The USCCB's Corrosive And Deadly "Social Justice" Teachings With Their Poster Boy John Sweeney

Yesterday John Zmirak published an article called "The Myth Of Catholic Social Teaching".  I commend it to your reading.  He basically states that the Magisterium speaks infallibly on matters of faith and morals.  Some issues such as abortion and contraception involve the direct commission of mortal sin.  Those are intrinsic evils; no amount of debate is permissible.  We do not commit murder - period.

There is also the matter of care for the poor.  That is a charge laid upon us.  However, good people can disagree as to the best methods to implement such care.  Sometimes it's clear that those in high places of the Church are exercising faulty logic in their approaches to matters such as alleviating poverty, etc.  In those circumstances, we are not obliged to give obedience to those directives as they do not carry magisterial weight.  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said so himself when he attempted to have a letter delivered to a US bishops' meeting.  It said - in part - "not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion."

It is becoming all too clear that the USCCB advocates progressive positions on matters such as illegal immigration, self-defense rights, and even the atrocities being committed by Muslims in the Middle East.  I blogged on the muslim matter last week, chiding the USCCB for urging more useless "dialogue" with thugs.  I've no doubt that the USCCB dismisses my words.  Sadly, they probably also dismiss the words of Archbishop Emil Nona, the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul.  He and four other Mosul bishops have been driven from their dioceses, along with countless thousands of their flocks.  He warns that what we see there could well be a harbinger of things to come in the western world - that means us, folks!  I will quote the archbishops's own words: "Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here. You must consider again our reality in the Middle East, because you are welcoming in your countries an ever growing number of Muslims. Also you are in danger. You must take strong and courageous decisions, even at the cost of contradicting your principles.  You think all men are equal, but that is not true: Islam does not say that all men are equal. Your values are not their values.  If you do not understand this soon enough, you will become the victims of the enemy you have welcomed in your home."  King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has issued his own, very similar warning.

I think there are two things Archbishop Nona is trying to say.  First, the US bishops must stop their simpering and groveling pleas for "dialogue".  They are an abysmal waste of time at best and at worst, they serve to distract us when we should be preparing for real action to protect our families and our very culture.

Second, we must stop "welcoming them in our homes".  That means we must stop the floods of immigrants that pour across our borders.  Make no mistake about it; the bulk of illegals are young men, not helpless little waifs.  How many of these young men are muslim terrorists?  We don't know because there is no effective screening of those who cross the Rio Grande.  But again, we hear the USCCB telling us to "welcome the stranger".  Never mind that these "strangers" may well be murderers awaiting their orders from their muslim commanders.  By the way - there are reports that ISIS groups are in Mexico, planning an attack on the US with car bombs and the such.  USCCB, shall we "welcome those strangers"?

A gentleman named John Snyder posted an article on Crossmap a few days ago, taking the USCCB to task for their stance on gun control, given the threats of terrorism that are looming in the United States.  I quote one salient statement:  "USCCB should terminate its disgraceful support for the criminalization of private handgun possession. Such criminalization would eliminate the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves from criminals, including terrorists.  Catholic clergy should abandon pacifism and see reality for what it is. People need guns for protection. As Christ Our Lord proclaimed, 'The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,' according to Luke 22:36"  Hear!  Hear!

So why, oh why, does the USCCB insist on parroting the Obamanista's talking points on illegal immigration, muslims and gun control?  In a word, follow the money, for the USCCB certainly does.  I wrote an article for Defend Life recently (look on page 7 of this link), detailing the obvious links between the USCCB shilling for porous borders and allowance of everyone crossing the Rio Grande.  The money trail was so blatant; they aren't even trying to hide it.

There you have it.  One consequence of the USCCB's wrong-headed stances on these issues will most likely be an increase of murders, if not outright terrorism - both because they favor unfettered admission through our borders AND the removal of our ability to defend ourselves and our loved ones.

"But that's merely conjecture!" some might say.  Fair enough, but it's reasonable to believe this to be a very solid probability.  AND we have evidence of current corrosion of faith and morals by USCCB-esque social teaching.  That evidence comes from the mouth of the corrosion victim himself - John Sweeney!

John Sweeney
Thank USCCB social teaching for this!

Sweeney was recently honored by the AFL-CIO for his union work.  The erstwhile head of both the AFL-CIO and SEIU, at that award function, credited "Catholic social teaching" for giving him the impetus for his work.  I've detailed a lot of his work here and here.  The second link details the two occasions in which I led pickets of Sweeney public events.  I know I gave you a lot to read, so I'll close with a picture showing the beneficial impact of "USCCB social teaching" on John Sweeney.

Recall what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said - there are areas regarding prudential judgment in which we can disagree with Church leaders.  Many times, particularly with the USCCB, we must oppose them outright.

Obama: Drat That Social Meda!

The Messiah Most Miserable has released his latest hissy-fit statement regarding the state of affairs yesterday at a Democratic fundraiser in New York.  He's either at fundraisers or on golf courses these days, but I digress.

We have ISIS/ISIL and other terrorists shedding blood right and left in the mid-east, uncontrolled floods of illegals crossing our southern border (funny how that's dropped off the radar!), unemployment and cost of living ever rising, etc.  But according to His Nibs, it's really not that bad!  We just think it's that bad; it's all in our imaginations!  He said, "the world's always messy...we're just noticing now in part because of social media".  Two things immediately come to mind

1. I cannot think of when we had whole-scale murder of Christians and Jews in the mid-east before.  Perhaps during the reign of Adolf Hitler we had barbarity akin to what's going on and some isolated incidents between then and now, but the world hasn't "been messy" like that on this scale.
2. He admits that many are now just noticing because of social media.  In doing so, he acknowledges the conspiracy of silence in which so many in the mainstream media are participating.  They do so to protect Obama's image (as much as it can be, as more and more that effort becomes an exercise in futility).

I am honored to be part of that big, bad "social media" that is popping Obama's fantasy balloons whenever possible.  All we do is speak the truth.  If he can't deal with that without sniveling and pouting, perhaps he should resign and head off to his favorite golf course for good!

I would be remiss if I didn't point out the more ominous aspect of Obama's little rant.  Might this be a prelude to attempts to stifle our First Amendment rights?  Let's keep an eye on this.

A Handy Chart To Combat Ecumenicide With Muslims

Recall my post from last week.  Perhaps the picture/chart below will further illustrate why "dialogue" with allah-worshipers is at best, an exercise of futility.

Father Marcel Guarnizo On Economic Thought And Postmodernism - And Other Implications That I See

The Dignitatis Huamae Institute recently held a conference.  One of the speakers at that conference was Father Marcel Guarnizo - the priest who was ousted from the Archdiocese of Washington because he withheld Holy Communion from a flagrant lesbian at my parish two years ago. I wrote copiously about that travesty; you may read some of these links to refresh your memories.

I post below the video of Father's talk at that conference.  He touches upon many topics, although the main theme is the underlying philosophies (many of them contradicting) of economic thought in today's situations.  Between 2:46 and 4:20 he speaks of the destructive influences of postmodernism.  I hold that postmodernism has corroded the thinking of many people - including faithful Catholics - not only on specific matters, but their very ability to think rationally.

I won't go into a whole treatise of the problem, but I think we can see that today people would rather emote than think.  We hear homilies at Mass that could well be auditions for a stand-up comedy show rather than the solemn proclamation of truths that the Mass-goers need to attain their eternal salvation.  Too often these clerics defend their routines as "new evangelism".

Case in point - Recently Father Dwight Longenecker posted a piece called "The Laughing Evangelist".  It's both pathetic and erroneous.  He opines that "humor is one of the signs of a saint".  Well, that might be his opinion but I'd hardly call that infallible dogma.

Now look at this paragraph: "When Jesse and Dr Ray made people laugh their defenses went down. They did feel good about their religion and their God and they did feel uplifted and that means they went away charged up in their faith and wanting to serve and love God more."  The problems are obvious.  Father Longnecker is opining that people are "wanting to serve and love God more", but why?  Because they "feel uplifted and charged up"?  Ladies and gentlemen, we know human nature just by observing ourselves.  That "charged up" feeling will eventually wane.  What will stand in its stead?  Father Longenecker doesn't seem to elaborate on that.  Where is the teaching of the Truths of the Church, the formation of the intellect and the will, the two faculties that distinguish us as being in the image and likeness of God?  Is such teaching "too serious and boring"?  Well guess what?  It is that formation of intellect and will that fortified the martyrs of whom Longnecker spoke.

I also take exception with Longenecker's de facto equating of "hilarity" with the Fruit of the Spirit known as joy (toward the end of his article).  While the two are not diametrically opposed, neither can we hold them to be equivalent.

I certainly am no expert on postmodernism, but I do believe that mental paradigm has impacted Longenecker's criteria for evaluating evangelism.  Sadly. Longnecker is not alone.

I'll now post Father Guarnizo's video.  I think there's much to learn from it.

On-The-Job Deathscort Training - More Blocking And Slamming

About two weeks ago I published a video showing some deathscort "on the job" training.  At that time I promised to publish more helpful hints to the budding thugs escorts as opportunity presented itself.  We didn't have to wait too long!  On Saturday, Sept 23 at 1400 Spring Street in Silver Spring MD - where Planned Parenthood is a tenant - some on the job training was offered.

Meet your deathscort tutor of the day.  His picture is to the right; I don't know his name.  You'll see him in action in the video below.  He engaged in quite a bit of blocking and even body-slamming of a pro-life woman as she sought to offer information to women approaching the doors.  As you watch, you'll notice something immediately; the male escort is at least twice the woman's size.  Deathscort neophytes, while you might find this size discrepancy to be helpful, I wouldn't recommend that you strive for the huge size as that may have undesirable health consequences!

Update On The CBN-Shriver Situation

Yesterday I had sent several emails to CBN-Montgomery officers to protest the planned appearance of Mark Shriver.  Today I received a reply from Robert Scanlon, CBN-MC president.  He advised me that Shriver canceled his appearance due to a scheduling conflict.  Indeed, the main CBN page was changed to this:

He also mentioned that their board would discuss this matter at their next board meeting.  Therefore, I'd urge that we continue to write to them to remind them of the bishops' directives that those who flagrantly flout the Church's teachings on faith and morals not be honored and feted at Catholic venues.  The bishops' directive should be a key guiding principle as they select future speakers and guests of honor.

Catholic Business Network Of Montgomery County MD To Host Mark Shriver - Act Now To Forestall This Outrage

In their 2004 Statement on Catholics in Political Life, the nations' bishops had this to say: "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

The Catholic Business Network of Montgomery County is preparing to act in defiance of the bishops, not to mention in defiance of decency, common sense and God's laws regarding human life.  On Friday, Sept 12, the featured speaker at their monthly breakfast will be Mark Shriver - unless of course the light of reason shines upon them and they rescind that invitation.  Here's a picture of their main web page - just in case that invitation gets (ahem!) "disappears" from that site.

My church bulletin alerted me to this.  Unfortunately that bulletin is not online yet.  The advertisement (most likely submitted by CBN) gave a glowing account of his political career and the book that Shriver wrote about his father.  Conveniently missing from that write-up is the unabashed support that Shriver has lent to abortion while in Annapolis.  In his failed bid for US Congress, he ran on a pro-abortion platform.  Even as he was touting his book on his father, he did not apologize for the fact that he took issue with his father's pro-life convictions.

As the bishops made clear in 2004, the CBN acted in appropriately by inviting Shriver to speak at their Catholic community.  Here is the contact information from their website and more contacts.  Please contact these individuals.  Politely but firmly insist that the invitation to Shriver be rescinded.  Please spread this word.

OR - Brigham May Lose His NJ License

Operation Rescue broke the news that a New Jersey judge recommended that Stephen Chase Brigham's last remaining medical license should be revoked and that he pay $30,000 in fines.  Recall that nearly four years ago, it was discovered that Brigham and accomplice Nicola Riley were initiating late-term abortions in New Jersey - where that's illegal - then shipping them to a shoddy abortion facility in Elkton MD to complete the procedure.  Their cover was blown when they botched an abortion and had to take the woman to Johns Hopkins.  Doctors there were suspicious and notified the police.

So for now it seems that Brigham will be impeded from murdering babies in New Jersey.  Sadly that is not the case in Florida, Delaware and Virginia for those states don't require that abortion mill owners be licensed.

These NJ mills operated under the banner of "American Women's Services".  I believe his Maryland-owned mills will continue to see babies murdered.

Ecumenicide - USCCB Channels Neville Chamberlain

First a little history lesson.  Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister of England during the late 1930s, immediately preceding Winston Churchill.  He and much of Europe watched as Hitler began annexing and conquering middle Europe.  Chamberlain earned notoriety for the Munich Accord that he struck with Hitler that basically threw Czechoslovakia under Hitler's bus.  Chamberlain thought that by this treachery disguised as "dialog", that there would be "peace in our time".  He was absolutely wrong, in spades.

The USCCB has a penchant for not learning from history - or at least not caring about the obvious lessons therein.  In the wake of American reporters being beheaded, Christians being crucified, babies beheaded, other minorities being buried alive and driven from their homes to certain death - all at the hands of Muslims - the USCCB wants to engage in Chamberlain-style "dialogue".  That is absolutely useless.  Are there more "moderate" Muslims?  We can answer that question by asking another: have we heard any "moderate" Muslim roundly denounce the barbarism of the more obviously radical Muslims?  The answer to the second question is the answer to the first.  I have heard of none.  Dialogue with these "moderates" is an absolute waste at best.  Perhaps the US bishops would do well to read this sermon by St. Bernard of Clairvaux as he called Christendom to arms for the Second Crusade.

Why are the bishops concerned about "dialogue"?  Why aren't they proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in all its fullness?  Perhaps if they focused only on their God-given mission, Christians would not be facing near extinction in many parts of the middle east.

UPDATE - I'm afraid the lunacy is getting worse. See this.

Two Abortionists Get Spanked

One of them is Martin Haskell, who murdered babies in the Cincinnati OH area.  The Ohio Department of Health finally ordered him to cease all abortions by August 22.  He has decided not to appeal.  That's one death chamber that will no longer see the butchery of babies.

The other situation literally strikes close to home.  Leroy Carhart, late term abortionist, kills babies not ten miles from my home.  He also does so in Nebraska, so he splits his time between his two death mills.  The Nebraska Department of Health has decided to investigate him, owing to the eight women he has recently injured both in Nebraska and Maryland.  The OR article to which I linked states that "Maryland authorities seem unconcerned with the pattern of injuries inflicted by Carhart's dubious practices.."  No, it's more insidious than just passive indifference.  The abortion-loving administration in Annapolis actively covers for these abortionists and stonewalls any attempt to bring sanity and justice regarding the killing of babies in Maryland.  Put the words "Joshua Sharfstein" in my search box - or just google "Sharfstein NARAL"; you'll get an eyeful of the corruption that exists in Maryland's medical oversight apparatus.

I congratulate the states of Ohio and Nebraska for taking actions against two menaces to babies and women.  As for Maryland, our situation will change if and only if we can "clean house" with the elections this coming November.