[Slapshot68]

Gorby rocks.

[Red Badger]

It’s never too late.........

[NYer]

Tomb of St. Francis of Assisi

History

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Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[goldstategop]

Mikhail Gorbachev I think is now Russian Orthodox. Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev are both devout Christians. Its a remarkable journey for a man who on the surface was once a committed atheist.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Izzy Dunne]

Criminy - is he going to run for the Dem. nomination, TOO ?

[PGalt]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[sinanju]

He happily renounced christianity in order to join the communist party and in the nineties made obeisance to gaia. Now the shadows are drawing long and he’s no longer a rock star so he’s coming back. Whatever.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Giotto’s fresco of St Francis and St Clair

That's St Clare, Malcolm.

[DManA]

I don’t judge these guys (or anyone) either way. Just remember Anti-Christ will be a very religious person.

[AliVeritas]

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
OF RONALD REAGAN

Paul Kengor has written a good book on a subject no author adequately covered until he took it up: the deep and abiding religious faith of Ronald Reagan. President Reagan’s faith, Kengor shows, permeated every part of his life and therefore played a major role in shaping his views on every subject from abortion and school prayer to foreign affairs and the American vision in history.

This may surprise many. After all, Reagan rarely attended church and made no dramatic professions of his Christianity - or at least none that made TV and entered the memory of the nation. But, as Kengor notes, “Rather than bringing himself to church, President Reagan brought the church to his presidency.”

It was Reagan’s faith that led him to see the Soviet Union as an “evil empire.” And it was his Christian identity, Kengor tells Insight, that gave him the quiet confidence and self-certainty that made him a great leader and earned him the sobriquet “the great communicator.”

Kengor, who is an associate professor of political science at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, shows how early on - and how deeply - regular prayer became a part of Reagan’s life. It remained a part of his life as president too, when he began private prayers before Cabinet meetings. And then there were the prayers with families of Marines who died in battle.

A close associate of Reagan told Kengor that a favorite hymn of the president’s, particularly during his second term, was the familiar one, the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. ...

Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen.”

(I’m sure that close friend was Judge Clark, who did the back and forths to the Vatican back then)

[Always Right]

Now liberals will have to rewrited history and remove all the praise of Gorby. I was amazed at reading a textbook of world history. Gorby got a whole chapter at how he dismantled the Soviet Union, and Reagan was only mention in one short paragraph in the proceeding chapter. Thather did not even rate a mention, and Pope John Paul was given a mention.

[SueRae]

I wish him well. I souldn’t see another politican from the Soviet Union that could have worked with Ronald Reagan as he did. A brave and courageous man.

[Antoninus]

How ironic that as the Russian atheists become Christians, the formerly Christian West rushes to embrace atheism.

May God bless and protect Mr. Gorbachev.

[marshmallow]

A modern day "Nicodemus" story; the man who "came to the Lord by night, for fear of the Jews".

I pray that his journey ends happily in the arms of the good Lord.

God bless Mikhail Gorbachev.

[Revenge of Sith]

Gorbachev did mention God in his farewell address when the Soviet Union dissolved.

[PurpleMan]

Cynicism 101:

So did Clinton #1

So did Clinton #2

So did BHO

So did Huckabee

BTW: The only difference between Gorbachev and other Soviet leaders is that he’s alive.

[Verginius Rufus]

St. Francis of Assisi was never a priest.

[TexasNative2000]

Interesting choice of words in the headline - “admits” - as if one is doing something wrong.

[Romulus]

St Francis, who lived in the 12th century, was a troubadour and a poet before the spiritual vision caused him to return to Assisi and contemplate a religious life.

Even in his early days, St Francis helped the poor, once giving all of his money to a beggar. As well as spending time in the wilderness, he also nursed lepers and eventually became a priest.

Sheesh, the English press and religion -- always shoddy and unreliable. St. Francis did compose songs and poetry, but to paint him as a traveling performer is a total mischaracterisation. Furthermore, Francis never became a priest.

[fatima]

Very nice.There is a trip to Russia in Sept 08 with the Odessa Statue.I can’t make it but all are welcome.:)