FIGHT INDIVIDUALISM WITH MERCY: POPE SAYS.

The “globalization of indifference” was at the heart of Pope Francis’ Lenten message, in which he urged faithful to fight individualism with merciful hearts that are more attentive to the needs of others. 

“(Jesus) is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent to what happens to us,” the Pope noted in his Jan. 27 Lenten message, saying that often times when we life a healthy and comfortable lifestyle, “we forget about others.”

“We are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure...Our heart grows cold,” he observed, saying that today this “selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference.”

The Roman Pontiff’s Jan. 27 message, titled after the biblical passage “Make Your Hearts Firm” from James Chapter 5 verse 8, was given as a precursor for the start of the Church’s Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Lent, he said, is a time of grace in which we encounter the love of the Lord, who first served us through his life and the washing of the disciples’ feet before his passion, and ultimately in his sacrificial death on the cross.

“God is not indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our salvation,” the pontiff explained, saying that one of the most “urgent challenges” of today’s world – and the one to which he dedicated his Lenten message – “is precisely the globalization of indifference.”

This “globalization of indifference” is a reality that Christians must confront by going outside of themselves, he said, and highlighted three biblical passages he said would help to resist the temptation to withdraw and remain closed inside of ourselves.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together” from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians reminds us of the Church, the Pope explained, saying that the love of God breaks through the barriers of indifference we frequently put up.

“But we can only bear witness to what we ourselves have experienced,” he said, and encouraged faithful to turn to the sacraments during Lent – particularly the Eucharist – in order to better imitate the Lord.

During Mass “we become what we receive: the Body of Christ. In this body there is no room for the indifference which so often seems to possess our hearts,” the Pope explained.

He then pointed to the verse in Genesis Chapter 4 when God asks Cain “Where is your brother?” This passage, he said, is representative of the various parishes and Christian communities around the world.

“Do these ecclesial structures enable us to experience being part of one body? A body which receives and shares what God wishes to give? Or do we take refuge in a universal love that would embrace the whole world, while failing to see the Lazarus sitting before our closed doors?” the pontiff asked.

In order to both receive what God gives to us and make it bear fruit in our communities we need to go beyond the boundaries of the physical Church, the Pope said, noting that this is first done through our prayers to the saints in heaven, who intercede for us with joy.

Secondly, a particular parish or community can cross these boundaries by engaging “in the life of the greater society of which it is a part, especially with the poor and those who are far away.”

The Church is “missionary by her very nature,” he said, and commissioned parishes and communities not to remain self-enclosed, but go out to every nation and people so that they therefore become “islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference!”

Pope Francis then pointed to the biblical verse in James “Make your hearts firm” from which the title of his message is taken, saying that it speaks to the temptation for individual Christians to become indifferent.

“Flooded with news reports and troubling images of human suffering, we often feel our complete inability to help,” he observed. 

Both praying together as a community and performing small acts of charity are concrete ways that can prevent us from getting “caught up in this spiral of distress and powerlessness,” the Pope explained.

He then drew attention to the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. Set to take place March 13-14, in the middle of Lent, confessions will be available for the entire 24 hour period. 

The Pope, who is set to preside over a penitential liturgy for the event, expressed his hope that it “will be observed throughout the Church, also at the diocesan level (as) a sign of this need for prayer.”

Also noting the importance of conversion, the Bishop of Rome said that seeing the suffering of others inevitably reminds us of our dependency on God, as well as on our brothers and sisters, and encouraged all to ask for God’s grace in accepting their limitations.

If we do this, he said, “we will trust in the infinite possibilities which God’s love holds out to us (and) we will also be able to resist the temptation of thinking that by our own efforts we can save the world and ourselves.”

Pope Francis concluded his message by praying that during Lent, each person receive “a heart which is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, indifferent or prey to the globalization of indifference.

POPE SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT JESUS DID IS THAT HE SAVES US.

Pope Francis; celebrating His first Mass on Jan.22 during morning Mass since returning from His long week tour of Sri Lanke and Philippines. 
He reflected on the day's Gospel (Mark 3:7-12) which recounts the crowds gathering around Jesus from various region, seeking to be healed and listen to His words.

The Holy Father said that while the healing s that Jesus performed and words He spoke reached the hearts of the people and helped them to encounter God, what is most important is that Jesus saves those who come to God through Him.  

SEE WHAT FAMILY LIFE TEACHES US ABOUT COMMUNICATION; FROM POPE FRANCIS.

On the 49th World Communication Day this year, Pope Francis said that the first place we learn to communicate is in family, families teach us to go out of ourselves and encounter others. In His message, titled "Communicating the Family" He said, " in the family, we learn to embrace and support one another, to discern the meaning of facial expressions and moments of silence, to laugh and cry together". He went on to say that to do all this with people we did not choose and yet so important to us greatly helps us to understand the meaning of communication as recognizing and creating closeness.
In His speech He said that the joy of meeting others is something we learn even before our birth, given example with how John the Baptist leapt for joy in Elizabeth's womb after hearing Mary's greeting.
To encounter others means "to open doors, not remaining closed in our little world, but rather going out to others, families who do so communicate their message of life, giving comfort and hope to more fragile families, and thus build up to the church herself, which is the family of families.
At this time He said that we shouldn't be afraid of imperfections, weakness or even conflict in family life, but instead should learn to deal with them constructively.

POPE SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT JESUS DID IS THAT HE SAVES US.

Pope Francis, celebrating His first mass (morning mass) after returning from His long- week tour of Sri Lanke and Philippinnes. He reflected on the day's Gospel (Mark 3:7-12) which recounts the crowds gathering around Jesus from various region, seeking to be healed and listen to His words.

The Holy Father said that while the healing s that Jesus performed and the words He spoke reached the hearts of the people and helped them to encounter God, what is most important is that Jesus saves those who come to God through Him.

LEADING IRAQI CHRISTIAN, LOUIS SAKO CALLS ON MUSLIMS TO CONFRONT CULTURE OF HATRED

In a Jan.17 talk delivered to the Iraqi Center for Diversity Management.
The Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon encouraged Iraqi Muslims to confront violent extremists, stressing the need to return to peaceful coexistence despite present threats in the country. He said that the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the rise of the Islamic State has further endangered the future of Christians in Iraq, while the Iraqi Govt. struggles to regain control.

HOW MANY YOUNG COUPLES GROW OLD TOGETHER HAPPILY AS THEY STARTED 

We all look and cry for love, we find love in so many different places, but when we found it we still let it slip out from our hands.
What is the problems? we married today tomorrow we divorce, we are in love today tomorrow we are separated.
Christ Jesus let us know that the greatest of all commandment is "LOVE". That the first is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength. 2nd is to love our neighbor as we love our-self (Mark 12:29-31)
But in today's love we ignore God, we don't care about loving Him, we selfishly go for the 2nd command ignoring the first.
If only we can learn to put God first in that we do, we will understand that with God's love in our heart we can handle our own relationship, learn how to forgive our love ones their wrong against us, stop counting how many times we have made sacrifice for them. If you love God, He will give you strength to carry on.
Abide by this and have a good love life. Or do you want to go on divorcing? breaking out from different relationship? do you want to grow old alone and lonely? is your choice.  

U.S PRIEST MAY FACE JAIL SENTENCE FOR REFUSING TO BREAK CONFESSION SEAL.

The U.S. supreme court has declined to hear a petition from a Louisiana Catholic diocese that fears a civil lawsuit could force a priest to violate the seal of confession or go to jail.

Is it right for a priest to violate the church doctrine? knowing fully well that any catholic priest who reveal to anyone the contents of a confession or whether a confession took place has violated the seal of confession and will be automatically excommunicated.

Is there no right for religions? or laws protecting one's believe?
Are the court seeing Priests as a mandatory reporters?

THE FATE OF NIGERIA IS NOT SAFE IN THE HANDS OF POLITICIANS

Most Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese, Nigeria. Highlighted the need for everybody or every citizen of the country to work together to rescue the nation Nigeria from her multifarious challenges caused by what he described as " Nigeria's fractures" in the national life of the country. He pointed out that leaving the solution to the nation's problems in the hands of the politicians is suicidal.
He made this remark in his lecture titled: "A House Divided Against itself" at convocation ceremony of the University of Uyo, in Akwa Ibon State, Nigeria early this year.
 

THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS SAYS, NO LONGER SLAVES BUT BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

In His speech on 2015 World Day of Peace message, The Holy Father, calls for a global Solidarity, Fraternity and Collaboration among all the nations of the world to combat modern-day contemporary slavery as identified in man's inhumanity to man in different guises.

Cardinal Donald Wueri of Washington Quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Fight for human dignity

In Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on 19th of January, 2015 in Holy Mass, Cardinal Donald Wueri of Washington DC. quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. " I Have a Dream Speech" saying that human life is sacred and must be protected from injustice.

Pope's interview in-flight going to Rome from Manila.

In His interview, He talks about what He learns from Filipinos; and the discrimination and suffering of the people.

Kara David (GMA Network): Good day Holy Father. Sorry, I will speak in English. Thank you very much for visiting our country and for giving so much hope to the Filipinos. We would like you to come back to our country. My question is: the Filipinos have learned a lot from listening to your messages. Is there something the Holy Father has learned from the Filipinos, from your encounter with us?

Pope Francis: The gestures! The gestures moved me. They are not protocol gestures, they are good gestures, felt gestures, gestures of the heart. Some almost make one weep. There’s everything there: faith, love, the family, the illusions, the future. That gesture of the fathers who think of their children so that the Pope will bless them. Not the gesture of one unique father. There were many who thought of their children when we passed by on the road. A gesture which in other places one does not see, as if they say ‘this is my treasure, this is my future, this is my love, for this one it’s worth working, for this one it’s worth suffering’. A gesture that is original, but born from the heart.
A second gesture that struck me very much is an enthusiasm that is not feigned, a joy, a happiness, a capacity to celebrate.  Even under the rain, one of the masters of ceremonies told me that he was edified because those who were serving in Tacloban, under the rain, never lost the smile. It’s the joy,  not feigned joy.  It wasn’t a false smile. No, no!  It was a smile that just came out, and behind that smile there is a normal life, there are pains, problems.
Then there were the gestures of the mothers who brought their sick children. Indeed mothers in general bring them there. But usually mothers did not lift the children up so much, only up to here. The dads do, one sees them. Here dad! Then many disabled children, with disabilities that make some impression; they did not hide the children, they brought them to the Pope so that he would bless them: ‘This is my child, he is this way, but he is mine’.  All mothers know this, they do this. But it’s the way they did this that struck me. The gesture of fatherhood, of motherhood, of enthusiasm, of joy.
There’s a word that’s difficult for us to understand because it has been vulgarized too much, too badly used, too badly understood, but it’s a word that has substance: resignation. A people who knows how to suffer, and is capable of rising up.
Yesterday, I was edified at the talk I had with the father of Kristel, the young woman volunteer who died in Tacloban.  He said she died in service, he was seeking words to confirm himself to this situation, to accept it. A people that knows how to suffer, that’s what I saw and how I interpreted the gestures.

FATHER ART CAVITT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ST. LOUIS-BASED ST. CHARLES LWANGA CENTER. SAID THAT ECUMENISM WILL BREAK SHACKLES OF RACISM

  The ecumenicism preached by Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech is vital to breaking the shackles of individualism and general racism, a St. Louis priest has aforementioned.
That racism could be a sin a “shared tenant of Christianity,” said Father Art Cavitt, decision maker of the St. Louis-based St. Charles Lwanga Center, during a recent interview with EWTN News.
“The need for recognition of the dignity of all people at large is incumbent upon all people. That lack of recognition contributes to the matter.”
US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ President Bishop Joseph Kurtz of urban center echoed the priest’s sentiments during a statement marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Every human life has profound dignity, rooted in our creation within the image of God,” bishop Kurtz wrote. “We are one family. Our communities can solely mirror this dignity if we have a tendency to 1st intercommunicate prayer to guide our actions toward ending years of isolation, disregard and conflict between neighbors.”