The CatholiCity Message
Volume VII, Number 3 – February 18, 2003
Dear CatholiCity Citizen,
We're all over the map today, but I come bearing gifts...
1. OUR BAD EXAMPLE
It has taken us most of our adult life to get serious about having a daily prayer life. We made all the usual mistakes. If you want to avoid our bad example, please read "Giving God Twenty: How to Start a Real Prayer Life," which we've posted exclusively for you. Even if you are not currently interested in having a daily prayer life, please consider reading it to plant the seed in your soul for the future. Deep down (like us) you know this is the "missing piece" of your spiritual puzzle.
We have to admit that we're quite thankful to Mr. Macfarlane for this article. Many of you will surely email us in coming months telling us excitedly that your life has changed. Hold on to your mouse! We have also included 14 Bonus Tips for Normal People and How Daily Prayer Explains Why the Best Home Run Hitters are Catholics:
http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/macfarlane/givinggod20.html
2. GIVE HER SOMETHING BETTER
Last month we told you about the amazing new E5 Men apostolate, and thousands of CatholiCity Citizens have joined E5 Men from over 44 countries. More good news: Ash Wednesday is the first E5 Fast Wednesday in March–what better day to begin if you hesitated first time around?
We find it ironic that we live in a world where every other spam promises happiness by selling snake oil scams to increase the size of a certain part of the anatomy while the real men are giving a truly selfless gift to women by increasing the size of their hearts through suffering with Christ on the Cross. More on E5 Men here (women can sign up for E5 Women, too):
3. RESPONSE TO THE WAR
CatholiCity will not take a political stand on whether the possible war in Iraq is good or bad policy. we have our own individual opinions, as we're sure you do. We do know that the Catholic Church teaches that authority for making the decision about whether to prosecute a war is the duty of our elected civil authorities–not clerics, TV talking heads, or lowly grunts like us.
Every person, citizens and leaders, should respect the Church's holy calling to reiterate the principles of Just War while we also recognize that the Church itself teaches that our civil leaders have the sole and fearsome responsibility to make the final decisions in accord with those principles. One thing all 70,000 of us can do right now is to pray–for war to be averted or for victory with the least harm if all other means prove fruitless or imprudent. Let all 70,000 of us pray together for peace...
"Dear Jesus, King of Kings, You promised us a sparrow does not fall from the sky without your knowledge, and we submit ourselves in humility before You knowing that every soul in the world will be affected for evil if a war in Iraq is just and does not occur or if a war in Iraq is unjust and does occur. In humility, we ask you to help leaders on all fronts act according to Truth. We specifically ask you for the dictator of Iraq to step down or be taken out of office if this is what is required to avert warfare. If war does occur, please bring it to a peaceful and swift end. Guide our leaders in their decisions beforehand. Stay their hand if war is unjust. Give them courage to act if war is just. Protect civilians on all sides. Vouchsafe our fighting men and women. Give us humility and the grace of submission before rightful authority always. We trust in you. Amen."
4. WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
One of the best "little" services of CatholiCity is our Prayer Request page. With one click you can ask our volunteer prayer warriors to pray for a particular intention for you. You can also sign up to be a prayer warrior yourself. Bookmark or make it a Favorite it for future reference:
http://www.catholicity.com/prayersdevotions/
MORE EDMONTON JOKES
(With thanks or winces to Joe of Edmonton, Alberta, for most of these...)
If a newspaper editor converted to Catholicism would he be depressed?
If you divorced a taxidermist would you be deferred?
If a goalie converted to Catholicism would he be decreased?
If a politician converted to Catholicism would he be devoted?
If you add 50 pigs with 50 deer would you have a hundred sows and bucks?
If a seamstress married an anarchist would they sew confusion? (No, darn it, but they would sure knit chaos.)
If a tennis star married a ball-girl, would she be fetching at her wedding?
If Skippy married Macadamia, should they draw up a pre-nut-ual agreement? (They'd butter, or the divorce proceedings will get jammed–that is, if Skippy shows up at all.)
Aaarrrggghhh! Forgive us. And don't forget to check out "Giving God Twenty." Let us know what you think of it. Better, let us know that you're "in."
http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/macfarlane/givinggod20.html
With Christ,
Your Friends at CatholiCity
