Raymond Arroyo!! Et Tu, Brute?

First, thanks to my commenter on the "4000babies.com" post for alerting me to this idiocy committed by EWTN last month.  Raymond Arroyo, who hosts "The World Over" on the EWTN network, interviewed Mark Shriver regarding his book about his father, Sargent Shriver.  See this link and scroll to number 5.

Regular readers of this blog will recall that when Shriver did a book signing at Blessed Sacrament several months ago, we were there to protest that profanation of a Catholic Church.  Mark Shriver, like most of his Kennedy kindred, is rabidly pro-abortion.  He used his office in the Maryland state legislature to support baby-killing and ran for US Congress on a pro-abortion platform.  It doesn't take much genius to realize that Blessed Sacrament lent legitimacy to the character, and thus the pro-abortion views of Shriver when it let him into their facilities.  Unfortunately EWTN, by Arroyo's actions, did the same for Shriver.

A supreme irony in the EWTN program is that the whole thing is billed as a "Fortnight for Freedom" special. As you know, that Fortnight effort was launched in an effort to protect religious freedoms from the onslaught of Obama-Hell-Care, a bill championed by the late Ted Kennedy - Shriver's pro-abortion uncle.

Mother Angelica, foundress of the Eternal Word Television Network, has been in very poor health these past few years.  I do not for one moment believe that if she were still at the helm of EWTN, this travesty would have seen the light of day.  I hope that there is some adult in charge there who will ensure that such stupidity never again besmirches the outreach for which Mother Angelica labored.

Archdiocese Restates Its Cowardice In Father Guarnizo Matter

On February 25th, at a funeral Mass at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg, Father Marcel Guarnizo (then assigned to that parish) quietly withheld Holy Communion from the daughter of the deceased.  The daughter was at the time (most likely still is) actively engaged in a homosexual relationship.

From that day onward, through March and beyond, I posted very extensively on this matter.  There's no need to rehash the particulars here; anyone unfamiliar with this matter can go back and examine the posts and related links.

Today the Archdiocese of Washington confirmed that Father Guarnizo will no more serve in the Archdiocese of Washington.  You can read the accounts of MSNBC and the Washington Post.  The loss is that of the Archdiocese of Washington.  The shame is that of the chancery - right up to Cardinal Wuerl himself.

At the bottom of the Post article, you'll read that Fr Guarnizo gave an address a week ago Saturday during a symposium on "Religious Freedom and Democracy" at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA.  I was in attendance and recorded Father's address.  It was an excellent address and I urge you to listen here.

USCCB Responds To Soros-Funded Critics

On June 7, the USCCB issued an Advisory Memo to Journalists to respond to silly criticisms lobbed against the Fortnight for Freedom effort.  The USCCB reveals some background of the sources of the criticisms - and the funding behind them.  My!  It does seem that George Soros is under compulsion to stick his fingers into all sorts of Church matters!  He's such a busy little atheist.  After outlining all the squalid background of the criticisms, the USCCB correctly points out,  "these do not seem like eminent qualifications for telling bishops how to guide the Church."   That statement might win an "Understatement of the Year" award.

Anyway, read it for yourselves to see how the progressive yarn is so easily unraveled.

Excellent Homily Regarding The Looming Threats To Religious Freedom

This homily was delivered at the 11:15 Mass at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg on June 17th - yes, the same church that published the inane apology in that day's bulletin.  The deacon started off by quoting the Gettysburg Address as delivered by President Abraham Lincoln.  He made the point of emphasizing Lincoln's references to God, and to God's prominent place in the foundation of this nation.  It wasn't until then that I realized that I should be recording the homily - so here it is, picking up after the Gettysburg comments.

ADW - Starting The "Fortnight" On The Wrong Foot

First, I thank Kurt, the commenter on my Fortnight announcement for alerting me to this Archdiocesan gaffe. They are starting off the two-week period with a "celebration" on Sunday June 24th at George Washington University.  Everything Kurt says about GW is true - and then some!

GW is a bastion for progressive brainwashing of young people.  It has a pro-abortion group called "Voices for Choices".  As you look at this website, you'll notice a tab called "clinic escorting".  They actively recruit for the DC-area "clinic escorts", that is, accessories to baby murder.  I am all too aware of their presence at the death mills.  Fortunately they don't seem to stick around; the reality of what they're doing no doubt is a stark contrast to the fables that "Voices" feeds them.

Moreover, GW is the lurking ground for law professer John Banzhaf.  If the name rings a bell, it's because twice last year, he filed two frivolous lawsuits against the Catholic University of America.  Between last October and November, I wrote about a lawsuit he filed ostensibly on behalf of some Muslim students for not having rooms without Catholic symbols so that they could engage in Muslim prayers.  I said "ostensibly" because the students themselves had no interest in this lawsuit; they apparently had the good sense to realize that at a Catholic institution one can expect to find Catholic symbols.  Earlier in June he had filed suit against CU when the latter re-instituted single-sex dorms, claiming discrimination.  In November the DC Human Rights Commission tossed that suit in the junk-heap.

And the Archdiocese wants to pay thousands to George Washington University?  Speaking of Catholic University, don't they have large enough facilities for such a celebration, such as a basket ball stadium?  In these days when institutions like GW have us in their sights, why give them Catholic money?  Why not give it to another Catholic institution, especially one that has had its share of barbs heaved its way?

The ADW should have done better than that.  I pray that they reconsider.

How About A "Fortnight Of Truth"?

That's a very good question asked in today's episode of the Vortex.  This follows nicely on yesterday's post (immediately preceding this one).  The link mentioned by Voris is at the bottom of yesterday's post (along with the links to the two key papal encyclicals).  Click here if you can't see embedded video.

Fortnight For Freedom

The USCCB has called for a 14-day period of prayer and other activities for the intention of defense of our First Amendment rights.  A "fortnight" is defined as a 14-day period, and this period will be from June 21st to July 4th.  June 21 is the Feast of Sts John Fisher and Thomas More.  Both these men, one a bishop and the other a high-ranking statesman, were beheaded by King Henry VIII because they refused to compromise their consciences by affirming the King's divorce from his first wife and his subsequent establishment of the Anglican Church.  Thus the beginning and the end days are quite appropriate.

As you visit the above site, Maryland and DC residents will note the two Masses.  Other events might already be posted that are local to you.  Please check back often.