Free Republic

Prayers please I received this in FReepmail. Please respond to arkady_renko From arkady_renko | 09/09/2005 9:10:07 AM PDT new Can you please start a prayer thread for my nephew, Greg? He developed an aneurysm last Sunday, had brain surgery on Monday and is back in surgery this morning because of leakage and complications. He is a young father of 2 with a wife struggling with MS. They have had a lifetime's worth of trials at a young age. Please pray for Greg! Thanks, A_R

In 1992, the war room of Bill Clinton's presidential campaign had a simple rule for cutting through the complexity of a national political race: "It's the economy, stupid!" The current state of relations between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox churches of the East, although perhaps even more complex than American presidential politics, might similarly be reduced to an analogous catchphrase: "It's the primacy, stupid!" Despite centuries of theological, liturgical and political controversies between East and West, most Orthodox and Catholic observers believe that today those differences could be understood as healthy diversity, rather than motives for schism. At bottom, there...

September 9, 2005Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, priest Psalm: Friday 39 Reading I1 Tm 1:1-2, 12-14 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our saviorand of Christ Jesus our hope,to Timothy, my true child in faith:grace, mercy, and peace from God the Fatherand Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,because he considered me trustworthyin appointing me to the ministry.I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,but I have been mercifully treatedbecause I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.Indeed, the grace of our...

Apolytikion: Second Tone As we celebrate the memory of Thy righteous ancestors, O Lord, through them we beseech Thee to save our souls. Kontakion: Second Tone Now Anna is glad, for from the bonds of barrenness hath she been released; and nourishing the all-pure one, she doth summon all together, that they might praise Him Who from her womb hath bestowed upon mortal men the only pure Mother who hath not known man. Reading: Today, the day following the Nativity of the most holy Theotokos, we celebrate the synaxis of Saints Joachim and Anna, honouring them as her parents. Reading...

TRADITION is making a comeback this Christmas, with Melbourne to include an old-fashioned nativity scene in a $200,000 outlay on festive decorations. Church groups are delighted Melbourne City Council has bowed to protests from Christians and returned Christ to Christmas. Council staff cannot remember another city nativity scene. The council will today announce a major revamp of its Christmas decorations and displays. The 17m Christmas tree will be at Federation Square opposite St Paul's Cathedral. Huge "Merry Christmas" banners will be hung throughout the city. A nativity scene of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Feast of the Epiphany...

September 8, 2005Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Psalm: Thursday 39 Reading IMi 5:1-4a The LORD says:You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,too small to be among the clans of Judah,From you shall come forth for meone who is to be ruler in Israel;Whose origin is from of old,from ancient times.(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the timewhen she who is to give birth has borne,And the rest of his brethren shall returnto the children of Israel.)He shall stand firm and shepherd his flockby the strength of the LORD,in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;And they shall remain,...

THE PROTEVANGELION OF JAMES An Historical Account of the Birth of Christ, and the Perpetual Virgin Mary, His Mother, by James the Lesser, Cousin and Brother of the Lord Jesus, a Chief Apostle and First Bishop of the Christians in Jerusalem. CHAPTER 1. 1. Joachim, rich man, 2. offers to the Lord, 3. but is opposed by Reuben the high-priest, because he has not begotten children in Israel, 6. retires into the wilderness and fasts forty days and forty nights. 1. In the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read there was a certain person called Joachim, who...

Mary was born fifteen years,three months and seventeen days before the birth of Jesus. She was born in a house in which,fourteen years,six months and seventeen days later,the Archangel Gabriel,sent by God,would come and kneel before her and with a bowed head would say, "Hail,full of grace,the Lord is with thee." Mary was three years,two months and thirteen days old when she was presented by her parents to GOD in the Temple. She was fourteen years old when she was espoused to Joseph ANd she was fourteen years,four months and fifteen day old when her espousals to Saint Jpseph were...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Your birth, O Theotokos, brought joy to the whole world, for from you dawned the sun of righteousness, Christ our God. Freeing us from the curse, He gave us His blessings. Abolishing death, He granted us eternal life. Kontakion: Fourth Tone In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life Synaxarion: According to the ancient tradition of...

by J. Mark Christian (posted by Fr. Stephen Freeman)Mark Christian oftens contributes to our conversation at Pontifications as “Palamite.” He offered this reflection on the events in recent days in the wake of Katrina. It is worth a read and our prayers.We live about an hour away from metropolitan New Orleans. Helicopters are presently passing over our home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana – one after the other, some military, some civilian. In the past week, the population of our adopted city has grown by over 100,000. Every main thoroughfare is clogged like a perpetual rush hour. Many of the evacuees...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A top Vatican official said he expects Pope Benedict to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, in late November for a meeting with Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Cardinal Walter Kasper, who coordinates ecumenical dialogue at the Vatican, said Patriarch Bartholomew had issued the invitation the day after the pope's election last April. "I referred this proposal to the pope, who welcomed it with great pleasure. I think Pope Benedict will make the visit to the Orthodox patriarchate on Nov. 30, the feast of St. Andrew," Cardinal Kasper told the Italian Catholic news agency SIR in early...

The Custody Must Be Doubled in the Holy LandThe Christians of Bethlehem and Palestine are in greater and greater danger. The Custodian of the Holy Places accuses the Islamic extremists and the Palestinian Authority, "which is doing little or nothing." Meanwhile, between the Vatican and Israel... ROMA, September 7, 2005 – With harsh and unexpected words, the Custodian of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has called everyone's attention back to the increasing violence and humiliation that the Christians of Cisjordan suffer at the hands of Muslims. He made the remarks to the Jerusalem correspondent of the "Corriere della Sera,"...

REHNQUIST-CATHEDRAL Sep-6-2005 (570 words) xxxn Lutheran's funeral in Catholic cathedral unusual, but permitted By Patricia ZaporCatholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The announcement that the funeral of Chief Justice William Rehnquist would be held at Washington's St. Matthew Cathedral raised questions about the ecumenical provisions allowing a Lutheran funeral in a Catholic church. After his Sept. 3 death, the funeral for Rehnquist, a Lutheran, was scheduled for the Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Washington. The Sept. 7 funeral was to be a Lutheran service, which is permitted in a Catholic church with the approval of the local bishop, said...

September 7, 2005Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Wednesday 39 Reading ICol 3:1-11 Brothers and sisters:If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ your life appears,then you too will appear with him in glory. Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,and the greed that is idolatry.Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful. Kontakion: Second Tone As we come together on this day, let us acclaim with a great voice Sozon, the true and God-bearing Martyr, the approved athlete of godliness, the divine initiate of grace, the most bountiful bestower of healings; for he...

September 6, 2005Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Tuesday 39 Reading ICol 2:6-15 Brothers and sisters:As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,rooted in him and built upon himand established in the faith as you were taught,abounding in thanksgiving.See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophyaccording to the tradition of men,according to the elemental powers of the worldand not according to Christ. For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,and you share in this fullness in him,who is the head of every principality and power.In him you...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before you crying: "Deliver us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on high! " Kontakion: Second Tone O Michael, who standest altogether radiant before the Trinity together with all the heavenly Hosts, and with them dost cry aloud the song inspired of God: As thou dost pass throughout the earth by God's command and art made wondrous with...

September 5, 2005Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Monday 39 Reading ICol 1:24–2:3 Brothers and sisters:I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,and in my flesh I am filling upwhat is lacking in the afflictions of Christon behalf of his Body, which is the Church,of which I am a ministerin accordance with God’s stewardship given to meto bring to completion for you the word of God,the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,to whom God chose to make known the riches of the gloryof this mystery among...

<p>COLLECT --  May Thy grace, we beseech Thee, O Lord, ever go before us and follow us: and make us continually to be intent upon good works. Through our Lord . . .</p> <p>Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians.</p>

Baltimore, MD (IOCC) – A disaster response team deployed last Wednesday to Baton Rouge, La. by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is aiding in the efforts being mounted to assist survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Fr. Peter Preble, a Romanian Orthodox priest and qualified emergency first responder from Southbridge, Mass., and IOCC board member Lee Kapetanakis of Houston, Texas are identifying the most urgent needs of the thousands of people displaced by the storm and setting up a logistics and distribution center for aid arriving to that city. The pair has also been joined by Frank Carlin, an IOCC volunteer with...