tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31759073.post8943813675507613357..comments2023-10-21T04:49:18.217-07:00Comments on Francis Notes and My World Today: Annie Jeffrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15415548089882625246noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31759073.post-46781481940195679172010-04-11T18:10:05.855-07:002010-04-11T18:10:05.855-07:00Dear Annie,
Norwegian media also are eager critici...Dear Annie,<br />Norwegian media also are eager criticizing the protestant church, not only when it comes to the pedophile abuse.<br />Maybe we should be more suspicious if media started to embrace the Church. We are in the world, but not of the world.<br /><br />Of course we will never defend aggressors, no matter what.<br />maybe that is the worst pain; having to admit and relate to unspeakable injustice committed by people we trusted and looked up to.<br /><br />We have to look the evil in the eyes and deal with it.<br />Then we'll cling to Jesus like its written in: Hebrews 12<br />Jesus, the Example<br /> 1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also (A)lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us (B)run with (C)endurance the race that is set before us,<br /><br /> 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the (D)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him (E)endured the cross, (F)despising the shame, and has (G)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.<br /><br /> 3For (H)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary (I)and lose heart. <br /><br />Dear Annie, you should not thank me, I should thank you.<br />Some must speak out.<br />Glad you did.<br />From FelisolFelisol https://www.blogger.com/profile/12240191154632603841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31759073.post-64608852520645097782010-04-11T08:48:29.785-07:002010-04-11T08:48:29.785-07:00God bless you, Elise, for your loving support. I&...God bless you, Elise, for your loving support. I'm so grateful for your personal story as well about your father's own small church and the success of the members to stop the perpetrator. The media has been so hard on us for the last several years. They treat each accusation as if it was fact and they (especially the New York Times) run forward and forget that fact checking is a critical part of their job. <br /><br />And speaking of fact checking, a personal friend of ours was recently ordained to the priesthood and one of the points that is made now in seminarian training (and indeed, it's been going on now for at least 20 years) is education regarding child abuse, how to recognize it and how to handle it. There are also stringent measures in place to weed these monsters out of seminaries. Now, if only we could weed them out of society.<br /><br />My blogfriend, Deb, pointed out to me recently when I was really depressed about this, that in the end no matter how extreme the guilt, no matter how far the church falls, we do and always will have Christ. He is the heart of our faith. <br /><br />Thank you for being such a good friend.<br />AnnieAnnie Jeffrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15415548089882625246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31759073.post-430197477688118662010-04-11T03:36:17.621-07:002010-04-11T03:36:17.621-07:00Dear Annie,
I've been reluctant to comment on ...Dear Annie,<br />I've been reluctant to comment on this blog-post, even though I don't think we do not disagree much.<br />I cannot speak for America, but we are all shaken by the revelations about child abuse and pedophile encroachments committed by priests and bishops in the Norwegian Catholic Church lately. That is the news were confirmed around Easter time, but the bishop was sent out of the country last year, and the altar boy paid a substantial sum as a form of compensation.<br />The good thing is that the church has been relatively open about what has happened, and taken precautions the shelter the children and also punish the child malester.<br /><br />Similar perpetrates have been revealed in Protestant Church, in public orphanages, schools for missionary children, public schools, children's sports clubs.<br />Even in the little Pentecost congregation of 60 members, where my father belonged had a nasty episode about ten years ago. My Dad and my uncle, then about 80, had to put up a hard fight to fight to make things right. They were lightening examples to me, Gunnar, my brother and my cousins. Even though we did not belong to the church, we were all engaged to back up our courageous fathers.<br /><br />I love the Catholic Church. I often visit Catholic churches when on travels, and I am well familiar with the huge importance of the Mother Church in a world, year by year more secularized and even criminalized.<br /><br />I pray for the Church and His Holiness, Pope Benedict.<br />No one can alter the past, only <br />use the presence to secure the future.<br />The children are our future.<br />Jesus says in Mark 25. 4040And(BC) the King will answer them,(BD) 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these(BE) my brothers,[f] you did it to me.'<br /><br />Like you and me the Church needs to extinct evil from its midst to survive. The cancer of child abuse cannot be allowed to grow.<br /><br />KYRIE ELEISON.<br />God, help us and have mercy.<br />From FelisolFelisol https://www.blogger.com/profile/12240191154632603841noreply@blogger.com