http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/catholic/ en-us Fri, 1 Jan 2010 06:02:29 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418830/posts January 1, 2010                                 The Octave Day of Christmas                               Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,                             the Mother of God 8                 Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Nm 6:22-27The LORD said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites.Say to them:The LORD bless you and keep you!The LORD let his face shine uponyou, and be gracious to you!The LORD look upon you kindly andgive you peace!So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless... USCCB.org/New American Bible http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418830/posts#comment Fri, 1 Jan 2010 06:02:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418814/posts Was 2009 a Turning Point? December 31st, 2009 by Russell Shaw Was 2009 a turning point for the American bishops, marking a tougher and more realistic approach on their part to the myriad problems, internal and external, besetting the Catholic Church in the United States? It’s too soon for final conclusions, but, on the evidence, history may judge the year just past in exactly those terms.Two episodes in particular suggest as much.One is the remarkable fact that some 80 American bishops, acting on their own, spoke up last spring to protest Notre Dame’s invitation to President Barack Obama to receive... CatholicExchange.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418814/posts#comment Fri, 1 Jan 2010 05:07:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418674/posts In this space yesterday, I commented on the 5 most distressing news stories of 2009. Today, as promised, I turn to the five most encouraging news developments: 5. The Vatican investigation of American women’s religious communities. “For many years,” Cardinal Franc Rodé disclosed in November, “this dicastery [the Congregation for Religious] had been listening to concerns expressed by American Catholics—religious, laity, clergy, and hierarchy—about the welfare of religious women and consecrated life in general.” Finally, this year the Vatican took action. In February, the Holy See announced an apostolic visitation of American women’s religious orders. That inquiry is being conducted... catholicculture.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418674/posts#comment Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:46:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418435/posts Featured Term (selected at random):HERODIAS The daughter of Aristobulus, a half-sister of Herod Agrippa. She married her uncle Philip, but left him to marry another uncle, Herod Antipas. John the Baptist denounced this marriage, and Herodias was determined to wreak vengeance. When her daughter, Salome, won the admiration of the king with her dancing, he promised to grant her whatever she asked. Her mother instructed her to demand the head of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:3-11). The king reluctantly granted the request (Mark 6:17-29). A few years later Herodias joined Herod Antipas when he was sent into exile. All items... CatholicReference.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418435/posts#comment Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:05:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2418261/posts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Microfiche-New York Times archives, Cabrillo College Library http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2418261/posts#comment Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:39:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418166/posts December 31, 2009                                   The Seventh Day                                     in the Octave of Christmas         Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 11 Jn 2:18-21Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. But you have the anointing that... USCCB.org/New American Bible http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2418166/posts#comment Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:21:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417995/posts WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia is the latest battleground for an escalating conflict between same-sex couples demanding the “right” to marry and churches defending their freedom to maintain the integrity of their institutions. Last month, the district’s City Council legalized same-sex “marriage,” prompting celebrations for homosexual activists — and a sober reckoning for the Archdiocese of Washington. Congress must still approve the city-council vote, and opponents of the proposed law vow to take their fight to Capitol Hill, or the courts. But nobody expects a quick resolution to an issue that will continue to plague Catholic bishops throughout the... NC Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417995/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:48:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417676/posts Featured Term (selected at random):CHRISTENDOM The Christian polity insofar as the principles of Christianity governed (and still govern) the laws and civil institutions of nations. Its foundations may be traced to the Jewish traditions of a theocracy, and its history properly began with the liberation of the Church under Constantine. It developed through more than a millennium in most of the countries of Europe and with numerous setbacks remained fairly intact until the Protestant Reformation. In its best days, Christendom represented the corporate Christian social life, and its impact on world civilization through the arts and philosophy, law and the... CatholicReference.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417676/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:01:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417459/posts December 30, 2009                          The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 11 Jn 2:12-17I am writing to you, children,because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers,because you know him who is from the beginning.I am writing to you, young men,because you have conquered the Evil One.I write to you, children,because you know the Father.I write to you, fathers,because you know him who is from the beginning.I write to you, young men,because you are strong and the word of... USCCB.org/New American Bible http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417459/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:18:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417213/posts Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The rift between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Catholic Church will likely grow thanks to new comments the abortion advocate made. Pelosi said in a new interview that the "free will" of women wanting abortions outweighs pro-life Catholic teachings. Newsweek's Eleanor Clift conducted a year-end interview with Pelosi. The conversation turned to the topic of abortion and health care and Pelosi blasted the Catholic bishops for their opposition to the pro-abortion bill. She tells Clift it was frustrating that Catholic bishops "were not willing to accept what we know to be a fact" -- that... LifeNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417213/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:08:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417069/posts Poll: Pew and Pulpit Disagree on Immigration Zogby Survey Finds Religious Leaders and Members at Odds WASHINGTON (December 29, 2009) - In contrast to many national religious leaders who are lobbying for increases in immigration, a new Zogby poll of likely voters who belong to the same religious communities finds strong support for reducing overall immigration. Moreover, members strongly disagree with their leaders’ contention that more immigrant workers need to be allowed into the country. Also, most parishioners and congregants prefer more enforcement to cause illegal workers to go home, rather than legalization of illegal immigrants, which most religious leaders... Center for Immigration Studies http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417069/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:26:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417038/posts This audio clip is from one of my recent shows, in which a caller wanted (I think) to publicly put me on the spot over why I "de-friended" him on my Facebook page. As you'll hear, the reason was because of something he said to some of the women there about their having had an abortion. The problem was that he branded such women as "murderers" because 1) abortion is murder and 2) they had aborted one or more of their children. His logic is correct, at least in a sense, because abortion is murder. But the way he put... Patrick Madrid http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417038/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:33:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417034/posts Featured Term (selected at random):ECKHARTISM General name for the spiritual teaching of Meister Eckhart (1260-1327), the German Dominican mystic and of his followers. In 1329, Pope John XXII condemned twenty-eight of Eckhart's sentences as heretical or dangerous, e.g.: "We are totally transformed into God and changed into Him . . . Though a person commits a thousand mortal sins, if he is rightly disposed, he should not wish not to have committed them . . . A good man is the only begotten Son of God." Investigation of his doctrine has since indicated Eckhart's personal orthodoxy, while admitting indiscretion in... CatholicReference.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2417034/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:27:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416767/posts December 29, 2009                            The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 11 Jn 2:3-11Beloved:The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandmentsis a liar, and the truth is not in him.But whoever keeps his word,the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.... USCCB.org/New American Bible http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416767/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:07:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2237464/posts Nature of God 8. What do you mean by the term God? God is a spiritual, substantial, personal being, infinite in intelligence, in will, and in all perfection, absolutely simple or lacking composition, immutable, happy in Himself and by Himself, and infinitely superior to all that is or can be conceived apart from Himself. He is incomprehensible in His infinite perfection by all lesser intelligences, although knowable as to the fact of His existence as Living Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, almighty, eternal, immense, and distinct from all that He has created. That is what I mean by... icatholicism.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2237464/posts#comment Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:41:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416543/posts On my "Open Line" radio show last week (Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET), I took a call from Ryan in Baton Rouge. He asked for some advice on resources for studying Scripture in a systematic way. Here's what I told him. Take a listen . . . Patrick Madrid http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416543/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:16:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416406/posts A recent papal decree moved Pope Pius XII, among others, closer to sainthood -- returning to the forefront the controversy over his role in World War II and the Holocaust. Growing up Jewish in Queens, I never dreamt I would be defending the man I once believed to be a Nazi sympathizer and an anti-Semite. But my work since 2002 with my wife, Meredith, and the Pave the Way Foundation has led me to this point. We founded Pave the Way to identify and eliminate nontheological obstacles between religions. Thus, despite our early prejudices, we decided to investigate the papacy... New York Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416406/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:31:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416380/posts "It was only minutes after Pope Benedict XVI was violently attacked on Christmas Eve by a woman described by authorities as mentally deranged, but leftist blogs lit up with joy over the assault. . . ." Patrick Madrid http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416380/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:54:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416366/posts Featured Term (selected at random):UNAM SANCTAM The papal bull of Pope Boniface VIII, issued November 18, 1302, in answer to Philip IV of France, who denied the Pope's authority. Only the last sentence is irreversible doctrine, in which Boniface states: "We declare, say, define and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff" (Denzinger 875). The preceding part of the document deals at length with the relation of temporal and spiritual powers in the Church. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary,... CatholicReference.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416366/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:34:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416360/posts SIN! THE ONLY REAL EVIL PHYSICAL EVIL. The world is for ever complaining and murmuring about the supposed evils that oppress it. It complains of poverty, of hard work, of pain and sickness, and of disease and death. But can such things be truly called evil? Can we rightly stigmatize as evil that which may be made an occasion of immense good? How can we truly say, for instance, that poverty is an evil, when our Divine Lord Himself, says:---"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt, vi, 3)? Or again, are hard work... Catholic Treasures http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416360/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:26:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416109/posts Why Be Catholic? 7: Tradition   By Dr. Jeff Mirus | October 27, 2009 2:06 PM This is not primarily an essay about Sacred Tradition, which is certainly another worthy apologetical topic. Instead, I have in mind here the Catholic Church’s unique vision of human nature, a vision so profound that one particular dimension of it is just now beginning to be grasped in the 21st century. That dimension is the role of tradition in defining what it means to be human. Stated positively, the core insight is that tradition is essential to being human. Stated negatively, we could say that,... CatholicCulture.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416109/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:20:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416103/posts December 28, 2009                                   Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 11 Jn 1:5—2:2Beloved:This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christand proclaim to you:God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness,we lie and do not act in truth.But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,then we have fellowship with one another,and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.If we say, “We are without sin,”we deceive ourselves,... USCCB.org/New American Bible http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2416103/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:55:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415859/posts 1st Lt. Marjana Mair is confirmed as a Catholic at Tigris River Chapel in a ceremony presided over by Chaplain Maj. Tyson Wood. You could call it something of a religious trifecta for Marjana Mair. The soldier from Albany was among seven service members with the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade who just six days before Christmas were confirmed as Catholics while serving in Iraq. 1st Lt. Mair was also baptized and received her first communion.She was a Muslim for many years but wanted to become Catholic after studying the faith."I grew up (Muslim) for 18 years, but when I... Times Union http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415859/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:37:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2415799/posts Fresh calls for the fifth and last remaining bishop who was named in the Murphy Commission report on child sex abuse in the Dublin archdiocese to resign have been made. Bishop of Galway Martin Drennan is the last bishop of the five to still remain in office. He was Auxiliary Bishop in Dublin from 1997 to 2005. When the report was published, he claimed it "says nothing negative about me." He also claims to have deep support from his flock in Galway and local radio stations have stated that calls in his favor far outweigh calls for his resignation. Local... Irish Central http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2415799/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:49:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2415703/posts The Feast of St. John the Evangelist—the Apostle, the Beloved Disciple—is no doubt a great feast day of God's Love. St. John was the first to use Love as the perfect synonym for God, and as the last apostle to die as well as the author of the last book of the Bible, John is in many ways the last word on Love (with a capital "L") as well. So while the divine answer to the question, "Who wrote the book on Love?" will always be the Holy Spirit, the human answer has to be the Beloved Disciple. But to... Fighting Irish Thomas http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2415703/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:38:08 GMT