Religion: January 2004 Archives

from my inbox today

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Please spread this message far and wide. We have a petition on line to stop Georgetown University's use of aborted fetal cell lines! If GU gets away with this, kiss the ethical vaccine deal we are on the verge of negotiating with Chiron goodbye...why bother with it if the Catholic scholars are saying the immoral research is okay? If the research is okay, well surely then the vaccines are too so why bother getting untainted ones

to my readers

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A question. What it triumphalism, and why is it considered a bad thing?

Why do I read this newspaper?

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In today's Boston Globe Magazine is an article that shows me that we just don't get it in our culture. Too bad that no one offered this young woman any real choices, but rather assumed that she would of course choose prenatal euthanasia for her unborn. Here is a site that shows the other choices, real choice, that show true love for the baby and not just ones self.
Today's Sunday thought from William Luse is much better reading. He quotes more Malcom Muggeridge on Humanae Vitae. "In a family, you don't throw out the specimens that are not up to scratch. In a family you recognize that some will be intelligent and some will be stupid, some will be beautiful and some will be ugly."

Generosity

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On January 12 I turned 49 and simultaneously celebrated the 31st anniversary of my reception into the Church. I became Catholic for a lot of reasons, most of which you have all read before in a number of places from a number of other converts. Like most converts, I love to read conversion stories, but I recognize that others may find them boring.
One thing that I did NOT expect was that after all this time I am still undergoing conversion on a regular basis. It is downright uncomfortable sometimes.
Like some cradle Catholics, I went through a spell of cafeteria Catholicism. Even though I catechized myself pretty well, there were doctrines and dogmas that I chose, at times, to ignore. Now that I am much older, and have lived through that ancient Chinese curse (interesting times), I have regrets. And one of them is that I was not more generous with the gift that God gave us of (pro)creation.

Read it and weep

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"Worldwide, about one-fourth of the approximately 180 million pregnancies known to occur each year are resolved by abortion. Abortions numbered an estimated 46 million in 1995, but given the uncertainty of the data, that number could be as low as 42 million or as high as 50 million. About 35 in every 1,000 women aged 15–44 have an abortion each year. "
International abortion statistics from the Alan Guttmacher institute (an affiliate of Planned Parenthood).
(my comment) Resolution? Pregnancies are 'resolved'? Sounds like newspeak to me.

update on

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My recent prayer request. I just learned that the fever was from kidney stones that had caused an infection, and that surgery is imminent. Continued prayers most appreciated. This child's patron saint is Francis of Assisi (and his father is a 3rd order Franciscan).

Catholic Culture Shock

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Over at Sancta Sanctis. And while you are there, scroll down and read her wonderful comments on one of my favorite history books, Crocker's Triumph.
Meanwhile, the Summa Mammas point out that, as we may be the only Bible some people read, we are also the only Catechism they may ever read. As St Francis says, "Evangelize always - if needed, used words".

hope you don't mind

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Lately, it seems like most of what I have been posting have been prayer requests of one kind or another. It has been that kind of season. Well, here is another one.
Frank is the son of two very dear friends of ours. He is 24 years old. When he was two, he was hit by a 3/4 ton truck and was in a coma for several weeks, during which time his baby sister (my godchild) was born and died (either SIDS or a heart defect). He was left with severe brain damage, and has endured much during his life since then. He has a sweet disposition, intelligence that has very few ways to escape his body, and two parents who, although they no longer live together, both love him very much. I just learned that he is now in the hospital with an infection and a high fever. His mother emailed me to request prayers, and so I am turning to all of you - could you please add him to your list? And both his parents, as well. Thank you. I will update if and when I hear more.

update on father groeschel

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Info on Fr. Groeschel

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CFR Home Page is maintaining updates as they are available. Please continue to pray. I am not ready yet to start praying for his canonization!

Abortion, slavery, and politics

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A Plumbline in the Wind asks?

Given that abortion is currently the law of the land in the United States, is there any way to participate in politics at all without being complicit in the occurrence of abortions?

What say you all?

From my inbox

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(E-mail from Catholic Exchange)
Renowned TV priest Father Benedict Groeschel, author of numerous books and popular EWTN commentator, was hit by a car near Orlando International Airport Sunday night, according to reports on the national radio program, Morning Air with Jeff Cavins. He is in stable but critical condition at the intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

I just heard on EWTN

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Father Benedict Groeschel was hit by a car and is in critical condition. Please please pray for him!

whose are we?

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It has been noted that ironically, the motto of the abortion movement has been the same as the words of Consecration - "This is My Body" - but what a difference between the way Jesus says it and NARAL says it!
This Is My Body is an article that takes this idea and further expands it, from the point of view of a pregnant woman. Worth reading.

Who and Whose?

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This morning, Father gave us a great homily. He talked about how necessary indeed was the Baptism of the Lord, and how the Holy Spirit became visible in the form of a dove at the Baptism. He then segued into Galations 5:16 - 26 and spoke about the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Eucharist. Really inspiring and a great reminder that sin is real.
But what really stuck in my mind was a phrase he used about our relationship to God - "Remember who you are (A human being created in the image and likeness of God) and Whose you are (A child of the heavenly Father, a child of God).
This afternoon, there was a mandatory parent meeting for parents of kids in confirmation. Most of it was the usual logistics etc, but there was a presentation from some kids who went to Steubenville East at the shrine of La Sallette last year. They were strongly encouraging the kids to go this year, and I wish that I had been able to send our older kids to something like that. But you could have knocked me over with a stick when one of the presenters (who I KNOW was nowhere near my parish Masses this weekend) used that very phrase - remember who and whose you are.
OK God, I guess you are trying to tell me something here too!

New find

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I have added The Weight of Glory to my blogroll. I especially liked the recent post "A Matter of Conscience" (sorry, I can't figure out how to get a hotlink up). Here is an excerpt.
A friend of mine, who is a pharmacist, has become the defendant in a legal claim by a woman upset that he would not issue contraceptives to her at a K-mart pharmacy. The allegations include "causing harm by not giving the pill, violating the standard of "care", and sex discrimination."
If I recognize the name, the blogger is a frequent commenter over at Envoy Encore and other blogs.

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About this Archive

This page is a archive of entries in the Religion category from January 2004.

Religion: December 2003 is the previous archive.

Religion: February 2004 is the next archive.

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