Obama administration Feigns Concern over Plan B

8 DEC 2011 (Catholic Online) Read more here.

Scouting Medal Presented to Distinguished Scout Leader

HUNTSVILLE 9 NOV 2011 (ACNS) - The Imperial Distinguished Scouter Award of the Holy Roman Empire was presented to Dr. Walter E. Whitacre, Scoutmaster of Troop 364 in Huntsville, Alabama. During Dr. Whitacre's long tenure with Boy Scouts of America, he not only led Troop 364 and an affiliated Sea Explorer ship, he served at all levels of Scouting and was instrumental in the development of several key programs.

The significance of the award is discussed with the Scouts.

The Imperial Distinguished Scout Award (called "Scouter Award" for adult leaders) is part of the Scouting ministry of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church. It is given to those Scouts and Scout leaders who fulfill set requirements. These involve demonstrating distinguished service, both within Scouting and in the community, religious education within their particular denomination, and writing a paper on the ways in which a chosen aspect of the history of the Holy Roman Empire can be applied to the modern era in making the world a better place.

Dr. Whitacre receives the Imperial Distinguished Scouter
Award medal and certificate as Imperial Chief Scout,
Chev. John Refieuna looks on.

Dr. Whitacre, though his service in Boy Scout, Cub Scout, Sea Exploring, and other Scouting programs, not only has personally rendered great service to humanity, he has inspired countless others to do the same. This is the chief principle of the award. Our actions should not only be in service of others, our actions should set an example to inspire others to service.

Following this link for more information on the Imperial Distinguished Scout Award of the Holy Roman Empire.

Life is cheap in Communist China

BEIJING 20 October 2011 (ACNS) - Life is cheap in Communist China. Not only do they lead the world by far in the number of executions, but as people lay dying in the streets, no one does anything to help. Those who help are often blamed as being the guilty party. This should be no surprise to anyone who has studied the history of the Cultural Revolution and its after-effects. A Godless society like China lacks a moral compass. Without the fear of punishment from God, Chinese act merely out of selfish interests rather than according to morals.

Recently, a toddler was injured in China and completely ignored by passers-by. (See more here.)  This is a trend in China. People are told not to intervene. People who do intervene are often accused of being the responsible party for the death or injury, or are even sued by the very same victims they helped.

One cannot be fooled by China's apparent adoption of capitalist principles. Just because they resemble in many ways the Christian nations of the West does not mean that they have a Christian moral compass, or any moral compass at all. They remain a Godless society, persecuting Christians who seek to instill morality into Chinese society. With a lot more influence of Jesus Christ in China, perhaps people won't lay dying in the streets as people pass them by.

Stock market investing book the first of the new Personal Empowerment Series

ALBUQUERQUE 30 September 2011 (ACNS) - Crossing Wall Street - The Road to Independent Financial Security, by Robert L. Clark, CPA, is the first book of Saint George Seminary Press's new Personal Empowerment Series. Check out more of this fantastic new book by following this link.



Unviersal Church Unity Theme of Patriarchal Address

8 September 2011 (ACNS) - The Patriarchal Address on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary had as its chief theme the unity of the universal church. This concept was addressed in detail and in regard to efforts by the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church.

Catholicism and Obedience

Editorial.

29 August 2011 (ACNS) - There is an interesting phenomenon in Catholicism as a whole lately. There seems to be a lack of respect for the hierarchy. This goes beyond irritation at some distant, high-up bishops over the sexual abuse scandal. It is something far closer to home. It is about the parish priest. It is about laity telling priests their job. It is about priests telling bishops, even senior bishops how to do their job. All of this flies in the face of basic obedience that is a fundamental cornerstone of the Catholic Faith. It is inconsistent for a layman to call himself (or herself) Catholic and then tell the parochial leadership what they should be doing. It is inconsistent for a priest to call himself Catholic and then tell bishops and archbishops what they can and cannot do. 

These actions are more Protestant than Catholic. The Continuing Anglican churches are rife with this problem. Laymen tell their priests what to do and what to say all the time. Vestries often hijack parishes, even in the mainstream churches. Independent Catholics even exhibit this trait, especially among the clergy. The possible reasons are many. Whatever the reason in any given individual case, it is not Catholic behavior. It is not a demonstration of the humility and obedience required of all Catholics, lay and clergy.

New Encyclical Released on Church Unity

By Rev. George Smith

22 August 2011 (ACNS) - On the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Cardinal Johnson, Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, released an encyclical regarding matters of unity within the worldwide Church, and especially within the Anglican Church. This encyclical, entitled Christus Desiderat, follows a lengthy set of initiatives and talks designed to heal the wounds of the past and move forward to the future. It also precedes the Patriarchal Address on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, which is expected to involve talks of unity.

When asked what is needed now for unity, Card. Johnson said "We need cooperation, not compromise. Least common denominator approaches do not work. Neither does it work when those who are upset, troubled, or concerned by current situations in the church create divisions through schism or seek the destruction of another church."

Other clergy have expressed concern at the various implicit or explicit attempts by some Continuing Anglican churches to seek the destruction of other Continuing Anglican churches and the Episcopal Church. One Continuing Anglican leader once remarked that his would be the only "Episcopal Church" left after a certain number of years. "This type of inharmonious behavior is highly counterproductive, and it is most definitely not Christian behavior. If your raison d'etre as a church is to syphon members off from another church, especially when the justification is that said church is having problems as you perceive it, then you have no firm foundation and commit grave sin against charity," Card. Johnson said. In the encyclical, the Cardinal also urged Church leaders to come together and find common ground on which they can cooperate. There appears to be growing concensus among major church leaders that the time has long since come for us all to come together, not comprising on our sincerely-held beliefs, but working together as Christ intended.


The complete text of the encyclical is below:

CHRISTUS DESIDERAT

Encyclical regarding Unity in the Church

To the Bishops, Regular Clergy, and Faithful of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, greetings and Apostolic Blessings.

1. Christ desires unity in his Holy Church. Natural segments of the Church have developed over the many centuries, though they all remain one as the Trinity is One, through the closest possible bonds of Apostolic Succession and valid Sacraments.

2. Yet, for various reasons, various schismatic factions have arisen. Even when formed through the best of intentions, such as maintenance of true doctrine, they nevertheless create fractions within the Church. Walls are erected, and animosity, mistrust, and confusion develop on both sides of that wall.

3. Some of these factions further seek the destruction of other branches of Christ's Holy Church. This is the worst possible result, even if the initial intentions of those factions were good. No entity of the Church can consider itself truly Christian if it seeks the destruction of other entities of the Church.

4. Schism is by far worse than heresy. Schism contains with it heresy, viz. the heresy that promotes fraction of the Church and is opposed to unity and charity. Saint Augustine said that a schismatic is one who holds the same faith as the rest, but takes pleasure in the mere disunion of the Church. No one can be fully Christian if they seek, promote, or take pleasure in mere disunion.

5. When the formation of a faction or even a new and otherwise legitimate Apostolic branch of the Church is carried out for the preservation of doctrine and the Faith handed down from the Apostles, there exists a strong possibility to become exclusionary against other parts of the Church. Continuing Anglican churches, for example, often are hostile against the Church that they left, i.e., the Episcopal Church or another branch of the Anglican Communion, even to the point of seeking its ultimate destruction. Continuing Anglican Churches and Independent Catholic Churches are often hostile against Rome. Even validly-formed entities of the Church lose their doctrinal validity when they act in hostility, whether active or passive, against the other branches of the Church. This is not to say that they cannot and should not maintain their doctrinal position, or that they cannot express their belief that the opposing side is wrong. This is, however, different from hostility, as it implies an inherent respect for other members of the Corporate Body of Christ.

6. All Particular Churches must strive for unity. It must be remembered that doctrinal issues are beyond the capability of one person to decide. These matters will not be decided or resolved necessarily according to our time table. What is left to us is to be faithful stewards of what we have been given to preserve, doing this the best possible way that we can. While we have very strong reasons for our beliefs, doctrine, practices, and procedures, it must be acknowledged that other parts of the Church have equally strong reasons for their beliefs, doctrine, practices, and procedures, even when they differ from ours. It is, therefore, cooperation that is needed, not compromise or hostility.

7. We are all, therefore, called to work for cooperative unity.

8. The Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church has inherited a unique lineage and legacy to maintain that puts us in a prime position to heal wounds and work towards unity. With this comes a great responsibility. All the clergy and faithful of this Particular Church are expected to work for unity, shun schism, maintain the Faith, seek cooperation where possible, build bridges, and serve the needs of those whom God puts in our path to help. This is our mandate and our cause.

9. Furthermore, it is our firm belief that those churches in the Anglican Continuum should work to cooperate amongst themselves and with the various entities of the Anglican Communion, e.g., the Episcopal Church and the Church of England. Similarly, the various branches of the Anglican Communion should extend a hand in Christian fellowship and seek ways to cooperate for the greater good. Independent Catholic Churches and the Roman Communion ought to do similarly, as well as the western Church and the great Orthodox Churches of the East. No person, group, faction, sect or church ought to seek the destruction of any other branch of Christ's Holy Church. Those who are suffering due to internal doctrinal and structural crises within their Church need not give hope. Always trusting in Christ, it is our firm belief that they must not participate in schism, but wait and hope in the Lord. In all these situations, differences need not be laid aside, and compromise is not suggested. Cooperation and Christian brotherhood, however, are essential, for how can anyone call themselves Christian without those fundamental Christian traits?

Rutherford Card. Johnson
Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church

Given at the Court of Saint Mary of Walsingham
on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
22 August A.D. 2011.

Notes:

(1) Eph. 4.4-6; 37.19.

(2) Acts 4.32; I Peter 2.17; Rom. 15.6.

(3) Thomas Aquinas S.T. Question 39

(4) Contra Faust. xx, 3; Contra Crescon. ii, 4