Monday, November 30, 2015

#PopeBars: 'Cool' Pope Francis a Twitter Hit!



It is not news that Pope Francis is probably the 'coolest' Pope ever since St. Pope John Paul II.  His down-to-earth approach and colloquial way of speech has won the hearts of many; ironically, outside of the Church. He has gotten great respect from groups that have been traditionally outspoken against the Papacy such the the LGBT, atheists, secularists and others.

On Twitter today, an image of the Pope taken during his Papal visit to Central Africa has gotten the attention of many causing it to start a trend on Twitter named "#PopeBars."  Bars in this context is related to music bars.  The trend has taken a life of its own with people using the image of the Pope to post rap rhymes.  In the image, the Pope is holding the microphone like rappers and has his left hand in a pose similar to that of a DJ scratching records.

It makes me happy to see this positive reception of the Holy Father and also makes me proud that my hometown, the Bronx or 'the Boogie-Down Bronx' is being represented as well via Hip Hop and Rap which was born there.  Here are some of my own tweets and that of others.  Even some priests and Catholic news agencies joined in on the fun.  Enjoy:






























Sunday, November 29, 2015

First Sunday of Advent

What is Advent?
We are now in the holy season of Advent where we prepare for both the coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming at the end of time.  It is a spiritual period in which to meditate on these two mysteries and prepare for them.  We use the wreath and 4 candles to mark down the 4 weeks before Christmas.  

Three of the candles are purple and one is pink.  The purple symbolizes preparation through penance and prayer.  Purple is also used during Lent.  Another way to see it is purple is a physical sign of healing. When we get hurt, the injury becomes purple.  During the time of healing, it remains purple until it clears up.  Sin hurts us and we need time to heal from it by using the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, Prayer, Fasting, Indulgences and a genuine Spiritual life.  

The pink is for the third Sunday or Gaudete Sunday which means 'Sunday of Joy.'   We are joyous because we are getting closer to Christ's birth.  As each week goes, we light the candle that corresponds to that week.  

Today's readingshttp://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112915.cfm

The first reading tells us of the 'just shoot' who will come from David.  "He shall do what is right and just in the land."  This 'shoot' of course is referring to Jesus who comes from the lineage of King David (Matthew 1).  Christ was promised to the people of Israel and in due time would be born (Isaiah 7:14).  He would come to bring justice to all. During this time of Advent, we must seek Christ and prepare our hearts to receive Him. We must lift up our souls to the Lord as we read in the Psalm for today.

"To you , O Lord, I lift my soul." We must work out our faith and not expect God to do everything for us (Philippians 2:12). The more we put into our salvation, the more we grow (2 Peter 3:18). God will teach us His ways and will guide us in truth (Psalm 32:8). God is our savior.  There is no one else who saves (Acts 4:12). This is why we wait on the Lord during this season of Advent. Not only do we wait for Him in regards to Christmas, but also in His second coming (John 14:3).  We must be prepared for this time. The readings at the onset of Advent always remind us of this final day when Christ returns. Now that we have time, we must ask the Lord to show us the way; to be merciful to us especially now that we are beginning the Year of Mercy on December 8th (Isaiah 55:6 ). "All paths of the Lord are kindness..." so we must take advantage and prepare our souls for when Christ returns.  All of this work must not be focused solely on us, but on others as well. We must abound in love as we read in the second reading today.


May God increase love in us, we are told in the second reading. This love is not for the self, but for "one another and for all" (John 15:12).  Pope Francis has been stressing this ever since he took on the ministry of Peter. He has reminded us that we have to meet people where they are at; not to judge them, but to be compassionate and merciful to them (Luke 10:25-37). From there we can help them get to Christ.  This work of love will show that our faith in God has value; that we are not just believing just to believe (James 2:14-26). We must be blameless before God, especially when He returns (Psalm 24:4).  This can only be done if we behave as God wants us to behave. We cannot live life like a mindless sheep. Instead, we must be aware of what we do and say and realize that these have consequences (Titus 2:7). It takes just one slip on our part for someone else to lose faith in the Church or in God because of us. This is why we are told in the second reading that how we conduct ourselves is important. Christ can come at any moment, so we must take advantage of the time we have in order to fix ourselves and help others fix themselves (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves."  He continues describing many things that sound scary but are meant to capture our attention.  The details of the signs are not that significant.  What matters is that Christ will return; the Son of man will come in a cloud to judge the living and the dead (Daniel 7:13, 2 Timothy 4:1).  This is what matters to us especially during Advent. Jesus makes it clear that we cannot dose off and think we are going to live life on earth and that He would not come to judge us all.  He tells us, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”  We must be vigilant.  We must not let our guard down otherwise Satan will jump in to attack and cause us to fall like he did with our first parents Adam and Eve (1 Peter 5:8).  Jesus will return one day, no one knows that day (Matthew 24:36).

Our task is to be ready for it. Advent reminds us that Jesus is coming and that we have to prepare for His second coming. We shout 'Maranatha' or 'come Lord!'  We do this because we prepared to receive our Lord and more importantly because we want to see Him as the Apostles saw Him.  We want to experience Him as Mary and Joseph did. For now, we experience Him via the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. These Sacraments are there to prepare us for the second coming of Christ. Again, we must be vigilant. Already we are seeing these 'signs' in the world. The world is changing dramatically.  What was good at one point is now bad and what was bad is now good (Isaiah 5:20). Christians are being killed left and right.  The Church is under attack from all angles even from within. In this we see Satan at work. Satan is a liar and murderer (John 8:44). That is all he knows and presents to the world: lies, violence and evil. It seems like he is winning now, but in reality he is not.

We may see marriage being dissolved merely into what man decides. We see the killing of unborn children presented as 'women's healthcare.' We see fanatics using Islam as a justification to kill others, especially Christians. We see Catholics attacking the Pope, some refusing to acknowledge him as the Pope by calling him simply Jorge Bergoglio.  The list goes on and on but we can see the seeds of the father of lies taking hold in the hearts of many in the Church and outside of the Church.  The smoke of Satan is no longer entering the Church; it has entered the lungs of many, clergy, religious and lay. Advent is a time of penance and preparation. Let us take this time to reflect on what is really going on in the world and what is behind it (Ephesians 6:12). Let us meditate on the first coming of Christ so that we can better prepare for the second one. We await the Son of Man and cry out to Him to come quickly.  O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive all the souls of the world.    

Thursday, November 26, 2015

My take on Kandra's "From a reader: 'That Corapi account is fake" post












A follower of mine on Twitter sent me a tweet this morning asking me my thoughts about an article written by Deacon Greg Kandra of the Diocese of Brooklyn.  He blogs on Patheos and Aleteia. Anyhow, this article is titled "From a reader: 'That Corapi account is fake.'"

Here is the tweet I received:





The article the deacon wrote seems to cast doubt on the Linked In profile I found which was picked up by Matt Abbott of Renew America after apparently seeing it on my site since I was the first to report on it. Unfortunately, he did not give me credit for the information after being forced to update his article where he does not seem too confident in his 'reliable source,' but that is beside the point.

Deacon Kandra is correct when he writes that "Neither John Corapi nor the people at his religious order, Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (S.O.L.T) have made any public statements about the curious LinkedIn account bearing his name that appeared earlier this month."

However, this can be for several reasons:


  1. Why would John Corapi make a statement about his LinkedIn account?  He clearly wants to attract clientele in order to support himself; so why bring drama upon himself and possibly scare clients away?
  2. I seriously doubt his former religious order (SOLT) will make a statement on it since both parties clearly have a tense relationship, if any relationship at all. As a matter of fact, their statement found on http://soltnews.blogspot.com/2011/07/press-release-concerning-fr-john-corapi.html clearly shows they have severed ties.

Therefore, I think it is safe to say that neither party is going to release any statement. Most likely they are not even aware of all of this.  The reason why I even found this LinkedIn profile was after readings several blogs regarding Matt Abbott's claim that a 'reliable source' told him that Corapi is reconciling with his order.  As a former atheist and natural skeptic, the use of the words 'reliable source' without naming names was a red flag for me. Moreover, I have friends at Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, CT and neither of them believed the claims either.  They knew him personally, some even taught him!  Corapi did really 'vanish.'

Nevertheless, I gave Abbott's story the benefit of the doubt.  I did some investigating by looking at several social networks and only found groups or profiles defending Corapi and one on Twitter mocking him under his 'Blacksheep dog' persona. Eventually, I came across the LinkIn profile when the  Linked IN system recommended I connect with people with similar interests as the ones that I hold. When I saw the profile, I was surprised and quickly took screenshots and video before it disappeared.  Next, I wrote the post http://www.sacerdotus.com/2015/11/john-corapi-is-back-returned-to-faith.html to share my findings and came to the conclusion that Corapi is really gone and not coming back.

Now, Deacon Kandra writes on his aleteia blog the following:

A few people at the time, as I noted, found the LinkedIn CV a little odd, and one priest wrote to tell me he didn’t think the dates and degrees added up.
Late Wednesday, a reader sent me a copy of Corapi’s official bio, which was routinely used a few years ago in promoting his personal appearances. The reader’s point: “That LinkedIn account is fake.”
Compare the two and you’ll see some notable differences in both substance and style.
Fr. John Corapi’s CV
Dr. John Corapi’s LinkedIn CV
The conclusion is unmistakable: these can’t be the work of the same person.


He seems convinced that the profile is a fake simply because of the wording and the opinions of a priest and reader.  However, all parties failed to acknowledge the photos on the Linked In profile which are above in the heading of this post.  They are clearly of John Corapi.  One appears to be taken in a hotel room and the other is a 'selfie,' or one he took himself while holding a cell phone over his upper torso.

Now ask yourself this,

"How can someone creating a fake profile have access to the selfies and private photos of another person?"

The only person who would have access to a 'selfie' photo is the one who took it: the person in the 'selfie.'  We can say the same of the photo of Corapi in what looks like a hotel room.  Now, one can say that perhaps Corapi texted those photos to someone else and that someone else created the 'fake profile,' but there is problem there too because as you will see in this video, there are actual real people with real secular businesses and positions rating Corapi for his performance as a speaker.







How can other individuals rate a speaker or writer if the person they hired was not the person in the profile?



Also if you notice in the 'selfie' photo, there are poacher trophies in the background on the wall.  This is significant because Corapi was on a hunting site and was photographed with 'kills.'  See:








These images can be easily found if you Google "John Corapi Hunter."  You can also see them here: http://www.visionquesthunts.com/Gallery2013.php.  I am sure PETA would love to see this.  St. Francis of Assisi weeps.

So clearly this LinkedIN profile is not fake and is really John Corapi.

Suppose I hire Deacon Kandra to give a retreat and rate him on a LinkIn profile I saw him on.  How can I rate him on a fake profile if I used that profile to find him in the first place in order to hire him?

I think we can conclude that this profile is real and that those saying it is fake are those Catholics who are still in denial of Corapi's fall and will say anything to exonerate him even if their conclusions do not fit the facts and are irrational.

In this case, they have been proven wrong for a picture did tell a thousand words.

Lastly, if you compare the education credentials of the sources Kandra used, there is not much difference. The sequence of degrees adds up as well as other information. What I see different is the emphasis.  The document sent by the reader Kandra mentions shows Corapi puts an emphasis on his religious formation which would make sense since he was an active priest at the time.  In the LinkIn profile, the tone is more neutral in regards to religion and focuses more on his background as a writer and speaker. This would make sense if Corapi is working in a secular environment.

Here are screenshots of both so you can compare:






Another Twitter user also noticed that the information is pretty much the same and told Deacon Kandra via a Tweet, see:




It is safe to say based on the evidence at hand that Kandra's conclusion and that of his priest friend and reader is erroneous.

Kandra asks "So what has happened to Fr. Corapi?"  Well, I think we can ask those who hired and rated him that question since they have encountered him and gave him high ratings post 2011.

Let us pray for Corapi and wish him well on his new career as a speaker and writer. He sinned, I sin, you sin; God forgives.


UPDATE 1/26/2024 here: Sacerdotus: John Corapi is back? Returned to Faith? Not Quite it Seems...






Wednesday, November 25, 2015

The Good Dinosaur Movie

I have just come out from watching The Good Dinosaur with my nephew.  The movie I must say was very powerful.  In fact, I think this movie is more for adults than for children.  It is a very deep and heavy movie for kids to really absorb and process, in my opinion.  The movie is clearly not scientifically accurate (was not meant to be).  For example, it begins with a scene from space showing an asteroid getting bumped off course in the asteroid belt.  Its trajectory is towards the Earth, however, it missed the Earth preventing the annihilation of the dinosaurs.  As many of you probably remember, paleontologists and others believed that an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago allowing for human beings to evolve and become the dominant species.  Later on, we see cavemen in the movie.  Scientists do not believe that human beings and dinosaurs coexisted in real life.

This movie takes a different spin by allowed the dinosaurs to survive and somewhat evolve into intelligent anthropomorphic creatures who can speak. The audience is then introduced to the main characters of the movie who is a family of brontosauruses.  A male brontosaurus is shown tilling the field and watering them as the female brontosaurus is at home and announces that their eggs are about to hatch.  These characters are 'poppa' and 'momma.' Both enter the home and watch their three children hatch.  Libby, Buck and then Arlo hatch. Libby and Buck come out large and healthy while Arlo comes out extremely small for his species. He is also scared of any little thing.  These young dinosaurs begin to grow and take on different chores.  Each does well except for young Arlo who is still very timid and clumsy.  As winter approaches, the dinosaurs store corn in a tower.  Poppa then makes a mark with his foot using mud, then momma does the same.  He explains that each dinosaur has to earn his/her mark by doing something greater than him or herself that contributes to the good of others. Buck and Libby earn their marks except for Arlo.  Arlo becomes frustrated and feels like he is incompetent. However, Poppa reassures him that he will come along and will be like him and more than him.

Poppa notices that a 'critter' is stealing corn so he gives Arlo the task to capture the critter and squish it with a branch.  If Arlo accomplishes this, then he would earn his mark.  Both set up a trap for the critter and Arlo is on watch.  The trap captures the critter which turns out to be a caveman boy.  Arlo is happy by scared at the same time.  He grabs the branch and is about to crush the little boy but then feels bad and drops it.  He lets the boy go and the boy grows at him like a dog. Arlo becomes terrified and runs off. The cave-boy runs off. Poppa finds out and gets upset with Arlo and both chase after the cave-boy.  They run into a valley with a river following the mud tracks of the cave-boy, however, it starts to rain. The mud tracks begin to wash off which anger Poppa who rushes Arlo and gets frustrated with Arlo's weakness and inability to catch up.  However, both see it is futile to go after the young cave-boy and head back home.  The journey back is interrupted by a storm which develops and causes the river to swell and rush fiercely.  As both try to get to higher ground, Poppa is not able to climb up and is washed away.  We then learn his fate when we see a tombstone on the farmland where he once tilled the soil. Arlo becomes depressed as Momma tries to do the job that Poppa did but struggles. Arlo tries to help but as he is storing corn, he notices that cobs are being thrown out of the storage tower. These cobs are eaten up.  Arlo looks inside and sees the cave-boy there eating the corn.  He becomes upset and tries to chomp the cave-boy, but the cave-boy gets away.  Arlo chases him, but both fall into the river and get washed far away from their original position. The cave-boy escapes while Arlo finds himself back on land and tries to return home but is lost.

He tries to build a tent to cover himself from the rain but is unsuccessful. While trying to get berries from a tree by standing on a large rock, Arlo falls causing the rock to move and pin his hind leg. He tries desperately to free himself but cannot.  However, he wakes up and finds that his leg was dug out from under the rock allowing him to take it out.  Arlo notices that it was the cave-boy who dug his leg out and begins to search for him.  He feels that his dad (Poppa) died because of the cave-boy and wants revenge, however, he starts to realize that the cave-boy is not bad. At first he wanted to crush the life out of the cave-boy, but changes.  Both begin to befriend each other.  The cave-boy brings Arlo an iguana to eat, but Arlo lets it get away.  Then the cave-boy brings a large bug, but Arlo gets disgusted especially after the cave-boy rips his head off. However, when the cave-boy brings berries, this is when both begin to understand each other.  In one scene, Arlo uses sticks and a circle to represent his family.  The cave-boy understands and makes his own showing his parents died by burying the sticks representing them.  Later on, both run into a triceratops who wants the cave-boy as a pet.  He begins to name the cave-boy using different names and tells Arlo that if the cave-boy responds to a specific name that he gets to keep him.  However, Arlo wins after the cave-boy responds to 'Spot.'  The new friends grow closer and in one scene eat spoiled fruit and get 'high.' Both begin their journey back home to Arlo's farm but run into pterodactyls. Arlo believes they are good but when one of them finds a fox and devours it, he realizes that they are just predators. These villainous dinosaurs smell Spot (cave-boy) and go after him in order to eat him, but Arlo defends him. They get chased by the pterodactyls but are defended by three tyrannosauruses. Arlo gets scared of them but realizes that they are looking for a herd.

Each party agrees to help each other from this point on.  Arlo offers Spot's ability to sniff in order to help them find their herd.  He is successful.  The tyrannosauruses find the herd and agree to help Arlo get back home by following the river. Arlo's father had told him to always follow the river in order to get back home. As the dinosaurs are herding large buffalos, they run into feathered raptors who attack them.  Arlo beings to gain courage and helps the tyrannosauruses fight them off.  As they continue on their journey, Arlo sees the large mountain near his home and wants to part ways with the tyrannosaurus. They eventually do and Arlo and Spot head to find the river and find it.  While there, both run into other cavemen.  Spot tries to approach them, but Arlo stops him because he did not want to be alone. They continue on their way but then run into the pterodactyls again who attack and take Spot away to eat him.  Arlo tries to rescue him but falls down a cliff and gets stuck in vines.  As he tries to get himself free, he bangs his head and becomes unconscious.  He then sees his father Poppa free him.  Arlo hugs him and believes Poppa was still alive.  Poppa proceeds to walk back home and Arlo follows him but then realizes that he has to save Spot.  Arlo stops, but Poppa continues walking.  He yells 'Poppa' but Poppa continues walking.  Arlo is confused as to why his dad is ignoring him, but he realizes that he is making footprints in the mud while Poppa is not.  Arlo realizes that this is his dad's spirit or ghost.

He tells Poppa that he has to go help Spot because he loves him.  Poppa stops and turns around smiling and tells him that he knew Arlo had it in him and that Arlo was like him and even more.  At that, Poppa begins to dissipate.  Arlo wakes up empowered and goes after Spot to rescue him.  He finds the pterodactyls trying to eat Spot and rescues him.  However, a storm comes again and the waters begin to rise. Arlo becomes scared after being traumatized because that was the way he lost his father.  Nevertheless, he faces his fear and continues with the rescue.  However, the river swells and both he and Spot get washed away and fall over a waterfall.  They both survive and come ashore. After recovering, both head back to Arlo's farm but run into the cavemen again.  This time, Arlo pushes Spot to go with them and not continue the journey with him.  Spot does not understand and returns to Arlo.  However, Arlo pushes him back and draws a circle around him and the other cavemen. Spot then understands that Arlo wanted him to go with that family.  Spot does, but becomes emotional and embraces Arlo.  They part ways and Arlo returns home.  His mother is working the field and sees Arlo and runs after him to embrace him.  Arlo then puts his print on the tower showing that he earned his mark.

This movie was very powerful and deep indeed.  As I stated in the beginning, it was a bit heavy for kids. I was not expecting the movie to show death, vore and violence in the way that it did. In fact, I was expecting the movie to be silly/cartoonish like the Minions or Madagascar.  The movie is very well made in my opinion, however, I think the tearing off of the bug's head, the eating of the fox, the violent scenes and the death of Arlo's dad was a bit too much for kids to process.  I noticed adults were crying.  My own nephew got a bit emotional as well and was shocked when he saw the vorish scenes. This movie will definitely start a conversation in the car or at home.  The movie shows the importance of family, friends, perseverance and standing up for oneself. The Good Dinosaur is a movie for older kids 8+ in my opinion.  Parents of younger kids should weigh their options based on how mature their kids are.  The movie reminded me a bit of The Land Before Time which was also a heavy movie and a tear jerker, so to speak. This movie is good to start a conversation about the death of a loved one which is inevitable in our species as well as a good way to teach kids to believe in themselves, keep trying, have a support system and be themselves while at the same time cooperating with others.

It is a bit of a 'coming of age' film.  Prior to the film, we saw Sanjay's Super Team which I found interesting. This short film highlighted an Indian boy and his father. The boy is caught up in a television show about a superhero while his dad is trying to get him to pray their Hindu prayers. The boy is reluctant until the father shuts the TV off.  Both knee before their shrine and being to pray, however, the boy becomes distracted and bored.  He then fantasizes with the gods of Hinduism fighting a demon like character. After that scene is over, we see the father looking at the boy with a sad face. He is troubled because his son does not seem interested in their faith. However, the boy shows the father his art book where he drew the Hindu gods as superheroes.  The father and his son then enjoy the art.  This short film I felt was a good way for parents to understand that kids perceive things differently. We have to be careful how to introduce prayer and faith to them.  It must not be so rigid and formal that it bores a kid.  The kid in the short film did not understand the Hindu ritual, but at least he understood it his way by drawing the gods as heroes.  In closing, overall, The Good Dinosaur was a good film to watch. My only issues were the scenes that were a bit too much for kids to really process as well as the drug scene where both become 'high.' Some psychologists believe parents should not shield their kids from reality while others say parents must keep their kids in their own world until they are ready.  Parents know their kids better than anyone else, so to me it makes sense for parents to decide how to present the 'facts of life' to their kids.  The Good Dinosaur touches on such 'facts of life' such as death and surviving this harsh world.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Pray for Mother Angelica. She is on a Feeding Tube



Mother Angelica, the Franciscan nun known for her zeal and feistiness in regards to spreading the faith is on a feeding tube and her overall health is declining according to the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery Family Newsletter, see link below in the sources.  Mother founded the Eternal World Television Network in 1981 which has helped millions around the world learn the faith and brought many more back to the Catholic Church.  She has been a blessing for the Church despite being attacked by Cardinal Mahony and others who felt she overstepped her role as a religious nun.

We all miss Mother on television and are grateful for the sharing of her faith with all of us. In my opinion, mother is a good strong case for a female priesthood (obviously not possible/hypothetically speaking) since she takes her faith seriously unlike some clergy we have today who seem to see the priesthood as a career.   I learn a lot about the faith during my atheist years. Where well-known priests such as Alberto Cutie, John Corapi, Marcial Maciel, Cardinal O'Brien, Thomas Williams, Francis Stone etc have failed us, mother stood firm all these years showing her faith is unbreakable. This by itself is inspirational even without her presence on television.

We ask the Lord almighty to bless Mother Angelica, give her good health, strength and prepare us all for when He has to take her back home.  Amen.


Update Dec 2, 2015

According to the latest update, Mother Angelica is regaining strength, cannot speak because of the feeding tube, but is very lucid. She is communicating via facial expressions such as smiles and by gently squeezing hands.  Mother is also getting lots of sleep.  Please continue to pray for her.  




Source:

http://olamnuns.com/attachments/article/28/2015%20Winter.pdf


Updated Source:
http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/12/01/catholic-tv-pioneer-mother-angelica-gets-feeding-tube-condition-stabilizes/



Monday, November 23, 2015

Baby's Inoperable Tumor Shrinks After Pope Francis Kisses Her Head

Joey and Kristen Masciantonio, a young married coupled joined the massive crowds in Philadelpha in September in order to hopefully catch a glimpse of the Holy Father Pope Francis as his motorcade passed by during the Papal Visit to the USA.

They brought along with them their precious baby girl named Gianna. She was named after a saint who died in 1962 and whose living daughter was present and met the baby girl. With the massive crowds, Joey and Kristen were not expecting to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis moreless what was about to happen as they stood there.

Inspector General of the Corpo della Gendarmeria, Domenico Giani who is often seen next to the pope protecting him approached them and took baby Gianna to the pope.  The pope kissed the baby girl on the back of her head while in the popemobile. I emphasize the location because baby Gianna had a brain tumor in that area around the brain stem and medulla.  This tumor was declared inoperable by medical professionals and other treatment options were not possible because Giannna's own blood cells attacked her brain stems.

Well, after two months, MRI scans show that the tumor shrinked and virtually disappeared.  Baby Gianna is recovering and doing much better.  Doctors and others are baffled at the occurence and describe the event as a miracle from God performed via Pope Francis as he kissed baby Gianna's head.  Hopefully this will show non-believers that miracles do happen, as well as Protestants and even those catholics in the Catholic Church that Pope Francis is not an anti-pope, anti-Christ or heretic.

Let us continue to pray for baby Gianna who will have a long life ahead of her.  God is good!  God bless Pope Francis and St. Gianna.







Source:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/11/20/philadelphia-babys-brain-tumor-shrinks-after-kiss-from-pope/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

http://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-babys-tumor-shrinks-after-kiss-pope-francis/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/family-believes-pope-kiss-helped-shrink-baby-brain-tumor-article-1.2443228







Sunday, November 22, 2015

Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe: Defend The King!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. What a glorious day. Jesus Christ is King of all (1 Cor 15:20-26, 28). The king of the universe. The very word "Christ" means "Anointed one, or King."

This solemnity was instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical Quas Primas. The day was originally called the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the king.  In 1969, Blessed Pope Paul VI in the motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis revised the title as "Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe."

Priests in the Catholic Church wear white or golden color vestments to show the glory and joy behind the celebration.  Other Christian bodies such as the Protestant and Orthodox adopted the day and have their own ways of celebrating it.  All those Baptized share in this Kingship of Christ (CCC 1241). This day which always falls on a Sunday is the last Sunday of the Liturgical calendar. The Sunday that follows is the First Sunday of Advent which starts a new Liturgical Year.  This is a reminder that Christ is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6).  Jesus ends the Liturgical calendar and begins it.  He was at the beginning of time and will judge all at the end of it as we will read in the Gospel at Mass.

READINGS: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112215.cfm

The first reading tells us of the 'Son of man' who is, of course, Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven (Luke 24:6-7, Matthew 8:20, ).  He was before the 'Ancient One' who is God the Father (Revelation 5:13, Revelation 4:2).  Everything was given to the Son: dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages (Matthew 28:1, 1 Corinthians 15:27).  Jesus is the King of the universe and is the Son of God the Father. Both along with the Holy Spirit are One Holy Trinity (John 10:30, John 15:26).  Each is distinct (Matthew 3:16-17).  They are not identical triplets.  This reading tells us how important Christ is. Though He is a 'Son of man' or has human flesh, He is still God. This is called the hypostatic union (John 1:14). Jesus is the Lord of all, believers and unbelievers, life and death, all things visible and invisible (Acts 10:36). No one is above Christ (Philippians 2:10). He is the Lord and indeed robed in majesty as the Psalm tells us.

The Lord is King. All things come from Him (John 1:3). His authority cannot be moved and His throne or His authority is of old (Isaiah 43:13). Jesus took on flesh at the incarnation to get back what is His, the world; humanity (John 3:16). We must trust in this King. He is not a King who is pompous and authoritative. He is a King of love and mercy (Ephesians 2:4).  A king of compassion and forgiveness.  He is a King who always was, as we read in the second reading.

Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. This means that He came back from the dead. He was born from the tomb, so to speak, showing that He is the Lord of the living and the dead (Romans 14:9). Jesus is the King of all kings.  We become part of His kingdom because of His love demonstrated on the Cross by the shedding of His blood for our sins, freeing us (Revelation 1:5).  We become priests, prophets and kings because of this, as I stated in the introduction citing the catechism of the Catholic Church. We now await Him as He returns anytime.  He will come amid the clouds (Mark 14:62).  All will see Him.  Those who believed in Him and those who did not believe in Him.  Atheists who lived life stubbornly rejecting God will finally get their 'empirical proof' of His existence but it will be too late at this point.  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega.  There is no one else under whose name we are saved (Acts 4:12).

In the Gospel, we read a bit of the Passion. Pilate questions Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" After an exchange of words, Jesus says, "You say I am a king.  For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."  The theme here is Jesus is the King. His kingdom is not of this world.  If it were, the people would have been there defending Him instead of calling for His death (Mark 15:13). Today, no one seems to want to stand up for Christ.  We let abortion become the law of the land. We let so-called same-sex marriage become the law of the land.  We let a man dressed like a woman become 'woman of the year.'  We let erroneous ideas spread around the world. We let our own clergy abuse others.  We let division take hold in the Church forming into heretical sects who pick and choose what they want to believe; some even calling themselves 'Catholic' while doing so.  We let people lose faith and become atheists or agnostic.  I can go on and on, but I think the point is made.  If we truly are part of Christ's kingdom, we would stand up for Him and defend the truth because we listened to His voice as He told Pilate (Hebrews 3:15). What is happening?  It seems our Catholic brothers and sisters do not care. They let evil win, attack the pope, bishops and one another and do not promote Christ when He is in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2).

I have become a target of some of them for reminding them that attacking the Popes and bishops causes scandal, especially among outsiders.  Others attacked me for criticizing the worship of cult personalities in the Church such as disgraced priest, John Corapi.  What is going on?  I will tell you what is going on.  Satan causes division.  Satan is a liar; the father of lies (John 8:44). He is causing doubt, scandal and division even among the flock of Christ in the Catholic Church (1 Peter 5:8).  We must not give him victory. We must stand with Christ the King, our King.  We must defend Him; His Majesty, who is witness to the truth because He IS the truth (John 14:6).  If we are truly Catholic, then we must testify to the truth and not be ashamed of it (Matthew 10:32). We must challenge the world's errors and not fight one another (Ephesians 6:12).

If Christ is truly your King, then do not turn your back to Him. Do not hide when the world roars at you with its nonsensical ramblings which it presents as 'reason' and 'progress.'  Do not give in to the world so as to avoid conflict or losing friends (Ephesians 5:11). Christ's kingdom is not of this world so we are not supposed to support the world's ideas (John 17:16). We will be hated because of Christ (Matthew 10:22). This is expected and we must not fear and run away (2 Timothy 1:7). Stand up and defend your King!  Do not be a lukewarm Catholic (Revelation 3:16).  Remember what Jesus said, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).  Laudetur Christus Rex!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Mentally ill Gay Spaniard Desecrates Hosts



This mentally disturbed gay Spaniard named Abel Azcona has been stealing Holy Communion in order to desecrate the Sacred Species.  He posted images (now removed) of himself placing the hosts on what looks like a sidewalk spelling out the word 'pederast.'  This is a hate crime.  

Please contact the police in Madrid and the archdiocese of Madrid about this mentally ill gay man who is a bigot.



Address: Av del Doctor Federico Rubio y Galí, 55, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Phone:+34 913 22 34 00
http://www.policia.es/

Archdiocese of Madrid
https://www.archimadrid.org/



Hate Crime Spain Info:

http://www.interior.gob.es/documents/642012/3479677/triptico_delitos_odio_ingl%C3%A9s.pdf/99644d9f-daa8-4b9c-a48d-59e38c6b066f




UPDATE:  November 23, 2015


There is a petition going on asking the government to get invovled, please visit and sign it at:

https://www.change.org/p/josebaasiron-pamplonairuna-paren-esta-grave-profanaci%C3%B3n-p%C3%BAblica-es-delito?recruiter=44496027&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

Also continue to contact the police and archdiocese.  The more noise we make the better.
















Source:






Friday, November 20, 2015

Attack in Mali

Just a week after the attacks in Beirut and Paris, France, a hotel in Mali was attacked by men who drove up in an SUV with diplomatic license plates.  The men came in with AK 47 guns shouting "Allahu akbar" killing 27 including 2 attackers. CNN reported that 170 were held hostage at the luxury hotel. The perpetrators are believed to be Al Mourabitoun an allied group of Al Qaida. So far it seems ISIS has no involvement.  One American is among the dead at the hotel.

The attack happens at a time when the world has a heightened sense of alert and days before the Pope is scheduled to visit the Central African Republican. Vatican officials say the Pope still wants to go and does not want to use a bulletproof vest and will use the open popemobile.  Vatican head of security Domenico Giani has traveled to Africa ahead of the Pope's visit to see the security plans.  







Source:

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/20/islamist-gunmen-attack-luxury-hotel-in-mali-capital-170-taken-h/21269588/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1558543565&a_dgi=aolshare_twitter

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/20/gunmen-take-dozens-hostage-at-radisson-hotel-in-bamako-mali/21270038/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D1258396365

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/africa/mali-shooting/index.html?sr=tw112015malishooting601pVODtopLink

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/africa/mali-shooting/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/africa/mali-shooting/index.html?sr=twCNN112015mali-shooting1113PMVODtopPhoto&linkId=18931889

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/africa/mali-shooting/index.html?sr=tw112015malishooting553pVODtopLink

Thursday, November 19, 2015

My Newly Published Book Coming Soon




Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Divine Providence and it is a special day not only for the Catholic Church but also for myself, personally.  On this day, my book has been completed and in the process of being published.

This book is 284 pages long and aimed to help both theists and atheists on their journey.  In the book, I use my fields of study in the sciences, philosophy, theology etc to build on my heavily researched premises. It will be available in many stores including Amazon, as well as in libraries and universities.


Here is the description:

Atheism is a social phenomenon that has existed for quite some time. It presents itself as the antithesis of theism. The version we see today stems from affluent Europeans during the so-called "Enlightenment" period. This atheistic propaganda comes across as chic and convincing despite being based on misconceptions and fallacious conclusions. In this book, atheism is dissected, scrutinized and exposed as being irrational, without substance and "stupid" by the author who has personal experience with atheism. Readers who believe in God will benefit from the dismantling of atheistic fallacies and misconceptions while objective atheists will question their own atheism.


I will notify everyone when it will be available for purchase and may post a video on YouTube previewing it.

This book would not have been possible without God's providence.  I dedicate it to Him, Our Lady of Divine Providence and St. Michael the Archangel.


Stay tuned... This post will be updated soon with more information and images.  



UPDATE 11/24/15 - I have just received the proof copy and posted photos.


UPDATE 12/15/15 - Edits were done and the book is going to go on sale shortly.  I am waiting for the copyright and Library on Congress paperwork to go through.  Here is a preview of the table of contents.










Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Charlie Sheen Has HIV

Yesterday rumors were circulating the actor Charlie Sheen was going to make a big announcement about his HIV status.  Today, Charlie Sheen announced on the Today Show that he is in fact HIV positive. He came out now with the news after being blackmailed by individuals who learned of his diagnosis and wanted 10 million dollars in return for their silence.  Sheen stated that he would get severe headaches and would have cold sweats. He thought that he had a brain tumor but doctors revealed that he has HIV. Sheen released a statement after his Today Show appearance.

Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estevez in 1965 in New York City of Spanish and Irish descent and raised Catholic. He is well known for playing the 'handsome bad boy type' guy and for starring in hit 80's movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Wraith and sitcoms Two and a Half Men and Anger Management.

Luckily, Sheen has a low HIV body count which makes the virus undetectable.  Chances of him passing it on to another individual are very slim.  Sheen has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for years as well as depression which he stated were the consequences of learning of his HIV diagnosis.  

We must pray for Sheen and everyone infected with HIV or AIDS.  The disease is not something to be taken lightly. Those who promote 'safe sex' education make light of the disease by pretending that a 'rubber' will make things fine when it does not. According to aids.gov, "Although highly effective when used consistently and correctly, there is still a chance of getting HIV if you only use condoms, so adding other prevention methods can further reduce your risk. (https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/prevention/reduce-your-risk/using-condoms/)

Anyone who is sexually active must get tested regularly.  This would ensure that if infected, proper treatment is given. With the medications today, those with HIV can be expected to live nearly as normal of a life as one without the virus. HIV should not be seen as a death sentence. Each one of us will eventually die. How we die is up how we live our lives, chance and of course whatever God willed.

I understand many people will get depressed if diagnosed with HIV; however, they should not be. Eventually we will find a cure for it so it is important that those infected keep their hopes up and fight it with medication and healthy living.

A couple of friends of mine have revealed to me their status and were depressed about it.  One in particular, revealed he was gay. He had gay sex with his partner who is deceased now and contracted HIV.  During this time, he was embarrassed to ask me to go to the wake believing that my Catholic faith prohibited it, but I went to it and prayed with the gays and relatives present.  My friend became depressed and wanted to commit suicide numerous times. Thank God for giving me the words, emotions and body language necessary to convince him not to commit suicide and not to feel like he was condemned for being gay. I told him that God forgives all wrong. No sin is greater than God's mercy unless we simply reject God's mercy which is the sin against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29).

Like my gay friend, Sheen deserves our mercy, prayers and love, not judgment.  Yes he lived a wild life with women and what not, we all do crazy things; but God is the judge of our lives.  We have to live with the consequences of our choices.  No one on Earth is worthy to cast the first stone, so to speak.







Source:

https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/charlie-sheen-reveals-he-has-hiv-124700393.html

https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/in-an-open-letter-charlieasheen-writes-his-hiv-170453002.html

http://www.today.com/health/charlie-sheen-reveals-hes-hiv-positive-today-show-exclusive-t56391

Monday, November 16, 2015

Pope Twitter Commercial



Last night during the sixth episode of the sixth season of AMC's The Walking Dead, there was a commercial featuring the Holy Father, Pope Francis. I was surprised as were many viewers. Here is the commercial:









Apparently Twitter has been asking specific Twitter users for permission to use their tweets. While some of the images are not flattering and I am not sure if they got permission from the Pope, I think this commercial shows how much the Papacy has penetrated the world and gotten the attention of it.  Before, Popes were looked upon as archaic caricatures of an old world.  Now, Pope Francis with his humble personality and colloquial way of speaking has befriended the world and the world him. I think this is a perfect opportunity for Pope Francis to evangelize and plant the seeds of faith in the world which has loosen its hard soil to him.   I hope the Pope takes the opportunity.








Sunday, November 15, 2015

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - The World Will End, His Word Will Not

Please help me pay the bills for this site and to expand this work by donating at: www.gofundme.com/sacerdotus.  You help is truly appreciated.  God will pay you back for helping spread His Word which will never pass.

Reflection
In today's readings, we are reminded of the end of time.

The first reading tells us of Michael, the great prince. NOT ME, but the archangel Michael :)

St. Michael is the guardian of the Catholic Church. He protects us from the wickedness and snares of the devil (Revelation 12:7-9).  Michael will appear during a time of distress in the world, the dead will rise and will join those who are "written in the book" or who are saved (Luke 10:20, Revelation 20:15).  Judgment will then follow. No one will escape this day (Luke 23:30, Revelation 6:16). It will be too late for atheists and others who live into this day rejecting God, including those who knew of Christ and the Catholic faith, but refused to be part of both (Matthew 7:23).  However, we must not fear this day (Revelation 22:20).  If we live as we must live (in grace), do what is asked of us by Christ and His Church, we will be fine.  We will "shine brightly... like the stars forever" and prepare for the Lord who is our inheritance as the Psalm tells us.

God is indeed our inheritance. The reason why we are even catholic is because we want God. Being Catholic is not like being part of a social club or something of the like. Instead, being catholic is taking responsibility for our lives and the lives of others by trying our best to be holy and call others to holiness with love and not judgment (1 Peter 1:16).  God is whom we await especially as we approach Advent. We will be glad and will rejoice when we finally inherit God. For now, we encounter Him via the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist.

In the second reading, we read of the vain attempt of Jewish priests who offered sacrifices daily in atonement for sins but these sacrifices did nothing to remove them (Leviticus 21). Instead, the one and only priest, Jesus sacrificed Himself for all (Romans 3:25). He took His seat next to the Father and waits until all enemies become His footstool.  Jesus waits now until the day comes when He returns to judge the living and the dead.

The Gospel tells us of this day.  There will be great tribulation before it happens (Matthew 24:6). We saw this week the horrors of terrorism in the attack on Paris. While that was going on, Japan had an earthquake and minor tsunami.  These events add more emphasis to the Gospel in today's context. Jesus describes how the cosmos will change. The sun will go dark, the moon will not have light, the stars will fall from the sky (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4). These are metaphorical statements using the apocalyptic language of the time. The sun will go dark one day after it runs out of fuel. All scientists agree this will happen.  Naturally, without the sun, the moon will not have light to reflect to the Earth. Stars do not fall because they are light years away, but the point is made: it will be a big event that alters the universe.  As a student of science, what comes to mind here is the universe collapsing on itself.  This would most definitely present itself as Jesus described. This of course is just my way of seeing it from a scientific standpoint and is not theological. Anyhow, Jesus will come in the clouds with His angels.  The 'elect' or those who fought the good fight and did not fail will be gathered (2 Timothy 4:7-8. Matthew 25:31-46).  Judgment will follow of course.  Jesus reminds us that this day  will be noticeable to all via the signs just like a fig tree and its branch becomes tender and grow leaves indicating summer is near.

The Earth and Heaven will pass away, but Jesus makes it clear that His word will not pass away (Isaiah 40:8).  Jesus closes by stating something what many Protestant sects seem to ignore:  "But of that day or hour, no one knows."  If I had a dime for every time I heard a Pentecostal, Baptist, or Adventist preaching on the street about Christ coming at so and so time.  This is nonsense.  Jesus made it clear that no one knows exactly when.  Our job is not to play guessing games on this day, but to prepare for it (Hosea 10:12, Matthew 24:42-43, Matthew 25:1-13, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:6).  We can only know when it is near. The Church teaches us what we must look for in the catechism in paragraphs 668-677. First Christ will reign through His Catholic Church which is happening now.  Next, all things must be subjected to Him, "The 'full inclusion' of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of 'the full number of the Gentiles." After this happens, the Church will face her biggest trial ever when the Antichrist comes.  Let us be watchful, pray and be holy always.  No one knows when the day or hour will come. In the meantime, let us prepare by going in grace, love and hope; and by calling others to it by inviting them to the Catholic faith not only with words, but with our witness.  May Jesus Christ return soon and may He have mercy on us all!


Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/111515.cfm

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Second Democratic Debate - CBS

The second Democratic debate just took place in Des Moine, Iowa. The three remaining candidates Clinton, Sanders and O'Malley took the stage.  At the onset of the debate, the events of terrorism in France was the first topic. Each candidate was dressed in dark 'mourning' attired. They debated on the United State's role in the fight against terrorism which Clinton stating that it was not America's fight. She was rebuked by O'Malley while Sander criticized Clinton's support on the war in Iraq. The rest of the debate pretty much was on the economy, income inequality, immigration and healthcare. Sanders defended his views which have been described as socialist by stating, "I'm not that much of a socialist compared to Eisenhower." He said he is for free college, true universal healthcare, the increase of the minimum wage to $15 and an increase of social security.

Clinton wants to better 'Obamacare,' wants a $12 minimum wage federal index allowing each state to decide afterwards whether to increase or not. O'Malley and Sanders agreed that big banks must be allowed to fail while Clinton disagreed stating that she would protect investment banks. O'Malley and Sanders attacked Clinton for defending Wall street.  The debate was a bit different from the previous one where each candidate seemed to support one another.  In this debate, Hillary was attacked by Sanders and O'Malley. She was questioned by them.On immigration, the candidates agreed that those illegal immigrants who are in the nation must have a path to citizenship.

The winner of this debate in my opinion was Bernie Sanders. He spoke articulately about his plans and had great rebuttals when questioned.  Clinton seemed more docile and only got a strong applause when she mentioned her female support.  Martin O'Malley did much better in this debate than in the last.  However, I do not see any big changes in the polls after this debate which was a bit bland.    




Source:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/bernie-sanders-burned-hillary-clinton-023404743.html

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/bernie-sanders-im-not-that-much-of-a-socialist-040238242.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/15/us/politics/democratic-debate-cbs.html?_r=0

http://time.com/4113434/transcript-read-the-full-text-of-the-second-democratic-debate/

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/follow-live-democratic-presidential-debate-cbs-n463586

http://mic.com/articles/128521/2015-cbs-democratic-debate-full-recap-and-highlights-from-saturday-s-debate#.CigxdHJ8U

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/14/politics/democratic-debate-2015-updates-duplicate-2/index.html

http://mic.com/articles/128521/2015-cbs-democratic-debate-full-recap-and-highlights-from-saturday-s-debate#.CigxdHJ8U



Friday, November 13, 2015

Friday the 13th - Paris Attack, Japan Earthquake...

Today is Friday the 13th, a day some people interpret as being 'bad luck.'  Well, it sure has been a day full of absurdities and tragedies but superstition had nothing to do with it.  First, object WT1190F fell into Earth's atmosphere. WT1190F was the space junk that was destined to crash into Earth.  The debris came in and dissolved causing no damage. Second, shortly around 1-2 PM EST, new reports came out on Twitter, CNN and other media that Paris was attacked once again. Third, an earthquake measuring 7.5 hit Japan causing a minor tsunami.

I want to focus more on the attack in Paris, France.  It is believed that 8 terrorist perpetuated the attack in Paris just blocks away from Charlie Hebdo which was the target of 2 terrorist gunmen earlier this year (see: http://www.sacerdotus.com/2015/01/shooting-at-charlie-hebdo-jesuischarlie.html).  Seven of the eight attackers are dead. They were suicide bombers. The Le Bataclan concert hall was taken hostage. Reports cames in that 100 people were held hostage there; however, recent reports are saying that over 100 were killed there.  An American band 'Eagles of Death Metal' were performing at the time. Two bombs went off at Gate J of Stade de France where French President Francois Hollande was a spectator.  He was immediately taken away to safety. Video from fans posted online show the soccer players playing as a loud boom can be heard shocking everyone in attendance.  The Petit Cambodge restaurant, Le Carillon Bar, Les Halles bar and Belle Equipe bar were also attacked with bombs and open gun fire while shouting "allahu akbar."  Over 160 are believed to be dead.  This count may rise as things settle down and French authorities can assess the evidence.  The band U2 was scheduled to have a concert on Saturday but they have cancelled it.

The attack comes just hours after US airstrikes killed 'Jihadi John' who was the 'face' of Isis and was videotaped beheaded several individuals. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility, but it is believe this attack was the work of Isis cells in France.  The world has pledged solidarity with France.  Many landmarks have lighted their building with the colors of the French flag. President Hollande vowed to fight back and that this fight will be merciless.  American President, Barrack Obama vowed to help France in this time of need.  France and the United States have a close relationship since the American Revolution.  France helped Americans fight the British by providing weapons, training and other support during the American Revolution.

Twitter and other social media have been trending with #Paris and #PrayforParis.  Some anti-migration people have taken to twitter to put blame on migrants entering Europe. Actor Rob Lowe and an American congressman received backlash after tweeting tweets pointing out that France closed its borders; insinuating that migrants had something to do with the attack.  For the most part, the majority of social media users have been offering support and prayers to the French people.  #ouvrelaporte #strandedinUS  #PorteOuverte have been trending as well which means "open the door" and is a hashtag alerting people that French citizens are opening their doors to those effected by the attack.

I will update this as I learn more.  Please keep France and Japan in your prayers.















Source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/11/13/heres-the-mysterious-space-junk-that-crashed-into-earth-on-friday-the-13th-caught-on-camera/

http://www.vox.com/2015/11/13/9733192/paris-attacks-congressman-syria-refugee

http://news.yahoo.com/rob-lowe-ripped-social-media-paris-attack-tweets-004011701.html

http://news.yahoo.com/live-blog-fatalities-reported-after-explosion-shootout-in-paris-214128710.html

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/11/14/national/m7-earthquake-strikes-off-southwest-japan/

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34816292

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/asia/ryukyu-islands-japan-earthquake/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/world/paris-shooting/

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

GOP Debate - Fox Business/WSJ

The fourth Republican presidential debate just took place on the Fox Business Channel which teamed up with the Wall Street Journal.  Milwaukee, the birth place of the Republican Party was the physical location. As usual, two debates took place.  The first debate was with candidates who have single digit poll numbers. Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee found themselves in this debate despite being in the major event in previous events. They were accompanied by Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal. In this undercard debate, Chris Christie clearly won. Jindal was attacking him and how he runs New Jersey while Christie responded by addressing the issues and attacking Clinton.

In the main event, the candidate presented their tax plans and where they stood on other economic issues. Kasick was hogging the microphone in the beginning and attacked Trump.  Trump responded but held back. He was much more reserved in this debate than in previous ones. Some political pundits believe Trump is trying to present himself as more presidential due to criticism of his abrasive approach. Ted Cruz flubbed when asked which agencies he would cut by naming commerce twice. Bush started out well but then faded as the debate took hold.  There was no confrontation between him and Rubio as in the CNBC debate. Rubio spoke articulately and but was attacked by Rand Paul who questioned how he could be conservative if he wants to increase spending.  Carly Fiorina spoke well but failed to address how she would replace 'Obamacare.' Ben Carson addressed the new reports regarding his childhood and other things said of him which he described as lies. As in previous debates, he has not really expressed how he would do things in America if elected.  On immigration, Trump vowed to deport 11 million illegal immigrants which brought the response from Kasick who said the project was impossible and preferred having them pay a fine and seek citizenship. Bush interjected stating that we have to think about the families and how they would be broken apart if illegals were deported.  Regarding minimum wage, the majority of the candidates are against it claiming any increase would be like making people dependent on the government.  Rubio even made a ridiculous statement stating that welders made more money than philosophers and that we need more welders, not philosophers. That comment turned me off and I am sure my philosophy professors. A society with workers who do not think would be devastating for the United States of America.   As for a winner, the candidates did well. I did not see one stand out more than another. Trump was more docile and the others simply repeated what they have done in previous debates.  Overall, I think Christie won if we compare both cards.  This will most likely help him in the polls.  The moderators for this debate did an excellent job in my opinion.



Source:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/live-coverage/fox-business-network-wall-street-journal-gop-debates

http://time.com/4105817/fox-business-debate-live/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/10/well-be-annotating-the-gop-debate-here/

https://www.google.com/search?q=debate&oq=debate&aqs=chrome..69i57l3j69i59j69i60j69i61.24868j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=0&ie=UTF-8#tbm=nws&q=debate+winner

 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/best-fourth-republican-debate-edition/story?id=35112856

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/trump-kasich-and-bush-clash-1297443436003382.html

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