Thursday, January 26, 2012

7 Things You Can Do to Fight the Contraception Mandate

You can read the excellent suggestions here.

H/T to Catholic Fire

Catholic Answers: Scott Hahn - What is the New Evangelization

March For Life 2012 - Highlights from EWTN's exclusive coverage

New Book by Anthony DeStefano - “I Just Can’t Take It Anymore!”

Anthony DeStafano

Picture source

One of my new favorite Catholic writers has a new book! I Just Can't Take it Anymore! is a delightful little book filled with amusing pictures. Yet, this powerful little book has a deeper message about how to handle the difficult times in our lives.

The press release for this book can be found here. Also, be sure to click here to read a sample page.

I really enjoyed reading the book. It also came at a good time because I needed to take a deep breath and remember what is really important. If you want to find the answer you may be looking for, you need to read the little book for yourself.

Which brings me to a little surprise...

Anthony DeStefano graciously offered one book to give away to one of my friends/readers of this blog.

So all you have to do is either leave a comment here letting me know you would like to entry the drawing for this book give-a-way or email me with the same message. My email can be found at the side bar.

The deadline for entering is January 31st.

I hope you win :-)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

ACN News - Many Feeling Violence in Nigeria


Many fleeing violence in Nigeria



Up to 35,000 people have fled from the north of Nigeria following ongoing attacks by Muslim extremists.

Last Friday, January 20th, the extremist Islamist group Boko Haram carried out attacks in Kano city, Borno State, killing at least 160 people.

According to reports received by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on Tuesday, January 24th, from Church sources in the country, up to 35,000 people left their homes following the violence.

ACN was told, “People just run away to where they think they’ll be safe, especially to Jos and further south.”

One source added, “There is panic. Many just leave everything behind, and run for safety, because they do not know when violence might flare up again.”

There was a large number of Catholics among those fleeing who reported that churches were destroyed in Maidiguri, Borno State and Bauchi, Bauchi State on Sunday, January 22nd.

ACN was told, “It is the stated goal of Boko Haram to make the whole of the north free of Christians.”

At the beginning of January, group spokesman Abul Qaqa gave Christians living in the north a three-day ultimatum to leave.

Boko Haram, which means “western education is sinful” in Nigeria’s Hausa language, has killed at least 935 people since it launched an uprising in 2009, according to Human Rights Watch.

This includes more than 250 at the beginning of 2012.

According to the report, 550 people were killed in 115 separate attacks by Boko Haram last year, mostly in Borno State.


Editor’s Notes:


Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need.  ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

St. Francis de Sales


Picture source.

Happy feast day to one of my favorite saints. God only knows how much I have come to rely on his exemplary spiritual direction via his books.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hawaii March for Life 2012

These photos were taken by my son at the annual Hawaii March and Rally for Life. It was held at the state capitol yesterday, the actual anniversary of the dreadful Roe v. Wade decision. My family and I have been attending this annual pro-life event fo rover 15 years. At first there was a small crowd that would make it out to witness for life. It is amazing how much the march has grown over the years! The young people are the ones who making making a big impact in witnessing for life. Pray for them. Pray for conversion of those who are opposed to the culture of life.

Thousands upon thousands are marching right now at nationals capitol. Please pray for them!









Our new dog is pro-life

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Madonna and Child with Three Angels


Picture source

St. Agnes


Picture source

O invincible Martyr, Saint Agnes most renowned, by thy confidence in God's help,
when, being condemned by the impious Roman prefect to see the lily of thy purity
stained and trampled in the mire, thou didst not despair, still trusting firmly in the God who giveth His angels charge over them that trust in Him: we beseech thee by thine intercession to obtain for us from Almighty God the forgiveness of all our sins and the sure confidence that He will bestow upon us life everlasting and the means necessary to merit it.

The Prayer Book

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

ACN News - Two priests kidnapped in Sudan


Fears are growing for the safety of two priests from Sudan who have been abducted.

Fr. Joseph Makwey, in his 40s, and Fr. Sylvester Mogga, in his mid-30s, were seized on Sunday, January 15th, by men who smashed through the gates of their parish compound and broke down the presbytery door.

According to neighbors, the attackers arrived at St. Josephine Bakhita’s Catholic Church in a huge truck filled with people.

Besides abducting the priests, they looted the property, taking electrical goods and other valuables, including laptops and other computer equipment.

Reporting the incident in Rabak town, south of Khartoum, Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok Kur of Khartoum told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the two men’s whereabouts remained unknown.

Speaking by telephone en route to the scene to assess the situation, Bishop Adwok said, “We are worried about the two priests.”

One of them, Fr. Sylvester, although quite young is sick and is in need of medical help.”

The bishop said the police had been notified but investigations were at an early stage.
He added that it was as yet impossible to “speculate” on the identity of the kidnappers and their motives.

But, reporting an upsurge in kidnappings in the region, Bishop Adwok said he feared the men may be conscripted to fight amid reports of worsening internal conflicts involving Sudan and South Sudan.

He said, “It is not as if the law cannot be maintained, it seems that this abduction was something deliberate.”

“The kidnappers would have known that these men were priests.”

The bishop, who lives in Kosti, a town close to Rabak on the other side of the White Nile, said that across Sudan militants were intimidating people originally from what is now South Sudan, pressuring them to leave.

Bishop Adwok said, “The abduction of young men has frightened practically everybody here.”

He criticized the Government of Sudan for appearing to brush off the kidnappings and saying that the abductors are “foreigners” who cannot be controlled.

The bishop added, “Innocent people are not there to be brutalized and the authorities must be called to account for what is going on.”

“It is not only in Kosti that this is happening. It is also taking place in Khartoum.”


With picture of Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok Kur of Khartoum


Editor’s Notes:


Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need.  ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org