Nativities, Wolves & Unwed Mothers

Dear TIA,

Merry Christmas to you!

Here is something you would like to watch.

Thank you for the indispensable work you do, giving us daily orientation on religious and cultural issues. May the Holy Family reward you for that.

     In Jesus and Mary,

     E.J.


Exhibition Shows more than 100 Nativity Scenes in Rome
01 December, 2012 (Romereports.com). The tradition of displaying Nativity scenes has been cradled in history. For nearly two thousand years now, Christians around the world have found ways to depict Christ's birth in a little town of Bethlehem. Fast forward to today, the tradition is alive and well. But the place to find unique nativity scenes is 100 Presepi at Santa Maria del Popolo. Read more here.

Dear Mr Guimarães,

It's been quite a long while since I've contacted you. In case you have forgotten me, let me reintroduce myself. I'm Ranjit Morris, a traditional Catholic journalist from India. Several years ago, I had written to you about a Bishop of a diocese in my home State of Kerala, who fell under the charms of a 'prophetess' and left the ministry.

Well, this time, I would like to give you a web link of a group of rabid feminists, who are quietly camouflaged as a secular institute [WIN Society of Jesus AKA Women's Initiative Network] under the Syro Malabar rite in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam in Kerala, South India. This institute was formed by a priest, Fr Dominic George SJ, and a nun, Sister Alice Lukose... In the nineteen eighties, the two were very active in their political agitation against the state government to protect the rights and dignity of the marginalised fishermen, most of whom are Roman Catholics.

Recently, while doing an internet search to find out whether Alice was still a 'nun', I was shocked to find out about this 'secular institute', which has also been recognised by the state government as an NGO for women's empowerment. Except for the gospel and the Catholic faith, these rabid feminists seem to be preaching a doctrine of women's consciousness and justice and peace... Of course, their website mentions spirituality, but Heaven alone knows what sort of 'spirituality' it is all about.

Please find here the weblink to their website.

     In Christ,

     Ranjit Morris

TIA,

Will we have the restoration of the liturgy by Pope Ratzinger? Here, in the Diocese of Cambrai (France) a home Mass called "Messe-partage" in March 2012. "Partage" in French means "share", "co-participate", "partake", etc. and with may be an idea of conviviality...

For example in the New Church, there is after the Gospel "un temps de partage", a time in which everybody can tell anything to others, share ideas... "un temps de partage" can also be a time of eating a cake together.

Below, are the photo of the Mass plus the news report, which I am translating to English for your readers. The original in French is here.

     Yours faithfully,

     L.D., France




Thirteen people gathered to participate in a Messe-partage (sharing Mass) celebrated by Abbot J. N. Carlier on March 20 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lhermitte, Ruelle d’Avignon in Preux-au-Bois.

The Gospel chosen for this meeting was John 5: 1-18, that the booklet Word of God, Brother Service has called "the healing of the cripple of Bethesada." A man, poor among the poor, sick for 38 years whom Jesus healed on the Sabbath and also forgave his sins.

This story is an invitation for us to look at the poor, at those who have fallen to the "bottom of the hole," at those whom we are accustomed to pass by and not really see: they have become" invisible” to us. We must, of course, take into account both poverty in its physical as well as spiritual dimension.

A story that invites us to be attentive "to the voiceless, powerless."

At the end of the Mass, coffee and donuts were offered to everyone.

A warm moment shared by all, but, especially by Mrs Lhermitte, who has been an invalid for some time. - Fr. Pechine

TIA,

I believe the following article supports your strong stand against society accepting unmarried mothers without any restrictions. It has led to the disastrous situation – for society, families and mothers – of 40% of babies being born to Unmarried Women.

I congratulate your staunch Catholic views on Morals.

      M.G.


U.S. Birth Rate Hits All-Time Low
40.7% of Babies Born to Unmarried Women

Terence P. Jeffrey
(CNSNews.com) October 31, 2012 - The birth rate in the United States hit an all-time low in 2011, according to a report released this month by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The 2011 preliminary number of U.S. births was 3,953,593, 1% less (or 45,793 fewer) births than in 2010; the general fertility rate (63.3 per 1,000 women age 15-44 years) declined to the lowest rate ever reported for the United States,” said the report. More than 40% of all babies born in the country last year, the report said, were born to unmarried women.

While the overall birth rate declined to a record low, the birth rates for women in the 35-39 and 40-44 age groups actually increased from 2010 to 2011.

Among all women in the United States (including those as young as 10 and as old as 54), the birth rate declined from 64.1 per 100,000 in 2010 to 63.2 per 100,000 in 2011.

Among women 10 to 14 years old, it held steady at 0.4 per 100,000. Among women 15-19 years old, it declined from 34.2 to 31.3. Among women 20-24 years old, it declined from 90.0 to 85.3. Among women 25-29, it declined from 108.3 to 107.2. And among women 30-34 years old, it held steady at 96.5.

However, among women 35-39 years old, it increased from 45.9 per 100,000 to 47.2. Among women 40-44, it increased from 10.2 to 10.3. And among women from 45-54, it held steady at 0.7 per 100,000. … Although the percentage of babies born to unmarried women was highest among teens, the percentage of babies delivered by unmarried women of older ages increased from 2010 to 2011.

In 2010, 33.9% of the babies delivered by women 25-29 were delivered by unmarried women, and in 2011 that increased to 34.4%. In 2010, 21.1% of babies delivered by women 30-34 were delivered by unmarried women, and in 2011 that increased to 21.6%. In 2010, 19.6% of babies delivered by women 35-39 were delivered by unmarried mothers and in 2011 that increased to 21.1%. In 2010, 21.7% of babies delivered by women 40 and over were delivered by unmarried mothers and in 2011 that increased to 22.4%.

Read the original here.