I Support the Pope

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War Against the Cross

From The Conservative Voice:

Now, the Mujahideen Shura Council has issued the statement: “"We shall
break the cross and spill the wine! God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome.
(May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants
the bounty of the mujahedeen!" After Pope Benedict XVI had said he regretted the
[Muslim] reaction to his statements, al Qaeda in Iraq called for a war against
"worshippers of the cross". Burning German, Israeli and US flags and an effigy
of the pope, protestors demonstrated in Basra chanting: "No to aggression! We
gagged the Pope!”

From the Holy Bible (RSV):

"I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them." John 16:1-4

Judging the Pope

With a Muslim mind...

I heard one Muslim expert speaking from Cairo last night who felt that what the pope said would have repercussions for years. In the midst of his reasoning he said something that I think was interesting. He said Muslims felt that the pope was sending a message to Christians...

Like a secret message. In other words, it wasn't what Pope Benedict actually said but rather in what he was secretly saying. To us, this seems crazy.

But in a world where some guy wrapped in swaddling clothes speaks a message where the CIA, FBI and Homeland Security pour over the message for weeks afterwards searching for some encrypted message that might be being communicated to the secret cells out there--I guess its understandable on some level. And of course this was the Pope's message--that Muslims and Christians are speaking the same language, so why should they be expected to understand what we mean?

We believe that Jesus has revealed what God is like--and we believe that God has revealed that we should turn the other cheek when struck--but we also know that when Jesus spoke this message of peace that he angered the religious figures of his day to the point that they joined forces with the hated Romans to seek his death. So why should we be surprised if a message of "there is no holy war" by a modern disciple of Jesus meets with a violent response?

Isn't that the witness of countless martyrs in the Church's history? People who were not attacking violently but people who were attacked violently for speaking God's truth.

Sorry Vol Fans

Florida 21, Vols 20

The Pope Speaks--Apologizes to Muslims

From Asia News Italy:

“The Pastoral Visit which I recently made to Bavaria was a deep spiritual experience, bringing together personal memories linked to places well known to me and pastoral initiatives towards an effective proclamation of the Gospel for today. I thank God for the interior joy which he made possible, and I am also grateful to all those who worked hard for the success of this pastoral visit. As is the custom, I will speak more of this during next Wednesday’s general audience.”

“At this time, I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims. These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought. Yesterday, the Cardinal Secretary of State published a statement in this regard in which he explained the true meaning of my words. I hope that this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect.”

Nun in Somalia Murdered...

The killing of an Italian Catholic nun in Mogadishu on Sunday may well be linked to anger among Muslims about Pope Benedict's recent remarks on Islam, a senior source among Somalia's Islamists said.

"There is a very high possibility the people who killed her were angered by the Catholic Pope's recent comments against Islam," the source told Reuters.

Clarifications on What the Pope Thinks About the Muslims

From the Vatican Secretary of State on the Pope and the Muslims:

As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come. On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986: " ... demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time. ... In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions".

- The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervor of Muslim believers, warned secularized Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom".

- In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom" (Nostra Aetate no. 3)

Pakistan Parliament Condemns Pope's Statement

From CNews:

Pakistan's parliament on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning
Pope Benedict for making what it called "derogatory" comments about Islam, and
seeking an apology from him for hurting Muslims' feelings.

The comments in question?

The measure was adopted a day after the Vatican sought to defuse criticism of the pontiff's remarks, when he quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and an educated Persian on the truths of Christianity and Islam.

"The emperor . . . said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached,' " he quoted the emperor as saying.

Masonry Unmasked Termed a "Blockbuster" by Spirit Daily

From Spirit Daily:

New blockbuster: secrets of Masonry by Catholic who was major Mason

Priest Arrested for False Imprisonment of Woman

In New Hampshire. One wonders what his homilies were like...

From the Manchester Union Leader:

A Roman Catholic priest who ministers to African refugees and immigrants in
New Hampshire is accused of sexually and physically assaulting a 27-year-old
city woman and holding her against her will over the last 11 months.

The Rev. John O. Lawani, 40, turned himself in to Manchester police
late yesterday afternoon after an investigation that began several days
ago.

Pope "My heart beats Bavarian"

A nice story in the Detroit Free Press on how much Benedict seems to enjoy being pope.

Coincidence? On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross...Tropical Storm Helene

St. Helena found the true cross in Jerusalem, something today's feast commemorates. This storm may bear watching. Is it a sign or a mere coincidence?

Whatever may be the case it is important to remember that the follower of Christ sees the cross differently than the nonbeliever. For the nonbeliever the cross is defeat (this may explain the negative and positive reactions that Mel Gibson's The Passion received). In the midst of the 9/11 damage was the cross at ground zero--something that scandalized some and gave great hope to others. It is the same way today in the Church, on one hand the cross is everywhere and defeat seems to be winning the day--but at the same time a pope who speaks with great clarity is shining light on this darkness and holding the cross aloft as the sign of ultimate victory.

Kidnapped Priest Released in Iraq

From Asia News Italy:

Fr Saad Hanna Sirop, the Chaldean Catholic priest freed Monday evening
after 27 days in captivity, “was threatened and tortured”, another Iraqi priest,
a fellow student, told AsiaNews. “He is really tired and exhausted. He was
threatened and tortured. He’ll be able to talk about his painful and fearful
experiences later.”
Father Saad was preparing to leave for Rome when he was
kidnapped. He was coming to receive his university diploma after he obtained his
theology degree three years ago at the Pontifical Urbaniana University.
“He
is free and now is doing well. This is the only thing that counts,” said
Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel II Delly. In expressing his joy for the “good news”
the patriarch thanked “all those who worked to get Father Hanna released”.
A
vast campaign was organised to get the clergyman freed. In addition to appeals
by Patriarch Delly himself and the Chaldean bishops, Pope Benedict XVI joined
the chorus of voices demanding Father Hanna’s release.

Gas Prices (Update)

In Florida they averaged about $2.53

Here in Indiana...$2.33

In Iowa, Drudge reports ...$2.05 (Iowa caucus preparation?)

Hunting for God, Fishing for the Lord

The Official Web Site

The excellent book...

Lessons Learned from a Five Year Old

JB: Don't mow the grass tonight.
Me: Don't worry, I just mowed it yesterday. But why?
JB: Because I have a sunflower growing that I planted.
Me: Really?
JB: Yeah and I didn't even open the seed, but it came out anyway.

This conversation stuck with me all night even becoming the subject of a vivid dream where I was giving an unsuccessful talk and then I used this conversation as an illustration and it worked. Then at Mass yesterday:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.
Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but only God, who causes the growth.
He who plants and he who waters are one,

Lesson: Plant the seed and don't mow down the results.

The Miracle Marlins

Two World Series...

Four No-hitters....

Twelve fans (including me)...


From The Chicago Sun-Times:

Anibal Sanchez stood behind the mound when the scoreboard caught his eye, confirming what he already knew: He was one out from a no-hitter.

He froze. For a couple of seconds, the Florida Marlins' rookie didn't move.

''I said, 'Wow. This hitter is the last one,''' Sanchez said.

Then he collected himself and, in this year of sensational rookies, finished the greatest performance yet.

Big News of the Day--Fashion at the Vatican

Not Katie Couric's performance on CBS evening news but this...




The Pope and his "hats"...this one is called a saturno after the Planet Saturn.

It actually reminds me of one of those little boy cowboy hats...I think the pectoral cross chain adds to that feel.

Around our house we call shadows "road people" given that they usually are seen on the surface of a parking lot we are walking across...here then is the road pope:



Attendees got a real show of style today as these Austrian women wear their finery for the audience:

Wednesday Catechesis-Philip the Apostle

"Come and See" "Show us the Father"

From Asia News Italy:

Benedict XVI started out from the gospel episode in which Philip exhorted the hesitant Nathaniel to get to know Jesus, telling him: “’Come and see!’ (Jn 1:46). In this reply, dry but clear, Philip shows the marks of a true witness: he is not content with making his announcement, rather he appeals directly to the interlocutor, suggesting that he himself undergoes the personal experience announced.” The pope continued: “We could imagine it is to us that Philip is addressing these two verbs, which presuppose a personal involvement. The apostle urges us to get to know Jesus close at hand. In effect, friendship requires closeness; in fact, it partly lives from this. Besides, we must not forget that, according to what Mark wrote, Jesus chose the Twelve with the primary scope that they should ‘be with him’; (Mk 3:14), that is, they should share his life and learn directly from him, not only his way of behaving but above all, who he was. Later, the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians would say that the important thing is to ‘learn Christ’ (4:20), that is, not only and not so much to listen to his teachings as much as to recognize him in person, his humanity and divinity, his mystery and his beauty. He is in fact not only a Teacher, but a Friend, no, a Brother. How could we get to know him deeply while keeping a distance? Intimacy, familiarity, habit lead us to discover the true identity of Jesus Christ. There: this is exactly what the apostle Philip is reminding us of.”

Benedict XVI then recalled the reply that Jesus gave to Philip when, during the Last Supper, he had asked him to show them the Father. ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? ... Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me’ (Jn 14:9-11). Jesus refers to himself thus, implying that it is possible to understand him not only through what he says, but even more simply through who he is. To express ourselves through the paradox of the Incarnation, we could well say that God gave himself a human face, that of Jesus, and consequently, from that moment on, if we really want to know the face of God, we need to do nothing else other than contemplate the face of Jesus!”

Feast of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

The Mother Teresa Center

The Mother Teresa Cause for Canonization

From the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Site and Father Groeschel:

Today, although the world will hardly notice it, the Missionaries of Charity and their friends will be celebrating the new feast day of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. September 5th is the anniversary of her death, and at present is acknowledged as her feast day. What a beautiful commemoration. Father Andrew and I had the great privilege of offering Mass for Mother Teresa the day before she went back to India. We knew when we said goodbye to her that we would not see her again in this world.

It was one of the most remarkable and memorable events of my life. Mother Teresa was filled with joy and happiness and even laughter. She was telling us how many convents and how many sisters and Missionaries of Charity fathers and brothers there were. It was a simple direct rejoicing. Always before that I had noticed that Mother Teresa was quite somber. I always thought she was thinking of the troubles of the world. I found out later that her soul was in spiritual darkness for many years, which others did not know.

Please join the Missionaries of Charity and the Franciscans of the Renewal in commemorating the passing of this holy woman, who is not only a saint in my eyes, but a prophetess. She has so much to teach us now.

Tropical Depression #6 Forms in Atlantic

Could become named storm by the end of the day...Florence

From Yahoo News:

At 5 a.m. EDT, the sixth depression of the season had top sustained winds near 35 mph and was moving toward the northwest near 12 mph, forecasters said.

The depression would be named Florence if it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of at least 39 mph. Forecasters said it could become a tropical storm by Monday or Tuesday