CHURCH-NO STRAIT WEDDINGS HERE TILL GAYS MARRY

KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.

EVIDENCE IRAN HAS CROSSED THE RED LINE BY NETANYAHU
http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/revealed-evidence-iran-crossed-nuclear-red-line/
OBAMA QUOTES ALINSKI TO ISRAEL SCHOOL STUDENTS
http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/obama-quotes-alinsky-in-speech-to-young-israelis/

New pope opens Holy Week at Vatican on Palm Sunday

By FRANCES D'EMILIO | Associated Press – 29 mins ago MAR 24,13

• 
  View PhotoAssociated Press/Andrew Medichini - Pope Francis gestures as he greets faithful after celebrating his first Palm Sunday Mass, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2013. Pope Francis celebrated …more 

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis celebrated his first Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, encouraging people to be humble and young at heart as he promised to go to a youth jamboree Brazil this summer, while the faithful enthusiastically waved olive branches and braided palm fronds.The square overflowed with some 250,000 pilgrims, tourists and Romans eager to join the new pope at the start of solemn Holy Week ceremonies, which lead up to Easter, Christianity's most important day.
Keeping with his spontaneous style, the first pope from Latin America broke away several times from the text of his prepared homily to encourage the faithful to lead simple lives.At the end of the two-hour Mass, Francis took off his red vestments, leaving only the white cassock and skull cap, and climbed into an open-topped popemobile to circle through the enthusiastic crowd. He leaned out to shake hands, kissed and patted the heads of infants passed to him by bodyguards, and often gave children the thumbs-up sign.
His security detail seemed to be reluctantly dealing with this get-close-to-the-people pontiff, scrambling around the vehicle to pick up this child or that one. At one point, the chief bodyguard, Domenico Giani, was sent back to the mother of a child he had greeted to convey a message from the pontiff, and the ever-tense Giani broke into a smile after his mission was accomplished.Francis even climbed down from the vehicle, kissed a woman in the crowd and chatted briefly with her, and another man in the crowd leaned over a barrier to squeeze the pontiff on a shoulder — an unheard of familiarity in the previous pontificate of the reserved Benedict XVI.In keeping with his stress on giving examples of humility, Francis kissed the hand of an elderly woman who had outstretched an arm to him."There is no doubt that there will be a new spring for the church, a renewal" with this pope, said Sister Emma, an Argentine nun in the crowd.Palm Sunday recalls Jesus' entry into Jerusalem but its Gospel also recounts how he was betrayed by one of his apostles and ultimately sentenced to death on a cross.Recalling the triumphant welcome into Jerusalem, Francis said Jesus "awakened so many hopes in the heart, above all among humble, simple, poor, forgotten people, those who don't matter in the eyes of the world."Francis then told an off-the-cuff story from his childhood in Argentina. "My grandmother used to say, 'children, burial shrouds don't have' pockets'" the pope said, in a variation of "you can't take it with you."Since his election on March 13, Francis has put the downtrodden and poor at the center of his mission as pope, keeping with the priorities of his Jesuit tradition. His name - the first time a pope has called himself 'Francis' - is inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced a life of high-living for austere poverty and simplicity to preach Jesus' message to the poor.Francis presided over the Mass at an altar sheltered by a white canopy on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.Cardinals, many of them among the electors who chose him to be the Roman Catholic church's first Latin American pope, sat on chairs during the ceremony held under hazy skies on a breezy day. He quoted from Benedict when he told the cardinals that while they are "princes" of the church, their leader is the crucified Christ, a further admonition against attachment to temporal power.The present and past pope, who retired last month as pontiff in a 600-year break with tradition, met on Saturday at the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo, where Benedict is staying until a former convent on the grounds of Vatican City can be readied for his residence. It was Francis' first meeting with his predecessor since his election, and both men are presumed to have discussed challenges facing both managing the Vatican's often creaky bureaucracy and shoring up faith among Catholics worldwide.In his homily, Francis said Christian joy "isn't born from possessing a lot of things but from having met" Jesus. That same joy should keep people young, he said."Even at 70, 80, the heart doesn't age" if one is inspired by Christian joy, said the 76-year-old pontiff.Francis said he was joyfully looking forward to welcoming young people to Rio de Janiero for the Catholic Church's World Youth Day. So far, that is the first foreign trip on the calendar of Francis' new papacy. "I'm coming in July," Francis said in remarks after Mass from the esplanade of the basilica.During Mass, at the point when the Gospel recounts the moment of Jesus' death, many faithful knelt on hard cobblestones paving the square, and Francis knelt on a wooden kneeler.A few young olive trees were inserted in dirt placed around the central obelisk in the square.
Holy Week will see at least one break from tradition with this new papacy. Instead of washing priests' feet in a symbolic gesture of humility on Holy Thursday, Francis will wash the feet of young inmates at a juvenile detention center in Rome. Other appointments in public will include the Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum on Good Friday night. Next Sunday, Francis will celebrate Easter Mass in the square.
Francis seemed to hold up well, although when riding in the popemobile, he wobbled a bit when he took his hands off the grab bar to wave to the crowd.At the end of Palm Sunday's service, Francis made his first foray into delivering greetings in various languages, with brief words in French, English and German.

03/20/2013 VATICAN INSIDER

Could the Vatican have a new Secretary of State after Easter?

Cardinals attend the mass for the inauguration of Francis' pontificate

Now that Francis has been enthroned, Bergoglio will soon be making his first appointments

Marco Tosatti vatican city Pope Francis has confirmed – pro tempore – all heads and secretaries of Congregations “donec aliter provideatur”, until it is decided otherwise. The statement released made no mention of the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, but an explanation was issued stating that the announcement concerned him as well. Reliable Vatican sources say Pope Francis intends to choose his closest collaborator quickly, after Easter. Tarcisio Bertone will turn 79 in December and it seems only logical that he should leave the position he held as Benedict XVI’s right hand man, amid controversies and divisions.
 
These sources also mention an Italian member the diplomatic corps as the Argentinean Pope’s potential number two man. The current Substitute, Angelo Becciu and the Prefect of Propaganda Fide, the former nuncio Filoni, seem to be excluded as possible candidates because of their involvement in the rifts and internal struggles that have tainted Bertone’s management of the Secretariat of State. Pope Francis would apparently prefer to start with a clean slate and a new Secretary of State.The Church is not short of possible candidates, starting with Archbishop Piero Parolin, Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela. Archbishop Celestine Migliore, the Pope’s current ambassador in Warsaw who represented the Holy See at the UN is another potential future collaborator of the Pope. Both have close ties with the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, who was Secretary of State under John Paul II for many years and also under Benedict XVI for a period of time, before Bertone was appointed as his substitute.But the list goes on. In Paris there’s Mgr. Luigi Ventura (from Brescia, Italy), a follower of the Casaroli school of thought. He has a very respectable résumé, with stints in Burkina Faso, Chile, Canada and France. Then there’s Giacomo Guido Ottonello who was first Nuncio to Panama and now Ecuador, where since 2005 he has had the difficult task of mediating between the Church and an openly anti-clerical government. He has a deep knowledge of Latin America. Finally, we must not forget the former Nuncio to Brazil, Mgr. Lorenzo Baldisseri, whom Benedict XVI appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and Secretary of the College of Cardinals in the Conclave, in 2012. There are voices going round about Pope Francis wanting to create him a cardinal.
Having received the white zucchetto from him (it is the Secretary of the College of Cardinal’s job to hand this to the Pope), the newly-elected Pope apparently placed his red cardinal’s biretta on the secretary’s head. This is a tradition Pope’s have had for the last century and is not indicative of any definitive decision. 
It is likely, however, that both the Substitute Secretary of State, Archbishop Angelo Becciu and the Pope’s “foreign affairs minister”, Mgr. Dominique Mamberti, will hang on to their positions for a period of time, under Francis’ reign. They will probably be substituted at a later date.

DEAR GOD-HELP US.I HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING SO REDICULAS.NO STRAIT WEDDING IF NO GAY WEDDINGS.

Tue Mar 19, 2013 at 12:23 PM PDT

Church says no marriage for straight couples until gay couples can wed too

by Scout FinchFollow - From daily kos

attribution: None Specified

Photo courtesy of the Green Street Church.

The Green Street United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is taking bold action in the fight for equality. From their press release:

Public Statement on Marriage, Standing in Solidarity with LGBTQ members. Winston-Salem, NC – Members of the Leadership Council of Green Street United Methodist Church published a Public Statement on Marriage at a Press Conference on March 17, 2013 at 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary of Green Street UMC, 639 S. Green Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.On the matter of same-sex marriage, Green Street UMC sees injustice in the legal position of state government and the theological position of our denomination.  North Carolina prohibits same-sex marriage and all the rights and privileges marriage brings.  The Leadership Council has asked that their ministers join others who refuse to sign any State marriage licenses until this right is granted to same- sex couples. Because the United Methodist Church prohibits its pastors from conducting same- sex weddings, excluding gay and lesbian couples from the holy sacrament of marriage, the Leadership Council has asked the pastor to refrain from conducting wedding ceremonies in our sanctuary for straight couples, until the denomination lifts its ban for same-sex couples.Green Street UMC is presently the only Reconciling Congregation in the Western North Carolina Conference.  With a growing number of LGBTQ members, Green Street seeks to be a public witness to its community, Conference and denomination.

In an interview with the United Methodist News Service, the Rev. Kelly P. Carpenter had this to say:

“I do not see it as an act of exclusion for straight couples, but an invitation for all people to be in solidarity with those who are excluded,” said the Rev. Kelly P. Carpenter, the church’s senior pastor, in a pastoral letter. “Some may think it to be a sacrifice made by straight couples, but I think a better way to see it is the creation of a level playing field in one sacred space.”

As you might imagine, the church leadership's position is not without controversy:

But the Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, the vice president and general manager of the unofficial evangelical caucus Good News, said he thinks it is possible Green Street may still run afoul of church law even though he is uncertain whether the point of law has been litigated. Lambrecht has argued cases before the United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court. “If the blessings could be construed as celebrating homosexual unions, then that is a chargeable offense,” Lambrecht said. “But I don’t know if that issue has been litigated.”

Let's hope more church leaders heed the call to action and start standing up for equality. In the meantime, three cheers for the Rev. Kelly P. Carpenter and the Green Street United Methodist Church!

Originally posted to Scout Finch on Tue Mar 19, 2013 at 12:23 PM PDT.

Also republished by Daily Kos. 

EU chief spurring negotiations on Cyprus deal

By DON MELVIN | Associated Press – 1 hr 4 mins ago MAR 24,13

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European official is leading a high-level meeting Sunday afternoon in a last-ditch effort to help Cyprus come up with a plan necessary for a 10 billion euro bailout loan that would save it from bankruptcy.The day of talks could prove critical — not only for the future of the small island country, but also for the 17-nation eurozone. If Cyprus or its banks were to collapse, officials fear that a lack of confidence could spread to other countries that use the euro, triggering higher borrowing costs or capital flight from those countries.Cyprus is racing to meet a Monday deadline to come up with a plan to raise 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) in order to get the bailout from the other European countries that use the single currency, as well as from the IMF.Cyprus has "to fulfill a difficult mission to save the Cypriot economy and avert a disorderly default threatening the economy if there is no final deal for the loan agreement," government spokesman Christos Sylianides said in a written statement.Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Finance Minister Michalis Sarris were flying to Brussels, Sylianides said. Anastasiades was to be in constant contact throughout the negotiations in Brussels with party leaders who would be in the presidential mansion in Nicosia, he said.An EU spokesman said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy would lead the meeting, with Anastasiades and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso attending. The Council is the gathering of 27 EU heads of state and government; the Commission is the EU's executive arm.

Van Rompuy's role will not be to reach a final agreement, but to facilitate efforts to find a solution, spokesman Preben Aamann said. Any new proposal would have to be approved Sunday evening by the Eurogroup, the gathering of finance ministers from the 17 EU countries that use the euro currency.

The IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission will then determine whether any plan put forward by Cyprus meets the requirement that Cyprus' debt, including any new bailout loan, be sustainable over the long run.To avoid bankruptcy or the collapse of its banking system, Cyprus needs significantly more than the 10 billion euros the international creditors are willing to lend it. For that reason, the country must somehow raise — and not through borrowing — the additional money.The original plan, agreed to in marathon negotiations, called for a one-time "levy" on all bank depositors in Cypriot banks. The proposal ignited fierce anger among Cypriots and failed to garner a single vote in the Cypriot Parliament.German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble underlined that time was of the essence. The European Central Bank says it will stop providing emergency funding to Cyprus' banks after Monday if no new plan is in place.

"Cyprus will go down a tough path — either way. But that's not the consequence of European stubbornness but of a business model that no longer works," he said.Following the Van Rompuy meeting, Anastasiades will meet with Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, and Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, Cypriot spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said.______
Associated Press writers Juergen Baetz in Brussels and Elena Becatoros in Nicosia, Cyprus, contributed to this story.______Don Melvin can be reached at https://twitter.com/Don_Melvin

Cyprus MPs pass bank laws, start bailout talks

23.03.13 @ 09:28

By Benjamin Fox

BRUSSELS - Cyprus edged back from the brink of bankruptcy on Friday (22 March) after MPs agreed to a series of emergency reforms in a bid to avoid financial meltdown and a traumatic exit from the euro.
Facing a Monday deadline (25 March) to agree on a rescue package before the European Central Bank withdraws its emergency lending programme from Cypriot banks, MPs adopted legislation to restructure the country's fragile banking sector by giving the government the power to split up institutions into 'good' and 'bad' banks.Cyprus will also set an unwanted precedent by becoming the first eurozone country to introduce capital controls. Limits on bank withdrawals and transfers of funds will come into place when Cyprus' banks open for business on Tuesday (26 March).The controls are an attempt to avoid a run on the country's fragile banks, whose balance sheets amount to around eight times the size of the island's economy, after a week of lockdown.MPs also voted to create a solidarity fund to pool state assets.After three days of talks with Russian government officials in Moscow failed to deliver a promise of new funding, Cyprus has been forced to refocus its attention on an EU bailout.Despite MPs decisively rejecting the EU's €10 billion package on Tuesday (19 March) amid large public protests, EU leaders have refused to increase the size of the loan.
Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs the Eurogroup of the 17 finance ministers who countries use the euro, warned that Cyprus would not be able to repay a bigger loan. "Anything above €10 billion would not allow them to make a restart," he said.Deputies in the 56-member House of Representatives will reconvene on Saturday and are set to vote on a revised deposit levy expected to fund the bulk of a €7 billion contribution by Cyprus as a condition of its €10 billion bailout package.Plans to raise €5.8 billion via a 6.75 percent hit on savings between €20,000 and €100,000 and a 9.9 percent levy on deposits over €100,000, led to Cypriot MPs rejecting the initial bailout offer by eurozone finance ministers.
However, while the proposal to be voted Saturday is set to exempt all savings below €100,000 in conformity with EU rules on deposit guarantees, it could see big deposits facing a levy of up to 15 per cent.
Finance ministers will then meet in Brussels on Sunday (24 March) with a view to reaching agreement on a rescue package. The meeting, which EU officials warn could last well into Monday morning, will also be attended by IMF boss Christine Lagarde.For their part, European Council President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission counterpart Jose Barroso shelved next week's EU summit with Japan to focus on the Cypriot crisis.In a statement, the EU leaders said that "the on-going efforts to find a solution for the financial situation of Cyprus require our presence in Brussels."

Bank of America: Only ECB can contain Cyprus exit fallout

22.03.13 @ 21:09

1. By EUOBSERVER

Bank of America-Merrill Lynch counts on the eurozone to bail out Cyprus. But in case Cyprus exits the euro, "the shock would be contained geographically and in magnitude" only if the European Central Bank steps in and protects other southern euro-countries with cheap loans and by buying up their bonds.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)

THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.

Severe U.S. storm brings heavy snow, baseball-sized hail

By Mary Wisniewski | Reuters – 14 hrs ago MAR 24,13

By Mary Wisniewski

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A major early spring storm brought heavy snow, severe thunderstorms and floods as it moved east across the United States on Saturday, closing highways, forcing flight cancellations and causing a pileup involving dozens of vehicles.The weather system forced the cancellations of more than 100 flights in and out of Denver International Airport on Saturday and blowing and drifting snow closed several roads in Colorado, including Interstate 70 in both directions east of Denver to the Kansas state line."Travel on the eastern plains is strongly discouraged," said Mindy Crane, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation. "It is snowing half an inch an hour with sustained winds of 25 miles an hour with gusts up to 40 miles an hour."A chain-reaction crash involving some 50 vehicles and at least four tractor-trailers shut down Interstate 25 about 30 miles north of Denver for several hours on Saturday, the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement. A tanker involved in the accident burst into flames.Several injured people were taken to the hospital but no fatalities were reported, police said.Kyle Fredin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said some counties in far eastern Colorado had seen a foot of snow by mid-afternoon.
Snowfall accumulations in the Denver metropolitan area could top 10 inches, with higher amounts in the foothills west of the city, he said.The snow was expected to move east to Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, over the next 24 hours, before moving into the mid-Atlantic states, Kines said.Rough weather also was forecast in the Gulf Coast region from Florida to eastern Texas throughout Saturday, with large hail, damaging winds and possible tornadoes, Kines said.In northern Florida, the National Weather Service in Jacksonville had reports of high winds and possible tornado touchdowns, though no twisters have been confirmed, according to meteorologist Phil Peterson.Peterson said the weather service also had reports of baseball-sized hail west of Lawtey, Florida, early in the afternoon. Lake City received two inches of heavy rain in 30 minutes, he said.(Reporting by Mary Wisniewski and Keith Coffman; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Dan Whitcomb, David Brunnstrom and Jackie Frank)

METEORS HIT THE EARTH

REVELATION 6:12-17
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

REVELATION 8:12-13
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels,which are yet to sound!

Meteor lights up night sky over eastern United States

By Daniel Trotta | Reuters – Fri, Mar 22, 2013

By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A meteor bright enough to be classified as a fireball lit up the night sky over eastern North America on Friday, providing a spectacle witnessed in at least 13 states, Washington, D.C. and two Canadian provinces, the American Meteor Society said.The society verified more than 300 witness sightings from Ontario and Quebec down to the southern U.S. state of North Carolina with more than 100 reports yet to be reviewed, said Mike Hankey, an observer for the American Meteor Society."This was most certainly a fireball seen over a good portion of the eastern states," said Robert Lunsford, the society's fireball coordinator."It happened at a good time, around 8 o'clock on a Friday night, when a lot of people were out to see it," Lunsford said.The society describes a fireball as a meteor brighter than Venus and Lunsford said they can be brighter than the Sun, as was the case with the one that streaked across the sky and exploded over Russia on February 15.Meteors are small particles from the solar system that burn from friction when entering the atmosphere.Several thousand meteors of fireball magnitude occur each day, most of them unseen over the oceans or hidden by daylight, the society said on its website.This one was seen up and down the East Coast and in inland states such as West Virginia and Ohio, the society said.The fireball's likely trajectory showed it moving east from eastern Pennsylvania and across New Jersey, passing just south of New York City and then over the Atlantic Ocean, based on witness reports to the society."I originally thought the fireball was a low-flying plane," said one witness from West Chester, Pennsylvania, whose comments were logged by the society.Many witnesses called it the brightest meteor they had ever seen. "I'm still in disbelief," said another from Boonsboro, Maryland.(Editing by Todd Eastham)

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/wildfires 

DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

JEREMIAH 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

JEREMIAH 8:11
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

ISAIAH 33:8
8  The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,(7 YR TREATY) he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.(THE WORLD LEADER-WAR MONGER CALLS HIMSELF GOD)

ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

OBAMA IS A FORERUNNER OF THE WORLD DICTATOR ANTICHRIST-BUT HE IS NOT THE ANTICHRIST.BUT OBAMA IS AN ANTICHRIST.HES AGAINST CHRISTIANITY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DCl4YJyRV_c

Obama ends Mideast trip with tour of ancient Petra

By JULIE PACE | Associated Press – 16 hrs ago MAR 24,13

PETRA, Jordan (AP) — President Barack Obama set aside the Middle East's tricky politics Saturday to marvel at the beauty of one of the region's most stunning sites, the fabled ancient city of Petra."This is pretty spectacular," he said, craning his neck to gaze up at the rock faces after emerging from a narrow pathway into a sun-splashed plaza in front of the grand Treasury. The soaring facade is considered the masterpiece of the ancient city carved into the rose-red stone by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago.Obama's turn as tourist capped a four-day visit to the Middle East that included stops in Israel and the West Bank, as well Jordan. The White House set low policy expectations for the trip, and the president was returning to Washington with few tangible achievements to show. Aides said his intention instead was to reassure the region's politicians and people — particularly in Israel — that he is committed to their security and prosperity.Curious residents and picture-taking tourists lined the streets of modern Petra as Obama's motorcade wound toward the entrance to the ancient city. The president, dressed in khaki pants, a black jacket and hiking boots, began his walking tour at the entrance to the Siq, a narrow, winding gorge cutting between two soaring cliffs.The path opened into a dusty plaza with the massive columned Treasury as its centerpiece. Obama declared the carved monument is "amazing."The Bedouins named the building the Treasury because they believed that urns sculpted on top of it contained great treasures. In reality, the urns represented a memorial for Nabataean royalty. Over time, historians have disagreed on the Treasury's purpose. However, a recent excavation proved that a graveyard exists underneath it.The Nabataeans established Petra as a crucial junction for trade routes linking China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. The city flourished until trade routes were redirected in the seventh century, leading to Petra's demise.Petra is Jordan's most popular tourist attraction, drawing more than a half million visitors yearly since 2007. It may be familiar to many people who saw the 1989 movie, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Some scenes were filmed in the ancient city.High winds and overcast skies nearly grounded Marine One, the presidential helicopter, in the Jordanian capital of Amman, which would have forced Obama to scrap the tourist stop. But the weather cleared enough for him and his delegation to make the hour-long flight across Jordan's rugged landscape, arriving in Petra under bright sunshine.The president departed Jordan after the tour and was due back in Washington late Saturday.___Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Obama Returns to US, Restoration of Israel-Turkey Ties in Pocket

U.S. President Barack Obama returned to the United States late Saturday from his four-day whirlwind tour of the Middle East.

By Chana Ya'ar First Publish: 3/24/2013, 9:45 AM-Israelnationalnews

Obama waves from Air Force One-Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama returned to the United States late Saturday from his four-day whirlwind tour of the Middle East, with the accomplishment of having repaired Israeli-Turkish diplomatic and military ties in his pocket.
No small feat, such a coup placed a positive final note on a regional tour rife with topics that were anything but positive, given the turbulence and risks facing the nations he visited, at least two which continue to be directly affected, and even threatened, by the 2011 Arab Spring upheavals.The last day of Obama's visit to the region was spent in Jordan on talks with King Abdullah II, and visiting the ancient world-renowned site of Petra. Jordan is now home to literally hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled the bloody civil war ravaging their homeland, with the outcome yet in doubt and multiple factions vying for power, including those linked to Al Qaeda and to Iran.In a joint news conference with the Hashemite monarch, Obama warned Friday that Syria could become a haven of “extremism” and radiated concern about the savage civil war entering its third year.At every stop along the way during his tour of Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, in fact, Obama discussed the situation in Syria and its impact on neighboring nations with the region’s leaders. He also found himself forced to reassure Jerusalem that America indeed remains intent on countering Iranian nuclear and other military threats.Another agenda raised with Israel’s leadership by Obama was the urgency to renew final status talks with the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. president arrived hours ahead of schedule at Andrews Air Force Base just outside Washington bearing with him an agreement between Israel and Turkey to restore diplomatic and military ties.The accomplishment put a positive note on the final leg of Obama’s trip to Israel, where he made a strong effort to repair the country’s perception of bad chemistry with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Palestinians cool to partial settlement freeze

By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH | Associated Press – 1 hr 57 mins ago MAR 24,13

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — A senior Palestinian official rejected on Sunday the idea of a partial Israeli settlement freeze as a way of restarting peace talks, a sign of tough times ahead for the Obama administration's new attempt to bring the sides together.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met separately late Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to talk about ending a deadlock of more than four years over settlements.Abbas says he won't return to negotiations without an Israeli construction freeze, saying Israel's building on war-won land pre-empts the outcome of talks on a border between Israel and a future state of Palestine. Abbas last held talks with Netanyahu's predecessor in late 2008.Netanyahu has refused to halt construction and instead calls for an immediate return to negotiations. President Barack Obama sided with Israel's position during a visit to the region last week, saying the Palestinians should return to talks to sort out the settlement issue.The U.S. has not spoken publicly about possible compromises in recent days, though there has been some speculation it would propose a partial construction stop in the West Bank heartland, east of Israel's separation barrier.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Sunday that the Palestinians do not seek a confrontation with the Obama administration, but appeared to suggest that nothing short of a full freeze will bring them back to negotiations.The Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in 1967. Since that war, Israel has built dozens of settlements — considered illegal by much of the world and now home to more than half a million Israelis — in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.Much of the construction takes place in so-called "settlement blocs" close to Israel and in east Jerusalem. Israel's separation barrier cuts off east Jerusalem and some of the settlement blocs from the rest of the West Bank.
Asked if Abbas would accept a partial freeze, east of the barrier, Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio: "Absolutely not. It is rejected." First of all, 90 percent of the building in settlements is going on in the blocs," he said. "If we accepted that, we would be committing two crimes. The first is legalizing what is illegal, which is settlement construction, and the second is accepting the Israeli policy (of) dictation."Israel agreed to a 10-month slowdown in settlement construction early in Obama's first term, allowing talks to resume briefly in 2010. The talks fizzled out after Netanyahu refused to extend the slowdown, which had halted approvals for new homes but allowed previously started construction to continue.Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who will oversee any negotiations with the Palestinians, said it remained to be seen what would bring about a new round of talks."We are after four years of stalemate, of distrust, and we need to see how we restart, what we will discuss," she told Army Radio.Erekat said the Palestinians would wait for two to three months to see if the Obama administration can come up with a way out of the deadlock. "We want to cooperate with the U.S. administration, not clash with it," he said.If the deadlock persists, the Palestinians will move ahead with their quest for international recognition, he said. "We have to focus on the steadfastness of our people, and we have 63 international agencies we can join," he said.In November, the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly recognized a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, despite objections by the U.S. and Israel. The recognition paved the way for Palestinians to seek membership in U.N. agencies and other international organizations.Earlier Sunday, Israel dismantled a tent camp Palestinians set up during Obama's recent visit to protest Israeli plans to build a large West Bank settlement near Jerusalem.During his visit, Obama singled out the settlement, known by its planning name E-1, as particularly problematic. The settlement of more 3,500 apartments would close one of the last open spaces between east Jerusalem and the West Bank.Before dawn Sunday, about 200 Israeli police officers removed some 40 demonstrators from the tent camp, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Three protesters were arrested, but no injuries were reported, Rosenfeld said.The encampment is part of a new Palestinian tactic to protest against Israeli settlement expansion.

ISAIAH 17:1,12-14
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
12  Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations,(USELESS U.N) that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13  The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14  And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not.(ASSAD) This is the portion of them that spoil us,(ISRAEL) and the lot of them that rob us.

JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23  Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24  Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25  How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26  Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27  And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)

PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)

JEREMIAH 47:1-7
1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN/ARABS) before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
2  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north,(NORTHERN TSUNAMI POSSIBLY) and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.
3  At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses,(ISRAELS ARMY) at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;(ISRAEL POSSIBLY NUKES GAZA)
4  Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN FAKE ARABS) and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
5  Baldness is come upon Gaza;(NUKED POSSIBLY) Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
6  O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
7  How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? (MEDITTERANEAN SEA) there hath he appointed it.

IDF Attacked on Golan Heights by Forces in Syria, Returns Fire

Syrian gunmen opened fire on IDF soldiers for the second time in 24 hours. Soldiers fired back, destroying Syrian position.

By Maayana Miskin, Chana Ya'ar First Publish: 3/24/2013, 10:37 AM-INN

IDF returns fire on Goland Heights-Israel news photo: Flash 90

Syrian gunmen opened fire on an IDF position in the Golan on Sunday morning in the second attack of its kind in 24 hours.IDF soldiers responded with heavy fire, scoring a direct hit on the position from which the fire originated. No soldiers were hurt.On Saturday night gunfire from the Syrian side of the border hit an IDF jeep in the same area. No soldiers were hurt in the attack.Senior military commanders said they remain unsure whether Syrian gunmen are deliberately targeting Israel, or if the gunfire and mortar shell fire over the border is simply spillover from Syria’s ongoing civil war.It is difficult to differentiate the motivations behind the attacks, because the civil war raging in Syria has evolved into a battle between the government and an opposition that is split into two factions.One is the Western-backed National Syrian Council (NSC) represented by the Free Syrian Army, and the second, a radical jihadist coalition called the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Syria comprised of 13 terrorist factions, most linked to extremist groups such as Al Qaeda.
Israel has filed a complaint with UN forces in the Golan over the latest violence.

Kerry: Turkey-Israel Reconciliation Vital for Peace

Israel and Turkey's rapprochement is a vital factor in developing peace and stability, says U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

First Publish: 3/24/2013, 6:10 AM-Israelnationalnews

John Kerry-Reuters

Israel and Turkey's recent rapprochement is a vital factor in developing peace and stability in the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday, AFP reported."The reconciliation between Israel and Turkey is a very important development that will help advance the cause of peace and stability in the region," Kerry said in a statement Saturday from the Jordanian capital Amman."Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Erdogan deserve great credit for showing the leadership necessary to make this possible," he added, according to AFP."We look forward to an expeditious implementation of the agreement and the full normalization of relations so Israel and Turkey can work together to advance their common interests."Kerry, who held talks with Netanyahu on Saturday night after an earlier meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said the rapprochement would help Israel meet the regional challenges it faces.The top U.S. diplomat "had useful follow up meetings with both President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu," a senior State Department official told journalists in Amman."In both meetings, Secretary Kerry reiterated that peace is not only possible, but necessary for the future of the Israeli and Palestinian people," the official added, according to AFP.On Friday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, during which nine Turks were killed after they attacked IDF soldiers who boarded the Mavi Marmara which attempted to break the naval blockade on Gaza.On Saturday night, Netanyahu explained in a message on his Facebook page why he chose to apologize to Erdogan."After three years of a disconnect in Israeli-Turkish relations," he wrote, "I decided that this is the time to rebuild them.""The changing reality around us forces us to continually reexamine our relations with the countries surrounding us in the region. In the last three years, the state of Israel has made several attempts to end the disconnect between us and Turkey."The fact that the crisis in Syria is getting worse by the minute was, for me, a central consideration,” said Netanyahu.
National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror confirmed on Saturday night that the situation in Syria was the main reason for Israel’s apology to Turkey for the Mavi Marmara incident.“The Middle East has changed,” he told Channel 2 News. “Between us and Turkey there is a state with chemical stockpiles that may get into hostile hands and Turkey has an interest to prevent this from happening, as does Israel.”

2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.

JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth before them;(ATOMIC BOMB) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

British police give all clear on radiation at Putin critic's home

By Olivia Harris | Reuters – 1 hr 21 mins ago MAR 24,13

By Olivia Harris

ASCOT, England (Reuters) - Specialist police with nuclear and chemical training gave the all clear at the British home of former Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky on Sunday, a day after the fervent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin died in unclear circumstances.The 67-year-old, a former powerbroker who helped Putin climb to the top of Russian politics before falling from grace, was found at his house in Ascot, 25 miles west of London.Police said his death was "unexplained" and sent radioactive, biological and chemical experts to do tests in the house as they tried to piece together Berezovsky's final hours.Berezovsky had survived assassination attempts and said he feared for his life after he became one of Putin's fiercest critics, repeatedly calling for him to be forced from office.He was also a friend of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian spy who was poisoned with radioactive material in London in 2006, a murder that strained diplomatic ties between Britain and Russia.However, associates said the man who personified the ruthless world of post-Soviet politics was depressed and may have committed suicide or had a heart attack after the stress of losing a $6 billion court case to Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.British media said he had given an interview to Forbes Russia magazine shortly before his death in which he spoke of wanting to return to Russia. He had lived in Britain since fleeing Russia in 2000."I do not know what to do. I am 67 years old. And I do not know what to do next," he said in the interview, according to extracts published in several British newspapers.Police stood guard outside Berezovsky's mansion. Inside, detectives were carrying out a thorough search of the house."The CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) officers found nothing of concern in the property and we are now progressing the investigation as normal," Superintendent Simon Bowden, of Thames Valley Police, said in a statement.Berezovsky, seen by Moscow as a criminal who should stand trial for fraud and tax evasion, was humiliated in 2012 when he lost a legal battle with former partner Abramovich, over shares in Russia's fourth biggest oil company.Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told state-run Rossya-24 television that Berezovsky had written to Putin and asked for help in returning to Russia."Some time ago, maybe a couple months ago, Berezovsky sent Vladimir Putin a letter he wrote personally, in which he acknowledged that he had made many mistakes, asked Putin's forgiveness for these mistakes and appealed to Putin to help him return to his homeland," Rossiya-24 quoted Peskov as saying.Some associates said Berezovsky had struggled with the cost of losing the case, estimated at the time as more than $100 million. Berezovsky had kept a low profile since the defeat and was rarely seen in public.
"He had no money, he had lost it all. He was unbelievably depressed," Tim Bell, a public relations executive who was one of his closest British advisers, told the Sunday Times newspaper. "It's all very sad."Alexei Venediktov, editor of Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio, said he had heard from unspecified sources that Berezovsky had died from heart failure.(Writing by Peter Griffiths in London; Additional reporting by Steve Gutterman in Moscow; Editing by Louise Ireland)

OBAMA IN JORDAN-FRANCIS A POPE OF ALL FAITHS

KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO. 

This week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report' - FOR MAR 22,13 SHOW

On Tuesday, March 19, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was officially installed as the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic church. He will rule as Pope Francis. He is not from Rome, or even Italy. He did not choose the name Peter. (None of the church's popes has dared call himself Peter in deference to Simon Peter, the Apostle and the man that Catholics consider to be the first pope.)
These two bits of information appear to contradict the prophecy of the Irish Bishop Armagh Malachy, which was written in the mid-1100's and first published in 1595. In his writings, Saint Malachy predicted that this pope would be the last pope before the Great Tribulation. Malachy predicted that he would be called Petrus Romanus or Peter the Roman. I've reported on Saint Malachy's famous prophecy at least three times on this program. Each time, I noted that it was not from the Bible and had to be viewed through the lens of skepticism. Nonetheless, it is an intriguing bit of history. Especially in light of the fact that the previous pope, Benedict XVI, shocked the world when he abruptly decided to retire rather than die in office as is the papal tradition. In fact, it has been more than 600 years since a pope stepped down. That means that this pope -- which Malachy prophesied would be the last before the rise of the Antichrist and the consequent destruction of the Roman church -- has assumed the papal throne unexpectedly and at precisely the moment when all of the other signs the ancient Bible prophets foretold for the last days are in full display. And that is exactly what makes this non-Biblical (and apparently incorrect) "prophecy" still so remarkable. The "last pope" -- according to Bishop Malachy -- appears on the scene in the "last days" of the "last days"-- according to several Bible prophets, including Jesus Himself. Contrary to what some rumors are suggesting, I have never implied that the pope of the Roman church will be the Antichrist. I wouldn't suggest that because I do not believe that will be the case. However, the Apostle John in the Book of the Revelation describes very plainly how the leader of the world religious system (based in Rome) will pave the way for the rise of the man who will be the Antichrist. Unfortunately for that churchman, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will later turn on him and destroy the religious system and the city. Like I said, the name is not right, the birthplace is not right, but the timing certainly is. If I were the captain of a commercial airliner, right about this time I'd be telling you to buckle your seat belts, we're ready to take off! This week, I'll take a closer look at Pope Francis, the simple and humble pastor who is now the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Talk about polar opposites! This week, I'll also take a closer look at the self-declared "Supreme Leader" of the world's nastiest nuclear power, North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the intemperate, self-absorbed, chest-beating, child of privilege who inherited the reins of power -- and an indeterminate nuclear arsenal -- has decided to prove his machismo. He has declared the 1953 Korean armistice, "no longer valid." He has ordered his generals and troops to prepare for "all out war." He has cut the hotline to South Korea and he has threatened South Korea and the United States with nuclear attack. In the past, this kind of posturing has been nothing more than a shakedown of the West for more money and food. But what makes this situation different is that this "Supreme Leader" appears not to be following the advice of his father's and grandfather's advisers. He has turned up the heat, but he doesn't have the experience to gauge how far he can reasonably carry the charade if, indeed, it is another shakedown. There's always the chance that one of his "enemies" will misjudge the situation and "respond" in advance. I'll also review Israel's newly installed government. Though Benjamin Netanyahu remains Israel's Prime Minister, because of his Likud Party's poor showing in the recent Knesset elections, he has had to cobble together a rather shaky coalition that includes some surprising new partners. This is the first time that a conservative Israeli government has included no ultra-Orthodox religious parties. On top of that, it includes Netanyahu's rival, Tzipi Livni, who will be the Minister of Justice and be responsible for the Palestinian peace negotiations. Two things to watch about Ms. Livni: First, she has demonstrated time and again that she'll give the store to the Palestinians for nothing in return. Second, she now heads the Ministry of Justice, which, in Israel, is notorious for undermining the efforts of any conservative leadership.

Don't loosen those seat belts! Finally, this week's program is one of the most difficult I have ever produced. That's because I am saying "goodbye" to one of my dearest friends and associates. Over the course of our lives, we have many different kinds of friendships. The best are forged in fire. No one is as close as the friend who stands with you in the heat of battle, encourages you when you're too exhausted to move, and always has your back when the critics rage. For me, Jack Kinsella was such a friend. He was truly my spiritual son.
Jack was a brilliant theologian and a powerful writer and speaker. Through his ministry, OmegaLetter.com, and his speaking, he brought many people to faith in Christ. He taught tens of thousands more how to grow in Christ. He also became one of the world's leading teachers in Bible prophecy. He was my dear friend for 22 years. He also worked with me as the chief researcher for "The International Intelligence Briefing" and "The Hal Lindsey Report." He helped me write most of the editions of both of those television series. On Thursday, March 14th, Jack went to be with the Lord. It's really tough to say goodbye to such a friend, but it's also wonderful to know that he's now face-to-face with Jesus. We will all miss Jack terribly, but I know he is rejoicing to be finally home at last and free from the pain of this world. Please pray for Jack's wife, Gayle, and his family. I also encourage those of you who have followed Jack's ministry through his website, OmegaLetter.com, to continue to support it. The ministers in his family plan to publish the many messages that Jack wrote, but did not get a chance to teach. Goodbye, my friend. You are gone, but will never be forgotten. I have no doubt that we'll all be together again soon. Maranatha! Don't miss this week's Report here Sunday. God Bless, Hal Lindsey - http://www.hallindsey.com/

5 FUNDAMENTALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2013/03/5-beliefs-of-christianity-for-unity-in.html

POPE VIDEOS-ROMEREPORTS
NEVER EVER DID I EVER THINK THIS WOULD HAPPEN.AN EX POPE 16TH AND THE CURRENT POPE FRANCIS 1 PRAYING WITH EACH OTHER AT Castel Gandolfo-----AMAZING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwOn2ItbvqE&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKHYNKb_U-E&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsHf7F1qddg&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF2opyHOikM&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qISFaOxG8xI&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhuJFc2e37c&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ

ALL POPE NEWS I DONE
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2013/02/stock-results-feb-112013.html

Pope promises 'respect' for all world religions

By Francoise Kadri (AFP) – 3 days ago MAR 21,13

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Wednesday promised "friendship and respect" for all faiths at a meeting with representatives of major world religions in the Vatican in which he said he felt "close" to non-believers.The Roman Catholic Church would "promote friendship and respect between men and women of different religions," the pope said, a day after his formal inauguration in St Peter's Square."We can do a lot for the good of people who are poor, who are weak, who suffer... and to promote reconciliation and peace," the pope told other Christian leaders and representatives of Buddhism, Islam and Judaism in an ornate Vatican hall.Latin America's first pontiff said all religions should be united against "one of the most dangerous pitfalls of our time -- reducing human beings to what they produce and what they consume."I very much appreciate your presence and I see in it a sign of mutual respect and of cooperation for the common good of humanity," he said.This was particularly important in a world of "divisions, confrontations and rivalries," he said.Francis also told Jewish leaders he wanted to continue "a fraternal dialogue" that began with the reformist Second Vatican Council of the 1960s, which removed the notion of any Jewish blame for Jesus Christ's death in Catholic doctrine.The 76-year-old pope also said he felt "close" to those people who "do not recognise themselves in any faith but are in a search for truth, for goodness and for beauty, which is God."The reference echoed a "silent blessing" that Francis made on Saturday to non-believers at a meeting with journalists from around the world."You are all children of God," he said on Saturday.Vatican expert Sandro Magister, who writes for the Italian weekly L'Espresso, said the references show "an attention to people without a religion" that was particularly significant as the Church struggles with rising secularism in many countries.The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's 250 million Orthodox Church, opened Wednesday's meeting.Bartholomew was the first patriarch of Constantinople to attend a papal inauguration since 1054 when the eastern and western halves of Christendom split in the "Great Schism".In his address, Bartholomew referred to Francis's experience as an archbishop in Argentina during that country's devastating economic crisis.The world economic climate "demands humanitarian action for which you already have great experience," he said, referring to the "high, grave and difficult task" that Francis will face.He said Christian unity was "our first and most important concern" and called on the pope to "correct worldly tendencies" in Christianity.Francis assured Bartholomew -- whom he referred to as his "brother" -- of his "firm willingness to continue with the path of ecumenical dialogue".Magister said these assurances were very much "in line with his predecessor" Benedict XVI, who was a keen promoter of inter-religious dialogue.Francis on Wednesday also met with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla fighter and atheist, who leads the country with the highest number of Catholics in the world.The Vatican said Rousseff had invited the pope to visit Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day in July but did not say whether the pope had accepted.

In Pope Francis, other faiths see a friend

View Photo Gallery — Pope Francis: Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, is the first pontiff from South America. Here is a look at the Catholic leader.

By Nick Miroff and Anthony Faiola,

BUENOS AIRES — Nearly every July 18, the bitter anniversary of the 1994 truck bombing that ripped apart a Jewish community here, Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio would arrive to pay tribute at a memorial to the 85 victims.He came on other occasions, too, often showing up on foot after catching the subway to the rebuilt Argentine Israeli Mutual Association, its entrance now fortified by blast walls and thick bollards. In the visitor log book, the archbishop left a message in 2010, his handwriting almost too small to read.

Gallery

Faithful gather in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’s inaugural Mass: Inauguration draws 132 government delegations and religious leaders from around the world.

Nick Miroff and Anthony Faiola

Following a papacy marked by a mixed record, the new pope is being praised for interfaith diplomacy.

“I thank the Lord for allowing me to share this path with elder brothers,” it read. It was signed “Jorge Mario Bergoglio,” leaving off any formal title.“In the maximum leader of the Christian world,” said Guillermo Borger, the association president, “We have an ally.”The interfaith relationships built by Cardinal Bergoglio in Argentina underscore an approach to religious diversity that observers say could differ substantially from the papacy of Benedict XVI, whose tenure was marked by a mixed record of controversial statements and misunderstandings. In contrast, during his time as cardinal, Pope Francis became largely known for tolerance and peaceful cohabitation with non-Catholics.Argentina’s sizable Muslim community has praised Francis for facilitating interfaith dialogue during the 14 years he was archbishop of Buenos Aires. The secretary general of the Islamic Center of the Argentine Republic, Sumer Noufouri, said he regularly attended an annual Mass convened by Bergoglio to celebrate Argentina’s Independence Day, alongside the country’s Jewish leaders.
“He is a person who listens and who knows Islam,” said Noufouri, who described Bergoglio’s elevation to pope as “an opportunity for a fresh start in relations between Islam and the Catholic Church,” particularly at a time of growing “Islamophobia in Europe.”Vatican insiders say Francis’s history of building bridges, along with his attempt to quickly transform the lofty office of the papacy through humanity and simplicity, may already be paying off.Experts point to the rare decision by Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, to attend Tuesday’s papal induction, becoming the first to do so since at least the Great Schism of 1054. Observers said the decision appeared to be linked to Francis’s closeness to Byzantine Catholics in Buenos Aires, who hold traditions similar to those of the Eastern Orthodox faith.Francis would meet with leaders of Christian and non-Christian churches at the “same moment, not two different moments,” the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, stressed before that session last week.Said John Thavis, author of “The Vatican Diaries”: “If Francis keeps making it clear that he is not exalting himself, that he sees the papal office as less authoritarian from the top, as more collegial, we could see some huge movements in ecumenical relations.”That would stand in contrast with the past eight years, when Benedict’s papacy saw occasionally strained relations between the Vatican and other faiths, particularly with Muslims and Jews.

Papal comparisons
In one sense, Benedict sought to build his own bridges. For example, he openly endorsed the stalled bid for Turkey to join the European Union, even as the traditionally secular state became increasingly religious under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim. He also called on Catholics in Europe to embrace immigrants from the Islamic world.Following a papacy marked by a mixed record, the new pope is being praised for interfaith diplomacy.Benedict also had a history of developing closer relations with the Jewish community, becoming the first pope to visit a synagogue in the United States and once describing the Jewish faith as “particularly close to us.”Yet as the defender of the Catholic faith, Benedict also became known for divisive pronouncements. The most controversial was a 2006 speech in Germany, when he quoted a text attributed to the 14th-century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos that denounced the teachings of the prophet Muhammad as “evil” and “inhuman.” The move sparked protests in Muslim countries, leading to churches being burned and the images of the pope burned in effigy.Also during Benedict’s tenure, the Vatican reversed the excommunication of Richard Nelson Williamson, a bishop who called Jews “enemies of God” and questioned the Holocaust.In Francis’s first days, however, religious leaders say the new pope appears to be reaching out those of other faiths, though it remains to be seen whether that will last. Speaking of Benedict, Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, said that “from a purely theological point of view, he was very strict.”By comparison, Francis, who sent Di Segni a personal invitation to attend his induction, has “in his first few days shown a different approach. He is talking about repentance, about mercy.”

But, Di Segni added: “It is still too early to say how this pope will be. Everything I’ve heard is that he had good relations with the Jewish community in Argentina, but now he is the leader of the Catholic Church. What works as bishop may not work as pope.”Benedict, now known as the pope emeritus, earned the ire of some Anglicans for creating “ordinariates.” These were new church structures that allowed conservative Anglicans to convert to Catholicism. They were particularly aimed at conservatives who were frustrated with their own progressive hierarchy’s move to embrace female and gay clergy.But according to Bishop Gregory Venables, the Anglican bishop of Argentina, Bergoglio was apparently skeptical of Benedict’s move. Bergoglio “called me to have breakfast with him one morning and told me very clearly that the ordinariate was quite unnecessary and that the church needs us as Anglicans,” Venables told the Anglican Communion News Service.

‘A facilitator for peace’
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, said perhaps most telling of the new pope’s intensions with other faiths was his decision to honor the St. Francis of Assisi.
“When he chose his name, he knew full well that it would ease dialogue with other religions, including Islam,” Paglia said. “When the Crusades were going on, Francis of Assisi went to Egypt to speak with the sultan. While others were using the sword, he used the word.”Borger, the Jewish community leader in Buenos Aires, said in Bergoglio he found “a simple, humble man” who is committed to social justice. “He spoke out constantly against anti-Semitism and any other form of discrimination,” Borger said. “He will be a facilitator for peace.”The last time Bergoglio visited the center, Borger said, he accompanied him down to the street and out through the center’s heavy steel doors. The archbishop bid a warm goodbye, he said, then began walking toward the subway.Faiola reported from Vatican City. Researcher Julie Tate in Washington and Stefano Pitrelli in Rome contributed to this report.

 

03/23/2013 VATICAN INSIDER

Francis and Benedict’s historic meeting: “We are brothers”

Ratzinger and Bergoglio

Francis invited Ratzinger to sit with him in the same pew and pray with him, rejecting his seat of honour. Meanwhile, a sealed envelope lay on the table

vatican insider staff rome After lunch they walked together and exchanged ideas on the Church’s priorities. They were both moved by the encounter and were aware they were the protagonists of an unprecedented historical event. The Vatican Television Centre showed images of Francis and Benedict conversing in a small drawing room. On the coffee table that stands between them is a white box containing some documents and on top of it is a sealed envelope. They knelt before the image of the Virgin Mary and prayed together.One would never have imagined such a sight a few weeks ago: two men dressed in white speaking like “brothers”. This lunchtime, Francis met Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo. “The helicopter landed at the Castel Gandolfo heliport at around 12:15 and the Pope Emeritus’ car approached the spot where the helicopter stood,” the Vatican spokesman, Fr. Lombardi said. Francis was accompanied by the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, Becciu and by Mgr. Sapienza and Mgr. Alfred Xuereb. When Bergoglio got down from the helicopter, the Pope Emeritus approached him and “there was a wonderful embrace between them.”After briefly greeting the other people present (the Bishop of Albano and the director of the Pontifical Villas, Petrillo), they got into the car Benedict XVI had arrived in. Francis got in on the right hand side, the side the Pope always sits on and Benedict sat on the left. The Prefect of the Papal Household, Mgr. Georg Gänswein, also took the same car which took them to the lifts which took them up to the apartment. They then went to the chapel to pray. “In the chapel, the Pope Emeritus offered Francis the seat of honour but the latter replied: “We are brothers,” and asked Ratzinger to kneel down with him at the same pew,” Fr. Lombardi said.After a brief moment of prayer, they went to the private Library where the private meeting started at 12:30. This is the library where the Pope usually receives important guests when he is at Castel Gandolfo. Francis gave the Pope Emeritus a beautiful icon as a gift, after which their conversation began. It lasted 45 minutes and ended at 13:15.“It should be noted that the Pope Emeritus wears a simple white cassock without a fascia (sash) or shoulder cape: it is these two garments that distinguish him from Francis who does wear a fascia and shoulder cape,” the Vatican spokesman stressed.The two secretaries, Fr. Georg and Fr. Xuereb attended the lunch as well and the private and confidential meeting concluded with a conversation in the Library. The Pope Emeritus accompanied Francis to the heliport when the moment came for him to board the helicopter to return to the Vatican. “This is not the first time they have met,” Fr. Lombardi emphasised. “It is the first time the two have met face to face, but Pope Francis has mentioned the Pope Emeritus on many occasions: once in the Loggia of the Blessings when he made his first appearance there and during the course of two personal telephone calls on the evening of the Pope’s election and on THE Feast of St. Joseph to wish him for his name day.”Their conversation had therefore already begun, even though they had not physically met yet in person. “It should be noted that, although this is the first time they meet face-to-face, Pope Francis has already called the Pope emeritus to mind many times: at his first appearance at the external Loggia of the Hall of Blessings of the Vatican Basilica on the evening of his election and with two phone calls—the first that same night and the second on the Feast of St. Joseph, to send his well wishes on the Pope emeritus' saint's day. Their dialogue, therefore, had already begun before this physical meeting. Recall also that the Pope emeritus had already expressed his unconditional reverence and obedience to his successor at his final meeting with the cardinals on the last day of his pontificate, 28 March. This encounter, then—a moment of elevated and deep communion—was a chance to renew his profession of reverence and obedience. Certainly Pope Francis renewed his gratitude, and that of the whole Church, for Pope Benedict's ministry during his pontificate,” stated the director of the Holy See Press Office. “It is the Virgin Mary of humility; when I saw her I immediately thought of giving her to you,” Pope Francis said to Benedict when he delivered his gift (an icon) to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The most intense moment of this historic meeting was when the two knelt down beside each other in the chapel of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.As he exited the Apostolic Palace, Fr. Lombardi said: “The Pope Emeritus wanted Francis to use the kneeling-stool of honour in front of the altar. But the Pope replied to him: “No, we are brothers” and wanted them to both kneel together at the same pew an pray.” In the end the Pope did not give a benediction from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace. The Pope will give his reflections on today’s historic meeting during tomorrow’s Angelus.

03/23/2013 VATICAN INSIDER

Ratzinger-Bergoglio lunch:"A constructive meeting. It would be wrong to draw comparisons"

The helicopter Pope Francis took to fly to Castel Gandolfo

The face to face meeting according to Antonio Spadaro, director of Italian Jesuit journal "Civiltà Cattolica"

GIACOMO GALEAZZI vatican city It’s a very private meeting. Interpreting a Pope just in terms of continuity and discontinuity with his predecessor is wrong in my opinion. Antonio Spadaro, the director of the Company of Jesus’ journal Civiltà Cattolica gives an account of today’s face-to-face meeting between Francis and Benedict XVI.
 
What is the significance of the meeting between the reigning Pope and the Pope Emeritus in Castel Gandolfo?
“It is an important gesture of communication which stems from previously established human contact. Francis’ election is based on Benedict XVI’s resignation which marked the need for a greater strength of body and soul in the Church’s government. It is the conclusion of a process which began last 11 February. The first steps taken by the new Pope mark a strong continuity in terms of the perception of a much needed reform.” 
 
Is this a case of one Pope passing on the baton to another?
“Yes, it is. In this case the baton represents the need to face the Church’s most important challenges. Given the very obvious difference in the roles of the two figures, we should consider this as a highly enriching exchange between two extremely prominent figures. This exchange takes place within the symbolic context of the two names, Francis and Benedict. Bergoglio faces the anthropological challenges which Joseph Ratzinger faced before him. In his audience with the diplomatic corps, Francis recalled the “spiritual poverty” which afflicts rich countries as well. Ratzinger had condemned this spiritual poverty when he criticised the “dictatorship of relativism.” This dictatorship, the new Pope commented, lets everyone measure themselves against themselves and puts peaceful co-existence between humans at risk. Francis’ comments are brief and rhythmic but at the same time have that soft accent that is typical of Argentineans.” 
 
Which issue does Francis see as more important?
“To fight against material and spiritual poverty and build peace and bridges. The main reason why he chose the name Francis is the love the saint of Assisi had for the poor, interpreted within St. Ignatius’ school of thought. Following in the footsteps of St. Francis, the Church is called to look after the destitute in all corners of the Earth. Many points contained in the texts he wrote before he was elected to the throne of Peter, are based on Benedict XVI’s magisterium. Of course their approaches are different as they stem from two different experiences. The expectations Francis created are also linked to the fact that he comes from a continent (Latin America) that is far from Europe in terms of human temperature, but there is no point in focusing too much on comparisons.”

 Why?
“Each pontificate should be judged independently, according to the actions performed during it. Measuring the continuity or discontinuity between pontificates does not give the whole picture. It is also too early to draw conclusions about Francis when he has only been Pope for a few days. We need to pay attention to his words and actions. Each action needs to be seen in relation to the individual style of the figure who performs it. Francis developed his style mainly in South America but as a member of the Company of Jesus he also studied in Spain and completed his PhD in Germany. Francis is a natural communicator, a sober, simple and blunt but extremely efficient style. Francis likes to walk down the paths taken by people and considers self-referentiality to be the worst spiritual temptation for the Church.”

03/22/2013 VATICAN INSIDER

Bergoglio, Ratzinger and urban myths

Bergoglio without the red mozzetta

There are some, on both sides, who insist on comparing Francis to his predecessor; even making up things that never actually happened

ANDREA TORNIELLI vatican city The other day, a person who is very close and dear to me said: “I can’t help thinking about Benedict XVI and I can’t help feeling bad when I think of him seeing all the affection and enthusiasm that surround the new Pope…”. Knowing Ratzinger (as far as it is possible for one to really know him), it is hard to imagine him resenting the fact that his successor, Francis, is well liked by faithful and non-faithful alike. Frankly, the comments made by those who are concerned about the fondness Bergoglio inspires even in secular environments and contexts that are usually seen as being distant from the Church, appear out of place. It seems as though one cannot be truly Catholic without causing disagreements, disputes, controversies and dislike. Are the events of recent days just a “honey moon” between the new Pope and the people that is destined to end soon? We must wait and see what will happen. But we must recognise the Church’s spectacular ability to renew itself and start afresh with energy, despite the resignation of a Pope.
 
Francis’ first days as Pope were marked by a heavy focus on the differences between him and his predecessor. It is true that Bergoglio’s mission is characterised by a simple style, continuously breaking rigid protocol, as Wojtyla had done since the start of his pontificate. But urban myths started to circulate within the first few hours of his papacy. According to one of these rumours, straight after his election, Francis apparently refused to wear the red velvet mozzetta trimmed with (synthetic) ermine, saying to the Master of Papal Ceremonies, Guido Marini: “You can wear it! The carnival’s over.” A rude and boorish comment to make to the Master of Ceremonies. As far as Vatican Insider has learnt, said comment was never made. As Marini placed the mozzetta on Francis, the Pope simply said: “I would prefer you didn’t.” No reference was made the carnival and no humiliating comment was made against the Master of Ceremonies.The real continuity between Benedict XVI and Francis is seen in the many gestures, hints and points of focus that have emerged in these first days of Francis’ pontificate: The day after Francis’ election, Benedict XVI said that “the Pope makes Christ’s light - not his own - shine wherever he goes. In a meeting with journalists Francis stressed that the “protagonist” is Christ, not the Pope.Their sensitivity for the protection of creation – which humans are at the top of – and the environment is something the two popes have in common. Then there are their thoughts on careerism and “spiritual worldliness” in the Church: anyone who has listened to one of Ratzinger’s deep homilies on these issues cannot deny there is continuity between his ideas and Francis’. Only those who are not familiar with his writings on the liturgy could be led to think that they gave importance to superficial aspects. In as far as the discontinuity between Ratzinger and Bergoglio is concerned; we need to ask ourselves to what extent Benedict XVI’s collaborators helped him deliver his core message. Just as Paul VI should be rescued from certain “Montinians” who consider themselves to be the only ones authorised to keep his memory alive through their own vision of his papacy, so Benedict XVI should be salvaged from certain “Ratzingerians” who have tried on more than one occasion to teach him how to be Pope.

03/22/2013VATICAN INSIDER

Benedict XVI and Francis’ historic lunch

Tomorrow Ratzinger will lunch with Bergoglio

Saturday 23 March will mark another first in the history of the Catholic Church as the world watches a Pope go to lunch with his successor, organised by Fr. Georg. As for the protocol, there is none, since this is a first

GIACOMO GALEAZZI vatican city “No one knows what protocol to follow as there are no precedents,” the Curia explains. Archbishop Georg Gänswein, who works closely with both these men dressed in white will definitely play a key role in this historic event. Tomorrow’s lunch will be a sort of handover of power that has not been witnessed in the whole of Christianity’s two thousand-year old history. It is also impossible to know what the two will talk about given the context which brought them together and united them (but has also divided them) for at least eight years: Bergoglio was Ratzinger’s main rival in the 2005 Conclave which elected Benedict XVI. But Ratzinger’s resignation and replacement by the very man who was once his “rival” in the race for the papacy, is a real turning point in terms of Church government. “Benedict XVI and Francis are intensely in sync: both a deeply spiritual figures, whose relationship with life is completely rooted in God,” Jesuit fortnightly journal Civiltà Cattolica stressed.“These deep roots are reflected in Benedict XVI’s timid and gentle demeanour and in Francis’ sweet spontaneity which he manifested in the very first words he pronounced as Pope: “Good evening”, defining cardinals as “brothers”, asking people for a “favour” and eloquently defining them as “the people”. And the favour he asked of the people was that they pray for him. He then took his leave as a bishop, with the words “Good night and sleep well!” “Pope Francis is history’s first Jesuit Pope. But he is also the first non European Pope of this modern age. And he is the first to choose the name Francis. The Jesuits were founded by Ignatius of Loyola, to serve the Pope in his mission; to be sent to whichever corner of the world needed their assistance most urgently. The Pope’s service is based on the fact that he has the most universal vision of all others and knows what the needs of the universal Church are, wherever these arise. Calling a Jesuit to the Petrine Ministry means electing him to embody the universal ministry at the highest level,” Civiltà Cattolica wrote. “Pope Francis is a leader who has faced some tough moments. His simplicity, humbleness and discretion are combined with strong organisational and leadership skills.”It is not known for sure whether Pope Francis will ask his predecessor for advice, particularly as he is now busy deciding the future of the Curia. The event will not be broadcast live but there will be photos and a possibly a short video, given the historical dimensions of the event: two popes will sit down to lunch together. The fact that one of them is actually a Pope and the other just a Pope Emeritus, in light of his shock decision to resign from the papacy, makes little difference, as they are both Vicars of Christ on Earth. Never has a Pope met, spoken or lunched (as will happen tomorrow in Castel Gandolfo) with a predecessor. What better photograph could one ask for than the fact that not even the papacy can be considered a definitive status any longer but is subject to the decisions of men, just like everything else? Tomorrow, ten days after Bergoglio’s election to the papacy, Pope Francis will visit his predecessor Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo. Bergoglio will leave the Vatican by helicopter – paradoxically the same way Benedict XVI got to Castel Gandolfo on 28 February when he officially stepped down from the papacy - at 12:00 local time and will land about a quarter of an hour later, a short distance away from the papal residence in the Alban Hills , where the Pope Emeritus has been living since the beginning of the sede vacante period. There, the historic lunch between the two men will take place. Once it is over, Pope Francis will return to the Vatican. Bergoglio had wanted to wait a day or two after the inauguration of his Petrine Ministry before he visited Ratzinger, whom he has already telephoned twice, once just after his election on 19 March and again to wish him for his name day. Joseph Ratzinger watched the mass for the inauguration of Francis’ pontificate on television.

03/21/2013 VATICAN INSIDER

London: Welby begins his ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury

Welby during his enthronement ceremony

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's public ministry began today with his enthronement in Canterbury Cathedral. “I look forward to meeting you,” was Pope Francis’ message to him

MARIA TERESA PONTARA PEDERIVA The Church of England website took great care to stress that although “inauguration” is the modern term to use, “enthronement” is more appropriate in the case of the Archbishop of Canterbury who was this afternoon was ‘installed’ on the chair of St. Augustine, the seat Primates of the Church of England have used for over 700 years inside the London cathedral.The throne in question is in fact made up of two seats: one represents Canterbury, the oldest Episcopal seat in the United Kingdom and the other is the seat is where the Primate of All England and spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion is installed. Justin Welby (56) will be the 105^th Primate to be installed on the throne on 21 March, just two days after the start of the Catholic Pope’s ministry. He was elected last November following the resignation of his predecessor Rowan Williams. The Primate of the Church of England is primus inter pares, and is not infallible: he is a sort of “chaplain of the Nation”, the successor of Thomas Cranmer, who backed Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon which led to the schism with Rome. The liturgical commemoration of Cranmer’s martyrdom in 1556 at the hands of the Catholics is on 21 March.According to the solemn century-old rite, a letter from the Queen, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, will be read out inside the Cathedral, after which, the Archbishop will be greeted by the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, Robert Willis and the Archdeacon, Sheila Watson. Welby will then be asked to swear an oath of faithfulness to the statutes of the Church of England and an oath of faithfulness to the Queen of England, the Church’s head. The new Archbishop of Canterbury will then be enthroned on his two seats and will pronounce his first sermon as Primate of England. The new Archbishop of Canterbury has chosen to wear the blue and violet and blue robes worn by the late Bishop of Peterborough, Ian Cundy. The colours represent the water that is turned into wine and the robes “were bought as a gift for Ian from the students and staff at Cranmer Hall, Durham where the Archbishop was a student. Archbishop Justin wears them in gratitude to a teacher and bishop who had a formative impact on his ministry,” the Church of England website explains. There will be various religious and civil figures attending the ceremony, headed by the Prince of Wales, Charles, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prime Minister David Cameron. Numerous bishops representing the Anglican Communion as a whole will also be present, as well as representatives of other faiths.Today Pope Francis sent a message to the new Archbishop on the occasion of his enthronement. The text reads:
 
"May grace and peace be multiplied to you" (1 Pet 1:2b)
I thank you for the kind words contained in your message to me at my election, and I wish in turn to offer my greetings and best wishes on the occasion of your Enthronement at Canterbury Cathedral.
The pastoral ministry is a call to walk in fidelity to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Please be assured of my prayers as you take up your new responsibilities, and I ask you to pray for me as I respond to the new call that the Lord has addressed to me.
I look forward to meeting you in the near future, and to continuing the warm fraternal relations that our predecessors enjoyed.The message was simply signed, “Francis”.

03/22/2013 

U.S.: Defenders of heterosexual marriage to hold protest march in Washington

Brian Brown heads the National Organization for Marriage

With the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to ban same-sex marriage due in just a few days time, opponents of same-sex marriage have announced they will be holding a demonstration

vatican insider staff rome Protests against the potential legalisation of same sex marriage are mounting in the U.S. as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on California’s constitutional same-sex marriage ban and the constitutionality of the federal law on marriage.The movement of opponents of same-sex marriage has organised a “March for Marriage” which will take place in Washington on Tuesday 26 March, the day America’s highest court will begin the decision-making process. Mothers, fathers, Catholic priests and Evangelical ministers, white, black and Latino activists will be marching: they are among the many opponents of same-sex marriage, or rather, they want to defend traditional unions.The `National Organization for Marriage´ led by father of seven, Brian Brown will be leading the protest. Brown has been travelling up and down the country holding rallies against same-sex unions. But the associations defending marriage as a union between a man and a woman are made up of people from all walks of life. It is a heterogeneous group which shares in the belief that legalising same-sex marriage would harm the institution of the family, particularly children.

Obama in Jordan After Israel Visit

President Barack Obama walks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, upon his arrival at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, March 22, 2013.

VOA News

March 22, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Jordan Friday following a visit to Israel and the West Bank that included talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and calls for the two sides to resume peace efforts.Obama was given a red-carpet welcome upon landing at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, then was driven to King Abdullah's residence where he was welcomed by a military band.  Later today he is expected to meet with King Abdullah in his residence, where the conversation is expected to touch on Syrian refugees in Jordan, Jordan's economic reforms, bilateral ties and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Obama's arrival to Jordan was delayed due to a sandstorm that engulfed the region during the morning. Earlier Friday, he travelled to Bethlehem to join Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for a tour of the Church of the Nativity, the site where Christians believe Jesus was born. Also on Friday, the president visited Israel's Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, where he called for tolerance against others. "This is our obligation: not simply to bear witness, but to act. For us, in our time, this means confronting bigotry and hatred in all of its forms, racism, especially anti-Semitism, none of that has a place in the civilized world," he said.Accompanied by Peres and Netanyahu, Obama spoke after viewing the Hall of Names: a circular room ringed by thousands of volumes containing names of people killed in the Holocaust. During his visit to Israel, the president took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of Theodor Herzl - the founder of the movement to establish a Jewish state - and slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. On Thursday, in a speech to university students in Jerusalem, Obama assured his audience of young Israelis that they are "not alone" in facing threats to Israel's security. He added that peace with the Palestinians is the "only path to true security."
Obama said Israeli leaders must recognize that "continued settlement activity" on land the Palestinians claim for a state is "counterproductive." Obama also said he believes Israel has a genuine peace partner in Palestinian President Abbas. Israeli press reported Friday that Obama met with Netanyahu for several hours Friday to brief the Israeli prime minister on his talks with Abbas.

Obama in Jordan warns of extremist threat in Syria when _ not if _ Assad is ousted

By Associated Press,

AMMAN, Jordan — Anxious to keep Syria’s civil war from spiraling into bigger problems, President Barack Obama said Friday he worries about the country becoming a haven for extremists when — not if — President Bashar Assad is ousted from power.The president, standing side by side with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, said the international community must work together to ensure there is a credible opposition ready to step into the breach in Syria.“Something has been broken in Syria, and it’s not going to be put back together perfectly immediately — even after Assad leaves,” Obama said. “But we can begin the process of moving it in a better direction, and having a cohesive opposition is critical to that.”Trying to resolve another source of tension in the region, the president helped broker a phone call between the Israeli and Turkish prime ministers that led to agreement to restore normal diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“The timing was good for that conversation to take place,” Obama said.