Terri Schiavo's "exit strategy" exposed

Fr. Rob Johansen has detailed and commented on the "exit protocol" document found in Terri Schiavo's medical file. It is a gruesome example of how one is to proceed in starving and dehydrating a human being - in this case, Terri Schiavo.

Read it here.

October 6, Wednesday - on EWTN, 9:00pm Central

GATE OF HEAVEN: THE SOLEMN CONSECRATION OF ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC ORATORY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

On May 31st, 2003, this Solemn Consecration was performed by the Most Rev. Bishop of La Cross, Raymond L. Burke. This ceremony is shown in all its parts:
(1) The purification & dedication of the Church;
(2) The translocation of the relics;
(3) Consecration of the Church; and,
(4) Celebration of the first pontifical high mass, using the traditional Latin rite of the Liturgy

Wednesday October 6, 2004 10:00 PM
Saturday October 9, 2004 1:00 PM
Sunday October 10, 2004 10:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------

For those of us who love and appreciate the Latin Mass, you won't want to miss this. This looks to be well worth watching.

Source.

Conservative or Liberal Catholic

This article is as true, if not moreso, today as when it written.

Conservative or Liberal Catholic
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

In almost any group of Catholics today, one hears the question frequently asked, "Are you a conservative or liberal Catholic?" Or perhaps it is posed, "Are you charismatic?" Then again the speaker may interrogate his audience about his familiarity with renewals, retreats, liberation theology, centering prayers, Cursillo or any other currently popular movement or practice within the Church. Oftentimes people feel that the answer to such a question involves deep philosophical pondering. Semantics aside, there can be only one answer to these questions.

The left of Rome, liberal Catholic manifests his faith in several unique public expressions. Often he is associated with causes such as gay rights, feminism, euthanasia, and a plethora of others. His religion is an umbrella which encompasses saving whales, recycling inorganic materials, worrying about CIA involvement in Latin American governments, humanizing bureaucratic organizations, and awaiting a cosmic Christ. The unity he envisions in the new world order has little if any linkage to the one bread, one body in which the religion he supposedly espouses was based. In his alleged concern for all rights, he supports many wrongs. Endorsed by him would be a church in which a non-gender-specific liturgical “service” is led by a female priest, assisted by altar girls for a congregation which consisted of those who hold disparate beliefs all of which were democratically allowed under the guise of freedom from the patriarchal system whose leadership, outdated and outmoded, was yet based in Rome.

At the opposite end of the belief spectrum is the conservative Catholic whose actions and opinions are always right (of center, that is). Archbishop Marcel Lefebre epitomizes for him the essence of strict adherence to the true faith. Just as his hands will not be sullied in an exchange of peace nor receive the Eucharist from a priest or (heaven forbid) an extraordinary minister, so too will his mind remain untouched by any of the allowable innovations inaugurated by the Second Vatican Council. As if the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered in the language of the laity instead of Latin were not bad enough, what could be said of the scandal of speaking in tongues and other manifestations of the charismatic Catholic? In practice much like strict interpreter of the Constitution, this believer professes only that which is explicitly expressed in the Ten Commandments of in Canon Law; all that which is tacitly implicit is not a viable worship option.

[O]ur duty as Roman Catholics is to adhere to both the letter and the Spirit as the Holy Father delineates them for us, not pick and choose those aspects of Catholicism more to our liking. As 2 John 9 reminds us, anyone who “does not remain rooted in the teaching of Christ does not possess God, while anyone who remains rooted in the teaching possesses both Father and the Son.”

Copyright © 1998 Inter Mirifica

The full article can be found here.

The lust for power?

From CNS...

U.S. nuns' group says Cardinal Ratzinger should resign

DENVER (CNS) -- German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger should resign as head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and be replaced by a "feminist woman," said an organization representing 500 U.S. women religious. The National Coalition of American Nuns added that the Vatican should grant greater decision-making power to women, including participation in the election of popes. The positions were taken in a resolution passed by the coalition's board of directors at its Aug. 18-21 meeting in Denver. The coalition is known by its initials, NCAN. It was founded in 1969 and specializes in human rights and social justice issues. In another resolution the board said the church should allow same-sex marriages. The resolution also opposed federal or state laws that would prohibit gay or lesbian unions.

What orders are included in this group? 500 religious "sisters"? We can only wonder what religion they embrace - it certainly is not Catholicism.

Source.

*** Updated ***
For additional statements/press releases given by this "coalition" see this, or this, or this.

These references should suffice to demonstrate that this group is opposed to the Church.

Why does Cardinal George permit Greeley to infect the Faithful?

Fr. Andrew Greeley's latest screed at the New York Daily News is an open attack against Cardinal Ratzinger and the Church.

This man, although ordained to the priesthood, is no priest of our Lord. Cardinal George should do something about him.

Article here.

Study Catholic Apologetics Online With Patrick Madrid

THE NEXT TIME A SINCERE if misguided non-Catholic [or professed Catholic] challenges you with tough questions about your Catholic beliefs, will you be ready with good answers? You will, by preparing yourself in the art of apologetics (i.e. defending the Faith).

Patrick Madrid does an excellent job in this area. His tapes are great and are well worth the investment.

The course details are here.

Lesbian Legislator Promotes 'Pedophile Protection Act' in California

Openly lesbian California Senator Sheila Keuhl (D) authored and is promoting Senate Bill 1313 in the State of California. The bill has gotten past both houses of the Democratically controlled California State Legislature and is on its way to Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for signature. SB 1313 drastically reduces the requirements for mandatory reporting of the known or suspected sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children. Critics are calling this bill the "Pedophile Protection Act."

Sheer lunacy....

Article here.

Ann Coulter Rails on Abortion, Says Dems Support Murder

Conservative columnist Ann Coulter drew heady applause Wednesday in a front of a pro-life crowd when she referred to Democrats as murderers, adulterers and liars.

Article

The Vatican reaffirms its total rejection of euthanasia

"We must repeat with the utmost firmness that nothing and no one can give permission to kill an innocent human being, whether he be a fetus, an embryo, a child, an adult, an old person or a sick person in incurable agony," wrote [Monsignor Elio Sgreccia, vice president of the Pontifical Academy for Life].

"No one can claim such homicidal responsibility for himself or for another person. No authority can legitimately impose or permit it. This is a violation of divine law, an offense at the dignity of the human person, a crime against a life and an attack against humanity," the papal representative said.

Source.

Archbishop Burke clarifies voting stance

After having quickly read this article, I am certain that the reporter has it incorrect. The reporter fails to properly explain the the issue of "proportionate reasons".

Archbishop Raymond Burke is giving St. Louis Catholics a way to vote for politicians who support abortion rights without commiting a grave sin or having to go to confession.

Burke said Thursday he believes Catholics could vote for a politician who supports abortion rights as long as that's not the reason they are voting for the candidate, and they believe the politician's stance on other moral issues outweighs the abortion-rights stance.

Burke now says there is one scenario in which a Catholic could vote for a politician who supports abortion rights without committing a grave sin.

In that scenario, a Catholic who personally opposes abortion rights, votes for a candidate who supports abortion rights "for what are called proportionate reasons," he said.

"And that is called remote material cooperation and if the reasons are really proportionate, and the person remains clear about his or her opposition to abortion, that can be done," Burke said.

So, a Catholic who does not support abortion rights can vote for a candidate who does support abortion rights without fear of committing a grave sin.

This statement, in and of itself, is FALSE and misleading - but then the Post is not known for presenting theological facts and principles in an unbiased manner.

Archbishop Burke will present the fullness of the teaching of the Church in an upcoming Pastoral Letter. Most certainly, he will discuss the issue or "proportionate reasons", which the Post fails to clarify.

I suspect that many will now feel vindicated and free to support and vote for pro-abortion candidates because of other moral issues which hold a pre-eminent position in their confused minds - over and above the primary life issues of abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, etc.

Archbishop Burke explained the situation recently. What I understand is this: Issues must be weighed and viewed objectively. If we consider the 5 non-negotiable and intrinsically evil issues as enumerated in the Catholic Answers Voters Guide, one may vote for a politician who supports and advocates fewer of the evils than his opponent.

For example, if "Candidate A" supports abortion only in cases of rape or incest and none of the other intrinsic evils while "Candidate B" supports and defends abortion, homosexual marriage/civil unions, and embryonic stem cell research, then one may NOT in good conscience support "Candidate B".

The "proportionality" is obvious - "Candidate A" support fewer intrinsic evils than "Candidate B" and will, in all likelihood do less harm than "Candidate B". "Proportion reasons", first and foremost, deal with the intrinsically evil acts which a candidate may support. It does not deal with other issues, until the five non-negotiable issues have been addressed. If neither candidate supports abortion or the other evils, then - and only then - may one continue to review the positions held on other social issues and choose a candidate based on a proper understanding of the those issues.

The Post, evidently, has found a temporary loophole - soon to be closed - with which they can continue to confuse uninformed Catholics. What a disservice to the community.

Article here.

Sufferings of U.S. Priests in Heart of Pope

John Paul II expressed his profound affection and gratitude to American priests for their suffering as a result of the scandals of those who betrayed their ministry.

Zenit article.

Meeting in London discusses how to make abortion an international right

Dear Colleague,

We report today on an amazing meeting that happened this week in London.
Timothy Wirth, former US Senator and official at the US State Department,
said the Bush administration may be guilty of crimes against humanity for
its work on HIV/Aids in Africa. Present was Thoraya Obaid of UNFPA.

Spread the word.
Yours truly,

Austin Ruse
President
Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 427
New York, New York 10017
Phone: (212) 754-5948 Fax: (212) 754-9291
E-mail: c-fam@c-fam.org Website: www.c-fam.org
-------------------
FRIDAY FAX

September 3, 2004
Volume 7, Number 37

Meeting in London discusses how to make abortion an international right

Pro-abortion government and non-governmental leaders met in London
this week to discuss the tenth anniversary of the 1994 International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The meeting devolved into
attacks on the Bush administration. Present was Thoraya Obaid, head of the
UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

The president of Ted Turner's United Nations Foundation, Timothy
Wirth, even discussed whether the Bush administration was guilty of
"crimes against humanity," because it encourages abstinence training to
prevent the spread of AIDS. According to Wirth, "the United States and
others have started questioning the efficacy of condoms. To condemn women
by indifference to science and by failure to provide tools for their own
protection may not meet the technical definition of crimes against
humanity but it is certainly gross negligence toward humanity."

During the meeting, called "Countdown 2015," Steven Sinding,
Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation
(IPPF), proclaimed that a major goal of the attendees of the conference,
including presumably the UN and EU officials, was the expansion of legal
abortion.

According to Sinding, "IPPF and the people at this conference
believe that the abortion provisions of the ICPD did not go far enough in
calling for universal access to safe legal abortion. While we strongly
believe in eliminating unwanted pregnancies, we recognize that they cannot
be eliminated altogether. We believe the time has come to press ahead, to
reinforce a global movement to ensure that every woman in every country
has access to safe abortion services when she needs them."

Sinding also criticized the Bush administration for its program to
address HIV/AIDS in Africa, stating that, "Simplistic approaches like the
Bush administration's interpretation of 'ABC' [Abstain, Be faithful, or
use Condoms] gain legitimacy despite the fact that they are generated by
people with no understanding of sexual behavior or science." Sinding did
not address the fact that the US under the Bush administration is the
largest funder in history to the prevention and treatment of AIDS in
Africa, or that a growing number of scientists now consider Uganda's
abstinence program to be the most effective AIDS program in Sub-Saharan
Africa.

The meeting ended with the promulgation of the "Declaration of the
Global Roundtable," which called for governments to "guarantee the rights
of people irrespective of.gender identity or sexual orientation." The
Declaration also stated that, "We want a world where women and girls have
access to safe and legal abortion."

Dr. Lieve Fransen, head of the European Commission's human and
social development unit and the top EU AIDS official, welcomed the
Declaration, stating that he "will take your recommendations to the
European Council of Ministers in the fall where [UNFPA Executive Director]
Thoraya Obaid will be invited for the discussion."

Copyright 2004 - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).
Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.

Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 427
New York, New York 10017
Phone: (212) 754-5948 Fax: (212) 754-9291
E-mail: c-fam@c-fam.org Website: www.c-fam.org

These people really do make me sick...Attempting to enshrine the horrific murderous crime of abortion as a "human right" is utterly demonic. The extent to which these people lie and distort the truth demonstrates that their thinking is a product of Satan himself - my, how proud he must be of his followers!

The demented logic of equating "abstinence" education to prevent AIDS with "crimes against humanity is to be expected from people like this. I often wonder how they would react if they were asked if it would be OK to abort them at this stage of their lives?

Pray for them and, especially pray for those they wish to murder!

Separating the Catholic Sheep From the CINO Goats

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Separating the Catholic Sheep From the CINO Goats
Phil Brennan
Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004

Except for a courageous handful, America's wimpish Roman Catholic Bishops won't say this, but I will: A significant number of proclaimed Catholics in this country are no more Catholic than the most secularized of their fellow Americans.

Yet the media insists on labeling them as being members of a church whose doctrines they dispute and whose disciplines they reject. It is members of this group whose dissent from the most vital teachings of the Church draws huzzahs from the neo-paganists who dominate the mainstream media today. And it also this group which distorts the true picture of what was once a solid voting bloc, but no longer exists as a political reality.

There are, in fact, faithful Catholics and there are people who call themselves Catholic but are, in reality, about as close to being atheists as they can get without completely banishing the idea of the Almighty from their lives. If He exists at all, to them He is merely an afterthought.

This has a serious impact on America's political future because, as George Marlin points out in his extraordinary new book, "The American Catholic Voter - 200 Years of Political Impact," both the real and pseudo Catholic vote will be the decisive one in the upcoming presidential election.

In a pair of recent Gallup polls it was revealed that Catholic registered voters who attend church weekly - about one-third of all Catholic registered voters - support Bush over Kerry. Those voters view Bush's moral policies as most closely resembling those of the Church, and Kerry's moral outlook as greatly at odds with the Church - by a full 10 percent margin, 52 percent to 42 percent.

But among those Catholics-in-name-only (CINO) voters who rarely if ever go to church - about 38 percent of the self-described Catholics - Kerry led by 57 percent to 39 percent.

Marlin points out that since the "Catholic" vote will determine the outcome - and he provides solid evidence for the veracity of this prediction - the election will be decided by how effective the Bush forces are in energizing the faithful Catholics to come out and vote for him, and how effective Kerry is in energizing the phony Catholic bloc of voters.

It's important to understand exactly what defines a Roman Catholic. Anyone wishing to be a member of the Roman Catholic Church must subscribe fully and not half-heartedly to what is called the "Depositum Fidei," the deposit of faith which contains the Church's doctrines. It's not up for debate. Take it or leave it. Leave it and you leave the Church.

Adhering to those doctrines faithfully makes a faithful Catholic. It is not easy. There are lots of inconveniences that prevent a Roman Catholic from living in accord with the current fun-and-games secularist lifestyle with which the media, Hollywood and the literary world are so enamored. It sets us apart from a majority of our fellow Americans. But as the old saying goes, "living Catholic is hard; dying Catholic is easy."

The CINOs reject the hard part - that which interferes with the decadent lifestyle they prefer. In the case of those in political life, the hard part interferes with taking positions opposite from those of voters on the left. And if that sets them at odds with their nominal religion, it's not their fault. They blame a Church which refuses to join the secularist parade and approve that which would deprive it of its very reason to exist.

Let's be blunt about this; people like John Kerry and Tom Daschle and their like - all CINOs - are well aware of the horrendous nature of abortion - the outright murder of unborn human beings in the eyes of the Church and most of humanity for most of the world's history.

But they would rather sacrifice babies over the political support of the multi-billion dollar abortion industry and its lavish campaign contributions.

Yet they continue to insist they remain members of the Catholic faith and are simply following their consciences by bartering their immortal souls for money and votes.

Let's be clear about this. They are not in any sense of the word Catholics. One can't support abortion and remain a Catholic. Nor can those who are faithful Catholics go down to their polling places on election day and vote for turncoats. By so doing they forfeit any claim to Catholicism and become apostates and accomplices in the murder of the unborn.

It's not just the issue of abortion that separates the CINOs from their former church. Other issues - same sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research and the requirement to attend Mass on Sundays - also puts them into the apostate column.

For them, living Catholic is just too hard. And dying outside their church will be hard. Damned hard.

Pray for them. And for God's sake, outvote them on election day.

Phil Brennan is a veteran journalist who writes for NewsMax.com. He is editor & publisher of Wednesday on the Web (http://www.pvbr.com) and was Washington columnist for National Review magazine in the 1960s. He also served as a staff aide for the House Republican Policy Committee and helped handle the Washington public relations operation for the Alaska Statehood Committee which won statehood for Alaska. He is also a trustee of the Lincoln Heritage Institute and a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. He can be reached at phil@newsmax.com

This was sent to me via email today...It was too good not to pass along...All emphasis above was added by me.

Thanks to Marc for passing this on the me!

St. Louis Catholic elementary teachers turn to Vatican

After a nine-year fight to unionize, a group of St. Louis-area Catholic elementary school teachers have sent a suit of sorts to an arm of the Catholic Church at the Vatican.

The 80-page canonical recourse, as it is called, alleges that St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke has gone against canon law and violated human and natural rights by refusing to recognize a union for elementary school teachers.

Article.

Kentucky Supreme Court Unleashes Power of the State to Kill its Own Citizens

The Kentucky Supreme Court issued a stunning decision on August 26th granting legal authority to the state of Kentucky to end the life of a totally innocent ward of the state. The case involved a mildly retarded black male, Matthew Woods, who was placed on a ventilator after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 54. The state requested permission to remove his life support, contrary to the wishes of Woods' guardian at litem.

Article

:The Passion" Sells over 4 Million Copies on First Day of DVD Release

Fox Home video announced Wednesday that 4.1 million copies of the video were sold on the first day of its release.

Source.

Critics: Blessed Junipero Serra - a Sinner

[S]ome elementary school teachers and activists say Serra took advantage of Native American labor, and through his leadership, the Golden State’s adored missions had devastating effects on thousands of Indians who lost their freedom and lives building and maintaining the 21 Catholic sites.

While Serra could become California’s first saint, some teachers are providing their own perspective, forsaking the mandated textbooks and letting 8-year-olds act out scenarios that portray Serra as a trickster and even, in a few extreme cases, a purveyor of genocide

Source.

Opinion Shaper: Have the pharisees taken over the Vatican?

Here is an article written, not be a theologian, but by a co-founder of a 'constitutional think tank'. This man is quick to criticize the Church and Bishop Smith of Trenton, NJ for upholding and protecting the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist. As you may recall, this story began with the problem of a young girl who suffers from some form of celiac disease and was given a communion wafer made of rice rather than wheat - and, of course, this was rightly declared to be invalid.

Now comes John R. Stoeffler, the author of this St. Louis Post Dispatch article, who equates the position of the Church with that of the pharisees for being 'legalistic'. He states:

For me this doctrine [the Holy Eucharist] is clearly based on legalism that has more in common with the pharisees Jesus encountered than that of the Good Samaritan.

For one who understands what a sacrament is, this should be no problem. It is no more 'legalistic' than any of the 10 Commandments. As you may know, simply stated, a sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace [Baltimore Catechism]. Or as the new Catechism indicates: The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us (CCC 1131).

But there is more to be said of the Holy Eucharist which Mr. Stoeffler does not understand when he states:

The origin of the Eucharist began at the Last Super when Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples. The bread was symbolic of Jesus' body, and the wine that of his shed blood. In distributing the bread and wine to his disciples Jesus told them to "do this in rememberance of me." (Luke 22:19) What eight-year-old Haley Waldman and all who participate in the celebration of the Last Supper were doing was honoring Jesus by keeping his charge.

Faithful Catholics understand that there the bread and the wine are not merely symbolic of Jesus' body and blood, but actually and truly become the very body, blood, soul and divinity of our Saviour by the power of the Holy Spirit. This has been the teaching of the Church from the very beginning - it is not some mere 'honoring of Jesus by keeping His charge'. Jesus said, "This IS My Body, this IS My Blood." Nowhere in the New Testament or in the writings of the Early Church Fathers is there any mention of a merely symbolic nature to this august mystery.

As the Sacraments were instituted by our Lord Himself, the Church does not have the power or authority to change them.

Mr Stoeffler finishes by stating:

If the Catholic Church has a problem with Haley Waldman's physical restriction I know there are other Christian denominations whose members would take a sincere interest in her physical concerns and spiritual well being and welcome her with open arms.

The insinuation that the Catholic Church has a problem with the little girl's disease is disingenuous and represents a complete lack of understanding of the Church. Catholics certainly sympathize with those who suffer from the disease and the Church does allow low-gluten hosts to be used. The Church also permits the communicant to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord under the species of wine.

While other Christian communities might well accept Haley with open arms, the fact remains that these other Christian communities cannot offer her what the Church established by Jesus Christ can offer - the real, true and substantial Body and Blood of our Lord contained in the Most Holy Eucharist.

Article.

'The Passion' Sells 2.4 Million DVDs

The DVD of Mel Gibson's biblical epic "The Passion of the Christ" went on sale Tuesday and sold 2.4 million copies by midday.

"We think a lot of the consumers will be going in after work to pick it up," said Steve Feldstein, spokesman for Fox Home Entertainment, which is distributing the DVD. Total one-day sales figures for the movie were expected Wednesday.

I have not picked one up yet, although I plan to do so this week...I'm looking forward to watching the movie again and I'm reluctant to recall how offensive to God my sins are.

Article here

Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Diocese of Greensburg

Dear Brother Priests and Deacons,
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith,

This pastoral letter is being addressed to you in an effort to clarify the Catholic Church's teaching as it relates to certain issues which have emerged as a result of this year's election campaigns. It analyzes these issues from a faith perspective. By way of conclusion, I have focused upon some practical measures which result from this analysis, and which are considered pastorally appropriate. I commend this statement to your careful consideration.

Full text here.

Responsibility of U.S. Catholic Voters

This is a Zenit interview with Cardinal McCarrick.
Link.

September 18 - in La Crosse, WI

This just in...For anyone who may be in the La Crosse area in two weeks...

To: All Members and Friends of the Marian Catechist Apostolate

YOU ARE INVITED to a dynamic presentation by
Sister M. Johanna Paruch, F.S.G.M.,
Assistant Professor of Theology and Catechetics
Franciscan University of Steubenville

Sister M. Johanna will speak on catechetical saints. Catechetical saints teach us two things: they teach us to be holy and they teach us how to hand on the faith in all its integrity, in all its rigor and vigor.

DATE: Saturday, September 18, 2004
TIME: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

From 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
 Jesus Christ—Master Teacher
 Mary and Joseph—Mother and guardian of the Redeemer
 St. Paul—Father of the Gentiles

From 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
 St. Augustine—Father of Catechetics
 St. Charles Borromeo—Father of the Catechism
 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton—Wife, Mother, Educator, Foundress
 St. John Bosco—Father of Youth

Join us for one or both sessions.

PLACE: Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, WI.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. followed by the Holy Rosary in the Shrine chapel. Lunch in the Shrine Café.

For more information or to RSVP, contact:

Marian Catechist Apostolate
1032 Caledonia St.
La Crosse, WI. 54601

Phone:608-782-0011, Email:MCPrayer@charter.net

Karl Keating's E-Letter for 8/31

TOPICS:

RICE HOSTS REVISTED
KIDS LEARN THE FAITH ONLINE
VOTER'S GUIDE IN TODAY'S "USA TODAY"

Dear Friend of Catholic Answers:

Many thanks to those readers who have become regulars at the Catholic Answers discussion forums. Now that the initial excitement has died down, we have a better sense of the activity there.

In August we have averaged 12,000 new messages each week, down only slightly from the average in July, and this month we added 1,200 new members.

We have tried to keep the forums orderly and friendly--not always an easy thing to do with so much activity and so many people with strong opinions! My thanks to our moderators for doing a fine job and to the many members who informally help to keep things steady.

WHINE OR WINE?

It was the second such case to make the national headlines. A girl's parents complained that their parish wouldn't use a rice-flour wafer in Holy Communion. The girl has celiac disease, which prevents her from eating anything made of wheat because wheat has gluten in it. Rice doesn't. The girl wants to go to Communion, so why not accommodate her by using some flour, such as rice, that doesn't contain gluten?

Can't be done, said the diocese. That's insensitive and discriminatory, said the parents.

This is a replay of an earlier case. The result that time was that the parents left the Catholic Church and joined a Protestant church where their daughter could receive that church's analogue of Communion in the form of a rice wafer. I don't know what the result of the recent case will be--maybe the family will stay in the Church, maybe not--but reality needs to be respected and accepted.

The reality is that a valid consecration requires a host made of wheat flour and water. In the West, the host is unleavened; in the East, it is leavened. But otherwise the host is nothing but wheat by the time it is brought to the altar (the water already having evaporated, of course).

No other flour may be used: not rice, not barley, not corn, not rye, not anything else. The use of any flour other than wheat flour makes the bread invalid matter. If a priest said the words of consecration over such bread, nothing would happen. There would be no consecration, just as there would be no consecration if the wine were replaced with plain grape juice or with any other liquid.

Why did Jesus choose wheat bread and wine as the elements of the Eucharist? Why didn't he choose, say, rye bread and water or cheese and beer? Theologians offer us several reasons, but the bottom line is that our Lord could have chosen whatever he wished as the elements. Wheat bread and wine may have been the most suitable, for many reasons, but he could have chosen anything.

We need to keep in mind that he did choose wheat bread and wine, and that's that. Only those elements can be consecrated. Only those can be transubstantiated into his body and blood. Nothing else will work. This has been the constant teaching of the Church, from the earliest centuries, and it is an unchangeable teaching. Take it or leave it.

The family in the first case decided to leave. Instead of accepting the reality of the sacrament, they chose to redefine it according to their own desires. I hope the second family comes to understand the teaching of the Church--I hope someone at the family's parish is adept at conveying that teaching--and not just understand but accept.

Those who suffer from celiac disease can be accommodated through the use of low-gluten hosts or, for those who can't have even the slightest amount of gluten, through recourse to the chalice alone, even a separate mini-chalice into which no particle of the consecrated host is dropped by the priest.

A LOT BETTER THAN MY CCD CLASS

I no longer have a child of school age, but many of you do. You no doubt want to have your offspring know the three Rs but also the fourth: religion. And how do you accomplish that?

I attended public schools, which meant we were packed off to CCD classes one evening a week. The acronym stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, but it could have stood for Catholic Children Daydreaming. That's how boring it seemed, and the result was that that was the last religious instruction many of my peers had.

So what to do for your kids? You might want to take a look at an online program called CatechismClass.com. It is for kids through twelfth grade, though I suspect not a few adults would find it a good refresher. The entire program is given over the computer at the student's own pace. I've taken a look at the site, and it certainly looks to be a step up (a very big step up) from the CCD classes I took.

The web address is http://www.catechismclass.com

LOOK AT TODAY'S "USA TODAY"

We have taken a big financial leap in the dark (we're using $20,000 that otherwise would be paying down regular bills) to run the full text of our "Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics" in four regional editions of "USA Today."

The full-page ad runs in these editions:

Los Angeles (includes San Diego, the southern half of California, Las Vegas, and nearly all of Nevada)

St. Louis (includes most of Missouri, almost all of Arkansas, half of Illinois, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky)

New York (includes the entire state plus the western half of Connecticut and parts of Pennsylvania)

Washington, D.C. (includes Baltimore, Richmond, almost all of Maryland and Virginia, and parts of North Carolina)

Our plan is to send tear sheets of the ad to our supporters, asking them to cover the $20,000 and to help us raise enough to run the same ad again in October, ideally in all the regional editions of "USA Today."

According to the newspaper, the ad placed today will be read by more than one million people. If we can raise enough to run the ad in every edition of "USA Today," about five times that many will see it. To that number we can add the several million copies of the voter's guide that will be distributed in booklet form--already we have sent out one million copies and expect carloads more to go out over the next 60 days.

I wish we were in a position to mail the voter's guide to every Catholic household in the country, but that isn't remotely in our budget. For that matter, today's ad is not in our budget, but we have confidence that our friends will help to underwrite the cost.

One more thing I'm sure of: We'll be fielding lots of calls from the media this week.

Until next time,

Karl

To learn more about the Catholic faith and about Catholic Answers, visit us at http://www.catholic.com.
********************
The content of this E-Letter is copyright 2004 by Karl Keating.

No "ideal" US presidential candidate, Cardinal McCarrick says

This is an excerpt from Catholic World News.

I was somewhat hesitant to post this - I would hope that it would be made available to non-subscribers - only because it is something about which, I believe, all informed Catholics should know. If nothing else, it seems to indicate a continued pattern of confusion or deception in the Cardinal's thinking.

Rome, Aug. 30 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, DC, has said that it is "impossible" to find an ideal presidential candidate in the US, but said the American bishops hope to "define moral principles clearly" in order to guide voters.

Fortunately, there are some bishops who are (and have been) speaking out clearly with respect to already "defined moral principles". The moral principles are well known among some Catholics...The bishops do not need to hope to "define moral principles clearly" - they need to TEACH these moral principles without fear or ambiguity!

Cardinal McCarrick said that the foremost issue in this year's elections should be "respect for life." But he quickly added that "questions tied to peace and social justice, as well as aid for the poor," should have equal footing.

EQUAL FOOTING???? Has the Cardinal lost his Catholic faith?

Questioned about the debate among American bishops about denying the Eucharist to candidates who support legal abortion, Cardinal McCarrick said that "the Eucharist is not the appropriate place for political battles."

First, the good Cardinal uses the same rhetoric as the pro-death politicians. Secondly, it should not be a "battle" for a bishop to save the Most Holy Eucharist from sacrilege - if it is, then there is something else fundamentally wrong with that individual. Lastly, Cardinal McCarrick's statement contradicts both Canon Law, Ecclesia de Eucharista and the recent memo from Cardinal Ratzinger.

Some professed Catholics have even stated that since it is OK for pro-abortion politicians to receive Holy Communion, it must also be OK to support them and vote for them - Is it any wonder why they would come to that conclusion when some bishops and priests fail to follow the directives of the Holy See?

What a delight it must be to live in Washington DC, where it appears, very little is sacred anymore.

News Flash!...

...Religious education test shows students lacking in church knowledge

Catholic youths in the Cincinnati Archdiocese value their relationship with God, friends and family members, but they could use a little more knowledge about Catholicism, according to the results of a recent survey.

Source.

Bishop Gainer discusses pro-abortion politicians

Bishop Gainer said...that he intends to approach any practicing Catholic politicians who are openly pro-choice [pro-abortion] to talk about their situations, but that he would wait until after the November election to do so.

Although the issue has generated criticism, Gainer said the debate can have some positive outcomes: It gives the church a chance to reiterate its stance on abortion, a chance to engage in "serious interaction" with Catholic politicians, and a chance to come to a deeper understanding of the sacrament.

"This should cause us to reflect a little more," Gainer said. "We might have been a little bit asleep."

Article.

Are you ready for the Thirteen Moon Calendar?

The United Nations, which has a finger in every global pie, and ambitions to take over the World Internet, is inching its way towards calendar reform.

Long on lofty words and windy clauses, the official UN description for calendar reform is, "Calendar Reform and the Future of Civilization" (CRFC).

Why is the UN itching to change the method by which the world tells time?

It’s the Gregorian Calendar. Having replaced the Julian Calendar, the Gregorian was instituted by papal decree in the year AD 1582 and adopted by virtually all nations as the common world standard.

Accepted by virtually all nations notwithstanding, the Gregorian Calendar is irksome to New Agers because the whole world marks time based on the Birth of Jesus Christ. And as far as the occultist UN is concerned, that will never do.

Source.

Mexican Cardinal Says those who Promote Abortion cannot be Catholic

While US bishops continue to line up on either side of divided opinion about pro-abortion 'Catholic' politicians' reception of communion, Church officials outside the US are becoming ever more outspoken. The President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, and the Mexican Theological Society, Javier Cardinal Lozano Barragán, said at a conference on Pastoral Health Care in Mexico City that any group that promotes or participates in abortion cannot be considered Catholic. "Those who encourage abortion, those who obtain abortions, those who perform them, are outside the Church," he said.

He said that the Church would never relax its vigilance against abortion. "The Fifth Commandment says, thou shall not kill. Abortion kills, therefore it is murder, and the worst part is that it's the mother who kills her own, defenseless child," he said.

Source.

Charlotte Observer Editor Shows Ignorance of the Faith

Mary C. Curtis, Executive Features Editor/Columnist at The Charlotte Observer, opines:

That's what my Catholic faith has always been for me, a place for a peaceful dialogue with God.
...
Middlemen selectively split theological hairs, helpfully arranging the Ten Commandments in order of importance and providing a guide to politicians on how best to obey them. Punishment - "no Eucharist for you" - is swift and public for politicians who don't publicly oppose abortion. It's also wildly inconsistent, even within North Carolina.

I believe life starts at conception. I also believe protecting life doesn't end at birth.

It continues with providing children with health care and nutritious meals. Educational opportunities allow young people to dream, so a child won't have to give birth to find love. Valuing all life means support for the disabled.

The church on earth - always given to patriarchal excess - resembles a giant corporation, protecting its interests and wielding power and punishment with a brazenness that would shame Kenneth Lay.

It's utterly amazing that anyone, particularly one who professes to be Catholic, could implicitly condone abortion by not calling to account those politicians and others who openly support the selective murder of millions of innocent children.

The categorical denial of a hierarchy of truths and laws demonstrates that one is confused about fundamental issues of life. The statements made in the article show either a genuine ignorance of the facts or a deliberate attempt to confuse the issues.

Perhaps a better understanding can be inferred from the statement that the Church is given to "patriarchal excess". Sadly, this woman seems to be another example of what can happen to a person after decades of failed on non-existent catechesis. Again, many prayers are needed for the conversion of hearts, souls and minds.

Article.

New Jersey Bishops to meet with Holy Father

Bishop John M. Smith will discuss matters in a report sent to Rome "several months ago," said the spokeswoman, Audra Miller, but she said she did not know if the report was delivered before the issue involving 8-year-old Haley Waldman of Brielle.

The dispute arose in June when the girl, who cannot safely consume wheat, had her first Holy Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained none, violating Catholic doctrine.

And the mother is pushing for an exception to be made. Years of failed catechesis and spiritual formation have caused so many people to become concerned with things other than eternal life.

Article

Personal Example of the Parish Priest is What Attracts Vocations

Each parish priest, according to his own style and method, is responsible for inspiring others to follow the vocational path, said Father Stuart Bate, a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Zenit article.

Are You Confused about "Catholic Social Teaching"?

If so, Dr. Arthur Hippler, director of the Office of Justice and Peace in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., has written an excellent short primer on the subject, entitled, "What Do We Mean By 'Catholic Social Teaching?'"

We must therefore distinguish two senses of Catholic social teaching — a restricted one that applies to the peace in society that arises from just and friendly collaboration between different social classes; and the more general sense of Catholic social teaching, which applies the whole of Catholic moral teaching to social and political life. The restricted sense of "social teaching" that has arisen in modern times cannot be mistaken for the greater whole, that is, the fullness of the moral law that has been articulated over the Church’s 2,000-year Tradition. Ultimately, even the Catholic teaching on rich and poor is incomplete when emancipated from the larger context of tradition from which it arose.

Source.

A local Catholic group continues to promote schism

An Important Conference for All Catholics...

"The Spirit Is Set Free"

a one-day conference exploring:
- one community's journey to an idependent Catholic model
- implications for the St. Louis faith community

Saturday, October 16th, 2004 9am-2pm
Evangelical United Church of Christ (204 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves)
Tickets:
$15/pre-registered by Oct. 8th
$20/at door
(includes lunch, call for low-income rate)

Conference Includes...
Keynote from Denise Donato, Liturgy, Interactive Workshops, Lunch, Local Speakers

Denise Donato was ordained a priest in the Spiritus Christi Community by a bishop of the Old Catholic Church in 2003. This 1,000+ member community describes itself as “a Christ-centered Catholic community reaching beyond the institutional church to be inclusive of all.” Come hear their story, and explore what it means here in St. Louis.

Source

Of course, the 1000+ member community can describe itself anyway it wishes - however, "Catholic" it is not.

How is it even possible to "reach beyond" the institutional Church? This suggests that there is a 'truth' which the Church does not recognize or possess...The more likely statement would be that it is a lost community which is hopelessly groping in the dark for any truths within reach. However, as one moves farther and farther from the light of Truth, one discovers in the increasing darkness a diminishing of support, reason, virtue, goodness, etc.

May our Lord grants us the graces and blessings needed to return to Him and follow Him as He desires.

Priest who loved to bet apologizes for theft

A Catholic priest who said he had a love of casinos is apologizing for taking $226,000 from an Edwardsville church to support his gambling habit.

The Rev. Gerald Bunse, 52, was reassigned a few weeks ago to a new parish, Our Savior Church in Jacksonville, Ill., as a priest in residence after receiving treatment for gambling. Bunse would not say where he received treatment.

Kathie Sass, the diocesan communications director, said the diocese was reimbursing most of the parish's losses. The diocese also doesn't plan to press charges against Bunse.

"He should be prosecuted and placed in jail," [longtime church member and former Edwardsville Mayor Clyde] Hartung said. "If that would have been me, I am sure I would be in the penitentiary right now. It just surprises me. This is just hard to believe."

Source.

Artificial Nutrition and Hydration Explained

Thirty bioethicists and health care experts gathered recently at a colloquium hosted by the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute to study John Paul II's speech last spring on life-sustaining treatments and the vegetative state.

To fully understand the implications of the papal speech and the colloquium's findings, Dr. William Sullivan, founding director of the institute, shared with ZENIT some scientific and moral issues concerning tube feeding or artificial nutrition and hydration for people in a persistent "vegetative" state or post-coma unresponsiveness.

Part 1 of the Zenit Article is here and Part 2 is here.

U.S Catholic Voters Guide in Full-Page Newspaper Ads

A Catholic apologetics group whose guide for Catholic voters was criticized by the US bishops' conference's lawyers is now preparing to put the guide before over one million voters in eight major metropolitan areas.

The group Catholic Answers is taking out a full-page ad in USA Today on Tuesday, August 31, which will provide a synopsis of the five key issues they've identified for Catholic voters to consider when they go to the polls: abortion, same-sex unions, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning, and euthanasia. Catholic Answers' president, Karl Keating, said the guide will inform Catholics that they can't deliberately vote against the Church's moral teachings and still call themselves "good Catholics."

Source.

As an aside, I have heard that our pastor has decided to send the Catholic Answers Voter's Guide to all registered parishioners. Previous indications were that he was opposed to even allowing it at the parish - Why the change? Maybe it was the many letters, etc, that were sent; maybe it was due to the Archbishop...? Maybe it is God's answer to the many prayers of the faithful...

September 12 - “Why Fatima Isn’t Over Yet:A Message Unheeded”

You and your family are cordially invited to a presentation on:
“Why Fatima Isn’t Over Yet: A Message Unheeded”

at St. Raymond’s Maronite Cathedral
931 Lebanon Dr.
St. Louis, MO

on Sunday September 12, 2:00pm


Some Catholics think the Fatima Message is something that applies to the past. It is true many of the prophecies have come to pass. However, an important part of the Fatima Message still remains unheeded. We live in a society that is almost the complete contrary of what Our Lady asks of us. It is a society that accepts and promotes abortion, immoral fashions and now same-sex marriage. In other words, the Fatima Message is far from over. All Catholics must concretely apply it to daily life.

In this talk, we will discuss:

What it takes for Fatima to “be over”

How to heed the Fatima message

The vastness of the crisis in our personal lives, society and the Church

The vastness of the help we can expect from Our Lady

This talk is one of a series of regularly held talks sponsored by the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) and its America Needs Fatima campaign.

American TFP member and director John W. Horvat II will speak on this timely topic and answer questions. He has spoken on numerous occasions in St. Louis.

Please join us for what promises to be a stimulating afternoon of Catholic conviviality, enlightening conversation, and hope for the future.

For additional information, contact Mark Serafino at (573) 459-5531.

Admission is free, Refreshement will be offered.

Vatican Cardinal says promoters of abortion have no place in the Church

The President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, said this week in Mexico that those promote abortion have no place in the Church.

In a clear reference to so-called “Catholic” groups such as “Catholics for a Free Choice,” the Cardinal said, “Those who encourage abortion, those who obtain abortions, those who perform them, are outside the Church.”

Source.

Banned from the Yahoo Group - Catholics for Kerry...

Apparently the much proclaimed openness and inclusivity of rebellious "Catholic" groups such as this one permit no one so speak out in opposition of their positions much less to repeat what the Church teaches...

I joined the "catholicsforkerry" group some time ago to obtain a more indepth understanding of the way in which professed "Catholics" can claim to be Catholic yet refuse to assent the Church. After reviewing a few posts, I posted a couple of responses late Friday to some errors in judgement or belief with respect to the teaching of the Church. These are excerpts of posts which caught my attention.

I personally can support early abortion for the raped 15 year old. I cannot support it when a 40 year old uses it because her career is more important.

I asked: So you support the execution of innocent people? The child who may come into existence because of rape or incest is to be denied the right to live because of the sin of another? This is exactly the path to which this flawed logic leads us.

And then later I read this:

The Church has always put women in some secondary role towards men and we have taken it. If women feel called to the priesthood, to become a full sacramental member of holy Mother Church then women need to be a more active voice in the Church.

I for one will never again except any Church teaching at face value. I feel that members of the Church should use the intelligence that God gave them to see if it is from God or from man. The Holy Spirit is constantly enlightening the minds and hearts of men and women. The men of our Church, the bishops, are refusing the Paraclete's gentle instructions.

To which I responded: Apparently, then, if you reject the teaching authority of the Church, the you reject both Christ and His Church. The teaching authority given to the Apostles with Peter as the leader of the Church on earth is binding on all Catholics. The teaching authority of the Church cannot be separated from the Church - were it possible to do so, the Church would cease to exist.

Perhaps, you might want to reconsider your position? A Catholic, to remain Catholic, is obliged to assent to the teachings of the Church.

It was later after receiving a private email that I discovered this:

You have been banned from this group by the group moderator (Yahoo! ID banned: lrslattery). You may not join the group catholicsforkerry.

The messages on the catholicsforkerry group are currently public and are available for review.

Here are samples of some of the followup remarks to which I am now unable to respond:

Gosh! I'm always taken aback by these people who want to do my thinking for me, examining my conscience for me and rendering decisions on my status as a Catholic. I, for one, respectfully wish such people would stick to themselves rather than being a busybody with my soul.--Peggy

As you are a man, you have no right to even speculate abuot a women's choice.Judging a woman - any woman - is not for you to do.Leave it to God, he'll do the job correctly, with love and compassiom.--Jean R.

How does rejecting the "teaching authority of the Church" cause one to reject Christ?
Are you not familiar with the Spirit of Truth? How can the Church's "teaching authority" supersede the Master's indwelling Spirit?--Saitia

Who is this jackass? Listen, pal, I am wise to people like you. You love to point to other people's sins but you are clueless on how to examine your own conscience. Lemme put it to you straight, pal - you are a disgrace to pro-life and you are a disgrace to the Catholic faith. You don't admonish the sinner, you pummel the sinner and just as the great TV evalgelists drive people away from Christianity, you drive people away from pro-life because you could give a crap about life. It is really about your own sick self-righteousness, isn't it? Don't you kind of get off in showing people how "holy" you are?--Socrates8972

I read this crap and I understand exactly why so many people hate Catholics. Listen pal, you ought to learn the truth about what the teaching magisterium teaches. Interesting how these jackasses can thunp the teaching magisterium but when you tell them the Holy Father himself oppsed the war, they say "I don't have to obey the Pope." Listen pal, I DO know about the teaching Magisterium and you ain't it.--Socrates8972

Yeah right !! So Galileo was wrong and the earth is flat, and Christ had a vendetta against the jews so he encouraged the persecution of the jews through the centuries. Yeah and Pius the 12th (who for some sick reason is being considered for beatification) did right by looking the other way while that sick puppy Hitler exterminated 6 million jews and gypsies. Tom is absolutely right - use your intelligence - don't be led by rabble rousers. We have one now in the white house who seems to be talking with God in his sleep and thinks God has given him a mandate to resurrect the crusades!!!--jr (joseph)

Exactly Joseph :) You got it right. We should definitely follow our Church's teachings, but if it doesn't seem quite right we should question it. Our Church's leaders are human and there's nothing that says they can't make mistakes in their
interpretations. Don't follow blindly!!--Anne.

Unfortunately, as one can see from the followup remarks, there is much confusion in this group of "Catholics" who believe all sorts of lies and distortions, such as: That the Church believed the earth was flat; that Pope Pius XII was Hitler's helper, that women have a right or choice to murder the innocent. This is to say nothing of the hateful ad hominems that "Socrates" employs in his remarks.

Perhaps, with sufficient prayers, fasting, and mortifications, those who profess to be Catholic might be led toward the truth of Christ an d His Church and be given the graces to receive the virtue of humility so that they might accept those things which the Church teaches and be obedient to the will of God.