There are additional comments. I didn't elaborate enough on the Montgomery County Council in that previous post. All I said was that they needed to go. It turns out that two of the incumbents, Phil Andrews and Mike Knapp, aren't seeking reelection. Interestingly enough, they are the only two who did not vote for the pregnancy center strangulation legislation this past winter. Coincidence?
I went to a Candidates' Forum on August 25th, held at St Jane de Chantal. The candidates were all the "at-large" candidates for County Council. There were 14 candidates: 10 Democrats, 3 Republicans, 1 Green. No questions from the audience were accepted (can't have any input from those...those...tea partiers now, can we?). The predetermined questions focused on low-income housing and health care services. Of course topics along the lines of baby murder or gay lifestyle promotion were avoided like the plague. The Catholic "social justice" crowd didn't want to embarrass those who promote baby murder, I suppose. But I digress!
From other input that I've received, I feel comfortable recommending Robert Dyer. I don't know enough about the other Republicans to say anything, one way or the other.
I'll have more to say later, but I want to ask you all, particularly Marylanders, to review these links and above all, to get out the pro-life vote in Maryland.
About 2.5 hours ago, we heard Obama tell us that it's time to "turn the page". Well, he may not like what's in the following chapters!
Alaskan RINO incumbent Lisa Murkowski just conceded the primary to Joe Miller. Miller is another Palin-endorsed candidate who is victorious in his/her race. That bodes well for Brian Murphy.
After eight months of "practicing medicine" without a license, Steven Chase Brigham has been ordered by the Maryland State Board of Physicians cease his practice of medicine, i.e., baby-murder. He has five Maryland locations: Baltimore, Frederick, Cheverly, College Park, Elkton.
Unfortunately, other abortionists staff these mills so they will remain open. There will be one less menace to babies, though.
Read the story at Operation Rescue's site, which also contains a link to the actual order. OR will demand that criminal charges be filed against Brigham.
I'll quote a few salient points. The archbishop makes a very important distinction. "First, “freedom of worship” is not at all the same thing as “freedom of religion.” Religious freedom includes the right to preach, teach, assemble, organize, and to engage society and its issues publicly, both as individuals and joined together as communities of faith. This is the classic understanding of a citizen’s right to the “free exercise” of his or her religion in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It’s also clearly implied in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In contrast, freedom of worship is a much smaller and more restrictive idea." Now how often lately have we been hearing the oligarchy in DC celebrate "freedom of worship"? Ladies and gentlemen, that is not a mere "difference of terms". They know full well what they're doing. For all their egregious faults, most of them are lawyers who understand the importance of language and who will go to great lengths to manipulate it to serve their progressive world views.
Again.. "Today’s secularizers have learned from the past. They are more adroit in their bigotry; more elegant in their public relations; more intelligent in their work to exclude the Church and individual believers from influencing the moral life of society. Over the next several decades, Christianity will become a faith that can speak in the public square less and less freely. A society where faith is prevented from vigorous public expression is a society that has fashioned the state into an idol. And when the state becomes an idol, men and women become the sacrificial offering." He's right. The Messiah Most Miserable and his Adoring Minions are acting to restrict all our rights that are guaranteed under the First Amendment (and the rest of the Bill of Rights, too, for that matter). This is clearly a case of "use it or lose it". We must speak out and bring our beliefs to the public square and yes, into the voting booths with us this November and in all subsequent elections.
Kudus to Jan Brewer! This letter is posted on www.janbrewer.com. Go to the "Jan-TV" page for a number of her videos, one of which was featured on this blog several months ago.
First, thanks to "A Washington DC Catholic" for shedding the light on this one.
On Sunday, August 1, an illegal alien who also happens to habitually drive while under the influence, was indeed drunk behind the wheel when he collided with three Benedictine nuns, killing one of them. At the time of the accident, he was in the process of deportation, but he had been released by the feds on his own recognizance!
In its August 5th edition, the Catholic Standard ran an article about the tragedy. However, a key detail was omitted. My fellow blogger advises us all of an article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch that says that Carlos Montano, the man who killed and injured the nuns, was being assisted by the Hogar Immigrant Services, an arm of Catholic Charities in Arlington County. At that time, he had at least one other episode of drunk driving. Why did the Catholic Standard make no mention whatsover of the involvement of Catholic Charities in this Montano mess?
The Benedictine nuns have reportedly "decried the politicization of Montano's case." With all due respect to the sisters in their grief, this incident is not just about them. Montano could have killed anyone that morning; the sisters happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. At the time, owing to both his illegal status and to his previous drunk-driving incident, he had no business being let loose.
Had an Arizona-type law been in place and enforced, Sister Denise Mosier might still be alive. When will the progressives in our Church grow up? I am more convinced than ever before that Catholic Charities is another cabal that must be boycotted and even dismantled.
Here's a little something to help you bone up on the magnificent achievements of the Messiah Most Miserable. Enjoy, and be educated! ;-) Click here if you can't see embedded video.
Why is this man starting to pop up like kudzu all over the place? I have an idea why, but it's just my theory - more on that below.
As I said this past Wednesday, he'll be at Trinity College on October 23rd. However, the week prior to that, on October 15th, he'll be giving a one-day seminar at Fordham University in New York - a "Parish Staff Enrichment Day"! Yippee! Coming from a Jesuit institution these days, who's surprised? Anyway, here's the announcement:
Parish Staff Enrichment Day with Rev. Richard Rohr, O.F.M. Friday, 15 October 2010 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Rose Hill Campus
This will be an opportunity to reflect on creating a contemplative culture and a sabbath rhythm for parish staffs and faith communities. The Rev. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., will offer a reflection on his new book, The Naked Now.
That book discussion should be a hoot! What is with this man's grotesque fascination with nudity? I do understand that these things "just happen" at his gatherings; here's hoping it doesn't happen at either of these gatherings, since I assume there will be mixed company. Now onto my theory behind this spate of Rohr's appearances.
My friend at Les Femmes did a more extensive write-up on Rohr's problematic and heretical ideas than did I. Please read it and the sources cited therein. As you do, please notice the theme of earth worship that seems to run throughout Rohr's thought. Earth worship?? Now when did we hear that before?
It's one of the three points I mentioned in my post this past Thursday regarding the "climate change" scam. I hope you all had the chance to watch the Real Catholic TV expose on this thing. If not, watch it all the way through. Voris explains how some in the Church, particularly the USCCB, are glomming onto this hoax. Call me a "conspiracy-theory kook", but I wouldn't be one bit surprised if some behind-the-scenes big-wig is trotting Rohr out to drum up sympathy for the "climate change" schtick to prepare for something the Messiah Most Miserable might have up his sleeve.
This past Wednesday, I blew the BIG SECRET (shhhh!) regarding the upcoming Rohr appearance at Trinity College. It appears that the Franciscans didn't bother to keep it a secret in Baltimore, as the announcement is posted on the website of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Do all the chanceries have the memory capacities of an earthworm? Do they just take press releases in a passive manner without researching them first? Whatever happened to "due dilligence"? At the very least, the Archdiocese of Baltimore should be strongly encouraged to remove all mention of this event and to have nothing to do with Father Rohr.
The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville FL is spearheading an event called "burn the Koran Day" on September 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attacks - and yes, it was a muslim attack. Now as you read articles on this planned event, notice that there are warnings that if this event is held as planned, that there will be "escalation of tensions." One muslim devotee wrote that he wanted to bomb himself in the DWOC church. This is because Islam is a "religion of peace"? Then of course there are the obligatory digs at Christians for being "intolerant".
My purpose in this post is not to comment on the merits or demerits of the planned burning, but to make plain that once again there are massive double standards being employed. Conservative Christians, and Catholics in particular, regularly find our beliefs and sacred symbols mocked. For examples:
Locally, in Baltimore City and Montgomery County, politicians unabashedly in the back pockets of NARAL have imposed onorous requirements upon Christian pregnancy centers for the sole purpose of burdening them. See this blog's archived December posts for greater detail.
Last week, Archbishop Chaput of Denver outlined some ways in which civil government is attempting to muzzle Christians as they express their beliefs.
Students in public schools are routinely harrassed by school administrators for wearing pro-life and Christian tee shirts, although they contain no "graphic" pictures. They are vindicated only when legal redress is sought and obtained. See here and here.
Who can forget the stunt pulled by atheist professor PZ Myers from the University of Minnesota when he, with great fanfare, drove a nail through a stolen Consecrated Host? Oh, by the way - with that same nail he impaled several pages of the Koran (an "equal opportunity" lout). Sadly, that drew not one peep from the local bishop, but that's its own story.
This list could go on and on, but you get the gist of what we are enduring, and why I believe we are being relegated to the status of "niggers of the new age". Now have you noticed any threats of Catholics or other Christians to riot in the streets or commit other acts of violence? Neither have I!
I for one have had enough of politically correct double standards. While I see no merit in what the Dove World Outreach Center plans to do, I look askance upon all the kvetching that the liberal elites are spewing forth on one hand as they treat traditional Christians like dirt with the other hand.
Real Catholic TV has released its fourth episode of "Catholic Investigative Agency". In this installment, they go into detail about the true nefarious nature of the "climate change movement". Voris explains that the organizations promoting this belief fall into three categories:
Those promoting population control
Those promoting world governance
Those promoting earth worship
He explains why the "climate change" mindset has its roots in the eugenics movement. By the way - if you haven't done so already, please purchase and watch Maafa 21. Both this movie and this CIA episode reveal that eugenics originated in the U.S., and that Adolf Hitler was inspired by what he saw here.
The episode can be found here. I urge you to watch it in its entirety. Towards the end, Voris describes how the USCCB is being hoodwinked into promoting this dangerous mindset. Some examples of their naivte include their "Catholic Coalition on Climate Change" and "Catholic Climate Covenant" (remember the lenten carbon fast?) Granted, this clip is long, but if we are going to fulfill Our Lord's commission to bring about a Culture of Life, we must understand the current "lay of the land", and we must be willing to invest the time needed to gain that understanding. In this clip, Voris makes mention of supporting documentation, which can be found here. That too is worth examination.
These are issues that deserve close consideration as we all approach the November 2010 elections.
All members of the USCCB have been asked to respond by Friday (that is, tomorrow) to a confidential report called "The Review and Renewal of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development." This report was created in response to the serious concerns about the CCHD, many of which have been addressed on this blog.
Rather than "reinvent the wheel", I ask you to read the article on the Catholic Culture website.
We pro-life folks have long been aware, and grateful, for the yeoman's work that our pregnancy centers do in terms of extending real assistance to moms-to-be who find themselves in dire straits. Many children are alive today who otherwise wouldn't be without the cpcs, and there would also be that many more profoundly wounded women.
Predictably, the so-called "pro-choice" lemmings aren't so grateful to you in the pregnancy centers, for every woman whom you assist means to them a reduction in revenues from baby-murder. Last December we saw a concerted attack on the Montgomery County MD centers (look back in this blog's December archives for that saga) and earlier, such an attack took place in Baltimore. These are being replicated throughout the United States, inspired in no small part by NARAL's "Unmasking Fake Clinics" game plan.
We've become aware of another back-handed compliment that the pro-death cartel has paid to the pro-life pregnancy centers. They are watching you! Oh, yes indeedy! They even have a website dedicated to tracking you! Uh-oh!! What is this site? Drum roll, please!!
Take a look at it. The way they parrot the NARAL buzz words is so pathetic it's funny! "Fake clinics", "reproductive justice", "deceptive tactics", etc, they're all there. CPC volunteers, look under "known clinics". If you find yours there, consider yourselves honored!
Father Joseph Palacios, a sociology professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC is a founding board member of a new dissident group called "Catholics for Equality". A look at the list of board members is quite revealing. Many of them have ties to the Human Rights Campaign (Fr Palacios is on that board, too) and other gay-rights groups. According to this Metro Weekly article that comments about www.churchouting.org (its name is rather self-explanatory) run by anther CFE board member Phil Attey, Father Palacios is "an openly gay priest".
A review of this website reveals their intentions to proseletize among college students. By the way, look at the right side bar, where one gets to "report anti-equality activity" at your parish. To all faithful Catholics and especially you priests, let's all strive to get "reported"!
Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, wrote a letter to Georgetown president John DiGioia asking him to assure that no employees of Georgetown University will participate in this organization. Please read Reilly's article on this matter. I might question why Father Palacios is retained by Georgetown at all, if the Metro Weekly article is correct.
Let me preface this by reminding parents of a trick they often used to administer pills to their little ones. They'd crumble the pills and mix them with applesauce. The youngsters gobbled the applesauce and the pills with it. On a more sinister note, that trick has been used in administering poison - and heresy. Quite often the nefarious elements are served with other things that are benign or perhaps even healthy in and of themselves. But the deadly deed is being done.
I fear that might be the case with a statement that the USCCB produced for the occasion of the upcoming Labor Day holiday. It's entitled, "A New Social Contract for Today's New Things". A big hint of something not being quite right is the word "new". That word is a favorite in the progressive lexicon.
About halfway through the document is a section called "the market, the state and civil society". Now I'll quite the probable "poison pill". "Economic life..needs just laws and forms of redistribution governed by politics, and what it is more, it needs works redolent of the spirit of gift." Boys and girls, can we all say "socialism"? Despite all the protests to the contrary, I say "if it looks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's probably a duck"!
Just remember - the USCCB, in and of itself, has no canonical nor teaching authority. Only the individual bishops have that, as they are in unity with the Holy Father.
At least, it seems that the Franciscan Monastery in Washington DC tried to keep it a secret! And why do I think they tried to keep Fr Rohr's appearance "on the q-t"? Well, let's go to the Monastery's web page. Look to the right under "events". Notice how all the events are fairly well-described, except one! It's called "October 23, 2010 Event." Now doesn't that seem like an odd way to publicize an event? I might think that if one were trying to draw attention, they might do something better than give it that non-descript title. Could it be that the Franciscans simply don't want to draw attention to it? Now why wouldn't they want to do that???
Let's sneak a peak by clicking on that date (or this link if you'd prefer).
Ooops! No details there, but it looks like we have a choice of pdfs. Let's click on the first one called "October 23, 2010 Event.pdf". Therein lie the details of the appearance. I suspect they didn't want decent Catholics to get wind of this as we did with their Chris Matthews dissent fest in late June. Remember that? They were so reluctant to face us that night that they had to sneak away to some secret location in Bethesda Maryland (they sure do love secrets, don't they?). Now some might point out that these folks weren't trying to keep Rohr's appearance a secret, since it is in the pdf file. I think they were. Rohr was only mentioned in a pdf file. Pdf files are essentially grraphics; their contents cannot be googled.
Deal Hudson released an excellent article detailing some current problems with the CCHD. He mentions a progressive gab-fest where a number of former and current CCHD participated in forums. He also pointed out that in previous years, the CCHD released the names of the grantees by late August, but this year they are waiting another month. He looks askance upon such delay. So do I.
I am recommending that we once again boycot the CCHD collection plate when it's passed down the pew this coming November. I do not recommend a boycott, however, for the Archdiocese of Chicago, owing to some very significant improvements in their grantee awards (about which I wrote earlier).
Lifesite News reports that Judge Royce Lamberth, a US District Court Judge for DC, ruled that the new NIH guidelines were in clear violation of pre-existing statutes. Obama had tried to foist through embryonic stem cell research via an executive order.
In addition to upholding the lives of tiny children, this ruling demonstrates the worthlessness of executive orders, such as the one so loudly touted by Sister Carol Keehan, Bart Stupak and others who used Obama's vacuous order to justify their support of the Obama Hell Bill.
On August 4th, I reported about a priest, Father Rodriguez of El Paso Texas who wrote clearly about a Catholic's duty to oppose abortion. Someone commented that he hoped his bishop wouldn't try to "silence" him. Sadly and outrageously, this is precisely what is now happening to Father.
Bishop Armando Ochoa of El Paso has rebuked him publicly. Read the bishop's column in the El Paso Times. I'll pick apart the bishop's column just a little, because it is chock-full of moral equivalancy. One plumb example is, "When we talk about abortion and homosexuality, we are talking about human beings dealing with all kinds of concerns and unresolved challenges." When His Excellency "talks about human beings", is he thinking, even for one split second, about the tiniest of human beings whose overwhelming concern is whether they'll be allowed to draw the breath of life or be violently ripped to shreds in their mothers' wombs as they're aborted? I suspect not, to be frank.
On the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities is - wait for it! - Sister Carol Keehan. Yes - the same who used her position as President of the Catholic Health Association to help shove through the Obama Hell Bill. We know what that will do to the unborn babies, the elderly and infirm, and that is the very antithesis of true Catholic charity. So why, oh why, is she retained on that board?
During the event, they will award something called the Centennial Medal to several recipients. Some of these are:
Catholic Health Association - in other words, Sister Carol Keehan
Sister Maureen Joyce - I hope they plan a posthumous award, as the lady died three months ago. The blurb in the CC webpage doesn't mention this.
Cardinal McCarrick - Many of us have said this before, but it obviously needs more repetition. The bestowal of Holy Communion upon flagrant pro-abortion politicians is the opposite of true charity. Not only does the politician incur the guilt of yet another mortal sin, that of sacriligeous Holy Communion, but by formally and materially cooperating in that sin, the minister of that Holy Communion may incur guilt of mortal sin himself.
The political donation data was found on newsmeat.com. While the great majority of people associated with the gala had no recorded donations, I did not see one donation to Republicans.
This meeting will occur at the Hilton Washington, located at 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20009. This is in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. It's from Saturday September 25th till Tuesday September 28th. Here is a detailed schedule.
This is typical fare for organizations such as this. As we just learned of this, we don't know yet how we'll make our voices heard. I did want to advise all of this event, and the problems incumbent with it. Stay tuned.
Over our years of front-line activism, we have identified 5 distinct purposes that are served by such activism. They are:
We offer prayer, intercession and acts of reparation for the terrible sins of murder that are being committed just a few feet from us.
We offer assistance and information to the abortion-bound women approaching the mills, to save their babies' lives, and the women themselves from the devastation and harmful effects of abortion.
We offer to the babies who will be butchered the only love and dignity that they will receive in their all-too-short lives.
We rebuke those involved in the sin of abortion: the mothers who are hard-hearted (as opposed to those being coerced), the boyfriend/husband/parent of the woman who may be coercing her to have the abortion, the doctors/nurses who commit the crime, the office personnel, pro-death "escorts", complacent and complicit neighbors, etc.
We educate the surrounding community of the terrible evil occurring in their midst. Many neighbors are genuinely unaware of the presence of these murder centers. That is not too surprising, as the abortionists do try to operate "under the radar" with low profiles.
It goes without saying that we can expect to be subjected to hate and vitriol, as our very presence will sting the consciences of those who espouse pro-abortion mindsets - and who may have had personal involvement with abortion themselves. Such stinging of consciences has happened all throughout salvation history as God confronts evil. Many of the Old Testament prophets were murdered. Our Lord Himself was crucified. Christian history is replete with tales of martyrdom (the word "martyr" is Greek for "witness").
Therefore we are not surprised when manifestations of stung consciences happen in our apostolate. It happened several times today, and I'll relate one instance via video. I had stepped away to my car to retrieve something. As I was returning, I saw the following confrontation that was already underway. (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
As I was some distance away, only some of the man's rant is audible. However, you can hear him accuse the pro-life lady of terrorism. Comtemplate the irony of this. A younger man is shouting and screaming at an older lady who is sitting on a stool. He is towering over her, bellowing in her face, bullying her - and he is accusing her of "terrorism"? It's quite the other way around. However, this shows you how pro-aborts and other progressives are trying to distort the English language. They are defining "terrorism" as anything that confronts their warped, atheistic world-view.
We see this in Nancy Pelosi's attitude towards us who oppose the Ground Zero Mosque. She wants to investigate our "funding", which in many cases is non-existent, as opposed to investigating the funding of the mosque proponents. Now really - what takes real money? Voicing opposition, or actually building the thing? Where's common sense in all of this? Do we see the linguistic flim-flam here? We who disagree are "terrorists" that need to be "investigated", but the mosque proponents, some with Hamas connections, get a free pass.
Ladies and gentlemen, if we don't use our First Amendment rights in a concerted, pro-active fashion, we will see them snatched away from us by the so-called "progressive elites".
Matthew Vadum, in yesterday's Washington Times, recounts a judicial slap-down that ACORN received recently. He also makes the point that ACORN is renaming itself and repackaging various branches. I'll post things as I learn of them.
Here she is! Margaret Sanger! Foundress of Planned Parenthood!
Notice how they're saluting her? Can we all say "Sieg heil"? She and the Ku Klux Klan both saw non-whites as being "inferior" and even "sub-human". As we all know, the German Nazis justified their butchery of Jewish peoples (and other "non-aryans") by holding them to be less than human. I urge you to read this article by Angela Franks on "The Eugenics Connection". Additionally, if you haven't already done so, please procure a copy of the documentary Maafa 21 and watch it several times to get a picture of how these nefarious movements inflicted abortion upon society today.
Now below is a video from American Life League's Michael Hichborn detailing how pro-abortion proponents and other murder-minded entities try to dehumanize their victims in the eyes of society at large in order to facilitate their extermination. (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
Perhaps I should say "big sister"? Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is questioning the motives of us who look askance upon the building of a mosque at Ground Zero. The Washington Post quotes her as saying, is no question that there is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some, and I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded? How is this being ginned up?"
Yoo, hoo! Nazi Pelosi! It's not nice for elected officials to try to intimidate American citizens who are raising needed questions and speaking our minds! I say "try to" because it won't work! Some of us have spines made of something more substantial than linguine! You can try to investigate all you want, dearee, but you won't find much "funding". We the people are "funded" by our beliefs and convictions - it isn't always about money.
I'm pleased that Michael Voris has made these clarifications, most notably that the Magisterium has no preference for any form of civil government (with the exception of those inherently atheistic). I need not rehash points I made earlier, as they seemed to be summed up in the video.
I will make one addition, however. He cites as a reason for corrupt democratic government a corrupt citizenry that votes in unscrupulous rulers. I might add that an equal problem is those citizens who are otherwise decent, but who cannot be bothered to exercise their right to vote. I know some of those individuals, and yes, I regularly chide them regarding their neglect of their duties, both as American citizens and as Catholics who WILL be called on the carpet at their judgment day and who will have to answer before God Almighty why they squandered their opportunities to bring about the Culture of Life. Might that be a mortal sin of omission? I'm open to correction here, but I believe that such is indeed a mortal sin, given what's at stake (lives of unborn children, etc).
Real Catholic TV posted this video today in response to some of the comments that they've received from avowed atheists. (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
As far as the vitriol that he reports, I can attest to that. Upon doing some googling, I found an article and some discussion on the pharyngula blog (run by the professor who drove a rusty nail through the Eucharist). I saw some of the comments.
When I wrote about Judge Vaughn Walker taking pot-shots at the Church in his ruling, I received a number of comments. In utilization of some tools, I noticed that they were linking from a comment on the pharyngula blog. WIth one regretable exception, the comments on my posting were relatively tame, but not so on the pharyngula blog. I wouldn't be surprised if a good number of the venomous coments to the Vortex post came from that blog.
All that being said, I still differ from Real Catholic TV on this matter. I do not hold the opinion that differences between democracy and republic are "hair-splitting" in the least; such a dismissive attitude towards that distinction is really quite ignorant. Now Voris does state plainly that he favors a "Catholic monarchy". He opines that "civilization would be better off if it were a Catholic monarchy. How this comes about? I don't know." What???!!??! That's almost as bad as Pelosi saying that "we have to pass health care to find out what's in it." The devil is in the details - and I think sometimes quite literally!
History tried Catholic monarchies; their successes or failures were clearly dependent on the one occupying the throne. History has proven that such dependence on one individual is not acceptable. Do I say that what we have now is perfect? No, it isn't. However, much of the current morass is due to too many people looking for a de facto king to take the reigns. I might suggest a close study of 1 Samuel 8 in the Old Testament. The people clamored for a king. It seems to me that the Lord granted their request, albeit reluctantly.
What Voris is suggesting is somewhat similar to an idea that floats about in some sedevacantist circles, called "divine right of kings". They somehow think of the days of Charlemagne as being the "glory days of Catholic civilization". One such proponent is a lady named Solange Hertz. I read a book of hers some years ago called "Star-Spangled Heresy". If my quotes from this book are not 100% accurate, it's because I pitched it in the trash. She sees only a Catholic monarchy, preferably a French monarchy, as being the only legitimate form of government. She also opines that the Bill of Rights is all wet. In her book, she completely opposes freedom of speech for the average citizen. Now think about it. She trashes the First Amendment and the American system - in a book that she was free to write precisely because of the First Amendment. Am I the only one who sees the irony here? An important aside to my sedevacantist friends - Satan wants all to leave the Church, and he doesn't particularly care if you exit "stage left" or "stage right"; it's all the same to him. Come back to Rome, lest you imperil your own immortal souls!
I agree that self-governance is hard work, one for grown-ups. The answer is not to regress to a monarchy. As I asked earlier, what would be the checks and balances? What redress would the people have in the case of a corrupt monarch? Real Catholic TV, please do take more care to think these proposals through before you broadcast them.
Lifesite News informs us that Xavier University (in Louisiana) will host President Obama as a speaker on August 29th to mark the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Xavier President Dr. Norman Francis states that they are "pleased and grateful" that the Messiah Most Miserable is visiting. Dr. Stone acts in defiance of the US bishops' policy against the honoring of public opponents of fundamental Church teachings.
Look at this online petition and notice the signatures. They are indeed from that "usual gang of suspects". They complain about Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich using "inflamatory statements" while refusing to see that the building of this mosque is itself an inflamatory statement.
Here are some of the Catholic organizations represented:
Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
NETWORK
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Pax Christi
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Center for Christian/Muslim Understanding, Georgetown University
Moreover, this petition is on a site hosted by Faith and Public Life. I linked to this site from America magazine. Here's the article. I would urge these people to take off their rose-colored glasses, but I do find it difficult to believe they really are that stupid. That begs the question - what does motivate them?
First, here's the weekly update from the Alliance Defense Fund. (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
Now for some good news. The 9th Circuit Court today stayed Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling against Prop 8 until the court has had time to hear the case. Miracles do happen, for who would have thought this from the 9th Court?
Prelude: Please read the complete post, all the way to the bottom, to learn about several victories against Planned Parenthood this week.
Signs Soon To Be Gone!
You might recall that the event, "A Time To Stand", was announced for last Friday and Saturday in front of the Planned Parenthood at 16th and L Streets in Washington DC - just a few blocks north of the White House. Its original intent was to protest the DC City Council's complicity with Planned Parenthood's arrogation of the public property in front of it.
As I've said before on a few occasions, it isn't often when I disagree with Michael Voris and Real Catholic TV, but sometimes that happens. In fact, no two entities will always find themselves in complete agreement. I debated whether or not to post my disagreement with this Vortex, but because I post so many of them with my concurrence, I was concerned that my silence regarding this one would be interpreted as tacit agreement. My disagreements in this matter are rather substantial.
Why do I pose that question? Because it seems that Father Michael Pfleger is running to be mayor of Chicago. Yes, this is the same Father Pfleger who regularly manages to stick his foot in his mouth. I believe he was taken to the woodshed during the presidential primary when he made extremely unflattering remarks about Hillary Clinton in favor of his buddy, Barack HUSSEIN Obama.
Now one could rightly point out that canon law prohibits clerics from assuming civil office. The particular canon is Can. 285 §3 Clerics are forbidden to assume public office whenever it means sharing in the exercise of civil power. We are all too aware, though, that Father Pfleger is not one to give a rat's behind about canon law (such trivial details?). Another canon law that may be of interest, particularly to the Chicago chancery, is Can. 1392 Clerics or religious who engage in trading or business contrary to the provisions of the canons, are to be punished according to the gravity of the offence.
The application of these canons is what helped bring the pro-abortion Jesuit, Robert Drinan to heel. Granted, it took the Jesuit leadership some time to work up the courage to enforce canon law, but eventually they did so. I realize that Father Pfleger is considered a key supporter of the Messiah Most Miserable, and that could cause the USCCB (and the Obamaphiles within) to "look the other way". In light of the recent developments with Chicago's CCHD, I'm just a bit hopeful that Cardinal George will read the Riot Act to Father Pfleger.
By the way - where, oh where, is the hue and outcry from the "separation of church and state" crowd? Where is "Americans United for Separation of Church and State"? Why does nothing appear on their website regarding this obvious "mixing of church and politics"? Hmmm??? Then there's "Theocracy Watch". Go to that site and the banner across the top reads, "The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party". May we surmise that "The Rise of the Religious Left in the Democratic Party" gets a free pass? Boys and girls, can we all say "double standard"?
To refresh memories of Father Pfleger and his "mayoral qualifications", I'll list below some previous posts (with very enlightening videos).
I urge one and all to contact Cardinal George and politely remind him of his duty to inform Father Pfleger that a priest does not seek nor assume political office, and that if Father persists in disobedience to the Magisterium, he should be disciplined in accordance with canon law. Contact information can be found on the website of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Yesterday I wrote that "Our Help (was) requested in Alaska" by the blogger "Defend Us In Battle". Today he reports that the Archbishop of Anchorage told the Episcopalians that they had to take their ceremony elsewhere. Read details here. As you do so, please write to Archbishop Schwietz to thank him for this action; you can be sure that politically-correct lemmings will be sniping at him in anger.
As a prelude, I want to mention that owing to some of the comments to previous postings, I believe I know what liberal, progressive types mean when they use the term "ad hominem". They use that term to refer to anything that challenges their erroneous mindsets, that dares to call evil for what it is. Their consciences are pricked and/or they have trouble denying the truth, so that truth becomes an "ad hominem attack".
I mention that now because these folks will wax apoplectic if they watch the pure, unadulterated, "kids gloves off" truth that is in today's Vortex. I urge to watch, but they need to hear the truth for the sake of their immortal souls. (Click here if you can't see embedded video)
After years of being fed a steady diet of rabidly pro-abortion Democrats and milquetoast RINOs as candidates for governor, Maryland citizens have a candidate who espouses traditional morality and true conservative princples. His name is Brian Murphy and I urge you to study his website. I was at a fundraising event for him a few hours ago (where I took this picture of Brian and his wife Joy). I believe he's sincere. See what you think.
I will remind one and all that this blog isn't "not-for-profit". Thus, I am completely at liberty to encourage or discourage votes for specific candidates for office.
A like-minded blogger, Defend Us In Battle (see right sidebar) is asking our help with a situation in his home diocese, the Archdioces of Anchorage. It seems that Archbishop Roger Schwietz is opening a Catholic church to heretical practices. He's allowing the Episcopal church to "consecrate a bishop", and the "bishop-to-be" is a woman. Please read his post.
Most of these readers are on the east coast, but we can sign his letter and offer the spiritual boquet as he asks, as there truly is spiritual warfare to boot.
Let's see what might happen if they truly believed their lingusitic obfuscations! Scene: a pro-abortion couple announces their upcoming "product of conception" to their older daughter... (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
You are invited to come to Washington DC, to the Planned Parenthood at 16th and L Streets, NW on Aug 13th and 14th in protest of the muzzling of pro-life voices. Please visit http://atimetostand.org/ for more information and details.
It isn't often when I disagree with Michael Voris, but on this occasion, I have to raise a "sed contra". (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
"The hellish, downward spiral is simply irretrievable", opines Voris. That's his opinion, but we need not take this as fact indelibly written in stone. In fact, I opine that this statement may well fly in the face of the virtue of hope.
Recall what Pope John Paul II said at the Denver Youth Conference in 1993. He told his audience, and us, "Woe to you if you do not stop abortion!" Notice that he did not say, "...if you do not put up a heroic fight if ony to defend the faith." No, the Holy Father clearly laid upon us all the onus for clear, unmistakable, measurable SUCCESS in turning this current morass into the Culture of Life. Regretably, Voris is creating yet another "escape clause" for lack of success. (The other is the constant bastardization, the popular misquote of Mother Teresa's "we're called to be faithful not successful" statement, but that is its own rant.). Consder also that if the Holy Father didn't think success was possible, he wouldn't have said what he said.
As I heard this, I thought of Moses leading the Israelites into Canaan. As they approached Canaan, Moses sent twelve scouts ahead to assess the situation and the prospect for conquest of the Promised Land. Ten of the scouts said "it couldn't be done, the enemy is too big, etc, etc". Two of the scouts, Joshua and Caleb, understood that they were the Chosen People, and more importantly, that their God could overcome all the odds. They were right. Joshua went on to lead the people after Moses' death and Caleb was an anscestor of Jesus. The Israelites had a struggle, to say the least, but as they were faithful, the Lord walked with them.
Shall we be as the ten scouts, and accept this sanctimonious fatalism, or shall we grow some backbone and be as Joshua and Caleb? Let's do the latter and get in the fight!
William May, chairman of Catholics for the Common Good (not to be confused with the left-wing "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good") commented on a portion of Vaughn Walker's ruling that casts an ominous shadow over freedom of religion in this country. The ruling's 77th "finding of fact" states that "Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians." Quotes that "support this fact" include statements of Pope Benedict XVI. Lifesite News carries more detail.
Walker also quotes statements from other Christian denominations. Interestingly enough, there are no citations of Muslim prohibitions against homosexual relations. I wonder if he ever saw this video of Iraninan President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University (click here if you can't see embedded video).
So why are only traditional Christians targeted by Walker? It is not Christians who are tacitly advocating executions of gays, as seems to be the case in Iran, but it is we who are vilified. As I said before, we are being treated as Niggers of the New Age. We are the targets of the current acceptable bigotry.
Lifesite News reports that the Chicago office of the CCHD has undertaken significant reform since a new director, Ray Flores, took the helm a year ago. He has moved to defund several recipient groups that espoused philosophies at variance with Church teaching in life/morality matters.
Local pregnancy centers have so far benefitted significantly. One of them was able, as a result of monies received from CCHD, to upgrade to a 4D sonogram. Hitherto, CCHD policy prohibited donations to pro-life groups (I believe that is still the case on the CCHD national level). Chicago CCHD is now able to retain 50% of donations from the local parishes, as opposed to the 25% retention allowance for the rest of the nation.
Please read this entire Lifesite News report. This is extremely significant, as the Chicago CCHD collection is the largest in the nation, and CCHD started in Chicago in 1959.
The question of the day is, "Will the national CCHD follow Chicago's lead and start to adhere to Catholic social teaching?" At present, it doesn't. Thus, at this time I must suggest another nationwide boycott of the CCHD collection, with the obvious exception for the Chicago area.
Either he flunked or he didn't remember his lessons very well. The Senate is given the responsibiity to base his/her vote on a nominee to the Supreme Court using the criteria of whether or not that nominee will adhere to the United States Constitution - period. On the internet (and this blog) is copious evidence that she will subordinate the Constitution to a progressive agenda. Of course there is also her lack of experience in sitting on a bench.
So what does he lamely cite as justification for his vote? The Golden Rule - read one account and watch the video therein. For the uber-progressive who prides him/herself in their lack of knowledge of the Bible, the Rule reads, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
He never quite gets around to stating how he specifically applies the Golden Rule to his vote. Who does he think are the "others" in this vote scenario? I can only surmise that he believes that Kagan, and perhaps Obama, are these "others". But let's get back to the Senator's binding duties in this case. I propose that the "others" in this case are the American people - the citizens of this country who have a right to a Supreme Court that will adhere to the United States Constitution, and not some "living interpretation" of the same. It is our interests that Graham tossed under the bus as he kowtowed to the "politically correct" power brokers in Congress (some of whom we hope will be retired this coming November).
I've touched on this before, but the word "nice" is not found in the Bible. Listen to Michael Voris describe why the desire to be "nice" may actually facilitate the eternal damnation of souls. (Click here if you can't see embedded video).
Some of us have been accused of "not being nice" when we show the true nature of abortion. Some of us have been accused of "not being nice" when we publicly rebuke those facilitating evil. To be clear, we do not engage in ad hominem attacks nor do we suggest or similate violence on anyone. We will, however, warn those who promote and facilitate baby murder that they jeopardize their immortal souls. What close friend of an individual wouldn't sound the alarm if that person were engaged in destructive behavior? We've no less duty to do so. (See the post a day ago regarding Father Rodriguez's example).
So let's stop trying to be nice and practice real charity!
Father Michael Rodriguez, pastor of San Juan Bautista Church in El Paso Texas, wrote in last Sunday's El Paso Times that Catholics have "an absolute duty" to oppose abortion and same-sex unions. He stated that those supporting such evils commit mortal sin, and that those who neglect to oppose them commit "a most grievous sin of omission". Read more at Catholic News Agency.
God bless Father Rodriguez and other priests who are not afraid to speak out. Today is the feast day of St John Mary Vianney, the Cure of Ars, patron of parish priests. Let us ask his intercession for his brother priests, that they will be fearless men of God.
From the Left Coast, we learn that Judge Vaughn Walker, in an all-too-typical display of judicial arrogance, has disregarded the common sense of the citizens of California and overturned Prop 8. The American Papist gives us some snippets of Walker's ruling; I invite you to read them. You will be appalled by their utter lack of common sense; then again, maybe you won't.
Oh, by-the-by! It seems that Judge Walker himself is gay (from Pewsitter). But that's no big deal - right? Well, that's what Kate Kendell, head of the Natioinal Center for Lesbian Rights, assures us. Of course we can trust the head of a gay advocacy group to give us the straight unbiased scoop...stop that snickering this instant!
This may go all the way to the US Supreme Court. Stay tuned. California citizens, do your state laws provide for impeachment of judges?
Joe Holland, the grad student who was arrested at a Chicago Planned Parenthood abortuary for praying a Rosary saw charges against him dismissed. Read the account from LifeNews.com. The Thomas More Society was assisting Holland.
Thanks to the American Papist who posted this latest gem regarding "Pope" Pelosi (which he apparently picked up from Jill Stanek). On July 29, CNS reporter Jane McGrath posed to Pelosi a question about the Incarnation, since "pope" Pelosi made such ready use of "the word" during a "catholyc" conference recently. The question had to do with when the conceived-but-unborn Jesus acquired the right to life. Listen for yourself how Pelosi tries to tap-dance around the question, and in the process, makes a complete fool of herself.
Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, author of the above-named book and president of Human Life International, will be at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for a book-signing on Sunday, August 8, from 11:00am to 3:00pm.
In a "town hall" meeting last week, Rep Pete Stark made the following admission about his belief in the "right" of the Feds to run our lives. Note the lady's knowledge of the US Constituion. She is very clear and thus makes it almost impossible for Stark to dance around this issue.
I find that statement to be a statement in belief of the omnipotence of government, as well as belief in the almost divine perogatives of government. In short, he seems to be saying that government is a de facto god. This is a fundamental tenet of progressives. Now doesn't their push for personal immorality on the part of the citzenry make sense? Encourage the people to become morally and intellectually undisciplined and flabby. Then tell them that government will 1) shield them from the normal consequences of debauchery and 2) enable that debauchery; that is, government will become their parents and dictators. This puts Stark's words into a broader perspective.
Here's the video (click here if you can't see embedded video). As you watch, understand that he and his cronies in the House are up for reelection on November 2nd. Be at the polls and vote them out!
Just for good measure, watch Stark at an earlier "town hall" as he mocks citizens who are voicing concerns over border security.
We read on page 3 of Blessed Sacrament's "Aug 1 / Aug 8" bulletin (bottom right corner) that the parish Social Concerns office plans to inaugurate Just Faith in their parish. I've written previously about the numerous problems with Just Faith, and will supply links to some prior posts. Please read these and research the links found in those posts.
Here is the contact information for this parish. Please contact them and let them know of your concerns with Just Faith. Perhaps if they hear from enough of us, they will sit up and take some notice.
I also ask that you advise of any other outbreaks of the Just Faith thing via a comment.
The English meaning behind the title is "How you pray impacts how you believe which impacts how you live". In this special segment produced by Real Catholic TV, Michael Voris examines the history of how the Mass and its theology was undermined by certain key players in the Second Vatican Council. I do urge you to invest the two hours that it will take to watch it, and to review the supplemental materials supplied on the web page. Due to its length, embedding is impossible. However, please follow this link. It is a two-part seriies. Spread word of this.
