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Your shopping basket : £0.00
Escape to our Thai haven for a luxurious overnight spa break like no other. Start your day the right way, in our unique award winning SenSpa facilities a serene sanctuary, designed to leave you feeling stress free and ready to face the world. Then, make your way to our AA Rosette Zen Garden restaurant, where your taste buds are sure to be in for a treat with a delicious, freshly prepared two course Thai lunch.
Once you have explored our expansive facilities for the rest of the afternoon, and perhaps treated yourself to one of our unique Thai treatments (available at an extra cost), be prepared for an evening of exquisite cuisine in one of our three restaurants, with an allowance of £40 per person to spend. Retreat to your cosy bedroom, guaranteed to provide you with a night of pure comfort and calm the perfect end to the perfect day.
So what are you waiting for? Authentic Thai tranquillity awaits you....
From £175.00 per person
*Prices are per person per night based on two people sharing a Knightwood Garden Room. Add £20 per person per night for Fridays and Saturdays. Single occupancy available subject to a £50.00 per night Sunday to Thursday or £70 per night Friday & saturday single supplement charge.
£40 per person allowance must be used on the evening of your room booking.
Discounts Available When Booking Additional Treatments.
Discounts apply on treatments booked per person.
The perfect birthday or anniversary gift.
Central Reservations: 01590 624467
© 2015 Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa
Site Map | Privacy Policy | Careers


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"I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10b
How We Do Church...
Ministry & Activities...
Christ Church...
Charity No. 1145463
Welcome to Christ Church West Wimbledon
Who are we?
Christ Church West Wimbledon is a Church of England congregation, a Christian church, in South-West London, in the Diocese of Southwark.
We are a blend of the traditional and the contemporary, we are an open, inclusive church serving the people of West Wimbledon. In our worship and in our social life we seek to express and share the love of God which is for everyone. We welcome all, regardless of age, ethnicity, sexuality or church background. Exploring together, we journey towards that fullness of life offered to us through Jesus Christ's self-sacrificing love. A mixture of those who are strong in their faith with others who are filled with questions and doubt, we encourage a willingness to explore our faith and be ready to be surprised by God. Knowing we are loved, we are ready to share our faith with others helping to build peace and justice in the world.
We hope that you find these pages useful and interesting and look forward to seeing you at Christ Church. If you would like to be in touch with us then we would be very pleased to hear from you. Follow the appropriate links to send us an email or to call us.
Revd Richard Lane, Vicar
Jesus Christ said–"I came that they may have life,and have it abundantly."The Gospel of John, 10:10b
Christ Church West Wimbledon
© Christ Church West Wimbledon & Ash Design, 2012
Most of the photographs on this website are © Ian Christie and © Paul Brazier (including the plans on the History page). Others are anonymous.
If you own an image, please contact us to request removal or copyright credit.
Sunday Services
Services for Sunday 29 March 2015
Palm Sunday
8am Holy Communion (BCP)
10am Parish Eucharist
6.30pm Communon Service
BCP = Book of Common Prayer (1662)CW = Common Worship
Collect forPalm Sunday"True and humble king, hailed by the crowd as Messiah: grant us the faith to know you and love you, that e may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory."Amen.
Post Communion Prayer forPalm Sunday"Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant, and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation: give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father."Amen.
Green Prayer forPalm Sunday
"Lord God, we lift into your hands the witness of Christian thinkers, teachers, scientists and communicators on the world you created and our place in it. We thank you for those who work to create beauty, fruitfulness and order. We pray for our generation, that we may hand on to our successors a world better for our having lived in it. "Amen.
Full details of all services and worship can be found on the Services & Worship page
The Choir
Come!–Sing!Come join the choir–6 years of age or above?Singers wanted!
Children's Music & the Choir–leaflet PDF
Richard Hall ~ Organist & Director of Music
Kingston-Matabeleland Link:new dedicated website
Counselling Direct
*****Junior Church Programme*****Click Here : for Spring Term 2015Junior Church Web Page
The Jigsaw Players Seventh Season Concerts–
JPS 2014-2015 Season
Raynes Park Bereavement Service is a new provision from Christ Church West Wimbledon for the local community. If you or anyone you know would like to speak to someone do contact us–
Raynes Park Bereavement Service
e-mail–email@example.com : 07914 263 420click for more details
Christ Church Development :Hall and Vicarage
Planning Application No. 14/P4689
The plans for the redevelopment of the hall and vicarage have now been submitted to the London Borough of Merton planning department.
You can comment on the proposed development, view PDF files of the plans by visiting Merton's website.
Click on the link below and in the first field type in the planning application number, press enter . . .

subset: commoncrawl


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We are all about helping you understand your investment position. We offer all prospective clients, a complimentary, educational presentation based on your needs before we ever talk about opening accounts or transferring money. No matter the amount of your current portfolio, we will work with you to help you in pursuit of your goals.
Whether you are:
We believe that being a good steward of what we have been given; starts with how we treat you, our client. Our desire is to have a relationship with you for years to come. We maintain that a friend is someone you can trust; and your financial professional should be no different.
Contact us today:


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States named China and India on a watch list for countries that aren't doing enough to fight intellectual-property crimes, warning of trade-secret theft in China and the proliferation of generic drugs and counterfeiting in India.
The U.S. Trade Representative resisted lobbying by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and pharmaceutical industry to censure India with the "worst offender" tag in its annual scorecard on how well countries protect U.S. patents, copyrights and other intellectual property (IP) rights.
The United States instead kept India, which is in the midst of elections, on its Priority Watch List along with China and eight other countries. It would start a special review of India in the fall and "redouble" efforts to address concerns with the new government, the USTR said.
Some were disappointed that the USTR failed to name India as a "priority foreign country" - a label that can eventually lead to trade sanctions or the loss of trade benefits - although others stressed it was not off the hook yet.
Orrin Hatch, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee and one of four top lawmakers who ordered an investigation into Indian trade policies last year, said the country was a "textbook example" of poor practices regarding intellectual property.
"A stronger response is required to dissuade other countries from adopting similar policies," he said in a statement.
Intellectual property lawyer Steven Tepp, the president of consultancy Sentinel Worldwide, said the planned special review allowed the USTR to change India's ranking and should tell the Indian government the issue needed "urgent attention".
A USTR official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the purpose of the review was to assess the new government's level of engagement and the USTR was not contemplating a change in India's status in 2014. A new process would start in 2015, he added, and stakeholders could give their input.
"Labeling India as a Priority Foreign Country just as a new government comes to power would have meant that relations would start off on the wrong foot, but the potential penalty which would be levied against India will now hang over bilateral relations," said Center for Strategic and International Studies adjunct fellow Persis Khambatta.
The USTR said India's limits on the approval of pharmaceutical patents, a convoluted process for patent challenges and the fact that the government was considering opening a series of patented drugs to generic manufacturers created "serious challenges" for some innovators.
The spread of pirated goods in India, a stalwart of the U.S. IP black list, was also worrying. The report noted estimates that counterfeiting and smuggling lost copyright holders almost $12 billion in 2012.
Shops in Nehru Place market in India's capital New Delhi primarily deal in computer peripherals, but it has also been classified as one of the most notorious markets for piracy in the world.
Pirated versions of copied software programs of companies such as Adobe and Oracle and various operating systems of Microsoft are on sale. The compact disc of Windows 7 operating system costs 100 rupees ($1.66), compared with about $100 for an original copy.
Alok, who sells pirated games in the market, said he does not know about the losses incurred by companies because of piracy. "I only care about my daily wage of 130 rupees," he said.
China, with the world's largest Internet user base, had low revenue from digital sales of movies and music, suggesting widespread piracy, the USTR said, while counterfeit goods were readily available online. Promises that government offices would only use legal software had not led to a jump in sales, it said.
The USTR said it had "significant concerns" about the theft of trade secrets and urged the government to take steps to stop Chinese companies taking advantage of overseas competitors.
Despite ongoing concerns about copyright, no action would be taken against last year's "priority foreign country," Ukraine, due to the current political situation, the USTR said.
The USTR also removed Italy from the intellectual property black list altogether after it took new steps to combat copyright piracy over the Internet.
($1 = 60.4225 Indian Rupees)
(Reporting by Krista Hughes; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington and Manoj Kumar and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by James Dalgleish and Ken Wills)
Trending On Reuters
India Politics
Rift deepens in Aam Aadmi Party that challenged Modi
Two founding members of anti-establishment political Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were ousted from its top decision-making panel on Saturday, deepening the rift in the party that is seen as a potential challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Full Article
Political Drama
Rift deepens in Aam Aadmi Party that challenged Modi. Full Article
Crop Mapping
India turns to 'satellite god' for crop mapping Full Article
Curbing Exposure
RBI moves to restrict bank exposure to corporate loans Full Article
World No.1
Saina Nehwal to top women's world rankings. Full Article
Plane Shortage
SpiceJet running short of planes for scheduled flights Full Article
India Health Plan
Exclusive: Modi govt puts brakes on India's universal health plan Full Article
Iran Nuclear Deal
Iran, powers close in on 2-3 page nuclear deal; success uncertain - officials Full Article
Clarke to Retire
Australia captain Clarke to retire from ODIs after final Full Article
Fresh Charges
Two new accusers say Bill Cosby drugged, sexually assaulted them Full Article


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5POST member phrasing shares with us some great insight into the F10 535i driving experience. With the perspective of a current E60 5-series owner, the verdict was that the F10 535i exceeded his already high expectations and was incredibly impressive in person. He also shares some comparison photos next to the E60.
Some feel that the F10 lacks an aggressive bumper. This will come soon in the form of the M-sport Aero Kit due to be revealed at the Paris auto show in October. In fact, the 535d M-Sport Touring has already been previewed to 5POST members at the BME PGA at Wentworth.
In BMW CEO Norbert Reithofers recent report (full report below) to shareholders, the CEO is reporting that the F10 5-series has received considerably more orders than planned so far. According to him, BMWs highlight of the year is most definitely the new BMW 5 series.
Dr. Reithofer:
In the BMW CEO Norbert Reithofers report (full report below) to shareholders yesterday, the CEO confirmed the F10 5-series Activehybrid will begin production in 2011 and that BMW also has plans for a 3-series hybrid (presumably with the next generation F30 / F32 3-series).
Jeremy Clarkson has developed (rightfully so) a reputation as a bit of a sourpuss when it comes to BMWs. Thats why BMW owners take notice when he reviews a BMW favorably. And he does so very favorably in his review of the F10 BMW 535i, which he calls the "absolute best of absolutely everything we know." Pretty darn good endorsement if you ask us.
BMW has confirmed that U.S. will receive an F10 5-series diesel model. The likely candidates would be the 530d or 525d. In addition, BMW may sell a hybrid version of its popular 5-Series sedan in the U.S. as early as next year.
Congrats to 5POST member gordocam on his newly delivered F10 530d! He's head over heels over the car already, but managed to tear himself away from the steering wheel to post up his initial review. Read on.
Reviews of the 2011 550i (F10) are now rolling in. Motortrend is one of the first to get some review time in a 550i and they are impressed with the 550i, calling it "better in every way" than previous generation 5-series.
Some say that the F10 5-series resembles a smaller 7-series. Some even think that that means that it's just a modified version of the 7-series, technologically speaking. Well, here's evidence that the F10 5-series stands on its own and is not merely a scaled down 7-series.
On 5/2/2010 at Gulfstream (Casino/RaceTrack) Park Hallandale, Beach Florida – next session from 11am-1pm. Go figure I didnt receive any info in the mail, nor anything from my dealer. Luckily I live right down the block. I am going to see if I can get some seat time in the new 5.
Of all the ways to find out about this .. the morning news (WSVN 10). As I am sure many of you, I have attended several of these ride and … CONTINUED
The new F10 5-series configurator for the U.S. market is now available on BMWUSA.com. Available for configuration are the 535i and 550i models. The 528i model is not expected until later. Spec yours out now!
In the USA, we still have to wait a few months before owners get their hands on the new 5, but luckily in Europe owners are checking in with their brand new cars. This is a beautiful Alpine White example. Congrats!
The U.S. release date for the F10 5-series is set for June 19, 2010, the date on which U.S. customers will be able to take delivery of their 2011 5-series. Unfortunately for our 5POST members who already have cars in transit from Germany, this also means that their cars will already be on U.S. soil, but wont be released until June 19th. Tune in on that date as we should see a flood of 5POST members taking delivery!
For all you owners … CONTINUED
This is the first customer F10 535i in black sapphire that we have seen. The car belongs to lucky owner TitangrauII530iA, who provides these photos. The F10 looks amazingly sleek in black, particularly with its shadowline (black) window trim.
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Arrives July 2011
$45,425 including $875 Destination & Handling ($1,400 lower than the 528is 2010 predecessor)
3.0-liter inline-6 engine
240 horsepower
8-Speed automatic transmission
Press Release
+ Expand
BMW has announced pricing for the all-new 2011 BMW 528i Sedan. The new 528i … CONTINUED
The F10 5-series recently debuted in Asia at a launch event gala held in Hong Kong. This particular F10 launch event appears to be the fanciest one yet, including musical and artistic performances and celebrity appearances. Even the F10 models on hand were the most decked out, with more wheel variety and some accessory parts.
Thanks for pinguhk for sharing the photos.
Sales of the BMW 5 Series already amount to more than 5.5 million units in five model generations – and now a new chapter is starting in the highly successful story of the BMW 5 Series Sedan.
While the sixth generation naturally follows the great heritage of its predecessors, its roots go back much further. As early as in the 1960s, BMW developed a strong and distinctive profile as a manufacturer of sporting but elegant, powerful and technically innovative midrange four-door sedans. … CONTINUED
We have updated our Official F10 5-series info thread with new info, reviews, pricing, photo threads, ordering info, and more! The info thread will be continually updated throughout the F10 5-series model's life.


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Caulk on countertop
I have a formica countertop with a backsplash. Where the backsplash comes together with the wall, the caulk keeps cracking and pulling away from the wall. This countertop was installed by a professional. He has redone it twice now and he says it is because it is on an outside wall and the expansion and contraction is causing it. However, the old countertop never did that and there is a side that is not on an outside wall that also is doing that. Can anyone advise on this matter?
Is his caulk fresh? I use bathroom caulk around my kitchen sink- my countertop is Formica. I even fill in cracks(in the sheetrock) from earthquakes with it as it holds so much longer than anything else. I just cut tube at a slant on the tip & smooth it in place with damp finger & don't get any water near it for 24 hrs. I use Dap Kwik- Set with mildew preventive but I don't think it is as good as it once was but you can get it back off, some caulk is like plastic & you can't sand it off or pry it off. This stuff gives a bit so it doesn't crack. But if your house is settling that would be another problem.. This is worth a try & is removable so can remove it with very dull paring knife if it doesn't work out. Comes in white, almond & gloss white .
I have the same problem with our kitchen countertop.
I re-caulked it a few years ago with ge siicone paintable and it got a little better. I think it is because the countertop moves a little bit. My plan is to try lexel next time, because it has more give.
Good luck and if you figure it out let us know.


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Well first of all i would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped me pick out the many different items I am planning on getting. A special thank Box Rocket! You have helped a ton.
I am 17 and a junior in High School and this truck was my first vehicle and hopefully the one I have forever. I will post some pics down at the bottom. My truck is a 2002 tacoma xtracab trd v6. She has about 151k on her and is still purring like the first time I heard her.
I would like to explain why the back end is the way it is. The winter I got my truck my parents ask if they could barrow to go to the airport because it had been pretty crappy day and they didn't want to take the car. I said yes. Well while they were driving there doing about 70 down the highway they hit some ice and spun out. Slamming into the guard rail and really screwing the truck up. The insurance company totaled it. I am sorry but I don't have any pics of the truck when it happened but if you look at the back thats the part that hit second. The front end took most the hit. Lucky my brush I had put on there saved the headlight and the mechanic who fixed it said if it wasnt for the tow package he is sure the frame would have bent but there was about 3500 worth of damage to the front which they willing paid. Well they decided that I would have to pay for the back end. It has now been 2 years and I finally got a good job going so I am getting enough money to fix.
Here how she looks at the moment.
Mods to come!
Gray Mod
OME 883 coils with nitrocharge shocks
OME rear leaf packs with add a leaf and nitrocharge shocks
Trd r17 wheels
Complete cat back system
Rock Sliders
All Pro apex plate bumper
Possible winch
All pro skids
Custom made rear bumper
265/85/r17 goodyear duratracs
Possible locking front diff and on board air compressor
I am sure more to come but these are what I am thinking right now.
Thanks for looking!


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Mark DanielsMark Daniels is a broadcasting veteran of more than 30 years, and currently serves as the Programming and Marketing Manager of WFIL/WNTP in Philadelphia. His daily talk show and On the Mark commentaries have consistently won top honors from the PA Association of Broadcasters, as well as past awards from the Philadelphia Press Association, Excellence in Media, and others. Daniels serves as host of the nationally-syndicated Christian ministry program, The Bible Study Hour with Dr. James Montgomery Boice. He is a church elder and Bible conference president. Mark Daniels can be heard weekdays at 4pm ET on www.wfil.com, and The Mark Daniels Show can be seen weekly on WBPH-TV 60 (WBPH.org).
- 2007 Dec 17
The moment occurred at about the 1 hour and 50 minute mark of my daughter's 10th birthday party. Though she couldn't communicate it, I understood exactly what she was feeling as she climbed under a table alone…to cry.
Is this all there is?
After literally years of buildup, her much-anticipated double-digit celebration was nearly over, and apparently it just wasn't all Jessi had hoped it would be. Exactly what it was she expected, she's not sure…but surely, it was something more than that.
*My deliverer is coming…
Fast-forward to Christmas, and my daughter's middle-aged daddy is having the same experience, but in reverse. The big holiday is coming, but I'm dreading it…because I'm no longer kidding myself…I know it'll never be what I hope it will be, so I often don't even bother with the delusion anymore.
*My deliverer is standing by…
Of course, my daughter and I are both disappointed, because we're both hoping for the wrong things, rather than recognizing what we already have. Jessica anticipated the gifts, and the attention of a birthday party; I am expecting the enduring promise of Christmas to be delivered for my complete enjoyment here, rather than in heaven.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things unseen. Heb. 11:1 (ESV)
As my beautiful daughter (typecast as an angel in the church Christmas play) sings the final song…it really hits home. Rich Mullins' "My Deliverer" transports the listener to hear the songs of slave children in
*My deliverer is coming…my deliverer is standing by…
The promise of Christmas is for now, but for tomorrow as well.+ For, we cannot truly celebrate His coming, without also eagerly anticipating His return.
*©1998 - Liturgy Legacy Music / Word Music / ASCAP / White Plastic Bag Music / SESAC
+ 2 Corinthians 1:10


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About the contractor
Appelgren Builders Company operates out of Galesburg, MI and holds a Builder Company license according to the Michigan contractors license board.
Appelgren Builders Company has a BuildZoom score of 62
Their license (2102196135) was verified as active when we last checked. If you are considering hiring Appelgren Builders Company, we recommend double-checking their license status with the license board and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes.
Do you work for this business? Unlock free profile to update company info and see who's viewing your profile.
Where they work
Reviews of Appelgren Builders Company
2 out of 5 stars, based on
I've had Mark and his crew do work for me several times and have always been more than happy. These other reviews look shady as they're signed by two different people and yet they're nearly identical word-for-word. It looks like maybe a competitor is slandering Appelgren Builders.
Mark Appelgren is good at one thing, selling his skills as a carpenter. That would be fine and good if he were on the job to work. Throughout the process of looking for a contractor, my husband was leary of Mark because his estimates were so much lower than the others. Our regrets, besides hiring Appelgren Builders, is not firing Appelgren Build...Read more.
Sara, Richland Michigan
Mark Appelgren is great at one thing, selling his skills as a carpenter. This would be fine and good if he were actually on the job working. We found out later that His portfolio of work completed is mostly of work done by other builders. My husband was unsure of hiring him, but his estimate was the ...
Mark is by far the worst contractor I have ever had work in my home and doesn't even deserve a star. If you want a builder who doesn't pull a permit, cuts corners, doesn't return your phone calls especially when there is a problem and lies about what needs to be done and the time frame in which it will be completed then Mark Appelgren is the bui...Read more.
General contracting Contractors in Galesburg Browse all contractors in Galesburg
115 Buildzoom Score
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Jeffrey Michael
Polite, punctual and does amazing quality work! Would highly recommend to anyone completing a project large or small.
Zion Church Builders Inc
To construct a new apox. 32000 sq. foot church building for west na... more
To construct a new apox. 32000 sq. foot church building for west nashville heights church of christ with apox. 496 seats. this building to include new sanctuary multi purpose room restrooms and offices. special exception 17.16.170. ***pursuant to ordinance no 2008-1263 of the metropolitan code of laws i holder of this permit hereby certify that all construction and demolition waste generated by any and all activities governed by this permit shall be disposed of in an approved landfill. further i certify that no construction or demolition waste shall be stored on the property in violation of any provisions of the metropolitan code***.
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Key License Information
- License Number: 2102196135
- Status: Active
- State: Michigan
- Type: Builder - Company
- Date Issued: 2009-09-24
Click here to compare Appelgren Builders Company to the highest rated general contractors in Galesburg.
Click here to look up the license status of Appelgren Builders Company at the Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs.
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About BuildZoom
BuildZoom has one simple purpose: To help you find the perfect contractor.
How we do this is more complicated. BuildZoom is a database of every licensed contractor in the United States. We work hard to figure out who the great contractors are, and who the bad contractors are.
BuildZoom combines license information on 3.5 million contractors with 75 million building permits, and over 80,000 reviews from homeowners and the Better Business Bureau.
If you are looking for a specific contractor and you can't find them on BuildZoom, it's likely that they do not have a license - please contact us and we'll try to help!
Finding a Contractor through BuildZoom
The best way to use BuildZoom is to let us recommend contractors for your remodeling projects.
Homeowners who hire through BuildZoom's free bidding system report high rates of satisfaction, and homeowners who research contractors online are twice as likely to be happy at the end of their project.
If you hire a contractor through BuildZoom, that contractor is accountable to us. We can enforce standards of behavior, mediate disputes, and guarantee satisfaction.
Read more about why hiring through BuildZoom is so effective.
Why should I trust BuildZoom
We built this site to help people find great contractors, and to help people avoid bad contractors. We take this incredibly seriously, and we have a zero tolerance policy for contractors who don't adhere to our standards.
1 million people use BuildZoom every month. Our business depends on their trust.
If a contractor does poor work, they will no longer receive leads from BuildZoom, and a negative review will be posted on their profile.


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Written on: 04/02/2014
Wanted to send a special bouquet of roses to my Girlfriend as a surprise, to let her know how special she was, and Bloomex ruined it. They left the roses on the front step without informing anyone, and it wasn't till the morning after they were found frozen. I called three times during delivery day to ask if they had been delivered, and no one had an answer. It wasn't till the next day that Bloomex informed me they had been left on the front step at 2pm in Canadian Winter. DO NOT TRUST Bloomex, FOR YOUR VALENTINE DELIVERY. To me a ruined delivery/moment is worse than if I had not sent anything at all.
As rated by real users
" Great prices and service " Read More
" Appalling service! " Read More
" Same Day Delivery?? No chance!! " Read More
" Lovely Flowers " Read More
" Wrong flowers!! " Read More


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Laptops & Tablets
- Cut the Cost, Not The Quality When You Buy Open Box Or Refurbished At Tech For Less
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Contact Us
1610 Garden of the Gods Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Sales: 1.866.880.1230
Operating Hours
Monday — Friday
Outlet Store:
9:00am to 6:00pm MT
Phone Inquiries:
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Mark Z. - Mar 26th 2015


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NYC Parks Events Calendar
Get up, get out, and do something! Just about any day of the year, you can find something fun, informative, and healthy to enjoy at an area park. Feel free to browse the listings below, or use the search tools to find an event that matches your interests and location.
Viewing 1,301–1,310 out of 3,123 events
from April 2, 2015 to April 25, 2026
Friday, June 26, 2015
Seasonal Crafts
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Make seasonal and holiday arts & crafts items to take home.
Category: Arts & Crafts, Kids
Bryant Park Presents Modern Dance
at Bryant Park Lawn (in Bryant Park), Manhattan
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Some of the city's most exciting modern dance companies perform their latest works. Produced in collaboration with Inception to Exhibition.
Category: Dance, Art, Free Summer Theater
Summer on the Hudson: Friday Freshen Up: Leo Liebeskind
at West Harlem Piers Park, Manhattan
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Kick off the weekend with some fresh air while you drink in the sounds at this monthly musical get-happy hour. The Friday Freshen Up series takes place in West Harlem Piers Park on the…
Category: Concerts, Festivals, Free Summer Concerts, Waterfront
Family Camping: Manhattan
at Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
7:00 p.m.
Camping affords us the opportunity to unplug from the diversions of everyday life and to laugh and play with our families.
Category: Nature, Kids
Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest
at Delacorte Theater (in Central Park), Manhattan
8:00 p.m.
Academy Award nominee Sam Waterston (Newsroom, Law & Order, The Public's King Lear) returns in THE TEMPEST, Shakespeare's classic about…
Category: Theater, Free Summer Theater, Shakespeare in the Parks
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Compost Crew
at Sherman Creek Park (in Sherman Creek), Manhattan , Swindler Cove (in Sherman Creek), Manhattan
1:00 a.m.–3:30 a.m.
Every Saturday, the Compost Crew processes food scraps collected at the Inwood Greenmarket and organic waste recovered from NYRP's landscaping operations. Learn about the process…
Category: Volunteer
Van Cortlandt Track Club
at Van Cortlandt Stadium (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.
Van Cortlandt Track Club runs through and around the Yonkers-Bronx border in small groups. For local running tips, visit vctc.org.
Category: Fitness, Sports, Outdoor Fitness
ESL Beginners Class
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Spanish-speaking adults will learn the basic structure of English from an ESL instructor.
Category: Education
Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza
at Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
At what other market can you do all your food shopping, sample local wine and explore Brooklyn's favorite park?
Category: Markets
Yoga on the Beach
at Beach 108th Street (in Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk), Queens
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Join yoga instructor Helen Kilgallen from Elaine's Dance School in this beginner Hatha Yoga class.
Category: Fitness, Outdoor Fitness
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It's D-day for rugby league 2015.
I could be talking about the season kick off tonight with the Premiers v the Wayne Bennett show. Or I could be talking about the first mentions occuring today at Southport Magistrates Court.
But I'm not.
I am of course referring to the ditching of the NRL referee's pink shirts.
So apparently referees aren't being taken seriously on the field because they wear pink jerseys. Research has been dug up to show that stronger colours are more likely to instill discipline on the field.
Let's just stop and think about this for a sec.
Referees are not being taken seriously. And they want to blame the jersey. Not the decisions they make on the field or how they explain their rulings (when they care to), but the jersey. As for the players' responsibility in this equation, these are not park players we are talking about who have a passing understanding of the rules. These are professional sportsmen whose fulltime job it is to run around a 100m paddock for 80 minutes a week adhering to a well worn rule book. Players who have already been playing this game for well over 10 years before getting to this point. But it's not their fault, it's the jersey you see.
It's pink. And that's a girly colour. Players apparently can't be expected to respect a person because they wear a girly colour. Coz you know, girls. That's what the NRL is saying.
So how about they make this anouncement in the shadow of International Women's Day? That's the NRL I know.
*Yes I know this is not the biggest issue facing league at the moment. I am not contractually obliged to comment on every issue.
* For understanding of title, refer to the phrase 'red mist'


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Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Proposal to set up a world-class DNA profiling laboratory
NEW DELHI: The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) modernisation drive is expected to benefit Delhi as there is a proposal to set up an exclusive world class Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) profiling laboratory at Army Research and Referral Hospital here by 2007.
The AFMS has already made public its proposal to set up a DNA profiling unit at Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, the blueprint for which has been forwarded to the competent authority. The Pune facility will be set up at a cost of Rs. 3 crores to 4 crores by mid-2006. This will be followed by setting up of the Delhi unit after necessary clearances.
"This latest facility is a must for the forces as it will help us keep medical data of every individual. In case of disaster, accident or other unfortunate events, when bodies get mutilated beyond recognition, DNA profiling will come handy for identification,'' said the AFMS Director-General, Vice-Admiral V. K. Singh, speaking about the modernisation programme that will cover all armed forces medical institutions.
Adding that all leading armed forces in the world, including the United States and Britain, had already started DNA profiling of their defence personnel, he noted: "DNA profiling will ensure that all bodies get respectful disposal. Previously we were using personal luggage, birthmarks and photographs for identifications, with this new technology things would become a lot easier for us."


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text: So I've been looking for a new tattoo to get while I'm not pregnant. I've got a pretty good idea what I want, a bunch of stars, some big and a lot of little ones, starting at my left hip and wavily traveling up and slightly over my right shoulder. It's going to be pretty big, but my other 6 tattoos are small so I've still got a lot of room to work with. I'm trying to figure out a good way to incorporate the girl's names in the tattoo, leaving room for more names, but not having it look like any names are missing in case we don't have any more kids. That's the difficult part. I've looked at thousands of pictures of tattoos online in the last two days and I'm just shocked at what people put on their bodies. And it takes a lot to shock me. I mean honestly, tattooing the word slut or the C word on your pubic area? Or my personal favorite, Blow Me written upside down on a obese guy's stomach. I'm no prude but why? Does no one think of the future? To each his own and all that, but won't the kids just love going to the beach with mom and dad and their bad ass tattoos.


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iso: rental cottage in maine
I am planning to visit Maine next summer and am looking for a cottage to rent,preferably on the ocean.All I seem to find online are houses in neighborhoods or cottages with TVs,etc. I am looking for something somewhat isolated that has electric.I want a "camping out" experience with four walls. I went to Half Moon Pond in Vermont this year and rented a cottage and we had a blast. It had beds, a light, and a bathroom down the road. That is essentially what I am looking for in Maine. Does anyone know a website or agency I can contact? Thanks!
The best place to find a good summer cottage is in the "Vacation Rentals" section of Downeast Magazine. Their listings start to pick up in late winter and early spring. You can get the magazine at most big bookstores. The listings will give you a good idea of where you might like to stay, so get a good map and have fun. Once you get an idea of where you want to be, you can also Google some of the towns and find a realtor, most of them handle cottage rentals, since it's a big business up there.
You'll love Maine, what a place. Have a great trip.


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movie trailer
'Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes' Trailer
After a devastating virus wipes out much of mankind, the surviving humans must battle genetically evolved apes to determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Movie Trailer: 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past'
The original characters from the 'X-Men' trilogy join forces with their younger selves in an epic battle to save our future. Watch the trailer here!
"Peanuts" Makes Its Big Screen Debut In 3-D
For the first time ever, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the "Peanuts" comic strip characters will be making their big screen debuts in 3-D. Watch the trailer here!
Viral Video: Official "Godzilla" Trailer
The world's most famous monster is back — and he's coming to America. The latest "Godzilla" reboot pays homage to the original, as the monster wreaks destruction on mankind.
Viral Video: Angelina Jolie Directs "Unbroken"
An Angelina Jolie movie trailer went viral after it aired during the Olympics broadcast. The film — called "Unbroken" — chronicles an athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
Viral Video: Angelina Jolie's Wicked Side In 'Maleficent'
Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, but you've never heard it like this. Angelina Jolie tells the story from the evil queen's view. Watch the trailer here.
Viral Video: "Muppets Most Wanted" Outrage
Fans across the internet can't believe that "Muppets Most Wanted" wasn't nominated for over 247 awards. See some of the online rage in this hilarious new trailer.
Viral Video: "Muppets Most Wanted" Trailer
Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted" takes the entire Muppet gang around the world. See what people around the internet are saying about the upcoming movie.
Viral Video: 'Planet Of The Apes' Trailer
It's another sequel to get excited about. The latest 'Planet of the Apes' movie pits man vs ape in a war that will determine Earth's dominant species.
Viral Video: Tom Cruise In "Edge Of Tomorrow"
Another blockbuster may be on the way for Tom Cruise. The sci-fi film, 'Edge of Tomorrow', has a new trailer out, which has received over 2.3 million views in less than 48 hours.
Viral Video: "Pumpkin Spice" Movie Trailer
This time of year, people seem to use pumpkin spice for everything from coffee to muffins to M&M's. It's going too far — it's taking over!
Burleson Church Produces R-Rated Movie
Retta Baptist Church in Burleson is now in the movie business. The church has produced a movie called "My Son," which received an "R" rating for violence and drugs.


text:
What's not to like about purple? A true shapeshifter of a color, it effortlessly goes from regal, to relaxed, to quirky, to psychedelic, depending on the context in which it is deployed. It also plays well with others, complementing everything from subdued hues like brown and gray to vivid pops of more vibrant colors. Here's how a few of our favorite designers have used it to create some surprising results.
Color Code: Purple
Four designers on what they love about purple and how they like to use it
Exclusive: See the Lilly Pulitzer x Target Home Collection
Target's latest designer collab is almost here, and we've got an exclusive first look.
9 Rustic Farmhouse Tables That Will Instantly Update Your Kitchen
These wooden tables shine in any number of settings, from country-house kitchens to the most urbane dining rooms.
HOUSE TOUR: A Modernized Midcentury Home In Beverly Hills
A curvy, low-slung house in Beverly Hills gets a glamorous makeover that updates swinging 1960s style for a new century.
How Two Hollywood Power Players Modernized Their Midcentury LA Home
A curvy, low-slung house in Beverly Hills gets a glamorous makeover that updates swinging 1960s style for a new century.
More From Design + Decorate


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Ideas for a better Australia
Towards a more competitive Medicare: The case for deregulating medical fees and co-payments in Australia David Gadiel
It is paradoxical that the federal government sets a 'Schedule Fee' for Medicare services, when it has no ability to control fees. The reality is that the Medicare Schedule Fee is a misnomer, because it is no more than a 'benefit' for medical services.
What are We Fighting For? Islamism and the Threat to Liberal Ideas David Kilcullen
Counterinsurgency expert and military strategist Dr David Kilcullen delivered The Centre for Independent Studies' 2014 John Bonython Lecture with a crucial and fascinating exploration of recurring Occidentalism, why Western values are anathema to Islamists, and why we must take decisive action now to counter the Jihadist ideology that is spreading around the world.
The rise of China's imperial president Professor Kerry Brown, Peter Cai, and Dr Benjamin Herscovitch
This event will explore the likely trajectory of a presidency that is set to shape not just China but the entire world.
The Competition Policy Review Ian Harper
According to the Competition Policy Review panel, reinvigorating Australia's competition policy is essential to help meet the economic challenges and opportunities we face now and into the future.


text:
Delves into the powerful features of Color, beginning with the fundamentals of digital color correction.
Explains how to use Color for best results with projects started in Final Cut Pro.
"lynda.com has enabled me to grow my skill set at an affordable price. I find the business profiles/documentaries inspiring and the training is top notch." —Shawn C.
more from our members »


text:
The Top 10 In Action Sports
01Welcome to Qasr Al-Farid: The Rock With A Door That Will Rock Your World
0218 Things That Will Give Anyone Who Did Duke Of Edinburgh A Serious Flashback
0316 Things That Will Give 90s Skater Kids A Serious Flashback
04This 10 Year Old Kid Just Nailed A Dub Cork 1080... On His Second Attempt
05The 10 Most Spectacular Road Trips on Earth
06Water Slides, Plane Wings and Danny MacAskill: This is Road Cycling Like Never Before...
0724 Reasons Why Snowboarding Was Better In The Early Noughties
08Could Scientists Be About to Build a Terminator? They're Closer Than You Think…
09Win a Holiday for 2 in Chamonix with Three #holidayspam
1017 Holiday Beer Photos That Every Skier Takes to Make Their Friends Jealous
Jon Television S02E02 - Max Bruneau in QT
A Mountain Biking video by jonbokrantz - 4,237 views
The massive variety of trails around Queenstown is one of the things that makes this place so special. Jon Television teamed up with the french bad ass Maxime Bruneau and headed out for a mission to show you what QT trails are all about. Rooty woods, sweet as jumps, tech & loamy and pretty darn scenic! All in the classic spirit that defines Jon Television - light hearted and fun!
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Celebrity Central / Top 25 Celebs
Julianne Hough
Credit: JD Pht Bx & MCGM/Splash News Online
Published: Thursday April 04, 2013 06:00 AM EDT
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Breezy Picnic Grounds Waterslides
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Three 300' waterslides, picnic grounds, swimming in Whins Reservoir; concession, bathrooms with changing facilities and arcade. Family-oriented.
The Borscht Belt Comes Alive Again in Amherst
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text:
dotCommonweal Blog
In Chile decision, Pope Francis risks reputation as reformer.
Episcopal installation Masses don't usually involve teeming protesters, shouting matches, and popping balloons. But Juan de la Cruz Barros Madrid's did. Last Saturday, Barros was installed as bishop of Osorno, Chile, following allegations that he covered up for a sexually abusive priest who had been his mentor. "Barros, get out of the city!" chanted the demonstrators, waving black balloons. The bishop's supporters tried to drown them out, brandishing white balloons. Some demonstrators attempted to climb the cathedral altar. The service was cut short, and Barros was escorted by police through a side door. Chile's cardinals, along with most of its bishops, were not in attendance. Familiar with recent history, they knew it was going to be an ugly scene.
Four years ago, the Holy See found Fr. Fernando Karadima guilty of molesting minors, and ordered him to a life of "prayer and penance." The Karadima case has been called the worst scandal ever to befall the Chilean Catholic Church. Karadima, now eighty-four, was once one of Chile's most influential clerics. He ministered to the wealthy, and had strong ties to Chile's elite. He developed a devoted following, molding the church's future leaders. Four of his protégées, including Barros, later became bishops. Now, several of Karadima's victims—once his devotees—say that Barros not only knew about the decades-old accusations and did nothing, but that he witnessed the abuse himself. Barros denies all of it, and refuses to resign.
After Barros's appointment was announced in January, about thirteen hundred Chilean laypeople, including dozens of lawmakers, signed a petition seeking Barros's removal. More than thirty clerics signed a letter asking the pope to reconsider his decision. Two Chilean bishops reportedly met with Francis to brief him on how difficult this has been for the local church. "The pope told me he had analyzed the situation in detail and found no reason" to remove Barros, the archbishop of Concepción, Fernando Chomalí, told the New York Times. Just before Barros's installation service, the papal envoy to Chile announced that the bishop had his "confidence and support."
Some had hoped that pressure brought by members of the pope's new sexual-abuse commission—several of whom recently expressed grave reservations about the appointment—might persuade Francis to act, or Barros to resign. After all, just last month the pope said that "everything possible must be done to rid the church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused." He even seemed to chide bishops who had used the excuse of not giving scandal to avoid addressing the issue. But yesterday the Holy See released a terse, curiously worded statement responding to the growing controversy: "Prior to the recent appointment of His Excellency Msgr. Juan de la Cruz Barros Madrid as bishop of Osorno, Chile, the Congregation for Bishops carefully examined the prelate's candidature and did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment." If this is Rome's last word on Barros, then Francis should know that his decision has imperiled not only the Diocese of Osorno, but also his own reputation as a reformer.Read more
Koched up.
In the fall of 2013, the Catholic University of America announced a $1 million pledge from the Koch Foundation, one of the many not-for-profit outfits with strong ties to the billionaire libertarians David and Charles Koch. The money, according to the university, would go to the business school, allowing it to hire professors and offer a course on "principled entrepreneurship." You may remember the Kochs from their charitable efforts to undermine public-employee unions, to support a campaign against renewable-energy standards, to suppress the vote, or to discredit the minumum wage (which the U.S. bishops want to raise).
A group of about fifty Catholic theologians certainly remembered. They sent a disapproving letter to Catholic University, voicing their concern that by accepting the grant, the university was sending "a confusing message to Catholic students and other faithful Catholics that the Koch brothers' anti-government, Tea Party ideology has the blessing of a university sanctioned by Catholic bishops." But university president John Garvey and business-school dean Andrew Abela remained unmoved. They replied by pointing out that several of the professors cash paychecks from universities that accept Koch money, and accused them of trying to "score political points."
If any of those theologians were clinging to the hope that, given enough time, Garvey and Abela might come around to the idea that there's something odd about a Catholic business school accepting money from people who are so deeply committed shrinking the social safety net, cutting taxes, weakening environental regulations, ending the minimum wage, and busting unions, they can let go now. Because Catholic University's business school recently accepted another $1.75 million pledge from the Charles Koch Foundation (in addittion to $1.25 million from other donors).Read more
An interview with Archbishop Blase Cupich.
A few days before Christmas, I interviewed Blase Cupich, who was recently installed as Chicago's ninth archbishop. We spoke about the Synod on the Family, immigration, the sexual-abuse scandal, the bishops conference, and more. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
GG: As you mentioned, the pope speaks often about the need to foster a culture of encounter and accompaniment. This seems key to his idea of church—a church that goes out of itself and should not fear the discomfort that entails. How is that approach changing the temperament of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops?
BC: Institutions are constitutionally prone to protecting themselves, and being conservative in that sense. There are any number of forces in our society today that erode institutional life. We can't be naïve about that. There are those who would like to truncate the freedom of religion—especially of the Catholic Church, given its footprint in society. At the same time, we can't let that drive our agenda. That's what the business of "Be not afraid," which John Paul II said, is about. We have to be mission-oriented.
In the readings for the Feast of the Assumption, Mary goes off to the hill country to visit Elizabeth, and the image that one comes away with is that this dragon—mentioned in the first reading from Revelation—is chasing Mary. But Mary is not directed by the dragon's pursuit. In the Gospel we hear that she is directed by her desire to help Elizabeth. The church has to use that image of itself. The trajectory of our pilgrimage is not going to be determined by an escape from forces that are out to harm us. It has to be a trajectory that is determined by helping people. That's why the pope said we can't be a self-referential church.
GG: The ethic of accompaniment seems to have guided the pope's design of the recent Extraordinary Synod on the Family. Some bishops expressed some confusion about that meeting—whether it was over the media's coverage of the synod, or what actually took place.
BC: The media is not to blame at all. I think the media reported what actually took place. What really took place at the synod was that a majority of the bishops voted for all the proposals that were there in the final summary document. And I think Cardinal Timothy Dolan said that at the November bishops meeting. It's true that three of the paragraphs [about divorce and gay people] did not get two-thirds majority support, but they got more than a majority. That's what's new. That's the story. Those hot-button topics had been highlighted, and the majority of synod bishops voted for proposals that said we need to consider aspects of these issues.
The pope has a firm belief that the spirit of the risen Lord is working in our midst and is alive in the hearts of people—and we cannot squelch that voice. We have to look for ways to listen to how the Lord is working in the lives of people. That's why the pope said to the synod fathers, "Don't come to the synod and say 'You can't say that'"—because it may be the spirit of Christ who is calling us to say these things. And we have to listen to that.
Read the rest right here.
The Curious Case of Carlos Urrutigoity (VIII)
This is the conclusion of a series of posts on the Urrutigoity case. Read the first part here, the second here, the third here, the fourth here, the fifth here, the sixth here, and the seventh here.
"I want to assure everyone," Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano wrote in 2008, "that I have never hidden or protected anyone convicted of any crime." The bishop was attempting to quell the outcry of Catholics in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, over his decision to invite an accused priest and his followers—the Society of St. John—to establish themselves in his diocese. "My track record in these cases is very clear," Livieres continued. "Just as I have not hesitated to convict the guilty, neither will I punish an innocent victim of slander." The victim, according to Livieres, was Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity, an Argentine native who has been followed by allegations of sexual misconduct across three countries over three decades.
That troubling history, readily available to anyone with an internet connection, made it difficult for many Ciudad del Este Catholics to take their bishop at his word. So in 2009 they mounted a campaign against him, enlisting the support of other Paraguayan bishops and priests, who took the case to Pope Benedict XVI. But, unbeknownst to them, Livieres claimed to have the support of Benedict—in part because of their shared fondness for the Latin Mass. Livieres's critics would not receive a satisfying response to their complaints until Benedict retired—and Pope Francis was elected.
Livieres was installed as bishop of Ciudad del Este in 2004. Before he even arrived, Livieres—a member of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei—caused consternation among the bishops, priests, and laypeople of Paraguay. The bishops were surprised by John Paul II's decision to appoint Livieres because his name was not on the terna—the list of three names recommended by the local bishops conference. Soon after Livieres took over in Ciudad del Este, more than one hundred fifty clerics wrote to Pope Benedict XVI to protest the bishop's "renewal of church discipline" and "new pastoral guidelines," as Livieres would later put it. But Benedict did not respond, according to an account Livieres wrote in 2014. Instead, Benedict told him to "form a new clergy," according to the bishop. He took that advice, and established his own seminary. That failed to go over with other bishops, who wanted to know what was wrong with the main seminary in Asunción.
Livieres also clashed with his fellow bishops over the candidacy of former bishop Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez, who ran for president of Paraguay in 2008—and won. Lugo had ties to the liberation-theology movement, which Livieres long opposed. But Livieres also criticized Lugo for fathering children before he left the episcopate—and his brother bishops for remaining "silent" about it. During a radio interview, the archbishop of Asunción, Pastor Cuquejo Verga, publicly called for the Vatican to investigate Livieres. In a follow-up interview, Livieres rebuffed Cuquejo's suggestion, and called him a homosexual.Read more
The Curious Case of Carlos Urrutigoity (VII)
This is the seventh in a series of posts on the Urrutigoity case. Read the first part here, the second here, the third here, the fourth here, the fifth here, and the sixth here.
In November 2003, Joseph Martino attended his first meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops after succeeding James Timlin as bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania. During the weeks following his October 1 installation Mass, Martino had been briefed on the scandal Timlin brought to the diocese in 1997 when he allowed the Society of St. John, a band of traditionalist clerics looking for a home, to set up shop in Scranton. As Martino walked down the aisle of the USCCB convention hall, flanked by nearly all the nation's bishops, he turned to his auxiliary bishop, John Dougherty, and said, "I think we need to suppress that group."
But Dougherty wasn't convinced. Canonically suppressing the Society of St. John, he worried, might put Martino "in the position of attempting to undo an administrative act of his predecessor," he wrote to a canon lawyer in early 2003. The "administrative act" Dougherty had in mind was Bishop Timlin's decision to approve the Society of St. John as a "public association of the faithful," which afforded the group certain rights under canon law—including the right to appeal to the Vatican.
Timlin's "Decree of the Erection of the Society of St. John" was issued just a year after he met the group, then led by Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity—a native of Argentina. In the spring of 1997, Urrutigoity and his followers were ousted from the Society of St. Pius X—a schismatic organization that rejects the reforms of Vatican II—after it was discovered that they planned to establish a more spiritually rigorous group within the SSPX. Urrutigoity convinced Bishop Timlin that SSJ priests and deacons wanted to return to the Catholic Church in order to promote the old Latin Mass. Timlin was known as a friend to those who preferred the pre-Vatican II liturgy. Urrutigoity claimed that his fondest hope was to establish a seminary, a liberal-arts college, and a Catholic village. None of that would come to pass, as the Society's efforts became mired in allegations of financial and sexual misfeasance.
Without running background checks on SSJ members, Bishop Timlin secured their reconciliation with Rome and made them priests of the Diocese of Scranton. But a year later, in 1999, Timlin learned that Urrutigoity had been accused of fondling a seminarian before arriving in Scranton. Urrutigoity denied the allegation. Even though three diocesan investigators told the bishop they found the accusation "credible," Timlin did not sanction Urrutigoity. Later, when Society members were accused of sharing their beds with, and providing alcohol to, high-school boys, Urrutigoity promised that nothing immoral had transpired. Timlin just told SSJ members to stop such practices. The bishop did not discipline any SSJs until 2002, when a federal lawsuit alleged that Fr. Eric Ensey, a member of the Society of St. John, had sexually assaulted the plaintiff—and that Urrutigoity had fondled the young man while he slept. Timlin suspended the priests. Both of them denied the accusations under oath, and the lawsuit settled in 2005 for nearly half a million dollars. (Ensey, Urrutigoity, and Timlin could not be reached for comment.)
The canonical cover Timlin helped to provide for the Society of St. John would make it difficult for his successor to discipline the group. Adding to that difficulty was a letter of support for the SSJ that Timlin wrote in 2007, which found its way to the Vatican. Timlin's efforts on behalf of the SSJs may have helped pave the way for their reappearance after Martino finally suppressed them in 2004. Ten years after Martino issued that decree, Urrutigoity would be named second in command of the Diocese of Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. Last September, amid public outcry over the promotion of Urrutigoity, Pope Francis removed Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano, the man who reestablished the SSJ in South America, where several members still reside.Read more
Through dry bones.
CHICAGO -- The sea of black rose last night as the procession music began: a spiritual, complete with drums and tamborine and energetic choir, a Spanish hymn, followed by another spiritual. The mostly clerical congregation turned toward the rear of the church as the third selection came to a close. "Plenty good room," the chorus sang, "just choose your seat and sit down." The assembled stood in silence, waiting for the new archbishop to seek admittance to Holy Name Cathedral. He knocked three times. The sound echoed through the church, the bronze doors were opened by Msgr. Dan Mayall, pastor of the parish, and Blase Cupich entered what was about to become his cathedral. He was met with uproarious applause.
"All Are Welcome," accompanied the procession, as ecumenical and interrelegious guests moved up the aisle, impressing the assembly with their traditional dress--the colors popping bright against the surrounding black suits. Cupich ascended the sanctuary steps, and turn to face the church. His face took on a look not too dissimilar from the expression on Pope Francis's face when he first appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's. But if the congregation sensed trepidation in his countenance, it was dispelled as soon as he saw Cardinal Francis George approach. Cupich smiled broadly, extended his arms toward the cardinal, and applauded emphatically. The whole church joined him.Read more
Archbishop Cupich to Chicago Catholics: I am your servant-leader.
CHICAGO -- In his first homily as archbishop of Chicago, Blase Cupich finally answered the question he's been asked over and over since it was announced that he would succeed Cardinal Francis George: What is your agenda? "If I have learned anything over these past four decades as a pastor, I know it is a disaster for me to have my own agenda." That's not because he doesn't have his own hopes and dreams, Cupich explained. Rather, it's that his agenda is "always too small." His agenda, he continued, is "prone to be self-serving, and ultimately unworthy of the people I am called to serve." Rather, "the agenda has to be God's, which is beyond our imagining and our abilities."
Preaching on Ezekiel (37: 1-14), Cupich highlighted the prophet's concern "to inspire new life in the people living in exile, by offering a vision of the new city to be built by God.... They are like dry bones strewn carelessly to rot in an abandoned field under the scorching sun of oppression."
The archbishop named the dryness we find in our own lives today:
It is the dryness elderly and sick persons can experience when their strength gives way and their bones become unsteady, to the point that they begin to question their worth, their sense of purpose and even the faith that has heretofore directed their lives. We see that dryness caked in on the faces of the homeless street people, in the fatigue of the underemployed worker cobbling together three or four low paying jobs to make ends meet, but also in the hectic pace of the successful business owner whose long hours in the office leave little time for family meals and sharing, for rest and recreation.
Those in public service, Cupich admitted, experience their own dryness "in the tedium of attending to administrative details, which most often go unnoticed or unappreciated, in the frustration we feel as we are called upon to face enormous challenges with limited energies and shrinking resources, and whenever opportunities for real improvement are squandered by petty squabbles and divisive discourse."Read more
Cardinal George to Chicago Catholics: 'You are my legacy.'
CHICAGO -- The congregation gathered early at Holy Name Cathedral this morning. A half-hour before Cardinal Francis George would begin his final Mass as archbishop before Blase Cupich succeeds him this week, the narthex was nearly full. The people waited for 9:30 Mass-goers to vacate. Msgr. Dan Mayall, pastor of the cathedral (an associate pastor of my childhood parish twenty-odd years ago), greeted arriving parishioners as they came in from the snow, and departing ones as they returned to it.
A bank of cameras on the north side of the transept turned in toward the pews to watch them fill with a very Chicago crowd: Catholics of every ethnicity, some dressed up, others down, some draped in furs and others in NFL jerseys (the Bears were playing at home), suits and jeans, some with toddlers in tow, others carrying babies, or pushing grandparents, some single, others not, some fingered rosary beads, others scanned the expansive wooden ceiling with their smartphones for the perfect Instagram shot. Cameramen moved toward the center aisle, just before the break in the pews. One leaned down to let a couple know that he wouldn't be obstructing their view for the whole liturgy. "Why are all these video cameras here?" the husband asked. The cameraman explained: the cardinal's last Mass. From within his coat pocket the husband produced a camera of his own.
An usher approached as the procession was about to start. "No one in the aisle," he warned the journalists. Besides, "the cardinal doesn't always do the procession." This time he did.Read more
Was Bishop Livieres sacked for abuse-related reasons or not? (UPDATED)
"Vatican Says Bishop's Dismissal Not the Result of Sexual Abuse," read a Catholic News Service headline published Saturday. The story, written by Francis X. Rocca, tut-tuts those who interpreted the firing of Bishop Livieres of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, as a sign of a Vatican crackdown on sexual abuse. The diocese was investigated by the Vatican in July after local Catholics, including the archbishop of Asuncion, Paraguay, Pastor Cuquejo--the metropolitan bishop--reportedly complained to Rome about several aspects of Livieres's leadership. Among his concerns was Livieres's decision to accept and promote a priest, Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity, who had been accused of sexual misconduct by several people dating back to the late 1980s. Rocca's story suggests that Urrutigoity had little to do with Pope Francis's decision to replace Livieres.
Coming two days after the Vatican's arrest of former Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, pending a criminal trial on charges of paying for sex with boys during his time as nuncio to the Dominican Republic, the dismissal of Bishop Livieres appeared to be the latest step in a Vatican crackdown on sex abuse. But the Vatican says sex abuse was not a significant factor in Bishop Livieres's dismissal.
Here's what Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, SJ, told Rocca: "Let's not confuse Wesolowski and Livieres; one is a case of pedophilia, the other is not." Lombardi continued: "Livieres was not removed for reasons of pedophilia. That was not the principal problem." What was? "There were serious problems with his management of the diocese, the education of clergy, and relations with other bishops," Lombardi said."
That sounds a bit like what Lombardi said to the New York Times last week: "The important problem was the relations within the episcopacy and in the local church, which were very difficult." He explained that the accusations against Urrutigoity were "not central, albeit have been debated."
For his part, Livieres, a member of Opus Dei, maintains that he was the victim of a smear campaign orchestrated by nefarious practitioners of liberation theology, presumably not those who were recently invited to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith--or were they? Considering this explanation comes from a man who on more than one occasion publicly called his metropolitan gay, it may not be totally reliable.
But is Lombardi's?Read more
Divided on Religious Liberty
A new poll finds Americans are sharply divided on the question of religious liberty. The Public Religion Research Institute reports:
Nearly half (46%) of Americans say they are more concerned about the government interfering with the ability of people to freely practice their religion, while an equal number (46%) say they are more concerned about religious groups trying to pass laws that force their beliefs on others.
Despite the U.S. Catholic bishops' campaign to highlight religious liberty as an issue, a majority of Catholics (51 percent) fall into the latter camp, while 42 percent said they were more concerned that the government was trying to interfere with the practice of religion. The poll highlights generational and gender differences among Catholics.
Millenials, aged 18 to 34, are far more likely to be concerned about religious groups tyring to impose thier beliefs on others, while those 69 and older are much more likely to be concerned about government interference. Catholic men were evenly divided on this issue, but women were more likely to be concerned about religious groups (55 percent) than they were about government interference with religion (36 percent).
Read more
What Is a "Francis Bishop," Anyway?
The appointment of a successor for Chicago's Cardinal Francis George had been anticipated as Francis's first big chance to make a major impact on the U.S. church. When his selection of Blase Cupich was announced, the religion journalist Amy Sullivan tweeted, "Since March 2013, we've all been saying, Wait until he fills the Chicago seat--that'll tell us whether he's for real. @Pontifex is for real." The choice, many observers agreed, was proof that Francis really does want to develop a different kind of leadership, not just in Rome but in America too.
I noted in a post last week that Francis had surprised me by doing what I most hoped he would do -- articulating a vision of episcopal leadership that deemphasized culture-war posturing and called for bishops to be "dedicated to repairing divisions, not deepening them." News accounts of the "Francis effect" tend to refer to his noteworthy personal choices since he became pope -- things like living in a small set of rooms instead of the papal apartments, eschewing some of the more regal vestments of the office, and saying friendly, almost offhand things like "Who am I to judge?" when speaking to reporters about controversial issues. Certainly the pope is setting an example when he does these things. But he has also spelled out the changes he wants to bring about in explicit terms, and anyone who wants to know what a bishop in the era of Francis ought to be like need only read what Francis has said on the subject.
Francis's apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium is specifically addressed to the church's mission of evangelization, but for Francis that subject provides an opportunity to spell out in detail the ways in which the church itself needs to undergo "conversion" to communicate the Gospel more faithfully and effectively. This paragraph, in which he lays out a set of goals and desired traits for bishops, ought to be tacked above the desk of every ordinary in the U.S. If Francis really was intimately involved in the selection of Bishop Cupich for Chicago -- which I have no reason to doubt -- it's safe to conclude that he found in Cupich a candidate likely to fulfill this vision:
31. The bishop must always foster this missionary communion in his diocesan Church, following the ideal of the first Christian communities, in which the believers were of one heart and one soul (cf. Acts 4:32). To do so, he will sometimes go before his people, pointing the way and keeping their hope vibrant. At other times, he will simply be in their midst with his unassuming and merciful presence. At yet other times, he will have to walk after them, helping those who lag behind and – above all – allowing the flock to strike out on new paths. In his mission of fostering a dynamic, open and missionary communion, he will have to encourage and develop the means of participation proposed in the Code of Canon Law, and other forms of pastoral dialogue, out of a desire to listen to everyone and not simply to those who would tell him what he would like to hear. Yet the principal aim of these participatory processes should not be ecclesiastical organization but rather the missionary aspiration of reaching everyone.
More than what they wear or where they live or what kind of car they travel in, if you want to know whether a bishop is living up to the expectations of Pope Francis, you can look to this striking vision of pastoral leadership. It's not vague or empty of substance. It's quite specific, and demanding. (There's even a footnote in the original indicating which specific canons he refers to.) Is your bishop an "unassuming and merciful presence" in your midst? Is he doing everything he can to "reach everyone"? Is he the kind of shepherd who "above all" is concerned with "allowing the flock to strike out on new paths," as he walks behind giving merciful assistance to stragglers? That's what Francis thinks the church needs. That's a Francis bishop.
UPDATE: You can hear more from me about Francis and his plans for the church by attending the Feast of St. Francis Lecture at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on October 2. Details here.
Archbishops Playing House
If anyone were keeping a list of Flimsiest Religious Exposes of the Year, here is a contender. It's a report from CNN's Belief Blog exposing "The Lavish Homes of American Archbishops," and it is now eliciting predictably self-righteous comments around the Web.
It's a pretty pretentious piece of work, complete with photos that will shock almost everyone who has never driven through an upscale neighborhood and concluding with a bragging note on "How We Reported This Story."
"Records reveal that 10 of the country's top church leaders defy the Pope's example and live in residences worth more than $1 million," the story begins breathlessly.
"Defy" the Pope's example? $1 million? Please remember that the infamous German "Bishop of Bling" whom Francis ousted was spending $43 million to remodel a palatial residence, $300,000 for a new fish tank, $2.38 million for bronze window frames, almost $1 million for the garden, etc., etc.
If you know anything about real estate prices and about the number of archdiocesan residences built in the day when American Catholics expected their leaders to live like VIPs, as well as about the number of archbishops' residences that also house offices, reception areas, chapels, and rooms for other priests—well, then, you might be surprised that CNN's Belief Blog found only ten of 34 archbishops so shamefully lodged. Certainly I was. And I suspect CNN was also.Read more
Till Death Do Them Part?
Those who are opposed to Cardinal Walter Kasper's proposal that some divorced and remarried Catholics be allowed to receive the Eucharist might want to reconsider whether the Church has been wise in allowing the widowed to remarry.
In their critique of Kasper's proposal, a group of American Dominicans points out that there was much disagreement in the early Church about whether widows and widowers should be allowed to remarry. Even many of those who believed they should be allowed to do so thought remarriage should at least be discouraged. But the case for not allowing an abandoned spouse to remarry is very similar to the case for not allowing the widow or widower to remarry—namely, that marriage is indissoluble, a sacramental figuration of Christ's covenant with his Church, a covenant not even death can dissolve. Can one think of another sacrament whose effects are supposed to be nullified by death? [For an obvious answer to this, see Fritz Bauerschmidt's comment below.]
Defenders of the Church's current practice demand that the abandoned spouse persevere in chastity. Why should the Church not demand the same of the widowed? Both are victims of a circumstance beyond their control. One possible response is that the dead never come back to life (or never come back to this life), whereas it is never impossible that someone who abandons his or her wife or husband may repent of it and seek reconciliation. This sort of thing has been known to happen, after all, and when it does, it's can be a profound evidence of grace. It's also exceedingly rare, especially when the unfaithful spouse goes on to have children with another partner.
Practically, then, the abandoned spouse is in the same position as the widow or widower: in both cases, chastity would seem to require heroic virtue. From very early in its history, the church decided not to demand such virtue of widows and widowers, despite its original preference that they not remarry. The question now is why it should demand such virtue of those whose first spouse is "dead to them," often through no fault of their own.Read more
Archbishop Nienstedt under investigation. (UPDATED)
Archbishop John Nienstedt of St. Paul and Minneapolis is being investigated for "multiple allegations" of inappropriate sexual conduct with seminarians, priests, and other men, according to the archbishop's former top canon lawyer, Jennifer Haselberger. The investigation is being conducted by a law firm hired by the archdiocese. Nienstedt denies the allegations.
The investigation was spurred by information the archdiocese received late last year, according to another person with knowledge of the investigation. (This inquiry is not related to a December 2013 accusation that Nienstedt touched a boy's buttocks during a confirmation photo shoot. The archbishop denied that allegation, and, following an investigation, the county prosecutor did not bring charges. Reportedly the case has been reopened.) Near the end of the year, it came to light that a former Twin Cities priest had accused Nienstedt of making unwanted sexual advances.
The archbishop agreed to hire an outside law firm to investigate the accusation. By early 2014, the archdiocese had selected the top-ranked Minneapolis firm of Greene Espel. Nienstedt, along with auxiliary bishops Lee Piché and Andrew Cozzens, flew to Washington, D.C., to inform the apostolic nuncio of the allegations. Over the course of the investigation, lawyers have interviewed current and former associates and employees of Nienstedt—including Haselberger, who resigned in protest in April 2013.
"Based on my interview with Greene Espel—as well as conversations with other interviewees—I believe that the investigators have received about ten sworn statements alleging sexual impropriety on the part of the archbishop dating from his time as a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit, as Bishop of New Ulm, and while coadjutor and archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis," Haselberger told me. What's more, "he also stands accused of retaliating against those who refused his advances or otherwise questioned his conduct."
The allegations are nothing more than a "personal attack against me due to my unwavering stance on issues consistent with church teaching, such as opposition to so-called same-sex marriage," Nienstedt said in a written statement. He also suspects that accusers are coming forward because of "difficult decisions" he has made, but, citing privacy laws, he would not elaborate.
"I have never engaged in sexual misconduct and certainly have not made any sexual advances toward anyone," Nienstedt told me. "The allegations are a decade old or more, prior to my service as archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis," he continued, emphasizing that "none of the allegations involve minors or illegal or criminal behavior." The "only accusation," Nienstedt explained, is of "improper touching (of the person's neck)," and was made by a former priest.Read more
USCCB meeting live
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meets today. Watch live here.
How should the church be governed?
SAN DIEGO -- At the Catholic Theological Society of America meeting on Saturday, Archbishop John R. Quinn, emeritus of San Franciscio, responded to critiques of his 2013 book on reforning structures of church governance, Ever Ancient, Ever New. Quinn, who served as president of the U.S. bishops conference from 1977 to 1980, previewed that volume's arguments in a talk he delivered at Stanford last year. "Media reports dealing with reform tend to focus on clerical celibacy and on the ordination of women and on the reform of the Curia," he said. "These are important topics, but it would be a mistake to stop there."
The reform he urges involves decentralizing papal authority and increasing the authority of local bishops conferences. In order to achieve those goals, Quinn argued, the church has to establsh regional bishops conferences and episcopal synods that would carry out the administration of the local church (e.g., appointing bishops, handling liturgical issues, etc.). These reforms were called for by the bishops at Vatican II, according to Quinn. After Pope John Paul II asked for recommendations on reforming the papacy in Ut Unum Sint, Quinn published a book about these issues called The Reform of the Papacy (1999). Yet throughout his ponificate, John Paul continued to centralize authority in the office of the pope. Local bishops conferences lost authority. "To date," Quinn told the Stanford audience, "fifty years after the council, no deliberative synod has ever been held." His latest book is an attempt to reignite the conversation he began nearly twenty-five years ago.
The first respondent to Quinn's book was Amanda Osheim of Loras College, and the second was Joseph Komonchak (who requires no introduction here). I've collected my tweets of the session below, so remember: you may find some typos; unless you see quotation marks, I'm paraphrasing; and owing to the density and speed of the remarks, I may not have captured the speakers' intent with total clarity. The tweet parade begins after the jump.Read more
Why isn't academic theology conservative?
Are conservatives underrepresented in the theology and religion departments of our nation's colleges and universities?
This was one of the questions discussed at the 2014 annual meeting of the Catholic Theological Society of America and already here on this blog. It's a question I've been pondering for some time, and I wrote about it once in these pages.
The basic answer is Yes. When compared to the overall percentage of conservatives in religious communities or society at large, conservatives are underrepresented in academic theology.
However, when compared to conservatism as represented in other academic fields, theology is not very different.
That's why I think the more interesting question concerns academia on the whole, of which theology is just one field that fits the trend reasonably well. The results of the limited sociological studies on this issue, notably that of Matthew Woessner and April Kelly-Woessner (good summary here) and, more recently, that of Neil Gross, show that self-selection is the primary reason the professoriate leans liberal. There are few conservative professors because, under the current conditions, few conservatives want to become professors.Read more
An interview with Cardinal Kasper.
Last week Matthew Boudway and I spoke with Cardinal Walter Kasper here in New York. We covered a lot of ground over the course of an hour. Naturally, some territory was left unexplored, but here's a sample of our conversation, which we just posted to the homepage.
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Commonweal: In your book Mercy, you argue that mercy is basic to God's nature. How is mercy key to understanding God?
Cardinal Walter Kasper: The doctrine on God was arrived at by ontological understanding—God is absolute being and so on, which is not wrong. But the biblical understanding is much deeper and more personal. God's relation to Moses in the Burning Bush is not "I am," but "I am with you. I am for you. I am going with you." In this context, mercy is already very fundamental in the Old Testament. The God of the Old Testament is not an angry God but a merciful God, if you read the Psalms. This ontological understanding of God was so strong that justice became the main attribute of God, not mercy. Thomas Aquinas clearly said that mercy is much more fundamental because God does not answer to the demands of our rules. Mercy is the faithfulness of God to his own being as love. Because God is love. And mercy is the love revealed to us in concrete deeds and words. So mercy becomes not only the central attribute of God, but also the key of Christian existence. Be merciful as God is merciful. We have to imitate God's mercy.
CWL: You also note that mercy and justice cannot be finally established here on earth, and that whoever has tried to create heaven on earth has instead created hell on earth. You say that this is true of ecclesiastical perfectionists too—those who conceive of the church as a club for the pure. How dominant is that view among church leadership today?
Kasper: There are those who believe the church is for the pure. They forget that the church is also a church of sinners. We all are sinners. And I am happy that's true because if it were not then I would not belong to the church. It's a matter of humility. John Paul II offered his mea culpas—for the teaching office of the church, and also for other behaviors. I have the impression that this is very important for Pope Francis. He does not like the people in the church who are only condemning others.
When it comes to the CDF's criticisms of some theologians, there was not always due process. That's evident, and here we must change our measures. This is also a problem when it comes to the question of Communion for divorced and remarried people, which is now under consideration in preparation for the Synod of Bishops this autumn. On the other hand, we have positive signs of mercy within the church. We have the saints, Mother Teresa—there are many Mother Teresas. This is also a reality of the church.
Archbishop Gregory apologizes.
Last week I pointed out that Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta had recently moved into a $2.2-million, 6,200-square-foot home--an expense made possible by a $15-million bequest. Gregory had been living at the cathedral rectory, but apparently that parish is growing rapidly. The rector of the cathedral asked Gregory whether the parish could purchase the property from the archdiocese, and Gregory agreed. That's why he built the new residence. But in January, Gregory met with parishioners who weren't happy with that plan. They wanted him to sell the new building, move into the old one, and use the money to help the poor.
In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this month, Gregory and McNamee said the expenditures were necessary for their living arrangements and that it was too late to reverse course. They also noted the plans had been approved by governing bodies within their respective institutions.
"To undo what has been publicly announced for two years wouldn't be a prudent use of archdiocese resources," Gregory said.
Gregory also said he thinks the new home would have the pope's blessing.
"He wants his bishops to engage with his people," said Gregory, who was installed as archbishop in Atlanta in 2005. His new home, he said, allows for larger groups to visit; the grounds also are good for cookouts and other outdoor activities. In this way, said Gregory, he can follow the pope's admonition to "smell like the flock" — to be close to parishioners.
"It's important for me to connect," he said. "And that's another dominant theme for Pope Francis."
The archbishop has had a change of heart. Yesterday he issued a long, remarkably candid apology, leading with a tough letter he received from a parishioner. "We are disturbed and disappointed to see our church leaders not setting the example of a simple life as Pope Francis calls for," she wrote.Read more
Francis ineffective?
BREAKING: Francis has not reversed decades-long trends in Catholic practice over the course of one year.
A new Pew Research poll shows what many Catholics might expect: Francis is really popular among the faithful. And lots of them still don't go to Mass very often. (Also Catholics still disagree with a bunch of church teachings.) Still, you'll find plenty of news stories leading with the claim that for all the excitement the pope has generated, it seems not to have put more people in the pews. Catholics say they're praying more--just not in church.
Aggregated Pew Research survey data reveal "no change in self-reported rates of Mass attendance among Catholic," according to the new report. And "in the year since Francis became pope, 40 percent of U.S. Catholics say they attend Mass at least once a week, unchanged from the months immediately preceding the papal transition."
That's not surprising. Mass attendance has been holding steady for years. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, for example, estimates the percentage of Catholics who attend Mass weekly somewhere in the mid-20s. CARA's data differ from Pew's because it uses both phone surveys, in which people tend to over-report socially desirable behavior, and self-administered surveys--respondents fill out a form--which seem to suffer less from over-reporting. (Read all about it.)Read more
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text:
On Java 7 (Java 6 not tested):
import java.util.Date;
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Date test=new Date(2012, 12, 12);
System.out.println("test=" + test.toString());
gives me
test=Sun Jan 12 00:00:00 CET 3913
Note the year: 3913, which is different from the year (2012) I passed.
Is this a bug or am I missing something?
(Yes, I know that the Date constructor I am using is deprecated.)