The Anglican Church is Fun!

The Anglican Church is Fun!

Hilarious ... still smiling.


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c.f.

Cover Your Face or Lose a Government Grant.


http://blogs.canoe.ca/corenscomment/consider-this/cover-your-face-or-lose-a-government-grant/?sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4cdf3b8d44a61acf,0

Editor's note: "

Cover Your Face or Lose a Government Grant.

2010/11/14 06:20:17AM

Our Canadian correspondent links to an opinion piece by a controversial Canadian columnist, who suggests Canadian dress laws which allow the covering of the face, in any and all circumstances, leave women more open to kidnapping. Canada like South Africa is a multicultural society.

2010/11/14 06:20:17AM http://sacns.scripturelink.net/2010/11/cover-your-face-or-lose-government.html view rest"

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American Apparel Ad's

[View image here]

Tonight driving home while stuck at a traffic light I happened to turn my head and look directly into a huge billboard ad for American Apparel. I don't shop or have I ever shopped at this store? Actually, till the last week I had never even heard of it.

I was staring at this ad and all I could think about was WOW this woman/girl had one fabulous body ... that's what I thought, it was my only thought, cross my heart. Well that's what went through my mind for the first 30 seconds, till I looked over at my son and asked him if that was the store he wanted to go to, yes was his answer. Hmm, is what was in my mind.

I commented that the woman had a fabulous body didn't she, I'd like to look like that. My son asked me if I was crazy, why would you want to look like that? I said because I thought she was beautiful.

He did not view that ad as beauty but of embarrassment, mind you he is very young, well not that young. But he was adamant he didn't want me looking like that. I said wearing that or looking like that ... he said dunno. In my mind I still felt she was beautiful but the ad sure was sexy and bordering on pornographic. Or was it?

Well, now back to me. This ad was very sexual, it showed no nudity at all. It sure as heck caught my eye so I can imagine any man at that intersection, well their eyes were probably popping out of their head. She was posing in sand and wearing a one piece bathing suit.

I think maybe it was her pose which is what caught my attention, a side view of a woman with an arched back. This ad said sex to me, at my SECOND look, then I thought why, why do I think that, is this right, wrong ... is this sin on the part of what I'm thinking or the part of this model? It sure as heck was provocative and publicly ... but it was also a very beautiful women in a seductive position is all.

I'm so far from being a prude but what are they selling, swimwear, I love swimwear but don't tell me anyone is thinking about her bathing suit in some of these pics. This is like shock sex advertising ... I can't believe I am even saying this but ... how old are these girls exactly? What age group are we selling to and what are we selling?

This marketing is bordering on pornographic images. Or is it what our minds make us think when we view this. I'm unsure about what I seen or how sexy a woman can look before it crosses the line, that sounds so prudish to me.

It seems sex sells everything in our world today as well as "swimwear" at American Apparel or maybe it was "sand" they were selling, I'm not sure.




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Take a tour of Rome's Sistine Chapel

I get lots of emails but this one is fabulously beautiful.

I always look up when I enter homes, buildings, events ... ceilings have always grabbed my attention. Its like a blank canvas to me, if I look towards the sky I feel that's the way to heaven when I pray and when I am day dreaming with my eyes open.

Its cool to watch the fluffy clouds change forms and storm clouds always moving across the sky, like a magnificent ceiling with no limits that's constantly giving me a personal show of change, like a kaleidoscope. I love to lay on my lounger or on the grass and watch them slowly move by, it creates a peace inside me.

I love art and paintings created by the famous artists like Michael Angelo has done on the ceilings, it amazes me the talent he had.

Olld homes with plastered ceilings with swirls of design in each and every ceiling above my head, fascinate me. If ceilings are flat I post posters above my children's beds of maps of the world, yes they think I'm odd at times, but smile.

Attached is a link or virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel which is just incredible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and always remember to look up and dream. Or put something on your ceiling and think of me :).

Apparently this was done by Villanova at the request of the Vatican. Technology is amazing. To view every part of Michael Angelo's Masterpiece just click and drag your arrow in the direction you wish to see.




http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html





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Attention Attention Read All About It...

Contact has been made by South African Catholic News, editor, Marc Aupiais posting away on tweeter, chilling from his computer he's tweeting away any withdrawls ... this is what I read or would that be twead "I believe... But on God's terms- not mine!".

Hmm, what does that tweet mean or could it be the title of something to come, thats a powerful tweet!? Are those terms hard for anyone to follow?

Source: Friend of a Saint, seen first via Canada :) . Follow him via his tweets on his twitter site, twitterin' some tweet twuff at times.

Christmas Eve Mass Schedule Change

The Vatican has announced and agreed to a change in the Christmas Eve Mass schedule which previously has always begun at midnight. The scheduled mass will now begin at 10 pm on Christmas Eve to allow adequate rest for the Pope to enjoy festivities on Christmas Day.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=4831

Pope Benedict Canonizes Five New Saints

Yesterday, Sunday October 11, 2009, in his homily Pope Benedict spoke of the newly canonized saints, “Their perfection, in the logic of a faith that is humanly incomprehensible at times, consists in no longer placing themselves at the centre, but choosing to go against the flow and live according to the Gospel,”.

I have always admired Saint Damien because of his overwhelming love and work to help people that were so badly treated by society in Hawaii. A Belgian 19^th century priest, who went to one of the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai, to help these people who were basically thrown there with leprosy and disregarded, treated less than human. Leprosy has the same stigma as that of the HIV/AIDS disease or reminds me of such.

This island is very primitive and almost a hidden secret from the outside world still today. The place I am speaking of is Kalaupapa which is tucked away on the nearly inaccessible, rugged corner of Molokai. Kalaupapa is a small peninsula jutting our 4.5 square miles on the island of Molokai. This is where Father Damien moved to and lived the remainder of his life helping these victims of the leprosy disease.

In 1865 this island was chosen by King Kamehameha V as an appropriate place to house or let leprosy patients live out their lives, they were literally just dropped off there and abandoned. Kalaupapa is best known for the work of Father Damien DeVeuster, known as “the Martyr of Molokai”. This serene place became a natural prison because of its high sea cliffs that surround it and near impossible accessibility in or out of it.

Father Damian who volunteered in 1873 to serve this leper settlement temporarily but once he arrived he remained. The people he encountered were desperate for help. He himself contracted leprosy in 1884 and remained in Kalaupapa. He died of leprosy at the age of 49, after spending 16 years of his life aiding the patients of Kalaupapa.

Patients who contracted leprosy, Hansen’s disease were immediately sent or taken from their homes for fear of spreading the infectious disease. In the 1800’s there was no medical treatment of it and patients were sent to the island of Molaki to live. They were treated as outcasts and ripped from their families.

Today many who visit Kalaupapa by plane, mule or boat are stunned with its beauty; there is little there, a store, a bar, a service station and a small post office, their homes and a hospital. Once all the lepers have passed away the National Park Service will take back this oasis and it will no longer belong to the State Department of Health. It is the right (law) of patients (leprosy) to remain there for their lifetime by Federal Law.

Since 1964, sulfur drug treatment has controlled leprosy also knows as Hansen’s disease and in 1969 patients were no longer confined to the settlement and were free to come and go as health permitted.

Also canonized Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski, archbishop of Warsaw when Poland rebelled against annexation by imperial Russia in 1863. Exiled to Siberia for 20 years by the czar, he was “a shining example for all the church”, the pope said.

Dominican friar Francisco Coll Guitart, one of two Spaniards created a saint, preached in Catalonia in the 19th century and “reached the hearts of others because he transmitted what he himself lived with passion, which burned in his heart”, said the pontiff.

The other is Brother Rafael Arnaiz Baron who became a Trappist monk and died at the age of 27 in 1938. He “did not know how to pray” when he began monastic life but became an example “especially for young persons who are not easily satisfied”, the pope said.

France’s new saint is Jeanne Jugan, venerated as Marie de la Croix. She worked with the poor and elderly, shedding all her own material possessions to become “a poor person among the poor” until her death in 1879.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/pope-canonizes-five-new-saints/article1320170/

Church alerted to pornography allegations against bishop 20 years ago ?

Evidence seems to be mounting against an ex-bishop who seems to have possessed pornography, child pornography of young teenage boys over twenty years ago that was witnessed in a catalogue.

Startling news about Bishop Raymond Lahey broke earlier this week, Lahey, the 69-year-old former bishop for the Antigonish diocese, is charged with the possession and importation of child pornography. He is staying at a monastery in Rogersville, N.B., pending his next court appearance Nov. 4 in Ottawa.

Apparently, a young man approached Rev. Kevin Molloy in Portugal Cove and told his story in his rectory and that story is not recorded anywhere.

Father Malloy supposedly spoke with the ex-bishop Lahey but it fell on deaf ears and the story quietly slipped away till reappearing some twenty years later.

Its not shocking anymore these stories, it happens. What are hurtful and shocking are who and what positions the people have in our society that does this. The shock and devastation is always higher when it occurs to come from someone we trust like a priest. A person whom the ultimate trust we expect, like parents, teachers, doctors etc., that’s what is so shocking or hurtful. We want to trust wholeheartedly. These are people we pour our hearts out to for advice. We are turning into a paranoid society of everyone whom we are expected to trust.

Trust is imperative in lots of things we do in our everyday lives, our family, our friendships; it’s earned over time, when lost its hard if ever to get back. Trust is one of the strongest qualities in any relationship. Without trust you have nothing. What’s even sadder in these cases is when people in authoritive positions abuse that trust; the devastation on its victims is horrendous.

The question is why, when this priest had so much respect and support would he be living a lie his entire career. The next question would be why didn’t this surface and why wasn’t it investigated all those years ago? How many lives have been destroyed for looking the other way because of this?

Infuriated and saddened parishioners spoke clearly about holding back during collections at mass to prove a point that they under no circumstance want to help our men in their defense for their sins in any type of legal or court fee's. To date Father Lahey has not requested assistance.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/church-officials-alerted-to-pornography-allegations-against-bishop-20-years-ago/article1313171/

Itsy-bitsy Spider that Crawled Up A Pope

First off we should realize we all have a different definition for "itsy-bitsy" and massive deadly, fast crawling ugly black spiders. A very large spider crawled all over our Pope Benedict XVI while he addressed dignitaries in the Czech capital Prague, yesterday, is all I know to tell.

As he stood addressing the crowd I cannot be the only one who was stunned, mesmerized at what was taking place, I couldn’t hear anything for fear of where that spider was going all over his white robes. Like driving past a car accident you don't want to look but you peek ... it crawled up his arm, around his back, and then appeared again in the front, quickly moving back down his arm, then it started quickly towards his neck, circiling his neck, then it was on his ear, ugh, the camera's change. It then appears again and its travelling faster and faster closer towards his face.

My entire being was screaming inside for someone to save him … obviously, he has no fear of spiders like lots of the rest of us. Obama, had a fly issue, big deal, this wasn’t a fly or a wasp, where were Pope Benedicts security, I was waiting for someone to come running on stage with a fly swatter to save him, but nope, nothing, I assume we can’t approach him during his speech, but this was major, yikes. This crawling bug was hungry that’s what I was seeing, I didn’t see itsy-bitsy.

When it started to crawl up the right side of his face, I was done, I couldn’t take it anymore I closed my eyes, the heebie jeebie’s took over my entire body, frozen with fear, my attention was on that spider which to me appeared to be more the size of a dangerous poisonous tarantula ready to use his vicious fangs and bite his prey excuse the pun, we need to pray my insides were screaming!!!! :-)

I don’t know what the Pope spoke of, not even sure if it was in English. I’ve attached the video so you can watch, my suggestion would be to just close your eyes, relax and just listen so you aren’t distracted!!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/spider-on-the-pope/article1302957/

Atheists Bus Ads & Ash Wednesday

Well today or sometime this week the world-wide controversial enormous bus ads will hit the streets of Toronto screaming "There's probably a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Today being Ash Wednesday the most important holy catholic celebration. Toronto has accepted the decision to advertise, while others hope to put a stop to this madness and reverse this ruling. This message was placed on buses in Britain and now atheist groups want to do the same throughout Canada.

Ottawa is planning a Supreme Court challenge of this decision, and the chairman of the Ottawa transit committee, Coun. Alex Cullen, said the city is engaged in “an act of censorship” and will introduce a notice of motion Wednesday requesting Ottawa council to reverse the decision.

The predicament is that in the past five years ads that have promoted Christianity, opposed abortion or supported traditional marriage have all at various times been banned from public transport and private displays.

A few years ago, locals in Guelph, Ontario, purchased a bus and put ads on it fighting for the Right to Life, a photo of a 19-week old fetus with the text, "This is a child, not a choice." The word choice crossed out with a red X.

A request to remove the ads sparked a freedom of expression debate from both pro-life and pro-choice supporters.

Arguments claimed the city had no right to limit constitutional rights, rights to an opinion and freedom of expression. The city ended up letting the ads stay on the bus.

The debate at the present time is the Toronto-based Freethought Association of Canada wants to buy Toronto Transit Commission bus ads.

Canadians are strong supporters of freedom of speech, we want our speech to be respected but a wee bit hypocritical that we demand their (atheists) right to free speech be squished because it is very different than our catholic right to free speech. We all have the right to promote our opinion.

A newspaper does not have the authority or right to make pronouncements on the existence of God. It’s a debate for society as a whole. Am I bent out of shape about the fact this debate might be splattered across busses that children can see, yes I am. I am also a believer in freedom of speech, but what is good for one group has to be good for other religious groups.

Below is an article published today in the Toronto Sun written by: Neil MacCarthy who is the Director of Public Relations & Communications for the Archdiocese of Toronto, which is certainly a different spin on the situation. I will try and count how many crosses I see on foreheads throughout the day??


February 24, 2009

Wear your ashes proudly...

During the second reading at Ash Wednesday mass, we hear the powerful words: "We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us." It's one of my favorite bible quotes - let's consider how each of us can be faith ambassadors during this Lenten season.

As a Catholic communicator in faith and profession, I've been asked a lot these past few weeks about a certain atheist transit ad campaign that's starting in Toronto this week. How will the Catholics respond?

Should we be going to ad agencies or marketers to craft an effective response? Or developing a hot new branding strategy? I think the solution rests right in front of, or more correctly, over our eyes ... ashes.

Tomorrow marks the first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday, the day when we are marked with ashes (burned from last year's Palm Sunday palms), reminds us of our frailty and sinfulness as we enter the most holy season of the Catholic faith calendar.

During the next 40 days we abstain (remember giving something up for Lent?), perform acts of charity (giving of our time, talent and treasure) and focus on prayer to recall the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Who needs to buy transit ads when you have a marketing team of hundreds of thousands? Ash Wednesday is one of the rare times you'll see us "marked" with the sign of our faith, wearing our colours as obviously and proudly as any World Cup-crazed soccer fan -- well, without the whooping, honking and flag waving.

So, tomorrow here's an invitation to all Catholics in the city to receive that simple ashen cross on their foreheads and wear it proudly all day. No blocking it with a fancy hairdo, headband or casually brushing them away. Keep the ashes there from morning to night and see how the city responds.

Or if you'd rather concentrate on charity, hand a stranger $10 and ask them to give it to someone they think will need a helping hand. "Pay it forward." When they realize this is not part of any sort of pyramid scheme, it may get them thinking. You can be sure this will make for some lively water cooler conversation the next day.

And for non-Catholics, those of another faith or no faith at all, I invite you to ask questions and engage others in a respectful discussion about faith.

While this marketing team of one is offering just a few tangible ideas for tomorrow, there are certainly dozens more. No doubt someone will start a "Wearing My Ashes Proudly" group on Facebook. On YouTube, someone else will deliver a stirring reflection on Lent with ashes proudly displayed. The possibilities are endless.

Let's not forget the tremendous contributions people of all faiths make to the GTA. Our places of worship, social service agencies, schools, outreach ministries -- you'll find them everywhere in our community. Most days this work is done quietly and without any fanfare. I can't imagine our city without them.

Note to our faith ambassadors on the street: Do this all humbly, with kindness and with a smile on your face. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words."

Cdn Military: Immediate Investigation

News hit papers and media quickly across Canada today regarding our troops in Afghanistan shooting off arms and injuring children. Troops are required to clear the entire area they have worked in before leaving. 2 children have been killed and others severely injured. Residents are screaming this is the fault of the Cdn Military, journalist are trying to investigate and report the correct information but are being blocked by security near the hospital where the injured have been taken.

Angry Afghan villagers chanted "Death to the Canadians" and paraded the blood-spattered bodies of two young children through the streets of Kandahar city today.

An immediate investigation is being launched regarding several conflicting accounts which have caused innocent children being killed and seriously hurt. Afghan police were also immediately investigating what happened, but pointed a finger at the Taliban first.

Parading dead injured teens throughout screaming “Death to Canadians” has had the Canadian Military immediately calling for answers. It is a horrific tragedy that has happened in Kandahar.

This village, financed and sponsored by Mohammed Bin Rashid is dedicated to housing those maimed and dismembered by war.

Nothing can ever ever bring back the senseless gur-wrenching accident when a child dies. Anger and grief by villagers is understandable and any single Cdn Military over in Kandahar would understand that.

The Canadian military has said the probable cause of this is that the children somehow came across unexploded munitions in a field outside of the tiny community … Mohammed Bin Rashid Village.

The area is known to be littered with all kinds of unexploded ordinance and mines, which doesn’t one bit justify this heartfelt disaster. Soldiers are trained to walk the area and ensure it’s clean and safe, its a priority. Troops are continually trying to maintain their competency with the weapons they are using.

NATO has aggressive ad campaigns advising Afghans not to pick up or play with any unidentified or unexploded ordinance on the ground.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090223.wafghan0223/BNStory/International/home

Al-Qaeda holds two Canadians Prisoner

Canada's Foreign Affairs Department says it is sensitive to the audio tape played on the Al Jazeera television network regarding kidnappers holding two Canadian diplomats, but is being extremely cautious.

Mali claims Al-Qaeda's North African branch is demanding the release of two Mauritanian members. There is no self-sufficient way to confirm this report.

AFP, Agence France-Press, says Canada has enlisted the help of several countries, including Mali, to get aid in the release of Robert Fowler, the UN secretary general's special envoy to Niger, and his aide, diplomat Louis Guay.

On Wednesday last week Al-Qaeda confirmed it was holding the Canadians prisoner.

Mr. Fowler, 64, was a senior adviser to several Canadian prime ministers, starting with Pierre Trudeau, and played a leading role in thwarting the trade of so-called blood diamonds in Angola.

Along with arms, cigarettes and drugs highly trafficked items in the Sahara they have become a main source of revenue for AQMI, French term for ransom from kidnappers.

Both Canadians disappeared mid-December in Niger, while the four Europeans – two Swiss, a German woman and a British man – were kidnapped last month on the Mali-Niger border.

Mr. Fowler, Mr. Guay and their driver, Soumana Moukaila, disappeared in mid-December when returning from a visit to a gold mine. Their car was found abandoned about 50 kilometres northeast Nigers' capital, Niamey.

Mr. Fowler, 64, was a senior adviser to several prime ministers, starting with Pierre Trudeau, and played a leading role in thwarting the trade of so-called blood diamonds in Angola.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is an Algeria-based militant group that joined Osama bin Laden's terror network in 2006 and conducts dozens of bombings or ambushes each month.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090218.wfowler0218/BNStory/International

Sundin Back last night playing Against TO

Well he was back last night, the long anticipated return of the mighty Sundin, my son's favourite star of hockey, his hero, his number since he started playing hockey at 5.

His first request towards a coach or scout regarding him playing on their hockey team "Is No.13 available, he'd ask" and look up with his big brown eyes and wait? The response was sooooo important before any feedback or negotiating could register regarding any team with this young dreaming hockey star.

It was so important to this lad, he learnt early that he'd use this request at a young age to let teams know "if you want me, thats gotta be my number", he supported this captain and his hard work, it seemed only fair and fitting for this child in his young mind to be wearing this particular number, he is Sundin's biggest fan. This child has worn this number every season and now coaches will call and say "No. 13's available, you interested" with his older grown-up response being different with just a huge smile from ear to ear.

VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR
An emotional Mats Sundin acknowledges the applause from the ACC crowd Feb. 21, 2009.

Emotions ran running high at last nights game when Sundin entered onto ACC's ice, earlier he stated that regardless which way his fans went he was not going to let it get the best of him. Nobody knew which way the feelings of the Toronto fans were going to go, cheers or booing from disappointed fans that he left us. They stood up and gave him a standing ovation, they cheered him when he entered bringing on a very emotional return for Matts.

Sundin was absolutely one of the best hockey players to ever wear one of the Leaf's jersey's, his size and speed in a game was unmatchable, he earned that "C". Was he going to be able to help the Leafs obtain the Stanley Cup, the ultimate goal of a hockey player, it was doubtful near the end. He had skill there was no doubt about that, but this is a team sport and we needed more of that.

Was he our favorite player emotionally, well the crowd was always torn, he certainly wasn't Gilmour who got our feelings running wild in all directions every game but that was in my time growing up in TO. Gilmour was the young lady's man and won the hearts of TO for his wild ways and game style which always wasn't the kindest. Sundin was just an asset, a huge asset, not a local, to a struggling team that just couldn't quite ever get it together still for the taste of Stanley which we so desperately want another chance at.

All emotions came to a quick halt when our Captain, opps our old Captain, ended the game with a winning goal, when we all sat and stared mouths hanging open ... we realized it immediately he is a Vancouver Cannuck and not a Toronto Maple Leaf sadly anymore.

Au Revoir Matts and thank you for the memories.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/591338

Obama and Embryonic Stem Cells Research

Reports that President Barack Obama will soon reverse the policy put in place by President Bush, that
placed strict limits on government funding for embryonic stem-cell research.

Embryonic stem cell research has only produced harmful results, bringing much attention to the case, widely reported internationally worldwide, of an unnamed Israeli boy whose parents took him to Russia for an embryonic stem cell treatment for a neurological disorder.

The boy received injections of embryonic stem cells taken from aborted fetuses directly into his brain. He now suffers from brain tumors caused by the evil stem cells

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021907.html

Report: Fetal Stem Cells Trigger Tumors in Ill Boy
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=6900354

Holocaust Bishop ... 10 days to Leave Argentia

Richard Williamson, Brit Bishop, who denied the Holocaust loudly has been ordered to leave Argentina or face expulsion within the next 10 days.

Pope Benedict has tried to create some type of harmony with victims of the Nazi genocide after this worldwide embarrassment demanding this Bishop to retract his comments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7900591.stm

Phillipine Troops arrest Two Foreign Terrorists

Philippine troops have caught and arrested two widely wanted local militants accused of helping top Al-Qaida-linked foreign terrorists.

Authorities say Omar Venancio helped a member of the militant group Jemaah Islamiyah buy explosives intended for a suicide bombing at a Roman Catholic cathedral in southern Davao city and other attacks in nearby beach resorts.

Mokasid Dilna, who allegedly headed the Al-Khobar group, is accused for bombing passenger buses and business establishments since 2007 for rejecting his extortion demands.

These arrests are momentous because they could dissolve some of the critical relations between foreign terrorists and at least two local Muslim groups. The violent Abu Sayyaf and the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, could have possibly been a sanctuary and training ground.

Venancio, a Moro Islamic Liberation Front member, was arrested last month in southern Cotabato City carrying receipts for the explosives. During interrogation the plans for a suicide bombing in Davao and other attacks were discussed all unfulfilled.

Venancio is noted as being Jemaah Islamiyah militants' "most trusted local" since 2005 in Mindanao, the southern region where a Muslim separatist rebellion has raged for decades

Venancio allegedly helped move funds for top Jemaah Islamiyah figure Umar Patek and also acquire guns and explosives for the Indonesian group hiding with Abu Sayyaf on Jolo Island.

WANTED ARE: Patek, an Indonesian, Dulmatin another Indonesian, for the brutal 2002 nightclub bombings in Bali, Indonesia, that killed 202 people in Southeast Asia's worst terrorist attack.

Patek and Dulmatin supposedly fled to Mindanao in 2003, where they reportedly provided bomb-making and religious training to Abu Sayyaf, whom is listed on a U.S. terrorist blacklist for its links to Al-Qaida involvement, i.e., several bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.

Dilna, alias, Badrin, was trained in explosives and unspecified types of weapons in AfghanistanPakistan at about the same time as Patek in the early 1990s. and

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSMAN42238

Kidnapped Italian Nuns Released in Kenya

Two Italian nuns who were kidnapped in Kenya last November have been set
free.

Their release remain unclear, but Caterina Giraudo and Maria Teresa Olivero were taken prisoner near the border of Somalia, where Islamic rebels are active was of grave concern.

The two nuns are well and in the Italian Embassy in Nairobi.

http://http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090219.wnunssomalia0219/BNStory/International/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20090219.wnunssomalia0219

Men and Women ... We Sin Differently

Men and Women...we sin differently, well that didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out.

Most common sins for Men are: Lust, gluttony and sloth.

Most common sins for Women are: Pride, Envy and Anger.

Well I am back on sins and confession again or still. I am a woman and when I became aware of my faith and some sins my biggest one I think has always been “sloth” till now.

It is a sin to miss Sunday Mass if you are a Roman Catholic. At certain times in your life if you realize this it either bothers you or doesn’t at all...you are willing to take the consequences. The consequences in my mind are that you are going to hell. Just the thought of that burning hot fire pit for eternity is enough of a visual to get me up and attending now, but it always wasn’t. I just assumed I wasn't ever going to hell, it was a guarantee, who knew, yes the word naive is coming to my mind?

I didn’t think it was a serious sin, lots of my friends didn’t go to church or miss constantly, this is very sad. We have churches everywhere; it’s not a lack of churches or access to them. We also have mass scheduled all day long in most perishes across the city ... no excuse. Just nothing at church seemed to ever interest me besides maybe falling asleep listening to the priest.

I missed lots of Sunday Mass’ and I am not at all proud, that was a sin. Usually, when I was younger my excuse was because I was out late Saturday night having fun with friends and didn't want to get up early to attend. I always prayed or talked to God anyway so that was my justification to missing it. I figured you didn’t have to pray in church, God was everywhere, I was wrong. Who said it had to be in church? Attending church and listening to the homily by the priest really does help you grow with your spiritual understanding and God says you need to be there.

Heaven is eternal peace and our ultimate goal; well it’s my goal now.
I do have to admit that the church I attend on Sundays does have a fairly good turn-out at all hours even on weekdays. Our dioceses is within the business district of a busy city so its full seven days a week.

But still at Christmas time and Easter church is overwhelmingly full, like a sold out concert, you are lucky to get in, if tickets were sold, I'd be buying off a scalper on Yonge Street. Everyone seems to think if they attend on these certain “special” holidays they make up for the lack of attendance throughout the year and that will or might cut them some slack getting into heaven. There is never a long line-up to attend confession, nobody seems to be sinning.

When God chooses you to learn something in this life the feeling is truly amazing. If I could bottle up this sensuous feeling I would be famous and a millionaire. I would gift this joy to everyone in the world I know and love. I asked for a sign and God certainly gave me one that changed my life away from sin.

Most of us get busy with jobs, work, kids’ hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, you name it sports games, parties, shopping and friends which always seem to take a priority to God and attending church. Church can open your eyes to sins.

God decided one day, he had heard enough of me begging for help and that my busy life was going to be taking a back seat to him for awhile. I was in for some lessons, lessons that were going to change my life. He was going to make me very aware of the meaning of “sin” and exactly what that conscience of mine has been trying to tell me, along with a specially chosen saint to answer my why's. We were choosen for a reason, to make us both learn something.

I am the luckiest girl to have been choosen to have had the most life altering experience of my entire life last summer and early enough in my life to enjoy it. I sometimes have to truly sit quietly to understand this gift and what I am to do with it. I truly believe with everything in me that God entered my life and chose me to learn a very serious lesson. God sent someone into my life, who completely seemed to have a mission to make me believe in myself and teach me to have faith, before anything else I needed to have hope. A life of sin was not what I was meant to be in ever, it would kill my soul.

True love meant believing in that faith and abiding the spiritual laws of God and that included not sinning. It would guarantee a beautiful spot in heaven and was worth the wait. God sent me a knight to tell me this like a spear through my heart, who claimed his love meant by following his conscience and love meant ensuring me heaven.

There are only seven sins which we are to follow and there are not any other updated lists that we need to consider. They are lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Read them repeatedly and understand what each of them truly means regardless of your sex, each is equally important.

With our fast paced lifestyles and a media full of advertisements that include sex to sell, movies etc., it can become just a leering object to guide us all away from understanding the evils plaguing us beings in our catholic faith today towards sin.

I attend church now because I truly want to be in there, I have lots of time, its a priority, it makes me understand God and myself much better. I can truly say from that day on “sloth” will never be a sin I will need to be confessing, I will only have six to watch out for.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7897034.stm

Bishop, Episcopal Church, Thrown in Jail

Its not always the Catholic Church that seems to get the latest greatest news about Bishops that do wrong. This story is actually very funny but on the flip side I assume could have been very dangerous and deadly. Trying to help his kids win a contest for the most unusual place to read a book, neighbors called the police. Charged with suspicion of child cruelty this bishop is sure to double check things before he helps his children with any project in the near future.

Unfortunately, I know of two other little boys who would have gladly climbed up on top of a roof with a book, especially "The Killer Underpants" (more like a comic book boys love to call reading) to try and win a contest, actually they wouldn't have been happy with perching/sitting calmly while a picture was taken, maybe standing up tall and proudly waving the book would have won that contest hands down for my two.

The bishop did remember to harness them securely while he took the picture. It must have been a long night in jail for this father and his frightened children who seen their father taken away in handcuffs. Maybe extra points should be given for effort??? It was unusual that's for sure.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE51B3ZN20090212?feedType=nl&feedName=usoddlyenough

Asking for Forgiveness

I read an article yesterday, (Zenit.org) after mass about confession and how sin puts a huge distance between us and God. The only way to avoid this or fix it is through confession ... the sacrament of forgiveness. Sometimes we think, or convince ourselves we are a good person, kind, caring thoughtful, we wouldn’t do some of the things we see others do so why do we need confession? But that is in our eyes only, we make our own judgments that don't actually even matter, our judgement means squat, nothing.

But Gods judgment of us, which is very high and he expects perfection sees thing very differently in our actions. He sees how we have sinned how we have broken certain commandments of his which are just plain and simple "sin". Regardless, if they are only little mistakes they are sins. We sometimes justify our actions as not sinning and we are quick to judge others actions. But who are we to judge, only God is at the end the one we will face for our final judgment and he’s the only one we need to be truthful and live up to daily, today.

Going into confession or getting ready to proceed in gets me extremely nervous, the wait in line, the quietness of it all, the concern if I am going to do it right is high anxiety for me. Not because I am not fully ready to confess all my sins, but maybe because I am intimidated with my personal stuff with different priests, I’m embarrassed and need to be clearer of my sins or what exactly the sin is. I find it hard to bear my soul to a stranger regardless if that stranger works closely with God. Why can't I just sit at home quietly and talk to God and wait for his response??Sometimes, the deeper we look the clearer a sin becomes within us, what was our part in it, the truth becomes very apparent.

I witness others going into confession and coming out very quickly, how is that? I think sometimes I need to go in for an hour or so, maybe even lunch with the priest to cover off all my concerns (actually have done that once). God forgives us but for me its understanding that and learning to forgive myself that can cause me the most grief. My disappointment in myself is hard to swallow mostly. I have sinned, there I said it, still I don't feel one bit better about it and with his forgiveness its still hard. I think deep down I didn't ever want to dissappoint God but I have, in one of the biggest sacraments we take in our life.

I have gone into confession and come out and totally forgotten what my penance was because I was so nervous. I have struggled to hear or understand what the priest has said to do sometimes because he talks to quietly and fast? I think or presume the more you confess the easier this becomes, it seems some people I know love to go into confession and that is their gift, the gift of forgiveness.

This is the step in our faith that will bring you closer to God and forgiveness, I need to try harder and will. I have always been like this since Grade 8, which was my first confession, all I remember then was saying "Forgive me father for I swore" ok so I took a small break from that day of confession for several years but I’m back. My sins are a wee bit deeper now since then and when you start to search your soul sometimes they start to appear like popcorn popping, way to fast to stop.

There are lots of parasites around us daily that will sneak into our lives and leach onto our hearts and emotions and become obsessions to lead us into sin, they are bad habits and sometimes people. Habits can be broken and if you realize what the parasite is it can be eliminated, this includes certain people in our lives unfortunately, masturbation, lust, and pornography etc., all deadly sins to name a few. The impurity of our hearts can cause us sin.

The joy God gives us with his forgiveness and salvation should be enough to make me anxious to get in there but I drag myself each and every time. I always thought I was very brave and didn’t need much help from anyone especially God but I was wrong. I have realized I need God very much in my life, more than anyone else I need him.

I constantly ask in my prayers now “God, give me courage” which helps to cover off a lot of territory for me. Its strength and his love I need the most, on a daily basis.

Well here in Canada today we have a holiday and its called Family Day, what better way to start then by attending mass and confession with the head of my family, God and asking for his forgiveness of my sins. Ok, I haven't slept a wink all night worrying about going in, but I'm going in today, looking very sheepishly, but I'm going in.

Sins distance us and we need to ask for forgiveness and let it go and start again, we can't give up just try harder each day for he gave his life for us and our sins. We sin all of us, in different ways and God has never rejected any of us, like we have rejected or turned away from him at times in our lives, he just sits and waits for us to return, thats some kind of love. We have rejected his love for us but his love for us has not wandered, he has been around us always just maybe we were to busy to notice his love, I was. Sometimes a sin can eat away at your soul and can destroy you, clear them and do your penance … pray, pray and pray for forgiveness. We have to trust him with our lives and let him guide it.

ZE09021504 - 2009-02-15
http://www.zenit.org/article-25099?l=english