Fr. Bob's Corner

Hulstein

I just read a very inspiring and moving story about the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Holland during the war, and the courageous actions taken by one Christian family to help their Jewish neighbors! I left this message on the website which I invite you to visit. (link to story is found at the bottom of the home page: hulstein.org/moodle/)

Dear Ray,
A parishioner gave me a copy of the ‘Quiet Man’ after church last Sunday. I just finished reading it. For the time it took, I was transported back in time, and felt like I was almost there. Thank you! Your father and mother were so brave and courageous (in fact all of you were)in confronting great evil and in helping and saving some of your neighbors. I’m going to post your site on our Parish Website:.
God bless,
Fr. Bob MacDonald

Response from Ray:


Dear Fr. Macdonald,

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National Catholic Mission 2006: “Beware of the Undertow”

For the faithful, belief is an island of solid rock in an ocean of uncertainty. But powerful currents forever threaten to pull us far from shore.

How do we resist being swept into dark and dangerous waters? That’s the question at the heart of this year’s National Catholic Mission .

VisionTV broadcasts this two-part special from Canada’s National Catholic Broadcasting Council on Monday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 7 at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET.

Two NCR reporters investigate our neghbors in the South.
NCR’s Series on Latin America TodayIn this series, journalists Paul Jeffrey and Barbara Fraser explore trends and the people behind them, uncovering both persistent, long-term problems and emerging changes. They interviewed more than 100 people — including theologians, sociologists, economists, educators, women, children, church workers, indigenous leaders, politicians, bishops, experts on international policy, and grass-roots activists — in 16 countries. They looked particularly for new voices, people who offered fresh perspectives on the forces shaping life throughout Latin America today. What follows is a view of Latin America and where it is headed through primarily Latin American eyes.

The ‘ Catholic Insider’ takes a look at how the internet is used for relious purposes in the United States.

FT December 2005: Articles: “According to a 2004 Pew survey, 64 percent of Internet-using Americans—82 million people—say they use the web for religious purposes. They are more likely to be female, white, middle aged, and college educated. Catholics and Jews tend to use the Internet slightly more heavily than Protestants. Half of these users report that they attend church at least once a week.

Some of the pious web-surfers keep up with religious news (32 percent), some look for places to worship (17 percent), some use the Internet to plan religious group meetings (14 percent), and some to donate to charity (7 percent). At the same time, the Pew study claims, “the Internet seems to be fostering the development of religious and spiritual practices that are . . . more personally expressive and individually oriented.” Thus 11 percent of religious Internet users are going online to download spiritual music, 35 percent are sending online greeting cards, and 38 percent—the largest cohort—are simply passing along “email with spiritual content.””

Read Entire Article:
http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0512/articles/last.html