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  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

President Trump Responds to Judge’s Ruling on SNAP Benefits

That is some serious reality denial there.
That us the power of ideology. It alters perception to reinforce itself. It is similar to religion in that way. Belief influences perception and then perception aligns with belief.

It takes courage and humility to dare break that cycle.
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Two National Guardsmen Shot and Killed in DC

FBI believes National Guard shooting suspect was from Bellingham (Washington State)

(other headlines suggest he drove across country with some sort of plan in mind.)

The Washington, D.C. mayor described the attack as a “targeted shooting.”

At last check, the two were critically injured.

Following the shooting, President Donald Trump has asked for 500 more National Guard troops to be deployed to D.C.


ETA:

Pirro said the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly drove across country from Washington state to target the Guard members.

The White House was briefly put on lockdown on Wednesday but that the order was lifted at about 5 p.m. President Donald Trump and the first lady are in Florida, where they are spending Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago club.

[The perp] applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum in April of this year, under the Trump administration, according to three law enforcement sources.

"He previously worked with the USG, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar that ended in 2021 following the withdrawal from Afghanistan," CIA director John Ratcliffe said in a statement.
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No Duty Is More Urgent Than That of Returning Thanks...

Hi Friend,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!



I wanted to share some great one-liners from the saints about gratitude. Spend some time chewing on these today. It’ll lift your soul. And if you live them, it’ll change your life. (The first four are from an American, Blessed Solanus Casey.)



“It’s heaven begun for the grateful on earth.”

— Blessed Solanus Casey



“Thank God ahead of time.”

— Blessed Solanus Casey



“Be sure, if the enemy of our souls is pleased at anything in us it is ingratitude—of whatever kind. Why? Ingratitude leads to so many breaks with God and neighbor.”

— Blessed Solanus Casey



“Gratitude is as necessary for social order and harmony as are the laws of gravity for the physical world.”

— Blessed Solanus Casey



“Thank him for everything, because everything is good.”

— St. Josemaría Escrivá



“Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has, and this requires transforming greed into gratitude.”

— St. John Chrysostom



“The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness.”

— St. Gianna Beretta Molla



“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier



“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”

— St. Ambrose



“Think of all the beauty in yourself and in everything around you and be happy.”

— Anne Frank (I know. Not a Saint. But a hero nonetheless!)



“What most attracts God’s graces is gratitude, because if we thank him for a gift, he is touched and hastens to give us ten more, and if we thank him again with the same enthusiasm, what an incalculable multiplication of graces! I have experienced this; try it yourself and you will see! My gratitude for everything he gives me is limitless, and I prove it to him in a thousand ways.”

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux



If you’re reading this, I’m grateful for YOU, and to know that I’m spiritually walking through life with you. My family and I are praying for you today.



HAVE A GRATEFUL DAY!



God bless you,



Chris Stefanick

Real Life Catholic

How Can People Get Confused with Christianity and Nazism?

I've been thinking about the stark contrast between Christianity and Nazism, yet I've noticed that some people seem to conflate the two. One promotes love, forgiveness, and humility, while the other is rooted in hatred, domination, and prejudice.

Context: One prays, the other preys.

How is it possible for individuals to draw parallels between these two ideologies? Could it be due to historical misinterpretations, propaganda, or a misunderstanding of faith itself? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this confusing juxtaposition.

  • What examples can you share that highlight these misconceptions?
  • How can we better educate others on the true message of Christianity in light of such conflation?
  • What role do you think social media plays in perpetuating these misunderstandings?
Looking forward to a thoughtful discussion!
el3venS1x (Dell)

The comparison of Christianity to an atrocity like Nazism stems from a place of profound fear and deep-seated historical memory, rather than a literal equation of their objectives. It is this version, Christian Nationalism, that has unfortunately caused the tension you are speaking of.
For those drawn to Christian Nationalism, there is often a genuine, deeply felt grief over cultural change and a belief that the nation has lost its moral compass. They sincerely yearn for a sense of community, stability, and shared values, often rooted in a sincere religious conviction, hoping to "restore" a perceived golden era where their beliefs were central to public life. This movement is driven by a profound desire for certainty in a rapidly changing world.
However, the reason this movement evokes comparisons to the darkest chapters of history, like Nazism, is due to the terror it instills in those on the margins. The fear is not about theological debate, but about the weaponization of state power. When an ideology claims that only one specific faith or cultural identity is legitimate for governing the nation, it inherently seeks to define who belongs and who is an "outsider." Critics see proposals like those in Project 2025—which would centralize power in a single executive and dismantle protections for minority groups—as creating the structural framework for tyranny. The comparison to Nazism tragically recalls the historical pattern where exclusionary nationalism, even when framed in terms of restoring a virtuous state, inevitably leads to the systematic dehumanization and persecution of the "others."
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Multiple immigration sweeps reported across Los Angeles, with a tense standoff/protest downtown; SEIU union leader arrested

This diverse coalition is watchdogging L.A. immigration raids, driving ‘Liberty Vans’

  • A politically diverse coalition, made up of Democrats and Republicans, has dispatched vans to drive through L.A. and other cities to document ICE raids.
  • The vans record enforcement actions at worksites and Home Depots, with footage published online to show the human impact.
  • Volunteers include pastors, immigration lawyers and veterans who provide support and legal guidance to day laborers targeted in the immigration sweeps.
One of these organizations [doing something in the face of ICE's escalation] is the Save America Movement, which runs the Liberty Vans and includes a bipartisan leadership that is far more politically connected than that of many grassroots organizations. The group was founded by Steve Schmidt, a former top aide to Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and Mary Corcoran, a longtime public relations specialist, with a steering committee that includes law professors, pastors and strategists.

The Save America Movement launched the vans first in L.A. and then in Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., where federal immigration agents were raiding heavily Latino areas. The motivation behind the project was to provide support and help people understand the impact of the daily immigration raids, Corcoran said in an interview. Outside California, she said, many people don’t get it.

“If they did, I believe there would be much more urgency around what’s happening,” she said.

In October, the organization said video by a Save America Movement photojournalist in Chicago recorded federal agents deploying tear gas against protesters and pointing weapons at journalists, which at the time violated a federal court order. The organization made that footage available online with time stamps and annotations.

On Friday, the van ride included the Rev. Madison Jones McAleese, Navy veteran Brian Kelly and immigration lawyer Juan Jose Gutierrez, who can offer legal support to families or offer “know your right” basics to laborers. And to capture it all was cameraman René Miranda, who started covering raids when a large protest broke out in Paramount, where he lives.

For McAleese, she said she felt it was her duty to be part of the effort to stand against the raids because of what she views as unlawful actions being taken by ICE enforcement. McAleese carries holy water and offers to pray with any one who seeks prayer.

“I don’t feel like I have a choice,” she said. “God is reflected in the face of every immigrant, documented and undocumented.”
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The deity of Jesus Christ

In the beginning was the Word

And the Word was with God

And the Word was God

He was in the beginning with God

All things came into being through Him

In Him was life

And the life was the Light of men

The Light shines in the darkness

Jesus, the Christ

Messiah of the Most High

Blessed be the Lord

Blessed be the Lord indeed

Indeed, the deity of Christ, His being of one essence with the Father, fully God and fully Man, and of the Holy Spirit, are part of the Nicene Creed, which is part of the Christian Forums Statement of Faith.

The importance of the doctrine of the Incarnation, as described in John 1:1-18 and in Luke ch. 1-2 and Matthew ch. 1 and Matthew 28:19 cannot be overstated.
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The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Interesting subject, not very often discussed-or mentioned in the churches themselves, but much discussed on the internet.

Well that’s because all Christian churches, like Christian Forums, adhere to the NIcene Creed, which is the definitive standard of faith which distinguishes Christians from Unitarians, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other heterodox belief systems.
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LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV arrives in Turkey

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An alternate future

I've often mentioned my (old) Presbyterian pastor whom I learnt a lot from, although he discouraged me. The night my father died he turned up in my room.

I was an atheist at the time, but he predicted I'd become Christian, and as part of that "... You will meet a pastor. You'll think he's great, but all he'll do is to discourage you even more!" (than he had himself).

I met the pastor circa 1982/83. When I was going to leave his church in 1991 (I was getting married and moving away) he admitted he had discouraged me, but as I said I still hold him in high respect. Incidentally he was not an admirer of some of the "last days" stuff which comes out of various (mainly Protestant) personalities in the USA in the main, saying "... they're a bit weird..."

But he had some thoughts on the issue. For one thing he was very firm on the business about no man knows the day or the hour of Christ's return. It could be tomorrow, and it could be 10,000 years down the track. We haven't been told.

However I find that if he thought something would happen it did sooner or later. Several of his predictions have come to pass since he died in 1992, including my becoming Catholic (1997); there would be a lot of priestly pedophile cases after I became Catholic (media from around 2002); my sister would get leukemia and not live very long which happened (2005 aged 45); his own eldest son would have a major health breakdown which was a stroke (1996 or 97); there would be a pandemic (Covid 2020); there would be a second Gulf War as the "... Americans will have had enough of Saddam Hussein and they will get rid of him. But I think they will lose a FEW men the next time (2003); I'd make a silly mistake at work and "they" would use that to get rid of me (1995); etc. These were all predicted and they all happened.

He wasn't an admirer of Zionism, commenting that ".... they've served their purpose ..." (it's up to the Jews to recognise Christ, not the other way round). But he also conjectured "I think He (God) is going to drive us off the planet... I think we'll learn to teleport..."

He died in 1992, and (from Wikipedia) "The first successful experimental quantum teleportation of a photon's polarization was achieved by two independent research groups in 1997", five years later.

It's a long cry from that event to teleporting material objects, and even more so living creatures which have a spirit.

But I think we'll get around that obstacle eventually, although there will most likely be a considerable hiatus between the first inanimate teleportation and the first biological teleportation.

We've moved a long way in space travel since World War II. Robert Goddard's rockets might have gone a couple of hundred feet into the air in the 1920's. The V2's were flying about 250 kms in 1944; NASA landed men on the moon a mere 25 years later; Voyagers 1 and 2 left the solar system in 2012 and 2018 respectively. Of course we now have AI and robotics both of which would be absolutely necessary for a civilisation in space. It's obvious God is letting us do these things, which implies they form part of His plan.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer might have put it, Man has "Come of Age".

Now suppose his prediction happens, that God does indeed drive us off the planet - what price Jerusalem or for that matter Rome in a civilisation which might be spread through a fair section of the Milky Way? I'm Catholic and I accept the Petrine Chair - Christ was setting up an office and giving the church authority when He declared Peter the Rock.

But I know of no Biblical mandate for Rome to be the "eternal city".

The way politics is going we could well be heading for nuclear wars, and those cities could easily be destroyed.

So I'm not over impressed with hardline pronunciations about either Jerusalem or Rome for that matter. In the end they're just cities.

That's my cold blooded view, and that's what I think.

Regarding quantum teleportation, its actually normal behavior for small particles; what many people don’t understand is that very small particles like protons, electrons and so on do not behave like macroscopic objects. They exhibit wave/particle duality and behave in a probabilistic rather than deterministic manner, so that quantum mechanics actually requires a use of statistics in order to study what is going on with such extremely small objects. The world of the very small is a very strange place but these quantum fluctuations stabilize as we move from the realm of the very small to the macroscopic world humans encounter on a daily basis.
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Imitatio Christi - is the following Biblical?

Actually, I am wrong, Jesus Christ chose Paul to follow him.

Indeed. From an Orthodox perspective we believe St. Paul could have refused our Lord, or fallen away, since St. Paul expresses a fear this would happen to him, but whether this is true or not, St. Paul remains venerable because in him we see Theosis, which according to our friend @hedrick to some extent even John Calvin had a recognition of.
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Stepping from Fog into Sunlight: What is your "Holy Ground" moment?

I resonate with this a lot. I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder over 15 years ago. Many, many years ago I took up the practice of praying the Jesus Prayer after reading about The Way of the Pilgrim. I have frequently sought refuge in that Prayer more times than I can count when anxiety rises. To remind myself--for in the panic it is easy to forget--that I am in Jesus' hands and He has my back. I rise and fall by the mercy of the Lord.

How splendid!

Do you use a prayer rope? i have a large number of prayer ropes and lestovkas which are highly enjoyable, although not strictly needed, much of the time I just say the prayer in my mind, relying on external temporal references.

Also, have you read On The Prayer of Jesus by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov?

I myself have depended on prayer my entire life due to severe anxiety, but the Jesus Prayer is a great blessing. When I first visited a monastery I had horrible nightmares until I was advised by one of the monks to say the Jesus Prayer. Problem solved. The devil does not want us visiting monasteries.
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The Reality of Free Will

@com7fy8 I was thinking of an illustration to demonstrate why free will is not hampered by anything, whether it be holy spirit, the spirit of the world or the spirit of Satan.
Imagine that the chains represent any one of these.
fierce-representation-of-strength-and-resilience-in-chains-powerful-graphic-vector.jpg


What is it that moves one to do rhis?
a-silhouette-of-a-man-with-chains-around-his-hands-vector.jpg


In the case of holy spirit, is anyone mighty enough to break that chain, or would God need to release that one, and let them go?
What would be the reason for releasing that person?
Would it not be due to their will not to have these chains on them? A rebellion?
man-breaking-free-from-chains-symbolizing-liberation-and-strength-in-illustration-vector.jpg


Unless humans have the ability to exercise free will, none of the above are possible.
One cannot even do what God's word requires. Such as...
Joshua 24:23 . . .incline your heart unto the LORD . . .
Isaiah 55:3 . . .Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live. . .

God could not even say this about anyone.
Jeremiah 7:24 ...they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

However, because we all have that freedom to act according to our own will, willingly, and freely, without being forced... voluntarily - of our own free will, all the above are possible.
We can choose to be chained by Satan's world Ephesians 4:17; chained by sin, and fleshly desires Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 5:15, or break free from these Galatians 5:1, and we can choose to be slaves of God Romans 6:15-22; 1 Peter 2:16, submitting to the helper - holy spirit, so that our will remains God's will, forever.
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Why You define your self as Non-denominational?

I've been studying a lot of what I actually believe, and don't want to put myself into a box.

I was a Southern Baptist, but I thought the denomination was too dogmatic about things like "once saved always saved," penal substitutionary atonement (to the exclusion of other atonement theories) and they lean creationist while I am an evolutionist. Basically, I want to keep an open mind.

Most of my main views are based on Soren Kierkegaard's philosophy. However, idk if I can say I am a Lutheran, since I still lean towards a Baptist understanding of the ordinances.

Yeah, I know profile says I'm Baptist, I just haven't gotten around to getting it changed, yet.
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Angels are the REAL Guardians of the Galaxies...

Somewhere in one of his Space Trilogy novels, CS Lewis dabbled with the idea of angels directing the "heavenly bodies".

At one point Professor Ransom, the central character in the trilogy, met an angel.

Ransom's character was based upon Lewis himself - an Oxford don specialising in literature who loved hiking, although he walked with a limp from "a sound Blighty" - World War I wound from an artillery shell.

He wrote that the physical surroundings seemed to revolve around the angel, and not vice versa.

Granted it is only fiction, but he used the idea.
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Weekly homilies

Homily Friday, November 28 2025

34th OT



Dan 7:2-14

The choice is simple. When we move forward in good, evil is in the rearview mirror.



Luke 21:29-33

Jesus said: "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near."



What a beautiful image of the joy of God that is in our hearts. The joy of the Heart of God within us radiates (budding), and it offers radiant flowers to each person on our path.



Biblical texts: NAB-RE

Normand Thomas.
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May securing safe one's body be synonymous with losing one's soul ?

So, yes . . .
Yes, but i find also uneasy to find the limit where to start the care of the body, that is : where it should be neglected or cared, to the christian standard.
Too much neglect it would sound like lazyness in my view, while too much take care would sound materialistic.
Where do you put the limit, please ?
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The soul of Vladimir Putin

..... However I would not consider himself evil, rather the powers that have been behind NATO expanding towards Russia despite their promises not to.

You have one unlikely bedfellow (or had since he died in 2015) in the person of Malcolm Fraser, former Prime Minister of Ausralia from 1975 to 1983.

He was conservative to his bootlaces during the Cold War, but realistic in his post cold war thinking.

The following article was the result of an interview by the Emeritus Professor of Politics, Robert Manne.


Robert Michael Manne AO (born 31 October 1947) is an Emeritus Professor of Politics and Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. He is a leading Australian public intellectual.
The link regarding Malcolm Fraser's thoughts on the post cold war order follow.


Fraser tells me he was once convinced the swift and peaceable end of the Cold War would create a better world. Ruefully, he concedes he then did not believe it possible that the hope of a new world order powerfully articulated in March 1991 by George Bush snr - of international co-operation under the rule of law - would be so swiftly and comprehensively squandered.

Why did this happen? Fraser places most of the blame on the post-Cold War leadership of the sole remaining superpower, the US. Bill Clinton had no feel for foreign policy. At the end of the Cold War, having served its purpose, NATO should have been wound up.
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Prayers for the Departed

Novena for the Holy Souls Day 6 11-27-25

My Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offences against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.

Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemani, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

(Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions here)

Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.
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Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Our Morning Offering

One Minute Reflection

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal propers & commentary (EF)

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal propers, blessing & investiture (EF)

Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time; Opt. Mem. of Thanksgiving Day (USA) readings & commentary (OF)
Other Commemorations: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

The Miraculous Medal

Catherine Labouré and the Miraculous Medal

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

As Miraculous Medal feast coincides with Thanksgiving, faithful have special chance to offer gratitude to Our Lady

The Miraculous Medal: Going to Mary with Mother Seton and St. Catherine Labouré

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