Catholic Answers Forums http://forums.catholic.com Largest Catholic Forum has Catholic discussions, Catholic answers to your faith questions, Catholic apologetics, Catholic Scripture study, Catholic Prayer groups, Jesus, Christian, evangelization, spirituality, sacraments, vocations, Mary, saints, liturgy, Holy Bible, Catholic book club, Church documents, Vatican news, newsletter, Christianity, Catholic Answers Store. Via www.catholic.com en Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:34:55 GMT vBulletin 30 http://forums.catholic.com/images/misc_khaki/rss.jpg Catholic Answers Forums http://forums.catholic.com Himalayan glaciers have lost no ice in the past 10 years, new study reveals http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643908&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:27:06 GMT
Quote:
The U.N. got it wrong on Himalayan glaciers -- and the proof is finally here.

The authors of the U.N.’s climate policy guide were red-faced two years ago when it was revealed that they had inaccurately forecast that the Himalayan glaciers would melt completely in 25 years, vanishing by the year 2035.

Rajendra Pachauri, head of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and director general of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Dehli, India, ultimately issued a statement offering regret for what turned out to be a poorly vetted statement.

A new report published Thursday, Feb. 9, in the science journal Nature offers the first comprehensive study of the world’s glaciers and ice caps, and one of its conclusions has shocked scientists. Using GRACE, a pair of orbiting satellites racing around the planet at an altitude of 300 miles, it comes to the eye-popping conclusion that the Himalayas have barely melted at all in the past 10 years.
Link

Shocker! The "experts" were wrong. We "ordinary" folks were right all along. Man made global warming is a hoax. Shocker! ]]> World News K-McD http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643908 <![CDATA[Bible-clutching street preacher in court for 'telling gay couple they would burn in Hell]]> http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643899&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:11:49 GMT http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...reet-rant.html

While this wasn't the way to expalin that homosexual acts are sinful I still support freedom of speech.

What happened to this country? The West is turning it's back on it's heritage, it was the Christian faith that built Western Civilization and now it seems they are so determinded to undo over 2000 years of history. :( ]]> World News SeanF1989 http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643899 <![CDATA[I didn't turn away from the Church, the Church turned away from me]]> http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643897&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:59:37 GMT This is a continuation of the various discussions on why people leave the Church.

... the feeling of rejection.

Don't ask questions otherwise you're not really Catholic.

We don't want you unless you believe exactly like we do.

If you're at all different, don't bother participating.

Sure you're welcome to sit in the pews and donate your money, but we don't want you at the alter.

If you're homosexual, don't love anyone. If you've married someone who isn't Catholic, it doesn't count to us and you cannot be fully Catholic if you have sex with your husband. If you're a pregnant woman who is about to die in childbirth, we expect you to leave your husband a widower and your other children as orphans. If you're a woman going through a miscarriage, you can't have a D&C because we don't even want doctors trained in the procedure. If you're a woman, you aren't good enough to be one of our leaders. If you're a married couple who are struggling financially and emotionally with caring for the children you already have, don't do anything to postpone another 'blessing'.

Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

I'm not seeing this in the current Catholic Church. Jesus befriended strangers, sinners, the sick and the poor. He didn't say, "When you decide to do as I say, then you can come and hear me speak. If you do otherwise, I condemn you."

I didn't turn away from the Church, the Church turned away from me. ]]> Spirituality chepner3 http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643897 Kindly Keep Bob and His Wife in Prayer Discerning the Catholic Church http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643896&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:54:57 GMT Thank you so much for your response and your prayers. I will certainly listen to the tapes. I have read Scott and Kimberly's book Rome Sweet Home and loved it. I am currenlty reading another of his books but I think it is based more on apologetics for persons alread in the Church.

I am looking forward to being able to talk to all of you and do like the site very much. My friends next door to us are in the Church and are also very helpful and supportive. They both are Eucharistic Lay Ministers and are teachers for married couples. He is the men's group president as well. So I know I have some good examples.

Please continue to pray not only for me but especially for my wife Pam who is very resistant to this.

Sincerely in Christ,
Bob ]]> Prayer Intentions Catherine S. http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643896 Freedom Watch Judge Napolitano http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643892&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:42:10 GMT For those of you who get your news from Freedom Watch, it is being cancelled. The story can be read here: http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/105450.html and here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fox-business-network-adds-encore-presentations-of-marquee-business-programming-2012-02-09 If you are interested in Protesting you can find details here: http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/105470.html For those of you who get your news from Freedom Watch, it is being cancelled. The story can be read here:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewr...es/105450.html

and here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fox...ing-2012-02-09

If you are interested in Protesting you can find details here:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewr...es/105470.html ]]> World News Michael C http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643892 Please help me, I really need guidance http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643891&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:38:08 GMT I am a 37 year old woman who recovered 2 yrs ago from breast cancer and I have struggled with anxiety and depression all of my life. In the last 10-15 years, this has led to numbness in my life and in my relationship with God. I also have dating/intimacy anxiety and only one short serious relationship in my life. Last summer, I began noticing a man at work, we flirted a little which was really unusual for me and went out but after one date the anxiety overwhelmed me. One morning, at the end of November, I prayed that God would soften my heart towards Him. Within an hour of my prayer, this man, who is also Catholic, was at my desk inviting me to a Catholic faith renewal event in January. I realized that not only did I want to go but I wanted to get to know him. We started dating and quickly got very emotionally close. We seemed compatible in every way and had lots of chemistry. It seemed like all the pieces were in place for a serious relationship and possibly marriage. For the... I am a 37 year old woman who recovered 2 yrs ago from breast cancer and I have struggled with anxiety and depression all of my life. In the last 10-15 years, this has led to numbness in my life and in my relationship with God. I also have dating/intimacy anxiety and only one short serious relationship in my life.
Last summer, I began noticing a man at work, we flirted a little which was really unusual for me and went out but after one date the anxiety overwhelmed me. One morning, at the end of November, I prayed that God would soften my heart towards Him. Within an hour of my prayer, this man, who is also Catholic, was at my desk inviting me to a Catholic faith renewal event in January. I realized that not only did I want to go but I wanted to get to know him. We started dating and quickly got very emotionally close. We seemed compatible in every way and had lots of chemistry. It seemed like all the pieces were in place for a serious relationship and possibly marriage. For the first time in my life, I was developing real feelings for someone. The day before our fifth date, I had my annual ob/gyn appt. I happened to ask about a small spot I had noticed that came and went earlier in the year. The doctor said he could not confirm it without a biopsy but he was suspicious that it is herpes. I was devastated. In my previous relationship, I made a mistake because I was at the beginning of my current problems/numbness with God. After our fifth date that night, I sent him an email. I was worried because I had noticed that he is a germaphobe with possibly OCD. I still hoped that it would be okay because I apparently have a very mild case with symptoms only once every few years. However, he responded that he could not continue dating me. I was so devastated and angry at God but I got this idea, I believed from God that maybe this was God’s way of slowing down our relationship. I had been planning on sleeping with him as soon as our relationship became serious. I promised God that if we ever got back together, I would not have premarital sex with him. I hoped that this was what God wanted- for us to be together but in a more holy way. Again, within the hour of my talk with God, I got an email from this man wanting to get together and talk. He said he could not bear not having me in his life but that STDs is one of his phobias. He said he was going to try to ride out his problem on his mountain bike because he did want to be with me. The rest of December and throughout January, I prayed nightly to God and novenas to St. Mary and St. Joseph, St. Jude and Blessed Anna Maria Taigi. He would go through long periods of time where it seemed like he was avoiding me but when we did see each other at work what I saw in his words and in his face, it seemed like he was in love with me. I continued to pray and often experienced encouraging signs when I despaired. One night I felt that God was telling me that my vocation was to be a wife and mother- things that I had never wanted before but now craved. The Catholic Renewal event was at the end of January and it turned out to be short and kind of standard. Nothing really stood out to me other than we sat close together and it felt intimate and loving. I thought maybe this was why God wanted me to come- maybe He wanted to use love to melt the numbness out of my life. However, this last week I was depressed, anxious, I was having terrible back and side pain. All along, I had been neglecting the rest of my life, I hadn't been able to sleep, concentrate or think about anything else for weeks and I felt like I was coming apart mentally and physically so maybe it was impatient of me, maybe not God's will but after another day of loving words & looks, I asked him if he wanted to hang out. He avoided my suggestion and later I also sent him an email telling him I’d developed serious feelings for him. The next day he completely ignored me. I sent him another emotional email with questions about his intentions to which his response was vague and dismissive. I suggested we stop flirting and his response was so enthusiastic that I finally couldn’t take it anymore and today I sent him an email asking for space and time off from our friendship. It feels final.
So here are my questions, why would God answer my original prayer through this man? Could it have been the devil? Would the devil be allowed to misguide, when God knows I’m lacking faith, that is the very thing I’m praying for?
Why do I feel like a life following Him is constant character-building tests of faith but no joy, no successes, nothing to balance them?
Because of my social anxiety, I rarely thought about dating and love. Why show me what I’ve been missing only to take it away?
God knew that I have herpes and that this man has a phobia towards it. Why would He bring us together and make us seem so perfect for each other only to have this happen?
What about all the encouraging signs? Were they referring to a future love? But then why, knowing I’m already fragile when it comes to dating and intimacy, why would He put me in a situation to completely destroy that part of me? How will I ever be able to open myself up again to date knowing all the marks against me? Was it me and not God putting ideas of holy marriage and parenthood in my heart?
What does it mean that God and this man are so intertwined in my heart? I so want to love both but it seems like neither wants me. They are both uncommunicative and they have both let me down. Both promised me a lot but seemingly didn’t follow through.
I prayed so much and put in dozens of prayer requests all over the internet to not be misguided or misled in this situation. Why would He finally split us only after I feel I've fallen in love with him?
Am I supposed to continue praying for us to be together? Because I don’t feel like praying at all anymore. I tried so hard to be faithful and to trust Him but now I feel more numb than before any of this happened. ]]> Family Life peacefuldaisy http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643891 How to pray? http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643890&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:38:06 GMT Hey everybody! :cool:

I was just hoping for a little advice here. I'm 19, and, for the first time in my life, am trying to take my faith seriously. My priest told me that the foundation for the spiritual life is prayer. I have no problem with set prayers like the rosary and nightly intentions. However, when I try to casually talk to God at any time of the day, like when I'm walking to class, or am driving, I feel really awkward and weird. I don't know, it's like I can't find the right mindset or really don't know what to say. I can't seem to speak from the heart, it's like I feel unworthy or something. I just can't do it. :confused: It might be that I just don't know what to pray for, or it could be a result of the stigma in society that prayer is "lame".

I was just hoping some of you veterans out there could give me some advice on how to ease into a healthy prayer life, cuz I'm sure at least some of you have been where I am now. lol

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to respond! If I'm not making sense, I'll be happy to post more!

God bless!!
-Pat ]]> Spirituality Binto http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643890 <![CDATA[When asked why I am "turning Catholic"]]> http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643887&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:14:46 GMT History;
I come from a deep protestant background, though not that far from the Latin (Roman) Catholic. - High Lutheran

Question;
My mom asked the other day why I was "turning Catholic" and in a tone that it may has well been 1779 (in the middle of the US revolutionary war) and I had Turned Coat. :shrug:

It was on the telephone so I gave her a very brief answer....I emphasize BRIEF. She seemed satisfied with it for the moment.....but..... My question is, How should I have answered her? That is, what could I have said that would make sense to a United Methodist raised person? (one step further from Catholic than Lutheran)

Background path;
My reasons for "turning Catholic" are:
are seated in that I don't think Martin Luther would have been excommunicated in today's Roman Catholic church. In fact, I think he would have not had any problem with the Church. Even he agrees that salvation lays not just through faith alone, but it is a Christian's duty to do good in the world...OK...Same argument the bible gives, (faith AND good works) but in different words. I'm good with that.

My study of scripture lead to a lot of questions... this was written in the Bronze age, and what was society like, what was the Author trying to say here in context.....
I've continued to find the answers in the Roman Catholic Church because it is in fact descended through Christ. (Lutheran and Methodist also try to find the deeper meaning so there is no argument with her there)

How should I have answered her, yet not alienate her?:hmmm:

Thanks for your assistance,

God Bless ]]> Non-Catholic Religions CatherineOH http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643887 What happens when a woman in the Eastern rite marries a man in the Latin rite? http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643884&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:09:27 GMT Hi!
So I'm writing a book, and am running into a bit of difficulty with my main couple's wedding. The woman, Melody is a (lapsed) member of the Russian Greek Catholic Church and the man, Aiden is a Faithful member of the Roman Catholic Church. Melody has recently re-kindled her Faith, largely due to falling in love with Aiden. It is my understanding that she would still be canonically Russian Greek, even though she currently attends a Latin rite church. So, I have three questions.
1) Since they are both Catholic, do they still need a dispensation to marry? I'm guessing not, but I want to be sure.
2) What rite would the children canonically be? They will be raised in the Latin rite, but would they need to officially transfer or anything?
3) How do you officially transfer? Would it just be a bit of paperwork, or is there a ceremony?

Thank You all so much. ]]> Eastern Catholicism Ladygem http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643884 Chicago Cardinal to fight Obama rule http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643883&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:02:05 GMT Chicago Cardinal Francis George has written a letter telling the city’s 2.3 million Catholics that “we cannot — and will not — comply” with the Obama administration’s “unjust” birth control law. In the letter, set to be read Sunday at all Catholic churches in Chicago, George slams President Barack Obama’s requirement for church-run hospitals and universities to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “People of faith cannot be made second-class citizens because of their religious beliefs… . Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights,” George says in the letter. “We cannot — and will not — comply with this unjust law,” he writes, according to the Sun-Times. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72716.html#ixzz1lz31VUtu Chicago Cardinal Francis George has written a letter telling the city’s 2.3 million Catholics that “we cannot — and will not — comply” with the Obama administration’s “unjust” birth control law.

In the letter, set to be read Sunday at all Catholic churches in Chicago, George slams President Barack Obama’s requirement for church-run hospitals and universities to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.


“People of faith cannot be made second-class citizens because of their religious beliefs… . Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights,” George says in the letter.
“We cannot — and will not — comply with this unjust law,” he writes, according to the Sun-Times.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories...#ixzz1lz31VUtu ]]> Catholic News gilliam http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643883 TV Shows Tonight - 10th Feb http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643881&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:56:55 GMT Catch the latest episodes of you favorite Tv Shows seasons tonight. Don't miss th following show latest episodes airing tonight

Watch Fringe Season 4 Episode 12 Online

Watch Supernatural Season 7 Episode 14 Online

Watch Nikita Season 2 Episode 14 Online ]]> Apologetics petkharab999 http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643881 Letterman show http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643872&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:39:29 GMT Behind Dave Letterman on his show there is buildings and a bridge and lots of night lights Is it real ? Have any of you New yorkers been to a show? Behind Dave Letterman on his show there is buildings and a bridge and lots of night lights

Is it real ?

Have any of you New yorkers been to a show? ]]> Popular Media Paul theApostle http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643872 <![CDATA[Catholic Medical Association Faults HHS for "Bad Logic," "Bad Medicine"]]> http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643865&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:20:04 GMT The president of the Catholic Medical Association has attacked the principles behind Health and Human Services' federal contraception mandate in Feb. 6 statement.

More... ]]> Catholic News Catholic Press http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643865 USCCB President Says He Is Skeptical Obama Wants Compromise on HHS Regs http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643864&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:20:04 GMT Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan of New York said he is "a little skeptical" that the Obama administration wants to find a compromise on the requirement that health plans for most religious employers cover contraceptives and sterilization free of charge.

More... ]]> Catholic News Catholic Press http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643864 Pastor Rick Warren: I’d Rather Go to Jail Than Obey Mandate http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643862&goto=newpost Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:12:03 GMT ---Quote--- Evangelical pastor Rick Warren sent a message on Twitter today that is resonating with pro-life advocates opposed to the new Obama mandate forcing religious employers to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs. Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church who delivered the invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration, put his pro-life views against the mandate front and center. ---End Quote--- more.... http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/09/pastor-rick-warren-id-rather-go-to-jail-than-obey-mandate/
Quote:
Evangelical pastor Rick Warren sent a message on Twitter today that is resonating with pro-life advocates opposed to the new Obama mandate forcing religious employers to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs.

Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church who delivered the invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration, put his pro-life views against the mandate front and center.
more....
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/09/p...-obey-mandate/ ]]> Non-Catholic Religions JustaServant http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=643862