Gravely Wicked

1. "Gravely wicked". That's how Robert George described the murder of George Tiller, and nothing more needs to be said. It is also a reminder to us all of Our Lords's warning in Luke 12:20. The killer apparently was known to favor the murder of abortion doctors. Did any of this troubled man's brothers and sisters in Christ do anything to convince him that he was on the path to destruction, and that he should turn away from those sinful beliefs? Please pray for everyone involved in this tragedy.

2. Nat Hentoff calls on the President to live up to his words about "reducing the number of women seeking abortion". The Catholic Key (the blog for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph) wonders when the President's Catholic supporters will do the same.

3. I sent this out last week, but it's such a must-read that I'm doing it again. Robert George, in "Obama and his Pro-Life Apologists", diagnoses the President's position with surgical precision -- the President doesn't think that unborn children have any rights the law is bound to respect, and he doesn't think that abortion is wrong but instead views it as a legitimate solution to the problem of an unwanted pregnancy. The challenge of finding "common ground" will have to face those facts.

4. The National Organization for Marriage kicks off its campaign on same-sex "marriage" here in NY, generates lots of phone calls to senators. Maggie Gallagher gives an overview of the religious liberty issues involved in same-sex "marriage". Another rally on our side, this time in Buffalo.

5. Rich guy in Colorado spends millions to influence local political races in other states, including setting up phony organizations to run misleading attack ads. You expect outrage? Horror? Calls for reform? Silly you, of course not -- he's doing it to support "gay rights" and to "punish the wicked" (his words), namely those who support real marriage.

6. The modern face of anti-Catholicism. Frances Kissling (yes, the awful abortion apologist) asks the question "Are Six Catholics Too Much for the Supreme Court". The answer is, not if one if them is only a nominal Catholic. So, the converse of that reasoning is that "faithful, practicing Catholics need not apply". So much for the Religious Test Clause (Article VI of the Constitution). The bigotry isn't just directed at us Catholics. Same-sex "marriage" supporters are still going after the Mormons.

7. Interesting article about Notre Dame's struggle to find its Catholic identity. Nice coverage of the views of the pro-life and devout students.

8. The number of euthanasia cases in Holland rose by more than 10% last year.

9. The Diocese of Bridgeport, has sued the State of Connecticut to head off an investigation into alleged "lobbying" activity -- defending the real definition of marriage and defending the Church against a bill to take Catholic parishes out of the control of bishops. In the bureaucratic state of all-intrusive regulations, it is very, very difficult to evade the reach of the government into your life.