Dear friends and readers, As we try to make some sort of sense out of the horrific national tragedy that has just taken place, I thought it would be helpful if I sent you the enclosed email from Bud MacFarlane, Jr. I apologize if you have already received this excellent message; however, I felt it would be better to make sure that you have an opportunity to read it. Sincerely in Christ, - Joachim Nelson, o.c.d.s. The Daily Meditations http://homepage.mac.com/ojoachim ----------- RE: Weekly Message from Bud Macfarlane, Founder of CatholiCity EXTRA: Attack on the United States Volume V, Number 17 Dear CatholiCity Citizen, We have three items today, including a prayer, all related to what President Bush just minutes ago officially termed as an "act of war" against the United States. Before we start, I just want to thank all the CatholiCity Citizens who took part and responded with thanks for our prayer yesterday for the U.S., the victims, the rescue workers, and our leaders. We also received many emails of support from our readers in Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Barbados, the United Arab Emirates, and in fact all over the world. We will also continue to scour the web for related stories and commentaries on the events, which we are posting on our homepage at: http://www.catholicity.com/ 1. WHY DO THEY HATE US? One of my closest and most trusted advisors who owns his own business called me yesterday, and told me how one of his employees asked him this question : "Why did they do this? Why do they hate the United States?" The answer was clear to me, and to my advisor, and to other Catholic leaders I talked to yesterday on the phone, but is curiously absent from most of the news coverage we've been seeing on the television. Many of us saw the celebrations by Palestinians and others in the Mid-East, and we were shocked by the sheer joy certain elements within the Arab world were expressing over the horrific deaths of so many Americans. The answer? Islamic fundamentalists hate the United States because we are the world's leading exporters of filth in the form of movies, music, fashion, and drug culture. They do not see us as exemplars of democracy and freedom. They see us as the inventors of the Internet, the world's most powerful pornography distribution network. They see the United Nations, Planned Parenthood International, and the powerful secular foundations spending hundreds of millions of dollars promoting and exporting abortion, contraception, and homosexuality. They remember how our previous president ordered the bombing--and, in their eyes--murder, of innocent civilians the day before his impeachment vote. They see our long-standing support of Israel, their implacable enemy. In short, they hate the United States because they see us as an immanent threat to their culture. They were already at war with the West before September 11th. Throughout the centuries, elements within Islam have been at war with Christianity--and indeed, anyone who does not profess Islam--but in this case, one would not be completely untruthful to characterize the current conflict as a war against the anti-Christian elements represented by western culture. Of course we do not believe this "act of war" against innocent civilians is justified, but we did think somebody needed to answer the question my friend's employee asked. One of our CatholiCity staffers is currently preparing an explanation of Islam from a Catholic perspective, which we will share with you in this Weekly Message when it's ready. 2. MY FRIEND AND 911. I received the following email yesterday from a friend of mine named Pat who lives in the Washington DC area, and I thought you would like to read it. Pat's wife's name is Chris: "Dear Bud, Chris and I are safely back home . We were driving into DC and just a few miles from the Pentagon when the crash occurred. I saw the plane before it crashed--I could not believe my eyes--I knew it was a deliberate dive...unbelievable. Over 9 years ago God kept giving me the message: '911.' He gave this message to me so much that I actually told Him to knock it off. Finally I told Him to stop and I looked up and the car in front of me had as its license plate '911.' I gave in at that moment. I gave up my understanding yet every Sept. 11th (9/11) Chris and I would pray. With the gift of intercession, I took the Lord's lead to intercede for whatever may come...and it came within a couple of miles of us. Thank you for your CatholiCity prayer and yes, it has begun...her triumph, and her Son's." 3. PRAYER CHANGES THINGS. I've received several emails relating that the prayer I composed yesterday was printed out, was used at Mass and prayer groups, and even read over the loudspeaker at a Catholic high school. This is fine with me, of course. When you and the 67,000+ Citizens of CatholiCity prayed together for grace to come into the world, our prayer WAS answered. Let's bring more grace into the world, beginning in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit... "Dear Father Almighty, As we mourn for all the people who died in the attack, many of whom woke up with no prayer or thought of You on their hearts, we ask You to extend the full portion of Your Mercy on their souls, even upon the souls of the perpetrators of this horrible crime. We also beg of you to send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, into the lives of their surviving relatives and friends. You, Father, and You alone, have the power to bring good out of evil. We humbly implore you to guide the hands, feet, and minds of all rescue workers, police and fire workers, and members of the military who are responding to this crisis at this very moment. Protect them. Enlighten them. Help them save lives. We ask, too, Almighty One, that You extend a blanket of divine protection on the United States at this critical time. Guide our leaders, especially President Bush, and all sovereign nations who are our friends, and place them under the special mantle of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady, who is the patroness of our country. We ask all of this in the Holy Name that is Above All Other Names in Power and Glory and Love and Mercy; in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our brother, and Our Savior. Saint Michael the Archangel, protect us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, pray for us. Saint Katharine Drexel and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us. Saint Thomas More, Patron of Politicians, pray for us. Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of Canada, pray for us. Immaculate Mary, Patroness of the United States, pray for us. Jesus Christ, King of Kings, we adore you!" Thank you for reading this. I had at least one friend who was in the Twin Towers and escaped to safety yesterday, and I'm sure some of you will know people who were hurt or even killed yesterday. You, your families, and the souls of the deceased will be remembered in the prayers of my family and all of our staff. With Immaculate Mary, Bud Macfarlane Jr., MI Executive Director --------------------------------------------------------------- +++ Please help us: circulate this message in its entirety. +++ ---------------------------------------------------------------
