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Ten Things You Didn't Know About the Catholic Church

1. Secret Cardinals The College of Cardinals is made up of about 120 senior bishops from around the world whom the Pope has chosen to elect his replacement. Upon the death or resignation of the Pope, they meet in Rome to elect a new one, almost always from among their own ranks. Only cardinals under the age of 80 may vote. However, what most people don’t know is that there are a handful of bishops throughout the world whom the pope has secretly chosen as cardinals. For a variety of reasons, usually out of concern for security, the Pope chooses not to reveal their names, sometimes even to the men themselves. This is most common when the cardinal resides in a country where he may face reprisals from his government or face other types of persecution. The late Pope John Paul II secretly elevated four bishops to cardinals. One of them was from China, another from Latvia, and one from Ukraine. Their identities were revealed near or after their deaths. The fourth remains

Top 10 Great Morality Movies

10. In the Bedroom - 2001 Directed by Todd Field This fantastic film takes viewers into the home of the parents of a young man named Frank who was murdered by his girlfriend’s ex-husband. As the killer walks free due to lack of evidence, the parents (beautifully played by Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson) agonize over how to move on with their lives. As they become alienated from the world and from each other, Frank’s father contemplates taking matters into his own hands to achieve justice. The film is an emotional roller coaster, devoid of any macho Hollywood posturing and gratuitous violence. In the Bedroom leaves viewers in a tortured state, wondering how far one should go to get justice, and whether the pain of loss can ever be alleviated. 9. Minority Report - 2002 Directed by Steven Spielberg More than any entry on this list, Minority Report begs that classic moral question of fate versus free will. In a world in

Why the Ten Commandments are for atheists, too The First Commandment There is a natural divide between the first three and the last seven commandments. While seven through ten take aim at how people should treat each other, the first three are much more concerned with humanity's relationship with God. Because of this, these are commandments that atheists and agnostics would typically have little interest in. However, after some reflection (even prayer), it becomes clear that these three can help lead anyone, believer or nonbeliever, in a positive direction. Let's have a look... I, the Lord, am your God … You shall not have other gods besides me. I live in Wilmington, Delaware. About ten years ago, there was a frightening pattern of violence in our city that had been sparked by drug deals and territorial strife. I opened the newspaper one Sunday and read an interview with a terribly depressed woman who had lost several of her relatives to the violence.

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