Fr Ron and the Parishioners St Anne’s Belgravia wish to extend heartfelt congratulations to Bafana-Bafana on their excellent performance at the 2010 World Cup! ‘Boys’ you were in hot water and performed like professionals, we are so proud of you! Beating France by 2-1, good heavens, thank-you for all your hard work and dedication!

We wish all the remaining teams competing in the World Cup a happy and healthy remainder of the tournament and all fans loads of fun in our beautiful country.

Top 50 Catholic Themed Movies and Top 20 Novels

Movies: http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2010/05/top-50-catholic-themed-movies.html
Novels: http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2010/05/top-20-catholic-novels.html

Church to atheists: let's talk

The Vatican is planning a new initiative to reach out to atheists and agnostics in an attempt to improve the church's relationship with non-believers. Pope Benedict XVI has ordered officials to create a new foundation where atheists will be encouraged to meet and debate with some of the Catholic Church's top theologians.

The Vatican hopes to stage a series of debates in Paris next year. But militant non-believers hoping for a chance to set senior church figures straight about the existence of God are set to be disappointed: the church has warned that atheists with high public profiles such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens will not be invited.

The "Courtyard of the Gentiles", as the foundation is known, is being set up by the Pontifical Council for Culture, the influential Vatican department that is charged with fostering better relations with non-Catholics. It was founded by Pope John Paul II in 1982 to spearhead his attempts to create a better dialogue with other cultures and faith, including those with no religion at all.

The Deacons Bench - Belifnet.com http://blog.beliefnet.com/deaconsbench/2010/06/church-to-atheists-lets-talk.html

I Came from God and the Blessed Virgin Mary - St Joan of Arc

"Are you in God's grace?" Joan was asked during her trial.
"It is an enormous thing to answer such a question," replied Joan.
"Yes, it is an enormous thing," replied one of the magistrate's assistants, Fabri the theologian. "The defendant is not obliged to answer."
"You would be better to hold your tongue!" shouted Cauchon angrily at Fabri.
"Are you in His grace?" repeated the interrogator.
"If I am not, may God place me there! And if I am there already, may God keep me."
They all remained silent and lowered their heads. But someone continued to question Joan.
"Tell us if you refer yourself to the authority of the Church?"
"I refer myself to Our Lord who sent to me, with Our Lady and all holy saints of Paradise. And it is my opinion that all is one in Our Lord and the Church, and that a person should not create such difficulties. What difficulty is there in that all is one?"
"There is the triumphant Church, with God, the saints, the angels and the saved souls. The militant Church, with our Holy Father the pope, vicar of God on earth, the cardinals, the prelates of the Church and the clergy, and all good Christians and Catholics. This Church cannot stray and is under the protection of the Holy Spirit. Do you want to refer yourself to the militant Church, that which is thus declared?"
"I came to King of France from God, the Virgin Mary and of all the holy saints of Paradise, and the triumphant Church on high, and upon their command. And to this Church I submit all my good works, and all that I have done or have to do."
"Do you know whether Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret hate the English?"
"They like what Our Lord likes and hate what God hates."
"Does God hate the English?"
"Whether God loves or hates the English, or what He will do with their souls, I do not know. But I do know that they will be driven out of France, except those who will die here. And that God will send victory to the French, against the English."

Saint Joan of Arc

Trial (Vol. I, p. 65; ibid. Vol. III, p. 153, 163,175, p. 162, 166,174-176)