Helpful Site on Porn Addiction

A kind friend forwarded this link to me and I want to share this to all struggling with pornography like me. The site is porn-free.org. Very informative site.

How Porn Works

Pornography in its various forms has become accessible to just about anyone. With the help of the internet, videos, cable television, satellite and magazines, thousands... or possibly millions of people are becoming addicted to pornography every day. Though the sex industry downplays the impact of porn on society, the truth is that pornography profoundly damages people.
Pornography images are designed to appeal to our human tendencies toward lust and "sexual idolatry." Let's examine these tendencies more closely:

Lust: Webster's Dictionary defines lust as "intense or unbridled sexual desire," "an intense longing: craving" and a "conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment." The problem with lust is that it is based in selfishness and works contrary to love. In fact, it is the opposite of love (see lust vs. love). When fed, it can grow into an uncontrollable force in a person's life. Like a wildfire, lust can consume a person's resources, time and attention.

The Bible identifies 2 basic types of lust that people are tempted by: "lust of the eyes" and "lust of the flesh" (1 John 2:15-17). Pornography caters to both types by providing visual stimulation that appeals to our "fleshly" desire for sex (more about lust). It also gives us lifelong fuel for lust through the memories of the sexual images. With the help of special hormones released in the brain during sexual arousal, porn images are retained in our memories much longer than non-sexual memories.

Sexual Idolatry: Idolatry is the "worship of a physical object as a god" or an "immoderate attachment or devotion to something." Worship means to show "extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem" (both from Webster's Dictionary). Many people may not realize that pornography has helped them develop an immoderate or extravagant devotion to sex. Gazing at pornography for hours, masturbating to sexual images and repeatedly fantasizing about sex are basically forms of worshipping sex. People who practice such activities find that sexual images seem to rise to the top and forefront of their thoughts. Their minds become a type of "mental altar" for sex (more about sexual idolatry).
Unfortunately, pornography' s powerful appeal leads many into sexual addiction. A life dedicated to pornography, or even just seasoned with occasional viewing of it can become considerably darkened by the many harmful side effects. Here are just a few of the many possible side effects of pornography addiction that we've witnessed:

Perversions (homosexuality, bestiality, bisexuality, transexuality, fetishes, etc.)
Irritability
Sexual imbalance
Sexual dissatisfaction
Masturbation
Lies & deception
Uncontrolled thoughts
Spiritual oppression
Marital strife / destruction / divorce
Corrupted perception of reality
Warped interpersonal skills
Reclusiveness
Fear
Increased tendency toward sexual crime
Guilt & condemnation
Loss of Hope
Depression
Inability to give or receive love
Spiritual death
Torment
Depraved mind
Darkened understanding
Loss of discernment between good & evil
Promiscuity
Lustful eye
Many of the above effects reflect the fact that there is a spiritual aspect of pornography and sex addiction. Jesus gave us a clue about this in Matthew 6:22-23 NIV: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Porn is a form of darkness that follows the rule Jesus described. When people view pornography, they open a "doorway" in their lives through their eyes to darkness. The resultant effects of that darkness can be seen in our list above.

Power for Freedom is AvailableWe have found that a person desiring freedom from sexual addiction will need spiritual help in order to gain complete freedom. The only source we know of for reliable and decisive help is Jesus Christ. We have experienced this addiction-breaking power and are happy to share more info about it with anyone who is interested.

Source: Porn-free.Org

Human and Civil Rights of the "Homosexual"

The statement of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, "To live in Christ Jesus," says that "homosexuals" have a right to respect, friendship, and justice, and "an active role in the Christian community" (19). This is another way of saying that the condition of homosexuality does not prevent a person from enjoying truly human rights, but it does not mean that society must approve either a homosexual lifestyle or homosexual actions. To be sure, one must draw a sharp distinction between a moral judgment concerning homosexual acts and the application of legal sanctions to prevent them. It is simply good jurisprudence not to formulate laws which cannot be enforced except by methods which really violate the right of privacy, and for this reason the civil law should not attempt to control private acts between consenting adults (adultery, homosexual acts, etc). Contemporary civil law allows civil suits by the minor who has been seduced. This happened very frequently in the recent priest sex-abuse scandals. The civil law also forbids any form of forced sexual relationships, and public indecency, all of which involve violations of the right of minors, the right of individual freedom, and the right of society to be free of public indecencies. Such laws are justified restrictions of sexual activity.

A careful distinction should be made in regard to the teaching profession. Should teachers with SSA who advocate a homosexual lifestyle be allowed to teach in grade or high schools? The answer should be "no." Parents have a right not to have their children come under the influence of such teachers, not because of the danger of seduction (which is relatively remote), but rather because parents have a right to have teachers for their children who are adequate role models for the vast majority of the population. The rights of the majority of parents not to have homosexuality advocated as a lifestyle takes priority over the rights of a group of "homosexuals" to use the classroom as a form of propaganda for their way of life. What is being advocated here does not have to be pedagogical but simply the public living of a lifestyle. On the other hand, a man or woman who has been involved in homosexual practices secretly should not be forced out of a teaching position as the result of private investigations. Such witch hunting, which oftentimes involves blackmail, should not be allowed to destroy a person's reputation, a right protected in the moral law and the Code of Canon Law.

The subject of "gay marriage" is not discussed here but we refer you to the statement of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith: "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons" (June 3, 2003). This statement makes it clear that the Church opposes all gay rights legislation; however, where laws exist which already give all kinds of privileges to homosexual couples and the so-called married, the Congregation advises Catholic legislators to do everything they can to modify the existing laws, because they are a direct attack on the sacrament of marriage.

Shape of My Heart

Song lyrics | Shape Of My Heart lyrics

Probably, one of my few favorite songs from the Backstreet Boys era. It doesn't give me that "boyband song" feel.

Be Active, Be Fit

Practical tips for men for staying fit and active.

I don't need to say this over and over, but men who find themselves with huge beer bellies and in poor shape have no one else to blame but themselves. It is important to be physically active especially for men to maintain good health. Being busy at work is just a worn-out old excuse for not getting into shape. Look your best now.

The Greatest Commandment

This is a short reflection on the Gospel this Sunday that deals with the topic of loving God which is the first and greatest commandment and loving our neighbors as well.

THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS
(Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34)

The Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees were not really agreed on which is the greatest commandment. Some thought it was sacrifices but the Scribes thought it was to love God and neighbor.

So happy was the Scribe when he received from Christ the answer confirming their stand that the greatest commandment is to love God and neighbor.

In the New Testament, Christ stated that the greatest commandment is to love God. The second is to love your neighbor...which is like the first, He added. In between these two commands is to love oneself...which does not have to be mentioned because it is natural to man.

We must love God as God and not as a man as many do, treating Christ as man and sort of having a romantic relationship with Him. We must love ourselves as humans and not as gods as many also tend to do. And we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

In this we must observe the right order; in that we must love God first before we can love ourselves and our neighbors in the right way. Without loving God first, a soul becomes totally incapable of loving oneself and neighbor in the right way. And Christ said so--that the love of God is shown by loving one's neighbor. If there is no love for God, there is no love to show one's neighbor.

How do we love God? "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We must keep the commandments of God in the Old Testament and the Beatitudes of Christ in the New Testament. And this is Christ's command, in short, "to deny oneself, take up one's cross and follow Him." Christ said the same command in different ways; one way is to be "meek and humble of heart."

How do we love ourselves if we have loved God first? By obeying His commands. Because it is in this way that we are saved and to save ourselves is the greatest act of love we can do for ourselves. He who sins and condemns himself to eternal damnation hates himself.

And how do we love our neighbor if we truly love God and ourselves. By making our neighbors, husband, wife, children and others obey the commands of Christ. St. Thomas Aquinas said: "In your journey to salvation, make your neighbor walk with you." It is not enough to serve them physically with food and drink and education and other material comforts. You must teach them and make them obey the commands of God found in both the Old and New Testament. If you don't do this, you do not love your neighbor, you do not love yourself and you do not love God.

The great spiritual battle going on in the world is that war between love of God and love for the world. Christ clearly said: "Friendship with the world is enmity with God." And the world is surely winning in that most souls have opted to love the world rather than love God. Christ deplored these our times, describing it as a generation that loves money and selves.

Where and how can we learn the love of God and neighbor? In an atmosphere of discipline and unity. The atmosphere must be such that all the commands of Christ are being observed by all. And there is unity in the quest for holiness among all. Cupidity is the greatest enemy of this atmosphere wherein individuals insist on their own desires rather than the Will of God. And because the world is a place where everyone pursues his own interests, in such an atmosphere, it becomes impossible to love God and neighbor .

In the early history of the Church, to attain to the knowledge of love of God, Christian monarchs sent their children to monasteries and they, themselves, ended their lives in monasteries or they would invite a holy monk to their castle to supervise the Christian training of their children. St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers and of politicians did exactly that. He got very Christian teachers to tutor his children at home; and teachers, children and servants lived a disciplined monastic life at home.

When we have obeyed all the commands of Christ, thus showing we love God...when we have become deserving of salvation because of our obedience to Christ's commands, thus showing we love ourselves in the right way...when we have made our neighbor obey Christ's commands, thus showing we love our neighbor...then we can say that we love God with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our strength.

(Source: caryana.org)

Canned Thoughts

"Busy-busyhan"

Quite busy the past few days so I was not able to update my blog regularly; nevertheless, I still try to post articles every now and then.

Goodbye America!

With all the financial crisis going on and a looming recession I wonder who still wants to go to US. Anyone? Me, definitely not this time. Who knows if things are going to get better in the near future. I hope those Americans spend their hard-earned dollars here instead. At least they may still be able to live the kind of life they have there here. Hello, Uncle Sam!

"Foundation"

Some words of wisdom from a bishop who celebrated mass with us last Sacrament Sunday: "Make Jesus the foundation of your life. You can never count on riches or material wealth that you can lose any time, physical beauty that goes and fades fast, nor success and fame. These things give you "a false sense of security" in our ever changing world" -How true.

Admission to the Seminary and Priesthood

The 2005 "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders," published by the Congregation for Catholic Education addresses the question of those with SSA and their possible service as a priest in the Catholic Church.

The document teaches that "those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture' do not possess the qualities for formation as a Catholic priest.

The Instruction offers two criteria for excluding someone with SSA from entrance to seminary formation for the priesthood: homosexual practice and self-identification with the "gay subculture." The Instruction recognizes that SSA is not a uniform phenomenon, and thus the Instruction does not contain a universal prohibition; it does call for careful discernment in each individual case. Additionally, the Instruction provides a standard of three years of chaste living before the ordination to the diaconate as a criterion of affective maturity in light of celibate chastity.

When a candidate makes known by admission or behavior that he supports a "gay lifestyle and agenda", it is the bishop's duty to refuse to admit him to a seminary. As always, those charged with the discernment and formation of seminarians have the responsibility to make prudential judgments about individuals who present themselves for ordination to the priesthood.

(Source: Same Sex Attraction: Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Practice by Fr. John F. Harvey, OSFS)

Forever Blue

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Song lyrics | Forever Blue lyrics

Dedicated to all who are still searching for that special person in their life.

The "Gay" Problem

This is an article written by Fr. Odon de Castro, a Benedictine priest, that tackles about the reality of homosexuality among seminarians and clergy. You may or may not agree with his opinions but one thing is for sure - we need to educate and inform the clergy on the nature of SSA and to treat people afflicted with it with utmost care and respect.

In this short treatise, let me attempt to describe how, lately in our times, many priests have deteriorated into becoming "gays" or "pedophiles;" and how they can eventually be restored to be competent priests at the service of Holy Mother the Church.

First, let us recall one general principle of the Spiritual life, the violation of which leads to perversion, while obedience to it will cure all perversions and lead one to holiness of life.

This general principle often mentioned by St. Thomas of Aquinas is this: "He who does not progress in the spiritual life will regress." The need to progress every second and every minute in the spiritual life is often referred to by great spiritual writers as "the sacrament of the present moment," and was the "Little Way" of St. Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church.

Now let us look at the different levels of human existence. There is the SUPERNATURAL level, which is when a person is in the state of sanctifying grace. Then there is the NATURAL level, which is the state of Adam and Eve after the fall and the state of souls without sanctifying grace. And lastly, there is the unnatural level which includes all perversions mentioned in Scriptures like the sins of Sodom and Gomorrha. (Let us skip the finer nuances of each level for the sake of brevity and deal with them in future.)

Applying the above principle of the spiritual life, he who progresses in the spiritual life within the SUPERNATURAL level will never regress down to the NATURAL AND UNNATURAL level. But he who does not progress towards the SUPERNATURAL level will regress down to the NATURAL level and even faster yet down to the UNNATURAL level.

Original sin is the inherited state in which, deprived of sanctifying grace, all men are born with the tendency to go down to the unnatural level.

Take a typical seminarian. Having been being baptized at infancy, he received sanctifying grace which raised him to the SUPERNATURAL level. This grace was what made him desire to serve God in the priesthood. But then because of a worldly way of life, he unawarely regresses down to the NATURAL level. But because he is still attracted to the priesthood, he still manages to enter the seminary in this NATURAL state. If, while in the seminary, any desire he has to love God is increased through sound teachings and deep spiritual life, he will progress from the natural level, and climb up the SUPERNATURAL LEVEL. And if this progress continues because the seminary continues to teach sound doctrine on the spiritual life, he will have no problem in becoming holy and an asset to the Church.

Another hypothetical case. If this baptized seminarian has lost sanctifying grace because of his worldly life, he enters the seminary in the NATURAL level. If there is a good theological curriculum in the seminary, but have a poor, or worse, no program in spirituality, he will NOT progress to the Supernatural level. So he remains as a seminarian in the NATURAL level. Though he could still desire to be a priest, he will have a strong tendency to regress. And the first sign of this regression is his desire to marry, though he may or may not retain a desire to remain a priest. This desire to marry shows that he is in the natural level.

If the seminary cannot raise him to the SUPERNATURAL level, they should encourage him to leave and marry because the Sacrament of Matrimony is precisely for that purpose: to keep him in the NATURAL level and prevent him from deteriorating down to the UNNATURAL level, with the hope that in the future he can progress again up to the SUPERNATURAL level, even as a married man.

But if the seminary does not have a good program of spirituality, thus preventing his spiritual progress that will cause his eventual spiritual regression, and they do not encourage him to marry, even when he has shown signs that he desires marriage, he will soon regress and descend to the UNNATURAL level.

Then the environment in the seminary will dictate the kind of perversion he will fall into. If his environment is with the presence of young children, he could turn out to be a pedophile. If his environment is just a seminary of men who would be priests, but does not offer the right curriculum as stated above; and because he is surrounded by men only (often not observing modesty) then he could regress to becoming gay. The culprit? A non-existent program of spirituality, thereby creating an environment conducive to homosexuality, i.e. the very ambience of present seminaries. Because the seminarian was not progressing in spirituality he regressed towards perversion.

The "reverse" of this sad plight of most seminaries, which is to progress every second and every minute in the love of God, is both the cure and the way to holiness. St. Therese showed this to us in her "Little Way," wherein she could make every tiny, insignificant acts into acts of love for God because her monastery had the right environment that could encourage progress in the spiritual life : a life of prayer, fasting, and good works.


Source: Gloria Olivae

SSA, Courtship, and Marriage

Sometimes a counselor learns that an engaged person has homosexual tendencies. One should seek to discover how deeply seated is this condition. Sometimes it turns out to be a fear of homosexuality due to some incident in the past, and then the person should be advised not to worry. As for telling the future spouse, one should seek counsel from a spiritual director; in general, the future spouse should be told. If, as in one actual case, a person had been judged capable of marriage after psychiatric guidance but feared blackmail because of a situation some years before, he would be wise to reveal it to his future spouse.

If homosexual activity has been chronic in the past, it is necessary to avoid marriage unless one has lived chastely for a very long time and has consulted with professional counselors. Before entering marriage one should have substantial evidence that one can live as a heterosexual person. If this is lacking, it is a grave injustice to the other party to enter into marriage. It makes little difference that the other party has been informed and is willing to take a chance, because usually the other person (man or woman) labors under the illusion that he or she is just what the person with SSA needs. Sometimes it is the person with SSA who enters into marriage with the hope that in this way he or she will overcome one's tendencies. Diocesan tribunals continue to record the tragic annulments which eventually flow from such illusions. Therefore, before marriage, substantial evidence that the person deals with very strong same-sex attractions should lead the counselor to dissuade the person from marriage. The same principle applies to one who has a history of overt activity with both sexes, commonly called "bisexual."

Those Alread Married

For the person with SSA who is already married, the question must be approached from another angle, particularly if there are children in the family. The first point to be determined is the depth of same-sex attraction: is the person primarily attracted to the same sex, attracted to both sexes, or basically heterosexual with occasional homosexual relapses? Usually it takes some time before this is determined, and sometimes only after consultation with a therapist. If it is clear that the person has dealt with same-sex attractions for a long time, and has not controlled his or her tendencies, it may be better for him or her to inform the other spouse rather than to stay in a union which is not only doubtfully valid but psychologically harmful to both persons. In general, older and adult children should be told, while young children should not be told until they reach a certain age. Once the other spouse finds out, he or she may want to take the case to the diocesan marriage tribunal. Of course, if this information came through the confessional, it may not be revealed without the penitent's consent, and then the patient should do it.

If, however, as is often the case, the person has demonstrated the capacity to be husband or wife, despite relapses into homosexual activities on certain occasions, and if the person wants to save his or her marriage, the confessor should encourage him or her to do so, provided the individual is willing to seek regular spiritual guidance and to make use of the various means already mentioned. Whenever a person has seriously fallen against his marriage vows, he or she should inform the other spouse after consultation with a clinical psychologist who may be able to help both the husband and the wife. When the person's behavior seems compulsive, it is necessary that the other spouse be told, and his or her help sought. It seems that secrecy itself increases the tensions which lead to compulsive activity.

Advice to Spouse

Usually in such marital situations there are other factors present which will give the counselor good reason to speak with the other spouse without revealing the counselee's homosexual tendencies. In this way he may reduce tensions between the husband and the wife, and indirectly help the person with homosexual tendencies, who, incidentally, may have very good relationships with the children in the family.

(Source: Same Sex Attraction: Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Practice by Fr. John F. Harvey, O.S.F.S.)

G.K. Chesterton on Love, Marriage and the Sexes

I recommend Gilbert K. Chesterton as one intellectual writer and philosopher you should care to read about. All I know about him is that he was a former Anglican who converted to Catholicism because he realized the errors of his ways and found it later. He is also known as the Apostle of Common Sense. Here are his thoughts about love, marriage, and the sexes - hah, my favorite topic!

"Love means loving the unlovable - or it is no virtue at all." - Heretics, 1905

"A man imagines a happy marriage as a marriage of love; even if he makes fun of marriages that are without love, or feels sorry for lovers who are without marriage." - Chaucer

"Women are the only realists; their whole object in life is to pit their realism against the extravagant, excessive, and occasionally drunken idealism of men." - A Handful of Authors

"The whole pleasure of marriage is that it is a perpetual crisis." - "David Copperfield," Chesterton on Dickens, 1911

"A good man's work is effected by doing what he does, a woman's by being what she is." - Robert Browning

"Women have a thirst for order and beauty as for something physical; there is a strange female power of hating ugliness and waste as good men can only hate sin and bad men virtue." - Chesterton on Dickens

"Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline." - Manalive
"The first two facts which a healthy boy or girl feels about sex are these: first that it is beautiful and then that it is dangerous." - ILN 1/9/09

"I have little doubt that when St. George had killed the dragon he was heartily afraid of the princess." - The Victorian Age in Literature

Insanity Defined

I love Albert Einstein's definition of insanity:

"Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results."

You can see many people just like that:

1. An employee who dreams of becoming rich some day but is too afraid to take risk in business and is somewhat contented with his wages and Christmas bonuses. He neither thinks of saving up some money to invest in something more profitable.

2. A sedentary, obese person who dreams of landing a gig as a cover model of Men's Health magazine but is too lazy to lift a dumbbell or go out and exercise.

3. Or a student who dreams of graduating with honors but who lacks the discipline to study his lessons and make it as one of his priority.

If you look around you, you may notice that many people seemed to have given up their dreams and lost all hope for a better future. It is depressing yes, that's why lately I'm not tuning in to the news because most often than not it focuses more on the "negative" events which make you all the more cynical and pessimistic. Indeed, there is a very high price to pay when we choose not to change for the better. The antidote to this insanity is a single-minded purposeness, perseverance, and the willingness to ACT and do the right thing. It will challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and it can be frightening, but isn't it when we're out of our comfort zones that we feel happier and more alive?

Online Intimacy

Is it really possible to develop intimacy online? Read this interesting article on intimacy to find out what it takes to develop real and lasting intimacy. Here's my favorite section of the article:

If we are honest, the intimacy we all want is to be known for who we are—warts and all and still be loved. That intimacy can exist when we are prepared to do the same thing—to discover all the good and bad about someone else and then show them unconditional love.

SSA In Adolescents

Adolescent Fears

Another pastoral problem is that of the adolescent boy or girl who fears that he or she is a homosexual. In light of the fact that much adolescent homosexuality is transitory, the counselor should caution the young person against drawing hasty conclusions. If one realizes that there are deep problems present, one should refer the person to a professional therapist and await an analysis. Usually, it is not clear to the counselor that the adolescent has same-sex attractions. Unfortunately many counselors have accepted the prevailing opinion of our culture, namely, that once one has SSA, the condition cannot be changed. Indeed, some counselors would advise adolescents that feelings of same-sex attraction call for entry into a homosexual lifestyle.

There is good reason to believe that many youth undergo "sexual identity confusion." They do not understand that their homosexual condition may be transitory, a form of pseudo-homosexuality rooted in various motivations. Ruth Barnhouse, for example, sees much adolescent homosexual activity as indicating unresolved problems of dependence and power, and these are the issues that should be addressed. Whatever the complexity of the homosexual conidition in a given youth, it must not be presumed that one cannot be helped to develop heterosexual potential. For this reason one should be persuaded to avoid frequenting gay clubs and associations, gay movie houses, and the viewing of pornography. One should also take steps to become part of some Catholic youth organization in which one can grow in the life of the Church and in his or her identity as a young man or woman created in the image of God. The counselor also should become a friend, not in the sense of a peer buddy, but in the sense that the young person knows that he or she can confide in the counselor without fear of reproof or betrayal.

In some cases, the counselor may find it advisable to encourage the adolescent to inform his parents concerning his apparent same-sex attractions; in other instances, it may be best that the counselor work with the adolescent and if possible, with a priest, so that the youngster will have adequate guidance without having to inform his parents. The young person may have some very difficult obstacles at home that cause him to be too afraid to speak to his or her parents about his struggle with same-sex attractions. This will have to be a decision of the counselor and the young person. If a youngster is afraid to tell his parents that he has SSA, he should seek help from an informed priest who might be able to mediate between the young person and his family. Whether the parents would want the younger members of the family to know about the SSA in their brother or sister is a matter of prudence. My opinion is that such information should not be shared with younger siblings. In my judgment there is also no gain in such a revelation to a family member who does not make the distinction between a chaste and an unchaste person with same-sex attractions. Also, it is not certain that the adolescent will continue to experience predominantly same-sex attractions. It would mean that the youth or adult with SSA does better in having one person in whom one can totally confide while concealing such inclinations from others. Beyond some family members and perhaps a trusted friend, it is imprudent to reveal one's sexual identity issues to fellow students or workers for the reasons already given with respect to the family. It may lead to cruel and inhumane treatment by others. We must not be fooled by the urging of society "to come out of the closet" becaue "gay is good."

The adolescent girl often confuses a "crush" she has on an older girl or a female teacher as a form of homosexuality. She should be shown that she is simply going through a stage of strong admiration and needs to take care not to make an idol out of another person. Meanwhile, she must continue to seek friends within her peer group and learn to form good human relationships with both sexes.

(Source: Same Sex Attraction: Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Practice by Fr. John F. Harvey, OSFS)

Online Petition

Please join and affix your digital signature to the online petition
against the Reproductive Health Bill (HB5043).

Please forward this to your Pro-Life friends supportive of our
advocacy.Display your faith in action! All for Life!

Go and sign the online petition at:

www.petitiononline.com/nohb4110/petition.html

God is with us.

The Temptation of Christ

(All of us are faced with temptations. They are virtually inescapable but Christ showed us the way how to conquer the tempter. Read on.)


Christ was led by the Holy Spirit to the desert to be tempted. He did not go on His own, teaching us not to rush on to temptations. In fact, Christ went to Galilee, having heard that John was imprisoned, to distance Himself from Herod. . .as an example for us.

The devil loves attacking man when he is alone; this seems to give him the upper hand. No one must enter into this situation unless, like Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, precisely to do battle against the wicked spirit.

Whenever you enter God's service, prepare yourself for battle against the evil spirits; life for you will be an ordeal. Because every wicked man is part of the devil's body and, thus, will be your enemy.

The devil begins his temptation by a suggestion, followed by offering delight and, consequently, getting our consent. Christ, being God, could not take delight nor give consent. So, in His case, the devil could only suggest. The trick is to beat the devil in this first step. Victory becomes more difficult in the second and nearly impossible in the third.

The temptation of Christ is similar to that of Adam and Eve. It begins with gluttony wherewith the devil showed Eve the forbidden fruit, as he tempted Christ in turning stone into bread.

The second is vainglory wherewith Adam was offered, "You will be like gods," as Christ was tempted to fly.

The third is avarice, the mere acquisition of the knowledge of good and evil, in the case of Christ-- the acquisition of the kingdoms of the world.
Christ, of course, could have thrown down Satan with a twit of His finger; but He was showing us how to overcome the evil one. How? By refuting him with the commands of Christ.

Faced with someone so vicious, we must not be angered nor take revenge but face them with the commands of Christ. Christ overcame His enemy, not by destroying him but, by bearing with him for a short while.

(Source: caryana.org)

Derma 101

Last week I had the opportunity to try diamond peel at one of the popular skin clinics in a mall. The cost? P500. I just want to experience the "feel" of it and I've been quite curious about this thing for some time. As the name suggests, diamond peel peels off the outermost layer of your skin called the epidermis in order to generate formation of new skin cells and to exfoliate dead skin. I just tried it once but they say you need to undergo many sessions for you to achieve a "smooth" complexion. Unfortunately, that sounds like a lot of money too - all in the name of vanity.

During my derma visit, the dermatologist gave me a diagnosis I was not aware of for many years. I mean I know it's there but I don't know what it is called and I've never visited a dermatologist's clinic until now. She told me I have syringoma. I quickly surfed the net to get more information about this skin disease. In a nutshell, syringoma is a benign lesion commonly found around the eyes (periorbital) that is due to hyperactive secretions of sebaceous glands. It is not painful nor is it particularly bothersome, but it can be aesthetically unappealing. I asked the dermatologist what is the best treatment for this skin lesion and she told me that what they can offer is to electrocauterize the lesions (sounds painful). And the cost? estimates run at around 8K more or less. (whaaat?) All that money without any guarantee of nonrecurrence or less scar formation thereafter. Actually, that electrocautery thing literally electrocutes the lesion - whether it's a wart, nevus, etc., at one application but there is the problem of scar formation post treatment and so I'm on the lookout for better alternatives.

After hours of searching the net and thinking about my predicament, I came across a website about a "noninvasive, nonsurgical, no-fuss, and painless" way to remove unwanted skin lesions. Guess what I'm talking about? It's called a cashew cream. Have you heard of RCC Amazing Touch? I'm sure you have seen this in SM Malls. This cashew cream was a product of the creative imagination of a former barber turned Pinoy inventor by the name of Rolando dela Cruz. This guy's cashew cream formulation has already reaped many awards and recognitions both here and abroad. This is your best option if you hate to go "under the knife" and so I made up my mind to try this. I went to SM San Lazaro and inquired. Oh by the way this is not a skin clinic where you can buy the product and apply it to yourself. The application of this product must be supervised by a trained skin therapist and the procedure is done inside their clinics. The moment of truth - the procedure will cost me around 5K including aftercare products and all. It's relatively cheaper than the electrocautery procedure but still quite expensive for me. The thing here is if you need a repeat application of procedure, that will cost you around 4K more or less. Ouch.

Until one day, my angel whispered to my ear that there is a similar less commercialized skin clinic offering the same service and I wasted no time to check it out. The name of this obscure skin clinic is called Herbal Solutions with branches in Farmer's Plaza in Cubao, Araneta Square in Caloocan, and one branch somewhere in Alabang. True enough it is way cheaper - only around P3K all inclusive of three follow-up sessions and aftercare products! That's a huge savings for me and so I wasted no time and grabbed the opportunity. The procedure took around 30 to 45 minutes. It is true. The procedure is "noninvasive, nonsurgical, and no-fuss" but it was painful! I was in terrible excruciating pain all those time, but I was able to keep myself composed though (grace under pain). It's like being stung by bees, hornets, and wasps, but that's a sure sign that the product is working. Apparently, cashew contains a very powerful ingredient that is capable of providing natural cauterization without the scar after. Yes, there will be scabbing in those areas of the skin treated, but this will fall off naturally after several days without leaving any trace. All that pain is worth it. Right now I have scabs under my eyes, but I can see that something has changed in the texture of my skin around my eyes. It's working little by little and I have no regrets whatsoever.

If you are considering or thinking about having a mole or wart removed from your body, try the nonsurgical noninvasive approach using topical applications of cashew cream. This is both practical and economical. After I complete the healing process I am actually planning to have two moles on my face removed using this procedure and this time it will be much less painful because the lesion is not scattered.

Go natural.