Saint Therese of Lisieux Novena 2011...Today is Day One

Don't forget to go to Pray More Novena's, and join in the novena to Saint Therese of Lisieux.

If you go to the site, you will find all the prayers for the novena, as well as the intentions of many people.


Join us in praying this novena to "The Little Flower".

CNS STORY: Tribunal studies healing attributed to intercession of Archbishop Sheen

 A short excerpt from a story from "Catholic News Service:

• "Considered stillborn one year ago after his mother's healthy pregnancy and "a beautiful, short labor," James was without a pulse for the first 61 minutes of his life. It was only when doctors at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria were ready to call the time of death that his little heart started beating."

Click the link below to read the whole article:

CNS STORY: Tribunal studies healing attributed to intercession of Archbishop Sheen

Saturday's Mass will feature preview of revised Missal's new musical settings

Saturday's Mass will feature preview of revised Missal's new musical settings

2011 Eucharistic Congress

The following link will take you to a website with complete information on the 2011 Eucharistic Congress hosted by the Diocese of Charlotte, NC.

2011 Eucharistic Congress

Saint Therese of Lisieux Novena 2011

I will be joining over 3600 Catholics to pray the St. Therese Novena.

I thought that perhaps regular readers of “Faith of the Fathers” blogs would like to join us in praying the novena, too.

There are thousands of people praying through this novena website and there will be millions praying around the world.

+ Sign up for handy email reminders to get the the novena prayers here: St. Therese Novena
+ If you have a website or blog, post about it there.
+ Email your friends and family and get them praying too!

Let’s get all the Catholics we know to pray this novena together to St. Therese.

Remember, the last thing the enemy wants any of us to do is pray, and certainly not for us to pray in unity through one of God's saints. So let's pray together, and give the enemy one more reason to quake in fear.

College Campus Censorship: Abortion Activists Don't Trust Women | LifeNews.com

The following comes from this article on LifeNews.com:

• Even if one agreed (which we don’t, of course) that a woman has the right to choose abortion, isn’t it a worthy conversation to talk about what results from that “choice”, both individually and societally? Obesity, anorexia, and bulimia are all the resultants of food “choice”. Should we shut down all conversation about those destructive consequences simply because people have the right to eat?  When I tried to engage these protesters to discuss the results of those choices (high abortion rates, poverty, fatherlessness) they could only respond with more chanting.
• This attempt at censorship goes way beyond silencing prolife speech. Americans need to be concerned about the dangerous environment our nation’s colleges and universities have become that allow such behavior to quell freedom of expression. Unbeknownst to me, Lance Wheeler, of CampusReform.org, captured the whole bizarre scene on video. He works for The Leadership Institute, which launched the college campus watchdog group to visually document liberal censorship across the country.

Click below to read the entire article.

College Campus Censorship: Abortion Activists Don't Trust Women | LifeNews.com

COMMUNIQUE CONCERNING THE SOCIETY OF ST. PIUS X

VATICAN CITY, 14 SEP 2011 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy See Press Office released the following communique concerning the postion of the Society of St. Pius X:

  "On 14 September at the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the congregation and president of the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei'; Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., secretary of the congregation, and Msgr. Guido Pozzo, secretary of the pontifical commission, met with Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X, who was accompanied by Fr. Niklaus Pfluger and Fr. Alain-Marc Nely, respectively first and second assistant general to the society.

  "Following the appeal of 15 December 2008, addressed by the superior general of the Society of St. Pius X to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy Father decided to remove the excommunication against the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre. At the same time, he approved the opening of discussions with the society in order to clarify doctrinal problems and to heal the existing rift.

  "In order to put the Holy Father's instructions into effect, a joint study commission was set up, composed of experts from the Society of St. Pius X and from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who met in Rome on eight occasions between October 2009 and April 2011. Their discussions, which aimed to identify and study the essential doctrinal difficulties in the controversial issues, had the result of clarifying the positions of the two sides and their respective motivations.

  "While bearing in mind the concerns and demands presented by the Society of St. Pius X about protecting the integrity of the Catholic faith against Vatican Council II's 'hermeneutic of rupture' with Tradition (a theme addressed by Pope Benedict XVI in his address to the Roman Curia on 22 December 2005), the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith maintains that the fundamental basis for achieving full reconciliation with the Apostolic See is the acceptance of the text of the Doctrinal Preamble, which was handed over during a meeting on 14 September 2011. The Preamble defines certain doctrinal principles and criteria for the interpretation Catholic doctrine, which are necessary to ensure faithfulness to the Church Magisterium and 'sentire cum Ecclesia'. At the same time, it leaves open to legitimate discussion the examination and theological explanation of individual expressions and formulations contained in the documents of Vatican Council II and later Magisterium.

  "At the same meeting, certain suggestions were made for a canonical solution to the position of the Society of St. Pius X, with a view to achieving the desired reconciliation".

OP/                                                                                                   VIS 20110914 (450)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Vatican, SSPX close to agreement?

Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Vatican, SSPX close to agreement?

Senator Santorum dominates CNN/Tea Party Debate

Senator Santorum dominates CNN/Tea Party Debate

Why I Won't Watch (or Listen To) The 9-11 Memorial Service

With this being the ten year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9-11, one would hope that it would be a somber, reverent occasion. Somber it may be, but hardly any reverence is to be expected. 

This ten year "memorial service" has had reverence thrown out the front door, when Mayor Bloomberg decided to exclude the clergy. Not only that, the New York Police Department and Fire Departments have also been excluded as well. As far as I know, the Port Authority Police won't be there either.

As it has been so aptly pointed out numerous times by people more well known than myself, the police and fire departments weren't exactly invited the day of the attacks, but they showed up....did their jobs...and many lost their lives as a result.

It has also been pointed out, that Mayor Bloomberg's predecessor Rudy Giuliani made it a point to call Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York. Cardinal Edward Egan went immediately where for the next several days he would be anointing the dead, distributing rosaries to workers as they searched for survivors, and presiding over funerals. 

As a Christian, I can not fathom a memorial service with no clergy. I can fathom no memorial service where the police, firemen, and other first responders are excluded from giving honor and remembrance to their fallen comrades.

Do the politicians really and truly believe that they can take the place of excluded clergy? Do they think that they can take the place of the NYPD and NYFD to offer proper remembrance and honor to all the fallen first responders? Do the politicians think that they can comfort those who lost parents, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters?

I sure don't have as much faith in politicians as polticians seem to have faith in themselves. I expect this memorial service to turn into a political fiasco. I have a feeling, that this is going to turn into one big political campaign rally, with ample reminders from the media and the politicans present, that President Obama was the one who "got" Osama bin Laden, the "mastermind" behind the attacks.

Nope. If the NYPD, NYFD, first responders and the clergy are excluded, this is one American who won't be watching the politicians puff out their chests and make their grand proclamations. I have had enough of their grandstanding as it is. Don't need any more.

A Minor Change Or Two

I made a couple of changes to the blogs (most have the changes) and wanted to let "Faith of the Fathers" readers know about them.

First of all, I have taken the Welcome Page, Privacy Policy, etc., from the sidebar and moved them to the top of page as tabs located just under the title header of each blog. You can click the picture to enlarge it if you like.

I think it makes them more noticeable, especially since some advertisers whose ads appear on these blogs require a  "Privacy Policy" on websites and blogs where their ads appear.

The second change was for the "blogroll" or bloglists for Faith of the Fathers Blogs and My Favorite Catholic blogs, etc.. The list of favorite blogs was getting longer and longer, and as a result the load times for the blogs was also getting longer and longer.

This is the new "look" for the blogs lists and for the links for Faith of the Fathers blogs as well. Yes, just a good old fashioned scroll bar. The most  recently updated blogs appear first in the list, which means a blog showing listed first now, may not be a few minutes later. No blogs have been removed from the list, you just have to scroll down to find them.

This has made the pages load a bit faster (or so it seems to me, anyway), and prevents a l-o-n-g list taking up an entire sidebar.

I hope this makes the blogs better, and I appreciate all the subscribers and regular readers of Faith of the Fathers blogs.

One last thing, we now have a Facebook Page for "Faith of the Fathers" blogs, which you can go to here, and click the "Like" button. We still have our Group on Facebook here as well. Both get regular "updates" for new posts on all of our blogs, so if you are on Facebook you might want to join the group or "Like" our new page.

Once again, thank you to all of our readers and subscribers. We appreciate your support.

Pro-Choice to Pro-Life . . . in Seconds!

The following clip is a from a documentary that will premiere September 26, 2011. You can watch the premiere on that day by going here 180 movie.com

POPE BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2011

 

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 SEP 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for September is: "That all teachers may know how to communicate love of the truth and instil authentic moral and spiritual values".

  His mission intention is: "That the Christian communities of Asia may proclaim the Gospel with fervour, witnessing to its beauty with the joy of faith".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                                       VIS 20110901 (70)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Santorum: If marriage is for people who ‘love,’ why limit it ‘to just two people? Why not 10?’ | LifeSiteNews.com

Santorum: If marriage is for people who ‘love,’ why limit it ‘to just two people? Why not 10?’ | LifeSiteNews.com

Today's Christianity

Note: The following post originally appeared on our blog “Spiritual Warfare” in July 2006

Pick and Choose Theology

There is a trend in today’s Christianity that is ever growing, and is an alarming trend that threatens the very foundations and tenets of our faith. That trend is not limited to any one geographical or denominational identifier, but is widespread among all nations, all peoples, and all systems of Christian belief. Thousands and thousands of people who would identify themselves as Christian have willingly been led into “pick and choose theology”. Most of these pick and choosers tend to identify themselves as “progressive Christians”.

What was that? You’re asking me what is a "progressive Christian"? You sure you want the answer? Especially coming from me, one who is an unabashed conservative. You really want my answer? OK, then…you asked for it…too late to cry now, so here it is: A “progressive Christian” is a person or group of people who though they claim to be nominally Christian, do not have the faith, courage, integrity or intestinal fortitude to stand up for God and His truth, but, have the unwavering, unflinching, unmitigated gall to stand up for anything and everything that opposes God, opposes His Church, opposes the teachings of His prophets and His Apostles. They are the ones who will call sin good, and call that which is good evil.

We see these people making their outlandish and ungodly stands on television, radio, the internet, and in the print media as well. If there is a camera, a microphone or pen and paper to be had, they will do all that they can to try to destroy all that God has wrought. You will see them use terms like “social justice” where they accuse the conservatives of ignoring the poor and vulnerable while focusing on issues like abortion and same sex marriage.

I tend to think they want we conservatives to ignore abortion and same sex marriage issues, because deep down they know that theologically the “progressives” don’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to those two issues. The “progressives” would like for us all to think…no... to believe that because man changes, God changes, too. I think they actually believe that God should reform to suit what they think and what they believe, and that God and His law are merely words written in a book that can be taken or discarded at will.

They really don’t understand scripture or the teachings of the Apostles and the Church, and they tend to prove so each and every time they open their mouths. For instance, when conservatives oppose the gay lifestyle that is so often promoted by these “progressives”, the progressives will tell us, and in quite a smug manner, too, that “if Jesus was walking on earth today, He would be spending His time with the gays and lesbians” and so forth. I have to agree. He more than likely would. What they fail to comprehend with what they have said, is that they themselves have just made an admission of the gay lifestyle being a sin, and that they are in need of His redemption! For when Jesus taught in Palestine, He was always with the sinners, and in Mark 2: 16-17: And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing that he ate with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat and drink with publicans and sinners? Jesus hearing this, saith to them: They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For I came not to call the just, but sinners. Further, they also should realize, that as His instructions to them would be as His instructions to the woman caught in adultery in John 8: 10-11: Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.

So, yes. I agree Jesus would be with them, and He would tell them, as He tells us all to “go and sin no more". His being with them would not be to approve their lifestyle, but, to reprove it.

What people do not want to realize, do not want to admit, is that no matter how much man changes, no matter how much the times may change, God does not change. God is not bound by time, He is beyond all time, and His ways and His thoughts are above our ways and our thoughts. God is not bound by what we may think is right or wrong, but, man is bound to honor and obey what God says is right and what He says is wrong, and there is nothing or no one who can change what God’s law is, and no matter what man may think it should be, God has told us all what His law is, and a feeble excuse on His Day of Judgment that “the times had changed” is not going to hold up. We know what His law is. It is up to each of us to do it. Calling oneself “progressive” is just an excuse to live as we please, and not as God pleases. After all, God’s way is tough. The progressive way is not, and is a way of denying that sin is indeed, sin.

Isaiah 5:20-24 Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to you that rue wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own conceits. Woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness. That justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. Therefore as the tongue of the fire devoureth the stubble, and the heat of the dame consumeth it: so shall their root be as ashes, and their bud shall go up as dust: for they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the word of the Holy One of Israel.

2 Timothy 1-5: I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. Be sober.

TURKEY Historic decision: Erdogan returns seized property to religious minorities - Asia News

A decree published last night for the return of thousands of properties seized in 1936, just hours before an Iftar of the Prime Minister with representatives of religious minorities. The beneficiaries are Greek-orthodox Christians, Armenians, Jews. Roman Catholics do not fall within the recognized minorities. The Prime Minister’s hopes: end to era of discrimination.

TURKEY Historic decision: Erdogan returns seized property to religious minorities - Asia News

More arrests and Bibles seized in Iran | Christian News on Christian Today

More arrests and Bibles seized in Iran | Christian News on Christian Today

Missal Moment #5: 'Consubstantial'

Another video about the new english language translation of the Roman Missal from the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Column: For these millennials, faith trumps relativism - USATODAY.com

This article was written by Anna Williams an editorial page intern at USA TODAY. The excerpt below is from the article with my emphases added:

Sometime in the past century, a new creed emerged, saying everyone should make his own creed. This tolerant, open-minded ethos seemed to promise freedom: safe sex with many partners, drugs and alcohol galore and quick, no-fault divorce. So our Baby Boomer parents partied hard, yet in so many cases left us only the hangover: heartbreak, addiction and broken homes, plus rising rates of teenage depression and suicide.

The anything-goes religion of the late 20th century cannot prevent nor even explain these consequences. (After all, if I'm OK, you're OK, and we can do whatever we want, why are so many people unhappy?) When every member of a society does whatever makes him feel good, the inevitable results are not personal fulfillment and communal harmony but selfishness and social breakdown.

With these realizations in mind, many millennials reject the assumptions of 1960s liberationists in favor of something more substantial: the creeds, practices and moral codes that defined religious life for centuries. Unlike reductionistic scientism or vague romanticism, traditional religions propose specific, compelling explanations for the world in front of us — broken, fraught with suffering, enslaved to sin, but nonetheless revealing glimpses of beauty and greatness.

More intellectually coherent than relativism, orthodoxy is also more demanding. It makes us place others above ourselves, the truth above what we'd like to be true, the fight for virtue above the pursuit of pleasure. In a word, it preaches sacrifice.

Click below to read the entire article:

Column: For these millennials, faith trumps relativism - USATODAY.com

Rick Santorum gets straw poll bump - Dan Hirschhorn - POLITICO.com

 The following is by Dan Hirschhorn on POLITICO.           

• Energized by a surprising Iowa straw poll finish, Rick Santorum is heading straight for the limelight Sunday: the stage where Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry are speaking.
• Just hours after taking fourth place in Ames—barely behind Tim Pawlenty, who devoted considerably more resources to the poll—Santorum canceled plans to leave Iowa Sunday and took up an invitation to speak at the Black Hawk County GOP dinner in Waterloo. There he’ll join Bachmann, the Ames winner, and Perry, the Texas governor whose late entry scrambled the 2012 race this weekend.

Read more by clicking below:

Rick Santorum gets straw poll bump - Dan Hirschhorn - POLITICO.com

Missal Moment #4: 'I believe in one God'

POPE BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST

 

 

VATICAN CITY, 29 JUL 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That World Youth Day in Madrid may encourage young people throughout the world to have their lives rooted and built up in Christ".

  His mission intention is: "That Western Christians may be open to the action of the Holy Spirit and rediscover the freshness and enthusiasm of their faith".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                                       VIS 20110729 (80)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

In This Brave New World, 160 Million Girls Are 'Missing' - Debra J. Saunders - Townhall Conservative

Just a couple of highlights from this story:

• But in a world where technology moves faster than ethical thinking, giving would-be parents the gender they prefer is good business. So you get fertility clinics like the Los Angeles outfit that advertises, "Be certain your next child will be the gender you're hoping for."

• Authors interviewed 65 immigrant women who had sex-selection abortions in America. Some feared that a daughter would engage in consensual sex and bring shame on the family. Some told of coercion -- from their husbands and mothers-in-law -- to produce a male heir. Many lied to their doctors, saying that they could not afford a baby, when their families did not want them to have another girl.

Read the full story by clicking below:

In This Brave New World, 160 Million Girls Are 'Missing' - Debra J. Saunders - Townhall Conservative

U.N. Group Stands Up for Children's Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Including Abortion | CNSnews.com

"Tyler Ament of Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) told CNSNews.com, 'The statement doesn't mention the age specifically, but the UN defines youth as those between the ages of 10-24'."

Click below to read the entire article:

U.N. Group Stands Up for Children's Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Including Abortion | CNSnews.com

Spanish cardinal recommends that Catholics receive Communion on the tongue :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Spanish cardinal recommends that Catholics receive Communion on the tongue :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Support Respect for Rights of Conscience Act

Support Respect for Rights of Conscience Act

North Carolina House Overrides Perdue Veto of Pro-Life Bill | LifeNews.com

North Carolina House Overrides Perdue Veto of Pro-Life Bill | LifeNews.com

'The Nuremberg Files' Abortion Birth Control Margaret Sanger Founder Planned Parenthood Lancaster PA Pa Abortion Clinic Birth Control Holocaust Murder Nazi German Dictator Adolf Hitler German Eugenics Murder Nazi Germany

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Today's "Culture of Death" and the goals and aspirations of the Nazi Party of Adolph Hitler are no different. They both embrace death with no remorse, and no shame. Those immoral, horrible, and indisputable crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Nazis are now encouraged, endorsed and promoted by those groups, nations and organizations that support abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.

No man nor woman worthy of the name Christian can, nor ever should support abortion, assisted suicide or euthanasia.

To support any of these is to support murder and no Christian who truly is Christian can support them for any reason whatsoever.

'The Nuremberg Files' Abortion Birth Control Margaret Sanger Founder Planned Parenthood Lancaster PA Pa Abortion Clinic Birth Control Holocaust Murder Nazi German Dictator Adolf Hitler German Eugenics Murder Nazi Germany

Time’s Orwellian Story on U.S. Constitution Refuted - Ken Blackwell - Townhall Conservative

This article by Ken Blackwell takes a look at the recent issue of Time magazine asking if the United States Constitution is still relevant today. I read the Time piece online here, and I can't help but wonder if Time is still relevant to today.

Anyway, below are some excerpts from the Ken Blackwell article with my emphases. You can read the full article by clicking this posts title or the link at the end of this post.

• It [Time magazine] portrays the Constitution as an outmoded document that we should ignore to whatever extent is expedient to pursue someone’s vision of a better society: “We cannot let the Constitution become an obstacle to a future with a sensible health care system, a globalized economy, and evolving sense of civil and political rights.”...........
  
  Or questions on enduring constitutional principles. “Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s 1803 pronouncement that any law contrary to the Constitution is null and void?” “Every government officer (including every judge) takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Should they apply its original meaning to current challenges?”
  
  The story was so riddled with distortions that it obscured its message. For example, it says we must raise the debt ceiling because, “the idea that we can default on our debt is not only reckless; it’s probably unconstitutional.” It twists a provision from the 14th Amendment that has nothing to do with the debt ceiling.
  
  The reality is, revenue government collects every month so vastly exceeds our debt payments that we could easily meet our monthly obligations. We would just have to cut discretionary spending on other programs. But it’s deceptive to suggest that not raising the ceiling automatically causes default, and it’s wrong to suggest it’s unconstitutional.
  
  The story concludes, “The Constitution serves the nation; the nation does not serve the Constitution.” The connotation is that we shouldn’t be too slavish in our fidelity to the Constitution.
  
  
  The picture art at the outset of Time’s story showed the Constitution cut in dozens of narrow vertical strips. Clearly it had been run through a paper shredder.

Time’s Orwellian Story on U.S. Constitution Refuted - Ken Blackwell - Townhall Conservative

The Holy Fathers Prayer Intentions For July 2011

 

 

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for July is: "That Christ may ease the physical and spiritual sufferings of those who are sick with AIDS, especially in the poorest countries".

His mission intention is: "That religious women in mission territories may be witnesses of the joy of the Gospel and living signs of the love of Christ".

Marriage Cannot Be Redefined - Jeff Jacoby - Townhall Conservative

 As Jeff Jacoby points out in his article , no law can fundamentally change the true meaning and intent of marriage.  The following excerpt is from his article (with my emphases added):

• "When the Supreme Court ruled in June 1967 that Virginia's law penalizing interracial marriage could not stand, it was not changing the fundamental and enduring meaning of marriage: It was affirming it. It was upholding the integrity of marriage by protecting it from irrelevant -- and unconstitutional -- racial manipulation. Virginia had interfered with the core elements of marriage in order to promote white supremacy, a value completely alien to marriage. Marriage is designed to bring men and women together; anti-miscegenation laws frustrated that design, and could not stand."

Marriage Cannot Be Redefined - Jeff Jacoby - Townhall Conservative

Ignore the mainstream media: Americans still believe in one man, one woman - AWR Hawkins - Townhall Conservative

The article linked to below by AWR Hawkins is on Townhall.com. The following portion is quoted from that article. The emphases are mine:

• "The research reveals that 62 percent of Americans believe that “marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman.” By the way, not only is 62 percent a majority of Americans, it’s a solid majority. And it shouldn’t surprise anyone because it is right in line with what we’ve seen in voter opinion from around the country when those voters have been given the choice to either protect marriage in their state constitutions or leave it open to legal challenges or other attacks.
  
  What should we do with this news?
  
  While it should cheer us, it must also serve as a reminder that we cannot allow ourselves to fall prey to the machinations of the mainstream media, which frequently employs polls not simply to report public opinion, but to frame it. "

Ignore the mainstream media: Americans still believe in one man, one woman - AWR Hawkins - Townhall Conservative

Not Feeling Well

I am not going to be posting anything other than this tonight, and possibly there will be no posting tomorrow night either.

I have some kind of bug, with a fever of 102, sore throat, and assorted aches and pains. I am treating myself, so I am going to go to bed.

Good night and may God Bless you all and Our Lady keep you in her care!

From "Accepting Abundance": Teresa Speaks

Many of you are acquainted with the Catholic blogger Lisa Graas. I link to her blog, Lisa Graas, on the right hand sidebar under the "My Favorite Catholic Blogs" list. Well, it seems that Lisa's 12 year old daughter Teresa has her own blog called "I Can Haz Peanut". I think it's one more example of the old saying, "the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree".

Now, not only has this young lady started her own blog, but she is also going to be participating in a project over at the blog "Accepting Abundance" with a series of cartoon videos called "Teresa Speaks".

The following is from "Accepting Abundance":

• I'm excited to introduce a wonderful new talented writer, the insightful daughter of fearless and faithful blogger Lisa Graas, Teresa. She has her own blog, I Can Haz Peanut, but once a month she is going to work with her mother and me to produce a new series of cartoon videos intended to send a message of faith to adults and children.

So congratulations to Teresa, Lisa, and Stacy ("Accepting Abundance")!

You can view this first cartoon video called "Teresa Speaks: My Favorite Bible Verse" by playing it below. You can also watch it at "Accepting Abundance". No matter where you watch it, be sure to go over to "Accepting Abundance" and give Teresa et al a word or two of encouragement!

Like It or Not, Iowa Will Lead the Way in Choosing GOP Nominee - Byron York - Townhall Conservative

Like It or Not, Iowa Will Lead the Way in Choosing GOP Nominee - Byron York - Townhall Conservative

• "With the 2012 Iowa caucuses just around the corner -- a scant eight months away -- it's time for the quadrennial season of Iowa bashing.
  
  "It's undemocratic," wrote the New York Times' David Leonhardt, bemoaning the outsized clout of Iowa and New Hampshire. "It is unfair to voters in the other 48 states." Leonhardt's concerns are the same as most of the critics: Iowa's caucus-goers are too white, too old, too well-off and too small-town to play such a large role in the process.
  
  Well, they were just as white, old and small-town four years ago when Iowa played a significant role in starting Sen. Barack Obama on his way to the Democratic nomination. Where were the complaints that the caucuses' verdict was undemocratic? "

Solar Flare Sparks Biggest Eruption Ever Seen on Sun

Solar Flare Sparks Biggest Eruption Ever Seen on Sun

Timmerie's Blog: Urgent Prayer Request!

Timmerie's Blog: Urgent Prayer Request!: "Please pray for a 15 year old young lady who is being pressured into an abortion by her mother. Last weekend a 15 years old girl was take..."

Exclusive: Santorum outlines campaign vision, says religion is essential to democracy :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

I like Rick Santorum. I support his campaign to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States. Here is a quote from his interview with CNA (Catholic News Agency) :

• "Faith and freedom are dependent on one another, and our founders understood this. Freedom was meant for a virtuous people, and virtue is forged out of faith. Without faith, without religion as an active agent in our personal and public life, we will not be able to maintain the freedoms that we have been so uniquely blessed with. The two options to freedom rooted in faith are a spiraling into moral and cultural anarchy, or the replacement of internal restraint with external restraint, which is called totalitarianism." - Rick Santorum

Read the full story and interview by clicking below:

Exclusive: Santorum outlines campaign vision, says religion is essential to democracy :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

US Episcopal parish to join Catholic Church - FoxNews.com

US Episcopal parish to join Catholic Church - FoxNews.com

POPE BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JUNE

 

 

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for the month of June is: "That priests, united to the Heart of Christ, may always be true witnesses of the caring and merciful love of God".

  His missionary intention is: "That the Holy Spirit may bring forth from our communities many missionaries who are ready to be fully consecrated to spreading the Kingdom of God.".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                                       VIS 20110531 (50)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org
The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Pope Benedict XVI Sends Telegram To Tornado Victims In Joplin, Missouri

PAPAL TELEGRAM TO TORNADO VICTIMS IN JOPLIN

VATICAN CITY, 26 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Benedict XVI sent a telegram through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., to Bishop James Vann Johnston of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, USA after receiving news last Sunday of the tornado that devastated the city of Joplin, Missouri, killing more than 120 persons and wounding over 750 others.

  The text reads that "the Holy Father has followed with deep concern the aftermath of the catastrophic tornado which struck Joplin on Sunday and he asks you to convey to the entire community the assurance of his closeness in prayer. Conscious of the tragic loss of life and the immensity of the work of rebuilding that lies ahead, he asks God, the Father of Mercies, to grant eternal rest to the departed, consolation to the grieving, and strength and hope to the homeless and the injured. Upon the local civil and religious leaders, and upon all involved in the relief efforts, his holiness invokes the divine gifts of wisdom, fortitude, and perseverance in every good".
TGR/                                                                                                 VIS 20110526 (160)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Missal Moment #3 - The Centurion

A video about the new english language translation of the Roman Missal from the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Disappointed In Some Catholics

Catholics Looking Down Their Noses At Catholics In Poor Countries

As some of you may or may not know, I am on Facebook, and have a page on Facebook (423 "Likes" currently) called "Faith of the Fathers" (surprise) that relates to these blogs and shares the blog posts there. I also have joined some other Catholic groups including one called "Catholic Church".

It is a good group, and shares lots of information, and it posts photographs of different Catholic parishes from around the world. Late last night, a photo of a parish in Malaysia was posted. That is the photo of the parish at the top of this post.

I was appalled at the number of so-called "good Catholics" who went out of their way to belittle and malign this parish, and maybe (I will give a slight benefit of the doubt) without realizing it, also belittled the people and even questioned their faith in so doing.

Here are just a few of the samplings of what was said. I removed the commenters names as a matter of courtesy :

*This looks like Baptist Church.

*what in the world is this? Masonic temple?

*What a horrible Modernistic "church". It could be used for generic Protestants without a hipccus...

*My comments always get deleted when I tell it like it is. Buildings like these are so disrespectful towards our Lord in the Eucharist.

*A perfect example of the tragedy in architecture in churches since Vatican 2. Just awful.

And the worst one, IMHO:

*Wait a minute - This is a Catholic Church?!? It looks significantly more Protestant to me. Where are the pews - where is the Tabernacle? Why are the seats for the priest and altar servers behind the altar where the Tabernacle should be? Seriously. Abomination of desolation. This is an ugly warehouse with a painting of Jesus in it.

Some of the people from Malaysia felt the need to defend their parish because of what was said. Here are some of their replies:

*That kinda hurts (name removed), since its from my state. Mind you its a muslim majority country, and according to the national gross, its one of the poorest states in the country (Malaysia). This ugly warehouse is where hundreds of devoted Christians pray.

Learn to accept the fact of life that not everyone can afford million dollar building with gold carvings on the ceiling.

*To all, please understand that Malaysia government has double standard law of treating non-moslem followers, they say about liberation but no-liberation of embracing religion, it is still better in my country, Indonesia in case of embracing a religion, but still we have problem to some kind jihadis extremists since our government is soft to them.

*To all my brothers and sisters in Christ I lived in Ranau for 10 years. Their faith are stronger than those, some so call westerners. This place is in the interior and most of the people their were converted to Islam. Yes, this is a catholic church.

*The physical things/appearance of a church do not define what's within... you have beautiful church buildings does not mean your faith is stronger right? Some churches in Interior Sabah (one of the poorest state in M'sia, mind you) may look like a "warehouse"... BUT the most important thing is that our Catholic community grows stronger each year!

*I feel sad for the people of his own Christianity condemned the Catholic church ... for your knowledge ... In Malaysia we do not have a lot of provisions for construction of the church ... they build the church through donations and contribution from the Catholic Christian community only .. they just doing what affordable only .. even though the church is not as beautiful as any other church in the world ... but God will always hear the prayer of his people ...

That's right. Defend it from other Catholics! Catholics primarily from the United States and Canada, who in the safety and security of their country felt it absolutely necessary to disparage a Catholic parish in a country that is predominantly Islamic, and where Christians constitute less than 10% of the population.

Apparently the Malaysian state of Sabah is a poor state where farmers make up the majority of the population there. For a church to be built there donations must be collected from the local Christian population.

What is wrong with you people? Does it make you feel superior in your Catholicity to go out of your way to attempt to make people from a poor country feel that they are not as Catholic as you? Did you sleep better last night, feeling that you told them just exactly what God thinks of them and their parish?

Get off your high horse, and try to at least appear you have a little understanding, a little bit of charity deep down in your heart.

Those people have worked, and worked hard to build a parish where they could worship Our Lord together in unity. They built the very best that they could afford to build in order to worship and honor God. Being in a predominantly Islamic country, they may have to remove the tabernacle and the crucifix to protect them from profanation as is sometimes necessary in other Islamic dominated countries where the Christians are a significant minority.

Try to get yourselves a little educated on the plight of the Church in other countries. Learn what is happening to Christians and their churches in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Read the Asia News here.

Try not buying that pastry or extra coffee for a month and donate that money to some of your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world so that they can build the parishes they so desperately want and need.

Try to help and not be so critical, and go back and try to learn once more what it is to have charity.

And one more thing. This church is beautiful, as is any church where the faithful find Christ Jesus.

Better Changes....I Hope!

I am back like a bad check.

I reinstalled Windows and my programs on this old gerbil-in-a-wheel powered computer, and hopefully I am back on a regular posting schedule.

I have made some "appearance" changes on some of the blogs, and hope to get the others changed over during the next week or so

.

I would appreciate some feedback, so if it's not too much trouble, please make a comment or send an email to me by clicking here.

Computer Problems

I apologize to followers of these blogs for not posting the Daily Mass Readings and Saint Quote of the Day. It took me over an hour tonight to post the news from the Vatican Information Service on the blog Pope Benedict XVI.

As it appears that it is going to be awhile before I can buy a new computer, I will be attempting to repair this one over the next few days. Unless of course, I shoot it first.

So please bear with me and accept my apologies for the temporary (I hope) lack of posts.

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions For May 2011

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That those working in communication media may respect the truth, solidarity, and dignity of all people ".

  His mission intention is: "That the Lord may help the Church in China persevere in fidelity to the Gospel and grow in unity".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                                       VIS 20110430 (50)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:

V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Follow the Events of Beatification John Paul II Online

EVENTS FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II

VATICAN CITY, 29 APR 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office there was a meeting with journalists to explain and clarify the events planned for the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God John Paul II.

  The speakers were Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office; Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Vicariate of Rome; Fr. Walter Insero, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome; and Angleo Scelzo, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

  Fr. Lombardi explained that this morning, in the Vatican Grottoes, "the tomb of John Paul II was opened and the case containing the body of the Venerable Servant of God was extracted".

  "As can be recalled, the Pope was buried in three coffins, the first of wood, which was displayed during the funeral, the second of lead, which is sealed, and the third, external one, which is also made of wood and was the one revealed this morning at the moment of the extraction from the tomb. It is in a good state of preservation, even though showing signs of the passage of time.

  After the procedures to open the tomb, which began first thing in the morning, the coffin was displayed on a dais at the gravesite until 9:00am, when Cardinal Angelo Comastri, after a brief prayer, intoned the litanies.

  Besides Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archbishop Giuseppe D'Andrea, and Bishop Vittorio Lanzani, representing the Basilica and the Chapter of St. Peter, there were also present Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State; Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State; Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland and former personal secretary to John Paul II; Archbishop Fernando Filoni, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State; Cardinal Carlo Maria Vigano, secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State; Archbishop Piero Marini, who was Master of Liturgical Celebrations under John Paul II; Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care; Sr. Tobiana and the religious of the papal apartments of John Paul II; Commander Angelo Gugel; the heads of the Corps of the Gendarmerie of Vatican City State and the Swiss Guard; and other persons.

  All together there were several dozen persons including the workers of the Fabric of St. Peters who carried out their task with great devotion and a profound spiritual participation.

  While singing the litanies during the brief passage, the case was translated before the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican Grottoes and was covered with a wide cloth embroidered in gold.

  The Cardinal Secretary of State offered a short final prayer and the assembly disbanded at 9:15am.

  The great stone of the tomb, removed and placed in another part of the grottoes, is intact and will be moved to Krakow where it will be placed in the new church dedicated to the Blessed John Paul II.

  The coffin, as already announced, will remain in the grottoes until Sunday morning when it will be translated to the Basilica, before the main altar, for the homage of the Holy Father and the faithful after the beatification. In the meantime the Vatican grottoes will be closed to the public.

  In all likelihood the permanent placement of the Blessed under the altar of the Chapel of St. Sebastian will take place in the afternoon of Monday, 2 May, when the Basilica will be closed".

  Msgr. Frisina explained that the celebration of the Vigil on 30 April (from 8:00pm to 11:30pm) at Circo Massimo - which will be open to the public beginning fom 5:30pm - will be enlivened by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, which he will conduct. The choir of the Philippine community in Rome and the Gaudium Poloniae Choir will perform two traditional pieces.

  During the first part of the vigil a celebration of memory, recalling the words and gestures of John Paul II, is planned. "On stage", Msgr. Frisina said, "there will be a large reproduction of the image of Mary Salus Populi Romani, patroness of the city of Rome. Through images we will also relive the last months of the pontificate of John Paul II, which were marked by his suffering".

  Later, testimonials of some of those who worked with the pope will be given: Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the French nun Marie Simon-Pierre whose miraculous cure opened the path to his beatification. Likewise, the testimonial of some of the youth of Rome on the importance of the example and the words of the Blessed on their lives will be offered.  At the end of this second part, Totus Tuus, composed for the fiftieth anniversary of the priestly ordination of John Paul II (1996), will be sung.

  Msgr. Frisina noted that the second part of the Vigil will begin with a few words addressed by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome that "will summarize the spiritual and pastoral character of the Blessed". Afterward will follow the recitation of the Mysteries of Light of the Holy Rosary, with a live link with five Marian shrines. Each of the Mysteries will be tied to a prayer intention of importance to John Paul II: at the sanctuary of Lagiewniki in Krakow, Poland the intention will be for the youth; at the sanctuary of Kawekamo, Bugando, Tanzania the intention will be for the family; at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico the intention will be for hope and peace among nations; at the sanctuary of Fatima, the intention will be for the Church. At the conclusion, Benedict XVI, in a live link from the Vatican, will give the final prayer and will impart the apostolic blessing to all participating.

  Regarding the beatification Mass on 1 May, the Sunday after Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, an hour before the service begins - that is, at 9:00am - there will be an hour of preparation during which the faithful shall pray together the Devotion of Divine Mercy, which was introduced by St. Mary Faustina Kowalska and was dear to Blessed John Paul II. The preparation will conclude with an invocation to the Mercy of God in the world, with the hymn "Jezu ufam tobie" (Jesus, I trust in you).

  Directly following will be Holy Mass, with the readings of the Sunday after Easter. At the end of the rite of beatification, when the tapestry depicting the newly Blessed is unveiled, the Hymn of the Blessed will be sung in Latin. At the end of the Mass, a reliquary of John Paul II will be brought to the altar for the veneration of all the faithful.

  The Mass of Thanksgiving (Monday 2 May, in St. Peter's Square at 10:30am) will be presided over by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone and will be preceded by an hour of preparation during which we will hear some of John Paul II's poetry recited by two actors, one Polish and the other Italian. The Eucharistic celebration will be enlivened by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome with the participation of the Choir of Warsaw and the Symphonic Orchestra of the Radio of Katowice, Poland. The texts will be those from the Mass of the newly Blessed.

  For his part, Fr. Watler Insero, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome, clarified a few points regarding the events connected with the beatification, among which was the "white night" of prayer that the city of Rome will hold for the first time.

  "After the Vigil in Circo Massimo, beginning at 11:30pm", he said, "it will be possible to continue praying until dawn in eight churches in the city center that are found on the journey from Circo Massimo to St. Peter's Basilica: Santa Anastasia, San Bartolomeo all'Isola, Santa Agnese in Agone (in Piazza Navona, which will be led by a group of Polish youth), San Marco al Campidoglio, Santissimo Nome di Gesu all'Argentina, Santa Maria in Vallicella, San Andrea della Valle, and San Giovanni dei Fiorentini".

  "The Roman youth, serving as hosts of this evening of faith, will greet the pilgrims, inviting them to enter the churches and join in the prayers. During the night, in keeping with the common format adopted by the churches involved, there will be an alternation of the various following moments programmed: the reading of and meditation on the Word of God; silence and Eucharistic adoration; and the reading of some texts that John Paul II addressed to the youth. There will also be testimonials from some young persons, songs performed by youth groups, and the recitation of the Rosary and Divine Mercy Devotion. In these eight churches (...) many priests will be available to hear confessions.

  Fr. Walter Insero also announced that Caritas' soup kitchen for the poor and service center at Termini Station will be dedicated to Blessed John Paul II. It is "a sign of love offered by the Diocese of Rome to recall her beloved bishop and his pastoral concern for the poorest of the poor". He also noted that the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Vatican Radio, Vatican Television, and the Office for Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome have realized an important project focused on social networking that is called "Digital Sentinels".

  "It is an initiative", he said, "has created groups of faithful, young and old, who bring the witness and teaching of the newly Blessed to the web, especially through Facebook and Twitter. The entire initiative is described at: http://www.pope2you.net/index.php?id=testi=61. The great event that the digital sentinels are organizing, however, will be even more innovative: through the official Twitter channel (created by the Vatican for the pope's beatification) http://twitter.com/#!/Pope2YouVatican and Vatican Radio's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/vatican.Johnpaul2) it will be possible to follow the beatification celebrations live. Moreover, at Pope2You.net it will be possible to stream the events, also through apps for iPhone and iPad.http://www.vatican.va/video  will also be streaming the events".

  "'Digital Sentinels', which was launched this 5 April", Fr. Walter Insero concluded, "has had an excellent reception and resonance in the communications world. ... Almost 1000 persons (specialized journalists, communications experts, ...) will follow our live Twitter feed and more than 3000 persons on Facebook are populating our Sentinel groups ... Also, thanks to the new Pope2You service, almost 40,000 ecards have been sent with quotes addressed by John Paul II to the youth".
OP/                                                                                       VIS 20110429 (1740)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:

V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Proof "Pro-Choicers" Use Nazi Ideology / Documentary Anti-Abortion Pro-L...

This short video reinforces what I have always thought regarding the evils of abortion and euthanasia. Both are from the ideologies and practices of Nazi Germany and have no place in any civilized society.