Volume 10 No. 3 OF THE CHURCH OF MAN WITH GOD October 1, 2000 A.D.
CONTENTS
TOPIC/TITLE
GENERAL
TEACHING
There is No (Moral) Middle Ground
Faith and Miracles, Love and Miracles, and the Miracle of You
Letter versus Spirit of the Law
The Blessing Of Hope For Our Generation of God
EDIFICATION/GENERAL
The Political Party Of Greater Morality (reasons for changing political party affiliation)
Pro-Abortion Groups Fight Unborn Victims Of Violence Act
Ecumenical Patriarch Without Seminary
A Government's Existence . . .
More Reunification Efforts - Papal Apostolic Letter To Greek - Catholic Church of Romania
Christian - Moslem - Arab Situation in Palestine
Married Clergy (under Rome) Being Expelled From Poland
GENERAL INFORMATION
~ HOW PRECIOUS IS EACH CHILD ~
From + Paul, S.S.B.
To the flock entrusted into my care:
It is impossible to comprehend the vast number, the un-believable percentage, of people who
chose to be slaves of sin through killing of babies and offering their broken bodies on Satan's
altar.
Instead of seeking to feed and comfort them, as Our Lord did the multitude who had followed
Him into the countryside, these slaves of the temporary existence commit the most horrible deed
possible. They torture little babies to death.
My Niece, Karla, was born December 1, 1976. This year Karla would have been 25 years old,
but she died in 1982 from a cardiovascular problem. She would tell you she was five and a half
years old - a normal, bouncy, full of energy, most precious child; full of love and life's adventure.
I think of her every day, for though we are not supposed to have favorites, we do, and she was my
favorite niece. I have another favorite niece, born many years later, though I do not get to see her
as often as I did Karla.
When I think of Karla, and her sudden, totally unexpected illness and death, and of how all the
physicians worked so hard to save her life - even physicians over seas tried to find a cure or
surgery for her, all to no avail; when I think of how hard these men and women of medicine tried
to save her life, I wonder how people who kill babies can be called medical practitioners.
Those who kill babies are not physicians, they are not doctors, they are not health care
professionals or practitioners - they are a form of evil which existed in the torture chambers of
the English King Edwin when he burned the Danes to death during peace negotiations, in the
government of Stalin, Hitler, Tojo, the Dominican run Inquisition, the Orthodox "hate anything
not like me" groups, and the Clinton - Gore administration.
It is impossible for any person of morality to imagine having or assisting an abortion to happen,
yet millions of grandparents talk their children into killing their own grandchildren every year.
When I think of my sister holding newborn Karla, of that little life snuggling against my own
father's chest, of her falling asleep in my arms, of that little five year old girl bouncing around
the picnic grounds, of how I would have been at her wedding during this time of her life had she
lived, of how my sister and everyone tried so hard to help Karla live, it makes me wonder how
those who kill their babies keep from going insane. It makes me wonder how those who actually
do the killing over and over and over again, can keep from going insane. It makes me wonder
how those who promote the killing in every way they can, as do Clinton and Gore, it makes me
wonder how they can have the audacity to say they have anyone's interest at heart - they can not
have anyone's interest at heart, not even their own, for they have no hearts, they only have evil.
For the sake of my sister, who tried so valiantly to keep her daughter alive, and the sake of every
other mother who has had her child die, and for the sake of all those children who would play in
God's life like Karla played, each of us must do what ever it takes to stop abortions, to change
the government, the executive, legislative, and court, so that they follow God's law and not
Satan's. If we fail to do everything we can to abolish abortions, even to the point of voting
against our own economic self interest, if we fail to do this, then not only will God visit His
Wrath on this and all countries which kill his babies, but He will also make His Wrath become
physically embodied in each individual person who fails to oppose the horror of abortion.
Besides, think of how joyful it is to have a whole bunch of little Karlas and Karls growing up in
Christ all around you.
+ Paul, S.S.B.
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THERE IS NO
MIDDLE GROUND
There are many who advocate finding the middle ground between strict, blind adherence to the
law, and the libertine; between the non-thinkers and the free thinkers; between the strict
constructionists and the anarchist.
However, God's Truth does not change. God's Law does not change. Dogma, the revealed truth
of God, does not change, unless, of course, your god is you, or mankind, or mankind's ungodly
desires - but then it is your dogma and not God's Dogma to which you make reference, and it is
God's Dogma to which we make reference.
We are familiar with a multitude of ways which are sinful, the most common being the sins we
we ourselves commit. But there are those who believe they do not sin, or who find excuses for
their sins, or who excuse their sins, or who propound they have not sinned because they have not
completed a certain act.
It is also very easy to draw the connection between those who pray like the Pharisee, and those
who pretend to command the Holy Spirit - primarily the "born again" charismatic type we often
see on TV - in their "zapping", "slaying in the spirit", "miraculous cures", and other such fakery.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit, as we know from the Dogma of the True Church, the One Holy
Catholic and Apostolic Church, are not man's to command, but are gifts of the Holy Spirit and
therefore can not be commanded by man. We know these fakes to be fakes, for they propound a
dogma which makes man the control of God, and such can not be. We know the Dogma of the
True Church to be true for it is revealed to the Church by God, and before being proclaimed as
Dogma, the temporal administrators of the True Church must be moved by the Holy Spirit to
proclaim it as Dogma, thus making it not the dogma of man but the Dogma of God.
What would be the middle ground between some faker pretending to cure someone of an illness,
and the truth? What would be the middle ground between the Dogma that the Blessed Ever
Virgin Mary is a Virgin, and those who say Our Lord has siblings - brothers? What would be the
compromise between those like Hitler, Stalin, Bill Clinton, and David Duke, and those who do
not seek their own self-gratification to all other exclusion? What is the compromise between
abortion and life? What is the compromise between using the birth control pill, which does not
prevent conception but does prevent the fertilized egg (which is a human being) from going to
the place God designed for it, thus killing it, and life?
There is no possibility of Moral or Dogmatic negotiation, middle ground, or compromise. There
is only following your own self-indulgence, or following God.
But there is great hope for the sinner who acknowledges he is a sinner and begs God's mercy and
tries to do something to conquer being a sinner. The homosexual or lesbian who engages in
unnatural sexual practices is no different from a heterosexual who engages in sexual practices
outside of marriage. Each sins in engaging in such practices, and nothing can make such
practices not a sin. But the person who engages in such practices and acknowledges them to be
sinful, and who struggles against the sin, will receive God's help; and with accepting God's help
the sinner will overcome the sin and attain salvation.
One of the keys is in acknowledging the sin, for if the sin is not acknowledged, the sinner will
not attempt to overcome the sin.
This may seem very abstract, but it's application in everyday life is all around each of us,
particularly in the more modern and technical societies. Two TV commercials are good
examples of this.
The New Orleans Saints currently have a commercial which ridicules a certain type of TV
preacher. While many of that type of preacher may be fakers, there are many who use that style
who are not. In publicly ridiculing that style of preaching the New Orleans Saints ridicule all of
Christianity. Perhaps ridicule of Christianity is to be expected of the modern, over paid,
gladiators and their masters, for they follow the example of their Roman gladiator predecessors.
The other is a Radio Telephone commercial where everyone in a family is trying to have the
portable telephone for the day. The father says his "dibbs" outranks everyone else's "dibbs", but
the mother says mother's "dibbs" outrank his pathetic little "dibbs", and the father acquiesces.
This is nothing less than a continuance of the ridicule of men by the Feminazi, and an
undermining of the Father's place in the family. It also is a prime example of the continuation of
Adam's acquiescence to Eve's leading mankind into sin and Adam's doing nothing about it.
There are no morally acceptable middle grounds in these examples: ridicule of Christianity is
always wrong, football players are over paid, fanatic football fans are fools, mothers are not
slaves to their husbands but fathers are heads of their families, the bread winner father needs the
phone for work, and it is not difficult to determine right from wrong.
Ref: 1 Cor 12:2-11, Luke 18:9-14
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FAITH AND MIRACLES
LOVE AND MIRACLES! YES!
. . . THE MIRACLE OF YOU
There are many different type of miracles, but most people consider a miracle to be something
which has no possibility given the pathology of the situation. An example of a miracle which is
based on the pathology of the situation is that of a person who has lost their eyesight and whose
eyes are physically incapable of seeing, and who then regains their eyesight without mechanical
intervention even though their eyes remain incapable of seeing. At least one such miracle has
occurred, in a, then, young man, who had his eyesight restored at Lourdes even though the
scarring of his eyes and the nerve damage remains and is of a nature that physicians have stated
that based on the physical damage to and condition of his eyes, it is impossible for this man to
see. Yet he can see. This particular man did not believe in God prior to his injury, and did not
believe in God prior to his cure, and only slowly began to believe in God after his cure.
From this we can deduce that Faith is not necessary for God to work a miracle for and in you. If
we restrict ourselves to this kind of miracle, the ones based on pathology of the situation, we can
also state that even though a person has Faith, he will not necessarily have a miracle happen to
him.
We do not know all the reasons God makes miracles. Some of the reasons we do know are, to
confirm or prove that something is true: such as His healing the person who could not speak as a
proof that He is God, or having a person be cured of a disease through intercessory prayer, as a
proof that the intercessor is a Saint in Heaven. He also makes miracles just to be nice, to help the
one helped and to give Faith to those who learn about the miracle. Sometimes a miracle occurs
because it it the natural outcome of God's love for us. In fact, every miracle is a result of God's
love for us, but sometimes it happens not because it is designed to strengthen Faith, or to serve as
proof of something, but only because God loves us so much that the miracle happens.
And this last reason is the reason for the miracle of our own creation and existence. Prior to your
conception you did not exist, but even though you did not exist, God loved you so much that the
miracle of you happened.
There are some people who do not care about God. There are some who do not care that God
loves them so much that His love for them created them and maintains their existence. There are
some who have not given this or God much thought, who do not make God an important part of
their lives, who do not make God any part of their lives. There are others who do not
contemplate their own existence, or, who in contemplating their own existence, refuse to
consider God as having any meaningful part in their existence. Still others acknowledge God,
and His necessitous participation in all aspects of their existence, yet only give Him a form of
"nodding acknowledgment" similar to that given by two members of the nobility who happen to
pass each other in a hallway of a palace - their acknowledgment of God should be that which a
blind and crippled beggar would owe to someone who takes the beggar into His home and treats
the beggar as the most honored member of the family.
Such a beggar would best acknowledge he has a duty to behave according the rules of the House.
So too would it be best for each of us to acknowledge we each have the duty to behave according
to the Rule of the House of God, for the Rule of the House of God exists not just in Heaven, but
in all of creation: here on Earth, on Mars, Venus, the Moon, the closest and farthest stars and all
in between, and even in Hell.
God is not just another Person with Whom we somehow share a form of equality or even near
equality, yet we often live in a manner that would make a disinterested observer think we think
we are God's equal or near equal. Until a creature makes something from nothing, not just
converts some from of energy or matter into something else, but actually creates something from
absolutely nothing - until that happens, no creature should discount God, for until that happens
there will be no creature who is capable of self perpetuation. And if that were ever to happen,
even then that creature would be incapable of self perpetuation and of self elimination. And if a
creature ever were able to self perpetuate or self eliminate, even then there would be no creature
who were God's equal, for the Absolute Ultimate, Whom we call God, is by very definition,
unique.
It is this Unique, this One and Only, the One Who Is, the only One who can say of Himself, I Am
Who Am, He it is who loves us so much that we came into existence and did so in a manner and
form which will remain in existence forever, without ever ending.
When we consider this, it would seem reasonable to do our best to be what God wants us to be,
and if that sometimes is contrary to what we want, for us to give in to God and do and be what
He wants. If we have to struggle to accomplish this for some aspects of our lives, that is OK, for
God's love for us will sustain us if we allow it - and God's love does not depend on our wealth,
attractiveness, social standing, or anything. His love is just like Him . . . it Is.
Ref: 1 Cor 15:1-10, Marc 7:31-37
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MODERN APPLICATION OF
LETTER OF THE LAW
VERSUS SPIRIT
A really good example of spirit of the law versus letter of the law is President Clinton's sexual
escapade with Monica Lewinski. Unfortunately, there is no delicate way of stating this.
President Clinton said he did not have sex with the woman. According to the definition of sexual
intercourse he did not have sexual intercourse, but he did engage in the most extreme of sexual
activities with her. Therefore, according to the letter of the law defining sexual intercourse he
did not have sexual intercourse, but he did have sex with her because their sexual activities were
everything short of intercourse and their activities did result in orgasm. In his twisted mind
Clinton equated sex with sexual intercourse
When we look just to the letter of the law we ignore that upon which what is called "Black Letter
Law" is founded, as well as its spirit, and, more importantly, we preclude the Holy Spirit
participating in our observance of the law. We preclude the Holy Spirit because we are so
focused on the "Black Letter Law" that we ignore the foundation of the "Black Letter Law".
That foundation is God's Will expressed through the Ten Commandments given to us by God the
Father, The Way taught by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and revelations given to us under
the Manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
There was a man who observed Sunday's most religiously. He spent every weekend with his
family, was devoted to his wife, taught his children not just their school homework but also
schooled them in The Way taught by Our Lord Jesus Christ. He never even thought of cheating
on his wife, gave money to the poor, fought against prostitution by starting and supporting a
school and rehabilitation center for them, set up scholarships for the poor, and voted based on the
qualifications of the candidate.
His main business was a "payday loan company" where people would borrow between fifty and a
few hundred dollars to tide them over until payday. The borrowers would write a check for the
amount of the loan plus interest and date it their next payday. There were two problems with his
business: First, he charged 50 % interest; Second, if the check bounced he would have the
borrower arrested and prosecuted and then sue the borrower and have all their possessions, even
their house, auctioned off to pay his fees.
Was this man justified in the "Black Letter Law" of either man or God? Was he justified in the
law of man? Was he justified in the Law of God? Was he justified in the spirit of either the law
of man or the Law of God? He was only justified in the "Black Letter Law" of man; to all the
other questions we know the answer is, he was not justified.
Not only was he not justified in his business, he was not justified in his entire life, even though
everything else he did was so good. The reason he was not justified in his non-business life is, he
saw nothing morally wrong with his business practices, and so everything else he did was tainted
because everything else he did was made possible by his business practices.
There was a lady who was a really nice lady, and who was so beautiful that when she just walked
down the street people would turn to look at her. Even women thought she was beautiful. She
found this always made her uncomfortable, so she rarely wore makeup, thinking that with little or
no makeup, she would be somewhat less attractive. It did not work, for she was simply beautiful
no matter what she wore, for her beauty was both within her in her Soul, as well as in her natural,
physical attributes.
Like most of us, she had many, major, character flaws, which lead her to commit sins. You may
wonder how she could be beautiful of soul, and yet be a sinner. The answer is simple. She was
well aware of her character flaws, and of her sins, and detested her weaknesses and her sins. She
constantly strove to remove sin from her life, to correct her character flaws, and to become strong
in Christ. Because she acknowledged and understood the difference between the letter of the law
and the Spirit upon which the letter is based, and strove to become one with the Spirit, she was
justified.
It is amazing, a wonderment, that the vast majority of people do not think of themselves as
sinners. Yet, there must be some internal, non-acknowledged, perception of their own sinful
state, for no one has declared theirself worthy of casting the first stone. Do not make a laundry
list of your positive and negative characteristics, but do study yourself, so that you know
yourself. At the same time study what God has taught and try to understand the fact that God's
Love is the foundation for His teachings to us, so that you will better know what He wants of us
and the Spirit in which His guidance is cradled. Then, with God's Grace which is His Essence,
you will be able to begin to correct yourself, and eventually become justified.
Ref: 2 Cor 3:4-9, Luke 10:23-37
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THE POLITICAL PARTY
Reasons for changing or maintaining political party affiliation. The morality of the stated platforms are a key in making your choice. Reasons for my change in choice. + Paul, S.S.B.
For the better part of a half century I was a member of the Democratic Party in the United States
of America. I recently changed my party affiliation to Republican, and made the change for very
simple moral reasons.
During the inner-party presidential debates, Al Gore and Bill Bradley, Democrats, argued as to
which of them was most in favor of abortions, which had supported the obtaining of abortions at
will the longest, and which had supported funding and supplying abortions to the greatest extent.
This brought to my mind an image of Hitler and Goering arguing as to which of them had done
the most to kill the most Jews, Poles, Non-Germans, and, generally, members of non-acceptable
(to them) ethnic groups and proponents of non-acceptable (to them) religions, philosophies and
principles.
This forced me to look very seriously at the Republican presidential candidates. It was in looking
at the Republican presidential candidates that I made a startling discovery; there are two main
forms of Republican: those who consider themselves to be members of the intellectual elite and
who attempt to manipulate their Party and everything so-as-to maintain power, control, and
advantage - these are called Intellectual Republicans; those who have standards and principles
underwhich they believe every person has a right to an equal chance of success in what ever
endeavors they chose - these are called Reagan Republicans, and seem to be more in line with
Traditional (over the past 150 years) Republican principles.
The Intellectual Elite Republicans are persons such as Rockefeller, Ford (an intellectual
"wannabe"), and John McCain.
George W. Bush, and Alan Keys, are Reagan Republicans.
Republicans seem to have a philosophy of minimal government intervention, with the Intellectual
Republicans abandoning this position when it suits their desire to maintain power and control. In
actuality, the Intellectual Republicans are virtually identical to the Democrats in that they attempt
to maintain control of everything for their own advantage, with little or no regard for anyone else.
They want to do what they want to do and do not seem to care who they trample in the process -
and THAT is a Democratic Party principle of operation.
Traditional - Reagan Republicans seem to maintain the minimal government intervention
position, with a respect for the individual which begins with conception. They maintain the
concept that each of us is responsible for himself, and each person should be allowed and
encouraged to succeed and allowed to fail, with only that amount of government intervention
necessary to insure one individual does not hinder or trample another in the process to success or
failure.
It dawned on me that the Traditional Republicans were the ones who fought against slavery in the
U.S. Civil War, and that the forerunners of the modern day Democrats were the ones who fought
on the side of slavery in the U.S. Civll War. It appears each party has, in the matter of slavery,
maintained its original Civl War position, with the Democrats using economic advantage to
select minorities as a means of maintaining policital power, and in the process, enslaving that
population to which economic "advantage" has been given.
This Democratic Party position of enslavement, which has been in existance for more than 150
years, is concurrent with the Democratic Party disdain for individual rights, and its lack of
respect for human life.
While the Republicans seem to have little inclination to help individuals or groups, believing
each individual or group should succeed or fail on the merits of its own efforts, this position does
not preclude assistanct to those who are unable to fend for themselves. Hence the Traditional -
Reagan Republican position against abortions, this anti-killing position being based in the
principal of assisting only those who really are unable to care for themselves.
The Traditional - Reagan Republican philosophy makes them more amiable to positions which
are absolute; to maintaining morality is an, if not the, absolute.
The Democatic Party pro-murder of unborn children position forces them to abandon any concept
of absolute, unchanging, Divine authority.
Purely from the moral perspective based on party platforms, it is impossible for a person of moral values to vote for a Democratic Presidental candidate in the current elections.
Alan Keys - R
Clinton and Gore - D
The only moral
presidential choice
George W. Bush - R
is
Repub-lican.
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HUMOR
"Ahhh, that's a terrible thing for a Notre Dame lad to be doin'," the priest said. He took a piece of
chalk and drew a mark across the sleeve of his coat.
"That's not all, Father. I got mad and punched one of my opponents."
"Saints preserve us!" the priest said, making another chalk mark.
"There's more. As I got out of a pileup, I kicked two of the other team's players in their sensitive
area."
"Oh, goodness me!" the priest wailed, making two more chalk marks on his sleeve. "Who in the
world were we playin' when you did these awful things?"
"Southern Methodist."
"Ah, well," said the priest, wiping his sleeve. "Boys will be boys."
(Thanks Roy)
No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.
If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
Never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time.
(Thanks Marc)
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CHILDREN'S PAGE
BIBLE HISTORY FOR
CHILDREN
28. The Israelites in the Promised Land--The Heathen Nations
AFTER forty years the Israelites entered the land of Chanaan. Here they dwelt, and built towns
and villages. Their capital was Jerusalem. Solomon, one of their kings, erected a magnificent
temple there. In it was the sanctuary, and the Holy of the Holies. In the sanctuary, the priests
offered their sacrifices. In the Holy of the Holies, the High-Priest, alone, entered once a year.
2. Afterwards the Israelites were also called Jews. They were the only people that believed in the
one true God. All other nations were heathens or idolalters. They worshipped false gods, and led
a very bad life. They were very unhappy.
3. The Jews believed in God, and waited for the coming of the Savior. But only a small portion of
them kept the Commandments. The others had no fear of God; they committed great sins and
many crimes. In this manner time went on. At last the world was filled with wickedness, sin, and
misery.
4. Men were helpless and knew of no remedy. Then God had pity on them, and sent His only
begotten Son from heaven to redeem mankind.
QUESTIONS
1. What did the Israelites build in the promised land?
2. What was the faith of the Jews?
What that of the heathen nations?
2. Did all the Jews keep the Commandments?
4. Whom did God send when men were helpless?
SECOND PART
HISTORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
l. The Birth of John the Baptist is Announced
DURING the reign of King Herod, there lived in the mountains of Judea a priest called Zachary.
The name of his wife was Elizabeth. They were both just, and faithfully kept all commandments
of the Lord. They had no children, and were advanced in years.
2. One day Zachary had to perform the priestly office. He went into the temple and stood before
the altar with the censer. The people were praying outside the sanctuary. Suddenly Zachary saw
an angel standing at the side of the altar. Zachary was afraid. But the angel said to him: "Fear
not, Zachary ! Thy prayer is heard; thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his
name John. Thou shalt have joy and gladness; for he shall be great before the Lord. He will drink
no wine, nor strong drink. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost before his birth, and he shall
convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before Him to
prepare for the Lord a perfect people." The angel then disappeared, and Zachary returned home.
QUESTIONS
1. What is said of Zachary and Elizabeth?
2. What did Zachary do in the temple?
Who appeared to him?
What did the angel say?
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Pro-Abortion Groups
(The following article on the Unborn Victims of Violence Act is published in the August 10,
1999 edition of National Right to Life News. For further information, contact the NRLC Federal
Legislative Office at Legfederal@aol.com.)
By NRLC Federal Legislative Office
WASHINGTON (August 9)-- Leading pro-abortion organizations have launched a fuselage of
vehement attacks against a major new pro-life bill even as the measure won support from a key
House subcommittee, with prospects for consideration by the full House before the end of the
year.
The bill, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (HR 2436), would establish, for purposes of
federal criminal law, that unborn children are human beings who can be the victims of federal
crimes over and above any harm done to their mothers.
Currently, in an assault in which a mother and unborn child are both harmed, federal law
recognizes only the harm to the mother. Under the bill, however, justice could be done on behalf
of both victims. For example, if an assailant commits a federal crime that injures a woman and
kills her unborn child, he could be prosecuted for two crimes: assault on the mother, and
manslaughter or murder of the baby.
The penalty for the harm to the baby would be the same as for the same harm done to persons
already born (except that the death penalty would not apply).
The measure was introduced by Congressman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on July 1. The National
Right to Life Committee (NRLC) was consulted in the drafting of the measure and strongly
supports it.
On August 4, only a month after its introduction, the bill was approved by the House Judiciary
Constitution Subcommittee. The subcommittee's rapid work suggests that it may be possible for
the bill to reach the House floor before Congress recesses for the year, which may be as early as
late October. (If the bill does not reach the floor this year, it will remain alive for consideration
during the second session of the 106th Congress, which will begin in January.)
Pro-abortion Groups Attack Bill
The bill would apply to over 65 existing laws that define federal crimes involving violence. These cover, among other things, violent acts conducted by military personnel or against certain federal
employees, or in federal jurisdictions. In addition, Congress has chosen to define certain acts as
federal crimes no matter where they occur; for example, bank robberies, some drug-related
offenses, and certain crimes conducted by persons who cross state lines.
The bill is focused entirely on violent assaults on mother and child by third parties. Any abortion to which a woman consents, or any act by the mother herself (legal or illegal) that affects her own
unborn child, are not included in the scope of the bill.
Nevertheless, pro-abortion groups have harshly denounced the legislation.
The Washington office of the American Civil Liberties Union distributed a press release under the headline, "New Battle on Reproductive Choice Opens As House Panel Considers Fetal Rights
Legislation."
In the statement, ACLU Legislative Counsel Kathryn Engustian objected to the bill because it
would, she said, "separate the woman from her fetus in the eyes of the law. And we believe that
such separation is merely the first step toward eroding a woman's right to determine the fate of
her own pregnancy and to direct the course of her own health care."
Engustian said that the ACLU would support a bill providing Aenhanced penalties for acts that
"injure or terminate a pregnancy."
"Enhanced penalties would focus the criminal law where it should be: On the especially
devastating loss or injury to the woman that occurs when her pregnancy is compromised,"
Engustian said.
(Some other pro-abortion groups also endorsed the Aenhanced penalties' concept, which is
radically different from the Aunborn victims approach. Under an Aenhanced penalties' bill,
unborn children would remain non-entities in federal law, and the act of taking a baby's life
would be regarded merely as an additional and lesser injury to the mother.)
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) distributed a statement by PPFA
President Gloria Feldt under the headline, "Congress' Latest Back Door Attempt to Overturn Roe
v. Wade."
"Anti-choice members of Congress have introduced the Unborn Victims of Violence Act to do
what the Human Life Amendment and other anti-abortion bills have failed to do, separate the
fetus from the woman, and attach rights of personhood on the fetus," Feldt said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Kate Michelman, president of the National Abortion and
Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), in a July 21 statement.
"As we strive to prevent these heinous acts against women and prosecute those who commit
them, we must not proceed in any fashion that provides a foundation on which anti-choice
lawmakers can build a future case for tearing down the legal right to choose abortion embodied
in Roe v. Wade," Michelman said, adding, "Clearly, the so-called 'Unborn Victims of Violence
Act of 1999' would forge new legal ground in attempting to recognize a fetus as a person, a
position antithetical to the findings of Roe. Indeed, the Act must be seen as another battle in the
26-year-long crusade since Roe to endow the fetus with rights and thus erode the fundamental
right of women to choose."
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson commented, "Why do pro-abortion groups
proclaim that the bill is an attempt to ban abortion, even though they know that abortion is
excluded from the scope of the bill? It seems their greatest fear is not of what the bill actually
does legally, but of how it might encourage people to think about the unborn child. They feel
compelled to oppose anything that challenges their nonsensical, ideological construct, in which
an unborn human being is nothing more than a collection of body tissues."
Amendments Improve Bill
Democratic members of the Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee opposed the bill.
Subcommittee member Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) echoed the objections of the pro-abortion
organizations, and said that the bill "is more worthy of the Iranian legislature than this
Congress."
But Nadler and the subcommittee=s ranking Democrat, Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), were outvoted 5-2 by Republicans on the subcommittee: Graham; Rep. Charles Canady (Fl.), the subcommittee
chairman; Henry Hyde (Il.), chairman of the full Judiciary Committee; Asa Hutchinson (Ar.); and
Bob Goodlatte (Va.).
Prior to approving the measure, the subcommittee adopted two amendments proposed by
Graham.
One amendment was drafted in response to objections that the bill's original reference to "child
in utero, was too ague." The amendment clarifies that "child in utero" means "a member of the
species homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb."
The second Graham amendment clarified that, in order to convict an assailant under the law, the
government would not need to show that "the person engaging in the conduct had knowledge or
should have had knowledge that the victim of the underlying offense was pregnant" or that "the
defendant intended to cause the death of, or bodily injury to, the unborn child." However, under
the amendment, in any case in which the government can prove that the assailant intended to kill
the unborn child, he more likely will be subject to the most severe penalties: those provided in
federal law for Aintentionally killing or attempting to kill a human being, up to and including life
in prison (but not the death penalty).
NRLC's Johnson said that the two amendments improved an already excellent bill.
"The version approved by the subcommittee makes it crystal clear that any aggressor who is
thinking about attacking a woman of childbearing age had better reckon with the possibility that
there may be a baby on board and that he will be held responsible if he injures or kills that baby,
even if he didn't know about the baby," Johnson said. "Beyond that, if it can be proved that he
knew about and intentionally killed the baby, then in many cases he could be charged with
murder even if the mother survives."
Panel Hears Powerful Testimony
On July 21, the Constitution Subcommittee held a public hearing on the bill, receiving
powerfully emotional testimony from Michael Lenz of Oklahoma City. Mr. Lenz's wife, Carrie,
and their unborn son, Michael James Lenz III, were both killed in the 1995 bombing of the
Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
Under current law, the killing of Carrie Lenz -- an employee of the Drug Enforcement
Administration -- was a federal crime. But the killing of Michael James Lenz was not, because
unborn children are not recognized as victims in federal criminal law.
Mr. Lenz testified that the afternoon before the bombing, he and his wife had ultrasound photos
taken, and learned their baby was a boy. They immediately named him.
"We were so happy we even paid for extra ultrasound pictures to show off," Mr. Lenz said.
"When we arrived home that evening, we called all of our friends and relatives to tell them the
news. We didn't know it at the time, but that would be the last time Carrie spoke to the people
she loved most."
The next morning, Carrie Lenz left early for work to show the ultrasound photos to her co-workers at the Drug Enforcement Administration office in the Murrah Building. "At 9:03 that
morning I was no longer an expecting father or husband," Mr. Lenz said. "At 28 years old, I was
a widower."
Mr. Lenz said that the official death total for the bombing was 168, but three unborn children
were also killed, so "in my mind, 171 people lost their lives that day, and three daddies-to-be
became widowers."
Even if his son alone had been killed and his wife had survived, federal law should recognize that
his son was a victim, Mr. Lenz said, asking the panel, "Should we as people allow that act of
violence to remain a victimless crime? No Michael the Third ever mentioned? I don't think that
would be right."
At the hearing, a statement was distributed by the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, a
New York-based pro-abortion legal defense group. The statement read in part: "By proposing to
extend to unborn children the same legal protections of living persons, this act constitutes a
blatant effort to create fetal rights equal to those of women. The U.S. Supreme Court has
explicitly rejected recognition of fetal rights, holding that constitutional protection for all citizens
begins at birth. . . . Any effort to address fetal loss must focus on the woman."
But Prof. Gerard Bradley of Notre Dame Law School, testifying in support of the bill, reminded the panel that the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989 upheld a Missouri law declaring that the "life of each
human being begins at conception" and that "unborn children have protectable interests in life,
health, and well-being." The Supreme Court said that the law was permissible so long as it was
not employed to restrict abortion in ways inconsistent with the Court's past rulings, Bradley
testified.
Eleven (11) states already have laws similar to the bill, and none has fallen to any constitutional
challenge.
Terry Dempsey, a former Minnesota state legislator, testified regarding a comprehensive unborn
victims law that was enacted under his sponsorship in 1986. Dempsey, now a state judge, said
that the law had been used appropriately to punish violent criminals who injure or kill unborn
children, and had been upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Because the bill would affect the military, the bill has also been referred to the House Armed
Services Committee, which has not yet scheduled action on the measure. The committee is
chaired by Congressman Floyd Spence (R-SC), who is pro-life.
The Unborn Victims of Violence Act has not yet been introduced in the Senate.
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ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH
It is difficult to imagine, but the Ecumenical Patriarch has not had a Theological Seminary since
1971, when the Turks (as remnant of the Ottoman Empire - Moslems / Islamics - they are not
known for liking Christians any more than they like Jews) closed it down. This is one of the
reasons the Patriarch has been working to establish a theological training facility off the coast.
(below, from an VIS release):
"On the morning of June 29, representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarch had a private meeting
with His Holiness John Paul II. The audience provided an occasion for an exchange of views
between Metropolitan Athanasios and the Holy Father.
"In the conversation that took place between the Holy Father and the delegation from the
Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the presence of members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity, mention was also made of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's need to have its own
theological school, something that is considered indispensable for the life of the Patriarchate
itself. Indeed, the theological faculty of Chalki was closed following a governmental decision in
1971. The Holy Father hopes that such a school may be reopened in the atmosphere of religious
freedom that befits any democratic country."
It should also be remembered that Turkey, which prohibits wearing of Christian clerical
garments, including just a simple clerical shirt and collar, is not known as having a government
which is friendly to Christianity. Considering the Ecumenical Patriarch is Patriarch of the Greek
Orthodox Church, and the wars which have been fought between Turkey and Greece, the Turkish
government's closing the seminary was not a surprise.
Reopening it is a necessity.
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TWICE DREAM
(c) 21 April 1997
There is a dream, in some aspects a quite troubling dream, which I have had at least twice. The
first time was not completed, but I believe the second time has been completed this morning,
Monday of Holy Week, 1997, just before two AM (that is one AM central standard time.) I will
try to tell it as one, though something may prompt me to tell it as the first part and the second.
It was just before dawn that I was walking under enormous old oak trees, so large that even close
up they appeared to be far away. It was as though I were in City Park, but also near the Gulf
Coast with the freshness of a light, almost indiscernible ocean breeze, making my senses more
than alive.
I heard people laughing and talking, as they were wont to do in my youth, on the Lake
Pontchartrain Lakefront. There was a pleasant feeling in the air as I mixed with the small groups
of people walking and talking somewhat aimlessly about. Then a man walked up to me and said,
"Be careful, especially around the trees, and look at anyone who approaches you."
"Why?", I asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"You can not tell them from us except in the later stages," he replied, and then he moved away
and I lost sight of him in the darkness just feet away from where he had been standing.
Some people were flying as though floating, but with apparently little or no ability to control
where or in what direction, though there was the ability to swoop down towards the Earth.
Amazingly beautiful. But the floaters of the air were infested with that which corrupted their
bodies, as though they had been floating in water and become decayed. Yet they were fully
conscious, and when the breeze permitted, they did walk upon the earth if they did choose.
I wanted to call them flyers, but now the name floaters seems, for some reason, to be more
appropriate.
Researchers had developed a clear, brownish liquid, similar in colour to a medium strength tea -
an Anti-Floater Condition Elixir. This Elixir had been proven to stave off the Floater Condition,
to keep it in abeyance if one had it, and to prevent one from getting it even if an attempt to
transmit it to him had been made by a floater. The Elixir was being distributed free to the
general populace.
I offered my assistance to physicians and researchers working for a cure or means of controlling
the Floater Condition, though I was not sure how I could assist. It was a large clinic, with a long
and wide, open lobby, surrounded by glass walls that reached the suspended ceiling about ten feet
above the floor. There were treatment rooms and research rooms, all with the same glass walls,
so that you could look across the building and see what ever was happening in any portion.
One small child who I believed, in the back of my mind, to be a floater, but who I also believe
may have been seeking the shelter provided by the Super Dome parking lot, stayed near the
support column in the upper parking tier. I asked the child, a boy I think, but just a child, "Do
you wish to accompany me?", as I made my way to the clinic where I was assisting those
assisting the floaters. The child made a non-committal, negative gesture and sound. I asked, "Do
you have food and drink for today?, and received a non-committal impression from the child.
So I made my way to the clinic, spending some time attempting to give solace to the floaters
there, and assisting in the labs.
Towards evening I made my way to the Super Dome parking lot. I had left three bottles of drink,
including one of the Elixir, hanging near the place where I had left my belongings. I reached for
the Elixir, which I kept in a plastic gallon milk container, and saw to my horror that the stopper
had been shoved into the bottle and has been corroded through its middle. I looked towards the
ceiling, and saw the child clinging to the support column. The child was grinning at me with the
bloodied teeth and mouth of a fully developed and hunting floater.
In horror I ran back to the clinic, pushing through the crowds which has sought shelter in the
lobby for the approaching night. As I made my way through the people, I could only faintly feel
their bodies pressing and bumping into me, and then I was knocked off the floor and towards the
ceiling. I knew I was now a floater and could see myself as though from a few feet away, and
could see the small tear in the side of my neck.
As I floated, bumping into the ceiling, I suddenly felt total panic, and forced myself to be
propelled towards the front doors. Immediately, guards and the throng within the lobby began
reaching for me, but I was still very strong and flew through their outstretched arms making my
escape into the night sky.
To my amazement, I was pursued by a great number of floaters. Instead of facing them or trying
to hide, I determined that I would propel myself by sheer will into the sky, even into outer space;
that death in the airlessness of space was preferable to the company of floaters, preferable to
bearing a mouth bloodied with the drippings of victims - hoping that perhaps being a floater
meant I could live even in the airlessness of outer space.
Then, as I raced past the blue air of the sky and reached its limits, I saw a barrier, as though made
of a colorless opaque substance one or two feet thick. It bore a honey comb pattern on its
surface, and I took one of the comb partitions and shoved it up as my pursuers raced to stop me.
But I made it through to the top, and set the comb aside on the outer surface of this barrier.
From the outside, the top, where I now stood, the barrier had the lightest of blue tint. My
pursuers slacked off in their speed and quest, not wishing to approach where I now was.
To my amazement, instead of the blackness of outer space, I was surrounded by the most intense
and yet most soft and gentle light colour of sky blueness I have ever experienced. I experienced a
feeling of safety, of protection, of comfort. Then, all that was around me dissolved into a pattern
of the honey comb, the combs turning to the most brilliant of white light, and then collapsing
onto themselves in a zig zagging pattern but which caused me not fear but something akin to
joyful anticipation, and I awoke as the zig zagging pattern dissolved. I reached for the rosary
which hangs, sometimes unused, on my bed near my head as I sleep; and prayed two decades;
then came here and wrote this that It would not be forgotten.
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THE BLESSING
There are some situations which leave only two possibilities. A good example is, if you ask
someone, "Is the light in the shed on?" and they truthfully answer no, then you know the shed
should be dark. If they answer, "Yes," then there should be light in the shed. What about when
the light is burned out? Well, then the light is not on, so it is dark in the shed.
Saint Peter gives us a kind of laundry list of things which we should do, and which we should
avoid, if we wish to attain eternal salvation. Some of them seem to be easy to do or avoid, and
some of increasing difficulty, and some most difficult - each degree of difficulty being different
for each individual. Thus one person may be able to work for an unjust employer without great
difficulty, and another person may experience great difficulty in the same situation. But both are
obligated to provide a just work in accordance with the expectations of the employer for that is
what each employee contracted to do, and if one is not going to do that, he should seek other
employment. Why, because that is the moral course of action.
If we pay attention to those who are ruled by Satan, then we will have grave difficulty in
following what Our Lord wants us to do, because we will be ridiculed by the Satanic followers -
and it is important to note that most of Satan's followers do not think they are following Satan,
they just think they are doing what they are entitled to do because they have the ability to do it.
If Our Lord was present in a readily observable manner, we think: perhaps it would be easier to
live the way Our Lord wants us to live - but in this we are in error. It would be just as difficult,
and many people would live just as immorally as they live right now. But those who wish to live
morally would have one factor which would make it easier; they would be able to seek Our Lord
in Faith and speak with Him and see His lips move and hear the sound of His voice with no
doubt that it is He who is speaking.
Our generation of God is not the fortunate generation which will live in this manner. It is the
next generation of God which will have this great blessing. So we have to struggle, but we have
a much easier struggle than those of the generation of God which came before us, for they only
had a vague Hope of the coming of the Savior, while we engage the test for eternity after He has
made it possible for us to accept His salvation.
Still, the inclinations of our flesh are extremely strong, for they are the instincts which lead to the
physical survival of each individual and also the continuation of our human species. These
natural instincts must be controlled by the other part of our human nature, our spirit. Our spirit is
not concerned about continuation of the species, because it is not the part of us which is actively
involved in procreation of the species - our flesh part is actively involved in that aspect. Our
spirit also is not concerned with our individual continued survival, because our spirit is immortal
- it will never cease to exist, but our physical self is very aware that its needs must be maintained
to insure its maximum length of years. But our spirit is very much aware of the fact that it is just
a part of the complete person, and that the flesh part must be brought into submission if the
person is to attain eternal salvation by following The Way.
If the flesh exercises its needs and desires within the guidelines set by Our Lord, then at least its
conduct is moral, but if its conduct is moral only because of lack of opportunity to act immorally,
then that moral conduct is meaningless.
However, if a person's spirit influences the flesh to follow The Way, and the flesh behaves itself
because of that influence of the person's spirit, then the moral conduct is with meaning and with
good eternal effect.
There is a second way we can help ourselves to act in a moral manner, and which if successful,
can lead to an understanding and a desire to be moral for the proper reason. It could be termed
the policeman reason. One of the reasons you do not disobey certain of man's laws is that you do
not wish to be arrested or suffer the adverse consequences if you are caught. If you think about
most laws, you realize most of them exist for the betterment of mankind. Thus you may decide
to not run a red light because you do not want to be ticketed and forced to pay a fine, but
eventually you realize not running the red light is the proper behavior because it protects you and
others.
So, if you are tempted to run a red light and your concern for safety is outweighed by your desire,
the thought that there may be a policeman watching you Big Brother style - without your being
aware that he is watching - may lead you to behave. If we realize that when we wish to do
something immoral, that God is watching, perhaps that will assist us in behaving.
In any event, remember the immortal part of you knows the strength of the desires of the mortal
part of you, and all of you knows it takes a lot of work to be good and to avoid sin. Constantly
ask for Our Lord's help in being good, for that is the only way you will achieve the goal.
Ref: Peter 2:11-19, John 16:16-22
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REUNIFICATION EFFORTS
COMMUNIQUE ON ROMAN CATHOLIC-ORTHODOX CHURCH DIALOGUE
VIS-Press releases
VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2000 (VIS) - Made public this afternoon was a communique, written
in English, from the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the
Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which met in plenary session at Mount St.
Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, U.S.A. from July 9 to today.
The meeting was hosted by Cardinal William Keeler, archbishop of Baltimore and co-chaired by Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, ecumenical patriarchate. The Catholic archbishops, bishops and scholars came from the United States, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Poland and Romania. The Orthodox metropolitans, bishops and scholars were from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
and the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow and Romania, and the Churches of
Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Poland, Finland and Estonia.
The communique highlighted the acts of worship during this period, including a service of prayer
at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Basilica, a doxology at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the
Eucharist in Assumption Catholic Basilica in Baltimore and a divine liturgy in the Greek
Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sophia in Washington.
"The theme discussed at this plenary session," states the communique, "was the
'Ecclesiological and Canonical Implications of Uniatism', ... a subject which has assumed
particular importance since the changes which occurred in Central and Eastern Europe over the
last ten years."
"Although reactions were generally positive," it adds, the documents touching upon theological
aspects and practical guidelines "were met with some reserve and even outright opposition,
sometimes from each side. Therefore, it was felt necessary to continue the reflection by the Joint
Commission in order to find common understanding on this extremely thorny question."
"The discussions of this plenary were far-reaching, intense and thorough. They touched upon
many theological and canonical questions connected with the existence and the activities of the
Eastern Catholic Churches. However, since agreement was not reached on the basic theological
concept of uniatism, it was decided not to have a common statement at this time. For this reason,
the members will report to their Churches who will indicate how to overcome this obstacle for
the peaceful continuation of the dialogue.
"The Commission sees the need for further study of the theological, pastoral, historical and
canonical aspects related to this issue. ... Despite all the difficulties the Commission hopes that
through this process it will be able to develop further its quest for full communion between the
Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches."
The communique concludes by recalling that the Commission, in this Year 2000, celebrates the
20th anniversary of the beginning of its work at Patmos and Rhodes in 1980.
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MORE
REUNIFICATION EFFORTS
PAPAL APOSTOLIC LETTER
VIS-Press releases
VATICAN CITY, JUL 20, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was the Apostolic Letter of the Holy
Father John Paul II for the Third Centenary of the Union of the Greek-Catholic Church of
Romania with the Church of Rome. In the letter, dated May 7, 2000, the Pope also recalls his
apostolic visit to that country from May 7 to 9, 1999.
He called the 1999 trip "a special gift from the Lord" and said he well remembers "the beauty of
your land and the faith of the people who live there."
The letter focussed not only on the May 7 anniversary of the union of the Greek-Catholic Church
of Romania with Rome, but of the need for the Church to fulfill her "duty to progressively realize
unity with God and among men."
The Pope wrote of the vicissitudes of the Church in Romania over the millennia, from the third
century when Latin Christianity was introduced, to the introduction of the Byzantine rite at the
start of the eighth century to the period when Romania's Christians became Orthodox, the
predominant religion today. A large number of adherents, however, asked for reunion with
Rome, and this was achieved in 1700.
"The Romanians, in fact, being a Latin people, have been open to receiving the treasures of the
Byzantine faith and culture. Despite the wounds of division, this legacy remains shared by the
Greek-Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Romania. ... The hearts of the sons and
daughters of this ancient Church have always beat strongly with passion for the unity willed by
Christ."
He said that this passion was "lived in a singular way by the Romanian Church in Transylvania,
especially after the tragic division between the Christianity of the East and that of the West" in
1054. And he recalled the efforts of those who tried to heal this wound, culminating in a
movement which asked for, and obtained, full union with Rome, "officially decided upon on
October 7, 1698 and solemnly ratified on May 7, 1700." He asked: "How can we not recognize
the precious service rendered by the Greek-Catholic Church to the entire Romanian people of
Transylvania."
John Paul II observed that "notwithstanding the numerous difficulties
encountered, the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania ... has seemed to be ever more a singular
witness to the unforeswearable value of ecclesial unity. But it was above all in the second half of
the 20th century, at the time of communist totalitarianism, that your Church had to undergo a
very hard trial, justly earning the title of 'the Church of confessors and martyrs'."
He urged the faithful not to be demoralized notwithstanding the difficulties the Church is
encountering as it comes back from years of suppression and to undertake their journey "with
faith that they can count on God's help."
In light of the persecutions undergone by the Church, Pope John Paul suggested an updating of
its martyrology, "enacting the necessary measures to enrich the documentation about the events
which transpired and to thus allow future generations to know their history." He underlined the
persecutions undergone by the Orthodox Church and by other Churches and religious
communities.
The Pope recognized that the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania was not able to fully
participate in Vatican Council II, which "faced with major attention the delicate questions of the
Oriental Catholic Churches, of ecumenism and of the Church in general." He also recognized that
the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania was making "laborious efforts" to commit itself to the
counciliar teachings as set forth in the Church's Magisterium and "to fully welcome the
indications of the Holy See." The Pope stressed at length the special commitment made during
Vatican Council II to the search for full unity among Christians.
"My immediate predecessors," John Paul II affirmed, "beginning with John XXIII of venerated
memory, have multiplied efforts in favor of ecumenical reconciliation, in particular with the
Orthodox Churches. ... Under the merciful glance of her Lord, the Church remembers her past,
recognizes the errors of her children and confesses their lack of love for their brothers in Christ
and, as a consequence, asks for pardon and pardons, seeking to re-establish full unity among
Christians."
He wrote that "the attempt to search for full communion is inevitably conditioned by the
historical context, by the political situation and by the dominant mentality of each era. ... The
changed circumstances of the present call for a search for unity in a broader ecumenical horizon."
"As I encouraged the process of revision of the mode of exercising the petrine ministry within
Christian ecumenism, except for those exigencies which come from the will of Christ, I thus urge
an updating and a deeper study of the specific vocation of the Oriental Churches in communion
with Rome in the new context, appealing for the study and reflection of all the Churches."
In concluding remarks, the Holy Father said that "an authentic return to liturgical and patristic
traditions, a treasure you share with the Orthodox Church, will contribute to the reconciliation
with other Churches present in Romania." He "warmly encouraged pursuing the dialogue
between your Church and the Orthodox Church."
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THE CHRISTIAN - MOSLEM
[For several years there have been reports of Christians being "abused" by Moslems in
Palestine. While this letter is several years old, and there are problems with Moslems
intending to build a Mosque in Bethlehem in Manger Square, the general "tone" of this
letter seems to remain valid. - (As received through Catholic Information Network (CIN)
from AOL ) - Ed.]
Date: 12-23-97 From: LabibKobti
Subject: Re: Christians run from Arafat
As A response to tha allegated "YASSER Arafat's Palestinian Authority is waging a campaign of
intimidation and harassment to push Muslims who have converted to Christianity to renounce
their new faith. The Palestinian converts - members of an evangelical Christian congregation in
the West Bank - say they have been threatened, beaten and some jailed by Palestinian
officials...." *I NEED TO SAY*:
Dear Friends,
As representative of the Latin Patirarchate of Jerusalem in California, USA, I am at daily basis
contact with my Diocese in Jerusalem, with respect to all of you I ask you, *PLEASE*, try to
serve the *TRUTH* as a Catholic list and not what some people say... If you have any question
please, as responsabile of the lists and people who want to serve justice, peace anr *TRUTH* try
to be sure from a very truthful source of information, the Church of the Holy Land about what is
going in the Holy Land.
In fact, with my respect, the Christian-Zionists or Evangelists who pretend that they are
persecuted by the Palestinians do not represent the Church of Jerusalem, and they showed in the
past that they are not a truthful source of information by trying to destroy the harmony between
the Arab Christians (the Christians who will be celebrating 2000 years of presence in Paleastine)
and their bloodbrothers and sisters the Arab Muslims.
The Arab Christians are represented by the Arab Catholic Church , by the Arab Orhtodox
Church, the Lutherans, the Anglicans (please visit http://www.al-bushra.org to find out about the
Christians of the Holy Land). Those Churches have said and repeated that they are not and were
not persecuted in any way by P.A., on the contrary they are very respected and many of their
people are part of the P.A intself.
When Israel is trying to make it illegal to have literature which can be considered missionary and
just having a New Testament in a home can be construed in certain quarters as being missionary.
The Muslim Palestinians consider Arab Christians as part of their lives, tradition and heritage.
Please read with me excerpts of two statements that comes directly form the Holy Land and stop
once for good to nourish divisions between blood brothers and sister the Arab Christians and the
Arab Muslims in the Middel East and the Holy Land. Read other things on http://www.al-bushra.org that shows you the *TRUTH* from the perspective of the Head of Christian Churches
and Communities in the Middle East and the Holy Land
1- Statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem published in Novemeber 13th 1997"... we
deny and reject any allegation that we, Christians, are being subject to persecution at the hand of
our Muslims nationals..... we reaffirm that the Palestinian Authority is and has been doing its
best to make sure that Christians are being fairly and equally treated as all other Palestinian
citizens. Moreover, the Palestinian Authority chaired by Arafat is easily accessible by us,
religious leaders, through many channels. It is useless to mention that many Christians are highly
ranked within the Palestinian Authority structure....Finally, we call upon the Israeli media as well
as all others to be responsabile and truthful in what they report given that the destination of a
people is as serious as life and death."
2- " ...The Roman Catholic Church accused Israel's state radio of discrimination Thursday,
demanding it reinstate Christian programming dropped from the schedule of its Arabic service.
"They have cut off an entire community. This is evident religious discrimination and we want
the situation to be changed," Monsignor Giacintio-Boulos Marcuzzo, the Latin Patriarchy
representative in Israel, told AFP.
Marcuzzo, based in the Israeli town of Nazareth, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Nov. 30 asking him to intervene to bring Christian progamming back to Voice of
Israel's Arabic service."December 4th, 1997 Our citizens have the right, as do all citizens, to
have their program. (The canceling) is an evident discrimination," said the letter, a copy of
which was received by AFP..."
Fr. Labib Kobti
Representastive of the Roman Catholic
Church of Jerusalem (Latin Chuch) In Calofornia, USA
Al-Bushra http://www.al-bushra.org
__________________________________*******
Blessed is he who knows in truth that we are but tools in God's Hands.
-St. Maximos the Confessor
*******
[Sometimes the "tone" of an occurrence is more important than the occurrence - Ed]
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MARRIED CLERGY
From a press release of the Ukrainian Catholic Church:
SECRETARY OF STATE
N. 2005/98/RS
From the Vatican, 4 March 1998
Most Reverend Excellency,
It is well known with how much care the Holy See follows the lot of the Catholic Church of
the Byzantine-Ukrainian Rite in this country. After the collapse of Communism, even the
Catholics of that Rite can liberally manifest their religious affiliation. For its part, the Apostolic
See has provided for an adequate ecclesial reorganization.
The present situation causes new problems that must be confronted and resolved in a spirit
of collegiality between the Ordinaries of the said Rite, the Polish Episcopal Conference and the
Holy See.
I am referring to the activity in Poland of some uxorati priests, theoretically incardinated
into the dioceses that are found in the territory of the Republic of Ukraine.
By the authority of the Holy Father, I am privileged to inform you of that which follows, with the request that it be brought to the attentionof the Most Reverend Ordinaries of Peremyshyl-Warsaw and of Wroclaw-Gdansk:
1. The Bishops of the Byzantine-Ukrainian Rite can not unilaterally modify the prevalent practice according to which even the Greek-Catholic priests must maintain the discipline of celibacy in Poland. A change may not be effected in that lasting tradition without having heard the Polish Episcopal Conference and having received the authorization of the Holy See.
2. Therefore, the uxorati priests that now are working in Poland must return to their dioceses of origin in Ukraine.
3. In the event that there would not be a sufficient number of celibate priests, the matter may be resolved by having recourse to biritual priests. After all, this is already a custom being practiced.
Grateful in advance for the appreciated collaboration, I avail myself of this occasion to assure you of my sentiments of distinct respect.
From Your Excellency the Most Reverend,
Most devoted
in Xto.
+ A. Card. Sodano
To His Excellency, the Most Reverend
Monsignor Jozef Kowalczyk
Apostolic Nuncio
Warsaw, Poland
[And some wonder why Orthodox do not fully trust Romans - Ed] +
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PUBLICATION NOTICE
DIVINE LITURGY "MASS" CARDS
Commonly called "Mass Cards", these 4 1/4" by 5 1/2 " (folded) Icon cards feature the above Icons, and open to
reveal prayer intentions for the living and for those who have Fallen Asleep in The Lord.
ICON # 4 ICON # 7 ICON # 11 ICON # 19 ICON # 26 SOUFANIEH
For those who have Fallen Asleep in The Lord, Icon # 19 graces the cover, with the following text (reduced here to fit in this column) inside:
General Intentions For the Living, for weddings, illnesses, general need, and for the sake of prayer itself, etc., cards, have Icons nos. 4, 7, 11, and 26, and a photograph of the Icon of Our Lady of Soufanieh showing the olive oil dripping from the bottom of the Icon's frame, are available on the covers. All the Icons are full color printed cards, except Our Lady of Soufanieh, which is a color photograph.
The text on the inside of the cards for the living is given above, again reduced here to fit inside the column.
These cards are very beautiful, light gray or bamboo in color, but they are only a product - something to induce you to make a donation which we use to support the various works we provide, including publication of REUNION.
To have a person included in our prayers and at Divine Liturgy, send us a note, or fill out the form in the right column of this page and send it to us. There is no fee for the prayers and Masses, that would be Simony. These cards are also available without prayer intentions, and can be used for regular note or religiously oriented note stationery.
Consider obtaining a small supply, and send the prayer request slip which accompanies the cards when you actually use the card.
Like Monasteries which obtain donations for their Icons, or sell Icons and other items, the donations we receive from these cards are of great use to us. Your help is always appreciated.
+
If you wish someone to be included in our payer and Divine Liturgy intentions, please just fill in the form below and send it to us - but do not send any money. Prayers are free, the cards cost money.
PRODUCTS
ITEM QUANTITY REQUESTED TOTAL
DONATION
Mass Cards: Each
Icon # 4 _________ $2.00 $____________
Icon #7 _________ $2.00 $____________
Icon #11 _________ $2.00 $____________
Icon #19 (Deceased) _________ $2.00 $____________
Icon #26 _________ $2.00 $____________
Soufanieh _________ $3.00 $____________
Icon Stationery Cards: (same as Mass cards but without inside inscription, packs of 10
cards and 11 envelopes)
Icon #4 _________ $15.00 $____________
Icon #7 _________ $15.00 $____________
Icon #11 _________ $15.00 $____________
Icon #19 _________ $15.00 $____________
Icon #26 _________ $15.00 $____________
Soufanieh _________ $22.00 $____________
Liturgical Calendars: (may contain errors, we try to correct them as we receive notice)
General Calendar _________ $6.00 for one $____________
(55 pages +/-) _________ $2.00 for each $____________
additional ordered
at same time
For Year 2000 _________ $6.00 for one $____________
(49 pages +/-) _________ $2.00 for each $____________
additional ordered
at same time
Western Rite Divine Liturgy with rubrics:
Pew Size _________ $5.00 for one $____________
_________ $2.00 for each $____________
additional ordered
at same time
8 1/2" x 11 " pages _________ $9.00 for one $____________
_________ $4.00 for each $____________
additional ordered
at same time
PLEASE PRINT ! ! !
REQUEST PLACED BY:
Name__________________________________
Address________________________________
City/State_______________________________
Zip____________
Total $_______________
There are no shipping charges. Propriety requires the total requested donation amount accompany your products request. Send product request with donation to:
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A government's existence