Britain names first Catholic ambassador to Vatican since Reformation

CNS via Denver Catholic Register ^ | 30 November 2005

[A.A. Cunningham]

Britain names first Catholic ambassador to Vatican since Reformation

LONDON (CNS) — Britain has appointed its first Catholic ambassador to the Vatican since the Protestant Reformation. The Foreign Office announced in mid-November that it had chosen Francis Campbell, 35, as a replacement for Kathryn Colvin, who retired in September. Campbell will take up his position in December. Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Vatican were restored in 1914 after a break of 350 years, but in 1917 the Foreign Office issued a memorandum saying that Britain’s representative “should not be filled with unreasoning awe of the pope,” and the post has always been filled by a Protestant.

[theFIRMbss]

>when you have the fullness of the Truth...you spend considerably more time concerned with it as opposed to things of this world

Believers Say Virgin Mary Statue Weeps Blood

Tear First Noticed Last Week

POSTED: 9:14 am PST November 23, 2005
UPDATED: 9:18 am PST November 23, 2005

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Believers say a statue of the Virgin Mary outside a California church appears to be crying a drop of blood.

The large, white statue is at the Vietnamese Catholic Church in Sacramento, Calif.

Parishioners first noticed the tear falling from the eye last Wednesday.

By Sunday morning, it had turned dark red.

Hundreds of people are coming to see the statue for themselves. Many say it's a sign from God.

The Archdiocese of Sacramento has been asked to investigate.

[theFIRMbss]

>Not to split hairs but those stats are from 1910 [?!]

Not sure what to say . . .
Here are the more up-to-date
numbers, and their link:

---------------------------------------------------------

Largest Religious Groups in the United States of America

Christians in the US (1990) = 151,225,000

Protestants in the US (53%, 2001) = 80,149,250

Catholics in the US (23%, 2001) = 34,781,750

(Pew Research Council percentages)

[Sam Gamgee]

It makes sense that Protestants outnumber Catholics as America was essentially founded on persecuted protestants fleeing the Roman Catholics and evil Anglican/Episcopalian bishops in England. I'm actually surprised the numbers are that high for Catholics.

[Sam Gamgee]

I don't want to get into a religious battle with Catholics. It is rather pointless. And we probably need to be united at this stage of the game.

But to be honest, I have little in common with Catholicism, and would like to discuss Christianity in more general terms.

I take it the ugliness was over Protestantism vs Catholicism?

[redgolum]

Specifically over relics. It was very nasty

[Sam Gamgee]

Yeah, I won't touch that one with a 10 foot pole. Maybe on a purely Protestant forum, but not here.

[Nihil Obstat]

Not to split hairs again, but those numbers were for adults only. But we get the idea...

Here's the breakdown from the site you referenced. This shows 2004 count for kids and adults.

Catholics: 71,796,719
Baptist: 47,744,049
Meth/Wesln: 19,969,799
Lutheran: 13,520,189
Presbyterian: 7,897,597
Pentecostal/Charismatic: 6,219,569
Episcopalian/Anglican: 4,870,373
Judaism: 3,995,371
LD Saints/Mormon: 3,806,258
Churches of Christ: 3,659,483
Congregational/UCC: 1,944,762
Jehovah's Witnesses: 1,878,431
Assemblies of God: 1,560,890

[Frank Sheed]

Today, December 1st, marks the martyrdom of St. Edmund Campion, British Jesuit, at Tyburn. This then is good news, A.A. I must ping my British colleague, Campion, on the news.

Cheers!
Francis

[Frank Sheed]

Not to worry. We'll convert you, God willing.

FS

[Sam Gamgee]

What is the difference between Anglican and Episcopalian? When I read histories of Reformation and CounterReformation England I hear both Anglican and Episcopalian. Are they one in the same? Or actually 2 seperate congregations?

[Petrosius]

The Episcopal [i.e. the Bishops'] Church it the American branch of the Anglican Communion. The name was changed after the American Revolution; it was not considered wise at the time to be called the Church of England!

[Sam Gamgee]

That does make sense. In Canada, we just have Anglican churches, and I have never heard of such a thing in the US. The fact that some Anglican churches in Canada want to ordain gay ministers makes more sense knowing that it was the Episcopalians that went through the controversy in the US.

Those that refer to the supporters of the Church of England in Cromwell's time as Episcopalians of course got me really confused.

[Nihil Obstat]

I can't help you there, Samwise. I think there is an Anglican ping list and someone from that will know all the nuances for sure.

[Mr. Lucky]

If everyone would simply join the one true church - the Missouri Synod - none of this would be a problem.

[Sam Gamgee]

Is that the Synod of the Lutheran church? My wife was part of the other Synod in Denver.

[theFIRMbss]

>simply join the one true church - the Missouri Synod

Tom sez: "Look into
my eyes: The one true church is
SCIENTOLOGY . . ."

[Mr. Lucky]

The Denver Synod is a subdivision of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Missouri Synod is a self-governing conference in and of itself. The ELCA has, in my opinion, lost it's moorings and is adrift in a sea of touchy-feely modernism. The Missouri Synod is a much more conservative church in theology and discipline.

The two churches are not affiliated.

[Sam Gamgee]

Yes, but we went to a more conservative Lutheran Church here in Canada, and they prevented me from taking Communion since I wasn't baptised a Lutheran. I found that over the top. Are we not all Christians? I can only assume they were the Missouri Synod.

I am sure there is some objection that the Denver Synod has female pastors. To be honest, the church seemed empty and impersonal. Maybe it was the size of the congregation - 3000 people. My wife's Lutheran grandma almost had a heart attack when my wife told her she was going to a non-Lutheran church. I don't understand that sort of spiritual elitism either.

[Sam Gamgee]

I agree that the touchy feely modernism gets me worried. I guess we can err both ways - excessive dogmatism or excessive liberalism.

[Mr. Lucky]

At some point in the mists of far distant history, congregations which are now affiliated with the Missouri Synod and churches which are now affiliated with the ELCA were in communion with one another; they have not been so for some time.

The ELCA may now permit open communion, but the Missouri Synod does not. We believe that our Savior is truly physically present in and with the bread and wine. Most Protestant churches do not share this belief (I don't know what the ELCA believes, as I left that church 30 years or so ago. I wanted to join the Roman Catholic Church, while Mrs. Lucky, then a Methodist forced a compromise).