Another site that I’m involved in writing on recently offered a debate on whether “no-kill” animal shelters actually help or hurt the pet population problem. At a first glance, it would seem that the answer is an unequivocal yes. No one in the debate offered an opinion on the “no” side. After all, “no-kill” shelters either don’t euthanize their animals at all, or only when the suffering is so great that it would be inhumane to leave the animal alive. There is a flip side to the coin, though, and I think all sides need to be considered carefully. “No-kills” are one part of the solution to the pet overpopulation problem, however, they aren’t THE solution.

In recent years, I found out first-hand just how few shelters and rescue groups there actually are in my area, given the population. The first case happened when I had to leave my home on very short notice and had to place a dog and two cats. Nobody was able to take either of the cats, so my only option was to take them to the local animal control shelter, which has a high euthanasia rate. Whether they were ever adopted out or not, I don’t know. At least if their lives were ended, it wasn’t due to being abandoned out on the street. A rescue group outside of the area had tentatively arranged to take the dog if necessary, but they could only travel to my area to get him if he had already been relinquished to Animal Control and was scheduled to be put down. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that.

The second case occurred when my mom and I found a mother cat with a litter of kittens that were born outside. Even though they eventually started to tame, everyone in the area was either completely full and unable to take even one kitten, or didn’t want them because they were “feral.” I was told by several people that our only options were to have them euthanized or to do trap, neuter and release. While TNR has been proven to work, neutering as many animals as there were (in this case, seven) is very expensive when low-cost programs are few. Two were placed at shelters, one disappeared, three stayed, and a home is still being sought for the mother.

Shelters and rescue groups in my area adopt out relatively few animals. I’m not aware of whether it’s because there aren’t enough interested people, the specific adoption requirements, some shelters not having an Internet presence, or a combination of the three. While there are many pet owners in the area, not all are interested in rescuing abandoned animals and many of those who are already have as many animals as they’re willing to care for. Limits on how many pets a household can own certainly don’t help much. Even though this may be the exception rather than the rule, I am aware of rescue groups that have adoption requirements so stringent that no one can possibly meet them. Another thing that hinders the adoption of animals is the fact that some shelters have absolutely no Internet presence whatsoever. A website and/or Petfinder listing can help increase the number of animals adopted.

Animals that are completely unadoptable can be a big drain on resources for a shelter. Unadoptable animals include those with such severe behavior problems that expensive training sessions would be required, animals that are openly aggressive towards people, or animals with severe incurable illnesses or injuries. Some rescuers adopt a philosophy of never euthanizing any animal, even if they’re severely and incurably ill. Such rescuers run the risk of becoming animal hoarders.

So, while no-kill shelters can be a help for pet overpopulation, for every animal that enters such a shelter to find a possible permanent home, many others will go to shelters where they’ll be euthanized within a week or so unless someone comes along that wants them. The no-kill movement has been a great success at reducing euthanasia rates in many cities, but it doesn’t address the countless animals that can’t be placed in any shelter because they’re full. Incorporating more shelters won’t resolve the issue, some other, proactive steps must be taken.

Reducing euthanasia rates depends heavily on cooperation between local rescues, pet owners, and veterinarians. One of the biggest hurdles can be the differing philosophies among people in the rescue community. For instance, one cat rescue group I know of has a director who has successfully tamed feral-born cats, despite claims that it can’t actually happen. Another group claims that feral cats can never be re-homed because they could only be barn cats, and they’re opposed to this out of fear of harm coming to the cats by being outside. Yet another group specializes in placing feral cats as barn cats and is quite successful.
With such differing philosophies and opinions, it’s no wonder that some groups aren’t able to work together. Rescuers need to learn to set respective opinions aside and think of what’s best for the animals’ particular situation.

Shelters should be flexible enough to provide animals with a variety of homes, while ensuring that they’re receiving the best care from their new owners. For instance, rather than requiring only inside homes for cats and having to turn away ferals, shelters could adopt them out as barn cats or as part of a TNR program. Owners with outside dogs shouldn’t necessarily be ruled out if they’re providing good care and the breed of dog being placed doesn’t respond adversely to being outside. Obviously, all prospective owners need to be interviewed thoroughly and provide proof that they have a vet.

A volunteer or two to put together a website for a shelter without one or to put up postings on Petfinder would help. Local communities should also have some sort of group that provides assistance to individuals trying to place animals on their own. An ideal community effort would be a group of people that can compile together listings on animals currently available in all area shelters, as well as pets listed for adoption by their owners. This would be a large-scale effort, but would help with a good volunteer base.

More needs to be done to ensure that free or low-cost/sliding scale neutering services are available. Female pet spays can cost anywhere from about $70 up to $150 or more. Not only do these services need to be available, but the local community needs to be educated on having any animals that aren’t used for responsible breeding altered. Many pet owners refuse to alter their animals because of misinformation or because they don’t feel it’s necessary.

Since many animals in shelters are owner-relinquished, the causes behind this need to be addressed. In some cases, it’s because the owner is moving and can’t keep the animal, or because of behavior problems. Owners who are moving away on a short-term basis could benefit from a foster care program that takes in animals on a temporary basis. I’m not aware of any programs like this currently in use. In the case of behavior problems, shelter workers can help educate the owners on steps to take to eliminate the problem.

While no-kill shelters have their good and bad points, they do play a helpful role in eliminating euthanasia. Hopefully, they can be combined with other programs and increase the number of animals being adopted, rather than destroyed.

While Pentecost (also known as Whitsunday) is a very well-known Christian festival, Trinity Sunday doesn’t seem to be quite as well-known outside of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. Many denominations don’t celebrate this festival. What is Trinity Sunday, and why does it have such an important place in the Christian calendar?

The doctrine of the Trinity during the fourth century was at the forefront of a major debate between competing versions of Christianity. Trinitarian belief had been a part of Christian belief since the time of the apostles. However, other groups had come into being that somehow taught different beliefs about the nature of God. Because these differing theologies had the potential to tear the Church apart, Christian leaders had to take a stand and define the triune nature of God. This lead to a stronger definition of the Trinity.

During this time, special propers honoring the Trinity were composed but not put into widespread usage. John Peckham, a monk who would later come the Archbishop of Canterbury created a special Office in honor of the Trinity in the late 13th century. In the 14th century, Pope John XXII designated a feast for the Trinity on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Prior to this, the Trinity had been honored either on this date or on the last Sunday before Advent.

In the Church Year, Trinity Sunday marks the start of the longest season known as Pentecost or Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time starts with Trinity Sunday and ends with the first Sunday before Advent, commonly known as Christ the King Sunday. In the Episcopal Church, there’s a little bit of interesting trivia to pick up here. While the 1928 Book of Common Prayer was in usage, Sundays were counted as being after Trinity Sunday. Now, they’re counted as being Sundays after Pentecost.

There aren’t very many widely known customs associated with Trinity Sunday. Some decorate with pansies, also known as Trinity flowers because of the shape of their petals. In the Eastern Church, Trinity Sunday is synonymous with Pentecost. Not only do the clergy begin using green vestments again, but the churches are often decorated with greens on this day, going back to an old Slavic custom. Old Germanic superstitions often held the weather on Trinity Sunday to be of particular importance. In many provinces in the Anglican Communion, the creed of St. Athanasius (Quicunque Vult) is used in place of the Nicene Creed. Attributed to St. Athanasius but probably written after his death, this creed affirms that God is one, yet eternally present in three distinctly personal ways.

While unique Trinity Sunday customs are scarce, perhaps Christians of this age can create their own special customs that will be handed down. Instructing others about the Trinitarian symbols of the Church (sign of the cross, Trinity circle, etc.) can awaken a new interest in Christian symbolism. Since we’re baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Trinity Sunday is a good day for us to consider what our baptismal covenant really means to us. There’s one thing we can do, too, that is truly important on this day.

Like the Christians of the fourth century, we live in an age where our beliefs are often disputed. Many other religions, such as strict Judaism and Islam, treat Christianity as a polytheist faith because a triune God can’t exist in their belief systems. Some groups that profess Christianity embrace polytheism, deny that Jesus is somehow God, or that the Persons of the Trinity are manifestations of Jesus operating in different times. In order to help others understand the Trinity, we need to understand why God has been revealed to us this way and how we can best explain it to others.

Trinity Sunday honors God in all His fullness. May we all come to appreciate the value of this holiday.

When we show reverence to representations of Jesus Christ,
we do not worship paint laid on wood:
we worship the invisible God in spirit and in truth.

Saint Germanus of Constantinople (634-732)

Marianne leads a special Patron Saint of the Year campaign, in which she helps people to discern their patron saint for the year. I have been very blessed by this for the last two years, and Marianne is also offering another campaign on the fruits & gifts of the Spirit. More from her:

To commemorate Pentecost, how about asking the Holy Spirit to look inside you, deep inside you and pick out one particular fruit and one particular gift that is unique to you that He wants you to pray about?  He may want you to develop this gift and fruit. He may want you to share this gift and fruit. He may want you to be an example of your fruit and gift. Only you and the Holy Spirit will know. You may have an instant connection with the fruit and gift that the Spirit picks for you. Or you may wonder what in the world is He thinking? Everyone’s will be different and everyone’s will be unique, just for them.

P.S. It’s still not too late to receive a patron saint for the year! All you have to do is request one!

Please contact Marianne at
mare54n@bellsouth.net

Cemetary of the Innocents Conflict

Regardless of whether one’s pro-choice or pro-life, there was no need for this. The Student Senator needs to respect the right to free speech. IMO, his actions were vandalism, pure & simple.

ASPCA Response

It’s sickening what some people do in the name of “art”

1 Peter 4:12-19

Contrary to a lot of popular teaching today, the Christian life is not an assured quick-fix.  It can actually be a very difficult struggle.  Sometimes it even seems like the closer you draw to God, the more the enemy tempts and assaults you.

In spite of the sufferings we go through in life, what waits for us on the other side makes all of it pale in comparison.  Doing good often leads to some type of suffering.  This has been seen time & time again.  It’s often said that whatever doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.  The trials that we face unite us to Christ’s suffering in a special way.

So, we should never be ready to throw in the towel because we face a lot of sorrow and tribulation at times.  Our difficulties are not some random incident without any purpose.  God will either shield us from our suffering or give us strength to bear it.  Let’s always be thankful for His gifts!

Much of the problems that occur in today’s Church stem from varying degrees of legalism.  While legalism is found in the Bible, it’s often hard to pinpoint it in a modern-day context. Legalistic thinking doesn’t belong to the realm of any particular group.  It can also afflict individuals in groups not known for legalism.

All Christian groups have time-honored traditions that are important to them.  Some have distinctives in how they dress or behavior.  These aren’t bad things in and of themselves.  It’s when they’re treated as though one’s salvation hinges on them that they become a problem.

The Pharisees, a Jewish group of Jesus’ day, kept the laws of the Torah and also added their own traditions to the observance of the Law.  A lot of these traditions lead to legalism, as faithful observance of the Law typically entailed following the extra traditions in addition to what was commanded in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Jesus had several clashes with the Pharisees over such things as healing on the Sabbath, which the Pharisees believed was unscriptural.  However, Jesus pointed out that the Law allowed for one to rescue an animal that had fallen into a pit on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:11-13) It seems that the issue wasn’t abstaining completely from all work, just what wasn’t necessary. This is an example of how Scripture can be misinterpreted to end up being more about rules than relationship.

At the Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15, a conflict arose between those who thought that Gentiles had to formally convert to Judaism and keep the Law to become Christians, and those who thought that the Law was only given to the Jewish people.  This was probably the first case of legalism within the Church.  The first group expected more of Christians entering the Church than God did.

In the end, legalism occurs when the trappings and rules become more important than why the traditions are kept. It’s very easy to lose sight of why traditions are kept to, and focus solely on keeping them. This is what we must avoid.

John 15:1-8

Growing grape vines can be a challenging, yet rewarding activity.  Fortunately, I live in a temperate climate that allows them to thrive if properly taken care of.  There’s watering, fertilizing, and harvesting, not to mention pruning and disposing of the dead plants.  It’s always somewhat discouraging, at least for me, to have to get rid of a plant that’s dead and not bearing fruit.  On another note, I’m sure it grieves the heart of God when we allow ourselves to become like dead grapevines.

Why does God have to do this “pruning job”? Why can’t God make us toe the line so it’s not necessary for anyone to be cast out? Simply, because God is God.  Our Creator made us with the capacity to chose the ways of God, or the ways of the world.  When we chose against following God’s purposes for us, we’re volunteering to be pruned from the rest of the vine.  We could continue to go on in a constant state of disharmony with God and still be in a state of grace, but grace, as a gift, must be freely accepted.  It’s not pushed off on us against our wishes.

Jesus tells us that God prunes each fruit-bearing vine in order to produce more fruit.  This can be a “hard saying”, as it seems to imply that trials and persecution actually happen for our own good.  We are, indeed, pruned by the trials we face so that our faith may be strengthened.  When our faith is strengthened, the good works of God are more evident in our lives.

Most importantly, Jesus reminds us that we can do absolutely nothing apart from Him.  Those coming from heavily works-based belief systems often question whether their good deeds are enough to keep them in good standing with God.  We can never be good enough through our own works. They are not a means of salvation.  Works are evidence of our faith.  Those who rely on works to save them, often in the form of dress, fasting and diet, financial offerings, or strict requirements as to how often to attend church are doing their works apart from Christ.

If we rely on the grace of God, and not on our own efforts, we can know the peace & security that Jesus promises us.

John 10:1-10

I’m sure that the comparison to sheep isn’t very flattering to many people. After all, sheep aren’t regarded as overly intelligent animals. Does this imply that followers of Christ have to leave behind their reason, logic, sense and be stereotypical “sheep”? Or does this say more about the Shepherd of our souls than comparing us to livestock?

Shepherds of Biblical times really had quite a job. Not only would they have to herd their sheep, but they’d also have to defend them against predators. Jesus defends us against that “prowling lion” Satan.

With all the imagery surrounding referring to clergy as shepherds and congregations as flocks, one wonders if this is a good example in light of the abusive groups around today. I think the text offers another example, though, that shows the difference. It’s said that the sheep who hear Jesus’ voice follow Him because they know Him. When we’ve given ourselves to Jesus, we can hear Him and follow Him. His gentle and wise shepherding helps protect us from the thieves and robbers that come to destroy: the devil and his temptations, false religious leaders, and any who would try to steal the abundant life promised for us.

How will you respond the next time someone or something seems to threaten abundant life for you?