tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202282482024-03-07T14:10:06.504-05:00Italian (American) Catholic and Altogether Strange<blockquote><b>
"The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the Divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power."
-Alexander Hamilton</blockquote></b>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.comBlogger390125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-82634270616247272452011-03-23T05:26:00.000-04:002011-03-23T05:26:35.480-04:00Laid off Electrician Stands by Pro-life ValuesHow many of us would stand by our principle when it cost us 100 dollars? How many would do the same if it cost them 1000 dollars? And how many would do it if they were nearing the end of unemployment and it cost them 70,000 dollars? Well that is just what electrician Tim Roach did. <br />
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Faced with the end of his unemployment he received a call from his union rep with a job offer as a foreman for eleven months with a salary between 65,000 and 70,000 dollars. But Tim turned it down...because it was part of the building of a planned parenthood clinic. <br />
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Any quotes used from this point on are from the article found <a href="http://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local/electrician-sparks-life-commitment-by-turning-down-abortion-clinic-job/">here</a>.<br />
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Tim did not even pause. They would find other ways to alleviate the tight budget and hard times. They would find ways that would not involve taking a life. Tim's wife, Nicole, tried at first to justify taking the job. They both, however, quickly saw that the excuse of "it's just a clinic" would not sit right with their consciences. Nicole is proud of her husband:<br />
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<blockquote><i>“What struck me most is that he turned it down immediately, He had within himself that sort of moral upbringing that had him immediately recognize that this was not the right thing to do."</i></blockquote><br />
The rest of Tim and Nicole's story, about how the whole ordeal of job loss has strengthened their faith as both individuals and a family, is in the link above. I want to focus for a second on what it takes to make such a decision.<br />
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First, it takes awareness. A pro-life person needs to be aware of where their money goes and what if funds. In this case the link was direct. He would have been helping to build a place that killed and led people to kill. No amount of money was worth that. But there are subtler things for us to remember in how we spend our money. Do you choose Pepsi or SoBe, from abortion supporting Pepsi Co or Coke, Vitamin water or the local knockoff that does not support it? What level of involvement is alright? Is it alright to buy from a company that contributes to general dispersal organizations like the United Way who allow people to choose Planned Parenthood as a place to donate? Or are direct contributors like Pepsi and AT&T. Each person needs to look at the involvement of the companies they support and determine what that means. Some people are uncomfortable with boycotts and a case can be made for more effective methods depending the level of involvement from the company and how it hurts the workers as well. It is a matter of making a moral decision based on the awareness of the issue and what we know to be right. Awareness means not being lazy about finding out where the money is going and how it gets there. It means facing what that money train means and how we are a part of it. But awareness needs something else to make it a force.<br />
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Second, it takes Courage. Awareness needs courage to be active. We can know, ponder and decide to do a large number of things...but the action of doing them in the face of hardship, ridicule and derision takes courage. Tim turned down a 70,000 dollar job when he and his family were facing a bleak set of options. That takes courage. But that courage comes from something else. <br />
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Third, it takes Faith. Tim had the faith to know and believe abortion is wrong. He also had the faith to look right into the presented solution to his problems, vacations for his children and comforts for the whole family, and have the faith that God would provide. To place the situation in God's hands rather than do what he knew was wrong. <br />
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Awareness, to know the situation.<br />
Courage, to act on what is right.<br />
Faith, to guide us in knowing right from wrong and sustain us in our courage.<br />
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Dear Lord, as lent continues help us have the awareness to see how our lives effect everyone around us. Give us the courage to make difficult choices and give us the faith to know you will help us in all our hardships. DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-21041463856132505072011-03-17T14:45:00.006-04:002011-03-17T20:07:25.907-04:00Using your Kindle To Teach CCD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZjbA2Cs4isjHv6yfHhK9fKyUis8lqNMxB_NJKhhe-8JBZzgjVQAMtYuoKehvJxQw3opOo9IcWWZuuvWElz1EOJVM0EWahvmH7PAk0Y9Ile1gg0hHJdB2WmFbYIqaSizyI2os/s1600/586kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZjbA2Cs4isjHv6yfHhK9fKyUis8lqNMxB_NJKhhe-8JBZzgjVQAMtYuoKehvJxQw3opOo9IcWWZuuvWElz1EOJVM0EWahvmH7PAk0Y9Ile1gg0hHJdB2WmFbYIqaSizyI2os/s320/586kindle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For the last few months I have been using my kindle to carry my lesson plan and references for teaching 8th grade CCD. For those non-Catholics who don't know and those Catholics who never asked ; CCD stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. It is the name for the classes Catholic children who are not in Catholic school take in order to learn the faith. <br />
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I favor using more modern tech if I can. A few weeks ago we all did our own fake facebook page (on a paper template) for Jesus to cover concepts such as who His friends were, what people would ask as intercession, how saints pray for us (by seeing what intercessions they would post) and omnipresence by showing Him attending many masses at the same time with the events function.<br />
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So I thought I would post on how to use the Kindle as a lesson planner and reference holder. First I write a lesson plan.<br />
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Here is a bullet pointed version of my lesson plan for this week based on our textbook. I often use the bullet pointed version and use the text as a guide to the main points of the plan in addition to what I have memorized about the text. (Page numbers in parentheses from the teachers manual): <br />
<blockquote><u><b>Lessons 8 And 9 Combined</b></u><br />
<u><b> Part 1: Suffering Servant and the Passion</b></u><br />
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Opening Prayer<br />
<b><br />
Engage</b><br />
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<ul><li>What is a prophet?</li>
<li> Why is it important to get messages to people accurately, safely and on time?</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Teach and Apply</b><br />
<ul>
<li> The Suffering Servant</li>
<li> Isaiah and prophecy </li>
<ul><li> Read pages 84-85 (152-53)</li>
<li>Why was the idea of the suffering servant helpful during exile?</li>
<li> The odds of Christ. 1 in 10 to the 157th power to fulfill 48 prophecies (He fulfilled 324)</li>
</ul><li> Speaking out for justice</li>
<li> Sinless Servant</li>
<ul><li> Christ as Historical figure…He existed</li>
<li> Compare the suffering servant with Jesus</li>
</ul><li> Works of art inspired by the life and work of Jesus</li>
<li> Does Christ inspire you?</li>
<li> Veneration of the Cross p. 92 (p. 160)</li>
<li> Evil in the world</li>
<ul><li> Original Justice </li>
<li> Original Sin</li>
<li> What effects of original sin do you see in the world today?</li>
</ul><li> Where and why do people suffer?</li>
<ul><li> Silently read p. 95</li>
<li> Moral and Physical evil (Did you know p.95 (p. 167))</li>
<li> How does the Paschal Mystery illustrate good coming from evil?</li>
</ul><li> Freedom, good and bad consequences p. 95 (p.167)</li>
<li> Faith Connection activity p. 95 (p. 167)</li>
<li> Jesus the new Adam</li>
<li> Jesus Cross, our Cross</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Connect</b><br />
<ul>
<li> How does the passion and death of Jesus help us carry our crosses</li>
<li> Without Good Friday, No Easter Sunday</li>
<li> "Unless there is a cross in our lives, there will never be the empty tomb--unless there is a crown of thorns, there will never be the halo of light--unless there is a Good Friday, there will never be an Easter Sunday- Fulton Sheen </li>
</ul></blockquote><blockquote><ul><li> Dealing with Loss and Suffering</li>
</ul></blockquote><blockquote><ul></ul>Closing Prayer</blockquote><br />
I then take the lesson plan and use Mobipocket creator to convert the Word Document to a Kindle Format..usually a PRC file. Sometimes the formatting gets messed up on the indents of the bullet points...if that would bother you then use a format without bullet points. <br />
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I then bookmark relevant points in the Compendium of the Catechism so I am sure present the material on the major points in the correct manner. If you do not have a Kindle version of the Compendium then go to the <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html">Vatican Website</a> and copy and paste the sections you need into a word file and convert it like the lesson plan. <br />
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For this lesson I have sections 118, 119, 366<br />
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<blockquote><b>118. Why was the death of Jesus part of God's plan?</b><br />
599-605<br />
619<br />
To reconcile to himself all who were destined to die because of sin God took the loving initiative of sending his Son that he might give himself up for sinners. Proclaimed in the Old Testament, especially as the sacrifice of the Suffering Servant, the death of Jesus came about “in accordance with the Scriptures”.<br />
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<b>119. In what way did Christ offer himself to the Father?</b><br />
606-609<br />
620<br />
The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to carry out his plan of salvation. He gave “his life as a ransom for many” (<i>Mark</i> 10:45) and in this way he reconciled all of humanity with God. His suffering and death showed how his humanity was the free and perfect instrument of that divine love which desires the salvation of all people.<br />
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<b>366. What place does human freedom have in the plan of salvation?</b><br />
1739-1742<br />
1748<br />
Our freedom is weakened because of original sin. This weakness is intensified because of successive sins. Christ, however, set us free “so that we should remain free” (<i>Galatians</i> 5:1). With his grace, the Holy Spirit leads us to spiritual freedom to make us free co-workers with him in the Church and in the world.</blockquote><br />
I then bookmark all Scripture readings in my Kindle version Catholic Edition RSV Bible, and read over any important notes in the Kindle RSV Catholic Study New Testament by Scott Hahn. I highlight as notes or bookmark any helpful information. For this week I have the Suffering Servant Isaiah passages and the Passion accounts. <br />
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I then load any MP3 versions of hymns that are suitable for reflection if I have them.<br />
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Then anything special. This week I do a short prayer service for the Veneration of the cross in Word and convert it to Prc for Kindle. <br />
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Now I move the lesson plan, Bible and Compendium (along with any other bookmarked reference material) into one Kindle collection so I have them all in one place to make it easier to switch between them.<br />
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Then I can use the Kindle one handed while writing on the board, reference dozens of various sources and even use it to play music. So with the kindle and teachers manual (to reference the textbook) I usually do the whole class while not having to go through multiple books.<br />
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Now in class I use the kindle as the main reference to my lesson plan (always have paper backup), my Bible (although be sure to keep one on the class altar/prayer space) and portable Compendium of the Catechism.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-68251519390374043192011-03-17T12:51:00.000-04:002011-03-17T12:51:40.089-04:00My Thoughts on Events in Egypt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN91CHtm_Gxbq9YijucrD6IYKRHEGlTzMPjqxV4Hd7cssQkqwrshtOZZrrr2GR7fWy7dOaJpf9L3oYv0uU4uxd-kFBJvh8oiFMFYvUvafRmO9qcVQfbYiKvIhAe4TxpZy8pfc/s1600/t1larg.coptic.m10.gi.afp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN91CHtm_Gxbq9YijucrD6IYKRHEGlTzMPjqxV4Hd7cssQkqwrshtOZZrrr2GR7fWy7dOaJpf9L3oYv0uU4uxd-kFBJvh8oiFMFYvUvafRmO9qcVQfbYiKvIhAe4TxpZy8pfc/s320/t1larg.coptic.m10.gi.afp.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Anyone who has followed my blog in the past knows that I have always tried to bring awareness about the sufferings of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Although I am Catholic, these are my brothers and sisters in Christ and they have suffered horribly over the centuries. <br />
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Like nearly everyone in the world I was riveted by the coverage of recent events in Egypt. I prayer fervently for the Egyptians to win their freedom. I rejoiced as Muslims and Christians acted as one, defending each other at prayer and/or Divine Liturgy. But since the end of the revolution covered by the media things have not gone very well for the Coptic Christians. <br />
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The site <a href="http://english.freecopts.net/english/">The Free Copts</a> has excellent coverage of events; so I will only provide a short summary. More detailed information can be had in this article: <a href="http://english.freecopts.net/english//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1243&Itemid=1">link</a><br />
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The short form is that on March 5th a Coptic Church was destroyed after local unrest involving a mixed relationship. Muslims destroyed the Church as the military watched and by many reports aided. Then 2,000,000 Copts and liberal Muslims protested for 9 days outside the TV Building in Maspero demanding the return of the Copts to their village and the rebuilding of the Church. <br />
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Eventually the military agreed, after some Muslims even made the insane accusation of witchcraft against the Copts, to rebuild the Church. That is a short summary, please read the above links for a full account.<br />
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There is cause for concern and hope in the story. One one hand there was death and destruction as the military watched. On the other, there was a united interfaith demand for justice that is being met. But there are still some very troubling response from the military in what I have read.<br />
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There is a long hard road ahead for all of Egypt and her people. May God guide and protect everyone. And may the Coptic Orthodox Church be allowed to worship in full equality.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-12033361545446093192011-03-17T12:18:00.000-04:002011-03-17T12:18:24.826-04:00Why I've been away for two yearsWhy have I been away...self explanatory:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldsl1MHc3UcKIiiW1vGNEnlDFKvjnKIS25IFtKzZxAh6IVOwn8epdzPm1_KrHqy3cSEgq4A1Jewcrr6y650TN2rUj72wzFbU3LGdbOShqNJN54CYGEyvHpHdhDHjuMt9QQxDW/s1600/Why.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="40" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldsl1MHc3UcKIiiW1vGNEnlDFKvjnKIS25IFtKzZxAh6IVOwn8epdzPm1_KrHqy3cSEgq4A1Jewcrr6y650TN2rUj72wzFbU3LGdbOShqNJN54CYGEyvHpHdhDHjuMt9QQxDW/s320/Why.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-78628258819219824582011-03-17T11:17:00.001-04:002011-03-17T11:26:11.880-04:00It's been two years...butIt has been two years but i've decided to try posting again. Life is good and I have some time here and there so we will see if I can resurrect the old blog in time for Easter. I plan on trying next week.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-11790532051006870102009-11-15T13:43:00.005-05:002009-11-15T13:46:55.280-05:00It Has Been AwhileIt's been awhile since I have updated. Life has been a bit hectic but fulfilling. I am a father now and soon I'll be a stay at home dad. This may give me a little more time to keep up this blog since Lily is a fairly calm child. I know that I'll be run ragged in other ways, but time may be slightly more flexible than doing it all and working. So I don't know, but it is possible that after Christmas I'll try to revitalize this blog and keep up with issues of Christian persecution and my other thoughts.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-19131284572090520922008-07-24T20:25:00.001-04:002008-07-24T20:30:00.852-04:00Support Resolution 1303The Free Copts has more: <a href="http://freecopts.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=934&Itemid=1">link</a><br /><br />Here is the text of the legislation: <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr110-1303">link</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-20748593794471004242008-07-14T12:16:00.001-04:002014-06-08T22:48:18.764-04:00Rally in Washington DC in Support of Coptic Christians in Egypt reposted below<br />
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<div style="font-style: italic;">
American Egyptian Coptic Christians along with activists from Egypt, the Middle East, Europe and the USA, will organize a peaceful rally on July 16, 2008. The rally will start in front of the White House at 12:00 Noon- 2:00 P.M., and will conclude in front of the Egyptian Embassy at 2:30- 3:30 P.M. The purpose of the rally is to protest recent violent attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt.</div>
<div style="font-style: italic;">
The Copts of Egypt are the largest Christian minority in the Middle East. They number about 15% of Egypt’s population of 80 millions. Not a month passes by without their churches, homes and businesses being attacked. According to a study made by Ibn Khaldoun Research Center in Cairo, over 240 major attacks against the Copts took place during the period from 1972- 2003. It is estimated that, during the last three decades, more than 4000 Copts were killed or injured. This in addition to damages directed to Coptic properties that could exceed hundreds of millions of dollars. Hundreds of Christian Coptic girls, some are minors, are abducted and forced to embrace Islam and marry Muslim men.<br /><span id="more-181"></span><br />During the last few weeks, Muslim extremists in Egypt attacked a jewelry store owned by Copts killing four Copts. The extremists also attacked Abu Fana Coptic monastery injuring many monks and kidnapping three. The abducted monks were tortured, humiliated and ordered to denounce their Christian faith. In Fayoum, Muslim extremists attacked homes and businesses owned by Coptic Christians. A Coptic Christian man was killed by Muslims in the town of Dafash, governorate of Minia, in the southern part of Egypt.</div>
<div style="font-style: italic;">
In addition to violent attacks by Muslim extremists, the Copts of Egypt suffer from discriminatory laws and practices imposed on them by the Egyptian government. These practices include restrictions on church building, under representation in Parliament, and discrimination in jobs and promotions. Many high ranking jobs in Egypt are out of reach for Copts.</div>
DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-70607503064293818462008-06-01T13:00:00.002-04:002008-06-01T13:05:54.796-04:00Kidnapped monks released after southern Egypt clashes and other attacks<a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212041447718&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">Link</a> to the story.<br /><br />Two quotes from the article:<br /><br /><span class="lead"><p style="font-style: italic;">Three monks abducted after bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians were set free Sunday as calm returned to the southern Egyptian village, said a security official. <br /></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">The battle erupted Saturday when local Muslims claimed the expansion of a monastery was being carried out illegally on state property in the village of Deir Abu Fana, near the city of Minya, 210 kilometers south of the capital.</span> </p> <!-- It will play either video as first choice, or first image if there isn't an image --> <div id="artPhotoBlock" class="clearboth" style="font-style: normal;"> </div> </span><br />And:<br /><span class="lead"><p style="font-style: italic;">The latest clashes, however, come against a disturbing backdrop of attacks against Christian jewelers over the past week that prompted one Coptic member of parliament to claim Thursday that police were not adequately protecting the community. </p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">On Wednesday, gunmen stormed a jewelry shop in Cairo and killed the Coptic owner and three of his assistants, but did not steal anything.</span> </p></span>The Free Copts have the story of the jewelery attacks: <a href="http://freecopts.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=903&Itemid=1">Copts shot dead in Cairo attack</a><br />and <a href="http://freecopts.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=902&Itemid=1" class="contentpagetitle"> Four Cairo Copts shot dead in gangland-style slaying</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-15488981046819776022008-04-14T17:50:00.003-04:002008-04-14T17:52:56.313-04:00Egypt complains to Britain at treatment of Coptic popeWith Pope Benedict XVI coming to America tomorrow I would like to post this story and ask my brothers and sisters to think how Catholics would feel if our Pope was treated this way:<br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> CAIRO, April 8 (Reuters) </span>- Egypt has complained to the British government about the way security treated the head of the Egyptian Coptic Church in the VIP lounge at Heathrow airport in London, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> Airport security insisted on March 30 that Pope Shenouda, 84, go through normal security checks, including a metal detector and a body search, local papers said. The body search was eventually waived when the cleric objected, the papers said.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> The Foreign Ministry told the British ambassador in Cairo that the Egyptian people were extremely offended at the incident and the British government should explain what it called "this unacceptable behaviour, which led to an angry reaction on the part of Egyptian public opinion", a statement said.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> Britain replied that it regretted the incident but that religious leaders and other VIPs are not exempt from the standard security procedures at Heathrow, the statement added.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> It quoted the British ambassador, Dominic Asquith, as saying he was awaiting a report from London on the incident and would ask for a meeting with pope Shenouda to apologise.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> Pope Shenouda is the spiritual leader of most of Egypt's Coptic Christians, who number up to 10 percent of the country's 75 million people. He was in England to open a new cathedral in Stevenage in Hertfordshire, north of London. (Writing by Jonathan Wright; Editing by Catherine Evans) <a href="http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL0862491.html">Source</a><br /></p>I think this is totally unbelievable. I am glad the ambassador will apologize. That this even happened is outrageous.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-78884365585933513242008-01-16T21:52:00.001-05:002008-01-16T21:52:45.814-05:00Man convicted of murder in Egypt gains release from Pennsylvania prisonThe story:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;" class="lead"><p>An Egyptian convicted of murder in absentia in his home country was released from federal custody after a judge ruled he had legitimate reasons to fear being tortured if deported. </p> <!-- It will play either video as first choice, or first image if there isn't an image --> <!-- display the second paragraph --> <p>Sameh S. Khouzam, 38, called his release after seven months "the best thing in the world. I'm blessed with all the love and support of the good people around me," the <a id="KonaLink0" target="_new" class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;" href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1200475895413&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull#"><span style="color: blue ! important; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:blue;" ><span class="kLink" style="color: blue ! important; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; white-space: nowrap;">York</span></span></a> Daily Record reported. </p><p>Despite his release Tuesday from York County Prison, Khouzam must still wear a monitoring device on his ankle. A spokesman for the Justice Department said officials had not decided whether to appeal his release. </p><p>Khouzam has argued he will be tortured for his religious beliefs as a Coptic Christian if he is deported to <a id="KonaLink1" target="_new" class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;" href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1200475895413&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull#"><span style="color: blue ! important; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:blue;" ><span class="kLink" style="color: blue ! important; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; white-space: nowrap;">Egypt</span></span></a>, which is predominantly Muslim. He also denies the allegations that he killed a woman and then fled to the United States a decade ago.</p></span>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-1339908345354047312008-01-13T20:48:00.000-05:002008-01-13T20:50:27.133-05:00The incident (attack) at Abu Fana Monastery in El MiniaThe Free Copts has the story <a href="http://freecopts.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=763&Itemid=9">(Link)</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-23466097572582988132007-12-27T07:56:00.000-05:002007-12-27T07:57:37.958-05:00Anti-Christian violence flares in India at ChristmasThe article:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bangalore, Dec. 26, 2007 (CWNews.com)</span> - Three Christians were killed, and 18 churches destroyed, in a coordinated series of Christmas attacks by Hindu zealots in Indias eastern Orissa state.<br /><br />Beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing through Christmas Day, Hindu mobs carried out at least 20 assaults on Christian institutions in Orissa. The wave of violence led to the destruction of 18 churches and village chapels, 4 convents, 8 hostels run by Church groups, and 15 shops belonging to Christian vendors.<br /><br />The attacks began in the Kandhmahal district of Orissa, when Hindu militants began pulling down Christmas decorations that were displayed on homes and church buildings. Gun-wielding assailants then interrupted Christmas Eve services in a few churches. As the mobs surged, law-enforcement officials in four towns urged pastors not to go near their churches on Christmas Day, since police could not provide adequate security.<br /><br />The Catholic bishops of India issued a statement decrying the "well-planned attacks," suggesting that they pointed toward "a planned effort to disturb communal peace." The violence, the Indian bishosp said, "completely shocked us, and we are deeply pained at a time when we are celebrating the peace and harmony of Christmas." </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55578">link</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-52390512779327553532007-12-17T17:55:00.000-05:002007-12-17T17:56:48.486-05:00Angry Muslims attack shops owned by Christians amid sectarian tensions in Egypt<span style="font-style:italic;">CAIRO, Egypt - Angry Muslims attacked and destroyed shops owned by Coptic Christians today in southern Egypt.<br /><br />A police official says the attackers hurled stones and set fire to several shops, smashed windows of a church and damaged two cars in the early morning hours.<br /><br />Police detained 15 people suspected of taking part in the attacks in the town of Isna, located about 560 kilometres south of Cairo.<br /><br />The riots followed reports that two Coptic Christians pulled down the veil of a Muslim woman in a car park on Saturday evening.<br /><br />Muslim-Coptic tensions are commonplace in southern Egypt, mostly over land or church construction disputes.<br /><br />Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10 per cent of Egypt's 76<br />.5 million people and generally live in peace with the Muslim majority.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iAtqL-mOLpALigNmHgGhtgYAhiFA">Link</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-51556505023897278102007-12-04T19:09:00.001-05:002007-12-04T19:09:47.511-05:00Why is Christmas when it is?Alot of people argue that Christmas is when it is because the date is close to a Pagan holy day. This however is not really correct. Yes there is some borrowing, but there are strong studies to show that December 25 was chosen for much more important reasons.<br /><br />Christians celebrated 25 March as the Feast of the Annunciation, a commemoration which continues today. Since 25 December falls exactly nine months after the Annunciation, it seemed the most natural day on which to celebrate Jesus' birth. And teh date for the Annunciation was set first.<br /><br />There may even be a strong basis for 25 December as the actual, historical date of Christ's nativity.<br /><br />In a recent issue of "Osservatore Romano" (the Vatican's official newspaper), Professor Tommaso Federici, Professor at the Pontifical Urbanian University and consultant to two Vatican Congregations, says that recent archaological discoveries in the Holy Land shed light on when Jesus was born:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />"As long ago as 1958, the Israeli scholar Shemaryahu Talmon published an in-depth study on the calendar of the Qumran sect, and he reconstructed without the shadow of doubt the order of the sacerdotal rota system for the temple of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 24, 7-18) in New Testament times.<br /><br />Here the family of Abijah, of which Zechariah was a descendant, father of John the herald and forerunner (Luke 1,5) was required to officiate twice a year, on the days 8-14 of the third month, and on the days 24-30 of the eighth month.<br /><br />This latter period fell at about the end of September. It is not without reason that the Byzantine calendar celebrated 'John's conception' on September 23 and his birth nine months later, on June 24.<br /><br />The 'six months' after the Annunciation established as a liturgical feast on March 25, comes three months before the forerunner's birth, prelude to the nine months in December: December 25 is a date of history"<br /><br />Even the common argument that shepherds would not have been in the fields in December is inaccurate. That is the time of the year when sheep naturally begin giving birth ("lambing"), and the shepherds would typically stay with the sheep at night to take care of the newborn lambs. In fact, the lambing season would have been the only time of the year in which the shepherds would have stayed with the flocks during the night (see Luke 2:8).</span><br /><br /><br />So from what we know we would know when Zechariah was in the temple when he was told about John. We also know from the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth and where they were in gestation where to place the rest of the dates.<br /><br />This information seems to confirm that Jesus could well have been born on or near 25 December, perhaps even 6 January (considering the many possible normal fluctuations of gestational periods as human gestation is actually 10 months but varies). So either of these traditional dates may be - or at least come very close to - Jesus' real birthday!<br /><br />The fact that December 25 happens to fall four days after the Winter Solstice is a coincidence of history (and the Eastern Christmas is sixteen days removed from the solstice, so it's harder to see a connection there).<br /><br />Back to the Annunciation being set as a date first. Why do we celebrate the Annunciation on March 25 (aside from what Professor Federici has shown as common ancient knowledge about the birth of John)? Because the ancient Jews believed in something called Integral Lifespan. This is the belief that holy people die on the same day their life began. We know what date passover was the year Christ died, it comes out to March 25. Since life begins at conception, his life began (according to ancient logic) on March 25.<br /><br />In the Didache, the recorded writings of the 12 apostles from the first century, it is clear that it was always believed by Christians that life begins at conception.<br /><br />Now, I'm not saying that the integral lifespan theology is correct, but it was the basis for when to set the date. And yes traditions and such did develop from some pagan ways.<br /><br />But look at the above...where three or four lines of thought and ancient proofs indicate that we actually have the right day. And it has nothing to do with pagan festivals.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-59315983749249536722007-12-02T12:21:00.000-05:002007-12-02T12:29:12.941-05:00We are a People of Hope<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMa3Hmm2n-ogpewAFvAulXRWo4EI4m9lqkppw3kynsYcUJXlmnfxjSABNQe25OOqFawkdlb19ysMlnYettWyxerv_FK1M7psDiw0ebgx0IfM0U2JQZr2yTDRfA6OwGXhdhcHsA/s1600-r/advent.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_Knaa61Vyr-8sqp8AiJ7XlF54E2Oghn78lsXqe6D69p1gtUH-bGmdbYavK5OWIbQX0la92LTaAQ31YEs_x8clFeBGe1x6y1sUF7paWsd-ykt_363KGhwc8inpmaHm0KnMNra/s320/advent.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139428516967058290" border="0" /></a><br />Pope Benedict's newest Encyclical letter (New Encyclical: For in this hope we were saved (Spe salvi facti sumus)), the second of his pontificate, explore the virtue of Hope. It is, in many ways, well timed for advent and the current state of our world. As I read through it I was continually struck with the realization as to how much hope is at the very heart of Christian living.<br /><br />The pope writes:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Here too we see as a distinguishing mark of Christians the fact that they have a future: it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness. Only when the future is certain as a positive reality does it become possible to live the present as well. So now we can say: Christianity was not only “good news”—the communication of a hitherto unknown content. In our language we would say: the Christian message was not only “informative” but “performative”. That means: the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known—it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing. The dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life. </span><br /></span><br /><br />Hope is the very heart of our faith. We are an Easter people. And what is being described above, if not the triumph over death and sin that is the hope of Easter. But we are also an Advent people…waiting and expecting the joy of Christmas. The arrival of the Savior.<br /><br />But what the Pope writes about goes beyond that…he writes of an active hope. A hope that is, as he says, “performative”. In reality it is transformative…transfiguring. He says:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">We have raised the question: can our encounter with the God who in Christ has shown us his face and opened his heart be for us too not just “informative” but “performative”—that is to say, can it change our lives, so that we know we are redeemed through the hope that it expresses?</span></span><br /><br />But this hope…this living, performative, transformative and transfiguring hope is known by a name…a person. Drawing on St. Gregory Nazianzan the pope writes:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">He says that at the very moment when the Magi, guided by the star, adored Christ the new king, astrology came to an end, because the stars were now moving in the orbit determined by Christ.2 This scene, in fact, overturns the world-view of that time, which in a different way has become fashionable once again today. It is not the elemental spirits of the universe, the laws of matter, which ultimately govern the world and mankind, but a personal God governs the stars, that is, the universe; it is not the laws of matter and of evolution that have the final say, but reason, will, love—a Person. And if we know this Person and he knows us, then truly the inexorable power of material elements no longer has the last word; we are not slaves of the universe and of its laws, we are free.<br /></span></span><br /><br />A person. As faith is an encounter with a Person. Christ. God. A Person who loves us beyond all human understanding. The cause of our Hope.<br /><br />There is much more to the Pope’s new Encyclical and I have not finished it yet. But as we move toward Christmas and now into Advent…It is good to remember that we are:<br /><br />An Easter People<br />An Advent People<br />A people of Hope<br /><br />May we prepare our hearts.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-62431904691055077132007-11-28T11:53:00.001-05:002007-11-28T11:55:48.474-05:00Getting Back into the Swing of ThingsI have not been reliable in blogging for a bit. I have spent some time moderating a Christian message board. I am now moderating a smaller one and will have more time. So after Christmas (hopefully through December) I will be blogging at least twice a week.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-38092389186562783612007-11-26T14:58:00.000-05:002007-11-26T15:02:03.092-05:00Shadia Nagui Ibrahim:A summation of the story:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />An Egyptian Christian woman has been jailed for three years because her father's brief conversion to Islam 45 years ago made her legally a Muslim while her official papers said she was Christian, her lawyer said Thursday.</span><br /><br />The story is here at The Free Copts:<a href="http://freecopts.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=704&Itemid=9"> link</a><br /><br />Another source article: <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gWAdeTNMOeMfyPaOwrYpODjNAQJA">link</a><br /><br />I hope to write more on this later.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-33359590655839378122007-11-14T17:51:00.000-05:002007-11-14T17:52:41.747-05:00Egypt Police Arrest Muslims After Christians KilledLink to the story <a href="http://www.aina.org/news/20071114124259.htm">(link)</a>.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-49535069747284384492007-11-13T20:55:00.000-05:002007-11-13T20:56:23.707-05:00Egypt Arrests Three Christian Rights ActivistsThe Story: <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/article/20071113/30072_Egypt_Arrests_Three_Christian_Rights_Activists.htm">Link</a><br /><br />A quote from the article:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />The U.S. Copts Association said the recent arrest was likely caused by the men’s investigation into reports that a Coptic worker in Cairo was thrown from his balcony by two Egyptian police after he refused to pay them extortion money, according to WorldNetDaily.<br /><br />The association’s report said soon after the Coptic worker’s fall, the Egyptian police had reported the death as suicide.</span>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-42942222784916903012007-11-12T12:23:00.000-05:002007-11-12T12:26:19.366-05:00Pope to make first visit to the United StatesThe Story is here <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071112/ap_on_re_us/catholic_bishops">(link)</a><br /><br />Kind of odd to write that in a way. John Paul II traveled so very much that to think of this as the fist Papal visit is a bit odd. I'm looking forward to what he will say at the United Nations. I'm sure his visit to ground zero will be handled with dignity and will leave a lasting impression on more than a few American Catholics.DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-14850157084082003662007-11-01T14:55:00.000-04:002007-11-01T14:56:04.002-04:0050 arrested in clash in Minya provinceThe Story:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cairo (AP) -- Police arrested some 50 people Friday following a clash between Muslims and Coptic Christians triggered by a land dispute, security officials said.<br /><br />Some 20 people were wounded during the clash in Minya province, some 210 Kilometers (130 miles) south of Cairo, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.<br /><br />The clashes began after Friday prayers when Muslim villagers in Izbat el-Abid protested against the extension of a monastery in a nearby village, claiming the construction was on state property, the officials said.<br /><br />Police had to ask for reinforcements from throughout Minya to control the clash, the officials added.</span>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-44323169452962822692007-10-11T09:04:00.000-04:002007-10-11T09:10:11.656-04:00US House foreign affairs committee passes resolution calling Armenian Genocide exactly what it is...genocide.The US House foreign affairs committee has made a potentially historic move <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyx7xb5Sb8su-Rnz_H7WiRDJWNTA">(Article)</a>.<br /><br />They have passed a resolution that calls the Armenian Genocide exactly what it was. It is honest and direct.<br /><br />Yes, it has severe ramifications for our relations with Turkey. But it is the right thing to do. <br /><br />I urge people to write their reps and ask them to support this resolution when it reaches the full floor of the House. This is about doing what is right without backing down. As said in the article:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />"We've been told the timing is bad," Democratic House member Gary Ackerman said in an emotional hearing that lasted nearly four hours. "But the timing was bad for the Armenian people in 1915."</span>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-17921375001063271132007-08-30T11:14:00.000-04:002007-08-30T11:20:22.743-04:00Help save Onsy Zachary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaNbIe2fUOYVmvwUY3E9Z1X4hRTLYLgREwcH4ZYy3Eqv4AUJJr5I4wV7KNBlTB-xyQ56hkWJ2Bhd9rZaHmNdxgp58AczY9fveQ0Kx4l73TiYCADOZDYda4fdoxm4pJMubszQL/s1600-h/onsy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaNbIe2fUOYVmvwUY3E9Z1X4hRTLYLgREwcH4ZYy3Eqv4AUJJr5I4wV7KNBlTB-xyQ56hkWJ2Bhd9rZaHmNdxgp58AczY9fveQ0Kx4l73TiYCADOZDYda4fdoxm4pJMubszQL/s320/onsy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104513694807446578" border="0" /></a><br />The story is here in detail. Please read and sign the petition. <a href="http://www.saveonsy.com/">(link)</a>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228248.post-14453107037263168692007-08-12T17:03:00.000-04:002007-08-12T17:07:21.347-04:00Egypt in uproar over Christian convert caseThe story <a href="http://www.churchexecutive.com/Page.cfm/PageID/9853">(link)</a><br /><br />Some notable excerpts, His first lawyer resigned from the case:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">His first lawyer – Mamdouh Nakhla, director of the Al Kalema Center for Human Rights – withdrew from the case Tuesday after claiming his decision was base on “national unity” and alleging that Hegazy did not give him the documents that proved Egyptian authorities rejected his application.<br /><br />“If you add the state of alert in Egyptian society, and to protect the feelings of our Muslim brothers, and to protect our national unity…we decided to abandon this case,” said Nakhla, according to Reuters. However, some reports have claimed that the lawyer was threatened by Egypt’s security police who said he would be killed if he continued the case. During a press conference at Nakhla’s office, one of the staff members at Al Kalema Center reportedly shouted, “He is being threatened, he is doing this under pressure,” according to Compass Direct News.</span></span><br /><br /><br />And the second is now in custody:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Furthermore, the Christian convert’s new lawyer – Dr. Adel Fawzy Faltas, president of the Middle East Christian Association (MECA) in Egypt – is said to be detained by the Egyptian police after holding a high-profile online chat with Hegazy, according to Compass.<br /><br />Faltas, 61, was arrested from his Cairo home Wednesday afternoon. His home was reportedly raided Thursday by officials who confiscated two laptops and a desktop computer.<br /><br />"They cut up the mattresses, tore everything up and took all the books as well," said Nader Fawzy, head of the Canada-based MECA, who has close contact with various leaders of MECA’s Egyptian branch, according to Compass.<br /><br />Fawzy said that Faltas had been blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back when he was arrested.<br /><br />The rest of the members of the Christian rights group is said to be in hiding. A third lawyer, Ramses Raouf el-Nagar, has now taken up Hegazy’s case. </span><br /></span><br /><br />And the family:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />The case has garnered national attention with some Egyptian newspapers giving it front page coverage, according to Reuters.<br /><br />When asked why he has chosen to fight for legal Christian status, Hegazy explained that his wife was four months pregnant and he wanted his son to be raised openly as a Christian.</span></span>DavidNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10605665429157245648noreply@blogger.com0