Marylanders! Defend Marriage Against Gansler's Onslaughts!

This past Thursday I posted about Attorney General Gansler's disregard for both marriage and the rule of law in Maryland.  I have been advised that the Maryland Catholic Conference has installed a utility whereby with the click of your mouse, you can send an email to your state senator to support marriage by supporting SB 852.  Please take a moment and do so now.

Maryland March for Life

The 31st annual Maryland March for Life will occur in Annapolis on Monday March 8, commencing at 5pm.  Meet at St. Mary's Church at 109 Duke of Gloucester Street.  Below is a short clip that sketches some history of Maryland's pro-lfe movement and some of the obstacles that confront us in this very left-wing state of Maryland.



Let me reiterate my opinion, formed by my own years of pro-life experience, that everyone - NO EXCEPTIONS! (save poor health or other dire situations) - who calls him/herself "pro-life" must engage in regular activism.  On the other hand - there are those who dare to presume that their particular brand or focus of activism is far superior to those of other pro-lifer activists.  They will go so far as to disparage other pro-life actviists who do not march to their particular drum beat as they engage in self-aggrandizement.  You know who you are!  That must cease, lest babies die as a direct result of such malfeasance.

I hope many of you can come.  In recent blog postings, I've detailed threats to marriage and family life that have come out of Annapolis in the past several weeks.  They need to hear from us.  Also, bear in mind that each and every one of those politicians, from the governor on down, is up for election next November!

For more information on this march, please go to http://www.marylandmarchforlife.org/.  Thank you.

From the "Chumpions of Choice" Department

When Christians offer witness at places of great evil, we will evoke strong and bizarre reactions, as consciences are pricked and demons are challenged.  Those who are regularly in front of abortuaries can certainly attest to this, and probably have seen similar incidents such as this one that occurred today in front of the Planned Parenthood on Spring Street in Silver Spring, MD.  Recall the various times in the Gospels when Jesus expelled demons.  Did He not get some bizarre reactions as the demons balked?  Maybe such is the case with this man (dubbing himself "Bob the fetus god"), or maybe he's had an abortion in his past. 

Or maybe he was just being an arrogant buffoon.  This seems to have been a planned stunt; notice his female companion recording and grinning through it.  Also notice that the deathscorts were embarrassed by their fellow pro-abort; one can be heard complaining to the companion that "this isn't helping".  See for yourself.  (Click here if you can't see embedded videos)



He closed his silly screed with an exhortation to "recycle".  Hey!  I wonder if he's following the "lenten carbon fast"!

A special note now, to pro-abortion activists:
Boys and girls!  Just think!  If you continue down the pro-abortion primrose path, perhaps you too can make complete morons of yourselves just like the one you just witnessed!  Was that a pretty sight, or what???

Baltimore Priests on New Ways Ministry Board

Thanks to the person who commented on the post regarding the bishops' rebuke of Gansler.  I would encourage one and all to examine the New Ways board.  In all fairness to Archbishop O'Brien, I do believe he may well be unaware of the doings of Fathers Muth and Thomas.

Look at the rest of that board.  Take Mrs Byers, for example.  Three of her seven children are gay.  That is to say that they are most likely engaging in practices that will endanger their immortal souls.  Well, golly-gee-whiz!  I thought a parent had a duty to facilitate their childrens' entrances into heaven, not the other place!  Will she hand them "rainbow fishpins" on the way down?

Father Thomas is the board chair.  Ostensibly he's "ministered" to gays and lesbians since 1974.  As in Mrs. Byer's case, I must ask to where is he leading those to whom he "ministers"?  If he is affirming their "gay identities", then he is failing them utterly.

I could go on and on, but time forbids me.  I do urge one and all to contact Archbishop O'Brien to advise him of this situation, which I suspect existed before he came to Baltimore.

By the way - if ever there was a "case in point" to illustrate the posting about modernism, this is it!

Catholic Charities Ends Decades of Foster Care in DC

Catholic Charities of Washington DC was forced to end their foster care and adoption program in Washington DC because of the city's onorous requirements that they license same-sex couples.  This, of course, would have been a violation of our core religious beliefs.  Read the account in today's Catholic Standard.

I applaud the Catholic Charities for taking this stand.  We practice charity because we are Catholic - not in spite of our faith.  The Missionary Baptist Ministers' Conference of DC and Vicinity have come out in support of Catholic Charities, stating that faith-based organizations should not be expected to put faith on a back-burner.

Wise Words of Warning From Pope Saint Pius X

This clip from Real Catholic TV focuses on the dangers of modernism, as foretold by Pope Saint Pius X.  Saint Pius wrote an encyclical called Pascendi Dominici Gregis.  I link to it because I highy recommend its reading.  As you read it, you might well think that this was something written two years ago, as so many dangers and perils, abuses and neglects, will seem so well-portrayed in this letter.  It was written over one hundred years ago.  Note that Pius was writing primarily on modernism as it was eating away at the Church from the inside, not so much the outside.

The secularists and humanists are certainly a patient lot.  However, in many ways, we have been complacent and lacking in vigilance.  In Voris's words, "the history of mankind is shaped by one thing, and one thing only: whether man is moving towards God or away from God."  Notice that there's no middle ground.  We have been duped into thinking that there is a "plateau".  Rather, we've allowed ourselves to be duped.  In reality, the "plateau" is a very subtle descent.

Maryland Bishops Rebuke Gansler and His Overreaching Ways

The bishops who oversee Maryland's three diocese have released a press statement rebuking Maryland Attonrney General Douglas Ganssler.  Recall from yesterday's post that Gansler ordered state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages that were recognized in other states.  The bishops correctly take Gansler to task for:

1. His usurpation of the role of the legislature by an imperious, de facto directive to order state agencies to ignore standing Maryland law
2. His abject failure to recognize the true nature of marriage as being between a man and a woman, and marriage's foundational role in human society

The press statement ends with an exhortation to Maryland lawmakers to uphold the true nature of marriage in Maryland law.  It will be up to us as citizens to watch them and to ensure that will happen.  Moreover, as the 2010 elections draw near, it will be up to us to work to elect men and women who will respect natural law.

Errors of Liberalism and Progressivism

The underlying philosophies of liberals and progressives, according to Michael Voris, is that man's problems can be solved by man alone.  They refuse to admit that man's problems originate in man's fallen human nature, fallen through Original Sin.  Of course, they also try to erase God from the equation.  We find this also in humanism; the Humanist Manifesto (in all its versions) is quite a study into their mental paradigms.  We also see this type of erroneous mentality in progressives within the Church.  They hold that the Church's primary mission is to solve man's problems - or what they perceive man's problems to be.  Hence we see the money in the USCCB being waylaid to all sorts of anti-life organizations in the name of "socal justice". 

We can also thank them for presenting to Catholics such horse manure as the "lenten carbon fast".  Notice as you read that thing that there is no reference to eternity - no mention of heaven or hell, no mention of our need to secure eternal salvation, which has always been an authentic goal of Lent.

MD Attorney General "Rules" on Same Sex Marriage

According to MD Attorney General Doug Gansler, Maryland state agencies must recognize same-sex marriage, even though Maryland law recognizes marriage as being between a man and a woman.  One account of this is in the LA Times.  I put the word "rules" in quotes because Gansler is overstepping the constitutional bounds of his office in overriding clearly-written Maryland law.  He opines that "this will ultimately be resolved in the courts."

Notice how he conducted himself as a true liberal demagogue. 

1. He issued his own extra-constitutional "ruling" by imperious, if invalid, verbal fiat
2. He disregarded already-existing state law.  Attorney Generals are supposed to enforce it, not re-write it
3. He makes clear his reliance upon judicial action to override the will of the people.  Don't all left-wingers do that?

Representative Don Dwyer stated that he intends to commence impeachment proceedings against Gansler for overstepping his constitutional bounds and violating his oath of office.  I thank the Lord for courageous men like Don Dwyer.  Now I must ask, "Where, oh where, is the Church in all of this?  Will they speak out?"

Diocese of Green Bay Nixes CCHD as Collection Recipient

I learned from my Catholic Media Coalition colleague at Orate Fratres (Psst!  Got that, Catholics United?) that the Diocese of Green Bay is eliminating CCHD as a recipient of its annual World's Poor Collection this year.  I believe they are wise in simply wanting to reevaluate things, to take some time for an investigation lest they imprudently allow CCHD to squander donation dollars on anti-God, anti-Church and anti-life groups.

Good for them!  I pray that all will follow their suit!

Maryland Citizens! Take Action NOW!

Those of us in Montgomery County remember well our unsuccessful struggle to keep the so-called "gender identity bill" off of the county's books last year.  The "gay rights" crowd tried the same stunt last year on the state level, but it failed.

However, they aren't giving up.  They've reintroduced the slop under bills HB-1022 (House bill) and SB-583 (Senate bill). The bills are both in committee:
HB-1022: House Health & Gov. Op. Committee 1-301-858-3770
SB-583: Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee 1-301-858-3623

The senate committee hearing is scheduled for March 3rd at 1pm. The house committee hearing has not been scheduled at the time of this writing.

Call the committees first and ask them to vote "NO" on these bills.  Then contact your senators and representatives.

I post now a link to the account of a young woman who was raped last month in a restroom on the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College.  Do we really want to make such attempts easier for thugs as this rapist?  Such will be an effect of this bill statewide if passed.

Follow this link to see who are the committee members, who sponsored these bills and how to find your own legislators.  This information came to me via Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government.  If you can, please help their work by donating to: MCRG, PO Box 83304 , Gaithersburg, MD 20883-4052.

I will ask now if the Church has learned its sorry lession from last year and will speak out sooner rather than later.

Abortionist's Ghoulish Collection of Frozen Murder Victims

Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia "abortionist" baby-killer, was already under investigation for the death of a woman who underwent an abortion at his mill.  When law enforcement authorities raided the place, they made a shocking discovery.  Stuffed inside a freezer were frozen bodies of dozens of Gosnell's murder victims, some going back 30 years.  Dare we say "Frankenstein-esque"?  Here's the media coverage.

Window-Dressing Catholicism

In these next two clips, Michael Voris talks about those Catholics who emphasize the "horizontal" dimension of our religion to the exclusion of the Divine aspect of our Faith.  Of course we know the latter is the more fundamental, and it is that which will last into eternity.  He calls those Catholics "practical Catholics".  I won't use that terminology, since our Faith is in actuality very practical precisely because it is based on the eternal truths of God.  Rather, I'll call them "pseudo-Catholics", for indeed if they don't adhere to the Magisterium, to the teachings on the Last Four Things, to the necessity for the Sacraments (celebrated properly) and to the Magisterium's teachings on life, marriage, and other moral issues, their faith is based on falsehood.

You'll see in the second clip where he makes it a point to show that these pseudo-Catholics or nominal Catholics within our structures actually cause a de facto schism within the Church.  Some strongholds of pseudo-catholicism (I'll use the small "c") do include the USCCB (not all employees, but certainly the majority of the governing forces within), Catholics United, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.   Now for the videos.

We Have The Right Kind of Enemies

That's what we of the Catholic Media Coalition seem to have acquired, as a result of spreading the facts regarding the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the sorry state of their affairs (pro-abortion alliances, funds going to all manners of dubious recipients, heavy influx of tax dollars, etc).  Catholics United, another cabal of left-wing Catholics, has started an online petition in defense of the CCHD and as a backlash against both the Reform CCHD Now Coalition and the Catholic Media Coalition.  As this blog is a member of the latter, I say to the Catholics United bunch, "Thank you for that honor!"  For indeed, being attacked by folks like that is truly an honor.

If you want some chuckles, do read that petiton.  It starts out by saying, "I am proud of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.."  It reminds me of some of the pro-death clinic escorts with which I deal every week.  Every now and then I'll show them pictures of their fine "work" and ask them if they're proud.  Some actually say that they are proud as they look at the poor broken little bodies.  In many ways, though, the CCHD is responsible for turning those little babies into tiny corpses because of their partnerships with ACORN, PICO and other pro-abortion outfits.  And Catholics United is proud of that?  More on Catholics United later.   Now see proof positive that ACORN and Obama are intimate pals.



Now let's look at Catholics United in general.  Clicking on that link, we can now tour its website.  As we scroll down, we see that they are behind the Obama Hell Care Bill that would bring about euthanasia-pushing death panels as well as ensconce abortion in our social structure - to say nothing of socializing and rationing medicine and assuming divine prerogatives over our health. 

The next article down from that is where we see them scold some bishops who had the audacity to question the masterpiece of the Messiah Most Miserable.  They even had the gall to accuse them of distorting "the essential role government has in serving the common good."  I suppose they never heard of the principle of subsidiarity.  Some of the signers of this screed are: Fr Charles Curran, whom Pope John Paul II had dismissed from Catholic University for teaching aberrant theology, Fr. Thomas Reese, whom Pope Benedict XVI fired from his position at America and Doug Kmiec, ex-prolifer turncoat.  Great bunch of fellows!  Such credibility!

The next article down is a call to American Life League to suspend its "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy" campaign.  Speaking of Kennedy, they also mourn the "loss of Kennedy's passing."  While we certainly pray God's mercy upon his soul, we certainly lament the great harm done by Kennedy in his relentless pursuit of liberalized abortion.

Now click on "about us".  I have found that section of an organization's web page to be most illuminating, as it shows the philosophical bent of its key players.  We see, for instance, that James Salt, their "director of organizing" worked on Kathleen Sebelius' campaigns.

Readers, please keep praying and working.  We're having enough of an effect to cause a backlash.  Ora et labora!

USCCB Tells New Ways Ministry "No Way!"

For this action on the part of the USCCB I am pleased.  New Ways Ministry has for too long led gay persons down the primrose path of self-destruction and perhaps damnation by encouraging them in their gay lifestyles.  They are based in Prince George's County, Maryland.  That is within the boundaries of the Archciocese of Washington.

They do seem to my perspective to be waning in influence.  I recall several years ago I led a picket of a meeting of theirs in Silver Spring; conducted at the offices of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas (those left-wingers do stick together, don't they?).  That occurred in 2005 during Lent.  There were 5 of us picketing.  Still, we outnumbered the New Ways meeting attendees.

The USCCB press release can be found here.  It reminds the Catholic population at large that New Ways has no authority from the bishops to speak on behalf of the Church.  Cardinal Hickey first announced that in 1984.  So why, oh why, did these nuns lend New Ways their office space for that meeting?   They cannot be trusted.

Wisdom on Windshields - DON'T Go to Church Without It

Yesterday, at a Saturday Mass in a Montgomery County parish, I spotted a car in the Church parking lot that was festooned with liberal bumper stickers - including that of Obama.  Fortunately I always carry a supply of Wisdom on Windshields with me for such occasions.  I pulled one out, placed it under the windshield wiper and continued on my way into church.

This flyer was developed precisely for the faithful Catholic who must often deal with cars in the Church parking lot that express support for politicians that espouse positions contrary to those of the Church on the non-negotiable issues such as life and marriage.  The Works of Mercy demand that we Instruct the Ignorant, Counsel the Doubtful and Rebuke the Sinner.  These are NOT options - they are mandates.  I suggest the use of these flyers as they allow one to perform these Works of Mercy without distracting from your original purpose of being at Church: Mass, etc.

You may download your copy of  Wisdom on Windshields  here and have it handy on your own computer. Print it out and always carry a supply with you to Church, as you'll never know when an opportunity will arise to educate an ignorant fellow Catholic..  Then when you see such a car in the parking lot, just deposit the flyer under the wiper or in the car door (make sure it can't blow away).

Those of you in other areas of the country should feel free to copy the language to your own letterhead, as your politicians may not be impressed with our Maryland address.

As the 2010 elections draw near, these sorts of situations will occur with greater frequency.  Be prepared!

More on Origins of "Carbon Fast" Schtick

The blog "What Does the Prayer Really Say?", in their own posting about the lenten carbon fast, linked to my original posting with the comment by the IPL person.  Some of the comments on that blog doubted the responsibility of the Archdiocese of Washington for its part in this nonsense. 

You might have noticed on that blog that I had my own doubts.  However, subsequent circumstances removed those doubts, and I'll now explain them.  Immediately after I published that post, I sent an email to the ADW webmaster to inquire into the matter, seriously thinking that their name was misappropriated.  I instructed my email handler to return to me a "read receipt" when the email was read at the other end.  I sent that email in the evening, and thus was surprised to receive back, within the hour, my read receipt.  The very next morning, at 8:15am, I was notified of the comment from the IPL person.  I could be wrong, but I believe the timing of these two events is too coincidental.  Could it be that the thing was read, certain ADW parties were notified, who then put in a request that the comment be submitted to me?  If that's true, that indicates very close working relations between the ADW and this IPL group.  Even if that's far-fetched, we've seen no repudiation of this "carbon fast" on the ADW website.

Enough of that.  There's another group that has their fingerprints all over this (and all over this as manifested in other dioceses in the US and England).  It's called Catholic Climate Covenant.  Click on that, and the very first thing you see is the accusatory question, "Who's Under YOUR Carbon Footprint?" (emphasis mine).  My!  Aren't we just a bunch of callous slobs!  Well, we must be!  Why?  Because...because..well, they say so!  That's why!  And don't you forget it!

Now watch that movie!  It's hillarious!  According to this sorry excuse of an educational flick, if we drive our cars and run our hot water faucets, we create electrical storms and cause draughts and joblessness!  It's more swallowing of the junk science.  It does mention that we Catholics have the obligation to care for the least among us who have no voice - hold that thought!

Go and see who the coalition members are.  It's the usual gang of suspects: Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, Leadership Council of Women Religious and - at the top of the list - the USCCB's Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development.  That's headed by - John Carr!  We've heard that name before now, haven't we?

Again, he has also been linked with the Center for Community Change, that has helped fund abortion-promoting organizations.  How is that helping to care for the least among us who have no voice, namely, the unborn who are slaughtered vis-a-vis abortion, to the tune of 4,000 daily?

Regarding the Real Catholic vidoe in the post below regarding the "social justice" scam, this is a prime example of which Voris was speaking.

"Social Justice" - Flimsy Excuse for Deadly Scams of USCCB and CCHD

This blog and those of many other good, faithful and knowlegeable Catholics (some listed to the right) have detailed the plethora of known problems with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and its Catholic Campaign for Human Development.  Unfortunately, it seems that every few days another problem is discovered at the USCCB.  I use the adjective "deadly" because the CCHD, over the years, has funnelled money to organizations that promote abortion.  It isn't that much of a stretch to see that those dollars were most likely key factors in the deaths of those children slaughtered vis-a-vis abortion.

Below we will watch a Real Catholic TV clip to understand a little more the insidious nature of those organizations who chant the mantra of "social justice" but who, in reality, accomplish just the opposite.

Yet Another USCCB-CCC Tie!

We've seen lately how the USCCB and its liberal cohorts are trying to tap-dance and belittle the significance of the John Carr situation.  Now Lifesitenews has uncovered yet another CCHD official who is also a CCC official.  Actually, he is a former CCHD associate director, and his name is Tom Chabolla.  In the words of Lifesitenews, "Chabolla joined the board of CCC in 2006, and continues now as a board member. He worked for CCHD until 2008 and now serves as Assistant to the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). But he has stayed on with the CCHD, now serving as a “lay consultant” to the bishops' CCHD subcommittee, which oversees the organization."

Now think about that revelation.  From 2006 to 2008, Chabolla occupied high positions in CCHD and CCC at the same time.  He remains with CCC and is now a "lay consultant" to CCHD, meaning he continues to wield influence in both organizations.  Also, for good measure, he occupies an influential role in the SEIU (the townhall thugs!).

The Lifesitenews article mentions that Chabolla is a member of Facebook's group called, "I bet we can find 1,000,000 people who support same sex marriage."  This same fellow is currently a lay consultant to the CCHD!  Read the article for more troubling news about CCC and its advocacy projects.

Kudos for Bishop Vasa!

Lifesitenews informs us that Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon has severed ties with St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, OR.  It seems that, despite the bishop's attempts to educate the staff there, the hospital continues to perform tubal ligations.  That is, they perform sterilizations on women, a direct violation of Church teachings.

Contact information for the bishop can be found on the link.  Please contact him to thank him for being a true bishop.  Then thank God, and pray for more bishops with some calcium in their spinal columns.

First CCHD! Now Catholic News Service Has Gone South?

Actually, it has gone left.  Some might recall the justifiable uproar created in many diocesan newspapers during the 2000 Presidential race.  The Catholic News Service published an article entitled "Aside From Abortion, Lieberman Is Good on Catholic Issues".  Unfortunately some of the papers, such as the Catholic Standard, published it.  Many good Catholics cancelled their subscriptions, inducing the editor to issue what was a pathetic excuse for an apology (in other words, a damage control attempt).

Fast-forward now to this week's uproar at the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life.  Five prominent members have petitioned the Holy Father for the removal of its president, Archbishop Rino Fischiella.  He wrote an article last year that appears to condone the abortion of twins carried by a nine-year-old girl in Brazil.  Rather than rehash the details here, please read the Lifesitenews article.

It is important to note that Fischiella told media, including CNS, that all was resolved within the Academy.  However, CNS misquoted one of the petition's signers, Christine Vollmer (who head Venezuela's Alliance for the Family) as concurring with Fischiella's apparent white-wash.  Ms. Vollmer will be asking CNS to correct their misstatement.

Last year, Archbishop Raymond Burke, head of the Apostolic Signatura, said that "The bishops need to look at our Catholic News Service; they need to review their coverage of [the Church's moral and social teachings] and give some new direction.”

Hell Bill Rears Its Ugly Head

The congressional Democrat's latest trick appears to be attaching the Hell Bill to a budget bill that would require only a simple 51-vote majority to get through the Senate.  The Obama cartel is most likely going to present this to Congress as early as Monday.

This clearly is a sneak-through attempt, an attempt to avoid the necessity for a super-majority that they lost in the Massachusetts election.  This means, ladies and gentlemen, that we must melt their phone and fax lines and jam their email boxes, to let them know that we're watching their every move.

To contact your Senators, go to http://www.senate.gov/.  At the top right, you can use the search box to find your Senators.  Similarly, for your House Representative, go to http://www.house.gov/, but go to the top left.  Let's get busy!

Dutch Priest Obeys Canon 915

Father Luc Buyens of the Netherlands informed Gijs Vermeulen, an openly gay man, that he would be denied Holy Communion for flaunting his gay lifestyle.  Vermeulen was the "prince" for the local carnival; he was pictured with his gay partner and the description focused on their lifestyle.

Veumeulen was quite unhappy about that.  He stated that he'll be speaking with the parish counsel about the matter - to which I say "whoopie-doo!".  He further states that he was raised Catholic.  Hopefully this experience will help him rediscover the Catholicism that he abandoned.

Cardinal O'Malley, It's Called "Canon 915"!

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston recently told Lifesite News regarding the denial of Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicians, ""Well, I think that the only way that that solution [denying communion] should be invoked is if there were a large catechesis or if it was universal for the whole church. You can’t have people doing things in one parish and another, you would only divide the Church hopelessly."  He then goes on to call for a change in Canon Law and/or a papal directive.

Let's restate the obvious.  Canon 915 is universal for the whole church.  It's actually quite simple, and I'll now quote it in its entirety.  "Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion."  That's it!  The underlined part is what pertains to the discussion about pro-abortion politicians.  Pro-abortion politicians "are not to be admitted to holy communion."  Who does the admitting?  It's the minister of Holy Communion, be they ordinary or extraordinary.  Canon 915 thus speaks to the minister of Holy Communion, not the would-be recipient of Holy Communion.  Read it.  It's spoken in the passive voice, but the meaning is crystal clear to those who have the intellectual honesty not to try to obfuscate its clear meaning.

The cardinal states that "you can't have people doing things in one parish and another.."  That's true enough.  The real solution, though, is to have all parishes and dioceses conform with Canon Law as it exists.  What makes the Cardinal think that they'll obey a new Canon law or new papal directive when they disobey the already-existing Canon Laws?

As far as papal directives go, the Vatican tried to extend such guidance in 2004 with then-Cardinal Ratzinger's (now the Holy Father) "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles".  The Vatican had intended it to be made known to all the bishops at their meeting in Dallas in 2004.  However, Cardinal McCarrick, who headed the USSCB's task force on the matter of Holy Communion, only made the briefest of reference to it.  Archbishop Burke said later that he was disappointed not to know of the full content of Cardinal Ratzinger's directive during the meeting.  Both Archbishop Burke and Cardinal Arinze have, from their Vatican posts, made clear that the minister of Holy Communion may not give It to pro-abortion politicians.  Cardinals O'Malley and McCarrick, what is so difficult to comprehend about that?

Archbishop's Appeal

We had the in-pew collection this past weekend.  Many, including myself, did not contribute, as we wonder just where such contributions would be going.  I would, though, like to suggest some cost-cutting measures for the Archdiocese.  By the way - I know, for a fact, that some in the ADW offices are reading this blog.  By all means, please continue.  I hope you heed some of these suggestions.

1. Get rid of the Environmental Outreach Committee.  In glomming onto this "lenten carbon fast" silliness, they have made utter fools of themselves and their supervisors.  As my friend at Les Femmes said, they should be ashamed of themselves for all the paper wasted (trees killed!  oh, my!) to print those calendars.
2. Cut off immediately contributions/assessments paid to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  I've already enumerated the many reasons why that cartel should be junked.
3. Readers of this blog!  Please use the comments section to submit your own cost-cutting suggestions.  Again, please be advised that comments not respectful of the Church and of Rome are subject to rejection.

During this in-pew collection, Catholics were presented with the option of making a pledge.  Here's a dirty little secret from business law that most people don't know.  Pledges made to a not-for-profit entity, such as a church, are legally binding upon the one making the pledge!  Now it so happens that very few charities actually enforce these pledges, as that would have a chilling effect on people making future pledges.  The fact is, though, the charity does have the option of legally enforcing the pledge.

Beyond that, though, I know many area Catholics are simply frosted at seeing their parish schools close without so much as being asked for their opinions (and no, some little committee who meets privately does NOT constitute parishioner input!).  We know just from reading the Standard that there has been a spate of that lately.  One friend of mine suggested that they might be willing to make such a pledge IF the chancery will pledge not to close one more school or church, nor to engage in any of those "consolidations".  Is the Archdiocese of Washington game?

USCCB Groupies Are Circling Their Wagons!

Deal Hudson recently wrote a piece about faithful Catholics "throwing tea bags at the USCCB".  In that article, he spells out some of the damage that the USCCB has done to the Church in the USA.  This type of article, the videos from Real Catholic TV and the information found on various blogs (including this one, thank you!) are shining some much-needed light on some sinister cockroaches.

Well, now the USCCB and cronies are getting ansty and angry.  They know the more they are exposed, the more likely the possibility that their power and wealth will diminish.  Watch the latest video from Real Catholic TV as Voris expounds on this.



The US Catholic article that Voris mentions is here.  Here's a telling comment by Bryan Cones, the author.  I quote, "I get why some Catholics choose to be single-issue voters on abortion, and if that's where their consciences lead them, they should. But I still argue that I'm on solid moral ground in considering the broad swath of issues when I vote, as well as exercising prudence in choosing the social policies that I think will have the most effect for the sake of the poor and weak, including the unborn."  That says it all, doesn't it?  Frankly, it shoots his credibility right down to you-know-where.

Gee-willikers!  Hudson gets this treatment because he sheds light on the misdeeds of the USCCB.  Some of us are calling for the abolition of the USCCB.  US Catholic, bring it on!  As the video above makes very clear, we are loaded for bear!  (Oops!  I realize that isn't very "carbon-fast friendly!  Mea culpa!)

It's Ash Wednesday! Are Your Light Bulbs Unscrewed?

As you can see from the first comment to the "carbon fast" post, many people are confused about the meaning of Lent - or they're simply glomming onto the "Lent" word to push their own agendas.  We are to turn from our personal sin and take seriously one of the first questions in the Baltimore Catechism.  "Why did God make me?"  "God made me to know, love and serve Him in this world, and be happy forever with Him in the next."  That is how our lives are to be ordered.  Sadly, such is not the case.

Our primary duty is to see to our eternal salvation, and the salvation of those around us.  That means we preach and practice, among other things, respect for God's laws regarding marriage as a life-long union of one man and one woman.  We preach and practice that sexual relations only occur between two married people as discussed in the previous sentence, and that every such act be open to new life.  Contraception, in all its disgusting and perverted forms, is shunned as the poison that it is.  Under no circumstances is the life of an innocent person to be taken; that means no abortion and no euthanasia whatsover.  We follow the Church's teachings regarding the sacraments, and their worthy and frequent reception. 

Anyone who deviates from these, either in thought, word or deed must repent of these via the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  We offer prayers and sacrifices in reparation for our own sins and those of others.  THAT is Lent: NOT unscrewing light bulbs or starting compost piles in the back yard or letting our dishwashers "breathe".  To my IPL reader: the ideas may in and of themselves be economically useful, but when they are 1) put on the same level as the Stations of the Cross, the Mass, etc and 2) based on junk science, they become CRAP in that context.  Follow them if you will, but let no one be deluded into thinking that they will suffice as Lenten practices. 

Let me now adress that last sentence on the calendar, about serving God by "pursuing a more sustainable way of life."  The emphasis is completely wrong.  We serve God by obeying His Commands and by obeying His Church, not by jumping onto politically-correct bandwagons.  See below for Real Catholic TV's take.



By the way - in regards to the question in the title, light bulbs can be unscrewed in more ways than one!

From the "Enviro-Whacko Department" - Lenten Carbon Fast!

Yes, indeed!  This is designed to coincide with Lent.  This nonsense can be found here.  (Note - Should this embarrassment mysteriously "disappear", please notify via "comments" and I'll post it on the old website).  Let's look at some of these precious gems of wisdom.  The source of this stuff?  Appearances can be deceiving; I'll discuss that at the bottom.

On Friday Feb 19, it is suggested that we go meat-free.  Well, actually, that's not a suggestion, as the Church fast rules stipulate that we abstain from meat on Lenten Fridays.  Posting that in this context obfuscates this morally-binding Church precept, especially since there's no mention of that on subsequent Fridays.

Look at March 1st!  Here's yet another piece of evidence that these folks have swallowed the climate change koolaid.  If you're in the air travel industry, I won't blame you if you have an ecological bone to pick with the originators of this, since they advocate that we not fly to our destinations (do they live up to that themselves?).  On March 10th, we see that the USCCB types took a page out of the playbook of the Messiah Most Miserable and suggest that we keep our tire pressures set so as to conserve fuel, blah blah blah.  On March 31st, we're encouraged to replace incandescent bulbs with CFL's - you know, the things that are filled with toxic mercury! 

From where did this crap originate?  Some of the culprits are obvious.  One is the Interfaith Power and Light, billing itself as "a religious response to global warming".  It's based in San Francisco; that should tell you a lot.  It links to the United Nations Environmental Sabbath Service; here's an example of its lovely prayers to whatever.

That was the national group.  The Greater Washington IPL uses the website greenmychurch.com.  Right on the front page we see a problem, and that problem is called the Washington Ethical Society.  Click on that page and they'll tell you up front that they are humanists  In a previous post, I link to the Humanist Manifesto; read that link and you'll see why humanism is so dangerous to the eternal salvation of those who embrace it.

Did you notice anything interesting as you looked at that calendar?  The home page for that thing is the website of the Leadership Council of Women Religious.  Go to the "mission statement" and look at the picture.  What are those things draped over the shoulders and why does it look like the woman to the right is wearing a chasibule?  Go to the "history" page and scroll to 1979.  It sure sounds like Sr. Theresa Kane is giving what-for to Pope John Paul II, saying that she "sensed the need of some women to articulate their growing concern about being included in all ministries within the church."  Yep!  She was bucking for the ordination of women.

The name "Archdiocese of Washington" and its "Environmental Outreach Committee" are prominently printed at the top right-hand side of this thing.  I went to the archdiocesan web site and searched "Lenten Carbon Fast".  It does not appear in the ADW website.  Moreover, the url clearly indicates that the Leadership Council of Women Religious has it on theirs.  Is it ever-so-slightly possible that the LCWR is using the ADW name in an unauthorized manner?

Whoever authored this nonsense is only succeeding in trivializing Lent as a time of authentic spiritual renewal.  Lent is a time of turning to God and engaging in truly beneifical practices such as increased use of the Sacrament of Penance (see our "Light Is On" post), engaging in prayer.  If you truly are looking for sacrifice that fulfills just about all the Works of Mercy (both spiritual and corporal), I can think of none better than to go out and pray the Rosary in fron of your local abortion mill.  To the right is a link to Lifeguard, where you'll find helpful hints and locations where there is already an effort that you can join.

Planned Parenthood Aims to Mentally Violate Our 10-Year Olds

Yes, indeed!  Planned Parenthood wantst to make mandatory the teaching of our elementary-school children "The Pleasures of Sex".  Please look at the Fox News clip below.



You do notice the emphasis on the "pleasure" part, don't you?  Bear in mind that all these atheist/progressive types have been whining that if there isn't sex education in schools, then kids won't be aware of pregnancy, std's, etc.  Well, those sound like "risks" of sex outside of marriage to me.  However, now they want to emphasize the "pleasures" of sex to young children who have no business engaging in sex - with no mention of the very real perils!  So why titillate the children in this fashion?  Stay with me here!

Do you recall Saturday's post about Duchy Tractenberg trying to foist more abortion mills on Montgomery County - with our tax dollars?  Do you recall that this recomendation came from a "kangaroo-court" panel comprised in part by Planned Parenthood personnel?  Are the dots now being connected?

I'll now make the dots explicit here.  Planned Parenthood and their cronies know damned well that this "Pleasures of Sex" poison will only serve to make kids curious about sex and desirous of the "pleasures".  That increases the likelihood of them engaging in sex - and thus be inquiring after Planned Parenthood's other "services" (disservices might be more accurate), such as contraception and abortion.  So naturally in Montgomery County (and elsewhere) they need more "women's health centers" to take advantage of the increase in "business".   Can we all say, "ka-ching!  ka-ching!" as the Planned Parenthood coffers fill with blood money that comes from your tax dollars?

GOOD NEWS! Roberts' Book-Signing at CIC - CANCELED!

Many thanks to all the readers of this blog who called/emailed and then alerted their friends about that situation.

Thanks, too, to the staff and directors of the Catholic Information Center who canceled the Roberts' appearance.  They truly were unaware of how fundamental is the divergence of the Roberts' attitudes towards life issues from that of the Magisterium.  Once you all alerted them, they did the proper and courageous thing and canceled the appearance.  I truly to hope that such gives the Roberts reason to pause and reconsider their positions.

Of course, thanks be to God Almighty!

Cokie and Steve Roberts at Catholic Information Center? Additional and Corrected Info

Some of my friends forwarded me an additional item that the Roberts wrote: the lovely tome entitled "Pope Against the People".  They really do lash at the Holy Father for having the courage and sense of duty to exercise his authority.

They also advised me that emails should be sent to cicdevelopment@gmail.com.  I suppose sending emails to the other one in addition to this certainly wouldn't hurt.  Please advise of the responses that you receive.  If you receive no reply, that itself is a response!  Thanks.

USCCB - Damaging the Church

In this clip below, Michael Voris of Real Catholic TV explains how the USCCB's cozy relationship with the Democrat Party damages the Church and undermines her teaching authority.



Let me mention something.  Some have looked askance upon my calling for the demise of the USCCB, even claiming that the laity have no right to do so.  I take issue with such opinions for the following reasons.

•  First, I point out that I and many others find serious and even fatal fault with the organization known as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  It is the conference itself that we find to be innimical, not the bishops themselves, who are the successors to the Apostles
• This blog, and many others, over the past few months, have amply demonstrated the ways in which the USCCB advances left-wing causes.  Such include its unconscionable support for the Obama Hell Care Bill, a measure that will foster widespread abortion and euthanasia should it ever become law.
• The ongoing funnelling of Catholic dollars into groups such as ACORN, PICO, Gamaliel Foundation help foment the left-wing policies of the Democrats.
• The powers-that-be within the USCCB that have actively endeavored to hinder obedience to Canon 915
• The shady circumstances surrounding the beginnings of the USCCB
• The USCCB, and other national conferences, are less than 50 years old, coming from the Vatican II Council.  They are not immutable and are not immune from lay challenge
• In the face of all the afore-mentioned points, the laity have not only the right, but the solemn responsibility to petition the Holy Father for the abolishment of an organization that has shown itself to be beyond reform and has shown itself to be a threat to the faith of its Church, children, etc.

I have, at the right, put a petition that should be signed to urge the Church to at least cease funding of the CCHD.  Please sign it.  Comments (even anonymous ones) welcome, within the guidelines.  Thank you.

Cokie and Steve Roberts at Catholic Information Center?

I just became aware that Cokie and Steve Roberts are slated to do a book-signing at the Catholic Information Center in Washington DC.  Knowing the CIC to be orthodox in their outlook, I can surmise that they are unaware of how the Roberts have views at variance with the Magisterium.  I wrote about that in an October 18th posting.

Please contact CIC to inform them of this problem  Phone information is here.  Their email address is info@cicdc.org.  Thank you for your concern.

"Impeach Obama" Billboard in Oshkosh Wisconsin

I love the First Amendment!

Mass in Extraordinary Form Coming To St John Neumann

In today's bulletin was the announcement that the Tridentine Mass will commence at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg, MD  starting Feb 21st at 5pm.  For now, these will be Low Masses, but perhaps the Easter Mass will be a High Mass.

Hitherto, the only such Masses have been at St Mary's in DC (near Chinatown) and at the old St John's in Silver Spring (across the street from the KofC Rosensteel Council).  Those in the northern part of Montgomery County and further north will find this to be a bit more convenient, albeit being late in the day.

At any rate, I'll be there!  I hope to see many of you there, too!

Update  For more Traditional Latin Masses in the area, please see the comments below.

Trachtenberg Wants to Increase Numbers of Abortion Centers in Montgomery County

Fresh from her victory of using the Montgomery County Council to drive a wedge between needy women and the pro-life pregnancy centers, Duchy Tractenberg seems to be setting the stage to drive county tax revenues to foisting pro-abortion "reproductive health services" on these same women.  The February 10th issue of the Gazette reports on a report released by the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services in Washington, D.C.

This report claims that - wait a minute; I'm going to quote the Gazette article so you can get a flavor of the bias of this Washington-Post-owned publication, but I'll make my own emphasis.  Here goes.  "The report, released Jan. 31, found that in 2006 about half of the county's 201,690 women needed contraceptive services and supplies, and of those, more than 30,0000 women and teens in Montgomery County were in need of publicly supported contraceptive services and supplies based on their income and age....Reproductive health services, or contraceptive services, include STD testing, regular gynecologic visits, cancer screenings and family planning services, including abortions, Trachtenberg said."

Let's digest this.  We're being asked to believe that half of Montgomery County's female population wants contraception and/or abortion.  Duchy, if you're reading this, please tidy up your vocabulary.  "Contraceptive services" do not include cancer screenings.  Please differentiate more carefully, especially if you're going to attempt to legislate using such sloppy terminology.

I also dispute the use of the word "need" in terms of abortion.  No woman "needs" abortion any more than she "needs" rape, assault or any other violence to her person, for indeed abortion is violence against women.

This cockamany theory is based upon - bet you can't guess! - a survey of the county's six publicly-supported "women's health clinics".  The solution - to "serve" approximately 100,000 women is to open at least 14 more of these centers, to make up the 20 that Trachenberg thinks is a minimum requirement. 

As you can see from the article, the report was developed by a task force on which sits Tractenberg's husband, Alan Trachenberg, along with medical "experts" and representatives from NARAL and Planned Parenthood.  Notice that there is no representation from that other group that truly does serve needy women.  I speak of the pro-life pregnancy centers - the four privately-funded centers that Tractenberg succeeded in partially stifling.  Thus, a "task force" of pro-abortion people and even those in the abortion business (such as Planned Parenthood) is the sole source for a report that will be used to divert more public funds to anti-life enterprises?  Boys and girls!  Can we all say, out loud, "CONFLICT OF INTEREST"?

So there you have it.  Duchy et al work to hamper the pro-life centers.  Then she paves the way to open more abortion business in the county.  I suppose she feels she has to, since elections are just around the corner, and that pro-abort PAC money is probably looking very tempting right now!

Perhaps, though, I'm getting worked up for nothing.  Tractenberg did say that she'll address this when the county's financial situation improves.  If the Messiah Most Miserable succeeds in tanking out the US economy, all this may well be moot.

USCCB and the Democratic Party

Real Catholic TV today brings us a history lesson.  It points out that when Catholics were arriving in this country, they found that the Democratic party's principles were more in union with theirs.  However, after the 1960s, the Democrats veered leftward as a result of the so-called "cultural revolution" (more like devolvement).  The Democrats began to embrace abortion, gay rights and other moral stances at variance to those of the Church.  The relationships between Church leaders and Democratic leaders remained the same, however.  The USCCB was started at about that time, and the bishops hired many of these liberal Democrats to run the USCCB.  In other words, the foxes were given the keys to the hen house.  Please watch below.

The Company That The USCCB Keeps!

We (other bloggers and I) have been looking a lot (and aghast) at the various associations that the USCCB chooses to keep.  An objection to that examination that I hear is "but those groups don't define the USCCB and thus the USCCB shouldn't be judged so harshly!"  However, do you remember your parents warning you, "you shall be known by the company that you keep"?  The same principle applies here.  Please watch today's segment from Real Catholic TV.



Now either we have to believe that the majority of bishops are a bunch of lovable but naive dunces, or we have to conclude that they are at least giving grudging (but informed) consent to the goings-on at the USCCB.  If there are other alternative possibilities, please advise.

USCCB - Time To Say Goodbye!

The consensus is growing that it's time to put USCCB, with all its left-wing connections (CCHD included!) out to pasture for good.  Again a little reminder that it is the organization, one that the Holy Father pointed out as having no authority whatsoever, for which I and many others have lost all respect and trust: not the bishops themselves, who are successors to the Apostles.

It is high time to say goodbye to the USCCB. 

Eighth Installment of USCCB Expose - A Bishop Weighs In

First let me do a little follow up on the seventh installment, where the USCCB's participation in the LCCHR's fund-raising dinners are discussed.  A little digging around their website revealed even more disgusting detail.   These fundraisers are called "Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award Dinners".  Indeed, the USCCB did participate in the 2007 dinner.  As the word "award" implies, awards are bestowed upon selected individuals at this dinner (quite a common practice across the board).  Are you breathlessly wondering just who was deemed worthy of such honor in 2007?  Well, feast your eyes!  Bill Clinton was one of the three honorees at that dinner, the dinner that the USCCB helped put together.  We know that at that time, Bill Clinton was the most pro-abortion president (the Messiah Most Miserable has since usurped that title from him).

Let's look at other dinners and other honorees.  We see Tom Daschle, Connie Morella, John Conyers, John Sweeney, Tipper Gore, Ralph Neas.  None of these folks, due to their public pro-abortion stances are fit to receive any acolade from any Catholic organization.  Yet the USCCB, as part of the LCCHR, has bestowed such honors upon them.  Why?

At least one bishop is publicly asking this, and similar questions.  When interviewed by Lifesite News, Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon had this to say about the USCCB/LCCHR relationship: “I am not well enough versed in the 'politics' of such associations to make any criticism of the motives or justifications which might be provided but, on the face of it, I would have to agree that support of this organization and an active endorsement of its principles and purposes would appear to be problematic.”

Below is another segment from Real Catholic TV.  Discussed therein is the "Catholic Social Ministry" gab-fest that ended today (hopefully with paltry attendance).  Michael Voris examines the questionable organizations that were allowed to be exhibiters at this affair.  He also suggests that folks sign a petition to reform the USCCB, courtesy of the Reform CCHD Now Coalition.  I'd have to go a step further and call for its total abolishment, as I truly think the USCCB is too far gone to be salvaged.

The Light Is On For You

For the past several years, Archbishop Wuerl has instituted a program called "The Light Is On For You".  It is a most commendable effort to encourage more frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.  I link to it above as there are useful guides to the sacrament, particularly the examination of conscience that must be done to receive the sacrament most profitably.  One "across the diocese" implementation is that all parishes will be hearing confessions on Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.  Additional confession schedules can be located under the "locate a parish" section.

Before the inception of this program, when I went to confession I could just walk right into a confessional without waiting.  Nowadays, there are lines of people waiting to confess.  Believe me, I'm not complaining.  This is quite nice to see, as people are starting to take their lives - both here and eternal - seriously.

Assault on Free Speech in Montgomery County MD

Worldnetdaily.com alerts us to an attempt to stifle the free speech of Christians who attempt to advise Montgomery County students that they can be free of same-sex attractions.  Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) distributed a flyer that contained this sentence, "former homosexuals do not think something is wrong with them because they decided to fulfill their heterosexual potential by overcoming unwanted same-sex attractions."   Does that sound like "hate speech" to you?  Rather, it sounds like PFOX might be protesting hate speech that is directed at those who left the gay lifestyle.

Being distributed at the same time was another flyer from the gay rights group Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.  Among other things, this flyer encouraged students to seek "gay-friendly congregations".  Now one might think that competing ideas such as those espoused by their respective organizations would be accorded equal free-speech rights, correct?  Well, silly us!  PFOX had to complain to the Board of Education directors, stating that several teachers harrassed them.  Need we wonder if the PFLAG folks had to file the same complaint?

Enter now an outfit called change.org.  A brief perusal of the general website indicates that they're a left-wing outfit from California and that one of their services is to create and conduct online petitions for their clients.  (They do this by collecting demographic info; mail list sales, anyone?) At the behest of personages yet known, they've decided to start a petition to ban PFOX from distributing its flyers.  For an example of its flavor, one paragraph is, "Why are public school students receiving handouts from an organization like this? The President of the Montgomery County Public School board even went on record to say that the PFOX fliers are probably counter to what is available in our health curriculum. So why give students information that defy what you teach them in class?"

Let me translate from left-wing gobblygoop to real intent.  "Why are public school students receiving information that runs counter to left-wing party line?  The board president even went on record to say that the PFOX flyers are counter to the dictates of the liberal-controlled NEA and Planned Parenthood!  So why give students information that defy what you force-feed them in class?  Egads!  The students might start thinking for themselves without the guidance of the public school nannies controlling their every thought!  We simply cannot tolerate any of THAT going on now, can we??  Call out the storm troopers and quash those rebels now!!!"

Get the picture?

The goal of change.org is to collect 1,500 signatures.  They claim to have garnered about 1,200 hundred, at the time of this writing.  I took random looks at some of the pages of signers.  They seem to be from everywhere - California, Georgia, Colorado, etc.  I even saw one from England and one from Germany.  However, of all the signers on the pages that I saw, not one was from Montgomery County!  I suspect that as a result of the liberals who troll this blog, they'll attempt to change that in a jiffy.  So what difference should all these far-flung signers make on Montgomery County policy?  I suggest that they should not make one iota of difference.  They are officials elected by Montgomery County citizens.  They are answerable only to Montgomery County citizens.  Now all these other folks can sign weird petitions and bloviate all they want, but they really have no voice in the governance of Montgomery County affairs.

I don't have fancy software to do an online petition (and to collect your demographic information and sell/rent it later).  However, in order to facilitate your own actions on this matter, below is a simple letter that you can copy and paste (edit as you see fit) into your email program to contact Patricial O'Neill (President of the Board of Education) and Dr. Jerry Weast (Superintendent of Schools).  Their contact information is below the letter

NOW THE LETTER
Dear Ms. O'Neill and Dr. Weast,

Among the many skills to be attained by students of public education is an ability to receive information offered by those who espouse varying (and opposing) viewpoints.  They should be able to examine all data and make decisions accordingly, and according to their own values.  In order for that to happen, there must be free exchange of ideas.

I understand that you are receiving complaints from individuals who object to flyers being distributed by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX).  The basis of these complaints is that the information set forth in those flyers conflicts with viewpoints put forth in official curriculums.  Some who have complained against PFOX do so by calling their information "hate speech".  Those who use that derogatory term do so only because the information being offered does not conform to their peculiar proclivities.  That does not constitute valid basis for denying PFOX the same rights that are not being denied to Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), who distributed their flyers to students at the same time.

Since Montgomery County prides itself on valuing diversity and tolerance and respect for free speech, we urge the School Board to extend those considerations to Parents and Friends of Gays and Ex-Gays as they would to any other organization.  Thank you.

END OF LETTER.  Please sign your name and your street address, to document your status as a Montgomery County constituent.

Contact information for Ms. O'Neill and Dr Weast:
Tel: 301-320-7600
Fax: 301-320-7601
Address:
Carver Educational Services
Center, Room 123
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
email boe@mcpsmd.org (all board members will be copied: Dr Weast's email isn't publicized)

UPDATE - Please see the comments below for the individual email addresses of Dr. Weast and Ms. O'Neill

Real Catholic TV - Expose on USCCB Scandals - Part Seven

In this installment, Voris states that the USCCB supported the LCCHR in its fundraising activities and was listed as a supporter.  To me, that's reminiscent of the members of the Montgomery County Council who were listed as "partners of choice" in the program of Maryland NARAL's most recent chocolate gala.

He then sets forth the suggestion that maybe the time has come to put the USCCB out of its misery.  Now I remind one and all that the bishops are successors of the apostles and their authority, as individual bishops, was established by Christ Himself.  Not so any "council" or "conference", as stated by the Holy Father himself.  Please watch.



I've already made plain my opinion that the USCCB should be abolished.

Real Catholic TV - Expose on USCCB Scandals - Part Six

Below is a video that elaborates more on the recently-discovered link with the left-wing Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights, along with an eloquently-written letter from a faithful Catholic who, like you, is concerned about the direction in which the Church is headed in this country.  He/she vows to act, and so should we all.

USCCB - Keeping More Strange Company

Even as the USCCB is schmoozing it up with proponents of the gay lifestyle, women's ordination and abortion, yet another dubious association of the USCCB has come to light.  Deal Hudson writes "Why Did the USCCB Join This Civil Rights Organization?", found in the InsideCatholic blog.

The Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) is a coaltion of 200 member organizations that exists to lobby Congress on behalf of these members and their interests.  The USCCB is one of them.  To belong to this most august of bodies, an organization "must share LCCHR's principles and purposes".  In a nutshell, it works to ensure all "groups" regardless of race, etc sexual orientation "be accepted with regard for difference."  The organization must also pay annual dues (based on size), minimum $1,000.00 (think "your donation dollars").

Besides the USCCB, what other organizations exist under this umbrella?  Take a look!  I'll mention a few:

• American Civil Liberties Union
• AFL-CIO
• ACORN
• Center for Community Change
• Feminist Majority
• Human Rights Campaign
• Lambda Legal
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• NOW
• Planned Parenthood
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Get the picture?  Read Hudson's article for official LCCHR's official statements throughout the years as it has taken positions that are diametrically opposed to Catholic moral teachings.

Once upon a time I might have asked merely if the USCCB really should be associated with these culture-of-death organizations.  As more and more of these associations become unearthed, I can only opine that these are carefully deliberated by highly-placed personages within the USCCB and elsewhere.  Therefore I must now ask for the abolishment of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Let the bishops be bishops, as opposed to pawns of the culture of death.

Tebow Ad - Silly NOW Reactions

I don't watch TV, so I didn't see the ad until now.  Here it is.



We all know the snit-fits that the pro-abortion crowd had regarding the airing of this ad (see the "raging grannies" in an earlier post).  It turns out the word "abortion" wasn't even mentioned (to the consternation of some more curmudgeonly pro-lifers).  I surmise that Pam's reference to "almost losing him" referred to a partially detached placenta.

As you can see, the ad shows an obviously-faked tackle.  Leave it to NOW to try to ascribe nefarious motives to that.  Terry O'Neill, NOW president, sniffed that the ad "glorifies violence against women."  This is a charge so ridiculous that even O'Neill's fellow pro-abortion advocate, Frances Kissling of (so-called) Catholics for Choice infamy had to contradict her.

Here's a little history lesson, particularly for us Montgomery County types.  Before O'Neiil was NOW president, guess who her boss was?  Remember?  She was an assistant to Duchy Tractenberg, a former NOW official herself.  It's amazing, the nonsense that spews forth from Montgomery County.

"Global Warming" Aftermath

My area is still cleaning up 30 inches of "products of global warming".  From 9am to 4pm I was out there digging out walkway and car.  At 7:30pm, my street is still not plowed (yes, I was not able to make it to Mass today).  Here are some pictures.

I was halfway from removing the snow from my car when I decided to take this, to give an idea of the amount of "climate change" we endured.  I assure you, my forearms and wrists are still hurting.  I literally shoveled it from my car (very gingerly, to avoid scratching the paint).  In the background is a neighbor's car, covered by fallen branches from a pine tree.  The snow was a wet one, which can be very heavy.  Fortunately that caused no power outages in my area.

Now to the right is my back yard.  That white thing on the left is about 3 feet of snow piled on top of my barbeque grill.  Immediately to the right of the wall is a similar pile on top of my heat pump.  The pile in the middle is (or maybe was) a bush.  You can see how the split-rail fence (with 3 rails) is almost buried.

Guess what?  We're under a winter storm watch, beginning this coming Tuesday!  Isn't global warming fun?

Catholic Media Stands Up to Knox, the Messiah's Anti-Catholic Lackey

Harry Knox, who serves (using the word loosely) on Obama's faith-based advisory council, has shown himself to be quite the anti-Catholic bigot.  Here I must make clear that he rails against Catholics who adhere to the Magisterium on matters of faith and morals, especially in terms of the life issues; I'm sure that with Mr. Knox, "Catholics" such as Pelosi and Biden are acceptable.

 

When the Pope rightly stated that condoms would only exacerbate the AIDS situation, Knox, in his official capacity, opined that he was "hurting people in the name of Jesus".  Now can you just imagine the uproar if Knox had slandered a Moslem or Jew in that manner?  But hey, we're living in the NEW AGE!

 

The Saint Michael Society has started a petition to ask Obama to demand Knox's resignation, stating quite rightly that no bigot has any place in a Presidential administration.  On Hannity's America a few nights ago, Brent Bozell of Media Research Center and Tom Peters of American Papist commented on this matter.  Watch the video below.

 

In this discourse, Peters states quite correctly that "the last acceptable prejudice is anti-Catholicism".  He's quite right.  Now pardon my french here, but in this so-called "new age", we Catholics who are faithful to the Magisterium are the Niggers of the New Age!  Others who might be so classified are others who hold pro-life and conservative values.

These next two statements of mine will probably not endear me to too many people, but say them I will.

1. I have made no secret of my displeasure regarding the Manhattan Declaration and the way it completely tap-dances around the matter of contraception.  Clearly there were those who, during the drafting of this thing, were actively militating against any mention of contraception.  In this isolated matter, could their attitudes have been that much different than those of Knox?
2. This "office of faith-based initiative", or whatever it's named, was the brainchild of President George W. Bush.  It was meant to bring faith-based charities together and to give them federal aid.  I immediately saw that there was no constitutional basis for it and made my opposition to it known quite loudly.  Some of my pro-life friends disagreed, saying that Bush had a good idea to help out Christian charities.  I again reiterated that the US Constitution did not permit such governmental meddling.  I also pointed out that under a relatively benign president (such as Bush) there might appear to be no problem, but an infrastructure was being established that had potential for grreat harm, should someone more malevolent assume the Presidental helm.  Well, guess what?  Those chickens have come home to roost.  I agree that Knox should leave that office.  But then the office should be permanently abolished because there is no constitutional basis for it.

Lord Christopher Monckton Debunks Global Warming

Our "global warming event" ended about 4:30pm, with almost 3 feet of "products of global warming" dumped upon us.  I've just started shoveling.

With that in mind, I present below videos of Lord Christopher Monckton, who debunked the global-warming junk science in a meeting in Melbourne on Monday Feb 1.  I remember several years ago that he challenged Al Gore to a debate about the matter.  Oddly enough, the Father of the Internet didn't accept the challenge.  Speaking of "internet", be glad that blogs such as this exist, else you'd never hear of this in the polticially-correct mainstream media.





In the second video, take note of the shenanigans discovered at the Copenhagan meeting: the attempt to further ensconce a world government system.  Notice the part about the democratic process proposed by the Copenhagan treaty - none.  He mentioned that commisars would be appointed, etc.  Does this remind you of all our little czars running around Washington these days?

Will the USCCB and Catholic State Conference trolls who track this and similar blogs please - PLEASE - show this to your bosses?  Perhaps some common sense will sink in and they'll stop proliferating this junk science on Catholic web pages.

Help! I'm a victim of Global Climate Change!!

I hereby demand my government bailout/stimulus money!  Why?  Because "products of global warming" are quickly descending upon me - two feet of them so far, and more "products" rapidly arrive by the second!  Take a look at all this evidence.   

The picture to the left is taken from a window in front of my house. The splotches are snow flakes that are adhering to the window pane.  The car closest to the house is mine, although it is so buried that the license plate is covered.  The other car, in the upper left of the picture has suffered some misfortune.  The heavy snow has caused the branch of the pine tree to break - and to fall on top of it.

Now to the right is a picture of the back of my house, most notably a neighbor's swing set.  Notice 1) the height of the piles on the swing set seats and 2) how the snow comes up to the seats.

Ladies and gentlemen, don't you think that I should demand an opportunity to go on the Doprah Windbag Show and shamelessly pour forth my sad tales of woe and misery, for all the world to gape and gawk at, in fits of voyeuristic idleness?  Look - if Al Gore and all the Copenhagan crowd can leave their "carbon footprints" all over the place while making moocho buckoes hawking their global warming junk science, why shouldn't we demand our piece of the pie?  OK guys!  Pony up!

USCCB Throwing Smoke Screens and Red Herrings

The post below makes plain the real issues with which we're trying to deal in regards to the USCCB and its ties with organziations that are part and parcel of the culture of death.  The John Carr matter is but one sign of the corruption of the USCCB; he attracts our interest, however, because of his high position within the ranks of the USCCB.

Some good people, however, are being hoodwinked into believing that this is "all about John Carr".  One of them appears to be Father Frank Pavone, president of Priests for Life.  Such confusion is displayed by this blog entry of his.  Please read it and leave your own respectful comments; you'll see that others already have.

Tom Peters of American Papist, now CatholicVoteAction.org also seems to have swallowed the koolaid about John Carr being personally attacked.  He states also that (and I quote), "the situation has not been helped, either, by the sensationalist reporting at RealCatholicTV.com, which in a recent report claimed that the allegations of misconduct at the CCHD was what Pope Paul VI was referring to when he warned that the “smoke of Satan has found its way into the Church” … seriously?"  Yes, Tom, seriously.  We are looking at the truth of the matter.  If the subject matter being examined is by nature so scandalous as to render its reporting "sensationalist", well then, so be it.  We take the truth as it is, not as we'd like it to be.  Tom states that "I don't follow RCTV directly but American Catholic does"  But Tom, you're the one commenting about it.  Doesn't it behoove you to look at these videos?  I'm posting the whole series as clips are published.  Please examine them here, or go to RealCatholicTV's youtube page to see their whole collection.  All, I suggest that in this case, also, to please leave comments for Tom at the end of his posting.

Real Catholic TV - Expose on USCCB Scandals - Part Five

The title of this segment is "By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them".  These fruits can be summed up thus: KA-CHING $$$$ !  Please watch.



Michael Voris touches a bit about the "Catholic Social Ministry" meeting scheduled for now at the Hyatt Regency downtown (and I pray that it is snowed out).  That's in the news segment.  Then he opens up the Vortex by opining that the bishops "don't get it".  I disagree slightly.  I think the bishops do "get it", but are merely playing dumb as part of their damage control attempts.  He does, however, expose the duplicity of the bishops as they try to portray our examinations as a personal attack on John Carr.  Voris makes plain that such is not the case.

Check back often, and look at the other blogs to the right-hand side.  Please be sure to consider wisely your decisions regarding the in-pew collections.

Fellow Bloggers! See Below Why We're Needed!

This video below makes plain the unabashed pro-abortion bias of the mainstream media in its reporting (or non-reporting) of the 2010 March for Life, attended by over 300,000 pro-life Americans.



You see another reason why the current cabal of dictators in Washington want to cram the so-called Fairness Doctrine down our throats - to silence our voices of truth.  Be vigilant!  Don't let that happen!

A Feminist Protest of the Tebow Ad

Yes, here they are!  Such fine examples of the ideals of modern feminism - and accurate (not a joke!).  Watch their eloquent, rational and persuasive case against the airing of the Tebow ad during the Superbowl.



Egads!  Such talent!  Such musical skill!  Doesn't their inner character just shine forth?  Think we'll see these broads on "America's Got Talent"?  With such fine spokeswomen as these, the feminazis should be proud!