Tag: Catholic Church

Our New Pope, Pontiff of Peace

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Our New Pope, Pontiff of Peace

“You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself, and preys on the innocent is not sent by God. He is sent to test you. And many are failing.”

Our New Pope, Pontiff of Peace

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

“Da” Pope

Just like our dearly departed Pope Francis, our brand new first ever Pope from the U.S. speaks the truth regarding the Trump administration and “The Donald” himself. Pope Leo XIV, or “Da” Pope as Chicago area residents are referring to him, I am very proud to say is from right here in the Windy City. As a quote attributed to His Holiness says, “You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself, and preys on the innocent is not sent by God. He is sent to test you. And many are failing.”

Only One King

We all know that  Donald Trump wants to be the first American king, but unlike the first American Pope, that is not going to happen – there is no king of the United States. There is, however, finally a Pontiff from our country. I am hopeful this new leader of the Catholic Church can an will continue the work of Pope Francis  to bring about peace in our troubled homeland and world from his position of power at the Vatican. Whether you are a Catholic, Christian or not, this man offers hope. Here are some interesting facts about Pope Leo: XIV:

  1. Our Pope Leo began his pastoral career in the southern Chicago suburb of Dolton, IL, where he grew up. Dolton, which is in Cook County.
  2. His name is Robert Prevost and he was born in the city of Chicago.
  3. His first words after the conclave elected him were, “Peace be with you all”.
  4. The former archbishop is also quoted as saying “I offer you the little that I have and am” – a servants heart that is a breath of fresh air in our troubled world.
  5. He spent extensive time in Peru.
  6. The new Pope is 69 years young.
  7. By choosing to be called Leo, he is likely going to build upon previous popes named Leo, especially Leo Xlll, whose teachings centered around social justice.
  8. He is considered a diplomat in the church.
  9. The Pope is a Chicago White Sox fan, much to the chagrin of my Cubs fan husband. The White Sox organization sent him a team jersey and cap to the Vatican. His Sox fandom is confirmed by his brother, John Prevost.
  10. He attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Laketown Township, MI. He has a BS in Mathematics from Villanova University, and went to seminary at the Catholic Theological Union in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park.

Supporting the Immigrant

It appears that our new Pope is no fan of the Trump administration or JD Vance, especially in regards to immigration. Just like his predecessor, Pope Francis. An article in Newsweek quotes, “In some matters, Leo XIV has aligned ideologically with his predecessor, Pope Francis, especially on the treatment of immigrants and the environment. Earlier this year, Francis criticized Trump over his immigration agenda, which embraces mass deportations.”

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The Truth About The Wiccan Religion

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OUT OF THE BROOM-CLOSET:

TRUTH ABOUT WICCAN RELIGION

By Trevor K. McNeil

Wicca?

What comes to mind when you hear, or read, the word “Wicca”? Wiccans are often the subject of fascination, conjecture and fear. Those belonging to the Wiccan religion are some of the most maligned and misunderstood groups of people on the planet. Wicca has become short-hand for “otherness” if not outright evil. Neo-paganism or pagan witchcraft is a contemporary religious movement that attempts to recenter the spirit of humanity on nature and the shared duality of divinity.

Hundreds of Thousands Executed

The Witch hunts in Europe between the 16th and 18th century led to the murder of an estimated 100,000 people, mostly women. Natural events including the devastating Black Plague contributed to near hysteria. Many Christian followers believed the Black Death was an organized effort by Satan and his witches against the Christian Church. From the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693 to the Cult Scares of the late 1980s and early 1990s, those who have strayed from the established theological line of Christianity (or Islam)(or Judaism) have faced intense hatred and abuse.  The dominant religious doctrine of the community requires that the dominant religious force must squash those who profess another belief system. It has nothing to do with finding out who these “others” are and what it is they believe. The backlash seems particularly violent when a religion promotes women and encourages their power.

Feminism

Gerald Gardner and then Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine introduced a new paganism in the mid-twentieth century. Despite its relative modernity, the roots of Wicca go back to the time of Celts and Druids. This “new paganism”  believes humanity’s religious life should “center on ritual nature veneration, natural cycles and magical and spiritual learning”. A distinct difference between Wicca and the other world religions is the concept that divinity is both male and female. In fact, when questioned many Wiccans noted their attraction to the non-patriarchal world view of the Wicca religion. In Wicca the two genders complement and strengthen one another. Feminism has always been an integral feature of the religion. The Wicca religion has an innate gender equality view.

Definitions

Simply put, people who practice the Wiccan religion are nature worshippers. Not in the literal sense of praying to trees, but in that they see every part of nature, including humans, as being part of an interconnected, sacred whole. As with most other pagan faiths, Wicca has many deities associated with it. There is a pantheon of gods and goddesses, some emphasis on goddesses, from which Wiccans pick and choose according to their personal preference. Unlike other faiths, these deities are entirely optional, not only in terms of which one you can choose to associate with, but whether you choose to believe in them at all.

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