Hope for the Governor?

1. Gov. Kathleen Sibelius of Kansas has signed a pro-life bill that would require abortion clinics to offer a sonogram and a chance to hear the fetal heartbeat. I'm sure this had nothing to do with the pressure from pro-lifers. Of perhaps she was feeling magnanimous after her pal, the infamous Dr. George Tiller, was acquitted of all criminal charges. In any event, it is a cause for joy. Dare we pray that this is a step on the road to conversion?

2. Further confirmation that many Catholics have assimilated to the world. According to a new Gallup poll, the attitudes of those who describe themselves as Catholics are indistinguishable from the rest of Americans on crucial issues like abortion. However, among those who attend Mass, the numbers are somewhat more favorable. How fresh is the salt? (Mt. 5:13)

3. More NDU stuff. Our new Archbishop made a brief comment about the NDU issue druing a TV interview: "they made a big mistake". The whole interview is worth watching. Interesting article about the student and alumni reaction to the King Herod University, er, I mean Notre Dame, fiasco. It's encouraging that 73% of alumni letters to the school paper are opposed to the President's appearance. But what does it say about the Catholic identity of the school that 97% of the seniors who wrote letters support it? Nothing good, that's for sure. Meanwhile, here's George Weigel on the whole mess. Cardinal DiNardo of Galveston-Houston has written on the ND matter. It's important because he's the first Cardinal to comment, and he's the new Chairman of the Pro-Life Committee of USCCB. It's also a fine explanation of the principles involved in this matter and in the other major controversy, the olive branch to the Society of St. Pius X.

4. I've been asked what I mean by calling NDU "King Herod University". I do not mean to accuse them of the murderous or licentious immorality we recall about the various Herods in the New Testament. In fact, aside from public offenses against the Eighth Commandment (for the patently false statements of their spokesman), and against the Fifth Commandment (for knowingly causing scandal), I have no knowledge of any immorality on their part. What I really mean is this. If you look at the track record of the Herodian kings, their defining characteristic was their craven sycophancy towards the Roman Emperor. That is the tradition I mean to refer to. Okay?

5. Amazingly, here is an article in the US News health section about how embryonic stem cells are obsolete.

6. Here's the best Hillary Clinton story ever. While touring Mexico, the best and brightest Secretary of State visited Guadalupe. After viewing the tilma, she asked her guide, "Who painted it?" True story. The best part -- the priest who was escorting her answered, "God". Sadly, here is the worst Hillary Clinton story ever. The Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, gave its Margaret Sanger Award to Mrs. Clinton. An award named after an evil racist advocate of eugenics and euthanasia, given by an organization devoted to mass murder of minorities and covering up the rape of children. What an honor.

7. That isolated, out of touch, medieval pope -- why does his popularity continue to rise? Because he leads us to Christ, and, like the Master, he is a sign of contradiction.

8. Okaaaaaay. Some folks in Holland are objecting to the EU symbol (twelve-stars in a circle) because they think it's in honor of Mary. This on the continent that decided to ignore Christianity in its constitution. Given the open immorality in Amsterdam, don't they have something closer to home to worry about?