Friday, January 30, 2009

Just Look -- And Guess What You See!

1. Well, well, even Sen. Barbara Boxer will admit, in an unguarded moment, that an unborn child is, in fact, a child. Kind of reminds me of Cardinal Egan's column "Just Look". Maybe Sen. Boxer read it and took it to heart?

2. Have pro-lifers "fallen into the FOCA trap" by centering all activity on that bill and not on the incremental threats like the move to revoke the Hyde Amendment, threats to conscience rights, etc.? I added my $.02 in the combox.

3. Katheryn Jean Lopez at National Review Online lays out the very scary lineup of anti-life people who have been appointed to serve at the Justice Department.

4. Beware this inaccurate, misleading, and very unhelpful story about FOCA from the Catholic News Service. The reality is that FOCA is a very serious threat to conscience rights; if you want to see the argument on this point laid out concisely, check out my post from yesterday on my official Archny Blog. If this story appears in your diocesan paper, please write a strong letter of protest, and you have my permission to plagiarize my blog.

5. Dawn Eden has an iteresting reflection on the difference between "chastity" and "virginity", in response to a professor who was restating the evangelical counsels as "poverty, virginity, and obedience".

6. The invaluable Fr. Thomas Berg interviews a stem cell scientist who analyzes the stem cell policy of the new Administration, and where the research is at this moment.

7. You probably read recently of the octuplets born in Los Angeles recently. Here's an encouraging story about how the mother rejected "selective reduction". In honesty, though, there are some very troubling things about this situation -- the mother does not appear to be married, she already has six other children under the age of 8, and she had all eight embryos implanted after in vitro fertilization. And we wonder why we need documents from the Vatican like Dignitatis Personae.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Nobody's Pure Enough for Moloch

1. Heh, heh, heh. The President isn't even pure enough for the Cult of Moloch, which is denouncing the removal of contraceptive funding from the "economic stimulus" package. Expect an auto-da-fe soon.

2. Our new senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, wasted no time in establishing her anti-life credentials in the Senate, voting against an amendment to the SCHIP bill to restore the Mexico City Policy. Meanwhile, Emily's List, the pro-abortion PAC, gushes over her. Have we mentioned that she's supposedly Catholic?

3. Remember, despite the rosy rhetoric of unity and consensus, we should keep in mind that the President isn't trying to end the so-called "culture wars" -- he's trying to win them.

4. I don't want to get into the whole issue of the Society of St. Pius X here, but what gets me is this. Lots of people apparently think it's wrong to have lifted the excommunication of the SSPX bishop who spouts anti-Semitic rantings about the Holocaust, because that behavior is so awful. Yet few people seem to support canonical steps against those public officials who persist in the manifest grave sin of supporting legalized abortion. (For a description of how those penalties could work, see canonist Ed Peters' blog). Odd, indeed.

5. The sad story of Prof. Doug Kmiec continues. Instead of publicly protesting the policies and appointments of the President he campaigned for, the professor is talking about how he might get appointed Ambassador to the Holy See. Please pray for him.

6. More hope for re-union with our separated brethren of the Orthodox Churches -- the election of Metropolitan Kirill as Patriarch of Moscow, whi is personally friendly with the Holy Father. On another front, there are reports that a traditional Anglican group may come back into the Church as a personal prelature. The Holy Spirit is a busy guy these days.

7. Japan has come up with a delightful idea to combat their declining birth rate: letting workers go home early to, well, you know…. What time is it?

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Tell the Truth about Funding Death

1. Remember, the overturning of the Mexico City Policy also means renewed US taxpayer funding for the infamous United Nations Fund for Population Activities, which has been complicit in China's wicked "one-child" policy, with its record of forced abortions and coercied sterilizations.

2. Here's a very savvy outlook on the political climate for the next big pro-life fight -- preserving the Hyde Amendment. The emphasis by pro-lifers on FOCA is all well and good, but we have to defend against these piecemeal attacks.

3. Nobody will ever be able to accuse Bishop Robert Hermann, administrator of St. Louis, of being mealy-mouthed. Here, he declares plainly that lax Catholics who have compromised their faith with the prevailing beliefs of our age are responsible for the state we're in. He also clearly states that our real enemy is not some temporary public official, but the spiritual powers (he obviously remembers Eph 6:12). My favorite line: "This is a great time to be a Catholic. This is a great time to witness to such a clear choice, the choice of Christ or the anti-Christ.”

4. Here is a textbook example of the limitations and dangers of consequentialist (i.e., the ends justifies the means) thinking. Note the impossible assumption of perfect omniscience (i.e., I can tell beforehand that torture will certainly yield the "greater good" in this case), and the blind eye to the degrading effect that sin has on the sinner, not to mention the creation of structures of sin. Look, we can discuss whether a particular interrogation technique constitutes torture; that's not what's going on here. We cannot hold that one may do evil so that good may come of it (see Rom 3:8, and Veritatis Splendor), because that way lies disaster.

5. File this story in the "Miraculous Power of Love" category -- a husband's kiss awakens his wife from a coma.

6. Here's another market sector that apparently needs stimulation -- the porn industry. I'm sure the unspeakable Speaker can come up with an explanation for this one too.

7. Just came back from Msgr. William Smith's funeral. In his funeral instructions, he asked his homilist to please mention the Memorare. In a touching gesture, we all prayed that wonderful prayer together. Could you perhaps take a moment and do the same, in memory of this great priest?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Hoopla and Reality Again

1. Amid all the media hoopla over "The Historic First Week" (cue the drum roll and swelling string music), philosopher Michael Novak has a less sanguine impression.

2. We keep hearing that the new Administration wants to reduce abortions. Of course, their preferred method -- promoting contraception and abortion -- is a scam that will only lead to more abortions, since the contraceptive mentality sees abortion as the back-up method. On the other hand, if they're actually serious about reducing abortions, the Pregnant Women Support Act is a good place to start.

3. In case anyone is looking for a concise summary of the 100% pro-"gay" President's support for same-sex "marriage", the new website MoralAccountability.com has the goods. Forget about the amorphous rhetoric that everyone can agree with, look at the actual record of what the man has said and done, what he says he will do, and what his people are committed to doing.

4. The appointees of the 100% anti-life President are so committed to promoting abortion (and having us pay for it) that they can't find the time to read the relevant Supreme Court cases. Here's a nominee for Deputy Secretary of State opining that the Mexico City Policy would be unconstitutional if it dealt with domestic institutions, despite the fact that the Court rejected that argument 18 years ago. Who cares what the law says when you have ideology on your side?

5. Well, maybe those condoms aren't as stimulating as Nancy thought they were. Now it appears that funding for contraception may be removed from the "economic stimulus" package. That still doesn’t erase the ongoing scandal of the unspeakable Speaker (see CCC 2484-87). Paging Archbishop Niederauer?

6. Vice President Biden (sorry, I can't say that without chuckling) has said that he will not be a "deputy President". Whew.

7. Richard Doerflinger of the USCCB was given a very nice award the other day. Nobody more deserving.

8. A nice article on Msgr. William Smith. Please pray for the repose of his soul, and that God may raise up more priests like him. I'll blog on him later today.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Not More Nancy Nonsense!

1. When they called it a "stimulus package", I didn't think they meant that kind of stimulus -- there's millions of dollars for contraceptives in the "save the economy bill". The unspeakable Speaker of the House defends this as "economic stimulus" because, you see, it reduces government costs by reducing the number of needy people.

2. Our government is once again in the business of exporting death, now that the 100% anti-life President has overturned the Mexico City Policy, and we once again will be providing federal funds to the international branch of the Cult of Moloch. Our Bishops respond. A Vatican spokesman puts it more bluntly, speaking of the "arrogance" of power.

3. Meanwhile, the 100% anti-life President calls on us to end this "stale and fruitless debate" about abortion. In other words, he wants us to sit down, shut up and let him do whatever he wants.

4. Still waiting for all those "pro-life" folks who supported the 100% anti-life President to flex their muscles to influence his policies (a one-day delay in the Mexico City Policy reversal really doesn't cut it), or at least to protest his pro-abortion moves so far. Holding my breath. Pretty much turning blue now.

5. A new website that is intended to hold to accountability those Catholics and Evangelicals who supported the 100% anti-life President, headed by Robert George and other worthies.

6. From the "News of the Incredibly Bloody Obvious" department: not having sex on the first date can help a woman find a good man. I bet it also decreases one's chances of getting asked out on second dates by perverts and losers.

7. Fascinating montage of photos from Fatima on the day the sun danced. If only there had been a movie camera!

8. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Msgr. William Smith, the great moral theologian of St. Joseph's Seminary, who passed into eternal life on Saturday. He was a holy man whose intelelect, wit, and holiness educated and inspired a generation of clergy and laity.

9. Blogged about the March the other day. I'm going to blog today about Exporting Death.

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Joy of the March

1. Hundreds of thousands come to Washington for the March for Life, and the media yawns (see here and here). Not that this is unexpected -- I consider media hostility to be kind of a "dog bites man" story. On the other hand, here's a great piece on what it was like to be on the Mall yesterday.

2. Meanwhile the 100% anti-life President wastes no time, re-affirming his support for killing unborn children, and likely overturning the Mexico City policy today. No change that I can believe in.

3. The 100% pro-"gay" President also spoke to the Holy Father and told him that he believes in the traditional definition of marriage, despite having previously told "gay" groups that he favors same-sex "marriage" and his Administration announcing that he favors repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage in the traditional manner (see here, down the page under "Support for the LGBT Community"). You really have to have some nerve to tell a whopper like that to the Pope.

4. Alas, we will have to survive without Princess Caroline to ridicule. Thus endeth the dream that never really was Camelot. I think it was Karl Marx who said that history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.

5. Just for the record, our new Senator is no prize. In her only term, Kirsten Gillibrand managed to go 0 for 6 on pro-life issues and get herself the coveted 100% rating and an election endorsement from NARAL. She's also been endorsed by Emily's List (the pro-abortion political action committee) and attended a candidate training session from them. . She's in favor of same-sex "marriage" too. And it's even better -- she's Catholic! Ugh.

6. On the bright side, 21 days to pitchers and catchers.

7. Also on the bright side, albeit a bit weirdly obsessive, is a hilarious re-working of the Odyssey, now called "The Idiossey", with our new President -- Obamacles -- as the hero. It's long, and has some vulgarity, but it's worth the effort. The one thing that self-important people can't stand it ridicule (trust me, I know).

8. Blogged the other day on my official ArchNy site on my son becoming a member of the Knights of Columbus. Blogging today on the March.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Hoopla and Reality

1. Now that all the hoopla is over, we can get back to reality, namely that the 100% anti-life President will soon overturn the Mexico City policy, which bans federal funding for the international wing of the Cult of Moloch. It may happen as soon as tomorrow. Whether or not it is tomorrow ("Welcome to Washington, pro-lifers!") it will happen soon.

2. Here's an excellent overview of what life will be like (i.e., very short, for some) under the new "abortocratic" Administration.

3. It's also worthwhile to recall the reasons to be skeptical that the new President will have an easy road ahead.

4. The coronation of Her Grace, Princess Caroline, may come as soon as this Saturday. Oh, let us peons rejoice!

5. The National Committee for a Human Life Amendment has set up an "Email Congress" page. Individualized emails are an effective advocacy tool, so adapt their form email with your own thoughts, and let your Congressional representatives hear from you.

6. Okay, this is really getting too close to blasphemy -- the new President as the Lamb of God. People need to stop and take a couple of deep breaths here.


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Change? What Change?

1. The Party of Herod has selected an anti-life Catholic to be its new chairman, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Still waiting for any significant appointment for a pro-lifer in the Administration of the 100% anti-life President-elect. Any appointment at all, even. Anything at all, really. Just throw us a small bone. Still waiting.

2. Okay, what is up with some people? They come to Mass presumably to worship God and to receive the Body and Blood of his Son who was crucified for our sins in the one and only sacrifice of our salvation. And within moments of receiving our Eucharistic Lord, they interrupt the Divine Liturgy to applaud a politician who can't even figure out that the very same Lord wants him to protect the least of His brothers, i.e., unborn children? Don't get me started on this.

3. Bishop Vasa of Baker, Oregon, lays it on the line: "if anyone says, “I love God” and still favors abortion, he is, to quote St. John, a liar". If only he were at that other Mass.

4. Jose Serrano, a lackluster (and that's being generous) Congressman from the Bronx, who has failed to distinguish himself by any public act (other than compiling a 100% anti-life voting record), now apparently thinks the time is right to risk being a public laughingstock -- he's introduced a bill to amend the Constitution to permit a President to serve more than two terms. Geez, what's next, declaring the One to be a god? Actually, some are sounding as if they're halfway there already. Others seem to be on some other plane of existence entirely. Four years of this is going to kill me.

5. The Vatican has issued its report on the health of the American seminaries. Most of the press has concentrated on the issue of homosexuality, but what jumped off the screen at me was this: "The trouble spots highlighted by the report include: ... faculty who subvert the Church’s teachings". Now, seminary professors of theology and philosophy have to make a sworn profession of faith in the presence of the bishop or his delegate that they believe and hold all that is taught by the Church (see Canon 833). For the very strong and solemn formula of the profession, see here. Can there possibly be that many seminary professors who would forswear themselves of such a serious oath? Wouldn't that constitute a very grave violation of the Eighth Commandment? And they're teachers at a seminary?

6. In one of his last official acts, President Bush declared January 18 to be "Sanctity of Human Life Day". As George Weigel writes, thanks, Mr. President, for all you did to promote the dignity of human life. Cardinal George, meanwhile has written a strong letter to the incoming President, reminding him that "we will consistently defend the fundamental right to life". Thanks to you too, Cardinal George.

7. CatholicVote.org will be running pro-life ads featuring our new President in utero. The Vatican is going onto YouTube.

8. The inauguration is at noon today. Mass is at 12:10. Gee, this is such a tough choice, I'm going to have to post about it today on my official ArchNY blog.

Friday, January 16, 2009

New Pro-Life Media

1. You must check out this website for a short silent movie about a woman in a crisis pregnancy, with some powerful Catholic imagery. Watch the trailer. I already bought the movie and I can't wait to see it.

2. Here's another beautiful pro-life mini-movie, using fetal photography and sonogram images. They've got some other great videos on that website -- check out the one called "Regrets", it took my breath away. The New Evangelization, on fire.

3. The Cult of Moloch and their allies in Caesar's government have sued to strike down the conscience protection regulations put into effect by the outgoing Administration. What I love is the headline, which refers to "Rule That Lets Health Workers Deny Care", and puts "Conscience Rights" in scare quotes. There's nothing like an unbiased press. And this is nothing like that.

4. If you get a chance, FirstThings.com is running some of Fr. Neuhaus's greatest hits. Definitely worth reading. This is a particularly good one, which shows his humor at its best.

5. You've seen the stories about the plane crash in New York, but I bet you didn't know that the Sisters of Life were First Responders. Check out the picture with this story.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Reducing Abortion by Not Reducing Abortion

1. Certain elements in the Party of Herod love to say that they are really trying to reduce abortions (not that there's anything wrong with them!) by, well, not doing anything to reduce abortion. What's amazing is that some people (e.g., several prominent Catholic law professors) fall for this bunkum. Here's the latest example of sophistry, the so-called "Prevention First Act" (S.21 (Reid)). It offers the usual "solution" of more funding for the Cult of Moloch (i.e., Planned Parenthood and its ilk), forcing hospitals to dispense "emergency contraception", lying about what "EC" does, and requiring health insurance plans to cover contraception. This is good PR with the credulous, but the reality is pretty grim. You know the way the contraceptive mentality really works -- it's "Prevention First, Abortion As A Backup".

2. At some point, the culture is going to wake up and realize that the problem isn't over-population, it's under-population. Of course, that would entail changing from a contraceptive mentality to a pro-life one. That's going to take some serious grace.

3. What religious group is conspicuous by its absence from the inaugural festivities? Catholics, of course. The new Administration selected four Protestant ministers to formally participate in various inagural events. Gee, do you think it has anything to do with the possibility that a bishop might mention marriage or respect for human life in an invocation or benediction?

4. On the other hand, they do listen to us sometimes. An interfaith group of religious leaders, including representatives of the USCCB, will be meeting with the new President to discuss banning torture. Good -- intrinsically evil acts (see CCC 2297-98) should never be an instrument of our national policy, as it has been on a few occasions in the past. Not only do such acts violate the human dignity of the victim, but they degrade the moral character of the perpetrators. Now, if only the religious leaders could find a moment to mention the torture and killing of unborn children while they have his attention.

5. Okay, now I get it. I don't have to pay my taxes until I'm nominated to be Secretary of the Treasury. Whee! Extra cash!

6. Helping us keep our eyes on the ball, as always, is the Vicar of Christ, who reflects beautifully on St. Paul's use of the image of the Church as the Bride of Christ.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Political Dissembling and Opportunism? Horrors!

1. During the Presidential campaign, the 95% pro-"gay" candidate insisted that he was not in favor of same-sex "marriage". But in 1996 he told a "gay" newspaper in a signed letter that he did favor legalizing same-sex "marriage" and would fight efforts to prohibit it. Hmm, I wonder what changed in the intervening decade? I'd hate to think that it was just political opportunism, and that he was just pretending to be moderate during the campaign so he could become the 100% pro-"gay" President.

2. Marvin Olasky, an expert in the history of the pro-life movement, provides helpful insight about how we've gotten to where we are. Having looked back in time, now look forward to the future of the movement by re-reading Fr. Neuhaus' great address to the National Right to Life Convention last year.

3. Here is a case study in feminism gone mad -- a deluded woman has issued a call to "say no to reproduction". So we have a complete inversion of values -- authentic feminism (and masculinity) entails embracing fertility as a blessing, so the person who is blinded by their slavery to sin sees it instead as a curse. The only bright side is that if this is taken to heart by the feminist movement, they'll soon pass out of existence, and since normal people will continue to reproduce, we really will fill the earth and subdue it (as the original designer intended).

4. This is just beyond belief, and too sad for words. An abortionist is soliciting funds so she can kill the unborn child of a mentally disabled 17-year-old, as demanded by the girl's mother. How many levels of depravity are here -- the rape of the mother, the crass cupidity of the abortionist, the brutal attitude of the girl's mother, everything. Everyone here is a victim of the Culture of Death and needs prayers.

5. Listen to the World's Smallest Violin playing "My Heart Bleeds for You" as you read Prof. Doug Kmiec complaining about the treatment he's received in the blogosphere. Now, there's no place in Christianity for hateful speech about others; we must pray for those who oppose us, not villify them. But we also must speak clearly about those who are dead wrong on the critical moral and political issues of our day, and who betray the cause of defending human life. Just as a reminder of how this can be done with humor and without nastiness, here's the best piece I saw about the thin-skinned professor -- a spoof letter by him endorsing Steven Douglass, the prototypical pro-choice candidate. Please pray for a conversion of heart for Prof. Kmiec.

6. New Yorkers, you know, seem to be, you know, catching on about, you know, Her Grace, Princess Caroline's lack of qualifications to be a US Senator. It seems that 48% of voters say she's unqualified, while 37% (who also believe in UFO abduction and Bigfoot, apparently) find her to be qualified. I think this means that 37% of the people believe she can find her way into the Senate Chamber and vote as a doctrinaire liberal Democrat. You know?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Abortion Extemism in Albany, As Usual

1. Well, this certainly clarifies things. Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith announces that at a time of desperate budget problems, passing a "pro-choice" agenda is a priority item for the NY State Senate. He added that the Legislature "must pass" the "Reproductive Health Act" and the "Healthy Teens Act. Perfect -- in a time of desperate fiscal crisis, the new Senate leadership bows before the altar of Moloch.

2. You MUST COMPLY with the Culture of Death or it will stop you from doing anything remotely good. Now the ACLU is suing to stop Catholic agencies from helping sex trafficking victims, because they don't provide them with condoms, emergency contraception and abortion. That's right -- they think the way to help exploited women is to facilitate the exploitation (i.e., contraceptives) and to raise the abuse to the next level (abortion). Thanks to the ACLU, all the compassion of the Evil One is on full display.

3. Okay, a media-savvy woman pulls a publicity stunt, says that she wants to raise money for a graduate degree by claiming that she is auctioning her sexual services to the highest bidder. (Of course, she says she's selling her "virginity", but if she's doing this, then that's long gone, at least spiritually) The salacious media of course picks up on it and gladly splashes it in the papers. Given the way our culture has been going, this will probably be the premise for a game show in the near future.

4. Yet another study demonstrating the link between hormonal contraceptives and breast cancer. And yet again, there is virtually no chance that this will be publicized in the media or that it will change medical practice.

5. The Episcopal Church really is in very sad shape. Their bishop of New Hampshire, who is openly homosexual and who is at the forefront of their revisionist wing, will give a prayer of some kind at one of the inaugural events. He claims to be horrified at how "specifically and aggressively Christian" such prayers have been in the past, and says he will pray instead to "the god of our many understandings" (is that the same God who is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life"?). What can you say, except that we should pray for the remaining Christians in the Episcopal Church.

6. Posted yesterday on my official ArchNY blog on our State Senate's new leadership and their unwavering commitment to abortion and contraception.

Monday, January 12, 2009

What's in Store With the New Administration

1. Doug Johnson of National Right to Life, one of the most respected lobbyists around, gives his assessment of what's in store in the new Administration. Rather than FOCA (which is not likely to move soon and may not even have enough votes to pass in the House), it appears that the initial legislative problem for pro-lifers will be in piecemeal attacks, primarily on funding issues (e.g., the Hyde Amendment).

2. There have been so many tributes to Fr. Neuhaus that First Things was good enough to collect many of the links in one place, along with links to many of his talks and books.

3. At first blush, it appears to be good news -- a baby is born who has been genetically screened to ensure that she does not carry the hereditary pre-disposition to cancer that runs in her family. On second thought, though, you get the subtext, particularly from this chilling quote (from a person who does genetic testing for a living, characterizing the attitude of parents): "Enough of this. Let's prune this out of our family tree forever". In blunter terms, if this girl had been found to carry that flawed gene, she would have been killed. This is nothing more than eugenics with a "respectable" face.

4. Let's see, let's try something different. How about a robust presentation of the truths of the faith, lots of traditional devotions, public witness by the new vibrant religious communities, and an intense Eucharistic emphasis? Hey, presto chango, and we get more conversions and vocations. On the other hand, we're still waiting for that surge of conversions and vocations from clown ministry.

5. The Archbishop of Dublin (who is embattled right now over the latest flare-up of the Scandal) is asked in a television interview if persons who do homosexual acts are engaged in an intrinsic moral evil. Unfortunately his response fell short of the necessary degree of clarity. It appears that His Excellency was fumbling to convey the important point found in CCC 1861: "although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God". But it really would have been helpful to everyone if he had simply said, "Yes, homosexual acts are always intrinsically morally evil".

6. What's really disturbing about this report on the pervasively sexualization of girls at a young age, is what is not talked about. Do people think that this is not at all connected to the extent of teen sexual activity? Or to the horror of sexual abuse of minors?

7. Well, we're one week into the new Congress, and already we can agree with H.L. Mencken: "Congress consists of one-third, more or less, scoundrels; two-thirds, more or less, idiots; and three-thirds, more or less, poltroons." Okay, it didn't take the whole week to figure that out.

Friday, January 9, 2009

In Memory of a Great Man, Recall His Journey

1. In memory of Fr. Richard Neuhaus, here is his essay on "How I Became the Catholic I Was".

2. Now you tell us -- one of the inventors of the hormonal contraceptive pill, has come to regret the "demographic catastrophe" that has resulted. When Church leaders warn warn about this, they are widely derided if not ignored. But when a scientist -- a member of the secular high priesthood -- says so, perhaps more people will notice.

3. The headline says it all: "NIH grants $2 million to study effectiveness of cell phone sex-ed soap opera". They won't spend a dime for abstinence-only education, but they throw dollars at nonsense like this. I wish I could get a bunch of federal money for some of my hairbrained schemes.

4. In just six years, the number of Catholic marriages in the UK fell by 24%, twice the rate at which civil marriages declined. We've seen similar declines, albeit over a longer period of time, here in the US. There is a grave vocational crisis going on, and it isn't just about the priesthood. It needs to be addressed by all levels of our Church -- from the pulpit, in the schools, and in families. Here are some good websites that are trying to stem the tide from the USCCB and the Knights of Columbus. Spread the word.

5. Yet another reason to be very leery of the idea of married priests. Of course, the real problem, as we know from the Scandal, is not a person's sex or their marital status, but the lack of virtue and susceptibility to sin. But here's the odd thing -- doesn't the Episcopal Church here in the US have a sitting bishop who did basically the same thing, except that he's now notoriously living with a man?

6. The solution to the energy crisis has now emerged -- using emissions from cremations to heat homes. Weird.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Nancy?

1. The "ardent, practicing Catholic" Nancy Pelosi has once again reaffirmed her support for dismembering living human beings so their tissue can be used (i.e., embryonic stem cell research). Paging Archbishop Niederauer?

2. Good summary report on the demands of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood and its ilk, for massive new federal funding by the new administration.

3. On the good news front, some branches of the Temple of Moloch are suffering from a funding shortfall as a result of the Madoff scam. Sniff, sniff, boo hoo.

4. Bad news about the teen birthrate -- it has increased again, after years of decline. Here's Maggie Gallagher's take on it. No doubt the establishment will blame this on the tiny abstinence only programs, and assign no responsibility to the massive "comprehensive" sex education programs (also known as "here's your condom, go have fun") or on our degraded culture. I know the answer -- just give the Temple of Moloch more money! That'll solve everything!

5. One of the tragedies of our age is the passing of the Church of England from Christianity into a state of post-modernism that is beyond parody. A minister in the UK has removed the Crucifix from his church, claiming that it is "horrifying" and scared people by its depiction of pain and suffering. On the other hand, here's an actual believing Christian (you may have heard of him, he lives in Rome), talking about how the Cross transforms worship.

6. The Bishop of Brooklyn has been the victim of identity theft by someone who used his personal data to apply for credit cards. That's an interesting new way to finance Catholic education.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Conversion Must be From the Heart

1. Here's an excellent piece by a woman who was adamantly pro-abortion and has now become ardently pro-life, demonstrating that emptiness of the most common pro-abortion arguments. Sadly, reason is not all that is necessary to convert people, although it certainly works on some. Overcoming hardness of heart and fear needs different tactics -- primarily love. But speaking the truth is a great starting point.

2. I don't know what to make of this -- childless adult women who play make-believe with realistic infant dolls called "Reborns". There has to be a core of unresolved grief from infertility, miscarriage and abortion here. So sad.

3. No matter how accommodating one is, intolerant fanatics will always hate the Church, merely because it's the Church and speaks the truth as taught by Jesus Christ. Here, hateful graffiti is painted on the walls of what is generally considered a "pro-gay" Catholic Church, because the Archbishop of San Francisco had the nerve to support Prop 8. This was foreseen, and we were warned -- see Luke 21:12-19.

4. News Flash #1: Study shows that for kids who already have good moral values and stable families, abstinence pledges have no additional effect on their sexual behavior. News Flash #2: The news media totally mis-reports the study: see here and here. News Flash #3: None of us are surprised by either story.

5. So it appears that the "Gang of Three" have reached their selling point (powerful leadership positions and some unclear kind of maybe-maybe-not amorphous "understanding" about the same-sex "marriage" bill), and the Democrats will indeed control the New York State Senate. Prepare for the worst -- Tom Duane is going to be Chairperson of the Senate Health Committee and Eric Schneidermann will head Codes. St. Joan of Arc, pray for us.

6. You may have asked yourself the burning question, "Will there be lawyers in heaven?" (You may also have asked yourself questions about lawyers burning in that other place, but that's for another time) Anyway, the answer is: maybe. Hey, come on. You were expecting a clear answer from a lawyer?

7. Posting later today at my official ArchNY blog on "Sorry, Mr. Obama, you're no Lincoln".

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

More Anti-Life Appointments

1. Personnel is policy, yet again. The 100% anti-life President-elect will appoint Dawn Johnsen, a former legal director for NARAL, to a key position in the Justice Department. The tragic irony is that she bitterly denounced the Bush Administration's torture policies and called for public outrage, yet she openly advocates for the torture and murder of the unborn and personally benefits from those crimes against humanity, and expects plaudits.

2. Pro-life leaders assess the policies of the outgoing Bush Administration. In my opinion, we are seeing the departure of the most pro-life Administration since 1973, only to be replaced by the most anti-life Administration we may ever see.

3. Our laws on abortion continue to be at odds with public opinion. In yet another survey, this time commissioned by the USCCB, 82% would outlaw or limit abortion, and only 9% believe that the law should be as it currently is (i.e., legal through all nine months of pregnancy for any reason whatsoever). At times like these, we need to re-read the Declaration of Independence, and remind people of our right and duty to alter our Government and its laws when it becomes abusive of inalienable rights.

4. Working with this public opinion to change the culture from the grassroots is a crucial part of the pro-life movement, as reflected in this piece from Our Sunday Visitor.

5. The odious Al Franken appears to have won the dubious recount for the Minnesota US Senate seat. I have very, very, very, very low expectations for politicians, but it's really rare for a high office to be held by such a vulgar and reprehensible person, who is an anti-Catholic to boot. Ugh.

6. Okay, go figure. Some folks in Greece have revived the worship of the ancient "gods". I can see Dionysus being attractive to the hedonist in us all, but Zeus? I recall Chesterton saying that "The first effect of not believing in God is to believe in anything."

Monday, January 5, 2009

Seduced by Evil

1. The Evil One appears in many disguises to lure people to his standard. In the case of the Kennedy family, he came under the appearance of three "Catholic" theologians who convinced them that they could abandon the cause of Christ and worship Moloch instead. 50 million dead children later, and the millstones are getting heavier and heavier. Please pray for the reawakening of authentic faith in these poor people.

2. Meanwhile, the Evil One looks back over the year 2008, and pronounces it to have been a good one for him. Hard to disagree with the assessment.

3. Nice profile of the Friars of the Atonement in the New York Times.

4. Now the repulsive rag, The Village Voice, finally has absolutely no redeeming qualities -- they've laid off pro-life hero Nat Hentoff. I guess they needed more space for ads for prostitutes.

5. Reading Pope Benedict's Christmas Eve homily is a beautiful way to end the Christmas season (since, no matter what the Liturgical Calendar says, tomorrow is still the Epiphany).

6. Posted yesterday at my official ArchNY blog on our "Catholic" congressional representatives.