"The Encounter"

The Presentation of the Lord is on February 2nd.

The feast was first observed in the Eastern Church as "The Encounter." In the sixth century, it began to be observed in the West: in Rome with a more penitential character and in Gaul (France) with solemn blessings and processions of candles, popularly known as "Candlemas."

The Presentation of the Lord concludes the celebration of the Nativity and with the offerings of the Virgin Mother and the prophecy of Simeon, the events now point toward Easter.

Here are readings from the "two lungs" of the Church.

Today's reading from the USCCB website.

"All-powerful Father, Christ your Son became man for us and was presented in the temple. May he free our hearts from sin and bring us into your presence. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Eastern Catholic Rite Readings.
"Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, Mother of God and Virgin, for from thee arose the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, to give light to those in darkness. Rejoice thou also, righteous elder, who didst take in thy arms the Redeemer of our souls who also gives us the grace of resurrection.

Thou Who didst sanctify the Virgin's womb by Thy birth and bless Simeon's hands as was fitting, hast now come to us and saved us, O Christ our God. But grant peace in the midst of wars to Thy community, and strengthen the Church which Thou hast loved, O only Lover of mankind."

The Presentation and The Encounter with thanks.

"And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord."

Luke 2:22 Douay-Rheims Bible
The Fourth Joyful Mystery

Bishop Vasa's Remarks About USCCB and CCHD / "Justice in Pieces" CD's for you.

Dear Advocates for Life,

Bishop Vasa - Look Forward and Upward  is a wonderful question and answer article to lift our hearts to the Lord.  I wanted to pass it on just in case you hadn't seen this.)

Remember, he's leaving on March 4th.  Men, be at Pendleton's the 2011 Northwest Catholic Men's Conference with Cardinal Raymond Burke and the dear Bishop on his last free weekend.  It won't happen again in Oregon.

Available - "Justice in Pieces" presentations by Stephanie Block from New Mexico and a member of the Catholic Media Coalition.  She is the editor of  Los Pequenos de Cristo and an expert on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.  In Bend, we met with Bishop Vasa and she explained to him about the anti-Catholic "community organizing" who uses the Catholic church against Her teachings.

If you would like a CD of the "Justice in Pieces" presentation by Stephanie Block, please let me know.  There is a handout (which was the power point presentation) for you to follow along.

There are eight Respect Life notebooks filled with information on how to get a pro-life group started.  They were first purchased from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles but from the 1980's so they're safe and not about the seamless garment trap that doesn't prioritize the unborn.  I'll be happy to send them to you as a gift.  They are in three ring binders and easy to use.

We pray to Santa Rosa (Saint Rose of Lima) for the protection, strength, courage and faith for a most beloved bishop.                   

"If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men."   Santa Rosa           

Bishop Vasa moving to Santa Rosa, California soon.

Dear Advocates for Life,

Just announced is that Bishop Robert F. Vasa of Baker is being moved to Santa Rosa as an "Coadjutor Bishop".  They already put his information on their website. Santa Rosa Diocesan Website

"In the Roman Catholic Church, a coadjutor bishop[1] is an immediate collaborator of the diocesan bishop, similar to an auxiliary bishop.[2] Unlike auxiliary bishops, coadjutors are given the automatic right of succession to the episcopal see, meaning that when the diocesan bishop dies, retires, resigns, or is reassigned, the coadjutor automatically becomes the next bishop of the local Church (diocese). Until then, the diocesan bishop appoints the coadjutor to act as vicar general.
In modern church practice, the appointment of a coadjutor is usually done in cases where a diocesan bishop feels that he will not be able to continue much longer for health reasons or because he is nearing retirement age. In these cases the Pope will sometimes assign a coadjutor in order to give him time to become familiar with the diocese that he will eventually take over.
At times, the appointment of a coadjutor is used to discreetly remove a diocesan bishop who has become involved in scandal or other problems and replace him with another man. An example of this occurred in the Archdiocese of Dubuque in the 1940s, when then Archbishop Francis Beckman involved the archdiocese in what turned out to be a dubious mining scheme. When the scheme fell apart and the man behind the scam was arrested, the fallout resulted in serious financial problems for Archbishop Beckman and the archdiocese. Because of all of Beckman's problems, Bishop Henry Rohlman of Davenport, Iowa, was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Dubuque. While Beckman was allowed to retain the office of Archbishop, it was made clear to him by the Holy See that the actual power rested with Rohlman. Beckman soon retired and left Dubuque. Another example would be that of Cardinal Pedro Segura y Sáenz, whose responsibilities as Archbishop of Seville were given to his Coadjutor Archbishop José Bueno y Monreal.[3]
Now, no coadjutor is appointed without the concomitant right of succession."

So Bishop Vasa will be the Bishop of Santa Rosa for sure.  At least he's on the west coast and in driving distance.  We wish him God Speed and many blessings as he brings the Truth of Faith to California.

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Cardinal Raymond Burke on Oregon Soil February 25 and 26th -Pendleton

2011 NW Catholic Men's Conference presenters

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  Cardinal Raymond Burke Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, Italy

  Since his appointment to the office of Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in June of 2008, Cardinal Burke is the first non-European named to the head of the tribunal in the Roman Curia. Cardinal Burke is a true champion of the Catholic Church, standing up, speaking out and challenging those who oppose Christ's teachings.
• Cardinal Burke Regects "Catholics in Name Only" College 
 

• 

  Bishop Robert Vasa Diocese of Baker, OR.

  Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Baker has been on the front lines educating and defending Christ's Church. Bishop Vasa has worked hard on transforming the central and eastern side of Oregon into holy ground. His thought provoking talks encourage and promote Christ, challenging all to put Christ into their daily life

Bishop Vasa says hospital can no longer call itself Catholic.

• 

  Doug Barry Catholic Evangelist

  Doug Barry is the founder and director of the Catholic apostolate RADIX, as well as a husband and father.   Since 1992 he has traveled throughout the United States along with journeying to several other countries, spreading and defending the Catholic faith. He is well known for his one-man performance of the Passion of the Christ as well as co-hosting EWTN's Life on the Rock.
• 
  

  Hosting Pastor and Presenter - St. Mary, Pendleton

  Fr. Bailey Clemens. Pastor St. Mary's Catholic Parish Pendleton, OR.
  Fr. Bailey Clemens grew up in Eastern Oregon. He worked as a disc jockey, a sporting goods retail manager and telecommunications sales associate.  He later went to Africa to work with his aunt a missionary nun. It was there he found his priestly vocation. Upon his return he finished his undergraduate at Saint Edwards University Austin, Texas. He joined the Diocese of Peoria and began his seminary training at Mount Saint Mary's in Emmittsburg, Maryland. After some years in Illinois, he heard the call from God, go west. He returned to his home Diocese of Baker and is Pastor at St Mary's in Pendleton.

                              Click on:  Go West Catholic Men's Conference Info

Remember the Little Rascals and their clubhouse that said "No Girls Allowed"?  Well, ladies maybe next time. But get the men in your life to experience this maybe once in a lifetime event with Cardinal Burke and Bishop Vasa together; good shepherds who protect us with the Truth.
The other speakers are stellar and worth the trip.

Jesus says:
"Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation.  The man who believes it and accepts baptism will be saved; the man who refuses to believe will be condemned."

A

Christ Will Come Again

"....Christ Will Come Again

Do we really live as if He's coming back to us?  Does clergy uphold the realization?

"For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord shall so come, as a thief in the night"
1 Thessalonians 5:2 Douay-Rheim's Version of the Bible.

From the first translation from Latin to English.  Why Catholics Should Cling to This Biblical Version