Kersi of Mumbai Converted to Catholicism

Saints truly intercede for us. Another Catholic convert prompted by the holiness of St. Padre Pio. Kersi Francisco Pio Mistry is a devout good Zoroastrian until he met the future saint which changed his life to Christ.

Article Source: Catholic Online through AsiaNews:
MUMBAI, India – “Thanks to God’s inexplicable mercy I was given the privilege of becoming a good friend of Padre Pio,” said Kersi Francisco Pio Mistry, 71.

Born in a Parsee family, all devout Zoroastrians, Kersi was well taught the sacred text of the Avesta by his mother.

His paternal home, in central Mumbai, stood next to the main temple of the religion of Ahura Mazda. For years, he regularly visited the place, reciting the three daily prayers, bringing himself to the site at dusk to pray silently to God. He would have never thought that one day his prayers would find an answer after a long journey by plane from Mumbai to San Giovanni Rotondo, in Italy

“I heard Padre Pio mentioned for the first time in 1963,” Kersi said. “My German teacher had visited Italy and had come back with a book about him. I had studied in Catholic schools and colleges, but knew nothing about the Christian faith, except for the crucifixes hanging from classroom walls. I also knew that he had died on the cross.”

When the teacher gave him the book about the friar from Pietralcina, Kersi was 25-year-old. When he read it, he was moved. “I could not believe that in our modern world there could be someone like him,” he said. In the meantime, his mother, to whom he was very close, passed away.

Finding Padre Pio, his family situation and the desire to find answers to questions that he directed at God every day in the Mumbai temple led him to leave.

Kersi arrived in Italy in December 1963 and with a group of American friends came to Rome. Later he left for San Giovanni Rotondo.

“I had taken some souvenirs to bring back to India, including a hand-carved 15 centimetres long crucifix. I thought of giving it to Padre Pio,” he said.

When he got to San Giovanni Rotondo, a worn-out Padre Pio would still meet pilgrims every morning walking with the help of two friars.

Kersi got close to him and showed him the crucifix. Padre Pio did not realise that it was gift and was led away leaving the young man with his gift in hand.

Later that morning, a group of friends was able to get a private audience in the monastery with Padre Pio. “At that point, my stubbornness prevailed,” he said. “I pulled out the crucifix and gave it to Padre Pio, asking my friend Jack to tell him about my mother and explain that it was a gift. Padre Pio again looked at me straight in the eyes and smiled a beautiful smile, filled with love, like he was saying, ‘You little rascal!’”

When Kersi returned to San Giovanni Rotondo in 1978 to visit Padre Pio’s tomb, exceptionally he was allowed to visit the cell of the future saint and to his great surprise found that the friar had placed his crucifix on his bed.

Today Kersi calls Padre Pio his ‘Star of Bethlehem’. The three Magi followed the comet to reach Bethlehem; he followed the capuchin friar who became a saint to reach Jesus. Lest we forget, according to Christian tradition, all three Magi were (Persian) Zoroastrians.

“The meeting with Padre Pio (in 1963) made me want to dedicate my life to the service of God,” Kersi said. His path to conversion was troubled though. He asked a priest at Mumbai’s Cathedral of the Holy Name to help him on one condition: “That you do not try to push me towards conversion.”

Six days a week, Kersi went to see the priest to learn about the Christian faith, “but there was one point that I could not believe, namely that God had become man. I understood it in my head but not in my heart.”

Long months of inner battles followed, “but I felt that my search was sincere and one day I felt deep down in my heart that Jesus was the ultimate truth and that the change in my heart had nothing dramatic about it.”

Kersi decided to be baptised on 3 October 1964, then the feast day of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and he wanted Padre Pio to perform the rite because he wanted to tell him about his mother. However, when he arrived in Italy, the friar was too sick.

Thus on 4 October, in a chapel dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi in Rome, the young Indian man from Mumbai became Kersi Francesco Pio Mistry.

In honour of his “good friend” he adopted the names the saint received when he was baptised (Francesco) and took when he undertook his profession of faith (Pio).

For Those Who Hate the Catholic Church

There's a sincere request from the owner of this beautiful and very informative Catholic apologetical site called "Fish Eaters which requests all who hate the Catholic Church to consider answering some of his questions with all honesty (or click the Index of "Fish Easters").

Ask yourself: why do I hate the Catholic Church? Who taught me what I think I know about the Catholic Church? Is what I was taught true? Have I looked at what the Catholic Church has to say about itself, using official resources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and papal encyclicals? Could my opinion of the Catholic Church possibly be based on bias, bigotry, bad history, propaganda from the secular media, or the bad priests who get publicity (i.e., the sick, and sickening, ephebophile priests or those certain heretical modernist priests the secular media love to give press to)? Is it fair to judge doctrine by such things? Is any group with human beings in it free from sin and scandal? If I am wrong about the Catholic Church, what does that mean?

Here are some common myths about the Catholic Church:

Wrong: Because Catholics reject the tradition of "sola fide" ("faith alone"), they think they can work their way into Heaven and believe they are saved by works
Wrong: Catholics think the pope does not sin
Wrong: Catholics re-crucify Christ at their Masses (or at least think they do)
Wrong: Catholics think Mary is part of the Godhead and is to be worshipped
Wrong: Catholics worship statues
Wrong: Catholics think they can't pray to God directly but have to go through saints
Wrong: Catholics conjure the dead
Wrong: Catholics believe people can be saved after they die
Wrong: The Catholic Church teaches that one who isn't formally a Catholic is damned to Hell
Wrong: The Crusades are an example of Catholic aggression
Wrong: The Inquisition(s) killed hundreds of thousands of people and targeted Jews
Wrong: Pope Pius XII was "Hitler's Pope" and didn't do a thing to help Jews during WWII
Wrong: The Catholic Church wasn't around until the time of Constantine, a pagan who controlled the Church. The Catholic Church did more than baptize pagan calendar days for the good of Christ, it is pagan in its very roots.


If you believe any of the above myths, I implore you to research. For doctrinal questions, ask the Church what it teaches; it's the only fair thing to do. For historical questions, look at balanced and objective scholarly research from a variety of sources (including Catholic ones).

And as you research, keep in mind the common logical fallacies that are often used in attacks against Catholicism:

Generalization:

"I knew a Catholic/ex-Catholic (or I was a Catholic) who was (mean, a drunk, not holy, didn't like the Church, was superstitious, didn't know the Bible, didn't have a deep relationship with Jesus, etc.), so therefore, the teachings of the Catholic Church are wrong." (Ignores the fact that bad catechesis, misunderstandings, or other shortcomings of a few Catholics do not reflect on what the Catholic Church teaches)

Bifurcation:

"If the Catholic Church doesn't teach that it's faith alone that saves, then it must teach that men are saved by their own works." (Ignores that we teach that we are saved by Grace alone -- a Grace with which we must cooperate through "faith that works in love")

Cum hoc ergo propter hoc:

"Winter Solstice is on 21 December; Christmas is 25 December. Therefore, Christmas is a pagan holiday. (Ignores that fact that there are only 365 days to choose from in a year and that the early Church Fathers had good reasons to choose the date they did. It also ignores that Protestants' "Reformation Day" is celebrated on 31 October, the pagan festival of Samhain.)

Post hoc ergo propter hoc:

"Constantine must have been the real source of the Catholic Church's teachings because after his reign the Church grew tremendously, and before his reign it wasn't as well-known" (Ignores the simple fact that Constantine merely stopped the persecution of Christians with the Edict of Milan and allowed Christianity to spread. It also ignores the writings of the Church Fathers who lived before Constantine -- and who were Catholic.)

Straw man:

"You guys worship statues, and that's evil. Therefore, your religion is Satanic." (Ignores that fact that we don't worship statues)

Meanwhile: The Final Challenge

... and now I challenge each of you who calls on the Name of the Lord to take two hours of your life to listen to theologian and former very anti-Catholic Presbyterian minister, Scott Hahn, and to Rosalind Moss, who was raised Jewish and later became Evangelical. Both are now Catholic; don't you want to know why? Truly, I challenge you to listen and pray and think about what you hear, all with an open heart to God's will. (Listen to the audio here found at the bottom page).

Did the Iglesia ni Cristo copy from the Mormons?

I find this article below very interesting. A similar story is found at Felix Manalo and Mormons which one may think Felix Manalo actually copied his INC structures from the Mormons. If that's true, then the Iglesia ni Cristo's teachings and worship are all combinations of copied doctrines from different sects starting from the heretical teachings of Arius which was condemned at the First Council of Nicea in the year 325 (see list of Church's Ecumenical Councils, 21 all-in-all so far) which Felix Manalo revived in 1914 - 1,589 years later.

After Felix Manalo left the Seventh-Day Adventists, he copied from them the hoax controversy about an inexistent suppposed "title" of the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, the Pope as Vicariui Filii Dei, already abandoned by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in June 2002 but today, the Iglesia ni Cristo (Manalo) haven't abandoned it for the reason that that's the only way they can attract poorly-catechized Catholics to their fold.

Here's the unedited article:

Source: Yahoo!Answers

Fellow lds and copycat iglesia ni cristo members what can you say about this? i got this in a forum and i copied it, i will not edit it even though some are not correct with regards to the lds belief, iglesia ni cristo members what can you say about this:

not sure about this, ako ra sad ni nadunggan...

Felix Manalo studied college in Brigham Young University (I think in Hawaii). It is a big and prestigious college own by the Latter-Day Saints church. But they also accept non-members of the church.

So Manalo studied there but did not become an LDS / Mormon. Then later he founded INC. That's why we see a some similarity of the INC from the LDS.

e.g.
1. Joseph Smith (claimed to be the prophet of LDS) - Felix Manalo (claimed to be prophet/angel of INC)

2. LDS believes that the Apostasy indeed happened -- INC believes that the Apostasy indeed happened

3. LDS through Joseph Smith the church of God was restored back to earth -- INC through Felix Manalo the church of God was restored back to earth

4. LDS has temples -- INC has a temple (but doesn't function similarly to LDS temples)

5. LDS has a Tabernacle --- INC has a Tabernacle (again doesn't function similary to LDS Tabernacle)

6. LDS has a Tablenacle Choir (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) --- INC also has a Tabernacle Choir

I think the one that can't go unnoticed here is that the LDS church believes that the Great Apostasy occurred. Apostasy is when the church of God, that was presided over by the Apostles, was taken from the earth because of persecution by the Romans and death of the Apostles. So when the Apostles died, the church of God ceased to exist on earth. What was continued by the Romans (specifically Constantine) was already the apostate church.

INC believes this too.

For the LDS, Joseph Smith was called to restore the church of God. Restoring the priesthood and "the keys necessary for the salvation of man".

For the INC, Felix Manalo was also called to restore the church of God from the Apostasy.

Did Felix Manalo copy this from the LDS? Maybe, but we don't know. Ang ako lang nabal-an is that he studied in Brigham Young University. A LDS college.

What do you think?

Pope ready to announce synod on Middle East for 2010

(Article Source: CBCP see also CNS) VATICAN, Sept. 19, 2009-- Vatican sources said Pope Benedict XVI was preparing to convene a Synod of Bishops for the Middle East to be held in October of 2010, to address the trials and tribulations of the Christian population in the region.

Patriarchs and other representatives from Eastern churches arrived in Rome Sept. 18, and the pope was to meet with them the next day to discuss the initiative, the sources said. An announcement of the synod was expected in coming days.

Pope Benedict has spoken frequently about the pressures faced by Christian and Catholic minorities in the Middle East, particularly in the Holy Land and in Iraq. The synod would provide an opportunity for a much-needed strategizing session at the level of the universal church, one source said.

The Vatican press office would not confirm reports of a Middle East synod, but it released the names of 11patriarchs and other representatives meeting the pope Sept. 19 at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

They included the Chaldean patriarch, Cardinal Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad, Iraq; Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem; the Lebanon-based Maronite patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir; and representatives of the Ukrainian, Syro-Malabar, Coptic, Melkite, Syrian, Armenian, Romanian and Syro-Malankar rites.

Last January, Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, Iraq, and other Iraqi bishops in Rome for their "ad limina" visits asked the pope to convene a special synod for the churches of the Middle East.

Archbishop Sako said the priority topics for such a synod would include the problem of Christians fleeing the Middle East, paying Christian witness in a predominantly Muslim world, relations with Muslims, the role of Christians in civil and political life, lack of full religious freedom and Christians' prospects for the future.

Bishop Maroun Lahham of Tunis, Tunisia, a Jordanian native of Palestinian parentage, told Catholic News Service earlier this year that when the church discusses Asia -- as it did in a 1998 synod for that region -- "it's the Philippines, India, Japan, not the Middle East."

Bishops Lahham, who worked as a priest in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem as well as in the United Arab Emirates, said while the Middle East is technically part of the Asian land mass, "the issues ... were very unlike those" in typically Asian countries.

"We didn't feel (the Asian synod) was meant for us," said the bishop, who was head of the seminary in Beit Jalla, West Bank, at the time. (CNS)

Vatican Message to Muslims for Eid Holidays

Message Source: Vatican City

Christians and Muslims:
Together in overcoming poverty


MESSAGE FOR THE END OF RAMADAN

‘Id al-Fitr 1430 H. / 2009 a.d.

Dear Muslim Friends,

1. On the occasion of your feast which concludes the month of Ramadan, I would like to extend my best wishes for peace and joy to you and, through this Message, propose this theme for our reflection: Christians and Muslims: Together in overcoming poverty.

2. This Message of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has become a tradition cherished by us all, which is looked forward to each year and this is certainly a cause for joy. It has become, over the years, an occasion of cordial encounter in many countries between many Christians and Muslims. It often addresses a matter of shared concern, making it therefore conducive to a confident and open exchange. Are not all these elements immediately perceived as signs of friendship among us for which we should thank God?

3. Coming to the theme of this year, the human person in a situation of impoverishment is undoubtedly a subject at the heart of the precepts that, under different beliefs, we all hold dear. The attention, the compassion and the help that we, brothers and sisters in humanity, can offer to those who are poor, helping them to establish their place in the fabric of society, is a living proof of the Love of the Almighty, because it is man as such whom He calls us to love and help, without distinction of affiliation.

We all know that poverty has the power to humiliate and to engender intolerable sufferings; it is often a source of isolation, anger, even hatred and the desire for revenge. It can provoke hostile actions using any available means, even seeking to justify them on religious grounds, or seizing another man’s wealth, together with his peace and security, in the name of an alleged “divine justice”. This is why confronting the phenomena of extremism and violence necessarily implies tackling poverty through the promotion of integral human development that Pope Paul VI defined as the “new name for peace” (Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 1975, n. 76).

In his recent Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate on integral human development in charity and truth, Pope Benedict XVI, taking into consideration the current context of efforts to promote development, underlines the need for a “new humanistic synthesis” (n. 21), which, safeguarding the openness of man to God, gives him his place as the earth’s “centre and summit” (n. 57). A true development, then, must be ordered “to the whole man and to every man” (Populorum Progressio, n. 42).

4. In his talk on the occasion of the World Day for Peace, 1st January 2009, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI distinguished two types of poverty: a poverty to be combated and a poverty to be embraced.

The poverty to be combated is before the eyes of everyone: hunger, lack of clean water, limited medical care and inadequate shelter, insufficient educational and cultural systems, illiteracy, not to mention also the existence of new forms of poverty “…in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty…” (Message for the World Day of Peace, 2009, n. 2).

The poverty to be embraced is that of a style of life which is simple and essential, avoiding waste and respecting the environment and the goodness of creation. This poverty can also be, at least at certain times during the year, that of frugality and fasting. It is the poverty which we choose which predisposes us to go beyond ourselves, expanding the heart.

5. As believers, the desire to work together for a just and durable solution to the scourge of poverty certainly also implies reflecting on the grave problems of our time and, when possible, sharing a common commitment to eradicate them. In this regard, the reference to the aspects of poverty linked to the phenomena of globalization of our societies has a spiritual and moral meaning, because all share the vocation to build one human family in which all - individuals, peoples and nations - conduct themselves according to the principles of fraternity and responsibility.

6. A careful study of the complex phenomenon of poverty directs us precisely towards its origin in the lack of respect for the innate dignity of the human person and calls us to a global solidarity, for example through the adoption of a “common ethical code” (John Paul II, Address to The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, 27 April 2001, n. 4) whose norms would not only have a conventional character, but also would necessarily be rooted in the natural law written by the Creator in the conscience of every human being (cf. Rom 2, 14-15).

7. It seems that in diverse places of the world we have passed from tolerance to a meeting together, beginning with common lived experience and real shared concerns. This is an important step forward.

In giving everyone the riches of a life of prayer, fasting and charity of one towards the other, is it not possible for dialogue to draw on the living forces of those who are on the journey towards God?

The poor question us, they challenge us, but above all they invite us to cooperate in a noble cause: overcoming poverty!



Happy ‘Id al-Fitr!

Read HERE in Arabic!

CBCP affirms stand against bloc voting

Under the pretence of "church-unity" the Iglesia ni Cristo teaches its followers to vote any candidate being proclaimed by their "little infallible Pope- the Manalo" to ensure that what he says is being promulgated and followed-- no questions ask.

Thanks to the Catholic Church, that she maintains respect of the freedom of each faithful to vote according to his/her God-given conscience. That Catholics should pray, discern and vote candidates that promotes Catholic Social and Moral teachings.

By Dona Pazzibugan
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines-The head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has reiterated the Church stance against bloc voting for Catholics in the next elections.

“The Church is not in favor of bloc voting like what others do because our citizens should have the freedom to choose their candidates according to their conscience,” Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo told the Church-run Radio Veritas Tuesday.

“Pro-life” groups within the Church which are opposed to the reproductive health bill now being debated in Congress have been calling for Catholics to vote as a bloc to dissuade lawmakers from passing the legislation.

Young people touched by hope in Palestine thanks to Catholic charity

Bethlehem, West Bank, Sep 7, 2009 / 01:38 am (Catholic News Agency).- Although Bethlehem is partitioned from East Jerusalem by a 25-foot high Israeli wall, behind the massive concrete barrier there are places where charity heals the lives of the poor and disabled. On a recent trip to the area, I discovered that the Pontifical Mission-Jerusalem, is at work in these hardscrabble confines.

Gabi, a project manager for the Pontifical Mission in Palestine, met me in Manger Square just outside of the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was born some 2,000 years ago. Soon we were joined by Rodolf Saadeh, who also helps coordinate and fund the mission’s numerous charitable efforts in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

These two men endeavored to explain both the great work being done and the needs of the children in the area by taking me on a tour of the places benefiting from the Pontifical Mission, an agency of the Holy See established by Pope Pius XII in 1949 "to make available to every exiled or needy Palestinian the charity of the Pope and of all Catholics of the world," Rodolf explained.

The first stop on our visit was a government-run K-8 school that had clearly seen better days. The teachers and maintenance staff walked us through a classroom that had paint peeling from the walls, desks that were falling apart and water damage due to a bad roof. The school also suffered problems from a sewage system that would periodically back up.

Gabi noted that the Pontifical Mission is helping to provide funding to fix the problems which the school could not, despite being a publicly funded school. The goal, he said, is to provide a good learning environment for the children.

We jumped back into the car and headed toward the Welfare Home for Girls. Rodolf asked me if I noticed how recklessly the Palestinians drove as they sped up and down Bethlehem's hilly streets. "It's because they have nowhere to go. They feel trapped," he offered.

Arriving at the Home for Girls a short time later, I found it to be a house that serves as a refuge and a place for healing. The girls who live there are strangers to a normal life, having been abused or neglected, sometimes by their own families. But away from the torment of their former lives, these teenage girls are able to recover from the trauma they've undergone and build anew.

An architect who volunteers his time and expertise, explained to me that soon the girls will have a new gym in which to exercise, a welcome change to the dilapidated concrete annex they currently have.

By far the most moving encounter during my brief trip to Bethlehem was a stop we made at the Al-Ala'iya School for the Blind. One could sense the love that the school's teachers poured out on their students as they cared for these otherwise neglected blind boys.

Al-Ala'iya has a unique teaching model, with the blind boys being taught by teachers who themselves are blind. After learning how to make brooms, brushes and even weave a rug, these students will have a way to make a living, in spite of their blindness.

One particular young Palestinian, Abadeh Rashed Mutawe, comes from a large family that cannot give him the education he needs. As a shepherd, his father is not home often enough to help raise him, while his illiterate mother is struggling to provide for his three sisters and five brothers, ranging in age from 8 to 30. Blindness also affects Abadeh's three sisters and one of his brothers.

Abadeh attends Al-Ala'iya and receives an education through support from the Pontifical Mission.

As I toured the school, Rodolf explained that the generosity of numerous Catholics has helped to create a place where blind children are treated with dignity and taken beyond the confines of poverty.

The generosity of these boys and their teachers was confirmed as they announced to the class that they would like to give me a gift. "Take anything you want," they said.

The Pontifical Mission operates in conjunction with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Its website can be found at www.cnewa.org.

Ramadan Turning into Month of Jew-Hatred in the Muslim World

Does fasting includes "fasting from hating someone"? Or Muslim's hate for Jews is perpetual that no one can heal? Only Muslims can answer this:

Article Source : InfidelUnite Blog - Muslim governments are taking advantage of the Ramadan TV season to broadcast anti-Israel and anti-Semitic propaganda, some of it reminiscent of the Nazi propaganda that preceded the Holocaust.

With Muslims across the world fasting during the daylight hours and gathering at home for their daily "break of the fast" meal, Arab propaganda ministries take advantage of the large potential audiences for TV shows by broadcasting their top programs, with many shows produced specifically for Ramadan TV watchers. Programs about Israel and the Jewish people are considered top rating draws among Arab media, and each year government-controlled TV stations across the Middle East broadcast programs themed around the supposed treachery committed by Israel or the Jewish people against the Muslims and the world in general.

According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which monitors media broadcasts in the Arab world, Iran has this year been broadcasting a Syrian-produced series called "Al-Shatat," which purports to show how Jewish bankers – particularly the Rothschilds – came to dominate international banking, and thereby the world. With Jewish characters uttering lines like "all the nations that have accepted non-Jewish faiths should be destroyed and annihilated," and "we have been granted an unparalleled honor -- to dominate the world, by means of capital, knowledge, politics, by means of killing, or any other ploy," the 30-episode series has been shown in Arab countries throughout the Middle East, including Jordan.

Five anti-Israel shows in Egypt

No fewer than five new series being broadcast on Egyptian TV this year revolve around Israel and the Jews. One called "The Spy Wars" tells the story of Samia Fahmy, an Egyptian who was allegedly recruited by the Mossad, but instead "tricked" the Israelis who tried to recruit her and led them to be arrested by Egypt. Another series, called "My Heart is my Proof," tells the story of Jewish-born Egyptian singer Layla Murad, her rise to stardom, the accusations that she secretly supported Israel, and her subsequent fall from grace in much of the Arab world. Another program, "The Second Gate," tells of a mother whose son is kidnapped and taken to Israel.

Not all Egyptians were happy with the selection of programs. Speaking to Agence France-Presse, a student at Cairo University said that the shows about Israel and Jews were just smokescreens, shown "just to keep us occupied, so we don't have to think about the real problems of unemployment and poverty." Another student said "We can't find an enemy? Let's talk about Israel. We should be focusing on people's problems, poverty... and stop talking about Israel and spies. We need to focus on the real domestic issues."

In an interview, Mahmud Zaki, a media professor who stars in one of the series, said that the programs were designed to keep the Egyptian people's attention on Israel. "In recent times, interest in the Palestinian question has been dwindling on the Arab street. Everything seems like old news on satellite channels and in the papers. There was a move to revive interest in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and re-ignite patriotic feelings," he said.

Punjab, Muslim extremists burn church over alleged blasphemy case

How many such incidents should we hear in Islamic states where Christians are discrimiately accused of "blasphemy" which according to Sharia (Islamic Law) should be put to death. The deafening silence of Islamic countries is very alarming.

Equally, what these Islamic "extremists" who ransacked churches and sacred places for Christians should be condemned. Clearly this is blasphemy!

Sialkot (AsiaNews) - A church burnt by a mob of angry Muslims, who attacked Christians for a new - alleged - case of blasphemy. This is what happened yesterday afternoon in a village in Punjab, Pakistan, where the Christian community was targeted by Islamic extremists.

"The extremists were protesting against the desecration of the Quran by a young Christian from the village" Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, director of the Catholic Churches National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) refers to AsiaNews, "that is why they set fire to the church". The priest, who heard the eye witness accounts of the inhabitants, adds that "the place of worship is used by Catholics and Protestants".

NCJP sources report that yesterday, at about 12:30 local time, a Muslim mob gathered round the village church in Jaithikey, not far from the city of Samberial in the district of Sialkot (Punjab). They first damaged the building, then set it on fire. The extremists also looted two houses adjoining the church.

According to preliminary reports, the real cause of tension is a relationship between a twenty year old Christian, whose name is Fanish, and a Muslim girl. The young man was accused of having "provoked" the girl and "throwing away the Koran [the girl] had in her hands".

"Muslims can not tolerate a Muslim girl falling in love with a Christian," says father Mani, confirming the news of the young man’s arrest this morning by police officers. "The authorities - adds the priest – will not allow access to journalists, to verify the events firsthand".

A statement released by NCJP explains that "The tense situation precipitated following the end of Friday prayers," when a call to action "to give a lesson to the Christians" was launched from the mosque. Following the announcement, at least 35 families left the village for security reasons; others decided to remain in their homes anyway.

The police reached the village, while the crowd of Muslims gathered, wiping themselves up into a frenzy over the - alleged - case of desecration of the Koran. In the evening, the extremists were driven from the homes of Christian villagers, but hundreds remained in the area, under police surveillance.

Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, NCJP national director, Kamran Michael, the Provincial Minister for Human Rights and Minorities and Nelson Azeem, a member of the National Assembly (the parliament of Pakistan) arrived in Samerial and, in close contact with local government and police, are following the evolution of events.

After the attack on Gojra in early August, in which seven people were killed, there is a real risk of a new massacre against the Christian community in the name of the blasphemy law.

Let us continue pray for all Christians who died under Islamic intolerance. As Christ taught us, "give the other cheek as well" and to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. We should not harbor hatred nor entertain vengeance for vengeance is His. Our religion says we should LOVE for this will distinguish us from the rest.

And for their souls, may they receive their reward for dying in their faith in Christ.

Remember in your prayers those who perished in 9/11

We, civilized peace-loving people should never forget what happened in September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Offer your prayers to those who perished in the attack and recommend their souls to the Lord. May all rest in peace. Here is a video that depicts how prepared the Muslims who carried out the attacks. There is no doubt that it was through their Jihad teachings that the wanted to dominate the world and proclaim dominance in all sphere of the world.

God forbid.

Islam will dominate(?)

Using our Democratic System, could this be possible?

Archbishop O’Brien welcomes 10 Episcopal nuns, priest into Catholic Church

The beauty and splendor of the Catholic Church draws many converts back to its fold. The well published worldwide conversion of 10 Episcopalian Nuns is a very amazing story full of hope that in the Catholic Church there is immense joy in faith in the Lord Jesus. We hope and pray that with this story, there would be more converts. May the Splendor of Truth in the Catholic Church give hope to the hopeless and convert the hearts of those who hunger for justice and truth.

Today is the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let's dedicate all new converts to her Immaculate Heart.

By George P. Matysek Jr.
gmatysek@catholicreview.org
Article Source: Catholic Review

A spiritual journey that began seven years ago ended in the sanctuary of a Catonsville convent Sept. 3 when 10 Episcopal nuns and their priest chaplain were received into full communion with the Catholic Church.

In administering the sacrament of confirmation, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien traced a cross on the foreheads of each candidate as he anointed them with sacred chrism oil and called on them to be sealed with the Holy Spirit. The sisters then renewed their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience as some 120 worshipers looked on.

Ten of the 12 members of the All Saints’ Sisters of the Poor joined the Catholic Church during the liturgy. The two nuns who have decided to remain Episcopal will continue to live, pray and work in community with their now-Catholic sisters.

Father Warren Tanghe, former chaplain to the All Saints’ Sisters of the Poor, was also confirmed and has applied to become a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

In his homily, Archbishop O’Brien welcomed the newcomers and extolled the sisters for their dedication to the consecrated life.

“In the successor of St. Peter and vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI, you find fulfilled your desire for full, visible and spiritual unity with and in the universal church – one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” Archbishop O’Brien said.

The archbishop noted that the sisters and their former chaplain retain great affection and respect for their Episcopal roots.

“I speak for all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in expressing our thanks to God that you, good sisters, will ennoble our Catholic community with your sterling and steadfast witness to consecrated life, with a rich heritage of prayer, liturgical and private, and with a 137-year tradition of joining contemplative prayer with care for the poor, for children with special needs and for the dying,” he said.

Wearing black habits, long black veils and white wimples that covered their heads, the sisters seemed visibly moved as they knelt before the archbishop and were confirmed. Some closed their eyes in prayer as their sponsors stood behind them.

Mother Christina Christie, the order’s superior, said the entire liturgy was intense. As well-wishers hugged her following the Mass, Mother Christina found it difficult to express her feelings.

“At one point, I just started to sob,” she said of the liturgy. “There was so much joy that I thought I was going to lose it. I thought, ‘wait a minute – keep it together. It was so rich in the Holy Spirit.’”

Mother Christina noted that when she woke up that morning, one prayer came immediately to her lips: “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad in it.”

The nuns said they wanted to join the Catholic faith because of their strong desire for the unity that Christ spoke of in the Gospels. They had been troubled by their former church’s ordination of women, the ordination of a gay bishop and what they regarded as lax stances on moral issues.

The sisters said they worked to champion orthodoxy within their former church, but expressed feelings of frustration. Their “witness to orthodoxy” was not embraced, they said.

Moments before the liturgy began, Sister Emily Ann Lindsey said the sisters have received countless messages of support from around the country following an Aug. 27 Catholic Review article that reported on their impending reception into the church.

“For once, we feel like we’re really wanted,” Sister Emily Ann said. “Seeing all this support makes me feel this is what the Lord meant for us to do.”

Several faith leaders of different denominations were present for the liturgy, including Bishop Donald Parsons, Bishop Visitator of the Episcopal Church.

In a written statement, Bishop Eugene T. Sutton of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland said he has been “impressed” with the depth of the sisters’ prayer and the pace of their discernment.

“I wish them God’s blessings as their journey takes them into the Roman Catholic Church,” he said. “Despite the sadness we feel in having to say farewell, our mutual joy is that we remain as one spiritual family of faith, one body in Christ.”

Sister Margaret Muraki said she was moved by the liturgy, but acknowledged some pain in leaving the Episcopal Church.

“I’m glad I have done it,” the nun said, standing on neatly manicured grounds that are now adorned with a papal flag. “There are some goodbyes to say.”

The sisters’ former chaplain said he had remained in the Anglican Communion out of a sincere hope that it might one day fully unite with Rome. In recent years, that no longer seemed like a realistic possibility, he said. He expressed “deep joy” in being received into the Catholic faith.

“I have no business being here unless I was led by God through the power of the Holy Spirit,” he said. “I believe God did that.”

Archdiocesan leaders are working with Vatican officials to establish the sisters as the first “diocesan institute” in the Archdiocese of Baltimore – a religious community that is overseen directly by the bishop. The sisters will attend Mass in the Latin rite and have received permission to also attend Mass in the Anglican-use rite.

The All Saints’ Sisters of the Poor were founded at All Saints Church in London in 1851. They arrived in Baltimore in 1872. Over the years, their ministry has included outreach to the sick and dying.

On their 88-acre Baltimore County campus, they offer religious retreats and maintain a Scriptorium where they design religious cards.

In addition to Mother Christina, Sister Margaret and Sister Emily Ann, the other sisters who entered the Catholic Church were: Sister Hannah Smith, Sister Catherine Grace Bowen, Sister Elaine Swan, Sister Elizabeth Grant, Sister Julia Mary Nicholson, Sister Mary Joan Walker and Sister Mary Charles Colbertson.

Happy Birthday Mama Mary!

(Photo source: EWTN)

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnity of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy Mother of Jesus our Lord. As a Catholic, I have fondness devotion to Mama Mary. In as much as I loved how my mother cared for me, so thus the Blessed Mother cares for each and every Christian.

For all the blessings I received through her intercession, thank you and please continue pray for us sinners now until the expiation of our earthly life.

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you, Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

"Beginning with Mary's unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the Person of Christ manifested in His mysteries. In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first "magnifies" the Lord for the "great things" He did for His lowly servant and through her for all human beings. The second entrusts the supplications and praises of the children of God to the Mother of Jesus, because she now knows the humanity which, in her, the Son of God espoused."

- from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2675.

KARL KEATING vs. JOSE VENTILACION DEBATE

What really happened during the debate between Karl Keating, a Catholic apologist and Jose Ventilacion (he has no site), an INC apologist. The below article was taken from Catholic Answers particularly on this article Into the Maw of the Cult by Karl Keating:

We drove up to the campus. There was a small parking lot between us and the gymnasium, where the debate would be held. "Looks like we have competition from a football game," I said to Charlie.

Yellow buses were pulling into the lot, spilling passengers into a large crowd of people milling around on the grass. We turned in behind a bus, and I hit the brakes. Now we were close enough to see the unsmiling faces. Charlie began to whisper an Act of Contrition.

Everyone was dressed in Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes. "I don't think they're here for football," said Charlie, his spiritual repair-work done.

"And I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto," I said. "What's going on? The debate isn't for two and a half hours. Where have all these people come from?"

They were coming from all over Southern California, expecting to see their hero, a minister for Iglesia ni Cristo ("Church of Christ" in Tagalog), rhetorically smash a Catholic apologist. I was to be the smashee.

We parked the van and walked to the gymnasium. Iglesia men in three-piece suits were speaking into walkie-talkies. Several women were setting up a reception table outside the foyer. Others were checking off names on long lists. At the side door trucks filled with folding chairs were being unloaded. Farther back, people were taking video equipment out of a van. And behind us more yellow buses were pulling into the lot, disgorging passengers, and moving on.

We walked inside, stepped over cables, dodged men carrying chairs. Against the wall opposite the foyer was the raised platform: lecterns, tables, microphones, and, off to the left, an overhead projector and large screen. Video cameras were being set up in a semicircle in front of the platform. Technicians hovered around them, armed with bandoliers of battery packs.

The bleachers had been extended on both sides of the gymnasium. The floor was being filled rapidly with folding chairs, some of which already had been claimed. Several dozen impeccably dressed Iglesia members wore badges identifying themselves as ushers. They greeted people at the doors and took them to seats that seemed to be assigned.

The mood of the audience was distressingly expectant, perhaps not unlike the mood of audiences at a Roman arena. These people were looking for blood--mine.

After we set up a book table (we ended up selling almost nothing since Iglesia people are discouraged from reading anything but their own church's literature), I started to look for my opponent, Jose Ventilacion, the minister from the National City Church of Christ.

His church is visible from the freeway and gets plenty of stares--and with good reason. Iglesia churches are reminiscent of Mormon temples. They feature many pinnacled towers (none with a trumpet-blowing angel Moroni on top). Some people say the architecture reminds them of the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. In the Philippines it is said the Iglesia churches are built not so much with an eye to aesthetics, but with an eye to necessity.

At the rapture, or so the story goes, Iglesia members will be whooshed into heaven, but only if they're inside one of their churches when the rapture comes. The church building too will be taken up. Thus the need for the aerodynamic design. The story may be apocryphal, but I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand. These people believe strange things, and they believe them sincerely--more than sincerely, fanatically. Their fanaticism is not to be taken lightly.

When I sat down at my place on the platform, an Iglesia man took a chair a few feet away, near the stairs. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm your bodyguard," he said. "At our debates in the Philippines, people often charge the platform, and I'm here to protect you in case that happens."

I was not comforted. What good would one bodyguard be against 3,500 people trained to hate Catholicism?

Before I go on I should give a little background about this strange sect. Its founder was Felix Manalo. Baptized a Catholic, he fell away from the Church as a teenager. Later he was influenced by Protestant missionaries who had come to the Philippines. He also must have been influenced by Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, since his church's distinctive doctrines seem taken from those religions.

In 1914 Manalo incorporated Iglesia ni Cristo in the Philippines. Within a few years he was teaching that the Christian Church had apostatized in the first century and had ceased to exist. Eighteen and a half centuries later, God instructed Manalo to effect a restoration. (Sounds like Joseph Smith, eh?) Today's head of Iglesia ni Cristo is Manalo's son, Erano.

The church publishes a monthly magazine called God's Message, the most notable feature of which is its strident and low-brow anti-Catholicism. It is also anti-Protestant. The Catholic and Protestant churches, but especially the former, are tools of Satan, say the writers. Each issue has many more pages devoted to debunking Christian churches than to explaining Iglesia's own positions. In a way that's understandable: Iglesia ni Cristo has few positions to explain. Keep in mind that this is a sect built not so much on a set of doctrines, but on a set of anti-doctrines. The members are told what to shun; there isn't much for them to accept in the positive sense.

Unlike Fundamentalism, unlike even Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo is a true cult. If you had seen the Iglesia people in the audience, if you had seen how they reacted in lock-step to their leaders, you could imagine how they might all take up in unison cups filled with adulterated Kool-Aid. At least that's the impression I got, from my vantage point on the platform.

The gymnasium was preternaturally hot. An hour before the start of the debate the people seated on the folding chairs were fanning themselves. At the top of the bleachers it was hotter still. And on the platform, under the klieg lights, it was hellish. (I went through a quart of water before the night was over.) I wondered if someone had turned on the heaters in the afternoon, in order to get the audience on edge. I wouldn't doubt it: The Iglesia folks are sneaky.

Jose Ventilacion and I had negotiated terms of the debate over a period of several months. Each time a change was made in the format, he had to check with the authorities in Manila. I had been warned by people who had seen Iglesia debates not to trust Ventilacion. I pooh-poohed the warnings, but I was wrong. The terms of the debate were broken even before Charlie and I arrived at the gymnasium.

Ventilacion and I had agreed this would be mano-a-mano, just the two of us. I was seated alone at my table, but he had three helpers at his. Their job was to pass him notes and books to read from while he was at the lectern. Sometimes they did more than that. Andy Suarez, himself a minister, was unable to control himself during my remarks. He repeatedly stood up and shouted at me.

"I'm not debating you," I shouted back. "I'm debating him. Sit down!"

The overhead projector also wasn't part of the agreement. It was placed on Ventilacion's side of the platform, with two more of his people manning it. When I first saw it and realized that Suarez and others would be acting as seconds, I complained to Ventilacion. He flashed a toothy smile. "If you don't agree to this format, we'll cancel the debate and we'll give our people an instruction." By that he meant he'd just preach to them.

I didn't have much choice. The listeners were mainly former Catholics bamboozled by Iglesia ni Cristo's anti-Catholic rhetoric. They needed to hear what the Catholic Church really stood for--and what their church really stood for and how it came to be.

Besides, six against one looked good: The odds were in my favor. I was bound to get a certain amount of sympathy, especially if I explained the situation--which I did. But Ventilacion, in the question period following my opening remarks, said I misrepresented the facts, that I had "agreed" to the format.

"When a man has a gun at his head and 'agrees' to hand over his money," I replied, "that's not a real agreement." Ventilacion said I shouldn't worry about technicalities, but it was clear his people had spent lots of time worrying about technicalities. You don't produce a well-orchestrated (well-railroaded?) debate by ignoring the little things.

But however meticulous it may be organizationally, Iglesia ni Cristo is remarkably cavalier when it comes to "the little things" of theology. Its positions are just stated, never really substantiated. Its arguments are puerile.

For instance, believers in the claims of Felix Manalo say Revelation's references to an "angel" coming out of the "East" or from "afar" refer to a "messenger" ("angel" is taken from the Greek for "messenger") coming from the "Far East." And what is the geographic center of the Far East? Why, the Philippines, of course. Therefore, Felix Manalo was a true prophet: (1) He claimed to be a prophet, which means (2) that he claimed to be God's messenger, and (3) he came from the Far East.

How to respond to such a claim? I started by listing the countries that make up the Far East: China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Indochinese countries, and, yes, the Philippines. "If you look at a map of the Far East," I said, "you'll see that the Philippines is in the lower right-hand corner. The geographic center is in southern China, not in the Philippines." There were laughs from the Catholics and Protestants (a few hundred of them were in the audience), nervous fidgeting from the Iglesia people.

Later on, after having dealt with the main charges against the Catholic Church, I zeroed in on Manalo himself. Iglesia ni Cristo tells its members little about their founder: What I said brought a strange silence to the gymnasium. I explained Manalo's early years and how, as it is now said, he began his church in 1914 after receiving a revelation from God and being informed that he was the new prophet.

"Why, five years later, in 1919, did Manalo come to the U.S. to study with Protestants? Why would he study with 'apostates'? Why would a prophet need to study religion at all, after having talked with God?"

Then I gave the answer: "Because Felix Manalo didn't start off claiming to be a prophet. Originally Iglesia ni Cristo was just another Protestant sect, one that borrowed heavily from the American Cambellites. It wasn't until 1920, when there was a schism within Iglesia ni Cristo, that Manalo started to say he was a prophet. He said that because he wanted the members of his fledgling church to take his side, not the schismatics' side.

"Manalo never was a prophet, just a slick con man. Even today the leaders of your church deceive you. They not only lie about the Catholic and Protestant churches, they lie about the origins of your own church. They don't want you to know the truth."

Iglesia Ni Cristo’s anti-Catholicism is not very inventive--that, or the attention span of Iglesia people is remarkably short. God's Message brings up the same charges again and again, yet there's no indication that devoted readers tire of hearing the same thing, even in the same words. Two, three, even four times a year there will be feature stories decrying the same Catholic belief or practice. I don't mean stories that mention a topic briefly and then move on. I mean stories that are almost word-for-word identical.

One of the favorite topics is the identity of the beast of Revelation, the symbolic number of which is 666. Most reputable scholars, Catholic and Protestant, say the number refers to the Roman Emperor Nero. Not all agree, but no such scholars say the beast is the papacy. But that's exactly what Iglesia ni Cristo says.

In itself that's not surprising. After all, countless Fundamentalists say the same thing. But Iglesia ni Cristo, in God's Message, says it in a most peculiar way: It makes a bold argument which any attentive reader can disprove simply by glancing at God's Message itself.

The argument goes like this: "The number 666 is the sum of the letters of the beast's title. The Pope's title is Vicarius Filii Dei (Vicar of the Son of God). [Actually, it's not. His title is Vicarius Christi (Vicar of Christ).] We know this is the papal title because it appears prominently on the tiara of the popes; the letters are formed out of hundreds of jewels.Vicarius Filii Dei tallies to 666, which means the papacy is the beast." End of proof.

The editors of God's Message must think the magazine's readers are dolts. They print as part of the article a line drawing of the tiara with the words Vicarius Filii Dei lettered in, just so you know where they appear. Then--and this shows real chutzpah--they print a photograph of Pope Paul VI, the last pope to wear the tiara. Of course, in the photograph there's no hint of any lettering on the tiara. The photograph contradicts both the text and the line drawing, but no one seemed aware of that until I pointed it out during the debate.

Ventilacion did the only proper thing. He ignored my point and changed the subject. He had a wonderful way of doing this. My favorite example concerns the translation of scriptural passages which supposedly included the name of his sect. This is a major issue with Iglesia members. They believe the Bible mentions their church by name. They desperately want to find the phrase "Church of Christ" in the sacred text.

Their argument is facile: "What is the name of Christ’s church, as given in the Bible? It is the 'Church of Christ.' Our church is called the 'Church of Christ.' Therefore, ours is the church Christ founded."

Not many people will be impressed with such an argument--when it was first presented to me during a question and answer period some years ago, I had trouble not laughing aloud--but the folks at the debate thought it made a lot of sense. The problem was that the verse Ventilacion was citing didn't contain the phrase "Church of Christ." I read to him the Greek and said, "It means 'Church of God,' not 'Church of Christ.'"

"That’s your opinion," he said.

"No, it’s not. That's what the Greek says."

"That’s your opinion."

"If you want to know what a verse really means, you need to look at the Greek, because the text of the New Testament is in Greek."

"That’s your opinion," he repeated, smiling broadly.

"No, it’s not my opinion. It’s a fact."

"That’s your opinion."

Of all the debates I've been in, this was at once the most frightening and the most frustrating. It was the most frightening because Iglesia ni Cristo is a true cult, not a mere sect, and it was easy to see why bodyguards were de rigueur, even if their muscle wasn't needed this night. And the debate was the most frustrating because my opponent wouldn't adhere to elementary norms of civility and because the audience, at least the Iglesia portion of it, seemed impervious to even the simplest argument against its position.

Iglesia ni Cristo is a menace. Today it's a menace mainly to Filipino families, but many of the ushers, I noticed, were not Filipino. Non-Filipino members were being "showcased" as ushers, proof that Iglesia no longer confines itself to one ethnic group.

This is an organization that is adapting itself to the American idiom. The American edition of God's Message used to be printed in a dual-language format: half Tagalog, half English. Now all the text is in English, the better to appeal to Americans of various backgrounds.

Iglesia ni Cristo makes Fundamentalists, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses look like slackers when it comes to commitment and anti-Catholicism. We can expect this cult to grow rapidly--mainly at the expense of our Church. And it will, unless we take a stand.

["Which is the True Church?" is a three-hour VHS video recording of this debate. The two-tape set is available from This Rock for $65.00, which includes shipping and handling. Address orders to This Rock, P.O. Box 17181, San Diego, California 92117.]

National Mourning to an Anti-Catholic INC Leader?!

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's non-working holiday declaration as a "National day of Mourning" to a dead anti-Catholic cult leader founded by his late father Felix Manalo who was equally anti-Catholic has no benefit at all for the entire nation. This dead man spent most of his life attacking the Catholic Church calling Catholics as demons and our Catholic teachings as teachings of the devil. He has taught and trained his Ministers and his followers to hate Catholics and attack our teachings and that each member should bring every Catholic to their fold.

The Fundamental Beliefs of the Iglesia ni Cristo Eraño Manalo as its sole author and handed down to his followers as an "Infallible" teachings from an anti-Pope (which he raises himself to the status of a little pope to his sect)were all anti-Catholic and that none of it stands out independently from the existing Catholic teachings. Their teachings declare that the Catholic Church and her teachings were all corrupt making their claims as a "restored Church" would sound truthful.

But checking their references, they are all lies. They don't even have an official website to verify what they officially taught.

I have nothing against giving due honor to someone deserving it (like the Hindu Mahatma Ghandi or Catholic Mother Teresa in a Hindu nation) but putting the entire nation under his spell is ridiculously unacceptable. What has he done to the entire nation so as to give him due honor? They even dream of having an independent Iglesia ni Cristo state (like Vatican) with their religious emblem flown all over the nation. I never mourn for a fallen leader who has attacked Christ and his Church and raises his father into a statehood higher than the Lord Jesus Christ -- Felix as an angel and Christ as merely man!

Gloria Arroyo's declaration has nothing to do with her Catholic beliefs. A power greedy president has to ensure that her political dynasty would last. Her intention is intended only to geared INC members for their infallible bloc voting during elections.

Who are expected to be seen in tomorrow's funeral for an anti-Catholic leader? POLITICIANS!

What a shame!

Ministerial Succession in the Iglesia ni Cristo?

Felix Manalo, the self-proclaimed "Last Messenger" of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has long been dead, succeeded by one of his sons Eraño Manalo who is now also dead and being mourned by his members at their Central Temple in Quezon City, Philippines.

As a Corporation Sole owned and managed by the Manalo clan, they don't need the Holy Spirit to choose who will be the next successor of this church. As I am writing this, there is a very slim chance that any able member would succeed. I am most certain that the next succeeding kin in line as its Executive Minister (eqivalent to Catholic Pope) is no other than another Manalo, Eduardo V. Manalo.

As their dead leader forewarned any ambitious member to head the INC, he said "Kayo ang maghahari sa iglesia? Hindi! Tamaan kayo ng kidlat at kulog bago mangyari iyan [You want to reign over the iglesia? No! Lightning and thunder will strike you first before that happens [YouTube].

That's because Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is just a CORPORATION SOLE very much owned and managed by the MANALOS.

Here are some interesting information about the cult of Manalo:
Meaning of INC Logo well explained at Pinoy Catholic
or Is Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) the Church from the Far East or Far West? might interest you?

12 Apostles' Relics ONLY found in Catholic Churches

The claims of the Iglesia ni Cristo (of Manalo))that they're the "true" church Christ founded is not only unbiblical but it is directly contrary to existing facts of history.

Thanks to Michael at SperoForum that he provided us with simplified facts about the 12 Apostles of Christ. Not one Iglesia ni Cristo chapel holds the remains of any of the 12 Apostles of Christ. Here's what he said in the forum:

The Catholic Church does not think it is the one true church it objectively is the one true church. Without the Catholic Church Protestants would not know Jesus at all. Protestants did not produce the Bible. The Protestants got the Bible from the already existing Catholic Church.

1. The Catholic Church gave us the Gregorian calendar which we all use today.
2. The Catholic Church gave us the date for Easter.
3. The Catholic Church gave us the date for Christmas which means Christ-Mass.

The remains of all of the Apostles are in Catholic Churches, and so are all of the Gospel writers. Note! Some relics are divided between Catholic Churches.

St. Peter is in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
St. Paul is in St. Paul's Church in Rome.
St. Matthew is in the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Messina, Sicily.
St. James the Greater is in St. James Church in Compostela Spain.
St. James the Less (the Just) is in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles in Rome.
St. Bartholomew is in St. Bartholomew-in-the-island Church in Rome.
St. Andrew is in the Cathedral of Amalfi in Italy.
St. Philip is in the Church of the Dodici Apostoli in Rome, Basilica of the Holy Apostles.
St. Simon is in the Vatican, under the Altar of the Crucifixion.
St. Jude is in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
St. Thomas is in the Cathedral of Saint Thomas in Mylapore, India.
St. Matthias is in St. Matthews Abbey in Trier Germany, and in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome.
St. John is in the ruins of the Basilica of St. John in Ephesus Turkey.

"You are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as the Chief Corner Stone."
Ephesians 2:20.

Even though he was not an Apostle, he did write the Gospel of Mark.
St. Mark is in St. Mark's Church in Venice, Italy.

Even though he was not an Apostle, he did write the Gospel of Luke.
St. Luke is in the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua, Italy.

The first Christian Martyr. Acts 7:60
St. Stephen is in Rome in the Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls.

The first person to arrive at the tomb of the Risen Christ. John 20:1
St. Mary Magdalene is in the Basilica of St. Maximin in Villalata, France.

He produced the first Bible containing both the Old and New Testaments, the Latin Vulgate. St. Jerome is in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome.

We know from the many authentic Relics that the Catholic Church has in its possession. Among them are:

1. The Relic of the True Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. John 19:17-18
2. The "INRI" inscription from the True Cross, called "Titulus Crucis". John 19-19
3. The Nails which held Jesus to the cross. John 20:25
4. The Lance Point of Saint Longinus which pierced the side of Jesus. John 19:34
5. The Crown of Thorns and the individual thorns from it. John 19:2
6. The Table used at the Last Supper is in St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome. Matthew 26:20
7. The Scala Santa, the steps which Jesus Christ ascended on His way to meet Pontius Pilate.
8. The Chains of Saint Peter, in the Church of St. Peter in Chains in Rome.
Many more.........

We know from its sheer Size and Rapid Growth, with over 1,057,000,000* (one billion, fifty-seven million) members, or one in six of the entire population of the earth, as of February 2000. That is an increase of over 40,000,000 (forty million), since December 1997, more than half of the total membership of the largest single non-Catholic denomination. In 2001, the Catholic Church grew to over 1,070,540,000* members, plus another 216,000,000* Orthodox. Bar none, the Catholic Church is the fastest growing Christian Church in the world. All of the over 36,400 various Non-Catholic denominations, collectively added, total less* than the Catholic membership.

For those detractors of the Catholic Church who say that numbers are irrelevant, they are in effect, saying that Satan is winning souls and that GOD is losing souls. They are saying that more people are convinced by the lie from the father of lies, John 8:44, than they are convinced of the truth of GOD, John 14:6. They have forgotten, or maybe they never knew, that Satan can only do what GOD allows him to do. I would prefer to believe that GOD is the greater attraction, wouldn't you agree?

Thanks Michael. God bless

Rumored Liturgical Reform

That started some few weeks ago when some Catholics send wrong messages that there would be reforms in the liturgy such that the celebration of the Holy Mass would be patterned back to the times when the priest facing his back from the congregation. This practice wasn't anymore the norm as it was used to be practiced in the entire Church before the Second Vatican Council.

Thanks to Zenit for the clarification. This Latin Mass isn't a mandatory but an option just as the whole Catholic Church has different rites, the Latin Mass is just one of the many rites we have in the Catholic Church.

Vatican Denies Rumors of Coming Liturgical Reform
Article Source: Zenit.org

VATICAN CITY, AUG. 24, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican is denying rumors promulgated by some news organizations that announced forthcoming changes in the liturgy.

Father Ciro Benedettini, deputy director of the Vatican press office, clarified that "for the time being there are no institutional proposals for a modification of the liturgical books used at present," Vatican Radio reported.

In recent days some media sources incorrectly reported that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments had presented proposals to Benedict XVI for a "reform of the liturgical reform" motivated by the Second Vatican Council.

AP News on Iglesia ni Cristo (Manalo)

Head of largest Philippine indigenous church dies
(News Source: Asia Yahoo!News)

MANILA, Philippines – Erano Manalo, leader of the Philippines' largest indigenous religious sect, has died, his spokesman said Tuesday. He was 84.

Manalo took over Iglesia ni Cristo, or Church of Christ, after the death of his father and the church's founder, Felix Manalo, in 1963. The church is believed to have millions of members but does not disclose the figure.

AP news says, Felix Manalo founded the Iglesia ni Cristo. Certainly, AP sources for news are all based on FACTS.

Manalo died of a heart attack in his Manila home on Monday, the church's spokesman Bienvenido Santiago said.

The church was founded in 1914 when Felix Manalo resigned as minister of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church after questioning the observance of Sabbath on Saturdays. He experienced what he claimed to be a call similar to those of ancient prophets.

Again, AP news repeated the words "FOUNDED" since according to existing historical facts that the INC was actually FOUNDED BY FELIX MANALO IN 1914 (and not Christ).

Iglesia ni Cristo rejects the Christian doctrine of trinity and believes Christ is one of several prophets.

It is considered the largest indigenous church that originated from the Philippines and the largest independent church in Asia.

Where Filipino Foreign Workers are, the INC of Felix Manalo is present.

Legacy of a Dead Leader!

In this YouTube video is the voice of the dead Executive Leader (like a Pope) Eraño Manalo of the Iglesia ni Cristo, founded by his late father Felix Manalo in 1914. Here's the transcript of the audio:

Pero isipin ninyo, dumadami tuloy ang ating form. Nagagalit kayo sa opisina. Pati mga taga-opisina kinakalaban ng ibang mga manggagawa.

Kapag nag-uulat sa akin, nagagalit. Nasaan ninyo gusto… Papaano ang ating gagawin sa iglesia? Kayo ang maghahari sa iglesia? Hindi! Tamaan kayo ng kidlat at kulog bago mangyari iyan.

Kaya sabi ko sa Dios, napakarami ho namang dapat bahaing manggagawa, bakit hindi mo siyang binaha? Para malipol, ang mga tampalasang taong ito. Nadaig pa ang kasalanan ni Judas, iisang maestro ang ipinagkanulo. Iisa ang nagkanulo sa panahon ni Kristo pero ngayon lahat ng manggagawa nagkakaisa ipagkanulo Dios.

Below is my own English Translation of the above audio transcript:

[But think about it, we have many forms. You've grown impatient with the office? Even those office employees our workers hated.

When they reported to me, they're mad. Where do you want... What shall we do with the iglesia? You want to rule over it? No! Lightning and thunder will strike you first before that happens.

That's why I told God, there are a lot of workers who should suffer from flooding, why you didn't let that happen to them? So that these wicked workers will all perish. Their sins are worse than that of Judas (Iscariot), one master he betrayed. There's only one betrayer during the time of Christ but now all of our workers were united to betrayed god.)

Eraño Manalo, son of Felix Manalo (the founder of Iglesia ni Cristo) died 31st August, in the year of the Lord 2009. May he rest in peace.

Steve Ray’s Open Letter to the Filipino People

Steve Ray’s Open Letter to the Filipino People

[This letter was published in all the major newspapers in the Philippines
during one of our visits in 2001]

We stepped into the church and it was old and a bit dark. Mass had just begun and we sat toward the front. We didn t know what to expect here in Istanbul Turkey. I guess we expected it to be a somber Mass but quiet and somber it was not I thought I heard angels joyously singing behind me. The voices were rich, melodic and beautiful. What I discovered as I spun around to look did not surprise me because I had seen and heard the same thing in other churches around the world. It was not a choir of angels with feathered wings and halos but a group of delightful Filipino Catholics with smiles of delight and joy on their faces as they worshiped God and sang his praises.

I had seen this many times before in Rome, in Israel, in the United States and other countries. Filipinos have special traits and they are beautifully expressed as I gazed at the happy throng giving thanks to God. What are the special traits which characterize these happy people? I will share a few that I have noticed personal observations as I have traveled around the world, including visits to the Philippines.

First, there is a sense of community, of family. These Filipino Christians did not sit apart from each other in different isles. They sat together, closely. They didn t just sing quietly, mumbling, or simply mouthing the words. No, they raised their voices in harmony together as though they enjoyed the sense of unity and communion among them. They are family even if they are not related.

Second, they have an inner peace and joy which is rare in the world today. When most of the world s citizens are worried and fretful, I have found Filipinos to have joy and peace a
deep sense of God’s love that overshadows them. They have problems too, and many in the Philippines have less material goods than others in the world, yet there is still a sense of happy trust in God and love of neighbor.

Third, there is a love for God and for his Son Jesus that is almost synonymous with the word Filipino. There is also something that Filipinos are famous for around the world their love for the Blessed Mother. Among the many Filipinos I have met the affectionate title for Mary I always hear from their lips is “Mama Mary”. For these gentle folks Mary is not just a theological idea, a historical person, or a statue in a church—Mary is the Mother of their Lord and their mother as well, their “mama”.

The Philippines is a Catholic nation—the only such nation in Asia—and this wonderful country exports missionaries around the world. They are not hired to be missionaries, not official workers of the church. No, they are workers and educators, doctors, nurses and housekeepers that go to other lands and travel to the far reaches of the earth and everywhere they go they take the joyous gospel of Jesus with them. They make a somber Mass joyful when they burst into song. They convict the pagan of sin as they always keep the love of Jesus and the Eucharist central in their lives.

My hope and prayer, while I am here in the Philippines sharing my conversion story from Baptist Protestant to Roman Catholic, is that the Filipino people will continue to keep these precious qualities. I pray that they will continue loving their families, loving the Catholic Church, reading the Bible, loving Jesus, his Mother and the Eucharist. As many other religions and sects try to persuade them to leave the Church, may God give the wisdom to defend the Catholic faith. As the world tempts them to sin and seek only money and fame and power, may God grant them the serenity to always remember that obedience to Christ and love for God is far more important than all the riches the world can offer. May the wonderful Filipino people continue to be a light of the Gospel to the whole world!

ERAÑO MANALO Dies

Eraño Manalo, the son of Felix Manalo, the founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo (Manalo) died. We recommend his soul to God and may he rest in peace.

(Article Source: ABS-CBN)

MANILA - Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) leader Eraño Manalo has passed away.

Manalo died of cardiopulmonary arrest on Monday at 3:53 pm. He was 84. Eraño is the son of Felix Manalo, founder and first executive minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Manalo took over the administration of the church after his father's death in 1963. He was instrumental in the expansion of the church internationally.

His remains will be brought to INC's central temple in Commonwealth in Quezon City for public viewing, which will begin at 3 p.m. Tuesday. As of posting, INC members were beginning to flock to the INC's central temple to pay their respects to their leader.

'New Era'

Born on January 2, 1925, Eraño de Guzman Manalo was the executive minister of the INC up to the time of his death on August 31, 2009.

The fifth child of Iglesia founder, Felix Manalo, Eraño's name comes from a reversal of the term "new era," which his father used to describe what he felt was a new Christian era in the INC.

He started attending the church's ministerial classes at 16 and was ordained a minister at 22.

In 1955, Eraño Manalo married Cristina Villanueva with whom he has six children.

With the passing of Felix Manalo in 1963, critics of the church predicted the decline and eventual fall of the INC.

But barely a month after assuming his role as spiritual leader of the church, the young Manalo began visiting congregations nationwide.

Global expansion

In 1967, he set his vision to overseas mission and global expansion.

In 1968, Manalo established the first congregation of the church overseas in Honolulu, Hawaii.

On the same year, Manalo moved the headquarters of the church to Quezon City.

By 2008, the INC had grown to more than 5,000 congregations in the Philippines, and more than 600 abroad with millions of members.

With Eraño's death, the actual process of succession is not clear yet.

But it is likely that his son, Eduardo, deputy executive minister, will take over the reins of the INC. --

As a Corporation Sole owned and managed by the Manalos, Eduardo V. Manalo will be taking over the seat his father vacated. He will be the next Executive Minister of his corporation.