Catholic Church leads the World for Peace at Assisi

At Assisi the Catholic Church of  Christ will again invite leaders of different faiths to commit themselves to PEACE. Some 300 participants came (of course NOT ALL the "churches of Christ" (mga iglesia ni Cristo) greet the Church of Rome -Romans 16:16).  The Holy Father clearly stated “Violence never again! War never again! Terrorism never again! In the name of God, may every religion bring upon the earth Justice and Peace, Forgiveness and Life, Love.” And so we commit. - CD2000

Assisi 2011: 300 lights for peace and freedom

Assisi (AsiaNews) – The Day of Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World ended in the simplest and most poetic way, with an exchange of peace among participants. This was preceded by the lighting of small lamps that a group of young people handed out in silence to the 300 representatives who had come to Assisi on Benedict XVI’s invitation.

The Day ended in a square near St Francis’s basilica, where the 1986 edition had been celebrated. Unlike previous editions, there was no public prayer, either in group, separately or in sequence, but only minutes of silence before the lighting of the lamps, accompanied by the sound of harps. Every participant, as someone said, was able “to invoke the gift of peace or express hope for it in his or her innermost conscience.”

The lights are a token of the responsibility everyone undertook in front of the others and God. In introducing the sign of peace, Card Koch, head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said, “Let us become tools of the peace that comes from high above. Let us remember that there is no peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness. Let us seal with a gesture of peace among us the commitment to peace proclaimed by the many. Let us bring peace to those near us and those far from us, to all creatures and creation.”

Turkey: Pope appeals for the victims of earthquake

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Benedict XVI today launched an appeal for support for relief efforts for the Turkish population affected by a severe earthquake. "At this time - he said during the Liturgy of the Word celebrated in the Vatican today - our thoughts go to the people of Turkey hardest hit by the earthquake, which has caused heavy loss of life, many missing and extensive damage. '" The Pontiff continued: "I invite you to join me in prayer for those who have lost their lives and to be spiritually close to those many people so sorely tried. May the Almighty support all those engaged in rescue work. "

The latest official figures, published this morning, speaks of 461 dead, 325 injured and hospitalized. Rescuers have worked hard all night, and more than 67 hours after the earthquake struck two people were extracted from the rubble still alive: an 18 year-old university student and an English teacher of 27, Gozde Bahar (pictured), whose conditions are very serious, due to a cardiac arrest suffered during transport to hospital. The rescue of the woman is probably destined to be the last for this earthquake: a source among aid workers at the Van centre, the capital of the province affected by the earthquake, reported that " recovery operations have ended" and that there is no longer any hope of finding people alive under the rubble.

WE ARE CATHOLICS!

Pope Benedict canonizes three new saints

Getty Images from leperpriest

Vatican City, Oct 23, 2011 (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has canonized three new saints at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, describing the heavenly triumvirate as “a model for all believers.”

“Let us be attracted by their examples, let us be guided by their teachings, so that our whole existence becomes a witness of authentic love for God and neighbor,” the Pope Benedict said to tens of thousands of enthusiastic pilgrims Oct. 23.

The three new saints are Sister Bonifacia Rodriguez y Castro, Archbishop Guido Maria Conforti and Father Luigi Guanella.

Sr. Bonifacia was born in the Spanish city of Salamanca in 1837. She dedicated her life to the welfare of poor female workers. In 1874 she co-founded the Servants of St. Joseph that offered work to poor unemployed women.

INC Member: "...kailanman ay hindi namin itutulad si ka Felix kay Cristo"

Photo source: ReadMeINC

Maraming salamat naman po at nakapulot na naman po tayo ng isang mahalagang komento mula sa mga kaanib ng INC ni Manalo dito sa post nating An Iglesia ni Cristo member quoting protestant ant....

Sa kabila ng kanilang pilit na PAGTATAGO ng kanilang OPISYAL na ARAL sa aklat man o sa Internet, ay kusang LUMALABAS mula sa mga kaanib nito kung anong PANG-KAUNAWA nila sa kanilang mga aral.

Nakakalungkot na isipin na ang halos mga bumabatikos sa aral-Katoliko ay mga dating Katoliko na walang alam sa pananampalataya. Their failure is our failure too as a Church. Kaya't sa pamamagitan ng blog na ito, umaasa tayong maibahagi sa kanila ang KATOTOHANANG pilit na IKINUKUBLI sa kanila ng kanilang mga bayarang ministro at umaasa tayong sa tulong ng Banal na Espiritu Santo na liwanagan ang kanilang pang-unawa at mabuksan ang kanilang kamangmangan at bumalik sa KAWAN ni CRISTO HESUS-- ang kaniyang TUNAY NA IGLESIA!

Sa isang paksa, natalakay ko ang pag-atake ng isang kaanib na SUMASAMBA SA REBULTO at ngayo'y LUMIPAT sa INC ni MANALO.

anyway, basahin po natin ang bagong komentong ito:

ire has left a new comment on your post "An Iglesia ni Cristo member quoting protestant ant...": naku may away ata dito! haha mga INC members jan, mga kapatid huwag po tayo padala sa mga naninira.. talagang ganito lang sa mundo.. manalig lng po sa inyong pananampalataya gaya ng pananalig ng mga katoliko sa kanila.. huwag po nating ipilit na intindihin tayo ng nasa labas, kapag naibahagi na natin sa kanila ang ating pananampalataya, tanggapin man nila o hindi, wala na tayong paki-alam doon.. author ng blog na ito, i understand po kung bakit ganito ang laman ng blog na ito... kaso nga lang kung i defend nio po ang inyong relihiyon, eh wag na po ninyong lagyan pa ng sarili ninyong opinion.. gaya ng pagsasabi ng Iglesia ni MANALO, Iglesia po kami ni Cristo at kailanman ay hindi namin itutulad si ka Felix kay Cristo, at si ka Felix ay hindi founder ng INC.. pero bahala na kau.. sanay na kami sa mga naninira.. gaya ng pagbato ng mga Katoliko sa mga kapatid pagkatapos ng pagsamba doon sa aming lugar noon.. . daming nasaktan at nagkabukol.. harsh talaga (buti na nga lang ngayon pa blog2x na sa pag defend ng faith).. well., magkaalaman nalng po sa araw ng Paghuhukom.. ^_^

“Parehong-pareho ang espiritu ni Cristo sa diwa ni Kapatid na Felix Manalo sa pamamaraan ng pagdadala ng tungkuling tinanggap sa Dios." -PASUGO Hulyo 1965, p. 12

The Islamization of the West and the death of the Christian religion in Europe

"Thanks to your democratic laws, we will invade you. Thanks to our religious laws, we will dominate you".

- The Archbishop emeritus of Smirne, Giuseppe Germano Bernardini, recounts a conversation he had with a Muslim leader

"The mosques are our barracks, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers."

- Turkish poem, written in 1912 by the Turkish nationalist poet Ziya Gökalp

Source: Vatican Insider

Flores, Indonesia: "Freedom of conversion from Islam to Christianity", notes the Bishop of Ruteng

Labuan Bajo, Flores (Source: Fafner Photos)

Ruteng (Agenzia Fides) - Compared to other countries of the Islamic world, where conversion from Islam to another religion is punishable even by death "in Flores, the cradle of Christianity in Indonesia, in the diocese of Ruteng, there is, every year, a small group of Muslims, 5-6 people, who convert to Christianity and are baptized. But this does not raise a scandal nor any backlash": this is what His Exc. Mgr. Hubertus Leteng, Bishop of Ruteng tells Fides. His diocese covers an area with three cities, with over 700 thousand Catholics, who account for 93% of the total population.

"Flores – notes the Bishop - is impervious to forms of fundamentalism that run across Indonesia. For historical, geographical and cultural reasons, the local population has always been open to the proclamation of the Gospel". Moreover, notes Mgr. Leteng, "in Indonesia, a country with a Muslim majority, Flores is not seen as a foreign body: it is a witness to the typical pluralism of the nation and the embodiment of the principles of Pancasila, which are at the basis of the State".

The Bishop notes that there are "attempts to trigger an inter-religious conflict, on behalf of provocateurs, but the attitude of religious leaders, civil authorities and the common people has always meant that such attempts fail".

The mission of the Church in Flores, he concludes, vigorously continues through the abundant vocations: for example the Bishop cites more than 800 aspiring nuns, who in his diocese carry out a valuable pastoral service in parishes, schools and communities.

Vatican Comments on Moammar Gadhafi's Death

VATICAN CITY, NCR—“The news of the death of Col. Moammar Gadhafi ends the too-long and tragic phase of the bloody struggle to overthrow a harsh and oppressive regime,” the Vatican said in a statement released this afternoon.

“This dramatic event,” the communiqué continued, “forces us to reflect once again on the price of immense human suffering that accompanies the assertion and collapse of any system that is not based on respect and dignity of the person, but on the principal assertion of power.”

There were conflicting accounts regarding the circumstances of the dictator’s death.

According to Reuters, one source said Gadhafi was captured alive and, in resisting his captors, was beaten to death. Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council told Reuters Gaddafi was killed following his capture when a gunfight broke out between his supporters and government fighters. He died from a bullet wound to the head.

Sunstar: "The Iglesia ni Cristo Church"?

It's funny but it's grammatically (and legally) correct to say "the Iglesia ni Cristo Church" (or Church of Christ Church) such as what's reported in Sunstar.com!

"Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Board Chairperson Sylvan Jakosalem said the original plan was for another flyover to be located on D. Jakosalem St., near the Iglesia ni Cristo Church along Gen. Maxilom Ave..." -Source: Sunstar.com

or simply say:

• English: "the Iglesia ni Cristo Church" 

• Filipino: "ang Simbahan ng Iglesia ni Cristo"

• French: "l' Iglesia ni Cristo Église"

• German: "der Iglesia ni Cristo Kirche"

• Italian: "la Chiesa Iglesia ni Cristo"

• Latin: "Ecclesia Iglesia ni Cristo"

• Portuguese: "a Igreja Iglesia ni Cristo"

• Spanish: "la Iglesia Iglesia ni Cristo"

• Turkish: "Iglesia ni Cristo Kilisesi"

America forbids to burn the Qu'ran but ordered military men to BURN the Bible - by Answering Muslims

EGYPT: Truth and justice not lies and superficiality on massacre of Copts

by Bernardo Cervellera

The results of the autopsies will be released Oct. 27. But Egyptian army trying to silence the issue by manipulating the truth and accusing the Copts of provoking the violence despite the eyewitness accounts and videos. Shenouda III is opposed to the military’s version. Obama also assumes that the Copts were violent. Not to forget AsiaNews publishes some pictures of the massacre, sent by Coptic organizations. (Let us keep in our prayers our brothers and sisters in Egypt. Let us recommend the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen -CD2000)

Rome (AsiaNews) - The tortured bodies of Coptic Christians killed on 9 October demand truth and justice. The 26 still bloody corpses, heads smashed by the violence of military tanks and armored vehicles are piled up in of Cairo's Coptic Hospital and other hospitals in the city waiting for autopsy. Ihsan Kamel, head of forensic medicine, said it will take time and that the results will be published only on October 27. He also claimed that declarations made by forensic doctors in the past week may be inaccurate. (More disturbing photos... WARNING: The images presented here are very harsh and could upset sensitive viewers. To see the images click here.)

Perhaps this warning is due to scrupulousness and scientific accuracy. We hope it is not an attempt to discredit the eye-witness accounts of demonstrators or the evidence of doctors who stressed that the deaths of several victims was caused by bullets from firearms and from the crushing weight of heavy vehicles.

The Sign of the Cross is the Power of God! 1 Cor. 1:8

Says a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo cult of Manalo "The Sign of the Cross is the mark of the Beast". Perhaps that's the reason why their "houses of worship" DO NOT have crosses on it. 

However, let us consult the Holy Scripture if it's true.  Let us understand our rich Catholic Tradition and delve ourselves deeply in the Scriptures and find out why we Christians love the Cross of Christ which for many anti-Catholics consider the "Mark of the Beast".

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

By: Know the Catholic Truth

The great tradition of Catholics, to be proud of the ‘Sign of the Cross’ was mocked and teased today by some anti-Catholic medias because of their ignorance about the biblical and historical basis of this spiritual tradition. We sign ‘the cross’ on our forehead; decorate our Churches with cross and administer sacraments with the same sign.

The Biblical basis: When we make the sign of the cross, we proclaim the message of salvation purchased by Jesus through the cross. The Bible clearly states: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)

The Bible teaches us to be proud of it as the message of the cross is the power of God; “But God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)

Cross symbolizes our day to day sufferings without which there is no crown for Christians. When Peter tried to keep Jesus away from the Cross, he called Peter “Satan.” So it is clear, Satan is afraid and keeping himself away from the Cross as it is through the Cross, Jesus destroyed the devil’s kingdom and saved mankind from the slavery of sin and death.

Early Christians, even before the Bible was formed, kept this spiritual practice in common to keep Satan away and to save themselves from the powers of evil.

Cyril of Jerusalem wrote in A.D. 386: “Let us therefore not be ashamed of the cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon thy forehead , that the devils may beheld the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act.”

Ephrem of Syria testifies in A.D. 373: “Make all your actions with the sign of the life-giving Cross. Do not go out from “the doors of your house till you have signed yourself with the cross. Do not neglect that sign whether in eating and drinking or going to sleep, or in the home or going on a journey. There is no habit to be compared with it. Let it be a protecting wall around all your conduct, and teach it to your children that they may earnestly learn the custom.”

Thousands of saints used this sign to be victorious over satanic attacks as it is through this sign Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. In the Christian world, Sign of the Cross was widely used very effectively in exorcism throughout the centuries. Christians must use this sign proudly as it trembles Satan and the Bible proves it.

Jesus says to us: “Take your cross and follow me.” Centuries old spiritual experiences of holy people show Satan is afraid of the Sign of the Cross and he hates it. Iglesia Ni Cristo, Dating Daan and some other sects also hate the Sign of the Cross! (‘Remove all crosses’ is one of the commands of ‘Pandoktrina’ the official teaching of INC, page 14.)

Today is the Feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch

St. Ignatius is one of the great bishops of the early Church. He was the successor of St. Peter as Bishop of Antioch. He was condemned to death by wild beasts during the Emperor Trajan's persecution. On his way to Rome, he wrote seven magnificent letters, which we still have today, concerning the Person of Christ, his love for Christ, his desire for martyrdom and on the constitution of the Church and Christian life. His sentiments before his approaching martyrdom are summed in his word in the Communion antiphon, "I am the wheat of Christ, ground by the teeth of beasts to become pure bread." -Catholic Culture

"Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful to baptize or give communion without the consent of the bishop. On the other hand, whatever has his approval is pleasing to God. Thus, whatever is done will be safe and valid." — Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8, J.R. Willis translation. -Wikipedia

Catholic Church leader pays tribute to fallen demonstrators in Egypt

Source: Church to the Church in need - The leader of Catholics in Egypt has defended the memory of "honest and sincere" Copts whose protest ended in violence and death and has called on the regime to step up security and do more to uphold the rule of law.

In an official statement about the October 9th pro-Christian demonstrations in Cairo, Patriarch Cardinal Antonios Naguib of Alexandria went on to call on Christians not to be deterred and to continue to “participate” in political action towards the creation of a new Egypt post-Mubarak.

The document, a copy of which was sent to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), underlines the Patriarch’s “full confidence” in the interim military regime after a week of criticism about the government’s response to the demonstrations, which according to latest figures, led to the deaths of about 25 people with 329 injured.

Patriarch Naguib, who is head of Egypt’s 250,000-strong Coptic Catholic Church, writes: “With wounded hearts, we…express our deep sorrow for the bloody events suffered by honest and sincere children of the nation.”

Dar Al-Masih is signing off from blogging...

One of the many good Catholic bloggers out there is signing off soon as she stated in her blog at Dar Al-Masih. She said:

I fear that more than once I have hidden a need to win under the guise of love for Muslims. I do love Muslims and I want them to believe in the gospel, but I don't think I've always gone about it in the right way. I have witnessed this in numerous comments from Muslims who just want to debate me in order to convert me to their own religion. Of course there will be many who always feel this way about any Christian mission, but I think I need to spend some time cultivating a less combative tone and mindset.

I take her comments as a reminder for me that I think I need to be more charitable in my desire to bring lost Catholics back to the fold.

Thank you Ms. Salome for your very Catholic and saintly comments. Catholic bloggers around the world will truly miss you. God bless you always.

We hope to see you back soon, inshallah!

Today is World Mission Sunday

Pope's Message for World Mission Sunday 2011

"As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You"

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 25, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's message for World Mission Sunday, which will be observed Oct. 23. The message, titled "As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You" (John 20:21), was published today by the Vatican press office.

* * *

"As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You" (John 20:21). On the occasion of the Jubilee of 2000, the Venerable John Paul II, at the beginning of a new millennium of the Christian era, reaffirmed forcefully the need to renew the commitment to take to all the proclamation of the Gospel with "the same enthusiasm of the Christians of the early times" ("Novo Millennio Ineunte," No. 58). It is the most precious service that the Church can give to humanity and to each person who seeks the profound reasons to live his existence fully. Because of this, this same invitation resounds every year in the celebration of World Mission Sunday. In fact, the incessant proclamation of the Gospel also vivifies the Church, her fervor, her apostolic spirit, it renews her pastoral methods so that they are increasingly appropriate to the new situations -- also those that require a new evangelization -- and animated by the missionary drive: "the mission renews the Church, reinforces the faith and Christian identity, gives new enthusiasm and new motivations. The faith is strengthened by giving it! The new evangelization of Christian peoples will find inspiration and support in the commitment to the universal mission" (John Paul II, "Redemptoris Missio," No. 2).

Locals Wary of the New Neighbors Iglesia ni Cristo

Source: Balitang America

-By Nadia Trinidad, North America News Bureau Chief

SCENIC, South Dakota–

The city purchased by a powerful Philippine church was once a cowboy town that locals describe as “a piece of history.”

Once there were booze and brawls at the town’s saloon.

Once there was a town called Scenic.

Today this remnant of the Wild West belongs to the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

The few who visit this ghost town in South Dakota are not happy.

Vatican appointed Bishop Tagle now the Archbishop of Manila

Manila, Philippine Inquirer - Imus Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, a former member of a theological body once headed by Pope Benedict XVI before he became Pontiff, has been appointed the new archbishop of Manila.

Tagle took over the Manila archdiocese from Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, whose resignation has been accepted by the Pope.

Tagle’s appointment was announced yesterday in the Vatican and by Charge d’Affaires Msgr. Gabor Pinter of the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila.

Tagle hosts a Sunday program, “The Word Exposed,” on ANC, Studio 23 and the government-owned NBN. He also has a Facebook page, which has been flooded with congratulations from online fans.

He is affectionately known by his nickname, Chito.

‘Am going home’

“Malaya na ako. Uwi na ako sa amin (I’m free. I’m going home),” a smiling Rosales told senior clergymen and members of the media after leading the Angelus at the chapel in his official residence in Intramuros.

Europe's Bishops Call Continent to Defend Egypt Minorities

Photo Source: Malta Diocese

Reiterate Solidarity With Coptic Christian Community

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland, OCT. 13, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Europe's bishops are answering Sunday's violence in Egypt with a call to their governments to take a stance in defense of minorities.

Cardinal Péter Erdő, president of the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe (CCEE), released a statement reiterating the prelates' "closeness to all citizens in Egypt, and especially to our brothers in the Coptic Christian community, affected in these days by the murderous violence against peace, harmony between religions, freedom and human dignity."

The statement follows the bloody weekend clash between Egyptian military and police and a group of mostly Coptic Christian protestors. The clash left 26 people dead. Witnesses said the Copts were attacked by crowds throwing stones, followed by military intervention. Some of those killed died of gunshot wounds, but most were crushed by armored military vehicles.

Copts and other Christians make up 10% of Egypt's population. The demonstrators were protesting the burning of a Christian church.

The bishops' council pointed out that Coptic Christians have been present in Egypt since the time of the Evangelist Mark.

Sola Scriptura: Whose Scriptures?

Photo Source: Scriptures Speak

Article Source: Catholic Apologetics.info

The KJV vs. NKJV

The reason this is so intriguing should be obvious, one of the two pillars of Protestantism is "scripture alone" yet these two bibles do not agree. If two bibles disagree, which one is wrong, are both wrong? Both claim that you cannot add to or take from the word of the Lord, yet they differ. Why? Which one is right? How much do they differ? Does it affect doctrine? Who changed it? Some of the verses are total opposites, other verses are simply not saying the same thing. 

For example in the NKJV compared with the (old) KJV there are 66 omissions of the word "Lord", 51 omissions of "God", 44 omissions of "repent", 50 omissions of "heaven", 23 omissions of "blood", and the terms "devils", "damnation", "Jehovah", and "new testament" are completely omitted.

How about that  "hell". The NKJV removes the word "hell" 23 times. By replacing "hell" with "Hades" and "Sheol"! The Jehovahs Witness "Bible" does this as well and  the New International Version is guilty of the same stratagem. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines Hades: "the underground abode of the dead in Greek MYTHOLOGY". By making it "much clearer" - Do they turn Hell into MYTHOLOGY? But the should be nothing new to the readers of the KJV with nine refeances to unicorns and over 30 to dragons mythology is standerd reading . It must be noted, Hades is not always a place of torment or terror! The Assyrian Hades is an abode of blessedness with silver skies called "Happy Fields". In the satanic New Age Movement, Hades is an intermediate state of purification!

Who in their right mind would think "Hades" or "Sheol" is "up-to-date" and "much clearer" than "hell"? The NKJV makes over 100,000 word changes from the old 1611 KJV. There are 2,922 fewer words in the New Testament of the NKJV. Thus, the NKJV is shorter (In The New Testament) than that of the King James Bible by about the total number of words contained in I and II Peter combined!