Posted on 05/02/2002 7:48:10 AM PDT by history_matters
I trust in God's will for you in your illness, offer you sufferings up to Christ and be strong in your faith, even if you have doubting moments.
I can't imagine what you are going through I know I would be terrified but just hold onto your faith and keep a positive outlook. Try to take it one day, one step, at a time.
I know quite a few people who have, in combination with prayer, good doctors and medical care have beaten cancer and my prayers will be with you.
Makes me wonder if the Church isn't being set up for an attack from within.
I'm not setting dates or anything, but whereas some people were leary of Clinton or other public figures fulfilling diabolical roles in Prophecy, I'd come closer to scrutinizing a period and situation such as this for something significant to evolve.
Good time, IMHO, to keep that whole armor of God ready and nearby.
Unlike you in '98 I wasn't a Catholic and hadn't even admitted that I was interested even to myself and so probably never read the religious threads.
Growing up in a Protestant, mildly anti-Catholic home I never realized the extent of hatred that there was toward the Catholic Church until TNS. I've kind of been in shock ever since. I can't believe that the Church I've studied and through whom I find the presence of Christ on earth could be so DELIBERATELY misunderstood. I can't believe how the same people say the same things over and over again when they have to know it isn't true.
I've even cried a few times and if you knew me you'd know that I took it very seriously to actually allow myself that weakness. I literally skip most known Catholic-basher posters. I've learned not to compound their deliberate ignorance and I've prayed mightily for the Holy Spirit to enlighten them about love and charity.
I'd probably leave out the almost.
One positive I have noticed about the separate forums is that the threads stay on the front page longer, so even if we are not on top of our computers all day, we don't miss out. If 3/4 of these threads had been on the News Forum I would have missed them. I think that gives more time for some of the discussions to evolve. One thing I would like to see added perhaps is some sort of box on the News page (like Breaking News) for the Religious Forum. That way, people could get an idea of new/breaking posts and then click over as desire warrants. It might provide enough of a 'link' while still keeping the forums separate. Anyway, there have been some good ideas posted on this already. The point being, we can work this out. Perhaps we can start a separate thread and constructively list any ideas for change and concerns we may have. We've had this long enough to know where the kinks are and are not.
Speaking of kinks, the haters and the bigots will find us wherever we go: different thread, different forum, different website. They're not going away. I for one would miss a lot of you. I've learned a lot here and enjoy the community with intelligent people. It's also strengthened my faith. Please don't go.
I do think we need some criteria/clarification as to what goes in the News forum and what goes in the Religion forum. Something concrete would offer an antidote to suspicions of bias or inconsistency. Based on my own feelings and what I seen expressed by other Catholics, tempers and frustrations are running high due to the current situation, as well as our own everyday personal problems. It's tough out there right now and this place, for good or bad, is here 24/7 for us to let off a little steam. Most of us are not our usual diplomatic, patient, adorable little selves;)
Jim, I'm sure there are days when you think you have an impossible, thankless job trying to please 80,000 plus people. I for one am glad you try and am grateful for this forum. Thank you. Personally, I would've whacked someone by now but hey, I never did figure out why the ER security guards left so quickly when it was my turn to go out to triage.........
P.S. When you are finished solving the mysteries of the cyberUniverse, a 12 Step program would be much appreciated for those of us FReepers who have developed a little problem.........
I have the feeling it is only the tip of the iceburg.
And I hate to criticize, even gently, one who has been kind to me, but I really think you are taking offense where none was intended. And I've never understood your objection to the Religion forum as a ghetto. (My only problem with it is that The Never-Ending Story has so many posts, it's hard to find anything else.)
Jim, I never took part in the threads criticizing the new design. I wasn't enthusiastic at first, but I recalled that I wasn't enthusiastic about the last major redesign at first, and I'm such a creature of habit (like most people) that what is familiar is easier. I assumed the breaking down into separate forums was necessitated by the sheer volume of posts. Naturally, any vast amount of material has to be organized somehow, and any organization will be to an extent arbitrary. And practically any form of organization will be adequate once users become accustomed to it.
This thread reminds me too much of bitter scholarly disputes over whether a given writer should be classified as medieval or Renaissance (my own studies were largely in English literature) -- reality doesn't come in neat packages, and the labels we more or less agree on merely make it a bit more manageable.
Bless you both, and bless FR.
I think it has already started. Look at us even, we look at all the Cardinals and wonder if they are in communion with Rome, can they be believed, we have doubts where there were none. Look at the demoralized state of priests. Scary.
You would certainly be justified in doing so. The behavior of some on this forum is decidedly un-Christian.
I happen to like a seperate forum for religion. The main forum of FreeRepublic is not a place to evangelize, which seems to be the objection that some have to a seperate forum. If you want to evangelize do it here. If God wants people to come to him, then a seperate forum isn't going to stop them. He parted the Red Sea, a mouse click isn't going to phase him.
I have found the religious forum a great help in my life. It's nice to be able to explore doctrine and beliefs without having to deal with the attacks of people who don't really care anyways.
Everyone knows who the most vocal and strident participants in this forum are. It's often difficult to answer them without feelings of anger creeping in. But we should think of it as a test of our spirituality and try to exhibit fruits of the spirit instead of answering in kind:
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
I hope you come back afterward.
Hope my hero Campion hasn't left.
"The Church is in great danger. We must pray so that the Pope may not leave Rome; countless evils would result if he did. They are now demanding something of him. The Protestant doctrine and that of the schismatic Greeks are to spread everywhere. I now see that in this place (Rome) the (Catholic) Church is being so cleverly undermined, that there hardly remains a hundred or so priests who have not been decieved. They all work for destruction, even the clergy. A great devestation is now near at hand."
"Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head. Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapors. Some were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering. I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound. I saw also the Holy Father-God-fearing and prayerful. Nothing left to be desired in his appearance, but he was weakened by old age and by much suffering. His head was lolling from side to side, and it dropped onto his chest as if he were falling asleep. He often fainted and seemed to be dying. But when he was praying, he was often comforted by apparitions from Heaven. Then, his head was erect, but soon as it drooped again onto his chest, I saw a number of people looking quickly right and left, that is, in the direction of the world."
"Then, I saw that everything that pertained to Protetantism was gradually gaining the upper hand, and the Catholic religion fell into complete decadence. Most priests were lured by the glittering but false knowledge of young school-teachers, and they all contributed to the work of destruction. In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only, in a few cottages and in a few families which God has protected from disasters and wars."
Ven. Emmerich says many more things that seem to fit pretty well with what is going on today. I thought that her descriptions of "the Holy Father" were pretty accurate of Pope John Paul II. She says that there will be great tribulation, persecution and martyrdom. But after that the Catholic Church will rise and be more beautiful than ever.
Ven. Holzhauer gives us a glimpse of what the Church will be like after the troubles.
"The sixth period of the Church will begin with the powerful Monarch and the Holy Pontiff, as mentioned previously, and it will last until the revelation of Antichrist. In this period God will console His Holy Church for the affliction and great tribulations she has endured during the fifth period. All nations will become Catholic. Vocations will be abundant as never before, and all men will seek only the Kingdom of God and His justice. Men will live in peace with God. They will live under the protection of the Great Monarch and his successors."
Keep the faith!
Best wishes, h_m. My prayers are with you for a full and fast recovery.
Yes, I agree, the physical description is exactly like John Paul II. The description of the Bishops seems, unfortunately, all too true.
Are the quotes you use from Ven. Emmerich's book(s) "The Life of Christ"? I have them in my bookcase, they were a gift, but I've never opened them. I guess I will now!
Thanks so much for the uplifting words, I know that this is a period of tribulation for the Church and I just pray that we can pass on Christ's message and the faith that we hold so dear.
May I make a suggestion? When you are on the main Religion forum page, go to the upper right, and click on "Threads". This will display all of the most recent articles posted, rather than all the latest posts.
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