To start anew from Christ

“Though heaven and earth shall pass away, My words will stand”

 

Here are large excerpts from the homily of Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec City given in his diocese on November 28, 2003, following his elevation to cardinal by Pope John Paul II, in which he calls for a renewal of Christian life in our country:

“Though heaven and earth shall pass away, My words will stand” (Lk 21:33). There was a time when these words created no difficulty here (in the Province of Quebec), because it was so obviously part of our culture, marked by the Christian Faith and values. What a contrast today, when these same words sound weird to the ears of citizens of a multicultural, egalitarian and pluralistic society. The evolution of society seems to go on the exact opposite side of these provocative words of Jesus, as if these words had really passed away, or gone down in the country of free trade and free choice. The very notion of “Word of God” unfortunately disappears from new spiritual currents that emerge, following the religious crisis of my generation.

Having been created a cardinal the day after the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, you will therefore not be surprised for me to echo the cry of the poor, the widow, the orphans, the ignorant, and the excluded. The dramatic situation of our society calls for a reawakening of Christians, and a great wind of hope, founded on He who carries not only values for the future, but carries the very future itself: “Though heaven and earth shall pass away, My words will stand.”

We live in a confused, depressive, and even suicidal society. Out of a hundred pregnancies, thirty-seven are interrupted by abortion. A society that barely gives life, and that gives death so easily, reveals that it is profoundly sick, that it no longer enjoys the beautiful adventure of life. Some sociologists warn us that the social fabric has deteriorated in an alarming way. A climate of inter-generational tension and a rise of violence accompany the breakup of the family, the dropping out of school, the epidemic of suicides that decimate the young generations.

It is in Quebec that one can find the smallest number of marriages, and the  highest number of divorces. Family values, which were, in times past, rooted in a generous Catholic culture of life, are demolished by the idolatry of the self, exaggerated individualism, and the search for selfish and narcissistic, promoted by the media. Our society is out of breath; it suffocates in an atmosphere polluted by alcohol, drugs, gambling, and pornography.

I stop here describing this gloomy — yet incomplete  — picture, for fear of increasing depression even more. Dear friends, brothers and sisters, have we not a big gap in values to make up, do we not suffer from a grave deficiency of spiritual energy that erodes our solidarity and saps our motivation for work? How can this dangerous slide towards self-destruction be stopped?

The Word of God that we have just heard reminds us of the foundation of our history and of our Catholic identity: “Though heaven and earth shall pass away, My words will stand.” The Christian history of this land has been written, at its beginnings, with the blood of the martyrs, who announced the Gospel to the first nations. Facing the challenges of the third millennium, has not the time come to “start anew from Christ”, as Pope John Paul II courageously invites us to do? Since my arrival in Quebec, I can feel a strong trend along this line. I discover encouraging signs of Faith, love and generosity in many circles...

Yet, much remains to be done and restored to realize a new evangelization that reaches the poor, those who remain distant, and the victims of injustices. By returning to Christ for a new start, don't we all need — and first of all we, the ministers of the Gospel — to invoke His Mercy for our abdications and betrayals of all sorts, that darkened the testimony of the Church, and tarnished its contribution to the welfare of society? The profound crisis of hope of our society also depends on our sins and on our little faith in the tenderness of His Mercy. The Merciful Christ wants to utter on each one of us, personally, His words of forgiveness and peace.

Since Easter and Pentecost, the Church lives by this mercy diffused by the Holy Spirit, which turned scared disciples into bold and invincible missionaries. Their apostolic testimony, transmitted by the great tradition of the Fathers of the Church and doctors of the Middle Ages, has shaped the Catholic heritage that has reached us. Brothers and sisters, the time of Christianity is not over. It is the practical atheism and relativism of our society that have failed. The tragic lessons from the wars and genocides of the last century urge us to rebuild the society of the future on spiritual and religious foundations. André Malraux wrote, from the top of his observatory of the history of cultures: “The twenty-first century will be religious, or it will not be at all.”

People of Quebec and of Canada, the time has come for a reawakening of consciences, and a new quest for spiritual values that can give back strength and motivation to our society. A common effort of the State, society, and churches is necessary to create a new sense of belonging to a community where human values must prevail over the demands of market and profit. Quebec must make the most of all its resources, and cultivate its spiritual heritage if it wants to continue to exist as a distinct community in North America.

To maintain and exploit requires a genuine family policy, a new inter-generational solidarity, and also schools which remain an important place for the transmission of the religious culture among our population. Recent Law 118 (which abolishes denominational schools) has not, and must not, make Catholic religious teaching disappear from schools, even if new modes of enforcement of the law remain to be defined in the real world, with all due respect due to the new religious diversity and the continuation of the Catholic heritage received from our ancestors.

Brothers and sisters, the time has come for a new start and a concerted effort to give our children reasons for coming into the world and living. Duc in Altum, let's advance into deep water; let's throw our nets on the side of the Word of God, and we will be surprised with the miraculous draught in our own society. Yes, let's hold our heads up high, for our deliverance is near. The time for the return of the King has come. Let us not be afraid to open wide the doors to Christ. He brings us the happiness and the true liberty of the children of God. May our communities be vibrant with gratitude and missionary charity, and may they radiate the values of compassion, justice and hope that our world needs so badly.
 

St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist is the patron of the French Canadians. On his feast day, June 24, 2003, Cardinal Ouellet gave a homily that reflected on the Catholic heritage of the French Canadians that is now threatened:

John the Baptist preached a baptism of conversion, and did not hesitate to denounce Herod, who lived in an irregular marital situation. This prophetic audacity cost him his head, when Herod's partner had a chance to take her revenge. What would he have denounced today as regards marriage? I let you guess... for it is quite obvious. However, I will not imitate him... not only for not losing my head, but also for not losing the opportunity to announce the main point of his message, Jesus.

The good news of children! This was, in times past, the strength and grandeur of Quebec... The good news of children who have a real father and a real mother, who are married together, and who still live together after ten, twenty, thirty years, thanks to their Christian Faith. Do today's governments — either federal or provincial — have something better to offer with their new laws?

St. Anne, protect our families

St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, is the patron saint of the Province of Quebec. On July 26, 2003, Cardinal Ouellet gave a homily at the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupré, calling for her protection over families:

The family, the basic cell of society and of the Church, is seriously threatened by trends of opinion that go against our traditional values. The spectacular rise of abortion, since a few decades, make the birth rate fall to an all-time low, to the point of making adoption almost non-existent. In Quebec, we do without orphanages and adoptive families because unwanted babies are killed. One out of four pregnancies ends up with an abortion. This is a real catastrophe that should be avoided, not only out of respect for life, but also out of compassion for these women who pay a heavy price for a decision hastily made...

To this disaster of abortion, one must also add now this federal bill that wants to change the definition of marriage to allow same-sex marriages... Even if some pressure groups seem to enjoy unlimited power to impose their views, let us throw in the balance the weight of our Faith and prayers, and also ask for the grace to act socially and politically, in order to avoid the ruin of society, which is battling against what Pope John Paul II calls a culture of death. Let us not lose hope; everything is not lost yet. The grace of God still works wonders in our society, and can do even more if we join forces to defend our traditional values... Good St. Anne, hope of a nation in distress, pray for us!

+ Marc Cardinal Ouellet

This article was published in the March-April, 2004 issue of “Michael”.

Phenominal Actual Video of Stigmata in Progress

For your discernment ... remember, even after Church approval, the faithful are not obligated to believe the apparition, locution or any other private revelation. We must always be careful to focus on the MESSAGE and not the messenger and test all things according to Scripture and Tradition!







Here's a link regarding how we should be disposed to assist at Holy Mass ... REALLY WORTH READING!

Happy Feast Day St. Padré Pio! CAPUCHIN FRANCISCAN MYSTIC AND STIGMATIC

Like the Apostle Paul, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina placed at the centre of his life and apostolic work the Cross of his Lord as his strength, his wisdom and his glory. Inflamed by love of Jesus Christ, he became like him in the sacrifice of himself for the salvation of the world. In his following and imitation of the crucified Christ he was so generous and perfect that he could have said: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). And the treasures of grace which God had granted him so lavishly he unceasingly passed on through his ministry, serving the men and women who came to him in ever greater numbers, and bringing to birth an immense host of spiritual sons and daughters.

This worthy follower of St Francis of Assisi was born on 25 May 1887 at Pietrelcina in the Archdiocese of Benevento, the son of Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio. He was baptized the next day and given the name Francesco. At the age 12 he received the sacrament of Confirmation and made his First Holy Communion.

Like the Apostle Paul, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina placed at the centre of his life and apostolic work the Cross of his Lord as his strength, his wisdom and his glory. Inflamed by love of Jesus Christ, he became like him in the sacrifice of himself for the salvation of the world. In his following and imitation of the crucified Christ he was so generous and perfect that he could have said: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). And the treasures of grace which God had granted him so lavishly he unceasingly passed on through his ministry, serving the men and women who came to him in ever greater numbers, and bringing to birth an immense host of spiritual sons and daughters.

This worthy follower of St Francis of Assisi was born on 25 May 1887 at Pietrelcina in the Archdiocese of Benevento, the son of Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio. He was baptized the next day and given the name Francesco. At the age 12 he received the sacrament of Confirmation and made his First Holy Communion.

On 6 January 1903, at the age of 16, he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars at Morcone, where on 22 January he took the Franciscan habit and the name Brother Pio. At the end of his novitiate year he took simple vows, and on 27 January 1907 made his solemn profession.

After he was ordained a priest on 10 August 1910 at Benevento, he stayed at home with his family until 1916 for health reasons. In September of that year he was sent to the friary of San Giovanni Rotondo and remained there until his death.

Filled with love of God and love of neighbour, Padre Pio lived to the full the vocation to work for the redemption of man, in accordance with the special mission which marked his entire life and which he exercised through the spiritual direction of the faithful, the sacramental reconciliation of penitents and the celebration of the Eucharist. The pinnacle of his apostolic activity was the celebration of Holy Mass. The faithful who took part witnessed the summit and fullness of his spirituality.

On the level of social charity, he committed himself to relieving the pain and suffering of many families, chiefly through the foundation of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the Relief of Suffering), opened on 5 May 1956.

For the servant of God, faith was life: he willed everything and did everything in the light of faith. He was assiduously devoted to prayer. He passed the day and a large part of the night in conversation with God. He would say: "in books we seek God, in prayer we find him. Prayer is the key which opens God's heart". Faith led him always to accept God's mysterious will.

He was always immersed in supernatural realities. Not only was he himself a man of hope and total trust in God, but by word and example he communicated these virtues to all who approached him.

The love of God filled him, and satisfied his every desire; charity was the chief inspiration of his day: to love God and to help others to love him. His special concern was to grow in charity and to lead others to do so.
He demonstrated to the full his love of neighbour by welcoming, for more than 50 years, countless people who had recourse to his ministry and his confessional, his counsel and his consolation. He was almost besieged: they sought him in church, in the sacristy, in the friary. And he gave himself to everyone, rekindling faith, dispensing grace, bringing light. But especially in the poor, the suffering and the sick he saw the image of Christ, and he gave himself particularly to them.

He exercised to an exemplary degree the virtue of prudence, acting and counseling in the light of God.
His concern was the glory of God and the good of souls. He treated everyone with justice, frankness and great respect.

The virtue of fortitude shone in him. He understood very early in life that his would be the way of the Cross, and he accepted it at once with courage and out of love. For many years, he experienced spiritual sufferings. For years he endured the pains of his wounds with admirable serenity. He accepted in silence the many interventions of his superiors, and in the face of calumnies he always remained silent.
He habitually practised mortification in order to gain the virtue of temperance, in keeping with the Franciscan style. He was temperate in his attitude and in his way of life.

Conscious of the commitments which he had undertaken when he entered the consecrated life, he observed with generosity the vows he had professed. He was obedient in all things to the commands of his superiors, even when they were burdensome. His obedience was supernatural in intention, universal in its scope and complete in its execution. He lived the spirit of poverty with total detachment from self, from earthly goods, from his own comfort and from honours. He always had a great love for the virtue of chastity. His behaviour was modest in all situations and with all people.

He sincerely thought of himself as useless, unworthy of God's gifts, full of weakness and infirmity, and at the same time blessed with divine favours. Amid so much admiration around him, he would say: "I only want to be a poor friar who prays".

From his youth, his health was not very robust, and especially in the last years of his life it declined rapidly. Sister Death took him well prepared and serene on 23 September 1968 at the age of 81. An extraordinary gathering of people attended his funeral.

On 20 February 1971, barely three years after the death of the servant of God, Pope Paul VI, speaking to the superiors of the Capuchin Order, said of him: "Look what fame he had, what a worldwide following gathered around him! But why? Perhaps because he was a philosopher? Because he was wise? Because he had resources at his disposal? Because he said Mass humbly, heard confessions from dawn to dusk and was—it is not easy to say it—one who bore the wounds of our Lord. He was a man of prayer and suffering".
Even during his lifetime, he enjoyed a vast reputation for sanctity because of his virtues, his spirit of prayer, sacrifice and total dedication to the good of souls.

In the years following his death, his reputation for sanctity and miracles grew steadily and became established in the Church, all over the world and among all kinds of people.

God thus showed the Church his desire to glorify on earth his faithful servant. In a short time the Capuchin Order took the steps prescribed by canon law to begin the cause of beatification and canonization. After examining the case, the Holy See, in accordance with the norm of the Motu Proprio Sanctitas clarior, granted the nihil obstat on 29 November 1982. The Archbishop of Manfredonia was thus abled to introduce the cause and set up the informative process (1983-90). On 7 December 1990 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognized its juridical validity. When the Positio had been completed, there was the usual discussion on whether the servant of God had exercised the virtues to a heroic degree. On 13 June 1997 the special meeting of the theological consultors was held and gave a positive judgement. In the ordinary session on 21 October 1997, with Bishop Andrea Maria Erba of Velletri-Segni as the proposer of the cause, the Cardinals and Bishops recognized that Padre Pio of Pietrelcina had lived to a heroic degree the theological, cardinal and associated virtues.

On 18 December 1997, in the presence of Pope John Paul II, the decree on heroic virtues was promulgated.
For the beatification of Padre Pio, the Postulation presented to the competent Congregation the healing of Mrs. Consiglia De Martino of Salerno. The regular canonical process concerning this case was held at the ecclesiastical tribunal of the Archdiocese of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno from July 1996 to June 1997, and the case was recognized as valid by a decree dated 26 September 1997. On 30 April 1998 at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Medical Board examined the miracle, and on 22 June 1998 the special meeting of theological consultors gave its judgement. On 20 October 1998 the ordinary congregation of the Cardinals and Bishops belonging to the Congregation, together with the proposer, Bishop Andrea M. Erba, was held in the Vatican.

On 21 December 1998, in the presence of Pope John Paul II, the decree on the miracle was promulgated

O Lord Jesus Christ, who, when the world was growing cold, in order to enkindle in our hearts the fire of Thy love, didst renew the sacred marks of Thy Passion on the body of St. Pio of Pietrelcina: mercifully grant, that with the aid of his merits and prayers we may ever bear our cross, and bring forth worthy fruits of penance. St. Pio, pray for us! Amen.

St. Padre Pio, most powerful on this your feast day (September 23), pray for us!

---

SPIRITUAL MAXIMS OF PADRE PIO
[1] “Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation one finds Him.”

[2] “The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual  struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain.”

[3]  “Whoever does not meditate is like someone who never looks in the mirror before going out, doesn’t bother to see if he’s today, and may go out dirty without knowing it. The person who meditates and turns his mind to God, who is the mirror of his soul, seeks to know his fault, tries to correct them, moderates his impulses, and puts his conscience in order.”

[4] “If we are calm and persevering, we shall find not only ourselves, but our souls, and with that, God Himself.”

[5] “The demon has only one door by which to enter into our soul: the will; there are no secret doors. No sin is a sin if not committed with the will. When there is no action of the will, there is no sin, but only human weakness.”

[6] “God enriches the soul which empties itself of everything.”

[7] “In the spiritual life one must always go on pushing ahead and never go backwards; if not, the same thing happens as to a boat which when it loses headway gets  blown backwards with the wind.”

[8]  “It is not a loss of patience if one asks Jesus to take away pain, when this becomes insupportable to us and beyond our strength, nor does one lose the merit of the suffering which is offered, by asking this of God.”

[9]  “A good heart is always strong, it suffers, but with tears it is consoled by sacrificing itself for its neighbor and for God.”

[10] “Love and fear must go united together, fear without love becomes cowardice. Love without fear becomes presumption. When there is love without fear, love runs without prudence and without restraint, without taking care where it is going.”

[11] “Where there is no obedience there is no virtue, where there is no virtue there is no good, where there is no good there is no love, where there is no love, there is no God, and where there is no god there is no Paradise.”

[12] “Time spent in honor of God and for the salvation of souls is never badly spent.”

[13]  “Keep well dug into your minds the words of Our Lord: In patience you will possess your soul.”

[14] “Pray that God will console you when you feel the burden of the Cross, for in doing so you are in no way acting against the will of God, but you are placing yourself beside the Son of God who asked His Father during the Agony in the Garden to send Him some relief. But if He is not willing to give it be ready to pronounce the same ‘Fiat,’ ‘So be it,’  that Jesus did.”

[15] “Those strong and generous in heart do not complain except for a strong reason, and even then it does not affect them intimately.”

---

Excerpted from a translation of a copy of a personal letter written by Padre Pio, addressed to the Commission of Heroldsbach appointed by the Vatican, which testifies to the truth and reality of these revelations given by Our Lord to Padre Pio.

(Regarding the 3 days of darkness or the Illumination)


January 28, 1950: "Keep your windows well-covered. Do not look out. Light a blessed candle, which will suffice for many days. Pray the Rosary. Read spiritual books. Make acts of Spiritual Communion, also acts of love, which are so pleasing to Us. Pray with outstretched arms, or prostrate on the ground, in order that many souls may be saved. Do not go outside the house. Provide yourself with sufficient food. The powers of nature shall be moved and a rain of fire shall make people tremble with fear. Have courage! I am in the midst of you."

February 7, 1950: "Take care of the animals during these days. I am the creator and preserver of animals as well as man. I shall give you a few signs beforehand, at which time you should place more food before them. I will preserve the property of the elect, including the animals, for they shall be in need of sustenance afterwards as well. Let no one go across the yard, even to feed the animals - he who steps outside will perish! Cover your windows carefully. My elect shall not see My wrath. Have confidence in Me, and I will be your protection."

"Hurricanes of fire will pour forth from the clouds and spread over the entire earth! Storms, bad weather, thunderbolts and earthquakes will cover the earth for two days. An uninterrupted rain of fire will take place! It will begin during a very cold night. All this is to prove that God is the Master of Creation. Those who hope in Me, and believe in My words, have nothing to fear because I will not forsake them, nor those who spread My message. No harm will come to those who are in the state of grace and who seek My Mother's protection."

"That you may be prepared for these visitations, I will give you the following signs and instructions: The night will be very cold. The wind will roar. After a time a thunderbolt will be heard. Lock all the doors and windows. Talk to no one outside the house. Kneel down before a crucifix, be sorry for your sins, and beg My Mother's protection. Do not look during the earthquake, because the anger of God is holy! Jesus does not want us to behold the anger of God, because God's anger must be contemplated with fear and trembling."

"Those who disregard this advice will be killed instantly. The wind will carry with it poisonous gases which will be diffused over the entire earth. Those who suffer and die innocently will be martyrs and they will be with Me in My Kingdom. Satan will triumph! But in three nights, the earthquake and fire will cease. On the following day the sun will shine again, angels will descend from Heaven and will spread the spirit of peace over the earth. A feeling of immeasurable gratitude will take possession of those who survive this most terrible ordeal, the impending punishment, with which God will visit the earth since creation.

"I have chosen souls in other countries too, such as Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, who have received these revelations so that other countries also may be prepared. Pray the Rosary, but pray it well, so that your prayers may reach Heaven. Soon a more terrible catastrophe shall come upon the entire world, such as never before has been witnessed, a terrible chastisement never before experienced!"

"How unconcerned men are regarding these things! Which shall so soon come upon them, contrary to all expectations. How indifferent they are in preparing themselves for these unheard of events, through which they will have to pass so shortly! The weight of divine balance has reached the earth! The wrath of My Father shall be poured out over the entire world! I am again warning the world through your instrumentality, as I have so often done heretofore."

"This catastrophe shall come upon the earth like a flash of lightning! At which moment the light of the morning sun shall be replaced by black darkness! No one shall leave the house or look out a window from that moment on. I Myself shall come amidst thunder and lightning. The wicked shall behold My Divine Heart. There shall be great confusion because of this utter darkness in which the entire earth shall be enveloped, and many, many shall die from fear and despair."

"On that day, as soon as complete darkness has set in, no one shall leave the house or look from out of the window. The darkness shall last a day and a night followed by another day and night, and another day - but on the night following, the stars will shine again, and on the next morning the sun shall rise again, and it will be SPRINGTIME!! In the days of darkness, My elect shall not sleep, as did the disciples in the garden. They shall pray incessantly, and they shall not be disappointed in Me. I shall gather My elect. Hell will believe itself to be in possession of the entire earth, but I shall reclaim it."

"Again and again I have warned men, and often have I given them special opportunities to return to the right path; but now, wickedness has reached its climax, and the punishment can no longer be delayed. Tell all that the time has come in which these things shall be fulfilled."

Padre Pio Quotations
"Do not disturb your soul at the sad spectacle of human injustice .... One day you will see the inevitable triumph of Divine justice over it."

"The pivot of perfection is love; he who lives in love lives in God, because God is love, as the Apostle says."

"To fail in charity is like wounding God in the apple of His eye. What is more delicate than the pupil of the eye? To fail in charity is like failing against nature."

"Try always to advance more in charity; enlarge your heart with confidence for the divine gifts which the Holy Spirit is anxious to pour into it."

"God can reject everything in a creature conceived in sin and of which it bears the indelible impression inherited from Adam. But He can absolutely not reject the sincere desire to love Him."

"Charity is the queen of virtues. As the pearls are held together by the thread, thus the virtues are held together by charity; as the pearls fall when the thread breaks, thus virtues are lost if charity diminishes."

"Humility and charity go hand in hand. The one glorifies, the other sanctifies."

"The time spent for the glory of God and the salvation of souls is never spent badly."

"Where there is no obedience, there is no virtue; where there is no virtue, there is no good. Where good is wanting, there is no love; where there is no love, God is absent; where God is absent, there is no heaven."

"Obey promptly! Do not consider the age or merit of the person. And in order to succeed, imagine you are obeying the Lord."

Wisdom from Bishop Sheen

"If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world; in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hates.    My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in any one of the churches of the world today, He must still be hated as He was when He was on earth in the flesh.    If you would find Christ today, then find the Church that does not get along with the world.   Look for the Church that is hated by the world, as Christ was hated by the world.   Look for the Church which is accused of being behind the times, as Our Lord was accused of being ignorant and never having learned.   Look for the Church which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord because He came from Nazareth.    Look for the Church which is accused of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils. Look for the Church which the world rejects because it claims it is infallible, as Pilate rejected Christ because he called Himself the Truth.    Look for the Church which amid the confusion of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ, and respect its voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world, then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly, it is other-worldly.    Since it is other-worldly, it is infinitely loved and infinitely hated as was Christ Himself.…” ~Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

God Bless our "Cheeky" Holy Father!

It's true that the English have many quaint words to describe things that are whimsical yet accurate to the rest of us not overly familiar with them all, not to mention many times; spot on. I think CHEEKY is one of those terms. However 'cheeky' our Holy Father was in his speeches and silent stances, one thing is certain .. he gave them IN YOUR FACE TRUTH in a respectful, loving and forthright manner while pointing clearly to the direction that leads to Truth, joy and our ultimate destination of heaven. All this he did while being encouraging and bestowing honor on one of the UK's own that didn't let public opinion sway him from the Truth when he found it. Blessed Cardinal John Newman! All the publicized hate towards Pope Benedict before he even left the Vatican, seemed to quickly disappear and certainly the overall trip was a spectacular success.
Just goes to show ya ... all the prayers before his trip and during were not left unheard ;)
God bless our German Shepherd we need to pray daily for his intentions, his strength, health and for his continued safety.

Pope gives sniffer dog a pat of thanks

By Rupert de Lisle on Monday, 20 September 2010

Pope Benedict XVI yesterday stopped to give a police dog an unexpected pat while thanking some of the 2,000 members of the West Midlands Police who had helped to protect him during his visit.
After meeting the seminarians of England, Wales and Scotland at Oscott College, Sutton Coldfield, the Pope saw Jake, a black Springador who acts as an explosives sniffer for the police.
Wading through a crowd of public servants the Pope was greeted by the dog, who appeared to enjoy the attention.
Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Rowe said: “It was a pleasure to meet his Holiness and very kind of him to take time to extend thanks to all the officers involved in the police operation.”
“This has been a hugely complex operation. It has involved agencies from across the public and private sector and been months in the planning.  I’m pleased to say it has been a resounding success.”
The Pope expressed his gratitude “for all the hard work of preparation” for his visit before departing for Rome from Birmingham International Airport.

I've got to say here that with all the initially bad PR before he arrived there and the threats of possible agitation and safety issues, 'alls well that ends well'! He asked for prayers before he left. Millions of faithful gave him just that. There were rosaries, prayers, hopes and well wishes from the faithful for more than a week before he left and all during his visit there. Many of us were nervous where there were threats of 'civil arrest' by atheists and others seemingly living solely for the purpose of making Benedict PAY for ANYTHING that's been done in ANY denomination of Christianity since time immemorial! Well, can't tell me prayer doesn't work. Not only was he safe with no real mishaps (even the one effort was thwarted without any real impact, thank God), but many of the media now hold a new found respect and perhaps even reverence for him. His trip was a colossal success, Praise God! :)

Pope declares elderly are a ‘blessing for society,’

London, England -  
Sep 18, 2010 / 01:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).-

The Holy Father visited a home for the elderly in London's Vauxhall area on Saturday afternoon. In his remarks, Pope Benedict referred to the growing population of elderly in the world as "a blessing for society." He said that their care should be more a "repayment of a debt of gratitude" than a mere "act of generosity." He met with individuals both in the institution's chapel and the theater. Lauding the Church's work in respecting and caring for the elderly, he told his audience of residents and caretakers that blessings are bestowed on those who keep the commandment to "honor your father and mother."
"God wills a proper respect for the dignity and worth, the health and well-being of the elderly and, through her charitable institutions in Britain and beyond, the Church seeks to fulfill the Lord’s command to respect life, regardless of age or circumstances," he stated.
He spoke of life as "a unique gift from conception until natural death" and said that "it is God's alone to give and to take."
These words are a strong witness in the U.K., where the legalization of euthanasia has significant support.
"One may enjoy good health in old age," continued the Pope, "but equally Christians should not be afraid to share in the suffering of Christ, if God wills that we struggle with infirmity."
He spoke of the case of the suffering of Pope John Paul II late in life, saying that "(i)t was clear to all of us that he did so in union with the sufferings of our Savior." His "cheerfulness and forbearance" in that time was a "remarkable and moving example" to all elderly.
The Pope went on to refer to himself "not only as a father, but also as a brother who knows well the joys and the struggles that come with age." He noted that long life allows the "marvelous chance to deepen our awareness of the mystery of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity."
While the physical condition can deteriorate compromised, the late years of one's life "may well be among the most spiritually fruitful years of our lives," he said. They can be years to remember loved ones in prayer and offer a lifetime of experiences to God.
"This," Benedict XVI concluded, "will surely be a great spiritual comfort and enable us to discover anew his love and goodness all the days of our life."

Police Foil Plot to Attack Pope in UK

London, England (CNN) -- Investigators in Britain arrested six men on suspicion of terrorism Friday and reviewed security arrangements for Pope Benedict XVI's trip there, authorities said.
Some news reports said the arrests involved a potential threat to the pope, who was in London on Friday, but the Metropolitan Police declined to say whether the case was directly linked to the pontiff's visit.
Police said they were satisfied the pope's security plan remains "appropriate," and the pope's itinerary did not change.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope and his representatives were not particularly worried about the arrests.
"The police have already said that the information they have until now collected demonstrated there is no need to change anything about the program of the pope and the security," Lombardi told reporters in London.
He said he believed the police had simply taken "normal precautionary measures," and everyone remained calm.
"The pope is happy with the trip until now, and we can go on with the same joy as until now," Lombardi said.
Five suspects arrested earlier in the day are street cleaners in Westminster, the borough of London that includes Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and many of the city's tourist attractions, the Westminster City Council said.
They work for one of Westminster's contractors, Veolia Environmental Services, the council said.
It said all staff are subject to checks to make sure they are eligible to work in England, referencing questions about the men's nationality.
The men arrested appeared to be Algerian, a high-ranking source familiar with the investigation said, adding that some or all of them were probably in the country illegally.
The men were arrested around 5:45 a.m. at a business on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, police said.
The men are ages 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50, and were taken to a central London police station to be interviewed by detectives.
A sixth man, 29, was arrested later in the day by counterterrorism detectives investigating the possible plot against the pope, Scotland Yard said.
The men were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows police to hold them without charge for 28 days.
Searches were being carried out at a business in central London and at residential locations in north and east London, police said.
Searches of the men's homes have not turned up any terrorism-related paraphernalia such as bomb-making materials, the source said.
"Today's arrests were made after police received information," police said. "Following initial inquiries by detectives a decision was made to arrest the five men."
Police added there was no change to the threat level in the United Kingdom as a result of the arrests.
The arrests came on the second day of the pope's four-day trip to Britain, and on his first full day in the capital.
After holding an event in south London with Catholic schoolchildren and educators, then meeting with religious leaders, the pope met the archbishop of Canterbury -- the leader of the Anglican Church -- at his London residence of Lambeth Palace. It is the first time a pope has ever visited Lambeth Palace, and the visit marked a bridge between the two faiths.
"Part of what's at stake here is history," said John Allen, CNN's senior vatican analyst. "This is a schism between Roman Catholicism and the Anglican Communion that dates to the English reformation in the 16th century."
Pope Benedict and Archbishop Rowan Williams are friends, Allen said, but they have long-standing problems to deal with in the relationship between their churches. The Anglican Church has adopted fairly liberal policies on things like female priests, female bishops, and blessing gay marriages, much to the disapproval of the Catholic Church.
Earlier this year, many Anglicans objected when Benedict created new structures to welcome disaffected Anglicans into the Catholic fold.
"It is not my intention today to speak of the difficulties that the ecumenical path has encountered and continues to encounter," the pope said at Lambeth Palace, acknowledging the problems. "Rather, I wish to join you in giving thanks for the deep friendship that has grown between us and for the remarkable progress that has been made in so many areas of dialogue."
Stressing, however, the firm stance of the Vatican, the pope then said, "We recognize that the church is called to be inclusive, yet never at the expense of Christian truth."
The pope also spoke to members of the British Parliament at London's historic Westminster Hall.
It was there in 1535 that Thomas More, a Catholic, was convicted of treason and sentenced to death for refusing to accept King Henry VIII's marriage annulment and repudiate the pope after Henry broke with the Vatican and created the Anglican Church. The pope paused at the spot where More was condemned.
The pope told the legislators that the central questions in More's trial were still presenting themselves in "ever-changing terms as new social conditions emerge."
"I would suggest that the world of reason and the world of faith -- the world of secular rationality and the world of religious belief -- need one another and should not be afraid to enter into a profound and ongoing dialogue, for the good of our civilization," he said. "Religion, in other words, is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation."
Later, at nearby Westminster Abbey, an Anglican church, the pope prayed alongside the archbishop of Canterbury at the tomb of Edward the Confessor, the English king who built the abbey and was buried there after his death in 1066.
He spoke once again about the commitment to unity among Christian churches while noting the obstacles.
"We know that the friendships we have forged, the dialogue which we have begun and the hope which guides us will provide strength and direction as we persevere on our common journey," he said. "At the same time, with evangelical realism, we must also recognize the challenges which confront us, not only along the path of Christian unity, but also in our task of proclaiming Christ in our day."
Thursday, Benedict said the Roman Catholic Church has not been vigilant enough or fast enough in responding to the problem of sexual abuse by priests.
"These revelations were for me a shock and a great sadness. It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly ministry was possible," he told reporters aboard his plane to Scotland. "How a man who has done this and said this (in his priestly vows) can fall into this perversion is difficult to understand."
He added, "It is also a great sadness that the authorities of the church were not sufficiently vigilant and insufficiently quick and decisive in taking the necessary measures."
British people feel overwhelmingly that the pope has not done enough to punish priests who abuse children, according to a ComRes poll for CNN released as Benedict arrived in the country. Three out of four British people -- and two out of three Catholics in the country -- say he should do more to punish abusive clergy.
Thursday, tens of thousands turned out to hear the pope preach in Glasgow, Scotland, with members of the faithful describing it as a "happy day" and calling it a "great honor" that he had come.
Benedict started his visit in Edinburgh, where he held a meeting with the queen and greeted thousands who turned out to see him on the streets of the Scottish city.

Though a pope has visited Britain once before -- Pope John Paul II in 1982 -- this is considered the first state visit by a pope to Britain because it comes at the invitation of the queen, not the Catholic Church, as was the case 28 years ago.

CNN's Richard Greene, Laura Perez Maestro, Andy Carey and Antonia Mortensen in London, England, and Kathleen Johnston in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report.

Who and WHAT are We REALLY Electing These Days?

Why isn't this plain and clear to everyone?????