After lots of soul searching (we read the poems), research into the history and spirit of haiku (we looked up the proper number of syllables on Wikpiedia), research into Japanese (we learned how to spell haiku) we have been able to come up with the winners of our contest.

Turkish bow is bent
Noble Cross must surely fall
Lady breaks the string
-James

Gazing from his See
Pius pleads and Moors retreat
Queen of Victory
- Jennifer

Virtue of freemen
Allies of heart, aspired feats.
Vanquished servile foe.
- Leslie

The winners will all be sent copies of Lepanto signed by Dale Ahlquist.

Maybe because things like having three priests arrested and then having the arrest denied by the Chines officials doesn’t bother you that much.

The whereabouts of three “underground” priests in northern China, detained by police months ago, are still unknown while another has apparently been persuaded to join the “open” Church, say sources.

Fathers Liu Jianzhong, Zhang Cunhui and Zhong Mingchang of Xuanhua diocese were taken away by plainclothes police on June 8, June 14 and Sept. 16 respectively.

Local Church sources said that when the priests’ family members went to government departments to enquire about them, the authorities denied detaining them and refused family requests to help locate them.

Meanwhile, Father Simon Zhang Jianlin, who was taken by police in July, is under house arrest in a county government building. Sources say he has been “brainwashed” and has been persuaded to join the Catholic Patriotic Association, but he is allowed to receive visitors in the premises.

Their bishop is 80 and is in hiding.

I can understand that when some products like the lousy CFL lightbulbs that the government in its wisdom is forcing everyone to use are only made in China you don’t have a choice about your purchasing. But when options are available why would China even be on the list?

Source: Union of Catholic Asian News

A Beautiful and Inspiring Christmas Tradition from Eastern Europe

Among Catholic families in Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the start of the traditional Wigilia (Christmas Eve Vigil) meal begins with Oplatki, Oblatky, or Plotkele, a thin Communion-like rectangular wafer made of unleavened bread and stamped with different Christmas symbols. Some families call it the “bread of Love” and it is widely known in English-speaking countries simply as the Christmas wafer. Some eastern German families are also known to use a wafer called Opladen in their Christmas cooking.

Madonna and Child Christmas Ornament

Read the rest of our detailed, informative article about Oplatki right here.

You may order Oplatki from us right here. They are in stock now.

God bless.

Congratulations to Mickie from Texas who won this week’s Sterling Silver Rosary giveaway at Rosarycatalog.com!

This week we are giving away a White Cloisonne Rosary valued at $120!

This exquisite rosary has 8mm white with green and pink closinne beads.  The “Our Father” beads are daisy-capped.  The Miraculous Medal center and the finely detailed crucifix are sterling silver.  The rosary is 24in. long and the ornate crucifix is 1 3/4in. The rosary comes in a deluxe gift box.

This item carries a lifetime warranty. If at any time it breaks or tarnishes just send it back for repair or replacement. This guarantee takes precedence over our standard return policy.

Rules:

1. Purchase must be made on the rosarycatalog.com website between Oct 18, 2009 and Oct 24, 2009.
2. Purchase must be for at least $25, including shipping.
3. If you win the rosary the items from your winning purchase are not returnable.
4. If you win you agree that we may use your first name to announce that you have won.
5. Orders that are pending payment do not qualify if payment is received after Oct 24,2009.
6. Drawing will be done on Oct 26, 2009 and the rosary will be sent on Oct 28, 2009.

Last week was my class trip to Greece in which we took a whirlwind tour of many of the ancient Greek cities and sites. We visited, Olympia, Delphi, Athens and other cities. Since we had to take a ferry to Greece, we drove from Rome down to the port city of Bari, which is located close to the heel of the boot of Italy. The city of Bari, while not exactly a picturesque city, has historical significance. Back in the time of the Crusades, the port of Bari was a major jump-off point to reach the Middle East. When the Crusaders would return to Europe through Italy, they would often stop and leave objects plundered from Islamic mosques at this church in thanksgiving for their successes. The platform around the high altar, in fact was taken from a mosque which had originally been a Christian Church. It has Islamic writing on it regarding the greatness of Allah. The crypt of the church is very unique because not only does it contain the remains of the saint to which the church is dedicated, but it is in the control of the Orthodox Church. The picture that I have from this basilica is of the main altar of the lower church.

When we arrived in Greece, we docked at the Port of Patras, which contains a very important Orthodox church. This church is among the most richly decorated Orthodox churches that I have seen. Every square inch of the building is either marble or covered in mosaics or frescos. Designed in a Greek equidistant cross, the church has a large dome in the middle with Christ the Pantokrator surrounded by angels painted inside. Below, like in many Orthodox churches is a massive chandelier with mosaics of the apostles and carvings of the Greek double-headed eagle. The most striking part of the church is a magnificent image of the Theotokos with Christ in her lap, overlooking the painted city of Patras. This is the picture that I have chosen to include of the church.

The answer to my last post is the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia.

If you are at all familiar with the Advent, Christmas and Rosary Companions produced by Magnificat you know that this new companion will be a great guide through the Year for Priests.

This booklet includes:

• A novena honoring nine different dimensions of the priestly vocation.
• Meditation texts that invite a greater appreciation of the priesthood.
• Enlightening essays about the priestly life.
• Devotions, prayers, litanies, and a special Via Crucis for priests.

This companion will prove to be a source of insight, inspiration, and instruction for all people – priests and lay faithful alike.

Order it now!

Catholic Books >  Priesthood / Religious Books >  Pastoral Resources >  Magnificat Year for Priests Companion Magnificat Year for Priests Companion Item Number: 22048 View XL Image Product Rating 0 stars (0 Ratings) Write a Review Purchase Information Your Price: $3.95 Select Qty: Availability: In Stock. Can ship within 1-2 Business Days Product Details Author: Format: Manufacturer: Date: Pages: Rev. Peter J. Cameron, O.P. Soft Cover Magnificat 2009 112 Our Description This booklet includes: A novena honoring nine different dimensions of the priestly vocation. Meditation texts that invite a greater appreciation of the priesthood. Enlightening essays about the priestly life. Devotions, prayers, litanies, and a special Via Crucis for priests. This companion will prove to be a source of insight, inspiration, and instruction for all people – priests and lay faithful alike. General Description: This valuable Year of the Priest resource is edited by Fr. Peter John Cameron O.P. The Magnificat Year for Priests Companion is a one-of-a-kind spiritual guide designed to accompany you through this special Year with prayers, devotions, meditations, and essays celebrating the priesthood. Also included are unique features such as 11 pages of sacred art, a special Novena in honor of the Priesthood, each day highlighting a different dimension of the priestly vocation, meditation texts on significant facets of the priesthood by Saint John Vianney, Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II, Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J., Alec Guinness, and many others. A beautiful user-friendly booklet in a practical pocket-size format, edited by Fr. Peter John Cameron, Editor-in-Chief of Magnificat. Illustrated. Browse For Similar Items In Catholic Books > Priesthood / Religious Books > Prayer and Spirituality 2009 Year of the Priest > Year of the Priest Books > Priestly Ministry Catholic Books > Priesthood / Religious Books > Pastoral Resources A Tiber River reviewer hasn’t written a review for this book yet. Sign up as a Tiber River reviewer and see your review here! (Apart from fame, you can also can get free stuff and gift certificates.) Reviews: Review Snapshot® by PowerReviews Express Be the first to review this product. Write a Review close Related Articles 1. Msgr. Ronald Knox – Priest of Heroic Modesty 10/05/2009 2. Why Are Priests Celibate? 09/06/2009 3. Fr. Peter Whelan – Priest of Heroic Generosity 08/31/2009 4. Bless Me Father, for I Have Sinned 08/10/2009 5. Augustine Tolton – Priest of Heroic Patience 07/30/2009 6. Call No Man Father 07/13/2009 7. FREE Clergy Shirts! 06/19/2009 8. Don Carlo Gnocchi – Priest of Heroic Kindness 06/18/2009 9. Indulgences for the Year of the Priest 06/05/2009 10. The Year of the Priest 06/04/2009 11. Fr. Vincent Capodanno – Priest of Heroic Virtue 06/01/2009 12. Titles in the Catholic Church 01/06/2009 13. The Liturgical Ministry Series 12/09/2008 14. Why the Church needs Priests 01/01/1900 Have a comment about this product? Please let us know. If you would like a reply, please include your email address. The Product Description Is Incomplete The Product Description Is Wrong The Product Image Is Incorrect This Product Should Not Be Carried Comments: Enter the text above: Patron Saint List: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X  Y  Z

To celebrate the month of the Rosary RosaryCatalog.com will be giving away one rosary each week to a lucky shopper. These rosaries aren’t your standard rosary. Each one retails for at least $75!

For purchases made on the RosaryCatalog.com site between October 11st and October 17th we will be giving away this gorgeous Sterling Silver Rosary:

This beautiful rosary has 6mm sterling silver beads.  The center, which is a round Miraculous Medal, and the ornate 2in. crucifix are sterling silver. The rosary is 21in. long and comes in a gift box.

This item carries a lifetime warranty. If at any time it breaks  just send it back for repair or replacement. This guarantee takes precedence over our standard return policy.

Stay tuned for the next giveaway!

Rules:

1. Purchase must be made on the rosarycatalog.com website between Oct 11, 2009 and Oct 17, 2009.
2. Purchase must be for at least $25, including shipping.
3. If you win the rosary the items from your winning purchase are not returnable.
4. If you win you agree that we may use your first name to announce that you have won.
5. Orders that are pending payment do not qualify if payment is received after Oct 10,2009.
6. Drawing will be done on Oct 119, 2009 and the rosary will be sent on Oct 21, 2009.

If you missed the details, read our Rosary / Lepanto post.

Here are some examples Facebook users submitted for the contest.

Turkish bow is bent
Noble Cross must surely fall
Lady breaks the string

Gazing from his See
Pius pleads and Moors retreat
Queen of Victory

Virtue of freemen
Allies of heart, aspired feats.
Vanquished servile foe.

If you haven’t entered yet, what are you waiting for? You could win a signed copy of the book Lepanto!

In honor of the victory of Lepanto and the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we are running a rather unusual contest until October 17th.

For those who aren’t familiar with the battle, I quote from Dale Ahlquist’s introduction to the book Lepanto:

The Battle of Lepanto was fought  on Sunday, October 7, 1571, just south of the town of Lepanto, Greece, in the Gulf of Lepanto, which ajoins the Gulf of Patras on the west and the Gulf of Corinth on the east. The battle was key turning point in history. The Islamic forces under Selim II controlled the Mediterranean and were threatening to attack both Venice and Rome, which could have led to the collapse of Christian Europe. The poem brings out the fact that the odds are against Christendom in this monumental standoff. The Holy League will get no help from Germany, divided and weakened by the Protestant Reformation; or from England, under the self-absorbed “cold queen”, Elizabeth I; or from Francec, under the worthless “shadow of the Valois”, King Charles IX. But a surprise hero rises to the occasion: the “last knight of Europe”, twenty-four-year-old Don John of Austria, illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V, who miraculously leads the Christian forces to victory.

The contest consists of the following:

1. Write a haiku about either the Battle of Lepanto or the Rosary.
2. Post the haiku on your blog or Facebook account and link back to this post.
3. Leave a comment on this post pointing to your poem just so we make sure that we don’t miss one when we do the judging.
4. Only poems written in proper haiku format will qualify. Bonus points will be awarded if you mention a season in the poem.

After the contest ends on October 17th, the Aquinas and More staff will pick the three best poems (in our opinion) and send the winners a copy of the book Lepanto signed by Dale Ahlquist, the foremost Chesterton expert in the country and president of the American Chesterton Society.

We’re all grown ups here so no whining if you don’t win. We aren’t poetry experts but we can count to seven so we will be able to identify poorly formatted Haiku.