Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Incorporated: December 2016

Faith Resources Newsletter
Number 66
October/November/December 2016

The power of evil men lives on the cowardice of the good. St John Bosco

Message from the Manager

A very welcome to the October/November/December 2016 edition of our Newsletter. The year has passed quickly and the wonderful Feast of Our Lord’s Nativity is a mere four weeks away.
On October 29th I had the privilege of meeting many members of the Chesterton Society at their Conference at Campion College. G.K. Chesterton had a wonderful mind, an incredible sense of humour and a vibrant imagination that brought new life to people’s hearts. He saw the world as it was meant to be seen and was bemused that the wonder of the simplest of things was not evident to all. A literary genius, who used words to paint pictures of the beauty of God’s creation and our place in it, he understood “the permanent importance of the truths and realities” that shape humanity. Chesterton believed that these truths and realities were “deadened and distorted by familiarity”. Any keen observer will agree with this assertion. However, we face a greater crisis now from the media and governments who are trying to brainwash us into taking on a new set of values incompatible with human nature. These new values seek to destroy the very fabric of our hearts and minds, with the ultimate casualties being the destruction of our families, our Faith and our culture. Chesterton’s works are a reminder of what is good, beautiful and real.
It is fitting that October was the month of the Holy Rosary and the 13th was the 99th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima and that November is the month of the Holy Souls. Throughout history, there are examples of Our Lady defeating the enemies of Christendom when the Rosary has been prayed and penances have been performed, one such instance is the Battle of Lepanto, the subject of one of Chesterton’s epic poems.
We wish to extend a sincere thank you to all our readers for their continued prayers, help and financial support that has been forthcoming throughout 2016. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. May the Infant Jesus bless you and your families and friends this Christmas and we pray that Christ will shower His Graces and Blessings on you in 2017.

Gai Smith
Manager

Featured items

Stealing from a Child by David van Gend $28.00
Australians are being asked to accept a breathtakingly subversive redefinition of marriage, family and gender, with consequences for core liberties and our children’s education. If we raise concerns we are called ‘bigots’ and branded as ‘haters’ for defending a child’s birthright to her own biological mother and father. We are insulted as ‘homophobes’ for trying to ban the genderless “Safe Schools” programme. In response, this book respectfully demolishes the edifice of error, injustice, and moral coercion built around the redefinition of marriage. It exposes the subversive ‘genderless agenda’ that comes with genderless ‘marriage’. It is a manifesto in defence of society’s inviolable foundation: Father, Mother, Child. The facts in the book are well researched. Everyone should inform themselves of the truths that David van Gend has uncovered by reading it and encouraging others to.
Other books, DVDs and CDs that are relevant on this topic include:
Defending Marriage Twelve Arguments for Sanity by Anthony Esolen $29.90
Marriage The Rock on Which the Family is Built by William May $29.90
Reclaiming Catholic Social Teaching by Anthony Esolen on special for $29.95
Marriage Matters (Marriage Course) by Father Peter Murphy $9.95
St Raphael by Tan Books $5.00
Marriage A Path to Sanctity (2nd Edition) by Javier Abad and Eugenio Fenoy $21.50
Fireproof – DVD $13.95
The Global Sexual Revolution by Gabriele Kuby $28.00
Stealing from a Child / The Global Sexual Revolution Set by $50.00
Takedown by Paul Kengor on special for $31.20
Confronting the Gay Agenda CD by Tim Staples, Dr Bob McDonald, Fr Frank Fusara CPM $20.00
By Love Refined by Alice von Hildebrand $27.95
Maybe ‘I Do’ Modern Marriage and the Pursuit of Happiness by Kevin Andrews $29.95
Chosen and Cherished by Kimberly Hahn $22.95
Three to Get Married CD by Fulton Sheen $5.00

The Biblical Basis for Purgatory by John Salza $29.95
Jesus taught us about it, and for centuries the Church has faithfully defined and defended it. Protestants deny it even exists, while many Catholics fundamentally misunderstand it. It is Purgatory: that place of purifying penance where souls saved by Christ are made perfect and acceptable to spend life eternal in heaven. In The Biblical Basis for Purgatory, John Salza offers the definitive scriptural explanation of this distinctively Catholic doctrine. Building on the teachings of Christ and St. Paul, he shows how the existence of a place of temporal punishment after death is not only a logical extension of what we know about the reality of sin and God's justice, but is also a supreme expression of God's love and mercy.
Prayers, Promises and Devotions for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by Susan Tassone $19.90
Purgatory by Fr Frederick Faber $12.90
Charity for the Suffering Souls by Rev John A Nageleisen $27.50
Visions of Purgatory A Private Revelation Anonymous Published by Scepter $29.95
Hungry Souls by Gerard van den Aardweg $24.20
Stories about Purgatory by An Ursuline Nun from Sligo, Ireland on special $22.95
Day by Day for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by Susan Tassone on special $29.95

Advent and Christmas
Advent is a time of preparation for the wonderful joy of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Please take advantage of our very affordably priced Christmas stock. By buying Catholic items as presents we give great joy to Christ because we bring our relatives and friends closer to Him. Christmas gifts, relating to the Birth of Our Saviour, give this wonderful season of Advent and Christmastide its true meaning. We have a beautiful range of Advent Wreaths, Advent Candles and Calendars, Nativity Scenes, Stables, Nativity Triptyches, Statues of the Holy Family, Christmas Cards, Nativity Gift Wrap, 2017 Calendars, CDs, DVDs, Christmas and Advent/Christmas activity, colouring, sticker and reading books for children and spiritual reading for adults. There are many items with which Catechists and teachers will be delighted.
Advent Wreath - Brass Candle Holder 440mm (suitable for 50 - 54mm candles) $129.95
Advent Wreath - Wood 203mm includes 5 candles $39.95
Advent Wreath – Wood appearance (suitable for 20mm candles) $39.95
Advent Candles - Set of 4 Tapered Slim Candles - 3 Purple, 1 Pink $8.95
Advent Candles - Set of 5 - 54 x 250mm - 3 Purple, 1 Pink, 1 White $49.95
Advent Candles - Set of 5 - 54 x 150mm - 3 Purple, 1 Pink, 1 White $34.95
Advent Calendar - Nativity Glitter $7.50
Advent Calendar - Shepherds $5.95
Nativity Figurines - 100mm $38.95
Nativity Scene with Stable - Light Up 30mm $109.00
Nativity Scene with Stable 150mm $129.95
Nativity Stable - Wooden Large $89.95
Statue - Triptych Nativity Scene with Lamb 250mm $74.95
Statue - Triptych Nativity with Three Kings, Angel and Shepherd 225mm $99.95
Statue - Triptych Nativity 325 mm $89.00
Statue - Holy Family 150mm $27.50
Statue - Holy family 100mm $20.00
Statue – St Nicholas 250mm $45.00
Statue – St Nicholas 150mm $29.95
Statue – St Lucy 150mm $29.95
Statue - Joseph, & Mary with Child, Riding to Bethlehem $79.95
Christmas Cards - Budget CDX2063 $2.50
Christmas Cards - Budget CDX2059 $2.50
Christmas Cards - Blessed Christmas Boxed $15.95
Christmas Gift Wrap $2.95
Calendar - Wall Columban 2017 $9.00
Calendar - Wall Divine Mercy 2017 $9.95
Calendar - Pocket Divine Mercy 2017 $6.95
Mary and the Saints Wall Calendar 2017 $19.95
Life of Our Lord Wall Calendar 2017 $19.95
The Angels Wall Calendar 2017 $19.95
The Christmas & Easter Story CD $5.00
God Made Man CD by Fr Shannon Collins $5.00
The True Meaning of Christmas CD by Archbishop Fulton Sheen $5.00
Prepare the Way of the King CD by Dr Scott Hahn $5.00
The Mystery of Christmas CD by Fr Larry Richards $5.00
A Journey through Advent Cycle A CD by Fr Robert Barron $5.00
Brother Francis: The King is Born CD (Singing) $13.95
Brother Francis: The Story of Christmas CD (Audio Drama) $13.95
Prima Luce – A Collection of Christmas Hymns & Chants $24.95
Christmas at Ephesus by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles $24.95
Merry Christmas by Dana $29.95
Nicholas The Boy Who Became Santa DVD on special $15.00
Joseph of Nazareth DVD $13.95
The Star of Bethlehem DVD $13.95
Come to the Stable DVD $13.95
The Christmas Candle DVD $24.95
Brother Francis 7: O Holy Night DVD $14.95
Brother Francis 7: O Holy Night Colouring and Activity Book $4.25
Brother Francis - The Story of Saint Nicholas - A Colouring Storybook $4.25
Brother Francis: The First Christmas Colouring Book (Colour & Grow Series) $4.25
Colouring Book about Christmas $3.00
Colouring Book about Advent $3.00
My Look and Point First Christmas Stick-a-Story Book $9.95
Christmas Paint Book $11.95
Wipe Clean Christmas Story $9.95
Was it Really a Silent Night? (Activities for 5-14 year olds) $3.50
Away in a Manger Colouring Book $3.50
The Christmas Journey Storybook (3D with Floor Tiles) $24.95
Silent Night A Christmas Story $11.95
The Story of Christmas by Rev Jude Winkler OFM Conv $10.95
The Most Beautiful Christmas Story by Maite Roche $15.00
Celebrating Christmas by Rev Jude Winkler OFM Conv $3.00
The Story of the Birth of Jesus by Rev Jude Winkler OFM Conv $3.00
Celebrating Advent with the Jesse Tree by Rev Jude Winkler OFM Conv $3.00
My Very Little Christmas Story (Board Book) $4.95
My Golden Christmas Book (Board Book with Padded Cover $16.95
Christmas Joy - Rattle Book $9.95
The Story of Christmas (St. Joseph Board Books) $8.95
Catholic Baby's Nativity (with Handle) (For Babies – Washable) $4.95
Light in the Christmas Season by Benedict XVI $7.00
Christmas Novena with Benedict XVI $5.00
Words for the Advent & Christmas Season by Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB $7.00
Advent and Christmas by Joanna Bogle $5.00
The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Advent and Christmas $23.95
God’s Word 2017 (Daily Reflections) $15.95
Advent and Christmas with Fulton J Sheen $19.95

The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton $17.95
This book is the tale of a unique creature, man, made in the image of God, and of the God-Made-Man who fully reveals this fact to him. There is a spiritual path, and mankind has wandered over it with myriad gaits through the centuries. Nevertheless, the path that leads to man’s true home begins with the Nativity and ends with the Resurrection, and in between is contained all life and all holiness.
Lepanto by G K Chesterton $22.00
The Wisdom of Mr Chesterton The Very Best Quotes, Quips & Cracks edited by D Armstrong $25.50
The Ballad of the White Horse (Seton Edition) By G K Chesterton 24.95
Chesterton and the Jews by Ann Farmer $32.50
The Holiness of G K Chesterton edited by William Oddie22.95
A Theology of Wonder G K Chesterton’s Response to Nihilism by Brian Gillen $23.95
G K Chesterton by Karl Schmude $5.00
The Incredible Mind of G K Chesterton CD by Dale Ahlquist $5.00

Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words Bk I $32.00 Bk II $32.00 Buy Books I & II for the special price of $60.00
These books give a firsthand understanding of Our Lady’s appearances at Fatima in 1917. Lucia’s matter of fact style gives deep insight into the holiness of the children and the profound messages that Our Blessed Mother wanted to give all her children. We come to understand just how much Mary loves us all. Book I contains Lucia’s first four memoirs and Book II the fifth and sixth memoirs.
By Msgr Joseph Cirrincione: Blessed Jacinta Marto of Fatima $5.00, Ven Francisco Marto of Fatima $4.00, Fatima’s Message for Our Times $4.50
Our Lady of Fatima’s Peace Plan from Heaven published by Tan Books $3.50
Shepherds of Fatima by Benedict XVI $7.00
The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima DVD $13.95
Fatima Living the Message CD by Fr Jason Brooks $5.00
The Children of Fatima by Mary Fabyan Windeatt $24.00

Cardinal Newman Catechist Consultants — 8^th September, 2016 — HANDOUTS n. 137

“Clear, brief and easily assimilated by all”

Marriage and Mistaken Equalities

Download as a

PDF

AUSTRALIAN LAW ON MARRIAGE

“Marriage and You” at the moment

To be furnished by the marriage celebrant to the parties on their giving notice of intended marriage, from the Attorney General’s Department, Canberra 1978:

Marriage and family life have been basic to the strength of our society for a long time.

The Parliament in the Family Law Act haw placed great stress on their importance. Indeed, Section 43 of that Act requires courts, when dealing with any legal proceedings under the Act, to have regard to:

a. the need to preserve and protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life;

b. the need to give the widest possible protection and assistance to the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society, particularly while it is responsible for the care and education of dependent children; [and]

c. the need to protect tire rights of children and to promote their welfare.

“These provisions afford some guidance to couples contemplating marriage as to the goals they might adopt for their married life.”

INEQUALITIES WORTH PRESERVING

Truth does not equal error.
Beauty does not equal ugliness.
Good does not equal evil.
God does not equal the Devil.

Choosing those second alternatives makes for unhappy living, isolation from others and social disintegration. The nobler choices are the basis of science, philosophy, art and ethics. A Religion that upholds natural morality and asserts the evil of murder, adultery, theft and lying, might be harder to practise but is more practical. Indeed, it underpins civilization and real freedoms, and avoids the horrors of Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Polpot.

There is a piece of trickery in elementary algebra that proves that two equals one. Actually, it is a fraud, a cheat, even a lie. Similarly, by chopping a square into two triangles and two quadrilaterals, and rearranging them, it is possible to deceive the unwary that 64 = 65.

Similarly, it is neither helpful nor truthful to ignore the different of male and female reproductive organs or the wiring of their brains. Experience and modern science agree. It is not bigotry to say so, nor is all discrimination evil.

Mistaken equalities are handy for rabble-rousing soap box oratory.

Before today’s aggressive promotion of atheism and amorality, marriage always involved male and female, even if aberrations like concubines and harems were tolerated.

True equality is not getting just anything you want but respecting differences. That’s fair!

CHRISTIAN VISION of MATRIMONY

Prayer For Marriage & Family

O MERCIFUL GOD,

grant Your graces to husbands and wives united in the holy covenant of sacramental matrimony, so that in all life’s difficulties, by giving and forgiving, they may grow in patient kindness, as they co-operate with You, eternal Father, in forming saints of each other and of their children for this world and for Heaven, and bring Your light and love into many blind and loveless lives, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

St Monica, pray for us;

St Stephen of Hungary, pray for us;

St Edward the Confessor, pray for us;

St Margaret of Scotland, pray for us;

St Louis of France, pray for us;

St Elizabeth of Portugal, pray for us;

St Thomas More, pray for us;

St Louis and St Zelie Martin, pray for us.

GODLY GOVERNMENTS

Good governments are responsible to the people. A reasonable philosophy says governments get authority to govern from God, via the people. Persons have authority from their Creator, Who has endowed each with dignity, duties and destiny. This is what the Bible means by “made in the image of God” as the ultimate source of human rights and of duties to others. Such a philosophy is at least a workable hypothesis as judged by Scientific Method.

An alternative hypothesis must seek another source of authority. Where do people get authority to elect a government? Where do voters get authority to replace it?

But who will guard us from the guardians? Not those governments who think they can legislate anything they like, that everything is “up for grabs”. Religion and morals, or even some dwindling moral capital left over after abandonment, empowers people to govern themselves and, incidentally, to avoid being choked with endless rules.

The foundations on which democracy depends are beyond the whims of governments. They includes the human rights and duties which guard life, marriage, property and truth, by forbidding murder, adultery, theft and lies. Not even democratic governments can change such rights and duties, nor the biological facts of unhealthy acts into healthy ones, or change wrong into right.

Governments exist to harmonize society, and this includes enforcing such details as will continue to implement rights, but never to abolish morals. Rights and duties are not just anything we like, but are built into our nature as moral creatures and accountable.

The surpassing status of the human person is the half-truth in individualism. The half-truth in Marxism and its derivatives is the authority of government. Both get humanity wrong when they deny God. Common Sense

Communism

MARX ISSUED his Communist Manifesto in 1848. Yet even before this, earlier socialists were promoting “free-love” to replace marriage.

For Marx and Engels, there would be no marriage and no families. Children would be wards of the state. There would be no alien influences like religion or Churches. There would be nothing to shield isolated individuals from the state — and all in the name of “equality” and “freedom”.

In the 1920s and 30s, the communist euphemism for free-love was “companionate marriage”. Chesterton said: “This is a relationship when two people who are not married will very soon cease to be companions.” For over 150 years, Communism was anti-marriage, anti-family and anti-religion. Nevertheless, it opposed all homosexual activity.

But more recently, Freudian-Marxist intellectuals support the current campaign to redefine marriage. They know, though the public does not, that redefining marriage will soon make it so meaningless it will cease to exist, and that has always been their aim.

Has our democracy elected politicians who are gradually legislating our civilization out of existence? Are we being trapped in a Nineteen Eighty Four scenario of totalitarian domination by governments? Is total promiscuity the latest sop for a Brave New World without religion and its morality, without marriages and its families, and with children unplanned, unwanted bi-product?

Counselling Harmful!

Yes, under the caption, “Counselling ‘harmful, not good’,” The Weekly Telegraph (London, issue no. 323) reported:

PROFESSIONAL counselling is largely a waste of time and does more to boost the ego of the counsellor than to help the victim, according to a leading trauma expert.

Professor Yvonne McEwan said the booming profession was at best useless and at worst highly destructive to victims seeking help.

She accused professional counsellors of creating a nation of victims in order to boost their flagging careers in the medical profession. She said, “Counselling is ethically bankrupt and is practised by over-zealous, ignorant people who are feeding their own egos. The rights of the victims are being sacrificed to keep counsellors in jobs.

What makes and creates mental illness is the very system designed to help it. The legal profession and medicine have colluded in the whole fabrication of people undergoing trauma.

“By medicalising what is a non-medical condition and introducing a therapy subject matter that is vastly under-researched, over-used and vastly abused, medicine is propping up a lot of dwindling careers.

“They have produced a victim culture. This is a Western condition invented in the West.”

LOCAL TESTIMONY

The ex-Royal Navy commander who was rescued in his upside down yacht in the Southern Ocean was offered disaster counselling. His reply was a classic: “All I need is a few beers with my mates in the pub!’

Common Sense

An Obituary in The Times ... How true!

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain;

Why the early bird gets the worm;

Life isn’t always fair;

And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up his will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death:

by his parents, Truth and Trust,

by his wife, Discretion,

by his daughter, Responsibility,

and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by five stepbrothers:

I Know My Rights

I Want it Now

Someone Else Is To Blame

I’m A Victim

Pay me for Doing Nothing.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!”

Father James Tierney

© The Rev. B.J.H. Tierney. Handouts are free and may be copied for any non-profit teaching purpose. However, donations to defray costs are welcome and should be made to the publisher and distributor, the Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Inc. PO Box 359, St Marys NSW 1790; phone 02 9673 2235; fax 02 9623 3181 email <fr@eardinalnewman.com.au>

Cardinal Newman Catechist Consultants — 4^th November, 2016 — HANDOUTS n. 138

“Clear, brief and easily assimilated by all”

The Word of God

Download as a

PDF

The Incarnate Son of God and the Inspired Scriptures

THE Word of God has two closely connected meanings — a handy ambiguity for Catholics enrolling in a homeschooling program run by Protestants. Parents are asked to fill in a questionnaire on their bona fides (good faith): “What is the ultimate authority for the Christian faith?”

There are several possible answers. It is best to avoid argument. Protestants expect “The Bible,” or “the Scriptures.” But these, after all, depend on the more basic authority of God’s revelation, especially by God-Incarnate. So a truthful answer is, “The Word of God” and that will satisfy them:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among 11s, and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1,14

PROTESTANT

The Protestant insistence that “the Bible and only the Bible is the religion of Protestants” is (l) not in the Bible, and indeed, contradicted by the Bible:-

...if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

1 Timothy 3:15

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

and (2) Protestants depend on tradition to decide which books should be included between the black covers. Originally, each book was a separate scroll. Bound and printed Bibles only came into being from 15^th century printing, and for those in economic circumstances to afford a purchase, and having had schooling in how to read.

Moreover, through all the centuries of illiteracy, Catholics heard the Bible at Mass, recited the Creeds summarizing the Bible, and meditated scripturally on the Mysteries of the Rosary which were often preached.

The Bible is entirely a Catholic book of universal Christianity over two millennia now worldwide, written by Catholics, including those who B.C. beheld from far off in the Old Testament centuries.

A Protestant Sunday School chorus (a simple jingle) is apt for Catholics (but omit the Protestant undertones):

The best book to read is the Bible,

If you read it every day, it will help you on your way,

The best book to read is the Bible.

(The accompanying actions were brandishing a Bible!)

Many converts are grateful for acquaintance with Christ’s revelation acquired from Sunday school.

BEST BUY IN BIBLES?

Ignatius Catholic Study Edition New Testament (it does not have the Old Testament) PB $39.95, HC $55.95, large print $64.95, Leather $76.95.

The Didache Bible (in Ignatius Bible Editions) HC $79.90, Leather $119.90 and has both Old and New Testaments but on much thinner paper.

· Both use Revised Standard Version 2^nd Catholic Edition with cross-references, textual notes, explanations.

· Both have usual subheadings embedded in the text.

· Both are cross-referenced to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, though not always the same.

· Hardcovers in both will lie open on a flat surface.

· Both have introductions to each book of the Bible, but more detailed in Ignatius Catholic Study edition NT.

would benefit having both. They make the earlier editions of the RSV2^ndCE redundant.

* Both have excellent notes, and on the same page as the text, with roughly equal detail — compare the number of pages, 518 with 455:

Feature	Ignatius NT	Didache OT & NT
text and notes	NT 518 pp. but no OT	NT 455 pp. (similar) plus OT 1255 pp.
paper	thick and sturdy	thin, to fit in OT
size	26X18X4.5 cm (10x7x2"); print roughly 10 point	23X15X5 cm (9x 6x2"); print roughly 9 point
features	concordance 168 pp., word studies of Greek subtleties, topical essays	glossary 44 pp; subjects & names 23 pp
indices	parables, miracles, doctrines, charts, maps, topical essays, word studies	apologetics by title and by subject, Bible subjects & names, maps
maps	8 hi colour (at back); 20 B&W inserted in text	25 in colour, better detail, better legends.

Overall, both books are highly valuable and many would benefit from having both. They make the earlier editions of the RSV2ndCE redundant.

For a detailed study of the NT, Ignatius Catholic Study Edition NT might be the better choice, assuming one has an OT in a separate Bible.

But for those without another Bible with comparable notes, or who need a Bible all in one volume, or possibly for price reasons, choose the Didache Bible, especially for homeschooling/tutoring.

BIBLE JOKES

“He read his Bible a couple of times a year...”

“Grandad’s studying for his finals - Bible reading.”

“Quick! Dust off that Bible on top of the cupboard — the parson’s coming in the gate.”

South Sea islander: “No, you can’t have a page out of my Bible for a roll-your-own cigarette. If it weren’t for this Bible, you’d be in my cooking pot.”

Bible Power & Church Teaching

with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ

LUST and ADULTERY

You have heard that it was said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ But I say this to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:27-28

DIVORCE and REMARRIAGE

But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew 5:32

So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matthew 19:6

And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery.

Matthew 19:9

See notes in Bible for “except for unchastity”.

TRUTH with KINDNESS

to the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well

...for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.

John 4:18

NO COMMUNION TILL SIN FORSAKEN

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:27

INTEGRITY OF THE MAGISTERIUM

Indeed no one, not even the pope can destroy or change Christ’s teaching. No one, not even the pope, can set pastoral ministry in opposition to doctrine. That would be against Jesus Christ and His teaching.

Cardinal Robert Sarah , God or Nothing, 2015, p. 246

While hundreds of Christians are living each day filled with fear, some are trying to keep the divorced and remarried from suffering: they would feel discriminated against if they were excluded from sacramental Communion. Despite their ongoing state of adultery, despite their state of life that testifies to a refusal to abide by the Word that raises up those who are sacramentally married to be the revelatory signs of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, some theologians want to grant admission to Eucharistic Communion to the divorced and remarried. ... the denial of the indissolubility of sacramental marriage.

ibid. pp. 280,281

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

How far we have slipped! In 1936, King Edward VIII (1894-1972) abdicated his throne and gave up his vocation as King of England. He wanted to marry a divorcee. Such was the esteem in which marriage was held by citizens, and upheld by the civil law, divorce was not respectable and therefore not acceptable for the monarch to many a divorced person. His mother, Queen Mary (1867-1953) is reported to have been disappointed in her son’s betrayal of his royal duties as she understood that men who had risked their lives and their all in the Great War would not be able to accept that Edward VIII, as their King, could not sacrifice his love for the divorcee Mrs Simpson.

FREEBIE

New Boys go Bush Again

The latest in the Bush Boys series is available for free download from the website: 512 pages !!!

Plentifully illustrated (as yet without the coloured cover of the forthcoming printed edition); 78 pages of detailed appendices, including camping diagrams, clothing & equipment lists, food lists, knots; tutoring bushcraft to one’s sons; fully legal homeschooling/ tutoring; detailed glossary/index; summary of earlier books; Who’s Who in this book.

Active Participation

and SUBSIDIARITY

God helps those who help others and themselves — and how to be Kind and Firm

IN 1984, Andy Smith, a boy in seventh grade, wrote this short letter to the USA President Ronald Reagan:

Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room.

Just back from a six-day trip to China, the first since Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit, Reagan replied:

Dear Andy,

I’m sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I’ve been in China and found your letter here on my return. Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem: the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case, your mother. However, setting that aside, I’ll have to point out tire larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4^th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I’m getting at is that funds are dangerously low.

May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could be done better by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practise voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.

Your situation appears to be a natural. I’m sure your mother was fully justified hi proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3000 already under way in our nation — congratulations. Give my best regards to your mother.

Sincerely, Ronald Reagan.

From The Australian, 11^th February, 2015

GOD SAID, “I HATE DIVORCE...”

Has not the one God made and sustained for us the spirit of life? And what does he desire? Godly offspring. So take heed to yourselves, and let none be faithless to the wife of his youth. For I hate divorce, says the Lord the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless. Malachi 2:15-16

And with God’s blessing:

Father James Tierney

Cardinal Newman Catechist Consultants — 8^th December, 2016 — HANDOUTS n. 139

“Clear, brief and easily assimilated by all”

A Mixed Grill of Relevant Snippets

Download as a

PDF

Gender Dysphoria

Dysphoria is an emotional state characterized by anxiety, depression and restlessness. Gender dysphoria, once rare, is now being encouraged.

The GENDER IDEOLOGY of the SAFE SCHOOLS COALITION (SSC) is actually CHILD ABUSE

On 17^th August, 2016, all such programs of Gender Ideology were rejected by the President and Vice-President of American College of Pediatricians, along with Professor of Psychiatry at John Hopkins Medical School. They said:-

Human sexuality is an objective biological trait.
No one is born with a gender. Everyone is born with a biological sex. Gender (an awareness and sense of oneself as male or female) is a sociological and psychological concept; not an objective biological one.
A person’s belief that he or she is something they are not is, at best, a sign of confused thinking.
Puberty is not a disease and puberty-blocking hormones can be dangerous.
According to the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association) as many as 98% of gender confused boys and 88% of gender confused girls eventually accept their biological sex after naturally passing through puberty.
Children who use puberty blockers to impersonate the opposite sex will require cross-sex hormones in late adolescence. Cross-sex hormones (testoserone and estrogen) are associated with dangerous health risks including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, blood clots, stroke, cancer.
Rates of suicide are twenty times higher among adults who use cross-sex hormones and undergo reassignment surgery.
Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is CHILD ABUSE.

PUBLICIZE THE FACTS !

Companionate Marriage

SELF-DECEPTION or “having yourself on” is typified by “companionate marriage” — cf. the 1930’s in Russia under Joseph Stalin (1879-1953) and “temporary childless marriages for university students” advocated by Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).

But... Companionate Marriage is a relationship where two people who are not married will very soon cease to be companions. G.K. Chesterton

Hypocrisy

MEN who are thoroughly false and hollow seldom try to hide these vices from themselves; and yet in the very act of avowing them, they lay claim to the virtues they feign most to despise. “For,” say they, “this is honesty, this is truth. All mankind are like us, but they have not the candour to avow it.” The more they affect to deny the existence of any sincerity in the world, the more they would be thought to possess it in its boldest shape; and this is an unconscious compliment to Truth on the part of these philosophers, which will turn the laugh against them to the day of Judgement.

Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, chapter 23

Uphill — in Life & Death

by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

DOES THE ROAD wind uphill all the way?

Yes, to the very end.

Will the day’s journey take the whole long day? From mom to night, my friend.

2. But is there for the night a resting place?

A roof for when the slow, dark hours begin.

May not the darkness hide if from my face?

You cannot miss that inn.

3. Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?

Those who have gone before.

Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?

They will not keep you waiting at the door.

4. Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?

Of labour you shall find the sum.

Will there be beds for me and all who seek?

Yea, beds for all who come.

Priest, Healer of Wounded Souls

by activating his Christ-likeness

as Prophet, Priest & Shepherd

SOURCE of WOUNDS	HELPS in HEALING
1 spiritual genetics via sinful Adam front Satan	1. Baptism, with parental preparation and follow up.
2. spiritual environment from evil company of Sinners	2. Confession: “next best thing to innocence is sincere repentance”
3. out of touch with the Saviour	3. Holy Communion, well-prepared and with thanksgiving.
4. error — thinking falsehoods	4. Apologetics — the detailed defence of religious truths.
5. culpable ignorance	5. Catechetics: Creed, Sacraments, Laws of love & duty, Prayer.
6. poor nutrition — bad habits and imperfections	6. Mortification to conquer vice, weakness and imperfection.
7. lack of spiritual exercise	7. Asceticism to grow in virtues.

Fantasy Tales and Tricksy Numbers

AESOP’S Fables teach much morality wonderfully well. The fables use stories about rich and poor people, about animals, birds and fish, to present us, even confront us, and so quietly, without any power presentation of light or sound, with the absurdity of vanity and selfishness, and urge us towards true goodness and wisdom.

Fables, fiction and fantasy are close cousins, and poetry with its imaged beauty is a second cousin. They achieve their purpose without any goody-goody sickly syrup, without preachiness or moralizing — even those adorned with a pithy moral as a final paragraph. Mind speaks to mind and the listener or reader can apply it to himself as he deems fit.

They can persuade us of the importance of keeping promises and of observing prohibitions (Handouts n. 60).

Parables arc similar, only more so — especially Our Lord’s greatest parables like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, the Talents and the Judgement. At the most, they conclude with “Go and do thou likewise” or even an implicit, “Wake up to yourself!” Old Testament parables are mainly symbolic actions, breaking pots and joining sticks, plus a few stories like Nathan the Prophet confronting King David over murder and adultery, and Jotham confronting Abimelcch’s revolutionaries and their treachery.

Check every Calculation

MY TEACHERS from primary school onwards taught me to check every calculation I did — that was seventy long years ago! Now in old age, it is palpably urgent, since I make so many mistakes.

Recently I’ve been indulging again in mathematical gymnastics with 153, that puzzling number in the miraculous catch of fish in John 21:11. St Jerome said it was the number of kinds of fish then known, so a sign of Christ’s universal mission to all peoples. Now 153 (see Handouts n. 114) is in that unique group of the only four 3-digit numbers that equal the sum of the cubes of their digits. These four numbers are 153, 370, 371 and 407. Thus: l³ + 5³ + 3³ = 1 + 125 + 27 = 153.

Also 153 is the sum of the first 17 numbers — 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17 = (1 + 17)/2 x 17 = 153.

Again, 153 is the sum of the first five factorials (see “!” on a calculator): 1! +2! + 3! + 4! + 5! = 1 + 1x2 + 1x2x3 + 1 x2x3x4 + 1x2x3x4x5 = 153.

However, it was only recently that a maths teacher told me that any number, which is divisible by 3, if you cube each of its digits separately, and add up the result, and repeat the process over and over of cubing each digit separately and adding them together, cuts out at 153, which is irreducible to anything else. An easy number divisible by 3 is 3: now 3³ = 27. Now take 27 : 2³ + 7³ = 8 + 343 = 351.

Now 351: 3³ + 5³ + l³ = 27 + 125 + 1 = 153 Next, try it with a bigger number 84 and it still ends up amazingly as 153. I don’t know why. It’s fascinating. So 153 as a number is unique AND what is more, it’s in the Bible!

Fantasy Numbers

IMAGINARY Numbers are not as silly as they sound.

We combine the idea of the square root of a number with the idea of a negative number. These ideas separately match up with the real world: the side of a square paddock and the depth below the surface of water.

This prompts the idea of a square root of a negative. But first, there are two roots of √+l: either plus one or minus one (we write it as ± 1).

But can minus numbers have square roots? While √9 = 3 (or even -3), what does √-9 mean? i.e. what multiplied by itself equals -9 ? The answer is not 3 but 3i where i = √-l which is imaginary. So √-1 x √-l = (√-l)² = i² = -l. therefore i³ = -i ! Does this seem nonsense? It doesn’t match up with anything our five senses perceive in the real world. But nor does much of a fantasy story, yet for it we willingly imagine splendours in the distant past, or weird doings in the distant future in science fiction. So too with maths: imaginary numbers help.

Imaginary numbers are exactly that: stretching our imagination, extending our understanding of mental possibilities. And they are powerful and practical in their applications from higher mathematics.

A little mental exercise with a pencil: the cube roots of -1: obviously, -l x –l x -1 = -1. Now try cubing (-1 + √3i)/2 and then (-1 - √3i)/2.

Coming down to earth...

Many secondary pupils need a concrete overture to mathematics, less abstract, with lots of seeing, handling and measuring as in science experiments. This makes mental digestion easier than do abstract diagrams drawn on paper or white-boards.

Teach essential theory afterwards: then it’s built on familiarity and much more palatable. The introductory hands-on models in geometry help pupils get a grasp on the closely reasoned theorems of Euclid — which theorems will be found most useful: e.g. triangulating the frames of buildings so they won’t blow over, or “slurp” when shoved!

Therefore I am currently making hand-on models with wooden rods, wire, wood and cardboard, to teach congruent triangles or introduce trigonometry. Pupils should be encouraged to make their own cardboard or wooden triangles — things they can pick up, turn over, measure, rotate, view from various directions.

I would like to hear from any home-tutoring or school-teaching practitioners on these approaches. Phone or fax me on 02 4829 0297, or write.

Father James Tierney

THIS APOSTOLATE NEEDS YOUR HELP

All donations large or small are gratefully received from benefactors to assist in our valuable apostolate. Please be assured that you are remembered in our prayers. To help you, we have purchase an extensive new range of stock and are upgrading our on-line services. You can assist by:

Being a Volunteer on a roster for a few hours a week; a regular 2 hours or more would be great
Making a donation, either by direct deposit or by using the form below
Buying books and religious goods from us

Direct Deposit - ANZ Bank: BSB 012408 Account: 227329572 Please cite your name as our reference. For notification of the direct deposit remittance: fr@cardinalnewman.com.au or fax: (02) 9623 3181
credit card, cheque, money order - please return the form below to: Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Inc PO BOX 359 ST MARYS 1790

Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Inc

PO Box 359

St Marys, NSW 1790

Australia

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Faith Resources Newsletter - Number 66 - October / November / December 2016