Saturday, April 30, 2011

From Mark Mallett: He Calls While We Slumber:

He Calls While We Slumber


Christ Grieving Over the World
, by Michael D. O’Brien

 

CHRIST IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!

 

INDEED He is risen, alleluia! I am writing you today from San Francisco, USA on the eve and Vigil of Divine Mercy, and Beatification of John Paul II. In the home where I am staying, the sounds of the prayer service taking place in Rome, where the Luminous mysteries are being prayed, are flowing into the room with the gentleness of a trickling spring and the force of a waterfall. One cannot help but be overwhelmed with the fruits of the Resurrection so evident as the Universal Church prays in one voice before the beatification of St. Peter’s successor. The power of the Church—the power of Jesus—is present, both in the visible witness of this event, and in the presence of the communion of Saints. The Holy Spirit is hovering…

Where I am staying, the front room has a wall lined with icons and statues: St. Pio, the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Fatima and Guadalupe, St. Therese de Liseux…. all of them are stained with either tears of oil or blood that have fallen from their eyes in past months. The spiritual director of the couple who lives here is Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, the vice-postulator of St. Faustina’s canonization process. A picture of him meeting John Paul II sits at the feet of one of the statues. A tangible peace and presence of the Blessed Mother seems to pervade the room…

And so, it is in the midst of these two worlds that I write you. On the one hand, I see tears of joy falling from the faces of those praying in Rome; on the other, tears of sorrow falling from the eyes of Our Lord and Lady in this home. And so I ask once again, "Jesus, what do you want me to say to your people?"  And I sense in my heart the words,

Tell my children that I love them. That I am Mercy itself. And Mercy calls My children to wake up. 

 

Read more… »

Published in: | on April 30th, 2011 | 

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From Mark Mallett: He Calls While We Slumber:

He Calls While We Slumber


Christ Grieving Over the World
, by Michael D. O’Brien

 

CHRIST IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!

 

INDEED He is risen, alleluia! I am writing you today from San Francisco, USA on the eve and Vigil of Divine Mercy, and Beatification of John Paul II. In the home where I am staying, the sounds of the prayer service taking place in Rome, where the Luminous mysteries are being prayed, are flowing into the room with the gentleness of a trickling spring and the force of a waterfall. One cannot help but be overwhelmed with the fruits of the Resurrection so evident as the Universal Church prays in one voice before the beatification of St. Peter’s successor. The power of the Church—the power of Jesus—is present, both in the visible witness of this event, and in the presence of the communion of Saints. The Holy Spirit is hovering…

Where I am staying, the front room has a wall lined with icons and statues: St. Pio, the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Fatima and Guadalupe, St. Therese de Liseux…. all of them are stained with either tears of oil or blood that have fallen from their eyes in past months. The spiritual director of the couple who lives here is Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, the vice-postulator of St. Faustina’s canonization process. A picture of him meeting John Paul II sits at the feet of one of the statues. A tangible peace and presence of the Blessed Mother seems to pervade the room…

And so, it is in the midst of these two worlds that I write you. On the one hand, I see tears of joy falling from the faces of those praying in Rome; on the other, tears of sorrow falling from the eyes of Our Lord and Lady in this home. And so I ask once again, "Jesus, what do you want me to say to your people?"  And I sense in my heart the words,

Tell my children that I love them. That I am Mercy itself. And Mercy calls My children to wake up. 

 

Read more… »

Published in: | on April 30th, 2011 | 

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New Book Explains Divine Mercy [Video]

romereports.com The beatification of John Paul II, will take place on the Feast of Divine Mercy. More

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VISnews: BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY


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04.30.2011 – Twenty-First Year – Num. 79

 

 

 

___________________________________________________________

 

PROVIDING CORRECT AND BALANCED INFORMATION

 

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2011 (VIS) - This afternoon at Castelgandolfo the Pope received the participants in the XVII Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union gathered these days in Rome as guests of Vatican Radio, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

Derivative Work. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Po...

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  The Holy Father emphasized that through radio, "pontiffs have been able to transmit, across borders, messages of great importance for humanity. ... It can be said that the entire teaching of the Church in this area - beginning with the addresses of Pius XII, through the documents of the Second Vatican Council, up to my most recent messages on new digital technologies - is marked by a current of optimism, hope, and sincere compassion with those who dedicate themselves in this field to promoting encounter and dialogue, to serve the human community and to contribute to the peaceful development of society".

 

  "In today's society", he continued, "the basic values of the good of humanity are in play, public opinion ... is often found disoriented and divided". In this context he noted that "it is a duty to provide every day, correct and balanced information and a profound debate that seeks the best shared solutions regarding these questions in a pluralistic society. It is a task that requires great professional honor, correction and respect, an openness to different perspectives, clarity in treating problems, freedom from ideological barriers, and an awareness of the complexity of problems".

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  Benedict XVI recalled that the Catholic Church "intends to offer by witnessing to her adherence to the truth that is Christ, yet doing so in a spirit of openness and dialogue. ... Religion contributes by 'purifying' reason, helping it not to fall prey to distortions, such as manipulation by ideology or partial application that fails to take full account of the dignity of the human person". In this sense the Pope invited the professionals in communications to "seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason, with a view to serving the common good of the nation".

 

  While emphasizing the difficulties that need to be faced in their service, the Pope stressed that "the challenges of the modern world on which you have to report are too great and too urgent for you to become discouraged or tempted to give up in the face of such difficulties".

 

  The Holy Father concluded by encouraging them to put their "contacts and activities at the service of reflection and commitment" with the aim of "ensuring that the instruments of social communication promote dialogue, peace and development of peoples in solidarity, overcoming cultural separation, uncertainties and fears".

AC/                                                                                                   VIS 20110430 (420)

 

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY

 

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That those workin

ANXIAN COUNTY, CHINA - DECEMBER 25: A catholi...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

g in communication media may respect the truth, solidarity, and dignity of all people ".

 

  His mission intention is: "That the Lord may help the Church in China persevere in fidelity to the Gospel and grow in unity".

BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                                       VIS 20110430 (50)

 

                                                                                        VIS 20110430 (70)

 

 


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Friday, April 29, 2011

Prayer Needed: Bishop Dies in Car Crash:

Paul Donovan

Bishop Paul Donovan (courtesy Diocese of Kalamazoo)

WAYLAND (WKZO) -- State Police don’t think foul play was involved, but they are investigating the death of retired Bishop Paul Donovan.   His car was found in a retention pond off a service drive behind the Gun Lake Casino Thursday morning.

The body of the 86 year old Catholic leader was found on the ground about 150 feet away. Vickie Cessna, Spokesperson for the Diocese of Kalamazoo says they think a combination of the Bishop’s health and the inclement weather resulted in his death. 

They took some comfort in the idea that he was found with his Rosary in his hand.  Cessna says the Most Reverend Paul Donovan was the founding Bishop of the Kalamazoo Diocese, the longest serving Bishop and many of the programs he started continue today.  She says visitation and a funeral mass is being planned for next week at St. Augustine Cathedral.  Date and times have not yet been set.

From http://wtvbam.com/

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Returning Angels

Vortex


Dear Friend in Christ,

Bishop Paporcki has brought back something very traditional, and very wonderful. Please take a few minutes to watch this Vortex and share it with your family.

GOD Bless you and your loved ones,

Michael Voris
~senior executive producer, RealCatholicTV.com

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National Day of Prayer Proclamation:

National Day of Prayer, 2011 -- By the President of the United States of America -- A Proclamation

National-day-of-prayer-2

WASHINGTON,

 April 29, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following proclamation is released by the White House:

    Throughout our history, Americans have turned to prayer for strength, inspiration, and solidarity.

    Prayer has played an important role in the American story and in shaping our Nation's leaders. President Abraham Lincoln once said, "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day." The late Coretta Scott King recounted a particularly difficult night, during the Montgomery bus boycott, when her husband, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., rec

    Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of th...

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    eived a threatening phone call and prayed at the kitchen table, saying, "Lord, I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone." Dr. King said, in that moment of prayer, he was filled with a sense of comfort and resolve, which his wife credited as a turning point in the civil rights movement.

    It is thus fitting that, from the earliest years of our country's history, Congress and Presidents have set aside days to recognize the role prayer has played in so many definitive moments in our history. On this National Day of Prayer, let us follow the example of President Lincoln and Dr. King. Let us be thankful for the liberty that allows people of all faiths to worship or not worship according to the dictates of their conscience, and let us be thankful for the many other freedoms and blessings that we often take for granted.

    Let us pray for the men and women of our Armed Forces and the many selfless sacrifices they and their families make on behalf of our Nation. Let us pray for the police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who put themselves in harm's way every day to protect their fellow citizens. And let us ask God for the sustenance and guidance for all of us to meet the great challenges we face as a Nation.

    Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those who have been affected by natural disasters at home and abroad in recent months, as well as those working tirelessly to render assistance. And, at a time when many around the world face uncertainty and unrest, but also hold resurgent hope for freedom and justice, let our prayers be with men and women everywhere who seek peace, human dignity, and the same rights we treasure here in America.

    The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on the President to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a "National Day of Prayer."

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2011, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith or conscience directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I ask all people of faith to join me in asking God for guidance, mercy, and protection for our Nation.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

    BARACK OBAMA


     

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    Christian girl held and abused: the indignation of the Church and civil society

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    ASIA/PAKISTAN - 
    Faisalabad-50years-2

    Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) – Indignation and concern, but also worry and fear, within the Christian community and civil society following the latest case of violence and abuse on a Christian girl: Sehar Naz, 24 years old from Faisalabad, in Punjab, held captive for four days, abused and repeatedly violated by police officer, Major Arif Atif Rana who, he himself states, works for the Pakistani secret service (Inter Services Intelligence, ISI). 
    The event took place from 14 to 18 April, but only now has it come to the attention of the nation.
    The report issued by the Justice and Peace Commission for the Diocese of Faisalabad and sent to Fides, reads:
    Ms. Sehar Naz, aged 24, from Christian Town, Faisalabad, Punjab province, works as a sales officer in the State Life Insurance, a government insurance company. She was going with her area manager and sales manager in their car to attend a conference on 14 April 2011. As the car reached the circuit road near the Serena Hotel crossing a person in a black shirt and trousers stopped the car and introduced himself as Arif Atif Rana, a Major in the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). He was standing with a traffic police official and asked the occupants of the car to show their identity papers. As he received the identity card of Sehar Naz he told the insurance officers that a call has been received by him against Sehar and that he wanted to take her for investigation. The insurance officers tried to prevent this but he threatened to kill them for interfering with his official work. 
    The insurance officers quickly lodged a police report on the same day at Civil Lines Police Station, Faisalabad, that she was abducted by an army officer who claimed that he was a Major in the ISI. The police lodged the FIR (First Information Report) with number of 454/11, but, as is common, did not pursue the case because of the involvement of the ISI. 
    Major Rana took her on his scooter to different places and then to his house in Samanabad, Faisalabad. He kept her at that location for two days and then took her to Lahore, the capital of Punjab province and raped her in his custody on each of these four days. On 18 April he dropped her at the Faisalabad railway station and threatened her that if she told anyone about the rape he would arrest her parents in a bomb blast case. He went on to say that it is easy to book Christians in any case. 
    When she was released her parents and the Pakistan's National Commission for Justice & Peace Faisalabad office took the victim to record her statement before the police, (which was recorded on 19 April) and according to Ms. Naz the rapist was from the ISI and claimed to be of the rank of Major. The police then issued a certificate for a medical examination which proved that she had been sexually assaulted. She again confirmed to the police investigation officer, Assistant Sub Inspector Basheer that Major Atif Arif Rana had kidnapped and raped her at gun point but the police have made no move to arrest him. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 29/4/2011)

     

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    Joan of Arc at Orléans...

    Trivia from http://www.humanevents.com/

    April 29, 1429

    Joan of Arc at Orléans...

    On this day in 1429, Joan of Arc, with an army, arrived in the city of Orléans to relieve the besieged forces and people there from the attacking English army.  Nine days later, the siege would be lifted, leaving the city in French hands.

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    Inside the Vatican - Letter #13: Final Preparations

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    The Beatification of John Paul: The Vatican Prepares

    The preparations for John Paul II's beatification are now in their final stages. No one knows how many people will attend the Sunday morning Mass in St. Peter's Square. The greatest fear...

    By Robert Moynihan, from Rome

    The greatest fear now is... the weather.

    Because the weather reports on Frioday afternoon in Rome say that there will be light rain Saturday night, and light rain showers on Sunday morning.

    And if there is rain, everything about this historic beatification, which is shutting down all auto traffic in the entire area around St. Peter's Square starting on Saturday at one o'clock in the afternoon, will grow more complicated.

    But hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who revered and loved Pope John Paul II and wish to be present at the moment of his beatification on Sunday morning are still expected to congregate in front of Piazza San Pietro throughout Saturday night, waiting patiently -- even in the rain -- until the entrances to the piazza open at 5:30 in the morning.

    The Mass will begin at 10 am. Pope Benendict XVI is expected to arrive at 9:55 am.

    At a final Vatican Press Conference regarding the beatification this morning, Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., told journalists that there are no official previsions for how many people will be present when the Mass begins.

    Current published estimates say Roman authorities expect some 300,000 people, but whispered rumors are circulating that the number may be 500,000, or even 1 million.

    If such numbers do choose to attend the beatification, in spite of possible rain, it will be a dramatic testimony to the power of the message and spiritual vision of Pope John Paul II, six years after his death on April 2, 2005.

    The Vatican has accredited 2,300 journalists to cover this event: 1,300 from television stations, 700 from magazines and newspapers, 230 photographers, and 250 from radio stations. The total number of nations represented by these journalists: 101. This is the clearest, simplest indication that the beatification is a global event of global interest.

    Journalists themselves are concerned that they will not be able to reach St. Peter's Square. We are being told to come to the Press Office or a special section in the Square reserved for journalists between 4 and 5:30 am. After 5:30 am, officials say, we may not be able to make our way through the crowds which will circle St. Peter's Square.

    The past 10 days included memorable experiences on a pilgrimage with a small group, as I mentioned in my last email. We traveled from Assisi, home of St. Francis, to Norcia, where Father Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., is rebuilding an abandoned Benedictine monastery at the birthplace of St. Benedict, to Cascia, the home of St. Rita, patroness of impossible causes, to Rome, where we were able to attend to be near Pope Benedict as he celebrated the solemn Easter Vigil and joyful Easter Sunday Masses.

    The beatification of Pope John Paul will bring this pilgrimage to a conclusion.

    If the sun breaks through the clouds on Sunday morning, well, that will be a blessing for many on that special morning.

    —Robert Moynihan

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    Mary TV Daily Reflection 4/29/2011

     

    pope and Divine Mercy 

    Pope John Paul II at the shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow on June 7, 1997, in front of the tomb of Sister Faustina and the image of the Merciful Jesus -  http://www.michaeljournal.org/faustina.htm

    April 29, 2011
    Easter Friday

    Dear Family of Mary!

    Our Lady once spoke about Pope John Paul II in a message, early in his pontificate.  She said:

    "Let him consider himself the father of all people and not only of Christians.  Let him spread untiringly, and with courage, the message of peace and love among all humankind." (September 26, 1982)

    Looking back we see that the Holy Father did exactly this.  He traveled the world, probably personally greeting and seeing more people than any other human being in history.  He personally brought his fatherhood to the world.  The world felt his fatherly love, it just radiated from him like light.  Of course, the power of his love was the Holy Spirit.  It was God's love that was flowing from the heart of Pope John Paul II.  God's fatherly love!

    And so, on Sunday, May 1, 2011, this fatherly Pope, who was so filled with the light and love of God, will be beatified on the Feast of Divine Mercy which he established so prophetically at the turn of the Millennium.  The great gift of Mercy which came from Poland for the world, through St. Faustina and Blessed John Paul II, will be magnified on Sunday as we celebrate such a beatification!

    Jesus spoke of this gift that was to come from Poland to St. Faustina:

    "As I was praying for Poland, I heard the words: I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness.  From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming." (Diary 1732)

    Surely Pope John Paul II was that spark, that flash of pure light that burst over the Church and the world at the end of the 20th Century, bringing incredible clarity and understanding to a confused humankind.  He reintroduced us to our great destiny as sons and daughters of the Father in heaven.  He completed St. Faustina's mission, giving us the Feast of Divine Mercy, so that all mankind could be re-attached to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through the river of grace that would flow through this feast.  And he suffered for us, showing us the way to practice mercy in our human condition.  And now he is being beatified, as an example of holiness for us all and an encouragement to run the race with joy!

    St. Faustina had a vision of a celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated in both Rome and in Poland.  She wrote:

    "Suddenly, God's presence took hold of me, and at once I saw myself in Rome, in the Holy Father's chapel and at the same time I was in our chapel.  And the celebration of the Holy Father and the entire Church was closely connected with our chapel and, in a very special way, with our Congregation.  And I took part in the solemn celebration simultaneously here and in Rome, for the celebration was so closely connected with Rome that, even as I write, I cannot distinguish the two but I am writing it down as I saw it. I saw the Lord Jesus in our chapel, exposed in the monstrance on the high altar.  The chapel was adorned as for a feast, and on that day anyone who wanted to come was allowed in.  The crowd was so enormous that the eye could not take it all in.  Everyone was participating in the celebrations with great joy, and many of them obtained what they desired.  The same celebration was held in Rome, in a beautiful church, and the Holy Father with all the clergy, was celebrating this Feast, and then suddenly I saw Saint Peter, who stood between the altar and the Holy Father.  I could not hear what Saint Peter said but I saw that the Holy Father understood his words..." (Diary, 1044).

    Of course this resembles what happened when Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina in 2000 and declared the Feast of Divine Mercy.  The celebrations in Poland and Rome were simultaneous and huge!  And they were connected by television, something unheard of in 1937.  But I think that on Sunday there will be another such celebration, simultaneous and huge, in both Poland and Rome!  The great Pope from Poland will be beatified, on the great Feast of Divine Mercy!  St. Faustina will be at both places that day, because she can be!!  How amazing!  She and her champion, Pope John Paul II will be together in both places! 

    I am pumped!!

    In Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St. Faustina and Blessed John Paul II!!

    Cathy Nolan

    ©Mary TV 2011   

     

     

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    Thursday, April 28, 2011

    Louis J. Hall's Angelic Cartoons:

    Check out this website I found at catholiclane.com

    Media_httpcatholiclan_kvhtp

    Louis J. Hall has over 15 years experience as a professional designer, photographer and artist; combined with his day-job as Marketing Creative Director of a global company, Louis remains very active in the creative process. Visit his comic blog, http://angelic-twaddle.blogspot.com/; blog about creativity, http://blog.conceived-design.com/; his free stock-photo gallery, http://www.sxc.hu/profile/lute1 and his artwork site at www.fidostick.com.

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    Easter Misreadings

    Vortex


    Dear Friend in Christ,

    The Easter Vigil readings present not only the truth of Salvation History, but the truth that ONLY the Catholic Church can authentically interpret Sacred Scriptures. Protestantism has no business in this arena. Please watch this episode of The Vortex and pass it along to as many friends and family as possible.

    Visit this site for information about the conference;
    http://douglawrence.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/michael-voris-presents-the-majesty-of-the-faith-april-30th-st-charles-illinois/

    GOD Bless you and your loved ones,

    Michael Voris
    ~senior executive producer, RealCatholicTV.com

     

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    Mary TV Daily Reflection 4/28/2011

    April 28, 2011
    Thursday of Easter Week
    Painting Spring Flowers

    Image via Wikipedia


    Dear Family of Mary!

    "Dear children! As nature gives the most beautiful colors of the year, I also call you to witness with your life and to help others to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart, so that the flame of love for the Most High may sprout in their hearts. I am with you and I unceasingly pray for you that your life may be a reflection of Heaven here on earth. Thank you for having responded to my call." 

    (April 25, 2011)
      
    The Divine Mercy Novena intention for yesterday was "Meek and humble souls, and the souls of little children."  As I prayed this intention, I couldn't help but see its connection with Our Lady's message of April 25.  

    Our Lady spoke to us about nature, saying, "As nature gives the most beautiful colors of the year..."  Of course we think immediately of spring flowers, of the beautiful buds that open up in the spring.  Our Lady loves to draw our attention to flowers.  They are an image of purity, of simplicity, of beauty and of humble obedience.  Flowers are just flowers.  They grow and bloom because they were created to grow and bloom.  They give glory to God in their existence.  

    But in the Divine Mercy Novena we discover another kind of flower:  "Receive into the abode of Your Most compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children.  These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites.  They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance" (1221). Truly the meek and humble souls, and the souls of little children are very much like flowers, pure, simple, beautif

    LindosCastle6

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    ul, and humbly obedient.  And these souls give glory to God simply in their existence!  

    Our Lady also said: "I am with you and I unceasingly pray for you that your life may be a reflection of Heaven here on earth."  Meek and humble souls and the souls of little children are the delight of heaven, and they are before the throne of God.  They must truly reflect heaven on earth.  That heavenly fragrance emanates from them.  It is even through them that God can bless the whole world with His love.  So, if we want to reflect Heaven here on earth, we must become meek and humble souls, little children at heart.

    Finally, Our Lady asks in her message that we witness with our lives.  What is this witness?  It may be the witness of meek and humble souls.  I wonder if that witness is just the living out of a childlike relationship with God as Father.  Meek and humble little souls rely on God as Father because they can do nothing else.  They need Him for everything.  He is their "Abba."

    Pope Benedict writes about Jesus' relationship with God the Father: "In 1966 Joachim Jeremias wrote an important article about the use of this term [Abba] in Jesus' prayer, from which I should like to quote two essential insights: 'Whereas there is not a single instance of God being addressed as Abba in the literature of Jewish prayer, Jesus always addressed him in this way (with the exception of the cry from the Cross, Mark 15:34 and parallel passages).  So we have here a quite unmistakable characteristic of the ipsissima vox Jesu' (Abba, p. 57).   Moreover,  Jeremias shows that this word Abba belongs to the language of children - that it is the way a child addresses his father within the family. 'To the Jewish mind it would have been disrespectful and therefore inconceivable to address God with this familiar word.  For Jesus to venture to take this step was something new and unheard of.  He spoke to God like a child to his father...Jesus' use of Abba in addressing God reveals the heart of his relationship with God' (p. 62)." (Pope Benedict XVI. Jesus of Nazareth - Holy Week.  Ignatius Press. 2011. P. 161-162) 

    Via Crucis I - GesĂą nell'orto degli ulivi

    Image by brtsergio via Flickr

    Jesus called God His "Abba" and taught us to call God our "Abba".  He wanted us to have the same father and child relationship with God that He had.  To be like Jesus is to be like a little one with his father, dependent, pure, trusting, obedient, and in love!  It is to be like the meek and humble souls, the souls of little children.  Our witness can be that of a child who affectionately calls out "Abba!"   

    In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
    Cathy Nolan
    ©Mary TV 2011

     

     

     

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    Remembering Pope John Paul II

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    George Weigel

    Strange as it may seem, I've been vaguely worried about the beatification on May 1 of a man with whom I was in close conversation for over a decade and to the writing of whose biography I dedicated 15 years of my own life.

    My worries don't have to do with allegations of a "rushed" beatification process; the process has been a thorough one, and the official judgment is the same as the judgment of the people of the Church. I'm also unconcerned about the fretting of ultra-traditionalists for whom John Paul II was a failure because he didn't restore the French monarchy, impose the Tridentine Mass on the entire Church, and issue thundering anathemas against theologians and wayward politicians. No, my worries have to do with our losing touch with the qualities of the man. When the Church puts the title "Blessed" or "Saint" on someone, the person so honored often drifts away into a realm of the unapproachably good. We lose the sense that the saints are people just-like-us, who, by the grace of God, lived lives of heroic virtue: a truth of the faith of which John Paul II never ceased to remind us.

    Read more here: http://www.insidecatholic.com/feature/remembering-pope-john-paul-ii.html

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    Pope asks all to urge youth to consider becoming priests, religious

    Media_httpservedbyadb_cxujs

    Media_httpwwwdfwcatho_jehta

    WASHINGTON (MetroCatholic)—The Vatican has called for the 48th World Day of Prayer for Vocations to be observed May 15, the fourth Sunday of Easter, commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday.

    Pope Benedict XVI set the theme for the occasion, “Proposing Vocations in the Local Church,” in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The theme underscores the responsibility of all in the local Church to foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. The message notes that parish priests, families, catechists and youth ministers are invited to take advantage of “every moment in the life of the Church community” for prayer and pastoral activity that give children and young people a sense of “belonging to the Church and of responsibility for answering the call to priesthood and religious life by a free and informed decision.”

    “We all have a responsibility to invite young people to consider if God is calling them to the priesthood or consecrated life,” said Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “Such a call challenges our deepest convictions and leads to the discovery of the deepest truth about ourselves.Those who are being called by God deserve our prayers and encouragement to respond generously and without reservation.”

    The U.S. Bishops’ website, http://www.foryourvocation.org/ or http://www.portuvocacion.org/, and their Facebook page and other social media outlets, provide resources to help laity and clergy build a culture of vocations in home and parishes. Site elements include videos of priests and religious men and women giving witness to their vocations, videos of testimonies from parents whose children have answered a vocation to the priesthood and consecrated life, prayers and discernment resources for men and women, down-loadable lesson plans for educators, and retreat resources for parishes.

    “We hope that every member of the Church will encourage and promote vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life at home, in the parish, at school and in their community,” said Mercy Sister Mary Joanna Ruhland, associate director of the Vocations Secretariat. “The web resources are valuable tools for their efforts.”

    Dioceses, parishes and organizations are invited to link to ForYourVocation.org and use the colorful web banner ads at http://foryourvocation.org/web-resources.cfm (English) and http://foryourvocation.org/web-resources-spanish.cfm (Spanish) found there.

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    The Pope is Worried

    Vortex

    Dear Friend in Christ,

    The Pope is worried, deeply worried about the current state of the world and especially the state of many Catholics' souls.  His Holy Week homilies are proof of his paternal concern. Please watch this episode of The Vortex and pass it along to as many friends and family as possible.


    Mass of the Lord's Supper:
    http://www.zenit.org/article-32383?l=english

    Chrism Mass:


    http://www.zenit.org/article-32382?l=english

    Visit this site for information about the conference;


    http://douglawrence.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/michael-voris-presents-the-majesty-of-the-faith-april-30th-st-charles-illinois/

    GOD Bless you and your loved ones,

    Michael Voris


    ~senior executive producer, RealCatholicTV.com

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    Wednesday, April 27, 2011

    Knights Of Columbus Honor Fr. McLaughlin

    Media_httpwwwqgazette_ueglu

    I would like to report that St. Anastasia Knights of Columbus Council 5911 held a Communion breakfast honoring Father William McLaughlin for his service to the church and the community. We had a Mass at 10 a.m. Sunday at St. Anastasia Parish in Douglaston and was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros of the Brooklyn-Queens Diocese on April 10. The breakfast followed and was held at St. Anastasia Annex. Proceeds of the breakfast [will be] donated to the Calvary Hospital at the Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn for their Hospice program. I’m submitting a picture of the event.
    I hope you might publish this event for which we say thank you.
    Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
    Glen Oaks Village

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    Moonbattery: Moonbats Demand Atheist Chaplains

    Media_httpwwwmoonbatt_jdsue

    Most of us can only go so far astray, before the reaction of others pulls us back on course. But since many progressives spend their lives inside soundproof bubbles of balderdash, they remain oblivious to the guffaws of normal people as they climb out ever further on the creaking limb of liberal absurdity. Their latest joke at their own expense is demanding military chaplains for atheists:

    Strange as it sounds, groups representing atheists and secular humanists are pushing for the appointment of one of their own to the chaplaincy, hoping to give voice to what they say is a large — and largely underground — population of nonbelievers in the military.
    Joining the chaplain corps is part of a broader campaign by atheists to win official acceptance in the military. Such recognition would make it easier for them to raise money and meet on military bases. It would help ensure that chaplains, religious or atheist, would distribute their literature, advertise their events and advocate for them with commanders.
    That is, they want chaplains to spread propaganda to the effect that there is no God and reality just popped into existence by no particular agency for no particular reason, rendering moral values meaningless.

    The purpose of military chaplains is to uphold morale. The purpose of wasting taxpayer money on nihilistic nonsense is for moonbats to explain. But then, according to them there's no such thing as purpose. All that exists are the grubby desires of two-legged animals.
    Here's the NY Times story: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/us/27atheists.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=r

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    Tribute to Blessed John Paul II

    Media_httpwwwcatholic_jgbvb

    He is Risen!

    This is our season. Easter Sunday and the 50 days of celebration that follow fill us with profound joy.

    So much joy in fact, that it must overflow, and fill our world because it is a joy rooted in the victory of all victories, the triumph of Our Lord over sin -- and the assurance that the final victory has already been won.

    In this spirit, we have some joy-filled news to share.

    First, we were proud to represent you this morning at the 7th Annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C where nearly 1,000 guests gathered to pray and hear from His Excellency Bishop William Lori, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, pro-life activist Lila Rose, and former Speaker Newt Gingrich. The morning fittingly began with the Holy Rosary. CV is a proud sponsor of this annual event.

    Second, later this week CV blogger Thomas Peters (American Papist) will travel to Rome for an unprecedented gathering of bloggers from around the world. The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Culture extended 150 exclusive invitations to bloggers -- and we were selected! Stay tuned for more news on this exciting event.

    Finally, the biggest world event this week (no, not the royal wedding!) is the beatification of Blessed John Paul II. CatholicVote.org was founded in response to Pope John Paul II's call for a New Evangelization. While the springtime occurring in our Church takes on many forms, our humble effort seeks to re-evangelize, inspire, and mobilize Catholics in public life.

    Any attempt to summarize the life of John Paul II is futile, as the Church is still today unpacking the gifts of his rich pontificate. Yet it bears recalling his visits to America where he drew giant crowds and inspired his fellow Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He movingly called us to rediscover our moral heritage summarized in the Declaration of Independence. He loved America, but reminded us of our responsibilities to respect the dignity of every human person. Most importantly, he witnessed to the truth that whatever we do in politics, the indispensable foundation is prayer.

    To celebrate the beatification of John Paul II, we created a special webpage that includes commentaries from some of our CV bloggers along with a special Facebook campaign to share the joy.

    Visit www.catholicvote.org/johnpaul to see our tribute.

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    These Stone Walls: We’ll Be Right Back After This Long Commercial Break!


    We’ll Be Right Back After This Long Commercial Break!

    Posted: 26 Apr 2011 09:01 PM PDT

    Fr. Gordon J. MacRae, Rev. Gordon MacRae, These Stone Walls, Sunday Mass, Catholic Lane, Mary Kochan, Bishop Rene Gracida, Life Site News, Catholic blogs, wrongful conviction, Cardinal Avery Dulles, Catholic priest, Ryan A. MacDonald, Truth in Justice, priests falsely accused, U.S. Catholic Church, Pornchai, Leo Demers

    I have good news, bad news, hopeful news, and just plain news, but I don’t know which you would like first. Let’s begin with the bad news, and get it out of the way.

    These Stone Walls is going on hiatus for the month of May. Yeah, now you’ll know how I felt when “Jack Bauer Lost The Unit on Caprica.” Just as the action gets riveting, you’re in for a month of re-runs! TSW will still be up and running throughout May, but I will not be able to write new posts for the month. I’ll explain why below. A friend suggested that we feature “The Best of TSW” during May, and that seems like a good idea. I’m not the best judge of what were our stand-out posts, so I chose a couple that seemed most timely and a couple that readers seemed to like. Newer readers might be seeing them for the first time, so I hope the rest of you won’t mind a second visit to what I think are some important posts.

    Anyway, here’s the scoop behind our hiatus. Most readers know that TSW has challenges not faced by other blogs and websites. As a prisoner, I have no online access at all. I have never actually even seen These Stone Walls on a computer screen. I know what it looks like only because Charlene sends me printed screen shots of it.

    I type my weekly posts on an old Smith Corona typewriter while sitting on my large bucket (ummm, an upside-down plastic one) in a prison cell in Concord, New Hampshire. Remember the anxiety-dreams I described in “Protect Us from all Anxiety” on Ash Wednesday? One of them is a nightmare that my cranky old electric typewriter falls apart half way through a post. Under prison rules, if it breaks I cannot buy a new one. I can only send the old one for repairs. My very first posts on TSW had to be hand-written because it took five months to send my typewriter for repairs and get it back.

    The typewriter works just fine right now, but I have to special order ribbons for it, and I’m waiting for a supply. I doubt that any other blog in the world is held up by typing ribbons. As one reviewer of TSW wrote in “A Voice in the Wilderness,” it’s the most arduous cyber-process ever!

    These Stone Walls

    When I finish typing my posts, I snail-mail them to Charlene in Indiana. Since TSW began, Charlene has been very gracious in scanning my posts. I keep a photocopy, and then each Saturday afternoon I call Charlene to edit the scanned posts. From there, Charlene e-mails them to TSW Editor, Suzanne in Australia. Suzanne adds all the graphics and formatting that transform my meager prose into the posts you see each week. Without Suzanne and Charlene, I would be utterly silenced. TSW could not exist without them.

    The break we are taking is due to several circumstances. Charlene is planning a journey to Rome in May, and I have no one else available to scan and forward my posts. Also, Suzanne is planning a blog design upgrade. This might mean that the site will look off kilter while she adjusts the graphics and HTML/CSS/PHP/MySQL customizations to fit in with the new WordPress theme. Suzanne is on Australia time so midnight on the U.S. East Coast where I am a prisoner is 2:00 PM the next day in Australia.

    TSW’s hiatus reminds me of something I wrote about last year. Once during a Sunday Mass in my last parish, I had some sort of allergic reaction that constricted my larynx. As I finished reading the Gospel, I lost my voice completely. Only a squeak would come out. So I skipped my homily while the lector led parishioners in the Nicene Creed and Prayers of the Faithful.

    Then, just as I began the Offertory Prayers and Blessing over the Gifts, my voice started to return. Standing at the altar with the Paten and Host in my hands, I said, “I’m sorry there was no homily. I seemed to have lost my voice.” The entire congregation then said in unison, “Blessed be God forever!” Hmmph! Anyway, I’ve lost my voice for awhile, but we’ll be right back.

    THE GOOD NEWS

    If we’re known by the company we keep, then TSW is in good stead. These Stone Walls was mentioned in an April 4th article entitled “Father John Corapi and the State of Due Process for Accused Priests.” It was written for Catholic Lane, a terrific new site developed by Mary Kochan. I highly recommend Catholic Lane to TSW readers. Catholic Lane also reposted “Simon of Cyrene and the Scandal of the Cross” during Holy Week.

    Bishop Rene GracidaThese Stone Walls also recently appeared at Abyssus Abyssum Invocat, the blog of Bishop Rene Gracida, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas. And we have been mentioned in comments at Life Site News and a number of Catholic blogs, Catholic media, and wrongful conviction websites.

    This accounts for TSW’s recent growth in readers. It seemed to happen all at once. In March, TSW had three times the number of readers as the previous month. It’s very good news both for me, and for other priests who are falsely accused. It demonstrates something Cardinal Avery Dulles wrote to me a year before his death:

    “Unfortunate though your situation is, you are in a position to carry on an effective apostolate on behalf of unjustly accused priests. The time is bound to come when the tide will shift and even the bishops will be ready to hear the priests’ side of the story. The change will come, but not before the public is prepared for it by articles such as yours. Your writing, which is clear, eloquent, and spiritually sound, will be a monument to your trials.”

    It was high praise for something produced on an aging typewriter while sitting on a plastic bucket in a prison cell. But I need your help to continue to be heard. It reminds me of the famous Zen Buddhist paradox, “If a tree falls in the forest but there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?” I can type and type until my fingers are worn, but without you I am silenced forever.

    You can help by mentioning These Stone Walls and linking to it on your own blogs and in your comments in other Catholic media. TSW is competing against many negative voices to be heard in a climate not very open to the underdog. I think most readers now have a sense of the enormous uphill climb toward justice faced by any accused Catholic priest – especially one who is wrongly convicted and in prison.

    This tide is indeed shifting just as Cardinal Dulles predicted. Many Catholics are now coming to understand the lack of due process and other challenges to justice when priests are accused in claims that are decades old, and brought with no evidence at all. Outrage alone becomes enough to convict them – both in courts and in the court of public opinion. Outrage just isn’t a substitute for justice, however, and the public is finally seeing that. Outrage is the stuff of witch hunts, and though our crisis began with revelations of real victims of real abuse, it transformed into a classic witch hunt driven by money.

    There are also other ways you could help if you are so inclined. TSW has a PayPal account, and our “Contact” page gives you addresses for helping with either a legal fund or expenses for TSW itself. Telephone calls to Charlene to edit posts, hear comments, and respond to inquiries are charged to our expense account at a rate of 15 cents per minute. Photocopies of my posts are also charged at 15 cents per page, and postage itself is a major expense, as are typing ribbons at $15 each.

    These challenges are just other examples of the uphill climb TSW faces relative to other blogs. TSW is having an impact, and readers are helping. That makes all the difference, and I thank you.

    THE HOPEFUL NEWS

    Writer Ryan A. MacDonald has a new article entitled “Truth in Justice” recently published on These Stone Walls. It’s a complex analysis of some behind-the-scenes facts about the case against me, and it’s a truly shocking piece of investigative reporting. I caution you, however, that some of its content is graphic.

    The timing for publishing “Truth in Justice” could not be better. I mentioned months ago that a team of lawyers and investigators has been working on my behalf to bring about a new appeal of my conviction and sentence. “Truth in Justice” contains some stunning information that has appeared nowhere else – not even in the otherwise exhaustive series of articles (”A Priest’s Story“) presented in The Wall Street Journal in 2005.

    As I wrote in “When Priests Are Falsely Accused,” there’s a lot of irony in any case of wrongful conviction, and there is definitely no shortage of it when the wrongly convicted is a Catholic priest. It took no evidence whatsoever to send me to prison for sixty-seven years, but it takes a lot of evidence to reverse that. The process is long and expensive and very steep. It has been delayed many times because of a lack of funds, but never once because of a lack of new information.

    That’s one of the greatest ironies of all. Since 2002, the U.S. Catholic Church has invested close to two billion dollars in “blanket” or mediated settlements of decades-old claims against priests without obtaining any evidence at all.  What it would take to see my case through to completion represents about 1/200th of one percent of the amount invested in settlements.

    The hopeful news is that we are getting ever closer to presenting a new appeal against enormous odds and obstacles. I know there is someone out there with the means and the will to help, but that person may have never even heard of These Stone Walls and our efforts. Again, you could make this hopeful news even more hopeful by reaching out to other Catholics with news of TSW.

    The other hopeful news is about my brother, Scott, for whom I asked your prayers a few weeks ago. You may recall that he suffered a simple broken rib several months ago, and the ultrasound that diagnosed it also discovered a malignant tumor on his kidney. The tumor has been removed without losing the kidney, and early signs are that it was caught in time before it spread to other organs. Scott still has a lot of MRIs and other periodic tests in his future, but his prognosis is very good. He wants to thank TSW readers for your prayers, and so do I.

    JUST PLAIN NEWS

    Finally, in my post, “From Prison Blues to Poetic Muse” in February, I promised TSW readers that our friend, Pornchai would soon have photos available for the keepsake boxes and mantle clocks he has been carving. As soon as TSW returns with new posts on June 13, I’ll have news of how you may request one or the other or both from Pornchai.

    And if you have new comments on our upcoming re-runs, my good friend, Leo Demers has volunteered to be my digital eyes and ears during May. You might remember Leo from my Holy Week post last year, “Simon of Cyrene at Calvary.” Anyway, we’re on hiatus, not hibernation, and we’ll be right back!

    TSW Web Design

    Editor’s Note: Several of you have expressed a desire to join Fr. MacRae in a Spiritual Communion. He celebrates a private Mass in his prison cell on Sunday evenings between 11 pm and midnight. You’re invited to join in a Holy Hour during that time if you’re able.

    Subscribe to Fr. Gordon MacRae’s Posts


     

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    Another priest victim of violence in Mexico

    AMERICA / MEXICO - 

    Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - The priest Francisco Sánchez Durán, 60, was killed at dawn yesterday, Tuesday, April 26, in the church El Patrocinio of San JosĂ©, located on Avenida Ocho in the district Educacion, in Coyoacán (in the south of Mexico City). According to information received by Fides, the body of Father Sánchez Durán was found at around 9.30 

    Cardenal Norberto Rivera

    Image via Wikipedia

    "with wou

    nds on the neck”, made with an edged weapon, sources of the capital`s Prosecution explained to Fides. According to local media the murder may have been the tragic conclusion of an attempted theft at church, as a result of the opposition of the priest to thieves.

    The Archdiocese of Mexico has condemned the killing of Father Francisco Sanchez Duran and urged the authorities to investigate this crime and punish the culprits. The statement by the archdiocese, signed by Cardinal Norberto Rivera, Archbishop of Mexico, invokes God for eternal rest for the soul of the priest Francisco Sánchez, and insists that "any act of violence is deplorable in itself and even more so if carried out against persons consecrated to God”, which makes the murderers fault even more seroius. (EC) (Agenzia Fides 04/27/2011)

     

    Zemanta helped me add links & pictures to this email. It can do it for you too.

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