David Obeid

Game plan for the Year of Faith

2012-01-08T20:36:00.001+11:00

This from the Vatican Information Service news mail out. Let's see how we do:

PASTORAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE YEAR OF FAITH

VATICAN CITY, 7 JAN 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was a Note from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith containing pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith. Summarised extracts of the English-language version are given below.

"With the Apostolic Letter of 11 October 2011, 'Porta fidei', Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year of Faith. This Year will begin on 11 October 2012, ... and will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King".

"The beginning of the Year of Faith coincides with the anniversaries of two great events which have marked the life of the Church in our days: the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, ... and the twentieth of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church".

Recommendations for the Universal Church

- The main ecclesial event will be the thirteenth General Assembly of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops, on "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith" to be held in October. It is during the Synod that the Year of Faith will begin.

- Encouraging pilgrimages of the faithful to the See of Peter and to the Holy Land.

- Inviting the faithful to recognise the special role of Mary in the mystery of salvation, to love her and follow her as a model of faith and virtue.

- Holding symposia, conferences and large gatherings to encourage encounters with authentic witness to the faith and to promote understanding of the contents of Catholic doctrine, especially the teachings of Vatican Council II.

- Deepening knowledge of the primary documents of Vatican Council II and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is especially true for candidates for priesthood, novices in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as for those in a period of discernment for joining an Ecclesial Association or Movement.

- More attentive reception of the homilies, catechesis, addresses and other speeches and documents of the Holy Father.

- Planning ecumenical initiatives aimed at the restoration of unity among all Christians. In particular, there will be a solemn ecumenical celebration in which all of the baptised will reaffirm their faith in Christ.

- A Secretariat to coordinate all of the different initiatives of the Year of Faith will be established within the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation. The Secretariat will also open a dedicated website.

- At the conclusion of the Year, on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, there will be a Eucharist celebrated by the Holy Father, in which a solemn renewal of the profession of faith will take place.

Recommendations for episcopal conferences

- Dedicating a day of study to the topic of faith, its personal witness and its transmission to new generations.

- Promoting the republication in paperback and economical editions of the documents of Vatican Council II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium, and their wider distribution using modern technologies.

- Translating the documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church into languages which lack a translation. Also, encouraging initiatives of charitable support to enable translations into the local languages of mission countries, where the local Churches cannot afford the expense.

- Promoting television and radio transmissions, films and publications focusing on the faith and on Vatican Council II. This should be done using the new styles of communication, especially on the popular level.

- Disseminating knowledge of local saints and blesseds, the authentic witnesses of the faith.

- Maximising the catechetical potential of local artistic patrimony, possibly with ecumenical cooperation.

- Educators in centres of theological studies, seminaries and Catholic universities should be encouraged to demonstrate the relevance within their various disciplines of the contents of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Preparing pamphlets and leaflets of an apologetic nature, with the help of theologians and authors, to help the faithful respond to the questions which arise in difficult contexts, including the challenge of sects and problems related to secularism.

- Examining local catechisms and various catechetical supplements in use in the particular Churches to ensure their complete conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and preparing new ones in case of need.

- Ensuring that the contents of the Catechism of the Catholic Church are present in the "Ratio" of formation for future priests, and in the curriculum of their theological studies.

Recommendations at the diocesan level

- It is hoped that each particular Church will celebrate the opening and the solemn conclusion of the Year of Faith.

- Organising a study day in each diocese on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, particularly for priests, consecrated persons and catechists.

- Each bishop could devote a pastoral letter to the topic of faith, keeping in mind the specific pastoral circumstances of his faithful, reminding them of the importance of Vatican Council II and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Organising catechetical events, especially for young people and those seeking the meaning of life, helping them to discover the beauty of ecclesial faith.

- Reviewing the reception of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the life and mission of dioceses, particularly in the realm of catechesis.

- Focusing the continuing education of the clergy on the documents of Vatican Council II and on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Organising penitential celebrations in which all can ask for God's forgiveness, especially for sins against faith.

- Renewing creative dialogue between faith and reason in the academic and artistic communities, through symposia, meetings and days of study, especially at Catholic universities.

- Promoting encounters with non-believers who sincerely search for the ultimate meaning and definitive truth of their lives and of the world, taking as an example the dialogues of the Courtyard of the Gentiles, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture.

- Paying greater attention to Catholic schools, which are a perfect place to offer students a living witness to the Lord and to nurture their faith, using such instruments as the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and "Youcat".

Recommendations for parishes, communities, associations and movements

- All of the faithful are invited to read closely and meditate upon Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Letter, "Porta fidei".

- Intensifying the celebration of the faith in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, in which the faith of the Church is proclaimed, celebrated and strengthened. All of the faithful are invited to participate in the Eucharist actively, fruitfully and with awareness.

- Priests should devote greater attention to the study of the documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, apply this to their pastoral care and offer cycles of homilies on the faith or on certain specific aspects.

- Catechists should hold more firmly to the doctrinal richness of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and guide groups of faithful towards a deeper common understanding thereof.

- Parishes can help to distribute the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other resources appropriate for families - the primary setting for the transmission of the faith - for example, during the blessing of homes, the Baptism of adults, Confirmation and Marriage.

- Promoting missions and other popular programmes in parishes and in the workplace, to help the faithful rediscover the gift of baptismal faith and the task of giving witness.

- Members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and of Societies of Apostolic Life are asked to work towards the new evangelisation, each according to their proper charism.

- Contemplative communities should pray specifically for the renewal of the faith among the People of God, and for a new impulse for its transmission to the young.

- Associations and Ecclesial Movements are invited to promote specific initiatives, through the contribution of their proper charism.

- All of the faithful should try to communicate their own experience of faith and charity to their brothers and sisters of other religions, believers and non-believers. In this way, it is hoped that the entire Christian people will begin a kind of mission towards those with whom they live and work.

The Note concludes by stating that "the recommendations provided here have the goal of inviting all of the members of the Church to work so that this Year may be a special time in which we, as Christians, may share that which is most dear to us: Christ Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind".

CDF/ VIS 20120107 (1430)

Response to Anonymous (fixed formatting)

2012-01-05T07:01:00.001+11:00

Dear Anonymous,

It's a shame that you didn't include any of the biblical or historical proofs the Catechism and other Catholic sources put forward for the points you put forward to allow your readers to get the full picture. Allow me:

You said: T"hese Catholics are so out of it that they can't even be considered Christian."

The Bible says that all who have been Baptised have been Baptised into Christ and His Death and resurrection (see Romans 6:3 for one example). Given that the Bible says that the power of Baptism to save us comes from Christ (1Peter 3:21), then Catholics really are Christians. All who have been Baptised and hold the faith revealed by God (in the most basic terms: God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (The Trinity), and Christ is God the Son made man (The Incarnation) and the Christ suffered and died, rose again and ascended (The Redemption) are properly called Christian. Man made doctrines such as Sola Scriptura and Sola Fidei cause scandalous divisions that oppose the desire of Christ that "all may be one", but these divisions don't frustrate the power of Baptism to do what the Bible says it does.

You said: "As a former Catholic, here's what the Catechism teaches."

I'm often amazed that former Catholics think that being a former Catholic qualifies them as an expert on a whole range of matter Catholic. The Catholic Church has had what can be called a "middle management issue" for the last 50 to 60 years that have seen very (VERY!!!) few schools, universities and even seminaries teach classical apologetics in any serious way. How is it that all these former Catholics got to learn the basics of the faith and know the arguments for them and be able to judge this for themselves while the average schlub, high school, university and even seminary graduate has no idea? It can't be a "discovery of the Bible", since the befuddlement about what something as basic as the definition of Christian is that you demonstrated above shows that your Biblical knowledge runs very shallow.

You said: "Mary will help save you from your sins."

The Bible says St Paul aimed to do the same. Read 1 Cor 9:22. Now, either St Paul is a Catholic, or you've just proved him to be a non-Christian, or you're wrong to hold this objection.

You said: "Mary was a virgin all her life and ascended into heaven like Jesus"

The Bible teaches Our Lady's perpetual virginity in St Luke's Gospel, where, even though she is married to St Jospeph she questions St Gabriel the Archangel as to how she will conceive given her virginity. (They are married too by the way, hence St Jospeph considering a divorce). The "brothers and sisters" of Our Lord are identified in other parts of Scripture as being sons of other women apart from Our Lady. This is perhaps the clearest example: Gal 1:17-19 identifies James as BOTH "the brother of the Lord" AND an Apostle before St Paul. St Mark 3:16-20 identifies the Apostles "before St Paul" (with the exception of St Matthias who succeeded Judas Iscariot). In St Mark's list there are two Jameses. James the son of Alphaeus is "the brother of the Lord" that St Paul mentions in Gal 1. Alphaeus is the Greek name of Clopas (Clopas is Aramaic). Guess where Clopas gets a mention? His wife is standing at the foot of the Cross in John 19:35 with Our Lady. So unless Our Lady is two persons (and her own sister!) then Clopas' wife - the mother of the son of Alphaeus - the mother of "the brother of the Lord" is NOT Our Lady. Instead, the Catholic claim, that the "brothers and sisters" of Our Lord are relatives and not siblings is demonstrated right in the pages of Scripture.

Also, the Catholic Church does not teach that Our Lady "ascended" like her Son. Instead the Church teaches that she was assumed (taken up, not under her own power) (like Enoch and Elijah). This doctrine is implied in Rev 12.

You said: "They pray to "saints" along with Jesus."

The Bible doesn't strictly equate praying with worship/adoration. That's a Protestant invention. Instead, in the Bible, worship is always sacrificial (that's why Our Lord didn't stop after the great prayer in St John's Gospel, but went on to offer Himself on the Cross to God the Father). Praying (talking to, and even honouring) others isn't condemned in Scripture.

You said: "Catholics believe in Purgatory"

The Bible says that after we die we will be saved, or we will be saved after suffering and passing through fire, or we will be condemned. Read 1Cor3:13-17. In Catholic speak, that means heaven, heaven via purgatory, or hell. Catholics do believe in purgatory. The Bible teaches purgatory. The Bible, therefore, must be Catholic, no?

You said: "They call the Pope "Holy Father""

The Bible says that those who nourish us with the truth are fathers to us (read 1Cor 4:15). Does the Bible ever say that this title is reserved for God alone?

You said: "Reconciliation"

Read John 20:19-23. There you will see Our Lord instituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation (aka Confession or Penance).

You said: "These are just a few of the perversions that the Catholic Church teaches. Once I read the Bible for myself, it was clear that all of these pagan Catholic rituals were blasphemous."

I hope I've helped you to see that what many anti-Catholics think is unbiblical really isn't. I invite you to return to full union with the Church that Our Lord died to give you for love of you.

A response to Anonymous

2012-01-05T06:49:00.001+11:00

"Anonymous" recently posted on another blog where my response was deemed too long, so here it is:Dear Anonymous,It's a shame that you didn't include any of the biblical or historical proofs the Catechism and other Catholic sources put forward for the points you put forward to allow your readers to get the full picture. Allow me:You said: "These Catholics are so out of it that they can't even be considered Christian."The Bible says that all who have been Baptised have been Baptised into Christ and His Death and resurrection (see Romans 6:3 for one example). Given that the Bible says that the power of Baptism to save us comes from Christ (1Peter 3:21), then Catholics really are Christians. All who have been Baptised and hold the faith revealed by God (in the most basic terms: God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (The Trinity), and Christ is God the Son made man (The Incarnation) and the Christ suffered and died, rose again and ascended (The Redemption) are properly called Christian. Man made doctrines such as Sola Scriptura and Sola Fidei cause scandalous divisions that oppose the desire of Christ that "all may be one", but these divisions don't frustrate the power of Baptism to do what the Bible says it does.You said: "As a former Catholic, here's what the Catechism teaches."I'm often amazed that former Catholics think that being a former Catholic qualifies them as an expert on a whole range of matter Catholic. The Catholic Church has had what can be called a "middle management issue" for the last 50 to 60 years that have seen very (VERY!!!) few schools, universities and even seminaries teach classical apologetics in any serious way. How is it that all these former Catholics got to learn the basics of the faith and know the arguments for them and be able to judge this for themselves while the average schlub, high school, university and even seminary graduate has no idea? It can't be a "discovery of the Bible", since the befuddlement about what something as basic as the definition of Christian is that you demonstrated above shows that your Biblical knowledge runs very shallow.You said: "Mary will help save you from your sins."The Bible says St Paul aimed to do the same. Read 1 Cor 9:22. Now, either St Paul is a Catholic, or you've just proved him to be a non-Christian, or you're wrong to hold this objection.You said: "Mary was a virgin all her life and ascended into heaven like Jesus"The Bible teaches Our Lady's perpetual virginity in St Luke's Gospel, where, even though she is married to St Jospeph she questions St Gabriel the Archangel as to how she will conceive given her virginity. (They are married too by the way, hence St Jospeph considering a divorce). The "brothers and sisters" of Our Lord are identified in other parts of Scripture as being sons of other women apart from Our Lady. This is perhaps the clearest example: Gal 1:17-19 identifies James as BOTH "the brother of the Lord" AND an Apostle before St Paul. St Mark 3:16-20 identifies the Apostles "before St Paul" (with the exception of St Matthias who succeeded Judas Iscariot). In St Mark's list there are two Jameses. James the son of Alphaeus is "the brother of the Lord" that St Paul mentions in Gal 1. Alphaeus is the Greek name of Clopas (Clopas is Aramaic). Guess where Clopas gets a mention? His wife is standing at the foot of the Cross in John 19:35 with Our Lady. So unless Our Lady is two persons (and her own sister!) then Clopas' wife - the mother of the son of Alphaeus - the mother of "the brother of the Lord" is NOT Our Lady. Instead, the Catholic claim, that the "brothers and sisters" of Our Lord are relatives and not siblings is demonstrated right in the pages of Scripture.Also, the Catholic Church does not teach that Our Lady "ascended" like her Son. Instead the Church teaches that she was assumed (taken up, not under her own power) (like Enoch and Elijah). This doctrine is implied in Rev 12.You said: "They pray to "saints" along with Jesus."The Bible doesn't strictly equate praying with worship/adoration. That's a Protestant invention. Instead, in the Bible, worship is always sacrificial (that's why Our Lord didn't stop after the great prayer in St John's Gospel, but went on to offer Himself on the Cross to God the Father). Praying (talking to, and even honouring) others isn't condemned in Scripture.You said: "Catholics believe in Purgatory"The Bible says that after we die we will be saved, or we will be saved after suffering and passing through fire, or we will be condemned. Read 1Cor3:13-17. In Catholic speak, that means heaven, heaven via purgatory, or hell. Catholics do believe in purgatory. The Bible teaches purgatory. The Bible, therefore, must be Catholic, no?You said: "They call the Pope "Holy Father""The Bible says that those who nourish us with the truth are fathers to us (read 1Cor 4:15). Does the Bible ever say that this title is reserved for God alone? You said: "Reconciliation"Read John 20:19-23. There you will see Our Lord instituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation (aka Confession or Penance).You said: "These are just a few of the perversions that the Catholic Church teaches. Once I read the Bible for myself, it was clear that all of these pagan Catholic rituals were blasphemous."I hope I've helped you to see that what many anti-Catholics think is unbiblical really isn't. I invite you to return to full union with the Church that Our Lord died to give you for love of you.

Too subtle?

2011-11-12T11:10:00.001+11:00

So,

Followed by...

Would naturally mean...?

BREAD OF LIFE: I BELIEVE

2011-04-03T06:10:00.000+10:00

Such a great post! (From a great blog)

Enjoy.

BREAD OF LIFE: I BELIEVE

David Obeid

Why I need to drive 150km to get to Mass

2011-04-02T08:51:00.002+11:00

Father Nicola Bux, according to www.stoneswillshout.com, is a consultant to the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith and for Saints’ Causes and to the Office in Charge of Papal Liturgies. In simple terms, he's no lightweight. This quote from him says it all:

“If you go to a Mass in one place and then go to Mass in another, you will not find the same Mass. This means that it is not the Mass of the Catholic Church, which people have a right to, but it is just the Mass of this parish or that priest.”

David Obeid

Why Pope Benedict XVI is smarter than me #987095764208

2011-03-23T06:38:00.002+11:00

This came through on the Vatican Information Service email this morning:

REFORM OF ECCLESIASTICAL STUDIES OF PHILOSOPHY

VATICAN CITY, 22 MAR 2011 (VIS) - At 11.30 a.m. today in the Holy See Press Office a press conference was held to present the newly-published Decree on the Reform of Ecclesiastical Studies of Philosophy. Participating in the event were Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Bishop Jean-Louis Brugues O.P., secretary of the same dicastery, and Fr. Charles Morerod O.P., rector of Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

Cardinal Grocholewski explained how the normative documents concerning ecclesiastical studies - and hence also philosophy - currently comprehend John Paul II's 1979 Apostolic Constitution "Sapientia christiana" and its norms of application issued in the same year by the Congregation for Catholic Education. "Nonetheless", he said, "'Ecclesia semper est reformanda' in order to respond to the new demands of ecclesial life in changing historical-cultural circumstances and this also (perhaps especially) involves the academic world".

The reasons for the reform are, the cardinal explained, "on the one hand, the shortcomings in philosophical formation at many ecclesiastical institutions, where precise points of reference are lacking especially as regards the subjects to be taught and the quality of teachers. ... On the other hand there is the conviction - expressed in John Paul II's 1998 Encyclical 'Fides et ratio' - of the importance of the metaphysical component of philosophy, ... and the awareness that philosophy is indispensable for theological formation". For this reason today's decree of the congregation aims to re-evaluate philosophy, above all in the light of that Encyclical, ... restoring the 'original vocation' of philosophy; i.e., the search for truth and its sapiental and metaphysical dimension".

The preparation of the text dates back to 2004 when the congregation established a commission of specialists in philosophy. That commission, possessing both intellectual and institutional expertise and representative of the principal linguistic and geographical areas, was charged with presenting a reform project. The definitive version "was ratified in the Congregation for Catholic Education's ordinary meeting of 16 June 2010", while Benedict XVI "approved 'in specific form' the modifications made to the Apostolic Constitution 'Sapientia christiana' and confirmed the rest of the text 'in common form'. In fact", the cardinal explained, "only three articles of 'Sapientia christiana' have been reformed while the vast majority of the modifications concern the congregation's own applicative norms".

For his part Bishop Brugues focused on some of the details of the new reform in ecclesiastical theological faculties, including the length of the course which from now on will last three years. As regards the syllabus, "the document adds a subject: ... logic, and in particular highlights the role of metaphysics", he said. The reform will likewise affect academic staff who must be full-time and adequately qualified.

The reform also concerns the first cycle of studies in ecclesiastical faculties of theology and affiliated institutes, defining the duration of formation and explaining that "strictly philosophical disciplines must constitute at least sixty percent of the number of credits in the first two years". This condition also holds for affiliated major seminaries.

In his remarks the rector of the Angelicum affirmed that "the study of philosophy helps theologians to an awareness of their own philosophical criteria, to examine them critically and to avoid imposing a conceptual framework incompatible with the faith on their theology or preaching. In order to be correct, critical reflection on philosophical theories must seek the truth beyond appearances. A non-Christian philosopher cannot be useful to theology whereas a Christian philosopher who wishes to prove the existence of God can have the opposite effect".
OP/ VIS 20110322 (600)

A good friend of mine has written about how the Holy Father ought to write an encyclical demolishing the folly of atheism here. It seems almost as if the Holy Father is planning such an attack, but is first getting the troops battle ready for when he does. If we teach our priests to think straight (apologies for the few dozen who do, but you blokes know who I'm talking about here) then getting the message of any attack on atheism (and indeed any other message) out will be a much more achievable goal.

Kudos, Holy Father, well played!

David Obeid

Acts Of The Apostasy: Top Ten Rejected Shows At EWTN

2011-03-12T21:30:00.000+11:00

This is why LarryD is a genius.

Acts Of The Apostasy: Top Ten Rejected Shows At EWTN

David Obeid

I dare you not to blog/tweet/facebook this

2011-02-18T20:17:00.001+11:00

David Obeid

Maths is gay (in England)

2011-02-06T10:58:00.000+11:00

How sad is this?

LarryD's response nails it though. If you remove education and replace it with any kooky agenda you get a dumber population.

Acts Of The Apostasy: Gay Math In England?

David Obeid

An explanation of one of St. Thomas' proofs

2011-01-31T07:10:00.000+11:00

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church VIII

2011-01-26T18:18:00.000+11:00

What does faith in God mean? Check out what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David Obeid

A champion always stands up

2011-01-25T11:06:00.003+11:00

If you have ever heard my talk on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary you will know that the line "a champion always stands up" features prominently in it.

Here's an example of a champion standing up, note the Sign of the Cross that the boxer in the white trunks blesses himself with at the start of the round:

David Obeid

Abba's Little Girl: Like Mother's Milk

2011-01-21T21:28:00.000+11:00

Every now and then someone says something that perfectly captures how mysteries work. This is one such example:

Abba's Little Girl: Like Mother's Milk

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church - VII

2011-01-16T06:57:00.000+11:00

However we explain the faith (there are lots of ways to do it), what is explained must remain the same. At the end of the day, what we are explaining is aimed at "the love that never ends".

Here's how the Catechism explains it:

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church - VI

2011-01-15T14:36:00.001+11:00

Excuse the brusqueness of the next sentence. Don't read the Catechism like an idiot. It is set out in a way that needs to be understood so that the text is not abused. Fortunately, the Catechism explains this itself:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P6.HTM

David Obeid

Go Figure - The Fitness Site for today's Active Figures - Power Building

2011-01-09T14:17:00.000+11:00

Good powerlifting articles here:

Go Figure - The Fitness Site for today's Active Figures - Power Building

David Obeid

Countercultural Father: Outstanding Bishops' Letter on Sex Education

2011-01-09T14:03:00.000+11:00

Dynamite quotes here!!!:

Countercultural Father: Outstanding Bishops' Letter on Sex Education

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church - V

2011-01-09T14:00:00.000+11:00

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is laid out like the older Roman Catechism in four sections.

In order they deal with explaining Who God is (the Creed), How God brings us to Him (The Sacraments), How God calls us to live (the Beatitudes and the Commandments) and how we grow in our union with God (Prayer).

Read about it for yourself here:

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IV

2011-01-08T13:00:00.000+11:00

Everyone is meant to read the Catechism. It's not just for theologians or priests. Seriously, it says so itself!

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church III

2011-01-05T13:32:00.000+11:00

The "core business" of the Catholic Church is catechesis, that is, handing on the faith. Here, read about it for yourself!

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David Obeid

Why are people reporting another "prayer meeting" at Assisi?

2011-01-04T09:27:00.003+11:00

That isn't what the Pope has invited people to, read it for yourselves:

RELIGIOUS LEADERS INVITED TO JOIN POPE IN ASSISI IN OCTOBER

VATICAN CITY, 1 JAN 2011 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica, the Pope appeared at the window of his study to address faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square for the first Angelus of 2011.

The Holy Father remarked how "on this day the Church invokes the gift of peace from God through Jesus Christ. It is the World Day of Peace, an appropriate occasion to reflect together on the great challenges our age places before humankind.

"One of these challenges, which has become dramatically pressing over these days is that of religious freedom", he added. "Today we are witnessing two opposing tendencies, two equally negative extremes: on the one hand laicism which deviously seeks to marginalise religion and confine it to the private sphere and, on the other, fundamentalism which seeks to impose it on everyone by use of force".

"Wherever religious freedom is effectively recognised the dignity of the human being is respected at its roots and, through a sincere search for truth and goodness, moral conscience is fortified and the institutions of civil coexistence strengthened. For this reason religious freedom is the highway to follow to build peace".

"By looking to the One Who is the 'Prince of peace' we understand that peace cannot be achieved by arms, nor through economic, political, cultural or media power. Peace is the work of consciences which open to truth and love. May God help us to continue along this path in the new year He has granted us to live".

After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled that his message for the World Day of Peace had highlighted how "the great religions can represent an important factor for the unity and peace of the human family. In this context", he said, "I also noted that the year 2011 will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace which the Venerable John Paul II called in Assisi, Italy, in 1986. For this reason, in the coming month of October, I will make a pilgrimage to the town of St. Francis, inviting my Christian brethren of different confessions, leaders of the world's religious traditions and, in their hearts, all men and women of good will, to join me on this journey in order to commemorate that important historical gesture of my predecessor, and solemnly to renew the commitment of believers of all religions to live their religious faith as a service to the cause of peace. Those who are journeying towards God cannot fail to transmit peace; those who build peace cannot fail to move towards God. I invite you, even now, to support this initiative with your prayers".

ANG/

VIS 20110103 (460)

Emphasis mine.

Can someone educate this simple man as to how the pope is calling, say, animists to pray to the great thumb? I'm missing it.

David Obeid

Catechism of the Catholic Church II

2011-01-03T17:15:00.000+11:00

The whole idea of the Catholic religion is to bring people into union with God, and this through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

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Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

2011-01-01T20:23:00.000+11:00

The Catechism opens by stating that salvation is all about God - it is "theocentric".

Have a read here:

Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText

David ObeidE-mail: david.obeid@gmail.com
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Acts Of The Apostasy: The 12 Days Of Chris...I Mean, Winter

2011-01-01T13:39:00.000+11:00

I haven't had time to blog in forever, and there's no better way to come back than to steal from LarryD.

Acts Of The Apostasy: The 12 Days Of Chris...I Mean, Winter

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Abba's Little Girl: Quantitative Easing Explained

2010-11-22T15:54:00.000+11:00

Abba's Little Girl: Quantitative Easing Explained

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From conception to birth

2010-10-25T09:01:00.002+11:00

I hate blog posts that don't say anything other than link to another post. I know that I am guilty of this from time to time (aka often) myself, but this particular post really can't have much added to it:

http://stmarywilliamston.com/?p=627

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As Batman would say, "Ha ha! Busted!"

2010-10-13T10:31:00.002+11:00

Shamelessly stolen from LarryD

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Acts Of The Apostasy: Sister Patricia On: St Francis of Assisi

2010-10-08T21:04:00.000+11:00

This is why I love Larry D:

Acts Of The Apostasy: Sister Patricia On: St Francis of Assisi

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Global Warmists want to kill you (no pressure)

2010-10-03T15:29:00.004+11:00

It's a joke now, but wait till the euthanasia ball really starts to get rolling...

(Warning: some very gruesome scenes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDXQsnkuBCM&feature=player_embedded

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QUAERITUR: Can phrase on USCCB website be used against “ad orientem” worship? | Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?

2010-10-03T10:26:00.000+11:00

If you come across someone who is stupid but thinks they are smart and they tell you that the Church forbids Mass facing the altar, make sure you're first familiar with the facts:

QUAERITUR: Can phrase on USCCB website be used against “ad orientem” worship? | Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?

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How to Evangelise

2010-09-26T07:25:00.002+10:00

For the chicken hearted: Don't be chicken hearted.

It's really that simple.

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The Fight - Updated

2010-09-17T06:26:00.004+10:00

I was looking through some old files and came across this. I needed a bit of tweaking, so tweak I did:

"The Fight" - Updated

Some time ago the topic of my choice to raise my children on acreage some 200km from Sydney was brought up by a friend of mine. He described the move in terms of a choice between "fight" and "flight".

The idea was that staying in Sydney was "fighting" and leaving Sydney was "flighting". I want to take some time to look at these ideas and examine what exactly the "fight" is and how one "fights" or "flies" from the "fight".

What I Am

I am a mediocre Catholic with designs on becoming a great one. I am a married layman. My wife and I have been blessed with 6 children plus one who has already been entrusted to the mercy of God. We have, for a variety of reasons, chosen to home school our children. I hold a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and two Master's degrees – one in Arts (majoring in Pure and Applied Mathematics) and one in Religious Education. I work as a high school mathematics teacher and I dabble in small scale farming of cattle and meat sheep (with meagre but increasing success!) on our small farm. I used to conduct an adult catechism class for 7 weeks out of each school term at the Catholic presbytery in the nearby town of Goulburn using the 'Evangelium' course produced by the Catholic Truth Society in the UK until the new Parish Priest there realised he and I were not on the same page in matters Catholic. From time to time I give talks, participate in "question and answer" panels and participate in debates defending the Catholic faith. I don't have much spare time, but if I did, I would spend more time working on the farm, improving the buildings on my farm, and exercising, hunting and fishing with my family. I wouldn't mind learning how to BBQ better either.

What I Am Not

I am not a member of the Church's hierarchy. I am not a school principal or a member of any school executive. I do not hold any political office.

What I Can't Do

I cannot command the obedience of Bishops, let alone consecrated religious men and women or priests (the Parish Priest in Goulburn being a case in point).

Putting It All Together

If we put the above together it becomes pretty clear that apart from the home schooling, the 100acre backyard, the high powered chainsaw, sheep and cattle, the fresh air, the closeness to nature (in both its beauty and ferocity), the easy drive to and from work, the unfortunate difficulty in finding a Mass without liturgical abuses or theologically suspect homilies nearby and an income that couldn't afford a 'Sydney sized' mortgage, I'm just like most of my friends in Sydney.

So What's Different?

I don't equate "fight" with "Sydney". I don't think that "fighting" involves the attendance at Catholic social events that in the end are little more than social events that Catholics attend. I don't think that "fighting" is giving talks or conferences to people cemented in their position that they themselves would never teach other people (such as their own children in homeschooling or other adult groups) (thereby reducing the talk to mere "info-tainment"). I think that the "fight" is getting me and my wife and children to heaven. Because I don't hold authority over corrupt systems (in Sydney or elsewhere) I can't pretend to "fight" against problems that are outside of my field of influence. The previous sentence is well worth repeating: Because I don't hold authority over corrupt systems (in Sydney or elsewhere) I can't pretend to "fight" against problems that are outside of my field of influence. I do what I can, where I can (often badly, but always) to the best of my ability – just like my friends in Sydney, only without the notion that I'm somehow saving the Church more or less than others who do what they can with the gifts they are given.

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When a radical feminist gives evolution a chance

2010-09-13T09:22:00.003+10:00

it gets replaced by a beautiful humanity.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1021293/How-mothers-fanatical-feminist-views-tore-apart-daughter-The-Color-Purple-author.html

A very good read!

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Original Quran-Burning Took Place in the Mid-Seventh Century

2010-09-10T09:05:00.000+10:00

Some interesting names and dates here:

CNSNews.com - Original Quran-Burning Took Place in the Mid-Seventh Century

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Priest Slaps Young Man For Desecrating Eucharist

2010-09-08T13:06:00.000+10:00

Sometimes violence solves things.

What Does The Prayer Really Say?�Blog Archive � NCReg: Priest Slaps Young Man For Desecrating Eucharist

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Religious Education

2010-09-05T14:23:00.002+10:00

Or why Catholic schools never taught me the Faith:

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Response to Jenny's friend

2010-08-23T19:04:00.002+10:00

The following response was too big to fit on the forums at TCF:

It is in response to this post by a friend of my friend Jenny:

Jenny, your friend’s response was so jam packed full of errors, misrepresentations and contradictions that I am going to respond to her (poorly constructed) sentence by (poorly constructed) sentence. He response is here verbatim, along with my comments.

She says:

paul was asking the people on 'earth' to interced for each other

David Obeid Responds

This is a stunning admission. It grants that it is ok to ask someone else to pray for you, and that you are not commanded to pray directly to God and to God alone, since you can ask others to pray for you. I will come back to this concession as we continue.

End of response

One can not find a direct scripture saying address your prayers to the saints...

David Obeid Responds

The last sentence conceded that we can direct our prayers to people on earth. I guess this objection is saying that we do not find Scriptures saying we can communicate with the Saints in heaven, but is this the case? There are examples throughout Scripture of people on earth speaking to Angels, and Scripture is clear that angels “stand in the presence of God” (St Luke 1:19). So we can ask others to intercede for us and there are numerous examples of people communicating with angels who are in heaven. This means that we don’t need a command in Scripture saying we ought to pray to the saints, but instead that those who say we ought not need to find a passage that says we shouldn’t! Let’s read on and see if such a passage is offered.

End of response

...rather we are specifically told shown and told that our prayers must be addressed to God mtt 6:9...

David Obeid Responds

If your friend wishes to say that St. Matthew 6:9 is limiting who it is our prayers are to be addressed to then does she condemn the very last words of the Book of Revelation as heretical? St. Matthew 6:9, if it is doing what she says, is saying that prayers are only to be offered to God the Father (Jesus Christ is not the Father), and the Book of Revelation ends with a prayer to Jesus “Come, Lord Jesus!” So either St. Matthew 6:9 is not doing what she says it is doing, or she thinks that St. John the Apostle was also a deceived Catholic who doesn’t understand Scripture as well as she does. Who is wrong? Her, or St. John? They can’t both be right, since they don’t both understand St. Matthew 6:9 in the same way (her way contradicts his).

Her other problem is that she has already admitted that we can ask others to pray for us, and I have shown that the Bible is replete with examples of people speaking to angels who are in heaven. Either all of these passages also contradict her understanding of St. Matthew 6:9 and they are wrong too, or she is misunderstanding (or worse) this passage. Once again, which is it? Is the rest of Scripture wrong and her right or is she wrong?

End of response

...as our God will not give His glory to another isaiah 48:11...

David Obeid Responds

In honouring the Saints we are not giving God’s glory to another. When we honour them we honour God for what He has done in and through them. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself shows how this is done. In St. Luke’s Gospel we read of the Holy Spirit inspiring St. Elizabeth to praise Mary, and then we see Mary in turn say that it is God who has done these great things to her.

I wonder, if your friend refuses to give God glory for what He has done, is she not guilty of a blasphemy, for failing to honour God for the great things He has done to and through the Saints?

Do passages that call human beings holy somehow take glory away from God, or do they recognise God’s greatness and give Him glory? She might be gushing with rage at reading the last sentence saying that no humans are holy because her pastor has given her a perverted understanding of the Letter to Romans, instead of appealing to her pastor’s perversion of Romans, can I suggest she read Ephesians 3:5 and tell me what the Apostles were? Or Revelation 14:10 and tell me what the Angels were? The examples could be multiplied.

For her understanding of Isaiah 48:11 to be correct she’d need all of these other passages to be wrong. So what is it, is she right and the rest of the Bible wrong? Or is the Bible right and her twisting of Isaiah 48:11 wrong?

End of response

...it is clear them that God will not accept prayers directed to anyone other than himself ...

David Obeid Responds

Given my responses above, what is clear is that prayers directed to others are just fine, and even commanded by St. Paul. A main reason that Evangelicals have a problem with praying to saints is not because the doctrine is unbiblical (as demonstrated from my responses above, the idea is perfectly in harmony with Biblical data), but because many Evangelicals have an impoverished understanding of what it means to worship God. Evangelical liturgy (don’t pretend, if you are angel or human you have a liturgy, whether it is good or not, whether it comes from God or from man, is a different question) limits the worship of God to prayer and praise only – there is no sacrifice, no offering of the completed work of Christ at Calvary to God the Father, or memorial of the Incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension into glory of God the Son in the Person of Jesus Christ in typical Evangelical worship. This is why they make the pulpit the focus of their services, instead of an altar.

Operating from such a poor notion of what it means to worship God, and from a point of view that sees prayer as the greatest act of devotion that can be offered, Evangelicals look at Catholicism and, failing to see the whole Christ lived, celebrated and adored therein, look at the cult of devotion we give to saints and confuse it for the adoration due to God alone.

The Catholic response to this shouldn’t be to water down the love and respect we have for God’s glorious grace working in and through the Saints, but to try to show them that the heresies of Sola Scriptura and Sola Fidei have left them standing far from the great treasure Christ bought for them with His own Blood on Calvary.

End of response

...with Christ as our only mediator between himself and up so that excludes Mary and all saints

David Obeid Responds

Christ is called “the one mediator” in the precise context of St. Paul’s command to make intercessions for others. If the Mother of God and the Saints are being excluded from anything by this singular office of Christ, it is not from offering intercessory prayer or having God’s glory shown in and through them honoured. If I am wrong here then so is St. Paul, and so is your friend, since she started off admitting the possibility of intercession in her opening sentence.

End of response

They cannot hear us ...

David Obeid Responds

Big call. Revelation 6:10 amongst other passages witnesses to the fact that those in heaven are aware of what happens on earth. So either your friend has the inside running on the Holy Spirit or Revelation is a heretical book and doesn’t belong in the Bible. Protestants have a history of throwing out books they feel contradict them, will she be calling the folk at Zondervan and commissioning her own version?

End of response

...and lets just say they could they are not authorised by God to act as a mediator

David Obeid Responds

We could just say that, except that the type of mediation that is singular to Christ that Scripture speaks about isn’t at the expense of glorifying God’s work in and through His Saints.

I wonder if your friend would have read this far and wonders what exactly is singular about Christ’s mediation that sets him apart in the immediate context of a command for intercessory prayer?

If she is, I encourage her to check out my post on this topic on my blog here: http://davidobeid.blogspot.com/2007/01/intercession-and-mediation-why-do-you.html

End of response

The righteous and sinless Jesus is the only ONE who is/was able to die for your sin and to take the position as Mediator 1 timothy 2:5-6

David Obeid Responds

St. Paul doesn’t seem to make the connection between being the redeemer and being able to make intercession (start reading from Verse 1 and you’ll see what I mean).

End of response

Abraham died abraham being dead is ignorant of world events

David Obeid Responds

Abraham also did not possess the Beatific Vision until after the glorification of Christ. As referenced above though, in the New Testament we see that those in heaven certainly do know about what is going on here on Earth.

End of response

isaiah 63:16 the dead know nothing

David Obeid Responds

I’d ask your friend if she’s read Isaiah 63:16 in its context, and then I’d point out that it no more is saying that intercession of Saints is impossible than it is saying that God is the author of our sins (Read verse 17). The point of this verse is to point out how far the sins of the people have removed them from Abraham and Israel (if anything, the passage is holding up (dare I say honouring?) these men as ideals for the people). Isaiah seems to look to previous heroes just like the Catholics do. Isn’t that interesting?

End of response

ecclesiastes 9:5,6,18

David Obeid Responds

Umm... has your friend actually read this book? The whole idea of the book is to present silly ideas that were around at the time and hold them up to mockery. Pointing to the ideas the book mocks as a proof of her position is kinda telling, don’t you think?

End of response

mercy and forgiveness belong to God 9:9

David Obeid Responds

I think your friend missed out on the name of the book this passage is from. It is from Daniel 9:9. Whilst mercy and forgiveness do belong to God they are both things that God has commanded us to give to others. This in no way whatsoever detracts from the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints.

End of response

Only Christ ministers for you in heaven before the throne of God 1 timothy 2:5

David Obeid Responds

Only Christ ministers as Redeemer, but that is not the only intercessory role in heaven. Once again, check out the blog post I referred to above.

End of response

Only God can receive your prayers in Jesus' name and you can pray directly to God

David Obeid Responds

Are the four creatures (note that name!) and the twenty-four Elders who offer the prayers of others to God in Revelation 5:8 God themselves? Will your friend say that the CREATURES in this verse are really the CREATOR, just so her statement “Only God can receive your prayers in Jesus' name and you can pray directly to God” will stand? In other words, will she be guilty of doing what it is she thinks Catholics are guilty of and give to the creature that honour which is only due to God alone, or will she admit she is wrong?

End of response

jesus never at any stage told us to address our prayers to mary saints and angels

David Obeid Responds

He never told us not to either, but He did set up intercessors for His grace and authority with no qualms whatsoever. See St. Luke 10:16 and St. John 20:20-23 as clear evidence of this.

End of response

Your beliefs are based on man made doctrine

David Obeid Responds

On the contrary, Catholic doctrine is of divine origin and is protected free from error by divine promise. The same can’t be said of the man made doctrine of Sola Scriptura – if your friend really believes it can ask her pastor(s) to debate me on the issue under these reasonable conditions:

http://www.thecatholicforum.org/content.php?275-Standing-Debate-Invitation

If her pastors refuse to debate or make up lame excuses then she might want to ask them why they think the instruction to defend their position in 1Peter 3:15 doesn't apply to them.

End of response

To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them isaiah 8:20

David Obeid Responds

The “law and the testimony” is not in opposition to 1Thess 2:13 which says that the SPOKEN word of the Apostles was the Word of God nor is it in opposition to 2Thess 2:15 which says we are to hold to ALL of what the Apostles taught, whether it was written down or not. If 1Thess and 2Thess are part of what your friend calls “the law and the testimony” and she simultaneously denies Catholic Tradition then according to Isaiah “there is no light in her”. Of course, she could get herself off the hook if she just admits (yet again) that she’s wrong on this one too.

End of response

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LIVING WATER: FOUR TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR PROTESTANTS

2010-08-19T18:03:00.000+10:00

Q3 is great!

LIVING WATER: FOUR TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR PROTESTANTS

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IT Support has always been a tough gig

2010-08-19T04:01:00.000+10:00

In case you still believe in Sola Scriptura

2010-08-18T13:04:00.000+10:00

Check this out:

LIVING WATER

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Picture of Thomas

2010-08-16T16:30:00.003+10:00

Another Mr Blondie Chubby Cheeks?

Thomas David Obeid

2010-08-15T15:46:00.000+10:00

I am VERY pleased to announce the birth of Thomas on Thursday the 12 of August. :)

Not that it matters other than to indicate he was healthy, but he weighed in at 3.7kg (no idea what that is in pounds, and let's be honest, it's more than likely that neither do you :)) and was 51cm tall.

Yours truly had the honour of catching him!

He was a little blue when he was born and needed to be revived with oxygen, but only needed about 30 seconds away from mum and the much needed skin to skin contact that had him pink and adorable in no time.

Fun and games when we left our property for the 2am drive to Canberra...

It had been pouring with rain for a few hours and the commodore only just made it out of the property! We were sideways about 4 times as we crept out of the driveway at about 2 km/h with wheels spinning in the mud!

It'll make a fun story to recount at his 21st/wedding/ordination if God wills we live to see it!

Speaking of God's will, the plan for Thomas is that he becomes a Catholic on the 21st of this month - both federal election day and my birthday. (I figured that if the worst should happen at the election I still have two happy events to celebrate on the day and so will end up ahead by at least one.)

World Breast Feeding Week

2010-08-11T18:19:00.002+10:00

Some great info from a Catholic perspective:

http://catholic.nowealthbutlife.com/world-breastfeeding-week/

It must have slipped LarryD's mind

2010-08-10T03:52:00.001+10:00

when he posted this: Acts Of The Apostasy: Loose Threads that the up and coming www.thecatholicforum.org (known as TCF to its friends) has a soft spot for Michael Voris and his style.

Hmmmm... I wonder what it'd take to get A of the A to start contributing over at TCF?

:)

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Acts Of The Apostasy: Underwhelming

2010-08-05T06:45:00.000+10:00

In LarryD's words:

"...the push for women's fauxrdination, whether it be Protestant or Catholic, is not to win souls for Christ, but to win "equality" and "fairness" for feminists. It has nothing to do with orthodoxy or truth, but everything to do with self-fulfillment and pride."

(By the way, "fauxrdination" - I'm still laughing at this word as I type. Classic.)

Check out the full post here:

Acts Of The Apostasy: Underwhelming

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It was finished so this could happen

2010-08-05T02:43:00.001+10:00

Following on from my post here:

http://davidobeid.blogspot.com/2010/08/it-is-finished.html

You may find this a very good read:

http://michael-boystown.blogspot.com/2010/08/is-jesus-re-sacrificed-at-mass.html

I love how the Catholic faith coalesces all of the data of revelation into a cogent whole, never ignoring or suppressing one part in order to prop up some aberrant man made novelty. Simply beautiful and beautifully simple!

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Shocking News! Catholic Priest is Catholic!

2010-08-04T02:32:00.001+10:00

The sad part is that it made the news.

Priest in Texas newspaper: ‘Homosexual acts lead to the damnation of souls’

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TLM- Praying in Silence

2010-08-03T06:24:00.001+10:00

This from "The Mom" (quickly becoming one of my all time favourite bloggers (don't worry LarryD, you're still my #1))

A lovely personal reflection on the silence of the Traditional Latin Mass:

Shoved to Them: TLM- Praying in Silence

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It is finished.

2010-08-02T03:01:00.000+10:00

A little while ago I was involved in an email exchange with an Evangelical Protestant that went on for hundreds, or possibly even more than a thousand, exchanges. One of the points he brought up a few times that I never really got around to addressing in those exchanges was how to understand Our Lord’s final words “It is finished” in St. John 19:30.

The claim was that the Greek word tetelestai (it is finished) was a legal term that actually meant “paid in full”. The idea being promoted by my interlocutor was that the word meant a strictly legal full payment of the debt for sin, leaving no room for us to “add” to our salvation through good works such as loving God and neighbour, receiving the Sacraments or obeying the Commandments.

The word tetelestai only occurs in one other place in Scripture, just two verses before in verse 28. Verse 28 reads:

After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished (tetelestai), said (to fulfil the scripture), ‘I thirst.’

This passage does not make any sense if tetelestai can only refer to a strictly legal payment of a debt. It would mean that since everything that needed to be done was done, Our Lord then did something more to fulfil what needed to be done and said ‘I thirst’. Perhaps Our Lord was a poor economist?

Given that we probably aren’t going to dabble with the blasphemy that Our Lord, or the Holy Spirit who inspired St. John to write what he did, were really just dumb yokels who didn’t really know what They were doing when they said tetelestai in verse 28 we need to understand the expression tetelestai differently. What then does it mean?

Well, aside from the obvious immediate meaning – Our Lord’s life was about to come to an end – it has a deeper more profound meaning. Instead of understanding Our Lord’s words and actions as though they were technical arguments of an ancient Roman courtroom, we need to look at them in their real context – they come out of a Jewish liturgical culture. The Gospel of St. John begins by identifying Jesus Christ as God, the Word made flesh and introducing Him as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. Our Lord’s redemption comes out of this sacrificial “lamb of God” paradigm. The Jewish Passover ritual ends with the words “It is finished” – was the Passover lamb offered all those years beforehand a strictly legal payment?

For a fuller insight and explanation I invite you to check out http://www.the4thcup.com

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for August

2010-08-01T04:32:00.000+10:00

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That those who are without work or homes or who are otherwise in serious need may find understanding and welcome, as well as concrete help in overcoming their difficulties".

His mission intention is: "That the Church may be a 'home' for all people, ready to open her doors to any who are suffering from racial or religious discrimination, hunger or wars forcing them to emigrate to other countries".

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Happy birthday Joseph

2010-08-01T00:17:00.000+10:00

My son Joseph is my right hand man! He's a real champion and I love him dearly.

Happy birthday "Captain"! May God bless you and may you grow up to be a great man!

Do I have Assurance of Salvation?

2010-07-31T02:08:00.002+10:00

Yes. I have assurance of salvation.

My assurance is based on God’s promises in Scripture.

This is a tour through the promises of God that give me assurance in the first two chapters of 1John:

If I walk in the light the Blood of Jesus cleanses me from all sin. (1John 1:7)

If I confess my sins God will forgive and cleanse me. (1John 1:9)

If I keep God’s commandments I can be sure I know Him (1John 2:3)

If I walk in the way Christ walked I can be sure I am in him (1John 2:5-6)

If I do the will of the Father I will abide forever (1John 2:17)

If I abide in what I heard from the beginning, then I will abide in the Father and the Son. (1John 2:24)

If I abide in Christ I may have confidence and not shrink at his coming. (1John 2:28)

It seems that the Bible has a lot of conditions for my assurance to come to fruition. Does your assurance have these Biblical conditions, or do you operate in a man-made religion that obscures what the Bible says on this subject?

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The Election and Abortion

2010-07-30T05:44:00.002+10:00

Don't vote Labor:

National Platform and Constitution 2009
Chapter 6: Preparing Australia for the health needs of the future
Sexual and Reproductive Health
44 To improve reproductive health for men and women, Labor will:
• Support the rights of women to determine their own reproductive lives, particularly the right to choose appropriate fertility control and abortion and ensure that these choices are on the basis of sound social and medical advice.
To view full document click on this link.
http://www.alp.org.au/getattachment/43fcbee4-2203-445a-bda4-e93f2493d6f3/our-platform/

The Greens are likewise pro-abortion:

“The Greens in Victorian Parliament have indicated that they will vote in favour of decriminalising abortion…”
http://vic.greens.org.au/front-page-stories/greens-support-decriminalisation-of-abortion
The Greens have also brought in bills attempting to legalise Euthanasia (Dying with Dignity Bill 2009 in Tas.) and also to legalise Same-Sex Marriage(Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009 in the federal Senate) and (Same-Sex Marriage Bill 2008 in Tas)

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Blogging break

2010-07-29T07:10:00.003+10:00

No (regular) blogging for a while as we prepare for the birth of the new baby.

Prayers are appreciated!

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The Catholic Church believes in Biblical Inerrancy

2010-07-26T04:03:00.003+10:00

Every now and then anti-Catholics latch onto a statement made by a Bishop or some theologian and use it to argue the case that the Catholic Church does not believe that the Bible is free from errors.

It is true that there are some renegade Bishops (even "good" Bishops) and theologians who do indeed think that the Bible is not free from errors. Renegade Bishops and theologians aren't the Church though, and for an insight into what the Church really taught on this issue in the Second Vatican Council, I highly recommend reading both that council's document on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) here:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

as well as Fr. Brian Harrison's article here:

http://www.rtforum.org/lt/lt145-6.html

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Humanae Vitae Day

2010-07-25T05:25:00.003+10:00

Today is the anniversary of the promulgation of Pope Paul VI's encyclical "Humanae Vitae". Don't forget to celebrate it!

Have a read of the encyclical here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html (don't panic, it isn't that long). You'll marvel at how accurately Pope Paul VI predictions came true.

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Catholicism and the Gospel – How St. Luke 11:27-28 teaches Marian devotion

2010-07-23T19:19:00.002+10:00

In Catholic theology the Gospel is the Good News. The good news is not merely information like “The Bulldogs won the premiership” or “Australian sheep farmers are experiencing the best ewe fertility since the drought”. It isn’t even information about Our Lord: God the Son became man to save us! The Gospel is not just information about Our Lord. So then what is the Gospel in Catholic theology?

The Gospel is not a what. It is a who. In Catholic theology the Gospel is Jesus Christ. He is the Good News.

In the New Testament we find four books called “The Gospels”. More properly understood, the NT Gospels are presentations, manifestations, of Jesus Christ. Listen carefully in Catholic liturgy and you will hear the Gospel being introduced as “The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew/Mark/Luke/John” instead of “The Gospel of St. Matthew/Mark/Luke/John”.

There is therefore an essential and radical unity in the four NT Gospels. How much moreso is there a unity within a single Gospel? Each passage, phrase, and even each word is breathing forth a single “whole”.

So what?

So when we read a passage in a Gospel we don’t see who it might be pitted against another passage, but how the two passages speak the self same truth.

Look at St. Luke 11:27-28.

27 As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!”28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

There are some who on the face of it look at this passage and read into it a slight by Our Lord against His blessed mother. But is such a reading keeping in harmony with the rest of the Gospel?

The immediate context

In the immediate context we read:

Luke 11:24-28

24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order.26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
27 As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!”28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

The immediate context is while Our Lord is teaching about the state of someone who has been delivered from demonic possession only to become subject to an even worse possession and the resulting torment. It is in this context that a woman cries out praise to Our Lady.

Our Lord (and also St. Luke who wrote this Gospel account) was well aware of what transpired in the events recorded in Luke 1 and 2.

There we read:

Luke 1:26-49

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.28 And he came to her and said, “Hail (Kari), full or grace (kecharitomene), the Lord is with you!”29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor (Karin) with God.31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”35 And the angel said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be called holy,
the Son of God.
36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
and

Luke 2:1-19

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirini-us was governor of Syria.3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.

And

Luke 2:22-35

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,29 “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to thy people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign that is spoken against35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),
that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”

And

Luke 2:41-51

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom;43 and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,44 but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances;45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions;47 and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.48 And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”49 And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”50 And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

The Gospel according to St. Luke is emphatic about Mary’s intimate contemplation of God and the mystery of the divinity of Her Blessed Son. It is also clear about Our Lady’s union with the mission of Christ in the redemption of mankind (c.f. St. Luke 2:34-35). Our Lady’s faith is affirmed by St. Elizabeth under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (c.f. St. Luke 1:41, 45). Our Lady’s will was so aligned with that of God that God the Son subjected Himself to her (c.f. St. Luke 2:51). We act not by what we know, but by what we will (c.f. St. James 2). Our Lady’s actions and faith then were a living expression of a life of positive response to God.

Now, Our Lord did not need a Bible study of the events described above to remind Him about who and what Our Lady was – it was all present in His mind in the episode in St. Luke 11.

What does Our Lord say in response to Our Lady’s womb and breasts being blessed? He points out that what makes someone blessed – what makes Mary blessed – is that she heard the word of God and kept it. Our Lady wasn’t merely a womb and breasts that God used to come into the world – She was truly a mother to God the Son, loving Him, serving Him and ever believing what God said about His Son.

If anything, the passage is not a bullet against Marian devotion, but instead a devastating refutation of those who would only reduce the Blessed Virgin to a “vessel” and nothing more – something that they choose to discard or ignore, even while God Himself strove to heap honours upon her.

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Did Jesus Practice Sola Scriptura?

2010-07-21T01:12:00.002+10:00

I was reading the Gospel according to St. Matthew and came across this passage:

The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, to which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her.”
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together.
Matthew 22:23-34

A few things occurred to me:

1. The Sadducees come citing Scripture: “Moses said...” (in reference to Deuteronomy 25)
2. Our Lord tells them that they do not know the Scriptures (even though they just referenced them)
3. Our Lord responds to their Scriptural question with “in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” There is nothing whatsoever in the Old Testament that says that there is no marriage in heaven or that we are like the angels. Our Lord is not relying on Scripture for this teaching. He is not practicing “Scripture alone”.
4. Our Lord then cites Scripture in a way that is not a clear and simple declaration of the doctrine He is defending. He uses a passage from the Old Testament that wasn’t teaching about the Resurrection or a life after the grave (Exodus 3:6 was how God was introducing Himself to Moses). Our Lord uses this to say it means something that is not clearly and simply present in the original context.
5. Here’s the kicker: Our Lord’s use of Scripture in this way astonishes His listeners and silences the Sadducees!
How was it that Our Lord could:

1. Give two un-biblical (though not anti-biblical) doctrines (no marrying in heaven and we will be like angels), and
2. Apply a passage that teaches a doctrine that is not explicit in its original context,
And in doing this astonish His listeners and silence His critics?

The only answer is that He taught from a position of authority. The Sadducees implicitly recognise this in beginning their question by addressing Our Lord as “Teacher”.

Now look at the comparison:

Our Lord is seen as a heretic by the Sadducees (they believed the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was a heresy), but they nonetheless recognise that He has some sort of divine mission. Perhaps they see that He is sent from God, but alas He has God’s truth somehow perverted and now proposes a doctrine contrary to what they see as biblical.

The Catholic Church is seen as heretical by Protestants (they believe the doctrine of salvation by faith and works under grace is a heresy), but they nonetheless recognise that the Church was indeed sent by God, but alas She has God’s truth somehow perverted and now proposes a doctrine contrary to what they see as biblical.

Our Lord astonishes His listeners and silences His critics not by appealing to Scripture alone, but by teaching from His own authority and then applying data from divine revelation to reinforce a doctrine proposed.

The Catholic Church appeals to Her listeners and refutes Her critics not by appealing to Scripture alone, but by teaching on Her own authority (which comes from Christ), and then applying data from divine revelation to reinforce the doctrines She proposes.

The Sadducees tag out to the Pharisees instead of submitting to Our Lord’s teachings.

Protestant groups defer to one another instead of submitting to the Church’s teachings.

Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard…, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. (Timothy 1:13-14)

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A practical reason not to vote for The Greens

2010-07-20T01:56:00.002+10:00

Sometimes when discussing the issue of the radically left political party The Greens with secularists we often find them utterly unmoved by appeals to their atheistic, anti-life, pro-homosexual, pro-drug and anti-family policies. The reply comes back: "But what about the trees and the koalas, and the fish, and the etc and the other etc!!!!"

This youtube is an attempt to wake people up to the fact that The Greens policies are not actually environmentally friendly. Please spread it around:

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What are Sacraments?

2010-07-19T02:38:00.001+10:00

A very good post:

Debunking the Myths: The Sacraments--"Earning Salvation"?

Here's the full article:

The Sacraments--"Earning Salvation"?

As mentioned in my last installment, there is a charge that the Sacraments are somehow added to the Gospel, and therefore a different Gospel. Something that must fist be brought to attention is that the Sacraments not an exclusively Catholic doctrine. Thats right. The attack on the Sacraments are not simply an attack on Catholicism, but an attack on the vast majority of Christianity. The two main differences are the nature and the number of the Sacraments. Catholics, of course, recognize exactly seven. The Eastern Orthodox Church recognizes that there are at least seven. Even most Protestant denominations (Baptist and Fundamentalist Evangelicals tend to be the exceptions) that there are no sacraments, but there are two ordinances. Before this discussion on the nature of the Sacraments, and what they are and what they are not, it is necessary to have a definition of a Sacrament. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted by the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions. (1131)

There are some things of which to take note. First sacraments are signs. A sign is something which represents something else. Some signs, like exit sins, are merely informative, but other signs, like wedding rings, carry a deeper significance. This deeper significance is the kind of sign that a Sacrament is. It represents something deep and profound and mysterious about our faith in Jesus Christ. We call them "efficacious" because they bring about a specific result. Baptism is a ritual washing, and it has the effect of washing away original sin, as well as personal sin and all temporal punishment due this sin. A normal bath or shower is not capable of this result, but is only possible through the sacrament.

Next, a sacrament was instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. All of the Sacrments are mentioned is Scripture, although some are more difficult to find than others. This will be dealt with in detail in future posts, as a detailed description is beyond the scope of this short article.

My final point is that the sacrments are signs tht actually do something. The important thing to remember is that it is God that is the actor. The person receiving the sacrament is doing nothing but making himself avialable. The minister of the sacrament is doing something insofar as he is an instrument of God. I willl use baptism as an example. The person being baptized isn't doing anything. He is simply presenting himself to participate in the sacrament. The minister of the baptism is also not doing anything under his own power. If it was simply a human action between minister and catechumen, all that would happen is the catechumen would get wet. God, using the minister as an instrument, cleanses the catechumen of sin. It becomes clear that the sacraments are not work, because it is God that is doing everything.

Building a Family Friendly Society

2010-07-18T03:49:00.001+10:00

This article from Zenit:

http://www.zenit.org/article-29917?l=english

Outlines plans to build a more family friendly society. It has a couple of great points I'd like to highlight:

Cardinal Ennio Antonelli ... encouraged "witnessing, with the help of the grace of God, to the beauty of the family founded on marriage, that is on the will to give oneself and commit oneself without reservations." He invited building "a society friendly to the family" and urged belief "in the family as an irreplaceable factor of humanization and essential resource for society."

Cardinal Antonelli explained that "numerous countries are the site of very beautiful and very fruitful pastoral experiences, giving value to families as responsible protagonists in day to day evangelization, in relations with peers, in social life and in the activities of the Church."

and

...the traditional family "greatly benefits society, whereas the so-called new forms of family are harmful to it."

and

"...today's families need "cultural and political support."

"Families founded on marriage offer society essential goods through the generation of new citizens and the increase of social virtues," he said. "Thus, they have a right to a just cultural, juridical and economic recognition."

Lovely!

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Honour speaks louder than fear!

2010-07-17T21:01:00.000+10:00

Awesome!

RORATE C�LI

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I think I'm a Heterosexist

2010-07-17T07:20:00.000+10:00

I remember having an impromptu debate with a homosexual activist on the steps of St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on the night that Cardinal Pell (then Archbishop Pell) was being installed as Archbishop of Sydney.

The man began by asking me how it felt "to be a part of a homophobic institution?"

I looked at him puzzled, looked down at my badge (which had a picture of the Cathedral on it - I was helping with security at the time), turned and looked at the Cathedral itself, looked back at him and said, "Huh? How do you get I'm part of an organisation that fears men or similar things?" I then explained to him that the word homophobia meant either fear of men (if homo was from the Latin for man) or fear of things that are the same (if homo is from the Greek for same).

Long story short, an hour and 15 minutes later he had all questions answered and all objections silenced, but was still unwilling to renounce his homosexual lifestyle and go to the Sacrament of Confession. Say a prayer from him - he never gave me his name.

Anyhow, not many years down the track, we have even more hijacking of the language. Now we've got radical activist homosexuals (or their supporters) inventing words like "heterosexist". Have a read:

Kevin Sack Writes About 'Heterosexist Language and Customs' in a News Story on Gay Weddings

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Catholic Pelosi to Receive Planned Parenthood Award for Stopping Stupak Abortion Funding Ban

2010-07-16T17:33:00.000+10:00

One word: Sickening.

Catholic Pelosi to Receive Planned Parenthood Award for Stopping Stupak Abortion Funding Ban

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How does the Birth Control Pill work?

2010-07-16T14:57:00.000+10:00

How the Birth Control Pill Works, from Matt Warner's blog:

How does the Birth Control Pill work? | Fallible Blogma

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Soccer player who scored winning World Cup goal promises to undertake pilgrimage

2010-07-16T14:49:00.000+10:00

This is a great news story!

Soccer player who scored winning World Cup goal promises to undertake pilgrimage � CatholicVoteAction.org

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Miraculous Medal graphic

2010-07-16T10:06:00.003+10:00

Are there any graphics gurus out there who can make this medal:

Look more like the style of St. Benedict Medal on the top right of my blog?

Or am I being too fussy?

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Spread the word: Raymond de Souza

2010-07-16T02:53:00.000+10:00

My friend Raymond de Souza has been doing great apologetics and pro-life work for decades now.

I encourage everyone to check out some of his work here and to share it around to all friends and family:

Lifelines: http://www.raymonddesouza.com/lifelines.htm

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Faith Alone Obliterated

2010-07-15T21:12:00.000+10:00

NICK'S CATHOLIC BLOG: Faith Alone Obliterated

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Couldn't have said it better myself

2010-07-15T08:28:00.003+10:00

What I love most about Michael Voris is that he manages to encapsulate an idea that takes me a long time to formulate, even in my own mind, and express it clearly, succinctly and forcibly in a short youtube clip.

When my wife and I decided to raise our family away from the wickedness and snares of a city like Sydney we were harangued from all sides by those who wanted us to stay. Many simply didn't want people they loved to move far away. Others argued from this point: They said that my talents (feeble as they are) as an apologist and catechist were needed and that moving away was running from the fight.

Firstly, raising a Catholic family is the fight, and that is what I am doing.

Secondly, apologists and catechists aren't only needed in big cities. You know that stuff about "If you were the only person in the world then Jesus would have died just for you!" stuff? Well, it's true! That means He desires even the yokels and bumpkins in the bush to be brought closer to him. If God would have died for just one of them, don'tcha think that a simpleton like me moving out to them is at least a tolerable idea?

Thirdly, saving an uneducated and uncatechised generation isn't my job anyhow. Really, check my job description! All I signed up for was to believe what the Church proposes for belief and to fulfil my baptismal promises:

Reject Satan, all his works and all his empty promises; Believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Nothing about me having to live in a certain place so that I can clean up someone else's mess.

Anyhow, check out Michael Voris' take on the matter, he really does nail it. I couldn't have said it better myself. (And then have a read of a previous blog post on the same topic below.)

Here's my blog post from back in February 2009 on the topic:

http://davidobeid.blogspot.com/2009/02/fight.html

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Documentary Revealing Truth about the Pill Now Available Online

2010-07-15T08:17:00.000+10:00

Documentary Revealing Truth about the Pill Now Available Online

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What K Rudd should have done in the light of bad press

2010-07-15T03:06:00.001+10:00

He should have taken a lead from his fellow socialist Obama did and the polls would have been impervious to his woeful management of various crises.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/what_obama_doesnt_want_you_to_see?

De-Christianization and the Catholic Counter Revolution

2010-07-15T00:46:00.000+10:00

Please check out Raymond de Souza's work on this most important topic.

Saint Gabriel Communications - International Homepage: "De-Christianization and the Catholic Counter Revolution"

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"Atonement" according to Scripture - More Problems with Penal Substitution

2010-07-14T14:37:00.001+10:00

A handy study to read to help you understand problems with the view some Evangelicals have about the atonement and the theory of penal substitution.

NICK'S CATHOLIC BLOG: "Atonement" according to Scripture - More Problems with Penal Substitution

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Greek Expert Daniel Wallace on Romans 5:12ff

2010-07-14T13:07:00.000+10:00

A very interesting piece indeed:

NICK'S CATHOLIC BLOG: Greek Expert Daniel Wallace on Romans 5:12ff

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Another reply to George Wilson

2010-07-14T08:19:00.001+10:00

George Wilson says:

Christ and his apostles always referred to the written Scriptures, then existing, as authority, and to no other rule of faith whatsoever. – Luke 16:29; 10:26; John 5:39; Romans 4:3; 2 Timothy 3:15.

I respond:

Really George? Always? When Christ said, “love your enemies and do good to those who hurt you,” which Scripture was he quoting? If none, then you are wrong.

George Wilson says:

The Bereans were commended for bringing all questions, even apostolic teaching, to the test of Scripture. – Acts 17:11.

I respond:

Really George? Because the context says that all they did was check out what St. Paul had said about the Scriptures. What extra-biblical source are you using for your information that says that the Bible is the sole rule of faith? Oh, hang on, if you tell me you show yourself up as a fraud. Hmmm, but if you don’t then you are left with the problem of a text that does not say what you claim it does. I guess it means you are wrong again.

George Wilson says:

Christ rebuked the Pharisees for adding to and perverting the Scriptures. –Matthew 15:7-9; Mark 7:5-8; Revelation 22:18-19; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Joshua 1:7.

I respond:

Really George? Let’s look at these one at a time and see what is actually going on.

Matthew 15:7-9

7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

This is a condemnation of those who claim that their own precepts are from God. It seems that that is exactly what you have done in claiming that the Bible is the sole rule of faith and morals when the Bible itself clearly says otherwise. So this verse condemns your position, not the Biblical position that we are to hold to Oral Apostolic Tradition as well. I guess it means you are wrong.

Mark 7:5-8

5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?”6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.”

Traditions of men such as Sola Scriptura that voids the commandment of God in 2Thess 2:15 you mean? Oh, guess you are wrong again.

Revelation 22:19

19 and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

The passage is in reference to the book of Revelation itself, but even if it isn’t, you are still condemned by it since you have a Canon that is not revealed by the Apostles themselves. It is a hopeless situation for you, or you are plain wrong. Take a pick on this one.

Deuteronomy 4:2

2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

Amen. The word that Our Lord gives us includes the oral teaching of the Apostles (1Thess 2:13). I guess that means you are convicted by this passage as well. Sorry George, you are wrong again.

Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV)

32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

So for example 2Thess 2:15 can’t be disobeyed. We need to hold to Oral Apostolic Tradition as well. Guess this verse says you are wrong too George!

Joshua 1:7

7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

Amen. How is this saying that the Bible alone is the sole rule of faith? Or are you now claiming that we should reject anything that was not written by Moses? If you are, then you contradict yourself, and hence, you guessed it George, you are wrong again!

George Wilson says:

While denying the Scriptures, you put your trust in an allegedly "infallible" church that has a history of corruption second to none. Are we to believe the Catholic church suddenly found the light after centuries of darkness? Did that which was extremely fallible suddenly become infallible? That is a lot to swallow.

I respond:
I don’t deny the Scriptures George. As you have seen I have repeatedly shown you where the Bible tells us we have additional authorities to it and how it command us to hold to Apostolic Tradition as the Word of God. It is you who have done the denying George.

Appealing to the sinners in the Church as a proof that she is not infallible is flawed reasoning. The Apostles themselves contained sinners, and yet when the wrote and taught orally they faithfully gave the Word of God. Does their corruption discount them as reliable sources for you? Are you going to chuck out the Bible so you can maintain this objection to the Catholic Church, or are you going to live a contradiction? The other option is that you realise that the Church’s sinful members do not defect Her God protected teachings and authority.

I’d never ask you to accept that the Church was fallible then became infallible George. She has been infallible since She was born from the side of Christ on the Cross and as she has grown throughout the centuries under the protection of the Holy Spirit.

If the best you can do to prove Sola Scriptura from the Bible is to fail to prove it from the Bible then I'm left with no choice but to invite you home again. Give up the futile kicking against the goad and come home George.

Email me (there's a link at the top of my blog www.davidobeid.blogspot.com)

Another reason why dumb church architecture is dumb

2010-07-14T01:00:00.002+10:00

For the record, I don't find this funny. It's never a good thing to see someone fall, morally or otherwise.

The whole duck pond baptismal font thing is just plain stupid.

A prolife hero

2010-07-13T14:57:00.002+10:00

Check out the moving testimony of this woman and see if you don't agree:

http://bit.ly/cPEpvz

Uniforms?

2010-07-13T14:10:00.002+10:00

Maybe when PM Julia Gillard says this she means this.

It's a dabke thing

2010-07-13T02:27:00.003+10:00

Enjoy.

Debate called off

2010-07-12T10:14:00.002+10:00

I'm sorry to announce that a public debate I had lined up with Independent Baptist minister Charlie Haddad from Slam Australia will not be going ahead.

Charlie and his fellow Independent Baptist ministers are refusing to have the debate filmed and copies distributed. As a result, the debate will not be going ahead.

Which spirit?

2010-07-12T08:13:00.004+10:00

If you don't pray for the Holy Spirit... what can I say? You get what you pray for.

This is totally abominable.

Giving sickening a bad name

2010-07-12T00:12:00.004+10:00

There's not much more to be said, other than to thank God for my ignorance of German.

http://www.gloria.tv/?media=85120

WAR!

2010-07-11T02:33:00.002+10:00

I tweeted this, but it was just way too good not to blog about as well.

I wonder if Michael Voris would do a speaking tour down under?

Resources on Freemasonry

2010-07-10T02:10:00.004+10:00

Dave Armstrong (from Biblical Evidence for Catholicism) does a good job here:

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2010/07/catholic-resources-on-serious-error-of.html

But I would also add the work of Michael Baker (from Super Flumina) here:

http://www.superflumina.org/PDF_files/freemasonry.pdf

Thanks to Steve Spiteri from http://thespiritmagnus.blogspot.com/ for suggesting John Salza's great resource on the same thing: http://www.scripturecatholic.com/freemasonry_qa.html

Another reply to Steve Finnell

2010-07-09T06:55:00.000+10:00

@Steve Finnell,

Wouldn’t it be lovely if what we invented as history were true? That way your claim that the Jews didn’t use the pre-Christian Septuagint might have some legitimacy.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the issue, the “Septuagint” is the name given to the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was in use at the time of Christ. Its name means “the seventy” because of the 70 translators who translated it from Hebrew to Greek. It was completed in the 2nd Century BC.

It was used by the Apostles. The quotations they give from Old Testament prophecies come directly from the Septuagint version. They even use quotations and allusions specifically from the deuterocanonical books. Hebrews 11:35 is an example. Is is someone being tortured and refusing to accept release for the sake of a better resurrection in your Old Testament?

But does quotation in the New Testament (ie use by the Apostles) necessarily equate to canonicity or not in an older book? That leaves you with the problem that there are books in your Old Testament that aren’t referenced in the New. Song of Songs is an example.

You might claim that modern day Jews, and even Jews from the 1st century rejected the deuterocanonical books. You’d be right too. But here’s your problem: they only formally rejected them from around the time some Rabbi’s formed a quasi-council in a place called Jamnia in 90AD. This meant that the Apostles had already been given divine authority to bind and loose and that the Rabbi’s authority had been superseded. Before this gives you hope that there may be an argument that they still had authority to declare on canonicity, the same gathering at Jamnia also condemned other writings that you may be partial towards. Can you guess what else they threw out when they threw out the Old Testament deuterocanon? You’ll laugh. Well, maybe not laugh so much as cry. They condemned the New Testament writings that were in circulation at that time – the same writings that you now claim to be Canonical. So they either did have authority to

1. throw out the Deuterocanonical books AND the New Testament,
OR
2. they did not, and YOU have the authority to add or subtract from the Word of God.

Your problem is that you reject the first and claim nobody has the right to do the second. Good luck solving that one without having to shift a little closer to home in the Catholic Church.

I wish I was clever

2010-07-09T02:02:00.002+10:00

enough to come up with stuff like this:

http://catholiccartoonblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/raid-in-belgium.html

A priest friend of mine has a sign over his desk that reads: "Lead, follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

At least I can follow.

Summorum Pontificum

2010-07-08T20:33:00.001+10:00

Classic.

h/t: http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2010/07/summorum-pontificum-three-years-on.html

Sounds like this guy is

2010-07-08T03:54:00.001+10:00

a "Catholic education" success story.

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=22281

How sad.

Reply to Steve

2010-07-07T02:28:00.003+10:00

I was recently asked by a protestant blogger named Steve to reply to a post of his that apparently showed contradictions between what the Bible teaches and what the Catholic Church does and teaches. What follows is my response to Steve’s post. I have copied and pasted his words verbatim.

I also thank you for a chance to respond to some more of your misrepresentations and misinterpretations of the Catholic religion.

On the post you referred me to you say:

The Catholic church refers to the Pope as "Holy Father."

Douay-Rheims: John 17:11 And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. HolyFather....(Note this term used only one time in Bible and it referred to God the Father,creator of the universe)

I respond: Can you tell me where in the text you quoted the Bible is saying that this title is reserved for God alone? If not, then you haven’t furnished an example of a contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church teaches that the Pope is "head of the church."

Douay-Rheims: Ephesians 5:23 Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body.

I respond: The teaching of the Church is what the Church actually teaches, right? Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but have a read through the uses of the word “head” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (here’s a link to make it really easy for you: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/9O.HTM) and you will see that your apparent contradiction doesn’t exist in reality.

Besides, if you quiz a Catholic who actually knows his faith he will always make the distinction that the Pope is the “head of the Church on Earth” or will more accurately nuance it “Christ is the head of the Church and the Pope is his representative on earth”. Either way, you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church states that the Virgin Mary is "a mediator" between man and God.

Douay-Rheims: 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and onemediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

I respond: The Church teaches that Christ’s mediation is unique because He is both God and man. When the Church speaks of Our Lady or the saints mediating for us she does so only in the sense of the sort of intercession St. Paul himself commands be made just a few verses earlier in the very same chapter. So either St. Paul contradicts himself, or you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church calls their priests "Father."

Douay-Rheims:Matthew 23:9 And call none your father uponearth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.

I respond: The command of Our Lord was not against the use of the title “father”, but instead was a lesson in humility. Our Lord was showing His that only the Heavenly Father is the genuine Father, while all others simply partake, or reveal a part, of His Fatherhood. Those in positions of power or authority are not to lord it over others, imposing impossible burdens while seeking public recognition and praise. Christ concluded His admonitions, saying, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (verse 12).

What does St. Stephen call men in Acts 7:2? What does St. Paul call himself in 1Corinthians 4:15? What does Our Lord Himself call Abraham in St. John 8:56?

Either Sts. Stephen and Paul are wrong, or Our Lord Himself is a hypocrite, or you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church discourages Bible reading, stating only the clergy can understand it.

Douay-Rheims: Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so.

I respond: Can you show me where the Church discourages Bible reading? For my part, I point you to #50 here: http://www.catholic.org/clife/prayers/indulgw.php

Now, go and look at the context of Acts 17:11 and you will see that the reason why the Bereans checked the Scriptures was precisely because St. Paul made claims about them. Verses 2 and 3 tell us that St. Paul’s custom was to argue “from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead”. This is an interesting exercise, and I invite you, or anyone reading this, to argue from the Scriptures to explain and prove that is was necessary for Christ to suffer and rise from the dead. Recall that St. Paul would have only been using the Old Testament Scriptures to do this. This challenge should be easily met by you Steve, since you think it is patently false that the Bible may be a hard thing to understand. If you fail to do this easily and if you fail to show where the Church discourages reading sound translations of Scripture then you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church prohibits marriage for priests and nuns.

Douay-Rheims: 1 Timothy 4:1-3 1 Now the Spirit manifestly saith, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils, 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their conscience seared, 3 Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that know the truth.

I respond: The Church does not forbid marriage to anyone. It forbids holy orders or consecrated virginity to those who are married. You haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church says Peter was the first Pope.

Douay-Rheims: Matthew 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying, and sick of a fever. ( Popes are supposed to be single)

I respond:

Does the passage say that St. Peter’s wife was still around? Does Luke 18:28-30 not imply that St. Peter did not in fact live with a wife after he followed Our Lord? Note that 1Corinthians 9:5 uses the word “wife” for gunai, which is better translated “woman” (it’s the same word Our Lord uses when addressing Our Lady from the Cross: “Woman behold you son.”). You haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church teaches a salvation system of Faith-Works-Sacraments

Douay-Rheims: Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man may glory.

I respond: Did you leave verse 10 out for a reason? Did you leave out 1Peter 3:21 for a reason? Did you leave St. John 6:53 for a reason? Did you leave out 1Corinthians 6:9-11 for a reason? If you did, then I’d be interested to hear it. If not, then you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church: Canon Law stipulates through Pope Innocent III that Roman pontiff is " the vicegerent upon earth, not a mere man, but of a very God," "very God andvery man."Decretales Domini Gregori translations Episcoporum, (on the transference of Bishops), title 7, chapter 3; Corpus Juris Canonice (2nd Leipzig ed, 1881), col 99; (Paris, 1612, tom.2, Devretales, col. 205

Douay-Rheims: Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, the first commandt of all is, Hear, O Israel: thy Lord the God is oneGod.

I respond: I searched far and wide on the internet for a translation of Pope Innocent III’s body of canon law in English to check this version and could only find repeated posts of what you’ve given on anti-Catholic websites. I then thought I’d check the Latin. Guess what? There weren’t 7 titles. I have no reason to believe that the quote is genuine, since the reference you gave leads to nowhere. You know what that means? It means you haven’t furnished an example of a real contradiction here.

You also say:

The Catholic church: "The foundation of all Our confidence, as you know well, Venerable Brethren, is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary. For, God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know thatthrough her are obtained every hope, every grace, and allsalvation. For this is His will, that we obtain everythingthrough Mary." Pope Pius IX, in Ubi Primum(On the Immaculate Conception), Encyclical promulgated on February 2, 1849, #5

Douay-Rheims Bible: Acts 4:10-12.....Lord Jesus Christ....12 Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no othername under heaven given to men, whereby we must besaved.

I respond: Galatians 4:4 tells us that Christ came to us through Mary. Christ saved us. That means that our salvation, grace, hope, joy, peace and relationship with God all came through Mary. That means that you haven’t furnished a real contradiction here.

You end by asking:

Should you believe the Catholic church or the Catholic Bible?

To which I respond: Since there is no contradiction between the two, the answer is: Yes. You should believe the Catholic Church and the Catholic Bible.

Now, I ask you this:

Given that the Bible (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox or Protestant) teaches that we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God (not just some of them) and that the preaching of the Apostles as well as their writings are the word of God and that the Bible commands we hold to both the writings and the oral teachings of the Apostles whereas Protestants teach we are to use the Bible alone as our sole rule of faith and morals, I ask you, should you believe in the Bible (and embrace the Catholic model of divine revelation) or should you reject the Bible’s teaching and believe the protestant doctrine of sola scriptura?

Why Twilight is crap

2010-07-07T01:30:00.007+10:00

Excuse the crassness of the heading for this post. But some spades need to be called shovels, just to remove any doubt:

H/t to http://theoatmeal.com/story/twilight

As Krusty would say...

2010-07-06T02:00:00.012+10:00

When I saw this woeful caricature of a Catholic church sanctuary on Thomas Peters' blog:

(http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/americanpapist/index.php?p=7797)

All I could do was quote Krusty the clown:

Bl. Estephan Nehme

2010-07-05T02:48:00.003+10:00

My Lebanese is OK, but not really good enough to do a word for word translation, but the rub is this:

The body of Blessed Estephan Nehme was exhumed for examination as part of the investigation in the cause for his beatification. The reason for this is to identify the remains (post a question on www.thecatholicforum.org for why this is important if you don't already know). He died in 1938 (72 years ago), and while his skin had blackened and dried out a little, his body did not suffer any corruption.

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1Corinthians 15:54

Pope to Visit Tomb of Pontiff Who Abdicated

2010-07-04T03:09:00.003+10:00

This story from ZENIT has some beautifully expressed sentiments. For my part, I hope that Robert Moynihan's opinion (in bold below) is correct.

POPE TO VISIT TOMB OF PONTIFF WHO ABDICATED

Celestine V Resigned in Face of Unmanageable Corruption

ROME, JULY 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will return Sunday to the tomb of the only one of his predecessors to abdicate Peter's Throne, his second visit to the spot in two years.

The Pope will visit the earthquake scourged Abruzzi region of Italy on July 4 and venerate the relics of Celestine V, the 13th-century Pope who abdicated the papacy after only five months.

The Holy Father visited the tomb the first time when he went to the Abruzzi region shortly after the '09 quake. On that occasion, he left his pallium on the tomb.

Celestine was elected to the papacy after a two-year deadlock, during a time of widespread corruption in the Church. He had a reputation for holiness, and according to Inside the Vatican editor Robert Moynihan, "The cardinals of 700 years ago seem to have chosen Celestine almost humorously, as it were, not seriously, as if to say, 'We can't agree on a serious "Prince-Cardinal" for Pope, so we will choose this holy, quiet, learned monk to be Pope, and watch with a certain amusement as he struggles mightily but in vain to guide the ungovernable bark of Peter.'"

The monk was chosen at age 80, just two years older than Benedict XVI when he was elected.

"But the holy Celestine," Moynihan continued, "who pleaded with the cardinals not to choose him as the Pope, could not manage to rule the powerful cardinals around him."

After five months he resigned, hoping to end his life in peace, but his successor, Boniface VIII, had him imprisoned and annulled all his official acts.

Regarding Benedict XVI's two trips to the same spot, Moynihan observed: "I am not suggesting Pope Benedict XVI is thinking of following in the footsteps of the saintly Pope Celestine and resigning.

"I am suggesting that the studious Pope Benedict and the studious monk-Pope are 'connected' in a mysterious way."

The decision to visit his tomb, and to leave his pallium there, the editor suggested, "contain a message the Pope cannot deliver any other way."

"Benedict is intent on purifying the Church, at 'cleaning house,' both because it is the right thing to do, and so that the moral authority of the Church not be invalidated in the world's eyes by the sins of some of her members, and leaders," he added. "Benedict is striving to do what Celestine was unable to do: govern the Church. Reform the Church."

ZENIT - Pope to Visit Tomb of Pontiff Who Abdicated

Who's the Pagan?

2010-07-04T01:45:00.003+10:00

I remember hearing kooky claims over the years from numerous anti-Catholics that the Catholic Church in some way or another at some time or another had embraced paganism, and that if one wanted the truth they'd need to leave behind "pagan Rome" and embrace some form of Protestantism.

I got to thinking recently about the Catholic Church's almost sole condemnation of certain moral depravities, particularly the evil of contraception and its sister evil of abortion. Pope Paul VI, as you may or may not know, made the logical connection between the two in his great encyclical that dogmatically re-affirmed the Church's condemnation of artificial methods of birth control, Humanae Vitae. Why would the claim that the Church embraced the errors and evil ways of pagan Rome make me think about abortion and contraception you ask? Well, consider that modern day anti-Catholics allow (some even endorse) contraception as morally acceptable, and some even accept the evil of abortion, and then consider what pagan Rome did and approved of: http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2010/06/26/grave-matter-2/

The "polite company" that Mike Aquilina refers to in the last sentence of that post today could be just about any anti-Catholic group of today who condone the same evils.

It begs the question: Who has really sold out the Gospel and embraced the errors of Pagan Rome?

The Dad Life

2010-07-03T02:22:00.003+10:00

This was way too funny not to share:

h/t to "Shoved to Them" (Read the woman's blog, it's a blast!)

God's mercy is even for dodgy bishops

2010-07-02T19:34:00.003+10:00

This episode of RealCatholicTV.com's "The Vortex" made me wonder if what happened to the Belgian Bishops is not a last mercy from God before the hammer falls on them.

I couldn't help but think how much of a mercy this might be as I called to mind St. Paul's words in Hebrews 10:31:

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Acts Of The Apostasy: iPhone Apps For Catholycs

2010-07-02T11:19:00.000+10:00

As they'd say in Bankstown, LarryD kills it.

This is hilarious:

There sure is a lot of hullabaloo out there about Apple's new iPad and iPhone 4. Apparently they're the bee's knees on all things technofantastical-like. I don't own either product, and I won't anytime soon - although my birthday is coming up. Even still, I highly doubt stuff that extravagant is on the list, because when I told Mrs LarryD I had dropped off my golf clubs at the shop to be regripped, all she said was "Happy Birthday!"

Anyway.

I'm thinking of developing some apps for these new products, catered just for Catholycs. I know what you're thinking, and you're right: I'd be marketing products for a declining demographic - not the wisest of business plans. Fair enough. Still, there's what, like 163 billion iPhones and about half as many iPads or so in the world? Heck, declining demographics or not, there's bound to be a few Catholycs using the things.

So here are my ten ideas:

1) The Chit Chat. This app provides the user a daily message from Sr. Joan Chittister. Just click on the app, and a pre-loaded inspirational quote appears on the screen. Sayings like "A self-creating universe becomes co-creator with the humble God who shares power and waits for the best from us and provides for what we need to make it happen." Or maybe this gem: "In an evolving world, then, God becomes “becoming.” God is the one who stands by as we grow from one self to another, from one level of insight to another, from one age and awareness to another." The sayings may be pure gobbledy-gook, but who cares? They're from Jooooaaaaann.

2) Womyn's World. This app brings up the closest Womynpreest-led pagan ritual at an undisclosed non-Catholic location, using specially developed GPS - Gyntile Positioning System. It's like Masstimes.com, only without the Mass. Very useful during vacation trips. A secondary function informs the user of the next scheduled Womynpreest Fauxrdination.

3) Da Bomb. Curious as to where all the missile silos are located? This app pinpoints the closest military installation to cut down on time organizing a protest!

4) A-maze-ing! This app has two functions. One gives the sites of local labyrinths. The second function pulls up a "virtual" labyrinth for the user to walk - works best when standing in the middle of an empty field. But if the user wants to do it near a busy highway, I won't stand in their way...

5) Pantsuits R Us. Need to know which stores in town have the best deals on polyester pantsuits? This app alerts the user to sales and markdowns - perfect for the CRONES!

6) The B-List. The perfect app when in the bookstore or library - tells the user if a particular spiritual or theological book is on the Vatican's Banned Books list, or if the author is an ex-communicated married ex-priest. Links to Amazon.com to facilitate ordering if the user prefers on-line shopping!

7) H&H Hits and Jesuit Jingles. These apps bring up every song ever written by Marty Haugen and David Haas, and every hymn published by the St Louis Jesuits. Special 'Karaoke' feature allows Music Directors to broadcast hymns during Mass - great for communities with no talented musicians!

8) Sin-opsis. This app allows the user to determine whether or not they need the sacrament of confession. By selecting from a list of probable sinful acts, a complex algorithm program calculates their overall degree of sinfulness. For instance - selecting "remarried without first obtaining an annulment"; "contracepting" and "occasionally attends Mass" generates a 0% Sin-opsis. However, if the user also drives a Tahoe, the Sin-opsis rises to 34.1%. If the user also selects "reads Catholic blogs like AoftheA"...92.5% Sin-opsis. Ouch!

9) Toler-apps. Want to find the least offensive, most PC thing to say in any given situation? This app provides one or more compassionate, thoughtful phrases - say a friend complains her daughter is living with her boyfriend out of wedlock. "Toler-apps"suggests saying "Think of all the money they're saving!" If the friend's daughter is living with her lesbian girlfriend, "Toler-apps" suggests"How interesting, not that there's anything wrong with that." This app is also useful for the parish pastor who wants to deliver homilies that don't hurt anyone's feelings.

10) Eco-licious. This app finds the user sources for organic, free-trade and/or locally-grown vegetarian low-fat products, sorted by carbon footprint, and the location of the neighbor's gardens who are growing them so that the user can trespass in the middle of the night to steal them.

All I need to do now is learn how to code 'em.

Acts Of The Apostasy: iPhone Apps For Catholycs

"Catholics" and Abortion

2010-07-02T02:52:00.001+10:00

An excellent piece by the American Life League: