Two New American Cardinals

It was announced today that Pope Benedict XVI has named 24 new Cardinals, including two Americans:

• Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
• Archbishop Donald Wuerl, Prelate of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC

A blogging colleague of mine observed that in many crucial ways, the two Americans are polar opposites on some key issues regarding the Church.  I'll let you read his observations for yourselves.  I will say that I'm in complete agreement with his observations.

Health Bill Debate - Where Did Catholic Leaders Stand?

Lifesite News compiled a list of the bishops, organizations, etc who took positions on the Obama Hell Care bill - both for and against.  Please examine it closely.

I immediately notice something most curious and troubling.  Much of the drama played out (and still is playing out) in the Nation's Capital.  Yet I do not see the name of Archbishop Donald Wuerl on this list!  Now why, oh why is that?  Might I be blind?  If so, will some kind person point out his name via a comment?

Systemic Problems with Catholic Charities of Washington DC

The first problem involves a rather questionable member of the Foundation Board of Directors.  Scroll all the way to the bottom.  The third name from the bottom is Katherine Van Hollen - as in Mrs Chris Van Hollen.  She's the wife of the Representative from Maryland's 8th Congressional District.  He is a flaming pro-abort, to say the least, voting for every anti-life and anti-family measure that's come his way.  So let's assume that maybe Katherine isn't of that persuasion.  Why, oh why, is she a member of that board?  To perhaps curry political favor, or maybe just for the name recognition?  Either way, Catholic Charities is selling its soul by its salute to a pro-abortion congress person.  If any others on this board are similarly chequered, please advise. 

In today's Standard, the Archbishop tried to defend his position in eliminating health benefits to spouses of married employees in response to the new DC regulations as being "the only option left".  He said he didn't want to "walk away from the poor".  However, Catholic Charities has now turned its back on the families of its employees.  Go figure.  The courageous actions of the late John Cardinal O'Connor could have served as a brilliant example.  We must be faithful to God before we even begin to consider secular factors.

DC Catholic Charities Solves Same-Sex Benefits Quandry - NOT!

Previous postings on this blog detailed the moral quandry in which the DC Catholic Charities found itself when the DC City Council made plain to them that faith-based organizations will not be exempt from the requirement to offer benefits to same-sex partners of employees.  At first, the DC Catholic Charities appeared to be taking a principled stance by stating they'd have to cease services in DC.  Right on cue, various council members called them meanies for trying to adhere to who they were.  The DC Catholic Charities squirmed.

Today's Catholic Standard revealed the less-than-stellar solution at which DC Catholic Charities arrived.  They're throwing their own employees under the bus.

As of March 1st, DC Catholic Charities is no longer offering spousal employee benefits.  Employees who already had them at that date are permitted to keep them (Gee!  Isn't that swell?), but now no one can elect spousal coverage should they entertain silly ideas such as getting married in the future.

According to a Washington Post article, this decision came from Archbishop Wuerl himself.  Now why, oh why, does the Catholic Standard make no mention of that teensy detail?  He made much talk about "just wage", but at the end of the day, this is still about placating the DC government at the expense of the employees.

In the words of Edward Orzechowski, Catholic Charities president, "The challenge for us was how to comply with the new same-sex marriage law requirements, and continue our partnership with the District of Columbia in serving the poor and vulnerable, and remaining true to the teachings of our faith."  Got that?  In order to please the powers-that-be and to not be considered "meanies", Catholic Charities is committing gross injustice against its own employees.  Since when does that constitute "the teachings of our faith"?

Organizations such as Catholic Charities tout how they're advocates of "social justice".  Many of them favor "Obamacare" in the mistaken belief that such will effect universal health coverage. Yet these same Catholic entities, when they wish to kiss up to malevolent politicians, turn around and block that same coverage to their own employees!  Go figure!

Years ago, when the New York Catholic hospitals were to be coerced into providing abortions, John Cardinal O'Connor stood them down to a man.  He said that he'd close each and every hospital before that happened.  The New York bosses knew O'Connor was a man of courage and integrity; they backed down.  It would have been far better if Catholic Charities had done the same and maintained its integrity: not only towards the city, but also towards its employees.  Like too many Catholic institutions today, they are playing the cowards.

We should bear this in mind at the next Catholc Charities collection in the pews.

Pro-Abortion Speaker to Address Catholic Education Convention

The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), at its annual convention, is featuring Garrison Keillor as its keynote speaker.  Keillor is well known as a humorist and the host of A Prairie Home Companion.  He is also unabashed in his approval of abortion and gay marriage.  The Lifesitenews site has many samplings of his anti-life and anti-decency comments.  In fact, according to Keillor, we who speak out for the Magisterium are "shrieking ninnies and pompous blowhards".  So the obvious question is, "What business does the NCEA have, inviting an anti-Christian such as Keillor to address Catholic educators?  How dare the NCEA waste the time of Catholic educators to toady up to someone to curry favor?"  Rather, it's folks like Keillor who need to be listening to authentic Catholic educators, not the other way around.

The convention is to occur from April 6-8, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  There is still time to protest this unseemly appearance so as to prevent it.  The contact information for NCEA can be found here.  To our neigbors in the Diocese of Arlington: the NCEA is right in your midst.  To those of us in the Archdiocese of Washington: Archbishop Wuerl is the board chair of the NCEA.  This is happening on his watch!

Maryland Bishops Rebuke Gansler and His Overreaching Ways

The bishops who oversee Maryland's three diocese have released a press statement rebuking Maryland Attonrney General Douglas Ganssler.  Recall from yesterday's post that Gansler ordered state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages that were recognized in other states.  The bishops correctly take Gansler to task for:

1. His usurpation of the role of the legislature by an imperious, de facto directive to order state agencies to ignore standing Maryland law
2. His abject failure to recognize the true nature of marriage as being between a man and a woman, and marriage's foundational role in human society

The press statement ends with an exhortation to Maryland lawmakers to uphold the true nature of marriage in Maryland law.  It will be up to us as citizens to watch them and to ensure that will happen.  Moreover, as the 2010 elections draw near, it will be up to us to work to elect men and women who will respect natural law.

The Light Is On For You

For the past several years, Archbishop Wuerl has instituted a program called "The Light Is On For You".  It is a most commendable effort to encourage more frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.  I link to it above as there are useful guides to the sacrament, particularly the examination of conscience that must be done to receive the sacrament most profitably.  One "across the diocese" implementation is that all parishes will be hearing confessions on Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.  Additional confession schedules can be located under the "locate a parish" section.

Before the inception of this program, when I went to confession I could just walk right into a confessional without waiting.  Nowadays, there are lines of people waiting to confess.  Believe me, I'm not complaining.  This is quite nice to see, as people are starting to take their lives - both here and eternal - seriously.

Healing and Reconciliation After Abortion

In today's Catholic Standard is a column by Archbishop Donald Wuerl that is, in my opinion, an excellent summary of the Church's outreach to women who have aborted their children.  His Excellency makes plain the crucial and pivotal role that the Sacrament of Reconciliation has in making the post-abortive woman whole again, as it removes the blight of the mortal sin and allows grace to flow back into her.  Their is also the role of Project Rachel, a post-abortive healing ministry.  Several of my friends have been directors of the Project Rachel in Archdiocese of Washington.

I echo the Archbishop's call to anyone who has been involved in an abortion - get immediately to Confession and have that deadly burden removed from your soul.  After that, receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.  Do take part in Project Rachel.  God bless you.

Archbishop Wuerl Prays Outside Local Planned Parenthood

On Saturday, October 24, Archbishop Donald Wuerl led a group of people praying the Rosary outside the main office of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington. This abortuary is located at the corner of 16th and L Streets, NW. After the Rosary, he spoke some words of encouragement to the others gathered there to pray and sidewalk counsel.

He also gave verbal encouragement to the 40 Days for Life Campaign, an effort that encourages Christian witness at abortuaries throughout the United States (and some other countries) during any given 40-day span. We thank His Excellency for leading by example as well as word. The war (yes, it is war!) against abortion is primarily (but not solely) a spiritual war. Thus spiritual means must be employed. Moreover, we need our spiritual leaders, that is, our ordained clergy, to lead the way by their prayerful examples. We trust that Archbishop Wuerl's example will inspire Archdiocesan priests to come out to the abortuaries.

We encourage all people to offer Christian witness in front of the death camps, as did Mary and John the Apostle at the foot of the Cross. For those of you in the Washington DC area, we invite you to download this flyer (and distribute it!) that contains a list of ongoing witnesses, as well as contact information.