PS: Meg1, don't look at the above sites. Mike has his name spelled in at least five different ways, and I'm not even sure myself how it appears on his birth certificate!

Snout,

You may not have watched Denton's show. Mike Willisee said not one person has come forward to independently test the results of the stigmata.

This is what I found so interesting. What a golden opportunity for a skeptic, but not one person has come forward.

My point which I will reiterate from my previous email is that the skeptics, in this instance, are acting like zealots. They are making a judgement without scientifically analysing the facts.

I have heard Mike Willisee talk about this before and, without saying I believe it, I do think it is worthy of investigation.

God Bless.

Good Catholic.- Sorry I mean 'Compassionate' Catholic

Pray Pray Pray Indeed.

We pray pray pray and 'have prayed' that the church Leaders Will listen to the words of the meaning of what you are saying.

Here are a few words from Dr Hugh RSPCA President at the time regarding churches ,leadership and compassion.

http://www.livexports.com/hughwirth.html

Soon every Australian household will receive a copy of this footage.
Has anybody contacted Animals Australia from your church to thank them and offer to help them?

If not Why Not?

I read somewhere that Senater Andrew Bartlett said to somebody[ probably one of yours]in reply to an article.
I thought his reply was a good one.

He said Well[sic] it would be impossible to inflict the same amount of cruelty and pain as the animal experience with Live Animal Exports to something that is less than a grain of rice and not yet born.

On another thread I have seen Yabby reply that we have far too many people in the world starving already. [ Too True.]
My question is to you as a good christian have you looked at the link?
Get the Church Leaders to start basic animal Welfare education in their churches and schools and lead the way to some common decency.
Isnt that their job after all?
To lead?
I will pray shall I ?

Hello,

As a very weary Catholic, I have been reading this thread with fascination. It encapsulates everything that has been making it so difficult for me to progress in the faith; namely the 'pro-life movement' which has basically taken over the Catholic faith. I joined the church to get closer to Jesus Christ and found myself surrounded by and bombarded with 'Pro-life' propaganda/brain washing endlessly. Sometimes it feels like a form of torture!

I joined for other reasons, good reasons I thought. Although not intuitively 'pro-life' I was open to persuasion. However, what I got was a kind of bullying closed mindedness which I think is very evident on this thread.

The pro-choice people seem to express themselves more rationally and thoughtfully without their main argument resting on an insult or condescending judgementalism. They make some very good and well expressed points. I would have welcomed thoughtful responses to enlighten me from the Catholics. The Catholics here ought to be happy to explain themselves to sceptics - a chance to preach the good news! Instead they act angry and rude - that's not very Christian is it?

Some Saints and Popes of the Church used to believe that ensoulment did not occur at conception. So why insult non-Catholics who believe a similar thing? Just because the latest Popes have decided great Christians of the past were wrong? They don't speak badly of Saint Augustine now though do they? So don't be so rude to the pro-Choice people here.

Dear Tired Catholic,

I understand how you feel. Being a committed Catholic is challenging. It has always been like this, as all the martyrs will attest to.

There are always attractive arguments for things that are ostensibly evil and sometimes you feel you are pushing up against it. I have found that by developing a routine of prayer, learning more about Catholic doctrine and and mixing with people on a similar journey helps.

It is important to understand the history of the pro-choice movement purely from the position that history tells us a lot about our current position.

Specifically I would like to draw your attention to Dr. Bernard Nathanson who was a key activist in the pro-choice movement. He has now turned against the pro-choice movement and has converted to catholicism. I strongly recommend you read his story at the following link - http://www.aboutabortions.com/Confess.html

God bless