Sweet Home Alabama - 2

Our Journey Home has been such a blessed one. We HIGHLY recommend you make a Pilgrimage here to Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Pack your walking shoes and bring your Rosaries, but if you forget the Rosary, visit the gift shop and have your fill!

We have has such a wonderful time here and the people we met. As we went to breakfast this morning, we had the great honor and pleasure to break bread with Fr. Frank Pavone, and to our surprise we were joined by Eduardo Verastegui of the movie Bella! What a breakfast that was!

We celebrated Holy Mass in the Chapel that is shown on television and it is such a lovely and extremely reverent dwelling place for our Eucharistic Lord.

So we went to dinner about 5pm and low and behold…here is Fr. Mitch Pacwa. All I can say about him is… "What a HOOT!" I mean that in a loving way of course. What a wonderful and fun filled dinner and great conversation that was had with him.

To cap the night off we were in the studio for the filming of his latest installment of "Threshold of Hope." What a powerful speaker and teacher.

Please…if you are still thinking of a last minute vacation for this summer, COME ON DOWN HOME TO ALABAMA and EWTN! Take the beautiful tour of the Station Facility here in Irondale and then trek to Hanceville and visit the Shrine where Mother Angelica and the Nun's are stationed. We regret that we were not able to make it their this trip, but, God Willing, we WILL BE BACK!

Please ensure that you support this great Evangelizing Apostolate, which is EWTN!

God bless you, keep us in your prayers, we will keep you in ours, and remember… KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!

Peace 2 U!

Qorban Ministries

Thank you…

Thank you so much to all that watched this edition of "The Journey Home." Thank you for all of the wonderful comments and especially for your prayers. They are truly needed.

It was more than we ever imagined it would be, for God to have taken us from the Streets of St. Louis, to proclaim His Glory to millions around the world. God is TRULY and AWESOME GOD!

Once again, we thank you so much for your prayers and asked them to continue for us, to be able to do what God has so Graciously blessed us to do, and that is to "Go…"

Peace be with you and always remember… KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!

Qorban Ministries

“Sweet Home Alabama”

Made it to Sweet Home Alabama and what a beautiful place this is. It has been a long time since I have been back here and it still smells like…HOME!

Well, for those who really care…yes I am getting very excited about Monday night. A lot of prayer and love has gone into brining this day to fruition and we thank all of the people that have continued to keep us in prayer, because without you…NONE of this would have ever been possible.

Donna and I continued to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and know that He will continue to make a Way out of no way for us in our lives. Things are getting hard on so many people all over the country and all over the world, but we know and believe that Jesus will continue to be our source of Strength!

Availability…have you made yourself AVAILABLE for God to use you yet today? He did for me, this morning in Mass and I thank Him SO very much for the wonderful blessing I received from God this morning. He knew my heart and He blessed me for being "Available" for Him to use me.

All we need to do is make ourselves available for God to work through us…and He will!

Not sure if I will be able to write a Blog before the show tomorrow or not, but keep us in your prayers, we will keep you in ours and always remember… KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!

Peace 2 U!

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

IT’S A FRACKIN CRACKER!!!

I read a survey recently that said, only 30% of practicing Catholic's believe the Eucharist is the True Body of our Lord, Jesus. I find this disturbing, but these days, not much surprises me. It never ceases to amaze me the way so many people (Catholic's – Practicing) take the Faith for granted.

I came across an article the other day in response to a young man taking a Consecrated Host from a Mass, to do something to desecrate our Eucharistic Lord. In response to the flood of emails and threats received by this young man, a Blogger felt the need to write a Blog, exhorting, "IT'S A FRACKIN CRACKER!"

I wonder how many Catholic's, practicing Catholic's, believe the same thing. It took me 19 years to understand exactly what had been calling me to the Catholic Church. "The Eucharist." The TRUE, BODY – BLOOD – SOUL – DIVINITY of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… IN the TRUEST PRESENCE. Not a remembrance, not a partial presence, mixed in with the bread and wine, (con-substantiation), we believe in the FULL PRESENCE! TRANS-SUBSTANTIATION! Christ gave us (Roman Catholic Church) His Body, for our Healing. This is what we actually receive, but so many people just don't understand, or believe it.

It was told to me, that an Atheist once said, "If Catholic's believed that it (the Eucharist) really was Christ's Body, they would be willing to crawl on their hands and knees to receive Him…" I ask myself, why are we NOT running to receive our Lord, in His Real Presence? Gandhi once said that he loved Jesus Christ very much, but he did not like Christians because they were not reflective of Jesus Christ.

Do we really reflect Christ in all we do…our words and especially our actions? We need to RUN to receive the Sacraments, we need to RUN to our RISEN and PRESENT LORD for His Healing and Strength. If we do not believe, the how do we expect others to believe.

It is the REAL THING and I am not talking about Coke! Jesus is waiting for us…all we need to do is go and receive Him.

Keep us in your prayers, we will keep you in ours and always remember, KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!

Peace 2 U.

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

No greater love, than to lay down one’s life…

A few years ago there was a lot of controversy sparked by comments of Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, stating that he would deny Holy Communion to then, Presidential Candidate Sen. John Kerry, then following that same stance, His Excellency Burkes stated he would also refuse Holy Communion to former Presidential Candidate Rudy Giulliani for his stance, as a Catholic, on "positions contrary to the moral law…". In this article, His Excellency "Burke says that anyone administering Communion is morally obligated to deny it to Catholic politicians who support an abortion-rights position contrary to church teaching."

There was an article that caught my attention on the internet surrounding a young man "smuggling" a Consecrated Host from Holy Mass, to be used for It's desecration by someone not of the Catholic Faith. I suppose this Blog will spark, yet another Blog on "The Eucharist, do we actually believe, it's the REAL Presence of Christ", but for now I would like to focus on Courage.

Would you be willing to lay down your life for your family, your child, mother, father, sibling, friend, neighbor? While serving almost six years in the United States Army as a Military Policeman, I put my life on the line each day in service to my Country, it's citizens, as well as my fellow brothers and sisters in the service, to protect our way of life. The question I ask myself (and ask you to consider as well) is do I have the Courage to put my life on the line for Jesus? Would I be willing to take a stand for Jesus? Would I be strong enough to face the public scrutiny, public humiliation, as an "Extraordinary Minister" of Holy Communion, to be able to deny someone "of note" Holy Communion?

As a Eucharistic Minister and/or Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, one MUST be willing to lay their life down for our Brother Jesus. We must continue to protect Him in every way possible, because He gave us EVERYTHING and what Love He has for each and every one of us to not only lay His Life down, but He continues to live through, with and in each and every one of us.

As Jesus was obedient to His Father's Will; as Jesus said a resounding YES to His Father, as a disciple of Christ, as a Christian, and most importantly as a Practicing Catholic, I TOO must have the courage to say… "Yes Lord. I will lay my life down for You!"

Jesus is ALIVE my brothers and sisters in Christ…He has RISEN and HE IS ALIVE…ALIVE within EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US! Let Him Live, and share Him with someone else today, because He told us, "If you deny me on earth, I will deny you before my Father."

Let us continue to pray for the all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but especially, the Gift of Courage.

Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, thank you for having the Courage of a Lion. Thank you for laying your life on the line for Christ, most importantly, thank you, Your Excellency, for showing us (myself in particular), not just what courage is…but, what TRUE LOVE is!

Praise be Jesus Christ NOW AND FOREVERMORE…amen, Amen and AMEN!

Peace 2 U and Keep us in your prayers, we will continue to keep you in ours and ALWAYS, remember… KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

Treasure what you see, TODAY in Christ

The Gospel reading for today, July 24, 2008; Matthew 13: 10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.

"But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

In reflecting on today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells His Disciples "Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear." How many of us would have loved to have walked with Jesus during those Glorious times. We would have been privileged to see His Glory and Majesty FIRST HAND. Can you imagine, being on the Road to Emmaus and having Christ appear to us? What about being at the Wedding Feast at Cana and seeing Jesus turn water into wine? Even being among the 5,000 he fed with the Loaves and Fishes; seeing first hand, Christ healing the blind and the lame walking again. Jesus tells His sheep, so many people long to see what they saw, and hear what they heard. In essence, Jesus is telling them to Treasure the day and time they are in.

In the same way, the Gospel reading reminds us to also Treasure the time we are currently in. If we have our eyes open and ears open to the Holy Spirit, we too can see through the eyes of Christ, the beauty that surrounds our daily life. We also are a part of the Healing, through Christ, to those He brings across our daily paths.

So, remember what Mother Teresa said; "You can save someone's soul with just a smile!" God will send someone to YOU today for Healing. Will you allow yourself to be open to the Spirit and bless them with the Word of God? Remember, we are Blessed to be Blessings to others!

Peace 2 U and always remember, KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

The Lord will not abandon His people

Someone recently asked me, how to I continue to keep on in this ministry, with the daily struggles of life. Bills, gas prices, the economy, most of all, retirement/401k.

First of all, I give Glory to God for putting me in this position for full time ministry. Secondly, I thank God for sending me such a "Priceless Gift" from Him, in a loving wife that supports and encourages all that I do. I heard a priest in New Jersey recently say, "There are living saints (of God) and then there are 'saint makers'." Believe you me; I am a "saint maker" because my wife is TRULY a saint to put up with this sinner! (smile) Lastly, it is Faith in God. Belief and knowledge that He will continue to provide NO MATTER WHAT; remember, "The Lord will not abandon His people."

Read what the Psalmist tells us in today's reading;

Psalm 94: 5-7 "They crush your people, Lord, torment your very own. They kill the widow and the alien; the fatherless they murder. They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice."

Once again does this not sound vaguely familiar? Think about what we are going through in these times, Wars, murders, no confidence that our money is safe in our banks, the horrors and fears we face daily? Let's continue on and see what the Psalmist tells us…

    Psalm 94:8-23(some paraphrasing included) "Understand, you stupid people!
You fools, when will you be wise? Does the one who shaped the ear not hear? (Hear our daily cries and sorrows) The one who formed the eye not see? (Not see the turmoil we are currently in) Does the one who guides nations not rebuke? The one who teaches humans not have knowledge? The LORD does know human plans; (what we plan to do about something or about our lives and situation(s)) they are only puffs of air. Happy those whom you guide, LORD, whom you teach by your instruction. (Verse 14) You, LORD, will not forsake your people, nor abandon your very own. Judgment shall again be just, and all the upright of heart will follow it. If the LORD were not my help, I would long have been silent in the grave. When I say, "My foot is slipping," your love, LORD, holds me up. When cares increase within me, your comfort gives me joy. Can unjust judges be your allies, those who create burdens in the name of law, Those who conspire against the just and condemn the innocent to death? No, the LORD is my secure height, my God, the rock where I find refuge, Who will turn back their evil upon them and destroy them for their wickedness. Surely the LORD our God will destroy them!"

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, if the Lord were not our help, we would long have been silent in the grave. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US! He keeps us in His bosom; keeps us in the Palm of His Hand.

Let us stay STRONG, brothers and sisters in Christ and let us always remember, "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and rely not on your own understanding." When we have questions, doubts and fears, joys and triumphs, let us seek FIRST the Word of God, which continues to comfort us, because He is TRUE to His Word, because HE alone is GOD!

PRAISE BE JESUS CHRIST NOW AND FOREVER…AMEN, AMEN AND AMEN!

Keep on Keepin on, brothers and sisters!

Peace 2 U!

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

 

 

Will you be exalted in Heaven?

Reading and listening to the news today was extremely disheartening. It seems as if those in power really do not have the first clue of what REAL people are going through in their daily lives. Companies speaking of terminating Healthcare Benefits to their retired employees; banks literally struggling and people not knowing if their money is in their bank accounts; gas prices continuing the unprecedented gains; Major Corporations spending billions of dollars to buyout other companies; while the Oil Companies continue to earn record profits and the rich continue to get richer and the poor continue to struggle.

I wonder when the last time our influential politicians actually put gas in a car, worried about making it to the next paycheck. I just don't understand how people can continue to purchase multimillion dollar toys, while people not only around the world suffer, but those right in our own front yards are literally dying each day from lack of food, lack of resources and lack of healthcare. While the CEO's of corporations continue to sit back and reap the monetary benefits of the labors of the average worker, whose job is in jeopardy, they continue to think, believe and try to make each one of us believe that, things are okay and are getting better.

I have been seething all day long wondering if I was going to vent my anger in this blog, or would I find some type of solace and meaning from all that we are going through.

I went directly to the place we should all go to each day, which is the Word of God. What did the Gospel reading for today state?

    Gospel
Mt 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:

Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the nether world.

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."    

Reading this was like a bombshell for me. It seems as if this was written just for July 15, 2008! Think about it for a moment. We live in the greatest and richest nation on earth, where we have seen the "mighty deeds" that the Lord has done for us; yet we take our wealth for granted and throw it away. We take our daily blessings for granted in spite of the sufferings of others. Do we continue to repent?

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the Holy Gospel speaks LOUDLY to us, THIS day, July 15, 2008; "For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you."

WAKE UP PEOPLE…. WAKE UP! Let us realize that only God can help us. It is not the future President that will bring us out of poverty, it is not World Politics that will save us, it is the Word of God that can and will only sustain us. It is our continued Faith in God that He will provide for us in all that we are and all that we do. We must think of others before ourselves, we must continue to love one another unconditionally as Christ loves us. We must help our brothers and sisters in Christ and give them Hope that not all is lost. WE must ensure a Christian way of life for our society for it is through the Love that comes from the Father, through our Mediator – Christ Jesus, and the Love of the Holy Spirit that dwells within each person of the Human Race that we will conquer all that is evil.

Will you be exalted in Heaven? You will, if you continue to love others and do what is RIGHT in the eyes of the Lord in all that we do.

Peace be with you and always remember… KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!

Qorban Ministries

 

Predestination

While participating in an ecumenical Bible study today that was led by a dear friend who is Baptist, it really forced me to further investigate, "Predestination". During this study in the first Chapter of St. Paul's letter to the Romans, my brother in Christ did an admirable job in explaining certain things about why Paul was exhorting what he did at that time to the Jew's and Gentiles. Although he lost me when he gave a quote by John Calvin; the context of this quote was that we were discussing the meaning of "Faith", and Justification by Faith and "FAITH ALONE". Immediately I thought of James 2:17 "…faith without works is dead…" The statement he made by Calvin was…

    "Faith is a firm and sure knowledge of the divine favor toward us, founded on the truth of a free promise in Christ, and revealed to our minds and sealed on our hearts by the Holy Spirit."

Now, he continued to hammer away at this "Predestination" doctrine, that everyone is already pre-ordained/predetermined to be saved, or damned; now this is something that you really have to watch when participating in "ecumenical" Bible Study and/or Fellowship Groups, because even though we agreed (this brother stated this JUST PRIOR to him reading a quote from Calvin) that we are going to go off of the bible (sola scriptura) and not anyone's particular doctrine/religious belief and/or affiliation. I found this to be very interesting, but food for thought. He then continued to hammer away at, either you are saved and/or part of the elect of God or you are not. Your fate has already been sealed, for lack of a better phrase.

As a Catholic, I found this type of theology very disheartening because my dear brother in Christ did not mention anything about LOVE, GRACE and MERCY of those who are believers and the unbelievers. Yes, we know and believe that Jesus said, "…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man goes to the Father except through me." But does God's mercy not extend to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ? Do they also not have a stake in the ransom that was paid through the suffering and death of Christ?

The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, teaches us –

    Paragraph #600 - To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of "predestination," he includes in it each person's free response to his grace: "In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place."³⁹⁵ For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.

And continuing into the context of this in paragraph 603 is the key to this mystery –

    Jesus did not experience reprobation as if he himself had sinned.⁴⁰⁵ But in the redeeming love that always united him to the Father, he assumed us in the state of our waywardness of sin, to the point that he could say in our name from the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"⁴⁰⁶ Having thus established him in solidarity with us sinners, God "did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all," so that we might be "reconciled to God by the death of his Son."

It say's God gave his own Son up for us ALL! Roman's 3:23 says that we ALL fall short of God's mercy and goodness, but it was through HIS Divine Love for us, each and EVERYONE OF US SINNERS, that THROUGH our Faith, in Christ Jesus we are reconciled to God, once again!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this tells me that we must continue to do more, to LOVE more, to WORK more to reach out to our brothers and sisters of other Faiths, to let them know that we serve a Just God, as well as a MERCIFUL God, who continues to provide and never turn His back on us, even though, through our own free will, we turn our backs on Him. This same God did NOT PREDESTINE US TO DAMNATION! If anything, He predestined us to SALVATION, to come back HOME to the Father, and through the Expiation of our Sin's through Jesus Christ, we pray that we will be Home with the Father one day.

I leave you with this quote from one of the 33 Doctors of our Faith and perhaps one of the greatest theologians to ever grace us…

    "Nothing conquers except truth, and the victory of truth is love."

        ~ St. Augustine of Hippo

Keep us in your prayers, we will continue to keep you in ours and always remember, KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!

Peace 2 U!

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

Song – “In Christ there is no east or west”

1. In Christ there is no east or west,

in him no south or north,

but one great fellowship of love

throughout the whole wide earth.

2. In Christ shall true hearts everywhere

their high communion find.

His service is the golden cord

close-binding humankind.

3. Join hands, then, people of the faith,

whate'er your race may be;

who serves the Father as his child

is surely kin to me.

4. In Christ now meet both east and west,

in him meet south and north,

all Christ-like souls are one in him

throughout the whole wide earth.

Catholic tent revival to raise spirits, share the faith in Howell

By Michelle Gladden • FREEHOLD BUREAU • June 19, 2008


HOWELL — Evangelists and tent revivals are phrases usually associated with Protestant religions, but they are a growing practice within Catholicism.
There's no place where that's more evident than in Howell, where Good News International — a grass-roots ministry of Catholic lay people — has been hosting an annual tent revival for the past 12 years.

"It's a real unique event," said founder Bill Wegner of the three-day event. "The reason I think it's been successful is that there is no pressure. You come in, it doesn't cost anything, you stay as long as you want and if you want to grow in the spirit you can do that. People can take from it whatever they want."

At the revival's center is a main tent that holds 1,000 people, where guest speakers and the 15- to 20-member Refuge Music Ministry are showcased throughout the three days. Smaller tents feature food, various ministries, a book store, information from the diocese and child-friendly events, such as face painting and clowns.

Wegner says part of the appeal of the revival is the breaking away from a traditional Mass service by spending three days outdoors.
"I think people are looking to do something else," Wegner said. "This offers an open invitation to everybody, and it's very unintimidating; you just come and be part of the celebration."
This year, among the speakers is Catholic evangelist Richard Lane, a St. Louis resident who says he not only is one of a small pool of Catholic lay evangelists, but one of two black Catholic evangelists in the country. Lane says that although he's seen Catholic evangelism take hold over the past 15 years, those who share the faith continue to be reluctant to the concept.
"A lot of Catholics are afraid of that word," he said. " "A Catholic evangelist?' they say, "isn't that an oxymoron.' But I say, no. Matthew 28:19 says "Go make disciples of all nations,' so we are called to be evangelists."

The 42-year-old said he began his lay ministry by proclaiming love for his faith while passing out Bibles on a street corner three years ago. Today, he runs qorban (Hebrew for dedicated to God) ministries with his wife, Donna.

Aside from speaking all three nights at the event, Lane will conduct a workshop on evangelization from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. And while Lane has never attended a Catholic tent revival, he said he is looking forward to the experience. "It's close to my own style of worship," he said. "My style of preaching is truly charismatic, so it will lend a lot to a revival."

Sports Review Magazine Article on Evangelist Richard Lane

NFL HOFer Dick "Night Train" Lane's Son A Lay Catholic Evangelist (Speaking In Detroit April 12th)

Jim Acho 4/11/08
Dick "Night Train" Lane is still considered by some old guard football men to be the greatest DB in NFL history. He led a unique life: as an L.A. Ram in the 1950s, made several movie cameos; married singer Dinah Washington in 1963; was an All-Pro with Detroit, had his own restaurant, later became Detroit's first black assistant coach in 1966; when I knew Train he was a supervisor with Detroit Parks & Rec, and was crotchety as a mug. He retired in 2000, and passed away shortly after that, God rest his soul.

His son Richard is a Catholic evangelist, and is in Detroit speaking this Saturday--he will be speaking across the country this year and over the forseeable future as part of his lay ministry. I for one applaud his efforts, and will try to get there to hear him speak. --Ach
Son Of The 'Night Train' To Address Catholic Men
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic

Evangelist Richard Lane

Detroit � In the 1950s and 60s, Detroiters watched the ferocious football star Dick "Night Train" Lane put the hurt on running backs and wide receivers who faced the Detroit Lions.
In April, they're going to hear from the late football star's son, Richard Lane. A Catholic evangelist residing in St. Louis, Richard Lane wants to tackle the powers of darkness and division, and the busyness that keeps men from Christ.

"In a lot of our Catholic churches, there are not enough men involved," says Lane, who will be addressing thousands of men gathered at University of Detroit's Calihan Hall for the annual Catholic Conference for Men April 12. "Men are so worried about trying to build something for our families, trying to get a better job, earning income to send kids to college, we don't take enough time out for Jesus. We don't take time out for God." Having been raised in Detroit during his father's NFL career, Lane says he's been excited to return to the area. continued...
Train Was The First Black Athlete In Detroit Team Sports History To Get Endorsements
Lane spent a six-year career in the United States Army Military Police Corps after his graduation from Morehouse College in Atlanta. He converted to Catholicism and became a street-corner evangelist. Since, Lane has built a name for himself on the Catholic speaking circuit, and with his wife, Donna, he runs Qorban ministries, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading God's Word. He also is co-host of a Catholic weekly radio program in St. Louis and a sought-after speaker for Catholic events.

Lane acknowledges his important role as a black evangelist, as well, saying that African Americans have a lot to discover in the Catholic Church, and that Catholics, both black and white, have to extend the invitation. "Out of 30 million African Americans in this country, only 3 million are Catholic," he says. "We have to do a better job of sharing our faith with other creeds, nationalities and races." He says Catholics can draw more black men to the Church just as Christ drew men to Himself. "The only way people are going to be interested in coming into the Catholic Church is if they see Christ in those of us who are Catholic," he says.

In a city as diverse, yet as racially divided, as Detroit, Lane adds, it helps when white Catholics experience worship in predominantly black churches, and the other way around, too. "Everyone is One Body of Christ, and everyone has to look out for each other," Lane says. "We have to embrace the richness of our Catholic faith." Already, local Catholic priests are making efforts to evangelize in largely black communities. Fr. Theodore Parker, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish on Detroit's west side, says a large part of inviting black men into the faith community has to do with relationship building.

Lane says he will be in Detroit a couple days before the Catholic Conference for Men, both learning about the local Church and being part of interdenominational efforts. He's glad, he says, that the well-known name of his father, who died in 2002, has opened the door for him. "I know my father's in heaven, and I know he had a lot to do with this invitation," Lane says.
What: Sixth annual Catholic Conference for Men.When: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 12.Where: Calihan Hall, University of Detroit Mercy, 4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI.Cost: $50 at the door; call (313) 319-7128.

The Meaning of True Freedom

As we celebrate this day of our Nations Independence, let us reflect on the meaning of "True Freedom."

So many brave men and women have gone before us, giving of their lives so that we might have Rights and Freedom's in this Country. Free to live our lives, freedom of speech, freedom of choice, freedom from illegal persecution and so many more freedoms, but as Christians are we TRULY free?

St. Paul tells us that we must be Slaves of Jesus Christ and we must give up our earthly and fleshly desires in order to serve Him, which means we must understand that certain freedoms are not really conducive to Christian Living. To truly live as a disciple of Christ, we must understand that we have to give up certain freedoms in order to take up our Cross and follow Him. We must be willing to love our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, unconditionally as Christ Loves us. We must be willing to forgive our transgressors 7 times 77 times and keep loving them. We must stand up for those who are not able to stand up for themselves; we must seek out the least, lost and most abandoned in our world, who are the poor, the needy and the suffering. St. Vincent de Paul put it so well, "We are the slaves of the poor and they are our masters…" We must learn to serve them and love them, for Christ said in His Sermon on the Mount – (Matthew 5), "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

As we take this day and celebrate our Nations Freedom, let us join in prayer for those around the world that do not have even ¼ of the freedoms we enjoy, let us keep our Service men and women in our prayers, that they may come home to us and their families soon. That our world will enjoy the Freedom and love in Christ Jesus that is provided to each and every one of us, so Graciously by our Father; and May the Peace and love of the Holy Spirit continue to be with you all… amen, Amen and AMEN!

Remember, keep on KEEPIN ON and keep us in your prayers, we will keep you in ours!

Peace 2 U

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

From the streets to 123 million homes…

What a blessing we have received. One July 28, 2008 at 7pm Central, I will be a featured guest on Eternal Word Television Network's (EWTN) "The Journey Home."

Three years ago when this ministry began on the corner of Cook and Grand in St. Louis, Missouri, my wife and I had no clue where the Lord would lead us. Well, He has lead us from proclaiming the Gospel on the streets of St. Louis, to telling my story to over 123 million homes in over 140 countries and territories around the world. God is GOOD, all the time!

We do not do this for our own glory and personal gratification, but just as the name of the Ministry states "Qorban" – Dedicated to God; the Father is Glorified and lifted up in all that we do to Honor Him and we are so thankful for where He has taken us, and very excited about where He will take us in the future.

Please tune in to "The Journey Home" on Monday July 28, 2008 at 7pm Central time as the show will air LIVE. For more information on stations and times in your area, please go to www.EWTN.com and click on "The Journey Home."

Keep us in your prayers, we will keep you in ours and always remember, "KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!"

Peace 2 U

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net