We All Need To Face The Fetus

Each time pro-lifers have tried in recent years to treat the embryo or fetus as a person in one context or another, pro-choicers have responded by treating the fetus as a nonentity. When pro-lifers sought to ban human cloning, pro-choicers offered a counterproposal that would require the destruction of every cloned embryo—which they referred to only as "an unfertilized blastocyst" and "the product of nuclear transplantation"—within two weeks of its creation. When pro-lifers sought to make fetuses eligible for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, pro-choicers offered a counterproposal to expand the program's eligibility guidelines "as if any reference to targeted low-income children were a reference to targeted low-income pregnant women." The pro-choice alternative made no reference to the gestated entity until it was "born."

It's a strategy of denial. And this week, it ran into too much reality.

On the Senate floor, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., displayed a devastating series of pictures of murdered women accompanied by the viable fetuses who died with them. "The question is simple," Brownback told his colleagues. "Do we have one victim or two involved in violent crimes such as these?" In one case, Brownback pleaded, "Look at this photo again of Christina and Ashley in the coffin. Is there one victim? Or are there two?" In another case, Brownback noted that the woman survived, but the fetus died. "Any congressman who votes for the 'one-victim' amendment is really saying that nobody died that night," said Brownback, referring to the Feinstein alternative. "And that is a lie."

It's time we all faced the truth.

John Kerry's Catholic Record

Clearly John Kerry should not be allowed to recieve Holy Communion in a Catholic Church because of his public anti-life stance, but there is another reason that he should not be recieving communion.

According to a 1997 Washinton Post Article, his first marriage has not been annulled. The article states, "Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) has applied to the Archdiocese of Washington for an annulment of his marriage to Julia Thorne, the mother of his two grown children. Kerry and Thorne divorced in 1988; Kerry married Teresa Heinz, the widow of Sen. John Heinz, in her Nantucket home in 1995.

Thorne, who lives in Wyoming, has written a letter to the archdiocese opposing Kerry's petition. She could not be reached for comment yesterday. She wrote that she supports her former husband but is disturbed by the Catholic Church's process because she feels it demeans their relationship and their children. And she has written a blurb featured on the book jacket of "Shattered Faith," in which Joe's ex Sheila Rauch Kennedy blasts the church's annulment policy as unfair.

Then there is this from the AP: U.S. Sen. John Kerry broke his silence about his effort to annul his first marriage, joking on national radio today that the process can be confusing to non-Catholics.

He also poked fun at another Massachusetts Roman Catholic politician's very public annulment. U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II's ex-wife wrote a book opposing the annulment and has asked the Vatican for a reversal.

"Seventy-five percent of all the annulments in the world take place in the United States, and I guess the figure drops to 50 percent if you take out all Massachusetts politicians," Kerry said after being dragged into a discussion by radio talk show host Don Imus.

Previously, Kerry had only issued a one-paragraph statement calling the decision "a private family matter."

"It's one of those special Catholic things. It's like confession or feeling guilty about things you haven't even thought of doing," said Kerry, a 53-year-old Democrat.

For someone who wants to use his supposed Catholicism to win an election he isn't doing a good job of proving that he actually is someone who lives his Catholicism.

The French...

French Roman Catholic bishops have officially denounced Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ," which opened in France on Wednesday, as potentially anti-Semitic and a distortion of Christian teaching.

Fr. McCloskey Strikes Again...

With another excellent article. This one is entitled "The Seven Daily Habits of Holy Apostolic People." It is a good read for anyone serious about living a holy well balanced life.

Check it out here.

Christian Taliban? I Think Not

This article claiming that George W. Bush is just as bad as the taliban for promoting what is ethical and moral is the biggest load of horse feathers that I have read in a long time. 

Bush = the taliban:  I think quite the opposite is true.  If we open our eyes and look we will see that the ones who are promoting violence, hatred and intolerance are the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and pro-contraception folks.  If only people would objectively look at the damage that these things have done. 

Contraception has done nothing but pave the way for abortion (the murder of innocent children), the use and abuse of women, an increase in the divorce rate, and homosexuality being accepted as a valid lifestyle.  The survival of America, and society in general, depends on whether or not we accept and live traditional values -the very same values that the people who promote this sort of Bush = Taliban trash refuse to accept. 

May God have mercy on us all.

Am I Making You Uncomfortable?

Mike S. Adams, in his article entited "With Liberty and Comfort for All" discusses a recent situation in his workplace where he was chastised by his superiors for making people "uncomfortable."

Adams says, "Well, I suppose it had to happen. After eleven years of teaching at a public university, I finally got a call from one of my superiors informing me that I had made one of my co-workers feel “uncomfortable” in the workplace.  For those who may not know, the right to feel “comfortable” at all times trumps the First Amendment at most public universities."

When it first hit me that while in the office I could no longer talk about gay rights, feminism, religion, Darwinism, affirmative action, or any issue I discuss in my column, I was outraged. In fact, I got so mad that I raised my voice before storming out of my superior’s office. I never thought that the right of each university employee to feel comfortable at all times would ever actually be enforced against me here in the workplace (a.k.a., the public university).

But after I thought about it for a while, my anger turned to elation. Surely, the power to trump the First Amendment rights of others in response to “discomfort” is available to all employees, not just a select few. Since that must be the case (because our public university is committed to equality), I decided to make a list of every situation I had encountered at UNC-Wilmington where I felt “uncomfortable.”

Here are a few exerpts from his list of situations in which he felt "uncomfortable":

*My first year at UNCW, a faculty member in our department objected to a job candidate because he was “a little too white male.” Such comments make me feel really uncomfortable, being a white guy and all that.

*My second year at UNCW we removed a white woman from our interview pool in order to make room for a black woman. When the university forced me to discriminate on the basis of race, I felt really uncomfortable.

*My third year at UNCW someone suggested that we should reject a job candidate because he was “too religious.” It sure makes me feel uncomfortable when people say things like that.

*Then there are all the times that the name Jesus Christ has been used as a form of profanity in the office. That makes me feel uncomfortable. By the way, I am especially offended by the phrase “Jesus F***ing Christ!” I mean, no one ever says “Mo-F***ing-Hammed!” or “F***ing Buddha!,” do they?

How very true...I hope I this blog doesn't make anyone feel uncomfortable...wink wink.

The Pope On Sunday Sporting Events

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul says Sunday should be a day for God, not for secular diversions like entertainment and sports.

"When Sunday loses its fundamental meaning and becomes subordinate to a secular concept of 'weekend' dominated by such things as entertainment and sport, people stay locked within a horizon so narrow that they can no longer see the heavens," the pontiff said in a speech to Australian bishops.

John Paul criticised the "culture of the 'here and now'", urging Church leaders to "lead men and women from the shadows of moral confusion and ambiguous thinking".

The 83-year-old pope also encouraged Christians, especially young people, to remain faithful to Sunday Mass, saying the secular culture was undermining family life.

Amen to that!

Did You Get Your Share?

Awhile back I recieved a check for my share $143 million settlement is a class action suit against the music industry.  Now, don't think I am now rich and don't need you to drop a few pennies in my donation collection plate (on the right).  My share of the proceeds was $13.86.  I didn't exactly hit the jackpot with this, but thirteen buck is thirteen bucks.

Excellent Interactive Website On St. Peter's Basilica

This website is a great resource for anyone who is going to be traveling to Rome.  It is by far the best description of all of the nooks and crannies of St. Peter's in Rome.  It also has wonderful pictures and an interactive floorplan.  For those of you who have been there in the past, like myself, it will evoke many fond memories of the beauty and grandure of this place of worship.

Ordination Gift Wish List Updated

75 days to go...but whose counting?

The Pope On Confession

John Paul II noted that "the fruit of this sacrament is not only the remission of sins, necessary for who has sinned. It also performs an authentic "spiritual resurrection', restores the dignity and the good of the life of the children of God, the most precious of which is friendship with God. It would be illusory to desire to reach holiness, according to the vocation that each one has received from God, without partaking frequently of this sacrament of conversion and sanctification," that, together with the Eucharist, "accompanies the path of the Christian towards perfection."

A Young Man On Fire For The Truth

Responding to a comment by a professor in the religious studies program at John Carrol University this young freshman sets the record straight.  The professor was calling for a change in the Church's teaching on contraception, but Teddy Martin shows why the teaching cannot change, and why living out the Church's teaching is actually good for us. 

Here is a short excerpt:  For 20 centuries, the  Catholic Church has taught that contraception is a grave sin. In the first century of the Church, the pagans born in the Roman Empire universally practiced contraception, abortion, infanticide and polygamy. In contrast, Christians were to be married to only one woman, not to use contraception and they were not to kill their newborn children. 

So, what do we call the Church’s 2,000 year unbroken tradition which forbids the use of artificial contraception? 

We call this her Ordinary Universal Magisterium...

People should never forget the benefits that come from the practice of natural family planning. People who practice NFP have a 97 percent chance of staying together, while the national divorce rate in our country is now over 50 percent...Not only does NFP help your marriage last, it enhances the married couples relationship by teaching them patience with one another and a greater appreciation for God’s gift of Love. NFP will not only help the married couple, but its fruits will trickle down to the children and help create a holy family that reflects the true holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Get your free bumpersticker here.

Slapping To The Oldies

Flamboyant fitness guru Richard Simmons was cited by authorities for allegedly slapping a man in an airport who was poking fun at his exercise videos, police said.

Mr Simmons, 55, known for his tank tops, curly hair and exuberant demeanour, was ticketed for misdemeanour assault after allegedly striking the man across the face while in line at Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport on Wednesday night, police said.

"He apparently said, 'Hey everybody, it's Richard Simmons, let's drop our bags and rock to the 50s,"' said Sergeant Lauri Williams, a reference to a series of Mr Simmons's well-known videos.

"Mr Simmons took offence and said he had to 'bitch slap' him."

Darth Credible

A message from a distinguished professor from a prestigious university.

Lord's Gym

At the Lord's Gym in Clermont, Fla., faith is just as important as form, and exercise classes include gospel spinning, "praisercise" and "yo-god," all done to new-agey Christian music.

"We do see it as [a] growing trend," Peter Sikowitz, editor-in-chief of Men's Fitness magazine, told Fox News. "There are a lot of Christian gyms in Florida and California -- it definitely has a chance of catching on. There are a lot of Christian businesses ... more and more people are getting back to their spirituality."

The gym's Christian theme isn't hard to find in the décor. According to Men's Fitness, "a wall by the Stairmasters is covered with a floor-to-ceiling mural of 'Daniel in the Lion's Den' ... the steps are each inscribed with a different line from John 3:16 ... and the juice bar sells smoothies with names like 'Land of Milk and Honey,' 'John the Baptist' and 'Joseph's Surprise,' in two sizes -- David and Goliath."

Catholic? I think Not.

The above picture from an event called "A Gathering of Saints" makes me furious. 

Before I say anything, let me quote their website so that you get an idea about what they are all about:

"Interesting times? On November 2, 2003 no less than 50 Episcopal bishops laid hands on a bishop candidate whom God created gay, and thus walked into history. On November 1, 2003 the Church of St. Stephen in South Minneapolis threw open its doors for a glorious liturgy for all the so-called ‘objectively disordered’ women and men and the friends, families, partners and fellow travelers, and came they did. This was a first gathering of parishioners represented Catholic Churches in the Twin City area who have willingly identified themselves as ‘Inclusive Churches” – communities who welcome all women and men of all sexual persuasions. Imagine belonging to an inclusive church, sounds almost first century.

While the Episcopalians are leading the way, those gathering at St. Stephens chose well the day for gathering, the little celebrated All Saint’s Day that honors those who have gone before and whose lives have affected all of us. Once this flock had gathered, the opening hymn sung out praise for some of the many past heroes and one’s ears heard such wonderful names, name after name, some with a familiar ring; Bishop Lucker, Dorothy Day, John the XXIII, Steve Biko, Matthew Shepard."

Sick!  I cannot believe that an event like this actually goes on without the Archbishop saying anything!  How can this happen in a Roman Catholic Church?  They call themselves Catholic Christians, but there is very little in what they believe which would indicate they actually are. 

Granted, we do need to be welcoming of men and women who are same sex attracted, but we do not, and cannot welcome their sin.  If these parishes and these priests truly want to show love to same sex attracted individuals they would tell them the truth about their disorder. They would not perpetuate the lie that God created them with these attractions and therefore it is fine and good for them to act on these desires and even promote the lie that they have a "right" to marriage.

We need to pray for the priests and laity that are involved in this as well as for Archbishop Flynn that they will do what is right and have the courage to preach the truth.

A Plea and A Response

First read this letter to Archbishop Harry Flynn of Minneapolis/St. Paul MN asking him to stand up against unfaithful and might I say heretical priests and parishes.

Then read his response here.

I would love to hear your response to his response in the comments area.  Frankly, I am quite dissapointed in the Archbishop.

A Liturgical Note

ROME, MARCH 23, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum.

"The rubrics for Holy Thursday clearly state that the priest washes the feet of men ("viri") in order to recall Christ's action toward his apostles. Any modification of this rite would require permission from the Holy See.
It is certainly true that in Christ there is neither male nor female and that all disciples are equal before the Lord. But this reality need not be expressed in every rite, especially one that is so tied up to the concrete historical circumstances of the Last Supper."

Those of you who know me well and have heard me rand and rave about this will know that I despise it when priests feel as though they have the right to change the liturgy. They do not have any authority whatsoever to change the rituals and rites of the Church. They do not belong to him, but to the Church as a whole.

You can read the whole article (which also deals with one of my pet peeves - removing holy water from the fonts during lent) here, and another one from Adoremus here.

Amusing...

The Coming Persecution

Anyone who is watching American politics - especially within the legal system - can see a trend.  Namely, a rejection and persecution of the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.  I have been somewhat disappointed that there have been very few articles written on this growing trend, and so I was happy when I found these two articles.

The first is written by Russel Shaw and can be found on Catholic Exchange.  He says, "It will take the form of legal coercion undertaken with the aim of either forcing religious institutions to conform to secularist morals or else go out of business.

This isn't fantasy. A blood-chilling overview of what's happening was presented at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting last fall by the organization's general counsel. Just a couple of weeks ago, the California Supreme Court ruled that Catholic Charities of Sacramento had to include contraception as a benefit if its employee health plan covered prescription drugs. Similar efforts are under way in New York. Expect abortion to be added to the secularist wish list in due course.

Homosexual rights and gay marriage represent a potential golden opportunity for them. A bishop who issued a pastoral letter noting that the Church regards homosexual sex as a sin would be opening himself to charges of hate speech. A priest who refused to officiate at the "marriage" of two gays could be accused of violating anti-discrimination laws. The bottom line is withdrawal of the Church's tax-exempt status and its social marginalization."

You can read the whole article here.  It really is worth a read.  I was already fired up when I read this article, but then I found this little tidbit.  It is an account of a talk that Francis Cardinal George gave to a group of college students in Chicago.  He author recounts a section of the talk in this way,

"His most sobering comment concerned the status of the Church in twenty years. His foresees the Catholic Church being forced underground as in China (with less physical persecution). He argued that for example, a woman sues the Church to be a priest saying it is her right. She gets five justices to agree that it is a right. The Church cannot argue legally from a sacramental standpoint, because Roe v. Wade changed the argument from institutional and community to individual rights, as such the Church must argue on the basis of rights, and here has no argument. The Five justices decree women's ordination, the result is two churches. One a state sponsored Catholic Church and the other an underground Catholic Church. His actual timeframe was ten years."

Wow...this from a Cardinal of the Church.  All I know is that if there is a state church (schismatic) and an underground Church (faithful Church) I know which side of the fence I will be on and I would hope that all Catholics would stand up for their rights even in the face of strong persecution.

Actually, a little persecution probably wouldn't hurt our cause.  We know from history that persecution usually strengthens the Church and makes us more courageous in living the truth.  All of this talk about persecution reminds me of something I once (actually many times) heard Fr. Benedict Groeschel say.  He said "I will send five dollars to anyone who starts a persecution."  He feels it would be good for us.

What do you all think?

More On The Planned Parenthood - Nazi Connection

The Curt Jester points out some facts about Planned Parenthood finds its roots in Nazi ideals. 

Here are a few excerpts:  "I guess these pro-aborts don't know their history very well. Margaret Sanger the founder of Planned Parenthood was a prominent proponent of eugenics and forced sterilization. The magazine she founded Birth Control Review contained articles by prominent Germans (and later Nazis) in favor of eugenics. She also appointed Lothrop Stoddard as a board member of the Birth Control League (the forerunner of Planned Parenthood). Lothrop Stoddard was quite pleased with what was happening in Germany and even met with Adolf Hitler. His writings were featured in Nazi school text books. Of course Margaret Sanger and her racist views have never been renounced by Planned Parenthood and every year they give out the "Maggie", the award named after her. America was very influential on Nazi Germany's policies. Many states had forced sterilization policies long before Germany did and their leaders formulated their own laws based on California's policies."

Check it out here.

Carmelite Sisters Of The Divine Heart Of Jesus

Last week in my Spirituality and Religious Life class we had a guest speaker from the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart. I was more than impressed. She spoke to us about carmelite spirituality and how it can apply to the spirituality of the diocesan priesthood and indeed the spirituality of the laity. We are all called to be holy right where we are in life, no matter where that may be. I learned so much from here. In fact, I wish she were teaching the whole course! The seminary needs more people like her to encourage us to be saints.

Their website says that "Within the Carmel DCJ can be found the perfect blend of the contemplative spirit with a rich apostolate. God calls us to be "mothers" of Christ today. John Paul II has rightly called the evil of our present age the "culture of death." We are called to reverse this with the Gospel of Life through our very lives and by the care and love we give the children, the adolescents and the elderly we serve. "For what you do to least of these, you do unto Me." So, if any of you young women out there who feel called to this sort of life, this is the order for you, and if you know someone who you think would be a good candidate please tell them about this order.

Check out their website here.

What Kind Of Cross Are You?

You are the Corpus Christi Crucifix: The cross that bears the body of Christ is the most venerated of all the crosses. It hangs in the most sacred places in the world and inspires the faithful to contemplate the suffering of Christ.

To take the quiz click here.

John Kerry: Master Of Insults

"On Sunday, John Kerry showed up for the 10:30 Mass at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church at 10:41 a.m. (The church had roped off two pews for the VIP.) Adding further insult, Kerry arrived noisily, fully outfitted for skiing, not dressed for a religious service. Compounding the insult -- this time to all Catholics in good standings -- Kerry received the sacrament of Holy Eucharist, even though he's not considered to be a Catholic in good standing.

Kerry, who claims to be a practicing Roman Catholic (though lately he's been playing up his partial Jewishness), has consistently voted in support of abortion as both a state politician in Massachusetts and in his time in Washington. He has also spoken in support of euthanasia. He has stated that he disagrees with the Catholic position in both areas.

Under church law, Kerry's very public support of abortion disqualifies him from the sacraments. He is not known to be a regular Mass attendee. In fact, some Roman Catholics in Boston have in the past pressed for the bishops there to excommunicate Kerry for his refusal to accept Catholic doctrine and canon law."

Kerry's mockery of the Catholic Church, and realistically, every Christian Church is sickening.  

You know, I would be willing to wager alot of money that if he would have done this in a synagogue or a mosque the whole country would be in an uproar, but when it happens in a Catholic Church...oh well.  Catholicism:  the last acceptable prejudice. 

The same article also notes the rumors floating around that Bishop Robert Carlson of Sioux Falls, SD is considering excommunicating Senator Tom Daschle for his pro-abortion stances.

Ordination Wish List Update

Only 82 days until diaconate ordination.

Vampire Faints At Sight Of His Own Blood

Ha!

Speaking of Planned Parenthood...

Planned Parenthood has asked the White House to stop using the term "Responsible Choices" to refer to abstinence among young people.  Planned Parenthood claims that they have the exclusive rights to the term.  They use it to describe their plan of providing contraception to youth so that when it doesn't work they will come back and kill their children through abortion. 

Responsible Choices?  I think not.

Pro-"Choice" Bigots At It Again...

Here is yet another example of freedom of speech being allowed only to those who agree with the pro-death, pro-murder of babies organizations such as Planned Parenthood. 

Apparently the pro-lifers at the U of A are not being allowed to hang posters linking abortion to "Nazi and Rwandan genocide." 

Bill Connor, dean of students, rejected the request because he said the posters are discriminatory, incite contempt towards women who have had abortions, and could provoke a dangerous backlash.

"To compare a woman who has had an abortion to someone responsible for killing six million Jews is a little over the top," he said. "That really runs against our anti-discrimination policy."

Mr. Connor, let me point out that since Roe. vs. Wade in 1973 there have been approximately 46,000,000 children killed PER YEAR.  This is 10 times more deaths than the holocaust.  It appears as though it would actualy be justified to say that rather than being like Hitler, abortion providers and the abortion industry is worse than Hitler.

We must pray that this new holocause of innocent children will soon be ended.