Might This Be The REAL Reason Why Cardinal Pell Was Thrown Under The Bus?

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, while President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, diverted hundreds of thousands of euros away from its intended charitable purposes to real estate renovations.  One of those renovation projects was the refurbishing of his apartments in Rome.  This misappropriation was discovered by Cardinal Pell in his capacity of Secretariat for the Economy in 2014.  In 2015 attempts were made in earnest to have Cardinal Pell imprisoned on the basis of decades-old allegations of sexual abuse.  My!  Isn't the timing of these legal shenanigans such a coincidence?  Nothing to see here!  Move along!

Side note: If Paglia had spent some of that money to have this eyesore removed from his titular cathedral, perhaps that might have been an acceptable expenditure.  But I digress.

Paglia currently heads the much-disgraced Pontifical Academy for Life.  Recently one of the academy's moral theologians, Father Maurizio Chiodi, claimed that Humanae Vitae is not part of the Church's magisterium and thus its contents were basically fair game for change.  Among his excuses for this attempt to change centuries-old teachings is the attempt to change other centuries-old teachings of the church, namely the teachings regarding the death penalty.

Chiodi validated a point that I and others made regarding the pope's attempt to mutilate the Church's teaching on the death penalty.  Over four years ago I blogged that the death penalty attempt was an attempt to buy into the erroneous notion that Church teaching can be changed.  If it could be changed for the death penalty, why not contraception?  It's a classic case of calling good (death penalty) evil and calling evil (contraception) good. 

Regrettably, their ploy seems to be working.  We can fault not only Francis and Paglia for that, but also ourselves for not educating ourselves regarding authentic Church teaching.

Is The Church's Teachings On Contraception In Francis' Cross-Hairs?

While returning to Rome after his recent trip to Canada (a disaster in and of itself), Francis gave yet another lackluster plane interview.  The official transcript is on the Vatican website.   The question of concern is towards the bottom.  Even more concerning than the question is the answer.

In actuality, the question was one that would have been answered with a simple "yes" or "no", with "no" being the correct answer.  Francis never answered the question.  Rather, he segued into an overly wordy session of verbal diarrhea.  Read it for yourselves, as he blathers about "development of doctrine".  Somehow he manages to badmouth faithful Catholics who hold to the Church's timeless traditions.

Francis incorrectly invoked Saint Vincent of Lerins as the latter spoke of doctrine.  Catholic Answers has an excellent article that unpacks Francis' misquote of St. Vincent.  Please read it.  I need not rehash it here except to emphasize that doctrine, as it develops correctly, will always clarify truth.  Never will authentic development of Church doctrine lead to its contradiction.  Please recall that is what Francis did when he attempted to change Church teaching regarding the death penalty.  The Church had always recognized the death penalty to be a legitimate option to be used by civil governments in the restoration of justice.  Francis falsely stated that the death penalty is "intrinsically evil".  Not only is that false, it is rank heresy.

As I said in earlier posts, I think Francis used the death penalty matter as a trial balloon to see how much heresy the faithful were willing to swallow before coming to see that Francis might be an anti-pope.  At first glance, it appears that his gambit worked.  Now with him potentially rattling his saber against several papal documents condemning contraception, it appears that more are willing to consider the sad possibility that an anti-pope rules the Vatican.  How much more before faithful Catholics wake up?

Humanae Vitae 50 Years Later

On July 25, 1968, Humanae Vitae was promulgated by Pope Paul VI.  It is a reiteration of God's timeless teachings regarding marriage, family, and the intrinsic evil of artificial conception.  As you read it, you might have trouble believing it was written 50 years ago, for it predicted great calamities that would befall society if contraception were ever accepted: abortion, degrading of women, rampant divorce, etc.  At that time these evils were not widespread; now they are rampant.

Even 50 years ago, progressives were beginning to insinuate themselves in the priesthood and eventually wormed their way into the Vatican.  When Humanae Vitae was promulgated, they pulled all stops in trying to railroad this encyclical to irrelevance.  To a degree they succeeded for one rarely hears the truths found in Humanae Vitae proclaimed from the pulpit.

That is why I was delighted to hear that Bishop Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler TX delivered the homily below and instructed his priests to read it during their masses this past Sunday, the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist.  I pray that not only the Tyler diocese but all diocese across the Catholic world will proclaim this message far and wide.

The Schism In The Church Cannot Be Denied

Crisis Magazine published last week a very thoughtful article by Dennis Prager entitled "Why Judaism And Then Christianity Rejected Homosexuality".  I'd urge all to read it carefully - several times.  I think he's correct about the benefits of instilling Godly discipline of the procreative powers.  One might do well to intersperse that reading with the reading of Humanae Vitae.  One thing we can notice right off the bat is the correlation of the abolition of sexual restraint and the increase of coarseness and even violence in our society.  Interestingly enough, we even notice a proportional increase in the clamoring for governmental intervention in our lives, almost as if we (as a society) both crave the controls from government to replace our own abandoned self-control and the facilitation of hedonism.  That is why the Democrats, the party of baby-slaughter and sodomy, is also the party of socialism.

That article underscores the grave nature of the errors embodied in Amoralis Lamentia, particular Chapter 8 of the thing.  On February 3, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of the German Bishops' Conference, declared that priests and clergy can conduct "blessing ceremonies" for homosexual couples.  I put "blessing ceremonies" in quotes for it is impossible to bless mortal sin.  The attempt to do so is both blasphemy and sacrilege.  He stated this an in interview during which he also shilled for female deacons and married clergy.  Why didn't he just throw abortion in there for good measure?  Cardinal Marx still retains his position - unlike several faithful priests who were kicked to the curb for upholding the Church's teachings on homosexuality, etc.

Not only does the pope fail to utter one word of correction (let alone rebuke) against this flagrant disobedience to God's commands, but he gives honor to yet another dissident cleric.  Father Jose Tolentino Calaca De Mendonsa (hereafter just called Fr. Tolentino for obvious reasons) is rector of the Cathedral of Lisbon.  He recently wrote the introduction to a book called "Feminist Theology In History".  That book sounds like a hoot, doesn't it?  It's written by a faix-nun who is both pro-abortion and pro-sodomy.   LifeSiteNews has details of the gibberish found in this "introduction".  Now consider that Pope Francis selected Tolentino to preach at his 2018 Lenten retreat.  One can only imagine the kind of poison that will be served to the pope and the others at that retreat - not that they are unaccustomed to this poison for they produce enough of it themselves.

At One Peter Five we read an article entitled "Approval For Blessings Of Homosexual Couples Equivalent To Founding A New Church".  The logic behind that statement is very simple.  In the authentic Church, mortal sin can never be blessed.  To insinuate that such is possible is to concoct an alien moral theology.  It would attempt to redefine moral truths.  In order to do that, it would have to redefine a different deity, for the One True God, immutable as He is, cannot change His word.

So now we see an attempt to deform the Catholic Faith, the One True Church, into something completely alien to the Bride of Christ as He established her.  Is this part and parcel of creating a "one-world religion" for a "new order"?  This is not the first attempt that progressives made towards this goal.  I believe they floated a trial balloon with the issue of capital punishment.  This current pope and many progressives espoused a position to abolish capital punishment altogether - a complete divergence from Church tradition.  Enough people are ambivalent about capital punishment so they weren't alert to the danger this posed to the Deposit of Faith.  Now they are getting more brazen.

Will some of us now take off the rose-colored glasses to admit that this pontificate is dangerous?  In the face of the overwhelming evidence, their denial of the facts can be considered willful - and sinful.  I ask them to please stop being part of the problem and to pray and speak out for the Church.

Pontifical Academy For Life Member Undermines Humanae Vitae

Recall that last summer Pope Francis revamped the entire Pontifical Academy for Life.  That is to say that he ejected all of the original members, who were solidly pro-life and replaced them with others who are not so solidly pro-life.  Many of the former members, solid Catholics, formed their own council that is independent of official Church structure.  They may well have their work cut out for them.

A few weeks ago, three bishops from Kazakhstan denounced Amoralis Lamentia, stating it would open the floodgates to adultery and other serious sins.  Now comes the news that the newly-bastardized Pontifical Academy for Life has unwittingly validated the concerns of the three bishops and faithful Catholics world-wide.  Academy member Father Maurizio Chiodi put forth the notion that "responsible parenthood" might oblige married couples to use artificial birth control.  He bases this heresy on Amoralis Lamentia.  Reminder - the use of artificial birth control to engage in contraceptive sex is mortally sinful.  It can never be permitted, much less be enjoined.  However, we can see where he'd draw that conclusion from the flawed Amoralis Lamentia.

Please read that LifeSiteNews article closely.  This nonsense uttered by Chiodi is yet another poke at Humanae Vitae.  Amoralis Lamentia runs counter not only to Humanae Vitae but indeed to many other Church moral teachings.  I for one can only conclude that such was the intention behind its creation.

Today Is Probably America's Darkest Day Since Roe V Wade

Today the United States of America disgraced itself almost beyond recognition and (I pray not!) perhaps beyond repair with today's Supreme Court ruling in the Obergefell v Hodges ruling.  In a 5-4 ruling, they basically mandated that so-called "gay marriage" must be recognized by all 50 states.  In other words, they attempted to redefine marriage to mean something other than what God intended.  The very first line of the US Declaration of Independence invokes "the laws of nature and nature's God".  Now the United States Supreme Court has set itself - once again - above God and His immutable laws.

An earlier occasion, of course, was the Roe v Wade decision of 1973.  At that time, the Court decreed that the individual states did not have the ability to protect unborn babies from the barbaric practice of abortion.  42 years later, this nation is awash in the blood of over 60 million murdered babies - blood that is on our hands as a nation.  Now, once again, we have made a paradigm leap into godlessness and barbarism.

Ladies and gentlemen, both these ills (and many more) are the direct result of rejecting God's teachings regarding marriage, sexuality and family life as found in Casti Connubii and Humanae Vitae.  Much of that rejection came from those who called themselves Catholics - including clergy.  A careful reading of Humanae Vitae reveals a list of all the evils that would befall society if contraception were accepted.  As I read through that list, it's hard to realize that this was written almost 50 years ago; it could have been written 5 years ago, given its accuracy.

Much of the blame for the degradation of society, particularly western culture, can be laid squarely at the feet of Catholic leaders.  Instead of sticking to their God-given mission of saving souls, that is, preaching the truths of faith and morals, they've been scurrying about and spreading tripe about "social justice".  To fund all their "social justice" hogwash, they silenced themselves regarding morals in order to curry the favors of those who are wealthy and influential.   Now we all reap the bitter fruit of their betrayal of the Faith.

Before I was able to sit down and compose this post, I read other Catholic commentary on today's unmitigated disaster.  Some of the commentary was written by well-meaning and very faithful Catholics with the laudable but mistaken intention of trying to soften the blow to us.  One went so far as to opine that "this is not a time for mourning".  I respectfully disagree.  The book of Joel does call for "weeping, fasting and mourning" as the prophet spoke of response to the sins of a nation.  We received a wake-up call today - at least I hope we have.  These calls can - and should - leave us shocked and disturbed and even angry.  The real question is, "will we allow our profound sorrow to finally motivate us into decisive prayer and action"?  That question remains to be answered by each and every one of us.

I will say this much for some hope in the face of this calamity.  Whereas the Roe v Wade vote was a 7-2 vote, this was 5-4; had it not been for Kennedy's faulty "katholycism" this vote might have been a narrow victory.  Moreover, when Roe v Wade happened, I don't recall it garnering as much outrage as this vote has.  Granted, I was in high school when Roe happened and I do think at the time news of Lyndon Johnson's death on the same day overshadowed the news of the vote, and there was no internet in 1973, but still very few noticed Roe v Wade when it happened.  Now we know and we are able to mobilize.

As our Catholic leaders helped to grease the skids to national perdition over these past few decades, theirs' is the responsibility to lead the way to repentance and restoration.  They must start by devoting themselves to proclaiming God's teaching regarding marriage, sexuality and family life - starting with the Sunday sermons.  When did you last hear a Sunday homily that stated the truth that the usage of contraception is mortally sinful?  I can't remember, either.  They need to start obeying Canon 915 - that means you, Cardinals Dolan and Wuerl!

Meanwhile we are not going to cease speaking out and defending the teachings of Jesus Christ, tyrannical court ruling notwithstanding.

Even At March For Life, Contraception Is Accepted

Michael Voris attended the March for Life and some of the pro-life gatherings in the past few days.  He interviewed a number of young people at the Capital Hyatt in Washington.  Just prior to the march, it is filled with pro-life people.  I believe one of the major pro-life groups has a convention there.  At any rate, Voris interviewed a number of the pro-life youth in attendance and obtained some very disturbing replies.  Ladies and gentlemen, please watch the video, then see my comments below it.



There are those who say that these young people point to a shining promise for the pro-life movement.  I beg to differ.  The acceptance of the moral evil of contraception in so many points to a dismal prospect for the pro-life movement.  If the truth of contraception is not taught RIGHT NOW in an unambiguous, complete and forthright manner, the pro-life movement will implode upon itself.  For the sad status of these young people, they are most likely not to blame.  Rather it is their parents, priests, teachers, youth-group leaders who will have to answer for their souls.

When is the last time you heard a homily at Sunday Mass stating the truth about contraception in a bold, non-nuanced fashion?  It's been a while for me, too.  Oh, we might hear about abortion (maybe 2-3 times a year), but nary a word is spoken about the mortal sin of contraception usage.  I understand such silence is ordered by the bishops.  Pray that God soften their hearts.

Perhaps a little history is in order, particularly for those who think prohibition of contraception is strictly a Catholic anomaly.  Until 1929, all the Christian denominations understood that the usage of contraception was a heinous evil.  Then came the 1930 Lambeth Conference of the Anglican (Episcopalian, in U.S.) Church when the usage of contraception was permitted "in limited circumstances".  That was enough for the elephant to stick its nose under the tent.

Many people and institutions saw the danger.  In the early part of the twentieth century, sanity reigned much more than it does now.   Read these words: "Carried to its logical conclusion, the committee’s report if carried into effect would sound the death-knell of marriage as a holy institution, by establishing degrading practices which would encourage indiscriminate immorality."  Guess what right-wing religious zealot wrote that?   None!  That's from (sit down!) the Washington Post, in an editorial in their March 22, 1931 edition.  My, how that newspaper has deteriorated, but I digress.

In 1968, Pope Paul VI released the encyclical Humanae Vitae.  Written over 40 years ago, many of the evils about which the Holy Father warned did not exist.  They do now.  His warning went unheeded; now we have to have Marches for Life and fight gay encroachment.  Even more sadder is the fact that so many souls are going to hell.  It was Our Lady of Fatima herself who stated that most of the souls who go to hell do so because of sins of the flesh.  Contraception encourages such sin - and damnation.

Read this article from Business Insider. Although it's two years old, it's still relevant.  Why, oh why, do our Catholic parents and clergy hesitate when it comes to teaching young people (and old) the truth about contraception?  Too many souls are at stake - including those of the young people who answered Voris in the negative.

PS - I look to tomorrow's "homosexuality" segment with some trepidation.

Catholic Relief Services IS Aiding/Abetting Murder

Today, on the 45 anniversary of the promulgation of Humanae Vitae, LifeSitenews has broadcast the news that Catholic Relief Service personnel are distributing contraceptives and abortifacient drugs/devices in Madagascar.  Their report can be read here; please note that they in turn link to a report by Population Research Institute.

It is this latter group (a branch of Human Life International) that has conducted a month-long investigation on site in Madagascar and has interviewed NGO workers and officials - including CRS personnel.  Their report states that CRS employs over 250 community health workers there who distribute contraceptives and abortifacients under the name of "Catholic Relief Services".  A CRS zone supervisor confirmed this information.  Steven Mosher, president of PRI, asks "how many children have been aborted or contracepted out of existence by CRS?"  I urge the readers of this blog to read both the LifeSiteNews posts.  For now I'll focus on Mosher's question.

First, let's understand that an abortifacient is a drug or device that prevents the newly-conceived baby from implanting in his/her mother's womb.  That child is subsequently expelled from the mother's body during her next period.  This is abortion - that is the deliberate taking of an innocent life.  We've just described a murder.  Of course all abortions are acts of murder.  I find it difficult to believe that these CRS personnel who are engaged in the distribution of these poisons are unaware of the nature of these things - particularly those CRS personnel in positions of authority and responsibility.

That said, I'm going to dispense with the silly verbal tap-dance and tippy-toeing with "delicate and diplomatic" language.  I'll paraphrase Mosher's question a bit with "how many children have been murdered with assistance by and intention of CRS"?  Let's cut to the chase, shall we?  For that is exactly what the Catholic Relief Services is doing!

If the Catholic Relief Services is serious about following the moral precepts of Christ and His Church, they'll recognize that one cannot do evil in the vain hopes that good will come of it.  At the very least, those who have participated in these mortal sins of murder must cease and desist immediately.  They must go to Confession for they have placed their immortal souls in danger of damnation.  The board of directors of CRS might do well to suspend all operations until they can root out the rot.  Of course "rooting out the rot" may very well mean that the CRS should be abolished in its entirety.  If such is the case, so be it.

With each passing year, the words of Humanae Vitae ring ever more true.  Pope Paul VI foresaw the spread of abortion and disregard for human life if contraception were ever to gain a foothold.  I wonder if he had any inkling that agencies within the Catholic Church would be participating in these grave sins?  

Day Of Shame For German Catholic Church

Recently two Catholic hospitals in Cologne, Germany declined to give the "morning after" pill to a rape victim.  Of course what they declined to do was to facilitate in a possible chemical abortion.  Of course the progressives had a snit-fit.

Cardinal Joachim Meisner brought shame and disgrace upon the Church - and betrayed scores of innocent babies to boot - by approving (under "limited circumstances" of course!) the distribution of the deadly pill in Catholic hospitals in his diocese.  His spokesperson had the gall to say that "everything which is abortive in nature is not allowed".  Guess what?  The term "emergency contraception" is misleading on its face for part of its mechanism is the causation of chemical abortion.

Even if that was not the case, the Church has always condemned contraception owing to the anti-life mentality underlying its usage.  How soon these bishops forgot Humanae Vitae.  Perhaps they wish the rest of us would, too.  That's not happening.

During these last few days of his pontificate, I pray that Benedict XVI will discipline Cardinal Meisner and the rest of that feckless cabal.

A Homily Against Contraception Today!

Today at the 11:15 Mass at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg, Fr LaHood preached against the evils of contraception and for the teaching of Humanae Vitae.  This homily was occasioned by the upcoming 44th anniversary of the issuance of the encyclical by Pope Paul VI (July 25th, Wednesday).  Read that encyclical and then listen to the homily now.

As you read Humanae Vitae, you might think it was written just last year instead of 44 years ago, as most of the horrible consequences of contraception's embrace have been realized all too vividly.  There is no doubt that the embrace of the anti-life mentality inherent in contraception's use has unleashed many plagues on humanity.  Some who are reading this are no doubt snickering at the thought.  In fact, I saw a few fellow Mass attendees roll their eyes as Father was preaching.  There are none so blind as they who will not see, and such are dissenters from the clear teaching of the Church.

Of course as we consider these thoughts, that makes all the more evident why the $5.3 million grant given to CARE by the Catholic Relief Services is beyond reprehensible.  At any rate, I hope that this homily is the start of a much-needed trend in our Churches today.

Contraception = The Spirit Of Abortion

Lifesite News pubished an article written about the realization of Sarah Nelson that she was partaking in a "spirit of abortion" through her embrace of contraceptives.  I encourage all to read it, for Ms Nelson addresses this issue not only with honesty, but equally commendable clarity.

A few days ago, I was on Jill Stanek's blog and posted that the acceptance of contraception opened the doors to abortion, as they both stem from the hellish anti-life mentality.  It was quite disheartening to read the admission of some that they use contraception - and these are "pro-life" folks.  I think I'll recommend to them Ms. Nelson's article.

Three years ago, some Christian professors (at least one of them Catholic) drew up a document called the Manhattan Declaration.  On the surface, it appears to be a fairly exhaustive treatment of the various social, moral and spiritual ills that threaten to bring about the collapse of western civilization.  I say "fairly" and not "complete" for there is one glaring omission.  In that entire document, the word "contraception" is not to be found.  For that reason, I and several others did not sign it.  To this day, the authors of the Manhattan Declaration have not seen fit to correct that most gross of moral errors.  I understand that these authors are speaking out on the HHS mandates - mandates that focus on contraception.  Is that irony entirely lost on them??

Ladies and gentlemen, let's be clear.  Unless we (and by that I mean pro-life Christians) finally acknowledge that hulking "elephant in the living room" known as contraception, any gain we make in the pro-life area will be, at best, minuscule.  How can God hear our prayers and bless our efforts to end abortion if we ourselves harbor the "spirit of abortion" in our own hearts?  (Hint: read Psalm 66:18).

By the way - Real Catholic TV compiled a page of their resources on the evils of contraception.  Take a look.  There is also, of course, Humanae Vitae and Evangelium Vitae.

Humanae Vitae - Are The Bishops FINALLY Going To Teach It?

Christopher Manion wrote an excellent piece for Crisis Magazine linking the Church's present quagmire over the HHS mandate mess with the 45-year failure of the bishops to heed the message of Humanae Vitae and to teach it.   He also details how the bishops, in glomming onto the "social justice" bandwagon, abdicated their real roles in preaching the Gospel and teaching authentic morality.

In an interview within the past few days with the Wall Street Journal, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, New York Archbishop and president of the USCCB, frankly admitted this monstrous dereliction of duty on the part of the bishops over the years.  I have to give him credit for this admission.  Now the real question is, how will he rectify this episcopal short-coming?

During the past five years, a priest of my acquaintance offered a class to his parish on Humanae Vitae.  Moreover, he preached from the pulpit at Sunday masses on the topic, making plain the Church's teaching.  Needless to say, the complaints started rolling into his pastor's office and the priest was summarily shipped off to "diocesan siberia".  I can give no further details without jeopardizing Father.  Will this sort of maltreatment of good priests end?  If the situation at St John Neumann with Father Guarnizo is any indication, it will end only if Cardinal Dolan and perhaps the Holy Father himself read the Riot Act to the bishops who'd rather be politicians than shepherds, who fear a few angry phone calls more than their God.

Contraception - Ushering In A New Dark Age

Real Catholic TV presents a four-part series by Dr Martin Brenner.  Below is the first part; I'll be posting these as they are made available.  Watch and get a deeper understanding of why our clergy simply must stop playing patsy with this topic and start proclaiming the entire truth of the Magisterium.  Click here if you cannot see embedded video.

Contraceptive Mentality Is Deadly

Here's a brief refresher regarding this undeniable truth.  (Click here if you can't see embedded video)

Wisdom from Dietrich von Hildebrand

Back in 1973 von Hildebrand called the bishops' dereliction of their duties to be "one of the most horrifying and widespread diseases of the Church today."  Of course he had seen the outright rebellion to Humanae Vitae and the Land O' Lakes rebellion staged by Catholic colleges.  Von Hildebrand then rebukes those same bishops for persecuting those who try to speak out for the True Church.  I've no doubt that Von Hildebrand himself suffered at the hands of more than one derelict bishop.



The latest example of such a strange prelate is perhaps Cardinal George of Chicago.  Recently he bestowed an award on notorious race-baiter and dissident Father Michael Pfleger (see several previous posts on this blog) while trying to silence Tom Roesser, a faithful Catholic writer.

More $$$-Linkages Between Planned Parenthood and Komen Foundation

Jill Stanek has done excellent work reporting on this.  I needn't "reinvent the wheel".  Go to http://www.jillstanek.com/new-stanek-wnd-column-the-cons.html.  Also read the comments below and learn first-hand the harm done by contraceptives.  Clearly they testify to the truth of Humanae Vitae.