Being Catholic is so awesome!

I love being Catholic

Happy feast of Saint Fermín!

Spasi Boze ljude svoje (God Save His People )

The cross is the power and glory
The cross of Christ saves us
The cross is the power and snavenje
The cross is salvation X2

God save my church and each of us home,
Give us strength to serve the Cross of Honor.

The cross is the power and glory
The cross of Christ saves us
The cross is the power and snavenje
The cross is salvation X2

God save all the people that you pray,
a cross resist any trouble quickly.


The cross is the power and glory
The cross of Christ saves us
The cross is the power and snavenje
The cross is salvation

Icons at Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church in San Diego

http://holyange.ipower.com/Church%20Icons/ChurchIcons.html

Vocation Video from the Diocese of Phoenix

Father McBride and Father Schmid are priests at my church.

Ofrenda de Flores a la Virgen del Pilar

Holy See names first Hispanic bishop of Phoenix

Bishop-elect Eduardo Alanis Nevares to serve as auxiliary

By J.D. Long-García | May 11, 2010 | The Catholic Sun

Pope Benedict XVI, recognizing local pastoral needs, has appointed the first-ever auxiliary bishop to the Phoenix Diocese.

The Holy See announced the appointment of Fr. Eduardo Alanis Nevares, vice rector of the College of Liberal Arts at the Pontifical College Josephinum, earlier today.

Bishop-elect Nevares, scheduled to be consecrated to the episcopacy July 19 at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, will be the first Hispanic bishop of the diocese.

“It is significant that he comes to us during the Year for Priests,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said, “since he has such a wide and rich experience in promoting vocations to the priesthood, in forming men for priestly ministry in the seminary, and in building up the unity and fraternity of priests.”

Bishop-elect Nevares, he noted, also has experience in diaconal formation and has served as director of charismatic groups in the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, where he is a priest.

“Bishop-elect Nevares comes from a wonderful Mexican-American family, with whom he maintains close bonds of love,” Bishop Olmsted said. “I am deeply grateful to them for the gift of their son to the Church. It is from them undoubtedly that he inherited his lively faith and his spontaneous spirit of joy.”

Bishop-elect Nevares earned a bachelor’s in philosophy and a Master of Divinity degree before being ordained a priest in 1981 for the religious community of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Tyler in 2007.

“Serve the Lord with gladness” will be the bishop-elect’s episcopal motto. Bishop-elect Nevares taught Spanish to seminarians at the Josephinum.

“With just one phone call, your life changes,” Bishop-elect Nevares said. “In the seminary, I’m surrounded by all sorts of doctors of theology. I never expected to be named a bishop.”

While Bishop-elect Nevares is Hispanic and grew up speaking both English and Spanish, Bishop Olmsted stressed that he will be “a bishop for everyone.”

“I’m the baby of five,” Bishop-elect Nevares said. “My parents would speak to us in Spanish. But among us kids, we’d always speak English.”

Bishop-elect Nevares’ siblings were all born in Mexico. His parents, Andres and Beatriz, moved to the United States to provide for their growing family. On the journey to Chicago, Beatriz suffered complications in her pregnancy. So she stayed in San Antonio until Eduardo was born.

His mother’s love for the Eucharist instilled in Bishop-elect Nevares the desire to be a priest, he said. He would attend daily Mass with her while his older siblings would be at school.

“It’s a great day for the diocese," said Ignacio Rodriguez, associate director of the Office of Ethnic Ministries. "It shows the wisdom of Pope Benedict in terms of the large Hispanic community in Phoenix — much like the appointment in the Galveston-Houston Diocese. It’s clear that Hispanics in the United States are on the pope’s mind.”

The appointment comes during a difficult time for the immigrant community, Rodriguez said, noting the recent the signing of SB 1070, which criminalizes being in the United States for undocumented immigrants in Arizona.

“It’ll be a opportunity for [Nevares] to engage more closely with the Hispanic community," he said. "He’ll be in solidarity with them and let them know that the diocese is in solidarity with them.”

Carmen Portela, of the Office of Family Catechesis, called the appointment "providential" in light of the recent legislation.

“A lot of people have been praying and this is God’s response," she said. “He has immigrant parents. He’s lived and can understand what it’s like for a family of immigrants — the sacrifice and the suffering. He’ll know that the majority are not criminals or drug dealers. He will be able to embrace the Hispanic community as Bishop Olmsted already has.”

Armando Contreras, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said it was a "historical time for the Diocese of Phoenix."

"It's timely that we have a Hispanic auxiliary bishop come to Phoenix during a time when our people are afraid," he said. "They're looking for hope and bringing an additional leader to enhance what's already been done by Bishop Olmsted will bring that hope."

At 14, Bishop-elect Nevares joined the high school seminary in Jefferson City, Miss. The school closed, so he was transferred to St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, Ill. He eventually graduated with his bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Thomas in Houston in 1976.

In 1981, he completed his studies for his Master of Divinity at St. Kenrick Archdiocesan Seminary in St. Louis. Later that year, he was ordained a priest.

Bishop-elect Nevares served at several Texas parishes, becoming the pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Lufkin, Texas in 1999. He headed up the first-ever Spanish-language program for the permanent diaconate in the Tyler Diocese. After five years of formation, 26 men were ordained permanent deacons in 1999.

In 2002, Bishop-elect Nevares served as the co-director of vocations in the Tyler Diocese and helped with English- and Spanish-language diaconal formation. He also served as director of charismatic groups within the Texas diocese.

Bishop-elect Nevares, working with the vice-chancellor of the diocese, designed a six-week Spanish class for permanent deacons.

The suppressed Diocese of Natchez, Mississippi will be Bishop-elect Nevares’ titular diocese.

Ordinary Form in Latin

Church Music

We have all been in a Mass where the music is very much like the one above. Sometimes I have to admit I like some of those new liturgical songs , but I still ask myself why did we take away the Gregorian Chant? Below are examples of the two songs that are being sung above.

The Rosary

Today I had a sudden urge to pray the Rosary.

Eastern Bishops

Ukrainian Catholic Bishops

The Pope!

Evry Cathedral

This one's in France.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Pray for us!

Tetragrammaton

Did you know we Catholics can't say use the name " Yahweh " in our music?



http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804119.htm

Cathedral of the Madeleine in Utah

https://www.saltlakecathedral.org/panorama/Madeleine_swf.html

Theotokos of the Unfading Bloom

Santuario de Aránzazu

In Spain very ugly

Why don't we return to this?

I can't see the videos I post . Can you see them?

Spiritual Bouquet for Pope Benedict XVI

http://www.institute-christ-king.org/bouquet/

Five years ago...

Our Lady of China

Pray for your Children in China.

Catholic Mexico

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhuicamina/
He has some great pictures!

Byzantine Melkite Hymn

Christ is Risen

Christus Surrexit! Surrexit vere!

Italian - Cristo è risorto! È veramente risorto!
Catalan - Crist ha ressuscitat! Veritablement ha ressuscitat!
French - Le Christ est ressuscité! Vraiment Il est ressuscité!
Portuguese - Cristo ressuscitou! Verdadeiramente ressuscitou!
Romanian - Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Spanish - Cristo ha resucitado! Verdaderamente, ha resucitado!
Christ is risen! Truly, He is Risen!
Russian - Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе! Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе!
Old Irish - Asréracht Críst! Asréracht Hé-som co dearb!
Irish - Tá Críost éirithe! Go deimhin, tá sé éirithe!
Manx - Taw Creest Ereen! Taw Shay Ereen Guhdyne!
Scots Gaelic - Tha Crìosd air èiridh! Gu dearbhEstonian - Kristus on ülestõusnud! Tõesti on ülestõusnud!
Finnish - Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi!
Hungarian - Krisztus feltámadt! Valóban feltámadt!
Meadow Mari - Христос ылыж кынелын! Чынак ылыж кынелын!

Arabic (Fus'hah, i.e., "standard") - (Al-Masih-Qam! Hakkan Qam!)
Maltese - Kristu qam! Albanian (Tosk) - Krishti u ngjall! Vërtet u ngjall!
Armenian - Քրիստոս յարեաւ ի մեռելոց՜ Օրհնեալ է յայտնութիւնն Քրիստոսի՜ (Christos harjav i merelotz! Orhniale harutjun Christosi! -- Christ is risen! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!)
Greek - Χριστός Ανέστη! Αληθώς Ανέστη! (Christos Anesti! Aleithos Anesti!) Huwa qam tassew!

Happy Good Friday

Brown Scapular

I was invested with the Brown Scapular today!

Closing Eucharistic Liturgy in LA

Wow just wow. :(

Holy Week in Seville, Spain

Holy Week in Seville, Spain

The procession of La Santa Macarena

No they're not Catholic

Lord Have Mercy ...

On the United States

Happy Feast of Saint Joseph!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day !

The Madonna of Monte Berico

The NIce Vestments of Bishop Thomas James Olmsted

THE FIFTEEN SECRET TORTURES AND SUFFERINGS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

Revealed to the pious, God-loving Sister Mary Magdalen of Sancta Clara Order, Franciscan, who lived, died and was beatified in Rome. Jesus fulfilled the wish of this Sister, who desired to ardently know something about the secret sufferings which He endured the night before His death.
This devotion is approved and recommended by His Holiness Clement XII, 1730-1740)

1. They fastened My feet with a rope and dragged Me over the stepping stones of the staircase, down into a filthy, nauseating cellar.
2. They took off My clothing and stung My body with iron joints.
3. They attached a rope around My body and pulled Me on the ground from end to end.
4. They hanged Me on a wooden piece with a slip knot until I slipped out and fell down. Overwhelmed by this torture, I wept bloody tears.
5. They tied Me to a post and pierced My body with various arms.
6. They struck Me with stones and burnt Me with blazing embers and torches.
7. They pierced Me with awls; sharp spears tore My skin, flesh and arteries out of My body.
8. They tied Me to a post and made Me stand barefoot on an incandescent metal sheet.
9. They crowned Me with an iron crown and wrapped My eyes with the dirtiest possible rags.
10. They made Me sit on a chair covered with sharp pointed nails, causing deep wounds in My body.
11. They poured on My wounds liquid lead and resin and, after this torture, they pressed Me on the nailed chair so that the nails went deeper and deeper into My flesh.
12. For shame and affliction, they drove needles into the holes of My uprooted beard. They tied my hands behind My back and led Me walking out of prison with strikes and blows.
13. They threw Me upon a cross and attached Me so tightly that I could hardly breathe anymore.
14. They threw at My head as I lay on the earth, and they stepped on Me, hurting My breast. Then, taking a thorn from My crown, they drove it into My tongue.
15. They poured into My mouth the most immodest excretions, as they uttered the most infamous expressions about Me.

Then, Jesus added,"My daughter, I desire that you let everybody know the Fifteen Secret Tortures in order that everyone of them be honored.""Anyone who daily offers Me, with love, one of these sufferings and says with fervor the following prayer, will be rewarded with eternal glory on the day of judgement."

Prayer

My Lord and My God, it is my unchangable will to honor you in these Fifteen Secret Torments when You shed Your Precious Blood; as many times as there are grains of sand around the seas, as fruit in the orchards, as leaves on the trees, as flowers in the gardens, as stars in the sky, as angels in Heaven, as creatures on earth. So many thousands of times may you be glorified, praised and honored, O Most love-worthy Lord Jesus Christ - Your Holiest Heart, Your Precious Blood, Your Divine Sacrifice for mankind, the Holiest Sacrament of the altar, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the nine glorious choirs of Angels and the Blessed Phalanx of the Saints, from myself and everyone, now and forever, and in the eternal ages.
In like manner, I desire, my dear Jesus, to give You thanksgiving, to serve you, to repair and atone for all my ignominies, and to offer You my soul and body as Your possession forever. Likewise, I regret all my sins and beg Your pardon, O my Lord and my God. And I offer You all the merits of Jesus Christ to repair everything, to obtain a happy dying-hour and the deliverance of the souls from Purgatory. This prayer I desire to renew at each hour until my death, O lovable Jesus. Sweet Savior, fortify my resolution and permit not that neither wretched men nor Satan destroy it. AMEN.

The Church of La Ensenanza

Located in the historic center of Mexico City, the Church of La Ensenanza (teaching), is one of the most beautiful churches I have seen.
http://www.pbase.com/larpman/la_ensenanza

Mexican Soap Operas

In Mexico getting married by the Church is every Catholic women's dream. Just look at how Mexican soap operas end:



The priest is always a good guy!

Holy Relics of Saint Anthony of Padua

The Litany of the Saints

Litany of the Saints, in English, recorded in the Franciscan Friary in Pantasaph in North Wales

Bishop Thomas James Olmsted

He is a very holy and wise man.

Credit: The Catholic Sun

The Iconostas in Ukrainian Churches

Shortly after the period of iconoclasm in the ninth century, Christians began attaching icons to the gates and the columns of the templon at the front of the nave and even started placing icons in front of the altar. This placement of icons did not yet constitute an iconostas but it would in later centuries evolve into one.

The iconostas in Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Winnipeg, MB

• At the very top of an iconostas may be a depiction of the Crucifixion in a two dimensional iconographic style. Generally, one will see the cross in the centre with Christ’s mother on His right hand side and St. John the Theologian depicted as a young man on His left hand side. However, in many instances one might only see Christ and the cross.
• The icons of the uppermost tier (below the depiction of the Crucifixion, if there is one) frequently represent the Old Testament patriarchs, typically having icons of the forefathers from Adam to Moses.
• The next lower level might be dedicated to icons of the Old Testament prophets, usually depicted holding scrolls representing prophesies of the Divine Incarnation
• The next lower tier is usually that of the 12 major feast days (the festal icons).
• Below the festal icons, one sometimes finds a row of icons forming an extended Deisis. The Pantocrator is in the centre with the Virgin Mary on His right and St. John the Baptist on His left. On each side of these, there are generally images of saints arranged in order of categories of saints.
• Frequently, one finds a level of the iconostas in Ukrainian parishes that is dedicated to icons of the 12 apostles. Additionally, the apostle’s tier is usually placed above the festal icon tier when it is included on the iconostas instead of the Deisis tier.
• The final and primary tier, at ground level, always contains the major icons of the iconostas.

The iconostas in St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, AB

http://www.ukrainianchurchesofcanada.ca/iconography/iconostas.html

New Layout

I changed my blog a bit.

Christians in Chiapas

I oppose violence to any Chritian group but I don't like it how this new report made it look like Mexico is country of pagans.

Spam

For the person who keeps spamming... Please stop!

Dramatic footage of a trendy bishop being booed by Mass-goers

In Normandy, a modernist Catholic bishop’s attempts to remove an orthodox parish priest have provoked an extraordinary outburst of fury from parishioners.Mgr Christian Nourrichard, Bishop of the Leftist diocese of Evreux, has booted out Fr Francis Michel from the church of Saint-Taurin, Thiberville, where he has had an outstandingly successful ministry for 23 years. The bishop favours instead one of those team ministries where, as in England and America, the role of the priest is largely replaced by that of self-obsessed lay “ministers”.
On the feast of the Epiphany, January 3, the bishop arrived to celebrate Mass in Thiberville dressed in one of those disgusting rainbow chasubles favoured by Magic Circle clerics everywhere. As he haughtily explained his plans, some of Fr Michel’s supporters completely lost their rag.


http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100021534/dramatic-footage-of-a-trendy-bishop-being-booed-by-mass-goers/

The holy relics of Saint Ambrose

Saint Ambrose with Saint Gervasius and Saint Protasius .

Hideous Cathedrals

Cathedral of St Mary of the Assumption

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Cathedral of Christ the Light

Latin Mass

So holy and nice!

We just wanted more excitement.

Watching this show about former Catholics of Hispanic origin. It's sad and what these former Catholics say is just stupid! They want more dancing and clapping. Oh God! What else do they want? They also interview Catholic priests . The show is not anti Catholic btw. Well if any former Catholic is reading this then this is the reason you should have stayed...



but you wanted this...


I'm so angry!!!!

New Serbian Orthodox patriarch Irinej enthroned

The new patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been enthroned at a ceremony in Belgrade, pledging to back Serbia's claims to Kosovo.

Patriarch Irinej said the Church's first duty was to help recover the breakaway province.

The 80-year-old is considered a moderate who is open to modernisation.

He has said he would not be opposed to Pope Benedict XVI visiting Serbia, suggesting a possible rapprochement with the Roman Catholic Church.

The service in Belgrade was the first part of a two-stage induction process, with a second ceremony due at Pec in western Kosovo.

"Our first duty as a Church is to safeguard our Kosovo, a holy and martyred land, to help our state to defend it from those who wish to seize it," Patriarch Irinej said in a speech after his enthronement on Saturday.

"Kosovo is our holy land, our Jerusalem," he added. "We must go to Pec to complete this ceremony, but can we visit our relics?

"Without them, Serbia is not Serbia, without Kosovo it is deprived of its heart and soul."

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.

The Serbian Orthodox Church has about 11 million members worldwide.

Most of Serbia's seven million people are Orthodox Christians.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8476717.stm

Pope Benedict XVI is addicted to Fanta!

This is old news but it's still interesting.
London, Feb 4 (ANI): Pope Benedict XVI has been outed as a secret Fanta fan by the Archbishop of York John Sentamu who paid the pontiff a visit at the Vatican.
The Archbishop took the Pope a case of Holy Grail beer, brewed in Yorkshire, as a gift but was offered a glass of Fanta in turn.
Vatican spokesman Father Tim Finigan admitted that Benedict XVI prefers Fanta, and that he goes through at least three to four cans a day.
“The Holy Father shuns booze and tries to convert all his guests to the benefits of pop,” the Daily Record quoted Father Finigan, as saying.
“He prefers Fanta. I’m not really sure why, perhaps because it was originally created in Germany.
“But he goes through at least three or four cans a day and always has it with his evening meal.”
A spokesman for Coca Cola, who produce the Fanta range, admitted that the company was flattered to have the pontiff as a fan of their beverage. However theyve ruled out using the leader of the Catholic church in any ad campaigns.
“We are very flattered to have the Pope as a fan of our beverages,” he said.
“We will send him a few cases to ensure he doesn’t run out. But I don’t think we’ll use him in any ad campaigns.” (ANI)More at : Pope Benedict XVI is addicted to Fanta! http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/pope-benedict-xvi-is-addicted-to-fanta_10016199.html#ixzz0cuBpv0WT