Freeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel Thread ~ CARDINAL JOHN J. O’CONNOR ~ September 26, 2010

The Canteen Crew ^ | September 25, 2010 | Serving The Best Troops In The UNIVERSE AND BEYOND!

[Brad’s Gramma]

 

 

 

 

CARDINAL JOHN J. O’CONNOR

Cardinal John J. O’Connor passed away May 3, 2000 at the age of eighty. Much has been said and written about this remarkable man of faith. Most obituaries mentioned that he served as a Navy Chaplain, but failed to mention that at one time he headed all Chaplains in Vietnam, and then later served as Chief of Chaplains with the rank of Rear Admiral. As Cardinal for New York he reached out to people of all faiths and to people who had no faith. He cared for the homeless, AIDS victims, the destitute, as well as influencing the halls of power as a moral voice. When learning of his appointment to New York City, instead of basking in the media attention that attends such an appointment, he disappeared for three weeks to learn Spanish in an immersion program so he could better reach out to New York's Hispanic community.

He possessed a keen, intellectual mind and was able to clearly articulate complicated ideas in a way everyone could understand. He was kind and understanding, but no pushover, and he did not suffer fools gladly. It was said to be no picnic being a staff officer for him when he was Chief. He demanded excellence and he got it. Yet, he was tougher on no one than he was on himself. He routinely slept only four hours, using the other night hours for prayer, study and writing. His influence on the Chaplain Corps and the Navy reaches us to this very day. He forced the Navy to take a hard look at how it was doing on civil rights issues and brought about much-needed reform. We are all beneficiaries of many of the ideas he pushed through to become policy.

He was a remarkable man who deserves our deepest gratitude. This vignette from the life of Cardinal John J. O'Connor tells a lot about who he really was...

Four of the most liberating words that exist are "I’m sorry" and "I forgive." Here is a poignant reminder of how true this really is. . .

JIMMY CAGNEY’S FAREWELL

Jimmy Cagney, the famed actor, left his faith as a young man. His father took ill in a flu epidemic in 1918. He was dying and the family sent for the Priest. He never showed up. This incident remained with young Jimmy, and it was a spiritual roadblock that the actor could not overcome. Mr. Cagney died in 1986. At the funeral Mass in New York City, Cardinal John J. O’Connor (former Chief of Naval Chaplains) stepped forward to give the closing prayer. He then broke with tradition and said these words to Willi Cagney, Jimmy’s 86 year-old wife: "I feel a real obligation to say this. I want to tell you how sorry I am for any incident with an unkind Priest, anything that hurt your husband." Cardinal O'Connor then leaned over and kissed Willi. There was audible sigh in the congregation and many people were weeping, including political dignitaries and Hollywood celebrities.

Chaplain Mitch Schranz

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[oldteen]

Evenin' ML! *hugs*

A most Blessed Lords Day to you!

[Dubya]

Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise You for your Son Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection.

Father we ask this day that You put a shield of protection around each of our military so that they may survive the day and night in a hostile country that is full of people trying to take away the freedom that we as Americans enjoy.

We pray that You keep all American soldiers and their families safe from all harm, Father.

Father, we pray for the families back home. We ask that You keep each family safe and healthy. We pray for the single mom or dad trying to keep the family going.

We pray for strength, wisdom and courage for them as they work, fix meals, clean the house, wash clothes, shuffle the children from one project to another, discipline, pay the bills, keep the house in good repair, keep the vehicles running and the multiple tasks that have to be accomplished to keep things going.

For the families who have lost a loved one, we pray that You would comfort them. There are no words that can be said when a loved one has given their life for their country and for their family's future security. There is nothing to fill the void. All we can ask is that your peace would rest upon them in their time of dismay.

We pray that this war will come to an end. An end that will see freedom rule in Iraq and Afghanistan. We thank You and praise You for the answer to our prayers.

We ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[oldteen]

24F will be the high

We don't normally get that low in winter! (Unless it snows..which is rare).

[The Mayor]

Thank you for our Sunday threads!
God Bless my FRiend.

[Kathy in Alaska]

To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Ya think they finally figured out they need females to add to their population? There are no women. DUH!

[ExTexasRedhead]

Israel needs all our prayers for we have anti-Semites in this Regime and this Congress who side with Israel’s enemies.

[yorkie]

Beautiful, ML! Thank you!

[Brad’s Gramma]

In His Holy Name....AMEN!!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Spare me a neat story that goes along with what you posted...

I had the dog at the vet this week. He gave me a really nice discount. We said our goodbyes, he walked away...and came back.

He said that since he gave me a discount, I have to PROMISE him that I’d donate $XX to someone poor.

Now THAT is a man who is living his faith...

[Brad’s Gramma]

You may COUNT on it...

[Kathy in Alaska]

A Blessed Lord's Day to you and yours, Nana Hope, and thanks for today's Pledge. Thanks, AfghanMan and Penguin Girl, for your service to America.

[The Mayor]

Amen! Pay it forward.

[Dubya]

Encouraging Psalm

Psalm 1 (NIV):

1 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.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Let God direct your path. We do not know how long our country will be in Iraq. Whether or not we got in for the right reasons or because of wrong intelligence, does not matter. We are there.

[AZamericonnie]

LeAnn Rimes~Amazing Grace

[Brad’s Gramma]

I’d be playing with fire if I didn’t...

[oldteen]

G'day, SkyDancer! *hugs*

That graphic adds a whole new meaning to "Hanging Out" :)

[Brad’s Gramma]

Connie...thank you!!! Have a restful and BLESSED Lord’s Day!!

[Jet Jaguar]