Let us seek with the shepherds
The Word incarnate;
Let us sing with all mankind
For the King of the age. Noel.
What do you see in the stable?
Jesus, born of the Virgin.
What do you hear in the manger?
Angels with a song
And shepherds saying: Noel.
Where do you eat, where do you lie?
Say, whether you weep or laugh:
We ask you, Christ the King. Noel.
My food is milk of the Virgin
My bed is a hard manger,
My tears are songs. Noel.
I thought priests were obliged to say Mass daily, but according to this article, it's not so.
Thanks to the friend who asked about it!
A Vatican Secretariat of State press release came out over the weekend. It's a policy statement about a relatively minor matter: organizations named after Popes.
DECLARATION ON THE PROTECTION OF THE FIGURE OF THE POPE
Recent years have witnessed a great increase of affection and esteem for the person of the Holy Father. There has also been a desire to use the Pope's name in the title of universities, schools or cultural institutions, as well as associations, foundations and other groups.
In light of this fact, the Holy See hereby declares that it alone has the right to ensure the respect due to the Successors of Peter, and, therefore, to protect the figure and personal identity of the Pope from the unauthorized use of his name and/or the papal coat of arms for ends and activities which have little or nothing to do with the Catholic Church. Occasionally, in fact, attempts have been made to attribute credibility and authority to initiatives by using ecclesiastical or papal symbols and logos.
Consequently, the use of anything referring directly to the person or office of the Supreme Pontiff (his name, his picture or his coat of arms), and/or the use of the title "Pontifical", must receive previous and express authorization from the Holy See.
(emphasis added)
Here's what I find odd: that a statement from the Vatican is using a modern word such as "logo". I feel as if the word were invented practically yesterday. As it happens, "logo" only dates to 1937, which seems way too recent for an institution with 2000 years behind it.
Surely there should be some rule that the Vatican doesn't use words that aren't at least 100 years old.
Genevieve Kineke, author of The Authentic Catholic Woman, did some reading in the Koran as part of her research for a book on women in Muslim cultures, and has written a helpful article on the differences between the Christian and Islamic concepts of God.
The Christian revelation presents God as consistently good and truthful, and worthy of adoration; and it says that God, in some sense, is Love.
The Koranic message does not make these affirmations, and calls not for adoration, but for submission, and asserts above all else that God is powerful.
