Saturday, December 13, 2003
A DEFINITION OF MARTINISTS From the Theosoophical Glossary by H. P. Blavatsky: Author of "Isis Unveiled", "The Secret Doctrine", "The Key to Theosophy" Martinists. A Society in France, founded by a great mystic called the Marquis de St. Martin, a disciple of Martinez Pasqualis. It was first established at Lyons as a kind of occult Masonic Society, its members believing in the possibility of communicating with Planetary �p208 Spirits and minor Gods and genii of the ultramundane Spheres. Louis Claude de St. Martin, born in 1743, had commenced life as a brilliant officer in the army, but left it to devote himself to study and the belles lettres, ending his career by becoming an ardent Theosophist and a disciple of Jacob Boehmen. He tried to bring back Masonry to its primeval character of Occultism and Theurgy, but failed. He first made his �Rectified Rite� to consist of ten degrees, but these were brought down owing to the study of the original Masonic orders�to seven. Masons complain that he introduced certain ideas and adopted rites �at variance with the arch�ological history of Masonry�; but so did Cagliostro and St Germain before him, as all those who knew well the origin of Free masonry. CarrieTomko@aol.com
THE LIBERAL CATHOLIC "A tri-annual magazine exploring the deeper aspects of religious thought, experience and practice in the world today." Sept. 1998 edition. This is a publication of the Liberal Catholic Church, the arm of Theosophy that also accommodates Martinist thought. There are some interesting comments under the sub-heading "Europe." On the beautiful wooded estate of the International Centre of St. Michael and All Angels in Naarden (Netherlands), the congress explored the feminine aspect in all mankind and how it is linked to the ever-overseeing World Mother, our Holy Lady Mary, Queen of Angels. In Denmark, the debates were centred on the true principles of The Liberal Catholic Church, which are based on the Ancient Wisdom as was expressed by the Lord Christ and as is found in gnostic and Neo-Platonic writings. Much attention was placed on the results of clairvoyant and occult investigations of our early Founding Bishops and other eminent researchers... They talk about St. Michael. They talk about the Blessed Virgin Mary. But this is not Roman Catholic talk. This is right out of Egyptian Mystery Religions, the "Ancient Wisdom." Isis has simply been renamed. Returning to the linked magazine, under the sub-heading "A Peep Into the Future": Our present Eucharistic form is still one for the Piscean Age. It is magnificent, it is beautiful, it calls forth strong devotion, but it is male-dominated. "Male dominated." Now where have I heard that before? Wouldn't be coming from the mouths of those who support women's ordination, would it? Looks to me like we have Theosophists in our midst. No wonder our Church is divided. The article continues: It is widely expected that the Lord Christ will appear again, as He did 2000 years ago, possibly within the next ten or twenty years. He will then give mankind a new form of worship, which will suit the spiritual and soul development of the Aquarian people better. The Latin cross will disappear. The crucifix, which places such emphasis on the suffering figure of Jesus, belongs to the Piscean Age. As The Liberal Catholic Church places the emphasis on the Living Christ, rather than on the suffering of Jesus, no crucifixes are used on their altars. This is already a step towards the future. Instead of the Latin cross, perhaps the Maltese cross as a symbol of their worship may guide the Aquarian people, who seek equality between the masculine and feminine. Here the masculine vertical and the feminine horizontal arms of the cross are in balance. In the same way, the form of the place of worship might become one having a large circular area and four aisles of equal length going North, East, South and West. (p. 41-42) Sort of like Corpus Christi University Church in Toledo, Ohio? And we wonder why our kids come home from college atheists? As Fr. Richard Vosko, designer of Corpus Christi University Church says in his book, Through the Eye of a Rose Window: It is possible, for example, that a domineering crucifix hanging over an altar table could draw attention only to the death of Christ during the eucharistic liturgy. This is not an acceptable theology for those who understand the Mass as the celebration of the entire paschal mystery of Christ. (p. 41-42) There have been many complaints about the deemphasis of sacrifice in the Novus Ordo. And now we see it in the architecture as well. It would have been too obvious if the cross had been jettisoned in one step. So for awhile we will have both, sacrifice and resurrection. But the goal is resurrection to the exclusion of sacrifice. Power opposed to powerlessness. Vosko continues: What really needs to be emphasized here is the action around the altar table during the liturgy of the eucharist and how the sacred bread and wine is to be shared by all present in the assembly. (p. 42) So it's not about Christ. Just as the Martinist takes control of a supernatural or praternatural power to which he gains access in order to exert his will on an aspect of creation, we will use the implements of ritual to place power in our own hands. Simply translated, "I will not serve." The Liberal Catholic article closes with a paragraph containing the same message: At the present stage of evolution we are assuming to be gods, the all-commanding and all-powerful species which does with this globe as it wills. It is typical of the youthfulness of the Aquarian, where discernment as to what is right and wrong needs still to grow. In the following decennia we shall have to go through troublesome times, necessary to make mankind realise that as gods we have a grave responsibility. Only when this responsibility is shouldered in earnest will the time be ripe for mankind to be given a beautiful new form of spiritual self-expression. For is this not what church worship is about? Seeking salvation is Piscean, seeking self-expression and offering oneself as a useful tool in God's hand is Aquarian. Then one will realise the spiritual power within oneself. CarrieTomko@aol.com
Friday, December 12, 2003
MICHAEL BERTIAUX is a Martinist. He practices a slightly different type of Martinism. An interview by Neville Drury, published in "The Occult Experience" (I'm unfamiliar with it.) is on the web at this link. (website is slow to load) In this interview Bertiaux says: The Neo-Pythagorean Gnostic Church advocates the invocation of angels and planetary spirits, is highly ritualistic, and regards the Eucharist as the central initiation. Members of the clergy claim to be clairvoyant, or have visions during the Mass, and speak in a mystical language which - as Michael Bertiaux later explained - is a type of 'Slavonic Voodoo', resembling the Pent,costal [sic] speak-in-tongues.... Bertiaux considers this occult order to be the 'magical offshoots of Roman Catholicism....' The key to working magic, says Bertiaux, is the development of powers of visualization. Explaining a Voodoo rite which he incorporates into his rituals, he says: Every time we do a ceremony we participate some in the god consciousness, or the energy behind the ceremony. I think it is a form of possession without a doubt, and represents the way in which the gods manifest themselves in human experience. He later refers to "the very epitome of spirit-possession..." Bertiaux learned his Voodoo rituals in Haiti. The author says of the Hatian connection: The French occult connection in Haiti derives from two eighteenth-century mystics, Louis Claude de Saint-Martin and Martines de Pasqually. The latter was a Rosicrucian disciple of Emanuel Swedenborg, and the founder of an occult group called the Order of the Elect Cohens. He was inspired by Gnosticism and the Kabbalah, and believed that one could only gain spiritual salvation by contacting the Divine Source of All Being, and by participating in an initiation ceremony to invoke one's Holy Guardian Angel. Saint-Martin joined de Pasqually's order in 1768 and after the leader's death in 177? became the dominant figure in the group. Collectively they became known as Martinists. There were Martinist orders in several different regions of France: in Foix, Bordeaux, Paris and Lyons - and by the end of the eighteenth century, also in Haiti. However here the tradition tended to blend with Voodoo. He briefly describes a ritual that I won't put here in the interests of decency. It was most interesting, therefore, to discover Bertiaux in a website that talks about Massimo Introvigne, TITLED SOME ODD FRIENDS OF INTROVIGNE this website opens with a reference to "TFP's open-armed ecumenism..." TFP, or Tradition, Family and Property is an ultra-right-wing Catholic organization. Introvigne runs CESNUR, a cult watch organization. According to the article, Introvigne issued a rebuttal to the charges made here and claims that "he used occasionally to teach Sociology of Religion in a seminary in the provincial town of Foggia (the archbishop of which was at the time president of CESNUR)." The webmaster of this website is a Theosophist. This article claims Introvigne is a friend of Michael Bertiaux, identifying him as a "Self-appointed Vudu Master" and "a specialist in the Crowleyite degrees," one of which is explained briefly. The same picture of Bertiaux appears in both of these websites. It is rather dark but does appear to include the implements of a Catholic Mass. Bertiaux appears to be dressed in Mass vestments. The website also speaks of Templars, Memphis and Misraim (Egyptian Rite Freemasonry), and others. CarrieTomko@aol.com
NEWSDAY.COM REPORTS UNPRECEDENTED GAINS FOR GAYS NEW YORK -- From Wal-Mart to Bride's magazine, from the U.S. Supreme Court to the Episcopal Church, 2003 produced gay-rights breakthroughs so diverse and profound that even veteran activists were stunned. "We are witnesses to our own liberation," said Kate Kendell, head of the San Francisco-based National Center for Lesbian Rights. "By any standard of measurement, 2003 stands out as a year of unprecedented forward progress, visibility, dialogue and equality." CarrieTomko@aol.com
A QUESTION I would like to know the etymology of the phrase "unity in diversity." How would I go about finding that? Specifically who was the first person to use the phrase? CarrieTomko@aol.com
Thursday, December 11, 2003
WAS SAUNIERE A MARTINIST? The name Sauniere is familiar to anyone who has read The Da Vinci Code. This website claims he was a Martinist. He was certainly located in the right place to be one. CarrieTomko@aol.com
MARTINISTS IN THE NETHERLANDS This website is devoted to Martinists, primarily the Martinists in the Netherlands. The history is given on this webpage. From the history: After working closely with the French Martinist Order, it became apparent that the Dutch members objected to the close relationship of the French Organization with the "Gnostic Apostolic Church" and of the Roman Catholic Church, most of them being of Protestant origin. They were strongly attracted by the Martinist teachings, but wanted to keep complete freedom of religion and worship. Philippe Encausse understood very well the religious traditions of the Netherlands and he suggested for a second time to create a separate branch of the Martinist tree, namely the "Ordre Martiniste des Pays-Bas". On Sept. 26, 1968, Philippe Encausse's request that Martinism be introduced in the Netherlands was implemented. Encausse was (is?) the president of the Federation of the Martinist Orders located in Paris. In addition to Europe and the U.S. Martinism is active in South America, where Pentecostalism is stealing sheep from the Catholic Church. It's also no secret that Catholicism in the Netherlands has nearly disappeared. Coincidence? MARTINIST DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES for the Martinist Order of the Netherlands. (Click the link at the bottom.) Some excerpts: Art. 103 The Martinist Order wishes to follow the cultural, philosophical, liturgical and mystical orientations of its founder: Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin. Its doctrine is based on the works of the teachers, having inflenced the theosopher of Amboise, as Jacob Boehme (also called the theosopher of G?rlitz), Johan Georg Gichtel (also called the theosopher of Amsterdam), Martinez de Pasqually, Emmanuel Swedenborg (also called the Swedish theosopher); as well as on the message of the later theosophers and mystics and were inspired by him: Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, Augustin Chaboseau, Eliphas L�vi, G�rard Encausse (Papus), Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Johannes van der Stok, ... The Order may thus be defined as "theosophical", in the widest meaning of the word. Art. 104 Grafted on this theosophical roots, the Martinist Order must admit all the methods of searching for the Truth, from the most academical and scientifical to the most metaphysical, mystical and esoterical. Art. 106 However, the Order declares itself to be under the protection and the guidance of Christ, its Hierophant and its Master. CarrieTomko@aol.com
WHAT SPIRIT IS IT? This website is New Age, or Rosicrucian, or Masonic. It's a bit hard to place exactly. But this quote appears in it: The Holy Spirit is represented symbolically by a white dove. During the baptism with the Holy Spirit, as in the Day of Pentecost, we are washed with the Water of Life and we can manifest the seven powers of the Holy Spirit. These are special gifts as healing, speak in tongues, perfect comprehension and understanding, the gift of seeing the future, past and present clairvoyantly, read the minds of people, experiment multidimensionality, etc. The website talks about the Rosicrucians, and closes those comments with a Masonic-style reference to the "Supreme Architect of the Universe." Q: (Translation) Very Dear Frater Veritus: Greetings from the Corners of our Sacred Triangle! I congratulate you for your excellent Web page, for your research and work of love describing the Egyptian Initiations. I ask your permission to incorporate you into my Web page "HACIA LA GRAN HERMANDAD ROSACRUZ MUNDIAL" [Toward the Great Worldwide Rosicrucian Fraternity]. Fraternal greetings from Alejandro Daniel Silvani Costa; F.R.C.-SI; Memp.'.Miz.'.3? (Former) Master of Buenos Aires AMORC LodgeA: It is a pleasure to know that my work is bringing Light to other wayfarers of the Way. Thank you for your comments. The reason you have appreciated my work is because your Light vibrates in harmony with it. Of course, you can publish it in your Web page and if so you wish, may present it in any Rosicrucian conclave or retreat. It was approved by the English and Spanish Lodge in my area in San Jos�, California and presented twice in English and once in Spanish. May the Light of the Supreme Architect of the Universe Illumine you, BV. Is the Holy Spirit lost? Did the Spirit actually grant gifts to a Rosicrucian? How is this different from what our charismatics claim? WHAT SPIRIT IS IT? Yet another website from the world of the occult speaks of glossolalia: 1.1 What is Ouranian Barbaric?Ouranian Barbaric is the proprietary language of chaos magick. That is, itis a language, more technically a jargon, that is used exclusively by thechaos magickal community for use in their workings. It is not spoken as areal language, but instead is used in place of the magician's naturallanguage in order to distract the conscious mind and bypass the psychiccensor. It has been said that Ouranian Barbaric developed out of a need to expressmore modern concepts that were absent in other magickal languages likeEnochian (from the sixteenth century) and relevant to Chaos Magick. 3.1 How does one create more Ouranian words?By creativity. The general idea is to channel them somehow. A basic rite for channeling Ouranian words via glossolalia is available on the web at http://www.chaosmatrix.com/lib/chaos/rites/gloss.html It basically goes as follows: Decide what word you want to add to the Ouranian language. Take a bag of scrabble tiles, draw between four and ten, and use these as a seed word. Invoke glossolalia, and let the seed word change and evolve until you arrive at what feels like the proper word. The original method is through an invocation of Ouranos-Baphomet and then using a created board to divine the letters of a word. This ritual is available at http://www.chaosmatrix.com/lib/chaos/rites/barbget.html Regardless of method used, the critical part of the process lies in addingthe vowels to the mishmash of consonants that one often receives, whetherthis is by inspiration, glossolalia, or other method. 3.9 ..."Random Outburts" can also work well, and new experiments are beingconducted with Glossolalia as a magickal tool; Steve Wilson has covered thetopic best so far with his book "Chaos Ritual." AND ANOTHER SITE DEALING WITH CHAOS MAGICK speaks of glossolalia in the same sentence with "enochian phases [sic] and words": (The main body of this rite does not involve the usual sort of ritualistic elements common to western magick. The majority of this rite involves the chaotic acting out of Sub/Superhuman drives. Therefore, to make the transition, from the relatively ordered opening to the bulk of the rite, smoother a specific technique is needed. The technique used is gradually going from R'lyehian and Enochian phases and words to pure "glossolalia" or speaking in tongues as the Xians call it.) Enochian is a language and magical system developed by 16th century occultist Dr. John Dee, which he called the language of the angels. CarrieTomko@aol.com
MARTINISTS I've started looking at Martinists on the web. The first website I've looked into is the British Martinist Order. Their reading list is interesting. If you scroll all the way to the bottom, you'll find Joseph Campbell as co-author of Tarot Revelations. Andrew Welburn is also on the list. He's the bearded specialist on Alternative Medicine who often appears on TV and in the news. Knight and Lomas are there. They are associated with Priory of Sion stories and with Baigent and Leigh's Holy Blood, Holy Grail stories. A. E. Waite is there. He's the foremost historial of the Golden Dawn. Eliphas Levi, the father of the modern occult revival is on the list. Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, also listed, is the founder of Martinism and a Gnostic saint. If you look at the history of the Order, you will see Saint Martin associated with Scottish Rite Freemasonry. He had an association with Benjamin Franklin, and was initiated into an order in Russia that be brought to the British Martinists. According to the website: Louis Claude de St Martin died in 1803 but his lineage lived on in those who had been his close associates in Russia, France and Italy. In the closing years of the 19th century Gerard Encause with some friends created the first Martinist Order - The Ordre Martiniste. However, Encause (Papus), failed to give full credit to the Russian lineage of St Martin and this was rectified in 1991 with the formation of the British Martinist Order. Many of the other names on the reading list are unfamiliar to me. There are working groups of Martinists in the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, New York and Pittsburgh. Their "other sites of interest" links include the Theosophical Society. Here is the website for another Martinist group, the Rose+Croix Martinist Order, located in Greeley, Colorado. All pages in this website come up with the URL for this page. You can access the rest of the pages at the bottom links. From the History of the Order: The Rose+Croix Martinist Order� offers genuine, world-affecting Theurgy as found in the tradition from Saint-Martin who wrote as a Theurgist when he said... : ...There were precious things in our first school. I am even inclined to think that [Martinez] Pasqualis...had the active key to all that our dear Boehme exposes in his theories.... From all this, it follows that an excellent match may be made by marrying our first school to friend Boehme. This is what I work at; and I confess to you candidly that I find the two spouses so well suited to each other that I know nothing more perfect in its way.... --Letter XCII, 11 July,1796 in Theosophic Correspondence I would assume that "Boehme" is Jacob Boehme, a well-known occultist. There is a good example of the typical disagreements between esoteric orders displayed on the "Theurgy and the Martinist Traditions" webpage under the heading "Theurgy and AMORC." AMORC is a prominent American Rosicrucian order located in California. This group claims that its purpose is to merge the will with the Will of God, while according to the website other groups use magick rituals in order to empower their own ego. They announce that man is a "divine being" and a "creator." He creates via visualization and that visualization should be in line with the Will of God. According to the website, "In Theurgy, we accept the role of being an agent of God's Will. One common example of Theurgy is the Celebration of the Holy Euchrist (the Mass)." That almost sounds Catholic, or at least Catholic with a "twist." However, no Catholic needs to be "awakened" from "slumbering potential" via "Initiation in a Theurgical Order." I'm not clear on the meaning of the term, but this website and others I've visited refers to the "Elus-Cohen." Does anyone know anything about this? This order claims that its purpose is to "restore peace and order in the world" presumably through an act of will melded to Divine will. And this is to be accomplished via magical ritual. The order claims to have clergy in its ranks: The Rose+Croix Martinist Order� has as Initiates business people, educators, clergy, home makers, blue collar workers, law enforcement personnel, health professionals, management personnel, and many others. Most Initiates are married and are established in their communities. Almost all hold a college degree, and many hold graduate degrees. Most have devoted ten or more years to esoteric studies. The website also indicates that groups of Martinists in this tradition form "circles" and that circles are located in or near 14 states. It also requires some sort of Christian affiliation. On the history page they spell out the definition of a Martinist: The very name Martinist conjures images of the mysterious and the unknown adept who has at his (or her) command occult powers and who studies "quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore." Martinists are known to be theurgists, alchemists, and Grailists. Since such persons as the Count of St. Germain, Cagliostro, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Eliphas Levi, and Arthur Edward Waite were Martinists, Martinism and Martinists have been identified as major forces in the occult and esoteric movements of the last three centuries. On this page Martinism is described as: Martinism, a system of mystical Christian Illuminist philosophy and theurgical procedure whose purpose is to establish the Reintegration of mankind back into its original divine state. and the reason for secrecy are spelled out. The contents of the Martinist philosophy include "Christian mysticism, esotericism, theosophy, Kabbalah, Hermeticism, and related subjects" according to the website, which also indicates that the "initiation" must be passed from person to person. It sounds very much like the laying on of hands which passes the "baptism of the spirit" or "baptism of fire" of the Pentecostals. Considering that Jacob Boehme's influence passed to John Wesley, this is not entirely an outrageous association. The list of the members of the "First Supreme Council" includes Josephin Peladan who is associated with Satanism by some researchers. The list of "famous Martinists" includes H. P. Blavatsky, and a long list of familiar names from occulture, including J. I. Wedgwood, the Old Catholic bishop through whom the independent Catholic churches trace their succession. Take a look at the references at the bottom of the history webpage. CarrieTomko@aol.com
HARRY POTTER IN THE WHITE HOUSE EAST ROOM From Christian News- an excerpt of Larry King's interview of Laura Bush: KING: We're going to conclude tonight's special edition of LARRY KING LIVE with two segments devoted to the wonderful, beautiful way they've done the White House for Christmas this year, and the first lady continues with us. We're in the East Room. BUSH: That's right, the East Room. And as you know, the theme is the season of stories. And so we have "Harry Potter" here. "Harry Potter" has really made kids read. Little boys are really reading "Harry Potter" all around the country. And I think that's terrific. CarrieTomko@aol.com
ANGELS IN AMERICA Cal Thomas comments on this new HBO Two-Night Series in Crosswalk: Angels is based on the Tony Kushner play about the American homosexual experience. I didn't want to watch it, but I did, and must admit it is one of the most effective pieces of propaganda I have encountered. CarrieTomko@aol.com
CALVI The London Evening Standard reports Odette Morris, 42, the woman who provided an alibi for Flavio Carboni who has been charged with Calvi's murder, is the woman arrested in connection with the investigation into Calvi's death. She was a key witness at his inquest 20 years ago. New Zealand News reports that Morris was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to prevert the course of justice and perjury, charges that are believed to relate to inquest testimony. She has been released on bail. The UK Mirror has a short story on the firm doing the investigation into the Calvi case. CarrieTomko@aol.com
MASS IN THE MASONIC TEMPLE I've linked and blogged on independent Catholic churches. They tend to welcome anyone who comes, no matter their orientation, marital status, etc. U.S. Newswire has this invitation up on their website. Married Roman Catholic priests are offering Christmas Mass in four locations in the Boston area: -- Evensong by the Sea Retreat & Spiritual Center, St. Mary Magdala Chapel, 326 Lower County Road -- Framingham: Masonic Temple, 404 Concord Street, Rt 126 -- Worcester: Courtyard Marriott, Grove St -- Newington, NH: Newington Town Church, Newington Center Framingham Masonic Temple???? CarrieTomko@aol.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
ARCHBISHOP MARCINKUS SAYS MASS AT CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA, AND REFUSES TO TALK TO REPORTERS According to Phoenix New Times: CarrieTomko@aol.com
WAS OPUS DEI INVOLVED IN CALVI'S MURDER/ Unfortunately this article from the Montreal Mirror is not dated. The URL indicates 12/5/2002: Calvi believes his father was murdered for the same reasons that the Pope was targeted in an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981. John Paul II favoured a group called Opus Dei, which shared his hard line against the communist regimes of Eastern Europe. When the Polish pontiff started replacing longtime banking officials with Opus Dei members, the senior Calvi was caught up in the switch, says his son. �In the world of the early �80s, it wasn�t obvious that the pope was going to be in the winning position, so my dad was very much caught in the power struggle within the Vatican. I tend to think the pope and my father were victims of the same plot. Top officials were afraid of losing their jobs and they were against the pope�s line. Meanwhile, my father was trying to align himself with Opus Dei before he was killed,� says Calvi. CarrieTomko@aol.com
AN ARREST IN CALVI MURDER INVESTIGATION From F2 Network: British police have arrested a woman in relation to the murder of the Italian Mafia-linked banker Roberto Calvi, who was found hanging from a London bridge 21 years ago. ,,, The unnamed 42-year-old woman, from west London, was arrested for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and perjury. She was remanded on bail to appear in court in February. CarrieTomko@aol.com
PAUL MARCINKUS the archbishop implicated in the Vatican Bank Scandal, is living in Arizona. The Daily Catholic reports on his possible connection to a possible poisoning of John Paul I in this article from their website: Behind the Vault The Pope's Banks in America, the Giannini Family, and the American CIA Part Three ��� After leaving Chicago, sometime after 1991, Archbishop Paul Marcinkus took up residence in Sun City, Arizona. Italian authorities have tried repeatedly, to no avail, to force the U.S. to send Marcinkus back to Italy for prosecution for crimes implicating him and the Vatican Bank, the American CIA, and the traditional mafia, in assassination financing, arms smuggling, and illegal trafficking in stolen gold, counterfeit currencies, stolen bond, and radioactive materials. Marcinkus fought off all such attempts to send him back to Italy, by sheltering himself in his Vatican passport; the Vatican, after all, being a separate sovereignty from the Republic of Italy. ��� Briefly surfacing in December, 1995, was a related scandal. A retired agent of the American CIA, living in Italy with dual U.S.-Italian citizenship, was arrested by the Italian police. Roger D'Onofrio was charged with being implicated with at least ten others in illegal trafficking in stolen gold, stolen bonds, exceptionally good quality counterfeit currencies destabilizing the economies of various countries, and trafficking in osmium nuclear bomb detonators and other radioactive materials. Reportedly implicated with D'Onofrio were a ring that included the former Vatican Bank Chief Paul Marcinkus, the Archbishop of Barcelona, Spain, and the First National Bank of Cicero. Earlier, D'Onofrio had been described by a witness as the CIA's paymaster with the task of making secret payments to CIA assets and business partners. ��� Other witnesses reportedly contend that D'Onofrio's team were the ones reportedly arranging to poison Pope John Paul I who was murdered after only 33 days in office. That Pontiff wanted to stop the Vatican Bank and Marcinkus from dirty business with the American CIA and the traditional mafia. CarrieTomko@aol.com
There is one more church in the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch - Malabar Rite that I want to blog about before leaving the topic... CHRIST OF THE DESERT CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ANTIOCH Once again on this website is the symbol of the Rosy Cross of the Rosicrucians. The website shows that the Pastor is Rev. Mark Elliott Newman. OC. Rev./Brother Mark is a monk in the Ecumenical Order of Charity: Brother Mark professed his first vows on May 14th, 1998 during the Order's Days of Renewal. He is a registered nurse, working in a community mental health agency with the seriously mentally ill. Raised in the Roman Catholic Church, Brother Mark studied for the priesthood with the Franciscans in New York and Guadalajara, Mexico. He has since become active in the Independent Catholic Movement and was ordained to the priesthood in the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch. Recently consecrated to the episcopacy, he now serves as the bishop for the Diocese of Arizona as well as pastor of Christ of the Desert Catholic Church of Antioch in Phoenix. Apparently Brother Mark objects to the Catholic Bishops' Statement on Same Sex Marriage according to the website People of Faith for GLBTI Civil Rights which has issued a Response to the Bishops' Statement which Brother Mark has signed. To see his signature click the "View Endorsers pdf" link at the bottom of the website. Brother Mark's signature appears on the first page of the Endorsers list. Returning again to the Christ of the Desert Catholic Church of Antioch links page... where you will find The Theosophical Society lilnked with the comment An excellent resource about Theosophy and the Theosoophical Society in America. It makes available such resources as the text of books. leaflets, talks and articles. Also linked on this page of the website is the Lucis Trust. Lucis Trust was founded by Alice and Foster Bailey as Lucifer Press in 1922. The name was changed to Lucis soon after its founding, however Alice Bailey's first book, Initiation Human and Solar was published under the name Lucifer Press. If you look at the links on the right of this Lucis Trust website, you will see such topics as "The Coming One" and "The Reappearance of Christ" and "A New Age Symbol." Those topics will give you some idea of the flavor of the organization. One of the activities of Lucis Trust is the New Group of World Servers. The NGWS is divided into groups under a general heading. For example there is an Educational Groups list. There is a Religious Groups list as well. If you look at the Religious Groups, you will see that the third group listed is the Center for Global Ethics in which Prof. Leonard Swidler takes a leadership role, and Prof. Dr. Hans Kung is also involved. Prof. Swidler is also the founder of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church. On the ARCC there is a link for "Women's Ordination." This entire investigation that led me to the Church of Antioch, and ultimately to Lucis Trust, began with an inquiry into the activities of Luis T. Gutierrez, who promotes women's ordination, and who appeared on the website of the San Francisco Bay Catholic Electronic Magazine, which I also linked on December 5. where Prof. Swidler's name also appears. The organizations associated with women's ordination are hardly part of the Roman Catholic family. The Pope has spoken on this topic. It is closed. So why is there no silencing of this movement for women's ordination? Why do the bishops continue to permit it to operate under the Roman Catholic umbrella. Certainly Lucis Trust/Theosophy is as far from Catholicism as it is possible to get. Yet those who operate in such circles are free to continue to enjoy the privilege of being linked with the Roman Catholic Church. It is time for this sort of hypocrisy to end. CarrieTomko@aol.com
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
HOUSE BANS PATENTS ON HUMAN CLONES LifeNews reports: Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The House of Representatives today again approved a provision that would prohibit the patenting of human beings. The measure, which was attached to a package of several budget bills, codifies current Patent Office policy that disallows biotechnology firms from obtaining patents on human beings, including human embryos. CarrieTomko@aol.com
"MODERATE" ISLAM - BUT NOT FOR CONVERTS TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH Chiesa reports: ROMA � Broken by the very well-informed agency �AsiaNews� of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, the news of the arrest in Egypt of citizens guilty only of being ex-Muslim Christians sheds new light on the dangers encountered by those who convert from Islam to another faith. The dangers are there even in the West, for Muslims who convert. These protect their decision with a thousand precautions. And the Church does the same toward those who convert to the Christian faith. About their preparation for baptism, the Italian bishops� conference published in 2000 a booklet of instructions. The first: �From the initial greeting, it is important to guarantee discretion.� Even the total number of baptisms is kept secret. It is known that, in Italy, approximately one half of the converts are Albanian: and these face the least danger, because in Albania Islam is almost exclusively a nominal religion, with very little social command. But for the Maghrebs, or the Syrians, or the Pakistanis, the risk is serious. Both the Muslim community at home and their own family ban them like apostates. It can happen that their very lives hang by a thread. Muslim Kurds are another island of relative tolerance toward the converts. Daniel Ali embraced Christianity while he was still living in northern Iraq and fighting against Saddam Hussein. He emigrated to the United States in 1993, was baptized in 1995, and in 1998 entered the Catholic Church. Working together with the Jesuit expert in Arabic studies Mitch Pacwa, he has created a �Christian-Islamic Forum� and travels around the U.S. to preach Christianity to other Muslims. But a clandestine life is the rule almost everywhere in the world. And on the part of the Catholic Church, there is a widespread tendency to respond to this situation simply by refusing to �create the problem�; that is, to proselytize among Muslims. An Italian director of the Fondazione Migrantes, who asked to remain anonymous, has worked for years with Tunisian Muslims and says: �We decided not to encourage conversion to Christianity in any way, no matter what cardinal Giacomo Biffi thinks about it.� The bellicose cardinal has exactly the opposite conviction: �Preaching and baptizing are statutory duties of the Church. For all. Jesus did not command us to preach the gospel to all creatures except for the Muslims, the Jews, and the Dalai Lama.� CarrieTomko@aol.com
ALIEN ABDUCTION STUDIES From ScienCentral: Thousands of people claim that they have been abducted by aliens. Are they lying? Research suggests that, in many cases, those making the claim truly believe it happened. "In case after case after case, I've been impressed with the consistency of the story, the sincerity with which people tell their stories, the power of the feelings connected with this, the self-doubt," John Mack, a psychiatrist at Harvard University who has worked with people who claim to have been abducted, told PBS' NOVA. " I worked with people over hundreds and hundreds of hours, and have done as careful a job as I could to listen, to sift out, to consider alternative explanations. And none have come forward. No one has found an alternative explanation in a single abduction case." Research in the journal Psychological Science sheds light on the consistency of those powerful feelings by showing that those who claim to have been abducted share traits with people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Previous research has shown that when Vietnam veterans with PTSD heard 30-second audio "re-enactments" of their trauma, they exhibited psychophysiological activity. "For example, their heart rate will go up, their skin conductance activity, the sweating on the palm of the hand, will increase," says Richard McNally, a psychology professor at Harvard University. "Individuals who do not have PTSD but who have experienced traumatic events typically will not show that reactivity." When McNally gave a similar test to people with memories of alien abductions, he found that their reactions were the same. "In fact, the actual magnitude of the reactions was at least as great as those reported in previous studies on people with post-traumatic stress disorder," says McNally. "It seems to underscore the power of emotional belief, that if you genuinely believe these things have happened, these terrifying events have happened, then you tend to show the emotional profile, the physiological profile consistent with that belief." CarrieTomko@aol.com
WHO KILLED CALVI? is the question being asked by the UK Guardian. Reopening the inquiry into the 'suicide' of 'God's banker' has exposed links with the mafia, masons and Vatican fraud, writes Nick Mathiason. The murdered man's 37-year-old son had just two questions: 'Tell me what you can do and how much will it cost?' It was the autumn of 1991 and New York investigator Jeff Katz had flown to the US city to meet the dead man's son, Carlo Calvi. It turned out that Katz could do quite a lot. Roberto Calvi, known as God's banker because of his close ties to the Vatican, was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge, central London, with a length of orange rope woven into a lover's knot around his neck. He was weighed down by bricks and found with �15,000 in cash in his pockets. ... ...it seems there are plenty of people who still do not want the secrets which supposedly died with Calvi 21 years ago to come to light. The Italian detective leading the investigation, Luca Tescaroli, recently received a hand-delivered letter containing black powder and two 12-volt batteries with a note saying: 'This is an ultimatum. Stop.' But it is too late now. Evidence has come to light which is leading the investigation to four UK suspects who helped bring about Calvi's downfall. Three months after Calvi's death, a small-time drug dealer, Sergio Vaccari, was stabbed in the face, neck and chest more than 15 times. At the time the City of London police saw no link with Calvi. But Vaccari had possession of masonic papers. And Katz tracked down Vaccari's former landlord, who, he learned, had demanded that his tenant left his flat. Vaccari agreed on condition that the landlord found him another home. The landlord presented two options, one of which Vaccari picked. A while later Vaccari wanted details from the landlord of the other place; that flat was in Chelsea Cloisters, the place Calvi stayed in just before he died.... Mafia, Freemasons and the Vatican are implicated in a tale of drug trafficking, money laundering and tortuous financing spanning the world. Many believe the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978, just 33 days after his election, happened because he wanted to break the murky links between what was then Italy's largest private bank and the Vatican. The scandal touched financial institutions around the world and the Italian political elite. Calvi's bank built its empire in close association with the Vatican bank, the Institute for Religious Works. This was headed by Archbishop Paul Marcinkus from Chicago. While the Vatican never accepted culpability in the collapse of Ambrosiano, it stumped up $250m to creditors. Some believe Marcinkus may yet face trial now a court case in Italy is progressing. One of the most influential figures in the Calvi story was Licio Gelli, now 84. He was Grand Master of the P2 masonic lodge of which Silvio Berlusconi was once a member. Gelli was sentenced to 12 years for fraud in connection with the collapse of Calvi's bank and is under house arrest. Calvi's mentor Michele Sindona was friends with former US President Richard Nixon. Sindona died in prison in 1986 poisoned by coffee laced with cyanide. It has been determined that Calvi did not commit suicide. If this case is unraveled, will an investigation then begin into the death of John Paul I? CarrieTomko@aol.com
Monday, December 08, 2003
CONVERSIONS FROM MEL GIBSON'S MOVIE EnvoyEncore has linked this article from Christianity Today describing conversions taking place in India after people watch Mel's movie. The Hindus are angry CarrieTomko@aol.com
THE ANTIOCHIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AMERICA This is a part of The Catholic Apostolic Church of Antiioch - Malabar Rite according to the website. The Antiochian Catholic Church in America is an independent Ephesine, or non-chalcedonian, Orthodox-Old Catholic Church. It became autonomous in 1991, on October 23, Saint James of Jerusalem's Feast Day. On that date, its founders, the clergy of the Diocese of Lexington (Kentucky, USA) of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch - Malalbar Rite, an Independent Catholic body, were granted autocephaly, the right of self-governance. It seems to have been formed in the "Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky," where the EarthSpirit Rising Conference took place. (The website is very slow to load. Please be patient.) CarrieTomko@aol.com
DISCUSSION IN AMY'S BLOG There is a discussion about parish life in Amy Welborn's blog that has 111 comments when I last looked, has been expanded by Amy to two more threads, and doesn't look like it will slow down any time soon. The threads in question are these: December 5, Pastor Eveline is the beginning of the discussion. It continues here, December 6, Fascinating Stuff. And here, Dec. 7 Okay Then And this morning she has added Oh, and by the way...Fr. Jabusch himself has stopped by the comment box below. Welcome! without comments. and You and your parish and Hey! Up Here! CarrieTomko@aol.com
THE NEITH NETWORK I've been in Colin James Hammer's website--The Neith Network--many times over the last several years. I confess I don't know what it's about. Neith is mentioned in Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma on p. 281. He says: The Supreme Being of the Egyptians was Aumn, a secret and concealed God, the Unknown Father of the Gnostics, the Source of Divine Life, and of all force, the Plenitude of all, comprehending all things in Himself, the original Light. He creates nothing; but everything emanates from Him: and all other Gods are but his manifestations. From Him, by the utterance of a Word, emanated Neith, the Divine Mother of all things, the Primitive Thought, the Force that puts everything in movement, the Spirit everywhere extended, the Deity of Light and Mother of the Sun. For some reason Neith is not included in the book's 200 page index. The Church of Antioch is mentioned in the Neith Network website: 483-500. ARCHDIOCESAN CHANCERY & OTHER NODES WITHIN THE MATRIARCHAL CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF ANTIOCH MALABAR RITE, �Certificate of Consecration� with �Letters Credential and Apostolic Commission� issued to Satchakrananda by Archbishop-Matriarch Meri Louise Spruit (San Jos�, CA: 14 November & 20 December 1994); The Holy Mass (not dated); Sophia Divinity School Course Catalogue (1993-94); �Sophia Divinity School Degrees & Programs�, �What is the Church of Antioch?� and �The Independent Catholic Priesthood� (undated fold-out leaflets); �The Story of the Cross of Antioch� (extracted from the writings of the late Patriarch Herman Adrian Spruit); Paraclete (Vol.5, Issue 3, 1994 - including both �The Yin & Yang of Faith� and the poem �I will go up to the Altar of G-d� by Church of Antioch member Naira Alma, formerly the Roman Catholic nun Nancy Henderson). Just below that entry is this one: 503-8. ALICE BAILEY, A Treatise on White Magic - or the Way of the Disciple (1934, 8th printing 1967: enunciates 15 Rules for Magic, cf especially p.66); A Treatise on Cosmic Fire; Initiation Human and Solar; �What is an Esoteric School?�, a separately published extract from her Autobiography (Lucis Trust 1987); Reflections on Harmlessness and Time and Money - Selections of Quotations from the Writings of Alice Bailey (all currently available from The Lucis Trust ). This page in the Neith Network website has a picture of John Paul II. Also on this page is an excerpt from John Paul II's consecration of the world to the Blessed Virgin. A little further down the webpage is a segment by Sergei O. Prokofieff titled "The Spiritual Origins of Eastern Europe and the Future Mysteries of the Holy Grail." Rudolf Steiner is mentioned in this section as is the Greek Orthodox Church. The "Third Degree Lectures on Freemasonry" is also included on this web page. If anyone reading this blog knows anything about the Neith Network, The Rainbow Program, or Creativity House, I'd appreciate an email. CarrieTomko@aol.com
APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION OF THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF ANTIOCH - MALABAR RITE is presented on this page in their website. In addition to the various consecrations that are too numerous to paste here, there is this comment from the website: In addition, the Church of Antioch has made an effort to unite eastern and western lines of apostolic succession. The Church of Antioch derives additional lines of succession from Archbishop Spruit's co-consecrators (in addition to our name). These additional lines include the Syrian Jacobite Patriarchate of Antioch, the Chaldean Patriarchate of Babylon at Baghdad, the Catholicate-Patriarchate of Assyria, the Greek Melkite Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarchate of Moscow, Armenian Catholicate-Patriarchate of Cilicia, the Metropolitan-Archbishops of Albania, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the nonjurring Anglicans. Joseph Aneed, a Greek Melkite bishop with a claim to a patriarchate for North America willed his claim to Archbishop Spruit, thereby giving our church a similar claim. Included in the line of succession is James Ingall Wedgwood, Presiding Bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church. Weddgewood's Biography indicates his involvement with Freemasonry: Wedgwood began his spiritual career by fulfilling one of his childhood dreams. At the age of sixteen, he was accepted as a "young Wolf" by a local Masonic Lodge. Very soon, the determined young man climbed to the various degrees, and after meeting John Yarker and Theodor Reuss joined other fraternal and occult Movements. Martinism was one of them, and it had a great impact on his philosophy by introducing him to the concept of Reintegration. According to this concept, all creatures will one day return to unity with God, an idea Wedgwood included in the Liturgy of the Liberal Catholic Church. By 1910, James Ingall Wedgwood had received all the degrees from two Egyptian Rites. From 33 to 94 in the Rite of Memphis, and from 33 to 90 in the Rite of Misra�m (including the 66th, which is alledgedly a Bishop consecration). He already had received all the degrees to the 33th of the Ancient and Accepted Rite of Cerneau from John Yarker himself, and the highest degrees of the Martinist Initiation by Theodor Reuss. The Liberal Catholic Church is an arm of H. P. Blavatsky's Theosophical Society and of Co-Masonry, as I've documented in previous posts. That relationship is also documented at this website which gives the biography of Aleister Crowley: The death of John Yarker on 20 March 1913 pitted Crowley against the Co-Masonic Theosophists for the corpse of the Antient and Primitive Rite. The stage was set for the conflict when the 1912 'Jubilee' edition of Oriflamme, the official organ of O.T.O. and the German Sovereign Sanctuary of the Antient and Primitive Rite, announced that at Yarker's request 'Brother J. J. [sic] Wedgwood' was made 'an honorary Master Mason and attached him to the Lodge 'Holy Grail' in Munich as an honorary member'. James Ingall Wedgwood was many things, among them the Very Illustrious Supreme Secretary to the British Federation of the Co-Masonic Order, led by its Very Illustrious Most Puissant Grand Commander, Mrs. Annie Besant. Word had come to Crowley that the Co-Masons had claimed to have 'bought' the Antient and Primitive Rite, and were going to turn it into a vehicle for the worship of the 'Coming Christ' or 'Alcyone', the teenage Indian boy better known as Krishnamurti. This Alchemy website discusses the various Rosicrucian groups currently operating, one of which, the Societas Rosicruciana in America (SRIA) discusses the Church of Antioch. Another example would be Plummers connection to Krum-Heller, through whom he received admission into the Societas Rosicruciana Antiqua. Plummer also held lineages from some independent Catholic and Gnostic churches. However, in 1916, they started admitting women to their ranks. Because of this, they lost their charter from England and hence their original status. They were neither recognized nor sponsored by the British mother-lodge, or by any other masonic organization, but remained fully independent. They also worked differently than the other SRIA, introducing new rituals and study material. After Plummers death, he was succeeded his widow 'Mother Serena'. She later married Theodotus Stanislaus de Witow [-1969], who became head of the Holy Orthodox Church (of which Plummer had been a member). In 1980 Herman A. Spruit, leader of the 'Church of Antioch', ordained Serena to the priesthood and consecrated her to the episcopate. The current Imperatrix of the SRIA is the 86 year old 'Sister Lucea', the succesor of Serena. CarrieTomko@aol.com
Sunday, December 07, 2003
A HISTORY OF THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC MOVEMENT IN N. AMERICA can be read here. It includes the SSPX and the controversy over the so-called "Ratlines" after World War II. It also includes Bishop C. W. Leadbeater of the Theosophical Liberal Catholic Church which is associated with Blavatsky and with Co-Masonry. There is also a directory in the website listing a few selected independent Catholic denominations and organizations. CarrieTomko@aol.com
THE ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH is yet another of the churches which comprise the Ecumenical Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops. This one looks to be closer to Roman Catholicism judging by their "Who Are We?" statement. They ordain women and shy away from doctrine, but may actually be conservative in their liturgy. In Ohio they are located in Cincinnati. That area of the state has been a Roman Catholic hotbed of scandal in recent months. The Bishop of Texas is a woman. Their Holy Rule for the Order of St. Francis sounds rather Roman Catholic to me. There is no hint that I've seen of Rosicrucianism in this secment of the Ecumenical Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops. UNITED REFORM CATHOLIC CHURCH INTERNATIONAL This is the last of the churches represented by the Ecumenical Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops. As they describe themselves, they are descended from the Old Catholics of Utrecht whence the validity of their ordinations. They subscribe to the usual liberal Catholic agenda of female ordination, remarriage of divorced persons, a married clergy, laity prominent in the church, contraception accepted, any and all Christians accepted for Eucharist. They are located in Hawaii, and will be holding their 2004 Synod at an Episcopalian retreat facility. The Order of the Grey Robed Monks of St. Benedict are associated with this church. A former Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Minnesota, Fr. David McPhee, will be incardinated in their church this month. Their Apostolic Succession is detailed here. CarrieTomko@aol.com
NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA Another of the founding members of the Ecumenical Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops is the National Catholic Church of North America. Here is part of the statement from their website: Though not in communion with Rome, we recognize our dear friends who are Roman Catholic. Many of our Clergy are former RC Clergy or were active in the lay ministry. THe NCCNA as an Ecumencial, Independent Catholic Church dedicated to reaching out to all who have felt disenfranchized or cut off from the sacraments of the "Cathlic Faith" due to cannon law or unreasonable church policies. Are you divorced or hurting in some way or in search of a vibrant church home? We invite you to visit one of our welcoming parishes where you will find refuge and joy. Have you missed the Sacraments, do your children need baptism, are you seeking to be married in a non-judgemental church with full Catholic Rites..do you seek all the Catholic Sacraments...then come see us and see what a difference we can make in your life. Our home parish, St. Francis of Assisi located in the Chapel of Faith Lutheran Church at 7th Ave. and Camelback Rd. with Mass every Sunday at 11am. The Priests are always available to hold mass in your home or other locations too. Newly ordained priest, Aurore Leigh Barrett and her husband, Fr. David Adams are both professors at Sanctus Theological Institute. which is "ecumenical, interdenominational, and interfaith." The institute specializes in distance learning. Here is the faculty. There are some impressive CVs in here. Many of them have their Ph.D. Looks like a group that must be taken seriously. I saw at least one who is associated with the Tridentine Mass. CarrieTomko@aol.com
THE MIRACULOUS STAIRCASE at the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico which has two 360 degree turns, no visible means of support, and is constructed with pegs instead of nails, is considered to be miraculous. A picture of the staircase and the story about it can be read at this website. For a picture of the exterior of the chapel, go here. Loretto Chapel is used by The Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch - Malabar Rite as Bishop Richard Gundrey's cathedral. The schedule of Mass at Loretto Chapel is given on this Church of Antioch webpage. The Church of Antioch at Santa Fe also indicates on their website that Rev. Father Daniel Dangaran is the Associate Pastor. According to the church website, Fr. Daniel is a former Jesuit. Another Church of Antioch at Kansas City church has a former Catholic diocesan priest and a woman priest for co-pastors according to the website. These are some of the activities that take place at the unity church: The Church of Antioch at Kansas City is a healing ministry. The pastor and soon to be bishop, V. Rev. Janet Sunderland, is an energy worker, practicing both laying-on-of-hands healing and a hands-on technique called "Huna Lomi" or body/spirit healing.Rev. Sunderland also does spiritual counseling and guidance. She works from the perspective that many of our dis-eases in mind and body stem from a spiritual disquiet or dis-ease. Healing does not mean that the body doesn't ever have problems or suffering. Spiritual healing means we can live in a sense of peace and balance whatever the physical or mental challenges. Their Tuesday Study Group is using Elaine Pagels book Beyond Belief about the Secret Gospel of Thomas. There are several more churches in this group, but I'll leave it for now and return to the Ecumenical Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops, of which the Apstolic Catholic Church of Antioch - Malabar Rite represents only 2 of the six churches represented. Another is the The Contemporary Catholic Church, an independent Catholic jurisdiction that possesses a valid Catholic Apostolic Succession according to their website. Here is how they describe themselves: Our priests offer all seven Sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist (Lord's Supper), Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders/Ordination, Penance/Reconciliation, and Anointing for Healing. Our Church is a welcoming, reconciling, healing and loving Catholic gathering of Eucharistic Communities where people come together with joy and hope, under the leadership and spiritual authority of our Most Holy and Reverend Mother Sharon-of-the-Roses. Under the spiritual patronage of St. Mary Magdalene, we are a young and growing church. Although at present there are few established parishes, we enjoy a working clergy with secular jobs to support themselves and their families. There is a picture of Mary Magdalene holding an egg on their website. There is another picture of Mary Magdalene on the Novena webpage. Once again I'm reminded of _The Da Vinci Code_ by these pictures of MM with an egg. Their icon page is interesting. CarrieTomko@aol.com
