Dara’s Corner Try “Bicerin”
· Spirit hour: Burgundy Wine in honor of St. Urban
· Wednesday after Laetare Sunday: end of Mid-Lent.
· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 14
· Bucket List Trip: Finland
Home buying assistance
Learn about government programs that make it easier to purchase a home.
Government-backed home loans and mortgage assistance
If you are looking to buy a home, a government-backed home loan or a mortgage assistance program could help.
Homeownership vouchers for first-time home buyers
If you have a low income and want to buy your first home, the Housing Choice Voucher homeownership program could help. It may also help you pay monthly housing expenses.
Real estate and federal lands for sale by the government
Government agencies sell real estate and federal lands either by auction or offer. Federal agencies acquire these properties through foreclosure, forfeiture, or failed banks.
Arizona Section 32 Homeownership Program
Section 32 Homeownership is offered to first-time homebuyers who are at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI) , and who will use the home as their primary residence. The purchase price will be the current (within 6 months of purchase) appraised value of the home. Eligible properties must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection. Homeownership, financial fitness and hands-on maintenance classes are also required. Some program benefits may include:
20% discount off home appraisal value
Guidance through the homeownership process
Possible grant for down payment and closing costs
Possible additional subsidies
One-year home warranty
Lower monthly payment
FIRST WEDNESDAY-World Autism Awareness
Day
Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Verse 15
The earlier governors, my
predecessors, had laid a heavy burden on the people, taking from them each day
forty silver shekels for their food; then, too, their attendants oppressed the
people. But I, because I FEARED God,
did not do this.
A
person that fears God does not
oppress or take advantage of those dependent on them. Evil or power-hungry
people love to get cash cows. In our country the best cash cows are the
addicted and many of these users and abusers do so through legal means.
Alcohol, Cigarettes, high fructose corn syrup, mortgages, taxes are all legal.
Then
there is the illegal even more deadly, prescription drugs, marijuana, heroin;
you name it. Then if that wasn’t enough there is porn and the internet.
Whew…then there is congress and the education system!
Cheating. Cybersexting. Hazing, Drug abuse. Murder[1]
Scanning the headlines of
the latest scandals in America’s schools, it’s quite clear that the problem is
not that there’s too much God in students’ lives. The problem is that there
isn’t nearly enough of Him. With the malfunction of moral seatbelts and the
erosion of moral guardrails, too many kids have turned to a pantheon of false
gods, crutches and palliatives. They’re obsessed with “Slender Man” and
“Vampire Diaries.” Alex from Target’s hair and Rihanna’s tattoos. Overpriced
basketball sneakers and underdressed reality stars. Choking games and YouTube
games. Gossip and hookups. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat. It’s all about
selfies over self-control, blurred lines over bright lines. In a metastatic
youth culture of soullessness and rootlessness, the idea of high school teens
voluntarily using their free time to pray and sing hymns is not just a breath
of fresh air. It’s salvation. But leave it to secularists run amok to punish
faithful young followers of Christ. Last week, the Alliance Defending Freedom
filed a religious freedom lawsuit against Pine Creek High School here in my
adopted hometown of Colorado Springs. Chase Windebank, a senior at the district
20 school, had been convening an informal prayer group for the past three years
“in a quiet area to sing Christian religious songs, pray, and to discuss issues
of the day from a religious perspective.”
Windebank and his friends
weren’t disrupting classroom time. They shared their Christian faith during an
open period earned by high-achieving students. Other kids used the time to play
on their phones, eat snacks, get fresh air outside, or schedule meetings for a
wide variety of both official and unofficial school clubs. A Pine Creek choir
teacher had given permission to Windebank and his fellow worshipers to meet in
an empty music practice room. No complaints ever ensued from other students or
faculty. For three years, the group encountered no problems, according to ADF’s
complaint. But in late September, Windebank was summoned to the assistant
principal’s office and ordered to stop praying because of “the separation of
church and state.” The school singled out the young man of faith’s harmless
activities and banned members of his group from discussing current issues of
the day from a religious perspective during an open period in an unobtrusive
meeting place. It defies common sense that in conservative-leaning Colorado
Springs, home to a vibrant faith community and leading evangelical
organizations, students would be reprimanded and deprived of basic
constitutional rights. As a letter from local parents to the school district
decried: “To what benefit does it serve a school to limit the ability for a
student to pray with their friends, fellowship with their friends, or discuss
daily events from a Christian perspective? It is obvious that School District
20 is taking a freedom FROM religion perspective, not a freedom OF religion
perspective.” Think about it: If the high-schoolers gathered in the cafeteria
to listen to Billboard magazine’s No. 1 pop hit “Habits (Stay High)” — “You’re
gone and I gotta stay high/ all the time/ to keep you off my mind” — school
officials would have no issue. If they lounged in a courtyard to joke about the
latest girl-fight videos or off-color joke memes posted on Vine, no problem. If
they discussed the latest “Walking Dead” episode or napped in the library? All
good. But singing “Amazing Grace” and studying scripture? This subversion must
be stopped!
How did we get here? And
in Colorado Springs, of all places — not Berkeley or Boulder or Boston? Blame
cowardice, ignorance and politically correct bureaucrats pledging allegiance to
one nation, under godlessness, without religious liberty, and the occult of
extreme secularism for all. Pray for our
Nation.
Wednesday
Of the Fourth Week of Lent[2]
Prayer.
O God, Who grantest to the just the
reward of their merits, and to sinners pardon, by means of fasting, have mercy
on Thy supplicants, that the confession of our guilt may enable us to receive
the forgiveness of our sins. Amen.
EPISTLE. Isaias i. 16-19.
Thus, saith the Lord God: Wash
yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from My eyes: cease to
do perversely, learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge
for the fatherless, defend the widow. And then come, and accuse Me, saith the
Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if
they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool. If you be willing, and
will hearken to Me, you shall eat the good things of the land, saith the Lord
Almighty.
GOSPEL. John ix. 1-38.
At that time: Jesus passing by, saw a man who was blind from his birth: and His disciples asked Him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him that sent Me, whilst it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When He had said these things, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay upon his eyes, and said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore, and washed, and he came seeing. The neighbors, therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat, and begged? Some said: This is he. But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he. They said therefore to him: How were thy eyes opened? He answered: That man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe, and wash. And I went, I washed, and I see. And they said to him: Where is He? He saith, I know not. They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Again, therefore the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see. Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, Who keepeth not the Sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say therefore to the blind man again: What sayest thou of Him that hath opened thy eyes? And he said: He is a prophet. The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said: We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: ask himself; he is of age, let him speak for himself. These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves, that if any man should confess Him to be Christ he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, did his parents say: He is of age, ask him. They therefore called the man again that had been blind and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. He said therefore to them: If He be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. They said then to him: What did He to thee? How did He open thy eyes? He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard: why would you hear it again? will you also become His disciples? They reviled him therefore and said: Be thou His disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not from whence He is. The man answered, and said to them: Why, herein is a wonderful thing that you know not from whence He is, and He hath opened my eyes. Now we know that God doth not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God, and doth His will, him He heareth. From the beginning of the world, it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind. Unless this man were of God, He could not do anything. They answered and said to him: Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when He had found him, He said to him: Dost thou believe in the Son of God? He answered, and said: Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him? And Jesus said to him: Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down he adored.
First Wednesday-St.
Joseph-Do a Rosary and Communion
These words were spoken to Sister on the eve of St. Joseph’s
feast day, March 18, 1958:
·
My
child, I desire a day to be set aside to honor my fatherhood.
· The privilege of being chosen by God to be the Virgin-Father of His Son was mine alone, and no honor, excluding that bestowed upon my Holy Spouse, was ever, or will ever, be as sublime or as high as this.
·
The Holy
Trinity desires thus to honor me that in my unique fatherhood all fatherhood
might be blessed.
·
Dear
child, I was king in the little home of Nazareth, for I sheltered within it the
Prince of Peace and the Queen of Heaven. To me they looked for protection and
sustenance, and I did not fail them.
·
I
received from them the deepest love and reverence, for in me they saw Him Whose
place I took over them.
·
So, the
head of the family must be loved, obeyed, and respected, and in return be a
true father and protector to those under his care.
·
In
honoring in a special way my fatherhood, you also honor Jesus and Mary. The
Divine Trinity has placed into our keeping the peace of the world.
·
The
imitation of the Holy Family, my child, of the virtues we practiced in our
little home at Nazareth is the way for all souls to that peace which comes from
God alone and which none other can give.
St. Joseph appeared to Sister again to explain the First
Wednesday devotion God wishes to establish in his honor. Sister states:
His requests were similar to those of Our Lady and the First
Saturday. The Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have been chosen by the
Most Holy Trinity to bring peace to the world; hence, their request for special
love and honor, also, in particular, reparation and imitation.
These are the words of St. Joseph as recorded on March 30,
1958:
“I am the protector of the Church and the home, as I was the protector of Christ and His Mother while I lived upon earth. Jesus and Mary desire that my pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be now honored in a special way.
·
Let my children honor my most pure heart in a
special manner on the First Wednesday of the month by reciting the Joyful
Mysteries of the rosary in memory of my life with Jesus and Mary and the
love I bore them, the sorrow I suffered with them.
·
Let them receive Holy Communion in union with
the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I
held Him in my arms.
Those who honor me in this way will be consoled by my
presence at their death, and I myself will conduct them safely into the
presence of Jesus and Mary.
I will come again, little child of my most pure heart. Until then, continue in patience and humility, which is so pleasing to God.”
Catechism of the
Catholic Church
Day
290 2238-2243
The duties of citizens
2238 Those
subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of
God, who has made them stewards of his gifts: "Be subject for the
Lord's sake to every human institution.... Live as free men, yet without using
your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of
God." Their loyal collaboration includes the right, and at times the
duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity
of persons and to the good of the community.
2239 It is the
duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of
society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and
service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the
order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the
common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the
political community.
2240
Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it
morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend
one's country:
Pay to all of them their dues,
taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom
respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
[Christians] reside in their
own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens
and endure all things as foreigners.... They obey the established laws and
their way of life surpasses the laws.... So noble is the position to which God
has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it.
The Apostle exhorts us to offer
prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who exercise authority, "that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every
way."
2241 The more
prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the
foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot
find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the
natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those
who receive him.
Political authorities, for the
sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise
of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially
with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption.
Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual
heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in
carrying civic burdens.
2242 The
citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil
authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the
fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing
obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an
upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving
God and serving the political community. "Render therefore to Caesar the
things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are
God's." "We must obey God rather than men":
When
citizens are under the oppression of a public authority which oversteps its
competence, they should still not refuse to give or to do what is objectively
demanded of them by the common good; but it is legitimate for them to defend
their own rights and those of their fellow citizens against the abuse of this
authority within the limits of the natural law and the Law of the Gospel.
2243 Armed
resistance to oppression by political authority is not legitimate, unless all
the following conditions are met: 1) there is certain, grave, and prolonged
violation of fundamental rights; 2) all other means of redress have been
exhausted; 3) such resistance will not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is
well-founded hope of success; and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any
better solution.
World
Autism Awareness Day[5]
World
Autism Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness of the autism spectrum disorders
and improve the lives of those currently living with autism. Autism refers to a
lifelong brain development disorder that affects social interactions, learning,
routines and communication. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the global
population
is autistic. World Autism Awareness Day was designated by the United Nations
in 2007 in an effort to end stigmatization and discrimination against those with autism. World Autism Day is
celebrated annually on April 2nd and fits in with the UN's Agenda for
Sustainable Development, which promises to leave no one behind.
World Autism Awareness Day Facts
& Quotes
·
Autism
now affects 1 in 68 children
and 1 in 42 boys. Boys are 5 times more likely to have autism than girls.
·
Autism
costs a family $60,000 a year on average.
·
35
% of young adults (aged 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received
postgraduate education after leaving high school.
·
Who
do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If you were to get
rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon. – Temple
Grandin, world-renowned Autism spokesperson and university professor.
World Autism Awareness Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Wear
blue in order to support World Autism Day. The color blue is internationally
recognized as a symbol of support for World Autism Day and it is accompanied by
the catchphrase wear blue, April 2.
·
Watch
a movie about autism such as Fly Away, Sounding the Alarm and The
Story of Luke.
·
Light
up your home or your business in blue like many famous buildings or monuments
worldwide. There are many ways you can do this. It can be as simple as putting
blue plastic over floodlights to project the color blue on your home. You can
also use a blue Phillips light bulb, which can be bought at Home Depot.
·
Take
part in an Autism Speaks Walk that raises money for the cause. You can gather a
team and walk in support of someone you know with autism or simply donate, walk
and enjoy the day with thousands of others.
THIS WE BELIEVE
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Seven Capital Sins[6]
The Catechism of the Catholic Church also refers to these sins as “capital sins” and explains why they are the most dangerous. “Vices can be classified according to the virtues they oppose, or also be linked to capital sins which Christian experience has distinguished, following St. John Cassian and St. Gregory the Great. They are called “capital” because they engender other sins, other vices. They are pride, avarice [greed], envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth” (No. 1866).
1. Pride: an excessive
love of self or the desire to be better or more important than others. “Respect
for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that
‘everyone should look upon his neighbor (without exception) as “another self,”
above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with
dignity’” (No. 1931).
2. Lust: an intense desire,
usually for sexual pleasure, but also for money, power or fame. “The God of
promises always warned man against seduction by what from the beginning has
seemed ‘good for food … a delight to the eyes … to be desired to make one
wise’” (No. 2541).
3. Gluttony: overconsumption,
usually of food or drink. “The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every
kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco or medicine” (No. 2290).
4. Greed: the desire for
and love of possessions. “Sin … is a failure in genuine love for God and
neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods” (No. 1849).
5. Sloth (or Acedia):
physical laziness, also disinterest in spiritual matters or neglecting
spiritual growth. “Acedia or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy
that comes from God and to be repelled by divine goodness” (No. 2094).
6. Anger or wrath: uncontrolled
feelings of hatred or rage. “Anger is a desire for revenge … The Lord says,
‘Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment’” (No. 2302).
7. Envy: sadness or
desire for the possessions, happiness, talents or abilities of another “Envy
can lead to the worst crimes. ‘Through the devil’s envy death entered the
world’” (No. 2553).
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Church
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
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