It has been a long time, hasn't it? I know I've promised to keep up with my blog on a regular basis, but this time I mean it.
I've been thinking about going to grad school. I have an interest in the Museum Studies program at the University of Florida. Now, it will be at least a year before I apply (if not longer). First, I have to take the GRE before I apply. But before I even do that, I'm going to start volunteering again at Mission San Luis. This will allow me to gain some experience.
Until next time.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Friday, July 27, 2012
God is love
I hear all the time about how God is love. Yes, God is love, but he's also holy. Love doesn't mean he confirms us in our sin. That isn't love, it's indulgence and they aren't the same thing.
Parents love their children. Loving their children doesn't mean letting them play in the street, where they might get hit by cars. Loving their children doesn't mean letting them play with knives.
Loving someone doesn't mean you allow them to continue on aimlessly, in the wrong direction. It means you show them the right path, help direct them back to the right path. That's the love God shows us. That's the love we need to remember that God has.
So, when one hears that God is love, remember to think about what love truly is, not what we want it to mean.
Parents love their children. Loving their children doesn't mean letting them play in the street, where they might get hit by cars. Loving their children doesn't mean letting them play with knives.
Loving someone doesn't mean you allow them to continue on aimlessly, in the wrong direction. It means you show them the right path, help direct them back to the right path. That's the love God shows us. That's the love we need to remember that God has.
So, when one hears that God is love, remember to think about what love truly is, not what we want it to mean.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Interesting week
I've been attending daily Mass this week, getting up early enough for the 7 AM liturgy. The Gospel readings this week have been from the Sermon of the Mount. In the current readings, Jesus talks about how we are to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, pray for our enemies.
This is especially interesting considering that Mass this upcoming Friday will focus on St. Thomas More (for whom my parish is named and the patron saint for my diocese). This is especially particular timing given the focus on religious freedoms and President Obama's HHS mandate plans.
While we should be concerned about religious freedom in this country, we also need to keep in mind this: if it comes down to a choice of whom we should obey, we should obey God first. We can and should obey our leaders in government if the laws they pass do not conflict with God's laws.
But most importantly, we should pray for our leaders. We must pray that they will pass good laws and not laws that would attempt to force us to deny our faith.
This is especially interesting considering that Mass this upcoming Friday will focus on St. Thomas More (for whom my parish is named and the patron saint for my diocese). This is especially particular timing given the focus on religious freedoms and President Obama's HHS mandate plans.
While we should be concerned about religious freedom in this country, we also need to keep in mind this: if it comes down to a choice of whom we should obey, we should obey God first. We can and should obey our leaders in government if the laws they pass do not conflict with God's laws.
But most importantly, we should pray for our leaders. We must pray that they will pass good laws and not laws that would attempt to force us to deny our faith.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Doing Better
Well, it hasn't been as long between my previous post and this one, has it? :)
I've been thinking of going into grad school and have started looking around for some grad programs. I have a general idea of what I would like to do, but haven't settled on a school just yet.
Now, there are some who might not believe it, but I'm actually looking at Notre Dame. The other university I'm looking at for grad school is the Catholic University of America, located in Washington D.C. I may not have a calling to the priesthood, but I feel my future career may lie with the Church.
Anyway, that's all for now. Hopefully it won't be another four months until my next post. :)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Long, long time
I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I've last posted. Well, I'll do my best to update as much as possible.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Confession: A Sacrament of Healing
I became a full fledged member of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2007. Since I had already been baptized when I was younger, all I needed to do was make a profession of faith and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Before I was confirmed by the bishop, and since I had been baptized, I had to go to Confession and confess all known mortal sins I had committed. In this entry, I hope to answer three questions non-Catholics might have about this important sacrament: why is Confession necessary, what is Confession, and on what authority was this sacrament established?
First, why do we need Confession? In order to fully understand this sacrament, a basic understanding of the Catholic teaching of original sin is necessary. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin and death entered this world. Since then, humans have been suffering from the effects of original AND actual sin. Original sin is what stained our souls and separated us from God. Actual sins are the actions we commit, or refuse to commit, that violate God's laws and commands. According to the teachings of the Church, there have been only two who have not suffered the effects of original sin. First, and most obviously, our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The other was his mother, Mary, whom we believe was preserved from the effects of sin by God in order to prepare for her role in the Incarnation of Christ.
When Catholics begin receiving the sacraments, the first sacrament is baptism. It washes away the stain of original sin, symbolizing our entry into the Church and beginnings as Christians. Even though it washes away the original sin, we are still prone to actual sin. That is where the Sacrament comes in. It allows us to repent of any sins that we may have made, and helps reestablish our relationship with our Lord.
Second, what is Confession? What exactly goes on in the confessional? In order to make a good and proper confession, we need to examine our consciences and see where we have failed to follow Christ. There are a few ways in which we can sin, with each category overlapping the other in places. First, there are sins of commission and sins of omissions. Sins of commission are sins we actually commit that violate God's laws and commands. Sins of omission are actions we are commanded to do, but don't do. These two categories can fall under two other categories: mortal and venial sins.
Mortal sins are the most serious type of sins. In order for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met. First, the sin must be grave matter. Second, we must know it's grave matter. Finally, we must commit that sin with full intention of the will. If any of these conditions are not met, then the sin is venial. When we go to Confession, we are obligated to confess all known mortal sins (key word being known), and we are strongly encouraged to confess venial sins. If we fail to knowingly confess our mortal sins, then a mockery of the sacrament is made. Confession, which is considered a Sacrament of Healing, is like going to the doctor. Failing to tell the doctor of all your symptoms will not help the doctor make a proper diagnosis or suggest a proper course of treatment. Likewise, failing to confess all known mortal sins doesn't allow the priest to give us helpful advice and a suitable penance.
The procedure for Confession goes as follows: the penitent enters the confessional, confesses sins, receives advice (depending on the priest) and a penance. A penance is the equivalent of a spiritual prescription, designed to help repair our relationship with God. Then, the pentitent gives an Act of Contrition (this is very important), and then receives absolution. As mentioned above, making a good confession depends on confessing all known mortal sins. Another way to make a good confession is to have firm purpose of amendment. Basically, we must firmly resolve not to commit that sin again. As humans, we will stumble and fall, but we must resolve not to intentionally commit that sin again. Otherwise, it makes a mockery of the sacrament.
Finally, on what authority was his sacrament established? By Jesus himself. In the Old Testament, there is a foreshadowing of the sacrament when King David confessed the sins of adultery and murder to Nathan, the prophet. In John 20: 22-23, Jesus himself grants the apostles the authority to forgive sins. Whatever sins are forgiven, they will be forgiven; what sins are retained, they're retained. To this day, only a priest who has the proper permission can hear confessions and offer absolution. When a priest hears confession. he acts "in persona Christi." Because of the seriousness of the sacrament, because of the necessity for the penitent to be able to confess his sins, the priest cannot reveal what he learned in the confessional. This is known as the Seal of the Confessional, and is known as the Priest-Penitent Privilege, one of the few privileges restricting or banning testimony in a court of law.
Hopefully, this will answer any questions some might have regarding this important sacrament of the Catholic Church.
First, why do we need Confession? In order to fully understand this sacrament, a basic understanding of the Catholic teaching of original sin is necessary. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin and death entered this world. Since then, humans have been suffering from the effects of original AND actual sin. Original sin is what stained our souls and separated us from God. Actual sins are the actions we commit, or refuse to commit, that violate God's laws and commands. According to the teachings of the Church, there have been only two who have not suffered the effects of original sin. First, and most obviously, our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The other was his mother, Mary, whom we believe was preserved from the effects of sin by God in order to prepare for her role in the Incarnation of Christ.
When Catholics begin receiving the sacraments, the first sacrament is baptism. It washes away the stain of original sin, symbolizing our entry into the Church and beginnings as Christians. Even though it washes away the original sin, we are still prone to actual sin. That is where the Sacrament comes in. It allows us to repent of any sins that we may have made, and helps reestablish our relationship with our Lord.
Second, what is Confession? What exactly goes on in the confessional? In order to make a good and proper confession, we need to examine our consciences and see where we have failed to follow Christ. There are a few ways in which we can sin, with each category overlapping the other in places. First, there are sins of commission and sins of omissions. Sins of commission are sins we actually commit that violate God's laws and commands. Sins of omission are actions we are commanded to do, but don't do. These two categories can fall under two other categories: mortal and venial sins.
Mortal sins are the most serious type of sins. In order for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met. First, the sin must be grave matter. Second, we must know it's grave matter. Finally, we must commit that sin with full intention of the will. If any of these conditions are not met, then the sin is venial. When we go to Confession, we are obligated to confess all known mortal sins (key word being known), and we are strongly encouraged to confess venial sins. If we fail to knowingly confess our mortal sins, then a mockery of the sacrament is made. Confession, which is considered a Sacrament of Healing, is like going to the doctor. Failing to tell the doctor of all your symptoms will not help the doctor make a proper diagnosis or suggest a proper course of treatment. Likewise, failing to confess all known mortal sins doesn't allow the priest to give us helpful advice and a suitable penance.
The procedure for Confession goes as follows: the penitent enters the confessional, confesses sins, receives advice (depending on the priest) and a penance. A penance is the equivalent of a spiritual prescription, designed to help repair our relationship with God. Then, the pentitent gives an Act of Contrition (this is very important), and then receives absolution. As mentioned above, making a good confession depends on confessing all known mortal sins. Another way to make a good confession is to have firm purpose of amendment. Basically, we must firmly resolve not to commit that sin again. As humans, we will stumble and fall, but we must resolve not to intentionally commit that sin again. Otherwise, it makes a mockery of the sacrament.
Finally, on what authority was his sacrament established? By Jesus himself. In the Old Testament, there is a foreshadowing of the sacrament when King David confessed the sins of adultery and murder to Nathan, the prophet. In John 20: 22-23, Jesus himself grants the apostles the authority to forgive sins. Whatever sins are forgiven, they will be forgiven; what sins are retained, they're retained. To this day, only a priest who has the proper permission can hear confessions and offer absolution. When a priest hears confession. he acts "in persona Christi." Because of the seriousness of the sacrament, because of the necessity for the penitent to be able to confess his sins, the priest cannot reveal what he learned in the confessional. This is known as the Seal of the Confessional, and is known as the Priest-Penitent Privilege, one of the few privileges restricting or banning testimony in a court of law.
Hopefully, this will answer any questions some might have regarding this important sacrament of the Catholic Church.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Freedom vs License
We hear a couple of words that are thrown around lightly, but do people really understand what those words mean? When the United States entered World War I, Woodrow Wilson had the goal of making the world safe for democracy. Yet, 20 years after World War I ended, not only were most of the European nations under the control of dictatorships, but an even more destructive war had begun. When the decision was made to enter Iraq, George W. Bush talked about bringing democracy to the people of Iraq. Iraq, while not Iran, has yet to stand on its own two feet, so we don't know if democracy will hold in that country. Also, there have been widespread revolts and protests in the Middle East against dictators or other forms of authoritarian governments. It remains to be seen if democracy will take hold in any of those countries.
But the words I would like to address are: freedom, and rights. We keep hearing them as buzzwords, instead of taking the time to think about their proper context. What does freedom mean? What are our rights? People believe freedom gives us the "right" to do whatever we want as long as it's not criminal. But, in my opinion, the word they should be using is: license. What is the difference between freedom and license? Freedom is the ability for us to do what we should; license is the ability to do what we want. But there's more to license than that definition. By the very examples of marriage licenses, driver licenses, it has the connotation of an authority approving certain actions.
What certain groups are trying to push (like abortion on demand and gay marriage) doesn't have anything to do with freedom, but license. They want approval of those actions. Freedom, on the other hand, is the ability to do things we need to do and what we ought to do. In my opinion, there is no freedom or right to engage in pornography, but today's society gives it license, approval. Real freedom comes not through what the government decides, but comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ. His death on the cross and resurrection gave us true freedom: freedom from sin, and the right to worship him in spirit and in truth.
Next time you hear the word freedom, ask yourself this question: is the word freedom being connected to activities we want to do, or that we need to do?
But the words I would like to address are: freedom, and rights. We keep hearing them as buzzwords, instead of taking the time to think about their proper context. What does freedom mean? What are our rights? People believe freedom gives us the "right" to do whatever we want as long as it's not criminal. But, in my opinion, the word they should be using is: license. What is the difference between freedom and license? Freedom is the ability for us to do what we should; license is the ability to do what we want. But there's more to license than that definition. By the very examples of marriage licenses, driver licenses, it has the connotation of an authority approving certain actions.
What certain groups are trying to push (like abortion on demand and gay marriage) doesn't have anything to do with freedom, but license. They want approval of those actions. Freedom, on the other hand, is the ability to do things we need to do and what we ought to do. In my opinion, there is no freedom or right to engage in pornography, but today's society gives it license, approval. Real freedom comes not through what the government decides, but comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ. His death on the cross and resurrection gave us true freedom: freedom from sin, and the right to worship him in spirit and in truth.
Next time you hear the word freedom, ask yourself this question: is the word freedom being connected to activities we want to do, or that we need to do?
Hiatus
It has been a long time since my last post. I will try and post more often, depending on what I have to talk about.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Communion in the hand
I realize that there currently is an indult that permits communion in the hand, but maybe it is time that is revoked. At Mass this past Sunday, the priest had to stop someone from walking away with the host. Now, granted it is possible that the person in question just forgot to consume it once the host was placed in the hand, but this is the biggest danger that exists with communion in the hand...the possibility of desecration of the Eucharist.
As Catholics, we believe the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord, and thus should be retreated with utmost respect. Communion on the tongue would go a long way in restoring that respect, although there are other ways that should be implemented to finish restoring that respect. But that's for another time.
As Catholics, we believe the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord, and thus should be retreated with utmost respect. Communion on the tongue would go a long way in restoring that respect, although there are other ways that should be implemented to finish restoring that respect. But that's for another time.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
A Call for Holiness, A Call to Everyone
This weekend, I attended a discernment retreat for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. It was held at the St. John Neumann Center located near Blessed Sacrament Parish here in Tallahassee, Florida. While my main purpose was to take an important step in my discernment process, the one thing I took away from the retreat was this: holiness. We are all called to holiness, rather or not we are single, married, in the priesthood, or in religious life.
What became clear to me is that my discernment must not take priority over the call to holiness. As Pope John Paul II said (quoted in the book The Meaning of Vocation: In the Words of John Paul II), "Christian holiness does not mean being sinless, but rather it means struggling to not give in and always getting up after every fall." Any vocation is connected with the call to holiness, rather the vocation be to the priesthood, to the religious life, to the married life, or as a single lay person. We are all called to holiness; we are all called to live a life that is pleasing to God.The first event of the retreat was Evening Prayer and Mass. For those who do not know, Evening Prayer and Morning Prayer are based on the Liturgy of the Hours. All clergy are obligated to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Evening and Morning Prayer include the reading of two selections of Psalms, singing a hymn, and a reading from another book of the Bible. Fr. William Ganci was the celebrant for the Mass and the title of his homily was "God calls weak, sinful men to proclaim the Gospel." The best example (and the one example used in Old Testament readings at Mass) was David. Samuel the prophet expected to anoint Jesse's oldest son as the new king of Israel. Instead, God chose David, the youngest of Jesse's sons. Later we see with David, that even though he was chosen by God to be king, he was still sinful (as we are all). And keep in mind that Jesus's first apostles were not the educated or upper elite of Israeli society, but fishermen and tax collectors. Only Paul was considered the upper elite, and he wasn't called until Jesus'd death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.
Next in the retreat was a talk given by Msgr. Crawford, the Director of Seminarians. He talked about the present challenges seminarians and clergy face in today's age, and also addressed the importance of hearing the call. The next morning we had Morning Prayer & Mass, with Bishop Ricard as the celebrant. He also gave a talk with the title "Vocation as Total Commitment to Christ." This talk was followed up by Fr. Nicholas Schumm's talk about "The Process and Reply to a Vocation." He included his own discernment in his talk.
We then had a time for recreation, rest, and more prayer. Since I forgot to pack clothes appropriate for recreation, I watched the others played basketball, and got a chance to talk with a few of the seminarians. In the late afternoon, the next talk was presented by a seminarian about "God calling in Earliest Youth." We followed that up with Evening Prayer, and an event called Lord's Day. I don't know a lot about it (still don't for that matter), but from what I gleaned, it was based on an earlier Jewish custom where we broke bread, had some cheese, and a sip of wine. Two seminarians also talked about the importance of fraternity and friendship in Christ. Then we had dinner and chatted for the rest of the evening until it was time for bed.
This morning was the final day of the retreat. We began the day with Morning Prayer, breakfast, and another talk. This talk was given by Fr. Chris Winkeljohn and he emphasized three things: 1. The joy of being generous, 2. Perserverance and fidelity, and 3. The example of Mary. Regarding the first point, he emphasized the need to make known our discernment and not keep it bottled up. Second, he emphasized the importance of keeping up with the discernment and not putting it on the back burner. Finally, he spoke of Mary's willingness to say yes to being the Mother of Our Lord in a time and culture where pregnancy outside of wedlock could've gotten her in serious trouble with the rest of society. I took from this last example how important it is to continue our discernment no matter what trials and tribulations we may face on the way.
We concluded the retreat this morning with Mass celebrated by Msgr. Tugwell, the Director of Vocations. His homily focused on the need to not be afraid with respect to our discernment. Whether or not I end up in the priesthood, I have learned important lessons from this retreat that will serve me well later on in life. Pray for me as I continue my discernment, and pray for the seminarians as they continue their discernment, and pray for the three deacons I met who will be ordained to the priesthood later this year. But most importantly, pray that we all answer the call to holiness, which is a call for everyone.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Anger and other issues
One of the areas I struggle with in my life is anger. It is something I need to get a better control over, especially since I find myself getting angry over the smallest, most trivial things. To that end, I'm going to start limiting the amount of time I spend on the computer (I spend way too much time as it is), especially reading political related news. I don't know if I will quit going online totally, but I am definitely going to work on drastically reducing the time I spend on here.
If I am successful, I hope to not only get a better control of my temper, but it may also help with another problem I'm struggling with. Since my job is not a 9-5 type of job, Monday-Thursday, I'll have to find other things to keep me busy. I know a few things which I need to do that will help in that area.
With the Lord's help, I hope to start having a more calm persona once again.
If I am successful, I hope to not only get a better control of my temper, but it may also help with another problem I'm struggling with. Since my job is not a 9-5 type of job, Monday-Thursday, I'll have to find other things to keep me busy. I know a few things which I need to do that will help in that area.
With the Lord's help, I hope to start having a more calm persona once again.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Obama faith council debates religious icons
Obama Faith Council debates religious icons
During the Presidential Election of 2008, there was a great debate regarding Obama and McCain. Some claimed there wasn't any difference between McCain and Obama. Actually, there is a great difference. First, their respective stance on abortion. While McCain may not have been effective in ending or restricting abortion, Obama actually does all he can to push abortion on the U.S. I'm actually surprised he hasn't tried to make it mandatory ala China.
But this is a 2nd major difference. Does anybody believe John McCain would've considered this? I doubt it. But it shows the flaw of the federal funding of anything. By accepting federal funds, it opens the door to the government telling an organization what they can or cannot do. And for the most part, the government "requests" tend to be reasonable. But for every few reasonable conditions, there are some unreasonable conditions mixed in. We are now seeing the consequence of Bush's federal funding of religious charities. Sure, there were others who opposed the federal funding, but not for this reason I suspect.
Advice to churches and other religious institution: do not accept federal funding. It's better that one has to rely on the private donations of people and be able to fulfill its mission, than to receive federal funding and be restricted on what it can do.
During the Presidential Election of 2008, there was a great debate regarding Obama and McCain. Some claimed there wasn't any difference between McCain and Obama. Actually, there is a great difference. First, their respective stance on abortion. While McCain may not have been effective in ending or restricting abortion, Obama actually does all he can to push abortion on the U.S. I'm actually surprised he hasn't tried to make it mandatory ala China.
But this is a 2nd major difference. Does anybody believe John McCain would've considered this? I doubt it. But it shows the flaw of the federal funding of anything. By accepting federal funds, it opens the door to the government telling an organization what they can or cannot do. And for the most part, the government "requests" tend to be reasonable. But for every few reasonable conditions, there are some unreasonable conditions mixed in. We are now seeing the consequence of Bush's federal funding of religious charities. Sure, there were others who opposed the federal funding, but not for this reason I suspect.
Advice to churches and other religious institution: do not accept federal funding. It's better that one has to rely on the private donations of people and be able to fulfill its mission, than to receive federal funding and be restricted on what it can do.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
V for Victory!: The Crucifix versus the Swastika
V for Victory!: The Crucifix versus the Swastika
There has been great controversy regarding Pope Pius XII and his involvement in World War II. This, along with information about other Catholic martyrs during the war, should help put to rest the myth that the Church was allied with Hitler and the Nazis.
Unfortunately, while it should put that myth to rest, it won't. There are those that are determined to slander the name of Pope Pius XII and other wartime Catholics in order to advance their political (or religious) agenda.
There has been great controversy regarding Pope Pius XII and his involvement in World War II. This, along with information about other Catholic martyrs during the war, should help put to rest the myth that the Church was allied with Hitler and the Nazis.
Unfortunately, while it should put that myth to rest, it won't. There are those that are determined to slander the name of Pope Pius XII and other wartime Catholics in order to advance their political (or religious) agenda.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Me and college athletics
But I need to get this off my chest.
This situation disturbs me, and unfortunately, it's not the first time. Let's begin with Billy Donovan.
When he announced he was going to coach the Magic, I was saddened. What Gator wasn't? And I was initially elated by his return, before I realized the full impact. He broke his word with the Magic, and I am convinced this is affecting us to this day. How much? I don't know.
And now Coach Meyer. One the one hand, he never broke his word with anyone by actually leaving for another job. But on the other hand, the situation was made to think his health was in serious jeopardy. Granted, the media has a tendency to exaggerate things (putting it mildly). But I honestly hope that he tends to his health and is not just a ploy to get leverage over Foley (as some have insinuated).
I may not be a graduate of UF, but I am concerned with UF's integrity. I am somewhat angered that the head coaches of the Gators' two biggest sports programs have damaged the integrity to some degree. As such, it is not in my best interest to continue supporting the programs while they are associated in any form with the university.
I may get blasted. I may get called a traitor by some (who shall remain nameless), but maybe it's for the best. This maybe the wake up call I need to focus on more important things than investing emotion into a football or basketball game. When the time comes for actual coaching changes, I hope that the Gators hire men who will believe that their word is their bond.
This situation disturbs me, and unfortunately, it's not the first time. Let's begin with Billy Donovan.
When he announced he was going to coach the Magic, I was saddened. What Gator wasn't? And I was initially elated by his return, before I realized the full impact. He broke his word with the Magic, and I am convinced this is affecting us to this day. How much? I don't know.
And now Coach Meyer. One the one hand, he never broke his word with anyone by actually leaving for another job. But on the other hand, the situation was made to think his health was in serious jeopardy. Granted, the media has a tendency to exaggerate things (putting it mildly). But I honestly hope that he tends to his health and is not just a ploy to get leverage over Foley (as some have insinuated).
I may not be a graduate of UF, but I am concerned with UF's integrity. I am somewhat angered that the head coaches of the Gators' two biggest sports programs have damaged the integrity to some degree. As such, it is not in my best interest to continue supporting the programs while they are associated in any form with the university.
I may get blasted. I may get called a traitor by some (who shall remain nameless), but maybe it's for the best. This maybe the wake up call I need to focus on more important things than investing emotion into a football or basketball game. When the time comes for actual coaching changes, I hope that the Gators hire men who will believe that their word is their bond.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and Merry Christmas as we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Urgent prayer request
Last evening, Bishop John Ricard suffered a stroke and is currently in the hospital in Pensacola. Please pray for a full recovery.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Unbelievable
If true, this judge should be removed for lack of common sense and lack of adherence to the Constitution. A judge has reportedly issued a restraining order against a father, prohibiting him from taking his child to church. Found this out at Creative Minority Report, which has more information.
Truly unbelievable.
Dad Barred from Taking Child to Church?
Truly unbelievable.
Dad Barred from Taking Child to Church?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Student Group case before Supreme Court
In a case that has implications for religious freedom, freedom of association vs non-discrimination, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a student group who was denied official recognition at a college. The college said that the group's refusal to allow homosexuals to vote or become officers constituted discrimination, even though anybody could attend meetings of the group.
Student Group case before Supreme Court
Given that two Federal Courts of Appeals have issued conflicting opinions involving the same student group, the Supreme Court will issue a decision one way or the other. Not surprisingly, the Court of Appeals that upheld the college's decision is none other than the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. There isn't a liberal cause it hasn't upheld as constitutional or a conservative cause that it has struck down.
Student Group case before Supreme Court
Given that two Federal Courts of Appeals have issued conflicting opinions involving the same student group, the Supreme Court will issue a decision one way or the other. Not surprisingly, the Court of Appeals that upheld the college's decision is none other than the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. There isn't a liberal cause it hasn't upheld as constitutional or a conservative cause that it has struck down.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Episcopal Church strikes again
As if the election of Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop, wasn't controversial enough, this happens:
Lesbian bishop elected
I cannot understand why any church, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox would elect someone whose lifestyle is against what Christian doctrine teaches. It's one thing to sin and then try to live a life pleasing to God, it's another thing to openly live a life that is disobedient.
The main thing I have to say this is: electing a homosexual to a leadership position in a church is like electing a white supremacist to a leadership position in the NAACP. It does not make sense.
Lesbian bishop elected
I cannot understand why any church, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox would elect someone whose lifestyle is against what Christian doctrine teaches. It's one thing to sin and then try to live a life pleasing to God, it's another thing to openly live a life that is disobedient.
The main thing I have to say this is: electing a homosexual to a leadership position in a church is like electing a white supremacist to a leadership position in the NAACP. It does not make sense.
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