Rose Prince: Incorruptible

Rose Prince
August 21, 1915 – August 19, 1949
Her body remains incorrupt in the cemetery of Lejac, Carrier First Nation

Rose Prince was born on Saturday August 21, 1915 in a small house on a hill in the Carrier Nak'azdli First Nation and behind the convent near Fort James. She was the third of nine brothers and sisters.

Her father, Jean-Marie was the son of the Chief Joseph, Chief of the Carriers of Fort Saint James. His father was the eldest son of Simeon La Prince, who was the son of the great Carrier Chief Kwah. Her father was devout Catholic and went frequently to church. He led the prayers and singing in the church and translated for the parish priest. He was known as the, “Church Chief.”

Her mother, Agathe was one of two children born to Anazel. Anazel died when Agathe was very young. A priest took her to live at Williams Lake and was taken care by the Sisters of the Child Jesus. A cousin of Rose, Evalie Murdock, remembers Agathe’s great beauty. One day, she remembers, “I saw her standing on the hill. She didn’t have her kerchief on her head and her hair was loose. She was standing there with a long dress on. Oh, she was so pretty! I always remember her that way.” .... Miracles have been attributed to her through visiting her grave and taking earth from her grave.
Mabel George, who attended Lejac Residential School when Rose was there, says praying to her is like talking to an old friend and tells of the miracles attributed to Rose. She said a young man had his body cured from a disease after his parents visited her grave. A man was cured of cancer after his wife prayed to her for a week. Another man was able to walk again after three weeks. This was when a Father mixed earth from her grave with holy water and anointed the skin covering his back, and prayed for him through the intercession of Rose Prince. One hour later he fell asleep and woke up the following morning, and was able to walk again.
There is an annual pilgrimage in July to the cemetery where she is buried in Lejac, British Columbia, Canada.
Read More...

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Heavenly Father, you shared so deeply with Rose Prince, of the Carrier Nak'azdli Nation, your gift of serenity and shared with her your love for your creation: grant through her intercession that we may share your serenity and your peace of soul, and may we too rejoice in the beauty of creation that surrounds us on every side. And finally, through her intercession we plead for this favour:Which we ask with confidence in your loving kindness, grant this through Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

~~~
The incorruption of bodies is a miracle that reflects the victory of Jesus Christ over death (Acts 13:34-35,37). Among Catholics such bodily incorruption has a very particular meaning. The Church accepts this as a sign from God, which witnesses to a life of great holiness. That is, God might preserve from corruption the bodies of those that had kept their souls in purity, and has freed them from the defilements of the flesh. Thus, these bodies are wondrously preserved from corruption, which is a sign of the presence in this world of God’s Kingdom.Some Saints, or would be Saints have uncorrupted bodies after they have died. The incorruption of the body is when the body does not decay at a normal rate. Many times, years after death, these bodies are found to be lifelike. Also, reported with some uncorrupted bodies is the presence of pleasant penetrating fragrances about them, such as jasmine and honey.

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Oh, Give Me A Home Where the Buffalo Roam...

A new national survey released yesterday by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) reports that the American public loves and reveres bison, and would like to see their populations restored. This is great news which we hope is followed up by actions which both restore the bison and give respect to the indigenous peoples of North America by honoring the broken treaties, unbreaking them.



From Science Daily

QUOTE The survey showed that:

- Less than ten percent understood how many bison remain in the United States
- More than 74 percent believe that bison are extremely important living symbol of the American West

- More than half view the bison as emblematic as a symbol of America as whole

While an estimated 500,000 bison remain in the United States, the vast majority of those live on private ranches, with only about 9,000 plains bison considered free-ranging in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. An additional 7,000 free-ranging wood bison live in Canada. Bison once numbered in the tens of millions and ranged from Alaska to Mexico but were wiped out by commercial hunting and habitat loss largely as a result of U.S. westward expansion.

"The results of this survey clearly show that the American public wants more to be done to restore the bison," said Dr. Kent Redford of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "We know it will take decades of strategic planning and a wide group of stakeholders will need to take appropriate action." UNQUOTE
~~~

Dante's Prayer

Loreena McKennitt's haunting music combines an Orthodox hymn with her own music and lyrics. It is a prayer Dante might have uttered after he and Virgil had left Hell's icy center and were journeying close to the threshold between Hell and Purgatory.
The question of life eternal or life mortal is as pertinent today as ever.

Saint Brendan of Birr

St. Brendan of Birr, Abbot (AC) Feast Day - November 29

(A Brendan I didn't know existed, whose feast day happens to be today.)

Died c. 562. Born into the family of Fergus MacRoy, Saint Brendan of Birr a contemporary of Saint Brendan the Voyager, and his fellow-disciple under Saint Finian at Clonard Abbey. An ancient, but incomplete, manuscript says that the 12 apostles of Ireland, who were together at Finian's school, saw a wonderful flower from the Land of Promise. Although today's saint was chosen by lot to go in search of that land, he was too old or frail for adventuring. Brendan of Clonfert went in his stead.

His abbey of Birr was somewhere near Parsonstown, Offaly. He was the great friend and adviser of Saint Columba. He intervened at a synod of Meltown (Meath) to end Columba's excommunication. Later, Columba had a vision of Saint Brendan's soul being carried by angels to heaven at the moment of his death. Columba immediately said a special Requiem Mass for Brendan at Iona many days before he had confirmation of his mentor's death.

From the Gospels of MacRegal (9th century), we know that Brendan's school at Birr was endured through that time. This book, now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, is a wonderful example of Irish illumination (Anderson, Benedictines, D'Arcy, Farmer, Healy, Kenney, Montague, Ryan).
~~~~~~~

Restoration

"I Had a Great Time"

A dying child's last wishes: to help the homeless and save the honeybees. And he worried that he could have done more. A shining light and old soul is going home. God bless you, Brendan, and may your namesake, Saint Brendan the Navigator, guide your ship home. This spring I will plant wildflowers "for the bees" and I will begin to work for our local FoodNet, to honor you.



QUOTE Three years ago, doctors diagnosed Brenden with leukemia. The boy who once rushed through homework so he could play outside found himself confined to a bed. But there was no confining his spirit."I had a great time. And until my time comes, I'm going to keep having a great time," he said.

Brenden's selfless dying wish was to help the homeless."They're probably starving, so give'em a chance," he said, "food and water."But Brenden was too ill to feed them on his own. So volunteers from Emerald City Lights Bike Ride passed out some 200 sandwiches to the homeless in Seattle.

Then Brenden's last wish took on a life of its own. A TV station in Los Angeles held a food drive. School kids in Ohio collected cans. People in Pensacola, Florida gathered goods.And here in Western Washington, KOMO viewers from all over took part in the Stuff the Truck food drive in Brenden's honor. Hundreds with generous hearts donated six and a half huge truck loads of groceries and more than $60,000 in cash to benefit Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.
Brenden touched hearts all over the world. His wish came true, and he lived to see it.
"He had the joy of seeing all of the beautiful response to his last wish," said his grandmother, Patricia McMorrow. "It gives him great peace and he knows that his life has meaning." UNQUOTE

Be sure to watch both videos. Jimmie's comments (below) are deep, and right on the money.

Free Lakota Bank

Well, this is something new under the sun! I wish the Lakotah people well in breaking away from the failed system of broken treaties and cheats that has been their lot since Europeans first arrived here. All my relations - Mitakuye Oyasin.

From Break The Matrix

QUOTE With the launch of the Free Lakota Bank, The Free & Independent Nation of Lakota has launched a frontal assault on Wall Street, The Fed, and International Bankers.
Native Americans are historically known for their strong spirit, patience, and stealth, not to mention their very advanced war making strategies. The launch of this banking concept seems to display all of these characteristics in spades.
While The Free & Independent Nation of Lakota’s formal secession from the United States passed last year with little comment or reaction, this latest development will likely raise many eyebrows around the world. Ultimately, official reactions will be based on how individuals and markets respond to the offerings of their bank.
The Free Lakota Bank has well-baited its hook by the sheer elegance of their banking model, some features being
1. Only Gold or Silver Holdings, but with a preliminary period where they will accept Federal Reserve Notes and convert them to metal.
2. Completely Anonymous – No names or Social Security Numbers attached to accounts.
3. Two-Tiered Security – SSL Online username, using a strong keystroke encryption program; followed by an automatic phone call for the user to enter a PIN number. UNQUOTE

Read More...

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Happy Thanksgiving!

And now, sit back and listen to Arlo Guthrie doing Alice's Restaurant.

"Now it all started two Thanksgivings ago, was on - two years ago on Thanksgiving, when my friend and I went up to visit Alice at therestaurant, but Alice doesn't live in the restaurant, she lives in the church nearby the restaurant, in the bell-tower, with her husband Ray and Fasha the dog. And livin' in the bell tower like that, they got a lot of room downstairs where the pews used to be in. Havin' all that room,seein' as how they took out all the pews, they decided that they didn't have to take out their garbage for a long time. We got up there, we found all the garbage in there, and we decided it'd be a friendly gesture for us to take the garbage down to the city dump. So we took the half a ton of garbage, put it in the back of a red VW microbus, took shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the city dump. Well we got there and there was a big sign and a chain across across thedump saying, "Closed on Thanksgiving." And we had never heard of a dump closed on Thanksgiving before, and with tears in our eyes we drove off into the sunset looking for another place to put the garbage.We didn't find one. Until we came to a side road, and off the side of theside road there was another fifteen foot cliff and at the bottom of thecliff there was another pile of garbage. And we decided that one big pile is better than two little piles, and rather than bring that one up wedecided to throw our's down."

Video of Attack on Cairo Church

And here's an article about recent attacks from the Independent (UK)

Church Attacked in Cairo ~ Prayers Needed

Will someone please convince these fanatics that Islam is a "religion of peace", as it is always claimed to be. This type of evil is insane.

Pleasy pray for our Coptic brethren.

From the Assyrian International News Agency

QUOTE One thousand Christians were today trapped inside the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary in West Ain Shams,Cairo, after more than twenty thousand Muslims attacked them with stones and butane gas cylinders. The Church's priest Father Antonious said that the situation is extremely dangerous.
The Muslim mob that attacked the church blocked both sides of the street and encircled the church building, broke its doors and demolished its entire first floor. The mob were chanting Jihad verses as well as slogans saying "we will demolish the church" and "We sacrifice our blood and souls, we sacrifice ourselves for you, Islam", while the entrapped Christians chanted "Lord have mercy".
The incident started on the occasion of the inauguration of the Church today, when the Muslims hastily established a Mosque in the early hours of this morning, by taking over the first floor of a newly-built building facing the Church and started praying there.
When the security forces tried to disperse the mob, they went to nearby homes and shops owned by Christians, and were armed with sticks, butane, knives and other sharp objects. Witnesses said the mob included children from as young as 8-years old to men of over 50-years old, in addition to women. UNQUOTE
~~~

A Parrot Tale

Hat tip to Jenn at The Incorruptibles.

The Parrot

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had abad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity.

John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up, and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot, and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in the freezer.

For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed.Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over aminute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask you what the turkey did?"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

~~~~~~~

A Prayer For All Children and Those In Harm's Way

THE SOUL LEADING
Be this soul on Thine arm, O Christ,
Thou King of the City of Heaven.
Amen.
Since Thou, O Christ, it was who bought'st this soul,
Be its peace on Thine own keeping.
Amen.
And may the strong Michael, high king of the angels,
Be preparing the path before this soul, O God.
Amen.
Oh! the strong Michael in peace with thee, soul,
And preparing for thee the way to the kingdom of the Son
of God.
Amen.

From The Carmina Gadelica

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A Shameless Plug!!

Dear Readers of The Rosemary Tree,

Christmas is just around the corner and gardening gifts, seeds,trees & bulbs and the very best coffee make great gifts! The Rosemary Tree needs to be watered occasionally, since this little site takes quite a bit of time & work. Imagine, you could cross at least 4 items off your "to do list" at once by purchasing a gift of coffee, gardening goodies and/or trees-seeds-bulbs through the links at the bottom or side of the page.

x Cross the coffee and garden equipment off your own list
x Cross at least one or two (or more) people off your Christmas gift list
x Cross off having contributed to the Carmelite Monks (I've heard that when you so much as give a priest a drink of water, you are storing up treasure in heaven!)
x Cross off having contributed to the ability to keep this site running and properly maintained.

The advertisers we have selected are secure and I have received good reports on service so far. Having ads is fairly new for us, so please help us make it a success.

Our advertisers are:
Mystic Monk Coffee
Accents In the Garden
Nature Hills Nursery
NOTE - Please buy through the picture ads on the page though, not these links, for Rosemary Tree to receive benefit. Thank you!!

(Note: we don't receive any payment for clicks, only if you actually buy something.)

Statement of Ron Paul to Congress 20 November, 2008

Statement of Congressman Ron Paul
United States House of Representatives

The Austrians Were Right November 20, 2008

QUOTE
Madame Speaker, many Americans are hoping the new administration will solve the economic problems we face. That’s not likely to happen, because the economic advisors to the new President have no more understanding of how to get us out of this mess than previous administrations and Congresses understood how the crisis was brought about in the first place.

Except for a rare few, Members of Congress are unaware of Austrian Free Market economics. For the last 80 years, the legislative, judiciary and executive branches of our government have been totally influenced by Keynesian economics. If they had had any understanding of the Austrian economic explanation of the business cycle, they would have never permitted the dangerous bubbles that always lead to painful corrections.

Today, a major economic crisis is unfolding. New government programs are started daily, and future plans are being made for even more. All are based on the belief that we’re in this mess because free-market capitalism and sound money failed. The obsession is with more spending, bailouts of bad investments, more debt, and further dollar debasement. Many are saying we need an international answer to our problems with the establishment of a world central bank and a single fiat reserve currency. These suggestions are merely more of the same policies that created our mess and are doomed to fail.

At least 90% of the cause for the financial crisis can be laid at the doorstep of the Federal Reserve. It is the manipulation of credit, the money supply, and interest rates that caused the various bubbles to form. Congress added fuel to the fire by various programs and institutions like the Community Reinvestment Act, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FDIC, and HUD mandates, which were all backed up by aggressive court rulings.

The Fed has now doled out close to $2 trillion in subsidized loans to troubled banks and other financial institutions. The Federal Reserve and Treasury constantly brag about the need for “transparency” and “oversight,” but it’s all just talk — they want none of it. They want secrecy while the privileged are rescued at the expense of the middle class.It is unimaginable that Congress could be so derelict in its duty. It does nothing but condone the arrogance of the Fed in its refusal to tell us where the $2 trillion has gone. All Members of Congress and all Americans should be outraged that conditions could deteriorate to this degree.

It’s no wonder that a large and growing number of Americans are now demanding an end to the Fed.The Federal Reserve created our problem, yet it manages to gain even more power in the socialization of the entire financial system. The whole bailout process this past year was characterized by no oversight, no limits, no concerns, no understanding, and no common sense.

Similar mistakes were made in the 1930s and ushered in the age of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the Great Society and the supply-siders who convinced conservatives that deficits didn’t really matter after all, since they were anxious to finance a very expensive deficit-financed American empire.

All the programs since the Depression were meant to prevent recessions and depressions. Yet all that was done was to plant the seeds of the greatest financial bubble in all history. Because of this lack of understanding, the stage is now set for massive nationalization of the financial system and quite likely the means of production.

Although it is obvious that the Keynesians were all wrong and interventionism and central economic planning don’t work, whom are we listening to for advice on getting us out of this mess? Unfortunately, it’s the Keynesians, the socialists, and big-government proponents.

Who’s being ignored? The Austrian free-market economists—the very ones who predicted not only the Great Depression, but the calamity we’re dealing with today. If the crisis was predictable and is explainable, why did no one listen? It’s because too many politicians believed that a free lunch was possible and a new economic paradigm had arrived. But we’ve heard that one before--like the philosopher’s stone that could turn lead into gold.

Prosperity without work is a dream of the ages.Over and above this are those who understand that political power is controlled by those who control the money supply. Liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats came to believe, as they were taught in our universities, that deficits don’t matter and that Federal Reserve accommodation by monetizing debt is legitimate and never harmful. The truth is otherwise. Central economic planning is always harmful. Inflating the money supply and purposely devaluing the dollar is always painful and dangerous.

The policies of big-government proponents are running out of steam. Their policies have failed and will continue to fail. Merely doing more of what caused the crisis can hardly provide a solution.The good news is that Austrian economists are gaining more acceptance every day and have a greater chance of influencing our future than they’ve had for a long time.

The basic problem is that proponents of big government require a central bank in order to surreptitiously pay bills without direct taxation. Printing needed money delays the payment. Raising taxes would reveal the true cost of big government, and the people would revolt. But the piper will be paid, and that’s what this crisis is all about.

There are limits. A country cannot forever depend on a central bank to keep the economy afloat and the currency functionable through constant acceleration of money supply growth. Eventually the laws of economics will overrule the politicians, the bureaucrats and the central bankers. The system will fail to respond unless the excess debt and mal-investment is liquidated.

If it goes too far and the wild extravagance is not arrested, runaway inflation will result, and an entirely new currency will be required to restore growth and reasonable political stability.The choice we face is ominous: We either accept world-wide authoritarian government holding together a flawed system, OR we restore the principles of the Constitution, limit government power, restore commodity money without a Federal Reserve system, reject world government, and promote the cause of peace by protecting liberty equally for all persons. Freedom is the answer. UNQUOTE

The Carpenter's Son

To the "Christians"

By Francis Adams

Take, then, your paltry Christ,

Your gentleman God.

We want the carpenter's son,

With his saw and hod.

We want the man who loved

The poor and the oppressed.

Who rebuked the Rich man and King

And the Scribe and the Priest.

We want the Galilean

Who knew cross and rod.

It's your "good taste"

that prefers

A bastard "God"!

"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man." Mahatma Gandhi

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.--Mother Teresa

An eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind. - Gandhi

"It is for us the living...to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us --...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." -Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

"...and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" -Micah 6:8

~~~~~~~

Hate Is Not A Family Value

Omaha teenagers stand up to a hate group that protests at veteran's funerals and is known for its crude and rude slanderous hate-mongering. I am a traditional Catholic and I am proud of these high school kids from Omaha, Nebraska. If anyone has a problem with that, too durn bad.

From the Omaha World Herald.

QUOTE Witnesses said the protesters held up signs that criticized homosexuality and characterized President-elect Barack Obama as the antichrist."Unfortunately, it got out of hand, with students throwing objects at the protesters and at police," Police Sgt. Cathy Martinec said as students walked off. Police had arrived before the trouble began, but once the confrontation started, Martinec said she advised the church protesters that the situation had grown unsafe and that they should leave. They did. Dodge Street was shut down about 3 p.m. as police calmed the disturbance. Students said they were expecting the demonstration: They found out online and through word of mouth.Ari Brodkey, 16, held a sign reading "This Jew is not afraid of you." He called the demonstrators from the church "disgusting." Counterprotesters included students from Omaha Central and Omaha North High Schools.The church demonstrators "are wasting their time," said 16-year-old Patricia Gomez. "They're not gonna break us down."KaTasha Cohen, 17, said church demonstrators would not change the way she thinks. She supports Obama. UNQUOTE
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Just The Way I Am

Or, what you see is what you get. I always knew my fellow Lincolnites were unpretentious and happy to be a plain Jane in a slickydoo world. Hmmm...now, if we could only get 'em to dress up for Church and the concert hall...

From the Sacramento Business Journal:

QUOTE America’s capital of cosmetic surgery is San Francisco — not Los Angeles — and Sacramento ranks No. 3, according to the September issue of Men’s Health Magazine.
Honolulu is second and Los Angeles trails at No. 48, ranked on a per-capita basis by factoring in regional rates for common procedures and culling information from plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists and people who admitted treatment. Residents of Lincoln, NE. apparently like themselves the way they are; the metro area comes in dead last at No. 100. UNQUOTE

The Long Emergency

Orion online interview with James H. Kunstler on peak oil.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Google Peak Oil

That's all, just do it. Google Peak Oil.




A city that's ahead of the curve.

The View From a Ranger's Porch

I discovered by accident a new blog, WTF, written by a man who was an Army Ranger for 4 years, who has a unique and valuable perspective on the can of worms which is our current situation.

QUOTE I have been watching events this week in general and the ridiculous theater on capital hill in particular and I have to say, it makes me very angry.The double standards, misinformation, and posturing by congress in a time of crisis makes me feel embarrassed to be an American. It makes me feel I wasted the four years of my life I gave to this country in the Rangers. The current administration has given more than a trillion dollars to the very people who created the world economic crisis in the first place. And the they gave it to them with little debate or oversite. Then once the money was in the treasury's hands they did not even do what they said they would do. Things are getting worse.

Now when the crisis has choked off credit to almost everyone, the automotive companies are running out of operating capital and ask for a LOAN, of a measly 25 billion split between three company's. And what they get for their trouble is mockery and pundits saying "let them go under". Apparently there are the Wall street bankers who get whatever they want with little discussion and there is everyone else. And I would be willing to bet that every single one of the CEOs of the banks that have gotten money from the Government still have their corporate jets and nobody bothered to ask them about it. Let alone mock them. We will not even mention the money that has been wasted on the war. UNQUOTE

Here you go, ExRanger, this might make you feel a little better. Somebody's got cooties...the G20 leaders are not shaking Bush's hand. Talk about getting the cold shoulder.

The Presentation in the Temple

November 21 The Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond. Comment:

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has only apocyphal basis it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary rebounds upon her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work.

Quote:
"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor"
(adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).

Heartland Pantry ~ The Right Move

From the Rockets 'hood:


This past year the HyVee grocery store chain built two huge new mega-stores in the northeast corner of Lincoln, Nebraska (where we live) both about 3-4 miles from our home. The smaller, older store which is very close, about a mile or less, was slated to be closed. Worse still, they had their corporate attorneys write up a lease which had a provision that no other grocery store could occupy the space for five years. This really riled the blue collar and university (Nebraska Wesleyan) neighborhood which relied on the closing HyVee grocery store for supplies. They rallied to do something about it. Actually we rallied, since I contributed by signing a petition and vocalizing ardently. I did not get out and march in a grim reaper suit, as did one enterprising protester. :D

Many folks here are trying to live a lifestyle which involves using less petroleum and having livable neighborhoods with walkable and bike-able amenities nearby, and driving to a big box store which contributes to urban sprawl ( something that the good people of Lincoln have little grasp of, apparently). A grocery store closure can be the tipping point for neighborhoods, sending them into a downward spiral. Lease restrictions emerged in the 1970s in such cities as Chicago, and are a factor in the building of urban blight.

The very happy ending: Hy-Vee opened its new smaller store, The Heartland Pantry, at 48th and Leighton Avenue on Tuesday 11/18 and I love it.

Channel 10-11 KOLN-KGIN coverage here.

BTW Here's the trailer for the film The End Of Suburbia, which will help anyone mystified about why I am so very happy about my local Heartland Pantry.

Doom & Gloom from FOX News

The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012.

Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week. Celente says that by 2012 America will become an undeveloped nation, that there will be a revolution marked by food riots, squatter rebellions, tax revolts and job marches, and that holidays will be more about obtaining food, not gifts.

Fasten your seat belts, m'dears ~ it's going to be a bumpy ride.
http://www.trendsresearch.com/


"When CNN wants to know about the Top Trends, we ask Gerald Celente."— CNN Headline News

"A network of 25 experts whose range of specialties would rival many university faculties."— The Economist

"Gerald Celente has a knack for getting the zeitgeist right." — USA Today

"There’s not a better trend forecaster than Gerald Celente. The man knows what he’s talking about."- CNBC

"Those who take their predictions seriously ... consider the Trends Research Institute."— The Wall Street Journal

"Gerald Celente is always ahead of the curve on trends and uncannily on the mark ... he's one of the most accurate forecasters around." — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Mr. Celente tracks the world’s social, economic and business trends for corporate clients."— The New York Times

"Mr. Celente is a very intelligent guy. We are able to learn about trends from an authority."— 48 Hours, CBS News

"Gerald Celente has a solid track record. He has predicted everything from the 1987 stock market crash and the demise of the Soviet Union to green marketing and corporate downsizing."— The Detroit News

Prayer to Be Preserved From Dangers

Francis John Bartholomew, a Passionist monk of SS. John and Paul at Rome, a most holy man, who had frequent revelations, once saying Mass, thought of the scourges about to fall on the world - wars, famine, pestilence, etc., when the following prayer was revealed to him, and he was told that whosoever recited it with devotion, would be preserved from all dangers with which the whole world would be visited.

+ + +

O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world. Amen.

O Powerful God! O Holy God! O Immortal God! have pity on us, and all who are in the whole world. Amen.

Pardon and mercy, O my Jesus, during these present dangers. Pour on us Thy most Precious Blood. Amen.

O Eternal Father, be merciful to us. By the Blood of Jesus Christ, Thy holy Son, be merciful to us, we beseech Thee. Amen. Amen. Amen.

O God, be appeased by the supplications we address to Thee, and through the intercession of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary, the glorious Saint Joseph, and all the Saints, defend us from all dangers, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

+ + +

Fixing The World on $2 a Day

From Popular Mechanics
A genius at serving the poor...

MIT's Guru of Low-Tech Engineering Fixes the World on $2 a Day
"From impoverished Peruvian villages to MIT's D-Lab, professor Amy
Smith and her spirited team of engineers are on a mission: Fight global
poverty and improve living standards for developing countries -- one low-
cost, accessible invention at a time."

and here's Amy Smith's 7 rules of design

"1. Try living for a week on $2 a day. That's what my students and I do when I teach my class about international development. It helps them begin to understand the trade-offs that must be made when you have only very limited resources. More broadly, it was in the Peace Corps in Botswana that I learned to carry water on my head, and noticed how heavy the bucket was; and I learned to pound sorghum in to flour and felt the ache in my back. As a designer, I came to understand the importance of technologies that can transport water or grind grain.
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/7_Ways_Cheap_Gadgets_Can_Save_the_Third_World';

2. Listen to the right people. Okay, so you probably don't know what it's like to carry fifty pounds of firewood on your head. Well, don't pretend that you do. Talk to someone who has done it. I believe that the key to innovation in international development is truly understanding the problem, and using your imagination is not good enough.

3. Do the hard work needed to find a simple solution. As Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”—and it is the key to this type of design work.

4. Create “transparent” technologies, ones that are easily understood by the users, and promote local innovation.

5. Make it inexpensive. My friend Paul Polak has adapted a famous quote to the following: “Affordability isn't everything, it's the only thing” and there's a lot of truth in that. When you are designing for people who are earning just one or two dollars a day, you need to keep things as cheap as you can and then make it even cheaper!

6. If you want to make something 10 times cheaper, remove 90 percent of the material.

7. Provide skills, not just finished technologies. The current revolution in design for developing countries is the notion of co-creation, of teaching the skills necessary to create the solution, rather than simply providing the solution. By involving the community throughout the design process, you can help equip people to innovate and contribute to the evolution of the product. Furthermore, they acquire the skills needed to create solutions to a much wider variety of problems. They are empowered. "

Lincoln News: D'Leon's Opens Yet Another Shop

Unsurpassable burritos, always open ~ D'Leon's here in Lincoln, Nebraska sure has got it goin' on.



From The Lincolnite.

QUOTENo doubt there will be some rejoicing in the Near South neighborhood in the coming days, as D’Leon’s “Taco Rico” location on 12th and South finally opened yesterday. Walking in there for lunch earlier, the two main questions I had in mind were:
1) What exactly IS the difference between a D’Leon’s “Taco Rico” location and a “regular” D’Leon’s?
2) Given the fact that Lina’s - another rather good fast food Mexican place is just down the street, would this new D’Leon’s location be good enough to prompt me to stop visiting Lina’s? UNQUOTE

Dr. Paul Questions Bernanke

What's most absurd is that mainstream media will report on Bernanke (and his market-propping-up statements), but it'll fail to address Bernanke's failure to respond to Rep. Paul's questions.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

I am just back from my birthday party at our kid's in Bloomington. Had a great time, good visit and much art/play/painting time with our wee granddaughter. Bamma Deb LOVES you, baby.

I am, however, pooped from the all-day car-bus-jet travel, and won't be doing any real posting until tomorrow.

God bless my readers, one and all, and my new airport friends as well.

The Rare Pop Vid

I am having a busy day and going out of town tomorrow ~ off to Indiana to visit the kids. Our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter live there, and I'm overdue for a visit, so posting will be scarce until Tuesday next week.

Pop music isn't something I am really that into, but occationally I hear one that I just like. Dido's "White Flag" is one of those. Enjoy!

Good Job, Bloomberg...

Here's a huge story that Bloomberg has reported on, and the blogosphere is buzzing about. Two TRILLION dollars gone missing under the watchful eye of the Current Occupant & Friends. I think its about time the peasant's revolted, as the old joke goes "The peasants are revolting!" The lumpen prole is certainly going to be revolted & nauseous when this sinks in. Throw the bastards out, and where suitable, into hard time. Who amongst us can call this lot to account? Mr. Obama, are you up for it? Something stinks to high heaven here.

From Mike Ruppert QUOTE The following story is monumental and the days between now and January 20th are going to be non-stop action and, most likely, very bad news. The Treasury is refusing to disclose which institutions are getting taxpayer bailout money. Bloomberg has filed suit to find out. That speaks volumes for Bloomberg. Hank Paulson has completely violated his testimony before Congress when he sought approval of the package. Under oath he begged for the same transparency he himself is now refusing to provide. But bear in mind that most of the Treasury money that is being dispersed is NOT part of the congressional bailout package. There's more than two trillion in Treasury money forked over and the congressional bailout was only $750 billion. This has nothing to do with protecting asset prices or the industry. It has to do with obstructing justice and concealing evidence. If the mainstream media try to brush this over they will lose all credibility with Joe the Plumber and Joe Sixpack. The public will grasp this in a heartbeat. This is a crime being committed in broad daylight, in the middle of Main Street, in perfect weather.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aatlky_cH.tY&refer=worldwide

UNQUOTE SOURCE Here

Ruppert again: QUOTE I think the wheels are coming off it because this news won't sit well anywhere in this country and I smell that they have reached too far. It is far less expensive to prevent the money from leaving the bank than it is to get it back there once it's been stolen. This has got to be stopped. We must know where that money is going (or went) before January 20th.

UNQUOTE

I have felt this was a coup from the first days back in September. Who and why I am not sure. How, the bailouts. Here's what Chris Martenson says along those lines: US Taxpayers are Violated - the Looting Operation Continues

QUOTE I am trying to maintain a very level-headed approach to the changes that we are seeing. However, from time to time the looting operation becomes just a bit too obvious, a bit too overt, and I find my level of cool slipping.
This is one of those times.
Here are the dots that I am connecting that have me concerned, if not angry.
Remember, even prior to its passage, I called the bailout the greatest looting operation of our time. I did so because the language of the Bailout Act, as originally proposed by the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, er, I mean the Treasury Secretary, requested three things: unitary power, no review, and no limits.
Frankly, it was the most plainly-worded document of theft that I had ever seen, and probably ever will see, in my life (because it was too blatant and such mistakes are rarely made again).
After that draft was defeated in the House, the Senate immediately attached a much denser 300+ page version of the bailout bill to an existing piece of legislation and passed it. The house caved after an intense week of lobbying by both banks and the people of the land, who were diametrically opposed on the issue. Naturally, they caved to the banking interests.
But We The People won some symbolic victories in that battle, including the explicit promise of complete transparency in the use of that money.
Now it turns out that We The Payers won nothing at all, and that we are not even being afforded the most basic right of being able to view how that money is being spent. UNQUOTE

~~~

Who can open up a can of Whoop Ass on this debacle? Who can set it right? I agree with Ron Paul, but if ever there was a time for true revolution in the US, this is that time.

Unfortunately, most Americans are stuck in a consumer trance and don't have any clue what is really happening in front of their eyes. The media is partially to blame, of course, but I also happen to believe that citizens of democracy have an obligation to stay informed, monitor the decisions made by their elected government, and act when their interests are not being represented.

If we (as Americans) simply wait around for our leaders to bring us the change we want to see, we'll never see it. We have to get on the phone, write letters and emails and take to the streets to demand that change. If enough of us actually woke up and exercised our rights, those in power would be forced to bend to our will or be replaced by someone who will. Obama brings some hope, but how much?

Of course the powers that be are aware of this, so it has always been in their interest to encourage ignorance and apathy in the electorate. What with porn everywhere, TV sitcoms, MySpace, professional sports and endless opportunities to buy and consume, we're doing their work for them.

I also believe that Americans are capable of great things once they are mobilized. I Love this country even as I disagree with many of its policies. But what will it take for us to wake up, break the chains of materialism and distraction and take the power into our own hands? If recent events have not done it, what will? And will it happen soon enough to avert total disintegration?

Watch and pray...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Catholic Hockey

Heh.

Orthodox "hockey" below...in the Holy Sepulchre, no less. Hooeee boy. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw a few years back:

Jesus Is Coming Soon. (big letters) and in small letters And Boy, Is He Pissed.

November Rains

It has been cloudy, cold and rainy for days now here in the heartland of America. People are by turns happy about the election outcomes, angry about the election outcomes or consumed with their own personal daily grind. I'm feeling introspective.

I for one am cultivating a wait-and-see attitude towards the likable and brilliant Mr. Obama ~ as I tell my Catholic traditionalist friends - three words: remember Tony Blair. After his liberal party came to power and stayed there a while, the first thing he did after leaving office was run out and join The Catholic Church.

The pressures of state on a complex and righteous man can turn him to God in a way that we shall just have to trust the archangels with. I mean for goodness sakes, after 8 years in power the so-called conservatives haven't changed the atmosphere regarding the sanctity of human life one iota. If anything it is worse than ever.

"The best political, social, and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others."- Carl Jung

It has been rightly said that Barack Obama is the first postmodern American president. Thi sis nothing but good news for the genuine Christians amongst us, for in history the so-called "Dark Ages" of post-empire were not very dark at all, they brought about great changes in art, religion, science and agriculture. Think the Irish monks illuminating the Book of Kells, universities founded, the foundation for science laid, Gregorian chant and all the basis for Western classical music laid, Byzantium and its high Christian culture, algebra arrived from the East, amazing architecture, laws passed which were more just, greatly productive agriculture. So back to the future we go! Just as not all that glitters is gold, not all the looks bleak is.

###

Consecrate Us, Lord

from the Carmina Gadelica

JESU, THOU SON OF MARY
Jesu, Thou Son of Mary
Have mercy upon us,
Amen.
Jesu, Thou Son of Mary,
Make peace with us,
Amen.
Oh, with us and for us
Where we shall longest be,
Amen.
Be about the morning of our course,
Be about the closing of our life, [world
Amen.
Be at the dawning of our life,
And oh! at the dark'ning of our day,
Amen.
Be for us and with us,
Merciful God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us
Condition and lot,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us
Rights and means,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us Heart and body,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
Amen.
Each heart and body,
Each day to Thyself,
Each night accordingly,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
Amen.
~~~~~~~~

One More Molly For the Road...

:D

I Found My Lost Flogging Molly cd!

Hooray, I found my lost Flogging Molly cd.
Happy Sunday to everybody. This one's dedicated to the Irish out there so crank it up.
Enjoy!

Find a Farmer's Market or CSA Near You

Looking for that Farmer's Market nearest to you? Well, why not try this tool? Or more local foods here. Here's where I work ~ Open Harvest in Lincoln, Nebraska. And here is a wealth of information about science and environmental health, and how the web of life ties us all together.

Good health! Good eats!

~~~~

My Contribution to the "Honeymoon" Phase: Aretha and Fasting

His selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff raised my eyebrows
pretty high. But rather than rush to judgement, I am
going to wait and see how the rest of President Obama's cabinet shakes out.

In the meantime, enjoy my little contribution to the
"honeymoon phase" of the new presidency. As someone who was raised yellow dog Democrat who remembers the stirring promise of JFK and Bobby and the oratory and bravery of Martin, I am fasting today for my country's new leader and praying that he is will be converted, like Tony Blair, to Catholicism.
Please join me. Especially if you are a Trad who has been bad-mouthing Obama. It'll be good for the country & good for your soul.

A song penned by Sam Cooke during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s after being greatly moved upon hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" in 1963."A Change Is Going to Come" was voted #12 for Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This song has been covered by Bob Dylan, Tina Turner Aretha Franklin, The 5th Dimension (in a 1970 medley with The Rascals' "People Got to Be Free"), The Band, Al Green GreeneBilly Bragg, Solomon Burke, Terence Trent D'Arby, Gavin Degraw, the Fugees, the Cold War Kids, The Gits, Deitrick Haddon, Prince Buster, Morten Harket, The Neville Brothers, Johnny P, Otis Redding, Leela James, Tina Turner, and The Supremes. Arcade Fire has used the song in support of Barack Obama's nomination for President of the United States.

Enjoy.

Two Men I Admire

The Pope and Stephen Hawking.

photo by Reuters

QUOTE There is no contradiction between believing in God and empirical science, Pope Benedict told a Rome gathering of eminent scientists including cosmologist Stephen Hawking.
Pope Benedict, who briefly met the wheelchair bound physicist at an event hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, described science as the pursuit of knowledge about God's creation, MSNBC reports.

"There is no opposition between faith's understanding of creation and the evidence of the empirical sciences," the pope said.
"Galileo saw nature as a book whose author is God."
Hawking is a guest at the week long event, which will explore the theme: "Scientific Insights into the Evolution of the Universe and of Life." UNQUOTE

####

Not This Again...

Remember the fellows who shipped pallets of American tax dollars to Iraq and then promtly "lost" them? They're back...

The first order of business for Mr. Obama's cabinet -- and one that really cannot wait until inauguration --must be halting the robbery-in-progress known as the "economic bailout." The authors linked to herein have spent a month examining the loopholes and conflicts of interest
embedded in the U.S. Treasury Department's plans. The results of that research can be found in a just published feature article in Rolling Stone, The New Trough as well as recent Naomi Klein Nation column, Bush's Final Pillage.

QUOTE Bankers watching bankers, regulators who don't believe in regulating — all standard fare for the Bush crew. What's most striking about Jeffery's résumé, however, is an item omitted when his new job was announced:
He served as executive director of Paul Bremer's infamous Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, during the early days of the Iraq War.

Part of his job was to hire civilian staff, which made him an integral part of the
partisan machine that filled Baghdad's Green Zone with Young Republicans,
investment bankers and Dick Cheney interns. Qualifications weren't a big
issue back then, because the staff's main function was to hand over stacks
of taxpayer money to private contractors, who were the ones actually
running the occupation. It was this nonstop cash conveyor belt that earned
the Green Zone a reputation, in the words of one CPA official, as "a free
-fraud zone."

During Senate hearings last year, when Jeffery was asked
what he had learned from his experience at the CPA, he said contracts
should be handed out with more "speed and flexibility" — the same
philosophy he cited back while in charge of regulating Wall Street traders.UNQUOTE

~~~

Growing My Soul

"Many times in my life," says philosopher Eckhart Tolle, "it has been my experience that the most powerful starting point for any endeavor is not the question 'What do I want?', but what does Life / God want from me? How do I serve the whole?" I offer that meditation, which was recently given to me. I am deep in the heart of a midlife *reinvent yourself* phase. The neighborhood Catholic Church has a Legion of Mary chapter which devotes itself to Our Blessed Mother and does good works, and I'm thoughtfully thinking of signing on. I love the idea of being a dedicated agent of the Immacualte Heart of The Theotokos. That oughta keep me out of mischief.

I ask God where He would like me to go and what He would love me to do. I am Thine, O Lord Jesus. I am yours, Mother of God.

~~~~

Catholic Bishops Congratulate Obama

From MarketWatch.com

Catholic Bishops Congratulate Barack Obama on Historic Election; Urge Him to Defend the Weak, Heal Divisions

QUOTE WASHINGTON, Nov 05, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ --
The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event "historic" and coming at a difficult time.
"Our country is confronting many uncertainties," the bishops said. "We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person."
They bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. UNQUOTE
###

Hey Barack ~ Here Are Two Guys Who Need a Job

Serious about reaching across the aisle? Here are two great men who need a job, and would both be a tremendous asset to your cabinet. I can't think of two Republicans I admire more than Chuck Hagel and Ron Paul.

~~~~

Pope Congratulates President-Elect Obama

CONGRATULATIONS to president-elect Barack Obama from The Rosemary Tree. God bless you and your family. Your speech last night was inspiring. We pray that you will have every success in restoring the economy, diplomatic relations with foreign countries, the lost civil liberties and privacy, and have the scales lifted from your eyes regarding the issue of the sanctity of human life. Yours is a heavy burden and you have our constant prayers.

Obama must unite the nation, a process which will be helped by the concession speech of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who referred to Obama as "my president."

Pope sends congratulatory message to Obama

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- QUOTE Pope Benedict XVI sent a personal message to President-elect Barack Obama Nov. 5, congratulating him and offering his prayers for Obama and for all the people of the United States.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said that because the message was addressed personally to Obama the Vatican did not plan to publish it.

However, he said, the papal message opened by referring to the "historic occasion" of the election, marking the first time a black man has been elected president of the United States.

The pope congratulated Obama, his wife and family, Father Lombardi said.

"He assured him of his prayers that God would help him with his high responsibilities for his country and for the international community," Father Lombardi said.

The pope also prayed that "the blessing of God would sustain him and the American people so that with all people of good will they could build a world of peace, solidarity and justice," the spokesman said. UNQUOTE

~~~~

Congrats to the Winners & Condolences to the Losers

De Blues Brothers

Election Day USA

November 3 ~ Saint Martin de Porres

Ironically and perhaps providentially, today is the feast day of St. Martin de Porres, known as Martin of Charity and also the Saint of the Broom (for his devotion to his work, no matter how menial). It is also true that whoever wins the election will likely have four years of hard labor cleaning up the unholy mess left by the current occupant.

Note: I endorse neither McCain nor Obama and consider them both to be fine men who represent much that is good about America. I deplore the current ungraceful politics in vogue and ask that everyone ~ right,left, center and fringe ~ acquire some manners and civil discourse.

Three things are essential for a functioning society: respect, compassion and honesty.

Man, know thyself. Love Thy God. Get along with thy neighbor.

p.s. For what it's worth: I am pencilling in Ron Paul. God bless the other two. But the one is an unwitting pro-war corporate puppet and the other is a pro-abortion unwitting corporate shill. Nothing to chose between IMHO.

~~~~

"If Elected I Promise"

For my American readers, a gentle reminder that Christ told us to not "put our trust in princes nor sons of men." Vote on Tuesday, in accord with your conscience, your mind and your convictions. Always remember that the USA is a place where "I may disagree with what you say, but I shall defend to the death you right to say it."
Never ever give in to those who say we should hate because others are hateful, that we should war because others are warlike, that we should grab and worship the golden calf because others have ill-gotten gains. Stand tall, America. You are better than that, and if you have fallen, get back up.

Both presidential candidates voted for the obscene “bail-out” that was just stolen from our national treasury against the documented wishes of 85% of Americans. The rhetoric has gone beyond empty—it is a vacuum that sucks rationality and critical thinking from the minds of a panicked public.

There was one candidate who actually represented “stopping the madness” in this election cycle: Ron Paul. His candidacy is over, thanks to a media black-out, but the movement he represents is in full swing. We at the Campaign for Liberty are trying to bring together third-party and independent voters from all across the spectrum. We want your help whether you are Green party, Naderite, Independent, Constitution Party, Libertarian, or even a Democrat or Republican. We will be in your area soon, and we hope to talk about things that matter.
~~~~

Praying For Aisha

On this Feast of All Saints one only can sigh and pray that this child of only 13 summers, a rape victim stoned to death for adultery, finds her Creator to be a more merciful one that that of her countrymen. A sobering look at a culture of authoritarian rule. Let those who wish for more power in government and stricter punishments for law breakers read and then rethink their wishes. Where are the Muslim clerics who advise these militants? All asleep? Or all fanatics themselves? One can't open a journal or a newspaper without reading that Islam is in reality a religion of peace. Where are these peaceful ones?

Please join me in a prayer for the soul of little Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow.

St. Luke 17:1-2
1 And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come: but woe to him through whom they come. 2 It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, once You embraced and placed Your hands upon the little children who came to You, and said: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and their angels always see the face of my Father!"

Bless the soul of thy handmaid Aisha and bring her to a place of verdure, a place of rest, a place of peace, where there is no mourning nor weeping, but life everlasting.
Amen.
~~~~

From Salon.
QUOTE Nov 1st, 2008 MOGADISHU, Somalia -- A 13-year-old girl who said she had been raped was stoned to death in Somalia after being accused of adultery by Islamic militants, a human rights group said.
Dozens of men stoned Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow to death Oct. 27 in a stadium packed with 1,000 spectators in the southern port city of Kismayo, Amnesty International and Somali media reported, citing witnesses. The Islamic militia in charge of Kismayo had accused her of adultery after she reported that three men had raped her, the rights group said. UNQUOTE
~~~~~