Tech Tips for Catholics

“Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there. If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that Adoration.” - Mother Teresa

Do not be led astray: “Bad company corrupts good character.” - 1 Corinthians 15:33

“The ancient definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman has its basis in biology, not bigotry.” - Justice Peter T. Zarella

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“I’ve noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born.” - Ronald Reagan

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“O God of love, compassion, and healing, look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions, who gather today at this site, the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here — the heroic first responders: our firefighters, police officers, emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here that day, suffer from injuries and illness. Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy. Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury, and loss on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Our hearts are one with theirs as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the Earth. Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain. Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.”

“The priesthood is a very fulfilling life.  But it’s not an ego trip. There are sacrifices in this life.” - Fr. James Cassidy

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A couple of months ago, Tim, one of the creators of the Faith Database, asked if I would be interested in helping beta test the new version.  How could I say no?  I had been using the previous versions for some time and quickly saw how powerful of a tool this truly is.

The first thing I noticed in the latest version was the new interface.  Not to put down the previous versions, but this latest version looks wonderful!  They have included some video tutorials built into the program to help the user more fully use the database to its intended potential.  When I watched the first video tutorial, I instantly recognized the narrator to be Jerry Usher of Catholic Answers.

If you are like me, you have a bookshelf in your home that includes numerous translations of the Bible, a couple Scripture commentaries, two different editions of the Catechism, the Compendium, the Code of Canon Law, various Encyclicals, books on Church History, some of the classic Christian writings, books about the Saints, writings of the Early Church Fathers, and so on.  The Faith Database is like having your own personal Christian library at your fingertips, but with greater search abilities.  Search any topic relating to the Christian faith and instantly have access to virtually hundreds of resources on that very theme.  One of the nice features is the capability to bookmark portions of a text that you know that you’ll be referring to time and again.

Let’s just say that you can’t find what you are looking for; the Faith Database actually has a built-in web browser, which allows you to search the internet from within the program itself.

Another great feature is how you can export any document or search result to Word, Open Office, Excel, or as a PDF, HTML, TIFF, BMP, PNG, GIF, JPEG, PDF, RTF, XFF, XPS file.

Oh! And just for fun, you can test your knowledge about the Catholic faith by clicking on the Test tab.  I am currently rated a “Novice Apologist” in case you were wondering.

Here are some screenshots of the Faith Database (Beta Version)

Product Summary

• Search over 10 Bible Translations, hundreds of early Church doctrines, and over 1500 classics covering 2000 years of Christianity all at one time.
• Read what the Fathers and Doctors wrote about any particular passage in Scripture.
• Know how to defend your Faith using quotes from the Scripture and Early Church Fathers.
• Contains over 1500 writings, 75,000,000 words & 80,000 pages.
• LEARN MORE >>

I hear that a Mac version is in the works!

Below are some related links about the Faith Database:

• Biblical Research with FaithDatabase (Video Tutorial)
• Searching FaithDatabase (Video Tutorial)
• Faith Database (Giveaway!)

Verse 1:
Love. What is it? A solid or a liquid?
The question resonates from inner space to outer limits
Outer space to inner city dwellers timid, not committed
Love just isn’t built on child support and weekend visits
You kill it like strychnine when you treat it like a cancer
You don’t feel it so you spend time seek pleasure, not the answer
In clubs peeping dancers in a jacked-up type of manner
Stuffing g-strings with dollars that should buy your baby’s Pampers
Love’s not waking up with different women every morning
Love’s not beating her down at nine months, with child forming
Love’s not leaving your wife and your seed with no warning
Love’s not, and when it’s raining its pouring
Scoring no points you smoke joints, and toke your life away
You might have another year or two but you really die today
Display respect for yourself, or you can’t love nobody else
The hand you’re dealt requires action, not just something you felt

Chorus:
I know what love is and it just don’t stop
but I can explain it better when I say what love’s not.
Yeah I know what love is, and it just don’t stop
But I explain it better when I can say what love’s not.

Verse 2:
A house divided against itself is prone to utter desolation
So for this generation on the brink of extermination
I pour out a libation, a lyrical libation
In observation of the annihilation of the moral foundation
The desperation of the situation was clearly foretold
That in these last days the love of many would grow stone cold
And if hell is without love
Then all hell has broke loose in this culture
Feel the negativity circling overhead like a vulture?
The inverted priority of the majority, squander the sacred
To give what’s profane seniority
And incredibly we fail to see collectively
The reasons why things fall apart like leprosy
Passion is the fashion taboos are taboo
Do you see through this voodoo
Cause it stinks like doodoo
Yo it’s sad but too true how many don’t have a clue
To the fact we’ll be judged for all we think say and do
From east to west coast and all areas in between
Real love is like a ghost — talked about but rarely seen
Except on TV screens where they flash these caricatures
That on the down low are meant to influence our characters
But love is not love if it’s manufactured for the moment
That makes it more than the physical between a man and a woman
Wisdom is justified by her children in the end
And real love is being willing to lay down your life for a friend

(Chorus)

Verse 3:
Love’s not caught in mug shots or seen in drug spots
Love’s not sex or who you do next Love’s not
Road rage, porno pages in the eyes of a racist
Loves not whoring and love’s not abortion
Of course then love doesn’t bomb clinics to make it finish
Love’s not hate and love’s not a cynic
Love’s not seen on Jerry Springer or expressed by middle finger
And love is rarely captured in the words of any singer
Love’s not domestic violence saying shut up or be silent
And love’s not represented in the way of the police sirens
Abandoned children in abandon buildings
Random killings, love’s not slow to help you, love is ready and willing
Love is patient and kind, love is sight for the blind
Love was borne before the morning, love’s transforming your mind
Love is body and blood, bread and wine, remember the time
Love is God divine, crucified for mankind

(Chorus)

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MyChurch.org is donig a great job of using applications to draw folks to their social networking site.  These include a Facebook app simply named My Church, a MySpace app called Famous Christian Quotes, and they have a couple blog tools as well.

Here are the descriptions of each of these apps that I’ve listed above:

Famous Christian Quotes (MySpace App) ↓


Display Inspirational quotes from famous Christian preachers and leaders on your profile and share them with your friends.

My Church (Facebook App) ↓


Show what ministry, denomination, or church organization you’re a part of. You can also find others on Facebook who are members of your church organization. Stay in touch with your larger church body.

Your Church Calendar on your own Website (Blog or Website Script) ↓


Share your church’s events on your blog, Myspace, or church’s main website.