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"That is why I believe that when they invent a simple, effective pill for males, that girls will convert quickly to abstinence, to regain their power within their relations with the boys."

That is shear genius ansel12. You may be wonderfully and joyfully right. I love that thought.

"every priest I meet nowadays seems more like a nursery school psychologist than a priest to me" ... True it can seem that way. But I really do think most men were a little more manly back then. Heck, now their is body wash for men. Men also were sandals and shorts more now.

But you can meet my brother, the priest, Fr. Anthony at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA. He is one tough guy. Manly as St. Joseph. Go there and meet him. The monks there are very welcoming of guests.

If a person interprets scripture to return to the Catholic Church, is that person condemned by God? Or is there only one interpretation of scripture that must be followed? If it is only one interpretation, which interpretation is the one? How do we catalog and assure that the one interpretation is followed into the future? Who decides about what goes into the one interpretation? Or should all interpretations of scripture lead to that one interpration-Truth? (And if so, how do multiple interpretations lead to that one Truth)?

Thanks for the fine reading and the continued openness to discuss and challenge each other openly to find the Truth.

Go Bishops go! I like it when the truth is the truth, is the truth. Pray for our Bishops. They need us and we need them.

That list is for real? I am so proud of these guys.

Public statements against Jenkin's invite/honor of President Obama:
Cardinal George, Chicago
Bishop John D’Arcy,Fort Wayne-South Bend (ND's Bishop)
Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Phoenix
Bishop Gregory Aymond, Austin
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Houston-Galveston

I do not know of any Bishops who have backed up his decision.

I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would have me!


I was just born there.

C123: "I was not required to confess my sins to a priest in order to be confirmed, and at no time since I have been a full-fledged member of the Church has our priest gotten up and stated that we are required to do this."

Most priests will not venture to say that one needs to go to confession out of the all to human fear of scaring people away.

C123: "He does these communal penance services during Advent and Lent, and gives anyone who comes to this service a General Absolution."

Just to clarify - General absolution only works in case of emergency (see CCC 1483) ... for example priests on 911 gave general absolution to anyone looking for it. (John Paul II clarified this here (see Communal penance services happen every mass with the Kyrie or the "I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters ..." But, this is not proper absolution.

C123: "This is canonically valid according to him."

Ask your priest again. He may not have understood that people are relying exclusively on communal absolution. And you may want to ask him to clarify it based on JPII's Motu Proprio titled "Misercordia Dei" that I referenced above in the link.

If they really believed that, they would use NFP, which is free, always available, instantly reversible, and has no potential health complications.

Well said and utterly the truth of the matter. Yet, since we as a society place our hand firmly on contraception as truth and goodness ... most people fail to see this truth.

We should place our hand firmly on the Bible or the Church or Christ ... but we choose our guide through our own reference. We think it leads to love and closeness. Yet it actually leads to division and resentment and use of each other.

The Pill is our foundation. The Condom is our health savior. The Morning-After Pill is our hope. We have no control over our appetites. Oh, the tragedy of self deception. Especially when how we treat the least of our brothers is how we will be treated. Our spouse, as the least of our brothers, deserves not to be used.

That is a great illustration. Thanks for pointing out the insanity of bashing. We are not one church, probably wont ever be in this life, but we share more truth than most admit.

I fail everyday. I am humbly aware that only Christ provides any good that is in me. I need Him to gain my salvation. He carries me. I simply follow ... fall ... ask his forgiveness ... return (reborn) to follow ... fall ... accept sacraments (more of Christ's grace) ... fall ... fall ... fall ... offer sacramentals to my Lord and God ... fall ... grace ... fall ... grace. - And throughout is the only thing keeping me.

And so it goes. Then because I look to a very human (kind of like St. Peter) leader of my church for moral guidance, for example, some people feel they must step in and proclaim that my sure destination is hell (along with all other Catholics).

Everyone is a homosexual. Especially since we all start out as female in the womb.

Now that I've said it, I feel much better and I can go on with my new identity. Don't you feel better now too?

World Youth Day is a great reality. And this Pope is managing them quite well. Thanks be to God!

I like the book of Wisdom as has already been indicated but also Tobit is fantastic. Get the whole Bible. After all , it is the word of God canonically understood.

Christ is our God and yet He offers Himself up completely and without reserve.

Based on your comments I think you understand the vulnerability ... the true gift that Christ in the Eucharist is. It is utter gift, we have no right to Him.

We mere humans simply can't help our selves when we go to protect our Divine Lord. How can we allow someone who does not believe Christ has "imprisoned" himself in the host, to walk away when we know Christ may be abused again?

Jesus gives himself completely to us, everyday in the Eucharist. In His plan, He has not allowed himself to say "get the behind me satan."

Though many question, as you have, if one should step in between Our Lord and His suffering, I don't think you should be satisfied with a simple open-n-shut answer. If we truly experience Our Lord, through intimate union in the Eucharist, how can we simply, with only logic - back away from Jesus when someone simply walks away with out consuming Our Lord?

The love he pours out on us! The trust! The grace! As you say "That's not to say that people should then just shrug it off."

And I cannot agree with you more!

Prayers for your Church and all Christian Churches.

These guys are a bunch of mamby pamby hide-my-faith-in-Christ-in-a-closet type guys.

They are asking our Bishops not to lead or teach. Come on. A Bishop needs to teach and instruct and direct. That is what he does with his flock. Withhold the Eucharist. Let them know they have an issue. Teach politicians on the side. Let them know that their public stances are not in line with Church teaching. The Bishops are called by Christ to help their flock save their souls.

These guys should get together and write a document on how to understand the value of the Church teachings that are under discussion. I think they have no idea.

When someone offers a path to peace and understanding - we must consider all of Christ's words, acts and love.

Mt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Mt 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Jn 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jn 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Rev 6:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

I do trust that true dialog will occur at some level. The Holy Spirit will shine through in some of our bleakest, yet most weak, hour. How can He not work with such flawed men who need Him most now. Love reigns supreme in weakness.

We can only pretend to understand the logic of God with our puny apparatuses. I know that providence is guiding these group of people who sit at a crossroad of faith looking at each other warily. It may not be a complete conversion but it will be a mammoth start, considering the history and blood that has been laid down in time before this.

"If marriage and sex are holy, why can Mary only be loved and honored if she never had sex?"

Mary is the mother of God. It is not about sex, it is about Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Mt 1:21-23 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

1 Cor 7:28 "But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned."

Pray for me as I pray for you.

God bless.

He and his wife also ranCatholic Familyland. I have been there since she died. It builds up families. It exists to help families grow in faith. My kids enjoyed it so much: horse-riding, bonfire with smores, Mass every day, water slides, pools, camping out or cabin living ...

Any idea what the "technical issues and accuracy" issues were? Was it about miracles and the resurrection or just things like how to spell "Aminidab"?