1.The word of YHWH came to me saying, "Son of man, say to his people, 'why do you add sin to your sins and anger the Lord God who created you ?' " 2.Don't love the world or the things which are in the world, for the boasting of the world and its destruction belong to the devil.
13.Hear, O wise men of the land, concerning the deceivers who will multiply in the last times so that they will set down for themselves doctrines which do not belong to God, setting aside the Law of God, those who have made their belly their God, saying, "The fast does not exist, nor did God create it," making themselves strangers to the covenant of God and robbing themselves of the glorious promises. 14.Now these are not ever correctly established in the firm faith. Therefore don't let those people lead you astray.
25.Likewise no one is able to enter the holy place if he is double minded. 26.The one who is double minded in his prayer is darkness to himself. And even the angels do not trust him. 27.Therefore be single-minded in the Lord at all times so that you might know every moment. - Apocalypse of Elijah
For me, it does not actually respect the specificity of a man making a lifebond with another man. And it is part of the nominalism of post-modernity, where things have no reality or nature but are just names or slogans to achieve social goals. A man cannot have a husband for the same reason that a woman cannot be a father. Color me essentialist. Gender/sex is a fundamental biological and metaphysical given, not an optional "performance". Accepting gay marriage --like the T in LGBT--is part of the larger urge to make genders --especially maleness--irrelevant. - x cathI can't link the blog because the site posts offensive images at times. DON'T GO THERE!
"On the base of studies made so far, it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations. Yet the gathering of the faithful from various parts of the world to Medjugorje, inspired by reasons of faith or other motives, require the pastoral attention and care, first of all, of the local Bishop and then of the other bishops with him, so that in Medjugorje and all connected with it, a healthy devotion towards the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the teachings of the Church may be promoted. The Bishops will also provide special liturgical and pastoral directives corresponding to this aim. At the same time, they will continue to study all the events of Medjugorje through the commissions."
EWTN talk show host the Rev. Mitch Pacwa, who has been to Medjugorje and did a documentary about it with actor Martin Sheen, said the Vatican will look carefully at the reported messages.
For example, early on, there was a dispute between Franciscans based in Medjugorje and a regional bishop, who was skeptical of the Marian apparitions.
“Some of the visionaries took a stance and said the Virgin Mary is on the side of the Franciscans,” Pacwa said. “That’s odd. That’s inappropriate. The church does not want the visionaries to ask questions trying to get answers. If it’s from God, God is going to take the initiative.” (In fact, St. John of the Cross tells us God is offended by such initiatives.)
Pacwa said there is no chance for the visions to get approval while they’re still going on, and it’s a long shot even after they stop.
One quirk that emerged was when two of the Medjugorje visionaries said the Virgin Mary endorsed a book, “The Poem of the Man-God,” that had been condemned by the Vatican. The fanciful 1940s biography of Jesus by Maria Valtorta contains details like a dancing girl brushing up against Jesus, Joseph giving young Jesus an anachronistic tool kit with screwdrivers and the Virgin Mary making statements such as “man disgusts me,” Pacwa said.
“The book had been condemned by the church in 1959 because it said a lot of silly things that contradicted what was in the gospels,” Pacwa said. “The church rejected it. Any vision must be judged by revelation that exists in the gospels. You can’t say anything you want.”
What may be the unraveling of the Medjugorje visions is the lack of any spiritual depth to the messages, Pacwa said.
“That is a much more pointed critique,” he said.
The writings of Sister Faustina, now a saint, describe visions from Jesus. “As you kept reading, a new depth of spiritual life began to show itself,” Pacwa said. “You can see definite growth over the years in her spiritual messages. I don’t see that with the messages of Medjugorje. They tend to be the same thing over and over again. Something I would look for is a growth in spiritual depth. I haven’t sensed it.”
Pacwa said Vatican theologians will take all that into account and that Medjugorje in the end may be denied church approval.
“I don’t have a sense this is going to go swimmingly. I am very impressed with a number of the positive things I have experienced there. I have a lot of respect for the good things that have occurred. But I’m not going to be naive about some of the problems. It has to be dealt with, with full integrity.” - Religion News Service
NEW YORK -- In the latest sign of turbulent times at J.C. Penney Co., the mid-price department store chain said Michael Francis, the former Target Corp. executive brought in to help redefine the brand, is leaving the company.
In a terse statement issued late Monday, the department store operator gave no reason for the abrupt departure of Francis, who had been on the job for a little over eight months. As president, Francis was responsible for the marketing of a controversial new pricing plan that aims to get rid of hundreds of sales events. He also oversaw merchandising and product development.
Shares fell nearly 6 percent in after-hours trading.
Penney said that Ron Johnson, the former Apple executive and new CEO, will assume direct responsibility and oversight of the company's marketing and merchandising functions.
The surprise move comes as the department store chain is scrambling to reverse a sharp drop in customer counts and plummeting sales after Johnson's new pricing strategy ended up turning off customers, who are accustomed to coupons and big markdowns. The plan was implemented Feb. 1. - Source
Francis left a month ago: “It’s not us, it’s you” was the underlying sentiment felt as the news broke that President of Marketing for JC Penney Michael Francis was leaving the company this past Monday. Francis, a former Target Corp. executive, was recruited eight months prior to head JC Penney’s rebranding effort in order to turn around troubling times. - Source
Now this:
J.C. Penney stock crashes with news of gay marriage support
Stock rated "junk" status, loses 50% since February, 350 layoffs at home office
July 17, 2012
Simply put, people are not shopping at J.C. Penney. AFA and OneMillionMoms are showing success in the effort to educate people to Penney's aggressive national campaign to promote "gay" marriage.
The company is going downhill fast. Since February, the company stock has lost more than half its value, and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its credit rating on J.C. Penney Co. further into "junk" status.Snapshot of J.C. Penney under same-sex marriage crusade
February 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 JCP announces Ellen DeGeneres as their new spokesperson. JCP launches catalog ad featuring two "gay" moms. JCP launches catalog ad featuring two "gay" dads. JCP stock rated "junk" by S&P. JCP fires marketing exec. Stock price:
$41.32Stock price falls to $35.67 Stock price falls to $25.83 Stock price falls to $20.02 First-year CEO Ron Johnson's decisions have led to disastrous results for the company. Rather than build on the faith-based traditions of founder James Cash Penney, Johnson has abandoned family values and taken the company into a financial tailspin by embracing social activism.Families are the backbone of Penney's existence. As long as it pushes homosexual marriage, families will go elsewhere. - Source
WASHINGTON — Accusations by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., that an Islamist group has infiltrated the U.S. government are drawing fierce criticism from fellow lawmakers and religious groups.Another Minnesota Congressman, Keith Ellison, D-Minn., is a Muslim - he didn't inflitrate though, he was actually elected. Keep in mind that Jesse Ventura was also elected Governor of Minnesota at one time. I know!
Bachmann and four other GOP legislators have sent letters to five government agencies citing “serious security concerns” about what Bachmann has called a “deep penetration in the halls of our United States government” by the Muslim Brotherhood. - Read the rest or turn on the TV if you live in Minnesotah.
Our Sunday Visitor will begin distributing L'Osservatore Romano in August and will also provide fulfillment, customer service, and marketing support for the newspaper. The focus will be promotion to individual Catholics, parishes, dioceses and other Catholic organizations. - SourceSave your money - you can get pretty much everything online now anyway. For quick updates I go here VIS.
Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts. When last contacted they were mysteriously slowing down. Someone figured out why.
Many thanks to Fr. Augustine Hourigan C.P. for sending me this stimulating piece by Fr. Charles Davis from America magazine, January 29th, 1966. Fr Davis was one of England’s most famous theologians and professor of theology at the Jesuit-run Heythrop College. He left the priesthood a few months after this was written, but was subsequently reconciled to the Church in his later years. He died in 1999.
Much speaking in different places on themes of renewal has brought me into contact with many people seeking to revivify their faith. I have found a sense of emptiness, but together with it a deep yearning for God. There is an emptiness at the core of people’s lives, an emptiness waiting to be filled.
They are troubled about their faith; they find it slipping. I am not speaking about those who are worried about recent changes. These people are not. But they are looking for something to fill the void in their lives, and what they hear does not do that.
The more perceptive know that they are looking for God. He seems to have withdrawn from the world and from them. They come to talks by speakers like myself. They hear about the new liturgy, about new understanding of the layman’s role, about collegiality, about the Church and the world, about a thousand and one new and exciting ideas. They are duly impressed. But who will speak to them quite simply of God as a person he intimately knows, and make the reality and presence of God come alive for them, once more?
Before such need, how superficial, pathetically superficial, is much of the busyness about renewal. We reformers know so much about religion and about the Church and about theology, but we stand empty handed and uncomfortable when confronted with sheer hunger for God. - Finish reading here.
Story of St. Alexis.
St. Alexius the only son of Euphemianus, a wealthy Christian Roman of the senatorial class, fled his arranged marriage to follow his mysterious holy vocation. Disguised as a beggar, he lived near Edessa in Syria, accepting alms even from his own household slaves, who had been sent to look for him but did not recognize him, until a miraculous vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary singled him out as a "Man of God." Fleeing the resultant notoriety, he returned to Rome, so changed that his parents did not recognize him, but as good Christians took him in and sheltered him for seventeen years, which he spent in a dark cubbyhole beneath the stairs, praying and teaching catechism to children. After his death, his family found writings on his body which told them who he was and how he had lived his life of penance from the day of his wedding, for the love of God. (Source)
"For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 6:12 (So do not grow slack in your celebrations and relaxation. The devil prowls like a roaring lion.) - Source
Chapter VI.
Of their Capes.
Next they cover their necks and shoulders with a narrow cape, aiming at modesty of dress as well as cheapness and economy; and this is called in our language as well as theirs mafors; and so they avoid both the expense and the display of cloaks and great coats. - Cassian, Bk. I: The Dress of Monks
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
"To represent Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Arabia, Fr. Stella wanted to have a special Statue made in her honour. He decided to use a replica of the Statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, venerated in her basilica on Mount Carmel - the birthplace of the entire Carmelite Order. An Italian firm in Rome, "Rosa and Zanzio Ditta" was requisitioned to make the replica, carved out of a solid block of cedar from Lebanon.
It was not long before the supreme sanction was granted. The Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, himself gave a grand lead to this devotion to Our Lady of Arabia, and on 17th December 1949, on the eve of the Great Jubilee Year, in the Vatican Palace, he personally blessed the new Statue of Our Lady of Arabia, and consented to be photographed in prayer before it.
The Statue was received in Kuwait and formally enthroned on 6th January 1950, amidst triumphal rejoicing at her Shrine in Ahmadi. It is with great nostalgia that the first parishioners might recall the sunny, Friday afternoon, the Statue was transported in a jubilant procession from the Shuwaikh Port to reside in the 'mini' Chapel, and to be venerated as Patroness and Protector of the Oilman." - Our Lady of Arabia
Queen of Peace,Queen of the Middle East,Queen, Beauty of Carmel,Pray for us!
