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Joseph Zaroun Maklouf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later
Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.
Youssef Antoun Makhlou was born on May 8, 1828, one of five children, in the mountain village of Bekaa Kafra, the highest by elevation in Lebanon. Makhlou was a hermit who died in 1898 canonized in 1977 as Saint Charbel, revered for his healing miracles among Lebanon's Christians. Some have turned to taking soil from Saint Charbel's grave, boiling it, then drinking it as an alternative to medical treatment
Alice Fordham, in the piece titled In Lebanon, Some Turn To Beloved Local Saint For Solace And Protection From COVID-19, writes that "In a country where a financial crisis has left health care threadbare and unreliable, many have begun turning to the saint to ward off the coronavirus."
Saint Charbel died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965, and canonized him 12 years later.
Prayer to Saint Charbel:
O Lord infinitely glorified by His Saints, You who fascinated the heart of Saint Charbel who chose the hermit life, granting him the grace and the power of being away from world keeping firm to his monastic virtues of chastity, obedience and poverty, we ask You to give us the grace of loving You and serving You as he did.
O mighty God, You who spread the power of Saint Charbel’s intercession through the multiple miracles and marvels, provide us, through his intercession, with the grace to which we aim. Amen.
July 23rd is the Feast of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Mystic, Reformer, Mom to a Saint. St. Bridget of Sweden was a Mystic and Saint, and founder of the Bridgettine Nuns and Monks after the death of her husband of twenty years. She is the patron saint of Sweden and Europe and an early Church reformer.
At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Zaccaria and a couple of hundred years earlier was Bridget of Sweden
From age 7 on, Bridget had visions of Christ crucified. Her visions formed the basis for her activity—always with the emphasis on charity rather than spiritual favors.
She lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. Mother of eight children—the second eldest was Saint Catherine of Sweden—Bridget lived the strict life of a penitent after her husband’s death.
Bridget constantly strove to exert her good influence over Magnus; while never fully reforming, he did give her land and buildings to found a monastery for men and women. This group eventually expanded into an Order known as the Bridgetines.
In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Although she never returned to Sweden, her years in Rome were far from happy, being hounded by debts and by opposition to her work against Church abuses
Bridget’s visions, rather than isolating her from the affairs of the world, involved her in many contemporary issues, whether they be royal policy or the years that the legitimate Bishop of Rome lived in Avignon, France. She saw no contradiction between mystical experience and secular activity, and her life is a testimony to the possibility of a holy life in the marketplace.
Did the Pentagon Accidentally Paid Zelensky an Extra $6.2 billion? - It all depends on who controls the chart of accounts. He who controls the chart of accounts controls the narrative. He who controls the narrative and the legacy media controls the people. He who controls the people can cancel the past.
Chay Bowes post on X, formerly known as Twitter claiming Pentagon Accidentally Paid lo Zelensky an Extra $6.2 billion earned him a cool 5.8 M views by 12:09 pm, July 22, 2024. The is so provocative, it took Google's Gemini by surprise: When asked 'Did the Pentagon Accidentally Paid Zelensky an Extra $6.2 billion,' Gemini answered: "The story is changing fast, check back in a few minutes."
The assertion is that the Pentagon miscalculated what it sent over 2 years, and now i'll send more than 6 billion to make up for its mistake.
Microsoft's Edge was more assertive and when asked if indeed the Pentagon had ccidentally paid Zelensky an extra $6.2 billion, it immediately served results featuring 'fact-checkers' like AP News Melissa Goldin who declared
the claim as false because "the claim misinterprets an a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30.
A Golden Spin by Goldin
That's a Golden Spin by Goldin. Yes, factually there was a $6.2 billion accounting error, but Zelensky didn't get any axtras. Why? Because the Pentagon said so and the rest of the faux checkers towed the line: PBS 'reported' "Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30. As a result, the department now has additional money in its coffers to use to support Ukraine as it pursues its counteroffensive against Russia. And it come as the fiscal year is wrapping up and congressional funding was beginning to dwindle." - and like magic, 'as a result, the Pentagon now has additional money in its coffers to use to support Ukraine.' Get it?
As Senator Josh Hawley puts it: “These so-called ‘valuation errors’ are particularly concerning given the nature and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine—over $113 billion thus far […] This is a transparent attempt to bypass Congress for additional funds, while continuing to prioritize Ukraine over more vital U.S. interests, including deterring China in the Pacific.”
“By using creative accounting to conceal the actual cost of supporting Ukraine, you appear to be circumventing the American people’s elected representatives. Congress, not DoD, possesses the power of the purse"
What no one seems to dispute is that the Pentagon, consciously or not, made a $6.2 billion accounting error. BILLIONS! How does that even happen? Who discovered the error? Apparently, nobody has been held accountable for the error. This is perhaps even more shocking than the initial claim, because the Pentagon, as PBS might report, 'as a result, the Pentagon has additional money in its coffers and does not need Congress' approval.'
Did the Pentagon Accidentally Paid Zelensky an Extra $6.2 billion? - It all depends on who controls the chart of accounts. He who controls the chart of accounts controls the narrative. He who controls the narrative and the legacy media controls the people. He who controls the people can cancel the past
But, really, did the Pentagon Accidentally Paid Zelensky an Extra $6.2 billion? Who cares? Everybody wins: Chay Bowes gets a cool 5.8 M X views on recycled news, the fact checkers continue to show their limited peripheral vision, and the Pentagon, like the FBI, keep cooking the books. Heard of the Pandora Papers and the Panama Papers? In the case of the Pandora Papers, the leaks expose how some of the most powerful people in the world, including more than 330 politicians from 90 countries, use secret offshore companies to hide their wealth. Guess what happened? Zilch. Nada. Just like in the Pentagon's $6.2 billion error.
In all cases, the real loser is Joe. Mortgage debt is currently at $12.3 trillion and credit card debt at $1.2 Trillion. High-income earning Joeis living paycheck to paycheck. The Average Joe went from the great resignation to the great lamentation in two years and Poor Joe can't buy anything, because all discount stores went bankrupt.
Public Safety & HOA Efficiency Proposal for the City of Camas, WA
In preparation for our scheduled meeting with the City of Camas' City Administrator, I have written an essay just published by CDN on Washington's Public Safety Program called Target Zero. Target Zero is a plan with the goal to reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries on Washington’s roadways to zero by the year 2030, to add transparency and to hold officials accountable
It's not working. Portland's Zero Vision is not working either.
As you may know, I had a nice phone conversation with Steve Wall. I trust that he now better understand the issues I raised, as he was not familiar with Target Zero nor the Concept of New Product Introduction in systems engineering.
Based on the essay, I have specific, requests/ suggestions, that I can elaborate on during our meeting:
PUBLIC SAFETY
[ ] DUI/Distracted driving accounts for four of the six traffic crashes in the Woodburn Elementary School community, consistent with state and nationwide statistics. Need aggressive awareness campaigns at the City and HOAs levels. Portland's PBOT makes yard signs available for pick up free, for example.
[ ] Need to reduce speeding in Woodburn and Tanoak. Request two or three speed bumps.
[ ] Harmonize parking enforcement in public streets: Current process is wasteful, inefficient, inconsistent and incoherent and has potential for litigation. I recommend the City takes over exclusive parking enforcement of all city-owned streets: too many cooks spoil the broth.
[ ] Current overflow parking provides the opportunity for crime (old security professionals' MOM - Motive, Opportunity, Means - any crime is possible.) Overflow parking is often used as a personal garage. Defeats the purpose of temporary parking spaces in the community. Need to add tow away signage & have city enforcement
[ ] Sign Obstruction: While signage is not a factor in traffic crashes, it perpetuates the "don't care about safety" culture. The city can work with the various HOA's to keep up the maintenance
[ ] Visibility: the dog catcher is seen in the community regularly. Not law enforcement. The message: "the city cares more about unleashed dogs than speeding cars." Even a randomly staged patrol car can help.
[ ] The city should demonstrate public safety leadership by adopting a Vision Zero program, say a Camas Safe program, but unlike the state of Washington, really mean it.
[ ] EFFICIENCY/RED TAPE
The City offloads a lot of its work on HOAs. Every year, HOA laws change. The City- HOA interface hasn't changed. The City can demonstrate leadership by adopting a "New Product Introduction" Process: The hand-off from the builder to the HOA, should be done like a New Product Introduction, including check-list & Q& A
Need an HOA Liason at the City to expedite problem resolution. The CamasConnect is totally useless
Camas Connect is totally useless - several issues were reported, "completed," nothing was done and no explanation provided as to why the issue was marked completed.
Crowdstrike One, Crowdstrike Two. Crowdstrike Three and Kamala Harris wins, just like that.
Composed In 1908, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, is the one baseball song that nearly everyone knows, but few know thecdong is about Katie Casey who wanted to root, cheer, eat Cracker Jacks in the grandstands with the crowd and join in, in the spectacle before her. However, the idea of a woman being a knowledgeable and enthusiastic baseball fan, rather than staying safe at home, was unthinkable. In 1927, women had won the right to vote
Fast forward to the 21st Century, after progressives got MLK Jr out of their way, they turned his dream of an end to racism and racial segregation, into a nightmare: racism has morphed into DEI, the Human Sacrifice Industrial Complex has enabled the Black Genocide, the disintegration of the African-American nuclear family and a fatherlesssness crisis. Then came the Crowdstrike heard around the world.
The New York Times "reports' widespread outages are rare.
"They are often caused by errors in a centralized source, like a server farm, or damage to physical equipment. But the outage that sent computers crashing around the world on Friday was unique, and meant that resolving the problem has been much harder. Here's what to know.
This is a Gross Misapplication Of the Theory of Allocation:
Creating a widespread outage, like voter fraud, is so easy a caveman, or a doctor Jill can do it - all you need is a MOM: Motive, Means and Opportunity. The recent outage just happen to coincide with Microsoft's firing of its DEI team.
If a routine Crowdstrike software update can bring Microsoft down, guess what can a MOM can do to Ballot Counting Machines on election night?
Have you ever heard about the Inside Threat by so-called security experts? aka The Judas Effect in security circles?
Or what about the Secret 2020 Election Day Meeting With CISA, Dominion, ES&S, ERIC, FBI, Leftist Organizations, State Officials, and Others?
Recently, investigative journalist Yehuda Miller received several FOIA documents that completely reshaped what we were told to believe about the 2020 US presidential election, according to the Gateway Pundit.
"The election was billed by the Democrat Party, Joe Biden, the mainstream media, and former CISA Chief Chris Krebs as the most secure election in US history." CISA's own website calls contrarian views on the election misinformation: Looking for information on state-specific election security efforts or additional FAQs? Check out the #TrustedInfo2024 page from the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the Election FAQs page from the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED).
State, local, and territorial election officials work year-round to prepare for and administer elections, implementing a wide range of security measures and serving as authoritative sources of official government information on elections for their voters." Yet, we also know that "He who controls the chart of accounts controls the narrative. He who controls the narrative and the legacy media controls the people. He who controls the people can cancel the past - and the FBI has been cooking the books for a while.
Security professionals however acknowledge the inside threat: insiders with a Motive have a MOM - Motive, Means and Opportunity to commit a any crime, including widespread outages and voter fraud. In the latter case, when the insider is a government employee, prosecution is practically impossible.
As long as the Inside Threat is not addressed, there won't be election integrity
What do the daily FBI press releases, the Pandora Papers, the Facebook whistleblower, the IRS abuse of the Tea Party, the Russia Hoax, The #UkraineHoax, Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange, the January 6th Insurrection have in common with voter fraud? – The common denominator is an inside job
Coincidence, Divine Providence, Good and Evil, Feast Day of Saint Apollinaris, the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and the attempted assassination of president Donald Trump: what is the common denominator?
Sixty One years ago, Martin Luther King Jr., standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, delivered his historic 'I Have a Dream' speech in which he called for an end to racism and racial segregation. I Have a Dream was inspired by the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address.
Like MLK's I have Dream Speech. President Donald Trump's MAGA - Make America Great Again is inspired by the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address and is quintessentially American:
Chris Ullery and Melissa Brown writing for the Tennessean report; "Speeches peppered with references to biblical verses intertwined with political slogans and the Pledge of Allegiance underscored a mix of God and nation prevalent throughout this year’s GOP nomination ceremony."
While Timothy L. O'Brien. Bloomberg's senior executive editor has a cynical view: "The observations from the former president and some of his ardent followers after his narrow escape from a shooter’s bullet smack of convenient politics." Its not unreasonable for cynics like O'Brian, atheists or skeptics to question Divine Providence intervention. After all, where was Divine Providence when Martin Luther King Jr was assasinated?
Divine Providence was present during the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and the attempted assassination of president Donald Trump. The Catholic Catechism (CCC 321-322) teaches thatnChrist invites us to filial trust in the providence of our heavenly Father (cf. Mt 6:26-34), and St. Peter the apostle repeats: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you" (I Pt 5:7; cf. Ps 55:23
For all religions, whether Christian or pagan, belief in Providence, understood in the wider sense of a superhuman being who governs the universe and directs the course of human affairs with definite purpose and beneficent design, has always been a very real and practical belief. Prayer, divination, blessing and curse, oracle and sacred rite, all testify to a belief in some over-ruling power, divine or quasi-divine in character; and such phenomena are found in every race and tribe, however uncivilized or degraded. We find it, for instance, not only amongst the savages of today, but also among the early Greeks, who, though they do not appear to have clearly distinguished between Providence and Fate, and though their gods were little more than glorified human beings, subject to human frailty and marred by human passion, they none the less watched over the home and the family, took sides in human warfare, and were the protectors and avengers of mankind. The intimate connection of the gods with human affairs was even more marked in the religion of the early Romans, who had a special god to look after each detail of their daily life, their labours in the field, and the business of the state.
MAGA is founded on free speech, religious independence, accountability, rule of law and the belief that the United States was once a great country but has lost this status owing to foreign influence, both within its borders and globalization.
That there was an attempted assassination of president Donald Trump is not shocking. A simple scan of social media posts show President Donald Trump's political opponents, from the White House, surrogates and influences, display a high level of irrationalhate and fear at the prospects of Donald Trump taking power for a second term.
Such level of hate simply means the assassination attempts will continue.
Five years later, after progressives got MLK Jr out of their way, they turned his dream into a nightmare: racism has morphed into DEI, the Human Sacrifice Industrial Complex has enabled the Black Genocide, the disintegration of the African-American nuclear family and a fatherlesssness crisis:
MLK Jr. death cleared the way for the uber progressive Warren Court's Decision (1963) - the Court found that teaching children about wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord., charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity was too radical, and all hell broke lose. A decade later Roe v. Wade entered the picture.
Using analysis tools like the Ishikawa Cause-Effect Diagram, the Pareto Rule, Security Professionals' Attack Tree and or Occam's Razor, they all suggest that after the uber progressive Warren SCOTUS (1963) decision, we have had A mental health crisis. Infanticide turned into Black Genocide. African American nuclear family has joined the Sea Turtles in the extinct list. 80% of AA kids are raised in fatherless homes. AIDS epidemic. Opiod crisis, We have a fatherlesssness crisis, A Girlhood Crisis, A Trans Crisis, Obesity crisis.
NYT's Katie Rogers "reports" the Biden Administration continues to sharpens its Abortion Message, which is nothing less than AntiChristian and pure evil and Biden's Administration is being referred to as an Anti-Christ
And a new Documentary exposes how the FBI tried to destroy MLK with wiretaps and blackmail - ultimately he was assassinated. His family believes James Earl Ray was framed
So, what is the common denominator? What is the conclusion? Saint Paul warned us about this 2000 years ago in Ephesians 6 "Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,"
Monday, July 15, 2024
DRAFT
Saint Bonaventure, the Angelic Doctor
Like all the great scholastic doctors, Bonaventure starts with the discussion of the relations between reason and faith. Scholasticism is a method of learning more than a philosophy or a theology, since it places a strong emphasis on dialectical reasoning to extend knowledge by inference and to resolve contradictions. Scholastic thought is also known for rigorous conceptual analysis and the careful drawing of distinctions.
There can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. The Church teaches (CCC 159) that; "Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth." "Consequently, methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God in spite of himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are."
Saint Bonaventure went so farĺ as to say that human beings, before sin, were able to see how each creature "testifies that God is three". The reflection of the Trinity was there to be recognized in nature "when that book was open to man and our eyes had not yet become darkened". [Bonaventure] teaches us that each creature bears in itself a specifically Trinitarian structure, so real that it could be readily contemplated if only the human gaze were not so partial, dark and fragile. In this way, he points out to us the challenge of trying to read reality in a Trinitarian key.[34]
All the sciences are but the handmaids of theology; reason can discover some of the moral truths that form the groundwork of the Christian system, but other truths can only be received and apprehended through divine illumination. To obtain this illumination, the soul must employ the proper means, which are prayer; the exercise of the virtues, whereby it is rendered fit to accept the divine light; and meditation that may rise even to ecstatic union with God. The supreme end of life is a union in contemplation or intellect or intense absorbing love; but it cannot be entirely reached in this life, and remains as a hope for the future.[10]
Like Aquinas and other notable thirteenth-century philosophers and theologians, Bonaventure believed that it is possible to logically prove the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. In fact, unlike Aquinas, Bonaventure holds that reason can demonstrate the beginning of the world.[30][31] He offers several arguments for the existence of God, including versions of Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument and Augustine's argument from eternal truths. His main argument for the immortality of the soul appeals to humans' natural desire for perfect happiness, and is reflected in C.S. Lewis's argument from desire. Contrary to Aquinas, Bonaventure did not believe that philosophy was an autonomous discipline that could be pursued successfully independently of theology. Any philosopher is bound to fall into serious error, he believed, who lacks the light of faith.[32]
Bonaventure was formally canonised in 1482 by the Franciscan Pope Sixtus IV, and ranked along with Thomas Aquinas as the greatest of the Doctors of the Church by another Franciscan, Pope Sixtus V, in 1587. Bonaventure was regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages.[17] His works, as arranged in the most recent Critical Edition by the Quaracchi Fathers (Collegio S. Bonaventura), consist of a Commentary on the Sentences of Lombard, in four volumes, and eight other volumes, including a Commentary on the Gospel of St Luke and a number of smaller works; the most famous of which are The Mind's Road to God (Itinerarium mentis in Deum), an outline of his theology or Brief Reading (Breviloquium), Reduction of the Arts to Theology (De reductione artium ad theologiam), and Soliloquy on the Four Spiritual Exercises (Soliloquium de quatuor mentalibus exercitiis), The Tree of Life (Lignum vitae), and The Triple Way (De Triplici via), the latter three written for the spiritual direction of his fellow Franciscans.[citation needed]
The German philosopher Dieter Hattrup denies that Reduction of the Arts to Theology was written by Bonaventure, claiming that the style of thinking does not match Bonaventure's original style.[18] His position is no longer tenable given recent research: the text remains "indubitably authentic".[19][20]
A work that for many years was falsely attributed to Bonaventure, De septem itineribus aeternitatis, was actually written by Rudolf von Biberach (c. 1270 – 1329).[21]
The Commentary on the Sentences, written at the command of his superiors when he was twenty-seven,[17] is Bonaventure's major work and most of his other theological and philosophical writings are in some way dependent on it. However, some of Bonaventure's later works, such as the Lectures on the Six Days of Creation, show substantial developments beyond the Sentences.[22][23]
Henry II, the Emperor Turned Saint, is a patron saint of the childless, of the handicapped, and of those who have lost parents. Saint Henry II, also known as Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, lived from May 6, 973 AD, to July 13, 1024 AD. The Holy Roman Empire, encompassed parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, Italy, and Czech Republic.
Henry II was a Medieval King in the line of King David: His devotion to justice, charity, and the welfare of his people was a significantly different form of governance not only during the Roman empire, after its fall and even today. Just like King Henry, King David had a special rapport with God. He was known as a “man after God’s own heart.” He had trusted God to deliver him from the jaws of the bear and the lion, then most miraculously from the sword of the Philistine giant, Goliath. David was persecuted by Saul, just like the Church of Saint Henry is being persecuted by modern day Germans.
His devotion to justice, charity, and the welfare of his people makes him an inspiring figure for those seeking guidance in their personal challenges and seeking the well-being of their communitie. His legacy also serves as a reminder of the important role that leaders can play in promoting social justice and religious tolerance
After the collapse of the Roman empire, ethnic chiefs and kings, ex-Roman governors, generals, war lords, peasant leaders and bandits carved up the former Roman provinces into feudal kingdoms.
Rome continued to decline after that until AD 476 when the western Roman Empire came to an end. The eastern Roman Empire, more commonly known as the Byzantine Empire, survived until the 15th century AD. It fell when Turks took control of its capital city, Constantinople, modern day Istanbul in Turkey.in AD 1453
Another artifact of the demise of the Roman empire was the loss of technological knowledge and intellectual thought that characterized the Roman Empire. With the Empire's collapse, many aspects of Roman civil engineering, learning, and arts were lost or neglected, leading to what was later termed as the Dark Ages.
At this time Divine Providence intervened with Saint Benedict of Nursia, who saved Western Civilization. According to Bishop Barron”at a time when Roman order had collapsed and barbarian invaders were picking through the rabble of a once great civilization Benedict founded the religious community that would, in time, preserve the best of the old and allow for the emergence of a particularly Christian way of life. And so it is absolutely no exaggeration to say that without Benedict, there would not be Thomas Aquinas, no Catherine of Siena, no Ignatius of Loyola, no Michelangelo, and no John Henry Newman.” Saint Benedict relentlessly preserved Seneca, Cicero, Plato, Aristotle, Aristophanes, Caesar – in fact, practically everything of value that we have from the ancient world
Saint Henry, guided by eternal truth and daily meditation practice, was not carried away by the power and dignity of his position as king. In all things, he sought the greater glory of God and was most watchful over the welfare of the church. His zeal for the maintenance of ecclesiastical discipline in the church was unrivaled.
Henry’s fame spread at home and abroad, and so his humility. On February 14, 1014, Pope Benedict V crowned him emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
The rule of Henry II has been characterized as a period of centralized authority throughout the Holy Roman Empire. He consolidated his power by cultivating personal and political ties with the Catholic Church. He greatly expanded the Ottonian dynasty's custom of employing clerics as counter-weights against secular nobles. Through donations to the Church and the establishment of new dioceses, Henry strengthened imperial rule across the Empire and increased control over ecclesiastical affairs. He stressed service to the Church and promoted monastic reform. For his remarkable personal piety and enthusiastic promotion of the Church, he was canonized by Pope Eugene III in 1146. He is the only medieval German monarch ever to have been honoured as a saint. Henry II's wife was the equally pious Empress Cunigunde, who was canonized in 1200 by Pope Innocent III. As the union produced no children, the German nobles elected Conrad II, a great-great-grandson of Emperor Otto I, to succeed him after his death in 1024. Conrad was the first of the Salian dynasty of emperors.
Engagement is about the Why. In a synodal Church the whole community is called together to pray, listen, analyse, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God's will, where God’s will is the Why.
synod, (from Greek synodos, “assembly”), in the Christian church, a local or provincial assembly of bishops and other church officials meeting to resolve questions of discipline or administration. The earliest synods can be traced to meetings held by bishops from various regions in the middle of the 2nd century.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/synod
Pope Francis wants the synod in every parish. Here’s how to bring it to yours
The three dimensions of the theme of the Synod are communion, participation and mission, three interrelated pillars, which we cannot separate one from the other. God gathers us together in COMMUNION.
There have been 19 synods: nine ordinary, two extraordinary and eight special. The following is a list of all the synods held to date, and the documents stemming from them. 1. Revision of the Code of Canon Law (Sept.
Cardinal Grech called the Synod a formidable "listening workshop," emphasizing listening to both God and the world. Speaking during the press conference to present the “Instrumentum Laboris” for the upcoming October assembly, he noted that this process starts with listening to the voice of the Lord, continuing with attention to the "sense of faith of the people of God."
The goal, he explained, is to "seek what God wants to say to the Church at this moment in its journey."
Synod of Bishops, considered as an advisory body for the pope, is one of the ways in which the bishops render cooperative assistance to him in exercising his office.[1] It is described in the 1983 Code of Canon Law as "a group of bishops who have been chosen from different regions of the world and meet at fixed times to foster closer unity between the Roman Pontiff and bishops, to assist the Roman Pontiff with their counsel in the preservation and growth of faith and morals and in the observance and strengthening of ecclesiastical discipline, and to consider questions pertaining to the activity of the Church in the world."[2]
In addition, each patriarchal church and each major archiepiscopal church within the Catholic Church has its own synod of bishops. Unlike the body that normally assists the pope only by offering advice, these synods of bishops are competent, and exclusively so, to make laws for the entire sui iuris church that each governs
The papal Synod of Bishops is permanent, even when not in session.[6][7] Periodically, it holds assemblies, which are either general, if called to consider matters directly concerning the universal Church, or special, if called for problems of a particular geographical area.[8] The general assemblies are either ordinary (held at fixed intervals) or extraordinary (held to treat of some urgent matter).[9]
The papal Synod of Bishops also has a permanent secretariat[10] headquartered in Rome but not part of the Roman Curia.[11] Pope Francis greatly increased both the authority and influence of the Synod in September 2018
The Holy See Press Office releases the 'Instrumentum Laboris', the text that will guide the work of the second session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod in October. Among the focuses of the document are the need for transparency and accountability, and the role of women in the Church.
The Inequity of the Pursuit of Equity Over Public Safety.
Target Zero, Vision Zero
Washington state's Target Zero is a Public Safety paradigm shift, patterned after Vision Zero. It's a plan with the goal to reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries on Washington's roadways to zero by the year 2030. It also serves as the state's Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Target Zero is way off target, the latest victim of the of the anti law enforcement movement.
For decades, Washington's Traffic Safety Commission had long recognized that combating impaired driving is a Public Safety imperative. A decade ago it made significant progress reporting: While deaths and serious injuries from impaired driving both declined by 15 percent during 2009-2011 compared with 2006-2008, impaired driving continues to be the main factor in fatal collisions in Washington.
Most of the decline was then attributed to aggressive campaigns to change the public perception of the acceptability and consequences of drinking and driving, coupled with tougher laws, including the 2007 felony DUI law, and strict penalties imposed for drivers under age 21 who drink and drive. "Despite these efforts, impaired driving remains a challenging issue for both Washington and the nation" - WTSC impaired driving strategic plan
Vision Zero, is a Public Safety Paradigm Shift. The shift? From considering traffic deaths and severe injuries as inevitable accidents and simply side effects of modern life to a notion that all these tragedies are preventable by taking a proactive, preventative approach that prioritizes traffic safety as a public health issue.
First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.
Target Zero Off Target
Alex Didion, KING 5 Staff reports that Traffic deaths in Washington state hit 33-year high in 2023 citing data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) indicating that there were 810 traffic fatalities last year, a 10% increase from 2022.
Target Zero Off Target - Increase in Vehicle Deaths Coincides With Anti Law Enforcement Movement
That means Washington State's Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Target Zero is not yielding the desired results - quite the opposite. Target Zero's goal is to reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries on Washington's roadways to zero by the year 2030. It also serves as the state's Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
According to WTSC director Shelly Baldwin. “810 is not just a shocking statistic. Every number represents a life lost. A lost family member. A lost co-worker. A lost friend. The people who mourn have had their lives changed forever." Baldwin the goes on to say: "I hold them in my heart as I ask drivers to take the actions we know save lives. Drive sober. Be patient. Stay focused. Buckle up.”
Shelly Baldwin is the first woman appointed by Governor Jay Inslee, to head the Washington Traffic Safety Commission in it's 50+ year history. We have reached out to the Traffic Safety Commission to understand why Target Zero is off target and what is being done to reverse the trend. Multiple attempts to reach Washington State's Attorney General Communications Director Brionna Aho have not been fruitful.
Didion also reports that "officials previously identified the 'fatal four' common causes of traffic crashes and deaths as impairment, distraction, speeding and not wearing seat belts."
Washington's rules of the road, including laws on texting and driving are outlined in Title 46, Chapter 61 of the RCW. In the state of Washington, you cannot use a hand-held personal electronic device (such as a cell phone) when driving. To be clear, “driving” includes when you are stopped at a traffic light! You may use a hands-free device to make a phone call. But otherwise, no texting, calling, or watching Netflix.
The NE Lake Road and NE Everett Street Intersection Improvement Project at the City of Camas sitting on a state highway is another indicator. According to the city's website the "first phase of the project included an alternatives analysis, surveying, a geotechnical investigation, a transportation analysis, an environmental analysis, conceptual designs, and stakeholder and community outreach." The finished product is advertised through signage and otherwise, as a traditional roundabout. It's not. It's more like trying to design a better mousetrap, as it violates the first law of roundabouts; Thou should only drive counterclockwise.
City of Portland's Version of Vision Zero
The City of Portland's Portland Bureau of Transportation, like Washington's
WTSC,is working to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries through its Vision Zero program and commitment: "No person should die or be incapacitated from simply going about their day."
PBOT addresses street safety in a section entitled Actions and performance measures: "Safe speeds, slow people driving to reduce injuries. Slowing down people driving reduces crashes and their severity. People who drive slower can stop more quickly to avoid a crash. Driving more slowly also reduces the chance of injury or death when crashes occur."- PBOT
But 'performance measures' used by PBOT herein is a misnomer. Performance measures are specific and used to hold people accountable: A performance measure is a numeric description and results of an agency's work. Performance measures are based on data and tell a story about whether an agency or activity is achieving its objectives, and if progress is being made toward achieving policy or organizational goals. Millicent Williams, director of PBOT, rejoined PBOT in the summer of 2023 after managing PBOT’s Capital Delivery division from 2017 to 2020, then serving as PBOT Deputy Director until May 2021. After her years at PBOT, Millicent served as Otak’s Oregon/SW Washington Regional Director for the Public Sector and as Corporate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Then there is Portland's culture.A year ago, Attorney John DiLorenzo of Davis Wright Tremaine, following the aftermath of Multnomah County’s suspended proposal to pass out fentanyl smoking supplies, he called on the City of Portland to dissolve the Joint Office of Homeless Services. DiLorenzo previously said the county had spent millions of dollars passing out tents and tarps, only for the city to spend nearly the same amount to pick them up and throw them away. He led a lawsuit against the City of Portland to keep tents off sidewalks – claiming that blocking the pathways violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. Portlanders with disabilities eventually reached a deal with the city. He said the county’s work to pass out fentanyl smoking supplies goes against that agreement.
The City of Vancouver's Version of Vision Zero
Right next to Portland, accross the Columbia River is the City of Vancouver. Looking to the future, Vancouver is also trying to reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries through its recently unveiled Transportation System Plan (TSP.) The TSP was approved and adopted by Vancouver City Council on the 8th of January 2024. According to the TSP website "Following extensive planning and community engagement, we’ve developed a new Transportation System Plan that will prioritize how we invest in a safe, reliable and comfortable transportation system over the next 20 years."
Vision Zero and Culture
Vision Zero is not a slogan, but a Paradigm Shift: a culture that values human life. Where culture is defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, symbols language, religion, rituals, art.
Culture is a form of social control based on shared norms and values that set expectations about appropriate attitudes and behavior for members of the group.
Signs of cultural deterioration are the anti law enforcement movement, the increased disregard for basic safety rules of the road, such as stopping at a stop sign, failure to yield, failure to use turn signals, failure to use pedestrian lanes, cyclists using winding narrow roads without bike lanes, children on electric scooters racing on public streets and so on.
An example of formal social control is passing a law against driving under the influence. If someone breaks that law, the person is charged AND convicted. Recently, dozens of people ransack NW Portland warehouse afterShannon Clark, posted a ‘free’ sign outside. Clark was arrested on aggravated burglary. Prosecutors declined to file charges, rendering the law ineffective.
A year ago, KOIN reported: "‘Fearing for our safety’: Portland street racing continues to run rampant despite police mission". In what appears to be a tradition, earlier this week KOIN wrote: "Street racers who took over an intersection not far from Portland International Airport also peppered gunfire and launched fireworks — including one that landed on the roof of a business — late Saturday night. We have asked Director Millicent Williams for comment.
The difference between the culture we say we want and the culture we enable is the Belief- Action Gap Index, aka cognitive dissonance index - the gap between what the organization says it values, versus its action. You have to walk the talk.
Any of Target Zero initiative gains were erased as early as 2010 when the anti law enforcement movement first started, increased during the Ferguson riots and gained strength in 2020 during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the associated violent protests.
It should be noted, most Americans do not support reducing law enforcement budgets. A YouGov poll from May 29–30, 2020, found that close to two-thirds (65%) oppose cutting police force funding. Just 16 percent of Democrats and 15 percent of Republicans support that idea.An Economist/YouGov poll from June 14–16, 2020, found that 22 percent of African-Americans favor police abolition. A June 23–July 6 survey by Gallup found that 81% of African-Americans wanted police to spend the same amount of time or more time in their neighborhoods, as did 86% of the sample as a whole.
Public safety is a function of Design, Awareness, Visibility and Engagement (DAVE, where Visibility includes motorists' road, pedestrian and signage, visibility and law enforcement personnel. Even DAVE relies heavily in culture as a form of social conttol.
"Drive sober. Be patient. Stay focused. Buckle up," is very telling. Instead of accepting any responsibility for Target Zero being off target Baldwin blames the driver. According to Vision Zero, communities that want to succeed at Vision Zero need to acknowledge that business as usual is not enough and that systemic changes are needed to make meaningful progress.
Washington State's TrafficZero is not working. Neither is Portland's Vision Zero program. Elected officials must decide how much stock to put on human life. They cannot sraddle the fence: either they speak out against the anti law enforcement movement or turn the Vision One initiative into a No Vision one.
Assuming they value human life, they need to acknowledge that business as usual is not enough and that systemic changes are needed to make meaningful progress. Both need to set, or in the case of Washington, reset a timeline to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, which brings urgency and accountability, and ensures transparency on progress and challenges.
