Medjugorje

I know this post is paradoxical.

On one hand I am highly recommending the talk being given by a priest who owes his faith and vocation to the Apparitions in Medjugorje and on the other hand, I am highly recommending the book written by Donal Foley that may shock it's followers in it's honest criticism of a highly popular apparition site.

I wanted to share with my readers Fr. Andrew Grace's speaking engagement that is coming up in Arizona.

Fr. Grace is a priest from Australia who had a successful career as an engineer before he reverted to the Catholic Church. He owes his conversion to Gospa. We became friendly when he emailed me about visiting in Hawaii. He has been here a couple of times and hope to see him again this year.

I would highly recommend him to those of you who have an opportunity to hear him speak. He is scheduled to appear in August along with Fr. Donald Calloway, another very dynamic speaker. You may remember that my family and I heard Fr. Calloway speak at our Divine Mercy Conference last year.

The Mir Center of Arizona Marian Conference
Place: Doubletree resort in Scottsdale, AZ
Dates: August 24-26th, 2007
Speakers: Invited: Fr. Andrew Grace, Fr. Don Calloway, Char Vance, Fr. Doug Lorig, Fr. Jack Spaulding, Fr. Jozo Grbes, Tom Booth

Source: 2007 Marian Conferences

The other thing I wanted to share with you was an email I received from Donal Foley of Theotokos Books and author of the book Understanding Medjugorje. The following is being shared with Donal's permission:

News release for 26th anniversary of first Medjugorje visions – 22 June 2006

Understanding Medjugorje: Heavenly Visions or Religious Illusion? (Theotokos Books), by Donal Anthony Foley, was published just over a year ago but there has yet to be any cogent criticism of it.

This is the latest review (15 June 2007) by Michael Rose, the author of the bestselling Goodbye Good Men.

"Although the subtitle of Donal Anthony Foley's Understanding Medjugorje is Heavenly Visions or Religious Illusion? there is no question in the mind or writing of the author that the answer is "illusion." Add to that, fraud and deceit. The alleged visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a backwater town of former Yugoslavia (now Bosnia-Herzegovina) since 1981 continue to attract religious thrill seekers in droves.

"What most Medjugorje pilgrims don't know, suggests Foley, is the sordid history surrounding the visionaries and the the religious order that has promoted the alleged visions over the past quarter century. Sexual scandal, ecclesial disobedience, an attack on the local bishop, and outright fraud are just some of the compelling reasons to question the authenticity of the visions and the motives of its promoters.

"Unlike previous slovenly-written attempts by other authors to expose the Medjugorje deception, Foley's offering provides an informative, compelling and persuasive argument to give Medjugorje a wide berth."

New Oxford Review Bookmarks at: www.newoxfordreview.org/bookmarks-1.jsp
Donal Anthony Foley has been researching Marian apparitions since the mid- 1990s. He lives in Nottingham, England, has degrees in Humanities (BA) and Theology (BD), and his book on the subject – Marian Apparitions, the Bible, and the Modern World – was published by Gracewing in 2002. He has written articles for a number of Catholic magazines, including the Homiletic and Pastoral Review, and also maintains a website at: www.theotokos.org.uk

Contact Information:
Tel: 07817 839415
books@theotokos.org.uk

Theotokos Books, PO Box 8570, Nottingham, NG10 9AB, England

Understanding Medjugorje is available through the Theotokos site, internet booksellers and by ordering direct from booksellers.

Understanding Medjugorje , is based on an analysis/assessment of transcripts of tapes of the visionaries made during the first week or so of the visions, which began in late June 1981. This June sees the 26th "anniversary" of the first vision, and lately Medjugorje has been once more in the news - but for all the wrong reasons!

A press release from Bishop Peric's Office in Mostar, dated 18 June 2007, reveals that Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa OFM Cap., Preacher of the Papal Household, will now not be attending a retreat due to be held in Medjugorje at the beginning of July 2007, after he was denied permission to preach there by Bishop Peric, the local Ordinary.

Fr. Jozo Zovko was also part of the publicity for this event, and yet, as the press release confirms, he has, since 2004, been relieved of all priestly faculties in the territory of the dioceses of Herzegovina.

According to the Catholic News Service , "Bishop Peric vehemently opposes claims that Mary has appeared in the village almost 40,000 times in the last 26 years and last year complained personally to Pope Benedict XVI that priests from overseas were ignoring the wishes of the local bishops not to go on pilgrimages there."

For more details of this story, please see:

www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0703523.htm


All this means that Understanding Medjugorje is just as relevant as it was last year!

More information, including extracts, is available at:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/books/books.html

For review copies and trade orders please contact: books@theotokos.org.uk

(For trade terms please see: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/books/termscon.html )

To order Understanding Medjugorje at a price of $28.95, including shipping and handling, by credit card, via the secure 2Checkout.com site, please visit:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/books/medjbook/medjboo1.html

Understanding Medjugorje is paperback-softcover, Demy Octavo size (8.5 in. x 5.5 in.), has 23 chapters, 310 pages, and a comprehensive index.

Price: £12.95 / $19.95 / €19.95 ISBN 0955074606

Feast Day of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More

Picture source: Women for Faith and Family

“Family life is full of major and minor crises -- the ups and downs of health, success and failure in career, marriage, and divorce -- and all kinds of characters. It is tied to places and events and histories. With all of these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It's difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul.”

St. Thomas More

"You Are a Priest Forever..."

Picture source: Anna Weaver

Bishop Silva of the Honolulu Diocese has ordained three men.

ARTICLE

What Makes Paterson Special?

For a quick history of Paterson, click HERE

The Great Falls. Yes, the waterfall that helped make Paterson famous as the Silk City is very special.
Hey Abbott!!! Lou Costello was born here and he certainly made Paterson special.
The Soprano's? Maybe so. They sure helped revive an interest in Cianci Street. How about Joe Clark, the principal of Eastside High School, made famous in the movie Lean on me? Just check out the List of Famous People From Paterson

It's all of the above plus, the history. Did you know Alexander Hamilton discovered Paterson?

For Catholics living here it has to be their bishop.
Bishop Serratelli seen here next to his predecessor.

Bishop Arthur Serratelli has really been a blessing to this diocese. Just read what Fr. Daren has posted on his blog.

Vatican Issues 10 Commandments For Drivers: Don't Drink, Don't Kill, and Pray

Picture source: Flagline

VATICAN CITY — Got road rage? The Vatican on Tuesday issued "Ten Commandments" for drivers, telling motorists to be charitable to others on the highway, to refrain from drinking and driving, and to pray you make it before you even buckle up.

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As soon as we get into the car, we pray a prayer to our Guardian angels, the St. Michael the Archangel prayer, and say "Sacred Heart of Jesus, protect us. Please don't let us having any trouble with the car or any accidents." We don't leave the house before blessing ourselves with Holy Water.

My sister and mom say a Hail Mary, Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory and Prayer to the Guardian angel. My mom prays the Rosary while she drives.

How about you?

How I Started Blogging

Laurie of Seaglass Hearts tagged me for this new carnival/meme.

How did you start blogging?
I would always share emails of interest with a list of people who were interested in receiving them and I in turn would receive interesting emails from them. I wanted to share them with a bigger audience especially when it came to Catholic articles, prayers, etc. I didn't think I was getting that many readers on my website so I decided to try a blog.

Did you intend to have a blog with a big following? If so, how did you go about getting it?
No, I knew readership would start out small. I started the blog mainly for family, Catholic homeschoolers and friends.

Getting a big following? I don't know if I can say that. I really have no idea how many people read my blog regularly. However, I've met so many nice people and have become quite friendly with lots of other bloggers. I even met one in person, right Fr. Daren?

What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?
I hope to make everyone who reads it strive for holiness for the love of God, in their own state in life. I hope they do this even with baby steps. That is the main reason I post spiritual quotes, etc. that I find help me. I feel we can help each other grow in sanctity.

Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?
Well not really. However, at first I would post critical posts about people who I felt weren't being truly orthodox or those I felt weren't being patriotic. I don't do that anymore. I have learned that I'd better worry about myself first and not so much about judging the other guy, especially if that "guy" is a priest. I try to post entries of a positive nature.

What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started?
I wish I knew that I wasn't permitted to post complete articles without the permission of the original source. I have learned to just post a teaser and to always give credit to the source.

Do you make money with your blog?
Oh no. I do this as a little personal ministry...if you will...and just fun :-)

Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?
Yes they know but they don't visit it often. The reason may be because I usually share what's on it verbally.

What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?
1. Like Laurie posted on her responses, post regularly.
2. If you are not sure whether or not to post a particular post, especially if it is critical or negative, don't post it. That way, you won't regret it.

For this one, I tag Chris, Jean, the Curt Jester, Lana and Fr. Daren

St. Josemaria Escriva' - On Charity

The following is from The Way.

1. You are hurt by your neighbor's lack of charity toward you. Think how God must be hurt by your lack of charity-of love-toward him!

2. Never think badly of anyone, not even if the words or conduct of the person in question give you good grounds for doing so.

3. Don't make negative criticism. If you can't praise, say nothing.

4. Never speak badly of your brother, not even when you have plenty of reasons for doing so. Go first to the tabernacle, and then go to the priest, your father, and also tell him what is bothering you. And to no one else.

5. Gossip is trash that soils and hinders the apostolate. It goes against charity, takes away strength, takes away peace, and makes one lose his union with God.

6. If you have so many defects, why are you surprised to find defects in others?

7. After seeing how many people waste their lives...(talking)... I can better appreciate how necessary and lovable silence is.

And I can well understand Lord, why you will make us account for every idle word.

8. When those who are not supposed to sit in judgment do so, they very easily end up as gossiping old maids.

9. How the injustice of the "just" offends God, how it harms many souls-and how it can sanctify others!

10. Let us be slow to judge.

11. Force yourself, if necessary, always to forgive those who offend you, from the very first moment. For the greatest injury or offense you can suffer from them is nothing compared to what God has forgiven you.

The Winds of Change - Catholic Colleges 40 Years Later

The following is an excerpt from an article sent to me by my b-i-l Rich:

"Two generations later, new winds of change are blowing through Catholic higher education in America: the bracing winds of dynamic orthodoxy. Some elite Catholic schools are, sadly, lost -- and quite likely lost for good. Yet others have made significant comebacks in recent years, thanks to generational change in theology departments, courageous presidential and board leadership, students who demand authentic Catholicism from schools that market themselves as "Catholic," and the work of alert alumni"...

ARTICLE

Photos - Mary's Garden

I thought I would share some photos of my mom's Mary's Garden.

The first photo is the herb garden. There is a statue of a pelican overlooking the small garden. I think I bought this statue at a flea market over 20 years ago. At first I didn't think it went well with the surroundings. My mom told me the pelican was a Catholic symbol. Well in searching I found the following at Fisheaters

Pelican: The Pelican is a symbol of the atonement and the Redeemer and is often found in Christian murals, frescos, paintings and stained glass. The pelican was believed to wound itself in order to feed its young with its own blood. In the hymn "Adoro Te," St. Thomas Aquinas addresses the Savior with, "Pelican of Mercy, cleanse me in Thy Precious Blood." Allusion is even made to this belief in "Hamlet" (act iv): "To his good friend thus wide I'll ope my arms And, like the kind, life-rendering pelican, Repast them with my blood."

So I guess the pelican stays right where it is.






These photos show the Blessed Mother statue given to my parents by my brother in Washington State. I believe my mom restored it as it broke in transit. There is a hydrangea bush, little blue flowers in front of this statue. The rest of the garden has hostas, petunias. There is even a little vegetable garden on the other end. After all, what would a home be without Jersey tomatoes in the garden state?

Our Holy Father in Assisi

Thanks to Fr. Daren my mom and I are glued to the EWTN for coverage of our Holy Father's trip to visit the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi.

This saint is very dear to our family. Our family's parish church had the Franciscan Friars, the Capuchin OFM CAPs there for many years. We became good friends with almost all of them and even attended a few ordinations.

Thanks again Fr. Daren!

Happy Father's Day

I've always liked the saying "Anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Daddy".

My father is such a man. He is our Daddy and will always be called Daddy by the seven of us.

Happy Father's Day to my dear daddy Carlos, Joey's daddy Dan, my brothers Carlos, Bobby and Brian, my dear uncles, my dear brothers-in-law George and Rich and my dear father in law Isidore.

We also remember my dear grandpa Manuel who has gone to his rest, and all our dearly departed family members.

And like Sarah of Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering I would like to remember God our Father on this Father's Day.

Last but not least, Happy Father's Day dear Catholic Bloggers and readers of this blog.