Facebook is Catholic and Twitter is Protestant, says priest

Fr Lucie-Smith describes Facebook users as a congregation (PA) 

The Catholic Herald

Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith's theory on social media's religious divide is expressed in this week's Catholic Herald

Facebook is Catholic and Twitter is Protestant, according to a Catholic priest and moral theologian.

Bishop: what makes Britain great is its Christian patrimony

 

 Bishop Philip Egan at the Mass. Below, pilgrims venerate the relics in Portsmouth cathedral (Photos: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk) 

Posted by Staff Reporter Catholic Herald

Speaking about the general election, Bishop Egan said that for Catholics politics was about values, not just economics – the values of life, the family, and caring for the poorest.
He added: “Some politicians seem to suggest that British values are essentially the NHS, decency and warm beer. No, what makes Britain great is its Christian patrimony: the concern for justice, freedom and the rule of law, values derived from love of God and love of neighbour, fused with our native genius.”

How to Deal with Persecution!

A sermon preached at New Hope Lutheran Church, West Melbourne, FL on March April 19, 2015 by Pastor Dale Raether
 

Acts 12:1-19

Who would have thought that there would be persecutions today like there were in Bible times! I know this world is evil. But I always thought Satan’s main attack against Christians would be to get us so focused on the here and now, that we wouldn’t care that much about God and His Word. Satan has also been attacking the reliability of the Bible through evolution and modern science. Satan’s tactics are working. The 1800s were known as the great missionary century. Christians all over the world were convinced that the only way to heaven is through faith in Christ. Since there were many who hadn’t even heard of Christ, Christians would sacrifice every spare dollar they could find in order to send out more missionaries. I know this is an idle question, but if Christians had continued to send out missionaries in the 1900s the way they did in the 1800s, would there even be an ISIL today? Maybe, but if Christians were in the majority in many of those countries, ISIL wouldn’t have the power to do the things they’re doing. So now what? In our text this morning we see how the early Christians dealt with persecution. They did three things: 1. They prayed.  2. They trusted. 3. The kept spreading the Gospel.

The Real Reason Christianity Is Still in Decline

Friday 22, May 2015




By Christian Piatt
The most recent Pew forum study, which show that numbers of people identifying with any brand of Christianity is still in decline, should surprise no one. But as is the case any time such a study comes out, Christians are looking for reasons why.
By now we know a lot of the basic reasons: people are busier, they are more mobile, there's less social stigma about not going to church, folks don't trust us, etc. But I'm interested in looking at it from three different perspectives, rather than just from the inside of Christianity. After all, there's far more at play here than just Christians not practicing what they preach.

More Than 100 Charged In Mob Killing Of Christian Couple In Pakistan

Pakistani human rights activists condemn the killing of the Christian couple for alleged blasphemy during a demonstration in Islamabad, Pakistan, in November.

B.K. Bangash/AP 

 

Scott Neuma 

Prosecutors in Pakistan's Punjab province have charged 106 people in connection with the gruesome mob killing of a Christian couple who were incinerated in a brick kiln for allegedly desecrating a copy of the Quran.
In November, Sajjad Mesih and his wife, Shama — who was pregnant when the couple in their 20s was killed — were beaten and thrown into the kiln they tended as laborers.

Pope says environmental sinners will face God's judgment for world hunger

• Francis declares ‘powerful of the Earth’ have obligation to feed the world
• Pontiff to publish encyclical on environmental issues

 

 Pope Francis leads a mass in St Peter’s basilica before the opening of the general assembly of Caritas. ‘We must do what we can so that everyone has something to eat,’ he said. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

the Guardian
Pope Francis has warned “the powerful of the Earth” they will answer to God if they fail to protect the environment to ensure the world can feed its population.
“The planet has enough food for all, but it seems that there is a lack of willingness to share it with everyone,” Francis said at a mass to mark the opening of the general assembly of the Catholic charitable organisation Caritas.

Masters of War: Pope Francis Calls out the $400 billion Global Arms Business as “the Industry of Death”

Not exactly storytime. Pope Francis at the May 11 event. (Reuters/Max Rossi)

Written by

Heather Timmons, Quartz

Pope Francis was sharply critical of the global arms industry in a speech at the Vatican this week, telling thousands of children in Rome that weapons manufacturers are money-hungry opponents of peace.

According to the Italian news agency AGI, the Pope said:

Some powerful people make their living with the production of arms and sell them to one country for them to use against another country … It’s the industry of death, the greed that harms us all, the desire to have more money.