23 April 2017. Benny Ratz Still Suckin’ Down the Sudz at Age 90

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Here’s proof that Benedict XVI Ratzinger isn’t only hale n’ hearty, he still enjoys a good litre of brewski. Here, he greets a delegation from his native Bavaria on his birthday. Ninety-years-old and still goin’ strong… will he reach 100? Will he outlive Franky Bag o’ Donuts? Who knows? Maybe, Fr Guido Sarducci has the inside intel (“Finda the Pope in the Pizza”)…

BMD

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8 December 2016. Pravoslavie FUCKS UP ROYALLY… AGAIN! Bad Translation from the Platina Nutters, Yet Again

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Shevkunov strikes again! That is, he hands over translation of material to dumbass rightwing Amerikantsy converts, with predictable results (he likes sending stuff to the Platina nutters… the Rose crowd or to rightwing bozos like Jesse Dominick). His handling of HH’s comments on same-sex marriage and homosexual orientation were interesting… in the sense that Chinese people mean when they wish you, “May you live in interesting times”. First, we have the Russian original posted on patriarchia.ru. Next, is my translation… the Pravoslavie abortion is last. Note the howler in the name of the Parisian archbishop. That’s a proof of ignorance and laziness… two things seen in abundance amongst konvertsy… read on, kids…

BMD

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Russian original

Ваше Святейшество, мы видели, насколько болезненна для многих французов тема легализации однополых браков. Были массовые протесты. Касались ли Вы этой темы в ходе своего визита?

Да, мы коснулись этой темы во время беседы с архиепископом Парижским кардиналом Андре Вен-Труа. Всем хорошо известна роль Католической Церкви, которая категорически выступала против легализации однополых браков. И миллионная демонстрация французов, в основном, католиков, была ясным свидетельством несогласия значительной части населения с тем, что произошло.

Нужно сказать, что ничего не меняется в позиции Церкви, и измениться не может, потому что это против христианской морали. Еще раз хочу сказать, что мы никого не осуждаем – ни католики, ни православные. Мы не требуем некоего ужесточения в отношении людей, у которых есть какая-то особенность в сексуальной ориентации. Но мы категорически против уравнивания этих взаимоотношений с браком, который определен Богом и в результате которого рождаются дети, продолжается жизнь человеческого рода. То, что входит в Божий замысел, не может корректироваться никакими политическими доктринами и никакой политической практикой. На этом основывается позиция Церкви.

http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4706946.html

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My translation

Your Holiness, we’ve seen how gay marriage is a painful topic for many French people. There were mass protests. Did you touch upon this subject during your visit?

Yes, we touched on the topic during a conversation with André Cardinal Vingt-Trois, the Archbishop of Paris. The role of the Catholic Church is well-known in this; it strongly opposes legalising same-sex marriage. The demonstrations involving millions of French people, mostly Catholic believers, were a clear sign of that; they showed that [Catholics] disagreed with the majority opinion [in France]. I must say that nothing has changed in the Church’s position; it can’t change, as [any change would be] against Christian morality. Once again, I want to say that we never condemn anyone… [“we” meaning] both Catholics and Orthodox. We don’t ask that there be restrictions against people of a different sexual orientation. However, we categorically oppose any changes equating such relationships with marriage, which is Divinely Ordained, within which children are born, so that the life of the human race continues. That is part of God’s plan. We can’t modify that with political measures or political ideologies. That’s the basis of the Church’s position.

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6 December 2016 Pravoslavie.ru article

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all the Russias has noted that while the Orthodox Church has strict traditional stances on marriage and family matters, it doesn’t condemn people, who are always called in love to repentance. In Paris to consecrate the new Trinity Cathedral and spiritual centre, His Holiness also met with the Catholic archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Andrew-Ben-Tura in which the theme of sexual orientation was raised. Summarising the Church’s stance, at a press conference the Patriarch stated:

I must say that nothing changes in the Church’s position, and can’t change, because it’s against Christian morality. I want to say again that we don’t judge anyone… neither Catholics nor Orthodox. We don’t require a hard line towards people of a peculiar sexual orientation. But we categorically oppose the equating of such relationships with marriage, which was defined by God and results in children being born and the continuing of the human race. What is included in God’s design can’t be corrected by any political doctrine or practise. On this is built the position of the Church.

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/99221.htm

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The rubber hits the road with какая-то особенность в сексуальной ориентации. Literally, it’d be some feature of sexual orientation. That jangles in English, doesn’t it? OK, how do we “English” this in a way both correct and pleasing (not so easy, as my experience tells me)? What’s the primary word here? I’d say that it’s особенность. It depends on the context, but it mostly gets “Englished” as feature or particularity. Other possible choices are quality, factor, or trait. It’s clear to me that some konvertsy brat chose peculiar as it fit their ignorant Yahoo rightwing opinions. HH was being very careful not to be judgemental, so it’s clear that’s not what he meant. Indeed, the choice of such an unusual idiom (usually, Russian uses non-traditional sexual orientation to indicate homosexuality) proves that he bent over backwards in his effort not to offend anyone. To carry over this into English, I chose people of a different sexual orientation. It has the same flavour of vagueness and nonspecificity found in the original. The “translation” on Pravoslavie destroyed that… peculiar turned HH’s carefulness and wish not to offend anyone into a mindless Yahoo rant. That’s unforgivable. I believe that we’ve ordained far too many ex-Evangelicals… things such as this prove that they’re not “of us”. I’d say that the bishops would do well to defrock most former-Evangelicals. They’re not of us, never can be, and they distort what the Church truly says. Shall we have the courage to do it, though?

BMD

26 July 2016. Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant

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TO:

His Eminence André Cardinal Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris, Chairman of the Bishops’ Conference of France

Your Eminence!

With a sense of deep sorrow, we received the news of the terrible crime in a Catholic church in Rouen… a terakt* during liturgy, which led to a hostage situation and to the killing of Priest Jacques Hamel. This heinous crime occurred in the Holy Place. It was striking in its inhuman cruelty; it violated every moral norm. It doesn’t and can’t have any justification. I express my sincere condolences to you, to the clergy and faithful of the Roman Catholic Church in France, and to the relatives, friends, and spiritual children of the murdered pastor. May God, who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (Gospel according to St John 3.16), give rest to the soul of His servant in the mansions of heaven, give comfort and support to the victims, and give peace and blessing to the French people.

• Terakt: Russian acronym for “terrorist action”

With love in the Lord,

+KIRILL

Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias

26 July 2016

Patriarchia.ru

MP Official Website

http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4573546.html

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When a Christian or group of Christians dies because they trust that Christ is the faithful revelation of God and of a new humanity, their death is not like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s last words to Darth Vader, “Strike me down and I’ll become more powerful than you could imagine”. Resurrection isn’t about returning to fight worldly means of power with the powers known to this world. No… as the Body of Christ, our death is like the death of Jesus, a great humility accepted voluntarily for the life of the world… with all kinds of conflicting human emotions. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”… even friends that at the moment look a lot like enemies. Our hope (and our vindication) isn’t in a resurrection that makes us more powerful than our temporal enemies, but a resurrection to eternal life… a great victory for ALL persons over the enemies of all whom God has made in His image, all whom God cherishes… every last human-being. Those enemies are sin, famine, disease, pestilence, sword, decay, calamities, death, and the Accuser. If we’re in Christ, our enemies are no longer our human brothers and sisters.

26 July 2016

Kenneth Tanner

Facebook

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A witness of Christ, Fr Jacques Hamel, martyr. Pray for his soul, his witness, for Christians throughout the world suffering persecution.

26 July 2016

Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap

Archbishop of Boston (Roman Catholic)

Twitter

Editor:

You can say what you will about Cardinal Seán… he walks the walk when it comes to aiding the poor and needy (a good Orthodox analogue would be Bishop Panteleimon Shatov). This Sunday, light a candle when you go to liturgy and say a private prayer for the repose of Fr Jacques… priests can say a private prayer as they do the Proskomidi. The canons allow this. We’re Christians… that’s what we do.

Look at HH… he shows us the way. ‘Nuff said…

BMD

16 July 2016. Two Versions of the Trump Golden Calf

Here’s the original, with Pope Francisco in the image

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Here’s an edited version making the rounds of the web now

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The first is more apropos… it means that Dolan and those favouring the rightwing are at odds with their Church. Well, our rightwingers are at odds with HH. Both our righties and the papist righties unite to support Republican filth. Both our First Hierarch and the Pope of Rome oppose the right. Interesting, no? Both our rebellious righties and their papist analogues use the “Pro-Life Movement” as the reason for their rebellion. Tells you much about the Pro-Life Movement and its evil, doesn’t it? There’s a wrong way of being right… a way that converts good into evil. That’s the Pro—Life Movement… no one who’s pro-oligarch, pro-capital punishment, pro-war, and anti-single-payer healthcare can be truly Pro-Life… no one. Unfortunately, for all their bluster, they’re just the usual lot of Mammon worshippers and Pharisees. Do have a care… frauds are about, and they all thump their chests and tell you what great Christians they are.

They lie…

BMD