Pope On Facebook, Now Launched

Pope on Facebook in attempt to woo young believers

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - You won't get an email saying Pope Benedict added you as a friend and you can't "poke" him or write on his wall, but the Vatican is still keen to use the networking site Facebook to woo young people back to church.

A new Vatican website, www.pope2you.net, has gone live, offering an application called "The pope meets you on Facebook," and another allowing the faithful to see the Pope's speeches and messages on their iPhones or iPods.

The Vatican's World Communications Day this Sunday is devoted to communicating the gospel with new technologies.

"We recognize that a church that does not communicate ceases to be a church," said Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican's Social Communications department.

"Many young people today are not turning to traditional media like newspapers and magazines any more for information and entertainment.

"They are looking to a different media culture, and this is our effort to ensure that the Church is present in that communications culture."

Users of the new site can select from more than a dozen "virtual postcards" with pictures of the pope and messages from him on faith, love and life specifically aimed at young people, and send them to other users.

The Catholic Church, which has seen vocations to religious life decline and church attendance fall, has already turned to the Internet.

Last January the pope became one of the oldest people to have his own YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/vaticanit.

The pope, known to write most of his speeches by hand, while his aides manage his forays into cyberspace, has even admitted that the Vatican does not use the Internet enough.

The Vatican got egg on its face in January when the pope admitted that, if the Church had surfed the web more, it might have known that a traditionalist bishop whose excommunication was lifted had for years been a Holocaust denier.

Vatican launches Facebook application

Web surfers can now send virtual postcards of Pope Benedict XVI to their Facebook friends or follow the pontiff's travel on their iPhones.

Under a papacy that has suffered communication woes, the Vatican is taking new, technologically savvy steps to bring its message to social networking sites and smartphones.

In its first day of operation Thursday, the Pope2You portal gathered some 45,000 contacts and 500,000 page views, while a Facebook application that sends postcards with photos of Benedict and excerpts from his messages was used around 10,000 times, the head of the project said.

Also available on the portal is an application for iPhone and iPod Touch that gives surfers video and audio news on the pope's trips and speeches, as well as on Catholic events worldwide. 

Facebook Application Here.

READ MORE HERE

ISU EJAAN “KADAZANDUSUN” DI MEDIA CETAK

I am dumfounded by the article written by ALLAN GUIM DUMBONG regarding the correct spelling of the term “Kadazadusun” and the manner in which he is giving instruction to all the newspapers media regarding the spelling of Kadazan Dusun which I quote:

“Ejaan yang betul bagi masyarakat Kadazandusun ialah “KADAZANDUSUN/ Kadazandusun” dan BUKAN “Kadazan Dusun”, “KadazanDusun”, “Kadazan-Dusun”, “DusunKadazan” dan seumpamanya.”

The same article was published earlier in the KDCA website . 

While admitting the fact that Dumbong is “Ahli Jawatankuasa Pusat Persatuan Kebudayaan Kadazandusun Merangkap Pengerusi, Jawatankuasa Penyelidikan, Dokumentasi & Komunikasi KDCA,” I am baffled by the fact that he made such an important statement, comments and or directive which should have otherwise been made by the President of KDCA himself or the Secretary General in order to render such statement as official.

If such statement by Dumbong has been ratified by the KDCA Supreme Council and released by the President or Secretary General of KDCA, then such statement could change the social and political landscape on the correct usage and spelling of the three main ethnic groups of Kadazan, Dusun and Murut.

I would like Dumbong to read my articles in here  and in here wherein I had explicitly explained the term “Kadazandusun” and the correct spelling of the ethnic races referred thereto.

I just want to further inform Dumbong that the term “Kadazandusun” or sometimes referred to as “KadazanDusunMurut” or in short “KDM” is not an ethnic race per se but a term coined for political expediency and/or grouping only. This has been clarified and confirmed by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, YB Datuk Masidi Manjun during his speech at the closing ceremony of “Bengkel Kenegeraan dan Perpaduan Ethnik Negeri Sabah” held at Kem Bina Negara, Kundasang on 12^th May 2009.

During his speech, YB Datuk Masidi said and I quote: “KSS made a very important statement in that there is no such thing as KDM race ... which is true,” he said. “Itu cuma satu ungkapan politik umpamanya. It is just a political grouping rather than ethnic grouping”, he emphasised. “It doesn’t mean that we cannot be united under different ethnic group ... there is no problem” he added.

The term “Kadazandusun” is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan andDusun. This was done so for political expediency only and not to be construed as a race.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the term “Kadazan-Dusun” has been used as the correct term for the unification of two races Kadazan and Dusun.

From “Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu, ensiklopedia bebas” the same term “Kadazan-Dusun” is also used for similar reason.

It is therefore correct to use those terms (deemed as incorrect by Dumbong) viz,“Kadazan Dusun”, “KadazanDusun”, “Kadazan-Dusun”, “DusunKadazan”  as they are all referring to two ethnic groups of Kadazan and Dusun.

On the contrary, the term “Kadazandusun” is a misnomer. However, political parties, organizations or companies may use or register the word “Kadazandusun” as an identification and/or name only, but it does construe as an ethnic race per se.

Of late the local newspapers have been using the phrases “Kadazan and Dusun” or “Kadazan-Dusun” or “KadazanDusunMurut” ever since Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan was quoted in the Daily Express page 2 of April 20, 2009 wherein he made  his speech at the Tambunan District Kaamatan and I quote: “The Kadazan and Dusun communities in the State are urged to appreciate the true meaning of the Pesta Kaamatan celebrations” under the headline, “Kaamatan helps Kadazans, Dusuns preserve identity”. This statement by Pairin should send a message to all of us that we are not a race under “Kadazandusun”, but we are either known/called as Kadazan or Dusun – whichever ethnic race we are comfortable to be identified with.

Read Alone

I received a poem from my friend DJJG through my mail box and he asked me to send it to at least 3 of my friends by e-mail, including the sender. 

I have, however, decided to post the poem here instead of sending it to them via e-mail.

A very touching poem ... a must read one.

READ it from Here

SPREAD THE GOSPEL THROUGH CYBERSPACE, POPE URGES

MAY 20, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged all Catholics-- but especially young people-- to put modern means of communication to their best use in spreading the Gospel. "The new technologies have brought about fundamental shifts in the ways in which news and information are disseminated and in how people communicate and relate to each other," the Pope observed, as he called attention to the May 24 observance of the World Day for Communications. "Employ these new technologies to make the Gospel known, so that the Good News of God's infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world!" The Pope added an appeal to "all those who access cyberspace to be careful to maintain and promote a culture of respect, dialogue and authentic friendship."

Watch the Pontiff here in YouTube

READ MORE HERE

Pope Benedict looks for resurrection of the Holy Land

Vatican City, May 20, 2009 / 10:02 am (CNA).- At his Wednesday general audience, Pope Benedict XVI recalled his recent trip to the Holy Land. He told the 20,000 pilgrims present in St. Peter’s Square that peace is possible in the Holy Land, with the help of faith.

“I will never cease to thank the Lord because it revealed itself to be an immense gift for St Peter’s Successor and for the entire Church,” the Holy Father said of his visit.

After having thanked the bishops, governments and all those who collaborated in the success of the visit, Benedict XVI then recalled the first stage of the voyage: Jordan, and his visits to Monte Nebo and then Bethany Beyond Jordan, where Christ was baptized. Monte Nebo, he explained, is “a site of strong symbolic significance, its speaks of our condition as pilgrims, between what was and what has yet to be, between a beautiful hope and the fulfillment that goes beyond us.”

At Bethany the Pope blessed the foundation stones of two new churches—one Greek Melkite and the other a Latin rite Church. These churches, he stressed, are “a sign of the respect of the Hashemite Kingdom has for religious freedom and the Christian tradition.”

The Pontiff also visited the al-Hussein bin-Talal Mosque, which was built by King Abdullah II in memory of his father. “How important it is,” he commented, “that Christians and Muslims live together peacefully in mutual respect.” The Christian community in Jordan, Pope informed, provides education and aid to the needy  independent of their religious convictions.

READ MORE HERE

Smoking hits women's lungs harder

Women are considered to be more susceptible to the toxic and lung damaging effects of cigarette smoking, a new study finds.  According to the study presented at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego, female smokers have more severe diseases and worse lung function compared to their male counterparts.  Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was found in female smokers who smoked only a few cigarettes every day, indicating that even low exposure can be troublesome in women.  Female smokers were found to experience reduced lung function at a lower level of smoking exposure and at an earlier age compared to men.  Scientists believe smaller airways in women along with metabolism differences among the two genders makes each cigarette potentially more dangerous for females, contributing to more severe damages in this group.  PKH/HGH

Related Stories:

• Smoking increases risk of diabetes
• Smokers' mouth shows early lung cancer
• Smoker moms have smaller babies
• Passive smoking leads to dementia

Angels And Demons: A Review

   May to August in the northern hemisphere spring and summer is a time for almost weekly release of blockbusters with huge budgets, action and effects and potential for high grosses at the box office. 2009 has seen Wolverine, Star Trek, followed by Angels and Demons , with Night at the Museum 2, Transformers 2 and Terminator Salvation in the offing.

Here is a doomsday plot, murder mystery, action thriller with a cast led by Tom Hanks as symbologist Robert Langdon and Ewan McGregor as the Vatican Camerlengo and an international cast portraying scientists, police, bishops and cardinals.

Angels and Demons , unlike the film of The Da Vinci Code, is fast-paced, the L'Osservatore Romano review referring to Ron Howard's dynamic direction. It also used the word 'commercial' as well as noting that it was 'harmless entertainment' and not a danger to the Church.

In fact, the film treats the church quite interestingly, scenes behind a conclave and inside the conclave, fine sets of the Sistine Chapel, the interiors of St Peter's, Castel San Angelo, the Vatican Necropolis, the Swiss Guards centre, the Vatican archives and several churches with art by Bernini. The film won't harm tourism to Rome or to the Vatican. Probably, the contrary.

The issue is science and religion. There are some very impressive scenes of CERN in Switzerland where the Big Bang was re-created in 2008. Dan Brown, writing years earlier, posited this explosion and the formation of anti-matter which is then used as a terrorist threat in Rome. Arguments are put forward about the church's record in persecuting scientists in past centuries, especially Galileo (true) with some inquisitorial interrogations and tortures. The material about the Illuminati, the underground society of scientists has some foundation but was not as extensive as speculated on here - a kind of Masonic brotherhood of scientists. (They appeared in the first Lara Croft film without anybody taking to controversy.)

One of the issues facing the conclave in the film is the Church in the Modern World vis-a-vis science, with the dialogue for the meeting of ideas of science and theology or extremist attitudes towards religion capitulating to science and so destroying the church - the point being that this kind of fanatic stance can become a cause, righteously crusading with violence against those who hold more moderate views - leading to what could be labelled 'ecclesiastical terrorism'.

Oh, the tale has so many plot-holes (with the action moving so fast you don't quite have time to follow through on them) that they don't bear thinking about - so, either one sits irritated at the inaccuracies about dates and historical figures and driven up the wall by the lack of coherence in the course of events or, as one does, offer a willing suspension of disbelief and enjoy the action for what it is, a lavishly-mounted, pot-boiling thriller. 

Review By Peter Malone.

About The Reviewer...

• Fr. Peter Malone is a Sacred Heart Father (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart) from Australia living in England. In 1998 he was elected preseident of the International Catholic Organization for Cinema (OCIC) and is a former member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. He was also the first President ofSIGNIS, the international Catholic body for film, radio, and television. He is a regular member of the Catholic Jury at major film festivals throughout the world, including Cannes, Venice, Montreal, Berlin as well as in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. He is the author of Movie Christs and Anti-Christs and co-author of Cinema Religion and Values and is a regular columnist for The Universe, a Catholic newspaper in the UK. His newest book, written with Rose Pacatte, FSP, is Lights, Camera... Faith! The Ten Commandments (2007, Paulines Philippines).

  Related Article

POPE RECALLS HIGHLIGHTS, CHALLENGES FOR HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE

The Holy Father before boarding his plane at Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv.

May 18, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI offered two assessments of his visit to the Holy Land-- first speaking to journalists who accompanied him on the flight from Tel Aviv back to Rome, then speaking to the crowd gathered for his regular Angelus audience on Sunday, May 17.

In his talk to reporters, the Pope mentioned a few memorable moments from the trip:

• …the moving descent to the lowest point on earth, on the River Jordan, which for us was also a symbol of the descent of God, the descent of Christ into the deepest areas of human existence;
• The Cenacle, where the Lord gave us the Eucharist, where the Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit, took place;
• also the Holy Sepulchre and many other impressions.

Moving from specific moments to more general impressions, the Pope mentioned three lasting thoughts: the lively interest in inter-religious dialogue, spurred by the mutual recognition that "God is love and wants love to be the dominant force in the world;" the truly encouraging" ecumenical meetings with other Christian leaders; and the enormous difficulties that still face the people of the Holy Land in their pursuit of peace and security.

At his midday audience on Sunday the Pope remarked that the Holy Land, "a symbol of God's love for his people," has over time be "a symbol of quite the opposite," because of the conflicts there. Still, he said, the challenges facing the people of that region can today be seen as "a microcosm encapsulating God's demanding journey with mankind."

Soorce: Catholic Culture

Church of St. Catherine of Siena, Putatan

Perpective view of the St. Catherine Church of Siena Putatan.

Kota Kinabalu, Putatan, May 18, 2009

Kota Kinabalu Archdiocese will soon have a new Church in Putatan District.

The ground-breaking ceremony was carried out this morning of the proposed new church known as St. Catherine of Siena Church Putatan in the Putatan District. The site is located in Kg. Dimbaan, Putatan, off ¼ km from the main Putatan/Penampang road, and is on a hill top overlooking the Putatan New Township and is just behind the Putatan Servay Hypermarket Shopping Complex.

The ceremony was performed by His Most Reverence Arch Bishop Datuk John Lee, the Bishop of the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu, and witnessed by more than 200 faithful coming from the surrounding kampongs and parishioners from Stella Maris Church.

Despite the muddy condition of the site caused by the heavy rainfall the previous night, coupled with the early morning drizzle that caused the organizers worried of poor attendance, the faithful however were undaunted with the weather condition who turned up in droves to be a part of this historical event.

In his opening address, Encik Stephen Sondoh welcomed all those present, in particular His Most Reverence Datuk John Lee for coming to officiate the ground-breaking ceremony. Encik Sondoh is the person who first conceptualized the idea of building a new church in Putatan District, a dream he had after he recovered miraculously from illness prior to retiring as the Penampang District Officer in February 2007. He is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee while Rev. Fr. Fundes Motiung, Rector of Stella Maris Parish Church is the Adviser.

The Member of Putatan, YB Dr. Marcus Mojigoh was also present who was confident that the project would be realised with the support of the faithful and the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu. He pledged his undivided support to ensure the implementation of the church is carried out smoothly. He would render his assistance in his capacity as MP of Putatan to see that the “dream” of the faithful in Putatan to have their own church is realised.

YB Dr. Marcus also thanked members of the surrounding community for their “Mitaatabang” spirit that was very much evident when they cleared the surrounding site prior to the ground-breaking ceremony.

Meanwhile, His Most Reverence Arch Bishop Datuk John Lee congratulated the Steering Committee as well as the Building & Technical Committee for their strong commitment in building the new church despite encountering financial limitation and constraint in financing the project. He urged the faithful to rally behind Commitee headed by Encik Stephen Sondoh and Ir. John Anthony respectively in order to successfully complete the project on time together with the bridge linking from the main road on the other side of the river to the site.

The Church, His Grace said, will be the rallying point for the faithful to grow in their Christian faith. “The building might be shaken but the faithful who are strong in their faith will not be shaken,” the Arch Bishop added.

The whole project is estimated to cost at RM3.95 millions and is to be implemented in stages depending on the collection from fund raising and donations from the public. As of 10/05/2009, a sum of RM200,945.92 (5.02% of the project cost) has been collected.

Donors can either contribute in kind (bricks) or in cash. Cash contributions can be channelled through appointed members only, or donate direct through the project account with Maybank payable to “RTDKK St. Catherine of Siena Church, Putatan, Sabah, Malaysia” under account no: 510189007514.

“I believe that all of us are generous people and if we can hold on together and stay united, nothing is impossible,” Rev. Fr. Fundes Motiung said in the pamphlet distributed during the ground-breaking ceremony. “Therefore, I would like to invite all members (of the public) to take this opportunity to be part of this program and participate fully to support us. Let us together build this wonderful church,” he added.

His Most Reverence Datuk John Lee, delivering his speech.

Datuk John Lee praying with those in attendance and thereafter he blessed the Church site before he officiated the ground-breaking ceremony.

His Gracious Datuk John Lee operating the excavator to do the honour of ground-breaking for the new St. Catherine of Siena Church Putatan.

Rev. Fr. Fundes Motiung, Rector of Stella Maris Parish Church, who is also the Adviser of The Steering Committee, delivering his speech.

Encik Stephen Sondoh, Chairman of the Steering Committee.

His Gracious Datuk John Lee signing the marble plaque to mark the ground-breaking ceremony.

Tree planting to mark the occasion by His Gracious Datuk John Lee.

Mother Grace Diosing also planted the "Gahuru" sapling.

The condition of site after a heavy rainfall the previous night. Behind the camp is overlooking Putatan Town, just a Kilometer away.

Related Article

The proposed site of the church seen from google.

Catholic Sabah Sunday 21 June, 2009

Jesus commands us to love one another!

Today’s Gospel reading is the secret of world peace; harmony and family unity… in short the solutions to the troubles of the world. This teaching is part and parcel to the Vine and the Branches Discourse that we learned last Sunday and we hope you took that to heart. Today we read the passage from John 15:9-17.

“Jesus said to his disciples; “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment; love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: Love one another.”

READ MORE HERE by Valeriano Avila 

In this Hollywood corner is Manny Pacquiao's home

Success symbol: A full view of Manny Pacquiao’s Hollywood home, a short drive away from the homes of Paris Hilton and Sharon Stone

Sports legends are some of the most well known people in the world, both for their sporting achievements and the lifestyles they lead. Basketball players, football players and boxers — the sporting world is filled with stories of multi-million mansions, expensive cars and unbelievable gifts.

Manny Pacquaio, however, has his feet firmly planted on the ground. He’s a sound businessman and a great boxer.

   >>>More

Meanwhile, more Filipino fighters are being lined up for world title shots and Manny Pacquiao is backing the effort to the max. That’s the word from MP Promotions boxing adviser Michael Koncz who flew in from Los Angeles last Wednesday to join the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter here until they leave for New York City tentatively on June 10.

READ MORE HERE ...

Pope Completes his Holy Land Pilgrimage(updated)

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, May 15, 2009 (CNA) .- Pope Benedict made the strongest appeal for peace of his entire trip as he prepared to depart for Rome on Friday. During his farewell speech at the Ben Gurion International Airport, the Pope stressed the need for universal recognition of Israel's right to exist and the Palestinians' “right to a sovereign independent homeland.”

The Holy Father imparted his strong message urging "no more bloodshed, no more fighting and no more terrorism".  

He was sent off by  Shimon Peres, president of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister.

Pope Benedict XVI left Israel on Friday, May 15, concluding his week-long visit to the Holy Land. In a departure ceremony at Ben Gurion airport outside Tel Aviv, attended by Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Pope said that he saw the Holy Land as "fertile ground for ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue," and hoped that "the rich variety of religious witness in the region will bear fruit in a growing mutual understanding and respect."

Pope Benedict emphasized his love for the Jewish people, and the strong religious bonds between Judaism and Christianity. "We are nourished from the same spiritual roots," he observed. Acknowledging that the two religious traditions "at times in our history have had a tense relationship," he said that Christians today "are firmly committed to building bridges of lasting friendship."

The Pope made special mention of his visit to the Holocaust memorial at Yad Vashem, and indirectly replied to the critics who were unsatisfied by his speech there. Repeating his condemnation of the Holocaust, he observed that millions "were brutally exterminated under a godless regime that propagated an ideology of anti-Semitism and hatred. That appalling chapter of history must never be forgotten or denied."

Addressing the current political conflict in the region, the Holy Father made a final impassioned plea for a negotiated solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. "No more bloodshed!" he urged; "No more fighting! No more terrorism!"

The Pope repeated once again his conviction that "the Palestinian people have a right to a sovereign independent homeland." And he said that the security wall girding Palestinian communities on the West Bank was among the saddest sights he had observed during his stay.

The following are live telecast TV pictures beamed directly from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv (Israel) at 13.30 (Local Time) moments before  Pope Benedict XVI  boarded his plane for his homeward flight to Ciampino Airport (Rome). All pictures were taken with my Nokia handphone.

Pope Benidect XVI delivering his farewell address at the airport tarmac. 

State of Israel Declared on May 14, 1948

State of Israel Proclaimed (1948)

In November 1947, the UN approved the Partition Plan for Palestine, calling for the formation of two states, one Jewish and one Arab, as well as a small, internationally administered zone in what had previously been a British-administered territory. The Arab leadership rejected this plan, but on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared. The next day, five Arab states declared war on Israel. How did the war end? More...

Would-be assassin of Pope John Paul II says he wants to be baptized

Ankara, Turkey, May 14, 2009 / 05:24 pm (CNA).- Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II, now claims he would like to convert to Christianity after his release from prison. He says he wants to be baptized in a ceremony at the Vatican.

Agca shot and seriously wounded John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981. In 1983, the Pope met with his would-be assassin in an Italian prison and forgave him.

Now serving a prison term for killing a Turkish journalist, Agca has made frequent claims that he is the Messiah or Jesus Christ, the Associated Press reports. This has raised questions about his mental health and also sparked speculations he has converted to Christianity.

"Agca is not formally a Christian," lawyer Haci Ali Ozhan told the Associated Press. "When he converts, he would like a baptism ceremony at the Vatican," Ozhan.

He is scheduled for release on January 18, 2010.