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2013-10-17 L’Osservatore Romano At the General Audience on Wednesday, 16 October, in St Peter's Square, the Holy Father spoke about the Church handed down through the centuries, like a river, and the source is and always Christ himself. Thus, the topic of his reflection was the Apostolic nature of the Church, continuing the catechises on the Creed. The following is a translation of the Pope's discourse, which was given in Italian.Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good Morning! When we recite the Creed we say “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church”. I don't know if you have ever...

ST. PETERSBURG — As soon as they pulled into the church lot, Davion changed his mind. ''Miss! Hey, Miss!" he called to his caseworker, who was driving. "I don't want to do this anymore." In the back seat, he hugged the Bible someone had given him at the foster home. "You're going to be great," Connie Going said. Outside St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, she straightened his tie. Like his too-big black suit, the white tie had been donated. It zipped up around the neck, which helped. No one had ever taught Davion, 15, how to tie one. ''Are you...

The crisis in the Catholic Church in Germany declared itself 45 years ago with the “Königsteiner Erklärung,” a declaration of the bishops regarding Humanae Vitae in 1968. Therein they toned down the Church’s teaching, leaving it up to the conscience of individuals to decide whether to use contraception or not. The Austrian bishops did the same in the “Mariatroster Erklärung.” In 2008 therefore, Cardinal Schönborn, the head of the Austrian bishops’ conference, spoke about this as the “sin of the European episcopate.” These declarations have set the tone for the decades to come, and the faithful have in consequence become...

WASHINGTON - Americans hoping for an end to the gridlock that's caused a partial government shutdown have an option aside from protesting and rallying in front of the Capitol, according to U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black. They can pray.

Pope Francis praised Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone for his “attitude of unconditional faithfulness and absolute loyalty to Peter,” as the Italian prelate stepped down from his position as Vatican Secretary of State. In a short ceremony at the Vatican on October 15, Pope Francis said that he was “profoundly grateful” to Cardinal Bertone for his service, and added that he was also speaking for Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI, who had appointed Cardinal Bertone to the Vatican’s #2 post in 2006. “Seven years of hard work, lived with great generosity and in the spirit of service,” the Pope remarked, as he thanked the...

SANTA CLARA -- A decision by Santa Clara University's president to drop health insurance coverage of elective abortions for the Catholic university's faculty and staff has triggered a serious rift at the school. Many faculty members say they were blindsided by the move at an institution that has long prided itself on open communication and governing by consensus. The thorny issue echoes a nationwide debate at Catholic universities over their institutional identities and ability to consider the convictions of those who do not identify with -- or who disagree with -- certain principles the Catholic tradition holds as central. The...

The Virgin of the Navigators is an alterpiece painted in 1536 by Alejo Fernandez for the chapel at the House of Trade in Seville. Under the protection of the Virgin are depicted King Ferdinand II of Aragon, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and, kneeling on the viewer’s right are Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and one of the Pinzon Brothers. In the background are gathering the peoples of the New World. The painting was made five years after the appearance of Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in 1531, and I wonder if word of this miracle had made...

A court in Malaysia ruled on Monday that a Catholic newspaper could not refer to God as "Allah," in a case that has spanned three years. The Herald argued in 2009 that the government ban on the use of "Allah" - the Arabic world for God - was unconstitutional. The challenge to the government's decree was upheld by a court that year and the ban was lifted pending a judicial review. The removal sparked a series of attacks on Christian places of worship in an unusual display of religious tension in the multi-faith country. The review, presided over by a...

The moment I uttered these words, my burden rolled off my back and I knew that I was free. Joy now flooded into my heart and I began to praise the Lord. He had taught me a new song. by Moshe Radcliff [On September 25th H.R. Moshe Radcliff died. His testimony appeared in the Presbyterian Standard (July-September 1998) and is published by kind permission.] I was born into a Jewish family in prosperous Vienna, Austria on the 5th April 1930. Although my parents did not strictly observe the Jewish religion, father took my brother and me to synagogue occasionally. Mother...

In the wake of the government shutdown, despite provisions in the Pay Our Military Act, Catholics at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia are being denied religious services. The Catholic priest who serves this community has been prohibited from even volunteering to celebrate Holy Mass without pay, and was told that if he violated that order, he could be subject to arrest. Protestant services continue to take place. Only Catholic services have been shutdown.

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 144 Reading 1 2 Kgs 5:14-17 Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven timesat the word of Elisha, the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,and he was clean of his leprosy. Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,except in Israel.Please accept a gift from your servant." Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take...

Pope Francis met on October 11 with representatives of the Jewish community in Rome, led by Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, to mark the 70th anniversary of the date when Nazis rounded up the Jews of Rome for deportation to Auschwitz. Recalling the genocidal campaign, the Pope said: “We remember and pray for the many innocent victims of human barbarism, and for their families. It will also be an occasion to recall the importance of remaining vigilant in order that we do not regress, under any pretext, to any forms of intolerance and anti-Semitism, in Rome and in the rest...

I went to confession on Saturday. I think the last time I celebrated the sacrament in a traditional Saturday afternoon setting was more than a decade ago. When someone asked me why I was going, the answer was simple: I was compelled to go because of the pope.Not because Pope Francis has asked Catholics to get back in the confessional, but because his recent interviews and heartfelt actions as pastor in chief have made me want to be a better person and a more fulfilled, better practicing Catholic. I've felt like I've not only been given hope for the church,...

This billboard is turning a few heads in Texas: A billboard showing a tattooed Jesus Christ has stirred up quite a bit of buzz in the heart of the Bible Belt.The ad, which is the work of the website Jesustattoo.org, popped up along a West Lubbock, Texas, highway, and it’s got people talking. It shows a man, ostensibly Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms tattooed with such words as “Outcast,” “Addicted, “Jealous.”“I don’t like the picture. I think it’s very derogatory,” a local-area resident told the CBS affiliate KEYE-TV.On the website, a video casts Jesus as a tattoo artist and shows...

Next week is the author’s 35-year reunion at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. What follows is adapted from the commencement address he gave to Gorman’s 2011 graduates.   Although I have learned many lessons since I graduated in 1978, there are three that I wish I had fully grasped when I was your age. First, be intellectually serious about your faith.  Bishop Gorman is a Catholic high school, which means that it is tethered to a rich intellectual tradition, one that has been, and is, the home of some of the greatest thinkers the world has ever...

My friends know that I appreciate candor, and that I can be frank to a fault. I don’t tolerate it well when everyone in the room is desperately trying to ignore the proverbial eight-hundred pound gorilla sitting in the corner. Author Sherry Weddell does not tolerate this well either. And she would like us – “active” and presumably committed Catholics, lay, religious, consecrated and clergy – to focus on one rather large gorilla sitting in the corner of our contemporary Church: the reality that a disturbingly large proportion of Church-going Catholics fail to live as disciples of Jesus – as...

One of the pamphlets LDS missionaries hand out is entitled, “The Plan of Salvation”. As it title indicates, it summarizes Mormonism’s plan of salvation. Interestingly, when it deals with eternity, it only mentions the LDS three kingdoms of glory. There is no mention of hell or outer darkness. Rather it states: “After you are judged, you will live in a state of glory. Because everyone’s works and desires vary, heaven includes different kingdoms, or degrees of glory.” (p.14) Note, as that states, the kingdoms are all part of heaven. With that in mind listen to whom, according to Mormonism, inhabits...

Pope Francis gives the homily during Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on July 7, 2013. Credit: Lauren Cater/CNA. Vatican City, Oct 7, 2013 / 01:34 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Reflecting on the story of the Good Samaritan, Pope Francis said in his homily at Mass today that we must be open to allowing God to intervene in our lives, leading us to deviate from our own arrangements. “I say to myself, and I say to you: do we let God write our lives? Or do we want to do the writing ourselves?� Pope Francis asked, according to Vatican Radio. “Be docile...

The longer I write the more I realize how much writing is like prayer. Writing is something that connects me with God and allows me to hear His voice. Like prayer, writing is a habit that has to be developed over time and like prayer sometimes it doesn’t come easily. Both actions are disciplines of the spirit and both can help us to grow in holiness. Being holy means being the person God intends you to be. Writing helps me to use a gift He gave me and to use it to glorify Him. Like prayer, writing requires preparation and...

Pope Francis met today with the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and later addressed the organization’s Board of Directors. In his remarks, Pope Francis recalled the vision of the founder of the Knights of Columbus, Venerable Father Michael McGivney. He called on the Knights to “continue to seek new ways of being a leaven of the Gospel and a force for the spiritual renewal of society.” The Pope expressed his gratitude “for the unfailing support which your Order has always given to the works of the Holy See.” In particular, he drew attention to the Knights’ Vicarius Christi...

(ThyBlackMan.com) For several years now, every Tuesday evening I have had the great privilege of addressing the Christian and Mormon listeners of Worship FM 101.7 in Monrovia, the capital City of Liberia, West Africa. I have come to know several of the station managers and a number of the more frequent callers to the weekly program. Through their comments, questions and photographs, I have been genuinely moved to see the application of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Over the past few months the question of racist teachings in the Book of Mormon and from the past Leadership of...

The New Birth John 3:1-8 ‘Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his...

Around the world the fame of Christ spreads. Men and women lift their hands to praise the name of Jesus, worshiping him as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Full of the Holy Spirit, they lift him up as their savior, redeemer, and advocate. His gospel is preached, his word is believed, and his death and resurrection are celebrated in the Lord's Supper. Millions are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, trusting in the person and work of Christ for forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and the transformation of their heart. Hundreds of...

Sulpician Fr. James McKearney has been forced to resign as rector and president of St. Patrick Seminary and University in Menlo Park, Calif., a surprise event some call an appropriate change in leadership and others decry as "brutal" and "confusing." McKearney's sudden removal by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone stunned students and faculty and the Sulpician himself. "It just came out of the blue for reasons that are still not clear to myself or my provincial," McKearney told NCR. McKearney said during the school's annual gala Sept. 14, Cordileone insisted on a 2 p.m. meeting with him two days later...

Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morningIn the “Creed,� after having professed: “I believe in one Church,� we add the adjective “Holy�; that is, we affirm the sanctity of the Church, and this is a characteristic that has been present since the beginning in the consciousness of the first Christians, who called themselves simply “the saints� (cf. Acts 9:13.32.41; Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 6:1), because they had the certainty that it is the action of God, the Holy Spirit that sanctifies the Church.However, in what sense is the Church Holy if we see that the historical Church, in her long journey...

I leave it to those trained in such things to assess the reliability of the recent Quinnipiac poll purporting to show American Catholics favoring, roughly 2 to 1, same-sex marriage and women priests. It did not surprise me that the poll indicates greater support for same-sex marriage and women priests among older Catholics, i.e., the generation ‘catechized’ (I use the term loosely) during the worst of the post-Conciliar confusion. But whatever the etiology of such news, I write to suggest that those numbers, if they are even close to correct, portend a true crisis for millions of American Catholics.That God...

Pope Francis has called an extraordinary meeting of the Synod of Bishops to discuss the family. The Synod will convene in Rome in October 2104. The official theme for the assembly is: “The pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization.” Pope Francis has indicated that a strengthening of the Synod’s role is one of his top priorities. The Synod was discussed at length during his meetings last week with the Council of Cardinals; Archbishop Lorenzo Baldiserri was the only non-cardinal invited to address the meetings. On October 7, the Pope again showed his keen interest in the...

The year is 1147. Knights and soldiers from around Europe are gathered at the gates of the great city of Lisbon on the eve of a monumental battle with the Muslim occupants. They have erected a giant moveable engine to scale the gates (like the kind in Lord of the Rings). Their enemy is merciless, and they know full well they face the high likelihood of death. Their thoughts turn toward eternity and the judgment seat of Christ. A humble priest stands before these battle hardened men and delivers a sermon to give them courage and inspire them to repentance...

Jesus Christ said the identifying sign of his followers would be that they would love one another.  "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."  (John 13:35) If that is the case, then I would suggest the many of those who run Catholic blogs and websites do some real soul searching because you are not displaying a whole lot of loving at the present moment, especially when it comes to our Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Catholic blogosphere has lit up with rants and raves against Pope Francis in...

Belgrade, October 7, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has spoken about the importance of Christian roots for present-day Europe. "Today when some people doubt the relevance of this Christian source of European civilization we, Christian Orthodox Churches and all Christians of Europe, should help our contemporaries realize and sense once again how important this source is for shaping the spiritual and moral profile of Europeans," he said to reporters at Belgrade airport. He voiced hope that festivities celebrating the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan will serve this purpose. With the intention of attending the...

The New York Times this weekend offered something surprising, a profile of the popular vestment manufacturer CM Almy, which is creating new fashions for female clergy: Stephen Fendler, president of CM Almy, shows off a rack of samples from his brand-new women’s collection, pointing out a piece he’s particularly proud of: a black blouse in a stretchy jersey knit.But Mr. Fendler’s collections won’t be seen on the runways anytime soon. CM Almy says it is the largest, and one of the oldest, American producers of clerical clothing, and its models are hitting the pulpit instead of the catwalk. Their designers...

Sean O'Malley is not only the lone American on the Council of Cardinals, but he’s also the lone Franciscan Pope Francis made a historic visit to Assisi on Oct. 4, in part to meet the Franciscans responsible for keeping alive the spiritual legacy of his namesake. Yet it may actually have been a Franciscan the pontiff brought with him who has the greatest imprint on his papacy.  The pope was flanked throughout the day by eight prelates who make up his “Council of Cardinals,” recently formalized by a chirograph as the pope’s most important sounding board, who had just wrapped up...

Archbishop Konrad Krajewski speaks to Vatican newspaper “L’Osservatore Romano” about his new role as Francis’ Almoner: he is to go out to the sick and homeless to pass on the Pope’s embrace Andrea Torniellivatican cityARCHBISHOP KONRAD KRAJEWSKI When Pope Francis appointed him his Almoner, he said: “You aren’t going to be an office bishop and I don’t want to see you standing behind me during mass. I want to see you among the people. You will bring my caress to the poor and the less-privileged. When I was in Buenos Aires I would often go out in the evenings to...

One man's story of how he came to understand the true meaning of Christ's commandment to love your neighbor and turn the other cheek.If you would have told me ten years ago that it was possible for me to form a genuine, lasting friendship with one of the protesters outside general conference, I would have questioned your testimony and standing in the Church. Perhaps I would have nodded my head and agreed that Jesus would have us love our enemies, but it wouldn’t have registered in my mind that actually doing so was possible or even expected. Instead, I would...

2,000 signees join The Exorcist author in requesting that the Vatican require the university to implement Ex Corde Ecclesiae.WASHINGTON — When William Peter Blatty won a four-year scholarship to Georgetown University in the 1940s, he arrived at the Jesuit campus with a sense of relief. During his childhood, Blatty and his mother suffered through more than 20 evictions for non-payment of rent. For the first time, he knew he could stay put without unwelcome interruptions. More than a half century later, after winning an Academy Award for the screenplay adaptation of his bestselling novel The Exorcist, Blatty still calls Georgetown...

New York City, N.Y., Oct 4, 2013 / 03:43 pm (CNA).- Each of the last three Popes has had a different but complementary emphasis, highlighting different aspects of the faithful and the Church, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York. “A good way to understand the different gifts of each of these recent pontiffs might be to use the imagery of soul, head and heart,” the cardinal explained in a Sept. 30 opinion piece for the New York Post. The three most recent Popes – Blessed John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis – “are all giants,” Cardinal Dolan...

Rescuing Precious Souls from the Bondage of Religion We can be wrong about a lot of things in this life and still survive, but if we are wrong about the only way to obtain forgiveness from God, we will pay for that fatal mistake throughout all eternity. Our Creator provides only one way to redeem man from sin and He has revealed it in a divinely inspired message to mankind. However, it didn't take long for God's complete and perfect Gospel message to be corrupted by religious leaders. These men, who say they speak for God, have distorted and perverted...

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” - James 4:7 On Wednesday, spurred by advance notice of that night's topic on Think Tank – a weekly vlog hosted by Wilson Orihuela on Vericast – I finally found time to watch The Exorcist, the famous film from 1973. The movie revolves around an irreligious, divorced woman and her daughter, who becomes possessed by a demon. The mother looks to science and medicine, but finds no true answer. Eventually, like the woman in Mark 7:25, the mother “whose little daughter had an unclean spirit” seeks the...

This morning, I read Dolan confirms error in Scalfari interview in the National Catholic Reporter....Dolan said, the sequence put on the pope’s lips by Scalfari is out of order. "Francis did not hesitate before accepting his election, Dolan said, although there was a moment later when he paused in prayer before stepping out onto the balcony for the “Habemus Papam” announcement." Okay, not such a big deal, right? We’re still weathering this huge FRANCIS CRISIS, which is going to spell DOOM AND DISASTER for everybody and everything, and the SEA LEVELS WILL RISE and there will be GIRL CARDINALS, and...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/04/2013 Attention Editors:                It has come to the attention of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA that contrary to earlier reports, Masses will in fact be held as scheduled this weekend at Marine Corps Base Quantico. In spite of the government shutdown, the terms of his contract allow the priest there to perform his pastoral duties because of the way the contract is funded. Nonetheless, many Masses at other installations remain cancelled due to the shutdown. The op-ed issued by the archdiocese on Oct. 3 is thus revised...

The recent "La Repubblica" interview with Francis touches on many topics, not always with clarity or precision Left: Pope Francis greets pilgrims as he arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 2. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Right: Eugenio Scalfari al Festival Internazionale del Giornalismo di Perugia in 2011. (Francesca Marchi/Wikipedia Commons) “St. Paul is the one who laid down the cornerstone of our religion and our creed. You cannot be a conscious Christian without St. Paul. He translated the teachings of Christ into a doctrinal structure that, even with the addition of a vast...

In response to Pope Francis’ latest interview, I urged people not to read Francis’ words too closely: After two recent interview with La Repubblica and La Civiltà Cattolica, it has become clear that the dialogue he desires will be informal and unguarded. It is the kind of dialogue usually reserved for close friends and, of course, very susceptible to misunderstanding when it isn’t. This is why Francis has delivered his beautiful daily homilies ex tempore and chosen intimate interviews rather than public speeches as his preferred way of communicating with his Church and the world. Francis has decided to approach...

(Vatican Radio) At the conclusion of his one day visit to Assisi on Friday, Pope Francis met with over 20.000 enthusiastic young people gathered in front of the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, answering four questions about faith, family, vocations and their fears for the future. Responding to the first question from a young couple with their new baby, the Pope said it takes courage to form a family, to build solid and lasting relationships in our ephemeral and superficial environment. But the Holy Spirit, he said, has inspired many new initiatives within the Church for young...

The Wizard of Oz is a pretty smart book because the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion show three traits we need to be complete. If you only had a head, a heart and courage. It occurred to me on my walk this morning that the three popes illustrate what we need, the church needs and the world needs.What was the first thing Bl.John Paul the Great said on the balcony? “Do not be afraid!� He’s the man of courage–the not cowardly lion. Throughout his papacy he exhibited this great and fearless fortitude–whether it was his triumphant pastoral...

The points that I am taking from these Old Testament passages are that 1) it is God who closes their ears, 2) it is God who opens their ears, and 3) it is God who will open their ears so that His chosen people, the Elect, will be able to hear the Good News that Jesus will bring, repent of their sins and be saved (healed). Jesus, himself, made this connection clearly when He said to His disciples, “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or...

(Vatican Radio) It was a moving scene this morning in the chapel of the Serafico Institute of Assisi, when Pope Francis warmly greeted a room full of children and young people with disabilities and their caregivers. The Pope approached each of the residents and held their hands, caressed their faces, signed the Cross on their foreheads and often kissed them on the cheek. One of the residents also kissed the Pope’s pectoral cross. After words of welcome from the mayor of Assisi, Claudio Ricci, and the president of the Serafico Institute, Francesca Di Maolo, the Pope addressed the people...

Top bishops from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have spoken out on the recent government shutdown by suggesting that moral criteria should guide budgetary decisions, and insisted that the poor and needy should come first. "We write as pastors and teachers, not experts or partisans, to bring both moral principles and everyday experience to this discussion. The Catholic community defends the unborn, feeds the hungry, shelters the homeless, educates the young, welcomes refugees, and cares for the sick, both at home and abroad. In many instances, the government is a partner with the Church and its ministries in...

(Reuters) - Hans Kueng, Roman Catholicism's best known rebel theologian, is considering capping a life of challenges to the Vatican with a final act of dissent - assisted suicide. Kueng, now 85 and suffering from Parkinson's disease, writes in final volume of his memoirs that people have a right to "surrender" their lives to God voluntarily if illness, pain or dementia make further living unbearable. The Catholic Church rejects assisted suicide, which is allowed in Kueng's native Switzerland as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and four states in the United States. "I do not want to live on as...

ASSISI AWAITS…I spent the weekend in Assisi, a town I love more and more with each visit. One of the reasons I was there was to see how the hometown of St. Francis had been preparing for the visit of Pope Francis on Friday, October 4.The trip will be significant, even historic, for several reasons but one is outstanding: Pope Francis has never been to Assisi in his entire life! This may explain what he wants to visit every important site that he can in this beautiful and ancient Umbrian town. We’ll re-visit his itinerary in coming days and you...

Terry Barber, 56, grew up in the Los Angeles area, and enjoyed a successful career in real estate.  In fact, by age 25, he’d acquired enough property to comfortably retire.  So, he decided he’d focus on a new career: working with other Catholic apologists to win souls for Christ. He founded a variety of Catholic evangelization apostolates, including St. Joseph Communications and the Catholic Resource Center, and serves as Chairman of the Board of Lighthouse Media.  He is also the co-host of The Jesse & Terry Show, a Catholic apologetics radio program he does with Jesse Romero and which...