Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Worm

There is going to be a dangerous worm on the internet tomorrow so stay alert.

Religion on Mexican Soap Operas

In American TV shows religion is probably never mentioned, however Mexican soap operas which are showed in Univision mention religion especially Catholicism quite often. I was watching Cuidado con el Angel with my mom the other day. At the end of the show the main characters daughter is sad because her mom is blind so she and her grandma pray the Hail Mary. This would never happen in ABC or FOX. I included the video just skip ahead to 3:50 and watch.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Missing Italian statue found in N.C. home

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29813624/
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A 350-year-old statue of a saint and former pope, taken from an Italian church nearly two decades ago, has been found in the home of a North Carolina couple who had no idea it was stolen, authorities said.
The intricately carved bust of St. Innocent will be returned to the church in Naples, Italy, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agents said.
The statue was one of 17 similar busts and two oil paintings taken from the church in November 1990. Authorities told The Charlotte Observer the trail went cold until two years ago, when officials in Rome let federal agents know an Italian citizen sold a similar statue to an antiques dealer from GreeThe statue sold in Charlotte was bought by the same dealer at an antiques fair in France, said Neal Johnson, the Charlotte dealer who bought the statue from the same Greensboro dealer and sold it to the couple.
"I've never heard of this happening anywhere other than some big-time story in New York," Johnson said. "You don't always know the lineage of pieces you buy."
The wood and painted gold statue was made by 17th-century Franciscan artist Diego da Careri and was part of a set of busts displayed at the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli alle Croci.
It has lost much of its value since it was stolen. The head is gone, part of the cross the saint carried is missing and much of the paint has deteriorated.
Agents continue to investigate the original heist. The Americans involved have not been charged, ICE spokesman Brandon Montgomery said.
"A lot of times, what happens is the person who is knowingly stealing something puts it in the black market," Montgomery said. "It can go through three or four hands before it gets to the first legitimate buyer, so to speak."
St. Innocent was born in Albano, Italy, and became pope in December 401. He was the pope nine years later when the Visigoths captured and sacked Rome.nsboro.

President Obama to deliver Notre Dame’s Commencement address

Such an outrage. How can a Catholic university invite a pro choice president to give a speech to her gratuation class.

Icon of the week


Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Google Search

Did a search on Saint Patricks day on google . Clicked images and started looking for at least one image of Saint Patrick.

Not in page 10.

Finally on page 20 where a group of men are carrying a banner showing Saint Patrick.

Pope Benedict visit to Cameroon





Here are some pictures of the Pope's arrival in Cameroon. I was lucky to watch it online.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Friday, March 13, 2009

Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Dancing Saints

St. Gregory of Nyssa an Episcopalian (I think) church in San Francisco is decorated in a very unusual way. They have what they call icons of "saints" dancing.

Depicted here are Cesar Chavez, Anne Frank, Su Shi, Ella Fitzgerald, Bishop Samuel Schereschewski, John XXIII and Florence Nightingale. Anne Frank and Su Shi weren't even Christian. Pope John XXIII and the Anglican BIshop Samuel are the only ones having to do with religion.

What should science trump?



By Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted March 10, 2009 The Catholic Sun
On Monday, March 9, President Obama signed an executive order that provides federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. This means that American taxpayers will now be paying for the killing of human beings at a very early stage in their lives (as embryos), so that scientific research can make use of them for experiments that may or may not yield positive results.
We U.S. taxpayers will now be forced to pay, whether we wish to or not, for the killing of our youngest brothers and sisters on the dubious hypothesis that their murders might, in the future, benefit others. Why did President Obama make this decision?
Should science trump ideology?
Our president’s rationale is that science should trump ideology. In other words, that ideology should not have the upper hand in making decisions about who pays for research; science should. We Americans, he says, should trust scientists more than we trust ideologues. But who is our president calling ideologues? Those whom he is calling “ideologues” include the following:
Pope Benedict XVI and all faithful Catholics around the world;
People of faith from all major religions who believe that human life, especially at its most innocent and vulnerable stage, needs to be protected, not killed for the sake of older human beings; and
All people of good will who oppose the killing of one group of human beings in order to benefit another group.
“Science should trump ideology” is a code phrase that means science should trump the Fifth Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” It is contending that science should trump the right to life of a certain class of human beings, those who are at the embryonic stage of life. Science, according to our president, does not need to be at the service of the human person or subject to morality. How is this position not influenced by an ideology, which is the very thing our president claims he is seeking to avoid? Is this good for America? Is this what we Americans want our taxes to be used for?
Politics over science and ethics
Let’s be clear about what this presidential decree is about. It is not about overcoming a prohibition against embryonic stem cell research. Tragically, such research is already legal in many places in our country. Already billions of dollars of California taxpayers are funding such heinous research. So our president is not overturning laws that prohibit such research. It is already legal.
What President Obama is doing is forcing all American taxpayers to pay for this homicidal research. He is forcing us who pay taxes to be complicit, in an involuntary yet real way, in this unethical enterprise. All of this is done so that “science can trump ideology.”
Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said this: “President Obama’s new executive order on embryonic stem cell research is a sad victory of politics over science and ethics. This action is morally wrong because it encourages the destruction of innocent human life, treating vulnerable human beings as mere products to be harvested. It also disregards the values of millions of American taxpayers who oppose research that requires taking human life. Finally, it ignores the fact that ethically sound means for advancing stem cell science and medical treatments are readily available and in need of increased support.”
What should be the response of Catholics to this action?
First, we must beg forgiveness for this horrendous sin of our nation. Like the Prophet Daniel, we need to say in all humility and shame (9:4fc), “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws… Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day.”
Second, we Catholics must join with others of good will and make our voices heard across our land, at the White House, on Capitol Hill, in our state Legislatures and in the media. We must not stand by idly while our neighbor’s life is at stake. The dignity of a human person does not depend upon his or her age, developmental stage, or ability to function. Every human being has inherent dignity because God has created us with an eternal soul. No one has the right to extinguish this gift of life but God alone.
Third, we need to point out why such destructive research is especially pointless at this time when ethical means are available, such as the following:
Great advances are being made in reprogramming adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells (the journal Science hailed this as the scientific breakthrough of the year);
Adult and umbilical cord blood stem cells are increasingly being used to reverse serious illnesses and even help rebuild damaged organs.
Fourth, we must pray and fast for an end to this horrendous decision and an end to all attacks on innocent human life. Jesus told us that some evils can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. In this season of Lent, this gives us added reason to do penance in union with our prayers for the protection of all human life.
Fifth, we must not lose hope. False rhetoric such as “science must triumph over ideology” will not stand the test of time. Such counterfeit reasoning and slick cover-up of the truth will not have the last word. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly (Cf. Jn 10:10). In Him, who died to take away sin and rose to restore our life, we place our hope. This hope will never disappoint.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Sunday, March 8, 2009

OPPOSE LEGISLATION ATTACKING CATHOLIC CHURCH

ACTION ALERT - VERY URGENT !!!
The Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly is considering legislation that would restructure Catholic parishes. Senate Bill 1098 directly attacks the Roman Catholic Church in our state. The legislation is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, March 11th, at 12:00 noon, in Room 2C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.IF AT ALL POSSIBLE PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND RELIGIUOS FREEDOM IN OUR STATE. It is extremely important that you contact the members of the Judiciary Committee by clicking on the link at the end of this email. Ask them to oppose this legislation, which is a violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees the free exercise of religion.The Catholic Bishops of Connecticut have stated "This legislation forces a radical reorganization of the legal, financial, and administartive structure of our parishes. This is contrary to the Apostolic nature of the Catholic Church because it disconnects parishes from their Pastors and their Bishops. Parishes would be run by boards from which Pastors and Bishops would be effectively excluded."
What the legislation does: - Requires the reorganization of only Roman Catholic Parishes. It does not reorganize the structure of any other churches. - Requires each parish to elect a board of directors to run all the affairs of the parish. - The Pastor would take all his directions from the board of directors, except on matters of faith, and would be completely answerable to the board. ( In other words, the Pastor would no longer be the leader of the parish. Parishoners with interests, concerns, or recommendations for social ministries would have to approach and obtain approval of the board of directors and not the Pastor. )Beyond the structural changes proposed by the legislation, this legislationn raises serious concerns about separation of church and state. Especially when the legislation is directed at only one specific religious faith community.Please contact the members of the Judiciary Committee by clicking on the link below and plan to attend the hearing. If your elected State Senator or Representative is not on the Judiciary Committee, please also contact them.

Icon of the week

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Abortion Center Staffer Charged in Florida Case Involving Botched Abortion

May our Father have mercy on us!
Miami, FL (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion center staff has finally been charged in a botched abortion case that has drawn national attention. The incident involves the birth of a baby who was born alive on the second day of a two-day abortion procedure, killed, and then hidden from investigating authorities.
The abortion practitioner in the case, Pierre Renelique, saw the Board of Medicine revoke his medical license last month.
Now, unlicensed abortion center staffer Belkis Gonzalez was arrested on Tuesday and jailed on two felony counts related to the death of a baby, named Shanice, who was born alive after the botched abortion in the 2006 case.
According to the arrest warrant, Gonzalez was charged with the unlicensed practice of a health care profession resulting in serious bodily injury, a second degree felony, and with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a third degree felony.
If convicted of the charges, Gonzalez faces a minimum of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Operation Rescue president Tory Newman, who obtained a copy of the arrest warrant, tells LifeNews.com that Gonzalez is held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami on a $50,000 bond.
"For two and a half years we have worked to expose Gonzalez's actions that resulted in the death of Baby Shanice and bring her to justice. Today, we are gratified that Ms. Gonzalez is finally behind bars where she belongs," he said.
"This victory belongs to all who called and wrote asking for justice to be done. There is little doubt this would have been swept under the rug and forgotten if not for the public pressure that was brought to bear," Newman continued.
The charges came after OR and other pro-life groups joined the Florida House of Representatives in asking Florida State Attorney Katherine Rundle to pursue charges in connection with the botched abortion.In the botched abortion incident, which took place in 2006, Sycloria Williams went to the GYN Diagnostic Center abortion facility in Hialeah, outside Miami, for an abortion.
She had laminaria inserted and went back the next day for the abortion and gave birth instead to a baby named Shanice. Renelique did not show up for a scheduled abortion, causing Shanice to be born alive.
Gonzalez cut the umbilical cord and placed the baby in a biohazard bag and threw her out with the trash, even though she was breathing at the time. Gonzalez later stashed the baby's body on the abortion clinic roof to hide it from authorities.The Florida medical board found Renelique guilty of medical malpractice and wrongly delegating a medical responsibility meant for physicians to unlicensed personnel.
Williams has filed a civil lawsuit in the case.

Beer


I wonder what type of beer it is...

Sunday, March 1, 2009