Keep Holy The Lord's Day (Sunday)

Polish president approves law to phase out Sunday shopping

Source: Catholic Herald

High street shops in Warsaw (Getty Images)

There will be a near total ban on shops opening on Sundays by 2020

Polish president Andrzej Duda has approved a law to phase out Sunday shopping by 2020.

The law was supported by trade unions and by the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), who piloted it through both houses of parliament. The unions see it as a protection of workers’ rights while PiS wants to allow people more time to spend with their families.

Sunday shopping is now restricted in Poland to the first and last Sunday of the month until the end of the year. Next year, it will only be permitted on the last Sunday of the month, until a near total ban comes into force in 2020.

Shops will still be able to open on Sundays before major holidays such as Christmas, and some bakeries and online stores will be exempt.

In a statement issued in November, the Polish bishops’ conference said the bill did not go far enough, and that everyone should be free from work on Sundays.

Other related news:
The NewYork Times

Washington Post

FROM SATANIC PRIEST TO ‘APOSTLE OF THE ROSARY'

By Addison Nugent, for OZY

ONE DAY, WHILE IN A PARANOID STUPOR, THE YOUNG MAN HEARD THE VOICE OF HIS DEAD FATHER CALL OUT: “RETURN TO GOD!”

Emaciated from fasting and cloaked in a black robe, Bartolo Longo entered the satanic church in Naples, Italy, determined to go to the dark side. The 23-year-old law student with the devilishly pointed beard walked skull-lined halls to the sacrificial altar, his eyes glittering. Much later, Longo would recount that night in 1864, when the walls of the church shook and the air filled with the unearthly shrieks of demons. After reciting occult dedications and swearing an oath, he was anointed with defiled sacred oils, whereupon he entered a trance. It was in this dream state that Longo pledged his soul to the assembly, abandoning the God of his upbringing for the Prince of Darkness.

The conversion story of an adolescent

Source: Catholic Start Herald

By Mary Beth Peabody , January 25, 2018

Michelle attended pre-K and kindergarten at Saint Peter School, Merchantville, and returned in fifth grade after several years in public school. She recently converted to Catholicism. “This was actually the best Christmas I ever had,” she said. “It had my baptism, my holy Communion and my mom’s birthday and Christmas … Jesus’ birthday.”

Photo by Mary Beth Peabody

“Our Special Christmas.” That was the subject text in the email I received from my uncle, Lou Keeler, on Christmas Day. Uncle Lou’s email described the great gift he and my Aunt Morrie received when they volunteered to be proxy sponsors for a sixth grade student who was converting to Catholicism, just two days before Christmas. He said her name was Michelle and she was a student at a local parochial school.

INC was Founded by Felix Manalo in 1914 says the Media

The INC was founded in 1914 by Felix Manalo, who the church claims was “the last messenger of God”.

"In the 2010 national census, 2.45 per cent of the population said they were members, making it the third largest religion in the Philippines after Roman Catholicism and Islam. It also has supporters around the world, particularly in overseas Filipino communities.

Source: Philippine Lifestyle

A typical example of an Iglesia Ni Christo church and, inset, Lowell Menorca

Rappler: Expelled INC member gets refugee status in Canada

Imagine if an ex-Catholic member would seek refuge in other countries because his life is in danger. And those who wants his life are the very same persons who call themselves "followers of the real church"? What a hypocrite. This is why Menorca's case is UNIQUE to the Iglesia Ni Cristo® - 1914. It no longer embodies the Christian moral precepts that is a prescription for being a follower of Christ! That's why the INC™ can't blame non-INC™ for calling them "cult"!  -CD2000 [Source: Rappler / You can read also at ABS-CBN]

Canadian authorities say Lowell Menorca II 'is a person in need of protection from a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment and a risk to his life' 

ARRESTED. Ex-Iglesia ni Cristo minister Lowell Menorca is secured by police officers after he was presented a warrant of arrest for libel on January 20, 2016. File photo by Lito Boras/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Citing threats to his life, Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) has granted refugee status to expelled Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member Lowell Menorca II. 

Rappler on Friday, January 26, obtained a redacted copy of the Canadian authorities' decision on Menorca's case. Canada's CBC News reported on the same decision on Thursday, January 25. 

POPE FRANCIS' APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO CHILE AND PERU

The ONLY VICTORIOUS CHURCH

TRANSLACION: Former INC™ Youth Converted to the Catholic Church

Why teenagers join the Nazareno procession

To keep traditions, realize dreams, and hope for miracles

TRADITION. Jerome Dalumpines (2nd from the left) goes through the crowd in Quiapo with his friends. Photo by Eloisa Lopez/Rappler

Rappler.com MANILA, Philippines – Every January 9, a multitude of devotees join the procession or Traslacion of the image of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo Church, walking barefoot for hours through the streets of what used to be called downtown Manila.

As millions push and shove with blind zeal during the often 24-hour long Traslacion, millions too are the reasons, prayers, and wishes in the hearts of these devotees.

Iglesia Ni Cristo® 1914, IPINAGDIRIWANG ang BAGONG TAON ng mga KATOLIKO!

Nakatutuwang isipin na maging ang mga sektang halos lahat ng bagay na Katoliko ay ITINATAKWIL, ay nagsasaya pala at nagdiriwang sa tuwing sumasapit ang bagong taon.

Sa katunayan, taon-taon gusto nilang SUNGKITIN ang Guinness World Record bilang pinakamalaki at pinakamagarbong fireworks display sa tuwing sumasapit ang BAGONG TAON.

Source: GMANetwork

Ang HINDI nila alam, ang kanilang ipinagdiriwang at sinasariwa ay isang PROMULGASYON ni  PAPA GREGORIO XIII (Pope Gregory XIII) ng IGLESIA KATOLIKA noong OKTUBRE 1582, tatlong daan at tatlumpu't dalawang taon (332 years) bago pa man SUMULPOT ang sektang TATAG ni FELIX MANALO, ang INC™.

Ayon sa Wikipedia, si Pope Gregory XIII raw ay ika-226 Papa ng tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo. At hindi lang 'yan, si Papa Gregory pala ay siyang dahilan ng PAGKAKAROON ng CIVIL CALENDAR na ginagamit ngayon sa buong mundo.  

Aleteia: Christians who have given their life for Christ in 2017

Aleteia provides an overview of some recent 21st-century martyrs.

The blood of martyrs continues to be the seed of new Christians at the beginning of 2018. This is the conclusion we can draw from reviewing the testimonies of men and women who, in various countries around the world, have shed their blood for their faith in Jesus.

Below, we offer a list of present-day witnesses to the Gospel who have been faithful to the very end.

The list is necessarily incomplete. If you know other cases of Christians of any denomination who have been killed for their faith in Christ, please mention their names in the comments below this article, offering sources that will allow us to document the circumstances of their death.

1. Pakistan: Brutally killed at 15 years of age because he was a Christian [Killed by Muslims]

Mushtaq Gill, a Christian lawyer handling the case, explains that Masih’s death is a terrible example of Christian persecution in that country: “Violence begins at the desks in the schools, because even primary school textbooks incite hate against non-Muslims.”

DID JESUS PRE-EXIST BEFORE HIS BIRTH ON EARTH? by Duane Cartujano

Source: Facebook

First, it is clear in John 17:5 what Jesus told the FATHER. Jesus said “I had in your presence before the world existed.” This proves Jesus already existed before the world existed. Logos was with the Father.

Second, we can read in 1 Peter 1:11 that the phrase, “the Spirit of Christ within them”. "inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory."(1 Peter 1:11)