Category Archives: Christian

Tattoo Artist Turned Benedictine Monk

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via Immaculate Heart Catholic Radio – Faith, Hope and Love.

Andre Love doesn’t look like your typical Benedictine monk. But for the last six years the former tattoo artist has been a member of the order at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon, where he is an iconographer and curator of the Abbey’s art collection. The Statesman Journal recently profiled Brother Andre Love and his incredible journey to the monastic life.

Six years ago, Mount Angel Abbey’s serene hilltop campus shook, as leather-clad Bobby Love rolled in on his motorcycle. Love removed his helmet revealing pierced ears and a mop of dreadlocks. With tattoos on his hands, arms and neck, he looked like an extra on “Sons of Anarchy” not a someone attending a retreat for those who might become Catholic monks.

Love knew from a young age that he wanted to devote his life to being an artist. After dropping out of high school and serving in the army, he discovered he could make $100 an hour as a tattoo artist, and developed a reputation as a tattoo artist in New York, New Orleans, Seattle and Austin. Despite having friends and material comfort, Love was still unhappy. He told the Statesman Journal:

“Everything said I should be happy, but I felt very alone and adrift. I looked at myself and realized that I had become a product,” Love said. “I was doing art not as personal expression but for what the kids want, what the kids would shell out the coin for.”

It had become about money, brand and ego. It had become about drugs and booze. He’d left his family and divorced three times.

“I had no clue what love was. I had no clue how to love or how to let other people love me and that’s why I was miserable,” Love said.

He admitted being an addict.

“The addiction was only a symptom of a greater problem … spiritual bankruptcy,” Love said. “I came to the realization that I need God. I needed to be a whole person in the sense that it’s not just about the material or the physical, but there was a whole spiritual dynamic that I had completely ignored.”

(more…)

via Immaculate Heart Catholic Radio – Faith, Hope and Love.

 

Fools of the Week: Eminem, Bruce Springsteen | Fox News

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Fools of the Week: Eminem, Bruce Springsteen | Fox News.

via Fools of the Week: Eminem, Bruce Springsteen | Fox News.

Spiritualdirection.com | Catholic Spiritual Direction | A Mystical Encounter with God Catholic Spiritual Direction

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“Mystical encounters abound, but they are not always from God. The Church takes these experiences seriously and thus provides guidelines for our discernment. Sometimes the Church rules in a definitive way regarding their validity, but often there is no ruling or no need for one.

In my own life, I have encountered a number of mystics, some of whom I perceived to be authentic and others of whom I perceived to be false mystics. False mystics are easy to spot. Their revelations often point to how special they are and how important they are. Sometimes they are simply self-decieved, but sometimes their deception comes from a more dangerous source.

In one case, I provided spiritual direction to a person with dramatic manifestations that the individual perceived to be reflective of the heights of prayer as illustrated by St. Teresa of Avila. As I began to draw the individual into the heart of the Church, these manifestations were revealed to be demonic and dramatically changed into a nightmarish torment.

So it is with private revelation and mystical experiences that the Church admonishes caution, discernment, and no obligation to believe. Even with the officially “approved” apparitions like Fatima, the Church does not require belief, but only proposes that it may be beneficial (and often it is).” Read on via Spiritualdirection.com | Catholic Spiritual Direction | A Mystical Encounter with God Catholic Spiritual Direction.

via Spiritualdirection.com | Catholic Spiritual Direction | A Mystical Encounter with God Catholic Spiritual Direction.

Kurtz: Amazed at media outlets refusing to cover Gruber | Fox News Video

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Kurtz: Amazed at media outlets refusing to cover Gruber | Fox News Video.

via Kurtz: Amazed at media outlets refusing to cover Gruber | Fox News Video.

Burke Beu: This Democrat Is Giving Up on ObamaCare – WSJ – WSJ

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When you’ve been a life-long “anything”, it’s hard to think outside your comfort-zone, but experience can open the door to truth, logic and a willingness to consider reality rather than party-line:

“I grew up in a Democratic family. I have been a registered Democrat since age 18, a Democratic candidate for statewide office in Colorado and a party precinct captain in that caucus state. I’ve volunteered for numerous Democratic candidates and contributed to party causes and campaigns. The 2014 election results were extremely disappointing for me, but hardly a surprise.

I voted for Barack Obama in 2008, then lost my job in the Great Recession. I was lucky; my brother lost his job and his house. I survived on part-time jobs while paying out-of-pocket for my health insurance.

I voted for President Obama again in 2012, then received a cancellation notice for my health insurance. This was due to ObamaCare, the so-called Affordable Care Act. However, I couldn’t afford anything else.

Midterm elections in the second term of a presidency are difficult on the president’s party, and the Obama administration’s crisis-of-the-month headlines weren’t helpful. Ultimately, though, ObamaCare was the catalyst for my party’s midterm thumping.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks about Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in July. ENLARGE

White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks about Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in July. Associated Press

ObamaCare is a failure. For anyone who thinks this is a misprint because no Democratic activist would make such a comment, let me add that it is too big, too complicated and too expensive. Without a public option within its network of exchanges, ObamaCare is a giant blank check to the insurance companies that pushed it through Congress. It punishes responsible consumers like me and treats younger individuals as fools who are expected to pay the bills while not paying attention.

Now we learn in videos that came to light this week that Jonathan Gruber, MIT economist and a key architect of the Affordable Care Act, proudly relied on his perceived “stupidity of the American voter” as the basis for designing ObamaCare. Such comments, along with the program’s notoriously dysfunctional website and false assurances that people can keep their previous health plans, are insults to every citizen regardless of party.

Contrary to Medicare, which was quickly accepted at a time of economic vitality as a meaningful complement to Social Security, ObamaCare was the sequel to an overpriced economic stimulus package that didn’t stimulate very much. Those least affected by the recession benefited the most from the stimulus. I think that’s called “trickle-down economics” when Republicans do it, and the economy continues to struggle for good jobs and a real recovery. ObamaCare is part of the problem, not a solution.”

via Burke Beu: This Democrat Is Giving Up on ObamaCare – WSJ – WSJ.

 

BBC News – India sterilization deaths: Chhattisgarh protests as toll climbs

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BBC News – India sterilization deaths: Chhattisgarh protests as toll climbs.

“India’s main opposition Congress party has called a general strike in central Chhattisgarh state where 13 women have now died after botched sterilization surgery at a state-run health camp.

Sixty women remain in hospital and at least 20 are in a critical condition following the tubectomy operations.

A team of doctors from the capital, Delhi, are being flown to the state to help out with the emergency.

Health camps are staged throughout India to control its huge population.

The Chhattisgarh government has ordered an inquiry into the deaths and Chief Minister Raman Singh has said “it appears the incident occurred due to negligence” by doctors.

The victims’ families, all from poor families, have each been promised a compensation of about $6,600 (£4,150).

Four senior health officials have been suspended and a police complaint has been registered against the surgeon who performed the operations.”

via BBC News – India sterilization deaths: Chhattisgarh protests as toll climbs.