Jihadists Destroy Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo

The Cathedral of the 40 Martyrs, Destroyed
on April 28th, 2015 

(Beirut) "Just in time" for the 100th anniversary of the genocide of the Armenians, jihadists destroyed the Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo. Ignatius Joseph III. Younan, Patriarch of the  Syrian Catholic Church of Antioch in union with Rome, speaks of a "tragedy in Aleppo", the second largest city of Syria. On April 28, the city was bombarded by Islamist militias. Here also, the Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs  of the Armenian Apostolic Church was destroyed.

The cathedral in the Christian district Jdeydeh is dedicated to the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. It was built in 1429 in front of a smaller predecessor. In its present form, it was enlarged 1499/1500. She is one of the oldest churches in the Armenian diaspora and the old city of Aleppo.

The patriarch spoke of his visitations in twelve Syrian parishes. In all he had found a precarious situation, but above all the desire of Christians and Muslims, "that the slaughter come to an end as soon as possible".

"West Does not Want to Understand Real Problem"

The bell tower of the cathedral before destruction

In Syria there is an incumbent, internationally recognized government, "which can not be put on the same footing as the rebels," said the Patriarch to the daily newspaper Avvenire. "But the West, particularly the United States, France and Great Britain, do not want to understand the real problem: that the Sunni majority does not accept the various minorities."

The West must seriously ask themselves whether or not to put an end to this tragedy, said the Patriarch. "If we really want, then the flow of arms must stop. In addition, the borders must be controlled so that the jihadists who come even from Indonesia and Nigeria can not just to enter the country. Unfortunately, the West also gets its advantage from the war, because some thought to be able to resolve the crisis at least in part, by selling weapons to the fighters. "

Of the Islamic State, the Patriarch said: "I can not discuss the Islamic state. The problem of IS would be solved within a short time if it were not militarily  supported by some countries in the region such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with the tacit approval of the West."

Turkey and Genocide: "Why the Patriarch of Antioch Can Not Reside in This City?"

Magnificent Reliefs of Armenian Religious Art Were Lost

Regarding the Turkish reactions to Pope Francis, who spoke about the genocide of the Armenians, Ignatius Joseph III .Younan said: "Last Sunday we commemorated the tragedy of our Armenian brothers with a Holy Mass who also included  both Catholics and Orthodox Syrians. The genocide took place. If the Turks do not want to acknowledge this, that's their problem. But that's the truth. We need not be afraid of their reaction. We should rather ask: Why is there, in the area of ​​present-day Turkey, where Christianity was represented historically since ancient times, only a population of 50,000 Christians out of 80 million?  Why did none of the five patriarchs of Antioch, three Catholic and two Orthodox headquarter in this city? I myself am the son of refugees. My mother and my father had to leave Turkey when I was a kid. Given certain attitudes we must firmly and decisively remain here."

EU could make great contribution to the solution of the Middle East conflict

Considering the EU the Patriarch added, "I think of the European Union in a particular way. If the EU is united, their cultural identity rediscovered and  not be determined by the United States: Where does that leave Turkey? Unfortunately, the West is often a prisoner of a certain cowardice, which is reflected in a politically correct mentality. In reality, the EU could make a major contribution to solving the Middle East problem."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: ora pro Siria
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

Evil Feminist Ridicules Church at "Catholic" School

[Cardinal Newman Society] Abortion advocacy, support for euthanasia and applause for excommunicated and “ordained” women priests—such were the highlights of last week’s “dialogue” with radical feminists Gloria Steinem and Bell Hooks on the Catholic campus of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.

The event was held in the College’s campus theater on April 21, despite initial exposure by the Cardinal Newman Society last October, public protest by Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay in January, and assurances from the College that Steinem was invited only to headline a “discussion of the history of the women’s movement, especially as it may be understood in the context of domestic violence.”

Bishop Ricken lamented that Steinem’s “whole career and life is a grand affirmation of the pro-abortion movement.” And the Newman Society called on the College to rescind Steinem’s invitation, stating that its refusal to do so “adds insult to injury by disregarding Bishop Ricken.”

Nevertheless the College went forward, and the activists’ dialogue, titled “Talking Together: A Legacy of Solidarity,” predictably highlighted contempt for “patriarchal religions” and pushed support for abortion rights and euthanasia. A video of their dialogue indicates that Steinem and Hooks barely touched on the subject of domestic violence but focused instead on “reproductive rights” and societal ills caused by the patriarchy.

Read further at Cardinal Newman Society link:
http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticleID/4166/Feminist-Steinem-Touts-Abortion-Ridicules-Church-at-St-Norbert-College.aspx

H/t: Badger Catholic

Father Nicholas Gruner, RIP

29/04/15 21:33


Father Nicholas Gruner, RIP

It is my sad duty to announce the sudden death of Father Nicholas Gruner
He died suddenly late today of a heart attack while working at his Fatima Center office.
At the moment, I do not know more than this. Please re-visit our page for updates.
He was truly the world expert on Fatima. He was more knowledgable on this subject, and on the true nature of the Fatima Message than anyone else.
Please remember Father Gruner in your prayers, a good friend and a true Catholic Crusader.
- John Vennari

SSPX Statement on Situation With Rome

Pozzo's actions speak louder than words!


[SSPX District USA] We publish here a Le Seignadou editorial by Fr. Michel Simoulin, SSPX chaplain of the Dominicans of Fanjeaux. Fr. Simoulin comments on the behind the scenes denial of the celebration of Mass during the pilgrimage the sisters and their students made last February in Rome, which contradicts the recently assertions made by Archbishop Pozzo of the Ecclesia Dei Commission.

There is Rome…and then there is the Vatican and the Vatican officials, the guardians of the law and of the Temple! Alas, it is not always the same thing! The Vatican of our times very often manifests a spirit that is not the spirit of Rome, that Rome sung by Dante, Dom Gueranger, Louis Veuillot, Fr. Berto, Archbishop Lefebvre…and long before them by the Fathers of the Church: St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, Tertullian, Origen, St. Cyprian of Carthage…

Good old Corneille proclaimed in his time that “Rome is no longer in Rome; she is wherever I am” (Sertorius, III, I), and we are, alas, obliged to make a distinction between Rome and the Vatican, between what comes from Rome and what comes from the Vatican! And it was to Rome that our sisters led their schools, in thanksgiving and out of fidelity to Rome, under the astonished eyes of the Vatican officials.

Oddly enough, a small noisy group criticized this pilgrimage: it would seem that the children were forced, obliged against their will, forcefully dragged to the feet of the pope…outrageous fees were “extorted” from the parents…in short, meanness vies with stupidity, and those who say these things should take a look at, read and meditate on the accounts given by and about those who participated! When they threw their berets in the air at St. Peter’s Square, it seemed spontaneous and rather joyful to me!

Cont...

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/actions-speak-than-louder-words

Notable "Catholic" Convert Decides to Join Church of England: Not a Big Surprise

Coren Selling His Literary Prowess and Reputation to the Anglican
Communion 

Edit: interesting point.  Some people are going to be surprised by this, but I'm not sure how.  Do these Literary Catholics really embrace the true religion sincerely, or is this an opportunity to appear on EWTN, Catholic Answers and ChurchMilitant.com, in order to sell books. Michael Coren has recently left the Catholic Church again (the first time was in 1993), and returned to the Anglican Communion. He's written quite a lot about CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Ronald Knox.

We'd say it was pretty obvious just what he was back in 1992 when he was scandalized by the then Archbishop of Toronto saying things like "fricken" from Wikipedia:

In a 1993 book review he said "Can anyone imagine a detective priest? Regrettably, it is easier to conjure up the image of a priest being questioned by secular detectives over abuse charges." Also in 1993, Michael Coren had a falling out with the Catholic Church over an unflattering profile he wrote of Archbishop Aloysius Ambrozic for Toronto Life magazine[citation needed]. The bishop, who made Coren a "Knight of the Holy Sepulchre" in a ceremony in October 1992, was quoted using words including "friggin" and "bitch", and said that Francisco Franco was a "conservative Roman Catholic and not a bad fellow." Coren defended himself, saying "He's an archbishop and he was vulgar...obviously what thousands of Roman Catholics expected me to do was lie. I still get hate mail about the article."

Although he was born in a Jewish family, Coren has found various temporary homes in various different Christian denominations where he's found plenty of opportunities to be nasty and polemical, to put it mildly. More recently, Coren has been a champion of the sin that cries out to Heaven for vengeance.

It certainly does bring to mind the almost programatic way in which other professional Catholics spirit themselves into Church circles to spread their "wisdom", but what can you expect from a spiritual and moral vagabond like this?

Wagner's Tannhäuser With Jesus in Bordello -- Freedom and the German Feature Pages

(Moscow) The director's theater can sometimes spoil  the full musical experience in an opera house. Theater managers  and directors who put themselves in scene and trample over music, composer, librettist and their intentions with the "lightness" of elephants in a magnificent rose garden.

Actually the Russian Novosibirsk with a wanted to honor the Tannhäuser of Richard Wagner with an adaptation. But the theater director Timothy Kuljabin intended to deface the "most Catholic" of Wagner operas with a "Jesus-sex scene" (Die Welt). The redemption theme in conjunction with the Catholic Church is difficult for a disbelieving director to do.  Intellectual honesty would require one  to refuse a commission with which you can not identify. In general, the artist director decided not to do without, but to enjoy himself  by the "deconstruction" of the works.

After protests from the audience and the Orthodox Church, the Novosibirsk  cancelled the staging  and dismissed theater director Boris Mesdritsch. He had defended Kuljabins sacrilege and refused to publicly apologize for offending religious feelings.

Is there a "right" to blasphemy?

Kuljabin presents himself remains unapologetic and complained of the "right" to offend God, religion and the religious feelings of Christians. A charge of blasphemy was rejected in a court in Novosibirsk.

Since then, Kuljabin has portrayed himself as a defender of  "common sense" and as a victim of "ultra-radicalism", "censorship" and "paternalism". Doubts about Kuljabins common sense abound.

The daily Die Welt  immediately aligned itself on the side of "artistic freedom" and denounced critics of blasphemy and Tannhäuser  together as "militant Orthodox activists". In no time there were well-known alliances of the liberal left-crowd and old-communist cliques to defend an egocentric "freedom".

Unknown Director Was an Overnight "Celebrated Young Star" in German Feature Pages

Timothy Kuljabin

The 30-year Kuljabin  Tannhäuser scandal was indeed known  to Russia insiders, but outside he was unknown.  Since  presenting his blasphemy on stage, he has mutated overnight into a "star" for the German culture journalist. The features section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung made ​​him even the "much celebrated young star ".

What catapulted Kuljabin  to media darling, is Tannhäuser, which comes from the   film "Venus Grotto" about Jesus in a brothel. Tannhäuser is the film director, Jesus one of the actors, who is surrounded by half-naked prostitutes. The advertising promoting the production shows  Jesus between two woman legs on a large movie poster.

Protest by Metropolitan Tikhon

Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk initiated a charge last February for blasphemy. The lower court judge ruled on the side of director and artistic director, and decreed that religious symbols have been used in "artistic context".

Mesdritsch offered the Archbishop a public debate on Kuljabins Tannhäuser adaptation. Metropolitan Tikhon felt duped and sent a letter to the Governor of Nowosibrisk. In the letter, he explained that a public debate only makes sense if the performance in the current production is to be suspended.

 Novosibirsk Director Dismissed

Christians gathered in front of the Opera House in protest and prayer. The new director of Novosibirsk was the artistic director of the St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theatre, Vladimir Kechman. Kechman had a week-long discussion  on Kuljabin's Tannhäuser blasphemy and criticized him for it. There was no cause for government art programs to insult people and to serve as a stage for the self-promotion of individuals.

The Lenkom- and the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow however, have offered Kuljabin the opportunity to be able to produce on their stages "what he wants". This too is a form of defending "freedom of art" or in other words to express the aversion to Christianity.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Picture: Channel 24 (Screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG