Advent -- Love

Dec 01 - Homily: Be Vigilant At All Times

Church Militant TV: Catholics Are To Blame

The Duty Of Catholics To Vote

'Jane Roe' of Roe v. Wade Airs Anti-Obama Ad

Romney Roasts Obama, Media at Al Smith Dinner

Bishops Call for 'Rosary Novena for Life and Liberty'

From National Catholic Register: 

Sunday, Oct. 14, begins the "Rosary Novena for Life and Liberty" proposed by the U.S. bishops. The novena ends on Monday, Oct. 22.

The Church celebrates October as the month of the holy Rosary, and it is an apt time for Rosary campaigns.

For months, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged a strong prayer effort for religious freedom. The USCCB has said October “seems an appropriate time to ask for Our Lady's intercession for these intentions.”

The novena is jointly offered by the USCCB's Committee on Pro-Life Activities and the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

In the novena booklet’s introduction, the bishops write:

"This year, believers have faced an unprecedented new threat. In the two centuries since the Bill of Rights was ratified, Americans had the assurance that the U.S. Constitution secured their God-given rights to religious liberty and freedom of conscience. But in 2011, a federal agency mandated that virtually all employers would be required to include sterilization, abortifacient drugs and contraceptives among the benefits covered in the health-care plans they offer employees."

The bishops’ novena comes with a short reflection that ties each day’s saint into the novena with specific intentions for that day regarding respecting life and religious freedom.

The reflections-intentions take only two minutes to read before praying the Rosary. Notably, some old and new American saints are included.

It is most important that we continue to pray that religious liberty is protected in America, one of our most important Constitutional and God-given rights, and that we elect the right candidates that will do this. 

Life's Detour -- A Poem By Teresa Rice

I had a bit of an emotional morning. In the midst of looking for something else I came upon some information on adoption and tears started running down my cheeks.  After I had calmed down and collected myself words just started flowing in a way unexplainable. Here is one of the poems I created. 

Life's Detour 

A long road I have been on

One that now has taken a bit of a curve
Not the end but a new beginning with truth beside us and light ahead
We know God is with us on our new journey 
We are called to be strong people of faith in both good times and bad times
We follow God's will as hard as it might be as we forge ahead on our new journey 
We know that with God all things are possible 


© 2012 Teresa Rice  This work is copyrighted, as is everything published under my name in this blog and elsewhere.  All rights reserved. Use without permission is prohibited.

A Struggling Barren Wife

I must admit that since Wednesday morning I’ve been experiencing periods of sadness.  I’ve been crying on and off.  I know the surgery was the right thing to do.  I am not angry with anyone, especially not God. Because I do know that He is looking out for me.  Not that I didn’t know what the operation would do but the past few days it hit me like a ton of bricks that I no longer have my reproductive organs. The procedure is done and believe me I am thankful to God and all his angels because I am feeling so much better but it is so hard…. crying crying as I write this…. I am so sad.  I have been praying and asking God’s help through this tough time but…. I have just suffered a big loss and I just don’t know….

I called my doc yesterday because I thought something was wrong around one of my stitches.  He thought I could have gotten an infection so besides calling me in an antibiotic he wanted to see me to make sure the stitches were okay. This morning as I was waiting to see my doctor tears started rolling down my cheeks.  Just all of a sudden.  I was thinking geesh I sure have been a watering sprinkler lately with tears popping up when I least expect it.  He came in after I had stopped crying and gotten myself together but I ended up telling him that I had been crying anyway.  We talked about it.  He was so understanding. He said that I have a right to be sad and basically that if I wasn’t he would be wondering what’s wrong with me.  He said that he’s sad for me and that he would pray for me during the next week in between visits.  He said for me to continue to look to God for guidance during this time. He made me feel much better.  He is such a caring doctor.  Thankfully I don’t have an infection but the oddest thing happened. I have an allergic reaction to the band-aid and it blistered.  But what’s weird about it and we couldn’t figure out is why I don’t have allergic reactions around my other areas where stitches are. Different band-aid? Who knows?

After I came home I offered a prayer to God asking for his help to guide me through my struggles.  I also asked Him to lead me to the right spot in the Bible.  And yes so amazingly he did.  I opened to Psalm 113: 7-9 .

Psalm 113: 7-9 says:   He raises up the lowly from the dust;

from the dunghill he lifts up the poor

To seat them with princes,

with the princes of his own people.

He establishes in her home the barren wife

as the joyful mother of children.

My first response after seeing this was God is wonderful. God is watching out for me. I know that and have known that for a long time but I have been so emotional these past few days and crying, crying, crying (and I’m not even a crier) that I hadn’t really turned to Him and asked Him for assistance til today.  God has brought peace to me. Now I feel so much better sharing my struggles with the Lord and all my blogging buddies. God Bless.

 Crossposted @ Catholibertarian 

Homily on Exaltation of the Cross

Sep 14 - Homily: Exaltation of the Holy Cross by AirMaria

ChurchMilitantTV: And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Updated Sept. 14: The Hardest Health Decision Of My Life -- Jesus I Trust In You

For at least 16 years I have had to deal with a dreadfully, painful disease called endometriosis. Over the span of those sixteen years I have had six surgeries, tried a therapy called Depo Lupron, and within the past couple of months I have as a last resort tried something that I haven't taken since before I got married - I tried birth control pills.  I started to experience pain again in March and it has continued to escalate over time.  Now it is utterly excruciating. This was so disheartening for me especially since my last surgery that I had to remove my endometriosis was in October of 2011. It hasn't even been a year since my last surgery. I couldn't believe that the endo had returned so quickly.

One huge thing is that my husband and I have no children.  But the problem is there aren't many options left for me. I could either go to a pain management specialist be put on pain meds permanently, risk possibly getting addicted to pain killers or have a hysterectomy.  To be honest since 2008 I have had so many health problems related to endometriosis I kinda feel like I've been on borrowed time as far as my fertility is concerned.  So I have decided to go ahead with a hysterectomy. It the only real procedure that will take care of my endo pain. Yes, it hurts me so bad because we don't have any children.  But I am trusting in God a lot on this one.  I believe God is calling us to adopt a wee little one. Now I just pray that God helps us to better our financial situation so we are able to give a little one a loving home. I'll just ask for prayers for both myself and my husband, but especially my husband because he is having a real tough time with this, especially the fact that we won't be able to have biological children.  But for some reason (maybe its because I've grown in my faith?) I know that God has a plan for me, Kevin and us as a couple. I say, Jesus I trust in you.  As hard as it is right now I know that I am called to trust in our Lord's will for me.  I need this surgery to relieve my pain so I trust in His will. God Bless.









Updated September 14:  Because of a scheduling snafoo my surgery date has been moved from the Sept. 10 to the 24.

Catholic VP Versus Catholic VP

This article is from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League :

In many respects, the Catholic community today is divided into pro-life and social justice camps. That is unfortunate, and while this division can be overstated, it remains true that most Catholic activists sit in either one camp or the other; cross-over Catholics are a rare breed.

Paul Ryan represents the pro-life wing, and Joe Biden represents the social justice wing. Indeed, both exemplify the differences, and not just on the issue of abortion. For example, Ryan’s idea of freedom of choice commits him to supporting school vouchers; Biden’s notion of choice commits him to abortion rights. Ryan is opposed to reinventing the institution of marriage; Biden wants to expand marriage to include two people of the same sex.

The Catholic Church opposes abortion and gay marriage. On both of these issues, Biden disagrees with the Church. Biden’s defenders, e.g., Catholics who identify with social justice concerns, argue that Ryan’s budgetary prescriptions make him the dissident Catholic; his ideas are said to hurt the poor. This assumes, however, that there is a clear Catholic teaching on what constitutes the bestmeans to conquer poverty. There isn’t. For instance, fidelity to the Church’s preferential option for the poor can be realized by making a serious case to raise taxes, or to lower them. In effect, both Biden and Ryan can plausibly maintain that he is a champion of the poor. But only one, Ryan, can be identified as the champion of the unborn.

Not all policy issues are equal. Abortion is regarded by the Catholic Church as “intrinsically evil.” Moreover, the bishops’ conference has explicitly endorsed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. This puts Biden at a decisive disadvantage in making the case that he better represents Catholic teachings.

I am really looking forward to seeing the VP debate in October.  

Becoming Coredeemers

Jul 28 - Homily: Becoming Coredeemers by AirMaria

Franciscan University Unveils Faith and Reason Site for New Evangelization

Franciscan University of Steubenville has just unveiled a most excellent site for the New Evangelization called Faith and Reason.  The site is ever expansive in its mission to teach people about the Catholic faith. On the Faith and Reason site there are videos and blog articles which cover topics such as bioethics, politics, art, and music. I encourage everyone to take the time to go over and check the site out.

Did Pope Pius XII help rescue Jews from Holocaust?

Opposition To HHS Mandate: It's About Religious Liberty

Feast Day -- Blessed Raymond Lull

Better late than never: St. Thomas Aquinas on the Feast of Corpus Christi

I meant to post this on Sunday or Monday of last week but due to my busy schedule, then having to deal with a medical issue which is still unresolved, I haven't had a chance to post it up til now.

From St. Thomas Aquinas on the Feast of Corpus Christi (Feast of Body and Blood):

O Precious and Wonderful Banquet

"Since it was the will of God's only-begotten Son that men should share in his divinity, he assumed our nature in order that by becoming man he might make men gods. Moreover, when he took our flesh he dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered his body to God the Father on the altar of the cross as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin. But to ensure that the memory of so great a gift would abide with us for ever, he left his body as food and his blood as drink for the faithful to consume in the form of bread and wine.

O precious and wonderful banquet that brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old law it was the flesh of calves and goats that was offered, but here Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as our food. What could be more wonderful than this? No other sacrament has greater healing power; through it sins are purged away, virtues are increased, and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift. It is offered in the Church for the living and the dead, so that what was instituted for the salvation of all may be for the benefit of all. Yet, in the end, no one can fully express the sweetness of this sacrament, in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which we renew the memory of that surpassing love for us which Christ revealed in his passion.

It was to impress the vastness of this love more firmly upon the hearts of the faithful that our Lord instituted this sacrament at the Last Supper. As he was on the point of leaving the world to go to the Father, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, he left it as a perpetual memorial of his passion. It was the fulfillment of ancient figures and the greatest of all his miracles, while for those who were to experience the sorrow of his departure, it was destined to be a unique and abiding consolation."

St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusculum 57, in festo Corporis Christi, lectures 1-4

H/T AgapeBibleStudy 

A Very Important Message: Victory Through Mary

Remembering our brave men and women on Memorial Day

We honor all those brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice defending freedom along with those who are serving overseas today.

Franciscan University is First Catholic Casualty Due to HHS Mandate,Obamacare

So, actually you can't keep your insurance. Something I figured was the true intent the entire time. There plan is to force us into a single-payer health system. That is a major reason why Obamacare either needs to be struck down by the Supreme Court or repealed. Franciscan University is my alma mater and it is sad that because of the rising government health care costs because the federal government is marching forward instituting this boondoggle that the university has been forced to drop their health insurance coverage for students. In addition Franciscan University has made it crystal clear that it will not comply with the unjust HHS mandate which would force them to violate their beliefs in accordance with Holy Roman Catholic Church.  Obamacare is an example of secularism run amok.  Hopefully we will hear in June that the Supreme Court has struck down Obamacare.



Here is the new policy from Franciscan University:

Campus Health Insurance Policy

The Obama Administration has mandated that all health insurance plans must cover “women’s health services” including contraception, sterilization, and abortion-causing medications as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Up to this time, Franciscan University has specifically excluded these services and products from its student health insurance policy, and we will not participate in a plan that requires us to violate the consistent teachings of the Catholic Church on the sacredness of human life.

Additionally, the PPACA increased the mandated maximum coverage amount for student policies to $100,000 for the 2012-13 school year, which would effectively double your premium cost for the policy in fall 2012, with the expectation of further increases in the future.

Due to these changes in regulation by the federal government, beginning with the 2012-13 school year, the University 1) will no longer require that all full-time undergraduate students carry health insurance, 2) will no longer offer a student health insurance plan, and 3) will no longer bill those not covered under a parent/guardian plan or personal plan for student health insurance. The current student health insurance plan will expire on August 15, 2012.

We encourage you to decide how you are going to provide for accidents or illnesses requiring visits to physicians, health clinics, or the hospital emergency room while you are a student here. As always, our Health Center on campus will be staffed by a certified nurse practitioner Monday – Friday during normal business hours. No insurance is necessary to receive basic health-related services at the Health Center, and the visits cost only $5 at the time of service. However, if you are referred off campus for further lab testing, physician specialists, X-rays, etc., you will be responsible to pay for those services. 

Inspirational Video: Disabled War Veteran Overcomes Unbelievable Obstacles

Disabled War Veteran Overcomes Unbelievable Obstacles - Never Give Up! from vids2inspire on GodTube.

Bishop Thomas Says 'No More Camouflage Catholics'

I found this article via the Catholic Bandit. Bishop George Leo Thomas of Helena, Montana has just returned home from an ad limina apostolorum visit with the Holy Father.  Bishop Thomas talked to Christopher Wells about his visit and outlined plans for the New Evangelisation. 

 “We’re beginning, first of all, by mobilising the diocesan clergy. They’re really the key to bringing the vision of the New Evangelisation to the people. So our presbyteral council – our priest council in our own diocese – and I are working together to create a very concerted plan in this upcoming Year of Faith, that would help each Catholic reclaim his or her own baptismal promise and identity as a Catholic, and then to very courageously invite others to see and taste the goodness of the Lord.” 

He said, “My message, of course over and over again, is: No more ‘camouflage Catholics’ in our diocese! Mediocrity, the lukewarm spirit, is an enemy of the Church.” But, he added, his message is a very positive one: “The Church in the Northwest is very intentional, very dynamic… So I see it as a springtime in the Church.” 

Bishop Thomas concluded with a call to Catholics throughout the world: “One thing that I would certainly want to share with the people of our own diocese, but certainly across the country and the world, and that is to take seriously your own individual call to holiness your personal encounter with Christ, and to remain very steeped in the sacramental life of the Church. It is an emancipating and joyful life as a Catholic.”

The saying 'Camouflage Catholics' that Bishop Thomas coined is a very clever characterization of silent, wishy-washy Catholics who merely sit on the sidelines. I think the good bishop's fervor needs to be applied all cross America and beyond.

Dr. Miravalle: Message From Our Lady To Pope Benedict

St. Anselm of Canterbury: Believe To Understand or Understand To Believe?

“For I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe-that unless I believe I shall not understand.” 
― St. Anselm of Canterbury

The Catholic Church: Builder of Civilization -- The Galileo Files

Remembrance by Matt Maher

Fr. Frank Pavone's Letter to the Religious Freedom Rally

God Was Tempted?

Was God really Tempted? There seems to be conflicting scripture passages, where in Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is being described as being tempted in the wilderness by the devil while in James 1:13 it is stated that "God is not subject to temptation to evil." But do these passages really conflict with one another? In the scripture passage Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus, as God Incarnate, was tempted by the devil. In his humanity the God Incarnate was able to be tempted by the devil. But in His divine nature God is not able to be tempted by the devil, by evil. God sent Jesus, His Son, to be an example to all of humanity. In the wilderness Jesus is showing humans how to resist temptation and so no to the devil and all his wicked ways - all that is evil in the world.

Crossposted @ Catholibertarian 

Supermarket Gospel Choir Flash Mob Sings Christian Version of Lovely Day

AWESOME Gospel Choir Flash Mob! Lovely Day Christian Version from untilweflyaway on GodTube.

Prayer by Secret Garden

During the spring, summer, and fall I work outside landscaping at an apartment complex. I returned to work today. While searching the net looking for things on the saint of gardening I found this video.

Catholic Culture Clash Links 3-9-12

Christopher @ Christopher's Apologies has a great post called Refuting the Arguments in Favor of HHS Mandate, where he points out the 10 most cited arguments in favor of the health mandate. There is an anonymously written article rebutting these false assertions.  The American Catholic has posted this person's refutations of The 10 Most Cited Arguments in Favor of the HHS Mandate.

Boston College, which is Jesuit, has announced the dismissal of Father John Shea. Boston College has decided not to renew his contract after he made his position known to Cardinal Sean O' Malley that he supports women's ordination. He is a dissenting priest who is a proponent of women's ordination, which is contrary to Church teaching.  The college has denied that his position on women's ordination was a factor in their refusing to renew his contract but his supporters have charged that his unorthodox views are the real reason for his departure, not that he was an adjunct professor and the college wanted to hire a full-time professor. Orthodoxy is good.  Keeping true to orthodoxy is keeping true to Catholicism.

The Diocese of Sacramento has decided that it will no longer fund Francis House, which is a homeless center.  The new director who is a Methodist minister is an outspoken supporter of same-sex "marriage" and abortion.  In addition the church where the minister is the pastor is planning on showing an anti-Catholic film on April 4.  Father Michael Kieman and Bishop Soto have decided to stand up for the faith and said that No More Parishioners Money will go to support Francis House since it promotes same-sex marriage and abortion which are contrary to the Catholic faith.

Update from Cardinal Dolan on Restoring and Defending Our Religious Liberty

Cardinal Dolan has posted an update to his fellow bishops on the USCCB's continued resolve in fighting to ensure every individual's right to live out the beliefs that they believe in their daily lives, to ensure religious freedom for all. Since blogger html is giving me a wee bit of trouble I will publish part of his update below with a link to the rest.


My brother bishops,
Twice in recent weeks, I have written you to express my gratitude for our unity in faith
and action as we move forward to protect our religious freedom from unprecedented intrusion
from a government bureau, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). I remain
deeply grateful to you for your determined resolve, to the Chairmen of our committees directly
engaged in these efforts - Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Bishop Stephen
Blaire and Bishop William Lori -who have again shown themselves to be such excellent leaders
during these past weeks, and to all our staff at the USCCB who work so diligently under the
direction of the Conference leadership.


How fortunate that we as a body have had opportunities during our past plenary
assemblies to manifest our strong unity in defense of religious freedom. We rely on that unity
now more than ever as HHS seeks to define what constitutes church ministry and how it can be
exercised. We will once again dedicate ample time at our Administrative Committee meeting
next week, and at the June Plenary Assembly, to this critical subject. We will continue to listen, discuss, deliberate and act.


Thank you, brothers, for the opportunity to provide this update to you and the dioceses
you serve. Many of you have expressed your thanks for what we have achieved together in so
few weeks, especially the data provided and the leadership given by brother bishops, our
conference staff and Catholic faithful. And you now ask the obvious question, “What’s next?”
Please allow me to share with you now some thoughts about events and efforts to date and where
we might go next.


Since January 20, when the final, restrictive HHS Rule was first announced, we have
become certain of two things: religious freedom is under attack, and we will not cease our
struggle to protect it. We recall the words of our Holy Father Benedict XVI to our brother
bishops on their recent ad limina visit: “Of particular concern are certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion.” Bishop Stephen Blaire and Bishop William Lori, with so many others, have admirably kept us focused on this one
priority of protecting religious freedom. We have made it clear in no uncertain terms to the
government that we are not at peace with its invasive attempt to curtail the religious freedom we cherish as Catholics and Americans. We did not ask for this fight, but we will not run from it.


As pastors and shepherds, each of us would prefer to spend our energy engaged in and
promoting the works of mercy to which the Church is dedicated: healing the sick, teaching our
youth, and helping the poor. Yet, precisely because we are pastors and shepherds, we recognize
that each of the ministries entrusted to us by Jesus is now in jeopardy due to this bureaucratic
intrusion into the internal life of the church. You and I both know well that we were doing those extensive and noble works rather well without these radical new constrictive and forbidding mandates. Our Church has a long tradition of effective partnership with government and the 1wider community in the service of the sick, our children, our elders, and the poor at home and abroad, and we sure hope to continue it.


Of course, we maintained from the start that this is not a “Catholic” fight alone. I like to
quote as often as possible a nurse who emailed me, “I’m not so much mad about all this as a
Catholic, but as an American.” And as we recall, a Baptist minister, Governor Mike Huckabee,
observed, “In this matter, we’re all Catholics.” No doubt you have heard numerous statements
just like these. We are grateful to know so many of our fellow Americans, especially our friends in the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, stand together in this important moment in our country. They know that this is not just about sterilization, abortifacients, and chemical contraception. It’s about religious freedom, the sacred right of any Church to define its own teaching and ministry. CONTINUED

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart…”

Do you ever find it hard to trust in the Lord? Whether it be in your everyday struggles, dealing with a health issue, a career or vocational challenge, or the loss of employment?

While I have never been angry at God over my health issues I do find it hard to trust Him sometimes, especially when I feel like I am battling sickness often.  Last October after I had surgery for my endometriosis I had mega health troubles afterward.  I can deal with pain very well.  I have a high threshold for pain but this was different.  I was extremely dizzy and it hurt me to breathe, plus something else but I won't give the details and gross people out.  It was kinda weird since that symptom has disappeared altogether now.  I came to find out that I had a vitamin B12 deficiency which was causing my dizziness.  I also found out that mild acid reflux plus the agitation of the tube from having been down in my throat during surgery was what had caused me to hurt while breathing.  While I may have asked why?  I asked why is this happening to me?  I never got angry at God for my having health troubles.  While I had some issues with trusting the Lord at first I came to trust Him and know that he had a plan for me.  I came to trust him with all my heart.

I have been feeling ill since last Friday. Today I visited my doctor and well, I wasn't expecting to need further testing.  Not a huge deal but my doc wants to make sure that there isn't something with my ovaries causing my fever or pain. God has a plan for each of us. I know he has a plan for me even though I wonder what that could be.  Or what He has in store for me in the future.  All we need to do is trust in Him. Trusting in the Lord can be very hard at times. I know.  With prayer and trusting in the Lord anything is possible and we will be able to overcome any obstacle that is put in out path.  When we trust in God we can overcome our fears and struggles in our lives.  God is our strength. God is our hope. God gives us the grace to do what we should do in our struggles.  God gives us strength when we are weak. God is the Great Healer.  God is Love.

Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.





Crossposted @ Catholibertarian 

The Catholic Church: Builder of Civilization -- Priests as Scientific Pioneers

Bishops Need to Shepherd Their Flock and Guard the Name "Catholic"

There are a couple so called Catholic organizations who are in bed with Planned Parenthood and NARAL which are in support of the Obama contraception mandate "accommodation".  Father Z is calling on the bishops to guard the name "Catholic".    These dissenting organizations are giving the President cover so he can claim that Catholic organizations support this mandate.  They are the Catholic Health Association and Catholics United. These groups need to be called out since they are going against the Church along with going against everyone's religious liberty, and causing scandal to the Church.  The word "Catholic" needs to be removed from their names.  Father Z is also calling on canon 915 to be applied to Pelosi, and all the Catholic public figures who support abortion.

Any entity with the word “Catholic” in its title who supports what the President is doing (which is an attack on our very identity) must be formally stripped of the word “Catholic”.

I stand with Father Z in calling on our bishops to shepherd their flock, and for them to guard the name of "Catholic".

A Compelling Argument Against Gay "Marriage"

Archbishop Fulton Sheen on the Devil

I will post the last two videos of the Archbishop's homily in a few days.

Fr. Barron Comments on the Video "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus"

Michael Voris at March For Life 2012

Pro-aborts are disruptive just like many OWS protesters. What media?!? Pray to end abortion.

Vatican Splendors: What is the Origin of Ad Limina Apostolorum?

Ad Limina Apostolorum, which means to the threshold of the apostles, refers to the demand that each bishop in the world visit Rome every five years to take the time to venerate the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul and for them to meet the Pope in a papal audience.

This tradition dates back to Saint Paul. It is directly derived from Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.

"Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."

Builder of Civilization: The Catholic Church - Friend or Foe to Science?

This is my second post in the series I am posting on the Catholic Church: Builder of Civilization. Here is my first post in the series.

Catholic Charities, the Obama Administration and Bigotry

During the ABC presidential debate in New Hampshire the moderators asked the candidates questions on social moral issues and ended up getting an earful.  Newt Gingrich pointed out the Obama administration's anti-Christian bias.  He blasted the Obama administration with the charge of bigotry for the admin's discrimination against Catholic Charities on key delivery of services. 


First, Josh McElveen posed this question to Rick Santorum: 

From MercatorNet: “Your position on same-sex adoption, obviously, you are in favor of traditional families, but are you going to tell someone they belong in — as a ward of the state or in foster care, rather than have two parents who want them?”

Mr Santorum answered, “My — my feeling is that this is an issue that should be — I believe the issue of marriage itself is a federal issue, that we can’t have different laws with respect to marriage. We have to have one law. Marriage is, as Newt said, a foundation institution of our country, and we have to have a singular law with respect to that. We can’t have somebody married in one state and not married in another.”

“Once we — if we were successful in establishing that, then this issue becomes moot…

Newt Gingrich went on the attack charging media bias again, along with outlining an example of the MSM's bias - anti-Christian bias. He is right to point this out. There is bookoo media bias in the MSM. Newt went onto answer the question differently. 

“I just want to raise — since we’ve spent this much time on these issues — I just want to raise a point about the news media bias. You don’t hear the opposite question asked. Should the Catholic Church be forced to close its adoption services in Massachusetts because it won’t accept gay couples, which is exactly what the state has done? Should the Catholic Church be driven out of providing charitable services in the District of Columbia because it won’t give in to secular bigotry?”

He went further:

“Should the Catholic Church find itself discriminated against by the Obama administration on key delivery of services because of the bias and the bigotry of the administration?

“The bigotry question goes both ways. And there’s a lot more anti-Christian bigotry today than there is concerning the other side. And none of it gets covered by the news media.”

"Mitt Romney noted that Massachusetts Catholic Charities was out of the adoption business because of the Church’s fundamental beliefs."

This anti-Christian bigotry which leads to religious persecution needs to be stopped.  This is the antithesis of what America is all about, and runs contrary to our constitutional principles and rights.  So much for tolerance.... or respect for people who hold different beliefs. 

An Introduction To The Catholic Church Builder of Civilization

I found a great article which highlights some of the contributions that the Catholic Church has made to western civilization via Christopher at Christopher's Apologies. I hope to purchase his book on this topic soon. I was so intrigued by the article that I searched the internet for more articles by the author, Thomas E. Woods, and came upon a set of videos which feature Tom Woods on this very topic. Here is the first set of videos in the series.

Feast Day -- Mary, Mother of God

From Catholic Online: "Today we celebrate the beautiful solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In reality, this solemnity allows us to reflect upon the essential reality of our Catholic Faith: Jesus, the Christ, is one person with two distinct natures: divine and human. This union of the two natures in the one person of Jesus is called the hypostatic union." Continued

Here is a beautiful musical interlude by the Benedictine Monks at Fotgombault, France.