Thursday, February 17, 2011

Have We Lost Sight of Our Mission?

Posted February 13th, 2011 by Preston

By Preston Foster

Nowadays, most state-of-the-art organizations have mission statements. Most of these are high-minded, eloquent statements of intent. By reading one, you can easily understand an organization's intentions and priorities.

However, a true mission statement is not a list of intentions or objectives. A true mission statement articulates the reasons why an organization exists. It is more about why they are here than what they intend to do.

We Seventh-Day Adventists define ourselves by our intentions and our objectives: keep the Sabbath, live the "health message," love our neighbors, reflect Jesus. We have, however, lost sight of our mission -- the reasons why we, as a denomination, exist.


Don't ignore the obvious. Look at our name. As Seventh-Day Adventists, our mission -- the reason why we exist -- is to tell the world about the Second Advent of Christ, and of the role that the seventh day Sabbath will have in identifying allegiance to God's Word over the traditions of men, as the last day events unfold.

Take a deep breath.

I'm not saying that our message isn't Jesus Christ, and him crucified. It is. I'm not saying that the most important thing that anyone could ever discover isn't the love of Christ and the gift of salvation thru His sacrifice. It is.

But those fundamental truths are not our mission. They are not why the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination exists. Other Christian churches, along with ours, preach the gospel of Christ. Preaching that gospel is the collective mission of the body of Christ -- the Christian Church.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church exists to deliver a very specific message at a very specific time.

The value of any forecast (or prophecy) depends on two things: accuracy and timeliness. In other words, a forecast of rain is useless if it is either wrong or late. The weather man can be right about the rain, but still useless if he tells you that it will definitely rain -- yesterday.

As the "last day church," our message is useful for the same reasons. An accurate interpretation of the Book of Revelation (augmented by books like The Great Controversy) is useless if we tell people after the prophecies are fulfilled. It is not enough to "have the truth." The value of our message is a function of both truth and timing.

Have we intentionally lost sight of our mission? In trying to become a mainstream denomination, have we co-opted the larger mission of the body of Christ and set aside the unique mission assigned to us? Have Seventh-Day Adventists have become the messengers of, "It's gonna rain -- yesterday?"

Breathe again.

The notion of mission implies more than intent. Mission implies expectation. When a captain gives a private a mission to take territory, the expectation is that it will be done. Not attempted, not in-process, but accomplished.

President George W. Bush took a great deal of flak for declaring "mission accomplished" in Iraq while the fighting persisted. By declaring the mission to be accomplished, Mr. Bush inadvertently prompted the press to chart a new statistic: "casualties since the president declared ‘mission accomplished.'" The statistic exists because it contradicts the notion of accomplishment.

Commitment to a mission creates a sense of urgency and expectation: a reason for self-sacrifice. A clear mission provides a focal point for everything an organization does. A clear mission gives a private direction, even when the captain provides no specific orders.

Think about it: when was the last time you heard a sermon on the essential teaching of Adventism: the Third Angel's Message? If you were not Adventist and visited and Adventist church only one time, would you leave with a clear understanding of the link between the last day events and the Sabbath? We've even changed our logo from three angels sounding their trumpets to a more vague, not threatening flame.

Why is this? Mission drift. As a denomination, we have drifted away from our unique mission and move to safer, lukewarm objectives.

This dilution of the mission is not, I believe, a purposeful, malicious plot by our leadership. I believe the "mission drift" is a result of our church's growth as an institution.

In the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption," Morgan Freeman's character, a wizened old inmate, describes himself as being "an institutionalized man." That is, he had been imprisoned for so long, that he had become more comfortable with the rules and routines of prison than he was with the options of a free man.

Seventh-Day Adventists are at a turning point. We are perceived by many as "institutionalized." We are more comfortable with occupying till He comes that we are with entrepreneurial evangelism. We are more interested in pursuing objectives (tithe growth, baptisms) or in the politics of the General Conference than we are in accomplishing our mission. All of this looks like work, but it also avoids the focused pursuit of our mission.

I recognize the dynamic because I am an institutional man. I have worked in corporate America, the U.S. Government, and the ivory tower of academia. The common currency in all three is dedication to the perpetuation of the institution. Put simply, the first job of an institutional manager is to maintain the organization itself.

As Adventists, our mission is not to maintain the organization. Our mission is to prepare people for the end of the world. It is not a mainstream, non-confrontational mission. It is the work of the Marines, not the Coast Guard.

Our distraction with institutional issues is not a coincidence. The Church of Laodicea is defined by its lukewarmness (Revelation 3: 14-16). The love of the world and the things in it makes the status quo attractive. Our complacency is predicted in the same book that contains the core message of our mission (Revelation 14: 9-12).

Those prophecies need not become our fate. Indeed, the prophecies were given to us to ensure that they not become our fate.

Our new GC President has called Adventists back to the basics. Though well intended, this has, in my opinion, been used by both conservative and liberal Adventists to seed the seemingly never-ending discussion about the role of E.G. White in the church. My wish is that, instead of arguing about what a return to the good-ole-days means for the church, we would focus our energies on how to prepare mankind for the end-of-days. That is why we, as a denomination, exist.

Ironically, one prophecy is, indeed, intended as our fate. It has been predicted that laymen would finish the work of the church. Our willingness to walk in faith with God to fulfill the mission He's assigned to us is all that stands between us and "mission accomplished!"
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Project Whitecoat: Seventh-day Adventist Guinea Pigs




bcampu2001 | April 23, 2008

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Beware Seductive Theories


Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col. 2:8.

At this time--the last days of this earth's history--we are to make the book of Revelation a special study. Why? Because it depicts the scenes that we are to meet. We need to understand what we are to meet, and how we are to meet it. We must know what efforts we are to make, so that in this perilous time we shall not be taken by the enemy's devices. We know that the last great conflict will be Satan's most determined effort to accomplish his purposes. He will come, not only as a roaring lion, but as a seducer, clothing sin with beautiful garments of light that he may take human beings in his snare.

The Lord desires us to realize that it is of great importance that we stand in these last days upon the platform of eternal truth. Those who think that the church militant is the church triumphant make a great mistake. The church militant will gain great triumphs, but it will also have fierce conflicts with evil that it may be firmly established upon the platform of eternal truth. And every one of us should be determined to stand with the church upon this platform. . . .

There are those today who call the Revelation a sealed book. [It is a mystery,] but it is a mystery unfolded. We need to understand what it tells us in regard to the scenes that are to take place in the last days of this earth's history. The enemy will bring in everything that he possibly can to carry out his deceptive designs. Are they not lacking in wisdom who have no desire to understand in regard to the things that are to take place on this earth? . . .

In a representation which passed before me, I saw a certain work being done by medical missionary workers. Our ministering brethren were looking on, watching what was being done, but they did not seem to understand. The foundation of our faith, which was established by so much prayer, such earnest searching of the Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. Our faith was to have nothing to rest upon--the sanctuary was gone, the atonement was gone. . .

Do you wonder that I have something to say, when I see the pillars of our faith beginning to be moved? Seductive theories are being taught in such a way that we shall not recognize them unless we have clear spiritual discernment.--Manuscript 46, May 18, 1904, "The Foundation of Our Faith," a talk given at Berrien Springs, Michigan.


The Upward Look, p. 152.
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Spring 2011 Seminar Trip


We are very excited to announce the schedule for our Spring 2011 seminar trip.

March 5 & 6 - Beaumont, CA (east of L.A.)

March 8 - Mentone, CA (San Bernardino area)

March 12 & 13 - Los Angeles, CA

March 19 & 20 - Atlanta, GA

March 26 & 27 - Calhoun, GA

April 3-6 - Collegedale, TN & Wildwood, GA

April 16 & 17 - Edwardsburg, MI

April 18 - Louisville, KY

April 23 & 24 - Ardmore, OK

April 27 - DeSoto, TX

April 30 & May 1 - Joshua, TX

May 4 & 5 - Loveland, CO

May 7 & 8 - Louisville, CO (Denver area)


MMM Seminar Preview - CLICK BELOW to get a taste of what is covered in our seminars and why preparedness is important.

NOTE: Video at link


Topics:

We are revising, updating, and adding new seminars for this trip. Here are some of the topics we will be covering (please check your location's page for details on which topics will be covered there):
The First Steps
Basic Renewable Energy Systems
Have Your Own Year Round Grocery Store at Home
Independent Water Systems
How to Make a Home Independent
Jobs for Rural Locations
Heating with Wood
Advanced Renewable Energy Systems
Canning & Bread Making Demos

April 3 - 6 Event
We are also very excited about a mulit-day event, beginning with our foundational seminars in Collegedale, TN and resuming with 3 days of advanced hands-on workshops & seminars at Wildwood, GA. Topics include:
Food Preservation / Storage, including:

Water Bath Canning
Pressure Canning
Bread Making
Advanced Renewable Energy Seminar

Renewable Energy & Water Systems Hands-on Design Workshop, including:
Efficient Appliances & Water Pumps

Calculating Your Usage
Choosing & Using the Best Available Resources
Taking Climate Into Account

Hands-on Participation in a Complete System Design

Money Saving Tips & Resources
Advanced Heating With Wood Seminar
Heating With Wood: An Introductory Hands-on Workshop for Harvesting Firewood, including:

Chainsaw Use & Safety
Using Crosscut Saws
Using Chains, Ropes, Come-alongs, & Plastic Wedges to Safely Fell Trees
Splitting Wood

For Full details on this information packed learning experience, click here .
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Why We Left Our Country Home


Thursday, 21 January 2010 00:00


In a recent Back to Enoch Update I mentioned that we had sold our home of more than eight years, located in Malo, Washington. Many of you have seen pictures of the property in live presentations and on DVD and have heard our story of how the Lord led us to that property back in January of 2001. Some have written asking, "Why did you leave such a beautiful and ideal place?" And that's a good question - especially for a guy who's been preaching the "out of the cities" message for about a decade now. Do we still believe the country living message? Well, here's why we left, and what I believe about the "Out of the Cities" message now.

We have many fond memories of how God has worked in remarkable ways in our lives during our time in Malo. So many experiences were truly life changing. When we purchased our home in the spring of 2001, we took out a mortgage to do so. It was the only debt we had, but as time passed, we could see the disadvantage of debt of any kind. Also, after doing some research, we came to the conclusion that with increased market values since 2001, we could conceivably sell our home, pay off the mortgage, and have enough left over to start again and potentially remain debt free. Of course the most feasible way to avoid borrowing again would be to start over with raw land, and build a simple home emphasizing sustainability. Laura and I had already started recognizing the value of becoming less dependant on the bigger "system", and learning to truly live off the land, trusting in God's sustaining providence in nature. As time passed, I could see that starting again would also have another potential benefit - it would encourage those who are just now beginning this quest, and it could potentially provide instructive value as we would chronicle the process in our own experience, and share that with others.

Ultimately, we decided that God would have us sell, so we listed our place on www.forsalebyowner.com. That was several years ago. We decided not to advertise our home to our ministry mailing list to avoid hindering our message with the possible misconception of a conflict of interest. Of course we prayed that the Lord would send the right buyer, and I hoped that it would be someone who would appreciate the value of what we had worked hard to develop and the potential for use of the property in God's work in the coming days. Who better would that be than a Seventh-day Adventist with an understanding of end time events and the usefulness of country property for outreach and ministry. Almost a year ago, such a family contacted us. They were coming for a job interview and to check out the area. In June, they purchased our home and graciously invited us to spend the summer with them as they learned about the orchard and berries, irrigation system etc.. It was a real blessing, and Allison enjoyed the friendship of their children.

This fall we moved to a rental. It's a smaller home, situated on ten acres nestled in a little valley surrounded by mountains covered with pine and tamarack. There's a separate building on the property which has become the new Back to Enoch Ministries office. We'll be here through the spring, and maybe a bit longer as we look for a new place. Because this is temporary, the ministry address will remain the same - P.O. Box 281, Malo, WA 99150.

Do I still believe in the country living message? Absolutely. In fact, more now than ever before. I recently heard someone say that they thought it was too late to get out of the cities now. I couldn't disagree more. If we can start again now, so can you.

Dave Westbrook
December 5, 2009
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Six ACA bishops headed to Ordinariate


TAC Archbishop: Six bishops, 61 priests and 29 congregations will join up

A VOL EXCLUSIVE

By Mary Ann Mueller
Special Correspondent
www.virtueonline.org
Feb. 14, 2011

Archbishop John Hepworth, the Primate of the Australian-based Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC), and its American branch -- the Anglican Church in America (ACA) -- has announced that six ACA bishops are strongly considering joining the Anglican Ordinariate once it becomes established on this side of the Atlantic.

"We have six bishops and 61 ACA priests who have put in dossiers applying to be clergy of the Ordinariate, and 29 parishes have voted and indicated to Cardinal Donald Wuerl that they have voted from the ACA into the Ordinariate," said Hepworth.

The ACA House of Bishops has a census of 10 including Bishop Juan Garcia of Puerto Rico. Earlier this month three ACA bishops communicated to VOL that they are unwilling to be a part of the developing Ordinariate. They include: Bishop Brian Marsh, Diocese of the Northeast; Bishop Stephen Strawn, Diocese of the Missouri Valley; and Bishop Daren Williams, Diocese of the West.

"We are not going to Rome. We have chosen to stay together, to remain with the ACA," the three bishops emphatically stated in a VOL Exclusive. "With regard to the dioceses of the Northeast, Missouri Valley and West, we should advise you that these dioceses will remain with the Anglican Church in America."

The six US bishops are: Louis Falk, the President of the ACA House of Bishops and the retired bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley, and the first Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion; David Moyer, the Bishop-in-Charge of the Patrimony of the Primate and Bishop of the Armed Forces; Louis Campese, the Bishop of the Pro-diocese of the Holy Family and the resigned bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern United States; George Langberg, retired Bishop of the Diocese of the Northeast; Welborne Hudson, retired Bishop of the Armed Forces; and James Stewart, retired Bishop of the West.

Archbishop Hepworth also noted in a recent e-mail to VOL that ACA Bishop Juan Garcia, Bishop of Puerto Rico, is also interested in the Ordinariate. But since, unlike The Episcopal Church, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops does not extend past US borders, the Puerto Rican bishop will have to become a part of a Caribbean Ordinariate when and if it is established.

Father Scott Hurd, Cardinal Wuerl's liaison to the us.Catholic Conference of Bishops ad hoc committee for the Ordinariate told VOL, from his office in Washington, DC, that the current status of the American Ordinariate is that the ball is now back in the Vatican's court.

"It's public knowledge that we have concluded the information gathering stage," Fr. Hurd noted. "That information has been communicated to the CFD (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) in Rome. They are the decision making agency. So in a sense the ball is in the CDF's court."

It is now up to Cardinal William Levada to decide the next step in the erection of an American Ordinariate.

"It is the CDF's decision. I think conditions are very favorable for the establishment of an Ordinariate in the United States," Fr. Hurd noted. "Things in England have been happening with great rapidity. One can hope that things will be processed quickly for the United States as well."

Archbishop Hepworth willingly acknowledges that there will be an ACA remnant remaining once the Ordinariate is established.

"I think enviably there will be an ACA which remains," the Archbishop said, although he doesn't know what shape the American church or the TAC will take in post-Ordinariate Anglicanism.


---Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Gingrich Presents “Nine Days That Changed the World”




By SAMMIE LAZAR

STAFF WRITER

Published: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Updated: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 00:02


Photo by Stephen Moccia/ The Ram

Newt Gingrich came to Fordham for a special screening of his new documentary.





Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista came to Fordham for a special screening of their new documentary Nine Days That Changed The World. The former Speaker of the House came to Fordham as a guest of the Fordham Special Events office to celebrate the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II.

Produced in conjunction with Citizens United, the Gingriches hosted the extraordinary story of Pope John Paul II, taking the audience through his life and works. The "nine days that changed the world" were the Holy See's pilgrimage through Poland in June 1979. The documentary showed the moving tale of a cardinal from Poland becoming the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years, and manipulating the turmoil in his home country to instill a feeling of solidarity among Catholics to go against the forced atheism of communism.

Pope John Paul II campaigned with love and tolerance, becoming the first Pope to travel to Egypt and Mexico, in addition to speaking out against anti-Semitism. He used love to combat the violence and martial law that marked the regimes in Poland and all across the Soviet Union, and he was a large factor in the revolution that eventually overturned communist rule.

Gingrich's attitude toward the late pope was one of complete admiration for his work against communism. He talked before the event about how as a young person and then a member of the armed services, he had seen the reign of the Soviet Union and had been witness to its power. The documentary that he and his wife produced aims to show how, with peace and diplomacy, a pope and those who believed in his message could bring down forces of violence.

"I thought the movie was extremely interesting," Eileen Bradley, GSB '13, said. "When people think of communist countries, they think of Soviet Russia and East Berlin, not Poland. It was interesting to see the post-war struggle there and how greatly the Pope influenced the change. It was inspiring to see how much religion could influence a country from an oppressed regime to democracy."

With campaigns like that of Pope John Paul II, those walls came down and the world was inspired.

"I hope students came and learned about a man, who was truly one of the greatest to ever live," John Mantia, GSB '13, president of the College Republicans, said. "We are supremely lucky to have had him as our Pope while we were growing up. He was the major force behind the collapse of the Soviet Union, and he did it without firing a single shot. His message of peace and freedom broke down the walls of the Iron Curtain and ushered in prosperity to much of Eastern Europe. It [was] a night to celebrate an incredible man, and I hope students have found the documentary fascinating and moving."

Source
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P. Adolfo Nicolas SJ Visit to Jamaica


Visit to Jamaica
(14-Feb-2011) Father General is taking part in the meeting of the Jesuit Conference USA and visiting the Jesuits and Jesuit ministries of Jamaica (a dependent Region of New England) February 13-19. Every two years Father General attends a meeting of the Provincials to get first-hand information about the mission of the USA Assistancy and to present his perspective and vision regarding the universal Society. Father General's visit to the Jamaica Region will include an opportunity to visit some of the Society's ministries, meet about 100 of the Society's collaborators and benefactors, and join the Jesuits of Jamaica for an evening of prayer and conversation.

Source
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Egypt’s Revolution Belongs to the Young People, Writes Jesuit


10 February 2011

Jesuit Father Henri Boulad, Director of the Jesuit Cultural Center of Alexandria, and Soliman Chafik, journalist and political analyst, have written their reading of recent events in Egypt, which is posted online.

They see a danger that the Muslim Brotherhood could exploit the unrest and wrote that the revolution belongs to the “ young people, specifically those between 25 and 35, just graduated, and still unemployed, frustrated, unemployed, homeless, without future prospects.”

They continued, “These young people beyond a brutalizing scholastic education, beyond empty religious slogans without substance, beyond alienating social and moral constraints, are searching for their own way to give meaning to their lives through the Internet, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.”

For more of their thoughts on Egypt visit AsiaNews.
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Robert L. Keane, SJ, New England Province


Robert L. Keane, SJ, New England Province
Commander, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy

One of my favorite verses from all of Holy Scripture is from the writings of Saint Paul: “Glory be to God whose power at work in us can do infinitely more than we can ever ask or imagine!” (Ephesians 3:20-21) As I reflect upon my vocation as a Jesuit priest, I would have to say that this has been the story of my life. I have been blessed with so many riches which are difficult to quantify in earthly terms. First of all would be a loving and supportive family, parents and siblings, who faithfully follow my peregrinations all around the world. They don’t call me “Gulliver” without reason! Second would be the privilege of being a member of the Society of Jesus. Though pre-registered to attend Boston College as a History major, my course of studies was surprisingly changed one weekend as the result of a Jesuit retreat in my senior year of high school. And third by way of chronology would be the gift of the priesthood which has nourished and humbled me since June 4, 1978. It is beyond my comprehension why I should be so fortunate.

So many surprises and opportunities have come my way: a year of graduate studies at the University of Paris, France; three very rewarding years of teaching at Cheverus High School in Portland, ME; four years as an Associate Pastor of Saint Rita Church (1978-1982); doctoral studies in pastoral counseling at Southern Methodist University; four years of mentoring diocesan priests and seminarians at Holy Trinity Seminary (19822-1986); and three years of teaching at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. And, the biggest surprise of all, for the past sixteen years I have been serving as a Navy chaplain to Sailors and Marines literally all over the world. Never would I have anticipated any of these scenarios. God must surely have a funny sense of humor.

However, despite all the places I have visited and the positions I have filled, the most grace-filled dimension of these years has been the relationships, professional and personal, that have come my way through the doors of the priesthood. Dallas is really my second home, and so many friends at Saint Rita and Jesuit College Prep remain prominent in my daily life and prayer. The fraternity which I have shared with the priests of the Diocese of Dallas has been very gratifying. And, the marvelous young men and women of our Armed Services to whom I have the privilege of ministering are truly awesome and inspiring. Every day they challenge me to stay young and in fairly good physical shape (for an old guy). And my brother Jesuits in the New England Province are unfailingly supportive of my ministry despite the fact that I have not lived among them for several decades.

I could talk endlessly about the joys of teaching French, counseling students, shepherding Naval Academy Midshipmen, riding out typhoons at sea, completing forced marches with the Marines, wintering in Iceland or climbing oil platforms in the Arabian Gulf. However, none of these tales can compare to the privileged moments I as a priest have shared with God’s people: witnessing their weddings, baptizing their babies, burying their beloved family members, reconciling them with their Heavenly Father, sharing the pain of their sickness and death, and watching people grow in God’s wisdom and grace. Why I have been so privileged is indeed a mystery to me. Yet, like all mysteries, we have only to accept them humbly and gratefully as yet another sign of God’s unending love for us. I pray every day to stay out of God’s way, yet be close enough to sense His presence in the lives of my brothers and sisters.

I have been asked often if I would encourage a young person today to respond to a call from God to serve in the priesthood or religious life. After all, the Church and the world have changed tremendously since I first entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1965. Unhesitatingly I say “yes”. There are difficulties and challenges to be sure, just as there are in any walk of life. But the goodness of God and the power of His grace are incomparable. To be a channel of this grace and to witness His love have indeed been blessings which have surpassed all my imagination. Even if I could turn back the clock and try my hand at something else, I doubt that I would. For, the Lord really knows best. Frankly, there is nothing else that I would rather do or be than a Jesuit priest, honored to serve His people. I could not wish anyone any greater happiness this side of heaven.

Thank you for inviting me to share my vocation story with you. Please pray for our Church that God will surprise many more young people with His unimaginable goodness, generosity and wisdom. And pray especially for your priests serving in the Armed Forces of the United States under the auspices of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. We can always use a little extra force multiplier. God bless you all!
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Adolfo Nicolás Pachón - Superior General of the Jesuit Order in United States?


At such a time as this?
Debt as far as the eye can see...
Will this peculiar visit deal a final death blow to the dwindling status quo?

There's a prominent person in the country, yet the News Media is silent about his presence;
To borrow a phrase from a popular talk show host:
All you hear are the crickets...

Adolfo Nicolás Pachón, the Black Pope, as he is popularly known by Protestants, is in the United States of America on a Low Profile (incognito) visit to the Jesuit Province in New England according to Jesuit Media:

Agenda of the Director General: P. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J.

January
19-28, 2011 Conferenza Asia-Pacifico. Visita

February
13-17, 2011 Conferenza USA

February - March
26-13, 2011 Conferenza Asia Meridionale. Visita Karnataka, Kerala, Calcutta


http://www.apostleshipofprayer.net/news/Agenda-Nicolas-en.aspx


Did the TSA give the Black Pope an Enhanced Screening?

---At the very same time Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is also in the country?
Cardinal Turkson will 'explain' to American Catholics what Caritas in Veritate means?

Is this synchronicity or what?


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Vatican City, Jan 13, 2011 / 05:33 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- When he travels to the United States next month, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is aware that he may have to make some adjustments in the way he talks about the Church’s social teaching.

As president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Ghanaian cardinal, 62, is charged with making the Church’s social teaching more widely known and practiced around the world.

He will be in Washington to deliver the plenary address of the 2011 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Feb. 13-16. The gathering, on the theme of “Protecting Human Life and Dignity: Promoting a Just Economy,” is sponsored by 19 Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Catholic bishops.

In a recent interview with CNA, Cardinal Turkson said he has learned from past experience that the Church’s justice and peace terminology often needs clarification for an American Catholic audience. Key terms used by the Vatican — such as “social justice” and “gift” — are not always understood the way the Vatican intends, he said.

"We found out that some of the vocabulary which is just taken for granted and used freely may not always have the same sense or may have had some nuances which sometimes are missed because of the way the terms are used in the American political context,” Cardinal Turkson said in a Jan. 12 interview at the council’s offices in Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Turkson to his post in Oct. 2009, just months after the Pope released his blueprint for the Church’s social teaching, “Caritas in Veritate” (Charity in Truth). The council has since made promotion of the Pope’s vision a top priority.

The encyclical outlines Pope Benedict’s plan for "integral human development" in economics
, society and politics through the principles of charity and truth.

Cardinal Turkson said the Vatican is pleased by response to the document. But he said reaction from some sections of the audience in the United States was unexpected.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-official-says-churchs-justice-teachings-need-new-vocabulary-for-some-us-audiences/
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More synchronicity still:
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Yesterday, Monday February 14, 20111, President Obama revealed his 2012 Budget; Which is actually a tax and spending increase.. A proposal the President is trying to 'sell' as a Budget Cutting Plan that will save BILLION$ from now until the year 2021. According to Obama's latest press conference "it's a starting point".

How can so many incidents occur at the same time?
Is this a coincidence, OR WHAT?
A convergence of paradigm shifting events?



  1. A nonchalant Visit of the Black Pope to the USA,

  2. a visit of the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, to explain (to LECTURE) the Vatican doctrine of Social Justice, "Promoting a Just Economy" gathering, Integral Human Development of Economics = Caritas in Veritate?

  3. The President's Budget Cutting Plan/Budget for FY 2012.

No way Jose! More precisely, no way Adolfo!

Arsenio.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Vatican official: Church’s justice teachings need new 'vocabulary' for some US audiences

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson





By Alan Holdren, Rome Correspondent

Vatican City, Jan 13, 2011 / 05:33 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- When he travels to the United States next month, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is aware that he may have to make some adjustments in the way he talks about the Church’s social teaching.

As president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Ghanaian cardinal, 62, is charged with making the Church’s social teaching more widely known and practiced around the world.

He will be in Washington to deliver the plenary address of the 2011 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Feb. 13-16. The gathering, on the theme of “Protecting Human Life and Dignity: Promoting a Just Economy,” is sponsored by 19 Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Catholic bishops.

In a recent interview with CNA, Cardinal Turkson said he has learned from past experience that the Church’s justice and peace terminology often needs clarification for an American Catholic audience. Key terms used by the Vatican — such as “social justice” and “gift” — are not always understood the way the Vatican intends, he said.

"We found out that some of the vocabulary which is just taken for granted and used freely may not always have the same sense or may have had some nuances which sometimes are missed because of the way the terms are used in the American political context,” Cardinal Turkson said in a Jan. 12 interview at the council’s offices in Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Turkson to his post in Oct. 2009, just months after the Pope released his blueprint for the Church’s social teaching, “Caritas in Veritate” (Charity in Truth). The council has since made promotion of the Pope’s vision a top priority.

The encyclical outlines Pope Benedict’s plan for "integral human development" in economics, society and politics through the principles of charity and truth.

Cardinal Turkson said the Vatican is pleased by response to the document. But he said reaction from some sections of the audience in the United States was unexpected.

The council has been surprised to find that common terms were misunderstood or misinterpreted. He emphasized that the misunderstanding was not a general or widespread problem among American Catholics. But, he said, "in certain circles ... there is a difficulty."

For instance, the Pope's teaching on themes of "social justice" have been mistakenly connected to "socialism" and "communism." As a result, he indicated, the Pope is mistakenly seen as promoting socialist or big-government solutions to social problems.

The council has also learned that words like "social" and "solidarity" may have been dismissed by American readers for their perceived connection with communist regimes such as the Soviet Union, he said.

Cardinal Turkson explained that in the Church’s thinking, social justice involves citizens’ obligations and responsibilities to ensure fairness and opportunity in their communities and societies.

While this may include the adoption of specific government policies and programs, the emphasis in Catholic social teaching is on the obligations that flow from citizens' relationships in societies.

"Respecting, understanding and fulfilling those demands constitute our justice," he said. "It would be useful if we just observed our sense of justice as our ability to fulfill the demands of the relationships in which we stand."

This is in contrast to socialism, he explained, which is an ideology in which private property and private interests are totally placed in the service of government policies.

What the Pope proposes in “Caritas in Veritate,” said Cardinal Turkson, is "achieving the common good without sacrificing personal, private interests, aspirations and desires."

Cardinal Turkson said the Council was also surprised that the Pope’s concept of the “gift,” was perceived in some circles as encouraging government welfare handouts.

In "Caritas in Veritate," Pope Benedict described the concept of “gift” as a way to understand God’s love for men and women in his gift of life and his gift of Jesus.

"Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity," the Pope wrote. "That light is both the light of reason and the light of faith, through which the intellect attains to the natural and supernatural truth of charity: it grasps its meaning as gift, acceptance, and communion."

Gift, Cardinal Turkson explained, is "a very basic, deep theological expression of God's relation or the motivation for whatever God does in the world, and it's not quite the same as a handout."

"If we ever need to talk about this in a society where the sense of gift is that of a handout ... it doesn't quite express the sense of gift in this regard," he added.

While it is too late to add any explanations to the encyclical, the Council might tailor its language differently in future documents.

"We just realized that probably in the future, when ... this dicastery takes up the task of diffusing, presenting and talking about this it might be necessary to provide a footnote in which some of these expressions can be given an awareness of the different senses of expressions in different cultures and settings,” he said. We thought something like that would be useful and helpful to the readers."

Cardinal Turkson urged American Catholics and government and economic leaders to give a conscientious reading of "Caritas in Veritate."

The encyclical, he said, invites us "to go back or to remind about the centrality of the human person, his well being, his common good within everything that we do.”

Another important message, Cardinal Turkson said, is that “we must not sacrifice the good of the human person for anything that we aspire after or want to do with technology, business, economics or whatever."

The key to an authentically human vision of development is to consider the full ethical character of the individual in all decisions, he said.

"In details," he concluded, "it may be for food security and shelter for all persons, but at the end of the day we are looking at whether things that we are doing in the world as government, as a Church and all of that help advance the good of the individual person."
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Defend doctrine, but don't attack others, pope says at audience



POPE-AUDIENCE Feb-9-2011 (460 words) With photos. xxxi


Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges pilgrims during his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Feb. 9. (CNS/Paul Haring)


By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even in the midst of the upheaval of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, St. Peter Canisius knew how to defend Catholic doctrine without launching personal attacks on those who disagreed, Pope Benedict XVI said.

St. Peter, a 15th-century Jesuit sent on mission to Germany, knew how to "harmoniously combine fidelity to dogmatic principles with the respect due to each person," the pope said Feb. 9 at his weekly general audience.

The pope was beginning a series of audience talks about "doctors of the church," who are theologians and saints who made important contributions to Catholic understanding of theology.

In St. Peter Canisius' own time, more than 200 editions of his catechisms were published, the pope said, and they were so popular in Germany for so long that up until "my father's generation people called a catechism simply a 'Canisius.'"

The saint, who was born in Holland, insisted there was a difference between willfully turning away from the faith and "the loss of faith that was not a person's fault under the circumstances, and he declared to Rome that the majority of Germans who passed to Protestantism were without fault," Pope Benedict said.

"In a historical period marked by strong confessional tensions, he avoided -- and this is something extraordinary -- he avoided giving into disrespect and angry rhetoric. This was rare at that time of disputes between Christians," the pope said.

In fact, he said, St. Peter Canisius recognized that the Catholic Church needed to be renewed and revitalized, and that such a process had to be built on solid education in the faith and in understanding the Scriptures, which is why his catechisms relied so heavily on the Bible.

His theological achievements, which earned him the title "doctor of the church" in 1925, were effective because his study, preaching and writing all flowed from a personal friendship with Christ, long periods of prayer and unity with the church under the leadership of the pope, he said.

With "peace, love and perseverance" he accomplished his task of renewing the Catholic Church in Germany even as Protestantism grew, the pope said.

The saint's life teaches Catholics today that "the Christian life does not grow except with participation in the liturgy, particularly the holy Mass on Sundays, and with daily personal prayer," the pope said. "In the midst of the thousands of activities and multiple stimuli that surround us, it is necessary each day to find moments for reflection to listen to and speak to the Lord."

St. Peter Canisius is a reminder that preaching the Gospel is effective only if the preacher has a personal relationship with Christ, is united with the church and "lives a morally coherent life," the pope said.

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Editor's Note: The text of the pope's audience remarks in English will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209_en.html.

The text of the pope's audience remarks in Spanish will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209_sp.html.

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...as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed


Revelation 13


1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.


King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
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Friday, February 11, 2011

More Than Waco: Chapter 1, The Early Years

DIES HOMINIS - Sunday: Day of Joy, Rest and Solidarity


CHAPTER IV

DIES HOMINIS

Sunday: Day of Joy, Rest and Solidarity

The "full joy" of Christ

55. "Blessed be he who has raised the great day of Sunday above all other days. The heavens and the earth, angels and of men give themselves over to joy".(99) This cry of the Maronite liturgy captures well the intense acclamations of joy which have always characterized Sunday in the liturgy of both East and West. Moreover, historically — even before it was seen as a day of rest, which in any case was not provided for in the civil calendar — Christians celebrated the weekly day of the Risen Lord primarily as a day of joy. "On the first day of the week, you shall all rejoice", urges the Didascalia. (100) This was also emphasized by liturgical practice, through the choice of appropriate gestures. (101) Voicing an awareness widespread in the Church, Saint Augustine describes the joy of the weekly Easter: "Fasting, is set aside and prayers are said standing, as a sign of the Resurrection, which is also why the Alleluia is sung on every Sunday". (102)

56. Beyond particular ritual forms, which can vary in time depending upon Church discipline, there remains the fact that Sunday, as a weekly echo of the first encounter with the Risen Lord, is unfailingly marked by the joy with which the disciples greeted the Master: "The disciples rejoiced to see the Lord" (Jn 20:20). This was the confirmation of the words which Jesus spoke before the Passion and which resound in every Christian generation: "You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy" (Jn 16:20). Had not he himself prayed for this, that the disciples would have "the fullness of his joy" (cf. Jn 17:13)? The festive character of the Sunday Eucharist expresses the joy that Christ communicates to his Church through the gift of the Spirit. Joy is precisely one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 14:17; Gal 5:22).

57. Therefore, if we wish to rediscover the full meaning of Sunday, we must rediscover this aspect of the life of faith. Certainly, Christian joy must mark the whole of life, and not just one day of the week. But in virtue of its significance as the day of the Risen Lord, celebrating God's work of creation and "new creation", Sunday is the day of joy in a very special way, indeed the day most suitable for learning how to rejoice and to rediscover the true nature and deep roots of joy. This joy should never be confused with shallow feelings of satisfaction and pleasure, which inebriate the senses and emotions for a brief moment, but then leave the heart unfulfilled and perhaps even embittered. In the Christian view, joy is much more enduring and consoling; as the saints attest, it can hold firm even in the dark night of suffering. (103) It is, in a certain sense, a "virtue" to be nurtured.

58. Yet there is no conflict whatever between Christian joy and true human joys, which in fact are exalted and find their ultimate foundation precisely in the joy of the glorified Christ, the perfect image and revelation of man as God intended. As my revered predecessor Paul VI wrote in his Exhortation on Christian joy: "In essence, Christian joy is a sharing in the unfathomable joy, at once divine and human, found in the heart of the glorified Christ". (104) Pope Paul concluded his Exhortation by asking that, on the Lord's Day, the Church should witness powerfully to the joy experienced by the Apostles when they saw the Lord on the evening of Easter. To this end, he urged pastors to insist "upon the need for the baptized to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist in joy. How could they neglect this encounter, this banquet which Christ prepares for us in his love? May our sharing in it be most worthy and joyful! It is Christ, crucified and glorified, who comes among his disciples, to lead them all together into the newness of his Resurrection. This is the climax, here below, of the covenant of love between God and his people: the sign and source of Christian joy, a stage on the way to the eternal feast". (105) This vision of faith shows the Christian Sunday to be a true "time for celebration", a day given by God to men and women for their full human and spiritual growth.

The fulfilment of the Sabbath

59. This aspect of the Christian Sunday shows in a special way how it is the fulfilment of the Old Testament Sabbath. On the Lord's Day, which — as we have already said — the Old Testament links to the work of creation (cf. Gn 2:1-3; Ex 20:8-11) and the Exodus (cf. Dt 5:12-15), the Christian is called to proclaim the new creation and the new covenant brought about in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Far from being abolished, the celebration of creation becomes more profound within a Christocentric perspective, being seen in the light of the God's plan "to unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph 1:10). The remembrance of the liberation of the Exodus also assumes its full meaning as it becomes a remembrance of the universal redemption accomplished by Christ in his Death and Resurrection. More than a "replacement" for the Sabbath, therefore, Sunday is its fulfilment, and in a certain sense its extension and full expression in the ordered unfolding of the history of salvation, which reaches its culmination in Christ.

60. In this perspective, the biblical theology of the "Sabbath" can be recovered in full, without compromising the Christian character of Sunday. It is a theology which leads us ever anew and in unfailing awe to the mystery of the beginning, when the eternal Word of God, by a free decision of love, created the world from nothing. The work of creation was sealed by the blessing and consecration of the day on which God ceased "from all the work which he had done in creation" (Gn 2:3). This day of God's rest confers meaning upon time, which in the sequence of weeks assumes not only a chronological regularity but also, in a manner of speaking, a theological resonance. The constant return of the "shabbat" ensures that there is no risk of time being closed in upon itself, since, in welcoming God and his kairoi — the moments of his grace and his saving acts — time remains open to eternity.

61. As the seventh day blessed and consecrated by God, the "shabbat" concludes the whole work of creation, and is therefore immediately linked to the work of the sixth day when God made man "in his image and likeness" (cf. Gn 1:26). This very close connection between the "day of God" and the "day of man" did not escape the Fathers in their meditation on the biblical creation story. Saint Ambrose says in this regard: "Thanks, then, to the Lord our God who accomplished a work in which he might find rest. He made the heavens, but I do not read that he found rest there; he made the stars, the moon, the sun, and neither do I read that he found rest in them. I read instead that he made man and that then he rested, finding in man one to whom he could offer the forgiveness of sins". (106) Thus there will be for ever a direct link between the "day of God" and the "day of man". When the divine commandment declares: "Remember the Sabbath day in order to keep it holy" (Ex 20:8), the rest decreed in order to honour the day dedicated to God is not at all a burden imposed upon man, but rather an aid to help him to recognize his life-giving and liberating dependence upon the Creator, and at the same time his calling to cooperate in the Creator's work and to receive his grace. In honouring God's "rest", man fully discovers himself, and thus the Lord's Day bears the profound imprint of God's blessing (cf. Gn 2:3), by virtue of which, we might say, it is endowed in a way similar to the animals and to man himself, with a kind of "fruitfulness" (cf. Gn 1:22, 28). This "fruitfulness" is apparent above all in filling and, in a certain sense, "multiplying" time itself, deepening in men and women the joy of living and the desire to foster and communicate life.

62. It is the duty of Christians therefore to remember that, although the practices of the Jewish Sabbath are gone, surpassed as they are by the "fulfilment" which Sunday brings, the underlying reasons for keeping "the Lord's Day" holy — inscribed solemnly in the Ten Commandments — remain valid, though they need to be reinterpreted in the light of the theology and spirituality of Sunday: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labour, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Then you shall do no work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your servant, or your maid, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your beasts, or the foreigner within your gates, that your servant and maid may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded that you keep the Sabbath day" (Dt 5:12-15). Here the Sabbath observance is closely linked with the liberation which God accomplished for his people.

63. Christ came to accomplish a new "exodus", to restore freedom to the oppressed. He performed many healings on the Sabbath (cf. Mt 12:9-14 and parallels), certainly not to violate the Lord's Day, but to reveal its full meaning: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mk 2:27). Opposing the excessively legalistic interpretation of some of his contemporaries, and developing the true meaning of the biblical Sabbath, Jesus, as "Lord of the Sabbath" (Mk 2:28), restores to the Sabbath observance its liberating character, carefully safeguarding the rights of God and the rights of man. This is why Christians, called as they are to proclaim the liberation won by the blood of Christ, felt that they had the authority to transfer the meaning of the Sabbath to the day of the Resurrection. The Passover of Christ has in fact liberated man from a slavery more radical than any weighing upon an oppressed people — the slavery of sin, which alienates man from God, and alienates man from himself and from others, constantly sowing within history the seeds of evil and violence.

The day of rest

64. For several centuries, Christians observed Sunday simply as a day of worship, without being able to give it the specific meaning of Sabbath rest. Only in the fourth century did the civil law of the Roman Empire recognize the weekly recurrence, determining that on "the day of the sun" the judges, the people of the cities and the various trade corporations would not work. (107) Christians rejoiced to see thus removed the obstacles which until then had sometimes made observance of the Lord's Day heroic. They could now devote themselves to prayer in common without hindrance. (108)

It would therefore be wrong to see in this legislation of the rhythm of the week a mere historical circumstance with no special significance for the Church and which she could simply set aside. Even after the fall of the Empire, the Councils did not cease to insist upon the arrangements regarding Sunday rest. In countries where Christians are in the minority and where the festive days of the calendar do not coincide with Sunday, it is still Sunday which remains the Lord's Day, the day on which the faithful come together for the Eucharistic assembly. But this involves real sacrifices. For Christians it is not normal that Sunday, the day of joyful celebration, should not also be a day of rest, and it is difficult for them to keep Sunday holy if they do not have enough free time.

65. By contrast, the link between the Lord's Day and the day of rest in civil society has a meaning and importance which go beyond the distinctly Christian point of view. The alternation between work and rest, built into human nature, is willed by God himself, as appears in the creation story in the Book of Genesis (cf. 2:2-3; Ex 20:8-11): rest is something "sacred", because it is man's way of withdrawing from the sometimes excessively demanding cycle of earthly tasks in order to renew his awareness that everything is the work of God. There is a risk that the prodigious power over creation which God gives to man can lead him to forget that God is the Creator upon whom everything depends. It is all the more urgent to recognize this dependence in our own time, when science and technology have so incredibly increased the power which man exercises through his work.

66. Finally, it should not be forgotten that even in our own day work is very oppressive for many people, either because of miserable working conditions and long hours — especially in the poorer regions of the world — or because of the persistence in economically more developed societies of too many cases of injustice and exploitation of man by man. When, through the centuries, she has made laws concerning Sunday rest, (109) the Church has had in mind above all the work of servants and workers, certainly not because this work was any less worthy when compared to the spiritual requirements of Sunday observance, but rather because it needed greater regulation to lighten its burden and thus enable everyone to keep the Lord's Day holy. In this matter, my predecessor Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical Rerum Novarum spoke of Sunday rest as a worker's right which the State must guarantee. (110)

In our own historical context there remains the obligation to ensure that everyone can enjoy the freedom, rest and relaxation which human dignity requires, together with the associated religious, family, cultural and interpersonal needs which are difficult to meet if there is no guarantee of at least one day of the week on which people can both rest and celebrate. Naturally, this right of workers to rest presupposes their right to work and, as we reflect on the question of the Christian understanding of Sunday, we cannot but recall with a deep sense of solidarity the hardship of countless men and women who, because of the lack of jobs, are forced to remain inactive on workdays as well.

67. Through Sunday rest, daily concerns and tasks can find their proper perspective: the material things about which we worry give way to spiritual values; in a moment of encounter and less pressured exchange, we see the true face of the people with whom we live. Even the beauties of nature — too often marred by the desire to exploit, which turns against man himself — can be rediscovered and enjoyed to the full. As the day on which man is at peace with God, with himself and with others, Sunday becomes a moment when people can look anew upon the wonders of nature, allowing themselves to be caught up in that marvellous and mysterious harmony which, in the words of Saint Ambrose, weds the many elements of the cosmos in a "bond of communion and peace" by "an inviolable law of concord and love". (111) Men and women then come to a deeper sense, as the Apostle says, that "everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim 4:4-5). If after six days of work — reduced in fact to five for many people — people look for time to relax and to pay more attention to other aspects of their lives, this corresponds to an authentic need which is in full harmony with the vision of the Gospel message. Believers are therefore called to satisfy this need in a way consistent with the manifestation of their personal and community faith, as expressed in the celebration and sanctification of the Lord's Day.

Therefore, also in the particular circumstances of our own time, Christians will naturally strive to ensure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy. In any case, they are obliged in conscience to arrange their Sunday rest in a way which allows them to take part in the Eucharist, refraining from work and activities which are incompatible with the sanctification of the Lord's Day, with its characteristic joy and necessary rest for spirit and body. (112)

68. In order that rest may not degenerate into emptiness or boredom, it must offer spiritual enrichment, greater freedom, opportunities for contemplation and fraternal communion. Therefore, among the forms of culture and entertainment which society offers, the faithful should choose those which are most in keeping with a life lived in obedience to the precepts of the Gospel. Sunday rest then becomes "prophetic", affirming not only the absolute primacy of God, but also the primacy and dignity of the person with respect to the demands of social and economic life, and anticipating in a certain sense the "new heavens" and the "new earth", in which liberation from slavery to needs will be final and complete. In short, the Lord's Day thus becomes in the truest sense the day of man as well.

A day of solidarity

69. Sunday should also give the faithful an opportunity to devote themselves to works of mercy, charity and apostolate. To experience the joy of the Risen Lord deep within is to share fully the love which pulses in his heart: there is no joy without love! Jesus himself explains this, linking the "new commandment" with the gift of joy: "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept the Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 15:10-12).

The Sunday Eucharist, therefore, not only does not absolve the faithful from the duties of charity, but on the contrary commits them even more "to all the works of charity, of mercy, of apostolic outreach, by means of which it is seen that the faithful of Christ are not of this world and yet are the light of the world, giving glory to the Father in the presence of men". (113)

70. Ever since Apostolic times, the Sunday gathering has in fact been for Christians a moment of fraternal sharing with the very poor. "On the first day of the week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn" (1 Cor 16:2), says Saint Paul referring to the collection organized for the poor Churches of Judaea. In the Sunday Eucharist, the believing heart opens wide to embrace all aspects of the Church. But the full range of the apostolic summons needs to be accepted: far from trying to create a narrow "gift" mentality, Paul calls rather for a demanding culture of sharing, to be lived not only among the members of the community itself but also in society as a whole. (114) More than ever, we need to listen once again to the stern warning which Paul addresses to the community at Corinth, guilty of having humiliated the poor in the fraternal agape which accompanied "the Lord's Supper": "When you meet together, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the Church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?" (1 Cor 11:20-22). James is equally forceful in what he writes: "If a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'Take a seat here, please', while you say to the poor man, 'Stand there', or, 'Sit at my feet', have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (2:2-4).

71. The teachings of the Apostles struck a sympathetic chord from the earliest centuries, and evoked strong echoes in the preaching of the Fathers of the Church. Saint Ambrose addressed words of fire to the rich who presumed to fulfil their religious obligations by attending church without sharing their goods with the poor, and who perhaps even exploited them: "You who are rich, do you hear what the Lord God says? Yet you come into church not to give to the poor but to take instead". (115) Saint John Chrysostom is no less demanding: "Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk only then to neglect him outside where he suffers cold and nakedness. He who said: 'This is my body' is the same One who said: 'You saw me hungry and you gave me no food', and 'Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me' ... What good is it if the Eucharistic table is overloaded with golden chalices, when he is dying of hunger? Start by satisfying his hunger, and then with what is left you may adorn the altar as well". (116)

These words effectively remind the Christian community of the duty to make the Eucharist the place where fraternity becomes practical solidarity, where the last are the first in the minds and attentions of the brethren, where Christ himself — through the generous gifts from the rich to the very poor — may somehow prolong in time the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. (117)

72. The Eucharist is an event and programme of true brotherhood. From the Sunday Mass there flows a tide of charity destined to spread into the whole life of the faithful, beginning by inspiring the very way in which they live the rest of Sunday. If Sunday is a day of joy, Christians should declare by their actual behaviour that we cannot be happy "on our own". They look around to find people who may need their help. It may be that in their neighbourhood or among those they know there are sick people, elderly people, children or immigrants who precisely on Sundays feel more keenly their isolation, needs and suffering. It is true that commitment to these people cannot be restricted to occasional Sunday gestures. But presuming a wider sense of commitment, why not make the Lord's Day a more intense time of sharing, encouraging all the inventiveness of which Christian charity is capable? Inviting to a meal people who are alone, visiting the sick, providing food for needy families, spending a few hours in voluntary work and acts of solidarity: these would certainly be ways of bringing into people's lives the love of Christ received at the Eucharistic table.

73. Lived in this way, not only the Sunday Eucharist but the whole of Sunday becomes a great school of charity, justice and peace. The presence of the Risen Lord in the midst of his people becomes an undertaking of solidarity, a compelling force for inner renewal, an inspiration to change the structures of sin in which individuals, communities and at times entire peoples are entangled. Far from being an escape, the Christian Sunday is a "prophecy" inscribed on time itself, a prophecy obliging the faithful to follow in the footsteps of the One who came "to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to captives and new sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Lk 4:18-19). In the Sunday commemoration of Easter, believers learn from Christ, and remembering his promise: "I leave you peace, my peace I give you" (Jn 14:27), they become in their turn builders of peace.

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Concerns voiced that Middle East Synod was misunderstood by Muslims



By Alan Holdren, Rome Correspondent

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2011 / 01:52 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican’s 2010 meeting for the Middle East has been misunderstood by many in the region as calling for a “new crusade” against Islam.

As officials gathered in Rome recently to assess last October’s special Synod for Bishops, a veteran Vatican adviser on Christian-Muslim dialogue told CNA that many Muslims saw the Synod as “a new project against Islam.”

“Many people, many Muslims, who have no idea of Christianity at all are interpreting it ... as a new crusade,” Father Samir Khalil Samir, SJ, of the Pontifical Oriental Institute said in a late January interview.

Church leaders from the region and Vatican officials met Jan. 20-21 to assess reactions to the Synod, and to suggest themes for the document that Pope Benedict XVI is writing in response to the Synod, known as a “post-synodal apostolic exhortation.”

On Feb. 8, the Vatican issued a statement that concluded: the “socio-political situation in the various countries of the Middle East remains tense.”

Fr. Samir said that the Synod was widely interpreted in political, not religious terms. “When Muslims meet,” he said, “usually they meet on a political level.” As a result, many saw the bishops as meeting to discuss “how to attack Islam.”

“Fifty-seven Muslim countries meet yearly, usually invited by Saudi Arabia and they discuss as nations how to defend Islam,” he said. “In their mentality, the West is still seen as Christian nations. It is still Christianity against Islam – properly because they don’t make a difference between religion and state.”

In its statement, the Vatican reported that the Synod’s final message had been sent to “political figures” throughout the region. It also reported that an international congress had been held in Syria on the state of Muslim-Christian relations in Arab countries. In addition, a meeting of Christians and Jews has been held in Jerusalem to “promote more objective information about the synodal assembly.”

The Vatican insisted in its statement that “respect for Christian communities” is necessary “to eradicate any hotbeds of anti-Christian sentiment in the Middle East, to halt the emigration of Christians from that region, which is their native land, and to favor the common good.”

The Vatican’s press office said the meeting was held to prepare the council members for direct collaboration in the Pope’s eventual preparation of a final document, called an apostolic exhortation. The Pope will set forth his teaching to guide the future of the Church on pastoral and practical questions proposed at the conclusion of the Synod.

The next meeting of the Special Council for the Middle East of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, under the leadership of the Synod’s secretary general, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, will be held Mar. 30-31.

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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Interfaith Week highlights Saturday Sabbath observance



By JaNae Francis
Standard-Examiner staff
Last updatedFriday, February 4, 2011 - 4:52pm

OGDEN -- Nicki and Travis Johnson and their young daughter, Madelyn, stay home from weekend downtown activities simply because of the dates on which they are scheduled.

That's because, as Seventh-day Adventists, their Sabbath runs from sundown Friday through sundown Saturday.
"As a family, we chose to make that commitment," Nicki said, noting that she doesn't look upon their decision as a sacrifice.

"It's not that you are missing out," she said. "You get to enjoy rich activities."

Johnson said her daughter has special toys she may play with only during that special time, and there are other events of the day, such as songs and a particular ceremonial toast, to which her family looks forward all week long.

"I would never want to make our kids feel like they are missing out," she said.

Starting Sunday, the public is invited to learn about various faith traditions by participating in activities scheduled throughout the week.

Ogden's Interfaith Week, "Many Faiths -- One Family: Increasing Harmony and Understanding in Our Communities," will be sponsored by Ogden's Interfaith Works, Weber County libraries and Weber State University's Center for Diversity and Unity.

Activities include a 5 p.m. Sunday Interfaith Musical Tribute featuring a number of local choirs and other local talent in the Shepherd Union Ballroom at Weber State University.

At 7 p.m. Monday is the film "Eve and the Fire Horse" in the Black Box Theater at the Pleasant Valley branch of the Weber County Library, 5568 S. 500 East, in Washington Terrace.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday is the film "Ocean of Pearls," also in the Black Box Theater at the Pleasant Valley branch library.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday is a book discussion about "The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew -- Three Women Searching for Understanding" at the auditorium in the Main Library, 2464 Jefferson Ave., in Ogden.

At 1 p.m. Feb. 12 is a "faiths around the world" event allowing children to experience the many faith expressions. The event will feature stories, crafts and refreshments, and is representative of religious service for those who observe the Saturday Sabbath.

Pastor Jeff Wait, of Ogden's Seventh-day Adventist Church, said a number of scriptural references support his church's stand on Saturday worship and Sabbath observance.

Quoting the King James Bible, he cited Genesis 2:1-3.

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

"God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it," Wait said. "It's a day appointed for rest. First he rested, then blessed it, then sanctified it."

Wait explained that sanctified means the day was set aside for holy use.

"Any activities that do not promote a relationship with Jesus, we put off for another day."

Wait said people on both sides of the Saturday Sabbath discussion use Romans 14:5-6 to make their point.

He said people use verse 5 as an argument against worshipping on Saturday, but he believes verse 6 is probably the strongest argument for it.

Those verses, in part, read: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

"He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it."

Members of the Johnson family admit that living in Utah for the past three years has created a trial for their faith tradition, but they said such trials have strengthened their convictions.

"It's been more difficult here because so much happens on Saturday, and everywhere else it happens on Saturday and Sunday," Nicki Johnson said.

Debbie Geller, of Logan, is a Jewish member of Congregation Brith Sholem in Ogden and is the mother of three children, ages 9, 12 and 14.

She agrees that staying faithful can be difficult for her family, especially in Utah.

"It's very hard," she said. "Sometimes if there is something we have committed to, the kids can't participate that day."

But Geller also believes there is something very nice about what the local community offers members of her faith, too.

"Living in a smaller community, it makes you stronger in your faith," she said.

Geller said she appreciates the way Interfaith Week organizers have highlighted her faith, too.

Last year, organizers scheduled a public Shabbat ceremony welcoming in the Sabbath on a Friday night.

"It was all really nice to all be together," she said. "I'm big on teaching my children that there are other religions out there.

"We can all learn about each other, especially living in Utah. I think it's very important."
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