Is Yoga incompatible with Catholicism?

July 16, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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The venerable Catholic priest of blessed memory, Fr. John Hardon, S.J., says it is, and he explains why:

Yoga is incompatible with Catholicism because the best known practice of Hindu spirituality is Yoga. “Inner” Hinduism professes pantheism, which denies that there is only one infinite Being who created the world out of nothing. This pantheistic Hinduism says to the multitude of uncultured believers who follow the ways of the gods that they will receive the reward of the gods. They will have brief tastes of heaven between successive rebirths on earth. But they will never be delivered from the “wheel of existence” with its illusory lives and deaths until they realize that only “God” exists and all else is illusion (Maya). To achieve this liberation the principal way is by means of concentration and self control (yoga).

Indian spirituality is perhaps best known by the practice of yoga, derived from the root yuj to unite or yoke, which in context means union with the Absolute. Numerous stages are distinguished in the upward progress toward the supreme end of identification: by means of knowledge with the deity; the practice of moral virtues and observance of ethical rules; bodily postures; control of internal and external senses; concentration of memory and meditation–finally terminating in total absorption (samadhi), “when the seer stands in his own nature” . . . (continue reading)

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Renowned exorcist, Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, defines the meaning of "demonic possession"

July 15, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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Catholic Apologetics Summer Camp for Students 15-19

July 15, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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The Envoy Institute’s 2011 Apologetics Summer Camp

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, half-price scholarships for the 2nd-annual Envoy Institute Summer Apologetics Camp August 15-21 are now available for up to 25 lucky students, ages 15 to 19.

Here’s how to make a half-price scholarship possible for a student you love: contact Joan Bradley at (704) 461-6009 or JoanBradley@bac.edu today! She can explain the total cost (less than $400 with the scholarship), payment plans and other important details.

Look at what is awaiting students aged 15-19-years:

7 days and 6 nights in an inspiring setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, lodging (in separate camps for girls and boys), three meals a day, lots of fun outdoor activities (

, and eight great teaching seminars delivered by several of America’s leading Catholic apologists – Jim Burnham, Ken Hensley, Dr. Ben Wiker, and Dr. Paul Thigpen – plus talks and a workshop on apologetics that I’ll be presenting. Msgr. Stuart Swetland, S.T.D., will also be speaking to the attendees.

During the week, our excellent team of speakers will help young Catholics address issues like these: How do you pull the rug out from under an atheist who wants to weaken or destroy your faith (gently and with love, of course)? What is your answer when someone asks, “Have you been saved”? What does the Bible really say about the “End Times,” the “rapture,” the anti-Christ, etc.? What does the Catholic Church actually believe about evolution? What should your response be when a Protestant friend throws certain Bible verses at you that seem to refute certain Catholic beliefs?

All of our talks on these and other subjects will be presented the “Envoy way,” with our patent-pending mixture of reverence, good-and-sometimes-even-bizarre humor, inspiration, devotion and fun. And in between sessions, there’ll be fun activities like swimming, hiking, whitewater rafting, an ice cream social, plus an evening of karaoke.

Mass will be celebrated every day as well, including one by our special guest Monsignor Stuart Swetland, who will also be giving a talk afterwards.

To take advantage of this special limited-time half-price scholarship offer, please contact Joan Bradley at (704) 461-6009 or JoanBradley@bac.edu today!

(Also, if you are interested in making a donation yourself so that we can extend additional scholarships so even more students can attend, please call or email Joan about making a donation for additional scholarships. We greatly appreciate your support in any amount!)

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The Legion of Christ to Meet in Extraordinary General Chapter

July 13, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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Ear Candy

July 10, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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Bach: Cello Suite No.1, Prelude

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A Plethora of Catholic Movies Available on Netflix

July 10, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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One of my Facebook Friends brought this to my attention today. Seems that Netflix, which our family uses almost exclusively to stream movies directly to our TV, carries a plethora of good Catholic movies. (Think of that scene in “The Three Amigos” when you say the word “plethora,” mkay?) If you use Netflix, here are some worthy Catholic titles to add to your queue:

A Hand of Peace

A Man for All Seasons

After the Truth

Don Matteo

Father of Mercy: The True Story of Venerable Don Gnocchi

Faustina

God in China

Into Great Silence

John XXIII

Karol: The Pope, The Man

Love is a Choice

Maria Goretti

Our Father’s Plan

Padre Pio Between Heaven and Earth

Paul VI: The Pope in the Tempest

Pope Benedict XVA

Road of Hope

Saint Anthony

Saint Francis

Saint Rita

Saints and Soldiers

St. Giuseppe Moscati: Doctor to the Poor

St. Teresa of Avila

The 13th Day

The Jeweller’s Shop

The Miracle of Marcelino

The Reluctant Saint

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

Théresè

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Phase Two of the Post-Maciel Legion of Christ Saga Begins

July 9, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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It was announced today that an Italian archbishop, Msgr. Velasio De Paolis, a member of the congregation of the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo, is the prelate whom Pope Benedict XVI has appointed to take charge of the reform of the Legionaries of Christ. He was briefly in the cross-hairs of the international mainstream press two years ago for being the Vatican official who denied permission to Ron Howard and company to use any Catholic churches in Rome for filming the blasphemous, “Angels and Demons,” the sequel to “The Da Vinci Code.”

Archbishop De Paolis was quoted as saying: That the movies “turned the gospels upside down to poison the faith. . . .”[and] “It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into films in the name of business.”

Regarding his current appointment as the new head of the Legionaries of Christ . . .

The Vatican said the visitation highlighted three primary requirements: The need to “redefine the charism” of the Legionaries of Christ, the need to revise the exercise of authority in the order and the need to preserve the enthusiasm and missionary zeal of younger members through adequate formation.

What this will mean for the current leadership of Legionary priests isn’t clear yet, but it seems likely that, in order for this reform to be carried out smoothly and expeditiously, some of them will need to relinquish their positions.

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How Fireworks Pros Make Those Brilliant Pyrotechnics

July 4, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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“A brilliant fireworks display is a complicated, calculated mixture of chemistry, ballistics and imagination. Here is an in-depth look at how the pros pull it off every year:

“There’s no tradition quite like a Fourth of July fireworks display. Lawnchairs and blankets line the grassy viewing area as spectators wait for spellbinding colors, thrilling explosions and intriguing shapes to paint the sky. The event may be magical—especially for the kids—but of course, its all the product of meticulous chemistry and clever ballistics.

— By Amanda Dematto, Popular Mechanics —

“Behind the curtains—out on a river barge floating a distance from the onlookers’ vantage point—are brown cylindrical and spherical canisters of varying sizes, placed in mortar tubes and wired to a central control. An engineer pushes a button that routes an electrical impulse through 40 feet of wiring to the first canister. The impulse lights a fuse at the canister’s base, which burns through to a black powder that catapults the shell into the sky. At the same moment, a time-delay fuse is triggered, giving the shell time to soar before bursting. After about 5 seconds the shell peaks, the fuse kindles a bursting charge, and poof!—the casing ruptures, and magnificent tendrils of red, white and blue stream into the sky.

“Every step of this process is a complex, carefully crafted process. If one thing is off—too much black powder, misaligned stars or a misplaced trigger—everything can fail. Here’s a look at how professionals pull it off every year while one-upping last year’s pyrotechnic display. . . .” (continue reading)

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New "Dramatic" and "Weird" Cloud Type Discovered?

July 2, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
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Photograph courtesy Merrick Davies

Photograph courtesy Jane Wiggins

I’d have thought that whatever different types clouds exist here on earth, we’ve already seen and categorized them all. Looks like I was wrong. National Geographic says,

“These choppy clouds over Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in an undated picture could be examples of the first new type of cloud to be recognized since 1951. Or so hopes Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society.

“The British cloud enthusiast said he began getting photos of ‘dramatic’ and ‘weird’ clouds (including the above) in 2005 that he didn’t know how to define.

“A few months ago he began preparing to propose the odd formations as a new cloud variety to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization, which classifies cloud types. . . .” (continue reading)