Catholic Faith and Culture - The Areopagus Catholic Newsletter

4-3-07

Greetings!

With the Easter Vigil this Saturday, a large number of people around the world will enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, either through Baptism or as converts from other denominations. The numbers of people pursuing such actions appears to be growing, both locally and around the world. These people range from the young to the old, from the average person to ones highly educated---all finding a home in Christ's Church.

Of particular interest was this story below. The former Episcopalian bishop of Albany, now retired, just converted to Catholicism.

"…Bishop Herzog stated that his decision was based on more than three years of focused prayer and study.

"My sense of duty to the diocese, its clergy and people required that I not walk away from my office and leave vulnerable this diocese which I love," he wrote. "I believed that it was my responsibility to provide for a transition to the future. Your subsequent election and consecration discharged that duty and has given me the liberty to follow my conscience, and now resign my orders and membership in the House of Bishops." Source: http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=3163

I believe it was the Catholic author, Flannery O'Connor, who once remarked about the Catholic Church "Here comes everybody!" A special welcome aboard to Bishop Herzog and to all those being received, especially the 13 here at St. Peter's. God bless you all!

Phil's Tidbits

This is a remarkable music video on YouTube. Based on a true story…it's the son's song thanking his mother for her decision to choose life for him….even though she was single and in high school. I'm no fan of rap…but this is one of the more remarkable rap videos I've ever seen. The scene at the end is especially touching. One suspects that a popular video/song such as this could have a very profound affect on its audience. http://youtube.com/watch?v=4AqPRcF7ZC0 < http://youtube.com/watch?v=4AqPRcF7ZC0>

No surprise here as JPII moves into the next stage toward sainthood. Dozens of Cures Reported in John Paul II Cause
Diocesan Phase Ends on 2-Year Anniversary of Death
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 28, 2007 (Zenit.org ).- The postulator for Pope John Paul II's cause of beatification, Monsignor Slawomir Oder, said many people have already attributed miracles to the Pontiff's intercession.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the postulator announced that the diocesan phase of John Paul II's beatification process would close on April 2. It will be the two-year anniversary of the Polish Pope's death.
Among the supposed miracles attributed to the intercession of this Pope, Monsignor Oder mentioned many reported healings from tumors. However, he clarified, these were not considered for the beatification, since time is needed to validate the cures.

One of the cases that is being considered is that of a French nun who was cured of Parkinson's disease two months after the Pope's death.

The postulator said the name of the sister "cannot be revealed at this time." He said that on Palm Sunday, April 1, the bishop of the diocese where the presumed miracle occurred will address a letter to the diocese, explaining what happened.

There are other reported healings as well, Monsignor Oder said. He mentioned two dealing with

"One of the first ones presented to me was that of a Polish couple" who presented their little daughter "on the day of the closing of the diocesan process in Krakow." The postulator explained that she was born after the parents suffered for years with fertility treatments.
Monsignor Oder spoke of another case, that of a "difficult pregnancy with loss of amniotic fluid. � After a few months of prayer asking for John Paul II's help, the fluid returned and the mother bore a healthy baby naturally." During the diocesan process approximately 130 testimonies were heard.
ZE07032705

29-March-2007 -- Catholic News Agency

Martyred Spanish priest Who Died Protecting Seal of Confession To Be Named "Blessed"

Valencia, Mar 29, 2007 (CNA).- The Holy See is moving ahead with the cause of beatification of Father Felipe Ciscar Puig, a Spanish priest who was martyred during the persecution of 1936 for protecting the seal of confession.

In statements to the AVAN news agency, the vice postulator of the cause, Father Benjamin Agullo, said Father Puig "is considered a martyr of the sacramental seal as he was shot for refusing to reveal the confession of a Franciscan priest who was himself executed."

Francisco Father Andres Ivars asked to go to confession when he was in prison in August of 1936, suspecting that his execution was near. "At that moment Ciscar was brought to the same prison. After the confession, they tried to get him to reveal the contents and in response to his denial to do so, the militants threatened to kill him," Father Agullo said.

Since he remained unmoved, his captors organized a mock trial and condemned him to death. Both Father Agullo and Father Ivars were driven by car to another location and were executed on September 8, 1936, the vice postulator of the cause explained.

Father Puig studied at the Seminary of Valencia and was ordained a priest in 1888. After serving as pastor in various parishes, he served as chaplain for the Augustinian Sisters of Denia.

Fathers Ciscar and Ivars are part the cause of canonization of the Servants of God Ricardo Pelufo Esteve and 43 companions, including 36 Franciscans.

This is a very interesting story about one of the lead researches on the new HPV vaccine. You've probably seen the push in numerous states to make this vaccine mandatory for young girls. The push is largely being funded by Merck Co, the producer of the vaccine. One "small" problem—the vaccine has never been tested on young girls.

Researcher blasts HPV marketing

BY CINDY BEVINGTON cindyb@kpcnews.net <mailto: cindyb@kpcnews. net >

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Diane M. Harper, a lead researcher in the development of the humanpapilloma virus vaccine, says giving the drug to 11-year-old girls "is a great big public health experiment."

LEBANON, N.H. - A lead researcher who spent 20 years developing the vaccine for humanpapilloma virus says the HPV vaccine is not for younger girls, and that it is "silly" for states to be mandating it for them.

Not only that, she says it's not been tested for effectiveness in younger girls, and administering the vaccine to girls as young as 9 may not even protect them at all. And, in the worst-case scenario, instead of serving to reduce the numbers of cervical cancers within 25 years,

such a vaccination crusade actually could cause the numbers to go up.

"Giving it to 11-year-olds is a great big public health experiment," said Diane M. Harper, who is a scientist, physician, professor and the director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire.

"It is silly to mandate vaccination of 11- to 12-year-old girls There also is not enough evidence gathered on side effects to know that safety is not an issue."

Internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field, Harper has been studying HPV and a possible vaccine for several of the more than 100 strains of HPV for 20 years - most of her adult life.

All of her trials have been with subjects ages 15 to 25. In her own practice, Harper believes the ideal way of administering the new vaccine is to offer it to women ages 18 and up. At the time of their first inoculation, they should be tested for the presence of HPV in their system.

If the test comes back negative, then schedule the follow-up series of the three-part shots. But if it comes back positive? "Then we don't know squat, because medically we don't know how to respond to that," Harper said.

The rest of the article can be found here: http://www.kpcnews.com/articles/2007/03/14/online_features/hpv_vaccine/hpv01.txt

Jesus' Obituary

Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth, died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha , the place of the skull. Betrayed by the apostle, Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate.

The causes of death were crucifixion, extreme exhaustion, severe torture and loss of blood.

Jesus Christ, a descendent of Abraham, was a member of the house of David. He was the Son of the late Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and Mary, His devoted Mother. Jesus was born in a stable in the city of Bethlehem , Judea. He is survived by His mother, Mary, His faithful Apostles, numerous disciples and many other followers.

Jesus was self-educated and spent most of his adult life working as a Teacher. Jesus also occasionally worked as a Medical Doctor and it is reported that he healed many patients. Up until the time of His death, Jesus was teaching and sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the hungry and helping the poor.

Jesus was most noted for telling parables about His Father's Kingdom and performing miracles, such as feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and healing a man who was born blind. On the day before His death, He held a Last Supper celebrating the Passover Feast, at which He foretold His death.

The body was quickly buried in a stone grave, which was donated by Joseph of Arimathea, a loyal friend of the family. By order of Pontius Pilate, a boulder was rolled in front of the tomb. Roman soldiers were put on guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus did. Donations may be sent to anyone in need.

Source: http://home.att.net/~scorh3/JesusObit.html (A page worth going too and using as a handout for those who teach)

God bless you! Phil Lawson For the latest info on St. Peter's, check out the parish website: www.saintpetercatholic.com (You can also find old editions of the Areopagus here)

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