trick Christians pull off year after year is to so immerse ourselves in Lent and Holy Week that we actually screen out what we know comes next.

We reflect on, and mourn, the ruin of the world and the folly of humankind. We look in the mirror and see our own shame and sin. And then we contemplate Jesus's suffering and death at the heart of the whole thing: the place where the arrogance of empire, the frenzy of religion and the betrayal of friends all rush together and do their worst. Faced with all that, it's not hard to bracket out Easter. After all, that's what most of the world does anyway.

"Wait without hope," wrote TS Eliot, "for hope would be hope for the wrong thing." If you frame Easter in the terms of the perceived problem, you belittle it. Whether you think in terms of pie in the sky (at best a thoroughly subChristian concept) or a better society, all you get is a happy ending after a sad or sinful story.

And whatever Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were doing in writing the final sections of their books, they were not telling the story of Jesus's resurrection as a happy ending. They were telling it as a startling new beginning. Easter morning isn't a slow, gentle waking up after the difficult operation. It's the electric shock that brings someone back to life in a whole new way.
That's why the Easter stories tumble out in bits and pieces, with breathless chasings to and fro and garbled reports - and then, stories like nothing else before or since. As the great New Testament scholar EP Sanders put it, the writers were trying to describe an experience that does not fit a known category. They knew all about ghosts and visions, and they knew it wasn't anything like that.

Equally, they knew the risen Jesus wasn't just a resuscitated corpse, still less someone who had almost died but managed to stagger on after all. They had the puzzled air of people saying, "I know this sounds wacky, but this is truly how it was." They were stumblingly describing the birth of new creation, starting with Jesus but intended for the whole world.

It sometimes seems that the church can hardly cope with this any more than the world can. Perhaps that's why, after 40 days of Lent, many churches celebrate Easter for a few hours and then return to normality. But nothing can be "normal" after Easter. New creation has begun, and we are summoned to get on board. We should at least have an eight-day party, or even a 40-day one.

And if Easter is all about the surprise of new creation, there is every reason to suppose that it will ripple out into the world in ways we would never imagine. Gangsters and drug-dealers get radically converted and set on fire with God's love, while pale churchmen drone their disbelief and warn against extremism.

Extremism? What can be more extreme than God raising Jesus from the dead after the world has done its worst to him? Supposing the power of that event were to be released into the world, into local communities, into ordinary lives, here and now? What might that look like?
We don't know, of course. That's the point. But I do know this. As our politicians go round the tracks this way and that, fudging and dodging and hedging their bets, and as our culture lurches through the sneers and the whims of postmodernity, it looks as though we all know we need new creation but nobody knows where to find it. Easter offers an answer so striking that most mock at it and even the churches often don't know what to do with it. Forget the eggs and the bunnies. Read the story again, say your prayers, and watch for surprises.

· The Rt Rev Dr Tom Wright is Bishop of Durham.

Pope Benedict and the Holy Triduum

2007-04-05T12:37:00.000-04:00

Vatican, Apr. 4, 2007 (CWNews.com) - At his regular weekly public audience on April 4, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) looked forward to the Easter Triduum, saying that the liturgical events of the coming days enact "the supreme confrontation between light and darkness, between life and death."

The Easter Triduum, the Holy Father said, "invites us to contemplate the mystery of the Cross, to acknowledge our sinfulness and, in faith, to unite ourselves with Jesus in his saving passover from death to life."

Speaking about each liturgical event in turn, the Pope said that the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Lord's Supper-- both celebrated on Holy Thursday-- encourage the faithful to recognize "the supreme triple gift of priestly ministry, the Eucharist, and the new commandment of love."

Good Friday, he continued, is a day of solemn fasting, penance, and prayer, with the Way of the Cross giving the faithful an opportunity "to imprint the mystery of the Cross ever more deeply on our hearts."

Holy Saturday should be a day of "interior meditation," the Pope said-- acknowledging that this is a challenge as the faithful prepare for the Easter celebration. Then at the Easter Vigil, "the veil of sadness shrouding the Church… with be shattered by the cry of victory."

In the Easter Triduum, the Pope said with emphasis, the Church relives "not just a memory but a current reality." Christ is triumphant over sin and death today, the Pope said. "It is upon this certainty that our Christian lives are built."

Before ending the Wednesday audience, Pope Benedict acknowledged the presence of many students who have gathered in Rome in for the annual UNIV conference sponsored by Opus Dei. Citing the words of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of the lay movement, he said: "I really wish we Christians knew how to serve, for only by serving can we know and love Christ and make Him known and loved."

The Easter Triduum

2007-04-04T10:39:00.000-04:00

Easter Triduum, or Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, to denote, collectively, the three days from the evening of Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday) to the evening of Easter Sunday. The Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper (or, where this is not celebrated, Vespers of Holy Thursday) and ends after Vespers at sunset on Easter Day.

The term was used at the Second Vatican Council, when the revised liturgical calendar set the final part of Holy Week apart from Lent proper. Previously, these three days had already gained distinction from the rest of Holy Week with an observance of silence, which were also known as "the still days." During Mass, music was not to be played and all church bells were silenced. People were also encouraged to observe silence in their homes during this time.

Prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, weddings were prohibited throughout the entire season of Lent and during certain other periods as well. Today, such celebrations are prohibited only during the Triduum and a few other solemnities.

During the Triduum, starting from Holy Thursday service until the Easter Vigil service, processions (where the celebrant of the Mass enters and leaves) are not conducted. The tradition of silence and lack of music is continued in Vatican II practice.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Triduum)

Palm Sunday!

2007-03-31T18:31:00.000-04:00

Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh!

On a Lighter Note........

2007-03-23T11:15:00.000-04:00

Guess who was at a recent Papal Audience in Rome?

I think this is actually quite funny and wonderful in a strange way. Only in America.....I mean the Vatican!

(Evidently Don King represents an Italian fighter whose brother is a Catholic Priest.)

Bono and the Theology of the Body?

2007-03-19T14:20:00.000-04:00

Body Language:Commentary on the Intersection of Faith, Sex, & CultureBy Christopher West
Is Bono Singing the Theology of the Body?

Two of my biggest interests in life are theology and music. In fact, before I discovered John Paul II’s theology of the body and decided to devote my life to studying and teaching it, I had pursued a career in the rock and roll world as a drummer, guitarist, and singer/songwriter. If John Paul II has been the biggest influence in my theological life, without a doubt, the Irish band U2 has been the biggest influence in my musical life.
Ever since I first saw them on MTV in 1983 (it was the video for New Year’s Day), I have followed their career with great interest. Their music is in my blood and speaks deeply to my soul. The band’s rather unconventional faith in Christ is well known. Their songs are steeped in biblical imagery. Long before I had any faith of my own, I think that "spirit" in their music attracted me and possibly even helped open me in some way to Christ.
One of the many causes that Bono, the band’s singer, champions is fighting the spread of AIDS in Africa. I have thought for many years that Bono would be very interested in the idea of "sexual redemption" taught in John Paul II’s theology of the body as a means of getting to the root of the AIDS crisis. In fall of 2005, in a meeting seemingly orchestrated from heaven by John Paul II himself, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Bono and introduce him to the late Pope’s teaching. I gave him a copy of my book Theology of the Body for Beginners and we had a very lively exchange about the Scriptures, sex, redemption, and the Catholic Church.
Fast forward to late December 2006. A friend called me on the phone and said, "Have you heard the new U2 song? It’s called ‘Window in the Skies.’ You’re not going to believe it." I typed the title into Google and listened with amazement. It’s a song about how Christ’s resurrection can redeem the sexual relationship. The chorus repeats the joyous refrain, "Oh can’t you see what love has done? Oh can’t you see what love has done, and what it’s doing to me?" Here is a sample of some of the verses:
The rule has been disprovedThe stone it has been movedThe grave is now a grooveAll debts are removed
The sky over our headWe can reach it from our bedIf you let me in your heartAnd out of my head...
In the bridge, Bono echoes the joy of Eden - and one of the main themes of John Paul’s teaching - when he cries: "I’ve got no shame, oh no, oh no!" Then, admitting the many ways he has hurt his wife (Bono has been faithfully married to his high school sweetheart for nearly 25 years), he says, "But love left a window in the skies, and to love I rhapsodize." As the song ends, he offers the same hope "to every broken heart, for every heart that cries - love left a window in the skies."
So, has Bono been reading up on the theology of the body? Perhaps. Or, maybe as John Paul II himself emphasized, these are simply truths that find an echo in every human heart and Bono has tapped into it.

© Christopher West. All rights reserved.

http://www.theologyofthebody.com/www.ChristopherWest.com

Jesus Tomb Hype of "Da Vinci Code" Type

2007-03-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

Another well written rebuttal to all things silly in the James Cameron "Jesus Tomb" documentary.

BY BEN WITHERINGTON III (http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110009735)
Year after year in spring, a new crop of religious dandelions pop up in our post-Christian culture. Like the real ones growing in my yard, they make a colorful splash that briefly captures our attention, until we realize that they are only shallow-rooted weeds, not beautiful flowers planted long ago in the deep rich soil of the past, such as Easter lilies.

Last year, it was the Gnostic nonsense of the "Da Vinci Code." We've had the "Gospel of Judas Iscariot," written centuries after the eyewitnesses were dead. This year it's a variation on the "Da Vinci" theme. We are not only being told that there was a Mrs. Jesus (a k a Mary Magdalene). We are also informed that her tomb and that of Jesus have been found in Jerusalem; that DNA testing has proved that they are not related and so must have been married (how exactly does it prove that?) and that an ossuary or small casket of at least one of their offspring has been found as well. News at 11! Or, in this case, on the Discovery Channel's documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," scheduled for Sunday night.

In a surreal moment on "Larry King Live" earlier this week, the film's producer, James Cameron (of "Titanic" fame), told us with a straight face that we should all be thankful that we now have tangible evidence that Jesus existed. Actually, no serious historian of biblical antiquity has ever doubted that there was a historical Jesus. Yet it tells us a lot about the state of our culture that Mr. Cameron's remark, backed by pseudo-science, could be seriously made on national television and that the film's companion book has already shot up to No. 5 on Amazon's rankings. We are a Jesus-haunted culture that is so historically illiterate that anything can now pass for knowledge of Jesus.

No doubt there are those who welcome "evidence" that undermines the foundation of Christianity. Many people, though, are simply beguiled by the "obsolescence factor" in our technologically driven society--the "newer" must be "truer" and "better." This outlook, when applied to a subject like the historical Jesus, attracts all sorts of unbridled speculation, and worse.

How momentous is the latest Jesus-as-you-never-knew-him story? Not very. It is simply not true, as Mr. Cameron's claims in his preface to Simcha Jacobovici's book, "The Jesus Family Tomb," that we have had no hard evidence for Jesus' existence before now except in the Bible. That ignores mentions in ancient Roman and Jewish historians such Tacitus, Suetonius and Josephus.

The "Jesus tomb" explorers trot out statistics on ancient Hebrew names, claiming that the ones in the tomb sound too much like known Jesus family members for the similarity to be a coincidence. But since we've only excavated a minority of archaeological and tomb sites even in Jerusalem, most ancient names are still buried in the earth, making meaningful statistical analysis difficult. What we can say for certain is that most of the names found in the Talpiot tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem have been seen in many places elsewhere--in texts, on potsherds, in inscriptions, in the Bible itself. They are not rare even by the standards of the limited evidence we do have.

Any good scientific theory must account for all the evidence--in this case, all the names we find in the Talpiot tomb and not just the ones that match the holy-family theory. For instance, we have a Matthew in the tomb, but Jesus had no brothers named Matthew. And where are brothers like Simon, or the sisters mentioned in Mark 6, and where especially is brother James? We actually know that James was buried within sight of the Temple Mount, and Talpiot is miles from there. Eusebius, the fourth-century church historian, saw the tomb and the standing inscribed slab in front of it.

You also have to ask yourself: Why would most of the holy family from Galilee be buried in a middle-class tomb several miles outside of Jerusalem in some sheep pasture? They were, in fact, poor and could not afford an ornamental tomb like this one. This family was from Nazareth, too, with connections in Bethlehem. Why wouldn't its members be buried in one of those places?
We also know that crucifixion was considered the most shameful and hideous way to die, a blow from which one's family honor did not soon recover, if ever. So shamefully did Jesus die that his first followers and even most of his family abandoned him: He was not buried by family members or by the Galilean disciples. He was put in a tomb near the old city that did not belong to any of them.

Of course, the main implicit contention of the documentary and book is that the Resurrection is demonstrably a fraud--and thus, we must assume, people like Peter and James, the brother of Jesus, were prepared to be martyred in grisly ways to perpetrate a fraud. Resurrection had only one meaning for early Jews--a miracle that happens to a person's body so that they are raised from the dead.

To skeptics, no amount of counterargument will matter. Yet it wouldn't hurt for the rest of us to exercise a bit of skepticism when listening to each year's new theories about Jesus and the "true" history behind the biblical narrative. Amos Kloner, the archaeologist who supervised work at the tomb when it was first discovered in 1980, has called the documentary's claims "impossible" and "nonsense." As a New Testament scholar, I will trust serious scholars like him. Make no bones about it--they have not found Jesus' tomb.

Mr. Witherington is professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky., and the author of "What Have They Done With Jesus?"

Jesus' Tomb??????

2007-02-28T12:42:00.000-05:00

(The following post is from www.getreligion.org) It should be helpful to those interested in this silly James Cameron "documentary."

The hype machine for James Cameron’s documentary The Lost Tomb of Christ has hit Anna Nicole Smith levels of ridiculousness.

An allegation that Jesus Christ’s body has been found is an interesting story. The fact that some big-name moviemaker is behind it adds to the spice and makes it a very legitimate story. But the silliness of the headlines, the hypothetical evidence, poor background information (likely fed by Cameron’s PR machine) and the hype factor all add up to give people who take religious issues seriously just another reason to ignore the media. And that’s too bad.
The story at this point is an embarrassment to reporters. It’s why they have a bad name in religious circles. As Amy Welborn said, “It’s nonsense, but you know what . . . Easter is coming!!!”

When did a filmmaker turned amateur historian become a reliable source for questions related to archeology? Well, since his facts were based on “sound statistics,” as he put it. We all know what they teach journalists in training about statistics (“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp posts — for support rather than illumination” — Andrew Lang).

The documentary is running on The Discovery Channel on March 4. Yes, this is the same channel that airs documentaries that make you want to believe we are visited frequently by UFOs.

One of my favorite quotes comes from an Associated Press piece by Marshall Thompson that draws on interviews the filmmakers did with various television stations:
Cameron told NBC’S “Today” show that statisticians found “in the range of a couple of million to one in favor of it being them.” Simcha Jacobovici, the Toronto filmmaker who directed the documentary, said the implications “are huge.”

“But they’re not necessarily the implications people think they are. For example, some believers are going to say, well this challenges the resurrection. I don’t know why, if Jesus rose from one tomb, he couldn’t have risen from the other tomb,” Jacobovici told “Today.”

The range of a million to one? What kind of statistical basis is that for any serious discussion, and what is Jacobovici trying to tell us with that cryptic statement about the implications? It confuses me. Things like that should be explained.

Another problem with the AP piece is including this comment by Cameron:
Cameron said his critics should withhold comment until they see his film.
“I’m not a theologist [sic]. I’m not an archaeologist. I’m a documentary film maker,” he said.
So let’s all follow Cameron’s advice and not write about the film until it comes out? Um, no. He’s not a theologian or an archaeologist, but just a documentary filmmaker. Then why are news organizations reporting his words as gospel truth (pardon the pun)? This is a highly scripted media campaign that is relying on all the free publicity provided by eager reporters looking for a story to write. The final paragraph of the AP report, relating to the experts who heavily criticized the documentary, is especially ironic: None of the experts interviewed by The Associated Press had seen the whole documentary. Did Thompson see the film?

My favorite press release news article comes from our friends at Newsweek, who were tipped off to the news much earlier than the rest of us, giving them time to put together a 2,100-word piece documenting the controversy.

Reporters Lisa Miller and Joanna Chen cite all the usual naysayers but frame their words as equal to that of the moviemakers, whose credibility in these matters is self-admittedly lower.

Time magazine’s Middle East blog post on the matter is lame:
Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you ‘The Titanic[,]’ is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he’s sinking is Christianity.

The New York Times is no better:
Raising the Titanic, Sinking Christianity?

The media pack will likely follow this story to its airing in March. We will have gained little from it other than the knowledge that the media can be conned by clever PR tactics into writing a set of dubious stories that do little to sort out established facts from amateurish speculation.

Possible Anglican-Catholic Reunion in Works?

2007-02-19T15:19:00.000-05:00

Although we should approach this article with caution to make sure it is legitimate, it does look promising.

Churches back plan to unite under Pope
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

From Times Online:

Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt. The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches. In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope.

The rest of the article is at The Times Online:
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article1403702.ece)

2007-02-13T14:04:00.000-05:00

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

LENT 2007
“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37)

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37). This is the biblical theme that this year guides our Lenten reflection. Lent is a favourable time to learn to stay with Mary and John, the beloved disciple, close to Him who on the Cross, consummated for all mankind the sacrifice of His life (cf. Jn 19:25). With a more fervent participation let us direct our gaze, therefore, in this time of penance and prayer, at Christ crucified who, dying on Calvary, revealed fully for us the love of God. In the Encyclical Deus caritas est, I dwelt upon this theme of love, highlighting its two fundamental forms: agape and eros.

God’s love: agape and eros
The term agape, which appears many times in the New Testament, indicates the self-giving love of one who looks exclusively for the good of the other. The word eros, on the other hand, denotes the love of one who desires to possess what he or she lacks and yearns for union with the beloved. The love with which God surrounds us is undoubtedly agape. Indeed, can man give to God some good that He does not already possess? All that the human creature is and has is divine gift. It is the creature then, who is in need of God in everything. But God’s love is also eros. In the Old Testament, the Creator of the universe manifests toward the people whom He has chosen as His own a predilection that transcends every human motivation. The prophet Hosea expresses this divine passion with daring images such as the love of a man for an adulterous woman (cf. 3:1-3). For his part, Ezekiel, speaking of God’s relationship with the people of Israel, is not afraid to use strong and passionate language (cf. 16:1-22). These biblical texts indicate that eros is part of God’s very heart: the Almighty awaits the “yes” of His creatures as a young bridegroom that of his bride. Unfortunately, from its very origins, mankind, seduced by the lies of the Evil One, rejected God’s love in the illusion of a self-sufficiency that is impossible (cf. Gn 3:1-7). Turning in on himself, Adam withdrew from that source of life who is God Himself, and became the first of “those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage” (Heb 2:15). God, however, did not give up. On the contrary, man’s “no” was the decisive impulse that moved Him to manifest His love in all of its redeeming strength.

The Cross reveals the fullness of God’s love
It is in the mystery of the Cross that the overwhelming power of the heavenly Father’s mercy is revealed in all of its fullness. In order to win back the love of His creature, He accepted to pay a very high price: the blood of His only begotten Son. Death, which for the first Adam was an extreme sign of loneliness and powerlessness, was thus transformed in the supreme act of love and freedom of the new Adam. One could very well assert, therefore, together with Saint Maximus the Confessor, that Christ “died, if one could say so, divinely, because He died freely” (Ambigua, 91, 1956). On the Cross, God’s eros for us is made manifest. Eros is indeed – as Pseudo-Dionysius expresses it – that force “that does not allow the lover to remain in himself but moves him to become one with the beloved” (De divinis nominibus, IV, 13: PG 3, 712). Is there more “mad eros” (N. Cabasilas, Vita in Cristo, 648) than that which led the Son of God to make Himself one with us even to the point of suffering as His own the consequences of our offences?

“Him whom they have pierced”
Dear brothers and sisters, let us look at Christ pierced in the Cross! He is the unsurpassing revelation of God’s love, a love in which eros and agape, far from being opposed, enlighten each other. On the Cross, it is God Himself who begs the love of His creature: He is thirsty for the love of every one of us. The Apostle Thomas recognized Jesus as “Lord and God” when he put his hand into the wound of His side. Not surprisingly, many of the saints found in the Heart of Jesus the deepest expression of this mystery of love. One could rightly say that the revelation of God’s eros toward man is, in reality, the supreme expression of His agape. In all truth, only the love that unites the free gift of oneself with the impassioned desire for reciprocity instills a joy, which eases the heaviest of burdens. Jesus said: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself” (Jn 12:32). The response the Lord ardently desires of us is above all that we welcome His love and allow ourselves to be drawn to Him. Accepting His love, however, is not enough. We need to respond to such love and devote ourselves to communicating it to others. Christ “draws me to Himself” in order to unite Himself to me, so that I learn to love the brothers with His own love.

Blood and water
“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.” Let us look with trust at the pierced side of Jesus from which flow “blood and water” (Jn 19:34)! The Fathers of the Church considered these elements as symbols of the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. Through the water of Baptism, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, we are given access to the intimacy of Trinitarian love. In the Lenten journey, memorial of our Baptism, we are exhorted to come out of ourselves in order to open ourselves, in trustful abandonment, to the merciful embrace of the Father (cf. Saint John Chrysostom, Catecheses, 3,14ff). Blood, symbol of the love of the Good Shepherd, flows into us especially in the Eucharistic mystery: “The Eucharist draws us into Jesus’ act of self-oblation … we enter into the very dynamic of His self-giving” (Encyclical Deus caritas est, 13). Let us live Lent then, as a “Eucharistic” time in which, welcoming the love of Jesus, we learn to spread it around us with every word and deed. Contemplating “Him whom they have pierced” moves us in this way to open our hearts to others, recognizing the wounds inflicted upon the dignity of the human person; it moves us, in particular, to fight every form of contempt for life and human exploitation and to alleviate the tragedies of loneliness and abandonment of so many people. May Lent be for every Christian a renewed experience of God’s love given to us in Christ, a love that each day we, in turn, must “regive” to our neighbour, especially to the one who suffers most and is in need. Only in this way will we be able to participate fully in the joy of Easter. May Mary, Mother of Beautiful Love, guide us in this Lenten journey, a journey of authentic conversion to the love of Christ. I wish you, dear brothers and sisters, a fruitful Lenten journey, imparting with affection to all of you, a special Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 21 November 2006.
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

(c/o www.vatican.va)

Name that Church in Rome pt. 2

2007-02-06T15:32:00.000-05:00

(If you are wondering why I am doing this, just be patient. The Frassati Society of Detroit has a big announcement in the works!)

Name that Church in Rome!

2007-02-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

(Hint: It is a very historic Church that is located on the opposite side of the Tiber River from the historic center.)

Take the Bible Quiz! (It's Easy!)

2007-01-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

My Time at the March for Life

2007-01-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

This year was the first time I participated in the March for Life in Washington DC. I must say that I was unsure of the whole experience, never having done anything like protesting or marching for cause. Its just generally not something I do. I am certainly Pro-Life, but I have really never acted upon that belief.

All I can say is that the entire event was a wonderfully fulfilling experience. I was deeply struck by the compassion of those who marched. Those who say that Pro-Life people care only for the baby and not the mother are either ignorant or just plain lying. I saw so many signs that were filled with compassion for mother and child, and talked with people who expressed the same feeling.

The other thing that struck me was the number of mothers, religious, and youth who attended, not only the Mass and Rally at the Verizon Center, but also during the March. I know that those who attended the Rally and Mass were so pleased to be in solidarity with their bishops. It is a wonderful thing when young people can participate in the Holy Mass and then march for an imporant cause with their bishop.

It was also great to see a group like Democrats for Life participating in the event. I truly think that if Pro-Life could be an issue embraced by more people on both sides of the political aisle, a great bit of good could be accomplished.

Thanks to RTL-Lifespan Oakland Macomb for inviting me to participate.

Roma- The Forum Romanum

2007-01-18T12:42:00.000-05:00

So I begin my reflections on the recent trip I took to Rome with my family over the Christmas holiday. With all the wonderful and ancient places in Rome that I visited, the question is: Where to begin?

Well, probably the heart of ancient Rome, the Roman Forum is the best place to start. One of the first things you notice when you enter this area is that the whole area is much lower than the modern city. This gives you a wonderful idea as to how the city has been built up over the past 2000 years. This whole area is located right in the middle of the Eternal City.

Wikipedia has a nice overall description of the the Forum: "The Roman Forum (Forum Romanum, although the Romans called it more often the Forum Magnum or just the Forum) was the central area around which ancient Rome developed, in which commerce, business, prostitution, cult and the administration of justice took place. Here the communal hearth was located. Sequences of remains of paving show that sediment eroded from the surrounding hills was already raising the level of the forum in early Republican times. Originally it had been marshy ground, which was drained by the Tarquins with the Cloaca Maxima. Its final travertine paving, still to be seen, dates from the reign of Augustus."

When you are walking around the Forum, you can't help but place yourself back into the Rome of the great Emperors. The beauty of the ancient remains are only matched by the fact that you are able to walk on the actual streets that Julius Caesar, Augustus, St. Peter, and St. Paul would have tred. In the distance, you can gance at the three major arches that are still standing, as well as the majestic Palatine Hill and the Collosseum. The area is relatively quiet, which masks the reality of a busy modern city all around you. History is wonderful!

An amazing fact is that this whole area was only fully excavated in the early 20th Century!

Finding a translation: How to select a Catholic Bible

2007-01-15T18:49:00.000-05:00

Catholic Spirit, January 2007, Good News
By John OsmanColumnist

What? There is more than one Bible for Catholics?The New American Bible (NAB), which is the Bible translation we read at Mass, isn’t the only English translation used by the Catholic Church. The title of the translation –– the New American Bible –– tells us that this translation is not used in Canada or Great Britain!Within the Bible itself we find more than one translation. Ever since the New Testament authors used quotations from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, we as Catholics have been using multiple translations. A variety of translations is part of what makes us Catholic.These multiple English translations of the Bible help us achieve a balance when approaching the word of God.

Is the word of God watered down when we translate it? The popular movie title “Lost in Translation” would indicate as such. But we believe that God can be “found in the translation” just as much as he can be found in the original text.So how can you “find a translation?”There are two basic approaches used by translators. When selecting a Bible (or a second Bible!) it is good to know which technique the translation favors. One approach attempts to translate from the original text literally, or “word for word.” The other approach, “meaning for meaning,” focuses on the meaning of the original text and uses words more familiar to modern readers when creating the translated text.On one side of the spectrum, those Bibles that tend toward the “word for word” approach are better for study and require additional aides. Those Bibles that are on the extreme “meaning for meaning” end of the spectrum are excellent when we want to focus on the simplicity of the message or for evangelization, since they are so accessible. The ones that strike a balance are good for private prayer and study but also for public reading. An example of Bibles that are more “word for word” are the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). They are used by the church in teaching and we see them used in our catechisms.Examples of Bibles that balance the approaches are the NAB and the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB). The popular Protestant Bible, the New International Version (NIV) also falls into this category.

The NAB is used in most of our Catholic liturgies. It usually depends on the text but, generally, the NAB leans more toward the literal approach than does the NJB, but this is not always the case.Bibles that are extremely “meaning for meaning” are called paraphrases. Examples of paraphrases are the Today’s English Version (TEV) and the Contemporary English Version (CEV). I originally used a TEV, better known as The Good News Bible, when I first began reading the Bible and I use it today for its accessibility. The CEV is used by the church in its children’s liturgies. The paraphrases are important for adults, especially those new to the faith or new to the English language, but also for those who need to enjoy the essence of the text.So, when finding a translation, first seek to achieve an overall balance. If you are selecting your first Bible, start in the middle of the spectrum with the NAB or the NJB. I would recommend the NJB, since we hear the NAB already at Mass. If you already have one of these, reflect on what you need in order to achieve a better overall balance. Do you need to experience the simple essence of our faith or do you need to experience the wonderment of its complexity?

John Osman is volunteer director of adult faith formation at St. Thomas More Parish in Austin

CRS Fair Trade Site

2007-01-12T09:22:00.000-05:00

I would like to recommend you check out the Catholic Relief Service's Fair Trade site. I know many of us are coffee drinkers, some more than others, and there is a lot of good info on the site about fair trade coffee. You can even purchase Fair Trade coffee from the site.

http://www.crsfairtrade.org/

I'm Back

2007-01-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I have returned from a month of travelling to Rome and San Diego.....don't worry two different trips. I am not quite yet up to speed on all the work I need to do however, I will leave you with two things:

1) Make sure to visit my friend Tim's weblog: http://timinkenya.blogspot.com/ Tim was accepted as a missionary in Malava, Kenya with the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers in 2007. This blog is intended for the purpose of keeping track of his thoughts and experiences while on this journey.

2) I plan to blog on my trip to Rome. The picture above was taken during the Papal Audience on December 20th. My brother is on the far left of the picture. Yes we were that close!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-14T13:56:00.000-05:00

Silent night Holy night All is calm all is bright 'Round yon virgin Mother and Child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born; Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth; Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Mary as The Model

2006-12-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

Father Cantalamessa on the Immaculate Conception

"Mary Is a Model Who Works With Us and in Us"

ROME, DEC. 7, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raneiro Cantalamessa, on liturgical readings for the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. * * *

Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38

"Chosen to Be Holy and Immaculate"

So that we see how the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is not simply a celebration of the privileges of Mary but touches us and involves us in a profound way, we have to understand it in the light of the words of Paul in the second reading: "God the Father chose us in Jesus Christ before the creation of the world, to be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity." We are all, therefore, called to be holy and immaculate; it is our truest destiny; God's project for us. A little later, in the same Letter to the Ephesians, Paul contemplates this plan of God, no longer regarding it as applicable to men taken individually, everyone for himself, but as applicable to the universal Church, Bride of Christ: "Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her to sanctify her, purifying her with baptism and the word, because he wanted her to appear in splendor, without blemish or wrinkle but holy and immaculate" (Ephesians 5:25-27). A human race holy and immaculate -- this is God's great purpose in creating the Church. A human race that can finally appear before him, that need not flee from his presence, its countenance disfigured by shame, as Adam and Eve after the sin. A human race that, above all, he can love and draw into communion with him, through his Son in the Holy Spirit. In this universal design of God, what does the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which we celebrate today, represent? The liturgy responds to this question in the preface of today's Mass when, turning to God, it sings: "In her you designated the beginning of the Church, Bride of Christ without blemish or wrinkle. ... You predestined her above every creature to be an advocate of grace and a model of holiness for your people." This, therefore, is what we celebrate in Mary today: the beginning of the Church, the first fulfillment of God's design. She is the one in whom there is a promise and guarantee that the whole plan will be accomplished. "Nothing is impossible with God!" Mary is the proof of this. In her there already shines forth all the future splendor of the Church, as, on a peaceful morning, the azure countenance of the sky is reflected in a single dew drop. And it is also for this above all that Mary is called "Mother of the Church." However, Mary is not only she who stands behind us, at the beginning of the Church. She also stands before us as "model of holiness for the people of God." We are not born immaculate as, by a singular privilege bestowed by God, she was born; indeed, evil settles into us in every fiber and in every form. We are full of "wrinkles" that must be made smooth and "blemishes" that must be washed away. It is in connection with this work of purification and recovery of the image of God that Mary stands before us as a powerful reminder. The liturgy speaks of her as a "model of holiness." The image is correct, provided that we move beyond human analogies. Our Lady is not like human models, who pose and remain still so that they can be painted by an artist. Mary is a model who works with us and in us, who guides our hand as we trace the outlines of the model par excellence, Jesus Christ, so that we might be "conformed to his image" (Romans 8:29). She is "advocate of grace" before she is model of holiness. Devotion to Mary, when it is enlightened and ecclesial, does not really draw believers away from the one Mediator, but brings them to him. Those who have had a true and authentic experience of Mary in their lives know that it brings them to the Gospel and to a deeper knowledge of Christ. She stands before all Christians always repeating what she said at Cana: "Do whatever he tells you."

[Translation by ZENIT]

The Real St. Nicholas

2006-12-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

It is believed that Nicholas was born in Patura, Lycia, Asia Minor, although the exact date is unknown. He was bishop of Myra, known for his great zeal and holiness. He was once imprisoned for his faith under the Emperor Diocletian, and it is said that he was present at the Council of Nicaea where he denounced Arianism.

The rest of what is known about St. Nicholas is mostly speculative. There is a story about three poverty-stricken young girls whose father was planning to give them up to prostitution since he could not afford dowries for them. Nicholas, hearing about this, and having been born into wealth, took three bags of gold and threw them into the girls’ house. Afterwards, all three girls were married and saved from lives of prostitution.It is said that Nicholas destroyed pagan temples and devoted himself to converting sinners and helping the poor.

He is the patron of storm-beset sailors because it is said that he miraculously saved some doomed mariners off the coast of Lycia. He is also patron of prisoners and children as well as the patron saint of Greece, Sicily, and Russia.He was referred to as Klaus (short for Nicholas) by some, later to be known as Sint Klaus, and by the Dutch as Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas died in 350 A.D.

(c/o www.catholicexchange.com)

A Beautiful Picture in So Many Ways!

2006-11-30T21:35:00.000-05:00

Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Bartholomew I

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

--John 17:20-23

The Naughty And Nice List

2006-11-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

FYI....

c/o:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/nov/06112706.html

Which Companies are Allowing a "Merry Christmas"

(LifeSiteNews.com) -

Aspart of the Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, LibertyCounsel has created a "Naughty and Nice" checklist(available online in pdf or MSWord) which catalogsretailers who either censor or recognize Christmas.The list was compiled from information gathered byLiberty Counsel supporters.Partial "Naughty List"Lowe's - Employees cannot say "Merry Christmas" tocustomers. Lowe's corporate advised that only whencustomers initiate a "Merry Christmas" greeting canemployees respond in kind.Toys 'R' Us - "Holidays" are in, "Merry Christmas" isout.Banana Republic - Web site has "Holiday Gift Guide"with no mention of Christmas.Bed Bath & Beyond - No mention of any holidays.Barnes & Noble - Web site says "Gift Guide," "Holidaygift baskets," "Holiday sled," "Holiday delivery," butno Christmas. Stores not allowed to put up Christmastrees, and employees are not allowed to say "MerryChristmas."Best Buy - Web site says "Unique gifts for theseason," "Holiday gift ideas." Spokesperson said theuse of "Merry Christmas" is disrespectful.Dick's Sporting Goods - Web site says "gifts" and hasimages, but no mention of Christmas.Eddie Bauer - Customer service would not recognizeChristmas, they "don't want to offend Jews, those whocelebrate Kwanza and those who have no religiouspreference."Gap - "Holiday Survival Guide" with no mention ofChristmas.Home Depot - Web site says "Holiday Store" and"Holiday Lighting" and only at bottom of site says"Make your Christmas decorations complete." Storeshave "Holiday Home Accents."K-Mart - Selling "Holiday trees" and "Holidaywreaths."Partial "Nice List"Dillard's - Advertises "Christmas Catalog."JC Penney - Web site has "Christmas ShippingCountdown."Joann Fabrics - Offers Christmas and Holiday fabrics.Kohl's - Christmas is all over TV, print and radioads.L.L. Bean - Advertises and distributes "ChristmasCatalog."Linens 'N Things - Has a "Christmas Shop" and"Christmas Checklist."Macy's - "Merry Christmas!" on its home page.Michaels - Web site has a Christmas section.M&M-Mars Candies - Will have red and green candieswith pictures of Christmas trees and angels amongother images.Target - Web site says "Christmas Decor," although thephysical store has "Holiday entertaining." TV ad says"Merry Christmas."Wal-Mart - Has a "Christmas Shop," plays Christmascarols, and employees can say "Merry Christmas."Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of LibertyCounsel, commented: "Every consumer should make a listand check it twice, stop patronizing retailers whichare naughty and shop at those which are nice.Retailers which seek to profit from Christmas whilepretending it does not exist should realize they haveoffended the vast majority of Americans who enjoyChristmas. Customers have a choice and they will notpatronize corporate Scrooges."

The Bible is a Catholic Book: part 1 (opening thoughts)

2006-11-21T14:26:00.000-05:00

As Catholics, we have an obligation to not only be familiar with the Bible, but also to be well versed in the teachings contained within it. We are blessed that Holy Mother Church nourishes us with the Holy Scriptures when we attend daily and Sunday Mass. During the week we typically will hear two reading, along with the Psalm of the day, while on Sundays and Holy Days we are given an additional reading to contemplate. (This does not mention that the entire Mass is full of Biblical quotes and allusions.) The Church also highly encourages us to read the Bible prayerfully every single day of our life. There may have been times in the past, in various areas of the Church, where Bible reading was not encouraged much, due to the perception that one would fall into protestantism, but this is no excuse today. Holy Mother Church exhorts her children to be nourished by daily reading of the Bible. With so many versions available and in various formats, let us answer the call! The Bible is indeed a Catholic book!

So why so much Scripture?

Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: "In order to reveal himself to men, in the condescension of his goodness God speaks to them in human words: "Indeed the words of God, expressed in the words of men, are in every way like human language, just as the Word of the eternal Father, when he took on himself the flesh of human weakness, became like men (CCC101).""

Did you catch that all important phrase "in his goodness"? The Church teaches that God, in his goodness, expresses himself to us in human words. God certainly did not have to do this! Yet God "so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believed in him might not perish, but have eternal life (Jn 3:16)." The Catechism goes on to say further: "God, who "dwells in unapproachable light," wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons in his only-begotten Son. By revealing himself God wishes to make them capable of responding to him, and of knowing him, and of loving him far beyond their own natural capacity." Therefore, God loves us so much that he provides us the Bible, along with Sacred Tradition, which is meant to guide us during our pilgrimage here on Earth: Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth!

So, if indeed the Bible is the Word of God, then we should not treat it like a once-read Stephen King novel or a book which "we have heard all the stories before." The Bible is the inspired word of God, which means: "God is the author of Sacred Scripture. The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (CCC105)." God also inspired the human authors to compose the books of the Bible. Therefore, there is an awesome dynamic between the Holy Spirit and the human authors which is behind the Bible you own. I think this is very exiciting! The Bible is no dead word!

What does all this mean? The inspired books teach the truth. What is the truth? Jesus Christ! As the Catechism, quoting from Vatican II, teaches: "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures."

Therefore, if the Bible is what the Church says it is, then we should desire to read it daily. We should never let our heads hit the pillow before spending at least a few moments with the Word of God. Remember: Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth!

Pope's scholarly book on Jesus scheduled for March release

2006-11-21T14:22:00.000-05:00

Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has completed the first volume of a major scholarly and spiritual book on Jesus of Nazareth, a work he began several years before being elected pope. "Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration" is scheduled for a March release in Italian by the Rizzoli publishing house and in German by Herder Verlag. Announcing the publication Nov. 21, Rizzoli and the Vatican gave reporters copies of the book's preface and a portion of its introduction. In the preface, signed "Joseph Ratzinger -- Benedict XVI," the pope wrote that for decades he had noticed a growing scholarly distinction between the "historical Jesus" and the "Christ of faith," a distinction that many Christians now accept as accurate. But, he wrote, if the human Jesus was totally different from the Jesus depicted in the Gospels and proclaimed by the church, what does it mean to have faith in him? "I trust the Gospels," the pope wrote. And while he said he relied on modern scholarly biblical criticism and historical research, "I wanted to attempt to present the Jesus of the Gospels as the true Jesus, as the 'historic Jesus' in the true sense of the expression." "Only if something extraordinary happened, if the figure and words of Jesus radically exceeded all the hopes and expectations of his age, can his crucifixion and his effectiveness be explained," the pope wrote. Pope Benedict explained that he began the book during his 2003 summer vacation, giving the final form to the first four chapters in the summer of 2004. "After my election to the episcopal see of Rome, I used all of my free moments to work on it," he wrote. "Because I do not know how much time and how much strength I will still be given, I have decided to publish the first 10 chapters" as Volume One of "Jesus of Nazareth." In a Nov. 21 statement, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said, "The pope says clearly, with his usual simplicity and humility, that this is not a 'magisterial act,' but a fruit of his personal research and, as such, can be freely discussed and critiqued. "It is not a long encyclical on Jesus, but a personal presentation of the figure of Jesus by the theologian Joseph Ratzinger," who was elected pope after beginning the work, Father Lombardi said. "At the same time," the Jesuit said, "it is very significant that he, who was elected bishop of Rome and has the task of supporting the faith of his brothers and sisters, felt so strongly called to give us a new presentation of the figure of Jesus." The Vatican publishing house, which holds the rights to all the pope's written works, announced Nov. 21 that the pope had handed in the manuscript and that the Vatican had turned to Rizzoli to translate the work, find publishers for it around the world and handle the marketing. A spokesman for Rizzoli said that as of Nov. 21 the company was prepared to announce only the publication in Italian and German.

The Bible

2006-11-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

I have decided to start a series of posts relating to the Bible. Over the next few weeks, I am going to post comments regarding the integrity of the Bible, Catholic Interpretation of the Bible, the various translations of the Bible, and which are the best Catholic Study Bibles currently in publication.

Hopefully this will be helpful for some of you. Your comments are most welcome!

2006-11-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

The Widows’ Faith

Readings
1 Kings 1:10-16
Psalm 146:7-10
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44

We must live by the obedience of faith, a faith that shows itself in works of charity and self-giving (see Galatians 5:6). That’s the lesson of the two widows in today’s liturgy.

The widow in the First Reading isn’t even a Jew, yet she trusts in the word of Elijah and the promise of his Lord. Facing sure starvation, she gives all that she has, her last bit of food—feeding the man of God before herself and her family.

The widow in the Gospel also gives all that she has, offering her last bit of money to support the work of God’s priests in the Temple.

In their self-sacrifice, these widows embody the love that Jesus last week revealed as the heart of the Law and the Gospel. They mirror the Father’s love in giving His only Son, and Christ’s love in sacrificing himself on the cross.

Again in today’s Epistle, we hear Christ described as a new high priest and the suffering servant foretold by Isaiah. On the cross, He made sacrifice once and for all to take away our sin and bring us to salvation (see Isaiah 53:12).

And again we are called to imitate His sacrifice of love in our own lives. We will be judged, not by how much we give—for the scribes and wealthy contribute far more than the widow. Rather, we will be judged by whether our gifts reflect our livelihood, our whole beings, all our heart and soul, mind and strength.

Are we giving all that we can to the Lord—not out of a sense of forced duty, but in a spirit of generosity and love (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)?

Do not be afraid, the man of God tells us today. As we sing in today’s Psalm, the Lord will provide for us, as he sustains the widow.

Today, let us follow the widows’ example, doing what God asks, confident that our jars of flour will not grow empty, nor our jugs of oil run dry.

(c/o St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: www.salvationhistory.com)

Our Hope in the Eucharist

2006-11-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

Nov. 09 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) hailed "the rediscovery of Eucharistic adoration" during a November 9 meeting with members of the Pontifical Committee for the International Eucharistic Congress.
The Holy Father thanked committee members for their work in preparation for the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, which will be held in Quebec in June 2008. He said that the event was certain to be "a source of spiritual renewal, an occasion to make better known the blessed Eucharist."
"How much need modern humanity has to rediscover the source of its hope in the sacrament of the Eucharist!" the Pope said. He took special note of the presence of many members of the group Adorers of the Eucharist, and said the revival of Eucharistic adoration is a welcome development-- one which he hopes "will become ever more widespread."
Pope Benedict predicted that the public release of his apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist, concluding the work of the 2005 Synod of Bishop on the topic, would help preparations for the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec. Although no date has been set for the release of that papal document, informed Vatican observers have said that its promulgation is now "imminent."
The International Eucharistic Congress was born in France late in the 19th century, inspired by St. Pierre Julien Eymard and with organizational leadership from a lay woman, Emilie Tamiser. With the support of Pope Leo XIII, the first Eucharistic Congress was held in Lille in 1881. Gradually spreading around the world, the Eucharistic Congress movement encouraged frequent reception of the Eucharist by Catholic adults, and careful attention to preparing young children for their First Communion.

Just plain awful!

2006-11-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have weak liturgical hearts....turn away! I hate the liturgical wars that continue in the Latin rite, but this is way too over-the-top to ignore.

Vote! Just do it!

2006-11-07T11:47:00.000-05:00

In an address to European politicians on March 30, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI stated: “ As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable. Among these the following emerge clearly today: • Protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death;• Recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family – as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage – and its defense from attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different forms of union which in reality harm it and contribute to its destabilization, obscuring its particular character and its irreplaceable social role;• The protection of the rights of parents to educate their children.”

Why I am Happy to be Catholic!

2006-11-04T18:37:00.000-05:00

Below are various quotes and posts regarding the recently installed Katherine Jefferts Schori as the presiding "bishop" of the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA). (The Episcopal Church USA is related to the Anglican Communion, but there has arisen the potential of schism from the various member "churches" due to the actions of ECUSA in the last few years, most notably the elevation to "bishop" of an openly gay man.)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Katharine Jefferts Schori took office Saturday as the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States -- a first not only for her country but also for the global Anglican Communion, which has never before had a female priest leading one of its provinces.

Her job is further complicated by her personal support for Robinson's election. She believes the church should ordain gays and bless same-sex couples, though she insists she won't impose her views on others.

She will now represent the American denomination and faces many Anglican leaders angered by the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, and some that oppose ordination of women.

"If some in this church feel wounded by recent decisions, then our salvation, our health as a body, is at some hazard and it becomes the duty of all of us to seek healing and wholeness," Jefferts Schori said in her sermon Saturday.

That may not be enough to appease other branches of the Anglican family, which take a traditional view that gay relationships are prohibited by Scripture. Referring to the Anglican leaders who reject the idea of women's ordination: Jefferts Schori has said they'll have to "get over it."

The problem is that to sacrifice "truth" in order to "seek healing" is just plain wrong and is actually against the main job of a "bishop." How would actual bishops respond to this line of thinking? What do you think St. Athanasius or St. Ignatius of Antioch would do in this situation? They would certainly choose death or exile. You know with all the petty squabbles we have now a days in the Catholic Church, the ongoing collapse of the Episcopal Church serves to show how blessed we are to have the Pope and those legitimate bishops united to him.

Lets look at a interview from "Stand Firm", which is a traditional Anglican site. I think these comments which will flesh out even more the huge problems that exist in ECUSA:

RY: TIME Magazine asked you an interesting question, we thought, "Is belief in Jesus the only way to get to heaven?" And your answer, equally interesting, you said "We who practice the Christian tradition understand him as our vehicle to the divine. But for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God in an awfully small box." And I read that and I said "What are you: a Unitarian?!?" [laughs] What are you-- that is another concern for people, because, they say Scripture says that Jesus says he was The Light and The Way and the only way to God the Father.

KJS: Christians understand that Jesus is the route to God. Umm-- that is not to say that Muslims, or Sikhs, or Jains, come to God in a radically different way. They come to God through... human experience... through human experience of the divine. Christians talk about that in terms of Jesus.

RY: So you're saying there are other ways to God.

KJS: Uhh... human communities have always searched for relationship that which is beyond them.. with the ultimate.. with the divine. For Christians, we say that our route to God is through Jesus. Uhh.. uh..that doesn't mean that a Hindu.. uh.. doesn't experience God except through Jesus. It-it-it says that Hindus and people of other faith traditions approach God through their.. own cultural contexts; they relate to God, they experience God in human relationships, as well as ones that transcend human relationships; and Christians would say those are our experiences of Jesus; of God through the experience of Jesus.

RY: It sounds like you're saying it's a parallel reality, but in another culture and language.

KJS: I think that's accurate.. I think that's accurate.

I thought I read in some book that a guy named Jesus said that he was "The Way, the Truth, and the Life."

These quotes are not to poke fun or ridicule what is happening in ECUSA, but simply to show how some "churches" are falling away from traditional Christian beliefs in order to accomodate themselves with the "modern" world. Again, we should pray for our seperated brethren, but also give thanks to God for giving us the Church. This Church, founded in 33AD by Our Lord himself, will never be overcome by the world, by our own sinfulness, or Satan himself.

Praise be to Jesus Christ!

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