John Paul the Great: A Pope Who Made History

Fatwa: "It Is Not Permissible ... to Drive Christians to Their Churches"

Source: WikiIslam, Translated from the original Arabic by Al Mutarjim.

In the wake of the Alexandria bombing, here comes this fatwa from the highly-popular Islamic website Islamweb.net ruling that Muslims are not allowed to drive Christians to church, as that is tantamount to "support[ing] them in their vain and perverted rites and religion." 

Question: A bus driver occasionally drives Christians to their churches to perform religious rites. He then goes to the mosque and performs his prayers. When they finish their rites, he drives them back home. Of course he doesn't always do this, but he does do it sometimes. At times he also drives Christian dance teams, who are performing some rites associated with Christian holidays. What is the ruling on all of this? Fatwa: Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the prophet of Allah, and on his family and companions, etc.

It is not permissible for this man to drive Christians to their churches, nor to drive those who dance on their holidays. For if the Christians are confessing their religion, it is not permissible to support them in their vain and perverted rites and religion. This is according to the saying of the Most High: "Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour" [Qur'an 5:2]. This is the general view, which is contrary to the view of the Hanafis, who hold that it is permissible to do such things for employment. [...]

Ruling on transporting Christians to their churches
Islamweb, Fatwa No. 147523, January 19, 2011

According to this Fatwa, a Muslim driver is not permitted to drive Christians to their churches, nor to any of their activities.  It is strictly forbidden for a Muslim to do that because our Christian religion and rites are "vain and perverted."

New Patriarch for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

New Primate for Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

Archbishop Schevchuk, 40, Succeeds Cardinal Husar

KIEV, Ukraine, MARCH 25, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI granted ecclesial communion to Archbishop Sviatoslav Schevchuk, 40, as the major archbishop of the Archeparchy of Kiev, Ukraine, and primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, meeting in Lviv, elected Archbishop Schevchuk on Wednesday as the successor of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, 78, who tendered his resignation for reasons of health in February.

As the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches establishes (Canon 153), the appointment requires the recognition of communion with the universal Church granted by the Pope.

Archbishop Schevchuk (Rome has not assigned the title of patriarchate to this Church) was the youngest bishop taking part in the synod and is the fourth youngest bishop of the Catholic Church.

He will be the pastor of a Church of five million faithful, the largest of the Catholic Eastern Churches. The Church was united to Rome after the Union of Brest (1596), and it was particularly persecuted for this reason during the Soviet period, when Stalin ordered its dissolution in 1948. The legal persecution and marginalization ended in 1989 when, after the fall of Communism, this Church again received juridical recognition.

Archbishop on secret visit to Bhutan’s Christians, first in 18 years

by mons. Thomas Menamparampil, sdb

Bhutan’s Christian community is growing, but authorities have forbidden all forms of proselytism, will not allow the building of churches and the public in celebration of masst. Msgr. Menamparampi, Archbishop of Guwahati (India), speaks to AsiaNews about the lives of the small Bhutanese Christian communities, many of which are never visited by a prelate. Comparing them with the first community of Acts of the Apostles, the Archbishop describes the zeal and courage of these faithful, largely Protestant, witnesses of Christ, despite government abuses and restrictions.

Timphu (AsiaNews) - Forced to pray in their homes, discriminated against in education and in public office and always closely monitored by authorities, the Christian community in Bhutan is growing. This has emerged from the recent visit of Msgr. Thomas Menamparampi, Archbishop of Guwahati (India). The prelate spoke to AsiaNews about his journey that began March 9 and ended in the last few days, where he encountered the situation of Catholics and Protestants from nine cities and villages in the country.

Msgr. Menamparampi managed to enter the small Himalayan kingdom as part of a training program for young Bhutanese, after nearly 20 years of continuous prohibitions by the authorities. His last visit to the Christian communities took place in 1993. To date, the authorities have not allowed the entry of missionaries. The country lies within the Diocese of Darjeeling (India), but the government prohibits all forms of proselytism, it has banned the construction of churches and the public in celebration of mass. To date, the only priest admitted in Bhutan is Fr. Kinley, SJ, who arranges with the permission of government training programs and education for young people, although in recent years some priests have been able to periodically officiate at private masses.

"True Democracy in Muslim Countries Only If Christians Are Equal Citizens," Says Assyrian Bishop

Photo Source: Assyrian Church News

AINA/AsiaNews - Würzburg -- "Aid to the Church in Need" organised a world conference titled "Welt Kirche in Würzburg", in Germany on 18-20 March 2011, on the situation of Christians in Muslim counties. Many bishops from Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq and Nigeria and elsewhere took part in the event. Mgr Louis Sako, archbishop of Kirkuk, was among them. He expressed serious concerns about how 'Jasmine Revolutions' were developing in many countries of North Africa and the Middle East.

The "sign of the Cross is a mark of the Beast" says an Iglesia ni Cristo member

"...the sign of the cross which is the mark of the beast" says an Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo member using a pseudonym Big_Brother!

Comments were posted from THIS and THIS POSTS:

Big_Brother said... Hey Catholic Defender you think you pagans dont have logos either.. of course its easy for you to assume such nonsence about our logo why dont you attend our bible study and you can learn more about it before you go on thinking you know what you are talking about...what incororation do we have.. look at you pagans your pagain faith controls all the buisnesses in the philippines we dont have any corparate buisness we are all self supporting but you all are like corrupt gangsters March 29, 2011 1:21 PM

Hello Big_Brother, thanks for the valuable comments you wrote at Iglesia ni Cristo® Affirms the Doctrine of the HOLY TRINITY post. I am so happy that you recognize the influence of the Catholic Church in the Philippines in improving its economy.  I would like to think that without the Catholic Church perhaps Filipinos may have been another Sudan or Ethopia whose main existence relies on foreign donations.

Eduardo Manalo, Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo Supports RH Bill if...

“We do not support the natural family planning method and all its variants… These methods are not only unnatural and ineffective but they also are immoral since they contradict the commandment that God has given to married couples…” -Eduardo V. Manalo, Executive Minister, grandson of Felix Manalo, founder of the "Iglesia ni Cristo" (1914).

Remember the Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo is an ANTI-CATHOLIC so we don't expect them to be on our side EVER. What does the CHURCH teachings on Artificial Contraceptives? Here are good articles that explains our Catholic opposition-- What does the Church Teach about Birth Control?, History on the Ban of Birth Control in the Catholic Church and the official Catechism of the Catholic Church #2370

Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo (INC) Executive Minister EDUARO V. MANALO issued an official statement of the Iglesia ni Cristo on RH Bill, received at the House of Representatives in October 14, 2010. The link is here at INC Supports RH Bill but below is the text: See how their highest authority's shifting moral stand against what was believed by early Christians almost 2,000 years before their Iglesia was founded by his "Lolo Felix".

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE MINISTER IGLESIA NI CRISTO 12 October 2010 HON. ROGELIO J. ESPINA, M.D. Chairman Committee on Population and Family Relations House of Representatives Republic of the Philippines Dear Congressman Espina, We would like to thank the Committee on Population and Family Relations for requesting our position concerning the Bills of Reproductive Health. We are all well aware of the dire situation of our country caused by overpopulation. Many of society’s worsening ills—from homeless families starving in miserable conditions and children not in school but instead begging day and night in nearly every major street to the rapidly spreading problems with drug abuse and rising crime rates—can be traced to families growing so large that an increasing number of parents cannot provide the most basic human needs to their families. We consider it commendable that our lawmakers care enough for our fellow Filipinos that they are doing what they can do to alleviate the hardships so many of our countrymen are facing. IN what they propose, they can bring about not only an economic good for our countrymen but also a moral one. We are ready to support the Bills on Reproductive Health as long as there would be no immoral elements in them. What are the moral aspects of the proposed bills that we support? We believe that it is moral imperative for parents to watch over all their children and provide them with food, shelter, and clothing, as well as proper education and religious and moral training. Hence, parents todayhave (sic) a moral obligation to plan the number of their children and keep it under control. The Bible states that a parent who does not provide for the needs of his own household is worse than an unbeliever (I Tim. 5:8). Since modern methods of contraception—by preventing married couples from having any unplanned pregnancies—assist in supporting this Christian principle, we support their use as long as these methods are empirically not abortifacient. Abortion and the use of abortifacients involve the taking of life, which God explicitly forbids (Exod. 20:13). We do not support the natural family planning method and all its variants. These so-called birth control methods depend upon abstinence on the part of the married couple when the woman is fertile but allows marital relations only when she is not. These methods are not only unnatural and ineffective but they also are immoral, since they contradict the commandment that God has given to married couples. The Bible instructs married couples not to deprive one another of intimate marital relations for long, extended periods of time; further, any abstinence at all for a married couple is supposed to be with the mutual consent of husband and wife and not for the purpose of preventing pregnancies (I Cor. 7:3-5). We appreciate the Committee’s gesture of soliciting our stand on this timely yet controversial issue. Very truly yours, (sgd) EDUARDO V. MANALO Executive Minister

Armless Pilot Gives Pope Her Guinness World Record Medal

Proud Iglesia ni Cristo marumi raw ang dugo ni Cristo!

Comments extracted from Pagkain ng dugo, bawal ba? Anonymous said... oh,,, kawawa naman Po kAyo.. ako po ay isang INC and PROUD TO BE INC... Bawal kami Kumain ng dUgo dahil marumi ito. Bukod pa dito ito ang ginamit ni Hesus Upang tuBusin tayo tapoz kakainin neo lang... Gosh... March 27, 2011 2:37 PM

Pope offers prayers for crisis in Libya

VATICAN CITY (CNS— Pope Benedict XVI said the “worrying news from Libya” in the past few days caused him “deep trepidation and fear,” and he kept the North African country’s people in his prayers during his Lenten retreat March 13-19.

As U.S., British and French military launched strikes against Libya’s air defenses yesterday and again this morning in a U.N.-approved effort to protect pro-democracy protesters from retaliation by Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the pope said he was following the events with great concern and praying for those involved in “the dramatic situation.”

Speaking to pilgrims gathered today in St. Peter’s Square for the Sunday recitation of the Angelus, the pope said, “I address a pressing appeal to those who have political and military responsibilities” so they would take steps to ensure the safety of defenseless citizens and provide emergency assistance to those in need.

He also prayed that “peace and concord would soon reign over Libya and the entire north African region.”

Dear Doomed Christians

Photo Source: this site

BY MATTHEW ARCHBOLD from National Catholic Register

Rome

Circa 66 AD

Dear Christian Recruit,

Thank you so much for your interest in joining the Church. Your letter was forwarded to me by the former head of the evangelization and recruiting department. Unfortunately, he met a similarly grisly fate as his predecessor. They were both beheaded and stoned (though not in that order ;)

You asked about the benefits of being a Christian; well things have been a bit dodgy for this young Church. I’m sure that in the future things will get a lot better for Christians throughout the world but for now…

Part 2: Iglesia ni Cristo member quoting anti-Catholic websites to advance his cult

February 5, 2010 from readmeinc(dot)blogspot(dot)com, INC MEMBER. A catholic defender that contradicts himself On a catholic defender blog, he tackles my post about the Rosary. He said that I am quoting articles from other faith that contradicts my belief. It is a childish thing to think that because I quote an article from other faith, means that I am supporting also their whole beliefs. RIGHT? 1 is not equals to 100, remember that Mr. Catholicdefender2000! In his post entitled “An Iglesia Ni Cristo member quoting anti-catholic articles which believes Christ is God ”  He said these:

Happy Annunciation Feast. Let's RALLY for Life at the Luneta!

Filipinos! Unite Under God for Life!” 
Luneta Grandstand
March 25, 2011
The Feast of the Annunciation
Day of The Unborn

PROGRAM: Emcees (Fr. Erick Santos, Fr. Joel Jason, Ms. Gaines Rosario)

3:00 – 4:00 - Arrival and Animation -Emcees
- 70’s Beats and Pieces band -c/o Eric Manalang
- El Shaddai Choir

4:00 – 4:15 - Recitation of the Holy Rosary -youth group

4:15 – 4:45 - Stations of the Cross for Life -c/o Fr. Genie Diwa

4:45 – 5:00 - Inter-faith prayer and Declaration of Opposition
-c/o Fr. Caloy Reyes

5:00 – 6:00 - Testimonies/Declaration of Opposition
Ms. Mae Belgica
Cong. Aliah Dimaporo

- Testimonies/Declaration of Opposition
Cong. Lucy Torres-Gomez
Bro. Bo Sanchez
Video Message from Cong. Manny Pacquiao

6:00 - Recitation of Angelus/Prayer for the Unborn
-led by Sr. Pilar

6:05 – 6:20 - Animation and Inspirations Songs
-El Shaddai Chorale

6:20 – 7:00 - “Interrogation” and “I Stand” chant
-CFC Singles for Christ

- Tearing of RH bill by different sectors of society
- Youth (EJ Aguila)
- Politician (Mayor Lito Atienza)
- Religious (Sr. Pilar Verzosa, RGS)
- Medical (Dr. Angie Aguirre)
- Journalist (Atty. Jose Sison)
- Muslim Faith Sector (none yet)
- Family
- Religious (Archbishop Paciano Aniceto
(suggestion)

- Live Pure presentation - CFC-FFL

- “Masterpiece” song and dance - CFC-FFL

7:00 – 8:30 - Holy Mass presided by His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales with Cardinal Ricardo Vidal and Cardinal Jose Sanchez, and the Bishops and the Priests

Prayers of the Faithful:
• Doctors – Dr. Oscar D. Tinio
President, Philippine Medical Association
• Catholic Physicians Guild
– Joe Yamamoto / Oca Tagulinao
• Lawyers – Justice Santiago Kapunan
President, Integrated Bar of the Phil.
• Teachers – Dr. Jojo Escalano
Principal, JP Laurel High School, Quezon City
• Filipino Families – Francis & Debbie Rodrigo & Family
• Politicians – Hon. Michael Velarde
Representative, Buhay Party List

After Post Communion Prayer

Commemoration of March 25 1984 Consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by Pope John Paul II

Consecration of the Family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
• Fr. Yulito Ignacio

Special Address by Bro. Mike Velarde of El Shaddai

9:00 - Fireworks Display and Singing of Happy Birthday to celebrate LIFE

Marcus Grodi, former Protestant Minister's Conversion Story

What Is Truth?

by Marcus C. Grodi

I am a former Protestant minister. Like so many others who have trodden the path that leads to Rome by way of that country known as Protestantism, I never imagined I would one day convert to Catholicism.

By temperament and training I’m more of a pastor than a scholar, so the story of my conversion to the Catholic Church may lack the technical details in which theologians traffic and in which some readers delight. But I hope I will accurately explain why I did what I did, and why I believe with all my heart that all Protestants should do likewise.

I won’t dwell on the details of my early years, except to say that I was raised by two loving parents in a nominally Protestant home, and I went through most of the experiences that make up the childhood and adolescence of the typical American baby-boomer. I was taught to love Jesus and go to church on Sunday. I also managed to blunder into most of the dumb mistakes that other kids in my generation made. But after a season of teenage rebellion, when I was twenty years old, I experienced a radical re-conversion to Jesus Christ. I turned away from the lures of the world and became serious about prayer and Bible study.

Archbishop Warns Of ‘Near-Genocide’ Of Iraqi Christians

Photo Source: Weasel Zippers

Source: EWTN News - Speaking in Ireland, a Chaldean Catholic bishop who ministers in northern Iraq offered an overview of the persecution of Christians there and lamented the “the human rights abuses and near-genocide conditions Iraqi Christians experience.”

“What Iraqis are left with is a weak constitution that tries to please two masters: on the one hand the premise of human rights supposedly for all its citizens, yet on the other hand, Islamic law for its majority of Muslims.” said Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil. “Islamists are not the only ones at fault. Secularists with an eye for profit are also responsible. Neighboring governments in the region feeding the insurgents with money and weapons to destabilize the government are also responsible.”

“The rest of world’s governments have turned their backs on us, as if the human rights abuses and near-genocide conditions Iraqi Christians experience, are temporary,” he added.

Iglesia ni Cristo Defender caught lying again and deceiving many

I wonder what wisdom these Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo have by thinking that the "churches of Christ" (which they DELIBERATELY changed to Proper Noun "Iglesia ni Cristo") mentioned in Romans 16:16 WAS THEM? What kind of brains do they have that a 1914 cult was MENTIONED in the Bible which was written almost 2000 years before Felix Manalo founded their cult?  Pure hallucination? Or a pure DECEPTION?! Read below an INC Defender line of defense. Source: readmeinc.blogspot.com (The BLUE ones are my reply)

July 30, 2009 The name of the "CHURCH" that was established by Christ Oh, I didn't realized that the official name of the Catholic Church was in Spanish-tagalog accent (lol) "Iglesia (small letter) katolika apostolika romana".  I wish to see where you get all those information.   There are many religions that claims that the name of their church was the true church established by Jesus Christ or god or whatsoever. (The Catholic Church never claimed to be the "True" Church because in FACT, it IS the TRUE CHURCH established by Christ says facts of HISTORY.  Early Christians stand as witness to this fact. Those who claim so were the fake ones who just came later in the 20th Century. You Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo is included! Well, lets find it out what is really the name of the church that is founded by Jesus Christ by looking up to the bible. First, what did Jesus said to his church? Wow this is exciting. I just want to know what Jesus Christ said about his Church.  Thanks for opening up this topic Mr. Readme Iglesia ni Cristo Manalo Defender.

Iglesia Ni Cristo Medical and Dental Outreach is just a Hypocrisy says a blogger

Source: Pinoy Courier

Manila, Philippines - If there if is one thing that Iglesia Ni Cristo is doing its best, its hypocrisy. Doing 'Public Service' on the 86th birth anniversary of Brother Eraño Manalo leaves a bad taste to me. Helping out people in Maharlika Village, Taguig City. Robin hood? 46 new ministers ordained in the local congregation of Tondo means nothing since the membership of INC is decreasing for the past years. The political nature of the Iglesia Ni Cristo cult has already showed its effect to the Filipino people. The event of ordination was shown on different locales of Iglesia Ni Cristo. One of the ministers who were ordained was Brother Angelo Eraño Manalo, son of the current Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. It is expected that Brother Angelo Eraño Manalo will take over in the event that Eduardo Manalo will suddenly die just like Eraño Manalo. It is a religious Dynasty of the Manalo family inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo cult. Felix Manalo > Eraño Manalo > Eduardo Manalo. It appears that Angelo Eraño Manalo is now preparing his way to take over the family tradition.

Iglesia ni Cristo Symbol, nasa Biblia ba ang kahulugan ng kanilang bandila?

Source: Wikipedia

Unang tingin, akala mo ay bandila ng bansang Italy.  Pero may iba pang kahulugan ang simbulong ito.

Napansin niyo na ba ang mga kulay na ito na nakikitang NAKADIKIT sa likod ng mga kotse, truck, tricycle, bikes, bag ng mga estudyante, IDs, billboards, restaurants, parlors, business establishments, stores atb?

Marahil ay OO pero pinagsawalang kibo na lamang. Ngayon bigyan niyo ng pansin ito!

Lingid sa inyong kaalaman, ITO ang SIMBULO ng "Bagong Pananampalataya" PILIT isinasaksak sa DIWA ng  mga kaanib ng Iglesia ni Cristong tatag ni Felix Manalo noong 1914. 

Lagi pong MINUMUNGKAHI ng mga kaanib ng IGLESIA ni MANALO na dapat daw MAGSIYASAT ang bawat isa upang "MASUMPUNGAN" daw ang katotohanan sa kanilang iglesia.  At DAPAT daw na ang bawat pagsisiyasat ay naaayon o GALING sa BIBLIA.

Mainam hindi ho ba?

At dahil tayo'y pinapaalalahanang MAGSIYASAT sa KATOTOHANAN, hindi niyo ba naitanong sa inyong mga sarili kung ano nga ba talaga ang KAHULUGAN o MEANING ng mga kulay na GINAGAMIT nila  bilang bagong SIMBULO ng IGLESIA raw na TUNAY?!

Who STARTED your "Church"?

A Catholic  Church Wallpaper

The Catholic Church -33 AD. Founded by God in the person of Jesus Christ. Our Lord named Peter the future leader of His Church, when He said to him "Thou art Peter (Rock), and upon this rock I will build MY Church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.." (Matthew 16:19).

The Lutheran church –1517 AD. Founded by a man, Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Roman Catholic Church, who violated his sacred vows of both obedience and celibacy. Luther created a brand new protestant bible by throwing out 7 books of the bible he personally didn't agree with, and added the word "alone" after the word "faith", in Romans 3:28, in order to make the verse agree with his view of what it should have said (faith alone). This alteration of sacred scripture directly contradicts James 2:24. Luther also called the Catholic Church "the whore of Babylon", and he said that the Pope was the antichrist (someone who denies that Jesus is God).

Pope John Paul II Memoires (1998)

If Muslims ask for Europe’s "empty" churches...

by Samir Khalil Samir

In France, an Islamic organization has asked the French Church for the opportunity to pray in unused churches. And what if Christians in Egypt and Algeria request the use of mosques on Sundays? In order to avoid increasing conflicts in Europe, Islam needs to become mentally and culturally Western.

Muslims praying occupying the streets of London and Paris
Source: 4freedom

Rome (AsiaNews) - A Muslim group has asked to use the empty churches in France for Muslims to pray in, solving (at the expense of Christians) the traffic problems caused by Muslims who pray in the streets. Fr. Khalial Samir Samir, an expert scholar of Islam, reflects on the embarrassing proposal, calling for Islam in Europe to become more "European" and less "Arab".

In a press release published Friday, March 11, 2011, the "Banlieuses Respect " Collective asked authorities in charge of organization of the Church of France, to place at Muslims’ disposal "empty churches for Friday prayers". Hassan M. Ben Barek, a spokesman for the Collective, said the measure would "prevent Muslims from having to pray on the streets" and being "politicians’ hostages”.

Japanese Church helping tsunami and nuclear crisis victims

Parishes in the Tokyo archdiocese are collecting blankets and other first aid items for seaquake-hit prefectures. In Ibaraki, a collection centre helps people displaced from the area around the Fukushima nuclear power plant. In Sendai, some roads are reopened, giving rescue teams access to hitherto isolated areas. (This is what the TRUE CATHOLIC CHURCH of CHRIST did for the last 2,000 years. -CD2000)

Tokyo (AsiaNews) – The Church continues to work hard to help the victims of Japan’s tsunami and nuclear crisis. Guadalupe missionary Fr David Uribe told AsiaNews that in many parishes in the Tokyo archdiocese, the faithful have organised special collections of first aid items, especially blankets, destined for the prefectures affected by the seaquake, where the number of dead now stands at around 18,000.

On Saturday, the diocese of Saitama (Ibaraki), which borders with Fukushima Prefecture, set up a special centre in the city of Mito to help the thousands of people displaced by radioactive nuclear leaks.

Vatican welcomes European court decision on crucifixes

A crucifix hangs in a school classroom in Rome (CNS photo/Reuters)

Source: Catholic Herald UK - A Vatican official has welcomed a European Court of Human Rights ruling on the display of crucifixes in Italian classrooms.

Crucifixes displayed publicly in Italy, including in classrooms, are a sign of Christianity’s key contribution to European culture and civilisation, said Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Christianity is a “founding element” of western civilisation and “even if someone does not want to recognise it, it is an objective fact that the Christian presence is absolutely relevant, decisive”, the cardinal told reporters today.

Cardinal Ravasi spoke just a few hours before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Italy in a case where a mother claimed crucifixes in Italian public-school classrooms violated her children’s freedom of conscience.

"Iglesia ni Cristo lobbying for Guitierrez" - Tupaz

By Cynthia Balana

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupaz Jr. (Photo Source: PolWatch)

MANILA, Philippines—A high-ranking official of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has been calling members of the House of Representatives, urging them to kill the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chair of the House committee on justice, said in making the disclosure: “Gumagapang na (They are furtively maneuvering already).”

“Members from both the Liberal Party and parties that are non-LP, and even some members of the justice committee, reported having received calls from this official from Iglesia,” Tupas said, without naming the official.

The Inquirer attempted to get a response from INC officials but they declined to comment.

Arab Christians: The Forgotten Faithful - National Geographic

Followers of Jesus for nearly 2,000 years, native Christians today are disappearing from the land where their faith was born.

By Don Belt - National Geographic

Photograph by Ed Kashi

Easter in Jerusalem is not for the faint of heart. The Old City, livid and chaotic in the calmest of times, seems to come completely unhinged in the days leading up to the holiday. By the tens of thousands, Christians from all over the world pour in like a conquering horde, surging down the Via Dolorosa's narrow streets and ancient alleyways, seeking communion in the cold stones or some glimmer, perhaps, of the agonies Jesus endured in his final hours. Every face on Earth seems to float through the streets during Easter, every possible combination of eye and hair and skin color, every costume and style of dress, from blue-black African Christians in eye-popping dashikis to pale Finnish Christians dressed as Jesus with a bloody crown of thorns to American Christians in sneakers and "I [heart] Israel" caps, clearly stoked for the battle of Armageddon.

Pope makes former Anglican bishops monsignori

The three former Anglican bishops at their ordination
to the priesthood in January (Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk

Catholic Herald UK The Pope has honoured three former Anglican bishops, the first members of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, with the title of monsignor.

Fr Keith Newton, the leader of the Ordinariate who has most of the functions of a bishop, and Fr John Broadhurst, the former Bishop of Fulham, have been granted the papal award of Apostolic Pronotary, the highest ecclesial title for non-bishops. Fr Andrew Burnham, the former Bishop of Ebbsfleet, has been granted the papal award of Prelate of Honour, and is therefore also a monsignor.

Catholic Mother Returned to Family after Refusing to Convert to Islam

Captors tried to force mother of seven to convert to Islam. Thanks to Dar Al-Masih for the link

Shaheen Bibi and her father Manna Masih.

LAHORE, Pakistan, March 11 (CDN) — A Christian mother of seven here who last August was kidnapped, raped, sold into marriage and threatened with death if she did not convert to Islam was freed this week.

After she refused to convert and accept the marriage, human traffickers had threatened to kill Shaheen Bibi, 40, and throw her body into the Sindh River if her father, Manna Masih, did not pay a ransom of 100,000 rupees (US$1,170) by Saturday (March 5), the released woman told Compass.

Drugged into unconsciousness, Shaheen Bibi said that when she awoke in Sadiqabad, her captors told her she had been sold and given in marriage.

“I asked them who they were,” she said. “They said that they were Muslims, to which I told them that I was a married Christian woman with seven children, so it was impossible for me to marry someone, especially a Muslim.”

Giving her a prayer rug (musalla), her captors – Ahmed Baksh, Muhammad Amin and Jaam Ijaz – tried to force her to convert to Islam and told her to recite a Muslim prayer, she said.

“I took the musalla but prayed to Jesus Christ for help,” she said. “They realized that I should be returned to my family.”

Vatican announces Facebook, YouTube pages for John Paul II

By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor

Pope John Paul II, famous for his power to communicate the Roman Catholic Church’s message around the world, is getting another chance to do so, with the Vatican launching pages dedicated to him on Facebook and YouTube.

The Holy See launched the social networking pages Tuesday, in advance of the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1, the last step before sainthood.

"The aim is to diversify the instruments so as to give this initiative as great an exposure and as wide a coverage as possible,” the Vatican press office said in a statement.

The new Facebook and YouTube pages feature video clips from John Paul’s nearly 27-year pontificate and are being maintained by Vatican Radio and of the Vatican Television Centre.

The Vatican announced in January that John Paul II, who died in 2005, would be beatified later this year.

Does the Catholic Church have an official stance on speaking in tongues?

Praying in Tongues? or Speaking in Tongues? Which is allowed? -CD2000

Photo Source: SalveMariaRegina

Fr. Joe Answers:

Question: Some of my Pentecostal friends believe that speaking in tongues is a sign that you are “saved.” Does the Catholic Church have an official stance on speaking in tongues?

I don’t believe that the Catholic Church has an official stance on speaking in tongues. In recent years its approach to this phenomenon seems to have been one of cautious acceptance, with an emphasis on the “cautious.”

Speaking in tongues (also known as “glossolalia,” from the Greek word “glossa” meaning tongue or language) has been part of Catholic experience at two periods of our history.

100% Katolikong Pinoy a big leap!

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Caritas Japan working to rebuild lives of disaster victims

Donate generously at Caritas Japan

Sendai, Japan, (CNA/EWTN News).- The Catholic relief agency Caritas Japan has begun working to help untold numbers of people rebuild their lives, amid the devastation and continuing effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Nearly 2,000 people have already been confirmed dead as of March 14, victims of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and resulting 30 foot waves. Authorities are expecting the death toll to rise beyond 10,000.

The disaster also destabilized several nuclear power plants, one of which may have undergone a partial meltdown.

Caritas Japan is conducting a national donation campaign to provide aid to victims, particularly in the hardest-hit dioceses of Sapporo, Sendai, Saitama and Tokyo. Relief workers are still trying to establish contact with many areas where residents are lacking electricity, water, and sufficient food.

One in five future Catholics in England and Wales headed for ordinariate

People participate in the Rite of Election
in the Westminster cathedral. Credit: Mazur

London, England,(CNA).- About 900 prospective members of the new ordinariate, including 61 former Anglican clergy, prepared for their reception into the Catholic Church in England and Wales over the weekend.

They were among the more than 4,700 others who gathered for the Rite of Election in cathedrals across England and Wales over the weekend of March 12-13 to prepare to be received into the Church during Holy Week.

“I am greatly encouraged that these people will be received into the Catholic Church at Easter as members of the ordinariate,” said Fr. Keith Newton, the ordinary heading Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. “During the next few weeks they will continue their prayerful preparation for this significant step.”

Maronite Catholics in Lebanon receive new patriarch

Patriarch Bechara Rai. Credit: Bkerke.org

Bkerke, Lebanon, (CNA).- Lebanon's Maronite Catholic Church has elected Bishop Bechara Rai, a 71-year-old monk, as its new patriarch.

“We carry Lebanon in our prayers, to regain its role in these difficult days that the east is living in,” announced the new patriarch after his election, referring to widespread instability throughout the Middle East.

“We pray for Lebanon especially to get out of its crisis,” he said, expressing hope that the country would soon manage to form a new government.

The former Bishop of Jbeil has become the Maronites' 77th leader, with the official title of “Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Maronites.” His successor, Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, retired on Feb. 26 at age 90.

600,000 Rosaries en route to Madrid Spain

The Divinity of Christ by Dr. Peter Kreeft

Only few "quasi-Christians" deny the Divinity of Christ. Among them are the remnants of the schismatic groups of Arianism and Nestorian.  Iglesia ni Cristo, a revival of that schismatic teachings, founded by Felix Manalo in the Philippines in 1914 is one of the fiercest anti-Catholic, anti-Christ cult originated in the Philippines having many branches outside where big concentration of Filipino migrant workers are found except in the Jungles of the Amazon and the African continent. Here is another intelligent refutation against these cults. Let's be united in defending JESUS CHRIST and his Church-- the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ. -CD2000

The Divinity of Christ
by Dr. Peter Kreeft

The doctrine of Christ's divinity is the central Christian doctrine, for it is like a skeleton key that opens all the others. Christians have not independently reasoned out and tested each of the teachings of Christ received via Bible and Church, but believe them all on his authority. For if Christ is divine, He can be trusted to be infallible in everything He said, even hard things like exalting suffering and poverty, forbidding divorce, giving his Church the authority to teach and forgive sins in his name, warning about hell (very often and very seriously), instituting the scandalous sacrament of eating his flesh—we often forget how many "hard sayings" he taught!

Basic teachings of the Iglesia Ni Cristo® (Church of Christ) 1914 registered by Felix Ysagun Manalo

Iglesia ni Cristo of FYManalo 1914  (translated to German)

A little background about the "Basic Teachings" of the Iglesia ni Cristo (formerly called Iglesia ni Kristo-INK) of Manalo, we should consider the following OFFICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS published in their Official Magazine about their teachings/doctrines that:

• They officially recognized the fact that the Iglesia ni Kristo or Iglesia ni Cristo was registered in July 27, 1914. And according to the registration, it was their Brother F. Manalo who founded the Iglesia ni Kristo or Iglesia ni Cristo (PASUGO August-September 1964, p. 5)
• They officially recognize the fact that if Felix Manalo founded their Iglesia ni Kristo or Iglesia ni Cristo, hee (F. Manalo) should be the legitimate owner of what he built and that ALL TEACHINGS imposed/implemented should come from him alone! (PASUGO May 1952, p. 4)
• They officially recognize the fact that there there is ONLY ONE who is RIGHTFULLY to build the Church, no other than JESUS CHRIST himself ALONE! Any human being, whether wise or fool has NO RIGHT whatsoever in building any church belonging to Christ! (PASUGO November 1940, p. 23) 
• They officially recognize the fact that there is ONLY ONE TRUE CHURCH Christ Jesus founded.  IF there are churches sprouting in these last days claiming to be "INK" (Iglesia ni Kristo), they are not genuine but FAKES. (PASUGO May 1968, p7)
• They officially recognize the fact that the TRUE CHURCH from God should have teaching from God; and those FAKE churches have teachings from fallible men. [John 7:1618] (PASUGO November 1960, p.26)
• They officially recognized the fact that FELIX MANALO, their founder was responsible in FORMULATING all their teachings -- in worship, doctrines or propaganda. Every letter in their teachings and doctrines were all coming by Felix Manalo, a fallible man! (PASUGO May 1961, p. 4)
• They officially recognize the fact that, as a fulfillment of what they believed to be prophesied in the Bible, ALL TEACHINGS being preached by the Ministers of the Iglesia ni Kristo or Iglesia ni Cristo, in worship, doctrines, in public preachings-- were ALL coming from FELIX MANALO, a fallible man,  who edited their teachings and taught them to his Ministers. (PASUGO May 1963, p.27)

That background will help you understand their 'Basic Teachings'.  Now you can proceed... 

Pagkain ng dugo, bawal ba?

Dinuguan, isang paboritong pagkain ng mga Pilipino gawa sa laman at dugo ng baboy.

MALAKING USAPIN sa mga kaanib ng Iglesia ni Cristo kay Manalo ang PAGKAIN ng DINUGUAN. Para sa kanila, mas karumal-dumal ang PAGKAIN ng DUGO kaysa ang pagpatay ng buhay. Sa kanilang "Basic Teachings" hindi nabanggit doon na karumaldumal ang pagpatay sa kapwa kundi ang PAGKAIN ng DUGO.

Hindi ko rin maiwasang punahin ang mga nagpakilalang blogs ng mga kaanib ng INC. Ito ay ang RESBAK, READMEINC, JOKEONLEE, AEROPHENOS etc.

Paghihiganti, panlilinlang, pagbibiro, pangungutsa ang kanilang mga napiling mga alyas pero hindi ko alam ang ibig sabihin ng Aerophenos. Ganyan po ang pagpapakilala ng mga kaanib ng Iglesia ni Cristo. 

Marahil, ginawa nila iyon sapagkat pinagbabawal po ng Central ng INC sa kanlang mga kaanib na MAG-BLOG o SUMALI sa mga FORUMS, ayon kay README, blogger na kaanib ng INC. Ngunit sadyang matigas ang ulo at walang pagtalima ang mga kaanib nito dahil hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa rin silang nagba-blog sa kabila ng pagbabawal ng kanilang pamunuan sa Central. Kaya't huwag po kayong magtaka kung bakit kailangan nilang GUMAMIT ng "ALYAS".  Marahil ay upang mailihis nila ang Central sa kanilang tunay na pagkakakilanlan.  

Mahusay din ang pagko-control ng kanilang Central sa kanilang mga kaanib.  Mantakin mong marami sa mga bloggers na nagpakilalang mga kaanib ng INC ay mga bastos, mandaraya, sinungaling, mga nagnakakaw ng pangalan ng may pangalan at mga walang modo.  Tulad na lamang ng may ari ng RESBAK.com, ang pagiging pamemersonal niya ay hindi na nakakatulong sa pag-angat sa katauhan ng Iglesia ni Cristo. What he is doing is considered a misrepresentation of the Iglesia ni Cristo dahil sa kanyang mga sala-salang opinyon.

Ang latest na blogger na nagpakilalang kaanib ng INC ay si JOKINGONLEE na hindi dapat seryosohin (joke nga lang eh), ang pagkain daw ng DUGO ay "PANGHABANG-BUHAY" na ipinagbabawal.

Totoo kaya?