Auschwitz In Maryland?

Many of us over the past week or two have become acquainted with the situation in Marion County, Oregon.  News broke that the Covanta Marion "waste to energy" plant has been incinerating the bodies of aborted babies to produce electricity.  The babies' bodies have been coming from British Columbia.  After LifeSiteNews broke the story that week, the Marion County Board of Commissioners called a halt to the activity and promises an investigation.

Breitbart News put out an article showing where Covanta justifies the grisly practice as a means "to offset greenhouse gases to combat climate change".  Here is the page from Covanta's site.

The Covanta "waste-to-energy" facilities are scattered throughout the country.  There's one in Dickerson MD.  That's in Montgomery County, on Route 28 between Sugarloaf Mountain and the Potomac River.  The precise address of the Covanta is on this page, with email information as well.  Marylanders, why not contact this Covanta and ask them what they're burning in their generators?

Boehner: "Surrender On Obamacare AND Illegal Immigration"

Last Thursday, at a Rotary Club meeting, the Weeper of the House said the repeal of Obamacare "isn't the answer".  After giving a bunch of lame excuses for a statement that many of us knew for years he was waiting to utter, he plops another about illegal immigration.  In other words, (paraphrasing ever so slightly), "As long as we're wimping out over Obamacare, let's wimp out over illegal immigration, too."

One of the commenters in this article asks a very good question: "What does Obama have on Boehner?"

Boehner faces a Tea-Party challenger in his primary election: J.D. Winteregg.  I would urge Ohio's 8th Congressional District to support him and retire John Boehner.

More On Sister Jane At Charlotte Catholic High School

Yesterday in Crisis Magazine, Austin Ruse published an article giving additional details about Sister Jane Dominic Laurel's talk, the knee-jerk reactions and the progressive attitudes that existed prior to Sister's talk.  Apparently the kids started their angry tweeting sessions before Sister ended her talk.

I needn't rehash the entire thing here; please read it.  Apparently the dissidents had their long knives out for Father Kauth, the school chaplain who had previously restored some reverence to what was a progressive bastion.

Now the question is - as it has been - will Bishop Jugis uphold both Father Kauth and Sister Jane?  That still remains to be seen.  The delay is unconscionable.

The Role Of Situation Ethics In The Border Mass And Singing Priest Debacles

Now that some of the dust - and emotions - have (hopefully) calmed after the revelation of Father Kelly's performance two weeks ago, I think it bears revisiting.  There are underlying moral principles at play, and we cannot ignore them for the sake of maintaining a facade of peace.  A "peace" that cannot bear some rigorous examination of situations and underlying principles is not true peace.

Father Ray Kelly is the priest in Ireland who violated Mass rubrics by putting on a singing performance during a Nuptial Mass two weeks ago.  In discussions regarding his actions, I've seen undercurrents of a "situation ethics" mindset in the remarks of faithful Catholics.  I've also seen it as we've discussed the "border Mass" on April 2, done by some bishops as part of their ongoing shilling for amnesty for people in this country illegally.  Needless to say I'm greatly concerned.

Let's define "situation ethics".  In this Christian-oriented site, we see that "situation ethics" was pioneered by an Episcopal priest in the early 1900s.  He also happened to be an advocate for euthanasia and for Planned Parenthood - small wonder.  The site does an excellent job in demonstrating the logical fallacies of situation ethics.  In a nutshell, situation ethics is a notion that decision-making should be based on the particulars of a given situation and not upon fixed law (such as Mass rubrics as defined by the GIRM, the Ten Commandments, etc).

I was involved in a closed discussion during the Triduum weekend with faithful Catholics regarding the Father Kelly matter.  More than a few seemed to buy the notion that the rubrics, generated by the Roman Catholic Church, can be suspended for the sake of a "happy moment".  It was mentioned that "at least there were no dancers or clowns".  Now see the problem?  If the rubrics of Mass can be suspended at will, what's the difference between priests singing versus puppets galloping down the aisles?  Without objective principles that govern the Mass, those embellishments become a mere matter of personal taste, don't they?  Once we jettison a principle for one circumstance, it can never be invoked for another circumstance for in that first act of disregard we would have shown our own disrespect for that principle.

I've also seen "situation ethics" ethos in other discussions.  One very public discussion is on Jill Stanek's site.  Granted, Jill and many of her site assistants aren't Catholic.  I'm just appalled at how they think they're knowledgeable enough to tell Catholics what their attitudes toward Church authority should be.  Some of the commenters - Catholics - tried to explain the role of Church authority in our Mass.  But again too many Catholics were all too willing to turn a blind eye "because the song made people happy" or some other similar excuse.

I also had a Facebook discussion on the matter.  Of course there was my original post on this matter.  Take a look at those comments and you'll notice that most of those supporting Father's disobedience voice their own flippant attitudes towards the Magisterium.

I think we also saw the situation ethics mental poison at play during the "border Mass" on April 2.  Please read the link to refresh your memories about that event.  I link now to an article that explains why that was a violation of Canon Law regarding Mass.  Situation ethics has corroded even the thinking of many of our bishops.

Some might ask why I continue to harp on what they might consider "minor matters".  Folks, it's very simple.  The underlying moral principles of any situation can never be regarded as "minor".  If we refuse to examine rigorously these principles behind our thinking when it comes to so-called "minor matters", we risk crippling our ability to deal properly with matters that aren't so "minor".  I'm no expert in that regard, but I do know enough to realize the damage done when we don't attempt rigorous, thorough thinking that applies Christ's Commandments and Church law appropriately.

Bundy A Racist? No Evidence For That Charge!

When I heard that the New York Times had a video, I knew that it was literally a hatchet job; the hachet was taken to the original clip that the NYT and Media Matters had.  Here's the full clip so that you can develop an informed opinion on the matter.

Community College Of Baltimore County: Anti-Religious Bigots??

Last year Brandon Jenkins applied for admission to the Radiation Therapy Program at the Community College of Baltimore County.  He had all the academic qualifications.  During the interview portion of the admission process, he was asked what was the "most important thing to him".  He had the audacity to answer "my God".  That was deemed unacceptable and he was told that "the field of radiation therapy is not the place for religion."

Yesterday the American Center for Law and Justice filed suit on Jenkin's behalf, stating that Jenkin's First Amendment rights were violated.  The suit asks that Jenkins be admitted into the program and that the school be enjoined from engaging in any retaliation against him.  We'll be following this closely.

MD Officials Sue To Stymie Pro-Life Access to Public Records

Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene filed suit last year to stop Andrew Glenn, director of the Maryland Coalition for Life, because the latter made a public records request for documents pertaining to the licensing of abortion centers in Maryland.  He was concerned (and his concern has solid basis) that some abortuaries are operating illegally.

The excuse is that the release of the information could lead to "harassment and violence".  The American Center for Law and Justice attorney representing Glenn stated that during arguments this past Friday, the state could not cite one instance where that occurred.  I refer you now to Operation Rescue's report on that matter.

Whereas the release of that information led to no "harassment and violence", there's no doubt that embarrassment and humiliation have occurred - not just for the abortionists but also for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  Just last week it was reported that Harold Alexander received a three-month suspension because he (wait for it!) operating an unlicensed abortuary (again).  I link to more reading material so you can see how Carhart, staff and fellow abortionists have been found to be - uh - "license-challenged"!

As I pointed out in a previous post, Joshua Sharfstein is Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and an unabashed pro-abortion activist.  See here for his past pro-abortion doings.  If you want additional information, just google "Sharfstein NARAL" and feast your eyes.  Does anyone doubt here that Sharfstein is simply trying to run interference for the lucrative baby-murder business in Maryland?  These days it seems to be the only industry that isn't fleeing Maryland.

Let us pray that Glenn and the ACLJ attorneys prevail.

When Orthodox Teachers Are Attacked

Michael Voris is commenting on the latest episodes of orthodox religious being attacked for proclaiming the faith; Sister Jane Dominic Laurel is one of them, the other Father Francis "Rocky" Hoffman.  Take note when he (at 5:33) rebukes bishops for not having the "spine, guts or taste to do what needs to be done."  That means you, Bishop Peter Jugis!

Tonight's Dog-And-Pony Show

My blogging colleague An Archdiocese of Washington Catholic commented on the forum for the Montgomery County Executive candidates being held as I write this.  He's right.  The areas of focus are "soft-ball" matters.  The "Justice and Advocacy Council of Montgomery County" (an arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, I believe) refuse to allow discussion of issues that have real moral substance.

Interestingly enough, the flyer that appeared in the parish bulletins didn't even list the names of the four candidates.  There is a reason.  First, pro-abortion "katholyc" Doug Duncan is running again.  Second, pro-abortion Ike Leggett, who helped ram through the bill four years ago that was designed to cripple pro-life pregnancy centers is also running.  Phil Andrews is also pro-choice, although to his credit, he opposed that pregnancy center gag bill.  The GOP candidate, Jim Shalleck, is pro-life (I believe).  So there you have it: this "council" did not want faithful Catholics to know that they were providing rabid pro-abortion candidates a platform (St Jude's in Rockville, to be precise) so that they could come off smelling like roses, given the namby-pamby subject matter being spoon-fed to them.

I was at a similar forum four years ago (at St Jane de Chantal).  It was a complete waste of time.  Again there were the morally-neutral issues being bandied about.  There was no opportunity for audience questioning or input.  All they wanted were warm bodies in the audience so that they could brag about the "valuable service" they were affording to Catholic voters.  Tonight I decided I was not going to waste my time just so I could increase their "body count".  I certainly hope the attendance was paltry.  Maybe then the Archdiocese of Washington will learn that faithful Catholics will not be stage props to aid and abet their kiss-ups to the progressive pols that do dominate Montgomery County.

Alabama Supreme Court Ruling - Precedent To End Legal Abortions?

Yesterday the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a mother who endangered her unborn child by using illegal drugs during her pregnancy.  Her conviction had been challenged on the grounds that the unborn baby "was not a child".  The Alabama Supreme Court, in a 8-1 decision, stated otherwise.  Chief Justice Roy Moore delivered a concurring opinion that cited natural law and the fact that human rights are granted by God, not governmental bodies.  I send you to this link to review his opinion.

Let us pray that this groundwork will prove useful into restoring legal protections to the unborn child.