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Giving up porn for Lent

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"The spiritual combat in which we kill our passions to put on the new man is the most difficult struggle of all. We must never weary of this combat, but fight the holy fight fervently and perseveringly." - St. Nilus

Has anyone given up porn for lent?  That's not just pornographic movies or magazines, its also "romance" books filled with sex scenes- books and movies like "50 Shades of Grey".

I can't help but wonder how many Catholics filled the movie theater THE FIRST WEEKEND of Lent to watch the pornographic "50 Shades of Grey" on the big screen.

Couldn't give it up even for Lent, eh?

Porn in all its forms, is addicting.

I've got my own story with the porn found in women's "romance" novels.

I gave up "romance" books when I became Catholic- actually along my way to becoming Catholic.  Prior to that, I had been reading "romance" books since I was a pre-teen and never thought twice about it. No one in my Baptist faith ever bothered to mention that women's "romance" books were not in keeping with our Christian faith.

The women in my family watched soap operas (only one of them read "romance" books).  So growing up and seeing the "romance" displayed on soap operas was my first exposure to "romance" - totally corrupt of course.  No child should be raised thinking Luke raping Laura (General Hospital) was the beginning of their "romance" and eventual marriage.  But that is all I knew of "romance" as a young child.  Books didn't come into play until my pre-teen years.

"Romance" book reading started innocently enough with me.  When I was in 8th grade I read "Gone With the Wind" and I was hooked on books that mixed history with romance.  The cover of "Gone with the Wind" was my template for locating other books to read (until I began to find my favorite authors).  If the cover had Fabio on it, I read it.  Little did I know at that time, the "historical romance" section of the book store included books loaded with graphic sex scenes.  I can still remember the FIRST "historic romance" book I read - because it was SO shocking to me as a young pre-teen it was burnt into my mind and to this day (decades later) I can still recall the story, the cover and of course the sex scenes in that book.  I read hundreds after that one and those are a blur, but the first one sticks.  My view of sex had been completely corrupted by "romance" books and my view of adult romantic relationships had been corrupted by soap operas.

My Mother, once said to me as a pre-teen, "You're too young to read that" -which only indicated to me that in a few years I would be old enough to pick the book back up again and then read it.  So that's what I did- for years.  I read "romance" books daily.  My friends and I would swap books, spend weekends at some book warehouse spending our part-time job money on romance books.  I never left home without a "romance" book stuffed in my purse.

Some time ago, Katrina at The Crescat wrote a post about a "romance" book that had been turned into a mini series. In one of the comments I briefly mentioned my own involvement with "romance" books.  Years ago, long before I was Catholic or even thought of being Catholic I had another blog.  A successful book/movie reviewing blog which focused mainly on "romance" books.  For years I wrote reviews for "romance" publishers and authors- they sent me free books and swag and I offered give-aways of free "romance" merchandise- I even created a template and header for an "exotic romance" author I had befriended.  I made lots of friends with "romance" authors who wrote "soft porn" romance and "erotic romance".  We were friends outside of blogging.  We shared about our lives, husbands, children, work etc.  I knew these women as friends.  Anything they or their publishers sent to me I would read and review for them.  These are well known authors who've sold millions of books.

That all began to change when I started my journey into the Catholic faith.  I hadn't viewed reading "romance" as sinful in anyway.  To me, "its just fiction" was how I looked at it.  I never considered it to be harmful.  It was a hobby.  I read books because it was fun and my friends and I enjoyed the "romance" in them.  Just as I had spent time cross-stitching or bible reading or collecting shells at the beach, reading romance was just another past-time to me.  It was something to do with whatever free time I had. I never thought I was spending my time in sin by reading "romance" books because my view of "romance" had been so corrupted at a young age I was blinded to it.

It was when I began (unknowingly at the time) my journey towards the Catholic faith that how I viewed things changed.  I began to question what I was reading and watching on television.  I asked myself more and more "Is this the sort of entertainment I should be entertaining myself with?" 

The guilt came.  No longer was it fun to read or review these books.  It felt wrong.  I felt guilty.  I thought, "Would I discuss this book with Jesus?  Would I sit down and watch this movie with Jesus if he walked into my house right now?"

No way!  I would HIDE the books and turn off the TV.

Then I knew.  What I had been doing for years was wrong.

I closed down the book blog, said goodbye to all the publishers, authors and other people I had met and befriended in the "romance" world.  I filled garbage bags with books and DVD's from my house and tossed them in the trash along with all the "romance" swag I had accumulated over the years.  Autographed books and photographs went too.

I completely cleansed my house of everything that was associated with "romance" books and movies.  But I couldn't cleanse my mind of what I had taken in.  Sadly, that was there to stay.  You can't get innocence back once it's lost.  Be very careful what example you're setting for your own children!

A few Catholic blogs, including Katrina over at The Crescat shared a video this week, by Russell Brand about porn and how destructive it is to people.

Because porn is such a huge problem for all people today...men, women (especially all those women reading and watching "50 Shades of Grey") and children (horrible), I thought, I too would share this video on my blog.



If you're a Catholic woman still reading "romance" books, won't you please consider giving it up?

How about starting with this Lent?  It's not too late!

Go to confession and toss out all the books and start over and don't go back when Lent is over!

Give up all forms of pornography forever!



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Catholic Catechism:


2354 Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.

2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.


Links: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kvzamjQW9M

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecrescat/2015/02/russel-brands-anti-porn-rant.html

http://www.kofc.org/en/catechism/index.html

Traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut

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I've recently been corresponding with Donald Mongeau
Chairman of Una Voce right here in Enfield, Connecticut.  Here is what Mr. Mongeau asked me to share with my blog readers...(be sure to check out the links below).

 

Connecticut Catholics are finding the Traditional Latin Mass within the safety, and bosom of the Holy Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church continues to serve the needs of Her children:
 
 
St Martha Roman Catholic Church in Enfield Ct. is an excellent example, of Catholics working in union with the parish staff, and local ordinary to preserve the Traditional Latin Mass for the faithful that desire to worship God in it.
St Martha`s Parish has many wonderful things going for it. They have a Catholic school, as well as a dedicated Parish Staff, along with a chapter of the Knights of Columbus.

The parish is diverse in all that it offers today`s Catholic. The Parish also offers both forms of Holy Mass for her children. The Ordinary {English Mass} and Extraordinary {Traditional Latin Mass}.

As a member of the parish, I don`t think I would be out of line to suggest that : St Martha`s is a good model for successful Catholic Parishes.
 
St Martha`s in Enfield Ct has had the ExtraOrdinary Rite of Mass {Traditional Latin Mass} for over 5 years, with a community that could swell to near 200 souls.

Recently the long time Administrator Fr. McElheron left the parish to join another religious order within the heart of the Catholic Church.

A new Administrator Reverend Cornelius Kelechi was put in place to serve the parish.

The Catholic Family at St. Martha has found a pastor of souls in Fr. Kelechi.

To the Credit of the Parish Staff ,and the Pastoral care given to St Martha`s children by Archbishop Leonard Blair through his very capable staff {thank you Msgr. Schmitz}

The Latin Mass community concerns, during the transition over their future, has been eased greatly.

Lesson learned:
We have found a new closeness within our parish, and the Traditional Latin Mass continues to grow, within the safety of Holy Mother Church.
The parish staff along with the Bishops, should always be the 1st direction Catholics should take, to address their needs and concerns.
Mostly to have Faith in God, and His Holy Bride; The Catholic Church. She continues to provide for Her children.

We invite all that are looking for the Traditional Latin Mass to look 1st and always within your very own diocese. We at St Martha have found them to be very supportive, contrary to rumors, and the like that tend to find traction on the internet.
 

In Closing:
Pray for the Pope, and our Bishops
 
 
In the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Donald Mongeau
Chairman Una Voce Enfield Ct
Link for St. Martha Parish

link for Latin Mass news for Enfield Ct. { St. Martha`s}


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Catholic Events in Connecticut

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20th Annual Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 355 Foxon Road, East Haven

9 week novena beginning on Wednesday, March 4, 7:00 p.m.

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Liturgy Symposium | Hugo Mendez @ Yale Divinity School
Date: Monday, March 2, 2015, 4:30 pm to  5:30pm
Location: Marquand Chapel, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven

Info: http://ism.yale.edu/event/liturgy-symposium-hugo-mendez

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Vocation Retreat —March 6-8, 2015

The Dominican Sisters of Peace welcome single, Catholic women, ages 18-45 to this vocation retreat designed to explore consecrated life in the Order of Preachers —the Dominicans. Come and learn about the Dominican Sisters of Peace while experiencing elements of Dominican prayer and community life. Retreat ants will gather at 2320 Airport Drive, Columbus, OH from 6:00 pm, Friday, March 6 until Noon, Sunday, March 8. To register, or for more information please contact Sister Pat Twohill (call or text): 860-436-8430 or email: ptwohill@oppeace.org. The Dominican Sisters of Peace have a formation house at St Stanislaus Convent (Eld Street, New Haven).

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Women’s Conference Series —Lent 2015

+Gratitude is the First Beatitude: I was Born to Sing for You: March 12
+Trust: Easier Said Than Done: From Songs of Sorrow to Songs of Joy: March 26 

Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: RC Mission Center, Legion of Christ College, 475 Oak Avenue, Cheshire, CT
Info: Minerva Dibildox: 203-707-3889 (cell); minerva@elitetravelct.com

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A celebration of Sacred Scripture

Dr Thomas Groome, a professor at Boston College, will be giving a free presentation on sharing and teaching the Bible in everyday life. The workshop is Sunday, March 8, Noon to 4:30 p.m., at St Thomas Seminary (467 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield).

The workshop is free but pre-registration is requested by March 3. Light refreshments will be provided. To register: call Jill Costa at 860-242-5573

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Do you know someone who is suffering carrying the grief of a past abortion? Hope and healing are possible and God’s mercy endures forever. The Sisters of Life will be hosting a Day of Prayer and Healing on Saturday March 21, 2015. 

For confidential registration please call the Sisters of Life at (866)-575-0075 (toll free) or email hopeandhealing@sistersoflife.org.


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The First Annual Catholic Men's Conference will be held on Saturday, March 21st at the Fordham Rose Hill campus in the Bronx.  The theme of this year's conference is, "Men, Be Who You Are!" 

Come experience a prayerful, life changing day for men of all ages featuring talks by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, Damon Owens, a renowned public speaker and strong proponent of the Catholic faith, and Joe Klecko, former all-star New York Jets defensive lineman. 

To register and for more information, visit www.nymensconference.org.  All talks during the day will be fully translated into Spanish. 

There is free admission for priests, religious, seminarians, and deacons.  Spots are limited to 550 men (over half full already) so if you are interested, please register soon!

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Lenten Mission — March 22, 23, 24 at 7:00 p.m. @ three parishes

Preacher: Father Jordan Lenaghan, O.P., Catholic Chaplain at Quinnipiac University

March 22 at Our Lady of Pompeii Church (355 Foxon Rd, East Haven)
March 23 at St Monica Church (1331 Middletown Avenue, Northford)
March 24 at St Augustine Church (30 Caputo Road, North Branford)

Priests will be available for confessions after the talk on March 24.

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Lenten Mission —Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. @ the Cathedral of St Joseph

March 5: Fr Timothy Hickey (Pastor, St Christopher Church): “Lent with the Venerable Servant of God Michael J. McGivney”

March 12: Fr José Mercado (Pastor, St Augustine & St Anne-Immaculate Conception; Dir., Office of Hispanic Ministries): “If Only You Knew:  Loved by God”

March 19: Msgr David Liptak (Executive Director, The Catholic Transcript): “Saint Joseph:  A Silent Guide”

Cathedral of Saint Joseph, 140 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT  —860-249-8431

****(parking behind the Church on Asylum Avenue or in the Archdiocesan lot on Farmington Avenue)

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GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY meets the second Sat. of the month (March 14) at St. Mary Parish, Norwalk, at 10 am after the 9 am Pro-Life Mass. Physician Assisted Suicide will be the topic. 

For more info, contact Eileen Bianchini: 203.847.5727 or stmarygols@aol.com.

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World Meeting of Families Connecticut Workshop


In preparation for Pope Francis' visit to the World Meeting of Families in September, a Connecticut workshop will be held on Saturday March 14 at 1 PM at the Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St., New Haven.  The keynote speaker will be Damon Owens, Executive Director, The Theology of the Body Institute, Philadelphia.  The cost is $20. For more information or to reserve a seat, please contact Norm Chouinard at 203-217-3930 or nchouinard@sthedwigretreats.org.


Normand Chouinard
St. Hedwig Retreat Team Leader
St. Hedwig Retreats (Facebook)
@ChouinardN (Twitter)
203-217-3930

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Women’s Retreat: “Mary, A Model for the Modern Woman” will be held the weekend of March 27-29, at St. Edmund’s Retreat Center, Enders Island, Mystic, with retreat director Fran Fraleigh Karpiej, OFS, of Sharing Christ Ministry.

Registration open until Fri., March 6. For more info, or to register, call St. Edmund’s, 860.536.0565, ext. 110, or visit www.endersisland.com

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Save the Date: White Mass—Honoring the service and ministry of health care professions

Principal Celebrant: The Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, S.T.D.
Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 12:00 NoonSt. Mary Church, 5 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511

Luncheon to follow at:
The Graduate Club, 155 Elm Street, New Haven, CT

Keynote address: Archbishop Leonard P. Blair
Luncheon and reception: $30.00 per person
Reservations may be made through the Chancery Office of Archdiocese of Hartford. Please contact Marion Valenti

Email: marion.valenti@aohct.org; Telephone: 860-541-6491 ext. 168

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The 22nd annual White Mass and breakfast honoring health care professionals will be held on Sunday, April 12, at 8:30 am at St. Aloysius Church in New Canaan.

The Mass, open to the general public, will be celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. Breakfast will follow at Woodway Country Club in Darien.

Father Kevin FitzGerald, S.J., associate professor of bioethics at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine and an expert in ethical issues related to cloning and genetic testing, will be the featured speaker.

All healthcare workers and their guests are invited to attend the White Mass. Breakfast tickets: $35. For more info and tickets, contact Debbie Charles: 203.416.1352 or dcharles@ diopbt.org

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Diocese of Norwich —Office of Prison Ministry
A Restorative Justice Forum with panel discussion led by Award-Winning Director, Leslie Neale
at Christ the King Church Hall, Old Lyme on April 25, 2015, 10am-1pm

Screening of Documentary Unlikely Friends Screening and Panel Discussion Explores Forgiveness, Friendship, Between Victims of Brutal Crimes and Perpetrators

To purchase tickets to the screening of Unlikely Friends please call 1.860.848.2237, ext. 211
Pre-Registration is Required.

For more information on Unlikely Friends and to view the trailer, please visit: www.unlikelyfriendsforgive.com

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St. Dunstan and St. Peter Claver are hosting a Catholic Heart Workcamp in Hartford this coming summer. www.heartworkcamp.com

This is the camp that we, at St. Dunstan,  have taken our youth group to for the past ten or so years. I will be the camp manager here in Hartford. This camp continues to be a fantastic opportunity to have our teens serve in various communities; the camp also provides a great night time program full of praise and worship and faith-building activities.

I need to find 40 + worksites in the Greater Hartford area so that I can place the teens and adults in the community to serve. We will do anything from house rehabilitation, (painting, not like the Property Brothers or anything), child care, elder care, meal centers, pantries, soup kitchens, VBS’s, anything. 

Contact:
Gina Raymond
St. Dunstan, Youth Minister
St. Mary Simsbury, Math Teacher


‘Deny yourself’ so that Christ is followed. ‘Discipline the body;’ do not cling to enticements; love fasting. Relieve the lot of the poor, ‘cloth the naked, visit the sick,’ bury the dead. Come to the aid of the person in trouble; console the afflicted.

-- Rule of Saint Benedict 4.10-19 (from the chapter on the tools of good works)

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TONIGHT: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena (9 Wednesdays)

The novena is prayed in the context of an Eucharistic holy hour with various preachers.

Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 355 Foxon Road, East Haven
Info: 203-469-0764

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Theology on Tap: “Finding the Church (by the scenic route…)”
Thursday, March 5, 7:00 p.m.
@ Backstage, 84 Main Street, Torrington

Guest speaker: Nicole Stacy (from the Family Institute of CT)

Sponsored by the Torrington Cluster of Roman Catholic Parishes
Info: theologytaptorrington@gmail.com

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Stolen Lives: A Gospel Response to Human Trafficking

Join us on Saturday, March 7, for an informative and eye-opening workshop, "Stolen Lives: A Gospel Response to Human Trafficking," at St. James Church, 767 Elm Street, Rocky Hill. Featuring two local trafficking specialists, William Rivera, Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Immigration Practice for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and Alicia Kinsman, Managing Attorney for the legal immigration program at the International Institute of Connecticut, the workshop will focus on the current human trafficking crisis within the state of Connecticut, in our own local towns and cities.

Learn more about how to recognize the signs of children at risk, and what YOU can do to aid in the fight against Human Trafficking.

The FREE workshop will run from 9 am - 12 noon (registration at 8:30) and is open to all. To register call OCSJM at (203) 777-7279 or send an email to info.ocsjm@aohct.org.

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A Creighton Fertility Care Practitioner training will be held from May 2-9, 2015 in Darien, CT at the Guesthouse of the Sisters of St. Birgitta. 

Suitable applicants include nurses, physicians, and pro lifers interested in teaching a method of Natural Family Planning that has medical applications for infertility and gynecology issues (medical background not necessary, but a plus).  Auditors are welcome as well to understand how this program can be marketed in their communities.

Space is available too for those looking for a private retreat in the company of an inspirational group of pro lifers...

For more information: Dorothy Dugandzic, CFCP; Tel: 718-842-2598 or email: ourladyfertilitycare@gmail.com

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The parish mission is being preached by Father Jordan Lenaghan this year. He will help answer these and other questions of a lived faith. Father Jordan will be preaching a three-day parish mission on the Eight Beatitudes. Our parish mission is three days in three locations at 7:00 p.m.:

Sunday, March 22, at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, East Haven
Monday, March 23, at Saint Monica’s Church, Northford
Tuesday, March 24, at Saint Augustine’s Church, North Branford.

Priests will be available for confession on Tuesday night. Please join us for this great time of prayer.

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To benefit the Franciscan Life Center, outpatient mental health, and Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care, home health care and hospice care services.

Sunday Dinner at Avanti Restaurant
Sunday, April 12, 2015
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
34 River Road
Meriden, Connecticut 06451

Reservations required: 203-440-9990; www.flcenter.org or call 203-237-8084

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Franciscan Life Center Educational Opportunities presented by Thomas Finn, Ph.D.
Parenting Classes - March 16 and 23, 2015, for parents with children 13 years of age and younger, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  Cost $40.00/person or $60.00/couple. 
Anxiety Workshops - April 7, 14, 21, 28 and May 5 and 19, 2015, offering tools to help overcome fear and to relieve stress, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  Cost:  $40.00/session.
Helping Children Overcome Anxiety – April 18, 2015, a day-long program offering children and parents the tools for managing anxiety effectively.  Dr. Finn will incorporate problem-solving techniques including high and low ropes course elements.  Cost:  $120.00/family. 

For specific details or to register visit www.flcenter.org or call 203-237-8084.
Franciscan Life Center, 271 Finch Avenue, Meriden, CT 06451

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Answering the Call: Service & Charity in the Civil War 
March 14 ‐ Sept. 20, 2015 
K of C Museum exhibit looks at ministry & medical care in Civil War 
The Knights of Columbus Museum marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s end with an exhibition profiling various military and civilian support figures during the four‐ year conflict (1861‐1865). Answering the Call opens March 14, 2015 with a focus on religious ministry and medical care for soldiers, as well as a history of the 9th Connecticut, a volunteer infantry regiment whose members were predominantly of Irish ancestry, many of whom were from New Haven. 
The exhibition is on view through Sept. 20, 2015 and includes: 
A Civil War timeline 
Civil War uniform and swords 
More than 150 images, from period photography to modern artwork 
Interactive displays with biographies, monuments, battle stories and a quiz 
Letters from the battlefield 
A reproduction shelter tent and chapel
The museum is located at 1 State Street in New Haven and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with free admission and on‐site parking. For more information call 203‐865‐0400 or visit kofcmuseum.org


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Contributor: Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA
Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect with Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"

**Paul is the Catholic Events Contributor for Connecticut Catholic Corner**

Philippine Bishops supporting gay rights- in a roundabout way?

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The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has voiced its support for an “anti-discrimination” law to not treat lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as “second-class” citizens.  But what “rights” exactly are the Bishops supporting for LGBT people so they no longer feel like they are being treated as second class citizens? 

Tell me I'm wrong, but it looks to me that the CBCP is supporting gay rights in a roundabout way...


Quote: “MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said it supports a proposed anti-discrimination law as long as it rejects second-class treatment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.  The CBCP, however, said it cannot encourage choosing one's gender and performing homosexual acts, among other things. It explained that gender and sexuality “must be counted as God’s gift.” The CBCP also asserted its “exclusive right” to choose priests “even on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.”
“Insofar as the proposed piece of legislation renders illegitimate the relegation of persons with sexual orientation and gender identity issues to citizens of a lower category enjoying fewer rights, the CBCP cannot but lend its support to this proposed legislative measure,” CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement Tuesday, March 3.
Villegas said an anti-discrimination law is a “gesture of charity” if discrimination means “that certain individuals, because of sexual orientation or gender identity, are systematically denied fundamental human rights.”  He then urged priests to care for all, including the LGBT community, and warned parents against imbuing in children “the loathing and disgust” for the LGBT. He instructed Catholic schools, for their part, to implement a “zero-tolerance” policy against “the bullying and badgering of persons in such personal situations.”
Villegas explained that treating the members of the LGBT community as outcasts “certainly does not conform to Pope Francis’ vision of the Churchas the sacrament of divine mercy and compassion.”
“Persons with homosexual orientation are sons and daughters of God; no less than any of us is. Discrimination against them is contrary to the Gospel spirit. Verbal and physical violence against them is an offense against the good Lord Himself,” the archbishop said.  Villegas issued this statement as the anti-discrimination bill passed the committee level at the House of Representatives on February 11. This means congressmen can begin to debate on the bill in the plenary.
The bill “seeks to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,” the bill's principal author, Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao, said in a statement.” -End quote-

Some interesting wording that I am sure will be seen differently by different people.  Let’s start with “lower category enjoying fewer rights”.  

What “rights” exactly do homosexuals legally need that they don’t already have?  They have the right to live, food, shelter, to work, join the military, own property, go to school, vote, have a career…what rights are they missing that make them feel “discriminated” against?

Oh yes… MARRIAGE!! 


The Bishops here are either being completely naïve or extremely deceptive.  The Philippines is ranked one of THE MOST GAY FRIENDLY places in the WORLD.  Certainly no one is advocating verbal or physical violence against homosexuals and since the Philippines is ranked as one of the top 10 gay friendly places in the entire world, then what "discrimination" are they suffering?  

If the Philippines are so “gay friendly”, then what is the reason for this anti-discrimination law?  What's left?

Marriage.

It’s the only “right” they claim they are lacking.  So this is all about gay marriage and activists [in my opinion] are using the Philippine Bishops to push their gay agenda under the mantle of "charity" and ending "discrimination".

What about Archbishop Villegas’ statement “systematically denied fundamental human rights”?  What’s that supposed to mean?  Are they denied the right to food?  Shelter?  Jobs?  To own property?  To vote?  No, they are not.  They have ALL those rights, just like other citizens.  

What's missing?  Marriage. 

The Vatican has made it quite clear the Church can not and will not recognize any gay unions.



So once more I ask, what “fundamental human right” is the CBCP talking about, that homosexuals currently don’t have in the Philippines if not marriage which the Church cannot and will not support?  

And what's that last crack about treating LGBT's like "outcasts" [who exactly is doing that and how will this law change it?] and Pope Francis' view for the Church?  How are they being treated like "outcasts" in one of the most gay friendly places in the entire world?


I wish Archbishop Villegas would have specified exactly what he was talking about.


In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner






I am against the death penalty...

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But not for the reasons I’ve seen given so far by the National Catholic Register or the Bishops.

The National Catholic Registersays:

“The practice is abhorrent and unnecessary. It is also insanely expensive, as court battles soak up resources better deployed in preventing crime in the first place and working toward restorative justice for those who commit less heinous crimes.

I don’t think the “practice” of the death penalty is any more “abhorrent” today than it was in Biblical times when God ordered the punishment for certain crimes a person did to be stoned to death (Lev.20).  I do believe it is “unnecessary” as we have prisons and if need be are capable of building new prisons that would employ more people (a bonus for the unemployed!).  

The last part of the National Catholic Register's statement “working toward restorative justice for those who commit less heinous crimes” is COMPLETELY unnecessary as “less heinous crimes” are not given the penalty of death.

The Bishops are opposed because:

“... The use of the death penalty devalues human life and diminishes respect for human dignity. We bishops continue to say: We cannot teach killing is wrong by killing.”[Archbishop Wenski]

I 100% completely DISAGREE with this statement from
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, of Miami because it directly opposes what God in Sacred Scriptures says about the death penalty.  If God can teach the difference between killing and murder (there is a difference) then those of us able minded enough should be able to understand the distinction God makes in Sacred Scripture.  Otherwise, Archbishop Wenski must believe God was ordering the Jews to sin when He told them to dole out the death penalty for certain crimes/sins (Lev.20).  Is that what the Archbishop believes?  I don’t.

I have one reason and one reason only for being against the death penalty.

I believe Jesus loves us all and wants every soul- even heinous murderers to have every moment available in their natural lifetime to REPENT from what they have done, so their souls will not be lost for eternity in hell

He died for ALL our sins, so we could repent of any and all sin and be saved.  There is no sin so great that we can't repent and be forgiven by our merciful Lord.

What would have happened to Moses had he been killed after he committed murder (Ex.2)?
 
11” One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and saw their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsfolk. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.But Moses fled from Pharaoh. He settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well.” 

What about Saul/Paul persecuting early Christians and helping to bring them to death (Acts 8:1)?

Acts 8:1  "And Saul approved of their killing him [Stephen].  That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison."

We’d never have seen what their repentance produced for God and for themselves!

Imagine no Moses and no Saint Paul.

I’m not suggesting that all the murderous criminals in prison with death sentences are going to turn out like Moses or Saint Paul, but they COULD save their souls if they had time to repent.  It might take a life sentence in prison for a person to finally feel remorse for what they’ve done and repent of that terrible crime/sin. 


"[urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all.  On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls - no one have I excluded!" (1182) --St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul


Because I believe with all my heart that Jesus truly does not want a SINGLE SOUL lost to Satan, I am against the death penalty.  I want every person to have a long natural life so that they have all the time necessary to repent before their natural death.  A lost soul is a heartache to our Lord.
 
The devil had the criminals in his hands during their life of heinous crimes and sins, nothing would infuriate the devil more than to have that person repent and turn to God for repentance finding salvation for eternity in God’s mercy.  The rejoicing in Heaven on that day!

Luke 15:10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

We should lock up dangerous criminals for life in prison, give them HARD LABOR and LONG HOURS in wretched weather doing it!   I don’t think the old ‘chain gangs’ were inhumane and I would support that over the death penalty any day. 

Outside of all that, I trust that God will give these people a just punishment for their crimes either in purgatory if they repent or final judgment in hell if they don’t.  Knowing that some people may take years to first admit their crimes/sins and then more time to feel remorse and finally to truly repent before their natural death.  I want them to have that time- for the sake of their soul and for the love of God who must feel tremendous pain when a soul goes to hell.

I don’t want the devil to win any souls for hell, I want souls for Christ in Heaven for all eternity.  

It’s that simple for me.

'That your enemies have been created is God's doing; that they hate you and wish to ruin you is their own doing. What should you say about them in your mind? "Lord be merciful to them, forgive them their sins, put the fear of God in them, change them!"You are loving in them not what they are, but what you would have them to become.' -St. Augustine


In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner






EWTN Press Release: St. Patrick's Day

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:
Watch “Patrick’s Peak” on EWTN

     22-mile pilgrimage to the mountain where the saint fasted for 40 days

   IRONDALE, AL— Instead of going to the pub this St. Patrick’s Day, why not take a pilgrimage?

   On March 17, EWTN will air “Patrick’s Peak: An Irish Pilgrimage”! Journey with Host Bob Dolan as he follows St. Patrick's footsteps in the “Tochar Padraig” walk, a pilgrimage on Ireland’s west coast from the 800-year old Ballintubber Abbey to Croagh Patrick (St Patrick’s Mountain) 22 miles away, where St Patrick fasted for 40 days.

  Witness the majestic Irish landscape and learn some fascinating facts about Croagh Patrick from Irish natives. You will also have a chance to meet some interesting people along the way, including a Franciscan brother who has climbed the mountain countless times. Learn how a pilgrimage is more than just a long walk but a prayer, a sacrifice and an opportunity for us to use the scenery, the solitude, the peace and the quiet to reflect on where we are on our journey, to recommit to where we are going, and to grow closer to Christ. 

  “Patrick’s Peak: An Irish Pilgrimage” airs 1 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 17.


   EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.




Accepting the sins of the sinner

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Over at the deceptively entitled “National Catholic Reporter” another garbage filled article has been posted about a Catholic *cough* parish that is likely “the gayest Catholic parish in the nation” because 80% of its parishioners are LGBT people.   

Fr. Jack McClure takes the Nativity story of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter to give birth to Jesus and compares it with homosexuals and transvestites being “accepted” (you’ll see that word over and over again) by Catholic parishes with a “no questions asked” policy. In other words, the homosexual relationships are a don’t ask, don’t tell policy in this *Catholic* parish.  

No need to repent.  No need to confess that mortal sin.  This parish and its priests either don’t believe homosexual acts are indeed sin so they don’t preach the need to repent and turn from that sin OR they wish to change Church teaching on the sin of homosexual acts thus having nothing to repent of.  Personally, from reading this nonsense I believe it’s a bit of both. 

Quote:  “The Mass has an intimacy lasting less than a half hour, punctuated by McClure's homily. Coming two days after Christmas, he references the Nativity story and Mary and Joseph's search for shelter.
"Everyone needs shelter; everyone needs a protective environment," McClure notes, adding this is precisely what Most Holy Redeemer attempts to do -- provide shelter. He talks about the need to maintain an open and accepting parish."And just as our parish is an accepting parish," he adds, "each of us needs to be accepting people. But sometimes the most difficult thing about being acceptingis accepting ourselves."His words, hardly idle, seem to have special application to those gathered for the liturgy. They listen intently. A few nod.Most Holy Redeemer Parish has earned a reputation locally -- and beyond -- for being a distinctly open and accepting parish. It actively welcomes everyone, no questions asked.The parish motto is "God's inclusive love proclaimed here." A banner hanging above two large doors that open up into the church is inscribed with these words.But this isn't what makes Most Holy Redeemer, or "MHR," as the locals call it, one of the nation's most distinctive parishes. The parish has the reputation of likely being the "gayest" Catholic parish in the nation. Eighty percent of its parishioners are LGBT people.” –end quote-

Notice how often this priest talks about “accepting” the sinners with their sins and not a peep about repenting or the warning that to die in mortal sin means eternal damnation?
Not a peep.  You'd think (hope and pray) that a priest would be most concerned with saving souls, but not this priest and not this parish.
Let's just be “accepting” and “welcoming”.
I’m sure the devil is accepting and welcoming of these sinners too. 
While Jesus wants the sinner to repent and turn from sin, Satan wants the sinner to stay in his/her sin.
Christ's holy priests tell people to confess their sins and repent.  Satan's unholy priests tell the people they are welcome and accepted in their sin.
Now the article goes on, to of course end with the now infamous destructive words of our dear off the cuff, make a mess Pope Francis…
Quote:  “The Catholic institutional church standoff against LGBT people and their supporters and, in turn, their views toward Catholicism, held steady for a decade or more -- until July 29, 2013. That was the day Pope Francis, not yet four months into his pontificate, answered a reporter's question about gay priests in the Vatican, saying: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?"
Francis' words quickly defined his pontificate as one that would be less judgmental and more focused on the mercy of God. His humility and pastoral outreach stirred countless millions of Catholics, but landed perhaps most welcomingly among LGBT Catholics.” –end quote-

Ahh yes…and there it is again… the “who am I to judge?” get-out-of-jail for free card used by homosexuals and liberals the world over.  That card apparently works with Pope Francis, but I seriously doubt it will work with Almighty God on Judgement Day.


***An Addition: Please read what Traditional Priest Fr. Peter Carota recently posted about Hell, who is there (oh you failing bad priests pay attention!), will be there and the sins that send you there all from our Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary.

link:  http://www.traditionalcatholicpriest.com/2015/03/16/mary-tells-saint-veronica-giuliani-about-hell/


In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Here is the source, but I do NOT recommend reading the utter garbage poured out daily over there:

 If you do, you'll need this:





The intolerance of the self-proclaimed tolerant crowd

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By now, everyone has heard and possibly seen on Twitter and/or Instagram the #boycottdolcegabbanaor the #boycotteltonjohn debacle by the, oh-so-tolerant liberal gay rights crowd but if you haven’t, here’s a quick recap…[links to all sources used below]

Gay fashion designers and ex-lovers Dolce & Gabbana gave an interview recently that didn’t sit well with other gays like Sir Elton John because Gabbana dared to share his personal opinion that IVF is not how families should be created and that children should have both a mother and a father. 

Oh the horror!!  A gay man who supports a man+woman=baby=family point of view!

Gabbana made it clear he opposed using “chemistry” to make “synthetic children” or to “rent a womb”.  

Here is the [poor] Google translation of the article:




This was just too much for poor old Sir Elton John and his gay lover who have children they are raising together as a “family”.  So distraught was old Sir Elton that he got on social media sending up a war cry against the entire Dolce & Gabbana fashion franchise. 





They must be stopped!! 

They must be made to pay for having an opinion that differs from old Sir Elton!

After Sir Elton John blew his stack asking everyone to boycott Dolce & Gabbana products, others joined in because of course no one, absolutely no one is allowed to have a different opinion than the liberal left.  




If you dare to have an individual thought or opinion that isn’t approved by the Left, you are boycotted instantly for such an infraction against progressivism.

Gabbana fires back at the hypocritical intolerance of Elton John and his groupies on Instragram...



Sir Elton apparently was all talk and no action or he got Gabbana's message loud and clear, because just a few days later he was seen shopping carrying a Dolce & Gabbana bag!





If you don’t tote the line with gay activists and liberals they are like a feeding frenzy turning even on their own.  Remember that the next time you hear one of them speak of “tolerance” or being “accepting” of other people for who they are or having their own opinions.  

These people speak with forked tongues.



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner





EWTN Press Release: Pope Francis & EWTN's Friars Mass this Easter

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Join Pope Francis & EWTN’s Friars
For Mass & Devotions This Easter

IRONDALE, AL—Easter, the holiest day of the year, is only a few weeks away. What a great opportunity to share the Good News of EWTN’s upcoming programming to new converts & “cradle” Catholics alike! From Irondale, Ala. to Washington, D.C., and Vatican City, join EWTN for Mass, Vigils, special messages and more! Here’s a sneak peek:

EASTER VIGIL MASS FROM ROME: With Pope Francis. Airs 2:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 4 with an encore at 12 a.m. ET, Sunday, April 5.

EASTER VIGIL MASS FROM BNSIC:From the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Airs 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 4.

SOLEMN MASS OF EASTER FROM ROME:Live from St. Peter's Basilica with Pope Francis. Airs 4 a.m. ET with an encore at 7 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 5.

URBI ET ORBI: EASTER MESSAGE AND BLESSING: Pope Francis delivers his traditional Easter blessing to the world, live from St. Peter's Square. Airs 6 a.m. ET, with an encore at 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 5.

SOLEMN MASS OF EASTER SUNDAY-EWTN:The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word celebrate from Our Lady of Angels Chapel in Irondale, Ala. Airs 8 a.m. ET, Sunday, April 5 with an encore at 12 a.m. ET, Monday, April 6.

EASTER SUNDAY MASS (BNSIC):Live from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Airs 12 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 5.

Also, tune in on Easter Sunday for additional special programming! See our Program schedule at http://ow.ly/JWvdE.

All of us at EWTN wish you a blessed and holy Easter!


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.



EWTN Press Release: EWTN Partners with Habitat for Humanity

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EWTN To Partner With 
Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham
For 2015 ‘Pope Francis Build’

‘EWTN Service Day’ Friday, March 27


            Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network will participate in Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham’s “2015 Pope Francis Home Build.” As part of its support of the home build for a local family, the Network will provide Habitat with a team of volunteers for “EWTN Service Day” on Friday, March 27.
            “Throughout our history, EWTN has always tried to give something back to the Birmingham area, which has been so supportive of Mother Angelica and the mission of the Network. EWTN was pleased to accept Habitat for Humanity’s invitation to participate in its 2015 Pope Francis Build,” said EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “EWTN employees participated in the 2011 clean-up after a series of tornados devastated our area. We are looking forward to assisting in the build of this home along with people from churches throughout the Greater Birmingham area.
            “This is proving to be very popular with our employees, many of whom have homebuilding skills, although Habitat does not require that of its volunteers,” Warsaw continued. “We are scheduling employees in shifts to accommodate everyone who wants to help!”
            The Pope Francis Build was initiated by an anonymous donor at a number of Habitat’s across the country to honor Pope Francis for his commitment to the poor, to provide a unifying celebratory opportunity for both Catholics and non-Catholic volunteers to work towards a common goal, and to further Habitat’s mission of building and preserving homes.
         
           EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.



Cardinal Dolan's thug

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A closer look at what happened to Michael Voris at the St. Patrick's Day parade when Voris asked scandal loving Cardinal Dolan a simple question (which he dodged).


Now a close up photo image of the unknown man who hustled Voris away from the Cardinal.

And a closer look at what it says on his coat...




Looks to me like it says "POLICE".

My guess... Voris is right that scandalous Cardinal Dolan whined to Joseph Zwilling (green cap) who in turned whined to the police officer probably saying something like "These press people are harassing the Cardinal" or some such nonsense.

What does this prove?  Nothing we didn't already know.

Cardinal Dolan is an IMMENSE failure as a Cardinal and a scandalous whining spineless one at that.


Pray for him, he needs all the prayers he can get.



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



Link: http://www.churchmilitant.tv/scripts/vort-2015-03-20.pdf

image: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/st-patrick-day-parade-draws-thousands-not-pols-article-1.2152295

Virgin Mary in a condom art

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Once more "art" has become a blasphemous act, insulting and upsetting Catholics and other Christians when a young "artist" decided to place a statue of Mary, the Holy Virgin Mother of God inside a condom.

"Virgin in a Condom formed part of an exhibition of Young British Artists, the "brat pack" of rising talent championed by advertising magnate Charles Saatchi, and whose most famous member was Damien Hirst.
Artist Tania Kovat used her rubber-sheathed Madonna to air concerns about the Catholic Church's treatment of sexuality, contraception and abortion, Te Papa chief executive Cheryll Sotheran said at the time."

What is wrong with people?  How can someone see "art" in placing a condom on ANY religious figure?  This reminds me of the sick "art" of placing a crucifix in a jar of urine.  Or the "artist"who rubbed his naked body against a crucifix and called it "art".

These people are sick.

Quote: "An artwork barely bigger than a communion wafer provoked outrage and violence a month after Te Papa opened its doors in 1998.
Virgin in a Condom, a sculpture just 7.5 centimetres high, divided Wellington for a turbulent six weeks, during which time seven people were arrested for violent protests.
Catholic activists saw the artwork as a grave insult to their faith, and applied for a court injunction to have the work removed. A determined few tried more direct methods, with one man kicking the statue in its perspex case to the ground the first day it went on display, while another attacked it with a metal bolt, and a third assaulted a Te Papa worker.
Wellington woman Amanda Sutherland told The Dominion that Te Papa made a mockery of its name by refusing to remove the "desecrated" Virgin."

The image I refuse to share here.  

It is indeed a desecration to the Holy Mother of God Incarnate.

Cheers to the Catholics who refused to be silent and for those demanding Pope Francis actually do something to the Bishops who once more failed to teach traditional Catholicism:

"The next week 80 Catholics sang hymns and prayed while thrash metal band Sadius Fiend drowned them out, with Te Papa's approval. A group of men dressed as nuns, calling themselves the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, handed out condoms.
The two groups were separated by barricades but a Catholic threw three punches unsuccessfully at the other side.
More arrests ensued, including a singer for obscene language, and a man who spat at a female Catholic protester and made "satanic hand gestures".
Politicians waded in on the debate, with National MP John Banks calling for solicitor-general John McGrath to prosecute Te Papa under a blasphemy section of the Crimes Act. McGrath refused.
Protest group Catholic Action spent $30,000 on full-page newspaper advertisements demanding the Pope sack New Zealand's 10 bishops for not pushing traditional Catholic teachings. A league of Catholic groups gathered 33,000 signatures by April demanding the show be canned, and Catholic organisations wrote to Cultural Affairs Minister Simon Upton, calling for Te Papa senior staff to be fired."


If the Pope has done or said anything about this, I have yet to hear about it or see it in the media.

Can you imagine what would have happened if this young "artist" had done the same thing against Islam?  I am guessing that "art" would NEVER have been allowed, but since its Catholic bashing, its open season.

Shame on them and God have mercy on them- they're gonna need it.



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner






Upcoming Catholic Events

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Join us for the 10th annual 
Bi-Lingual Divine Mercy Celebration on Sunday, April 12th, 2015

8:30am Bus departs North Haven (sharp)
10:00 am Rosary 
11:00am Mass
1:00 Healing Service with Br. Paul Miller, SFO
2:30pm Bus departs NJ
3:00pm Divine Mercy Chaplet 
Arrive approximately 5:00pm North Haven

Cost:  $30.00 pp (transportation and gratuity) 
Lite snacks will be available.  A brown bag lunch is recommended.  There will be time to venerate the lst class relic of St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy Icon. 

For more information or to reserve your seat, please call Barbara 203 605-9845 or visit our website www.centerofdivinemercy.com

***Please note:  due to transportation limitations, the bus available CAN NOT accommodate persons with wheelchairs.  


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The Relics of the Passion will be exhibited on Tuesday March 24, 2015 at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church 150 Main Street Hartford Connecticut at 7:00 pm.

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A concert in contemplation of Our Lord's Passion, Saturday, March 28, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

Legion of Christ College, 475 Oak Avenue, Cheshire, CT

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The Stations of the Cross will take place at the Shrine of Lourdes in Litchfield, 50 Montfort Rd., Rte. 118, Litchfield, CT 06759 on Good Friday, April 3, at 11:00am, 12:15pm, & 3:00pm.

++++

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War’s end, the Knights of Columbus Museum is sponsoring an historical exhibition and lecture series.

The exhibit, Answering the Call, opens March 14, 2015, with a focus on religious ministry and medical care for soldiers. It also includes a history of the 9th Connecticut, a volunteer infantry regiment whose members were predominantly of Irish ancestry, many of whom were from New Haven. 

The initial presentation in the lecture series will be Religion, Service, and the Meaning of the American Civil War, by Dr. Matthew Warshauer, a professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, Saturday, March 21, at 2 p.m.

The author of four books, Dr. Warshauer specializes in 19th century political and constitutional history. His book Connecticut in the American Civil War: Slavery, Sacrifice, and Survival (2011), gives an account of the state’s often turbulent Civil War history. He also edited Inside Connecticut in the Civil War: Essays on One State’s Struggles, a book written by his graduate students.

Dr. Warshauer serves as co-chair of the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission. His scholarship and work as a historian was recognized by the New England History Teacher’s Association with its 2012 Kidger Award and the Association for the Study of Connecticut History’s 2012 Bruce Fraser Award.

The exhibition and lecture are free and open to the public.
The Knights of Columbus Museum is located at 1 State Street in New Haven and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information or a schedule of future presentations call 203-865-0400 or visit kofcmuseum.org.


++++
Contributor: Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA
Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect wit Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"


**Paul is the Catholic Events Contributor for Connecticut Catholic Corner**

I didn't know Pope Francis had a sense of humor

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This made me laugh...

"The Pope had taken the vial with the blood of St. Gennaro - displayed on the altar - in his hands and kissed it. Cardinal Sepe said over the microphone: “It is the sign that St. Gennaro loves Pope Francis: half of the blood turned to liquid.” The pronouncement was followed by a long applause from faithful. The Pope then replied: “If only half of it liquefied that means we still have work to do; we have to do better.We have only half of the saint’s love.” But the blood continued to liquefy until the whole relic had turned to liquid, with many faithful crying out as they witnessed this."

I'm not sure if Pope Francis' quick wit quip is correct about having "half of the saints love" or if perhaps the Saint just approved of the speech he gave:

"Prior to this, the Pope had set aside his written speech and continued off the cuff, describing some personal experiences he had had and encouraging faithful to worship and love the Church (“you cannot love Jesus without loving his Church”) and show apostolic zeal (“The Church exists in order to bring Jesus” to people, he stressed). “We need to start from Jesus and Mary, the Pope urged, before going on to condemn wheeling and dealing in the Church, the “terrorism of gossip” and the attachment to money displayed by some priests and religious. “Wheeling and dealing” in the Church is an “ugly” thing."


Who could find fault with any of that?



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



Source: http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-napoli-39932/

One Blogger's obsession with Michael Voris goes too far

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The blogger "Catholic in Brooklyn"does not seem able to discuss much of anything besides Michael Voris (examples here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here - you get the picture).

That of course that is her prerogative but not specifically what I am calling attention to in this post.

Instead, I am commenting on what Catholic in Brooklyn wrote in her comment area of yesterday's post about (of course) Michael Voris.



Mary the author of Catholic in Brooklyn declares on her blog that if you disagree with Voris "he will be the first to tell you" that "you are not a faithful Catholic and probably on your way to hell" -what?  Does anyone actually believe this slander?

She is dead wrong and she's gone too far.

How do I know this?  Because I have and sometimes do disagree with Voris and write about my disagreements on this blog (here and here) yet I am fairly sure from my emails with some of the folks at Church Militant TV that they haven't judged me as an unfaithful Catholic or on my way to hell.

How can 'Catholic in Brooklyn' speak for what Voris believes about those who disagree with him?

Crystal ball gazing?  Reading innards?  Tea leaves?  Runes?  Psychic medium Theresa Caputo?

Inquiring minds want to know.




In Christ


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



Source: http://catholicinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2015/03/michael-voris-faithful-catholic.html







EWTN Press Release: Film about the Christian Genocide in Iraq

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EWTN Documentary Takes You
Behind the Scenes of the Christian Genocide in Iraq


Irondale, AL (EWTN) – As details of genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus began leaking out of Rwanda in 1994, the secular media and Hollywood jumped on the story and dozens of films were made, including the award-winning “Hotel Rwanda.” But who is making a film documenting the “religious cleansing” of hundreds of thousands of Christians in the Middle East? Who is courageous enough to brave the possibility of being beheaded, burned alive or crucified, to bring the world the voices of those Christians whom Muslim extremists have been hunting off the face of the earth?

Enter intrepid Italian filmmaker Elisabetta Valgiusti, who traveled to Erbil in Kurdistan, site of U.S. bombing against ISIS, in late 2014 to film an EWTN Original Documentary, “Voices of the Persecuted: Nineveh’s Christians in Exile.” See the extraordinary results of this investigative journalist’s work at 10 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 1. If you want to know more about what is happening with Christians in the Middle East, do not miss this program.

The documentary will be preceded by a special “EWTN Live” with Bishop Yousif Habash of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Diocese in the U.S. and Canada. (Airs 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 1.)

“[Muslim extremists] are not just displacing, but uprooting the existence of Christianity in the Middle East,” said Bishop Habash said. “They want to exterminate Christians, and nobody is saying anything – not the U.N., organizations, universities.”

During the documentary, you will learn about the fate of the quarter million Christians in Nineveh who miraculously escaped the invading ISIS terrorists on the night of August 6, 2014, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Bishop Habash believes that the slaughter of so many of his countrymen has left no more than 300,000 to 350,000 Christians in the Middle East. Most are living in terrible conditions in Erbil.

The question is: What can be done? Bishop Habash has some answers. To find out more, tune in Wednesday, April 1 at 8 p.m. ET to “EWTN Live” and at 10 p.m. ET for this extraordinary documentary. 

Note: For information on helping with the relief efforts on behalf of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, please visit www.caritas.org and Aid to the Church in Need, http://bit.ly/1DU8P4x. To purchase your copy of “Voices of the Persecuted” to show to your friends, family, and Church groups, please go to http://bit.ly/1HsDCmS


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.



Catholic quote of the day...

Feast of the Annunciation with Fr. Paul Nicholson

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I simply love listening to Fr. Paul Nicholson's homilies and teachings.  He's a wonderful priest, full of love for the Church and graced with a gift to teach the Faith to others.

If you don't know Fr. Nicholson, please visit his website (below) and his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FrPaulNicholson

This years Annunciation homily by Father Paul Nicholson:

Wonderfully said and taught Fr. Paul!

And please don't miss last years 2014 homily "The Most Important Day in History!"- its spectacular!




For more works by Fr. Paul Nicholson go here: http://www.fatherpaulnicholson.com/index.php

Catholic Meme:


:)



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Catholic quote of the day...

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In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Palm Sunday reflection...the last breath of Christ

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No matter how many times you read or hear the scriptures read, there is I think (for most of us) a certain Scripture verse that just hits us every time we read it or hear it.

For me, one such verse was in today's Gospel reading...
                       "Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last."
                    [Here all kneel and pause for a short time.]

Jesus'last breath...

Can you imagine that exact moment?

What do you imagine reading/hearing that?

My first thought is that, THAT final sigh of breath must have been the loudest sound heard at that moment.  I imagine even the wind stopped blowing for a moment at the horror of what had just occurred.  The only sound echoing in everyone's ears is the last breath of Christ crucified.

My second thought is of Mary.  She was the first to hear Jesus take his first breath at birth and now she was witness to his last on the cross at his death.

In that moment, I imagine nothing else could be heard- as if the entire world stood still to hear God Incarnate's last breath escape him.

And then the roar of the curtain being torn from top to bottom, the earthquake ripping across the land must have made a horrible sound- but I bet nothing compared to the sound of Christ's last breath on that cross.  How could it?

No matter how many times I read or hear that verse read it always strikes me with awe and horror and a profound love for our Lord Jesus Christ.



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



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