St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Ordinary Time: August 1st

Born to the nobility, Alphonsus was a child prodigy; he became extremely well-educated, and received his doctorate in law from the University of Naples at age 16. He had his own legal practice by age 21, and was soon one of the leading lawyers in Naples, though he never attended court without having attended Mass first. He loved music, could play the harpsichord, and often attended the opera, though he frequently listened without bothering to watch the over-done staging. As he matured and learned more and more of the world, he liked it less and less and finally felt a call to religious life. He declined an arranged marriage, studied theology, and was ordained at age 29. (...)

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Netanyahu and Obama’s telephone conversation

"Shocked" White House Slams "Fabrication" After Israel TV Leaks Damning Transcript Of Obama-Netanyahu Phone Call

Israel’s Channel 1 decided to publish a Hebrew transcript of a portion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama’s telephone conversation which took place on Sunday, in which Obama was insistent that Israel unilaterally halt all military activities in the Gaza Strip. As is quite clear by now, Israel rejected, and the bloodshed continued.  (...)

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End of Contest Tomorrow

I will announce the results of the 100 Days of Blogging contest tomorrow! :)

St. Germanus

Ordinary Time: July 30th

In his youth Germanus gave little sign of sanctity. He was of noble birth, and at first practised the law at Rome. After a time, the emperor placed him high in the army. But his one passion was the chase. He was so carried away as even to retain in his sports the superstitions of the pagan huntsmen. Yet it was revealed to the Bishop of Auxerre that Germanus would be his successor, and he gave him the tonsure almost by main force. Forthwith Germanus became another man and making ever his lands to the Church, adopted a life of humble penance.

At that time the Pelagian heresy was laying waste England, and Germanus was chosen by the reigning Pontiff to rescue the Britons from the snare of Satan. With St. Lupus, he preached in the fields and highways throughout the land. At last, near Verulam, he met the heretics face to face and overcame them utterly with the Catholic and Roman faith. He ascribed this triumph to the intercession of St. Alban and offered public thanks at his shrine. Towards the end of his stay, his old skill in arms won over the Picts and Scots the complete but bloodless "Alleluia" victory, so called because the newly-baptized Britons, led by the Saint, routed the enemy with the Paschal cry. Germanus visited England a second time with St. Severus.

He died in 448, while interceding with the emperor for the people of Brittany.

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Washington is Complicit in Israel’s Crimes

By Paul Findley

(...) Sixty years ago 800,000 Arabs fled their ancestral homes in rural Palestine fearing death as a Jewish onslaught obliterated without a trace over 500 Arab towns, villages and hamlets.  Massacres were reported.  Those who fled are forbidden to return home. (...)

Read more: http://alturl.com/rpahn