McCullogh County Jail (now the Heart of Texas Museum)
No kidding.
Posted on 06/23/2005 2:52:16 PM PDT by murphE
The cornerstone of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral boldly proclaims, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, "My House Shall Be a House of Prayer for All Peoples." We enflesh those words in number of ways.
Since its dedication, an innumerable number of interfaith prayer services have been held in our Cathedral. Last month for example, representatives of the Armenian, Evangelical Christian, Baha'i, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Faiths lead a large congregation of diverse people in an Interfaith Prayer Service commemorating the life of our Late Pope, John Paul II.
Earlier this week, as part of the seventh International Conference on Buddhist Christian Dialogue, representatives of various Buddhist traditions and Catholic, Southern Baptist, and Episcopal clergy gathered in the Cathedral to conduct a Buddhist Christian Prayer Service. An Interfaith Prayer Service is currently being planned to be held at the Cathedral prior to the upcoming inauguration of our new mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.
In addition to such services, the Cathedral has hosted a number of sacred music events, such as choral presentations, organ recitals and performances, reflecting the diversity of faith found in our city. An Interreligious art exhibit, Passion and Passover, recently graced the walls of the side chapels of the Cathedral, featuring the works of Jewish and Christian artists.
The Cathedral has also been made available to members of other faiths in times of civic tragedy, such as the recent funeral for a member of the Airport Police Department who was so tragically killed in an act of violence: a non-Catholic, his funeral service was conducted by a Baptist Minister.
Occasionally we are asked by a single denomination to use the Cathedral. Our Guidelines for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Use of the Cathedral specifically state: "If a particular denomination is celebrating a special moment in its life and history, then the Cathedral may be available for Prayer Services, Vespers or other non-sacramental celebrations" [III.A].
The Guidelines further state: "The use of the Cathedral's altars is reserved for the celebration of the Eucharist by Catholic priests and bishops according to the usages of Catholic Churches, that is, those in communion with the Bishop of Rome" [III.B]. And further: "The celebration of Eucharistic or other sacramental liturgies by other denominations is best reserved to the designated places of worship of those denominations or other appropriate locations" [ibid].
Last Sunday, we were honored to host the Pontifical Divine Liturgy of His Holiness, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at our Cathedral. Why this exception to the above guidelines?
In Unitatis Redintegratio, the Vatican II Degree on Ecumenism, the special position of the Eastern Churches is specifically noted: "These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all --- by apostolic succession --- the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy" [III.14]. This cannot be said of all Christian Churches, but certainly can be said of the Armenian Church.
In light of the conciliar document and the Ecumenical overtures of both our late Pope, John Paul II, and our current Pope, Benedict XVI, to the Eastern Churches, and acknowledging the hospitality extended by Karekin II to John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Armenia, when the Pope celebrated Mass on the altar of the Catholicos' Palace Chapel, we were singularly honored to host that spiritually rich and historic liturgy on our Cathedral altar.
Given the religious diversity of our city, it is fitting that our Cathedral be used both ecumenically and interreligiously, that it truly serve as the spiritual heart of Los Angeles.
That is one aspect of communist ideology and that is the most innocuous aspect of it. That is not the sum of communist ideology or even the primary aspect of communist ideology which is neither dead in the former Soviet Union, China or anywhere else. Therefor one can hardly say the legacy of its "defeat" belongs to anyone.
And now I have to make dinner.
Bon appetit.
As far as Christianity fares in formerly Communist countries, or even in China, there is no comparison with pre-1973.
You know where Communism,-- central planning, dialectical materialism, atheism, and what have you, -- are metastasizing? Three guesses. It ain't Central or Eastern Europe.
What the heck kind of a word is 'enflesh'? Why do these kooks constantly come up with new words that don't mean anything?
Hijacking the language really gets to me... even 'Celebrating the Eucharist' as a euphemism for 'Mass' or the 'Holy Sacrifice of the Mass' drives me bonkers.
How can only Catholics receive the Eucharist when everyone is welcome to 'celebrate the Eucharist'? No wonder 95% of Catholics are confused.
/rant over
I've seen prettier prisons. Perhaps they could sell it to these other faiths and build something more edifying.
No kidding.
You think he'll learn anything?
Yes, on a tape of an interview with Fr. Malachi Martin.
Everything is one big happy happy joy joy celebration in the new civilization of luv. The Cross? Suffering? Reparation? Shhh. No one wants to hear that. It's such a downer.
It was truly a glorious moment: the coordinator, standing with his mouth agape in front of what was clearly a majority-Catholic audience; the monks, all lined up and staring at a man in a black cassock who was now kneeling in front of them, chanting true prayers, having clearly hijacked the event; and the sound... oh... the sound of some 200 Catholics, chanting Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, in a basilica whose acoustics easily make 200 voices sound like 200,000 voices.
I got choked up. Who wouldn't? No sooner had they sung the first few lines, "I believe in one God, the Father almighty," than they had effectively denounced the heresy of Buddhism's polytheism, and filled the air with the reaffirmation of the Truth: there is one God, and He alone is all-powerful.
Arise, O Lord…
We need more priests like Fr. McMahon and men and women who support them and will stand up to the falsehoods and heresy that surrounds us.
If a man is loved and venerated by worldlings its because he is seen as one of their own; the embodiment of all they hold dear. Scripture and Tradition as they are interpreted and taught by the Catholic Church are anathema to the world which hates any mention or suggestion that submitting to Her, and the Pope they "love" so much is in their best interest.
They loved him for the same reasons they loved Princess Di. He was a permanent fixture, in the news alot, offered no resistance to or rejection of any set of beliefs...well, except one...but, in sum, its easy to love a person if that person makes you feel good about who you are. That would all be well and good, the Pope's job isn't seeing to the improvment of self-esteem. It's seeing to the salvation of souls.
The late Pope's legacy also includes defeat of Communist ideology
How can something defeated be metastasizing?
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