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Catholic journal criticizes dissidents who support embargo

May 7, 2013, 3:17 am
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"In its latest edition, the magazine published by the Council of Laypersons of the Archdiocese of Havana criticized members of the opposition who advocate maintaining the economic sanctions against Cuba to accelerate democratic changes and guarantee individual freedom.

“Some people, both Cuban and foreigners, insist in asking important world centers of power to destabilize the Cuban government,” the publication Espacio Laical (Layperson Space) says in its editorial. “Cuba has a lot to change, but the protagonists of those changes cannot be the centers of power in certain strong and influential countries.”

The publication, headed by Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, asks the centers of power to act “as friends who accompany us and not as judges who condemn us.” It also demands the government to exercise “a political evolution capable of expanding the opening process” and avoid “rigidities.”

Click here to read the rest of the article in the Miami Herald.  The embargo against Cuba is a difficult issue - it has hurt the Cuban people but the government must be opposed in the strongest ways possible.  Ultimately I believe dropping the embargo but continuing to oppose the Cuban regime will help the Cuban people while hopefully eliminating the Cuban government.   
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3 girls kidnapped in Cleveland

May 7, 2013, 6:10 pm
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The story of the 3 girls kidnapped and held captive for 10 years in Cleveland is just horrible.  At least the girls are alive and reunited with their families.  I hope the 3 Castro brothers that were arrested are thrown in prison for the rest of their lives, kept in general population, suffer greatly for years, and then convert and come to Jesus before dying at not too old an age.  I often post stories involving violence by muslim radicals against non-muslims because there is a serious problem in the islamic culture that needs to be addressed until the violence ends.  But the problem with violence and evil in our own culture of the USA is probably even greater and our whole society needs to be radically changed.

"Cleveland (CNN) -- When three women missing for about a decade turn up in your neighbor's house, little quirks look a little different.

That's what some neighbors of a fired Cleveland school bus driver said Tuesday, a day after a woman's screams led to the arrest of 52-year-old Ariel Castro and his two brothers -- and freedom for Amanda Berry and two other women, Georgina "Gina" DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32.

Each disappeared from the same Cleveland street -- Lorain Avenue -- three miles from the home in which they were found Monday. They were found when one of them broke out the bottom of a screen door and called for help Monday evening, startling a neighbor who came over and helped kick in the door.

"Help me, I am Amanda Berry," the now-27-year-old woman told police in a frantic 911 call from the neighbor's house. "I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years. And I'm here, I'm free now."



St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..

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Shimabara Rebellion

May 7, 2013, 6:22 pm
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The Latin Mass Magazine has introduced me to numerous Catholic people and historical events but unfortunately their articles are mostly unavailable online.  It is well worth subscribing to the magazine anyway because the layout and quality are very good.  The articles remind me of why I love Catholic history, culture and tradition.  One such event I learned about through the magazine's most recent edition is the Shimabara Rebellion. 

"The Shimabara Rebellion was an uprising in southwestern Japan lasting from December 17, 1637 to April 15, 1638, during the Edo period. It largely involved peasants, most of them Catholic Christians.

...Religious persecution of the local Catholics exacerbated the discontent, which turned into open revolt in 1637. The Tokugawa Shogunate sent a force of over 125,000 troops to suppress the rebellion and after a lengthy siege against the rebels at Hara Castle, defeated them.

In the wake of the rebellion, the rebel leader Amakusa Shiro was beheaded and the prohibition of Christianity was strictly enforced. Japan's national seclusion policy was tightened and official persecution of Christianity continued until the 1850s."

  Statue of Amakusa Shiro, the rebellion leader who was only 16 years old.   
    Shiro's battle flag, which states Worship and Adore the Most Holy Sacrament (more details on the flag can be found here)  
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New Long Island Catholic Blog!

May 8, 2013, 7:26 pm
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UK street preachers spread anti-crime gospel

May 9, 2013, 5:43 pm
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Great story from AlJazeera on what I would call New Evangelization:

"London, United Kingdom - With her blue jacket and baseball cap - and armed with a prayer as well as a walkie-talkie - Audrey Golding is on her first patrol with London's growing army of "Street Pastors" carrying out what she sees as God's mission on Britain's boozy byways.

She is one of at least 11,000 volunteers in the Christian organisation who patrol towns and cities across the country at weekends to bring practical help - and, at times, a spiritual message - to young people out partying late at night."

...

"The Pastors patrol in pairs talking to revellers, maintaining contacts with bar staff, and helping drunken or troubled youths. At 85, their oldest member, Pat Fletcher, says she has never felt vulnerable in her five years patrolling.

They hand out lollipops, sandals for young women who have removed their high-heeled shoes, and "spikies" - small, plastic devices that allow people to prevent bottled drinks being “spiked” maliciously with spirits.

As a religiously motivated group, at times the Street Pastors will even openly pray in the street with or for a troubled youth when appropriate."
.....

""I am convinced that we avert some of the crime and violence," said Tomlinson, who has been patrolling for seven years. "The most important thing we can do is to maintain a presence, to be out there - and that makes a real difference."

Other locals agree. Police officers on duty and club door staff speak in glowing terms of the Street Pastors' work. "These guys are amazing: you have people sitting around blind-drunk and they will always come and talk to them and encourage them to go home," said Lawrence Dickson, the burly head doorman of Sutton's Wonderland nightclub.

The work of the Street Pastors highlights a strong emphasis on collaboration employed by local authorities such as the police through the so-called "Safer Sutton Partnership". In what is sometimes referred to as "joined-up" policing, officers consult regularly with the Pastors, bar owners and security guards - and respond rapidly to de-escalate signs of trouble. 
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Mass of the Children at Carnegie Hall

May 10, 2013, 6:20 pm
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Carnegie Hall
Stern Auditorium - Perelman Stage
57th Street & 7th Avenue, NYC

Proceeds of the event will go to support the 2014 New York Encounter cultural festival.

Tickets: $15 (normally $55)

Three easy ways to buy tickets:
Visit:www.carnegiehall.org (enter code MCN16617)
Call: 212.247.7800 (mention code MCN16617)
In Person: Visit the Carnegie Hall Box Office (57th Street & 7th Avenue)

John Rutter's
Mass of the Children

Featuring: The Georgia Boy Choir (David White, Conductor)

FESTIVAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA
Chamber Choir of Algoma - Church of the Divine Child Adult Choir
Ladywood High School Angelic Chorale - Roosevelt High School Acappella Choir -
St. Robert Catholic Chorale New
Jersey Choral Society - Connecticut Choral Society
Keystone State Boychoir The
Choir of Historic St. Malachy's Church

Special solo performances by Megan Knapp and Keith Harris
Conducted by Eric Dale Knapp
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Mommy Blogs

May 10, 2013, 6:25 pm
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Catholic News Service has a story about Mommy blogs - this subspecies of Catholic blogs has fascinated me since they first started to show up in growing numbers.  Unlike the typical blogs in the early years of 'St. Blogs Parish', (See this early list of Catholic blogs that I read 10 years ago) Mommy Blogs do not focus so much on Church politics, regular politics, the Liturgy wars, or the Church scandals.  They are more focused on the daily life of a Catholic mother, the joys and challenges of mothering and raising children in the 'domestic Church'.  I find the mommy blogs to be very high quality and interesting, even though I am a daddy and not a mommy.

The Catholic bloggers mentioned in the article are:  Catholic Mom (Lisa Hendey), Not Strictly Spiritual (Mary DeTurris Poust), and Coffee Talk (Rebecca Teti). 

Excerpt:

"WASHINGTON (CNS) -- One of Mary's titles is "Christ's First Disciple," and some of Christ's earliest followers were women, two of whom he appeared to first after his resurrection.


Now, some 2,000 years later, another special group of women, specifically Catholic moms who blog on the Internet about their faith, the Catholic Church, as well as the joys and challenges of parenthood and everyday family life, can be considered among Christ's newest evangelizers or "digital disciples."

"Part of our vocation as mothers is to be within our home and do our work with love, and (as Catholic bloggers) we can also do work that draws people closer to Christ and his church," said Lisa Hendey, a Catholic wife and mom blogger from Fresno, Calif.

In between carpool, dinner and homework duties, a growing number of Catholic moms have turned to Internet blogging as a newfound outlet to enrich their own Catholic faith, as well as the faith journeys of their regular readers, with whom they form a sort of spiritual camaraderie."

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2 popes praying: Egyptian Copt and Pope Francis

May 10, 2013, 6:53 pm
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The Associated Press

"VATICAN CITY —

Two popes prayed together Friday at the Vatican, one Catholic and one Orthodox, in a sign of improving ties following the election of new leaders for both churches.

Pope Francis welcomed the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, Pope Tawadros II, in the first such meeting at the Vatican in 40 years, saying his visit "strengthens the bonds of friendship and brotherhood" between the two churches.

The Coptic and Catholic churches split in the fifth century over theocratic differences.

Christians comprise about 10 percent of Egypt's population. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt counts about 10 million faithful, while the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt — whose faithful are loyal to Pope Francis — counts about 165,000.

Both, however, have complained about increased discrimination and attacks against them since the 2011 overthrow of longtime Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak, especially with the rise of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood."

Read the rest of this article with some pictures of the two Popes exchanging gifts.  Since Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council the Church has had improved relations with other Christians.  It is good to see old rifts healed a bit, so hopefully we will see the Church 'breath with both lungs' as Pope John Paul II said.

Pope Tawadros shows Pope Francis how to be gangsta with some bling:

(AP Photo/Andreas Solaro, pool)


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Catholic Events for Long Islanders

May 10, 2013, 7:19 pm
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If you know of any events that would be interesting for Catholics on Long Island please email me by clicking the Email Me at the right.  I would like to be able to keep Long Islanders informed of events going on within the Church - Diocese of Rockville Centre, Diocese of Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York.  Thank you!

I will keep the Events link on the right so they can always be easily found.
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F Scott Fitzgerald's gravesite

May 11, 2013, 5:31 pm
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From The Independent, a column about the obscure burial place of the author of The Great Gatsby:

"When he died in 1940, the writer considered himself a failure. He was an alcoholic, broke, and reduced to writing mostly unused Hollywood screenplays. His marriage had collapsed and Zelda was diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Fitzgerald's family were from Rockville, and though he had never lived there himself, the plan was for his body to be buried at St Mary's in the family plot. But the church refused, on the grounds that he wasn't a practising Catholic. Moreover, noted the parish priest, "we find his books objectionable".


Instead, Fitzgerald was interred in nearby Rockville Cemetery. Few attended the funeral, and the Protestant minister who led the service didn't know who he was. The occasion was an eerie re-enactment of Gatsby's funeral, attended by not a single one of the hundreds of "friends" who went to the sumptuous parties at his Long Island mansion. Eight years later Fitzgerald was joined in death by Zelda. Only in 1975 were their remains moved to St Mary's."
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Job Opening for Holy Trinity - Campus Minister

May 11, 2013, 6:03 pm
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Job Description
Title: Full time Campus Minister

Place: Holy Trinity Diocesan High School

Starting date: August 2013

Description: The campus ministry program at Holy Trinity is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The role of the campus minister is to offer opportunities for the spiritual growth and empowerment of young people. Responsibilities include organizing retreats; coordinating services; and facilitating opportunities for seasonal prayer and rituals, social justice activities, reflections and discussions, and Sacraments of Liturgy and Reconciliation. The campus minister works in collaboration with the school's Chaplain and Principal as well as with other faculty and administrators, related club moderators, and high school campus ministers in the Diocese of Rockville Centre (some night and weekend work is required).

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in theology required

Master's degree in theology preferred

Experience in working with youth at the secondary level

Salary range: Dependent on Qualifications

Application: Please send cover letter, resume and list of three professional references to Mr. Gene Fennell at gfennell@holytrinityhs.echalk.com

Source: Catholic Jobs
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French Benedictine abbey streams its daily round of Latin liturgy to a worldwide audience

May 12, 2013, 5:09 pm
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"First you hear muffled footsteps. Then a discreet cough. Moments later, the black-robed monks begin intoning the service that they are broadcasting to the world. In Latin. Forget the Singing Nun. The Benedictine monks of Le Barroux Abbey in the Vaucluse region of south-eastern France don't have a hit record but they do know about podcasts and streaming.


They have taken the unusual step of distributing their religious offices on the internet. The idea came from worshippers from outside the monastery, known as oblates, who wanted to feel connected to the abbey's spiritual life, says Abbot Dom Louis-Marie. "So we looked into broadcasting via the internet. We decided to do it because it didn't involve any extra work for us."

Read the rest here.

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Catholic Founding Fathers - The Carroll Family

May 12, 2013, 5:09 pm
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At the Catholic Education Resource Center, this article on the Carroll family was written by a direct descendent of one of the Carrolls.

"George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin. Nearly every schoolchild recognizes them as the Founding Fathers — signers of the Declaration of Independence, framers of the Constitution, heroes of the Revolutionary War.

There were a great many more Founding Fathers, however, even if their names are not so familiar as the above. Several of those lesser-known men who played key roles in the creation of the United States of America were Catholics. Chief among them were three members of the Carroll family of Maryland: Charles Carroll, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence; his cousin Daniel Carroll; and Daniel Carroll's brother John Carroll, who became America's first Catholic bishop."

Read the rest here.
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Catholic history and Genealogy

May 13, 2013, 3:36 pm
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The Catholic Gene - Exploring Out Catholic Family History

I found this great group blog that happens to focus on my two great interests - Catholic history and genealogy.  Check it out, and if you have not researched your family history consider starting now.  It can be amazing how much you learn and how many people you are connected to in the world.  You will, at some point, end up using the resources of the Mormon church, who have a theological reason to keep the world's largest collection of genealogy records:  They believe in re-baptizing non-Mormons who have died.  This post at The Catholic Gene looks at this issue which can be a bit tricky for a Catholic interested in genealogy.

"It is well-known that the LDS church has some of the greatest genealogical information in the world in both quantity and quality. They obtain those records by going out all over the world and collecting or copying the original records. What is less well known is the doctrinal motivation for collecting ancestral records. Not being a member of the LDS church I’m hesitant to characterize their purposes other than to say that I am informed that it has to do with so-called re-baptism of non-LDS ancestors. That is the least what the Vatican knew in 2008, when the Holy Father instructed Catholic parishes not to cooperate with Mormon records seekers.


This issue had been brewing for quite a while. In 1995, Mormons and Jews reached an agreement that the LDS church would no longer “re-baptize” or “seal” Holocaust survivors that some LDS members had characterized as their ancestors. In 2001, Pope John Paul II approved a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which stated that baptism in the LDS church cannot be held to be a valid Christian baptism. The statement went on to say that because of differences between the Catholic and Mormon understandings of the Trinity, “one cannot even consider this doctrine to be a heresy arising from a false understanding of Christian doctrine.”

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Carl Icahn and Pope Francis

May 13, 2013, 5:20 pm
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I was reading an issue of Forbes today with Carl Icahn on the cover.  Icahn has been all over the news over the past few years because he is going on a frenzy of activity buying up stakes in various companies.  He is at the peak of his long career in business investing and is a much feared 'activist investor' who is able to shake up boards of major corporations.  The article mentioned that he was 77 and that reminded me of Pope Francis' election.  Specifically, the first reactions I heard at work when the new Pope was announced was 'Why do they keep electing these older guys, why not someone younger?'.  Icahn shows that age is not a factor when it comes to vitality and the article made me think:  If a 77 year old (with billions of dollars) can be so influential in the corporate world where morality is not valued highly, can the 76 year old Pope be highly influential (with no money) in the Church where morality should be the #1 concern?

Related:  Here is a post on the ages of Popes through the centuries from a blog at the NY Times.
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The Rise, Fall and Future of Catholicism in the U.S.

May 14, 2013, 8:12 pm
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Russell Shaw has written a new book:  American Church  The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America


The history of the Catholic Church in America is fascinating and one I want to learn more about.  Shaw talks a bit about this history and the importance for American Catholics today here in Catholic World Report. 

Snip:

"CWR: What is the "Americanization of American Catholicism"? What have been its fruits over the past few decades?


Shaw: The expression refers to the process of cultural assimilation by which American Catholics entered the mainstream of American secular culture, became part of it, and bought into many of its values and attitudes. On the plus side, the result has been acceptance, upward socio-economic mobility, and much professional and material success.

But it has come at a high price. Buying into American secular values has time and again meant buying into a toxic value system in radical conflict with Catholic and Christian convictions on many fronts. And that has meant an ongoing loss of religious identity and commitment to the Church on the part of millions of nominal Catholics—to say nothing of the 22 million ex-Catholics in the United States."
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Msgr. Batule is the new Pastor at Corpus Christi in Mineola

May 15, 2013, 6:58 pm
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Monsignor Robert Batule has been appointed as the new pastor of Corpus Christi in Mineola, succeeding Msgr. Robert Coyle who was ordained an auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of the Military.  Msgr. Batule is presently working at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers.

"Msgr. Batule grew up in Merrick and attended St. Piux X in Uniondale, which closed in 1984. He attended Cathedral College in Douglaston, NY.

Batule was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 1985 and assigned to St. Boniface Church in Elmont. He served at Corpus Christi from 1993-2002 as a parish priest.

After a series of other parish assignments, Batule began seminary duties, including Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington. He currently serves at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers.

Batule is entering his fifth year of seminary assignment. He will be installed as pastor in Mineola on an unconfirmed Sunday in the fall after Labor Day."

Some more detail is at Mineola American

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Help support Catholic Education

May 15, 2013, 7:27 pm
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Tomorrow's Hope Foundation Scholarship Gala

Thursday, May 23, 2013 at RXR Plaza in Uniondale, NY

6:30 PM Cocktails
7:30 PM  Dinner and Presentation
Silent and Live Auction
Business Attire

All proceeds raised at this gala will go to support the Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation.

The mission of Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation is to ensure the excellence as well as the continuance of Catholic elementary schools on Long Island, by increasing awareness and by providing scholarships and program funding for the needs of students and schools throughout the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Our goal is to give more children the opportunity to enjoy the advantages of an elementary Catholic school education.

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IRS Targeted Tea Party Groups

May 15, 2013, 7:36 pm
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Franciscan University of Steubenville Graduates its Second-Largest Class

May 15, 2013, 7:45 pm
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From Catholic Educational Daily of the Cardinal Newman Society:

"Franciscan University of Steubenville graduated its second-largest graduating class on Saturday, May 11. The University graduated 708 graduates from 40 undergraduate and 7 master's programs.


At the May 10 Baccalaureate Mass, the Most Reverend José H. Gomez, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, noted that today’s society believes “there is no God or his existence doesn’t make any difference. Worshiping God, living our faith, is more and more contrary to the law.” This presents a challenge for the Church, he said, because “we have to find new ways to proclaim Christ and to live as Christians in this culture. This is what the new evangelization is all about, and that’s what we expect from each one of you.”

Archbishop Gomez encouraged the graduates to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to change the world. “Our mission is to continue his mission: To redeem that little part of the world that we live in—our homes, the places where we work, our neighborhoods, to sanctify reality, to help our loved ones and the people we meet every day to find God,” he said. “And we go with Jesus, we go with God. He gives us the promise that he made to his first apostles, the promise that he would be with us, no matter what, until the end of the age.”



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