Saturday, November 30, 2013

Preparing For Advent

Advent is just around the corner and we must prepare for it not only in the ritualistic/holy day sense, but spiritually.  Every Catholic family should try their best to set up an advent wreath in a prominent location in their home.

This could be the family room, reading room, recreation room etc.  The advent wreath is a sacramental that reminds us of Christ and His coming 2,000 + years ago as well as His second coming which can happen at any hour.

Families should gather around the advent wreath, read Scripture, the Church's teachings on Christ and his Incarnation as well as the reflections of the Church Fathers and saints regarding the coming of Christ.  Dinner shouldn't be the only time a family gets together.  Prayer is extremely important to the stability and health of the family.  As Bl. Mother Teresa said, "The family that prayers together, stays together."

Gathering around the advent wreath is also a great time to discuss the faith and issues surrounding it in the world.  Kids can ask questions, older ones can voice their ideas or disagreements and start a discussion on faith.  Evangelization starts at home.

Here are some links to help you get started:

http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/posts/7810/battle-ready-what-is-enough/catholic-family-advent/

http://www.ewtn.com/library/FAMILY/ADVCUST.TXT

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/holidays/making-meaningful-christmas-memories/celebrate-advent.aspx

http://catholicism.about.com/od/adventactivities/tp/Celebrating_Advent.htm
      

Friday, November 29, 2013

Religious Freedom vs Twitter II

UPDATE To my original post Religious Freedom vs Twitter.  

Twitter deleted my tickets requesting the restoration of my accounts and the accounts of others affected. I made it clear that we are being falsely reported and provided evidence. Instead, the person in charge (@ikejanes) of the ticket deleted it after I mentioned that the Catholic league and media were notified.  This is unprofessional.  

I notified the media and the Catholic League and am waiting for their response. My hope is the media will do a story on this and force Twitter to restore the Catholic accounts affected and will target the real abusers. 

In the meantime, please take screen shots and save links showing abusive tweets from anti-catholics etc. The more there is, the more I can show twitter that this is not an isolated incident and that anti-catholics use their network to harass, abuse and threaten Catholics.  Also, save tickets where you reported abusive behavior and Twitter support did nothing.  This will show that Twitter support is bias and only listens to a particular group and its complains while ignoring others.


I ask all Catholics and those who have enjoyed my tweets to contact Twitter and voice your complaint against this attack on religious freedom.

Please contact support at support.twitter.com/forms and inform them to restore my accounts as well as the accounts of other Catholics falsely accused of abuse.

Flood Tweets to: @brucedaisley, @ikejanes @twitter and @support and tell them to restore our accounts and stop the attack on Catholic free speech on their network. The more Catholics and others message, the better. There is power in numbers. Flood twitter with your support for religious freedom.


Also write to Twitter's office:


Twitter, INC
340 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017



Please get thousands to contact twitter and tweet to these above accounts. I will be writing a letter to Twitter directly and will send them copies of all my tweets, the tweets of other accounts effected as well as the abusive tweets and accounts of atheists and other anti catholics. They will see the evidence and will hopefully realize who are the real abusers. The media will also receive the same information. I will ask several networks to do a story on this so as to pressure Twitter to do something about it.


Thanks and God bless!




Thursday, November 28, 2013

Critique of "Revising Our Attitude To Sex as Christianity Fades"

Lot and company flee Sodom & Gomorrah
Suspended twitter atheist troll "Rubicondior" is at it again posting nonsensical hyperbole by splicing surveys and statistics in order to conform with his inferences.

In his post, "Revising Our Attitude To Sex as Christianity Fades," "Rosa" claims that Christianity is fading and that the "openness" of sexuality is increasing which he posits as a good thing.

Are these claims true?  Let's see the facts:


Christianity is Fading

This is a claim many atheists like to throw around which is not true.  While there are churches that are closing and struggling to keep a congregation, this does not mean the religion they house is fading.  Many church buildings were built in the past to accommodate immigrants and others, so it is not uncommon to see 10 church buildings within a few blocks of each other.  With the introduction of abortion and contraception, future generations are getting smaller and smaller.  Because of this, the many church edifices that exist are no longer necessary because there aren't people to fill them up unless we reverse the irrational laws that allow abortion and contraception. In short, people are not having enough babies to continue next generations.

This decrease in church attendance has nothing to do with religion itself, but due to social circumstances.  Many European nations are struggling to keep an economy because of this.  There aren't enough people to contribute to the economical system.  The United States of America is facing the same challenge. Without kids, who will continue a nation, a culture etc?

Christianity is not going to disappear.  On the contrary, studies show that religion is increasing while atheism is on the decline.  I'm assuming that "Rosa" is basing his conclusion on a recent comment made by the church of England's leader. (see: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/24/church-of-england-see-itself)  However, other reports claim the church of England to be "stabilizing." (see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22426144)

While the church of England may be struggling, this does not mean all of Christianity is struggling. Catholicism is still the dominant religion on Earth and has seen increases throughout the world, even in the United Kingdom. (see: http://www.nationalcouncilofchurches.ushttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1573452/Britain-has-become-a-Catholic-country.html)

In my opinion, the church of England is struggling because of the way it waters down Christian theology and values as they have been taught by the Catholic Church since she was founded by Christ Jesus.  People want a religion that challenges them to change and go against their vices, not a church that encourages vices and immorality.  Who needs a church that doesn't believe anything is sinful anymore?  Who needs a gym that encourages gluttony and sloth instead of hard work, exercise, discipline and a change of bad habits?



Attitude of Sex Revision

"Rosa" relies on a survey (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2813%2962035-8/abstract) to base his ideas that people are more open to "experimenting" and hence, there is more happiness and freedom.  Is this true?  Does looking at sex as a mere pastime where we find a partner of any gender to use as a toy make our lives better and "freer?"  Let's look at the facts:

First, a survey is never 100% accurate.  Surveys can be sent to specific people to get specific replies. This can and will lead to bias.  I laugh at surveys that claim the majority of Catholics are against the Pope knowing that I and others were never given such a survey and that the ones who answered them were non-catholics or non-practicing catholics.  Conclusions are then made based on these biased surveys.  Similarly, any psychology student is taught that surveys are not 100% perfect, and that they are difficult to use when preparing an ANOVA statement with Tukey's HSD. For those who do not know the latter, they are statistical formulations used in studies and research to determine correlation, causation, increases, decreases etc.

"Rubicondior" writes:

So, now our increasing rejection of Christian guilt-ridden censoriousness over sex has allowed the subject of sex out of the closet, we are becoming more adventurous, more willing to experiment and more likely to be sexually fulfilled. At the same time we are becoming more conscious of the need to be more considerate, more tolerant and above all more mindful of the fact that our sexual activities can actually be harmful to others. All in all, a kinder, more considerate and more caring society than that formerly imposed on us by an exclusively male, and often sexually repressed, predatory, even paedophilic, clergy.

Again, "Rubicondior" is posting nonsensical hyperbole along with religious hate.  No one is rejecting Christianity or any "guilt-ridden" ideas.  In fact, Islam in some cases is replacing Christianity in Europe.  Islam is far stricter with sexuality than Christianity.  (see: http://europenews.dk/en/node/73506)  So "Rubicondior" will find that eventually Britain will become more "sexually repressed" if Islam takes over completely and will miss Christianity.

Moreover, being "sexually out of the closet" does not make one happy or fulfilled.  With the increase of this "out of the closet" behavior, HIV is taking over Europe faster than any religion. (see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/27/aids-europe-hiv-infections_n_4347567.html)  There is obviously a correlation between "Rose's" "sexually out of the closet" phenomenon and the increase of HIV infections.  When sex is not respected and people are treated like sex objects, then increases of HIV and other infections will occur.  Moreover, when morals are set aside, evil takes it place. Evil as we know has consequences.  "Rose" praises homosexuality as a good while studies show that homosexuals have the highest rates of mental illness and suicide rates. (see: http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb02/newdata.aspx)  

In conclusion, "Rosa" has no clue what he is writing about - as usual.  He must look at the entire picture before jumping to conclusions that 1) Christianity is Fading, 2) Sexual Licentiousness is a Good and is helping Humanity.  Christianity is not fading away, but is going through a generational change.  It is still the dominant religion on Earth and is seeing increases throughout the world. Sexual licentiousness is not a good.  The survey which "Rose" cites were done with samples of those who grew in the "sexual revolution" social phenomenon and therefore answered the survey with the only social understanding they know of.  Homosexuals have the highest rates of mental illness and suicide rates.  HIV is on the rise in Europe and throughout the world.  This means people will suffer physically and mentally; which means there is no happiness or freedom.  This "revision of sex attitude" has only imprisoned people physically and mentally.    
       

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Lying Lesbian II

Another member of the LGBT community was caught fishing for pity.  Instead of crying out gay bashing by faking an assault, Dayna Morales who was in the marines and serves at the Gallop Asian Bistro claims she was a victim of discrimination because of her lesbian lifestyle.

Morales claims a couple that dined at her workplace did not tip her because she is a lesbian.  She posted a photo of a receipt on her facebook showing what appears to be a receipt with some writing on it.  The writing says that they (customers) cannot tip her because they do not agree with her lifestyle.

However, the guests at the restaurant who are being accused of discrimination and of being misers shot back at Morales saying that her story is not true.  They have the receipt which does not have the writing that the receipt on Morales' facebook has.  Their copy of the receipt shows that they did in fact tip the server.  Apparently, Morales forged the receipt in order to get pity and possibly donations from others as in the case of the Red Lobster server who had a racist remark written on a receipt and was given 10,000.

 The restaurant won't produce their copy of the receipt but said they are investigating the matter.







Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/26/family-anti-gay-receipt-hoax_n_4343563.html

http://weaselzippers.us/2013/11/26/nj-lesbian-waitress-who-claimed-customer-wrote-anti-gay-note-on-receipt-a-hoax/

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/11/27/06/08/waitress-forged-anti-gay-restaurant-bill

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Evangelii Gaudium

Pope Francis has just released his first Papal Exhortation, 'Evangelii Gaudium.'  

An exhortation is a message sent to the people of the Church to communicate what the Pope wants of the Church without focusing on any particular doctrine in a theological-academic sense.  Think of it as the equivalent of a "state of the union" address done by United States Presidents.  

In 'Evengelii Gaudium," or the "Joy of the Gospel;" Pope Francis expounds more on his words which the media has often twisted and liberals have misinterpreted as a raising up of their torch. 

The Pontiff reminds us that we cannot worship money.  He speaks of the idolatry of money that seems to be more stronger today than in previous generations.  Pope Francis reminds the Church that the priesthood is only open to males and is not open to discussion.  However, he adds that women need to be a part of the Church and her work.  He reminds us about the evils of abortion, and how it is important to evangelize not only within the Church's walls, but on the streets.  Pope Francis reminds the Church that Science is important, but that it cannot be an end in itself - faith and reason work together.    

Here are some key quotes:
 

On evangelisation…
“I am aware that nowadays documents do not arouse the same interest as in the past and that they are quickly forgotten. Nevertheless, I want to emphasise that what I am trying to express here has a programmatic significance and important consequences. I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are. ‘Mere administration’ can no longer be enough. Throughout the world, let us be ‘permanently in a state of mission’…
“I dream of a ‘missionary option’, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.
“The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with him. As John Paul II once said to the Bishops of Oceania: ‘All renewal in the Church must have mission as its goal if it is not to fall prey to a kind of ecclesial introversion’…

On parishes…
“The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if it proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be ‘the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters’. This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and the lives of its people, and does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed cluster made up of a chosen few.
“The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration. In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelisers. It is a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach. We must admit, though, that the call to review and renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented.
“Other Church institutions, basic communities and small communities, movements, and forms of association are a source of enrichment for the Church, raised up by the Spirit for evangelizing different areas and sectors. Frequently they bring a new evangelizing fervour and a new capacity for dialogue with the world whereby the Church is renewed. But it will prove beneficial for them not to lose contact with the rich reality of the local parish and to participate readily in the overall pastoral activity of the particular Church.[29] This kind of integration will prevent them from concentrating only on part of the Gospel or the Church, or becoming nomads without roots.”

On secularisation…
“The process of secularization tends to reduce the faith and the Church to the sphere of the private and personal. Furthermore, by completely rejecting the transcendent, it has produced a growing deterioration of ethics, a weakening of the sense of personal and collective sin, and a steady increase in relativism. These have led to a general sense of disorientation, especially in the periods of adolescence and young adulthood which are so vulnerable to change.
“As the bishops of the United States of America have rightly pointed out, while the Church insists on the existence of objective moral norms which are valid for everyone, ‘there are those in our culture who portray this teaching as unjust, that is, as opposed to basic human rights. Such claims usually follow from a form of moral relativism that is joined, not without inconsistency, to a belief in the absolute rights of individuals. In this view, the Church is perceived as promoting a particular prejudice and as interfering with individual freedom’. We are living in an information-driven society which bombards us indiscriminately with data – all treated as being of equal importance – and which leads to remarkable superficiality in the area of moral discernment. In response, we need to provide an education which teaches critical thinking and encourages the development of mature moral values.
“Despite the tide of secularism which has swept our societies, in many countries – even those where Christians are a minority – the Catholic Church is considered a credible institution by public opinion, and trusted for her solidarity and concern for those in greatest need. Again and again, the Church has acted as a mediator in finding solutions to problems affecting peace, social harmony, the land, the defence of life, human and civil rights, and so forth. And how much good has been done by Catholic schools and universities around the world! This is a good thing. Yet, we find it difficult to make people see that when we raise other questions less palatable to public opinion, we are doing so out of fidelity to precisely the same convictions about human dignity and the common good.”

On the family…
“The family is experiencing a profound cultural crisis, as are all communities and social bonds. In the case of the family, the weakening of these bonds is particularly serious because the family is the fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their children. Marriage now tends to be viewed as a form of mere emotional satisfaction that can be constructed in any way or modified at will. But the indispensible contribution of marriage to society transcends the feelings and momentary needs of the couple. As the French bishops have taught, it is not born ‘of loving sentiment, ephemeral by definition, but from the depth of the obligation assumed by the spouses who accept to enter a total communion of life’.”
On abortion…
“Precisely because this involves the internal consistency of our message about the value of the human person, the Church cannot be expected to change her position on this question. I want to be completely honest in this regard. This is not something subject to alleged reforms or ‘modernisations’. It is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life. On the other hand, it is also true that we have done little to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations, where abortion appears as a quick solution to their profound anguish, especially when the life developing within them is the result of rape or a situation of extreme poverty. Who can remain unmoved before such painful situations?

On women priests…
“Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded. The reservation of the priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the Spouse who gives himself in the Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion, but it can prove especially divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general. It must be remembered that when we speak of sacramental power “we are in the realm of function, not that of dignity or holiness”.

On science and religion…
“Whereas positivism and ‘scientism’ ‘refuse to admit the validity of forms of knowledge other than those of the positive sciences’, the Church proposes another path, which calls for a synthesis between the responsible use of methods proper to the empirical sciences and other areas of knowledge such as philosophy, theology, as well as faith itself, which elevates us to the mystery transcending nature and human intelligence. Faith is not fearful of reason; on the contrary, it seeks and trusts reason, since ‘the light of reason and the light of faith both come from God’ and cannot contradict each other. Evangelisation is attentive to scientific advances and wishes to shed on them the light of faith and the natural law so that they will remain respectful of the centrality and supreme value of the human person at every stage of life. All of society can be enriched thanks to this dialogue, which opens up new horizons for thought and expands the possibilities of reason. This too is a path of harmony and peace.”

On the poor…
“For the Church, the option for the poor is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political or philosophical one. God shows the poor ‘his first mercy’. This divine preference has consequences for the faith life of all Christians, since we are called to have ‘this mind… which was in Jesus Christ’ (Phil 2:5). Inspired by this, the Church has made an option for the poor which is understood as a ‘special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness’. This option – as Benedict XVI has taught – ‘is implicit in our Christian faith in a God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with his poverty’. This is why I want a Church which is poor and for the poor.
“They have much to teach us. Not only do they share in the sensus fidei, but in their difficulties they know the suffering Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the centre of the Church’s pilgrim way. We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.”

On peace…
“Evangelisation also involves the path of dialogue. For the Church today, three areas of dialogue stand out where she needs to be present in order to promote full human development and to pursue the common good: dialogue with states, dialogue with society – including dialogue with cultures and the sciences – and dialogue with other believers who are not part of the Catholic Church. In each case, ‘the Church speaks from the light which faith offers’, contributing her two thousand year experience and keeping ever in mind the life and sufferings of human beings. This light transcends human reason, yet it can also prove meaningful and enriching to those who are not believers and it stimulates reason to broaden its perspectives. The Church proclaims “the Gospel of peace” (Eph 6:15) and she wishes to cooperate with all national and international authorities in safeguarding this immense universal good.”

On the economy…
“Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving? This is a case of inequality. Today everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and marginalised: without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape.
“Human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a ‘disposable’ culture which is now spreading. It is no longer simply about exploitation and oppression, but something new. Exclusion ultimately has to do with what it means to be a part of the society in which we live; those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised – they are no longer even a part of it. The excluded are not the ‘exploited’ but the outcast, the ‘leftovers’.”

On ecumenical dialogue…
“Commitment to ecumenism responds to the prayer of the Lord Jesus that ‘they may all be one’ (Jn 17:21). The credibility of the Christian message would be much greater if Christians could overcome their divisions and the Church could realise ‘the fullness of ‘catholicity’ proper to her in those of her children who, though joined to her by baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her’. We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another. This means that we must have sincere trust in our fellow pilgrims, putting aside all suspicion or mistrust, and turn our gaze to what we are all seeking: the radiant peace of God’s face… In this perspective, ecumenism can be seen as a contribution to the unity of the human family. At the Synod, the presence of the Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomaios I, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Rowan Williams, was a true gift from God and a precious Christian witness.”

On Islam…
“Our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance, since they are now significantly present in many traditionally Christian countries, where they can freely worship and become fully a part of society. We must never forget that they “profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day”.[198] The sacred writings of Islam have retained some Christian teachings; Jesus and Mary receive profound veneration and it is admirable to see how Muslims both young and old, men and women, make time for daily prayer and faithfully take part in religious services. Many of them also have a deep conviction that their life, in its entirety, is from God and for God. They also acknowledge the need to respond to God with an ethical commitment and with mercy towards those most in need.
“In order to sustain dialogue with Islam, suitable training is essential for all involved, not only so that they can be solidly and joyfully grounded in their own identity, but so that they can also acknowledge the values of others, appreciate the concerns underlying their demands and shed light on shared beliefs. We Christians should embrace with affection and respect Muslim immigrants to our countries in the same way that we hope and ask to be received and respected in countries of Islamic tradition. I ask and I humbly entreat those countries to grant Christians freedom to worship and to practice their faith, in light of the freedom which followers of Islam enjoy in Western countries! Faced with disconcerting episodes of violent fundamentalism, our respect for true followers of Islam should lead us to avoid hateful generalisations, for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence.” (cited from http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2013/11/26/key-quotes-from-evangelii-gaudium/)





Source:




Monday, November 25, 2013

Take some MISERICORDINA

Pope Francis on Sunday surprised everyone by prescribing some medicine to the people after the Angelus.

He prescribed to them "MISERICORDINA." Pope Francis gave medication boxes with a Rosary inside and directed all to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet with it. 

I think this is an awesome way to spread the message to pray.  He is using imagery to remind the people that the real medicine for man is prayer.  All of our stresses in life, our illnesses etc stem from our broken spirituality.  According to studies, prayer helps in physical and psychological healing.  It increases happiness. 

Pope Francis is using new ways to evangelizes; ways that the world is not accustom to seeing from the Pope.  I am happy he is doing this and hope he continues. 




Source:

http://www.news.va/en/news/misericordina-the-best-spiritual-medicine

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Solemnity of Christ 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, King."  

The solemnity was instituted in 1925 by Pope Piux XI in his encyclical Quas Primas. The day was originally called the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the king.  In 1969, Pope Paul VI in a 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 ways of celebrating it.  All those Baptized share in this Kingship (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.  

May Jesus Christ be praised always!
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King
Lectionary: 160
Reading 1 Ez 34:11-12, 15-17Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,
I will judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected
to the one who subjected everything to him,
so that God may be all in all.

Gospel Mt 25:31-46Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112011.cfm

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Knock Out Game

A new wave of stupidity is hitting city streets.  Kids and adults are engaging in a new "game" called "knock out."  In this "game," a person is struck behind his/her head without warning to the point of being knocked out cold.  Already several people have been attacked and one was killed.  New York City is rushing to pass a law to classify such an attack as gang related which can be punishable to up to 25 years in prison.  Minors caught would be tried as adults.

In NYC, Jews have been targeted so far and a 78 year old grandmother was also a victim of the brutal assault.  

See this disturbing video of an attack:




Obviously, the people promoting and carrying out this behavior are mentally ill.  Anti-social behavior is a trait found in those who are mentally ill or psychopathic.  If a person cannot realize that this activity is dangerous and has no shame to do it, then that shows that the person is clearly not in his/her right mind.  Luckily, some arrests have been made and police are patrolling the streets in order to protect the public an catch any attackers in the act. 


  

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/22/knockout-game-arrests/3676649/
 
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/21/21565494-authorities-nationwide-probing-disturbing-trend-of-knockout-attacks-on-unsuspecting-pedestrians?lite

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/district-police-investigating-random-attacks-similar-to-knockout-game/2013/11/21/ca9e26c2-5154-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/knockout-game_n_4310453.html

Friday, November 22, 2013

Did the Mafia Assassinate President John F. Kennedy?

This is a paper I did for Professor Vaccara a few years back regarding the assasination of President John F. Kennedy and the involvement of the New Orlean's mafia headed by Carlos Marcello:


Did the Mafia Assassinate President John F. Kennedy?©

Since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas many conspiracy theories have arisen.  Despite the Warren Commission pinpointing Lee Harvey Oswald as the one who assassinated John F. Kennedy; some believe that in reality the Mafia had a role in it.  Some believe the investigations conducted by the Warren Commission to be flawed and useless.  Not enough evidence was provided by the Warren Commission to indicate that Lee Harvey Osward was able to commit the act on his own. 

The books, The Mafia Murder of President John F. Kennedy by David E. Schein and Mafia Kingfish: Carlos Marcello and the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by John H. Davis present the idea that Mafia boss Carlos Marcello had a major role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 

In 1973, a reporter named Peter Noyes was the first to mention the Mafia as having involvement in the assassination of the President.  Law professor G. Robert Blakey presented the suggestion that President John F. Kennedy’s assassination was probably set up by the Mafia as a “hit.”  In 1978, he was the chief counsel for the house Assassinations Committee and used his talents to investigate the Mafia’s possible involvement.

At the time, John F. Kennedy’s brother, Robert Kennedy as United States Attorney General launched a war against organized crime in the 1960’s.  It is believed that the Mafia orchestrated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy for this very reason.  The Mafia does not like to be bothered by the government or any other social body.  It is a secret organization that conducts its business under the shadow of the Law. 

With the weight of the Attorney General on the Mafia, it is logical to assume that the Mafia “defended” itself by taking down the most powerful official in the world: The President of the United States of America.  By doing this, the Mafia would show that it is a force that cannot be taken lightly.  If need be, anyone will be killed in order to keep the Mafia up and running.

Carlos Marcello – whose real name is Calogero Minacore - was the mob boss in New Orleans and Texas.  He was a tomato sales man and real estate investor.  Marcello was arrested many times for numerous crimes.  Marcello is believed to have had a hatred for the Kennedy brothers.  Informants stated that Marcello told Edward Becker - who was a private investigator – that “if you cut a dog’s tail off it will still bite you until you cut its head off.” 

It is believed that Carlos Marcello was referring to Robert Kennedy as the “tail” and President John F. Kennedy as the “head.”   By having Robert Kennedy – a mere – “tail” killed, the “dog” or government will still continue to bite the Mafia.  Therefore, the “head” of the “dog” must be cut off.  The head of course is the leader of the Free world, the United States President.

However, the FBI after investigating Carlos Marcello, did not see him as a major crime boss to be concerned with.  This led the Warren Commission to state that the Mafia was not involved and that Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole perpetrator.  It is interesting to note that the weapon found at the scene was an Italian Carcano rifle.  Also, Lee Harvey Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby.  Lee Harvey Oswald denied the charges against him and said the Mafia used him as a “patsy,” or someone who takes the blame for a crime he/she did not commit. 

Carlos Marcello also confessed about Lee Harvey Oswald being a soldier of sorts.  He is quoted as saying, “He was my man.  He did what the hell I told him to do.”  Also, Jack Ruby, according to Carlos Marcello, owned a strip club that was in debt and that he helped him.  Jack Ruby in turn had to repay the “favor.” 

Other conspiracy theories suggest that maybe the United States government used the Mafia to assassinate President John F. Kennedy for political reasons.  It was also suggested that maybe Fidel Castro or the Soviets used the Mafia to get rid of John F. Kennedy because of his tension with the United States of America during the Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis situations.  All seem to point to as the Mafia as the source of assassination of John F. Kennedy.

While in prison, the FBI taped Mafia boss Carlos Marcelo speaking of John F. Kennedy and voicing his frustrations against them.  Among many things said, one stands out the most:  “Yeah, I had the son of a bitch killed.  I’m glad I did.  I’m sorry I couldn't have done it myself!”  He was referring to President John F. Kennedy.       

These conspiracy theories all sound similar to conspiracies regarding September 11, 2001 or even Aliens from space which are brushed off as silly; however, it is very possible that the Mafia under Carlos Marcello had President John F. Kennedy assassinated.  While there is no concrete evidence to support the claim, there is circumstantial evidence that points to the Mafia and Carlos Marcello. 

Some might say that Carlos Marcello was claiming responsibility in order to boost his ego.  This is sometimes a tactic done by leaders of organizations that are known for violent activities.  Terrorist groups such as Hamas and Al- Qaida are known to take credit for any explosion or attack that takes place against the West.  Most likely, they had nothing to do with it but since they have the stage to present their voice, they take the opportunity to claim that the attack came from them. 

Is this what Carlos Marcello did?  Did he claim responsibility in order to present himself as boss so powerful that he could take down the leader of the free will with ease?  It is hard to say.  One must take into account his confessions while in prison.  I don’t think anyone who has the law bearing down on them will be boasting about having a President killed for no reason.             

The Mafia was being backed to a corner when Attorney General Robert Kennedy was investigating organized crime in America.  In order to continue existing, it would make sense to attack back in a way that will send a strong message.  This is not uncommon in the Mafia.  Giovanni Falcone who was a prosecuting magistrate in Italy was blown to smithereens on May 23, 1992.  He was killed because he went after the Mafia in an aggressive manner. 

Giovannie Falcone was a threat that needed to be eliminated.  When comparing Falcone’s demise with John F. Kennedy, one must not set aside the possibility that the Mafia in America attempted to take down the threat that was affecting their criminal institution.  Moreover, the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was killed before trial raises more red flags.  The Mafia in Italy is known for murdering witnesses or others who might reveal sensitive information regarding its operations.  In this respect, the Mafia is very meticulous with its identity and how it functions within Italian society. 

While no one knows for certain, I am convinced that the Mafia most likely was involved.  Fidel Castro or the Soviets could have been given the blame, but how would they have orchestrated such an attack?  They would have been able to assassinate numerous Presidents if it were either of them. 

Moreover, the FBI did not even suspect Carlos Marcello as being Mafioso, so if they were aloof to his activities, then how would they have known about any assassination attempt from foreign lands?  The Mafia assassinating President John F. Kennedy makes sense since they were able to mask their organization from the federal government.

The President of the United States of America is probably the most well guarded person possibly next to the Pope of the Catholic Church.  Only the Mafia has demonstrated the ability to creatively kill anyone they wanted.  Carlos Marcello could have easily developed a plan to assassinate the President.  He controlled the Mafia in Texas and knew the logistics of how to set up an assassination. 

There is no doubt that Mafia boss Carlos Marcello had President John F. Kennedy assassinated.  The courses of events that follow indicate this.  As stated before, circumstantial evidence is used in courts to determine innocence or guilt.  Everything that has happened shows the tactics that the Mafia is known for. 

Unfortunately, there were no surveillance cameras in the 1960’s like there are today so it is hard to actually show some kind of physical evidence.  Nevertheless, there is enough evidence to see that the Mafia did play a role in President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  Carlos Marcello’s extreme hatred for the Kennedy brothers and his own confessions show intent.  When analyzing that with the other evidence and events surrounding Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby, one can see that the whole thing was a plot.   

Back then, security for the President was not as advanced as it is now.  Therefore, the Mafia had an easier time assassinating the President especially since the area he was assassinated at was in the territory of Carlos Marcello.




Bibliography:
The Mafia Murder of President John F. Kennedy by David E. Schein (April 1, 1989)  
Mafia Kingfish: Zebra Carlos Marcello and the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by John H. Davis: Signet (November 7, 1989)

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard: Henry Holt and Co.; First Edition edition (Oct 2, 2011)






  


  

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Sylvia Browne Dies

Renown "psychic" and author Sylvia Browne passed away yesterday at the age of 77.  She became popular after appearing on the Montel William's show in the 1990's.  Her claims to necromancy, clairvoyance and other psychic abilities brought about a fan base who are impressionable.  

She is no stranger to controversy.  Her attempts to locate missing people have resulted in failure.  One such example is of her claim that Amanda Berry was dead.  She told this to Amanda's mother which naturally brought about much pain to Amanda's mom.  As we know, Amanda and the other two girls were found alive after Ariel Castro's was arrested.  Browne responded on her blog with the statement:  
"If ever there was a time to be grateful and relieved for being mistaken, this is that time. Only God is right all the time."

In 1992, Browne along with her husband were indicted for fraud and grand theft.  Both received probation as a result.

Obviously, Browne believed in God and had faith in Him.  Unfortunately, her ideas were contrary to Him.  Only God knows what will happen to each of us.  No person should claim to have powers to see the timeline or know things that are not knowable.  They should not claim to be able to communicate with the dead either for this is a lie and brings pain to loved ones of deceased people.

 This is what the Bible and Catechism say:


Leviticus 20:6
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.


Leviticus 19:31
“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.


Deuteronomy 18:9-12
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.



Divination and magic
2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providencefor whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.
2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future.48Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire forpower over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and lovingfear that we owe to God alone.
2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned whenaccompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism oftenimplies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocationof evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.
(http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P7E.HTM)

May God have mercy on Sylvia Browne's soul.  May she rest in peace.  Let us pray for her and her loved ones.  





Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/20/showbiz/sylvia-browne-dies/

http://www.sylviabrowne.com

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/11/21/celebrity-psychic-sylvia-browne-dies-at-age-77-her-website-says/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/11/21/renowned-psychic-sylvia-browne-dies-at-77/3662067/

http://www.tmz.com/2013/11/20/sylvia-browne-world-famous-psychic-dead/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/psychic-sylvia-browne-dead-77-reports-article-1.1524107

Costco Bible Fiction



The attack against religion continues...

A Protestant minister was recently offended when he found that Bibles sold at the megastore Costco mislabeled the Bible as "fiction."  As you may know, places that sell books label their genre on price tickets.




Costco quickly issued an apology and vowed to change the stickers immediately.  The minister, Caleb Kaltenbach hopes this becomes a topic for discussion.

Let me be clear that despite some passages in the Bible presenting themselves as too incredible or magical; the Bible is not fiction.  Its literary styles reflect specific time periods and cultures.  We must not fall into presentism by attempting to force our literary styles or cultures on ancient texts.  

The Word of God is inspired by God.


Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/19/costco-bible-fiction_n_4304784.html

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Religious Freedom vs Twitter



Thank you for supporting my blog. Unfortunately, anti-catholics have been targeting me and other Catholic twitter accounts by falsely reporting us as being the same person. I need your help as well as the help of others to get twitter to restore our accounts and stop this censoring of religious people. 


WHAT HAPPENED?

My accounts @sacerdotus, @catholic_blog and @rationallyfaith as well as the accounts of other Catholics have been suspended without warrant. Priests and active laity such as Dr. Kiczek have been targeted as well.

MY RESPONSE

I immediately reminded Twitter of the troll "Rosa Rubicondior" and they suspended all of his accounts as well. Other known anti-catholics have had their accounts suspended as well.  However, atheists are calling for the reinstatement of this troll "rosa."  See #reinstaterosa
Catholics need to do the same. We have more numbers and can get things done when we unite.

EXPLANATION

It seems Twitter suspends any account based on false information. For example: Let's say you have an account "@abc123."  You use that account to tweet normally, do not use foul language, spam or harass anyone by mentioning them. Someone for whatever reasons reports you to Twitter saying you are using multiple overlapping accounts. With this vague and false general accusation, Twitter immediately suspends your account "@abc123" as well as any other accounts the accuser mentions in his/her report. That is how easy it is to suspend anyone or groups at a time.  This is a big failure at Twitter that must be addressed.

TAKE ACTION

I ask all Catholics and those who have enjoyed my tweets to contact Twitter and voice your complaint against this attack on religious freedom.

Please contact support at support.twitter.com/forms and inform them to restore my accounts as well as the accounts of other Catholics falsely accused of abuse.

Tweet to: @ikejanes @twitter and @support and tell him to restore our accounts. The more Catholics and others message, the better. There is power in numbers. Flood twitter with your support for religious freedom.

Also write to Twitter's office:

Twitter, INC
340 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017


Please get thousands to contact twitter and tweet to these above accounts.  I will be writing a letter to Twitter directly and will send them copies of all my tweets, the tweets of other accounts effected as well as the abusive tweets and accounts of atheists and other anti catholics.  They will see the evidence and will hopefully realize who are the real abusers.  The media will also receive the same information.  I will ask several networks to do a story on this so as to pressure Twitter to do something about it.    

Thanks and God bless!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Obama Removes God from Gettysburg Address

President Obama has once again removed "God" from an American historical institution: The Gettysburg Address which was given by President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863

This is not the first time.  On Thanksgiving day he did the same.  His party also booed God and Jerusalem during the Democratic convention.

It is clear that our current leadership is anti-religious and anti-American.  There is no reason to omit God from our nation which was founded upon religious ideas and values.  There is no reason to edit a historical speech.

See the video of Obama's version of the Gettysburg Address: 




Here is the original Gettysburg Address:


Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863


Source:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/11/19/Obama-Removes-God-From-Gettysburg-Address

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/obama-removes-god-from-gettysburg-address/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=obama-removes-god-from-gettysburg-address

http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/obama-removes-god-from-gettysburg-address/

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Labels

Catholic Church (857) God (417) Jesus (376) Atheism (346) Bible (339) Jesus Christ (299) Pope Francis (243) Atheist (230) Liturgy of the Word (211) Science (166) LGBT (147) Christianity (146) Gay (82) Abortion (81) Pope Benedict XVI (81) Rosa Rubicondior (79) Prayer (68) Liturgy (57) President Obama (57) Philosophy (56) Blessed Virgin Mary (55) Physics (55) Vatican (53) Christian (51) New York City (45) Psychology (44) Christmas (43) Holy Eucharist (41) Women (36) Biology (35) Politics (34) Baseball (33) Supreme Court (31) NYPD (28) Religious Freedom (27) Health (25) Traditionalists (25) Pope John Paul II (24) priests (24) Racism (23) Space (23) Theology (23) Death (22) Donald Trump (21) Apologetics (20) Evil (20) First Amendment (20) Illegal Immigrants (19) Pro Abortion (19) Protestant (19) Astrophysics (18) Christ (18) Evangelization (18) Child Abuse (17) Priesthood (17) Pro Choice (17) Police (16) Marriage (15) Pedophilia (15) Vatican II (15) Eucharist (14) Divine Mercy (13) Gospel (12) Blog (11) Jewish (11) Morality (11) September 11 (11) Autism (10) Muslims (10) Poverty (10) Cognitive Psychology (9) Easter Sunday (9) Gender Theory (9) Holy Trinity (9) academia (9) CUNY (8) Hispanics (8) Human Rights (8) Pentecostals (8) Personhood (8) Sacraments (8) Barack Obama (7) Big Bang Theory (7) Condoms (7) David Viviano (7) Ellif_dwulfe (7) Evidence (7) NY Yankees (7) Spiritual Life (7) Hell (6) Humanism (6) Babies (5) Cyber Bullying (5) Gender Dysphoria Disorder (5) Massimo Pigliucci (5) Podcast (5) Pope Pius XII (5) The Walking Dead (5) Angels (4) Donations (4) Ephebophilia (4) Pope John XXIII (4) Pope Paul VI (4) Catholic Bloggers (3) Death penalty (3) Encyclical (3) Evangelicals (3) Founding Fathers (3) Plenary Indulgence (3) Pluto (3) Baby Jesus (2) Dan Arel (2) Eastern Orthodox (2) Freeatheism (2) Oxfam (2) Penn Jillette (2) Pew Research Center (2) Cursillo (1) Dan Savage (1) Divine Providence (1) Fear The Walking Dead (1) Pentecostales (1)