A few recent news highlights...
* Close to 2,000 persons in the Netherlands have made abuse complaints against the Church. "Most" of the allegations trace back decades and involve the Catholic school system. Reportedly, the complaints include accusations against two former bishops
* A nun who served as vice president of finance for Iona College (NY) was recently arrested and charged with embezzling $850,000 from the school over a 10 year period. If convicted, she reportedly may face nearly four years in prison
* Vandals have chopped down a tree in Britain that is said to trace back to the staff of Joseph of Arimathea some 2,000 years ago (the 'Holy Thorn Tree' of Glastonbury). The tree - which blossomed twice a year, at Christmas & Easter - previously suffered harm but locals apparently managed to re-grow it from salvaged cuttings obtained from the original tree. Some claim the recent vandalism was a 'deliberately anti-Christian act', others speculate it may be part of a 'vendetta' against the landowner
* Thousands of misguided 'Catholics' in Minnesota have returned marriage-defending DVDs in protest. Sadly, the woefully misled 'Catholics' considered the archdiocesan efforts at defending true marriage to be in conflict with "core Christian values of love, compassion, tolerance, and respect" and think that the rejection of unnatural, sinful homosexual 'marriage' is an "attack on human dignity" [Commentary: Bet it's been a long time since they've heard sermons on these topics...
"If your brother sins, rebuke him" (Jesus Christ, Lk. 17:3)
"Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire." (St. Jude 1:7)
"Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God." (St. Paul, 1 Cor. 6:9-10)
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter!" (Isa. 5:20)
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." (Jesus Christ, Mt. 7:13-15)
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