April 30 - Pope to Catholic Charismatic Renewal: Tell Them I Love Them Very Much
 Article: One World Religion

Comments From Understand The Times

Pope Francis is a promoter of the Charismatic renewal movement as a major part of the New Evangelization Program. This is only the beginning of what to expect in the future when the pope claims that Mary is pouring out the Holy Spirit upon the world in what Catholics call the Second Pentecost. So-called "evangelicals" who are Charismatic will not discern what is going on and become one with the coming one world religion in the name of Christ led by Rome.

On Saturday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, celebrated the Eucharist that ended the second day of the Rimini Fair of the 36th National Assembly of Catholic Charismatic Renewal. After the sign of the cross, Archbishop Fisichella gave an unexpected message, which was received with joy by the 15,000 present: an affectionate greeting from Pope Francis.

"Before beginning this celebration, I bring you a greeting. Before I left this morning, I was with Pope Francis, and I told him: "Holy Father, I have to leave soon. I'm going to Rimini where there are thousands upon thousands of faithful of the Charismatic Renewal: men, women and young people." With a great smile, the Pope said: "Tell them that I love them very much!" Upon leaving the Holy Father, Archbishop Fisichella recounted, the Holy Father added: "Look, tell them that I love them very much because I was responsible for Charismatic Renewal in Argentina, and that's why I love them very much."

 May 4 - Pope: Mary helps people not be 'teenagers for life'
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

After praying the Rosary this evening, Pope Francis reflected on how Mary "gives us health" by helping Christians mature in their faith and not remain "teenagers for life."

Pope Francis was then greeted by the archpriest of the basilica, Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, and then prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary with the faithful. Following the Marian prayer, the Holy Father offered a meditation on how Mary is "our health" and "gives us health."

 May 3 - Priests should bring love of Mary to youth, says Brazilian bishop
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

The president of the Brazilian bishops' Youth Ministry Committee is exhorting priests to bring the experience of Mary's maternal love to young people.

"Mary appeared to the shepherd children in Fatima, and the devotion to Mary Help of Christians was spread by Don Bosco so that children and young people, especially the abandoned, might feel the essential experience of being loved by a Mother who will never leave them," explained Bishop Eduardo Pinheiro da Silva.

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 May 1 - White House drumming up Arab support for Palestinian state
 Article: Israel And The Last Days

The administration of President Barack Obama has been recruiting Arab states to support a U.S. drive for a Palestinian state in 2014.

Officials said the White House and State Department have been lobbying Arab allies of Washington, to support a peace deal with Israel that would enable the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank. They said the Arab states were urged to move away from their traditional demand of a total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.

"We believe that with active Arab support, a peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians would have a much greater chance of seeing results over the next year," an official said.

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 May 2 - Flight of the RoboBee: Tiny hovering robot creates buzz
 Article: Miscellaneous

A robotic fly with a body not much taller than a penny standing on edge has taken to the air, passing its tests with flying colors. The RoboBee, as it's called, is the smallest artificial insect yet flown, according to the team that built it. It lifts off the table, hovers, and flies in different directions. At this point in its evolution, the bug is still tethered by thin wires that allow its designers to power and guide it. And landing remains an issue. The robot ends its sorties with all the grace of a mosquito nailed with a burst of Raid.

Still, the tiny craft's success - the team that designed it said it was the first such object to fly in a controlled manner - represents a key step in developing insect-size drones that designers say could one day search collapsed buildings for survivors after a disaster, sample an environment for hazardous chemicals before humans are sent in, or pinpoint enemy soldiers or terrorists holed up in urban areas.

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 May 7 - Month of May, Month of Mary: God Bearer, First Disciple and Pilgrim
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

In many cultures which have been influenced by the culture of the Catholic Church, the Month of May has become especially associated with honoring Mary, the Mother of the Lord Jesus. As in many aspects of Catholic culture, grace builds upon nature.

Pope Francis made these comments about Mary as pilgrim and model for all Christians: "In this moment of profound communion in Christ, we feel the spiritual presence of the Virgin Mary alive in our midst - a maternal presence, a familiar presence, especially for you are taking part in the Confraternities. The love for the Madonna is one of the characteristics of popular piety, which needs to be strengthened and well oriented."

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 May 6 - European Commission to criminalize nearly all seeds and plants not registered with government
 Article: One World Government

A new law proposed by the European Commission would make it illegal to "grow, reproduce or trade" any vegetable seeds that have not been "tested, approved and accepted" by a new EU bureaucracy named the "EU Plant Variety Agency."

It's called the Plant Reproductive Material Law, and it attempts to put the government in charge of virtually all plants and seeds. Home gardeners who grow their own plants from non-regulated seeds would be considered criminals under this law.

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 May 6 - Francis Takes Possession of Basilica of St. Mary Major
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

On Saturday evening, Pope Francis officially took possession of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The Basilica, which is the oldest Marian Shrine in the West, was the Holy Father's second visit. The day after his election, Pope Francis visited St. Mary Major to place his papacy under the Blessed Mother's protection.

After reciting the Glorious mysteries of the Rosary during his visit, the Holy Father offered a meditation to all those present, contemplating on the importance of seeking the maternal guidance of the Virgin Mary.

Referring to the title Marian icon housed in the Basilica, Pope Francis said that in invoking the Blessed Mother as the Salus Populi Romani (Health of the Roman People", we are "asking for all of us, for Rome, for the world that she might give us health."

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 May 7 - Former UMC Pastor to Open Florida Church at Beach Bar
 Article: Emerging Church

A Florida Pastor who recently left the United Methodist Church has started up a new congregation at a beach bar so as to reach out to those uncomfortable with the traditional church setting. Pastor Jack Kale oversaw the first prayer service for Central Waterside Church at Bimini Beach Bar in Hemingway on Sunday. The congregation is part of a megachurch based in Las Vegas.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Kale explained that in recent years he had founded a beach bar church called "Worship at the Water" or W@W on behalf of Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church. "Over the last four years, I began to experience a different kind of church that was based on simple worship and an organic lay leadership structure," said Kale.

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 May 7 - World's first GM babies born
 Article: Cloning And Genetic Engineering

The world's first genetically modified humans have been created, it was revealed last night.

The disclosure that 30 healthy babies were born after a series of experiments in the United States provoked another furious debate about ethics. So far, two of the babies have been tested and have been found to contain genes from three 'parents'.

Fifteen of the children were born in the past three years as a result of one experimental programme at the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of St Barnabas in New Jersey. The babies were born to women who had problems conceiving. Extra genes from a female donor were inserted into their eggs before they were fertilised in an attempt to enable them to conceive.

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 May 8 - Pope Francis marks Argentina's Our Lady of Lujan feast
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

Pope Francis commended Argentina to the protection of its patron saint Our Lady of Lujan, bringing white flowers to her statue and pausing in prayer ahead of his Wednesday general audience.

"This is the day in which we celebrate Our Lady of Lujan, heavenly Patroness of Argentina," the Pope said at his general audience May 8.

"I wish to send to all the children of these beloved Argentine lands my sincere affection while I place all their joys and worries in the hands of the Most Holy Virgin." He asked Argentine pilgrims in St. Peter's Square to give a round of applause for the Virgin of Lujan. "Stronger. I can't hear it. Stronger!" he encouraged the crowd which broke out in cheers.

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