Which Bishops Will Go To Jail

Rather than comply with the immoral HHS mandates?  Read the Lifesite News article here (pointed out by my anonymous commenter from Saturday's post).  While Bishops Sample, Aquila, Zubic and others stated their willingness to emulate their sainted predecessors, others demurred.

One of those who hemmed and hawed was DC's own Cardinal Wuerl.  He hopes for "an agreement" whereby the church can "continue to function as we always have, as a free entity freely exercising our ministry in our country".  Of course we can wonder just what kind of "ministry" His Eminence speaks of, when non-church-affiliated businesses are forced to comply with immoral laws on pain of their own harm.

Let me be frank.  This is mealy-mouth talk on the part of Cardinal Wuerl (and I suspect Cardinal Dolan as well).  They need to stand firm and not look for "agreements" with evil - "agreements" that will impel them to look the other way while private citizens and businesses are having draconian evils thrust in their faces.  The bishops wear red for a reason - to remind them that they must be prepared to shed martyrs' blood.

By the way - does part of this "agreement" include the USCCB acting like lap-dog mouth pieces for the blatant gun-grabbing by the Obama cartel?  From this action alert, it would seem so!  Perhaps some of the Minions Most Mindless of the Messiah Most Miserable headquarter themselves at 3211 4th Street NE.

Rancid Souposiums

A monthly email from the Archdiocese of Washington's Department of Charity and Justice is promoting something called "Sunday Souposiums" put on by the Franciscan Monastery.  Some further research indicates that the "soup" might contain just a smidgen of rat poison.

The Franciscan Mission Service gives some insight about past "souposiums".  One held in January featured as its main speaker Sister Margaret Mary Kimmins.  She is the board president of  Franciscan Action Network.  Now read that home page for an eyeful of dissent.

Catholic Relief Services - Funding Contraception

That's the upshot of what LifeSiteNews has reported.  In 2010, the Catholic Relief Services gave $5.3 million to CARE, an organization that is unabashed about its goal of doling contraceptives and abortifacients to women in developing countries.  CARE is also a lobbyist for abortions.  Dr. William Marshner of Christendom College is correct in saying that there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for such funding.  CRS has made plain that they intend to keep on funding CARE.

There is no doubt that the USCCB, through CRS, is undermining the bishops' current battle against the HHS contraception mandate.  How can they claim to oppose contraception on one hand, and yet on the other hand fund an organization that will take that money and use it to dispense contraception?

If I've said this once, I've said it a million times.  USCCB needs to be abolished in its entirety.

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.

A Most Puzzling "Apology" From St John Neumann Church In Gaithersburg

When I was looking online yesterday at my church's bulletin for Mass announcements, I realized I was looking at the June 17th bulletin, one that I'd normally pick up at tomorrow's Mass.   In other words, it has not yet appeared in print.  I was rather taken aback to see this "apology" from the pastor.  It is as follows (on page 2):

"The last three weekends, an article appeared in our bulletin regarding the Health and Human Services Mandate and Religious Freedom. While I agree with our Bishops in the goal of overturning the mandate and agree that we should take an active part as citizens in protecting our freedoms, I regret the tone of those articles and the hyperbolic language used in those articles. As the Church founded by Our Lord, we should speak the truth in charity. These articles did not conform to that requirement."

I had recalled seeing that statement and thought nothing to be amiss.  However, given this "apology", I thought I should take another look at the previous week's (June 10th) bulletin.  Here is the blurb from that bulletin (from page 3):  (Note - the embolded portions reflect the formatting in the bulletin)

"As the 2012 Presidential campaign ramps up, the mainstream media are ramping up their efforts to bury the issue of religious liberty, to forget the outrage over the HHS mandates, and to shift the focus to a trumped up "War on Women." Your partnership with StopHHS.com IS INSURING THAT the mainstream media WILL NOT be the sole voice forming public opinion. We must rely on alternative media like Catholic and evangelical radio, social media, EWTN to keep interested citizens informed. Thisneglect, this omission is severe: The mainstream press utterly ignored the timely document released in the last few weeks by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops entitled "Our First, Most Cherished Liberty." In spite of the fact that this was the USCCB's first major document since the beginning of the conflict and, in spite of the fact, that the USCCB is a, if not, the principle party in this conflict, the press couldn't bring itself to even mention the Bishops attempt to frame this discussion. The Bishops lucidly and charitably interpret the history of religious persecution in America, offer a candid assessment of where we standtoday, and issue a clarion call to fight back with "all the energies the Catholic community can muster." That call includes a "fortnight for freedom" from June 21 to July 4, in which the Bishops ask that individual dioceses arrange special events to highlight the importance of defending our first freedom. They ask Catholic institutions to do the same, especially in cooperation with fellow Christians, Jews, people of other faiths, and indeed, all who wish to defend our most cherished freedom. Stay tuned to StopHHS.com for more on these particular events as plans develop, but in preparation for this fortnight for freedom. On March 23, we had over 140 cities and 65,000 Americans take to the streets to demand that our religious liberty be restored. We are committed to increasing those numbers so that the media and our fellow citizens can no longer ignore this injustice. As the Bishops have written, "we will not - we cannot - permit the HHS Mandate to stand." Please visit StandUpForReligiousFreedom.com to find locations in your area OR to volunteer to be a rally captain in your town. A special word to Catholic laymen and laywomen: We are finally fulfilling what the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council intended us to be: Responsibility for the temporal affairs of our nation is the responsibility of the laity. We are called to be good neighbors and good citizens. We do that best when we embrace our identity as citizens of heaven and take seriously our call to be ambassadors of Christ, ministers of reconciliation and bearers of the good news. If the HHS mandate is permitted to stand the federal government will have arrogated to itself the power to determine what is and what is not an authentically Catholic institution. Lay driven Catholic entities like Catholic Social Services, Catholic Charities, Catholic Universities, Catholic Media and Catholic Hospitals are a vital part of Catholic witness to the love and mercy, wisdom and power of Jesus. We can't let Caesar limit Christ's ministry. This has happened in the Soviet Union. It is happening in China. Will it be permitted to happen in the United States? For the latest on the Pro-Life movement in this area you can log on to www.prayforgermantown.org."

How on earth is this article NOT "truth in charity"?  Where is all this objectionable "tone" and "hyperbole"?  Let's be crystal clear. Every word - and I mean EVERY - is accurate.  So the article is not necessarily couched in nicey-nice-nice kiddie talk.  So what???  Ladies and gentlemen, it's way past time to "man up" or "woman up" as the case may be - or more accurately, it's high time we grow up and face the stark reality that is breathing down our necks.  There can be no "truth in charity" if the truth is not spoken in a plain, complete and unabashed manner; else you have falsehood and any "charity" will in fact be a mere exercise in maudlin sentimentality.

If there is anything regrettable in the bulletin, it's this apology.  I don't know what impelled it, but I do intend to get to the bottom of this.  Meanwhile, if anyone else has any inkling, please advise via the comments.

Yesterday, 43 Catholic organizations around the country, including the Archdiocese of Washington, joined in the filing of 12 lawsuits against the Obama administration.  They are doing so because the HHS contraception mandate is an egregious assault upon our First Amendment rights to live by the tenets of our faith in not paying for contraceptives and abortifacients in the health plans we sponsor.  As this statement of the Archdiocese of Washington put it, "It is not about whether people have access to certain services; it is about whether the government may force religious institutions and individuals to facilitate and fund services which violate their religious beliefs."  Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon has this to say on the matter.

The suit names as defendants (with their respective departments):

• HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (subject of our Georgetown protest last week)
• Labor Secretary Hilda Solis (another pro-abortion "katholyc")
• Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (aka Turbo Tax Timmy)

Several days ago, I announced on this blog the Stand for Religious Freedom Rally on June 8th.  These are occurring all over the country.  Check out www.standupforreligiousfreedom.com for a location near you and be there if at all possible. 

Bishop Jenky Lays It On The Line

Bishop Daniel Jenky of the Diocese of Peoria IL gave a homily during Easter Saturday Mass that should serve as a model for his brother bishops and all priests.  He spoke on the transformation of the Apostles after they encountered the Risen Lord, and how that transformation impelled them to proclaim the Gospel in the wake of malevolent governments and corrupt cultures.  He names plenty of names in rebukes, including Obama himself, and urges every Catholic to vote properly.  But I needn't rehash it here.  The Diocese of Peoria has the homily on mp3 podcast - please listen to it.  Yes it is downloadable.

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.

Catholic Consciense For Sale??

My fellow blogger at Acts of the Apostacy on January 31st put up a post regarding a press conference with White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.  During that conference Carney mentioned that the Feds gave "over $2 billion" to the Church over the past three years.  The AofA blogger seems to think that Carney might have fired a shot across the bow towards the Church, saying "shut up if you like your money".

In far too many ways in the past that is precisely what the various chanceries have done.  I would daresay that is a prime reason why there is no obedience to Canon 915 with respect to prominent Catholic pro-abortion politicians.

AofA made the following key statement: "Should the HHS mandate get overturned in court because it violates the 1st Amendment – and even if it doesn’t get overturned – it behooves the Catholic Church in America to immediately, absolutely and transparently refuse any more funding from the United States government.  Because the bills always come due, and they always cost more than the estimate."  I whole-heartedly agree.  Moreover, I'd add that the Catholic Church should divest itself of funding from all levels of government for the same reasons.  We in Maryland are now feeling the pain from many years of the Maryland Catholic Conference's endless pursuits of state funding for this project or that charity.

He adds, "And if the Church loses its tax-exempt status?  Well, maybe that ought to go as well.  Then, as a result, the Church will be freer to evangelize and perform Her mission in the world.  And maybe – just maybe – Catholics throughout the nation will truly come to depend on God instead of on government, as we ought.   Government doesn’t answer prayers, at least not without some hefty strings attached."  Again, I'm in complete agreement.  The Church needs to start being what Christ designed it to be - not some "faith-based" lackey of the state that's addicted to governmental grants.  

Bishops Decry HHS Mandate, Rebuke Obama And Sebelius

Here is a smattering of statements of various bishops in the wake of the tyranical display against people of faith and conscience put forth by His Nibs, the Messiah Most Miserable and Kathleen Sebelius, one of his Minions Most Mindless.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan: "You bet we got a disagreement. 'The government doesn’t have the right to butt into the internal governance and teachings of the church. It’s not about contraception. It’s about the right of conscience. This is not a Catholic issue, it’s an American issue.."

Bishop David Zubik (Pittsburgh): "Kathleen Sebelius (Health and Human Services Secretary) and through her, the Obama administration, have said ‘To Hell with You’ to the Catholic faithful of the United States.."

Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz (Lincoln, NE):  "The present secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, a bitter fallen-away Catholic, now requires that all insurance, even when issued privately, must carry coverage for evil and grave sin."    

Bishop Thomas Olmsted (Phoenix, AZ): "We cannot - we will not - comply with this unjust law."

Bishop Daniel Jenky (Peora, IL) has asked Catholic institutions in his diocese to insert the Prayer to St Michael the Archangel in their Mass intercessions.

We trust there will be more statements, and commensurate actions to follow.