USATODAY.com - Pope calls for 'complete commitments' from Iraq to disarm
Pope John Paul II told Iraq's deputy prime minister on Friday that the Vatican opposed war against Baghdad but insisted that Saddam Hussein demonstrate "concrete commitments" to disarm.
Tariq Aziz, a Christian, met for about 30 minutes with the pope and later the Vatican secretary of state and foreign minister.
In a brief video tape released by the Vatican, the pontiff was shown firmly gripping Aziz's hand and saying: "God bless you. God bless Iraq."
In a brief statement, Vatican said the meetings allowed for an exchange of views "on the known danger of an armed intervention in Iraq, which would add further serious suffering to a population already tried by long years of embargo."
Friday, February 14, 2003
Engaged couples gather at St Valentine's tomb to seek blessing
Jesus is the best role model for engaged couples hoping to perfect their love, and the Gospel is the best marriage preparation manual ever written, an Italian bishop told couples gathered at the tomb of St. Valentine.
"Valentine listened to the Gospel, tried to live it day by day and taught so many others to love that he became love's patron saint," said Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Narni and Amelia.
Jesus is the best role model for engaged couples hoping to perfect their love, and the Gospel is the best marriage preparation manual ever written, an Italian bishop told couples gathered at the tomb of St. Valentine.
"Valentine listened to the Gospel, tried to live it day by day and taught so many others to love that he became love's patron saint," said Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Narni and Amelia.
Happy St. Valentine's Day!
From Zenit:
St. Valentine was a holy priest in Rome in the third century. St. Valentine, along with St. Maurius and his family, assisted the martyrs who were persecuted under the reign of Claudius III. Emperor Claudius issued an edict in A.D. 270 forbidding marriage because he believed that married men made poor soldiers, not wanting to leave their families.
Valentine, bishop of Interamna, disagreed with the emperor and secretly married young couples. When Claudius found out, Valentine was arrested, and when he would not renounce his faith, he was clubbed and beheaded on the 14th of February, 270.
From Zenit:
St. Valentine was a holy priest in Rome in the third century. St. Valentine, along with St. Maurius and his family, assisted the martyrs who were persecuted under the reign of Claudius III. Emperor Claudius issued an edict in A.D. 270 forbidding marriage because he believed that married men made poor soldiers, not wanting to leave their families.
Valentine, bishop of Interamna, disagreed with the emperor and secretly married young couples. When Claudius found out, Valentine was arrested, and when he would not renounce his faith, he was clubbed and beheaded on the 14th of February, 270.
Thursday, February 13, 2003
How Far Can You Go?
Advice for the single (woman) on St. Valentine's Day from the National Catholic Register:
Do: Be slow about getting physical.
Don't: "Hook up" before you're married.
Do: Your homework.
Don't: Go out with someone whose background you can't check or whom you immediately recognize as requiring change.
Do: Agree on a specific activity and make sure it's wholesome and designed to enhance communication.
Don't: Go drinking or to a movie with explicit sex scenes.
Do: Take your time, remembering that getting to know someone is a long, slow jog - not a sprint.
Don't: Lead the relationship.
Do: Make a list.
Don't: Reject someone who possesses important qualities because he isn't ideal in less significant ways, such as appearance or recreational interests.
Do: Be open to meeting men in settings other than bars and clubs.
Don't: Be a one-woman search party.
Do: Dress appropriately.
Don't: Be so scrupulous about modesty that you look frumpy.
Do: Pray.
Don't: Despair.
You'll have to go to the story to get the low down on what some of the advice is getting at.
Advice for the single (woman) on St. Valentine's Day from the National Catholic Register:
Do: Be slow about getting physical.
Don't: "Hook up" before you're married.
Do: Your homework.
Don't: Go out with someone whose background you can't check or whom you immediately recognize as requiring change.
Do: Agree on a specific activity and make sure it's wholesome and designed to enhance communication.
Don't: Go drinking or to a movie with explicit sex scenes.
Do: Take your time, remembering that getting to know someone is a long, slow jog - not a sprint.
Don't: Lead the relationship.
Do: Make a list.
Don't: Reject someone who possesses important qualities because he isn't ideal in less significant ways, such as appearance or recreational interests.
Do: Be open to meeting men in settings other than bars and clubs.
Don't: Be a one-woman search party.
Do: Dress appropriately.
Don't: Be so scrupulous about modesty that you look frumpy.
Do: Pray.
Don't: Despair.
You'll have to go to the story to get the low down on what some of the advice is getting at.
Italian Disgruntled Catholics Requesting Unbatism
Sorry, once we've got you your stuck but we'll make a note that you are now officially an apostate (my personal take).
From zoomata:
Disgruntled Catholics have come a step closer to washing off holy water they were baptized in as tiny children. Upon request, priests in Italy must note alongside baptism information the will of adults to leave the Roman Catholic Church. Bowing to pressure from lobby groups who call the act 'unchristening,' the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) recently outlined the procedure.
Both sides disagree on the scope of the phenomenon -- one activist group claims 10,000 people have presented unchristening requests; the Church says it is trying to do right by a 'few dozen' people who wish not to be counted as Catholics.
Statistics, however, show a large number of slumbering or disinterested members of the country's predominant religion -- although 98% of Italians are baptized, only 36% attend mass regularly and over 14% never attend at all, according to 1999 data from Italian National Statistical Institute (ISTAT). Baptism records are used for Church statistics and influence whether last rites and religious funerals are administered.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, CEI president, made it clear that the Church considers the issue an entirely bureaucratic one. "You can't cancel a sacrament any more than you can cancel the act of being born," he told newspapers.
Sorry, once we've got you your stuck but we'll make a note that you are now officially an apostate (my personal take).
From zoomata:
Disgruntled Catholics have come a step closer to washing off holy water they were baptized in as tiny children. Upon request, priests in Italy must note alongside baptism information the will of adults to leave the Roman Catholic Church. Bowing to pressure from lobby groups who call the act 'unchristening,' the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) recently outlined the procedure.
Both sides disagree on the scope of the phenomenon -- one activist group claims 10,000 people have presented unchristening requests; the Church says it is trying to do right by a 'few dozen' people who wish not to be counted as Catholics.
Statistics, however, show a large number of slumbering or disinterested members of the country's predominant religion -- although 98% of Italians are baptized, only 36% attend mass regularly and over 14% never attend at all, according to 1999 data from Italian National Statistical Institute (ISTAT). Baptism records are used for Church statistics and influence whether last rites and religious funerals are administered.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, CEI president, made it clear that the Church considers the issue an entirely bureaucratic one. "You can't cancel a sacrament any more than you can cancel the act of being born," he told newspapers.
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
New Mexico Church Visitors Marvel at 'Miracle'
I was going to post a story about this the other day but I couldn't locate an image of the painting anywhere online. Today's story from the Denver Post has the image posted. Go and check it out.
From the Denver Post.com:
The parish of San Francisco de Asis is home to a goose-bump-raising work of art called "The Shadow of the Cross." The painting brings some people to their knees. Others turn away tearfully disappointed or angry because they cannot see what most can, the images that emerge only with darkness in this 1896 work by a little- known French-Canadian artist, Henri Ault.
I was going to post a story about this the other day but I couldn't locate an image of the painting anywhere online. Today's story from the Denver Post has the image posted. Go and check it out.
From the Denver Post.com:
The parish of San Francisco de Asis is home to a goose-bump-raising work of art called "The Shadow of the Cross." The painting brings some people to their knees. Others turn away tearfully disappointed or angry because they cannot see what most can, the images that emerge only with darkness in this 1896 work by a little- known French-Canadian artist, Henri Ault.
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