I am embarrassed to be have been part of clergy in the Catholic Church

Here we go again, “sex orgies, prostitution and porn videos shake Catholic Church in Italy.”

Accusations of priests involved in sex orgies, porn videos and prostitution have gone public in several parishes in Italy, sending shock waves all the way to the Vatican and challenging the high standards that Pope Francis has demanded of clergy.  Do the clergy even care what the Pope says anymore?

In Naples a priest was suspended from the parish of Santa Maria degli Angeli over claims he held gay orgies and used internet sites to recruit potential partners whom he paid for sex.

The allegations concerning the Rev. Mario D’Orlando were brought to the attention of the diocese when an anonymous letter was sent to a Naples bishop. D’Orlando denied the charges when he was summoned by the city’s archbishop, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, but is now facing a formal inquiry conducted by local church officials. He has been removed from his position while the investigation is underway.

In Padua, a 48-year-old priest, the Rev. Andrea Contin, is facing defrocking as well as judicial proceedings amid accusations he had up to 30 lovers, some of whom he took to a swingers’ resort in France.

Contin was removed from his parish of San Lazzaro after three women came forward with complaints against him last December. Bishop Claudio Cipolla of Padua cut short a visit to Latin America to deal with the scandal.

Bishop Claudio Cipolla of Padua said, “This is unacceptable behavior for a priest, a Christian and even for a man.”  OH REALLY!

One woman, who claims to have been Contin’s lover for more than three years, claimed the priest carried sex toys and bondage equipment, prostituted his lovers on wife-swapping websites and also invited other priests from the area to sex parties.  Is this a scandal or a CRIME?

Pope Francis had telephoned him personally at the end of January to offer his support and urge him to stay “strong.”  Why would the pope do that if he really took sex abuse seriously?  Did he contact the abused in the case and tell them to stay strong and prosecute the creep and offer his support?

The pope says he has taken a tough line on ethical behavior in the church, but he  also recognizes the reality of human imperfection and personal flaws.  The has spoken out many times against “temptation,” and last week he told a gathering of clergy at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome that faith could not progress without the challenge of temptation.  It sounds to me like the pope makes a lot of excuses for the clergy.

Alberto Melloni,  a professor of church history at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, said there is nothing unusual about scandals in the priesthood. IT SHOULD BE!    More excuses.  He went on to say, “There is no sin that a cleric doesn’t commit. Scandals to me seem quite normal, “That is the problem the hierarchy of the Catholic Church really believes it is normal.”

in the Italian diocese of Albenga-Imperia in late 2014, clerics posted nude photos of themselves on gay websites, sexually harassed the faithful and stole church funds.  I guess that is normal to!

The pope says, “He distinguishes between sinfulness and corruption and was intent on “rooting out” corruption inside the church.”  I guess that means he is more concerned with clergy stealing church funds than sex abuse.  I see them both as crimes against humanity.

“The problem is when priests turn their backs on the people, lead hidden lives and end up justifying their conduct. That’s corruption.”  I am glad he explained the difference.  It seems to me the hierarchy of the church do all they can to excuse or justify clergy abuse so why shouldn’t the clergy.

Catholic clergy sex abuse is a CRIME not a scandal!

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley vowed Thursday to make sure clergy sexual abuse victims have a voice on a Vatican panel addressing the crisis that rocked the Catholic Church, and he expressed frustration with resistance to change in some corners of the church.

His promise came a day after the lone clergy sexual abuse survivor serving on that papal commission resigned in frustration with what she described as “shameful” Vatican foot-dragging.

“The voice of survivors is very important I think, and we have to consider what is the best way to ensure that” they’re included, said O’Malley, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston.

O’Malley said he shared some of the concerns about Vatican stonewalling expressed by Marie Collins, a clergy abuse survivor from Ireland who on Ash Wednesday resigned in frustration from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, drawing world attention. O’Malley is chairman of the commission.  The departure of Collins has been viewed as devastating for the church by many around the world – me included.

She has remained a respected voice in the survivor community and the lay community in general for years. After resigning, she agreed to continue helping the commission educate bishops and priest about safeguarding children, BUT will that and do they listen?

I believe the cardinals on the commission would like to appoint a few more survivors of clergy abuse to the commission and they think that will satisfy the public.  I do not think it will satisfy those that want the issue FIXED.  The problems Marie Collins brought up over the years MUST be addressed and no longer swept under the rug.

A second survivor on the commission, Peter Saunders, was ordered to take a leave of absence last year after he clashed with other members. Prelates on the commission said he was revealing too much, too soon too the public. 

The main objection the commission had to Marie Collins was she wanted a tribunal setup that would hold BISHOPS responsible for protecting children from child abuse. Why shouldn’t BISHOPS be held accountable for what their employees do on the job?

The issue is crucial for the church: Bishops’ shielding of abusive priests led to the world clergy abuse crisis, and yet, more than 15 years after the crisis emerged, the Vatican has yet to show the world that it has a strong system for holding bishops accountable.

After the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith complained at setting up the tribunal, Pope Francis dropped the idea and instead issued a letter explaining how existing church laws (that have not worked in the past) should be applied to hold bishops accountable for failing to protect children.

Pope Francis is making changes, and a time of change is always difficult. There are people that are resisting those changes in the Vatican and some BISHOPS around the world who would like to keep the authority they have always enjoyed.  No one easily gives up power.

Pope Francis says a lot about the sexual abuse scandal, but then Francis recently reduced punishments for a handful of priests found guilty of abusing children, he sentencing them to a lifetime of prayer and penance instead of defrocking them.  These men need to be defrocked and THROWN out of the church!  There is a disconnect between Pope Francis words and his actions.

Francis’s decision is said to reflect a debate within the Vatican whether it is preferable to expel abusive priests entirely “and then there is no possibility of monitoring his activity or having any kind of control over his behavior,” or keeping them within the fold, and under the watchful eyes of the church, but permanently bar them from ministry.  The church has not done a satisfactory job of monitoring them in the past or watching them.  Most of the abuse takes place on church property.  The church should let the civil authorities take care of them and the police and public monitor them in the neighborhoods they choose to live in as other sex abuse CRIMINALS are.  Why do these criminals deserve special treatment?

The Catholic hierarchy still doesn’t get child abuse.  They continue to describe the cover-up as a scandal. This use of language means that they see sexual abuse as a moral issue and not a crime.  In the same manner Obama refuse to say EXTREME ISLAMIC MUSLIM TERRORIST.  You cannot address a problem until you correctly name it.  Sexual assaults on children are criminal acts and need to be addressed as CRIMES.  Some priest abused children because they could not because they could not control themselves. 

The hierarchy does not understand the effect of sexual abuse on children.  They believe children are young and will get over it.  THAT IS NOT TRUE!  For God sake what part of RAPE do they not understand?  I was appalled after one investigation in 1975 when cardinal Brady said he thought the boys enjoyed what happen to them.  I was likewise appalled when the hierarchy made the victims swear to secrecy if they wanted the church to settle with them monetarily.  They did nothing but help the CRIMINALS.

There are laws in some places (like England and Ireland) that go back as far as 1861 that protect children from child abuse and the church chose to ignore those laws.  The Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1935 also covered sexual abuse. “Any person who unlawfully and carnally knows any girl/boy under the age of 15 shall be guilty of a felony and shall be liable on conviction thereof to penal servitude for life.”  These Acts were updated and strengthened by the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act 1990. The new Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill provided greater protection for children when it was finally enacted.  It is obvious England and Ireland take child abuse more seriously than the United States.

It is time to debunk some of the myths surrounding sexual abuse in the church and the world and view it as a heinous crime, not a behavioral problem that needs treatment.  Sexual abuse is still happening and children need the law on their side.

The Catholic Church in Ireland has been “almost fatally destroyed” by the clerical child sexual abuse scandal, according to a former Provincial of the Jesuit Order in Ireland.  WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS?

SIDE NOTE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DISHONEST HIERARCHY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH VIOLATES THE LAW TO PROTECT CRIMINAL PRIEST.   A Minnesota diocese filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday, the 14th nationwide and third in the state to do so in the face of mounting claims of sexual abuse by clergy.

The Catholic Church has not done enough to address the child abuse issue.

My church hierarchy(Catholic) still has not learned a lesson!

Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins has accused the Vatican bureaucracy of “shameful” resistance to fighting clerical sex abuse in the Catholic Church as she quit a key panel set up by Pope Francis.

In a major setback for the pope, Collins announced that she had resigned from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors established by the pontiff in 2013 to counter abuse in the church. 

She said the pope’s decision to create the commission was a “sincere move” but there had been “constant setbacks” from officials within the Vatican.

“There are people in the Vatican who do not want to change or understand the need to change,” Collins said in a telephone interview from Dublin.

“I find it shameful,” Collins said. “The work we want to do is to make children and young adults now and in the future safer in the church environment from the horror of abuse.”

Collins was raped at age 13 by a hospital chaplain in Ireland  She was the only active abuse survivor on the Vatican panel since British survivor Peter Saunders was sidelined last year for his outspoken criticism. Saunders has not resigned or been formally dismissed.

The Catholic church is still telling newly appointed bishops that it is “not necessarily” their duty to report accusations of clerical child abuse and that only victims or their families should make the decision to report abuse to police.

A document that spells out how senior clergy members ought to deal with allegations of abuse, which was recently released by the Vatican, emphasized  bishops’ must be aware of local laws, but bishops’ only duty is to address such allegations internally. 

“According to the state of civil laws of each country where reporting is obligatory, it is not necessarily the duty of the bishop to report suspects to authorities, the police or state prosecutors the moment they are made aware of crimes or sinful deeds,” the training document states.  The training document also says little about preventing the problem in the future and it also downplay the seriousness of the Catholic church’s legacy of systemic child abuse, which some victims’ right groups say continues to be a problem today.

While acknowledging that “the church has been particularly affected by sexual crimes committed against children”, the training guide emphasizes statistics that show the vast majority of sexual assaults against children are committed within the family and by friends and neighbors, not other authority figures.  Why is this fact important to this commission or Catholics.  If one child is abused by a Catholic church official that is one too many and should be taken seriously by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.  It seems to me they are more concerned that the sins of the church went public than the damage it did to children and families.

Pope Francis has called for the church to exhibit “zero tolerance” of sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults by clergy and that “everything possible must be done to rid the church of the scourge of the sexual abuse”.  It seems many in the hierarchy do not feel the same as the Pope.

SNAP, a US-based advocacy group for abuse victims that has been very critical of Pope Francis on the issue said, “It’s infuriating, and dangerous, that so many believe the myth that bishops are changing how they deal with abuse and that so little attention is paid when evidence to the contrary”.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, appointed by Pope Francis, played no role in the training program, even though it is Pope Francis Commission that is  supposed to be developing “best practices” to prevent and deal with clerical abuse.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (who should be the ones dealing with child abuse in the church) said their position is reporting abuse to civil authorities was a “moral obligation, whether the civil law requires it or not”. The official said the commission would be involved in future training efforts.

Keep in mind the abuse Pontifical Commission (the Popes Commission) forced one of two abuse survivors who had personally been appointed by Pope Francis to leave the committee following a vote of no confidence stating he released to much information to the public.  The other abuse victim on the commission has now resigned as of last week.

The Catholic sex abuse stories have been in the news now for 32 years.  The National Catholic Reporter, an independent Catholic publication, broke the first story 32 years ago.  It remains a story because even if the ones abused by clergy and bishops and cardinals have supportive family and friends, a financial cushion and plenty of time in therapy — all big “ifs” — they never entirely leave it behind.  They never completely heal.

It remains a story because many that have been abuse by clergy find salvation in telling their stories. This is not simply catharsis. They want to be assured that their abusers are known to the world and can never hurt another child. They want to know if their abusers had other victims. They want other victims to know that they were not alone, and that it was not their fault. They want to put their trauma to some use. Only then can they rest.  

Unfortunately many in the Catholic Church, officials and lay people, would like for them to just fade away so they can put these horrible acts (which still continue) behind them.  That is what made the problem worse in the first place lay people in the Catholic Church turned a blind eye to the problem and allowed it to go on for centuries.

The clergy abuse story remains a story because abuse victims often wait years before they are ready to speak. They are too ashamed, or confused, or afraid of not being believed. But eventually they tell someone, and once they start speaking, some cannot stop. That’s why the sexual abuse story has emerged so slowly, over years, in waves. Abuse victims are like combat veterans: The war is long over, but the coping is not. Years after the Vietnam War ended, people are still writing memoirs and making movies, still processing what happened.

Of course, child sexual abuse is an issue everywhere, not just in the Catholic Church.  It takes place in every denomination and even in independent churches.  It takes place in it in schools, scouting organizations, camps, United Nations missions and every public and private organization that involve children.  It happens so often it is hard to keep track: Protestant, Jewish, Hindu, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the most bizarre story of all — an international Christian cult called the Children of God.  But the scandal in the Catholic Church has proved far more extensive. 

You may ask why is it so extensive in the Catholic Church well one reason is the sheer number of Catholics— Catholics make up about a quarter of the American population and are the largest single religious denomination. The Catholic Church is also a hierarchical organization that keeps extensive records, so abuse usually leaves a paper trail.  Another factor, too, is the exalted position of priests, acting “in persona Christi” — in the person of Christ.  And then there is the church’s requirement of celibacy for priests. While many live by and value it, for others it has led to covert sexual relationships with adults, double lives and deep secrets.

Some also theorize that the all-male priesthood is a factor. While it’s quite possible that having women in the clergy would have instilled more accountability and sensitivity, child sexual abuse also happens in faiths with married clergy. It also happens in families.

American Bishops are not abiding by the reforms they agreed to in 2002, in response to the eruption of cases set off by the scandal in Boston. The American bishops agreed to report allegations to the authorities and to remove all credibly accused priests from ministry. They agreed to establish prevention programs in parishes and schools, teach children and adults about warning signs, and conduct background checks on employees.

As a retired priest I and many like me are stewing that colleagues who have failed to protect children make us all look bad — but then news is never about the planes that land safely.

In closing states should drop the statute of limitations for filing criminal charges in all child abuse cases, and extend the statute for filing civil cases to age 60.  Leaders of any organization that know of child abuse within their organization and do not report it immediately should be charged criminally and face a minimum of five years in prison.  

The Church must change or die!

Before you say God will never allow the Church as we know it today to die think about the 400 years between Malachi to Matthew when God remained silent to give mankind time to think before He began something new with the coming of Jesus Christ. God will accomplish what He wants with or without our help.  God’s ways or not our ways and I do not think God is happy with how our religious leaders have been introducing their own personal agendas and ignoring what God wants.

What happen with the Temple leaders in the Old Testament has been happening with our Church leaders and change must come. 

For thirty years I have not believed God of the Old Testaments was a God who desired to plunder the land and slaughter people. He was then and now a God of love, inclusion, grace, compassion and mercy.

Old Testament religious leaders used their own immaturity and tribal insecurities to define God. They interpreted and translated God’s words and added their own personal agenda and often what God wanted was not what the religious leaders of the time presented to the people. The same is happening today.

I have come to believe God knew that communicating through the ranks of priests and scribes and judges was not working. It led to his words being distorted. The only way God could communicate His character truthfully and without distortion was to bypass the intermediaries and speak directly to the people through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ came and defined God as He really was and is.  Jesus Christ came without a personal agenda.  His only agenda was to accomplish what the Father sent Him to do. But, our religious leaders down through the years took up their swords to do battle with the scientists, thinkers, creative minds, innovators and to a certain extent continue to do so today. They have put on the old masks of the Old Testament Temple leaders and presented us with a violent and intolerant God that wants nothing to do with people THEY disapprove of unless they conform to THEIR values. It is time we get pass those immature views and contemplate what has been revealed to us by God. If we did that we would see that God has been evolving and adapting since the beginning of time. Many of our Church leaders today prefer the wicked God that strikes down the unrighteous and raises up the righteous and refuse to free their minds and keep the old out. God is doing a new thing and they are unable to perceive it.

The Church today is once again portrayed as a place of bigotry, narrow mindedness, leaders in love with power, leaders more interested in buildings and entertainment programs than meeting the real needs of the people, leaders over occupied with sex, eager to support unjust wars and leaders that do not want change.

A revolution will not bring about the change needed.  Only a dedication to change by evolution will accomplish the ongoing change that must happen in the Church. We were told the only way to save a village in Vietnam was to destroy it and now we say the only way to protect ourselves from violence is to wage a war of shock and awe on terror and we expect God to support us in these wars. The majority of us Christians cannot accept that secular Israel is not always right because of what our religious leaders have taught us.  Only evolution changes the spirit of man.

Our Church leaders continue to kill off new ideas and inspirations before they can even take root.  They have learned nothing from Christ parable of the sower. New growth exposed too quickly to the sun and burns up.  I have seen this over and over in the church today. Leaders put too many ritual demands, traditional demands and religious demands on the people; especially new people and they feel the heat and wither away.  

Pope Francis is trying to bring about an evolution in the Church and many religious leaders and lay people (like my housekeeper) are misguided in opposing him.  It takes no courage to sit at the comfortable tables of the priests/cardinals/bishops and no courage to do surveys and censuses then ignore them. But, Pope Francis is standing up bravely speaking of the change that he believes and I believe God wants in the Church. He has chastised the religious leaders for focusing too much on sex, divorce and family planning while neglecting what the people need to survive in the 21st century.

There are people sitting in the back pews who have the courage to imagine that newness (change) within the Church is not only possible it is inevitable. It is growing in the bellies of those that the religious leaders have deemed immoral and have made to feel unwelcome in the Church community. An evolution is coming and religious leaders will not stop it.

Evolution (change) in the Church will take time, but the people are growing impatient because religious leaders have done nothing in the past to address the problems. The people want change and want it now.  They are tired of waiting, but wait they must for real change to take hold. There is no one program that can solve the Churches problems overnight. The people must realize that if we are to see real, long lasting change then we must be willing to give it the time it needs to grow and we must see to it that our religious leaders never stop evolving again.

Religious leaders once again have come to believe we serve them.  God called them to a vocation that requires them to serve us.  We must return power to the people. The Church is no longer connected to culture and society, it is not where God wants it to be, and therefore it is not where God is. Our religious leaders have become custodians of empty historical buildings (museums).  We are left clinging to the past until we are willing to embrace the newness God wants to give us.

I have grown tired of sermons and songs that want us to believe that everything is okay in the Church when it is not.  We the people have allowed our culture and the Church to drift apart. Denial and cover up have permeated our Church. Denial comes when we fear the future. We should be finding truth every Sunday; instead we go for doses of fiction, enough to cloud our perception for the week ahead that everything is okay. The Jeremiahs of today are those that are powerless, who have no vested interest in keeping the present system propped up. I do not believe God is in what we are doing anymore. The denial and cover ups must stop once and for all.

God will not be forced in to some temple, place, church, box, agenda, theological position He does not want to be in. God can leave where He does not want to be. The journey of faith is not stagnant, but an evolution of the Spirit.

What is stopping the changes needed in the Church – who is saying no – who is saying impossible- only those whose interest lies in keeping things as they are now – those with power and interest invested in staying the same. Dare to dream where God may want to be today – among the poor, disenfranchised, the ordinary, the real, the people deemed immoral by the Church leaders and the places where Church leaders never thought were possible. – Yes, even among the Gay, divorce and those using artificial birth control.  

Marriage Annulment is not even scriptural!

 Some of my Filipino friends are having problems dealing with what they perceive as unnecessary changes in the Catholic Church of course I think changes are way over due and not even enough changes have been proposed yet.

The issue that seems to be bothering them the most at the moment is divorced and remarried people taking Communion. This change is long overdue and it was never a Biblical teaching in the first place.

I am sure most Christians know the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. The woman had been divorced five times and was living with her boyfriend when Jesus met her. I have heard Christians say she was a terrible woman because she was divorced five times, but keep in mind she did not divorce anyone five of her previous husbands divorced her.

Women at the time could not divorce their husbands, but men could divorce their wife’s and send them back to their families or out on the street for little or no cause. Also keep in mind there was no division of property or alimony. Most divorced women that could not return to their families became prostitutes for few could find men that would marry them. The fact she found four more men willing to marry her tells me that there was something special about her.

Jesus forgave her and restored her into full relationship with God – Jesus did not send her to the Temple Marriage Tribunal for them to decide her case and then restore her to full relationship with God. Jesus simply showed mercy, forgave and she moved forward with her life and relationship with God. I believe from that moment on she had a powerful testimony that allowed her to be a witness for Christ and she probably brought many to Christ.

There were no man made loops to jump through just grace given!

Communion does not belong to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church did not institute Communion Christ did. Who are they to say who can or cannot participate in CHRIST’S Communion? 

How many have left the Church and lost faith in God because of a stupid man made rule. A rule instituted to demonstrate hierarchical power over the people. 

How many people do the Church allow to take Communion at every Mass that have far greater sins than a failed marriages and remarriages – lets see child molesting priest – men fathering several families (not uncommon in the Philippines) – rapist – priest with children -  plundering politicians and the list goes on.

I do not know about you, but the way Christ dealt with the Samaritan woman at the well tells me Marriage Tribunals and Marriage Annulments are not of God!

  

Questions for Pope Francis

Pope Francis I love you, but who are you to judge the convictions of Donald Trump's heart when it come to his being a follower of Christ or not. I wish I could ask you if it is Christian for men of the cloth to rape children. Is it Christian for the leaders of my church, the church I have devoted my life to, to cover up those sins? Is it Christian for Bishops to live in mansions while people starve around the world? Is it Christian for priest to take personal money from the collections and you know they do? If we are going to judge we need to judge our own before we start judging others.

Should we give up our culture/tradition to appease Muslims?

Some politically correct politicians in Italy made a decision to cover up nude statues from Roman antiquity during a visit by President Hassan Rouhani of Iran. Some of Italy’s political leaders were willing to ignore their national identity in order not to offend Rouhani, Iran and the Muslim world.  Many of the citizens of Italy are rightly upset. They also hid the wine! Once again a non-Islamic government gave in to Islam. This is not the first time Italy has done this. During an official Saudi Arabia visit to Italy they covered up all the nude modern art.

The statues, in a corridor leading to a grand hall in Rome’s renowned Capitoline Museums, were covered in tall white boxes ahead of a news conference that Mr. Rouhani held on Monday with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy. Rouhani and Renzi say they did not ask for it to be done. The director of the museum says Prime Minister Renzi did request they be covered so as not to offend Rouhani. Some media reports suggested the Iranian delegation had asked Italian officials to hide the statues to avoid Mr. Rouhani any potential embarrassment in Iran.  Maybe they should have held the news conference at McDonalds or Kentucky Fried Chicken – no pork and no nude statues.

One Italian newspaper reported that in the grand hall at the Capitoline where the two leaders spoke, the lectern was moved to the side — not the front — of an equestrian statue of the emperor Marcus Aurelius to avoid having images of the horse’s genitals appear in news photographs.

One of the statues was the “Capitoline Venus,” a Roman copy of a legendary fourth century B.C. work by Praxiteles; some of the other sculptures were of ancient Greek and Roman gods, dressed minimally, if at all. I understand an austere Islamic government that promotes chastity and piety was visiting a country with a largely secular culture that has a reputation for embracing life’s pleasures, but I believe St. Ambrose said in 387 A.D., “When in Rome do as the Romans do.”

On May 13, 2015 a group of Islamic youth bullied, threaten and insulted a Catholic group in Northern Italy. The young Muslim’s were immigrants, not citizens of Italy, and they certainly did not care if Catholics were offended when they interrupted a Catholic procession in honor of the Virgin Mary. No charges were ever filed against the young men. It seems Obama and Prime Minister Renzi is more concerned about not offending Muslims than they are the citizens of their own countries.

Mr. Rouhani, 67, comes from a religious family, but he has a Ph.D. in law from Glasgow Caledonian University, in Scotland, and is not known as a religious hard-liner. Iran’s politics are extremely complex and religious matters are carefully policed by the theocratic regime that exercises ultimate power in Tehran. The supreme leader is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Public depictions of nudity are forbidden in Iran, but Mr. Rouhani was not in Iran he was in Rome, Italy. I do not know about you, but it frightens me that some world leaders expect their citizens to adopt Islamic customs, traditions and beliefs while ignoring our own in order not to upset Muslims.

It seems obvious to me some Italian political leaders put economic interests (18 billion dollars in new contracts) ahead of cultural legacy, just as Obama put his presidential legacy ahead of the safety of the American people when he negotiated his secret deal with Iran.

The covered statues were icons of classicism and models of humanism and are the foundation of European and Mediterranean culture and civilization. To cover them in order to satisfy Iran and not offend the Iranian citizens they offended their own Italian citizens. I think they offended most of the world tourist that went to Rome to see the statues and just happen to have made the mistake of traveling to Rome when Mr. Rouhani was there.  

Thank God Pope Francis did not cover the crucifixes when he greeted Rouhani at the Vatican.  I am not ashamed of Western culture. I do not want to bow to Iran’s demand or any other countries demands. If I went to Iran I would follow theirs laws, culture and traditions as long as I did not have to deny my Christian faith. I expect the Iranians not to demand or request I ignore the laws, culture and traditions of my own country when they are guest in my country. Respect for others cultures should not mean denying our own.

The French experienced some awkwardness in hosting Mr. Rouhani. In November, during a visit by the Iranian president and Iranian government officials when they refused to attend an official luncheon at the Élysée Palace, reportedly after the Iranians learned wine was to be served to the guest that requested it. Wine with meals is expected in France. The French officials refused to give in to Iran’s demand and served wine.

Italy’s Prime Ministers accommodation to the Iranians should be as embarrassing to the Italians as it was to Americans when Obama bowed to the Saudi King when he first took office. It seems Obama and other world leaders are more concerned over offending Muslims than they are in protecting their own citizens from a repeat of 9/11 or any other attack that these murderous thugs are planning. And yes they are still planning attacks against our country and other countries.

I do not believe what the Prime Minister of Italy did was for accommodation purposes I believe it was an act of submission! It makes no difference if you face reality and utter the politically incorrect words “radical Islamic Muslims” or not the fact is on 9/11 those who killed and destroyed were Muslims and killed in the name of Islam. Yet, the fact that the killers were Muslim and killed in the name of Islam is not only at the center of why we were attacked, but it is the ONLY explanation for the reason we were attacked.

It has become so ingrained in world leaders psyche to not offend Muslims that we cannot mention anything bad about radical Islamic Muslims even if it is true. They are now using it as a weapon against us so called infidels. The fear of offending radical Islamic Muslims has given the terrorists who killed so many in terrorist attacks a victory over our people, our country and the non-Islamic nations of the world. The fear of offending Muslims has in some respects almost crippled our country and as a result has given terrorism a victory over us and our nation.

I will never condone the burning of the Koran, damaging mosque, discriminating against all Muslims or denying them their Constitutional rights.  But, I do not believe our Founders ever intended for the Constitution to be used as a weapon of the politically correct. Those Constitutional rights were never intended to be used as a weapon to condone wrong.

We are so concerned about offending Muslims that we will not call the Islamic radicals who killed on 9/11 “radical Islamic Muslims”, we will cover valuable and beautiful art work that is nude or partially nude, we will not serve wine at meals and we will forgo our own culture and traditions all for the sake of not offending Muslims, but they do not care how much they offend Christianity, Judaism or other religions.  We will either defend our people and our nation against radical Islamic terrorist or we will bend over and let them do whatever they want to us and one day we will live in constant FEAR!  We cannot allow fear of being attack to allow wrong to take over the world.

Fear and intimidation is the tool of terrorism and whether it is done with planes, guns or words or demanding accommodation it has the same affect. It forces those who kowtow to that fear and intimidation into submission and allows the perpetrators of terror to have their way no matter what the consequences are.

Americans know the difference between the Muslim radicals and the moderates. We know the difference between those who follow Islam as a religion and those who use it as a weapon to kill. We do not need to be reminded on a daily basis on how to be tolerant of Muslims. We do not need to be reminded daily that there are Muslims who live in the United States as good citizens and do not follow the ideas of the radicals. We as a nation do not need to bend over and ,”tolerate,” Muslims to the point that we are afraid to even mention the word Muslim or the religion of Islam without fear of offending someone or being accused of being racist.

We are told by Obama that we need to be sensitive to the feelings of Muslim. WHAT ABOUT THE FEELINGS OF THE FAMILIES AND AMERICANS WHO STILL REMEMBER 9/11 and that in 2014 there were 2999 radical Muslim Islamic attacks in 55 countries, in which 32262 people were killed and 27522 injured?

Grace Poe - disqualified because she is a foundling

There has been a case in the Philippines that has interested me. Philippine Senator Grace Poe filed to run for President in 2016.  The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) disqualified her as a candidate because she is a foundling whose parents are both unknown. A foundling is an infant that has been abandoned by its parents and is discovered and cared for by others. Poe's Philippine citizenship cannot be established, recognized or presumed under the 1935 Constitution since the charter did not grant citizenship to children born in the Philippines whose parents' identities are a mystery.

The 1935 Constitution clearly required blood relations to the father to establish the natural-born citizenship of a child. The 1935 Constitution did not contain any provision expressing or implying the granting of Filipino citizenship to foundlings on the basis of birth in the Philippines. According to this interpretation, the child of a Filipino mother with a foreign father would not be a citizen by birth, because the law or the Constitution requires that he make a further declaration after his birth. The 1935 Constitution allows only children whose fathers were Filipino citizens to be automatically natural-born Filipino citizens.  It is argued that the framers of the Philippine Constitution did not want children born to alien fathers to be naturalized Philippine citizens.

There is a 1987 Constitution and it states: Natural-born citizen, “No person may be elected President or Vice-President or Senator or Congressman unless he or she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines…” Grace Poe is presently a sitting senator. I do not understand why this issue did not come up until she decided to run for President. It seems strange that there was no outcry when she ran for Senator and it is even stranger that SET did not disqualify her then.  Did the people who are protesting her bid for president not care if she became a senator, but she now has become too much competition for others seeking the position of president in 2016? Politics are strange in every country, enemies become friends and friends become enemies, in order to get elected and after the election everyone kisses and forgets.

In the case of Senator Grace Poe she does not know who her father or mother is, therefore she cannot automatically be classified as a natural-born Philippine citizen unless someday it can be determined who her father is. No one is questioning if she was born in the Philippines. She was found in 1968 in a church in Jaro, Iloilo, Philippines. Originally she was cared for by residents of Jaro, Iloilo, and later adopted by Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (Fernando Poe Jr.) and Jesusa Sonora Poe (Susan Roces). Her adopted parents were both actors. Her adopted father is now deceased and himself was a presidential candidate.

There are issues about her becoming a U.S. Citizen, then returning to the Philippines and reclaiming her Philippine citizenship, etc. I am not interested in that situation. The only thing that intrigues me is the foundling issue.

Those opposing her candidacy also argue there is no International Law conferring automatically a nationality to foundlings at birth. There is the United Nations Convention of the Reduction of Statelessness that provides: “A foundling found in the territory of a contracting State shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary be considered to have been born within that territory to parents possessing the nationality of the State. The Philippines is one of the signatories of the 1945 United Nation charter, but the ruling powers in the Philippines claim that rule does not cover Grace Poe because it did not go into effect until 1975.

There is also under Article 2 of the 1961 International Convention on Statelessness, “a foundling found in the territory of a Contracting State shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be considered to have been born within the territory of parents possessing the nationality of that State.” The Philippines is not a signer to that agreement.

Under the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which the Philippines did sign and which their Supreme Court has consistently enforced states, “Everyone has a right to a nationality.”  To deny Poe or anyone citizenship based on foundling status seems to violate that agreement.

One article written in the Philippines stated Grace Poe could not renounce her U.S. citizenship because U.S. law forbids it. It claimed once a U.S. citizen always a U.S. citizen that is not true.  More Americans gave up their U.S. citizenship (3415) in 2014 than ever before.  In 2013 there were 2,999 Americans who renounced their citizenship. Most expat’s do it for tax reasons. If they decide at a later date to reunify and regain their citizenship they must pay the U.S. Treasury $2,350 and complete the proper forms. The U.S. Embassy in Manila has confirmed Grace Poe renounced her U.S. citizenship and who in the Philippines has the right to question who the U.S. can or cannot allow to renounce their U.S. citizenship.  

Before you send me a negative comment please understand I am not questioning the right of the Philippines to deny citizenship to whomever they please. I am simply saying I am confused by what I read in the Philippine newspapers and hear on Philippine voice media. The stories seem to change based on who is telling the story and who the story teller supports for president in 2016.

U.S. code 1401 states regarding natural born citizenship of babies: a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person is a U.S. citizen; any person born in the United States is a U.S. citizen; a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year prior to the birth is a U.S. citizen; a person of unknown parentage found in the United States while under the age of five years and it is not proven they were not born in the United States is a U.S. citizen; a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years is a U.S. citizen.

I wonder how many Filipino’s have taken advantage of the lax U.S. natural born citizenship laws in order to become U.S. citizens or have dual citizenship.  I am sure the number is in the thousands as with aliens from all countries. I would think there are a few Philippine politicians that have taken advantage of U.S. citizenship laws.

Senator Ted Cruz now running for the Republican nomination for U.S. President was born to a Cuban alien father, American mother, in CANADA and is considered a natural born citizen of the United States.

For some time the U.S. has had a problem with mothers coming to the U.S. for the purpose of giving birth and then returning to their home country after the baby is born.  It entitles the child to U.S. citizenship, all rights as a U.S. citizen including, in State tuition fees, welfare, etc.  It is only against U.S. law if the mother lies about her reason for entering the U.S. prior to the baby being born. It is illegal to enter the U.S. for the purpose of giving birth. We now have a problem with wealthy pregnant women from China. Perhaps it is time for the U.S. to adopt the same laws that other countries, like the Philippines have to eliminate the problem. I am sure if U.S. laws were changed it would have a negative effect on many Filipino’s as it would citizens from other countries.

I would like to see our immigration problems solved, but I could never bring myself to declare children born in the United States, regardless of their parent’s citizenship or being born to unknown parents stateless. Only a heartless person could mistreat a child who had no control of the circumstances surrounding his or her birth in that way. 

There are some cultural traditions in every country, in every religion and every denomination that should be changed and anyone in my opinion that still treats foundlings in this manner should make the needed changes as soon as possible. 

I wonder if the present Philippine foundling law is related to a Spanish tradition regarding male status in society or is it related to something to do with the Catholic Church.  The Philippines is predominantly Catholic and there was a time when I am sure the Catholic Church would have approved of the law.  I guess the bishops of the Philippine still approve of the law because their silence is deafening.   I certainly do not thank Pope Francis would approve of the law.

Teachings of Pope Francis - Part V

Our goal is not to proselytize but to listen to needs, desires, disappointments, despair and hope. We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future and spread love. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.

You cannot know Jesus without having problems. We only come to know Jesus on the daily path of life … in order to know Jesus; we need to enter into a dialogue with Him. If you don’t pray, you don’t know Him.

What will my cross be like? We do not know, but there will be a cross and we need to ask for the grace not to flee when it comes.

Faith contains the memory of our encountering God.

A people who do not take care of their elderly and their children have no future. The only commandment which brings with it a blessing is the fourth, the commandment which regards honoring our parents and the elderly.

God is in every person’s life even if the life of a person has been a disaster. You must try to seek God in every human life. There is always a space in which the good seed can grow.

Charity is simple: worshiping God and serving others.

Let us respect creation, let us not be instruments of destruction! Let us respect each human being. May there be an end to armed conflicts. May hatred yield to love, injury to pardon and discord to unity. Let us listen to the cry of all who are suffering and who are dying because of violence.

We can all flee from God. This is a daily temptation: not to listen to God, not to hear His voice, not to hear His promptings His invitation in our hearts.

Are you able to find the Word of God in the history of each day or do your ideas so govern you that you do not allow the Lord to speak to you?

Today let us all ask ourselves do I remain caught up in forms of material security, taking refuge in my own projects and plans. Do I truly let God into my life?

God asks us to be faithful to Him in our everyday life, even if we are sometimes unfaithful to Him, He remains faithful to us. He never tires of stretching out His hand to lift us up, to encourage us to come back and tell Him of our weakness, so that he can grant us His strength.

Saying “thank you” is such an easy thing and yet so hard! How often do we say “thank you” to one another in our families? These are essential words for our life. “Sorry,” “excuse me,” “thank you” - If families can say these three things, they will be fine. How often do we say “thank you” to those who help us. All too often we take everything for granted! This happens with God. It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but do we thank Him.

God invites us to pray. Prayer makes us feel God’s presence. Persevering prayer is the expression of faith in God.

If money and material things become the center of our lives they seize us and make us slaves.

The Kingdom of Heaven is for those who do not place their security in material things, but in love for God.

 

Do Catholic Homilies have to be boring?

Is there a Cannon Law that states Catholic homilies must be boring?

Sunday after Sunday I find myself sitting through another boring homily. Out of respect I listen intently and leave empty. I am beginning to think the reason Catholics go to Mass is strictly out of obligation because other than communion there is no reason to go. We Catholics have been taught that the priest homily may be painful and embarrassing, but we’re not supposed to complain.

How many times have you heard a priest say God is merciful, you can seek God’s mercy whenever you need it, and God always forgives you if you are really sorry for God is full of mercy? I am sure you have heard it a few thousand times and not one time did a priest ever tell you how he had personally experienced God’s mercy. Sometime I want to stand up and ask have you ever experienced God’s mercy or do you know anyone that has or can you tell me a 21^st century story that I can relate to and apply to my life regarding God’s mercy?

The homilies aren’t always boring. Some are just bizarre. One year during Advent I heard this at daily Mass: “Did you see the movie, The Nativity? Well, Hollywood is wrong. Mary did not have any pain when Jesus was born. We know she didn’t because the Bible says she wrapped him in swaddling clothes. Now if she had a regular delivery she couldn’t do that, she’d be too weak.” I wrote a blog title “Was the birth of Jesus as we have been taught?” In it I explain I think Mary felt the pain of child birth.

Often when I hear these bizarre things I look around and try to see what the reaction of those around me are. If I don’t see anyone rolling their eyes I figure they must have been thinking about what they need to get at the store for lunch following the service. I have been frustrated with poor homilies, but I have also been fortunate to hear some really good homilies. These are generally delivered by the younger priest.

Most Catholics are supportive of their priests, regardless of the quality of their preaching, but if you get them talking many will say they wish the homilies they hear on Sundays would be better. The main comment I hear from Catholics is that the homily should relate to our real lives. Many say that the bar is set low, and the most they hope for is a short sermon. They would like to see one central message, inspired by the scriptures and illustrated by real life stories.

Maybe some priests have lived such sheltered lives in the seminary and rectory they have lost touch with real life. They do not have to worry about rent, house payments, food, medical cost, clothing expenses, educating the children, utilities, etc.

Maybe some priests believe they must portray their personal and family life as being perfect. I thank God every day for the hard knocks I had growing up and still have and the problems my family went through. I was never ashamed to use my personal experiences like family members having children and not being married, a family member who was divorced five times, rape, sickness, death, grieving and yes even my being raped by an uncle when I was thirteen years old. Sharing those experiences helped me, helped others and gave life and meaning to my homilies.

I know not everyone is gifted with public speaking skills. Some are just really uncomfortable in front of an audience. While seminaries require classes in preaching, they do not guarantee success. I was one that public speaking did not come natural and certainly was not easy. I never remember stepping behind the pulpit and not having a mild case of nerves. How did I compensate for my weakness in public speaking – I spent hours upon hours late at night preparing my Sunday homilies. I did not take advantage of opening a little book and delivering someone else’s homily. I kept a binder on incidents or personal experiences that I may could use in future homilies.  Where there is a will there is a way.

To deliver an effective homily in a limited time requires editing and proper organization of the material. Before I gave a homily, I prepared it and said it aloud to myself beforehand not once, but several times. I tried to keep my homilies at twenty minutes so they were all well timed in advance.

That kind of preparation takes time. These days many parishes, especially in the United States, only have one priest, and being the pastor, the priest must attend and plan meetings, counsel people, prepare liturgies, meet with couples to be married, celebrate sacraments - all by himself. While I sympathize with these demands you cannot allow it to be an excuse for poor preaching.  Delivering the Gospel is essential to being a good priest.

In the States we have a Permanent Deacon Program. Married men attend classes on the weekends for one or two years and are taught how to handle priestly duties, including preaching, but excluding confession. Permanent Deacons can often add the perspective of people with wives, children, and careers outside the church and I have heard some of the best preaching from Permanent Deacons. Unfortunately some priests are too proud or too threaten to use these men to preach. 

Canon law does make clear that the person who should preach is the priest celebrating the Mass, but there is a narrow opening for others taking on this role. The General Instruction for the Roman Missal states that a priest celebrant “may entrust the homily to a concelebrating priest or to a deacon, but never to a layperson.”

Pope Francis ordained 19 new priests in Rome, instructing them to serve the flock rather than manage it, and to feed the people of God with heartfelt homilies rather than boring sermons. Pope Francis told them to deliver to the people a message that comes from their hearts.

The best homilies have three things in common: they are delivered with a genuine sense of passion, they give people an idea of how they can take action, and they are relatively short (twenty minutes) and to the point.  Regardless of how eloquent or charismatic a priest is these three qualities ensure that parishioners will listen, remember and talk about the homily with others and that should be the purpose of the homily.

I do not expect an improvement in homilies anytime soon, but perhaps if your parish priest is so boring that you cannot take it anymore and before you start thinking of leaving the Catholic Church for a Protestant Church you should start visiting other parishes. Yes, I am saying “Go priest shopping”!

 

The church must change in order to grow.

 

Any business in today's fast-moving environment that is looking for the pace of change to slow is likely to be disappointed. Businesses should embrace change. Change is important for any organization because, without change, businesses will lose their competitive edge and fail to meet the needs of what most hope to be a growing base of loyal customers.

Companies do not have the luxury of time when it comes to adapting to changing conditions. To survive, some companies have had to dramatically remake themselves. Leaders of companies that have demonstrated an affinity for adapting tend to share certain characteristics: ability to recognize the opportunity in a challenge; a focus on the right priorities; commitment to clear, candid communication; accountability and ability to promote creativity (characteristics of Pope Francis).

There are numerous cautionary tales about companies that were once market leaders but have faltered or outright failed due to an inability to recognize the need to change and act upon it (the church).

When executives maintain a steady focus on central priorities, it serves as a compass and helps to ensure the organization will not get sidetracked. Corporate leaders need to ask themselves, “Why are we here (Pope Francis has)?”

Leaders of companies at a crossroads often say they need a “change agent,” someone who will radically alter the organization’s course for the better. However, when actually presented with a change agent, many will opt for the tried-and-true choice, not the revolutionary (describes some cardinals and bishops).

It’s nearly impossible to adapt to change if there is not universal understanding about what that change is and what the organization is going to do about it. Leaders need to deliver a single, clear and consistent message about their goals and how the entire team can accomplish those goals (Pope Francis has).

Soliciting feedback from the full range of stakeholders and doing so in a relaxed setting when possible helps inspire honest, candid feedback (Pope Francis has).

If the above is true of business why is it not true of church denominations? Believe me when I say it is (both have a product to sell)!

Too many of our leaders in religious organizations have the same mindset as an employee at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C., in 1833. He wrote the following letter:

“Dear Sir:
Because everything that can be invented has already been invented, it is inevitable that this office should go out of business. Inasmuch as I shall soon lose my position, I hereby resign to look for work elsewhere.

Sincerely,”

Up to that point, less than 500 patents had been applied for in the United States; but by the time World War I was over, more than 60,000 patents had been issued. Today the number runs in the millions.

The man lacked vision. We read something like this and think, “Wow, what an idiot.”  How could someone look into the future and believe that there is nothing for them. This guy did not even give himself a chance to wait to see what happens.  He just gave up (some within the church have given up on discipleship and just wait for new babies and baptism to grow the church).

We cannot plan for every outcome.  That is why we need a vision.  Not some fortune teller vision, but a Holy Spirit vision… a statement of vision.  Clergy and churches talk about vision all the time. Often, churches think that coming up with a vision is the pastor’s job. However, that is the wrong approach. The top down way of crafting a vision leaves everyone else behind (Pope Francis is trying to include everyone).

In the Old Testament Jeremiah is crafting a vision but it is not a pretty sight. God’s people have turned away from God, ignored his laws, and accepted foreign influences. Jeremiah foretells of a bleak world of suffering. Despite this, Jeremiah provides an out, a vision for Israel to regain its identity. The first thing that Jeremiah did was survey the land.

Often, when we have an idea, thought, or goal in mind we want to run with we do not take time to sit down, think, and reflect.  However, this is the first step of the visioning process (I think Pope Francis was thinking about the changes needed in the church years before becoming Pope).  In order to lead God’s people, Jeremiah had to survey the situation: What’s going on?  Where have we been?  Where are we now?  Where are we going (Pope Francis has done this)?

Church leaders should learn the process for crafting a vision and yes it would be wise to turn to the business world in doing so. A vision helps focus people through good times and bad.  A vision enables people accomplish goals.  A vision is like a funnel in which everything we do is poured down into one focus point.

Do you have a vision for your church (Pope Francis does)?  Have you thought about the past, present, and future of your church (Pope Francis has)?  Who did you include in your vision? POPE FRANCIS has a vision for the Catholic Church and Catholics would be wise to listen to him and support him.

Needless to say there are some within the church hierarchy that do not want change and they are not raising their glasses to toast what Pope Francis has to say. To be honest they will do all they can to sabotage what Pope Francis is trying to achieve. Some of these same men who a few years ago were bragging how the Holy Spirit influenced their vote for Francis to become Pope are now not willing to support him.

Jesus and Pope Francis are more interested in embracing lepers and every kind of outcast than observing the ritual purity and prudent deliberations of the doctors of the law. Some within the hierarchy of the church have gone so long without getting their hands dirty that the thought of becoming a “servant” is beyond their comprehension.

Pope Francis wants to restore everyone to God's family and that is scandalous to some people, but, is that not what Jesus wants. Pope Francis wants to reconcile all variety of Catholic "outcasts" with their church, most especially those currently excluded from its sacramental life and that is scandalous to some people, but would Jesus want anything different.

Pope Francis has made clear the program of his pontificate before the People of God and, indeed, all people of good will. The hierarchy of the church cannot pretend they do not understand it. Pope Francis has given a fresh blueprint for church reform and called for a renewal of the far-sighted, yet unrealized, vision of the Second Vatican Council that some within the church have cleverly managed not to enforce.

In my opinion those who say they disagree with the prophetic words of the first religious order pope in nearly 170 years are more honest than those who say they do not understand him or secretly try to sabotage his program of change. Pope Francis has made it clear what he believes -- that the Holy Spirit is pushing the church to be more inclusive, compassionate and outward-looking; that the Lord Jesus is calling it to be less inward-focused, legalistic and obsessed with the nonessential externals; and that "finding the right words" for our beliefs, our teachings, our disciplines -- is one of the great tasks the church's pastors and its people must discover in order to bring this into being.

It is up to the people of the Catholic Church to support the Pope and prevent our church from becoming a thing of the past. Some like going to a museum on Sunday, but I prefer to go to a celebration of forgiveness, mercy, grace, love, kindness, life and compassion every Sunday. Do you? Some may like the feeling of superiority that they can partake of all the sacraments of the church and others cannot, but I prefer that everyone can experience all that God has to offer. Do You?

I stand with Pope Francis to do away with archaic man-made rules that have no place in today’s society and I pray you do to.

 

 

Teachings of Pope Francis - Part III

Every Christian is called to be a bearer of hope that gives serenity and joy. We first must experience the joy of being consoled by God then we can bring joy to others. This is important if our mission is to be fruitful: we must feel God's consolation and pass it on to others!

Today no one in our world feels responsible - we have lost a sense of responsibility for our brothers and sisters. The culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people. It even leads to the globalization of indifference. We have become used to the suffering of others: it doesn't affect me, it doesn't concern me, it is none of my business! We are a society which has forgotten how to experience compassion.

Young people are the window through which the future enters the world. We must give them space. We have to create the material and spiritual conditions for their full development. We have to pass on to them lasting values that make life worth living.

The young have the strength and they do the carrying and the elderly are the ones who give life's wisdom. We do the elderly an injustice when we set them aside as if they have nothing to offer us. We need them both.

Anyone who is a man or a woman of hope - the type of hope which faith gives - knows that even in the midst of difficulties God acts.

Christians should be joyful, they should not be gloomy. Christians cannot be pessimists! They do not look like someone in constant mourning. If we are truly in love with Christ and if we sense how much He loves us, our hearts will "light up" with a joy that spreads to everyone around us.

Regardless of our difficulties. Regardless how great they may seem, God never allows us to be overwhelmed by them. Always know in your heart that God is by your side. He never abandons you! God is our hope! Les us maintain a positive outlook on reality.

If we want life to have real meaning and fulfilment "Put on faith." "Put on faith," Put on hope," "Put on love."

Do not water down your faith in Jesus Christ. Take care of the two ends of the population: the elderly and the young. Read the Beatitudes and read Matthew Chapter 25 it is the standard by which we will be judged.

Where does Jesus send us? He sends us to everyone. The Gospel is for everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of your life. He wants everyone to feel the warmth of His mercy and love.

Young people, Jesus Christ is counting on you! The Church is counting on you! The Pope is counting on you!

I ask you is your heart filled with desire or is it a closed heart, a sleeping heart, a heart numb to the things of life? Where is your treasure, what are you longing for? Jesus told us: where your treasure is, there will be your heart. Do you wish to do good to others, to live for the Lord and for your brothers and sisters?

We are to go forward in life with love, with the love the Lord has sown in our hearts. God's love has a name and a face: Jesus Christ. Love for God is manifest in Jesus. It is a love that gives value and beauty to everything else. God in Jesus always opens us to hope.

If there is no hope, we are not Christian.

Following Jesus means being involved.

Following Jesus entails giving up evil and selfishness and choosing good, truth and justice, even when this demands we sacrifice.

Becoming acquainted with other people and other cultures is always good for us, it makes us grow. If we isolate ourselves we cannot develop culturally. If we seek out other people, other cultures, other ways of thinking, other religions, we go out of ourselves and start that most beautiful adventure which is called "dialogue". Dialogue is very important for our own maturity, because in confronting another person, confronting other cultures and confronting other religions in the right way, we grow, we develop and mature. It is impossible for peace to exist without dialogue.

In our day we pass in front of so many doors that invite us to come in, promising a happiness which later we realize lasts only an instant. Let's not be afraid to cross the threshold of faith in Jesus. Enter through Jesus's door.

Are you Christians by label or by the truth? Being Christian is living and witnessing to faith in prayer, in works of charity, in promoting justice, in doing good.

The teachings of Pope Francis - Part II

When a person truly knows Jesus Christ and believes in Him, that person experiences His presence in their life. They cannot keep from communicating their experience to others. If this person meets with misunderstanding or adversity, he or she will behave like Jesus.  Jesus answered adversity with love and truth. Brotherly love is the closest testimony we can give that Jesus is alive.

The testimony of faith comes in very many forms. They are all important, even those which do not stand out. In God’s great plan, every detail is important, even my (Popes) humble little witness, even the hidden witness of those who live their faith with simplicity in everyday family relationships, work relationships and friendships.

No one can proclaim the Gospel of Jesus without the tangible witness of one’s life. Those who listen to us and observe us must be able to see in our actions what they hear from our lips. Preach with your life.

Jesus wants to establish with us a relationship which mirrors His own relationship with the Father.

How marvelous it would be if, at the end of the day, each of us could say: today I have performed an act of charity towards others!

How beautiful it would be if each of you, every evening, could say: Today I showed a sign of love towards one of my friends, an older person or my parents.

Do not be content to live a mediocre Christian life.

How are you faithful to Christ? Are you able to make your faith seen? Are you attentive to others, do you notice who is in need, do you see everyone as brothers and sisters to love?

New things always make us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control. This is also the case when it comes to God. Often we follow Him, we accept Him, but only up to a certain point. Let us ask ourselves today: Are we open to “God’s surprises”?

God is good, let us imitate God.

The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.

Let us say “Yes” to love and not selfishness. Let us say “Yes” to life and not death. Let us say ”Yes” to freedom and not enslavement to the many idols of our time. Let us say “Yes” to God who is love, life and freedom and who never disappoints us. Let us say “Yes” to the God who is the Living One and the Merciful One.

We are a community. Be like the Samaritan in the Bible and help someone in need. Desire to identify with the person you help. Be willing to share everything. Do not be indifferent to the needs of others.

Charity, patience and tenderness are very beautiful gifts. If you have them you should share them with others.

Recite slowly Psalm 103 (102): “Bless the Lord, O my soul”. Pray it all and you will learn what to say to the Lord when you ask for His grace.

We cannot be Christian in bits and pieces, part-time Christians. We must be wholly Christian and full time Christian.

Every Christian is called to be a bearer of hope that gives serenity and joy. We first experience the joy we give to others by allowing ourselves to be console by Him. We can bring joy to others. This is important if our mission is to be fruitful. We must feel God’s consolation and pass it on to others!