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Former Scientologist and King of Queens star Leah Remini said she has found “amazing” comfort in returning to the Catholic Church after leaving Scientology two years ago, contrasting Scientology’s abusive policies with Christianity. During an interview with Howard Stern Tuesday morning, the 45-year-old actress said she was so happy to be “reconnecting” to the faith of her childhood.Initially, Stern tried to lump all religions together as equally fanatical, but Remini jumped in, telling the shock jock he was making a big mistake.“I’ve come to the conclusion in my life that all religions are sorta nutty,” Stern said. “And, you know,...

Just 25 guests were present at the baptism today, which saw Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor christened in a private chapel at Windsor Castle, but the couple only released photographs celebrating with their immediate family. In a touching tribute to Harry's mother, Princess Diana's sisters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale were prominent in the official picture. In the second image, which was black and white, Meghan was seen gazing into Harry’s eyes as the proud father looked down at Archie, while placing a hand on his wife’s arm.

Games reach an incredibly diverse set of people across national, linguistic, and social barriers, and that goes for religion, too. Last week, we noted that Ninja was taking meals off-screen out of respect for Ramadan, and it should be little surprise to see religious groups taking up residence inside virtual spaces. One Christian pastor now holds church in VRChat, and that even includes baptisms – no matter how ridiculous a person’s avatar. Pastor D.J. Soto is the subject of a new video from YouTuber Syrmor (via Polygon), and the whole process is equal parts earnest and absurd. Soto describes his...

Jesus Does Not Go into the Water Alone; He Takes Us with Him – A Reflection on the Baptism of the Lord Msgr. Charles Pope • January 12, 2019 • Baptism of Christ – Piero Della Francesca (1450) This Sunday’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is a time to reflect on not only the Lord’s Baptism but our own. In an extended sense, when Christ is baptized, so are we, for we are members of His Body. As Christ enters the water, He makes holy the water that will baptize us. He enters the water and we follow....

January 13 2019 The Baptism of the Lord Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,...

UNITED KINGDOM, December 11, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – While the Church of England – the largest Christian denomination in the United Kingdom – is stopping short of calling its newly instituted blessing for “transgenders” a second baptism, priests are being directed to offer baptism-style ceremonies for those announcing their new sexual identity. In a newly issued pastoral guidance, clergy are being told to call men by their new female names, and women by their new male names. The guidance declares, “For a trans person to be addressed liturgically by the minister for the first time by their chosen name may be...

Join Freepers throughout the world to pray for PRESIDENT TRUMP and VICE-PRESIDENT PENCE and for AMERICA: All Levels of Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, Health Care Systems and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. —1 John 5:14 Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. Please join us in prayer today for mercy and healing for our nation.

Franklin Graham and other evangelists are praising the godly change in a former neo-Nazi and KKK grand dragon who was recently baptized by a black pastor in Florida. Ken Parker, who just a year ago was joining other white supremacists at the so-called Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, was recently profiled in a NBC News report that examined the radical change in the man's life. Parker explained his feelings of wanting to protect his race while he was a part of the Ku Klux Klan. But his attitude began to change after he met Pastor William McKinnon III...

Why infant baptism? Practices have shifted for some Christians, but Catholics are with those who hold to infant baptism Msgr. Charles Pope 8/1/2018 Question: Since infant baptism is becoming controversial, why doesn’t the Church abandon the practice or emphasize individualized confirmation for older teens? —Robert Bonsignore,  Brooklyn, N.Y. Answer: I am unaware of any recent controversy about infant baptism in the Church. There have been Protestant groups opposed to infant baptism, but their views stretch back more than 200 years. Ironically today, it is the Baptists and their evangelical offshoots that are most opposed to the practice. But for...

A Reddit user posted video that shows a priest slapping a baby during a baptism. The video, which was also posted on YouTube, has a French title that translates to “A priest slaps an infant during his baptism.” At first, the 43-second video clip shows the priest, who is speaking French, attempting to comfort the crying baby. But when the crying doesn’t stop, the priest slaps the baby in the face. A man and woman, who appear to be the child’s parents, looked shocked by the slap. The woman can be heard saying something to the priest before the man...

LEICESTER, United Kingdom - Baptizing babies is a violation of their human rights, according to the former president of Ireland. Mary McAleese, who served in the largely ceremonial role of president from 1997-2011, also said she would not attend the Aug. 22-26 World Meeting of Families taking place in Dublin. She told the Irish Times the event, which Pope Francis will attend Aug. 25-26, will only serve as a “political rally” for the “reinforcement of orthodoxy.” McAleese told the newspaper that by baptizing children before they have reached the age of reason, the Church is creating “infant conscripts who are...

A crocodile has killed a Protestant pastor who was baptising followers near a lake in southern Ethiopia. Residents and police told BBC Amharic a crocodile leapt from the water during the baptism and attacked him. Pastor Docho died after being bitten on his legs, back and hands. "He baptised the first person and he passed on to another one. All of a sudden, a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor," local resident Ketema Kairo told the BBC.

The honeymoon, as it were, is apparently over. A day after Pope Francis grabbed headlines by pronouncing two flight attendants man and wife while flying 36,000 feet over Chile, the conservative Catholic commentariat on Friday questioned the legitimacy of the impromptu sacrament and warned it could cheapen the church’s marriage preparation down the line. “Do you know what’s a ‘marriage’ ripe for annulment?” tweeted the traditionalist blog Rorate Caeli. “One celebrated apparently on a whim in an airplane whose celebrant cannot even be sure if parties are validly baptized.” For those who missed the news, Francis on Thursday presided over...

January 8, 2018 The Baptism of the Lord Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD:Here is my servant whom I uphold,my chosen one with whom I am pleased,upon whom I have put my spirit;he shall bring forth justice to the nations,not crying out, not shouting,not making his voice heard in the street.a bruised reed he shall not break,and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,until he establishes justice on the earth;the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,I have grasped you by the hand;I formed you, and...

Three Cowboys players were baptized at the team's practice facility Tuesday.On a Tuesday afternoon, the Dallas Cowboys training room pool frequently used to rehabilitate injuries instead served as the venue for lives being transformed. Three Cowboys players – safety Kavon Frazier, linebacker Anthony Hitchens, and linebacker Justin March-Lillard – were baptized at the Cowboys practice facility by the team’s chaplain, Jonathan Evans, who posted the video to his Facebook page. As of Thursday afternoon, the two-minute clip had been viewed more than two million times. “It’s good it’s blowing up,” Frazier said. “It’s getting His name out to a lot...

Kensington Palace told The Tablet that Miss Markle is a Protestant but had not previously been baptised or confirmed. In addition, she will seek to become a British citizen, the palace said. Prince Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Prince Harry is currently fifth in line to the throne and will become sixth in line after the birth of his brother Prince William's third child next year. Ms Markle went to a Catholic school but is not a Catholic. In any case, the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act 2013 removed the law...

Baptism.  Is it required for salvation?  This is a topic that is often glossed over, but when it does come up tends to generate some of the most heated debates.  After all, a topic pertinent to whether or not someone is saved is going to cause some pretty strong friction between Believers.  As with all things, we need to discuss winsomely and lovingly and test everything with Scripture.  I've been on both sides of this debate and two things I've learned are first, baptism is a commanded ordinance and Christians need to immediately obey the command regardless of whether...

Marriage and baptism are not bourgeois rites of passage. We need to make them easierThere are plenty of things for which I thank God: good friends, the health of my children, the glorious tenth anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, the fact that the Detroit Tigers will not be trading their star pitcher Justin Verlander. Another is the fact that my wife and I were never made to attend a Catholic marriage preparation course.If we had been members of a parish where the mind-numbingly dull half-year of expensive weekend retreats had been required, we would have gone through with it, obviously. Offering...

* Church of England suggests offering transgender Christians re-christenings * Move is believed to provoke a furious backlash among some traditionalists* Last year committee said rules that might stop people changing sex should be abolishedThe Church of England yesterday suggested it will offer transgender Christians ‘re-christenings’ with their new names. Vicars cannot re-baptise those who have changed sex but could use existing ‘services of welcome’ to announce a new name before God, the most senior official said. The advice is likely to be endorsed next month by the Church’s parliament, the General Synod. It will ease pressure on Archbishop of...

Thousands of New Catholics to Be Welcomed by Catholic Church in the United States at Easter Vigil April 10, 2017 WASHINGTON—A married couple in their golden years, a couple inspired by their late daughter's legacy, and a salesman who heard Jesus' call to conversion on a stranger's porch, are among the thousands who will be welcomed into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil, April 15, in parishes across the United States. All have participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a process of conversion and study in the Catholic faith for catechumens and candidates coming into full...