A God Thing?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 02:52 PM - Religion
Apparently, there is debate over whether it will be illegal for our money (and possibly, any other public scripts/speeches) to say "Under God" or "in God we trust" or anything else of that nature.

Yes, with all the troubles we find facing our nation and our government, there is still time to debate these issues. Amazing.

Yet, if such a thing were true - and it may be soon - then I say fine.

If our all-knowing, overly protective government deems it illegal to post the Ten Commandments in various public forums - then I say whatever.

And you should too... as a law-abiding citizen. After all, certainly there are smarter people than me in places of authority... doling out this ground shaking legislation. Surely they have the experience to make good decisions and, of course, what government official doesn't have OUR best interests at heart?

I pray for their continued wisdom and supernatural guidance as they wade through the muck of minutae and manage to bring these nuggets to the surface for OUR benefit.

Oh wait a minute - while we're on a roll here - that reminds me... I can't pray for them. And I can't ask you to. PRAYER seems to be another one of those sticky areas that requires... whew!... some government intervention. You know, when and where it's okay to pray - or perhaps, if it's not okay to pray at all because someone else may be disturbed by this activity.

Oh my - I guess we should all be eternally grateful for government officials - See A God Thing? for the complete article.

Pope celebrates Mass at Yankee Stadium, visits Ground Zero
Sunday, April 20, 2008, 02:38 PM - Religion
Pope Benedict XVI called on American Catholics to understand that "real freedom" means surrendering to the will of God, in an address to an enthusiastic crowd of 60,000 Sunday at New York's Yankee Stadium.

He also called on his flock not to lose heart "in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal," and encouraged followers to reject "a false dichotomy between faith and political life."

" 'Authority,' 'obedience' -- to be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays. Words like these represent a 'stumbling stone' for many of our contemporaries, especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom," he said in a homily delivered during Mass at the stadium.

Vatican analysts have said one of the 81-year-old pope's goals for his trip was to help keep American Catholics in the flock, as many have left the church in recent years.

An influx of Latino Catholics has boosted the overall U.S. Catholic population. Parts of Sunday's service took place in Spanish.

"We think of the successive waves of immigrants whose traditions have so enriched the Church in America," Benedict said in his homily. He noted that the Mass celebrated the bicentennial of "a watershed in the history of the Church in the United States: its first great chapter of growth" -- a reference to the creation of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. - See Pope celebrates Mass at Yankee Stadium, visits Ground Zero for the full report.

Bush Greets Pope at White House
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 02:59 PM - Religion
With a blend of the religious and secular, a fife and drum band and a soprano singing the Lord’s Prayer, President Bush welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to the White House Wednesday morning, telling the pontiff that Americans “need your message that all of life is sacred.”

Some 13,500 people, including senators and other Washington celebrities, crowded the South Lawn for the historic arrival ceremony, conducted under clear, cloudless skies.

The 81-year-old pontiff, who celebrates his birthday on Wednesday, was greeted by the peal of trumpets and a 21-gun salute, and treated to a rendition of “Happy Birthday” by the crowd.

Benedict called for “support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress” around the world.

The pope and the president had a private meeting in the Oval Office after the public ceremony. The White House issued a statement afterward saying the two “devoted considerable time in their discussions” to the Middle East, particularly resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as well as “their common concern for the situation in Iraq and particularly the precarious state of Christian communities there and elsewhere in the region.” The pope has in the past expressed his opposition to the war.

Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue as the pope left, craning to get a glimpse of him as he rode in his Popemobile to the papal residence near the vice president’s residence. - See Bush Greets Pope at White House for the complete article.

Archbishop faces calls to go over sharia remark
Saturday, February 9, 2008, 01:50 PM - Religion
Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans, faced calls to resign on Saturday for suggesting that the introduction in Britain of some aspects of Islamic law was unavoidable.

The Archbishop of Canterbury tried to quell the storm by denying he had called for Islamic law, known as sharia, to be introduced alongside British law.

In a BBC interview on Thursday, he referred to the use of sharia in some personal or domestic issues, much like orthodox Jews already have their own courts for some matters.

Asked if sharia needed to be applied in some cases for community cohesion, Williams said: "It seems unavoidable."

Williams faced a torrent of critical headlines for a second day on Saturday and the Sun launched a campaign to remove him from office. - See Archbishop faces calls to go over sharia remark for the full report.


Pilgrims flock to most peaceful Bethlehem in years
Monday, December 24, 2007, 05:58 PM - Religion
Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Bethlehem on Monday for a Christmas mass which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Western powers hope will highlight the benefits of peacemaking.

Christmas carols played through a packed Manger Square and thousands of foreign tourists and Palestinians crowded into the Church of the Nativity for a midnight mass at the spot revered as the birthplace of Jesus.

It was the most peaceful -- and profitable -- Christmas for Bethlehem in years and local officials say tourist numbers are the best since before a Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000. - See Pilgrims flock to most peaceful Bethlehem in years for the full report.

Submitted by:
John Crane
Legal Articles - Law Resources


Pope Celebrates Midnight Mass in Vatican
Monday, December 24, 2007, 05:53 PM - Religion
Pope Celebrates Midnight Mass in Vatican, Pilgrims Mark Christmas in Bethlehem

Christmas Day has arrived in Rome where Pope Benedict is conducting a traditional midnight mass in the Vatican.

Pilgrims have come from across the globe to celebrate Christmas with the pope and to hear his traditional blessing (Urbi et Orbi -- to the City [Rome] and the World).

Millions more are watching the mass on television.

Earlier Monday, Benedict lit a candle for peace in a window looking out over St. Peter's Square, where Vatican officials unveiled an unusual nativity scene. Instead of depicting the birth of Jesus in the traditional manger, this year's scene shows the Nazareth home and carpenter's workshop of Joseph and Mary, Jesus' parents. - See Pope Celebrates Midnight Mass in Vatican for the complete article.

Submitted by:
John Crane
Legal Articles Directory


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