http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/ministry-religion/ en-us Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:12:14 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051236/posts One year after the release of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, The Liturgical Institute at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, announced that it has added a required 3-credit course on the history and spirituality of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite to its roster of classes. The Liturgical Institute was founded by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago (left) in the year 2000. Though the primary emphasis of the Institute involves the reformed liturgical books, this course comes in response to the call of Pope Benedict for freer study and use of the... CMR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051236/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:12:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051187/posts Mosques are multiplying across the country and their inspiration may come as a bit of a surprise – Christian megachurches. Similar to many megachurches, new mosques are popping up as extension campuses to a main mosque with the stated goal of making it more convenient for Muslims in an area to worship. These extended mosque sites are sometimes referred to as “mosque chains” and tend to be adopted by more progressive Muslim congregations. "Because of how streamlined we are, you can get off the highway from anywhere and find a mosque that is well-maintained, well-structured and that will always be... Christian Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051187/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:24:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051138/posts Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - How different is the Lord's way of looking at the earth and its inhabitants, compared with our way which rarely sees beyond appearances! Conversion of heart means learning from Jesus to see things His way which is totally different from the way of the world. To follow Him means to look where He looks, to focus on what comes from His love rather than what comes from our own self-love, which is 'short sighted' by nature. Learning day by day from the Gospel means looking further than our own selfish limits, looking in the same... Agenzia Fides http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2051138/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:53:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050308/posts Kiev, Jul. 23, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The two most powerful leaders of the Orthodox world-- Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow-- will be in Kiev, Ukraine, this weekend to join in celebrating the 1020th anniversary of Christianity there. The "Baptism of the Rus" is seen by the Moscow patriarchate as the historic foundation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Alexei will preside at a liturgical celebration of the event on July 28. Patriarch Bartholomew, the acknowledged "first among equals" of the world's Orthodox patriarchs, will also be in Kiev to commemorate the event. But his... CWN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050308/posts#comment Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:08:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050293/posts Sydney certainly knows how to throw a party. The extraordinary scenes played out on the city's streets over the course of the World Youth Day week, and relayed on television screens for huge world audiences, or reported in newspapers or on radio bulletins, have been in some respects reminiscent of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In other ways they have surpassed them. For this was a party quite unlike any other: five days and nights of peace, love and Christianity, enjoyed by young pilgrims from around the world; no alcohol, little trouble, barely even a hint of disorder. To cap it... Otago (NZ) Daily Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050293/posts#comment Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:45:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050228/posts For the Christian, the center from which the Divine design proceeds within the fabric of our own lives- and through which we begin to discern the beauty of God’s perfect plan - is the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is the central patch of cloth from which the pattern proceeds. It is also where the pattern returns. However, seeing this pattern requires ongoing conversion. We need the eyes that can only come through living faith. We need the strength to pull ourselves up by grasping the wood. It is only there where we begin to see that the threads all... Catholic Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050228/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:40:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050159/posts A five minute video with a message of God's sovereignty, good for the soul of the saint - convicting for the soul of the spiritually dead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEadldYHtUk FBC Briar http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050159/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:38:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050032/posts  The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church Thinking about joining the Catholic Church, and feeling a little lost? Here's some detailed, Christ-centered guidance on faith development during the RCIA inquiry stage. The RCIA inquiry stage is the starting place for adults who are thinking about entering the Catholic Church. "Be still, and know that I am God." — Psalm 46:10 In the inquiry stage, you're just finding out about Jesus, Christianity, and the Catholic Church. Talk to people, walk around in our shoes for a bit and get a feel for the place. As an inquirer, you're not yet... BeginningCatholic.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050032/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:30:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050025/posts  A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages Thinking of joining the Roman Catholic Church? The Catholic RCIA stages are a good model of basic faith development. This article provides some detailed guidance for that process. So, you're developing your faith. Great! Is it a little overwhelming? Where to start? Why so many "stages" of initiation? What should I be doing in each stage? How will I know when I'm ready to move forward? This article is your best starting point to answer these questions, and more. I'll provide you with some fundamentals — centered in Christ —... Beginning Catholic.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050025/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:12:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050015/posts LAMBETH CONFERENCE 2008MISSION, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EVANGELISATION Cardinal Ivan DiasPrefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Rome “This is indeed the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24). At the very outset, I want to thank His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury for his kind invitation to address this august Conference. I sincerely appreciate your warm welcome, which echoes the words of the psalmist: “How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133:1). CHRIST’S MANDATE TO EVANGELISE The theme of this... Rorate Coeli http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050015/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:57:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049943/posts After years of being booed offstage, the curtains have again opened and God is being greeted with tumultuous applause. World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney was a triumph for the Catholic Church and its 81-year-old head, Pope Benedict XVI. About 400,000 people attended a final Mass on Sunday (July 20), briefly making the pilgrims’ destination bigger than the nation’s capital, Canberra. Some baffled journalists described it as a Catholic Woodstock – the 1969 orgy of, drugs and sex and rock ‘n roll which became an iconic moment for baby-boomers. But 40 years later, the world has moved in an unexpected... Mercator Net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049943/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:25:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049688/posts SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 21, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI told pilgrims at the Youth Day closing Mass not to fear a call to the priesthood or consecrated life. One statistic indicates his words fell on fertile soil: An average of 2,500 pilgrims an hour visited the Vocations Expo in Sydney. This and other statistics reveal the most spiritual and the most simple aspects of the 23rd World Youth Day, which concluded Sunday. More than 400,000 people attended the closing Mass. And 500,000 welcomed the Pope to Sydney for his official arrival on Thursday. The number of international and local pilgrims was... ZNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049688/posts#comment Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:53:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049527/posts It's about a hundred degrees and getting hotter in the Big Top at Lambeth but the £1 million black hole in the budget at the Lambeth Conference means they can't afford air conditioning. Expect fainting bishops to be ferried out by ambulances any moment now, if they don't start shooting each other first. The press conference this morning was a farce. Communications officers declined to comment on who is here for reasons of 'security' but declined to say what the 'security' issues were. Apparently there are some Nigerian bishops at the conference but we are not allowed to know who... Times Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049527/posts#comment Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:38:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049137/posts "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8) I'd like to start today with a question. How many of you think of yourselves as a spiritual father or spiritual mother? Or to put it another way, how many of you can claim, by your actions, to have knowingly brought someone closer to Jesus Christ and the Church? The reason I ask is simple. By our baptism, we have received the right and the obligation to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ — that's what the word... Catholic Culture http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049137/posts#comment Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:28:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049121/posts "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; and we were all given to drink of one Spirit" (I Cor 12:13) How many of you have heard people from your own generation or older say something like this: "I believe in Jesus, but I don't need the Church." Or: "I'm a spiritual person, but I'm not religious." Here's the problem with those statements: Without Jesus, there's no Church. It's that simple. And it's also true the other way around: Without the Church, there's no way we can have a lasting, personal relationship with the true Jesus... Catholic Culture http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2049121/posts#comment Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:53:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048926/posts ASIA/CHINA - Bishop Joseph Jiang Mingyuan passes away: clergy, religious, and laity of Zhaoxian remember him as a zealous priest and a holy pastor, a resplendent example of faithful and sincere witness to the Lord and His Church, even in times of hardship Biancun (Agenzia Fides) – On July 13, at 77 years of age, His Excellency Joseph Jiang Mingyuan, Bishop of Chaohsien (Zhaoxian) and Administrator of Xingtai, in the Province of Hebei (continental China), passed away at 3:30 am at the residence for elderly clergy in Biancun. In December 2004, he suffered his first stroke, from which he was... Agenzia Fides http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048926/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:25:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048749/posts Last week, The Catholic Herald revealed that the Anglican Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, wants to lead his traditionalist flock into full communion with Rome. The reaction of some Catholics was indignant. "The last thing we need is more ex-Anglicans," they groaned. Such a response is not only un-Catholic; it also betrays depressing ignorance about the history of the post-Reformation Catholic Church in England. Just as the Church of England's identity has been shaped by its Roman roots, so the English Catholic Church has drawn some of its lifeblood from Anglican converts. Indeed, at times they have... Catholic Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048749/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:28:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048748/posts Sydney, Jul. 18, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Meeting on July 18 with a group of young people recovering from drug addiction and other problems, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) told them that they could be "ambassadors of hope to others." The Pope saluted the young people for having shown "courage in choosing to turn back onto the path of life." The Holy Father began his speech by citing the words of Moses to the people of Israel: "I set before you life or death, blessing or curse." In response, he observed, the Hebrews "had to turn away from other gods... Catholic World News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048748/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:25:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048685/posts Sydney, Jul. 18, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Christian Baptism is "the point of departure for the entire ecumenical movement," Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) told a meeting of Christian leaders in Sydney on July 18. But ecumenical work, he added, should always aim toward completion in a shared celebration of the Eucharist. The Holy Father met on Friday morning with representatives of Australia's other Christian communities-- having earlier held short private audiences with local political leaders. He told the Christian leaders that the ecumenical movement has "reached a critical juncture." To progress further toward genuine unity, the Pope said, Christians... CWN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048685/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:30:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048563/posts SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Two young Chileans thought they were the object of a joke when they received e-mails saying they would ride the boat-a-cade that would take Benedict XVI to his World Youth Day arrival. Jorge Juárez and Ane Marie Kampp registered for a random drawing on the official World Youth Day page, without thinking seriously that that click would make possible an unforgettable adventure, reported the Chilean episcopal conference. Juárez said he has been serving the Church for years, but what he experienced in Sydney would make him deepen his faith. "I feel the responsibility to... ZNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048563/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:21:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048560/posts p>SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 19, 2008 (Zenit.org).- With the help of St. Augustine, Benedict XVI gave a brief theology lesson on the third person of the Trinity at the World Youth Day vigil Saturday night at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The Holy Spirit "has been in some ways the neglected person of the Blessed Trinity" the Pope told the youth. "A clear understanding of the Spirit almost seems beyond our reach." The Pontiff recalled that as a young boy he learned of the Holy Spirit, but never quite understood the third person of the Trinity until he was a priest... ZNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048560/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:15:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048559/posts Mark Gilbert is the Sydneyanglicans.net correspondent at World Youth Day. This week, the Sydney Anglican minister shares his extraordinary story of what happened to him following the 1986 Papal visit to Sydney. Being Catholic was always very important to me: it was my identity, my culture. Growing up, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel I had a relationship with God, though I was never sure exactly where I stood. I knew God through religious activities: going to Mass, receiving the Sacraments and having spiritual experiences like retreats. If I’d just been away on a retreat I’d... sydneyanglicans.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048559/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:09:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048556/posts SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 19, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Although it's not easy to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in one's life, Benedict XVI says one can be certain that the Spirit is the silent and hidden guide toward unity and reconciliation.The Pope said this at the World Youth Day vigil Saturday night at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. Giovanni Maria Vian, director de L'Osservatore Romano, said the discourse of the Holy Father was "one of the most beautiful texts of his pontificate." The Pontiff said the words of Christ taken as the theme of World Youth Day 2008 -- "You... ZNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048556/posts#comment Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:59:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048553/posts SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 19, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI expressed his deep sorrow for the suffering of sexual abuse victims during his homily at Mass with Australian clergy. Departing from his prepared homily during the Saturday liturgy at St. Mary's Cathedral, the Pope said, "Indeed, I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured, and I assure them that as their pastor, I too share in their suffering." The Pontiff's prepared speech addressed acknowledge "the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this... ZNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048553/posts#comment Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:50:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048345/posts In these days I too have come, as the Successor of Saint Peter, to this magnificent land of Australia. I have come to confirm you, my young brothers and sisters, in your faith and to encourage you to open your hearts to the power of Christ's Spirit and the richness of his gifts. I pray that this great assembly, which unites young people "from every nation under heaven" (cf. Acts 2:5), will be a new Upper Room. May the fire of God's love descend to fill your hearts, unite you ever more fully to the Lord and his Church, and... Catholic Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048345/posts#comment Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:12:31 GMT