June 24, 2009
MOSCOW - THE Russian Orthodox Church has agreed to send priests to help bailiffs 'shame' debtors and men dodging their alimony payments, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Wednesday.
'Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church will exercise spiritual influence over the debtors to teach them about the unacceptability of living in debt,' Russia's chief bailiff, Artur Parfenchikov, was quoted as saying.
A deal signed on Sunday between the Church and the federal bailiffs service came after a test programme in the northern city of Saint Petersburg saw 'fabulous' results, a spokesperson for the service told the daily.
'One of the men due to pay alimony ran to get money right after speaking with the priest. Another two decided to return to their families. The rest promised to pay their debts at the first opportunity,' the spokesperson said.
Under the agreement, the priest's official role will be 'to remonstrate with and to shame' debtors, Kommersant reported.
The Orthodox Church has also agreed to preach that 'not paying back debt, according to the precepts of the Church, is equivalent to taking what is not yours - that is theft,' it said.
Religion is kept separate from the state under Russia's constitution but the historically dominant Orthodox Church has emerged as a powerful political force since the collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union.
Russian bailiffs have not stopped at recruiting help from the Orthodox Church. In regions where Buddhism or Islam are the dominant faiths, bailiffs are working with representatives of those religions, the paper reported. -- AFP
Source: The Straits Times
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
I usually do not blog about popular, secular culture, but I couldn't resist after just recently hearing that Michael Jackson has died at 50 years of age. Famous for his influence in the 1980s, Jackson suffered in recent years under scrutiny from lawsuits and scandal involving sexual allegations. Jackson's ordeal of dangling his child over a railing in Germany also attracted international attention a few years ago.
And, despite his influence with "Thriller" and other similar songs, I think that he did the best while with the Jackson 5.
MP3 Downloads of Michael Jackson
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And, despite his influence with "Thriller" and other similar songs, I think that he did the best while with the Jackson 5.
MP3 Downloads of Michael Jackson
His Holiness Pope Pius XI wrote 31 encyclicals, and A Catholic Life would like to encourage the readings of these documents. Therefore, I have edited the following posts to include information about encyclicals. Many of my posts are written so as to benefit users who find the site through search engines and bookmarked visits. And, I feel that these edits will help those visitors find even more spiritually useful information.- St. Francis de Sales
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Christ the King
- Pledge Against Indecent Motion Pictures
- Let Them Be One
His Holiness Pope St. Pius X wrote 17 encyclicals, and A Catholic Life would like to encourage the readings of these documents. Therefore, I have edited the following posts to include information about encyclicals. Many of my posts are written so as to benefit users who find the site through search engines and bookmarked visits. And, I feel that these edits will help those visitors find even more spiritually useful information.Wednesday, June 24, 2009
His Holiness Pope Benedict XV wrote 12 encyclicals, and A Catholic Life would like to encourage the readings of these documents. Therefore, I have edited the following posts to include information about encyclicals. Many of my posts are written so as to benefit users who find the site through search engines and bookmarked visits. And, I feel that these edits will help those visitors find even more spiritually useful information.And, below are some of the posts which now include information about his encyclicals.
Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain
His Holiness Pope Leo XIII wrote 85 encyclicals, and A Catholic Life would like to encourage the readings of these documents. Therefore, I have edited the following posts to include information about encyclicals. Many of my posts are written so as to benefit users who find the site through search engines and bookmarked visits. And, I feel that these edits will help those visitors find even more spiritually useful information.
Alleluia! Today is the Double of the I Class Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. See my post from 2006 for information concerning today's feastday.Image Source: Wilson's Almanac
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
His Holiness Pope Pius XII wrote 41 encyclicals, and A Catholic Life would like to encourage the readings of these documents. Therefore, I have edited the following posts to include information about encyclicals. Many of my posts are written so as to benefit users who find the site through search engines and bookmarked visits. And, I feel that these edits will help those visitors find even more spiritually useful information. So, I encourage you to read the 41 encyclicals of His Holiness Pope Pius XII. And, below are some of the posts which now include information about his encyclicals.
This summer, as stated in my Blogger profile, I am living in the Chicago area. Last Saturday I had the privilege of traveling into Downtown Chicago and visiting Loyola University of Chicago, the site of the the Sacred Music Colloquium, which is currently taking place. It was there that I had the opportunity to visit and spend several hours with a long-time reader of my blog who is in attendance. Two other friends of mine are also in attendance at this Colloquium.If any other readers of my blog are also in the Chicago area this summer, please send me an email so that we can attempt to meet, preferably over lunch.
Image Source: Wikipedia
As June 24th approaches, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the last of the prophets, similarly advances. Along with solely the sinless Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church remembers the birth of St. John the Baptist. Together, the Church only liturgically celebrates these three holy births.
In the Traditional Catholic Calendar, June 23 is the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. From the propers of the Mass for June 23, the Introit occupies a place of importance, expressing comfort and hope:
Please see my post from last year and attempt to participate in the ancient tradition of a Bonfire this evening.
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In the Traditional Catholic Calendar, June 23 is the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. From the propers of the Mass for June 23, the Introit occupies a place of importance, expressing comfort and hope:
Fear not, Zachary; thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John; and he shall be great before the Lord, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb; and many shall rejoice at his birth. V. (Ps. 20: 2) In Thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy; and in Thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Fear not, Zachary...
Please see my post from last year and attempt to participate in the ancient tradition of a Bonfire this evening.
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