The EU Is Not At Peace

This blogger was in Norway when a majority of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union ("EU"). Norway is the seventh richest country in the world and the second richest in Europe after Luxembourg in terms of Gross Domestic Product in 2016 [1] and is not a member of the EU [2].

In comparison, the United Kingdom is not ranked among the top 13 richest countries [3] and was a member of the EU [4] since August 2, 1993, [5] making it one of the 12 countries that together symbolizes "the identity and unity of Europe" [6].  They even came up with a flag with 12 gold stars forming a circle against a blue background.  It would be a mistake, however, to assume that the 12 gold stars represent the first 12 members of the EU because according to some accounts, "[t]he number of stars has nothing to do with the number of member countries." [7], [8].

The fact that UK exiting the EU ("Brexit") [9] has no effect upon the EU flag is in a way parallel to the fact that Brexit has no bearing on this blog.  So why mention it?  Because Brexit has created uncertainty in the marketplace, causing stress upon those who have tied their financial fate to the supposed indissolubility of the EU.  This supposition was proven wrong by the June 23, 2016, referendum, wiping out global equity wealth totaling US$2.08 trillion [10].  The currency markets were also affected with the British pound dropping to a 31-year low against the US dollar on June 27, 2016, with £1 equaling to US$1.3320 [11].

Those who are in turmoil ought to realize that God is still at the center and Divine Love has not wavered.  It is a good time to step back and meditate on these words of Christ separating what is secular from what is sacred: "'[G]ive back to Ceasar what is Ceasar's, and to God what is God's.'" [12]

Man's artificial constructs such as political alliances and trade unions can be dissolved as easily as they can be formed, the value of a currency can depreciate to reflect reality [13] and material possessions can be destroyed in a natural disaster and in a war.  Even if society remains somewhat intact, it depends on a functional and reliable planet with the right amount of sunshine, air, water and gravity for its inhabitants to exist, but these things are often overlooked in this dysfunctional world of economics, politics and secularism.  Sometimes, it is necessary to pause and be reminded of the this planet earth and all that it offers, and to recognize the Creator Who has dominion over it and the universe in which it spins.

For those who might stumble on this entry and are troubled by uncertainties of this world, below are a few photos taken in Norway, affirming that planet earth is still providing for the existence of each and every life, not only the bare minimum of what is needed but in abundance and in inexplicable beauty.

[1] http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html
[2] http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/member-countries/
[3] http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html
[4] http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/member-countries/
[5] http://www.thegreenpapers.com/ww/EuropeanUnion-MembershipAndHistory.phtml
[6] http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-information/symbols/flag/index_en.htm
[7] http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-information/symbols/flag/index_en.htm
[8] http://www.cvce.eu/en/education/unit-content/-/unit/eeacde09-add1-4ba1-ba5b-dcd2597a81d0/2b4e569f-9aa3-48dd-b877-13d0d5f1d177
[9] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brexit.asp
[10] http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-stocks-idUSKCN0ZC12G
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/jun/27/pound-shares-markets-brexit-crisis-osborne-lew-business-live?page=with:block-5770f8f5e4b0f4303810a01c#block-5770f8f5e4b0f4303810a01c
[12] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22:15-22
[13] The United States of America will soon celebrate its 240th year on July 4, 2016, after gaining independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776.  Since then, it would have amassed an estimated debt of US$19.3 trillion at the close of its fiscal year, 2016.  To be sure, the US dollar is no longer backed by gold and has no real value; the only value it has is the faith the peoples of the world give it.  How many more generations of people will continue to place their faith in the US Federal Reserve Bank and the money it prints remains uncertain.

Catholic Church Closures

With so many Catholic church closures underway, what comes to mind is where will the Eucharist be housed for the local parishioners?  Should a gathering place that allows for people to experience the presence of Christ be sold to the highest bidder for money?  Is monetizing the land on which a place of worship sits something the Vatican approves of tacitly?  How about putting up for auction a few of the Vatican Museum's art works to keep the local parishes around the world open for those who are unable to travel far and wide in order to go to a place where the living body of Christ can be received?  Is not every soul worth saving?

Church closures are a result of many factors, such as the dwindling number of priests and parishioners in a secular world, the high costs of maintaining old buildings and bringing them up to modern safety standards, but the single most significant factor, at least in the United States, could very well be the amount of damages paid to settle lawsuits brought by victims of pedophiliac priests, bankrupting dioceses and causing many to file for protection under bankruptcy laws. [1]

Closures can take place anywhere with a history of clerical sex abuse.  In the United States, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia are among the big cities that have been affected. [2]  A church in the Town of Scituate, Massachusetts, is also one of the targeted closures. [3]

For some eleven years, the parishioners of St. Frances X. Cabrini Church in Scituate had resisted closure.  The timeline of events can be accessed here [4].  How long this citation will remain available online is uncertain.  When administrative appeals within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church were exhausted, a lawsuit was filed by the Friends of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Inc., with the Norfolk Superior Court in Massachusetts which, "in May 2015 issued an injunction evicting the Friends from the St. Frances X. Cabrini property in Hood Road." [5]  In October, 2015, the Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed the decision. [6]  On December 3, 2015, "[t]he Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied the Friends Application for Further Appellate Review." [7]

Unwilling to give up, Friends of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Inc., on March 1, 2016, filed a petition for writ of certiorari [8] with the Clerk of the United States Supreme Court, but in May, 2016, the Supreme Court denied the appellant its request for a hearing. [9]

Church closures are not limited to the United States.  A third of the Catholic churches in Wales are also slated for closure. Sixty-two churches will be whittled down to 40 if Bishop Brignall of Wrexham can have his way. [10]  Ireland is also closing its churches, stemming from low church attendance and not enough young men willing to join the priesthood that is perhaps irreparably tarnished by sex scandals. [11]

This is not a comprehensive review of Catholic church closures worldwide.  Hopefully, those who are faithful would not be deterred by the Vatican's shameful decision to allow the disappearances of churches to continue.  Not even government sanctioned crackdowns in China are able to close down churches with such effectiveness.  The Vatican ought to step up and take responsibility for its own failure to inspire all peoples of the world to reach deep into their hearts to find God, rather than asking the faithful to reach deep into their pockets for financial support so that Catholic churches can continue have both presence and relevance in today's world.  In this blogger's opinion, the throne of Peter has been corroded and corrupted by the passage of time to the point that the task of its upkeep has been taken over by Satan and its pawns.


[1] "The Associated Press estimated the total from settlements of sex-abuse cases from 1950-2007 to be more than $2 billion.  BishopAccountability reports that figure reached more than $3 billion in 2012."  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sex_abuse_cases_in_the_United_States  These figures account for settlements only in the United States.  Other countries are likely not as litigious as the United States, and settlement payouts, if any, would not be nearly as large.
[2] http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160408/NEWS07/160409846/catholic-churchs-financial-woes-consolidations-arent-new
[3] http://www.lowellsun.com/backtalk/ci_29953276/parishioners-leave-closed-church-after-11-year-protest
[4] http://stfrancesxcabriniscituate.org/timeline.html
[5] http://scituate.wickedlocal.com/article/20160304/NEWS/160307544
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/docs/pdfs/certinfosheet.pdf
[9] http://nypost.com/2016/06/05/is-this-the-end-of-catholicism/
[10] http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/04/22/a-third-of-catholic-churches-across-north-wales-are-to-close/
[11] http://www.independent.ie/life/vanishing-catholic-church-seeks-salvation-can-it-reinvigorate-itself-34237641.html

Satan Is Everywhere

Satan is in the angry, the manipulative and the envious, and it is in the thoughts that enter the mind when one is at prayer.  The more one is in tune with the Mother and the Son of God, the more road blocks Satan puts up to annoy and to distract, to distance one from Them and to replace one's inner peace with thoughts that are menial at best and unforgiving at worst.  In order to save oneself from the snares of the Devil, one must do what It hates most, ordering It to leave and doubling down on one's devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to Her Son by Whose humility in life and love of humanity at death triumphed over the ever vindictive, calculating and wrathful Satan.

A Marian Apparition In Argentina

In San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina (approximately 238.3 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires per Google), the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus appeared to a housewife named Gladys Herminia Quiroga de Motta ["Gladys"] from October 13, 1983, to February 11, 1990. [1]

The apparitions were declared official by Bishop Hector Cardelli on May 22, 2016. [2]

"Notice [October 13 is] the anniversary of the last vision at Fatima and [February 11] is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes." [3]  It was on October 13, 1983, that the Blessed Virgin Mary first spoke to Gladys even though She first appeared to Gladys on September 25, 1983. [4]

"The basic message of the apparitions is the same as every other Marian apparition--repent, pray, be obedient to Christ and follow His will." [5]  However, there are likely some words that are unique to every apparition.  This blogger has not read every word of the Blessed Virgin Mary had said in Her apparitions, but these, among many quoted in the article cited, resonate with him more than the others: "'My daughter,' Mary said, 'when a heart opens to the heart of the mother, it stays there.  When a heart abandons itself to the heart of a mother, she will shape it and guide it to her Son.  In this heart will be found purity, love, humility...'" [6]

And these:  "'The soul must unite itself to Christ each day, and for that, there is nothing better than Holy Communion: the Food of the soul for life.'" [7]

And of course these:  "'God gives complete freedom and he allows each one...to make his own choice: to purify oneself or to live in sin, grow in Christ or be annihilated.'" And in Jesus' own words, these: "'My heart wishes the salvation of all souls and loves them, even those who are in sin.'" [8], [9]


[1] http://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/its-official-major-apparitions-of-mary-are-approved
[2] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/a-marian-apparition-has-been-approved-in-argentina---and-its-a-big-deal-31979/
[3] http://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/its-official-major-apparitions-of-mary-are-approved
[4] Ibid.
[5] http://fathert.blogspot.com/2011/01/appeal-from-mary-in-argentina.html
[6] http://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/its-official-major-apparitions-of-mary-are-approved
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] The words of Jesus: "My heart wishes the salvation of all souls" are consistent with God's gift of Free Will.  The gift of Free Will is, in this blogger's opinion, the greatest act of humility because it requires infinite restraint for someone who has the power to do anything to stand by and watch so many unconditionally loved sons and daughters, one by one, to fall freely and permanently into sin and beyond the grasp of salvation, to reject God and stand with Satan willingly.

Intercessory Prayer

Intercessory prayer is defined below by Robert Longman as follows:

"Intercessory prayer is not the same as prayers for yourself, or for 'enlightenment', or for spiritual gifts, or for guidance, or any personal matter, or any glittering generality. Intercession is not just praying for someone else's needs. Intercession is praying with the real hope and real intent that God would step in and act for the positive advancement of some specific other person(s) or other entity.  It is trusting God to act, even if it's not in the manner or timing we seek." [1]

The intercessor must have absolute  faith in God.  Absolute faith is faith with zero  doubt.  The intercessor must also have genuine  love for others.  Genuine love is love with zero self interest.  An intercessory prayer is said without the recipient beneficiary(ies)'s knowledge.  The appeal(s) can be made directly to God or the Son of God and indirectly to Them through the Mother of God.

One might ask why should one go through the Blessed Virgin Mary if the appeal(s) can be made directly to God or the Son of God?  This is not a question that necessary has an answer but if an answer must be had, it is this: the Blessed Virgin Mary is the  constant Intercessor in Heaven.  Having Her assistance in interceding is much more effective than without it.  After all, as the Immaculate Conception and Queen of Heaven and Earth, and in Her dual role as God's Spouse and the Mother of Jesus, is it not reasonable to assume that the Blessed Virgin Mary will have the ears of God and Her Son sooner and more directly than just someone calling out to Heaven for help?  Is it also not reasonable to assume that They would act quicker on Her appeals than any of the petitions coming from sinners on earth?

Furthermore, there is no rule that limits an intercessory appeal (or any prayer for that matter) to either God, the Son of God or the Blessed Virgin Mary.  If there are rules, either stated or unstated, they ought to be: pray to all of Them, and pray often; intercede when compelled to and as needed for people one knows and for strangers as well.

Sometimes one is compelled to intercede for another out of pure love on the one hand and pure turmoil on the other. Whatever force that is driving one to say intercessory prayers are forces of good.  Robert Longman put it this way: "If God's love is at work in you, you will care about others, and your love for them will lead you to take it to the ultimate Source of strength, healing, and love." [2]

Robert Longman also made this interesting observation which is beyond this blogger's other-worldly experiences: "It is best to always be aware that you never really pray alone. For when the honest love in you for other people causes you to ask God to act to strengthen, heal, defend, change, or bless them, there is someone else praying with you: the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit is leading you to pray." [3]  Perhaps the feeling of  turmoil is one of the forces of the Holy Spirit that compels one to act for the benefit of the one compelled, in the quelling of the turmoil, and for the benefit of the recipient of the intercessory prayers, in bringing a healing to the soul, the body and the mind, the result of which is a new person who is more like the Christ than before the suffering.

                                                                                                                

[1] http://www.spirithome.com/intercessory-prayer.html
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.