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Dear Charles,

Praying the Rosary and the devotion to Our Lady of Fatima are very much part of the spiritual life of many Ukrainian Catholics and also Russian Catholics.

Russian Catholics have a Church in California in honour of Our Lady of Fatima - perhaps you could look them up and write to them to show them the error of their ways?

Not only are they into the Rosary but also the Scapular which they say reflects the Mantle of Protection of the Theotokos ( as it does for those Latin Catholics). You better raise the alarm with them about that too!

Since those things are the exclusive property of the West and the "East" shouldn't be messing around with them, perhaps this Forum could devise a montioring system to ensure that the Jesus Prayer and Akathists etc. are off limits to Latins, Anglicans and Lutherans et alia? They belong to the East and the West shouldn't be destroying their heritage with such.

You can always be counted on to ensure ritual purity, Charles! Where would we be without you?!

I really hope the Administrator and the Moderators here take note of your points and get right on this matter . . .

Alex

Dear Administrator,

What is truth, someone once asked . . .

Is it truth in our particular version, or someone else's or ... what?

The Truth of Christ never changes. But the method of its communication from age to age and among different cultures and peoples does.

Don't know how many here would agree (probably not many), but Pope Francis' method of communication of the Gospel is inspiring many priests, bishops and laity.

And he is telling us to both preach the truth and live the truth.

He reinforces that every night at the Vatican when, on his orders, a small army of bishops and assistants go out into the streets of Rome with food packages for the homeless. These are given out with a smile and the words, "A gift from the Pope."

Now that is the Truth of Christ, sir. (And perhaps "axe to grind" was a bit harsh - but we Catholics tend to be very protective, even to the point of being a bit jumpy, of our Popes, you know ).

Desertman is a great Christian and we both share a love of the spiritual desert. A lonely hospital room is just like that except there is water available . . .

Alex

Dear desertman,

Certainly, all these are symptoms of "Modernism."

But as I learned in the hospital, not all symptoms point to the same issue.

On that we will disagree. But my interest is in jumping on people in my environment who show an interest in becoming Catholic and . . . making sure they BECOME CATHOLIC!

And if they want to become Catholic because of the influence of Pope Francis - then who am I to judge? And who am I to accuse them of wanting something good for a "bad reason?"

From now on, I'm going to recommend membership in the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima JUST BECAUSE of what Charles said!

Not everyone likes Fatima, maiinly the Eastern Catholics I know . . .

Alex

Dear Charles,

One more point - it "seems" to you that we live in the age of Oprah?

Have you turned on the TV lately?

(Being in hospital, I have this terrible thing about needling other people . . .)

Alex

Well, Alex, while you are there perhaps they can remove your needler. I wonder if Mrs. Alex would concur with that. LOL.

BTW, why are you in the hospital? Nothing serious, I hope.

Oprah is no longer on TV, but the damage continues, I'm afraid. She promoted a touchy-feely approach to all things, even creating, it seems to me, her own personal religion. That religion accepts all errors equally and seems little in line with conventional Christianity. Unfortunately, the secularism she promoted didn't end when her TV series ended. Millions she influenced are still promoting her ideas.

Alex,

I pray that you're better soon, and I also pray that you're right and I'm wrong.

Pray for me too, that God might help me to humble myself and stop judging things that are beyond my knowledge or control, as well as to stop judging Christ's representatives on earth. They're the successors of the apostles. It's not my place to speak the way I did.

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

UPDATE: I am once again removing my comments on this thread. My conscience won't allow them to stand.

Dear Charles,

My needle stays in for the next six weeks. An admitted mistake made by the specialist back in May is the cause. She had me discharged from the iv without thoroughly checking (via MRI) that the bone infection had completely cleared.

It's very fair to say that Oprah created her own religion/church based on the "feel good" premises of modern culture. At the same time, one could argue the same exists in the super-churches of TV evangelism with the emphasis on their idea of "Truth" and their interpretation of the Gospel.

Alex

Dear desertman,

Please don't be hard on yourself sir! You and I both the right to express views, opinions and to discuss them!

That's what this Forum is about!

If I knew you were going to feel this way, I would have kept my big mouth shut!

If anything, you breathe new life into the Forum format. You are not afraid to speak your mind and heart. You are also not afraid to witness to Christ and affirm your faith commitment!

If I and we all could be more like you, we would be more Christ-like and we would have a different Church and a different world.

I need to go to bed to sleep off these drugs being pumped into me. Knowing you have prayed for me will help me sleep very well! God bless!

Alex

Yep, that prosperity gospel surely does fill up the pews.