15 Ways We Can Protect Against Abuse Right Now

A few of us ladies wanted to *do something* about the sexual abuse scandals and we wanted to make sure what was done included the needs and desires of Byzantines as well... so we went ahead and made the petition ourselves!

We included only issues all can agree on in the hopes of getting a huge number of signers. 

Facebook gave us a $30 boost credit but then they rejected our ad for being "political or of national importance." Go figure.

We need you to sign and share! Please note signees may choose to hide their names from view. It does not show their name to me or the public. Please let your priest and religious friends know that!

Add your voice by signing at The Petition Site: 15 Ways We Can Protect Against Abuse Right Now

FYI: It's a non-partisan platform. They don't rent/sell/loan your info. They know how to keep all your content safe and legal. All while being free. That means the small annoyance of having to click an almost invisible "more" text button in the lower right to reveal the full content was a worthwhile trade-off. Just in case you have any difficulties seeing it all, the full text of the petition is posted below.

Please click through and sign!

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In response to deplorable revelations in the ongoing sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church, we, concerned laypeople, seminarians and aspirants, religious, clergy, and people of good will recommend these 15 points of immediate change to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

These revisions to the Church's Safe Environment protocols are a first and immediate step toward addressing some of the more nuanced points that recent scandals have highlighted as problematic in the Charter's current state.

While additional and difficult work will be required in reconciliation and repentance, all people of good will can agree on the immediate and necessary implementation of these 15 actions.

As such, we call on the hierarchy to immediately make these amendments in the Church's policies and practice as we work to bring mercy and justice to all affected by abuses within the Catholic Church:

1. AUDIT: An impartial external audit will be conducted in order to identify the areas and mechanisms of corruption, along with avenues for rehabilitation and prevention, in order to align the Church's institutional culture and practices with Catholic doctrine, morality, and its members' state of life.
2. VULNERABLE ADULTS: In addition to protecting children and the elderly, the definition of vulnerable adult will be expanded to include seminarians and religious aspirants; employees and subordinates; those being threatened or coerced; those with a large mental or developmental disparity by age or by ability; those who were previously victims or trauma, neglect, or abuse which made them susceptible to grooming or other forms of coersion; those for whom a large disparity of wealth, access, or resources presents a situation of intimidation and coercion; victims of human trafficking; those who are unfamiliar with the culture or its norms and safeguards due to immigration or language barriers; and when the accused has a relationship of spiritual authority over the victim.
3. SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY: We will recognize that clergy and religious have a relationship of spiritual authority over all who know them to be clergy or religious and they are, therefore, representatives of the Church in all such relationships.
4. ALL ADULTS ARE EQUAL: All adults (and those functioning in adult roles such as teens providing independent supervision of children), from volunteers through hierarchs, will follow the same Safe Environment protocols while acting in the name of the church.
5. LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRST: A report of sexual or other criminal abuse is to be properly reported to the civil authorities with notification given to the church.
6. GOOD FAITH REPORTING: Any report of sexual abuse or other criminal activity that is only made to the church will be reported to law enforcement by the church herself.
7. TRANSPARENCY: All reports of sexual or financial abuse--including the expanded definitions of vulnerable adults above--which were not previously turned over to law enforcement will now be voluntarily turned over to law enforcement by the church.
8. VICTIMS' ADVOCATE: A victims' advocate will be available to all reporters of violence and abuse to compassionately act in the interest of the alleged victim as he or she navigates the reporting, testifying, and healing processes. If allegations or findings of abuse are made public, the advocate will arrange for the spiritual and psychological support of the scandalized. The advocate must have appropriate training, qualifications, and resources to act in this role.
9. CLERGY FAMILIES: Advice on provisions specific to married clergy and their families will be sought from affected stakeholders in order to allow clergy families the highest degree of protection, flexibility, and freedom from onerous burdens.
10. DUE PROCESS: A measurable system of due process will be instituted in order to protect the good name and reputation of the workers who labor ethically in the vineyard of the Lord, that they not have cause to fear the repercussions of any false accusations.
11. THIRD PARTY REPORTING: A report of sexual, financial, or criminal misconduct by a third party will be able to initiate an investigation (ie someone who learned of the allegations indirectly, such as the catechist of an informant).
12. WE'LL ACT EVEN IF YOU DON'T: A church investigation along with findings and recommended actions will be done to its fullest extent following a report of mismanagement or abuse even when the alleged victim, accused, law enforcement and/or other key players do not cooperate with the church's investigation.
13. VIOLATION OF INNOCENCE: The classroom training given to minors and vulnerable adults through the Safe Environment program will be updated to catechize them in their Christian identity, biology, vocation, and community in a way that helps them to have healthy relationships, boundaries, and a Christian worldview without violating their innocence by introducing inappropriate or fearful thoughts, images, or abuses.
14. IMMORALITY: All clergy and religious who have a pattern of immoral behavior concerning chastity appropriate to their state in life, financial mismanagement, or criminality will be permanently removed from all teaching, preaching, and public ministry.
15. SANCTIONS: The bishop will publicly release the names of those who by internal investigation or legal proceeding are found to have likely or positively abused others, and/or when sanctions are placed on a person's preaching, teaching, confessing, traveling, or other aspects of public life.

Sign the petition now!

The Bible in the Domestic Church

Catherine Speaking at the Eastern Catholic Bible Conference
Photo by Nick Havrilla, Sr

I spoke at the first ever Eastern Catholic Bible Conference yesterday on the topic of the Bible in the Domestic Church. Several asked me for the recording or transcript of my talk and for a copy of the documents I referenced, so here they are!

The Bible In the Domestic Church Parts 1-4 (Full transcript)

Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of my talk combined into a single document for easy use.

Who is God?
Part 1 of my talk, covering the Trinitarian communion of God and the incarnation and virgin birth of Jesus

Who am I?
Part 2 of my talk, covering personhood and being and rebirth through Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist

To What am I Called?
Part 3 of my talk, covering the vocations of celibacy and marriage and their associated spiritualities and communities

How Do I Live Out My Calling?
Part 4 of my talk, covering practical and attainable ways to grow within the domestic church, during which the below resources were mentioned

Resources for the Domestic Church
A short list of recommendations to share some of the options available out there to inform and support the work of the domestic church

When Eastern Catholics Commune at a Roman Catholic Mass Pamphlet
A single-page pamphlet addressing the most common questions and practicalities related to intra-Church communion including the canonical foundation, babies and young children receiving the Eucharist, and how the topic can be approached.

Byzantine Morning Prayer for Adults
A single-page morning prayer rule for adults which focuses on spiritual growth through the Byzantine tradition

Byzantine Morning and Evening Prayer for Families
A single-page morning and evening prayer rule for families which introduces the Byzantine tradition and encourages continued growth in a sustainable way

Byzantine Examination of Conscience for Married Parents, Married Adults, Single Parents, Single Adults, Clergy and Religious, Youth, and Children
A series of compatible examinations which encourage continued spiritual growth through the full life span, each on a single page and tailored to the needs of a different demographic.

Byzantine Examination of Conscience in a Visual Format (pictures)
A single-page examination that has a picture accompanying each point, followed by a series of cards that can be cut out (and laminated and/or placed on a ring if desired) to use one at a time, including the option of selecting only those that have been a challenge to take into Confession. Particularly helpful for pre-readers, those with learning differences or attention constraints, and those with disabilities.

Byzantine Rule of Repentance with a Byzantine Confession Guide for Adults, Simplified, and in a Visual Format (pictures)
A single-page prayer rule in preparation for Confession (most suitable for teens through adults) with a Confession guide for every age and ability, including a visual format which is particularly helpful for pre-readers, those with learning differences or attention constraints, and those with disabilities.

Roman Catholic Prayer Rule

Morning prayer, evening prayer, rule of repentance, and Confession guide designed to optimize the prayers needed for Mass and the most popular Latin/Roman devotions, most to all of the prayers also on the list of indulgences.

Interview with His Beatitude Sviatoslav of the UGCC

I am in the process of re-focusing on original video content, but this interview with the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church was too huge not to post.

Culture experts say there is no question more difficult than the question of identity. Greek Catholics hear many definitions of their church, for example, that we are Eastern rite Catholics, or Eastern Catholics, or Orthodox in communion with Rome, or maybe even other formulations. Which wording do you think is the most accurate? 

Read the patriarch's response to that and numerous other questions Mariana Karapinka & Anatolii Babynskyi asked him in their article "His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk): 'I Will Continue to Build the Patriarchate'"

St. Joseph the Betrothed UGCC of Chicago, Illinois

I will post more information tonight on the parish, but I want to get this out there right now. St. Joseph the Betrothed UGCC is live streaming Vespers for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple right... about... now.

(It was live streaming and had not yet started a couple minutes ago, but at the moment of posting it was saying the channel had gone offline. Hopefully it comes back quickly.)

Go see it here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/st-joseph-the-betrothed

Then come back tonight to read more about their parish!

Armenian Coffee and Fruit

In honor of the Nineveh Fast that the Armenian Catholic Church, among others, will soon undertake in memory of the three days Jonah was in the belly of the fish, I bring you this glimpse into Armenian culture and food. It is traditional for Armenians to completely refrain from food and drinks over the three day fast. Abstaining from meat, dairy, and fish during the fast are still considered minimal expectations.

Armenian food is distinguished from other Mediterranean diets by its heavy emphasis on using fresh and ripe produce, few spices, and a lot of bulgur. There's one fruit that stands out in the mix:

I like to eat many fruits and vegetables. Maybe this comes from the fact that I am from Armenia, the place that is rich in fruits and veggies. But there is one fruit that I like most of all, and which has a special meaning for me. I think the reason again is the fact that I am Armenian.  -Marina Hovhannisyan; Krupnick Essay Contest Winner, 2006 

Because the work is presumably still under copyright, I've only quoted a small portion of it. Make yourself a cup of Armenian coffee following the directions below, then settle in to read the short essay about Armenia's national fruit at the Los Angeles Valley College's website here.

Talented Tuesdays is a feature which focuses on art, architecture, music, culture, food, and the running of the domestic church. User submitted questions and solutions are welcomed.



Our Lady of Wisdom Italo-Greek Byzantine Catholic Parish

Monday's Map: We're traveling with the angels! 

Today we're flying over to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA where you'll find the Italo-Greek Byzantine Catholic parish of Our Lady of Wisdom.

The Italo-Greco-Albanian Catholic faithful primarily consist of the descendants of 15th and 16th Century Albanians who moved to the areas of Calabria and Sicily in Southern Italy. Our Lady of Wisdom is one of two Italo-Greek Catholic parishes in the United States. Since they have so few faithful in the US,  they are placed under the pastoral care of a local bishop, in this case His Grace, Bishop Gerald Nicholas Dino of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Phoenix. They therefore use Ruthenian liturgical books with some of their own retained customs such as touching their foreheads to the Gospels and chalice.

The parish is a dynamic mix of people from diverse backgrounds. Their activities include religious education, small groups based on age and/or interests, an Irish folk music night, festivals, a prayer tree, regular liturgical services, a traveling icon for vocations, weekly devotionals, a mission location, and much more.

Their website has a wealth of information including answers to many frequent questions. Check it out! http://ourladyofwisdom.net/

Liturgy schedule:

• Saturday 5:00 PM (Vesper Liturgy)
• Sunday 10:00 AM (Third Hour)
• Sunday 10:30 AM (Divine Liturgy)
• Wednesday 7:00 PM (Akathist and Anointing of the Sick)

The parish is currently served by the following:

• Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Francis Vivona, S.T.M., J.C.L, Pastor
• Rev. Deacon Stephen E. Casmus, M.A.
• Ms. Rose Watkins, Christodoula
• Mr. Joseph Cusumano, Permanent Counselor
• Mr. William Griffith (Reigning Patriarch) and Ms. Kehaulani Harker (Reigning Matriarch)
• Mrs. Toni Ritchey (Secretary) and Ms. Claire Lynott (Finance Officer)

And in cartography news, here's what's happening with the Universal Map:

• Jack Liu added a number of parishes to the map, primarily in Canada and California. Thank you!
• This link explains how to view all map pages on one page, how to easily reorder the listings to group them by location, and other similar how-tos. If there are any problems figuring it out, let me know. I'm going to try the re-ordering this week.
• If you have a google associated ID that you'd like me to "invite" as a "collaborator" to the map, it might make editing easier. The map is set to allow anyone to edit it, but I'm not clear if it functions differently for those specifically listed. Let me know if you'd like me to add you. 

Monday's Map gives updates on the Universal Map project and highlights Eastern and Oriental Catholic institutions as well as those who run and serve them.

Live Broadcast Tonight - Wedding Epistle

<Click here> for more info

<Click here> for notes to follow lecture

Click on one to download
text with which to pray
along with Vespers:

<Formatted to print as a booklet>

<Formatted to print 2 pages per sheet>

Loving as Christ loved the Church 
St. John Chrysostom's homily on the epistle read at the wedding ceremony 
Lecture by Deacon John Evancho

Vespers at 6:30 PM Eastern Standard Time 

Lecture at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time 

"Saint John Chrysostom, the preeminent preacher in the Christian East, had a profound love for the Apostle Paul and his epistles. We will reflect on Chrysostom's inspiring homily on the Epistle reading for the sacramental Mystery of the Crowning in Marriage.

Deacon John Evancho serves at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, Illinois. He is a member of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary Board of Directors. He received a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School and BAs in Theology from Duquesne University and the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), as well as a JD from Harvard Law School. He and his wife, Laura, and their three young daughters, Ruth, Julia, and Sophia, live in Peoria, Illinois."

Friday morning update: The talk was wonderful. It appears that a recording will be posted online. When it is, I'll post it here. 


Theological Thursdays brings you homilies, lectures, interviews, and biographies on diverse topics including history, theology, spirituality, and philosophy as they pertain to the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches. 

 

The Domestic Church

In Our Family and Home
by Father Romanos Russo of St. Ann's Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
Originally Published in Catholic Near East

Our mothers and fathers must rediscover their role as priests of the home. The parents bless their children, the food that nourishes them, and preach the most eloquent of sermons by the nobility of their conduct. They enable their family to celebrate the fasts and feasts of the year. The children, too, should learn to assume roles in the domestic church as soon as practical: they can help read the daily scripture passages, assist in the preparation of the foods proper to their tradition and tend the light before the icons.

Because the work is presumably still under copyright, I've only quoted a small portion of it. Read the entire article at St. Ann's website here.

Talented Tuesdays is a feature which focuses on art, architecture, music, culture, food, and the running of the domestic church. User submitted questions and solutions are welcomed.



Figuring this blogging thing out

I've been trying to figure out how to balance the blog world's need for regular updates with my desire to have original content that isn't duplicating the efforts of others who are already out there.

I decided on a trial that I think will be a good balance. Please let me know if it is working or if it needs tweaking. (Really. When you're lurking here and thinking, "She's needs to update this thing more often," or "I wish she'd put it all in one place," or "I just want the good stuff. Leave all the rest elsewhere," then I really want you to type that and send it to me.)

I am thinking that on this blog I will stick to homilies, lectures, interviews, projects, and biographies. My current projects include the Eastern & Oriental Catholicism Google map, a universal liturgical calendar widget, and a links page. On the Facebook page, I would then share more of the all and sundry posts like hymns, news, or other background info on what I'm working on for the blog. How does that sound?

I've also discovered that the blogging culture has an innate appreciation for structured cycles with their Wordless Wednesdays and Thankful Thursdays (how Catholic of them!) so I'm going to try to come up with something similar to regularly structure my posts. I guarantee the titles won't be as catchy. I take more of an Eric Carle approach to the calendar. You know: "Today is Monday. Monday string beans." Coming up with something slightly more endearing will be one of my goals for this week. I'll leave the rest of what I'm doing for the Facebook page in order to not bog things down here. Please let me know what you think!

Current Events - The Middle East

Listen to an interview on the situation in the Middle East by Maronite Msgr. Sharbel Maroun on Ave Maria Radio

If you're in the Minneapolis, MN area, check out his parish!
Saint Maron Catholic Church
602 University Ave. NE
Minneapolis, MN. 55413
And if you aren't, check them out online.

Coptic Catholic Christmas

Coptic church bombing in Egypt is latest assault on Mideast Christians


“As it happens with wine inside a barrel which, when the vineyard blooms in the field, senses it and the wine itself blossoms together with it, so it is with the souls of sinners. They receive some relief from the Bloodless Sacrifice offered for them and from charity. So, when we offer Divine Liturgies and charitable deeds in the name of those who have departed, their souls rejoice if they were righteous and receive some relief if they were wicked." -Anba Athanasius the Apostolic (c. 295-373)

Your Word From The Wise is a Christmas letter from Anba Antonios Naguib - December 25, 2010:

In The Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God Amen

From Anba Antonios Naguib

With the Grace of God,
The Patriarch of the Coptic Catholics and Cardinal of the Catholic Church

To Our Brothers the Bishops, and our sons the Hogominos and Priests, the Monks, Nuns, and Deacons and to all the Coptic Catholic Church at the Home Land and Abroad.

Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14)

The birth of Christ is the birth of peace and reconciliation.

The Christmas brings true peace to humanity and a living incarnation of God’s love to man. The night of Christmas announced the message of peace in the song of angles that surrounded the Child of the manger. It is still echoing everywhere and in every human conscious “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14)

The unity with God is the source of Peace:

The old testament of the Bible tells us about the creation of man in a simple magnificent way. The creation was out of God’s tremendous love and His most high divine Will. God said ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…. God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him….God blessed them” (Genesis 1:26-28) the Bible continues” God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good” (Genesis 1:31).

God created man in a state of righteousness and purity. A wise and free creature that is qualified to share the eternal happiness. He entrusted life to him, empowered him over the land and made him his successor (Gen. 1:27, 29). Man lived in true peace in unity with the creator, since the honorable life and safety of man are only achieved in his unity with God, obedience to him and fidelity to His laws. Regretfully the man broke the law, disobeyed his creator and rebelled against him. Hence the great failure and human tragedy, the man felt stripped from grace, overwhelmed with fear and anxiety and deprived of peace.

The world today is hungry for peace and will not find it unless it returns and unite with God while filled with faith and hope. Adam and his posterity lost their peace by separating from the origin, the beginning and the end. Because God is the absolute love, he opened the door of hope to Adam and his off springs through a divine truthful promise, in which His love will be incarnated as a savior coming from eve’s posterity who will strike the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). He will reinstate the peace between heaven and earth. In him, the love, light and uncontained divinity of God will be united with His perfect human nature. His mission will be to bring man back to God, to the high status and to fulfill the true meaning behind his creation and life on earth. Christ, the divine Word, the peace of God and the light of the world, is born. As St Paul describes Him in his letter to the Philippians “Who, 3 though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 4 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; 5 and found human in appearance “(Phil 2:6-7).

The Peace of Christ is reconciliation with God

The message of Christ is declared in the song of the angels “Peace on Earth”. St Paul announces that Christ is our peace and that his Bible is the Bible of peace (Ephesians 3:14, 6:15). He announces and preaches peace, as Isaiah previously prophesized (Is 52:7). With the coming of Jesus, a new divine peace was born. It is the peace of reconciliation with God, based on following His commandments, and the belief of His presence in the depth of man’s conscious. He plants peace in the heart of every man. He is the one who said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me” (Jn 14:1). And also said Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (Jn 14:27) and in the blessings (the Sermon on the mountain) which is the law of the new covenant” Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God “(Mt 5:9). The Divine peace makes us children of God and brothers in humanity.

The Peace of Christ is reconciliation with oneself:

The example and teachings of Christ, as revealed in the Holy Gospels, are invitations to build a pure conscious. The peace that Christ has called for depends on the inner peace of man, and emerges out of a heart that is pure and full of love. Christ has restored to man his value and dignity that he has lost, and still loses, due to his sin and disobedience. He always worked to fill the hearts with divine peace. For the sake of man, He was born and lived, He performed miracles and forgave sins. He promised to open the doors of the heavens to every one who lives faithfully and to every one who truly repents. He reconciled man with God and hence the reconciliation of man with himself. The man could accept himself because he accepts the will of God in him knowing that” all things work for good for those who love God”(Romans 8:28).

The Peace of Christ is reconciliation for all people in love and forgiveness:

The birth of Christ is a starting point for a fundamental change in the relations between people. With His example and sayings, Christ taught us that love is the foundation of the right dealing among people, because they are brothers. When he taught us how to pray He said” Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Mt. 6:8-9). Here He confirmed the main principle, that we are all the children of God, we are brothers in humanity regardless of religion, ethnicity, color, knowledge or nationality. Christ came for all people, to provide peace in reconciliation with God, with themselves and with each other. Christ taught us that reconciliation among people requires forgiveness and abandonment of violence, as he said” You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. but I say to you, offer no  resistance to one who is evil”” (Mt. 5:38-39). “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28). Christ taught us the grace of forgiveness. Through redemption He cleansed us from our sins and opened the door of forgiveness to all sinners. He asked us to pray to the Father saying” forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors’’ and said “But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions”(Mt. 6:12 &15). Reconciliation through forgiveness is a divine gift, bestowed by Christ on whoever wants the Divine peace. With that, Christ eliminates the fear of man from his brother the man and institutes a Divine peace that includes all humans, a peace that was never known before to humanity., therefore St. Paul commands us saying ” Strive for peace with everyone” (Heb 12:14)

Peace of Christ mandates justice and help for the poor and the needy:

Peace will not be fulfilled unless justice prevails among people. On the World Day of Peace, Jan 1, 2002, the title of the address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II was” No Peace without Justice” the message went on saying” Justice is the foundation of true peace”. Among the requirements of Justice is that the poor must receive their fair share in help and care. Christ the king of peace taught us that the final days judgment will be weighed against our stand towards those whom He called “the least of His brethren” whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me…. what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me” (Mt. 25:40, 45)
Truly, the peace of Christ is a Divine gift; however, it is a continuous work and uninterrupted fight for the good and charity. Peace between people and through the world will not materialize without the participation of every one. whoever has a heart that is open to God and has an active will for the good, will give the fruits of the spirit out of which are” Love, Joy and Peace” (Gal 5:22)

Peace in the life of the Catholic Church:

The Catholic Church is concerned with the peace of individuals, societies and the world. She is giving a special attention to it. The synod of the Middle East’s Bishops was held in October 2010 in The Vatican and was attended by 350 members and presided by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The Bishops studied the urgent issues that, currently, are faced by our societies. The most important of which is peace. They ascertained that peace is the fruit of love, justice, equality, respect for humans, and that every faithful has to work for and spread peace.
In their final recommendations, the Bishops, dedicated an article to the relation with Islam, in which they emphasized” The Christians and Moslems share the life and destiny in the Middle East. Together they build the societies, therefore it is important to strengthen the definition of citizenship, the dignity of the human being, the equal rights and duties and the religious freedom that includes the freedom of worship and freedom of conscious.
The Christians in the Middle East must persevere in the dialogue of fruitful living with the Moslems. They have to value and love them and reject any negative prejudices against them. They are encouraged to discover the values of each other’s faith. With that they show the world how the two religions can constructively agree and productively cooperate through rejecting all kinds of fundamentalism and violence in the name of religion.( No. 42) In the same respect, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI announced that the subject of his encyclical for the World Day of Peace , Jan 1, 2011 will be” Religious freedom, the way for peace”.

Conclusion

In this blessed night, we pray in unity with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and all our brothers the Patriarchs and Bishops, pleading to the almighty God that he preserves the life of our beloved President Hosni Mubarak, all his honorable assistants, and to support and bless his huge endeavors for the progress and prosperity of our dear nation while defending the religious and social values. We pray also for those who are entrusted with all responsibilities in our nation on the political, popular and safety levels. We congratulate those who have been elected representatives of people. We hope that their goal will be to serve the country and its people so that they bring a new dawn for a promising future of love and peace. May the Lord God keep Egypt always in safety and prosperity, brotherly love and peace. May the Lord bestow peace and stability to the suffering countries in our region especially Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Sudan. May His Divine peace overwhelm the world so that all humanity become one family singing with Christmas Angels “Glory be to God in the highest and peace
on earth”

Anba Antonios Naguib
Patriarch of the Coptic Catholics and Cardinal of the Catholic Church

An article about Anba Antonios Naguib by the Roman Catholic diocese of Omaha, NE can be read here.

Welcome!

There's not much here yet, but I hope that will change quickly. I got an About page and a Help page up, I updated my YouTube channel, created a Facebook page, I just started a Google map for Eastern and Oriental Catholics, and now I need to set about the work of connecting with those wise souls whom I hope to feature here.

So what is there to do right now? Offer to help, update the google map, spread the word, become a follower and put this blog in your RSS feed so you get updates, friend me on facebook, and pray!

I am learning as I go and hope to have the bulk of the blog world learning curve complete by the middle of 2011. I don't know if that's realistic, so please pray for me!

Adiós,
Catherine