Tw♥some F♥rever

Fireproof - watch full movie

2011-10-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

I saw the Fireproof movie over a year ago and I loved it and blogged about it here. It's about marriage and how God can heal a broken marriage relationships. Fortunately, chuvaypablo has posted the full length movie on YouTube and to make is easier for you to find to watch it, I've decided to post them here. I hope you enjoy the movie and can learn something from it that can help you in your own marriage.

Fireproof Part 1 English

Fireproof Part 2 English

Fireproof Part 3 English

Fireproof Part 4 English

Fireproof Part 5 English

Fireproof Part 6 English

Fireproof Part 7 English

Fireproof Part 8 English

Fireproof Part 9 English

Fireproof Part 10 English

Fireproof Part 11 English

Fireproof Part 12 English

Teaching your children

2011-10-23T01:27:00.000-07:00

Children are natural mimics --- they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manner.

The manners children exhibit in public aren't learned there. They are learned at thome. I get many letters from you parents about your children. You want to know why we people up here in Princeton can't make more out of them and do more for them… The reason is that they are your sons.... They have absorbed the ideals of your homes. You have formed and fashioned them. They are your sons. In those malleable, moldable years of their lives, you have forever left your imprint upon them. [Woodrow Wilson, President, Princeton University.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:15
[source: GLDB]

Fire and Rain by James Taylor with lyrics

2011-08-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

An old fave that will live forever.

Two Different Worlds by Engelbert Humperdinck

2011-08-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Just like my husband

2011-03-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is how a guilty dog reacts... very similar to my husband's reactions each time I find him guilty of something.

Driving around downtown LA

2011-03-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Husby and I loves to drive around town on weekends especially when the day is beautiful, clear, and bright. Here are some of the pictures I took using my Canon G10. [click on photo to enlarge]

The beautiful Cathedral:

'One In A Million" by Larry Graham

2011-03-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

One in A Million You-karaoke version

"Hello" by Lionel Richie

2011-03-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

A favorite love song. Reminds me of someone in the past.

If you love being in love, watch this!

2010-11-22T12:33:00.001-08:00

William and Kate's genuine love compared with Charles and Diana's

2010-11-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

(CNN) -- For anyone around 30 or older, this week's royal engagement left one with an uneasy feeling of déjà vu.

The photographs of Prince William and Kate Middleton, facing the flashing cameras of the world's press, were uncannily like those of William's parents, the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, when they announced their plans to marry in 1981. The color of the dress, the pose, the linked arms, the looks -- they were almost identical. Kate was even wearing Diana's ring.

The rapturous response from the media was a rerun of 1981, too -- the special supplements, the pages and pages of photographs, the speculation about who will design the dress, where they will honeymoon, where and how they first met, who their friends are and from whom their families are descended.

Television channels were saturated with more of the same, the only difference being that this time around we have nonstop rolling news broadcasts so there was even more on which viewers could feast.

Bad news took a back seat. The British people, struggling with job losses, cuts and economic hardship just as they were 30 years ago, were lifted out of the gloom for a day.

When it comes, the wedding will be another great boost to the country's morale, an excuse for a giant party, for people to take to the streets, embrace strangers and celebrate, just as it was in 1981. The nation fell in love with Diana, and the nation has once again fallen in love with the woman who wears her ring.

So where does the comparison end?

The first wedding was dubbed a fairy tale, but the story didn't play out as it should have. Looking back, it is all too easy to see why and to see why this marriage between William and Kate has every chance of being the real thing.

Charles and Diana scarcely knew each other when they became engaged.

He had played the field during his 20s. He had a string of pretty girls who adorned his arm, each one exciting speculation in the press, but by 32, the pressure to find a suitable bride had become intense.

Once the press identified Diana Spencer as a possible candidate, they hounded her mercilessly until Charles was told by his father that he must make his mind up and either marry this girl or let her go. He asked her to marry him.

Diana was just 19. She was from a broken home, albeit an aristocratic one. She was poorly educated and had little experience of the world. She was quite unprepared and emotionally ill equipped for life as a member of the royal family, a life that is as bizarre as it is unreal. When asked on the day of their engagement whether they were in love, the Prince of Wales famously replied, "Whatever love is."

William and Kate met at university in St. Andrew's and were friends before they were ever lovers. They have known each other for eight years and appear to have become soul mates. No one who has seen them together can question that their love is genuine.

Kate is 10 years older than Diana was. She may be middle-class, but she comes from a stable, loving and happy family. She is well-educated and has traveled and seen the world. She has held down a responsible job, and crucially, they got to know each other away from the public gaze.

The monarchy learned a lot during the Diana years and is infinitely better armed today to protect the privacy of its members. The press may not have been tamed but they have certainly been given boundaries that never existed in Diana's day.

Kate is going into this marriage and this bizarre life with her eyes wide open.

She has had a taste of what life in the gold-fish bowl is like. She's been followed and photographed, analyzed and criticized, and her humble origins have been chewed over in the press. She has proved herself to be made of strong stuff and to be discreet, loyal and trustworthy.

Diana became a superstar and at times she eclipsed Charles because she was young, glamorous and fun, and he was seen as rather staid and serious. It wasn't good for their relationship. William is a superstar himself; he is young, glamorous and fun. And he is Diana's son.

Kate won't eclipse him; she will complement him. His overriding desire is to be seen as relevant in his public life, and with someone who is so grounded and so normal by his side, I have a hunch they will become a formidable team.

The failure of Charles and Diana's marriage almost destroyed the monarchy. This union has every chance of securing its future.

[By Penny Junor, Special to CNN]

Where are the parents in their lives?

2010-11-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

News like this makes you wonder where the parents are. This kind of story really saddens me.

A 15-year-old girl who had been accused in the United States of selling her seven-year-old stepsister to men and boys for sex has been convicted of child endangerment.

Prosecutors said as many as a dozen people in a public housing complex in Trenton, New Jersey had been involved in the rape of the child.

The 15-year-old watched on as the seven-year-old was raped during a party in a deserted apartment of the Rowan Towers building.

While the teenage girl was originally charged with sex crimes, including promoting prostitution, she pleaded guilty in juvenile court in return for lesser charges.

She was sentenced to a year in juvenile detention.

Two men and three boys ages 13, 14 and 17 have also have been charged in the case.

The three boys are expected in juvenile court later this month and are expected to testify against the other accused men. [source]

Kate Middleton, the future fashion princess

2010-11-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

From whimsical hats to elegant dresses, Prince William's future bride has all the fashionable makings of a princess. [see People] She looks good with anything and I'm looking forward to see her on her wedding gown.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, the proposal, the ring, and the wedding plan

2010-11-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

LONDON (AP) — Prince William finally became engaged to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton, giving her his late mother's sapphire and diamond engagement ring, as Britain looked forward to its biggest royal wedding since Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer almost 30 years ago.

Royal officials announced Tuesday that the couple will marry next spring or summer in London, ending years of rumored splits, reconciliations and will-they, won't-they speculation.

William is second in line to the British throne after Charles, his father. Kate and William's first child would move ahead of his younger brother Prince Harry to become third in line to the throne.

William, speaking in a joint TV interview, discussed marriage with Middleton for more than a year before he proposed during a vacation in Kenya last month.

"As every guy out there will know, it takes time a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going," William said. "It just felt really right out in Africa and was beautiful at the time."

He gave Middleton the engagement ring once worn by his late mother, Diana — an oval blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds from the jeweler Garrard.

"This was my way of making sure that my mother didn't miss out on today," William said as the couple posed for photographers in the state apartments at St. James' Palace.

Middleton acknowledged that being queen was "a daunting prospect." She declined to say whether the prince had proposed on bended knee.

Clarence House said that while William's bride-to-be is commonly known as Kate, her official name is Catherine Elizabeth — the style used by her close family. She will be named Queen Catherine if William, as expected, eventually takes the British throne.

Many in Britain welcomed the royal engagement as a rare piece of good news in a time of economic uncertainty and cutbacks — a time much like 1981, when millions watched Charles and Diana's fairy-tale wedding. Their marriage eventually ended in divorce — but no one was dwelling on that detail Tuesday.

William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Prince Philip "are absolutely delighted for them both," Buckingham Palace said. Prince Charles said he was "absolutely thrilled," and his wife, Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, said her stepson's engagement was "the most brilliant news."

"It's wicked," said the duchess, who had just attended an event at the theater where the musical "Wicked" is playing.

Middleton's parents, Carole and Michael, welcomed the prince to their family.

"We all think he's wonderful, we're extremely fond of him," Michael Middleton said. "They make a lovely couple."

Prime Minister David Cameron wished the couple "great joy in their life together," and said when he announced the news during a Cabinet meeting it was greeted by cheers and "a great banging of the table."

Cameron, who said he had camped out on the street the night before Charles and Diana's wedding procession, predicted this royal wedding would be a "great moment for national celebration" that would unite Britain.

Charles' Clarence House office said he was "delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton." It used Twitter as well as a news release.

Few were surprised. Their engagement was the safest bet in Britain, an event so certain that bookies had stopped taking bets on a 2011 wedding. The date avoids London's Summer Olympics and the queen's Diamond Jubilee, both being held in 2012.

"Kate has been waiting for so long, I expected her to find someone else," said London tour guide Gabrielle Sullo, 53. "The media had called her 'Waitey Katie,' so it's about time that she stopping waiting."

No venue has been announced yet. For pomp, the ceremony is likely to fall between the extraordinary spectacle of the wedding of Charles and Diana in St. Paul's Cathedral and Charles' subdued second marriage to Camilla at Windsor Guildhall in 2005.

Patrick Jephson, Diana's former secretary, said her son's nuptials would be "a master class" in wedding planning.

The formal engagement is likely to turn the poised, brunette Middleton — already depicted approvingly in the fashion pages — into a global icon. With her confident good looks and long brown hair, Middleton has already become one of the most photographed women in Britain.

The palace will be hoping that she combines Diana's glamour and charm with a more commonsense approach to life. At 28, Middleton is considerably older than Diana was when she wed at 20 and has had greater life experiences and longer training in dealing with the media.

"She seems quite competent," said approving 22-year-old student Sarah Madden, "and seems to be just as wonderful as Diana."

William and Harry have spent a lifetime in the spotlight, with their drunken nights out and female friends the subject of constant tabloid gossip. William, who turned 28 in June, once told an interviewer he wouldn't marry "until I'm at least 28 or maybe 30." But since joining the military, both have kept a lower profile.

Middleton met William at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They shared a house along with other students in the seaside university town, where William initially studied art history before switching to geography.

In 2002, William paid 200 pounds to sit in the front row at a charity fashion show where Middleton was modeling in a daring outfit. They are thought to have started dating the next year.

St. Andrews congratulated the couple Tuesday, pointing out that the school has a reputation as "Britain's top matchmaking university."

A wealthy commoner rather than an aristocrat, Middleton is the daughter of self-made millionaires. Her father worked for an airline and her mother was a flight attendant before they started a mail-order business specializing in children's parties, run from their house in southern England.

She attended Marlborough College, an elite private school, where she played tennis and field hockey, before studying art history at St. Andrews. After graduating in 2005, Middleton worked as a buyer for the fashion chain Jigsaw. She is now employed by her family's party-planning business.

The couple's relationship became public with a joint photo on a Swiss skiing holiday in 2004. Middleton then became a media darling — especially after both graduated, which ended a British media agreement to leave William alone while he was at university.

Middleton was there when William was commissioned as a British Army officer after graduating from Sandhurst military college in 2006. She was photographed attending public events, going to work, even getting a parking ticket — a level of attention that evoked the romance of William's parents.

But William was determined that Middleton would not suffer the same media hounding endured by his mother, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997. He appealed through his office for the media to leave her alone.

In 2007, Middleton filed a harassment complaint against a British newspaper. She accepted an apology and admission of error from the Daily Mirror.

At the time, an engagement was so expected that the retail chain Woolworths even commissioned mugs, plates and other Wills-and-Kate memorabilia. The chain has since gone out of business.

Yet only weeks later in 2007, media reported — and Clarence House did not deny — that the couple had broken up. Newspapers pored over the apparent end of the relationship in long stories sourced to anonymous "friends."

William's army training kept them apart, said some. The media pressure was too much for her, said others. Still others murmured that senior courtiers felt Middleton's middle-class background wasn't royal material.

Soon, however, the same newspapers were reporting that the pair had rekindled their romance. They were photographed leaving a London nightclub together, and Middleton was snapped on a stag hunting expedition at the royal family's Balmoral estate in Scotland alongside Charles.

When William graduated from his first flying course in spring 2008, Middleton applauded from the sidelines — although his training was not without incident. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that William had landed a helicopter on Middleton's parents' lawn during a training flight and flew a Chinook to a friend's stag party on the Isle of Wight — earning him a drubbing in the press for his perceived sense of entitlement.

William later served a two-month deployment with the Royal Navy before training to become a Sea King search-and-rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force. He recently completed that training.

The pair have recently seen each other mostly on weekends, with William a frequent visitor to the Middleton family house in the affluent village of Bucklebury, 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of London.

Earlier this month, Middleton's parents were invited to join members of the royal family for a shooting holiday at Balmoral, another milestone on her road to acceptance into the royal family's inner circle.

Clarence House said after the wedding, the couple will live in north Wales, where William is based with the RAF.

Middleton has rarely, if ever, spoken about William in public. "I love the uniform. It's so, so sexy," — her assessment at William's graduation from Sandhurst — was a rare slip.

The couple were to give their first joint interview later Tuesday.

Not everyone was happy about the expected extravaganza. Graham Smith of the anti-monarchy group Republic said a lavish state-funded wedding amid a time of cutbacks was inappropriate.

"They need to pay for this event entirely themselves and not try to use it as some sort of PR exercise for the monarchy," Smith said.

Read more here.

Quote of the day

2010-11-03T12:23:00.001-07:00

“The presence of children is not a burden but rather a blessing to the family, which we should treasure through parental love and guidance,” he said.
- Bishop Vicente Navarr [Bacolod, Philippines]

Jesse James wants to save marriage

2010-04-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's up to Sandra. This is her life and only she and God can decide. For the rest of us, we can only pray and feel sad for them and wishes it never happened. Remember that none of us are in the judgement seat.

LOS ANGELES – Jesse James is a "a broken man" and is hoping that rehab and some privacy will help him recover and save his marriage to Sandra Bullock, his friend and attorney said.

Joe Yanny told The Associated Press that allegations of marital infidelity against James and the ensuing media "feeding frenzy" have ruined the biker businessman's life.

"This whole thing has destroyed Jesse's entire universe," Yanny said. "Right now, he's a broken man."

He said James is still in love with Bullock and hopes the marriage can be saved.

James checked into a rehabilitation center after weeks of reports that he cheated on Bullock throughout their marriage. Yanny declined to say what James is being treated for, but said people shouldn't assume it is for sex addiction. He also wouldn't rebut specific allegations lodged against the West Coast Choppers owner or say whether there are plans for the couple to get a divorce.

"The allegations back and forth about what happened — those are private matters to be resolved between a husband and a wife," Yanny said. "It's not appropriate for a public airing."

He said the vast majority of stories about James are untrue.

"Jesse is in love with Sandra," Yanny said. "The single most important thing to Mr. James and the children is that the marriage somehow survive."

James and his camp have said little since a woman told In Touch magazine that she carried on an affair with James while Bullock was shooting the blockbuster hit "The Blind Side."

The film earned Bullock widespread acclaim that culminated with a best actress Oscar. Within days of her win, the cheating allegations broke and Bullock withdrew from the public eye.

James released a statement saying he had used "poor judgment" and deserved "everything bad that is coming my way."

Bullock has not spoken publicly about the matter, and her publicist did not respond to e-mailed questions for this story. Public support for the actress has remained high as more women have stepped forward claiming they had affairs with James in recent years.

Bullock and James met in 2003 and were married in 2005. It seemed like an odd pairing — the Hollywood actress often called "America's Sweetheart" marrying the tattooed biker who designed custom motorcycles and starred in reality shows such as "Monster Garage" and "Jesse James is a Dead Man."

Yanny blasted media coverage of the case, saying the privacy of Bullock, James and his children had been repeatedly violated. "It's nothing but voyeurism at this point," he said. "Enough is enough."

He said the coverage of the story was overblown and that it lost its newsworthiness long ago. He said he is concerned about the media continuing to pursue James' children and family while the 40-year-old is undergoing treatment.

"There are many more significant things in the world that people ought to be talking about and delving in to," Yanny said.

He acknowledged James has made many mistakes in his life, but that he has also quietly supported numerous charities and his various businesses have created many jobs and opportunities for others.

Yanny said he expects James to persevere. "He certainly will come out of this a better man," he said. "I hope he comes out of it with the things in life that he cherishes." - AP

A non-Catholic's reminder to all Catholics

2010-04-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

Jewish Sam Miller on Catholics

Excerpts of an article written by non-Catholic Sam Miller - a prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman:

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

Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost to that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - not just Catholics - in the United States today

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church , 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.

Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. This is not a Catholic Problem.

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now.

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

Be proud that you're a Catholic."

Source: Via email.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - by Peggy Noonan

2010-04-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

There are three great groups of victims in this story. The first and most obvious, the children who were abused, who trusted, were preyed upon and bear the burden through life. The second group is the good priests and good nuns, the great leaders of the church in the day to day, who save the poor, teach the immigrant, and, literally, save lives. They have been stigmatized when they deserve to be lionized. And the third group is the Catholics in the pews—the heroic Catholics of America and now Europe, the hardy souls who in spite of what has been done to their church are still there, still making parish life possible, who hold high the flag, their faith unshaken. No one thanks those Catholics, sees their heroism, respects their patience and fidelity. The world thinks they're stupid. They are not stupid, and with their prayers they keep the world going, and the old church too.
-- Peggy Noonan, April 1, 2010
Via Deacon Bench

A Protestant leader remembers the best of the Catholic Church

2010-04-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

The New York Times have recently hit the Catholic Pope very harshly and they seem to be proud and happy about it - perhaps because these people are "perfect people". They acted more like they are in a competition with the Church and they perhaps feel they've just won. I don't remember them being this harsh to other groups whose scandals are even worst. [Read here] You would think that they are out there not out of compassion for the victims but for the high ratings. I’m very mad at any priests who are proven to be abusers but I also feel bad for the innocent members of the Church for the pains these scandals have brought them. The same was expressed by a Protestant leader who remembers the best of the Catholic Church.

As a Protestant, and as the President of a seminary known for its commitment to progressive theology, my reaction is deeply divided about the sexual abuse crisis that is currently shaking the Roman Catholic Church in Europe and the United States. Watching the disturbing details of cover-ups by clergy -- even those at the highest levels -- unfold during Holy Week, of all times, I can't decide whether to cry out in despair or be ever-so-slightly optimistic that real changes may result from this tragedy. Most days, I feel both.

Tears come easily when I think of the abuse and the horrifying realization that some within the church clearly believe that protecting priests is more important than safeguarding children. When I think of Jesus suffering during Holy Week, it is the broken bodies of children, betrayed by their own religious leaders, that come to mind. They bear the crosses of the church's abuses of power.

That said, I also weep because this latest sex scandal adds to our distrust of religious leadership in general and keeps us from remembering all the good work the Roman Catholic church does for the poor, hungry, and homeless, and has done for many decades. I am personally indebted to countless nuns and priests I've encountered over the years, who patiently taught me what it means to "stand with the least of these." In the twentieth century, especially, it was Roman Catholics rather than liberal, so-called "Main Line" Protestants who more often found spiritual grounds for social justice.

I think of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement that began during the depths of the Great Depression, and which continues today to give care and comfort to the forsaken. I think of Thomas Merton and his outspoken protest of the Vietnam War. I think of the Catholic bishops who stood side by side with César Chávez in his fight for justice among the farm workers of California's Central Valley. I think of Archbishop Óscar Romero and the struggles of San Salvador. And I think of blighted neighborhoods across America where all-but-ignored nuns, priests, and committed laypeople offer hope to the nearly hopeless through soup kitchens, schools, and community centers. For them, and for energetic Catholic women I work with and teach -- so unjustly banned from a priesthood that sorely needs them -- the importance of justice-making always exceeds the importance of collars and confessions.

Tragedies come and go; issues like labor and immigration burn bright in the public consciousness for a time and then are forgotten. Long after the rest of the world has moved on, however, often enough the Catholic Church alone continues to affirm economic justice, offer a moral critique of capitalism, and, most importantly, insist that a radical love of the powerless and marginalized is the truest form of faith.

All this makes these latest reports of priests molesting children -- and getting away with it -- that much more upsetting. Will the faithful work done by so many Catholics be overshadowed by a church hierarchy that goes on the defensive when questioned about cover-ups and complicity? I pray this will not be the case. I also pray that the church might change for the better as a result of these terrible discoveries. And I pray, too, for the deep, ongoing grief -- indeed, belly-wrenching lamentation -- suffered by so many everyday Catholics who feel betrayed by their own leadership.

Yes, I am shocked, angered, and saddened by these latest allegations. But I'm also slightly relieved to think that we may finally have come to the end of the line. How much higher up can a scandal go, after all, than implicating those standing at the very top? And, I breathe a bit easier in anticipation that a chastening bright light may be about to shine into previously impenetrable realms of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

As a Protestant, I refuse to throw self-righteous stones against Catholics. Disregard for public accountability is dangerous, in any form. It is not only in politics that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. No church is immune. No person is.

The Catholicism I cherish -- and the Catholicism that the world so desperately needs -- is one that models an unguarded honesty about human failing, a gentleness of spirit that welcomes criticism, and a determination to hold all people, no matter their station, accountable for their actions.

This is the lesson of Holy Week, and it is one that Christians all -- bishops, popes, and pew-sitters alike -- would do well to consider carefully in the days ahead.

Lead us, Lord

2010-04-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Lead us, Lord, to what is acceptable and pleasing in your eyes so that we will not fall into the trap of temptations. Renew our minds and soften my hearts and help us to realize that we cannot always have things our way but must seek your way instead for your way will surely lead us to our salvation. - Twosome Forever

Texting problem in the classroom

2010-03-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

Teachers are getting tired of dealing with cell phones in the classroom issues and perhaps because parents have different views and reasons about the matter. My son got upset with me one time for calling his cell phone while working on a project assigned him by his supervisor. Obviously, I interrupted his work which caused him to loose focus. He told me to just send him a text next time and he’ll respond as soon as he finds the time. But what more in a classroom where perhaps everyone is on their cell phones texting someone and not paying attention to the teacher. I personally think that schools should set a limitation because students need to be more focused on their lessons while in the classrooms. Here is an interesting post about this and don’t forget to read the comments which I think makes a lot of sense.

The SEVEN LAST WORDS

2010-03-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

First Word
FR. JOEL JASON

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with in the woods. He practiced and practiced but could never hit the target. Becoming somewhat discouraged; he headed back to dinner. As he was returning, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it.

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you, Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?"

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?"

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed her pet duck and asked her forgiveness.

She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window, and I saw the whole thing. And because I love you, I forgive you. But I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

As we reflect on the first words of Jesus on the cross, it is such a consolation to be assured that we do not have a God who is like Sally. Like Sally, God saw all our sins, every one of them. There is nothing that can remain hidden from Him. But unlike Sally, God does not threaten us constantly with “Remember the duck”. God is not a God who wants to enslave us with “Remember your sins.” Instead, we hear those precious words from the lips of Jesus on the cross,
“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing,”

Rick Warren, inspirational author and evangelist, said it most beautifully. “God is not mad at you, He is mad about you.” Stop for a moment and let those words sink in. Then look at the cross and see what God had to go through to show the height, depth and length of His love for you.

The Command to Forgive

The challenge of the first words of Jesus, and indeed of the whole of the Gospels, is this:
If God has forgiven us, should we not in turn render the same forgiveness?

I was counseling a woman who for years has been holding a grudge against her husband who left her and the children for another woman. “Father, it has been years, but until now, everyday when I wake up, I find my self consumed with a feeling of hatred over my husband.” I simply nodded assuring her that I feel for her. Then she added, “How could God command me to find it in my heart to forgive seventy times seven times? It’s unfair. God can tell me what to do, but He cannot tell me what to feel.” I stayed silent. I didn’t know what to say to her.

Then after some moments of silence, and after a flash of inspiration I said, “You’re absolutely right. God can tell us what to do, but He cannot tell us what to feel. But that’s precisely the point. Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision. It is an act. That’s why when He commands us to forgive, He is not telling us how to feel. He is telling us what to do.”

Action Precedes Emotion

When Jesus hung there on the cross, carrying the weight of his battered body and the even greater weight of the malice of our sin, I am sure there was not an iota of pleasant feeling in His heart. When He said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” I don’t think He felt “goody-goody” towards His executioner. But what is the Man on the Cross trying to tell us. It is this: Forgiveness is not an emotion, it is an action, a decision. We can also express it with the well-known principle of human psychology and affectivity action precedes emotion.

Oftentimes, we wait for the emotion to come, and then we act on the emotion. Our usual tendency is to wait for the hurt, pain and hatred to be replaced by pleasant feelings before we even begin to think of forgiveness as an option. It will not happen. The principle says "Action precedes emotion". Unless we decide by an act of the will to forgive the one who has offended us, the hurt, the pain and the hatred will remain. Ultimately, we are the ones who remain imprisoned and poisoned by the negative feelings and hurts.

When I decide to make an act of forgiveness, does the pain immediately disappear? Is the hatred immediately overcome by a pleasant feeling? No. Most of the times, emotions are slow to catch up with the act of the will. Sometimes they never catch up at all. But when we decide to make that act of forgiveness, at least we have taken the necessary first step of a long but rewarding journey of healing.

The Fruits of the Act of Forgiveness

When we decide to forgive, we are not saying that our offender is absolved of his responsibilities. We are not saying that I need to be reconciled immediately to him or her or that I need to feel pleasant towards him or her (although there are times that is the fruit of the act forgiveness). When we decide to forgive, we do say that while this does not erase what happened in the past, this will erase how I remember the past. This will erase how the past affects us in the present moment. I may still remember what happened. I may even bear in my body the physical evidence of that painful past. But when I decide to forgive, I decide that the past will not hurt me that way it did before.

Ultimately, when we forgive, we declare independence from the bondage of the hurtful past and decide to move on and reclaim our lives for ourselves. With the act of forgiveness, we declare that we are no longer a victim of the past but a victor who lives in the present moment.

God does not gain anything for Himself when He forgives. It is utterly a selfless act on the part of God. Human forgiveness is different. It benefits not only the offender but the offended as well. So if we find it hard to forgive for the sake of the offender, let’s decide to forgive for our own sake at first. Then maybe, when we shall already have been healed, we can do it totally for the sake of our offender.

Then we shall become most like God.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, the offended One, help me to become more like You. I lift up to You all my hurts, all those I have hurt and all those who have hurt me. Grant me the grace of healing, the courage to decide to grant forgiveness, and then the feeling of liberation from the bondage of past hurts. Amen.

(Fr. Joel is a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Manila. Ordained on 31 July 1996 by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, DD, he has been assigned as resident professor and formator at the San Carlos Seminary in 2001. Currently, he is the Dean of Studies of the Theology Department and teaches Fundamental Moral Theology, Bioethics, Special Moral Theology and Sexuality and Integrity. He also heads the Ministry for Family and Life of the Archdiocese of Manila and is a member of the Bioethics Committee of the Makati Medical Center.)

Second Word

FR. SHAY CULLEN, SSC

Jesus of Nazareth was the true champion of the poor, the deprived, the abused and the millions of rejected people, the unloved wretched of the earth.

He loved them all and was on fire with a passion to free them from the man-made slavery and unbearable suffering. He risked his life to make them free and happy and give them a taste of paradise, in this world and the life here-after. What,we can ask is paradise for us?

Jesus was one of them, one of us, and called himself the Son of Man, son of the people, Son of God. He had come from God, the source of all life, and today He is alive within us who believe in him urging us to continue his mission. As St. Luke tells us that is to free the captives, give sight to the blind ,change the world,challenge the irresponsible rich and the powerful , take them down from their lofty thrones, lift up the lowly, fill the hungry with good things and send the rich away empty to repent and do penance and be in paradise too. We His followers are to carry that mission of compassion and justice to the world.

"Faith without action is useless" says St.James. And to paraphrase the Gospel ; "Did you visit me when I was in prison", Jesus asked. "Did you give me water when I was thirsty, clothes when I had none"? We might ask; "When Lord did you suffer so"? "So long as you do it to the poorest of all you do it to me". We are all part of Him ,when one hurts we all hurt. He is still with us today, a voice of salvation and hope and courage that lifts up the lowly. He makes us all welcome and wanted.

He lasted just three years on this mission and like many good innocent Filipinos today working for human rights and dignity and helping the poor he was accused of subversion, was arrested on a false charge, jailed, beaten, flogged, tortured and given the death penalty. Hanging on the cruel Roman cross he forgave the repentant and promised all salvation and Jesus died falsely condemned.

"This day you will be with me in paradise" was the same message that I carried with me when I went to rescue those falsely condemned - fifteen year old Paulo and Jun - in the horrors of Manila's worst prisons. They were not supposed to be jailed just as Jesus should never have been nailed to a cross. They were supposed to have been, according to law, sent to a youth home by the municipal social worker not charged and jailed. There being no municipal home she allowed them to be kept in the jail where they are easily raped and abused and made girlie-boys by the hardened criminals. So I was there to get them out. With a court order in hand I entered one of the many jails that are hell on earth.

The massively overcrowded prison cells were stuffed with half naked human bodies, lying in rows on the concert floor as in a prison slave ship. The heat was intense from hot metal roof that radiated the midday sun into this human oven. In each small cell built for twenty there was now about fifty prisoners. Some of the heavily tattooed male bodies were brawny, they were the big bosses. The others were skinny, toothless, malnourished, tubercular. The stench was overpowering. The toilet was a hole in the floor ,blocked and overflowing. I gagged and choked on the first breath and could hardly believe that human beings were living like this hidden away from the eyes of the public. No one but family members dare to visit.

Then I saw the two teenage youths Paulo and Jun surrounded by criminals,rapists, and pedophiles. They were squatting together for protection in a corner. Their eyes staring from near skeletal faces, they couldn't understand why they were let out, led to the dingy prison office where the release papers were processed and in a daze ,clutching their only earthly possessions , a ragged T-shirt , slippers, extra shorts ,and a hair comb they walked to freedom.

They stepped into the sun light, free at last. They were brought to a nearby restaurant and ate a decent meal. We called their parents on their neighbor's cell phone , they were in contact and would soon meet each other. They arrived at the Boys' home by the sea and the mountains and were free to roam,swim, play basketball, study, learn and live a life of dignity. The day had arrived and the promise was fulfilled. For them it was paradise.

Prayer

Lord, Jesus, You came as one of us, You s
uffered greater than anyone ever did. You were rejected, unwanted by many, falsely accused, condemned,jailed, and executed because You loved us, wanted us and all the poor and the oppressed the abused and the unwanted to be free and loved, and for evil to be overcome and goodness to triumph.

You showed us the way, gave us inspiration, strength to follow Your lead, and be advocates of human dignity as God's children, endowed with inalienable rights and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

May we be faithful to You and Your messages. May we have the strength to continue Your work as Your true and faithful friends and followers ready to sacrifice, endure, and overcome hardships and serve others without seeking rewards. The only reward is Your love and friendship that makes us one with You and each other. Amen.

(Fr. Shay is a member of the Missionary Society of St. Columban and has worked protecting women, children, and human rights in the Philippines since 1969. A multi-awarded writer, speaker and media commentator, he is currently Director of the People’s Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance [PREDA] Foundation and the PREDA Fair Trade which he founded in Olongapo City, Philippines in 1974 and 1975 respectively.)

Third Word

FR. JAY POLICARPIO

For God knew in His great wisdom
That he couldn't be everywhere,
So he put His little Children
In a loving mother's care.

-Helen Steiner Rice, A Mother's Love

It is not meant as a theological argument but rather a strong statement on the important role of mothers. Mothers are so dependable that God could entrust to them His children.

Somebody says, “When someone is about to die listen very well to that person.” That person might be telling about the things he or she values most. Probably, death has a way of teaching people the most important things in life. In his last breath Jesus showed how much he valued his disciples (represented by John) by entrusting them to a mother. Jesus said, " Woman, here is your son" (John 19:26). With a mother’s care Jesus is confident that his disciples will not go astray.

But do mothers really care for their children? Our response may still be a resounding YES. However, abortion statistics tells us that children are not wanted, much less valued, by a growing number of mothers. According to the Center for the Bio-Ethical Reform there are approximately 42 million abortions per year worldwide with an average of 115, 000 abortions per day regardless of the reasons for engaging in this practice. In my eleven years of ministry in the confessional box the number of penitents who confessed resorting to abortion has become alarming. Asking them the reason for doing such thing, almost all of them had given me the same answer- THIS IS THE CONVENIENT SOLUTION. However, not all convenient solutions are the right solutions. Unfortunately most of our decisions come from them. INSTANT mentality (similar to instant noodles and instant coffee) may have finally sipped in into our culture.

Almost all mothers would care for their children, especially when they are still young. But sometimes it is the other way around. They are about to lose their youth sooner than expected.

Five years ago, I was enjoying my early lunch in one of the famous fast food chains in Tarlac City. I was seated just in front of the transparent wall of the store when all of a sudden two boys appeared. Judging at their appearances, I surmised that they were just elementary students. They knocked at the wall and when I looked at them they made signs asking me to give them food. I tried to ignore them, but it just encouraged them to knock at the wall all the more. I decided to go outside. I ask them why they were not attending their classes. I threatened them that I would make their parents and teachers know what they were doing. One of the boys replied, “Don’t bother Sir, it was our mother who told to us to go and look for food.”

To cut the story short, I told the kids that I would buy them food but I had to know if they were telling me the truth. I told them I wanted see their mother. They agreed. They brought me to a place very near to the food chain. The way the houses were built made me realize that this was a depressed area. Soon I was about to see their mother. She was seated together with the other women playing cards. They were gambling. She scolded the two boys for not bringing any food.

Sometimes, too, mothers can be cruel to their children. A young office worker asked me to give her an advice. Her problem started when she found out that she was pregnant. Her boyfriend could not marry her because he was already married to another woman though he promised her earlier that he would try to get his marriage annulled. But this was a remote possibility.

With her tummy still getting bigger, people would soon find out that she was engaged in an illicit affair and pre-marital sex. At the end she was forced to tell the truth to her family knowing that she had no one to turn to. But her mother told her that she could only go home if she agreed to abort the baby. Her mother was more worried about the family reputation than about the welfare of her daughter. The young woman opted to live discreetly with her boyfriend even without the promise of a marriage because she did not want to abort the baby.

God’s love for us is so great that He gave us mothers. Motherhood is a wonderful gift. But from time to time it needs redemption. In our world where family values are gradually eroded by the culture of death, secularism and too much materialism mothering is facing a tougher challenge and is always at the danger of being distorted.

We pray for all the mothers. May God bless them so that we may fully entrust to them our children. Let us entrust our mothers to the Virgin Mary, mother of all believers, who could teach them how to raise up their children.

Courtesy: SrMilaCOp

Prayer

Our loving Father, we thank You for giving us our mothers. They are signs of Your wonderful love for us. Help them to understand the greatness of their vocation so that they may be able to give themselves fully to those entrusted to their care. Comfort them in times of sorrow; give them joy in serving their children and strengthen their faith in times of difficulty. May they be able to follow the example of our Blessed Mother Mary most especially her holiness, humility and self-less love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Fr. Jay has been ordained priest on 26 September 1998 in the Diocese of Tarlac. He is currently Director and Vice-President of Radio Maria Philippines.)

Fourth Word

FR. RAUL TABARANZA, MCCJ

It is a very painful question! I couldn’t really picture out Jesus crying in despair, in agony and pain. It is the cry of a heart, deserted and frustrated. Why Jesus, God the Son, expressed His pain in such agony? Was there really separation with Him and the Father?

I kept reflecting on this question, when suddenly I heard a lot of cries in my prayer: “Mulungu wanga, Mulungu wanga, mwatisiyiranji?” These are cries of people from my mission (Chichewa language- Chipata, Zambia) and far villages. When I go out to visit the sick and anoint HIV-AIDS patients, their tears and cries are telling me a great question from their hearts: Why God made me like? Jesus bathed Himself with blood, thirsty and hungry, beaten and scourged to death. In front of me are these sick people, hungry, no proper food and diet, skinny and bony, no proper medicine, grasping for breath, crying in pain, in complete agony, sleeping on the ground (no beds in the villages) in a small hut made of mud and grass. They feel the pain of separation, as Jesus did on the cross. Always it makes me uneasy and pained, why do they have to suffer like this. Jesus felt more than physical pain, more than spiritual barrenness, and so these people.

People come knocking the door of our mission, crying: “Bambo, mutithandize, njala lomba, sitinadya kanthu.” Father help us, we are hungry, we haven’t eaten! Children are crying for school fees, old women are crying because ofdrought, no harvest! People are coming in for a ‘piece work’ to get something for maize porridge! Are these not cries of despair and frustrations? Why all these feelings of abandonment and separation? Why do they have to suffer when there is so much in the world to share? Are these cries of revolution; that people should wake up and learn how to share and to take care of the lost, the least, the last and the most abandoned?

I have a mission in my care called Kasweta, 180 kilometers from our Mission Area, in the middle of the park where wild animals such as lions, elephants, buffaloes and others are present. No school, no clinic, no means of transport, no money except little fields. People have to walk for three days, crossing five mountains to reach the hospital. Many of them die on the way. They make mats to barter for salt and second hand clothes. They cry of abandonment. Isn’t it the cry of Jesus in His complete poverty on the cross? Jesus cried more than what was the content of His heart, because He was even abandoned by His own apostles. He has to face His death all alone!

“Bambo, ngati inu ansembe mudzatisiya, tidzachita chiyani?: Father, if you priests will leave us here alone, what shall we do? It is an expensive mission, no proper road as we cross hills and the National Park. We risk physically, economically, cars and others. I feel that cry of the Lord, yet I also feel that I have to let these people know and listen to the cry of the Lord. Their sufferings, my own missionary sufferings are interconnected to that cry and suffering of Jesus. We are all incorporated! We never lose hope, we cry in despair, but our cries are ‘cries of affection and complete abandonment.’

Loneliness is part of our missionary journey, and to make it personal, my missionary journey. One night, I was in another village, just sitting around the fire by night. We prayed the rosary around the fire. I looked up high and counted the stars and wondered. My life is really amazing! I cried in silence. I was in complete darkness, given a small hut with four open windows and door made of grass stalks. I was really vulnerable in that darkness for animals could come anytime. But I was tired too; that I even forgot to remove my shoes. I just laid my mattress and put the mosquito net. I entertained myself first playing games from my phone, but my tired body surrendered. Then I was awaken by the chatting of women while sweeping the surroundings. It was early morning, and it was one of my best nights in my life. That is complete abandonment!

Jesus did not stop asking the Father while on the cross. In the end, He thanked the Father, gave His forgiveness, and then surrendered His Spirit, completely throwing Himself to the Father before entering into the darkness of the earth.

I somehow understood that cries of despair are necessary. Tears of isolation and moments of rejection should be cherished. One day, we will wake up refreshed and strengthened after the heavy battle. Perhaps, this will happen up above.

Never be afraid to cry out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is just there, looking in complete silence, with full of affection, as the Good Shepherd does to the lost ones.

Prayer

Jesus, who would ever understand Your cry? I cannot even imagine the pain You went through and the real outpouring of Your poverty. The ‘poverty of Your Spirit’ is what I am praying this time. Into Your hands, I recommend the souls of my suffering people in the mission, the sick and the dying, the infected ones of HIV-AIDS, their cries of pain and agony. They cry as you did: “Why me Lord?” “Why did you make me suffer like this?”

Hear their cries, console their souls
Comfort their aching bodies.
For You are their only source of strength

I beg you Jesus, to forgive my inefficiencies,
When I ignore the cries of my people,
When I forget to give comfort and healing.
I also ask You to keep always the sacredness of your work in my hands.

Pardon my insensitivities
When I didn’t hear by heart their cries of pains
When I worked only for my own good
And when I allowed my selfishness to reign

It is through Your initiative that I may continue to manifest Your crying of abandonment
Make my whole being a real offering
Take away my pride and selfishness
And all vanities that are lingering in my flesh

Jesus, how can I ever thank You for the generosity of Your soul?
For suffering for me in spite of my sins
For crying to the Father in my behalf
Thank you for making me live through Your death

Into Your hands, I abandon my soul
For I know You will never forsake me.

Amen.

(Fr. Raul is a member of the Comboni Missionaries. A native of Mindanao, he is currently involved in pastoral work in Malawi/Zambia Province in Africa since his priestly ordination in 2004.)

Fifth Word

FR. FRANKLIN GOROSPE

Note that this fifth word of Jesus is the shortest among the seven. It is short but the impact of this is very big.

John tells, “In order that the scriptures might be fulfilled, Jesus said, I thirst” (see Jn 19:28). As we look into this passage, we can see both natures of Jesus - divine and human. Jesus is the fulfillment of all prophecies in the Old Testament and He shows here the reality of it that He is the Son of God. Yet, it shows also the humanity of Jesus because he feels that same human experience of being thirsty. Paul writes, “Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (see 1 Philippians 2:6)

Jesus says, “I thirst.” But what is it that He thirsts of? Physically, He will be very thirsty because for a whole day He was already persecuted, He can be very thirsty. And so a soldier then gave him something to drink by putting “a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.” But Jesus did not accept it. Why?

He may be physically thirsty but the thirst that He was experiencing is more than that. He thirsts for us, for every men and women for whom He had come to die. He suffered for the sins that He had nothing to do with. He thirsts that we, too, will join Him as he suffer and die. Jesus wants to tell that His thirst extends to us. Jesus suffered to pave the way for us to seek and find God in our lives and turn from our wicked ways. This is what makes Jesus thirsty until now. And that thirst becomes greater and greater because we are not turning to Him but we choose to go into sin.

He is thirsty and that thirst can only be quenched by us. Lent is there for us to be converted from our sinful ways. But conversion is something that is continuous. It does not end when Lent is ended, when Holy Week has ended but it extends throughout our life until such time that we will see Jesus face to face with Him.

May we also say “I thirst” for God so that the thirst that Jesus feels will be quenched also.

"HALINA, LUMAPIT SA AKIN"
Written by Nemy Que, SJ

Prayer

Lord, you said “I thirst” in the midst of Your death. And we accept that You are thirsty because of us. Help us then to have a continuous change of heart to follow You, take our cross also, and suffer like you so that we can utter more your words, “I thirst,” for You, my God and my all. Amen.

(Fr. Franklin is currently the Oeconumus of the Diocese of Laoag and also a Parochial Vicar of St. William Cathedral, Laoag.)

Sixth Word

FR. ANDY DE GUZMAN

“Tapos na”, ang wika ng ating Panginoon. Dalawang mga wika na lang, tapos na rin ang Siete Palabras.

“Naganap na”. Nararamdaman ni Jesus na malapit na siyang malagutan ng hininga. Ilang araw na Siyang nagpapakasakit. At ngayon halos tatlong oras na Siyang nakabayubay sa krus. Ang lakas ng Kanyang katawan ay may hangganan. Nadarama na Niya ang panghihina ng Kanyang katawan, ang papalapit na kamatayan.

Ano ang pinakahuling salita ni Jesus? Ang tatlong naunang Ebanghelyo ay nagsabing si Jesus ay sumigaw nang malakas bago nalagutan ng hininga ngunit wala sa kanilang tatlo ang nagsabi kung ano mismo ang sinabi ni Jesus. Ngunit sa Ebanghelyo ayon kay Juan, ang pinakahuling salita ng ating Panginooon ay "Tetelestai."

“Naganap na”. “Sa wakas, natapos na.” “Nagwakas na.” “It is finished.”
“Nabuo na.” “Nakumpleto na.” “Natupad na.” “Nagampanan na.” Nagawa na.” “Mission accomplished.”

Ang salitang ito ay matatagpuan sa mga resibo sa Imperyo Romano noong mga panahong iyon. Nangangahulugan itong, bayad na ang isang tao. “Fully-paid” ika nga. Sa wika ng ating Panginoon, “tetelestai” mababatid na ang ating pagkakautang sa Diyos dahil sa kasalanan ay nabayaran na nang buo ni Jesukristo.

“Tetelestai” ay nangangahulugan din na mayroong isang bagay na nagtapos na, naganap na, nabuo, nagampanan na may bisa na pangmatagalan.

“Tetelestai” Napakamakapangyarihang salita na kinailangang mamatay ang anak ng Diyos para masambit. Isang salita lamang ngunit nakapagpabago sa kasaysayan ng sangkatauhan. Ito ang naging hudyat ng tagumpay. Para kay Jesus, ito ay Kanyang pagdiriwang. Isang pagdiriwang na ninais Niyang ang buong mundo sa lahat ng panahon ang makarinig upang tumimo sa ating puso at isipan.

“Tetelestai” Nangyari na ang matagal na hinihintay ng mga banal at ng buong sangkatuhan. Naganap nang lahat ang mga propesiya sa Banal na Kasulatan tungkol kay Jesus.

“Tetelestai” “Natapos na ang aking gawain .” Si Jesus ay naging tao, nangaral, nagmahal, nagpakasakit, nagpasan ng krus at ngayo’y naghihingalo upang iligtas tayo sa ating mga kasalanan, upang lupigin ang kamatayan, upang muli tayong ipakipagkasundo sa Diyos, upang magtamasa tayo ng buhay maka-Diyos, upang simulan niya ang Bagong Tipan, upang bilang isang mabuting pastol maibigay niya ang kanyang buhay alang-alang sa nawawalang mga tupa, upang maging mga anak tayo ng Diyos.

Natapos na ni Jesus ang kaganapan ng kanyang misyon sa lupa. Nasunod at nagampanan na ni Jesus ang mga gawain ng Ama sa lupa.

“Tetelestai” ito rin sana ay ating maging wika sa wakas ng ating buhay. Sana, maluwag sa loob na masabi nating natapos na ang ating gawain sa lupa, natapos na ang misyong ibinigay sa atin ng Diyos.

At upang maganap natin ang ating misyon, kinakailangan ng dalawang bagay: katapatan at pag-ibig.

Una, kailangan ng katapatan sa ating tungkulin – maging ikaw man ay pari, relihiyoso o laiko; maging ikaw man ay mahirap o mayaman, may pinag-aralan o wala, may mataas na posisyon sa trabaho o simpleng manggagawa, opisyal ng gobyerno o businessman.

Kahit ano ka pa man, gawin mo na nang buong husay at tapat ang iyong mga tungkulin.

Kung ikaw ay pinuno sa pamahalaan, tungkulin mo ang maglingkod at paunlarin ang bayan.

Kung ikaw naman ay sundalo o alagad ng batas, tungkulin mong pangalagaan ang kapayapaan ng bayan.

Kung ikaw ay guro, tungkulin mo na turuan at hubugin ang iyong mga estudyante upang sila ay maging pag-asa sa kinabukasan.

Kung ikaw ay tsuper ng jeepney at bus, tungkulin mo na ihatid ang mga pasahero sa kanilang pupuntahan nang walang sakuna. Tungkulin mo ring sumunod sa batas ng trapiko upang magkaroon ng kaayusan ang mga lansangan.

Kung ikaw ay nasa hukuman, tungkulin mo na bigyan ng katarungan ang mga naapi ayon sa batas.

Kung ikaw ay pari o relihiyoso, tungkulin mo na ilapit ang mga tao sa Diyos.

Kung ikaw ay estudyante, tungkulin mo na mag-aral nang mabuti.

Kung ikaw ay magulang, mahalin at arugain nang tama ang iyong mga anak. Kung ikaw ay anak, mahalin, igalang, sundin at pangalagaan mo ang iyong magulang hanggang sa kanilang pagtanda. Kung ikaw ay kapatid, igalang mo at mahalin ang iyong mga kapatid.

Tayong lahat ay mga anak ng Diyos, at may tungkulin tayo sa bawat isa lalo na sa mga mahirap, sa maliit, sa mahihina at sa naliligaw ng landas.

Mahirap, maliliit, mahihina, naliligaw ng landas, marami sila. Hindi lang dito sa aming parokya, kundi kahit saang lugar makakikita ka ng mga katulad nila. Sila ang bigay ng Diyos sa ating pagkakataon (opportunities) upang isabuhay ang ating tungkuling “mahalin ang ating kapwa gaya ng ating sarili”.

Ang pangalawang kinakailangan upang matupad ang ating misyon ay ang pagganap sa tungkulin nang may pag-ibig. Ayon kay Santa Teresa de Jesus, kahit na ang maliit na gawain ay nagpapabanal kung ang mga ito’y may kasamang pag-ibig. Ito ang maghahatid sa atin sa kaligtasan, sa kalangitan.

Ang mga banal sa kalangitan ay hindi mga extraordinaryong mga tao. Sila ay mga ordinaryong indibidwal na namuhay sa pag-ibig sa kanilang simpleng pamumuhay.

Noon ay may isang matandang monghe na naghihingalo sa kanyang munting silid. Buhat pa sa pasimula nang siya’y pumasok sa monasteryo, siya ang naging sastre ng mga kapatid niyang monghe. Siya’y tumanda na sa gawaing ito.

Sa kanyang paghihingalo, siya’y humiling, “Iabot sa akin ang susi . . . ng . . . langit.”

Dali-daling iniabot sa kanya ang aklat ng may pamagat “Ang Susi Ng Langit”. Siya’y umiling. Dinala sa harap niya ang krusipiho. Umiling na naman siya.

Inilapit ang aklat Saligan ng mga monghe, ang Santo Rosaryo, at iba pa. Subalit sa bawat isa nito ay siya’y umiling na aniya: “Hindi. . . iyan”.

Ang mga mongheng nakaluhod sa kanyang paligid ay nagtanung-tanungan kung ano ang hinihiling niyang susi ng langit.

Kapagdaka, isang batang monghe, na kasama-sama niya sa kanyang gawain, ang pumasok sa silid at ibinigay sa matandaang monghe ang isang lumang karayom – ang karayom na ginagamit niya sa pananahi.

Kinuha niya ang karayom, inilagay sa tapat ng kanyang puso, at winika: “Sa pamamagitan nito, nagampanan ko ang aking tungkulin sa monasteryo. Ito ang susi ko sa langit. Ito ang magbubukas sa akin ng pinto ng langit.” Pagkaraan, siya ay mapayapang nakapiling ng Panginoon.

Ito, mga kapatid, ang maluwalhating “Tetelestai” ng isang tapat na sastre sa loob ng monasteryo.

Sa makasalanan, ang ika-anim na wika ay wika ng kalagiman. Para siyang magnanakaw na nahuli sa akto. “Lagot, natapos na, huhusgahan na ako, paparusahan na ako”

Ngunit, sa mabuti at banal na tao, ang ikaanim na wika ay wika ng kaganapan. Isang hudyat na mararating na niya ang buhay na walang hanggan.

Mga mahal kong kapatid, ang ating kaligtasan ay hindi nagtatapos sa kamatayan ni Jesus. Ito lamang ay simula at halimbawa upang marating din natin ang ating katapusan. Maiksi lang ang buhay. Hindi po natin alam kung hanggang saan at hanggang kailangan tayo mabubuhay. Ang mahalaga, handa tayo kahit anong oras, handa tayong sabihin na: Panginoon, tapos na, nagampanan ko na ang Iyong kalooban at ngayon handa na akong makipiling ka magpakailanman. Handa na ba tayong sabihin ito?

Pag-isipan natin; Ipanalangin natin.

Prayer

Ama, natapos na ang misyon ng Iyong Anak sa lupa. Naganap na ang Iyong pagliligtas. Ngunit ang kaligtasang ito ay patuloy pa ring kumikilos sa aming naglalakbay sa lupa at nakikibaka sa buhay. Nawa'y kung sakaling magwakas na ang aming buhay, mapatunayan naming naging tapat kami sa Iyong kalooban sa pagsasabuhay ng Iyong salita at pagpapalaganap ng Iyong pag-ibig. Ito'y hinihiling namin sa ngalan ni Jesukristong Panginoon kaisa ng Espiritu Santo. Amen.

(Fr. Andy worked for eight years in various companies before becoming a priest in the Archdiocese of Manila in 2007. He is currently serving as Parochial Vicar in Holy Cross Parish, Makati City.)

Seventh Word

FR. GUILLERMO H. TEJON, OP

Sinner(S): My sin is always before me. So many sins in fact that I cannot count them. Sins against everyone and everything in heven and on earth...and this all throughout my life. When I try to recall and enumerate them I get lost, and nearly despair. They loom infinite in number and in grievousness.

How can I possibly get rid of this heavy burden upon my memory, my mind, my heart?...Aren't my sins simply too many and too big to be forgiven?...I hardly dare speak up before You, Lord. Rather I am just musing things within myself, but in Your presence because I have nowhere else to go. Here at least I find some relief in being able to to confront myself with what I have been, with what I am, and somehow to wish that things were different!...How I wish they were different!...How I wish they were different!

Crucified Christ (C): But they are different! Totally different!...

S: What?...Am I dreaming?...Am I hearing voices?...Am I being deluded by self-optimism or trying to find unacceptable excuses for what looks and is absolutely unexcusable, especially considering the great things I have received from the Lord?...

C: No, you are not hearing voices, nor having delusions. You are hearing the VOICE OF MERCY, the only Voice that counts. The Voice of the One who died for you; or rather, in atonement for your sins, even before you committed them.

S: Can that be true, Lord? Remember: my sins are innumerable and most grievous.

C: I'm well aware of that. Better and more perfectly aware than yourself. But I am also aware of something else, something that you seem to have forgotten, if ever you truly believed in it.

S: What is that, Lord?

C: That my Mercy is infinite, just infinite. "Infinite" means without limitations of any kind. Nothing merely human is really infinite. Therefore, your sins, no matter how 'infinite' they may look to you, cannot compare in infinitude with my Love and Mercy. Love and Mercy for you!...Keep that ever clear in your mind.

S: But...

C: There is no 'but'...Just plain faith, trust, and acceptance! You see, you are looking down, at the trail of failures that mark your past life. Now I invite you to look at another trail: the Trail of Blood that went from Gethsemane to the Scourging at the pillar, to the Crown of Thorns, to and through the Via Dolorosa, to the Cross...And as you look at it, notice how, step by step, this Trail keeps erasing all the trails of sin of the world, including yours, of course.

S: Lord, I want to believe, but I find it hard, for somehow I cannot take my mind off my sins.

C: All right. I quite understand how you feel. But now try to understand how I feel.

S: You, Lord?...

C: Yes, I, your Lord. Let me put it this way. Let's suppose that you go to a store and buy an expensive piece of jewelry. The price is high, but you fall in love with it at first sight and invest your money on it, hoping that later it would bring a good return.

Let's suppose further that the clerk at the store draws a receipt for your payment, places it neatly in an envelope and hands it to you. You take it, say thank you, and leave. Later, however, on opening the envelope, you find the receipt but not the piece of jewelry. What would you do?...Go back and claim it, insisting with all your strength of voice if necessary, that it belongs to you, wouldn't you?...And should the clerk keep saying that he gave it to you, you would pursue the case until you got your jewelry. Wouldn't you do all that?...

S: I'd most certainly do. But what has all that got to do with my problem right now?

C: It has much to do. Everything in fact.

S: I don't understand.

C: Pick up your Bible and read I Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23: "You have been purchased, and at a price!" You belonged to Satan, to the world, and I purchased you at a very high price, the price of every drop of my blood. Did you hear that? Every drop of my blood!...So...you belong to me! You are mine! Just like that! You are mine, period! So I claim you as my own just as you claimed as your own that piece of jewelry!...Keep the word "jewelry" always clear and foremost in your mind.

Yes, you are precious, most precious, to me. Just as precious as the blood I shed for you. And you are precious to the Father who created you, and to the Spirit who came to you in baptism and dwells in you, and to my Blessed Mother who shared the Cross with me and who on that occasion became your Mother as well. All and everyone (the Father, Myself, the Spirit, your Mother Mary) are not simply interested in recovering you, but strongly determined that it be so. All you have to do, I repeat, is to let us lead you along the way of life. Along the Way of the True Life, that is, Life in God. And not just in any way, but in my own Way...the Way, the Truth, that is, My Way, for I am also the Truth, and the Way of Life. Not just any life, but LIFE I won for myself and for you (keep this ever in mind..."and for you"!) through my Cross and my Resurrection. Take all this in, as the truth, as the only worthwhile and reliable truth, and get rid of anything - wherever it may come from - that tries to make you go any other way.

S: I'm overwhelmed, Lord, and I don't know what to say.

C: You don't have to say anything. Just accept this as the new and only reality in your life, a reality for which I stand as guarantor. Throw all your sins at the foot of the Cross, and in true repentance and deep faith, say with my disciple Thomas "My Lord and my God"!

There have been many before you, there are others right now, and there will be more in the future...with the same problem, the same questions...and with the same answer, the same solution.

As a human being, you are limited, finite. As God and Savior, I am Infinite, without limits. So, presupposing that you are truly sorry for your sins, the whole question boils down to "infinte" versus "INFINITE". Your love for sin was great, but my love for you is much greater.

And if there still remains any doubt in you, recall the following words I addressed to the world through St Maria Faustina of the Divine Mercy Devotion: "I am Love and Mercy itself. My heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners...It is for them that Blood and Water flowed from my Heart as from a fountain overflowing with mercy.

Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is greater than your sins, and those of the entire world. I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then with trust to draw graces from the fountain."

Prayer

O Lord, behold here before You a soul who exists in this world in order to allow You to exercise Your admirable MERCY and manifest it before heaven and earth. Others may glorify You through their faithfulness and perseverance, thus making evident the power of Your grace. How sweet and generous You are to those who are faithful to You!

Nevertheless I will glorify You by acquainting others of Your goodness to sinners and by reminding them that Your MERCY is above all malice, that nothing can exhaust it, and that no relapse, no matter how shameful or criminal, should allow the sinner to despair of forgiveness.

I have offended You grievously, O beloved Redeemer, but it would be still worse if I were to offend You by thinking that You were lacking in goodness to forgive me. I would rather be deprived of everything else than the TRUST I have for Your MERCY.

Should I fall a hundred times, or should my crimes be a hundred times worse than they actually are, I would continue to trust in Your MERCY. Amen.

(Prayer of St Claude De Columbiere)

(Fr. Guillermo entered the Dominican Order in Avila, Spain where he also did his philosophical and theological studies. Ordained a priest in 1953, he did Post-Graduate Course in Modern History at Oxford University and later obtained a PhD in History at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. He worked as a missionary in the Philippines, Australia, Venezuela, Hong Kong, and then back to Manila. At present, he is the Editor of LIFE TODAY, a monthly cultural magazine with a Catholic Orientation.)

Closing

Almighty God, we thank You for sending us Your only Son whose words have been our source of everlasting life. Grant that we may no longer separate ourselves from Him again. For apart from Him we can do nothing. We make our prayers through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

We adore You, O Christ and we bless You. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Courtesy: SeminaristaCP
Via:Email

Why God will never abandon the church

2010-03-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a quote that can best describe why God will never abandon the church.

"To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child-molesters, murderers, adulterers and hypocrites of every description.
It also, at the same time, identifies you with saints and the finest persons of heroic soul of every time, country, race, and gender.
To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves". – Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing

Via: Fran and Deacon Greg

The Palm Sunday in the Philippines - video

2010-03-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines -- Millions of faithful have trooped to different Catholic churches in the country today to commemorate Palm Sunday.
In Manila, parishioners filled Quiapo Church to hear the Holy Mass and have palm stalks and leaves they were carrying blessed by the priest and lay ministers.

On judging others

2010-03-28T23:40:00.000-07:00

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Judge not lest ye be judged. But Jesus also said "go and sin no more". In other words, He wants you to stop repeating the sin. If it's adultery, you cannot ask for forgiveness and at the same time go home with the same man or woman you have committed the sin of adultery with. You must give up the relationship and everything else that caused you to commit that sin.

The context:

John 8:3-12
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. 2 So what do you say?"
They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 3
4 But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
5 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Learning to become still

2010-03-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

Life is surrounded with so much negativity and sometimes we can’t help but dwell on them while exhausting our imaginations and energy unintentionally. Happy Nest has an interesting post that I’d like to share with you about learning to be still when negative thoughts consumes us using a beautiful quote by Michael Beckwith as an inspiration.

"Learn to become still. And to take your attention away from what you don't want, and all the emotional charge around it, and place your attention on what you wish to experience" - Michael Beckwith

This has become my mantra. Every time I find my thoughts gravitating towards negativity, I tell myself "Toni, learn to become still..." It centers me, but not without a lot of energy. Why does it take a lot of effort to get rid of negative thoughts? Is it because once you start thinking of one bad thing, it sucks you into what seems like a vortex of negativity? Have you ever given so much of yourself and not get a single "thank you" for what you did for that person? Someone has been upsetting me very much recently. It hurts to be upset about her, but I cannot help it. I've learned not to expect gratitude anymore. I just do my part and help out as much as I can. These things add up over time though and frankly, it gets tiring. Sometimes I daydream of situations where I just bite her head off. Those daydreams multiply and before I know it, I'm exhausted just thinking of all those bad situations. Those mental what-if's just zap the energy out of me. I try catching myself now once I find myself teetering towards that bottomless pit of negativity. I remember Beckwith's quote and try to take my attention away from what I don't want, and place my attention on what I wish to experience. I believe there is good in everyone. I believe there is good in her. Her goodness is what I wish to experience, and I'll continue to hope for a positive change in things. I'm no fool however. Maybe soon I won't "learn to become still." Instead, I'll learn to move on. Who wants to be tied down to negative people anyway? A relationship is give-and-take, and to be the only one giving is draining me very much. I will carry on with focusing on the positives I wish to experience. For now, I am still. It's like a visioning exercise -- see it, claim it, own it and it will be yours. Learn to become still and focus on that positive experience you desire to have. This vision of positivity will stop me from being sucked into that negativity vortex. This vision will help me learn to become still.

Source: Toni Platon-Tiu

A Mother's Advice

2010-03-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

When I was a teenager, I used to hear my mom say “I know you cannot understand me but someday you will once you become a mother”. That’s why this beautiful and meaningful piece has touched me so much and inspired me as a mother. I just have to post it here to share to everybody.

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."

"We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations...."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.

I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub.

That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a souffle or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood.

She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell.

She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years-not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.

I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first time.

I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.

"You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.

This blessed gift from God.. . . that of being a Mother.

Author Unknown

Source: Cherished Hearts at Home

Cory Aquino's quotes, a testament of her faith

2010-03-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Some of President Cory Aquino's famous quotes:

1. “There is much that women can bring into politics that would make our world a kinder, gentler place for humanity to thrive in.”

2. “As I came to power peacefully, so I shall keep it.”

3. “I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.”

4. “Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things – with resignations, yes, but above all, with serene, blazing hope.”

5. “I am not embarrased to tell you that I believe in miracles.”

6. “I guess my religious faith sustained me more than anything else.”

7. “It wasn’t until we got over the self pity that we were able to accept suffering sufferign as apart of our life with Christ. A man or woman reaches this plane when only when he or she ceases to be the hero.”

8. “It’s not just in politics that you can be a servant of the people, you can do it in so many other ways.”

9. “I am not an icon of democracy. You are all, collectively, the icon of democracy.”

10. “I would like to ask the many Filipino people to pray together, to help each other so that we will be able to preserve the democracy we restored 20 years ago.”

Source: Fr. Felman

St.Joseph's real estate miracle stories

2010-03-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

You can’t sell your house? Bury a statue of St. Joseph in your yard and a miracle can happen and your house will be sold miraculously. Yes, I’ve heard so many similar stories but never got really curious until a post from Deacon Bench got my attention to learn more about it.

Selling can be difficult in this tough economy. People will try just about anything, including looking for some heavenly help. Catholic author Stephen J. Binz has written a book about it, called “St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent: The Patron Saint Of Home Life and Home Selling.” Our Francesca Maxime had a chance to speak with him. [Watch video of Stephen J. Binz to learn more]

A video of Ron Culberson of FUNsulting, etc. tells a hilarious story of selling his house by burying a statue of St. Joseph in his yard:

St. Patrick's day: Irish blessing

2010-03-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Click on photo to receive the Iris blessing.

Earthquake safety reminder

2010-03-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

Strong earthquakes has recently been happening globally and now is the time to make safety plans, stock some extra water, food, and if you have camping equipments, make sure they are ready and within reach. Most importantly, have a stockpile of water, food not only at home, but also a small amount in your cars along with a change of clothes and walking or hiking shoes in your cars. Make sure you have a good flashlight in your car, and a good flashlight taped to the side of your bed. In case of a night quake, you will not be able to safely go and "find" a flashlight in the dark and possible rubble. Remember no candles or matches until you are sure there are no gas leaks in your home, or the area.

Cheating on Lenten sacrifice is not a sin

2010-03-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

I know this is good to know to most of us who have cheated on our Lenten sacrifice and had some feelings of guilt. Like today which is Friday, a co-worker brought some delicious Vietnamese Hand-rolled Eggroll that had a big slice of pork ham on top. It was so fresh and smelled to good. I admit I was about to gobble up one when something reminded me: “today is Friday and no meat” as you’ve promised”. Honestly, I was very tempted. Especially after I heard how good they were. According to some priests, trying is the thing that really counts.

Maybe you gave up chocolate, but no one was watching when you passed the candy dish. Maybe you gave up taking the elevator, but your legs hurt from the stairs.

You swore off TV, except for that one episode of Lost.

Relax, priests say. Sinned, you have not.

A Lenten sacrifice, or "giving something up," is intended to draw a believer closer to God, with the idea that self-denial can enhance spirituality. Catholics and Protestants often give up something they enjoy to reflect the sacrifice they believe Jesus Christ made for them.

Nonreligious people sometimes get in on the tradition for self-improvement purposes.

For those who do sacrifice to get closer to God, what matters is effort, not perfection, said the Rev. Michael Watson of St. Andrew Parish, a Catholic church in Upper Arlington.

"Because we're prone to human weakness from time to time, it doesn't mean the end of the world," he said.

Slipping up is not a sin unless the action you committed is itself a sin, he said.

So if you swore off alcohol and had one cocktail, that's not a sin. But if you had five and got drunk, you probably committed the sin of immoderation, whether it's Lent or not.

People who slip sometimes tell the Rev. Jerry Rodenfels of the Church of the Resurrection in New Albany, as if they have to confess their misdeeds.

He tells them "not to worry. It's not a sin," he said. But they still feel bad. [Read more here]

Vatican Exorcist has treated over 70,000 Cases

2010-03-11T20:37:00.000-08:00

Inside his small third floor office at Vatican City, the Rev. Gabriel Amorth prepares for his next client. In the corner, is a bed with restraining ropes. On the walls, pictures of the Virgin Mary. Near an armchair there is a Bible and other copies of prayers.

Looking his 85 years, the priest is still dressed in his pajamas, but his face shows signs of energy that has helped sustain him as the chief exorcist for the Vatican during the last 25 years.

In a rare interview with the Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, Amorth strongly defends his work and that of the Association of Exorcists.

"The devil is not everywhere," he says. "But when he is present it is painful." He says he has treated over 70,000 cases of demonic possession.

"The devil is pure spirit, invincible. He is shown with the painful blasphemies coming from the person which he possesses. He can stay hidden. He can speaks different languages. He can transform himself," Amorth says.
It can take six or seven of Amorth's assistants to hold down someone possessed. Often, he says, they choke up nails or shards of glass.

"None of this scares me he says," touching a small pouch where he holds the vomited artifacts. "I know that God is using me for this work."

But even the fearless priest becomes still, his voice grave when asked whether the devil can strike inside the Vatican City.

"He has tried already. He did it in 1981 by attacking John Paul II by working with those who armed Ali Agca. And also now with the attack on Christmas Eve night when the crazy woman pushed down Benedict XVI."

His face serious, the many lines on his face clear, Amorth confesses, "The devil resides in the Vatican."

While admitting that it is hard to prove, he says the consequences of the devil's work are evident: Cardinals who don't believe in Jesus, bishops who are linked with the devil. As early 1972 Pope Paul VI talked about the "smoke of Satan" that hovered in the Vatican, but it is more recent events like the pedophilia scandal the church is confronted with and the grisly murder by a Swiss guard of his commander and wife that Amorth uses as evidence of the devil's presence.

His favorite movie, of course, is "The Exorcist."

Pope Benedict XVI is a proponent of the work of exorcists, and Amorth says that he had met with him on more than one occasion when then Cardinal Ratzinger was the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. Amorth says the Pope is committed to helping him receive a recommendation from the Church's Congregation of the Divine Cult that will confirm each and every Catholic diocese in the world should have at least one exorcist on its staff.

There are differences of opinion about exorcism inside the church, La Repubblica adds. Some are skeptical, some suspicious, other resistant.

"I believe bishops who don't appoint exorcists are committing a mortal sin," Amorth says.

The toll of his work is clear. He recently collapsed from the seven days a week, 24 hour a day, on call schedule. The table in his office is covered with small bottles of medicines. He says that he relies heavily on lay people to assist him in his efforts.

"I work also on Christmas and Easter, " he sighs.

He has moved offices more than 23 times after fellow priests complained of the screams from his office at all hours of the day and night. Slamming doors, overturning chairs, rolling eyes and vomiting are part of the exorcist's daily routine.

"Some have vomited metal the size of a human finger, others have vomited rose petals," he says.

The exorcist's guide is the Scriptures, his tools are prayer.

"More than 90 percent of the cases of people who are possessed come from spells," he says. "People with anger or vendettas seek out magicians to cast spells and they are paid handsomely."

The fact that the devil has penetrated the halls of the Vatican should make the most reverent of Catholics shudder. Not so according to Amorth and his colleagues. Their work is to protect you.

"The principle responsibility of the exorcist is to free man from the fear of the devil."

Source: CLARK BENTSON/ABCNews

The effect of the “Nuns on Oprah” episode – more interesting updates

2010-03-10T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ann Arbor, Mich., Mar 9, 2010 / 06:51 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In February, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist made an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Since then, almost all the feedback the sisters have received has been overwhelmingly positive the sister's mission director told CNA/EWTN.

During their appearance, the sisters fielded questions regarding their vocation and discernment, their vows of poverty and chastity, and their life in community. “I think the main excitement for the sisters comes from the fact that we are glad to have had the chance to tell our story in such a positive, balanced manner to such a large audience,” Sister Maria Guadalupe Hallee, Director of Mission Advancement for the sisters, told CNA/EWTN.

“One of the sisters here put it really well when she said that the focus of the show really seemed to about ‘who we are’ rather than ‘what we do,’” she added. “We are really pleased with this, because although it seems like a very small distinction, it’s really quite important.”

On the show, “many of the sisters spoke about experiencing a desire for something more, and I would say that it is our identity as religious (brides of Christ, which Oprah found so fascinating) that fulfills us more than our activity – again, the primacy of ‘being’ over ‘doing,’” Sister Maria Guadalupe explained.

Since the show aired, the sisters have received positive feedback from all sides. Sister Maria Guadalupe reported that while traveling by plane, a flight attendant asked her if she had seen the “nuns” on Oprah. The question presented an opportunity for a lengthy conversation which proved edifying for those around them as well. She said that other sisters have also been approached about the show in gas stations, grocery stores, or on campus.

After the show, the number of young women registered for the sisters' February discernment retreat jumped from 70 to 135. The community has also received many emails from new and old supporters, both before and after the show, sharing their excitement. “Probably our favorite feedback, though, comes in the form of stories we’ve heard, both directly and indirectly, from individuals who have been away from the practice of their Catholic faith, but were encouraged by the joy of our sisters to consider returning to the faith,” explained Sister Maria Guadalupe. “These potential conversions are very precious to us, and we continue to pray for all who have encountered us through this show.”

In the end, “we could not have asked for anything better!” exclaimed the joyful Dominican.

For more information about the sisters, visit: http://www.sistersofmary.org/

Amazing music video - must see

2010-03-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Examination of Conscience

2010-03-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Examination of Conscience
Based on the Ten Commandments
(From Brother, Save Yourself - by Fr. James Alberione, S.S.P, S.T.D.)

1] I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
Do I give God time every day in prayer?
Do I seek to love Him with my whole heart?
Have I been involved with superstitious practices or the occult?
Do I seek to surrender myself to God's Word as taught by the Church?
Have I ever received Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I ever deliberately told a lie in confession or withheld a mortal sin?

[2] You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I used God's name in vain: lightly or carelessly?
Have I been angry with God? Have I voiced that anger?
Have I insulted a sacred person or abused a sacred object?

[3] Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation?
Have I tried to observe Sunday as a family day and a day of rest?
Do I do needless work on Sunday?

[4] Honor your Father and your Mother.
Do I honor my parents? Do I obey them as appropriate?
Do I care for my aged and infirm relatives?
Have I neglected my duties to my spouse and children?
Have I given my family good religious example?
Do I pray for my family and try to bring peace into my home life?

[5] You shall not kill.
Have I had an abortion or encouraged anyone to have an abortion?
Have I undergone, encouraged or condoned sterilization?
Have I physically harmed anyone?
Have I abused alcohol or drugs?
Did I give scandal to anyone, thereby leading them into sin?
Have I been angry or resentful? Have I harbored hatred in my heart?

[6] You shall not commit adultery.
Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action?
Have I engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?
Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control in my marriage?
Has each sexual act in my marriage been open to the transmission of new life?
Have I been guilty of masturbation?
Have I sought to control my thoughts?
Have I respected all members of the opposite sex or thought of some as objects?
Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?
Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words and actions?
Am I careful to dress modestly?

[7] You shall not steal.
Have I stolen what is not mine?
Have I returned or made restitution for what I have stolen?
Do I waste time at work, school or at home?
Do I gamble excessively, thereby denying my family of their needs?
Do I pay my debts promptly?
Do I seek to share what I have with those in need?

[8] You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Have I lied, gossiped, or spoken behind someone else's back?
Am I sincere in my dealings with others?
Am I critical, negative or uncharitable in my thoughts of others?
Do I keep secret what should be kept confidential?

[9] You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
Have I consented to impure thoughts?
Have I caused them by impure reading, movies, conversations or curiosity?
Do I seek to control my imagination?
Do I pray at once to banish impure thoughts and temptations?

[10] You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
Do I envy what other people have?
Are material possessions the purpose of my life or work?
Do I trust that God will care for all of my material and spiritual needs?

Amazing dedication to adoration

2010-02-25T10:24:00.000-08:00

This video is truly an inspiration.

Daryl Markham's audition touched me

2010-02-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

I missed this last year and for those who missed it too, be ready with your tissue and expect some tears to flow. Watch video:

Nuns on Oprah Winfrey show with HD video

2010-02-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

OVERNIGHT AT THE CONVENT:
To understand what it's like to be a nun, Lisa Ling spends the night at a convent outside of Detroit. Tag along on Lisa's eye-opening night. [Read my previous post]
Watch the video here and read full story here].

Nuns on the Importance of Silence and Reflection [video]:

Read full story:

Imagine if you were asked to give up your career, possessions, sex life and the possibility of ever having children. It's a way of life many women worldwide gladly accept in order to serve God.

There are more than 60,000 Catholic nuns in the United States, with 750,000 worldwide. As nuns, sisters take three strict vows: chastity, poverty and obedience to God and their church. Nuns believe they are married to Jesus Christ, and some wear wedding rings to symbolize their devotion.

Their traditional clothing is called a habit, which consists of a white cap, veil and long tunic. Nuns consider this their wedding dress.

Not all nuns live the same lifestyle. Cloistered nuns rarely leave the confines of their monastery and pray up to 12 hours a day. Some sisters choose an independent path, which means they live alone, go to college, pursue careers and don't wear a habit.

Oprah Show correspondent Lisa Ling is no stranger to exploring different ways of life. She's traveled to the Congo, reported on North Korea and gone inside a prison. Now, she's going where she's never gone before—inside a convent.
The nuns of Dominican Sisters of Mary, a thriving convent outside of Detroit, invited Lisa to spend the night. Just under 100 nuns live at the convent. The average age of a sister is 26; the youngest sister is only 18.
When she arrives at 5:30 p.m., Lisa says she expects to find the sisters in prayer. Instead, they're playing cards and Scrabble!

At 7 p.m., a bell signals the call to nightly prayer. The first 15 minutes are conducted in complete silence. A procession follows, with nuns lined up from youngest to oldest. "At the end of this, it's silence," Sister Joseph Andrew says. "The sisters go and they either study, or if there's duties to be done, [they do those]."

At 10 p.m., the sisters have profound silence. "That means absolutely no talking and everyone should be in her cell," Sister Joseph Andrew says.

The 100 cells, or bedrooms, of the convent are cloistered, which means no one is allowed in. An exception is made for Lisa and the cameras.

The rooms are free of possessions. "We don't really have a lot of things, and that's a part of our vow of poverty," she says. "Our time is given to God and to people."

Bedtime is also the only time of day a nun does not wear her habit. "We always say it's kind of like a woman's wedding ring. It says someone loves me. Someone has claimed me as his own," she says. "And of course we would say that's Christ."
At 5 a.m., a bell rings to rouse Lisa and the sisters. Twenty minutes later, everyone's at morning Mass. "We live in a culture where we're bombarded with so much noise and so much insecurity," Lisa says. "This was actually a very peaceful night's stay that I had."

At 7 a.m., everyone heads to breakfast. All meals are eaten in silence. There's no time to linger as the sisters attend to their daily jobs—cleaning, teaching and whatever else is needed to keep the convent running.

Lisa then sees Sister Joseph Andrew use something she never thought she'd see at the convent—a BlackBerry! "Wherever I go, I grab my prayer books and I grab my BlackBerry," she says. "If a young woman is really looking at this [life], she immediately wants to know is there a family spirit here."

Every day after lunch, the sisters get some exercise. Their favorite activities? Field hockey, soccer and basketball. "They obviously always have to wear their habits. They just pull them up a little bit and put their sneakers on," Lisa says. "Let me tell you something, these sisters are competitive."

It can take up to nine years to become a nun. Women who have just joined the convent are called postulants. These sisters-in-training don't yet wear a veil. "When you're a postulant, [it's] the first year you enter," Sister John Dominic says. "The idea of a postulant means 'to ask.'"

The next step after being a postulant is to become a novice. It's a time of study, and novices can be identified by their white veils. "We're right now in what's called canonical year," novice Sister Maria says. "It's a year that you spend really entering more fully into the life, focusing more in prayer, and you're trying to really avoid as many distractions as you possibly can."

Once sisters have taken their final vows, they wear a black veil. Mother Assumpta, one of the founders of the convent, has been in this life since age 17. She says she never feels that she missed out on other experiences like having children. "I think every woman is called to be a mother, you know, physically," she says. "But God called me to this, and this is what I want to be—a spiritual mother."

Sister Mary Judith, now 26, joined the sisterhood at age 21. "I was really at a crisis point in my life. I had been in college for three years, and prior to that I grew up in northern Saskatchewan on an Indian reservation, so I encountered a lot of suffering, drugs," she says. "I was looking to be filled, and I felt empty. But it's interesting because I wanted to save the people I saw drowning, but I was drowning myself."

Sister Mary Judith says she removed herself from the situation by going to college. While away volunteering at Thanksgiving, she received a call that a close friend had been shot back home. "It kind of just put me face-to-face with my life. [It] wasn't just a joke or just having fun," she says. "I needed to find a direction."

Sister Mary Judith says she turned to God. "He made it very clear to me that if I wanted to be happy, I had to give my whole life to him."

Sister Francis Mary, now 26, says she received the calling when she was 22. Though she was baptized Catholic, Sister Francis Mary says she wasn't particularly religious. In fact, she thought she was meant to marry her serious boyfriend, who was also Catholic.

All of that changed when her boyfriend invited Sister Francis Mary to see his own sister take her vows to become a nun. "Something within me changed," she says. "All of a sudden, I knew that Christ wanted me for himself. And it was mind-boggling. I was afraid."

Eventually, she had to tell her boyfriend of her new life plan. "We both cried," she says. "He was really shocked at first, but then again he was extremely supportive and I am so grateful to him."

As it turns out, God had plans for her boyfriend as well. "God takes care of everything," she says. "He's going to be ordained a priest the same year I make my final vows."

Both Sister Mary Judith and Sister Francis Mary admit they experienced an adjustment period after giving their lives to God. "The very first day I entered I was, like, 'What did I just do?'" Sister Mary Judith says.

Sister Francis Mary says she had a hard time filtering out the things society once told her were important, such as material possessions, wealth and sex. "I really had to weed it out, if you will, slowly. Because you can't just isolate yourself into a little bubble suddenly," she says. "That's why, when I did enter the community, there's that first year of postulancy, which is really a year of being introduced to the life to know how to let go of all these things."

Both sisters say there were times they could have turned back, and no woman is forced to stay. "There's many periods," Sister Mary Judith says. "You're in discernment for basically seven years before you make your final vows."
Sister John Dominic has been a nun for nearly 30 years and says the transition to the church is often harder on the sister's family than the woman herself. "Any mother, the moment they lay their eyes on their child, they have dreams for them," she says. "And they [ask], 'What is my child going to be?'"

She says her own mother was upset with her decision. "I became a Catholic when I was in high school," she says. "Not being Catholic and not being exposed to it was very difficult for her. I had a family member that had been in a cult, so her idea was that I would be cut off from the world, I would be brainwashed and I wouldn't be able to think for myself."

Over time, Sister John Dominic says her mother realized she was still the daughter she'd always known. "They begin to see that we become who we are. My personality hasn't changed," she says. "They begin to see the freedom and the joy in that and there's an acceptance, and she's my biggest supporter now."

Sister Mary Judith says her brothers are always amazed she hasn't become a different person. "[They're] quite amused that I'm just the same person I was before—but almost more so," she says. "If it's your calling, if this is what you're meant to be, you're going to become more of yourself over time."
The vow that most nonclergy are curious about is the vow of chastity. Instead of giving their sexuality to another person, nuns instead give it to Jesus. "He's a hard husband to be married to because if something goes wrong in the relationship, I know it's me," Sister Mary Judith jokes.

"A lot of times people will think that we're repressed because we don't have sex or we're not indulging in the same kind of things that most people our age are indulging in," Sister Mary Judith says. "I feel like I've reclaimed my sexuality from an oversaturated, sexualized world and that I don't want to be an object. I view my sexuality as a precious thing."

Sister Mary Judith says sexual urgings don't go away once a woman becomes a nun—sisters just have a different way of approaching them. "I think that there's a common concept that sexuality or sexual urges or sexual feelings are bad and dark," she says. "It's an integrated part of who we are and expresses a part of who we are. It is not all that we are."

Sexual feelings are kind of like chocolate, she says. "Just because I have this desire for chocolate all the time doesn't mean I'm going to have to eat chocolate every time," she says. "It's using the desires, the same desires I have for a greater calling and for a greater cause."

During her time at the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Lisa asked the sisters what the biggest misconception about nuns is. "That we all have a ruler in our pocket," one sister says.

Lisa says she was surprised by the freedom the sisters felt. "I think the perception of sisters and nuns is that they lead very strict existences," she says. "So many of the women whom I met, they had successful lives and careers, but they never felt like they could be skinny enough or consume enough. They always felt this underlying insecurity and they wanted more out of life. So in a way, rather than being very strict, their lives are actually much more liberating."

Another myth is that a woman has to be a virgin to become a nun. "If there are any young women out there that are interested in the religious life and they happen to have had sex, is it possible if they could enter the convent? Yes," Sister Maria says. "[They have] to prove that they have been living a chaste life prior to entering. They would also be committed to living chastely for the rest of their lives."

Nuns live in the way God commands them to, but they aren't severely punished if they break a vow. "I don't think any of us view our life like a life of rules. It's an integrated way of life," Sister Mary Judith says. "So to break a vow is like saying you're not living integrated. You're almost lying to yourself. So you're inflicting your own punishment on yourself."

"We do make these vows in complete freedom," Sister Francis Mary adds. "It takes three years before we can even first pronounce those vows, even just discerning and seeing if this is really what God wants and I want."
Since the Dominican Sisters of Mary was established 13 years ago, Sister Mary Samuel says they are seeing more interest than ever from prospective nuns who want to serve more than just themselves. "Our culture is certainly a very challenging culture to live in. It's very secular. Very materialistic. Getting more so," she says. "But our Lord is still calling them to himself. So all our life is a journey toward God and our life, as religious, is a more intimate journey that we have allowed ourselves that time by freeing ourselves from material things, through the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience."

Sister Mary Samuel says the most difficult vow for any nun is that of obedience. Once that is overcome, nothing but good can come. "Everyone has to do the will of God, and when we're doing that, we're the greatest and happiest people. But we have that struggle because we like to do our own will," she says. "We're able to, in religious life, gear that and have that time in silence and prayer to grow closer to him. Our journey is to him and that union, and then we, by being his spouse, we are spiritual mothers as we're mothers to all the children we serve."

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

Today is not only Ash Wednesday but also the beginning of our Lenten journey. Jesus sacrificed and died for us and for all our sins; the least that we could do during this holy season of Lent is to reflect on our sins and forgive those who have wronged us - as a sign of gratitude for all that he has done for us.

A Prayer of Forgiveness

Forgive us, loving God, when we love ourselves insufficiently, shutting out our love for us as your creations, and open our hearts to your love;

Forgive us, O God, for being too hard on ourselves, shutting out your forgiving nature, and open our hears to your forgiveness;

Forgive us for being too busy, shutting out your spirit from our everyday lives, and open our hearts to your spirit;

Forgive us for blaming ourselves for what we have no control over, and open our hearts to your unburdening love;

Forgive us for not having a forgiving attitude towards ourselves, and remind us of Christ’s desire that we love ourselves;

Forgive us for not having a forgiving attitude towards our neighbor, and remind us of Christ’s desire that we love and forgive one another.

During this time of Lent, may we be reminded that God sent Jesus to dwell among us, not to condemn us, but to embrace us with arms of love.

We Are The World - official videos HD

2010-02-14T22:54:00.000-08:00

We Are the World - for Haiti

We Are the World - for Africa

Patrick Henry Hughes - a God's miracle video

2010-02-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

Nuns on Oprah

2010-02-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Lisa Ling talks with nuns in the Dominican Sisters of Mary Convent and asks them what their lives were like before becoming nuns which was featured on Oprah yesterday, February 09.
According to the Anchoress:

Really good show. Winfrey teased but was never disrespectful, and the whole discussion -from leaving parents, to leaving relationships, to giving up what is thought of as "normal," was a healthy back-and-forth. Winfrey was so much better than I had anticipated, that I must admit to having been more cynical about this show than was probably healthy!

And Deacon Greg shares a few details:

The vow that most nonclergy are curious about is the vow of chastity. Instead of giving their sexuality to another person, nuns instead give it to Jesus. "He's a hard husband to be married to because if something goes wrong in the relationship, I know it's me," Sister Mary Judith jokes.

"A lot of times people will think that we're repressed because we don't have sex or we're not indulging in the same kind of things that most people our age are indulging in," Sister Mary Judith says. "I feel like I've reclaimed my sexuality from an oversaturated, sexualized world and that I don't want to be an object. I view my sexuality as a precious thing."

Sister Mary Judith says sexual urgings don't go away once a woman becomes a nun--sisters just have a different way of approaching them. "I think that there's a common concept that sexuality or sexual urges or sexual feelings are bad and dark," she says. "It's an integrated part of who we are and expresses a part of who we are. It is not all that we are."
Sexual feelings are kind of like chocolate, she says. "Just because I have this desire for chocolate all the time doesn't mean I'm going to have to eat chocolate every time," she says. "It's using the desires, the same desires I have for a greater calling and for a greater cause."

Watch the video here and get the story here and the Dominican Sisters site here.

God sends, God saves

2010-02-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

To those with strong and unwavering faith believes that angels are all around us in different ways, forms and circumstances. Here is an amazing story of how a woman saved a man who was lost on the frozen North Sea.

BERLIN – Watch the sunset, save a life.
A woman admiring the sunset on a tourist webcam in northern Germany spotted a man who was lost on the frozen North Sea and probably saved his life by alerting authorities, police said Wednesday.

The man had climbed over pack ice off the coast to photograph a sunset near the town of St. Peter-Ording, then became disoriented on the ice, Husum police spokeswoman Kristin Stielow said.

Unable to locate the beach, the man began using his camera to flash for help. That got the attention of a woman hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in southern Germany who was watching the sunset over the sea on her computer.
The woman contacted police, who located the man's signals and guided him into shore by flashing their car lights. Officers then lectured him on the dangers of trekking on the ice.

Police would not identify the man or the woman who spotted him. Stielow said he was a German tourist in his forties.

She said locals are well aware of the risk of disorientation as darkness falls and the beach becomes hard to identify, but vivid sunsets over frozen landscapes often draw people away from the shore.

At the time the man lost his bearings, the air temperature was below freezing. He could have frozen to death or fallen through the ice, Stielow added.

St. Peter-Ording is popular tourist destination known for its beaches and sailing, and the local tourism board runs a Web site with a webcam. The board, however, said images from the webcam are routinely erased and the dramatic flashes from the man's camera were not saved before the story came to light.

Adorable 5 years old's 911 call - must see

2010-02-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Watch video till the end and you will surely fall in love with the girl. She is every parent's dream, don't you think?
[Sorry, the video link was removed]

"Judas left early too"

2010-01-30T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is what the Pastor's sign is for those who leave Mass early and we know that almost all the Catholic Church has the same problem wherein parishioners would leave the mass before the final blessings. Hmmm, don't even stay to thank God for the blessing? But apparently, the sign was effective.

While regular Mass-goers knew they weren't among the CEO Catholics, many no doubt realized the "Judas left early too" sign applied to them.
"It did have an effect. And I think seeing it makes people stop and think," Fr. Cooney says.

Still, what really annoys Fr. Babich is parishioners missing Mass altogether. "The ones I get upset about are the ones who are not coming," he says. Dan McAfee, director of the archdiocesan Office of Christian Worship and an expert in liturgical law, says, "The expectation is there that you're there for the whole service – until the dismissal."

Fr. Parker, however, has a different frustration, stemming from how some parishioners who stay to the very end behave after Mass. "I'd like to see something done about the level of noise in Catholic churches," he says.

A church's parting thought by Robert Delaney

Our Lady of Guapalupe

2010-01-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

Summary
In Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love, Mr. Anderson & Msgr. Chávez trace the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the sixteenth century to the present and discuss how her message was and continues to be an important catalyst for religious and cultural transformation. Looking at Our Lady of Guadalupe as a model of the Church and Juan Diego as a model for all Christians, the authors explore the changing face of the Catholic Church. They show how Our Lady of Guadalupe's message was not only historically significant, but how it speaks to contemporary issues confronting the American continents and people today.

The best website about the beauty of America

2010-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Check out this website and fall in love with America over and over again.
This is the best website you'll ever see in the net featuring highest quality videos and crystal clear photos of all the 50 states' points of interest, so click on photo to see and enjoy!

Climb your mountains

2010-01-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

Trusting God won’t make mountain smaller but it will make climbing easier. Hope you’ll climb all your mountains everyday. God created it to make you stronger.

Desiderata - about attaining peace and happiness in life

2010-01-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

I have this prayers since the late 80’s and it's still one of my favorites. Desiderata, a latin word for "desired things" is a prose poem by Max Ehrmann about attaining peace and happiness in life.

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Kindness

2010-01-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

Beautiful lives don’t just happen,
They are made every single day with much love, prayers and acts of kindness.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

2010-01-27T06:22:00.000-08:00

Let the morning sun recharge you with tireless energy to go through the day. Let God’s providence be a reminder the He prepared the best for you today.

Everyday

2010-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

Let everyday be a dream you can touch;
Let everyday be a love you can feel;
Let everyday be a reason to live.

Most students are depressed today, why?

2010-01-21T15:17:00.000-08:00

Higher Ed Morning reports:

College students have experienced stress for years. So why are today’s counseling centers seeing droves of students with serious mental health issues? Take a look at the numbers, according to a survey by Robert Gallagher at the University of Pittsburgh:

20 years ago, slightly more than half of counseling directors throughout the country saw students with serious psychological problems
This year, 93.4% saw students with major problems, such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder and suicidal thoughts.
What’s causing the increase in serious issues?

Ben Locke, executive director at Penn State’s Center for the Study of Collegiate Mental Health, explains it this way: “Students have been in a more competitive academic environment from a much earlier age. And that has transitioned into college, where students are coming through feeling overwhelmed from the get-go.”

I think students are depressed today because they are affected by their parent’s financial condition. If students were told by their parents that they have no money available for the books, that alone can make any student stressed or depressed. That’s just one factor. Read here what others thinks.

Happy Wedding Anniversary

2010-01-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our 37th wedding anniversary and due to the very bad weather, we decided to just have a simple celebration. I suggested we have brunch at the Bistro and see the movie “Leap Year” and we did. Romantic comedy category always tops our “movie to see” list and we were not disappointed seeing “Leap Year”. It delivered what we had expected it to be – funny and romantic. While waiting for the heavy rain to stop, we decided to see another one, and because I'm a Jackie Chan fan, we went to see “The Spy Next Door” and we loved it too. Jackie Chan looked like he has aged a little bit but still great in his craft.

Thank you Lord for the joy we had today on our special "love, love, love" day. May you continue to shower us with your love so that we can share that same love to each other and to our children.

Are you a saint in other people's lives

2010-01-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

Fr. Terry said it’s a rare treat to meet a living “saint,” but now that I think about it, I could go on and on if space permitted. Most of these “saints” of my life will never have their names proclaimed in St. Peter’s Square, but that doesn’t diminish the power of their example. While the Church may not proclaim them saints, the local church has already acclaimed them “saints.” Sure, they have their flaws, their clay feet, the thorn in their side—but we whose lives they’ve graced know we’ve been blessed. We know we’ve glimpsed God.

You and I may never be listed in Butler’s Lives of the Saints, but that shouldn’t prevent us from living saintly lives. Each day we’re faced with a myriad of moments when we can choose to do the saintly thing or the sinful thing, the loving or the mean, the sacrificial or the selfish. And as we choose, we must know that at least one person will be influenced by our decision. At least one person will become holier or be led further off the path.

[Source: Rick Potts, C.Ss.R.]

Caring for your elder - a step-by-step guide

2010-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Most of us have aging mother, father, or relatives and we know that eventually we will have to care for them and most of us are unsure of what to do, how to start, or where to go for help. Caring for an elder is not an easy task. There's a lot of physical, emotional, and mental involvement not to mention time and financial. I thank Liguorian writers Jim and Ann Cavera for writing a very helpful step by step guide to elder care, and after reading the article, I'm sure you will find relief from your fears and worries.

The topics are very important and relevant for us to know:
Organization
Health Issues
Housing Options
Choosing a care facility
Making the final choice
Family Discussions
Moving forward

Read full article.

Too busy to pray? Not anymore - read this

2010-01-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

Is your life too busy that you don't have the time to pray? Not anymore because Catholic Digest has ways to keep you spiritually connected even when you’re at your busiest.

1. Sign out at the door
2. Be brief
3. Try out some spiritual sound bites
Read details.

There is a verse for every and any occasion. Browse the psalms and pick out verses that speak to God about various moments of your day or momentous events of your life. Here are a few Psalm bites suggestions from Catholic Digest:

At bedtime
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me rest secure
[PSALM 4:8]

When you’re overwhelmed or stressed
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck
[PSALM 69:2]

At work
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity
[PSALM 26:1]

To avoid gossip
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips
[PSALM 141:3]

For healing
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me
[PSALM 51:12]

For security
May there be no breach in the walls, no exile, and no cry of distress in our streets
[PSALM 144:14]

For thanks
I love You, O Lord, my strength
[PSALM 18:1]

I Believe

2010-01-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

I believe I am here for a special purpose and that God has given me all I need to carry out His plan for me.

I believe that Jesus is always with me - showing me the Way of love, the Truth of the Gospel, and Life everlasting.

I believe in the Spirit of God, working in me, with me, through me and for me, to fulfill His divine will.

[Source: Cotter Supplies]

Blessings

2010-01-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

"God blesses us not to increase our standard of living but to increase our standard of giving."

You know how blessed you are by how much you give, and it's no longer by percentage but by proportion. You will receive by how much you give and you will be measured by the way you measure.

One of the ways to know if a person is generous is by the way they behave on the road when they are driving especially in heavyt traffic.

A genuinely generous person will give his/her last possesion even though it's going to be painful for them.

Most generous are God and since both are willing to give their lives for the sake of their children.

Music is a blessing, and to be able to praise God with all their hearts, minds, and strength is surely a blessing from God because not everyone gives praises and worship to God.

A prayer and reflection manual

2010-01-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

The Order of Prayer

The following is a simple guide to our prayer and reflection manual. In order to pray this small manual, you will need a Bible handy, these reflections, and a willing and open heart to reflect and meditate on the Word of God.
Begin with the following:
1. - Prayer of Offering: OPENING PRAYER.
2. - A careful reading of the scripture texts from your own Bible as guided by references indicated on the top portion of each page.
3. - A reading of the reflection offered for each day on the scripture reading.
4. - A few moments of silent time for reflection and meditation for each one of the participants.
5. - If A Few Minutes of Prayer in the Home is prayed in groups, everyone will be enriched by one another’s reflections.
6. - A reading of the PSALM prayer found at the bottom of each day's reflection with a few moments of silence for integration of the psalm.
7. - The last step is to turn to the Prayers of Petitions and communal prayers to bring to conclusion our daily time of formal prayer with God.
[Source: Pith Press]

Contentment, time, acceptance, wellness, patience, gratitude, glory

2010-01-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Here are great words of encouragements about contentment, time, acceptance, wellness, patience, gratitude, glory:

Many of us spend half of our time wishing for things we could have... if we didn't spend half our time wishing.

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.

Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.Our greatest glory is not never falling, but in rising each time we fall.

[Source: Inbox]

Suggestions for your spiritual new year's resolution

2010-01-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

Some suggestions for 2010:

When we pray, we should close our eyes and open our hearts.

It's better to talk slowly and do not make promises you can not fulfill.

We should start by asking forgiveness for all our sins and
giving thanks to all our blessings.

May it be those we had received, for what we are about to receive and
even those that we will not receive.

When asking for healing, try to meditate and lift up to GOD,
all those sickness, problems, concerns and worries that you have.

Release all those negatives, specially bad attitudes, bad habits,
jealousy, greed, hatred, selfishness and being materialistic.
In doing so, you are allowing GOD to cleanse your whole body
spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.

[source: Inbox]

Thanking God

2010-01-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Dear GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards;

I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better;

I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or
until they stop talking about me;

I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears ;

I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves;

I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet;

I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or
until I get the job;

I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life
that has caused me pain or grief;

I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or
the challenges are removed;

I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because,
I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I'm thanking you because, FATHER,
YOU have not given up on me.

[source: Inbox]

Miracle: Mom and baby died and revived

2009-12-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

Bro,Star ng Pasko is ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID - watch video in HD

2009-12-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

Love this song... a lot!

A kind of serendipity

2009-12-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

He found a book that his mom borrowed from a library that should have been returned on May 10, 1910 or 99 years ago. Here is the story.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – The book returned to the New Bedford Public Library in Massachusetts this week wasn't overdue by a week, a month or even a year. It was nearly a century overdue, and the fine came to $361.35.
"Facts I Ought to Know about the Government of My Country" was supposed to have been returned by May 10, 1910.
Stanley Dudek told the Standard Times newspaper he came across the book while going through things that had belonged to his mother, who died about 10 years ago. He decided that returning the book to the city was the right thing to do.
The overdue book fine was a penny a day in 1910. But Dudek wasn't asked to pay it.
The library plans to display the book in its special collection.

Be born again art

2009-12-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

Interesting art. This great and inspiring piece of art was on display by the entrance of a clinic and was originally posted here.

Two new great movies: St. Joseph, St. Teresa of the Andes

2009-12-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

My family collects religious movies. They are very inspiring and helps build stronger faith. Here are two new ones that are available for purchase. Check them out by clicking on the pictures to go to their website.

Stopping baby abductions

2009-11-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

I remember when I almost lost my boy in a swap meet; there were no words to describe how I felt at that moment. It was like the end of the world for me and I’m sure most parents if not all would feel the same. I’m glad that they finally found a way to fight the devils from abducting babies from hospitals. Read article here.

A Christmas Prayer

2009-11-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Lord,

Bless all families this Christmas,

Help us all to remember this season that you chose to come to us as a humble baby.

You chose to be part of a family yourself and came, not to be served, but to serve and one day die for love of those who hated, deserted, and killed you.

On this Christmas day, may we always remember amid joys, family and presents, the reason we have this season: That you, the Eternal Son of God came to live among us as one of us and as a member of our human family.

Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving day!

2009-11-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

This time, we did not do the usual thanksgiving dinner/get together/reunion type of thing. Our church has announced previously that they will host another thanksgiving dinner and invited all parishioners to come and enjoy. Hmmm, I thought, why not since I'm not in the mood to cook and clean. So, at around 10:30am, off we went to the church. After our Pastor gave the blessings of the food, everyone formed a line to get their food. To my surprise, I didn't expect the whole drama to be so great and delicious. There were so many foods on the long table for all parishioners who came to gobble up: turkey, ham, veggies, desserts (lots), drinks, bread, wine, sodas, plus the service deluxe they gave us. They spoiled us to the max. As the Pastor has said: "if you leave this place still hungry, then that's your fault”. That wasn't the case with me and my family - we came hungry, we left feeling full and with lots of food to go.

I thank God for all the good times as well as the bad for I know that he is always in control of my life. I thank God always for everything.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's thanksgiving week once again and it's time to express our gratitude to God through our words and actions. So I hope that you will find time in your lives to pause and think of how blessed you are and of how good our God is. One of the old practices which is having a thanksgiving dinner with family, relatives, and friends is still the favorite. Other people take this also as an opportunity to volunteer their time and treasure to feed the hungry and the homeless. Whatever you do to thank God is important as long as we acknowledge God’s love and the knowledge that every good and perfect gifts comes from Him.

A man tried to rob a grandma was reduced to tears instead - watch video why

2009-11-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is an amazing story of how a grandma witnessed to a robber. Watch video.
[sorry, the video was removed by its owner]

Mercy in action: wife forgives husband's killer

2009-10-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

LUBBOCK, Texas (CNS) -- On July 9, 2007, while unloading groceries in his garage, Don McCullough noticed a young man hurrying along the sidewalk and perspiring on the hot day. McCullough called out and offered the stranger a bottle of the water he was carrying in his grocery sack.

Alonzo Lewis took the water, left, then returned. He robbed and killed Don McCullough, stabbing the 73-year-old retired Air Force colonel more than 30 times.

McCullough's wife, Margaret Mary, heard the commotion and called 911. When Lewis, now 27, was arrested at his workplace, holding some of McCullough's property, the local media reported widespread shock and outrage.

More than two years later, Margaret Mary McCullough confronted her husband's murderer and the story, once again, caused an uproar. This time, however, it wasn't shock and outrage. It was astonishment and awe. She told Lewis that she has forgiven him.

Lewis pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in mid-September. Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney Matt Powell offered the deal after speaking with McCullough's family.

Don and Margaret Mary McCullough were "among the most devout and active Catholics in the Diocese of Lubbock," said Deacon Leroy Behnke, diocesan director of communications. "In addition to serving in just about every ministry and on just about every committee in their home parish, Don McCullough had the distinction of serving as the very first president of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. I've heard several people say it was Don's heartfelt commitment to the corporal works of mercy that brought about his, their word, 'martyrdom.'"

Last September, Father Jerry Kenney, the pastor of St. John Neumann in Lubbock, and parish leaders invited Bishop Placido Rodriguez of Lubbock to preside at a dedication ceremony for the Don McCullough Education Center, a new classroom addition to their church facilities.

After learning of the kindness she extended to her husband's killer, Bishop Rodriguez wrote a letter to Margaret Mary McCullough, thanking her for the witness given by her family.

"Despite enduring unimaginable, heartbreaking grief, you (Margaret Mary) and members of your family displayed remarkable grace as you addressed Alonzo Lewis after he pled guilty to murdering the father of your children," wrote the bishop. "When you said you hoped he would accept Jesus into his life and go to heaven when he dies so he would have the opportunity to face Don 'once again and tell him how sorry you are,' you spoke with the countercultural conviction of a true saint."

Bishop Rodriguez later met with Powell to commend him for his role in the agreement. During their visit, the bishop presented Powell with a copy of "Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice," a statement by the U.S. Catholic bishops.

"Bishop Rodriguez says that our society's response to crime is a challenge for our church -- and a moral test for our nation," said Deacon Behnke. "He is grateful to District Attorney Powell for his willingness to accept life without parole instead of execution for Alonzo Lewis. The bishops' statement explains our Catholic teachings and advocacy and explains the reasons for his gratitude."

Members of the McCullough family said they have thanked the district attorney for helping them through such a difficult time and allowing them to move on.

Bishop Rodriguez said the family deserves a profound expression of gratitude, too.

"Thank you," he wrote to the widow, her three daughters and two sons. "With this forgiving and life-affirming imitation of ... Jesus Christ, you consecrate Don's memory, you inspire our neighbors, and you bless your bishop along with this local church, the Diocese of Lubbock, which Don served so well."

Bishop Rodriguez noted that the Catholic Church "teaches that state-sanctioned execution of capital criminals can be a moral option." But it also teaches, he said, that the "fact that it can be done doesn't mean it should be done."

"As Jesus taught with his words and revealed in his actions, the only true road to justice and peace passes through mercy," he added. "Neither justice nor peace can be served by adding violence to violence. Mercy must prevail."

Rick Wardroup, the attorney for Lewis, said he has "never seen a classier family than (the McCullough) family."

Bishop Rodriguez concurs. "It's an honor for your bishop to agree with (his) sentiments," said the bishop. "We thank God for you (Margaret Mary), we cherish the memory of your heroic husband and we pray for your family."
[source]

An amazing story of a dying girl, Elena Desserich, and the many notes she left behind for family

2009-10-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Elena was almost 6 years old when she was diagnosed with Pediatric Brain Cancer. The doctors told her she had only 135 days to live; she survived 255 days until she lost her battle with cancer.

As her cancer progressed she lost the ability to speak and turned to writing and coloring. She would express herself through little notes to her parents, family members and even pets. After Elena passed away her family began finding notes hidden everywhere: briefcases, books, drawers, shelves, etc. and after awhile the Desserich’s realized that Elena had been planting these notes throughout the house to be found after she was gone.

A year after her family found what they thought to be the last note they found another, in a coloring book. Elena’s parents hope that they never stop finding notes.

In tribute to Elena her family has published a book called, Notes Left Behind, which is a collection of these special notes. Proceeds benefit “The Cure Starts Now”. [source]

An abortion clinic volunteer is a nun

2009-10-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

HINSDALE, Illinois, October 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Dominican nun has been seen frequenting an abortion facility in Illinois recently - but not, as one might expect, to pray for an end to abortion or to counsel women seeking abortions, but to volunteer as a clinic escort.
Local pro-life activists say that they recognized the escort at the ACU Health Center as Sr. Donna Quinn, a nun outspokenly in favor of legalized abortion, after seeing her photo in a Chicago Tribune article.
"I've called her sister several times, and she never responded," local pro-lifer John Bray told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN). "But it's her."
Amy Keane, a pro-life witness for 11 years, says Quinn has acted as escort for "six years, at least." Keane described one incident in which Quinn began shouting at the pro-lifers as they spoke to a woman about to enter the abortion facility.

"[Quinn] was so angry, and burst out very loudly so everyone could hear: 'Look at these men, telling these women what to do with their bodies!'" said Keane. "She was so angry, that it really took all of us aback." Keane says that the group was peaceful, and that the men present were not among those engaging the woman.
"For those of us who are Catholic, to have a member of a religious order so blatantly - it is so disheartening. It really is," said Keane. "She's participating actively in abortion. That is what is so disturbing for us."
Sr. Donna Quinn, OP, is renowned in the Chicago area as an advocate for legalized abortion and other liberal issues.
In 1974 she co-founded the organization Chicago Catholic Women, which lobbied the USCCB on a feminist platform before it dissolved in 2000. She is now a coordinator of the radically liberal National Coalition of American Nuns (NCAN), which stands in opposition against the Catholic Church's position on abortion, homosexuality, contraception, and the male priesthood.
While LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) was unable to reach Sr. Quinn for comment, NCAN's Sr. Beth Rindler confirmed to LSN that Quinn is still a member of their group, which favors unrestricted legalized abortion and disagrees with the teaching that abortion is intrinsically evil. "We respect women, and believe that they make moral decision, and so we respect their decisions," Rindler explained.
In a 2002 address to the Women's Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School, Sr. Quinn described how she came to view the teachings of her Church as "immoral": "I used to say: 'This is my Church, and I will work to change it, because I love it,'" she said. "Then later I said, 'This church is immoral, and if I am to identify with it I'd better work to change it.' More recently, I am saying, 'All organized religions are immoral in their gender discriminations.'"
Quinn called gender discrimination "the root cause of evil in the Church, and thus in the world," and said she remained in the Dominican community simply for "the sisterhood."
Sr. Patricia Mulcahey, OP, Quinn's Prioress at the Sinsinawa Dominican community, said in an email response to LSN that the nun sees her volunteer activity as "accompanying women who are verbally abused by protestors. Her stance is that if the protestors were not abusive, she would not be there."

Though Sr. Mulcahey claimed that her sisters "support the teachings of the Catholic Church," she declined to comment on Quinn's public protest of Catholic Church teaching.
Joe Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League says Quinn came in contact with his own office in 1982, when she and a group of other pro-aborts picketed his building on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
"She figures it's part of her religion to take these women in and protect them, and get them abortions," said Scheidler of Quinn's recent activity. "Something dreadful has happened to make a Catholic nun become an escort at an abortion clinic - that's the lowest form you can reach, where you escort a woman with a living child in her into a place to have the child killed, and to ruin that woman's soul."
"If I didn't even believe in the humanity of the child - which of course would be crazy - even if I didn't, I would fight abortion for the sake of the women," Scheidler added. "They miss that baby, and they can't get it back. They never can."

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009

2009-10-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

For each person's pink ribbon update in October, Yahoo! will donate $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, up to $50,000, to help uninsured women get free mammograms.

When failure can turn into success

2009-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I learned something from this video, I hope you will too.

The passing of former President, Cory Aquino

2009-08-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

ABS-CBN reports:
MANILA - Two weeks ago, the family of former President Cory Aquino approached designer Paul Cabral for an important task: to prepare an attire for Mrs. Aquino's funeral.
Cabral then prepared a beaded suit in a "happy yellow" shade, according to Boy Abunda, a friend of the Aquino family.
By Saturday morning, Mrs. Aquino's daughters donned the yellow suit on her when they had a private time with her at the Heritage Park in Taguig City Saturday morning. Mrs. Aquino breathed her last at 3.18 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center.
At the Heritage, the siblings also prepared Mrs. Aquino's remains for public viewing. By 3 p.m., the convoy left for La Salle Greenhills gymnasium in San Juan City. It was the start of a chance for Filipinos to personally pay their last respects to Asia's first woman president.
Serenity
People and cars started to flock to the Catholic school a few minutes after Mrs. Aquino's only son, Senator Benigno Aquino III, told a press conference at almost noon on Saturday that they had chosen La Salle as the venue for wake. He said it could accommodate a big crowd.
By around 4 p.m., the convoy with Mrs. Aquino's remains arrived in La Salle and was met by the waiting groups of military, navy, and police. A marching band played in the background as the coffin, wrapped in a Philippine flag to symbolize her national importance, was eased out of the funeral car. As the uniformed officers started the formal arrival honors, rains poured, muting the gun salute. By the time the uniformed men made another synchronized step towards the gym, the rains dramatically ceased.
The national anthem was played as hundreds of soldiers gave Mrs. Aquino a salute. As a former president, Mrs. Aquino also concurrently held the highest position in the armed forces.
The uniformed officers slowly brought the coffin inside the gym. Yellow confetti rained.
Not long after, La Salle's gates opened to usher in Mrs. Aquino' supporters who had been queuing under the rain for hours. Inside the gym, they had few seconds of chance to view Mrs. Aquino's visibly thinner and more frail frame. She is clutching a gold and pink rosary that went well against her "happy yellow" suit made by designer Cabral. The rosary, according to Abunda, was given by Fr. Sonny Ramirez, a close friend fo Mrs. Aquino.
She exuded serenity even on her deathbed, according to some accounts.
Iron will
Family members, friends and former foes, politicians, businessmen, entertainment and religious personalities trickled into the gym before the scheduled 8 p.m. mass on Saturday--the first in a series scheduled in La Salle.
Officiating the mass were Bishops Gabriel Reyes and Soc Villegas who are both close to the late Cardinal Jaime Sin. The latter was instrumental in propelling Mrs. Aquino to power in 1986. At the time, Sin made a radio annoucement invoking the laity to go to the streets to support Mrs. Aquino.
In his sermon, Reyes compared Cory to Joan of Arc. He said they are both simple and unassuming individuals who were thrust into a Herculean task. He said "God knew she (Cory) will not abuse her power and will not want to be president for life."
He added that the yellow ribbons, now widespread all over the country, are likely "expression of longings for public servants like Cory who are not greedy."
Former Senate President Jovito Salonga, who used to be at odds with Mrs. Aquino over the issue of the American bases in the Philipines, agreed. He described
Aquino as an "exemplary" and "brave" leader.
Also in the audience was former President Fidel V. Ramos, who succeeded Mrs. Aquino in 1992. Asked to describe the leader who endorsed his candidacy then, he said, "She is a woman with a steel core. She has courage and an iron will."
Landmarks
Other mourners also sought to express their grief by flocking to landmarks traditionally associated with her.
One of them is the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas avenues at the heart of the Makati City business district. This area had been the venue of many rallies that Cory used to join whenever she wanted to send a message to Filipinos. This was also where Filipinos first showered yellow confetti made of shredded yellow phonebook pages to show support when Mrs. Aquino was running for president in 1986.
Members of civil society, business community, and former Cabinet secretaries of Mrs. Aquino made their way towards the monument for Mrs. Aquino's slain husband at the road intersection. They lit candles and proceeded to an inter-faith service at the nearby Ayala Tower One building.
A multi-media presentation of her public and private lives was shown, and short messages to celebrate Mrs. Aquino's life and contributions to mankind were made. Hymns of farewell, including a unity song made popular during the 1986 people power, brought many to tears.
Another landmark is the Edsa Shrine, which was the venue of two people power revolts that toppled administrations. The first one benefited Mrs. Aquino, while the second one President Gloria Arroyo, who, incidentally, is the country's second woman leader.
A chapel is located at the foot of the shrine, which stands over the intersection of Edsa and Ortigas Avenues, the site of the people power movements. Since Mrs. Aquino was confined at the hospital last week due to her worsening colon cancer, supporters have been holding a 40-hour vigil since Thursday last week. The vigil was initially intended for the speedy recovery of Mrs. Aquino.
After they held their 4 a.m. vigil and mass for Mrs. Aquino on Saturday morning, they learned that Mrs. Aquino already passed away. Those who had been part of the prayer group could just express deep loss.
Masses
In true keeping of Mrs. Aquino's Catholic faith, supporters all over the country attended masses or followed traditions to commemorate her memory.
In Antipolo City where Mrs. Aquino frequented to hear mass, a regular mass on Saturday turned into a requiem. It was the same in the Twin Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, which is located near Mrs. Aquino's residence in Times St. in Quezon City. Priests have similar accounts of Mrs. Aquino: she was simple, sat on the same seat, and shunned special attention toward her.
Parishoners, moved by Mrs. Aquino's quiet presence through the years, even started laying flowers on her favorite seat in the church.
Her townmates in Tarlac City were also moved upon hearing the news about her death. They flocked to the town plaza, eventually hearing mass in a church there. Yellow ribbons were tied on trees, car antennas, gates, among others.
Masses offered for the repose of Mrs. Aquino's soul were even held in Ilocos Region, which is considered "Marcos country," referring to Mrs. Aquino's nemesis in previous decades.
Aside from religious rites, supporters also offered flowers, mass cards, and lit candles. A memorabilia board was set up at the Edsa Shrine to accommodate these.
At Mrs. Aquino's Times St. residence, a steady stream of supporters--including former officials and ordinary people--have been leaving flowers and cards. When the rains poured, those passing by just honked their cars to express support.
The cards were addressed to "Tita (aunt) Cory," indicating warm regards toward the late democracy icon.
For more news, log on to http://coryaquino.abs-cbnnews.com

When Losing a Home Means Finding Happiness

2009-07-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here is an inspiring story of a couple who found happiness after losing practically everything they got for about 20 years. I picked this story because this is the story of recession that most of us can relate to. When you go through hardships, you wonder if there are anybody out there who can feel your feelings, and how affected they are with what is happening these days to America and around the world. This is an interesting story as it also gives you an idea what you can do to find peace and contentment after losing what you've lived for. This is reality that we have fallen into and we need to wake up and get up now.

"I went from living in a 4900-square-foot house to living in this 29-foot trailer," Michael Babins tells me as we're chatting in the living room slash kitchen slash dining area of the Prowler Regal he has called home for the past nine months. "And to tell you the truth, I am totally content right now."
Until their move to the Hi-Ho RV Park in Glenn Heights, Texas, Michael and his wife Lisa had lived in Las Vegas for eighteen years. The couple bought a house in the late 1990s for $155,000. With two incomes, two kids, five dogs, and a beautiful home, the Babins led an ostensibly idyllic life.One day almost five years ago, Michael started chatting with his next door neighbor--a man planning a host of home improvements with money he had just received by refinancing his mortgage. The Babins could scarcely believe that their neighbor's nearly identical property had been assessed at more than $350,000, until they got their own comparable estimate. Suddenly, dozens of refinancing invitations arriving in the mail every week no longer looked like junk. Each one could hold a passport to financial freedom. The Babins could not see the financial enslavement lurking just behind the glossy brochures and fast-talking mortgage brokers. It was as if the noxious gases inflating the housing bubble had seeped into the couple's rational mind, infecting them with a Panglossian outlook."We never thought the price of our house would come down," Michael admits sheepishly. "We just didn't see an end to the market."One finance company offered them a 110% return on their equity with a three-year fixed interest rate that was 4% lower than that on their original loan. The broker insisted they could always come back to refinance again if interest rates spiked after the arrangement shifted to its adjustable phase. So they signed the papers, increasing the burden of their debt to $300,000. Michael just shakes his head in resignation while recounting those fevered days in Vegas, when it seemed like mortgage brokers handed out six-figure loans as flippantly as casinos did free cocktails. "When you dangle a carrot in front of a donkey's nose, he's gonna follow it. That's what happened to us," he explains. He freely admits they should have proceeded more cautiously in refinancing, but still can't shake the feeling that lax regulations permitted unscrupulous brokers to lure them into a kind of legal scam. "We never should have qualified for a loan that high with how much we made. We shouldn't have been offered it. But also, we shouldn't have taken it." Michael and Lisa devoted most of the money to home improvements, never imagining they would end up simply walking away from the investment within a few years. Fortunately, the extra money also financed the purchase of a 29-foot Prowler Regal they now call home.In late 2007, an oppressive shroud of recession began to settle over their lives, tightening the noose they had walked into so blindly. With the refinancing funds already depleted, the Babins felt the full burden of their monthly mortgage payment just as rising energy prices had utilities and gasoline consuming a larger portion of their budget. Interest rates were going up; property values were going down. There were no refinancing options available as their mortgage approached the shift to an adjustable rate. The home refinanced at its peak market value had dropped back down to its purchase price from the late 1990s. As the mirage vanished, they could finally see that the luxurious $350,000+ house they had reveled in was actually little more than a cosmetically-adorned version of the $155,000 place they bought a decade ago. And they still owed more than a quarter million dollars on it. The choking crush of reality grew almost unbearable.By this point their kids had grown and moved out to start their own lives, so Michael and Lisa had been considering relocation closer to their native Oklahoma. Forty-seven homes displayed foreclosure signs within a three-block radius, so they clearly couldn't sell their house and make a calculated move. But when Michael received an offer for a managerial position at a Dave and Buster's in Dallas, Texas, they didn't have to consider so much as they had to start planning.The Babins had resigned themselves to becoming renters instead of homeowners, until Michael happened across an online forum of people discussing the benefits of RV living. "I didn't actually know that people lived in RVs and traveled around," he admits. Further research sparked a revelation that they already had a second home sitting parked in the driveway. So they both resigned from their Vegas jobs: Michael as manager for a gaming company and Lisa as manager of a floral and hospitality service. They sold whatever people would buy in a yard sale, packed everything they could into the RV and a U-Haul--abandoning anything that wouldn't fit. They locked the door of their home for the last time and simply drove away. They left behind furniture, appliances, tools, a house, a quarter million dollar mortgage, and the only life they'd known for nearly twenty years. I surmise that moment of departure felt something akin to having a cancerous tumor removed without the benefit of anesthesia. But as the lights of Las Vegas faded in the rearview mirror, the burden of that life began to lighten. "We could have kept our house, could have kept paying for it," Michael says. "But it would have been a mistake. Leaving took a big weight off." He knows the bank has foreclosed on it by now, though he hasn't seen it listed in any public database yet. Making that decision to uproot their lives and abandon their community, home, and possessions felt excruciating, but now Michael seems almost ecstatically grateful for the new perspective it has given him. "It's like this gave me a whole new light on life and retirement."A few years ago, Michael thought they were happy. But looking back, he seems to realize they'd just grown a high tolerance for struggle. They both worked constantly to keep feeding a parasite assuming the form of a beautiful home. Between the mortgage payment and utilities, the Babins's monthly living expenses used to average around $3500. With their travel trailer now parked under the shade of maple trees in the Hi-Ho RV Park, those expenses have dropped to $550. "I used to think I would buy a house, pay it off, then retire in it. Now I wouldn't even consider buying another house. I watched my father become a prisoner to his house." Michael recalls that even after his father's retirement, his parents couldn't travel because they spent too much on property taxes, home repairs, utilities, and upkeep. "My father worked his whole life to pay for his own prison. I don't want that."Lisa used to earn the bigger paycheck, but now she doesn't even have to work. When Michael is not at Dave and Buster's, they can just hang out. He says he feels so closely bonded to his wife of 25 years that the tiny quarters do not feel cramped at all, no matter how many times they bump into each other. In fact, he says the trailer feels huge and empty on the day I come knocking on his door. Lisa had to drive to Oklahoma City to take care of some family business, and he misses her.Some may view buying a house as putting down roots, but Michael now sees it as accepting chains of bondage. Living in a RV park grants a kind of freedom. The Babins can walk out the front door one morning to a picturesque view of a lake. The next day it could be mountains. Most of the RV living community Michael has met so far seems full of genial and generous people, but if he ever didn't like the neighbors, he could relocate within an hour. When he is done working, he plans to become a nomadic retiree. The only white picket fences appearing in this revised American Dream would be the quaint scenery he passes while driving down a long open road with the travel trailer hitched to his truck. Even though he lost his home, Michael would never accept pity from someone thinking he was down on his luck. On the contrary, he feels privileged for having the opportunity to learn such a valuable lesson. "Everyone I know is living from one paycheck to another, and worrying about losing their job. I could lose my job, work part-time, and we'd still be fine.""Life used to be a rat race," he says. "Now things have slowed down and we can just relax. [The Atlantic]

A Eucharistic miracle in Buenos Aires

2009-07-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

I believe because I believe in the power of God to perform miracles.

Pope praying for Cory Aquino

2009-07-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

MANILA - Like many Filipinos, Pope Benedict XVI is one in praying for former President Corazon Aquino, who is suffering from colon cancer.

The Pope expressed his “spiritual closeness” to Aquino through a communiqué issued by the Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, had updated the Pope on Aquino’s health conditition.

“The Holy Father has asked that you be informed that he is remembering you in his prayers,” Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams told Aquino.

Former Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta de Villa delivered the letter to Mrs. Aquino Wednesday at the Makati Medical Center where the former president is confined. De Villa said a grandson of Aquino read the message to her.

“She (Mrs. Aquino) was deeply consoled,” said de Villa, who also chairs the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). “Nakakatuwa noong binasa sa kanya ‘yung message…she smiled.”

De Villa added that the Holy Father is very much concerned about Aquino’s well-being that he regularly gets an update on her condition.

“The Holy Father is very interested about her condition…ina-update naman siya ng [Papal] Nuncio kaya nakakapadala ng message agad-agad. And to think that the Holy Father is not so well himself, yet, early Monday morning, may e-mail na kay Archbishop Adams,” she told ANC on Thursday.

Peaceful but powerful

A mass, said by Fr. Catalino Arevalo, was also held inside Mrs. Aquino’s room at the hospital together with her immediate family.

“The Mass is her sustaining comfort now. It was such a privilege sharing the Eucharist in her presence. Even in her sick bed, looking so incredibly weak, she exuded an aura of a peaceful yet powerful presence – the presence of the simplicity of absolute goodness,” de Villa said.

Aquino’s daughter, Kris, said on Sunday that her mother’s condition has deteriorated.

"She is in pain already, so please pray for her so that it could be lessened," Kris said over the weekend.

"We don't know how many more hours, days and weeks God will give her, but please help us pray that my Mom won't suffer too much pain," she said.

A spokeswoman for the family earlier said Aquino, 76, had given up all medical intervention, including chemotherapy, and was leaving her fate to God.
[ABS-CBN News]

Look at Susan Boyle now

2009-07-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Susan Boyle has a new and improved look and she does looks fabulous now doesn't she?
She has an interview with Meredith Vieira which is scheduled to air on the Today show on Wednesday.

Google blocks abortion ads

2009-07-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Search engine giant Google is apparently disallowing advertisements for abortion businesses in several nations, some of which prohibit abortions and some of which don't. There appears to be little rhyme or reason for the Google decision, which abortion advocates are blasting.

Pro-abortion activist Lori Adelman corresponded with a staff member at Google who confirmed the denial of abortion advertising.

While ads for abortion are allowed in many nations, such as the United States, Google appears to have banned them in countries such as Brazil, France, Mexico, Poland, and Taiwan.

While nations like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Poland protect women and children, others such as France and Taiwan allow abortions.

"Last September, we reviewed our abortion ads policy in order to make sure it was fair, up to date and consistent with local customs and practices," the staffer told Adelman. "We decided to disallow ads for abortion services, such as abortion clinics, in the following markets: Germany, Poland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, France, Italy and Spain."

"However, general, factual ads on abortion continued to be allowed and we also enabled religious associations to place ads on abortion in a factual way," the Google staffer said.

The latter comment appears to be a response to concerns from pro-life advocates in England and elsewhere that their ads were facing denial from Google.

Asked for further clarification from Adelman why the specific countries were selected for disallowing ads for abortions, the Google staffer did not provide a specific answer.

"I can share that we conducted the review and made the change to ensure our policy was fair, up-to-date, consistent with local laws and codes of practice," the staffer said.

That frustrated Adelman, who wrote on the pro-abortion blog Feministing that she "Never thought I'd be taking sides in the war of the search engines."

"Google's rationale behind disallowing ads in these particular countries ... is shrouded in mystery: the spokeswoman deftly avoided answering my question about how the countries were chosen," she lamented.

"Regardless of the reason, I'm pretty disturbed by Google's ability to withhold information about reproductive health services [sic abortion] in these countries without justification or accountability," she said.

ACTION: Contact Google and thank it for not running ads for abortions in these countries. Call 650-253-0000, fax 650-253-0001, or go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/contact

Months to live

2009-07-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sisters Face Death With Dignity and Reverence
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Gravely ill with heart disease, tethered to an oxygen tank, her feet swollen and her appetite gone, Sister Dorothy Quinn, 87, readied herself to die in the nursing wing of the Sisters of St. Joseph convent where she has been a member since she was a teenager.

She was surrounded by friends and colleagues of nearly seven decades. Some had been with her in college, others fellow teachers in Alabama at the time of the Selma march, more from her years as a home health aide and spiritual counselor to elderly shut-ins.

As she lay dying, Sister Dorothy declined most of her 23 medications not essential for her heart condition, prescribed by specialists but winnowed by a geriatrician who knows that elderly people are often overmedicated. She decided against a mammogram to learn the nature of a lump in her one remaining breast, understanding that she would not survive treatment.

There were goodbyes and decisions about giving away her quilting supplies and the jigsaw puzzle collection that inspired the patterns of her one-of-a-kind pieces. She consoled her biological sister, who pleaded with her to do whatever it took to stay alive.

Even as her prognosis gradually improved from hours to weeks and even months, Sister Dorothy’s goal was not immortality; it was getting back to quilting, as she has. She spread her latest on her bed: Autumnal sunflowers. “I’m not afraid of death,” she said. “Even when I was dying, I wasn’t afraid of it. You just get a feeling within yourself at a certain point. You know when to let it be.”

A convent is a world apart, unduplicable. But the Sisters of St. Joseph, a congregation in this Rochester suburb, animate many factors that studies say contribute to successful aging and a gentle death — none of which require this special setting. These include a large social network, intellectual stimulation, continued engagement in life and spiritual beliefs, as well as health care guided by the less-is-more principles of palliative and hospice care — trends that are moving from the fringes to the mainstream.

For the elderly and infirm Roman Catholic sisters here, all of this takes place in a Mother House designed like a secular retirement community for a congregation that is literally dying off, like so many religious orders. On average, one sister dies each month, right here, not in the hospital, because few choose aggressive medical intervention at the end of life, although they are welcome to it if they want.

“We approach our living and our dying in the same way, with discernment,” said Sister Mary Lou Mitchell, the congregation president. “Maybe this is one of the messages we can send to society, by modeling it.”

Primary care for most of the ailing sisters is provided by Dr. Robert C. McCann, a geriatrician at the University of Rochester, who says that through a combination of philosophy and happenstance, “they have better deaths than any I’ve ever seen.”

Dr. McCann’s long relationship with the sisters gives him the time and opportunity, impossible in the hurly-burly of an intensive-care unit, to clarify goals of care long before a crisis: Whether feeding tubes or ventilators make sense. If pain control is more important than alertness. That studies show that CPR is rarely effective and often dangerous in the elderly.

“It is much easier to guide people to better choices here than in a hospital,” he said, “and you don’t get a lot of pushback when you suggest that more treatment is not better treatment.”

But that is not to say the sisters are denied aggressive treatment. Sister Mary Jane Mitchell, 65, chose radical surgery and radiation for a grave form of brain cancer. She now lives on the Alzheimer’s unit, unable to speak and squeezing shut her lips when aides try to feed her.

Then there is Sister Marie Albert Alderman, 84 and blind in one eye from a stroke. She sees a kidney specialist, who, she says, “is trying to keep me off the machine by staying on top of things.” By that she means dialysis, which she would not refuse. “If they want to try it, fine,” she said. “But I don’t want it to go on and on and on.”

But Sister Mary Jane and Sister Marie Albert are exceptions here. Few sisters opt for major surgery, high-tech diagnostic tests or life-sustaining machinery. And nobody can remember the last time anyone died in a hospital, which was one of the goals in selling the old Mother House, with its tumbledown infirmary — a “Bells of St. Mary” kind of place — and using the money to finance a new facility appropriate for end-of-life care.

“There is a time to die and a way to do that with reverence,” said Sister Mary Lou, 56, a former nurse. “Hospitals should not be meccas for dying. Dying belongs at home, in the community. We built this place with that in mind.”

In the old Mother House, the infirmary was a place apart. Here, everyone mixes. Of the 150 residents, nearly half live in the west wing, designated for independent living, in apartments with raised toilets, grab bars and the like. These are the sisters who have given up paying jobs and shared apartments in the community because of encroaching infirmity.

Forty sisters live in assisted-living studios, and another 40 in the nursing home and Alzheimer’s unit, all in the east wing, with the chapel, dining rooms and library at the central intersection. Closed-circuit television allows those confined to their rooms to watch daily religious services.

Remaining money from the sale of the Mother House went into a shared retirement fund covering the women’s lodging and medical care, along with Social Security payments of the retired and salaries of those still working — one is a surgeon, another a chief executive, and several are college professors. Dr. McCann bills Medicare for home visits, although most of the care he delivers is not covered by the government and goes without reimbursement.

Dr. McCann said that the sisters’ religious faith insulated them from existential suffering — the “Why me?” refrain commonly heard among those without a belief in an afterlife. Absent that anxiety and fear, Dr. McCann said, there is less pain, less depression, and thus the sisters require only one-third the amount of narcotics he uses to manage end-of-life symptoms among hospitalized patients.

On recent rounds, Dr. McCann saw Sister Beverly Jones, 86, a former music teacher losing her eyesight to macular degeneration. Upbeat, Sister Beverly told the doctor about the latest book she was reading using a magnifying device — “Beethoven’s Hair” by Russell Martin, about the composer’s DNA.

He also saw Sister Jamesine Riley, 75, once the president of the congregation, who barely survived a car accident that left her with a brain injury, dozens of broken bones and pneumonia. “You’re not giving up, are you?” Dr. McCann asked her.

“No, I’m discouraged, but I’m not giving up,” Sister Jamesine replied in a strong voice.

He told her he worried that she now found herself with so little control. She nodded in stoic assent.

Some days, Dr. McCann said, he arrives with his “head spinning,” from hospitals and intensive-care units where death can be tortured, impersonal and wastefully expensive, only to find himself in a “different world where it’s really possible to focus on what’s important for people” and, he adds, “what’s exportable, what we can learn from an ideal environment like this.”

Laura L. Carstensen, the director of the Center on Longevity at Stanford University, says the convent setting calms the tendency for public policy discussion about end-of-life treatment “to devolve into a debate about euthanasia or rationing health care based on age.”

“Every time I speak to a group about the need to improve the dying process, somebody raises their hand and says, ‘You’re talking about killing old people,’ ” Dr. Carstensen said. “But nobody would accuse Roman Catholic sisters of that. They could be a beacon in talking about this without it turning into that American black-and-white way of thinking: Either we have to throw everything we’ve got at keeping people alive or leave them on the sidewalk to die.”

Often the Roman Catholic position on end-of-life issues is misconstrued as “do anything and everything necessary” but nothing in Catholic theology demands extraordinary intervention, experts say, nor do the sisters here, or their resident chaplain, Msgr. William H. Shannon, 91, advocate euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

“Killing somebody who is very, very old, with a pill or something, that isn’t right,” Sister Dorothy said. “But everybody has their own slant on life and death. It’s legitimate to say no to extraordinary means. And dying people, you can tell when they don’t want to eat or drink. That’s a natural thing.”

Barbara Cocilova, the nurse practitioner here, sees differences in the health of these sisters compared with elderly patients in other settings. None have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (perhaps because they do not smoke) and only three have diabetes (often caused by obesity). Among those with Alzheimer’s, Ms. Cocilova said, diagnostic tests tend to produce better-than-expected results among those who are further along in the disease process, a possible result of mental stimulation.

Dr. McCann and others say that the sisters benefit from advanced education, and new ventures in retirement that keep them active. Sister Jamesine was a lawyer who founded a legal clinic for Rochester’s working poor. Sister Mary Jane Mitchell was the first female chaplain in a federal penitentiary.

Sister Bernadine Frieda, 91, spry and sharp, spends her days visiting the infirm with Sister Marie Kellner, 77, both of them onetime science teachers. Sister Marie, who left the classroom because of multiple sclerosis, reminds an astounded sister with Alzheimer’s that she was once a high school principal (“I was?!”) and sings “Peace Is Like a River” to the dying.

“We don’t let anyone go alone on the last journey,” Sister Marie said.

Seven priests moved here in old age, paying their own way, as does Father Shannon, who presides over funerals that are more about the celebratory “alleluia” than the glum “De Profundis.” But he has been with the sisters since he entered the priesthood, first as a professor at Nazareth College, founded by the order, and now as their chaplain. He shares with them the security of knowing he will not die among strangers who have nothing in common but age and infirmity.

“This is what our culture, our society, is starved for, to be rich in relationships,” Sister Mary Lou said. “This is what everyone should have.” [NY Times]

[click here to see Audio Slide Show]

Fireproof, a movie about marriage a must see

2009-06-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

I saw the movie Fireproof and I can really recommend this to everyone especially those who are going through tough times in their marriage or relationships.

The Moral of the Story (spoiler alert!)
As far as ministry tools go, this new movie is one of the best at showing what God intends for marriage. Singles and married couples alike will witness the reconciliation of two broken people and how God can heal even the most damaged of relationships.

At first, Caleb is ready to give up on his wife and move on. Their relationship has deteriorated over time and he isn’t too keen on working to save it. That’s when this story really begins to unfold.

You’ve got a husband who doesn’t feel validated at home and a wife who feels unappreciated and unloved. Sound familiar? It’s a simple storyline, but the plot starts to thicken as Caleb tries to recapture his wife’s heart. Through the wisdom of his father and a 40-day experiment called “The Love Dare,” Caleb begins to realize the meaning of love.

True love isn’t what’s best for me; it is seeking what’s best for you. To have a good marriage, you must first understand how to love someone and that comes from the source of unconditional love – God. That’s the point of this story.

Along his spiritual journey, Caleb also confronts his addiction to pornography, an issue often ignored in Christian culture. In fact, the storyline centers on this addiction as part of the conflict between Caleb and Catherine. As is true in reality, he must avoid these images that cause him to lust if he’s going to regain her respect.

One qualm with the story is the lack of response to Catherine’s actions. During the semi-separation phase of their marriage, she enjoys the affection and attention given to her by another man. Her willingness to commit this emotional affair isn’t adequately addressed in the movie. Although some would agree that her actions are wrong, this “adultery with the eyes” should have been dealt with better in the script.[CBN]

The challenge of extending our love to all

2009-05-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

In the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, we are met with an extraordinary challenge:
Jesus commands us to “love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). The letter from John echoes this command. Of course, we are to love those in our family, those we work with, those we like. But the scriptures make clear that we are also to love those we never notice, those we purposely avoid, and even those we are tempted to despise. In this Sunday’s selection from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter shows us how far God’s love extends, and how far our love should extend in response. Peter realizes that God no longer “show partiality” to Jews, sharing divine love exclusively with them. Christ revealed that God’s love extends to all people, and so should ours. [St. Louis the Marillac Church/J.S. Paluch Co.]

Mercy Sister Mary Scullion, a Mother Theresa in the making

2009-04-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Mercy nun a finalist for Time list of world's most influential people
By Lou Baldwin
Catholic News Service

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) -- You wouldn't expect to see a Philadelphia nun who works with the homeless on a list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Mercy Sister Mary Scullion, co-founder and executive director of Project HOME, has been named a finalist in Time magazine's 2009 annual most influential list, which calls her "Philadelphia's Mother Teresa."

As of midafternoon April 6, she was ranked 37th among 204 nominees in continuing online voting, right behind the Dalai Lama. The list includes people in government, science, technology and the arts.

On the plus side, according to the citation, she has helped slash the homeless rate in half in the City of Brotherly Love, and 95 percent of those who cycle through Project HOME are never again homeless, "a success rate which has made the program a model for dozens of other U.S. cities."

The only negative, according to the citation: "She's not too well-known outside of Philly."

That's beginning to change.

"It's not about me; we are a community of a lot of people," Sister Mary said in an interview with The Catholic Standard & Times, newspaper of the Philadelphia Archdiocese.

She co-founded Project HOME in 1989, along with Joan Dawson McConnon, to whom Sister Mary attributes as much, if not more, responsibility for the organization's success. HOME stands for Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education.

Now 55, Mary Scullion, the daughter of Irish immigrants, was a high school senior when she applied to the Sisters of Mercy in 1971.

Sister Ellen Cavanaugh, who was vocations director, remembers the interview well.

Some members of the screening committee looked at Mary in her high school uniform and thought her far too young and inexperienced to enter religious life. Others including Sister Ellen and the congregation's superior, Mother Mary Joan Thompson, disagreed.

"God knew that within Mary mercy lived," Sister Ellen said.

In any case, Mary Scullion waited a year before entering the congregation -- in the meantime she studied math at Temple University. Her first assignment after formation was teaching seventh grade in an inner-city school, St. Malachy in north Philadelphia.

Living and working among the poorest people in her city, Sister Mary felt drawn to a ministry more directly involved in alleviating their needs. After one year at St. Malachy, she joined the staff of Mercy Hospice, a shelter conducted by her congregation for homeless women.

A defining moment for her was the 41st International Eucharistic Congress, held in Philadelphia in 1976, which brought to the city such advocates for the poor as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India; Father Pedro Arrupe, the Jesuits' superior general; Brazilian Bishop Dom Helder Camara; and Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.

"Father Arrupe said, 'When people are hungry anywhere in the world, the Eucharist is incomplete,'" she said. "The Eucharist is central to my spiritual life, and there is a place for everyone at God's table."

The same principle holds for homelessness. "Our vision is that none of us are home until all of us are home," she said.

In 1985 she was a co-founder of Women of Hope, a safe haven that provides permanent housing for mentally ill women.

Since 1989, Project HOME has been her main focus. And under the leadership of Sister Mary and McConnon, it has grown from transitional housing for 12 men to a multifaceted agency designed to break the cycle of homelessness for the men and women it serves.

Project HOME, which depends on donations of time, talent and resources, now has 447 units of housing and conducts three businesses, including the Back Home Cafe, that provide employment to the formerly homeless.

Among the newer ventures is Rowan Homes, which houses 31 women with children, where Sister Mary herself has taken up residence.

A former hotel in an upscale neighborhood of Philadelphia was acquired and reopened in 2005 as Kate's Place; it was converted into apartments for 144 low- and moderate-income people.

"We are building a community of partners who are committed to ending homelessness, and the more people and partners involved the greater our chances in ending homelessness," Sister Mary said.

Fostering such partnerships was a point she made earlier this year in her speech at the annual meeting of FADICA, Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities. She urged FADICA members to embrace a philanthropy that is done in a spirit of partnership with other foundations and the community.

A woman of seemingly boundless energy, she usually finds time for a run through Philadelphia's Fairmount Park a couple of times each week and hopes to participate in a May 3 10-mile run in the city. But most of her energy is spent in mission.

The question for Sister Mary is what is God's vision for the world and what can be done to make it happen, through his grace, prayer, Eucharist and community. [source]

Your voice is needed more than ever!

2009-04-08T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Catholic bishops of the United States have unanimously called us to prayer and action to prevent passage of the radical “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA) and to oppose other attempts to overturn existing pro-life laws and policies. This year, our voices are needed more than ever.Pro-abortion groups and their allies in Congress are promoting a radical bill called the “Freedom of Choice Act.” If this extreme measure is enacted, widely supported and constitutionally sound abortion regulations will be knocked down nationwide. If passed into law, FOCA will impose upon the entire country an abortion regime far worse than anything brought on by Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. And the current level of 1.1 million abortions a year will go up, not down.Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard to contact the offices of your Representative and two Senators: 202.224.3121. Urge them to oppose FOCA. [source]

Do you understand the Freedom of Choice Act?

2009-04-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

All must understand the seriousness of the Freedom of Choice Act
Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila:

The Freedom of Choice Act “violates the consciences of those who are opposed to abortion” and would, if it became law, force the Catholic Church to “enter into civil disobedience and refuse to follow the law”, Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fargo, said Sunday, Jan. 25. The bishop spoke about the Freedom of Choice Act (referred to as FOCA) during a Jan. 25 Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo, N.D. Those attending the Mass, and other Masses throughout the Diocese of Fargo, which encompasses the eastern half of North Dakota, received postcards they were asked to complete for mailing to Sen. Byron Dorgan, Sen. Kent Conrad and Rep. Earl Pomeroy. The message on the postcards asked the Congressmen to “oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion.”

The Diocese of Bismarck, which includes Catholic churches in the western half of North Dakota, also participated in the postcard campaign by distributing the postcards through their diocesan newspaper. The postcards were made available by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Aquila noted that FOCA threatens the freedom of Catholic hospitals and Catholic physicians to act according to Church teachings on abortion. If federal law required Catholic hospitals to perform abortions, “there is no bishop in the country who is going to permit a Catholic hospital to do that,” Bishop Aquila said. “Either the hospitals will be closed or we will enter into civil disobedience and refuse to follow the law. And if we go to jail, we go to jail. That is how serious this is.” Bishop Aquila said FOCA would not only “nullify over 18 laws of our own state, but it will violate the conscience and will violate the freedom of religious practice.”
In a column written shortly after Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, Bishop Aquila noted that Obama’s voting record and speeches reveal “he is one of the strongest supporters of legalized abortion, as well as the Freedom of Choice Act.” Bishop Aquila wrote that Obama “directly opposes the divine law of God concerning the dignity of each human life, and so he strongly disagrees with the position of the Catholic Church. On a purely political level, he even disagrees with the majority of Americans, who at least want some limits on abortion.”
During his Jan. 25 statement, Bishop Aquila again referred to Obama’s stance on abortion. “It is important for every Catholic, regardless of what side of the aisle you sit on, whether it is Republican or Democrat, whether you voted for Obama or you didn’t vote for Obama, it is essential for every Catholic, if they are truly Catholic and of Christ, to stand up for life and the dignity of life.” “Yes, we as bishops have drawn a line in the sand with this,” he concluded. “No matter what the cost, we will always proclaim the gift and the dignity of human life.” [source]

92,000 inactive Catholics have returned to church

2009-03-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

Media effort draws 92,000 inactive Catholics back home to church
By Ambria Hammel

PHOENIX (CNS) -- Maybe TV isn't so bad after all.
An estimated 92,000 inactive Catholics in the Phoenix Diocese have come back to the church in the last year thanks in large part to a groundbreaking television advertising campaign called Catholics Come Home.

The promotional spots featured people and locations from around the Phoenix Diocese to promote the church during prime-time television. The cornerstone of the campaign, the Catholics Come Home Web site, addresses often misunderstood aspects of the faith.

"For those who had fallen away from the practice of their faith, it let them know that we want them to come home," Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said.

The commercials, which ran during Lent in 2008, detail the good works of the Catholic Church throughout history. They also offer real-life testimonials of local fallen-away Catholics explaining what turned them away and what drew them back.

"Phoenix was supposed to be this quiet little test," said Tom Peterson, a former resident of Phoenix who is president and founder of Catholics Come Home, which is now based in Georgia.

"Word went worldwide as soon as you launched," he said in an interview with the Phoenix diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Sun.

More than half a million different visitors from all 50 states and 80 countries have visited the Web site catholicscomehome.com since the spots first aired.

The response was so positive that other dioceses around the country are looking to Phoenix for ideas on bringing Catholics back to the church.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi in Texas recently launched different versions of the television spots in English and Spanish. Each parish supplemented the commercials at Ash Wednesday services with a brochure for everyone answering common faith-related questions and listing Mass times and ministries.

The Catholics Come Home spots will appear in more than a dozen other dioceses around the country later in 2009 or early 2010. By the time Advent rolls around in 2010, organizers say they'll go national on major networks.

"Our family is made up of every race," begins the longest of the spots. "We are young and old, rich and poor, men and women, sinners and saints."

The two-minute ad highlights the vital part the Catholic Church has played in establishing hospitals, orphanages and schools in addition to its role in science, marriage, family life, Scripture and sacraments.

"If you've been away from the Catholic Church, we invite you to take another look," the announcer says toward the end. "We are Catholic; welcome home."

Another two-minute ad shows men and women alone watching the best and the worst scenes from their lives play back before them on an old movie reel.

The final ad that aired -- Peterson has dozens more like it ready to go -- featured snippets of testimonials about why Catholics left the church and what they found upon their return.

Peterson said the Catholics Come Home campaign has "the potential of re-Christianizing our society and even catechizing the world."

A lot of pro bono production, nearly $1 million from various donors and foundations, and a grant from the Catholic Community Foundation helped put the ads on the air.

The Diocese of Phoenix has witnessed increased interest in the church, which leaders are attributing to last year's campaign.

"It's exciting to see the fruits that continue to grow from this," said Ryan Hanning, coordinator of adult evangelization for the diocese. According to Hanning, a number of the faithful have found a renewed passion for the church, while fallen-away Catholics rejoined parish life.

Hanning worked closely with Peterson on the Catholics Come Home campaign and ensured that parish leaders, especially those in faith formation, were ready to welcome back Catholics and resolve sacramental and doctrinal issues. More than 25 parishes created programs to welcome Catholics back to the church.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Tempe was one of them. It showed a video before Easter Masses and held a six-week program for returning Catholics.

"The commercials helped (fallen-away Catholics) realize that they were missing something in their lives," said Father John Bonavitacola, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He noticed that Catholics who had grown lax in their faith or who felt hurt by the church, or who had divorced and remarried, returned. Many had their marriage validated in the church while others joined for the first time.

Six months after the media campaign ended, a comprehensive analysis of its impact revealed a 22 percent increase in Mass attendance at nine sample parishes. Throughout the diocese, the average increased Mass attendance -- returned and new Catholics -- was 12 percent. That's despite a flat population growth in the diocese during that period.

"Wherever they've been, they can come back home. It's a message that resonates," Hanning said. "I never thought I'd have thousands of Catholics calling and e-mailing me and saying, 'I'm proud to be Catholic and I want to help others.'"
Catholic News Service

When is Easter Sunday for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015?

2009-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Easter 2009
Ash Wednesday is 25 February
Palm Sunday is 5 April
Good Friday is 10 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 12 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 19 April

Easter 2010
Ash Wednesday is 17 February
Palm Sunday is 28 March
Good Friday is 02 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 04 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 04 April

Easter 2011
Ash Wednesday is 09 March
Palm Sunday is 17 April
Good Friday is 22 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 24 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 24 April

Easter 2012
Ash Wednesday is 22 February
Palm Sunday is 01 April
Good Friday is 06 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 08 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 15 April

Easter 2013
Ash Wednesday is 13 February
Palm Sunday is 24 March
Good Friday is 29 March
(Western) Easter Sunday is 31 March
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 05 May

Easter 2014
Ash Wednesday is 05 March
Palm Sunday is 13 April
Good Friday is 18 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 20 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 20 April

Easter 2015
Ash Wednesday is 18 February
Palm Sunday is 29 March
Good Friday is 03 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 05 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 12 April

Catholics to defend the Pope from mockers

2009-03-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

No Catholics should allow anyone to mock and disrespect our Pope. We should all be ready to defend Peter, the Rock of this generation.

Read full article:

Do not mock the pope, Italian cardinal and India's bishops say
By Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- Mockery is not acceptable in public discussions, especially when the subject is the pope, said the president of the Italian Catholic bishops' conference.

At the same time, India's bishops defended Pope Benedict XVI's leadership of the Catholic Church.

"We will not accept that the pope, in the media or anywhere else, is mocked or offended," said Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, opening the spring meeting of the permanent council of the Italian bishops' conference.

Cardinal Bagnasco told other members of the council March 23 there has been "a heavy activity of criticism -- from Italy and, especially, from abroad -- regarding our beloved pope."

He said the public criticism began in January when the pope lifted the excommunications of four traditionalist bishops belonging to the Society of St. Pius X, including a bishop who denied the extent of the Holocaust, and continued into March when Pope Benedict said the distribution of condoms was not the key to stopping the spread of AIDS.

Some of the sharpest criticism came from France's former prime minister, Alain Juppe, who describes himself as a Catholic. He was quoted by French television as saying the pope was "becoming a real problem" and "lives in a situation of total autism."

Cardinal Bagnasco said Catholics and all people of good will should try to understand what the pope was saying and what he meant, rather that immediately going on the attack.

The cardinal said the Italian bishops would continue asking people "to never abandon the language of respect, which is an indication of civility" even when they disagree with him.

The pope represents "a moral authority" in the world, which his March trip to Africa highlighted once again, he said.

"For Catholics he is Peter who, with the nets of a fisherman and in the name of the lord Jesus, continues to reach the shores of the world," Cardinal Bagnasco said.

The Asian church news agency UCA News reported that India's bishops also denounced media coverage of the pope and comments that he is a "loser" and out of touch with reality.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India said in a March 24 statement that the conference "considers these kinds of statements ... irresponsible and irreverent."

The bishops defended Pope Benedict as "the most loved and respected spiritual leader of Catholics all over the world." They argued that the world had received with respect his views on the recession, terrorism and moral issues such as AIDS and abortion.

The pope has often urged the world to become "more God-fearing while building a society based on humanitarian values and moral principles of life," they said.

"It is the moral duty (of the pope) to direct and guide the consciences of people in general, and of Catholics in particular," the statement added.

Depression and how you can help yourself

2009-03-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Some people I know that have depression were depending on science to help them with their problem. They spend a lot of time and money seeing a therapist which is good if you are getting the help you need. But I believe that people with depression should also do something to help them in their situation and not leave everything entirely with their doctor or therapist. I found this article about what you can do if you are going through depression that may help lead to your recovery.

According to the article written by Dr. Howard Levy, treatment of depression often involves multiple and different strategies. For some patients, a few simple home remedies are all that's needed. But even those who need counseling and/or medications will benefit from these do-it-yourself techniques:

Exercise. The fatigue and poor motivation brought on by depression can make it very hard to get up and get moving, so resuming or increasing your former exercise program—or beginning a new one—may be difficult at first. However, the rewards should come quickly. The increased blood flow, breathing rate, and muscle use associated with exercise will improve energy levels during the day and result in more restful sleep overnight.

Even more importantly, exercise causes the release of chemicals called endorphins in the brain. Endorphins elevate the mood and increase energy levels. They are the source of the "runner's high"—a state of euphoria that endurance athletes experience after a sustained period of exertion. Think of endorphins as your own natural antidepressants.

And, of course, exercise has additional benefits beyond treating depression. High on the list is reducing the risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. Burning calories while exercising can also help you combat the tendency towards weight gain that's associated with both depression itself and with several prescription antidepressant medications.

One trick for overcoming inertia and beginning an exercise regimen is to simply make a schedule of exercise time, and commit to doing a specific activity during that time. Start with 20 to 30 minutes 3 times per week, and then try to build towards 45 to 60 minutes every day. If it helps you, try thinking of exercise as a prescription from your doctor to treat depression. It also helps if you can find one or more types of physical activity that you enjoy, or at least don't dislike too much.

Laughter. The simple act of laughing also releases endorphins, thus treating depression. Of course, being depressed can make it very hard to laugh, so this may not be practical advice in the early stages of treating severe depression. But as soon as you're able to, going out of your way to find funny things and experience some good, hearty laughter is seriously helpful!

Light. It is well known that the shorter days of winter are associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in many people, and worsen symptoms in those with chronic depression. Increasing your exposure to natural sunlight will help elevate your mood right away, and regular light therapy can be very beneficial for treating depression. If you've made the commitment to exercise as part of a depression management program, try to schedule at least some of your activity outdoors in the daytime. The winter months can be a challenge, but creative scheduling and some really warm clothes will help a lot. If getting outdoors isn't practical, the next best thing is to spend as much time as possible in front of a big window that lets in a lot of light.

Another option is artificial sunlight. There are several companies that market lamps specifically for treating depression, SAD, and low mood. These special lights can be ordered directly on the Internet, and are available in just about every price range. I suggest placing the light next to your bed and plugging it into a timer. Have it turn on about 10 minutes before you plan to wake up, and lie in bed under the light for about half an hour or so every day. Artificial sunlight is a great idea even if you already get time outdoors and/or window exposure during the day.

Attitude. For many people, depression is caused or worsened by a variety of stressful or sad thoughts and situations. Resisting or denying a diagnosis of depression can become yet another source of stress, and actually worsen your symptoms. Failing to accomplish desired or necessary tasks, a common problem in depressed people, often makes things worse, too.

Try to take stock of your current abilities and limitations—what you can do now, not what you used to be able to do—and then set out some specific, modest goals. Just getting a few things accomplished can help to reduce stress, and that will help improve the depression.

Also, consider whether worrying about things beyond your control is productive or helpful to you. Perhaps the best way to summarize the importance of attitude is with the serenity prayer:

God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.

A Powerful Novena in Urgent Need

2009-02-23T06:13:00.000-08:00

A Powerful Novena to the Holy Infant of Prague (Santo Nino) in urgent needs

(Recite every hour for nine consecutive hours, or, a given hour of the day for nine consecutive days.)

O Divine Child, and still the great, omnipotent God, I implore through Thy most holy Mother’s most powerful intercession and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God, for a favorable answer to the intention I so earnestly ask for in this novena.

Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally with Mary and Joseph, and of adoring Thee with your holy angels and saints.

O Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, hear my prayer and grant my petition (3 times).

O JESUS, Who have said,
“Ask and you shall receive,
Seek and you shall find,
Knock and it shall be opened to you,”
Through the intercession of Mary,
Thy most Holy Mother,
I knock, I seek, I ask
That my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request)

O JESUS, Who have said,
“All that you ask
Of the Father in My Name,
He will grant you,”
Through the intercession of Mary
Thy most Holy Mother,
I humbly and urgently ask
The Father in Thy Name
That my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request)

O JESUS, Who have said,
“Heaven and earth shall pass away,
But My Word shall never pass,”
Through the intercession of Mary,
Thy most Holy Mother,
I feel confident
That my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request)

Amen.

Catholics who supports abortion should know this

2009-02-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

Like Nancy Pelosi, many Catholics do not really know their catholic faith and beliefs and needs to take more religious and spiritual teachings from their church leaders. You can't say you are a practicing Catholic but you are also an advocate for abortion. That is totally contradicting in every sense of the word because Christ is life and not death.

Read the article here.

How to deal with worries in this recession time

2009-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here's some advice from experts on how to deal with worries:

• Don’t wallow in worry.

“A little bit of worry is actually helpful if it prompts you to take constructive action,” Levine-Mann said. But if worry becomes excessive and consuming, it can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health. Strive to make the worry work for you rather than against you. If you can’t help but worry, set a “worry period” – perhaps 30 minutes a day from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. – and then let worry go until tomorrow.

• Let go of the “what ifs.”
Many of us have active imaginations that are quick to invent worst-case scenarios. Try not to go there. Keep things in their proper perspective. If you have difficulty doing that, go ahead and imagine the worst – and then create a strategic plan for handling it.

• Deal with the “as is” rather than the “should be.”
Telling yourself, “It shouldn’t be like this” won’t help matters. Instead, acknowledge things as they are and focus on finding ways to constructively deal with the situation.

• Learn stress management skills.
In times of difficulty it is especially important to take care of yourself. Excessive stress is known to negatively affect the body’s immunity. Challenging your negative thoughts, learning how to relax and reaching out for support are some of the ways we can counteract the effects of stress on the mind and body.

• Reassure your kids.
You may think your children don’t notice, but kids often overhear conversations and start worrying about things themselves. Communicate with them – especially elementary school-age children who may be scared about things they’re too young to fully understand. Instead of saying “We can’t afford” something – such as Christmas gifts – work out a family plan for alternatives such as a family grab bag or making gifts for each other.

• Bottom line: Accept that you can’t control everything.
“That’s hard for many people because ‘they had a plan,’” said Levine-Mann. “They had a plan to retire, or for their kids to go to a certain school. … These are uncertain times, and we are faced with ambiguity, an uncomfortable position for most of us to struggle through. Coming to terms with that is not an easy thing – but we all have to.”

Sources:
Money worries take their toll
Psychological tips for coping

'Kit Kittredge' movie, a must see and why

2008-12-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

See this movie and I guarantee, you won't regret it. The movie is in time with what we are going through right now with recession, and it's a good idea to see how the people - affected by the 1930's recession - lived and survived. The movie DVD is now out and also ready for download if you have access to movies on online.

Synopsis:
The Great Depression hits home for nine-year-old Kit Kittredge when her dad loses his business and leaves to find work. Oscar nominee* Abigail Breslin stars as Kit, leading a splendid cast in the first-ever American Girl theatrical movie. In order to keep their home, Kit and her mother must take in boarders paying houseguests who turn out to be full of fascinating stories. When mothers lockbox containing all their money is stolen, Kits new hobo friend Will is the prime suspect. Kit refuses to believe that Will would steal, and her efforts to sniff out the real news get her and her friends into big trouble. The police say the robbery was an inside job, committed by someone they knew. So if it wasnt Will, then who did it?

You can also watch the trailer here.

Church Prayed for Pennies, Got Big $3 Million instead

2008-10-13T00:44:00.000-07:00

New York Church Prayed for New Building and Reaped Lottery Cash
By JONANN BRADY
A Long Island, N.Y., congregation was praying for pennies from heaven to help expand their church, but instead they were showered with millions. A parishioner who wants to remain anonymous donated his $3 million winning "Ba Da Bling" scratch-off lottery ticket to The True North Community Church in Port Jefferson.

The donation came as a complete surprise to Pastor Bert Crabbe, though he told the congregation the church was facing financial problems because it was growing so fast.

"Our congregation has outgrown its facility," Crabbe told "Good Morning America" today. "We're having four services a week and adding a fifth. We needed another place to meet and I told the congregation, 'Unless God drops a couple of million on us…' I was joking, I wasn't asking for it or praying for it. 'Unless this happens we'll end up renting a facility somewhere.' And then this happened."

Crabbe said he received a call from a parishioner who told the pastor "we need to talk." [ABCNEWS]

Ohio woman, 90, attempts suicide after foreclosure

2008-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A 90-year-old Ohio woman, facing eviction from the home she has lived in for 38 years, shot and wounded herself this week, becoming a grim symbol of the U.S. home mortgage crisis.
Addie Polk was found lying on the floor of her home with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her shoulder when police came to the home on Wednesday to serve an eviction notice, Akron police spokesman Lt. Rick Edwards said on Friday.
Polk survived the shooting and is being treated in a hospital.
It was the latest attempt by sheriff's deputies to evict Polk from her modest single-family home because she could not keep up with her mortgage.
"It appears they're evicting her over her mortgage. She's lived in the house, the neighbors said, something like 38 years and in the last couple of years fell prey to some predatory lending company or financial institution," Edwards said.
Local news reports said deputies had tried to serve Polk's eviction notice more than 30 times before Wednesday's shooting.
Home foreclosure rates are at record highs in the United States, in many cases because buyers with adjustable interest rates could not keep up with sharp increases in monthly payments. The foreclosure crisis has sparked a wider housing market downturn and is at the heart of the U.S. financial crisis.
(Reporting by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Peter Cooney)