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Friday 3 May 2024 Saints Philip and James, Apostles Feast St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, Flower Mound, Texas Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II).First reading1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ©The Lord appeared to James, and then to all the apostlesBrothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything. Well then, in the first place, I taught you...

President Joe Biden is calling on Americans to join him in "asking for God's continued guidance, mercy, and protection" in his National Day of Prayer proclamation this week. The first Thursday of every May is set aside for the National Day of Prayer, an observance in the United States in which people are called to pray for the nation's wellbeing. In his Wednesday proclamation, Biden, a Catholic, said, "Americans of every religion and background have come together to lift up one another and our Nation in prayer." "Throughout America's history, faith and prayer have helped fuel some of the greatest...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. "Why the Halfling?" Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV) ----

Heretical German bishop says abortion is a ‘sensitive’ issue, will not participate in March for LifeBishop Stephan Ackermann defended Germany’s abortion regime as leading to ‘societal peace’ despite around 100,000 children killed in abortion every year and criticized strong pro-life advocacy, citing ‘a woman’s right to self determination.’The bishop of Trier has said that he would not participate in the March for Life because abortion is a “sensitive” and complex matter, citing “a woman’s right to self-determination.”In an interview with the German radio station Deutschlandfunk on April 29, Bishop Stephan Ackermann was asked about the recent March for Life in...

"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night,...

Bishops, borders, and the (bully) pulpitI have several objections to Bishop Mark Seitz’s recent claim that Texas officials’ efforts to secure the border are “transparently political”.“Texas Bishop Taking on Greg Abbott Gets Pope Francis’ Protection” is the curious title of an April 30th article in Newsweek. Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso needs “protection” from Greg Abbott? Are there Texas state troopers surrounding his house? Is he in imminent danger of arrest?There are bishops in the world in imminent danger of those things and worse. A retired bishop in Mexico was just released by his kidnappers. Bishops in Africa face...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” John 15:10When Jesus spoke the line above, He followed it by saying, “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” These two lines, taken side by side, provide a helpful unity of Jesus’ teaching regarding holy obedience to Him. First, Jesus speaks of the necessity of keeping His commandments. To some, such a statement, when taken by itself, can seem burdensome,...

Connecticut archbishop who supports ‘female deacons’ defends transgender pronoun useArchbishop Christopher Coyne said he would ‘accept’ so-called ‘transgender’ people ‘as they’re presenting themselves,’ claiming it ‘doesn’t cost me anything’ to refer to someone as the wrong sex in contradiction to Catholic teaching and biological reality.A new Connecticut archbishop who supports “female deacons” has endorsed using a gender-confused person’s chosen name and pronouns that contradict their sex.Archbishop Christopher Coyne of Hartford, who assumed leadership of the archdiocese on Wednesday after the resignation of Archbishop Leonard Blair, told Catholic News Agency (CNA) last week that he would use a “transgender” person’s non-biological...

On January 30, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) razed the Akhoondji mosque and a madrasa, describing them as “illegal structures” in Sanjay Van, a reserved forest area. No one’s quite sure when the Akhoondji Masjid was built in Mehrauli. But the “Mosque of Akhondji” was listed in a 1922 publication by an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India who recorded that while its construction date was “unknown”, the mosque was repaired in “1270 AH (1853-4 AD)”, and that it lay west to to an old Idgah that “existed when Timur invaded India in 1398 AD”. “Removal of the illegal...

Korean Muslim YouTuber Daud Kim’s plans to build a mosque in the western port city of Incheon has come to a grinding halt after it received backlash from local residents. Following the backlash, the land purchase contract he signed has been cancelled upon the request of the landowner, according to a report by the Korea Times. YouTuber Daud Kim, or Kim Jae-han then agreed to cancel the contract with the property owner. The property owners wanted the contract cancelled and said that he did not know about Kim’s plans to build a mosque. Kim posts about living as a Korean...

[Catholic Caucus] The Associated Press on the future of the ChurchThere have been numerous mainstream media articles on how traditional Catholics (and conservative Catholics favoring tradition) are the future of the Church, particularly in the U.S. Many such articles, however, were during the Benedict XVI papacy and following his 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. A handful of positive articles since Pope Francis' TLM suppressions have been published in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.So, it is very encouraging to see a new Associated Press article today entitled "'A step back in time': America's Catholic Church sees an immense...

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem (5/2/24)[Prayer]The Names and Titles of God (Stone Cut Without Hands) Daniel 2:34-3534 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled...

“‘If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you’” (John 15:18-19). Because they are not part of the world’s system, Christians should expect it to hate and oppose them. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you doubtless remember how soon you realized that you were no longer in step with the world’s culture. You were no longer comfortable...

Pastor John MacArthur discussing Global (false) Peace One World Government One World Currency Tower of Babel - Genesis chapter 11 The United Nations The End Times Global Government

2 May 2024 Saint Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor on Thursday of the 5th week of Eastertide St Athanasius R.C. Church - Carluke, ScotlandReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingActs 15:7-21 ©I rule that we do not make things more difficult for the pagans who turn to GodAfter the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed the apostles and the elders. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were...

Have you ever been betrayed? Maybe you have more than once. Maybe many times. I bet you find it hard to trust anyone now. You see, the Jews didn’t take things seriously in Germany in the 1930s. It wouldn’t get all that bad. They were comfortable and assimilated back then. Whatever was happening would blow over. The Jews had contributed in so many positive ways to European society. The warning signs had to be false alarms! They were betrayed in Europe, and it is happening again, and now they are reading the handwriting on the wall! The messages of warning...

Murderous. Raping. Butchering. Monsters. These adjectives stretch our minds back to the brutal conquests of the Mongol Horde of old or the heinous crimes committed by ISIS during the past decade. But, today? These dire words aptly describe Hamas. Our brains struggle to believe such brutality could possibly exist in this modern-day world. And yet, as Hamas invaders tore through Israel’s fences and murdered over 1,200 innocent people — in such gruesome ways I couldn’t possibly describe here — and kidnapped hundreds more, we know that such evil truly does exist in our day. The world initially rallied around Israel...

[Catholic Caucus] Towards a Female Pontiff of an Emasculated ChurchOf course, women priests and popes are part of a bigger package containing all sorts of theological surprises...To make the Church less masculine: this is the task that Pope Francis has given the International Theological Commission. Or at least, that is the official translation of the Italian word Francis used, smaschilizzare, which the English-language media rightly translated as "demasculinize", i.e. "emasculate, castrate". "Rendere meno maschile," which Francis did not say, would translate literally as "to make less masculine."But how can anyone, much less a pope, contemplate demasculinizing a Church that was...

Cardinal Parolin on Pope Francis’ pontificate: No reversals on reformsCardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin discusses key issues roiling the Church during the presentation of the new book, “Five questions agitating the Church”, by noted Vaticanist Ignazio Ingrao.Answering the question, “What will happen with the reforms undertaken by Pope Francis?” Cardinal Pietro Parolin insisted on the need for prayer and patience, and said that discernment will indicate, at its own pace, “how to continue and what to make institutional.” Although some people might worry – or hope for – reversals, the Holy See’s Secretary of State said, “Precisely because it...

Pro-LGBT Jesuit parish in California shows where Pope Francis’ synodal agenda is headingSt. Ignatius, a Jesuit parish in Sacramento, promoted calls for ‘ordination’ of women and LGBT ‘inclusion’ and condemned ‘patriarchy’ in its report on the synodal process, which pastor Father Tom Lucas celebrated in a recent column.SACRAMENTO, California (LifeSiteNews) — My family recently attended Mass at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in Sacramento, California. While it fulfilled our Sunday obligation, St. Ignatius is a Jesuit parish, and we are living under the Francis pontificate.Father Tom Lucas’ “Pastoral Perambulations” column of the church bulletin for the Fourth Sunday of Easter should...