No Blizzard Apocalypse for New York City-But Make Peace With God Anyway!

New Yorkers love to complain and so it's no surprise that people are complaining that the weather forecasters got it wrong. The blizzard that was forecasted to be a near record breaker spared the city, for the most part.  (Maybe God heard my prayers, because I was praying that "Prayer Against Storms" that I found on Deacon Greg Kandra's blog!)  My house is surrounded by huge trees and a windy blizzard is something I fear......for good reason. I already had a tree fall on my roof from Hurricane Sandy and it's not a sound I want to hear again!
On Tuesday morning the meteorologists were apologizing for their "big forecast miss."
Actually where I live, we got about 12 inches of snow and parts of Suffolk County, Long Island got 28-30 inches of snow and unfortunately two people died.  So the forecasters weren't off totally.  And it was a disastrous blizzard for parts of coastal New England.
Governor Cuomo, took the unusual step of shutting down the NYC subway system (which has never been done in its 110-year history). Mayor de Blasio  had to admit that "it was nothing like we feared it would be." The funniest thing I've read which I have to share, is the satirical report that "The Onion" wrote and which Mayor de Blasio (like a good sport) read at City Hall.
NEW YORK—As a major winter storm continued its advance toward New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio advised residents Monday to make peace with whatever higher power they call God, for all shall meet their death in the coming tempest. “The furious hoarfrost bearing down upon us knows neither mercy nor reason, and all within the five boroughs will perish, cowering in their brittle dwellings,” said de Blasio, adding that none would find succor from the gale save those favored by providence to pass quietly in their sleep. “This shall be a tempest the likes of which has never been glimpsed by man or beast. Clutch your babes close to your breast and take small comfort in knowing that they will howl for but a few hours before death becalms them forever.”  (The Onion)
That is really funny! But in truth we should always be at peace with God because we don't know the day or hour........
NJA

Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist Arrive At the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception-Huntington

This is great news! Msgr. Richard Henning, the Rector of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, NY recently sent out a letter to the Friends of the Seminary announcing the arrival of the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist. The letter gave this information about the new arrivals, "Fathers Sean Davidson and David Nugent belong to a new community of priests, established in the Diocese of Toulon in France. That diocese has become a center for the New Evangelization. As the number of English-speaking vocations has grown in their community, the Missionaries have decided to establish a presence in the United States. I am pleased and grateful to God that they will reside and work here at the Seminary."
Fr. Sean and Fr. David grew up in Ireland. They have recently arrived from the Missionaries residence in France. They have traveled around the world and now they will be conducting retreats, days of recollection and Eucharistic Adoration within the Seminary as well as in parishes. During the Sundays of Lent, the Missionaries will provide Eucharistic Adoration during the day and also be available to hear Confessions, at the Seminary. All are welcome.
This is great news for the Seminary. There have been many innovative, educational programs and retreats at the Seminary which was greatly needed, since the seminarians themselves now study in Dunwoodie in Yonkers at St. Joseph's Seminary.
This new partnership with the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist will bring new life to the Seminary and add to the existing programs that are already offered.
Come, Holy Spirit Come!
NJA

The Cutest Drawing of the Holy Family! Mary's Holding a Cell Phone

This has to be the cutest drawing of the Holy Family. It was drawn by my 7-year-old cousin's friend, who received First Penance (along with my cousin and other 2nd graders) on Saturday, in a Long Island Parish. What makes this drawing unique is that if you look closely Mary is holding a cell phone. A little girl can't imagine that someone as important as Mary wouldn't of had one! I love the hearts too!

Atheists Will Have To Reconsider-Science is Waking Up To God's Existence

The best news I've heard in the New Year, came this morning in a copy of a Wall Street Journal article that I was given from December 26th titled, "Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God," by Eric Metaxas.
Alleluia! It seems some members of the scientific community are starting to wake up and realize what believers, theologians and religious scholars have known all along. It's called intelligent design and its the belief that the Universe and life itself is too complex, has too much diversity and mathematical exactness and perfection to just be an accident or coincidence.
I can't explain the entire article but basically what it says is that the more astrophysicists study the Universe and the origin of the Universe the more clear it becomes that there has to be an intelligent Creator (Super-intelligent Creator) to not only have set Creation in motion but the forces of gravity, the electromagnetic force and the "strong" and "weak" nuclear forces were determined "less than one millionth of a second after the big bang....Alter any one value and the Universe could not exist."
"Fred Hayle, the astronomer who coined the term, 'big bang' said that his atheism was 'greatly shaken' at these developments." (And other findings which are stated in the article.)
"Theoretical physicist Paul Davies has said that 'the appearance of design is overwhelming' and Oxford professor Dr. John Lennox has said 'the more we get to know about our Universe, the more the hypothesis that there is a Creator...gains in credibility as the best explanation of why we are here."
And so as the old expression goes, "Why is there something instead of nothing?" There is something, there is creation, and intelligent life and great diversity, complexity and beauty in our world, because there is intelligent design and God exists. It's not that complicated!
NJA