Monday, October 13, 2003

Pray for Terri!



I would suggest asking the intercession of St. Teresa of Avila who is her patron and on who's feast the judgment of the court wishes to stop having any artificial means of keeping her alive stopped.



From WorldNetDaily: Round-the-clock vigil planned for Terri Schiavo:



"At the invitation of Terri Schindler-Schiavo's family, the founder of the famous pro-life group Operation Rescue is in the Tampa Bay area to muster support for the 39-year-old brain-disabled woman, whose death by court-ordered starvation is set to begin the day after tomorrow when her husband and legal guardian gives the order to remove the feeding tube that is keeping his wife alive.



Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler of Gulf Port, who have not completely given up hope that somehow their daughter's life will be spared, invited Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry, as well as Gary McCullough of Christian Communication Network, to organize a round-the-clock vigil.



Beginning with a press conference at noon Eastern today, and for however long Terri is alive or until she is granted a reprieve, members of her family and supporters will hold a 24-hour vigil on her behalf at Hospice Woodside in Pinellas Park, Fla., where her husband, Michael Schiavo, has required her to live for over four years.



A press release from vigil organizers states Terri is neither in a coma nor a 'persistent vegetative state,' that she is aware of her surroundings and has communicated that she does not want to be starved to death. "
Anniversary of the Last Apparition at Fatima



Michael Brown relates a variety of rumors, including one blog that he claims to have a number of details about the Pope's health.



Always many items worth the time to read...Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world
Interesting Site...Against War



Just as an aside, I know a ton of people who pray for peace but seem to enjoy war--in fact one might say are cheerleaders for war. I believe in the power of our prayers, but prayers that we pray with our hearts. We can't pray the rosary for peace and at the same time sit like Jonah outside of Nineveh waiting for fire and brimstone to rain down on our enemies. One of the sadest episodes in the reception of this pope's pontificate was how his recent pleas for peace were rejected by his staunchest followers here in the United States. Sad...




Check out Antiwar.com

Sunday, October 12, 2003

List of Chaplains Accused of Abuse



From TheBostonChannel.com - News - List Of Accusations Against Priests



More than 25 current or former Roman Catholic priests serving as U.S. military chaplains have been accused of sexual abuse.
Orthodox Catholic Priest Being Sent into Exile



An example of what happens to a priest who takes being a shepherd seriously. I encourage everyone that reads this blog to write to the new bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach protesting this. What kind of sign does this send to faithful Catholics?



There are some serious issues here. I know Father John Pasquini to be a pious, devout Catholic. I taught him in the seminary. These charges that he celebrates Mass with little devotion strike me as slanderous. How many priests I've witnessed who do celebrate Mass without devotion, but I can't even conceive of Father John Pasquini as being one of them. Do you think that someone who is standing bravely against the sins of this age is likely to be less than devout when celebrating Mass?



What is going on down there is an attempt by some to silence a good priest who hasn't been afraid to speak out. I also suspect there is fear among some priests that Father John will name names. That he will expose some of his brother priests who are living double lives. I would encourage Bishop Barbarito to remove Father Chuck Notabartolo, perhaps give him the hospital assignment, and restore Father John to his position at St. Julianna's.



Please take the time to write to the Bishop through Deacon Sam Barbaro at sbarbaro@diocesepb.org and express your outrage!



From St. Juliana priest asked to transfer:



"An outspoken Catholic priest who publicly condemned homosexuality and criticized Episcopalians for electing a gay bishop is being removed from his church and transferred to a job as a hospital chaplain.



The Rev. John J. Pasquini, a priest at St. Juliana Church in West Palm Beach, said the vicar general of the Palm Beach Diocese, the Rev. Charles Notabartolo, asked him about moving to St. Mary's Medical Center. Traditionally, hospitals have been dumping grounds for clerics who can't work with everyday people and everyday problems.

When Pasquini pressed Notabartolo about what was going on, Notabartolo explained that Pasquini's homilies were poor, he didn't show enough devotion to Mass, he was not equipped to be a priest and would never be a pastor in the diocese.



'I was in tears,' said Pasquini, 39. Pasquini said no one complained while while he preached at St. Clare Catholic Church in North Palm Beach or St. Joan of Arc Catholic parish in Boca Raton.

The vicar general was out of town and couldn't be reached for comment. The Rev. Brian King, episcopal secretary for new Bishop Gerald Barbarito, said the bishop doesn't transfer a priest unless he requests it.



The Rev. Alfredo Hernandez, pastor of the sprawling church on 4500 S. Dixie Highway, said he couldn't comment about Pasquini, but said of the rumors, 'Someone's reading a whole lot into this. Life is not always as simple as we see it.'



Pasquini caused a firestorm of controversy and irked the head of the Anglican diocese when he sent a letter to the The Palm Beach Post, published Aug. 15.

In response to an earlier column endorsing gay marriages, Pasquini wrote that homosexuality is contrary to God's law, quoted scripture to support his point and concluded with this aside:



"Also, about the recent election of a gay bishop, Episcopalianism and its counterpart, Anglicanism, have been on the decline for centuries, and the more this religion compromises with a pagan culture, the more it will continue to decline."



Last year, as head of the diocesan Right to Life office, Pasquini wrote an editorial in The Florida Catholic that complained about a subculture of gay priests and accused the church of cronyism and favoritism.



Pasquini, who was ordained in 1997, finished at the top of his class at St. John's College in California and at the St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach. He has two master's degrees and is the author of 12 books. He's disappointed about leaving the congregation he joined only three months ago, but said he's looking forward to becoming the head chaplain at the hospital.
Pope Gives Thanks on Eve of Anniversary



From CTV.ca - Pope gives thanks on eve of 25th anniversary- CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television:



"A frail Pope John Paul gave thanks Sunday for his 25-year pontificate and asked for continued help to carry on, opening a week of ceremonies surrounding his papal anniversary amid increasing concerns about his health.



The 83-year-old John Paul spoke to the faithful from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square in a weak and laboured voice -- a day after the Vatican again denied reports he was undergoing kidney dialysis and confirmed his taxing schedule for the next several days.



John Paul himself referred to the mass he would celebrate Thursday to mark his Oct. 16, 1978, election, and said that as the anniversary neared, he was recalling his first Sunday appearance at St. Peter's after he was named Pope."
Fake Letter Being Sent to Newspapers Across US



Claims to be written by US soldiers serving in Iraq but clearly is just an attempt by the government or military at propaganda. Kind of amateurish attempt at that.



From Many soldiers, same letter / Front Page -The Olympian:



"Six soldiers reached by GNS directly or through their families said they agreed with the letter's thrust. But none of the soldiers said he wrote it, and one said he didn't even sign it.

Marois, 23, told his family he signed the letter, said Moya Marois, his stepmother. But she said he was puzzled why it was sent to the newspaper in Olympia. He attended high school in Olympia but no longer considers the city home, she said. Moya Marois and Alex's father, Les, now live near Kooskia, Idaho.



A seventh soldier didn't know about the letter until his father congratulated him for getting it published in the local newspaper in Beckley, W.Va.



'When I told him he wrote such a good letter, he said: 'What letter?' ' Timothy Deaconson said Friday, recalling the phone conversation he had with his son, Nick. 'This is just not his (writing) style.'



He spoke to his son, Pfc. Nick Deaconson, at a hospital where he was recovering from a grenade explosion that left shrapnel in both his legs. "