Abbey-Roads2

Chapel of the Transitus

This was the infirmary of the original friary and was one of the many humble huts built by the friars in the woods. On the external wall: Transitus (passage to eternal life) and exequies of St. Francis, by D. Bruschi (1886). St. Francis passed his last days here. After having himself placed on the bare earth, he died on the evening of October 3 just as the friars were singing the verse of his Canticle of the Creatures:
“Be praised, my Lord, for our sister Bodily Death whom no living man can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are those whom she will find doing your holy will, for to them the second death will do no harm”. Each year on Oct. 3 at sunset, the National Commemoration of the Transitus of St. Francis, Patron of Italy, is celebrated here. - Shrine of the Porziunola

“Fringe candidate” - it’s a good thing.

Here I am, minding my own business, listening to ABC News… and suddenly they actually mention Ron Paul.  My ears perk up.  Then they actually do a report on his popularity amongst the young and with soldiers.  It seems he got about $5 million in campaign funds in 3rd Quarter, beating out the other Republican contenders, which is why he got mentioned on National News. (You should have seen the patronizing smile on the face of Mitt Romney when Dr. Paul was speaking at the debates.  No votes for you, Romney!)

Can we believe it?  Is there really hope for America?  People better stop laughing and start listening to Ron Paul.

The Scriptural Rosary.

The Scriptural Rosary  had it beginnings in the middle ages.  Communities of pious women, known as Bequines, (primarily in the Low Countries) seem to be the first to use this form of prayer shortly after the death of St. Dominic.  The Bequines of Ghent, most likely under the direction of Dominican friars, followed a Psalterium which corresponded to the Divine Office which is prayed by monastics and clerics. 

Their Psalterium consisted of 150 Aves corresponding to the 150 Psalms.  “At each Pater  and at each Ave let the head of the Bequines read and recall some mystery of the life of Christ or of the Blessed Virgin.” - Our Lady’s Psalter, Catholic Truth Society

Two hundred years later the name Rosary began to be applied  to this manner of prayer, otherwise known as Our Lady’s Psalter.  Around the late 1460’s Blessed Alan de la Roche restored the devotion which had fallen  into disuse.  His method revived the addition of 150 scriptural verses for each Hail Mary.

The Scriptural Rosary is excellent for private recitation.

[Photo: A Beguine.  Go here for a history.] 

“Shame on Oprah!” 

A Christian attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund is blasting Oprah for a show that aired last week entitled “237 Reasons To Have Sex”.  I didn’t watch it, but I did see the ads for the show.

ADFspecial counsel Pat Trueman says it is shameful that Winfrey would advocate destructive behavior on her national talk show. “Shame on Oprah!” says Truman. “There are lots of children who watch the show. Many adults; many, many Christians; she’s got a loyal following because she does have good things on her show.”

But he argues that because of Winfrey’s status, giving a forum to people with what he describes as “anti-Christian” and “sinful” values only serves to popularize such behavior — and that encouraging adultery and pornography can only harm marriages. - OneNewsNow

Huh?

Since when has anyone recognized Oprah as a Christian icon or role model?  She surely produces interesting TV, and does wonderful humanitarian work.  She is well known for her charity, her defense of women and children against abuse, as well as many other causes.  But she is not a saint.

The recent sex show isn’t anything new.  Last year she had Meg Ryan on talking about her work for the U.N. in India.  In the interview, footage was shown of Ms. Ryan talking to under privileged women and girls about the joys of masturbation.  Anyone who ever has watched Oprah knows she lives with her boyfriend, without benefit of marriage;  she’s pro-gay, pro-choice, pro a lot of stuff that isn’t exactly Christian.  She is also anti a lot of evil stuff - but that doesn’t make her an authority on anything - and her show, along with her philosophy is certainly not the gospel.

She seems to be a very good woman, sincerely desirous of helping humanity - yet her theology is more New Age than it is Christian.  She is really just the queen of pop-relativism.  That’s all.

[Thanks to Spirit Daily  for the news source.]