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Why did Jesus have to suffer and die in order that we might be forgiven?  Surely, if God wanted to forgive us, and to redeem us,  He could have done so without Jesus having to suffer such a cruel death. CLICK HERE

Lala , with Jordan I first wrote this post in October 2008 and used it again in 2011 under the title  Lala and Queen Elizabeth II . I have re-posted it a number of times, with variations, because Lala's story is one that should be told over and over again.  This year I am re-posting what I posted last year, with a couple of updates on ages..   Today Lala is celebrating another birthday. No doubt, the occasion is being marked at  Punla, Ang Arko, where Lala lives, the only  L'Arche community  in the Philippines, in Cainta, Rizal, part of the metropolitan sprawl of Manila.  The Pope's Universal Prayer Intention for September 2014 was:   That the mentally disabled may receive the love and help they need for a dignified life . The truth is that persons with mental or learning disabilities can teach the rest of us about the dignity of life, as the photo above of Lala helping Jordan with his meal shows. Let us show our service to the poor, then, wi

WILL YOU GO TO HEAVEN? HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE? BETTER CHECK HERE

Ante este pensamiento llega hasta mi algo escrito por el P. Ignacio Larrañaga, que dice así :    “ SEÑOR, ME GUSTARÍA DETENERME EN ESTE MISMO INSTANTE. ¿ POR QUÉ TANTA AGITACIÓN?. YA NO SE DETENERME. ME HE OLVIDADO DE REZAR. CIERRO AHORA MIS OJOS. QUIERO HABLAR CONTIGO, SEÑOR. QUIERO ABRIRME A TU UNIVERSO PERO MIS OJOS SE RESISTEN A PERMANECER CERRADOS. SIENTO QUE UNA AGITACIÓN FRENÉTICA INVADE TODO MI CUERPO, SE AGITA, ESCLAVO DE LA PRISA. SEÑOR, ME GUSTARÍA DETENERME AHORA MISMO. ¿ POR QUÉ TANTA PRISA? ¿ POR QUÉ TANTA AGITACIÓN ?. ( Hasta aquí una parte de su escrito para terminar asi ). MI CORAZÓN CONTINUA LATIENDO PERO DE UNA MANERA DIFERENTE. NO ESTOY HACIENDO NADA, NO ESTOY APURÁNDOME. SIMPLEMENTE ESTOY ANTE TI, SEÑOR. Y QUÉ BUENO ES ESTAR DELANTE DE TI.”   Por: MARÍA ESTHER DE ARIÑO.

The worst possible fate for me would be to die only to discover I had not lived in reality but in a false existence created by both society and my own ego. Reality can only be found in God, lived in the Mystical Body of Christ, in and with and through the Holy Spirit. I don’t want to settle for an existence similar to the life described in Plato’s allegory of the cave. continue reading

What sheer joy it was to read  A Storyteller’s Guide to Joyful Service , by best-selling author, Tony Agnesi. This sequel to  A Storyteller’s Guide to A Graced Filled Life ,  moves us from the stories of Tony’s upbringing, to stories of how, and why, he entered ministry in service to others.  Agnesi is a storyteller, at heart. Give him a room full of people, and he will have them laughing, crying, and wanting more! Well, in this latest in his series, he did just that! Joyful Service Made Me Laugh He made me laugh when I read the story about the “ 80 MPH Rosary .” Bored, on a long drive home from an engagement, an elderly man passes Tony at about 80 MPH, with rosary beads in his hands as he holds on to the steering wheel. This gives Tony the idea to say a Rosary as well. But Tony feels the need to keep pace with this old gent, and they go neck and neck down the highway. Tony shows him his own Rosary beads.  As the man approached his exit, they smiled at each other and parted ways

In talks to religion teachers, I offer reasons to teach Scripture. First and foremost, the Bible is God's Word to us and he speaks to us personally through it. Second, we come to know Jesus through Scripture. And third, an educated person is expected to know Scripture. (How often "Jeopardy!" as well as crossword puzzle clues are Scripture-based.) In addition, many of our common words and expressions have their origin in the Bible. You might already know that the concept of a scapegoat is derived from the Israelite's practice of "loading their sins" on a goat and sending it out into the desert. But did you know that a man's adam apple comes from the notion that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, a piece of it got caught in this throat? And did you know that the expression "jumping Jehosaphat" is a substitute for taking the name Jesus in vain? Jehosaphat was a minor Jewish king. I find the following list intriguing. Hope you will too. click to

Fr Joseph Jeremiah McSweeney (14 March 1933 – 13 September 2018) Fr Joseph J. McSweeney was born on 14 March 1933 in Bealick, Macroom, County Cork, Ireland. His parents were Jeremiah and Ellen Long McSweeney. He is survived by his brothers Daniel McSweeney and his wife Ann in Ireland, Peter McSweeney and his wife Mary oinCanada and many nieces and nephews.  He was the brother of the late Patrick, Timmy, John, and Tommy McSweeney. Bealick Mill, Macroom   [ Wikipedia ] His primary education was at the National School, Macroom from 1940 to 1946. His secondary schooling was at De La Salle College, Macroom, from 1946 to 1952. He entered St Columban's Seminary, Dalgan Park, Navan, County Meath, in September 1952. Bishop John Kyne of Meath ordained him to the priesthood on 21 December 1958. In January 1959 Father Joe was appointed to Korea and began language studies toward the end of that year in Seoul. In June 1960 he was appointed to Chuncheon Vicariate a

In  Playing by Heart , by Carmela Martino, we meet two gifted sisters. The story,  set in 1730’s, Milan, Italy, introduces us to Maria, a gifted linguist, mathematician and speaker. Her sister, Emilia, excels at playing and composing music, as well as singing. Where Maria shines in knowledge of the sciences, Emilia glistens in the arts. In 1730’s Italy, it was rare to come across educated females. We find that the girls father’s long held desire to gain a noble title, drives the entire story; propelling the girls into situations that a young lady of the 21 st  century would never need to confront. In the 1730’s, for example, parents arranged the marriages of their children. Young ladies had little to no say about who they would spend the remainder of their lives with as a wife. They found themselves married in their late teens. So, Maria and Emilia were approaching the age when their father would desire to marry them off to suitable husbands. Yet, Maria wants to become a nun. Emi

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati   [ Wikipedia ] (6 April 1901 - 4 July 1925) Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all. Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Mark 9:30-37 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) They went on from there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it;  for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’  But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’  But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest