http://www.pcentral-online.net/ Catholic blog posts, book reviews, bookmarks on pages featuring John Paul II, the weekly Sunday enrichment post, "Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love", and occasional devotional prayers. http://www.zenit.org/article-22595?l=english From Zenit news: "It is undeniable," Cardinal Rylko said, "that movements and new communities have become for millions of the baptized in every corner of the planet, true 'laboratories of faith,' authentic schools of sanctity and mission." "The movements launch the challenge of a missionary Church, courageously projected toward new frontiers," he added. "In our times, the Church has a great need of opening itself to this novelty generated by the Holy Spirit." Cardinal Rylko said pastors should be the first in taking note of these "new things," but "we know that this is not always the case." "Pastors, and this has to be forcefully emphasized, should not see movements and new communities as another 'problem' they have to deal with, but rather as a 'providential gift' that the Church should receive with gratitude and a sense of responsibility, so as not to waste the resource they represent," he added. http://www.zenit.org/article-22595?l=englishl Fri, 16 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog3/2008/05/16/trinity-sunday/ From this passage in the gospel of John, we see the relationship between the Father and Jesus - Jesus as the Son who was sent by His Father to save the world from sin. Last Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, we read about the resurrection appearance of Jesus to His apostles and wherein He "breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit". We can thus learn from these passages how God redeems us through His Fatherhood, His Sonship, and His Most Holy Spirit. Just as the apostles received the Holy Spirit, we who are members of the Church Jesus founded, receive the same Spirit through them. And when we are called to reflect who God is for us, one of our responses is: "God is Father, Son and Spirit". Thru this triune relationship, we are saved from our sins and will be rewarded with eternal life, if we continue to believe in God-in-Jesus, who sends His Spirit among us, so that we can also participate and continue the mission of redemption which Christ commissions us to do through our baptismal consecration. http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog3/2008/05/16/trinity-sunday/ Fri, 16 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog8/2008/05/11/pentecost/ This is our Pentecost Sunday blog post. The post features: the lectionary readings for Pentecost Sunday, plus a brief reflection on the gospel; three articles on the mystery of Pentecost - The Holy Spirit Strengthens the 'Inner Man', "What Must We Do Brothers?" (Acts 2:38), and The Pentecost Event in Acts 2:1-11; then we also have two saints in review, Sts. John Chrysostom and Benedict of Nursia; there is also a page featuring Sharing and Witnessing to God's Love - a page which enables those who wish to share their journey of conversion in the web site; and finally, there is a page from Ignatius Press featuring the person of Jesus as the Hope of Our Lives (books and other items for sale) http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog3/2008/05/08/pentecost/ Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog3/2008/05/08/pentecost/ The solemnity of Pentecost gives us in the lectionary readings: the account of the Pentecost event (in the Acts of the Apostles) and the account of a resurrection appearance of Jesus to His apostles (in the gospel of John). Both readings tell us of the importance of the Holy Spirit in our Christian life. Through the Holy Spirit, the Church was born. And through the Church, we receive the Holy Spirit in the sacraments that we receive, beginning with our baptism and then throughout our entire life, through the other sacraments. It is good to give thanks to God for the gift of His Most Holy Spirit, because through Him we receive everything that we need to live a holy Christian life: wisdom, knowledge, counsel, understanding, piety, courage, fear of the Lord, joy, peace, charity, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, generosity, modesty, chastity, self-control, gentleness, prudence, fortitude, justice, temperance, gifts of healing, gifts of teaching, and gifts of miracle working (as performed by the many saints and blesseds in our Church history). http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog3/2008/05/08/pentecost/ Thu, 08 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/saw/1.html It is a truth that the world listens to witnesses more than to teachers. This is evident in how many follow those who witness by deed more than by word. When teachers teach what they know, some of what they teach are not necessarily being lived out by them. This holds true for many of us who teach whatever we know about. The audience or student body who listens to teachers listen and acknowledge the teacher's expertise of the subject because the teacher is often a professional and is well-trained to deliver what he was educated to do as an educator. The impact on the audience of his teaching is based on the truth of what he learned and what he imparts from both theory and experience. What is in witnessing that creates such a life-changing direction and outlook in people? It is in the very example of the way he is living his talk or 'walking his speech'. That creates a good and positive impact. Although witnesses can have this great impact, a greater impact can be made by teachers who are also witnesses of how great Christ is in their life. They are often more powerful witnesses because of their command of their knowledge of Christ and their commitment to Him. However, we need not teach at a professional level in order to make this greater and more powerful witness. We only need to know the necessary basics and rudiments of our faith, nurture and strengthen our relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, and in our ministry to others, and commit ourselves every day to do as we say. This is a challenge. It is a Christian challenge that we are called to make by virtue of our baptismal commitment. http://www.pcentral-online.net/saw/1.html Wed, 07 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/2008/sale/ignatius051308.html The release of C.S. Lewis' Prince Caspian on May 16th will be the second movie made from the Narnia series, and most likely will be met with the same enthusiam as the first. To celebrate this much anticipated release, Ignatius Press is offering 20% off C.S. Lewis titles as well as other titles that delve into the world of Narnia. Another title featured in this page is: Narnia and Beyond, A Guide to the Fiction of C.S. Lewis, by Thomas Howard. Regarded as one of the best authorities on the fiction of C.S. Lewis, book author Thomas Howard presents also in his work brilliant new insights into Lewis' fiction and helps us to see things we may not have seen nor appreciated before. Focusing on Narnia, the space trilogy and Til We Have Faces, Howard explores with remarkable clarity the moral vision in the imaginary world of the master storyteller Lewis. http://www.pcentral-online.net/2008/sale/ignatius051308.html Wed, 07 May 2008 08:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/sale/ignatius052207.html Ever since the Holy Father Benedict XVI wrote his second encyclical Spe Salvi, Jesus as the source of our hope became more and more pronounced in his statements and addresses. He wrote a book called Jesus of Nazareth, wherein the Pope shares with us his profound and powerful insights about the person of Jesus Christ, and where he inspires us to deepen our own understanding and relationship with Him. In this bold, momentous work, the Pope — in his first book written as Benedict XVI — seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent “popular” depictions and to restore Jesus’ true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the Pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and invites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith. A quotation from the book: “the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book - But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! http://www.pcentral-online.net/sale/ignatius052207.html Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/pentecost/pentecost-mission.html This web site is but an offshoot of a more foundational work of evangelization on the Net: the list The Spirit's Love Leaders Corps. Although many Catholics have already in the past evangelized and proclaimed the Gospel on the Net before John Paul II issued his 36th World Communications Day Message, still more responded and joined in this mission. And one of the many who did join was our list. Just as John Paul II promised in his letter and message that the Lord will bless all those who undertake this mission, many indeed discover how great is the mercy and goodness of God when one becomes part of the Catholic Church's mission on the Net - even if it be just a lay initiative. So if you wish to join in this mission, there are some steps given in this page that can help you be part of it. Being in our foundational list, The Spirit's Love Leaders Corps, would be most advisable as its essence was founded on the very message and spirituality of John Paul II in his 36th WCD Message on evangelization on the Net. http://www.pcentral-online.net/pentecost/pentecost-mission.html Mon, 05 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog8/2008/05/03/witnessing/ This blog post features: a brief description of the lectionary readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension and for the 7th Sunday of Easter, Year A - plus a link where you can read the full text of all the readings; a link to the reflection on the gospel for the feast of the Lord's Ascension; a page featuring various titles of books offered by our affiliate program with Ignatius Press at 20% off; a page featuring all the saints honored in the liturgy for the month of May; and a message shared by Anne MacDonnell, Ph.D. - who witnessed in writing her faith in Christ and her journey into the Christian faith through the world of the academe. http://www.pcentral-online.net/blog8/2008/05/03/witnessing/ Sun, 04 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT http://www.pcentral-online.net/saw/anne-macdonnell.html In the early months of our web site, Anne Macdonnell shared with us her Christian experience. And so we dedicated part of our web site to those who would want to have their Christian experience published in the site. We call this section, Sharing and Witnessing. Anne Macdonnell did very well in sharing with us her Christian journey of knowing Christ and how we are called to make a leap of faith to witness and share that Christian faith with others. Here is a passage of what she shares in her writing: - My three years of study in the doctoral program in organizational leadership at Regent University proved to be the most challenging, exhilarating, and inspirational of my life. It was a very intense time in which my entire life was devoted to diligently pursuing God’s truth through my studies. The wonderful aspect of this program is the fact that all of my professors and my fellow learners in Cohort I were deeply committed to the Lord. Also, being a member of Cohort I was a pioneering adventure! After all, we were members of the first cohort of learners to experience a computer-mediated doctoral program in organizational leadership anywhere in the world! What an awesome privilege to be chosen by the Lord to embark on a new, computer-mediated adventure involving the prayerful sharing of charitable fraternity, ecumenical dialogue, scriptural integration, and inspiring leadership- all based upon the principles of Christian discipleship! Just as all Christians have been commissioned to spread the Good News to all corners of the earth, we were indeed using the miraculous power of the World Wide Web to spread the Gospel literally throughout the entire planet. What mission could be more exciting than this one? - Like Anne Macdonnell, if you also have a story to share wherein you witness to the greatness and marvelous wonders of the Lord, just send us your story and we shall publish it in this section called, Sharing and Witnessing. http://www.pcentral-online.net/saw/anne-macdonnell.html Sat, 03 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT