Non Tasarmi, Fratello!

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!” Hillaire Belloc

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Climate Change Killed Celibate Priests

ROME–In October 2017, when Pope Francis announced a Vatican synod on the Amazon region “to identify new paths for the evangelization of God’s people in that region,” few people beyond those who had to attend marked it on their calendars. But over the course of the last two years, as the church prepared for the synod, which will run from Oct. 6 to 27 in Rome, it’s become clear there may be no more important meeting in Francis’ entire papacy. 



One item among the 146 topics on the agenda listed in the 45-page working document has eclipsed all others–including the pope’s focus on climate change and poverty. That is whether or not to allow married “viri probati”–men of proven virtue–to be ordained as priests for the purpose of delivering the big sacraments: baptism, confession, weddings and funerals, in far flung areas where no priests are present. 

Bishop Rafael Cob, apostolic vicar of Puyo, Ecuador, who will be attending the synod in Rome, said that the Church must “respond to a concrete challenge in a concrete reality.”

“The Amazon is a geographically difficult region to evangelize, first because of its distance, its inaccessibility,” he told reporters at a press conference in Rome. “But there also is a lack of candidates who can or want to be priests with the issue of celibacy. So, logically, the Church is looking for new methods to respond to concrete challenges.”

But a phalanx of conservative Catholic clerics, led by American Cardinal Raymond Burke and a host of other traditionalists, are ready to demand the resignation of the pope if he signs off on such heretical matters. By allowing married men to become priests in remote areas, they fear, the church could pave the way to the abolition of celibacy. Their slippery slope concern is that next, ordained priests will be able to marry. Then, God knows what could happen, maybe even women would be allowed into the priesthood. 

Pope Clement XV

German Cardinal Gerhard Muüller of Germany is vehement: he doesn’t even want the topic brought up and has condemned the synod working document. He says it has “triggered fears of a pending change to Church doctrine.” He warns that it could actually cause a schism, leaving conservatives with no choice but to leave the church under Francis. 

Muüller says the Amazon working document “lacks theological reflection” and creates “great confusion” for Catholics. He says that it puts the focus on “human ideas to save the world” rather than Jesus.

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Thursday, September 12, 2019

They Can Stay at Your House! Or at Least in Your Neighborhood!

 Pretty sure illegal immigrants don't have Constitutional Rights.

.- A Catholic group is suing the Trump administration over the restriction of protections granted to asylum seekers in the U.S.
The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Democracy Forward, and Proskauer Rose LLP filed a lawsuit Sept. 6 arguing that the Trump administration’s new policies violate the statutory rights of asylum seekers and were issued without notice.
 
Mexican women and babies apply for visas.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for D.C., also argues that the new policies were issued invalidly by Ken Cuccinnelli, who the groups claim was appointed unlawfully as head of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Cuccinnelli as “acting director” of USCIS after it became clear that the Senate was unlikely to confirm him as permanent director.

 Who We Are

Embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger, CLINIC promotes the dignity and protects the rights of immigrants in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community immigration legal programs.

So...blah, blah blah, blah blah. I think it's a front for the USCCB.

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Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Islamic Outreach, Part CXIV

From an earlier post on this blog:

Pope Francis spoke to the diplomatic corps and amongst other things, said, "Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam."

MEANWHILE...

 Every year, thousands of Shia worshippers take part in the ceremonies, performed to mourn the death of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
 
The commemorations take place on Ashura, the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar.
They mark Husayn's death at the Battle of Karbala, fought between Husayn and Yazid I on October 10 680AD to determine who should succeed the prophet as the leader of Islam.Yazid is considered a tyrant by some Muslims, and Husayn's death is considered by the Shia community to be a symbol of humanity's struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.

The anniversary is a national holiday in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Pakistan, and typically involves public expressions of mourning.

The Ashura festivities were marked by tragedy in Iraq's holy city of Karbala after more than 30 pilgrims died and another 100 were wounded in a stampede when a walkway collapsed.
Some Muslims mark the day with the practice of Tatbir, in which a sword or scourge is used to draw blood in remembrance of the innocent blood of Husayn.

Many who take part in the practice believe it cleanses them of their sins.

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Why Is She Crying? Probably Because of Something YOU Did




CHICAGO, Illinois -- Some worshipers see a sign from God after a caretaker at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago saw what looked like tears pouring from the Virgin Mary's eyes.

The caretaker noticed the shocking sight early Sunday morning, as she prepared for what could be one of the church's final services.


The church faces foreclosure and is due to go to bankruptcy court Tuesday morning. The community was in shock at the weeping icon.

"There's something she's trying to tell us, so we're just going to seal our lips and listen to what she has to say," said Father Nick Jonas.

Monday the residue of the oil-like substance streaming from the Virgin Mary's eyes remained, with many believing the oil has healing properties and that its origins are a blessing from God.

"I can't explain why she is tearing, but I do know as human beings we are usually crying for two reasons: either joy or sorrow," Fr. Jonas said.

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Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Justin Ong Update

I wrote about his Go Fund Me page a while back. He writes:

Please pray for us seminarian as we begin another scholastic year. Saint Joseph, Pray for us!

Here is a beautiful video of our apostolate in Detroit - Saint Joseph's Oratory.






 $27,610 raised of $40,000 goal!

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Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Jesus Drove Out Demons In Today's Gospel. And Yesterdays.

.- A Catholic elementary school in Nashville has banned the seven books of the Harry Potter series due to concerns the books promote witchcraft and black magic. An exorcist and a Catholic author talked with CNA about the Harry Potter books and the Catholic faith.

“These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception,” Fr. Dan Reehil, pastor at Saint Edward School in Nashville, said to parents in an Aug. 28 email.

“The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text,” the priest added.

I can only add...

 

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Tuesday, September 03, 2019

If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try, Try, Try, Try, Try, Try, Try Again!

.- The U.S. bishops’ conference Sunday issued a statement in response to the Aug. 31 Texas shooting spree that left 5 people dead and 21 injured. It was the ninth statement the bishops’ conference has made in response to mass shootings in 2019. 






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Wait For the Suprise Ending!



.- In a message for Sunday’s World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation, Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to make simple changes to their lives so that God’s creation is treated with respect.

“Too many of us act like tyrants with regard to creation. Let us make an effort to change and to adopt more simple and respectful lifestyles!” he said in the Sept. 1 message.

“Let us say ‘no’ to consumerist greed and to the illusion of omnipotence, for these are the ways of death,” he said. “Let us inaugurate farsighted processes involving responsible sacrifices today for the sake of sure prospects for life tomorrow.” 

“Let us not give in to the perverse logic of quick profit, but look instead to our common future!”
This is a time, the pope’s message continued, “to reflect on our lifestyles, and how our daily decisions about food, consumption, transportation, use of water, energy and many other material goods, can often be thoughtless and harmful.”

He encouraged, for example, replacing fossil fuels with forms of clean energy, and said indigenous people have “age-old” wisdom that can teach people to live in better relationship with the environment.

“Now is the time,” he said, “to rediscover our vocation as children of God, brothers and sisters, and stewards of creation. Now is the time to repent, to be converted and to return to our roots. We are beloved creatures of God, who in his goodness calls us to love life and live it in communion with the rest of creation.”

Pope Francis established the World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation in 2015, to be celebrated every year on Sept. 1.

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