Dissident Sr Helen Prejean In The Catholic Standard

Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking" (a tome against capital punishment) was featured in the February 23rd issue of the Catholic Standard.  This particular piece is only found in the paper edition, not online.

Apparently her book was made into an opera and she gave a presentation on it at the Washington National Cathedral.  This presentation that included a panel of leaders of various religions was sponsored by "Catholic Mobilization Network To End The Death Penalty".  Isn't that a mouthful?  While we can be grateful that this gabfest didn't occur in a Catholic facility, we can wonder why the Standard staff saw fit to devote an entire page to it.

Sister claims to be opposed to abortion, but other problems abound as evidenced here.  At the 2008 Democratic Interfaith Gathering, she said “And in the Christian tradition, there are those who say God allowed or even willed his own son, Jesus, to be sacrificed and killed on the cross in payment for our sins!  And when we kill criminals we have chaplains in death houses!  And when we kill criminals for their crimes God accepts their death in payment for their sins so they can go to heaven!  What kind of god do we believe in?!  What kind of father would demand the death of a son?  Is this a god?  Or is it an ogre, a monster, created by our own violent impulses?  We project so this is God who wants vengeance, like we want vengeance.  Truly there are contradictory images of God in the Bible.  On which one will we model our lives?"  She blasphemed against God the Father and the Crucifixion.

She "officiated" at the wedding of Susan Sarandon's daughter.  Only clergy do that.  Does this point to dissidence regarding women and the priesthood?  It would appear so.  She also seems to condone the normalization of homosexual perversions in society.  I state all of this to demonstrate that Sister Helen Prejean has not one shred of credibility whatsoever to lecture Catholics on anything, let alone moral issues.

Several years ago, Judie Brown of American Life League touched upon Sister's seeming indifference to the murders of tiny children.  There does seem to be a lack of proportion in Sister's mind when it comes to the importance of both abortion and capital punishment in comparison to each other.  I've blogged about the matter in the past and now link to those posts.  In the first post in that anthology, I highlighted some statistics showing that for every convicted criminal executed there were 42,000 babies legally murdered.  In the third post I pointed out that the effort to eliminate all capital punishment might well be an act of disobedience to God Himself for it was He who charged civil governments with that responsibility.

Some might be understandably befuddled as to why so many of those who seek to abolish capital punishment actually applaud the murders of tiny infants.  I was among that number until the answer dawned upon me almost instantaneously.  The repugnance that pro-aborts feel towards capital punishment actually stems from both guilt and fear.  In a saner time, these same pro-aborts, precisely because of their support, if not cooperation with and even commission of the crime of baby-murder, would themselves be eligible for the death penalty.  As it is, they are in grave danger of damnation unless they repent.

What I still fail to understand is how any reliable Catholic news outlet could devote an entire page of newsprint to someone who deviates from Catholc morality.  This article is just the latest example of why the Catholic Standard connot be considered a reliable Catholic news source.  Regrettably we'll see new reasons in the not-too-distant future.

Alinskyianism In DC Parishes

First let me set the stage.  On June 21st, my Catholic Media Coalition colleague Stephanie Block wrote an expose on how Alinskyianism was to be introduced into the average parish.  A group called "Catholic Truth in Education" published some letters decades ago regarding their own findings about a strategy orient parish offices towards "social action" and "community organizing".  Apparently one of the steps to be undertaken by these "change agents" was to implement "outcome-based education" - that is, the manipulation of students' values and behaviors.  The Obama administration is attempting the same exact thing through the Common Core project.

Today I attended Mass at Blessed Sacrament and picked up their bulletin from last weekend.  On page 6 we see "News from the Washington Interfaith Network" - WIN for short.  WIN is the local affiliate for the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Saul Alinsky himself (with Msgr Jack Egan being a board member).  I've written much about WIN and other Alinskyian organizations that have infested ADW parishes for a while now.  The Blessed Sacrament bulletin column invites the parishioners to get involved with WIN.  How about getting involved with working to end abortion?  Even the bishops recognize (at least on paper) that the murder of babies is the premier social concern of the day - now only if they'd walk the walk along with talking the talk.

Progressive Poison At Blessed Sacrament In DC

Yesterday as I parked my car on Western Avenue to attend Mass at Blessed Sacrament (just off Chevy Chase Circle) another Mass-goer came from behind me and parked his car on Quesada St, just outside the church's side door.  He got out and went in.

I could not help but notice as he drove past me the garish rainbow-colored "Obama" bumper strip on his car.  I realized he was in desperate need of some education.  Fortunately I always carry a supply of  Wisdom on Windshields.  It is an educational flyer that can be placed on the car of the obviously oblivious fellow Catholic.  I placed it on his car and went into the church myself.  I was dismayed (but not too terribly surprised) to notice that this man was the lector for the Mass.  By the time I left Mass, he had already driven away.

Before I continue with what I saw at Blessed Sacrament, I'll say a few words on behalf of  Wisdom on Windshields.  It's particularly helpful if you see such a sight but are rushing into Mass and/or not see the car owner.  No problem!  Just deposit a Wisdom on Windshields flyer under the wiper or in the car door (make sure it can't blow away).  You can download it here and have it handy on your own computer.  Print it out and always carry a supply with you to Church, as you'll never know when an opportunity will arise to educate an ignorant fellow Catholic.  Those of you in other areas of the country should feel free to copy the language to your own letterhead, if that will be more helpful to your local situation.  Understand that the distribution of this flyer is an exercise of the Spiritual Works of Mercy of Instructing the Ignorant and/or Rebuking the Sinner, depending on the knowledge/culpability of the recipient (which we of course have no way of knowing).

I resume my discussion of Blessed Sacrament.  I picked up a parish bulletin.  Because it was Saturday, the bulletin actually was for the previous weekend.  Here it is.  Now go to page 4 and look at the left-hand column.  Why, oh why, is anything by Sister Joan Chittister being put forth as being suitable reading for Catholics?  At Blessed Sacrament, is any responsible adult monitoring the goings-on at the parish library?  I ask not only because of their dubious offerings but because I understand that it was the library that invited both Chris Matthews and Mark Shriver for their book-signings (both of which we picketed, by the way).

Moving down to page 5, on the right-hand side, we see that Blessed Sacrament is touting a celebration of Earth Day.  "Well, so what?", one might ask. The problem is that the Washington Interfaith Network is spearheading this.  WIN makes no bones that they are the DC-area affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation.  As you look on their webpage, you'll see that they were "founded in 1940".  By whom?  Well they weren't always so coy about that little detail.  The fact is that the IAF was the flagship organization founded by Saul Alinsky himself.  The wikipedia (correctly) states that among the many people he influenced was Barack Obama.  He also influenced Msgr Jack Egan, who was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Now not only is the bulletin giving credibility to Alinskyites, but notice something else about the ad.  They want to "reduce storm water pollution".  Sounds nice, doesn't it?  Well, the Maryland parishioners might want to take notice of that one in light of the "rain tax" with which Annapolis just saddled us.

I decided to take a look at this weekend's bulletin.  Go to page 4.  You'll see unabashed shilling for gun registration and the Catholic "climate covenant".  Meanwhile prominent parishioners sport Obama stickers on their cars and the librarian hosts katholyc pro-aborts to sign their books on Church property.  Boys and girls, what is wrong with this picture?

Boycott CCHD Collection THIS Weekend!

(This originally appeared Sunday Aug 5th.  Now the collection is here - DON'T GIVE!)

The CCHD collection for the Archdiocese of Washington will occur on the weekend of Aug 11-12 (THIS WEEKEND!).  In the August 2nd edition of the Catholic Standard, Mark Zimmerman waxed lyrical about the "virtues" of the CCHD.  Read it.  Notice that one of the CCHD recipients is the Washington Interfaith Network.  Zimmerman describes WIN as being an organization that "advocates for the poor and forgotten in our community".  Well, not exactly!

At the very first glimpse of the WIN website, we see that they are an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation.  The IAF (and thus, WIN, the recipient of CCHD funds from the Washington Archdiocese) was founded by Saul Alinsky himself.  Barack Hussein Obama launched his career as a community organizer along the model of Alinsky, working for both the Gamaliel Project and the now-disgraced ACORN (the latter having received thousands from the ADW in the past).  Here are some quotes, by the way, from Rules for Radicals, Alinsky's signature work.  Notice therein the tribute to Obama issued by David Alinsky, Saul's son.

Now consider where this "community organizer" sits - in the White House.  He, with assistance from faux-katholics Nancy Pelosi, Kathleen Sebelius and others, have enjoined upon each and everyone of us a draconian mandate to fund abortifacients for everyone who thus demands them.  He has been propelled into power with the assistance of Alinskyan organizations such as WIN.  And the Catholic Standard continues to shill for them??? 

I will now go into another personal irritation with Zimmerman's shill piece.  He mentions "Gabriel Network of Prince George's County".  What???!!?!  Whazzup with this "of Prince George's County" nonsense???   The Gabriel Network is a state-wide organization that is over ten years old!   As a former board officer of the Gabriel Network, I am rather familiar with the structure of the organization - it is not limited to PG County.  This gaffe on the part of the editor of an archdiocesan publication is absolutely inexcusable!!!!

The Gabriel Network is most definitely a worthwhile charity, offering practical aid to mothers in crisis situations.  Here is their website.  If you are inclined to support their excellent work, please donate directly to them.  That is in fact a suggested practice for any favorite charity.  Donate directly to them.   Why trust a "middleman"?

To render more effective your boycott of the CCHD collection, I make available to you now a flyer that you can place in that CCHD collection basket.  Last year we sent this out as a postcard to Catholics in the Baltimore area to urge a boycott of their CCHD collection.  We didn't have time to do the same here, but you can still use this.  Print it out, preferably in color.  If you have a duplex printer, you can print the two pages on both sides (flipping on the long edge).  In the big white space, you can sign your name or write a note elaborating on the need for a boycott; of course you'll want to maintain respect and decorum as you write that note.  You can fold it and put it in your envelope if you use them.  Who knows?  If the chancery sees enough of these notes, they might finally wake up.

Those of you outside the DC area who might want to use this template for your own locality, please contact me via the comments and I'll be happy to email the original file (in Microsoft Publisher 2010) to you.

EmpowerDC - Recipient of DC's CCHD Funds

EmpowerDC has been a regular recipient of CCHD funding from the Archdiocese of Washington.  They are an organization that claims to be for grassroots organizing for the plight of poor people.  As with many recipients of CCHD funding (and thus of Catholic donations) questionable connections abound.  Although they do have a website, I find that their Facebook page lists their mission statement, address and key players in one succinct place.  As you look down their list of campaigns on the right side, their goals all have to do with getting the DC government to spend more and more money - money that the DC government just doesn't have.  Now recall what I posted earlier about the Cloward-Piven Strategy.  You see it in play here - this is a key feature of Alinskyan organizing, whether or not the EmpowerDC folks are conscious of it.

Daniel Del Pielago, their "quality education organizer", has given workshops sponsored by DC Jobs for Justice and Washington Peace Center.  As you look to the left of the WPC webpage, you'll see some planned events - including Bank of America's Week to Pay.   We all know from the riot that "community organizers" (really labor-union types) staged on the front lawn of a Bank of America official in Chevy Chase what "payment" can entail.  I have to admit that I am somewhat intrigued about the idea of a "Sleepful Protest".  Does that means the protest is boring?   A perusal of the coalitions of DC Jobs for Justice lists not only EmpowerDC but other sordid little cabals such as: DC Democratic Socialists of America, DC Trans Coaltion, Feminism Without Borders and sundry big-labor unions.

On Empower's "grassrootsmedia" page, we see a link to DC's Independent Media Center.  Click on that.  On the left side we see "calendars and feeds".  Scroll down to "Machination.org's clippings" to see a most ominous title: Why We Must Ration Healthcare.  It is a New York Times op-ed piece, written in 2009 by Peter Singer, the notorious anti-life Princeton professor.  This is indicative of how EmpowerDC values (or doesn't value) the lives of the ill and elderly, allowing for imperious bureaucrats to determine who receives medical care.  So much for championing the disenfranchised.

EmpowerDC has another connection to another entity - one that I hope not too many of these Alinskyan organizations have.  It's so unique that I was taken aback.  If you look at Empower's Facebook page, you'll see that its street address is 1419 V Street, NW in DC.  That address is identical to that of St Augustine Catholic Church in DC.

My, my!  Doesn't this just raise a bunch of questions?

• Neither St. Augustine nor EmpowerDC are up front about their shared address on their respective websites.  Why?
• The DC real estate data base makes clear that the usage code is "religious".  How is that justified with EmpowerDC's presence?
• Do any St Augustine staff members hold positions with EmpowerDC (and vice versa, too)?
• Under St Augustine's "social committee" webpage, we see WIN, that is, Washington Interfaith Network, listed.
• Why is that the only activity listed without its own contact person?
• What is the nature of the relationship between this parish's WIN and EmpowerDC?
• For the information of this blog's readers, WIN is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Saul Alinsky himself.

A little "aside" about St Augustine's - they have "liturgical dancers".  That's a liturgical no-no.

I mention all this because next month, the weekend of Aug 11-12, the second collection will be for "Catholic Communication and Human Development".  Yes, they're mish-mashing it again this year with another collection (Catholic Communications).  It seems that they're trying to disguise the name a bit so you won't know that this is a collection to be boycotted.  Please don't give one red cent to this collection.  Give that money to a truly deserving charity.

Garbage By Any Other Name Remains...

And the answer is ... GARBAGE!

At Mass today, we were told that the second collection was for the "FUND for Human Development".

FUND???  Do they think we all just jumped off the turnip truck??  Who do they think they're fooling, especially when the Catholic Standard has been falling all over itself trying to put a pretty face on that viper of an enterprise, using its real name "Catholic Campaign for Human Development"? 

Needless to say, there was not one red penny in my envelope.  Instead, they'll receive something much more valuable - some truth regarding the CCHD.  Read the little letter below.

To Whom This May Concern:


As you can plainly see, there is no money in this envelope. Not only do I refuse to contribute to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), but I urge its abolishment.

Ironically, the two articles in the recent Catholic Standard issues, undoubtedly published to put a pretty face on the CCHD, offer evidence of the harm that CCHD has wrought over its years. In both articles, a funds recipient was touted as doing great work in Washington. This organization is the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN). A brief perusal of the WIN website reveals that it is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), which was directly founded by Saul Alinsky himself. If you read Alinsky’s book, “Rules for Radicals” (and yes, I read it), you will discover that his aim was bring about a socialistic revolution in this country. He was an atheist who had no problems declaring that the ends can justify the means. So there you have it – the local CCHD is funding an Alinskyite organization. While WIN may be affecting some benefit, greater harm is being done by lending legitimacy to these organizations. If nothing else, they are training grounds for individuals such as Barack Hussein Obama. I initially thought it a pity that the CCHD can’t get past the stench of these organizations until I realized that such stench defines the essence of what the CCHD actually is, and what it was founded to be by its founder, Alinsky friend and disciple Msgr Jack Egan. A more accurate usage of the acronym “CCHD” might be Catholics Conned by Humanistic Deception.

In general, we need to do away with this concept of donating to a “middleman” who will in turn decide who gets the dollars. Catholics need to take personal responsibility for the direction of their own charitable dollars and not to punt that responsibility to some other organization, even if that organization has the word “Catholic” in their name. My donation dollars will be going to organizations whom I’ve personally vetted and who will carry out both the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and who will promulgate sound Catholic doctrine on the life issues.

Local CCHD Funds Alinskyite Organization

If anyone thought that the local CCHD in the Archdiocese of Washington was not funding any innimical organization, please be advised that they are.  Proof can be found in the November 11th issue of the Catholic Standard, page 9.  If you don't have a copy, no problem - it's online right here.

We read that Holy Comforter-St Cyprian parish has a "relationship" with the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), which in turn receives CCHD funding.  Let's look at the website of the Washington Interfaith Network.  Right off the bat we see that they are affiliates of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF).  Let's look at the "about the IAF", then "overview" page.  They unabashedly admit to being founded by Saul Alinsky, the self-proclaimed "radical" who has made it his publicly-stated aim to remake our country into his image of a socialistic utopia.  Read his book, "Rules for Radicals", obtainable anywhere online.  Read as he states quite plainly that he believed that the "ends justify the means".

Let's go to the "links" page and look at VOICE.  My colleague at Les Femmes, being based in Virginia, has done much research on them.  Rather than rehash what she's learned, I post two of her links:
http://lesfemmes-thetruth.blogspot.com/2009/09/fr-mitch-pacwa-and-thoughts-on-alinsky.html
http://lesfemmes-thetruth.blogspot.com/2009/09/fr-gerry-creedon-trivializes-murder-of.html
http://lesfemmes-thetruth.blogspot.com/2009/09/turn-up-heat-on-catholic-campaign-for.html

Have you noticed something that seems to be a problem for the CCHD, everytime there's an effort to convince Catholics that the CCHD is "on the up-and-up"?  Their very attempts betray more squalid associations.  They simply can't get away from the putrid stench of Alinskyite organizing.  I regret saying that there is an obvious reason to this plight of theirs.  That foul stench doesn't merely permeate them; it is the very essense of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Let's step away from the dubious entanglements and look at some of the problematic statements made by archdiocesan officials.  Anthony Bosnick, the director of the archdiocese's Department for Charity and Justice, stated that the CCHD helps to "reach out to the poor and vunerable and that's really the most important thing that we can do as a community."  Well, that's not my understanding of the mission of the Church.  As I see it, and as I've been taught, the primary mission  of the Church is about the saving of souls.  That's not to say that "reaching out to the poor and vulnerable" isn't important.  It is an important thing that we do, but it is NOT "the most important thing."  Msgr Charles Pope, pastor of the church mentioned above, said something similar, "Certainly care for the poor is central to the Gospel, and every Catholic should support the poor."  Again, is not eternal salvation central to the Gospel?  Of course it is.

Now why do you think there is the emphasis on "reaching out to the poor" at the expense of eternal salvation?  Here it is, in a nutshell.  Saul Alinsky, the inspiration behind the CCHD, was an atheist.  As a non-believer in eternity, he saw only the here and now as being reality.  Unfortunately, some of the apologists for the CCHD are unwittingly chanting that Alinskyan mantra, even though they themselves believe in eternity.

Again, I urge a complete boycott of the CCHD collection this weekend.

CCHD - Ties to George Soros??

The video below outlines the various common allies that CCHD and George Soros have - too many to be coincidental.  As you watch, please take some note of the mentions of the Gamaliel Foundation.



Now read an earlier post from October 28th that I put up regarding questionable grant recipients from the DC area CCHD.  You'll notice that two of the recipients are hyperlinked to their websites.  Both of these, by the way, appear on the back page of the Nov 19th issue of the Catholic Standard.  I asked you to take note of the mentions of the Gamaliel Foundation as you watched the video above because the Partnership for Renewal in Southern & Central Maryland is an affiliate of Gamaliel - the same outfit that helped Obama launch his deplorable political career.  I will also reiterate that the Washington Interfaith Network is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, established by Saul Alinsky himself.

It seems that every day there's a new revelation of some stinking worm crawling out from under the CCHD.  Its very foundation is sordid, being the brainchild of Saul Alinsky and Msgr Jack Egan (an Alinsky drone) to separate Catholics from their money to fund all sorts of anti-Catholic and anti-life organizations. 

Again I urge a complete boycott of the CCHD collection this weekend!  In lieu of money, you may place one of these coupons in your second collection envelope.  Give your donation dollars to truly authentic Catholic and/or prolife charities.

CCHD Monies Going to DC-Area Alinskyan Groups

I had searched the website of the Archdiocese of Washington (DC) to examine grants given to local groups, both from the national fund and the local fund. None were to be found. I contacted Mary McGinnity who runs the social justice efforts of the Archdiocese to ask where I could find these.

Ms McGinnity was very cordial and replied that many of her staff, including the CCHD Director, were laid off this past year due to cutbacks (I do remember that happening). She knew off the top of her head four local groups that received national funding last year. They are:

Washington Interfaith Network
Project Action
Partnership for Renewal in Southern and Central Maryland
Empower DC

Let's look at two of these, one by one. As I describe each, please click on its hyperlink to note interesting and troubling points.

Let's look at the Washington Interfaith Network. Right away, you'll notice that it is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation. This foundation was established by Saul Alinsky in 1940 "to restore the democratic way of life for modern society." Alinsky was an atheist and a socialist: qualities about which he was very frank in his book, "Rules for Radicals". In that book, he outlines what he considers to be principles for "community organizing": ostensibly to better the lot of marginalized people, but also to foster socialism. I would urge its close study, since that has become a key guidebook to all such "organizers", including Barack Hussein Obama himself. It is interesting to note that Alinsky dedicates his book to Lucifer, "the first community organizer..who at least won his own kingdom."

The motto that flashes through the lead WIN page is "we organize for power to transform communities." Well, gee whiz, if that's true, why did I not see any sign of them at last Sunday's "The People's Rally", where hundreds of local DC residents gathered to insist that they be allowed to vote on the DC Council's same-sex-marriage recognition? (Note: see my post a few down this page to see what happened at that rally).

Partnership for Renewal in Southern and Central Maryland is an affiliate of the Gamaliel Foundation. An examination of their website reveals their position on the Obama health care behemoth before Congress. They itch for the public option and they utter not one peep in protest about the multiple threats to the unborn and elderly that is inherent in this bill. At the bottome of the Partnership website is a link to the Gamaliel Foundation website. Click on that and scroll all the way to the bottom. You'll see extolled thereon the Messiah Most Miserable himself; they gush over Obama's former affiliation with them. But wait! Who else appears on that page? Why, it's Valerie Jarrett, long-time Chicago-political-hardball crony of the Messiah Most Miserable. Now an organization such as Gamaliel that ostensibly prides itself on championing the poor and downtrodden feature a woman who has had uh, some troubles managing residential real estate?

While it's true that CCHD might have disowned ACORN (after many years of pleas on the parts of alert, faithful Catholics), recipient organizations such as the two just described do indicate that the CCHD remains unacceptable as a recipient of donation dollars on November 22.

We urge a complete boycott of the CCHD collection on November 21-22. Please visit the CCHD-related and ACORN-related posts on this blog for more information and tools for the boycott. Also, please visit the blogs listed at the right. I also urge close study of the information posted on the website of the Catholic Media Coalition. Comments and questions welcome, given the already-stated rules for such.