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AMSTERDAM, 06/06/08 - Amsterdam municipal transport company (GVB) bus-drivers and tram personnel cannot celebrate Christmas any more. GVB is axing the event to please Muslims, newspaper de Telegraaf suggested yesterday. Personnel association VTN has been told by GVB management that "the multicultural representation of the colleagues at the Christmas party is too one-sided." Supposedly, GVB meant to say that only white GVB staffs have been attending the annual event organised by management in the past years. It has therefore halted its financial contribution to the Christmas party. "We have a limited budget and want to organise something that is intended...

$50,000 REWARD IN DEATHS OF TREE FARMER, 2 OTHERSRobbery may be motive in slayings Authorities describe how shootings occurred Associated Press INDEPENDENCE, Va. --The family of a prominent North Carolina tree farmer has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for his slaying, as well as that of his son and an employee. Authorities said robbery was the apparent motive in the shooting deaths Thursday of Ronald Hudler, 75, his son Frederick Hudler, 45, and an employee, 25-year-old John Miller. The three were slain on Ronald Hudler's property in Mouth of Wilson, Va., just...

Good column about the campaign against religion in America. For copyright reasons here is the link: http://www.thebulletin.us:80/site/news.cfm?newsid=19195677&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=623508&rfi=6

January 13, 2008                                    The Baptism of the Lord       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD:Here is my servant whom I uphold,my chosen one with whom I am pleased,upon whom I have put my spirit;he shall bring forth justice to the nations,not crying out, not shouting,not making his voice heard in the street.a bruised reed he shall not break,and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,until he establishes justice on the earth;the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,I have grasped you by...

January 12, 2008                                     Saturday after Epiphany       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 5:14-21 Beloved:We have this confidence in himthat if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,we know that what we have asked him for is ours.If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,he should pray to God and he will give him life.This is only for those whose sin is not deadly.There is such a thing as...

January 11, 2008                                         Friday after Epiphany       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 5:5-13 Beloved:Who indeed is the victor over the worldbut the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,not by water alone, but by water and Blood.The Spirit is the one who testifies,and the Spirit is truth.So there are three who testify,the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,and the three are of one accord.If we accept human testimony,the testimony of God is...

January 10, 2008                                     Thursday after Epiphany       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 4:19–5:4 Beloved, we love God becausehe first loved us.If anyone says, “I love God,”but hates his brother, he is a liar;for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seencannot love God whom he has not seen.This is the commandment we have from him:Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,and everyone who loves the Fatherloves also the one begotten by him.In this way we know that we love the children of...

January 9, 2008                                 Wednesday after Epiphany       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 4:11-18 Beloved, if God so loved us,we also must love one another.No one has ever seen God.Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,and his love is brought to perfection in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,that he has given us of his Spirit.Moreover, we have seen and testifythat the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of...

January 8, 2008                                 Tuesday after Epiphany       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 4:7-10 Beloved, let us love one another,because love is of God;everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.In this way the love of God was revealed to us:God sent his only-begotten Son into the worldso that we might have life through him.In this is love:not that we have loved God, but that he loved usand sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Responsorial...

January 7, 2008   Christmas Weekday   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 3:22–4:6 Beloved:We receive from him whatever we ask,because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.And his commandment is this:we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,and love one another just as he commanded us.Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,and the way we know that he remains in usis from the Spirit whom he gave us. Beloved, do not trust every spiritbut test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,because many false prophets have gone...

For the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Hans-Joachim Kracht 'Three Kings' Seek, Find, and Worship the Lord "We have come to worship him" (Mt 2:2) was the meaningful theme chosen for the 20th World Youth Day, celebrated in Cologne, Germany, from 16 to 21 August.The story of the "Adoration of the Wise Men" is one of the best known in the life of the Lord. However, the episode recounted by the Evangelist Matthew is not primarily an exact historical chronicle. Rather, the focus of interest is the content, which concerns the history of salvation in the message...

January 5, 2008                              Memorial of Saint John Neumann, bishop       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 3:11-21 Beloved:This is the message you have heard from the beginning:we should love one another,unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil Oneand slaughtered his brother.Why did he slaughter him?Because his own works were evil,and those of his brother righteous.Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.We know that we have passed from death to lifebecause we love our brothers.Whoever does not love remains in death.Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,and you know that no murderer...

Over the last two weeks, leading American atheists have registered complaints about all the attention given to Christmas in the United States. These atheists have issued three challenges. First, they insist that being atheist does not mean being immoral. Second, they want other people to see that atheists are law-abiding, compassionate, and generous to others—that one does not have to be Christian or to feel “the Christmas spirit� to care for the poor and the needy. Third, they insist that monotheists have a harder time being tolerant of others than atheists do. Atheists, they think, are more humble, tolerant, and...

January 4, 2008                                     Memorial of Saint Elizabeth                                    Ann Seton, religious       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 3:7-10 Children, let no one deceive you.The person who acts in righteousness is righteous,just as he is righteous.Whoever sins belongs to the Devil,because the Devil has sinned from the beginning.Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil.No one who is begotten by God commits sin,because God’s seed remains in him;he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.In this...

January 3, 2008                                     Christmas Weekday       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Jn 2:29–3:6 If you consider that God is righteous,you also know that everyone who acts in righteousnessis begotten by him. See what love the Father has bestowed on usthat we may be called the children of God.Yet so we are.The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.Beloved, we are God’s children now;what we shall be has not yet been revealed.We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like...

Kwanzaa itself is a lunatic blend of schmaltzy '60s rhetoric, black racism and Marxism. Indeed, the seven "principles" of Kwanzaa praise collectivism in every possible arena of life -- economics, work, personality, even litter removal. ("Kuumba: Everyone should strive to improve the community and make it more beautiful.") It takes a village to raise a police snitch. When Karenga was asked to distinguish Kawaida, the philosophy underlying Kwanzaa, from "classical Marxism," he essentially explained that under Kawaida, we also hate whites. While taking the "best of early Chinese and Cuban socialism" -- which one assumes would exclude the forced abortions,...

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 1, 2008) -- On Christmas Eve, a military aircraft flew in from Baghdad landing at Camp Fallujah transporting special cargo for one fortunate Marine; his father. The chance to spend Christmas together was one they didn’t take for granted and were fully aware of what a privilege it was for them. “I’d bicycle from Baghdad to be here,” said Paul Charbonneau, the father of 22-year-old, Owasso, Okla. native Cpl. Paul J. Charbonneau, a squad leader with 4th platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6. Paul, a senior manager for a telecommunications company...

About 2007 years ago, give or take, the most significant event in the history of the universe took place. A baby was born into a poor Jewish family in an area of the world under the occupation of the Roman Empire. This baby would grow up to be a carpenter for the majority of his life, living quietly and humbly in Nazareth, in Galilee. However, for the last three years of his life he would travel throughout Palestine teaching, healing, and challenging the conventional Jewish order. Without education, without an army, and without money, this Jesus of Nazareth would forever...

It's New Year's Day 2008, as I sit and reflect: Christmas has yet to end, and already gone are most decorative lights and some discarded Christmas trees now lining the streets. Noticed less Christmas (please, not holiday) decorations this year, possibly due to higher gas/electric costs, so understandable. But folks nowadays stop giving Christmas wishes after Christmas Day, and look at you strange, if you do - are they not aware of the song lyrics "The 12 Days of Christmas" (perhaps thinking it stands for the 12 days to shop before Christmas Day) or that Jan 6th is the last...

January 1, 2008                         The Octave Day of Christmas                               Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,                             the Mother of God         Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Nm 6:22-27 The 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...

Gender gap is a true gift Dave Barry This is the time of year when a lot of women (by which I mean my wife) complain that women do WAY more holiday stuff than men do. Which is true. On any given day during the holidays, my wife wraps more presents than I have wrapped in my entire life. In terms of cubic footage of stuff wrapped (CFSW), she has basically wrapped the planet Saturn. So she is definitely carrying more than her share of the holiday load. HOWEVER, when she was complaining about we were discussing this today, I...

Mary Harwell Sayler  Other Articles by Mary Harwell SaylerPrinter Friendly Version   Gospel Records of Jesus' Birth December 26, 2007 Question: How did the Gospel writers get records of Jesus' birth? I understand how the Gospels record writings of things Christ did or things he taught the disciples and all his followers. I know how these are first hand accounts or taken from those who had first hand accounts. My question is, there are many events in Scripture where no one was present to witness the event, such as the Annunciation but especially the Magnificat, the Visitation, what Elizabeth...

CLIFTON -- Christmas may have ended, but Izabela Glowka is only part way into her holiday season.  For the Clifton resident and some traditional Eastern European Roman Catholics, Christmas begins with a daytime fast on Dec. 24 and only ends with a feast on Jan. 1.  Many Europeans adhere to the Octave, the eight days of Christmas.  In Poland, where residents are ardent followers of the tradition, banks close and workers relax at home with their families for the entire week.  They didn't get the day off, but many Poles living locally skipped work on Wednesday to mark St....

The Christmas ads that showed up in Iowa and New Hampshire — and here, on the Internet — are mostly just more ads, but with a new and disturbing twist. There is Barack Obama, being sensitive by letting his wife, Michelle, speak first; Rudy Giuliani, softening his image by joking with Santa, and Ron Paul grinning in the midst of family pandemonium. John McCain reminds us he was a prisoner of war, Fred Thompson offers heart-warming snapshots of the troops and John Edwards promises not to forget the poor. The hullabaloo has come over the ad for Mike Huckabee. He...

Four Fires Reported In Winsted WINSTED, Conn. -- Police were questioning three suspects younger than 15 in connection with a string of car fires in Winsted. Three car fires and one attempted car arson were reported in the town on Thursday and one on Christmas, according to police. -snip- Police said arsonists smashed the window of a Wendy's employee's car before setting it on fire from the inside. Employee Courtney Haynes told Eyewitness News that she discovered her car was burning when she went outside for a smoke break. "My other employee came out with me and I saw it...

Since I was old enough to care about things like the liturgical year, I've often wondered why Christmas gets so much more play among Western Christians than Easter. The Triduum, after all, commemorates the central event of our redemption; if attestations are to be believed, the light shining forth through the risen Christ is even more brilliant than the Christ Child's. As I sit in the darkness of the evening of Christmas Day, which always seems greater than that of other evenings, I believe I have been given the answer. It also explains why people also seem to think that...

“The One That Got Away” (Matthew 2:13-23)Christmas is a joyous, happy holiday. At this time of year we celebrate the “good news of great joy,” that to us is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. With the angels who give glory to God in the highest, with the shepherds who return glorifying and praising God, with the wise men who rejoice exceedingly with great joy, we too join in the joy of Christmas. Yes, Christmas is a joyous, happy holiday. That is true within the church. But perhaps even more so, it’s true in the culture around us....

For public school students, Christmas - as religious holidays in general - is fast becoming taboo. A memo from Intermediate District 287, a west-metro district headquartered in Plymouth, conveys the atmosphere succinctly. “In Intermediate District 287,” the memo instructs, “it is not appropriate to experience other’s [sic] religious traditions at work or school. . . . Decorating should be limited to celebration of the winter season,” with decorations confined to “snowpeople, snowflakes, skating scenes.” Prohibited images include “Santa Claus, . . . Christmas trees, wreaths, Star of David, Menorah, Buddha!, . . . and Christmas cards.” Staff must survey their...

The Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea send greetings to their brethren, the Jews in Egypt, and wish them true peace! May God bless you and remember his covenant with his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. May he give to all of you a heart to worship him and to do his will readily and generously. May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace. May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled to you, and never forsake you in time of adversity. Even now we are praying for you...

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For decades, children have enjoyed singing about the little donkey which is said to have carried the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem.   The calendar features Lord Nelson forced to wear a life jacket But one group of young singers was ordered to change the traditional lyrics of the Christmas song - because they were said to be "too religious".Instead of "Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way", the youngsters were told to sing "carry Lucy" for fear of offending non-Christians. The incident, at the school's Christmas concert, appears on a new calendar alongside 11 other examples of extreme political...

AN icy blast of wind rips down the Chora Valley in southern Afghanistan, sending eddies of dust swirling around the newly constructed mud-brick fort at Nyazi. Winter has arrived. Beyond the valley, looking east from the Australian-built strong point, early snowfalls have dusted the jagged peaks of the towering Hindu Kush, presenting a shimmering patina in the distance. The snowfalls have brought a welcome calm to the strategic valley, once part of the ancient Silk Road trade route. It has also affected the valley's other occasional residents: armed Taliban extremists. Senior Australian military intelligence officers say these visitors were ousted...

We usually talk about the bad and ugly... but Christmas Eve, I witnessed the true Christmas Spirit... shopping at the local market for last minute stuffs, noticed a mom and her 2 daughters, not talking and mom looking stressed, just duty shopping. As they passed another female shopper, the shopper said something to the mom to the effect "did you hear, they spotted Santa a few minutes ago over China, and they think he'll be here around midnight" -- the girls got a look of surprise on their faces, and they gasped and put their hands over their mouths and...

With Kwanzaa just starting and New Years still days away, retailer's attempts to be inclusive go right out the window with the annual "after holiday" sales that start on December 26. Barnes and Noble, in an effort not to offend, refused to use the dreaded C word in pre-Christmas ads. I guess they don't get the idea that running Barnes and Noble's "after holiday" sale starting December 26 kinda lets people know what "holiday" you meant all along. Kmart goes so far as to have a cartoon in an ad saying to decorations "Lets spend the Holidays together again next...

Father Christmas does exist -- Russian governmentAgence France-Presse First Posted 05:43pm (Mla time) 12/27/2007 MOSCOW -- Russia's government has ridden to the rescue of children by banning a television ad that declares Father Christmas does not exist, the daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta announced Thursday. The Federal Anti-monopoly Service ruled that the advertisement run by a network of electronics stores called Eto breaks a law against discrediting parents, the government-run newspaper said. The advertisement declares bluntly "that Father Frost does not exist," according to the report, referring to Russia's version of the gift-bearing, red-coated old man. "It means that parents are not...

Dec. 26, 2007, 4:25PM Senate meets for 9 seconds to block Bush appointment By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press TOOLS Email Get section feed Print Subscribe NOW Comments (40) Recommend WASHINGTON — The House was quiet as a mouse the day after Christmas. But across the Capitol, the Senate was operating in an unusually efficient manner in its ongoing power struggle with President Bush. A nine-second session gaveled in and out by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., prevented Bush from appointing as an assistant attorney general a nominee roundly rejected by majority Democrats. Without the pro forma session, the Senate would be...

In his pre-Christmas address to the Roman curia, Benedict XVI reiterated the purposes of his trip to the largest country in Latin America: to bring the Church back to a stance of mission and to proclaim Jesus to all the peoples of the earth. Including the Muslims by Sandro Magister ROMA, December 24, 2007 – In a surprise move, Benedict XVI dedicated almost all of his pre-Christmas address to the Roman curia three days ago to a reflection on his trip to Brazil. In the addresses to the curia that preceded Christmas of 2005 and 2006, pope Joseph Ratzinger had...

Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.  Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.Printer Friendly Version   The Deeper Meaning of Christmas December 25, 2007 In the days of Caesar Augustus, an era of peace was established in the Mediterranean world after centuries of strife.  But this peace was forged by the proud ambition of emperors and the edge of their armies' swords.Upon this stage appears a baby acclaimed as king by eastern dignitaries.  Neither Caesar nor Herod will brook any rivals.  So brutal hordes are sent to slay Him at birth, though He Himself comes without armies.  The thugs are thwarted, but only...

Prop your feet up and sit for a few minutes - I have a GREAT story for you! This last week was sort of frustrating for me because, as some of you know, my hubby was sick and my sister-in-law (who lives with us) was sick and a large payment that hubby sent in on my credit card for some reason has not been processed by my credit card company. All that meant that my sister-in-law and I had not gotten out to shop for Christmas presents as planned, I had ordered a few things online, but that was it....

The Greatest Gift For All Christmas is a time of traditions. If you have found time in the rush before Christmas to decorate a tree, you are sharing in a relatively new tradition. Although the Christmas tree has ancient roots, at the beginning of the 20th century only 1 in 5 American families put up a tree. It was 1920 before the Christmas tree became the hallmark of the season. Calvin Coolidge was the first President to light a national Christmas tree on the White House lawn. Gifts are another shared custom. This tradition comes from the wise men or...

This year I received a police scanner for my Christmas present. I wasn’t sure if my wife would “ok” this, or consider it a “waste of money”, but nevertheless I kept mentioning that I wanted one since I had a police scanner about twenty years ago and enjoyed it very much. Recently, a movie in which a police scanner was featured in several of the scenes reminded me of my interest in scanners, and so I decided that is what I wanted for Christmas this year. Well, I got the police scanner. And I couldn’t wait to try it out....

President & Mrs. Bush arrived at their home in Crawford, Texas today after spending Christmas at Camp David. Traveling with the First Couple were daughters Jenna and Barbara, and Laura Bush’s mother Jenna Welch. During the flight to Texas, President Bush signed the budget bill that will fund our troops serving in Iraq. This law provides a down payment for the resources our troops need, without arbitrary timelines for withdrawal. The Congress should quickly take action next year to provide the remainder of the funding needed by our troops. (Transcript) And in a new Gallup Poll, President Bush was named...

Pope hails persecuted Christians as modern martyrsWed Dec 26, 7:31 AM ETVATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Wednesday that Christians faced persecution, torture and death in some parts of the world and continued to be made martyrs for their faith. In a message to pilgrims on the day after Christmas -- the feast day of St. Stephen, considered the first Christian martyr -- the Pope said Christians who die for their faith pray for forgiveness for their killers. "We should always note that this is a distinctive characteristic of the Christian martyr -- it is exclusively an...

<p>While a majority of American adults still believe that Jesus should be the focus of the holiday season, a growing segment of the population disagrees.</p> <p>A recent poll conducted by the Rasmussen Reports found that 27 percent of respondents said that there should be less of a Christian emphasis on the holidays. That's up 10 percentage points from a year ago when just 17 percent of adults felt that way.</p>

DES MOINES, Iowa — Christmas Eve stunk for Robert Schoff. The 77-year-old Des Moines man got stuck in his septic tank. "It wasn't good, I'll tell you what," Schoff told the Des Moines Register. "It was the worst Christmas Eve I've ever had." Schoff's holiday adventure started Monday when he dug a hole and reached inside to find a clog. He lost his balance and became wedged in the opening of the tank.

"The fact-based political comedy "Charlie Wilson's War" earned $14.75 million...after 5 days."

December 26, 2007                                 Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr Psalm: Wednesday 44     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 Stephen, filled with grace and power,was working great wonders and signs among the people.Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,and people from Cilicia and Asia,came forward and debated with Stephen,but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. When they heard this, they were infuriated,and they ground their teeth at him.But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,looked up intently to heavenand saw the...

My Christmas Story As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night. One night a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signaling for me to be quiet, and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me. A month or so later, on...

NEW DELHI - Hindu extremists attacked Christians celebrating Christmas in eastern India, ransacking and burning at least six village churches, officials said Wednesday. One person was killed in the violence. Authorities in the remote district where the churches were attacked have deployed 450 police to quell the violence, which had tapered off by Wednesday, said Bahugrahi Mahapatra, a government official. There were conflicting reports of what sparked the unrest in Orissa, a state in eastern India with a history of violence against the area's tiny Christian minority. Mahapatra called the violence a "sensitive matter" and refused to discuss how it...

French President Nicolas Sarkozy flew in to the Egyptian city of Luxor on Tuesday aboard a private jet accompanied by his new love, ex-supermodel Carla Bruni, to spend Christmas on the banks of the Nile. French billionaire Vincent Bollore provided the plane that brought Sarkozy, Bruni and nine others from Paris to the pharaonic splendour of Luxor, where the recently divorced Sarkozy will relax for a few days ahead of an official visit on December 30. The group travelled from the airport to the Old Winter Palace hotel in a 16-vehicle convoy, with the pair walking hand-in-hand up the stairs...