FINALLY CBCP RULED OUT THAT KNEELING SHOULD REMAIN FROM CONSECRATION UNTIL THE GREAT AMEN!

"This is My Body which will be given up for you..." (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24) -Photo Source:1Peter5

On the QUESTION of Kneeling or Standing

After the Consecration Until After the GREAT AMEN

During the Eucharistic Celebration

Source: CBCP News

March 19, 2016

Your Eminences and Excellencies,

During the January 2016 112th CBCP Plenary Assembly in Cebu, there was a discussion on the issue of standing or kneeling after the consecration until after the Amen. The discussion included a question on why we do not continue kneeling after the consecration until after the Amen. After a short discussion, the Permanent Council of the CBCP was tasked to look into this issue.

So, at the March 15, 2016 meeting of the CBCP Permanent Council one of the issues discussed was this issue on the posture of standing after the consecration and to keep standing or of kneeling after the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer. This is the reason for this letter.

Before the 1990s, we can still recall that we had the established practice of kneeling after the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer.

In the 1990s the practice of standing after the consecration was begun. This change in the established practice was based on the 1990 Guidelines for the Eucharist which were approved by the CBCP in January 1990. Number 3 of the 1990 Guidelines states: “The people should kneel from the Sanctus until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer…. If the acclamation after the consecration is sung, the people may stand for it and keep standing.” However, in reality the practice became always standing after the consecration until the Amen.

In January 2003 at the 86th CBCP Plenary Assembly, one of the proposals that the CBCP approved to include among the Philippine Adaptations to the General Instructions of the Roman Missal 2002 was:“Proposed Philippine Adaptation: ‘In the Philippines, the people kneel after the Sanctus, rise for the memorial acclamation, and kneel after the Lamb of God.’”

In both instances, the 1990 Guidelines for the Eucharist and the proposed Philippine Adaptations to the General Instructions of the Roman Missal 2002, no recognitio was ever received from Rome.

Specifically for the Philippine Adaptations to the General Instructions of the Roman Missal 2002 that were submitted to Rome, no answer was ever received. Archbishop Romulo Valles, during an ad limina visit in September 2003, made a follow up at the office of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the status the Philippine proposed adaptations. After that, until up to now we have not received a formal written reply.

In February 2016, Bishop Julius Tonel, Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy, made a query with the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments about this specific proposed adaptation. In reply to his query, it was confirmed that a formal reply or recognitio had never been given.

With the above information, we sought the advice of some of our bishops knowledgeable in the Code of Canon Law. They have responded that no answer or silence from Rome means that the recognitio has not been given. Without the recognitio the CBCP does not have the authority to make or implement any such adaptation. This being the case, we have to revert to the established practice before the request.

Based on the above documented information, the Permanent Council came to the decision that we must ABANDON the practice of standing after the consecration until the Amen as we do not have the authority to make such an adaptation nor do we have the authority to implement it. We must go back to the previously established practice of kneeling after the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer.

To go back to our established practice is very much in keeping with our current General Instructions of the Roman Missal, approved by the CBCP and given the needed recognition from Rome, published in the Philippine Edition of the Roman Missal of 2011. Number 43 states: “Where it is the practice for the people to remain kneeling after the Sanctus until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer …, it is laudable for this practice to be retained.”

Another way of saying this is that we go back our established practice where the people kneel beginning after the Sanctus and remain kneeling until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer knowing that this is in harmony with the present GIRM.

You are kindly requested to inform our clergy and Catholic faithful about this re statement of position and lead them, through liturgical catechesis, to deepen our reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament. The spirit of the law is to observe greater reverence for the Real Presence.

We remind you of some lines contained in our Pastoral Exhortation to Open the 2016 Year of the Eucharist and the Family:

Kneeling is part of our Christian culture. We cannot abandon or set aside the culture of kneeling in favor of the culture that says as freemen we must face God on our feet. Bending the knee before the tabernacle in genuflection, kneeling down at the celebration of the Eucharist, kneeling down to adore the exposed Blessed Sacrament—these are little but sublime acts of adoration that we must preserve and protect.

Sincerely yours,

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

PALM SUNDAY (A Day of Obligation for Catholics)

Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified.

Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ's arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.

Palm branches are widely recognized symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.

The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of someone in peace, as opposed to arriving on a steed in war.

A week later, Christ would rise from the dead on the first Easter.

During Palm Sunday Mass, palms are distributed to parishioners who carry them in a ritual procession into church. The palms are blessed and many people will fashion them into small crosses or other items of personal devotion. These may be returned to the church, or kept for the year.

Because the palms are blessed, they may not be discarded as trash. Instead, they are appropriately gathered at the church and incinerated to create the ashes that will be used in the follow year's Ash Wednesday observance.

The colors of the Mass on Palm Sunday are red and white, symbolizing the redemption in blood that Christ paid for the world.

VATICAN CITY!

JERUSALEM CITY!

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (2014)

Palm Sunday Around the World! The Catholicity of the Church is Evident!

SOURCE: IGLESIA DIGITAL

Former Lutheran Pastor: “Why I Am Becoming Catholic …” -Aleteia

Source: Aleteia
Russell E. Saltzman
March 18, 2016

Just in time for Holy Week, embracing the Church for its density: "There is a 'there' there."

For thirty years I labored away in parish ministry as a Lutheran pastor. Then for another four years, I was a district dean for the North American Lutheran Church (a supervisory work I enjoyed about as much as tooth decay).

Now, as I write this in the run-up to Holy Week, I am about to become a Roman Catholic, along with my wife; me for the first time and her for the second.

You may blame her for my conversion (though I think of it as a natural transition, as you’ll see). She was raised Roman Catholic and became Lutheran. Her father was raised Lutheran and became Catholic. Life is a darn strange thing at times. Her father died two years ago, and in the throes of watching that good man give up his life to ALS, she felt a tug back to her childhood faith.

To my surprise — hers too, I think — I said I’d tag along. Actually, it wasn’t much of a surprise to me. From seminary on as I became enmeshed in the Lutheran confessional documents from the sixteenth century, I progressively became more catholic in my thinking. What I sought for my faith was an ecclesial density; the feeling that there is a “there” there. The state of Lutheran church bodies in America simply does not approach it.

But it isn’t only out of disappointment as a Lutheran that I am becoming Roman Catholic. There is conviction behind this move. That rises along several avenues.

1) Some of my seminary class work, back in the late 1970s, was done at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio. I had classes in Sacramentology and Marian studies, taught by two old school Jesuits. I found myself in a classroom, the lone Lutheran surrounded by a horde of Salesian seminarians. It was exciting.

GMANews: ‘Misteryo ng Monasteryo,’ dokumentaryo ni Sandra Aguinaldo ngayong Sabado sa ‘I-Witness’

Source: GMAOnline

“MISTERYO SA MONASTERYO”

Dokumentaryo ni Sandra Aguinaldo

March 19, 2016

Noong 1948, isang dalaga ang tumakas para pumasok sa Carmelite Monastery. Siya ang bunso at paboritong anak ng gobernador ng Batangas. Maganda at may talento sa pagtugtog ng piano, tila wala na siyang hahanapin pa. Pero tinalikuran ni Teresing ang komportableng buhay na ito para sa isang payak na pamumuhay sa umiikot lang sa loob ng mga pader ng monasteryo.

Makalipas ang isang buwan, yayanigin niya ang mga na pader ito nang isiwalat niya na nagpapakita sa kanya ang Mahal na Birhen. Sumunod dito ang iba’t ibang misteryosong kaganapan--- ang pag-ulan ng mga talulot ng rosas at kalaunan, ang pagsayaw ng araw na masasaksihan ng maraming tao. Kikilalanin ito sa buong mundo bilang Aparisyon ng Mary Mediatrix of All Grace.

Pero noong 1951, idineklara ng mga opisyal ng simbahan na hindi totoo ang mga naganap sa Lipa at ipinagbawal ang debosyon sa Our Lady of Mediatrix. Pinaalis si Sister Teresing sa monasteryo. Lahat ng dokumento, mga talulap ng rosas at pati ang imahe ng Mediatrix ay iniutos na sunugin. Isinara ang pintuan ng monasteryo at nagkaroon ng “ban of silence” na tatagal ng apatnapung taon.

Noong 1990, binuksan muli ni Arsobispo Gaviola ang imbestigasyon patungkol dito. Sa pakiusap ng isang madreng nakaratay na, inilabas muli ang imahe ng Our Lady of Mediatrix na naitago nila at pinayagan itong makita muli ng publiko. Bumuo siya ng isang grupo para imbesitgahang muli ang kaso.

Taong 2015, ang kasalukuyang Arsobispo ng Lipa na si Ramon Arguelles, ay nagdeklara na ang mga naganap sa Lipa noong 1948 ay “worthy of belief”. Makalipas ang halos pitong dekada, ang kuwento ni Sister Teresing, tanggap na nga ba ng simbahan? Ano nga ba ang mga tunay na naganap sa loob ng Monasteryo ng mga Carmelite sa Lipa? Bakit nagkaroon ng “ban of silence” ? Babalikan ni Sandra Aguinaldo ang mga kaganapan ng 1948 at matutuklasan na ito ay balot pa rin ng misteryo. Abangan ang “Himala ng Lipa” ngayong Sabado, sa I-Witness, pagkatapos ng Magpakailanman.

English version:

In 1948, a young woman who was the youngest and who was the favorite daughter of the Batangas governor ran away to enter the Carmelite Monastery. Beautiful, talented, and privileged, Teresing turned her back on her comfortable life in exchange for the austere life confined within monastery walls.

A month later, these same walls shook with the revelation that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her in a series of apparitions. Other mysterious events soon followed — showers of rose petals and later on, a dancing sun witnessed by many. This phenomenon would be known around the world as the Apparition in Lipa by Mary Mediatrix of all Grace.

In 1951 however, local church officials declared these phenomena a hoax and banned all devotion to Mary Mediatrix. Sister Teresing was asked to leave the monastery. All documents including the nuns’ diaries, rose petals and the statue of the Mediatrix were ordered destroyed and the monastery doors closed. The “ban of silence” was imposed and lasted for forty years.

In 1990, Archbishop Gaviola re-investigated the case and at the request of a dying nun, allowed the statue of the Mediatrix, which was spared from destruction and hidden by the nuns, to be venerated in public again. He then created a new panel to re-investigate the case.

In 2015, current Archbishop of Lipa Ramon Arguelles, declared these mysterious events as “worthy of belief”. What really happened inside the Carmelite monastery in 1948? Why was the “ban of silence” imposed? Sandra Aguinaldo revisits the events of 1948 and discovers they continue to be as mysterious as they were 67 years ago. I-Witness presents “Himala ng Lipa”, this Saturday on GMA, after Magpakailanman.

NCR: Eyewitness Account of ISIS [Muslim Terrorists] Attack on Mother Teresa's Sisters in Yemen

'I’m amazed by the faith reflected in those words,' said Auxiliary Bishop Edward Rice of St. Louis on March 14. 'Because of their faithfulness, they were in the right place at the right time and were ready when the Bridegroom came.'

by JOAN FRAWLEY DESMOND 
Posted 03/17/2016 National Catholic Register

Clockwise from upper right: Sister Anselm, Sister Reginette, Sister Judith and Sister Marguerite, the Missionaries of Charity sisters who were killed in Aden, Yemen, by two gunmen who attacked their convent on March 4.

– Courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia

On March 4, following the ISIS attack on a Missionaries of Charity home for the elderly and disabled in Aden, Yemen, the sole survivor member of the order, Sister Sally, conveyed her testimony of the massacre to Sister Rio. Sister Rio’s account was recorded by another Missionary of Charity, Sister Adriana.

This testimony was circulated to religious communities in the United States as Secretary of State John Kerry was considering whether to declare that the Islamic State’s actions in the Middle East constituted genocide against Christians and other religious minorities. On March 17, Secretary Kerry designated the terrorist organization's actions as genocide

During a March 14 Mass that honored the four Missionaries of Charity who died in Aden, Bishop Edward Rice, an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, quoted Sister Rio’s powerful statement regarding the death of her fellow sisters: “Because of their faithfulness they were in the right place at the right time and were ready when the Bridegroom came.”

“I’m amazed by the faith reflected in those words,” said Bishop Rice. “The Holy Father speculates that, at the moment of their death, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was waiting for her sisters, to bring them to the Lord,” Bishop Rice said. “But not to disagree with Pope Francis, I think even more so, at the moment of their death, Christ himself was there to greet them and proclaimed, ‘Well done, good and faithful servants. Come, receive your Master’s joy.’”

Images of the three pages of photocopied handwritten testimony are available here: Page 1, Page 2 and Page 3. A PDF containing all three pages can be downloaded here. Following is the text of the testimony, with emphases added in bold:

* * * * * * * * * *

SISTER RIO’S WORDS TO SISTER ADRIANA, MC: Friday, midday, March 4, 2016

Sisters had Mass, breakfast as usual. As usual, Father stays back in chapel to say prayers, then to fix things around the compound.

8:00am: Said apostolate prayer and all 5 went to home.

8:30am: ISIS dressed in blue came in, killed guard and driver.

5 young Ethiopian men (Christian) began running to tell the sisters ISIS was here to kill them. They were killed one by one. They tied them to trees, shot them in the head and smashed their heads.

The sisters ran 2 by 2 in different directions, as they have mens and ladies home. 4 working women were screaming, “Don’t kill the sisters! Don’t kill the sisters!” One was the cook for 15 years. They killed them as well.

They caught Sr. Judith and Sr. Reginette first, tied them up, shot them in the head and smashed their heads. When the sisters ran in different directions, the Superior ran to the convent to try to warn Father Tom.

They caught Sr. Anselm and Sr. Marguerite, tied them, shot them in the head and smashed their heads in the sand.

Meanwhile, the Superior could not get to the convent. It is not clear how many ISIS men were there.

She saw all the sisters and helpers killed. The ISIS men were already getting to the convent so she went into the refridgerator room, since the door was open. These ISIS men were everywhere, searching for her, as they knew there were 5. At least three times they came into the fridgerator room. She did not hide, but remained standing behind the door – they never saw her. This is miraculous.

Meanwhile, at the convent, Father had heard the screaming and consumed all the Hosts. He had no time to consume the large Host, so he threw the oil out of the sanctuary lamp and dissolved it in the water.

A neighbor saw them put Father Tom in their car. They did not find any trace of Father anywhere. All the religious articles were smashed and destroyed – Our Lady, crucifix, altar, tabernacle, lectionary stand – even their prayer books and Bibles.

10:00 or 10:15am: The ISIS men finished and left.

Sr. Sally came to get the bodies of the sisters. She got them all. She went to the patients to each one individually to see if they were OK. All were OK. Not one was hurt.

The son of the woman who was the cook (who was killed) was calling her on her cellphone. Since she was not answering, he called the police, and he went with the police there and found this great massacre. The police and the son arrived at about 10:30am.

The police tried to take Sr. Sally out of there — she refused to leave the people who were crying, “Don’t leave us; stay with us.” But the police forced her to go with them because the ISIS knew there were 5 sisters, and they were convinced they will not stop until they kill her too. So finally she had to leave. She took one set of clothes and the sisters’ bodies, and the police brought them to an international hospital called “Doctors Without Borders” for protection. As there was not enough room in the mortuary of that hospital for the sisters’ bodies, the police brought their bodies to a bigger hospital mortuary.

Sr. Sally told Sr. Rio she is so sad because she is alone and did not die with her sisters. Sr. Rio told her God wanted a witness and told her, “Who would have found the sisters’ bodies and who would ever tell us what happened? God wants us to know.”

Pope Francis had his secretary contact the Yemen Secretary of State very often – about once a week to check up on the sisters and reassure them of his closeness. Today, the Pope’s secretary sent the message: “I thank them — Little M.C. martyrs.” He said he is offering the 40-hour First Friday devotion for them.

Sr. Sally told Sr. Rio that Fr. Tom tells them every day, “Let us be ready for martyrdom.”

Sr. Judith — they were trying so hard to take her for senior course, but they were not able to get her out.

Sr. Reginette — they were trying to send her for junior course but could not get her out.

God wanted them there.

Aden is rich city – a port city. Aden wanted to be its own state, so they got ISIS in to help them fight against Yemen. So ISIS won for Aden. That was the war last year, with all the bombing. They won, so that is over, but ISIS won’t leave. They want to take over and exterminate any Christian presence. They did not kill the sisters in the war because they had no political reason to waste time on them. But now, they are the only Christian presence, and ISIS wants to get rid of all Christianity. So they are real martyrs — died because they are Christians. They could have died so many times in the war, but God wanted it to be clear they are martyrs for the faith.

Sr. Rio said Sr. Sally is fully surrendered. The police are trying to get her out because they will just keep after her until they kill her. She is fully surrendered and told Sr. Rio – whatever God wants. She said the other Muslims are so respectful of them. She said to pray that their blood will be the seeds for peace in the Middle East and to stop the ISIS.

She said that if they kidnapped Father Tom most probably they will wait 2 days, then ask in exchange for Father Tom either money or the release of their members held in prison.

Sr. Rio said they were so faithful – ISIS knew exactly when they leave and when to break in. And because of their faithfulness, they were in the right place at the right time and were ready when the Bridegroom came.

Sr. Adriana said she thinks the crushing of the heads has some evil connection with “She will crush head of the serpent,” some kind of mockery or evil meaning.

CORRECT NAMES:

Sister M. Sally, MC (Superior)

Sister M. Anselm, MC (Bihar)

Sister M. Marguerite, MC (Rwanda)

Sister M. Judith, MC (Kenya)

Sister M. Reginette, MC (Rwanda)

CNS: Pope Francis to make debut on Instagram, Vatican official says

“Today I had the honor of meeting Pope Francis. We spoke about the power of images to unite people across different cultures and languages. It was by far one of the most memorable experiences of my life!” -Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of Instagram

By Junno Arocho Esteves
Catholic News Service
Posted on March 16, 2016

Pope Francis meets Kevin Systrom, co-founder and CEO of Instagram, during a private audience at the Vatican Feb. 26. (CNS/L’Osservatore Romano)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Firming up his presence on social media, Pope Francis will make his debut on the photo-sharing app Instagram, a Vatican official announced.

Msgr. Dario Vigano, prefect of the Secretariat for Communications, said the pope’s new account “Franciscus,” will go online March 19 and offer another side of his pontificate through photos.

During a news conference presenting a new book on the pope, Msgr. Vigano dubbed him “the Apple pope” because “there is very complex system behind a simple interface.”

That simplicity translated well for the pope’s Twitter account, which has well over 25 million followers in nine languages.

Whether at general audiences or during foreign trips, thousands of people try to take a coveted “papal selfie” with the pope. While it is unlikely the pope will pose for his own selfies, the account will offer viewers a glimpse into the pope’s life and messages.

The announcement came just over two weeks after Pope Francis met with Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of Instagram.

“Today I had the honor of meeting Pope Francis,” Systrom wrote to his followers on the photo-sharing app. “We spoke about the power of images to unite people across different cultures and languages. It was by far one of the most memorable experiences of my life!”

FIVE SAINTS THIS YEAR! FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND HIS CHURCH!

Source: NCRegister
Posted on Tuesday Mar 15th, 2016

From Left: Bl. Mother Teresa; Bl. Jose Sanchez del Rosario; Bl. Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochelo; Bl. Ma. Elisabetta Hesselblad; Bl. Stanislaus of Jesus Mary

VATICAN CITY — After months of anticipation, the date of Mother Teresa’s canonization has finally been announced. It falls on Sept. 4, which this year will also mark a special jubilee for workers and volunteers of mercy.

Though it’s been rumored for months that Mother Teresa’s canonization will take place Sept. 4, the Vatican made the date official during a March 15 consistory of cardinals.

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on Aug. 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia. After joining the Sisters of Loretto at age 17, she was sent to Calcutta, where she later contracted tuberculosis and was sent to rest in Darjeeling.

On the way, she felt what she called “an order” from God to leave the convent and live among the poor.

After she left her convent, Mother Teresa began working in the slums, teaching poor children and treating the sick in their homes. A year later, some of her former students joined her, and, together, they took in men, women and children who were dying in the gutters along the streets.

In 1950, the Missionaries of Charity were born as a congregation of the Diocese of Calcutta. In 1952, the government granted them a house from which to continue their mission of serving Calcutta's poor and forgotten.

She died Sept. 5, 1997, and was beatified just six years later by St. John Paul II on Oct. 19, 2003.

In addition to Mother Teresa, the consistory also decided on the canonization dates of four other blesseds: Maria Elisabetta Hesselblad, Jose Sanchez del Rio, Stanislaus of Jesus Mary and Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero.

The canonization of Jose Sanchez del Rio is also noteworthy. He will be made a saint on Oct. 16, alongside Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero.

José Luis Sánchez del Río was brutally tortured and killed when he was 14 years old during the 1924-1928 religious persecution by Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles. José Luis had enlisted in the ranks of the Cristeros, under the command of Gen. Prudencio Mendoza.

He was martyred by the Federal Army on Feb. 10, 1928. According to the story, the soldiers cut off the soles of his feet and forced him to walk barefoot to his grave. Moments before he was killed, the boy shouted, “Viva Cristo Rey!” or “Long live Christ the King!”

His character was one of the main protagonists in the film For Greater Glory.

Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, frequently referred to as the “gaucho priest,” will be Argentina’s first saint.

Born on March 16, 1840, the priest suffered from leprosy throughout his life and is known for his service to the sick and the dying. He died in 1914 and was beatified by Pope Francis on Sept. 14, 2013.

Sweden will also receive a new saint in Blessed Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad, who will be canonized June 5, alongside Polish Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczynski.

Born in the small village of Faglavik, in Sweden’s western coast province of Alvsborg, on June 4, 1870, Maria Elisabeth was a nurse and a convert to Catholicism. After her conversion, she went on to found a new order of Bridgettines, called the Most Holy Savior of St. Bridget.

She died in Rome on April 24, 1957, and was beatified April 9, 2000, by St. John Paul II.

Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczynski is a Polish priest born in 1631 and beatified by Benedict XVI in 2007.

Often referred to as the “Father Founder,” Stanislaus is known for his writings and constant encouragement to contemplate God’s mercy and to turn to Mary Immaculate for guidance and protection.

In addition to founding the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the priest also experienced visions of Holy Souls in Purgatory and urged penance and prayers on their behalf.

CRUCIFIED FOR BEING CHRISTIANS - A GENOCIDE STORY OF THE CHRISTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Crucified for being Christians in Syria (Photo Source: Express News)

We will NEVER FORGET their sacrifices. Martyrs of the Church, remember us and pray for us! -CD2000

John Kerry: ISIS responsible for genocide

By Elise Labott and Tal Kopan, CNN

Posted March 17, 2016

(CNN) Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that the United States has determined that ISIS' action against the Yazidis and other minority groups in Iraq and Syria constitutes genocide.

"My purpose here today is to assert in my judgment, (ISIS) is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control including Yazidis, Christians and Shiite Muslims," he said, during a news conference at the State Department.

Kerry said that in 2014, ISIS trapped Yazidis, killed them, enslaved thousands of Yazidi women and girls, "selling them at auction, raping them at will and destroying the communities in which they had lived for countless generations," executed Christians "solely for their faith" and also "forced Christian women and girls into slavery."

"Without our intervention, it is clear that those people would have been slaughtered," he said.

This is the first time that the United States has declared a genocide since Darfur in 2004.

The House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed a resolution labeling the ISIS atrocities against Christian groups in Syria and Iraq "genocide," a term the State Department had been reluctant to use about the attacks and mass murders by the terror group.

The genocide finding does not legally obligate the U.S. to take any particular action, but it could put pressure on the Obama administration to take more aggressive military action against ISIS. It could also give weight to calls by other lawmakers and humanitarian groups pushing the Obama administration to welcome more refugees into the United States.

House to Obama: Label ISIS attack against Christians 'genocide'

The move, aimed at ramping up pressure on the Obama administration, appears to have worked.

The measure was non-binding, but both Republicans and Democrats in the House joined together 393-0 to back a "sense of Congress" saying the crimes committed against Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities in the region amount to war crimes and, in some cases, genocide.

Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose Nebraska district is home to the largest group of resettled Yazidis in the U.S., authored the resolution with California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo.

During debate on Monday, Fortenberry noted it was a rare instance of an issue that has "risen above the petty and difficult differences we often work out on the floor of the House of Representatives."

Women secretly film inside ISIS stronghold

Cardinal Sarah: ‘Priests are not obliged to wash women’s feet on Holy Thursday’

"[T]his is a grave departure from liturgical orthodoxy and the symbolism of this washing becomes null and in reality promotes feminism." -Rev. Fr. Ronald Brown

Source: Catholic Herald
By Staff Reporter
Posted Thursday, 17 Mar 2016

Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (PA)

The Vatican liturgy chief reportedly said that priests should act according to their own conscience

Priest are not obliged to wash the feet of women during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has said.

Cardinal Sarah told reporters in Rome last month that a priest “has to decide in accord with his own conscience, and according to the purpose for which the Lord instituted this feast”.

Cardinal Sarah’s comments follow a decree issued by Pope Francis which revises the rules for the traditional foot-washing ritual on Holy Thursday, extending the rite to include women and young girls.

The rite was celebrated separately to the Holy Thursday Mass before Pope Pius XII restored it in 1955.

Before this point, women’s feet could be washed, but only by other women.

How Pope Francis opened doors for this seminarian

Seminarian Kenneth Parsad (Photo Source: PhilNews)

Source: The Philippine Star
By Boy Abunda | Posted March 17, 2016

When seminarian Kenneth Parsad sang the Responsorial Psalm at a Mass for Pope Francis during his visit to the country in January last year, there were a lot of things he never expected to happen.

For one, he didn’t count on becoming a viral sensation. And second, he didn’t think that becoming one would open up more opportunities, and in mainstream entertainment at that. Thanks to all the publicity his singing for the Papal Mass generated, Kenneth — who now also teaches Theology at his Alma Mater, the University of Santo Tomas — was recently signed up by Universal Records and has released an album titled Still. The album contains inspirational tracks like Kenneth’s cover of Gary Valenciano’s Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos, Far Greater Love, My Soul Finds Rest, Ang Ganda, I Will Be Here For You and God Gave Me You.

Actually, prior to the offer, Kenneth and one of his spiritual and musical mentors, identified only as Ferdinand Bautista, planned to make an album of his psalm compositions. But when Bautista suddenly had to leave for France, the plans came to an unexpected halt. That was when the UR offer landed on the table. It was like God was giving him a second chance to go out and reach more people. “I eventually saw it as God’s re-offer for evangelization.”

In the beginning, says Kenneth, doing this sort of thing didn’t even cross his mind. “During the Papal Mass at the Cathedral, I just desired to deliver the message of the psalm. But it generated many things such as this (album). I feel happy and blessed for all the opportunities that have opened up for me, most especially the friends I have met. They are amazing. God truly reveals himself through the people and events in our life!”

Balik Islam Robert Ibrahim Macabulos (Muslim) Converted to Catholicism

Thanks to the Splendor of the Church blog for sharing this conversion story.
Published March 14,2016
Interviewed by Atty. Marwil Llasos, OP



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PAINFUL TRUTH: OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION!

Blessed Pope Pius IX

Father Michael Müller: Questions and Answers on Salvation

by Father Michael Müller, C.SS.R.

Source: Catholic Family News

www.cfnews.org

CFN Editor’s Note: Father Michael Müller was one of the most widely read theologians of the 19th Century. He ranks as one of the greatest defenders of the dogma “Outside the Church there is no salvation” in modern times. Father Müller always submitted his works to two Redemptorist theologians and to his religious superiors before publication, thus we are sure of the doctrinal soundness of his teachings. This article, first published in 1875, is one of the finest treatments of the doctrinal truth that Our Lord founded one true Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. Father Muller’s firm writings are desperately needed in our time when this doctrine is denied by those who are the most influential members of our Holy Church. We publish Father Müller’s excellent little Catechism as an antidote to the prevalent religious indifferentism — an indifferentism that is the direct result of what Blessed Pius IX denounced as “Liberal Catholicism”.

1. Do all admit that the Catholic Church is the first and the oldest Church, and, consequently the Church established by Jesus Christ?

That the Catholic Church is the first and oldest and consequently the Church established by Jesus Christ, is and must be admitted by all, because it is a fact clearly proven by Scripture and by history.

2. Who bear witness to this fact?

The Jews and the Gentiles bear witness to it, and even Protestants themselves acknowledge it, because, if asked why they call themselves Protestants, they answer: “Because we protest against the Catholic Church.”

3. What follows from this answer?

That the Catholic Church is older than Protestantism; otherwise they could not have protested against her.

4. If we go still further back and ask the Greek Church how they came into existence, what will be their answer?

The Greek Church must answer: “We began by separating from the Catholic Church in the 9th Century.”

5. What follows from this?

That the Catholic Church existed for eight hundred years before the Greek Church began, and consequently, it is older than the Greek Church.

6. If we thus go back to the very days of the Apostles, what do we find everywhere in regard to the manner in which religious sects arose?

If we go back to the days of the Apostles, we find that every sect separated from the Catholic Church, and therefore we see Calvinists, Kilhamites, Quakers, Shakers, Panters, Seekers, Jumpers, Reformed Methodists, German Methodists, Wesleyan Methodists, Baptists, Particular Baptists, Hardshell Baptists, Softshell Baptists, Forty- Gallon Baptists, Sixty- Gallon Baptists, Mennonites, Millerites, Universalists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Mormons, Christian Perfectionists, etc., etc., etc.

7. Is it not all the same to God whatever religion a person professes?

If it were all the same to God whatever religion a person professes, God would not have forbidden, in the First Commandment, to worship Him in any other than in the true religion. Nor would Christ have solemnly declared: “He who will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican.” (Matt. 18:17)

8. Who, then, will be saved?

Christ has solemnly declared that only those will be saved who have done God’s will on earth as explained, not by private interpretation, but by the infallible teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. “Not everyone,” says Christ, “who saith to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doth the will of My Father Who is in Heaven, he shall enter the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt. 7:21) The will of the heavenly Father is that all men hear and believe His Son, Jesus Christ. “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.” (Luke 9:35)

Now Jesus Christ said to His Apostles and to all their lawful successors: “He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me, and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him, the heavenly Father, that sent Me.” Hence all those who do not listen to Jesus Christ speaking to them through Saint Peter and the Apostles in their lawful successors, despise God the Father. They do not do His will, and therefore Heaven will never be theirs.

Satanists Desecration of Virgin Mary's Statue was Marked by Protests and Reparation

If Catholic statues are "pagan" idols (enemies of God) according to anti-Catholics, why do you think Satanists (those who worships Satan) are desecrating the already "unholy idols"? Paradoxically, their actions only confirm Catholic statues possess sacred (holy) attributes that Satanist are so afraid their holy influence greatly inspires Catholics’ faith which directly against the power of evil in this world. -CD2000

Source: Catholic Family News
by John Vennari
www.cfnews.org

Desecration of Virgin Mary Statue Marked by Protests and Reparation

Oklahoma, USA - The desecration of the statue of Blessed Virgin Mary occurred as planned in Oklahoma City on Christmas Eve. Satanist Adam Daniels and a small band of cretins obtained a city permit from Oklahoma City, under the administration of Mayor Mick Cornett to carry out the public desecration.

Why would Mayor Cornett's administration give the permit so readily? We are willing to wager that a permit would not have been granted for a public ceremony that pours costume blood in mockery on a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank, or on the Koran. We do not advocate such activity, but cannot help but ask the question: Why are Christianity and the Blessed Mother fair game for city-approved desecration?

Catholic Family News posted a December 23 report calling for reparation for the outrage. Even prior to our report, David A. Homeney, a zealous Catholic layman, called for concerned Catholic to join him in Oklahoma City to take part in public protest and reparation for the satanic event. He set up a Facebook page to marshal interest in defending Our Lady.

Here is Mr. Homeney's report from the December 24 occurrence:

"If you are receiving this it is because you expressed support for the men that were going out to Oklahoma City to publicly pray prayers of reparation for the blasphemous desecration of a status of Our Lady by Satanists. As the approved apparition to Marie de Saint Pierre says, public blasphemy requires public reparation, and so public reparation was to be made.

"When I got there today, my heart leapt for joy when I saw 50-60 Catholic men there. Right after we parked the car and walked up we saw for young men holding a wooden platform on their shoulders with a large and beautiful statue of the Pieta, adorned with flowers.

"In unison these few, these band of Catholic brothers, all kneeling prayed Rosaries of reparation along with hymns, the Angelus, St. Michael’s Prayer, and other prayers of reparation. Above our heads in the parking garage some young men unfurled a large icon of Our Blessed Mother. This is nearly all the public could see, as a large RV was parked in front of where the act of desecration took place.

"Shortly after the start of the rosary, led by some fine young men from St. Mary’s Kansas, the satanists showed up. Not one single word that these vile men said could be overheard due to the recitation of the Holy Rosary by 50-60 Catholic men, said in unison. It was truly a sight to behold. The Church Militant was in force there.

"While the satanists were scheduled to do their thing from 4:30 to 6:15, they didn’t start till about 4:45 and were gone by 5:30. The power of Catholic men, solemnly in prayer to Our Blessed Lord and His Mother overwhelmed them and sulking they left. It was a victory for Our Lord and Our Lady. Evil cannot stand in the face of the Truth. Many vehicles passing by blew their horns in support. Afterwards, some of the young men and I blessed the spot of the desecration with blessed salt and holy water.

"We finished our prayers around 6:15 and processed with the Pieta. Here is where the only sad and disappointing thing happened.

"The procession headed up the the end of the block at which point we crossed the street. The only place Our Lady wasn’t welcomed was on the sidewalk in front of St. Joseph’s Old Cathedral. Our Lady was excluded and barred from even being processed on the sidewalk in front of the church. This was at the behest of the ushers of the parish and than enforced by the police. So we crossed back over the street singing our hymns.

Dr. Brian McCall who was also at the event, said he recognized at least nine men from Oklahoma City. This would be in addition to the three or four “Okies” mentioned by Mr. Homeney, who continued, “It was a great turn out ... Much thanks to the men who showed up from all over the country. We had men from St. Mary’s in Kansas, DFW in Texas, Tyler in Texas, various other towns in Kansas, and most incredibly we had about 20 men from Pennsylvania. These men flew out from Eastern PA around Gettysburg, to show up and make public reparation for this public act of blasphemy.

"The men, young and old alike, made huge sacrifices to come to Oklahoma to be here. When asked why they did, the response was 'Well, we are able bodied and it needed to be done.' They are now going to midnight Mass in OKC at St. Damien’s and will be flying out at 5 am to hopefully make it home to their families in time for Christmas dinner. These men are an inspiration and should be in all of your prayers."

As a response to our December 23 posting on CFN, we received response from Catholics throughout the nation and the world pledging to offer reparation.

• “I live in Preston which is in the north west of England UK. . I'm just about to start a Rosary of in reparation for the blasphemy to our Lady's statue. It will be the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary.”

• “All alone here in Salt Lake City, I have offered 15 decades of the Holy Rosary.”

• “I will offer prayer of Reparation for Our Lady” - from Chile

• Other responses include: “Sent an email directly to Mayor's office. Will pray a Rosary today”; “Our family will pray five extra Rosaries as an act of reparation and we have sent a link to your article to many fellow parishioners encouraging them to make acts of reparation”; More responses came from the UK, various countries and from across the nation.

My own family made a Holy Hour of Reparation in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament from 4:30 to 5:30 on Christmas Eve.

Thanks to all who stood up in any way in defense, and in reparation. Feel free to continue lodging your complaints to Mayor Cornett* of Oklahoma City, whose reputation is now cemented to this anti-Christian outrage.

And congratulations again to David A. Homeney and his companions who came from far and wide to join in public defense of Our Blessed Mother.

Mexican Boy Murdered for His Catholic Beliefs to Become a Saint

Praise the Lord! Another soon-to-be Saint! VIVA CRISTO REY! -CD2000

Source: TeleSUR
Published 15 March 2016
By sh-OA-mk

Jose Sanchez del Rio will be canonized in October this year. | Photo: Cortesía Aciprensa

Jose Sanchez del Rio was tortured and killed by the Mexican government forces for his catholic beliefs.

Pope Francis ruled on Tuesday that Jose Sanchez del Rio, the Mexican boy who was tortured and killed aged 14 in 1928, will be canonized on Oct. 16, this year.

The boy was captured by government forces after he enlisted in the ranks of the Cristeros, who were devout Catholics and struggled against the secularist, anti-Catholic, and anticlerical policies of Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles during the 1924-1928 religious persecution.

According to the fable, Sanchez had the souls of his feet cut off and was forced to walk barefoot to his grave before he was killed. Moments before he was murdered he supposedly shouted “Viva Cristo Rey!” or “Long live Christ the King!”

His character was one of the main protagonists in the 2013 film “For Greater Glory.”

Sanchez was declared a martyr in June 2004 by Pope John Paul II and was beatified (blessed) by Pope Benedict XVI in late 2005 in Mexico.

Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to him in January this year which paved the way for his sainthood.

The pope also announced that Mother Teresa and Argentine priest Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, frequently referred to as the “gaucho priest,” will also become saints in September and October in 2016.

Custodia Terrae Sanctae: Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal has “congratulated” the Missionaries of Charity on their four new martyrs in Yemen

Source: Custodia Terrae Sanctae

The Holy Land prays for and with the four nuns who were murdered in Yemen

On Friday, March 11, the Patriarch of Jerusalem presided over a mass in memory of the four sisters of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Charity who were murdered in Yemen. Saint Savior’s Church was packed for the ceremony. Many local Christians wanted to show the sisters their affection. With them, were men and women religious, as well as Mahesh Kumar, the Indian representative to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and representatives of the Greek-Orthodox, Armenian, Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopian churches.

The procession of the 60 concelebrants, including apostolic delegate Monsignor Giuseppe Lazzarotto, auxiliary bishop for Galilee Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Monsignor Salim Sayegh Bishop, auxiliary bishop and patriarchal vicar emeritus for Jordan, and Custos Pierbarttista Pizzaballa passed through the aisles where the missionary sisters of Charity from Nablus, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, surrounded their provincial from Amman and the superior general of the congregation, Mother Mary Prema Pierick, who had come from Calcutta (India) for the occasion.

A large poster with a picture of Mother Teresa smiling and an invitation to prayer had been placed near the choir in addition to the photo of the four sisters: Sister Anselm from India, Sister Margaret and Sister Reginette from Rwanda, and Sister Judith from Kenya.

The mass in Arabic was collected but not gloomy. Moreover, the Patriarch in his English homily emphasized the glory of martyrdom and even concluded by saying, “We do not send our condolences, we congratulate you for the gift of their lives and yours, for all that you do to serve the poorest of the poor.”

After the celebration, in a joyful atmosphere, all those present were able to congratulate the sisters.

The Missionary Sisters of Charity came to the diocese in 1970. They are present in Gaza, Jerusalem, Nablus, Bethlehem, as well as in Jordan, Amman, Ermaimim and Rusaifeh.

In the Holy Land, the sisters run several welcome centers for the elderly and people with physical or mental disabilities. Some communities are more involved in visiting families, supporting the poor or teaching Sunday school.

Living in exemplary poverty so as “to be poor among the poor,” one can often see them going two by two.

The Holy Land is also home to a community of contemplative branch of friars of the Missionaries of Charity in Nazareth.

One week ago, on March 4, 16 people including four nuns were murdered in the complex of the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, in southern Yemen.

The available evidence shows that the attack was anti-religious and anti-Christian in nature, whereas Aden, the capital, is usually the target of attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda or the self-proclaimed Islamic state of the Levant.

The practice of religions other than Islam has declined steadily since the unification of Yemen in 1990. The fate of thousands of Christians has been totally eclipsed, since tensions are high between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, who make up 99 percent of the population.

In recent years, Christians in Yemen have consisted mainly of foreigners, refugees or temporary residents.

Monsignor José Rodríguez Carballo—the former Minister General of the Friars Minor and the now Secretary of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life—talked to the friars of the Custody about his experience during one of his recent visits, and he said that the sisters of Mother Teresa are now the sole Christian presence in Yemen.

Muslims Converting to Christianity in Austria, On the Rise Says Bishop

Please use Auto-Translation available in the link

Source: Katholische Kirche Österreich 

Religionsfreiheit von Islam einfordern

Wiener Erzbischof: Immer mehr Muslime wollen Christen werden, "aber wir prüfen sehr genau, ob es eine ehrliche Konversion ist"

Im Verhältnis zum Islam sind Gewissens- und Religionsfreiheit als "Schlüsselbegriffe der Menschenrechte" unaufgebbar, und sie müssen hier und in islamischen Ländern eingefordert werden. Das unterstrich Kardinal Christoph Schönborn am Sonntag in der "ORF-Pressestunde". Muslime, die nach Österreich kommen, müssten diese Werte kennenlernen und auch akzeptieren. Deswegen sage er auch deutlich Ja zur Vermittlung eines entsprechenden Wertekatalogs an Flüchtlinge. Anders als dem Christentum und dem Judentum fehle im Islam eine Aufklärung, die in Europa mühsam Stück für Stück errungen werden musste, wies Schönborn hin. In islamischen Ländern bestehe "Religionsfreiheit bestenfalls auf dem Papier".

"Eindeutig Nachholbedarf" ortete der Wiener Erzbischof beim Frauenbild vieler Muslime. Diskriminierungen von Frauen seien allerdings auch in Österreich spät beseitigt worden und noch immer im Gange, gab der Vorsitzende der Bischofskonferenz zu bedenken. Er erinnerte daran, dass seine alleinerziehende Mutter eine berufliche Führungsposition erarbeitete, jedoch bis zu ihrer Pensionierung Gehaltsnachteile gegenüber Männern erdulden musste.

Der Kardinal bestätigte, dass es immer mehr Muslime gebe, die zum Christentum konvertieren wollen. "Auch ich habe schon viele Muslime getauft", erklärte Schönborn und verwies gleichzeitig auf die klaren kirchenrechtlichen Regeln dafür. "Wir prüfen sehr genau, ob es eine ehrliche Konversion ist." Daher müssten alle erwachsenen Taufbewerber ein mindestens einjähriges Katechumenat absovieren, bevor die Taufe gespendet wird und die Konversion vom Asylgerichtshof gegebenenfalls als nachgereichter Asylgrund anerkannt wird.