Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for nearly three years, will be named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced on Friday 

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How awesome is that!?

Faith - it does not make things easy, it makes them possible

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The blood [of the lamb] shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 

Exodus 12:13

“He became what we are, so that he might make us what he is.”

~ St Athanasius the Great (ca. 295-373, Father of the Church)

Song of Songs 4:7 - You are beautiful in every way, my friend, there is no flaw in you! NAB

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Romans 8: 31 If our God is for us, who can be against us?

Cami & Erik wanted to pray together before the wedding but, they did not want to see each other.

Photography: Josh Elliott Photography

I want to do this one day with my husband

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spiritualinspiration:

So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (Philippians 2:15)

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What do you believe is the main difference between a Protestant and a Catholic? 

That Protestants are really tough and gutsy. Here’s why.

Two people are crossing a desert on foot. One of them packs plenty of water and supplies and goes with a group that knows the way. The other crosses alone, with just a little water and a little food.

The first one is a Catholic, who can count on the Eucharist (1 Kings 19:3-8) and Confession for sustenance and strength on the journey, and who has the Church for guide and support in interpreting the faith and the Scriptures.

The second is a Protestant, who has Baptism, grace, and contact with God in prayer (Catholics have all that too), but is essentially left alone in discovering the meaning of what we read in the Bible.

Both have good will, both are on the right track, both can get there. But it takes a lot of guts to choose to be the second one. I, for one, certainly wouldn’t. Call me a wimp if you will.

God bless you!

- Father Shane

The Holiest thing on Earth? Catholic Cell Group Debates…. 

So Wednesday night cell group got good tonight!

[I am Catholic, and I am part of a group of fellow Catholic, early-20-somethings who get together once a week to prayer, chat, discuss theology, spirituality, etc]

Tonight we were discussing last Sunday’s Gospel, specifically Matthew 22:39 “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

Simple? Sigh, with us it never is…

My one friend quoted some-important-person-or-other, “The most Holy thing in the world is the Eucharist, the second is the person sitting next to you in the pew.”

Now, typical me, I take this and turn it completely upside down and squiggle it around….

I said I agreed with the statement, but I maintain that there are TWO most important things in this world, that they are on “par” Holiness so to speak. And I feel, that Scripture places joint 1st place with Holy Eucharist.

Now, unfortunately, us Catholics tend to underestimate the importance of Sacred Scripture, we are so against the Protestant views of Sola Scruptura (by scripture alone, come on peeps, brush up on your latin :P) that we veer the complete opposite way and rely completely on Tradition and run away from the Word of God.

I know that is a sweeping statement, and does not apply to ALL Catholics, but unfortunately it applies to many Catholics I know :(

Now, back to my argument em, um, i mean debate… As far as I understand it, The Holy Eucharist is Jesus, The Incarnate Word of God. And, as Scripture is the Written Word of God and as we understand it, basically Jesus. 

I never fully “got” this until I got my new Bible (Life Teen’s Catholic Teen Bible) and read the preface.

I mean, in the Catechism, paragraph 108 it says: Still, the Christian faith is not a “religion of the book.” Christianity is the religion of the “Word” of God, a word which is “not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living”. If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, “open [our] minds to understand the Scriptures.”

In John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

K… to some up - Jesus is the Incarnate Word of God. Scripture is the Written Word of God. I believe that the Holy Eucharist AND Sacred Scripture are the most Holy things on this earth.

Sigh… maybe we shouldn’t be “ranking” things’ Holiness? I dunno… My one friend just wasn’t “getting” it… i dunno, am I wrong? sigh.

I really want your opinions! What do you think?

Incarnate 

“Incarnation” is a big, sometimes confusing word, but it is also a very holy word. “Incarnation” means Jesus coming down to earth from heaven and becoming man.” 

Because Jesus came looking for us, we can now find Him.Because he became man, we can now encounter God in the most personal of ways. Because He walked with us, we can now walk with Him. Because He came down to our level, we can now rise to His.

- From the Life Teen Catholic Teen Bible preface

edit: as a kid I always thought it meant we as a NATION had to get INTO a CAR (in-car-nation) :$

Look what I just bought! Jesus of Nazareth vol 1 - by Pope Benedict XVI :) started it immediately. He does have me running for my dictionary and wikipedia every 5 min though… Bt still, it’s so good!

‎”I would like to announce that I have decided to decree a `year of faith´!” (Benedict XVI) From October 11,2012 (the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vatican II Council) until November 24, 2013 (the feast “Christ The King”), the Holy Father said it would give “a greater impulse to the mission of the entire Church to bring man out of the desert where he often finds himself, towards life and towards friendship with Christ who gives us this life in all its variety.”  

Thank you, Holy Father! :-)

Going through the YouCat’s section on prayer and it’s blowing my mind!

1. Prayer

2. Listen