Jun 26, 2009

....because we are Christians

Two years after Hindu violence
No one held responsible for death and destruction, Indian archbishop laments

Archbishop Raphael Cheenath
Rome, Italy, Jun 26, 2009 / 12:35 am (
CNA).- Archbishop Rafael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, India deplored this week that two years after the widespread attacks on Christians in Orissa, no one has been detained or charged for the grave damage to property and lives that resulted. In an interview with Vatican Radio, the cardinal commented that “people are afraid to return, because they fear being attacked again. In addition, it doesn’t appear that the criminals have been punished yet, despite that two years have passed.” “No one has been charged for the damage to property, for those who lost their lives or for those who were forced to flee. No criminal has been punished for this,” he stated. The archbishop asserted that, “Christians were attacked above all because of fundamentalist Hindu ideology, which challenges the way in which a Hindu nation should be founded. So the fundamentalists looked for an opportunity to do this. The main reason for the attack on Kandhamal is because it was an area where a large number of conversions have taken place over the last ten years,” he said. In addition, the archbishop said, “the Dalit, the so-called untouchables, were considered outsiders, with no right to speak and uneducated. Now, however, they are developing socially and economically and making great progress.” Archbishop Cheenath also said that he believes Hindus are worried that they will be shamed by the Dalit Christian converts.
“Hindus don’t want people who were once their slaves to achieve more respectable positions in society, with good jobs and better positions. The advancement of the Dalit and of the tribes challenges the upper classes: Hindus do not want this to happen, and for this reason they want to stop it. Basically, the reason is that they do not want the outsiders to grow and put the upper class to the test.” Asked later about the state of the faith of Christians, the archbishop said, “While at the beginning the situation was very sad and hopeless, I have seen much faith in the people. They are full of hope, their faith is very strong and they express it in many ways. We will be able to rebuild on the foundation of the people’s faith,” he said.

Jun 25, 2009

Two ways of saying the same thing....





" There is great unrest at this time in the Church and what they are questioning is the faith. I am alarmed, when I reflect on the Catholic world, that non-Catholic thinking sometimes seems to prevail within Catholicism and it could happen that this non-Catholic thinking within Catholicism will become stronger in the future. But it will never represent the Church's thinking. A small flock must survive, no matter how small it may be. " --Pope Paul VI


The more things change, the more they stay the same....
I am just guessing that in your parish, just like mine, there are certain things (or people) you wish you could change. Situations that you feel shouldn't exist. People in control that probably shouldn't be at the wheel of the ark.


How many "Obama for President" bumper stickers do you see in the parking lot of your church?
What can we do about it? What should we do about it? Does it matter since no one listens to us anyway?
It is hard to voice our opinions sometimes: we may feel like we are dissenting against the Church or that we may sound like "traditionalists".
Maybe we just don't have the time to put up a fight. Maybe we'll just go to another parish....

I have heard that the best way to destroy an enemy is from the inside.
Satan is always trying to get on the inside...the inside of us, our souls, our family and our Church.

While it's easier said than done, I suggest (if at all possible) to get onto your parish council and work for reform in you parish. Even if you can't get everyone on board of a great ideal you have, at least you can see what is going on from the inside, the whys or the why not's of the decisions that are being made.
Get to know your parish Priest and talk to him.
When all else fails, talk to your Bishop. We have some great ones in our country, and they are standing up for the Church now, more than ever. Sacrificing themselves for the good of all mankind.
They are the ones who will be taking the lashes for the Church. For you and your parish.




Jun 23, 2009

Pope Paul VI Institute


While on vacation to see family in Nebraska, my wife and myself went to visit the Pope Paul VI Institute. If you have never heard of it, it is a place of great encouragement for the hope of life, medical ad and family. You can read the details on their website for what they do, I just wanted to give a “shout out” for what we know about it and it’s effect on our family.
We had heard of the institute in name only in different Catholic circles, but our first experience with the immense goodness
in which it serves, came via Dr Patrick Yeung( https://faculty.duke.edu/faculty/info?pid=28810#pubs) whom studied under Dr. Hilgers.
Dr Yeung helped us through the loss of our “Francis/Frances” and helped in the moral decision making process based on Catholic Church teachings, a process that most doctors wouldn’t think about or probably even worry about.
This is the kind of doctors we need more of, but unfortunately, these are the kinds of doctors that the Obama administration is trying to silence.

We were blessed with an impromptu tour of the Institute by Dr. Hilgers personal assistant Vicky ( I hope I got her name right).
While the Institute is more of a business/doctors office, Vicky made the tour very interesting and showed us around like we were family. Everyone there was extremely friendly. You could tell that these people were there for a good reason.
We were told that several people that worked at the Institute had an intriguing (and sometimes heartrending) stories about how they came to be there.

All in all, the trip was great and well worth the time to stop in and see what it was all about.
They also have lots of brochures and books to help evangelize the importance of respecting life and morally acceptable medical practices. You can give them to your friends as well as your doctor.

Pope Paul VI Institute is always in need of financial help, so if you are looking for a good place to send your tithe, please go
to their web site and be assured it is going somewhere that is trying to help the world see what good medicine looks like.

Jun 17, 2009

Saints to be....


We are called to "Be holy because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16)
Those whose vocation is to family life are also called to get our spouses and children to Heaven.
I have found that, that is easier said than done.
Concerning our children; we are in constant battle with the forces of secularism and the visible delights that it offers. The material world looks to be more fun than mom and dad, but, as we know, it is a false satisfaction.
How then are we to raise good and Holy children?.... I cannot answer that on this blog since my time and knowledge is limited. There are countless books written on the subject you can get. I mainly suggest prayer, prayer and more prayer.
Put good sights and sounds in your childrens lives also. There is an excellent saints series of cd's
called "Glory Stories" and a friend of ours also has many items here for your childrens enjoyment.

Satan wants your soul and your childrens souls....try to raise them as saints using the teachings of the Church, the Sacraments, and of course prayer.

Jun 11, 2009

Commentary: Let's Get our Facts Straight about Tiller and Anti-Abortion

Commentary by Brian Clowes, PhD - Human Life International, Research Manager
June 3, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)


Along with everyone else at Human Life International and throughout the legitimate pro-life movement, I strongly condemn the murder of abortionist George Tiller in Kansas. The Fifth Commandment does not read "Thou shalt not kill, except for abortionists."
Not only is it wrong to respond to people like Tiller with the ultimate anti-life act of murder, it also sets the entire pro-life movement back as good, committed leaders have to scramble to distance themselves from an act that they never called for and which is obviously antithetical to their philosophy and work. Pro-abortion legislators seize on the opportunity to call for laws restricting legitimate pro-life activities such as sidewalk counseling and picketing, knowing the whole time that such legislation will do nothing to hinder a maniac with a gun. And, worst of all, thousands of people who would otherwise have joined the pro-life movement will continue to sit on the sidelines, believing the media lie that we are violent.
Pro-lifers should indeed condemn the murder of George Tiller. But we should not play permanent defense as the nonsense snowballs and the unfair attacks against the pro-life movement multiply. Here are some facts that should be taken into consideration by all people of good will, especially those whose responsibility it is to report on this story.

1) George Tiller is the first abortionist to be killed in eleven years. If you think that's a "trend," or an "epidemic" as some have said, you're just not a serious person.

2) All of the posturing going on in the pro-abortion movement over the safety of abortionists is a ruse. There are four times as many hairdressers and 150 times as many convenience store clerks murdered as there are abortionists. Where is the "pro-choice" grieving over them?

3) George Tiller made his money performing late-term abortions, which often involves the killing of a viable human being. According to Kansas state statistics, he killed 395 viable third-trimester babies in one year - 2001 - all for "mental health" reasons (which, as we know, is the category for all elective abortions). Not one of those abortions was for a mother's physical health or for a medical emergency. Americans overwhelmingly believe this disgusting practice should not be legal. If any objective journalist were to look into his practice they would see that most people, and all sane people, are appalled by what happened in his clinic every day.

4) Tiller has been tried on criminal indictments for multiple abuses of his practice, including breaking state laws requiring another medical doctor to verify that certain patients' lives were at risk before performing late-term abortions. This man was no hero or saint, and his being held up as a martyr says more about pro-abortionists than it does about those they are trying to condemn.

5) Abortionists are not only widely considered an embarrassment to the medical profession, but they are much more likely to commit violence than to suffer violence. You may be surprised to learn that more than a dozen abortionists have been convicted of murder and manslaughter ― of their wives, of their patients, and even of other abortionists. Yet you never hear about these killings in the press (see http://www.abortionviolence.com/ for documentation). Abortionists are more likely to kill than to be killed.

6) Whenever an abortionist mutilates, kills or molests a woman, the "pro-choice" movement always rushes to his defense, as they did for Brian Finkel, the Arizona abortionist who was sent to prison for 35 years for 22 counts of sexual abuse. So much for caring for women!

7) The pro-life movement is the most peaceful social movement in the history of this country. Most other social movements, including the unionization movement, the pro-abortion movement, the homosexualist movement, the animal rights movement, and the environmental movement have all demonstrated much greater violence. So where is the outcry over the violence committed by these movements?

During the predictable surge of publicity over Tiller's murder, we must remember that abortion itself is the most cowardly form of murder, committed against the most helpless and innocent of all of God's people, the unborn. We must also remember those who have died, but who are ignored by the media and the pro-abortionists ― the hundreds of women who have died of so-called "safe and legal" abortion, and the hundreds of other women who have been murdered by their boyfriends or husbands because they would not abort their children (see http://www.abortionviolence.com/ for documentation).
Let's not be bullied or silenced by those who are trying to tar the whole pro-life movement by cynically exploiting the murder of George Tiller. Let's instead reply with facts which add context to the "abortionists are heroes, pro-lifers are violent" narrative that the "mainstream" media seems too willing to parrot.
Not that I expect the media to suddenly start reporting the truth of abortion. If they did that, there would be no legal abortion in the first place. But we can try, and the facts are on our side. Let's pray, too, for the soul of George Tiller, his family, and his murderer, as well as for the conversion of all pro-aborts that they see how destructive abortion is for all human life, not just the child who is killed and the mother who is wounded.

Jun 9, 2009

Father Corapi message

"Abortion is not one issue among many...it is absolutely unconscionable, unimaginable, that we could somehow rationalize that this is ok..."
Flash point: The point at which something is ready to blow up. That has been my perception of Western society in general for some time now. Perhaps, a train wreck waiting to happen would be another way to put it. All evil can claim its ultimate origin in moral evil. Those that deny objective standards of morality merely facilitate the demise of their society. When it happens they will be nowhere to be found.That apparently large numbers of people seem to be intellectually and morally numb is not news, but the near light-speed evaporation of our way of life is. Actions have consequences, and sometimes the consequences can’t be seen this side of eternity. That does not mean they aren’t real. You will be seeing some of the consequences very soon, however, not the worst, but the most immediate.Personal liberty has already begun to be compromised. Various governments, including the United States, now own car companies like General Motors and Chrysler, mega insurance companies, soon perhaps health care and energy. Injustice is beginning to be seen from the smallest of individuals to the largest of corporations. The only problem with that is that governments have never been able to operate anything profitably, efficiently, or equitably. The little guy and the large corporation will all be equal opportunity recipients of heavy-handed injustice very soon.The government is about to dictate what car you can drive, how you insure it, what your bank can pay you or not, what kind of heating you have in your home, if you can have air conditioning or not. And, oh, if you eat a Twinkie your health insurance premium is going up. If you get sick, perhaps the Twinkie did it, and you aren’t covered.You might say that the government needs to control things to keep us safe, etc. That might work if the people in government could be trusted. They can’t, but we elected them. We get what we deserve, and many chickens are about to come home to roost.One of the inherent difficulties with a democratic republic is that it is only as good as the people in it. When a people lose their moral equilibrium, live in sin, and suffer the consequent loss of wisdom, then that nation’s days are numbered.Why? How have we come to this? It can be traced to the most compelling moral issue of our times, and we can’t escape from it, no matter how uncomfortable it is—abortion and other life issues. No matter what other rosy picture is painted by those that would have you believe all is well, God is not a disinterested spectator. Regardless of the high sounding rhetoric of the day, seeming progress in this or that area, it is an illusion. Nothing will ultimately go well for the United States or any other country until the injustice of all injustices is remedied. Until every human being is respected and reverenced, from the moment of conception to the last moment of natural life, no one will be safe and secure. Whether it is the helpless infant in the womb or the misguided and/or evil abortionist on the wrong end of a bullet, all deserve the safety and security of the law. Only God can in justice and wisdom decide when life begins and when life ends. When we attempt to usurp God’s job description we always come up short.

God Bless You,
Fr. John Corapi

Jun 3, 2009

Another good reason to homeschool

Homosexual Boy Named “Prom Queen” at Fairfax High School, L.A.

I was brought up in public schools through all 12 grades and had no idea that kids could be taught at home. I never knew of any homeschoolers till I met my wife. She had been homeschooling 2 of our 3 boys. I had just been “reverted” back to the Catholic
Church after many years of being away.
I thought it was neat to be able to learn at home, but I never knew the reasons why someone would take all the time and trouble to teach at home.
We will soon (6/23) be married for 2 years, and there are all kinds of reasons I can think of now.
I see the academic reasons, although I still believe you can get a great education in public schools. It just seems like all the homeschool kids I know are really bright, courteous, and joyful. I can’t say that about all the public school kids I know.
The main reason I can say now to homeschool is the faith and moral aspects. They are within the family unit more and they get to see the everyday struggles of home life. The are taught how to deal with trials and tribulations without turning to drugs, alcohol or any other vices.
They also can be taught religion…the religion that I believe in. God IS allowed in our classroom. Prayer is done daily (not just before tests).
They are NOT taught sexual education till WE think they are ready. The focus is on abstinence till
marriage and respect for the human body.
They don’t have to learn it on the street as a lot of us did. They aren’t taught how to have sexual relations
without bringing forth new life.
They are taught tolerance, but, without compromise.
The children we are bringing up today are the men and women that will be running things in the future.
That should either scare the daylights out of us, or it should make us hope for a fresh “change”.
…..as the saying goes, “the future is happening today”.

Jun 2, 2009

Our mother loves us and will protect us!!

As we end Mary's month of May...
Power of the Rosary - Ted Bundy

May 26, 2009 09:27:57 PM TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) —


Monsignor William A. Kerr, a leading human rights figure whom serial killer Ted Bundy sought out to be his spiritual counselor on death row, died Wednesday. He was 68. Kerr was hospitalized May 3 after suffering a stroke as he concluded celebrating a Mass.Monsignor William Kerr was once speaking about his very first hospital assignment, ministering to a young burn victim dying from his injuries.
Later, he was called on to perform an even more ghastly duty. In 1978, he was called out to the sorority house in Tallahassee where the young female victims of the serial killer Ted Bundy were lying dead or dying.
Msgr. Kerr got the call from the police in the middle of the night to rush out to the sorority house. When he arrived he was told that all but one of the girls in the house were dead or near death, killed by a serial killer who was later to be known to the world as Ted Bundy.
After giving those last rites to the dying college girl, Msgr Kerr (then Fr. Kerr) was asked by the police on the scene to talk to the girl who survived unscathed. They wanted to know how she survived the brutal attacks, because Bundy had stopped right inside the door to her room, dropped his weapon, and left without touching her. But the girl would talk to no one but a priest. When Fr. Kerr approached the near-catatonic girl, she told him that her mother had made her promise before going off to college for the first time that she would pray the Rosary every night before bed for protection, even if she fell asleep praying the Rosary, which she had that night, so that when Bundy came into her room with murder on his mind, the beads were still clutched in her hands.
Later, Bundy would tell Monsignor Kerr that when he entered the girl's room, he just couldn't go on, he dropped his weapon, and he fled. Such is the power of our Mother's protective mantle.
Domenico Bettinelli, Jr. (Tallahassee, FL)

Another reason to be a Steelers fan


I don't really think this is political, but I think it is great that he went against the tide. He is really taking a beating from the fans and from the black community. I say if you don't want to do something like this, then you should have that freedom. I know I don't want to meet the President, I'm not sure I could hold my tongue or listen to his ambiguous conversation.
The same people that are bashing Mr. Harrison for this, are the same ones who are screaming for "FREEDOM".
Once again, hypocrisy from the lost sheep of America.

From Pittsburgh;
When the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers make their trip to the White House Thursday, one of the players largely responsible for their victory over the Arizona Cardinals says he won't be attending.
Linebacker James Harrison -- who made Super Bowl history with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown -- said he'll pass on the invite from President Barack Obama.
"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he would've invited Arizona if they had won," said Harrison.
Harrison made the comments to WTAE Channel 4 Action News anchor Andrew Stockey at the Legends for Charity Gala hosted by University of Pittsburgh head football coach Dave Wannstedt on Friday night. Video:
Watch Harrison's Comments
Harrison, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, also skipped the Steelers' White House visit following their Super Bowl XL victory in 2006.
"It absolutely is not political. He just doesn't want to go," Harrison's agent, Bill Parise, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday.

Jun 1, 2009

Lou Pritchett's Open Letter

Another viewpoint on the direction of the actions of President Obama.
This is amazing...the Houston Chronicle printed it!
The author, Lou Pritchett, is a well-known public speaker who retired after a successful 36-year careeras the VP World Sales for Proctor and Gamble. He is a Foremost Leader in Change Management.
Lou Pritchett is one of corporate America 's true living legends- an acclaimed author, dynamic teacher and one of the world's highest rated speakers. Successful corporate executives everywhere recognize him as the foremost leader in change management. Lou changed the way America does business by creating an audacious concept that came to be known as "partnering." Pritchett rose from soap salesman to Vice-President, Sales and Customer Development for Procter and Gamble and over the course of 36 years, made corporate history.
The Pritchetts were neighbors of ours when we lived on North Clippinger in the late 60s to mid 70s, Russ Smith.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
Dear President Obama:
You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.
You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.
You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League
education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.
You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.
You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.
You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.
You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.
You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America '
crowd
and deliver this message abroad.
You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.
You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.
You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.
You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.
You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.
You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.
You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.
You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.
You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaugh's, Hannitys, O'Reilly's and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.
You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.
Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.
Lou Pritchett
 
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