Catholic Charities Gets Well-Deserved Comeuppance

President Trump announced that he was going to enforce our immigration laws and not allow the border-crashing criminals to get away with their crimes. Imagine that!  The president of the United States actually fulfilling his constitutionally-appointed duties.  However, progressive organizations carrying the name "Catholic" in their names understand that their incomes will dry up in the process.  To be specific, they will be expelled from the Federal teats (that is, our tax dollars) since "immigration processing" is a major reason for them receiving Federal grants.

Faithful Catholics have documented many times how Catholic Charities branches, particularly those located near the southern border, receive billions of federal dollars (that originate as withholdings from our paychecks).  That link details other evils committed by Catholic Charities over the years: needle exchange programs, driving young girls to abortion appointments, trafficking of children.

Well, Catholic Charities got wind of the newly-invigorated enforcement, as ICE and other agencies started snatching up illegals for deportation.  They released the video below, showing that they are entirely complicit in the de facto breaking and entering that these guys (and yes, it's mostly young males) have been doing, all on the federal (i.e., your) dime.  Observe.  A little translation: this woman says "undocumented"; that means "here illegally".  I doubt that she would call a burglar breaking into her home "an undocumented house guest".

So here you have it - a Catholic organization telling criminals how to evade the law.  President Trump was having none of that.  He made clear that any such organization who aided and abetted criminals could not reasonably expect the government to fund them.  Catholic Charities was literally slapping the hand that fed them and they expected that hand to keep on doling out the cash.  Had that hand been Biden's, that might have happened.. Wait!  Scratch that!  Biden would never have started to enforce the border at all!

Right on cue, the Maryland Catholic Conference ordered the parishes to email all their parishioners some very disingenuous blather regarding immigration.  The text is on their site.  You will notice immediately that there is no distinction between legal immigration and illegal immigration.  The lack of distinction is so egregious that we can call it deliberate deception - a lie.

President Trump, to his immense credit, announced the defunding of not only Catholic Charities, but any NGO that facilitated the breaking of immigration law.  Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, mentioned Catholic Charities by name when queried by a reporter about the matter.  This screen shot from a Facebook page lists some others.

It says that Catholic Charities will soon be bankrupt.  Perhaps the creator of that meme was simply being facetious, but we all know that a significant part of Catholic Charities' budget does come from federal grants.  In-pew collections?  Well, they haven't received a penny from me in several decades, and I cannot imagine one informed and decent purpose funding their mischief.  If Catholic Charities does go bankrupt, all I will say is "good riddance".

Catholic Charities CEO Botches Corporal Works Of Mercy

In the January 14th edition of the Catholic Standard, Msgr John Enzler (CEO of Catholic Charities of of the Archdiocese of Washington) had a piece entitled "Living The Works Of Mercy"; the online version is here.  It is ostensibly a "self-evaluation" to detail how he's implementing the Corporal Works of Mercy.  Something about the recitation of the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy struck me odd.  Therefore I looked up the Corporal Works of Mercy online; see here and here.

As I compared Enzler's list with the other two, I noticed a small but significant difference.  The work known as "shelter the homeless" was swapped for "welcome the stranger".  These two are not equivalent.  The second reveals the agenda of allowing indiscriminate immigration.  When one considers the millions of dollars that Catholic Charities has received from the federal government (which in turn are derived from our tax dollars), one can see that the CEO of a Catholic Charities office might - just might - have a vested interest in insinuating the idea into Catholic minds that the facilitation of indiscriminate amnesty is a teaching of the Catholic Church.  It's not - not by a long stretch.  I link now to a commentary on the thoughts of St Thomas Aquinas on immigration.  Bear in mind that this commentary does cite the appropriate passage in Summa Theologica.

I'm having trouble believing that this tweeking of the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy on the part of Enzler was inadvertent.  He did get all the others right, and they're even listed in the traditional order.  That the CEO of Catholic Charities would dare to misstate one of the Corporal Works of Mercy reeks to high heaven.  At least once a year there is an in-pew collection for Catholic Charities.  I haven't contributed in years due to its many shenanigans - this being merely the latest.

Church's Charitable Umbrella Organizations Are Decidedly Uncharitable

During the past two days I linked to stories detailing how the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Charities are serving anti-life agendas.  Unfortunately the accounts of their misuse of Catholic money continue to accumulate, and the Catholic Relief Services seems to be following suit.

The Lepanto Institute recently exposed the production by Catholic Relief Services of a sex-education program in Rwanda.  It promotes the usage of abortifacients, contraceptives, masturbation and homosexuality.  The program is called "My Changing Body" and it is produced in partnership with Georgetown University's Institute for Reproductive Health.  Ostensibly Georgetown used to be Catholic, but it too has jettisoned all authentic Catholicism from its life and is Catholic in name only.  The Lepanto site links to their full report on "My Changing Body"and has screenshots of some of the material used by that program.  It is immoral, anti-life - and funded with Catholic donations.

The Lepanto Institute learned something brand-new about the CCHD this week.  We know from many years of their misbehaviors that they've funded all sorts of anti-life and socialistic ventures, but apparently "community organizing" has taken a new turn - marijuana farms!  This is occurring in California (of course!).  The California Center for Cooperative Development received $50k to start some "medical marijuana cooperatives".  Next we hear they'll be starting some avant-garde opium dens or safe-haven needle exchange projects - oh wait! - Catholic Charities beat them to it several years ago!

Speaking of Catholic Charities, they have a new president - Sister Donna Markham.  She worked for a while at Georgetown University (there's that name again!) and then became prioress of the Adrian Dominicans.  Under her less-than-illustrious leadership, this order joined the Catholic Health Association and helped ramrod through Obamacare, in direct opposition to the bishops.  She's been associated with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, serving a term as its president.  When the Vatican launched its investigation into the LCWR, she waxed both arrogant and indignant at the Church for so doing.  Such is Catholic Charities' leadership.

I do want to highlight a few things about CCHD's ongoing linkage to Alinskyian community organizing.  It is alive and well; one must remember that CCHD was founded with the express purpose of funding socialistic and atheistic endeavors with the contribution dollars of unwitting Catholics.  My colleague Stephanie Block has done much work in exposing these "community organizing" outfits for the menaces that they are.  In this piece she exposes the linkage between the Industrial Areas Foundation with illegal immigration.  Recall that a few days ago I exposed the misdeeds of Action In Montgomery.  AIM was front-and-center with the left-wing as they were shilling for the DREAM Act a year or two ago in Maryland.  AIM is an IAF affiliate.  In her next piece detailing the Senate campaign of rabid pro-abort Loretta Sanchez and IAF's support for her, Stephanie details how Sanchez's supporters relied on the votes of newly-naturalized aliens to defeat pro-life Bob Dornan for the US Congress.

Many Catholics are unaware (or they won't accept) that their contributions to Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services and/or Catholic Campaign for Human Development actually serve to undermine the Church and facilitate death and destruction, both spiritually and physically.  It's time to say #no2cchd, #no3crs and #no2cathcharities.

Facilitators Of Illegal Immigration Reject Catholicism For Progressivism

In the face of Obama's scheme to import 10,000 Syrian refuges into the United States, there has been much confusion on the part of Catholics regarding what the United States, as a nation, should do.  Some have opined that we should admit them indiscriminately, prefacing their remarks with "Jesus would welcome the stranger" and "what would Jesus do".  Implicit in their invocation of Jesus' name is that they imagine He would not consider the impact such decisions might have on others.  For instance, they direct these platitudes at governmental officials, urging them to base their policies on a rather simplistic impressions of Our Lord's will.  They fail to consider that governmental officials have as their FIRST priorities the welfare of their citizens.  They have a moral duty to do all they can to protect them from real threats.  And yes, evidence pours in that the Syrians are posing a threat to their host countries.  The attacks on France last week should serve as a stark lesson to us.

Suppose, for example, there was a neighborhood that was plagued by a series of house invasions that occurred when the robbers burst into homes when doors had been opened to them.  A father of a family heard a knock at the door at night.  He calls through the door, asking the visitors what they want, and they stated they needed help and wished to be admitted into the home.  Knowing the neighborhood situation, would the father be wise to believe the visitors?  Of course not.  "But Jesus would welcome the stranger", our good-hearted but weak-thinking friends might chime.  I for one beg to differ.  Would He not approve of the father's solicitude for his family, a solicitude that is enjoined on him by the Sacrament of Matrimony and the Fourth Commandment?  Just as the father of a family have to abide by his God-given priorities, so do those in civil authority.  Their FIRST responsibilities are to their citizens and constituents.  This is NOT rocket science!  Taylor Marshall wrote a piece that is an excellent treatment of this issue, drawing on Aquinas extensively.

Today ISIS released a video that threatens more destruction in Paris and the destruction of the White House.   A few days ago, the DHS confirmed that eight Syrians were taken into custody in Laredo TX.  Five others were arrested in Honduras as they attempted to use stolen passports.

So now Obama wants to allow muslim Syrians into the United States.  Why, then, does he refuse to allow Christian and Yazidi refugees to enter the US?  His bigotry against Christians is obvious and despicable.

Too many Catholic officials, carrying on like aging hippies with stars in their eyes, steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the truth and cling to their romantized notions of the "poor immigrants" with themselves as their noble saviors.  In the midst of their semi-annual meeting in Baltimore, the US bishops pompously announce their calls for de facto open borders while chiding the governors who are following the maxims of Aquinas.  Not to be outdone by the USCCB, the Maryland Catholic Conference put forth this laughable press release as it appears in the Catholic Standard.  A little aside.  Today I did not receive my issue in the mail.  I think it's fascinating that my delivery is either missed or late when one of these whoppers is published in the paper.  But I digress!

Anyway, there is the typical call for "compassion" (selective compassion, since non-muslims aren't allowed admittance).  The MCC goes on to tout the praises (?) of the Catholic Relief Services, saying that they have "a rich history of serving potential refuges in their native land".  Really?  CRS has been caught red-handed distributing condoms and abortifacients in Africa - not merely funding said distribution, but CRS personnel themselves distributing these tools of mortal sin.  They retained a "same-sex married" man as a vice president, knowing of his immoral lifestyle.  Read here for a whole litany of their horrid endeavors and search the Lepanto Institute for more details.  Here's a snapshot of their income statement for the fiscal year ended 9/30/2014.  Notice that almost half their funding came from governmental grants: that is, our tax dollars!  I suppose that's the "rich" part of their history.

Then the MCC crows about Catholic Charities.  Yes - same Catholic Charities that:

• Took one of their female clients to her abortion appointment
• Engaged in a "needle exchange program" for drug addicts
• Aided and abetted an illegal immigrant with an established habit of drinking and driving - until his accident in which he killed someone

Catholic Charities is one of the groups charged by the Obama cartel to help "settle" the Syrians as they invade arrive here.  There's most likely more than altruistic motivation for them to do so. Recall last summer when it was discovered that the feds had extended to Catholic Charities offices in Texas over $17 million in grants to take in refugees.  Wanna bet they're getting a nice chunk of change now?  Again, that's our tax dollars.  Just as they botched the three incidents listed above, they botched big-time this past week.

The Catholic Charities in Louisiana helped settle one such individual - and then lost track of him.  Governor Jindal insisted that Obama give him info on those that are being shipped to his state; he probably knows better than to hold his breath waiting.  But the story gets more interesting!  Lo and behold, the Louisiana government learned that this refugee had gone to Washington DC.  Now consider:

• He is supposedly a poor destitute refugee.  Yet he has the wherewithal to get off the boat and hightail it to Washington DC.  It sounds like he had some direction and resources to make the trip.  The distance between LA and DC is approximately 1100 miles.  How did he afford the transportation and other travel expenses?
• Recall from earlier in this post that ISIS made threats against the White House.  Did this "poor refugee" come up here to participate?  Was he ordered to do so?

I've received word that the House of Representatives voted today (by a veto-proof majority) to put a pause on Obama's scheme to import these refugees.  Let us pray that the Senate jumps on board.   Speaking of the House, I don't know if Trey Gowdy is Catholic or not, but he seems to have an inate grasp of Aquinas' thinking on immigration.

I'll end this rather long post with a video by Ann Corcoran detailing her research on refugee resettlement.

Francis Effect And Seattle Metropolitan See - Out With Faithful Catholics, In With Baby Killers

The two incidents on which I'll speak below would seem unrelated to each other on the surface but for two things:

1. They both occurred within the metropolitan see of Seattle (Washington) AND
2. They closely resemble two recent actions by Pope Francis.

Because this is a very long post, I'm placing a jump break here.  So...

Catholic Standard Follies - Fawning Over Female Catholic Dissidents

In today's edition of the Catholic Standard we read of a panel discussion by three so-called Catholic women "leaders", moderated by John Car, that occurred at Georgetown University.  They were offering advice on leadership.  Given who these women are, one would do well to listen to their advice and do the exact opposite.

Now one might wonder why I'm pointing fingers at the Catholic Standard since it was Georgetown University that hosted this gab-fest.  It's quite simple.  The article is written by Mark Zimmerman, editor of the Standard, and he disingenuously omits key details about these women - details that would make plain to everyone that these gals aren't qualified to advise children in tying their shoelaces much less Catholic leaders in how to lead.  But not to worry!  I and others have already supplied many of these details.  I'll recap below:

• Sister Carol Keehan - Without her shilling for Obamacare in 2010, that deadly piece of legislation might never have been passed.  As a result, religious sisters are compelled to fund contraception and thousands (if not millions) of babies will have Keehan to thank for their murders.  Besides that, she's got quite a rap sheet.  FYI, when Keehan gave the commencement address at Gonzaga's commencement in June 2010, we were there!
• Carolyn Woo - She is president of the scandal-ridden Catholic Relief Services.  The Lepanto Institute has exposed much corruption within the organization, such as their direct involvement in the distribution of abortifacients and of retaining as one of their vice presidents a man who is in a same-sex marriage (and quite unabashed about it).  No truly Catholic organization wants to emulate this woman's habits.
• Sister Donna Markham - See this.  She too jumped on the Obamacare bandwagon in 2010.  She also did a stint as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.  When the Vatican launched its investigation into the LCWR, well, let's just say she had a lapse in memory when it came to her religious vows.
• John Carr - He comes with his most unimpressive baggage pertaining to his promotion of progressivism while occupying positions within the USCCB.

See, Mark?  This information was not that hard to find; and I think you know that!  Now the million-dollar questions are, "Why did you not report that?  What is the agenda?  Who is dictating the contents of these articles?"

Much of what was uttered at that meeting was pure drivel and a good bit of that was a feeble attempt at "damage control" to try to dismiss the evidence of their malfeasances as reported by this blog and discovered by Lepanto, Church Militant and other organizations.

I will focus on one key admission by Markham as she pouted over the chastisement that Catholic Charities received for accepting government funding.  She mentioned that they receive approximately 64% of their budget from government grants.  Now what are the sources of these "government grants"?  Hint - stare into the mirror and you'll see one source, albeit an unwilling one.  It comes from our tax dollars.  Ladies and gentlemen, when they accept these tax dollars, they accept money that has been extorted from each and every one of us.  The feds have no authority under the US Constitution to engage in this de facto wealth redistribution; they also have no basis in morality to do so, either.  In accepting such funds, Catholic Charities benefits from such extortion and can be said to be contributing to the wrong-doing of the feds.

It can also be said that Catholic Charities is accepting bribes from the feds.  Might this be why they are so quick to jump on board with every progressive effort in which the feds engage?  In the past, Catholic Charities has been known to: allow an employee to take a client for an abortion appointment, conduct "needle exchange programs", take millions of dollars to facilitate illegal immigration, smooching up to pro-aborts in high places, etc.

The Baltimore Catechism teaches us that Jesus Christ founded the Church to help people get to heaven.  Therefore the chief purpose of every endeavor of the Church must be oriented to that end.  Not once in that article did I see the word "heaven" mentioned.  Other words that I failed to notice include "soul", "hell", "sacrament", "eternal life".  You get the drift.

This panel presented a picture on how NOT to lead any Church endeavor.

Father Snyder - Utterly Unqualified To Rebuke Faithful Catholics Who Oppose Illegal Immigration

Those of us who raise voices of concern regarding the influx of "children" (many of them young adults posing as kids) are engaging in "hate talk" - that is, according to Father Larry Snyder, head of Catholic Charities.  Father Snyder, precisely because he is head of Catholic Charities, lacks all moral credibility to rebuke us.  Oh he may try, and no one begrudges his First Amendment rights here, but the fact is that his rants carry not one iota of Magisterial import; in fact it may be quite the opposite.

Recall that yesterday I posted a video by Michael Hichborn of American Life League detailing all the ways that progressive "social justice" arms of the USCCB act to undermine Church moral teaching.  At the 3:22 mark, Hichborn starts an expose of Catholic Charites; at 4:17 he segues into an expose of Father Snyder himself and all the harm he's caused.  Hichborn alludes to a dossier that was composed about Father Snyder.  Here it is.

Lest anyone think that Catholic Charities is acting and speaking out of the goodness of their little hearts, consider the governmental funding that various Catholic Charities received for the express purpose of preparing for this de facto invasion.  I'll summarize the data from the article.

• CC of Galveston: $15.5 million from the HHS
• CC of Fort Worth: $350 thousand from DHS
• CC of Dallas: $823 thousand from DHS

Doing a little quick math, we see that the Catholic Charities offices in Texas received close to $17 million in grants.  Of course those grants ultimately came from the pockets of the US taxpayers - many of whom Father Snyder disingenuously accuses of engaging in "hate talk".  Perhaps he considers "hate talk" anything that might cause the flow of federal funds to stop?

Please share this far and wide.  Father Snyder has no moral credibility whatsoever.  His "hate talk" diatribe is worthy only of derision.  Pray for the man, though.  He needs it.

Catholic Charities Hosts Democrat Dog And Pony Show At St Jude's In Rockville MD

In 2018 all levels of Maryland public officials are up for elections: from the governor down to the local registrar of wills.  That of course means all the county councils and county executives are up.  This past Thursday evening on May 3rd, I attended a debate of candidates for the Montgomery County Executive position held at St. Jude's in Rockville.

I must remind one and all that Montgomery County Maryland is a liberal loony bin.  The lunacy was on display tonight in all its macabre glory.  First the debate was co-hosted by both Catholic Charities and the Justice and Advocacy Council.  I knew that when I got the notice and realized it was a harbinger of things to come.

The moderator of this debate was none other than Msgr John Enzler, who has been known to cozy up to pro-aborts and even to donate to their political campaigns.  There were seven candidates who were debating.  Six of them were Democrats; Robin Ficker was the lone Republican.  Three of those Democrats are current members of the County Council; they are George Leventhal, Roger Berliner, and Mark Elrich.  They were also on the council in early 2010 when the council passed its measure to hog-tie pro-life pregnancy centers in the County.  If you go back to my archives from that time, you can see video that I took of the hearings in Rockville.  Leventhal was particularly contemptuous of the pro-life people who testified against the bill.  It did pass, but went down in flames in court.  Mind you, all three of the current county executive candidates voted for it, although it was obviously unconstitutional.  You'll see later on how they hold the US Constitution in cheap regard.

The first part of the debate focused on "immigration": that is, when the Democrats weren't busy bashing President Trump.  Each of the Democrats loudly proclaimed that if they were elected, they would protect the border-crashers and that they'd direct the County police not to cooperate with ICE in any attempt to enforce immigration laws.  Let that sink in.  The President of the United States is constitutionally charged with ensuring national security; part and parcel of that task is the securing of the nation's borders.  We all listened to Democrats vowing to undermine the President as he carries out his constitutional responsibilities.  Whoever is elected to the executive position in November will take his or her own oath of office.  That oath includes the upholding of the Constitution.  But in loudly proclaiming that they would undermine the president, they just admitted that they would disregard their own oaths of office.  Moreover, in stating that they'd direct the county police to take a hostile stance towards ICE, they'd be directing those same officers to disregard their own oaths that they swore as police officers.  Isn't that, well, special??

Now of course Enzler was just beaming with joy upon hearing such talk.  Recall that Catholic Charities, along with other branches of the US church hierarchy, receive billions in federal dollars to "resettle immigrants".  Since that amount is predicated on headcounts "served", we can see how they'd be anxious to keep them crashing our national borders.

They moved beyond the Trump-bashing and shilling for border-crashers onto other favorite progressive topics.  As I said, there was one lone Republican - Robin Ficker.  When the candidates were asked about bringing jobs to Montgomery County, Ficker said he would brook no tax increases on his watch.  The others clearly didn't like that and used their time slots to take umbrage at that suggestion.  They also lauded the hike in the minimum wage.  Clearly we saw a shining example of how progressives simply aren't in touch with the real world.  Hikes in minimum wages - hikes in taxes - universal health care - these are all arbitrary costs that make Montgomery County unfriendly to employers - especially to those that are small businesses.  Anyone with a scintilla of common sense knows that, but liberals are devoid of even that.

Education was a hot button topic too.  The favored solution for the Democrats seemed to be expanding pre-k programs.  That's right.  They actually want to take the three-year-olds and start the brain-washing early.  Perhaps if schools concentrated on the basics instead of allowing and even mandating that the students "walk out" for some gun-control parade, the students might actually learn some useful skills.  Perhaps if little children weren't suspended because they pointed their fingers and made gun sounds, they might feel safe enough to learn.

Not every topic was covered.  They didn't touch their draconian attempt to gag crisis pregnancy centers by a long shot.  There was also no provision for the audience to ask questions.  Oh, we could write them down on cards and submit them, but they were screened.  Be certain that Catholic Charities would never allow their sugar-daddy puppet-masters to be embarrassed.

Below is a recording of the debate - unedited so that you can hear the socialistic prattle in all its ugliness.  Forgive the comments from me and my companions; I trust they don't muffle the nonsense from the stage.

Blind Bishops Following Governmental Grants

In the August 13th issue of The Wanderer, we see published an article by Dexter Duggan entitled "Bishops on Wrong Side of the Fence".  This is in reference to the US bishops' take on the massive influx of illegal aliens coming across our southern border.  He makes a number of salient points on which I'd like to comment.

First he correctly opines that "no matter how good the original intentions of a political strategy that has produced damaging results, the USCCB needs to make its overriding priority the advocacy of justice and reform in immigrants’ home countries, not lawbreaking focused on forcing entry into one country alone, the United States."  But as we all know, the bishops continue to echo the Obamanista's demand for amnesty and porous borders.  We see NYC Cardinal Dolan sidling up with rabidly pro-abortion Chuck Schumer to shill for "immigration reform".  (Get a load of that picture; it's almost as disgusting as the picture of Dolan yokking it up with the Messiah Most Miserable at the Al Smith Dinner in 2012).  After calling citizens concerned about this massive influx (that is, people like me) "unbiblical", "inhumane" and "un-American", Dolan garnered some well-deserved criticism by Ann Coulter; I stand with her on this.

Moving down the Wanderer article, we see some statements by Barbara Wilson, a California reporter and commentator who has corresponded with the Wanderer.  She too hit some nails on the head.  She said, "As for the hierarchy of the Church, bishops are glib in their comments about caring for the stranger and now say that amnesty is ‘pro-life’  This smacks of too much politics for me.  On top of that, they ignore the millions of dollars Catholic Charities collects on contracts with the feds to house and care for illegals in locations across the county.  I attend church regularly and have never heard that Catholic Charities in the state has a fund to care for immigrants and many churches are offering temporary housing,  thus the dependence on federal largess.  I think their whole attitude is beyond disingenuous and hypocritical, and is, quite frankly, politically motivated. As someone said, ‘What would Jesus say?’”

Ain't it just peculiar how the bishops don't like to mention that teensy detail of the millions of dollars that Catholic Charities received for the express purpose of handling the burgeoning number of illegals - illegals that, at the time of granting, had not yet arrived?  I suppose when one considers that the bulk of funding that Catholic Charities receives comes from federal grants (that is, our tax dollars at work), one might understand the lack of mention here, but even that is too much to swallow.  A number of us have detailed some of the financing and other political maneuverings that have paved the way for this artificially-induced influx of illegals, the bulk of whom are not innocent little tykes fleeing desperate situations.  See here, here, here, here, here,  I realize that these posts (with related links) are a lot to read, but it's important that you invest the time to do so.  This is information that you'll not read in the lame-brain main-stream media, be that media secular or diocesan.

Let's move on now to another excellent article, this one written by Christopher Manion entitled "A Plea to America's Bishops".  He touches upon the tragedy in Iraq and Syria and the fact that Christians and other minorities are literally fleeing for their lives, as countless relatives have been butchered by Muslims.  He also makes mention that the response of many western countries - including the United States - has been one of passivity and indifferentism.  At a parish in Rome where he met with several mid-east refugees, the Pope basically told them to "move on" and "encourage one another".  Cardinal Wuerl's letter to the priests (see below) indicates that the Pope has sent "a significant sum of money" there - money that will run out.  While in Jordan, His Holiness thanked that country for welcoming Syrian refugees, then went on a tirade that laid the onus of the massacre on "arms dealers".  With all due respect to His Holiness, he's all wet on that one.  Those Muslims engaged in jihad are squarely to blame, not "arms dealers".  I don't believe "arms dealers" are supplying the knives that the jihadist monsters use to behead babies nor the scaffolding on which they hang and crucify Christians.  But I digress.

Manion goes on to ask why the US bishops aren't as solicitous for the welfare of these mid-east refuges as they are for the free passage, amnesty and perks for the illegals coming across our southern border.  The fact is that many if not most of these "children" coming across our borders are teen-aged boys - many of them with gang-related tattoos all over their bodies.  "Fleeing gang violence"?  No, they're bringing gang violence, often by recruiting other members in the retention centers.  Whatever else they are, they are not helpless refugees, as are those fleeing for their lives in the mid-east.

Manion ends by asking "that our bishops will focus their efforts on the Iraqi Christians. Ask them to join us in urging our government to welcome them as the legitimate refugees they really are."  Sadly, I don't think that will happen.  The US bishops are too much in the back pockets of the feds.

In this week's edition of the Catholic Standard, there was a goodly bit of focus on the mid-east situation.  Truth be told, how could they ignore that elephant in the living room?  In it was published a letter from Cardinal Wuerl to his priests stating that prayers and Masses should be offered.  Clearly these are needed, but where are the suggestions for practical assistance?  Would His Eminence had been so ethereal if the topic at hand was the illegal immigrants?  I think not!

The bishops will follow the dictates of the Obama regime as much as they can without forfeiting too much of their moral capital.  The Obamanistas, in turn, have shown a disturbing partiality to Muslim leaders and positions.  It may well be that they share the jihadist ambition for the destruction of Christianity in the mid-east; heaven knows they certainly are trying to marginalize Christians in this country.  As long as the US bishops insist on prostituting themselves by accepting and even soliciting governmental grants, they will slavishly follow the lead of the Messiah Most Miserable.  We may safely assume that our borders will not be porous to those from the mid-east AND we may also assume that no federal grant money will be made available to Catholic Charities to accept mid-east refugees.

We must pray for our bishops, even as we boycott every "social justice" appeal for money that they put out.  At this time, their concept of "social justice" comes at the direction of the progressives in power.

Islamic Terrorism - Courtesy Of Catholic Charities

Two years ago it was revealed that various Catholic Charities offices in Texas were receiving millions in federal grants to facilitate massive immigration, some of it illegal.  One of those outlets was the one in Dallas.

On Monday, a Somalian immigrant plowed his car into a crowd at Ohio State University, then began stabbing bystanders.  He was shot by a police officer.  ISIS is taking "credit" for the act.  But perhaps ISIS shouldn't hog all the dubious "glory".  Some of that "glory" belongs to Catholic Charities of Dallas.

From Breitbart News we read that the terrorist and his family entered the US through Texas and were resettled by Catholic Charities in June 2014.  This is yet another illustration why nations who seek reasonable security at their borders are not to be demonized by progressives in the Church.  Well, let me rephrase that for they obviously are going to run their mouths about that.  This is why we must oppose them and rebuke them for they play the "useful idiots" for those who seek to destroy civilization.

The Texas Border Situation And The US Catholic Hierarchy - More Than Meets The Eye

We all know by now that Governor Greg Abbott is taking action, as per his rights and duties as Governor of Texas, to secure the southern border, of which Texas forms a large part.  The Biden administration has been dismantling the wall that President Trump took great strides in building.  Biden et al took great umbrage at Abbott, insisting that federal employees be allowed in Texas to continue the demolition of the wall.  Abbott is refusing, correctly chiding the federal government in its dereliction of its constitutional duty to protect from invasion while citing his own to protect Texans.  So far, 25 governors from other states have stood in solidarity with Texas, issuing statements of their own. 

The Catholic hierarchy, from the pope on down, have been waxing indignant over Abbott's measures.  They snivel on how Jesus and the Holy Family were refugees (they weren't!) in a foreign land, how the razor wires are cruel (only if attempts are made to cross at non-checkpoint locations) etc, etc.  Would that their angst was merely misguided.  Alas, there may be some ulterior motives.  Over the years, various Catholic Charities offices in Texas have been receiving federal grants, to the tune of millions of our tax dollars, to facilitate the "processing" of illegal immigrants.  Now please read the first article in that last anthology of posts.  Read how immigrant children were hurried out of a local Catholic Charities office and stuffed into a luggage compartment of a vehicle.  Only when a reporter blocked the car and called the police did that truth come out.  So now we seem to have prima facie evidence that Catholic Charities, and by extension, the US Catholic hierarchy, are actively involved in child trafficking.

Thanks to Canon 212, I saw today a post from Complicit Clergy, detailing why so many US bishops support Biden and despise Trump.  Oh, by the way, count Francis in with that bunch.  They published financial statements from the USCCB showing the drop in Federal funding while Trump was in office and the dramatic climb once Biden stepped in.  As you examine the various charts, you will notice that many of these Catholic agencies deal with immigration.  We know that among these immigrants are many children with a high percentage of them either alone or accompanied by unrelated adults.  It is reasonable to suspect that many of these children are being trafficked for sale into sexual slavery.

The Catholic hierarchy, as we saw in the April 2021 blog post, is involved in that trafficking.  Are they deriving profit from such trafficking?  Are any of those defenseless children being used by their colleagues who may be sexual perverts?  We have seen too many accounts of perverted clergy raping young children.

As I examine the charts, I do take issue with Trump on one thing.  It would have been far better if he had ceased funding the USCCB and these other left-wing cartels completely, not giving to them so much as one red penny.

Below is last week's episode of the Anchor team, where Michael Hichborn discusses the situation in Texas and how it relates to the Church.  Please watch it.

Resume

https://www.dailywire.com/news/25-republican-governors-band-together-to-support-texas-in-its-fight-to-secure-the-border

Bishop Lynch Defends Soros-Funded Catholic Relief Services

In the past few weeks Catholic Relief Services has shown its true colors (that is, anti-God and anti-life colors) by allowing, if not outright directing its personnel to distribute abortifacients in Madagascar.  Of course it earned well-deserved rebukes.  The progressive cartel within the bowels of ecclesiastic bureaucracy seemed to have received their marching orders and speaking points for now they are leaping to the defense of those USCCB organs that are funneling money towards the culture of death.

The latest to attempt "damage-control" is none other than Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St Petersburg FL.  I now link to an article that he posted on his blog this past Wednesday.   I won't pick apart the whole thing, lest I be here all night.  But I will point out one or two things, in light of his own chequered past.

He snidely refers to the Population Research Institute (a branch of Human Life International) as "an allegedly pro-life group" and many others (probably Yours Truly) as "notoriously and consistently wrong entities who thrive on attacking the Church or its entities".  If he's looking for examples of malfeasance by "allegedly pro-life entities", perhaps he need look no further than his own doings eight years ago.

It was a little over eight years ago that Terri Schindler Schiavo was murdered - "legally", of course - within his own diocese.  Not only did he do nothing to prevent it, but he went so far as to suggest that the final word regarding Terri's fate "rightly" lay in the hands of her murderous husband who was already living with his then-concubine.  One year later, American Life League interviewed Terri's family and posted it online.  It details further insulted meted to the Schindlers by Bishop Lynch.  And the bishop has the audacity to say that we are the allegedly pro-life ones???

But perhaps there's more to Bishop Lynch's posturings than meets the eye.  As with many things progressive these days, there seems to be a common denominator.  That "common denominator" has a name - George Soros.

My Catholic Media Coalition colleague, herself a Florida resident, posted an article sometime before Terri died that examines some of the key villains in that situation and some of the money trail.  Yes, Bishop Lynch is one of the villains.  To supplement this article, I'd suggest reading this blog piece entitled Soros and Schiavo.  This delves more into the history of George Soros' involvement in the pro-euthanasia movement in the US.

But anti-life groups aren't the only recipients of Soros' largess!  Why, he's been known to give to Catholic groups, too.  Well, some "katholyc" groups - those that serve as fronts for the Culture of Death!  Five years ago, Discoverthenetworks detailed how Soros money had infested the Church.  Chris Korzen of Catholics United tried to deflect some criticism of Bill Donohue by whining that Soros "contributes to Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Legal Immigration Services".  Donohue erred a bit by implying that those three weren't apologists for abortion.  Perhaps Donohue had not heard that Catholic Charities of Richmond VA was under federal investigation for paying for a minor's abortion (with full knowledge of Richmond Bishop DiLorenzo).  And of course Donohue's statement was long before the CRS aided and abetted murder in Madagascar.

Now perhaps the reader is wondering why I italicized the words "Catholic Relief Services".  At the time that Terri Schiavo was being murdered in Florida, guess who was the board chair of CRS?  Yes - Bishop Robert Lynch.  Please don't tell me he had no idea whatsoever of the Soros money flowing into CRS coffers - and probably still is.  In situations such as this, another version of the "golden rule" is in force, that is, "he who has the gold, rules".  As long as they accept Soros "gold", they accept Soros "rule"; sadly I think they accept both all too willingly.

Support Of Illegal Immigration Is Inherently Sinful

If a parent steals something and gives it to his/her child, is the child penalized when he/she is compelled to return the stolen goods or make other reparation?  Common sense - and Catholic moral theology answer "no", for the child should never have come into the possession of the goods in the first place.  Let's add another dimension.  Say the child receives the contraband as a minor, then becomes aware of the theft when he reaches the age of majority.  Is he/she required to make restitution?  Again, the answer is yes, for he/she may not knowingly accept benefit from the commission of sin.  Should they do so, they themselves become guilty of cooperation with the sin of their parents.  I link now to a post that I created several months ago; therein is a video that explains the nine ways in which a person can become an accessory to the sin of another, thus incurring guilt for his own sin.  Bear all this in mind as you read the account below.

We all know that President Trump has decided to undo the patently unconstitutional stunt initiated by the Messiah Most Miserable known as DACA (Deferred Action for Child Arrivals).   Compare the screed spewed from the USCCB to the statements issued by both the White House and the Department of Homeland Security.  While those impacted are children of illegal immigrants, it is important to note that they are now adults as opposed to non-emancipated minors.  They are now responsible for their own lives.  If they haven't taken measures to correct their own immigration status, they have no one to blame for the consequences but themselves.

I became aware of this account of a "dreamer priest", Father Rey Pineda, through a facebook friend of mine.  As I read this account, I detected no trace of him trying to rectify his status.  He went to school in Georgia and then discerned a vocation; "he felt God was calling him to be a priest but his spiritual path was blocked.  He was a dreamer".  Excuse me, but isn't part of priestly preparation to remove moral impediments from one's life?  He knew he was here in disobedience to legitimate national laws: laws that have basis in Section 2241 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Now recall the video that I mentioned in the first paragraph, and count the ways that Father Pineda actively cooperates with the sin that his parents committed:

• Consent - That is evident in the absence of any steps to correct his status.
• Defense of evil done  No where does he express regret for the flouting of U.S. law.
• Partaking as a "dreamer".  If his seminary formation was facilitated by the dream act, then his priestly formation would be an ironic act of cooperating with sin.  I hope that's not the case

Other ways that he might be cooperating with the sin of evading US immigration laws would be counsel, provocation, praise.  We cannot say "silence" is a chosen means of such cooperation, for he is quite strident in his crowing about his sin.

So his deportation would be a loss to his flock?  Really?  Who would really seek him out in the confessional, knowing he doesn't give a whit about legitimate civic law?  We Catholics are called to obedience to such laws and not only when convenient.  The sacrament itself would be efficacious since it doesn't depend on the worthiness of the minister, but his counsel might be suspect.

One troubling aspect about the hierarchy's embrace of progressive positions is that church authorities too often strike hands with politicians who foment the Culture of Death.  Father Pineda did precisely that by his partnering rabidly pro-abortion Dick Durbin.  Thanks to Pineda's own celebration of his sin, he lent to Durbin a credibility that the latter simply doesn't deserve.  By the way - this is the same Dick Durbin who questioned the Catholic faith of an Appeals Court Nominee.  Got that?  Durbin is very supportive of the Catholic faith of a potential puppet, but takes a dim view of the Catholic faith of a Trump nominee.  That's whom Pineda - this shill for illegal immigration - helped to legitimize.

Let's get back to DACA and illegal immigration in general.  If you haven't yet, please read the linked press releases of the USCCB, White House, and DHS.  If you noticed the USCCB waxing hysterical, you are quite correct.  I won't rehash it all, but the USCCB and Catholic Charities are funded by the feds.  Part of that funding has to do with the number of immigrants - including illegal - that they process.  The amount of funding is based on headcount!  Yes!  If the number of illegal immigrants in this country declines, so too does the amount of funding that the Church hierarchy receives.  Maybe the USCCB's overly-vaunted concern for "the strangers we must welcome" is not completely altruistic.

DACA as promulgated by Obama was patently unconstitutional.  Congress needs to act on this matter, and act first and foremost for the citizens whom they represent - who voted for them and who pay their salaries.

Maryland Catholic Conference Botches Immigration Again

In today's parish bulletin is the thing to the right.  It most likely appeared (or will appear soon) in the bulletins of all Catholic parishes in Maryland.  On the surface, it sounds nice and lovely, doesn't it?  However, what is not said is just as important as what is said.

In its treatment of immigration, the Maryland Catholic Conference continues to obfuscate the immense differences between those immigrants who come to this country by following the established legal procedures for so doing, versus those who enter the country by deliberately flouting those very same procedures.  In other words, the latter group sneaks in, dodging legal authorities.  They are here illegally.  By definition, they become criminals by breaking our laws.  If I were to rob a store or commit an act of vandalism, I too would become a criminal.  One class of crimes does not exempt a perpetrator from the label "criminal".

The Maryland Catholic Conference, along with its USCCB puppet-masters, have long been "front and center" in promoting the progressive agenda of amnesty for illegal immigrants.  Of course these illegal immigrants would both serve to bolster Democrat party votes and undermine traditional American culture, owing to the refusal of many of them to assimilate into American society.  I've written about this many times before, but one little fact deserves special attention.  Catholic Charities received millions in Federal grants to "assist in refuge resettlement".  The Maryland bishops most likely have some financial skin in facilitating the crime of illegal immigration.  I link now to a post in which Michael Hichborn deals with systemic corruption at the USCCB - much of it swirling around immigration.

For those of you who think that Trump's orders are "mean-spirited", bear in mind that illegal immigrants are by definition criminals.  More than a few of them are guilty of other heinous crimes as well, as detailed here.  There are other examples that I may dig out later.  Suffice it to say that this MCC flyer may not be what it purports to be.

USCCB Ponders Canonical Penalties Against Defenders Of US Borders

Eeeekk!!  The USCCB is having their semi-annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale this week!  And they've already plopped a massive stinker!  This one centers around "immigration".  In other words, they are all for the coddling of those who crash our borders, entering illegally.  By definition, those who sneak into our country and break our laws are criminals.  But the bishops have historically been awarded millions of federal dollars throughout the years to "resettle" those who crash our borders.

They have their kindred progressive spirits in liberal areas of the country - Maryland being one of them.  In particular, Montgomery County is a liberal loony bin.  You might recall the debate among the candidates for County Council President.  I recorded that and posted the entire thing here.  Listen to these lemmings brag that they will order local police not to cooperate with ICE in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.  This debate happened in a Catholic church; Msgr Enzler (president of Catholic Charities, by the way - the same Catholic Charities that was the recipient of the aforementioned billions of our tax dollars) was just beaming at these arrogant pronouncements.

Yesterday the USCCB ranted against the Trump administration's moves to protect our borders.  They went so far as to say that this matter is a "right to life" issue.  Some bishops even suggested "canonical penalties" for those who implement the administration's new rules.  More on that in a moment.

Here's one gem of a paragraph:

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, N.J., proposed that a group of bishops be sent to the border to inspect the detention facilities where children are kept as a “sign of our pastoral concern and protest against the hardening of the American heart.” Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, N.M., suggested “public gestures” such as prayer vigils in front of federal courthouses.

This is the same Cardinal Tobin who, as Archbishop of Indianapolis, turned a deaf ear to us when we pleaded with him to forbid lesbians from using a KofC hall to celebrate their fake "marriage".  In light of his subsequent receipt of his red zucchetto, I entertain the possibility that in fact he ordered that concession to the perverts.  Where was his "pastoral concern" when perverts and their enablers were allowed to flaunt their mortal sins on Catholic property?

Here's another:

Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Tucson, Ariz., made a bolder suggestion, raising the possibility of implementing canonical penalties for Catholics “who are involved in this,” referring to children being separated from their families at the border.Canonical penalties can range from denial of sacraments to excommunication, though Weisenburger did not specify what he intended beyond referring to sanctions that already exist for “life issues.”

Weisenburger was appointed Tuscon bishop by Pope Francis.  Certainly canon law is not one of his strong points for canonical penalties cannot be levied in the absence of canonical offenses.  Disagreeing with some clergy on matters of prudential judgment is not a canonical crime.  Bishops cannot wave the threat of "canonical penalties at their whims and fancies.  Sheesh!  Where's the "separation of church and state crowd" now?  Oh, that's right!  They only come out when non-negotiable matters of morality are the topics of interest.

Now here's an interesting question regarding canonical penalties.  We know that they are completely disregarded when pro-abortion politicians strut up the Communion line and receive, in direct violation of Canon 915.  So will all these prelates who thumb their noses at this unmistakable canon law now wax stern and forceful if Weisenburger has his way?

Speaking of "life issues", how much attention will baby-slaughter receive at this meeting?  Not much, but I digress.

Maryland bishops and their Annapolis cronies have been particularly hard at work to make Maryland a haven for illegals.  With these illegals have come hispanic gangs such as MS-13.  I link now to a video detailing how dangerous they have made it to attend public schools.  The Maryland bishops, to an uncomfortably large extent, are culpable for this state of affairs.

Catholic Standard Articles Reveal True Thrust Of The Current Pope.

Today I picked up the July 17th issue of the Catholic Standard (the official mouthpiece for the Archdiocese of Washington).  While disappointed at the amount of bilge that was contained therein, I was not surprised.

Let's go in order as the stuff appeared in the print edition.  On page 3 was the account of Cardinal McElroy receiving a pallium from Pope Leo XIV.  The online article is here.  Most of the article was a rehash of a homily that Leo gave on the occasion.  Some bloopers popped up.  He spoke of moving "beyond a tired and stagnant faith".  If he truly is serious about such movement, one key thing he could do is stop the insidious attempts to quash the Traditional Latin Mass.  I attend these regularly on Sundays.  The faith there can in no way be called "tired and stagnant".  Then towards the end, he spoke of the beatitudes as being equivalent to the goals of today's "social justice warriors".  No where did he mention that the beatitudes spoke of the repentance from sin and pursuit of personal holiness.

We then turn a few pages and see two articles that are basically screeds that shill for those border-crashers euphemistically called "undocumented immigrants".  They are found here and here.  The first is an interview with Cardinal McElroy while the second is penned by Auxiliary Bishop Menjivar.  Both articles share the same flaw, and I think this flaw has been repeated so often that, owing to its repetition, is actually a blatant sin against honesty.  I am talking, of course of the disingenuous refusal to differentiate immigrants who come here in accordance with our immigration laws versus those who deliberately violate our laws by sneaking across the border, coming under false pretenses, overstaying visas, etc.  All of us welcome those who arrive in accordance with our laws.  Decent people object to those who flout our laws, and lately, with the complicity of progressives, including those in the US Catholic hierarchy, are coming in by the thousands.  Hitherto, Catholic Charities have received millions in federal grants to "process" thousands of these people, many of whom are being sex-trafficked across the border.

I noticed towards the end of the interview article, McElroy couldn't help but put in a plug for one of his pet divergences from Sacred Tradition.  He of course shilled for "women deacons".  Bishop Menjivar, on the other hand, actually stated our case for us, albeit unwittingly.  The whole article is lacking in wit, but I digress.  Here is what he said, and you can read it for yourselves in the link provided.

"That’s right. From the very beginning of the United States, this country was pro-immigration; and one of the main complaints of the Founders was the English government forbidding the colonies from passing laws promoting migration and naturalization of people from countries other than England."

England disregarded our right to pass laws regarding immigration, rendering existing ones moot in practice.  Those crashing our borders are doing the exact same thing in disregarding our laws and our right to regulate immigration.  I might add that the moral guilt lies not only with the border-crashers,  but with people such as McElroy and Menjivar who hold our laws, and our law-keepers, in contempt.

But enough with immigration, for social justice has many facets.  In this same issue, we read that Pope Leo is praying for the "conversion" of certain people.  Who might be these people?  Are they those who embrace homosexuality and other perversions?  Are they those who facilitate the baby-slaughter known as abortion?  Nope!  Well then, just who are these depraved degenerates who stand in need of all this "conversion"?  Why, these are dastardly fiends who (I can scarcely bring myself to mention these horrid, scandalous words!) resist climate action!  Read it here!  

On Monday July 9, Leo celebrated a Mass "for the care of creation".  Yes, it is a new Mass that has been added to the Roman Missal.  Of course natural disasters are lamented for they supposedly "are in part created by the excesses of human beings with their lifestyle".  In other words, people are the big meanies who need to undergo the requisite guilt trips.  Most troubling, though, is this echo from Laudato Si: "we listen to the cry of the earth, we listen to the cry of the poor".  In other words, the planet is being made equal to human beings.  That is heresy.  We cannot assent to that under any circumstance.  We cannot say "amen" to any prayer containing that error, even if a pope were to put forth that prayer.  I did several posts in the past regarding the problem in which this pope seeks to embroil us.  Please read.   When Francis died and Leo was elected, I had hopes that there would be fidelity to Tradition again.  Those hopes are growing dim and once again, we must resist papal errors.

Why Catholic Conferences May Be Mum Regarding Planned Parenthood Funding

Yesterday the US Senate voted to pass H.J. Resolution 43, undoing Obama's executive order that forced states to fund Planned Parenthood.  It was a split vote, with the Vice President breaking the tie.  Last month it passed the House by a 230-188 vote split.  It now heads to President Trump's desk.  This bill does not cut Planned Parenthood funding in and of itself; rather, it allows states to do so.  A number of them have already passed such defunding measures.

A little "aside" for my #nevertrump friends.  You do realize that if you had your way, states would still be forced to fund Planned Parenthood, don't you?  Deep down in your hearts, aren't you glad you didn't have your way?  Let this be a lesson to you.  As additional examples arise, I will be pointing these out to you!

Getting back to the main point of this post, state governments now take back control of their Title X funds and they now have the option of denying funding to the largest baby-killing racket in the nation, if not the world.  I hope many states seize that opportunity.  Alas, other states are infested with anti-life liberals and progressives.  My home state of Maryland is one of them.  I wrote last Saturday of the effort underway by pro-baby-murder politicians to fund Planned Parenthood.  In that piece I also wrote of the de facto cooperation with these progressives that the Maryland Catholic Conference intends to give them.  I speculated as to the cause(s) of the MCC's despicable stance, wondering if funding for some of their pet "social justice" goals hung in the balance.  The video released by Michael Hichborn now causes me to fear that the reasons for MCC's lack of actions may be even more perfidious.

Deal Hudson had an article published today in Newsmax entitled "Catholic Bishops Caught In Conflict Of Interest Over Immigration".  In the fifth paragraph down, we see that Catholic Relief Services received over $400 million from the Obama administration in 2016.  In Obama's first year, he increased CRS funding by over $120 million.  Hudson also mentioned that Planned Parenthood received approximately the same amount from the feds; he mentions it as a coincidence but maybe it's more than a mere coincidence.

So what does Catholic Relief Services have to do with Maryland Catholic Conference?  Well, they're both headquartered in Maryland.  CRS is directly controlled by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the MCC takes many leads from the USCCB.  Six years ago, the USCCB did lobby for the defunding of Planned Parenthood.  This month it was utterly silent regarding H.J. Resolution 43.  Why the change?

The video below is that of Michael Hichborn giving a talk at the "Bringing America Back To Life" summit held in Cleveland earlier this month.  The title of his talk is "Catholic Charities And The Culture Of Death".  He details how Catholic "social justice" groups (under control by the US hierarchy) have compromised their missions to the point of participating actively in the Culture of Death.  He focuses heavily on Catholic Relief Services.  Pay very close attention to the 15:55 mark, when he reveals how CRS actually partnered with Planned Parenthood.  Just how close have the tentacles of Planned Parenthood gotten into the inner sanctums of the US Catholic establishment?  Can this be some explanation of the inaction of both the USCCB and MCC regarding the various battles over Planned Parenthood funding?  To my readers: what, if anything, have your state Catholic Conferences been doing about your states' funding of Planned Parenthood?  Please advise via the comments box.

If you have one of those lenten rice bowl things and have been dropping change into it, please empty it and give that money to an organization that is fighting for the Culture of Life.

USCCB Releases Amnesty Screed After Illegals Brutalize Young Girl

The entire nation has heard what happened a few days ago at Rockville High School, less than a half-hour's drive from my own home.  A 14-yr-old girl was brutally raped by two immigrants, with at least one of them here illegally and facing deportation due to another crime.  Although the immigrants are 17 and 18 years old, they were allowed to register in that school as freshmen.  Of course the lame-stream media did their best to cover up the illegal status of the thugs but thanks to the internet the truth is out.  I don't have time in this post to go into details.  Suffice it to say that county and school officials are in major cover-up mode since they do hope to have Maryland declared a "sanctuary state".  The Superintendent of Schools has gone so far as to accuse concerned parents of being racists and xenophobes.  Governor Hogan is demanding answers from Montgomery County - as well he should.  We pray for that poor young lady as she recovers from the trauma of her brutal rape.  If there is one thin silver lining to this cloud, it may be the awakening of the parents and some citizens; at least one woman is rethinking her former liberalism.  Let us remember this in 2018.  We must vote out that entire school board, certainly that superintendent and those in Annapolis who are behind this cockamamie "sanctuary state" crap.

Meanwhile, London is reeling from a Muslim terrorist attack at the Westminster Bridge and the grounds of Parliament.  Five people are dead.  Although the Mayor of London, himself a Muslim, is downplaying the Muslim connection, the Islamic State is claiming responsibility for it.  London authorities are investigating other potential terrorist threats.  Again we see signs of realization on the parts of some, but will it be too little and too late?

Others, though, continue to dig in their heels regarding the farce known as multiculturalism and unbridled immigration and amnesty for those who break immigration laws (like the two rapists in Rockville).  I speak primarily of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Yesterday they released a screed called "Living As A People Of God In Unsettled Times".  As you read this gobblygoop, you'll notice the ever-present obfuscation of the real concerns of faithful Catholics.  Forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but we simply want our immigration laws to be respected for the sake of all concerned - especially for the sake of those immigrants who are honorable and who enter the country via already-established channels.  These good people don't deserve to be vilified as "racists", "xenophobes", or whatever epithets the progressives like to fling about.

The bishops sure like to misquote the Scriptures, don't they?  "When an alien resides with you in the land, do not mistreat such a one."  Is it "mistreating" the alien to expect him or her to abide by the laws of the land, just as everyone else does?  I could go on and on about this and maybe will do so in a future post.   I will say two things, though.

First, bear in mind that the impetus behind this guilt-trip attempt may not be entirely altruistic.  The USCCB and Catholic Charities have a lot of Federal grant money tied up with the facilitation of mass immigration.  I have written much in general about the USCCB's blind following of the progressives in regards to illegal immigration.  When it comes to this issue, the US Catholic hierarchy may well be motivated by their financial bottom lines.  See this and this

Second, consider that the USCCB spewed forth this vomit right after the events in Rockville and London.  These acts of violence were perpetrated by thugs who had no intentions of assimilating in their host cultures.  The governments of both Montgomery County and London, being run by progressives, have been way too cavalier in their admittance of harmful immigrants, to the detriment of their citizens.  The USCCB is likewise acting irresponsibly - or maybe, in their case, greedily.

MD Elections - Ballot Question 4

Besides the all-important presidential election, there are a number of crucial matters that are specific to the State of Maryland.  Among these are four "general referendum" questions.  I will deal with these in the order in which they'll appear on our ballot.  This post will deal with Question 4 - the DREAM Act.

As you know (even if you may not accept it), there are a number of matters in this election that deal with intrinsic morality (abortion, homosexual relations, etc).  A Catholic who takes his/her faith seriously, indeed the salvation of his/her soul, will never deviate from the Church's teachings on these matters.  There are other issues that are within the realm of prudential judgment.  Economic issues are an example.  While we adhere to Christ's teaching to care for the poor, good people can and often do disagree on the proper means to do so.  It is even permissible to have such disagreements with Church structures on these matters.

Question 4 is one such matter where intrinsic morality is not in question.  Many good Catholics believe that the DREAM Act is seriously, even fatally flawed.  I myself hold that opinion.  Indeed, I believe this is one example of how the progressive elements in Church bureaucracies can ensnare themselves in imprudent alliances and actions.

Because this is a lengthy and thorough analysis,...

Maryland Catholic Conference Sabotages Other Pro-Life Efforts Against Reproductive Freedom Act Amendment

If anyone has gone to the website HealthNotHarmMD.org, they will undoubtedly have come to appreciate the research and work that has gone into their efforts to defeat the "Reproductive Freedom" amendment that is on the Maryland ballot this election as Question 1.  Their handouts, both in English and Spanish, have been superb.

Their volunteers, too, have done yeoman's work in educating the Maryland public about the various harms that the amendment will inflict upon all Maryland citizens, particularly the children.  They have been distributing flyers at parades and other civic gatherings.  They have gone door to door to distribute the door hangers.  They are manning phone banks all citizens, not just pro-life citizens, of the effect that this bill will have on parents' abilities to safeguard their children from harmful drugs and/or surgeries in vain attempts to "change genders".

We were happy, too, to see the Maryland Catholic Conference launch their own efforts.  We only wish they didn't limit their focus to abortion (harmful though it is), and that they had joined the battle sooner.  In legislative battles such as this, the more allies, the better.  Sadly, that doesn't appear to be the attitude of the Maryland Catholic Conference.

We have come into possession of communication that betrays the Maryland Catholic Conference's bizarre animosity towards Health Not Harm.  To be honest, we were aware of their dislike of HNH, as several Catholic churches refused to support its efforts over the past several months.  The MCC has basically ordered its priests to treat HNH as personae non grata. 

Ms. Kraska gives no reason for her direction to the diocesan priests to avoid Health Not Harm.  I can only state, though, that this action is consistent with actions taken by the Maryland Catholic hierarchy with regard to grassroots efforts in the past that were undertaken to combat attacks against human life and sexual morality.  There have been several instances whereby we sought to have petition drives in the churches to combat pro-death or pro-gay legislation in Annapolis, only to be denied access to the churches.  In at least one case, the margin was so thin that we know we could have prevailed, had not the Maryland Catholic Conference and its partners not stymied our efforts.

So many of these cause one to believe that the delays were calculated to cause us to lose, especially with the pro-gay measures.

Now this is pure speculation, but can it be that some elements in the Catholic hierarchy actually want abortion to be enshrined in the state constitution?  I can see how they might reason that if such happens, they won't have to be bothered with fighting abortion legislatively.  Then the progressives in the hierarchy can concentrate on the "social justice warrior" trivium:

1. Climate change (bcause,,Laudato Si!)
2. Gun confiscation control
3. Allowance for uncontrolled immigration (good for Catholic Charities dollars!)
4. Some other attempts at income redistribution

We cannot help but notice that the material that the MCC produced in their current efforts make no mention of the potential for children being exposed to gender manipulation.  See for yourselves.  Why is that?  While I could hope the cause is just a simplistic take on the issue, I fear it may be more insidious.  My apprehensions are based on the actions of the prelates of Baltimore and DC.  Six weeks ago at Georgetown University, Father James Martin held a gay-enabling conference.  One might have thought a God-fearing bishop would have quashed that occasion of sin.  Not Cardinal Gregory!  He actually offered a Mass there, facilitating the proceedings at that meeting.  This past April in Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Baltimore hosted its "Social Ministry Convocation".  There was plenty of shilling for the gay agenda.  I was in attendance, and subjected myself to a workshop about gays, conducted by a gay guy who considers himself "married" to another guy.

I mention these to give the readers an idea regarding what Lori and Gregory will allow, if not applaud.  I also mention these to hypothesize on why they don't want to stand in the way of the gay advancement in our culture, and that includes the efforts of Health Not Harm.  Why should we not believe that is the reason why the MCC literature is devoid of any mention of the harmful gay facilitation of this amendment?

All this indicates that this stance of the MCC is, at best, childish.  In a struggle such as this fight against the "Reproductive Freedom Amendment", we must be willing to work with each other.  At least, let's work alongside each other and not undermine each other.

Please contact the Maryland Catholic Conference and demand that they cease their snobbish behavior towards Health Not Harm and any other pro-life organization working to preserve life and Godly morals.  Should this amendment make it to the state constitution, the MCC may well be culpable for the resultant loss of human life and damage to vulnerable women and children.