Is the Pope a Pacifist?
A good reflection on the Pope and the Vatican's position on the Iraq war and war in general.
From William McGurn in the Wall Street Journal:
In short, what we have lost here is a tremendous teaching opportunity. And if the Vatican's problem is, as Archbishop Martino suggests and the pope's own words at times imply, not simply Iraq but a larger discomfort with just war in a modern world, it raises even more questions. Namely, how President Bush can be held in breach of moral criteria that (a) are in the process of being radically revised and (b) really can't be met anyhow.
In another remark on Vatican Radio made on the eve of war, Archbishop Martino characterized the American response to Iraq as replying with "bombs to a people that has been asking for bread for the last 12 years." The Vatican role, by contrast, would be to play the "the Good Samaritan who kneels to tend the wounds of an injured, weak nation."
Which begs a question: If the biblical Good Samaritan had arrived on the scene a little earlier and stumbled on the robbers instead of their victim, what would have been his obligation?
Given the current situation it is really more a case of the latter. In this case if the fallen towers of the World Trade Center and the innocents who died there are in fact the "man fallen by robbers."
At this point in the war wouldn't it be a great idea to ignore Baghdag as a target and set up the rest of the country as an American run regime where food, clothing and a better life are a part of the lives of the inhabitants. Wouldn't this lead to the fall of Baghdag?
Saturday, March 29, 2003
Friday, March 28, 2003
Flying Pacifist Arrested for Violating Italian Airspace
From Reuters:
An Austrian man flying a motorized paraglider trailing a peace banner swooped into St Peter's Square on Friday to protest against the U.S-led war in Iraq.
He may have expected officials at the Vatican, where Pope John Paul has led a vigorous anti-war campaign, to greet him with open arms, but instead he was met by police.
The flying pacifist and a group of supporters waiting to help him with the landing were taken to the Vatican police station for questioning, a police spokesman said.
"A total of eight people were taken in, six Austrians and two Germans," he said.
Police accused the group of holding a demonstration without permission and said the paraglider, who took off from a park west of Rome's city center, could be charged with violating Italy's airspace.
From Reuters:
An Austrian man flying a motorized paraglider trailing a peace banner swooped into St Peter's Square on Friday to protest against the U.S-led war in Iraq.
He may have expected officials at the Vatican, where Pope John Paul has led a vigorous anti-war campaign, to greet him with open arms, but instead he was met by police.
The flying pacifist and a group of supporters waiting to help him with the landing were taken to the Vatican police station for questioning, a police spokesman said.
"A total of eight people were taken in, six Austrians and two Germans," he said.
Police accused the group of holding a demonstration without permission and said the paraglider, who took off from a park west of Rome's city center, could be charged with violating Italy's airspace.
Saddam Once Received the Key to the City of Detroit
Plus donated almost half a million to a Chaldean Catholic Rite church there....
From Excite News:
Saddam Hussein donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Detroit church and received a key to the city more than two decades ago, soon after he became president of Iraq.
The events contrast sharply with the attack Saddam's regime is now facing from a U.S.-led coalition, reflecting his changed relationship with the United States since Washington helped Saddam covertly in his 1980-88 war with Iran.
Saddam's bond with Detroit started in 1979, when the Rev. Jacob Yasso of Chaldean Sacred Heart congratulated Saddam on his presidency. In return, Yasso said, his church received $250,000.
"He was very kind person, very generous, very cooperative with the West. Lately, what's happened, I don't know," Yasso, 70, said Wednesday. "Money and power changed the person."
If you read on you'll discover that the group visited Hussein in Iraq and was given another $200,000 during their visit.
Plus donated almost half a million to a Chaldean Catholic Rite church there....
From Excite News:
Saddam Hussein donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Detroit church and received a key to the city more than two decades ago, soon after he became president of Iraq.
The events contrast sharply with the attack Saddam's regime is now facing from a U.S.-led coalition, reflecting his changed relationship with the United States since Washington helped Saddam covertly in his 1980-88 war with Iran.
Saddam's bond with Detroit started in 1979, when the Rev. Jacob Yasso of Chaldean Sacred Heart congratulated Saddam on his presidency. In return, Yasso said, his church received $250,000.
"He was very kind person, very generous, very cooperative with the West. Lately, what's happened, I don't know," Yasso, 70, said Wednesday. "Money and power changed the person."
If you read on you'll discover that the group visited Hussein in Iraq and was given another $200,000 during their visit.
Front Pages of the World's Newspapers
Here is a very interesting sight that I stumbed upon today. You can view the front pages of papers from around the world (including a wide range of cities in the United States). Interesting to see what images various papers put on their front pages. Some emphasize the suffering of the Iraqi people because of the war, some the suffering because of Saddam Hussein, some the trouble of the troops, some the heroic effort of the troops even carrying their fellow soldiers on their backs.
Check it out yourself atthe Newseum
Here is a very interesting sight that I stumbed upon today. You can view the front pages of papers from around the world (including a wide range of cities in the United States). Interesting to see what images various papers put on their front pages. Some emphasize the suffering of the Iraqi people because of the war, some the suffering because of Saddam Hussein, some the trouble of the troops, some the heroic effort of the troops even carrying their fellow soldiers on their backs.
Check it out yourself atthe Newseum
A Very Sad Image and a Frightening One
Nancy Nall has two pictures posted on her web page today. One of a small girl, a casualty of the war in Bashra another of a Pakistani wearing a head band with a message to kill people of a particular semitic tribe. A picture is worth a thousand words and both of these speak volumes.
Nancy Nall has two pictures posted on her web page today. One of a small girl, a casualty of the war in Bashra another of a Pakistani wearing a head band with a message to kill people of a particular semitic tribe. A picture is worth a thousand words and both of these speak volumes.
A Great Teaching on Christian Prayer
The section below is from yesterday's Office of Readings and is one of the most intriguing explanations of the difference in prayer both before Christ and after His appearance on this earth.. One of the tensions that Christians live with is the quandary of how to interpret the Old Testament in light of the new. What the early church father Tertullian does here is to point us in a manner that is consistent with what Christ has revealed to us as the will of God.
Enjoy!
From Universalis-the Online Liturgy of the Hours:
In the past prayer was able to bring down punishment, rout armies, withhold the blessing of rain. Now, however, the prayer of the just turns aside the whole anger of God, keeps vigil for its enemies, pleads for persecutors. Is it any wonder that it can call down water from heaven when it could obtain fire from heaven as well? Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God. But Christ has willed that it should work no evil, and has given it all power over good.
Its only art is to call back the souls of the dead from the very journey into death, to give strength to the weak, to heal the sick, to exorcise the possessed, to open prison cells, to free the innocent from their chains. Prayer cleanses from sin, drives away temptations, stamps out persecutions, comforts the fainthearted, gives new strength to the courageous, brings travellers safely home, calms the waves, confounds robbers, feeds the poor, overrules the rich, lifts up the fallen, supports those who are falling, sustains those who stand firm.
All the angels pray. Every creature prays. Cattle and wild beasts pray and bend the knee. As they come from their barns and caves they look out to heaven and call out, lifting up their spirit in their own fashion. The birds too rise and lift themselves up to heaven: they open out their wings, instead of hands, in the form of a cross, and give voice to what seems to be a prayer. What more need be said on the duty of prayer? Even the Lord himself prayed. To him be honour and power for ever and ever. Amen.
The section below is from yesterday's Office of Readings and is one of the most intriguing explanations of the difference in prayer both before Christ and after His appearance on this earth.. One of the tensions that Christians live with is the quandary of how to interpret the Old Testament in light of the new. What the early church father Tertullian does here is to point us in a manner that is consistent with what Christ has revealed to us as the will of God.
Enjoy!
From Universalis-the Online Liturgy of the Hours:
In the past prayer was able to bring down punishment, rout armies, withhold the blessing of rain. Now, however, the prayer of the just turns aside the whole anger of God, keeps vigil for its enemies, pleads for persecutors. Is it any wonder that it can call down water from heaven when it could obtain fire from heaven as well? Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God. But Christ has willed that it should work no evil, and has given it all power over good.
Its only art is to call back the souls of the dead from the very journey into death, to give strength to the weak, to heal the sick, to exorcise the possessed, to open prison cells, to free the innocent from their chains. Prayer cleanses from sin, drives away temptations, stamps out persecutions, comforts the fainthearted, gives new strength to the courageous, brings travellers safely home, calms the waves, confounds robbers, feeds the poor, overrules the rich, lifts up the fallen, supports those who are falling, sustains those who stand firm.
All the angels pray. Every creature prays. Cattle and wild beasts pray and bend the knee. As they come from their barns and caves they look out to heaven and call out, lifting up their spirit in their own fashion. The birds too rise and lift themselves up to heaven: they open out their wings, instead of hands, in the form of a cross, and give voice to what seems to be a prayer. What more need be said on the duty of prayer? Even the Lord himself prayed. To him be honour and power for ever and ever. Amen.
Sad News
Infant Son Of Bucs' Jurevicius Dies - from Tampa Bay Online:
The infant son of Tampa Bay receiver Joe Jurevicius has died nearly 10 weeks after being born prematurely during the Buccaneers' run to the Super Bowl.
Michael William Jurevicius, born on Jan. 14, died Monday night at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Most sports fans will remember the dramatic catch that Jerevicius made in the conference championship game in Philadelphia and the tie-in with his worry about his prematurely born son. Very sad ending to what at the time seemed hopeful.
Infant Son Of Bucs' Jurevicius Dies - from Tampa Bay Online:
The infant son of Tampa Bay receiver Joe Jurevicius has died nearly 10 weeks after being born prematurely during the Buccaneers' run to the Super Bowl.
Michael William Jurevicius, born on Jan. 14, died Monday night at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Most sports fans will remember the dramatic catch that Jerevicius made in the conference championship game in Philadelphia and the tie-in with his worry about his prematurely born son. Very sad ending to what at the time seemed hopeful.
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