Bishop demands church recognition of homosexual relationships

And now the deluge!

Bonny with two stealth priestesses

The Bishop of Antwerp, Johan Bonny advocates an ecclesiastical recognition of homosexual relationships. The dogma that the Catholic Church can only accept male-female relationships, he put in question in an interview with this newspaper. "There should be a diversity of recognition forms."

With his plea Bonny, is one of the first church leaders who attacks the absolute monopoly of the male-female marriage. "We have to look inside the church for a formal recognition of the relationality which is also present in many gay couples. As a variety of legal frameworks in society exist for partners, he wants to instate a diversity of recognition forms in the church."

Bonny, the designated (in fact, for the time being, most likely) successor of Archbishop
André-Joseph Léonard, who will retire in 2015, believes that gay couples should be able to get a church blessing. Moreover, he argues that a homosexual relationship can also satify the criteria of a religious marriage. "The intrinsic values are more important to me than the institutional demand. The Christian ethic is based on lasting relationships where exclusivity, loyalty and care are central to each other.

Bringing up children

With a subtle formulation Bonny also puts the male-female Catholic monopoly for bringing up children in question. "Then there is the openness to new life, or at least the responsibility taken up by partners to be generous in what they provide to children."

In September, the Antwerp bishop wrote a letter to the Vatican on this matter. Among others, he include the idea that the church urgently needs to find a connection in modern society, explains why Bonny emphasises the matter. "Everyone gets to make his or her life with relationships, friendship, family and children's upbringing. We should not deny that this existed within the church injuries and traumas. Too many people were excluded for a long time."

Canon lawyer and the Rector of the (Cathcon-once) Catholic University of Leuven, Rik Torfs considers Bonny's message as a turning point: "Do not underestimate the significance of this.  Bonny advocates a  change in long-held unshakable principles, something that the dogmatic pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI no bishop could afford to do. "

Source

The very day on which Christ was pleased to be born on earth for the salvation of the world.

n the year five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine from the creation of the world, when God in the beginning created heaven and earth;

In the year two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven from the flood;

In the year two thousand and fifteen from the birthday of Abraham;

In the year one thousand five hundred and ten from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;

In the year one thousand and thirty-two from the anointing of David as king;

In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;

In the year seven hundred and fifty-two from the founding of the city of Rome;

In the forty-second year of the rule of Octavian Augustus;

In the sixth age of the world, when the whole world was at peace: [here the voice is raised:]

A calendar of 1943

Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, being pleased to hallow the world by His most gracious coming, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost, and nine months having passed since His conception, having become Man, was born at Bethlehem in Juda of the Virgin Mary.

[All prostrate themselves: at the signal of the superior, they arise.]

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. A tolum duplex feast of the first class.

On the same day, the birthday of St. Anastasia. In the reign of Diocletian, she suffered harsh and cruel imprisonment at the hands of her husband Publius, during which she was greatly consoled and comforted by Chrysogonus, a confessor of Christ. Next, she was subjected to a long imprisonment by Florius, prefect of Illyria. At last, on the island of Palmaria, she was fastened to posts with her hands and feet stretched apart, and a fire was enkindled about her. Thus she completed her martyrdom. There had been deported to this island with her two hundred men and seventy women, who gained their martyrdom by being killed in various ways. A memory.

At Barcelona in Spain, the birthday of St. Peter Nolasco, confessor, and founder of the Order of our Lady of Ransom for the Redemption of Captives. He was noted for his virtues and miracles. His feast is celebrated on January 28.

At Rome, in the cemetery of Apronianus, St. Eugenia, virgin. She was the daughter of St. Philip the martyr. In the time of the Emperor Galhenus, she showed many signs and virtues and added holy choirs of virgins to Christ. She suffered for a long time under Nicetus, prefect of the city, and at last her throat was cut with a sword.

At Nicomedia, the sufferings of several thousand holy martyrs who on Christmas day were assembled at Mass. The Emperor Diocletian ordered the doors of the church to be shut and a fire to be prepared around the building. A tripod with incense was set before the door. Then a herald proclaimed that they who desired to escape the fire should come out and offer incense to Jupiter. When the Christians unanimously declared they would gladly die for the sake of Christ, the church was set on fire and they were burned alive. Thus, they were held worthy to be born in Heaven on the very day on which Christ was pleased to be born on earth for the salvation of the world.

Let us sing Muslim songs around the crib for Christmas

Shortly before Christmas, politicians and religious leaders support the singing of Muslim songs in Christmas church services as a sign of understanding. Conversely, Christian songs should be sung in mosques.

"It would be a great sign of peace among the religions, when in the church an Islamic song is sung and in the mosque a Christmas song," said the Green Party Member of Parliament Omid Nouri Pour told the "Bild" on Monday.

The Baden-Württemberg SPD member of parliament Thomas Funk called for a signal of understanding between religions. He would like it if "it could be conveyed with a song," Funk told the "Bild".

The Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Amman Mazyek suggested as a song for the Christmas services "Tala'a al-Badru alayna" ("The full moon rose over us"). "That would be a wonderful sign of peace and compassion," said Mazyek. (see below- for the text

The Catholic and Protestant church did not want to comment on the initiative officially. Northern German towns wanted to "carefully consider and discuss" the proposal, according to the "Bild". During the service, usually five or six songs are sung. In mosques, only the Imam sings.

Pegida demonstrates again

The Pegida Alliance invited meanwhile to a "shared carol singing" in the square in front of the Semper Opera House. Two days before Christmas, the organizers in Dresden want to protest again against the alleged alienation by refugees. The alliance "Dresden Nazi-free" plans a counter-demonstration with a rally on the adjacent Castle Square.

In contrast, the alliance "Dresden for All" wants, because of the approaching Christmas celebrations, wants to avoid street protests and called for the participation in the ecumenical prayer for peace in the Holy Cross Church. In other German cities churches, trade unions and civil society groups have called for demonstrations against "Pegida".

Bishops urges commitment to immigration

The Bishop of the Protestant Church in Central Germany (EKM), Ilse Junker man, has demanded that Germany becomes committed as an country welcoming immigrants. "It takes a conscious choice to acknowledge the fact that we are a country of immigration. We need a specific immigration policy. "In the" Pegida "demonstrations concern is expressed that our laws and values system will be changed by people who come from other cultures and religions".  Immigration and asylum are mixed here, according to Junkermann.  "Both require clear rules - and a clear yes. Unfortunately, so far the Chancellor does not speak clearly of asylum as a human right and of a welcoming culture. Clear political orientation is lacking. "

The "Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West" (Pegida) object to amongs other things an alleged alienation of land and want a sharper asylum law. Last Monday, the alliance turned out 15000 for a demonstration, despite nationwide criticism. Approximately 5650 people took part in various counter-demonstrations. Saxony's Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich (CDU) called on the protesters in the "Leipziger Volkszeitung" to show more tolerance. 

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The Full Moon Rose over us!

Tala'a al-Badru Alayna

This was originally sung to the Prophet Muhammed.

طلع البدر علينا
ṭala‘a 'l-badru ‘alaynā
The full moon rose over us

من ثنيات الوداع
min thaniyyāti 'l-wadā‘
From the valley of Wada'‘
وجب الشكر علينا
wajaba 'l-shukru ‘alaynā
And it is incumbent upon us to show gratitude

ما دعى لله داع
mā da‘ā li-l-lāhi dā‘
For as long as anyone in existence calls out to God
أيها المبعوث فينا
’ayyuha 'l-mab‘ūthu fīnā
Oh our Messenger (Emissary) amongst us

جئت بالأمر المطاع
ji’ta bi-l-’amri 'l-muṭā‘
Who comes with the exhortations (injunctions/commandments) to be heeded

جئت شرفت المدينة
ji’ta sharrafta 'l-madīnah
You have brought to this city nobility

مرحبا يا خير داع
marḥaban yā khayra dā‘
Welcome you who call us to a good way

The priest they call Padre Elvis

The slow death of a monastery

Church of Ghosts

The ghosts referred to are the Sudeten Germnans who were expelled in 1945, after Hitler had claimed the German-speaking parts of Czechoslovakia in 1938.