SPEAK OUT AGAINST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

SISTER HELEN PREJEAN'S PRAYER TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY

God of Compassion
You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.
Expand and deepen our hearts
so that we may love as You love,
even those among us
who have caused the greatest pain by taking life.
For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance
as we fill up death row and kill the killers
in the name of justice, in the name of peace.
Jesus, our brother,
you suffered execution at the hands of the state
but you did not let hatred overcome you
Help us to reach out to victims of violence
so that our enduring love may help them heal.
Holy Spirit of God,
You strengthen us in the struggle for justice,
Help us to work tirelessly
for the abolition of state-sanctioned death
and to renew our society in its very heart
so that violence will be no more.
Amen.

FORGIVENESS AND MERCY

Crash Victim Who Lost Wife, Two Children on Christmas Eve Seeks Mercy for Drunken Driver

SALT LAKE CITY — A man who portrayed Bob Cratchit in "A Christmas Carol" and then lost his wife and two children hours later in a Christmas Eve car crash asked for mercy Thursday for the drunken driver responsible.
Carlos Prieto was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, less than the 15-year maximum. But Gary Ceran told the judge he would be satisfied with no prison time.
"I want Carlos to know that I forgive him," said Ceran, fighting back tears along with Prieto, shackled a few feet behind him.
"If Carlos were to look me in the eye, shake my hand and say that he'll do all in his power to see that this will never happen again — that would be enough for us," Ceran said.
Prosecutors said Prieto, 25, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19, more than twice the legal limit, when his pickup truck broadsided the Ceran family's car in Murray after midnight Dec. 24. After Ceran performed as Cratchit during a play at Hale Center Theatre, he and his family attended a cast party and did some holiday shopping before the crash.
Cheryl Ceran, 47, Ian Ceran, 15, and Julianna Ceran, 7, were killed in the front seat. Gary Ceran and two other children survived in the back seat.

Almost immediately after the crash, Ceran said he had forgiven Prieto, who pleaded guilty to three counts of automobile homicide in April. Alcohol-related charges were dropped as part of the agreement.
At the court hearing Thursday, Ceran of Cedar Hills said he has been called naive by people who have vilified Prieto for being in the country illegally and driving while drunk.
"I and my children, who have been most injured by his actions both physically and emotionally, harbor no such feelings," said Ceran, a devout Mormon who quoted Bible passages about forgiveness.
Prosecutor Langdon Fisher said he couldn't recall ever arguing for a harsher sentence than the one sought by a victim. The prosecutor wanted three consecutive sentences of five years in prison.
"In this situation the state must look beyond the feelings only of the individuals who are most directly impacted by this event," Fisher told the judge. "Society has an interest in what is done beyond the feelings of the victims."
When it was his turn, Prieto spoke in broken English.
"First, I just want to thank this wonderful man who has forgiven me," he said. "I wish I could do something to heal the pain. To heal the heart. Not a time I don't think about it."
Prieto said he takes full responsibility for the crash and promised he would never drive drunk again. He said he hopes one day to take Ceran's hand, look in his eyes and apologize.
A written apology from Prieto was given to Ceran at the end of the hearing.
The crash wasn't the first time Ceran's family had experienced loss. Three other children, ranging from 3 weeks old to 14 months, died from tumors on their brain stem. Twins born prematurely also died within a day of their birth.

HILL OF THE CROSSES

WHEN OUR CROSSES BECOME TOO MUCH FOR US, THEY CAN WEIGHT US DOWN. THEY ARE TO BE TREASURED IF WE CAN LEARN SOMETHING BY THEM.

ABOUT THE HILL OF THE CROSSES CLICK HERE

The Hill of Crosses, where people not only from Lithuania have put crosses for couple centuries, witnesses faithfulness and trust of a Christian community to Christ and his Cross. This is an expression of a spontaneous religiousness of the people, and is a symbol not of grief and death but of Faith, Love and Sacrifice.

PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

STEPS TO FORGIVENESS CLICK HERE

FORGIVENESS QUOTES CLICK HERE

MURDER VICTIMS FAMILIES FOR RECONCILIATION CLICK HERE

FORGIVE ONE ANOHTER

Forgive One Another
Home > Words Directly From Jesus > Commands to Followers > Forgive One Another

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Jesus quoted by Matthew 18:21-22)

"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions." (Jesus quoted by Mark 11:25)

"Do not pass judgment and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you shall not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." (Jesus quoted by Luke 6:37)

SAINTS WEREN'T PERFECT

Saints Weren't Perfect, Pope SaysClaims Holiness Is Something Everyone Can Learn VATICAN CITY, JAN. 31, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The saints are not people who never made mistakes or sinned, but who repented and were reconciled, says Benedict XVI. This fact is a personal consolation for the Pope himself, as he explained in today's general audience. Addressing some 6,000 people in Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father dedicated his weekly address to focus on three of St. Paul's closest collaborators: Barnabas, Silas and Apollos. The Pontiff explained that on occasions Paul had confrontations with them, at least with Barnabas, because of differences of opinion on specific questions. "Hence, also among saints there are oppositions, discords and controversies And this is very consoling for me, as we see that the saints have not 'fallen from heaven,'" the Holy Father said. "They are men like us, with complicated problems. Holiness does not consist in not making mistakes or never sinning," Benedict XVI continued. "Holiness grows with the capacity for conversion, repentance, willingness to begin again, and above all with the capacity for reconciliation and forgiveness. "And we can all learn this way of holiness."