New Link - Virtual Rosary

Pic is from Photobucket.

Over on the right is now a link to the Virtual Rosary. You download a simple program to your computer, so you can pray the Rosary easily. For those of us that didn't grow up Catholic, the prayers are nicely presented. Also, you can download different modules. I am partial to the scriptural Rosary by the Carmelite sisters and the stained glass images.

For folks unfamiliar with what the Rosary is and think it is just mindless prayer to Mary or worship of Mary, here is a some info by Pope John Paul II from the Vatican website http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html :

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium.(2) It is an echo of the prayerof Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer. 

AND

5. But the most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the Rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery which I have proposed in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte as a genuine “training in holiness”: “What is needed is a Christian life distinguished above all in the art of prayer”.(9) Inasmuch as contemporary culture, even amid so many indications to the contrary, has witnessed the flowering of a new call for spirituality, due also to the influence of other religions, it is more urgent than ever that our Christian communities should become “genuine schools of prayer”.(10)

Peace

Pope Benedict XVI

Pic is from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BentoXVI-29-10052007.jpg
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Brazil license.

Article from below is from Catholic News Agency: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/ :

Peruvian reporter denounces witch hunt against Catholic Church.
Vatican City, April 9 (CNA) .- Peruvian reporter Martha Meier recently published an article in the newspaper El Comercio denouncing the "witch hunt against the Catholic Church" being carried out by the media, which is attempting to smear Pope Benedict XVI over cases of sexual abuse by some members of the clergy.

Meier said those who are seeking to tarnish the Pope's image "want to bring back their outdated ideology."

After noting that the full force of the law must fall upon abusive priests, Meier asked, "Are those who rend their garments over the abominable acts of pedophilia really concerned about children? Do those who spill gobs of ink really seek the truth? The answer is no."

Through their disinformation, she argued, "they discredit the Catholic Church, they cast blame on everyone and want to make the more than 2 billion Catholics all feel guilty."

"Sexual abuse of pre-teen children by priests is the exception, not the norm," Meier said. "The statistics reveal that it is an uncommon situation that involves 0.3% of the clergy."

The Peruvian author then compared the treatment given to these few cases in the Church with those of humanitarian agencies such as the United Nations in emergency zones.

"Should the UN Peacekeeping forces disappear? Are Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his predecessors responsible?" she asked, referring to abuses carried out by peacekeeping troops. "If we followed the logic of the anti-clericals we would have to blame them, because the actions continue in those places where there ought to be help for those most in need," she explained.

Meier said the kind of witch hunt being carried out against the Church does nothing to further democracy and ends up being a perverse and opportunistic form of terrorism.

Peace...

We can do nothing without Christ

Pic is from http://www.dualravens.com/spirituality/stations/oftheresurrection/stationeight/

I have a background steeped in HolyScripture, since I was raised Southern Baptist.  However, several years ago, it was an addict I was counseling (I was a substance abuse counselor) who taught me about the time Jesus was on earth between the resurrection and the ascension, 40 days.  I was unaware of this info.  One of my newer, favorite bible passages was in the readings on April 9th, occurring during this 40 day period.  I'll reprint it here, from John 21, because I love it so:

"Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples


at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn,

Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them,

“Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

So he said to them,

“Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved

said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore,

only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them,

“Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over

and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many,

the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them,

“Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him,

“Who are you?”

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and

took the bread and

gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time

Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead."

Here are a couple of reflections on this passage from two marvelous blogging priests (you'll have to scroll down: to April 9th, 2010 on each blog):

http://frjohnl.blogspot.com/

http://lordifyouwilldaily.blogspot.com/

The second priest also has a Sunday site:

http://lordifyouwill.blogspot.com/

I've recently been listed on Catholic Blog Directory: http://catholicblogs.blogspot.com/ and you can find a lot of great blogs by priests and religious, as well as your regular old laity, like myself.  There are many priests who comment on the trials our Holy Father is enduring and can help to untangle the erroneous information out there.  There is also a novena going on right now for Pope Benedict that will end on the 2nd Sunday of Easter, the 5 year anniversary of our Holy Father. 

I guess what I love most about the "breakfast by the Sea" passage is that even our first pope, Peter, could do nothing without Jesus.  Here are the disciples, utterly flabergasted by the recent crucifixion, led by Peter to keep on, keeping on with no results.  Then Jesus tells them to cast the net on the other side and they catch a haul like no other, to prefigure the haul of human souls that will be converted in the near future.  And, Jesus gives them every gift they need to make it happen - unity to bring in the net, a leader in Peter, and spiritual food in the Eucharist.  Fantastic!

Alleluia! He is risen!

Peace!

Divine Mercy Novena Day 9

Divine Mercy Novena Day 8

Divine Mercy Novena Day 7

Camped out at Lake Eufaula lot last night. Wee min pin Coco did great sleeping in the tent. It's not really roughing it when you have the use of a huge travel trailer. Anyhoo, enjoying the outdoors and hanging with my Dad. We're getting his chainsaw fixed at the moment, and I have time for a quick post. I'm glad I was able to get day 7 posted.

Peace...

Divine Mercy Novena Day 6