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Theotokos Newsletter - July 2002|
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Theotokos Catholic Website Newsletter - July 2002 - No.3 http://www.theotokos.org.uk Dear Friend, You are receiving this Theotokos Newsletter because either I have been in touch with you at some time, or you have contacted me at the Theotokos Catholic Website - www.theotokos.org.uk - or a friend may have forwarded it to you. This is the third edition of the Theotokos Newsletter which is presently appearing quarterly. If you don't wish to receive it in future, then you can unsubscribe by replying to this e-mail with "unsubscribe" as the subject. God Bless, Donal Foley p.s. If you have received this Newsletter from a friend, and would like to subscribe to future issues, then simply send an e-mail to www.theotokos.org.uk/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi Your e-mail address will then be added to the list. Please feel free to recommend this Newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in its contents and the topics covered on the Theotokos site. Just click on "Forward" in your e-mail program, and select their address. This is an important way by which the Theotokos site will become better known, so please consider doing this. If you have any problems clicking on any of the links below, just copy and paste the URL into your Web browser - not all e-mail programs can access the Internet directly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forthcoming Book! Marian Apparitions, the Bible, and the Modern World by Donal Anthony Foley to be published by Gracewing Publishers in September 2002 Foreword by Fr Aidan Nichols OP Imprimatur from Bishop McMahon of Nottingham Diocese, England ISBN 0 85244 313 7 - 353 pp - £17.99 This is an in depth investigation into the major Marian apparitions that have occurred during the last five centuries. It relates them to secular happenings and important revolutionary events in Western history including the Reformation and the French and Russian Revolutions. It also argues that the major apparitions are not random or historically inconsequential events, but actually seem to follow a preordained plan, one intimately linked with the biblical Marian typology explored by the Church Fathers. In particular, this books looks at the importance of Fatima in the life of the Church, its links with the papacy, and its continuing relevance for the Third Millennium. You can see more details, including the foreword by Fr Aidan Nichols, at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/books/books.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents July 2002, Issue 3 1. Theotokos news - Foyer retreats, Youth 2000 festival, Creation conference and Fatima pilgrimages 2. Books 3. EWTN in Britain 4. Useful Web sites 5. Security/virus info 6. Petersnet Documents/Resources 7. Services worth using/supporting 8. Messages to God from young children! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Theotokos News The numbers of visitors to Theotokos Catholic Website continues to rise - there have now been about 20,000 visitors to the site, which is a sizeable total in comparison with most websites. Please continue to feel free to continue to send me any questions, comments etc., you may have to: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There is still time to book up for the Five Day silent Foyer of Charity type retreat to be led by Father Ian Ker, the internationally renowned Newman scholar, who has taken an active interest in the new movements and communities. This will be held at the Carmelite Priory, near. Oxford, England, from September 9th - 14th 2002. Following on from the success of the 2001 Retreat, those who are keen to support the growing movement to found a FOYER in this country are invited to come to this sixth Foyer-type retreat. Each day will be modelled on the retreats held in the many Foyers world-wide. Silence will be of the essence. Please book early, as this retreat is likely to be very popular. For more details please e-mail: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/movecomm/foyer/eretreat.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Similarly, for those who want to experience Foyer Spirituality at source, there is still just time to book for a Foyer retreat in English, given by Fr Matthew Bradley, at Châteauneuf de-Galaure, from 4-11 August 2002. This is the "Mother House" of the Foyer movement, and a visit there is very much recommended, not least because it gives you a chance to visit Marthe's house, and the places associated with her. The cost from London is £435 (sterling), and the visit includes a day excursion to the shrine of the Cure d'Ars. For more information contact: Carmel and Edward Donaghy (Dublin) +353 1 269 2395 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Youth 2000 11th International Festival of Prayer and Evangelisation From Thursday 22nd - Monday 26th August 2002 This is one of the most important Catholic youth gatherings in the country - well worth a visit! At the National shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk, England For more details: http://www.youth2000.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Creation Lectures and Creation Conference - Oct 18-20, 2002 Gerry Keane, author of Creation Rediscovered: Evolution and the Importance of the Origins Debate, a Catholic guide to the latest in creation-evolution thinking will be giving lectures at various venues in Britain and Ireland from October 5 -10. After this, he expects to be on a lecture tour of the US, culminating in the Second Creation Conference organized by the Kolbe Center in Arlington, Virginia, from next Oct 18-20. He is proposing to talk on the subject: "Is Evolution An Open Question For Catholics?" For more details e-mail him at: Creation Rediscovered is available at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/recbooks/creation/creation.html The conference itself will take place at St. Agnes Parish Center in Arlington, Virginia. For more details please contact: The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, 301 S. Main St., Woodstock, VA 22664, Tel: 540-459-8334 E-Mail: For me You have created the skies scattered with stars . . . and all the beautiful things on earth. (St. Maximilian Kolbe) Details also available at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/kolbconf/kolbconf.html Or you can visit the Kolbe Center's new website at: www.kolbecenter.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rosary Pilgrimage Apostolate - Pilgrimages to Fatima: Autumn 2002 - Spring 2003 Pilgrimages to Fatima staying at the World Apostolate of Fatima hotel, Domus Pacis - this is one of the very best in Fatima; Half Board accommodation. Dates: November 4, 18; December 5 [for feast of the Immaculate Conception]; January 20, February 10, 17, March 10, April 7. All 5 days, 4 nights. Scheduled flights from London Heathrow. School Groups: £279; Adult Groups £299. Groups: One free for every ten paying. Full and rewarding Itinerary with free time for shopping etc. With School Groups, there is an offer of a free single room to teachers. Otherwise single rooms are £56 Groups can arrange their own dates if desired. ROSARY PILGRIMAGE APOSTOLATE TRUST Suite 2, Newburn Centre, Newburn Crescent, Swindon, SN1 5ES. 01793/422714. Fax: 01793/422715. E mail: - (Please mention Theotokos website when contacting Rosary Pilgrimage Apostolate) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Theotokos Catholic Website sections to note include: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/recbooks/recbooks.html (Recommended Books) and www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/breviews/breviews.html (Book Reviews) You can also visit http://www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/whatsnew/whatsnew.html for up-to-date info. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recent L'Ile Bouchard news The last newsletter carried news of the further step which took place, in December 2001, towards full recognition of the apparitions at L'Ile Bouchard, a small town near Tours, in France. This was the scene of apparitions of Mary to a group of young children in December 1947, which lasted a week. The local Archbishop, Andre Vingt-Trois, has authorized pilgrimages and the public cult celebrated at the church of St Gilles. I was lucky enough to be able to visit L'Ile Bouchard at the end of May, and see the church of the apparitions for myself. It is totally unspoiled and if you want to see a pristine, yet authentic, Marian shrine, then I would highly recommend a visit. It may be possible to organize a pilgrimage for next summer, and I will post details in this newsletter in due course. If you are interested in this idea, please let me know. L'ile Bouchard is close to the Loire valley, a particularly beautiful part of France, so there would be a lot to see, including the outstanding chateaux which dot the area, apart from the town and the church itself. In fact, my visit, made with Martin Blake, was a sort of mini-tour through French Catholic history. We started at the Foyer of Charity at Courset, near Boulogne, where their new chapel was being dedicated, before going on to the monastery at Bec - this was where St Anselm, the Archbishop of Canterbury came from. Then we went to Tours, to stay with the head of the Knights of Our Lady, a Marian organization to which Martin belongs - our host and his wife were very kind and he took us to L'Ile Bouchard and some of the chateaux on the Loire. Then on the way back we stopped at Solesmes monastery, and then at the Marian shrine of Pontmain, before the five hour boat trip from Cherbourg. So it was an eventful and very interesting week. For more details about L'Ile Bouchard see: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/approved/appariti/lilebouc.html The official French site is at: www.notre-dame.org/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Books "The Weka-Feather Cloak: A New Zealand Fantasy" by Leo Madigan A new Children's adventure story Quiet, artistic Danny Mago gets a new job at the St Martin de Porres Convent in Aniwaniwa with Mother Madeleine, the famous Maori painter. When he approaches the ancient, unused elevator on the Convent grounds, the uneventful tenor of his life takes a sudden turn ... Upwards! The resulting wild and sometimes hair-raising adventures become strangely entangled with the mysterious quest that has brought beautiful Zelia Mazloum all the way from Turkey to New Zealand. In the midst of all this, Danny accepts a call to make a unique contribution to his home, the land that rests upon the seas, Aetearoa. Demonic creatures, angelic beings, sly villains, an old and beautiful weka-feather cloak, a blank wall in a new Cathedral and an unforgettable Maori nun come together in this amazing and original tale of spirit and laughter. By the same author: The Bank of Infinite Reserves - details at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/publicat/lmadigan/infinite.html. Ages 11+ AVAILABLE NOW at: http://www.familypublications.co.uk Bethlehem 1-883937-68-X Pbk 280 pp. £8.50 More details at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/publicat/lmadigan/wekafeat.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. EWTN in Britain EWTN - Eternal Word Television Network - the global Catholic network - is now available in Britain. If you are fed up with the downward spiral in the standards of British TV, then EWTN will be like a breath of fresh air for you. More information is available at: www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/ewtnbrit/ewtnbrit.html If you live outside Britain, you can get more details at: www.ewtn.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Useful Web sites Traditional Catholic Reflections & Reports ©. News, Opinion and Information for Catholics loyal to the Pope and Church with particular coverage of matters relating to the Mass and spirituality of the saints, changes made by theologians, priests and bishops after Vatican II, as well as matters relating to abortion, ethics, apologetics, prolife, philosophy, culture, and the arts. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/3251/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Security/virus info Most people have probably experienced a visitation or two - I must have received scores - from the W32.Klez virus - fortunately, it is fairly easy to spot but it only underlines the importance of keeping up your guard. It is still only a matter of time before another really nasty virus does come along, and so good anti-virus software is still an absolute necessity. For up-to-date information on this klez virus and similar menaces see: http://eletters1.ziffdavis.com/cgi-bin10/flo?y=eQem0CxaCy0E4J0nzf0Ax Symantec - http://www.symantec.com/ - is one of the best, while McAfee provide a good alternative. The updated Systemworks 2002 program has a very useful new feature called "Go Back" which does exactly what it says - allows you to go back to a time in the past when your PC was functioning properly, before the moment when you encounter a serious system problem. I encountered such a problem recently and was getting a whole series of error messages - but Go Back worked perfectly and saved the day. Regarding viruses, as before the golden rule is never to click on an attachment you are not sure about - even if it apparently comes from somebody you know. As mentioned previously, it is also a very good idea to have a "firewall" program such as Zonealarm. This is free for personal users, easy to use, and can be downloaded from: http://www.zonealarm.com/products/za/index.html Important note: The above advice is not intended to replace professional advice on these matters - always back up your hard disk before making any changes/additions and if in any doubt seek professional advice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Petersnet Documents/Resources - Petersnet (www.petersnet.net) continues to be an excellent Catholic site, and is well worth visiting on a periodic basis - they are constantly updating their resources. Below is a selection of links to some Petersnet material: 1. MEMORY AND RECONCILIATION: THE CHURCH AND THE FAULTS OF THE PAST International Theological Commission -- March 7, 2000. This document, presented on March 7, 2000 was prepared by the International Theological Commission under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's editorial direction. The document is designed as an explanation of the appeal for pardon which Pope John Paul II made on March 12. http://www.petersnet.net/research/retrieve.cfm?recnum=3D2601 2. A MODESTY PROPOSAL Father Thomas Morrow -- August, 1999. Fr. Morrow reveals the feelings and intimidations expressed by most Christian men when faced with situations involving immodestly dressed women. He encourages men to step forward and take part in the moral renewal of our culture. Women are also instructed to do their part for they have the most to gain from chastity, and modesty is the first step. http://www.petersnet.net/research/retrieve.cfm?recnum=3D2626 3. THE ROLE OF PRUDENCE IN FIGHTING THE CULTURE OF DEATH Donald DeMarco -- October 1999. Donald DeMarco demonstrates how to balance the equation that equals prudence. This article discusses the components of prudence and how imperative it is to have an equal balance of these components. DeMarco says, "Prudence is the mold of all virtues." http://www.petersnet.net/research/retrieve.cfm?recnum=3D2630 Trinity Communications Research Database http://www.petersnet.net/research/study.cfm PetersNet Site List - ratings for web sites http://www.petersnet.net/search/viewsitelist.cfm?all=yes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Services worth using/supporting http://www.kirche-in-not.org Website of Aid to the Church in Need - a Catholic organisation helping the persecuted Church around the world New Eve Media - specialists in Web design, hosting, and promotion - they host the Theotokos site http://www.neweve.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. And finally ... Some more messages to God from young children! Dear God: In school they told us what you do. Who does it when you're on vacation? Are you really invisible or is it just a trick? Dear God: Did you mean for the Giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? Dear God: Who draws the lines around the countries? Dear God: I went to this wedding and they kissed right in the church. Is that okay? Dear God: Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you have received this Newsletter from a friend, and would like to subscribe to future issues, then simply send an e-mail to Or you can subscribe at the Theotokos site at: www.theotokos.org.uk/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi - your e-mail address will then be added to the list. Please feel free to recommend this Newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in its contents and the topics covered on the Theotokos site. Just click on "Forward" in your e-mail program, and select their address (in addition, a little note from you to them would help!). Privacy Statement: Theotokos Catholic Website will not distribute your e-mail address to any third parties. If you have any ideas / news items / suggestions / feedback etc., for future issues, please contact me at: Copyright 2002 Donal Anthony Foley/Theotokos Catholic Website ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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