Free Republic

The evidence was released...the 2 1/2 year Muller investigation was an unwarranted Witch Hunt. Predication for any of the attacks on the President were ALL LIES. They all knew it BEFORE Muller was brought in. This was SEDITION. Every leading Democrat knew it was all a lie and an attempt to disenfranchise the voters who elected Donald J Trump as President. This is more than sour grapes and being a sore loser. This was an Attack on America and the Constitution they took a Vow to defend from a Domestic enemy of America. EVERY DEMOCRAT WHO SPOKE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP AND ACCUSED HIM OF COLLUSION WITH RUSSIA OR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE LIED TO YOU AND WERE INVOLVED WITH THE ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS IT’S ELECTED PRESIDENT. THIS INCLUDES OBAMA AND BIDEN, MADDOW AND LEMON, HAYES AND CUOMO, BLITZER AND NICHOLE WALLACE, JEFF ZUCKER AND ANDREW LUCK...THE EDITORIAL STAFF AT TWITTER, GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK. WAPO AND THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES. NANCY PELOSI, CHARLES SCHUMER, NADLER AND SCHIFF. ALL SEDITIONIST AND ENEMIES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS YET, IT IS CALLED CENSORSHIP, A TYPICAL TACTIC OF TOTALITARIAN, MARXIST PURVEYORS OF CONTROL. IT THIS DISAPPEARS FROM FACEBOOK, THAT WILL BE PROOF ENOUGH OF THEIR CENSORSHIP TO HIDE THE TRUTH FROM THE CITIZENS.

I humbly invite any of you to www.dailyprayerpage.com I have published this site for over 10 years and it is recognized by Catholicity as one of the “Best Catholic Sites” as well as being a link on “Spirit Daily”. It consists of Daily Prayers that follow the liturgy of the Church as well as being a portal to other Catholic prayer.

Fred Phelps is a Democrat. I'm a Topeka Conservative Republican who is very happy to remind everyone of that fact.

Glenn Beck was right on!

I wanted to watch ABC’s This Week...but on our Topeka affiliate there was no sound during the interview at all...then audio came on for the commercial and plug to watch the panel...but when the panel came on the audio was gone again. Sound’s Fishy to me!

I wish there was a way to get a line to the McCain Palin speachwriters.

Obamamama said "McCain will probably call him a communist because he shared his peanut butter and jelly sandwich." The obvious comeback should be..."We think it is honorable to share your own Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich ...but "Senator Re-distributor" wants to take your lunch away from them and give it away to someone who pay's no taxes and is already getting a Free Lunch.

Obama is always saying "McCain is following Bush's Failed economic policies!"... It's about time it was answered by saying: Obama is following the failed Karl Marx economic policies!

ALSO...if Barry wants to give "Tax Cuts" to people who only pay "Payroll Taxes" and no Income tax...That is "Raiding Social Security". Yet Dems scream about Republicans wanting to let people invest a portion of their Social Security taxes.

Obama = Marxist Hyprocracy

Romney/Thompson...I could support that ticket.

Now let's see Romney knock out RINO's McCain, Rudy and Huckelbury*.

*The Dems...especially in late night TV will call him that and make another Dan Quail of him...a laughingstock who won't stand a chance to win.

YES...Where are our GOP Senators?

I just called Sam Brownback's and Pat Roberts offices and told them to grow some cahonies and stand up for Rush Limbaugh!

Demand that Harry Reid Resign after his attack on the Senate floor on a private US citizen. (If Trent Lott could be forced out for padding the ego of an old man, why not Reid after this unwarranted and relentless attack).

REVOLT AGAINST THE DEMOCRAT ATTACK MACHINE.

and Mitt, Fred, Rudy, and John better stand up against this political crucifixion of El Rushbo

Aliska, I am at a loss for words at your misunderstanding of the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church. Any priest who tells you to stay away from it is teaching against the seat of Peter and the bishops who said this: "From a 1969 statement issued by the United States bishops, we read: “Theologically the movement has legitimate reasons for existence. It has a strong biblical basis. It would be difficult to inhibit the working of the Spirit, which manifested itself so abundantly in the early Church. Thus the charismatic gifts of today cannot simply be denied as impossible or rejected as contrary to Catholic teaching. Even misuse of these gifts does not justify condemnation of the gifts themselves.”

Though I do not know how to post a link, you can read a letter from John Paul II to leaders of the Charismatic "Catholic Fraternity" here: http://www.catholicfraternity.net/images/letteraA.htm

Lastly I include this article from Catholics for Truth: http://www.catholic-jhb.org.za/tracts/renewal.htm

CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL: ORTHODOX OR HERESY?

Introduction

The Church was born on Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1-14). In obedience to Jesus’ request after his resurrection, the apostles remained in Jerusalem to await the gift and promise of the Father; the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). The Holy Spirit would then empower them to be witnesses for Jesus (Acts 1:8). Together with Mary, the mother of Jesus, they prayerfully awaited this gift (Acts 1:14).

When the day of Pentecost came, a violent wind filled the house where they were sitting, tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:2-4).

Historical Perspective

For the first few centuries of the Church’s history, these gifts (or “charisms”) of the Spirit were very common in the lives of believers. They are listed by St Paul in 1 Cor 12:1-ll : wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, the ability to discern different spirits and the mysterious gift of tongues and its interpretation.

These gifts are the manifestation of the Holy Spirit and are given by God for the common good, as he determines: they are not “earned’ or “merited’. We might well ask: why are these gifts not so apparent in the Catholic church of today? In fact, these gifts so impressed the magician, Simon Magus (Acts 9:19), that he offered the apostles money that he might also “lay hands” on people in order to receive these gifts and power. This is known as the sin of “simony”.

Institutionalisation

As the church became more institutionalised, the gifts of the Spirit became less common and were seen only in the lives of the great “Saints’. Some, such as St Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) initially thought that they were meant only for the early Church, to “kick-start” her, so to speak. However, he later withdrew this opinion in his Retractions, when he himself witnessed the gifts in abundance in his own Diocese. It was apparent to him then that the gifts occurred where people had expectant faith. Later one sees the gifts in evidence in the lives of St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), St Dominic (1170-1221), St Catherine of Sienna (1330-1380), St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), St John Bosco (1815-1888), The Cure of Ars (St John Vianney – 1786-1859) and many others down the centuries. The Cure of Ars is known to have had the gift of tongues.

Interestingly, leading Catholic scholar Father George Montague S.M., former head of the Catholic Biblical Association, and leading Catholic ecumenical theologian, Father Kilian McDonnell, O.S.B., have published a major study whose findings are significant. It is entitled “Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit”, and is published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota (1991). They conclude that Baptism in the Spirit is in essence what Scripture and the Fathers of the Church for the first eight centuries of the Church’s life describe as integral to the experience of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. From Carthage, Poitiers, Jerusalem, Caesarea, Constantinople to Antioch and Cyrrhus (in Syria) there are witnesses to the reception of the charisms within the rite of initiation …… accepting that Baptism in the Spirit is not joining a movement, but embracing the fullness of Christian initiation, which belongs to the Church.

Since publication of the study, many parishes have provided for confirmation candidates to experience a “Life in the Spirit Seminar” as part of the course culminating in reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Pope Leo XIII and the Spirit

Between 1895 and 1903, Sister (now Blessed) Elena Guerra, foundress of the Oblate Sisters of The Holy Spirit in Italy, wrote 12 confidential letters to Pope Leo XIII, asking that he foster devotion in the church to the Holy Spirit.

As a result, the Pope published his encyclical on the holy Spirit Divinum Illud Munus in l897. He also sent a private letter to all bishops, prescribing that the Novena for Pentecost be prayed at the dawn of the new (20th) century.

God of Surprises

On the night of December 31st, 1900, a group of Methodists, led by Agnes Osman and Rev Charles Parham of Topeka, Kansas, experienced an unexpected outpouring of the Holy Spirit after studying the Acts of the Apostles. The request of Pope Leo XIII had received only a half-hearted response from the Catholic bishops, so God turned to his “little ones”, the “anawim”. Thus the modern-day Pentecostal movement began among Protestants.

A Council and the New Pentecost

The call of Pope Leo XIII was picked up by Pope (now Blessed) John XXIII in April 1959 on beatifying Sister Elena Guerra. When convoking the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council later that year Pope John prayed specifically for “the Divine Spirit to renew his wonders in our time, as at a ‘New Pentecost’”. The Council, in essence, was to lay the foundation for this New Pentecost by providing “new wineskins” for the Church (see Mt 9:16-17).

Catholic Renewal starts

In February, 1967, during a retreat and birthday party (appropriately), at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, one of the students, Patti Gallagher-Mansfield felt drawn to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel. She, and a number of other students who had joined her were later found prostrate before the Tabernacle. There, before Jesus’ Eucharistic presence, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was born. They had all been overwhelmed by the majesty, power and presence of God.

The movement spread rapidly throughout the United States and the world. It is estimated that today in excess of 75 million Catholics worldwide have had contact with this renewal and have experienced their own personal Pentecost.

The 1975 Rome Conference

During the holy year of 1975, before ten thousand participants of the international Charismatic Conference assembled in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Pope Paul VI described this spiritual renewal as a ”chance”, or “opportunity” for the Church.

At the end of his address, the Pope put aside his prepared speech and added (spontaneously): “This message is for those present here who do not belong to your movement: they should unite themselves with you…..and we would say only this: today one lives one’s faith with devotion, depth, energy and joy, or that faith will die out” (“New Covenant” magazine, July 1975, pg 25 et al).

Enthusiasm and Emotion

Some feel (wrongly) that prayer meetings and the emotion sometimes experienced there are at the “heart” of this renewal, and therefore, not for them. We are not God’s “frozen people” and it is the joy of coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord (being evangelised) that is at the heart of the renewal. As a result of the graces of baptism and confirmation being released in one, often after “laying hands” on one another (in an unsacramental way), this often occurs. This new experience of God is not a new sacrament. Often our faith needs to be moved from the “head” to the “heart” in order to be less intellectual. We need to “know” God, rather than “know about him”, only. One need not be a theologian in order to achieve salvation. Authentic Catholic Christianity is knowing Jesus Christ in a vital personal relationship empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is much more than mere “devotion” to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Meetings

Prayer meetings have arisen as a result of believers wanting to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with one another. Here one experiences firsthand what is recorded in Ephesians 5:18- 20: an emphasis on prayer of praise and thanksgiving, rather than endless petitions, or “bargaining with God” that many of us are prone to.

Catholic prayer meetings are noticeably more subdued than those of our Pentecostal brethren. They are not much different, in fact, from a good, old-fashioned Catholic parish mission.

Pastoral Guidelines

As in all new movements, there are some shadows in the overall picture, however the cure is not the denial of existence of abuses, but their proper use. Some moths will always be attracted to the flame. There are those who have been swept away by what is new and exciting for them and have lost sight of their Catholic identity, riches and heritage in genuine, but naïve endeavours at ecumenism – also by an overemphasis on the healing ministry. Here Catholic bishops have been alert in providing guidelines, especially to our young people who yearn for warmer fellowship, more alive liturgies with enthusiastic participation, parish Bible study groups and opportunities for spontaneous prayer. This is needed to stem the flow of our young people to Pentecostal and fundamentalist churches.

Charismatic or Pentecostal?

The word “Pentecostal” has for some, “cultural shocks”. Some have visions of “holy-rollers”, and people feel threatened. All the baptized are in fact “charismatic”, as baptism leaves all open to receiving the gifts of the Spirit. There should be no distinction between “charismatic” and “non-charismatic” Christians.

In paragraph 2 of Lumen Gentium, Vatican II’s document on the Church, there is an important passage on the “charisms”: ‘It is not only through the sacraments and Church ministries that the Holy Spirit sanctifies and leads the People of God and enriches them with virtues….he distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank ….These charismatic gifts, whether they are the most outstanding or the more simple and widely diffused are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation, for they are exceedingly useful and suitable for the needs of the Church.”

Positive Aspects At the heart of this renewal, there is a much-needed call to conversion, a conscious adherence to Jesus Christ as Lord, Saviour and Redeemer, a new docility to the promptings of the Spirit and actual awareness of the realities received at initiation.

One of the outstanding fruits has been a new thirst among so many to know the Bible better. The words of St Jerome ring down the centuries: “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ”.

From a 1969 statement issued by the United States bishops, we read: “Theologically the movement has legitimate reasons for existence. It has a strong biblical basis. It would be difficult to inhibit the working of the Spirit, which manifested itself so abundantly in the early Church. Thus the charismatic gifts of today cannot simply be denied as impossible or rejected as contrary to Catholic teaching. Even misuse of these gifts does not justify condemnation of the gifts themselves.”

A positive aspect is the laudable initiative of bringing together Christians of different denominations in prayer. The shepherds of the Church have a duty to see that this does not deviate into a “false” ecumenism where differences are smoothed away. Love for the Bible, fervent participation in the celebration of the Eucharist, a renewed devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a renewed sense of mission all bode well for the future. It is recommended that priests who are wary of this movement associate themselves with participants and get to know the movement “from within”, especially to guide our young people, many of whom are leaving the Church for what they perceive as warmer fellowship where the gospel is preached with power.

Since becoming Pope, John Paul II has met several times with international charismatic leaders. Perhaps the most poignant of these meetings occurred a few days before the attempt on the Pope’s life on 13th May, 1981. In providing guidelines for this renewal at the request of its leaders, Pope John Paul has referred to the renewal as “ a very important aspect of Catholic spirituality”.

In his homily on Pentecost Sunday, May 14th, 1989, the Pope said: “I earnestly exhort you to generously open your mind and heart to receive a large outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May a new Pentecost descend upon you so that each of you might become spiritually renewed and continue on a new road of evangelical witness”

We should remember that without the Holy Spirit the Church is nothing but a dead institution.

Written and compiled by John Lee and Frank Bompas and checked for theological correctness by Father Michael Austen SJ

For further tracts, write to Catholics for Truth, c/o Frank Bompass or John Lee, PO Box 82328, Southdale 2135 or telephone (011) 643-4313 Email: fbompas@iabsamail.co.za

PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED WITH THE ECCLESIASTICAL APPROVAL OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF JOHANNESBURG

Obviously, I am a Catholic charismatic, and have been since 1984. In 1994 was in Rome with 200 other Catholic charismatics in a private audience with JPII. We extended out hands in prayer and prayed in tongues over our Holy Father and he genuinely welcomed it and appreciated it. As we gather together, why shouldn't we praise God in the gift of tongues he has given us at the elevation of the Body and Blood of Jesus our Savior.

I rejoice in the gift of faith God has given to you, but I assure you, God has even more for you. Continue to pray and seek from God all that he wants for you. God cannot be outdone.

"I don't think I would have to deal with charismania again which would be a huge relief as well as some other distressing, questionable practices."

I would like to hear from you what you mean by charismania? Is someting wrong with rejoicing in God's gifts? John Paul II was strongly in favor of it and called on charismatics to re-evangilize the Church. B16 feels the same way as did Paul VI. We are all called to be open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Leo XIII called for the New Pentecost in the Church in his 1897 encyclical. He "prayed in" the 20th century with "Veni Creator Spiritus". Every Catholic charismatic I know will joyfully welcome the opportunity to worship God at the re-instituted Tridentine rite mass. Now what "Distressing, questionable practices" are you referring to? Is it accepting the gifts God sends? I'd rather accept them joyfully than reject God's gifts out of unfounded and anti-scriptural prejudice. I hope I am misinterpreting your statement

Arnold movies did affect equal time in California. Fred, being on a major network program would create a problem for NBC. If Fred waits until the season ends later this month, he can get the benefit of “Getting Paid” to get his face on the tube, then jump into the race without causing the network problems. They just have to Not run reruns during the campaign.

I support Fred too...and I believe he IS running...

BUT...he is on "Law and Order" through the May TV sweeps. If he jumped in the race before the season ended, NBC would either have to drop the show or give every candidate equal time. Plus he is the "fill-in" for Paul Harvey...same equal time story. I look for the announcement the day AFTER "Law and Order's" season ends.

I can't wait!

Harry Reid is not worth the cost of a Burka.

I have sent letters to both my Republican Senators and my DemocRAT Congresswoman asking them to push for a Censure of Reid. If a Dumbocrat won't vote to Censure than he obviously agrees with the Nevada Ninny!

I didn't know Global Warming was in the constitution.
Kill all the people and animals because they all exhale CO2

In Beauty Pageant terms...
Mister/Mrs (God Forbid) President
V-P is 1st runner up
Speaker is 2nd runner-up
so blinky IS second in line after the POTUS...
but is 3rd in order of power

Actually they did at the time of Jesus. After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews were trying to purge the influence of the Greeks, and in the Rabbinical council of (I believe it was) 90 AD, all scriptural writings that did not have their original writing in Hebrew were deleted. Jesus quoted from the book of Wisdom and the Book of Sirach was used as a form of early "Catechism" in the early Church before the New Testament was assembled by the Catholic Church Fathers in the 300's.

You may believe St Paul is dead and in Hell...but I tend to believe through Gods grace he attained eternal life and is continually worshiping before the throne of God, By the way...in my earlier post I meant to say I prayed to God, through the intercession of St. Paul that your eyes may be opened to the truth and that you will cease spreading division in the Body of Christ. I see the prayer has not yet been answered, so I will follow the example of St Monica, the mother of Augustine and continue to pray for you. I will also ask St. Monica to join in, since her perseverance proved to be successful for her son. The help of the "Communion of Saints" is a wonderful thing.

AmericaUnited...I just said a prayer for you. I asked St Paul to soften your heart to the truth. St. Paul had to be knocked off a horse before he saw the light. Jesus had to remind him that, when he attacked his Church, he was attacking Jesus himself. In the desert, Jesus was confronted by Satan who knows and can recite scripture better than any human. Satan twists the Word to spread division among God's people...completely contrary to Jesus prayer. As Jesus healed the blind, may he open your eyes and the eyes of all the persecutors of the Church Jesus founded and continues to lead through Peter and his successors.

By whose authority do you claim to be infallible? You claim to be a follower of Christ while rejecting the teaching he has revealed. As for infallibility...

891 "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.

Up until the protestant reformation all Christians followed "The Word" and the Holy Spirit inspired tradition and written word proclaimed by the Catholic Church. The spirit that splintered the Body of Christ into hundreds of denominations could NOT have been the Holy Spirit. I still contend it was a spirit of Pride that led those who thought they knew more than the established Church teaching and led millions astray...away from the sound doctrine of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. They rejected the Christ instituted sacraments, the communion of Saints, Jesus' Blessed Mother Mary, and Jesus Himself in the complete Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Eucharist to declare their own superiority over the Catholic Church and the beliefs that were passed on for more than a millennium. They claimed Holy Spirit inspiration when they rejected scriptures used since the time of Jesus and reinterpreted others to bolster their heretical ideas. Again I say, they are following spirits that divide, not unite.