Judgment in the Gulf-Woes and blessings of the oil spill.Mark Galli

Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, upon the fruit of the ground and the life of the sea, and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. - Jeremiah 7:20 (paraphrase)

Many have destroyed my ocean, they have trodden my portion, they have made my pleasant portion a black desolation. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole gulf is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. - Jeremiah 12:10-11 (paraphrase)

And the word of the Lord came to America, and said,

Woe to you, O consumers, who drive when you could walk, who lust for goods that must be flown and shipped from far away in oil-consuming ships of land and sea and air, whose way of life must be preserved no matter the cost to my planet or to those whose lives depend on its health.

Woe to you, O producers, who pile greed upon greed, who drill and pump and ship and refine black gold with little thought of tomorrow, and sometimes not even today.

Woe to you, O presidents and politicians, who have one hand in the pocket of big oil and another tied by self-preservation, who fear to question the American way of life, that addiction to comfort fueled by fuel.

Woe to you, O environmentalists, who lose sleep over shrimp that will vanish and do not remember the eleven created in my image who died in the explosion, who wax eloquent about the suffering salamander and are blind to the plight of those who suffer most when my earth suffers.

Woe to you, O activists, who write articles that cry out "Earth care!", who fly on 747s to conferences and taxi to fine restaurants to network for the environment, who put up online petitions that millions can sign, on gadgets shipped in gas guzzling transport from overseas, gadgets that depend on coal to boot up.

Woe to you, O churches of the land, who tithe and fast, who preach and pray, who grow megachurches in the twinkling of an eye, who care about souls but not the land on which they live, which I too have made and called good.

Woe to you who trust me not for their daily bread, but look anxiously to smoke billowing diesel to deliver them from their hunger. Woe to all who lift up their eyes to call upon my name, but who do not look down at that which they destroy by sucking up energy in their spacious megabuildings and at international gatherings to glorify my name.

Woe to all who feel pulled between fate and necessity, unsure of their needs and wants, confused about facts and propaganda, whose left hand knows the pollution created by their right hand but still have to feed their families, who have eyes to see and ears to hear but who are powerless to change the world economy.

Blessed are those who repent not out of fear but because they believe the Good News.

Blessed are those who know that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," that they cannot ultimately destroy anything good I have created and over which I rule, who know that I am almighty and they are not, that I am the Lord still!

Blessed are those who know that I am a jealous God, who visits the environmental iniquity on their children and their children's children, even to the third and fourth generation, but also know that I am a God whose punishment does not last forever, that my wrath is only for a season, like that of a loving father toward his children.

Blessed are those who know that soon this earth will indeed be burned up, that the sea will be no more, and that the environment will pass away, not because of the folly of man but only in my gracious providence.

Blessed are those who know that they cannot save the planet any more than they can save themselves, no matter the extent of their good works, that I will create a new heaven and a new earth, just as I will clothe my beloved in imperishable bodies.

Blessed are those who have these truths written on their hearts, who know the promised future as a blessed present, who live with their God and their neighbor on the Garden called Earth as if the future were already so.

And the oil spewed forth for some forty days and forty nights, for the wickedness of the people was great, and the judgment of the Lord was upon the face of the earth.

"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you're doing the impossible." -St. Francis of Assisi

A BLESSED MOMORIAL DAY TO ALL.

These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead. ~Robert G. Ingersoll

A BLESSED SABBATH TO ALL.

On May 19, 1780, in the northeastern part of North America, there was a period of "extraordinary darkness," which began between 10 A.M. and 11 A.M. and lasted until the middle of the next night. Also, the full moon rose at 9 P.M. that evening but was not visible until midnight, when it had the "appearance of blood." Records of solar and lunar eclipses for that date, indicate none was close enough to have caused the phenomenon.

For a generation of New Englanders, Friday, May 19, 1780, was a date never to be forgotten. The Sun was blotted out by a strange darkness, varying in intensity and length from place to place, but extending from New Jersey and New York across Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and southeastern New Hampshire into Maine. For several days prior to the "Dark Day," the Sun was obscured by smoky clouds, and the Moon took on an unusual reddish color. Darkness began around 10 in the morning and lasted throughout the day. (When the Connecticut legislature proposed adjournment following the belief that the day of judgment was at hand, a Colonel Davenport declared: "I am against an adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty.") The night that followed was no comfort to the fearful, being unusually black and impervious to any artificial light. The next day, a fine sulfurlike substance was noticed on the edges of water, but the only reports of adverse effects concerned the death of a number of birds. The first theories of a comet or solar eclipse were ruled out, and the earliest guesses regarding smoke from forest fires turned out to be accurate. Out-of-control forest fires, extending from New Hampshire into New York State, burned furiously for a week preceding the dark day, creating great suffocating clouds of smoke. An unusual atmospheric condition trapped the smoke until it reached sufficient density to blot out the Sun. However, for many New Englanders, the Dark Day was an inexplicable mystery, never recalled without a feeling of awe.

May is here, which means voting to name this month’s Full Moon has ended. Readers have overwhelmingly selected the name “Full Bloom Moon” for this month’s Full Moon, which falls on Thursday, May 27th, at 7:07 p.m.


The traditional full Moon name for May is the Full Flower Moon. In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.

The idea behind the Farmers’ Almanac Name that Moon Contest was to come up with more up-to-date names for the full Moons, not as a replacement for the traditional names, but as modern alternatives that better reflect today’s activities and values. Some things never change though, which is why the name chosen for May is so similar to the traditional name. Other choices for this month were Full Planters Moon, Full Graduate Moon, and Full Remembrance Moon. But the Farmers’ Almanac readers spoke, and spoke loudly, with an overwhelming number of votes pouring in for Full Bloom Moon. Clearly, whether today, or 500 years ago, many North Americans see May as a time for enjoying the numerous varieties of flowers growing in our gardens, parks, and meadows.

AND THE WINNER IS...

ZENIT - Looking After a Eucharistic Miracle

ZENIT - Looking After a Eucharistic Miracle

The 24th of May is the Queen's birthday

if we don't get a holiday

we'll all run away

— school ditty in my youth

Victoria Day in Canada,a holiday, celebrates

the birthday of queens: Victoria and Elizabeth II both

The world could live more easily without the sun than it could without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.


VIEW INTERVIEW WITH GOD HERE.POWERFUL.

Vatican asks Susan Boyle to sing for saint Padre Pio

London: Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle has been asked by the Vatican to sing at a special tribute to its most revered saint, Capuchin monk Padre Pio.

Susan, 49, is considering the offer and says, "I have a great devotion to Padre Pio."

The concert will be held in southern Italy. Padre Pio lived out his ministry there and now lies in a golden crypt.

Second most popular Roman Catholic figure after the Pope, millions of pilgrims visit him every year.

He became famous for his stigmata, bleeding or experience of pain in parts of his body where Jesus was injured during the Crucifixion. He died in 1968.

Maria Dorrian, the Scottish delegate for the Padre Pio Centre said, "Susan has inspired so many of us. I don't think she realises the impact she is having, not only through her music, but spiritually to people throughout the world."

BRING BACK THE SACRED...POST THIS...

NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT for the seven gifts...knowledge,wisdom,counsel,understanding,fortitude,piety,fear of the Lord.

Every single person I know—myself included—is currently saying a novena to the Holy Spirit in joyful anticipation of Pentecost Sunday.

A novena is nine days of prayer (coming from the word novem which means “nine”) and is a devotion to obtain special graces.

NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT...VIDEO FORMAT

MY LENTEN PROJECT WAS TO START A STATIONS OF THE CROSS WEB PAGE,CATALOGUING AS MANY VERSIONS OF THE STATIONS AS I COULD FIND.IT'S FRIDAY TODAY,SO JOIN ME FOR THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY.

Jupiter cloud belt missing again, scientists say
Jupiter's South Equatorial Belt started fading late last year, NASA said in a story on its website.
NASA says one of the planet's two main belts can no longer be seen
Scientists are monitoring the change, but "do not yet fully understand what's going on"
Jupiter's South Equatorial Belt fades and then returns every few years
The return, when it comes, is expected to be dramatic
Scientists don't know why, but one of Jupiter's two main cloud belts has disappeared -- again.

Like a wayward pet, the belt has gone missing before and has always returned.

"This is a big event," said planetary scientist Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. "We're monitoring the situation closely and do not yet fully understand what's going on."

The brown cloudy band, known as the South Equatorial Belt, or SEB, started fading late last year, NASA said in a story on its website.

"But I certainly didn't expect to see it completely disappear," said amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley of Australia. "Jupiter continues to surprise."

Orton says the belt may not be gone, just hidden under higher clouds.

"It's possible," he said on the NASA website, "that some 'ammonia cirrus' has formed on top of the SEB, hiding the SEB from view."

On Earth, NASA says, white wispy cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals. On Jupiter, the same sort of clouds can form, but the crystals are made of ammonia instead of water.

The belt's disappearances can be erratic.

"The SEB fades at irregular intervals, most recently in 1973-75, 1989-90, 1993, 2007, 2010," said John Rogers, director of the British Astronomical Association's Jupiter Section. "The 2007 fading was terminated rather early, but in the other years, the SEB was almost absent, as at present."

The return of the SEB can be dramatic, NASA said.

"We can look forward to a spectacular outburst of storms and vortices when the 'SEB revival' begins," Rogers told NASA. "It always begins at a single point, and a disturbance spreads out rapidly around the planet from there, often becoming spectacular even for amateurs eyeballing the planet through medium-sized telescopes.

"However," he said, "we can't predict when or where it will start. On historical precedent, it could be any time in the next two years."

"I'll be watching every chance I get," Wesley said. "The revival will likely be sudden and dramatic, with planet-circling groups of storms appearing over the space of just a week or so."

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, is visible in the eastern sky before dawn, NASA said.

We are blessed as Catholics to possess the truth and the fullness of the faith.

A MUST READ ... FOLLOW THE LINK...
WITH GOD REMOVED FROM SO MUCH IN U.S., IS AMERICAN DREAM TURNING INTO A NIGHTMARE?

MY STUDIES IN THE CLASSICAL HUMANITIES IS ALL ABOUT SOCRATES.

- 470 BC-399 BC
Era Ancient philosophy
Region Western Philosophy
School Classical Greek
Main interests epistemology, ethics
Notable ideas Socratic method, Socratic irony
Influenced Western philosophy, most specifically; Plato, Aristotle, Aristippus, Antisthenes

Socrates was a Classical Greek philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contempotary Aristophanes.

Through his portrayal in Plato's dialogues, Socrates has become renowned for his contribution to the field of ethics. The latter remains a commonly used tool in a wide range of discussions, and is a type of pedagogy in which a series of questions are asked not only to draw individual answers, but to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand. It is Plato's Socrates that also made important and lasting contributions to the fields of epistemology and logic, and the influence of his ideas and approach remains strong in providing a foundation for much western philosophy that followed.

...A teacher condemned for his teachings as a heretic."Yet, the 'real' Socrates, like many of the other Ancient philosophers, remains at best enigmatic and at worst unknown.

YESTERDAY I COOKED UP FIDDLEHEADS

Fiddleheads are available in the market for only a few weeks in springtime, and are fairly expensive.
Agriculture Canada reports that scientists are just discovering how nutritional fiddleheads are — even better than blueberries, the gold standard for antioxidants. They have found that fiddleheads are twice as strong as blueberries with regard to antioxidant activity.

Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals linked to the development of a number of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's.

Test results also showed that fiddleheads are packed with the nutrient omega-3 fatty acids.

Fiddleheads are a good source of dietary fibre. They are low in sodium, and contain vitamins A and C, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and magnesium.

A Fiddlehead is a fern so young and new that it hasn't yet "unfurled" and opened its leaves. The end is still curled in a tight spiral, ready to unroll as the sun warms it and it gathers strength and size. This spiral shape reminds many people of the end of a violin, hence the name "Fiddlehead."

Fiddlehead ferns are delicious, with a remarkable wild flavor. They can be easily prepared in a variety of ways - resulting in a delicious side dish or as the "main event."

The flavor? It has been described as similar to green beans with a hint of artichoke. But descriptions do not begin to capture the flavor. You must try them to know the wonderful flavor and delightful crunch of Fiddleheads.
The coiled end of the fern is called a "crosier." Ferns should be picked early in the morning when they are still very young and fresh. The "crosier" should be tightly curled, and should snap off crisply. They must be washed carefully and rubbed to remove the paper-y brown skin on the outside. Avoid yellow or "floppy" ferns. Trim the base leaving a tiny tail.

Thoroughly wash fiddleheads in clean, potable water several times until the wash water appears clean. Then bring a small amount of lightly salted water to a boil, add washed fiddleheads, and cook them at a steady boil for 10 minutes. Fiddleheads can also be washed clean and steamed for 20 minutes. Serve at once with melted butter or vinegar. The sooner they are eaten, the more delicate their flavor. They may be served, like asparagus, on toast. Cooked, chilled fiddleheads can be also served as a salad with an onion and vinegar dressing.

FOUND AT CHRIST TO THE WORLD...

In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire. The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes. Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.


In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles. In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.
These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms.
Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.

Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.


It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.
Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.


These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people. Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.
Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community. They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephant soon follow and get the job done.


The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs. In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”


With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. "The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. "There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They come from Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa.

THE PREAKNESS RUNS TODAY.

VERY INTERESTING.

Vatican spokesman not surprised by record Fatima Mass turnout :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Vatican spokesman not surprised by record Fatima Mass turnout :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

The New Normal on Abortion: Americans More “Pro-Life”

The New Normal on Abortion: Americans More “Pro-Life”

The New School Prayer

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offence; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen !

If you aren't ashamed to do this, please pass this on.
Jesus! said, ' If you are ashamed of me,' I will be ashamed
of you before my Father.'
Not ashamed. Passing this on.

GYPSY...AND COMPANY...

Apostolic Journey to Portugal
on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary
of the Beatification of Jacinta and Francisco,
young shepherds of Fátima(11-14 May 2010)

On May 11, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI arrived at Lisbon International Airport to begin his four-day apostolic journey to Portugal. The highlight of his trip will be a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto.

The Holy Father's pilgrimage also coincides with the tenth anniversary of the beatification of Francisco and Jacinta.

Arriving in Lisbon, Pope Benedict declared, "I come as a pilgrim to Our Lady of Fatima, invested from on high with the mission of confirming my brothers and sisters as they advance on their own pilgrimage towards heaven," adding "The Virgin Mary came from heaven to remind us of the truths of the Gospel which for humankind—lacking in love and without hope of salvation—represent a source of hope."
Discussing the relationship between Church and state in Portugal, long one of the most devoutly Catholic countries in Europe but currently experiencing unprecedented secularization, Pope Benedict noted that "Living in a plurality of value systems and ethical structures makes it necessary to journey to the core of one's own self and to the nucleus of Christianity in order to reinforce the quality of our witness unto sanctity, and to discover the paths of the mission that lead even to the radical choice of martyrdom."

There are lessons in the Holy Father's words for the rest of the world as well. In a time when we cannot count on public support for the truth of Christianity, we must turn more fully to the truth of the Gospel and work to strengthen the Christian life of our families, parishes, and ultimately the Church as a whole.

Gerald Celente Discusses His "Greatest Fear"

Gerald Celente Discusses His "Greatest Fear"

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MY FAVOURITE SONG.REST IN PEACE LENA.

Janey Cutler - Britain's Got Talent 2010 - Auditions Week 4

81 YEAR OLD GRANNY WOWS BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT

MOTHER'S DAY 2010...HAVE A HAPPY.

Before I was a Mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life
so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

And remember that behind every successful woman......
is a basket of dirty laundry.

- Unknown

I received this beautiful award from my friend ABBEY! It's called the Sunshine Award. This type of recognition from a fellow blogger makes my day.

GO AHEAD AND PASS IT ON...

Of course, blog awards come with rules…

1. Put the logo on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to twelve bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and the link to the person from whom you received this award.
THANK YE ABBEY...I DO BELIEVE THIS IS MY 1ST AWARD...AND IT COMES ON A DAY THAT THE SUN HAS PERMEATED DARK ISLAND.

MY AWARDS GO TO...

GRAMMA'S RIGHT AGAIN
GRANDMAK
THE DASH
ST.MONICA'S TEARS
GEM OF THE OCEAN

IN WHAT MAY BE PRECURSOR, BLESSED MOTHER TURNED A CONTINENT CATHOLIC IN THE MIDST OF A GREAT SCANDAL


The media must remember, in viewing how Rome responds to crisis, that our Church is not used to the flow of modern media time frames. It predates TV and the internet and radio and newspapers, the telephone, the telegraph, pony express, even the printed word.

There always have been scandals, and every few centuries, failure (as there has been failure) leads to purification.

How did the Church deal with sexual violations centuries ago?

At the Council of Ancyra in 315, strict penalties -- solitary confinement, fasts, isolation, and supervision -- were demanded for any cleric caught having relations with a minor.

In 1049 Saint Peter Damian wrote to Pope Leo IX, recommending zero tolerance. According to one expert on abuse, the saint taught that any priest caught in such an act should be stripped of his clerical office. This finds its way to us through a 2001 review of past procedures called De delictus gravioribus penned by none other than Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

Why past policies were not re-implemented is a mystery. It was Pope Adrian VI, the last non-Italian Pope before John Paul II, who formulated a courageous mea culpa. Adrian VI had assumed the Throne of Peter after a string of questionable popes and for his two short years as pontiff was basically charged with cleaning up the mess.

Addressing himself in 1523 to the delegates of the Imperial Diet at Nuremberg, points out Italian writer Antonio Socci, in The Fourth Secret, the pontiff, reacting to the Reformation, said, "We freely acknowledge that God has permitted this persecution of the Church because of the sins of men, and in particular of priests and prelates. The Hand of God has not, in fact, been withdrawn; He could save us; but sin separates us from Him and prevents Him from hearing us. All of Sacred Scripture teaches us that the errors of the people have their origin in the errors of the clergy...

"Each one of us," he went on, "must examine himself much more severely than will God on the day of His wrath. We must all consider ourselves committed to do this because the entire world thirsts for reform."

The schism caused by Luther was a grave wound from which it still has not recovered, and much of Europe was set against Rome -- as we see great antipathy to Catholicism (especially in England) in our own day. Chastisement is often fashioned with human hands.

Sacking. Fire. Assassination. Those were the scourges Rome faced in the 1500s, but also that decade was the appearance of Mary in Mexico -- an event that turned an entire region of the world strongly Catholic.

"It was precisely Guadalupe that gave birth to Latin American Christianity," Socci has written in The Fourth Secret. "It was not born of ecclesiastical projects (which, on the contrary, were being met with hostility from the indigenous populations), but from the initiative of Heaven, manifested through Mary.

"Precisely at the moment in which the Church in half of Europe was being mutilated by a heresy that, among other things, was profoundly hostile to the Holy Virgin, the Madonna gifted to the Church an entire continent in the world. The apparition happened -- notice the coincidence -- on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (which in those times was celebrated on the 9th of December, not the 8th). This is the Feast of the Woman who crushes the serpent's head."

Will an event attached to the Blessed Mother soon cause a similar renewal? Crisis often invigorates Catholicism.

Will it be from this region -- or perhaps Africa -- that salvation comes to the modern Church?

LONDON...A HUNG PARLIAMENT...SHOULD BE INTERESTING.

AS A COUNTRY DE-CHRISTIANIZES,IT DE-HUMANIZES.FATHER JOHN CORAPI ONCE SAID.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE CRISIS IN GREECE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT SPREADING ACROSS EUROPE...A VERY SECULAR AND PAGAN EUROPE.

Practicing Catholics unfazed by abuse scandals; Pope’s popularity increasing

A new poll conducted by CBS News and The New York Times has found that 77% of Catholics who attend Mass weekly say that “the Vatican’s handling of recent child sex abuse reports” has had no effect on how they “feel about the Catholic Church.” An additional 12% of practicing Catholics say that they have a more positive feeling about the Church as a result of the Vatican’s handling of the scandals.

The survey of 1,079 adults was conducted between April 28 and May 2. Results were released on May 4.

88% of Catholics-- practicing and non-practicing-- report that the scandal has had no effect on their dealings with priests. 82% say it will not affect their Mass attendance, 79% say it will have no effect on donations, and 87% say that it will have no effect on their children’s involvement in Church activities.

52% of the general population says that the Vatican’s handling of the scandal has had no effect on their feelings towards the Church, while 36% have more negative feelings.

The survey also found that Pope Benedict’s popularity among Catholics has increased since March. 43% of Catholics have a favorable view of him (vs. 27% in March), while 17% have an unfavorable view (vs. 11% in March). 38% are unsure or “haven’t heard enough” to make a judgment. Among the general population, 16% have a favorable view of the Pope, 24% have an unfavorable view, and 59% are unsure or “haven’t heard enough.”

62% of practicing Catholics-- vs. 13% of the general population-- have a favorable view of the Church’s leadership, while 13% of practicing Catholics (and 38% of Americans overall) have an unfavorable view.

Among the survey’s other findings:


•45% of practicing Catholics, but only 13% of Americans overall, believe that the Vatican has done a good job handling the scandal
•75% of practicing Catholics, and 50% of the overall population, believe that the Vatican is trying to prevent child sexual abuse
•only 17% of practicing Catholics, and 33% of Americans overall, believe that the Vatican is currently engaging in a cover-up
•91% of practicing Catholics, and 54% of Americans overall, have “some” or “a lot of” confidence in the Vatican’s ability to prevent future abuse by priests
•28% of practicing Catholics, and 40% of all Catholics, say that the abuse scandals have caused them to “doubt [the] Vatican’s authority”
•the majority of Catholics (54%) believe that the Vatican is “out of touch” with Catholics, while 60% believe that local priests are “in touch”
•a large majority of practicing Catholics (89%) and Americans overall (72%) believe that child sexual abuse is just as common outside the Church as within it
•58% of practicing Catholics, and 30% of Americans overall, believe the scandal has been blown out of proportion by the news media
•44% of practicing Catholics, and 73% of the total population, believe that child sexual abuse by priests is still a problem today
•only 30% of Catholics believe that homosexuality contributes to child sexual abuse by priests; 31% believe the celibacy discipline is a contributing factor, while 17% believe the Church’s teaching on women’s ordination is a factor
•58% of practicing Catholics say that they “would let priests marry”; a smaller majority (54%) “would allow women priests”

DON'T FORGET ...TODAY IS THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

Weather deals Kentucky Derby latest wild card - wtop.com


136th Kentucky Derby could be 1st run under lights
May 1, 2010 - 4:18am


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The newly installed lights at Churchill Downs could be a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy outlook for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

A wet track seems a certainty, even with an improved forecast issued on Friday afternoon.

Joe Ammerman of the National Weather Service said Louisville is expected to get several inches of rain this weekend. However, he says the storm should largely spare the track Saturday ahead of the 6:28 p.m. post.

If bad weather causes a delay or the visibility is poor, the race could potentially be run under the lights for the first time.

"It could be blinkers off and lights on," said Bob Baffert, trainer of the 3-1 favorite Lookin At Lucky and 12-1 shot Conveyance.

Banks of lights now encircle the venerable track. They were installed to accommodate night racing during the summer, and are sometimes used for early morning training. They can be employed at any time _ even for the Derby.

"It is an option that we do have," track spokesman Darren Rogers said.

There are no restrictions in the race conditions barring the use of artificial light. The first 135 runnings of the classic for 3-year-olds were conducted in daylight. Churchill Downs hopes to continue that tradition when the horses go to the post.

That might not be realistic. Heavy rain is forecast for Saturday morning followed by lighter showers throughout the afternoon.

___

FINDING AN AUDIENCE: When NBC and Churchill Downs conducted market research a few years ago to increase TV interest in the Kentucky Derby, the results were startling.

Turns out, the sport of kings does well with women, too.

The Derby is one of three sporting events that draws more women than men, said NBC Universal senior vice president of marketing Mike McCarley. The Winter and Summer Olympics are the other two.

The research was a game-changer and allowed NBC, which will televise Saturday's Run for the Roses for the 10th straight year, to think outside the box.

Rather than confine promotions for the Derby to weekend afternoons during other sporting events, NBC spreads the love across the other networks it owns.

The Kentucky Oaks, the filly version of the Kentucky Derby, is broadcast on Bravo, which skews heavily toward female viewers. There are Derby segments on "The Today Show" in the run-up to the race focusing on everything from fashion to how to create the perfect mint julep.

"Women are watching the Derby more for the spectacle than the sporting event," McCarley said. "There's a balance you have to strike for the different people that you're watching."

The formula appears to be working. Viewership is up 27 percent since 2001. The 9.8 rating for Mine That Bird's upset last year was the highest-rated Derby since 1992.

To build on that success, Churchill Downs helped produce a series of one-hour telecasts on Saturdays this spring called "Road to the Derby," featuring the major prep races. They hope the investment pays off.

"We're lucky, men and women love horse racing and love the Derby," track president Kevin Flanery said.

There's a chance viewers won't have to hop from network to network next year to follow the Triple Crown. NBC broadcasts the Derby and the Preakness, while ESPN holds the rights to the Belmont. The TV contracts expire this year. McCarley said having the entire Triple Crown on one network would help sustain interest in the series even in years when there isn't a Triple Crown candidate.

"I think that's a real growth opportunity for the sport," he said.

Cute Chubby Baby Does Weird Thing

MY SISTER COULD DO THIS AS A BABY...SHE NEVER CRAWLED.

Cute Chubby Baby Does Weird Thing

GOING UP THE LINE THIS WEEKEND...TO TRURO RACEWAY FOR THE HORSERACES...AND THEN ON TO BEDFORD TO SEE THE FAMILY...MATTMAN,SABETH ET AL.

EUCHARISTIC 'MIRACLE' IN INDIA HAS IMAGE THAT'S A CHALLENGE TO DISCERN, DIFFICULT TO DISMISS

A new book sheds some new light -- and details -- on a putative Eucharistic miracle that occurred in one of the last places on earth one would expect such a miracle: India.


"Eucharistic miracles continue to happen, even in this millennium," notes author Elizabeth Ficocelli in Bleeding Hands, Weeping Stone. "As recently as April 28, 2001, a Eucharistic miracle began to reveal itself at the Malankara Catholic in a town known as Chirattakonam. The parish priest and his congregation were doing their usual novena prayer to St. Jude, the patron for hopeless causes. The Eucharist was displayed in a monstrance for Adoration.

During that time, the priest noticed three spots appear on the Blessed Sacrament.

"He asked the members of his congregation if they could see it too, and they said they could.

"Afterward, not sure what to make of it, the priest locked the Host in the tabernacle for safekeeping.

"A week later, as he was preparing to celebrate the Mass, the priest opened the tabernacle and removed the Host. By this time, an image of a human face had begun to emerge on the Eucharist. Again the priest showed it to his people, and again they confirmed that they, too, could see it. Together they prayed with the Eucharist before them, and as the congregation gazed upon it, the image grew clearer.

"Soon it transformed into the unmistakable face of a bearded man with long hair. The local bishop was consulted for his opinion, and he accepted it as miraculous, encouraging the congregation to pray and discern what God might be saying to them through this remarkable event."

Indeed. Those who quickly dismiss such images (lest atheists make fun of them) might want to ponder this one a bit longer than, for example, that famous grilled cheese sandwich (which made headlines years ago in the U.S. with a woman's image on it, and which is such a focus of mockery).

What the Lord might be saying? Certainly, of course, that the Blessed Sacrament is for Real. We know that. But we also note that the image became clearer as they prayed. Might that be a sign to us that we see the miraculous only when we are prayerful? And that miracles feed off the power of supplication (and praise)?

That seems straightforward enough; but now: who is the image of?

In the vast majority of cases, any male is taken to be the Lord and any female Mary. That is especially true when it involves the Host. But might other holy figures not inflect themselves into our realm? Might that even be St. Jude?

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Vatican Releases Statistical Yearbook: Number of Catholics on the Rise

The Vatican announced Tuesday that its publishing house has released a new edition of the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, comprising information from 2000 to 2008, including that the number of Catholics in the world is now 1.16 billion.

Over these nine years, the Catholic presence in the world has grown from 1.045 billion in 2000 to 1.166 billion in 2008, an increase of 11.54%. Considering the statistics in detail, numbers in Africa grew by 33%, in Europe they remained generally stable (an increase of 1.17%), while in Asia they increased by 15.61%, in Oceania by 11.39% and in America by 10.93%. As a percentage of the total population, European Catholics represented 26.8% in 2000 and 24.31% in 2008. In America and Oceania they have remained stable, and increased slightly in Asia.

The number of bishops in the world went up from 4,541 in 2000 to 5,002 in 2008, an increase of 10.15%.

The number of priests also increased slightly over this nine-year period, passing from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008, an overall rise of 0.98%. In Africa and Asia their numbers increased (respectively, by 33.1% and 23.8%); in the Americas they remained stable, while they fell by 7% in Europe and 4% in Oceania.

The number of diocesan priests increased by 3.1%, going from 265,781 in 2000 to 274,007 in 2008. By contrast, the number of regular priests showed a constant decline, down by 3.04% to 135,159 in 2008. Of the continents, only Europe showed a clear reduction in priests: in 2000 they represented 51% of the world total, in 2008 just 47%. On the other hand, Asia and Africa together represented 17.5% of the world total in 2000 and 21.9% in 2008. The Americas slightly increased its percentage to around 30% of the total.

Non-ordained religious numbered 55,057 in the year 2000 and 54,641 in 2008. Comparing this data by continent, Europe showed a strong decline (down by 16.57%), as did Oceania (22.06%); the Americas remained stable, while Asia and Africa grew (by 32% and 10.47%, respectively).

Female religious are almost double the number of priests, and 14 times that of non-ordained male religious, but their numbers are falling, from 800,000 in 2000 to 740,000 in 2008. As for their geographical distribution, 41% reside in Europe, 27.47% in America, 21.77% in Asia and 1.28% in Oceania. The number of female religious has increased in the most dynamic continents: Africa (up by 21%) and Asia (up by 16%).

The Statistical Yearbook of the Church also includes information on the number of philosophy and theology students in diocesan and religious seminaries. In global terms, their numbers increased from 110,583 in 2000 to more than 117,024 in 2008. In Africa and Asia their numbers went up, whereas Europe saw a reduction.

IT'S RAINING...IT'S POURING...

-Still falls the rain -- dark as the world of man, black as our loss -- blind as the nineteen hundred and forty nails upon the Cross.

-Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. ~Langston Hughes

-Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ~Roger Miller
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MUST READ...
DOCTORS AND NURSES INCREASINGLY REPORT SPIRITUAL EVENTS AROUND HOSPITALS AND DYING

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YEAH...WAY TO GO STEPHEN...

Ottawa refuses to fund abortion in G8 plan

There will be no debate, Tories say, putting Canada’s signature maternal-health initiative at odds with policies of U.S. and Britain
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Monday, August 3, 2009
"Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts which we have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do. For me the conception of Hell lies in two words: 'too late.'” --Gian-Carlo Menotti
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GONNA TRY THIS...

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

6 cooked, boneless & skinless chicken breast halves (diced or shredded)
1 can of condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 tubes of Ritz crackers, crushed
1 heaping tbsp. poppy seeds, you can add more if you like
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In 9x13 baking dish, combine soup & add diced or shredded, mix well.
Sprinkle salt & paper on top. Sprinkle poppy seeds, then crushed crackers over the
mixture. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers and bake, covered for 30-45
minutes (take cover off for the last 10 minutes). Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Da Mihi Animas: Pope expected to create new dicastery to re-evangelize Europe, US#links

WAITING ON A RAIN STORM HERE ON DARK ISLAND...AND WHILE WAITING...I'M PUTTING HORSE MANURE ON OUR BACK LAWN...IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST FERTILIZER...AND THANKS TO THE HERD...WE GET IT FOR NOTHING.

Pope asks Bloggers to Give Internet a Soul

The need to give the Internet a soul and humanize the dynamics of the digital world was at the heart of Pope Benedict XVI’s message Saturday to participants in a conference on modern means of mass communication.

Promoted by the Italian Bishops Conference, “Digital Witness” draws together experts in information technology, social networking, web journalism and blogging to focus on the language we use and the way we communicate as Christians in the online society.

Pope Benedict told participants that the task of every believer who works in media, is to ensure the “quality of human contact, guaranteeing attention to people and their spiritual needs”. “This is increasingly urgent in today’s world”, he said, at a time when Internet appears to have a “basically egalitarian” vocation, but at the same time, “marks a new divide", the "digital divide" that "separates the included from the excluded"

"The dangers of homologation and control, of intellectual and moral relativism are also increasing, as already recognizable in the decline of critical spirit, in truth reduced to a game of opinions, in the many forms of degradation and humiliation of the intimacy of the person"

Thus said the Pope we see, a "spiritual pollution" that brings us to no longer "look one another in the face”. So we must “overcome those collective dynamics that risk reducing people to "soulless bodies, objects of exchange and consumption”. The media must become a “humanizing factor”, focused "on promoting the dignity of persons and peoples". Only then, will "the epochal times we are experiencing be rich and fertile in new opportunities":

"Without fear we must set sail on the digital sea facing into the deep with the same passion that has governed the ship of the Church for two thousand years. Rather than for, albeit necessary, technical resources, we want to qualify ourselves by living in the digital world with a believer’s heart, helping to give a soul to the Internet’s incessant flow of communication".


WAY TO GO SUBO...

SUSAN BOYLE has been chosen to sing for the Pope during his visit to Scotland later this year.

Catholic Church leaders asked the Britain's Got Talent star to perform in front of the 150,000 crowd expected to greet the Pontiff at an outdoor mass.

She will sing before the papal address and may also perform during the mass in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park.

A senior church source said: "Susan has agreed to sing and everyone is delighted. It is a done deal.

"There are still some of the finer details to be ironed out but it has been approved by the highest echelons in the Vatican.

"Susan has described it as a dream come true and it will be an extra attraction for everyone attending."

Singing sensation SuBo, 49, of Blackburn, West Lothian, shot to fame after her performances on last year's Britain's Got Talent.

But before then the shy spinster's main singing experience was at Our Lady Of Lourdes church in the town where she has worshipped since she was a child.

It is not yet known what Susan, who declined to comment yesterday, will sing at the papal visit in September.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church said: "We would be delighted if Susan Boyle was to perform on the day at Bellahouston Park. She is top of our wish list."

London-based events managers WRG have been hired to organise the details of the visit.

Yesterday, they referred all calls about SuBo to the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI will visit Edinburgh and Glasgow at the start of a four-day tour of the UK from September 16-19.

It is nearly three decades since the last papal visit to Scotland, when Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at Bellahouston Park on June 1, 1982, in front of 300,000 worshippers.

Susan has also signed a book deal to recount her extraordinary story.

Her autobiography - The Woman I Was Born To Be - will be published in the autumn.

Since her appearances on BGT, where she narrowly lost to dance act Diversity in the final, Susan has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in the US and had a huge hit with her debut album.

I Dreamed A Dream was released last November and became the biggestselling debut album by a female vocalist and the biggest selling album of 2009.

It has sold over 10 million copies.

MY BRIDAL WREATH SPIREA

BILLOWS FROM ICELAND CRATER BRING TO MIND PROPHECY THAT TOLD OF 'GREAT SMOKE'

"When you see the great smoke rise, Satan will have touched the earth. His manifestation will be near. He will seek to destroy what Christ has built, as Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil. In the end, the Cross will predominate, but not before the end of an era that has strayed."

That was a brief message two years ago from the same source as provided the 1990 prophecy many years before and the question is whether it's related to the Iceland volcano.

If nothing else, it is unnerving how demonic-like the crater of this volcano appears (when viewed from far above) and how many dark silhouettes seemed embedded in the hefty billows of dark smoke rising from the infernal bowels of the earth -- like a sinister spiritual army marching. Note that the smoke covered much of Europe (starting in the intensely secular north -- disrupting especially the UK -- and edging south toward Rome and the Vatican). It was a greater disruption of air traffic than during September 11.

The eruption occurred just as the famous statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- the largest in the world -- was cut off by mudslides. And days after that came word that vandals scrawled graffiti on this revered monument to Jesus.

Ironically, it was in 2008 -- the same week as the great-smoke "word" -- that the statue last made similar headlines -- when a bolt of lightning hit it and "a strange aura appeared around the 130-foot figure’s head and chest before disappearing in a flash. Shocked locals believe that Christ the Redeemer looked as if it had been illuminated by God's Hand. It has also been reported that the 130-foot figure, on the summit of Rio de Janeiro’s Corcovado Mountain, was left unscathed even after the uncanny event."

Meanwhile, the rivers of fire from the earth come as there seems to be a widespread seismic disturbance -- with recent quakes in Haiti, Chile, China, Japan, Mexico, California, and elsewhere. It was mystic Maria Esperanza of Venezuela who once said the core of the earth "is out of balance." Could it be related one day to a previous "word" in the 1990 missive itself that foresaw "strange loud rumblings"?

Whether this is the "great smoke," we will soon see. It certainly comes at a time of greatest upset in the Church, which like the rest of society has been infiltrated by the forces of darkness (as also alluded in the word of knowledge). A sign of some kind in Europe will be followed by a huge calamitous one in the U.S. and then sometime later by a political or economic event that all will stagger us towards a simplification that may then begin in earnest -- is our guess. The dark force has been authorized to act. Demons pour forth. Thus, we prepare even more spiritually.

Pope Benedict Celebrates His Fifth Anniversary

Today Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the fifth anniversary of his election as Pope. On April 19, 2005 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, succeeding Pope John Paul II, became the 264th successor of St. Peter.


HAPPY ANNIVERSARY,PAPA BENEDICTO.

I SIGNED THE SPIRITUAL BOUQUET...TIME FOR YOU TO SIGN

War has been declared. The battle is before us. The time has now come to get on your knees and fight...


The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right which celebrates the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite as an integral part of its charism, is preparing to offer a spiritual bouquet to the Holy Father, that God may continue to grant him an abundance of spiritual wisdom and strength to guide the Barque of Peter through the difficult waters of our times.
To participate in this spiritual bouquet, go here to indicate the number and types of prayers that you will offer up for the sake of the His Holiness.

Prayers and sacrifices are especially encouraged during a special Novena beginning on Saturday, April 24, the fifth anniversary of the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI, through May 2, which is the first Sunday of the month of Mary, Mother of the Church.

Let the gay activists keep their rhetoric and name-calling to themselves and wake up to the problem that their own disordered sexuality is causing in our world.

PR: Statement in Defense of Cardinal Bertone

Statement from Fr. Tom Euteneuer, President of Human Life International in defense of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State
April 16, 2010

I want Human Life International to be in the forefront of defending the recent remarks of Cardinal Bertone in Chile concerning the connection between homosexuality and pederasty. Activist homosexual groups such as Arcigay have a vested interesting in covering up the truth of the matter. They say that the connection between homosexuality and pederasty is "false, ignoble, unscientific...[and] dishonest"-would that it were. The monumental scientific John Jay study commissioned by the Catholic Bishops of the US indicates that 80% of the clerical sex abuse problems were committed on adolescent boys, which simply means that the problem is overwhelmingly a gay problem. Let the gay activists keep their rhetoric and name-calling to themselves and wake up to the problem that their own disordered sexuality is causing in our world.

Clerical Sex Abuse Link to Homosexuality Exists, says Psychiatrist - U.S. News - Catholic Online

Clerical Sex Abuse Link to Homosexuality Exists, says Psychiatrist - U.S. News - Catholic Online



Sam Miller, prominent Cleveland businessman – Jewish, not Catholic – is fighting mad about & concentrated effort by the media to denigrate the Catholic Church in this country.



I’m going to say things here today that many Catholics should have said 18 months ago. Maybe it’s easier for me to say because I am not Catholic, but I have had enough, more than enough, disgustingly enough.




During my entire life I’ve never seen a greater vindictive, more scurrilous, biased campaign against the Catholic Church as I have seen in the last 18 months, and the strangest thing is that it is in a country like the United States where there is supposed to be mutual respect and freedom for all religions.


This has bothered me because I too am a minority in this country. You see, unfortunately and I say this very advisedly the Catholics have forgotten that in the early 1850’s when the Italians, the Poles, the Latvians, the Lithuanians, all of Catholic persuasion, came to this country looking for opportunity because of famine, (particularly the Irish) they were already looked upon with derision, suspicion and hatred. Consequently the jobs they were forced to take were the jobs that nobody else wanted bricklayers, ditch diggers, Jewish junkmen, street cleaners, etc.

This prejudice against your religion and mine has never left this country and don’t ever forget it, and (sic) never will. Your people were called Papists, Waps, Guineas, frogs, fish eaters, ad infinitum.

And then after the Civil War, around 1864, the fundamentalists, conservatives, Protestants and a few WASP’s began planting burning crosses throughout the country, particularly in the South. And today; as far as I’m concerned, very little has changed. These gentlemen now have a new style of clothing they’ve gone from bed sheets to gentlemen’s suits.

There is a concentrated effort by the media today to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. You don’t find it this bad overseas at all. They have now blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage. You and me have been living in a false paradise. Wake up and recognize that many people don’t like Catholics. What are these people trying to accomplish?

From the Sojourner’s Magazine dated August, 2002, listen carefully to a quote, “While much of the recent media hype has focused on the Catholic Church’s pedophilia scandal, relatively little attention has been given to the high rate of sexual misconduct in the rest of American Christendom. This is truly a crisis that crosses the borders of all religions.”

Now let me give you some figures that you as Catholics should know and remember. For example, research by Richard Blackman at Fuller Theological Seminary shows that 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact. In a 1990 study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8% of clergywomen reported unwanted sexual behavior by a colleague; 17% of laywomen said that their own pastors had sexually harassed them. Phillip Jenkins concludes in his book “Pedophiles and Priests” that while 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia, 10% of Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia.

This is not a Catholic problem. This is a problem of pure prejudice. Why the papers, day after day, week after week, month after month, see fit to do nothing but come out with these scurrilous stories? When I spoke recently to one of the higher ups in the newspaper I said, “This is wrong”. He said, “Why, do you want us to shoot the messenger?” I said, “No, just change the message”. He said, “How?” I said, “I’ll tell you how”.

Obviously, this is not just a Catholic problem. And solutions must be broader and deeper than those carried out by Catholic cardinals. The whole church has a responsibility to offer decisive leadership in the area of sexual misconduct whether it is child abuse, sexual exploitation, or sexual harassment.

Recently, churches have shown unprecedented unity on issues of poverty and welfare reform. Now it is necessary to call for a broad based ecumenical council addressing the issue of sexual misconduct in the church not only the Catholic Church, all churches, including synagogues. Its goal would be transparency and openness in developing stringent, forward?looking guidelines, consistent with denominational distinctions, for preventing and addressing sexual misconduct within Christian churches and church?related institutions.

Such a council could include not only denominational representatives but also a majority presence from external organizations such as child protection agencies, law enforcement, psychiatric services, victims’ agencies, and legal and legislative representatives.

Crisis. “Crisis” in Chinese is one word. “Crisis” in Chinese means, on the one side, a real crisis problems etc., but the other side means great opportunity.

We have a great opportunity facing us. Crisis is often accompanied by an opportunity for extraordinary growth and leadership. We have that today. Even though you are the lowest ?? by far the lowest of any organized religion today when it comes to sexual harassment ?? American churches have a unique opening to develop and adopt a single set of policies, principles, practices, and common language on sexual misconduct in Christian institutions that is binding across denominations.

A system of cross denomination review boards could be established to help compliance and accountability. A centralized resource bank could be formed that provides church wide updates on new legal, financial, psychological and spiritual developments in the field. Guidelines, both moral and legal, could be established on how clergy, churches, and victims should best use civil and criminal actions in pursuit of justice and financial restitution for injury. A national database could be established with information on all applicants for ordination in any member Christian religion. Every diocese, conference, presbytery, and district could have a designated child protection representative whose job is to ensure that the policies and procedures are understood and implemented and that training is provided.


Any religious institution, or system, that leaves power unexamined or smothers sexuality with silence rather than promoting open conversation that can lead to moral and spiritual maturity becomes implicated in creating an unhealthy and potentially abusive environment. An ecumenical Christian council authentically dedicated to strong moral leadership in the area of clergy sexual misconduct might move the church beyond the extremes of policing our own or abandoning our own.


For Christians, the true scandal is not about priests. It’s about a manipulation of power to abuse the weak. When Jesus said, “Whoever receives the child, receives me”, he was rebuking his followers for putting stumbling blocks in front of the defenseless. Church is supposed to be a place where one can lay one’s defenses down; where one is welcomed, embraced, and blessed. This can only be authentically expressed in a culture that requires absolute respect for each individual’s freedom and self hood. Until all churches bow humbly under the requirement, the indictments by wounded women and children will stand.

Just what are these Kangaroo journalists trying to accomplish? Think about it. If you get the New York Times day’ ,after day; the Los Angeles Times day after day, our own paper day after day ………………….. looking at the record, some of these writers are apostates, Catholics or ex-Catholics who have been denied something they wanted from the Church and are on a mission of vengeance.

Why would newspapers carry on this vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

Do you know and maybe some of you don’t the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday, at cost to your Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. Needless to say, that Catholic education at this time stands head and shoulders above every other form of education that we have in this country. And the cost is approximately 30% less.

If you look at our own Cleveland school system, they can boast of an average graduation rate of 36%. Do you know what it costs you and me as far as the other 64% who didn’t make it?

Look at your own records. You (Catholic schools) graduate 89% of your students Your graduates in turn go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%, and all at a cost to you. To the rest of the Americans it’s free, but it costs you Catholics at least 30% less to educate students compared to the costs that the public education system pays out for education that cannot compare.

Why? Why would these enemies of the Church try to destroy an institution that has 230 colleges and universities in the United States with an enrollment of 700,000 students?

Why would anyone want to destroy an institution like the Catholic Church which has a non profit hospital system of 637 hospitals which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people not just Catholics in the . United States today?

Why would anyone want to destroy an institution like that? Why would anyone want to destroy an institution that clothes and feeds and houses the indigent 1 of 5 indigents in the United States, I’ve been to many of your shelters and no one asks them if you are a Catholic, a Protestant or a Jew; just “come, be fed, here’s a sweater for you and a place to sleep at night” at a cost to the Church of 2.3 billion dollars a year?

The Catholic Church today has 64 million members in the United States and is the largest non-governmental agency in the country. It has 20,000 churches in this country alone. Every year they raise approximately $10 billion to help support these agencies.

Why, after the “respected” publication, the New York Times, running their daily expose’ on the Church, finally came to the conclusion of their particular investigation, which was ongoing for a long time. And guess what: buried in the last paragraph, they came up with a mouse. In their article “Decades of Damage” the Times reported that 1.8% of American priests were found guilty of this crime whereas your own Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome reported 1.7% the figure I gave you earlier.

Then again they launched an attack on the Church and its celibate priests. However, the New York Times did not mention in their study of American priests that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in the face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

Why wouldn’t the New York Times, the paper of record they call themselves, mention this? You had to read it in the Los Angeles Times. The New York Times refused to print it.

If you read only the New York Times, you would begin to believe that priests are cowards; craven; sexually frustrated; unhealthy criminals; that prey on the innocent. What a shame.

Sometimes freedom of the press should have some type of responsibility, too. So I say this to you: instead of walking around with a hangdog look ?? I talk to a lot of Catholics all the time, “how’s everything going?” ………… “Well, in the face of things I guess okay”. That’s the wrong answer! The wrong answer!

Also, I ran into a fellow who said they started a discussion at some social function on pedophilia and he said, “I excused myself and left the room.” I said, “why did you do that?” “Well, you know how it is”.

I believe that if Catholics had the figures that I enumerated here, you don’t have to be ashamed of anything. Not only are you as good as the rest, but you’re better, in every respect.

The Catholic Church helps millions of people every day of the week, every week of the month, and every month of the year. People who are not Catholics, and I sit on your Catholic Foundation and I can tell you, and what I am telling you is so. Priests have their problems, they have their failings just as you and I in this room do, but they do not deserve to be calumniated as they have been.

In small measure let’s give the media its due. If it had not come out with this story of abusive priests, (but they just as well could have mentioned reverends, pastors and rabbis and whatever), probably little or nothing would have been. done. But what bothers me the most is this has given an excuse to every Catholic hater and Catholic basher to come out loudly for the denigration of your Church.

If some CEO’s are crooks it does not follow that every CEO is crooked; and if some priests are sexually ill it does not follow that all are sick. And your Church teaches that you’ve got to take in the sick and a priest who is this way has to be taken in and cannot be thrown out the 21st story of a building. He’s got to be looked upon and given the same type of health that you would give anybody who has a broken leg or cancer or whatever.

The Church today, and when I say the Church keep in mind I am talking about the Catholic Church, is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by an infinitesimally small number of wayward priests that, I feel, have probably been totally weeded out by now.

You see, the Catholic Church is much too viable to be put down by the New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Cleveland Plain Dealer take your choice, they can’t do it, they’re not going to do it and sooner or later they are going to give up. But you’ve got to make sure that you don’t give up first.

In 1799 a notice was placed in a French newspaper that a citizen Brachi had died in prison. Little did the people realize that this was Pope Pius VI who had occupied the Chair of Saint Peter for 25 years. He had been taken prisoner by Napoleon’s forces and died in prison as an indigent. At that time the thought was that this was the end of the Catholic Church, this was 200 and some odd years ago. And the reason was that there was no Pope to succeed him at that time.

But you fooled them then, and we’re going to fool them again.

I’ve been talking more or less about the United States of America as far as the importance of the Church. Let’s bring it home to Cuyahoga County and the seven surrounding counties.

In education, you save the county 420 million dollars per year. Wherever there’s a Church and most other churches have fled the inner city there’s a Catholic Church; and wherever there’s a Catholic Church there’s an absence of drug dealers. You talk to any bank that has real estate mortgages in the inner city, and they will tell you that the one thing that keeps up the value in that particular area is your Church. I’ve seen, for example, on Lorain near the Metro Catholic Schools there at the Church the nuns used to go out in the morning with brooms and sweep away the drug dealers from around the particular area.

On Health and Human Services, the homeless, adoption, drugs, adult care and so on, you saved the county 170 million dollars a year.

At the end of the day the difference that your local Catholic institutions make in the eight counties that comprise this diocese are several billion dollars per year.

Why don’t we hear about this? Why, because it’s good news. If some priest was caught with his hand in the collection plate it would be front page news. But the fact that you have thousands of students being education (sic) free, as far as the rest of the country is concerned, doesn’t make news. Why? Because it is not newsworthy, it’s not dirty.

I’m not here to deny freedom of the press, but I believe that with freedom comes responsibility, and with rights you have an obligation. You cannot have rights that are irresponsible.

Unfortunately, our society today is protected by all rights and ruled by some of their wickedness. Anybody who expects to reap the benefits of freedom must understand the total fatigue of supporting it. The most important element of political speech, as Aristotle taught, is the character of the speaker. In this respect, no matter what message a man brings in, it shouldn’t collide with his character.

The other day was shocked when I opened up America, a Catholic magazine, and my good friend Cardinal Keeler, who is a very dear friend of mine, was being fingerprinted by the Baltimore police not for a crime, but as part of the new law put in place that all members of the Church hierarchy must be fingerprinted.

Amos, of the Old Testament, accused the people of Samaria in words that seared and phrases that smote. They “cram their palaces,” he said, “with violence and extortion.” They had “sold the upright for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals” from Gucci, no doubt. But he also said that all this could be reversed, if only the people of Samaria would turn away from their own self absorption and toward those who, however silently, cry out for help. “Then,” promised Amos, “shall your justice flow like water and your compassion like a never failing stream” (Amos 5:24)

The worst feature of contemporary society is its tendency to leave each of us Locked up in himself or herself, connection less. To lessen this isolation we have developed all kinds of therapies spiritual, psychological, and physical front groups that meet and talk endlessly all day long in spas week spas, month spas, life spas. But none of these things, from primal screams to herbal wrap, seem to be doing the trick, any more than the huge houses and wine parties the.: the Samaritan did.

What we need to do is open our heart to the plight of others, even some of your priests who have been condemned. They’re human beings and they should be shown the same type of compassion we have shown anybody who is critically ill. We need to open our hearts to the plights of others, like our hearts were a dam, so that indeed our justice and compassion may flow to all.

What is essential is that each of us steps forward to hold out our hand to someone. There is no other way to walk with God.

One of the biggest Catholic bashers in the United States wrote “Only a minority, a tiny minority of priests, have abused the bodies of children.” He continues, “I am not advocating this course of action, but as much as I would like to see the Roman Catholic Church ruined. I hate opportunistically retrospective litigation even more.”

Now he’s talking about our tort monsters. “Lawyers who grow fat by digging up dirt on long?forgotten wrongs and hounding their aged perpetrators are no friends of mine.”

I’m still quoting this man, “All I’m doing” he said, “is calling attention to an anomaly. By all means, let’s kick a nasty institution when it is down, but there are better ways than litigation.” These words are from a Catholic hater.

I never thought in my life I would ever see these things.

Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non governmental agency today in the United States. Then remember what Jeremiah said: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” And be proud, speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions. Be proud that you’re a Catholic.


NOTE: Even though of the Jewish faith, Miller has been a staunch supporter of the Cleveland Diocese and Bishop Anthony Pilla. It was published in the May-June issue of the Buckeye Bulletin.

WATCHED THE POPE'S VISIT TO MALTA TODAY...HE IS LOOKING RESTED AND FIT...FOR HIS 83 YEARS.YESTERDAY WAS HIS BIRTHDAY...SO EVERYONE WAS SINGING ...HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
FINALLY...HE IS BEING TREATED WELL...NOT MALIGNED.Maltese Have Great Respect for the Pope

MALTA IS AN ISLAND IN THE MEDITERREAN SEA.
MALTA HAS A POPULATION OF 414,000.
95% ARE CATHOLIC.
Maltese are descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock.


Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday began a brief pilgrimage to this heavily Catholic island.

The overnight trip was long planned as a pilgrimage among the faithful to commemorate the 1,950th anniversary of St. Paul's shipwreck.

The Pope's flight was one of the few to depart on Saturday from Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, where many flights were cancelled because of the no-fly zone in northern Italy and much of Europe due to the eruption of Iceland's volcano.

The pontiff, who turned 83 on Friday, sounded hoarse as he began the overnight trip on Malta. He flies back to Rome on Sunday evening.

The influence of the Catholic Church on the island is heavily felt in the European Union nation. Abortion and divorce are prohibited.

Tradition holds that St. Paul stayed three months on Malta after being shipwrecked on the way to Rome.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPE BENEDICT



SEND BIRTHDAY WISHES TO THE POPE USING HIS EMAIL ADDY...

benedictxvi@vatican.va

In Defense of the Pope

In Defense of the Pope

Dear Fellow Catholic,

On Monday, Pope Benedict celebrates the 5th anniversary of his election!

Please help give him the BEST gift ever -- 1 MILLION PRAYERS FROM THE UNITED STATES – by urging your family and friends to join you in the nationwide Easter Prayer Campaign for Pope Benedict!

This prayer campaign has come just in time . . . the full throttle assault by the main stream media on the Holy Father is only getting worse.

No one is doing more than Pope Benedict to promote and protect our Catholic identity. And yet the Holy Father “is systematically attacked precisely for what he does, for what he says, for what he is,” as one writer put it.

It is clear at this point that the enemies of the Church, in trying to pull down Pope Benedict, are striking at the Church herself. It is our duty as Catholics to stand by the Church and the Holy Father, no matter the cost.

You can help make the Holy Father’s 5th anniversary a date to remember... with a spiritual bouquet of 1,000,000 prayers!

We are almost there, with more than 850,000 prayers pledged in less than two weeks.
Call your family and friends and urge them to stand with the Holy Father!

Just think of it: 1,000,000 prayers for Pope Benedict XVI.

Thank you for standing with our shepherd, Pope Benedict XVI, as this storm continues to rage.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! And may God bless you and your family.

Yours in Christ,

The Cardinal Newman Society

Quote of the Day: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

"Many psychologists and psychiatrists have demonstrated that there is no relation between celibacy and pedophilia. But many others have demonstrated, I have been told recently, that there is a relation between homosexuality and pedophilia. That is true. That is the problem."

The Pope and His Pharisaical Attackers-Editorial By George Neumayr

The very secularists and libertine Catholics who wanted the aberrant sexual revolution to enter the Church in the 1960s and 1970s now hold Pope Benedict XVI responsible for its lingering effects. This takes considerable gall, but that has never stopped them before.

Moreover, what moral authority and “credibility” do they bring to the issue of protecting children, exactly? These are the same people who favor the abortion of unborn children. They favor the high-brow child abuse of turning children over to homosexual couples at gay adoption agencies. They think it enlightened to bring Planned Parenthood representatives into elementary schools. They celebrate on Main Street gay-pride parades that include the North American Man/Boy Love Association.

The moral authority of these Church-hating ideologues is nil. We are witnessing the repulsively absurd spectacle of a culture drenched in depravity lecturing the Vicar of Christ on moral responsibility. One doesn’t even have to agree with every action or inaction of Benedict's ecclesiastical career to see that these attacks on him have been appallingly stupid, glib, and Pharisaical.

Liberal pundits call for the resignation of the Pope with about as much consideration as they order a latte. The press interprets the Pope’s recent comment that faith leads one “toward the courage of not allowing oneself to be intimidated by the petty gossip of dominant opinion” as a response to these calls. It probably wasn’t, but if it was, he is right. This is just the petty punditry of petty people who preside over a culture increasingly defined by the corruption of children.

Pope Benedict has taken serious steps to address the abuse scandal in the Church. What steps have a degenerate liberal elite taken to protect children in society at large? The feverish drive to silence and smear the Pope—from the New York Times to pundits like Andrew Sullivan and Maureen Dowd to editorialists at the National Catholic Reporter—is not about the protection of children but the imposition of liberal ideology on the Church. Period.

Their real objection to Benedict is not that he has done too little to reform the priesthood but that he has done too much. It was the New York Times and the National Catholic Reporter that pounced on him for issuing, in his first year as pope, a ban on the ordination of homosexuals. It was the National Catholic Reporter that ran pieces casting the “zero-tolerance” policy as heartless and draconian to wayward priests.

These are not reformers of a permissive priesthood but proponents of one.

TODAY'S HOMILY STRUCK A CHORD IN ME...


LORD,LET MY SENSE OF HUMOUR BE SO DEEP AS TO NEVER BE PROUD.
LET ME REALIZE MY ABSURDITY BEFORE I ACT ABSURD,
AND LET ME KNOW THAT TO BE HUMBLE IS TO BE TRULY HUMAN.

He Lives

Happy Easter! Allelujah!
Jesus Christ, He lives!

WE DO NOT WEEP ENOUGH FOR JESUS

.

The Updated Version of Aesop

A MUST READ FROM PATRICK MADRID...THE ANT & THE GRASSHOPPER

The Updated Version of Aesop