THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE
PRAY FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION

Monday, November 10, 2008

A NEW STAR

Explanation: A new star, likely the brightest supernova in recorded human history, lit up planet Earth's sky in the year 1006 AD. The expanding debris cloud from the stellar explosion, found in the southerly constellation of Lupus, still puts on a cosmic light show across the electromagnetic spectrum. In fact, this composite view includes X-ray data in blue from the Chandra Observatory, optical data in yellowish hues, and radio image data in red. Now known as the SN 1006 supernova remnant, the debris cloud appears to be about 60 light-years across and is understood to represent the remains of a white dwarf star. Part of a binary star system, the compact white dwarf gradually captured material from its companion star. The buildup in mass finally triggered a thermonuclear explosion that destroyed the dwarf star. Because the distance to the supernova remnant is about 7,000 light-years, that explosion actually happened 7,000 years before the light reached Earth in 1006. Shockwaves in the remnant accelerate particles to extreme energies and are thought to be a source of the mysterious cosmic rays.

Monday, September 1, 2008

I CAN ONLY HOPE WE FIND GOD AGAIN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!

The following was written by Ben Stein & recited by him on CBS Sun Morning Commentary.

M y confession: I am a Jew, & every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. & it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.

It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.

I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.. But there are a lot of us who are wondering whe re these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:

This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.

The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide).

We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one wil l know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE ~ Don't be afraid to share your story.

After years of torture and abuse then going out to help thousands, shunned and rejected by people who should have been of love but were not, I am sharing my story.

I want to encourage people to share who you are, take risks. If people reject you, there are others out there that will not. If people do not understand you, find people who will.

Life on the Cutting Edge is a story of Pain and Hope and a willing drive to help others who also suffer from trauma.

DISPOSABLE HEROS

'Disposable Heroes': Veterans Used To Test Suicide-Linked Drugs

ABC NEWS VIDEO CLICK HERE

VIDEO PART ONE CLICK
VIDEO PART TWO CLICK

Saturday, June 7, 2008

WHAT DID SAINTS LOOK LIKE

The SAINTS
AND
CLICK HERE AND CLICK HERE

READ MY FRIEND ANN BALLS BOOK ON SAINTS

Ann Ball has written over 25 books. She wrote about the saints and about the Catholic life.

(Ann Ball has just died, June 2008 leaving so many dear friends. Please keep her in your prayers.

Our Sunday visitor tribute to Ann, click here)

Ann wrote about my life which you can see click here...





Tuesday, June 3, 2008

St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery





WELCOME
Holy Spirit Catholic Church ~ Our Lady of Peace shrine on left
Caterina Benincasa Monastery on right in back.

Painting of St Catherine by Sr Mary Grace op

St Catherine


All things are possible for those who believe

Our Lady of Peace


This statue is 33 feet high and on the site of the site of the St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery



Bishop Michael Saltarelli blessing the Monastery on the feast of St Catherine of Siena



Fr Timothy Nolan pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church on the grounds of the Monastery Visiting Dominican Bishop from the Solomon Islands Chris Cardone, OP on right at the end of table and Fr Steven op on left.



Sr Mary Grace painting


Let us pray for one another








Nicky the Dominican Dog in front of the
shrine of Our Lady of Peace

St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery
6 Church Drive
New Castle, Delaware 19720
302 654-1206

Saint Catherine was born Catherine Benincasa in Siena, Italy, to Giacomo di Benincasa, a cloth-dyer, and Lapa Piagenti, a daughter of a local poet. She was the 23rd out of 25 children, and her twin sister died at birth.

Catherine received no formal education, and at the age of seven she consecrated her virginity to Christ despite her family's opposition. Her parents wanted her to live a normal life and marry, but against her parents' will, she dedicated her life to praying, meditating and living in total solitude into her late teens. At the age of sixteen, she took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries.

Catherine dedicated her life to helping the ill and the poor, where she took care of them in hospitals or homes. She rounded up a group of followers, both women and men, and traveled with them along Northern Italy where they asked for a reform of the clergy, the launch of a new crusade and advised people that repentance and renewal could be done through "the total love for God." Catherine also dedicated her life to the study of religious texts.

Sunday, May 25, 2008