CARIBBEAN CATHOLIC

Nicola Girasoli new Nuncio to Trinidad

2012-01-29T16:55:00.001-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed His Excellency Archbishop Nicola Girasoli the new Apostolic Nuncio to the region.

The announcement was made December 21 by Fr Daniele Liessi, Chargé d’Affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature. Archbishop Girasoli will be the papal representative to countries of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, which includes Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago.

He replaces US-born Archbishop Thomas E Gullickson, who was appointed Papal Nuncio to Ukraine in July. One of Archbishop Gullickson’s last acts was to preach the homily at the rededication of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in St George’s, Grenada.

According to his curriculum vitae, Archbishop Girasoli was born July 21, 1957 in Bari, Italy. He is the titular Archbishop of Egnazia Appula. Ordained a priest on June 15, 1980, with incardination in the diocese of Ruvo di Puglia, he possesses a Doctorate in Canon Law and has been in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since May 10, 1985.

After serving in the papal representations in Indonesia and Australia, he served in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican.

Thereafter he completed assignments in the Nunciatures in Hungary, Belgium, the USA, and Argentina.

His first assignment as Head of Mission was on January 24, 2006, as Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia, and Malawi.

Archbishop Girasoli speaks fluent English, French and Spanish, besides his mother tongue, Italian.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Nicola Girasoli arrives in Trinidad January 16.

taken from aecrc.org

Verna St Rose VS Stephen Cadiz

2012-01-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

I like Verna St Rose Greaves. She has guts. She is not afraid. She answers to a higher call.

The debate on how to reclasify murder so that the death penalty could be better handed down goes on in Trinidad. But out of that debate two voices from the governing party make their say.

Minister of Trade, Steven Cadiz, says he is against the death penalty but had a responibility to his political party. Well, I understand what he is saying. Many of us are/were in jobs where we did something that the boss wanted us to do that would not be considered good practise or christian. We will pray for you Mr Cadiz that you may act as your God desires you to. We know you are a good man.

The other voice was that of Verna St Rose- Greaves. I knew another St Rose once. Mr St Rose was the principal of the Diego MArtin Boys Roman Catholic Primary School many many years ago when I was a student there... but i digress. Verna, says outright that she is against the death penalty. NO NO NO. .... No death penalty..... and she would not be supporting any legislation that encourages or supports it.

Well, God bless you Verna. You are what new politics are about.

American President Roosevelt Visits Caribbean Island of Trinidad

2012-01-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

Several US Presidents have graced the shores of Trinidad. However, besides Barack Obama, I don't think any songs were made of any of these Presidents other than Franklin D Roosevelt.

In November 1936 US President Franklin D Roosevelt stopped in Trinidad en route to South America. He stopped once more in December on his way back to the USA. He must have liked the island as he passed through en route to Casablanca. The route to Casablanca was full of stops. In Casablanca (Morroco) he would meet with Winston Churchill (the British PM). He made a fourth stop in Trinidad on his way back from Casablanca.

The song below is a calypso giving honour to that US President and his visit to the shores of Trinidad. Calypso music then was topical, funny, and dance-able.

The singer is called "Atilla the Hun" but his real name was Raymond Quevedo. He began singing calypso in 1911. He took calypso to the United States of America for the first time in 1934. The song is called ROOSEVELT IN TRINIDAD.

According to Wiki: the song was written by Fitz MacLean and popularized by Attila the Hun (Raymond Quevedo) to commemorate U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1936 trip to Trinidad.As part of Attila and his band's repertoire in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s, it brought increased popularity to the genre. Roosevelt had become a calypso fan in 1934 following the band's performances in New York City during 1934. The song was covered by Ry Cooder in his 1971 album Into the Purple Valley, Van Dyke Parks in his 1972 album Discover America, and performed in local skits.

SONG LYRICS

when roosevelt came to the land of the hummingbird shouts of welcome were heard
when Roosevelt came to the land of the hummingbird shouts of welcome were heard
His visit to the island is bound to be, an epoch in local history
Definitely marking the new era, between trinidad in america

And so the ... and jubilation, was evidenced by desire for elation
Friendship for the u.s.a. was shown and from his house the stars and the stripes were flown
Port of Spain opened the gate to the president of the united states
In fact everybody was glad, to welcome roosevelt to trinidad

We are privileged to see the democratic, president of the great republic
With his charming and genial personality, and his wonderful urbanity
We were struck by his modest style, and we were intrigued by the famous roosevelt smile
No wonder why everybody was glad, at the great honour shown Trinidad

Now we understand that the president has just been, on a visit to brazil and to the argentine
With Mr. Cordell Hull in attendance, where they took part in a peace conference
To stop war and atrocity, and make the world safe for democracy
The greatest event in the century, in the interest of suffering humanity

Is there a patron saint for Lotto?

2012-01-22T16:11:00.001-08:00

You know. We Catholics like Patron Saints. We should also be very lucky with the Lotto since we have saints to help us win. Or do we? The will of God must take precedent. Also we must be mindful that God provides and that the love of money is the root of evil. Having said this let me show what my internet research has revealed in reference to a Patron Saint of Lotto.

SAINT CAJETAN:Well there is a patron Saint for Gamblers. Saint Cajetan (1480-1547) was an italian heir to great wealth. With his own money, and help from others, Cayetano formed a consortium, a bank of sorts, and extended loans to his parishioners, offering an alternative to the usury and high interest loans of the cutthroat bankers. Cayetano opened pawnshops, where he extended low, or no interest rate, loans. Cayetano, always among his flock, became known as the Patron Saint of Gamblers. His parishioners would bet Cayetano a rosary or blessed candle, that he would not do some special favor for them. If they lost the bet, if Cayetano did do that something special for them, and he often did, they would have to pay up. The usual pay-up: they had say their rosaries. Tales of his humility were limitless. He had a special ability to care, and be compassionate.

SAINT MATTHEW: Now, Saint Matthew is the Patron Saint of Money. He was a tax collector. but he gave up his lavish lifestyle to follow Christ.

SAINT PANTELEON: In Italy, Pantaleon supposedly gives favourable lottery numbers in dreams. Pantaleon converted his father, upon whose death he came into possession of a large fortune. He freed his slaves and, distributing his wealth among the poor, developed a great reputation in Nicomedia. A phial containing some of his blood was long preserved at Ravello. On the feast day of the saint, the blood was said to become fluid and to bubble.

Saint Eligius was also knoiwn as Eloi or Eloy. Eigius took advantage of this royal favor to obtain alms for the poor, and to ransom captive Romans, Gauls, Bretons, Moors, and especially Saxons, who were arriving daily at the slave market in Marseille. He is not the patron saint of anything to do with money. He is the Patron Saint of Goldsmiths.

You know there is one more thing to be mindful of......

neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Was Saint Eligius instrumental to winning the Lotto?

2012-01-22T15:46:00.001-08:00

I came across an interesting story. It is a New york court case from 1984: Pando v. Fernandez.

WIKI: Christopher Pando, a deeply religious minor, sought to impose a constructive trust on the proceeds of a winning $2.8 million (21 annual payments; no cash option) ticket that he purchased with Dasyi Fernandez’s money. Pando alleged that Mrs. Fernandez agreed to share the prize money equally with him if he prayed to a saint to cause the numbers he picked for her to be the winning numbers. At the time that Pando purchased the ticket, Mrs. Fernandez was 38 and the mother of three children on welfare. Christopher Pando was 16 (too young to buy lottery tickets) and was a friend of her son. Mrs. Fernandez denied that she ever asked Pando to buy the tickets or pick the numbers, and also denied the fact that she offered to share.

And who did the young Chris ask for intercession? St. Eleggua of course. Well the problem is that Eleggua is an Orisha name. The Closest saint name to Eleggua is Eligius.

The story and history of Saint Eligius. Eligius, a goldsmith at Paris, was commissioned by King Clotaire to make a throne. With the gold and precious stones given him he made two. Struck by his rare honesty, the king gave him an appointment at court, and demanded an oath of fidelity sworn upon holy relics; but Eligius prayed with tears to be excused, for fear of failing in reverence to the relics of the Saints. On entering the court he fortified himself against its seductions by many austerities and continual ejaculatory prayers. He had a marvellous zeal for the redemption of captives, and for their deliverance would sell his jewels, his food, his clothes, and his very shoes, once by his prayers breaking their chains and opening their prisons. His great delight was in making rich shrines for relics. His striking virtue caused him, a layman and a goldsmith, to be made Bishop of Noyon, and his sanctity in this holy office was remarkable. He possessed the gifts of miracles and prophecy, and died in 665. His feast day is December 1st.

Saint Eligius was also knoiwn as Eloi or Eloy.

memorare

2012-01-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

The actual author of the Memorare is unknown. It has been traditionally attributed to the abbot St. Bernard of Clairvaux from the 12th century. This is possibly because it was championed by another Bernard, the French priest Claude Bernard, who used it extensively in his ministry to the poor and to prisoners (including some quite hardened criminals!) in the 17th century.

Desiderata

2012-01-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

The word Desiderata is latin, and it's Latin meaning is "The things wanted, needed, or necessary." The word is plural. It's singular noun form is Desiderium.

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

footprints in the sand

2012-01-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

Footprints in the sand - Mary Stevenson

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you."

THE US REPUBLICAN RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE 2012 - The faith of the candidates

2012-01-22T06:47:00.000-08:00

The next United States presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Presidential elections occur quadrennially or every four years (the count beginning with the year 1792). It is held on the first tuesday following a monday - that is, no earlier than November 2nd and no later than November 8th.

Barack Obama (from the Democratic Party) intends to run for a second term, but the eyes of America and the world is on the Republican Party campaign - to see who his challenger will be for the elections.

As of January 22nd there are four people vying to be the Republics choice for the Presidential election.: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

The 2012 Republican National Convention, in which delegates of the Republican Party will choose the party's nominees for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, will be held during the week of August 27, 2012, in Tampa, Florida at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. A candidate must accumulate 1,144 delegate votes to win. So far the running is:

Mitt Romney - 31
Newt Gingrich - 26
Ron Paul - 10
Rick Santorum - 8

So Mitt Romney is clearly in the lead. So what do we know about these peoples faith:

MITT ROMNEY: Mitt is a practicing Mormon. His faith is not separate from his life. His biography tells the story of a man who's father was governor and who lived his life as a mormon, even in politics. Wikipedia notes "Mitt served as a Mormon missionary in France. He received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University, and thereafter earned Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration joint degrees from Harvard's law and business schools. Very active in his church, he served as ward bishop and later stake president in his area. He ran as the Republican candidate in the 1994 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, losing to incumbent Ted Kennedy. Romney organized and steered the 2002 Winter Olympics as head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, and helped turn the troubled games into a financial success. In his church life (as a Pastor) Romney tried to balance the conservative dogma insisted upon by the church leadership in Utah with the desire by some Massachusetts members to have a more flexible application of doctrine. He agreed with some modest requests from the liberal women's group Exponent II for changes in the way the church dealt with women, but clashed with women who he felt were departing too much from doctrine. In particular, he counseled women not to have abortions except in the rare cases allowed by LDS doctrine, and also in accordance with doctrine encouraged prospective mothers to give up children for adoption when a successful marriage was not present. Romney later said that the years spent as pastor gave him direct exposure to people struggling in economically difficult circumstances different from his own affluent upbringing, and empathy for those going through problematic family situations." His worth is between 20 to 100 million US dollars.

NEWT GINGRICH: According to Wikipedia "Gingrich was raised a Lutheran. In graduate school he was a Southern Baptist, and he converted to Catholicism on March 29, 2009, (the faith of his third wife Callista Bisek). He said "over the course of several years, I gradually became Catholic and then decided one day to accept the faith I had already come to embrace." The moment when he decided to officially become a Catholic was when he saw Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to the United States in 2008: "Catching a glimpse of Pope Benedict that day, I was struck by the happiness and peacefulness he exuded. The joyful and radiating presence of the Holy Father was a moment of confirmation about the many things I had been thinking and experiencing for several years."Gingrich has stated that he has developed a greater appreciation for the role of faith in public life following his conversion, and believes that the United States has become too secular. At a 2011 appearance in Columbus, Ohio, he said, "In America, religious belief is being challenged by a cultural elite trying to create a secularized America, in which God is driven out of public life." In 2007, Gingrich authored a book, Rediscovering God in America, arguing that the Founding Fathers actively intended the new republic to not only allow, but encourage, religious expression in the public square. In a 2011 interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Gingrich addressed his past infidelities by saying, "There's no question at times in my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate." In December 2011, after the group Iowans for Christian Leaders in Government requested that he sign their so-called "Marriage Vow", Gingrich sent a lengthy written response. It included his pledge to "uphold personal fidelity to my spouse"."

RON PAUL: There is not much about Ron Pauls Faith other than what he says on his website when he decided to run for President: "My faith is a deeply private issue to me, and I don’t speak on it in great detail during my speeches because I want to avoid any appearance of exploiting it for political gain. Let me be very clear here: I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, and I endeavor every day to follow Him in all I do and in every position I advocate. It is God Who gave us life. As He is free, so are those He created in His image. Our rights to life and liberty are inalienable." Ron Paul is a Christian (baptist).

RICK SANTORUM is a Catholic. The following is from WIKI - "In 2003, Santorum and fellow Republicans heard from Hillel, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Zionist Organization of America about combating anti-Semitism in American colleges. Santorum drafted language on "ideological diversity," which Race & Class magazine suggested was tantamount to "policing thought." Inside Higher Ed suggested that he was pandering to David Horowitz and had no deep-seated position on the legislation. Santorum added a provision to the 2001 No Child Left Behind bill that would have promoted the questioning of the theory of evolution in public school science classes and required the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative. The bill, with the Santorum Amendment included, passed the Senate 91-8 and was hailed as a victory by intelligent design theory promoters. In an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Santorum said that the distinction between private religious conviction and public responsibility, espoused by President John F. Kennedy, had caused "great harm in America." All of us have heard people say, 'I privately am against abortion, homosexual marriage, stem cell research, cloning. But who am I to decide that it's not right for somebody else?' It sounds good, but it is the corruption of freedom of conscience. In his 2005 book, It Takes a Family, Santorum advocates for a more family values-oriented society centered on monogamous, heterosexual relationships, marriage, and child-raising. He says he is pro-life; yet opponents have labelled him a counterfeit conservative pointing to his votes that continued the federal funding of Planned Parenthood. He opposes same-sex marriage saying the American public and their elected officials should decide on these "incredibly important moral issues", rather than the Supreme Court, which consists of "nine unelected, unaccountable judges.”

So of the four I would choose Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich. I am anxious to see how it plays out.... and I won't let the daily show's anti republican stand bother me.

writing for the catholic news.

2012-01-22T06:07:00.000-08:00

I read the Gospel Meditation column in the Port of Spain Archdiocese weekly newspaper today. I get it's point. It is well written. still, I preferred last weeks article to this weeks. Good Job Helena Allum. Having written that column on the past I know how it can be challenging to write. There are days when I can't think of what to publish in this blog. Other days, I know what I want to say but it's not coming out in an interesting way.

The trick in everything is to let go and let God. With writing, it will feed the person who God wants it to feed, when He wants it to feed them. Others may be critical, but "who vex loss". It was never for them anyway.

On many occasions I read the Catholic Newspaper with the expectation that I will be fed in some small way... and I am usually not disappointed. The format is fixed and well put together, but I believe that there should be more news. There is so much news from around the world that is Catholic, and not just clerical news: News of Catholics achieving good and fighting for their rights to practice the faith, News of modern day martyrs, news of politicians passing laws that cause the church to revisit how it operates in different ministries. We are ONE Church, We need to know about these things so that we can support our Brethren and challenge our Politicians to challenge those politicians. We need opinion pieces to put the news in perspective (besides the Editorial)

Still, perhaps what I am suggesting is not the purpose of our newspaper. Perhaps it fulfills it's mandate. God bless those who labour in the vineyard to produce it every week. God Bless all who support it. We would surely miss it if it wasn't there.

The Ninth Archbishop sends his love.

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Archdiocese of Port of Spain has a letter posted from the Ninth Archbishop: Edward Gilberte. It is dated Thursday, 12th January 2012. and headed "Wonderful memories - A brief farewell message from Archbishop Gilbert"

My Sisters and Brothers,

As we all know, sickness eventually affects everyone. On August 30 I had a severe gall bladder attack from which I never fully recovered. I was nauseous and weak with a consequent weight loss that lasted for the next four months. My condition affected my ability to serve the Archdiocese in ministry. It became clear that my gall bladder was not my only medical problem. Eventually, my doctor here in Trinidad sent me to the USA for treatment. The medical problem was definitively identified in New York and two surgeries were scheduled immediately at the New York University Medical School Hospital. Thank God both surgeries were successful.

The surgeries and the immediate recovery process took so much time that I reached the retirement age of 75 while I was out of the Archdiocese. Consequently, I missed the closure events that were planned for December including the installation of my successor, Archbishop Joseph Harris. Since I am still recovering from surgery and I tire quickly, I asked my successor that nothing special be scheduled now due to my health. I informed him that my wonderful memories of the Archdiocese would be my celebration. I assured him I would make every effort to return to the Archdiocese when the restoration of the Cathedral was completed.

The closure events would have provided me with the opportunity to thank the people of the Archdiocese for their collaboration over the last ten years. While history will judge the effectiveness of what was done during my ministry as Archbishop, the response of the people to the invitation to become involved in the process of building the future of the Archdiocese is a memory to be cherished forever and one that should always be a source of hope.

I want to thank my principal collaborators: the priests and permanent deacons, the members of religious communities, those who belong to the associations of Christ’s faithful, the men and women who served as department heads and the chancery staff which provided professional service to all who asked for assistance.

I am especially grateful to all the people (the majority of the Archdiocese) who serve the Lord and build the Church through family life, the parish system, the school system and in specialised ministries.

I assure everyone of my ongoing prayer that God’s plan for the Archdiocese and the Nation will be eventually fulfilled and that a spirit of justice, love and peace will grow in Trinidad and Tobago.

Most Reverend Edward J. Gilbert CSsR

Archbishop Emeritus

Archdiocese of Port of Spain

Come back and visit us your grace (#9). You'll still be Archbishop (in our hearts)in this archdiocese. We thanks you for your service. God Bless you!

bugs bunny: the new format

2012-01-22T05:28:00.000-08:00

I sat and watched the new Bugs Bunny show the other day. Actually it's called the Looney Tunes show. It's not slapstick comedy. It's situation comedy. Enjoyable to all demographics, including adults. Bugs isn't being chased by Porky or Yosemite Sam. Neither is Daffy Duck. Bugs and Daffy share a house. Bugs got his money from inventing the carrot peeler. Daffy is obnoxious. He always was. That has not changed. Bugs seems somewhat sophisticated. Go figure!

Did you know that bugs and daffy first came to life in the short films of "Porky's Duck Hunt" (1937) and "Porky's Hare Hunt" (1938) They have been around for 75 years. Wow!

Did you know that Bugs (well the show) won an Academy Award for "Knighty Knight Bugs" (1958)- best animated short film. There were two previous nominations: A Wild Hare (1940); Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt (1941).

I cannot discuss Bugs without discussing his voice, or that of Mel Blanc. A jew who changed his name from Blank to Blanc, he voiced over 1000 cartoon characters. He did bugs, porkey, Pepe le Pew, foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, Captain caveman, TWeety, Woody Woodpecker, Barney Ruble, Mr Spacely (the Jetsons), Heathcliff,... and the list goes on. These days bugs' voice is done by someone else. But you don't notice the difference.

I like the Looney Tunes Bugs, and the Looney Tunes Show. It is good family viewing.

I will end with the note that's on Mel Blanc's gravestone, and a favourite line of bugs....

"That's all folks"

OPEN LETTER : MARRAIGE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

2012-01-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

Well the letter below was sent out on January 12th 2012 concerning same sex marraige. it makes for interesting reading:

MARRIAGE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
Fundamental Goods That Stand or Fall Together
An Open Letter from Religious Leaders in the United States to All Americans
Released January 12, 2012

Dear Friends:

The promotion and protection of marriage — the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife — is a matter of the common good and serves the wellbeing of the couple, of children, of civil society and all people. The meaning and value of marriage precedes and transcends any particular society, government, or religious community. It is a universal good and the foundational institution of all societies. It is bound up with the nature of the human person as male and female, and with the essential task of bearing and nurturing children.

As religious leaders across a wide variety of faith communities, we join together to affirm that marriage in its true definition must be protected for its own sake and for the good of society. We also recognize the grave consequences of altering this definition. One of these consequences—the interference with the religious freedom of those who continue to affirm the true definition of “marriage”—warrants special attention within our faith communities and throughout society as a whole. For this reason, we come together with one voice in this letter.

Some posit that the principal threat to religious freedom posed by same-sex “marriage” is the possibility of government’s forcing religious ministers to preside over such “weddings,” on pain of civil or criminal liability. While we cannot rule out this possibility entirely, we believe that the First Amendment creates a very high bar to such attempts.

Instead, we believe the most urgent peril is this: forcing or pressuring both individuals and religious organizations — throughout their operations, well beyond religious ceremonies — to treat same-sex sexual conduct as the moral equivalent of marital sexual conduct. There is no doubt that the many people and groups whose moral and religious convictions forbid same-sex sexual conduct will resist the compulsion of the law, and church-state conflicts will result.

These conflicts bear serious consequences. They will arise in a broad range of legal contexts, because altering the civil definition of “marriage” does not change one law, but hundreds, even thousands, at once. By a single stroke, every law where rights depend on marital status — such as employment discrimination, employment benefits, adoption, education, healthcare, elder care, housing, property, and taxation — will change so that same-sex sexual relationships must be treated as if they were marriage. That requirement, in turn, will apply to religious people and groups in the ordinary course of their many private or public occupations and ministries—including running schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other housing facilities, providing adoption and counseling services, and many others.
So, for example, religious adoption services that place children exclusively with married couples would be required by law to place children with persons of the same sex who are civilly “married.” Religious marriage counselors would be denied their professional accreditation for refusing to provide counseling in support of same-sex “married” relationships. Religious employers who provide special health benefits to married employees would be required by law to extend those benefits to same-sex “spouses.” Religious employers would also face lawsuits for taking any adverse employment action — no matter how modest — against an employee for the public act of obtaining a civil “marriage” with a member of the same sex. This is not idle speculation, as these sorts of situations have already come to pass.

Even where religious people and groups succeed in avoiding civil liability in cases like these, they would face other government sanctions—the targeted withdrawal of government co-operation, grants, or other enefits. or example, in New Jersey, the state cancelled the tax-exempt status of a Methodist-run boardwalk pavilion used for religious services because the religious organization would not host a same-sex “wedding” there. San Francisco dropped its $3.5 million in social service contracts with the Salvation Army because it refused to recognize same-sex “domestic partnerships” in its employee benefits policies. Similarly, Portland, Maine, required Catholic Charities to extend spousal employee benefits to same-sex “domestic
partners” as a condition of receiving city housing and community development funds.
In short, the refusal of these religious organizations to treat a same-sex sexual relationship as if it were a marriage marked them and their members as bigots, subjecting them to the full arsenal of government punishments and pressures reserved for racists. These punishments will only grow more frequent and more
severe if civil “marriage” is redefined in additional jurisdictions. For then, government will compel special recognition of relationships that we the undersigned religious leaders and the communities of faith that we represent cannot, in conscience, affirm. Because law and government not only coerce and incentivize but
also teach, these sanctions would lend greater moral legitimacy to private efforts to punish those who defend marriage.

Therefore, we encourage all people of good will to protect marriage as the union between one man and one woman, and to consider carefully the far-reaching consequences for the religious freedom of all Americans if marriage is redefined. We especially urge those entrusted with the public good to support laws that
uphold the time-honored definition of marriage, and so avoid threatening the religious freedom of countless institutions and citizens in this country. Marriage and religious freedom are both deeply woven into the fabric of this nation.
May we all work together to strengthen and preserve the unique meaning of marriage and the precious gift of religious freedom.

Sincerely Yours:

Rev. Leith Anderson
President
National Association of Evangelicals

Johann Christoph Arnold
Senior Pastor
Bruderhof Communities

Randall A. Bach
President
Open Bible Churches

Dr. Gary M. Benedict
President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance

The Rev. John F. Bradosky
Bishop
North American Lutheran Church

Glenn Burris, Jr.
President
The Foursquare Church

Bishop H. David Burton
Presiding Bishop
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr.
Presiding Bishop
International Pentecostal Holiness Church

Rabbi Abba Cohen
Vice President for Federal Affairs
Washington Director
Agudath Israel of America

Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone
Bishop of Oakland
Chairman
USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage

Nathan J. Diament
Executive Director for Public Policy
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
of America

Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York
President
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Dr. Barrett Duke
Vice President for Public Policy and Research
Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

The Most Rev. Robert Duncan
Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America
Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh

Rev. Jim Eschenbrenner
Executive Pastor
General Council of Christian Union Churches

Dr. William J. Hamel
President
Evangelical Free Church of America

Rev. Dr. Ron Hamilton
Conference Minister
Conservative Congregational Christian Conference

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison
President
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

John Hopler
Director
Great Commission Churches

Dr. Bill Hossler
President
Missionary Church, Inc.

Clyde M. Hughes
General Overseer
International Pentecostal Church of Christ

Rev. Kenneth D. Hunn
Executive Director
The Brethren Church

David W. Kendall
Bishop
Free Methodist Church USA

Dr. Richard Land
President
Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Most Rev. William E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport
Chairman USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty

Dr. Jo Anne Lyon
Chair Board of General Superintendents
The Wesleyan Church

James W. Murray
Executive Director
General Association of General Baptists

Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Ft. Wayne - South Bend
Chairman USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth

Commissioner William A. Roberts
National Commander
The Salvation Army

Rocky Rocholl
President
Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

David T. Roller
Bishop
Free Methodist Church USA

Matthew A. Thomas
Bishop
Free Methodist Church USA

Dr. Joseph Tkach
President & Pastor General
Grace Communion International

Berten A. Waggoner
National Director
Vineyard USA

W. Phillip Whipple
Bishop
United Brethren in Christ Church, USA

Dr. John P. Williams, Jr.
Regional Director
Evangelical Friends Church, North America

David P. Wilson
General Secretary
Church of the Nazarene

Dr. George O. Wood
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God

Google celebrates Catholic priest

2012-01-11T15:33:00.000-08:00

I saw the above google image on January 11th 2012 and clicked on it. It celebratesthe 347th birthday of Nicholas Steno. WHo? you may ask... well let's hear what Wiki says about this man.

Nicolas Steno (11 January 1638 – 5 December 1686} was a Danish Catholic bishop and scientist who pioneered in both anatomy and geology. By 1659, Steno had decided not to accept a statement as true simply because it was written in a book, but rather to rely on his own research. He is considered one of the founders of modern stratigraphy and, together with James Hutton, the founder of modern geology.Pope John Paul II beatified Steno in 1988.

Steno's law of constant angles, states that the angles between corresponding faces on crystals are the same for all specimens of the same mineral, a fundamental breakthrough that formed the basis of all subsequent inquiries into crystal structure.

After his death in 1686, Steno was venerated as a saint in the diocese of Hildesheim. Steno's piety and virtue have been evaluated with a view to an eventual canonization. His canonization process was begun in Osnabrück in 1938. In 1953 his corpse was exhumed, and reburied in the Capella Stenoniana, but without the missing skull. The Italian state donated a fourth-century Christian sarcophagus that had been found in the river Arno. In 1988 he was declared "beatus" — the third of four steps to being declared a saint — by Pope John Paul II. He is thus now called by Catholics Blessed Nicolas Steno. His feast day is 5 December.

Of Kings and Treasure

2012-01-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

One rainy day I stopped by this beautiful little catholic store on Morne Cocoa road in Chrystal Stream. The lady there showed me a gift box of usable Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Today’s Gospel identifies these items as being among the treasures of the Magi. The box came with a legend associated with Jesus’ receiving of these gifts.

I don’t know where it originated, but the legend states that the Magi or wise men were actually Kings. This is found nowhere in the Gospels. In fact the bible does not even identify the quantity as three.

The Gold was supposedly given by Melchior, a king of Arabia. He was the oldest of the three Kings. Gold was given to our Lord because he is King here on earth.

The Frankincense was given by Balthasar, a king from Saba (present day Yemen). Frankincense is resin or dried sap of the Boswellia tree. This tree has grown on the craggy slopes of the Arabian Sea for thousands of years. In ancient times Frankincense was equally as precious as gold. It was used in Holy ceremonies, and was given to show that Jesus was High Priest (in the order of Melchizadeck) and God.

Myrrh is also a resin. It is used as incense. It is native to Somalia and Ethiopia, however in ancient times the finest Myrrh came from southern Arabia. The Myrrh was a gift from Caspar, a king from Tarsus (modern day Turkey). Myrrh was used in anointing oil and was also used in funeral rites. It is said to have been given as a sign of the death Jesus was destined to save the world by.

Now, whatever the source or story surrounding the birth of Jesus, there is something that we must remember: His birth was foretold and was accompanied by great signs. No regular persons birth would be as such. It is the heralding of the King of kings.

He is the real treasure.

a fun poem

2012-01-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

DARREN SARDELLI'S
I Never

I never put my things away.
I never dust my room.
I never fix the things I break.
I never use a broom.
I never take the garbage out.
I never buy the food.
I never get embarrassed
when a person sees me nude.
I never clean the table tops.
I never scrub the floors.
I never turn the TV off.
I never lock the doors.
I never wash the dinner plates.
I never say a word.
I never knew that life would be
so easy for a bird!

The Embarrassing Episode of Little Miss Muffet by Guy Wetmore Carryl

2012-01-06T04:09:00.000-08:00

Today I am feeling for something light, fun and whimsical. The only thing that comes to mind is the following poem:

The Embarrassing Episode of Little Miss Muffet

by Guy Wetmore Carryl

Little Miss Muffet discovered a tuffet,
(Which never occurred to the rest of us)
And, as ’twas a June day, and just about noonday,
She wanted to eat -- like the best of us:
Her diet was whey, and I hasten to say
It is wholesome and people grow fat on it.
The spot being lonely, the lady not only
Discovered the tuffet, but sat on it.

A rivulet gabbled beside her and babbled,
As rivulets always are thought to do,
And dragon flies sported around and cavorted,
As poets say dragon flies ought to do;
When, glancing aside for a moment, she spied
A horrible sight that brought fear to her,
A hideous spider was sitting beside her,
And most unavoidably near to her!

Albeit unsightly, this creature politely
Said, "Madam, I earnestly vow to you,
I’m penitent that I did not bring my hat. I
Should otherwise certainly bow to you."
Though anxious to please, he was so ill at ease
That he lost all sense of propriety,
And grew so inept that he clumsily stept
In her plate -- which is barred in Society.

This curious error completed her terror;
She shuddered, and growing much paler, not
Only left tuffet, but dealt him a buffet
Which doubled him up in a sailor knot.
It should be explained that at this he was pained;
He cried, "I have vexed you, no doubt of it!
Your fist’s like a truncheon." "You’re still in my luncheon,"
Was all that she answered. "Get out of it!"

And THE MORAL is this: Be it madam or miss
To whom you have something to say,
You are only absurd when you get in the curd
But you’re rude when you get in the whey!

poem hug

2011-12-29T17:34:00.000-08:00

Today I feel like this poem says:

Hug

coming home so weary,
working nine to five
with the feeling I must be
the most exhausted Dad alive.
greeted with the knowledge
my dishwasher's on the blink
seeing an avalanche of dirty dishes
piled up in the sink.
how will I ever do it, Lord?
then I feel the answering tug
of a little hand, reaching out for me
God's love within my daughter's hug.

by Deborah P Kolodji

Thank You Jesus.

The catholic church - builder of civilization

2011-12-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

Episode 1 - Introduction

Episode 2 - The Church and Science

Episode 3 - Priests as Scientific Pioneers

Episode 4 - The Galileo Case

Episode 5 - The University System

Episode 6 - Does God Exist???

Episode 7 - The Monks

Episode 8 - Catholic Charity

Episode 9 - Western Morality

Episode 10 - Concept of Rights and Law

Episode 11 - Origins of International Law

Episode 12 - Anti-Catholic Atrocities

Episode 13 - Wrap up

December 28th - the fourth day of Christmas

2011-12-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Wel, I did not receive any of these things. but that ok.... it does not change the fact that it is indeed the fourth day of Christmas. Today is also the solemnity of the slaughter of the Innocents - here is Trinidad, the children carry their toys to Mass for them (and their toys) to be blessed. It is a good thing.

O! hold on a minute it is 8:00pm.... so I guess its not the 4th day of Christmas... it's fourth NIGHT.

Catholic birthday / Christmas gifts - a spiritual bouquet

2011-12-27T16:36:00.001-08:00

The Spiritual Bouquet. A great idea for gift giving.

Recently I racked my brain for a gift idea for a couple who I believe needs nothing. My wife and I gave it so much thought: Wine; books; clothes; functional crockery; paintings; or electronics. We could not agree on what would be a good gift for this couple. We did agreed that it should be something special.

After praying about it, an idea came to give the gift of a spiritual bouquet in the form of Masses being offered. Such a gift is not for the physical world but the spiritual. Prayers for oneself, our special intentions or that of others are so important. Prayers offered in the Mass, by a holy man is even more effective. The Bible talks about offering prayers:

Job 42:10 - And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

1 Timothy 2:1 - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

John 14:13 - Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

The Church tells us to offer Masses and the effectiveness of this act to lessen our time in purgatory and help us in our requests to God - remembering that the Mass is offered To the father, Through the Son, With the Spirit, asking the Angels, Saints and Virgin to pray for us:

"In the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the Church prays that God, the Father of mercies, will grant His children the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that they may become one body and one spirit in Christ. In raising this prayer to the Father of lights, from whom comes every good endowment and every perfect gift, the Church believes that she will be heard, for she prays in union with Christ her Head and Spouse, who takes up this plea of His Bride and joins it to His own redemptive sacrifice" JPII

"The Holy Mass would be of greater profit if people had it offered in their lifetime, rather than having it celebrated for the relief of their souls after death." Pope Benedict XV

“A single Mass offered for oneself during life may be worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after your death. The merit of the Masses we have offered for ourselves during life will obtain for us a higher degree of glory in Heaven.” – Saint Anselm (Doctor of the Church)

Lastly, the giving of a gift of a Mass, is good financial move. For every Mass offered a donation must be made to the church. Many churches have a suggested donation figure. More masses offered would mean more money in the coffers of the church to maintain the good works that are done by the church... for the upkeep of the buildings, parish and laypersons who labour in the "vineyard". God knows money is always needed for these and other works.

Create Holy Doctors, Holy Lawyers, Holy Engineers.

2011-12-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

Years ago I put a chain over my open palm and was told that I would have a daughter and a son. A decade later, after having my daughter and my Son I asked God to grant me another Son that my family name would be carried on and I would by His grace, have one who would become a priest. What a great thing, for one to have a child take Holy orders.

Another Decade Later, my wife and I have four children - A girl and three boys. I have no expectations for my children, other than to become good citizens and good people, what ever course they take. The local saying is that "we make our children, not their minds". It refers to children doing what they want in life, even after the parent has planned another direction for them. So I don't plan. They have ideas about what they want to do in life and I support and pray, as does my wife.

If all my children take Holy orders I would be disappointed not to have grand children, but I would be so proud of them. Archbishop Harris in a homily at the church of Saint Phillip and St James in Chaguanas on December 17th (and reported in the Catholic news of Christmas day) says that Catholics might just be about 19% of the local population based on the recent census. he urged parishioners to encourage young men to consider priesthood. “The priesthood is an endangered species but the Church cannot exist without priests. Pray that your son becomes a priest. Help him imagine himself as a priest.” Parents often encouraged their children to become lawyers, doctors, engineers or other professionals for the financial benefits, he added. “But we need to pray that they become holy doctors, holy lawyers or holy engineers,” so that they could give back to society.

I pray that too Father.

Archbishop of Port of Spain Christmas Message 2011

2011-12-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

The following Message was taken from the Website (and the Catholic News) for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Once again we have come around to the celebration of Christmas, which unlike what some persons would like us to believe, is not a secular feast. It is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ, for us Christians, our Lord and saviour. The Gospel of St. John tells us that “he came to his own and his own did not receive him but to all who did receive him he gave power to become children of God.” They did not receive him I suppose because they did not recognise him. Who would have thought that the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes was in fact the Son of God yet this infant was in fact Emmanuel God with us.

We celebrate this feast in the midst of trying times for the country. We have just ended the state of emergency, an alleged assassination plot against government figures, threats of industrial unrest and murders which appear to be on the rise again. We must ask ourselves to what does this feast call us. It cannot be that we are simply called to have a good time. That we will do, but we must ask ourselves what gift do we bring to the One whose birthday we celebrate? For us who believe, to those whom he gave the power to become children of God, like the child of God par excellence we have to be Emmanuel, God with us, for all those with whom we come into contact. Like Emmanuel we must bring the love of God to all people, a love not expressed simply in words but much more in action. And this we must do not only at Christmas time but all the year round. This is the gift which the Lord whose birthday we celebrate wants. If we give him this gift we will be doing our land a great favour.

To every single person in this land, a safe, happy and holy Christmas and a New Year filled with God’s richest blessings.

+ Joseph,

Archbishop of Port of Spain

Also taken from the Archdiocese website:

I wish you all a blessed Christmas. May the peace of the Christ Child remain with us all beyond the Christmas season.The Christmas Cycle of the Liturgical Year embraces a number of major themes in Catholic spirituality: the Birth of the Lord, the Feast of the Holy Family (Friday 30), the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God (Sunday, Jan 1) and the Epiphany of the Lord (Sunday, Jan 8). The Christmas cycle closes on Monday, January 9 with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. I ask your continued prayer for Archbishop Gilbert who is recuperating from surgery and will celebrate his 75th birthday on December 26.

I thank you for your usual generosity to the clergy of the archdiocese at this time and for your continuing response to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.

Well, Happy Birthday Archbishop Gilbert. We share a great birthday - the feast of St Steven.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

One year till the end of time

2011-12-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

Well, What do you think about that headline? Is it all a lot of baloney? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe you should be preparing to meet Jesus. Scratch that. You should be preparing to meet Jesus. Even if the world does not end a year from today, we all, as Christians, should be preparing to meet Jesus. You never know when it's your turn to die.

Despite end times and end time prophecies, we still have to pay bills. At least, until that very day. So we give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, and we march on in this life, giving praise to God and proclaiming our faith.

And when the end of the world comes.... well, we begin another in joy.

Father Sumich in Trinidad.

2011-12-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Today I met a very interesting man. Father Antony Sumich. He is the rector at St Gregory's Academy and belongs to the Priestly Society of Saint Peter. A remarkable man. Rigid in his belief. Strong in his faith. A directional light for an accommodating world. The above photo was taken from stgregorysacademy.org

Wiki has this about the Priestly Society of Saint Peter: The F.S.S.P. was established on July 18, 1988 at the Abbey of Hauterive, Switzerland by twelve priests and a score of seminarians, led by Father Josef Bisig, all of whom had formerly belonged to Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's Society of St. Pius X; they were unwilling to follow that movement into what the Congregation for Bishops and Pope John Paul II defined to be a schismatic act and grounds for excommunication latæ sententiæ due to the consecration of four bishops without a papal mandate.Father Josef Bisig became the Fraternity's first superior general.

These priests say Mass the old way. That is, how it was said before Vatican II. It is the only way they say Mass. The old Mass has returned with variations, but their version of the Mass is really OLD SCHOOL.

Wiki describes this guy and who he is: Antony Sumich, F.S.S.P. (born 1964 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a former international Rugby Union and Cricket player for Croatia, skiing instructor and Rugby coach, and is now a Catholic priest of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. Sumich was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland and he completed his training as a civil engineer in Auckland in the 1980s. In 1989 he relocated to Europe, intending to live in Croatia, but because of the war there, he went to Austria and worked there for eight winters as a ski instructer, and elsewhere in Europe while coaching rugby. After the war, he became the coach of the Croatian national rugby team . He also played Cricket for Croatia, being a member of the Croatian National Cricket team in 2001. he was introduced to the "awe-inspiring" Tridentine Mass celebrated by Father Denzil Meuli at Titirangi. Sumich "felt God's call and sought an order using this rite". He was accepted by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter and went to their formation house, the International Seminary of St. Peter in Wigratzbad-Opfenbach, Bavaria, but he did most of his studies in Denton, Nebraska at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. After his priestly ordination he was stationed in Orlu, Nigeria where he had also served following his ordination as a deacon.

I wish to say that I had a great discussion with this fascinating man.
God Bless you Father.

Lines of Kids to see Santa but ... where is the Line to see Jesus

2011-12-19T17:47:00.000-08:00

Mary realises she's pregant

2011-12-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

She's Pregnant. She's wondering what will life have in store for me. "Where to now Lord"

Greater things Mary. Greater things.

French Right Wing Catholics Vs French theatre

2011-12-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

Well, When we talk about the church Militant, we are talking about the church on earth, not the Military. It would seem though that there are some very angry Catholics in France who have had enough of turning the other cheek and have chosen to act violently. This is not what Christianity is about. The story in ther UK Guardian pf December 8th gives the story:

One of Paris's most prestigious theatres was being protected by riot police and guard-dog patrols on Thursday after it became the latest target in a wave of Catholic protests across France against so-called "blasphemous" plays.

The head of the Théâtre du Rond-Point on the Champs-Elysées complained of death threats in the runup to Thursday's premiere of the play Golgota Picnic by the Madrid-based, Argentinian writer Rodrigo García. Two men reported to have links to fundamentalist Catholic groups were arrested at the weekend while attempting to disable the theatre's security system.

Several Catholic groups have called for peaceful demonstrations, prayer-vigils and the laying down of white flowers outside the building every night the play is shown, while the archbishop of Paris will lead protest prayers against the play at Notre Dame Cathedral.

The demonstrations over Golgota Picnic come after a rise in fundamentalist religious protest action against some of France's most high-profile theatres, including pelting the audience with eggs, letting off stinkbombs and the invasion of the stage of Paris's esteemed Théâtre de la Ville mid-performance by outraged Catholics carrying banners reading "Stop Christianophobia".

Earlier this year, young French fundamentalist Catholics staged an unprecedented attack on a gallery in Avignon, slashing photographs including Piss Christ by the New York artist Andres Serrano. More peaceful Catholic protests outside theatres, including young people kneeling with wooden crosses outside venues from Lille to Toulouse, have led the French culture pages to question the rise in rightwing and nationalist feeling among hardline Christian groups.

Paris remains sensitive about Christian demonstrations since the fire-bombing of a cinema showing Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988. Political commentators have speculated that some traditionalist Catholics in the demonstrations had broken off from the Front National after the leadership was taken over by Jean-Marie Le Pen's daughter Marine.

Golgota Picnic, which takes place on a stage strewn with burger buns, has several religious references including readings and a crucifixion scene. But Paris theatre critics said it was absurd to call it anti-Catholic or blasphemous and questioned whether its religious critics had actually seen it.

Yet in a move that went further than the recent protests over Théâtre de la Ville's staging of On the Concept of the Face, Regarding the Son of God by the Italian Romeo Castellucci, Paris's archbishop, André Vingt-Trois, deemed Golgota Picnic, which he had not seen, "deliberately offensive" and said he would lead a protest prayer at Notre Dame.

Jean-Michel Ribes, head of the Théâtre de Rond-Point, appealed for calm. He said: "The Théâtre du Rond-Point isn't an anti-Christian, anti-Muslim or anti-Jewish place." But he said the role of artists was to fight against "suffocating dogma". Theatregoers have been advised to arrive an hour early to get through the airport-style security before reaching their seats.

Paris city hall's art supremos rushed to defend the theatre community against what it said was fundamentalists holding art to ransom, saying a "silent minority" of Catholics did not share the notion of making threats or stifling freedom of expression.

Civitas, a lobby group that says it aims to re-Christianise France, has called for a large, peaceful street demonstration "against Christianophobia" this weekend.

ANGELS, ARCHANGELS, AND SEVEN OTHER CHOIRS

2011-12-12T08:53:00.001-08:00

A popular post that gets lots of hits is called "Enoch and the Arch Angels". "Archangels" is the word that is most often used to link to my page. There seems to be a facination about angels. Apperrently there are nine Choirs of Angels. Catholic.org lists them as follows:

SERAPHIM
These are the highest order or choir of angels. They are the angels who are attendants or guardians before God's throne. They praise God, calling, "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts". the only Bible reference is Isaiah 6:1-7. One of them touched Isaiah's lips with a live coal from the altar, cleansing him from sin. Seraphim have six wings, two cover their faces, two cover their feet, and two are for flying.

CHERUBIM
Cherubim rank after the seraphim and are the second highest in the nine hierarchies or choirs of angels. The Old Testament does not reveal any evidence that the Jews considered them as intercessors or helpers of God. They were closely linked in God's glory. They are manlike in appearance and double-winged and were guardians of God's glory. They symbolized then, God's power and mobility. In the New Testament, they are alluded to as celestial attendants in the Apocalypse (Rv 4-6). Catholic tradition describes them as angels who have an intimate knowledge of God and continually praise Him.

THRONES
Thrones are the Angels of pure Humility, Peace and Submisssion. They reside in the area of the cosmos where material form begins to take shape. The lower Choir of Angels need the Thrones to access God.

DOMINIONS
Dominions are Angels of Leadership. They regulate the duties of the angels, making known the commands of God.

VIRTUES
Virtues are known as the Spirits of Motion and control the elements. They are sometimes referred to as "the shining ones." They govern all nature. They have control over seasons, stars, moon; even the sun is subject to their command. They are also in charge of miracles and provide courage, grace, and valor.

POWERS
Powers are Warrior Angels against evil defending the cosmos and humans. They are known as potentates. They fight against evil spirits who attempt to wreak chaos through human beings. The chief is said to be either Samael or Camael, both angels of darkness.

ARCHANGELS
Archangels are generally taken to mean "chief or leading angel" ( Jude 9; 1 Thes 4:16), they are the most frequently mentioned throughout the Bible. They may be of this or other hierarchies as St. Michael Archangel, who is a princely Seraph. The Archangels have a unique role as God's messenger to the people at critical times in history and salvation (Tb 12:6, 15; Jn 5:4; Rv 12:7-9) as in The Annunciation and Apocalypse. A feast day celebrating the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is celebrated throughout the Church Sep 29. A special part of the Byzantine Liturgy invokes the "Cherubic Hymn" which celebrates these archangels and the guardian angels particularly. Of special significance is St. Michael as he has been invoked as patron and protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles. The Eastern Rite and many others place him over all the angels, as Prince of the Seraphim. He is described as the "chief of princes" and as the leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over Satan and his followers. The angel Gabriel first appeared in the Old Testament in the prophesies of Daniel, he announced the prophecy of 70 weeks (Dn 9:21-27). He appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of St. John the Baptist (Lk 1:11). It was also Gabriel which proclaimed the Annunciation of Mary to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour. (Lk 1:26) The angel Raphael first appeared in the book of Tobit (Tobias)Tb 3:25, 5:5-28, 6-12). He announces "I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the throne of God." (Tb 12:15)

PRINCIPALITIES
In the New Testament Principalities refers to one type of spiritual (metaphysical) being which are now quite hostile to God and human beings. (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15) Along with the principalities are the powers (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1 Pt 3:22; 2 Thes 1:7); and cosmological powers (1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; Col 2:15);Dominions (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16) and thrones (Col1:16). The clarity of the New Testament witness helps see that these beings were created through Christ and for Him (Col 1:16). Given their hostility to God and humans due to sin, Christ's ultimate rule over them (ibid) expresses the reign of the Lord over all in the cosmos. This is the Lordship of Christ, which reveals God's tremendous salvation in conquering sin and death at the cross, and now takes place in the Church. (Eph 3:10)

ANGELS
These angels are closest to the material world and human begins. They deliver the prayers to God and God's answers and other messages to humans. Angels have the capacity to access any and all other Angels at any time. They are the most caring and social to assist those who ask for help.

POPE BENEDICT AND SANTA

2011-12-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

The Pope was at a Christmas-tree lighting recently when he identified his Christmas Wish list. Now, I don't know if Santa can get these gifts. If he does, then I hope he brings me what I am asking for. Hmmm! Maybe I should just ask the Big Guy in Heaven rather than the Fat Guy in the North Pole. Anyhoo, here according to Zenit News is the Popes 2011 Christmas Wish list:

"My first wish, therefore, is that our gaze, that of our minds and our hearts, not rest only on the horizon of this world, on its material things, but that in some way, like this tree that tends upward, it be directed toward God. God never forgets us but He also asks that we don't forget Him."

"My second wish is that we recall that we also need a light to illumine the path of our lives and to give us hope, especially in this time in which we feel so greatly the weight of difficulties, of problems, of suffering, and it seems that we are enshrouded in a veil of darkness. But what light can truly illuminate our hearts and give us a firm and sure hope? It is the Child whom we contemplate on Christmas, in a poor and humble manger, because He is the Lord who draws near to each of us and asks that we receive Him anew in our lives, asks us to want Him, to trust in Him, to feel His presence, that He is accompanying us, sustaining us, and helping us."

"This great tree is formed of many lights. My final wish is that each of us contribute something of that light to the spheres in which we live: our families, our jobs, our neighborhoods, towns, and cities."

Jain, Jain, Jain....

2011-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

Well, that's how the old Jefferson Starship song goes.

Zenit news in a december 9th article says that the Vatican is "noting satisfaction over the "mutual respect and friendship" between Christians and followers of the Jain religion."

Well in the grand scheme of things there aren't very many Jainist around: About 4.2 million. Well, size does not matter. Love does.

Apparently the Church (Vatican) has been in dialogue with the Jainists since 1985 and continue to dialogue.

A comunique from The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue noted the items of agreement and principles for working together.

The delegations discussed the Jain principle of "non-violence" (Ahimsa) and that of Christian "charity," "with an aim to find concrete areas of convergence as the basis of collaboration."

"They found some common elements that can motivate and sustain Jain-Catholic collaboration, recognizing the differences between the two principles," ...

"They also recognized that these elements, on a practical level, call upon the followers of both the traditions to promote mutual respect, truthfulness, honesty, freedom, peace, social harmony and to commit themselves to eliminate every form of violence against human beings, in particular injustice, poverty and exploitation of natural resources."

Well, So much for the Jefferson Starship... I gotta read up some more on these Jainists.

Happy Feast Day Cathedral

2011-12-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

The Immaculate Conception

Most of what we know about Mary's parents, SS. Anne and Joachim, is derived from the apocryphal Protoevangelium of St. James and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary. St. Anne is the patron of childless people, pregnant women, and grandmothers (her Feast Day is 26 July); St. Joachim is the patron of grandfathers. (In the painting above, St. Anne sits in the chair, and her husband stands at her right. Cleophas is seen in the right-hand corner reading, and Jesus, Mary and Joseph are in front).

As said, at the very moment of Mary's conception in St. Anne's womb, God filled Mary with grace and preserved her from the stain of sin so she might be a pure vessel by whom Christ could enter the world; "Immaculate Conception," then is a title for Mary -- a title reflecting her being and which reveals that the New Adam saved the New Eve from the stain of original sin in an act foretold in the first Book of Scripture:

Genesis 3:15
I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

Adam and Eve, Mary and Jesus -- the only four persons with human natures who were, in their first moments, without sin (and, of course, Mary and Jesus remained sinless).

Mary is the All Holy, and it had to be this way: Christ took from her His very Flesh and Blood -- the Flesh that was scourged for us, the Blood that was spilt for us, the Bread of Life that saves us!

Symbols for the day are any of the usual Marian symbols (the color blue, her crown of 12 stars representing the 12 Tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles), but especially those which emphasize her purity, such as lilies and her Immaculate Heart.

There are no special practices today that I know of, but, as with all Marian Feasts, it is a good day to pray the Magnificat, the Litany of Loreto, the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, the Akathistos Hymn to the Theotokos, the Ave Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Ocean), the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, etc. (You can download the Litany of Loreto in Microsoft Word .doc format, in English or in Latin.)

....taken from Fisheaters.com

Cathedral Renovations

2011-12-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

Renovations begin at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Port of Spain Trinidad.

The photos below show the movable Altar erected so that work can begin in the ceiling over the original Altar space.

TRINIDAD EUCHARIST MIRACLE - NO MIRACLE AT ALL

2011-12-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

And so the story twists and turns. Yesterday a Priest friend of mine told me that he did not beleive the bleeding host to be bleeding blood. An article in todays Newsday confirms this. But what is the substance and where did it come from. Most importantly... WHO put it there? Here is what the Newsday has to say about the substance:

The red substance found on the wooden carving of the Host and chalice at the Rock River RC, Moruga is not blood.

Reports of “blood” being seen on the symbol of the Holy Eucharist caused scores of people to visit the school to see for themselves. Several people believed it was a sign from God.

Co-Adjutor Archbishop of Port-of-Spain Joseph Harris yesterday said, “It’s not blood it is some synthetic substance, so we will have to deal with that and find out how it got there.” Speaking to Newsday at the Assumption RC Church, Maraval, after officiating at the Mass to celebrate the life of Dr Cuthbert Joseph, Harris said tests were done and he received a report yesterday. Asked if people looked out for signs to increase their faith, Harris said, “Only the truth can increase your faith. Something which is not true can’t increase your faith.” While people may want to interpret certain things as signs from God, Harris said the Church had to be very careful before making any pronouncement and approving anything.

“We did what needed to be done. We secured the image. Tests were done. The doctors who have done the tests, have a written report. It’s not blood.” Harris will convey the findings to the parish priest Fr Jayasaleen Baskar.

On December 1, teacher Eric Lewis, a Standard Two teacher at the Rock River RC spoke to his class about the Holy Eucharist being the body and blood of Christ. Lewis tried to test the students’ knowledge of the Catholic faith and as part of the lesson removed a wooden carving of the chalice and Host from an old cupboard. It was placed on a wall next to a crucifix. Later in the day that Lewis observed a red substance on the Host and asked his pupils why they put paint on the carving. They denied interfering with the carving.

Hey Papa! You not wearing no seatbelt.

2011-12-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

This one made me smile, as it did the Pope. Have a read yourself. It was written by JOhn Thavis for the Catholic News Agency:

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican said Pope Benedict XVI greeted with a smile the news that a German citizen had filed a complaint against him for not wearing a seat belt in his popemobile.

The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said Nov. 30 that the complaint was not being taken seriously at the Vatican.

"It continues to provoke curiosity and smiles of amusements, beginning with the pope himself," Father Lombardi said.

Father Lombardi said it was well known that the popemobile does not travel long distances, moves at a very slow speed and doesn't generally run the risk of encountering other vehicles in its path.

"The pope turns continually to the right and to the left to greet and bless the faithful. Often he gets up and takes in his arms babies to bless, to the joy of the parents and everyone present. All these gestures presume a certain freedom of movement," the spokesman said.

Father Lombardi added that the Vatican was "grateful for the affectionate concern for the pope's safety," but added that the complaint did not seem to reflect much flexibility in interpreting the meaning of the law.

German news reports said the complaint against the pope was filed in the city of Dortmund following Pope Benedict's September visit to his homeland. The pope traveled frequently in his popemobile during stops in Berlin, Erfurt, Etzelsbach and Freiburg.

The complaint said that on all these occasions the pope had failed to use the seat belt as required by German law and that, as a repeat offender, he should be fined the maximum of 2,500 euros ($3,400). According to the German reports, the lawyer who filed the complaint said his client was primarily concerned about the safety of the 84-year-old pope.

Eric Lewis and the Eucharistic Miracle (???) in Trinidad

2011-12-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

Who is Eric Lewis? This man who is in the middle of the Eucharistic Miracle in Trinidad. Well an article in the July 21st 2011 Newsday written by Laurel V Williams shines some light on him.

My Brother and his wife know him well. According to my sister in law, "he is the bigger miracle" he is a great guy and a good Catholic. He converted the house left to him by his grandfather to a retreat house. He built a shrine not too far from the house. Here is the Article:

ERIC LEWIS is a young man with many portfolios - primary school teacher, acolyte, painter and artist of restoration of statues, to name a few.

At 25, Lewis has managed to fulfill many of his dreams, one of which was to restore and paint 22 statues of various saints.

At his grandmother’s home, located next to his home in Gran Chemin, Moruga, it looks similar to that of a shrine due to the numerous religious objects.Lewis, in fact, is an acolyte at the St Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church in Moruga where he attends worship nearly every Sunday.

Lewis said that in February he was given the task of painting and restoring several dilapidated statues of saints. The statues were being housed at the Our Lady of Montserrat RC Church in Tortuga.

It was while performing his task, Lewis discovered artifacts as well as newspaper clippings which dated back to as far as 1922. “I think that this may be the first time the statues are being restored. These are some of the oldest in the country. Many of these statues are made of metal and others of plastic,” Lewis said.

Devoting his time to ensure the statues look their best, Lewis on average spends most of his nights working on the statues. So serious is he with is work, he called in assistance from two friends - researchers and painters from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, USA.As it happens Br.Sean,

Eucharistic Miracle in Caribbean Island of Trinidad?

2011-12-02T04:25:00.000-08:00

There is a report of a Eucharistic miralce in the Moruga area of our little Caribbean island of Trinidad. Well, there is blood on a wooden representation of the Eucharist. Why? I don't know. It reminds us Catholics in Trinidad of the weeping Virgin... or the statue of the Virgin Mary that wept blood at Corpus Christi Girls College in the Diego Martin Valley. While that occured more than a decade ago, it is not hard to forget once you have been exposed to it.

There is a Vatican approved Eucharistic Miracle from the Caribbean. It occured on the island of Martinique, in a little church in the village of Morne-Rouge. Many lives were spared that day, by the Grace of God.

While this miracle has not revealed itself to be in that league.... you never know what God has planned for us.

The miracle could also be linked to the spiritual attacks on the Moruga High School.

Anyhoo, here is the article as it appears on the Trinidad Guardian of Friday December 2nd 2011. The above photo is also taken from this article written by Radhica Sookraj. The image shows some drops of blood-like substance on the ground which supposedly fell from the wodden Eucharist:

Prayers filled the Rock River RC Primary School, Moruga, yesterday as scores of Roman Catholics flocked to the school compound to view what has been described as an “Eucharistic Miracle”. Teachers, students and villagers, who flocked to the school, fell on their knees in prayer after a red substance, resembling blood, began dripping from a wood carving of the Holy Eucharist. Within hours, a puddle of red liquid had formed at the base of the chalice. Minister in the Ministry of Education, Clifton de Couteau, and two Roman Catholic priests—Father Anthony Baskar and Father Karuna Kumar—arrived at the school within an hour. A picture of the Virgin Mary was set up on a desk with two lighted candles, while a wooden carving of Christ on the Cross was placed next to the “bleeding” Eucharist.

The red fluid was first observed around 10.45 am in the Standard Two classroom. Teacher Eric Lewis said his pupils was having religious education as their first lesson and instead of speaking about Advent (Christmas) he decided to speak about the Eucharist, which Roman Catholics believe to be the the body of Jesus Christ. He said: “I wanted to find out how much people knew about the Eucharist. I told my students the chalice represented a cup of the blood of Christ and the host represented the body of Christ. “I asked my pupils if they had ever seen it and one of them told me there was a wood carving of the Eucharist in my cupboard,” Lewis recalled. He said he took out the carving, hung it up in the classroom and then left to speak to the principal. After recess, he said, he returned to class and noticed something was different with the Eucharist.

“At first I thought somebody put paint on it and I got angry but when I climbed up and looked at it, I realised that something, looking like blood, was dripping down the sides. I touched it and smelt it and it smelt like blood,” Lewis said. Saying he was always like “Doubting Thomas,” the teacher took samples of the fluid to be tested. “I truly believe this is a sign for us in Moruga to have faith. Jesus is showing his power in this way,” Lewis said. He said even if nobody believed the fluid was blood, the incident had reaffirmed his belief in Christ. De Couteau said he arrived at the school immediately after hearing of the “blood-flowing chalice.”
He added: “This is not unusual because sometime ago, we also heard about the Hindu murtis drinking milk.

There is a young man who has taken samples so we shall know whether it is blood—human or animal.” Asked whether he believed the phenomenon is a sign of bad times, De Couteau said: “I don’t want to theorise. This is a strange phenomenon that people go all over the world to see.” Fr Baskar said he too was baffled. He said miracles often happened and the appearance of blood could be an indication that Jesus would come to purify and cleanse. Members of the Livingstone Prayer Group, including Bernadine Alphonso, Dianne Ayers and Yvonne Ragoo, knelt in prayer while pupils were taken in groups to witness the phenomenon. This is the second time a phenomenon has been witnessed at Moruga. In recent months there have been reports that students of the Moruga Secondary School were being affected by evil spirits which gave them super-strength and the ability to climb walls.

Diego pilgrims video world youth day 2011

2011-11-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

My friend Cherise sent me this video put together by the Pilgrims to Spain for world youth day from the valley of Diego Martin - St John the Evangelist. That's her chatting with the sister of charity. Enjoy

millions of Muslims becomming Christian

2011-11-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

A very amazing piece of news. If it is true.

bumped my toe and remembered 1Thessalonians5

2011-11-24T16:49:00.000-08:00

Always be joyful; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks; this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thessalonians5; Vs16-18)

"Can we fix it?" and other slogans from kids shows

2011-11-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

I have been watching a lot of kids programmes recently and thewife and I were trying to remember slogans from the shows. Yes! they all have something that someone says that is part of the show. Here is a list that we combined. Feel free to contribute:

Reading Rainbow - But you don't have to take my word for it.
Bill Nye the Science Guy – Science Rules
The Electric Company- Avery short book
Blue’s Clues – blue skidoo – so can you
Dragon Tales – love it!
Teletubbies – Oh-oh
Zoboomafoo – Going on a trip
Bob the Builder – can we fix it, yes we can
Dora the Explorer – We did it!
Clifford the Big Red Dog – I love you clifford
Thomas the Tank Engine – That’s right!
Boohbah – (nothing)
The Backyardigans – That was an excellent adventure, don’t you think?
The Magic School Bus - Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!
Word Girl – Word UP!
Arthur – Ooo! Look what I found
Cyberchase – Cyberchase for Real
Curious George- Can I have my hat plaese
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – Oh Toodles!
Special Agent Oso – Three special steps
Sid the Science Kid – Supa dupa shmupa big idea!
Little Einsteins – I can not believe it
Yo Gabba Gabba! – Don’tbiteyourfriends
Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! – That wasn’t supposedtohappen
Johnny and the Sprites -
Imagination Movers – It’s an idea emergency
Caillou - Growing up is not so tough.
Max & Ruby - Oh Max!
Charlie and Lola – but Charlie…
Team Umizoomi – power up!
Wonder Pets – This calls for some cellery
Between the Lions – Cliff Hanger, Hanging from a cliff
PB&J Otter – Time to do the noodle dance

The Christian of Outlish Magazine

2011-11-14T16:25:00.001-08:00

Outlish magazine is an online magazine about Trinidad Youth and how they find a place on this earth. It is local, regional and international. I cannot say I am a fan of every article. Today I read an article written by a Christian called Confessions of a Church girl. The truth of the article is that you can take out the word Christian and replace it with Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, or Seventh day Adventist and it would be true for all faiths.

It is not a "live and let live" mentality, instead it is an understanding of human nature and how some people think they have found faith.

I will not cut and paste the article here instead how about a link ---> here

7000 percent increase in Catholics

2011-11-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

Zenit news reported that from 1900 to 2000 the amount of Catholics in Africa went from 2 million to 140 million.

Such enormous growth implies a tremendous richness for the Church, but it also means a host of pastoral challenges. Benedict XVI begins his second trip to Africa in one week from today, where he will deliver the apostolic exhortation that draws from the 2009 special synod on Africa.

The continent has around a 1001 million people. So we have a way to go. But by the grace of God, He will triumph.

Archbishop Gilbert of Port of Spain accused of Anti-Semetic speech

2011-10-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Knowing Archbishop Edward Gilbert, I am sure that the comments made were a slip of the tongue rather than hate for Jews. I understand why the Jewish group JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) would make an issue of it. You make issues of slips of the tongue so that others would choose their words carefully.

But how would the JTA get the scripts of the Archbishops homily. As far as I know the homily was not broadcast, and the group listening were Catholics. How weird. Or is it?

In my mind, this all started with comments made by certain politicians, of a racist nature. The Archbishop chastised these politicians and they made issue by reporting him to the anti defamation league. Poor guy. He has been so politically correct for too long, and as he starts to make issue he gets attacked.

The reading for the day was taken from Matthew 22:34-40

"When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?'

Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment.

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hangs all the law and the prophets."

All the comments made were in reference to the local politicians and the reading. It was a Homily about love. In the Homily, and according to the Anti Defamation League article Gilbert spoke of the ORIGINAL Jews.

So I beleive the issue is an over reaction and a blatant attack on the Archbishop and the Catholic Church.

Here is the Article from the Anti Defamation League website:

New York, NY, October 25, 2011 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today said it was deeply disturbed by disparaging remarks about Judaism from Archbishop Edward Gilbert, the leader of the Catholic Church in the Port of Spain, who reportedly likened politicians in Trinidad and Tobago to Jews and suggested that, "…they have the mindset of the original Jewish people."

Archbishop Gilbert was reported to have made the remarks during a Jubilee Mass held October 24 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in San Fernando to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Roman Catholic mission there.

"The Jews were compassionate and caring for their own, they were compassionate and caring to the people of their nation, to the people of their race, to the people of their ethnic communities. However, that wasn't enough for Jesus. Jesus took that teaching and universalized it," Archbishop Gilbert told his congregation, according to a news report. "In many cases in this country, there are people who love one another, who are compassionate, but they have the mindset of the original Jewish people. They are good to their own ... but they have not universalized the concept of love."

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, said the archbishop's statements as reported were "a disturbing repackaging of ancient anti-Jewish canards and supersessionist beliefs."

"Archbishop Gilbert devalues Judaism over and against Christianity," said Mr. Foxman. "The false notion that Jews only care about themselves and don't care enough about others is one of the major pillars of classical anti-Semitism."

"While the Catholic Church has made tremendous strides in countering anti-Jewish notions such as the belief that the advent of Christianity superseded Judaism, Archbishop Gilbert's statements show that he has not internalized the important reforms of Vatican II."

The article speaks of the Vatican II reform document. It is called NOSTRA AETATE, Latin for "In our Time". The document calls for good relations between Catholics and other Religions: Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews and other religions. The last paragraph of the document states:

The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, this sacred synod ardently implores the Christian faithful to "maintain good fellowship among the nations" (1 Peter 2:12), and, if possible, to live for their part in peace with all men, so that they may truly be sons of the Father who is in heaven.

I am sure, that Archbishop Edward Gilbert will issue a public apology. Not for the sentiment expressed (Love your fellow man universally, as Christ loved), but the slip of the tongue that may have caused offence to Jews. But then if he does that, does that mean he has to apologise to the politicians who make awful statements. What is the church if we cannot speak out against injustice?

Shub Divali to all Hindus in Trinidad and around the world

2011-10-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Divali to all my Hindu friends in Trinidad and around the world. May there always be light overcoming the darkness that may try to creep into your life.

Below is a message from the Pope for the festival of Divali and to Hindus.

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 20, 2011 (Zenit.org).- The president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is inviting Hindus to "join hands in promoting religious freedom as our shared responsibility, by asking the leaders of nations never to disregard the religious dimension of the human person."

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran made this invitation in the Vatican's customary greeting to Hindus for Deepvali. The message was released today.

Deepvali celebrates the victory of truth over falsehood, of light over darkness, of life over death, of good over evil. The celebrations, which begin this year on Oct. 26, last three days and mark the beginning of a new year, a time for family reconciliation, especially among brothers and sisters, and adoration of the divine.

"There are many fields in which a specific contribution can be made to the common good, such as the defense of life and the dignity of the family, the sound education of children, honesty in daily conduct, and the preservation of natural resources, to name a few," the cardinal wrote in the message.

He noted the plight of those who are "exposed to bias, prejudice, hate propaganda, discrimination and persecution on the basis of religious affiliation." And he said that religious freedom is "the answer to religiously motivated conflicts in many parts of the world."

"Religious freedom is numbered among the fundamental human rights rooted in the dignity of the human person," Cardinal Tauran stated. "When it is jeopardized or denied, all other human rights are endangered."

The cardinal also highlighted some of the main elements of religious freedom.

He said: "Religious freedom necessarily includes immunity from coercion by any individual, group, community or institution. Though the exercise of this right entails the freedom of every person to profess, practice and propagate his or her religion or belief, in public or in private, alone or in a community, it also involves a serious obligation on the part of civil authorities, individuals and groups to respect the freedom of others. Moreover, it includes the freedom to change one's own religion."

Rest in Peace Rev Cyril Paul

2011-10-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Caribbean Catholic would like to offer his condolences to the family of the late Reverend Cyril Paul - Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Trinidad.

There are some interesting newspaper articles on the passing of the good reverend, but nothing on the church website: http://presbyterianchurchtt.org/default.aspx

Rest in Peace good and faithful Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The following is an article on Rev Paul By Lara Pickford-Gordon Monday, October 24 2011 from the Newsday Newspapers:

Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church and head of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO)Reverend Cyril Paul, 70, lost his battle with prostate cancer yesterday.

Paul died at about 9 am yesterday at Vistas House, a hospice run by the Cancer Society of TT on the compound of the St James Medical Complex. Paul had for a few years been dealing with other medical conditions but it was only a year ago that prostate cancer was diagnosed.

In an interview at their San Juan home yesterday, Paul’s wife of 46 years, Barbara said, “He really suffered.”

When his health deteriorated, Paul was warded at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope where he spent two weeks. Last Friday, he was moved to Vistas House. Doctors at Mt Hope had given him one to seven weeks to live.

Despite this, Barbara said her husband was ready for the afterlife.

“He kept saying he wanted to go home. He did not mean here (San Juan). He meant his heavenly home. He was prepared to go,” said Barbara.

She told Newsday he was never bitter about his illness or questioned why God allowed this to happen. “He accepted it.”

Reflecting on her husband’s life Barbara said, “He lived a good life and was able to do a lot.

“He gave his life for his vocation. No one could have faulted him for that. He really enjoyed life, living, and what he was doing. If he had to do it all over, he would do it the same.”

Barbara said Paul had expressed a wish for “two more years” to complete a book he was working on based on stories from his childhood. Paul last year launched the book Response to a Call, a compilation of his speeches from 1979-2006.

Paul is remembered for his sense of humour and remarked to friends that he was the most beaten priest in the country. He was robbed once but beaten twice.

In February 2005, as president of the IRO, Paul was beaten and robbed of a car at Curepe not long after dropping home a fellow IRO member, who had attended a meeting with him at Archbishop’s House, Port-of-Spain.

In the second incident, Paul was accosted at the Aramalaya church, Tunapuna as he was about to open the gate of the church.

Paul served for three terms as head of the IRO, and was a member of the organisation for more than 20 years. He served three two-year terms as Moderator of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church. He was well known for his Palm Sunday sermons and being outspoken on national issues. In July, he celebrated 40 years serving the church.

At the service held at the Curepe Presbyterian Church, Paul said, “If my life and ministry have helped persons, congregations and communities in any way, then I give credit to Almighty God and I join with the hymn-writer in saying, to God be the glory, great things he has done.”

Paul’s funeral is expected to take place at the Susamachar Church, San Fernando where he was ordained.

Moderator of the Presbyterian Church Brenda Bullock said Paul was a tower of strength not only in the Presbyterian Church but also as president of the IRO. According to Bullock, “He was a minister of the people. A sterling light in the Presbyterian Church.”

There was controversy in 2003 at the opening of Parliament when Paul in his prayer said, “We ask your forgiveness for the times when in our desire to score points we make statements and say things which we know are not true and responsible.”

Former Moderator Elvis Elahie said Paul was fair to all and did not have political bias.

“He commented as he interpreted, based on his own opinion.” Paul gave of himself as a counsellor and according to Elahie, “confronted individuals” where necessary.

IRO president Emrol Gould said Paul was a beloved friend whose service to the organisation will always be remembered. Gould said the passing was a great loss for him, members of the IRO and the country. He extended prayers to Paul’s family and members of the Presbyterian Church and persons who knew Paul.

Secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Satnarayan Maharaj, who worked alongside Paul in the IRO for many years said, “He was an active member of the IRO to which we all belonged. For many years he provided good service, leadership in the organisation and held various religious grouping together.”

Maharaj also worked with Paul in other groups and said he was thankful for the contribution he made to “religious unity in the land.”

Acting Prime Minister Winston Dookeran extended condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the Government.

Dookeran said Paul was one of the architects of the modern Presbyterian church in TT and the West Indies.

“He was one of our country’s builders who left no stone unturned in playing his role to fashion a new society, of which all of us were partners. He gave selflessly to the cause of youth empowerment, and played a significant part in the development of a society where equality, social justice, peace and truth were hallmarks of his contribution.”

Dookeran said Paul’s death was a great loss to the church and the nation. He described him as a “deep thinker, remarkable orator and an attentive listener, who had the distinct passion to uplift the human condition for all his congregation and the populace at large. He gave new credentials to service which must always be conducted within the bounds of moral and ethical values.

He was committed to truthful service, which at times did not receive the fullest support of all.”

Dookeran said Paul was a great soul and true patriot who always practiced national unity and would be sadly missed by all.

When Newsday was started in 1993, Paul blessed the office at 19-21 Chacon Street, Port-of- Spain. He hoped for organisation to do its work with honesty and responsibility.

Archbishop Gilbert rocks TNT - Allyuh! Stop the hate!

2011-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

It is my belief that Archbishop Gilbert was not accepted when he first came to Trinidad. Being an American did not help his cause. Fire fueled by an arrogant, unthinking priest who chose to publicly make issue of the American Archbishop being appointed by a European Church over a West Indian Archdiocese. What a sad embarrassment to our ONE (multi ethnic) church.

But time heals all wounds and Archbishop Gilbert has become loved by the majority of the Catholic population in his Archdiocese. We have become accustomed to "his way".

Part of his "way" is being politically correct. Well, So I believed. Well, imagine my suprise to hear his strong and chastising words to a nation contemplating racial hate in their hearts. Good Job Gilbert! Shake them. They need it.

Among those in my generation, I never saw much racism, until recently. People would intimate dislike of one race or another to me. NO! God made us all.... "yuh musn't think like that man."

This is the time of Obama. Black people didn't put him there. It was the white vote. Racism in the US before Obama was at it's lowest ebb. Now it has increased slightly, but only because Obama isn't turning around the economy like they hoped he would, and so there is a "lashing out".

We need to get it together here in Trinidad. Stop the Hate.

The Article written by Camile Bethel of the Trinidad Express Newspaper of October 24th 2011 says it all:

Gilbert said the tendency of many people within this society is still to take care of their own.

"Politicians take care of their own constituencies on the basis of race, ethnicity or politics, and one of the things we need as a country—the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said it, the President George Maxwell Richards has said it—we need to return to values of universal nature.

"One of the things that we have to watch is the tribalism in the Middle East that is still going on in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. If people... just... take care of their own, it is not good for the country," he said.

He said a lack of values inevitably shows up in behaviour eventually, if not immediately, but especially when people have no religious tradition to fall back on.

"Which is why they can cut each other on the streets and have the drug wars and the violence.

"The way back from that is to have all the religious traditions. I am familiar with the (IRO) Inter-Religious Organisation, talking to their people and teaching them the right things, and talking to the young people about values because some of these kids have absolutely nothing; they get nothing from their families."

He said the curfew imposed under the State of Emergency had reduced the number of killings, but he would much rather see the country renewing itself in terms of values to eventually get to the point where curfews would no longer be needed; because while it was necessary to have a curfew, it was a shame that this country needed it.

"I believe the value problem is an enormous issue. It is a growing problem for the Caribbean and it is spreading everywhere," Gilbert said.

World population growing however, it is expected to shrink after 2070

2011-10-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

This article from Reuters on october 24th 2011, freaks me out, but it does show that there really is no overpopulation.

LONDON (Reuters) -- If the world follows the demographic habits of Europe -- and that's a big if -- by the year 2200 it could be home to a population of less than half its current level, living in housing built for almost three times that number.

With the global population estimated to pass 7 billion on October 31, many of policymakers' short-term worries revolve around providing resources for the additional 2-3 billion people expected to be born in the next half-century.

Numbers of this magnitude inevitably conjure up terrifying visions of shortage and chaos. But in fact improvements in food production and technology have allowed population growth to continue unimpeded and relatively smoothly, and the real potential nightmare is of a rapidly aging population, combined with collapsing birthrates in both rich and poor states.

Many demographers and long-term planners say the challenge for the next century will be less dealing with growing numbers of people and more managing the much larger population of aged and perhaps dependent people while finding new strategies to deliver prosperity, jobs and essential services.

The trend has already contributed to the current global financial crisis by driving up health and social care bills and perhaps also undermining productivity. But while politicians tie themselves in knots over short-term worries, experts say there is not enough discussion of longer-term demographic challenges.

"It's not a world that's going to look anything like any world or population that has existed before," says Jack Goldstone, professor of public policy and a leading demographics expert at Washington's George Mason University.

"We thought that overpopulation was going to force humanity to expand outward to the stars. That doesn't look like the problem at all. And the policy framework isn't set up at all to handle these longer-term issues."

With many of the world's poorer countries still seeing strong growth, the global fertility rate -- the number of children born per couple -- remains around 2.5, more than enough to replace every person currently alive.

But in richer countries, the rate has already nosedived. Russia, Singapore and several other developed countries have introduced policies to boost fertility but with mixed success.

Exact predictions vary, but most projections suggest the global population will peak at around 9 billion around 2070 and then start to fall, perhaps very fast.

FOR NOW, A CROWDED, OLDER WORLD

In the Western world, that date will see both the children of the "baby boomers" -- many of them childless or with fewer children, if current trends hold -- reaching the end of their lives. In the developing world, the "youth bulge" -- the large cohort of young people currently most striking in the Middle East -- will also be dying off.

"The decline in fertility has gone the furthest certainly in the developed world but it is falling very rapidly in most middle-income countries and even some of the more successful lower-income countries," said Daniel Cotlear, a population expert at the World Bank specializing in Latin America.

"With an aging population, that brings challenges."

By 2030, more than a third of the population in a number of Western states as well as some Asian economies, such as Japan and Korea, will be aged over 65.

Many developing states, most notably China with its one-child policy but also a growing number of other nations, will follow suit -- often without the financial resources to help pay for the cost of medical and nursing care.

"It's the seminal issue of our time," says Michael Hodin, executive director of the New York-based Global Coalition on Aging and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"The numbers are stunning. The exact projections vary but it doesn't really matter because they are all going in the same direction."

In the developed world, most countries rely on a large number of working taxpayers to pay for the care and pensions of a relatively small group of elderly people. In poorer countries, extended families tend to look after the elderly.

Neither of those models, experts say, is designed to cope with the changed demographics of more old and fewer young.

AN EMPTY PLANET?

In the short-term, many rich countries have plugged the demographic gap by importing young people from elsewhere in the world, particularly to provide care for the elderly and perform other manual tasks. That, too, may become unsustainable in the years to come as those sources of labor dry up due to falling fertility rates.

Some remain optimistic.

"This will be a much older world but it will also be a much more educated world," said Sergei Scherbov, research group leader at the Vienna Institute of Demography.

"People are becoming healthier. I personally think we will adjust to these things."

Scherbov and colleagues at the World Population Programme of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis have put considerable effort into the near-impossible task of predicting the world's population over the coming two centuries.

At one extreme, if the world's fertility rate were to fall to the same level as that of Shanghai, at around 0.8 per couple, then by the early 22nd century population would be falling so fast that it would be under a billion by 2150.

If it were closer to the European Union average of 1.5 then population would fall below 5 billion around 2140 and 3 billion by 2200. In contrast, maintaining the current rate of 2.5 would see it top 15 billion by 2100.

Those projections assume global life expectancy continues to rise. Should it not, the population slump would be faster still.

"Unpredictability is huge," he says. "(But) it could be a very odd world."

The biggest question that no one has any clear answer to at present, experts say, is whether it is possible to plan for economic growth that will provide jobs and hope for both older workers and those younger people entering the workforce.

In a worst-case scenario of generational conflict, an elderly and middle-aged cohort might block jobs and lobby ferociously to keep up unsustainable entitlements while an angry youth feel denied opportunities and are forced to pay the ultimate financial bill. Some believe that phenomenon is perhaps already becoming visible in parts of the developed world.

"The real problem about the aging population is an economic growth problem," says George Mason University's Goldstone.

"If we have growth, we can afford the pensions and healthcare for the older generation. But if we don't, everyone is going to suffer."

(Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

CATHOLIC CHURCH STATISTICS (as at 31st Dec 2009)

2011-10-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

Fides News Service has sent the following statistics which give an overview of the missionary Church all over the world. The tables are taken from the lastest edition of the 'Church's Book of Statistics' published (updated to December 31, 2009) regarding members of the Church, church structures in the field of pastoral care, healthcare, welfare and education. Please note that variations, increase or decrease, emerging from our own comparison with last year's figures, are marked increase (+) or decrease (-).

World Population

To December 31, 2009 the world population was equal to 6.777.599.000 people, with an increase of 79.246 million compared with the previous year. Population growth was registered on every continent: Africa (+19,983,000); America (+8,744,000); Asia (+47,702, 000); Oceania (+967,000); Europe (+1,850,000) .

Catholics

On the same date Catholics in the world numbered 1,180,665,000 with an overall increase of 14,951,000 more than the previous year. he increase affects all continents: Africa (+6,530,000); America (+5,863,000); Asia (+1,814,000); Europe (+597,000), Oceania (+147,000).

The World percentage of Catholics increased by 0.02%, settling at 17.42%. By continent: increases were registered in Africa (+0.3); America (+0.04) and Asia (+ 0.01), a drop in numbers was registered, like last year, in Europe (- 0.02) and Oceania (- 0.3).

Persons and Catholics per priest

This year again the number of persons per priest in the world increased by 139 units, average 13,154. The distribution by continent: increase in America (+70),
Europe (+42) and Oceania (+181), and a drop in numbers in Africa (-313) and Asia (-628).

The number of Catholics per priest in the world increased by 27 units, average 2,876. We have increases on every continent except Asia: Africa (+25); America (+32); Asia (-30); Europe (+16); ceania (+25).

Dioceses and missions

The number of dioceses increased by 11 more than the previous year to 2,956, with new circumscriptions created in: Africa (+3), America (+2), Asia (+6). Mission stations with a resident priest 1850 (185 more than in the previous year) and increases registered in Africa (+280) and America (+94). Decreases in Asia (-69), Europe (-110) and Oceania (-10).

Mission Stations without a resident priest increased in number by 5,459 units, to 130,948. Increases registered in Africa (+2,143), America (+2,131), Asia (+937) and Oceania (+278), decreases in Europe (-30).

Bishops

The total number of Bishops in the world increased by 63 units, to 5,065. Overall the increase in numbers regard both diocesan and religious Bishops. Diocesan Bishops number 3,828 (42 more than in the previous year); Religious Bishops number 1,237 (21 more). The increase in diocesan Bishops is registered on every continent: Africa (+2), America (+19), Asia (+1), Europe (+17), Oceania (+3). The only decrease in religious Bishops was registered in Oceania (-1), the increase was registered in Africa (+10), America (+4), Asia (+5) and Europe (+3).

Priests

The total number of priests in the world increased by 1,427 units more than in the previous year, to 410,593. The only continent which registered a decrease was once again Europe (-1,674), wheras figures grew in Africa (+1155), America (+413), Asia (+1519) and Oceania (+14). Diocesan priests increased by 1,535 units, reaching a total of +275,542, with increases in Africa (+888), America (+946), Asia (+780) and Oceania (+26) but numbers dropped in Europe (-1105). The number of Religious priests decreased by 108 units to a total of 135,051. Increases, following the trend of recent years are Africa (+267) and Asia (+739), but decreases affect America (-533), Europe (-569) and Oceania (-12) .

Permanent Deacons

Permanent deacons in the world increased by 952 units, reaching 38,155. The greatest increase is once again in America (+552) and Europe (+326), followed by Oceania (+57) and Asia (+23). The only decrease was registered in Africa (-6). Diocesan permanent deacons are 37,592 in the world, with an overall increase of 1,053 units.

They increased on every continent except Africa (-2), precisely: America (+623), Asia (+15), Europe (+359) and Oceania (+58). Religious permanent deacons are 563, decreased by 101 units compared to the previous year, with the only increase in Asia (+8) and decreases in Africa (-4), America (-71), Europe (-33), Oceania (-1).

Men and women religious

The non-religious priests decreased globally by 412 units to 54,229. Increases were registered only in Africa (+294), but decreases in America (-195), Asia (-60), Europe (-445) and Oceania (-6). This confirms the overall decrease in the number of women religious (-9697) that are a total of 729,371, divided as follows: This year we also confirm the increase in Africa (+1249) and Asia (+1399), decrease in America (-4681), Europe ( -7468) and Oceania (-196).

Members of Secular Institutes, male and female

Members of male secular institutes number 737 with an overall decrease of 6 units. At the continental level there is an increase in Africa (+5) and America (+3), Oceania unvaried, while there is a decrease in Asia (-1) and Europe (-13). The female members of secular institutes have also decreased this year, a total of 386 units, for a number of 26,260 members. An increase in Africa (+37), Asia (+180) and Oceania (+1), decrease in America (-30) and Europe (-574).

Lay missionaries and catechists

The number of lay missionaries in the world is 320,226 units, with an overall increase of 3,390 units and increase in Africa (+736), Asia (+3774) and Europe (+428). Decreases were recorded in America (-1531) and Oceania (-17). Catechists in the world increased to a total of 68,515 units to 3,151,077. Numbers increase in Africa (+19,538), America (+36,319), Asia (+13,365) and Oceania (+287). The only decrease is in Europe (-994)

Major seminarians

The number of major seminarians, diocesan and religious, also increased this year: they are globally 954 more candidates for priesthood, who have thus reached a total of 117,978. Increases, as occurred in previous years, in Africa (+565), Asia (+781) and Oceania (+15), while this year decreases in America (-60) and Europe (-347). The major diocesan seminarians are 71,219 (43 more than in the previous year) and 46,759 religious ones (+911). Diocesan seminarians increases are registered in Africa (+425) and Asia (+121), decreases are registered in America (-353) and Oceania (-14) and Europe (-136). The religious seminarians increase in Africa (+140
Health, charity and assistance institutes

Charity and assistance institutes run in the world by the Church include: 5,558 hospitals most of them in America (1721) and Africa (1290); 17,763 dispensaries, mainly in America (5495), Africa (5280) and Asia ( 3634), 561 care Homes for people with Leprosy mainly in Asia (288) and Africa (174); 16,073 Homes for the elderly, or chronically ill or people with a disability, mainly in Europe (8238) and America (4144); 9,956 orphanages, about one third in Asia (3406); 12,387 creches, 13,736 marriage counseling centers mainly in Europe (5948) and America (4696); 36,933 education or social rehabilitation centers and 12,050 other kinds of institutions, mainly in America (4484 ), Europe (3939) and Asia (1857).

Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples

To 1 October 2011, the ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP) were 1103. Mainly in Africa (499) and Asia (473). Followed by America (85) and Oceania (46).

World Mission Day

2011-10-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

Today is the fourth Sunday in October. Get your mission on!

Modern religious Art - Brian Whelan

2011-10-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Martrydom of St Edmund by Brian Whelan

Some time ago I lamented that in Trinidad there are few people doing religious (Christian) art. In the greater world there are those who paint religious art, and Brian Whelan is one such artist.

Now I can't say that his art is fantastic. I leave that up to the crisics. What I know is that I love the photos of the pieces. And it has been my experience that if the photo is great, then the actual piece must be phenomenal.

According to the Independent news agency Brian Whelan is having an exhibition at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, (london England) from 8 - 20 November. His art is described below:

Brian Whelan's paintings, much like the medieval art he admires, depict a sublime comedy of life's glories and tragedies on both religious and secular plains.

As a 'visionary painter', Whelan's religious works have been shown alongside those of Stanley Spencer, Peter Howson, Eric Gill and Marc Chagall, and can be found in public and private collections worldwide. His Martyrdom of St. Edmund permanently hangs in St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Other religious institutions where his work can be seen are in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Czestochowa in Poland; and Ohio in the USA.

In addition to painting religious subjects, Whelan, whose father hails from Dublin and mother from Kilkenny, feels compelled to paint London, the city he grew up in. This immigrant status and the theme of the journey inform the work: the street, the pubs and bars, the church, the underground, the train and the red bus.

Wikipedia has this to say about his art:

Whelan's propensity to merge both the sublime with the ridiculous is not always readily embraced. His paintings in the Window Gallery of St. Martins School of Art (London) were turned to face the wall after complaints were made from the public.

Seamus Heaney, Spokeof Whelan's work: "His work is bold and commanding."

Who is Seamus Heaney? Well Seamus Heaney he is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. who has received the Nobel Prize in Literature (1995), the Golden Wreath of Poetry (2001), T. S. Eliot Prize (2006) and two Whitbread prizes (1996 and 1999). He was both the Harvard and the Oxford Professor of Poetry and was made a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1996. In 2011, he was named one of "Britain's top 300 intellectuals" by The Observer. So when Seamus Heaney speaks, many listen.

Sister Wendy Beckett described Brian When's work as: "Clear, strong, prayerful work with joy at its centre."

Sister Wendy Beckett is a South African-born British art expert, consecrated virgin and contemplative hermit who became a celebrity during the 1990s, presenting a series of acclaimed art history documentaries for the BBC.

Below is a series of Paintings from Whelan:

Album cover by Brian Whelan for the Band "The Popes"

Brian Whelan - CityScape (London)

CUBAN CARDINAL RESIGNS AFTER A LIFE OF FIGHTING FOR LOVE

2011-10-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

What an inspiring news story. A freedom fighter for love has arrived at the age of retirement as Archbishop. I am sure there were many times when this great Catholic must have thought that he would not live to see his 75th Birthday. Here is the story from the Catholic News Agency:

Havana, Cuba, Oct 21, 2011 / 02:01 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Jaime Ortega of Havana, Cuba submitted his resignation as Archbishop of Havana on Oct. 18, upon reaching the canonical age of retirement.

According to Canon Law, bishops must submit their resignations upon reaching the age of 75. The Pope has the authority to decide whether to accept the resignation or to allow a bishop to remain in office.

In recent years Cardinal Ortega has become one of the principal mediators with the Cuban government on issues such as the release of political prisoners. Between 2010 and 2011, 115 prisoners were freed, 103 of which traveled to Spain with their family members.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega was born on Oct. 18, 1936. He studied theology at the seminary of St. Albert the Great in Matanzas, Cuba, and at the Seminary for Priests of the Foreign Missions in Quebec, Canada.

He was ordained a priest on Aug. 2, 1964. In 1966 he was imprisoned by the Communist government and held in a work camp until 1967.

In December of 1978 he was named bishop of Pinar del Rio and in 1981 he was appointed Archbishop of Havana. He was president of the Cuban Bishops’ Conference from 1988 to 1990.

The cardinal also hosted John Paul II during his historic visit to Cuba in 1998.

Give the Catholic Money and He'll have another child... or five

2011-10-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

Well I am against this idea.

The article from Catholic News Agency on September 1st 2011 concerns me. A Catholic Parish in an Indian City of Kerala, have decided to pay money to Catholic Families when they have their fifth child as an incentive for Catholic Families to have more children.

A parish in Kerala’s Wayand district now offers fixed-rate deposits of $225 that are held in the name of the fifth child born to a Catholic family in 2011.

Fr. Jose Kocharackal, vicar of St. Vincent De Paul Forane Church in Kalpetta, said that the church had issued deposits to two families in the parish. Part of the Sunday collection is set aside for funding the deposits.

The program was planned and instituted with help from the Sion Prolife Movement in the Diocese of Mananthavady, UCA News reports.

Salu Mecheril, the organization’s regional coordinator, said the campaign’s popularity is increasing. A second parish is preparing to adopt the same plan.

Well there is a concern that the Catholic Population is on the decline.

In 2008 the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference said that a family trend to have only one child or none at all would imperil the Catholic community.

The 2001 census said that Christians made up 19 percent of Kerala’s population of over 31 million, a drop from the 1991 census which showed they made up 19.5 percent. Kerala is mostly Hindu, but Muslims account for about 25 percent of the population.

The Indian government has an initiative to encourage parents to make two children the norm. So there are those who will oppose that, and I agree with them. BUT FIVE CHILDREN? Let's leave that up to God and His plan.

British Monarch can marry a Catholic but cannot convert

2011-10-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

The Catholic News Agency has an interesting article by David Kerr about the spouse of the British Monarch being allowed to be Catholic:

The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is giving a mixed reaction to plans to reform the centuries old law that prevents the British monarch from being Catholic or marrying a Catholic.

“The Act of Settlement amounts to iniquitous anti-Catholic discrimination,” said Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops of Scotland.

The U.K. Prime Minister, David Cameron, revealed this week that he has written to the 15 other Commonwealth states where Queen Elizabeth is head of state with a view to reforming the Act of Settlement, which has been in force since 1701.

“This rule is a historical anomaly - it does not, for example, bar those who marry spouses of other faiths - and we do not think it can continue to be justified,” wrote Cameron.

However, the proposal does not include lifting the ban on Catholics ascending to the throne. The reason offered for this is that, upon coronation, the British monarch automatically becomes the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

“While a partial repeal is welcome, the continuing ban on a Catholic becoming head of state remains state-sponsored sectarianism,” Kearney told CNA Oct. 14.

Prime Minister Cameron is due to discuss his proposal with fellow Commonwealth leaders when they meet at a summit in Perth, Australia, later this month. Already the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, has said he will support the reform.

The Act of Settlement was originally passed to prevent the descendants of the Catholic King James II from ascending the throne. He was deposed in the 1688 “Glorious Revolution” by supporters of the Protestant William and Mary. Mary was the eldest Protestant daughter of James II and was married to William of Orange, who later became William III.

In recent years, the Act has affected several members of the British royal family.

In 2001, Lord Nicholas Windsor, the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, permanently forfeited his right to the royal succession by converting to Catholicism.

In 2008, Autumn Kelly, the Canadian fiancée of the Queen’s grandson Peter Philips, renounced her Catholicism in favor of Anglicanism, thus preserving her husband’s slim chances of becoming king. He is currently 11th in line to the throne.

The U.K. Prime Minister’s other proposals for reforming the monarchy include ending the current preference given to male heirs over their older sisters.

“We espouse gender equality in all other aspects of life and it is an anomaly that in the rules relating to the highest public office we continue to enshrine male superiority,” wrote Cameron.

Trinidad and Tobago - the worlds best Travel Destination.

2011-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

The article in the Trinidad Express says "T&T is World's Best Tourist Destination"

How did this little island achieve such a status? Well a group of Tourism organisations came up with it. They are called: The European Union Council on Tourism and Trade (EUCTT)

I searched for this group and could find no website. Not even a reference to them. Who are they?

... and has anybody told America about TRINIDAD and Tobago and our new status?

The award has previously been presented to Syria in 2007, Turkey in 2008, United Arab Emirates in 2009 and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in 2010.

I am so happy that these people are seeing what I have seen, and know what I have known...

Welcome to the Caribbean... Welcome to Trinidad and Tobago.

Gordon Anthony Pantin - archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

Rev Gordon Anthony Patin – 8th Archbishop of Port of Spain

27 Aug 1929 - Born - Port of Spain
3 Jul 1955 - Ordained Priest Priest of Congregation of the Holy Spirit
29 Nov 1967 - Appointed Archbishop of Port of Spain,
19 Mar 1968 - Ordained Bishop Archbishop of Port of Spain,
11 Mar 2000 - Died Archbishop of Port of Spain,

The living water website has a very nice article taken from the Sunday Guardian of March 19th 2000 about the man Archbishop Anthony Pantin after his death.

Anthony Gordon Pantin was born in Port of Spain in August 27, 1929, the second son of Julian Andrew Pantin, a business executive and his wife Agnes, nee Mazeley.

He received his primary education at Sacred Heart School and Belmont Intermediate School (now the Belmont Boys’ Secondary RC School). From the latter he won a Government Scholarship, (called a Government Exhibition in those days) to St Mary’s College. Also among the group of Exhibition winners from that school was Ellis Clarke who would become first President of independent Trinidad and Tobago.

He also took part in sports, playing cricket and football and was a member of the Sixth Trinidad Sea Scouts, under the direction of the saintly Fr Cristobal Valdez. At St Mary’s, Anthony Pantin was in the top academic stream and although considered a strong contender for the open island scholarship, the young Pantin decided to enter the priesthood at age 17 and was anxious to begin his priestly studies.
His elder brother, Fr Gerald “Gerry” Pantin once observed that “Tony” wanted to be a priest from the time he was seven years old. He had been an acolyte at St Patrick’s Church from an early age.

He spent a short time teaching at St Mary’s College before embarking for Canada.
Archbishop Pantin entered the novitiate of the Holy Ghost Congregation in Canada in 1946 and attended the University of Montreal, graduating with his BA degree. He returned to Trinidad in 1949 for a three-year teaching stint at St Mary’s College.
In 1952 he left for Dublin, Ireland, where he pursued studies in Theology. He was ordained priest on the 3rd July, 1955 and was sent to Guadeloupe as a missionary priest until 1959. He returned to Trinidad to teach at Fatima College in Port of Spain until 1964.

In 1965 he returned to St Mary’s College where he was elected to the post of Religious Superior, where he served until 1967. In November of that year, he was requested to accept responsibilities as head of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, a post which was left vacant by the resignation of the legendary Count Finbar Ryan.

Father Anthony Pantin’s Episcopal consecration took place on March 19, 1968.
As Archbishop he took the motto, “All things to all men” which would today be translated, “All things to all people”. During his 32 years as Archbishop, he made strenuous efforts to fulfill the expectations of that motto.

Bishop Galt, who was a close friend from school days remembers him as having the ability to meet people of all classes on equal terms. He was also able to censure anyone if he thought that that person had done something wrong, but his admonitions were always made in a charitable manner. He was especially concerned with enriching the lives of the disadvantaged and underprivileged. He insisted on seeing anyone who visited, took all telephone calls, and wrote innumerable letters to people at home and abroad.

It was his great pleasure to visit the hospitals, and homes for the elderly and destitute on Christmas Day, where he would chat and sing with the inmates.
He founded the Mary Care Centre to provide a home for pregnant unmarried teenagers. In his sermons he usually called attention to the lot of the homeless and the lonely.
He is remembered as a mediator in the troubled times of both the Black Power crisis and the attempted coup. Many people also refer to the encouragement they received from him during times of personal crisis.

He was instrumental in forming the Inter-Religious Organization and took an active role in that group. He also took an active role in the activities of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, the association of Caribbean Bishops.

He was a humanist, the people’s priest.

The National Library website has another interesting article about Gordon Anthony Pantin.

The Roman Catholic Church has accepted the Government's offer for an official funeral for Archbishop Anthony Pantin.

Pantin's funeral rites will be spread over a three-day period, beginning on Thursday with an official service and ending with his burial on Saturday at the Cathedral crypt.

The Catholic Church has also accepted the proposal of acting Prime Minister Lindsay Gillette that there be a national day of prayer.

Pantin, 70, died in his sleep on Sunday of acute heart failure. He was the third bishop to die at the Archbishop's House at 27 Maraval Road, Queen's Park West.

The last burial of a Roman Catholic bishop in T&T took place over 59 years ago. Bishop John Pius Dowling also died in his sleep in a chair at the house on June 6, 1940. Bishop Patrick Vincent Flood, who built the house, was the first bishop to die there on May 17, 1907. Bishop Finbar Ryan, who followed Dowling, was buried in Ireland.

Auxiliary Bishop John Mendes has taken over responsibility of the diocese, in keeping with Code 419 of the Code of Canon Law.

Yesterday, Mendes, Fr. Christian Pereira, Fr. Clyde Harvey, Fr. Joseph Harris, Fr. Garfield Rochard and Abbot Francis Alleyne of Mt St Benedict were at Archbishop's House overseeing funeral arrangements. Some of these senior clergymen represent the College of Consultors, which acts in emergency cases in administration of the church.

Pereira said, "The Archbishop has contributed tremendously to the country. It is up to us to make sure that his passing is not a loss, but that we are able to build and to integrate his contribution into the fabric of our national life. We will lose something if we throw it away."

The Archbishop's body will arrive at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Independence Square, on Thursday at 6 p.m. for a Pontifical Mass presided over by the Papal Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Eugenio Sbarbaro DD. Archbishop Edgerton Clarke, president of the Antilles Episcopal conference, will deliver the homily.

Government officials, the diplomatic corps and representatives of religious groups are expected to attend this service.

The body will lie in state at the Cathedral on Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for public viewing and services will also be held for schoolchildren.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday the church will say farewell to Pantin after the Archdiocese of Port of Spain celebrates a Solemn Eucharist with Mendes as chief celebrant. This will be followed by Pantin's entombment in the Cathedral crypt below the sacristy to the southwestern end of the altar.

A condolence book will be opened at Archbishop's House today to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Another Article at the National Library website gives us some more insight:

Fr. Pereira and workmen descended eight stone stops into a stifling, dimly lit room, measuring ten by 15 feet.

There they found two caskets, one of zinc and badly deteriorated, the other of lead and still intact. The caskets are thought to contain the remains of the fifth and sixth archbishops of Port of Spain: Patrick Vincent Flood, in office till 1907, and John Pius Dowling, who died in 1940.

Only two coffins were found then, so it seems it will be necessary to break through the walls of the crypt to find the other tombs beneath the cathedral.

Priests and church officials, others than archbishops may have been interred beneath the cathedral as well.

Before Port of Spain became an archdiocese, run by an archbishop, in 1851, a number of bishops were in charge.

Those buried in the crypt could include James Bukley, bishop till 1828; Daniel McDonnell, bishop till 1844; Guillaume le Goff, cure till his death in 1855; Michael Monaghan, apostolic administrator till 1855; James Etheridge, apostolic administrator till 1861; Abbe Francois Cuenat, apostolic administrator till 1869; William O'Carroll, coadjutor till 1884; and George Vincent King, coadjutor till 1886.

Archbishop Pantin always said "It is all God's work" - 2 Cor 5:18.

He touched many lives and lived up to his motto: “Omnia Omnibus,” All things to All!

At his passing the headline of the front page of the Catholic News issue of Sunday, March 19, 2000 read: “We Remember How You Loved Us”.

Below is the Episcopal Lineage / Apostolic Succession for Archbishop Pantin.
• Archbishop Gordon Anthony Pantin, C.S.Sp. † (1968)
• Archbishop Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. † (1936)
• Paolo Cardinal Marella † (1933)
• Pietro Cardinal Fumasoni Biondi † (1916)
• Domenico Cardinal Serafini, O.S.B. † (1900)
• Serafino Cardinal Vannutelli † (1869)
• Costantino Cardinal Patrizi Naro † (1828)
• Father Carlo Odescalchi, S.J. † (1823)
• Giulio Maria Cardinal della Somaglia † (1788)
• Hyacinthe-Sigismond Cardinal Gerdil, B. † (1777)
• Marcantonio Cardinal Colonna (Jr.) † (1762)
• Pope Carlo della Torre Rezzonico † (1743)
• Pope Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † (1724)
• Pope Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † (1675)
• Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666)
• Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630)
• Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622)
• Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621)
• Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604)
• Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586)
• Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566)
• Scipione Cardinal Rebiba †

Archbishop Count Finbar Ryan of Port of Spain

2011-10-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Count Finbar Ryan - 7th Archbishop of Port of Spain

1881 (4 Mar) - Born Cork, Ireland
1905 (8 Apr) - Ordained Priest Priest of Order of Friars Preachers
1930 to 1934 - Provincial of the Irish Dominican Province
1937 (13 Apr)- Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Port of Spain,
1937 (13 Apr)- Appointed Titular Archbishop of Gabula
1937 (29 Jun)- Ordained Bishop Titular Archbishop of Gabula
1940 (6 jun) - Succeeded Archbishop of Port of Spain
1958 to 1967 - President - Antilles Episcopal Conference
1962 to 1965 - Second Vatican Council Council Father (Sessions 1,2,3,& 4)
1966 (24 May)- Retired Archbishop of Port of Spain
1966 (24 May)- Appointed Titular Archbishop of Villamagna in Tripolitana
1975 (10 Jan)- Died Archbishop Emeritus of Port of Spain

1937 Awarded the "Freedom of Cork City"
1939 Published book - Our Lady of Fatima
1950 Appointed an assistant to the pontifical throne, a papal count and A grand officer of the supreme order of Christ.
1962 Highest religious official at the Independence Celebrations for Trinidad and Tobago.
1969 Awarded the Trinity Cross - the highest award to a Trinidadian.

According to Dr Bernard Tappin:

Finbar Ryan, O.P became Archbishop of Port of Spain in 1940. When he assumed office, Ryan already had a long and distinguished career in the church in Ireland. He was not a young archbishop, but he was destined to govern the church during 26 exciting years in the country’s and church’s history. Ryan witnessed Trinidad ’s political emergence as an independent country and he had the honour of being the first religious leader to bless the nation, minutes after the National Flag was raised on the first Independence Day 31st August 1962. The Archbishop was also present at the sessions of Vatican Council II in Rome (1963-1965).

As Archbishop of Port-of-Spain, he saw the church grow in the Caribbean. He celebrated the centenary of the Archdiocese in December 1950, with days of celebrations. In 1956, St Lucia and Grenada became separate dioceses. On 10th December 1957, the Antilles Episcopal Conference was born, one of the first in the church worldwide. The vast majority were only established in the wake of Vatican II. In December 1958, Ryan consecrated his Vicar-General, William Michael Fitzgerald O.P., as his auxiliary.

Ryan will forever be remembered as the founder of the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs. As early as 1819, Rome proposed the foundation of a seminary, but it was on 19th January 1943, that Ryan blessed the seminary building then housed within the monastic compound of Mt St Benedict. The monks assumed responsibility for the seminary. In 1961, the seminary was transferred to its present site.

Ryan also stands out for his determined advancement of Catholic education. Not only were primary schools built and renovated, Ryan was responsible for the rapid growth of Catholic secondary education in Trinidad. He invited to Trinidad the Presentation Brothers (1946) and the Holy Faith Sisters (1947) with this in mind. He encouraged the Holy Ghost Fathers to open Fatima College (1945). His own Dominican Fathers opened Holy Cross College in 1957. The parishes of St Joseph and Tunapuna had their own colleges, St. Joseph ’s College and St. Charles. The Dominican Sisters opened St. Dominic’s in Barataria. The church was the effective pioneer in the spread of secondary education in the years after World War II. Above all, Ryan sought to make his church strong and he stood ready to defend against all-comers.

In 1950, the Archdiocese celebrated it's centenary. The words expressed by Finbar Ryan of that occasion remain applicable today as it was in 1950:

To those who join us in this celebration we say: Salvete.
For our dead: Requiescant.
For the archdiocese: Vivat, crescat, floreat!

The Catholic Herald of the UK published the following article on the appointment of Finbar Ryan as Archbishop of Port of Spain on 23rd April 1937

The Holy See has appointed the Very Rev. Finbar Ryan, 0.P., of Cork, to be Coadjutor to the Archbishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad, the Most Rev. John Pius Dowling, 0.P., S.T.M. Dr. Dowling, consecrated in 1909, is now in his seventyseventh year. His diocesan territory embraces not only the whole of Trinidad, but also the islands of Tobago, Grenada, the Grenadines, St. Vincent and St. Lucia.

The Bishop-Designate is a widely-known Irish Dominican who from 1921 until 1926, and again in 1930-4, was Provincial of the Irish Dominican Province. For many years he edited the Irish Rosary. He is a much-travelled man. Europe, the United States, the Antipodes, and the West Indies to which he now returns: all alike he has visited. Fr. Finbar is brother to Sir Andrew Ryan, K.B.E., British Minister to Albania. and Miss Mary Ryan, M.A., Professor of Romance Languages at University College, Cork.

FREEDOM OF CORK: On June 22nd, 1937 he was awarded "The freedom of Cork City" in recognition of the great honour bestowed on him by his Holiness the Pope on appointing him coadjutor Archbishop of Port-of-Spain and Archbishop of Gubula (Conferred 5th October, 1937).
The "Freedom of the City" is an award whereby persons distinguished for public service become Honorary Burgesses of the City.

TRINITY CROSS: Finbar Ryan (His Excellency Count) - O.P. in the sphere of religion as he was the then Archbishop of Port of Spain. Was one of the first recipients of the Trinity Cross. The Trinity Cross was the highest National Award in the twin island Republic. On June 5, 2008 the Trinity Cross was replaced by the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinity Cross was granted to nationals and non-nationals of Trinidad and Tobago who portrayed distinguished and outstanding service to Trinidad and Tobago. It is also awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy, or for gallant conduct. The identifying colour on the Borders of Ribbons for this medal is gold.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA PUBLISHED: In 1939 the book "Our Lady of Fatima" was first published, written by Count Finbar Ryan. Several editions were published. The following extract from a book by John M Haffert speaks of "Our lady of Fatima":

In 1941, following the first success of the book, the author by John M. Haffert told the story of how it had all come about in a sequel titled From a Morning Prayer.

This second book told how a saintly Carmelite lay-brother, after what he thought was a vision, commissioned the author to make the Scapular devotion better known, and especially the practice of using the Scapular while making the Morning Offering (to emphasize the offering through the Immaculate Heart of Mary). . . carrying the offering through the day, in all our sacrifices, thoughts and deeds . . . walking always under the mantle of Mary and thus doing all, as She did on earth, for God and for the Reign of Christ in all hearts.

A few months after this second book was published Archbishop Finbar Ryan, of Trinidad, wrote a letter to the writer, congratulating him, and adding: "While I congratulate you on this book, From a Morning Prayer, I cannot help wondering why you have made no mention of OUR LADY OF FATIMA . . . since in the last apparition at Fatima Our Lady held the Brown Scapular in Her hands."

The author, like most people in the United States at that time, had heard only vague rumors about Our Lady of Fatima.

It happened that Archbishop Ryan had written the first book in the English language on the Fatima apparitions. It had just come off the press in Dublin and the copy which he then sent to the present writer opened a whole new view of Our Lady's role in the modern world.

STEEL PAN IN CHURCH: Archbishop Finbar Ryan allowed pan to be played in church and the Cathedral. Until the church accepted pan it was not considered. Martin Douglas, the leader of Brooklyn-based Crossfire Steel Orchestra speaks of his experience:

An additional impetus was that the renowned Marionettes Chorale sang with North Stars... The Marionettes went on to record the hymn Hear O Lord with the Dixeland Steel Orchestra. People began to explain "oh what a beautiful song." In this way, pan began to be somewhat accepted and was winning "hearts and minds" of the Trinidad society, who previously had it pegged as "evil".

CALL HIM COUNT: In 1950 Finbar Ryan was appointed an assistant to the pontifical throne, a papal count and A grand officer of the supreme order of Christ.

A BOOK ABOUT FINBAR RYAN: Father Allan Ventour wrote of the late Archbishop. The book was entitled:

Finbar Ryan, Archbishop of Port of Spain and
Eric Williams, Father of Trinidad and Tobago:
the struggle between a fierce ultramontanist
and a determined nationalist 1954-1966

Finbar Ryan resigned as Archbishop of Port of Spain in 1966.
He died in 1975.

Episcopal Lineage / Apostolic Succession for Count Finbar Ryan:

Archbishop Patrick Finbar Ryan, O.P. † (1937)
Archbishop Paschal Charles Robinson, O.F.M. † (1927)
Willem Marinus Cardinal van Rossum, C.SS.R. † (1918)
Pope Giacomo della Chiesa † (1907)
Pope St. Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto † (1884)
Lucido Maria Cardinal Parocchi † (1871)
Costantino Cardinal Patrizi Naro † (1828)
Father Carlo Odescalchi, S.J. † (1823)
Giulio Maria Cardinal della Somaglia † (1788)
Hyacinthe-Sigismond Cardinal Gerdil, B. † (1777)
Marcantonio Cardinal Colonna (Jr.) † (1762)
Pope Carlo della Torre Rezzonico † (1743)
Pope Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † (1724)
Pope Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † (1675)
Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666)
Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630)
Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622)
Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621)
Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604)
Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586)
Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566)
Scipione Cardinal Rebiba †

John Pius Dowling - Archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-13T18:50:00.001-07:00

John Pius Dowling OP - 6th Archbishop of Port of Spain
Born - 23 June 1860 (Freshford, Ireland)
Died - 6 June 1940

4 Jun 1887 - Ordained Priest of Order of Friars Preachers
9 Mar 1909 - Appointed Archbishop of Port of Spain,

John Pius Dowling, O.P., ran the archdiocese for 31 years from 1909 to 1940. He nurtured an increase in the number of religious orders to serve Trinidad . He welcomed Spanish Augustinians - the Recollect Hermits of St Augustine - who were placed in charge of a number of rural parishes where there were many Spanish speakers. In 1911, Dom Mayeul de Caigny, O.S.B., sought entry into the Archdiocese in the light of political pressures in Bahia , Brazil . A year later the first monks arrived to found the Abbey of Our Lady in Exile at Mt. St Benedict . In 1919, Dowling welcomed from England to the Archdiocese, the newly established Corpus Christi Carmelites. They were destined to do critical social work for the local church in the years to follow.

Dowling’s most difficult moments as archbishop were during the years 1926 to 1932 when he fought tenaciously but unsuccessfully against the introduction of Divorce legislation into the colony. In 1931, he presented yet another Solemn Protest to the Governor, Claud Hollis, signed also by the Anglican Bishop, Arthur Anstey, the Kazi of the Islamic faith and many Hindu pundits. On 22nd March 1931, Dowling addressed a mass protest rally at the Savannah along with Anglican, Hindu and Labour Leaders. The church was painted as being reactionary; divorce was seen as a “progressive” bit of social legislation. The government won the day.

The following is this Archbishops Episcopal Lineage:

Archbishop John Pius Dowling, O.P. † (1909)
Archbishop William Joseph Walsh † (1885)
Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran † (1872)
Paul Cardinal Cullen † (1850)
Castruccio Cardinal Castracane degli Antelminelli † (1844)
Pope Bartolomeo Alberto (Mauro) Cappellari, O.S.B. † (1831)
Bartolomeo Cardinal Pacca † (1786)
Giovanni Carlo Cardinal Boschi † (1760)
Pope Carlo della Torre Rezzonico † (1743)
Pope Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † (1724)
Pope Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † (1675)
Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666)
Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630)
Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622)
Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621)
Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604)
Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586)
Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566)
Scipione Cardinal Rebiba †

Ref Bernard Tappin
Ref Catholic Hierarchy

Patrick Vincent Flood - Archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Patrick Vincent Flood OP - 5th Archbishop Port of Spain

Born - 16 Sep 1844 (Lagan, Ireland)
Died - 17 May 1907

7 Jul 1887 - Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago,
7 Jul 1887 - Appointed Titular Bishop of Hephaestus

Patrick Vincent Flood, O.P. He was the first of the Irish Dominicans to govern the see of Port-of-Spain. His appointment signaled a new era. In 1897, the Irish Dominican fathers replaced those from the Province of Lyons, France in staffing the archdiocese, following the departure of the Superior , Fr. Hilaire Arnaud. The long-standing battle between the French and English elements in the society was abating. The church could no longer continue to allow itself to be viewed as “foreign”.

Archbishop Flood’s episcopacy stands out for his unflinching support for Catholic education at the primary school level. In 1890, discussions were renewed concerning the dual system. There was again widespread support for a secular system of education. Flood was adamant about his church’s position. He won the day. A new ordinance was passed giving church primary schools increased financial support from the government. The dual system was maintained, with the government very generous with its support.

By 1903, the Catholic Church ran the largest number of schools, 72, with a student population of 11,286. The government had 51 schools with 8,731 pupils, the Anglicans ran 48 primary schools and 8,831 pupils and the Presbyterians 50 schools with 5,200 on roll. The long battle for church schools had borne fruit; the church treasured its schools established throughout the colony.

Before Flood died in 1907, he moved into the Archbishop’s House, built in 1904 in St. Clair. Flood himself designed the residence. Previously, the archbishops lived in a residence on the grounds of St. Joseph ’s Convent.

The Following Plaque was erected in honour of the Formr Archbishop Flood

Ref Bernard Tappin
Ref Catholic Hierarchy

Joachim Hyacinth Gonin - Archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Joachim-Hyacinth Gonin, O.P.- 4th Archbishop of Port of Spain (appointed 21 Dec 1863)
Born 14 Dec 1815 (Bourgouin, France)
Died 13 Mar 1889

Joachim Gonin, O.P. as 4th Archbishop of Port-of-Spain ushered in a period of growth and consolidation. His tenure lasted twenty-six years (1863-1889). His appointment satisfied the wishes of the contending power brokers in colonial Trinidad . Born in France , he grew up in Mauritius , a British colony in the Indian Ocean . French in culture, Gonin was above all a British subject. He was also a Religious, a Dominican Father.

Gonin’s arrival in 1864 with a party of six young Dominicans was a critical development for the church in Trinidad . The church would now be assured of an adequate supply of clergy to man the increasing number of parishes.

The Dominican Order was further entrenched with the arrival in 1868 of sisters of the Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena of Etrepagny, France, who came to take charge of the leprosarium at Cocorite. The Order’s presence was completed in May 1874, with the coming of the contemplative nuns from Venezuela . They fled their Dominican Monastery in Caracas during the persecutions of the President, Guzman Blanco.

The archdiocese was not only a stronghold of the Dominican Order. The Holy Ghost fathers arrived in 1863 to administer St. Mary’s College. The Cluny Sisters were also in an expansionist mood during Gonin’s time. In 1866, Providence was established. Convents were founded in St Joseph (1870), San Fernando (1882) and Arima (1885). The Good Shepherd Sisters of Angers arrived in 1890. Richard Rawle, first Anglican Bishop of Trinidad (1872) commented: “The Roman Church has Dominicans and sisters and all kinds of organised help”.

During Gonin’s episcopacy, there was a “rapprochement” between the church and the colonial officials. Governor Arthur Gordon nurtured the easing of tensions as colonial policy. The once vexing issue of the primacy of the Anglican Church was resolved by its dis-establishment in 1872.

The church won an even more significant battle for it’s continuing role in education when the Keenan Report (1869) recommended that church schools be granted state aid under certain conditions. The dual system of primary education subsequently came into effect (1870). The colonial government sought the church’s help in furthering its work in education and welfare. In 1868, Gordon got Gonin to bring the Dominican sisters to care for the lepers. His successor, Henry Turner Irving in 1878 offered Gonin government funding if the church undertook the responsibility of finding a suitable religious order to run a reformatory. In 1890 the Girls Reformatory was opened, run by the Good Shepherd Sisters of Angers.

Archbishop Gonin laid the cornerstone for Sacred Heart Church. The Church was built specifically for Mass in English - The Cathedral and many other churches had mass in Latin or French.

Below is the Episcopal Lineage of Archbishop Gonin:

Archbishop Joachim-Hyacinthe Gonin, O.P. † (1863)
Costantino Cardinal Patrizi Naro † (1828)
Father Carlo Odescalchi, S.J. † (1823)
Giulio Maria Cardinal della Somaglia † (1788)
Hyacinthe-Sigismond Cardinal Gerdil, B. † (1777)
Marcantonio Cardinal Colonna (Jr.) † (1762)
Pope Carlo della Torre Rezzonico † (1743)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Pope Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † (1724)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Pope Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † (1675)
Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666)
Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630)
Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622)
Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621)
Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604)
Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586)
Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566)
Scipione Cardinal Rebiba †

Ref Bernard Tappin
Ref Catholic Hierarchy

Ferdinand English - Archbishop of Portof Spain

2011-10-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ferdinand English - 3rd Archbishop of Port of Spain (appointed 28th Sept 1860)
born 1821
Died 19 September 1862

After the "fight" between Archbishop Spaccapietra and Governor Elliot, there was need for the church to mend its fences with the colonial authorities. The new archbishop was an Englishman, aptly named Ferdinand English, a canon from the Diocese of Clifton. Rome reported his appointment to London in good time. English arrived in Trinidad in 1861.

In September 1862 he died during a pastoral visit to Grenada .

Archbishop English will be remembered for his initial efforts in bringing the Holy Ghost Fathers to Trinidad to establish St. Mary’s College. The “old” Catholic St. George’s College had failed and the Protestant English elite had their needs met with the establishment in 1857 of the Queen’s Collegiate School , sponsored by the colonial regime.

English was the founder of the Catholic Press with the establishment of the Catholic newspaper, the Star of the West, in 1862.

Below is the Episcopal Lineage for Archbishop Ferdinand English:

Archbishop Ferdinand English † (1860)
Bishop William Hugh Joseph Clifford † (1857)
Pope Bl. Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti † (1827)
Pope Francesco Saverio Maria Felice Castiglioni † (1800)
Giuseppe Maria Cardinal Doria Pamphilj † (1773)
Buenaventura Cardinal Córdoba Espinosa de la Cerda † (1761)
Archbishop Manuel Quintano Bonifaz † (1749)
Enrique Cardinal Enríquez † (1743)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Pope Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † (1724)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Pope Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † (1675)
Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666)
Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630)
Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622)
Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621)
Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604)
Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586)
Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566)
Scipione Cardinal Rebiba †

Refer Bernard Tappin
Refer Catholic Hierarchy

Catholic League launches new Website

2011-10-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

Catholic League president Bill Donohue announces today the league’s revamped website, www.catholicleague.org [click here]:

Visitors to the new website will notice a fresh, modern look complete with pictures and graphics. We have answered the requests of many who would like to share Catholic League news releases and articles on their Facebook and Twitter pages. We have also set up direct links to the official Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages of the Catholic League: eliminating the confusion caused by some poser groups. Visitors can also subscribe to an RSS feed allowing them to receive Catholic League information straight to their desktop or portable device. We have also improved the website’s search engine and site navigation. Both of these features are indispensible tools for researchers.

Over the years we have used our website to launch many successful campaigns, thus we recognize the importance of a prominent web presence. Our new website gives us another tool to do what we do best: combating anti-Catholicism.

Vincent Spaccapietra Archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Vincent Spaccapietra -
born 12 October 1801
died 24 November 1878

21 Nov 1852 Appointed Titular Archbishop of Arcadiopolis in Europa
18 Apr 1855 Appointed Archbishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Antilles
12 Sep 1859 Resigned Archbishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Antilles
12 Sep 1859 Appointed Titular Archbishop of Ancyra
1862 Appointed Archbishop of Izmir (Smirne), Turkey

Vincent Spaccapietra was directed by Rome to take up the position of Archbishop with the sudden death of the previous Archbishop in 1852. He was the first non - British subject to head the church in Trinidad ; Spaccapietra was an Italian from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The manner of his appointment aggravated the relations between himself and the Governor, Charles Elliot. The colonial office in London had not been informed by Rome of the appointment of Spaccapietra. Prior to the creation of the Archdiocese, there was always a ready flow of correspondence between the church and London . Once the archdiocese was formed, it was the opinion of Rome that there was no longer any need to communicate with the colonial authorities. Rome dealt directly with the archdiocese.

Governor Elliot refused to recognise the new archbishop. The archbishop, a hero of the cholera epidemic of that year, had tried valiantly to help the sick and destitute, even constructing the convalescent home, L’Hospice, to give refuge to the homeless, But Sir Clive Elliott was adamant that this Catholic figure, who was not a British national, should not get paid out of the colonial chest.

Leaders among the Catholic party sprang to the defence of their church and archbishop. Rome sent Monsignor Talbot to diffuse the situation in December 1855 and to assure the Governor that no slight was intended to the colonial government. Elliott was unrelenting, and in fact resigned over the dispute.

Given the continued strained relations, it was no surprise that Spaccapietra resigned as Archbishop, assuming a new post in 1859 as Archbishop of Smyrna.

During his short term in office, Spaccapietra carved for himself a monumental role among the archbishops of Port-of-Spain. He effectively established the church’s social out-reach to the less fortunate. He established the Les Amantes de Jesus Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society (1857) and the L’hospice Spaccapietra (1858). These organisations have all stood the test of time and exist even today.

Spaccapietra was a Council Father for the First Vatican Council.

Refer this link

Richard Patrick Smith - Archbishop of Port of Spain

2011-10-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

In 1819 a Vicariate Apostolic was established in Port of Spain. Richard Patrick Smith (1844-1850) was the third Vicar Apostolic having jurisdiction over the church in Trinidad as well as the other British and Danish colonies in the West Indies. He followed James Buckley (1820-1828) and James McDonnell (1829-1844)

Smith took control of a Vicariate in Crisis. In 1844 when the Anglican Church - the religion of the minority in Trinidad was Established. The Catholic Church was relegated officially and legally to a position of secondary importance.

On 30th April, 1850 Pope Pius IX transformed the Vicariate into the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain with jurisdiction over St. Lucia , St. Vincent , Grenada and Tobago and with Roseau , Dominica as its suffragan see.

In 1850, the catholic population of Trinidad stood at 44,000 out of a total of 70,000 persons. There were sixteen parishes served by twenty resident priests, with thirteen primary schools along with St. Joseph ’s Convent, Port-of-Spain (1836) and St. George’s College (1838). The church’s new status was of added significance as it was made months before the hierarchy was restored in England on 24th September 1850. Indeed the Church of Port-of-Spain lays claim to be one of the oldest in the English-speaking world.

On 9th February 1851, Smith was installed as first Archbishop of Port-of-Spain with a moving ceremony at his cathedral. He publicly discharged his new authority on 16th February 1851, when he consecrated his Vicar-General, Michael Monaghan as Bishop of Roseau. On Friday 19th February, Smith began three days of liturgical celebrations marking the consecration of the cathedral; its foundation stone had been previously laid by Governor Woodford on 25th March 1816. The Cathedral enjoyed the privileges of a Minor Basilica.

Later that year, special jubilee functions were held, culminating with the erection of a cross at Laventille on 15th August. Smith used these occasions to demonstrate the Catholic Church’s new status. The church remained a leading institution in British colonial Trinidad .

When the Archdiocese was created in 1850, Trinidad was becoming an even more complex colonial society, with the arrival of varying numbers of migrants from neighbouring West Indian islands and Venezuela , Africa, Madeira and China . The Indian Immigration scheme was becoming entrenched, adding a totally new religious dimension to the colony, as these migrants were Hindus and followers of Islam. There was need for the British to stamp their authority, institutions, language and religion on the colony - the anglicisation policy was in its hey-day.

The Catholic Church was often regarded in official government circles as being a “foreign church”; the church was very French in character. It drew its staunchest support from the influential French Creole elite; many adherents also came from the French Patois-speaking ex-slaves. Moreover, many priests were French, who as a rule preached in the language.

The years following the creation of the Archdiocese continued to witness antagonisms between the colonial government and the Catholic Church.

Smith died in 1852.

A Plaque was later dedicated to him, James Buckley and Daniel McDonnell (The three Vicar Apostolics) in the Cathedral. It is in Latin - the International language of the Church.

Ref this link

Grenada Catholic Cathedral gets new clock

2011-10-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here is some good news from the Catholic Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain: Clocks are being placed in the tower of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, St George’s, Grenada.

When the cathedral tower was being extended in the 1920s, circular open spaces were left so that clocks could be installed. After 86 years three clocks are being fitted into those spaces. The person responsible for constructing and installing the most recent clock was Mario Skocic, a Croatian national who came to Grenada three years ago.

Mario set up his small workshop in the crypt of the cathedral and fabricated the clock faces from fiberglass, and the hands from aluminum. The movement of the hands along with the ringing of the bells are controlled by a microprocessor and master clock located in the sacristy. The clocks are accurate, guaranteed not to lose or gain more than one minute over a one-year period.

Skocic, who has degrees in physical education and electronics, is a man of many skills. His love of boating led him to acquire skills in working with fiberglass but his real love is church bells. “They are the voice of God, reminding us of His loving presence and calling us to prayer.”

Mario says the three bells in the cathedral tower are of exceptional quality and the original framework supporting them is in excellent condition. The sound of the bells and the time on the clocks will speak to the citizens of St George’s and visitors of the passing of time and the nearness of “Christ, yesterday, today and forever.” – Catholic Focus

Gay ‘marriage’ in high demand? Not according to the U.S. census

2011-10-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

I could not find the statistics that this guy speaks of...

The 0.2% Solution
Crunching the Same-Sex Numbers
By: Chuck Colson
Published: October 4, 2011 7:57 AM
From breakpoint.org

The pressure to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples keeps increasing. The impression is given that thousands upon thousands of gays and lesbians are unable to do the one thing they want to do more than anything else: That is, have a wedding.

As if to prove the point, the US Census Bureau announced that it would be counting same-sex households in the 2010 Census. In August the Bureau announced that there are nearly a million. I was surprised by the small number.

But this past week, they reduced their estimate of same sex couple households by nearly thirty percent. In fact, it turns out that there are fewer than 650,000. That’s about six tenths of one percent of total US households.

But an even greater shocker for me was the number of same-sex married households. Gay marriage is legal in six jurisdictions. In Massachusetts, it’s been the law since 2004. Same-sex couples can get married, for example, in Massachusetts and Washington, DC, and live anywhere because nobody’s enforcing DOMA anymore in view of litigation. And yet there are only 131,729 households headed by married same-sex couples. That’s two-tenths of one percent of married households. Talk about the tail wagging the dog!

This census data exposes the two biggest myths created about gay marriage.

The first is that there’s a huge demand for it. No way! In fact, there’s hardly any demand at all. Gay couples are not lined up at city halls hoping for a marriage license.

The second myth is the so-called “marriage equity” argument: That this is just another the civil rights movement. Are you going to tell me that it was possible to fuel the civil rights movement with 646,000 couples, when only 131,000 had a real stake in it? It’s laughable.

I have never believed that gays wanted to marry. Their behavior by its very nature is too promiscuous. Gay relationships are for the most part sexually open rather than exclusive.

For us to redefine marriage thereby altering thousands of years of human history, ignoring all of the benefits marriage offers to individuals, cultures, civilizations and — above all — children, for the sake of 646,000 same-sex households only 131,000 of which are married, it’s madness.

Gays and lesbians don’t want marriage; they want their sexual choices affirmed as normal and moral. And that’s what’s behind the blacklisting, boycotting, and suing anybody who even questions homosexuality. They don’t want anyone telling them that how they live is morally problematic. Gays are actively trying to destroy marriage and will take away our freedom of speech and religion in order to do it.
Does this take the church off the hook? No. For years we have helped deconstruct marriage, winking at cohabitation and allowing easy divorce. We’ve allowed politicians to pass bad divorce laws and to loosen the moral standards surrounding marriage. Now it’s all coming back to haunt us. But our job is to rebuild marriage as a sacred institution and to stand our ground and defend it, come what may, from what appears to be a small, tiny, minority.

Obama Vs Religion

2011-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 6th October the Catholic League released the following article. For those who don't know about "ministerial exception". It is a de-facto law of the United States intended to protect the freedom of religion, which exempts that religious institutions from anti-discrimination laws in hiring employees. For example, the US government cannot force the Catholic church to hire homosexual or female priests:

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on a case that involves the "ministerial exception," a provision that bars the government from making employment decisions regarding a church's ministers. The position articulated by Leondra R. Kruger, who represented the Obama administration, was the subject of a revealing series of exchanges with the Justices.

After Kruger dodged a pointed question by Chief Justice John Roberts on the specific religious nature of the case—all she would allow was that associational rights were involved—Justice Antonin Scalia pressed her even further: "That's extraordinary. That's extraordinary. We are talking here about the Free Exercise Clause and about the Establishment Clause, and you say they have no special application?"

Later, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan asked Kruger about this same issue. When Kruger indicated that the "ministerial exception" was not grounded in the First Amendment, Kagan, citing Scalia's concern, said "I too find that amazing, that you think that the Free—neither the Free Exercise Clause nor the Establishment Clause has anything to say about a church's relationship with its own employees."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments as follows:

Jesus selected only males to be his apostles. Following suit, the Catholic Church selects only males to be its priests. No one has ever questioned this First Amendment right, until now: the Obama administration wants to gut the "ministerial exception" that allows religious institutions to exercise autonomy in its employment decisions.

What happened yesterday is the icing on the cake: after lying to the American people that Obamacare would not threaten the religious prerogatives of the Catholic Church—it now wants to force Catholic healthcare providers to offer sterilization and contraceptive services (abortion will be next)—it says the government should not be barred from policing the hiring policies of any church. Thus has Obama taken the culture war to new extremes.

Art Auction to Raise funds for the restoration of The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain a success.

2011-10-03T18:46:00.001-07:00

Well, I missed the Art Sale to raise funds for the Renovation of the Cathedral. I am reliably informed that of the 128 pieces 49 were not sold. The good thing was that if 49 were not sold then 79 were sold. Great job guys!

Below, Father Kenneth Assing, The Administrator of the Cathedral views what may be a Kenderson Noray work.

Feast of the Guardian Angels

2011-10-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Today (October 2nd) is the feast of the Guardian Angels.

The painting above is known as Heilige Schutzengel by Lindberg. Heilige Schutzengel is German for Holy Guardian Angel, it is known in English as the Guardian Angel, Angel and Bridge, Angel at the Bridge & etc. It is an extremely popular image with many, many variations back at least to Victorian times

GUARDIAN ANGEL PRAYER
for Feast day of October 2nd)

Dear Angel at my side,
my good and loyal friend,
you have been with me since the moment I was born.
You are my own personal guardian,
given me by God as my guide and protector,
and you will stay with me till I die.
He who created you and me
gave me to you as your particular charge.
You assisted in great joy at my baptism,
when I became part of the Mystical Body of Christ,
and was made a member of the household of God
and an heir of heaven.
You saw the dangers that beset my path,
and, if I sinned,
it was in spite of you.
You envied me when Christ came to me in Holy Communion.
Even though you probably were there
among the angels that adored Him
the night that He was born,
you have not been able to receive Him as I can.
O, help me to appreciate these gifts!
Help me to realize, as you do,
with every fiber of my being,
that to serve Christ is to be a King!
Help me steadfastly to avoid evil
and do good and always guard my soul from sin.
Protect me as well from physical evils
as I go about my daily work.
You will be with me all my life,
and at the hour of my death.
Help me to face death bravely, patiently,
with great love of God,
knowing that it is only through death
that I can come to Him in heaven!
Then, come with me to my Judge,
and when the hour of my salvation comes,
take me home to my Father, God.

Amen

Trinidad Pilgrims at World youth day 2011 in Mocejon Spain

2011-10-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

I got these off of Youtube:

Saint Domincs Home Feeling hot in Macejon:

Cathedral Members talk about World Youth day 2011

2011-10-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Caribbean Catholic asked some questions of the pilgrims to world youth day 2011.

How was it?
Do you feel your life has been changed by the experience?
Are you proud to be a catholic?
How were your hosts?
Did you encounter any of the anti world youth day people/protesters?
Did you have a single most moving moment and what was it?Did it meet your expectations?
How was the rest of the group?

Drew Ramsingh of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain talks about his World Youth Day Experience:

My experience at the World Youth Day was a really great one. My life has been changed by the experience as I have become strengthened in my faith. I am very proud to be a practising Catholic.

My hosts were an elderly couple who were very welcoming. Their children, who were in their 30s, were very friendly and provided a full Catholic Spanish family environment.

I didn't encounter any anti-World Youth Day people/protesters. Some of the other Trinidadian pilgrims encountered them however.

The single most moving moment for me was at the last English-speaking cathechesis session. I was so moved by the moment, seeing different cultures from countries across the world joining to celebrate after the mass in a small space, that is, in a chapel. The sight of this blend truly showed why Catholic means universal.

The rest of the group was very entertaining at times, and always kept me feeling like I was home in Trinidad so I was never home-sick.

God Bless you Drew.

Cherise also tells us about her experience:

I came back to Trinidad disappointed in the outcome of my World Youth Day Experience and I remember feeling the extreme need to restore my spirit to quiet and calmness upon my return. So extreme was it,that I stayed away from all duties and I placed myself in isolation for a while (actually about 3 weeks) - just to think.

And then I got an email. I was asked some important questions, 'what did Spain do for me?', 'Am I proud to be Catholic?' The headache started because I couldn't figure it out. (Yes Caribbean Catholic, you gave me a headache! Lol)

Then finally during a meeting at confirmation class last Saturday it dawned on me. The theme of WYD was, 'Firmes en el fey' Firm in the faith! I saw in my mind's eye, each moment where my faith was shaken in Spain, where I had every plausible excuse to turn away and because of that, I came back home confused. It took me that isolated while to see again the beauty of being catholic.

So yes, I am very proud to be Catholic!!! You see,we recognize that we all are sinners and we try to become better people despite contrary influences...and we pray. And we try to imitate Christ as in the way He loves. If we love as He loves, we won't turn away others but we would love them nonetheless. I know this sounds far-fetched. But I saw it so easy to turn away and to despise what and who is not of Christ. Hence the reason for my isolation period.

But before mass on Thursday, Sr Eunice asked me, 'Cherise,what would Jesus do?' I saw then the 'Firmes en el fey' banner in my mind. Our Church, our Faith emphasizes Love! That's what Jesus would do. He would love. Even on the Cross He loved. Here I saw that had it not been for my Catholic Faith, had I not been planted and built up, rooted in Christ Jesus, I would have turned away. The truth is, I didn't come back home confused, rather I came back rooted even more deeply in Christ, solid, unshaken and so sure of my Faith and the Rock on which I stand.

May God continue to bless you Cherise.

The Pilgrims publicly thank our Parish and Administrator for all the help they recieved in funding the trip. Again Cherise:

A special, special gratitude to my Parish. I know efforts were made in fund raising for myself, Drew and Runako, at a time when we had so much else of importance going on. From the bottom of our hearts we thank our Parish Administrator- Fr Assing and our parish priests who supported us and offered their prayers for our journey. We are deeply grateful to all those who helped with the fund raising and to all parishioners who kept us in their prayers while we were away...thank you.

The Legion of Christ - Who are they?

2011-10-01T04:59:00.000-07:00

Who are the Legions of Christ. Well according to Wikipedia they are as follows:

..a Roman Catholic congregation of pontifical right, made up of priests and seminarians studying for the priesthood. It was founded in Mexico in 1941, by Fr. Marcial Maciel, who directed the congregation as its General Superior until January 2005. The Legion of Christ has priests working in over 22 countries, and had 889 priests and 2,373 seminarians as of December 31, 2010. In the U.S. it operates 9 schools (and asists at several others), a start-up university in Sacramento and two of a small number of seminaries for teenage boys currently operating in the US.

Its lay movement Regnum Christi has approximately 70,000 members.In Mexico, the Legionaries administer the Anahuac University Network.It operates centers of education (minor seminaries, seminaries, schools and/or universities) in Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Korea, Poland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, and the Philippines.

The most important fields of their apostolic work are education, youth and family ministry, evangelization (especially in the mission territory of the Mexican State of Quintana Roo in the Yucatán Peninsula), and social work. The Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi seek to collaborate with the local churches by lending help and support to the bishops and parish priests as they carry out their diocesan pastoral programs.

Members of the Legion take vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty. They originally took a private vow of charity, promising never to criticize their superiors. This private vow was originally opposed by the Vatican when it chartered the Legion decades ago, but that opposition disappeared after a final decision by the Vatican. This vow was repealed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. Their private vow of humility remains intact.

The Legion's spirituality can be described as four loves: love for Christ, love for Mary, love for souls, and love for the Church and Pope.

Love for Christ is, for Legionaries, a personal experience. Through the Gospel, the Cross, and the Eucharist, Legionaries come to know Christ intimately, and love him in a passionate way by embracing him as their model of holiness.

Love for Mary flows from imitating Christ; the Blessed Virgin is loved as both Mother of the Church and of the individual Legionary's vocation. Legionaries consecrate their spiritual and apostolic lives to her care, and seek to take on her virtues of faith, hope, charity, obedience, humility, and cooperation with Christ's plan of redemption.

Love for Souls is expressed in an ardent desire to spread Christ's kingdom in this world. Legionaries try to use every moment of their time to help the greatest number of souls know and love Christ. They want to be able to say when they get to Heaven that they never wasted one minute or one soul.

Finally, there is Legionaries' love for Church and Pope. The Church is loved because it is the Body of Christ, and the beginning of his Kingdom on earth. Legionaries see the Church both as she currently stands and as Christ wants her to be. Thus Legionaries honor her by faith, submit to her in obedience, win souls for her through evangelization, and put her above all other earthly things in their lives. This love of the Church leads many in the Legion to speak of being "always in step with the Church, neither ahead nor behind." It also explains the Legionaries' special affection for the Pope, who is supported in his charism of primacy and magisterium. All bishops in communion with the Roman Pontiff, as the Apostles' successors and teachers of the Catholic Faith, are likewise honored.

According to the Wall Street Journal, "The Legion of Christ...became a global phenomenon in Catholicism over the past few decades by joining a devotion to orthodoxy and secrecy with an equal fidelity to the Legion's charismatic founder, Father Marcial Maciel, who helped his community's cause by liberally dispensing funds to hierarchs in Rome. Other bishops complained of the Legion's cult-like aspects, but it was only in 2006, when the truth of Maciel's extensive record of sexual abuse and financial shenanigans was finally acknowledged, that the Vatican forced the elderly priest from ministry and launched an investigation."

The Vatican denounced the Legions head and released a statement:

"very serious and objectively immoral acts" of Fr. Marcial Maciel, which were "confirmed by incontrovertible testimonies" represent "true crimes and manifest a life without scruples or authentic religious sentiment," the Vatican said. The Vatican said the Legion created a "mechanism of defense" around Maciel to shield him from accusations and suppress damaging witnesses from reporting abuse. "It made him untouchable," The statement decried "the lamentable disgracing and expulsion of those who doubted" Maciel's virtue.

The Vatican statement did not address whether the Legion's current leadership will face any sanctions. Actions taken by the current Legion leadership will be scrutinized; but no specific sanctions were mentioned, amid suspicion that at least some of the current leaders must have been aware of Maciel's sins. The Vatican acknowledged the "hardships" faced by Maciel's accusers through the years when they were ostracized or ridiculed, and commended their "courage and perseverance to demand the truth."

As a result of the visitation, Benedict XVI named Archbishop (now Cardinal) Velasio De Paolis as the Papal Delegate to oversee the Legion and its governance on July 9, 2010.

A

Jesus given lemons, wants to make lemonade

2011-10-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

Zenit Founder Jesus Colina Fired from Zenit by Legionnaires of Christ
by John-Henry Westen
Thu Sep 29, 2011 ROME, September 29, 2011
(LifeSiteNews.com)

Jesus Colina, still in his early 40s, is one of the more dynamic Catholic laymen in the world. 14 years ago he founded Zenit News agency which soon became the largest Catholic news service in the world. He spoke with LifeSiteNews today from Rome explaining how, despite founding the service, he has now been terminated from it.

There will be much more heard from Colina in a new and very significant career change, but that is for another story.

Inside the Vatican put Colina in their top ten people of 2006. While running the major news service Colina found the time to raise three children with his wife Giselle in Rome.

The involvement of the Legion of Christ with Zenit was a natural thing, Colina said in a phone interview from Rome. He was a member of Regnum Christi, a lay group of the Legionnaires and it was a custom of a layman running a Catholic organization to associate it with a religious order as a guarantor of orthodoxy.

Colina doesn’t regret the relationship either. “We did beautiful things together,” he says without bitterness.

The main points of contention which led to his dismissal surrounded Colina’s concerns about the reputation of the Legion of Christ and its affect on the reputation of Zenit. “Especially in countries where that relationship was known,” he said, there were problems due to the scandal about the head of the Legionnaires, Fr. Maciel.

Beyond this, Colina was wanting to ensure there would be transparent financial accountability and long term sustainability.

To solve these difficulties Colina suggested opening the governing board to other religious communities and creating an editorial board consisting of other media professionals.

In the end, he said, it came down to a perceived lack of trust with the Legion and thus the decision to terminate the relationship.

Colina is in good spirits. He has big plans which will be revealed shortly, and remains a man on a mission to promote faith and life.

Good KIng Wenceslas

2011-09-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

Wednesday (September 28th) is the feast of Saint Wenceslas. He was born in 907 near Prague, son of the Duke of Bohemia. His saintly grandmother, Ludmilla, raised him and sought to promote him as ruler of Bohemia in place of his mother, who favored the anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla was eventually murdered, but rival Christian forces enabled Wenceslaus to assume leadership of the government.

His rule was marked by efforts toward unification within Bohemia, support of the Church and peace-making negotiations with Germany, a policy which caused him trouble with the anti-Christian opposition. His brother Boleslav joined in the plotting, and in September of 929 invited Wenceslaus to Alt Bunglou for the celebration of the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian (September 26). On the way to Mass, Boleslav attacked his brother, and in the struggle, Wenceslaus was killed by supporters of Boleslav.

Although his death resulted primarily from political upheaval, Wenceslaus was hailed as a martyr for the faith, and his tomb became a pilgrimage shrine.

Sung by Candice Night from Blackmore Night

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me bread and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

Catholics and Palestine

2011-09-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Some years ago I read about the first intifada (1983-1993) in Israel. There was a popular uprising by the Palestinians due to Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories. The Intifada came with a news blockade of the Palestinians by the Israelis. Whenever information came out, the world heard about the Palestinians and naturally assumed they were only muslim. The truth is that there were many Christians affected by the intifada.

Of the supposed 3 million Palestinians in the independent lands there are around 3 hundred thousand Christians of various sects. While many Christians have migrated those that remain long for a better life. A catholic Bishop from Palestine, Bishop Shomali lauds those who stayed: “The mission and calling of Christians is to remain in the Holy Land and work toward change,”

According to a news article by David Kerr on the Catholic News Agency:

"the Palestinian officials say they will launch their application for full United Nations membership next week at the U.N. headquarters in New York. They intend to ask for international recognition based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as a capital. The idea is strongly opposed by Israel and the United States."

American President Barack Obama has publicly stated that he will not support it.

Now we are hearing the the Vatican has remained neutral on the matter. Again from the article by David Kerr:

"A spokesman for the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel confirmed to CNA that the Vatican backs a “two-state solution” with a sovereign Palestine peacefully co-existing alongside Israel. He refused, however, to comment on the impending Palestinian bid for U.N. membership."

In June this year (2011) Pope Benedict described Palestine’s aspiration to statehood as “legitimate” during a meeting at the Vatican with the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. The Pope also cautioned that this should be achieved with the “just and lasting respect of everyone’s rights.”

Despite all this craziness the Bishop of Jerusalem William Shomali has the solution. He says “The Lord told us to pray for peace. Jerusalem will attain peace through the power of God, and not merely through the acts of politicians,”

Jesus explosion Revival

2011-09-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today was the Jesus Explosion Revival. I did not go. Instead I went to a friends wedding. It rocked

Saint. Padre Pio da Pietrelcina

2011-09-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Feast day to the patron Saint of my family - Padre Pio.

"Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer." - Padre Pio

Artwork sale to raise funds for the Cathedral Restoration

2011-09-22T16:30:00.001-07:00

I was looking through the brochure of artwork to be auctioned on October 1st 2011 to raise funds for the Cathedral Restoration. I saw many great artists that I know and love, and others who I only know by name - that is to say that I know their art, not them.

The collection includes paintings, photographs, ceramics, pottery and jewelry. I didn't see any collages, and I dare say they missed an opportunity for some really good ones, as they never bothered to show up for the two offered by a really great artist that I know (not me, in case you were wondering).

It is interesting to note that some of the artists are not Catholic and would probably not enter a catholic church if they could avoid it, yet they have contributed of their energies. There are even works for prisoners. God Bless them all.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is one of the few Historic sites that is not owned by the government (please someone restore Mille Fleur) or by a private individual who would want to knock it down to build something big. Come on Trinidad, we can do better.

I got a little confused when I read the article in the Catholic News.... I saw art that was not in the brochure... whats up with that?

I hope to be at the auction on October 1st. I hope to enjoy the Archbishop house, I hope to wish my Archbishop farewell, I hope to dine of the wonderful treats of the Syrian Lebanese woman who are doing the catering, I hope to go home with a great work of art. We have already RSVPed.

God bless us who belong to the Cathedral... great things are being done for us little people by some who are tall in society. We who worship in the old building thank you for your efforts and ask you to remember us in your prayers as we pray for you.

Bishop Jason Gordon of Barbados

2011-09-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

From the Catholic news of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain:

The Caribbean's newest bishop, Bishop Jason Gordon receives applause from the congregation. At left, Archbishop Robert Rivas of Castries, St Lucia archdiocese, and recently ordained Co-adjutor Archbishop Joseph Harris of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago archdiocese.

Catholic population in Trinidad. - not doing too good.

2011-09-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

In 1950 the archdiocese of Port of Spain had 280,000 Catholics in 63 parishes out of a population of 750,000 people. In that year 37% of the population were Catholic.

In 1990 (forty years later) there were 400,000 Catholics in 61 parishes out of a population of 1,235,400. The percentage of Catholics that year were 32%.

It is significant to note that while the population grew, and the number of Catholics grew also, the numbers were not proportionate. 1990 was a peak for the number of Catholics in the Archdiocese.

In 2010 we have a similar situation with the number of Catholics being 26% of the Population. However the population grew and the number of Catholics Shrunk. In 2010 there were 340,000 Catholics in a population of 1,310,000.

In those 60 years there has not been much movement in the number of priests. In 1950 there were 110. In 2010 there were 106. There was a peak in 1968 when the number of priest went up to 136. It fell gradually to a low point of 90 in 1999, but made comeback peaking at 121 in 2004.

Welcome Cherise

2011-09-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

MY good friend at the Cathedral, Cherise, has put together a blog of her own. The Caribbean Catholic would like to welcome Cherise to the blogger world and wish you lots of success.

Sometimes you need to post and you wonder... what should I put on? but by the grace of God something always comes to mind.

God bless you and your work...

Cherise's blog can be found here

Receiving the fulness of Christs Priesthood

2011-09-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

This photograph appeared on the Trinidad daily newspaper "Newsday" on Thursday, September 15th 2011, showing the laying of hands on Father Joseph Harris, by the Archbishop Edward Gilberte, on the occasion of his installation ceremony at the Basilica Minor, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday September, 14th.

First they came...

2011-09-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

- Pastor Martin Niemöller (Lutheran)(1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

Theocrat, Dominionist, Christianist, and other fun words

2011-09-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

“Theocrat,” and related words like “Dominionist” and “Christianist,” are the latest in a series of epithets directed at Christians who insist that their faith is not merely a private matter. Suggesting Christians want to impose biblical law on civil society is an attempt to make a comparison between us and people like the Mullahs in Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
- Chuck Colson - "Are you a theocrat? Secular scare tactics" (Sep 14,2011)

If I cannot promote my faith, then the health gurus should not be allowed to toute their exercise programmes, politicians should not promote themselves, their party and their views. Atheists should not have a say against religion, and other faiths should not be allowed to say anything.. even if they put out a paid ad.

The freedom of speech would be compromised. Thank God I can still discuss my faith publicly.

Stop and thank the Lord Now!

2011-09-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

DEAR GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me;

I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears;

I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves;

I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet;

I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job;

I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief;

I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed;

I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.

I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.

I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.

I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I'm thanking you because FATHER, YOU haven't given up on me.

God is just so good, and he's good all the time. Send this message to 8 friends, not to the friend who sent it to you and continue praising God.

Congratulations Archbishop Joe Harris

2011-09-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Caribbean Catholic blog wish to congratulate Archbishop Joe Harris on his installation as the 10th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Ad multos Anos

marraige - out of the box - becoming a loving couple

2011-09-13T14:46:00.002-07:00

Not too long after I got married I was sitting with some veterans in the field – Men who had been married for more than 25 years. We were having a few beers and then the wife complaints started to cross the table. The conversation degenerated into “who had the worse wife.” I was horrified.

Later on I was privy to a conversation by a mother to her daughter: “You must train your man. Time away from him is good. Who would want to spend every minute with their spouse?” I was horrified.

First off, I love my wife. I married her not because I needed a sometime companion but because I could not imagine my life without her. I wanted to (and still want to) spend every waking moment with this wonderful human being. We do not agree on everything, and we do fight, but these moments are worked out.

I do not profess to be an expert on love. What I know is that my wife and I have a series of rules that we follow and so far we have been doing ok

1. Pray together
2. Always be honest.
3. Pick each other up when there is a sad or hurt situation.
4. Keep no secrets (except about presents)
5. Say “I love you” every day.
6. Be good catholics.
7. There is no right or wrong – in the end it is all about how you make your partner feel. If I am right and you are right and we can both back up our position academically, what does it profit us to hurt each other.
8. Do things as a family.
9. Eat together every evening. …. Well this one is not doing so good.
10. Pray as a family

marraige - out of the box - becoming a loving couple

2011-09-13T14:46:00.001-07:00

marraige - out of the box - becoming a loving couple

2011-09-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

Miss Universe - would you change your religion?

2011-09-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

While Trinidad and Tobago is disappointed in Gabrielle Walcott not doing well in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant (we still love you), I wish to give kudos to Miss Philipines: Shamcey Supsup.

Shamcey was the third runner-up, but it was the answer to her question that got me all happy. Shamncey's bio lists her as a Protestant and when she was asked by Vivica Fox:

“Would you change your religious beliefs to the person you love and why?’’

She replied:

“If I have to change my religious belief, I will not marry the person I love because the first person that I love is God and He created me. And I have my faith, my principles and it what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God.’’

The audience too liked her response.

Congratulations Miss Universe 2011 - Miss Angola -Leila Lopes

2011-09-13T04:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Miss Angola, Leila Lopes, for wining the Miss Universe Pageant 2011. Angola has had a recent history or war, poverty and death. She has come out as a champion to repair this terrible history. According to a Associated Press article by Bradley Brooks she says the following:

Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes hopes her victory will allow her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combatting HIV around the globe.

ON HELPING PEOPLE: "as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people. I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly ... I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more."

ON SELF: "Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."

ON BEING BLACK: Of course being a black woman someone has to ask the stupid question "about racism in light of the fact that she's one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that "any racist needs to seek help. It's not normal in the 21st century to think in that way."

Congratulations to Angola for having one of their own win the contest. Angola has never had a miss Universe as one of their own.

Trinidad and Tobago has had a winner. Miss Jenelle Penny Commissiong. She won the Miss Universe title as Miss Trinidad & Tobago in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 16, 1977. She was the first Black woman to win the title. She was also voted Miss Photogenic in that same contest.

Penny Commissiong - Miss Universe 1977

A PILGRIMS STORY – remembering world youth day 2011

2011-09-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Geneva, a member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception tells about her journey to Spain.

It was my first time visiting a country other than my home islands of Trinidad and Tobago. I always wanted to go to Spain. As far as I understood, World Youth Day is the gathering of youths from all over the world to have Holy Mass with His Holiness, the Pope.

There were many, many people, but at no time was I afraid. I was in a foreign country but at no time did I feel alone. I made friends with Spaniards, other trinbagonians and people from other countries. Here is my story -

We left home and arrived to London, I was very enthusiastic when the plane lifted off on it’s long flight. When we arrived in Madrid, I realized the difference between London and Spain, London was green and Spain was dry and brown. That made me really sad, but when we landed I wanted to scream "Spain here I am, finally I have arrived, woo hoo!".

Our first stop was a College in Toledo. We stayed there from the Monday (8th August) to Thursday (11th August). I found Toledo interesting and it’s Cathedral very beautiful (hermosa) and very big (grande). Much larger than our own. We were forbidden from taking photos on the inside. It was like a museum, instead of a church, their patron saint was exposed and acknowledgement was made. I can clearly remember there were ancient artifacts stored and preserved inside the cathedral, rings, crosses, crucifixes and books, very big books, gold and silver items.

What awed me the most, was that all the churches that I visited in Spain, had paintings all over: the floor; the ceilings and walls. There were many statues and carvings in the architecture of the buildings, especially the cathedral in Toledo, there were also a huge crypt, which was not open for viewing.

The Toledo hosts were very friendly, kind and extremely helpful. With so many people from different countries in the same place at the same time it can be difficult. Still, praise and worship were organized every morning and it was great. Even in the night there were praise and worship. Every one participated. I really enjoyed it.

In the morning the breeze was cold, but as the day wore on it became very hot. Money was spent on water everywhere, and we endured.

Then on the Thursday evening the Trinidad and Tobago contingent left for Mocejon, where we met our host families. There was a Joy of belonging in my heart, to see strangers waiting and welcoming us with their arms open wide, I have never felt that feeling before, I wanted to cry. Both anthems of the countries were played, and the people were anxiously waiting to see who they were taking home with them and we (trinbagonians) were waiting nervously to see who we were going home with.

After meeting our new siblings, mummies and daddies, our youths gave them a taste of home. "I is Ah Trini" was our anthem and the Mocejon folks enjoyed it, the welcoming was finished off with fireworks. I must say staying at our host families was very entertaining, and marvelous, we were treated like royalty. We even got a chance to see the famous “running of the bulls” in a neighbouring town.

The people fed us like crazy, there were food everywhere. On Monday 15th we left for Madrid. It was a very emotional parting.

We stopped over in Toledo one last time for a mass and entertainment, where we (TnT) stared on stage. In Madrid we stayed at a Sports complex with people from other countries.

One day, the Dominican Sisters headed by Sr. Alleyne, went to Calegruega, where Saint Dominic was born. The relics of Saint Dominic's father and elder brother were there as well. We saw the only statue in the world that had a chastity belt with no lock on the Virgin Mary and she was also pregnant.

For the opening mass of the welcoming of the Pope, everyone were chanting "Esta Es La Juventud de Papa" which means “this is the youths' father”, and "Benedicto".

Leaving Spain was a bitter-sweet moment. I will cherish every moment.

The Birth of the Virgin Mary - her Nativity

2011-09-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday September 8th is the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. below is a chapter from the book the life of the blessed virgin Mary from the visionary Anne Catherine Emmerich.

Several days before the Blessed Virgin's birth Anna had told Joachim that the time was approaching for her to be delivered. She sent messengers to Sephoris, where her younger sister Maraha lived; to the widow Enue (sister of Elizabeth) in the valley of Zabulon; and to her niece Mary Salome at Bethsaida, asking these three women to come to her. I saw them on their journeys. The widow Enue had a serving lad with her; the other two women were accompanied by their husbands who, however, went back on approaching Nazareth. I saw that on the day before Anna was delivered Joachim sent his many menservants out to the herds, and among Anna's new maidservants he kept in the house only those who were needed. He, too, went out into his nearest pasture. I saw that Anna's firstborn daughter, Mary Heli, looked after the house. She was then about nineteen years old and was married to Cleophas, one of Joachim's chief shepherds, by whom she had a little daughter, Mary Cleophas, now about four years old. After praying, Joachim chose out his finest lambs, kids, and cattle, sending shepherds to take them to the Temple as a thank-offering. He did not return home until nightfall.

I saw the three cousins arriving at Anna's house in the evening. They went to her in her room behind the hearth and embraced her. After Anna had told them that the time was near for her to be delivered, they stood up and sang a hymn together: Praise the Lord God; He has shown mercy to His people, and has redeemed Israel, and has fulfilled the promise which He gave to Adam in Paradise that the seed of the woman should crush the head of the serpent,' and so on. I can no longer recite it all by heart. Anna prayed as though in ecstasy. She introduced into the hymn all the prophetic symbols of Mary. She said: The seed given by God to Abraham has ripened in me.' She spoke of the promise to Sarah of Isaac's birth and said: The blossoming of Aaron's rod is perfected in me.' At that moment I saw her as though suffused with light; I saw the room full of radiance, and Jacob's ladder appearing above it. The women were overcome with astonishment and joy, and I think that they also saw the vision. When the prayer of welcome was over, the travelers were refreshed with a slight meal of bread and fruit, and water mixed with balsam. They ate and drank standing up, and then lay down till midnight to rest from their journey. Anna did not go to bed, but prayed, and at midnight woke the other women to pray with her. They followed her to her praying-place behind a curtain.

Anna opened the doors of a little cupboard in the wall which contained a casket with holy objects. On each side were lights--perhaps lamps, but I am not sure. They had to be pushed up in their holders, and then little bits of shavings put underneath to prevent them from sinking down. After this the lights were lit. There was a cushioned stool at the foot of this sort of little altar. The casket contained some of Sarah's hair (Anna had a great veneration for her), some of Joseph's bones (brought by Moses from Egypt), and something belonging to Tobias, I think a relic of his clothing; also the little shining, white, pear-shaped goblet from which Abraham had drunk when blessed by the angel. (This had been given to Joachim from the Ark of the Covenant when he was blessed in the Temple. I now know that this blessing took the form of wine and bread and was a strengthening and sacramental food.)

Anna knelt before the little cupboard with one of the women on each side and the third behind her. She recited another hymn; I think it mentioned the burning bush of Moses. Then I saw the room filled with supernatural light which became more intense as it wove itself round Anna. The women sank to the ground as though stunned. The light round Anna took the exact form of the burning bush of Moses on Horeb, and I could no longer see her. The whole flame streamed inwards; and then I suddenly saw that Anna received the shining child Mary in her hands, wrapped her in her mantle, pressed her to her heart, and laid her naked on the stool in front of the holy relics, still continuing her prayer. Then I heard the child cry, and saw that Anna brought out wrappings from under the great veil which enveloped her. She wrapped the child first in gray and then in red swaddling bands up to her arms; her breast, arms, and head were bare. The appearance of the burning bush around Anna had now vanished.

The women stood up and received the newborn child in their arms with great astonishment. They shed tears of joy. They all joined in a hymn of praise, and Anna lifted her child up on high as though making an offering. I saw at that moment the room full of light, and beheld several angels singing Gloria and Alleluia. I heard all their words. They announced that on the twentieth day the child was to be called Mary.

Anna now went into her bedroom and lay down on her couch. The women in the meantime unwrapped the child, bathed it, and wrapped it up again, and then laid it beside its mother. There was a little woven wicker basket which could be fastened beside the bed or against the wall or at the foot of the bed, whichever was wanted, so that the child could always have its place near its mother and yet separate.

The women now called Joachim, the father. He came to Anna's couch and knelt down weeping, his tears falling on the child; then he lifted it up in his arms and uttered his song of praise, like Zechariah at John's birth. He spoke in this hymn of the holy seed, implanted by God in Abraham, which had continued amongst God's people by means of the covenant ratified by circumcision, but had now reached its highest blossoming in this child and was, in the flesh, completed. I also heard how this song of praise declared that now was fulfilled the word of the prophet: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse.' He said, too, in great humility and devoutness, that he would now gladly die.

It was only then that I noticed that Mary Heli, Anna's elder daughter, did not have sight of the child until later. Although she had become the mother of Mary Cleophas several years before, she was not present at the Blessed Virgin's birth--perhaps because, according to Jewish rules, it was not considered seemly for a daughter to be with her mother at such a time.

Next morning I saw the serving men and maids and many people from nearby gathered round the house. They were allowed to enter in groups, and the child was shown by the women to them all. Many were greatly moved, and some led better lives thereafter. The neighbors had come because they had seen in the night a glowing light above the house, and because the birth of Anna's child after long unfruitfulness was looked upon as a great favor from heaven.

The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Anne Catherine Emmerich

2011-09-07T18:36:00.001-07:00

The Catholic visionary nun Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich's visions are the source for the book "The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary" The book is broken into 14 chapters the first deals with the "Ancestors of the Blessed Virgin" .the second chapter deals with the "Immaculate Conception".

1. JOACHIM AND ST. ANNE MEET BENEATH THE GOLDEN GATE.
2. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
2.1 THE ANGELS ARE SHOWN THE RESTORATION OF MANKIND.
2.2 AN EGYPTIAN REPRESENTATION OF MARY PRIOR TO ELIJAH.
2.3 ELIJAH'S VISION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
2.4 AN EXPOUNDING ON ELIJAH'S VISION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
2.5 A REPRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN IN EGYPT.
2.6 MARY PROCLAIMED TO PIOUS PAGANS.
2.7 THE LIFE STORY OF TOBIAS. AN ALLEGORY OF THE COMING OF SALVATION.
2.8 THE GENEALOGICAL TREE OF THE MESSIAH.
2.9 APPARITION OF SAINT ANNE.
2.10 VISION OF THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
2.11 THE BLESSED VIRGIN REVEALS SECRETS ABOUT THEIR LIVEs.
2.12 CELEBRATION OF THE CONCEPTION OF MARY IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
2.13 THE HOLY KINGS CELEBRATE A FEAST HONORING MARY'S CONCEPTION.
2.14 ELIMINATION OF HUMAN SACRIFICE BY THE STAR-WORSHIPPERS.
2.15 A PARALLEL VISION OF CHILD SACRIFICE.
2.16 HISTORY OF THE CELEBRATIONS OF THE CONCEPTION OF MARY.
3. THE ACTUAL SEASON OF MARY'S CONCEPTION (NOTE BY THE WRITER).
4. THE INFUSING OF MARY'S SOUL AND HER BIRTH.
4.1 THE UNITING OF MARY'S SOUL AND BODY.
4.2 MARY'S BIRTH.
4.3 JOY AT MARY'S BIRTH IN HEAVEN.
4.4 THE PROCLAIMING OF MARY'S BIRTH IN LIMBO.
4.5 AGITATION IN NATURE AND MANKIND AT MARY'S BIRTH.
4.6 THE PROCLAIMING OF MARY'S BIRTH IN CHALDEA.
4.7 EVENTS IN EGYPT DURING MARY'S BIRTH.
4.8 VISITS WITH THE NEWBORN BABY MARY.
4.9 THE CHILD RECEIVES THE NAME MARY.
5. CAUSE OF THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY.
6. THE EFFECT OF PRAYING ON THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY.
7. THE PURIFICATION OF ST. ANNE.

The book can be read online here

Congratulations Father Clyde Harvey - Humming bird Gold

2011-09-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

Coming out from the 49th anniversary of the Independence of Trinidad and Tobago, National awards were given, as is the annual custom. This year the Caribbean Catholic Blog would like to congratulate Father Clyde Harvey on the award of the Humming Bird - Gold Medal for loyal and devoted service to the country. From an article in the Trinidad Guardian:

Harvey said despite that fact, the awards ceremony showed that there were many good things about the country still. “In the context of this evening’s (Wednesday) celebration, I think all the right notes were hit,” Harvey said. “But I also know that we must take a pride in our liberty and never give that up to anybody.”

Get Clean - a video about confession

2011-09-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

This video is called “Get clean,” it's the winning video from a contest held by different Catholic dioceses in New York. The contest asked for 1 minute videos to encourage youth to accept the sacrament of confession. The filmmakers were awarded a prize of $25,000.

Catholicism .. a story.. a series... a must

2011-09-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Catholicism - is a 10 part series to be aired on PBS and EWTN soon. Wow. just by looking at the previews I am excited. Here are three clips from three episodes.

The Dynamite of the Church - Peter and Paul (Episode 5)
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The communion of Saints - The Little Flower (Episode 8)
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Prayer and the life of the Spirit - The real Dark Night (Episode 9)
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Watch more clips here

Finding God in Art

2011-09-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

At his general audience on August 31st 2011 Pope Benedict XVI spoke on finding God in Art: An EWTN/CNA report stated the following:

Artistic beauty can lead the human heart to God

“Art is capable of making visible our need to go beyond what we see, and it reveals our thirst for infinite beauty, for God,” the Pope said to more than 5,000 pilgrims at his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, 15 miles south of Rome.

“Dear friends, I invite you to be open to beauty and to allow it to move you to prayer and praise of the Lord.”

The Pope explained how this “path of beauty” can be “an open door on the infinite” and is something experienced by all people, not merely by those who regard themselves as cultured.

He observed that when people stand before a sculpture or painting, read a few verses poetry or even listen to a song, everyone has “experienced deep within us an intimate emotion, a sense of joy.” This sensation, he said, is an interior recognition that says that what is being seen or heard is “not only mere matter,” but “something bigger, something that speaks, capable of touching the heart, of communicating a message; of elevating the soul,” and leading people, ultimately, to God.

Pope Benedict also noted that there are “artistic expressions that are true paths to God, the supreme Beauty,” and that these works can “help nurture our relationship with him in prayer. These are works that are born of faith and express faith.”

The Pope also described how various artists themselves had observed the same in their own artwork. He recalled how the 20th-century expressionist artist Marc Chagall, once wrote “that, for centuries, painters have dipped their paintbrush in that colored alphabet that is the Bible.”

This is why form, color and light that are “the fruits of the faith of the artist,” such as painting or frescoes, can “direct our thoughts to God and nourish in us the desire to draw from the source of all beauty,” said the Pope.

One dramatic example Pope Benedict offered was the life of 19th-century French poet and playwright Paul Claudel. An anti-clericalist, he had attended Christmas Mass at the Basilica of Notre Dame in Paris in 1886 “in search of arguments against Christians.” Instead, Claudel was instantly converted to Catholicism by the beauty of the basilica choir as they sang the Magnifcat. The Pope described this moment as the grace of God working in his heart.

Pope Benedict concluded by inviting everybody “to rediscover the importance of this path for prayer, for our living relationship with God,” pointing out that most towns and cities across the world “preserve works of art that express the faith and remind us of our relationship with God.”He said that visiting churches, art galleries and museums “is not only an occasion for cultural enrichment,” but can also be “a moment of grace, an encouragement to strengthen our relationship and our dialogue with the Lord.”

It is “where we can stop and contemplate, in the transition from simple, external reality to a deeper reality, the ray of beauty that strikes us, that almost wounds us in our inner selves and invites us to rise towards God.”

Pilgrim from the island of Trinidad - World Youth Day

2011-09-01T13:16:00.001-07:00

My good friend from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain has returned from her great pilgrimage to the 2011 International Youth Day in Madrid Spain.... She shares a few photos of her journey.