23 Dec 2013

DAD TEACH THY DAUGHTER


6 ESSENTIAL FACTS DADS SHOULD TEACH THEIR DAUGHTERS
So many girls and women today suffer or flourish in life-long relationships because of the influence or the lack of influence from their fathers.
The fun but sometimes scary thing about raising a daughter is that every dad has the opportunity and responsibility to show her what a “real man” is and to give her confidence to face the world with happiness and strength.
The truth of the matter is that we aren’t always the kind to sit down, sip tea with teddy bears, and teach with words, but the following six things are ways that dads can make the message sink in. I’ll try to keep the mushy stuff to a minimum.

1. How to Change a Tire and Change the Oil
Teach her to be self-reliant, even with things that society says are “men’s jobs.” Teach her how to count on herself and to know that she has the power to be successful and confident. Teach her to be tough when she needs to and to be able to care for herself and others.
2. It’s OK to Wear Pink
No matter how tough and capable she is, encourage and appreciate her natural, feminine qualities.
3. She is Beautiful – No Matter What
Beauty is more than physical, but I have never met a girl that did not love to hear those words. The world can be cruel. When zits come, or if she gains a few pounds, she always needs to hear from her daddy that she is beautiful.
4. She is More than Just Beautiful
Teach her that she is not an object—she is your daughter! Show her how men should treat women by your example. The media objectifies women more than ever before, and dads are the greatest force against the barrage of body messages that are thrown at our daughters. Make sure you’re not only complementing her physical beauty, but her mind, her kindness, and her character. Show her that you value these traits in the women in your life, especially in her mother.
5. When to Open Her Mouth
Strength is not masculine or feminine; it has to do with character. Help her learn to say “no” to people and to stand up for what she deems right, even when it’s not comfortable or popular.
6. When to Keep Her Mouth Shut
Gossip and backbiting are common, especially in today’s technological society. Bullies don’t have to be 200-pound brutes any longer with Facebook and other social media; all it takes is cruel words, gossip, and rumors. Teach her to treat others with kindness and to seek to add value to others rather than to take it away.
So, be the “real man” in your daughter’s life that will give her trust and confidence in her future and the capability to face it.
-      Tosin  < everydayfamily




15 Dec 2013

SIX TIPS FOR A LESS PAINFUL IM INJECTION


1. Prepare the injection site using an alcohol pad, but make sure you let the alcohol dry completely. This is probably the most common mistake people make that can cause unnecessary pain. It only takes an extra five seconds and is the easiest way to reduce pain during the injection.

2. Choose the correct site for the injection. The deltoid muscle of the upper arm is the preferred IM injection site, but viscous material or volumes larger than 2.5 ml should be given in the gluteus maximus muscle in the upper, outer quadrant of the buttock. An alternate site for larger injections is the vastus lateralus muscle on the outside of the leg halfway between the knee and the hip. These two larger muscles can accommodate a volume up to 5 ml.


3. Ensure that the needle remains at a 90-degree angle to the skin during the procedure. The needle must penetrate deep into the muscle, and a 90-degree angle puts the needle through as little skin as possible. Skin contains many more nerve endings than muscle and registers far more pain. Changing this angle while the needle is still in the muscle will cause pain in the muscle tissue as well.
4. Grasp a two- or three-inch section of the injection site and squeeze firmly but not painfully. Insert the needle quickly and firmly into the injection site up to the hub of the needle. The injection should not be so fast that it is not well controlled. Take care that you do not use a needle that is too long. Most people do not notice when a bone is hit, but it is possible to damage the needle on a bone and cause pain from a complication.

5. Perform the injection slowly. Injecting anything into the muscle too quickly will cause more trauma to the tissue. However, performing the injection should not cause the person pain because of the length of time the needle is in the arm. The speed of the injection should be about one second per ml for most medications and vaccinations.

6. Gently massage the muscle tissue after the injection has been given and the needle has been removed. The person receiving the injection may prefer to do this especially if the injection is in the buttock. If the person shows resistance or reluctance, this step can be optional.

< http://forum.facmedicine.com/threads/ 


13 Dec 2013

GAUDETE SUNDAY: 11 THINGS TO KNOW AND SHARE -Jimmy Akin


The third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday.”
In the readings, we hear about miracles associated with the Messianic age, its coming, and what we need to do to prepare.
We also learn about the doubts of John the Baptist, how he dealt with them, and the blessing that makes us even more fortunate than John was.
Here are 11 things to know and share: 
1. Why is the third Sunday of Advent known as Gaudete Sunday?
Its name is taken from the entrance antiphon of the Mass, which is: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”
This is a quotation from Philippians 4:4-5, and in Latin, the first word of the antiphon is gaudete (Latin, “rejoice”; it's also pronounced with three syllables: gau-de-te)
2. What Significance does this have?
Advent is the season of preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus (both his first coming and his second coming), and by the third Sunday of Advent, we are most of the way through the season.
Thus it is appropriate to rejoice as we see the goal of the season approaching: “The Lord is near.”
3. What is the appropriate liturgical color for this day?
According to the rubrics: In this mass the color violet or rose is used. It can thus be either one. It doesn't have to be rose; it can also be violet.
4. What does the first reading say?
The first reading is Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10. It opens with a prophecy that the desert region will rejoice and sing and bloom with abundant flowers. The reason is: “They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.”
It then contains an exhortation to strength and courage, and explains the reason why: Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.
It then contains the significant statement: Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.
And it concludes: Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.
5. What does this mean?
This prophecy uses nature imagery to convey the sense of joy that the Jewish people would experience upon their return from exile.
This is what is meant by the statements that the desert will sing and be covered with flowers that “see the glory of the Lord.”
It depicts God’s coming with vindication to save his people after their exile, and it depicts urges patience until it arrives.
It portrays God working miracles among his people, such as healing the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute.
It promises that he will bring back those he has ransomed and give them everlasting joy, from which sorrow and mourning will flee.
Taken up into the Christological realm, this passage points to the joy of those God redeems through Jesus from their sins and the deliverance and spiritual homeland that he provides.
It contains elements that point forward to both the first advent of Christ—when he performed miracles such as curing the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute.
And it contains elements that point forward to the ultimate consummation that will occur with his second advent, when “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).
6.  What does the Responsorial Psalm say?
The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 146:6-10.
It contains a series of praises of God, stressing the good things that he does: He keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets captives free, etc.
Among the notable things that the Psalm declares is this: The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The reading concludes: The LORD shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations.
7.  What does this mean?
The Psalm gives voice to the worship of God’s faithful on behalf of his wondrous deeds, including miracles, such as the restoration of sight to blind people.
This particular miracle was also mentioned in the third reading, and it will become significant again in the Gospel reading.
The conclusion of the reading—the statement that God will reign forever—gives voice to our confidence in God and his ever-present providence in our lives.
On a Christological level, it also points to the eternal reign of the Son, which has been inaugurated with the first coming and which will be consummated at the second coming.
8. What does the Second Reading say?
The second reading is James 5:7-10.  It contains an exhortation to be patient until the coming of the Lord.
James compares the patience the reader must have to that of a farmer, who must wait until his crop “receives the early and the late rains.”
As in the Psalm for today, James exhorts the readers to strength and courage (“Make your hearts firm”) because “the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
He also tells them not to complain about each other, that they may not be judged.
Finally, he tells them that the Judge is standing before the gates and that they should follow the prophets as an example of hardship and patience.
9. What does this mean?
Rain did not fall year-round in Israel, but only at certain times. The early rains took place from mid-October to mid-November, and later rains took place from mid-December to mid-January. There were also rains in March and April.
Farmers were thus dependent on the arrival of these rains for the success of their crops and had to wait patiently for the rains to come and the crops to ripen.
The prophets, likewise, had to endure hardship and patience, particularly because their prophetic mission caused opposition—just as the Christian message did (and does).
These facts make both the farmers and the prophets models of patience and endurance for Christians in James’s day—and in ours.
Ultimately, God will reward our faith and patience, but we must be prepared to wait and to endure hardship.
As we do so, we must live in harmony with each other. One manifestation of this is resisting the urge to complain about each other, for in the way we judge others, we too will be judged. (That is, if we are unmerciful to others, we will obtain less mercy for ourselves.)
This latter statement is noteworthy because of how well it harmonizes with things Jesus says. James does not directly quote his kinsman, Jesus, in his letter, but as this passage shows, his thought was permeated by that of Christ.
10. What does the Gospel Reading say?
The Gospel reading is Matthew 11:2-11. The reading contains two parts.
In the first, John the Baptist, who is in prison, sends messengers to Jesus to ask “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?”
Jesus replies by telling them to report to John what they have seen: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
He adds: And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.
In the second part of the reading, as the messengers are preparing to leave, Jesus pays tribute to John the Baptist by asking the crowd a series of rhetorical questions about why they went out into the desert to see John when he was ministering.
The implied answer to the questions is “no” (no, they did not go out to see a reed shaken by the wind or someone dressed in fine clothing) until he names going out to see a prophet.
At this point Jesus affirms that they did go out to see a prophet, “and more than a prophet.”
He then identifies why John is more than a prophet: He is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, in which it is said: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.
Finally, Jesus states: Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
11. What does this mean?
The Jewish people in Jesus’ day had certain ideas about what the Messiah would be like and what he would do.
It was common to envision him as an earthly king who would deliver Israel from the dominion of the hated Romans by violent revolution.
John the Baptist may have shared some of this expectation, for even though he had received a revelation pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:30-34).
Despite this revelation, Jesus’ subsequent actions (his failure to start a revolution?) apparently caused John to question whether Jesus was the Messiah.
Rather than lose faith or let his doubts eat away at him, John decided to confront the issue directly, and so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if his understanding of Jesus’ Messiaship was correct.
Jesus indicated that it was, pointing to the fact that he had been fulfilling the predicted miracles and the preaching of the good news proper to the Messianic age.
One of these miracles was the recovery of sight to the blind (already mentioned in the first reading and the responsorial Psalm).
Jesus then states that those who do not take offense at him (i.e., who do not reject him) are blessed.
In the original context, it applies to John the Baptist (he will be blessed for maintaining faith in Jesus, despite his doubts).
The same principle, however, applies to us as well.
As John’s messengers are departing, Jesus pays tribute to their master, stating that he was a genuine prophet—and even more than that—he was the messenger prophesied in Malachi, who would be the herald of the Messiah.
This makes him the greatest prophet of all, which is why Jesus says that among those born of women, none has been greater than John.
Despite this, Jesus states that “the least in the kingdom of heaven” is even greater.
In this context, the kingdom of heaven is understood in its earthly manifestation as the Church, in the Christian age, which John did not live to see.
Every Christian—man, woman, and child—is more blessed than John because we didn't just get to herald him. We get to live in the age he inaugurated, to share in its many blessings, and to be part of his mystical Body.
(That also goes for his mother, Mary, incidentally).Fine modulo


About Jimmy Akin: Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is a Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to This Rock magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

6 Dec 2013

OPEN LETTER TO CHRIS OKOTIE, RE. ‘ALL CATHOLICS WILL GO TO HELL’ _Sly Fulton Achonam

 “The Catholic church is a counterfeit church set up by Satan. Catholics bow to idols and crucify Jesus every Sunday when they eat bread claiming they are eating Jesus’ body.” _ Pastor Chris Okotie
http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/12/01/catholics-will-go-to-hell-says-chris-okotie/
Am not going to join issues with you Chris , making mockery of people and their faith and making yourself THE LORD AND MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE THAT HAS THE POWER TO SEND PEOPLE TO HEAVEN OR HELL. I am only writing to educate you Chris Okotie and to encourage my fellow Catholics and others who care to know what we believe about the Eucharist, which is one of the issues Chris Okotie talked about.
First Chris Okotie is absolutely right when he said we eat bread and drink wine [body and blood] and say we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This accusation/misinterpretation has always been there from the first century. Listen to Pliny the Younger AD 62-114, a Roman official making a report of his discovery about Christians,
''They have been accustomed to assemble on a fixed day before daylight and sing by turns a hymn to Christ as God: and that they bound themselves with an oath [‘sacramentum’], not for any crime, but to commit neither theft, nor robbery, nor adultery, not to break their word and not to deny a deposit when demanded; after these things are done, it was their custom to take food and drink believed to be the body and blood of their God'' [Pliny, Epistulae.10, 96]
Yes that’s what we do, every Sunday, and even everyday Catholics who are in the state of grace receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Why do we do that? and how do we come about such a tradition?.
We receive the body and blood of Christ because that is what Jesus Christ Himself commanded us to do. There are a lot of things Jesus commanded us to do but the emphasis He placed on his Body and blood makes it a defining event in the life of early Christians which they in turn handed over to us… Let’s take a tour in the bible.

There are two instances where Jesus specifically used the word unless...'UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN of water and the spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God… ' [John 3:3-7] Am sure our separated brothers and sisters are so familiar with this verse… Because that’s why they place so much emphases on being born again. We Catholics also take this verse and every verse in the bible very seriously since you cannot become catholic unless you are born again of water and the Holy Spirit. To be born again for us Catholic means, rejecting Satan and all his works, rejecting sin… and professing faith in Jesus Christ …faith in God the Father Son and Holy Spirit… then the person will be baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus in the name of The Father Son and Holy Spirit..[Attend a Catholic Baptism and you will see all these elements celebrated.]
The second verse is John 6:52-58…'' Then the Jews started to argue among themselves, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?. Jesus replied and said, truly truly I say to you UNLESS YOU EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU… for my flesh is real food and my blood real drink… As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father so whoever eats me will also draw life from me… It is not like the bread our ancestors ate, they are dead but anyone who eats this bread will live forever. [John 6:52-58] I will encourage you to read the whole sixth chapter of John to understand the importance, emphases and uncompromising position of Christ on this teaching.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes" (Jn 6:53; ICor. 11:26).
Let's look at the institution narratives found in the three synoptic gospels, Mathew 26: 26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22: 14-20. In each of these gospels they all recorded an event Jesus celebrated before his passion and commanded his apostles to do in memory of Him. Even St Paul reechoed this tradition '' For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread… THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS FOR YOU. DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME, in the same way also the cup… For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. WHOEVER THEREFORE, EATS THE BREAD OR DRINKS THE CUP OF THE LORD IN AN UNWORTHY MANNER WILL BE GUILTY OF PROFANING THE BODY OF THE LORD [ICor. 11: 23-32].
It is very lucid the apostles understood this command of Christ, prompting St Paul to issue the above warning after handing over the tradition he received. No wonder the apostles and disciples continued gathering together and breaking the bread, Acts of the Apostle 2:42 summarized the activities of the disciples of Christ in this way,
''These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to prayers'' [Acts 2:23] read also Acts 20:7.
As the apostles and disciples were dying off, the apostolic fathers and the first, second and third century Christians continued this tradition.[ The tradition of gathering together on the first day of the week, reading the then known scripture, singing psalms and breaking of bread] 

Lets have a look at the writings of these early Christians. The Didache, or The teaching of the Apostles which dates prior to some New Testament books has this to say '' Assemble on the Lord's day and break bread and offer the Eucharist [Thanksgiving]: but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one. Anyone who has a difference with his fellow is not to take part until they have been reconciled, so as to avoid any profanation of your sacrifice. For this is the offering of which the Lord said, ‘Everywhere and always bring me a sacrifice that is undefiled, for I am a great king says the Lord and my name is the wonder of nations'[Malachi 1:11]'' DIDACHE, sec.14. 
Reading the writings of clement of Rome. AD 96, Justin Martyr AD100- 165, Irenaeus AD 200, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and many other key players in the first three century of the church is the clearest indication of the centrality of the Eucharist.
Listen to Ignatius of Antioch AD 35- 107, '' Make certain therefore, that you all observe one common Eucharist: for there is but one Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and but one cup of union with His Blood, and one single altar of sacrifice… [Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Philadelphians 4].
Listen to Justin Martyr AD 100-165 ''And on the day called Sunday, all who live in the cities….gather to one place and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read…when the reader has ceased, the president [priest] verbally instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and as we before said, when our prayer is ended bread and wine are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers to his ability, and the people accent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each and a participation of that over which thanks have been given [Eucharistic elements] and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacon… For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His Word and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh'' [ Justin Martyr, First Apology 1,67]
Rev. Fr. Sly Fulton Achonam.
Just for the records this tradition of gathering on the first day of the week, reading scripture, singing Psalms, sharing in the brotherhood, breaking the bread and prayers has continued from the apostolic times, the second, third, fourth, century and to the 21st century. And that is what Catholics do in every Mass.
I know there are some people who think that the gospel of Jesus Christ just landed on their laps, without history without tradition. This is completely false. Jesus Christ [The Incarnate Son of God, The Word made Flesh that dwelled among us, The Eucharistic Emmanuel] is a Historical being and He lived in time and the Church He Founded has been on a journey awaiting the Second Coming…[ Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again] as we reecho in every mass. 
Search the scripture, study history and Tradition, You will discover the Teachings of Jesus Christ, you will discover his church… NOT CHRIS OKOTIE'S CHURCH.
For Chris Okotie to call Pope Francis anti-Christ is seeking undue media coverage. For members of Chis Okotie church…my advice is simple…just look at the life of Chris Okotie and look at the life of Pope Francis even before he became Pope…you will discover for yourself who is for Christ and who is against Christ… and good enough Jesus had already given us the key when He said… By their fruits you shall know them [Matt 7 15-20]
May the Lord Jesus Christ who promised to be with his church always… that not even the powers of the netherworld will prevail against it bless his church [ Matt 28; 20, Matt 16 ;18]… May the Lord Jesus Christ who prayed for Peter that his faith may not fail, but to strengthen his brothers bless Pope Francis [Luke 22 ;31].





29 Oct 2013

SURPRISE! ONLINE LOVERS MEET AT A HOTEL AND DISCOVER THAT THEY ARE FATHER-IN-LAW & DAUGHTER-IN-LAW


Chinese man arranges hotel meeting with a girl he spoke to online… and is shocked to discover she is his son’s wife. Wang, the 57-year-old man, arranged to meet Lili at a hotel in Muling City in the Heilongjiang province when he made the awkward discovery. Wang’s son (and Lili’s husband) Da Jun had followed her to the rendezvous after discovering her online liaison and was equally disturbed to find his father waiting for her. In a rage, his son Da Jun allegedly beat Wang and his wife causing her to lose three teeth.
Wang used the online alias ‘GOOD AT UNDERSTANDING OTHERS,’ while Lili, a stay-at-home mother went by the alias ‘LONELY FLOWERS AND PLANTS’. Both used false photographs of their attractive friends.
The pair met on an online chat room one night. Happy with what they saw, the pair arranged to meet at a hotel in the city at 6pm one night. Wang claimed to be the director of a company and that he was single after his wife had died two years before. But he is a retired military man. Lili said her husband was serving a five-year jail sentence for brawling and that she lived at home with her son.
On the day of the fateful meeting, Da Jun arrived home from a long-haul trip from Harbin ahead of schedule only to discover Lili’s online discussions with ‘Good at understanding others’. He also saw evidence of her rendezvous plans. In a bid to catch her red-handed, Da Jun phoned his wife and told her he had to leave again for work. Not suspecting the ruse, Lili dropped their son off at her parent’s house and travelled to the hotel.
When Wang opened the door, Lili was shocked to find that the man was in fact her father-in-law. In shock, she said, ‘this was a misunderstanding,’ and turned to leave the hotel when Da Jun revealed himself and confronted the pair.
Da Jun said: ‘I’m out there working my ass off to earn money, half-dead with fatigue, and all the while you two are messing around.’
As he beat his father, hotel staff called the police who detained all three.
< empressleak.biz

22 Oct 2013

DIVORCED AND REMARRIED CATHOLICS, AND THE RECEIVING OF HOLY COMMUNION: REAFFIRMING THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH


Archbishop G. L. Muller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
In response to mistaken expectations that the Catholic Church might review and relax her stand on the issue of receiving Holy Communion by divorced and remarried Catholics, Archbishop G. L. Muller (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) officially reaffirms the church’s teachings contrary to the wrong expectations. He acknowledged that many Catholics' first marriages might be invalid, and thus eligible for annulment, if spouses had been influenced by prevailing contemporary conceptions of marriage as a temporary arrangement.
Here are some extracts from his write-up to this regard:

A "case for the admission of remarried divorcees to the sacraments is argued in terms of mercy," but such an argument "misses the mark" in regard to the sacraments, since the "entire sacramental economy is a work of divine mercy and it cannot simply be swept aside by an appeal to the same."

"An objectively false appeal to mercy also runs the risk of trivializing the image of God, by implying that God cannot do other than forgive… The mystery of God includes not only his mercy but also his holiness and his justice. If one were to suppress these characteristics of God and refuse to take sin seriously, ultimately it would not even be possible to bring God's mercy to man."
"This practice (of allowing second or third marriages even when the first is sacramentally valid) cannot be reconciled with God's will, as expressed unambiguously in Jesus' sayings about the indissolubility of marriage,"
"If remarried divorcees are subjectively convinced in their conscience that a previous marriage was invalid, this must be proven objectively by the competent marriage tribunals. Marriage is not simply about the relationship of two people to God, it is also a reality of the church, a sacrament, and it is not for the individuals concerned to decide on its validity, but rather for the church, into which the individuals are incorporated by faith and baptism." 

"Today's mentality is largely opposed to the Christian understanding of marriage, with regard to its indissolubility and its openness to children. Because many Christians are influenced by this, marriages nowadays are probably invalid more often than they were previously, because there is a lack of desire for marriage in accordance with Catholic teaching, and there is too little socialization within an environment of faith."
"Therefore assessment of the validity of marriage is important and can help to solve problems."
"But where the requirements for an annulment are lacking, he wrote, civilly remarried Catholics may receive communion only if they promise to abstain from sexual relations, living together "as friends, as brother and sister." Archbishop G. L. Muller (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith).
< By Francis X. Rocca
Catholic News Service


21 Oct 2013

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BANANA


You will never look at a banana the same way again after discovering the many health benefits and reasons to add them to your diet.
  1. Overcoming Depression: Bananas help overcome depression due high levels of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin -the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter.
  2. Energy and Blood Sugar: Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout to pack an energy punch and sustain your blood sugar.
  3. Muscle Cramps: Protect against muscle cramps during workouts and night time leg cramps by eating a banana.
  4. Calcium Loss: Counteract calcium loss during urination and build strong bones by supplementing with a banana.
  5. Mood and Stress-Relief: Improve your mood and reduce PMS symptoms by eating a banana, which regulates blood sugar and produces stress-relieving relaxation.
  6. High Levels of Vitamin B-6: Bananas reduce swelling, protect against type II diabetes, aid weight loss, strengthen the nervous system, and help with the production of white blood cells, all due to high levels of vitamin B-6.
  7. Iron: Strengthen your blood and relieve anemia with the added iron from bananas.
  8. Blood Pressure, Heart Attack and Stroke: High in potassium and low in salt, bananas are officially recognized by the FDA as being able to lower blood pressure, and protect against heart attack and stroke.

Banana and Digestion
  1. Aid Digestion: Rich in pectin, bananas aid digestion and gently chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body.
  2. Prebiotic and Digestive Enzymes: Bananas act as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowel. They also produce digestive enzymes to assist in absorbing nutrients.
  3. Constipation: High fiber in bananas can help normalize bowel motility.
  4. Diarrhea: Got the runs? Bananas are soothing to the digestive tract and help restore lost electrolytes after diarrhea.
  5. Natural Antacid: Bananas are a natural antacid, providing relief from acid reflux, heartburn and GERD.
  6. Stomach Ulcers: Bananas are the only raw fruit that can be consumed without distress to relieve stomach ulcers by coating the lining of the stomach against corrosive acids.

Natural Cures From Banana
  1. Kidney and Eyes: Eating bananas helps prevent kidney cancer, protects the eyes against macular degeneration and builds strong bones by increasing calcium absorption.
  2. Learning: Bananas make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. Eat a banana before an exam to benefit from the high levels of potassium.
  3. Antioxidants: Bananas are high in antioxidants, providing free radicals and protection from chronic disease.
  4. Blood Sugar and Nausea: Eating a banana between meals helps stabilize blood sugar and reduce nausea from morning sickness.
  5. Itching and Irritation: Rub a bug bite or hives with the inside of the banana peel to relieve itching and irritation.
  6. Blood Sugar: Control blood sugar and avoid binging between meals by eating a banana.
  7. Body Temperature: Eating a banana can lower the body temperature and cool you during a fever or on a hot day.
  8. SAD: The natural mood-enhancer tryptophan, helps to relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
  9. Quitting Smoking: Bananas contain high levels of B-vitamins as well as potassium and magnesium speed recovery from the effects of withdrawal.
  10. Wart: Remove a wart by placing the inside of a piece of banana peel against the wart and taping it in place.

Leather Polish: Rub the inside of a banana peel on your leather shoes or handbag and polish with a dry cloth for a quick shine.
Snacks and Delicious SmoothiesOh, and remember -bananas make great snacks and delicious smoothies.
Now you know why monkeys are so happy. Eat a banana!