Students to Gather at St. Peter's to Pray for Church

Msgr. Scicluna to Offer Reflection on Sex Abuse Crisis

By Irene Lagan

ROME, MAY 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).- In the wake of the scandal of abuse in the Church, laity in recent weeks have begun to realize their role and responsibility as members of the Body of Christ in responding to Benedict XVI's call for prayer.

On May 16, more than 200,000 packed St. Peter's Square on Ascension Sunday for prayer and to show their support for the Pope. This Saturday will mark another unprecedented move by the laity to respond to the scandal that has dominated media headlines for months.

Taking their cue from the Holy Father's call for prayer and penance, students and seminarians from Rome's pontifical universities have organized a day of prayer and reparation at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

From 10 a.m. until noon, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to pray in reparation for abuses committed by priests and for the healing of this wound within the Church will take place at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica. Msgr. Charles Scicluna, promoter of justice for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will lead those present in a meditation on the Gospel of Mark, followed by solemn benediction.

The idea for a morning of reflection was a fruit of prayer, reflection and conversation among students.

Reacting to the March letter Benedict XVI sent to the Church in Ireland, first year seminarian Luke de Pulford, from the Diocese of Southwark in the United Kingdom, student Mary Nolan, from the Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and L'Osservatore Romano reporter Joanne Ford of Australia, said they were moved by the Holy Father's request for particular attention to Eucharistic adoration in every diocese to pray for healing for those affected by the scandal and in reparation for the sins of abuse.

"This came into my mind as a response initially to the pope's letter to Ireland. Adoration is a means of penance and healing," Nolan said. "The Holy Father asked us especially now to pray for God's mercy and healing.

"This whole situation has sullied the soul of the Church. And, prayer is the first action of the faithful. Many people don't seem to understand prayer as a point of action; but it is. The Church is in constant dialogue with God and it always has been. If we believed a little more in the power of prayer, who knows what could happen."

The students themselves said they were surprised at the reception they received from Vatican authorities, particularly Monsignor Charles Scicluna, who handles cases brought against abusive priests for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and who has been largely responsible for many of the changes in processing cases of abuse and in responding to victims. Providentially, he granted them permission immediately.

One body

Holding morning of reflection at St. Peter's Basilica, representative of the heart of the Church, carries special meaning. But the organizers agree that it is also significant that the response to Benedict XVI's call for prayer has come spontaneously from among an active laity in Rome, where a vibrant group of faithful Catholics hail from different parts of the world.

De Pulford said that weekly adoration in reparation for the scandal at the Venerable English College in Rome has been tremendously effective and healing: "As a seminarian, and as a member of the Church, my concern is for victims of the most vile abuse. It's not something that can be ignored as having been done by a small number of priests. It affects all of us in the Church. We are a body, and we suffer as a body. I think that view is shared by many people."

He added that prayer is what he can do to help out the Church: "This is not something we are apathetic about, and prayer should always be central to our response, that’s the real reason we decided to try to do something."

"As seminarians, we are all affected by this in a particular way. I have always been around children," De Pulford said, who is one of nine children. "But now, every move as a seminarian and as a future priest is carefully considered. Suddenly, I am aware of how I might be perceived, and it can be debilitating."

While some find it remarkable that this initiative has come from young people, both Nolan and De Pulford agreed that Eucharist-centered communal prayer has been a guiding light in their own lives.

"If you are a young person with faith, you know your catechism because people are constantly challenging you, especially when it comes to the Church's teaching on sexuality and medical ethics. Eucharistic adoration has been a guiding light," DePulford said.

"The point is not to cheer the Pope on, but to act together with him. It's the best way to show support," Nolan added. "Eucharistic adoration puts us in the right frame of mind – it gives us the proper perspective. Without the sacraments, everything becomes a political rally."

Resbak.com (Conrad J. Obligacion) Strikes back!

Conrad J. Obligacion's blog at "http://resbak.com/blog/doctrinal-comparison-iglesia-ni-cristo-vs-roman-catholic-church" (resbak literally means retaliation, revenge, reprisal, vengeance, or retribution in English language) posted another article unsubstantiated with facts. He doesn't know how to "give the other cheek."

I don't normally visit this rubbish blog. However since he never justified his claims, let's give justice to where it is due.

Trying to make his cult appear biblically truthful, let’s expose the truth behind these lies once again and see the HUUUUUUUGE difference between the Iglesia ni Cristo® and the Catholic Church which according to Pasugo, April 1966, p.46 "the true Church of Christ". Just by its age alone (2,010 years vs. 95 years), they do not match.

The Iglesia ni Cristo® cult founded by Felix Manalo, an ex-Catholic, an ex-Protestant Minister, a loser debater who lost in many major debates has just reached its 95th year this in 2009th year of the Lord (Anno Domini). What do they have to offer for its 95 years. The Philipine Independence from Spain is much much older their theirs. And Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion is expecting people to compare a 2,010 year old Church of Christ to a 95 years Iglesia ni Cristo®?

Guess what? If you think he has justified his claims, try to look back to his original post HERE and compare it to wikipedia's unbiased answers.

Always remember, that the Catholic Church is the real Church of Christ founded by Jesus in Jerusalem according to its official magazine PASUGO April 1966, p. 46.

CONRAD J. OBLICACION'S accusations are the result of a wishful thinking: (read also my previous post about The LIAR has been known. He is redeeming himself after he publicly denied being member of the Iglesia ni Cristo®. Maybe he though, by defending a "church" he had denied, he would be pardoned by the Manalos.

Note: You can read his denial being a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo® in this FORUMbut here's the quote, he said "I don’t have any affiliation from the INC Administration nor NET25. Never had and probably never will. If you have issues with them, then please take it up with them."

If CONRAD J. OBLIGACION has lied many times, and even denied being a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo®, and has deceived many people by using stolen identities, would you still believe in what he is saying?

If his claims are based on the official teachings of the Iglesia ni Cristo®, how could we verify if what's he's saying is official or not when in fact he has no "affiliation from the INC" nor he has any plans of being a member today nor in the future. The INC don't even have official website. Obviously, Mr. Obligacion is misrepresenting the Iglesia ni Cristo by disguising like a member. The cult of Felix Manalo is hiding something while Mr. Obligacion is accusing the Catholic Church of all sorts of lies cannot even quote our official text on the matter. Mr. Obligacion's own dishonesty is preventing him from shedding the truth from our side, officially. Everyone can verify our teachings freely available in the internet written in English, Filipino, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Latin, Chinese and Arabic.

For the Catholic Church, we have numerous websites, different in names, different languages but one in teaching, all based from the official teachings of the Catholic Church. See my sidebar and compare. Nothing contradicts from one another.

There are only two known blogs by Iglesia ni Cristo® members: resbak.com and readme.blogspot.com both owned by a confessed liar and deceiver CONRAD J. OBLIGACION (see here plus his stolen blog here).

There is one site which bears the name Iglesia ni Cristo® (see here) but it's NOT OFFICIAL! (Notice the face of Eraño Manalo on the heading, emphasizing that it's founded by Felix, owned by the Manalos.

Mr. CONRAD J. OBLIGACION, seemed to willfully ignore his own PASUGO Editor's confusion on God and Jesus at this post "A Letter to PASUGO and the Iglesia ni Cristo's Response"

Ask yourselves: What they're afraid of? Why they're afraid in exposing their teachings under the bright light of the sun (truth) so everyone can distinguish black from white under the sun. Why they keep their teachings hidden inside the comforts of their temples? Why they're not exposing anything? You better think fast before it's too late. Save your soul.

Lastly, who would believe a habitual liar and a deceiver?

You decide!

FIRST AMBASSADOR OF U.A.E. PRESENTS LETTERS OF CREDENCE

Vatican City (The Holy See) has Diplomatic Ties with members of the United Nations. As the an independent state, Vatican City is considered a country which enjoys the same full privilege just as every member of the United Nation has (see HERE the complete list of countries having diplomatic ties with the Holy See). Thanks to the openness of the United Arab Emirates and its government by this good-will intention of having a Diplomatic Ties with the Sovereign State of Vatican.

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2010 (VIS) - The Pope today received the Letters of Credence of Hissa Abdulla Ahmed Al-Otaiba, the first ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to the Holy See.

Speaking English to the diplomat the Holy Father highlighted how "love of God and respect for the dignity of one's neighbour motivates the Holy See's diplomacy and shapes the Catholic Church's mission of service to the international community. The Church's action in the field of diplomatic relations promotes peace, human rights and integral development, and thus strives for the authentic progress of all, without regard for race, colour or creed".

He went on: "The Holy See and the Catholic Church take care to highlight the dignity of man in order to maintain a clear and authentic vision of humanity on the international stage and in order to muster new energy in the service of what is best for the development of peoples and nations".

The U.A.E., the Holy Father noted, "notwithstanding difficulties, has experienced notable economic growth in recent years. In this context, your country has welcomed many hundreds of thousands of foreigners coming to seek work and a more secure financial future for themselves and for their families".

"The openness of the United Arab Emirates towards those foreign workers requires constant efforts to strengthen the conditions necessary for peaceful coexistence and social progress, and is to be commended", said the Pope, expressing his satisfaction "that there are several Catholic churches built on lands donated by the public authorities.

"It is the Holy See's earnest wish", he added, "that this co-operation may continue and indeed flourish, according to the growing pastoral necessities of the Catholic population living there. Freedom of worship contributes significantly to the common good and brings social harmony to all those societies where it is practised. I assure you of the desire of the Catholic Christians present in your country to contribute to the wellbeing of your society, to live God-fearing lives and to respect the dignity of all peoples and religions".

Why a Catholic becomes an ex-Catholic?

There are many reasons why Catholics abandon their faith and become ex-Catholics. Here are some of the things I knew.

When I was just a little boy growing up in a 100% Catholic environment, I was very much familiar with Catholic traditions such as the Holy Mass, going to Confession, feasts, procession, etc. I was a Sacristan then so I was familiar with almost everything.

A lot of stuffs I knew about Catholicism was given by-default. I was born in it and I imitated its practices. Without any effort I became a Catholic.

Just like any (uninformed) Catholic, I knew nothing why I have to hear Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation, receive Holy Communion, proclaim the Creed, go to Confession, join the procession, attend Novena prayers, say my Rosary etc. I just wouldn’t bother.

It was a pity seeing Catholics in churches bodily present but spiritually lacking in knowledge about their faith. They were just there filling our pews looking for people, criticize and talk about them, easily irritated when a priest’s sermon doesn’t go along the way they wanted it to be delivered. Some would waste their time gossiping instead of praying before the Mass starts. And NO ONE even dared stopping them from annoying those who wanted to pray in solemnity. Our Churches should be a place for meditation and prayer, not for chatting or fashion show. These kinds of Catholics are the best candidates for becoming ex-Catholics. They are potentially the best anti-Catholics if left un-catechized.

We can learn from the past. The cases of known ex-Catholics in the world such as Martin Luther (who is the Father of Protestants) and Felix Manalo (the founder of an anti-Christ cult in the Philippines) are some of the many cases in point we can extract from history for our wisdom. The fruit of their malice and arrogance scattered the seeds of division, discord and narrow-mindedness against the Catholic Church for the past 500 years and to some 95 years.

Today, members of the church of Felix Manalo are among the fiercest anti-Catholics we have in the Philippines. Using its radio and TV stations, their official magazine called "Pasugo" and "God's Message" , all have one thing in common:  They attack Catholic doctrines and practices to their own selfish advantage. They explain their doctrine by demonizing the Catholic Church which is Christ's true Church according to Pasugo publication April 1966. p. 46.

The lack of knowledgeable and zealous volunteer catechists in our parishes is a reality in the Catholic Church today. Catholic children in public schools depended so much on the availability of seminarians, nuns and parish pastoral catechists on a given hour in a week. The catechists shifting schedules and the availability of Religion Classes schedule in the present educational curriculum in public schools prevented them on catechizing Catholic children. The lack of time, manpower, financial resources makes it even harsher for our dedicated catechists to carry on their mission in spreading the Word of God.

The loss of sense of the holy and divine in our Churches in our liturgy; the lack of modesty in our dressing, our collective unsympathetic coldness to the sensitivities of other Catholics in our churches; our self-righteousness attitude all contributed to the decline of our brethren’s faith.

At home, parents who are supposed to be the best catechists do not seem to be bothered at all. They themselves give little attention to the spiritual formation of their children. Coupled with parents’ appalling role modeling eventually drifts Catholic children away from the Catholic Church and eventually lost their conviction.

On the part of the individual, the lack of motivation and interest makes it impossible for him/her in studying more concerning the Catholic faith. The fact that most nominal Catholics do not normally open their Bibles makes it impossible for God to communicate his Word. Relying only on what they hear in churches on Sundays (if they know it was actually the Bible that was being read) would make them less interested on anything spiritual.

Catholics encountering Protestants

A nominal Catholic encountering a Bible Christian is a shocking experience. His lack of knowledge of the Catholic faith and his total ignorance of the Word of God could easily put him in a defenseless situation. The convincing power of these Protestant preachers, the dishonesty of some preacher slicing Bible verses to suit their purpose; those ministers demonizing our doctrines in explaining their man-made teachings—Two things that may likely happen to a nominal Catholic. Challenge himself or allows himself be drifted away. The latter possible turn of event would make him a staunch anti-Catholic aggressor.

What a Catholic Should Do

Love the Word of God written in the Sacred Scripture. This is OUR book. Our forefathers spent most of their life defending and studying this book. They called up Synods by Synods, Councils by Councils in an unceasing prayer just because of this book. Our Catholic Scholars devoted their life and time writing with their hands copies of this book. They carefully divided book by book with Chapters and verses which no single Protestant Scholar had ever shed a sweat.

Read and meditate on the Holy Scripture. It doesn’t cost you a thing. As a matter of fact, it will make you richer—in faith and knowledge.

Do not interpret the Scripture as if it was your own. When in doubt, ask the Church, search for Catholic commentaries and understand the Holy Word in the MIND OF THE CHURCH, not by individuals. Individual interpretation has the higher risk of misinterpretation that what was interpreted by the whole Body of Christ, the Catholic Church.

Discover the richness of our Catholic faith found in the Scripture holy Tradition. Read history and understand. Believe in Cardinal Newman’s saying that to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant. (Cardinal Newman was an Anglican Bishop converted to Catholicism).

Be active in your parishes. Ask your pastor what you can do to share in this great commissioning. If you feel unprepared, use the internet to blog your faith.

You can evangelize far and wide. Use your Catholic knowledge and your faith in strengthening our brethren. Be a WITNESS. Tell the world that you have finally found the truth in Christ through his bride—the Church.

Proclaiming your faith against those who have turned against Christ and his Church will give you more reward in the life next for this is why we are called Christians— Catholics to be specific, to love, love and love.

And mostly, pray.

Pray for the whole Church, our present spiritual leader, the Pope.

Pray for our Bishops and our clergy and religious who are serving our communities. Pray for holy priests and religious.

Pray for those brethren who were led astray and pray for those who led them astray.

Pray for those who persecute us just because of our faith in Christ—the Son of God. Pray for his Church which he has redeemed by his blood.

Pray for the entire Church, united with the prayers of those righteous souls who have gone ahead of us, who are now serving the Lamb on the Throne, the saints who have washed their robes by the blood of the sacrificial unblemished perfect Lamb offering our prayers before the Throne.

Pray for those souls who are still awaiting for their purification. And mostly pray for the pilgrim Church on earth whose earthly battles still far ahead.

And may God give each and every Catholic the grace to live a holy life as we witness to the splendor of His Truth for He alone is the only Way, the Truth and the Life.

In this way, our witnessing may bring wandering souls back to Christ’s true fold—the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ.

Amen! Amen!

Iglesia ni Cristo®: Keeping Them Honest!

While the Iglesia ni Cristo®’s Central Office in the Philippines keeps secret its current number of believers, the partial result of this year’s general election drastically discloses an appalling figure regarding their accurate quantity of affiliates.

Partial Party List Results as of 15th of May, 2010 confirms that the cult’s ALAGAD Party List has only 214,808 votes GMANews (4.3% of the 5 million (?) they expected to vote this year) nearly anchoring them to the 34th place.

Didn’t Eduardo Manalo and his elders vigorously compel their members to vote first its own party list before anyone else for the sake of their man-made doctrine of pagkakaisa?

This year’s general elections figure reveals the truth. The Iglesia ni Cristo® so-called “Block-Voting” is just a show-off—a MYTH!

What is the ALAGAD Party List?

Unheard of to many Filipinos, ALAGAD is an Iglesia ni Cristo® Party List which has one seat in the House. It is represented by Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta, an Iglesia ni Cristo® member.

The 1987 Constitution says that 20% of the membership in the House of Representative should constitute members of the party-list. Among the party-list systems, they should represent the MARGINALIZED sectors of our society.

In its resolution, COMELEC can remove or cancel the registration of any party list after due notice and hearing according to Comelec Chairman Lao. One of the grounds for cancelling or removal of any party-list is when it is a religious sect or denomination, organization or association organized for religious purposes according to our Constitution.

The ALAGAD Party-List, is directly affiliated to the Iglesia ni Cristo® cult but its affiliation was never mentioned in their website. (And the Iglesia ni Cristo® has NO WEBSITE to this age when all information can be read through the internet).

The Iglesia ni Cristo® is political church in the Philippines founded by Felix M. Ysagun but it is actually a cult more than a religion. Later he changed his name to Felix Y. Manalo, a baptized Catholic, ex-Protestant Minister who lost to many debates until he founded his own. It’s July 27 annual festive celebration wasn’t accurate. Prior to that date, Felix already had started preaching about his church. It’s only in July 27, 1914 that he formally registered his church at the Securities and Exchange Commission as a Corporation Sole.

Alagad Party List Housing projects was praised by ex-President Arroyo but unknown to many the project is geared to alleviate ONLY poor members of the Iglesia ni Cristo® spending the money of the Filipino people through its allotted Pork Barrel.

Alagad Party List objective is to foster “family values” patterned according to the teachings of the Iglesia ni Cristo®. Among it’s said “Family Values” vaguely, they are teaching couples to have sex uncontrollably by using condoms—and thus prevents women from conceiving. There was no mentioning of issues such as young adults who may wish to have sex as long as they use contraceptive method such as condoms.

All unnatural contraceptive methods including the usage of condoms and pills etc. are considered morally evil by the Catholic Church—the Church Christ built in Jerusalem (Pasugo April 1966, p. 46). Condoms may prevent pregnancy but it’s not a guarantee from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases. Condom usage promotes sexual promiscuity rather than sexual abstinence.

Since May 2005, they proudly announced that they distributed 97,488 condoms “mostly to married men” ages 20 to 40 years old, which is very much against the Social and Moral Teachings of the true Church of Christ founded in Jerusalem (Pasugo April 1966, p. 46).

Half a Million Pilgrims to Portugal with Pope Benedict XVI

Swedish Muslims Attacked a Cartoonist

It's Religious sensitivities vs. Freedom of Speech.

This is just a few example of clash between Democracy and Intolerance. In Sweden, a cartoonist was attacked by Muslims.

But who's overly sensitive to such issues? Christians do not have to fear about those who insult Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago, he was not only disrespected but humiliated, falsely accused, condemned and put to death but after three days, he rose again.

And because of that humiliation he received, he was esteemed by more than 2/3 of the entire population on earth and has changed the entire history of mankind. God is God. His power alone can humiliate those who humiliate him, he can cause death to anyone, NOT US!

Thanks to JihadWatch.org. We can determine how much freedom is left in Europe for such insult to Islam's prophet could provoke violence. If no one steps up, soon Europe's freedom will be gone.

Prayer for the New Elected Philippine President

Dear Lord,

I implore you to look upon our new elected President Benigno Aquino III whose parents have been blessings to our people. Shield him from the influence of ravenous people and bestow him the iron will to wipe up corrupt officials still serving our communities. Bless him with wisdom that he may judge rightfully between the interests of the Filipino people from the interest selfish elites.

Look after his hearts from egotism that he may live not for himself but for the marginalize Filipinos. May the spirit of his virtuous parents keep him from falling into dishonesty. May he defend his Christian faith and live it according to the moral teachings of the Church that he may uphold the dignity of every human being including the unborn.

May he lead us just as Moses led a stubborn people while searching for the promise land you always wanted our country to have. Fill every Filipino with sincerity to support him and his government, not so much on what he could do for us but what we can do for our country.

May all Filipinos unite behind him remembering the legacy his parents had always wished for Filipinos.

May God bless the Philippines.

Amen.

America is a Christian Nation! So as the Islands of Phillip!

Sarah Palin's honest uncensored commentaries on political correctness more trustworthy than those politicians who always says things out of political correctness. We must uphold your Christian roots.

Thanks to Creative Minority Report

The Iglesia ni Cristo® Block-Voting is just a myth!

How much do we know about the "Block-Voting" doctrine of the Iglesia ni Cristo® Unipersonal Corporation? How many adherents do the INC® has today that their supposed number could ensure a winner when their actual number is being held from the public?

Iglesia ni Cristo® Logo

How many elligible Iglesia® voters are going to the polls tomorrow to actually vote and how many would be following their doctrine of pagkakaisa? And how many would be defying their elders instead?

We do not know. Unless someone would be monitoring them within the polling stations who'd be turning against their own leader's choice.

Relying on rumors the Iglesia ni Cristo® is bragging an an estimated 5 million votes from its members. For me, that's presumptuous!

We all know that they don't have such a huge number. Or if they have, a solid vote from the INC® is impossible. Well, all we know is that the Iglesia ni Cristo® is playing its political trick again making us believe a myth that their number is powerful enough to determine who would win the elections.

Among the Philippine presidential candidates, the council of elders of the cult founded by Felix Manalo in 1914 finally decided to throw their support to Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III whose popularity is credited, not to the Iglesia ni Cristo® myth but thanks to his devout Catholic parents who are members of Christ's ONLY TRUE CHURCH.

Unlike the Iglesia ni Cristo®, Christ's true Church-- the Catholic Church do not endorse any candidate. Instead the choice is left to individuals according to the dictates of their consciences [Catholic Info]. The Catholic Church respects the individual freedom everyone has however what the Church can do is to ensure there's a peaceful and orderly elections.

The block-voting of the Iglesia ni Cristo® has sparked much controversy both in political and spiritual forums in the internet. Some would argue that this doctrine of the cult directly violates that of our Constitution which prohibits the meddling of spiritual leaders into the affairs of the government. For it's 95 years, the Iglesia ni Cristo® has contributed nothing to the development of the entire nation. Their housing projects are directed only to its members, something not to be proud of.

But why is the Iglesia ni Cristo®’s doctrine attracted so much attention to politicians? Why are they dictating its members like robots? Because they're politicians. And Iglesia ni Cristo® is never a religion but a disguising one. In other words, it's a cult more than a religion.

So how many member do the Iglesia ni Cristo® has today? No one knows. It's one of the Iglesia ni Cristo's many hidden SECRETS.

Significantly, we can refer to how much the ALAGAD PARTY LIST (an Iglesia ni Cristo Party List). From it's vote, we can estimate how many are its members. According to this blog, the actual votes the ALAGAD PARTY LIST got was ONLY 340,977 that is Three Hundred Forty Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-Seven only. That means they've got just only that much. Although the Philippine Inquirer says their number reaches only 1.8 million according to National Statistic Office 2000 census.

"In the 2000 census, the National Statistics Office put the INC membership in the country at 1.8 million or around 2.3 percent of the total population [emphasis mine]."

How much? It's just 2.3 percent of the total population of the entire country. But here is the most damaging part. The late Erano Manalo admitted that fact! "...dinadaya ang numero.."[they (their Ministers) are cheating their numbers...](Watch YouTube)

Just don't get the credit Iglesia ni Cristo®. Before its central administration even throw their support to Noynoy he was already leading in poll surveys rivaling Villar and Erap (whom they supported in 1998 but now they junked him). Thanks to the support of strong business groups, democracy advocates, die-hard Cory-Ninoy fans and Catholic religious communities including priests who are indebted to his parents-- that helped him most likely to win -- not the Iglesia ni Cristo® myth.

A CHALLENGE TO THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO® ADMINISTRATION!

Let's test their power instead. Its central administration should endorse one of its members to run for Presidency. Let's see if their block-voting could help him/her win. Then we can be sure that they have the the magic number to make a candidate win.

But so far, the Iglesia ni Cristo®'s doctrine of pagkakaisa in block-voting IS JUST A MYTH!

Manila Bulletin: FYI Felix Manalo founded the Iglesia ni Cristo

Felix Manalo did found the Iglesia ni Cristo and his grandson Eduardo actually inherited his seat from his grandfather. So, who really owns the Iglesia ni Cristo? Here's something we should know:

"Did you know that the immediate family members of the current Chief Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), Bro. Eduardo, his siblings and children do not own their own houses or assets or receive salaries?

"Everything is literally owned by the Iglesia ni Cristo, run and managed by a Council of Elders, and subsidiary committees and firms for specific activities by boards of trustees… The family members marry only INC members of the Church, and serve as ministers, teachers or administrators … They are given comfortable “subsidies” adequate for a modest lifestyle, and definitely nothing ostentatious … The Philippine Postal Corporation recently issued a special commemorative stamp in honor of Bro. Eduardo’s father, Bro. Eraño G. Manalo, or Ka Erdy, who was mainly responsible, after inheriting the seat from his father and founder, Bro. Felix Manalo, for the phenomenal expansion and influence of the Iglesia ni Cristo here and all over the world wherever there are Filipino workers, devotees and immigrants … Today, the Council of Elders of the Iglesia ni Cristo will meet to decide on crucial matters of national interest of which one of them is the coming May, 2010 elections … The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was founded by Bro. Felix Manalo in 1914 …" [emphasis mine]

Source: Manila Bulletin by By HECTOR R.R. VILLANUEVA Former Press Secretary

PASUGO publication dated July 1952, p. 4 said:
"Kung ang babalingan ng pag-uusapan ay ang nagtatag, dapat na siya ang may-ari ng itinatag, at sa kanya rin manggagaling ang mga aral at turo na ipinatutupad." [If the shift of discussion is who founded (something), the founder should own what he has founded and that all lectures and teachings being implemented should come from him.]

Therefore, INC (Iglesia ni Cristo® is a business firm, more than a church.  It's a Filipino organization by the mere fact that it's registered name is in FILIPINO (tagalog). And it was founded by Felix Y. Manalo (not Jesus Christ) in 1914.

So which is the original (true) One and Only Church of Christ Jesus himself established? Read History!

USA: A Supreme Court without Protestants?

It's ironic but it's true. The present United States Supreme Court Justices has no protestant  majority  member amidst its strong Protestant roots. Why so? Read the news below. Thanks to CNN.

The current Supreme Court has six Catholics,
two Jews and one Protestant.

A Supreme Court without Protestants?

(CNN) -- For most of American history, a Supreme Court with no Protestant Christian judges would have been unthinkable. Nearly three quarters of all justices who've ever served on the nation's high court have been Protestant. And roughly half of all Americans identify themselves as Protestant today.

But since John Paul Stevens announced his retirement last month, legal and religious scholars have begun entertaining the unprecedented prospect of a Supreme Court without a single Protestant justice.

Besides Stevens, who is Protestant, the current Supreme Court counts six Catholics and two Jews.

"It's an amazing irony given how central Protestantism has been to American culture," said Stephen Prothero, a religion scholar at Boston University. "For most of the 19th century, Protestants were trying to turn America into their own heaven on Earth, which included keeping Jews and Catholics from virtually all positions of power."

Many religion scholars attribute the decline of Protestants on the high court to the breakdown of a mainline Protestant identity and to the absence of a strong tradition of lawyering among evangelical Protestants.

"Mainline Protestantism isn't a pressure group," said Prothero, "It's not like the National Council of Churches is lobbying Obama to get a Lutheran appointed to the Supreme Court."

And while Judaism and Catholicism have their own sets of religious laws that date back millennia, many branches of Protestant Christianity do not. For much of the last 150 years, evangelical Christianity has stressed an emotional theology of "heart" over "head" -- not a recipe for producing legal scholars with eyes fixed on the Supreme Court.

"Evangelicals have put more effort into getting elected than in getting onto the bench," said Michael Lindsay, a Rice University professor who has studied evangelical elites. "Electoral politics is more similar to the style of rallying of around revival campaign than it is to the arduous journey of producing intellectual giants that could be eligible for the Supreme Court."

President Obama is expected to nominate Stevens' replacement early this month. Of the three candidates who are reported to lead Obama's short list, two -- Solicitor General Elena Kagan and federal appeals judge Merrick Garland -- are Jewish, while one, federal appeals judge Diane Wood, is a Protestant.

Obama's first Supreme Court appointee, Sonia Sotomayor, is Catholic.

One explanation of Catholics' and Jews' high court hegemony is that members of both traditions have long pursued legal degrees as a way to assimilate into a majority Protestant country.

"Most American Catholic law schools were not formed to be elite institutions of lofty legal scholarship, but as way to respond to the fact that other law schools were excluding Catholics," said Richard Garnett, a professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School. "It was a vehicle to get Catholics into the middle class."

"Early on, those schools admitted a lot of Jewish students who were being discriminated against," Garnett said.

Today, Catholic law schools at Georgetown University, Fordham University, and Notre Dame are considered among the best in the country.

Evangelical Protestant colleges, meanwhile -- including Regent University and Liberty University, founded by Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, respectively -- have opened law schools only since the 1980s.

And law schools with Protestant roots -- like Harvard and Yale -- shed their religious identities a long time ago, part of the broader fading of a distinct mainline Protestant identity in the U.S..

Some legal and religious scholars say the dearth of qualified evangelical candidates for the Supreme Court came into sharp relief in 2005, when President George W. Bush nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to the high court.

An evangelical Christian who the White House promoted strenuously among evangelicals, Miers' nomination was brought down largely by conservatives -- nonevangelicals, mostly -- who said she was not qualified for the position.

In the last couple of decades, however, more evangelicals have begun pursuing legal degrees, including at elite colleges. "There are now vibrant Christian fellowships at Harvard and Yale," said Lindsay. "Ten years from now, it will be entirely possible to see an evangelical Protestant on the Supreme Court."

Rachel Heflin, a senior at Patrick Henry College -- a Virginia school whose students are mostly evangelicals from homeschooling backgrounds -- said many of her friends are heading to law school next year.

"When your circle of friends is comprised of aspiring lawyers, the joke is about who's going to make it to the high court first," said Heflin, an evangelical Christian who will be attending George Washington University Law School on scholarship.

Which means that a Protestant Supreme Court resurgence may not be too far off.

Catholic Converts en Masse

Anglican bishops in secret Vatican summit
Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Pope Benedict XVI    Photo: AFP/GETTY 

In a move likely to raise tensions between the two Churches, a group of Church of England bishops met last week with advisers of Pope Benedict XVI to set in motion steps that would allow priests to convert to Catholicism en masse.

They are set to resign their orders in opposition to the introduction of women bishops and to lead an exodus of Anglican clerics to the Catholic Church despite Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, urging them not to leave.

It would be the first time for nearly 20 years that large numbers of priests have crossed from the Church of England to Rome, and comes only weeks ahead of a crucial General Synod debate on making women bishops.

The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that bishops travelled to the Holy See last week to hold face to face discussions with senior members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the most powerful of the Vatican's departments.

The Rt Rev John Broadhurst, the Rt Rev Keith Newton and the Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, the bishops of Fulham, Richborough and Ebbsfleet respectively, are understood to have informed senior Catholic officials that Church of England clergy are keen to defect to Rome.

It is the first significant response to the Papal offer made last year, which opened the doors for Anglicans to convert while retaining key elements of their tradition.

The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, was unaware of the summit, which is likely to prove embarrassing to the Catholic Church ahead of the Pope's visit to Britain later this year as it will rekindle fears that it is trying to poach Anglican clergy.

One source close to last week's discussions said that the Anglican bishops raised concerns with the Vatican officials that there is opposition to them defecting from Catholic bishops in England.

Nevertheless, they made clear they have become so disillusioned with the Church's liberal direction that they are keen to accept the Pope's offer if they can finalise plans to implement it.

The Vatican summit will raise the stakes at the General Synod in July when the Church of England's parliament will vote on how to treat traditionalist clergy opposed to the introduction of women bishops.

Although the number of priests who have openly said that they plan to defect has been small so far, the group is likely to grow if they are not given adequate provisions.

A leading Anglican cleric said: "This will seriously embarrass the Pope.

"It's a plot within the Vatican that they are desperate to keep quiet until they are ready to go public.

"Many will see this as proof that the Catholic Church is intent on poaching clergy from the Church of England despite its reassurances to the contrary."

Iglesia ni Cristo: The Catholic Church Apostatized through Constantine?

As they always use to blackmail poorly catechized Catholics, members of the cult of Felix Manalo, his Iglesia use this argument often that surprise Catholics. Having little time to research and poorly catechized, a Catholic usually ends up an anti-Catholic. Here's a very concise explanation about the myth on Constantine.

THE PAGANIZATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THROUGH CONSTANTINE

Thanks to Blackie

The Historic Facts:

Is it true that Constantine was a pagan and used his influence to corrupt the Catholic Church?

Raise Up A Child...

Constantine was raised with Christian beliefs by his mother St. Helena although he delayed his baptism until he was on his deathbed. It seems clear that he had enough faith to seek salvation in Christ, knowing that he was facing eternity and his soul was in the balance

Your Young Men Will See Visions...

After seeing a vision in which he was told that he would conquer under the sign of the Christian cross, he adopted it as his standard and his entire army carried it into battle against the pagan general Maxentius and he won control of the empire in 312 AD.

Freedom At Last...

The following year Constantine signed the Edict of Milan (sometimes known as the Edict of Tolerance) that officially ended the persecution of the Church. It's hard to understand how anyone can believe that Constantine, (who died a Christian despite his delay) would have paganized the early Catholic Church.

Julian Doesn't Keep The Faith.

Forty-eight years later, in 361 AD, the emperor Julian the Apostate launched a persecution of the Church in an attempt to bring back paganism. Why would that have been necessary if Constantine had already corrupted the Catholic Church?

History Tells All

Some careful research and study of the first 300 years of Christianity will reveal that Catholic doctrines such as the Eucharist, Apostolic authority, and the pope as the successor of Peter were believed from the very beginning of Christianity and certainly were not the result of any pagan influence under Constantine.

In Fact

Christianity has been called Catholic in Acts 9:31 (Greek: "ekklesia katholos") and at least from 107AD when Ignatius, the Bishop of the Church in Antioch, used it in one of his letters to another church which indicates that by that time the original Christian Church was already well known as the Catholic Church in order to distinguish Christ's Church from heretical groups. Keep in mind that that same church in Antioch was where we were all first called Christians as recorded in Acts 11:26. (The Faith of the Early Fathers, William A. Jurgens, Collegeville, Minn.; Liturgical Press, 1970. p.25, #65)

Get The Facts: Make Your Own Decision

Other readings that might interest you:


1. 5 Myths about the 7 Books
2. Biblical Evidence for Catholicism

A Letter to Pasugo and the Iglesia ni Cristo's response

As a cult, we all know that the the Iglesia ni Cristo® hates anything Catholic. In its Pasugo publication Vol. 62, Issue No. 1, January 2010, something is so odd to see.

The title of this year’s first publication was: Brother Eraño G. Manalo IN MEMORIAM. Highlighted words/phrase and added numbers in each paragraph are mine for an easier reference.

Take note of the following:

The date: January 2010 Anno Domini (A.D.--Year of the Lord) – our present Calendar is called the GREGORIAN CALENDAR, named after Pope Gregory XIII which is used as the International Standard Calendar to measure a month and a year.

The words “IN MEMORIAM” are LATIN words which literally means “In Memory of” in English. Latin is the ancient language of Rome and the Roman Empire but it's now considered a dead language. Only the Catholic Church uses it in all official pronouncements of the Church.

But that’s not what I am mostly interested. I am interested on how an Iglesia ni Cristo Minister answer a question by a certain reader from India (if it was true). Let me copy verbatim the question and how the editor answered.

THE LETTER:

Not in the New Testament

1. I’ve been reading Bible commentaries and other related literature since last year. I find it odd that what many Christians know about Jesus Christ mostly come from the New Testament, when in fact Christ himself said that things were written about Him in the Law of Moses and the Prophets (Luke 24:44). Does your church take account of the Old Testament passages about Christ? Are there such passages saying that Jesus is tasked to establish a church – your church for that matter?

Salman Singh
Maharashtra, India

Let me assume that Mr. Salman Singh is a real person from India. If that's the case, Mr. Singh (by his name) should be a decent from the state of Punjab where Singh is a not just a family name but it has some religious resemblance (Sikhism). I would like to believe that this Mr. Singh is not a Christian and so the response of the Iglesia ni Cristo should be particularly sensitive to who Mr. Singh is. Anyway, let's read the Editor's response:

Editor’s reply:

2. The books that have become what is now known as the New Testament were written by contemporaries of our Lord Jesus Christ or those who lived to witness His mission on earth and its continuance to the time of the apostles. Hence, while we do acknowledge that there are also things written about Christ “in the Law of Moses and the Prophets,” or in the Old Testament, this does not in any way preclude the importance of the New Testament, especially in so far as the chronicling of Christ’s life and ministry is concerned.

3. Quite surely, the things written about Christ in the Old Testament are never contradictory to what is recorded in the New Testament. In fact, the New Testament gives testimonies to the prophecies written about Christ in the Old Testament as having been fulfilled in Him—and these include pronouncements presaging Christ’s establishment of the Church He would build and will save.

4. For instance, in Deuteronomy 18: 18-19, Moses recorded God’s prophecy, thus:

5. “I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command. He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuse to obey him.” (Deut. 18: 18-19, Today’s English Version)

6. This is pronouncement would later be interpreted in the New Testament as a prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, as given in Acts 3:20-23:

7. “And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD YOUR God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” (NKJV)

8. Note that one of the messages spoken by Christ concerns His Church and its significance for man’s salvation. In Matthew 16:18, He pronounced that He would build His Church so that the power of death shall not prevail against it. In John 10:9, He specifies that anyone who wants to be saved must enter “into the fold through [Him]” (John 10:9 , Revised English Bible). The fold He refers to is the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). Clearly, these teachings of Christ as chronicled in the gospels affirm that He is the Prophet being referred to in Deuteronomy, whose teaching people should hear, lest they be utterly destroyed or unsaved on the day of Judgement (1 Cor. 5:12-13; Rev. 21:8).

9. A prophecy recorded in the book of the prophet Isaiah also foretold about the election of Christ and the members of His Church. In Isaiah 60:1, God declared:

10. “Also your people shall all be righteous They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.” (NKJV)

11. Take note that God here prophesied about His “planting and the “branch of [His] planting” who would have the right and privilege to glorify Him and would be appointed to become His heirs. The New Testament informs us that Christ identified Himself as “God’s planting” by pronouncing, “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer” (John 15:1, The Message). He further clarified that “His branches” are the people who belong to Him:

12. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

13. “You did not choose Me,, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:5, 16, NKJV)

15. Christ being “the vine” and those who belong to Him being “the branches” were equated by Apostle Paul to Christ being “the head” and His Church being “the body”, thereby ascertaining that the people who belong to Christ—those mentioned in Isaiah 60:21 as “the branch of [God’s] planting”—are the members of the Church that Christ established:

16. “And He is the head of the body, the church…” (Col. 1:18, NKJV)

17. “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (Rom 12:4-5, NKJV)

18. What we have presented here are just a few of the many things written about Christ in the Old Testament that are attested to by pronouncements recorded in the New Testament, particularly those concerning His establishing of His Church—the true Church of Christ.

There is a lot of confusion in the part of Mr. Richard J. Rodas' as its Editor-In-Chief. Paragraph 8, quoted Mt. 16:18 which he wrote "the power of death" shall not prevail.

New American Bible: ".. the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it"

Douay-Rheims Bible: "..and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Jerusalem Bible: "...the gates of the underworld can never overpower it."

New King James Version: "...the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

New International Version: "... the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

In all five different versions of the Bible, they preclude that Christ's Church WILL not be overcome by the powers of death, hades, hell, netherworld. It is always in the future tense "WILL" because His Church would NEVER apostatized yesterday, today and forever for this is the promise of Christ to Simon Peter, the first Pope.

Now, let's compare paragraphs 7 to the rest of the paragraphs.

In Paragraph 7, the pronoun He refers to God who spoke to the prophets about Jesus Christ. Irrespective of its position in the sentence, the editor kept the pronoun He in big letter "H" and "e" in reference to God (not god).

Now, open your eyes and read the rest of the editor's response in the other paragraphs, the He (God) and He (Christ) has no distinction. God (He) and Jesus Christ (He) are given the same emphassis irrespective of its position in the sentence. And as a reader, I would interpret this according to Christian understanding of the Holy Trinity. And as a Catholic, those same emphasis given to He (for God) and He (for Christ) mean one and the same. That God and Jesus are One and that there is really ONE GOD-- in three divine person.

The confusion of PASUGO's Editor-In-Chief only highlights that of the truth in the Catholic Church that God and Jesus are ONE.

I hope Mr. Singh has opened his eyes and see the confusion of the Iglesia ni Cristo Minister as a guiding truth to his quest toward the right path to Jesus Christ, through His True One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church affirmed by the same PASUGO in its publication dated April l 1966, p. 46: "Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo. [The Catholic Church in the beginning was the true Church of Christ.]"

But wait. Have you notice something else? How many different versions of the Bible did they used Those highlighted in blue shows how they shifted from one translation to the other but never they quoted any Catholic version Bible.

Specifically, Iglesia ni Cristo loves the Lamsa Translation when they quote Acts 20:28.

Why?

It's because only in Lamsa Translation, Acts 20:28 was interpreted as "Church of Christ "instead of "Church of God" which originally written in Greek, "the church of God" (tan ekklasian tou Theou) not "the church of Christ" (tan ekklasian tou Christou)" [read more HERE and in YouTube]

Who is George Lamsa? Why the Iglesia ni Cristo loves his translation very much? Read LetUsReason. However, let's understand that George Lamsa belongs to the Nestorian church which his theological position on Christology was condemned by the Council of Chalsedon in 8 October to 1 November 451 A.D. Iglesia ni Cristo found an ally.

Thanks to Pasugo's Editor, it reveals the truth we all wanted. Praise God no one can hide the blinding light of truth in Jesus Christ and God.

To HIM, be the glory forever!