George M. Sipe @George@rcsocial.net

This is a map of attacks on churches in France over the last 4 years. None of these were accidents. #persecution

People do not seem to realize the high level of Christian #persecution in the modern world. It is increasing. On a typical day, 11 Christians are killed for their faith.

Say it is Friday so you are not eating meat. Could you enjoy the new "Impossible Whopper" at St. Louis area Burger Kings? Supposedly it looks, smells and tastes just like meat.

My answer: no. Doing so would entirely miss the spirit of the penance, trying to slip by on a technicality.

Friends, you are incoherent (and probably uneducated deplorables too).

The New York Times has published an opinion piece written by Peter Atterton (a professor of philosophy at San Diego State University) entitled "A God Problem". The tag line is "Perfect. All-powerful. All-knowing. The idea of the deity most Westerners accept is actually not coherent."

I read it so you don't have to. Want to read a smart philosopher? Read Peter Kreeft.

Academia and journalism, coming together to deliver the quality we expect of them. This bit of enlightenment from the Times (according to Fr. Z - a/k/a "Hell's Bible"):

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/opinion/-philosophy-god-omniscience.html

This is well done and a sign of renewal in Detroit. From last week - a St. Joseph’s procession.

Woo-hoo, we crossed the 2,000 message milepost this morning!

A cross-instance directory of Catholic folks is hosted on "Trunk". Request to add yourself. This is one way people on other instances can discover you here.

https://communitywiki.org/trunk/grab/Catholic

There are several disturbing aspects to the Christchurch NZ tragedy. Foremost is the senseless loss of innocent human life.

This was a terrorist act by very disturbed people. They were clearly neither conservative nor Christian, but expressed socialist views (and apparently liked China's political system).

People were killed and injured because of their religion -- in this case, Islam. This is widely and properly condemned.

What is also disturbing is the almost universal silence on the far, far greater number of Christians killed by Muslims, which now averages 11 PER DAY. That, in addition to those taken as slaves and sex slaves.

Matthew Archbold writes here:
https://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2019/03/when-murder-isnt-issue.html

OK, I never do this -- but my better-half is away and this video inspired me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQJWo3QMJBU

There were mistakes made (got egg on my sweater, should have started toast before cooking egg)... but it was still a surprisingly good breakfast.

I am reflecting this morning on salvation history. Today's first reading from Deuteronomy (26:16-19) is on God's covenant with His people.

Some might think that God adapted his covenants in response to the failure of His people. Hogwash, of course! He already knows every moment in time.

His plan is for our benefit, to see ourselves as we are and to know the mercy of our Creator. Our Lord is in it for the long-haul, thank God!

One view of the 7 deadly sins in the modern world:

Today is the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. As such, it is a day of fasting and abstinence.

Specifically on this Ash Wednesday we look to our certain future, mortal death. We were born stained by the sin of our first parents and redeemed by the superabundant sacrifice of the new Adam. Victory over death is ours by accepting our Savior's grace -- on His terms. Know this: it is an offer of divine mercy, not a negotiation.

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Too sad to be funny:

#GospelToday (Mk 5:30-34)
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"

But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, "Who touched me?"

And he looked around to see who had done it.

The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.

He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

Centering prayer is NOT prayer. The "centering" is exclusively on self, not a dialog between God and the soul. Dr. David Anders recently addressed this on his EWTN "Called to Communion" show.

It's the media conglomerates -- TV, radio, newspapers and social media overlords. Been doin' it for years. Now elevated to an art form.

#GospelToday (Mk 1:27):
All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

Common language and what it really means: