I find this very funny. At the last debate Rudy Giuliani was commenting on a letter that Bishop Tobin from Providence wrote about his stand, or lack there of, on abortion. Listen for the cracking in the background and then CNN’s Wolfe Blitzer tells Rudy what it is.
Controversy
So it would seem that my recent posts have caused a stirring in the masses. I think that discussion is good and can bear fruit and we can learn from each other. Questions of faith are not easy to answer, and it would be easy for me to just say that’s what the church teaches and you should believe it or get out, but as a priest I cannot just say that. Priests are called to be teachers of the faith. I believe that what our people need is basic training in the faith and not some flowery Scripture exegesis on the Sunday passages. We are supposed to bring Scripture alive, but if we do not have a clear sense of what we believe and why we believe it then it will not make any sense. Sort of like this blog post right now.
I feel I must preach the truth! Not just my version of the truth but the truth of God’s Church. I have begun to read the Psalms again and meditate on them as I used to do. Psalm 1 has stuck in my craw since Monday and I cannot seem to shake it.
I feel I must preach the truth! Not just my version of the truth but the truth of God’s Church. I have begun to read the Psalms again and meditate on them as I used to do. Psalm 1 has stuck in my craw since Monday and I cannot seem to shake it.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But he delights in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
We need to know and understand what the Church believes and teaches on the issues. We need to be informed about what is going on in the world and how we Christians can influence what is going on. We need to step out in faith and tell society that sometimes they are wrong. We preachers need to start to talk about SIN again and stop trying to be PC about topics. We are called to live the Christian life and not be wishy washy.
Our positions are not always the popular ones, but they are the positions of Christ’s Church. I believe that Christ calls us to a radical way of life and not one in which we just go along with whatever wave society happens to be riding. Perhaps I am wrong and am I popular, not always, but that is not why we are here. If we hold fast to our faith then all will be well, will it be easy, no!
I also feel that sometimes I can get a little snippy. However, good Christian discussion should not degrade into name calling. If we are to have a discussion we need to be able to respect the positions of others. However, if it does not agree with that of Christ’s Church then I will respectfully disagree with you. You are entitled to your opinion but just know that, hopefully, with love I will try and correct you. I have gone on long enough. I welcome your thoughts and opinions even if they differ from mine. Let’s have a thoughtful and prayerful discussion.
Facing East Podcast
Episode #3 of the Podcast is now online. In this episode, Fr. Greg and I discuss the Unification of ROCOR and the Church of Russia and the affects on the Church in the United States.
June 9th ~ St. Baithene
An Irish monk, specially selected by St. Columba as one of the band of missionaries who set sail for Britain in 563. Born in 536, the son of Brenaron, he was an ardent disciple of St. Columba, and was appointed Abbot of Tiree Island, a monastery founded by St. Comgall of Bangor. St. Adamnan, in recording the death of St. Columba, tells us that the dying words of the Apostle of Iona, as he was transcribing the fifty-third Psalm, were: “I must stop here, let Baithen write what follows”. Baithen had been looked on as the most likely successor of St. Columba, and so it happened that on the death of that great apostle, in 596, the monks unanimously confirmed the choice of their founder. St. Baithen was in high esteem as a wise counsellor, and his advice was sought by many Irish saints, including St. Fintan Munnu of Taghmon.
St. Adamnan (Eunan), the biographer of St. Columba, tells many interesting incidents in the life of St. Baithen, but the mere fact of being the immediate successor of St. Columba, by the express wish of that apostle, is almost sufficient to attest his worth. The “Martyrology of Donegal” records the two following anecdotes. When St. Baithen partook of food, before each morsel in invariably recited “Deus in adjutorium meum intende”. Also, “when he worked in the fields, gathering in the corn along with the monks, he used to hold up one hand towards Heaven, beseeching God, while with the other hand he gathered the corn”. St. Baithen of Iona is generally known as Baithen Mor, to distinguish him from eight other saints of the same name — the affix mor meaning “the Great”. He wrote a life of his master, and some Irish poems, which are now lost, but which were seen by St. Adamnan. He only ruled Iona three years, as his death took place in the year 600, though the “Annals of Ulster” give the date as 598. Perhaps the true year may be 599. His feast is celebrated on October 6th. Some writers assert that St. Baithen of Iona is the patron of Ennisboyne, County Wicklow, but this is owing to a confusion with St. Baoithin, or Baithin mac Findech, whose feast is commemorated on 22 May. Another St. Baoithin, son of Cuana, whose feast is on 19 February, is patron of Tibohin, in Elphin.
From Catholic Encyclopedia
A Muslim Friend’s Letter to Slain Father Ragheed
A Muslim Friend’s Letter to Slain Father Ragheed
From Zenit.com
Christian Persecution Follow-Up
As you can see from the comments this has sparked some debate. I mentioned same sex marriage but I have to say that was one example I used and it seems to have got some people mad. The Church teaches that sex outside of marriage, homosexual or heterosexual is a sin. The Church does not recognize same sex marriage ergo sin has taken place. As a priest it is my job to shine the light on sin. But that is not the point of this post. Do I think that same sex marriage is harmful to the institution of marriage no, because I do not recognize it as marriage because the church does not, what I think is harmful to the institution of marriage and families in general is Divorce. Now anonymous be for you get on your high horse and start calling me names again let me say that I do believe that divorce should be allowed, but it should be very rare. If we priests are doing our job and counseling people before marriage then maybe we could avoid this. As fallen people we make mistakes and we sin and we need to make allowance for that but it should be rare and used with great caution.
So I leave you with this thought.
Comments
My post on Christian Persecution has stirred up some comments and I think that is good. However I reserve the right to delete any comment that I find insulting to me or others. If you don’t like that then do not read my blog. Also, although anonymous comments are allowed on this blog, if you leave a comment please leave a name. If you have a point to make, make it and be proud to make it. I stand by everything I say, and my name is on the blog. Have the courage of your convictions and sign your name.
Christian Persecution
I have been silent on this issue this past week but if you have been following the news, not the mainstream news mind you, you would have read about the priest and three deacons killed last Sunday in Iraq. They had just finished the Liturgy and all four were dragged out of their car and killed and then left on the street. We should be outraged by this! Gerald Augustinius over at the Cafeteria is Closed bog has a post about this issue today. He makes the point that when there was an accusation of guards at the jail in Cuba flushing pages of the Koran down the toilet it made the front page, but not this issue. No we cannot speak of Christianity on the news unless it is some scandal.
When will all this end? There was another story on the blogs today (forgive me I can not find it now) about a bishop in Australia who made the statement that if the Catholic legislatures voted for an abortion bill they should not receive communion. Now they are investigating him for making threats to elected officials! When will this end!
When will Christians rise up and say enough is enough? We get laughed at in the mainstream media when we hold to our beliefs. Bishop are told to shut up by priests and lay people when they try and teach what the church believes. What are we to do?
UPDATE: Here is a link to the story.
New Podcast
Episode #3 of the Shepherd of Souls Podcast is now up. You can get informaiton at the Blog Site of the show.