Is the Vatican ready to welcome aliens into the church? According to Jesuit Father Jose Funes, Papal Astronomer and Director of the Vatican Observatory, "Christians should consider alien life as an 'extraterrestrial brother and a part of God's creation."
The Vatican just concluded a five day Astrobiology conference considering, among other things, the possibility of life on other planets. The event hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences was held to mark the International Year of Astronomy.
http://bit.ly/rlnOgIs the Vatican ready to welcome aliens into the church? According to Jesuit Father... more
Today BBC World News broadcast a commercial-free installment of the debate series Intelligence Squared, centered on the question:
"Is the Catholic Church a force of good in the world?"
Outspoken atheist journalist and TV personality Christopher Hitchens and British actor/comedian/author/activist Stephen Fry versus Nigerian Archbishop John Onaiyekan and British Conservative MP and controversial Catholic convert Anne Witticomb.
Hitchens, love him or hate him, has a brilliant mind and Stephen Fry, it turns out, is every bit his peer as an intellectual. Without any doubt, Hitchens and Fry completely eviscerated their opponents argument with dignity and distinction.
The audience is invited to vote twice, once in the middle and a final vote in the one hour live forum and, and today, if the positive audience response and applause in support of the 'No' team and other outwardly-visible reactions were not enough to convince, the numbers are very persuasive:
Vote #1
Is the Catholic Church a force of good in the world?
YES 678
NO 1102
UNDECIDED 346
IMO, Ann Witticomb really lost it for her team when, in defense of centuries-old church policy of denying woman the right to belong to the priesthood said ( loosely paraphrasing):
"it is no more fitting for a woman to presume to directly represent Jesus than it is for a man to aspire to be the Virgin Mary", although they faced defeat right from the outset as I saw it. The tally of the second and final vote seems to support my contention
Vote #2
Is the Catholic Church a force of good in the world?
YES 268
NO 1876
UNDECIDED 34
TV doesn't always suck.Christoher Hitchens submission at link
Today BBC World News broadcast a... more
why are there so many misunderstandings regarding the Catholic Church and the areas that involve it? We have decided to try and clear up some of these common misconceptions with this list of ten of the most popularly misconstrued issues.
After a nearly two-decade truce, Portuguese Nobel literature laureate José Saramago has returned to the charge against the Catholic Church. This time his target is the Bible itself, which he describes as "a manual of bad morals," and a "catalogue of cruelties and of the worst of human nature."
'Nobel Laureate says God is ''Cruel, Spiteful, Vengeful, Jealous and Unbearable.'' ' by Mario de Queiroz - IPS - RichardDawkins.net http://bit.ly/2KCqJG
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What do you think?After a nearly two-decade truce, Portuguese Nobel literature laureate José Saramago... more
According to the Times Online, 400,000 former Anglicans are willing to embrace Catholicism under the apostolic constitution announced by Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope's decision to allow Anglicans to join into full communion with Roman Catholics while retaining elements of their Anglican identity is a cynical move to bolster the roles of the Catholic church. In short, the Pope is inviting the most intolerant of Anglicans: the sexist, the misogynist, the homophobic, into the Catholic church.According to the Times Online, 400,000 former Anglicans are willing to embrace... more
The Vatican is welcoming Anglican homophobes and misogynists into the Catholic Church. The Vatican is creating a fast track to conversion for Anglicans who disapprove of homosexuality and female clergy, for Anglicans who cling to the good old days of ignorance, intolerance and hate. For the catholic church, those good old days just never stopped.The Vatican is welcoming Anglican homophobes and misogynists into the Catholic Church.... more
Story Highlights
* Vatican opens door to disillusioned Anglicans wanting to join Catholic Church
* Married priests and bishops to be allowed to "enter into full visible communion"
* Vatican says "hundreds" of Anglicans have expressed interest in joining
* Anglicans can retain their rites while recognizing the pope as their leader
"ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The Vatican said Tuesday it has worked out a way for groups of Anglicans who are dissatisfied with their faith to join the Catholic Church.
The process will allow groups of Anglicans, including bishops and married priests, to join the Catholic Church some 450 years after King Henry VIII broke from Rome and created the Church of England."
People shouldn't forget, but probably should remember that in the year 1213, King John I ceded Great Britain to the Pope. Now, very quietly they are taking it back. Can't have a 1 world government without a 1 world religion.
People really need to learn about the the Holy Roman Empire, Archbishop of Canterbury, apostolic succession, the so-called Dark Ages, and feudalism. There is no indication that these people will ever stop until they control the world. I've read the texts; you can too.
"we, wishing to humiliate ourselves for Him who humiliated Himself for us unto death...do offer and freely concede to God...and to our mother the holy Roman church, and to our lord pope Innocent and to his Catholic successors, the whole kingdom of England and the whole kingdom Ireland, with all their rights and appurtenances, for the remission of our own sins and of those of our whole race as well for the living as for the dead;..we perform and swear fealty for them to him our aforesaid lord pope Innocent, and his catholic successors and the Roman church." http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/john1a.htmlStory Highlights
* Vatican opens door to disillusioned Anglicans wanting to join... more
At their latest meeting in Rome, African bishops ignored Catholicism’s greatest failing—the AIDS crisis ravaging their continent.At their latest meeting in Rome, African bishops ignored Catholicism’s greatest... more
A Catholic Church commission is investigating claims of a Eucharistic Miracle in Poland. Reports have surfaced that a miracle occurred at a church in Sokolka, eastern Poland. Reports are communion bread was transformed into tissue from a human heart.
Polish Radio is reporting a commission from a nearby diocese in Bialystok was looking into the claims after medical tests showed the transformed host contained human heart tissue.
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Do you believe in miracles?A Catholic Church commission is investigating claims of a Eucharistic Miracle in... more
In a letter just released, the three Catholic bishops leading the Church’s efforts on health care warned Congress that “we will have no choice but to oppose the bill” unless current bills are amended.
The letter signed by Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop John Wester outlines three main areas of concern: “that no one should be forced to pay for or participate in abortion, that health care should be affordable and available to the poor and vulnerable, and that the needs of legal immigrants should be met.”In a letter just released, the three Catholic bishops leading the Church’s efforts... more
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Supreme Court refused on Monday to block the release of documents generated by lawsuits against priests in Connecticut for alleged sexual abuse.
The justices turned down a request by the Roman Catholic diocese in Bridgeport, Conn.
Several newspapers are seeking the release of more than 12,000 pages from 23 lawsuits against six priests.
The records have been under seal since the diocese settled the cases in 2001. Courts in Connecticut have ruled that the papers should be made public.
The decision ends a legal battle that dragged on for years and could shed light on how recently retired New York Cardinal Edward Egan handled the allegations when he was Bridgeport bishop.
It's unclear when the documents will be released.
...
Barbara Blaine, founder of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, welcomed the decision.
"This decision sends a clear message to those who would endanger kids: Eventually, you'll have to face the music and reveal your callousness, recklessness and deceit," Blaine said in a statement. "We hope that this ruling will deter every pedophile's supervisor and co-workers from protecting a predator."
...More...NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Supreme Court refused on Monday to block the release of... more
Six Supreme Court members attended the annual Red Mass in Washington, D.C., at St. Matthews Church. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito attended the Mass. The Red Mass is an annual event that occurs the day before the Supreme Court opens. Conducted since 1953, always at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the mass is the unofficial signal that the Supreme Court is open for the season.
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Is it appropriate for members of the Supreme Court to attend a special mass directed at them?Six Supreme Court members attended the annual Red Mass in Washington, D.C., at St.... more
Pope Benedict has warned that a form of colonialism continues to blight Africa.
Opening a three-week synod of African bishops, he said political colonialism was over.
But he said the continent was afflicted by an export of the "so-called 'first world'... [the] toxic spiritual rubbish" of materialism.
"In this context, the political colonialism is never finished," the Pope said.
He said Africa also suffered increasing religious fundamentalism, in the form of religious groups which "act on behalf of God" but "teach intolerance and violence".
Almost 200 bishops from 53 African states have gathered to discuss how the Catholic Church can help resolve the continent's social injustices and wars.
The Pope says he will attend as many of the working sessions of the synod as possible, his other duties permitting.
This is one of the more tolerant and enlightened things that I've seen a Pope get involved in. With more and more Africans becoming Catholics, what could this mean for the African people and for Africa itself?Pope Benedict has warned that a form of colonialism continues to blight Africa.... more
Pastor Jeff Waugh teaches how God is constantly at work in our lives, even during times which may seem inconsequential to us. Based upon the book of Esther.Pastor Jeff Waugh teaches how God is constantly at work in our lives, even during... more
Rather than take active measures to prevent the "1.5-5%" of clergymen sexual abusing the next generation, the Vatican insists that it's not ACTUALLY pedophillia. Nope, it's just having sex with little boy. VERY different.
And the typical line: trying to shift the blame and attention by whining like a 5 year old child (who may or may not have been sexually abused) and pointing fingers at other religions in a sad attempt to make us forget about all the psychological and physical trauma this church has inflicted upon it's followers.
And I was under the impression that this was the religion that insists on not pointing out sawdust in someone elses eye when you have a plank in your own. God save us allRather than take active measures to prevent the "1.5-5%" of clergymen sexual abusing... more
Maine's Roman Catholic Diocese plans a second collection at this weekend's masses to support their anti-gay marriage referendum campaign. Will parishioners' pocket change sway the vote? More at the link.Maine's Roman Catholic Diocese plans a second collection at this weekend's masses to... more
Catholics should pray before sex, according to a new book published by a prominent Church group. The prayer is to be aimed at purifying intentions, so that the act is not about selfishness or hedonism.
The new publication, A Prayer Book for Spouses, encourages couples to pray together before having sex. The 64-page book has been published by the London-based Catholic Truth Society.
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Do you pray before sex?Catholics should pray before sex, according to a new book published by a prominent... more
Chaplan Father Skip Coreture performs a holy union for two Black women and rides a wave of reactions.
U People Stories are stories from regular everyday people, gay, straight, black, white and with varied beliefs who have had been made to feel like the "other". These are the kinds of stories that we all have carried with us; where it would make you cry if you thought about it but makes you laugh when you talk about it.
What the U People Story Archive does is build a bridge of understanding that unifies our struggles while at the same time lifting an emotional weight off the shoulders of the storyteller. These stories are humorous, moving and timeless. They are individually a testament of how discrimination and the emotions that result connect, effect and can change us all. www.iloveupeople.comChaplan Father Skip Coreture performs a holy union for two Black women and rides a... more
" The Count Me Out website is a source of information for those considering leaving the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). For many who no longer practise, remaining "lapsed" is not sufficient; a clean break is needed.
In 3 simple steps this site produces all the documentation you need to leave the RCC. Why might someone wish to take this action? Read some of our reasons or consult the Frequently Asked Questions for general information & answers to the most common queries we hear. "
Ok so this site provides information on how to apostasy(defect) from the catholic church primarily for someone in baptised in ireland but also has information on how to do this in other countries with forms the site generates(blank forms also available) based on information filled in in the 3 steps in the 3 sites description... namely your name,date of baptism and where you were baptised , you can also customise the cover letter to be sent with the forms.
Countmeout.ie then generates the forms and view them as pdf or HTML and allows you to save them
The forms are then printed out and sent to your bishop who may want an interview" The Count Me Out website is a source of information for those considering leaving... more
