Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Routine Surgery Opens Door to Heaven




From CBN TV

Multiple organ failure during a routine kidney stone removal put Dean Braxton's life in the balance and gave him a glimpse of the afterlife and Jesus.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Documentary Sheds New Light on Our Lady of Guadalupe Miracle

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

The following excerpt is from the NCRegister:

By Celeste Behe, Register Correspondent

A barren hillside in Mexico. A humble peasant named Juan Diego. A beautiful lady. A painted tilma.

The facts surrounding the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe are known to most informed Catholics. Or are they?
 
"Ask just about any educated Catholic where Guadalupe is, and the answer you’re likely to get is ‘Mexico,’" says movie director and producer Tim Watkins. "But, in fact, Guadalupe is in Spain."

It’s a surprising piece of information, one of many revealed in the fascinating documentary The Blood and the Rose.
 
"There are numerous connections between certain events that took place in both the Holy Land and in Europe and the events which led up to Our Lady’s miraculous appearance in the New World," says Watkins. "Their convergence, more than 15 centuries in the making, was guided by the hand of divine Providence."
 
The feature-length documentary — which brings together the talents of executive producer Steve McEveety (The Passion of the Christ) and actor Eduardo Verastegui (Bella) — includes on-location interviews with experts in the fields of science, history and theology.
Their findings help to recount the "untold" part of the Guadalupe story, which, says Watkins, "doesn’t end with Juan Diego."
 
"The movie really conveys much more than the Guadalupe story," agrees Raymond Arroyo, creator and host of EWTN’s The World Over and guest speaker at the Jan. 24 premiere screening of the documentary.

Referring to the image of Guadalupe, he says that "any image that shows up 500 years after its premiere on an air freshener or a rapper’s bicep is an image firmly ensconced in the popular imagination."
 
But, as Watkins observes, key elements of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe are usually missing from these reproductions. "This is no ordinary icon that we can just alter at will to suit different applications and tastes," he says. "God himself is the artist, and he conveys in the image numerous messages and proofs that demonstrate that it is nothing less than his word."
 
The film sheds light on many of these elements, including the pattern on Our Lady’s garment.

Read more: Documentary of  Lady of Guadalupe

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Pope's last Angelus: I will not abandon the Church. I will serve in a different way



News from RomeReports.com

It was the last time that Benedict XVI appeared before his studio window to lead the Angelus as Pope. It's estimated that about 200,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square to thank the Pope for his eight year Pontificate.

Some came with banners to thank the Pope and be part of history. With only days left as Pope, Benedict XVI clearly spoke about his retirement. In Italian he said, God is asking me to serve the Church in a way that's more appropriate for my age and strength.

BENEDICT XVI
“The Lord is calling me 'out to the mountain' to devote more time to prayer and meditation, but this does not mean I'm abandoning the Church. In fact, if God is asking this of me, it's precisely to continue serving the Church with the same dedication and love with which I have served so far, but in a way that's more suited for my age and strength.”

The Pope's Angelus was repeatedly interrupted by applause and cheers. Before completing the last Angelus of his Pontificate, the Pope said he will always be close to the Church and its people.

BENEDICT XVI
“Thank you, I will always be near you.”

This Angelus was the Pope's first public appearance, following a spiritual retreat which ended on Saturday. On Monday he will meet with Cardinals of the Roman Curia and on Wednesday, he will celebrate his last General Audience in St. Peter's Square.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Rachel Lozano's recovery from cancer could be labeled a miracle by the Vatican

Rachel Lozano

The following excerpt is from KSDK.com

By Art Holliday

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - "Whether the church says it or was or not, I believe it was a miracle."

That "M" word: miracle. During the nine years she's been cancer free, Rachel Lozano has used that word a lot, explaining over and over again why she's still among the living.

"Sometimes it's a little overwhelming at times," said Lozano. "I think of this time as my extra years on earth."

Most of Rachel's high school years at St. Joseph's Academy were spent fighting a rare and sometimes fatal form of cancer, Askin's tumor. She had multiple surgeries and underwent a bone marrow transplant. Chemotherapy claimed her hair, but she whimsically turned her bald head into a canvas for colorful artwork. In her high school graduation photo, she was smiling brightly, even though she was fighting for her life.

"It was strange. I actually had a peacefulness when I would think and pray about it," said Lozano. "I didn't know what that peacefulness meant. I didn't know if that meant dying or that meant living."

When the cancer appeared for the third time, the doctors delivered the worst news possible.

"That I pretty much had a few weeks to live at the most, depending on which organ was hit first, because the tumor recurred between my heart, lung, and spine."

During one last surgery to remove cancer, Rachel Lozano's doctors were shocked to find no cancerous tissue. The cancer was gone.

A 2000 photograph shows Lozano at the gravesite of Father William Chaminade, founder of the Marianists in 1817. She had flown to Rome to attend a ceremony honoring Father Chaminade. Feeling a strong connection to the priest, Lozano prayed to Chaminade to cure her cancer.

"He also overcame a lot of obstacles in his life and never gave up hope," said Lozano. "I see the parallels in our lives that way."

Eventually Rachel Lozano's recovery was declared to be a miracle by the St. Louis Archdiocese and the investigation was passed along to the Vatican. If the Vatican certifies that Lozano's case is a miracle, it would be the second miracle attributed to Father Chaminade, and the Pope could declare Chaminade a saint. She doesn't know if or when that will happen.

Read More: Rachel Lozano

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Overcoming Racial Hate with Love



The video and following excerpt is from CBN TV

Sisters Barbara Shores and Helen Shores Lee remember growing up in Alabama during the turbulent Civil Rights era.

NBC: A violent and gory mocking of Jesus

The following news bulletin and excerpt is published on the site of American Family Association - afa.net

This past weekend, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" aired an extremely violent and gory segment mocking Jesus Christ…just for laughs. And, it's available now online.
 
The segment is a fake movie trailer depicting ... Jesus returning to get revenge. It's called, "Djesus Uncrossed." Thanks to the funding by mainstream advertisers, NBC is painting Jesus as a revengeful murderer bent on killing the Romans who crucified Him.
 
You can watch the skit here, but be aware you will be disgusted at the mockery.
 
TAKE ACTION
 
Kmart, Sears and J.C. Penney have the responsibility to demand their brands not support programs that mock people of faith.
 
Sears, Kmart and J.C. Penney are underwriting this attack on the Christian faith on NBC network. Let them know you are offended.
 
Visit the following link to Sign the Petition:
http://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/SignPetition.asp?id=2010
 
Read More: Take Action!