Limited Philippine Postal Stamp for an Anti-Catholic

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the soon to be counted among the top ranking most disgusting ex-Presidents of the Philippines again has courted the Iglesia ni Cristo® cult believing that their power could save her political party members in the up-coming Presidential election this coming May) by honoring one of the fierciest anti-Catholic (anti-Christ) preacher in the Philippines.

One of the most unique doctrines of the Iglesia ni Cristo® is the bloc voting or so called “doctrine of unity”. According to the billionaire heir to the throne "BLOC VOTING is a manifestation of religious unity that is essential to spiritual salvation" (Source: Wikipedia)

Among those Philippine Presidents they claimed to have won because of their “bloc-voting” was Ferdinand Marcos, Joseph Estrada and now Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo –who happened to be the most sickening leaders the country has ever had in its 111 year history.

Due to his solid support of the anti-life House Bill 5043, the management of the Iglesia ni Cristo® has been rumored to support Noynoy Aquino (the only son of the saintly Cory Aquino and heroic father Ninoy) by their bloc voting—could it be a bad omen for the Aquino family? Let’s hope and pray that curse ended in GMA’s presidency and spare Noynoy of its foreseen bad forecast.

The Iglesia ni Cristo is a cult founded by Felix Ysagun Manalo, an ex-Catholic, turned anti-Catholic he inherited from the SDA where he once was a preacher. His parents remained faithful to Christ’s Church until their souls until their death. In July 27, 1914, Felix Manalo incorporated (registered) his church under the Republic of the Philippines and thus making him the official founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo®.

After his death, one of his sons, Eraño Guzman Manalo inherited his father’s company and enjoyed lavishly the immense richness his father has accumulated for 49 years being the CEO of the Iglesia ni Cristo®.

His death in August 29, 2009 caused many of his cult members to grieve. His mortal remains were elevated right within its sanctuary which is supposed to be the sacred place in every house for worships.

Though they denied, but Iglesia ni Cristo® members (or the Iglesia—as they call themselvaes), glorified the Manalo’s beginning from Felix Y. Manalo as an angel, “last messenger” of God, so must his son, Eraño and the present reigning heir to the throne Eduardo V. Manalo. A bronze statue of Felix Manalo was erected in their Central office while his son Eraño G. Manalo was praised by politicians. These are the Trinity gods of the Iglesia ni Cristo® while they detest Christ of any divinity and kept him to the ranks of a mere man.

Striving for Iglesia ni Cristo’s “basbas” Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed the dying Philippine Postal Services to print 100,000 pieces of limited edition of stamps which according to those politicians who benefited from the cult said this gesture is a tribute “honoring his greatness and nobility”. The limited edition of the stamp began its circulation last April 23. The last quarter of last year, the local government of Quezon City renamed Central Avenue to Eraño Manalo Avenue. In July, 2009, Ms. Arroyo signed the Republic Act 9645, declared that July 27 of every year as "Iglesia Ni Cristo Day" making it an official national working holiday a bill authored by House of Representatives Annie Rosa L. Susano, Second District of Quezon City, Philippines.

The anti-Christ and anti-Catholic has been given honor by thieves! And so he deserves that tribute!

Limited Postal Stamp bearing the name of INC® Eraño G. Manalo

Catholic Passion!

Can we be as passionate as this young Catholic?

Finding Peace and Calm In the Midst of Chaos

By Michelle Laque Johnson in EWTN

On Wednesday evening, Aug. 15, 2007, the central coast of Peru was hit by an earthquake measuring 8.0. During the three-minute quake, approximately 200 people, who had gathered for Mass at a local church to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, were killed. However, when the debris was removed and the bodies recovered, rescuers discovered that the Catholic priest who had been celebrating the Mass that night was alive!

“Shaking the Earth,” an original EWTN documentary, tells the story of the people’s unshakable faith and the Church’s Herculean work to assist the Peruvian people during the devastation that followed the quake – and it includes an interview with this “miracle” priest.

“The Church is the most trusted institution in Peru,” said EWTN’s Pablo Pilco, one of the producers of this powerhouse documentary. “The Church organized tents for the people to live in – and started rebuilding.”

EWTN sent a crew to Peru to film the effort. The one-hour program that resulted is a story of faith and triumph amidst widespread death and destruction; a story that makes you proud to be a Catholic.; a story you can only see on EWTN.

“The title of the documentary, “Shaking the Earth,” has a double meaning,” Pilco said. “On the one hand, it’s because of the earthquake. On the other hand, the people have these dances – kind of like a tap dance – and they use special drums made of boxwood. You have this double meaning because, no matter what happens, they are still “shaking,” still celebrating the fact that they are alive.”

Airs 10 p.m. ET, Wed., April 28 and 5 a.m. ET, Sat., May 1.

God bless you Family!

Our Debt to the Catholic Church

by Sebastian R. Fama

Source: Stay Catholic

Attacks on the Catholic Church have never been in short supply. The Church’s critics have been maligning her and predicting her demise for centuries. While those same critics fade off into history one by one, the Church continues on in her mission, sometimes shaken but never defeated.

Whenever scandals arise in the Church gleeful detractors try to portray the aberration as the norm. Starting with Judas, the Church has always had within its walls those who would betray Christ. However, to focus on such individuals while ignoring those who take their faith seriously is dishonest. Any faith should be judged by the actions of those who practice it, not by those who don’t.

To be sure, any scandal should be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Church leaders who fail in this regard betray the Church and do tremendous harm to the cause of Christ. Once there is knowledge of wrongdoing, action must be taken immediately. To do anything less makes one an accomplice.

When you consider all the facts, it is easy to see that the Catholic Church’s record is something to be admired. The miracles performed by Jesus give credence to His message. In like manner the Church’s tremendous contributions to Western Civilization give credence to its teachings.

Protestants would do well to note that God chose to give the Bible to mankind through the Catholic Church. After the fall of Rome it was the Catholic Church that preserved literacy and education. The barbarians who ruled after Rome had no interest in preserving education or any of the ancient literature. Monasteries produced thousands of books and preserved many others. Schools were established in cathedrals. These cathedral schools would become the first universities complete with degrees and accreditation. Many convents and monasteries established their own schools.

In answer to the Gospel’s call to care for the sick, the Church was the first to establish hospitals. Thomas E. Woods notes that by the fourth century, most large cities had Church sponsored hospitals. Even monasteries served as providers of medical care (How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization page 176).

From the beginning of its existence the Catholic Church has led the way in charitable giving. This of course is the natural result of Christ’s call to care for the less fortunate. In a column for the National Catholic Register Andrew McNair revealed some pretty interesting statistics. He writes in part:

Every year, more than 9.5 million Americans in need turn to one of 1,400 charitable organizations run by the Catholic Church.

The Church runs more than 600,000 soup kitchens and stocks more than 2 million food banks and pantries. The Church provides temporary shelter for children and families, battered women, senior citizens and others. At present, about 110,858 people depend on these shelters for help.

Catholic counselors and counseling agencies help close to 700,000 families, individuals and groups.… Catholic housing services help around 67,000 homeless find and keep a permanent place to live. And Catholic neighborhood-support services sponsor youth centers, summer camps, sports programs and senior citizens centers; at present, nearly 300,000 people are enrolled in these services. Close to 80,000 girls and women are being served by Catholic pregnancy services.

In the 12th century the Church began to develop its system of canon law. This would eventually provide the foundation for Western Law. Prior to this, law in medieval Europe consisted of custom and some statutory law. Western Law was based on rules of evidence and rational procedures. Later on in the 16th century, and in response to the mistreatment of natives in the New World (North America), Fr. Francisco de Vitoria established the basis for international law. This reflected the biblical teaching that all men are created equal (Galatians 3:28).

In Wisdom 11:20 we read: "But you [God] have disposed all things by measure and number and weight." In Job 38:33 God Himself says: "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens; can you put into effect their plan on the earth?" Anyone who studied the Scriptures couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that our God was a God of order. Now if God created the universe to operate according to rational laws, it seemed only natural that those laws could be understood and harnessed. Thus the study of science was born. Thomas E. Woods relates that "Roger Bacon, a Franciscan who taught at Oxford, was admired for his work in mathematics and optics, and is considered to be the forerunner of modern scientific method" (page 94).

The Jesuits contributed heavily to the study of science. In "The Jesuits: Missions, Myths and Histories" Jonathan Wright notes:

They had contributed to the development of pendulum clocks, pantographs, barometers, reflecting telescopes and microscopes, to scientific fields as various as magnetism, optics and electricity. They observed, in some cases before anyone else, the colored bands on Jupiter’s surface, the Andromeda nebula and Saturn’s rings. They theorized about the circulation of the blood (independently of Harvey), the theoretical possibility of flight, the way the moon affected the tides, and the wave-like nature of light.

...Read more HERE!

Pope Benedict in Malta

Pope Benedict XVI (CatholicTV)

Source: CatholicTV On Saturday and Sunday, April 17 and 18, the CatholicTV Network will air Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to the island of Malta to celebrate the anniversary of St. Paul’s shipwreck which happened there 1950 years ago. Coverage of the Pope’s visit to Malta will air at noon (Eastern) on both days.

The schedule for the Pope’s visit is as follows:

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Welcoming ceremony at the International Airport of Malta in Luqa

Visit to the President of the Republic at the Grand Masters' Palace of Valletta

Visit to the Cave of Saint Paul in Rabat (where St Paul prayed for three months in the grotto under the church, while trying to convert the Maltese to Christianity)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Holy Mass at the Floriana Granaries outside of St. Publius Church

Regina Caeli and lunch meeting with the Bishops of Malta

Meeting with the young people at the Great Port of Valletta

Farewell ceremony at the International Airport of Malta in Luqa

As of September of 2009, Pope Benedict has made twelve apostolic visits since becoming Pope in 2005. Highlights from his historic visit to the United States, the Holyland and World Youth Day 2008 are available here at Your Catholic Broadband Network.

Video: Alex Story

Visit Persecution Blog

Tim Staples Convertion to Catholicsm

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

Eucharistic Miracles, Jesus is Really Present

"Take, eat my body and drink my blood and be saved."(John 6:53-57)

I always believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. That's one reason why I have to fast at least an hour before taking the communion or to carefully examine myself if I am worthy enough to take Christ's Holy Body and Blood into my whole being.

Friends, if you are in doubt of Jesus' Real Presence, you might want to confirm your faith again by reading scientific facts on Eucharistic Miracles at The Real Presence.

Vatican Blog

Good news! Vatican has its own blog at http://www.visnews-en.blogspot.com so there's no reason for you not to be updated on what's the latest in the Vatican.

For those who are seriously considering to come home to Rome or those driven to the Catholic Church and wanted to Cross the Tiber, by all means you should not spare this blog in your list.

Why am I saying this? It's because we Catholics should know what's happening in the Vatican first-hand and not relying on second hand news circulating now in the media. What you read is what you get.

And if you wish to visit the official website of the Vatican State, you can always add www.vatican.va to your favorite sites and learn about the Vatican, the Pope, and the Catholic Church official pronouncements by the Pope.

Enjoy reading. God bless.

About 67 per cent of Israelis want peace with the Palestinians

The percentage could it be higher? I believe Palestinian and Israeli citizens mostly wanted peace. It's their own politicians who don't. I wish there's a similar survey on the other side of the wall who'd like to be at peace with Israel.. I pray Muslims around the world would give peace a chance.

Jerusalem City

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Two Israelis in three (67 per cent) are in favour of a peace agreement with the Palestinians, this according to a recent survey conducted by the Dahaf Institute on behalf of the the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, directed by Danny Abraham. In the meantime, the two sides are still fighting each. Two Palestinians died in a gunfight between Israeli soldiers and Islamic extremists in Gaza.

Released by Peace Now, the poll titled ‘Positions of the Israeli Public and the Political Leadership (MKs) Regarding a Possible Peace Agreement’ looked at various scenarios for peace based on principles similar the Ayalon-Nusseibeh agreement and the Geneva Initiative of two states for two peoples.

People were asked whether they agreed to a solution based on the following principles: a two-state solution (Israeli - Jewish State + Palestinian State); return of refugees to Palestine only; a demilitarised Palestinian state, the 1967 lines with an exchange of territory; Jerusalem with- Jewish neighbourhoods to be in Israel, Arab Neighbourhoods to be in Palestine; and finally the Old City under a joint management-sovereignty for both sides and the US.

About 67 per cent of Israelis (63 per cent of Israeli Jews) said they were in favour of such an agreement. Among people who voted for Likud and Lieberman in 2009, 50 per cent were in favour of the agreement. Voters of the ultraorthodox Shas party rejected the agreement by 55 to 42 per cent.

The main factor that led some to reject the agreement was lack of trust that the Palestinian side would live up to its obligations. A second factor, but on a much smaller level, was outright opposition to the principle of a Palestinian state. Opposition to sharing sovereignty over Jerusalem was even lower as a reason for opposing the proposed solution.

The survey also showed that members of the Knesset are much more rightwing then public opinion in general.

Former Mayor Ed Koch: Anti-Catholicism Evident in Media

Former NY Mayor Ed Koch (photo credit: Catholic Online)

JERUSALEM (Zenit.org / Catholic Online) - The Jewish former mayor of New York is affirming that "continuing attacks" by the media on the Church and Benedict XVI have become "manifestations of anti-Catholicism."

Edward "Ed" Koch, who also served as a U.S. Congressman from 1969 to 1977, stated this in a blog published online Thursday by The Jerusalem Post.

"The procession of articles on the same events are, in my opinion, no longer intended to inform, but simply to castigate," Koch asserted.

He acknowledged that the sexual molestation of children is "horrendous," noting that this is a point of agreement among "Catholics, the Church itself, as well as non-Catholics and the media."

On this point, the politician and political commentator said, the Pope has openly proclaimed his abhorrence for the crime and compassion for the victims.

Koch noted that "many of those in the media who are pounding on the Church and the pope today clearly do it with delight, and some with malice."

He continued: "The reason, I believe, for the constant assaults is that there are many in the media, and some Catholics as well as many in the public, who object to and are incensed by positions the Church holds, including opposition to all abortions, opposition to gay sex and same-sex marriage, retention of celibacy rules for priests, exclusion of women from the clergy, opposition to birth control measures involving condoms and prescription drugs and opposition to civil divorce.

Salad bar

"My good friend, Cardinal John O'Connor, once said, 'The Church is not a salad bar, from which to pick and choose what pleases you.'

"The Church has the right to demand fulfillment of all of its religious obligations by its parishioners, and indeed a right to espouse its beliefs generally."

The Jewish politician clarified that he personally does not agree with the Catholic position on these issues, but he added that the Church "has a right to hold these views in accordance with its religious beliefs."

He affirmed: "Orthodox Jews, like the Roman Catholic Church, can demand absolute obedience to religious rules. Those declining to adhere are free to leave."

Koch stated his belief that "the Roman Catholic Church is a force for good in the world, not evil."

As well, he said, "the existence of 1 billion, 130 million Catholics worldwide is important to the peace and prosperity of the planet."

"Of course, the media should report to the public any new facts bearing upon the issue of child molestation," Koch affirmed, "but its objectivity and credibility are damaged when the New York Times declines to publish an op-ed offered by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan on the issue of anti-Catholicism and offers instead to publish a letter to the editor, which is much shorter and less prominent than an op-ed."

Enough

He asserted, "I am appalled that, according to the Times of April 6, 2010, 'Last week, the center-left daily newspaper La Repubblica wrote, without attribution that certain Catholic circles believed the criticism of the Church stemmed from a New York Jewish lobby.'"

Koch clarified that if these "certain Catholic circles" were referring to the Times, it should be stated that the publisher, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., is not Jewish, but rather Episcopalian, and its executive editor, Bill Keller, is also a Christian.

"Enough is enough," Koch said.

He continued: "Yes, terrible acts were committed by members of the Catholic clergy.

"The Church has paid billions to victims in the United States and will pay millions, perhaps billions, more to other such victims around the world.

"It is trying desperately to atone for its past by its admissions and changes in procedures for dealing with pedophile priests."

Koch concluded by quoting the words of Jesus, as recorded in John 8:7: "He [or she] that is without sin among you, let him [or her] cast the next stone."

Why They're Feasting on our Priests' mistakes?

Priestly Ordination

Have you ever prayed for your Parish Priest lately? I strongly suggest you should! They really need our prayers.

Perhaps, among the many neglected members of the Body of Christ -- the Church are our clergy and the religious. I mean in terms of spiritual nourishment, we carelessly assumed they're divinely armoured with spiritual velvet  immuned from temptations and are never prone to sin. We simply forget that they too are humans like us with real feelings and emotions. They too know how it feels when it hurts.

The Pontificate of our present Servant Shepherd (Jn. 21:17) Pope Benedict XVI was devastated by reports on clerical abuses in the USA, in Europe and lately in Ireland. These sex abuses rocked the Church intensified by bad reporting from anti-Catholic reporters and journalists as observed by a Former NY Mayor Ed Koch and many good citizens who look up to the Holy Father as an upright man worthy of our support.

As the issue was intensified in the media, the Holy Father responded and issued an Apology Letter to the Church of Ireland, the victims and their families and to entire Irish people. Just as the Lord mercifully forgave the penitent Mary Magdalene, he condemned no one, passed no judgment and leave it to God alone but assured there's always a merciful God who forgives.  As a Church we should sympathize with the victims and their families.

The Holy Father's response didn't satisfy his critics.  They wanted the Holy Father to condemn the sinner according to the standard of the state.  The enemies of the Church cried out louder "Crucify them".  To their dismay, the Holy Father simply offered his sympathy and prayers to victims and their families.

"Let those who have no sin cast the very first stone" (Jn. 8:7)

In the Philippines, the politically influential Iglesia ni Cristo™, a cultic quasi-islamizized version of "Christianity" founded by a self-proclaimed "Angel" considered as their "Last Messenger of God", who incorporated his INC™ in the Republic of the Philippines in July 27, 1914 was among the many noisy anti-Catholics who joined voices in criticizing the Holy Father. They used the same issue demonizing the original Church of Christ in internet forums and in blogs.

Little they know that while rejoicing at our expense, their "Last Messenger" Felix Manalo was as guilty as those accused Catholic priests.  In fact, his sexual misconduct within his cult was brought to the civil courts but his great influence paved way to his poor victims, in exchange he even lifted one of his own victims to be a "Deaconess".  She's Rosita Trillanes. 

A very damaging exposition of his misconduct was published by a certain blogger Emily Jordan providing readers valuable news clippings showing how Felix Manalo abused women while he was considered "God's Last Messenger".  I almost want to say " G*d's LUST Messenger" (or in Filipino Ang na-Huling Sugo").  His infidelity was even complained by his own wife (read here). 

The difference between two sinners, an erring Catholic Priest and Felix Manalo, the former was not a founder of a church or an angel or the "last messenger" while the latter claimed it all. "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much..." (Lk. 12:48).

Similarly, the same problem existed within in various Protestant denomination (read here). So why media is singling out Catholic clergy? It because Catholic clergy are expected to live a holy lives patterned in the life of their founder Jesus Christ. While the rest don't.  "Let those who have no sin cast the very first stone" (Jn. 8:7).

In support for the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, let's join the Knights of Columbus and all Catholics of goodwill around the world to offer this Novena for him:

PRAYER FOR POPE BENEDICT XVI

Source: Knights of Columbus

Lord, source of eternal life and truth,

give to your shepherd, Benedict,a spirit

of courage and right judgment, a spirit

of knowledge and love. By governing

with fidelity those entrustedto his care,

may he, as successor to the Apostle

Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your

Church into a sacrament of unity, love

and peace for all the world. Amen.

V/ Let us pray for Benedict, the pope.

R/ May the Lord preserve him,

give him a long life,

make him blessed upon the earth,

and not hand him over

to the power of his enemies.

V/ May your hand

be upon your holy servant.

R/ And upon your son,

whom you have anointed.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

In Solidarity With Our Holy Father

THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THE APOSTLES

By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL's Gospel reflection for Kerygma Family of Bro. Bo Sanchez

"I get a bit tired defending the Catholic Church’s position on the authority given to the apostles against any of the Protestant Churches as, after all, they are the ones who insist on taking the Word of God literally. It is quite plain and simple to see that Jesus gives the apostles the authority to forgive and retain sins. I do not see how the text in today’s Gospel can be interpreted in any other manner.

"Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” -Jn 20:27

"It is not just this text but there are many other texts that support the fact that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is instituted based on a theological point of view. If this is not enough, the undisputed evidence of Church history for the first 1,500 years after Christ also supports the Catholic Church’s position. If the Protestants want to do away with the Sacrament, they will have to do a lot better than merely asserting that they are developmental mistakes of the Catholic Church. Like nearly all of the Protestant theological positions, we are ultimately left with supporting arguments that pick and choose those pieces of evidence that give vague support to what they want to establish and reject anything that remotely disagrees with their position no matter how well attested the evidence may be. There is no intellectual credibility, let alone integrity in such a position.

"As Catholics we need to better understand our faith so that we can live it more faithfully. Ironically it is the converts who are in the forefront of renewal here. There are many recent converts to Catholicism who witness to the fact that it is precisely when they take history seriously and search for what the early Church believed and why, that they become convinced of the authenticity and correctness of the Catholic Church’s position. One of them, Scott Hahn, echoes another of them, Cardinal John Henry Newman, when he says words to the effect that you cannot remain a Protestant if you take the study of Church history seriously."

Our Common Knowledge About Felix Manalo, INC™ Founder!

While Jesus commanded his disciples to "…Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), the new commandment of Felix Manalo was to go out into the world and proclaim his new version of gospel to every Catholic and Protestant who believes Christ is God and convert them to his own cult disguishing as Christ!  No matter how much he and his cohorts would try, they will never prevail! (Mt. 16:18)

Felix Y. Manalo

Who is Felix Manalo who instigated perfectly a new gospel apart from the Gospel found in the Bible?

Who is Felix Manalo that he changed the whole scripture as he liked and made it appear that the Bible favors him more than the apostles and members of his body – the Church?

Who is Felix Manalo that he thought superior to Christ by elevating himself to the heights of angels while Jesus remained to be a man ONLY!

Who is Felix Manalo who preaches a LYING Christ by forfeiting his solemn promise in Matthew 16:18 “the gates of Hell will NEVER prevail against (Christ’s) Church and built a new in the Philippines?

Who is Felix Manalo who engineered the brainwashing of nominal Catholics by believing in the Catholic Church as an apostate one while his founded new church called Iglesia ni Cristo™ was the restored one “from its pristine beauty”?

Who gave Felix Manalo the sole authority interpreting Scriptures according to his personal opinion which St. Peter, the first Pope of the Catholic Church was very much against (2Peter 1:20)?

Because they do not have official website, let's consult what's availble in the net.  Here's what Wikipedia says about Felix Manalo:

"Felix Ysagun Manalo (born Félix Ysagun y Manalo May 10, 1886 - April 12, 1963), also known as Ka Félix, was the first Executive Minister (Tagalog: Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan) of the religious organization Iglesia ni Cristo, and incorporated it with the Philippine Government on July 27, 1914. He is the father of Eraño G. Manalo, who succeeded him as Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo, and the grandfather of Eduardo V. Manalo, the current Executive Minister.

"On July 27, 1914 the Iglesia ni Cristo was officially registerd with the Philippine government. Thus the prophetic revelation contained in the bible was fulfilled."

Felix Manalo's Biography from LetUsReason:

"The founder of the Iglesia Ni Cristo organization was Felix Manalo. Born On May 10, 1886 to a Catholic family, near Manila in the Philippines. His name Felix (happy) was chosen from the roster of saints from that month. He was baptized a Catholic, his mother a devout Roman Catholic who had Felix attend Catechism class where he learned the fundamentals of the Roman Catholic faith. When he became a teenager he went on a spiritual quest through five known denominations. He became a follower of the ''Colorum'' spiriting sect in the Philippines which was secretive and had pilgrimages to a sacred mountain. He left the Church as a teenager. In 1904 after witnessing a debate between a Roman catholic priest and a Protestant minister on the use of images, he joined the Methodist Episcopalian Church, attended their Seminary and became a pastor. Iglesia puts it this way "He found that the arguments of the Protestant minister' seemed nearer to the biblical truth, than the pointless rambling of the priest." (GOD'S MESSAGE 1 July - September 1994"

Felix Manalo was a rapist according to an article by Emily Jordan:

"In 1954, the newspaper The Bombshell published a three-part story concerning Felix Manalo, founder of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. The first part was published on October 21 with front page headline “IGLESIA NI CRISTO ‘HEAD’ ANGEL OR SEX MANIAC?” The article includes a letter of confession from a certain Rosita Trillanes who, according to her, was raped several times by Felix Manalo. Here is the inside story."

Felix Manalo was a "self-proclaiming" angel says Jesus-Messiah:

"Felix Manalo, founder of the Iglesia Ni Cristo Church in the Philippines, did not have a witness outside of himself that he was a prophet of God to restore the primitive Church, which he claimed had apostated. So, he turned to the Bible to find scriptures he could interpret that would authenticate him as this prophet and authorize him to be the founder of a new religion. He found two text that fit his need and these he manipulated into a Manalo-Christology or a Manalo-Messiasology. Sometime between 1914 and 1941 and a final court decision where the conduct of Manalo was legally established, he claimed to be the Messias and used this identity to coerce girls and women into sexual relationships. He told these females he was like Solomon and could have many wives and concubines. According the ruling of the Court, Manalo used his office as head of the Iglesia Ni Cristo and as a Messias to seduce and persuade these females into fornication and adultery. He already had a large following at that time who believed his claim that he was chosen by God to restore and set up the primitive Christian Church."

Rejected by God, he died painfully with intestinal desease says EconomiExpert:

"Felix Manalo was afflicted with an intestinal disease and died in April 12, 1963."

Felix Manalo was a sex pervert, lusted immorality with female members of his cult says ExamineIglesianiCristo:

"Accusations of sexual immorality plagued Felix Manalo through out His life. In a decision by the Court of Appeals, in the case of "The People vs. Rosita Trillanes" published in July 1942, (A court case initiated by Manalo) the Justices gave an extremely unfavorable estimate of Manalo's character stating:

"...Manalo, took advantage of his position as head of the Iglesia ni Cristo, and...employed religion as a cloak to cover his...immoral practices; that he pretended to be the Messias sent by God; and that to persuade his victims, he cited the example of Solomon and his many wives"

Felix Manalo personally invited agents of Satan to laid hands on him says Splendor of the Church:

"PASUGO, the official bulletin of the Iglesia ni Cristo cult founded by Felix Manalo directly refers to the Catholic Priests and Protestant Pastors as ministers of Satan."

A richman says Iglesia ni Cristo in a Nutshell:

"Usually, about $200,000 cash and money orders are collected which represents a third

of the total thanksgivings. Manalo does not want to lose any monies from possible stickups.

"There is a very big shocker that affects many members. Because of the excessive thanksgiving increase

that members have given, they are required now to deposit the same amount next year plus corresponding increase. For example, if a member's total thanksgivings (deposits plus supplementary cash) is $5,000 this year, the member must deposit this same new amount next year plus additional.

"Manalo's Iglesia ni Cristo sleeper cells are comprised of all fully established cells (committee prayergroups and congregations) established all over the world. Latest estimates of cell membership is approximately 7.5 million to 9.5 million scattered all over the globe. Its income is estimated to be from US$60 million to US$75 million annually mostly from its members. Monies are laundered and hidden through names of trusted Manalo relatives and friends and Manalo owned corporations and entities, just like how former dictator Ferdinand Marcos hid his billions of assets. Manalo's source of income are also hidden in stealth as members faithfully follow orders not to declare their Iglesia ni Cristo contributions in their personal income tax returns, a neat ploy to render income of the cult invisible from radar screens of all governments of the world."

"Thanksgivings of INC member Feljun Fuentes:

Dec 2001....$1,000.00 July 2001....$500.00

Dec 2002....$1,500.00 July 2002....$750.00

Dec 2003....$1,500.00 July 2003....$850.00

Thanksgivings of INC member Rommel V. San Pedro:

Dec 2001....$3,000.00 July 2001....$100.00

Dec 2002....$2,000.00 July 2002....$ 50.00

Dec 2003....$1,000.00 July 2003....$ 5.00

"Use of the God's Message magazine - Each member buys this magazine (currently the price is $2.50 each issue). Usually members buy two, one for self and one for his/her prospective visitor or prospect.

"The average yearly amount of monies that a member surrenders to Manalo is $3,681.00.

Breakdown:

---------

Worship service offerings ($5.00x52x2)....$ 520.00

Local offerings ($10.00x40)............... 400.00

District offerings ($10.00x12)............ 120.00

Thanksgiving deposits ($25.00x49)........ 1,225.00

Supplemental Thanksgivings............... 500.00

Anniversary offerings.................... 700.00

God's Message offerings ($2.50x2x12)..... 60.00

EGM offerings ($3.00x52)................. 156.00

------

TOTAL $3,681.00

"...the Iglesia ni Cristo has 134 congregations in the United States, the income of Manalo from the U.S. alone is a whooping $15,460,200.00. If we include the takes of Manalo from the rest of the world from Canada to Europe and Asia, an estimate of $50 million to $75 million is a low estimate."

Felix Manalo is the embodiment of the Anti-Christ saysCatholic Faith Defender:

"•FELIX [5 letters] because Felix is Latin but if it is translated to Tagalog: PELIKS = 6 letters]

•YSAGUN [6 letters]

•MANALO [6 letters]

= 666 ERAÑO GUZMAN MANALO [translated to Filipino] IRANYO GUSMAN MANALO

IRANYO: 6 Letters

GUSMAN: 6 Letters

MANALO: 6 Letters

________________

666

Felix Manalo was a founder of a CULT says thebereans.

Unable to expose their official teachings for fear of losing members, we keep blogging about Who Felix Manalo was! Perhaps in this way we can enlighten those who were brainwashed by their Ministers.

May the Light of Christ shine brightly in their darkness.

Prophecy Fulfillment (Naganap Na!)

Biblically true, the Iglesia ni Cristo™ perfectly fits in the prophecies of the Bible. The coming of a deceiver, an anti-Christ, a son of perdition through the preachings of its founder Felix Ysagun Manalo prophesied and was fulfilled in his cult.

The Bible is full of warnings about the coming of the anti-Christs particularly found in the Gospels and in the letters of St. Paul and St. Peter, the first among the Apostles, the first Pope, In the letters of St. Paul we were told to hold fast in our faith which they handover to their successors. He strictly forewarned us to keep watch and to defend and maintain the true faith against those chiildren of perdition found in deceitful teachings fuming confusion among his sheep by false prophets and anti-Christ’s. (see Mt. 7:15-23; Mt. 24:11-12; 2Pt.2:1-3; 1Jn.4:1; 2Tim4:2-4) and that includes Felix Manalo.

Biblicaly speaking, the anti-Christ would come, preach another Christ, worship another god and deceive many. He will make himself superior to Christ. Felix Manalo, the founder of the cult “Iglesia ni Cristo™” matched those descriptions and their new gods are Iglesia ni Cristo and money coming from its members. In fact they call themselves IGLESIA not Christians.

The anti-Christ preached another Christ. For him, Christ was never true to his words. He promised “the gates will never prevail against “ his “Church “(Mt. 16) but apostatized sometime.

For Manalo, Christ is just a man, not God but he preached himself as God’s Last Messenger or an Angel. At times he’s said to be the “Last Messenger” of the Apostles, or God or Jesus. In other words, he’s a messenger of three personages: God, Jesus and the Apostles.

But wait, one of the accusations of the Iglesia ni Cristo Ministers through the preaching of their founder was the other way around. They say that the Catholic Church which they confessed to be "Christ’s true Church" (Pasugo April 1966, p.46) apostatized and that the Pope who received his Papal Ministry directly from St. Peter himself is accused of being the anti-Christ (a teaching they heavily borrowed from the Sevent-day Adventists for Manalo was once a preacher of the Sabadistas. Its followers still believed that the faked “Vicarius Filii Dei” was an official Papal title apart from him being called “Vicar of Christ”. The fabricated "papal" title "Vicarius Filii Dei" teachings has long been abandoned by the SDA but is maintained by INC™ Ministers.

Satan was so desperate in messing up Christ's true Church (but of course not even its gate can prevail against it. Christ had promised NEVER it will happen!-- keep trying Iglesia ni Cristo).

So how should we know who’s the anti-Christ.

To figure it out, let’s use their own official magazine called PASUGO:

PASUGO September 1970, p.20:

"Sino ba ang nakadaya sa buong sanlibutan ayon sa itinuturo ng Banal na Kasulatan? Sa Apoc. 12:9 ay ganito ang mababasa: 'At inihagis ang malaking Ahas, ang tinatawag na Diablo at Satanas, ang nakadaya sa buong sanlibutan.' Sinasabi ng Banal na Kasulatan o Biblia na si Satanas o ang Diablo ang nakadaya sa buong sanlibutan. Kay Satanas ang Pambuong Sanlibutan. Kung ang Iglesia Katolika Romana ay pambuong sanlibutan o laganap sa buong sanlibutan kung gayon ito ang nadaya ni Satanas."

For being LAGANAP (worldwide) the Catholic Church was deceived by Satan says the INC™ by using Rev. 12:9. That's officially published in their Magazine.

Or would it be the other way around?

It's true, the Catholic Church is Universal just as Jesus commanded his disciples to “preach the Gospel to ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19) keeping his commands and statutes. We claim it because Christ told had promised.

In fact in Psalms 50:7-12 we read:

"Iyong dinggin, O Bayan, at ako'y magsasalita, O Israel, at ako'y magpapatotoo sa iyo; Kung ako'y magutom ay hindi ko sasaysayin sa iyo: sapagkat ang sanlibutan ay akin at ang buong narito."

Dispelling their own deceitful ploy, St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 10:10:26 says:

"Sapagkat ang lupa ay sa Panginoon at ang kabuuan ng narito."

The whole universe is CHRIST’s!

But wait, using their own standard, let's help them figure out whom Revelations 12:9 is referring to.

PASUGO April 1969, last page: (poem)

"Kung buhay an sugo, Makikita niya na hindi nasayang;

Ang mga panahong kanyang ginugol nang siya'y mangaral;

Saka ang Iglesia'y hindi lamang dito ngayon nakatatag;

Tumawid na ito sa ibayong Pangpang nitong Pilipinas;

Pati na sa Hawaii at sa San Francisco doo'y lumaganap;

Nakatatag ngayon si Cristong pinakahahamak;

Papaano di gayon ay kalat na ngayon ang mga kapatid;

At nangakalatag sa palibut-libot ng buong daigdig."

Thanks to readme2.blogspot.com for providing us a more solid fact of its being "laganap".

Iglesia ni Cristo™ un-Official Directory by an INC™ Minister Conrad J. Obligacion aka "readme" aka "truthcaster" at readme2.blogspot.com

Again, according to their own standards, if the Iglesia ni Cristo is now worldwide (LAGANAP) "kung gayon ito ang nadaya ni Satanas." PASUGO September 1970, p.20!

Indeed! Praise alone to Jesus Christ!

More are Embracing Christ

Dar Al-Masih never loses a chance to make sense amidst clear and present danger of persecution from Mulims for reprisal. In fact, conversion other than Islam is death.



 Thanks to Muslim4Christ in YouTube for this video

Vatican, pilgrims rally around Pope

Scandals cast pall over Easter

Source: TimesofMalta.com

Pope Benedict XVI delivering the traditional Urbi et Orbi Easter message from the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica yesterday at the Vatican. Photo: Osservatore Romano/AFP

Top Vatican prelates rallied around Pope Benedict XVI yesterday as paedophile priest scandals have plunged the Roman Catholic Church into its worst crisis in decades.

Easter Mass in a rain-drenched St Peter's Square kicked off with an unusual greeting from the dean of the College of Cardinals, who told the pontiff: "The people of God are with you and do not allow themselves to be impressed by the idle chatter of the moment."

Cardinal Angelo Sodano was echoing the Pope's remarks a week ago when he urged Christians not to be "intimidated by the idle chatter of prevailing opinions".

The Pope, in his much-anticipated "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message, made no mention of the scandals, although he made a broad call for a "spiritual and moral conversion... to emerge from a profound crisis, one which requires deep change, beginning with consciences."

Vatican expert Bruno Bartoloni said the Church was going through its "hardest period since the publication (in 1968) of the 'Humanae Vitae' (Of Human Life)" - a papal encyclical by Pope Paul VI that attacked use of the birth control pill as a mortal sin.

"At that time the crisis was as deep, with personal attacks against the Pope and the Church in general," Mr Bartoloni said. Easter pilgrims massed in St Peter's Square insisted yesterday their Church was not a haven for paedophiles as some accused the media of exaggerating the scale of abuse by Catholic priests. Many of the pilgrims among the tens of thousands huddled under umbrellas in St Peter's Square defended the Pope.

Edgar Meier of Germany faulted media coverage for blowing up the affair, saying: "It's not a typical thing of the Church. Journalists are making it something bigger than it really is."

The scandals have cast a pall over Easter, the most joyous day in the Christian calendar, commemorating the day when Jesus Christ is believed to have been resurrected.

The crisis took a new twist on Friday when the Pope's personal preacher evoked a parallel between attacks on the pontiff and anti-Semitism.

Jewish groups and those representing victims of abuse by Roman Catholic priests condemned Father Raniero Cantalamessa for quoting the comments, which he said were made in a letter from a Jewish friend, in his Good Friday sermon.

Father Cantalamessa issued an apology yesterday, telling the Italian daily Corriere della Sera: "If I inadvertently hurt the feelings of Jews and paedophilia victims, I sincerely regret it and I apologise."

Pope Benedict has spoken out several times since the start of his papacy in 2005 on child sex abuse, calling it a "heinous crime" and a "grave sin." But the scandals have been gaining momentum relentlessly, putting the Vatican on the defensive.

"What matters is for the Church to admit the mistakes it has made. And it is doing so," argued Italian tourist Mario Mogavero.

Alvarez Darelli, a Catholic from Milan, also believed the Church was "doing its best" to stamp out paedophilia.

"The Church is made of men, and some of them make mistakes," argued Marino, a Catholic from Turin in Italy, sheltering from the rain under a tarpaulin with his wife and two children.

"Faith has nothing to do with the way some people behave," he said. "The most important thing is that they should not be protected."

But many others seemed to feel the Church was being unfairly stigmatised over what they said was a wider problem in society.

"There are cases everywhere, involving all kinds of people - so why should it not be the same in the Church?" agreed Sanne, a Belgian tourist.

"It is certainly a problem," acknowledged Natalya Tkashenko from Russia. But child abuse, she argued, "can be found in any closed institution, among men or women."

The scandal has cast a pall over Easter, which is supposedly the most joyous day in the Christian calendar, commemorating the day when Jesus Christ is believed to have been resurrected.

Church leaders including the archbishop of Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois have denounced what they say is a smear campaign targeting the pope.

"Even though it is a serious problem, it has also been exploited" to harm the Church, complained Marino from Turin.

Edgar Meier, who travelled to Rome from the pope's native Germany, blamed the media for exaggerating the scale of the abuse.

"It's not a typical thing of the Church. Journalists are making this something bigger than it really is."

Pope Benedict has spoken out several times since the start of his papacy in 2005 on sex abuse.

As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ordered bishops to report abuse cases to the Vatican and remove abusers from contact with youth.

REJOICE, the LORD is RISEN!

HAPPY EASTER to ALL. May the Lord bless your sacrifices for Lent and fill you will peace, prosperity, joy and love.

I would like to share with you a good reflection from SABBATH, a Kerygma Family reflection, written by Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL:

THE GRAVE IS EMPTY

It must have been one of the most remarkable, if not the most remarkable, experiences of human history — namely, going to the tomb and discovering that the body of Jesus is no longer there. And to make the experience even more extraordinary, it appears that Jesus has come back to life. I do not think anything could prepare anyone to face such an event without causing absolute and complete astonishment. Yet, this is what we celebrate in today’s liturgy.

As one relatively modern Church hymn puts it, ‘… death could not hold him down; he is risen!’ This is the proclamation of the Church today and it is a truth that has ramifications for all humanity, not just Christians, because the salvation Jesus wins today is for all men and women of all time. But, I hear you say, how can this be if people do not believe or know the truth? The simple answer to this rebuttal is that it is up to us, who believe and know the truth, to proclaim it to those who do not. This is why Jesus instituted the Church, not so that we can have a cozy club to pat one another on the back, but to stand up straight in the market place and proclaim the Good News that Jesus is risen from the dead and your sins are forgiven.

If we want to experience the fullness of the gift of salvation, we have to begin sharing the Good News with others. Let me assure you, there is no better feeling than that of having shared the Good News with someone and experiencing them undergo a conversion of heart to faith in Jesus Christ. More and more today, we need men and women willing to sacrifice their own desires for pleasure and a comfortable life in order to work for the goal of seeing heaven more populated than it is at the moment. This work is the most satisfying work anyone can do. Let us give God a chance to use us to bring about His Kingdom in the lives of others here on earth.

-Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
(Thanks to Bro. Jacky Alcoriza from Batangas, a CFC-SFC member for sharing with me the link)

The Passion as sung by Fairouz

It's not just Good, it's the Best of Fridays

Photo Credit: www.catholic.org

I never thougtht why today, the commemoration of the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ is called "Good Friday".

According to Catholic Encyclopedia,

"From the earliest times the Christians kept every Friday as a feast day; and the obvious reasons for those usages explain why Easter is the Sunday par excellence, and why the Friday which marks the anniversary of Christ's death came to be called the Great or the Holy or the Good Friday. The origin of the term Good is not clear. Some say it is from "God's Friday" (Gottes Freitag); others maintain that it is from the German Gute Freitag, and not specially English. Sometimes, too, the day was called Long Friday by the Anglo-Saxons; so today in Denmark."

In fact, today is not just a Good Friday but the best of all Fridays.

Today, there is no celebration of the Holy Mass. The anniversary of the institution of the Holy Eucharist was yesterday. It was actually the commemoration of the Last Supper of Christ with his disciples. The washing of the feet of the apostles adds to the drama that had unfolded in history for more than 2,000 years ago when God-made flesh was offered as a "Sacrificial Unblemish Lamb" of God for the expiation of our sins.

Catholics today gazes themselves on the Cross of Christ. No Mass is held. The Altar was stripped off, laid bare. There's nothing to see in the altar. Literally Catholic Churches altar today are empty of anything.

We come to church today at before 3 o'clock to venerate the Cross of which Christ has redeemed the world. The Church made us understand that through our solemn veneration of the Cross and receiving Holy Communion later after the ceremony unites us to Christ our Savior and die from our sins through His death.

Unknown to many Catholics, today, we are about to be redeemed by Christ's redemptive love and so we come to church and thank God it's the best of all Fridays.

A Different Night

Photo Credit: Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Unknown to many Catholics in the Philippines, today's liturgy highlights that of the ancient Jewish Passover festival.

According to Exodus 12, this Passover should be retold from generation to generation how God saved his people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.

The bitter herbs reminded them of the hardships their forefathers endured as slaves in Egypt, the loin and the sandals reminded them of the haste flight they have to take to a place God had appointed them. The promise Land which God was mindful of his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This same Passover, Christ made his Last Supper and instituted his perpetual covenant that through the bread and wine consecrated, it's Christ's real body and real blood that everyone who partakes received salvation (Read John 6 or read further Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist as a Fact).

Tonight is something different among all nights because the Author of Life has to become one like us and sacrificed his own body as our "Holocaust" offering to God for the expiation of the sins of the world. "For God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16).

We are assured that tonight when we partake in the celebration of the Last Supper of Christ, we often remember his Redemptive Love for all mankind.

Be continuously blest for this Holy Week and be worthy to celebrate his Resurrection in Easter.

------------------------------
Other worth reading for reflection:
1. Pope at Supper of the Lord Mass: Church’s preaching will not fail throughout history
2. http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=36032
3. http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/story.php?id=36022
4. Holy Week
5. Holy Thursday: Pray for Priests
6. Why is this Week Called Holy? Take This Cup
7. Holy Thursday: 'Love is a Verb'

May Jesus Bless your Holy Week Observance!

In CHEMISTRY, he turned water into wine.

In BIOLOGY, he was born without normal conception;

In PHYSICS, he disproved the Law of Gravity when he ascended to heaven;

In ECONOMICS, he disproved the Law of Diminishing return by feeding 5000 men with two fishes & 5 loaves of bread;

In MEDICINE, he cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs,

In HISTORY, he is the Beginning and the End .


In GOVERNMENT, he said that he shall be called WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE;

In RELIGION, he said no one comes to the Father except through HIM; He alone among founders of religion who claims to be God!

So WHO IS HE? He is JESUS!

The Greatest Man in History Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer

He had no army, yet kings feared Him...

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. I feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us!

Praise and Honor to Jesus Christ FOREVER!

Amen!

Have a fruitful Holy Week and Blessed Glorious Resurrection Day to ALL!

Arabic Prayer for Lent

Thanks to Dar Al-Masih for the link.

Shinto Priest's Wife, Daughter Becoming Catholic

Mother Teresa Inspired Conversion

PARIS, MARCH 29, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Two of the many thousands who will join the Catholic Church this Easter are a mother and daughter from Japan. Their story is unique because the family's father is a Shinto priest.

The Eglises d'Asie, the news agency of the Foreign Missions of Paris, reported the story of Ito Miyuki, 38, and her daughter, Kotone, 5, who will be baptized into the Catholic faith.

The celebration will take place in the parish of Yonezawa in the prefecture of Yamagata.

"My home is a Shinto temple; my work is that of a miko," she told UCANews, referring to a woman assistant in a Shinto temple.

With only a few days left before her baptism, Miyuki continues to play sacred music during her husband's ceremonies. After her baptism, she plans to continue to do so.

She began to work in the Shinto shrine in the prefecture of Shimane at 23.

Later, she returned to live with her parents in Yamagata, where she met Haruhiko, a Shinto priest, and they were married.

Her knowledge of the Christian faith was then very weak, though existent. She attended a Catholic high school, where she was fascinated by the story of the life and work of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Three years after her wedding, during a trip to India, she visited the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta and was blessed by the founder, who gave her a rosary, which she still treasures.

However, Miyuki's conversion came later. In 2008, during a dinner, she began to cough up blood. The doctors diagnosed cancer of the pharynx, telling her it was terminal.

Without being able to explain it, the image of Mother Teresa came to Miyuki'a mind and she said to herself: "I want to be baptized before I die!"

On leaving the hospital, she began searching to see how she could receive this sacrament, but someone close to the Church told her that, being a miko, she should reconsider her decision.

However, she persisted with her desire and contacted the parish of Yonezawa, where she was received by the team in charge of the catechumenate.

Two months later, when she was growing used to her illness, her cancer disappeared.

"My life was saved by Jesus Christ; I want to spend the rest of my life in the Church," she thought at the time, realizing that she had become "spiritually thirsty."

For some time Miyuki considered the possibility of abandoning her functions in the shrine, but she was dissuaded by a priest of the parish and the team of laymen that support her.

In regard to her daughter, Kotone herself went to see the priest to ask to be baptized.

"I want to know Jesus," she said at the age of 5. "I love Jesus and I love Mary."

Miyuki's husband has no objection to the prospect of the forthcoming baptism of his wife and daughter. In fact, he says he feels profoundly fortunate.

“Considering my position, I can’t be baptized myself,” he explained. “But for my own part, I do wish I could. This area has a shrinking population, but despite this, all the residents continue to support Shinto festivals with monetary offerings. I feel I must do what I can to meet the needs of those who do so much to protect this shrine.”

After Easter and the baptisms, the Ito family plans to travel to France where, in the company of several Catholic priests, they will go on pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Feast of the Annunciation

(Source" Catholic.org; Photo Credit, thanks to EWTN)

The feast of the Annunciation goes back to the fourth or fifth century. Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, the decision is being realized. The God-Man embraces all humanity, indeed all creation, to bring it to God in one great act of love. Because human beings have rejected God, Jesus will accept a life of suffering and an agonizing death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Mary has an important role to play in God’s plan. From all eternity God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world. We could say that God’s decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. As Mary is God’s instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to pl ay with Jesus in creation and redemption. It is a God-given role. It is God’s grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God’s grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity.

She is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews 10:7-9; Luke 1:38).

Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarna tion is meant to accomplish for all of us.

Comment:

Sometimes spiritual writers are accused of putting Mary on a pedestal and thereby discouraging ordinary humans from imitating her. Perhaps such an observation is misguided. God did put Mary on a pedestal and has put all human beings on a pedestal. We have scarcely begun to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God’s freely given love. The marvel of Mary—even in the midst of her very ordinary life—is God’s shout to us to wake up to the marvelous creatures that we all are by divine design.