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Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
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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.
Apelles 2
- By JohnEmmett
- Visual Arts
- 0 Replies
John Emmett
Artwork partially created using artificial intelligence.
Pain and healing
- By Michie
- Prayer Wall
- 1 Replies
Praying for your intentions and your healing and peace. 
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Why Catholics Are Being Buried in Churches Again
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Across the centuries, Church crypts — from Roman catacombs to American cathedrals — testify that death is not the end but the beginning of eternal life.
In the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland, a chapel adjoins the north transept. There’s a wrought-iron gate with Requiescant in Pace fashioned above the entrance. It’s the cathedral’s burial crypt, containing the tombs of the deceased bishops of Cleveland.
While a “crypt” implies a place under or below a structure, Cleveland’s cathedral burial chamber on the ground floor, named the Resurrection Chapel, reflects that definition as well as the tradition of burial crypts throughout the history of Christianity. It is significant that figures of both St. Peter and St. Paul are prominent on the Resurrection Chapel’s upper half of the north wall, as both martyrs of the early Church were buried in crypts: St. Peter below the altar in the basilica that bears his name, and St. Paul, buried under what is now the papal altar of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
“Every ordinary, that is, a bishop of a diocese, is a member of that diocese and has a right to be buried in the cathedral crypt,” Bishop Roger Gries, retired auxiliary bishop of Cleveland, explained to the Register.
A contemporary example of a burial crypt is below the apse of one of the most famous churches in the world, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, which began construction on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1882, and is set to be completed in 2026. The visionary behind the mammoth basilica, Catalan architect Venerable Antoni Gaudí, is buried in the Sagrada Familia Crypt. The crypt, completed in 1889, is the oldest part of the basilica.
Continued below.
www.ncregister.com
In the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland, a chapel adjoins the north transept. There’s a wrought-iron gate with Requiescant in Pace fashioned above the entrance. It’s the cathedral’s burial crypt, containing the tombs of the deceased bishops of Cleveland.
While a “crypt” implies a place under or below a structure, Cleveland’s cathedral burial chamber on the ground floor, named the Resurrection Chapel, reflects that definition as well as the tradition of burial crypts throughout the history of Christianity. It is significant that figures of both St. Peter and St. Paul are prominent on the Resurrection Chapel’s upper half of the north wall, as both martyrs of the early Church were buried in crypts: St. Peter below the altar in the basilica that bears his name, and St. Paul, buried under what is now the papal altar of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
“Every ordinary, that is, a bishop of a diocese, is a member of that diocese and has a right to be buried in the cathedral crypt,” Bishop Roger Gries, retired auxiliary bishop of Cleveland, explained to the Register.
A contemporary example of a burial crypt is below the apse of one of the most famous churches in the world, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, which began construction on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1882, and is set to be completed in 2026. The visionary behind the mammoth basilica, Catalan architect Venerable Antoni Gaudí, is buried in the Sagrada Familia Crypt. The crypt, completed in 1889, is the oldest part of the basilica.
Continued below.
Why Catholics Are Being Buried in Churches Again
Across the centuries, Church crypts — from Roman catacombs to American cathedrals — testify that death is not the end but the beginning of eternal life.
Baltimore Officer Suspended After Trying to Run Over Citizen
- By iluvatar5150
BPD officer indicted, charged with attempted murder after nearly running man over
State's Attorney Ivan Bates announced an indictment against suspended Baltimore Police Officer Robert A. Parks after a viral social media video last month.
foxbaltimore.com
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‘Miraculous touches of God’s presence’ in the most atheist nation in Europe
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
The Czech Republic, known for its historical heritage, fairytale castles, and medieval architecture, is considered the most atheist country in Europe.
Evangelization in this land — which still bears the scars of a past marked by communism and division — is a constant challenge but not an impossible goal. Czech missionaries say they perceive “miraculous touches of God’s presence” in a society increasingly thirsting for love and truth.
Approximately 80% of the Czech Republic’s more than 10.5 million inhabitants claim to have no religious affiliation. Although about a third of the population say they believe in God — in many cases without being linked to a specific denomination — only 9.4% identify as Catholic.
Nearly a quarter of Czechs declare themselves atheist, according to the 2017 Pew Survey on European Values, making the country one of the most secularized on the continent. Comparing census results since 1991 reveals a clear decline in church membership and an increase in personal belief in God without institutional affiliation.
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www.catholicnewsagency.com
Evangelization in this land — which still bears the scars of a past marked by communism and division — is a constant challenge but not an impossible goal. Czech missionaries say they perceive “miraculous touches of God’s presence” in a society increasingly thirsting for love and truth.
Approximately 80% of the Czech Republic’s more than 10.5 million inhabitants claim to have no religious affiliation. Although about a third of the population say they believe in God — in many cases without being linked to a specific denomination — only 9.4% identify as Catholic.
Nearly a quarter of Czechs declare themselves atheist, according to the 2017 Pew Survey on European Values, making the country one of the most secularized on the continent. Comparing census results since 1991 reveals a clear decline in church membership and an increase in personal belief in God without institutional affiliation.
Continued below.
‘Miraculous touches of God’s presence’ in the most atheist nation in Europe
Nearly a quarter of Czechs declare themselves atheist, according to the 2017 Pew Survey on European Values.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
‘Catholic American Bible’ gets green light from U.S. bishops
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved a new translation of the Bible, which will be used for personal Bibles, the lectionary at Mass, and the text in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Bishop Steven Lopes, chair of the Committee on Divine Worship, announced the translation will be called the “Catholic American Bible.” The translation for personal Bibles and the Liturgy of the Hours will be available on Ash Wednesday in 2027.
The bishops have not announced when the revised lectionaries will be available.
The USCCB also approved a Spanish-language translation of the New Testament, the Biblia de la Iglesia en América, which will be available on Ash Wednesday in 2026.
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www.catholicnewsagency.com
Bishop Steven Lopes, chair of the Committee on Divine Worship, announced the translation will be called the “Catholic American Bible.” The translation for personal Bibles and the Liturgy of the Hours will be available on Ash Wednesday in 2027.
The bishops have not announced when the revised lectionaries will be available.
The USCCB also approved a Spanish-language translation of the New Testament, the Biblia de la Iglesia en América, which will be available on Ash Wednesday in 2026.
Continued below.
‘Catholic American Bible’ gets green light from U.S. bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved a new translation of the Bible.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Vatican declares alleged apparitions of Jesus in France ‘not supernatural’
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has declared that the alleged apparitions of Jesus in Dozulé, France, do not have an authentic divine origin and are therefore “not supernatural.”
The prefect of the dicastery, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, confirmed the declaration based on the Norms for Discerning Alleged Supernatural Phenomena in a document released Nov. 12 and addressed to the bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, Jacques Habert.
In 1972, Madeleine Aumont claimed that Jesus had appeared to her, asking the Church to build a giant “glorious cross” in Dozulé, next to a “shrine of reconciliation.” Furthermore, the alleged visionary claimed that Jesus had announced his “imminent” return.
In the document, the Vatican authority notes that the alleged apparitions in the Normandy town “have elicited spiritual interest” but also “not a few controversies and difficulties of a doctrinal and pastoral nature” that require clarification.
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www.catholicnewsagency.com
The prefect of the dicastery, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, confirmed the declaration based on the Norms for Discerning Alleged Supernatural Phenomena in a document released Nov. 12 and addressed to the bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, Jacques Habert.
In 1972, Madeleine Aumont claimed that Jesus had appeared to her, asking the Church to build a giant “glorious cross” in Dozulé, next to a “shrine of reconciliation.” Furthermore, the alleged visionary claimed that Jesus had announced his “imminent” return.
In the document, the Vatican authority notes that the alleged apparitions in the Normandy town “have elicited spiritual interest” but also “not a few controversies and difficulties of a doctrinal and pastoral nature” that require clarification.
Continued below.
Vatican declares alleged apparitions of Jesus in France ‘not supernatural’
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declared that alleged apparitions of Jesus in France do not have a divine origin and are “not supernatural.”
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Sister Mary Michael, last of Mother Angelica’s founding nuns, dies at 94
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Sister Mary Michael of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, PCPA, died on Nov. 10 after roughly three-quarters of a century of religious life. She was 94.
Sister Mary Michael was the last of the original five nuns who, along with EWTN foundress Mother Angelica, began the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama. (The monastery is now located in Hanceville; EWTN, the parent company of CNA, remains in Irondale.)
Born Evelyn Shinosky on Feb. 25, 1931, to Joseph and Helen Shinosky, she entered Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 15, 1951, and received the habit and her new name the following May.
Sister Mary Michael made her first profession on May 1, 1954, and her solemn profession exactly six years later in 1960. Shortly after her solemn profession she joined Mother Angelica to journey to Alabama to help found the new monastery.
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www.catholicnewsagency.com
Sister Mary Michael was the last of the original five nuns who, along with EWTN foundress Mother Angelica, began the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama. (The monastery is now located in Hanceville; EWTN, the parent company of CNA, remains in Irondale.)
Born Evelyn Shinosky on Feb. 25, 1931, to Joseph and Helen Shinosky, she entered Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 15, 1951, and received the habit and her new name the following May.
Sister Mary Michael made her first profession on May 1, 1954, and her solemn profession exactly six years later in 1960. Shortly after her solemn profession she joined Mother Angelica to journey to Alabama to help found the new monastery.
Continued below.
Sister Mary Michael, last of Mother Angelica’s founding nuns, dies at 94
Sister Mary Michael of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, PCPA, died on Nov. 10 after roughly three-quarters of a century of religious life. She was 94.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Military Veteran, US Citizens Detained in ICE raid in Newark, NJ - Mayor alleges Fourth Amendment Violation
- American Politics
- 400 Replies
Trump DOJ acts to deweaponize the government
Trump DOJ admits to deleting politicized social media posts in controversial indictment
President Donald Trump's Justice Department admitted to a federal judge on Tuesday that the agency's social media accounts have taken down several controversial posts that politicized the actions of a member of Congress they indicted, according to CBS News' Scott MacFarlane.McIver's defense team has cited the posts as evidence of an unlawful prosecution.
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Syrian President Shaara conditions security deal on Israeli withdrawal from Golan Heights, claims Trump supports him
- By Michie
- General Politics
- 0 Replies
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa laid out his positions on a number of topics, including the talks about a security arrangement with Israel, in an interview with The Washington Post following his historic visit to the White House on Monday.
Before the first-ever visit by a Syrian president, reports indicated that a new security arrangement might be announced. However, the discussions appear to be ongoing despite no official statement being made.
The interviewer asked al-Sharaa how he planned to “protect Syrian sovereignty,” given the “repeated attacks by the Israeli military” against his country.
After the collapse of the Assad regime, Israel destroyed most of Syria’s heavy military equipment and, several months later, targeted sites and forces affiliated with al-Sharaa’s new regime after they took part in attacks on the Druze community in southern Syria.
Continued below.
www.christianpost.com
Before the first-ever visit by a Syrian president, reports indicated that a new security arrangement might be announced. However, the discussions appear to be ongoing despite no official statement being made.
The interviewer asked al-Sharaa how he planned to “protect Syrian sovereignty,” given the “repeated attacks by the Israeli military” against his country.
After the collapse of the Assad regime, Israel destroyed most of Syria’s heavy military equipment and, several months later, targeted sites and forces affiliated with al-Sharaa’s new regime after they took part in attacks on the Druze community in southern Syria.
Continued below.
Syrian President Shaara conditions security deal on Israeli withdrawal from Golan Heights, claims Trump supports him
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa laid out his positions on a number of topics, including the talks about a security arrangement with Israel, in an interview with The Washington Post following his
www.christianpost.com
Suicide bomber kills 12, injures dozens of civilians in Pakistani capital as tensions escalate
- By Michie
Tensions have escalated in Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed 12 people and injured dozens by blowing himself up in the capital, making it the first strike against civilians in the area in more than a decade.
The attack outside a lower court in Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon, which wounded at least 27 people on top of the dozen murdered, came when the area is typically crowded with visitors, the Associated Press notes.
There are conflicting reports on whether Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter terrorist group that broke away from the Pakistani Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack, as reporters claim to have gotten messages from the group's leader claiming responsibility. However, a commander within the group stated in WhatsApp messages that the group wasn't responsible.
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www.christianpost.com
The attack outside a lower court in Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon, which wounded at least 27 people on top of the dozen murdered, came when the area is typically crowded with visitors, the Associated Press notes.
There are conflicting reports on whether Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter terrorist group that broke away from the Pakistani Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack, as reporters claim to have gotten messages from the group's leader claiming responsibility. However, a commander within the group stated in WhatsApp messages that the group wasn't responsible.
Continued below.
Suicide bomber kills 12, injures dozens of civilians in Pakistani capital as tensions escalate
Tensions have escalated in Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed 12 people and injured dozens by blowing himself up in the capital, making it the first strike against civilians in the area in more
www.christianpost.com
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Ethics of Proselytization
- By Chesterton
- Ethics & Morality
- 86 Replies
@ViaCrucis Some of the men from my church and I used to get together once a week in my priest's neighborhood to play basketball. Not everyone always shows up consistently. Sometimes we're short on players. Local neighborhood guys would sometimes join us. (We're closed communion, but not closed basketball. )
I was going to ask a person in my neighborhood, who I'm pretty sure is not a churchgoer, if he'd ever want to come play with us. But then I thought, when he finds out it's mostly guys from my church, is he going to suspect I'm trying to evangelize him? Would he take that negatively? I thought about it a couple of weeks before I finally asked him. Turns out he's not into basketball and wasn't interested. Just thought I'd share that. I don't want to do anything that would be off-putting to a friend or acquaintance.
)I was going to ask a person in my neighborhood, who I'm pretty sure is not a churchgoer, if he'd ever want to come play with us. But then I thought, when he finds out it's mostly guys from my church, is he going to suspect I'm trying to evangelize him? Would he take that negatively? I thought about it a couple of weeks before I finally asked him. Turns out he's not into basketball and wasn't interested. Just thought I'd share that. I don't want to do anything that would be off-putting to a friend or acquaintance.
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