A POTPOURRI OF MAIL: PROPHECY, CLIMATE CHANGE, HOMOSEXUALITY, AND COINCIDENCE
We'll start with apparitions. It's always difficult for us when a local bishop rejects or condemns a mystical claim; we know that many good, devout people are often involved with such sites. At the same time, we have a strict obligation to report any declaration from a bishop, sorry though we may be to disappoint those excellent people who may have followed it, or even received graces.
If a person felt blessed, does that blessing remain legitimate if the diocese rules against the site? Can a place of apparitions be special, anointed land at the same time that a seer or seers attached to it is not legitimate? Can a bishop be wrong (are there reversals)?
Reversals are rare, but recently, a rejected apparition in Lipa, Philippines, was reopened for further investigation. The same occurred in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, yes: no matter where, and what occurs, God blesses all who went in faith.
Interesting it is how quickly bishops have responded to reported apparitions in Egypt, where a luminous figure identified as Mary has been photographed and seen by tens of thousands on a church roof, as she also appeared on the roofs of other churches in this same nation. How this works -- that particular areas are prone to particular brands of phenomena -- and what it may portend is for the future to reveal.
Here are apparitions that have occurred in Egypt (our thanks to the Zeitoun Web Gallery):
- Zeitoun in April 1968-1970
- Edfu 1982
- Saint Demiana the Martyr's Church in Papadouplo, Shubra 1986
- Shentena Al-Hagger in Menoufiya 1997
- St Mark's Church in Assiut 2000
- Gabal Dronka, Assiut in August 2001
- El-Warraq in December 2009
Most of those have been approved by Orthodox bishops, a contrast with the U.S.
On the priest-abuse scandal: with now thousands of cases in North America and northern Europe, one is made to wonder how many future vocations have been destroyed -- and not only among young men who may have been discouraged by reading about all the revelations, but among altar boys who left the Church after they were sinisterly abused. Priests often trace their calling to serving as altar boys. How many never followed their calling because they were victimized? And why is it that many parts of the world (Africa, for instance) have largely escaped the homosexual crisis? Is it because their seminaries have not emulated modern liberal universities (as our seminaries have)?
In Ireland, the crisis is in special need of our prayer. The Catholicism there is being shaken to its core -- this nation that once exported so many priests.
The bright spot: Pope Benedict XVI's dramatic one-day sweep in which he signed decrees advancing two great popes -- John Paul II and Pius XII -- toward beatification on Saturday, along with decreeing the canonization of Mother Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, and advancing Blessed Andre of Montreal -- the fantastic healing brother associated with the oratory there.
It was tremendous boldness -- moving on two popes at the same time, including one, Pius XII, whose canonization has been vehemently opposed by misguided Jews who claimed he didn't do enough to prevent the Holocaust when in fact this Pope risked Hitler's wrath by hiding Jews at the Vatican and was himself in great danger as Hitler discussed kidnapping him and bombing the Vatican!
Satan always tries to trip up the canonization of great men, as he also tried with Padre Pio (to no avail). Some will say the announcement of Pius XII was made with that of John Paul II to deflect focus on the controversy.
On other Church matters: "I am the coordinator of our Adoration Chapel," wrote a viewer who we will keep anonymous for obvious reasons early this fall. "We are being hassled by a woman who is head of the liturgy committee and the arts and environment, as well as 'everything else.' Although the Adoration Chapel is not a part of her domain, she exercises enough authority that our pastor bows to her wishes. One day last week, another lady and I removed a pumpkin display from beneath the altar/Blessed Sacrament in our Adoration Chapel. Then I e-mailed our pastor and told him what we had done, and that it was my decision. He answered that I had done the right thing and that he 'didn't know who would do that.' When I went to Mass on Sunday, the same pumpkin display was on the altar. What is your opinion of this?"
Our opinion is that too often entrenched laity who are into religion but not its spirituality have a stranglehold over parishes (see the music at so many churches, or the sterile instructional classes during sacraments like baptism) as well as diocesan offices, where there is often a strange aloofness and even arrogance. What an enormous grace it would be if each morning every bishop in every diocese said a Rosary at a set time, along with anyone who might want to pray along, at home or wherever, at the set hour. This would lend us better direction.
Another concern: the hardening of certain Catholics.
"I have grown weary of so called Christians who claim to be pro-life but constantly fail to love their fellow human beings," said an e-mailer. "Prejudice, condemnation, and hatred of other persons seem to be their ongoing mantras. How could we speak of protecting the lives of the unborn when we harbor such venomous prejudices in our hearts? Our persistent failure to love our fellow human beings mocks and nullifies the pro-life stance because ultimately, such a stance expresses love not hatred."
Catholics must be careful not to fall into the trap of politics -- which is worldliness, and which tends to harshness. A Rosary a day keeps the devil away.
On the climate: the Pope recently stated that humans are causing major problems with nature and that it's a moral obligation to protect the environment. "Industrialized nations must recognize their responsibility for the environmental crisis, shed their consumerism, and embrace more sober lifestyles," Pope Benedict said last Tuesday. What do we think of that?
Years ago, for Sent To Earth, we interviewed literally a hundred scientists around the world -- from Ireland to the U.S. to Japan -- who were experts in various natural disasters, many of them meteorologists, climatologists, or hurricane researchers. Back then, the issue of global warming had not been politicized, and we have to say that there wasn't one we spoke with who didn't think the climate had shifted. Forget the scientific measurements: a person had only to review some of the world's oldest hand-written weather logs (dating back to the 1800s, and stored in a special vault at an observatory at Armagh in Northern Ireland) to see that our pattern is now different, or to study the way telephone poles are falling, roads buckling, and ancestral burial cellars disappearing as the permafrost in places like Alaska thaws for the first time since modern man has built there. Beyond question, meanwhile, glaciers are dwindling; this we can see by simply looking at the Alps or Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
How much does man contribute to this? Well, obviously humans can be a contributing factor. No one can doubt the volume of carbon nor that toxic chemicals like PCBs are everywhere -- found now from those snowcapped mountains to deep ocean sediments to the fatty tissue of polar bears (as well as the mother's milk, everywhere that human milk is tested).
A caution: listen to the Pope over media commentators. He reads in far more depth and does not have a political view. Another caution: forces that seek to align a global government-economy and new world order are on both sides of the debate. Among liberals is the goal to unite governments, create a pagan religion, and perhaps even reduce population in order to fight global "crises" like climate change, while at the other end are some conservatives whose hands-off views are often a boost to the multi-national corporations that cause much pollution and banks that seek to globalize the economy and owe no allegiance to any one nation. We are concerned that too many of our fellow conservatives are no longer following conservatism so much as the precepts of libertarianism, which owes much to an atheist named Ayn Rand and radical individualism (which our Church condemns because it puts self-gratification and economic matters above all things). The environment is not or should not be a political issue; we note that it was Richard Nixon (a conservative) who formed the Environmental Protection Agency -- and that conservatism means "to conserve." Whether or not man is a key cause, it is a time of extremes (in weather and politics). A shame it is that liberals and everyone seem to have missed the point of the climate shift: a warning that mankind is also morallyastray and out of accordance with nature -- or what the Pope more wisely refers to as God's Creation. Let us not destroy life through abuse of what God gave us, but also -- as the Pope adds -- let us not put nature above humans (especially, let's not idolize earth "gods"). The Pope strikes the correct balance. Meanwhile, expect more bouts of extreme weather, especially with more moisture in the air from the temperature shift, which will lead to both enhanced tropical storms and increased snowfall. Forget not abortion, genetic manipulation, and general immorality. The climate shift is a sign of the times.
Our story on homosexuals and the need for love but also spiritual deliverance generated some noteworthy mail. For example:
"I'm a frequent visitor to your site and agree with your topic article which was very interesting. As a celibate gay/homosexual man I can tell you two things 1) The Church has not done enough on addressing this sensitive topic. Where are 'gay' people to go? What spiritual support do they have? How come no one ever hears about groups like Courage? For so many years this issue was swept under the carpet with the exception of the occasional encyclical which the majority of Catholics, sadly, do not read. Now it has become forefront news and our values and morals are drowning in this wave of immorality we've jumped into. 2) Our Church does not explore the mystical as much as it should in these trying times.
"The whole idea of spiritual deliverance, inner healing, generational healing, and spiritual warfare -- all of which play a huge part in homosexuality -- are not talked about enough. I only have the grace to have stayed celibate over four years because of the sacraments, retreats, healing Masses, and Marian pilgrimages. If it were not for my own personal exploration into learning about these things, I would have fallen back into the lifestyle long ago. It's sad to say but it will take an act of God to get many of these gay people back into the Faith, living a life a celibacy and holiness. Much prayer is needed for them!"
"Thank you for writing that article," said another, who will also be kept anonymous. "It made perfect sense to me, because for fifteen years I lived a double life:
"I went to church every Sunday with my wife and children, but at night I was an out-of-control sex addict. And, I can tell you that there is much spiritual oppression and darkness in those peep-show room booths and in the back rooms of gay bars were up to twenty or more men have frantic and anonymous sexual contact with total strangers. There is a complete absence of tender emotion; there is only a driven push to mechanically act out with other disordered men.
"I was sexually molested as a boy, and I understand that this had a very large part to play in my later behavior. However, I always knew it was wrong... I just did it anyway.
"There was a certain point at which I willfully turned my back on God and rebelled against Him. That was the period in which I ceased being simply a victimized person acting out his disordered tendencies and became a rebellious sinner who willingly opened the door of my soul to the infiltration of evil. I was not 'possessed,' but I was clearly heavily influenced by the strong presence of the demonic. And I had promiscuous sex with men and women. There was no peace, no joy, and no love; it was only obsession, pursuit, release, and repeat.
"But, despite my having run away from God, He pursued me. And, after allowing a series of hardships to come upon me and my family, I finally gave up my life of sin and renewed my faith.
"Then, a few years later, He led me to His Holy Catholic Church (I, like all of my family and my wife's family, had been Protestant). By the grace of our Blessed Lord, I have been totally faithful to my wife for over ten years now."
When we look at our lives, we must realize that often hardships "graduate" -- that is, they intensify if we continue to ignore the message. Before we worry about society as a whole, we should spend time cleansing our own spirits.
What about prophecy?
Viewers continue what they have for years: to feel events await us, and to remain vigilant despite the accumulation of those years.
"I was up until two a.m. Friday morning, I couldn’t sleep. At 9:00 a.m. while sleeping so very comfortable, I heard the word, 'Robert,' opened my eyes, looked at the clock, and quickly jumped out of bed," writes a viewer, to give you a sample of what we always receive. "I was all alone with my angels, and they gave me a wake-up call. After a few adjustments, I took a few minutes to pray and to adore the leather pouch of my Most Holy Pyx; it has so many images in the very fine grainy leather. I saw what looked like an image of Jesus, He was looking at an Hour Glass. A Dove of the Holy Spirit was at the top of the Hour Glass. The Dove formed the top of a Holy Heart. Amen. I believe, time is precious,there is work to be done."
Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet during the
holidays a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!
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