Olympic disgust 1,999. I may give this up. Even Mr. Bean seemed trite and lame. The Queen was obviously bored.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hK3ZHgHyRLFGgFylJyPxUfH0kOtg?docId=CNG.2249ee77cd214cd016f6cfc488472e87.2a1
Many posts today.
Saturday 28 July 2012
On priests, schools and Tony Blair from "The Catholic Herald"
Posted by
Supertradmum
Item one: priests as employees
Last week in The Catholic Herald, the government of Great Britain decided that priests were employees of the bishops. This has horrible repercussions in many areas of Catholic Church life. This means a diocese is responsible for all the actions of their priests. I disagree with this. Each priest should be responsible, and be seen as an "independent, self-employed person." This ruling complicates tax laws, and of course, relates to the sex scandals.
My home diocese was brilliant in 1910 creating a situation where every parish was a legal, independent charity, separate from the diocese. Personally, as a small business and small charity supporter, I think this is a much better arrangement. The dioceses are too big and too unrelated to what happens on the ground for this type of law. Is the general or the entire military responsible legally for one soldier or naval officer?
Item Two: suppression of schools
This week, in the same newspaper, the government stressed that free Catholic schools, (which I am against on principle that state curriculum is not Catholic curriculum), must allow as many as 50% non-Catholics in these schools. When will the British stop giving into the government on education and abandon these truly non-Catholic Catholic schools? A Catholic ethos cannot be maintained under these circumstances. This rule means that the schools MUST accept these quotas, turning away Catholic parents who want to send their children to a Catholic school.
It is obvious that this government is against Catholic education, as this law, and the secular curriculum forced on the schools undermines Catholic teaching and culture.
Wake up, British Catholics, and take matters into your own hands.
Item three: the Blairs strike again. (And, I cannot get this extra enter line out!)
In the same issue, July 27th, yet another article on Tony Blair reveals, (as if we did not know), that he is not a practicing Catholic. In fact, did you know that we faithful who follow the teachings of the Church regarding abortion, contraception, and homosexuality are "doctrinal ideologues"? Tony and Cherie should just be quiet. They make theological statements and doctrinal statements revealing not only their ignorance, but their arrogance. See my earlier article on Cherie. What a couple...not good advertisers for the Catholic Church.
They cause scandal.
On August First, All American Businesses Come Under the Obamacare Death Mandate in America
Posted by
Supertradmum
But, there is good news. Here is an article from the ever excellent LifeSiteNews online. By the way, if Obamacare stays as a law, potentially thousands of Catholics who do not want to support contraception and abortion for girls as early as twelve and women, will lose their businesses, creating an underclass of Catholic poor. This may be what POTUS wants in his war against Catholicism. Do not kid yourself. This is war, and as the Church Militant, we must fight in this war.
By Ben Johnson of LSN
By Ben Johnson of LSN
DENVER, July 27, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – A federal judge has given a Catholic family business a temporary injunction against the HHS mandate, exempting that family from providing no-cost contraception, sterilization, or abortifacient medicines in its employees’ health care plans.
The Newlands, a Catholic family, argued that the controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act violated their First Amendment rights by forcing them to purchase something that violates their consciences.
Attorneys for the Obama administration justified the mandate as part of the fight for sexual equality, arguing it was a necessary part of “improving the health of women and children…so that women who choose to do so can be part of the workforce on an equal playing field with men.”
But Senior Judge John L. Kane of the U.S. District of Colorado ruled on Friday that the government’s interests, which he called into question, “are countered, and indeed outweighed, by the public interest in the free exercise of religion.”
Judge Kane ruled that the plaintiffs could prevail on the grounds of the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act alone. That law states the government may not “substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” unless it is to further “a compelling governmental interest” and it uses “the least restrictive means” possible to implement the law.
Judge Kane, who was appointed to the federal bench by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, instructed the Obama administration it must “demonstrate that there are no feasible less-restrictive alternatives.”
“The government need not tilt at windmills; it need only refute alternatives proposed by Plaintiffs,” he wrote in his decision.
He declined to comment on the ADF’s constitutional arguments altogether.
He declined to comment on the ADF’s constitutional arguments altogether.
The Newlands own Hercules Industries, a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer founded in 1962. The Denver-based HVAC company now employs 265 people, and their business practices reflect their Catholic beliefs.
“The cost of freedom for this family could be millions of dollars per year in fines that will cripple their business if the Obama administration ultimately has its way,” said Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly “Alliance Defense Fund”) Legal Counsel Matt Bowman, who represented the family inNewland v. Sebelius.
It is significant that Hercules Industries is a private employer. This winter the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate narrowly voted down the Blunt Amendment, which would have respected the religious liberties of private business owners.
“Religious liberty goes far beyond merely the ‘freedom of worship’ - an alarmingly narrow term the Obama administration has adopted - to include peacefully living out your faith in every area of life,” said Ken Klukowski, director of the Family Research Council’s Center for Religious Liberty, in a statement e-mailed to LifeSiteNews.com. “For private business owners, that includes their right to showcase their faith through their business policies.”
Pro-family leaders are happy at the temporary victory but hope the infringement on religious freedom will be rolled back, by the court or by law after the November election.
“For now, the family will not be forced to violate their religious beliefs as demanded by President Obama’s abortion drug and contraceptive mandate,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. “While this ruling is a victory, it is limited to the Newland family, which underscores why Congress must act soon to protect all families.”
Priest shortage...
Posted by
Supertradmum
From DICI
A survey conducted in the diocese of Moulins the 1st and 2 October 2011, at 92 Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday shows that 71% of worshipers are women, 60% are over 60 years, and that the lack of priestly ordinations should lead to an impressive drop in the number of priests in the coming years: they would soon be more than a fortnight only to exercise a pastoral ministry.
With these alarming statistics, there are other alarming predictions: 500,000 euros deficit in 2015, a decrease of the faithful from 40 to 50% in the next 15 years and only 2.2% of the population who attend church ...
Now, in my home diocese in the Midwest, there will be only 15 priests for 100,000 Catholics by 2015.
Although we are seeing across the globe, in most countries an increase in vocations, the numbers are still not up to replacement numbers....
Reasons:
Materialism
Modernism
Contraception
Abortion
Poor Catholic Education
Selfish Parents
Bad Priests
Selfish Singles
No priests, no Masses, no Eucharist.
A survey conducted in the diocese of Moulins the 1st and 2 October 2011, at 92 Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday shows that 71% of worshipers are women, 60% are over 60 years, and that the lack of priestly ordinations should lead to an impressive drop in the number of priests in the coming years: they would soon be more than a fortnight only to exercise a pastoral ministry.
With these alarming statistics, there are other alarming predictions: 500,000 euros deficit in 2015, a decrease of the faithful from 40 to 50% in the next 15 years and only 2.2% of the population who attend church ...
Now, in my home diocese in the Midwest, there will be only 15 priests for 100,000 Catholics by 2015.
Although we are seeing across the globe, in most countries an increase in vocations, the numbers are still not up to replacement numbers....
Reasons:
Materialism
Modernism
Contraception
Abortion
Poor Catholic Education
Selfish Parents
Bad Priests
Selfish Singles
No priests, no Masses, no Eucharist.
World hunger-a mini view
Posted by
Supertradmum
A quick note on the poverty of third world nations: one does not look at the statistics, usually, on poverty and violence. One does not, usually, look at the statistics concerning illiteracy and violence. One does not,usually look at the nature of the governments of the countries which are the most impoverished.
One might be surprised at where the greatest poverty lies in the world. Note this graph above.
There is enough food in the world to feed everyone well.
Pray, think, act.
http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm |
One might be surprised at where the greatest poverty lies in the world. Note this graph above.
There is enough food in the world to feed everyone well.
Pray, think, act.
Perfection and anxiety
Posted by
Supertradmum
I am just coming out of exactly 30 days of anxiety and stress. Part of this was caused by the fact that I had to make a major decision in my life. Part of it has been financial. But, looking back over this month, I realize that this time was exactly what God wanted of me. He is teaching me to trust in Him as my Father. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
It could have seemed like a "lost month", as I did not get as much work done as I would have liked. But, sometimes, when God is working on the interior life, the exterior life must suffer.
This Scripture passage shows all of us that power, love and a sound mind come from God. Only in Him can we find peace. And, this peace can only come when we give up and give in. Only God can handle some problems. I was walking about for three months in shoes which did not fit. I had blisters on the top, sides and backs of my feet. Now, I could not afford the type of shoes which would fit me. I cannot wear English shoes. I have Continental feet. I asked, hardly hoping. Then, two women offered to buy shoes for me. I was astounded and humbled. I thank these sisters here on this blog.
I lost my rosary, and another sister in the Lord sent me a new one. I was astounded again at the kindness of people. In the midst of financial difficulties, which have not yet been ironed out, I am learning to do something I really have never done before-trust in God. I ask Him for this grace. You all can pray for me to overcome fear and anxiety regarding this problem.
That God loves us and cares for our every need is written in the Scriptures. So, why do so many of us doubt it? I realized that I have gone through 30 days of intense anxiety so that I can learn to trust. Perfect love and trust drive out fear and that is what anxiety is-fear. I have been afraid of financial embarrassment, even though this situation is not my fault. It is my Luxembourg background. One simply does not get financially straitened, even when it is something out of one's own control.
The entire world may be facing this soon--not just me. Banks make mistakes, people create problems where there are none. Patience and trust are the only solutions. A friend of mine just lost a tremendous amount of money because of the Euro crisis. I have had smaller problems, but stressful.
Some of you may be able to do this already-trust. God bless you. It is a grace. I pray and I invite you to join me in prayer for my healing, so that I know in my deepest soul and heart that He has not given me a spirit of fear, or anxiety, but one of power, love and a sound mind.
If we all knew this, how easy some relationships would be, as anxiety interferes with love. I had to apologize for causing another person irritation because of my own anxiety. Silly me. This is a bad habit for women. We can fall into nagging and being so anxious that love is blocked. But, forgiveness is good, and we need to be reminded that perfect love drives out fear. One must decide not to be anxious. Love and freedom are in the will, not the emotions. The emotions will follow. Believe me on this one.
In my series on perfection, I add this. In order to be perfect, we must trust in Abba Father. We are not to be presumptuous, but to be like a little child asking for our needs. Be not afraid,
Be not afraid to ask. That is the key.
"Divine Father, call all men to Yourself. Let all the world proclaim Your fatherly goodness and Your divine mercy... Divine Father, Infinite Goodness poured out on all peoples, may You be known, honored, and loved by all men."
May I also add something which many know. We cannot be made perfect in a vacuum. We need to be in relationship with others. We also need to ask others to pray for us and we need to pray for others. This is our Faith, our baptismal unity in the Church. I saw a note today addressed to someone which was shown to me. The note read something like, "God open her heart so that she knows I really love her." That is God speaking to you and to me. God, open our hearts so that we know your love truly. We close our hearts because of fear and anxiety. What a great wonder this is, to be loved by the Almighty God.
He gave us His Own Son. What Love is this.
I pray for my readers and I hope you pray for me.
By the way, I keep a Thank you Diary. Everyday I try and think of at least ten things for which I can thank God. Clean water, friends, food, shoes, daily Mass, the list can be longer than ten. I highly suggest you try this if you tend to forget Who gives us all. God loves a grateful heart. Thank you God for everything.
Be perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is Perfect. He desires our perfection in Him.
Patron Saints of Banking
Posted by
Supertradmum
As Catholics, we should seriously know which patron saints have been allocated to situations, things, and people in our lives. If we know we have friends in heaven, we can ask them for help. For example, there are four patron saints of banking, which may indicate that the industry needs all the help it can get and that we need support dealing with banks.
Thanks to Wiki |
Thanks to Wiki |
Thanks to Wiki |
And the last is St. Secundus of Asti, an early martyr and patrician, beheaded under Hadrian in 119. He became one of the patrons, apparently, by his association with a banking city, Asti.
If you have any problems with banks, I would highly suggest asking all four saints for help.
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