A New Pentecost?

Pentecost is referred to as the birth of the Church when the awaited Holy Spirit had come upon the Apostles and they began their mission.

A new pentecost for Pope Francis? Islamic prayers to be held at Vatican. This is part of the continuing saga of the Holy Land Pilgrimage wherein Jesus was not the focus of his pilgrimage but the fraternal(?) EMBRACE. Vatican calls it a break from politics but it would seem to me like a pursuit of an all-too-political peace. Vatican clarifies also that it is "not praying together" but "together praying".
That reminds me of the story of the two seminarians caught smoking. One said, "Father, I smoked while I pray." The other said, "Father, I prayed while I smoke."


Meanwhile, a horrible description of Church desecration in Milan. The Eucharist, the image of Jesus and Mary... outrageous desecration in the See of St. Ambrose, St. Charles Borromeo, Pope Paul VI, and Cardinal Martini. Acts of Reconsecration and Reparation will be done.

In Besançon, France, the church had become a place for performances.

From Catholic Conclave

It's all too sad to think, but the Church, the true church will always be there until the end of time. Yes, as promised by our Messiah. We have 2000 years of spiritual wealth. Lives given up and a great deal of sacrifice and conviction made it possible to preserve. What will happen tomorrow? For the majority, it is faith in the same old life. For the seekers and lovers of truth... ?

Cardinal Tagle's Clarification

Cardinal Tagle clarifies that he did not invite the Neocathechumens. It was actually the other way around, he was invited.

Source: thepinoycatholic.blogspot.com

Blog Out

Another blogger had made his final blog statement. It is actually the first time I have read his blog. Kevin Tierney of Common Sense Catholicism laments what is happening to Catholic Blogosphere. In particular, he did not like the way Simcha Fischer responded to LifeSiteNews' Hilary White on her feature on Pope Francis' kissing the hand of the pro-homosexual advocate Fr. de Paolis. Yes, it did echo... echo... echo.

Much of this world, on both sides of issues whether in politics, showbiz, pro-life, economics really is about reverberation. We are suppose to propagate what we believe in is true, good, and beautiful. Sometimes we have to bring out the lies, the evil, and the ugly in order to see what is true, good, and beautiful.

Many have actually blogged out and in the case of Deacon Connelly of Protect the Pope, it was in obedience to his bishop that he did so. One of the dramatic blog out was that of Ars Orandi. It was s beautiful site that can be appreciated even by non-traditionalist like me. I don't remember the name of the blogger, David Wuerl(?), but he didn't like what was happening to him. He actually expressed his angst just a few times and one can really sense his passion and frustration. Hopefully, he need not have to fall into mediocrity just to squelch his passion.

Negative emotions can really be consuming and understandably many (most esp. the popular ones) have to stop awhile. Many comboxes had been disabled, too. Yet, one can not be passive for so long in the battlefield. Sometimes, it is a matter of finding your vocation. Some may be wielding the armors. Some are medics. Some in communications. Some in the kitchen. Some in chaplaincy. Some in training. All in praying.

Blog out and log in where God calls.

The Power of the Cross is Love

For the Apostle, St. Paul, "for the word of the CROSS is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles" (1 Cor 1: 18-23).

"By this sign, you shall conquer." Twas the dream and vision of Emperor Constantine in 312. It may have not been a deep spiritual conversion for the Emperor but it paved the way for Christianity to have legal rights in 313 thru the Edict of Milan.

In 1203, St. Francis of Assisi who would join the rumbles between localities in Italy dreamt of a vast hall hung with armour all marked with the Cross. Although, he thought that the dream meant he was going to become a prince. It set the nagging voice that would lead to his radical conversion.

In 1842, during the night of January 19-20, the atheist and anti-Catholic Jewish St. Alphonse Ratisbonne was confronted with a vision of a plain, bare CROSS, which gave him no peace. This nagging restlessness which wouldn't go away was the initial call that paved the way to the apparition of our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to him and subsequently led to his celebrated conversion.

For the Jewish phenomenologist St. Edith Stein in 1917 amidst deaths brought about by World War I, it was the Mystery of the Cross that made sense of the tribulations of this world. She wrote, "This was my first meeting with the Cross, with the DIVINE STRENGTH it brings to those who bear it. I saw for the first time within my reach the Church, BORN of the REDEEMER's SUFFERINGS in his VICTORY over the sting of DEATH. It was at that moment that my incredulity was shattered and the LIGHT of Christ shone forth, CHRIST in the MYSTERY of the CROSS."

Benedict XVI (in 2008 October 29) eloquently puts it, "Centuries after Paul we see that in history it was the Cross that triumphed and not the wisdom that opposed it. The Crucified One is wisdom, for he truly shows who God is, that is, a force of love which went even as far as the Cross to save men and women. God uses ways and means that seem to us at first sight to be merely weakness. The Crucified One reveals on the one hand man's frailty and on the other, the true power of God, that is the free gift of love: this TOTALLY GRATUITOUS LOVE is TRUE WISDOM."

Benedict Nostalgia

I love this picture of Benedict XVI. In spite of his white papal attire, he settles down with the rest for lunch. Just comfortable not being at the center of attention.

Source: http://www.motherteresa.org/Centenary/English/news/photogal/Luchwithpoor/index.html

There is the photo of Benedict XVI circulating showing BXVI and Monsignor Georg using rolling walkers. I feel guilty retweeting from Le Vigna de Señore, until clay and spittles called to shame for not respecting the privacy of the old.

I don't feel sad seeing the picture, it is a most natural thing. Benedict XVI is no less endeared to me. Would he be an effective pope in such condition? Yes, I think he still will be. What he is thinking though is God's will and the people of God- the Church. If he stayed on, the hostile forces inside the Vatican could exploit the situation to the detriment of the Church.

God bless ypu, Pope Benedict XVI!! <3

Next in Line: Divorce?

From the proponents of RH bill comes their next move: Divorce
With a very Obamanatic president, Noynoy Aquino, they would surely try to push as much as they can to change the Philippine Culture into an Obama nation (abomi nation).
For sure the loud voices who will be rallying for this bill are those in the Mass Media who are already into their second marriages.

HB 4408 "AN ACT INTRODUCING DIVORCE IN THE PHILIPPINES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLES 26, 55 TO 66 AND REPEALING ARTICLE 36 UNDER TITLE II OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."

Status: Pending with the Committee on POPULATION AND FAMILY RELATIONS since 2014-05-20.//

H/T Youth4life

It's difficult to stomach the corruption in the Philippines from one administration to another, but there is still something in the Philippines which makes it a home. Albeit, the reason why Filipinos are still among the happiest people.

No matter how common a broken family is in our generation, it doesn't lessen the pain and the woundedness it brings to the children. Even sexual abuse of children is higher on those with second, third fathers.

We love. We care... but still that self-centeredness/ self-absorption keeps us from truly loving deeply.

Still on Two Popes

Mundabor's common sense is spot on in his Bursting the Bubble in Pope Rapunzel. He made a point by point on all the angles being issued by the debaters. Part of his concluding words:
Again, you may disagree with this or not, but it makes sense. Benedict is a cerebral guy. He thinks about things. He thought and decided that one cannot “un-Pope himself”. That’s all there is to it.

Stay Away

A Catholic Life discusses the heretical teachings of NeoCathecumenical Way in 2009. Yet, the Archdiocese of Manila is bringing it to Manila according to the Pinoy Catholic.

Just looking at their website, one would have a glimpse of it being odd. Their Eucharistic Banquet is like... a banquet. Their website says that they got their inspiration from Pope Paul VI and likewise mentions St. Pope John Paul II's support and blessing.

A Re-invented Liturgy - the neo way?

Catholic Church- Source of Good

Father Enrico Zoffoli (1915 - 1996) in RorateCaeli, The Source of all that is good.

To sum up:

- evil is in the Church, but not of the Church; She welcomes the errant, but does not approve their error; She open Her arms to the sick, but does not absorb their sickness; She, rather, continues to impose Her attack against sin, which in its defiling of human society, threatens Her members.

- evil – through the fault of believers who are not yet fully assimilated in Christ – is in the Church as the enemy or anti-Church, which lays snares for Her, tries to seduce, overwhelm and secularize Her. Evil, belongs to the world and is enthroned there as in the kingdom of all covetousness and abominations.

Read more at Rorate.