Awesome inspired article about the tragic oil spill :
The worst oil spill in US history owes a lot to the fading away of moral virtue.
Without doubt, the surge in pride, greed and lust tended to smother the four cardinal virtues – prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice.[.]
Intuitively, deep water drilling contradicts the cardinal virtue of prudence. The imprudence of the operation is more obvious now that stopping the deepwater gusher in timely fashion has proven to be beyond human power. It seems that America’s vaunted technological prowess gave rise to pridefulness, and the capital sin of pride mixes with prudence about as well as oil with Florida’s white sand beaches.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Read more about :
The Oil Spill – A Lesson in the Cardinal Virtues | Catholic Exchange
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Daily thoughts
Life can become complicated with worldly cares, and too much materialism and involvement in secular values. Living the year with the Church is a stablizer, the way to keep first things first. We are part of the Church and therefore we have a liturgical year to live. Christ is our life and we should pattern our lives after His. Each season of the year provides us with numerous oportunities to incorporate the Church year into our own domestic churches .
As Spring blossoms forth and we are surrounded by new life of the nature .
It doesn’t matter what language we speak, the sky, sun, moon, and stars with all of nature speaks universally. Every twenty- four hours we behold the beauty and majesty of our Lord.
Psalm 19: 1-6 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where His Heavenly voice is not heard.
Stop for just a minute and look around at His glory displayed in nature and give Him the praise due to His Holy Name! Make things right with Him as you bask in His glorious presence and you will receive all the comfort for your soul.
In Christ , Danielle
As Spring blossoms forth and we are surrounded by new life of the nature .
It doesn’t matter what language we speak, the sky, sun, moon, and stars with all of nature speaks universally. Every twenty- four hours we behold the beauty and majesty of our Lord.
Psalm 19: 1-6 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where His Heavenly voice is not heard.
Stop for just a minute and look around at His glory displayed in nature and give Him the praise due to His Holy Name! Make things right with Him as you bask in His glorious presence and you will receive all the comfort for your soul.
In Christ , Danielle
Monday, May 24, 2010
Revealing the truth
The media, egged on by a small group of dissenting Catholics, have been having a field day over the tragedy of priests involved in sexual abuse. And the reporting has been littered with falsehoods and outright fabrications. So Crisis has put together a list of the ten most common false media claims — along with fact-filled responses to them.
There's absolutely no evidence that priests are more likely to abuse children than are other groups of men. The use and abuse of children as objects for the sexual gratification of adults is epidemic in all classes, professions, religions, and ethnic communities across the globe, as figures on child pornography, incest, and child prostitution make abundantly clear .
The Church's teaching on sexual morality is rooted in the dignity of the human person and the goodness of human sexuality. This teaching condemns the sexual abuse of children in all its forms, just as it condemns other reprehensible sexual crimes such as rape, incest, child pornography, and child prostitution. In other words, if this teaching were lived out, there'd be no pedophilia problem at all.
The notion that this teaching somehow leads to pedophilia is based on a misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation of Catholic sexual morality. The Church recognizes that sexual activity without the love and commitment found uniquely in marriage undermines the dignity of the human person and is ultimately destructive. As far as celibacy is concerned, centuries of experience have proven that men and women can abstain from sexual activity while living fulfilling, healthy, and meaningful lives .
Therefore I'll pray for all priests who are persecuted , that they will be protected from the deception of the evil one and safeguarded from confusion and false accusations.
Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out
before Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
they have no one but Thee,
yet they have only human hearts,
with human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host,
that daily they caress;
their every thoughts and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless. Amen
( Our Father ,Hail Mary ,Glory Be )
There's absolutely no evidence that priests are more likely to abuse children than are other groups of men. The use and abuse of children as objects for the sexual gratification of adults is epidemic in all classes, professions, religions, and ethnic communities across the globe, as figures on child pornography, incest, and child prostitution make abundantly clear .
The Church's teaching on sexual morality is rooted in the dignity of the human person and the goodness of human sexuality. This teaching condemns the sexual abuse of children in all its forms, just as it condemns other reprehensible sexual crimes such as rape, incest, child pornography, and child prostitution. In other words, if this teaching were lived out, there'd be no pedophilia problem at all.
The notion that this teaching somehow leads to pedophilia is based on a misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation of Catholic sexual morality. The Church recognizes that sexual activity without the love and commitment found uniquely in marriage undermines the dignity of the human person and is ultimately destructive. As far as celibacy is concerned, centuries of experience have proven that men and women can abstain from sexual activity while living fulfilling, healthy, and meaningful lives .
Therefore I'll pray for all priests who are persecuted , that they will be protected from the deception of the evil one and safeguarded from confusion and false accusations.
Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out
before Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
they have no one but Thee,
yet they have only human hearts,
with human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host,
that daily they caress;
their every thoughts and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless. Amen
( Our Father ,Hail Mary ,Glory Be )
Saturday, May 22, 2010
This day Prayers and Intercessions
We are baptized in the Holy Spirit: with all the baptized let us glorify God and bring him our petitions:
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Send the Holy Spirit among us,
so that we proclaim you to all men as King and Lord.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Give us the gift of unfeigned love:
may we love each other with a brotherly love.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Filled with life by your grace,
may our souls joyfully accept the gifts of the Spirit.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Give us the power of your Spirit –
to take what is sick within us and make it healthy and strong.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Send the Holy Spirit among us,
so that we proclaim you to all men as King and Lord.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Give us the gift of unfeigned love:
may we love each other with a brotherly love.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Filled with life by your grace,
may our souls joyfully accept the gifts of the Spirit.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Give us the power of your Spirit –
to take what is sick within us and make it healthy and strong.
– Lord Jesus, sanctify us in the Spirit.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Importance of fasting
Let us now talk in more detail about Christian and Catholic fasting and how The Lord uses it to purge and speak to us.
The whole point of this discussion is to go beyond any type of dogma or religious ritual and talk about fasting as a means to penetrating the spiritual world for revelation, deliverance, freedom and a true encounter with the Almighty creator of the heavens and the earth. The purpose of fasting is spiritual focus, self discipline, imitation of Christ, and performing penance .
Christian and Catholic Fasting is a powerful practice that places you face-to-face with the Spirit of the Living God.
It ought not be trumpeted to all that you are fasting. It is a very personal and sacred time of prayer, worship and meditation.
A time of reviewing our lives and the challenges we are facing. Christian and Catholic fasting is a time when we realize that without Christ himself we are very limited.
That HE is and should always be the center and source of our lives in every way, shape and form
Facts about fasting brought to light in Medjugorje by Our Lady
Fasting is an armament, as Our Lady calls it, the "arms" in which to destroy Satan's power in your life. There are 26 main statements Our Lady has told us about fasting. The facts about fasting are as follows:
1.Fasting stops wars.
2.Fasting can suspend the laws of nature.
3.Fasting reduces punishments from God.
4.Fasting is an "arm," a weapon of significant power to defeat (of which atomic power does not compare).
5.Bread and water is the best fast.
6.Fasting, to be powerful, must be done with the heart.
7.Through fasting, the whole plan of Our Lady, that God himself planned for the world's salvation during this special time, will be achieved.
8.By giving our fasting to Our Lady, it "forces" Satan not to be able to seduce us to evil and drives him away.
9.Fasting purifies our hearts from the sins of our past (Through Confession, sins of the past are forgiven, but healing from life-long vice or memories that Satan uses against us to lead us back into sin, requires purification).
10.Fasting, coupled with prayer WILL obtain EVERYTHING you ask for (the exception would be something illicit).
11.Fasting sanctifies you to receive the Holy Spirit.
12.Humility is a fruit from fasting, when coupled with prayer.
13.The present fasting in the Church is not adaquate. Our Lady desires this to change. She said fasting has been forgotten in the last quarter of this century in the Catholic Church.
14.Fasting is one element that keeps Satan from conquering us. Faith and prayer are the other two. We, in turn, are to conquer Satan. The arms to do so are fasting coupled with prayer.
15.Satan is enraged against those who fast and convert.
16.Fasting for the sick can cure them along with faith and prayer.
17.Fasting, along with prayer, was offered as a remedy by Our Lady to stop arguments among the Holy Priesthood.
18.Fasting will bring the Kingdom of God among us.
19.Fasting makes Our Lady happy.
20.Fasting will make prayer more vigorous.
21.Our Lady will make the maximum good come from our fast. She wants us to give your fast to Her in which she "disposes of them" according to the will of God.
22.Fasting, coupled with prayer, especially community prayer, will protect you from Satan's aggression in destroying marriages, creating division amond priests and will crush him in his plans for obsessions and murders in society today of which Our Lady says he is responsible.
23.To obtain a grace from God, it is best you let no one know you are fasting.
24.We are to fast out of gratitude.
25.Fasting is to be encouraged in others.
26.Our Lady tells us to fast to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
The whole point of this discussion is to go beyond any type of dogma or religious ritual and talk about fasting as a means to penetrating the spiritual world for revelation, deliverance, freedom and a true encounter with the Almighty creator of the heavens and the earth. The purpose of fasting is spiritual focus, self discipline, imitation of Christ, and performing penance .
Christian and Catholic Fasting is a powerful practice that places you face-to-face with the Spirit of the Living God.
It ought not be trumpeted to all that you are fasting. It is a very personal and sacred time of prayer, worship and meditation.
A time of reviewing our lives and the challenges we are facing. Christian and Catholic fasting is a time when we realize that without Christ himself we are very limited.
That HE is and should always be the center and source of our lives in every way, shape and form
Facts about fasting brought to light in Medjugorje by Our Lady
Fasting is an armament, as Our Lady calls it, the "arms" in which to destroy Satan's power in your life. There are 26 main statements Our Lady has told us about fasting. The facts about fasting are as follows:
1.Fasting stops wars.
2.Fasting can suspend the laws of nature.
3.Fasting reduces punishments from God.
4.Fasting is an "arm," a weapon of significant power to defeat (of which atomic power does not compare).
5.Bread and water is the best fast.
6.Fasting, to be powerful, must be done with the heart.
7.Through fasting, the whole plan of Our Lady, that God himself planned for the world's salvation during this special time, will be achieved.
8.By giving our fasting to Our Lady, it "forces" Satan not to be able to seduce us to evil and drives him away.
9.Fasting purifies our hearts from the sins of our past (Through Confession, sins of the past are forgiven, but healing from life-long vice or memories that Satan uses against us to lead us back into sin, requires purification).
10.Fasting, coupled with prayer WILL obtain EVERYTHING you ask for (the exception would be something illicit).
11.Fasting sanctifies you to receive the Holy Spirit.
12.Humility is a fruit from fasting, when coupled with prayer.
13.The present fasting in the Church is not adaquate. Our Lady desires this to change. She said fasting has been forgotten in the last quarter of this century in the Catholic Church.
14.Fasting is one element that keeps Satan from conquering us. Faith and prayer are the other two. We, in turn, are to conquer Satan. The arms to do so are fasting coupled with prayer.
15.Satan is enraged against those who fast and convert.
16.Fasting for the sick can cure them along with faith and prayer.
17.Fasting, along with prayer, was offered as a remedy by Our Lady to stop arguments among the Holy Priesthood.
18.Fasting will bring the Kingdom of God among us.
19.Fasting makes Our Lady happy.
20.Fasting will make prayer more vigorous.
21.Our Lady will make the maximum good come from our fast. She wants us to give your fast to Her in which she "disposes of them" according to the will of God.
22.Fasting, coupled with prayer, especially community prayer, will protect you from Satan's aggression in destroying marriages, creating division amond priests and will crush him in his plans for obsessions and murders in society today of which Our Lady says he is responsible.
23.To obtain a grace from God, it is best you let no one know you are fasting.
24.We are to fast out of gratitude.
25.Fasting is to be encouraged in others.
26.Our Lady tells us to fast to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
God bless each one of you !
Monday, August 24, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Continuous fight against the fallen angels
Continuing his series on the Year for Priests, Bishop Olmsted looks at the devil we face and fight in the common life .
The influence of the devil can never overcome the power of God’s grace.
Jesus assures us of this when He tells Peter (Mt 16:18), “I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” But the evil one, nonetheless, continues to tempt and test all of us during our life on earth.
Satanic attacks were commonplace in the life of Fr. John Vianney.
For 35 years, the devil taunted and harassed him, not only in spiritual ways but even in tangible and audible ones.
These latter, demonic acts normally are quite rare. But, by the influence of the devil, the Cure of Ars’ bed was moved about, crashing noises resounded, fires were ignited, and other harassments occurred, all in an effort to stop or at least to curtail the priestly ministry of Fr. Vianney.
Why did God allow these to occur? How did the saint respond?
We shall examine these questions today. We shall also look, in subsequent parts of this series, at other defining characteristics of his life, namely his love for beauty, and his pastoral service of hearing confessions.
Fallen angels, also known as devils and evil spirits, try to hinder all of us in our pursuit of holiness. Their ordinary ploy is by means of temptations, which God allows so that we can make good use of our freedom in resisting them and thus growing to fuller maturity in Christ.
In addition to these ordinary ploys, demons resort to other extraordinary acts, on rare occasions, with the same intention of thwarting the plan of God and undercutting our filial trust in Him.
These harassments can be of three kinds: infestations, obsessions and possessions.
With infestations, the devil makes use of noises, outcries, rattling, apparitions and other extraordinary outbursts of some sensible nature aimed at terrifying people, intending to undercut their confidence in God. He used these repeatedly on the Cure of Ars, sometimes to keep him from getting badly needed sleep, at other times to disturb his peace of mind and to try to shake his trust in God. All these were aimed at disrupting the effective ministry of this holy priest.
Early on, Fr. Vianney became aware that these infestations were most outrageous just before an outstanding action of grace was about to occur through his priestly ministry, usually the conversion of a sinner. In fact, he remarked that the worst assaults of the devil happened when he was on the verge of “landing a big fish,” by which he meant welcoming back a baptized person who had fallen far into the darkness of despair. With this insight, Fr. Vianney calmly ignored the infestations, and looked forward with joyful hope to the next victory of grace about to occur through the Sacrament of Penance. If we ever have to deal with similar harassments, we should follow this saintly priest’s good example of calmly ignoring the devil, confidently turning to God in prayer, and deepening our communion with Christ through the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
More about this important article read in the Catholic Sun
May Lord bless , keep us safe and protect against the fallen one !
The influence of the devil can never overcome the power of God’s grace.
Jesus assures us of this when He tells Peter (Mt 16:18), “I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” But the evil one, nonetheless, continues to tempt and test all of us during our life on earth.
Satanic attacks were commonplace in the life of Fr. John Vianney.
For 35 years, the devil taunted and harassed him, not only in spiritual ways but even in tangible and audible ones.
These latter, demonic acts normally are quite rare. But, by the influence of the devil, the Cure of Ars’ bed was moved about, crashing noises resounded, fires were ignited, and other harassments occurred, all in an effort to stop or at least to curtail the priestly ministry of Fr. Vianney.
Why did God allow these to occur? How did the saint respond?
We shall examine these questions today. We shall also look, in subsequent parts of this series, at other defining characteristics of his life, namely his love for beauty, and his pastoral service of hearing confessions.
Fallen angels, also known as devils and evil spirits, try to hinder all of us in our pursuit of holiness. Their ordinary ploy is by means of temptations, which God allows so that we can make good use of our freedom in resisting them and thus growing to fuller maturity in Christ.
In addition to these ordinary ploys, demons resort to other extraordinary acts, on rare occasions, with the same intention of thwarting the plan of God and undercutting our filial trust in Him.
These harassments can be of three kinds: infestations, obsessions and possessions.
With infestations, the devil makes use of noises, outcries, rattling, apparitions and other extraordinary outbursts of some sensible nature aimed at terrifying people, intending to undercut their confidence in God. He used these repeatedly on the Cure of Ars, sometimes to keep him from getting badly needed sleep, at other times to disturb his peace of mind and to try to shake his trust in God. All these were aimed at disrupting the effective ministry of this holy priest.
Early on, Fr. Vianney became aware that these infestations were most outrageous just before an outstanding action of grace was about to occur through his priestly ministry, usually the conversion of a sinner. In fact, he remarked that the worst assaults of the devil happened when he was on the verge of “landing a big fish,” by which he meant welcoming back a baptized person who had fallen far into the darkness of despair. With this insight, Fr. Vianney calmly ignored the infestations, and looked forward with joyful hope to the next victory of grace about to occur through the Sacrament of Penance. If we ever have to deal with similar harassments, we should follow this saintly priest’s good example of calmly ignoring the devil, confidently turning to God in prayer, and deepening our communion with Christ through the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
More about this important article read in the Catholic Sun
May Lord bless , keep us safe and protect against the fallen one !
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