Monday's Open Forum - What's on Your Mind?

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Feel free to open any topic for discussion. 

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  1. Happy Jack5 June 2023 at 14:24

    For Catholics, the month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We are mindful of the love of God made manifest in the crucified Christ; a powerful reminder of Christ’s kingship over all creation – a kingship he holds both by right as the Son of God and by virtue of the terrible price He paid to redeem it.

    In demonic contradiction to this, June has been designated as "Pride Month" around the parts of the world in which it has become a moral imperative to accede to the various agendas that the LGBTQ+ label represents. The month is replete with official proclamations, corporate sponsorships and marketing campaigns, festivals and galas, and increased political pressure to uncritically normalise the various lifestyles and moral claims encompassed by LGBTQ+ ideology.

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    1. Happy Jack5 June 2023 at 15:41

      #LGBTQMYNAMEISLEGION

      Delete
    2. Gadjo Dilo6 June 2023 at 06:23

      I thank my lucky stars (again) that I live in an Eastern European country, slightly stuck in a time warp, and with a large section of its population being bloody-minded enough to shun innovations such as Pride Month even if they barely know what it means. However, our president is increasingly 'progressive'.

      There should be a "39 steps" (or whatever) guide to help people of a traditional-marriage-type persuasion to deal spiritually with this imposition.

      Delete
  2. Ray Sunshine5 June 2023 at 16:57

    Cardinal Zuppi arrived in Kyiv this morning for a two-day visit, beginning the peace-seeking mission that the Pope entrusted him with last month.
    https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254485/cardinal-zuppi-arrives-in-ukraine-to-begin-work-as-vatican-peace-envoy
    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/papal-peace-envoy-zuppi-visit-kyiv-june-5-6-vatican-statement-2023-06-05/

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    1. Gadjo Dilo6 June 2023 at 06:26

      Ray
      Sounds like a good idea. We should pray for Zuppi's mission.

      Delete
    2. Ray Sunshine6 June 2023 at 13:23



      During Cardinal Zuppi’s two-day visit to Kyiv, this looks like a major event that is bound to have a significant impact on the future course of the war. Ukraine and Russia are both accusing each other of responsibility for blowing up a huge two-mile-long dam across the Dnieper, about 30 or 40 miles upstream from Kherson.
      https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-is-kakhovka-dam-ukraine-2023-06-06/

      Delete
    3. Gadjo Dilo6 June 2023 at 19:53

      Yes, our Ukrainian friend has just been on the phone to us about this. The hour of glory for 617 Squadron it isn't.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous6 June 2023 at 10:24

    At a lunchtime group, we have been working through the book of 2 Samuel, and reached chapter 15, dealing with Absalom’s rebellion. This has reminded me of the poem “Absalom and Achitophel” by John Dryden published in 1681.

    Many years ago I came across extracts from it in the Penguin Book of English Verse, and couldn’t make head nor tail of it. But looking back, with the help of the relevant Wikipedia article, it now makes much more sense.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absalom_and_Achitophel

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    1. Ray Sunshine6 June 2023 at 12:55

      @Cressie, apart from a single brief mention in 2 Sam 8, Chapter 15 is where Zadok first puts in an appearance. Many years ago I came across a theory that Zadok was already a priest of the Jebusites before David conquered Jerusalem and David then decided to keep him on in the same post, but now as a priest of the new religion imposed by the Israelite conquerors. Does this make sense to you?

      Delete
  4. Anonymous6 June 2023 at 15:09

    MAKE SENSE TO ME???? Nothing in this world makes sense to me except for ginger cats and butterfly cakes ! Please do not assume that ANONYMOUS is Cressida because the post is about poetry...I always leave my name.Besides I don't do Dryden or any other tortuous poets...still in recovery from Rape of the Locke (compulsory reading ) decades ago... While I am here I do have a question. I have just discovered that Mary Wade was sentenced to death by hanging at the Old Bailey in 1789 for stealing a dress and some other item of clothing. She was 11 years of age. Luckily for her she was transported to Australia . I can only think that Protestantism has poisoned Britain....nothing good has come from it in 500 years.......Cressida

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  5. Anonymous6 June 2023 at 18:35

    That was me about the poetry. Somehow I seem to have been logged out: I did set up a Blogger account I don’t know how to log in again.

    Neanderthal Èireannach

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    1. Bell6 June 2023 at 19:01

      When you tap the reply or comment buttons, the words "comment as" should be visible. If you tap them, an option appears for you to name yourself.

      Delete
    2. Bell6 June 2023 at 19:09

      https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2023/06/02/georg-ganswein-leave-vatican-245413

      Archbishop Ganswein is feeling the wrath of Pope Francis. I don’t remember any achbishop ever being put on gardening leave. I guess his sin was far greater than those of Marko Rupnick.

      Delete
    3. Happy Jack6 June 2023 at 19:45

      Hi Irishman
      You have to log in via a Gmail blogger account ... Failing that, just add your name to your comment.

      Delete
    4. Ray Sunshine6 June 2023 at 21:43

      @Cressida and @Neanderthal Èireannach, my apologies to both of you for getting your posts mixed up!

      Delete
    5. Happy Jack6 June 2023 at 21:51

      Old age, Ray!

      HJ knew it wasn't Cressida's 'voice'.

      Delete
  6. Ray Sunshine6 June 2023 at 21:51

    @Bell. it looks as though Pope Francis hasn't forgiven Archbishop Gänswein for the book he published a few months ago.
    https://www.reuters.com/world/book-by-benedicts-top-aide-reveals-tensions-vatican-2023-01-06/

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  7. Ray Sunshine6 June 2023 at 22:00

    @Gadjo DiIo, did your Ukrainian friend say anything about the danger of losing the water supply for the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant?

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    1. Gadjo Dilo7 June 2023 at 06:52

      @Ray,
      She didn't talk about any details - and she doesn't actually live in that area -just general concerns, but she always manages to maintain her smile and optimistic spirit.

      Delete
  8. Ray Sunshine7 June 2023 at 13:01

    Almost exactly two years later, the Pope is back in hospital for abdominal surgery again
    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-francis-have-abdominal-surgery-wednesday-vatican-2023-06-07/

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    1. Happy Jack7 June 2023 at 13:22

      Yes, Pope Francis is scheduled to undergo surgery under general anesthesia at the Gemelli Hospital this afternoon. The operation will involve an abdominal wall reconstruction “with prosthesis under general anesthesia” requiring a “laparotomy“, i.e. a surgical procedure involving the opening of the abdomen. His hospital stay “will last several days to allow for the normal post-operation progress and full functional recovery,” the Holy See explains.

      Delete
  9. Happy Jack7 June 2023 at 13:34

    Cardinal Mateo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and Pope Francis’ special envoy to Ukraine, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday in Kiev. While welcoming the Holy See’s efforts to promote peace, the head of state asserted that, “since the war is on our territory, the algorithm for achieving peace can be Ukrainian only.”

    Cardinal Zuppi was sent by Pope Francis on June 5 to “listen in depth to the Ukrainian authorities on possible ways of achieving lasting peace, and to support gestures of humanity that contribute to easing tensions.”

    Despite the Pope’s numerous appeals for an end to the war over the past year, this “mission” is not officially presented by the Holy See as a mediation for peace — an option rejected by both Kiev and Moscow.

    Peace looks very far away in Ukraine. With the West's increasing military support for Ukraine, Russia's determined not to lose face, and with both sides so far apart, one wonders how this will end.
    Zelensky has declared his terms - all occupied territory, including Crimea, returned to Ukraine. Additionally, he's seeking membership of NATO and the EU. Is this realistic? Will Ukrainian membership of NATO further peace or inflame the situation? Putin's initial aims, the Western regions to be under Russian control, may now have widened.

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    1. Happy Jack7 June 2023 at 19:58

      Should read: Putin's initial aims, the Eastern regions to be under Russian control, may now have widened.

      Delete

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