Thursday, August 09, 2007
OVER AND OUT TILL NEXT WEEK
I have a long weekend of activities planned with some of my Red Hat friends, which will mean that blogging won't be on the weekend agenda. Check here next Tuesday or Wednesday for the next blog.
CONFORMING TO CHURCH TEACHING
It would appear that Aharon Yosef/Athol Bloomer has had a change of heart and has taken his prophecy blog down. Clicking the "Show all posts" link will not bring anything up this morning.
On August 7 he posted a comment in one of my old blogs that reads:
I just wish to clarify that I do not approve of the new Age or freemasonry and in fact I am opposed to both movements. I am a Catholic Jew and I am certainly an orthodox Catholic who adheres to the Pope and the infallible teachings of the Church.
It's good to see that he has practiced what he preaches.
LETTER TO ANNE'S BISHOP
Here is another report to the bishop on a supposed seer, Kathryn Anne Clarke, being promoted by Athol Bloomer:
To: Fr. Paul Casey, Diocesan Secretary,
bishop@kilmorediocese.ie
From Richard Salbato, Managing Editor, Unity Publishing, Inc.
unitypub@unitypublishing.com
www.unitypublishing.com
Dear Father Casey,
I wish you to pass on to Bishop O’Reilly my concern for his approval of the publications of Anne, aka, Kathryn Ann Jennings, aka, Kathryn Ann Clarke. Bishop O’Reilly said, “In so far as I am able to judge, she is orthodox in her writings and teachings.”
There are many books and writings now, which I have no intention of even checking to see if they are orthodox or not. It does not matter. What does matter is that Anne claims that these writings and teachings come from God and not from her own imagination.
Cardinal Ratzinger warned Father Gobbi that he could not claim his writings came from God and for good reason: First, there is no evidence that it comes from God, and second, people should not put his writings on par with divine revelation and/or the teaching of the Church. There was also a case here in America of a divorced man who came from Ireland and claimed to have the stigmata and a bleeding statue of the Virgin Mary. The local priest found nothing wrong with the messages he claimed to be receiving and approved him for over two years. Now, of course, he is ordered out of the diocese and the church because it was discovered that his stigmata and the bleeding statue were frauds. Doing the right thing is more important than saving face.
Read the rest of the report.
MAGNIFICAT MEAL MOVEMENT - OR HAWKING GOD FOR DOLLARS
Via Unity Publishing who took the material primarily from the Rick Ross Institute, here is a report on Debra Geileskey's cult called "Magnificat Meal Movement":
The tiny hamlet of Helidon, Australia is appropriately named. It looks like Hell on earth. The paint is peeling from the shabby shop fronts, now empty and closed down, and the once busy rural haven is reduced to a news stand, a post office and a pub. Yet this virtual ghost town, which has all the eerie feel of a deserted cowboy film set after John Wayne and the Hollywood cameras have moved on, is supposedly the site of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
This once thriving town fall into what appears a ghost town because of a woman named Debra Geileskey, now Debra Burslem. In the early 1990s Debra and her husband, Gordan, ran a real-estate business and bought their own property as investments. But they were $300,000 in debt. Then Debra started having apparitions and visions. Her husband left her and is now living with another girl and keeping her in court with countless lawsuits.
But Debra Geileskey, now Debra Burslem, never missed a beat in her claims to having apparitions and vision, which claim that The Second Coming of Christ will occur in this ghost town of Helidon. Nothing, absolutely nothing, about Debra would convince anyone that she is having apparitions except for her great salesmanship from her history of selling real-estate.
And yet, because of the stupid spiritual pride of people, Debra has convinced enough people to amass a fortune of $3,500,000 Australian dollars in at least 20 properties, including homes, apartments, shops and farms and is said to own 10 companies. She also owns 5 Mercedes Benz and uses "slaves" without pay to do all the work, cooking, cleaning, farming, driving, and even as body guards. ...
Mike Garde, a cult specialist who advises the archbishop of Dublin says: "This woman Debra is controlling everybody in that cult. She's has made herself out to be the only source of God to them. That's a very powerful concept and one that has clearly sucked people in."...
There are two major reasons for people getting involved in stupid cults like this one and both are sins. First is falling for the statements of the seer that they are special and called by Our Lord or Lady to be special, or the remnant or the only ones to be saved or just to be personal friends of someone who talks with God. Second is like the first but the making themselves important by being associated with someone who talks with God and therefore using God to make themselves important to the world. Both, feeling that they are special to God and special to the people around them because they are special to God, are sins. We are all special to God but no one is more special than any other. God loves the sinner as well as the saint. But the secret to sainthood is to take the back seat in your mind and all saints feel un-special.
Claire Monsour suffered from both these sicknesses before she ever heard of MMM. She first became involved with Myrna Nazzour when her husband, a doctor, was called to investigate Myrna's stigmata. Having a great deal of money they then tried to become the one and only promoters of Myrna, even to the extent of slandering, attaching and lying about any and everyone who was involved except themselves. With hundreds of millions of dollars they actually caused the bankruptcy of some people who only wanted to promote the messages of Myrna.
But that was not enough for Claire Monsour, she then became involved with the Pebble of Australia and 5 other seers who broke off from him.
Claire Monsour is best known for her financial support of Vassula Ryden. In fact it was Claire Monsour who put Vassula into the spotlight.
And now Claire is complaining that she was harmed in the same way that she harmed so many other people. She has launched legal action against the Magnificat Meal Movement (MMM) "cult" leader Debra Geileskey for refusing to repay a $600,000 property loan.
The Courier-Mail reports that Claire and Dr Antoine Mansour also claim they intend to sue Ms Geileskey for millions of dollars over claims they had been involved in the production of a pornographic movie.
Before believing in any supernatural event, wait for the approval of the Church!
Our Lady of Fatima, intercede for us!
THE APPARITIONS BUSINESS
Rick Salbato, at Unity Publishing, has written a newsletter describing the problems associated with Vassula Ryden and her millionnaire promoters. It's worth a read just to see how this business works. A false seer is just as useful as a legitimate one when dollars are at stake. Anyone who follows apparitions
should read this article.
Given the promotion of alleged seers by Aharon Yosef/Athol Bloomer that I have recently blogged, and given his claim that he is obedient to the magisterium, the last portion of the article will be reproduced here:
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:
The Congregation for the Docrine of the Faith has received various questions about the value and authority of its Notification of 6 October 1995, published in (L’Osservatore Romano on Monday/Tuesday, 23/24 October 1995, p.12), regarding the writings and messages of Mrs. Vassula Ryden attributed to alleged revelations and disseminated in Catholic circles throughout the world.
In this regard, the Congregation wishes to state:
1. The Notification addressed to the Pastors and faithful of
the Catholic Church retains all its force. It was approved by the competent authorities and will be published in Acta Apostolicae sedis, the official organ
of the Holy See, with the signatures of the Prefect and the Secretary of the Congregation.
2. Regarding the reports circulated by some news media concerning a restrictive interpretation of this Notification, given by His Eminence the Cardinal Prefect in a private conversation with a group of people to whom he granted an audience in Guadalajara, Mexico, on 10 May 1996, the same Cardina Prefect wishes to state:
a. as he said, the faithful are not to regard the messages of Vassula Ryden as divine revelations, but only as her personal meditations;
b. these meditations, as the Notification explained, include, along with positive aspects, elements that are negative in the light of Catholic doctrine;
c. therefore, Pastors and the faithful are asked to exercise serious spiritual discernment in this matter and to preserve the purity of the faith, morals and spiritual life, not be relying on alleged revelations but by following the revealed Word of God and the directives of the Church’s Magisterium.
Regarding the circulation of texts of alleged private revelations, the Congregation states:
1. The Interpretation given by some individuals to a Decision approved by Paul VI on 14 October 1966 and promulgated on 15 November of that year, in virtue of which writings and messages resulting from alleged revelations could be freely circulated in the Church, is absolutely groundless. This decision actually referred to the "abolition of the Index of Forbidden Books" and determined that --- after the relevant censures were lifted --- the moral obligation still remained of not circulating or reading those writings which endanger faith and morals.
2. In should be recalled however that with regard to the circulation of texts of alleged private revelations, Canon 623 #1 of the current Code remains in force: "the Pastors of the Church have the … right to demand that writings to be published by the Christian faithful which touch upon faith or morals be submitted to their judgement".
3. Alleged supernatural revelations and writings concerning them are submitted in first instance to the judgement of the diocesan Bishop, and , in particular cases, to the judgement of the Episcopal Conference and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The University of Dayton Marian Center has posted the criteria for discerning apparitions on their website. In brief, the criteria, according to the website are:
Norms for Discernment
1) The first norm for evaluating miraculous events is that there be moral certainty, or at least great probability, that something miraculous has occurred. The commission may interview the visionaries, call other witnesses, visit the site of the events.
2) The second norm deals with the personal qualities of the subjects who claim to have had the apparition; they must be mentally sound, honest, sincere, of upright conduct, obedient to ecclesiastical authorities, able to return to the normal practices of the faith (such as participation in communal worship, reception of the sacraments).
3) A third category deals with the content of the revelation or message: it must be theologically acceptable and morally sound and free of error.
4) The fourth positive criterion is that the apparition must result in positive spiritual assets which endure (prayer, conversion, increase of charity).
These four criteria may also be restated in a negative way. There must be no doubt that what is occurring is truly exceptional and beyond human explanation. There must be no doctrinal error attributed to God or to the Blessed Virgin Mary or some other saint. The third negative criterion is that there must be no hint of financial advantage to anyone connected with the apparitions, nor must any of the visionaries be accused of serious moral improprieties at the time when the visions were being received, nor may there be evidence of mental illness or psychopathic tendencies.
One does not simply go off and have an apparition or a locution or some other supernatural phenomenon and then start promoting it in a prophecy blog. There is a Church-governed discernment process. The governing bishop must be involved.
Apparently there is big money in apparitions, and inevitably the money will draw unscrupulous persons into this lucrative field. Even in situations where there is no money involved, the claimant may simply be wrong in his claim that he has experienced supernatural phenomena. Then, too, Satan is always lurking and seeking ways to deceive. In this climate of "supernatural" events proliferating, let the faithful beware and seek first the approval of the Church before endorsing and promoting seers.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
"THE EUCHARIST AND THE JEWISH MYSTICAL TRADITION" - CONNECTING THE DOTS
"The Eucharist and the Jewish Mystical Tradition" is is a three-part article written by Athol Bloomer which appeared in consecutive issues of "The Hebrew Catholic", a publication of the Asociation of Hebrew Catholics.
I've been looking at Part 2 which is available in pdf format (page 24) at the Hebrew Catholic website, and also in regular formatting over there. In this part of the article, Bloomer says:
The famous compiler of the Zohar, Rabbi Moses de Leon, was centred with his Kabbalistic school in Avila. That the Jewish Kabbalah is truly ancient can be seen in that St. Paul and St. John the Beloved seem to be familiar with its images and symbolism. The Egyptian theology of the Ennead is a corrupted version of this same mystical tradition. Later misuse of Kabbalah can be seen in Lurianic Kabbalah and its offspring Freemasonry. These both distort the Kabbalah into an occultic direction. ...
When one seeks the mystical way or kabbalah to gain
more power rather than love as did many of the Lurianic
Kabbalists, one enters into evil –Sitra Ahra (the Other Side)
and encounters the Evil One (Satan) and his demons often
as ‘angels of light’. The followers of Rabbi Isaac Luria
(mid 16th century) took the authentic Jewish mystical tradition
of Kabbalah centred on Love (Hesed) and used or
misused it to gain power over spiritual entities not distinguishing
between invoking angels or demons. The Scriptures
forbid the occultic practice of summoning spirits thus
the Lurianic mystics generally follow occultic practices
which seek power rather than love. Freemasonry and
theosophy owe much to this perversion of Kabbalah. True
Kabbalah (such as found in Zoharic Kabbalah) warns that
to seek power (Gevurah) without Hesed is to enter in to
evil – the Other Side. The rigid code of legalistic observance
found in Shulhan Arukh, that seems to me to be
lacking in love, was compiled by a Lurianic Kabbalist
Rabbi Joseph Karo (1488-1575) of Safed. He was guided
and instructed by a spirit guide – a ‘maggid’ or celestial
teacher. Rabbi Morris Margolies in his book A Gathering
of Angels states:
“Lurianic Kabbalists were also given to summoning
angels and demons by using intricate combinations of
the names of God, literally numbering in the hundreds. They did not think of this as magic (though, in effect, it was), since God himself was the means by which they were seeking certain ends.”
Thus Lurianic Kabbalism has introduced occultism into Judaism and the Jewish tale of Joseph della Reina is a warning of this perversion of Kabbalah. The movement of the false messiah Sabbetai Zvi (1626-1676) also followed Lurianic Kabbalah and fell into sexual as well as spiritual perversion. ...
That is quite a charge!
There is evidence abundant that Bloomer distorts Catholicism. In reading his article it must also be considered that he may be distorting Judaism. I decided to try to unpack the charge.
First, who was Rabbi Isaac Luria. For that I looked at a biography in a Chabad website which says in part:
Rabbi Isaac Halevi Luria has become famous as the "Ari," the holy lion...
Rabbi Isaac Luria's personality inspired all the great men who had penetrated deeper than most mortals, into the world of Cabbala. The Ari died at the age of thirty-eight years, mourned by the entire Jewish people. Despite his short life, he left an indelible impression on religious Jewish life and religious reaching. He introduced many holy Minhagim (customs) which have become part and parcel of our customs and services. His songs and prayers have been widely adopted and partially incorporated into the Siddur. Entire communities guide themselves by the "Nusach HoAri" and much of his teachings has been used to form the basis of the great Chassidic movement. Due to his influence and inspiration Judaism was able to withstand the onslaughts of many creeds and ideas that were promoted during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He certainly counts among the holiest and most important leaders of the Jewish people.
Lurianic Kabbalah is described by Yakov Leib HaKohain of Donmeh West here. His description encompasses the Sabbateans and the Frankists. A link on the webpage for "Practical Kabbalah" will get us the following:
Although most of Luria's writings deal with the theoretical Kabbalah, there is an important practical element as well. This is known as Kavanah, or "mystical intention". Although these were discussed by earlier kabbalists, and allusions were found in the Zohar, it was only Luria who was able to mold them into a complete system of meditation, integrating them as well with his theoretical system.
The article says further that practical Kabbalah involves
the manipulation of the letters of the various names of God. Sometimes two or more names were united, something the names were intertwined and various vowel points added. Since the divine Names reflect spiritual forces, which have their counterparts in the human psyche, the effects of these Yichudim in elevating the consciousness can be dramatic [3]. Here there is an obvious and striking parallel with the Mantras of Indian Tantra and the corresponding but less wellknown practices in Gnosticism (c.f. the various seemingly incomprehensible strings of vowels that occur in many of the Nag Hammadi texts).
Practical Kabbalah is described by Jay Michaelson, at his LearnKabbalah.com website. Michaelson's credentials include an M.A. in Religious Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, his Ph.D. candidacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and teaching in synagogues, universities, and yeshivas. He writes:
...there both is and is not a separate corpus of practical Kabbalistic literature. On this site, for example, I have included topics such as reincarnation and the golem under the heading of "practical Kabbalah." But accessing one's previous incarnations was a central feature of Lurianic Kabbalah, which is usually seen as theosophical. And the methods used to create a golem are basically those of the Sefer Yetzirah, which is both theosophical and prophetic. So, as before, some of the same writers and even the same texts that propounded one "stream" of Kabbalah here describe another.
At the same time, just as with other streams, there are some texts which are almost exclusively 'practical' in nature. Sefer Raziel, for example, has little of Cordovero's philosophizing — but many magical formulae, angelic names, and spells to be used for protection. There is also a more keen awareness of practical Kabbalah on the part of theosophical books such as the Zohar, which explicitly demeans the use of Kabbalah for earthly gain or protection, and which — like many theosophical texts — considers practical Kabbalah to be a disgrace. ...
...practical Kabbalah is often older than its theosophical or prophetic counterparts. The use of angelic names in Sefer Raziel, for example, is likely closer to their original, magical significance than the way they are arrayed in, say, the Zohar, or even the much older Hechalot literature. Likewise, scholars believe that many of the permutations of language that mark the prophetic Kabbalah originated in magical formulae and the combinations of letters used in soothsaying and divination. If we believe practical Kabbalah to be more "primitive" than other forms of Kabbalah, then this is not surprising; of course, that which is less sophisticated comes before that which is more.
That would certainly appear to confirm what Bloomer claims.
One last attempt to confirm the claims...at truekabbalah.org. This website breaks Kabbalah into two categories--"Meditational Kabbalah" and "Practical Kabbalah". Under Practical Kabbalah the website claims:
# Practical Kabbalah involves the coercing of angels and demons to change nature.
# Practical Kabbalah overlaps with Meditative Kabbalah, many of these methods only work if done in a meditative state.
# For example one might have to meditate on many things such as his breath and pronunciation on every letter of a divine name. This is impossible when not in expanded state of conscience.
# The use of Practical Kabbalah was frowned upon by all leading Kabbalists....
# Demons are like the mafia, once one starts dealing with them they will not leave him until he is destroyed from this world.
# People should stay far away from Practical Kabbalah, whoever uses it will gain nothing but suffering.
Is this "Practical Kabbalah" being taught anywhere today? Apparently it is. Take a look at this Chabad of Calabasas webpage.
Then look at this Chabad Jewish Center of Salem website.
It appears to be a topic under discussion at Chabad.org, which is a division of the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, under the auspicies of the Lubavitch World Headquarters.
Chabad of Orange County is offering for sale on its website a book about Practical Kabbalah.
KabbalahUK.com has a webpage devoted to Practical Kabbalah.
There is another place where you can find Practical Kabbalah--in a Golden Dawn website. There you can read:
The Practical Kabbalah is concerned with ceremonial magic and the making of talismans and amulets. This branch is closed to most aspirants, as it requires years of training in the other branches in order to achieve the proper state of being from which to proceed.
You can find it in this Wiccan Way website as well:
From an historical and traditional perspective the practical techniques of Kabbalah include techniques of mysticism and (to a lesser extent) magic to be found the world over: complex concentration and visualisation exercises, meditation, breath control, prayer, ritual, physical posture, chanting and singing, abstinence, fasting, mortification and good works.
There are many more. Lastly here is a book on practical kabbalah this may be available in bookstores across the nation given the popularity of Harry Potter.
It can certainly be argued that there is a lofty spiritual interpretation of Kabbalah. It also goes without saying that Judaism is not monolithic, and so it must be assumed that all Jews do not practice the rituals in Practical Kabbalah. It might even be argued that Chabad is a small portion of Judaism. But those arguments still cannot deny what Athol Bloomer tells us in his essay on the Eucharist and the Kabbalah--that this attempt to take power away from God is one authentic interpretation of the Jewish Kabbalah.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
VASSULA RYDEN
I am posting the following email specifically because Athol Bloomer is promoting Vassula.
From the emailbox:
Dear Friends,
I copy hereunder a translation to English of the text of the internal communication dated 25th January 2007 adressed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to all the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences regarding the case of Mrs Vassula Ryden. At the end of the document, you will find a link towards the photocopy of an original in French, bearing the Prefect's signature.
As you will see, the communication confirms the doctrinal judgement of the 1995 Notification and advises against the participation of the faithful in the True Life in God prayer groups. Regarding the reading of the writings, it should be limited to persons who are able to understand that they are not divine revelation (God is not the author of the words attributed to him in the TLIG books) and who – having a solid Catholic basis – can remain critical and attentive to the confusing or erroneous elements contained in the writings.
Thank you for circulating this document among those who are convinced that Mrs Ryden has been approved by the Vatican .
Warmly in Christ,
Maria Laura Pio
http://www.infovassula. ch
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
25th January 2007
Prot. N.: 54/92 – 24945
Your Eminence / Your Excellency,
Requests for clarification on the writings and activities of Mrs Vassula Ryden continue to arrive at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in particular regarding the validity of the Notification of 6th October 1995 and the criteria that should be followed in defining the provision of local Churches regarding the advisability of spreading the writings of Mrs Vassula Ryden.
At this regard, the Congregation wishes to specify as follows:
1) The Notification of 1995 remains valid concerning the doctrinal judgement on the writings examined (cf. attachment 1).
2) Following a the dialogue which has taken place with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Mrs Vassula Ryden has however provided clarifications on certain problematical points which appear in her writings, and also on the nature of her messages, which do not present themselves as divine revelations but, rather as personal meditations (cf. attachment 2: Letter of April 4th 2002 published in the True Life in God vol. 10). From the normative point of view, then, after the above mentioned clarifications, it is advisable to make a prudent evaluation, case by case, taking into account the concrete possibilities for the faithful in reading these writings within the framework of such clarifications.
3) Finally, it is reminded that the participation of Catholics in prayer groups organized by Mrs Vassula Ryden is not advisable. In the cases of ecumenical encounters, the faithful should comply with the provisions given by the Ecumenical Directory, the Code of Canon Law (can. 215; 223 §2, 383 §3) and the diocesan Ordinaries.
In sending you this information, I am sincerely yours in devotion to the Lord.
Cardinal William LEVADA
Prefect
To all the Presidents of the Bishops' Conferences
See photocopy of original in French: http://www.infovass ula.ch/tligchurc hposition. htm#original
CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS INTERNATIONAL
At Free Republic Dr. Robert Sungenis reports that he has removed material about the Jews from his website in response to a request from his bishop. Sungenis, however, has posted in a pdf file at Catholic Apologetics International the teachings of the Catholic Church on the subject.
I'd be guessing that he hasn't heard the end of this!
HIDDEN JEWS
Part of Athol Bloomer's "My Spiritual Journey" blog is a segment titled "Hidden Jews". That segment can be reached by clicking the "Hidden Jews" link on the right in his "Pontificates" blog. Here he speaks of the Way of Emmaus:
This preserved the mysticism of the early Jewish Christians secretly especially among the members of the Davidic Family. St Joseph of Arimathea had also bought the custom of the Virgin Mary of a band of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration adorers with him to Glastonbury (the Glas Isle). He established the first Grail chapel in the small wattle daub chapel at Glastonbury in Britain. His family and their descendants were to establish many such chapels in the British Isles and his son Nathan the Red established one at Tara in Ireland where the Stone of Destiny was guarded by the Ladies of the Stone. One of Nathan's sons went to Scotia (Scotland) and established a Grail chapel of Eucharistic Adoration at Camulod. (see A High History of the Holy Grail).
Most of the Royal and Noble families of Western Europe derive from Jewish origins from the Davidic line of the Exilarchs.
(At the bottom of the webpage is a link for "see My Journey" which will take you to Athol Bloomer's Spiritual Journey that I've blogged on previously.)
According to the segment quoted above, Eucharistic Adoration dates back to the time when Joseph of Arimathea was still living. Is that possible? At any rate, he mentions a Grail Chapel. He has mentioned this in other places. I find it significant given the importance of searching for the Holy Grail in THE DAVINCI CODE and its importance in Gnosticism. What role if any does the Holy Grail play in Judaism? Here is what the Jewish Encyclopedia offers:
According to the later Gospel of Nicodemus (xii.), Joseph was imprisoned by the Jews on Friday evening shortly before the Sabbath; but when they went to release him, he was gone, though the gate had been sealed and the key was in the possession of Caiaphas. Another legend sends him to Great Britain as one of the Seventy Apostles, to erect there the first oratory; and out of the staff which stuck in the ground as he stopped to rest himself on the hilltop there grew, they say, a miraculous thorn, said still to grow and bud every Christmas-Day. Out of these legends grew another, connecting Joseph of Arimathæa with the legend of the Holy Grail. The vessel from which Jesus had eaten at the Last Supper Joseph is said to have held in his hand when hetook down Jesus' body; and drops of the blood that was still running from his wounds fell into the vessel and endowed it with transcendent thaumaturgic properties. It sustained Joseph's life in prison during forty-two years and instructed him in heavenly knowledge.
My Jewish Learning speaks of the Grail only in connection with film and myth.
This search for the Holy Grail is not exactly a Catholic concept. The Catholic Encyclopedia entry for Holy Grail speaks of Joseph of Arimathea, too, but says that the Grail sustained him in prison for 42 years. There is no mention of any escape. Mostly the article talks about Grail romances and the story of King Arthur.
Yet Bloomer seems to be taking the Grail quite seriously.
Looking for a Way or School of Emmaus in Google didn't produce useful results except for a link to another Athol Bloomer blog. Here I found:
Rabbi Nehunia was a secret Eucharistic Adorer among the Rabbinic Jews in Israel. His Eucharistic school in Israel was called the Emmaus School which linked it to the account of the Breaking of the Bread on the way to Emmaus. The Jewish mystical book ‘Bahir’ has its origins in this school of Emmaus founded by R. Nehunia ben Ha Kanah. The Cleopas of the Emmaus account was an uncle of St Simon ha Kanah and the light called ‘Bahir’ is the light associated with mystic vision and the Resurrection, which Jesus revealed at the Breaking of the Bread on the Way to Emmaus. If one wishes to walk on the Way to Emmaus with Jesus, one must perceive Him in the Breaking of the Bread (Eucharist) and adore his Divine Presence.
Bloomer also tells us:
The Catholic mystics and saints reveal that Mary spent her time in the Cenacle in Eucharistic Adoration. Later in her house in Ephesus, according to the revelations of the Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich, Mary also spent time in Eucharistic Adoration. She gathered the women of her household into a band of Eucharistic Adorers – they were later called the ladies of the Grail.
Apparently his source for this claim is the prophecy of Anne Catherine Emmerich, another visionary who was not elevated to sainthood. I don't know of any other Catholic prophecy that speaks of Eucharistic Adoration, which is not to say there are none, but in any case, prophecy is not to be taken at the level of Scripture and Tradition even if it has Church approval.
The Catholic Encyclopedia entry for Perpetual Adoration states the following:
No trace of the existence of any such extra-liturgical cultus of the Blessed Sacrament can be found in the records of the early Church. Christian Lupus, indeed, argues that in the days of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine it was customary for the neophytes to adore, for eight days following their baptism, the Blessed Sacrament exposed, but no sound proof is adduced. It first appears in the later Middle Ages, about the beginning of the thirteenth century. It certainly may be conjectured that such adoration was really connoted by the fact of reservation in the early Church, especially in view of the evident desire to have the Eucharist represent the unity and continuity of the Church, as it is unlikely that there should not be some continuation of the adoration evidently given to the Host at the Synaxis. But such conjecture cannot be insisted upon...
The entry says further:
Exposition and consequently adoration became comparatively general only in the fifteenth century.
Once again it appears that Athol Bloomer's theology is uniquely his own and not reflective of the theology of Roman Catholicism.
Monday, August 06, 2007
HARRY POTTER
Matt Abbott's column today was written by a Catholic mother, Dorothy Amorella, about the confusion in the Church over Harry Potter. She does not see how anyone Catholic can call the Harry Potter series good for kids. I certainly share her opinion.
ANOTHER INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC CHURCH
opened its doors on July 8 in Zanesville. It is the usual all-accepting Church with women priests, apostolic succession, and "valid but illicit sacraments." It subscribes to "diversity" and belongs to the United Independent Catholic Churches (U.I.C.C.) governed by its own Canon Law. According to the article U.I.C.C. is made up of "formerly Roman Catholics."
MORE BLOOMER PROPHECY
from his prophecy blog.
Friday, February 23, 2007 - This one is about Our Lady of Guadulupe -
A great army of Brazilian priests will march forth into the world as evangelists of my Great Time of Mercy and Judgement. They will perform many signs and wonders through the power of my Holy Spirit. Perversion will reign no more in her land and she will proclaim the truths of true sexuality to the world - they will be champions of the godly Theology of the Body as taught by my beloved Pope son who now dwells in heaven with me and my Mother.
With that statement Bloomer has canonized John Paul II!
Sunday, February 25, 2007 - The third secret of Fatima is upon you and the white Pope in the vision is the Blessed Pope Joseph who reigns over you at this time. He is the third of my special Joseph Popes who would hold the Holy See between the second and third worldwide wars. The Third World War will not officially begin until he has offered his sacrifice in blood with many of my priest sons. However the seeds of the Third War are already blossoming and the destruction of the Two towers represents the destruction coming to Ephraim and Manesseh.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - Once more I direct you to the messages I gave to Maximin and Melanie at La Salette through my Lady Mother. In 1851 I allowed them through the intercession of my mother to write down some parts of the secrets I gave to them but I did not allow the full revelation of what I told to them. The words written in 1851 were only a summary. Later Melanie at my instruction through my Mother in the gift of interior locution was permitted to reveal more details of what was revealed to them at the times of the apparition.
Saturday, March 3, 2007 - Many of you are about to deny my Mother's apparitions at Garabandal and Medjugorge after believing in them for so long. Do not believe the lies that are about to be spread and told from a false zeal by some and for deception by others. This attack will come just before all that my Mother has predicted to the children will come to pass.
Just in case some of these prophecies don't come to pass, Bloomer has covered himself in this March 3 prophecy:
Do you think I am bound to fulfill my messages according to your understanding? No my messages are spirit and life and I will fulfill them in my way and in my timing. If I warn you through my Mother of impending doom and then you pray and the event doesn't happen- rejoice for your prayers have changed destiny.
Neither of these apparitions have received the approval of the Roman Catholic Church. Now, if this prophecy is to be believed, Jesus Christ has approved these apparitions via his mouthpiece Athol Bloomer.
March 12, 2007 - First will come the Russian Jews, then the French and English Jews and then will come many Jews from the babylon of the New World...All this will happen before the destruction of the New City of the New World in 2010.
In this prophecy he also speaks of the Lost Tribes.
Monday, April 16, 2007 - In this prophecy he speaks of two Houses united once again in the Davidic Kingdom under a Dividic King and under one High Priest of the New and Eternal Covenant. He also speaks of the Rainbow of my Mother - the Lady of Walsingham.
Monday, April 16, 2007 - This is the time that my holy ones call my intermediate coming, before my definitive and final Coming at the end of the world.
So in other words, Athol Bloomer believes there are to be both a Second and a Third Coming of Christ. Where does that notion come from? He says further:
In the year Rome is destroyed so will my coming be - no more will my Shepherd sit in Rome but in the restored and renewed city of Jerusalem in the midst of Judah. Jew and Gentile united as one in my Body - no more divided in enmity one against the other. The Lost Tribes restored to their identity as Israelites...
Monday, May 21, 2007 - Lourdes, Persia and Frankenstein - Bernadette also received a warning which was hidden from the world. A message of warning for those at the dawn of the 21st century - a warning of the rise of Prsia and of nuclear destruction. The dawn of the 21st century is its first ten years - before the closing of the ten years this prophecy will be fulfilled.
More interesting, however, are his comments about Frankenstein:
The tampering with life itself by your socalled scientists is causing my Hand of Judgement to descend on your nations...Read again the words of my daughter Mary Shelley...I not only inspire the socalled religious writings but I also inspire many authors of fiction with a message of warning to the generations.
For those of you who don't know, Mary Shelley was the author of FRANKENSTEIN. You can read about her at Amazon.com. Apparently while God was inspiring her to write her classic, she was living in sin with Lord Byron.
Monday, May 21, 2007 - A second prophecy on May 21 mentions the Lost Tribes again and the Assyrian Wolf Armilus. He predicts waters covering "many parts of the earth due to the rise in evil and the dropping of bombs."
Sunday, May 27, 2007 - This is the last message in the prophecy blog. In this one Bloomer predicts a war between India and Pakistan, and an "Overlord of the World" to rule with the new "Holy Roman Emperor". He tells us that "all who resist this God-anointed Overlord shall be punished nad chastised by God, nature and man until they surrender to his blessed rule." He predicts that "China will be a Great Catholic Nation," but prior to this greatness China's army will be destroyed.
CONSPIRACY OF SEXUAL ABUSE CHARGES ?
A reader sent in this article from the Independent Online about an Italian priest who has been working among drug addicts and has now been charged with sexual abuse. The priest has responded by claiming that the scandal is the work of an American "'radical Jewish lobby' bent on weakening the Roman Catholic Church". Thailand is mentioned. The priest is viewed as a "spiritual guide" by some Italian politicians including Silvio Berlusconi.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
FROM THE EMAILBOX
I just haven't been in a blogging mood all day, but better to post is late than not to post it at all.
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Spirit & Life®
"The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63)
Human Life International e-Newsletter
Volume 01, Number 78 | August, 03, 2007
.................................................................................. www.hli.org
Abortion: The Devil's Masterpiece
A few weeks ago, I visited Leroy Carhart's partial birth abortion mill in Omaha, NE and beheld for a few uncomfortable moments a totally repulsive center of human wickedness. Just looking at the dilapidated former car repair garage turned into baby-killing factory and the squalor of the entire surrounding area, I could not help but notice that the evil of abortion degrades everything that it touches. Abortion is not only a social plague; it is also the spiritual negation of God's entire plan for man's happiness and eternal welfare. Whenever God says "Yes" to life and fertility the devil yells a resounding "No!"
Abortion's spiritual power is its perfect violation of all the commandments. First of all, most abortions are the result of sins against the sixth or ninth commandments (adultery/fornication/lust). Abortion is certainly a sin against the fifth commandment prohibiting murder. Likewise, it violates the third commandment because the vast majority of babies are killed on abortion's heaviest business days, Saturdays (the Sabbath). Abortion is also a reversal of the fourth commandment where father and mother "dishonor" the child in the most heinous way and, in doing so, curse the holiness of God (second commandment) which is manifested in the only creature made in His "image and likeness." As a false religion, abortion is a violation of the first commandment forbidding the worship of any other gods but the Lord, and this religion is undoubtedly fed through a highly sophisticated system of falsehoods and deceits (eighth commandment) which lead women into the abortion chambers.
Furthermore, abortion literally steals (seventh commandment) both our personal and national futures by depriving us of children! Anyone concerned about the present immigration issue should remember that the presence of more than 40 million Hispanic immigrants in this country tracks the destruction of 47 million of our own children by abortion since the Roe death decision. The saying, "nature abhors a vacuum" is as true in demographics as it is in physics. Finally, the tenth commandment (coveting our neighbor's goods) is about the capital sin of greed, the very thing that drives so many of the abortionists to do the killing work. Abortionists often claim to hate abortion, but they love the money behind it.
Abortion is like a huge spiritual vortex of sin pulling people into it, and even the Church can be compromised by this evil too. Most of the sins listed above are sins of commission, but the Church's sins are generally sins of omission, which abortion inspires - the terrible silence of the clergy on this topic, heretical "Catholic" politicians who are never disciplined by bishops, the easy justification of abortion by Catholic educators, the moral compromise by Catholic medical personnel on abortifacient contraception and sterilizations, etc. I am sure the devil just laughs and pats himself on the back when he sees the Church, that has the spiritual power to undo "all his work and all his empty promises," sitting back and pretending that abortion is a non-issue.
All of this is to point out that abortion is a spiritual power that negates God's plan for love, life and the family. It not only destroys bodies but destroys souls, which from the point of view of eternity, represents the devil's greatest masterpiece of evil.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
