Friday, May 28, 2010

"C - ya 'round suckas!"

The UTEP Prospector's Ms. Elida S. Perez signs off in style...

Thursday, May 6, 2010.


Can it be true?

She was actually already reporting 'way back in Summer 2006? :)

Anyway.

As she tells us, albeit only in part, on the vital role played by internships:


"UTEP journalism students are also encouraged to apply for internships.

"I can attest to the fact that without these internships, the chance of finding a job does becomes more difficult.

"Editors don't want to hire someone fresh out of college without newsroom experience.

"I can say that after completing three of them from the Pacific Northwest to Washington DC, that yes, this is exactly what I want from a career..."

And, you can be sure she's already on some Big City Paper's payroll.

"What a way to go!" :)

Memorial Day Weekend.

A time for grateful reflection.

About all those men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces:

"Who gave their lives, so that others might live."



Semper Fi ...

Hey, UTEP!

¡Hey, Familia!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

UTEP Summer 2010 kicks off very, very soon!


A maximum of four (4) more consecutive nights of partying is it! :)

Congratulations to Saint Mary Magdalene's Youth Group personality, Mr. Victor Cantu.


'Way down in Brackettville, Texas 78832.


Victor's the B.H.S.' Salutatorian for the Class of 2010.



Next Stop:

MIT "... to study chemical engineering."

Plans?

Mr.
Cantu "plans to become a cardiothoracic surgeon."


Now, it's move over Elvis! :)


Because here's some more of St. MM's Youth Group personalities in the news!

These include:

2010 Prom King Raul Rivas and Prom Queen Nydia Talamantes.

Plus B.H.S. Junior -- Class of 2011 -- Mr. Victor Robledo.


Congratulations, everyone and good luck to all! :)

Tip of the 'ole cachucha to: The Brackett News. Thursday, May 27, 2010.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

"Pope will try to Reform the Legion"


From Inside The Vatican magazine, May 2010.


"Pope Benedict could have decided to suppress the Legion of Christ in the wake of revelations about the offenses of its founder, Father Marcial Maciel, and the system of power that covered up his actions.

"But he has decided to try to re - invent the order: brick by brick, and under his direct supervision.

May 27. Feast Day of Saint Augustine of Canterbury.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Mother's Day Weekend 2010 updated.

Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish Church

Brackettville, Texas 78832.


First: We've recently learned that on Saturday, May 8, 2010, sixteen (16) good people made their First Communion.


Second: That weekend's Parish Bulletin announcement that tells us "The Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group will meet next Monday at the home of Chica and Moses Hernandez.

"Refreshments @ 6:30 p.m.

"All are welcome.

"For any more information you'd best call someone who knows ... etc."


Because, as most of us know by now, YA Francisca "Chica" Hernandez is one of those Young Adult pillars of the Saint Mary Magdalene community who is also a YA in local government as a City Alderwoman in the incoming administration of YA Mayor Zarda Negrete...

Speaking strictly for myself and for no one else, I'm looking forward to seeing just what the YAs have planned for a new, dynamic Brackettville, Texas.

Zip 78832
.

The best of luck to all you great young people out there: 'cause now it's your turn ...

And don't hesitate to call upon all those talented young men and women at B.H.S. Classes of 2011 and 2012! :)

This was not the only rancher we heard that day that talked about the drug trains...

From
such late
1980s headlines in the San Antonio Express - News more or less along these lines:


"US - bound drug runs escorted by East Germans and Cubans sources say..."

To today's 2010 Kinney County Post quote from a recent Arizona state senate hearing:

"Another rancher testified that daily drugs are brought across his ranch in a military operation..."


The evolution of Los Nuevos Comancheros has indeed a long and fascinating history!

In what I'm pretty sure was an EXPRESS - NEWS feature article in something like the 3rd. Sunday in March, 1989 edition -- back in the good 'ole days when Mr. James "Jim" Hutton and equally professional colleagues were all still on the payroll -- we were told that these East German and Cuban mercs dropped out while still at least ten miles south of the US boundary.

Their places were then taken by local pistoleros for the duration of the trip.

Bringing things up to date in the Nuevos Comancheros scene, we have the "Open letter from Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen," carried by the Kinney County Post -- Tuesday, May 25, 2010 edition.

In this article we read:

"Another rancher testified that daily drugs are brought across his ranch in a military operation.

"A point man with a machine gun goes in front, 1/2 mile behind are the guards fully armed, 1/2 mile behind them are the drugs, behind the drugs 1/2 mile are more guards.

"These people are violent and they will kill anyone who gets in the way.

"This was not the only rancher we heard that day that talked about the drug trains..."

May 26. Feast Day of Saint Philip Neri.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Dana y Joshua Barrios de la Rosa son bautizados"

"Recibe Aguas Bautismales Grecia Zapata"

"Recibió Aguas Bautismales Adriana Alejandra."

Así, todos "Ingresan a la grey Cristiana"



Por Maricela Lomas. El Zócalo de Ciudad Acuña. Miércoles 19 de mayo de 2010.


"En la iglesia de Guadalupe se celebró el bautismo de los encantadores chiquitines Dana y Joshua Barrios de la Rosa, los pequeños hijos del señor Sergio Barrios y señora Amelia de la Rosa, quienes recibieron el sacramento bautismal durante emotiva ceremonia celebrada el 15 de mayo.

"Los chiquitines fueron acompañados de sus padrinos, el señor Raymundo Martinez y señora Laura Romero."


También reciberon las aguas del Jordán:


"El señor Juan Ojeda y señora Alma Velásquez, padres de la pequeña Adriana Alejandra, celebraron el acontecimiento al igual que la feliz madrina Patricia Gómez...

"La iglesia de Guadalupe recibió a la pequeña Grecia Zapata, hija del señor Homero Zapata y señora Alejandra García, así como a los padrinos René Gil Bueno y Karla Rodríguez,"


Y es por todo eso que podemos decir -- y con fe cierto:



Siempre habrá una nueva generación...:)

"Alcalde exhorta a intensificar vigilancia ante fuertes lluvias

"Chubasco azota en la madrugada -- Protección civil a la expectiva ...

"Piden ayuda -- se llevó el agua hasta los muebles ..."

Fuente original: El Zócalo de Ciudad Acuña Miércoles 19 de mayo de 2010.

May 25. Feast Day of Saint Bede the Venerable.

May 25. Feast Day of Pope Saint Gregory VII.

May 25. Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Jesuit's America magazine for May 24, 2010.

"Pope Calls Crisis Terrifying Failing"

"...suggested that the message of Fatima ... could be applied to the crisis..."



And forgiveness is not a substitute for justice...


Excerpted from the original :)

"The pope made his strongest remarks to date on sexual abuse cases at a press conference on May 11 during his flight to Portugal for a four - day visit that included the Marian Shrine of Fatima.

"The pope suggested that the message of Fatima, which foresaw times of trial for the church, could be applied to the crisis.

"Catholics have long known that attacks on the church can come from sins that exist inside the church, he said.

"[H]e said, Today we see it in a really terrifying way, that the biggest persecution of the church doesn't come from the enemies outside but is born from sin inside the church.

"Pope Benedict said, And so the church has a profound need to relearn penance, to accept purification, to learn on the one hand forgiveness but also the necessity of justice. And forgiveness is not a substitute for justice.

"[H]e said, We have to relearn these essentials: conversion, prayer, penance....".

"Tanya Marie Molinar, 2006 graduate of Brackett High School, graduated on the Dean's List at Saint Edward's University in Austin on May 8."



'Way to go, Tanya!

That automatically puts you in the top 3.5% to 5.25% of your fellow classmates.

Most likely with a so - called Institutional G.P.A. equal to or maybe even above the 3.6 to 3.9 range!

Whew! :)

Now, we're told, it's on to grad school...


Original published source: The Brackett News. Thursday, May 20, 2010.

Operation Friendly Enablers / Palace Guard

"Serving in the Following Ministries.

"The Collection Counters for May 30, 2010.

"Hector & Gloria Jimenez, Mike & Lupe Cortinas, Martha & Paul Fernandez"



Original published source: Parish Bulletin for "The Weekend of Saturday May 22nd & Sunday May 23rd 2010."

Fourth Sunday of May's a.m. Masses well -served!

Way down in Kinney County,Texas.

Zip 78832.

Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish in Brackettville.


Sunday. May 23, 2010. 8:00 a.m. Mass. TEAM Ms. Britney Castilla.

Sunday. May 23, 2010. 10:30 a.m. Graduation Mass. TEAM Mr. Nathan Pearson + Mr. JT Rosas y/0 Mr. Ray Sandoval.


BHS 2010 Grad Ms. Nydia Lizette Talamantes "looking forward to ..."

Starting life on my own and meeting new people...



Where else?

But at Texas A & M University in Laredo -- where yours truly went -- in Summer I 1992 and Spring 1993 -- when it was still called LSU -- Laredo State U.! :)

From The Brackett News, Thursday, May 20, 2010.

Two Saint Mary Magdalene's Youth Group/Altar Servers make the sports news.

Brackettville, Texas 78832.



Ms. Icela Rueda -- helped her teammates in 1600 meter relay place "eighth with a time of 4:20.7" *


Mr. "Charlie" Adam Resendez -- was a FCA volunteer "for the recent 2010 Relay for Life.." **


* From The Brackett News. Thursday, May 20, 2010.

** From the Kinney County Post. Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

Saint Mary Magdalene's BHS Graduation Mass yesterday a hit!

'Way down in Kinney County, Texas!

Although not every Graduating Senior necessarily made it. :)


"Prom Night, we're told, was the Night before..."


Oh, my! :)

Friday, May 21, 2010

"In memory of Msgr. Edward Bartsch, who died on Easter Sunday"

As the First Baptist Church's New King James Bible cites Hebrews 7:17 ...

"For He testifies You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."



Original headlines are from Today's Catholic. Friday, May 7, 2010.


"Msgr. Edward Charles Bartsch, pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Praha, passed away Easter Sunday, April 4, at the age of 89.

"Until days before his death, Msgr. Bartsch, who preferred to be called Father,* had been an active pastor at St. Mary's Parish in Praha since 1993."



Some questions asked him in a recent interview:



Question: "Date [you were] ordained and by whom?"

Answer: "May 24, 1949, at San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio, by Bishop Louis Reicher of [the] Austin Diocese."

Question: "What would people be surprised to know about you?"

Answer: "As a teenager [like Mr. Tony Zamora?], I played the guitar in a small band for house dances."

Question: "What is your favorite Scripture passage?"

Answer: "Matthew 7:24 - 27 and Luke 4:14 - 19."

Question: "How did you come to know Jesus"

Answer: "I came to know Jesus through family life and prayers at home."

Question: "What is your favorite spiritual book?"

Answer: "My favorite spiritual book would have to be the Bible."

Question: "Who is a hero to you?"

Answer: "My hero is Pope Benedict..."

*1 Corinthians 4:15 and Galatians 4:19.

May 21. Feast Day of Saint Christopher Magallanes & Companions.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

"The Smoke of Satan in the Vatican?

"A gay - prostitution ring run out of the Vatican?

"Really?"



The following is taken from the New Oxford Review of May 2010, but there's no specific date mentioned for the original incidents mentioned

But!

A reasonable guess would be around Thursday, March 4, 2010.


"[O]ne of Pope Benedict's elite ushers --formally known as a Papal Gentleman -- was dismissed from his Vatican post for his involvement in a gay - prostitution ring, while an elite Vatican chorister, who allegedly acted as a pimp, was also sacked over the sex scandal.

"No, this isn't direct evidence of Satanism in the bosom Holy Mother Church, but it certainly makes even the most ardent believer scratch his head.

"A gay - prostitution ring run out of the Vatican?

"Really?

"Well, if we can believe what we read in La Repubblica, it seems so.

"The Italian newspaper published excerpts of police wiretaps of Angelo Balducci's phone, and the evidence seems pretty clear.

"Balducci, the subject of a corruption probe by Italian police when the evidence came to light, served Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI on special occasions...

"Balducci appears to have a whole heap of evidence piled up against him.

"Ghinedu Ehiem of Nigeria, who sang with the Giulia Choir of St. Peter's Basilica for nearly two decades, was the chorister who was dismissed after his name appeared in the wiretap transcripts.

"He stands accused of procuring male prostitutes for Balducci and others as part of an organized network that included students from several unnamed Roman seminaries.

"Yes, you read that right: A layman in the Vatican was pimping out seminarians to local perverts -- and reportedly for large sums of money.

"So, are certain cardinals practicing Satanism at the Vatican?

"Do some high - ranking Vatican prelates, as Fr. Amorth charges, not believe in Jesus Christ?

"Fr. Amorth believes that the Church's sex - abuse scandals are evidence enough of Satan's influence among the hierarchy..."

Most likely he just might be right! :)

May 20. Feast Day of Saint Bernardine of Siena.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC.

"Don't think I'm a saint.

"Don't think I'm holy, because I'm not.

"The honeymoon is over.

"Big time.

"So pray for me ... I need it.

"I'm a hunted man.

"Satan hates my guts..."




Snippets from Marian Helper, Summer 2010. www.marian.org

By Father Donald Calloway, MIC: Positively Blown Away: The day God revealed to me the truth of the Catholic faith.


Photo caption:


"Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC,
tells the audience at the Divine Mercy Conference in Tampa, Fla., in March: Don't think I'm a saint. Don't think I'm holy, because I'm not. The honeymoon is over. I go through trying times, tough times, and I am tempted like you don't know. Big time. So pray for me ... I need it, I'm a hunted man. Satan hates my guts. And I am still a man in the conversion process [in need of] more mercy, more mercy, more mercy. That's what I need, what we all need..."


"The cruel martyrdom of Normandy had indeed saved the rest of France"




From Antony Beevor's D - Day: The Battle for Normandy.

Page 519.


"The cruel martyrdom of Normandy had indeed saved the rest of France.

"Yet the debate about the overkill of Allied bombing and artillery is bound to continue.

"Altogether 19,890 French civilians were killed during the liberation of Normandy and an even larger number seriously injured.

"This was on top of the 15,000 French killed and 19,000 injured during the preparatory bombing for Overlord in the first five months of 1944.

"It is a sobering thought that 70,000 French civilians were killed by Allied action during the course of the war -- a figure which exceeds the total number of British killed by German bombing..."

Operation Palace Guard / Friendly Enablers

"Serving in the Following Ministries


"The Collection Counters for May 23, 2010.



"Ruby Muñoz, Candy Bader, Tony & Nancy Frerich"




Original published source:


Parish Bulletin of Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church.

For:

"The Weekend of Saturday May 15th and Sunday, May 16th, 2010."

Physical location:

301 Ann Street
Brackettville, Texas 78832


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

"He was even more defiant than Johnny Depp had been!"


From Doug Stanton's Horse Soldiers, pages 266 - 67.

This brief excerpt deals with the experiences of a combat medic, Jerry Booker, as he's treating some captured wounded enemy fighters in the early days of America's ongoing war in Afghanistan in late 2001.


"Medic Jerry Booker went to work cleaning the prisoners' wounds.

"The first one reminded Booker of the movie actor Johnny Depp.

"Little by little the kid's face relaxed as his breathing grew easier.

"Booker turned to the other prisoner.

"Blood was running down his face.

"He was even more defiant than Johnny Depp had been!

"He shouted that he had also come to Afghanistan to kill Americans.

"Booker, ignoring the outburst, debrided the scalp wound and carefully sewed it up.

"Afterward, he stepped back and looked the guy square in the eye.

"[H]e said, By the way, dude, I'm an American.

" A few days later, while touring a hospital, Booker spotted Johnny Depp, shaved and handcuffed to his bed.

"Booker was thankful he was healthy and alive..."

"...al - ikhwan al - musilmun = Muslim Brothers"

"... al - ikhwan al - muhandisun = Engineer Brothers"



Khalid Duran's insight into this issue "... of the worst anti - Americanism" in Steven Emerson's American Jihad, page 172.

"Yet some of the worst anti - Americanism among Muslim fundamentalists comes from people who are often remarkably well - educated -- engineers,m doctors, and even scientists.

"Duran has an answer for that as well.

And here it is!

"[T]he odd thing about Islamic fundamentalism is that it's always had its strongest appeal among engineers.

"There's even a joke in Arabic.

"The words al - ikhwan al - musilmun mean Muslim Brothers.

"[A]nd al - ikhwan al - muhandisun means Engineer Brothers..

"In Egypt they always say the Muslim Brotherhood is really the Engineering Brotherhood...."

May 18. Feast Day of Pope Saint John I.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Today's [Monday, May 17, 2010] Archdiocese of Omaha's Catholic Voice online says it all:

"Former Omaha priest accused of sexual abuse in Texas also was subject of Omaha complaint"



By Catholic Voice.

"Father John M. Fiala, a former Omaha priest accused of sexually abusing a minor in Texas, was the subject of a complaint in the Archdiocese of Omaha eight years ago.

"The abuse in Texas is alleged to have occurred in 2007 - 2008 when Father Fiala, who joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) when he left Omaha in 1996, was serving at a parish in Rocksprings, Texas, located in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

"Father Joseph Taphorn, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Omaha, said local church officials were told in the spring of 2002 that Father Fiala made sexual advances against an individual sometime in the mid -- 1980s, when the individual was a minor.

"The archdiocese notified the Sarpy County attorney and Father Fiala's religious superior in Texas, as well as the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, where Father Fiala was serving at the time...

"According to the San Antonio Express - News, Father Fiala is the subject of a civil lawsuit and criminal investigation in Texas..."


It's like this:


When Archbishop José H. Gómez assures us in Today's Catholic -- for Friday, May 7, 2010, that "Aunque no habia alegación de mala conducta sexual -- While there was no allegation of sexual misconduct..." was he telling the truth??!!

Or, does he even care??!! :)

Like, you know?

¡Guau! Wow! :)




"Declaración Oficial [Today's Catholic. Friday, May 7, 2010]


"La Arquidicesis de San Antonio recibió un reclamo de interferencia en las custodia de un menor en contra del Padre John Fiala en el otoño de 2008 ... llevada a cabo por el Departamento del Jefe de Policía del Condado de Edwards..."

Y, como resulta:

"El Arzobispo José H. Gómez informó a la orden religiosa de Fiala, sobre la investigación, y les avisó que, con vigencia desde el 24 de octubre de 2008, estaban suspendidas las facultades ministeriales de Fiala en la Arquidiócesis de San Antonio, así como su nombramiento como adminstrador pastoral de la Parroquia Sacred Heart of Mary en Rocksprings, Tx, la capilla de St. Raymond, en Leakey, TX, y la capilla de St. Mary Magdalen en Camp Wood, TX
.

"El Arzobispo Gómez envió al Padre Martín Leopold, Moderador de la Curia de la Arquidiócesis de San Antonio, para que, el fin de semana del 25 y 26 de octubre [¿2008?], informara a comunidad parroquial, en todas las Misas, en cada una de las iglesias, sobre nuestras acciones y sobre la investigación de las actividades del Padre Fiala, siendo realizada por el Departamento del Jefe de Policía del Condado de Edwards..."

Whimsical Sociology professor Dr. David Carlin:

On the downward spiral of American Catholics to Generic Christianity.

"[W]e may say that the creed of Generic Christianity has four articles:

"(1) God exists and loves everybody in a non - judgmental way;

"(2) Jesus is one of the most admirable figures in human history, and is a model of Christian goodness.

"(3) we must be tolerant of people whose beliefs, tastes and lifestyles are different from our own;

"(4) to at least some degree, we should help our fellow - humans to achieve temporal prosperity and happiness...."


Snippets from his article, Thick and thin Catholicism, featured in the Homiletic & Pastoral Review. May 2010.

Here, he states that post - Vatican II bishops "presided over -- without putting up any strong resistance to -- the decline of authentic Christianity among vast numbers of Church members and its replacement by something that might better be called Generic Christianity, by which I mean a thin religious faith that drops most of the distinctive elements of the Catholic religion. (10)"


Now, for his foot note!


"(10) With only a small amount of exaggeration, we may say that the creed of Generic Christianity has four articles.

"(1) God exists and loves everybody in a nonjudgmental way;

"(2) Jesus is one of the most admirable figures in human history, and is a model of Christian goodness.

"(3) We must be tolerant of people whose beliefs, tastes and lifestyples are different from our own;

"(4) to at least some degree, we should help our fellow - humans to achieve temporal prosperity and happiness..."

Saint Mary Magdalene - hosted Women's ACTS Retreat 2010 is over...

But!

Special thanks is still owing ...

...to such third echelon team members
...


... as those Parish YAs, cousins Ms. Ida Ortiz & Ms. Nora Rivas.


As did so many other sisters -- they, too, played an important role -- as intense, but low - key, "logistical support!"


(1) Ms Ida Ortiz -- Thursday afternoon at Super S. Objective: Desserts.

(2) Ms. Nora Rivas -- Sunday morning at the Old Rectory Building. Objective: Sandwiches.



Siempre habrá una nueva generación


Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish
Brackettville, Texas 78832.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Hey, UTEP!

¡Hey, familia!

Spring Semester 2010 is ancient history...

Congratulations to all those hardy survivors who finally made it as UTEP Graduates...!

And for folks who'll still be piling on accelerated class work from May to August:

Keep it up! :)

Mr. Grant Desme

The "Big West Player of the Year...

"Leaving Baseball to Become a Priest."



A random snippet from the TFP magazine Crusade May / June 2010.

"Former Kane County Cougars star Grant Desme is retiring from baseball to enter the priesthood despite being at the threshold of a promising pro - baseball career.

"Mr. Desme said in a statement on ESPN, I love the game, but I aspire to higher things..."

Congratulations to those City of Brackettville Election workers!


As The Brackett News, Thursday May 13, 2010 makes clear:


Ms. Ida Ortiz, Ms. Jesusita Guerrero, Ms. Veronica Rivas, Ms. Carol Dimmery, Ms. Cordelia Barlow and Ms. Rachel Muñoz may well have had a long and trying day, yet thanks in large part to their good spirits, "the job got done!"

Congratulations, ladies! :)

2010 B.H.S Grads Mr. Guy Rigby & Mr. Tanner Hinsey:

"looking forward to a new life
!"




Mr. Rigby
-- to "being on my own."

Mr. Hinsey -- to being a part of "College life."

'Way to go gentlemen, Good Luck! :)


Thanks to The Brackett News. Thursday May 13, 2010.

May 14. Feast Day of the Apostle Saint Matthias.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Mary Eberstadt's catchy article title:

"How Pedophilia Lost Its Cool"
*

??!!
Duh? :)

Like maybe when Jesus condemned it in Matthew 18:6 ?! :)

As McGill U. Professor Daniel Cere's quotes Him doing in his own article?

"Jesus talks of millstones and drowning in the sea,

"and ends with lamentations and somber curses...

"There are no warnings against stone - throwing, only dire threats of millstones..."


*In First Things magazine, December 2009. Professor Daniel Cere quotes from her in his own work excerpted below.



Snippets that follow are from this original source:



McGill University Associate Professor Daniel Cere's article Toward a Gospel witness: Confronting child abuse. In the May 2010 issue of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review.



"The Church's response to this evolving crisis has been, at the very least, disturbing.

"John Allen argues that we are in the midst of a major course correction with the papacy of Benedict XVI.

"On numerous fronts Benedict has pressed for a far more aggressive response to the abuse crisis than his predecessor."

The author goes on to tell us that Jesus' warm welcome in Matthew 18: 1 - 5 -- is followed by one of the harshest warnings to be found anywhere in the Gospels: Matthew 18:6 --

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea!"

Two things noted by are author are:

"First, Jesus' evangelical anger.

"No protection, no dialogue, no comforting words, are offered to those who abuse children.

"Jesus' response to those who are the cause of harm to children is uncharacteristically hard - hitting and unrelenting.

"Jesus talks of millstones and drowning in the sea, and ends with lamentations and somber curses.

"Second, Jesus exhorts the Church to turn in unconditional commitment toward the victim...

"When Jesus confronts harm to children, the gravity of his message seems to make even tough - talk of zero - tolerance and mandatory reporting pale in comparison.

"It may seem like a stunning blow to the child abuser, but it is delivered with no less an authority than that of Jesus himself.

"Matthew 18 calls for the Church to be a safe, secure place for children, but a highly unsafe place for abusers.

"To hear the Gospel is to know that sexual abuse is an intimate terrorism that strikes into the heart of the vulnerable..."

Congratulations to Kinney County YA Ms. Zandra I. Negrete.

She blew away her opponents 2 to 1 plus to become the new Mayor of Brackettville, Texas.

Now -- at long last! -- it's the Young Adults turn to do what needs to be done!

Congratulations, Mayor Negrete. :)

May 13, 2010. Feast Day of the Ascension.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Philip Jenkins' book: JESUS WARS.

"[I]f Jesus is just God and not man,

"then he's not somebody who can be emulated

"-- he's just a divine tourist."




Snippet from the interview of Philip Jenkins by Jeremy Lott in The Catholic World News. May 2010.


The full title in CWR is: God and Man: Philip Jenkins on the battles in the early Church over the nature of Christ.

Question:

"You say that the various parties were wrong to resort to violence, but you also argue that ancient Christians were exactly right to be so passionate about their causes because the debates were critical to the definition of Christianity today.

"How so?"

Answer:

"I look at different ways that Christianity might have emerged.

"The Orthodox / Catholic Church did a lot of things wrong but it was fighting for this basic belief in the humanity of Jesus.

"What might have happened to Christianity had this been lost?

"It would have affected the whole ethical basis of later Christianity.

"The imitation of Christ, the whole idea of What would Jesus do?, becomes impossible because if Jesus is just God and not man, he's not somebody who can be emulated -- he's just a divine tourist..."

Good points, you all! :)