Sainthood Campaign Begins for Priest Who Stayed on Titanic to Pray With Passengers Instead of Saving His Life

A photo of the Titanic, thought to be the last known image of the ship, as she sets sail from Queenstown for New York. The White Star liner, touted as "unsinkable", sank in 1912 with the loss of 1,523 lives. (Photo: REUTERS/Christie’s/File)

A photo of the Titanic, thought to be the last known image of the ship, as she sets sail from Queenstown for New York. The White Star liner, touted as “unsinkable”, sank in 1912 with the loss of 1,523 lives.

Christian Post Report – A sainthood campaign has started for Father Thomas Byles, the Roman Catholic Priest who in 1912 decided to stay to pray and comfort the passengers of the RMS Titanic as the ship was sinking, instead of fleeing on a lifeboat to save his life.

“He’s an extraordinary man who gave his life for others,” said Father Graham Smith of St. Helen’s Church in Essex, U.K., according to BBC News.

“We need, in very old parlance, to raise him to the altar which means that the Vatican will recognize him as a martyr of the church. We are hoping and praying that he will be recognized as one of the saints within our canon.”

Byles was St. Helen’s priest when he boarded the famous British passenger ship over a century ago at Southampton, aiming to attend his younger brother’s wedding in New York.

Over 1,500 people on board lost their lives when the ship sank on April 15, 1912, following a collision with an iceberg, making it one of the deadliest disasters of its kind in history.

Byles, who had performed mass for second and third class passengers on the Titanic, twice refused the opportunity to join one of the limited number of lifeboats in the midst of the tragedy, and continued to pray with the people as the ship sank.

A website dedicated to the memory of Byles shares the testimonies of survivors who witnessed his deeds on board the ship:

“One sailor … warned the priest of his danger and begged him to board a boat. Father Byles refused. The same seaman spoke to him again and he seemed anxious to help him, but he refused again. Father Byles could have been saved, but he would not leave while one was left and the sailor’s entreaties were not heeded,” said Helen Mary Mocklare, a third class passenger.

“After I got in the boat, which was the last one to leave, and we were slowly going further away from the ship, I could hear distinctly the voice of the priest and the responses to his prayers. Then they became fainter and fainter, until I could only hear the strains of ‘Nearer My God, to Thee’ and the screams of the people left behind,” she added.

Agnes McCoy, also third class passenger, added: “I first saw Father Byles in the steerage. There were many Catholics there, and he eased their minds by praying for them, hearing confessions and giving them his blessing. I later saw him on the upper deck reading from his priest’s book of hours. Survivors, especially a young English lad, told me later that he pocketed the book, gathered the men about him and, while they knelt, offered up prayer for their salvation.”

After hearing news of the Titanic’s sinking, Byles’ brother, William, said that as a priest, his brother could not have abandoned the people.

“It was his duty as a priest to stay to the last. He knew his duty. He must have gone down with the ship,” Byles said in an article printed in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on April 17, 1912.

Pope Pius X, who was head of the Roman Catholic Church at the time, has also praised the actions of St. Helen’s former priest.

There are no known miracles attributed to Byles, while at least two are needed for canonization within the Catholic tradition. Smith shared his hopes that people around the world will offer prayers to the priest if they are in need, and if a miracle occurs, then the process toward sainthood can move forward.

Source : Christian Post

New York Islanders vs Washington Capitals Live Stream, Start Time: Watch Online NHL Hockey 2015

NHL NHL

Christian Post Report – The NHL is looking to expand has Las Vegas in its sights

With the regular season wrapped up, the top teams are left and the New York Islanders play the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center in the first game of their playoff series. The match is on April 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. PM ET.

Metropolitan Division rivals, the Captials finished second and won home advantage despite being tied on points with the Islanders.

Washington ended their regular season with a loss against the New York Rangers. Before that loss they won two straight games and had six straight games where they secured at least a point.

On the other hand, the Islanders scored a point against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last game as they lost 5-4 in a penalty shootout. They have alternated wins in their last seven matches to close out the season.

As far as their head-to-head battles are concerned, they met a total of four times this year, with the series split 2-2.

In their first meeting, the Islanders won 3-2 in overtime thanks to a John Tavares goal in the extra period. Anders Lee and Travis Hamonic scored for New York, while Alex Ovechkin tied things up on separate occasions to bring the game to overtime but fell short and Washington had to settle for a point.

The Capitals bounced back in the second game as they played as hosts, beating New York 5-2 with Andre Burakovsky and Marcus Johansson scoring early for Washington but was leveled by Tavares and Lee. However, three goals in the last two periods separated the two teams to give Washington their revenge.

Their third meeting in New York ended similar to their first meeting, an overtime win for the Islanders, this time with Johnny Boychuck being the hero for the hosts.

And just to prove how evenly matched these two teams are, the fourth meeting ended in a Washington victory, but New York also had a point as the game ended in a 3-2 penalty shootout win for the Capitals.

With close games in the regular season, expect a tight match in the first round of the playoffs.

For live updates, go to NHL.com. For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Ottawa Senators vs Montreal Canadiens Live Stream, Start Time: Watch NHL Hockey Online

PK Subban and Carey Price REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger

Christian Post Report – Montreal Canadiens’ P.K. Subban (L) congratulates his teammate Carey Price after their win against the Tampa Bay Lightning during their NHL pre-season game at the Colisee in Quebec City, October 1, 2011.

It is the start of the playoffs in the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens play the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Center in the first round. The match is on April 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET.

As the top team in the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens were given an automatic seat in the post-season and will now face Wild Card winners Ottawa.

The Senators were fourth in the Atlantic but beat out the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers in the final two places in the East as they, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins move on to the post-season.

In order to clinch their spot, the Senators won six of their last seven matches in the regular season. Despite losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa still managed to get a point after only losing via penalty shootout.

It proved to be vital as they won their place by one point over the Penguins and three over the Bruins. They are now prepared to face the best team in the Atlantic, the Canadiens.

Montreal also won their last three games to end the regular season and secured at least a point in their last five. However, if the regular season series meetings between the two are to be followed, then the Senators definitely have Montreal’s number.

The Canadiens won their first meeting this year, 4-1 at home behind goals from Brandon Prust, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk.

Ottawa led early in the game behind a short-handed goal from Erik Condra, but could not prevent Montreal’s comeback.

However, the next three meetings were owned by the Senators, who would go and beat Montreal 4-1 and 4-2 at home, before going to the Bell Center to dominate the hosts 5-2.

In that win in Montreal, it was Ottawa’s turn to make a comeback as they were down 2-0 at the end of the first period. Erik Karlsson scored twice, while Mark Stone, Marc Methot and Condra also contributed to complete the route and get the points.

This is the playoffs and the pressure is different, so it should be interesting to see how this series unfolds.

For live updates, go to NHL.com. For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Juventus vs Monaco Live Stream: Watch UEFA Champions League Soccer Online

Pirlo REUTERS/GIORGIO PEROTTINO

Christian Post Report – Andrea Pirlo of Juventus.

Juventus will host Monaco at Juventus Stadium in the 1st leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final stage. The match is on April 14, 2015 at 2:45 p.m. ET.

This will be the first time these two teams will meet which should be an interesting match-up between an established club and an up-and-coming group of players.

Juventus reached the knockout stages by finishing as runners-up in Group A of the competition. They were grouped against Atletico Madrid, Olympiakos and Malmo, managing to win three games and drawing once in six matches in order to secure second place by a point.

When they reached the round-of-16, they switched to a higher gear by eliminating Borussia Dortmund.

The first leg of that match-up resulted in a 2-1 home win for Juventus, but they truly made their mark in the return leg at Signal-Iduna Park where they thrashed their German counterparts 3-0 to win 5-1 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, Monaco won Group C during the group stages as they beat out Bayer Leveruksen by one point for the top spot while Zenit St. Petersburg and Benfica were eliminated from the competition.

They had three wins, two draws and a loss, including an important 2-0 win over Zenit in their last game of the group stages to jump to the top of the table in Group C.

In the first knockout stage, they were given a tough task as they were head-to-head with English club Arsenal, with many considering the Gunners as a tall task for the Ligue 1 club.

However, Monaco had other plans as they thwarted Arsenal’s home game by winning 3-1. The London club tried to mount a comeback when the second leg was played, but Monaco’s lead in the 1st meeting proved to be vital as they advanced after a 3-3 aggregate score, with the Ligue 1 team advancing due to away goals rule.

With a seat in the semis up for grabs, expect Juventus and Monaco to do everything to get that advantage n the 1st leg.

For live updates, go to Yahoo! For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Live Stream: Watch UEFA Champions League Soccer Online

Madrid Photo: Reuters

Christian Post Report – Real and Atletico Madrid continue their rivalry in the UEFA Champions League.

It will be a Madrid derby as Spanish clubs Real and Atletico Madrid clash at Estadio Vicente Calderon in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. The match is on April 14, 2015 at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Expect a tough and intense match-up against these two local rivals as they met in last year’s final, with Madrid winning 4-1 after extra time thanks to goals from Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Diego Godin scored early for Atletico who wanted to topple their rivals but Ramos’ goal in injury time set the game to extra time where Real dominated en route to their 10th title in history.

Now they meet in the early stages and have to legs to determine which Madrid club will move on to the semi-final.

Atletico won Group A by winning four matches of a possible six. They beat out Juventus, while Olympiakos and Malmo were eliminated from the competition.

In the round-of-16, they were tasked to face German club Bayer Leverkusen and they had to squeeze out a victory thanks to a penalty shootout.

Bayer won the 1st leg at home 1-0 but Atletico responded by winning 1-0 at home as well. The match was decided via penalty shootout, with Fernando Torres’ goal coupled with Stefan Kiessling’s miss booking Atletico’s place in the quarters.

For Real, they were flawless in the group stages as they swept Group B by winning all six games. They advanced to the knockout stages with an 11-point cushion over second-placed Basel, while Liverpool and Ludogorets were eliminated.

However, they had to gut out a win in the round-of-16 as they were faced against Schalke. Despite the German team losing 2-0 at home in the 1st leg, they bounced back to set a thrilling finish at the Bernabeu.

They won 4-3 but still fell 5-4 on aggregate to help Real set a match against Atletico.

In their last six meetings across all competitions, Atletico have won four times while the other two have ended in draws.

To get highlights and updates, visit Yahoo! For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Turkey Recalls Ambassador to Vatican in Anger Over Pope Francis Acknowledging Genocide of 1.5 Million Armenian Christians

Pope Francis (Photo: Reuters/Tony Gentile)

Pope Francis (R) arrives to leads a mass on 100th anniversary of the Armenian mass killings in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 12, 2015. Pope Francis on Sunday commemorated the 100th anniversary of the massacre of as many as 1.5 million Armenians as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” words that could draw an angry reaction from Turkey.

Christian Post Report – Turkey has recalled its ambassador to the Vatican in protest over Pope Francis using the word “genocide” to describe the mass killing of 1.5 million Armenian Christians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Francis’ use of the word was “unacceptable” and “out of touch with both historical facts and legal basis.”

“Religious offices are not places through which hatred and animosity are fueled by unfounded allegations,” Cavusoglu added in a Tweet.

The response follows the pontiff’s speech on Sunday at St. Peter’s Basilica to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian massacre.

Vatican Radio reported that beside using the word “genocide,” Pope Francis “noted three ‘massive and unprecedented tragedies’ of the 20th century, the first of which was the ‘Great Crime,’ the systematic massacre of Armenian Christians who were slaughtered because of their faith. The atrocities of the Nazis and the Communists, along with other mass killings, makes it seem as if ‘humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood. … We have not yet learned,’ he said, that ‘war is madness,’ a ‘senseless slaughter.'”

Armenia and others in the international community maintain that up to 1.5 million people, mostly Christians, died between 1915-’16 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, which less than a decade later disintegrated into present day Turkey.

The Turkish government argues that a much smaller number of people died, and blames the deaths not on ethnic or religious cleansing but on various clashes during World War I.

Turkey’s former ambassador to the Vatican, Kenan Gursoy, clarified, however, that the government’s decision to recall the present ambassador for consultations does not mean the country’s relationship with the Vatican has suffered irreversible harm.

“This does not mean that our diplomatic ties with the Vatican are over,” Gursoy told CNN.

“Since this is a situation that we do not approve of, as a first reaction, (the ambassador) is summoned to get consultation,” he added, arguing that the word “genocide” is a “one-sided evaluation.”

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian responded to Turkey’s protest by stating that the two countries understand history very differently.

“We are in a situation in which Turkey speaks a different language from the rest of the international community and it seems that it doesn’t understand that it is speaking a different language,” Nalbandian told Italian News Agency Adnkronos.

“During these past days there have been several international organizations that adopt resolutions or issue statements that recognize the Armenian genocide and that appeal to Turkey to make this step,” he added.

“The pope’s statement are in this context of universal value. When Turkey is able to understand this, it will be able to understand what the International community and big personalities (or better translations ‘leaders’) are saying.”

Armenian and Syrian Orthodox Patriarchs have asked Christians to remember the victims of the genocide a century ago.

“We invite the entire Christian world to unite in prayer at the Armenian Genocide and the Syriac Sayfo centennial commemorative events in 2015. We call upon the civilized world to recognize and condemn the crimes committed against the Armenian and Syriac peoples as well as other Christian communities,” read the joint statement last year by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, Karekin II, and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Mar Ignatius Aphrem II.

Pope Francis (Photo: Reuters/Tony Gentile)

Pope Francis blesses the missal as he leads a mass on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian mass killings, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 12, 2015. Pope Francis on Sunday commemorated the 100th anniversary of the massacre of as many as 1.5 million Armenians as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” words that could draw an angry reaction from Turkey.

Source : Christian Post

Praying That the Court Receives God’s Wisdom

Praying That the Court Receives God's Wisdom

 The Supreme Court will soon decide whether states can legally choose to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. It is a watershed moment in our nation’s history. As an organization, we have filed briefs with the court, argued in public and in private about why marriage, defined as the union of one man and one woman, matters as a social good, and more than I have space to list in one post. But beyond all this we as Christians and churches need to pray—because marriage is not just another culture war issue.

Christian Post Report – As Christians we know that it is not even possible for any government to actually redefine what God has defined from eternity. Marriage is about more than registering relationships at a courthouse. Marriage is about the common good and flourishing of society, but is also an icon of the union between Christ and his church, embedded in the creation (Eph. 5:22-31). Without a Christian vision of marriage, we have no Christian vision of the gospel.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/marriage-and-the-supreme-court-a-call-to-prayer-137098/

Source : Christian Post

Game of Thrones Season 5 Premiere Live Stream, HBO TV Details: Watch Episode 1 ‘The Wars to Come’ Online as New Season Opens

Christian Post Report – Game of Thrones Season 5 premiere takes place on Sunday night on HBO, and fans who have been eagerly waiting to find out what happens following the Season 4 finale will finally get some answers. Tonight’s Game of Thrones Season 5 premiere episode will start at 9 p.m. ET and can be watched on HBO or online through live stream (details below).

Tonight’s premiere will continue on from the shock happenings from the Season 4 finale, which left more than a few questions unanswered.

Game of Thrones Emilia Clarke (HBO)

Actress Emilia Clarke stars in The Game of Thrones on HBO.

Fans will be looking to find out what a more mature and darker Sansa will do in the new season. Also The Sand Snakes are set to play a central role in the plot for the coming episodes, and it will be interesting to see whether they move to take revenge for their father, Prince Oberyn’s death.

However, probably the question on most fans minds is what will happen to Tyrion after killing Tywin Lannister? Fan favorite, Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion has spoken out ahead of the new season, saying to Entertainment Weekly: “He’s in a world of pain and s*** when we find him. Obviously for good reason. But he has some people around him who convince him to get back on his feet because he’s sort of ready to end it, which is very un-Tyrion like. He’s ready to give up.”

The synopsis for Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 1 states: “Cersei and Jaime adjust to a world without Tywin. Varys reveals a conspiracy to Tyrion. Daenerys faces a new threat to her rule. Jon is caught between two kings.”

Tonight’s GoT’s Season 5 premiere has reportedly already been leaked online via a website in India. A website named “PromptFile” is allegedly already streaming the first episode of the new season to fans.

There is also a rumor on Reddit that torrent sites will have six episodes of the new season up on them by tonight alone. Some comments on the site are claiming that the first four episodes of Season 5 of Game of Thrones have already been leaked online.

Despite the leaks, no doubt millions upon millions of Game of Thrones fans will be tuning into HBO to watch the Season 5 premiere episode tonight.

Game of Thrones season 5, episode 1 titled, “The Wars to Come,” will air Sunday, 12 with a start time of 9 p.m., and can be watched on TV on HBO. The episode can also be watched online through live stream by clicking here.

Source : Christian Post

‘A.D. The Bible Continues’ Episode 2 Review: Series Continues to Stay True to Scripture

AD NBC (Photo by: Joe Alblas/LightWorkers Media/NBC)

A scene from the new NBC series, “A.D.: The Bible Continues,” which airs on 12 consecutive Sundays beginning Easter weekend 2015.

Christian Post Report – “A.D. The Bible Continues” picked up with the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the second episode of the miniseries on Sunday night, and used the gospels of Matthew 28 and John 20 to continue to tell the story of mass confusion and conflict.

A confrontation between Pilate and Caiaphas, set while Caiaphas is bathing, shows the immense power dynamic between the two. Not to mention that all of the Roman authorities are panicked by the “loss” of Jesus’ body, which they believe to be an open act of defiance. As the two men argue over what must be done to protect their honor and authority, Caiaphas’ ultimate fear begins to show and is masterfully presented by actor Richard Coyle. He is not in fear of losing his position but more in fear of losing his life at the hands of Pilate, whom he convinced to have Jesus killed.

“We found nothing, and everything,” the disciple John says before walking away from the empty tomb.

Chipo Chung’s honest portrayal of Mary Magdalene’s love, grief, and confusion at Jesus’ tomb is soon turned to an overwhelming joy as Jesus utters her name for the first time. Her face shows the transformation of emotions, and her trembling as she tells the disciples for the first time that Jesus has risen adds a layer of honesty in her storytelling. Chung is the one to break the news to Jesus’ mother, Mary, whose face visibly changes from a mother’s grief to the ultimate relief as she is one of two who fully believed her son’s words.

It was quite an undertaking to stay faithful to the Bible, but the directors did so … even having Jesus be present behind locked doors with the disciples and gone the next in accordance with the biblical text. Thomas (aka doubting Thomas) directly states what it will take for him to believe and seems to pout because he was not included in Jesus’ intiial interaction with the disciples post-resurrection. However, Jesus does appear to his follower just long enough for him to believe before disappearing again.

And, as politics are never far from the situation, the Romans descend upon the disciples’ hideout, forcing them to flee, but things take a different turn for the guards, perhaps showing the frustration that the peole felt being overrun and abused by the government. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus also appear willful and adamantly withhold the information the leaders demand. Even Joseph of Arimathea stands up to Caiaphus for his seeming betrayal with the murder of Jesus and the desecration of his tomb, and as he puts it, “You smothered a Jewish flame with Roman oil.”

These moments of chaos are directly contrasted with the disciples on a boat, fishing in the sea. They appear relaxed, tranquil, and the setting is more beautiful than the city that has descended into chaos. And Peter’s joy at being fully reunited with Jesus is a wondrous occasion, full of lightness not before seen in the series.

Adam Levy as Peter in NBC's A.D.: The Bible Continues (Photo: Joe Alblas/LightWorkers Media/NBC)

Adam Levy as Peter in NBC’s “A.D.: The Bible Continues.”

The interaction between Juan Pablo di Pace (Jesus) and Adam Levy (Peter) is a testimony to the acting in this series. Whilst Caiaphus and Pilate struggle over power and authority, Jesus gives his power to a not-yet-understanding Peter. It’s excellent writing and storytelling at its most complex, yet viewers must be prepared for CGI to become a regular part of the series as the Holy Spirit “joins” the cast.

“A.D.” airs Sunday nights on NBC.

Source : Christian Post

Game of Thrones Season 5 Premiere Live Stream Free, HBO TV Start Time: How to Watch Episode 1 ‘The Wars to Come’ Online

Game of Thrones Emilia Clarke (HBO)

Christian Post Report – Actress Emilia Clarke stars in The Game of Thrones on HBO.

Game of Thrones Season 5 premiere takes place on Sunday night on HBO, and fans who have been eagerly waiting to find out what happens following the Season 4 finale will finally get some answers. Tonight’s Game of Thrones Season 5 premiere episode will start at 9 p.m. ET and can be watched on HBO or online through free live stream (details below).

Tonight’s premiere will continue on from the shock happenings from the Season 4 finale, which left more than a few questions unanswered.

Fans will be looking to find out what a more mature and darker Sansa will do in the new season. Also The Sand Snakes are set to play a central role in the plot for the coming episodes, and it will be interesting to see whether they move to take revenge for their father, Prince Oberyn’s death.

However, probably the question on most fans minds is what will happen to Tyrion after killing Tywin Lannister? Fan favorite, Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion has spoken out ahead of the new season, saying to Entertainment Weekly: “He’s in a world of pain and s*** when we find him. Obviously for good reason. But he has some people around him who convince him to get back on his feet because he’s sort of ready to end it, which is very un-Tyrion like. He’s ready to give up.”

The synopsis for Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 1 states: “Cersei and Jaime adjust to a world without Tywin. Varys reveals a conspiracy to Tyrion. Daenerys faces a new threat to her rule. Jon is caught between two kings.”

Tonight’s GoT’s Season 5 premiere has reportedly already been leaked online via a website in India. A website named “PromptFile” is allegedly already streaming the first episode of the new season to fans.

There is also a rumor on Reddit that torrent sites will have six episodes of the new season up on them by tonight alone. Some comments on the site are claiming that the first four episodes of Season 5 of Game of Thrones have already been leaked online.

Despite the leaks, no doubt millions upon millions of Game of Thrones fans will be tuning into HBO to watch the Season 5 premiere episode tonight.

Game of Thrones season 5, episode 1 titled, “The Wars to Come,” will air Sunday, 12 with a start time of 9 p.m., and can be watched on TV on HBO. The episode can also be watched online through live stream by clicking here.

Source : Christian Post