Just a Joke: The Catholic Squirrels

There were three country churches in a small Texas town: The Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church and the Catholic Church. Each church was overrun with pesky squirrels.

One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn't interfere with God's divine will.

The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God's creation. So, they humanely trapped the Squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

But -- The Catholic Church came up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter

Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi, One Year After Hurricane Katrina

It's true that New Orleans suffered the most from Hurricane Katrina. It's also true that Biloxi, Miss. suffered the same fate as New Orleans. But, it rarely gets any media attention. The Catholic Explorer has this update on the status of Biloxi and its Catholic diocese:

Bishop Rodi offered an update on the progress of recovery in the 9,653 square miles of his diocese. He said, "Things are certainly not back to normal. A tremendous amount of work has been done to remove debris, gut flooded buildings and repair the buildings that survived. The rebuilding of what was destroyed has only begun."

The damage to homes and personal property is overwhelming and it has taken a priority in the rebuilding efforts. But the mission diocese, comprised of 70,000 Catholics before the hurricane, is still struggling to deal with the hard decisions that have to be made about the 428 of 433 church-owned properties that were destroyed or seriously damaged and is burdened by the fact that insurance only covered half of the $70 million worth of damage to buildings.

Then comes the best part:

Despite the overpowering odds, Bishop Rodi seemed positive about the future of his diocese. He stated, "Although there continues to be frustration with the pace of recovery, there continues to be a positive and optimistic spirit among the people here in Mississippi. There is a strong 'can-do' spirit. We know that the next few years may be very tough, but we are convinced that good times lie ahead."

I pray that Biloxi and New Orleans don't get hit by another monstrous hurricane. Those two places need time to recover from Hurricane Katrina's destruction. They can't take another hit again this year.

A Tasting For Some Other Place

On Tuesday evening, the Beaumont Civic Center buzzed with people who came to taste the delicious food made by different organizations and churches for the annual "A Tasting For Some Other Place." The proceeds from the event go to Some Other Place. The Beaumont Enterprise states:

Some Other Place - an ecumenical mission that provides food, clothing and household goods as well as financial assistance for rent, medications and utilities for the indigent in Southeast Texas.

This was my first time to attend the event. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the spirit of good will and giving. I didn't taste any of the food because I was busy making photographs to document the event for this blog.

Kidnapped Iraqi Chaldean Catholic Priest Saad Sirop

UPDATE Sep. 11, 2006
Fr. Saad Sirop has been freed. Thank you for the people who prayed for him and/or signed the petition.

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UPDATE Sep. 10, 2006
Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel Delly met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Sep 6, 2006 to discuss the case of Fr. Sirop. President Talabani condemned the kidnapping of Fr. Sirop and urged his kidnappers to release him.

We don't know who kidnapped Fr. Sirop. So, I'm not sure the message will make much difference. Please, continue to pray for the safe return of Fr. Sirop.

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UPDATE Sep. 7, 2006
Luigia Storti from Pastoral Migrants Office of the Archdiocese of Torino, Italy sent me this information:

I take the chance now to notify you that on the 15 of September (19.00-20.00 p.m.) a special celebration will be held for Father Saad Sirop in San Rocco Church in Turin (Italy) where a special Mass for him was celebrated on the 16 of August, just one day after his kidnapping.

We all hope it will be a celebration to thank God for his release.

I hope my Italian readers get to attend the mass. Please, continue to keep Fr. Saad Sirop in your prayers.

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UPDATE Sep. 5, 2006
On Aug. 21, MIR-Riconciliazione and Archdiocese of Turin Pastoral Migrants Office started a petition for the release of Fr. Saad Sirop.

Please, read the petition and sign it here. Thanks.

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UPDATE Sep. 4, 2006
The Associated Press reports some encouraging news:

ROME The Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad said Saturday he had spoken on the phone with a priest who was kidnapped earlier this month in the Iraqi capital, who told him a week ago that he was well but still in the hands of his captors.

Patriarch Emmanuel Delly told the Italian missionary news agency MISNA, however, that the kidnappers had assured him at the end of his conversation last Saturday that they would release the priest immediately, but he had heard nothing since.

Read more...

At least we know he's still alive. Let's pray for his safe return.

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UPDATE AUG. 23, 2006
As I expected, the kidnapping incident has scared Iraqi Christians who still live in Iraq. Zenit reports:

Last week's kidnapping at gunpoint of a Chaldean priest in Baghdad has sent shock waves throughout the Christian community in Iraq.
[...]
For his part, Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, in northeastern Iraq, implored on television for the priest's release. Subsequently, during an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, he commented on the distress that the incident has caused in the Christian community.

"Christians are living in a panic and they are terrified of more attacks on their priests and their churches," the archbishop said.

"When a priest is kidnapped, the Christian community takes it very seriously because he is such an important religious symbol," he explained.
[...]
The archbishop described Baghdad as "a jail" from which people are desperate to escape.

Read more...

More people were leaving the country after this incident. It's very sad to see this small community shrinking dramatically.

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UPDATE AUG. 22, 2006
At least we know that Fr. Sirop is still alive. Reuters reports:

ROME, Aug 22 (Reuters) - The Catholic Church in Iraq has received a ransom demand for a priest who was kidnapped in Baghdad, Rome-based Catholic news agency Misna said on Tuesday.

"They want money," Misna quoted Emmanuel Delly, the patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, as saying.

The agency said the kidnappers of the priest, Saad Syrop Hanna, had telephoned the Church to make their demands and had said he was in good health.

Read more...

I hope this ordeal will have a happy ending.

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ORIGINAL POST AUG. 19, 2006
On the 15th of Aug., Fr. Sirop was kidnapped in Al-Doura suburb of Baghdad. Since then the Iraqi Chaldean church around the world has pleaded to the kidnappers for his release and safe return to his church and community. Zenit reports:

Father Saad Sirop of St. Jacob parish in Baghdad's Doura district was on his way home Tuesday from celebrating Mass in the parish church when his car was stopped by three masked armed men who forced him into their car.

In statements on Vatican Radio today, Monsignor Philippe Najem of the patriarchate said that it was still not known who kidnapped the young priest, who was planning to continue his studies in Rome.

Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly, held a meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister to try to find ways for Father Sirop's release.

The Iraqi Islamic Party, which represents Sunnis in the Iraqi Parliament, condemned the kidnapping.

"The Catholic Church suffers very much and daily, as the rest of the Iraqi people, who also suffer because of the lack of what is indispensable to live: water, electricity, hospital and health services, and especially security," said Monsignor Najem.

Read more...

Ankawa Online put a special section for the development in Fr. Sirop kidnapping case. Sorry for non-Arabic speakers. I wish I have the time to translate every article for you.

Please, keep Fr. Sirop in your prayers.

The Deacon and the Preacher

There once was this deacon and this preacher, and they had been friends for a long time. One day the deacon got sick and was put in the hospital, so the preacher decided to go and see his old friend.

When he walked into the hospital room, the preacher noticed all the hoses and medical equipment attached to the deacon. The preacher walked over and kneeled by the bed and asked, ''How ya doing?''

The deacon motioned at a pad and pen on the nightstand. ''You want that?'' the preacher asked him, and the deacon nodded his head yes. So the preacher handed his friend the pad and pen and the deacon began to write. All of a sudden the deacon died.

At his funeral, the preacher was asked to deliver the service. ''He was a good man and I'll never forget him,'' the preacher said, ''I was with him when he died and as a matter of fact I have his last thought in my coat pocket here.''

The preacher reaches into his pocket and pulls out the paper. ''Please, get up! You're kneeling on my oxygen hose!''


Source: Comedy Central

The Greek Hunt For a Stolen Icon of Mother Mary

I can't believe someone would steal an icon from a monastery in Greece. I guess I'm a bit naive when it comes to the minds of thieves. The BBC News reports:

A major police operation is under way in southern Greece to try to find a team of burglars who stole one of the country's leading religious icons.

The icon of the Virgin Mary, at the monastery of Elona, symbolised Greek freedom during a 19th-Century campaign to expel the Turkish Ottoman empire.

Police are working on the theory that the thieves hid inside the monastery when it closed to the public.

They are then thought to have been lowered by rope into the sanctuary.

Read more...

I hope Mother Mary helps bring back the icon to the monastery. For the thieves, I hope you don't find a restful moment in your life until you return the icon.

An Irish Friendship Wish

May there always be work for your hands to do.
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine on your windowpane.
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Daughter's Prayer

It's time for another joke:

A family was having some people to dinner. At the table, the mother turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, "Dear, would you like to say the blessing?"

"I wouldn't know what to say," replied the little girl, shyly.

"Just say what you hear Mommy say, sweetie," the woman said.

Her daughter took a deep breath, bowed her head, and solemnly said, "Dear Lord, why the hell did I invite all these people to dinner!?!"


Source: Comedy Central

Egyptian Authorities Silences a Coptic Blogger

Almost everyone knows the Egyptian Copts are not happy with their situation in Egypt. They have been harassed lately by different parties. Some of the Copts took their frustration to the blogsphere. But, the government doesn't want them to use this window and let the world know of their ordeal. Egyptian Coptic blogger Hala Helmy Botros couldn't take it anymore and deleted all her posts. The government managed to silence her voice. Reporters Without Borders reports:

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the months of harassment by the authorities in Qina (near Luxor, in central Egypt) that forced Hala Helmy Botros to close down her blog Aqbat Bela Hodood (Copts Without Borders) about the persecution of the Christian Coptic minority, and to stop writing on this subject for other websites.

Botros, 42, who wrote under the pseudonym of Hala El-Masry, is now the target of a judicial investigation and is banned from leaving the country.

"We are outraged by the practices used by the Egyptian authorities to intimidate and silence Botros," Reporters Without Borders said. "With relations between Christians and Muslims off-limits in the traditional media, all she did was write posts on the Internet about the fate of the Coptic minority. It is unacceptable that freedom of expression and movement should be restricted in this fashion. We insist that the authorities guarantee Botros' basis rights."

Read more...

Blogs have caught the attention of the Egyptian government during the last two years. A few bloggers were arrested and released after spending a "not very pleasant" time in prison. Hala is the latest victim of the government harassments.

Happy 25th Anniversary to EWTN

I grew up in the Middle East having limited access to the Catholic media. Now that I live in the States, having a Catholic TV channel feels really good. EWTN Catholic channel may not be a state-of-the-art TV channel, but it's informative enough for me and others.

This month, the channel celebrates its 25th anniversary. Thanks to the efforts of Mother Angelica. Lincoln Journal Star reports:

IRONDALE, Ala. — Twenty-five years ago, Mother Mary Angelica had a vision for Eternal Word Television Network, a channel offering nothing but Roman Catholic programming. She had little more than faith, $200 and a garage to use as a studio.

Now EWTN Global Catholic Network is available in 127 countries and more than 118 million households, and is capping a celebration of its founding in 1981. With viewers from Illinois to India, the satellite channel has grown to include radio and the Internet, and bills itself as the largest religious media network in the world.
[...]
Still based at its original campus in a hilly suburb, EWTN has long had the blessing of the Vatican. And while critics alternately accuse EWTN of being too conservative or too liberal, it prides itself on sticking to the leadership of both Pope John Paul II and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI.

Read more...

The fact that it's been attacked by liberals and conservatives means its views are moderate. I'm sure other people would agree with me.

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Mother Angelica:
The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles

Prayer To Our Mother of Perptual Help

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come; before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen!

-- St. Bernard

Beaumont's St. Anthony Cathedral To Become a Basilica

I woke up this morning to some exciting news from the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI has granted the beautiful St. Anthony Cathedral in Beaumont a minor Basilica status. The Beaumont Enterprise reports:

Pope Benedict has granted St. Anthony Cathedral in Beaumont minor basilica status, joining only three other Texas churches with that designation, according to a news release.

"This is an honor and a blessing not only for our Catholics, but also for all the people of Southeast Texas," Bishop Curtis Guillory said in a news release. "Many have come to the cathedral for worship, especially in times of crisis like 9-11 and Hurricane Rita, and for special ecumenical services."

The basilica status means the Vatican recognizes the cathedral's artistic and historical significance as well as its importance in the liturgical and pastoral ministry of the Beaumont Catholic Diocese.

"This beautiful designation links us even more closely to the Chair of Peter," Guillory said. "Basilica comes from a Greek word meaning 'hall of the King.' This is the place where our King and Savior, Christ, is worshiped."

Read more...

And, here are some pictures of the Basilica:


Mark M. Hancock
© The Beaumont Enterprise


Mark M. Hancock
© The Beaumont Enterprise

Iraqi Christians And The Dark Future

I'm always asked how many Iraqi Christians lived in Iraq before the American invasion and how many of them still live in Iraq. Chaldean Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Andreos Abouna of Baghdad has the answer. Catholic News Service reports:

LONDON (CNS): Half of all Iraqi Christians have fled their country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, said the auxiliary bishop of Baghdad.

Chaldean Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Andreos Abouna of Baghdad said that before the invasion there were about 1.2 million Christians in the predominantly Shiite Muslim state. Since then the overall number has dropped to about 600,000, he said.

"What we are hearing now is the alarm bell for Christianity in Iraq," the bishop said. "When so many are leaving from a small community like ours, you know that it is dangerous - dangerous for the future of the church in Iraq."
[...]
He added that many Christians remaining in Iraq were either too poor, old or sick to leave....

Read more...

If my relatives are any indication of how many Iraqi Christians will stay in Iraq in the near future, I'd say NOT many families.

Leaving the country isn't always the hardest step. Trying to find a refuge in another country proves to be the hardest step in establishing their new lives.

Last June, I wrote that an estimated 6,000 Iraqi Christians live in Lebanon. Now that all hell broke between Israel and Hizbollah, that haven has become hell for those refugees. According to IRIN, some of these families have returned to Iraq:

BAGHDAD, 31 July (IRIN) - Dozens of Iraqis who fled Lebanon after the Israeli offensive began on 12 July have now reached the Iraqi capital, Baghdad and urgently need assistance, Iraqi officials said.

"They [the Iraqis] have lost everything they had and now depend on assistance from relatives, most of whom are living in poverty," said Diyar Salushi, a senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
[...]
"I thank Lebanon for helping us during the three years that I was there with my family," said Carlo Yacari, 42, an Iraqi Christian who was living in Beirut. "But we cannot tolerate more destruction and violence, and we now will work hard to leave to a European country where at least we will be far from the sounds of explosions and bombardments."

Read more...

I don't think Europe is going to accept many Iraqi-Christian refugees. It's not as easy as they might think. Ankawa Online's correspondent in Germany reports that a German court ruled in favor of the foreign and political refugees office to deport all Iraqi-Christian refugees from Germany. The court ruled that those refugees don't have the legal right to stay in Germany. The judge believes Iraqi Christians who face danger in parts of Iraq can move to Kurdistan where Kurds and Iraqi Christians maintain a good relationship. Nice logic judge!!!

Other countries are not more welcoming than Germany. So what's the solution for this minority when faced with such rejection? Absolutely NOTHING. We were always told by our clergymen in Iraq to pray during difficult times. We continue to pray. I sometimes think God is tired of our prayers, or he doesn't live in Iraq anymore.


Cross-blogged on Fayrouz In Beuamont

Madonna And The Crucifixion

It looks like the Queen of Shock is at it again. The Material Girl has brought her Confessions Tour to Rome. She even invited the Pope as the guest of honor at the Rome concert.

Madonna lives to shock people with her acts. I honestly believe she does it for the fun of it more than the money. So, I'm not surprised with the 2006 Madonna. After all, she's the Material Girl. Any shock that brings more ticket sales and pisses off many people, she'll be all over it.

The Washington Times reports:

Vatican officials have suggested Madonna -- the U.S. pop singer, that is -- should be excommunicated for re-enacting the crucifixion in her new stage show.

Madonna is scheduled to bring her Confessions Tour to Rome this Sunday, complete with the scene in which she wears a crown of thorns and appears to be hung on a cross, The Telegraph reports.

Cardinal Ersilio Tonino called the scene "an act of open hostility."

"It is nothing short of a scandal and an attempt to generate publicity," he added.

Read more...

That's EXACTLY why she's doing it. As for ex-communicating her, is she still a Catholic? I thought she left Catholicism a long time ago.

The Jesuit, The Dominican and Smoking

A Jesuit and a Dominican were on retreat. Both are struggling to give up smoking and the effort is distracting them from their prayer, so they decide to seek guidance from their spiritual directors.

The next day, the Dominican notices the Jesuit in the garden with his Bible, happily smoking, so he asks if the Jesuit had spoken to his spiritual director about the matter. The Jesuit replied that he had, and it had been very helpful.

The Dominican responded that he was surprised to see the Jesuit smoking because his own spiritual director had forbidden him to smoke while praying.

The Jesuit replied that his spiritual director had thought it a good thing to pray even while smoking.


Source: Mission and Spirituality News

The Vatican's 24/7 Switchboard

I didn't know the vatican has a 24/7 switchboard and they aren't thinking of outsourcing it. That gives them more points in my books. Catholic News Service reports:

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even though it receives almost 2,000 calls a day, the Vatican is not about to outsource its small team of switchboard operators to answering machines or the labyrinth of automated phone menus.
[...]
"There are people who are a little crazy and call at 2 a.m. to do nothing but rant and rave, and there are others who call for help," said Brother Andrea Mellini, head of the Vatican's telecommunications service.
[...]
About a dozen nuns who are members of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master work the switchboards 24 hours a day in six-hour shifts. They come from such countries as South Korea, Malta, Poland, Italy, India, Philippines and Brazil, and they speak a myriad of languages.

Read more...

The report states that you can't be transferred to the Pope. His apartment phone number is private and very few people has access to the number. So, don't bother the nuns with your insistence on wanting to talk to the Pope.

Nuns Chased a Suspected Thief

I love nuns' stories. They're almost always full with action. Here's the latest story from the Netherlands:

Two Dutch nuns, wearing habits and riding bikes, chased a suspected thief through Amsterdam, police said Monday.

On Saturday evening, one of the sisters believed she recognized a man walking past their chapel in southern Amsterdam as a thief who had snatched hundreds of euros in cash from the building two weeks earlier, Amsterdam police spokesman Rob van der Veen said.
She invited him inside for a drink and asked a fellow nun to alert police.

The thief got suspicious of their act and tried to run. That wasn't a problem for the nuns as the report states:

"The nuns then grabbed their bikes and gave chase. They tried to grab him, but he managed to escape into a residential neighborhood and they lost him," Van der Veen said. Police hunted for the man in the neighborhood but could not find him.

Read more...

As I always say, "Don't mess with nuns because they'll mess with you."

The Honorable Homeless Man

If you believe there are "no good people" left in this world, the following story may change your mind:

DETROIT - A homeless man who returned $21,000 worth of saving bonds he found in a trash bin is finding out how much honesty can pay off.

Charles Moore, 59, had been searching for returnable bottles last week when he came across the 31 U.S. savings bonds. He turned them in to a homeless shelter, where a staff member tracked down the family of the man who had owned them.

For his good deed, the bond owner’s son gave Moore $100, but residents around Michigan and in other states decided his action merited a more generous reward.

So far, Moore has received over $4,000.

Read more...

As Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.

Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who follow Moore's example.

A Worldwide Day of Prayers For Peace In The Middle East

With the war between Israel and Hizbollah continuing to destroy the lives of innocent civilians from both sides, the Pope has called for a worldwide day of prayers for peace in the Middle East. The Associated Press reports:

LES COMBES, Italy -- Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that he does not plan to intervene diplomatically in the Middle East fighting, but called on people of all religions to join Sunday's worldwide day of prayers for peace.

"I think it is best to leave that to the diplomats, because we don't enter politics. But we do everything for peace. Our goal is simply peace, and we will do everything to help attain peace," Benedict told reporters as he returned from an hour-long hike in the Italian Alps.

The pope has set aside Sunday as a worldwide day of prayers for peace, hoping the prayers will bring a halt to the fighting.

Benedict invited everyone to pray "especially Muslims and Jews."

Read more...

Please, remember the civilians caught in the middle of this war in your prayers.

Stem-Cell Conference At The Vatican

With the stem-cell research debate heating up in America, it's good to know the Vatican is open-minded to this debate. It even sponsored a conference to discuss this important issue:

By The Universe: A new scientific conference sponsored by the World Federation of Catholic Medical organisations and the Office of the Roman Curia is expected to reveal that Embryonic Stem Cell research is light years away from providing the medical benefits that can be achieved through non-embryonic stem cell research.

Speakers to the conference, which will be held in Rome in September, will present their findings and may also be granted an audience with Pope Benedict. Professor of Regenerative Medicine at Newcastle University Dr Colin McGuckin, who will be speaking about his own research into using the possibilities offered by stem cell research said that by using cord blood from new-born babies, people in need of organ transplants could benefits greatly from the research, which has been developed over the past 15 years in the UK.

"This is better for humanity," he said.

It's definilely better for humanity. Science is what keeps me closer to God and never made me run away from him.

He then adds:

"There are not enough embryonic stem cells available to provide the right tissue type for everyone. But with 100 million babies born every year we have a vast supply of cord blood stem cells, which should be able to provide enough tissue for everyone.

"Embryonic stem cell research cannot compete with the benefits of cord blood."

He added: "As I understand it, as a Catholic, we are into forgiveness and understanding and also as a scientist, I promote what I feel is a workable stem cell group - cord blood stem cells. It is not my place to advise the church on policy, but rather to explain to them what the alternatives are and what can be realistically be done with cord blood - which is already a lot."

Read more...

With constructive debate, we can reach a middle ground that would benefit millions of people who are waiting for an advancement in this field of science to cure their diseases.