Posted on 10/20/2003 9:50:16 AM PDT by presidio9
Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II welcomed hundreds of nuns of the Missionaries of Charity order to the Vatican (news - web sites) on Monday, telling them at a special audience a day after beatifying Mother Teresa that a life of charity was the true life of a Christian.
John Paul again struggled to get through his remarks, slurring his words and occasionally getting lost in his text. But he did greet dozens of prelates and nuns, and gave a particularly warm welcome to Sister Nirmala, the new superior of the order.
"The message of Mother Teresa, now more than ever, appears like an invitation to everyone," John Paul said. "Her entire existence reminds us that being Christian means being witness to charity."
On Sunday, the 83-year-old pope presided over Mother Teresa's beatification ceremony, but was unable to utter a word of his homily — a first for the pope during a major Vatican ceremony. Other prelates read the text, as they did Monday during the audience.
Mother Teresa, the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was particularly beloved by this pope for her life of service to the poor and steadfast adherence to church teaching on opposing contraception and abortion.
"She always spoke out in defense of human life, even when her message was unwelcome," the pope's text said. "Her daily encounters with death, leprosy, AIDS (news - web sites) and every kind of human suffering made her a forceful witness to the gospel of life."
In Calcutta, India, her work went on Monday as nuns and volunteers tended to the dying and destitute at "Nirmal Hriday," or "Holy Heart" — a center that was opened by Mother Teresa.
"The beatification gives us new vigor and zeal because Mother Teresa has been held up as a model of holiness by the Roman Catholic Church," said Sister Christie of the Missionaries of Charity.
"We express all our joy, sorrow, gratefulness through prayer and service. So, it's normal work for us now after a wonderful Sunday," added Sister Paula Marie.
The Roman Catholic Church considers the beatification ceremony the final step before sainthood for the ethnic Albanian nun born in Skopje, now the capital of Macedonia. It allows her to be called the "Blessed Teresa of Calcutta."
About 300,000 people turned out for Sunday's ceremony, one of the largest crowds ever at the Vatican.
As they did on Sunday, the crowd attending Monday's audience applauded whenever John Paul stumbled over his words, encouraging him to continue on.
John Paul suffers from Parkinson's disease (news - web sites), which has made it increasingly difficult for him to speak. He also suffers from hip and knee ailments, which have made it impossible for him to walk or stand.
It has been a particularly grueling few days, and the long ceremonies seem to be taking their toll. John Paul celebrated a Mass marking the 25th anniversary of his pontificate Thursday, and on Tuesday is to install 30 new cardinals — increasing the number of prelates who will choose his successor to 135.
Forgiveness is an act of charity.
Christian charity used to take care of the real poor. Today, there are social leeches, but very few unable to work to support themselves.
Social programs are evil. They hold those with rightous work ethincs in bondage as slaves, and take from them to give to the undeserving sloth.
Bush is trying to bring back charities to eliminate social spending, but the left wing Satanic legions are fighting back. They're fighting to survive. If they lose, they'd have to find a job.
Forgiving someone who has harmed you is an act of charity.
Add up my whole life and it's been little more than the receiving end of charity. In fact, I can scarce think of a moment when I haven't put myself ahead of others. Even the smallest way of helping others seems to escape me on a consistent basis. And even if I did, it would be for the wrong reasons. Yuck.
After the Church's stance on abortion and homosexuality charity is the 3rd reason why the liberal media is fighting an all-out war to discredit the Church. Fourth is private education. Thanks to the media, when most people in this country hear the word "priest," they immediately think "pedophile."
I'm with you.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (Rom. 7:18-19)
Well, sorta, but not really. As Jesus put it:
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."(Matt. 22:37-40)
In what JPII said, loving God is a given. Charity toward your neighbor takes care of everything else.
Well according to Jesus one Commandment is more important than another.
Matt. 22:36-40
[36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Do you think the cheats can't fool you?
I really do think that 99% of the people who get welfare do honestly need it. The other 1% you aren't going to get rid of no matter what you do. Fact of life...
I woud hope that everyone who is able also gives time and money to a favorite charity in addition to paying taxes.
I would also hope that everyone gives even if they don't itemize deductions.
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