Easter Song: Hillsong - Alive in us - with subtitles/lyrics

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Ireland: The Late Late Show covering the book, "Medjugorje: what it means to me" on Good Friday night

The Late Late Show will be doing a piece on the book, "Medjugorje: what it means to me" on Good Friday. Damien Richardson (contributor who attended Cenacolo) and David Parkes will be interviewed by Ryan Tubridy. The author Louise Hall will be also speaking from the audience.

Update:Here is the link to the show:Late Late. The Medjugorje segment starts at 1 hour 31 minutes into the show and can be viewed up to April 18, 2013. You require Real Player on your computer. It can be downloaded HERE .

The Power of the Rosary

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Sr. Lucia, one of the children of Fatima said to Fr. Fuentes, (Dec. 26, 1957) regarding the rosary, she said, “The most holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the holy Rosary. With the holy Rosary, we will save ourselves; we will sanctify ourselves; we will console our Lord, and obtain the salvation of many souls.” Continue reading at Power of the Rosary

Would You Believe? Abie Philbin Bowman's Simplistic and Blinkered Approach to Life

Mick Peelo's interview with  with atheist comedian Abie Philbin Bowman was particularly enlightening in a number  of  respects. Abie was not baptised and attended the  non denominational Sandford Park school. Therein lies the genesis of his antagonism to Catholicism.

•  Why is it that pseudo liberals persistently target the Catholic Church?  Bowman took a cheap shot at Pope Emeritus Benedict. He referred to his "shadowy Nazi past". This is an ugly smear much beloved of  intolerant liberals. It  is factually incorrect. In fact Benedict as a 14 year old was CONSCRIPTED. In 1941, one of Joseph  Ratzinger's cousins, a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome, was taken away by the Nazi regime and murdered during the Action T4 campaign of Nazi eugenics.  The Ratzinger family detested the Nazis.
• For a  man so intelligent, his approach to life is simplistic. As far as he is concerned life can be explained by the Big Bang and Evolution. He does not believe in life after death. It's all so simple as far as Abie is concerned. Except it is not. How does he think the  Big Bang came about? Some Mastermind (God) had to cause it. It could not have come about itself. The complexity of the Universe and Solar  System  and human beings could not have come about by chance. God is the Creator- the Master Architect.
• He referred to George Bush as a "bit of an idiot". George Bush prevented any further Al Qaeda attacks  in the US in the wake of 9/11. He strongly opposed the destruction of unborn life.
  Asked directly what President has done more than any other to combat AIDS,  Elton John answered without hesitation: "George Bush." President Bush  launched  the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) a $15 billion program Bush signed into law in 2004 to provide treatment and prevention for millions of HIV-infected people in Africa.  Not bad for a " bit  of an idiot". 
• In one of his jokes he attacked the American medical establishment. He claimed that although Al Qaeda killed 3,000 American citizens, the numbers killed in the same  country by prescription drugs and medical errors exceeded 3,ooo in a week. He forgot  to mention that over 3,000 unborn children are murdered by abortion in the US DAILY. Then of course liberals never like to  refer to this.   Of course the liberal god Obama was not singled out for ridicule.
• He referred to the  Protestant countries of Germany, Scandinavia, Holland bailing out the Catholic countries of Ireland and  Portugal.  Interestingly he forgot to mention  the  gigantic economic crash in the Protestant country of the US in 2007/2008 . This sent shock wakes across the globe. The US national debt is now 17 TRILLION Dollars. It is out of control driven by the liberal President Obama. He has raised the US national debt from 9 Trillion dollars in 2009 to 17 Trillion dollars in 2013.
• The reality is that  Abie has the typical blinkered liberal approach to life.  He has a superficial knowledge of politics. To put it mildly that is being charitable.    His arguments against religion are deeply flawed.  In short his horizons are limited. Now of course that is not unusual for some  Dublin  liberals.

Italian tennis player Mara Santangelo: "I had it all but I was not happy"

Mara Santangelo is another prominent sports person who has been influenced by Medjugorje. She reached the top of world tennis in both singles and doubles. During her career she won 23 tournaments in doubles, nine tournaments in singles and 6 team championships. It seemed that the career and life of Mara Santangelo were perfect. She had sporting success, popularity and money. But the Italian player was not happy. A malformation of the foot that she had from birth caused her, in twelve years as a professional, to live with excruciating pain. Suffering that she has endured to keep a promise made years earlier to the most important person in her life: her mother, who died when she was a teenager. When I was ten years old and in the arms of my mother, watching on TV a match involving Martina Navratilova, I promised that one day I would become like her and play on the Wimbledon Centre Court. When I was 16, my mother, Patrizia Vinante-who was devoted to Our Lady of Fatima- died in a car accident in Trentino. And this promise to play at Wimbleton led me to fight and to go against all odds to achieve it.

Against all odds? "Because I was born with a malformation of the foot and then I had to face a lot of physical pain to dedicate myself to tennis at the professional level. There was no match in my career that was not played with stabbing pains in the foot. And she finally kept her promise and arrived on Wimbledon's Centre Court. "Yes,in 2005 with mixed feelings: on the one hand the joy of fulfilling the promise,on the other despair for not having completed the match against Williams because of excessive physical pain. Unfortunately in the best moment of my career, when I reached the 27th position in the world rankings in singles, I had another foot injury caused by posture.

After a period of reflection, there was my first trip to Medjugorje which changed my life completely. Soon after I left professionalism. " What changed her on this trip? " Going to Medjugorje I had the certainty and confirmation that my path would be another. It gave me serenity. "We wanted to follow the apparition of Our Lady to Mirjana on the mountain. Another pilgrim, a Brazilian healer recognized by the Church, asked for a sign from the Holy Spirit. In the sky near the mountains, at 3 am, we saw a very strong light. The clouds turned at high speed like a vortex. After a couple of minutes, there was the apparition. The tree next to us lit up in an exceptional whiteness". I left the court to undertake this spiritual journey. In my life there was little spiritual. Today, this path continues to give me happiness, that I had not before. When I played, despite having money and fame, I was not happy. I did not feel peace inside me. Today I'm fine. I left the wealth, the spotlight, the prestigious tournaments-things that many people think to be everything in life- but I feel happier. On the Hill of Apparitions in Medjugorje, Mara found the strength to get up. She was reborn in the arms of Mary, in the joy of faith. Mara Santangelo has now brought out a new book in Italian titled Te lo prometto (I promise you).

Russian energy giant Gazprom Offers Cyprus Restructuring Deal to Avoid EU Bailout

Russian energy giant Gazprom has offered the Republic of Cyprus a plan in which the company will undertake the restructuring of the country’s banks in exchange for exploration rights for natural gas in Cyprus’’ exclusive economic zone, local media reported. Representatives of the Russian company submitted the proposal to the office of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Sunday evening, Sigma TV reported.(Continue reading at THE GREEK REPORTER

Pope Francis at St Mary Major this morning (14/3/13)

Full text of the opening address of Pope Francis to the crowd in St Peter’s Square 13/3/13

Here’s the full text of the opening address of Pope Francis:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Good evening.
As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome, and it seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen who is from far away. Here I am.
I would like to thank you for your embrace, also to the Roman Catholic Church and the bishops, thank you very much. And first and foremost, I would like to pray for our bishop emeritus, Benedict XVI
Let us pray together for him so that he is blessed by the Lord…
Let us begin this journey together… this journey for the Roman Catholic Church. It is a journey of friendship, of love, of trust, and faith. Let us pray always for one another. Let us pray for the whole world. Let us have a big brotherhood.
I wish that this journey for the Church, which we will start today… will bear fruits for the evangelizing of this beautiful city.
I would like to offer you my blessing. But I would like to ask a favor first. I would like to pray to the Lord so that the prayer of the people blesses also the new pontiff. Let us pray in silence your prayer for me.

Newly Elected Pope Francis The First (Cardinal Bergoglio) appears before the crowd in St Peter’s Square

This is an inspired choice as Pope. 42% of the world's Catholics live in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Latin America the Catholic Church is coming under great pressure from Evangelical sects. This should help the Catholic Church to regain lost ground.The Holy Spirit is at work. This compassionate Argentinean is the son of Italian emigrants. His father was a railway worker.

Homily of Cardinal Angelo Sodano during the Mass for the Election of a Pope- given in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome on March 12, 2013

The Missa pro eligendo romano pontifice, the Mass for the election of a Roman Pontiff, was concelebrated by members of the College of Cardinals under the presidency of their Dean, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. The Mass was the final liturgical act of the College before entering into Conclave later this afternoon for the election of a new Bishop of Rome. Below is a translation of the Homily given by Cardinal Angelo Sodono

Dear Concelebrants,
Distinct Authorities,
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Forever I will sing the mercies of the Lord” is the hymn that resounds once again near the tomb of the Apostle Peter in this important hour of the history of the Holy Church of Christ. These are the words of Psalm 88 that have flowed from our lips to adore, give thanks and beg the Father who is in heaven. “Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo”: is the beautiful Latin text that has introduced us into contemplation of the One who always watches over his Church with love, sustaining her on her journey down through the ages, and giving her life through his Holy Spirit.

Such an interior attitude is ours today as we wish to offer ourselves with Christ to the Father who is in heaven, to thank him for the loving assistance that he always reserves for the Holy Church, and in particular for the brilliant Pontificate that he granted to us through the life and work of the 265th Successor of Peter, the beloved and venerable Pontiff Benedict XVI, to whom we renew in this moment all of our gratitude.

At the same time today, we implore the Lord, that through the pastoral sollicitude of the Cardinal Fathers, He may soon grant another Good Shepherd to his Holy Church. In this hour, faith in the promise of Christ sustains us in the indefectible character of the church. Indeed Jesus said to Peter: “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.” (Mt. 16:18).

My brothers, the readings of the World of God that we have just heard can help us better understand the mission that Christ has entrusted to Peter and to his successors.

The Message of Love
The first reading has offered us once again a well-known messianic oracle from the second part of the book of Isaiah that is known as “the book of consolation” (Isaiah 40-66). It is a prophecy addressed to the people of Israel who are in exile in Babylon. Through this prophecy, God announces that he will send a Messiah full of mercy, a Messiah who would say: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me… he has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the wounds of broken hearts, to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to prisoners, and to announce a year of mercy of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:1-3).

The fulfilment of such a prophecy is fully realized in Jesus, who came into the world to make present the love of the Father for all people. It is a love which is especially felt in contact with suffering, injustice, poverty and all human frailty, both physical and moral. It is especially found in the well known encyclical of Pope John Paul II, “Dives in Misericordia” where we read: “It is precisely the mode and sphere in which love manifests itself that in biblical language is called "mercy” (n. 3).

This mission of mercy has been entrusted by Christ to the pastors of his Church. It is a mission that must be embraced by every priest and bishop, but is especially entrusted to the Bishop of Rome, Shepherd of the universal Church. It is infact to Peter that Jesus said: “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?... Feed my lambs (John 21:15). In his commentary on these words, St. Augustine wrote: “May it be therefore the task of love to feed the flock of the Lord” (In Iohannis Evangelium, 123, 5; PL 35, 1967).

It is indeed this love that urges the Pastors of the Church to undertake their mission of service of the people of every age, from immediate charitable work even to the highest form of service, that of offering to every person the light of the Gospel and the strength of grace.

This is what Benedict XVI wrote in his Lenten Message for this year (#3). “Sometimes we tend, in fact, to reduce the term “charity” to solidarity or simply humanitarian aid. It is important, however, to remember that the greatest work of charity is evangelization, which is the “ministry of the word”. There is no action more beneficial – and therefore more charitable – towards one’s neighbour than to break the bread of the word of God, to share with him the Good News of the Gospel, to introduce him to a relationship with God: evangelization is the highest and the most integral promotion of the human person. As the Servant of God Pope Paul VI wrote in the Encyclical Populorum Progressio, the proclamation of Christ is the first and principal contributor to development (cf. n. 16).”

The message of unity

The second reading is taken from the letter to the Ephesians., written by the Apostle Paul in this very city of Rome during his first imprisonment (62-63 A.D.) It is a sublime letter in which Paul presents the mystery of Christ and his Church. While the first part is doctrinal (ch.1-3), the second part, from which today’s reading is taken, has a much more pastoral tone (ch. 4-6). In this part Paul teaches the practical consequences of the doctrine that was previously presented and begins with a strong appeal for church unity: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph 4,1-3).

St. Paul then explains that in the unity of the Church, there is a diversity of gifts, according to the manifold grace of Christ, but this diversity is in function of the building up of the one body of Christ. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Eph 4:11-12).

In our text, St. Paul teaches that each of us must work to build up the unity of the Church, so that “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Eph 4:16). Each of us is therefore called to cooperate with the Successor of Peter, the visible foundation of such an ecclesial unity.

The Mission of the Pope

Brothers and sisters in Christ today’s Gospel takes us back to the Last Supper, when the Lord said to his Apostles: “This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The text is linked to the first reading from the Messiah’s actions in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that the fundamental attitude of the Pastors of the Church is love. It is this love that urges us to offer our own lives for our brothers and sisters. Jesus himself tells us: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12).

The basic attitude of every Shepherd is therefore to lay down one’s life for his sheep (John 10:15). This also applies to the Successor of Peter, Pastor of the Universal Church. As high and universal the pastoral office, so much greater must be the charity of the Shepherd. In the heart of every Successor of Peter, the words spoken one day by the Divine Master to the humble fisherman of Galilee have resounded: “Diligis me plus his? Pasce agnos meos… pasce oves meas”; “Do you love me more than these? Feed my lambs… feed my sheep!” (John 21:15-17)

In the wake of this service of love toward the Church and towards all of humanity, the last popes have been builders of so many good initiatives for people and for the international community, tirelessly promoting justice and peace. Let us pray that the future Pope may continue this unceasing work on the world level.

Moreover, this service of charity is part of the intimate nature of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us of this fact when he said: “The service of charity is also a constitutive element of the Church’s mission and an indispensable expression of her very being; (Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio Intima Ecclesiae natura, November 11, 2012, introduction; cf. Deus caritas est, n. 25).

It is a mission of charity that is proper to the Church, and in a particular way is proper to the Church of Rome, that in the beautiful expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, is the Church that “presides in charity” “praesidet caritati” (cf. Ad Romanos (preface).; Lumen Gentium, n. 13).

My brothers, let us pray that the Lord will grant us a Pontiff who will embrace this noble mission with a generous heart. We ask this of the Lord, through the intercession of Mary most holy, Queen of the Apostles and of all the Martyrs and Saints, who through the course of history, made this Church of Rome glorious through the ages. Amen.(Via Vatican Radio)

Italy: Oristano woman healed during inauguration of statue of Our Lady of Medjugorje

The 'miracle' occurred in October. Anna P., retired sick from a serious infection in her leg which healed after attending the inauguration of a statue of Our Lady to St. Nicholas Arcidano. The woman had gotten a serious injury during your stay in Medjugorje.

Anna P., 60 years old, no longer walked since last September. She had fallen in the hotel in Medjugorje, a place where for 7 years she went on pilgrimage to venerate the Virgin Mary. The serious infection that followed the trauma was likely to turn into gangrene and therefore she was exposed to the risk of amputation of the limb. In October, the unexpected and sudden healing happened. Accompanied by her friends she went to St. Nicholas Arcidano where a statue in honour of the Virgin of Medjugorje was to be consecrated. Here was the miracle: "The Virgin Mary appeared and smiled at me. I went to take Holy Communion without the support of anyone. I got home and removed the bandages. I did not have anything wrong. Analyzes have confirmed the healing." Now the practice is in the hands of the bishop of Alexandria Terralba, Monsignor Giovanni Dettori. The story is told by Valentina Pintori Sarda on the newsstands.(Source) [Oristano is a town and comune, capital of the Province of Oristano, in central-western of island Sardinia, Italy.]

Video:Rome Dispatch with Joan Lewis - 2013-03-04 - Interregnum Period- Day 4

EWTNs Joan Lewis interviews Donald Cardinal Wuerl and Msgr Keith Newton -a convert from Anglicanism-in relation to the Conclave. EWTN coverage on interregnum and Conclave is superb. The secular media cannot compete with EWTN which can provide spiritual depth in contrast to a shallow superficial perspective from secularists. This is a historic period when the direct successor of the first Pope -St.Peter- will be chosen by the Conclave.

Irena Sendler -heroine of the Warsaw ghetto- who saved 2,500 children must not be forgotten

I received the following email in relation to Irena Sendler:
We need to be reminded....... As General Eisenhower said at the time, "we want plenty of photos so no one can ever say this did not happen".

Remember this lady?

Irena Sendler Died: May 12, 2008 (aged 98) Warsaw, Poland

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ulterior motive. Irena smuggled Jewish infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried. She also carried a burlap sack in the back of her truck, for larger kids. Irena kept a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto.

The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. Ultimately, she was caught, however, and the Nazi's broke both of her legs and arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she had smuggled out, In a glass jar that she buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and tried to reunite the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

In 2007 Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming. Later another politician, Barack Obama, won for his work as a community organizer for ACORN. In MEMORIAM - 65 YEARS LATER I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message. I hope you'll consider doing the same. It is now more than 65 years since the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, In memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!
Now, Iran , and others, claim the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth', It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again. This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people worldwide! Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us distribute it around the world. Please send this e-mail to people you know and ask them to continue the memorial chain. Please don't just delete it. It will only take you a minute to pass this along.

Video:Apparition to Mirjana at Medjugorje on March 2, 2013

Medjugorje Message

On March 2, 2013, Our Lady appeared to the visionary Mirjana and delivered the following message to the world:
"Dear children; anew, in a motherly way, I am calling you not to be of a hard heart. Do not shut your eyes to the warnings which the Heavenly Father sends to you out of love. Do you love Him above all else? Do you repent for having often forgotten that the Heavenly Father, out of His great love, sent his Son to redeem us by the Cross? Do you repent for not yet having accepted the message?
My children, do not resist the love of my Son. Do not resist hope and peace. Along with your prayer and fasting, by His cross, my Son will cast away the darkness that wants to surround you and come to rule over you. He will give you the strength for a new life. Living it according to my Son, you will be a blessing and a hope to all those sinners who wander in the darkness of sin. My children, keep vigil. I, as a mother, am keeping vigil with you. I am especially praying and watching over those whom my Son called to be light-bearers and carriers of hope for you – for your shepherds. Thank you."