The little flower

"For me, prayer is a movement of the heart; it is a simple glance toward Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus. . . . I have not the courage to look through books for beautiful prayers.... I do like a child who does not know how to read; I say very simply to God what I want to say, and He always understands me."


"Jesus, Your ineffable image is the star which guides my steps. Ah, You know, Your sweet Face is for me Heaven on earth. My love discovers the charms of Your Face adorned with tears. I smile through my own tears when I contemplate Your sorrows".


"Eternal Father, since Thou hast given me for my inheritance the adorable Face of Thy Divine Son, I offer that face to Thee and I beg Thee, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to Thee and to pardon all poor sinners."

Enoch and the Arch Angels

Years ago when I was reading the New Testament I found it interesting that there were items noted that could only be referenced to the book of Enoch. Now I searched online for this book since it was not in my Jerusalem bible. What I found was Jewish mysticism, but I decided that it should be relevant since there is reference by Paul, Peter, John and the early church fathers in their writings. Significant to today's feast of the Archangels the book of Enoch lists seven Archangels who stand in the presence of God: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Lucifer and Remiel. Today's feast is not for 7 but 3. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ONLY RECOGNIZES THREE ARCHANGELS: So we bless you Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel.

Wikipedia identifies several lists of seven Archangels throughout History. The three noted above remain the same but the other names vary.

In the late 5th to early 6th century, Pseudo-Dionysius gives them as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Chamuel, Jophiel, and Zadkiel.

The earliest Christian mention is by Pope Saint Gregory I who lists them as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel (or Anael), Simiel (or Samael), Oriphiel and Zachariel. A later reference to seven archangels would appear in an 8th or 9th century talisman attributed to Auriolus, a "servant of God" in north-western Spain. He issues a prayer to "all you patriarchs Michael, Gabriel, Cecitiel, Oriel, Raphael, Ananiel, Marmoniel, who hold the clouds in your hands"[1]
[edit] Archangels in current church traditions

The Eastern Orthodoxy tradition venerates Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel.

Another Catholic variation lists them corresponding to the days of the week as: St Michael (Sunday), St Gabriel (Monday), St Raphael (Tuesday), St Uriel (Wednesday), St Sealtiel (or sometimes Metatron) (Thursday), St Jegudiel, (Friday), and St Barachiel (Saturday).

Four important archangels also display periodic spiritual activity over the seasons: Spring is Raphael, Summer - Uriel, Autumn - Michael and Winter is Gabriel.

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition the seven archangels are named as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Suriel, Zadakiel, Sarathiel and Aniel.

Coptic Orthodox Church fights the power

Thaddeus M. Baklinski writes an article for Lifesite news that has me happy, proud and in a joyous fighting mood. Of course many of us Catholics know we are more likely to be Martyrs than saints. Despite this guy not being Catholic, I support him and his church in their stand. GOD IS GREAT!

CAIRO, September 27, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Egyptian Supreme Administrative Court has issued a decision requiring Orthodox Coptic Pope Shenouda III to pay damages of approximately 19,500 Egyptian pounds to church member Magdi William who sued the Coptic Church over its refusal to issue a certificate to re-marry after he divorced his wife.

In May, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled in favor of another litigant seeking re-marriage, Hani Wasfi Naguib, stating that under Egyptian law the Coptic Orthodox Church must allow its members to divorce and remarry.

However, after an appeal of that decision by the Coptic Church, the Supreme Constitutional Court overturned the ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court, stating that marital matters are under the sole jurisdiction of the church because civil marriage without a religious ceremony is not recognized in Egypt.

The Orthodox Coptic Church forbids divorce and re-marriage except in cases of proven adultery or religious conversion of a spouse.

In the current case, Pope Shenouda lost an appeal to overturn the court verdict in favor of William, despite the Constitutional Court ruling.

According to Al-Masry Al-Youm news service, the Coptic pope has refused to pay the fine, and instead said he would defrock any priest who allows a divorced Christian to remarry, except under the allowed conditions.

Check out the full story here: Egyptian Court Orders Coptic Orthodox Church To Allow Divorce and Remarriage

Modern Teen beatified

Modern Teen Beatified Saturday

By Carmen Elena Villa From Zenit News

ROME, SEPT. 23, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Chiara Badano was a modern teenager: She liked to sing, dance, play tennis and skate, until cancer took her life at age 18, only two decades ago.

Now, on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the shrine of Divine Love in Rome, Chiara will be beatified in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes, in representation of Benedict XVI.

Chiara was a member of the Focolare Movement, founded in Italy by Chiara Lubich in 1943.

Also on Saturday, thousands of Focolare members will gather in Paul VI Hall to celebrate the first beatification of someone from the movement.

At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope's secretary of state, will offer a Mass in thanksgiving in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Birth and youth

After 11 years of marriage, Ruggero and Maria Teresa Badano had the joy of the arrival of their first and only daughter, Chiara, who was born on Oct. 29, 1971, in the small village of Sassello, in the region of Liguria in northern Italy.

Her mother said: "She was not only our daughter. She belonged, in the first place, to God and as such, we had to educate her, respecting her liberty."

In 1981 Chiara discovered the Focolare movement, thanks to a friend called Chicca who invited her to be part of the GEN (New Generation) movement.

Maria Grazia Magrini, vice-postulator of Chiara Badano's cause for canonization, told ZENIT: "She put Jesus in the first place. She called him 'my spouse.'"

As a young girl, she liked to sing, dance, play tennis and skate. She loved the mountains and the sea. "She also tried to go to Mass every day," said Magrini.

One day, at age 17, while playing tennis the adolescent felt an acute pain. Her mother recalled: "She returned home and was very pale. She went upstairs."

The mother asked her: "Why did you come back, Chiara?" The youth explained, "Because during the match I felt such an sharp pain in my back that I dropped the racquet."

The pain worsened. Doctors soon discovered bone cancer. As the disease progressed, Badano faced repeated hospitalizations and increasing pain. She often repeated, "For you, Jesus. If you wish it, so do I!"

Her mother still remembers when she came home after the first session of chemotherapy. She did not want to talk. Maria Teresa recalled: "I looked at her and I saw the expression on her face, all the struggle she was combating within herself to say her 'yes' to Jesus." After 25 minutes, she said to her mother "now you can talk."

Going to meet Jesus

Chiara underwent surgery, which was unsuccessful; from that moment she lost the use of her legs.

According to her vice postulator, this young athlete, notwithstanding the very painful moment, exclaimed: "If I had to choose between walking or going to paradise, I wouldn't hesitate, I'd choose paradise."

At that time her friendship with Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare movement, who decided to call the youth Chiara "Luce" Badano, became very close.

She spent several months in agony, preparing for her encounter with Jesus. "The most beautiful moments were during the last summer," said her friend, Chicca. "She was motionless in her bed," she recalled.

Magrini highlighted Chiara's attitude: "She didn't cry, didn't lament, she looked at the image of Jesus."

Chicca recalled how Chiara wished to prepare her own funeral: the songs of the Mass, the dress and hairdo: Everything was for her a celebration. The friend recalled, "She told me she wanted to be buried in a white dress, as a bride that goes to meet Jesus."

Chiara made one last exhortation to her mother: "When you dress me, you must repeat three times: Now Chiara is seeing Jesus." Chiara also asked that the cornea of her eyes be donated to two youths.

She died on Oct. 7, 1990. Her last words to her mother were: "Be happy because I'm happy."

Saint Jerome fights the devil in El Salvador

St Jerome fights the Devil in El Salvador

The Fireball Festival is an old tradition celebrated each year, on August 31st, in the town of Nejapa, El Salvador. “Las Bolas de Fuego”, as the locals refer to this bizarre event, is actually a reenactment of the fight between San Jeronimo (Saint Jerome) and the devil. In 1922, the people of Nejapa and the surrounding area were forced to evacuate, by the eruption of a nearby volcano. As they were leaving, locals saw great balls of fire spewing out of the volcano, and believed their patron saint was actually fighting the devil with them. Ever since they witnessed the fight between good and evil, the people of Nejapa have celebrated it each year, by organizing their very own fireball fight. If you didn’t know this was an organized celebration, you’d be tempted to think you’ve been dropped in the middle of a war-zone. Two teams of young men, with their faces covered by war paint, throw flaming fireballs at each other, surrounded by hundreds of bystanders who watch their every move. Equipped with gloves and clothes soaked in water, the brave combatants throw and at the same time, evade the flaming fireballs made from rags and dipped in fuel. Some of their clothes do catch on fire, and some of the participants are often hit right in the face, at point blank, but despite all the health hazards, few injuries have been reported during the Fireball Festival.

taken from: http://www.bored-space.com/index.php/Weird/The-Shocking-Fireball-Festival-Of-Nejapa.html

My family's Patron Saint

Today is the feast day of my family's Patron Saint: Padre Pio. I got this prayer from "padrepio.com". It says it all for me.




Beloved Padre Pio, today I come to add my prayer to the thousands of prayers offered to you every day by those who love and venerate you. They ask for cures and healings, earthly and spiritual blessings, and peace for body and mind. And because of your friendship with the Lord, he heals those you ask to be healed, and forgives those you forgive.

Through your visible wounds of the Cross, which you bore for 50 years, you were chosen in our time to glorify the crucified Jesus. Because the Cross has been replaced by other symbols, please help us to bring it back in our midst, for we acknowledge it is the only true sign of salvation.

As we lovingly recall the wounds that pierced your hands, feet and side, we not only remember the blood you shed in pain, but your smile, and the invisible halo of sweet smelling flowers that surrounded your presence, the perfume of sanctity.

Padre Pio, may the healings of the sick become the testimony that the Lord has invited you to join the holy company of Saints. In your kindness, please help me with my own special request: (mention here your petition, and make the sign of the Cross).

Bless me and my loved ones. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pope 1: UK haters 0

Lifesite.com has an excellent article dated 20th September 2010 about the Pope's visit to the UK in retrospect. The article by Hilary White starts:

While anti-Catholic, secularist and homosexualist activists, with generous help from the media, have spent most of the last year attempting to derail the papal visit, the smart money was always on Benedict XVI taking every fight without breaking a sweat. And when the bell rang, and the eyes of the world were trained on the little island ring, it became clear from the first moment that Benedict’s opponents were hopelessly outclassed.

From the first moments of the trip, while his plane was in the air, it was clear that Benedict knew exactly what he was doing. He pre-empted much of the criticism over Vatican handling of the sex abuse scandals by issuing, again, a strong statement expressing his personal shame and sorrow, but indicated, at the same time, that he was well-prepared and unafraid.

In the words of the New York Times' Ross Douthat, the pope held Britain spellbound, with the anti-papal rallies and demonstrations as nothing more than “a sideshow to the visit,” with a brief assassination plot scare to show the British “what real religious extremism looks like.” Journalists tweeting from the plane on the way back to Rome on Sunday evening reported that there was an “air of celebration among the papal entourage.” They said, “This time they won with the Pope.”

Read the whole article here!

Punch Buggy

Well if you don't know the game you would not understand the ads for the Volkswagon automobiles. Basically, you see a volkswagon bug and you call out it's colour and punch the person next to you. My kids saw the ad and asked about it. Now in the ad there are no bugs, there are regular sedan vehicles.

So now they are playing the game... but it's so unfair to the 7 year old. Here is an edit from the car while driving them to school this morning.

7 year old: "OW! Its not fair I keep getting punched and I never see a volkswagon"

Me: "common guys play fair" (punch buggy is not a fair game)

13 year old to the 7 year old: "Ok there is a gold one in that line of cars parked on the right hand side of the road. It's been there for a while, but you have to see the VW symbol on the front before you call it"

7 year old: "okay!"

They all eagerly stare at the car until the symbol comes into view then the 13 year old and the 11 year old shout out "GOLD ONE" at the same time and punch the 7 year old at the same time. Poor fella. Someone has to stand up for him and I'm the father, so no better person than me.

Me punching the 13 year old: "BLACK ONE! Oh sorry! I thought that Toyota was a VW"

13 year old: "OW! Daddy! That's not fair!"

Me Punching the 13 year old again: "WHITE ONE! Oh sorry! I thought that BMW was a VW"

11 year old laughing in the seat behind me: "Good thing I'm sitting here"

Me: "Now! are we going to play fair."

11 & 13 year old: okay! "GOLD ONE!" and they punch me

and the coup-de-grace

7: year old smiling and not to be left out shouts : "Gold one!"

and he punches ME!

The Stigmatist of Trinidad

OK! So my brother tells me that there is a woman in a church around the Couva area of Trinidad who is experiencing the Stigmata. Now I am a great skeptic. While I believe in Miracles and have spoken to people who experienced genuine miracles including someone in my church who was cured of terminal cancer by the intercession of St Martin De Porres, I find it hard to believe this story.

According to my brother the woman is protected by a group of people from that parish. Perhaps she has been order by the Bishop to not discuss it and they are protecting her from those who would seek a theophany themselves. Hopefully he (the Bishop) IS investigating the case. I would hate to believe that these people are self appointed handlers working for what THEY believe to be the best interest.

My brother tells me of tales that he heard and some of these things scare me. I could be wrong, but if there is a manifestation of the holy Spirit on this person, wouldn't God have a message for the faithful and this would be a sign for us to believe that the message is urgent and genuine... well... I want to know... what is it?

BC Polygamy Case May be Used to Test Polyamory

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

VANCOUVER, September 15, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A group calling itself the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA) has asked Chief Justice Robert Bauman of the BC Supreme Court to declare whether polyamorists might be prosecuted as a result of the hearing, scheduled to begin Nov. 22, on the constitutionality of the ban on polygamy.

In January, 2009, BC polygamists Winston Blackmore and James Oler from the community of Bountiful were arrested and charged under Section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada, but the case was dropped after the province decided to ask the BC Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of Canada's polygamy laws.

The lawyer for the CPAA, John Ince, told Chief Justice Bauman that polygamy is a patriarchal system of male dominance where one man has many wives, whereas polyamorous (group love) relationships are "postmodern" consensual relationships that can involve groups of males and females that can be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or transgendered who may or may not live together, and thus should not be considered subject to the same laws as polygamy.

"We're not patriarchal. We're not intergenerationally normalized. We're postmodern,” Ince told the media after meeting with Chief Justice Bauman. "We clearly fall outside the definition of the offense (of polygamy). We oppose laws that oppose loving, consensual relationships,” he said.

Chief Justice Bauman reserved judgment on the CPAA request.

BC Crown Attorney Craig Jones said there is currently no legal or psychological definition of polyamory on which Bauman could base a judgment.

Federal Crown Attorney Deborah Strachan said that the CPAA request is tantamount to seeking immunity from future prosecution, which would be a violation of the court's right to prosecutorial discretion in Canada.

Pro-family advocates have long warned that the institution of homosexual “marriage” and civil unions in Canada, as well as in other western countries, would lead to the legalization of polygamy and any other form of relationship which participants want to legitimize.

Winston Blackmore's lawyer Blair Suffredine, a former member of Premier Gordon Campbell's Liberal government, remarked at last year's hearing that "If (homosexuals) can marry, what is the reason that public policy says one person can't marry more than one person?"

Opponents of same-sex “marriage” have warned that once homosexuals are permitted to “marry,” there is nothing stopping polygamous marriages, or any type of relationship, from being legally recognized as marriage as well.

“It’s like this,” explained Stanley Kurtz in a 2006 National Review article. “The way to abolish marriage, without seeming to abolish it, is to redefine the institution out of existence. If everything can be marriage, pretty soon nothing will be marriage. Legalize gay marriage, followed by multi-partner marriage, and pretty soon the whole idea of marriage will be meaningless.”

stephen hawkings talks and we all listen... or do we?

So he has a new book out. Good for him. I still think that he needs to stop hating. I was thinking I should comment on the news article, but that would mean I would have to read it... and that aint happening.

Body Piercing religion????

The Charlotte Observer reports on 14 year old girl who was suspended from school for not removing nose rings. She claims that the school is not recognizing her church which is a registered Religion, which "embraces spiritual growth through practises such as piercing." Both her mother and herself are part of this church.

"It's a spiritual thing - I feel whole." Says the 14 year old girl

"The Church of Body Modification" which the child and mother belong to are a church of 3500 across America. According to it's website the church's intention is "to promote growth in mind, body and soul" through piercings, tattoos, skin cuts, skin burns, scaring and hooks through the skin. It was formed in Arizona about 10 years ago and was incorporated in Pennsylvania in 2008.

You know this reminds me of Eckankar. This guy comes up with a philosophy, by mixing hinuism, budism, Greek and German Philosphies, mixes them up in a blender, gives himslef the title Shri/sri and proclaims his wisdom upon the earth. After gaining so much money that he built a tall building in New York, the taxman came for him. Only them did his philosophy (which was not a religion and was open to all who wanted to stay with their faith and still embrace the philosophy) registered itself as a religion - so that it could bypass the taxman.

It has made of mockery of religion and the rights of people to properly follow their faith.

"The Vatican is a Real State" and other tales of a UK Papal visit

Lifesite.com website has published a list of British Headlines about the Pope's visit - Compiled by Hilary White:

The Independent's Johan Hari calls for faithful Catholics to join anti-papal protesters - The Independent
Johann Hari: Catholics, it's you this Pope has abused

The Daily Mail
"I disagree with many of his teachings. But it's those who oppose Pope Benedict XVI's visit who are the real bigots"

The Independent -
The Pope: Witness for the prosecution: Geoffrey Robertson QC argues that instead of offering the Pope a state welcome, we should be preparing the legal case against him

The Independent -
Pope chooses rap song as soundtrack for his UK visit

The Independent -
Julie Burchill: Do visits from ex-Hitler Youth members make me uneasy? Is the Pope Catholic?

The Guardian -
Papal visit: Bad tripper, good trip

The Guardian -
Keeping the faith: how bleak is the future for Catholicism?

The Independent - Joan Smith: In defence of modern Britain. Writing in the Independent, Smith denies Britain is the "geopolitical epicentre of the culture of death"
"I've always thought it a bit rich for Christians to accuse other people of belonging to a 'culture of death', when they go in for all those crucifixions, pietas and bleeding hearts."

Irish Times -
Majority in Britain are indifferent to visit of the pope later this month

The Independent -
Peter Tatchell: Why we oppose the Pope's state visit to Britain

Londonerry Sentinel -
Londonderry Pastor Leads Local Opposition to Papal Visit- Londonderry Sentinel

The Independent -
Pope's Visit Could Cost Britain More than 20 Million

The Guardian -
If only the Catholic church did PR. Ann Widdecombe laments the Catholic Church's inability to sell its message

The Guardian - The Vatican is a real state:
Austen Ivereigh bats down secularists' claims that Benedict is not a head of state.

The Guardian -
Canon law has allowed abuse priests to escape punishment, says lawyer

Catholic Herald - Mark Dowd: How I changed my mind about the Pope
Self-described 'gay' ex-Dominican and documentary film maker for the BBC describes his conversion away from mainstream hostility to Pope Benedict.

Telegraph Viseo:
Pope Looking Forward to a "Joyful Celebration" in British Visit

Telegraph -
Atheist Nick Clegg [British Deputy Prime Minister] to Greet Pope Benedict

Telegraph -
Pope won't be arrested in UK, protesters admit

Telegraph -
Papal visit: The Vatican puts its foot down. The Pope will celebrate the main part of ALL the Masses in Latin, says Marini

Telegraph -
The Pope's Mass in Glasgow: are Benedict XVI's liturgical wishes being ignored?

BBC -
Taxpayers should not fund Pope's visit, says survey

Telegraph -
Daily Telegraph Offers Free Recording of Nuns Singing Gregorian Chant

BBC -
Catholics look ahead to Pope Benedict's visit to the UK

BBC 2 -
Documentary on Cardinal Newman will Reveal 2nd Miracle

Scotland Herald -
Rollercoaster year now ending, says ambassador to the Vatican

London Evening Standard - Politics and protests as the papal roadshow rolls into London
A non-Catholic senior Foreign Office source agrees: Senior Foreign Office source: "You'd be very foolish as a Government to fall in with the negative voices on a papal visit. Look at Australia - he went there at the height of the backlash about his handling of child abuse and among predictions that it would be a disaster. By the time he left, more people had turned out to see him than had seen the Sydney Olympics."

BBC - Radio Programme by Mark Dowd
The Pope's British divisions"

Boris Johnson, [Mayor of London] - Diocese of Westminster
Welcome to London Pope Benedict

Having a Life Verse

Jon Acuff in his blog "Stuff Christians Like" had a post on August 20th entitled "Having a life Verse."

Now, I have thought of it, but I can't figure out which verse of the bible would be the verse that I would want to be my rallying call. Besides, people change and circumstances change. What may be important to me today, may not be important to me tomorrow. So it would have to be a verse about God or Love.

Now if you ask me what is my favourite bible verse I would have to say Mark 3:17 where Jesus called James and John the "Sons of Thunder". It is Jesus being light hearted and showing a fun side.

JOhn 11:33 is always a moving verse for me. It when Jesus weeps for Lazarus. Does he not weep for us too when there is that possibility that we may perish:

"At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who had come with her, Jesus was greatly distressed, and with a profound sigh he said..."

The more I write the more I think of verses to put on the blog. There is one verse that I think is funny 'Jesus I recognise, and Paul I know, but who are you?'

Here it is in Acts 19:11-17:
"11 So remarkable were the miracles worked by God at Paul's hands
12 that handkerchiefs or aprons which had touched him were taken to the sick, and they were cured of their illnesses, and the evil spirits came out of them.
13 But some itinerant Jewish exorcists too tried pronouncing the name of the Lord Jesus over people who were possessed by evil spirits; they used to say, 'I adjure you by the Jesus whose spokesman is Paul.'
14 Among those who did this were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest.
15 The evil spirit replied, 'Jesus I recognise, and Paul I know, but who are you?'
16 and the man with the evil spirit hurled himself at them and overpowered first one and then another, and handled them so violently that they fled from that house stripped of clothing and badly mauled.
17 Everybody in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, heard about this episode; everyone was filled with awe, and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in great honour."

Hiel David Marsland

The third Reich had the best ideas. Well they never did, really. Especially their thoughts on sterilization and gassing of people that they considered unfit. That nightmare has died, but their ideas on sterilization and Euthanasia lives on.

There is a quack of a British Professor who's name is David Marsland who publicly announced that the Mentally and Morally unfit should be sterilized. This guy is a sociologist and health expert and this is the best he could offer. He dismisses human rights. What an idiot.

Read about this idiot here!