Religious News - Pope stresses duty to evangelize - ArcaMax Publishing: "Pope stresses duty to evangelize
ROME, Vatican City, Dec. 24 'Nothing can release or free us' from the task of announcing the Gospel and 'nothing is more beautiful, urgent and important,' said Benedict XVI to a crowd of 30,000 gathered in Saint Peter's Square Sunday. He spoke of the true meaning of Christmas and again about the 'duty' of Christians, especially the Church, to evangelize, AsiaNews reported Sunday.
'Tomorrow night we shall celebrate the great mystery of Love that never ceases to amaze us, namely love that became man,' he said. The 'mission of the Church is to provide an answer to the words 'Come Lord Jesus'' so that through his coming 'our hearts may change and justice and peace infuse the world.'
'In a situation in which many faithful have no clear idea as to the reasons for evangelisation,' the recent document released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 'reminds us all that welcoming the Good News is by itself a way to signal that we were given salvation as a gift,' he said.
'There is nothing more beautiful, urgent and important than to freely return what we have freely received from God. Nothing can release or free us from this weighty task,' he said.
'Each Christian and each community should feel the joy of sharing with others the Good News, that God loves the world so much that he gave his only Son so that the world may be saved through him ... This is the true meaning of Christmas that we must always rediscover and live intensely,' he concluded"
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Religious News - Vatican welcomes Blair to Catholic fold - ArcaMax Publishing
Religious News - Vatican welcomes Blair to Catholic fold - ArcaMax Publishing: "Vatican welcomes Blair to Catholic fold
ROME, Vatican City, Dec. 22 The Vatican welcomed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to become a Roman Catholic. A spokesman said such an 'authoritative personality' choosing to join the Catholic Church 'could only give rise to joy and respect.'
The ex-PM was received into the Church by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor. It comes as research shows Catholic churchgoers now outnumber Anglicans in the UK for the first time since the Reformation, BBC News online reported Saturday."
ROME, Vatican City, Dec. 22 The Vatican welcomed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to become a Roman Catholic. A spokesman said such an 'authoritative personality' choosing to join the Catholic Church 'could only give rise to joy and respect.'
The ex-PM was received into the Church by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor. It comes as research shows Catholic churchgoers now outnumber Anglicans in the UK for the first time since the Reformation, BBC News online reported Saturday."
Friday, November 09, 2007
Windows Live Hotmail
Prayer a Powerful Healer
My aunt Eliza is our family's "pray-er" -- the one who routinely offers up prayers whenever any of us are ill or about to undergo a medical procedure. So far, everyone has recovered. We've often wondered how much Eliza's prayers had to do with that -- and now a new study reveals perhaps more than the skeptics in my family think. A review of 17 studies on the effects of intercessory prayer -- prayer that is offered for the benefit of another person -- showed net positive effects for people who received prayers for their medical or psychological problems. While some of the studies showed statistically significant positive effects for prayer and others did not, when the effects are averaged across all 17 studies, researchers found that intercessory prayer may indeed help people heal. In all but one of those studies, participants were divided into two groups with one group receiving prayer in addition to conventional treatment for their condition, and the other group receiving only conventional treatment. These studies were double-blind. In other words, neither patients nor health-care providers knew who was receiving prayer.
The range of health problems in the studies varied widely, including heart disease, AIDS, infertility, leukemia, arthritis and psychiatric disorders, to name a few. The prayers offered varied by type, the number of "intercessors" and by religious faith. Sometimes prayers were part of a regular church service or group prayer session, and in other instances individuals prayed on their own, in their own homes. Interestingly, the results showed no correlation between the religion of the intercessor, the type of prayer invoked, the number of intercessors or the specific medical condition of the participants. The criteria for inclusion in this study review were simple -- intercessory prayer had to have been used with a population of clients or patients and efficacy had to be measured, preferably using standardized measures and a double-blind randomized control methodology. I called study author David R. Hodge, PhD, assistant professor at Arizona State University and a senior nonresident fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, to ask him to elaborate on this fascinating work. According to Dr. Hodge, in seven of the 17 studies, those who received intercessory prayer demonstrated significant improvement compared with those who received standard treatment, devoid of prayer. In another five studies, he said that the trend favored the prayed-for group -- there were improvements, but the positive effects noted did not reach what are considered statistically significant levels. Then, when the results of all 17 studies were combined, there was indeed a small but significant overall positive finding for prayer. But Dr. Hodge added a cautionary note: Prayer appears to make a difference, but he does not advocate substituting prayer for medical treatment. Instead, prayer should be viewed as a supplement that may enhance positive effects.
So, should one pray for those who are ill?
Yes, if you or a loved one are inclined to do so. For that matter, you can pray for yourself and ask others to pitch in as well... because doing something supportive for someone such as saying a prayer for their well-being or health not only feels good, but may be healing, too.
Source(s): David R. Hodge, PhD, is assistant professor at Arizona State University and a senior nonresident fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society.
My aunt Eliza is our family's "pray-er" -- the one who routinely offers up prayers whenever any of us are ill or about to undergo a medical procedure. So far, everyone has recovered. We've often wondered how much Eliza's prayers had to do with that -- and now a new study reveals perhaps more than the skeptics in my family think. A review of 17 studies on the effects of intercessory prayer -- prayer that is offered for the benefit of another person -- showed net positive effects for people who received prayers for their medical or psychological problems. While some of the studies showed statistically significant positive effects for prayer and others did not, when the effects are averaged across all 17 studies, researchers found that intercessory prayer may indeed help people heal. In all but one of those studies, participants were divided into two groups with one group receiving prayer in addition to conventional treatment for their condition, and the other group receiving only conventional treatment. These studies were double-blind. In other words, neither patients nor health-care providers knew who was receiving prayer.
The range of health problems in the studies varied widely, including heart disease, AIDS, infertility, leukemia, arthritis and psychiatric disorders, to name a few. The prayers offered varied by type, the number of "intercessors" and by religious faith. Sometimes prayers were part of a regular church service or group prayer session, and in other instances individuals prayed on their own, in their own homes. Interestingly, the results showed no correlation between the religion of the intercessor, the type of prayer invoked, the number of intercessors or the specific medical condition of the participants. The criteria for inclusion in this study review were simple -- intercessory prayer had to have been used with a population of clients or patients and efficacy had to be measured, preferably using standardized measures and a double-blind randomized control methodology. I called study author David R. Hodge, PhD, assistant professor at Arizona State University and a senior nonresident fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, to ask him to elaborate on this fascinating work. According to Dr. Hodge, in seven of the 17 studies, those who received intercessory prayer demonstrated significant improvement compared with those who received standard treatment, devoid of prayer. In another five studies, he said that the trend favored the prayed-for group -- there were improvements, but the positive effects noted did not reach what are considered statistically significant levels. Then, when the results of all 17 studies were combined, there was indeed a small but significant overall positive finding for prayer. But Dr. Hodge added a cautionary note: Prayer appears to make a difference, but he does not advocate substituting prayer for medical treatment. Instead, prayer should be viewed as a supplement that may enhance positive effects.
So, should one pray for those who are ill?
Yes, if you or a loved one are inclined to do so. For that matter, you can pray for yourself and ask others to pitch in as well... because doing something supportive for someone such as saying a prayer for their well-being or health not only feels good, but may be healing, too.
Source(s): David R. Hodge, PhD, is assistant professor at Arizona State University and a senior nonresident fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Ind. court restores prayers to capitol 11:05 AM, November 1
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 31 An appeals court panel Tuesday allowed prayers mentioning Jesus' name to be returned to the Indiana state legislature, tossing out a lawsuit two years ago that led to the prayers bing ruled unconstitutional. Social conservatives hailed the 2-1 decision by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, although the justices avoided dealing directly with whether the prayers violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution as the lower court had ruled. The Indiana affiliate of the ACLU won the initial round in November 2005 when U.S. District Judge David F. Hamilton ruled prayers must be "non-sectarian" and must not mention "Christ's name or title or any other denominational appeal." The majority ruled Tuesday that the four Indiana residents who brought the suit lacked standing because they had "not shown that the legislature has extracted from them tax dollars for the establishment and implantation" of a program that violates the Establishment Clause, Baptist Press reported Wednesday. Read More... Comment on this Story Printer Friendly Send Story to a Friend Top
Pope urges prayers for pro-life policies 11:05 AM, November 1
ROME, Vatican City, Nov. 1 Pope Benedict XVI announced his "general prayer intention" for November Wednesday: "That those dedicated to medical research and all those engaged in legislative activity may always have deep respect for human life, from its beginning to its natural conclusion." In his two-and-a-half years as Pontiff, Benedict consistently stressed the need for prayer to protect the sanctity of life and the family. His June prayer intent last year requested the Church to pray for Christian families, asking "That Christian families may lovingly welcome every child who comes into existence and surround the sick and the aged, who need care and assistance, with affection," LifeSiteNews.com reported Wednesday Read More...
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 31 An appeals court panel Tuesday allowed prayers mentioning Jesus' name to be returned to the Indiana state legislature, tossing out a lawsuit two years ago that led to the prayers bing ruled unconstitutional. Social conservatives hailed the 2-1 decision by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, although the justices avoided dealing directly with whether the prayers violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution as the lower court had ruled. The Indiana affiliate of the ACLU won the initial round in November 2005 when U.S. District Judge David F. Hamilton ruled prayers must be "non-sectarian" and must not mention "Christ's name or title or any other denominational appeal." The majority ruled Tuesday that the four Indiana residents who brought the suit lacked standing because they had "not shown that the legislature has extracted from them tax dollars for the establishment and implantation" of a program that violates the Establishment Clause, Baptist Press reported Wednesday. Read More... Comment on this Story Printer Friendly Send Story to a Friend Top
Pope urges prayers for pro-life policies 11:05 AM, November 1
ROME, Vatican City, Nov. 1 Pope Benedict XVI announced his "general prayer intention" for November Wednesday: "That those dedicated to medical research and all those engaged in legislative activity may always have deep respect for human life, from its beginning to its natural conclusion." In his two-and-a-half years as Pontiff, Benedict consistently stressed the need for prayer to protect the sanctity of life and the family. His June prayer intent last year requested the Church to pray for Christian families, asking "That Christian families may lovingly welcome every child who comes into existence and surround the sick and the aged, who need care and assistance, with affection," LifeSiteNews.com reported Wednesday Read More...
Monday, May 07, 2007
Ecumenical action is a worthwhile activity. Get to know your religious neighbor.
Some fear homogenization, conversion
They also find that some religious groups worry that allowing their young people to get involved in council projects could open them up to conversion or to a "homogenizing" of religion. A Jewish group and a Muslim group have vetoed youth involvement. "There is a fear that mixing will diminish their kids in their faith tradition," Judy says. Yet "experience shows that when kids talk about their tradition with others, it strengthens their own faith because they've had to think about it more."
The new emphasis on youth is the outgrowth of a "visioning" project the council conducted in 2006, during which it interviewed 120 community leaders of greater Toledo on the area's most significant needs. The youth priority involves two projects: a Youth Film Festival and a Youth Service Learning Project. On Saturday nights, the film series brings teenagers together for food and a thought-provoking movie that allows for a discussion of values. This month's film is the Oscar-nominated "Whale Rider."
Inspired by the Interfaith Youth Core based in Chicago, the council has formed a multifaith youth core to engage in interfaith dialogue and community service projects, including the Habitat build. At the council's annual banquet on April 22, a panel of Catholic, Sikh, Unitarian, and Muslim youths described their faith-inspired motivations for serving others.
Funded solely by members and donations, the council is run by a 10-person board and has no paid staff. Yet it has grown from 20 founding members to a regular mailing list of 350. Woody and Judy (a retired electrical engineer and a high school technology instructor, respectively) are now focused on "growing leadership."
"My hope is for each faith group to realize the future of our country depends on ... sharing enough time in our own agendas to meet and mingle and understand the other person," Woody says. "Every faith group should say '10 percent of our scheduled time is going to be spent with people of other faiths.' Otherwise, they'll stay to themselves, and, all of a sudden, like global warming, we'll find we have a problem."
When people do mingle frequently, fresh ideas often germinate. This month, for example, a local rabbi, imam, and priest plan to offer classes that explore how the three monotheistic faiths understand "scripture, worship, and acts of kindness."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)