1. The President is backing away from the Freedom of Choice Act, says he wants to work on ways to reduce abortions. Here's his answer at the press conference last night. That's one campaign promise we're glad he's willing to break. Sure would be nice, though, if he supported the Pregnant Women's Support Act or pledged to keep abortion out of his health insurance plan.
2. Another take on waterboarding and torture, this time from a contributor to National Review Online. Mary DeTurris Poust points out the obvious but unspoken truth -- the corrosive attitude towards human life didn't start with torture, it started with abortion.
3. Ambassador Glendon's daughter explains her mother's decision to decline the NDU award, in response to the typical and expected character attacks. Meanwhile, NDU apparently couldn't find anyone willing to accept their medal this year. Instead a past recipient will give a speech. Here's what the President will wear that day -- NDU robes with the crest of the University, including a cross, an image reflecting Mary's title as "Star of the Sea", and words "Vita, Spes, Dulcedo" from the Salve Regina. Nice.
4. Abortion is a principal American export these days.
5. New Hampshire moves towards same-sex "marriage". Apparently virtually no religious liberty protections in the bill, beyond an exemption for clergy who don't want to officiate (not much of a protection -- the First Amendment would certainly cover that already). Meanwhile, see this hard-hitting new video ad from the National Organization for Marriage.
6. More verbal engineering on cloning and stem cell research.
7. I'm just mystified by some parts of the "Catholic press". Here's Catholic News Service's re-telling of a Observatore Romano editorial, in which they claim that the new Administration's first 100 days have brought "no radical changes" (original editorial translated here). They claim that the new stem cell policy is not the radical change that was feared, and don't even mention the Mexico City Policy, the huge increases in "family planning" funding in the budget, or the uniformly and radically pro-abortion appointments to policy positions. The worst part is that they claim to see a positive note in the introduction of the Pregnant Women's Support Act -- apparently not aware that the Administration did not introduce it, has not supported it, and the President voted against key parts of the bill when he was a Senator. So, give him credit for things he didn't do, and assign no responsibility for things he did do. Not only bad journalism, but how is that "Catholic" journalism?
8. On the other hand, CNS does a nice job describing the Holy Father's visit to the earthquake victims in L'Aquila.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Armchair Psychoanalysis
1. Gov. David Paterson does some bizarre psychoanalysis on opponents of same-sex "marriage", calls us guilt-ridden. There's a healthy contribution to the debate. Thanks, Gov!
2. Meanwhile, the no-doubt guilt-ridden Bishop Tobin of Providence is calling for Catholics to end their apathy on preserving marriage.
3. In the spirit of Gov. Paterson, you should also be aware that opposition to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia is considered to be not rational, but just some kind of "moral intuition". And people wonder why Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict have emphasized both faith and reason as the foundation of Christianity.
4. We Catholics need to be clear about the intrinsic evil of torture, regardless of who does it or what "good" may come of it. Here are two good resources for that: here and here. This discussion is going to be more and more important in the public square, and it is crucial that Christians give public witness.
5. The "Catholic News Service" continues to publish the column of Prof. Doug Kmiec, which are having less and less to do with authentic Catholic teaching, and more and more with shilling for the Administration's anti-life policies. His latest effort brought a stinging response from Cardinal Rigali, chairman of the bishops' pro-life committee, for its false claims about the President's stem cell policies.
6. 53 bishops, including 3 cardinals have spoken out on the NDU commencement scandal. The President responds to the decision by Ambassador Glendon (it's buried at the bottom of the story).
7. Well, at least now there's a vacancy in the Governor's mansion in Kansas. Maybe under the next guy mass killers of unborn children won't be so welcome. Sadly, they now have yet another powerful friend in Washington. Now, the next question -- Sen. Brownback, what were you thinking, voting "yes" for a woman responsible for this moral catastrophe. Shame on you.
8. On that same topic of Gov. Sebelius, in case you want to get a good look at the kind of "respectable" anti-Catholic bigotry we'll be hearing a lot more of, check out this column from the LA Times.
9. Blogged yesterday about the drama of the daily Mass readings this week. Blogging today about torture.
2. Meanwhile, the no-doubt guilt-ridden Bishop Tobin of Providence is calling for Catholics to end their apathy on preserving marriage.
3. In the spirit of Gov. Paterson, you should also be aware that opposition to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia is considered to be not rational, but just some kind of "moral intuition". And people wonder why Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict have emphasized both faith and reason as the foundation of Christianity.
4. We Catholics need to be clear about the intrinsic evil of torture, regardless of who does it or what "good" may come of it. Here are two good resources for that: here and here. This discussion is going to be more and more important in the public square, and it is crucial that Christians give public witness.
5. The "Catholic News Service" continues to publish the column of Prof. Doug Kmiec, which are having less and less to do with authentic Catholic teaching, and more and more with shilling for the Administration's anti-life policies. His latest effort brought a stinging response from Cardinal Rigali, chairman of the bishops' pro-life committee, for its false claims about the President's stem cell policies.
6. 53 bishops, including 3 cardinals have spoken out on the NDU commencement scandal. The President responds to the decision by Ambassador Glendon (it's buried at the bottom of the story).
7. Well, at least now there's a vacancy in the Governor's mansion in Kansas. Maybe under the next guy mass killers of unborn children won't be so welcome. Sadly, they now have yet another powerful friend in Washington. Now, the next question -- Sen. Brownback, what were you thinking, voting "yes" for a woman responsible for this moral catastrophe. Shame on you.
8. On that same topic of Gov. Sebelius, in case you want to get a good look at the kind of "respectable" anti-Catholic bigotry we'll be hearing a lot more of, check out this column from the LA Times.
9. Blogged yesterday about the drama of the daily Mass readings this week. Blogging today about torture.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Catholic Witness -- More
1. NDU is apparently completely unaffected by Mary Ann Glendon's presumably unprecedented declination of their honor. Ho-hum, just another day at the Golden Dome. So they just issue a two-line press release, and claim blandly that they will find some other worthy recipient to re-gift the award to. Let's see, who would fit in with the tenor of the event -- Doug Kmiec? Joe Biden? Caroline Kennedy? Nancy Pelosi? Tom Daschle? Kathleen Sebelius? Is Mario Cuomo still alive? What about Justice Roger Brooke Taney? Really, what Catholic with any self-respect would accept the award under these circumstances?
2. This is a long but excellent summation of the significance of Ambassador Glendon's decision.
3. Some interesting background on the Catholicity of the students at NDU. There's way too much puffery in the article, and no hard questions about the Catholicity of the faculty (McBrien? Never heard of him!). I can see this article being sent to nervous Cathoilc parents in next year's recruitment package to allay their fears and ease the transfer of tuition funds to the university's accounts. Still, it's nice to see orthodox Catholic kids being given positive treatment in the media.
4. On the other hand, we have the sad case of Gov. Sebelius, who has conformed herself to the Culture of Death, and who now will be rewarded by Caesar for it.
5. Kathryn Jean Lopez on the bizarre approval our culture gives to porn, despite the clear harm it does to people.
6. Fascinating account of Cardinal George's recent conversation with the President. The President, like most politicians, insists that he agrees with everyone, and everyone agrees with him, even when they actually disagree.
7. The Brave New World advances further. Now there's a clinic in the UK that is storing humans in the embryonic stage of development, so their parents can use them as spare parts. Utilitarianism marches on. Oh, but don't worry, we can trust Congress not to consider funding the cloning of human beings. Not.
8. Some people have claimed that I'm unduly partisan, and that I never agree with the Administration. Well, here's something I agree with: "Biden conceded his loose tongue makes him ripe for parody and said good-naturedly that 'much of the ridicule of me is well deserved.'" I certainly agree with that.
9. Another fallen warrior who fought the good fight -- John Marchi, long time State Senator from Staten Island. See here and here.
10. Blogged yesterday about Mary Ann Glendon, and also about John Marchi -- "Public Catholicism As It Should Be".
2. This is a long but excellent summation of the significance of Ambassador Glendon's decision.
3. Some interesting background on the Catholicity of the students at NDU. There's way too much puffery in the article, and no hard questions about the Catholicity of the faculty (McBrien? Never heard of him!). I can see this article being sent to nervous Cathoilc parents in next year's recruitment package to allay their fears and ease the transfer of tuition funds to the university's accounts. Still, it's nice to see orthodox Catholic kids being given positive treatment in the media.
4. On the other hand, we have the sad case of Gov. Sebelius, who has conformed herself to the Culture of Death, and who now will be rewarded by Caesar for it.
5. Kathryn Jean Lopez on the bizarre approval our culture gives to porn, despite the clear harm it does to people.
6. Fascinating account of Cardinal George's recent conversation with the President. The President, like most politicians, insists that he agrees with everyone, and everyone agrees with him, even when they actually disagree.
7. The Brave New World advances further. Now there's a clinic in the UK that is storing humans in the embryonic stage of development, so their parents can use them as spare parts. Utilitarianism marches on. Oh, but don't worry, we can trust Congress not to consider funding the cloning of human beings. Not.
8. Some people have claimed that I'm unduly partisan, and that I never agree with the Administration. Well, here's something I agree with: "Biden conceded his loose tongue makes him ripe for parody and said good-naturedly that 'much of the ridicule of me is well deserved.'" I certainly agree with that.
9. Another fallen warrior who fought the good fight -- John Marchi, long time State Senator from Staten Island. See here and here.
10. Blogged yesterday about Mary Ann Glendon, and also about John Marchi -- "Public Catholicism As It Should Be".
Monday, April 27, 2009
Catholic Witness -- For Real
1. This is major, major news -- Mary Ann Glendon is turning down her award from NDU and will not appear at the commencement. Now that is the public witness we expect from authentic Catholics. God bless her!!
2. Jennifer Roback Morse dissects the Iowa marriage decision -- there is no such thing as real marriage any more, only "The Institution Formerly Known as Marriage".
3. The next step in conscience threats to medical staff -- forcing them to participate in offensive activity.
4. Support grows for the authentic "abortion reduction" bill, the Pregnant Women Support Act. If the Administration and Congressional leadership are serious about reducing abortion, this will be a test. Watch to see if they try to stuff more money for contraceptives into the bill.
5. In case you're wondering if the First Commandment is still "relevant" to the modern age, see this new picture of the President.
6. Interesting article about opposition to same-sex "marriage" from the African American religious community, focusing on Senate Majority Leader Smith's own congregation.
7. Weird, weird, weird. A woman has written a book decrying what she sees as our culture's "obsession with virginity". I guess she was really looking at the Parallel Universe version of the United States, you know, like the one in the comic books where Superman is actually evil. Weird.
2. Jennifer Roback Morse dissects the Iowa marriage decision -- there is no such thing as real marriage any more, only "The Institution Formerly Known as Marriage".
3. The next step in conscience threats to medical staff -- forcing them to participate in offensive activity.
4. Support grows for the authentic "abortion reduction" bill, the Pregnant Women Support Act. If the Administration and Congressional leadership are serious about reducing abortion, this will be a test. Watch to see if they try to stuff more money for contraceptives into the bill.
5. In case you're wondering if the First Commandment is still "relevant" to the modern age, see this new picture of the President.
6. Interesting article about opposition to same-sex "marriage" from the African American religious community, focusing on Senate Majority Leader Smith's own congregation.
7. Weird, weird, weird. A woman has written a book decrying what she sees as our culture's "obsession with virginity". I guess she was really looking at the Parallel Universe version of the United States, you know, like the one in the comic books where Superman is actually evil. Weird.
Friday, April 24, 2009
She Chose the Wrong Standard to Follow
1. Well, she has chosen whose standard she will follow. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas has vetoed the latest common-sense abortion regulation bill presented to her. Now, some Republican senators have grown spinal columns, and are challenging her nomination to be Secretary of HHS. May God have mercy on her for her terrible decision about the direction of her life.
2. A major breakthrough on deriving pluripotent stem cells from skin cells. As the article says, "The field has been moving at breakneck speed" -- yet at the same time, the ideologues in our government are falling over themselves to fund unethical stem cell research. In the background, there's an important point to remember -- most scientists really don't have a moral or ethical objection to cloning, just pragmatic objections.
3. Bishop D'Arcy of Fort Wayne says that there is now a "terrible breach" between NDU and the Catholic Church, and completely demolishes NDU's absurd legalistic parsing of the prohibition on honoring pro-abortion figures. News story here, full statement here. Strong words, indeed, but when a diocesan ordinary asserts his authority and uses those terms about a "Catholic" institution in his diocese, it has much more significance.
4. Still, Providence does take advantage of the errors of the Enemy. The NDU scandal offered an opportunity for an outstanding pro-life speech on campus. Was anyone from the school administration present?
5. At the same time, on the campus of a formerly Catholic law school, the noted legal scholar The Honorable Joseph Robinette Biden, Esq., received an award from a pro-abortion group and opined that there is no excuse for violence against a woman or a child. No, lightning didn't strike, nor did the audience dissolve in laughter at the tragic irony of the remark or at the sad lack of rudimentary self-awareness by the orator. As Mark Shea says, sin makes you stupid.
6. At a Congressional hearing, our Secretary of State continued her love-in with the wicked monster who founded the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. Now she absurdly compares that person to Thomas Jefferson, who, for all his faults, was never an evil racist genocidal apologist for mass murder. The only good part of the whole travesty was that she actually admitted that the term "reproductive health" is a code word for abortion.
7. Gov. Paterson seems to be shying away a bit from same-sex "marriage". Not quite Miss California territory, but promising.
8. This story floored me. Half of seminary students say that they were discouraged -- mostly by their families -- from pursuing their vocation.
9. Blogged yesterday on the Miss California situation, and the ugly face of the future -- not hers, certainly, but the intolerance of the same-sex "marriage" movement.
2. A major breakthrough on deriving pluripotent stem cells from skin cells. As the article says, "The field has been moving at breakneck speed" -- yet at the same time, the ideologues in our government are falling over themselves to fund unethical stem cell research. In the background, there's an important point to remember -- most scientists really don't have a moral or ethical objection to cloning, just pragmatic objections.
3. Bishop D'Arcy of Fort Wayne says that there is now a "terrible breach" between NDU and the Catholic Church, and completely demolishes NDU's absurd legalistic parsing of the prohibition on honoring pro-abortion figures. News story here, full statement here. Strong words, indeed, but when a diocesan ordinary asserts his authority and uses those terms about a "Catholic" institution in his diocese, it has much more significance.
4. Still, Providence does take advantage of the errors of the Enemy. The NDU scandal offered an opportunity for an outstanding pro-life speech on campus. Was anyone from the school administration present?
5. At the same time, on the campus of a formerly Catholic law school, the noted legal scholar The Honorable Joseph Robinette Biden, Esq., received an award from a pro-abortion group and opined that there is no excuse for violence against a woman or a child. No, lightning didn't strike, nor did the audience dissolve in laughter at the tragic irony of the remark or at the sad lack of rudimentary self-awareness by the orator. As Mark Shea says, sin makes you stupid.
6. At a Congressional hearing, our Secretary of State continued her love-in with the wicked monster who founded the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. Now she absurdly compares that person to Thomas Jefferson, who, for all his faults, was never an evil racist genocidal apologist for mass murder. The only good part of the whole travesty was that she actually admitted that the term "reproductive health" is a code word for abortion.
7. Gov. Paterson seems to be shying away a bit from same-sex "marriage". Not quite Miss California territory, but promising.
8. This story floored me. Half of seminary students say that they were discouraged -- mostly by their families -- from pursuing their vocation.
9. Blogged yesterday on the Miss California situation, and the ugly face of the future -- not hers, certainly, but the intolerance of the same-sex "marriage" movement.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Jesuit Tradition, Again
1. Meanwhile, Georgetown Law School will host an event sponsored by something called "the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law" and the group Legal Momentum, an ardent pro-abortion group linked to NOW. They will give an award to the noted legal scholar Joseph Biden. Ah, the Jesuit tradition.
2. The White House Office of Potemkin Villages, er, I mean the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, has set up six task forces to study important issues: (1) reform of the faith-based office, (2) fatherhood, (3) U.S. economic recovery, (4) interreligious dialogue, (5) global poverty, and (6) the environment and climate change. Gee, what's missing? Nobody could find time to talk about conscience protection, human life, marriage -- anything else that religious people and organizations might be interested in? Sure glad they managed to put together a religious group to study global warming since nobody else is looking at that.
3. More from Wesley Smith on how verbal engineering in the biotech/bioethics world contributes to the dehumanization of human being who are unfortunate enough to be in the embryonic stage of their lives.
4. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius takes an important step forward towards confirmation as HHS secretary. Respect for human life and public witness to the Catholic faith take important steps backwards.
5. Yet more proof that the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, is not only enthusiastic about murder, it's indifferent to rape. All to serve and protect women, right?
6. Pretty good overview of the rather delicate selection of a new ambassador to the Holy See. It would have been nice if the reporter had managed to find someone in his rolodex other than the usual suspects who say the usual things from the usual graveyard of "liberal Catholicism" (including a laugh out loud howler from the wishful thinking files of Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ). Maybe it's just me, but aren't people like George Weigel reasonably well known to reporters? Just a small gripe about an otherwise decent article.
7. Do you remember the show "Green Acres"? It's apparently on re-runs at the White House. Nice shine on those shoes, I have to say.
8. Sorry, but I won't be putting out a Varia tomorrow -- I'm off to beautiful Albany to bask in the reflected glow of the most dysfunctional legislature in human history.
2. The White House Office of Potemkin Villages, er, I mean the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, has set up six task forces to study important issues: (1) reform of the faith-based office, (2) fatherhood, (3) U.S. economic recovery, (4) interreligious dialogue, (5) global poverty, and (6) the environment and climate change. Gee, what's missing? Nobody could find time to talk about conscience protection, human life, marriage -- anything else that religious people and organizations might be interested in? Sure glad they managed to put together a religious group to study global warming since nobody else is looking at that.
3. More from Wesley Smith on how verbal engineering in the biotech/bioethics world contributes to the dehumanization of human being who are unfortunate enough to be in the embryonic stage of their lives.
4. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius takes an important step forward towards confirmation as HHS secretary. Respect for human life and public witness to the Catholic faith take important steps backwards.
5. Yet more proof that the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, is not only enthusiastic about murder, it's indifferent to rape. All to serve and protect women, right?
6. Pretty good overview of the rather delicate selection of a new ambassador to the Holy See. It would have been nice if the reporter had managed to find someone in his rolodex other than the usual suspects who say the usual things from the usual graveyard of "liberal Catholicism" (including a laugh out loud howler from the wishful thinking files of Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ). Maybe it's just me, but aren't people like George Weigel reasonably well known to reporters? Just a small gripe about an otherwise decent article.
7. Do you remember the show "Green Acres"? It's apparently on re-runs at the White House. Nice shine on those shoes, I have to say.
8. Sorry, but I won't be putting out a Varia tomorrow -- I'm off to beautiful Albany to bask in the reflected glow of the most dysfunctional legislature in human history.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A Great Spiritual Warrior
1. Bishop Finn of Kansas City is one plain-spoken Christian spiritual warrior. Read his recent address to a pro-life conference. Kind of makes you think of the way the Lord and His Apostles might have spoken, if they had the misfortune of being born in this evil and adulterous generation.
2. "Same-sex marriage" advocates are making confident noises: see here and here. Still, I can't see the Senate Republicans giving the Dems such a victory.
3. People who were working for our government (i.e., men and women with immortal souls, with God's law written into their hearts, and with the Holy Spirit dwelling within them due to their baptism) actually waterboarded two prisoners 266 times in one month. Torture is always, under all circumstances, gravely immoral, even if it "works" or if the targets are bad people. Read the Catechism here, here, and here.
4. The political zombie known as Governor Paterson is trying to resiscitate his career, in part by making "same-sex marriage" a central part of his agenda.
5. More on the verbal engineering of the word "embryo". This has real-world consequences. You may recall that in an infamous decision by the New York State Court of Appeals, the court used the nonsense term "pre-zygote" to describe the result of the fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm, all along the way to declaring that these new human lives were mere property to be divided as part of a divorce settlement.
6. This is not from the Onion, but I wonder if Wesley Smith is having a bit of fun with us. He reports that a leading climate scientist claims that too much sex is causing global warming. My favorite part is that the scientist's name is "Sunburn". Hmm.
7. Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day (known in Hebrew as Yom Hashoah). Perfect -- the day after the racist terrorist genocidal lunatic President of Iran makes yet another public speech spewing hatred of Jews and Israel, a speech that would have fit right in the pages of Der Sturmer. Please pray -- never again.
2. "Same-sex marriage" advocates are making confident noises: see here and here. Still, I can't see the Senate Republicans giving the Dems such a victory.
3. People who were working for our government (i.e., men and women with immortal souls, with God's law written into their hearts, and with the Holy Spirit dwelling within them due to their baptism) actually waterboarded two prisoners 266 times in one month. Torture is always, under all circumstances, gravely immoral, even if it "works" or if the targets are bad people. Read the Catechism here, here, and here.
4. The political zombie known as Governor Paterson is trying to resiscitate his career, in part by making "same-sex marriage" a central part of his agenda.
5. More on the verbal engineering of the word "embryo". This has real-world consequences. You may recall that in an infamous decision by the New York State Court of Appeals, the court used the nonsense term "pre-zygote" to describe the result of the fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm, all along the way to declaring that these new human lives were mere property to be divided as part of a divorce settlement.
6. This is not from the Onion, but I wonder if Wesley Smith is having a bit of fun with us. He reports that a leading climate scientist claims that too much sex is causing global warming. My favorite part is that the scientist's name is "Sunburn". Hmm.
7. Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day (known in Hebrew as Yom Hashoah). Perfect -- the day after the racist terrorist genocidal lunatic President of Iran makes yet another public speech spewing hatred of Jews and Israel, a speech that would have fit right in the pages of Der Sturmer. Please pray -- never again.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Killing Children, Getting Paid
1. The National Institutes of Health issued new guidelines on embryonic stem cell research, permitting the destruction of young human beings whose parents no longer want them and who agree in writing that they can be dismembered for spare parts. Okay, the guidelines don't put it quite that plainly, but that's what it's all about. And the notion that this reflects some "ethical standards"? Please. See the commentary here and here. Meanwhile, our rulers, who believe in "science over ideology", continue to demagogue and propagandize about ESC research.
2. Maggie Gallagher lays it out very bluntly -- if opponents of same-sex "marriage" don't get organized, we are going to be marginalized and thrown out of politics and polite society. Think that's a scare tactic? Then read this op-ed from the Times, which doesn't even sugar-coat the thuggish threat: "It is justice, not a storm, that is gathering. Only those who have spread the poisons of bigotry and fear have any reason to be afraid." The Church's institutional opposition to this is not enough -- individual people (i.e., donors and voters) need to get organized on the grassroots level. Try the National Organization for Marriage.
3. Rudy Giuliani, an ally on same-sex "marriage"? Don't count on it. "Civil unions" are the Trojan Horse of the SSM movement -- if the legislature tries to be Solomonic and enact a CU law, just watch the "gay rights" advocates run down to court to transform it into marriage via the Equal Protection clause.
4. New poll shows very broad support for conscience protection for health care workers. Meanwhile, pro-life doctors talk about the dangers they face, and the effect it will have on their practices. This is a winning issue for us, and we need to push it hard against the faux "pro-choice" forces.
5. Our Daily Paper, with its usual filters on, continuing to prove that they just don't understand a Christian when they see one. Here, their coverage of Archbishop Dolan's Sunday homily. It is comforting, in a way, to see that some things never change, including the blindness of the Times.
6. Whenever the Devil advances on some fronts, he begins to plan his advance on others. Never forget that euthanasia is right around the corner, waiting for its turn. See here and here.
7. Ah, my alma mater, Harvard, not wanting to fall too far behind in the Abortion Apologist Commencement Speaker sweepstakes, has invited truth- and charity-challenged Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to give an address. Okay, it's the "Kennedy School", so what can you expect? But what will they do if the nomination crashes and burns before then? Maybe they could invite her pal George Tiller.
8. The papal Urbi et Orbi message went out in 27 languages, including Esperanto.
9. Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of Pope Benedict's election to the See of Peter. Please God, many more years of this pontificate! It was also Patriot's Day, the anniversary of the Shot Heard 'Round the World (the Battles of Lexington and Concord, not Bobby Thompson's home run). Please God, many more years of liberty!
10. Blogged over the weekend on intrinsic evil. I hope to blog today or tomorrow on the NIH guidelines.
2. Maggie Gallagher lays it out very bluntly -- if opponents of same-sex "marriage" don't get organized, we are going to be marginalized and thrown out of politics and polite society. Think that's a scare tactic? Then read this op-ed from the Times, which doesn't even sugar-coat the thuggish threat: "It is justice, not a storm, that is gathering. Only those who have spread the poisons of bigotry and fear have any reason to be afraid." The Church's institutional opposition to this is not enough -- individual people (i.e., donors and voters) need to get organized on the grassroots level. Try the National Organization for Marriage.
3. Rudy Giuliani, an ally on same-sex "marriage"? Don't count on it. "Civil unions" are the Trojan Horse of the SSM movement -- if the legislature tries to be Solomonic and enact a CU law, just watch the "gay rights" advocates run down to court to transform it into marriage via the Equal Protection clause.
4. New poll shows very broad support for conscience protection for health care workers. Meanwhile, pro-life doctors talk about the dangers they face, and the effect it will have on their practices. This is a winning issue for us, and we need to push it hard against the faux "pro-choice" forces.
5. Our Daily Paper, with its usual filters on, continuing to prove that they just don't understand a Christian when they see one. Here, their coverage of Archbishop Dolan's Sunday homily. It is comforting, in a way, to see that some things never change, including the blindness of the Times.
6. Whenever the Devil advances on some fronts, he begins to plan his advance on others. Never forget that euthanasia is right around the corner, waiting for its turn. See here and here.
7. Ah, my alma mater, Harvard, not wanting to fall too far behind in the Abortion Apologist Commencement Speaker sweepstakes, has invited truth- and charity-challenged Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to give an address. Okay, it's the "Kennedy School", so what can you expect? But what will they do if the nomination crashes and burns before then? Maybe they could invite her pal George Tiller.
8. The papal Urbi et Orbi message went out in 27 languages, including Esperanto.
9. Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of Pope Benedict's election to the See of Peter. Please God, many more years of this pontificate! It was also Patriot's Day, the anniversary of the Shot Heard 'Round the World (the Battles of Lexington and Concord, not Bobby Thompson's home run). Please God, many more years of liberty!
10. Blogged over the weekend on intrinsic evil. I hope to blog today or tomorrow on the NIH guidelines.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Disgrace at Georgetown
1. This is absolutely disgraceful -- Georgetown University covered up the IHS symbol in the room where the President was delivering an economics address, at the request of the White House. Yes, a Catholic university covered over the name of our Lord at the request of Caesar. Remember Mark 8:38? It's even in Bibles in the Jesuit tradition. I was so irate I blogged on this today.
2. Kathryn Jean Lopez reflects on Georgetown, NDU, Archbishop Dolan, and Jesus. See also her blog post here. Man, how does she do it? This is her third dead-on perfect column in a week. If only the Yankees could be on that kind of hot streak.
3. 33 Bishops. 306,000+ petition signatures. The first ever March for Life on their campus, supported strongly by the diocesan bishop. Is anybody in the University administration paying attention?
4. Prof. Matthew Franck thoroughly demolishes Prof. Doug Kmiec's latest apologia for the 100% anti-life President. It really is getting to the "shooting fish in the barrel" stage. (Although perhaps I shouldn't use such a metaphor, since Homeland Security is watching what I'm thinking and probably putting me in a watch list).
5. Kansas Gov. and maybe HHS Secretary Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' difficulties with the Eighth Commandment continue.
6. Meanwhile, Sen. Sam Brownback is certainly one of the good guys, but his explanation of why he supports Gov. Sebelius's nomination is lame in the extreme. Here's the winner for the Nonsensical Statement of the Week: "If you're going to have a pro-choice person in that position, it's better to have a Kansan". What, like the Governor's pal, George Tiller?
7. For those who want to know what our tax dollars will now be supporting, thanks to the 100% anti-life President, here's a snapshot of the Chinese population control policies, and the demographic and social havoc they have wrought.
8. If you're wondering why the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is conducting a doctrinal inquiry into the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, this is all you really need to know: here and here. I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that if you were to ask a Sister of Life about her vocation, the name of Jesus would come up in the first sentence, and in almost every one thereafter.
9. Here's a look at what post-Christian Christianity looks like, courtesy of the Vicar of Putney of the Church of England. The Cross is still "a stumbling block to Jews, and folly to Greeks" (1 Cor. 1:23)
10. Here's what our new Archbishop said yesterday on Sirius Radio: "My first pastoral letter's gonna be a condemnation of light beer and instant mashed potatoes -- I hate those two things." Amen.
11. Blogged yesterday about the Installation Mass. I'm going to blog tomorrow about intrinsic evil. I don't mean to imply a connection between the two.
2. Kathryn Jean Lopez reflects on Georgetown, NDU, Archbishop Dolan, and Jesus. See also her blog post here. Man, how does she do it? This is her third dead-on perfect column in a week. If only the Yankees could be on that kind of hot streak.
3. 33 Bishops. 306,000+ petition signatures. The first ever March for Life on their campus, supported strongly by the diocesan bishop. Is anybody in the University administration paying attention?
4. Prof. Matthew Franck thoroughly demolishes Prof. Doug Kmiec's latest apologia for the 100% anti-life President. It really is getting to the "shooting fish in the barrel" stage. (Although perhaps I shouldn't use such a metaphor, since Homeland Security is watching what I'm thinking and probably putting me in a watch list).
5. Kansas Gov. and maybe HHS Secretary Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' difficulties with the Eighth Commandment continue.
6. Meanwhile, Sen. Sam Brownback is certainly one of the good guys, but his explanation of why he supports Gov. Sebelius's nomination is lame in the extreme. Here's the winner for the Nonsensical Statement of the Week: "If you're going to have a pro-choice person in that position, it's better to have a Kansan". What, like the Governor's pal, George Tiller?
7. For those who want to know what our tax dollars will now be supporting, thanks to the 100% anti-life President, here's a snapshot of the Chinese population control policies, and the demographic and social havoc they have wrought.
8. If you're wondering why the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is conducting a doctrinal inquiry into the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, this is all you really need to know: here and here. I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that if you were to ask a Sister of Life about her vocation, the name of Jesus would come up in the first sentence, and in almost every one thereafter.
9. Here's a look at what post-Christian Christianity looks like, courtesy of the Vicar of Putney of the Church of England. The Cross is still "a stumbling block to Jews, and folly to Greeks" (1 Cor. 1:23)
10. Here's what our new Archbishop said yesterday on Sirius Radio: "My first pastoral letter's gonna be a condemnation of light beer and instant mashed potatoes -- I hate those two things." Amen.
11. Blogged yesterday about the Installation Mass. I'm going to blog tomorrow about intrinsic evil. I don't mean to imply a connection between the two.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Dialogue, Schmialogue
1. The party line is that the NDU commencement is supposed to be an opportunity for "dialogue" with the President about his anti-life policies. So why won't the NDU president also engage in dialogue with his own students and faculty about the matter? I guess they'lll talk to and honor an apologist for legal abortion, but not to the supporters of Church teaching?
2. Our wonderful Secretary of State stands by her praise of the founder of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, who was a racist apologist for mass murder. And this woman now oversees our "human rights" policies.
3. Speaking of intrinsic evil, it appears that the Temple of Moloch has been illegally performing abortions in unlicensed clinics in Texas. Add that to the indictment, which is getting very, very lengthy.
4. Want to know what an anti-life, contraceptive mentality looks like, in all its ugliness? Check out these depraved ads from Germany (don't worry, nothing you can't see at work). Remember, in the modern ideology, fertility is always the enemy.
5. Political zombie Gov. David Paterson has decided to push for same-sex "marriage", but members of his party are already jumping ship. Some SSM advocates are claiming that enough Republicans may join them, but they also believe in the Easter Bunny too.
6. Catholics who call themselves "orthodox" are more optimistic about the future of the Church. You mean that those who live their faith seriously also have hope? What a concept.
7. A significant win in Chicago for religious liberty -- a judge rules that the state can't force pharmacists to dispense "emergency contraception" if it is against their religious beliefs. The case isn't over, but this is a good step forward to final victory.
8. A new Catholic convert (welcome aboard!) reflects on the lack of religious freedom in other nations, where "apostasy" can bring death. In my own parish, several Muslims were received into the Church on Easter Sunday. Thank God for our religious liberty!
9. The Installation Mass was spectacular. I'll blog on it later today. Read the Archbishop's homily for yourself and get excited.
10. Happy Birthday Pope Benedict! Please, God, many many more!
2. Our wonderful Secretary of State stands by her praise of the founder of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, who was a racist apologist for mass murder. And this woman now oversees our "human rights" policies.
3. Speaking of intrinsic evil, it appears that the Temple of Moloch has been illegally performing abortions in unlicensed clinics in Texas. Add that to the indictment, which is getting very, very lengthy.
4. Want to know what an anti-life, contraceptive mentality looks like, in all its ugliness? Check out these depraved ads from Germany (don't worry, nothing you can't see at work). Remember, in the modern ideology, fertility is always the enemy.
5. Political zombie Gov. David Paterson has decided to push for same-sex "marriage", but members of his party are already jumping ship. Some SSM advocates are claiming that enough Republicans may join them, but they also believe in the Easter Bunny too.
6. Catholics who call themselves "orthodox" are more optimistic about the future of the Church. You mean that those who live their faith seriously also have hope? What a concept.
7. A significant win in Chicago for religious liberty -- a judge rules that the state can't force pharmacists to dispense "emergency contraception" if it is against their religious beliefs. The case isn't over, but this is a good step forward to final victory.
8. A new Catholic convert (welcome aboard!) reflects on the lack of religious freedom in other nations, where "apostasy" can bring death. In my own parish, several Muslims were received into the Church on Easter Sunday. Thank God for our religious liberty!
9. The Installation Mass was spectacular. I'll blog on it later today. Read the Archbishop's homily for yourself and get excited.
10. Happy Birthday Pope Benedict! Please, God, many many more!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Let's Keep Fighting for the Truth
1. Maggie Gallagher refuses to give up the fight against same-sex "marriage", because truth always wins over lies. Good. We won't give up either.
2. Helen Alvare speaking abundant common sense on NDU. On the other hand, there really seems to be something spiritually amiss with poor Prof. Doug Kmiec. I can understand supporting the President and all, but the over-the-top gushing about the President's "intelligence and eloquence" and how his administration has "assumed the mantle of Catholicism" is just embarrassing to read from a grown-up adult who is otherwise such an intelligent person. Something's seriously wrong there, and we need to pray for this man.
3. It's not just NDU, it's also Xavier of New Orleans. There may be a shred of justification for inviting the President, but a political hack like her?
4. Our media and culture glorify pornography, but Francis Beckwith has the proper perspective on the media reaction to the passing of porn "actress" Marilyn Chambers. In the obituary in the Washington Post, Ms. Chambers is quoted as saying in an earlier interview that the pornography business "chews women up and spits them out. It's a business I'd never want my daughter to be in." Sadly, I imagine that her own mother would have said the same thing. Please pray for the repose of her soul, and for all those bound in the slavery of pornography.
5. The Evil One is always more active at this time of the year, and so are his minions of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. Here they brag about their unique role in the current Administration and here they use pro-life protests at the killing fields as a way of raising money.
6. I missed this before, but here it is now -- US News columnist says that killing babies is a good idea in these economic times. I wonder what the reaction would be if someone wrote that killing journalists was a good idea in tough economic times.
7. Maybe I shouldn't have written that. The Department of Homeland Security apparently believes that those of us who are opposed to abortion rights are a risk of being part of some pattern of "right-wing" violence. Um, maybe it's just me, but isn't it the pro-abortion folks who are committing violence with impunity against over a million people every year?
8. Off to the Installation Mass!
2. Helen Alvare speaking abundant common sense on NDU. On the other hand, there really seems to be something spiritually amiss with poor Prof. Doug Kmiec. I can understand supporting the President and all, but the over-the-top gushing about the President's "intelligence and eloquence" and how his administration has "assumed the mantle of Catholicism" is just embarrassing to read from a grown-up adult who is otherwise such an intelligent person. Something's seriously wrong there, and we need to pray for this man.
3. It's not just NDU, it's also Xavier of New Orleans. There may be a shred of justification for inviting the President, but a political hack like her?
4. Our media and culture glorify pornography, but Francis Beckwith has the proper perspective on the media reaction to the passing of porn "actress" Marilyn Chambers. In the obituary in the Washington Post, Ms. Chambers is quoted as saying in an earlier interview that the pornography business "chews women up and spits them out. It's a business I'd never want my daughter to be in." Sadly, I imagine that her own mother would have said the same thing. Please pray for the repose of her soul, and for all those bound in the slavery of pornography.
5. The Evil One is always more active at this time of the year, and so are his minions of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. Here they brag about their unique role in the current Administration and here they use pro-life protests at the killing fields as a way of raising money.
6. I missed this before, but here it is now -- US News columnist says that killing babies is a good idea in these economic times. I wonder what the reaction would be if someone wrote that killing journalists was a good idea in tough economic times.
7. Maybe I shouldn't have written that. The Department of Homeland Security apparently believes that those of us who are opposed to abortion rights are a risk of being part of some pattern of "right-wing" violence. Um, maybe it's just me, but isn't it the pro-abortion folks who are committing violence with impunity against over a million people every year?
8. Off to the Installation Mass!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Headlines and Stories
1. The headline reads, "Obama boost anti-abortion efforts", but it's not another whitewash of his "abortion reduction (without doing anything to reduce abortion) policies", it's a real account of how our grassroots have been energized by his radicalism.
2. In case we need a reminder that strong marriages are worth fighting for, here's Brad Wilcox's overview of how children suffer without strong married parents. We have to keep telling our selfish culture that marriage is not all about me, it's about the gift of myself to others, for their wellbeing.
3. What is wrong with them over in Vermont? Their legislature is on the verge of passing a law that permits the distrubution of child pornography via cell phone (a disturbing phenomemon among immoral teenagers). Oh, it's okay, what's a little child porn among friends? After all, it puts us into conformity with our dear ally Saudi Arabia, which allows adult perverts to marry 8-year-old girls.
4. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, nominee for HHS, displays her moral fiber, by showing her utter lack of commitment to the Eighth and Fifth Commandments. Ugh.
5. A brief summary of the profitablility and murderous activity of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. The key numbers -- over 300,000 murders of children in the womb, over $350 million in taxpayer subsidies, and total revenue over $1 billion.
6. A helpful reminder from Mark Shea about what's really going on with the "gay rights" movement, and how they won't be satisfied until we all CONFORM. At the same time, we have to remember that many of our allies in this struggle are not reliable and will conform to the spirit of the age or will declare defeat before the battle is over.
7. The stopped clock syndrome strikes again. Now Al Gore is getting behind induced pluripotent stem cell initiatives as an alternative to embryonic stem cell research.
8. For those non-Catholics who sometimes wonder why we consider our priests to be heroes, here's why.
9. If you have a yearning to help mothers in need for Mother's Day, consider this request from the Sisters of Life.
10. Watch your splling: Jesus is the "Logos", not the "Legos".
2. In case we need a reminder that strong marriages are worth fighting for, here's Brad Wilcox's overview of how children suffer without strong married parents. We have to keep telling our selfish culture that marriage is not all about me, it's about the gift of myself to others, for their wellbeing.
3. What is wrong with them over in Vermont? Their legislature is on the verge of passing a law that permits the distrubution of child pornography via cell phone (a disturbing phenomemon among immoral teenagers). Oh, it's okay, what's a little child porn among friends? After all, it puts us into conformity with our dear ally Saudi Arabia, which allows adult perverts to marry 8-year-old girls.
4. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, nominee for HHS, displays her moral fiber, by showing her utter lack of commitment to the Eighth and Fifth Commandments. Ugh.
5. A brief summary of the profitablility and murderous activity of the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood. The key numbers -- over 300,000 murders of children in the womb, over $350 million in taxpayer subsidies, and total revenue over $1 billion.
6. A helpful reminder from Mark Shea about what's really going on with the "gay rights" movement, and how they won't be satisfied until we all CONFORM. At the same time, we have to remember that many of our allies in this struggle are not reliable and will conform to the spirit of the age or will declare defeat before the battle is over.
7. The stopped clock syndrome strikes again. Now Al Gore is getting behind induced pluripotent stem cell initiatives as an alternative to embryonic stem cell research.
8. For those non-Catholics who sometimes wonder why we consider our priests to be heroes, here's why.
9. If you have a yearning to help mothers in need for Mother's Day, consider this request from the Sisters of Life.
10. Watch your splling: Jesus is the "Logos", not the "Legos".
Monday, April 13, 2009
Contemptible Legalism
1. Fr. Jenkins, president of NDU, has sent to the board of trustees (i.e., the guys he actually works for) a response to the criticism of the decision to honor the President. I didn't attend the greatest Catholic university since time began, but even I can recognize a pathetic, contemptible, desperate, legalistic attempt to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what. Here's the text, and here's the first few of many replies: by canonist Ed Peters and by NDU alum Stephen Barr. More are sure to follow.
2. There are two things I find significant here. First, perhaps it's me, but if 25+ bishops tell me that I'm wrong about what the bishops themselves are teaching on behalf of the Church, maybe I should take that as an indication that I might have gotten things just a little bit wrong. But that's not the way Fr. Jenkins approaches the issue; he instead interprets the bishops' teaching as he sees it and confirms that he did so correctly (and thus says that he understands what the bishops are saying better than they do, and that they are wrong about what they themselves said). There's humility for you.
3. Second, are you familiar with the poker term "the tell"? It's something that a player does (e.g., an expression or gesture) that unintentionally reveals what's in his hand. Here's Fr. Jenkins' "tell" -- he calls the bishops' prohibition against honoring those who are opposed to fundamental Catholic moral teaching mere "recommendations". This gives the whole ballgame away. There's a technical term for those who believe that the teachings of the Apostles Among Us are not authoritative and binding, and that my private judgment is the ultimate guide for the truth. It's called being a "Protestant". And what, then, does that say about NDU's real identity?
4. For further illustration of the "Protestant Catholic" phenomenon, see the recent news regarding Mr. Tony Blair, recent but obviously incomplete convert to the Church.
5. Meanwhile, ten Holy Cross priests have written a letter to the NDU student paper expressing their disagreement with the invitation to the President.
6. The threat of same-sex "marriage" continues to grow. Gov. Paterson will introduce his own bill, and push the Senate to vote on it.. Advocates see momentum building in their direction, although they continue to be a few votes short: see here and here.. Nearby, New Hampshire's jumping on the SSM bandwagon.
7. In case anyone needs a handy reminder of how evil the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, and its founder are, here's Kathryn Jean Lopez with the goods. But she also gives us the good news in this excellent overview of the real meaning of what the Holy Father said about sex and humanity.
2. There are two things I find significant here. First, perhaps it's me, but if 25+ bishops tell me that I'm wrong about what the bishops themselves are teaching on behalf of the Church, maybe I should take that as an indication that I might have gotten things just a little bit wrong. But that's not the way Fr. Jenkins approaches the issue; he instead interprets the bishops' teaching as he sees it and confirms that he did so correctly (and thus says that he understands what the bishops are saying better than they do, and that they are wrong about what they themselves said). There's humility for you.
3. Second, are you familiar with the poker term "the tell"? It's something that a player does (e.g., an expression or gesture) that unintentionally reveals what's in his hand. Here's Fr. Jenkins' "tell" -- he calls the bishops' prohibition against honoring those who are opposed to fundamental Catholic moral teaching mere "recommendations". This gives the whole ballgame away. There's a technical term for those who believe that the teachings of the Apostles Among Us are not authoritative and binding, and that my private judgment is the ultimate guide for the truth. It's called being a "Protestant". And what, then, does that say about NDU's real identity?
4. For further illustration of the "Protestant Catholic" phenomenon, see the recent news regarding Mr. Tony Blair, recent but obviously incomplete convert to the Church.
5. Meanwhile, ten Holy Cross priests have written a letter to the NDU student paper expressing their disagreement with the invitation to the President.
6. The threat of same-sex "marriage" continues to grow. Gov. Paterson will introduce his own bill, and push the Senate to vote on it.. Advocates see momentum building in their direction, although they continue to be a few votes short: see here and here.. Nearby, New Hampshire's jumping on the SSM bandwagon.
7. In case anyone needs a handy reminder of how evil the Temple of Moloch, er, I mean Planned Parenthood, and its founder are, here's Kathryn Jean Lopez with the goods. But she also gives us the good news in this excellent overview of the real meaning of what the Holy Father said about sex and humanity.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Vermont Takes the Wrong Road
1. Sadly, the Vermont Legislature overrode the Governor's veto and legalized same-sex "marriage". At least they did it through the democratic process, and not by ukase from our judicial masters. Maggie Gallagher notes the small silver lining -- the Legislature recognized that SSM poses a threat to religious liberties, and enacted some protections.
2. Columnist and blogger Rod Dreher nails the diagnosis dead on -- secular liberalism has become such a norm in society that it has become a virtually invisible tyranny, and those who argue from outside its parameters (like us) are incomprehensible and bizarre outlaws. He's also right about the danger that approaches -- when there's a vacuum of values at the heart of society, we need to worry about what will fill it.
3. You have to love it. A guy puts up a pro-NDU petition. Fair enough. But he's a former leader of the left-wing politcial hatched group MoveOn.org and a host of other Democratic and leftist political groups, none of which are notorious for their adherence to the Catholic faith in the area of respect for human life. Who's politicizing it now?
4. As Msgr. William Smith said, social engineering is preceded by verbal engineering. Here, a Catholic hospital in Canada does "early inductions" on those babies with adverse prenatal diagnosis -- in other words, they induce labor early so that the disabled baby will die. An abortion by any other name is still as infamous, especially when it is done in a Catholic hospital under the advice of Catholic priests.
5. Bishop Martino of Scranton continues the rebuilding process. He has now contacted the heads of all the Catholic colleges in his diocese to ask them about the policies of their health services, to ensure that they are in conformity with Catholic teaching with regard to contraceptives. The best part is that Bishop Martino cites little-known and rarely-used Canon 810.2: "The conferences of bishops and diocesan bishops concerned have the duty and right of being watchful so that the principles of Catholic doctrine are observed faithfully in [Catholic] universities." Lead the way, Your Excellency.
6. Further piling on the Pope for his comments about condoms and HIV/AIDS, the Belgian Parliament… Oh, never mind, it's impossible to take seriously any sentence that includes the words "Belgian Parliament". Read it for yourself and laugh. You expect the story to mention that the leader of that august body is His Excellency, Rufus T. Firefly. Hail, hail Fredonia.
7. Please tell me that I'm hallucinating. This news article reports that Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline Kennedy may be appointed ambassador to the Holy See, at the behest of John Kerry. Meanwhile, it's also reported that the Holy See has already rejected three proposed ambassadors as being unsuitable to improve relations with the United States (i.e., they were pro-abortion). At least somebody has standards.
8. Uh oh. Another Administration official has tax problems.
9. I'm giving up the internet for the Triduum, so no more Varia until next week. I'll leave you with a very nice article describing why the author became a Catholic, and the spiritual consolation he finds in the Rosary. He is Risen!
2. Columnist and blogger Rod Dreher nails the diagnosis dead on -- secular liberalism has become such a norm in society that it has become a virtually invisible tyranny, and those who argue from outside its parameters (like us) are incomprehensible and bizarre outlaws. He's also right about the danger that approaches -- when there's a vacuum of values at the heart of society, we need to worry about what will fill it.
3. You have to love it. A guy puts up a pro-NDU petition. Fair enough. But he's a former leader of the left-wing politcial hatched group MoveOn.org and a host of other Democratic and leftist political groups, none of which are notorious for their adherence to the Catholic faith in the area of respect for human life. Who's politicizing it now?
4. As Msgr. William Smith said, social engineering is preceded by verbal engineering. Here, a Catholic hospital in Canada does "early inductions" on those babies with adverse prenatal diagnosis -- in other words, they induce labor early so that the disabled baby will die. An abortion by any other name is still as infamous, especially when it is done in a Catholic hospital under the advice of Catholic priests.
5. Bishop Martino of Scranton continues the rebuilding process. He has now contacted the heads of all the Catholic colleges in his diocese to ask them about the policies of their health services, to ensure that they are in conformity with Catholic teaching with regard to contraceptives. The best part is that Bishop Martino cites little-known and rarely-used Canon 810.2: "The conferences of bishops and diocesan bishops concerned have the duty and right of being watchful so that the principles of Catholic doctrine are observed faithfully in [Catholic] universities." Lead the way, Your Excellency.
6. Further piling on the Pope for his comments about condoms and HIV/AIDS, the Belgian Parliament… Oh, never mind, it's impossible to take seriously any sentence that includes the words "Belgian Parliament". Read it for yourself and laugh. You expect the story to mention that the leader of that august body is His Excellency, Rufus T. Firefly. Hail, hail Fredonia.
7. Please tell me that I'm hallucinating. This news article reports that Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline Kennedy may be appointed ambassador to the Holy See, at the behest of John Kerry. Meanwhile, it's also reported that the Holy See has already rejected three proposed ambassadors as being unsuitable to improve relations with the United States (i.e., they were pro-abortion). At least somebody has standards.
8. Uh oh. Another Administration official has tax problems.
9. I'm giving up the internet for the Triduum, so no more Varia until next week. I'll leave you with a very nice article describing why the author became a Catholic, and the spiritual consolation he finds in the Rosary. He is Risen!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Circling the Wagons
1. They're circling the wagons around NDU. Our Daily Paper has printed the usual farrago of nonsense in defense of the decision to honor the 100% anti-life President. They've even communed with the zombified remains of the man who once was Richard McBrien, who emerged from the sepulcher of "liberal Catholicism" to show his usual sympathy and grace towards those who are foolish enough to disagree with his personal infallible magisterium. The rest of the usual suspects (McGuire, Chittister, Kmiec, et al.) must not have been available (perhaps they were on an enneagram or reiki retreat for Holy Week).
2. The governor of Vermont vetoed the same-sex "marriage" bill. Today the legislature will try to override. Pray! Here's a dissection of the Iowa Supreme Court decision, which replaced feelings for reason as the basis for making law: .
3. There must be some kind of agent who specializes in getting pro-abortion "Catholics" booked at Catholic events. Now Bishop Lori has to boycott a dinner for Sacred Heart University because Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline Kennedy will be honored. To give you an idea of how obtuse and incoherent the university is, they're giving her an award for being a "human rights activist". Obviously, the human rights of unborn human beings are irrelevant to this institution of allegedly "higher" learning.
4. Fr. Thomas Berg, LC, offers his views on the proposed revocation of the HHS conscience regulations. I always listen to him, why won't they?
5. Get a load of the kind of guy who got appointed to the President's advisory council on faith-based initiatives: a gay activist who calls the pope and bishops "discredited" and labels the Knights of Columbus "foot soldiers of a discredited army of oppression". Nice. Very ecumenical. Very tolerant.
6. This should get the conspiracy kooks going: the Knights Templar may have had custody of the Shroud of Turin at one point. Dan Brown, call your agent.
7. Anybody who's seen the "Sham Wow" commercials will love this hilarious ad from the Diocese of Brooklyn to encourage people to come to Confession. If St. Paul had an marketing advisor, he would have done stuff like this.
8. Blogged yesterday on the NDU situation again. Sorry, I can't help it. I'll move on now.
2. The governor of Vermont vetoed the same-sex "marriage" bill. Today the legislature will try to override. Pray! Here's a dissection of the Iowa Supreme Court decision, which replaced feelings for reason as the basis for making law: .
3. There must be some kind of agent who specializes in getting pro-abortion "Catholics" booked at Catholic events. Now Bishop Lori has to boycott a dinner for Sacred Heart University because Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline Kennedy will be honored. To give you an idea of how obtuse and incoherent the university is, they're giving her an award for being a "human rights activist". Obviously, the human rights of unborn human beings are irrelevant to this institution of allegedly "higher" learning.
4. Fr. Thomas Berg, LC, offers his views on the proposed revocation of the HHS conscience regulations. I always listen to him, why won't they?
5. Get a load of the kind of guy who got appointed to the President's advisory council on faith-based initiatives: a gay activist who calls the pope and bishops "discredited" and labels the Knights of Columbus "foot soldiers of a discredited army of oppression". Nice. Very ecumenical. Very tolerant.
6. This should get the conspiracy kooks going: the Knights Templar may have had custody of the Shroud of Turin at one point. Dan Brown, call your agent.
7. Anybody who's seen the "Sham Wow" commercials will love this hilarious ad from the Diocese of Brooklyn to encourage people to come to Confession. If St. Paul had an marketing advisor, he would have done stuff like this.
8. Blogged yesterday on the NDU situation again. Sorry, I can't help it. I'll move on now.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Conscience and "No Choice"
1. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma presented an amendment to a budget bill that would offer clear conscience protection to health care workers. The forces of "choice" defeated the amendment (56-41), and a majority of "Catholic" senators voted against it (16-9), including our own Sen. Gillibrand.
2. So the Administration is held a conference call to discuss abortion reduction strategies. See here and here. The Administration was represented by two ardently pro-abortion staff members (Tina Tchen, formerly of NOW, and Emily Barnes, formerly of Emily's List and Planned Parenthood), and we have no idea what pro-life folks were on the call. So, you can pretty much guess that this discussion will be focused not on limiting or regulating abortion or on offering alternatives to women (e.g., funding crisis pregnancy centers), but on the usual nonsense -- expanding "family planning" programs (i.e., contraceptives) to reduce "unplanned pregnancies".
3. Outstanding article by George Weigel, responding to an editorial from Chicago critical of Cardinal George's statement on NDU. At some point, "respect for the President" seems to have become one of the highest values of our culture. I must have missed that lesson during the last Administration, or, perhaps, during the coronation ceremony.
4. In Illinois, pro-lifers have defeated a state FOCA (like our New York State RHAPP bill). Constant vigilance.
5. Here's the classic inversion of values that is emblematic of our contemporary culture. Parenthood, instead of being about the generous gift of self by procreating and nurturing new life, instead is all about me, and how it makes me feel. Me, me, me, me, me, me. Selfishness is a self-fulfilling circle -- it will never make you happy, it will only make you more and more dissatisfied with yourself and your lack of satisfaction. It is also the pathway to the abortion clinic, the "family planning" clinic, and the divorce court. And to the Times Magazine.
6. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius sailed through her confirmation hearing without breaking a sweat -- and without hearing the word "abortion". Thanks guys. There's "advice and consent" for you, creampuff style.
7. As we try to figure out what to do about the economic situation, perhaps it would be worthwhile to listen to the Holy Father who, although not an economist, does know a thing our two about society and the human person.
8. Here in the United States, "liberal Catholicism" is pretty much an "exhausted project", in the words of Cardinal George. For a glimpse at what might have been, read this disturbing account of the state of the Church in Austria, where it appears that the inmates have taken over the asylum, and "liberal Catholicism" (i.e., Protestantism) is far from exhausted.
9. I'm glad somebody's thinking about how to defend the Earth against asteroids. I just hope it will work against aliens.
10. Blogged over the weekend on the disgraceful Iowa Supreme Court decision, and the egregious lie at the heart of the decision. Check it out.
2. So the Administration is held a conference call to discuss abortion reduction strategies. See here and here. The Administration was represented by two ardently pro-abortion staff members (Tina Tchen, formerly of NOW, and Emily Barnes, formerly of Emily's List and Planned Parenthood), and we have no idea what pro-life folks were on the call. So, you can pretty much guess that this discussion will be focused not on limiting or regulating abortion or on offering alternatives to women (e.g., funding crisis pregnancy centers), but on the usual nonsense -- expanding "family planning" programs (i.e., contraceptives) to reduce "unplanned pregnancies".
3. Outstanding article by George Weigel, responding to an editorial from Chicago critical of Cardinal George's statement on NDU. At some point, "respect for the President" seems to have become one of the highest values of our culture. I must have missed that lesson during the last Administration, or, perhaps, during the coronation ceremony.
4. In Illinois, pro-lifers have defeated a state FOCA (like our New York State RHAPP bill). Constant vigilance.
5. Here's the classic inversion of values that is emblematic of our contemporary culture. Parenthood, instead of being about the generous gift of self by procreating and nurturing new life, instead is all about me, and how it makes me feel. Me, me, me, me, me, me. Selfishness is a self-fulfilling circle -- it will never make you happy, it will only make you more and more dissatisfied with yourself and your lack of satisfaction. It is also the pathway to the abortion clinic, the "family planning" clinic, and the divorce court. And to the Times Magazine.
6. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius sailed through her confirmation hearing without breaking a sweat -- and without hearing the word "abortion". Thanks guys. There's "advice and consent" for you, creampuff style.
7. As we try to figure out what to do about the economic situation, perhaps it would be worthwhile to listen to the Holy Father who, although not an economist, does know a thing our two about society and the human person.
8. Here in the United States, "liberal Catholicism" is pretty much an "exhausted project", in the words of Cardinal George. For a glimpse at what might have been, read this disturbing account of the state of the Church in Austria, where it appears that the inmates have taken over the asylum, and "liberal Catholicism" (i.e., Protestantism) is far from exhausted.
9. I'm glad somebody's thinking about how to defend the Earth against asteroids. I just hope it will work against aliens.
10. Blogged over the weekend on the disgraceful Iowa Supreme Court decision, and the egregious lie at the heart of the decision. Check it out.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The March Goes On
1. Same-sex "marriage" advances in Vermont. Meanwhile, in Iowa Their Imperial Majesties the Omnipotent Platonic Guardians of Justice and Niceness, er, I mean the Iowa Supreme Court, erased a duly-enacted law and legalized SSM this morning.
2. This letter to NDU, from Bishop Thomas Doran of Rockford, Illinois, has some serious smoke coming off of it (he calls it "obscene" and invites the university to change its name to "Fighting Irish College" or "Northwestern Indiana Humanist University"). And here's another strongly worded letter from Archbishop Eusebius Beltran of Oklahoma City, who says that NDU has "certainly turned against the Catholic Church". Ouch!. At what point does NDU accept that they are being seriously admonished by the Successors of the Apostles, show some remorse, and correct their ways?
3. This is a very valuable overview from Americans United for Life of the effort by Congress and the Administration to enact FOCA piecemeal, entitled "FOCA by Stealth".
4. Here's where the "Death with Dignity" movement is heading -- a Swiss suicide "clinic" will help a healthy woman kill herself so she can die alongside her terminally ill husband. This is one of those cases where the authorities need to intervene to save a woman who is a danger to herself, and to provide her with the mental health aid she is obviously not getting from these profiteering vultures. And to arrest these murderers.
5. I try to stay away from the tragic train wreck of what used to be the Episcopal Church, but this cannot be overlooked. A lesbian "priest" has been appointed to head one of their seminaries. That's par for the course, for sure, but this is not -- she's so much a devotee of the Cult of Moloch that she calls abortion "a blessing" and "holy work", and extols it at such great enthusiastic length as to be stomach-turning. This is the spirit of anti-Christ that we were warned of in 1 and 2 John. Please pray for the remaining Christians in that ecclesial community.
6. Maggie Gallagher on the unfair and discriminatory statute of limitations bill here in New York.
7. Credit where credit is due. Catholic Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who is functionally pro-abortion, signed two good bills this week -- one to limit funding for embryonic stem cells, and another to authorize "Choose Life" license plates. The Cult of Moloch crowd went crazy, of course. Nobody is defiled enough, er, I mean pure enough for them.
8. Gotta love Our Morning Paper for it's humble self-image. The managing editor of the Times says ""Saving the New York Times now ranks with saving Darfur as a high-minded cause." Yeah, just like it. If it weren't for the crossword puzzle, would the paper be worth anything?
9. The New York City Council spat on the First Amendment yesterday, passing the iniquitous clinic access bill. I'll blog about this today.
2. This letter to NDU, from Bishop Thomas Doran of Rockford, Illinois, has some serious smoke coming off of it (he calls it "obscene" and invites the university to change its name to "Fighting Irish College" or "Northwestern Indiana Humanist University"). And here's another strongly worded letter from Archbishop Eusebius Beltran of Oklahoma City, who says that NDU has "certainly turned against the Catholic Church". Ouch!. At what point does NDU accept that they are being seriously admonished by the Successors of the Apostles, show some remorse, and correct their ways?
3. This is a very valuable overview from Americans United for Life of the effort by Congress and the Administration to enact FOCA piecemeal, entitled "FOCA by Stealth".
4. Here's where the "Death with Dignity" movement is heading -- a Swiss suicide "clinic" will help a healthy woman kill herself so she can die alongside her terminally ill husband. This is one of those cases where the authorities need to intervene to save a woman who is a danger to herself, and to provide her with the mental health aid she is obviously not getting from these profiteering vultures. And to arrest these murderers.
5. I try to stay away from the tragic train wreck of what used to be the Episcopal Church, but this cannot be overlooked. A lesbian "priest" has been appointed to head one of their seminaries. That's par for the course, for sure, but this is not -- she's so much a devotee of the Cult of Moloch that she calls abortion "a blessing" and "holy work", and extols it at such great enthusiastic length as to be stomach-turning. This is the spirit of anti-Christ that we were warned of in 1 and 2 John. Please pray for the remaining Christians in that ecclesial community.
6. Maggie Gallagher on the unfair and discriminatory statute of limitations bill here in New York.
7. Credit where credit is due. Catholic Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who is functionally pro-abortion, signed two good bills this week -- one to limit funding for embryonic stem cells, and another to authorize "Choose Life" license plates. The Cult of Moloch crowd went crazy, of course. Nobody is defiled enough, er, I mean pure enough for them.
8. Gotta love Our Morning Paper for it's humble self-image. The managing editor of the Times says ""Saving the New York Times now ranks with saving Darfur as a high-minded cause." Yeah, just like it. If it weren't for the crossword puzzle, would the paper be worth anything?
9. The New York City Council spat on the First Amendment yesterday, passing the iniquitous clinic access bill. I'll blog about this today.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Taking the Message Online
1. The Wall Street Journal has taken notice of the effort by pro-lifers to bring our message online, for example through the www.catholicvote.org commercial that was to be aired during the Super Bowl. Another example is the Christian Medical and Dental Association (much less snazzy) video on conscience protection. The New Evangelization, using the new media to bring the truth to our culture.
2. Russell Shaw provides some historical perspective on Americanism, apropos of NDU. Bishops continue to comment. 230,000 signatures on the petition.
3. A very thoughtful reflection on the Holy Father's comments on HIV/AIDS and condoms, by a Jesuit priest who heads the African Jesuit AIDS Network.
4. Kirsten Powers, a liberal pro-choice news analyst on the Fox News Network, wrote a scathing reaction to the Cult of Moloch's frenzy over the Virginia law requiring abortionists to offer a sonogram, and offering help to crisis pregnancy centers. She exposes the basic lie of the pro-abortion movement -- they couldn't care less about letting women make an informed choice.
5. In case you missed it, here is the invaluable Fr. Thomas Berg's recent article on the theats to religious liberty and attacks on the Church.
6. The slippery slope becomes a mine shaft. Romania is considering legalizing "consensual" incest.
7. Somebody who is described as a science advisor to our State Department has opined that there are far too many people on the Earth. She's welcome to reside somewhere else, if that will help the problem. But of course, there's always too many of "them" and just the right number of "us".
9. For Church geeks like myself, here's a nice piece on the the Archbishop's coat of arms.
10. Four years ago today, Pope John Paul II was reborn into eternal life.
2. Russell Shaw provides some historical perspective on Americanism, apropos of NDU. Bishops continue to comment. 230,000 signatures on the petition.
3. A very thoughtful reflection on the Holy Father's comments on HIV/AIDS and condoms, by a Jesuit priest who heads the African Jesuit AIDS Network.
4. Kirsten Powers, a liberal pro-choice news analyst on the Fox News Network, wrote a scathing reaction to the Cult of Moloch's frenzy over the Virginia law requiring abortionists to offer a sonogram, and offering help to crisis pregnancy centers. She exposes the basic lie of the pro-abortion movement -- they couldn't care less about letting women make an informed choice.
5. In case you missed it, here is the invaluable Fr. Thomas Berg's recent article on the theats to religious liberty and attacks on the Church.
6. The slippery slope becomes a mine shaft. Romania is considering legalizing "consensual" incest.
7. Somebody who is described as a science advisor to our State Department has opined that there are far too many people on the Earth. She's welcome to reside somewhere else, if that will help the problem. But of course, there's always too many of "them" and just the right number of "us".
9. For Church geeks like myself, here's a nice piece on the the Archbishop's coat of arms.
10. Four years ago today, Pope John Paul II was reborn into eternal life.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
I am Not Embarassed -- They Should Be
1. Cardinal George has weighed in on the NDU scandal. . The Cardinal said, in part, "Whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn't understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation". This is important. Not only is Cardinal George the President of the USCCB, Chicago is very closely connected to NDU and its alumni.
2. With all respect to the Cardinal, however, I have to take issue with something he said. He stated that NDU is an "extreme embarrassment"" to Catholics. No. I am not one of those who consider this "Midwestern university" (to quote Fr. Rutler) some kind of shining exemplar of Catholicism in the United States. NDU has nothing to do with my identity as a Catholic, and thus cannot embarrass me. This whole affair, including NDU's sad attempts to justify it, should be -- but apparently is not -- an extreme embarassment to the Congregation of the Holy Cross (which, in fairness, really only has a nominal at best control of NDU), the NDU board, administration, faculty, alumni and students -- after all, it's their school. It does not and cannot "embarrass" ordinary Catholics -- it scandalizes, outrages, upsets, disappoints, and betrays us. Archbishop Nienstedt of St. Paul-Minneapolis said it better -- it's a "travesty".
3. Here's the hapless superior general of the Holy Cross order, trying desperately to conduct a one-sided "dialogue" with the President on abortion. Nice try.
4. Dr. Francis Beckwith, recent convert to the Church, puts things in perspective, citing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to debunk the idea that the President should be given a "Doctor of Laws" degree by a Catholic institution -- namely, because he defends a legal regime that is not valid law, but constitutes a usurpation and an act of violence.
5. Two same-sex marriage cases are going up to the New York State Court of Appeals. While the legislature does nothing to protect marriage, the slow-motion stealth legalization of same-sex "marriage" in New York proceeds apace.
6. Here's a good summary of the extremism of Dawn Johnsen, the nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. This office is significant because the OLC is the definitive advisor to the Administration on the meaning of laws and the interpretation of the Constitution. It is also a very prestigious position and can be a springboard to a federal judgeship. But don't worry, the President will no doubt be immune to radical interpretations of the law, thanks to that honorary (but not an honor!) "Doctor of Laws" from the leading Catholic university in the Universe.
7. Today is Terri's Day, the fourth anniversary of the killing of Terri Schiavo by court ordered starvation . Please pray for the repose of her soul, for the consolation of her family, and for the souls of all those who were involved in causing her death.
2. With all respect to the Cardinal, however, I have to take issue with something he said. He stated that NDU is an "extreme embarrassment"" to Catholics. No. I am not one of those who consider this "Midwestern university" (to quote Fr. Rutler) some kind of shining exemplar of Catholicism in the United States. NDU has nothing to do with my identity as a Catholic, and thus cannot embarrass me. This whole affair, including NDU's sad attempts to justify it, should be -- but apparently is not -- an extreme embarassment to the Congregation of the Holy Cross (which, in fairness, really only has a nominal at best control of NDU), the NDU board, administration, faculty, alumni and students -- after all, it's their school. It does not and cannot "embarrass" ordinary Catholics -- it scandalizes, outrages, upsets, disappoints, and betrays us. Archbishop Nienstedt of St. Paul-Minneapolis said it better -- it's a "travesty".
3. Here's the hapless superior general of the Holy Cross order, trying desperately to conduct a one-sided "dialogue" with the President on abortion. Nice try.
4. Dr. Francis Beckwith, recent convert to the Church, puts things in perspective, citing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to debunk the idea that the President should be given a "Doctor of Laws" degree by a Catholic institution -- namely, because he defends a legal regime that is not valid law, but constitutes a usurpation and an act of violence.
5. Two same-sex marriage cases are going up to the New York State Court of Appeals. While the legislature does nothing to protect marriage, the slow-motion stealth legalization of same-sex "marriage" in New York proceeds apace.
6. Here's a good summary of the extremism of Dawn Johnsen, the nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. This office is significant because the OLC is the definitive advisor to the Administration on the meaning of laws and the interpretation of the Constitution. It is also a very prestigious position and can be a springboard to a federal judgeship. But don't worry, the President will no doubt be immune to radical interpretations of the law, thanks to that honorary (but not an honor!) "Doctor of Laws" from the leading Catholic university in the Universe.
7. Today is Terri's Day, the fourth anniversary of the killing of Terri Schiavo by court ordered starvation . Please pray for the repose of her soul, for the consolation of her family, and for the souls of all those who were involved in causing her death.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
