Best Way to Support Troops--Pray for Peace!
As someone who has served this country as a member of the Armed Forces I agree!
From the Chicago Catholic New World:
The best thing American Catholics can do to support the men and women in the armed forces is pray for peace, said Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of the Archdiocese for the Military Services of the United States.
“The only way we’re going to get away without a war at this point is to pray,” said Archbishop O’Brien, as he prepared for a March 14 visit to St. Barnabas Parish on the South Side for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Family Liturgy. “That’s the first step. I think all our troops would benefit by not going to war.”
Parishes and individuals should also do everything they can to support the families, especially the children, of soldiers and sailors who have been deployed, he said. Having a parent—perhaps someone who serves in the National Guard or reserves—suddenly gone for a lengthy and indefinite time creates huge stresses on families.
And in the meantime and especially if we do invade, parishes can help by remembering their sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and friends who are in uniform during the prayers of the faithful and as intentions at Mass, he said.
Sunday, March 16, 2003
New York Carp Shouts Out in Hebrew:
"Everyone needs to account for themselves because the end is near"
From The Observer:
According to two fish-cutters at the New Square Fish Market, the carp was about to be slaughtered and made into gefilte fish for Sabbath dinner when it suddenly began shouting apocalyptic warnings in Hebrew.
Many believe the carp was channelling the troubled soul of a revered community elder who recently died; others say it was God. The only witnesses to the mystical show were Zalmen Rosen, a 57-year-old Hasid with 11 children, and his co-worker, Luis Nivelo. They say that on 28 January at 4pm they were about to club the carp on the head when it began yelling.
Nivelo, a Gentile who does not understand Hebrew, was so shocked at the sight of a fish talking in any language that he fell over. He ran into the front of the store screaming: 'It's the Devil! The Devil is here!' Then the shop owner heard it shouting warnings and commands too.
'It said "Tzaruch shemirah" and "Hasof bah",' he told the New York Times, 'which essentially means that everyone needs to account for themselves because the end is near.'
The animated carp commanded Rosen to pray and study the Torah. Rosen tried to kill the fish but injured himself. It was finally butchered by Nivelo and sold.
The most amazing thing about this story isn't that the fish spoke Hebrew its that they killed the prophet before he could appear on Larry King!
"Everyone needs to account for themselves because the end is near"
From The Observer:
According to two fish-cutters at the New Square Fish Market, the carp was about to be slaughtered and made into gefilte fish for Sabbath dinner when it suddenly began shouting apocalyptic warnings in Hebrew.
Many believe the carp was channelling the troubled soul of a revered community elder who recently died; others say it was God. The only witnesses to the mystical show were Zalmen Rosen, a 57-year-old Hasid with 11 children, and his co-worker, Luis Nivelo. They say that on 28 January at 4pm they were about to club the carp on the head when it began yelling.
Nivelo, a Gentile who does not understand Hebrew, was so shocked at the sight of a fish talking in any language that he fell over. He ran into the front of the store screaming: 'It's the Devil! The Devil is here!' Then the shop owner heard it shouting warnings and commands too.
'It said "Tzaruch shemirah" and "Hasof bah",' he told the New York Times, 'which essentially means that everyone needs to account for themselves because the end is near.'
The animated carp commanded Rosen to pray and study the Torah. Rosen tried to kill the fish but injured himself. It was finally butchered by Nivelo and sold.
The most amazing thing about this story isn't that the fish spoke Hebrew its that they killed the prophet before he could appear on Larry King!
Saturday, March 15, 2003
Thanks to Pat Madrid!
Pat sings my praises over at the Envoy blog. Actually, I shouldn't take too much credit for what I said--most of it was a quote from the Praying in the Presence of Our Lord with Fulton J. Sheen and one of the entries where I commented upon Dorothy Day's reason for active prayer as the armament of the Christian.
Pat sings my praises over at the Envoy blog. Actually, I shouldn't take too much credit for what I said--most of it was a quote from the Praying in the Presence of Our Lord with Fulton J. Sheen and one of the entries where I commented upon Dorothy Day's reason for active prayer as the armament of the Christian.
Friday, March 14, 2003
Interesting Night in Toledo Catholic Bookstore
Amy and I plus our entourage arrived home early this morning after a quick trip to Toledo for a "catholic authors" night sponsored by Drouillard's in Maumee (a suburb of Toledo). On hand were Pat Madrid who gave a talk on "search and rescue" of fallen away Catholics, Marcus Grodi, Dave Armstrong, Steve Ray, Amy and myself and a few others. There was good crowd on hand, the owner set the figure at 999 but there were actually around 97 (I stood in the back during Pat's talk and counted).
I liked Pat's talk and the discussion afterwards. These kind of productions are a good way to touch base not only with other authors but also to hear what readers of Catholic books are thinking about. War, abuses at retreat centers, renovations of historic churches made the top of the list.
Speaking of war, I had the opportunity to answer a question about what we should do and I thought that I answered it rather well saying that what we should do is pray for peace. I think most of us focus way to much on what the president or our military should do and not enough on what moi can do. In fact one of the attendees turned the "What Would Jesus Do?"-WWJD around and said it really should be WWID-"What Will I Do?" One of the other presenters took off on my comments and said he was sick of hearing all the "peace talk" and he fully supported the war. I would have liked to have told him to go down to the local military recruiting office and sign up then--but in fairness he claimed that he was on his way to Iraq to film a biblical video--so I guess he'll have the opportunity to "put his money where his mouth is" soon enough. Personally I don't plan on going to Iraq any time soon, nor do I plan on being activated back into military service (I proudly served in the US Army from 1977-1980 spending one year of that time at a small base in Turkey where five of the 100 people I was stationed with were killed by terrorists in two separate incidents), so I'll do what I can do from here in northern Indiana--pray.
Overall not a lot of books seemed to be sold by anyone but it was an enjoyable outing even if it has left all of us a little wiped out today.
Amy and I plus our entourage arrived home early this morning after a quick trip to Toledo for a "catholic authors" night sponsored by Drouillard's in Maumee (a suburb of Toledo). On hand were Pat Madrid who gave a talk on "search and rescue" of fallen away Catholics, Marcus Grodi, Dave Armstrong, Steve Ray, Amy and myself and a few others. There was good crowd on hand, the owner set the figure at 999 but there were actually around 97 (I stood in the back during Pat's talk and counted).
I liked Pat's talk and the discussion afterwards. These kind of productions are a good way to touch base not only with other authors but also to hear what readers of Catholic books are thinking about. War, abuses at retreat centers, renovations of historic churches made the top of the list.
Speaking of war, I had the opportunity to answer a question about what we should do and I thought that I answered it rather well saying that what we should do is pray for peace. I think most of us focus way to much on what the president or our military should do and not enough on what moi can do. In fact one of the attendees turned the "What Would Jesus Do?"-WWJD around and said it really should be WWID-"What Will I Do?" One of the other presenters took off on my comments and said he was sick of hearing all the "peace talk" and he fully supported the war. I would have liked to have told him to go down to the local military recruiting office and sign up then--but in fairness he claimed that he was on his way to Iraq to film a biblical video--so I guess he'll have the opportunity to "put his money where his mouth is" soon enough. Personally I don't plan on going to Iraq any time soon, nor do I plan on being activated back into military service (I proudly served in the US Army from 1977-1980 spending one year of that time at a small base in Turkey where five of the 100 people I was stationed with were killed by terrorists in two separate incidents), so I'll do what I can do from here in northern Indiana--pray.
Overall not a lot of books seemed to be sold by anyone but it was an enjoyable outing even if it has left all of us a little wiped out today.
Will Iraq Strike U.S. First?
From ABC News:
U.S. officials fear that once President Bush signals the U.S. is headed to war, Saddam Hussein will strike pre-emptively, administration sources told ABCNEWS.
I would only add that if he does, it will certainly clarify for a lot of people whether us attacking them is "just" or not.
From ABC News:
U.S. officials fear that once President Bush signals the U.S. is headed to war, Saddam Hussein will strike pre-emptively, administration sources told ABCNEWS.
I would only add that if he does, it will certainly clarify for a lot of people whether us attacking them is "just" or not.
Future Leaders?
Democratic presidential hopefuls Kerry and Edwards were absent from partial birth abortion ban vote. Are they afraid to take a stand? What kind of leaders would either of them make if that is the case?
From the New York Times:
Two Democratic presidential candidates, Senators John Edwards of North Carolina and John Kerry of Massachusetts, who have voted against the ban in the past, were absent today and did not vote.
Democratic presidential hopefuls Kerry and Edwards were absent from partial birth abortion ban vote. Are they afraid to take a stand? What kind of leaders would either of them make if that is the case?
From the New York Times:
Two Democratic presidential candidates, Senators John Edwards of North Carolina and John Kerry of Massachusetts, who have voted against the ban in the past, were absent today and did not vote.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)