Most popular visits of those most recent

Article by Marc Aupiais


Of our most very recent visits, these are the most popular entry pages:

South African Catholic Entry Pages Ranked by Visits Entry Page   17   http://southafricancatholic.blogspot.com/   12   http://southafricancatholic.bl...elics-of-saint-therese-of.html   9   http://southafricancatholic.bl...na-gomez-catholic-actress.html   7   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ot.com/2009_09_23_archive.html   4   http://southafricancatholic.bl...-discriminated-against-in.html   3   http://southafricancatholic.bl...s-bittersweet-hope-of-man.html   3   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ind-rsa-gold-medal-winner.html   3   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ive-porn-only-channel-for.html   2   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ot.com/2008_11_13_archive.html   2   http://southafricancatholic.bl...-inverness-scotland-nesse.html   2   http://southafricancatholic.bl...top-female-celebrity-role.html   2   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ops-of-england-and-whales.html   2   http://southafricancatholic.bl...olice-violate-archbishops.html   2   http://www.southafricancatholic.blogspot.com/   1   http://southafricancatholic.bl...nisity-article-originally.html   1   http://southafricancatholic.bl...ot.com/2008_11_12_archive.html   1   http://southafricancatholic.bl...h-america-development-and.html   1   http://southafricancatholic.bl...rica-sapa-pr-statement-on.html   1   http://southafricancatholic.bl...pectives-fides-service_28.html

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Republishing: Asynchronisity: a God of Chaos: who sees Chaos in Order/ Order in our own Chaos

Article by Marc Aupiais

|I have just republished this here and at The Tempest and The Hurricane|

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2008

aSynchronisity (Article originally scrapped, but republished: with editing: on receipt of an email, I was sent: which encouraged me in reworking it)
Article posted by: scripturelink
Survey on Article:

(Journey in a Broken World)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Chaos is to the benefit of the prescient, and those who can predict better than apposing personages: as it happens: by order, we predict the future. Chaos, is that which causes confusion, to those not understanding it. Those who know where an ambush is laid can avoid it, those who understand a routine can use it. Utter chaos is the field where they, who know the future best: outwit all.


Confusion, mystery, chaos: imagine this: fire on water, and war all around, gun shots blast, and sirens blare. Blueness covers the scene, a hidden, not always noticed blue. Perhaps that of the sirens, but not. Red dots, yet this is not a battle between police and robbers. Somehow, the mind must understand, and make order to know what they are dealing with. What makes the red dots: are these vague images lights?


There is a battle going on, a small scene in a great chaos of conflict. One feels the stream, currents of time and space, and move slightly between carnage, and chaos: as bullets spray, and things all of a sudden explode. The sand is muddy now, one is fleeing, one is crawling on scrapping knees, and jumping, and rushing. The heat begins to beat so fast, yet one is guided, one escapes.

Imagine this, and how such casualties are struck, and death wrought all over, as one pauses and moves, like a guerrilla in the woods, or a woodsman hidden in a known forest, or kayaking boatman in the ocean, rowing between icebergs, and whales. It is a complete image which hits me, it always is as an author, and such images combine, and are woven, and altered like clay in my softly moving hands: to create novels: coming in day and sleep. Yet, while such chaos may benefit, none moral would make it through evil: that does not mean that those who are moral and in a situation of such: will not use chaos to their advantage. How much more is it certain: that while free will allows for evil: yet that which is order itself: will use the chaos from such hostility: for the good of all who love Him. In fact, they right thing can well be to tolerate some evil at times: yet call it account when it is best: because immediately smiting one may hurt the innocent: like God, we to only tolerate evil while in a time, and place where it is of benefit to good to do so temporally.

Chaos, and order in this temporal phase of the universal stages: are illusions of sorts, or rather: in the perspective of the beholder, they don't really exist, not here in any case: or else: they exist, but in a way which the ordinary man does not fully comprehend; but which the saint can see: whereby order exists, and chaos: but these are different from normal everyday uses of these connotations to sound. Order refers to control, but only so far as it is needed because control of events by that which is stuck in temporal time: needs to rely on predictability, even cause it. In other words; to order that something be done: is to try to cause a sequence of events where it occurs: orders are there to create order, or an order of benefit to the one making them, or which such thinks of benefit.

We cannot by our perception alone: know the future, or why God does as he does; mystery creates a special "chaotic" code, which only in the seeing of truth, we can understand of all. God is not temporal, but eternal, not even aeviternal, as "rational" souls are. Yes, perhaps the body of Jesus is aeviternal: and that which leaves his form is temporal: but in his divine nature he is eternal, his human nature: I am not qualified to say this: but perhaps it contained temporal or aeviternal parts; yet in such a way as that which is divine could possibly have this: Jesus was fully human: perhaps then his human soul is only aeviternal.


God is eternal: that means he can be none but basis of the fabric of time and space, the little bubble of necessity: we walk and breathe in. Outside of God, there is nothing, there is but darkness: he is the blue bubble which causes the flickering spark of life, caressing all: yet as a lover, not an enemy. He is not the chair I sit on, nor my DNA, yet he is the power in which these are supported; in which all reality rests: against which; ever for now: sin falls against in rebelling, with destruction: breaking death loose on the world! Evil, fighting this power creates false perceptions, so that we neglect to see order in the chaos: and therefore are hit by it and harmed. Even as we admit that a sort of chaos is the order of the universe: we must admit that a good God would create a way for even us to conquer the chaos: this is the purpose of ethics, and virtue: that which is good is compliant to the "chaos" which is God's plan. Morality is simply a dance of sanity: which keeping us safe beyond any prediction's extent. It is sanity which acts morally. We do not pretend to understand time and distance, or fully: the life after death. We do understand that it, which is compliance to the Chaos of God: keeps us alive as breath cannot, beyond death; when we obey God to every extent. Chaos is simply us admitting we cannot control the world. We mourn the pain of animals, and our own pain: and though this is why often some attack God when animals are hurt due to elements of time and space: it is because we are like them; and fear: yet God does no matter of moral evil or anything he considers evil: to man; either evil causes death: as sometimes, it seems: occurs; or in fact: death is not an end; only a doorway to the next sections of our consciousness: that final place: when we are alive or illusion and of death. Indeed: death is the responsibility of God, even the Greeks put this to their Gods: the three "Fates": to disobey God is the route which all sin takes: and whereas morality is the peak acting of sanity: sin: is the slow loss of such needed sanity.

Imagine Him we worship: walking now, by a lake, yet what does that mean? What mystery incarnate: that infinite being: appearing to be, or even being aeviternal in a way, with even perhaps temporal parts: such seems chaos: such energy in but a small form. It is the goodness which makes what seems chaos to be order, and which conquers all illusion which is the actual chaos: this ability to comprehend, and conquer chaos: is the gift which is given. Our salvation lies in the child: Jesus, a man at this time: who walked by and on the lake. Showing he is in control, he walked on such lake against our predictions. Such is "chaos", is it not?

Yet, he is as much a human as a God, even now, he is both: and a human made order of chaos: not by taking the chaos away: but by giving meaning to it, and all things, so that we could be sane, and calm in chaos: collected: and able to exist forever.

God is not a God of contradiction or chaos, but God is also not only a three dimensional being, but a three personed being, yet not three Gods, but one. Our ways are in order, and prediction, his is in a higher mysterious order, sometimes appearing to be chaos and his ways are in knowing, and doing true things. The war between God and evil is between Reality and falseness. God is reality, the very DNA of time and space, or rather: something more elemental than that.

We rightly think God is order, he is not then simply our order: simply put, unlike His rational soul: we are not entirely sane. He is a God who created order: but that is for us, and of his nature, by which we are ordained to be born, he is a God who is logical, but that is because he is the fabric of the universe: that one which all relies upon, on which the fabric of the universe relies, and rests. He is not all things, but all things need him to exist. That which is real relies on him, yet all things cannot include evil. Evil does not technically exist, but is a misfiring, something, a madness which choice allows man: which sucks his very life from him, like the merciless tide of the unforgiving seas. God is "chaos" in a way, but ordered chaos. The chaos which is evil is that without meaning: it is the slaughter of the good; it is evil. Evil: is that which makes us less real: if God is Reality: evil is Illusion, while it does not exist: the void where it is does: so that one truly disobeys by sinning. Evil is a lack of Good: of Reality, of God.

Every Just War, or Just Uprising, is also an unjust war and unjust battle. Those fighting on one side are fighting a Just War, those on the other, an Unjust War.

Is God Chaos in his eyes: no: yet that which is aeviternal cannot fully comprehend that which is eternal: at least not yet. Chaos, in fact is what we use to denote a situation in which we are unable to predict far enough ahead, so as to handle it. Chaos is dangerous. It is how one may well describe many things: it is danger, and fear all at once. It is when: if we could predict its source, we could well survive.

So; if the universe is chaos: it is dangerous: how then is survival adequate except in Love: the key to all things. To comprehend love is to begin to understand God. Love believes the Gospel, it believes the faith: because of the source giving the truth; which is truth. Love, is in fact the meaning in the madness: and by it we can make the right move to stay in key with the music of God... What seems to atheists as insanity in a Righteous God: is not insanity, but love: God's chaos may not be comprehensible to man: but its meaning: love: is.

Love explains all: it is our mentorship in times, and oceanic bouts. Love is deeper than romance: which itself is not love. As yet imperfect: human love; oft wrought with evil illusion: this nature of a higher force: tells us of the perfect Devine love. Waves in the ripple tank reflect the mammoth monsters of the ocean, which hide sharks, and monsters, and powers, and wonders.

God is not chaos but Order: this we know because in some things we understand his ways: especially in matters of love... at least we can understand such. Lust: which tries to falsely appear as, and substitute for love: is a reason many are denied comprehension of the chaos of life.

We do not understand the ocean, not either do we entirely comprehend, nor understand: the spiritual. That which is seen is influenced by unseen horrors, like a boat in the ocean, and protected all around by unseen deity, and goodness: that of Jesus, and the entirety of the Triune God, is that which orders things to protect. Each person has a guardian: an angel to aid; and we each can ask of a Patron; our sister who watches us like a lover, and bride. Yet, our safety is in God, in that which sees order in the chaos, and protects us: heart and soul.

Odd, or convenient, or simply informing for us: that the antonym of "Chaos" is "Order": and when we speak of commands we say it is "orders". We admit that by "authority": "chaos" is fought, or that commands maintain a status quo: yet this is to say that orders which increase meaningless chaos are meaningless: that society and commands are only justified when rational and ordered to the true nature of God. Orders, are that which attempt to combat chaos.

Our way to predict the world's actions is to understand that which causes them. The relation of Reality to us: is what we study, and we know that like in the ocean, jumping before or as waves break like walls, and fall; by mimicking the tides of time and space via what Christians call love, truth, sanity, and faith: we are able not to see God's actions as "Chaos", but as Love, and in this in Sanity, which is the only sane action: we in fact dance with God; meaning that we are safe.

That we have a word: "chaos"; this alone proves such fact of our inadequacy, and of our need of God, and saints, and angels and such: our perception alone is inadequate to maintain our life-force: yet Love, Truth, Reality Himself: offers us an opportunity; not simply to predict today, or ten thousand decades of millennia, if those even shall come to pass: but rather: the cause of the ripples, the love of God asks that we join him forever as saints; he asks this through the living and the Aeviternal saints and angels, and His Son. Here, his prediction, and nature, and the nature of the universe itself preserves us!

To say that the universe is chaotic is to admit we are unable to understand it fully: and to admit that we are not self-sufficient to handle our live here: we die, do we not? If our aim is life, then we are in need of life, so how can God not be needed..? He is needed!

The reason all living people, this even (as shown by the incident at the temple:) including Jesus, when he was incarnated as a child: make mistakes: this reason is that God realized that we would have a choice. We can live in chaos or order: but order lies not simply in handling chaos: one must conquer chaos to have order, and God is not only the God of what appears chaotic; he is the God of Order: order which to those as yet incapable of managing it: appears chaotic.

Now, to those not understanding a culture, or procedure: is it not all just chaos? Yet God gives us guidance: his hand is out, he is waiting, and moving backwards: we must look beyond the swaying waves: of the moving crowds, which do so simply frame his image: we must see beyond "chaos" into the true order, by which we tame the earth with order: we must see God; if we ever want safety. For the purpose of predicting the future; by all our statistics: is self preservation: and preservation of man, and his interests: and yet; the universe, while made with the aim of aiding man: was made for man and God to share: as a place where God has company with man and man's right desires: perhaps even Animals' temporal souls also exist in heaven: in another way than here. Truth is, if they do: it is for our enjoyment.

Somehow, suffering: and things which cause such fear in my heart: these are often the place and time where I turn to trust, and sane action. What is sane in the universe: is that which complies with the true order of it: morality, and religion: Catholic Religion: under Christ him self’s rule from the heavenly king's power: his power: his own truth in his kingship of all: to truth: to love.

So, while one sanely suffers small pain to avoid calamity, as with going to a dentist, or for surgery: we endure "great" pains here in exiled chaos of the mind: but this is nothing, and no thing's power: if we are to live forever in bliss. Chaos is a term which only the limited, finite beings, and perhaps that which empathises with them: can comprehend. Pain: when seen in the light of love: is small compared with the promise it carries for the Just men.

Love, while seeming madness: has meaning: making it somewhat predictable: at least in its purpose. God is not Chaos, but love: and what makes love sane: is a basis in truth!




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Bones/Relics of a Saint go on Display: St Therese Carmel Benoni

(Southern African Catholic Dispatches)


Article by Marc Aupiais


Perhaps a bit airy for some, the bones/relics of St. Thérèse the Carmelite nun, of Lisieux, France known as The Little Flower have arrived in South Africa's most powerful city, Johannesburg.

For the itinerary, details and more: visit:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=events#!/event.php?eid=132522856767512


Here are some photographs of the visit so far, supplied to South African Catholic News Service, by the Archdiocesan News, Archdiocese of Johannesburg, with the usual permission for us to publish them:

Two monks, a priest a businessman and a coffin? St. Therese in a open boot of a motorcar!

Pall Bearers? Knights of Da Gama carry St. Therese's bones!

A mass of nuns Gather to hear a priest say mass? By Saint Therese!

Read Out Loud? Yes, everyone is reading: what happened to memorising, and can they all read the lines? All pertinent questions! And if you want some of them answered: you may want to attend a similar event at your parish!

No bone to pick: the public worship Saint Therese, touch the glass covering protecting her [In Catholic doctrine the word Worship is used for high respect: such as that given living and dead saints, or to a good person, while the phrase Adoration refers to the Worship/Latria: due only God]!

Never too young to pray over old bones: a young girl child and two adults pray, as Saint Therese' coffin's glass covering is touched lightly in apparent prayer: and veneration.

Saint Therese should come to a parish near you: follow the Facebook link to confirm your presence, and for the itinerary, and additional important details. Remember to check that the itinerary has not changed, with your local parish, if it is listed!




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Belgian police violate archbishops' graves in sex abuse scandal investigation

(Va-Browser / Catholic Watchdog South Africa dual article)

|Download the Audio of this Article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Associated Press among others has reported on a raid of graves, a former archbishop's residence and other incidences, in what increasingly appears to be an international incident between the Vatican City State or Holy See, and the government of Belgium.

Tombs were in the opinion of the Vatican: violated (mouse over for details), and confidential information given the Roman Catholic church by victims of sex abuse now in their 60s and 70s and promised confidentiality: were in the perspective of the Vatican, stolen, by agents of the Belgian government, in a Vatican shocking: police raid purporting to be investigating sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Says CNA, 30 police members sealed off the residence of a retired Archbishop who is a Cardinal, in an investigation where documents and a personal computer were seized.

The raid was likely in connection with allegations against the Cardinal, Godfried Danneels, now retired, which to quote the Wall Street Journal:

"Belgium's Godfried Danneels, a retired cardinal who was once a contender for the papacy, was allegedly informed in the 1990s that Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, now 73, had molested a young man. Monsignor Vangheluwe admitted to the abuse last week, and Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation Friday.

The Dutch-language daily De Standaard reported on Friday that two former priests had personally informed Cardinal Danneels, 77, about Bishop Vangheluwe's abuse several times"

Former Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel: Godfried Danneels's documents and personal computer were taken, but police have yet to explain why, and the Archbishop was not questioned. The Police did mention that it related to sex abuse allegations, but if this refers to those made as reported by the Wall Street Journal, in late April, then it may be seen as odd that the police took so long to come down on an alleged co-conspirator, surely some may note then: justice delayed is justice denied, if guilty, the former Archbishop would have had plenty of time to dispose of any evidence of conspiracy.

An outraged and livid Vatican summoned the Belgian ambassador to the Holy See to convey its utmost fury over the raids, especially as two graves were violated. The Belgian Ambassador to the Holy See has since requested a meeting with the Vatican's foreign minister.

The Vatican once again stated its support for seeking "justice and amends" (AP) for victims, but expressed dismay that statements received from victims of sex abuse with a promise of confidentiality were so roughly and in their view unjustifiably seized by the state of Belgium.

Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, of Mechelen-Brussel, and Bishop of Belgium, Military, compared the reasoning of police to conspiracies of fictional crime novels and the slander of the Da Vinci Code.

Godfried Danneels, allegedly has a chequered history when it comes to acting via evil to achieve good, reportedly advising [reference] that unchaste men in Africa wear condoms despite the prohibition in the bible and the Dogma of the church- against masterbation, as intrinsically evil.




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Women discriminated against in population control

Va-Browser Editorial by Marc Aupiais

(I was recently asked by a highly valued reader of South African Catholic if I had hung up my mouse. I haven't, but I have been ill after exams, and have been updating the site, also, I have been writing a purposely controversial and confrontational site, va-browser, which has articles that cannot be SACNS articles purely because they are so purposely controversial here is one: as I said, controversy over perspective, but the facts are correct, VA-Browser may be read in the columns section of the South African catholic site, or on the Va-Browser site, tell me if you want these sorts of articles on South African Catholic:)

This is worth the watch if not simply to see the sad "sexually frustrated" men, who can't find wives, and whose mother is worried, and to hear that in large parts of China they are the rule, not the exception.

While in China being a woman is seen as a disability, in the West children with problems or disabilities, are treated much the same, legally it seems. If a child will be high upkeep it can and often will be aborted here. In fact, half of South African pregnancies were aborted in 2007.

What's wrong with Chinese men outnumbering women- well for one thing a massive population decline to come, and why is population decline bad? We have quoted KPMG on the matter before, as they have warned of the coming decline in the West and in South Africa: a collapse in the public sector, a collapse of skills, companies and government unless enough is done to adapt or prevent the skills shortage, the KPMG article can be found as linked to by Va-browser, in our dedicated articles to the matter.

In any case, Al Jazeera, while mentioning that ultra-sounds for gender are illegal in China, says:

"AlJazeeraEnglish — June 20, 2010 — The Chinese government says its so-called "one-child policy" has succeeded in reining in its population.

But more than three decades after the policy's implementation, China is dealing with some challenging consequences.

In a country where families often value sons over daughters and $20 can get you an illegal gender ultrasound test, there is a massive gender imbalance.

Combined with the country's economic development, this has left an entire generation of men unable to find wives.

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Hainan in the country's south, women, it appears, are nowhere to be found."

Point and laugh people point and laugh... I mean put on a sad face and cry. To be honest, when a people put a government which doesn't value population growth in power, they deserve these results, I don't care how "sexually frustrated" they are. Feel free to comment if you disagree, really, I want those comments: because I am making a point.

Fact is, while the propaganda continues to go out about a growing population, the opposite is projected by the experts. We will have to stop using fossil fuels by 2050 whether the population grows or declines: the problem is lack of fossil fuels, not too many people.

And in South Africa, the ten children phenomenon in the black communities is dying out, as they are no longer being pressured into it by ANC activists who wanted to build soldiers, and were at that stage allegedly intimidating children into striking on days such as say June 16: go through the actual interviews. This is why KPMG has included South Africa on its population decline danger list, because our population is to soon decline and with crime, road accidents and medical phenomenon the South African population is in grave danger, as with our public sector!

in reference to: YouTube - China's one-child policy creates massive gender imbalance (view on Google Sidewiki)

Release: Relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux arrive in Johannesburg on Friday 25 June

Related: Bones/Relics of a Saint go on Display: St Therese Carmel Benoni

Facebook event with Itinerary for almost if not the whole trip

St Therese in South Africa: Official Website


(Southern African Catholic Dispatches)

Article by Marc Aupiais


The editor of Archdiocesan News, Archdiocese Johannesburg, whom we often enjoy co-operation with has permitted us to publish this press release, I thank her very much for that permission and for forwarding this and other noteworthy material, it is published in full excluding for media only information:

"Relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux arrive in Johannesburg on Friday 25 June



"On Friday 25 June at 14:00 Catholic priests, Father Fr Vusi Sokhela and Father Shaun Mary Von Lillienfeld, the Carmelite Sisters and the Catholic Order of the Knights of da Gama will ceremonially receive the traveling relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux at the Carmelite Convent in Benoni. (46 Dickenson Rd, Benoni North).

"The reliquary, an ornate casket, containing some of the mortal remains of the saint will be borne in solemn procession, with rose petals strewn before it, into the Convent Chapel where they will lie for veneration until 28 June when they are taken to Geluksdal Catholic Church, the next stop in a three month tour across the length and breadth of South Africa.

"Catholics believe in the Church ‘on earth and in heaven’ and venerate saints, their ancestral family in faith, who while on earth led exemplary lives and who, in heaven are in a position to intercede for the living.



"The relics drew extraordinary crowds in England and Wales when 250,000 people venerated them during a tour in 2009 and organizers are hoping for the same response in South Africa.



"Fr Shaun hopes that the visit of the relics will lead to ‘devotion to the saints taking its rightful place in the Liturgical Calendar’. He hopes too that the secular media will give the tour some coverage so that all Catholics, especially lapsed Catholics, may have the opportunity to share a spiritually joyful event.



"Fr Vusi, who initiated the visit after a chance visit to his parish of a French follower of St Therese’s Little Way, hopes that Saint Therese who died aged only 24 years will be a role-model for the youth especially since we ‘have no (South African) saints of our own. Maybe one day as a result of this visit the relics of a South African saint will tour France.’



"Devotion to Saint Thérèse, also known as St Thérèse of the Face of Child Jesus and St Thérèse of the Little Flower, is marvelous considering that she died at the end of the 19th century having been an enclosed nun for all her short adult life. She was a Carmelite nun, a member of the same Carmelite order as the sisters of the Carmelite convent in Benoni where the relics will be received.



"St Therese’s relics are being hosted in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg (roughly southern Gauteng) by Fr Vusi Sokhela, Parish Priest of St Francis of Assisi, Yeoville and Vicar of Youth and Fr Shaun Mary Von Lillienfeld, Administrator of the Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, Saratoga Avenue, Doornfontein near Ellis Park. The visit has been sanctioned by the Archbishop of Johannesburg, Buti Tlhagale, and also by the bishops of those dioceses to which the relics will tour – Tzaneen, Aliwal North, Queenstown, Kokstad, Umzumkulu, Mariannhill, Durban and Cape Town.



"During the 12 week tour more than 24 churches, monasteries and institutions will host the relics including Mother Teresa’s Home, a hospice in Yeoville (23 Aug); Regina Mundi in Soweto where school children will be bussed for a veneration ceremony (26 Aug) and the Johannesburg Catholic Cathedral, Doornfontein where there will be a night vigil on 10 July, the eve of the final World Cup match.



"There was a lot of cynicism before the relics visited England and Wales in 2009. Yet a quarter of a million people venerated the relics at 28 venues; 35,000 at Westminster Cathedral alone. The Bishops of Scotland regretted not hosting the relics as Scottish Catholics protested at being left out. A tour of Ireland in 2001 sparked the biggest mass movement of people ever witnessed in the country with an estimated 75% of the population making pilgrimages to visit the relics. A later visit drew 2 million people."

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An apology: the Catholic perspective on oral sex

Apology by Marc Aupiais


If you are under the age of 13, or sensitive, don't read on, get mommy and daddy, and let them read this and decide if you can.






Related:

Vatican on Masturbation

Catholic views, discussions on the morality and limits of morality of oral sex, as provided by other known services







I was recently asked on the Catholic view of oral sex. Here is my response, it may surprise.


Oral sex in the everyday secular sense is always intrinsically evil, as it involves ejaculation outside the, let us call it a womb. It is against the woman's dignity, and degrades those partaking in it.

But between a married couple as foreplay, whereby only the um womb, receives sperm, where all ejaculation is in the womb, and where both enjoy the process, and the woman consents willingly, and wants it, then as long as she is viewed with love, and treated with respect during the foreplay, and as long as both carefully watch for the man's ejaculation, and insure it is in the um womb, then the foreplay is acceptable, even part of a healthy marriage.

That does not make it for everyone, and certainly does not make it something to do outside of marriage. Also, it must be done so neither party is hurt, by it.

Thank you for reading!

Fwd: Zenit flagged as bad site by Google

View image as large! Click to view:

Republicans filibuster premature Democrat attempt to discuss financial reform in USA Senate

(Catholic Watchdog South Africa; c.f. Fox News Radio (Conservative; Secular; American; Independent, but some link it to Republican beliefs) 26 / 04 | April / 2010 (The 5 minute news summary has since been updated); Radio Vaticana (Catholic; Hierarchical with relative independence; Vatican based) 27 / 04 | April / 2010 )

|Download/Stream the Audio of this Article|

|External Note: Republicans fear more bailouts, of the scope of those of Obama and of Bush.|

Article by Marc Aupiais





Title / Heading: Republicans filibuster premature Democrat attempt to discuss financial reform in USA Senate

Financial reform is thought to be Barack Obama’s Democrats’ number one priority, as the approval ratings of the US president have dipped to and even below the psychological 50% mark. Unemployment is just below 10%, and with passing of controversial healthcare legislation without any Republican support, despite mass public concerns, and without much of the vital explanations media believed were due to the public, Obama and his Democrats have much to worry about at the November polls, especially with recent iconic Republican wins in by-elections. One of the Republican wins has insured that unilateral financial reform has been filibustered in Yesterday’s procedural Senate vote. The reform is hoped by some Democrats to be a platform to garner support for Democrats via a focus on helping small rural business, and other reforms which could win Democrats votes in November. Republicans have also noted support for reform, but with some slight alterations to the bill, which they see as necessary.

The Democrats, Yesterday, had 57 votes on their side for the financial reform, while 41 Republican side nay votes opposed a proposal in the American Upper House of Parliament, to open debate on the matter; this was enough in the procedural vote to prevent thus far, financial reform, under the current Democrat proposal.

The Republicans are also concerned to insure financial reform goes through, especially as around two thirds of Americans reportedly are in favour of reforming the financial sector, after the recent aftermath of the hot-point of the financial crisis, and given the bail-outs during the Republican Bush, and Democrat Obama Administrations: of firms which otherwise, in ordinary capitalism, would have failed.

Their concerns relate to small but vital segments of the bill. They believe that the federal government could be over-reaching, and would prefer certain details of what they see as a complex issue to be ironed out more carefully. Despite this, their negotiators have reported to media that they are close to a solution. Fox news, a popular news service in America, accused by some of a sympathy towards the Republican cause has said that it is unlikely the Republicans will delay for much longer, due to a desire to garner the support of public opinion ahead of November elections.

Republican efforts at stricter financial regulations, pushed by Republican John McCain and others: during the 1990’s were blocked by Democrats, and it would seem unlikely for the bill to pass without Republican support, since Kennedy was replaced with Brown: as a representative in the Senate from Massachusetts, once a Democrat stronghold.

While both sides have claimed that they are close to a negotiated solution, the Democrats attempted, Yesterday: to push the bill forward for discussion prior Republican satisfaction, in a move similar to the unilateral overhaul of healthcare pushed through by the Democrats, and in the unilateral manner Barack Obama has pushed through legislation in: for much of his presidency. This despite promises of discussion and at attempting bi-partisan efforts during campaigning against his then Republican rival John McCain. Barack Obama has speeches set up in multiple areas (ending in a spot in Illinois), in order to garner more public support for the overhaul.

The question is whether Republicans will gain their concessions on details they believe should change, before the bill is either voted through or before the though highly unlikely, possible shelving of the legislation. The Democrat position seems to be aiming for a Democrat bill to pass, with as few of the Republic concessions within it as possible. Republicans could make an embarrassment for Obama before November polls, but have much to risk given high public support for financial reform, but also given the cost to public confidence, if they pass an inadequate bill, or are seen as a non-issue, or as betraying their ideals as regards Wall Street and other issues of importance to conservative voters: in the Senate.











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New York Times alleged to have defamed pope

(Catholic Watchdog South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

One of the best sources on British Roman Catholicism Telegraph Blogs' Editor: Damien Thompson has an interesting letter to quote, on alleged bad reporting on the pope:

Hat-tip to the Just B16 blog for this letter sent to The New York Times by Prof John Coverdale, professor of law at Seton Hall University School of Law, New Jersey. It wasn’t accepted for publication, you’ll be astonished to learn. Here it is:

Like many other people, I have felt in recent weeks that some news outlets have unfairly targeted Pope Benedict XVI in connection with sexual abuse by priests.

In part this is a question of emphasis, with daily coverage of what may or may not have been minor mistakes in judgment decades ago and almost no attention to the major efforts Pope Benedict has made to remedy what is undeniably a horrible situation.

With some frequency, however, I have observed what strikes me as deliberate distortion of the facts in order to put Pope Benedict in a bad light. I would like to call your attention to what seems to me a clear example of this sort of partisan journalism: Laurie Goodstein and Michael Luo’s article “Pope Put Off Move to Punish Abusive Priest” published on the front page of the New York Times on April 10, 2010. The story is so wrong that it is hard to believe it is not animated by the anti-Catholic animus that the New York Times and other media outlets deny harboring.

Canonical procedure punishes priests who have violated Church law in serious ways by “suspending” them from exercising their ministry. This is sometimes referred to as “defrocking.” (According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary to “defrock” is to deprive of the right to exercise the functions of an office. )

A priest who has been suspended may request that he be released from his vows of celibacy and other obligations as a priest. If granted, this petition to be “laicized” would leave the former priest free to marry. Laicization (which is altogether different from defrocking and which may apply to a priest who has committed no crime but simply wishes to leave the priesthood) is not further punishment. It is something a priest who has already been punished by being suspended might well desire, as do some priests who have committed no crime and who have not been suspended..

The priest who is the subject of the article had already been punished by being suspended long before his case reached Rome. He asked to be laicized. Cardinal Ratzinger delayed his laicization not his “defrocking” as the article incorrectly says. He had been defrocked years earlier when he was suspended from the ministry. All of this is clear without reference to outside sources to anyone who knows something about Church procedure and reads the article with sufficient care. It is anything but clear, however, to a normal reader.

My complaint here is not that the article misuses the word “defrock” but rather that by so doing it strongly suggests to readers that Cardinal Ratzinger delayed the priest’s removal from the ministry. Delaying laicization had nothing to do with allowing him to continue exercising the ministry, from which he had already been suspended.

Not only does the article fail to make these distinctions, it positively misstate the facts. Its title is “Pope Put off Move toPunish Abusive Priest.” [italics added] It describes Cardinal Ratzinger’s decision as involving whether the abusive priest “should be forced from the priesthood” [italics added]. Even a moderately careful journalist would have to notice that all of this is incompatible with the fact (reported in the second paragraph of the article) that the priest himself had asked for what Cardinal Ratziner delayed.

Had the facts been reported accurately, the article would have said that the priest was promptly punished by being removed from the ministry for his crimes, but that when he asked to be reduced to the lay state, which would have given him the right to marry within the Church, Cardinal Ratzinger delayed granting the petition. That, of course, would hardly have merited front page treatment, much less a headline accusing the Pope of “Putt[ing] off Move to Punish Abusive Priest.”

The second half of the article reports that the priest later worked as a volunteer in the youth ministry of his former parish. This is obviously regrettable and should not have happened, but he was not acting as a priest (youth ministers are laymen, not priests).

A careful reader who was not misled by the inaccuracies in the first part of the article would, of course, realize that his volunteering as a youth minister had no factual or legal connection with Cardinal Ratzinger’s delaying the grant of laicization. The article does not say in so many words that it did, but an average reader might well conclude that there was some connection when he is told that “while the bishop was pressing Cardinal Ratzinger to defrock Mr. Kiesle, the priest began volunteering in the youth ministry of one of his former parishes.”

Any one of these errors might be due to carelessness, but their cumulative effect, coupled with the decision to make this front page news accompanied by a two column photo of Cardinal Raztinger’s signature, strongly suggests to me that something worse than carelessness is involved. I urge you to look into whether some major news outlets have indeed been engaged in a campaign to vilify the Pope and into whether their desire to do so has caused them to slip below minimum standards of professional journalism.

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Pope Benedict XVI apologises to victims of sex abuse by clergy in Malta

Heading: Pope Benedict XVI apologises to victims of sex abuse by clergy in Malta

(Social Justice South Africa)

|Download the audio version of this article|

Article by Marc Aupiais




|Clip from South African Catholic channel on Ustream, announcing the breaking news about the pope visiting abuse victims, this short clip, is less detailed than the article and audio of our service on this matter|

Pope Benedict XVI, who largely quashed sex abuse in the Roman Catholic hierarchy when he was given the jurisdiction to do so as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, around 2001, has once again moved against paedophilia in the Roman Catholic church. He did not note the sex abuse crises to reporters on the plane travelling to Malta, rather indirectly referring to actions which had hurt the church, and separating these from the church herself. Yet, surprising some, especially our service’s own editor, Pope Benedict XVI, officially in Malta to celebrate the 1950th year since Saint Paul was shipwrecked in Malta, met with eight (8) alleged victims of sexual abuse by clergy. Four (4) priests were allegedly involved in the abuse, years ago. The victims were all over the age of thirty.

The Associated Press, referencing one of the eight (8), claimed that the Holy Father was driven to tears while meeting the alleged victims. The pope expressed what Vatican Radio termed shame and sorrow: for the abuse suffered at the hands of clergy.

The Holy Father reportedly promised the victims that the church was doing all in its power, to combat the scourge of paedophilia and to protect young people, within the church. He promised it was doing everything to bring abusers to justice. Benedict XVI was noted by Vatican Radio as listening to the stories of the alleged victims, and prayed with them for healing. He noted their suffering, and that of their families due to the alleged abuse.

The move is significant, after some media had brought allegations without adequate evidence against the pope, involving sex abuse cover-up. Notably the New York Times, and additionally the Associated Press, who claim Benedict XVI did not act on a specific case of sexual abuse, despite the issue at hand being a priest’s request to leave the priesthood, and despite this being decades before it was in Joseph Ratzinger’s jurisdiction, to deal with sexual abuse cases.

The pope notably apologized to the victims, not the media, a very papal form of diplomacy and of acting. Benedict XVI has consistently attempted to root out sexual abuse in the church, since being given some jurisdiction over the matter in 2001, and especially since becoming pope. He has apologised for the church, to Australian victims, American victims, Ireland and its victims, and now to the victims in Malta. The Maltese victims, seemed very mature about the affair, and certainly could not have been portrayed as attempting to undermine the church, given their statements, as far as our service has had access to these.












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Earth Day: April 22nd is the 40th annual Earth Day- American Papist

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Vatican sets to blogging press releases

Headline: Vatican sets to blogging press releases

(Media Study South Africa)

|Download/Stream the audio form of this article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

With the success of the Vatican’s Twitter, and YouTube sites, it has now turned to another new forum, that of the blog. VIS, also known as Vatican Information Service, an arm of the Holy See Press office, has now decided to also externally place their articles in blog form, this at official VIS blog: www.visnews.org, which redirects to its blogger hosted site: http://www.visnews-en.blogspot.com/. The move means that VIS headlines will finally be more accessible, and more easily accessed by the average person. The move was announced at the Vatican’s recently inaugurated Twitter accounts, and also in VIS’s own news dispatch.

Will media attention stop Benedict XVI from pursuing justice against paedophile priests and their protectors?

(Catholic Watchdog South Africa)

|Download audio version of this article|

Analytical Article by Marc Aupiais

With high ranking Hierarchical official, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna, having recently claimed, as reported by Reuters, that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, was prevented from adequately pursuing at least one case of sexual abuse, under the pontificate of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II: an impression has been made on many Catholics, that Pope Benedict XVI, who on becoming pope, made an effort to apologize for the paedophilic priest scandal cover-up, and to institute reforms, was the man to clear up the crisis. With attacks from anti-Catholic outlets, such as the New York Times, and slanted articles against the church, and papacy, appearing across the world, the question some may be asking is whether or not Benedict XVI, will take the short term risk, of continuing his attempt to revanche the church against those supporting immoral and criminal priests.

His overtures to the FSSPX earlier in his pontificate, suggest a more long term game plan on behalf of Benedict XVI, and while he has had to fight for his own credibility, something which has distracted him from his vendetta, it is certain that however weakened in his fight against these criminal elements in the hierarchy, that he will continue to try and expunge the corrupt elements from the church, though possibly in a more discrete manner, given his campaign’s reception.

Without the power of a loud voice, his efforts, may in fact be somewhat hampered, something the New York Times, and others must have foreseen, when they levelled their unsubstantiated claims of negligence against the Roman Pontiff.

His ignoring of the sexual scandal in recent homilies, could well suggest that the pontiff has decided that it is no longer worth pursuing it to the same extent. This would mean that the one man capable of attacking this issue may have withdrawn. It may also be the case, that having repeatedly apologized, and repeatedly stated his outrage against the conspiracy which allowed abuse, that the pope does not think it prudent to speak at the moment, having already caused the light of day to hit so many cases.

Either way, a wrong focus of media, on the pope, rather than on those who are certainly guilty, could well hamper efforts to root out the corrupt elements that have disobeyed not only civil law, but Canon Law, in their handling of abuse cases.

Most of the cases stem back to previous pontificates, where the issue was quietly swept under the rug, or kept latent, a purposely crafted arcanum.

Fr. Cantalamessa: "Violence is failure"

The Vatican has placed a video online of the homily given to the pope, which caused so much controversy:

[it excludes the letter from his Jewish friend, but notes the context importantly]

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/wyfamayWOH0

Letter read to pontiff, by papal preacher sparks controversy

(Catholic Watchdog South Africa)

|Download the audio version of this Article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

In his Good Friday sermon at St. Peter's Basilica, to Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, who belongs to the Franciscan order, and is the preacher to the pontifical household, the man who’s preaching the pope has to listen to, made some comments which have gained global attention. His job, is not as a policy maker, but as a priest who is to preach to the pope.

Raniero Cantalamessa, compared the attacks in media outlets, such as the New York Times, to the work of the Nazis during the Shoah, or so-called Holocaust of the Second World War if major news services are to be believed. In truth he did not, he simply read a letter from a Jewish friend, which claimed that the alleged mass labelling of Catholics, and the papacy, without due process, was also bigotry and dangerous, and reminded the preacher’s Jewish friend of the work of the Nazis.

In his Homily, as published, by independent Catholic news service Zenit, but missing it seems from the Vatican’s own site, the preacher focused on violence, and how it was losing against what he saw as better forces. His statement noted solidarity with the Jews, while his unnamed Jewish friend’s letter attacked “the whole world”, which his friend claims to have seen as attacking people of faith.

Despite constant mention by some media of the accusations by the New York Times, and others about the papacy and the former Cardinal Ratzinger’s cancelling the ecclesiastical trial of a dying man, who faced no civil charges or sanctions at the time, though suspected of sexual abuse, and those involving Ratzinger’s time as Archbishop of Munich, and other accusations, these have yet to have been proven to contain apathy or conspiracy on the part of the pope, even on a balance of scales. The details are also mostly ignored, only the accusations being made, apart from the cases set out by accusers.

An article by the Associated Press, appearing in the Toronto Star, used the accusation by the Preacher of media allegedly purposely creating a tempest in a teapot: the article determined to recall Christian abuse of Jewish people, and attempted to liken the comparison by the preacher of anti-Catholic sentiment and anti-Semitism, itself to anti-Semitic claims.

The Associated Press is quick to note that Vatican representative, Rev. Federico Lombardi, contacted them afterwards, to distance the Vatican from the alleged claims by the preacher, saying that the comparison was not Vatican policy, and say the Associated Press, that Lombardi claims that the preacher was not speaking as a Vatican official.

The fact remains, that the preacher, whose job it is to mentally stimulate the pontiff, was speaking in his official capacity as Preacher to the Papal Household, though this is not a policy making position. The Associated Press also gives their opinion that the pontiff looked weary during the time in which the preaching occurred.

Vatican Radio, also notes being contacted on the issue by Lombardi, saying:

“The Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi issued a statement to Vatican Radio explaining the position of the Holy See.

Fr. Lombardi said the Holy See does not consider the recent criticism of the Pope over the Church’s handling of abuse of minors by priests to be in any wise similar to anti-Semitism.

He went on to explain that Fr. Cantalamessa himself intended only to share an expression of solidarity from a Jewish brother.”

The Vatican’s run-ins with the New York Times are hardly a new event, with Archbishop Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese located by New York, constantly alleging bias. The Vatican itself, has previously vetted an article alleging a conspiracy against it by the London Times, New York Times and others.

We noted this accusation in our article on the 1st of May 2009: "Vatican" vetted "Jesuit" Paper: "La Civiltà Cattolica" attacks credibility of the "Times", "New York Times" and "The Washington Post", "Le Monde", "the Italian press."

According to Zenit’s rendering of the Homily, the preacher gave to the pontiff, this is what the preacher’s Jewish friend is said to have said, analysis, shows this is the actual focus of news media, these words, allegedly by an unnamed Jewish man:

"I am following with indignation the violent and concentric attacks against the Church, the Pope and all the faithful by the whole world. The use of stereotypes, the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism. Therefore I desire to express to you personally, to the Pope and to the whole Church my solidarity as Jew of dialogue and of all those that in the Jewish world (and there are many) share these sentiments of brotherhood. Our Passover and yours undoubtedly have different elements, but we both live with Messianic hope that surely will reunite us in the love of our common Father. I wish you and all Catholics a Good Easter."

Pope Benedict XVI, and other bishops, have themselves claimed responsibility for a collective guilt, incurred by the clergy, and hierarchy, for the sexual abuse scandal, this was done in many of the papacy’s personal apologies on behalf of the church, to many victims.

The Good about Good Friday

(Journey in a Broken World)

|Download audio version of this article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

Last year, when I posted online a possibly slightly edited version of one of my apologies, explaining why Good Friday is good, the article was in my point of view likely well appreciated, or at least, it has been well read. I thought to once again note some important points.

Good Friday is good, because like any martyrdom, in the classical sense, it involves obedience to truth. Jesus did not want to die, as no sane person would, and God is absolutely, verifiably sane. He clearly states his will to live, in the garden, where he cries tears, possibly even of blood.

Good Friday, is good, because Jesus was obedient in love, much as roses, however thorny are good, when given to us from our love.

It is good, because this is how we are saved, it is Christ on the Cross, whom we eat, for the Crucifixion is the source of Eucharistic grace, we drink his blood from his heart, and when we eat his body, we consume his flesh, from his heart. And we eat his soul, his life that is, a perfect, obedient life, of love and empathy and concern.

We may not have sympathy with God, but we always can have empathy, just as he may not have sympathy with us should we sin, but he always has empathy.

It shows us that what hurts now, can aid later, can save later- that Christ dies, for good.

Happy Good Friday, I mean it. Remember to fast from animal meat and fowl and shellfish. Try doing so every Friday, or to do an act of Charity instead, but in Lent, Fast on Fridays, most especially today, from animal meat and fowl and shellfish.

Remember, many dioceses still demand you abstain from these every Friday, while a number, on ordinary Fridays, allow the fasting to be replaced with a deed of charity. Good Friday is not a day of Holy Obligation, thus you need not attend church on this day.

Video: Vatican: Pope on suffering and love

"Pope: The world needs the joy that springs from truth
[...]
vatican — April 01, 2010 — The joy that comes from Christ gives us happiness, but it also gives us the ability to suffer and to continue being intimately happy even when we suffer. This is what Benedict XVI said on Thursday, April 1st, during the homily of the Chrism Mass, which he presided over in St. Peters Basilica with 1,600 priests of the Diocese of Rome and from the Roman universities, who afterwards renewed their priestly promises together with the attending cardinals and bishops. The Pontiff then blessed the oils of the Catechumens and of the Sick and the Holy Chrism, which will be used in the sacraments throughout the year. Let us pray to be capable of bringing the joy of the Holy Spirit Benedict XVI said to t ...

[...]

God Jesus Jesus Christ Pope Benedict XVI Vatican Holy See Catholic Church Christianity "

View video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCz6uvO3HK8

South Africa enters the third millennium with uncapped internet finally enabled

(See What We See News and Archive)

|Download the audio of this article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

With an announcement mid March 2010, by major South African internet provider, Mweb, that it would be providing fixed monthly rate, unshaped, uncapped internet service to South African users, at a cheap rate, the South African internet market has since opened up. According to News24, another group OpenWeb, has also since decided to provide a similar service.

Until now, South African internet use has generally been limited to at most a few gigabits’ download per month, and was largely seen as expensive. Sites such as YouTube, or Ustream.tv were seen as luxuries, to be used in moderation, and a small South African news service such as our own, certainly would not have been placing audio of articles online.

In fact, the IT industry had complained of it being very hard to compete internationally. Many South Africans will have noted being cut off from international internet at least once, having surpassed their cap adequately for the punishment to ensue in the previously toe deep internet environment in South Africa.

The move accompanies Mweb’s new internet infrastructure installed nationally, and independent it would appear, from the government Telkom network. The new, cheap internet will certainly be welcomed during the 2010 Soccer World Cup, when hundreds of thousands of tourists are expected to visit the Republic of South Africa.