How much I must criticize you, my church and yet how much I love you!
You have made me suffer more than anyone and yet I owe you more that I owe anyone.
I should like to see you destroyed and yet I need your presence.
You have given me much scandal and yet you alone have made me understand holiness.
Never in the world have I seen anything more obscurantist, more compromised, more false, yet never have I touched anything more pure, more generous or more beautiful.
Countless times I have felt like slamming the door of my soul in your face – and yet, every night, I have prayed that I might die in your arms!
No, I cannot be free of you, for I am one with you, even if not completely you.
Then too – where should I go?
To build another church?
But I cannot build another church without the same defects, for they are my own defects.
And again, if I were to build another church, it would be my church, not Christ’s church.
No, I am old enough. I know better!

Excerpt from Carlo Carretto's book "Love Letter to the Church."

Cordoba, Jan. 08, 2007 (CNA) - Various Catholic lay organizations in Spain have expressed their complete support of the actions of Bishop Juan Jose Asenjo of Cordoba, who is resisting pressure from Muslims seeking to force the Catholic Cathedral to be used as a mosque.

The president of the Muslim Assembly of Spain, Mansur Escudero, has been pressuring authorities to turn the Cathedral of Cordoba into a “multi-religious” center where Muslims can pray towards Mecca.

In response to Bishop Asenjo’s resistance, Escudero held a press conference on January 1 outside the Cathedral during which he publicly prayed that God would “soften the bishops’ heart.”........

Click to read more..

In my opinion it just right for Bishop Asenjo of Cordoba to resist and I think our brother Muslim needs some abc's on mutual respect with regards to religious expressions and they needed a reminder on how they treated Christian in territories where they are the majority.
They never understand that a Catholic Cathedral is dedicated solely for Christian worship and the celebration of the Eucharist or maybe we can allow them if they worship as we should worship I wonder if they will!

I have spent another Christmas and New Year in the Land of Islam. Here the celebration has no much funfare no decoration on the street nor on the stores only in every Christian homes here. Christmas here for Christian is devoid of too much commercialism but more on a deeper reflection on the greatest events in human history the coming of God among man. Christmas and New Year here is celebrated by Christian with more emphasis on the events of Christ coming in human history more liturgical and solemn because perhaps the reason is that all of us here is away from home, from our families so it is in being away from home that we Christian here relates more on the events of Christ birth because He himself chooses to be away from His own Kingdom to be one with us. It is in this situation that I myself begins to grasp more fully the mystery, the sacredness and the importamce of this Christ-event in human history.

Yesterday the Church celebrates the feast of the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During the homily our parish priest reflects on the quality of Mary as a mother. Mary in her obedience to God's plan of salvation ponders everything that she witness regarding her Son in her heart. By her silence she teaches us strength is not so much that of being above others or ruling others but in silence there is strength for we can reflect more fully the mystery of God and our actions when we are silent, when we are not talking nor being in the limelight of things. Mothers for that are the strongest person on earth for they have the endurance and the resiliency when it comes to pain and agony. Imagine how they endure bearing a child for 9 months in there womb nurturing and caring for there sustenance until that child where brought forth to world from there womb. Mothers may not be as strong as fathers on the physical aspect but they are the most patient person in the world I ever encounter. Mary in her motherhood patiently endure and courageously witness her Son's suffering from scourging upto crucifixion. She pour out her love and adoration for her Son in tears and silence. As I reflect on it silence brings us into contemplation in which we start to encounter and hear God more clearly amidst these often chaotic world. And crying is not a sign of weakness or lack of courage but of restraining our personal demons which tempts us into retaliation and vengeance when we are hurt or vellified. All of this Mary the Mother of our Lord has shown us. Happy New Year to everyone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!
May God Bless Everyone this New year.