The Order of Brothers of Reconciliation

As my ever changing life continues to move forward, I have opened a new lay community that is pending approval and supervision of the Bishop of the Dioceses of Lexington Kentucky. This Order, The Order of Brothers of Reconciliation is open to all Catholic men eighteen years of age or older (no upper limit, except based on health and mental status, and the Canon of the Church) who are in communion with the Holy Roman Catholic Church and able to meet the requirements of Religious Life per the Canon of the Church.

To learn more about the new community and to express your interest, go to The Order of Brothers of Reconciliation’s web page and follow the links there.

We are also looking for US tax deductible donations, which you can find more information on here. Prayers for our growth and approval and supervision by the Bishop are greatly needed and accepted as well!

In Christ!

Meet the Saints: A Book Review

Over the past several years I have been very interested in the Saints of the Catholic Church. I have been wanting to know their history, how they became Saints, and a bit about them. I have read many books on individual Saints and a few on groups of Saints.

Most of those books put words into the mouths of the Saints, as well as feelings and thoughts, that I often felt the author had no way of knowing if it was true or not. Basically putting words into the mouth of the Saint where I felt they shouldn’t.

This book broke the mold I was seeing in the other books. The book takes 12 months of articles posted in a newsletter series called “Walking With the Saints”. It covers the lives of 37 Saints and what got them Sanctified.

It is an easy book to read, well written and informational. It appears to be factual without glorification. The result is well received by me, and I’m betting by you as well.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Meet the Saints. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

NY Mosque Controversy…

While I am not overly happy that a Mosque is going to be built that close to a place that was destroyed, and in which many people were killed, by people claiming to be Muslim, I do feel that the right to purchase land, and build what you want there, be it religious or not, is your right. We should not be fighting this building, but rather, should be building a Christian Church across the street or in the same area with a “Rec area” as well. Have all faiths build a site there to bring faith back to the area.

I know this won’t sit well with many people, especially here in the US, but freedom of religion is a right given to us by our Constitution and something I hold close to my heart. Presuming that the owners are US Citizens, regardless of where they are getting the money to build it, that they are using local talent to build it, and they are obeying the laws of the US on the property, it is their right to do so.

Now, if we come to find that they are training terrorist there, or doing other illegal actions there, then the State should come in, close it down, confiscate it, if they legally can over the actions performed, and go from there.

Let’s all live in God, we appear to be praying to the same one, even if in different ways, and live in peace and love instead of in war!

Believing in Jesus – A Book Review

Over the past 15 years, I have been studying various religions and the theology behind those religions. Six or so years ago I began “homing” in on the Catholic faith and converted a few years ago to the Catholic faith. I continue to grow in my “new found faith”, and in that function of growing, I am always wanting to get a deeper understanding of where the Church stands on things, and why.

This book was a great find to help me grow in understanding in the faith that God has led me to.

This book follows, loosely, the American version of the Catechism of the Church book released a few years ago. It does a very good job of describing why the Church believes as it does, ties it to the Bible, and explains the differences on a concept between the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches in the Protestant areas.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for any Christian, so they can better understand where the Catholic Church comes from in it’s theology of life.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Believing in Jesus – 6th Edition Revised and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there.

Haiti – Religion

The event in Haiti where the 10 “Christian” people attempted to take 33 children across the boarder into the Dominican Republic has me wondering about the people I live with here in the US.

First, let me set the record straight. Many people that know me think that I am not supportive of the people of Haiti post the massive earthquake they weathered. I am. I am 100% behind sending help and support their way to help them get back on their feet and to help clean up the mess left over from the devastating earthquake. My problem with Haiti is the corruption that I have seen in the people from Haiti that I have come in contact with, which have been many such people. I have not, as yet, met one Haitian that was not corrupt in more than one way. I pray that not all Haitians are corrupt though!

Back on track now: While I do not think all 10 of the US Citizens involved in this event knew 100% what was going on, I feel confident that many did know that what they were doing was illegal, in Haiti, the US and Internationally! One does not go into a devastated area such as this area, pick up 33 children and put them in a bus and drive away without any paperwork, legal status, etc, in the hopes of taking the kids to a place that caters to families trying to adopt children and a second purpose to indoctrinate those children into your faith base.

I am pretty sure with some of those kids that were “taken” from existing parents, that money exchanged hands between this group and the parents. This is human trafficking. Plain and simple! And I’m not 100% against the parents in this case, it it provided them with some badly needed money, while giving their children a chance to grow in a better condition. I AM 100% against the people on the other side that probably paid that money and took the kids though.

What Haiti needs is for people to come in and help heal the hurt and sick, help feed and water the hungry, build temporary and permanent housing for the homeless, and help the nation rebuild their lives. We don’t need to be looking at the nation as a place to build our families, or our wealth. (These kids were apparently going to a place in DR that was basically an orphanage that taught the faith and housed the kids until people paying big money would come to the resort and pick their new families then head to the US, meaning people were going to make money off of this move. This is NOT what Christianity is about!)

Catching up with myself…

A very good friend of mine in California complained that all I write about now is related to religion… This post will have some of that too, but basically I will honor her request and update what has been going on this past 12 months or so…

Last year I was accepted into the Brothers and Sisters of Reconciliation as a Friar. I would have started my Seminary studies this past August (2009). Roughly in October of last year the Archbishop of Miami decided that the Order had not been set up properly or supervised by a (Arch)Bishop correctly and that the Order was to be closed effective immediately and that any and all vows given were to be released effectively immediately. I applied to two Franciscan Orders, both of which decided that I was too old. (Most Religious Orders stop accepting a person after they turn from 25 to 35, depending on the Order.)

During this time of discernment with the Orders, a VERY good lady friend (at the time), Debbie and I continued to talk about the possibility of getting together. About the time the Orders were starting to get back to me, Debbie and I decided to get married. The great day of our Marriage was March 4th, while I was visiting from Florida. I returned to Ashland in April, and we got married in her Church on May 15th. I now live with her in Ashland, KY.

(Very pretty up here, pretty much year around so far! People are friendly, and all speak English!)

At the end of April or beginning of May (can’t remember!!??) I began working at Crisp Dairy Treat so that I could continue to pay Child Support and other bills. I work as a short order cook, ice cream maker, and food issuer. (Hand food to the customers, and take their money. )

I have re-opened my martial arts school, Circular Wind Ryu, Inc. here in Kentucky and am open for business. I have also gotten more active, yet again, with Watkins and am selling those GREAT products! (Check out the products at http://www.watkinsonline.com and when you “sign up” use my Associate ID of 335373!!) I am also available to fix computers, install software and train people on how to use their computers and software. TDBell Enterprises, Inc., now a sub-unit of Circular Wind Ryu, Inc. is open for business in IT Operations, Business Operations and Business Plan Development consulting on an hourly basis. (http://www.tdbellenterprises.com)

I am aggressively looking for a job with at least a bit better pay, and mainly for one that has medical benefits. (I know, deep request in today’s world…) I am looking for a job in IT Management, Business Management, or IT technical areas. If you know of any such openings in the Ashland, KY/Huntington, WV area, let me know!

I am still very involved in a Secular yet Religious life, and very much still in love with the Church (Roman Catholic, but Christian faith in general), and still active in the Church. (As if you couldn’t gather from my post here…)

In Christ!

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

The Bible that is used by Christians tells us that Jesus was born of Mary. I do not think anyone in the Christian faiths disagrees with this.

All of the main line Christian faiths appear to state that the Trinity, God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, are one.

The Catholic Church, based on Mary being the Mother of Jesus, and God/Jesus/Holy Spirit being one entity, calls Mother Mary, the Mother of God. (Mainly in the Hail Mary/Rosary.) Is that a far stretch? I hear many Protestants complain that Mary is NOT the Mother of God. Do they believe that the Trinity of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit is one entity as their faith professes (in most cases)? If so, how far of a stretch is it to say that Mary is the Mother of God? At least in His human form?

Mary, in an effort to bring the people of God BACK to God, has been reported to appear before many people over the years. In each of these apparitions, she has requested that people come back to the beliefs of the Church created by her Son, Jesus Christ. In each case her message was about Jesus and coming back to him. She would often have the person(s) she was talking to do something to help improve and grow the Church in the name of her Son. (At least those apparitions that have been approved by the Catholic Church.) Many of these apparitions and the messages associated with them brought healing to the recipients.

The Catholic Church believes that Mary was of Immaculate Conception, meaning that she was born without sin, and that she lived a life without sin. This declaration was proclaimed in 1854, and in 1858, St. Bernadette, an uneducated little girl at the time, who had not heard those words before, received the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception” from an apparition of Mary who gave her various instructions to follow. These instructions again tried to point people to the Church and to help grow the Church.

The Catholic Church believes that Mary was ever Virgin. That she had no children after Jesus. Records, such as Protoevangelium of James, that were created in early times (in the case of Protoevangelium of James, it is estimated to have been completed within 60 years of the death of Mary), indicate that Mary was dedicated by her Mother Anna to the Church of God, and that she lived and worked in the Church as a virgin until she was of age and then was to be married to Joseph as her protector, who was an older male with offspring of his own already (wife was deceased). The original Greek word of “Brethren” used in the Bible transcripts meant includes half brothers/sisters, cousins and other close relatives, as was the custom in that time. While the Bible states that Jesus’ brethren were out side, it could well include His half brothers/sisters through Joseph, His cousins, etc. It is curious to me that there is never, in any of the transcripts from that time, that I have read or heard of, telling of Mary ever being pregnant again, and of her having any other child. The early Protestant Reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli, all believed in the Ever Virgin status of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. It was their followers that sought to distance themselves even further from their Parent Church for various reasons that removed that doctrine from their faith.

In conclusion, many people of the Catholic faith, put a lot of faith and trust in Mother Mary, talk to her (pray) often and ask her for her intercession with Christ for a better life, or help in life. Who better to ask for intercessory pray that the Mother of Jesus?

Jesus’ command to be one Church…

One thing I like about the Catholic Church is that you can go to any Church, anywhere in the world on the same day and hear the same readings from the Bible. If you go to Mass every day of the year, you will have been read the Bible pretty much completely through.

One of the things that has been foremost on my mind for about three years, is the number of Christian based religions that all say they are the true Christian Church, yet most of them are less than 500 years old. The oldest Christian Church is the Catholic, or Universal Church. This Church has stated that it wants to bring all the Christian Churches “back home”, yet does many things to stop that from happening, based on comments, actions, and in some cases doctrine. (Priest not being able to marry being one such doctrine that has many outsiders, and some insiders not happy.)

Today’s Gospel reading is John 10:11-18 [show]John 10:11-18 [11]I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12]He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13]He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14]I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15]just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16]And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [17]For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. [18]No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." (ESV)
, which points even harder to merging the Christian Churches back into one Church, specifically: 16: “…and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Actually many of my readings of late keep pointing to the need for the Christian Churches to merge again and become one in Christ, with one Shepherd.

How do we make that happen?