Unborn son’s fight

doc4eff5f4f79e94806507900 Unborn sons fight

Matt Hammitt reads a book to his 1-year-old son, Bowen, in their Perrysburg, Ohio, home in September. (AP photo)

Told that his unborn son had only half a heart and little chance to survive, the lead singer of the Christian rock band Sanctus Real began pouring his fears and doubts into music.The songs were meant to comfort his family while they searched for answers and sought to understand God’s role during the months before and after the baby’s birth that were filled with surgeries and life-threatening complications.It didn’t take long for him to realize that his words needed to be shared so that others struggling with life would know they’re not alone.What came out of the heartache was “Every Falling Tear,” a solo album that’s meant to touch and console during the hardest of times.“People want to know that their pain has a purpose,” said Matt Hammitt, one of the founding members of Sanctus Real, a band with two Grammy-nominated albums since 2008.“That’s the biggest part of sharing our story,” he said. “That there is a purpose.”Hammitt and his wife, Sarah, knew something was wrong minutes after finding out during an ultrasound in April 2010 that their third child would be a boy, following two girls. They saw the sorrow on their doctor’s face even before she spoke.Doctors later confirmed the baby had a rare congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which causes the left side of the heart to be severely underdeveloped. For five months, the couple contemplated all of the possible procedures and treatments while weighing the odds of what could go wrong.Their baby would face multiple surgeries and an uncertain future at best.They also didn’t know how to deal with a flood of emotions — the anger, the doubt, the feeling of being alone. Hammitt, 32, of Perrysburg, Ohio, decided he needed to tell God how he was feeling, so he started writing songs about their journey. Continued…

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A reader asks about a neighbor's Bible Study

1327709227 19 A reader asks about a neighbor's Bible Study

I wanted your opinion on a matter.  Our 8 year old daughter has been invited to a Bible Study (non denomination; ie., non Catholic) put on by a neighbor (husband & wife team) every Thursday.  Now the person doing the inviting is another neighbor (a very nice lady) whose daughter is in the same public school class as our daughter.  She invited our daughter last week for Christmas Caroling which I allowed as there was no Bible study for that Thursday.  She went to spend time with her friend to sing songs, eat pizza, and watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas.  Generally, though, every Thursday they have a Scripture reading and then a discussion.  I am leary of sending her as I know being non Catholic, they could be teaching doctrine not faithful to the Church.  I was invited to go along but did not want to set a precedent.  The lady that invited us is a neighbor friend we have known for years and sends her daughter and son every Thursday.  Her husband was once Catholic but now apparently goes to a Baptist or some other Christian church with his family. For the last 3 weeks, she has invited our daughter to come.  The first time she just couldn’t because of homework.  The second time she went to go caroling.  Now, this is the 3rd time, which could be an innocent thing but my “Spider Sense” is tingling and am concerned.  I will probably tell them a polite “No, but thank you.” Do you think I am overreacting?  I have read that in these situations, Catholics have been persuaded into leaving the Church.

You aren’t overreacting.  You are being a prudent cautious dad.  Well done.

That said, I would say don’t send her by herself, since she’s too young to be able to deal with the information she might hear.  I think that, if possible, you should go with your girl and provide a Catholic perspective.  The Faith has nothing to fear from neighborly Protestants who are, in all likelihood, well-intended and people of good will.  If you run into something you read or hear that is at variance with the Faith and you aren’t sure what to say, don’t feel ashamed or flummoxed.  Just take it as an opportunity to learn more about your Faith.  Use the Catechism and resources like Catholic Answers or my stuff or Steve Ray’s massive compilation of materials if you have questions.  The Faith is an anvil that has worn out a lot of hammers.  There is, I’ll warrant, nothing you will heard said in the Bible study that has not been hashed over by the Catholic tradition at some point.  The main thing to be cautious about is the illogical thought, “These people are good and sincere, therefore what they say must be true.”  What they say may be (and probably will be) mostly true since they will be talking about the Bible.  But at certain points (as, for instance, “The Bible is the source of all revelation” or “We don’t need saint to pray for us” or “Some people worship Mary” or “Catholic believe you can work your way to heaven” or other standard canards) your well meaning neighbor will have false notions of what Catholics believe.  The way they can be disabused of those notions is by getting to know a real Catholic who really knows their faith: in other words, you. In short, it may be that you are being called to be the witness to them, not that you or your daughter are in danger of being pulled out of the Church.  That may require learning more about your faith when the questions inevitably come (active Catholics inevitably provoke questions by the mere fact of who they are).  Indeed, what you might do is not only graciously accept the invitation in the spirit of neighborliness, but also (after you have been a couple of times) extend an invitation to these folks to come to Mass with you (it will be an absolutely new experience for them, most likely).

This could be the start of an interesting relationship.  Embrace it as an apostle and be not afraid.

Easter (Passover)

1327708628 41 Easter (Passover)From MyFundi Rubens’ “Christ on the cross between the two thieves”. In Christian symbolism, the Easter lamb is the symbol for Christ. The special message of Easter is that the crucified Lord was resurrected. God accepted Christ as sacrifice for the world.

Easter (also Passover) has a very important place in the Christian church: It is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. The Christian Easter, the oldest Christian festival, has its origin in the Jewish liturgy that surrounds the liberation from Egypt. The commemoration of the great deeds of God time and again reinforced and strengthened faith and hope in the future. In the Christian Easter the same history of God and His people is commemorated, but in this first place around the person of the Messiah, who became the new Passover lamb (according to Paul, I Corinthians 5:7).

The resurrection of Christ was originally celebrated every Sunday in the Christian Church, and it is uncertain when and how the annual Easter festival originated. The Christians of the Middle East followed the old Hebrew reckoning and celebrated Easter on the 14th (Latin: quarto decima) Nissan. In the West the festival was celebrated on the Sunday after the 14th Nissan or, according to the lunar calculation, the first Sunday after the full moon of the (European) spring.

There have been much disputes and discussions on what the exact custom was, not only for the date, but also because as far as fasting and the meaning of Easter were concerned. The question was whether the death or the resurrection of Christ should receive the greater emphasis.

At the end of the second century, the Bishop of Rome attempted to put an end the so-called Easter dispute. The Western custom dominated and at the Council of Nicaea (325) the date of the Easter Festival was officially decreed, as it still applies today. Because of differences in the calculation of Easter, the Jewish Passover often falls on a different date from that of Christianity.

The special message of Easter is that the crucified Lord was resurrected. God accepted Christ as sacrifice for the world. Christ had risen and rules over sin and death. In the Protestant theology the full understanding of the meaning of the resurrection of Christ is still being disputed. Easter is again the centre of modern theology.

According to Exodus 12, the Passover lamb is the lamb killed by the Jews during the Egyptian exile and of which the blood had to be smeared on the two side posts and the upper doorpost of the house so that God would spare the firstborn of the house (and he would not die like firstborn of the Egyptians). In Christian symbolism, the Easter lamb is the symbol for Christ.

Encouraging Bible Verses

Looking for some encouraging bible verses?

Life can be challenging and sometimes our spirits need more than a little encouragement. …And if there is one thing we can count on to lift our spirits, it is the inspirational bible verses from the Bible! These bible verses have been prayerfully selected and we sincerely hope your heart is uplifted and that you find the right word from God to give you the inspiration you need for today!May your Christian life be inspired by these encouraging bible verses!

Encouraging Inspirational Bible Verses Encouraging Bible Verses

Encouraging Bible VersesPsalm 34:19

19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.Psalm 9:9

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.Isaiah 30:18

18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Inspirational Christian Gifts and IdeasClick here to go to Bible Verses For Encouragement Click here to go to Your Encouraging Ideas to Be a Blessing Shop Clearance on Christian Gifts, Art, Cards, Decor, & More from DaySpring Click here to go to Strength Bible Verses Click here to go to from Encouraging Bible Verses to Hope Bible Verses Click here to go from Encouraging Bible Verses to Bible Verses for Encouragement Click here to go from Encouraging Bible Verses to Encouraging Declarations Return to Inspirational Bible Verses home page

Navigators staff member lives life according to religion

1327705632 14 Navigators staff member lives life according to religion

Jenny Terrell didn’t know that the Christian group she joined freshman year of college at the University of Kansas would become her life.

Today, after graduating from KU in December and becoming a full-time staff member on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Navigators ministry, it’s safe to say it has.

“I get up around eight, have breakfast and spend 45 minutes to an hour in (God’s) word, listening to God’s message for me that day,” Terrell said.

Then Terrell and six other Navigators missionaries head to campus. But a typical day in the life of a campus missionary is difficult to peg, she said.

“I never know what the day looks like when comes to campus,” Terrell said. “The joy is that I’m here to help students in their walk with God and answer their questions.”

Terrell and other members of the Navigators staff plan and lead Bible studies, meet with students to talk about their spiritual life and engage students in one-on-one spiritual mentoring, which is termed “discipleship.”

Chrissy Ritta, a senior agronomy major, meets with Terrell on a weekly basis. Ritta said the idea of discipleship is to imitate Jesus Christ and how he passed on his teachings and words to his apostles.

Ritta, who leads a Navigators Bible study, said she and Terrell meet for about an hour or two to discuss scripture, her spiritual life and how to live out their faith.

“We strive to know and love God and not just talk about God,” Ritta said. She said having a discipleship relationship helps her own faith.

“It gives me a deeper hunger for the word and someone who encourages me in my spiritual walk,” Ritta said.

Terrell said she and her fellow staff members also try to talk to students who aren’t involved in the Navigators. They try to engage students in a conversation about God.

“We try to present the Gospel in a non-threatening way,” Terrell said. “People usually don’t blow me off. Everyone at UNL is pretty friendly.”

Terrell and her coworkers then try to follow up with those who expressed interest in a Bible study. Terrell said this part of the ministry can be taxing.

“Sometimes you feel like all you do is initiate,” Terrell said. “It’d be nice if someone called me for a change.”

The seven Navigators staff members on campus all raise his or her own salary through private donations. Part of their training to become a missionary includes training on how to effectively fundraise.

“I call people and share with them what I do, go to their house and tell them how excited I am about how God is going to use me on campus,” Terrell said. “I tell them there is a need and I can’t do this without people helping me and supporting me through their donations and prayers.”

Terrell said fundraising her entire salary forces her to rely on God and the generosity of others.

“It’s a large sum of money to raise,” Terrell said, “but there are weeks when $4,000 will come in and it’s really amazing. It definitely helps me see God’s faithfulness and that this is where God wants me to be.”

Terrell said the skills she obtained while majoring in journalism have helped her fundraise.

“It’s a lot like the reporting I did,” she said. “I’m making all these phone calls. I think God used that to prepare me.”

Terrell said she was focused on other things throughout high school, but moving from the small town of Lehigh, Kan., to Kansas University in Lawrence, Kan., forced her to reconsider what she was pursuing. For awhile, she was very lonely. That loneliness left her wanting something more.

“I needed to believe my faith and actually live it,” Terrell said. “But every day was a battle, with parties this way and this way. But I was wondering, ‘Where do I go to find my worth?’”

Terrell said she decided to go to a few different Christian group activities to meet friends. But once she found the Navigators, she didn’t feel the need to try anything else.

“I loved what (the Navigators) were about. They wanted to go in-depth and cared about your walk with God and knowledge of [God's] word,” Terrell said. “And the people were very real. My Bible study leader cared about school, what I did for fun – not just about who I was at church.”

The idea of being on staff with the Navigators came to Terrell when she attended the Navigators summer training program in Jacksonville, Fla.

Religion and ethics Calendar

1327702037 72 Religion and ethics Calendar

Religion and ethics calendar

Please post your events online at thingstodo. utsandiego. com:

Click on “Register” under “+Add to our listings” on the right side of the page.

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To create your listing, begin by clicking on “+add to our listings” at the right side of the page and fill in the boxes.

At the end of the form is a “submit” button. Click “Submit Event.” Your basic listing is free. Once registered, click “log in” the next time you wish to post an event.

Winter Grief Support: Workshop is 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays Jan. 19 to March 8 at Emmanuel Faith Church, 639 E. Felicita Ave. Suggested donation: $25. (760) 781-2108.

“I Create as I Speak:” Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, 1613 Lake Drive, Encinitas. 7 p.m. Jan. 20. seasidecenter.com. $10.

Day of Wellness: Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, 1613 Lake Drive, Encinitas. 10 a.m. Jan. 21. seasidecenter.com. $45.

Divorce Prevention 101: Healing Hurts & Finding Love that Lasts is at Saint Therese of Carmel Catholic Church, 4355 Del Mar Ave., Carmel Valley. 1 p.m. Jan. 21. (858) 481-3232, sttheresecarmel. org. ihtml. Free.

Pacific Women’s Chorus: Musical Textures from Around the World: Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1600 Buena Vista Drive, Vista. 3 p.m. Jan. 22. pacificwomenschorus.org. $10.

Music Adventure: Interactive entertainment with Ben Hansen and the Street Beat 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Wave Hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, 424 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach. (858) 755-2855; calvarylutheranchurch.org. $10; $5 age 16 and under.

Comedy: Temple Adat Shalom presents, “Comedy comes to Poway” 7:50 p.m. Jan. 28 with comedian Chris Clobber; Diane Jean, Kurt Swann and Daniel Storrow emcee at the temple, 15905 Pomerado Rd, Poway. Doors open 7:15. $30; advance reserved seats $25 including dessert. adatshalom.com/comedy; (858) 451-1200.

Folk Concert: John McCutcheon: San Dieguito United Methodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas. 7:30 p.m., Jan. 28. sdfolkheritage.org. $22, SDFH members $18.

Heart Healers: Weekly meetings on Heart Healers and Safe People programs for those who have gone through divorce or separation is through Jan. 28 at Emmanuel Faith Church in Escondido, 639 E. Felicita Ave. $30. Call for time. (760) 781-2108, or efcc.org.

Soprano concert: Margo Scarpelli, soprano, will perform a tribute to Broadway and favorite selections 4 p.m. Jan. 29 at San Marcos Lutheran Church, 3419 Grand Ave., San Marcos. Free admission. sanmarcoslutheran.org.

“Exposing an anti-Semite:” Featuring Speaker David Nesenoff 7 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Ulam room of SD Jewish Academy, 11860 Carmel Creek Road. $20 at the door. .

“Embracing Emergence Christianity:” A Six Week Series is Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. or 7 p.m. through Feb. 15 at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway. (858) 487-2159.

New San Marcos Church: Community Lutheran Church in Escondido has opened a new worshipping site in San Marcos at the Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive. Services 10 a.m. Sundays. Sunday school for children and Bible study for adults is 9 a.m. Sundays in February. (760) 510-2007 or or clcsm.org.

Dalton First United Methodist teams with local missions » Local News » The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

1327701438 72 Dalton First United Methodist teams with local missions »
  Local News »
  The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

Dalton First Methodist Church kicks off its annual Missions Celebration this Sunday with a look at the many local missions in which the church and its members are involved. The following Friday, Jan. 27, the Foreign Missions Celebration opens with some of the missionaries the church supports overseas coming to share their work with various Sunday school classes. While some who are passionate about sharing the message of Christ are called to go to foreign countries, many are also challenged to serve as local missionaries right in their own hometowns. There are jobless, homeless, hungry, lonely, cold people, the elderly, broken families and others in need right here in our own back yard. Motivated to find ways to serve outside the walls of the church, Dalton First Methodist has come alongside to partner with the many dedicated agencies seeking to address local needs. They are motivated by tough times to follow Christ’s directive to “Love your neighbors as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) Members believe they are called to put their faith into action helping others, and have found their own lives transformed. Simply loving, serving, seeking to help those they encounter each day in school, in their neighborhoods, at work or around Dalton has enriched the lives of adults and youth. Dalton First is partnering with Campus Outreach, Carter Hope Center, Chad Swift Ministries, Christian Counseling Center, Compassion House, Dalton First United Methodist Church Kindergarten Scholarships, DOC-UP, Family Promise, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Friendship House, Gene Tibbs Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Murphy Harpst Home, Mountain Top Boys’ Home, Northwest Georgia Girls’ Home, Providence Ministries, Whitfield County Jail Ministry and the Women's Enrichment Center. Sunday school classes, Bible study groups, men’s and youth groups, and individuals also support City of Refuge, Dalton Greater Works, Salvation Army, Saturday Sacks and many other projects. Under the leadership of the director of Youth Ministries, Nate Juvinall, youth are involved in a wide variety of mission activity. They work regularly with Dalton Greater Works where they have contributed to the food pantry and clothing closet, and painted the outside of the building. Just last Saturday, 35 youth worked to build shelves and clean everything. Food also has been served on site at Tent City. In February, youth will go on a mission trip to Birmingham, Ala., where they will work with an urban ministry in the inner city. This summer youth will travel to Memphis, where they will live and work with hundreds of teenagers from all over the country. This is a project sponsored by Group Magazine and will involve actual construction projects. Group Magazine provides innovative ideas and resources to help children, youth and adults grow in their relationship with Jesus. Currently, in both services, a series of sermons titled “Contagious” is being preached by pastors Robin Lindsey and Kenny Ott. The ministers are seeking to enable Christians to be people who will naturally “infect” those around them by sharing their faith in a way that is sincere, honest and deeply felt. When we are comfortable in our own Christian faith, others will be attracted to Christ. The public is invited to all of the programs of Dalton First Methodist. There are traditional worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. on Sundays in the sanctuary. Also at 11 a.m., there is the ReMix worship service in the fellowship hall that is in a more contemporary format. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9:30 a.m. On Sunday evenings, the youth in grades 6-12 meet for dinner and a get-together at 6 p.m. You can watch the 11 a.m. services on OptiLink’s Channel 10 at 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Sundays. Go to daltonfumc.com and check the calendar for the myriad of activities for all ages throughout the week. Information also can be obtained from the church office by calling (706) 278-8494.

Church briefs, 1/14

1327698448 42 Church briefs, 1/14

SAN ANGELO, Texas —The Standard-Times publishes news of special events and programs. We do not accept items detailing regular weekly sermons or schedules. Church news can be submitted on a form available on our website, gosanangelo.com, by email at or by fax to 325-659-8173.

Forms also are available in the newsroom’s Community News Department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Wednesday before the date of publication.

Dates, times, address and a publication number are required.

UNITY

Unity Church of Christianity, 5237 S. Bryant Blvd., will host guest speaker Gerry Sickler, author of “The Invisible Bridge,” at its 10:30 a.m. worship service Sunday and for a workshop at 12:30 p.m. A Unity minister for more than 20 years, Sickler, now retired from the pulpit, focuses on cultivating the inner life. Sickler is the husband of the church’s previous transitional minister, Cindy Sickler. A $20 donation is suggested for the workshop but no one will be turned away. Lunch will be provided.

Information: 325-651-6830.

NEW JERUSALEM C.O.G.I.C.

New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, 1515 N. Chadbourne St., will host Revival: A Time For Transformation, at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Each day will include a presentation by a featured revivalist. On Wednesday, hear from Elder Eddy L. Nelson Sr., on Thursday from the Rev. Reginald Epps and on Friday from Pastor Anthony E. Harris. Each night will also feature a musical performance by The Men of Praise. For more information on this event, call 325-227-9907 or 325-212-1022.

Information: 325-655-6180.

BELMORE BAPTIST

Belmore Baptist Church, 1214 S. Bell St., will hold a tribute to the memory of Wanna Clary from 1 to 3 p.m. today in the Church Fellowship Hall.

On Sunday, the Baptist Men will have a breakfast meeting at 8 a.m. at the church and Children’s Church for age 4 through fifth grade will meet at 10:50 a.m. The Pastor’s Bible Class has resumed meeting and will view the David Barton DVD “Politics in the Pulpit” at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The monthly prayer meeting for Belaire Elementary School will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Church Office.

Golden Oldies senior adult ministry will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the church for a meal and program.

The Scrapbook Ministry will meet from 7 p.m. to midnight Friday at the church.

Information: 325-651-4661.

SIERRA VISTA UNITED METHODIST

Sierra Vista United Methodist Church, 4522 College Hills Blvd., will offer a range of classes, from Bible studies to the ABC’s of Medicare to ballet for adults, through its Sierra Vista University. The catalog is online at sierravista.org.

The K.I.C.K. (Kids in Christ’s Kingdom) program for kindergarteners through fifth-graders meets from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Activities for junior and senior high school students and college-age people will start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with dinner and continue from 7 to 8:15 p.m. with Bible study.

The Senior Adult Ministry group will visit Holland Jewelry on Tuesday. Bill Holland will speak on the history of the jewelry store and show the process of creating their famous spurs and belt buckles. The bus will leave the church parking lot at 10 a.m. A Dutch-treat lunch will follow at a restaurant. Call Gary Booth for information at reservations.

Information: 325-944-4041.

LAKE VIEW BAPTIST

Lake View Baptist Church, 306 E. 39th St., will hold a special baptismal service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday for seven people.

Information: 325-655-1858.

TRINITY LUTHERAN

Trinity Lutheran Church, 3536 YMCA Drive, will celebrate the 107th birthday of church member Cornelia Schulz at 11:45 Sunday in the Parish Hall.

Information: 325-944-8660.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST

First United Methodist Church, 37 E. Beauregard Ave., will host the San Angelo District Workshop and Celebration, with Bishop Jim Dorff of the San Antonio Area episcopacy, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.

New school supplies are being collected for Lincoln Middle School and can be dropped off at the church office during the month of January. Requested items include composition notebooks, folders with pockets and brads, 1-inch binders, wide-ruled paper, glue sticks, backpacks, colored pencils, pens, No. 2 pencils and five-subject dividers.

Information: 325-655-8981.

FIRST BAPTIST

First Baptist Church, 37 E. Harris Ave., will host a Missions & Ministries for Women Leadership Team Scrap ‘n More event from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, in the Christian Life Center, 20 E. Harris Ave. Participants can come and go and can bring supplies for crafts or hobbies from scrapbooking, stamping, jewelry making and more.

A five-week study of 1 Corinthians, facilitated by Barbara Rowland, will begin Feb. 7, meeting from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through March 6. Reserve a spot by contacting Joanna Sturgill at or at 325-655-4101 or Lynda Parry at or 254-212-1573.

Information: 325-655-4101.

SACRED HEART

Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart, 19 S. Oakes St., will host the annual Pro-Life Mass, led by Bishop Michael Pfeifer, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. The bishop will pray the Rosary and speak at noon Monday, Jan. 23, in front of Planned Parenthood, 2010 Pecos St. U.S. Catholic bishops have designated Jan. 23 as a day of penance and reparation for the violence committed against the dignity of humans, especially against the unborn through acts of abortion.

Information: Call the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo at 325-651-7500.

GRAPE CREEK BAPTIST

Grape Creek Baptist Church, 9781 Grape Creek Road, will hold its 12th Annual Gospel Bluegrass Show on Saturday, Jan. 28, with the Bluegrass Jam beginning at noon, a meal served at 4:30 p.m. and featured performers at 6:30 p.m. Performances will include Borderline Singers of Del Rio, Mercedes Bluegrass of Odessa and Concho Grass of San Angelo. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted. For more information on this event, call Ricky Rogers at 325-650-8934.

Information: 325-653-8761.

CALVARY LUTHERAN

Calvary Lutheran Church, 3231 College Hills Blvd., has begun an audio study, “Islam Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” by Dr. John Esposito at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays.

Men’s Breakfast Gathering, open to the community, will meet at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.

On Wednesdays, the church will hold tai chi at 6:30 p.m. and youth groups will meet at 7 p.m. An Adult Conformation Refresher will be held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7 p.m. Choir practice will be on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m.

Information: 325-944-1116.

ELDORADO FIRST UNITED METHODIST

ELDORADO — First United Methodist Church, 15 N. Divide, will host Teens for Christ at 5 p.m. Sunday in the fellowship hall.

On Wednesday, the Men’s Breakfast will be at 6:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall, Soul Food will start at 5:30 p.m. and the Joy Group will meet in the Annex at 6:30 p.m.

Martha’s Angels will meet at noon Thursday in the fellowship hall and will feature guest speaker Sherry Peyton from Robert Lee First United Methodist Church, delivering a program on forgiveness.

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Vatican today — January 23, 2012

1327696041 28 Vatican today — January 23, 2012

AUTHENTIC LAW IS INSEPARABLE FROM JUSTICEThis morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the dean, judges, promoters of justice, defenders of the bond, officials and lawyers of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, for the occasion of the inauguration of the judicial year.Benedict XVI focused his remarks on a fundamental aspect of judicial ministry: the interpretation of canon law with a view to its correct application. The hermeneutic of canon law “is closely associated with the very concept of Law in the Church,” the Pope explained, and he went on to define two forms of interpretation which lead to impoverishment of the law: “The identification of canon law with the system of canonical legislation,” which effectively means overlooking “natural law, divine positive law and the vital relationship of all law with the communion and mission of the Church.” In the second form of interpretation, “the specific situation becomes a decisive factor in determining the authentic meaning of a legal precept in a particular case;” but in this way “it is human interpretation that decides what is juridical, and a sense of objective law is lacking.”

“But there is another way,” said the Holy Father, “in which a correct understanding of canon law leads to its being interpreted as part of a search for the truth about law and justice in the Church. . . . Authentic law is inseparable from justice. Obviously, this principle also holds true for canon law, in the sense that it cannot remain closed in a merely human system of norms but must be associated with a just ordering of the Church in which a higher law holds sway. In this perspective, human positive legislation loses its primacy . . . and can no longer simply be identified as the Law. Nonetheless human legislation is an important expression of justice, first and foremost for what it declares to be divine law, but also for what it identifies as being the legitimate ambit of human law.

“In this way,” Benedict XVI added, “it becomes possible to apply a legal hermeneutic that is authentically juridical, in the sense that, in keeping with the meaning of the law, we can raise the crucial question of what is just in each particular case. . . . Human rules must be interpreted in the light of the situations with which they deal. These situations always contain a core of natural law and of divine positive law, with which all norms must be in harmony if they are to be rational and truly juridical.

“From this realistic standpoint, the sometimes arduous task of interpretation acquires a meaning and a goal. . . . It is revitalised by an authentic contact with the overall situation of the Church, which facilitates access to the true meaning of the law.”

“It follows that the interpretation of canon law must take place within the Church. . . . ‘Sentire cum Ecclesia’ also applies to discipline, because of the doctrinal foundations which are always present and operative in the Church’s legal norms. Thus the hermeneutic of renewal in continuity, about which I have spoken with reference to Vatican Council II (which is so closely associated with current canonical legislation), must also be applied to canon law.”

“This basic approach is applicable to all forms of interpretation: from academic research on canon law . . . to the daily search for just solutions in the lives of the faithful and their communities. Meekness is necessary in order to accept the laws, seeking to study . . . the juridical tradition of the Church in order to identify with that tradition and with the legal dispositions issued by pastors, especially pontifical laws and Magisterium on canonical issues, which are binding in their teachings on the law.”

All this has particular importance “as regards laws on the act of Marriage and its consummation, and Holy Orders. . . . Particular care must be taken to apply all juridically binding measures which tend to ensure coherence in the interpretation and application of laws, as required by justice. These measures include the Pontifical Magisterium in this field, contained above all in addresses to the Roman Rota; the jurisprudence of the Rota itself, . . . and the norms and declarations issued by other dicasteries of the Roman Curia.”

The Holy Father continued: “This hermeneutical unity in the essentials in no way prejudices the function of local tribunals, which are called to face the complex real situations that arise in all cultural contexts. Each of them must proceed with a sense of reverence towards the truth of law, applying judicial and administrative norms so as to achieve exemplary communion in discipline, this being an essential aspect of Church unity.”

Finally Pope Benedict turned his attention to the recent transfer to the Roman Rota of an office dealing with the procedures for dispensation from unconsummated marriage and causes for the nullity of priestly ordination. “I am sure,” he said, “that there will be a generous response to this new ecclesial task.”

PRESENTATION OF THE LAMBS FOR THE FEAST OF ST. AGNES

This morning in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace the Pope was presented with two lambs which had earlier been blessed for today’s feast of St. Agnes. The blessing took place in the basilica on Rome’s Via Nomentana which bears the saint’s name and where she is buried. The wool of the lambs is used to make the palliums bestowed on new metropolitan archbishops on 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

The pallium is a white woollen band embroidered with six black crosses which is worn by the Pope and by metropolitan archbishops. The lambs, the symbol of St. Agnes who was martyred in Rome around the year 305, are raised by the Trappist Fathers of the Abbey of the Three Fountains in Rome and the palliums are made from the newly-shorn wool by the sisters of St. Cecilia.

CHRISTIAN UNITY, A GIFT OF GOD AND A DAILY TASK

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which runs from 18 to 25 January, was the theme for the Pope’s reflections before praying the Angelus this morning, as he invited the faithful “to join the prayer which Jesus addressed to the Father on the eve of His Passion: ‘That they may all be one, so that the world may believe.’”

The theme of the texts for this year’s Week of Prayer has been taken from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians: “We will all be changed by the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Pope explained how “we are all called to see Christ’s victory over sin and death — that is, His Resurrection — as an event which radically transforms those who believe in Him and opens their way to incorruptible and immortal life. Recognising and welcoming the transforming power of faith in Jesus Christ supports Christians in their search for full unity among themselves.”

Benedict XVI affirmed that “our search for unity will be realistic if change first comes about within us, if we let God act, if we allow ourselves to be transformed in the image of Christ, if we enter into new life in Christ Who is the true victory. The visible unity of all Christians always comes from on high, from God; it requires humility to recognise our weakness and to accept the gift. However, to use a phrase often repeated by Blessed Pope John Paul II, each gift is also a task. And so the unity that comes from God requires a daily commitment on our part to open ourselves to one another in charity. . . . The time we dedicate to prayer for the full communion of Christ’s disciples will give us a deeper understanding of how we will be transformed by His victory, by the power of His Resurrection.”

In concluding the Pope recalled how the Week of Prayer will conclude this Wednesday with the celebration of Vespers in the Roman basilica of St. Paul’s Outside-the-Walls for the Feast of the Conversion of the Apostle Paul. The event will be attended by representatives from other Churches and Christian communities, he said, “and together we will renew our prayer to the Lord, source of unity.”

After the Angelus prayer, Benedict XVI expressed his best wishes for a happy New Year to countries in the Far East which are celebrating the new lunar year. “In the present global economic and social crisis, my hope for those peoples is that the new year may be marked by justice and peace, and bring relief to the suffering. My particular wish is that the young, with their enthusiasm and ideals, may offer a new hope to the world.”

AUDIENCES

The Holy Father today received in audience:

• Six prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their “ad limina” visit:

• Archbishop Joseph Edward Kurtz of Louisville.

• Bishop Roger Joseph Foys of Covington.

• Bishop Richard Frank Stika of Knoxville.

• Bishop Ronald William Gainer of Lexington

• Bishop James Terry Steib S.V.D. of Memphis.

• Bishop William Francis Medley of Owensboro.

• Stanislas Lefebvre de Laboulaye, ambassador of France, on his farewell visit.

On Saturday 21 January he received in audience:

• Bishop Antoni Stankiewicz, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota.

• Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

Women with batons

1327694230 52 Women with batons

There are just four women who have managed to take the podium at the front of professional German orchestras.

German Romely Pfund conducts the State Theater Orchestra in Mecklenburg, Catherine Rückwardt from Los Angeles has been conducting the Mainz State Theater Orchestra since 2006, Australian Simone Young is the musical director of Hamburg’s State Opera and American Karen Kamensek was recently appointed music director of the Hanover Opera.

Finding women in top jobs at Germany’s orchestral and operatic institutions is equally difficult, though there are a few exceptions. Ulrike Hessler is the director general of the Dresden Opera and Andrea Moses, Andrea Breth and Vera Nemirova are all women directors who have all managed to climb to the top their professions. And when the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising appointed Lucia Hinz as its musical director, the church received much praise from feminists all over Germany.  

But a closer look at the statistics reveals that women sometimes face unfair treatment in the music profession. When the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra recently searched for a new conductor to replace Christian Thielemann, only two of the nearly 60 candidates were women.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  American Catherine Rückwardt raises her baton in MainzNew reference books about conductors don’t even include the name of a single woman conductor.

Lion tamer or high priestess

Karen Kamensek chose Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” for her debut at the Hanover Opera House. This opera, renowned for its portrayal of various female characters, was a symbolic choice. Asked which of the heroines she identified with most – the tragic Ariadne or the cheeky Zerbinetta – Kamensek confided that she understood both characters but pointed out that in her position other qualities were more important when dealing with 120 highly professional musicians, most of whom are men.

Some compare the job of a conductor with a circus director or lion tamer – so it’s not surprising that many conductors suffer from back problems. When asked about her profession, Estonian conductor Anu Tali said she believed many women would not want the job.

“You live out of a suitcase and don’t have time to set up a home or for family,” she said. “You are constantly under pressure and not always able to be nice to colleagues or the public.”

She added that “it would help if we had to think less about whether we are a man or women and more about how we are all human beings.”

On the increase

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  American conductor Karen Kamensek specially chose ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’ for her debutDespite the difficulties the occupation presents, Europe’s music conservatories have reported an increase in the number of women in their conducting classes. Many believe it is only a matter of time before more women will be at the front of orchestras.

However, quotas for female conductors have largely been rejected by the women in the job.  

“That would be ridiculous,” said Anu Tali, adding that competence is enough to achieve success. Audiences will soon get used to seeing someone without a beard on the podium.

And even though the standard dress for women conductors is still tails, this too might soon change.

Author: Anastassia Boutsko / bos

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