Heartwarming? Yes!

9 Heartwarming Stories of Animals Rescuing Each Other

Just say "Awwwwww!"

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An 'awwww' story

from Oprah...

Why family adopted a grown man

It really is a story about caring...

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Prepare to be touched

by an article by Michael Coren, of all people...

God looks after, not down upon, Horse

For something similar, check out a book called Harry My Friend by the late Stephen Grosso. It's a true story, in a short book, that will melt the most hard-hearted amongst us. And if you want to read it, it's only $3.00! I re-read it often.

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If I had

a less jaundiced view of our society, I would think that ultimately this may work, and even more that that, that it might encourage new businesses to do the same.

What’s Next: Retailing with Heart

"Venture into a Panera Cares café and you’ll see the same menu and racks of freshly baked breads that are staples at the 1,400 Panera Bread restaurants across the United States. The only thing missing is the cash register. Instead, there’s a donation box where customers pay on the honor system. "

I can't help but fear that the regular business will keep subsidizing this business until he realizes that he can't keep it going. I hope I'm wrong, but I fear I'm correct. This is probably more a reflection of my negative attitude than of our society...

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Listening to the Word...

Dirty Vagabond Ministries: Love for Inner City Youth

"They have received the Holy Spirit's vision and love for urban communities"

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This is wonderful!




Cottage Med/Caring in Community

The link above is to a website. It's a medical clinic in the U.S., but take a look at the pages. It really is worth browsing, if for no other reason than to read of their mission. The person who seems central to it also seems to be related to The Society of Friends (Quakers). It's incredibly refreshing, and encouraging. I found it while searching out software. Theirs is free. They don't mince words about the medical system in their area or about big business in medicine.

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A very short,

but really great article from my favourite Catholic Worker site, Casa Juan Diego:

Do We Help People Who Shouldn't Be Here? Works of Mercy and Immigrants

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I just finished reading

an article on immigration reform in the U.S.. I haven't bothered to link it, suffice to say that the article, written for a Catholic online publication, seems to take the usual U.S. right-right-of-center attitude on the subject. It put me in mind of an article I read in our parish bulletin this week, part of which I reproduce here:

"The Little Pact of Mercy

By Alice Camille


Mercy is in danger of becoming an antique word. We live in a 
tough world where cynicism is the protective wrapping around 
many hearts. Hostility toward the enemy and suspicion of the 
stranger are the norm. Our bitterly partisan culture encourages us
to be vitriolic toward competing ideas and those who hold them. 
It's acceptable and even fashionable to be rude, self-promoting, 
and other-denying. The more hysterical the public rhetoric is, the 
farther it travels and the more popular it becomes.


We must oppose this trend. Christians can‘t afford to toss their 
hats in the ring with intolerance, arrogance, and downright cruelty. When hysteria rules, we must remain good stewards of our 
words and emotions and where they lead us. Spraying unbridled 
passion about self-indulgently is incompatible with the baptismal
 vocation. We're called to surrender our lives for others, not trample them underfoot if they oppose our point of view.


Why is that important? Because demonstrating mercy toward the
 neighbor is an imperative of our faith. Eternal life hangs in the
 balance when we choose to exercise or deny compassion. The
 great commandment obliges us to love God and neighbor. And if
 we want to quibble about the definition of neighbor, we only
 have to listen to the parable of the Good Samaritan again.


Good Samaritan has become a metaphor for do-gooding; that's unfortunate. The Good Samaritan is not a philanthropist spreading money around on his favorite causes. No, the Samaritan is 
a charitable guy in the traditional sense. He‘s a brave man who
 crosses clear social lines to rescue the wrong person: his enemy. 
A man who hates him. A man to whom he owes nothing, neither 
kindness nor sustenance. Chances are the fellow in the gutter 
would have let the Samaritan bleed to death had the roles been reversed. The Samaritan doesn‘t weigh that probability very heavily when making the decision to help.

Most of us can‘t get our minds around what the Samaritan does 
because we can‘t even offer an ideological opponent common 
courtesy, never mind spending time, money, and genuine com
passion on the suffering of a perceived foe. We have little practice with sympathy, much less empathy. The modern model is to
 be sarcastic, distant, and unconcerned. "Not my problem, not my
 job" is the mantra. Many of us don‘t even want to hear about the 
plight of undocumented immigrants, or gay bashing, or the intimidation of American Muslims, or the continued effect of racism and sexism, even when it operates in our church assemblies.

The Good Samaritan remains a rather lonely fellow. Yet the advice of Jesus is plain: "Go and do likewise."
"

My apologies for reproducing this much of it, but it spoke so eloquently to the issue. Politics does us no good if it can't be leavened with charity...

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In keeping with



the parable of the good Samaritan and the article about it that I reproduced today, here's a chance to put a lesson from that parable into practice:

Hitchens: I have esophageal cancer

Without agenda, without intent of any personal gain, prayer for the sick has always been a charitable act, a mitzvah, a kindness. That's the sort of kindness to show Mr. Hitchens now, in his need. Please pray for him...

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A true act

of charity. (Particularly when they weren't going to do it at first.)

Son of Hamas founder granted asylum in US

"The son of a Hamas founder who turned his back on his father's group to become a spy for Israel has been granted asylum in the US."

It seems to be out of keeping with the current mood of America, though...

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Such a good thing

Stephen Ministry

Few of us know what to do instinctively to help people who are hurting. We need help to know what is a good thing to do or say, and what may be even more hurtful and damaging. Caregivers need trainging...

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This had

just the smallest little sidebar article in the newspaper yesterday.

Multi-millionaire Kwik Save founder gives away his £400m fortune to fulfil his promise to God

One would think that this would get more press, but the media doesn't want this, they want celebrities, and terrorists, and murder, and celebrities, and disasters, and celebrities...

This is REAL news! Just think, a person who makes a promise to God and keeps that promise. A person who gives away almost all that they have (what he'll have left will still keep him pretty comfortable, but that doesn't matter) in an era where accumulating as much as possible is seen as a good thing. THIS is a good thing...

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This is a charming story


South African owners of camera found in sea traced

"A couple who lost their camera when it fell overboard from a cruise ship have been traced after a trawlerman hauled the device from the Atlantic seabed."

The first article on the Beeb that I considered posting was the finding of the camera. Now the owners have been found. How absolutely wonderful!

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Happy Birthday!

to Albert Schweitzer who was born on this date in 1875...

Albert Schweitzer: The Nobel Peace Prize 1952

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Is Jane really as nice

as people say she is? Robert Fulford believes she isn't...

Snide and prejudice

"Jane Austen: moralist or vicious gossip?"

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Now this

is definitely a good Samaritan!


Man about to donate 40th gallon of blood

This is really an incredible feat!

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Mercy

seems to be a term with which the California Parole Board is unacquainted...

Manson follower Susan Atkins is denied parole

"A panel votes to deny Atkins' request for release on compassionate grounds. She is terminally ill, and doctors say she has months to live. She is serving a life sentence for the murder of Sharon Tate."

The article talks a lot about what she was like, but what is she like now? Has she expressed remorse for her actions? It just seems hugely cruel...

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Can you imagine

what the world would be like if every one of us did something, not big and dramatic like this necessarily, but even something small?

New Yorker Trades Lush Life for Water Wells

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It's interesting

that the author feels that kindness and goodness are things that will make us feel bad reading about. Some people really do try to live lives that are good and kind. I guess those who tend to read these articles don't...

Good Times: What's the use in being kind? A host of benefits, it turns out.

And yes, there are those of us who don't think that unending competition is something that we're hardwired for...

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Instead of the film reels here

I should have a great, big heart...

Pixar grants girl's dying wish to see 'Up'

Pixar has refused to comment on this. They're not taking credit for a hugely genrous and kind act. Now, that's something you hardly see these days, when a donation to something usually gets the company's name attached to it. What a wonderful act of kindness. Kudos to Pixar. God bless them...

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