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Showing posts from September, 2010

Mother Teresa as model for NGO's? Not a bad idea!!

When I studied at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario, it was obligatory for all seminarians to volunteer in the 'Save a Family Plan' office which was headquartered there. ( 'Headquartered is a lavish term for one small office in the basement! )  It was one charity that actually delivered more than 100% of every donation to direct care of the poor in India, working often in partnership with the Sisters of Charity.  If it is possible to do this, why do some NGO's (UNICEF being a prime example) spend so much of their revenue on overhead, staffing and 'educational' ( read 'lobbying' here ) efforts. Mother Teresa certainly set the standard that all who work with the poor must strive to attain.  America Magazine

For the Love of Dog! | Blogs | NCRegister.com

For the Love of Dog! | Blogs | NCRegister.com

A Life Tale that illustrates a principle that girds Christian faith and an answer to the question of what to do 'When the Rubber Hits the Road'.

A friend in need is a friend indeed! Someone needs a lift?  - Offer yourself in service! Here’s a little modern parable I received today. Given all the heat and heaviness of many of our discussions, it holds a truth that all of us can agree on. Perhaps its might even inspire an improvement in the tenor of some of the posts. Enjoy. Fr. Tim A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard,the mouse proclaimed this warning :  "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me.  I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him,"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a m...

Hebrew Cosmology.

In the comment threads, we are talking about the appropriate image that illustrates the Hebraic world view. This is for you STG! Fr. Tim

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

I apologize to those who might have visited the site over the past week and been discouraged with the lack of new material. I am finally seeing the end (please God!!!) of the wave of funerals that have hit our little town of Mattawa. Not only have these funerals kept me from being able to take a day off for the past few weeks, but it's kept me away from my computer as well. Hopefully I'll get back to some regular and substantive postings over the next few days, as well as re-engaging in some of the excellent discussions that had developed in the comment threads of previous posts. Fr. Tim

Catholics and Orthodox report promising progress in latest round of unity talks | Analysis & Opinion |

Authentic Ecumenism is bearing fruit! I say 'authentic' because this process has not been based upon reducing dogma to its lowest common denominator but rather it searches to find the truth of dogma that can be accepted by all. It is not a reductionist approach... it is one based upon a mutual understanding of belief. This news should give all Catholics, Roman & Orthodox a sense of joyful anticipation for a renewed sense of communion between our two rites.  Catholics and Orthodox report promising progress in latest round of unity talks | Analysis & Opinion |

Atheists Commandments

The National Post religion blog (The Holy Post) has published an article written by Jackson Doughart, a student of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island and a member of the Canadian Secular Alliance in which he states that B16 misrepresented what 'secularism' actually is. In the comment threads that follow (still the best discussion in the MSM on the subject of religion and life) someone stated that atheists did not have a set of beliefs whereas theists killed people with their beliefs. It got me to thinking. Soon I was typing away at a version of the '10 Commandments' for atheists. It is a pretty rough first draft and I'm most certainly open to suggestions as to how they could be improved. Yet it should serve to provoke an interesting conversation. Let me know what you think. 1. Thou shall not believe in any God beyond natural selection, and personal choice and autonomy 2. Thou shall not permit the spending of any tax revenues on an...

The Straight Lines of Providence | First Things

Fr. Raymond deSouza, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kingston and media columnist was the homilist at Fr. Richard Neuhaus' funeral mass - and he gave the single best homily that I have ever heard at any funeral. Here is the text to another homily he offered at a mass celebrating RJN's 20th anniversary of ordination as a Catholic priest. He has another winner!  I don't know if it's because of the great material in RJN's life, or whether he is as gifted as I think he is, but I'd be honored to have such a priest as Fr. Raymond preach at my funeral (but not too soon I hope!). Fr. Tim The Straight Lines of Providence | First Things

POPE'S UK VISIT: Benedict XVI's parting message as he flies home | Mail Online

Here are my two favorite two lines taken from the Daily Mail as the Papal visit to England came to an end. I admit that I feared the worst as there was so much negative publicity prior to the visit, with predictions of every sort of confrontation and trouble, but as the article makes clear that the faith (once again!) triumphed over the malevolence of its opponents. "The popularity of his visit confounded opponents who predicted thin congregations and empty parks."   &   "By last night the protesters appeared defeated, with celebrity objectors virtually silent and demonstrations against the visit few and muted." Viva el Papa! POPE'S UK VISIT: Benedict XVI's parting message as he flies home | Mail Online

Winter will be colder, longer than last year - CTV News

Winter will be colder, longer than last year - CTV News

City plans to bill pastor for security around planned Quran burning - CNN.com

Hooray!!! There is justice in the land after all! City plans to bill pastor for security around planned Quran burning - CNN.com

CBC News - World - 5 arrested over potential threat to Pope

PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF THE POPE!! Send your guardian angel to keep him safe throughout his visit to the UK!  CBC News - World - 5 arrested over potential threat to Pope

Something to brighten a rainy day

With thanks to Michael at 'Freedom through Truth', who was inspired by the weather there (and here) today to remember this song from a few years ago. It does help to see the beauty of such a day to listen to a quiet and inspiring song such as this one. We can think of this song as an ode of love from one to another, or between God and us. Or we can just enjoy 2:20 minutes of soothing music. Either way, it's a nice thing to do on a cold and wet day like today.  
Omid Djalili, an Iranian comic offers a wonderful insight into how the Islamic and Western worlds have perverse views of each other. His line about CNN interviewing 'Muslim Nutcase with a hook' as representing Islam and comparing it to the Al Jazerra interviewing the Grand Knight of the KKK is both funny and true! Maybe if we learned and practiced what he suggests and actually take the time to learn about each other we might find a that we are not as hostile to each other as the media portrays. Just a thought. Fr. Tim

Should the Pope face charges? - Macleans.ca

Folks have written to me asking why I cross post articles like this one from Maclean's Magazine in Canada. I do so for a few basic reasons. First I do so because it is a significant part of the reality of peoples convictions about the Church in these sordid tales. Each story in itself does not inflict unique or specific damage to the Church (my sad little Diocese being the exception that proves the rule - as this article demonstrates once again), but their accumulation can over time  become  serious and genuine drifts which obstructs us from doing what Christ called us to: making present the Kingdom of God in anticipation of the Lord's coming. As a Canadian, I know that even a few snow flakes can be blown together into a drift which can imprison us until it is cleared away. Right about now, the snow that has been gathered by these evil winds has almost snowed in the voice of faith, locking them into the sanctuaries of Church and individual conscience. I also post these s...

Donald Trump: Nobel Laurete? It's possible!

Donald Trump is scheduled to appear on the Larry King Show on CNN this evening to discuss his offer to purchase the Manhattan property near Ground Zero upon which the Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his Muslim brethren intend to build the ‘Cordoba Center’, an Islamic cultural and religious center. While supporters of the project state that it little more than an ‘bridge building’ effort to the Christian west, an Islamic YMCA, its’ opponents characterize it as an insult to those thousands who perished on 9/11 and a threat to religious peace and civil liberties. They point to Youtube videos purporting to show how Islamists have intimidated and effectively taken over neighborhoods within Europe in which they impose Sharia Law upon the women under their control, in open contravention of the rule of law. Most analysts and media commentators are calling this little more than a publicity stunt with Trump using the occasion to market himself. It need not be so. In fact, if he were to follow ...

A thought on 9/11

One of the greatest gifts the RC Church brings to modern debates is the corporate memory of over 2000 years of successes and failures. It has seen cultures and countries rise and collapse. It has witnessed umpteen social experiments in personal and cultural liberties and restrictions. It has participated in some of histories greatest and worst events. Alas, these gifts are not appreciated in a world that demands instant answers and solutions. Yet I suggest that even if one does not hold to the church's  teachings and practices, one would be well served to at least give due consideration to the wisdom she offers lest we fall victim to that old dictum about repeating the errors of history. The 24/7 news channels are great at creating a sense of urgency. The internet is fantastic at offering immediate opinion and comment. Yet as we face a multitude of cultural and international crises (especially in this post 9/11 world) it is careful reflection and reason that is needed to ensure t...

There's only ONE real 'Fr. Tim' on the National Post

G'Day Folks, The internet is a more dangerous place than I previously thought. Evidently there is someone who is posting on the National Post (where I participate in the Holy Post religion blog) claiming to be me! The comments inevitably are insulting to Bishops, Church teaching etc. and the moniker s/he uses is some derivation of my handle, 'Fr. Tim'. I trust that no one will be confused between the 'real deal' and a feeble minded pretender! However, as 'Michael' did in a recent message to me, I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you come across something that claims to be from me, but is not of my usual standard of decorum and argument. Such 'fun'... and all because I argue for the faith. Thanks for your help and assistance.  Fr. Tim

Technology is both weird and wonderful.

This is hard. I am posting this with my iphone (hold the insults...it's an older model that came free with my new contract. I'm finding it to be mixed blessing. On the one hand it allows me to connect with the net virtually anywhere there are more than a few thousand people. It has been a challenge thought to finally be able to figure out had to do it! I asked my young nephew this weekend to show his old uncle how to use it to do more than phone others. With a look of disbelief, he took the thing from my hands and had me on line in less time than it took me to ask him to do it. Later,at the reception (my niece's wedding) his friends kept dropping by my table to make my acquaitance leaving me pondering whether they thought of me as being "cool" for blogging or developmentally handicapped for not knowing how to use my iPhone. Working on such a small keyboard presents it's challenges to my old fingers and eyes. But it is now possible to be virtually connected...