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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalisat
President Barack Obama has thrown his support behind the Respect for Marriage Act, being introduced in Congress today, which willrepeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and allow same-sex couples the same rights and legal protections as heterosexual couples.
Patience
"O religious soul, dove beloved of Christ, behold those little pieces of straw which the world tramples under its feet. They are the virtues practiced by the Saviour and thy Spouse, for which He Himself has set thee an example: humility, meekness, poverty, penance, patience, and mortification."
St. Anthony of Padua
For Reflection:
Think of three examples of Jesus' patience as presented to us in Sacred Scripture. Think of three examples of Our Lady. How do the instances of these examples parallel situations I have experienced? Did I exercise patience in these times? I will pray for the grace to do so in the future.
Archbishop Chaput Said to be Pope's "Personal" Choice to Head Philly Archdiocese
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput to head the embattled Archdiocese of Philadelphia is being seen as a clear sign of what kind of prelates the Pope trusts to lead the Church in America.
New York to Cash-in on Same-Sex Wedding Tourism
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
With the state's same-sex marriage law scheduled to go into effect this Sunday, New York is planning to cash in on what they predict will be a rush to marry by offering gay couples special wedding and honeymoon packages.
Potter Expert Criticizes Positive Review of Film in Vatican Newspaper
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Michael D. O'Brien, one of the world's foremost experts on Harry Potter, says the positive review of the latest Potter film published in last week's L'Osservatore Romano ignored the Pope's opinion of the series and raises questions about who is behind the editorial policies at the paper.
Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
For Reflection:
To what extent would I be called a "complainer?" How can patience help me overcome this?
What New Age Therapies Couldn't Do, Catholic Prayer Did!
The following is a beautiful witness from one of our regular blog readers:
Church and Irish Government Clash Over Confessional Seal
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
New mandatory reporting laws in Ireland will not exempt priests from having to report evidence of child abuse obtained in the confessional, a situation that the Catholic Church is promising to challenge.
Passage of Pro-Life Laws Reach Record Highs Across U.S.
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
According to a new report by the Guttmacher Institute, state governments have passed a record 80 pro-life regulations thus far this year, which breaks the previous record of 34 regulations passed in 2005.
Study: As Unemployment Increases, So Does Belief in Bible
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Just three years after belief in the Bible hit a 35-year low in the U.S., an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics done by polling giant Gallup has found that as unemployment increased, so did belief in sacred Scripture.