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Dancing Nun, McCarrick & Christ’s Arrest
Lack of Catholic Sense
Re: Chilean nun dances for life
I cannot help but think that the nuns who do this kind of thing must either ignore their own good sense, or what might be left of their good Catholic sense, leaving us with nothing but non-sense!
Thank you!
E.S., Ph.D.
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A C T I O N - A L E R T
glorifying promiscuous sex
BALTIMORE, MD, March 12, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Catholic Relief Services’ own documents reporting on a project in Kenya show that not only did it implement a condom and contraception-promoting initiative, but it also promoted a vulgar MTV-produced television series, Shuga, that highlights condom-use and casual sex.
“Shuga is a near-pornographic 75-minute commercial for fornication and condom use,” Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto Institute, told LifeSiteNews. “That CRS actually recommended this series says a lot about their internal views on what is appropriate and in line with Catholic teaching.”
The television program features heavy promotion of condom use, explicit sex scenes, women shown in their underwear and numerous scenes of sexually lewd discussions and sexually suggestive dancing.
The reports show the US Bishops’ relief charity’s program exposed more than 3,000 kids to the objectionable television series.
The Lepanto Institute and Population Research Institute (PRI) obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request as part of the groups’ investigation of CRS’ Healthy Choices 2 (HC2) program. The program targeting Kenyan adolescents and was funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
TAKE ACTION:
Please contact Bevin Kennedy with your comments:
Address:
The Catholic Relief Services Collection
Office of National Collections
3211 Fourth Street NE • Washington, DC 20017-1194202-541-3400
Phone: 202-541-3365
Fax: 202-541-3460
Emails: www.usccb.org/nationalcollections or bkennedy@usccb.org
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Card. McCarrick Accused of Homosexuality
I read this message by author Randy Engel in a forum online. I thought you would like to reproduce her commentary on homosexual Bishops.
M.C.
In my book, The Rite of Sodomy which was published in 2006, I have a lengthy section on the homosexual activities of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The morals charge against McCarrick are longstanding and have since been verified by Dr. Richard Sipe, among others. As I note in my Epilogue, Bishop Paul Bootkowski , who was consecrated by McCarrick, was accused of having a homosexual relationship with Father Alfonso de Condorpusa of the Newark Diocese.
Over the years my charges of sodomy against McCarrick and his homosexual offspring have never been challenged. Homosexual bishops and cardinals are blackmailable and make a perfect propaganda conduit for homosexual groups seeking to undermine the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
Randy Engel
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New Look at Christ’s Arrest
I wrote this article for my local town newspaper. I am President of the Belleville, New Jersey Historical Society and write military history articles. I enjoy your site.
Happy and a Blessed Easter.
Michael Perrone
Today the Thursday before Easter, millions will commemorate the Last Supper of Christ and his tragic betrayal and arrest that same evening.
And appropriately the last great miracle before His crucifixion took place that very night. A miracle overlooked by most, with Christ's last meal with His Apostles and His betrayal by Judas being the focus of that historic evening. God nevertheless left another very loud and clear message for the world that night. The betrayal by Judas and the arrest of Jesus is usually portrayed as being carried out by an angry mob led by a few Jewish High Priests and Temple guards. Because the Gospels were written in Greek and then translated into Latin and then English, at times some key details are lost. The arrest of Jesus is one such case.
Four days before he was arrested Christ had triumphantly entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey and with huge crowds welcoming him with shouts of "Hosanna". His three years of performing miracles and his recent raising of Lazarus from the dead had made him loved and revered by thousands. Jesus entering Jerusalem on a young donkey fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would one day enter Jerusalem "Behold your king, poor and just, riding a young foal" (Zach. 9:9). This and the shouts of "Hosanna" which was used as a form of praise directed to God alone, greatly alarmed the High Priests of the Temple.
Immediately Jesus began preaching and healing in the Temple, amazing the people with His wonderful words and miraculous works. The final straw for the High Priests came when Christ attacked the money changers. "And they sought to slay Him" (John 5:18) During just four days, a number of attempts were made to stone Jesus and to arrest Him for blasphemy.
The High Priests became especially enraged when after having sent the Temple Guards to arrest Jesus, the guards returned without their prisoner and instead deeply transformed, saying with wonder, "Never has any man spoken words such as this man." The High Priests rebuked the guards crying, "Has he seduced you also" (John 7:46-47). Having failed at their own attempts to kill or arrest Christ and now growing increasingly afraid of the growing number of His followers, they turned for help to the Roman authorities. "And they sought to lay hands upon Him, but they feared the multitudes of people" (Mt. 21:46).
It was Passover and the population of Jerusalem had swelled from one hundred thousand or so to well over a million, as all of the Jewish people were required to travel to Jerusalem annually to offer sacrifice at the Temple. Passover commemorated Moses leading the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity, so especially on this feast freedom was on the minds of many.
Jerusalem was under the control of Rome now and opposition to Roman rule resulted in violence at times. Troublemakers were routinely crucified. To help maintain order in the crowded city during Passover and with the ever present threat of rebellion, the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate would travel to Jerusalem each Passover.
Pilate would arrive with his Legion of Roman soldiers from his provincial capital at Caesaria,70 miles away. These troops would reinforce the regular Roman army garrison headquartered at the Fortress Antonia which was adjacent and connected to the Temple. Additionally some of the Roman Legions in nearby Syria were moved closer to Jerusalem in the event they were needed.
Caiaphas, the Chief Temple Priest, had a close working relationship with Pontius Pilate, as it had been Pilate who had appointed Caiaphas to the position of Chief Priest. Caiaphas warned Pilate that Christ was a dangerous so-called king with thousands of followers, an extremely serious threat to Roman authority. Pilate who had heard stories of Christ's mysterious powers and of His many followers authorized the arrest of Jesus.
This arrangement was ideal for the High Priests as the entire responsibility was now transferred to the Romans, freeing the High Priests from any blame by the people for an all but guaranteed crucifixion. Jewish religious law provided for death by stoning for various offenses, such as the attempted stoning of Christ for blasphemy, and the attempted stoning of the woman accused of adultery, as well as in the case of Christ's disciple Steven who was stoned to death for blasphemy. However only Romans could impose the penalty of death by crucifixion.
The High Priests were terrified of Christ's followers and they hoped a crucifixion would discredit Christ before the people since such a death would fulfill the Scripture that "Cursed by God is he who is hung on a tree" (Deut 22-23). So then with the cooperation of the traitor Judas, arrangements were made to arrest Jesus secretly late at night when the city was asleep.
The most detailed account of the arrest of Jesus comes from the Apostle John, the one closest to Christ. John was the only Apostle who followed Christ to the Cross, while the others fled in fear, and it was to John that Christ entrusted the care of His Mother Mary.
After the Last Supper, Christ and the Apostles traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane in the hills outside of Jerusalem to pray.
John 18:3 says: "Then Judas having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests, cometh with lanterns and torches and weapons." The other Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke describe the arrival of 'ochos polos', an armed "great multitude." Pilate had dispatched a large force to seize Christ since it was unknown how many followers were with Him. And with many visitors for Passover camped in the hillside, there was the potential for strong resistance.
The term "a band of men" is translated from the Greek word "spiera" and Latin "cohort," which was a Roman military unit consisting of 600 Roman soldiers or up to 1,200 soldiers if the unit included auxiliary soldiers. Roman soldiers were Roman citizens, auxiliary soldiers were Roman army regulars but citizens of other countries within the Roman Empire. The "officers" John refers to were the same Temple guards who had failed to arrest Jesus.
In the original Greek, the Apostle John specifically identifies the military rank of the leader of the armed men arresting Jesus as a "chiliarchos", an army leader commanding 1,000 soldiers. In the Latin translation he is identified as a "tribunus", a tribune is the commander of an army cohort. A tribune commands at least six centurions with each centurion commanding 100 men. Clearly the only armed "great multitude" that existed in Jerusalem, especially on a secret mission in the middle of the night was the Roman Legion.
The Temple guard were present that evening only to escort and protect the High Priests in the event of trouble. And the High Priests were there hoping to finally witness the capture of Christ. When we count the Roman troops, their auxiliaries, and the Temple guards it is reasonable to conclude that the size of the military force sent to arrest Jesus that night numbered at least 1,000.
At the sight of this massive show of military might the Apostles understandably panicked and drew their swords. Here we get further confirmation of the size of the approaching Roman force from Christ Himself, when He attempts to calm down and reassure the Apostles by telling them: "Do you not realize that I could ask my Father and He would send Me at once more than twelve Legions of Angels" (Mt. 26:53). As if to say: "Don't worry we really are not outnumbered."
Why else would Christ speak of "Legions" of Angels? The Biblical title for the angelic army is "Heavenly Host", angels are organized into groups called "Orders" or "Choirs", they are never referred to as Legions except this one time. It is because Christ and the Apostles are being confronted with Emperor Caesar's mighty earthly Legions. (1)
After being kissed by Judas, Christ then approached the Roman tribune and asked whom they were seeking and the tribune replied, "Jesus of Nazareth". With that Christ responded "I AM" he. (there is no "he' in the original Greek). Christ uses the same "I AM" that God had revealed to Moses as the Divine Name of God. With those words Jesus revealed to those seeking to arrest Him, His True Divine identity, His Majesty and Glory and of course His Power, and immediately overcome, the tribune, all the centurions, all the Roman legionnaires and all the Temple guards and High Priests fell backwards and collapsed onto the ground.
The Apostle John in describing the event (18:6) in his choice of Greek words such as "pipto chamai" describes them being thrust down, made prostate, as if dead. One could imagine the look on the faces and the thoughts of the Apostles (especially Judas), seeing Caesars mighty Legion, the greatest power on Earth laying helpless at the feet of Christ. Some might have recalled the words of the Prophet: "By the breath of God they perished" (Job 4:9).
After a short while, Christ spoke again: "I asked you whom do you seek ?" The Romans slowly recovered, stood up and answered once more: "Jesus of Nazareth." With that Jesus offered Himself willingly to them, after having demonstrated that all the might of the world had no power over Him: rather it was He who had all power over the world.
Footnote:
1. The significance of Christ's ability to call on twelve Legions of Angels is that Christ and the now eleven Apostles are twelve themselves. So rather than just their one guardian angel, if God so desired each one could have an entire heavenly legion. Amen
Posted April 7, 2015
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The opinions expressed in this section - What People Are Commenting - do not necessarily express those of TIA
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Salve Maria,
I have a little time to send Easter Greetings to a dear friend. I just read your Easter message to your faithful friends and I must say the words were so welcome here. It was exactly what we needed to hear. The horizon looks so black but your timely and confident reminder of the Reign of Mary was a salve on our tired spirits. Our Lady must love you enormously!
C.F.