Holocaust Truth

BY The Editors

February 15-21, 2009 Issue

Sometimes history is more than history. The Holocaust, for instance, isn’t just an event in the past. It is a gaping wound in humanity. For healing to occur, we must recognize all that happened.
This has been the constant position not just of Pope Benedict XVI, but also of Pope John Paul II, Pope Paul VI, Pope John XXIIII — and Pope Pius XII. (Full story at NCRegister.com)

Culture, Again

By Robert Royal

Evangelize the culture. Be not afraid. Those two phrases might be fairly taken to sum up the entire papacy of John Paul the Great. He knew what he was talking about. As does Benedict XVI, who has pointed to the bloody secularist regimes in the twentieth century and suggested that it would be a good thing for all of us, even unbelievers, to start acting “as if God existed.” For a lot of Catholics, all this may sound like something optional and a little uncomfortable in modern pluralistic societies, where evangelizing or making converts or just criticizing bad behavior can appear arrogant or offensive or worse. But it’s becoming quite clear that there are only two alternatives. Either we and those with whom we can make alliances will evangelize the culture, or the culture will evangelize us. (Full story at The Catholic Thing)

Eluana Englaro dies at hospital in Italy

Rome, Feb 9, 2009 / 04:20 pm (CNA).- The 38 year-old Italian woman who was in a coma and whose father had waged a battle in the courts to disconnect her feeding tube and euthanize her died today at 8:10 p.m. local time.
Four days after her food and water were withdrawn, amidst a divisive debate throughout the country over the passage of a law that could have saved her, Eluana Englaro died at the La Quiete Hospital in Udine.
According to La Repubblica, upon learning of the news via telephone of his daughter’s death, Beppino Englaro said, “Yes, she has left us. But I don’t want to say anything else, I want to be alone.”  Mr. Englaro led the fight to have her daughter’s feeding tube disconnected and bring about her death.  He also had taken Eluana to the hospital in Udine where her food and hydration were withdrawn.
The director of the La Quiete Hospital, Ines Domenicali, confirmed that Eluana had died.  “She’s dead. I don’t know what time it was, don’t ask me any more questions.”  Outside the hospital where she was taken after being removed from the care of a group of the Sisters of Mercy in Lecco, some 200 people had gathered to pray for Eluana.
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the President of the Pontifical Council of Health Care, reacted to the news of Eluana’s death, praying, "May the Lord welcome her and forgive those who led her there (to her death).”
The Vatican prelate also emphasized that "it must be seen under what circumstances the death occurred, whether it was because of the suspension of food and hydration, or by various causes."
The case drew requests from dozens of leaders to save the Italian woman, while promoters of euthanasia were hoping her case could become a precedent for the legalization of euthanasia in Italy.  Polls showed 70% of Italians favored euthanizing her. 
Intense coverage of the case by Vatican watcher Sandro Magister and the Italian bishops’ daily L’Avvenire moved public opinion against disconnecting her feeding tubes, with the daily Corriere della Sera reporting on Monday that support for such a decision had dropped to 50%.

 OTHER RELATED NEWS LINKS:


Italy's "Terri Schiavo" Dies Suddenly (LifeSiteNews.com) 

Eluano Englaro Dies (NCRegister.com) 

Catholic family asking for miracle through intercession of JP II

Omaha, Nebraska, Feb 8, 2009 / 01:53 pm (CNA).- Tracy and Tami Hauser are praying for a miracle and asking others to do the same. On Oct. 8, their seventh child, John Paul, was born with a rare chromosomal disorder called Trisomy 13, which doctors consider incompatible with life. Despite the bleak diagnosis, the Hausers are praying for their son's healing through the intercession of the late Pope John Paul II, their son's namesake.

The Omaha couple wants to spread a devotion to the late Pope's beatification and canonization prayer in hopes that he will intercede for them and grant them one of the three miracles needed for his canonization.

"Every day is a miracle and even if John Paul should end up dying and going to heaven, it's still a great thing for this devotion for Pope John Paul to be spread," Tami Hauser said. "I am confident and believe that he loves this baby and will intercede for us. I have just felt compelled to spread this devotion to him."

(Full story at CNA)

Pope Benedict and German Chancellor discuss Holocaust comments

Vatican City, Feb 9, 2009 / 12:38 pm (CNA).- Pope Benedict and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken on the phone to discuss the Vatican’s position on the Holocaust, according to a statement released from the Holy See Press Office yesterday.

The communiqué stated that at the request of Merkel, the two heads of state spoke over the phone where they “were able to reciprocally exchange of points of view, in an atmosphere of the greatest respect.”

Last week Merkel asked the Vatican to clarify its position on the Holocaust due to controversy over Bishop Richard Williamson’s comments during an interview with a Swedish TV station. (Full story at CNA)

Bishop Williamson removed from seminary post

from catholicculture.org

February 09, 2009


The Society of St. Pius X has removed Bishop Richard Williamson from his position as rector of an Argentine seminary. Over the weekend, Bishop Williamson said he would reexamine the historical evidence for the Holocaust.

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

Holocaust-denier removed from Argentine seminary (Reuters)

Report: Holocaust denier will review evidence (AP)

Holocaust-denying bishop lived in Minn. 15 years (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Bishop Who Denied Holocaust Is Said to Lose Seminary Post (New York Times)

Showdown in Brisbane: archbishop removes pastor of rebel parish

This is a sad story. Please pray for  St. Mary's parish conversion.

February 09, 2009

A struggle between the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia, and a rebellious parish community has come to a head. Father Peter Kennedy, the pastor of St. Mary's parish in South Brisbane, revealed on Sunday that Archbishop John Bathersby has terminated his assignment there, effective February 21. But Father Kennedy has announced that he will not leave without a fight.

In a December 22 letter, made public this weekend, Archbishop Bathersby informed Father Kennedy that he would be relieved of his assignment, and the dean of the Brisbane cathedral, Father Ken Howell, would be made administrator of St. Mary's. The archbishop acknowledged that many parishioners at St. Mary's had already indicated their intention to break completely with the archdiocese, but said that if they followed Father Kennedy they would no longer be in communion with the universal Church.

In his letter the archbishop told the pastor: "At no stage did I ever want the present drama to be played out in the media. That was a decision that you made, probably with the approval of the community." He detailed his grave concerns about liturgical practices and unorthodox teaching at St. Mary's. "In the matter of faith," Archbishop Bathersby wrote, "it is frightening to hear that seven to nine hundred people attend the three liturgies at South Brisbane, yet there seems to be little instruction about Trinitarian theology." He observed that preachers and other members of the parish had "attacked the Church and Pope from the pulpit and attacked me, perhaps more gently, as Archbishop. Such attacks hardly indicate communion with the Church."

Father Kennedy responded to the latest development by telling reporters that he was prepared to resist the archbishop's authority, perhaps even risking arrest in a struggle to retain control of the parish. He also showed his contempt for the teaching authority of the Church, asking: "Can you possibly think any individual can believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary?" (Full story at Catholic Culture)

Reflection: Beware the Friends of Job

This is a very good reflention on Job

By Deacon Keith A. Fournier

2/8/2009

Catholic Online (http://www.catholic.org/)

Job did not follow God because He was so good to him, but because He is God. So should we.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) - This is a troubling and difficult time for so many people. Over and over again, I have heard the sad stories of financial setbacks, as the U.S. economy has seemingly lost all of its steam and people are watching their retirement funds, their homes and their savings seemingly vanish. I have seen so much serious illness in the lives of good people whom I love. I -and those whom I love the most - have had relational, emotional and physical struggles on almost every front. Sound familiar? Let’s be honest. Life is often difficult. That is the case even when you are praying, being as faithful as you can to Lord and His Church. Pain just seems to be a part of the program. (Full story at Catholic Online)