Lent 2009 - Goodbye Father Cihak/Hello Mother Clare/40 Days of Prayer for Life and ACTION.

 The Congregation of Bishops in Rome has tapped our Father John Cihak, director of the UNBUDGETED Respect Life Office, to work with them in Rome.

His holy boldness in speaking up for the Truth of the Catholic Church could not be contained in Oregon, nor in my opinion, appreciated. Father Cihak was almost always the only "collar" at pro-life activities and had a ready "fiat" to help the helpless. Pray for us Father.

From Wikipedia; The Congregation for Bishops (Congregatio pro Episcopis) is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Chuches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal approval.

It also schedules the papal audiences required quinquennially for bishops and arranges the creation of new dioceses. The Congregation for Bishops has its origins in the "Congregation for the Erection of Churches and Consistorial Provisions" founded by Pope Sixtus V on January 22, 1588. Before the Second Vatican Council, when the pope was announcing the names of new cardinals at a Secret Consistory (that is when, emperors, kings, princes or electors of the Holy Roman Empire were not present), the names of the newly appointed cardinals would be read out then those of Bishops and Archbishops were also announced.

 This is the reason why, until 1967, the congregation now known as Congregation for Bishops was called Sacred Consistorial Congregation. Its current Prefect is Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re, and its secretary Archbishop Francesco Monterisi who is concurrently Secretary of the College of Cardinals. Thse offices have been held together since 1965. Reverend John Cihak Sacred Heart Parish PO Box 236 Gervais OR 97026 503-792-4231

**************************************************************************************************** Here comes....Mother Mary Clare Millea, A.S.C.J., Apostolic Visitator. For those of us who have had many concerns about women "religious" and how many have lost their way, in our eyes.

Having Mother Clare is a great gift from God. Your experiences and concerns, or joys will be decerned and acted upon. Please contact Mother Clare and her team. This will take time, but knowing someone is aware of our pain makes it more bearable. usvisitation@gmail.com or Rome: (3906)7049.1648 United States: Contact Sister Eva-Maria at 203-287-5467 or info@apostolicvisitation.org.

All the Info here. http://apostolicvisitation.org/en/index.html 

How it began and nutshell info. Cardinal Franc Rodé, C.M., Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, in a December 22, 2008 decree, initiated the Visitation of apostolic institutes of women religious in the United States and appointed Mother Clare Millea, A.S.C.J., Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to serve as the Apostolic Visitator.

Mother Clare is a Connecticut native who has served as superior general of her religious community since 2004. She has complete administrative authority of the Apostolic Visitation and will personally conduct many inquiries and visits. Mother Clare will prepare a confidential report of her findings and observations for Cardinal Rodé at the conclusion of the Visitation

 Phase 1 - To look into the quality of apostolic religious life in the U.S.

 Phase 2 - To learn more about ways in which religious women contribute to the welfare of the Church and society.

 Phase 3 - To assist the Church, to strenthen, enhance and support the growth of the institutes to which the women religious in the United States belong. 

******************************************************* Join the 40 Days for Life Teams in Oregon to end abortion. Through pray and action we will bring a Culture of Life to Oregon. JUMP IN ANY DAY....Look at Calendar Below and Just Start...:-) Beaverton.Starts this Friday, February 27th between 9am & 7pm Vigil Sign Ups & Beginning Prayer Dedication - 2/27/09 @ 9am 40 Days for Life, a nationwide effort to peacefully end abortion at the local level, starts across the nation this Lent, February 25th through April 5th. 40 Days for Life incorporates the methods of prayer, fasting and community outreach to those in crisis, educate the public and invite pro-lifers into a safe, peaceful witness. Our efforts concentrate here in Beaverton, caddy-corner from the Beaverton Post Office, every Friday of Lent. ~ Vigil sign ups this weekend are at St. Cecilia’s and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s. Signing up is also available by calling Marie Barzen at 503 524-5326 or e-mailing Mimi at mimi_etcheberry@hotmail.com ~ Deacon Chuck Amsberry will lead us off in prayer at the Planned Parenthood site (1st & Betts) at 9am, this Friday, February 27th. Salem contact Cheri Crocker and her team that will pray and stand at the Salem Planned Parenthood clinic at 3825 Wolverine St. Email Cheri at cheribilliam@gmail.com Portland - Join Bill Diss and Precious Children of Portland www.pdx4life.org They will be joining together tomorrow at MLK and Beech St. please go to the website for all the information. For a Catholic flavor these forty days, the following calendar and prayers for 40 Days for Life are not from the 40 Days for Life team. They compliment the fine work of the 40 Days for Life team. There is a calendar to print out to keep things simple. www.PrayForLifeDay.com. Go to www.PrayForLifeDay.com/40prayers to print out all the prayers, formatted to fit 4 on a page - 10 pages in all. Print them out and share them with your friends and family! God Bless you and yours, Carolyn " The observance of Lent is the very badge of the Christian warfare. By it we prove ourselves not to be enemies of Christ. By it we avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God's glory, a disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can it be doubted that such negligence would become the source of misery to the world, of public calamity, and of private woe." Pope Benedict XV www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".