To All:

I would like to apologize for offending anyone with my views on the outcome of the Dallas Conference of Bishops.

I am not changing all of my views, just my reaction to it.

There was a monsingnor on the Sean Hannity Show who explained in detail and laymen's terms, exactly what the outcome means. I do feel better about things now. Sometimes we, at least I, need things explained to me in a way that I can understand.

I do hope the Pope approves the new charter, and that this is the beginning of healing the damage that has been done to our church, the catholic faith, and the victims.

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 17, 2002

Answers

God bless you, Mary Lu. :-)

It's incredibly easy to get into "flame wars" on boards like this - I've been there! And *very* difficult to swallow your pride and apologize (I've been there too!). Good for you for having the guts to do so!

Take care - -

Love, Christine :-)

-- Christine Lehman (christinelehman@hotmail.com), June 17, 2002.

MaryLu,

I apologize for being harsh in my post. My fundamental advice for you was to encourage that you be slow to judge the Church. I went out and grabbed a few relevant Bible verses that show a that imitation of God includes the virtue of being slow to judge others.

While I saw your error in judging others, it was only after reading these verses that I realized that they were just as relevant to my own behavior toward you. Again, I'm sorry for being quick to judge. Here are the verses:

Numbers 14:18 - 'The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.'

Proverbs 14:29 - He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:18 - A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 16:32 - He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11 - Good sense makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

James 1:19,20 - Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.

God bless you,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), June 17, 2002.

MaryLu

WHEW! Glad you finally cooled down. You had me worried quite a bit. Hope you will try to let Prayer work it out for this crisis to be resolved. It is just the beginning. But I do have high hopes that things will work out for all of us. Like I said it will take a lot of patience for all of us to see the other end of the tunnel. I have faith that it will happen too that things will get better.

Blessings to you and May GOD BLESS.

-- Fred Bishop (FCB@heartland.com), June 17, 2002.

Thank you for your forgiveness.

Unfortunately, this crisis brought out the dark side (anger) in a lot of good people. And that is how Satan works, isn't it? He loves to get us angry.

When it comes to children being hurt, I have a low tolerance level.

God Bless MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 17, 2002.

There is a great article in this week's National Catholic Register (NOT to be confused with the NCReporter!!) by Brother John Raymond, co-founder of the Monks of Adoration, about ethics on the Internet. Here's a quote which seems to relate directly to what sometimes happens here (and on every chat room/bulletin board I've ever visited! ;-) --

"Sometimes in online apologetics discussions, you'll see otherwise- good Catholics using sharp sarcasm and venting unbridled anger even as they seek to defend the Church against her accusers. Would they speak this way face to face? And how effective could this approach be, anyway? The Catechism, in its section explaining the Eighth Commandment (No. 2478), talks about avoiding 'rash judgment ... [E] veryone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words and deeds in a favorable way.'"

(Know what? I think I'm gonna post this at all the other chat boards I visit too!)

Love, :-)

-- Christine Lehman (christinelehman@hotmail.com), June 17, 2002.

ML my post may have sounded patronising about you getting some rest and hoping you were ok. Sorry to offend.

-- KG (csisherwood@hotmail.com), June 17, 2002.

God Bless you Mary Lu! :-)

-- Kathy (sorry@nomail.com), June 17, 2002.

Thank you, Kathy. ML

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 17, 2002.