tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56789980619909993962024-03-14T06:34:55.471-04:00BROOKLYN BORN BELIEVERN.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comBlogger610125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-17779810268256778772024-01-31T01:04:00.001-05:002024-01-31T01:12:36.393-05:00Preaching the End Times<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> As I've mentioned before, sometimes I pray and also attend Bible Study with Protestant groups. I find them very welcoming and knowledgable about the Bible. I've recently made an observation which I have discussed with friends in these groups. According to them and what I"ve heard myself on Youtube sermons, most Protestant preachers are saying we are living in the end times. Now I understand why "Doomsday Prepping or Preppers" have gone mainstream. (Apparently, one third of the American population are "preppers.") It is big business. It does feel like we are living in precarious and uncertain times. Wars, terrorism, crime, volcanic eruptions etc. But there have always been wars, terrorists, crime and volcanic eruptions. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I mentioned that in Catholic churches (for the most part), we are not hearing homilies about the end times or that we are living in the end times. No, we believe the Scripture verse that "No one knows the day or hour..." They agree, that no one knows the day or hour, but they nonetheless believe that we are indeed in the end times and the clock is ticking.....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I made them all laugh. I said, of course we have to trust in Jesus, but it wouldn't hurt to have extra canned foods on hand and a manual can opener....they thought that was funny.....I always like to have a back up plan....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Jesus I trust in you"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-42920089438517573542024-01-09T10:26:00.001-05:002024-01-09T10:26:58.935-05:00Bold, Courageous and Persevering Catholics Needed for Evangelization in 2024<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I often go to a bible study with Protestant women. I also attend Catholic Mass, of course, and am a parishioner of the nearby Catholic Church and go to Scripture/bible study with Catholic women, who do a great job as well. But I also find Protestant women extremely supportive, knowledgable about the Bible and welcoming to me as a Catholic woman. Also, I can learn a lot from them and like to learn from different perspectives. As you might have guessed some of the Protestant women were baptized Catholic and were members of the Catholic Church until they left. Why did they leave the Catholic Church? Reasons we have all heard before......... not enough emphasis on Bible Study, not enough emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, scandals, etc. So here I am in the midst of them, listening, learning and trying to share my perspective in a gentle way. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the book we are presently reading and discussing, NT Commentary on St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, some ideas for evangelization come across very clearly...Christians (whether they be Catholic or Protestant) must be<b> bold, courageous and persevere,</b> if they want to be successful evangelizers. We must have attitudes similar to St. Paul who remained focused on Christ, even in the midst of trials and imprisonment. Paul remains joyful, even in difficult situations and proclaims, "Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice (Phil. 1:18). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Remaining joyful, even in the midst of trials is not easy. But always staying focused on Jesus and His valuable and important message for humankind is the way to proclaim the gospel message in good times and bad, in this extremely challenging modern time, with <b>boldness, perserverence and courage.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-52072977672964496232023-12-19T18:29:00.000-05:002023-12-19T18:29:05.204-05:00 A Vision For Peace-Worldwide Peace in 2024<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I can only think of peace, in this beautiful season of Christian joy. I think of the coming year 2024 and pray that it can somehow, miraculously, be a year of peace around the globe. It seems improbable, nearly impossible but it can be achieved through prayer and negotiation. And only if leaders would seek peace, seek a path that leads away from war and destruction to a path of reconciliation, deliberations, compromise and seeking the will of God. God wills that all humankind live in peace and instead of wasting money on weapons of war, money is better spent on building up, rebuilding and helping those who have lost so much from war. And of course feeding the hungry.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">All the world religions should make an effort in the coming year, to put aside their differences and pray for peace and exhort leaders to find a path to peace. There are solutions, but thoughtful negotiations and compromise is needed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Prince of Peace, Jesus, calls us to be peacemakers and calls leaders of all faiths to strive for peace and to stay the course until it is accomplished.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us, upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful. Upon David's throne and over his kingdom which he confirms and sustains..." (Isaiah 9:5-6)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas! Happy Peaceful New Year!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Nancy<br /></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-90521473250414228092023-12-03T16:23:00.001-05:002023-12-03T16:23:34.422-05:00Advent 2023 and Imagining A Peaceful World<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> In parts of the world this Advent 2023 there is war, there are missiles and bombs dropping causing pain, destruction and death. This is far from God's will for humankind. And yet here we are still praying for peace, longing for peace, wanting the Prince of Peace to bring peace to a broken world. The Christian liturgical Season of Advent which began today is a time of waiting, expectation and prayer. The word Advent comes from the Latin word, "Adventus," which means coming. Christ should come into our hearts anew this Advent as we wait for Christ to come at Christmas and at the end of the world in glory. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But here we are, living with tensions in the world, as the Prince of Peace cannot definitively establish His Kingdom on Earth because people are flawed and conjure up evil deeds and carry it out. We live in a fallen world where children continue to suffer needlessly. Yet, so many people are good and want what God wants and strive for goodness, truth and peace and yet it is still so elusive. And so God weeps......and God's Kingdom cannot be fully realized, in the here and now. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">People of good will, will pray for peace this Advent, as I will, we will pray for negotiation over destruction, compromise and peace-making in parts of the world where suffering continues. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The children of this world deserve better. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Let us pray this Advent brings lasting peace and solutions that work and endure, in war torn parts of the world. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-46549591973463557472023-11-21T19:10:00.000-05:002023-11-21T19:10:00.079-05:00Bishop Brennan of Brooklyn Dealing With Upset Donors<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I met Bishop Robert Brennan a few times when I lived on Long Island and I volunteered at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington. I thought he was very gracious. So I was sad to hear that he has a few different problems, he's dealing with at the moment. For one, apparently he mentioned to the media and it was repeated by Raymond Arroyo on his EWTN show, that Mass attendance in the Diocese of Brooklyn is down considerably. That's a big enough problem. And then there is this..... My dear friend, has a good friend who is a big donor in the Diocese of Brooklyn. And she has many friends who are big donors too. And they are very upset and apparently they have let the Bishop know. The cause of their concern is that they don't feel that Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello was treated fairly when he was removed as Vicar for Development on November 3rd. The cause of the sudden and shocking removal was a mistake that Msgr. Jamie made by allowing a controversial music video to be filmed in the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brooklyn, where he is pastor. (He apologized to parishioners for his lack of judgment and mistake). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In his defense, he is a very busy pastor of two churches, in addition to the job he held as Vicar and he must have assumed that the video would not have been as controversial or in such bad taste as it was. The music video which was very provocative, very quickly went viral and many Catholics were upset and felt the Church was desecrated by the actions of the singer and crew. Bishop Brennan responded by "cleansing" the Church in a ritual action, after the video was made there. Then Msgr. Jamie lost his important job as Vicar of Development. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The unfortunate story doesn't end there. According to my friend, who has first hand knowledge, some very influential donors are not happy and are coming to the defense of Msgr. Jamie. He has some very loyal friends. They think he should not have been removed for making an unintentional mistake. They are not happy and when donors are not happy....well you can imagine what is going to happen......So this story continues.......I hope it gets resolved and the good charitable works of the Diocese are not affected.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope the story ends well for all involved. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-3428144588757251812023-11-16T09:19:00.005-05:002023-11-21T18:31:55.707-05:00Thanksgiving 2023<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> So much to be thankful for.....but mostly for believing in God, for trusting in God and having strength and courage from belief and a relationship with God. Without trust and belief my life would lack meaning and depth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sharing my faith and belief with my granddaughters. I have a little bottle of holy water, several in fact and my granddaughters and me take turns blessing each other with the water. Simple acts of faith that can be shared and have meaning. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> My granddaughters lost their other grandmother this Fall. It was the saddest of deaths. A faith-filled woman who loved Jesus and her faith, has been taken from us. A short illness with no hope for a cure. Now she is with God, a big loss for all of us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So a reminder this Thanksgiving and each day, to savor each day of life and be grateful for the good we have. To be grateful we live in peace where we are, but thinking and praying for those poor, unfortunate people surrounded by war, pain and death. Praying for peace between Russia and Ukraine, praying for peace in the land called holy, praying for solutions that work, solutions that will have staying power so that the world can live in peace, as God wills.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Thanksgiving 2023</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-34298165898477690302023-10-12T23:59:00.001-04:002023-10-14T22:02:23.081-04:00God Weeps at the Death of Children in War<p><span style="font-size: large;"> God weeps when children die from war. God weeps when innocents are targeted and killed. God weeps when believers cannot live in peace and try to destroy all that is good. God weeps because humankind cannot stay at peace. It's so sad. So many lives lost, lost in fear and violence. So many destructive weapons of war. So much hate and evil. Instead of building peace, understanding and peaceful co-existence, enemies train for war, train to carry out evil deeds and acts. Believers who don't understand God's desire that we all live in peace and build each other up, instead of trying to destroy what is innocent and good. Evil doesn't build up- it tears down, it destroys and it leaves dying children, who did nothing to deserve all this ugliness, pain and suffering. And in the land that is called holy, and believed to be holy ground by Christians, Jewish people and Muslims, there is tension and a lack of peace and so I believe that God weeps.....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-45906972880749531592023-09-10T00:43:00.001-04:002023-09-10T00:45:10.368-04:00Too Many Senseless Deaths from Suicide<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> A young man who my son worked with a few years ago, who he has remained friends with, committed suicide last week. He left behind a wife and two young children. He worked in the financial world and so he was probably under stress but no one saw it coming. How very sad and disturbing. And this isn't an isolated case. Suicide is a leading cause of death for young and middle aged men in the U.S. Why? What's happening? It's hard to comprehend. My son was very disturbed to find out that his friend had hung himself. The young man was Catholic and will have a funeral Mass on Monday in a Catholic Church on Long Island NY. My son will attend and pray for his friend's soul. That he be at peace.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Obviously anyone who commits suicide is having emotional and mental issues that need to be addressed. But so many are not being helped. I asked my son if he would consider starting an online men's support group for people he knows who work in the financial sector. Do something. Try anything. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Catholic men need support groups, they need prayer, they need to be connected to a faith community. And if they have suicidal thoughts they need to get help. But if they don't ask for it, then what can be done. Another friend had spoken to this distraught young man a few days before and he didn't say he was having these tragic thoughts. He didn't say he was thinking of ending his life. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe they Church can do more. I asked my son to try to do something to have an effect. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-28956547640969763892023-07-26T20:43:00.003-04:002023-07-26T20:43:51.143-04:00Deep Faith and Trust in God is Absolutely Necessary in Life and Most Especially in Modern Times<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Who can live without faith and trust in God? I just can't imagine how people do it. Faith gives people inner strength and courage when life's problems arise and they do arise and come out of nowhere. A close friend was fine, she visited two weeks ago and we had lunch. She was having trouble walking and so she was seeing a Doctor. and getting an MRI...And then the unimaginable happens. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Just like that everything changes and yet because she is a person of deep faith, she is handling the crisis. Jesus walks with her and that makes all the difference in perspective. Walking with Jesus and seeing everything through the eyes of faith is calming her and giving her inner courage. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Over and over again, I've seen how faith can give people hope, in the most dismal and difficult situations. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And so with prayer, the power of prayer and the prayers of others surrounding my friend, she will be OK. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Faith makes all the difference in the world. </span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-32097911338307302092023-06-22T09:49:00.002-04:002023-06-22T09:49:55.951-04:00The Unchurched Keeps Growing-How Can the Church Reverse It?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> After reading a very alarming article online at the <i>New York Times</i>, I wonder what the Church in America can do moving forward. In her article entitled, "The Largest and Fastest Religious Shift in America is Well Underway," Jesssica Grose, quotes a new book which claims that we are "currently in the middle of the of the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country." Why? According to the book, 40 million people have stopped going to church. (See-"The Great Dechurching: Whose Leaving, Why are They Going and What Will it Take to Bring Them Back.") This book should be required reading for every pastor, lay leadership and bishop in the country.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As the authors (Davis, Graham and Burge) of the book put it, "No theological tradition, age group, ethnicity, political affiliation, education level, geographic location, or income bracket escaped the dechurching in America." The three men who wrote the book and did the research are pastors and they are concerned with bringing the unchurched back. But how will that be accomplished?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank God the church I attend is still crowded on Sunday mornings but the pastor recently admitted that some parishioners who left during the pandemic have still not returned. And obviously there are are more options today for spiritual growth....apps for meditation and spiritual reading. Some people have replaced going to church with spending time in Nature. There are endless youtube videos, some of which I watch regularly (Word on Fire is a great resource) which can help with religious growth and so some people just don't feel the need to go to Church. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So it is up to this generation of Catholics and other Christian churches to preserve the Church and Christianity. Are they up to the task, do they realize what is at stake? If the power of the Holy Spirit moves powerfully then this trend can reverse, but it will take a great outpouring of the Spirit on young people and young adults. And if and when it happens, it should not be shut down.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-53420180182690090362023-05-26T08:39:00.001-04:002023-05-26T08:40:20.407-04:00Will Artificial Intelligence Help Humankind or Destroy Us?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> If you watch the business cable news network on TV (as my husband does), then you will hear a lot these days about A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). People are making a lot of money if they are invested in companies that are developing A.I. And though as I expressed in the last blog post it has the potential to be very dangerous and get out of control quickly, it can also make great new discoveries in medicine and science and perhaps help productivity in many fields, even in religious education and evangelization. So is it a false idol? Perhaps it is, perhaps humans are trying to play God by developing machines and technology that is smarter and quicker than human brains, or maybe we are just using our human intelligence to go further and expand knowledge which will benefit humankind. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">No one knows, which direction this new technology will take. Will it help us or hurt us ultimately? Can A.I. find a cure for cancer or other horrific diseases? Can A.I. come up with solutions to climate change, or poverty or hunger in third world countries? That remains to be seen. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But whatever happens, the future is now, we are living in the future of humankind and unless wise and prudent minds prevail, anything can happen. I wonder what God is thinking of all this? Is this foolishness, are we creating a false idol of the most dangerous kind or will humankind advance in ways that will help more people and create a more just society. We shall see......</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-34932849586362905132023-05-01T21:17:00.003-04:002023-05-01T21:17:43.839-04:00The Most Dangerous False Idol of Them All-Artificial Intelligence<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I wrote a post about this topic and then deleted it. I have mixed feelings about writing about A.I. because first of all, I hardly understand how it works. But I do know what the experts say and it does scare me. This technology is moving fast and there are not regulations and people who have developed artificial intelligence are warning that it can become dangerous. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a definition I found online:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Artificial intelligence is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The problem is the "Godfather of A.I., Geoffrey Hinton and other developers of A.I. and experts in the field are saying that we do have something to worry about and that "bad actors" can cause havoc using A.I. for nefarious reasons. Did he say, "killer robots?" Yes that is one of the fears if it gets out of control...This is not science fiction and not 30 years from now but potentially much sooner. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's really all too much to think about and contemplate. But is this a false idol? Is A.I. like the fallen angel who wanted to be like God. Mr. Hinton who developed A.I. at the beginning of the technology now partly regrets his life work. He just resigned from Google to spend time warning about the dangers of unregulated, uncontrolled A.I.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">You can't say God didn't warn us. The warnings have been written into the Bible stories. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Let's hope and pray that intelligent human minds find ways to control A.I. and regulate it, before it gets out of hand.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-89082956940417958942023-03-22T10:16:00.001-04:002023-03-22T10:16:16.852-04:00Asbury University Shuts Down Revival on Kentucky Campus<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I completely understand that the spiritual/religious revival that took place spontaneously at Asbury University (a private Christian university) in a small town in Kentucky got a little out of hand and started to make people nervous, but shutting it down, was that the only answer? Young people were praying, traveling far distances in some cases and giving glory and praise to God, but as we know from the life of Jesus, the Holy Spirit can cause upheavals and unpredictability but was shutting it down the only answer. And where will the spontaneous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, among young people, be welcomed next? And it shouldn't just be Protestant Universities welcoming and making room for the Holy Spirit to flourish spontaneously, it should be happening on Catholic University campuses as well. Why not set up tents if you have too, is my humble opinion, so buildings are not overrun with exuberant, praying young people? But the question is, do you want the Lord in your midst or not? There's a solution with a little brainstorming, to having religious revivals for young people and maintaining the civic order that's necessary as well. Soon we'll be asking AI (artificial intelligence) to solve all the difficult problems so they will be able to come up with a solution I'm sure. Come, Holy Spirit Come!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-85647862424168770532023-02-15T09:36:00.007-05:002023-03-01T19:55:17.397-05:00Ave Maria University Should Host A Religious Revival Too, Like Asbury University<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Just recently I visited the town of Ave Maria in Southwest Florida.....I always go there when in Florida and spend some time in prayer in their beautiful Church-the Ave Maria Parish Church and have lunch in their town center, with family and friends. Last time I was there a couple of weeks ago there was a huge fair going on with music and booths with crafts and other things for sale, around the town center. There is a well stocked religious article gift shop in town as well. But in any event I thought of Ave Maria this morning when I was sent an article about a religious revival that spontaneously started at Asbury University in Kentucky with a chapel service. It is still going go. Since the chapel service began thousands of people (some traveling from far away) have descended on Asbury University's auditorium to take part in the outpouring of prayer and worship that is taking place. You can find links to it on Twitter and on Youtube. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So I thought....why not have one at Ave Maria in Naples Florida?......There are lots of young Catholics who attend the University in the town and the nearby law school. There are also lots of young people living in the large community with their families. But that is something that would appeal to all age groups. And of course, if you started a revival and had praise and worship music and prayer, the Holy Spirit would show up....I have no doubt about that!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Keep the revival of faith and worship going......in other places, in other university's...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>"Yes my hand laid the foundations of the Earth, my right hand spread out the Heavens, When I call them, they stand forth at once." (Isaiah 48:13)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><u>"God is really among you"</u> (1 Cor.14:25)</b></span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-77092695690275908212023-01-26T22:58:00.002-05:002023-01-26T22:58:57.041-05:00That Was A Close Call By Asteroid 2023 BU -Always Be Right With God!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">A relatively small asteroid came within 2,200 miles of Earth on Thursday night before moving on....what is the most troubling part of the story is that the asteroid was only discovered a few days ago..... It was about the size of a truck. Thank God it didn't hit Earth but it was one of the closest approaches of an asteroid, that we know of. So it makes you think......What if it was bigger? What if it did hit the Earth and didn't burn up in our atmosphere and it caused damage? What if something worse happened? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's always best to be right with God, to be in relationship with Jesus, to have a prayer life, to be ready for anything because you never know... We live in uncertain times and besides that, it's easy to forget that we live on a planet orbiting the sun, in a very large Universe, with a lot going on. Luckily our solar system is in a relatively calm place in the Milky Way galaxy but there are asteroids and lots of space junk up there. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So be right with God, say your prayers and be ready for any outcome. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-58356103223943074452023-01-15T23:48:00.010-05:002023-01-16T11:23:12.267-05:00Write Your Own Personal Psalm For The New Year<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span>I want to try to be more positive for the New Year. I recently attended a Bible Study group and someone mentioned an idea that I hadn't thought of before which I thought was great. Someone shared that while on retreat recently it was suggested that each participant write their own personal psalm. You could pick verses from traditional, biblical psalms that struck you and add your own verses or affirmations as well. I loved the idea and wrote one that I am saying each morning and evening. Part inspirational, part affirmation and part prayer, and like biblical psalms ,a personal psalm can strengthen faith and trust in God. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Interestingly, I am also attending a bible study with a group of women who are mostly Protestant. (I am Catholic.) They are a very welcoming group of women, who have formed a small but powerful community that studies Scripture and prays together. One of the women is a pastor's wife. There are some fallen away Catholics, in the group, who have been baptized (again, much to my surprise) in a Protestant Church. I try not to pry but it seems from what I can tell, that one of the reasons they left the Catholic Church is they wanted to be more rooted in the Bible and do more Scripture study. The Catholic Church should learn from that. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Every Catholic parish, (in my humble opinion) should have a weekly Bible Study group led by a knowledgable and trained catechist. There are excellent biblical commentaries available. Perhaps two studies, one for women and one for men. I'm aware that some parishes do, but not all. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And so, there is still much to do to evangelize in the modern world and some ideas are rather simple but highly effective.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-51364833693860943482022-12-18T17:47:00.005-05:002022-12-19T18:40:32.840-05:00Hopes and Prayers for the New Year-2023<p><span style="font-size: large;">I can hardly believe that soon we will usher in a New Year-2023..... My prayers and hopes for the New Year...first and foremost I pray for an end to war, most especially the war in Ukraine. It's hard to believe that world leaders have not tried harder to stop this destructive and senseless war that is adversely affecting the world's economy, killing innocent people and children and harming the environment. It doesn't make sense to me. So I will continue to pray as I have been doing faithfully, for an end to this war, to this craziness. And God weeps.....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I pray for the Catholic Church that the Holy Spirit will continue to strengthen the Church and all leaders in the Church and most especially give all in power the ability to make common sense decisions that will bolster belief in God, belief in the importance of a faith community and rituals, the importance of preserving the Eucharist as paramount, and to find new and effective ways to evangelize.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I pray for parents who have such a difficult job in today's modern world instilling faith, and promoting positive values and keeping their children safe and away from harmful drugs and violence.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">My parish has a prayer group that prays for people's intentions and I pray as all the other faithful Catholics on the prayer chain do, for all those who ask for prayers and believe in the power of prayer to make a difference in their lives. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A Blessed New Year!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Peace in our World! Amen!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-25492646595643255982022-11-28T09:13:00.006-05:002022-11-28T22:36:55.779-05:00"The Church is Just Sad" The Church in Poland in Crisis-Yet Beauty Still Exists<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another disturbing article about failures in the Catholic Church published in the <i>New York</i> <i>Times,</i> which I read online this morning. Very upsetting indeed. The title, "Amid scandals and Politics, Polands Youth Lose Faith in the Catholic Church."It begins..."The Catholic Church in Poland is in deep crisis as its authority is sapped by cascading sexual abuse scandals ...."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The article then goes on to list why young people are turning away from the Church in a heavily Catholic country such as Poland. Young people for the most part still believe in God but it's the institution that is troubling them because of sexual abuse cover-ups, the transfer of priests known to be abusers (which happened in the past)......the same repulsive story that has played out in other parts of the world. Failures of the hierarchy to realize the evil and "cancer" that sexual abuse is and the damage it does to those affected and the credibility of the church. In these modern days of social media and the 24- hour news cycle, the damage will be compounded and long lasting and it threatens the very foundations of our religion. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For those who make high level decisions in the Church, such as the pope, bishops and cardinals, I hope and pray they make necessary changes before its too late. If the Church loses young people around the world, there will be little left. Some people say, a smaller church is <u>not</u> such a big problem.....but that's not what Jesus said. <b>"Go therefore and make disciples,"</b> was his command. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So business as usual will not work, it's not working and it's damaging the Church. Radical changes are needed. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As this Advent season began, I attended a beautiful liturgy at my Church, where a baptism took place at Mass. The best of Catholicism on display and lived out. The beauty of the sacrament of baptism, Catholic parents bringing their infant to be anointed, the Church does nothing better than the sacramental rituals. But the elephant in the room, the failures of the institution threaten the very foundation of Christianity. I don't think that's an exaggeration.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Wake up! Wake up Church and follow the commands of Jesus. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-54343060875991592622022-10-31T00:00:00.000-04:002022-10-31T00:00:04.378-04:00Called To Be Saints<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> We are all called to be saints, to walk a path to grow in holiness, to try each day to do a little better, to be a little kinder, to act with compassion and love. And yet, all around there are signs of depraved human behavior and the effects of original sin. It's hard to act saint-like, to act like Jesus, to be the best version of ourselves and yet that is what our faith calls us to be. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I talk with friends, whose adult children are disrespectful, they tell me, "you have to watch what you say", "walk on egg shells" or they don't call or treat you respectfully. So much has changed. One of the Ten Commandments is "Honor your mother and father." What's happened to that? And yet in the midst of problems that families face, societal problems and tragic world events, we are called to keep focused on Christ, to keep faithful and to trust in God. Without faith in God, nothing makes sense. Without trust in God, life is difficult and unmanageable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So another All Saint's Day is upon us. A day to dwell on the lives of the superheroes of our faith. Men and women from all walks of life, who put flesh and blood on the Christian way of life and succeeded against all odds, to become great men and women of faith and example. I hope they are praying for us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-66185890546990128442022-10-02T23:15:00.000-04:002022-10-02T23:15:10.911-04:00The Destruction of Sanibel Island and the Beautiful Catholic Church<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Whenever I vacation I like to visit and attend Mass at the Catholic Church wherever I am. Many years ago I visited Sanibel Island on vacation with my family and attended Mass at St. Isabel Church. It was a beautiful church with a vibrant faith community. Of all the things that sadden me about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, I am most saddened thinking of that faith community with a church, which I'm sure is devastated, like most of the island. I can't even imagine such loss, such human suffering, losing all your belongings, your home as well as your church. It's inconceivable and unimaginable. And of course, people lost their lives which is so tragic. My friend who lives in Naples, Florida near the Gulf of Mexico watched from her second floor condo as her car floated away....so many people have lost so much. But she was told to evacuate....I will never understand people who defy evacuation orders, it doesn't make sense to me. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So as we pray for the people of Florida (and also some in South Carolina) who have lost so much, we have to think about the future. If climate scientists are right, they say storms will become more powerful and fierce as the climate warms. Its not happening in 50 years from now, the effects will be happening now and in the near future. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">How can God help us when we won't help ourselves?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-20153917021631256932022-09-19T11:30:00.000-04:002022-09-19T11:30:12.329-04:00The Right Age for Confirmation in the Catholic Church Is........<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> The pastor of my church here in Connecticut always comes out after each Mass concludes, whether he is the celebrant or not, and gives an update and other important information to parishioners. I like that about him, he's very visible and has a good rapport with parishioners, from what I can see. He'll be retiring next year, and seems he'll be a hard "act" to follow. In any event, one thing he shared yesterday is that some parishes in the Diocese of Bridgeport are part of a pilot program to move Confirmation from the 8th grade to the 6th grade. My parish is not in the pilot but from what he said, it seems like the entire diocese is moving in that direction and so in a few years, our parish will also make the change. The way he spoke about it, it seems some parishioners and religious educators are not sure about the new model, though they hope they can get the junior high schoolers interested in youth ministry and so keep them involved after 6th grade. He seemed unsure himself about the change.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've read all the information about why some bishops feel the need to make the change, even some going as far as wanting to restore the order, used by Eastern Rite Catholics of administering baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the same time. For 99 percent of Catholics in the world, (Latin Rite Catholics), baptism is administered to infants, followed by Confession and Eucharist around age 7 and then Confirmation at the age of reason or after, usually between 12 to 17 years of age. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So here is my opinion, if anyone cares....with all the social media pressures and societal pressures that preteens and teenagers have in the modern world, I think the practice of administering Confirmation should be EXTENDED to high schoolers. Sounds ridiculous...now wait......Junior high schoolers and high schoolers should spend their time in religious ed doing three things. <b>Bible Study only</b>.....yes spending time with the Bible and biblical commentaries which are excellent resources and also they should do service to help others and youth ministry programs can be encouraged too. That's it. Immerse young people in <b>The gospels, Acts of the Apostles.....and the Book of Revelation and the Psalms and Book of Isaiah from the Hebrew Scriptures..</b>...They won't be bored, they won't question the existence of God (not being immersed in the living Word of God) and let the Scriptures catechize them and living out the social justice ministry in the Church, which greatly appeals to young people and college students as well. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-16117058512234053662022-08-19T11:42:00.004-04:002022-08-20T00:06:50.902-04:00Isn't It Time For the Church to Let Go Of Mandatory Celibacy for Diocesan Priests?<p><span style="font-size: medium;">More scandal ridden news for the Church. This time coming out of Canada. It bothers me (if anyone cares) that the Roman Catholic Church holds onto mandatory celibacy for priests....In my humble opinion that man- made Church law harms the Church, lessens its credibility and its ability to help the poor.. Probably billions of dollars have gone to settling sex abuse cases in the U.S. alone and I think that money could have been better spent, obviously....certainly on the Church's many worthy charitable organizations. And of course the ruined lives caused by the sex abuse crisis is more important than the money, that is tragic. Would married priests, lessen the cases of sexual abuse by priests? I believe so, though many deny that. Mandatory celibacy is also a contributing factor to the priest shortage.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Let religious order priests maintain their mandatory celibacy (for those that want and desire a strict discipline and asceticism) but at least give diocesan priests the option or choice to marry. It makes complete common sense to me. But the Church would rather hold onto this outdated and "harmful" discipline instead of opening the door to optional celibacy for diocesan priests. Why? There is a shortage of priests, overworked priests, some remote parishes with limited access to the Eucharist because of this priest shortage but none of that seems to matter to those who could change this. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So that's how I feel today hearing another high profile Cardinal is being accused of sexual assault in a civil case. In the Canadian sex abuse case, "AFP reported that the class action suit includes testimony of 101 people..." over many years....many clerics included ......Eighty eight clerics face accusations in the suit....so its wide ranging.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Young people are just going to walk away from the Church.....its happening already.......when will common sense prevail and the Church care more about passing on the faith to future generations and preserving the Eucharist, rather than holding onto an outdated man made law. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now I'll go out and enjoy this beautiful summer day....swimming helps me calm down!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-74163335380279034362022-08-11T11:30:00.004-04:002022-08-11T19:00:47.502-04:00Bishop Barron-A Churchman for the Ages<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> To state the obvious, Bishop Robert Barron is a gift to the Church. His success on social media, his engagement with the religious and secular world should be a model for all priests and bishops. He doesn't do it alone, he has a team that helps him make his Word on Fire videos and posts so engaging but its his personality too. He comes across as authentic and of course he's very bright and knowledgable. I've learned a lot from his videos and talks on Youtube. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">His recent appointment as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and his installation on July 29th, is yet another honor in his remarkable priesthood. I think it was a sacrifice for him to have had to leave sunny California to go back to the Midwest, but he's familiar with Midwest winters as he is from the Chicago area. And as he was told at his installation Mass, he'll have to get his winter coat out of storage,,,,(I'm paraphasing!). But he will......its a big change in lifestyle for him. Part of the sacrifice priests make. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And so what can other priests and bishops learn from Bishop Barron? I think they could learn a lot. Engage with the secular world, use social media to spread the good news, try to reach out to the "nones," as Bishop Barron always voices his concern about them and use the resources of the Church to evangelize and be creative. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Catholics all over the world, who follow him on social media are praying for him and rooting for him. The people of Minnesota are thrilled!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-44355405375376033332022-07-25T11:52:00.002-04:002022-07-25T17:08:39.755-04:00Summer Can Be Both Joyful and Tragic<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Summer is a wonderful time to relax and enjoy the sunshine and flowers and I've been doing a lot of planting and caring for flowers. Gardening is good exercise but it is also rewarding in other ways..But I just saw a large black snake in one of my small gardens today so I will have to be mindful of that going forward. I live in the country now!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, Summer can also be tragic for some because of children being near swimming pools. Sadly two children, one in my town in Ct and in another nearby town drowned this summer. I've decided to try to get the word out, with some women who are going to help me, that parties and swimming pools can be disastrous for children who can't swim and who wander into dangerous situations unknowingly. Parents can get distracted before, during and after a party and more has to be done to remind parents to be extra diligent at parties, especially where there is a swimming pool. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Monsignor at my parish was brought to tears this weekend at Mass, as it was a rough week for him and others. One of those children who died from drowning, a 2 year old, had a Funeral Mass at the parish last week. There was a lot of crying and sadness, of course. There were other deaths as well, one personal that he had to deal with. We are praying for our pastor and for the families affected by tragic loss. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Life is so paradoxical. Good and bad. Sorrow, pain and yet joy. War and peace. Gardening helps to get my mind off the seriousness of life and the problems that can arise so quickly. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678998061990999396.post-52578007103029426372022-07-04T10:19:00.004-04:002022-07-04T11:08:55.787-04:00July 4th 2022-The Land of the Free.....And the Home of the Courageous<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> On this July 4th 2022 I am grateful for my ancestors who came to America from Italy and made that courageous journey across the ocean, even though they were unsure of the path before them. They paved the way for me and my family to realize the American dream. With faith in God and hard work, they succeeded in America, because it was possible. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am indebted to my grandfather, a painter, who came to America in 1925 with a small amount of money in his pocket, as did most immigrants and who worked hard so that my father and his siblings could begin to climb up the ladder of success here in America. He bought a brownstone in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and we had it in our family until a few years ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Faith in God, prayer and hard work, I believe is the formula for success and advancement in life. It worked for my family over the decades, it has worked for me......The story continues...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy 4th of July!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">NJA</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"If you trust in the Lord and do good, then you will live in the land and be secure. If you delight in the Lord, the Lord will grant you your heart's desire...." (Ps.37:3)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>N.J.Azzarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798835126225169678noreply@blogger.com