WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops have taken their concerns about same-sex unions to YouTube, the popular video-sharing Web site.
Both videos are available on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh_81zsW6U8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwCAXQhqd-Q
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/marriagedefense.shtml
The English-language video features Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage. Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, chair of the bishops' Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, speaks on the Spanish-language video.
The USCCB seeks "to promote and protect marriage for the gift that it is and for the blessings that only it can bring to the world. For this reason," the bishops state, "we come forward in defense of marriage."
"Certain groups and individuals are trying to make same-sex unions the equivalent of marriage," they state also. "This is a false idea being proposed and, in some cases, imposed by a minority. This is nothing less than the radical redefinition marriage -- denying the truth that it is exclusively the union of a man and a woman."
The bishops warn that if successful, "this effort of redefining marriage to include same-sex unions will bring confusion to what marriage actually means. This confusion could spread and have enormous legal consequences for the rearing of children, public education, employment, and religious freedom. Children would be forced to learn that marriage is merely one kind of loving relationship among many. Churches would be prevented from witnessing to and teaching about the necessary and singular role of love between a man and a woman."
"Same-sex unions and marriage are completely different realities," they state also. "Reaffirming the traditional understanding of marriage is neither discrimination nor the denial of rights. Like all people, homosexual persons have the right to be treated with respect and to live in peace with the support of their loved ones. But it is to the benefit of all members of society that the institution of marriage be preserved as the relationship of a man and a woman that serves the common good in a distinct way. Society needs marriage in order to establish and sustain that basic unit of society in which men and women love each other and transmit life to their children who are the fruit of that love."
The video is the latest in a series of activities to emerge from the Defense of Marriage Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee assists the bishops and State Catholic Conferences in education, catechesis, public policy advocacy and communications strategies and their implications for society and the culture.
Text BIBLE (80672) for Daily Audio Gospel
Look around …everywhere you go, people are on their cell phones, chatting with others, playing video games and texting their friends.
In fact, texting is now one of the most common ways to communicate. In the U.S. alone, people send around 530 million text messages every single day.
Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry, is now using text messaging to deliver God's Word in audio.
By texting "BIBLE" to 80672, people can have the encouraging Word of God sent directly to their mobile phone. Once subscribed, people will receive a chapter a day of the Audio Drama Bible. In less than a year, people can listen through the entire New Testament.
"The cell phone is a perfect way to deliver God's Word," said Troy Carl, national director for Faith Comes By Hearing. "What do you do with a phone? You put it to your ear and listen. Phones are inherently made for listening, so it just makes sense."
Carl said people can easily get into God's Word wherever they are.
"Now you can listen to God's Word while getting ready for your day, while commuting to work or walking to class," Carl said. "Every day you get a text message containing a link that contains a chapter of the Audio Drama New Testament."
Faith Comes By Hearing launched this outreach effort because of the potential number of people that can only be reached through mobile devices.
"Mobile phone distribution is a critical element to spreading the gospel," said Carl. "Here in the U.S., and worldwide, cell phones are actually growing at a more rapid rate than internet access and capability."
"Research shows more than 298 million people in the U.S. own cell phones," he said. "That's not the future; that's right now. We can reach millions of people with the Word of God right now."
In 2009, the ministry will add over 300 languages to this new text messaging outreach.
Standard text messaging and data transfer rates apply as provided in your wireless plan (contact your carrier for pricing plans and details). For more information, please contact Faith Comes By Hearing at 800-545-6552 or info@fcbhmail.org
New Website Promotes Vocations through the Internet
BERWYN, IL (NOVEMBER 6, 2008) - Carrying out Vatican II’s request that the Church use the modern means of communication, a website has been launched that helps religious communities and dioceses use the internet to promote vocations.
“My information covers the importance of blogs, newsletters and search engine ranking without sounding too technical,” states Kevin Banet, president of TreeFrogClick, Inc., which built the website. “I find that many religious communities are intimidated by the technology, and I want to change that.”
Banet, who founded TreeFrogClick in 2003 mainly to put religious communities on the web, says that there is a tremendous opportunity for those promoting vocations to the priesthood, religious and consecrated life to use the internet to their benefit. “Rather than shy away from it, religious should know that youth grow up with the web and are heavily influenced by it,” Banet said.
“A community’s website is very important — second in importance behind personal contact,” Banet said, citing a recent study by a vocation organization. “Many religious communities are stuck in a print mode and spend thousands on brochures and print ads, but what do they get for it?”
Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to use the internet in 2002, when he issued a Church document, “Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel.” He said, “We must enter into this modern and ever more replete communications network with realism and confidence.”
The new vocation website, at www.vocationpromotion.com, contains regular entries and covers topics such as blogs, enewsletters, tips on search engine ranking, and videos.
TreeFrogClick, at www.treefrogclick.com, located in the Chicago area, offers web-building and search-ranking services to religious communities, dioceses and small businesses.
“My information covers the importance of blogs, newsletters and search engine ranking without sounding too technical,” states Kevin Banet, president of TreeFrogClick, Inc., which built the website. “I find that many religious communities are intimidated by the technology, and I want to change that.”
Banet, who founded TreeFrogClick in 2003 mainly to put religious communities on the web, says that there is a tremendous opportunity for those promoting vocations to the priesthood, religious and consecrated life to use the internet to their benefit. “Rather than shy away from it, religious should know that youth grow up with the web and are heavily influenced by it,” Banet said.
“A community’s website is very important — second in importance behind personal contact,” Banet said, citing a recent study by a vocation organization. “Many religious communities are stuck in a print mode and spend thousands on brochures and print ads, but what do they get for it?”
Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to use the internet in 2002, when he issued a Church document, “Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel.” He said, “We must enter into this modern and ever more replete communications network with realism and confidence.”
The new vocation website, at www.vocationpromotion.com, contains regular entries and covers topics such as blogs, enewsletters, tips on search engine ranking, and videos.
TreeFrogClick, at www.treefrogclick.com, located in the Chicago area, offers web-building and search-ranking services to religious communities, dioceses and small businesses.
Bishops Congratulate Barack Obama on Historic Election
Urge Him to Defend the Weak, Heal Divisions
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event "historic" and coming at a difficult time.
"Our country is confronting many uncertainties," the bishops said. "We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person."
The bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The letter follows.
Dear President-elect Obama,
I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.
Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.
May God bless you and Vice President-elect Biden as you prepare to assume your duties in service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event "historic" and coming at a difficult time.
"Our country is confronting many uncertainties," the bishops said. "We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person."
The bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The letter follows.
Dear President-elect Obama,
I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.
Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.
May God bless you and Vice President-elect Biden as you prepare to assume your duties in service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)