Monday, January 17, 2005

NCR and the Legion

From Perspective: NCR and the Legion: an explanation:



"On the letters pages this week you will find one by Fr. Owen Kearns of the Legionaries of Christ. He is editor in chief and publisher of the Legion-owned National Catholic Register. The letter is an edited version of the original, which accuses NCR of a slur against the Legion and of spinning the story about Legion founder Fr. Marciel Maciel Degollado, who has been accused of sexually abusing seminarians in the past.



Kearns' letter also said NCR used a "journalistic resource," with the implication that we are simply interested in keeping the story alive with no regard for the facts.



It is not the first time Fr. Kearns has reacted to a story about either the Legion?s activities or its founder. Whether Kearns' responses have been solicited in the preparation of an article or delivered to us in reaction to one about Maciel, the content has been consistent: Fr. Maciel is demonstrably innocent and all one need do is consult the Legion?s Web site for the necessary information."

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Reminder....Lent is Early This Year

At the Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 11-13, 2005





'The Power of the Cross' Lenten Retreat

with Author Michael Dubruiel



This retreat is aimed at applying the passion Of Christ to your everyday life. Learn God's unique Purpose and mission for you, how to overcome the evil that you have suffered at the hands of others, to find God' presence in difficult times, and to discover the keys to unleashing the power of the cross in your life.



Registration Friday @ 6:30 pm until Sunday 1:00 pm Cost of retreat is $145.00 which includes program, materials, meals and overnight accommodations. $50.00 deposit is required at registration. "




If you live in a different part of the country, Indianapolis has Southwest, ATA, Independence Air all flying into their airport--all at incredibly low, low rates!



The book can be viewed here:



A young woman dying of a terminal illness and abandoned by her family is filled with unspeakable joy.


What is her secret?


Discover what she knew and what it means for you in The Power of the Cross!





Saturday, January 15, 2005

Catholics Can Receive Special Indulgences During Eucharistic Year

From CNS STORY: Catholics can receive special indulgences during eucharistic year:



"Cardinal Stafford said the special eucharistic year indulgences include the normal requirements set by the church for all plenary indulgences: that within a reasonably short period of time, the person goes to confession, receives the Eucharist and prays for the intentions of the pope, all in a spirit of total detachment from the attraction of sin.



Special plenary indulgences, he said, would be given to those who fulfill the normal requirements in conjunction with participating 'with attention and piety in a sacred function or a pious exercise carried out in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, either solemnly exposed or preserved in the tabernacle.'



In addition, he said, those who recite the vespers and compline prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours in a church or chapel where the Eucharist is present in the tabernacle will receive a plenary indulgence.



Cardinal Stafford said that Catholics who because of illness or other serious reason cannot visit a church or chapel could still earn the indulgence if they make the visit 'with the desire of their hearts, in a spirit of faith in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the altar.' "

Friday, January 14, 2005

Pope --Cardinal Schotte as "man of peace"

I write about the Cardinal in one of my books as a man who took the time to notice a very young Joseph after another now Cardinal had walked by and not noticed. Based on the three minutes that he talked "baby talk" to Joseph, I would say that he "imitated Christ" in a way that many do not.



Offer a prayer for him, it may return to you.



From Catholic World News : Pope praised late Cardinal Schotte as "man of peace":



"Pope John Paul II praised the late Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte as a 'man of peace' during funeral services for the Belgian prelate on January 14.



The Holy Father presided at the funeral in St. Peter's Basilica, and delivered a homily, in which he observed that Cardinal Schotte had 'generously and tirelessly placed his multiple gifts of intelligence, humanity, and spirituality at the disposal of the Roman Curia.' Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the principal celebrant of the Mass.



Cardinal Schotte had served as the secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops from 1984 until his retirement in February 2004. During that time he was responsible for organizing the meetings of 12 synods. Prior to assuming his post in that office, he worked in the Secretariat of State and the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul in November 1994. "


Thursday, January 13, 2005

Join Me for a Lenten Retreat

At the Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 11-13, 2005





'The Power of the Cross' Lenten Retreat

with Author Michael Dubruiel



This retreat is aimed at applying the passion Of Christ to your everyday life. Learn God's unique Purpose and mission for you, how to overcome the evil that you have suffered at the hands of others, to find God' presence in difficult times, and to discover the keys to unleashing the power of the cross in your life.



Registration Friday @ 6:30 pm until Sunday 1:00 pm Cost of retreat is $145.00 which includes program, materials, meals and overnight accommodations. $50.00 deposit is required at registration. "




If you live in a different part of the country, Indianapolis has Southwest, ATA, Independence Air all flying into their airport--all at incredibly low, low rates!



The book can be viewed here:



A young woman dying of a terminal illness and abandoned by her family is filled with unspeakable joy.


What is her secret?


Discover what she knew and what it means for you in The Power of the Cross!





Eastern Catholics Should Pursue Ties with Orthodox--Pope

From Catholic World News : Eastern Catholics should pursue ties with Orthodox, Pope says:



"Pope John Paul II (bio - news) has encouraged Eastern-rite Catholics to pursue their contacts with their Orthodox counterparts, saying that their 'common liturgical tradition' could furnish the basis for greater ecumenical progress.



The Pope made his remarks in an address to participants at an interparchal synod of Italy's Eastern Catholic communities. He told them that their faithful could profit greatly from a 'solid formation rooted in the Oriental tradition,' adding that the Byzantine perspective could also provide 'an effective manner to the growing challenges of secularization. Pope John Paul has frequently encouraged the growth of the Eastern Catholic churches, and urged Byzantine Catholics to protect their distinctive spirituality and liturgy. The intereparchal synod was set up to serve the two small Byzantine Catholic communities of Italy: the Italo-Byzantine community centered around the monastery of Grottafera, and the Italo-Albanian Church. Pope John Paul remarked that cooperation between the two is fruitful because they are 'heirs of a common spiritual patrimony.' "

Pope--SATAN WILL BE VANQUISHED

From AGI online:



Vatican City, 12 Jan - The Pope commented today on the Apocalypse before the 7,000 people attending the General Papal Audience today in the Nervi Hall, indicating that the fight between good and evil, personified by Satan, is a very hard one, as shown by the manifold violence and injustice in the world today, however the outcome is certain, evil will be vanquished. Pope John Paul II explained, "God and the Lamb, Christ, surrounded by the 'Council of the Crown', are judging human history in good and evil, but showing us however the ultimate end in salvation and glory. The songs which are found in the Apocalypse and which serve to illustrate the issue of divine glory which regulates the flux, often disconcerting, of the tide of human events". Of great significance is the first part of the hymn intoned by the 24 ancients who seem to incarnate the chosen people in their two historic stages, the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the Church. The Pope continued, Satan, the original adversary, who accused our brothers in the heavenly court, has now been cast down from heaven and therefore no longer has great power. He knows he has not much time left because history is about to see a radical turning point in freedom from evil and therefore he is reacting full of great fury. And then the resurrected Christ will rise up, whose blood is the principle of salvation and who received from the Father royal power over the entire universe, in Him are centred salvation, strength and the kingdom of our God. In his victory are associated the Christian martyrs who chose the path of the cross, not yielding to evil and it virulence, but delivering themselves to the Father and uniting themselves to the death of Christ by means of a testimony of donation and courage which brought them to give up life in order to die". He concluded, "the words of the Apocalypse regarding those who have vanquished Satan and evil through the blood of the Lamb, echo also in the splendid prayer attributed to the Christian martyr Simeon, from Seleucia-Ctesifonte in Persia, 'I will receive life without pain, worry, anguish, persecutor, persecuted, oppressor, oppressed, tyrant or victim, there I will see no threat of king, or terror of prefects, no-one will quote me in court or terrorise me and no-one will drag me or scare me".