I find a growing discussion among serious Catholics on the orthodoxy of their spiritual leaders and of fellow Catholics. While I think this discussion is good and necessary, I believe for some it has taken a place of predominance. A certain scrupulosity has developed beyond correct belief and action into a sort of obsession which threatens to overshadow the true purpose of our spritual lives.
One concrete way in which this happens is by the constant questioning of our religious authorities (namely the priests and bishops) and their motives. I think sometimes we must place obedience above our own display of piety.
It's difficult to draw a line to say people can question this, but not that. However, I would like to offer some of my personal guidelines, while keeping in mind I claim no authority on this matter.
I think if it gets to the point where the main discussion after Mass are the possible violations of the rubrics, there may be an issue. I know some strict Catholics whose ONLY topic of discussion are lay and religious who have violated some rule or regulation.
Obviously, it is important to notice these things and to take steps to avoid them, but when our entire religious discussion is on that topic, it's problematic.
Also, there is a tendency to question the teachings of priests and bishops. While this is good in moderation, it can easily turn into a full time career. It gets to the point where not only do people look for mistakes, they look for "sins of omission". e.g. the priest's homily was morally sound, but he did not have strong enough language about this or that.
Often, bishops are criticized because they do not eliminate every bad apple from the entire faith community of that area. Anything short of 100% orthodoxy from every person is considered a failure of the bishop.
My basic point is that while noticing abuses is a good thing, we cannot place ourselves above the priests and bishops. They do have spiritual authority over us and we must sometimes put our own concerns and opinions second. We cannot make ourselves the lawmaker of the Church. We must humbly submit ourselves to authority, just as priests do for the bishop.
Having said that, we are members of the Church and have the duty to notice grave abuses in order that God is not sacrileged.
So let's practice caution. We are not teachers entering into a Church to evaluate everyone's performance. We are penitents who are striving to do our best to obey God's will, and we must do this with humility and respect.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
"The state has no place in the bedroom of the Nation"
"It's certainly the most extensive revision of the Criminal Code since the 1950s and, in terms of the subject matter it deals with, I feel that it has knocked down a lot of totems and over-ridden a lot of taboos and I feel that in that sense it is new. It's bringing the laws of the land up to contemporary society I think. Take this thing on homosexuality. I think the view we take here is that there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. I think that what's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code. When it becomes public this is a different matter, or when it relates to minors this is a different matter."
These words were famously uttered by Pierre Trudeau as Justice Minister (later Prime Minister), in 1967. That would be the 100th anniversary year of Canada's confederation.
These words make absolutely no sense whatsoever. They have a sort of mass appeal that makes them popular with the general populace, but when analyzed, they fall flat and make no sense.
Most people believe the state does have a place in the bedrooms of the nation.
What if a child is being sexually assaulted? Would the state turn a blind eye to that?
What if a woman was being raped in a bedroom?
For that matter, what if a person is being abused or even killed in a bedroom?
Obviously the state does have a say in what happens in the bedrooms of people.
To be fair, what Pierre Trudeau was actually trying to say was the state has no place in dictating what homosexual acts are legal and which are illegal.
So, people should be clear about what that saying means.
The problem is making the leap from homosexual acts being legal to gay "marriage" being legal also. It's difficult to legislate on a non-violent act between two consenting adults that will not directly harm others. I mean if two people wanted to dress up as chickens and dance around the house, they could do that as well, despite the fact that it has no benefit.
So what about gay "marriage". Well, this is another matter. It's no longer a private thing. Once gay "marriage" is legal, schools must encourage children to "decide" their sexuality, to offer classes on homosexual lifestyles, etc. Adoption agencies are forced to adopt children to two men or two women despite that organization's moral belief that such unions are not best for children. Religious institutions must rent their properties for homosexual celebrations which violate their moral code. A child's welfare is trumped by gay rights. It enters into a completely new category. Society suffers when such a ruling is made.
Marriage is, by definition, the union of a man and a woman. If we redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, there is no logical reason to exclude any other grouping, such as a father and daughter "marriage", one man and 5 women, a sort of "daycare" arrangement where a group of say 20 men and women decide to form a fluent group of people who raise any children in that arrangement. Who is to say that these groupings cannot be included in the defintion of "marriage", since we are completely throwing out what marriage actually is.
We must love and respect all people, whether gay or straight, but this does not mean that each person must be treated exactly the same. Just because a father cannot legally marry his daughter does not mean he has fewer rights than everyone else. Any man has the right to take advantage of the laws concerning marriage, or any woman for that matter. But we do not all get the right to change the law based on our whims.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Are you ready for your death?
How many people think of death every now and then or ever? Should you?
Well, I think you should. Last night I was awaken by what sounded like someone in my apartment around 5:30am. It was really scary. I got up and carefully checked the whole house, but there was nothing there. My conclusion is that someone was upstairs and the sound traveled below. It was really quite creepy because it sounded like someone was right outside my door. I even thought I heard it again after I went to bed again.
I said a prayer to ward off any evil spirits. Then I went back to sleep. Around 8:30 I woke up again, and noticed Manasi just called, so I called her back. We chatted for a bit, then I went back to sleep.
When I went back to sleep this time, I had a very vivid and scary dream. Someone had entered my apartment. I got up to check who it was. Some large man wearing probably a leather jacket came in and went into the living room. I repeated hello hello over and over but he did not respond. I began to wonder if he was deaf.
But then he came into my room. Eventually he was joined by another man of similar description. The first man told me he was there to kill me. I was terrified. I realized he was a hitman. I had no idea this was a dream and thought for sure it was real. I had even asked myself if it was and came to the certain conclusion that this was indeed happening.
I couldn't make a cell phone call. I tried to divert his attention to something else while I secretly dialed 911. Eventually I had my phone in my hand and could possibly dial 911. However, I think I woke up before anything could happen. However, I do remember diverting his attention somewhat successfully.
I remember asking the other man if I could see a priest. Convinced they would kill me, I wanted to make a confession before death. To me that is the most terrifying possibility. It's not so much death itself but the afterlife.
That dream ended, and not too long after I was awaken around 9:30 by Tom upstairs who was knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell. That was also rather alarming. I assumed it was Manasi, but it wasn't. I came out in my housecoat to see what was going on. He told me I had to drive my car out because the excavating equipment would make it impossible to leave for the rest of the day till the night. So I quickly got dressed and went outside. He said they were starting in 5 minutes.
Anyway, after this traumatizing night, I realize people must consider their eternal fates. Are you prepared? Specifically are you ready for heaven?
I believe in these matters we must follow our consciences and be as careful as possible. For me, that means confessing any mortal sins to a priest, because that's how I believe Jesus instituted the act of forgiveness. I also believe forgiveness is possible through a perfectly contrite confession to God. What is perfectly contrite? It means you are sorry for your sins because you love God so much and are so sorry for having offended him.
I think a lot of people are way too casual on this topic. They believe one of the following:
1) The afterlife doesn't exist. We just turn to dust.
2) The afterlife exists but surely they are going to Heaven because God will forgive them anyway.
3) They were saved, and therefore no further action is required. All past, present, and future sins are blotted out and heaven is guaranteed.
4) We must be in a state of grace with God, and therefore we must strive to avoid sin as much as possible and if we do sin to confess them to another.
5) The afterlife exists but they are going to Hell
Here are my responses to those propositions:
1) The afterlife doesn't exist. We just turn to dust.
Are you willing to risk everything to believe this proposition? Are you 100% certain that the afterlife doesn't exist? Are you sure there isn't even a 0.1% chance that it does? Even if you believe there is but a 0.1% chance that Hell exists, you should take actions which will get you to Heaven. Why? Because the consequences are eternal. If the afterlife is eternal, as is usually the portrayal, then this life is a mere flash, much less than 0.1% of our entire existence. So mathematically it makes sense to live a good life in a way which would prepare us for Heaven even with just 0.1% belief in it.
2) The afterlife exists but surely they are going to Heaven because God will forgive them anyway.
This is called presumption, and it's considered a sin. It's the opposite of the moral value of despair, which is an abandonment of all hope that one will enter into Heaven. I will cover this in section 5. Presumption is an inordinate level of hope. It forsakes "fear of the Lord" in favor of seeing God as a servant to our desires.
St. Gregory from whom we get the term "Gregorian Chant", believed presumption to be a "daughter" of pride (or vainglory as he put it). I agree that presumption contains a strong element of pride, like a spoiled child who assumes his parent will not punish him no matter his misdeed.
This belief may have come from a commonly held opinion today that because God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), he could not allow anyone to go to Hell. However, this belief is not supported by evidence. Jesus speaks more about Hell than he does about Heaven. God is not only Love but also Justice. He gives each person free will and therefore the ability to either follow God and worship him, or to reject God and separate himself from him. A person is free to choose Hell and God will not overpower his free will decision.
3) They were "saved", and therefore no further action is required. All past, present, and future sins are blotted out and heaven is guaranteed.
This is a commonly held belief, which is similar to #2, however with some key differences. A strong literal reading of this belief has both reassurance and horror attached to it. It is reassuring to be 100% certain of one's salvation. But it is equally terrifying to believe that those incapable of hearing God's word should perish in eternal damnation. It would be as if God created them with no chance of redemption.
How does the horrific conclusion follow from the first? Well, it doesn't from necessity, but in practice, it usually does. Those who believe in once saved always saved, typically believe in a strict sense of salvation requiring an individual to be "saved".
However, I believe both of these extremes are false. The Gospels indicates that one must strive for salvation. However, salvation is something to be attained in the future, not something that we do and finish on Earth.
In Philippians 2:12, St. Paul says: "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." In other places, salvation is shown as being a process. Indeed, why would Jesus command people to tell their sins to "one another" and to let a "mere man" hear confessions if after being saved, salvation was guaranteed? It would make no sense.
As far as those invincibly ignorant, meaning they had no way to ever hear the Gospel, I believe they too can be saved. However, it goes beyond simply not hearing the Gospel. Even those intimately familiar with the Bible and the Church could potentially be saved without baptism, confession, or any assent of belief, if they are invicibly ignorant. The Catholic Church teaches that there are two types of people who may not be saved: 1) Those who know that Jesus and his Church are necessary for salvation yet never enter into the Church 2) Those who are among the faithful, who although knowing the truth of the Church, abandon it.
4) We must be in a state of grace with God, and therefore we must strive to avoid sin as much as possible and if we do sin to confess them to another.
I believe this is the most accurate representation of the afterlife. This represents humble submission to the will of God and contrition for our sins. It rejects pride and undue certainty which causes hubris. We acknowledge that we are pitiful sinners in need of God's redemption. It involves listening to God's voice and following his commands.
5) The afterlife exists but they are going to Hell
This is perhaps the saddest view of the afterlife. I met a man one time who clearly said he understood the Gospels but he is rejecting them and by doing so he knows the the consequences, including Hell, and he accepts that.
To me, his position is virtually oxymoronic. How can one understand Hell and all it entails then willfully choose it? I believe in our society there's been a sort of revision of what Hell is. Classically Hell is a complete separation from God. What it is actually like can only be expressed with symbolism, because it is not like Earth. The Christian tradition maintains that Heaven and Hell are outside of time and space. Therefore, the type of suffering experienced in Hell is uncertain.
The Catholic Catechism says the following about hell:
Many think hell was just "invented" by religious leaders in order to control the actions of people. Threatening someone with hell will make them operate the way you see fit, if they trust you as a moral authority.
However, this theory falls flat on many levels:
- Those pronouncing hell must also follow the moral code they prescribe. The past two popes, for instance, have gone to confession regularly, perhaps once a week or more. Pope John Paul II practiced self-mortification, and was not concerned about the food he ate or other material things. These would not be the actions of people who were creating ideas to scare people to do their will. These men lived (and live) very strict, moral lives, as do most of the Church law-givers. When was the last time you heard someone say "I want a wealthy, luxurious life. I think I will become a priest." I don't think so.
- Jesus spoke of hell (or Gehenna) often. He had no intention of gaining any kind of temporal power or matieral wealth. Jesus only spoke the truth and Christians and Muslims believe he was free from sin completely. A sinless man does not promote a lie.
- Our gift of free will radically allows us to decide the course of our lives. If we choose to disobey God and to seek separation from Him rather than closeness, God, in his eternal justice, cannot force us to love him. He will honor our free will decisions.
I suppose I could continue talking on this subject for quite some time. The basic point is that people must be ready. Live the life you believe God wants you to live.
Well, I think you should. Last night I was awaken by what sounded like someone in my apartment around 5:30am. It was really scary. I got up and carefully checked the whole house, but there was nothing there. My conclusion is that someone was upstairs and the sound traveled below. It was really quite creepy because it sounded like someone was right outside my door. I even thought I heard it again after I went to bed again.
I said a prayer to ward off any evil spirits. Then I went back to sleep. Around 8:30 I woke up again, and noticed Manasi just called, so I called her back. We chatted for a bit, then I went back to sleep.
When I went back to sleep this time, I had a very vivid and scary dream. Someone had entered my apartment. I got up to check who it was. Some large man wearing probably a leather jacket came in and went into the living room. I repeated hello hello over and over but he did not respond. I began to wonder if he was deaf.
But then he came into my room. Eventually he was joined by another man of similar description. The first man told me he was there to kill me. I was terrified. I realized he was a hitman. I had no idea this was a dream and thought for sure it was real. I had even asked myself if it was and came to the certain conclusion that this was indeed happening.
I couldn't make a cell phone call. I tried to divert his attention to something else while I secretly dialed 911. Eventually I had my phone in my hand and could possibly dial 911. However, I think I woke up before anything could happen. However, I do remember diverting his attention somewhat successfully.
I remember asking the other man if I could see a priest. Convinced they would kill me, I wanted to make a confession before death. To me that is the most terrifying possibility. It's not so much death itself but the afterlife.
That dream ended, and not too long after I was awaken around 9:30 by Tom upstairs who was knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell. That was also rather alarming. I assumed it was Manasi, but it wasn't. I came out in my housecoat to see what was going on. He told me I had to drive my car out because the excavating equipment would make it impossible to leave for the rest of the day till the night. So I quickly got dressed and went outside. He said they were starting in 5 minutes.
Anyway, after this traumatizing night, I realize people must consider their eternal fates. Are you prepared? Specifically are you ready for heaven?
I believe in these matters we must follow our consciences and be as careful as possible. For me, that means confessing any mortal sins to a priest, because that's how I believe Jesus instituted the act of forgiveness. I also believe forgiveness is possible through a perfectly contrite confession to God. What is perfectly contrite? It means you are sorry for your sins because you love God so much and are so sorry for having offended him.
I think a lot of people are way too casual on this topic. They believe one of the following:
1) The afterlife doesn't exist. We just turn to dust.
2) The afterlife exists but surely they are going to Heaven because God will forgive them anyway.
3) They were saved, and therefore no further action is required. All past, present, and future sins are blotted out and heaven is guaranteed.
4) We must be in a state of grace with God, and therefore we must strive to avoid sin as much as possible and if we do sin to confess them to another.
5) The afterlife exists but they are going to Hell
Here are my responses to those propositions:
1) The afterlife doesn't exist. We just turn to dust.
Are you willing to risk everything to believe this proposition? Are you 100% certain that the afterlife doesn't exist? Are you sure there isn't even a 0.1% chance that it does? Even if you believe there is but a 0.1% chance that Hell exists, you should take actions which will get you to Heaven. Why? Because the consequences are eternal. If the afterlife is eternal, as is usually the portrayal, then this life is a mere flash, much less than 0.1% of our entire existence. So mathematically it makes sense to live a good life in a way which would prepare us for Heaven even with just 0.1% belief in it.
2) The afterlife exists but surely they are going to Heaven because God will forgive them anyway.
This is called presumption, and it's considered a sin. It's the opposite of the moral value of despair, which is an abandonment of all hope that one will enter into Heaven. I will cover this in section 5. Presumption is an inordinate level of hope. It forsakes "fear of the Lord" in favor of seeing God as a servant to our desires.
St. Gregory from whom we get the term "Gregorian Chant", believed presumption to be a "daughter" of pride (or vainglory as he put it). I agree that presumption contains a strong element of pride, like a spoiled child who assumes his parent will not punish him no matter his misdeed.
This belief may have come from a commonly held opinion today that because God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), he could not allow anyone to go to Hell. However, this belief is not supported by evidence. Jesus speaks more about Hell than he does about Heaven. God is not only Love but also Justice. He gives each person free will and therefore the ability to either follow God and worship him, or to reject God and separate himself from him. A person is free to choose Hell and God will not overpower his free will decision.
3) They were "saved", and therefore no further action is required. All past, present, and future sins are blotted out and heaven is guaranteed.
This is a commonly held belief, which is similar to #2, however with some key differences. A strong literal reading of this belief has both reassurance and horror attached to it. It is reassuring to be 100% certain of one's salvation. But it is equally terrifying to believe that those incapable of hearing God's word should perish in eternal damnation. It would be as if God created them with no chance of redemption.
How does the horrific conclusion follow from the first? Well, it doesn't from necessity, but in practice, it usually does. Those who believe in once saved always saved, typically believe in a strict sense of salvation requiring an individual to be "saved".
However, I believe both of these extremes are false. The Gospels indicates that one must strive for salvation. However, salvation is something to be attained in the future, not something that we do and finish on Earth.
In Philippians 2:12, St. Paul says: "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." In other places, salvation is shown as being a process. Indeed, why would Jesus command people to tell their sins to "one another" and to let a "mere man" hear confessions if after being saved, salvation was guaranteed? It would make no sense.
As far as those invincibly ignorant, meaning they had no way to ever hear the Gospel, I believe they too can be saved. However, it goes beyond simply not hearing the Gospel. Even those intimately familiar with the Bible and the Church could potentially be saved without baptism, confession, or any assent of belief, if they are invicibly ignorant. The Catholic Church teaches that there are two types of people who may not be saved: 1) Those who know that Jesus and his Church are necessary for salvation yet never enter into the Church 2) Those who are among the faithful, who although knowing the truth of the Church, abandon it.
4) We must be in a state of grace with God, and therefore we must strive to avoid sin as much as possible and if we do sin to confess them to another.
I believe this is the most accurate representation of the afterlife. This represents humble submission to the will of God and contrition for our sins. It rejects pride and undue certainty which causes hubris. We acknowledge that we are pitiful sinners in need of God's redemption. It involves listening to God's voice and following his commands.
5) The afterlife exists but they are going to Hell
This is perhaps the saddest view of the afterlife. I met a man one time who clearly said he understood the Gospels but he is rejecting them and by doing so he knows the the consequences, including Hell, and he accepts that.
To me, his position is virtually oxymoronic. How can one understand Hell and all it entails then willfully choose it? I believe in our society there's been a sort of revision of what Hell is. Classically Hell is a complete separation from God. What it is actually like can only be expressed with symbolism, because it is not like Earth. The Christian tradition maintains that Heaven and Hell are outside of time and space. Therefore, the type of suffering experienced in Hell is uncertain.
The Catholic Catechism says the following about hell:
1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity.
Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire."617
The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
In terms of what hell is like, I point out where it says: "The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God."
I will be writing another blog post soon on whether hell must be the worst imaginable place. If you would like more information on what the Catholic Church has to say about hell, visit the catechism, and read starting at section 1033.
6) Only Heaven exists
Once again, this is a notion which has gained particular popularity in our culture. It varies slightly from a previous belief in which the person believes they will definitely go to Heaven and not possibly to hell. In this belief, it is posited that everyone goes to Heaven regardless because there is only a Heaven and hell doesn't exist. A nun once told me that hell doesn't exist. I met this nun this past weekend at the Basilica.
To believe only Heaven exists would mean Jesus was making up hell to scare people, and that hell had been revealed to the Jews in the Old Testament for the same reason. But we have no other accounts of God lying and never clarifying his position. How can we summarily dismiss hell, simply because it is unpleasant? We must provide evidence.
7) Notes:
7.1 Theologians
Some theologians have proposed the idea that although hell exists, it is possible that everyone has and will go to Heaven. They may not even teach that this is the case, but rather that it is theoretically possible. I agree with this assessment. The Church has never proclaimed someone to be in hell.
7.2 Belief becomes reality
A popular idea held by many, which is not enunciated, is that their beliefs will determine reality. So if the topic of hell is brought up, they will say "I don't believe in hell", as if their lack or belief in it, will cause it to not exist. We were raised in schools where teachers threw out a question and everyone's opinion was written on a white board and everyone was congratulated for being correct. From this, we have many people who think because they believe something, it becomes reality.
If they believe hell doesn't exist, then it doesn't. If they don't believe in an afterlife, then it doesn't exist.
The only being who can "think" something out of existence is God. Not surprisingly, many have placed themselves on this level, by acting as final arbiter of moral choices.
7.3 Afterlife is man-madeMany think hell was just "invented" by religious leaders in order to control the actions of people. Threatening someone with hell will make them operate the way you see fit, if they trust you as a moral authority.
However, this theory falls flat on many levels:
- Those pronouncing hell must also follow the moral code they prescribe. The past two popes, for instance, have gone to confession regularly, perhaps once a week or more. Pope John Paul II practiced self-mortification, and was not concerned about the food he ate or other material things. These would not be the actions of people who were creating ideas to scare people to do their will. These men lived (and live) very strict, moral lives, as do most of the Church law-givers. When was the last time you heard someone say "I want a wealthy, luxurious life. I think I will become a priest." I don't think so.
- Jesus spoke of hell (or Gehenna) often. He had no intention of gaining any kind of temporal power or matieral wealth. Jesus only spoke the truth and Christians and Muslims believe he was free from sin completely. A sinless man does not promote a lie.
- Our gift of free will radically allows us to decide the course of our lives. If we choose to disobey God and to seek separation from Him rather than closeness, God, in his eternal justice, cannot force us to love him. He will honor our free will decisions.
I suppose I could continue talking on this subject for quite some time. The basic point is that people must be ready. Live the life you believe God wants you to live.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 04, 2010
Next Radio Show: Today at 8:00 EST (7:00pm Central)
Listen to my show tonight at 8pm Eastern Time, 7:00 Central
Please post any questions or comments you have as a comment to this post, and I will read them on the air.
Or you can call into the live show at (818) 394-8550. Or email philinaberdeen@gmail.com
Tonight's topics will include:
- Nobel prize for in-vitro fertilization
- Druidism being acknowledged as an official religion in the UK
- Protest over company that refused to make "gay" cupcakes
- Michael Crichton on environmentalism as a religion
- Reaction to relatively young people at Mass
- Sex abuse in schools
Please post any questions or comments you have as a comment to this post, and I will read them on the air.
Or you can call into the live show at (818) 394-8550. Or email philinaberdeen@gmail.com
Tonight's topics will include:
- Nobel prize for in-vitro fertilization
- Druidism being acknowledged as an official religion in the UK
- Protest over company that refused to make "gay" cupcakes
- Michael Crichton on environmentalism as a religion
- Reaction to relatively young people at Mass
- Sex abuse in schools
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Next radio show today at 1:30ET (12:30pm Central)
Call in and ask your question. Or reply with a question as a comment here. You can ask anonymously. The phone number is 818-394-8550 or email philinaberdeen@gmail.com
Comments also welcome.
Comments also welcome.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Next radio program at 1:30pm Eastern (12:30pm Central) Today
To listen to my live show, click the play button in the column to the right.
To call in, dial (818) 394-8550.
To call in, dial (818) 394-8550.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Next Program on Monday, September 26 at 1:00PM EST (12:00PM Central)
Please call into the show. Press the play button on the right to hear the live episode, or if it is not playing, to hear the latest episode.
The number to reach me on the air is 1 (818) 394-8550.
Or you can add a comment to this blog post or email me at philinaberdeen@gmail.com
The number to reach me on the air is 1 (818) 394-8550.
Or you can add a comment to this blog post or email me at philinaberdeen@gmail.com
Friday, September 24, 2010
Next Radio Program at 1:00 ET Today
Hey everyone,
I will be airing my next radio broadcast today at 1:00PM Eastern Time (12:00 Central). The show is 2 hours.
To listen, go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/holymotherchurch/2010/09/24/the-catholic-faith-discussion-forum
As usual, I will be discussing Catholic issues, but also general issues of morality, ethics, etc. from a Catholic perspective.
Please feel free to call into the show at 1 (818) 394-8550.
I will also answer qusetions I receive via email. There are two ways to reach me:
1) Comment on this blog post
2) Email me at mailto:philinaberdeen@gmail.comwith subject RADIO SHOW
Hope you can listen in!
Phil
I will be airing my next radio broadcast today at 1:00PM Eastern Time (12:00 Central). The show is 2 hours.
To listen, go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/holymotherchurch/2010/09/24/the-catholic-faith-discussion-forum
As usual, I will be discussing Catholic issues, but also general issues of morality, ethics, etc. from a Catholic perspective.
Please feel free to call into the show at 1 (818) 394-8550.
I will also answer qusetions I receive via email. There are two ways to reach me:
1) Comment on this blog post
2) Email me at mailto:philinaberdeen@gmail.comwith subject RADIO SHOW
Hope you can listen in!
Phil
Thursday, September 23, 2010
My radio show is on the air right now - please listen
Hi everyone,
I have a Catholic Radio Show which is on the air right now.
You can listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/holymotherchurch/2010/09/23/the-catholic-faith-discussion-forum-1
Please call in. I have no callers so far. The number is 1 (818) 394-8550
Don't be shy!
Phil
I have a Catholic Radio Show which is on the air right now.
You can listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/holymotherchurch/2010/09/23/the-catholic-faith-discussion-forum-1
Please call in. I have no callers so far. The number is 1 (818) 394-8550
Don't be shy!
Phil
Monday, September 20, 2010
Could dust threaten the Sistine Chapel
It seems the millions of visitors to the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City are carrying dust and pollen with them. This may cause problems down the road and so the Vatican is looking at ways to protect the artwork.
Here is the full article:
Tourist crowds threaten Vatican's Sistine Chapel
(AP) – 1 hour ago
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican Museums chief warned that dust and polluting agents brought into the Sistine Chapel by thousands of tourists every day risk one day endangering its priceless artworks.
Antonio Paolucci told the newspaper La Repubblica in comments published Thursday that in order to preserve Michelangelo's Last Judgment and the other treasures in the Sistine Chapel, new tools to control temperature and humidity must be studied and implemented.
Between 15,000 and 20,000 people a day, or over 4 million a year, visit the chapel where popes get elected, to admire its frescoes, floor mosaics and paintings.
"In this chapel people often invoke the Holy Spirit. But the people who fill this room every day aren't pure spirits," Paolucci told the newspaper.
"Such a crowd ... emanates sweat, breath, carbon dioxide, all sorts of dust," he said. "This deadly combination is moved around by winds and ends up on the walls, meaning on the artwork."
Paolucci said better tools were necessary to avoid "serious damage" to the chapel.
Visitors who want to see Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" in Milan must go through a filtration system to help reduce the work's exposure to dust and pollutants. This has made seeing da Vinci's masterpiece more difficult: 25 visitors are admitted every 15 minutes.
The Sistine Chapel, featuring works by Michelangelo, Botticelli and Perugino, underwent a massive restoration that ended in the late 1990s. The restoration was controversial because some critics said the refurbishing made the colors brighter than originally intended.
Here is the full article:
Tourist crowds threaten Vatican's Sistine Chapel
(AP) – 1 hour ago
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican Museums chief warned that dust and polluting agents brought into the Sistine Chapel by thousands of tourists every day risk one day endangering its priceless artworks.
Antonio Paolucci told the newspaper La Repubblica in comments published Thursday that in order to preserve Michelangelo's Last Judgment and the other treasures in the Sistine Chapel, new tools to control temperature and humidity must be studied and implemented.
Between 15,000 and 20,000 people a day, or over 4 million a year, visit the chapel where popes get elected, to admire its frescoes, floor mosaics and paintings.
"In this chapel people often invoke the Holy Spirit. But the people who fill this room every day aren't pure spirits," Paolucci told the newspaper.
"Such a crowd ... emanates sweat, breath, carbon dioxide, all sorts of dust," he said. "This deadly combination is moved around by winds and ends up on the walls, meaning on the artwork."
Paolucci said better tools were necessary to avoid "serious damage" to the chapel.
Visitors who want to see Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" in Milan must go through a filtration system to help reduce the work's exposure to dust and pollutants. This has made seeing da Vinci's masterpiece more difficult: 25 visitors are admitted every 15 minutes.
The Sistine Chapel, featuring works by Michelangelo, Botticelli and Perugino, underwent a massive restoration that ended in the late 1990s. The restoration was controversial because some critics said the refurbishing made the colors brighter than originally intended.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Hilarious Protestor
While some were protesting with simplistic slogans like Nope to the Pope, one man had a hilarious poster that showed his true Catholic understanding and sense of humour.Check out the story here: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/09/19/one-protester-the-pope-would-have-liked/
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Papal Protestors Oppose Freedom of Religion
Isn't it so ironic? Secularists, atheists, and the liberally-minded all say that people have the right to believe or do anything they want. If you want to have sex with anyone, go right ahead. If you end up pregnant, get an abortion if you want. If you want to have a religion, have one, but if you don't want one, then don't. So much choice. Freedom in their minds is the ability to do anything one wants. Ironically though, behind this thin veneer of freedom, we find a dictatorship. You can believe anything you like, as long as it agrees with them.
Kind of reminds me of Henry Ford when he said you can have any color car you want, as long as it's black. A prominent group of atheists including Richard Dawkins is protesting the Pope's visit to Britain. Along with him are many secularists and liberals in general who want the pope nowhere near the UK.
They say the state should not be sponsoring the trip of the leader of a Church which condemns the killing of children in the womb, restricts (as Jesus did) the ministerial priesthood to men, and which upholds the traditional views on marriage which preclude homosexual unions and contraception.
They say we are free to believe anything we want, as long as we support abortion, female ordination, homosexual unions, and contraception. Sounds like doublespeak to me. Kind of like calling North Korea, which doesn't hold elections and oppresses its people, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
These individuals do not want freedom, they want oppression. They demand that everyone support their agenda and allow all kinds of moral evil, while at the same time preventing people from upholding traditional values.
While the Pope calls for freedom of religion and conscience, these tyrants say the state should do all in its power to eradicate religion and religious belief. Only atheism, they say, can be acceptable. Richard Dawkins gets so much media attention where he is able to express all his atheistic beliefs. He writes books which sell to millions of people. Yet when another man, namely Pope Benedict, is invited to offer his thoughts, Richard Dawkins is livid. He even tried to have the pope arrested.
Richard Dawkins and his atheist cronies have no real power right now and yet when the pope visits they receive extraordinary levels of media coverage. With the little power they have, they try to destroy freedom of religion, they say any expression of a thought contrary to theirs should be banned, and they generally try to create an atheistic totalitarian regime.
Imagine what they'd do if they had any real power.
Kind of reminds me of Henry Ford when he said you can have any color car you want, as long as it's black. A prominent group of atheists including Richard Dawkins is protesting the Pope's visit to Britain. Along with him are many secularists and liberals in general who want the pope nowhere near the UK.
They say the state should not be sponsoring the trip of the leader of a Church which condemns the killing of children in the womb, restricts (as Jesus did) the ministerial priesthood to men, and which upholds the traditional views on marriage which preclude homosexual unions and contraception.
They say we are free to believe anything we want, as long as we support abortion, female ordination, homosexual unions, and contraception. Sounds like doublespeak to me. Kind of like calling North Korea, which doesn't hold elections and oppresses its people, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
These individuals do not want freedom, they want oppression. They demand that everyone support their agenda and allow all kinds of moral evil, while at the same time preventing people from upholding traditional values.
While the Pope calls for freedom of religion and conscience, these tyrants say the state should do all in its power to eradicate religion and religious belief. Only atheism, they say, can be acceptable. Richard Dawkins gets so much media attention where he is able to express all his atheistic beliefs. He writes books which sell to millions of people. Yet when another man, namely Pope Benedict, is invited to offer his thoughts, Richard Dawkins is livid. He even tried to have the pope arrested.
Richard Dawkins and his atheist cronies have no real power right now and yet when the pope visits they receive extraordinary levels of media coverage. With the little power they have, they try to destroy freedom of religion, they say any expression of a thought contrary to theirs should be banned, and they generally try to create an atheistic totalitarian regime.
Imagine what they'd do if they had any real power.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
14:06ET Mass has ended
The Scottish Mass has ended. The pope's trip to Scotland is now officially concluded.
Ita Missa Est!
Ita Missa Est!
13:46 All nationalities receive communion from the pope
All kinds of people are receiving the Eucharist from the pope. One Indian lady was wearing a sari. When receiving they kneel in front of the pope who is sitting. He places the eucharist on their tongue and a priest hold a communion patent under their mouth.
13:43ET Pope giving communion
The pope and other bishops and priests are distributing communion to the masses now.
While people receive the Eucharist, the choir is singing a St. Teresa's Church favorite, Take and Eat. There is a certain Scottish flavour to their rendition.
While people receive the Eucharist, the choir is singing a St. Teresa's Church favorite, Take and Eat. There is a certain Scottish flavour to their rendition.
13:28ET Pope continues with Eucharistic Prayers
The pope's English is really very good. Very clear and easy to understand.
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