I don't know if any of you have heard of Robin of Berkeley. Robin (not her real name) has been blogging about her political and now religious conversion for awhile. She posted yesterday about her ongoing conversion to the Christian faith. It is a beautiful thing to behold a soul awakening to the truth of Jesus Christ. From her latest post:
But then something happened after a few months: My understanding deepened. When I went to these churches, I had questions. . . challenging ones. I was troubled to discover that not all was okay in most of these churches.
Many of them were too focused on worldly matters, like material success. The majority of services were feel-good experiences about how much God loves all of us. Conspicuously missing, in my mind, was what we have to surrender to live in God. And those pesky concepts of sin, evil, and hell were clearly off limits to placate the congregants...
Read the whole thing.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Onward and Upward
Parishioners in Syracuse keep on keeping on. The money quote: “To me, it seems the church has become a business, and I thought they are supposed to be saving souls,” Angiolillo said. “Closing churches of loyal parishioners is not the best way to save souls. They are only harmed by this action.”
Friday, April 8, 2011
Holy Week Adoration
To sign up, email Brian at tbmdcc@yahoo.com.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Sacred Status of Dry Bones
 |
| The body of St. Patrick's is filched |
What should be done? Like a loved one who has died, what is the obligation of the Church to its dead?
Should the body be obliterated? Not lovingly handled and cared for after death, but now treated as a source of filth to be filched of its finery? Quickly, remove that ring and grab the gold necklace!
Is a dead church, like a dead body, to be acknowledged as a temple of God, something holy? Does it not have the right to exist still on this earth, to stand--a silent tomb--as a witness to resurrection?
Ezekiel prophesied about the dead bones of Israel. Listen for the words of Ezekiel 37:12-14 at mass this Sunday.
1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.'” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Dry bones can come to life. Death can be destroyed. The body can be resurrected. And because our God can do all these things, it is highly immoral to destroy Catholic churches that have not died, but are and were still living and breathing, as St. Patrick's was, and as St. Vincent's is now.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Them chickens is organized!
Upcoming: a newsletter with lots of good information. If you would like to get involved contact us at admin@savingourparish.com. Thanks to CT for the video!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
And just 'cause
Time lapse photography of the Aurora in Norway. Incredibly, humbly awe-inspiring. Let it fully load before watching...it's a little glitchy.
The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.
The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.
The Unexpected Life, to say the least...
More information about former Catholic priest and current protestant pastor Dale Fushek, founder of Life Teen.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Faith By Interaction
Yeah, it's the F.B.I!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
No greater love...
"Inevitable Some May Die Within Weeks"
The Fukushima 50 are most likely laying down their lives for their fellow citizens.
John 15:13
The Fukushima 50 are most likely laying down their lives for their fellow citizens.
John 15:13
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Rosary and Coffee Group to meet Saturday
Meeting time: 8:15 a.m. to pray the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament, followed by a few minutes of private prayer time before heading over for coffee and fellowship at a local cafe (optional). No experience necessary (rosaries and prayer guides provided).
Where: Side chapel of St. Mary's (155 State St., Corning - enter left side of church / Soul Full Cup, 81 West Market St .)
Who's Invited: Women inside or outside the parish, particularly in their 20s-50s. Newcomers welcome. Nursing babies welcome too!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Church involvement in government programs
Ran across this article by Phil Lawler at Catholic Culture that details some of the dangers of blending Church/State programs. The article was published in 2009, but it is a must-read and very pertinent to the situation in the DOR. Here's a snippet:
The offices of Catholic Charities, at both the local and national levels, receive the lion's share of their funding from government programs. They have become agencies of the welfare bureaucracy. The agencies themselves are no longer truly acting for the Church, carrying out the corporate charity of the faithful. They are now wards of the state.
And this:
Catholic social teaching emphasizes the importance of public policies that support healthy family life; high tax rates place undue strain on families of modest means. Moreover the steady rise in tax rates, coupled with the constant expansion of government programs, dry up support for independent charitable ventures-- which invariably are more efficient than the government efforts. The dollars required for tax payments are no longer available to be donated to local civic organizations-- or, for that matter, to the support of the Church.
And this, too:
Mother Teresa of Calcutta never accepted government support for the many charitable ventures undertaken by her Missionaries of Charity. It's true that she was prudent enough to recognize the dangers of depending on state support. But she had another reason for her policy as well. She wanted to be certain that she and her sisters were motivated by nothing other than the love of God. She wanted no distractions: no elaborate schemes for social change, no ambitious plans for government partnerships.
The offices of Catholic Charities, at both the local and national levels, receive the lion's share of their funding from government programs. They have become agencies of the welfare bureaucracy. The agencies themselves are no longer truly acting for the Church, carrying out the corporate charity of the faithful. They are now wards of the state.
And this:
Catholic social teaching emphasizes the importance of public policies that support healthy family life; high tax rates place undue strain on families of modest means. Moreover the steady rise in tax rates, coupled with the constant expansion of government programs, dry up support for independent charitable ventures-- which invariably are more efficient than the government efforts. The dollars required for tax payments are no longer available to be donated to local civic organizations-- or, for that matter, to the support of the Church.
And this, too:
Mother Teresa of Calcutta never accepted government support for the many charitable ventures undertaken by her Missionaries of Charity. It's true that she was prudent enough to recognize the dangers of depending on state support. But she had another reason for her policy as well. She wanted to be certain that she and her sisters were motivated by nothing other than the love of God. She wanted no distractions: no elaborate schemes for social change, no ambitious plans for government partnerships.
Another ruling from the Vatican
More hope for parishioners working to save Holy Trinity Church in the Diocese of Syracuse. Here's an article with video from CNY. The Diocese is pushing back, however. Also, from the article in the Wall Street Journal:
The decree concluded that an appeal by parishioners of the church has "basis both in law and in fact." The Diocese of Syracuse, however, said the three-page order from the Congregation of the Clergy does not force it to reverse direction and reopen Holy Trinity Church.
It's the latest in a series of similar rulings this year affecting closed churches in New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
"It means the church was improperly closed," said Nicholas Cafardi, a law professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and an expert in canon law who has seen the decree.
"Certainly, the spirit of the decree is that they should reopen it, but not all rights are always enforceable," Cafardi said Monday. "It's up to the bishop to recognize the rights of the people that were upheld."
And more:
Cafardi says it appears the Vatican panel, in also overturning decisions in Allentown, Pa. and Springfield, Mass., has ruled that the bishops should have considered the rights of the parishioners in deciding to close the churches.
"I'm interested to find out that Rome is pushing back on American bishops," said Marie Lutkus, a parishioner involved in the Allentown appeal. "There hadn't been a ruling against an American bishop's decision since 1982, and there have been a number of them in the past couple of months."
The decree concluded that an appeal by parishioners of the church has "basis both in law and in fact." The Diocese of Syracuse, however, said the three-page order from the Congregation of the Clergy does not force it to reverse direction and reopen Holy Trinity Church.
It's the latest in a series of similar rulings this year affecting closed churches in New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
"It means the church was improperly closed," said Nicholas Cafardi, a law professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and an expert in canon law who has seen the decree.
"Certainly, the spirit of the decree is that they should reopen it, but not all rights are always enforceable," Cafardi said Monday. "It's up to the bishop to recognize the rights of the people that were upheld."
And more:
Cafardi says it appears the Vatican panel, in also overturning decisions in Allentown, Pa. and Springfield, Mass., has ruled that the bishops should have considered the rights of the parishioners in deciding to close the churches.
"I'm interested to find out that Rome is pushing back on American bishops," said Marie Lutkus, a parishioner involved in the Allentown appeal. "There hadn't been a ruling against an American bishop's decision since 1982, and there have been a number of them in the past couple of months."
Monday, March 28, 2011
Look to the right --->>
There's a donate button for our canonical appeal in the column to the right. We are working on getting a newsletter put together that will bring parishioners up-to-date on the process. There is a lot of information to share. If you would like to get involved, please contact anyone you know associated with the cause, or feel free to email us at admin@savingourparish.com. We meet regularly and help is always needed and gratefully received.
Piggybacking...
...on another post over at Cleansing Fire, in which Ben is dealing with detractors of that website. The comments from readers are insightful. The uncomfortable thing to grasp and accept is that those in authority are fully capable of saying and doing harmful things. No one wants to admit that your leaders may be leading the flock astray, that they might not desire what is best for the parish, but rather what furthers a particular agenda. Refusing to 'see' or 'hear' or 'speak' about wrongdoing aids those engaged in it. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."
Here's a couple comments from Ben's post that hit home:
Eliza says, The truth must be told! Its an awful truth, and the temptation to be uncharitable in the telling of the terrible realities of the DOR strong. So let the truth be told in charity, but let it be told. And when we, in our humanity, are uncharitable, let us correct each other and let us welcome any corrections.
I agree, people who don’t like the truth will accuse the truth-tellers as being uncharitable persons. People who are doing wrong want privacy, and having the truth told outrages them. Not only do they want to hide their actions, and not have them publicized, but they want to label their detractors as being unreasonable and ridiculous and as “persons resistant to change” that we should feel sorry for and “pray for”. The truth-telling at Cleansing Fire is a serious obstacle to imposing change on the DOR, and to the business-as-usual custom of detracting anyone who is not on board with the DOR agenda.
Well, its wrong to grant evildoers the darkness and anonymity they desire.
And this one from Gen:
People who level broadsides against us...need to realize that there is a tremendous difference between respecting the office of “bishop” and respecting the man who fills that office. Ordinarily, there is no need to separate the two. However, in Rochester, where the Bishop is openly disobedient and heterodox in so many ways, there is a tremendous need to pull the two apart. Men are fallible. That’s a fact. Bishops are men, ergo, fallible. The role of the bishop is to shepherd his flock, not to sell it off, scatter it, neglect it, or sit back and let the wolves descend upon it. If a shepherd did these things, the right thing to do wouldn’t be to sit back and say, “Well, God made him a shepherd . . . he must know what he’s doing.” NO – you confront the problems and do your best to rectify them.
And one from Nay:
When their conscience is panged and what is just and true is brought to day, they default and revert of[sic] a sense of being attacked. Have no opinions, be less fervent, be insipid and indifferent and join the vast ocean of DOR lukewarm Catholics where the flock is scattered and the betrayals continue in closed door sessions. Who can stand and and tolerate this consistent and predictable negligence. They play you for a child. Sell you for something less. They diminish you, mischaracterize you and dismiss you…completely disresectful not only for yourself, but the churches and the schools (and that means a child, something to protect and defend) a genuine travesty. Any self-respecting parishoner or citizen worth their salt, should and ought to stand up.
Here's a couple comments from Ben's post that hit home:
Eliza says, The truth must be told! Its an awful truth, and the temptation to be uncharitable in the telling of the terrible realities of the DOR strong. So let the truth be told in charity, but let it be told. And when we, in our humanity, are uncharitable, let us correct each other and let us welcome any corrections.
I agree, people who don’t like the truth will accuse the truth-tellers as being uncharitable persons. People who are doing wrong want privacy, and having the truth told outrages them. Not only do they want to hide their actions, and not have them publicized, but they want to label their detractors as being unreasonable and ridiculous and as “persons resistant to change” that we should feel sorry for and “pray for”. The truth-telling at Cleansing Fire is a serious obstacle to imposing change on the DOR, and to the business-as-usual custom of detracting anyone who is not on board with the DOR agenda.
Well, its wrong to grant evildoers the darkness and anonymity they desire.
And this one from Gen:
People who level broadsides against us...need to realize that there is a tremendous difference between respecting the office of “bishop” and respecting the man who fills that office. Ordinarily, there is no need to separate the two. However, in Rochester, where the Bishop is openly disobedient and heterodox in so many ways, there is a tremendous need to pull the two apart. Men are fallible. That’s a fact. Bishops are men, ergo, fallible. The role of the bishop is to shepherd his flock, not to sell it off, scatter it, neglect it, or sit back and let the wolves descend upon it. If a shepherd did these things, the right thing to do wouldn’t be to sit back and say, “Well, God made him a shepherd . . . he must know what he’s doing.” NO – you confront the problems and do your best to rectify them.
And one from Nay:
When their conscience is panged and what is just and true is brought to day, they default and revert of[sic] a sense of being attacked. Have no opinions, be less fervent, be insipid and indifferent and join the vast ocean of DOR lukewarm Catholics where the flock is scattered and the betrayals continue in closed door sessions. Who can stand and and tolerate this consistent and predictable negligence. They play you for a child. Sell you for something less. They diminish you, mischaracterize you and dismiss you…completely disresectful not only for yourself, but the churches and the schools (and that means a child, something to protect and defend) a genuine travesty. Any self-respecting parishoner or citizen worth their salt, should and ought to stand up.
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