Sprinkling Holy Water on 'The Da Vinci Code' - New York Times
WANE-TV Coverage You Can Count On: Local Author May Help Shape Future Movie
Good Reading: Award Winning Books The-Tidings.com
HoustonChronicle.com - Da Vinci Code won't translate easily to big screen
'Da Vinci' film: What role for religion? - Arts & Leisure - International Herald Tribune
Friday, August 12, 2005
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Remember You are a Sinner
The greatest crisis in the Church today is the loss of consciousness of our own sins. Reform will begin not when we see ourselves as different from the world but accept that we are part of the fallen nature of the world and need Christ to save us!
Then, we will fulfill the law of Christ not to judge...and the sins of others will not give us pause to rejoice but rather to mourn our own sinfulness.
From The Desert Fathers: Selected Sayings:
"At that time a meeting was held at Sketis about a brother who had sinned. The Fathers spoke, but Abba Pior kept silent. Later, he got up and went out. He took a sack and filled it with sand and carried it on his shoulder; then he put a little sand into a small bag that he carried in front of him. When the Fathers asked him what this meant he said, 'In this sack which contains much sand, are my sins which are many; I have put them behind me so that I might not be troubled about them and so that I might not weep. And behold, here are the little sins of my brother which are in front of me, and I spend my time judging them. This is not right. Rather, I ought to carry my sins in front of me and concern myself with them, begging God to forgive me.' The Fathers stood up and said, 'Verily, this is the way of salvation.'"
Then, we will fulfill the law of Christ not to judge...and the sins of others will not give us pause to rejoice but rather to mourn our own sinfulness.
From The Desert Fathers: Selected Sayings:
"At that time a meeting was held at Sketis about a brother who had sinned. The Fathers spoke, but Abba Pior kept silent. Later, he got up and went out. He took a sack and filled it with sand and carried it on his shoulder; then he put a little sand into a small bag that he carried in front of him. When the Fathers asked him what this meant he said, 'In this sack which contains much sand, are my sins which are many; I have put them behind me so that I might not be troubled about them and so that I might not weep. And behold, here are the little sins of my brother which are in front of me, and I spend my time judging them. This is not right. Rather, I ought to carry my sins in front of me and concern myself with them, begging God to forgive me.' The Fathers stood up and said, 'Verily, this is the way of salvation.'"
Behind the News--A Mystical Experience?
You've heard about Susan Torres who on life support gave birth to a child...what you haven't heard is this...Susan Torres' Husband and Parents Reveal Strange Happening on Night of Susan's Tragic Collapse:
Thanks to Todd!
The words that both Sonny and Jason believe they heard, before the
life-affirming story of Susan ever reached the ears of a journalist or a
newsman, are the following:
You and others will tell the world of a fight to save a precious life, not to change hardened hearts, but to give hope to those who believe, so that they know that there is more than what they see and hear. Let them come and see for themselves.
Sonny's voice shook as he read the paper on which he had written those
words. "I have a hard time reading the paper--At any other time I would have
thought I was a crazy person having a dream," he said. "But the way this has
taken off, I really question that now."
Thanks to Todd!
Native American Mascots
I regularly walk the grounds of a beautiful convent of the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters on the grounds one will find statues of Our Lady and traditional Catholic images dotted throughout. The sisters are gracious and very helpful, but sadly they are an aging community.
I find their website interesting. An image of Mary in a medal and a "dream catcher" are featured. It made me think of the recent NCAA ruling banning Native American mascots from post-season games--one wonders why "only post season games"? Should we as Catholics be using the spirituality of other religions to promote our faith? Or is part of being a Catholic the assimilation of other faiths into the truth that Christ brings to all religions?
I find their website interesting. An image of Mary in a medal and a "dream catcher" are featured. It made me think of the recent NCAA ruling banning Native American mascots from post-season games--one wonders why "only post season games"? Should we as Catholics be using the spirituality of other religions to promote our faith? Or is part of being a Catholic the assimilation of other faiths into the truth that Christ brings to all religions?
Upcoming Appearances
September 15th, 7-9 p.m.
Pauline Book Store, Charleston, SC
"How to Get the Most Out of the Eucharist"
Including a Question and Answer segment.
September 16th, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Pauline Book Store, Charleston, SC
Booksigning and Question and Answer
September 16th-17th
Fire At the Beach! , Myrtle Beach, S.C.
"Developing a Spirituality of the Eucharist"
September 24th
Faith Formation Conference, New Albany, IN
"How to Get the Most Out of the Eucharist"
November 12th
Spiritfest, Fort Wayne, IN
"How to Offer Your Sacrifice at Every Mass"
Pauline Book Store, Charleston, SC
"How to Get the Most Out of the Eucharist"
Including a Question and Answer segment.
September 16th, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Pauline Book Store, Charleston, SC
Booksigning and Question and Answer
September 16th-17th
Fire At the Beach! , Myrtle Beach, S.C.
"Developing a Spirituality of the Eucharist"
September 24th
Faith Formation Conference, New Albany, IN
"How to Get the Most Out of the Eucharist"
November 12th
Spiritfest, Fort Wayne, IN
"How to Offer Your Sacrifice at Every Mass"
I Was at Nagasaki: A Veteran of the U.S. Marines Speaks Out
From I Was at Nagasaki: A Veteran of the U.S. Marines Speaks Out:
"Nagasaki was the center of Catholicism in Japan. It had a big cathedral, and if I'm not mistaken, it had the biggest Christian population of any city in the country. And yet there we were--Catholics killing Catholics, and Protestants killing Protestants.
After the war, one of the things I grappled with was the question of allegiance. Where, as a Christian, should your allegiance be? As soldiers, our allegiance was to the nation state, not to our brothers and sisters, nor to Jesus.
This worship of the nation state is one of the worst idolatries of our day. In fact, I think it's probably the worst. But people can't see it. Like George Zabelka, the chaplain of the A-bomb pilots, said, they are brainwashed."
"Nagasaki was the center of Catholicism in Japan. It had a big cathedral, and if I'm not mistaken, it had the biggest Christian population of any city in the country. And yet there we were--Catholics killing Catholics, and Protestants killing Protestants.
After the war, one of the things I grappled with was the question of allegiance. Where, as a Christian, should your allegiance be? As soldiers, our allegiance was to the nation state, not to our brothers and sisters, nor to Jesus.
This worship of the nation state is one of the worst idolatries of our day. In fact, I think it's probably the worst. But people can't see it. Like George Zabelka, the chaplain of the A-bomb pilots, said, they are brainwashed."
From The "I Wish I Had Thought of This" Bin
Two new books, and there is another planned that present history and Islam with a thumb to the nose at political correctness:
One on Science is due out soon:
One on Science is due out soon:
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