"And the Love of Many Will Grow Cold"

Pope Benedict says "lovelessness" reason for low birthrates, from CNN International:

Pope Benedict has said the growing number of loveless relationships may be behind declining birthrates in the developed world.

The pope also said on Friday that an "eclipse of love" and lack of moral guidance threatened the intellectual and spiritual development of future generations of children.

"Perhaps the lack of such creative and forward-looking love is the reason why many couples today choose not to marry, why so many marriages fail, and why birthrates have diminished," the pope said in a message to a meeting of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

"It is children and young people who are often the first to experience the consequences of this eclipse of love and hope. Often, instead of feeling loved and cherished, they appear to be merely tolerated."

Most of Misouri Has "Cheaper" Gas

Gas Price Map

Excellent Conference

I think this is open to anyone and includes an excellent line-up of Catholic speakers, including:

Cardinal Arinze, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Christopher West (costs extra to hear him), Fr. Richard Hogan and others. In July, in Jacksonville, FL on a Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd.

The Family Honor Conference.

Father Corapi--No Confessions and Bodyguards

Thanks to Spirit Daily for this link... rather strange, especially since I don't find Father Corapi all that "dangerous." But there are plenty I guess who do. Read the thread, its interesting and mostly from people who have heard or seen Father speak in person.

One commentor says that he isn't allowed to say Mass in several dioceses. Very strange.

Catholic Digest Poll on DaVinci Code

Strange one...Catholics not "fazed" by it, mainly because those polled haven't read it or only read part of it.

From USA TODAY, today:

But most Catholics view the brouhaha with a big yawn, according to the survey released Tuesday by Catholic Digest, the 70-year-old monthly magazine.

Most (73%) say The Da Vinci Code has had "no effect on their faith."

And 92% say they don't know of anyone leaving the church after reading the book, says the March 23-27 survey of 443 Catholics, by Yankelovich Inc. Margin of error was ±4.7 percentage points.

"Catholics know this is fiction," and they're "smart enough and strong enough not to let a book or movie bother them," says Dan Connors, editor-in-chief of Catholic Digest.

Other findings:

• 28% have read all or part of the book; 63% did not read it, chiefly, they say, because they lack time, interest or inclination to read fiction.

Bonnie Owens RIP

Four weeks after the death of Buck Owens, her one time husband. Married to Merle Haggard and to a third husband, divorced all...had Alzheimer's for the past six to seven years.

From the LA Times:

Bonnie Owens, a cocktail waitress-turned-singer who was married at different times to country music giants Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, died Monday in Bakersfield after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She was 76.

Her death came four weeks after that of Buck Owens, but she may have been too deeply gripped by Alzheimer's to know that he was gone, according to Jim Shaw, a close family friend.

WHAT?

I think someone is pulling John Allen's leg, can you imagine Father counseling the unrepentant mob boss thus?

"Hey Vito, don't kill him--just rough him up, and while your at it Vito wear a condom when you're out on the town--it's self defense you know!"

From NCR:

Traditionally, confessors and pastors have long been permitted to counsel a "lesser evil" to prevent greater harm. For example, if a mob boss tells a priest he intends to kill an enemy, and if the mob boss can't be persuaded to change his mind, the priest could advise him to beat up the enemy instead. Under those circumstances, the priest is not approving the beating, merely tolerating it to avoid an even worse outcome.