A Christmas Prayer

God of love and mercy,

in this season of Christmas we offer you our thanks and praise.

We want to spread the word of peace you give us through Jesus Christ.

May the birth of your Son overcome human suffering, calm our fears, and bring peace to our homes, our families and the world.

Amen,

Source: Sacred Heart League

The Joy of Christmas Cards

A woman walks into the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

"What denomination?" asks the clerk.

"Oh, good heavens! Have we come to this?" said the woman. "Well, give me 50 Baptist and 50 Catholic and one Methodist."

Source: Comedy Central

Monks Gone Violent

When Jesus finished his journey on Earth, he probably didn't envision what happened today in Jerusalem:

Fighting erupted between Greek Orthodox and Armenian monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Christ's crucifixion.

Two monks from each side were detained as dozens of worshippers traded kicks and punches at the shrine, said police.

Trouble flared as Armenians prepared to mark the annual Feast of the Cross.

Shocked pilgrims looked on as decorations and tapestries were toppled during Sunday's clash.

And what was this all about?:

The Greeks blamed the Armenians for not recognising their rights inside the holy site, while the Armenians said the Greeks had violated one of their traditional ceremonies.

It's very sad for this to happen at one of the holiest places of Christianity. It's worse to know monks started this brawl.

Prayer to Out Lady of Consolation

Dearest Mary, Mother of Consolation,

Be with me as I pray for the souls of those departed from this life.

Please, join your prayers with mine that our beloved deceased may behold Our Loving Father in heaven.

Please, guide them to the happiness you desire for all of your children.

Most kind and gentle Mother, who knew the loss of your husband and only Son,

Help me understand the passing of my loved ones as a new birth into a more complete life with Our Heavenly Father. And may this understanding one day lead me to peace and acceptance.

Amen.

Two Jesuit Priests Murdered In Moscow

Source: BBC News
Otto Messmer (left) and Victor Betancourt were murdered in Moscow.


We have some bad news from Russia:

The bodies of Otto Messmer, 47, leader of the Russian Jesuit order, and Ecuadorean priest Victor Betancourt, 42, were found on Tuesday night.

The door was found ajar and there were no signs of any theft from the flat in upmarket Petrovka Street.

Police said they had suffered severe head injuries and the bodies had lain undiscovered for at least a day.

The attack on Father Betancourt is believed to have happened at the end of last week as he did not turn up for mass as usual on Sunday, according to Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's chief press spokesman.

I didn't know there were any Catholics in Russia. I hope they find the murderers and bring them to justice.

---

UPDATE NOVEMBER 8, 2008
CathNews reports the following development:

Russian police have detained a suspect in the killings of two Jesuit priests brutally murdered in Moscow last week.

Russia's Investigative Committee under the Prosecutor General's Office says the 38 year old Russian citizen was detained in the capital on Thursday, Associated Press reports.
[...]
The detainee's said he had killed one of the Jesuits because of "sudden dislike, while the second murder was committed in order to remove the witness, another Jesuit who happened to visit his colleague," the investigative committee told Tass.

The Exodus of Iraqi Christians From Mosul

During the last two weeks, there has been an alarming escalation in attacks against Iraqi Christians in Mosul. If you follow this blog, this news should come as no surprise to you. I've reported the kidnapping and murder of Iraqi Christian clergymen as it has happened in Mosul:

March 2008:
Chaldean Bishop Rahho Kidnapped Then Killed In Mosul.

October 2007:
The Kidnapping of Two Syriac Catholic Priests In Mosul.

June 2007:
The Murder of Fr. Ragheed and Three Deacons.

January 2005:
Iraqi Syriac Catholic Archbishop Is Released.

As more attacks took place against churches, clergymen and ordinary citizens, more Iraqi Christian families left the city.

But nothing compares to the last two weeks where at least 11 Iraqi Christians were killed in Mosul. This was followed by extremist campaigns to drive the small community out of the city.

There has been little reaction from the local and national government about these attacks -- not that the national government ever cared about what happens outside the borders of the Green Zone.

Everyone knows the remnants of extremists groups moved operations to Mosul. This also should come as no surprise. Each time the U.S. Army cleans a city of extremists, those groups move to another city.

According to different Iraqi Web sites, more than 500 families have fled the city so far. The CNN puts the number to 900. By the end of the week, there probably won't be any living Iraqi Christian families in Mosul.

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UPDATE I - October 13, 2008
Another Iraqi Christian has been killed in Mosul today as reported by AsiaNews:

Mosul’s Christian community experienced another attack yesterday. A store owner in this northern Iraqi city was targeted in what seems to be a strategy to drive out the entire community. Oarkis Alton, a records seller, was killed at work. His cousin was also wounded in the attack which took place despite an increased police presence around churches and in Christian neighbourhoods. A corollary of all this is the increasing attention paid by Arab media both within and without Iraq to the problem.

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UPDATE II - October 13, 2008
Ankawa Online reports the cousin has died today of his wounds.

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UPDATE III - October 25, 2008
Something to share with you. Courtesy of Ankawa Online.

رسالة من مواطن عراقي الى السيد المسيح

من أرض لم تعرف السلام أناديك يا ملك السلام.. من أرض
العراق أناديك.. قد قلت (أني آت سريعا') فتعال أيها المسيح..
أني أستعجلك المجيء.. أنا أعلم أنك ستأتي في يوم الدينونة ولكن أيها المسيح أنظر عراقنا.. أن الدينونة قد بدأت عندنا.. أن أبواب الجحيم قد فتحت علينا وليس من يسدها ويقينا نارها..

أيها المسيح لماذا ندان من الآن؟ هل سيدان العالم مرة وندان نحن العراقيين مرتين؟ هل أدين شعب على هذه الأرض مرتين؟
أيها المسيح أنك يوم رأيت الأعمى يصرخ اليك طالبا' الرحمة تحننت عليه ووضعت يديك المقدستين على عينيه وأعدت اليه نور عينيه وبصره وها أن حكامنا ورعاتنا وقادتنا قد أعمتهم أطماعهم وأحقادهم وحبهم للمناصب عن رؤية أنهار الدماء الزكية التي تجري كل يوم وأشلاء الأجساد البريئة المتناثرة على الأرصفة والشوارع مخلفة ورائها قلوب مثخنة بالحزن والأسى.. فتعال أيها المسيح وتحنن علينا وضع يديك المقدستين على عيونهم وأعد لهم بصرهم وبصيرتهم..

أيها المسيح أنك يوم رأيت أرملة نايين تمشي وراء نعش أبنها الوحيد تحننت عليها ولمست النعش وأحييت أبنها ودفعته الى حضنها.. فها نحن في كل زقاق لدينا أرملة تبكي أبنا' أو أبا' أو أخا' أو زوجا'، بل أن النعوش تكاد تصبح علامة فارقة ومميزة لشوارعنا.. فتعال أيها المسيح وتحنن على نسائنا وأراملنا وأرحمهن من هذا العذاب..

أيها المسيح أنك يوم رأيت المرأة الحدباء تنوء بحملها تحننت عليها ووضعت يديك الكريمتين عليها وقلت لها (أنت في حل من دائك) فعادت مستقيمة ومجدت الله.. فتعال أيها المسيح وأرفع عنا أحمالنا وأوجاعنا التي ثقلت على أجسادنا وأرواحنا ودعنا نمجد الله كما مجدته المرأة الحدباء..

أيها المسيح أنك يوم رأيت المجنون الذي سكنته الشياطين على شاطيء مدينة جراسا وهو يجرح نفسه بالحجارة ويتعذب وقفت أمامه بكل قوة وسلطان وأمرت الشياطين بتركه فولت هاربة مذعورة وشفيته في الحال.. فها أن شياطين الدنيا كلها قد سكنت في داخلنا فأصبحنا نجرح أنفسنا ونجلب العذاب لأرواحنا.. فتعال أيها المسيح بقوتك وسلطانك وأمر الشياطين الساكنة فينا بالرحيل وأنعم علينا بسلام العقل والروح..

أيها المسيح يوم أتتك الزانية الخاطئة وأرتمت على قدميك المقدستين معترفة بخطاياها وطالبة الغفران فأنك غفرت لها خطاياها وها أن أبنائنا وأخوتنا في السجون يعترفون كل يوم بآلاف الخطايا التي لم يرتكبوها ولكن ليس من يعطيهم الغفران وما زالوا في السجون وأنينهم يملأ السماء فتعال أيها المسيح وخلصهم..

أيها المسيح يوم أتتك نازفة الدم ولمست هدب ثيابك فقد شفيت في الحال وبرأت من دائها وها نحن نأتي اليك بنزيف دمائنا ودموعنا التي لا ينضب منذ سنين طالبين منك أن تلمسنا وتشفينا وتوقف هذا النزيف الذي يستنزف حياتنا وأرواحنا وأحلامنا..

أيها المسيح أنك وقفت على قبر صديقك لعازر الميت وأمرته بقوة وسلطان بالقيام وأعدت له حياته وبهذا قهرت الموت فتعال أيها المسيح بكل سلطانك وأقهر الموت الجاثم فوق مدننا ليلا' ونهارا' يسحق أرواحنا بلا رحمة أو شفقة..

أيها المسيح لقد شفيت المرضى.. جعلت العميان يبصرون والمشلولين يمشون والبرص يطهرون والموتى يقومون فتعال الينا أيها المسيح لأنه كما هو مكتوب الجسد مريض والنفس عليلة والقلب سقيم والروح من**ر.. ليس فينا صحة بل جرح وأحباط وضربة طرية.. تعال أيها المسيح أمنحنا سلامك.. أعد لنا حياتنا التي سرقت منا.. أمنحنا فرحك الذي لا يشبه فرح العالم.. أضىء ظلامنا بنورك البهي لكي ننشد مع ملائكة السماء: ((المجد لله في العلى وعلى العراق السلام وفي العراقيين المسرة))


Source: E-mail from an Iraqi friend

Gifts of Grace, The Book

Have you ever seen Mother Mary in a dream? Have you woken and not known if something was a dream or a visitation from Mother Mary? If the answer is yes, then this book is for you.

When I was less than six years old, Mother Mary came to me in a dream. In the dream, I walked from my aunt's home to ours. I also stopped by the bakery. Mother Mary and St. Joseph were sitting on the floor of the bakery. They had big warm smiles on their faces. They seated me between them. I felt loved and protected.

This was just a dream. Over the years, I've been through dangerous and hard situations and still survived them. I think both Mother Mary and St. Joseph always look after me.

A day or two before I accepted my new job in Dallas, I had another dream -- or possibly a visitation since it felt so real. In the dream, a small statue of Mother Mary sat on the bedside table and pointed in Mark's direction. Mother Mary looked as if she was trying to deliver a message to Mark.

Then, I felt her stand next to my bed. She covered me with a black garment. After a short time, sparkling diamonds and flowers appeared on the garment, which made me happy. I'm not sure what this means. I'm taking it as a sign of a hard journey followed by great success.

After reading the book, I had a better understanding of those two dreams. I'm blessed by Mother Mary.

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Gifts of Grace

Prayer to Saint Jude

O glorious Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus,

The name of traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the Church honors invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of.

Pray for me that I may receive the consolations and succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings particularly (here make your request) and that I may bless God with you and all the elect throughout eternity.

Amen.

Source: St. Jude Shrine.

Peayer For The Departed

O loving Father and Savior,

send Your angels to carry the soul of Your servant from this earth to the heavenly place of eternal and everlasting life.

Let family and friends who have passed before in faith be reunited in joy with the departed.

Forgive any wrongs that have been committed and welcome this beloved spirit into the warm embrace of Your unending peace.

Amen.

Source: Maryknoll Brothers and Sisters

Words of Wisdom by St. Bernard

If you follow her guidance, you will not go astray.
If you pray to her, you will not give up hope.
If you think of her, you will not go wrong.
If she upholds you, you will not stumble.
If she protects you, you will not be afraid.
If she leads you, you will reach the goal.

-- St. Bernard

Source: Gifts of Grace

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Gifts of Grace

The Works of Mercy

Corporal Works:

Feed the hungry.
Give drink to the thirsty.
Clothe the naked.
Shelter the homeless.
Visit the sick.
Visit those in prison.
Bury the dead.


Spiritual Works:

Instruct the ignorant.
Counsel the doubtful.
Admonish the sinner.
Comfort the sorrowful.
Forgive injuries.
Bear wrongs patiently.
Pray for the living and dead.


Source: September 2008 issue of St. Anthony Messenger.

Two Iraqi Christians Killed In Mosul

AsiaNews reports some sad news from Mosul:

Mosul (AsiaNews) - The Iraqi Christian community is again in the sights of Islamic fundamentalists in Mosul: today news came of the death of a 65-year-old doctor, Tariq Qattan, kidnapped recently by a terrorist group. AsiaNews sources say that his family had paid a ransom of 20,000 U.S. dollars. But it was not enough money to free Tariq Qattan, one of the many Christians kidnapped by fundamentalists for extortion.

Also in Mosul, two days ago - although the news has just been released today - another Christian, Nafi Haddad, was kidnapped and killed. It is not yet known whether or not a ransom was paid. Despite the small signs of improvement that seem to come from Iraq, the Christian community is still witnessing more violence: Mosul has long been the theater of a genuine slaughter, forcing more than two thirds of the faithful to flee elsewhere in search of safety.

This is reminder that the situation in Mosul hasn't improved much. It's business as usual for whomever is running the show in Mosul.

A Prayer For Healing

Our Lady, Counsoler of the afflicted,
please see me among the many who seek your love and comfort.

Please hear my prayers of healing and carry my needs to God.

As others have found solace in your embrace, please calm my fears and ease my pain.

Please, help me keep the strength of faith I need on my journey to renewed health.

Amen

Source: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Cancer Is Limited

It cannot cripple love,
It cannot shatter hope,
It cannot corrode faith,
It cannot eat away peace,
It cannot destroy confidence,
It cannot shut out memories,
It cannot silence courage,
It cannot invade the soul,
It cannot reduce eternal life,
It cannot quench the spirit,
It cannot lessen the power of the Resurrection.

Source: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Engineering In Hell

An engineer dies and reports to the pearly gates. St. Peter checks his dossier and says, "Ah, you're an engineer -- you're in the wrong place."

So, the engineer reports to the gates of hell and is let in. Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After awhile, they've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy.

One day, God calls Satan up on the telephone and says with a sneer, "So, how's it going down there in hell?"

Satan replies, "Hey, things are going great. We've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next."

God replies, "What??? You've got an engineer? That's a mistake -- he should never have gotten down there; send him up here."

Satan says, "No way. I like having an engineer on the staff, and I'm keeping him."

God says, "Send him back up here or I'll sue."

Satan laughs uproariously and answers, "Yeah, right. And just where are YOU going to get a lawyer?"

Source: Comedy Central

Oooolllllld Lawyer

A lawyer died and arrived at the pearly gates. To his dismay, there were thousands of people ahead of him in line to see St. Peter. To his surprise, St. Peter left his desk at the gate and came down the long line to where the lawyer was, and greeted him warmly.

Then St. Peter and one of his assistants took the lawyer by the hands and guided him up to the front of the line, and into a comfortable chair by his desk.

The lawyer said, "I don't mind all this attention, but what makes me so special?"

St. Peter replied, "Well, I've added up all the hours for which you billed your clients, and by my calculation you must be about 193 years old!"

Source: Comedy Central

World Youth Day 2008 And The Iraqi Youth

Next week, more than 125,000 international visitors will attend World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia. Unfortunately, the Iraqi Christians youth team has been denied the opportunity to meet with the youth from around the world.

BaghdadHope wrote on his blog:

On March 2007 Father Rayan P. Atto, parish priest of the Chaldean church of Mar Qardagh in Erbil, expressed a dream. Today, more than a year after, but less than two weeks before the start of the World Youth Day in Australia that dream has been broken.

Alternating sad and angry tones Father Rayan from Erbil explains to Baghdadhope the end of that hope: "Last week the Australian Embassy in Amman to which we referred to for the bureaucratic papers required for our attendance at the WYD told to Father Bashar Warda, our group leader, that the visas had been denied "

Why?

"Because of the fear that some of the participants of the Iraqi delegation would not return home seeking refuge in Australia"

Can you affirm that this fear is unfounded?
"Yes. I can affirm it. To be present at the World Youth Day in Sydney for young Iraqi Christians was not a system to leave their country. Most of the subscribers to the group come from north Iraq, a calm area. They have no reasons to flee and certainly would not have done it exploiting an opportunity linked to faith. We are not talking of a vacation, but of a sort of pilgrimage that would made those young people feel part of a community gathered to meet, exchange views, pray."

As an Australian citizen, I'm saddened by this news. In my opinion, this is bureaucracy in action. It's not that everything else is going well with the preparations for the WYD Sydney 2008. This simply puts icing on the cake.

16 Characteristics of Love

In the kingdom of God, love is (Corinthians 13:4-8):

1. Patient.
2. Kind.
3. Respectful of others.
4. Humble.
5. Open to others ot sensitive.
6. Courteous.
7. Helpful.
8. Understanding.
9. Forgiving.
10. Merciful or compassionate.
11. Truthful.
12. Ready to make allowances.
13. Ready to trust.
14. Optimistic.
15. Preserving or enduring.
16. Last forever or faithful.

Source:
St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church in Plano, TX.
Sunday June 8, 2008's homily.

Help Neven Pesa To Become A Priest

Neven Pesa is a young man who wants to follow in the footsteps of St. Peter and St. Paul. He simply wants to become a priest. He wrote in his email to me:

I recently got accepted to the Byzantine Catholic Order of Basilian Salvatorian Fathers in Massachussets - a semi-contemplative order of Catholics of the Eastern Rite. I belong to the Melkite Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary in Brooklyn.

I am supposed to start my Novitiate this September 2008, but I first need to pay off the large college student-loan debt I've incurred from attending Franciscan University of Steubenville for 4 years.

To remedy this - I just finished recording an original Catholic album to help raise money so that I become debt free in order that I may freely pursue my vocation, financially unhindered towards the priesthood.

He introduces us to his life via an article he published in The Catholic Exchange, where he wrote:

I'm a son of Croatian immigrants who first emigrated to Italy and subsequently to America in the 70's. Within two years of their marriage, my brother and I were both born.

My mother lovingly tells me that God willed very much that I come into this world because I came as a "happy surprise" to both my parents, having been conceived only 4 months after my older brother had been born.

My parents gave me the name of "Neven," which is a Christian name of some very early obscure saint, "Neven: meaning "everlasting" in Croatian. I was raised in a typical Catholic household and am happy to say that I enjoyed a particularly joyful childhood.

My Dad, whom I admire very much, had a noticeable handicap which was the result of an accident he had at the age of five. This left him with only one usable arm. His injured arm was permanently atrophied and was rendered almost useless. But this did not deter my father nor did he allow anyone to pity him. Although limited in his job options, he always seemed to find work. My mother was employed evenings as a cleaning lady at a Manhattan office building. This arrangement allowed for at least one of my parents to always be home with my brother and me.

The first peek into God's call on my life was when I was about 2 or 3 years old. My mother had walked in on me once in prayer, and saw me standing in front of a high table that had a number of Holy cards neatly arranged and splayed out. My mother took note of this occurrence and brings up the memory of it since it had obviously left a significant impression on her.

I promised Neven to publish his story and promote his music CD, which you can hear and buy by clicking on this link.

Please, spread the word to help Neven become a priest.