Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 509

Steve's Brief Story of St. Paul's Life

Since we are in Rome, I thought I would share a short biography I made on the fly of St. Paul at Tre Fontone where St. Paul was beheaded. This will give you a short introduction to St. Paul and his life from the very place where he was beheaded.

Free Timeline of the Life and Writings of St. Paul

Want to go to the Holy Land with us?

Your chance to win a trip to join Steve Ray in the Holy Land in April 2011. The Diocese of Phoenix is selling raffle tickets to win (1) free trip to the Holy Land. Tickets are $50.00 each and ONLY 300 tickets will be sold.

Tickets are selling fast and the drawing is December 10, 2010 so don't miss out and buy your ticket today! Call Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral at 602-242-1300 to buy a ticket.

Picture to right: Day Three: Mass in front of the grotto where Gabriel met Mary and said, "Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee!"

On the altar it says, "The Word was made Flesh HERE!"

How Do They Cook Spinach in Rome?

Janet and I (and our whole family) are keeping healthy with losing weight, exercise and eating good food. While in Rome last week Janet and I ate spinach every day. (Spinach is a SuperFood.) The spinach we ate was so good that  we asked our friend Mario to show us how to cook spinach Roman-style. Not only did he include spinach (as a SuperFood), but also two others: Olive Oil and Garlic.

Like many times in the past our friend Mario took us downstairs into his kitchen on Via di Porta Cavalleggeri across the street from St. Peter's Basilica — and we took a video so YOU could learn how to make this healthy and delicious dish.

We also added some video and pictures from an exceptional restaurant where Frs. Alfonso Aguilara and Ben Cieply took us for our celebration at the end of teaching our course on apologetics.

Here is the video! Bon Appetit!

"We the People": A Message to Obama

Over 6 million have viewed this good video. I couldn't agree more.

Beethoven was Never Better – I Enjoyed This!

In which hand do you hold the baton? What happens when you nose itches at the crescendo? What do you do when the baton goes flying into the audience?

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this short clip of a three year old conducting a Beethoven symphony. All young kids should be exposed to such music.

Can you imagine how much more alert, inquisitive, intelligent, and full of life this kid will grow up to be compared with kids sitting in front of stupid and insulting television shows and commercials throughout their childhood?

Hallelujah Chorus & Organ at Macy's – Watch Peoples' Reaction

People in their heart love beauty, spirituality and God. Look what happens when a random act of culture and beauty and spirituality bursts forth at Macy's.

Pope's New Interview in a New Book!!

Click image for more info or to order.

Archbishop Dolan's Latest Service will be a Great One

From my friend and Canon Lawyer Ed Peters:

"The version of the story I heard was that Tim Dolan, then an eighth grader at Holy Infant Parish in Saint Louis, rang the rectory doorbell one day and told the pastor that he wanted to do something to help the Church. The priest glanced at his shaggy yard and said, "Well, okay, how about you cut the lawn?" Timmy Dolan threw himself into the project, did a good job, and rang the doorbell to ask for his next assignment. One thing led to another, as they say, and today Abp. Timothy Dolan of New York, in a stunning break with the way things were supposed to happen, was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Abp. Dolan wants no congratulations, but he regularly begs for prayers, so, while we are baking cookies with green M&Ms to celebrate his election, we will also remember to pray for the former ecclesial greens-keeper as he takes on his latest project to help the Church. Keep in mind, he shoulders this role without the customary two-years to "read up" on things. It's a heavy responsibility; good thing Abp. Dolan takes himself so lightly.

"If any congrats are due, it's congrats to the bishops' conference for having had the good sense to choose Abp. Timothy Dolan as their leader."

For more on Archbishop Dolan in Wikipedia.

Original post: http://canonlawblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/abp-dolans-latest-service-will-be-great.html

Robert Spencer & Peter Kreeft Debate Islam

The topic: "Is the only good Muslim a bad Muslim?" I myself would argue in the affirmative.

The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts– one of a handful of Catholic colleges nationwide praised by the Cardinal Newman Society for its strong Catholic identity– has hosted a debate between Peter Kreeft and Robert Spencer on the question "Is the Only Good Muslim a Bad Muslim?"

"Essentially, when Muhammad was weak and unpopular, he asked members of other faiths to live and let live," said Spencer, director of Jihadwatch. "Once he controlled the city of Medina and led an army, he received new revelations that called for jihad and religious persecution. Islamic scholars believe that the later revelations abrogated (or overruled) the earlier ones. But when they are in a position of weakness– as they are today in America– Muslims like to cite the peaceful verses."

"I would say that today the spirit of the secular Enlightenment– which rejects God altogether, and encourages us to worship ourselves– is far more dangerous to our souls than a world religion that is devoted to worshiping the same God as Christians and Jews, albeit in a partial, somewhat primitive and distorted manner," said Kreeft, a Boston College philosophy professor and author of numerous works of apologetics.

For more info, a review and a video, click here.

ONE THOUSAND MILES!

Last Thanksgiving 2009 my son Jesse suggested we run 1,000 in one year. We set up a chart (click here) and started keeping track.

I JUST PASSED THE GOAL A FEW DAYS EARLY! Not only that but I crossed our huge milestone on a bridge crossing the Tiber River in Rome! This was exciting since my first book is entitled CROSSING THE TIBER.

To see the map, the pictures and videos of my 7.2 mile run through Rome, click here.