MCS Newsflash: Server Outage

Our host has experienced another major outage that has affected our server. According to a telephone support agent, it is due to a network outage at their datacenter. They are presently unable to give us an estimated time for repair. Unfortunately, we need to stick with our present host for the time being for various reasons (e.g. amount of time required to change, expenses involved in change, increased costs of the change in the future, possible compatibility issues while our site is undergoing redesign, etc.), despite the degraded service we've received since we were forced to switch servers after their acquisition. We sincerely regret the accessibly issues and hope they will be resolved soon. Any prayers you might be able to offer would be greatly appreciated. God bless you.

NEWSFLASH: Apostolic Nuncio Reminds USCCB General Secretary that clerics and the faithful are "not permitted to participate" in events during which the alleged 'apparitions' at Medjugorje are "taken for granted"

A recent letter to the General Secretary of the USCCB has been made public in which the Apostolic Nuncio, writing at the request of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reminds that clerics AND faithful may not participate in "meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such 'apparitions [at Medjugorje]' would be taken for granted." The CDF is still investigating aspects of the alleged apparitions, which are controversial for a number of reasons (including frequency of alleged apparitions, promised healings & signs which never materialized, 'road show' apparitions, money-making aspects, contradictions/lies, disobedience, troubling messages, etc.). Past examinations of the alleged apparitions have found nothing of a supernatural origin.

 "I am sure that Our Lady does not appear. No miracles. The 'Messages' cannot be of our Virgin. They are the fruit of a fabrication, fraud and disobedience to the Church. It is about big money and personal interest too." (Michael Davies quoting Monsignor Zanic, bishop of Mostar-Duvno)

For a copy of the letter, try here [Note: For easier reading, we have cleaned up some of the image's background]

Related: Marian Apparitions at Medjugorje: True or False?

[11/6/13]

MCS Newsflash: Deo Gratias! Our 2,000,000th Visitor

We are happy to report that MyCatholicSource.com received its 2 millionth visitor* in the afternoon on Sunday, August 4th, 2013.

We send our thanks to all who have visited this site and we look forward, by God's grace, to welcoming many millions of visitors to this site in the years to come.

Laus tibi, Domine, Rex aeternae gloriae! (Latin for: Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory!)

Mater amóris, dolóris et misericórdiæ, ora pro nobis (Latin for: Mother of love, of sorrow, and of mercy, pray for us)

* Number of visits is based on raw, unfiltered access logs. Excludes traffic prior to our 'official unveiling'

[8/12/13]

MCS Newsflash: New Server Migration [UPDATED]

On July 9, 2013, we were notified that our site will be migrated to a new server within the next couple of weeks or so. Please note that this server change was initiated by our hosting company as a result of their recent acquisition. Is NOT related to our ongoing site redesign efforts. We certainly wish it was possible to avoid this disruption, but unfortunately this is not possible.

As a result of this migration, please expect the following...

* Functionality & accessibility issues with MyCatholicSource.com during the transition period

* Possible issues with e-mail during and after the transition period

* No newsletter for August 2013

Should you experience issues with our site (or with correspondence to us), please...

* Try again later

* Check our blog for updates - http://mycatholicsource.blogspot.com (Note: We may post updates on our blog if we are unable to access our server)

* Contact us using another method (e.g. telephone)

Switching servers is a huge undertaking and we'd certainly appreciate any prayers you might be able to offer for a successful transition. We are hopeful there may be fewer issues this time compared to the last time we switched servers because - unlike last time - this time we are transitioning to a similar server with the same operating system. Although we have not yet been provided with specific dates for the transition, we expect it will occur sometime within the next couple of weeks or so.

Thank you for your support & patience during the transition!
 
8/13 Update: The new server is live. Please let us know if you encounter any problems. Thank you!

[7/10/13, updated 8/12/13]

MCS Newsflash: Sign Up Today For Our Fifth Annual Rosary Week!

The online signup sheet for our Fifth Annual Rosary Week is now ready. Please sign up today at www.MyCatholicSource.com/RosaryWeek. For more information concerning Rosary Week, please click here.

Thank you for your participation!

[6/17/13]

NEWSFLASH: 'Habemus Papam!'

The Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, age 76, has been elected pope. He has taken the name Francis.

Related: Vatican View

[3/13/13]

OPINION: Five 'most troubling' aspects of Pope Benedict's resignation

For a number of reasons, the surprise abdication of the papacy by Pope Benedict XVI may be troubling to faithful Catholics. The following is a brief summary of 5 'most troubling' aspects...

1. Fathers don't resign. This action may been seen by some as abandonment / quitting / jumping ship (think 'Barque of Peter'). In some ways, it may even serve to cast a shadow over Pope Benedict's pontificate. His very name change signifies something lifelong -- Simon becomes Peter and stays so until death. Unlike other bishops, the Pope changes his name -- like Christ changed Simon's to Peter. This has a special significance. Now he will keep the name, but not keep the papacy -- the very reason for having a new name. It just doesn't seem right. Fathers don't resign for poor health or old age. Even with his difficult position, this action is not necessary from a purely earthly perspective (assuming for a moment such a thing could ever be 'necessary'). Clearly his mind is good and he could always have more help with his day-to-day activities. Many people looked up to Pope John Paul II for 'hanging in there', despite his having worse health than Benedict has now. Suffering is a key part of our faith, and the Holy Father's good example of patient suffering is priceless.

2. More novelty. Men occupying the Chair of Peter have gotten old all along - for 2,000 years - but they didn't resign the papacy due to old age or frail health. Throughout history they resigned only under extraordinary circumstances. With this novelty of a pope resigning for age/health related reasons, people may no longer see the papacy as a lifetime 'job'. One huge danger of this is that it may encourage external pressure on the papacy if a pope is especially disliked by the world - something that wouldn't be an issue if there was 'no chance' of a pope resigning. The idea that a pope may 'resign' due to age/health destroys the sense of certainty regarding a Pope reigning until his death - and like all novelties, it will have consequences.

3. Lack of the spiritual. Wouldn't it have been so much better for Pope Benedict to ask God for strength to do the job and the faithful for prayers for his strength rather than for him to 'examine his conscience before God' regarding a decision he apparently already wanted to make? It recalls to mind how Protestants 'pray on it' rather than use the head God gave them to think with -- as if they have a direct answer line to God. Instead, if we already know the right thing to do, we should pray for God's help with carrying that out. In this case, it seems obvious that the 'right thing to do' for a Pope is to continue on with his duties until God calls him (i.e. death). That's what's been done for 2,000 years - getting old/frail is nothing new to mankind. Although it seems certain that the Holy Father thinks his decision is for the good of the Church, he clearly could be wrong in this NOT infallible determination. In fact, effects of his decision to step down may impact the Church in negative ways for centuries, which brings us to the next point...

4. Possible effects in the future. One of the most concerning aspects of Benedict's abdication is the effects it may have on the Church in future. This is MUCH bigger than the resignation of one pope. In fact, the papacy may never be the same again. Now that a pope has 'resigned' for mere age/health related reasons, other popes may feel internal or external pressure to resign. Some may try to force a pope's resignation. It may 'set a precedent' and future popes may be criticized for not stepping down when they are older. Also, the decision may affect the choice of a pope - older men may be avoided. Later there could conceivably be multiple 'emeritus popes'. Furthermore, now that 'resigning' is a possibility, some popes may not bravely face the papacy and simply step down when things are 'too tough'. We can't pretend this decision of Pope Benedict's won't affect the Church in the future. His decision to unburden himself of the papacy for a few weeks, months or years risks causing serious harm to the Church. Why couldn't he have just hung on, with God's help, like the others before him did, for the good of the Church?

5. 'Lowering' of the papacy. The decision to resign for health/age related reasons may be seen as 'lowering the papal office' - as if it was any other type of human institution. Being Pope is somewhat like being a king and a king should remain the king until his death, regardless of age or health. The Pope is not a CEO. He is Christ's representative. Surely God can use even the most frail or weak of instruments to accomplish His designs.

Faithful Catholics may wish the next pope would condemn the decision and reinforce the idea that the papacy is for life. But, sadly, even that wouldn't carry the same weight as abdicating being something that is 'just never done'. The dam walls have been broken and may never be repairable.

O Iesu, Fili Dei vivi, miserére nobis! (O Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us!) [Latin / English]

Related: Vatican View Section

[2/28/13]

Pope Benedict XVI Resigns Papacy

Pope Benedict XVI has announced his intention to resign the papacy, effective February 28, 2013. It is the first time since the 15th century that a pope has abdicated the papal throne. The VIS announcement appears below...

POPE RENOUNCES PAPAL THRONE

Vatican City, 11 February 2013 (VIS) The Holy Father, at the end of today's consistory for causes for canonization, announced his resignation from ministry as Bishop of Rome to the College of Cardinals. Following is the Holy Father's complete declaration, which he read in Latin:

"I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is."

"Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."

Also from the VIS mailing...

"The Director of the Holy See's Press Office explained that the Holy Father 'will move to Castel Gandolfo on 28 February, and, once he has finished the tasks he has in progress, he will take up residence in the former cloistered monastery in the Vatican. The process for the election of a new Pope will begin on 1 March. We do not yet know the exact date of the conclave, but obviously there will be no need to wait the normal eight days of mourning (novendali) after the death of the Pope. Thus, in two weeks, during the month of March, in time for Easter, we will have a new Pope ... Benedict XVI will have no role in next March's conclave, nor in the running of the Church during the time between popes, the time of Sede Vacante. The Apostolic Constitution gives no role in this transition to a pope who resigns.'"

Related: Abdicated / Deposed / Overthrown Popes | Vatican View Section

[2/11/13]