Nuns In Action

I found this piece of humorous news on Reuters' Oddly Enough section.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Two German nuns took the law into their own hands and recovered a picture of the Virgin Mary stolen from their Franciscan hospital, police said Tuesday.

The engraving vanished Saturday and Sisters Georgia and Isabella decided not to leave the case just to the police.

"The two nuns took a car and scoured the local area on Sunday morning," said a police spokesman. "They got lucky and found the picture at a flea market."

"When the seller asked for 500 euros they said they would have to ring to get someone to bring the money. Instead they called the police," he said.

The seller is being investigated for handling stolen goods.

Nuns ROCK.

The Meaning of Prayer

The other day, I found the most inspiring post I've read in a long time. I thought to share it with you.

I think it is true for every cancer patient to think, “Why did this happen to me?” I know I did. Why couldn’t Osama binLaden get cancer and die in some cave in Afghanistan? Why did G-d allow me to get cancer and not some scumbag terrorist?

I don’t have an answer to that. The best thing I can come up with is, it just is. We live in an imperfect world, and sometimes you get hit in the noggin with a curve ball.

Read more...

No matter what your religion is, prayer is an important part of our lives.

Seeds of Faith

By Unknown Author

Parents, teachers, priests and many others spend much of their lives implanting words. Naturally they want to reap the harvest. But the harvest is often slow in coming.

This is also true of God's word. Since the days of our youth, this precious seed has been falling into the soil of our hearts. Yet what results have we to show? Perhaps very little. But we must not despair.

A handful of grains of wheat was found in the tomb of one of the kings of ancient Egypt. Someone planted and watered them. To the amazement of everyone, the grains came to life and began to grow, after five thousand years lying in a tomb.

The word of God, once dropped into the human heart, Never dies.

Ur In The Land of Chaldeans

While browsing books at a bookshop few months ago, I grabbed "The Poetry of Pope John Paul II."To my surprise, I discovered The Pope wrote a poem about my people, the Chaldeans:

Ur in the land of the Chaldeans

There was a time when people
continually wandered.
surrounded by herds, they went where abundance beckoned:
where the earth, like a fertile mother,
could feed the flocks,
where people pitched their tents and began to dwell.

Today, why do we seek out this place
in the land of Chaldeans,
which Abram, the son of Terach,
left behind with other nomads like himself?
Perhaps he asked: Why must I leave this place?
Why do I have to abandon Ur or the Chaldeas?
Is this what he was thinking?
Did he feel the sadness of the break?
Did he look back?
We do not know. All that we know is that he heard a Voice, which told him: GO!
Abram chose to follow the Voice.

The Voice said: You will be the father of many nations.
Your offspring will be numerous as the sand on the seashore.
How could the promise be fulfilled, thought Abram,
since nature has denied me the gift of fatherhood?
My wife, whom I have loved from the days of my youth, gave me no son. It pains us both.

But the Voice kept saying: You will become a father,
you will become the father of many nations.
Your offspring will be numerous as the sand of seashore.

That was very nice of him.

---

The Poetry of Pope John Paul II

Prayer For Inner Peace

Slow me down, Lord.
Ease my pounding heart.
Quieten my racing mind.
Steady my hurried steps.
Amidst the confusion of my days,
give me the calmness of everlasting hills.
Help me know the restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking time-off,
of slowing down to look at a flower,
to chat with a friend,
to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day that there is more to life
than increasing its speed.

Let me look into the branches of a towering oak,
and know that it grew tall and strong
because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down, Lord.
Teach me to be gentle and humble in heart,
and thus I will rest for my soul.


-- Unknown Author

Popular University of St. Thomas Aquinas

The following is the proposal for Popular University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Baghdad, Iraq. check here for more details.

PROPOSAL
The Popular University of St. Thomas Aquinas For Human Sciences Studies

Established and Supervised by: The Dominican Fathers in Iraq
Prepared by: Fr. Yousif Thomas Mirkis

Ph.D. degree in Theology (The University of Strasbourg-France)
M Sc. degree in Ethnology (The College of Nanter-Paris10-France)

PROJECT TITLE:
The Popular University of St. Thomas Aquinas For Human Sciences Studies.

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
   The association of the Dominican Fathers, in Iraq, has on a world basis been highly concerned with cultural studies since the 13th century. And when the Dominican Fathers in the year 1750 open up a work in the region of Mosul (Nineveh) it wasn't long before they started in the field of education and thus opened many cultural schools in Mosul, Dohouk and the surrounding areas.
   
   During the last 20 years the Dominican Fathers have intensified their efforts in Baghdad the Capital of Iraq through theological courses. These courses have been attended by thousands of youth and they have been held in the Roman Catholic (Latin) Church of St. Joseph, Hay al Wahda, Baghdad.
   
   The Dominican Fathers are now looking towards the future. A future based on their past experiences and the particular needs in the field of education for the Iraqi youth. The Dominican Fathers believe that the future of Iraq should be built on something new that will be brought about through the creation of a new cultural foundation.
   
   Throughout the last number of years the Dominican Fathers have sent many young graduates to Europe and the U.S.A to receive the very best in terms of post-graduate education. The goal has been to see these same young people return and make their new-found education fit into the frame of a society that owes very much to a civilization that has been around for several millennia. With their new-found skills and capabilities coupled with those of the Dominican Fathers everybody is confident that they have been able to build a team that will be able to instill today's youth with the best in terms of education given on their "home-turf". As the university will offer the education free of charge and during hours (afternoons and evenings) that will not interfere with professional people's working-hours they know that youth who earlier due to various circumstances were not able to continue their studies during the years of the earlier regime will receive a welcome new opportunity in their lives.
   
   It's the desire of this "Popular University" project to be an integral part of the development of a new society that has started functioning during the aftermath of the war of Spring 2003.
   
   As the humanistic sciences in Iraq during the former regime showed a great weakness while being under total governmental control the change in this country has brought about an opportunity to give people in Iraq an education, which is independent and free from government interference.
   


2. TARGET GROUPS/LOCATION
   Target groups, beneficiaries:
   The project serves a wide range of people of different ages -- 20 to 50 years.
   
   The students will have to prove university entrance qualifications in order to qualify for further studies. They will be both men and women; they will be chosen and then distributed into classes according to their capabilities and subjects that they have applied for.
   
   The lectures will be in Arabic and English. There will be further lectures in French for those who will have a good knowledge of that language.
   
   After work "the evening university" will give a new opportunity for this portion of the population, and many are those who crave for an opportunity to continue their studies after having had to break them off due to the hard economical circumstances.
   
   The beneficiaries will be secondary school graduates and students will be accepted regardless of ethnic or religious background.
   
   Location:
   The Dominican Fathers own a site, which is currently used for the Dijla Secondary School for Girls. This site is located in Hay Al Wahda / District No. 904 / within a residential area situated not very far from the center of Baghdad. With the beginning of the school year 2004–2005, the school premises can be used for the Popular University classes to be held in the afternoons and early evenings.
   
   After the completion of the residential building extensions planned for the site, the Dominican Fathers will be joined by yet other post-graduates who will share their residence quarters. The professors and lecturers residing there will also be joined by different local full time professors, part time professors and instructors not residing on the site as well as by guest-lecturers.
   


3. OBJECTIVES/PLANS/ACTIVITIES
   Overall Development Goal:
   The overall goals are to serve the academic needs of the country and thus also the humanitarian needs of the people of Iraq. The Popular University will of course depend on a local staff with the possibility of having other global members to help us in our humanitarian mission. We have already made contacts with many universities around the globe who showed their pleasure and deep interest in helping us on many, many levels.
   
   After the many years of oppression and countless wars we can honestly say that one of the basic goals in establishing this popular university is to help in the real reconstruction of Iraq and that the most important part is to meet people's spiritual needs. Without a spiritual approach we will not be able to start the true restoration of the Iraqi people, so this will certainly be our guide-line.
   
   This project will give the opportunity for a considerable portion of men and women, to have a new start in their lives to see some of their dreams of attending high education come true, after many years of being isolated from true education and actually from the rest of the world, as there is no doubt that all cultural and human sciences in this country suffer from a dangerous cultural gap that has been created due to that isolation and the intense effort of the former regime to stop any kind of personal initiative and creativity. Due to the classes being held after working hours the students will not come under an extraordinary economic stress but will find in the right environment a way of enhancing their knowledge and find opportunities to really continue their intellectual pursuit.
   
   The Popular University will also stress educational opportunities especially for women in our society. We do believe that the women are not only the people who bring new physical life into the world, but that they are an important part of the new Iraqi society that we yearn to see come out of the ashes.
   
   Yes, our Popular University will serve all Iraqis, regardless gender or religious beliefs.
   
   Plan/Activities:
   This project is unique in Iraq. The program will be much different from all the human sciences programs of the current governmental Iraqi universities and colleges.
   
   These current governmental colleges programs have been very weak, isolated from the world, and of such a low level most intellectuals would not even consider them when applying to university.
   
   The Dominican Fathers want to serve the important portion of the society who has not had the opportunity to attend high education because of the hard economical situations during the previous years in Iraq. While working hard in their jobs they will now receive this new opportunity to go on with their studies. The previous 20 years' experience in giving lectures at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baghdad where 600-1000 persons attended yearly on a weekly basis have given the Dominican Fathers the right background to go ahead with the founding of this Popular University.
   
   The Dominican Fathers have pictures and documents to prove that about 13000 persons attended these theological courses during the years 1984 through 2003. The Dominican Fathers think that many of their previous students, who are very thirsty for further theoretical and academic life, will rejoin this university, besides the many new students who will join the university.
   
   One of the most important 'pillars' is the library, which will be opened to the public through the Popular University project. The Dominican Fathers have a 7,000- book library in Baghdad and a 35,000-book library in Mosul. The Dominican Fathers will also have a web site to make it possible for many to surf the Internet and in this way make use of our library.
   
   To give further opportunities to people there will be lectures during holidays and weekends for the public, especially for those who cannot attend the university on a daily basis.
   
   The Dominican Fathers' history in Iraq witnesses to the fact that they have played a continuous active role in preaching, teaching and educating in many fields like theology, philosophy, history, languages, human rights, arts (including literature, music and theater), medicine, media and many other technical and information services.
   
   The Order of the Dominican Fathers is an international order and is neither a governmental, nor a political association. It's the desire of this association to remain thus, as it continues to own and run more than 40 universities and academic centers around the world.
   
   Impact/Expected results:
   A future very qualified people in human sciences will fill the present gap of spiritual and cultural awareness in the Iraqi society, which is partly due to the lack of serious independent studies apart from those assigned by consecutive governments. It is expected that 250 students will benefit from this "evening university" during the first year of operation.
   
   This project meets the following overall development goals:
   
   
   
   • Help individuals with further education, as a result of persecution, sanctions and war.
   
   
   • Assist Iraqi authorities and administrative structures to render appropriate service to the population.
   
   
   • Build relationships of mutual exchange and cooperation with local organizations and churches in order to promote conflict resolution and strengthen civil society.
   
   
   
   Main Objectives of this project:
   
   
   
   • Give people possibilities for further studies.
   
   
   • Raise awareness of Human Rights.
   
   


4. STARTING UP
   There will be two stages:
   
   The constructional stage:
   This stage includes completing the whole building requirements according to the drawing plans that have been designed by an architectural and engineering consultant office. As this is a costly stage that will demand a larger sum of funds we have decided that during the opening year the emphasis will be on the academic working stage.
   
   The Dominican Fathers will try to finance the building program in several phases from other donors throughout the years. (Not part of this project proposal!)
   
   The Working Stage:
   The Dominican Fathers want the college to develop on a step-to-step basis. Firstly they will depend on other global universities, as they have already received many positive responses from different important universities in USA, Europe, and Asia, who are happy to help academically by providing additional professors and skills.
   
   However, the Dominican Fathers predict that the need for foreign academic inputs will decrease in the future, as the college will start depending almost totally on its own professors and lecturers, who have received their post-graduate education outside Iraq. There are still more to come and when those post-graduates will be back in Iraq they will certainly enhance the level of education at the Popular University.
   


5. GENDER
   The university will encourage women to enter into further studies.
   


6. LOCAL CONTEXT/LOCAL FOUNDATION
   A management group will be established for the university. This group will make decisions on the running of the university, admittance and registration of students.
   
   The courses will be arranged according to academic need and contents by the professors in conjunction with the management group.
   
   The curriculum will be of international standard and content.
   
   The library will have a professional librarian, as will the internet facilities.
   
   The university will also employ a professional accountant and maintenance workers will also be employed.
   
   There will be cooperation with the Ministry for higher Education and the University of Baghdad, so that the curriculum will be recognized as valid for higher studies, giving the graduates recognized academic degrees.
   


7. IMPLEMENTATION/FINANCIAL ASPECTS/COORDINATION/SUPERVISION
   
   Implementation:
   The university will cater for an estimated 250 students initially.
   
   It is envisaged that the university will start working fully within a period of two years and have more than 400-500 students provided that funding will be available by other donors for the full building program.
   
   The engineering and architectural report refers to a multi stage project. The Popular University project can, however, be started this year with the existing buildings and then gradually complete the building projects as planned.
   
   The Dominican Fathers has already started organizing the staff and preparing for the new year of the new university.
   
   The consultant architectural and engineering office has also started submitting the drawing plans to get the necessary building licenses.
   
   Financial aspects:
   There will be no rent to pay, as the Dominican Fathers are the landlords.
   
   With all these factors and after building some essential building extensions the Dominican Fathers can have a partial start within a month.
   
   The university project is not a too complicated project, especially when some professors are ready to give their efforts almost free of charge at the beginning.
   
   The students can possibly afford to give a small payment that can partially fulfill the starting requirements.
   
   There are also some non-governmental and charity organizations who are happy to support the Dominican Fathers in the beginning.
   
   We are going to make a serious campaign to introduce our college and its humanitarian goals through the media and especially in the local newspapers.
   
   Co-ordination:
   The university management group will coordinate the project.
   
   
8. TIMEFRAME/PHASING OUT PLANS
   It must be made clear that the donor will only support the university for the first year. However, it will not be out of the question that further financial support can be given. All efforts must be made by the university to gain financial support elsewhere for the future or make itself sustainable by collecting fees or other ways of obtaining the necessary funds.
   

What Does Faith Do?

The following words were published in the weekly bulletin of my church in Sydney, Australia:

Some people think that if you have enough faith, life will be plain sailing for you.

This of course is not true. The fact that you can swim doesn't give you control over the sea. It doesn't prevent you from getting knocked about. In some way, faith doesn't shield us from the hard knocks of life or death.

What then does faith do?

It enables us to live in a topsy-turvey world without getting lost or giving in to despair. It gives us bearings.

Just us swimmers trust that if they don't panic and if they do a few simple things, then the power of the sea will uphold them. So, believers entrust their lives to a power greater than themselves, a power greater than us all.

That's very true.

Take Time To Think

Mother Teresa tells us in her book "Simple Path"of a sign on the wall of the children's home in Calcutta that reads:

Take time to think
Take time to pray
Take time to laugh

It is the source of power
It is the greatest power on Earth
It is the music of the soul

Take time to play
Take time to love and be loved
Take time to give

It is the secret perpetual youth
It is God's given privilage
It is too short a day to be selfish

Take time to read
Take time to be friendly
Take time to work

It is the fountain of wisdom
It is the road to happiness
It is the price of success
Take time to do charity
It is the key to heaven

Her words ring true in today's world.

---

Simple Path

Why Me?

I received the following story by e-mail. I'm not sure it really happened. Still, I like the message it sends us.

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed:

"Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?"

To this Arthur Ashe replied:

The world over --
5 crore (10 million) children start playing tennis,
50 lakh (100 thousand) learn to play tennis,
5 lakh learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,

When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?"
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure Keeps you Humble,
Success keeps you Glowing,
But only God Keeps you Going.

Forgiveness Works The Miracle of Change

When Abraham Lincoln was asked why he did not destroy his enemies. He replied, "If I make my enemies my friends, do I not thereby destroy them?"

The art of forgiveness consists of having a humble spirit.

When you forgive, you change yourself and other people as well. You free yourself from the burden of bitterness, and you loose others from chains of guilt.

Forgiveness works in two ways: You must forgive in order to be forgiven. Those who cannot forgive, break down the bridge over which they themselves must pass, for everyone needs to be forgiven.

Forgiveness should start now. Putting it off only deepens the wound. Clinging to bitterness postpones happiness.

Life is short, time is fleeing. Today is a day to forgive.


-- Author Unknown