Last week we learned from WikiLeaks that John Podesta helped establish two faux-Catholic groups to usher what he called a "Catholic spring". Those two outfits are Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. We've known for a long time that these two groups are inimical to the One True Faith.
Church Militant dug out an expose they did six years ago on these two outfits and others. I agree that the material therein needs to be reviewed. Just bear in mind that this video was made while Benedict XVI still occupied the papal throne. I'm linking to my six-year old post as it has other relevant links. At the time I wrote it, the expose hadn't been put in youtube format; since then it has, allowing me to post it below.
My friend and colleague Stephanie Block has posted an excellent article at Spero Forum picking apart the utter lack of logic displayed by US Catholic's editor Bryan Cones in his screed against American Life League, Reform CCHD Now (of which we're a proud member) and the rest of us "right-wing pressure groups".
I need not rehash Ms Block's work here; please go and read for yourselves. I will, however, elaborate on two points. I quote from her article..
My favorite bit in the Cones’ article, however, is his canard that “these witch hunts” – complaints about CCHD misappropriations of Catholic money to groups that support un-Catholic positions – are all about…sex! Who would have imagined! “More and more it appears that Catholics in general are so obsessed with issues of sexuality that we can't even feed the poor or shelter immigrants anymore. This crack has been thrown at pro-lifers for decades and says a great deal about the speaker (or writer). Abortion, of course, isn’t an “issue of sexuality” – it’s an issue of personhood and civil rights. Same-sex marriage isn’t an “issue of sexuality,” either – it’s an issue of covenantal partnership for ends that can’t be achieved in same-sex relationships. To reduce these issues to “sexuality” betrays that not only does the writer not understand Catholic teaching but that he is himself trapped in a Freudian construct that understands everything in sexual terms. What Peter says about Paul says more about Peter than it does about Paul.
So what is being said about "Peter" - that is, Bryan Cones? Here's a brief biographical sketch about Cones. So he was a high school teacher. Even as a high school teacher he was doing quite a bit of writing. For instance, he wrote one of several brief chapters in a book entitled "Young and Catholic in America". I believe it's the tenth. Here's the link, detailing a conversation he had with some students. Read the whole thing. He admits to being gay himself and does not accept the Church's teaching that the homosexual inclination is intrinsically disordered. What I find particularly disturbing (although not too surprising) is the approving attitudes he meets along the way: from his bishop, pastors, etc. At the time Cones was talking to his bishop, he did not receive from his bishop the shepherding that he needed; in other words, Cones was done a gross disservice by his bishops and later mentors. However, Cones is not without fault here. He knew the Church's teaching enough to dissent from it willingly. And this, dear readers, is the history and the mental paradigm of an editor of US Catholic magazine. Does this not explain some of the tenor behind US Catholic - when one of its leaders is living at serious variance with the Church?
Now let's look at "guilt by association". I think we've illustrated what triggers the knee-jerk usage by Comes of that phrase. He thinks gay unions are just fine and dandy. However, when a group like American Life League come along and point out the simple truth that homosexual relations are mortally sinful then the defense mechanism spring into action and the "guilt by association" phrases start flying. No, Mr Comes, it's just your guilt - so why not do yourself (and your partner) a favor, break off the sinful relationship and go to Confession? Speaking of charity and mercy, let's recognize what the Spiritual Works of Mercy (such as "admonish the sinner") are.
We find the phrase "guilt by association" in another article similar to Cones' in viewpoint and tenor. The author writes that "Companeros decided against severing ties with CIRC, deciding that its membership in the organization was more important than giving in to CCHD's demands." OK, that's fine. They made a decision. Implicit in all this whining and kvetching is a presumption that Companeros is entitled to the largess of Catholic donations without stipulation. Not so. The Church has not only the right but the duty to ensure that its monies are used in accordance with Church teaching.
The article goes on to announce a new website called "withcharityforall", ostensibly to compensate for Companeros' very avoidable budget shortfall. I freely acknowledge their right to collect these monies, provided that they are very honest with their donors as to the exact planned usage of the funds (something that CCHD has yet to learn). At least it won't be Church money.
The site was founded by Catholics United. As mentioned before on this blog, on that organization's board of directors is James Salt. Read about his history here. If there is any true "guilt by association", James Salt bears it in spades. His resume includes "overseeing the Kansas Democratic Party's faith outreach efforts including messaging work for Governor Sebelius.." Yep! He helped further the career of Kathleen Sebelius, which landed her in her current position as Secretary of HHS. Of course she used that position to foment the onerous mandate which hangs over all our heads.
Now they screech that the Catholic-donation gravy train is pulling into the station. This train stop is long overdue.
As was to be expected, progressive elements who call themselves "Catholic" are having their typical snit-fits against His Excellency. According to this FoxPhoenix article, "Catholics United says the bishop is too much of a hard-liner, out of touch with many Catholics -- and the Phoenix Diocese responded swiftly and sternly. Firing back, Bishop Olmsted said Catholics who do not agree with him are no longer Catholic themselves."
Amen, Bishop Olmsted! When it comes to "Catholics United", he is spot-on correct about that bunch. Go to their website to take a tour. The first thing you'll notice is their defense of another aberrant group, the CCHD. We have taken CCHD to task numerous times for their alliances with progressive and baby-murdering organizations. For that, Catholics United calls us "opponents of social change". Well, given the kind of "social change" for which this crowd pines, we'll wear that title as a badge of honor.
When examining an organization, it's always helpful to look at their key players. So let's examine their director, Chris Korzen. Wikipedia's article about him is most informative. Now most people will know that Wikipedia itself tends to lean to the left, so the information contained therein cannot be so readily dismissed by the left-wingers. He is linked with the Service Employees International Union. You remember them from last spring, don't you? They're the bunch that sent 500+ people to stampede all over a bank official's front yard. Now Korzen claims fidelity to Catholic moral teaching in regard to abortion. So why, oh why, does he write for RH Reality Check?
Co-founder James Salt has even less credible claim to allegiance to the Majesterium regarding abortion. As mentioned before on this blog, he worked for rabidly pro-abortion Tiller-pal Kathleen Sebelius.
Again, thank you, Bishop Olmsted, for calling out another faux-catholyc bunch.
First, I'll provide some background for this proposed contest.
Remember the post about Catholics In Allliance For The Common Good? Well, it turns out that Chris Korzen, formerly affiliated with CACG and current director of Catholics United, announced that the CU group is launching its own news organization. Catholic News Agency has the full story.
Notice that he would not reveal how it will be financed; wanna bet that Soros will be helping in that regard? He did say that one purpose of this organization will be "reporting on the activities of CNA and EWTN." Sheesh! Why bother with a whole new organization? Why not just put up a one-page site that has the URLs to both CNA and ETWN? I suppose they want to put their own special leftist flavor to it. Such is their First Amendment right. When asked about whether or not this organization will be used to elect Democrats in November, Korzen was rather cagey. So what? We already know the answer to that question now, don't we?
Of course, they'll have much news from the progressive catholycs to report, as things over in that sector are so vibrant, so relevant. Behold!
On second thought, maybe they had better just stick with the Democrat politicking and the snooping!
The news of this watchfulness, however, leaves me feeling, well, INSULTED!! Aren't we Catholic bloggers troublesome enough to Korzen that they aren't snooping on us, and "reporting on our actvities"? Golly-gee-whiz!!! Doesn't that just hurt my poor widdle feel-bads? Boo-hoo! Sniffle! Whine! Sob! Waah!
Now that I've dried my tears, it's time to do something about that dismal state of affairs - hence, the contest to which I alluded at the beginning of this post. Bloggers! Let's see who will be the first amongst us to cause angst and consternation with Korzen and cabal. We know how we can determine that now, don't we? I haven't figured out a prize yet, but we can work on that later. Have fun!
That's what we of the Catholic Media Coalition seem to have acquired, as a result of spreading the facts regarding the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the sorry state of their affairs (pro-abortion alliances, funds going to all manners of dubious recipients, heavy influx of tax dollars, etc). Catholics United, another cabal of left-wing Catholics, has started an online petition in defense of the CCHD and as a backlash against both the Reform CCHD Now Coalition and the Catholic Media Coalition. As this blog is a member of the latter, I say to the Catholics United bunch, "Thank you for that honor!" For indeed, being attacked by folks like that is truly an honor.
If you want some chuckles, do read that petiton. It starts out by saying, "I am proud of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.." It reminds me of some of the pro-death clinic escorts with which I deal every week. Every now and then I'll show them pictures of their fine "work" and ask them if they're proud. Some actually say that they are proud as they look at the poor broken little bodies. In many ways, though, the CCHD is responsible for turning those little babies into tiny corpses because of their partnerships with ACORN, PICO and other pro-abortion outfits. And Catholics United is proud of that? More on Catholics United later. Now see proof positive that ACORN and Obama are intimate pals.
Now let's look at Catholics United in general. Clicking on that link, we can now tour its website. As we scroll down, we see that they are behind the Obama Hell Care Bill that would bring about euthanasia-pushing death panels as well as ensconce abortion in our social structure - to say nothing of socializing and rationing medicine and assuming divine prerogatives over our health.
The next article down from that is where we see them scold some bishops who had the audacity to question the masterpiece of the Messiah Most Miserable. They even had the gall to accuse them of distorting "the essential role government has in serving the common good." I suppose they never heard of the principle of subsidiarity. Some of the signers of this screed are: Fr Charles Curran, whom Pope John Paul II had dismissed from Catholic University for teaching aberrant theology, Fr. Thomas Reese, whom Pope Benedict XVI fired from his position at America and Doug Kmiec, ex-prolifer turncoat. Great bunch of fellows! Such credibility!
The next article down is a call to American Life League to suspend its "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy" campaign. Speaking of Kennedy, they also mourn the "loss of Kennedy's passing." While we certainly pray God's mercy upon his soul, we certainly lament the great harm done by Kennedy in his relentless pursuit of liberalized abortion.
Now click on "about us". I have found that section of an organization's web page to be most illuminating, as it shows the philosophical bent of its key players. We see, for instance, that James Salt, their "director of organizing" worked on Kathleen Sebelius' campaigns.
Readers, please keep praying and working. We're having enough of an effect to cause a backlash. Ora et labora!
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