Blessed Marianne Cope

Blessed Marianne Cope
"He paulele ho'i 'oe" ("Faithful to God's Loving Plan")

"I am hungry for the work... I am not afraid of any disease, hence it would be my greatest delight even to minister the abandoned 'lepers.'" ~ Mother Marianne

A little known Blessed who rubbed shoulders with some prominent folks in an unusual setting. Let's pray for her cause and ask her intercession.

Mother Marianne, formerly Barbara Koob (variants: Kob, Kopp, and now officially Cope) was born on Jan. 23, 1838 in the German Grand Duchy of Hess-Darmstadt. She was baptized the following day in what is now SE Hessen, West Germany. She was the daughter of farmer Peter Koob and Barbara Witzenbacher Koob. By his second wife, Barbara’s mother, Peter Koob had five children in Germany and five children in the United States. In 1839, the year following Barbara’s birth, the family immigrated to the United States to seek opportunity.

The Koob family settled in Utica, New York and became members of St. Joseph Parish, where the children attended the parish school. In 1848, Barbara received her First Holy Communion and was confirmed at St. John Parish in Utica when, in accordance with the practice of the time, the bishop of the diocese came to the largest church in the area to administer these two sacraments at the same ceremony. Barbara, in August, 1862, entered the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, N.Y., and, on Nov. 19, 1862, she was invested at the Church of the Assumption. She soon became known as Sister Marianne.

Mother Marianne, in 1877, was elected Second Provencial Mother of the Syracuse Franciscans. In 1883, she received a letter from a priest in Hawaii begging for help on behalf of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani for the Kingdom of Hawaii. From 50 other religious communities in the United States, only Mother Marianne's Order of Sisters agreed to come to Hawaii to care for people with Hansen's Disease (known then as leprosy). The Sisters arrived in Hawaii on November 8, 1883, dedicating themselves to the care of the 200 lepers in Kakaako Branch Hospital on Oahu. This hospital was built to accommodate 100 people, but housed more than 200 people. The condition at the hospital were deplorable. Each Sister-nurse learned to wash the fetid wounds, to apply soothing ointment to the wounds, and to bring a sense of order to the lawlessness that prevails when there is abandonment of hope.

Mother Marianne founded Malulani Hospital, Maui's first general hospital for the ordinary sick on that island a year later. In 1885, realizing that healthy children of leprous patients were at high risk of contracting the disease, yet had no place to live, she founded Kapiolani Home on Oahu for healthy female children of leprosy patients. Because of her work, she was the recipient of the Royal Medal of Kapiolani.

In the summer of 1886, the Sisters took care of Father Damien when he visited Honolulu during his bout with leprosy. He asked the Sisters to take over for him when he died. Mother Marianne led the first contingent of Sister-nurses to Kalaupapa, Molokai, where more than a thousand people with leprosy had been exiled. Upon arrival, on November 14, 1888, she opened the C.R. Bishop Home for homeless women and girls with Hansen's Disease. To improve the bleak conditions, Mother Marianne grew fruits, vegetables, and landscaped the area with trees thus creating a better environment among the residents. While at Kalaupapa, Mother Marianne predicted that no Franciscan Sister would ever contract leprosy. Additionally she required her sisters use stringent hand washing and other sanitary procedures.

Upon the death of Blessed Damien on April 15, 1889, Mother Marianne agreed to head the Boys Home at Kalawao. The Board of Health had quickly chosen her as Father Damien's successor and she was thus enabled to keep her promise to him to look after his boys. The Boys Home at Kalawao was completely renovated between 1889 - 1895 during her administration. During the renovation, it was renamed Baldwin Home by the Board of Health in honor of its leading benefactor, H.P. Baldwin. The two new Sisters who came to run the Home were accompanied on their boat journey by poet Robert Louis Stevenson, who stayed for a week. During his stay, he wrote a poem for Mother Marianne and later donated a piano so that "there will always be music."

Mother Marianne's spirit of self-sacrifice enabled her to live and work with leper patients for 35 years. Although there was not yet a cure, the Sisters could offer the lepers some semblance of dignity and as pleasant a life as possible. Mother Marianne died in Kalaupapa on August 9, 1918. The Sisters of St. Francis continue their work in Kalaupapa with victims of Hansen's Disease.
No sister has ever contracted the disease.

THE BRIGITTINE ROSARY

Our Lady of Lourdes and 6 Decade Rosary

This Rosary truly is a treasure and I'm so grateful to our Blessed Mother for prompting the very kind lady that brought it to my attention by placing a custom order for it! :) I'm very pleased to now be able to offer this along with everything else on BattleBeads. This will be placed on the Unique and Unusual page (likely by tomorrow).
Don't forget, as with everything on BattleBeads, bead sizes, wires, parts are all negotiable and they tell me I'm fairly easy to get along with! ;) Anyway, here's a little background on this beautiful rendition which, I've been informed, was the Rosary our Lady held at Lourdes with St. Bernadette as well!


It is well known that Saint Teresa of Jesus/Avila prayed the Rosary daily. It is believed that while she was traveling throughout Spain, she enjoyed the hospitality of at least one Brigittine Monastery, and from the Brigittines, learned to say their six-decade Rosary. The six-decade Rosary was later adopted as the Rosary of the Discalced Carmelite habit, with a large medal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in addition to, or even in place of, the crucifix found on the Dominican Rosary. Only six of the eighteen decades are worn, as opposed to the entire fifteen decades of the Dominican Rosary, worn with the religious habits of some other Orders. The Brigittine (or "Saint Bridget") Rosary looks similar to a regular Rosary, but with an extra decade. The resultant seven Pater beads honor the Seven Sorrows, Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the sixty-three Ave Maria beads commemorate the sixty-three years it is believed the Blessed Mother lived on this earth before her Assumption. In praying the Brigittine Rosary, there are a total of eighteen decades: In the six Joyful Mysteries, the first is the Immaculate Conception; the sixth of the Sorrowful Mysteries commemorates when the Body of the Lord was placed in the Arms of His Sorrowful Mother; and the sixth of the Glorious Mysteries is recited in honor of the Patronage of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (and, for the Carmelite, Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel). The other mysteries are the same as in the Dominican Rosary. However, at the end of each decade, the Apostles Creed, not the Glory be, is recited. 

Special Blessing for the Brigittine Rosary

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you.

P: Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God, who, out of exceeding love for us, willed that Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, come down from heaven to earth for our salvation taking flesh at the angel's message in the sacred womb of the blessed Virgin, in order to snatch us from Satan's tyranny; we humbly beg You in Your boundless goodness to bless + and to hallow + these rosaries, which your faithful Church has consecrated to the honor and praise of the Mother of Your Son. Let them be endowed with such power of the Holy + Spirit, that whoever carries one on his person, or recites it, or reverently keeps it in his home, may always and everywhere be shielded from every foe and adversity, may gain the indulgences granted by the holy Roman Church, and at their death deserve to be presented to You by the blessed Virgin, laden with the merits of good works; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

P: May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit,

come upon you and remain with you forever.

All: Amen.

Then the beads are sprinkled with holy water.

Happy Birthday BattleBeads

A year ago today, I sold the first BattleBeads Rosary. :) Hard to believe it's a year later and I'm still getting special requests. Just got one today in fact regarding a 6 decade Brigittine Rosary that I'll be making shortly. I always very much like to design something new or something uniquely custom ... really looking forward to it! :)
I was going to let this anniversary go by, but decided not to after a dream I had last night that was completely unrelated to making rosaries and an email I just received from someone that found me after prayer to our Lady. I believe the dream was actually an answer to a petition  that I've been praying about for a few months now. I had been asking to be led more deeply into our Lord's Passion and to understand more and love Him more perfectly.
Upon retiring last night, I was thinking how FULL of grace Mary was and how at such a young age, she was able to accept such monumental tasks that were wrought with the possibility of dire consequences. I thought too about how she had to endure the swords piercing her Immaculate Heart that Simeon spoke of. I thought of her horror and anguish at learning Jesus had been arrested. I was brought to a place where I could barely watch as He was horrifically mauled, maltreated, humiliated and in torturous pain as He was being mocked carrying His Cross. How could Mary have stood this? Yes ... grace, I know ... but she was fully human! Watching this ... standing at the foot of the Cross after watching them drive the nails into Him ... hearing His WORDS to the Father, her and John ... holding His Lifeless Precious Body in her arms when they took Him down and then the finality of placing Him in the tomb. I was just in awe ... totally and literally. I fell asleep praying.
So, now my dream. Short .. but just as profound.

Not sure where I was, but my deceased parents were there. Momma was very sad and Daddy very solemn. My brother had just returned from the store where he had bought some wood and supplies. I was praying .. outside and looking up for a sign from heaven. My father had agreed to be crucified. My mother was very sad but very resigned to it. I too was resigned that this had to be, but it was tearing my heart out. I saw my brother forming the crucifix. Daddy began walking towards the crucifix. He had a cut and bandage on his right shin. I saw a large angel profiled in the clouds beckoning with flowing hair. I can't explain how hurtful this all was. To see this, to know what was going to happen and that it MUST happen ... I knew it was wrong to ask for it NOT to happen. It was SO distressful, that it woke me up. The first thought that came to me was that as hard as that was to see for a few SECONDS, it was NOTHING compared to the pain our Lady felt, knowing that not only this was flesh of her flesh but GOD ALMIGHTY! I think of Peter's very human reaction when Jesus told him that He would have to suffer and die. I think any one of us would have likely reacted the same way saying we didn't want that to happen to Someone we loved! But God's Ways are certainly not our ways. But in all this, Mary never even flinched. It is written that she never fainted at the foot of the Cross, but stood fast never waivering in Love, Faith and GRACE. Her gaze firmly fixed on her Precious Son, our Savior. There are many more feelings that are just too hard to put into words just now. Many things too that are going to be added to my daily petitions. I pray that God sends me a spiritual director but in this rural area, well it's almost going to require a miracle. But have to leave the rest for another time. Just too much to really put out and take in all at once!
Oh Mary, Most SORROWFUL Mother, please pray for us miserable sinners who have recourse to you in this valley of tears!

p.s. I guess the reason I related these two things to mentioning BattleBeads' Birthday was because every now and then when I wonder why and how I wound up doing this, something happens to make me feel like I'm SUPPOSED to be doing this as my little part to further the Kingdom or help in some way. May it please God for it to be so!

Concerns MUST be VOICED

The only thing required for EVIL to take over is for GOOD PEOPLE TO DO NOTHING!!!!
I urge you to contact St. Francis Xavier Parish in NYC as well as Archbishop Dolan's office and state your CATHOLIC CONCERNS OVER THIS. 
Additionally, please spread this wonderful link to all you know that face or  are assisting loved ones with this suffering. TRUE Catholicism at work .. making and keeping the Sacraments REAL! ~ COURAGE

TOTAL WAR

Ephesians 6:12 has been the 'Battle Cry' of BattleBeads from the beginning, a year ago now. "For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Any who read this ... by the power of our Almighty Triune God, His Grace, the Precious Name of Jesus and the Power of the Holy Spirit ... take up the fight! We ARE the Church militant who will soon join the Church suffering and triumphant. We do not stand alone in this battle. Be assured,  it IS a battle. We are in communion with with all those who came before us including the angels and saints in heaven. We have some fierce warriors among us!  Let us unite and hold fast to the TRUTH that we KNOW is CHRIST JESUS! So many of the leaders today have fallen to the world and the wiles of satan ... yes, sadly ... Bishops as well as priests. Resist the temptation to reveal their faults, but rather pray hard and do penance that they receive the necessary grace to be the servants that Jesus would have them be. They need our prayers, not our wrath and 'righteous indignation'.
The ole boy sure has the upper hand for the moment in this battle. So many of us are so busy with our lives ... our families, jobs, recreation, vacations, planning this and that, etc. What time do we REALLY DEVOTE to GOD? Why is it that it's so hard to give Him the time we would devote to a hobby or other interest? Where ARE our priorities? Do we not realize that this short life is a passing moment at best and eternity is  -F O R E V E R- ??? Where IS our TREASURE ... for there our heart will also be. What IS IT we value most? If we're smart, it will be our eternal souls and the souls of our families and dear ones.
The ole boy is betting on the fact that you're TOO BUSY to notice what's really going on. Or better yet, that PRIDE tells you that everything's just fine the way it is and all this battle talk is simply nonsense. Make no mistake ... the war wages. Satan and his minions are everywhere and yes .. even in the Church.
With so many Bishops and priests merely going through the motions now and not providing strong leadership to adhere to the Tradition that St. Paul warned us not to stray from, it's time that the faithful laity force the issue and either build ourselves up in the faith or force the appointed shepherds to step up to the plate and by the grace of God, perform the duties their hands and hearts were anointed for with true reverence and discipline.
There is no reason why we all can't give at least FIFTEEN SOLID MINUTES A DAY in contrite prayer for each other, the Church and the world. THIS IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL FOLKS ... this is the real deal ... the end of the age has been in the works since Jesus left a while back, huh? Have you noticed the things He said would happen before He comes again? Yes, we've always had wars and earthquakes and disasters and all the rest .. but He said they would come faster and stronger as a woman having labor pains. Are we not there?
Do we even take the time to CONSIDER if we ARE OR NOT? Do we shrug it off because it's not convenient for us now? Do we value our eternal souls so little that we would make such a gamble? Many of us would never think of gambling money or placing a bet ... but look at the risks we take with our souls!
Oh, but God is a loving God ... He will understand ... I deserved my THIS ... I waited all year long for my THAT ... He knows I love Him. Really? How easy is it for you to see that a friend cares for YOU if you only see that friend when they need something from you? TAKE STOCK PEOPLE. WHAT IS IMPORTANT, REALLY? Look at a Crucifix and consider HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU. JUST LOOK. And then thank GOD for His MERCY. Pray for each other ... that the faithful be strengthened, the lukewarm be renewed, the fallen away be restored and the proud be converted ... and most of all .. PRAY FOR OUR BISHOPS & PRIESTS!

Please pray for Fr. Hardon's Cause for Sainthood

A Preacher “In and Out of Season”: Fr. Hardon’s Cause for Sainthood

June 22nd, 2010 by James Maldonado Berry  Print This Article ·ShareThis

Last year, Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, was back in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri. During the course of his busy four-day visit, he officiated at a Rite of Blessing for the office of the Fr. John A. Hardon S.J., Archive and Guild, for which I am privileged to serve as Executive Director . The event was attended by more than one-hundred locals, along with a handful from other states, who braved the St. Louis sun and humidity to participate in a unique event in the history of the Church in the United States. The day marked a new beginning to an exciting process in the life of the Catholic Church in the United States. In his brief reflection given during the blessing, Archbishop Burke described Fr. Hardon as a “tireless preacher of the Gospel, both in and out of season” – words that encapsulate the entire life and work of Fr. Hardon.
Getting to Know Him
To serious Catholics, it is no secret that the Church in America has, for the past forty years or so, been undergoing a period of deep confusion. This confusion manifests itself in many parishes, where improvisations in liturgy often border on the absurd and outrageous, and also in large swaths of so-called Catholic schools and universities, where Catholic identity regularly takes a back seat to prestige and cultural accommodation. The result of this confusion, evident to anyone who takes the time to investigate, is a catechetical void that runs far and wide in the Catholic Church in the United States.
Anyone who knew Fr. Hardon understands how acutely he perceived these problems. By the strength of his peerless intellect and example of his saintly life he sought to push back against them. He was a peripatetic priest, a loyal successor to the missionary zeal embodied in St. Francis Xavier. Fr. Hardon was often jetting from one city to another, sometimes internationally, to offer spiritual direction, give talks, meditations, or deliver lectures on a wide range of theological topics.
So why is Fr. Hardon’s message so timely for today? Fr. Robert T. McDermott, Postulator for the Cause, observes that there is a Providential overlapping and partnership between the liturgical “back to basics” emphasis of the current pontiff and Fr. Hardon’s relentless drive to catechize the lay faithful in the fundamentals of Catholic doctrine. “Fidelity to the solemnity of the Liturgy goes hand-in-hand with the properly catechized Catholic.” He observes, “Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, has always recognized this connection, as is evident from his voluminous writings and sermons, and Fr. John A. Hardon S.J. clearly understood this as well.”
Although it will be a decade since Fr. Hardon’s passing back in December 2000, the devotion and evangelical zeal among his thousands of followers has not abated in the least. If anything, his renown has only grown since 2000. In fact, Fr. Dennis Brown, a friend to the Archive and Guild started a Facebook page for Fr. Hardon’s Cause for beatification and canonization and, within only a couple weeks, there were already over 1,000 members, and the number continues to grow by the day. I am certain that this zeal for the faith and for evangelization has a lot to do with his well-known adage to never waste a moment of time in spreading the Good News. I am told he would often say to his loyal collaborators, “There’s a lot of work to do!” Indeed, and the work rolls on today.
While I never met Fr. Hardon, I have been blessed to listen to numerous anecdotes, the treasured memories from various folks who call into the office. Many make mention of his deep devotion to the Sacrament of Penance. Since Fr. Hardon didn’t drive, he would often rely on lay faithful to pick him up or take him to the airport. I am told that he would typically ask his driver to assist him in locating a priest to hear his confession. Fr. Hardon was a man of deep prayer and quiet meditation. My colleague, Fr. Robert McDermott, drove Fr. Hardon on a several occasions. I once asked him whether Fr. Hardon chatted or engaged in small talk while being driven here or there. If so, I was curious to know what he would talk about. Father’s reply: “Oh no, he was usually praying the rosary or the Liturgy of the Hours.” Others who have called into the office recall Fr. Hardon’s sage counsel and his numerous practical tips to live an authentically Catholic, lay witness in the midst of the world. I have also been told that he strongly encouraged educated Catholics to write for different venues in order to advance the catechetical cause among the lay faithful.
Making a Saint in the City
A couple years prior to the office blessing, Archbishop Burke, having obtained the imprimatur of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, gave his consent for the Cause of Fr. Hardon’s beatification and canonization to begin work within his own Archdiocese.  And so with that, the centuries-old wheels of canonization protocols were set in motion. Gradually, Fr. Hardon’s vast assortment of stored manuscripts, letters, recorded lectures, books and personal effects began to trickle into St. Louis from the Detroit area and elsewhere.
As the Executive Director of the Archive and Guild, I work closely with Archbishop Burke, who is still very much involved in the process, despite his relocation in 2008 to the Vatican to serve as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Archbishop Robert Carlson, who was appointed to succeed Archbishop Burke, has been most supportive of the work of the Archive and Guild. Another close collaborator is Fr. Robert T. McDermott, who, as I mentioned earlier, serves as Postulator to the Cause. Fr. McDermott is a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and he received his Master’s degree in theology under the direct supervision of Fr. Hardon in New York City.
It is difficult to summarize everything that goes into such a momentous project as this one, but a short run-down of the basics will help to give a basic idea. Our goals here at the Archive and Guild are principally threefold: First, to spread awareness of the Cause of Fr. Hardon’s beatification and canonization, as well as to encourage spiritual and financial support for the many projects and expenses of the Archive and Guild. Fundraising is a constant priority for us. Second, and closely related to the first goal, is the need to encourage devotion to Fr. Hardon. This is achieved primarily through our website, and by sending out newsletters, prayer cards and other information about our work in St. Louis.  Eventually, we will begin the important step of gathering testimonies from those who knew Fr. Hardon personally.
The final goal is more in-house related, and centers on the organization and cataloguing of Fr. Hardon’s immense collection of manuscripts, as well as his personal library. Given Fr. Hardon’s voluminous output, resulting in thousands upon thousands of pages of letters, course notes, books, charts etc., this challenge is a particularly daunting one.  While challenging, it is vital, since the Congregation for the Causes of Saints requires a meticulous examination and filing of every single page of writing, both published and personal. Our manuscript room at the Archive and Guild is filled to the brim with filing cabinets and boxes containing Fr. Hardon’s papers that have been accumulated over the course of fifty years. We also have an overflow collection of boxes that are safely stored downstairs. In addition to the papers, the Archive and Guild houses numerous boxes filled with audio cassettes containing talks given by Fr. Hardon to various Catholic gatherings. These too must be examined, organized and transcribed. Just a few weeks ago in fact, a friend of the Archive and Guild drove down from Michigan to drop off five large boxes of tapes that he had been storing, containing over 600 hours of recordings.
Those desiring to learn more about Fr. John A. Hardon S.J. and the work of the Archive and Guild are encouraged to visit the website: www.hardonsj.org. There, visitors will find a short biography of Fr. Hardon, prepared by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell, Notary and Expert to the Cause. In addition, the official prayer for Fr. Hardon’s beatification and canonization is posted on the site, as well as information about the Archive and Guild and a list of the officers working on the Cause.

© Copyright 2010 Catholic Exchange
James M. Berry received a Licentiate in Social Communication from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. He works for the canonization cause of Fr. John Hardon, S.J. in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. His writings have appeared in Catholic Exchange and in the Arlington Catholic Herald.  Follow his blog at catholicpublius.blogspot.com.

You've Been Warned!

by: Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer
Vampire Logic

With the issuing of the third movie in the Twilight series I have to speak out about our culture's twisted fascination with vampires. I don't hesitate to tell people that I am totally disgusted with the new fad sweeping over our youth culture these days. It is not just kids that are taken up with the wiles of the dark world either: many moms of teens are swooning for them too. I think that these seductive creatures are simply the spawn of the Harry Potter culture that has for over a decade now been indoctrinating kids to think that the occult world is normal and that all this evil messaging is harmless when dressed up as entertainment. That's vampire logic - and just what the devil wants us to think.

Gone are the days of Bella Lugosi's Dracula (1931) where good was good and evil was evil. A crucifix would drive Dracula away and then he had to go into his infernal coffin when the first streaks of dawn appeared. He was in every way presented as a creature of evil, dark of heart and dread to encounter. He drank human blood too, a feature that was supposed to strike terror in every person who valued his life's essence. The image of a blood-sucking creature who lives in slime and darkness and will pounce on you to drain out your very essence should terrorize every decent person. This is because vampires used to be images of demons. That's what demons are all about: the vanquishing of all human decency and life. They represent the spiritual vortexes of the demon world that drag down to the depths of hell all who fall prey to their wiles.

But, my, how vampires have come up in the world these days.

Nowadays vampires are divided into good and bad - no longer intrinsically evil. The good ones rescue vulnerable women instead of biting them and, allegedly, drink only animal blood (well, we haven't seen the last Twilight movie yet...). And crucifixes? Don't think you'll see any of those driving away bad guys in these movies. The heroes are the "good" vampires, not the Church or religious faith in Christ.

These super-star vampires also walk around in sunlight and, as a matter of fact, their skin just happens to glisten like diamonds when exposed to direct sunlight. Isn't that wonderful? The glam vamps are gentlemen, chaste and well-intentioned, yet they are always hovering around the edge of "falling" and in seductive situations which cause young people to think that they are capable, like their hero vampire, Edward Cullen, of going just so far and pulling back, out of self-control. That's teaching them to play with fire, not a real chastity message for kids.

The worst part of this fascination with vampires from a faith point of view, however, is its blasphemy of the Eucharist. "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you," said our Blessed Lord in Chapter 6 of John's Gospel. He is the One who offers His flesh and blood for the life of the world. The vampires eat (bite) the flesh and drink the blood of victims rather than give their own to redeem others. Their bites corrupt and transform their victims into vampires like themselves. They have no life in them. They are the "living dead" by their own estimate.

How sad that this generation has been so taken in by those who represent the very antithesis of the core reality of our Faith - the Eucharist. Vampire logic is anti-Eucharistic logic, and it's very dangerous for our kids. In their obsessive fascination with such darkness, kids (and adults) turn their backs on the One who actually died for them.

To those who say, "Oh, Father, it's only harmless entertainment," I say simply: You've been warned.

We ALL Need to DO THE RIGHT THING!

Perhaps God's Trying to get Someone's Attention??

3.6 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes D.C. AreaJuly 16, 2010 - 12:22pm

WASHINGTON - A 3.6 magnitude earthquake woke the Washington metro region Friday, rattling homes and startling people. The U.S. Geological Survey says it happened at exactly 5:04:49 a.m. about 3 miles under the earth's surface.
There were no reports of injuries or damage, but transportation crews are inspecting bridges in Maryland and D.C.
Maryland State Highway Administration spokesman David Buck says no damage had been found as of Friday morning.
DDOT crews are inspecting some of the older bridges, and are compiling a list of places to conduct more thorough evaluations, DDOT spokesperson Karyn LeBlanc says.
There were no problems reported by regional water, gas and electric utilities.
Right after it happened, calls from all around Maryland, Northern Virginia and as far away as West Virginia started lighting up the WTOP newsroom phone lines.
"It was centered in the Germantown-Gaithersburg area," Randy Baldwin, a physicist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Information Center, tells WTOP.
By mid-morning, more than 13,000 people had logged on to the U.S. Geological Survey's website to report feeling the quake, some from as far away as Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The website said earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains can be felt over an area as much as 10 times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the West Coast.
The earthquake woke WTOP listener Christy in her four-bedroom home in Bethesda.
"I was terrified. Then it was a huge jolt and my bed actually went forward from the wall," Christy told WTOP.
The USGS received 6,500 reports about this quake. While minor, this quake was out of the norm for the region.
Baldwin say the area's last earthquake was 2.0 in 2008. The region also had a 2.7 quake in 1993.
Barbara L. Thanos writes on WTOP's Facebook page: "Here's my experience. Sitting at my desk at work, by myself, and all of a sudden the computer, calculators, phones etc, starting moving, building rumbling etc. I work in Gaithersburg! Thought the building was coming down. I've worked there 26 years and never felt anything like that! I ran downstairs and out of the building to see if something hit it. Scary. Husband called and said, 'Gaithersburg just got hit with an earthquake!'"
Dave Garcia of Gaithersburg called WTOP.
"I was pretty scared," Garcia said. "I got rattled out of bed. I thought it might be a transformer, but it shook the whole building."
"I live less than a mile from the epicenter. It was crazy," e-mails Mike in Germantown. "It was really foggy and suddenly there was a loud rumble. Then all the furniture in my room began to shake and rattle and soon, the entire house started shaking. It lasted around 10 seconds and it was STRONG. Probably stronger here since I am so close to the epicenter."
"It woke me up," WTOP listener Amy Zimmerman tells WTOP. "My bed started to shake. Things fell off the shelf."
Some listeners say the earthquake felt like an underground blasting or a truck hitting a building.
"We felt the earthquake here in Columbia with walls vibrating," Darlene Brown wrote in a text message to WTOP.
On WTOP's Facebook page, Jill Lasheski of Germantown writes that she quickly woke up her husband.
"I grabbed him and said Earthquake! We are use to trains going right by our house, but this felt different- really shook our house! But did anyone else feel an after shock about 10 minutes later?? It felt the same but weaker and shorter."
D.C. emergency services says there are no reports of any damage. No injuries have been reported. The utilities reported no problems. Metro also reported no problems.
Amy Vaughn with USGS says there is a world of difference between a California earthquake and an earthquake in Maryland.
"In California, a 3.6 is almost laughable, whereas out here it's huge news," Vaughn tells WTOP. "This can be felt in a larger area, like 10 times larger an area. And, that's based on geology."
Vaughn says because of the area's sedimentary mountain ranges energy spreads farther.
"When something shakes, it goes everywhere," says Jessica Sigala, a geophysicist with USGS, about earthquakes on the East Coast.
Sigala tells Federal News Radio the bedrock is different in the eastern U.S.
"I have heard from some people that they have felt aftershocks," Sigala says.
Preliminary reports from USGS said the earthquake was a 3.7.

Thanks to WTOP and BerkshireTom

What do YOU Believe?

There's many Catholic's today .. most think they're good Catholic's. Just look at the politicians that proudly prance up to receive Holy Communion without a second thought when they've clearly trashed Dogma in public. But there's an even more sinister problem among Catholic's today ... and that is that the deal is that you believe it ALL, not just what's convenient for you or what fits into your individual lifestyle.
I guess this is where the term "cafeteria Catholic" came from. Folks that pick and choose what they will accept from Rome by way of the Magesterium and Dogma and what they deem irrelevant so they can keep on sinning with a clear (ahem) conscience.
It's all or nothing folks ... remember, ya can't be a LITTLE BIT PREGNANT ... you either ARE or you're NOT. PERIOD. We need to think a lot ... We need to PRAY, EVEN MORE! What DO we believe? What DO we hold DEAR? .... "For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be."

The Next Card in Play ... Racism??

In order for NEW THINGS to be 'accepted' by the general public, older and familiar things HAVE to be made so bad that folks don't know where to turn. Just read any socialist or marxist instruction book for furthering that effort. The tide is turning with the economy, the Gulf oil crisis, terrorism and all the rest breathing down our necks ... soon we will see full blown racism as well. If you lived during the 60's, particularly in NYC as I did, you can see the smoke beginning to rise. Glenn may have a bit too much sarcasm at times, but he's also hit a lot of stuff on the head months before it occurs ... he bears heeding.

I believe that the MAJORITY of PEOPLE -ALL COLORS OF PEOPLE- are good decent folks and it's a lousy shame that arrogant evil minded demoniacs in each group get a portion of the folks riled up enough and brainwashed enough to sow hate and discontent to the detriment of the rest of us. Be on guard folks .... it's coming soon to a neighborhood near you, unless we can profusely pray and offer penance to call down God's grace to change hearts and minds. Make no mistake ... WE NEED TO PRAY AND DO PENANCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

Glenn Beck Positively quotes the Pope ... it's as we knew ... the Catholic Church is what's holding socialism back. Nice to see that other denominations (Glenn is a Morman) recognize this. I hope this gets folks to thinking WHAT Church is THE Church that Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against. We may, end up losing the Mass and Holy Eucharist in the not so distant future, but it will only be for a time as we go through our own Gethsemene as the church militant. We trust on the Words of Jesus and rely on His Precious Blood, knowing that He's already won the war.

Watch this to the end .. it's long and in parts, but consecutive and without commercials.
Apparently this is only the first part ... here's the link to the rest:  ... http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/July/glenn-beck-show-july-13-2010-collective-salvation/

University of Illinois Instructor Fired Over Catholic Beliefs

URBANA, Ill. -- The University of Illinois has fired an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism after a student accused the instructor of engaging in hate speech by saying he agrees with the church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.
The professor, Ken Howell of Champaign, said his firing violates his academic freedom. He also lost his job at an on-campus Catholic center.

Howell, who taught Introduction to Catholicism and Modern Catholic Thought, says he was fired at the end of the spring semester after sending an e-mail explaining some Catholic beliefs to his students preparing for an exam.

"Natural Moral Law says that Morality must be a response to REALITY," he wrote in the e-mail. "In other words, sexual acts are only appropriate for people who are complementary, not the same."

An unidentified student sent an e-mail to religion department head Robert McKim on May 13, calling Howell's e-mail "hate speech." The student claimed to be a friend of the offended student. The writer said in the e-mail that his friend wanted to remain anonymous.

"Teaching a student about the tenets of a religion is one thing," the student wrote. "Declaring that homosexual acts violate the natural laws of man is another."

Howell said he was teaching his students about the Catholic understanding of natural moral law.

"My responsibility on teaching a class on Catholicism is to teach what the Catholic Church teaches," Howell said in an interview with The News-Gazette in Champaign. "I have always made it very, very clear to my students they are never required to believe what I'm teaching and they'll never be judged on that."

Howell also said he makes clear to his students that he's Catholic and that he believes the church views that he teaches.

McKim referred questions to university spokeswoman Robin Kaler, who said she couldn't comment on Howell or his firing because it's a personnel issue.

According to the university's Academic Staff Handbook, faculty "are entitled to freedom in the classroom in developing and discussing according to their areas of competence the subjects that they are assigned."

In an e-mail to other school staff, Ann Mester, an associate dean at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said Howell's e-mail justified his firing.

"The e-mails sent by Dr. Howell violate university standards of inclusivity, which would then entitle us to have him discontinue his teaching arrangement with us," Mester wrote.

Cary Nelson, president of the American Association of University Professors, said professors should be able to tell students their own views and even argue in favor of them, provided students can disagree without being penalized.

"It's part of intellectual life to advocate for points of view," said Nelson, an emeritus English professor at the University of Illinois. "Hopefully when they go out in the world, they can emulate that. They can argue a case, and do it in a well-informed and articulate way, and can make a more productive contribution to our democracy that way."

Howell has taught at the university for nine years, and was recognized by his department in 2008 and 2009 for being rated an excellent teacher by students.

He said he and McKim disagree on religious views and believes he lost his job over "just a very, very deep disagreement about the nature of what should be taught and what should not be taught."

After he lost his teaching job, Howell also was fired as director of the St. John's Catholic Newman Center's Institute of Catholic Thought. The on-campus center directed questions to the Diocese of Peoria, which had paid for his position.

Patricia Gibson, an attorney and chancellor of the diocese, said Howell was let go because he could no longer teach at the university.

"We are very concerned and very distressed by what we understand is the situation from Dr. Howell," she said. The diocese hopes to discuss the situation with someone at the university, she said.

A Christian legal defense group, The Alliance Defense Fund, said it is considering helping Howell.

Published July 09, 2010 | Associated Press

Good Ole ACLU ... At it Again ... to Our Detriment

We Hear it Yet AGAIN ... “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi”

How true it is ... As we pray, so shall we believe!!!!

It's *SO* CLEAR, so What *IS* the PROBLEM?

I am totally baffled when it comes to the different denominations of Christianity. It's abundantly clear that Jesus founded ONE Church and made ONE person (Simon Peter) the leader of that Church complete with the AUTHORITY to bind and loose sins (CONFESSION). He also was VERY CLEAR before He suffered His Agony in the Garden that at the Last Supper He said: "THIS *IS* MY BODY ... THIS *IS* MY BLOOD". He didn't say it REPRESENTS Me .. He didn't say IT IS A SYMBOL OF MY SACRIFICE ... HE SAID THIS *IS* MY BODY AND BLOOD shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins!

This is also the ONLY Christian denomination that can be traced HISTORICALLY back to Jesus and the Apostles. It is all so clear! I don't understand how on earth others can say their denominations are the only truths. Additionally, Jesus established SEVEN SACRAMENTS. All the other denominations only have TWO Sacraments. WHY? Because the other FIVE SACRAMENTS REQUIRE AN ORDAINED PRIEST TO CONFER THEM! Why is it folks spend so much time watching TV and searching out information on hobbies and recreational activities and spend SO LITTLE on the TRUTH that will determine THEIR ETERNITY??? THIS is the major portion of my daily prayers!

"That all be saved and none be lost .. every soul is worth the COST!"

HAPPY FREEDOM DAY!

A Much needed Review of our FREEDOMS
Can't imagine that anyone could do this intro better than Morgan! He's so good .. please say a prayer for him.

Subjects? Citizens? or ... *GULP* ... Slaves??

Analysis confirms "subjects-citizens" change in Declaration

Would the spirit of the Declaration of Independence have been any different if it referred to Americans as "subjects" instead of "citizens?"
Thomas Jefferson apparently thought so, and recent analysis of a rough draft of the Declaration has confirmed speculation that he considered both before settling on "citizens."
Recent hyper-spectral imaging by scientists in the Library of Congress' Preservation Research and Testing Division performed on Jefferson’s rough draft shows he originally wrote the phrase "our fellow subjects." But he apparently changed his mind and heavily scrawled over the word "subjects" was the word "citizens."
"The correction seems to illuminate an important moment for Jefferson and for a nation on the eve of breaking from monarchical rule - a moment when he reconsidered his choice of words and articulated the recognition that the people of the fledgling United States of America were no longer subjects of any nation, but citizens of an emerging democracy," the Library of Congress said.
Hyper-spectral imaging is the process of taking digital photos of an object using distinct portions of the visible and non-visible light spectrum, revealing what previously could not be seen by the human eye, according to the Library of Congress.
The correction occurs in the portion of the declaration that deals with U.S. grievances against King George III's  incitement of "treasonable insurrections," according to the Library of Congress. The specific sentence is is not in the final draft, but a similar phrase stuck, and the word "citizens" is used elsewhere in the final document.
The word correction has been suspected for some time by scholars, according to the LOC. In "The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 1: 1760-1776," Julian P. Boyd wrote "TJ originally wrote ‘fellow-subjects,’ copying the term from the corresponding passage in the first page of the First Draft of the Virginia Constitution; then, while the ink was still wet on the ‘Rough draught’ he expunged or erased ‘subjects’ and wrote ‘citizens’ over it."

Personal Opinion: I think it's high time we American's remembered what's IN the CONSTITUTION and what our Rights really are if we want to be sure to KEEP THEM! Jefferson changed subjects to citizens ... let's be CERTAIN that we don't permit anyone else to change it BACK to 'subjects' or worse yet .... SLAVES! 

Time to look Towards Jerusalem

Mark hits the nail on the head again. I have been feeling many of these same things for more than a few months now. We need to pray and do penance .. we need to get more serious about this life that will determine where we spend eternity. It's NOT what we believe in our hearts ... TRUTH is TRUTH and changes not! We must all be VERY certain that we have the TRUTH that Almighty God sent down from heaven. The TRUTH that was given to the Apostles and passed on to us through their succession to this very day. Anything else is only partial truth at best and heresy at worst.

Time to Set Our Faces... from Mark Mallett on Vimeo.

Do you Talk with Heretics?

I have been here in this situation more times than I can shake the proverbial stick at. Yet, still ... when someone asks a question, I'm right there to go through it again. Here's a question for you all to think about in relation to this topic. What would you say when faced with the statement: "Well, you Catholics keep killing Jesus over and over again at every Mass. You actually believe He's the bread and wine. He died once and for all ... He's off the cross and risen." Do you have a response? Do we keep killing Him? Or is He outside of time and space, bringing US to share in the Moment of His Redemptive Mission for our salvation at every Mass and fulfilling the promise that He will be with us till the end of time? ... Think about it ... comments welcome!