Be remembered by what you love not by what you hate.

Consider This

Never been more relevant

Regardless of your political leanings, you know in your heart who is right in the Middle East.

Israel is a chosen people. Pray that Israel will again be guided by God.

Letters

The Lord surely works in mysterious ways...it seems just four short years ago my wife and I were going through some really turbulent times in our lives...I was resigning from a 15 year government career, her career was in jeopardy...we were just recovering from years of straddling a large amount of debt...our relationship was being tried, once again...things seemed to be spiraling out of control and we knew were headed for some really hard times and neither one us were really sure what sort of decisions we would make.

Strangely enough, when I think back now, almost simultaneously, as our "earthly" lives were seemingly being extinguished, our new heavenly lives were being established. I found a full scholarship to finish my bachelors at a prestigious catholic university and at the same time felt a need to return to my faith at baptism, the Catholic faith.

Our home, which we had been living in for many years, became a central point in a major revitalization plan in our city and we are now sitting on, as one appraiser put it, "a gold mine!" My wife, having kept her job, was accepted into a masters program at another prestigious university and is now an active alumni.

Not having children, we now have become thoroughly involved with our many nieces and nephews and international students by opening our home to them throughout the year so they can take advantage of educational opportunities. Our home is now chock full of kids who we enjoy advising and mentoring.

I have just started a masters program that will take me to China and many potential opportunities of a new career path. And most importantly, both my wife and I have embraced our faith (the Catholic faith) and are amazed at the many blessings that have come from what, at first, seemed like the end of our lives.

I cannot help but to contemplate how the Lord has just begun new lives for us. We know find ourselves actively planning for leading more faithful and purposeful lives, especially with regards to helping those less fortunate and those in other parts of the world. It's exciting...the way of the Lord, Amen.

More power and prayers to Tony and hiss family. Indeed, it is exciting - the way of the Lord.

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1. Sunday Readings: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2006
   
2. Today: Relevant Articles For Catholics
   
3. Cath Humor
   
4. Our Engine: SiteBuild It

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Parish News

What's Cooking In My Parish: St. Antoninus in Newark, NJ, a charismatic catholic parish is hosting Father Anthony Ozele PhD from Nigeria at the 10AM Mass on Sunday July 16, 2006. Father Ozele, from the Warri Diocese is known as a very dynamic preacher who has led many to repentance. The mass will be followed by opportunities for healing prayer.

If you are interested or you live close to Ron's parish, send me an email so I can forward it to Ron.

To find out more about Father Anthony Ozele’s work, please go to this link.

Got news about your parish or community that you would like to share? The short questionaire will guide you. Fill it out as completely as you can. Write a short story about what your parish does in the community.

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Sunday Readings

July 16, 2006
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2006

First Reading: Am 7:12-15

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,
"Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple."

Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
Go, prophesy to my people Israel."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD —for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Second Reading: Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.

In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.

or

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of God’s grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

Gospel: Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve
and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.

He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them."

So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Today

Vatican Deplores Israeli Attack on Lebanon

Jul. 14 (CWNews.com) - The Holy See has protested Israel's air raids on Lebanon, condemning both terrorist acts and reprisals that violate national sovereignty and strike at innocent civilians.

With Pope Benedict XVI on vacation in the Italian Alps, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, read a public statement on Vatican Radio. That statement was released promptly by the Vatican press office on July 14.

Cardinal Sodano said that the Holy Father was carefully following news of the latest developments in the Middle East, "which risk degenerating into a conflict with international repercussions."

"As in the past, the Holy See also condemns both the terrorist attacks on the one side and the military reprisals on the other," he continued." He argued that Israel's right to self-defense "does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially as regards the protection of civilian populations."

"In particular," the statement continued, "the Holy See deplores the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation."

Cardinal Sodano concluded his brief statement with a renewed appeal for an end to armed struggle and a renewal of negotiations.

Israeli air strikes beginning on July 12 have killed at least 60 Lebanese this week, and wounded more than 150. The strategic bombing struck at the infrastructure of the country: disabling power plants, destroying bridges, and severing major highways. Meanwhile from their quarters in Lebanon, Hezbollah guerillas launched a series of rocket attacks on targets inside Israel.

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References On Catholic Apologetics

I really encourage you to read at least the following:

• ¹What Catholics Really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 1992, by Karl Keating, director Catholic Answers, a lay-run apologetics and evangelization organization, and editor of the magazine, This Rock. He is also the author of the best-seller, Catholicism and Fundamentalism.

• ²Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide for Explaining and Defending the Catholic Faith, Basilica Press, San Diego, 1999, by Tim Staples, a former Assemblies of God youth pastor who converted to the Catholic Church.

• ³Catholic Source Book, Harcourt Religion Publishers, 2000, by Rev. Peter Klein. Rev Peter Klein is a priest of the Diocese of Winona in Minnesota.

• ⁴Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Huntington, Indiana, 1998, by Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas, editor. Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas is the author of eleven books and more than 500 articles. He is the founding editor of Catholic Answer and the administrator of St. John the Baptist Church of Bayonne, New Jersey. He likewise serves as adjunct professor of education at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

For more great information about our faith, please read Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia. This is an excellent addition to a Catholic family library. I refer to this book everytime I come across a questionable term. It is also a very good source of a summary of Catholic Doctines, without the deep and brooding terminologies.

Ways to Reduce Stress

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain." So, with that in mind, to reduce the daily stress:

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Book/Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most)
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe even if you are a general manager of the company.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

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