Credit where credit is due
From Catholic World News, Off the Record: Commentary from the Newsroom:

Leslie Payne deserves no small credit for having anticipated the National Review Board by seven years in her lucid and devastating exposé Salt for Their Wounds, published in the February 1997 Catholic World Report.

Her essay deserves a careful re-reading. At the very least, it will put ample flesh on the bones of the Review Board's indictment.

After reading her essay and the two latest reports, I have to wonder about Bishop Gregory's assertion that this scandal is history....I think I may share some of Domenico Bettinelli's concerns as expressed here or here.
- posted by LRS @ 8:47 PM   

 
Catholics Can't Back Laws Contrary to Life, Insists Pope
Code: ZE04022909
Date: 2004-02-29

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 29, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II reminded the faithful that a lawmaker who considers himself a Catholic cannot support laws that are against life or marriage.

"I think it is opportune to recall that the lawmaker, and the Catholic lawmaker in particular, cannot contribute to formulate or approve laws contrary to the first and essential norms that regulate moral life," the Pope said when receiving Carlos Luis Custer, Argentina's new ambassador to the Holy See.

These principles, the Holy Father indicated, are "expression of the highest values of the human person and proceed, ultimately, from God, supreme lawmaker."

John Paul II called for respect for the "value of human life itself," from the moment of conception. "No one can claim for himself the power of violating" the right to life, he said.

The "other pillar of society" that every lawmaker must defend "is marriage, union of a man and a woman, open to life, which gives place to the natural institution of the family," the Pope added.

How many other U.S. Bishops are hearing and heeding the words of our Holy Father?

The Holy Father stated that: a lawmaker who considers himself a Catholic cannot support laws that are against life or marriage.

Certainly a bishop would not be out of line then for stating that: a lawmaker who supports laws against life or marriage cannot consider himself Catholic...

The implications are that this person has abandoned the faith, at least to some extent and would not be properly disposed to receive the Sacraments, except for the Sacraments of Healing. Seems pretty clear cut...Why then do some want to complicate simple things?
- posted by LRS @ 8:23 PM   

 
A Personal Program for Lent
Importance of a Personal Lenten Program

It should not be enough to slide through Lent by just observing the fast and abstinence laws. We should all undertake a Lenten program, an inward cleansing and purification, for oneself and the family. The program needs to be planned and organized. Ask the question: What shall I and my family do this year for Lent? Goals and activities should be realistic and reasonable, and parents should make sure that their children know why these practices are being adopted, rather than merely forcing them upon them.

Read Pope John Paul's Message for Lent 2004 for inspiration on what should be the focus during Lent. This year's theme is "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me." (Mt 10:8). After deciding our goals, both individual and family's, we need to arrange our schedules, plan the different events and make adjustments to our life to put these resolutions into practice. Our daily life doesn't stop just because Lent is here. The challenge is to observe the spirit of Lent and perform the works of Lent while living in a secular culture, to remain in the world but not become a product of it.

See the full program here at Catholic Culture (formerly PetersNet)

Archbishop Burke, in his Ash Wednesday homily at the Cathedral, touched on most of the things this article recommends. A "must read" article!
- posted by LRS @ 6:14 PM   

 
Pope urges authorities to stop homosexual "marriages"
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope John Paul II again stressed his opposition to gay unions today, saying they degrade the true sense of marriage between man and woman. He urged Catholic and non-Catholic authorities alike to stop approving them.

It was the second time in a week that John Paul has raised the issue, which is making headlines in the United States as a national debate arises from a decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that prohibiting same-sex marriages violated that state's constitution.
[Full Article here]
- posted by LRS @ 2:48 PM   

 
Charter for the Protection of the Sacred Liturgy
By Diogenes

Jan. 01 (CWR) - (The document that follows has not been approved (or even discussed) by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. But it might profitably be compared with their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted at the US bishops' meeting in Dallas last year.)

PREAMBLE

The Church in the United States is experiencing a crisis without precedent in our times. The abuse of the Sacred Liturgy by some priests and bishops, and the ways in which we bishops addressed these crimes and sins, have caused enormous pain, anger, and confusion. Innocent victims and their families have suffered terribly. In the past, secrecy has created an atmosphere that has inhibited the healing process and, in some cases, enabled liturgically abusive behavior to be repeated. As bishops, we acknowledge our mistakes and our role in that suffering, and we apologize and take responsibility for too often failing victims and our people in the past. We also take responsibility for dealing with this problem strongly, consistently, and effectively in the future. From the depths of our hearts, we bishops express great sorrow and profound regret for what the Catholic people are enduring.

We, who have been given the responsibility of shepherding God's people, will, with God's help and in full collaboration with our people, continue to work to restore the bonds of trust that unite us. Words alone cannot accomplish this goal. It will begin with the actions we take here in our General Assembly and at home in our dioceses/eparchies.

The damage caused by the abuse of the Mass is devastating and long-lasting. We reach out to those who suffer, but especially to the victims of liturgical abuse and their families. We apologize to them for the grave harm that has been inflicted upon them, and we offer them our help for the future. In the light of so much suffering, healing and reconciliation are beyond human capacity alone. Only God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness can lead us forward, trusting Christ's promise: "For God all things are possible." (Mt 19:26) Let there now be no doubt or confusion on anyone's part: For us, your bishops, our obligation to protect the Sacred Liturgy and to prevent liturgical abuse flows from the mission and example given to us by Jesus Christ himself, in whose name we serve.

POLICY NORMS

1. Dioceses/eparchies will reach out to victims/survivors and their families and demonstrate a sincere commitment to their spiritual and emotional well-being.

2. Dioceses/eparchies will have mechanisms in place to respond promptly to any allegation where there is reason to believe that liturgical abuse has occurred.

3. When liturgical abuse by a priest or a deacon is admitted or is established after an appropriate process in accord with canon law, the offending priest or deacon will be permanently removed from ministry, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state, if the case so warrants.

4. While the priestly commitment to the Liturgy is well known, there will be clear and well-publicized diocesan/eparchial standards of ministerial behavior and appropriate boundaries for clergy and for any other church personnel.

5. Dioceses/eparchies will evaluate the background of all diocesan/eparchial and parish personnel who have regular contact with the Sacred Liturgy.

CONCLUSION

In the midst of this terrible crisis of liturgical abuse by priests and bishops and how it has been dealt with by bishops, many other issues have been raised. In this Charter we focus specifically on the painful issue at hand. However, in this matter, we do wish to affirm our concern, especially with regard to issues related to effective consultation of the laity and the participation of God's people in decision-making that affects their well-being.

We must increase our vigilance to prevent those few who might exploit the priesthood for their own immoral and criminal purposes from doing so. At the same time, we know that the liturgical abuse is not a problem inherent in the priesthood, nor are priests the only ones guilty of it.

An essential means of dealing with the crisis is prayer for healing and reconciliation, and acts of reparation for the grave offense to God and the deep wound inflicted upon his holy people. Closely connected to prayer and acts of reparation is the call to holiness of life and the care of the diocesan/eparchial bishop to ensure that he and his priests avail themselves of the proven ways of avoiding sin and growing in holiness of life.

This charter is published for the dioceses/eparchies of the United States, and we bishops commit ourselves to its immediate implementation.
------------------------------

I don't know how I missed this. Will this be next on the USCCB agenda?




- posted by LRS @ 8:45 PM   

 
The Passion, the USCCB, & Rush Limbaugh's Commentary of them (USCCB)
Excerpts from 2/27 show transcript:

The Passion, which opened yesterday on over 4,500 screens in 3,000 theaters, "set a record for the biggest opening day for a movie released outside the summer and winter holiday months.... The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) retracted critical remarks made about the film last April by its ecumenical and interreligious committee, which suggested that the film might be anti-Semitic."

Now, this really steamed me. Who is this group? the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Now, we know they're a bunch of liberals. But still, take that away. They're Catholics. This is a movie about what these people profess to be experts in! This is a movie about what these people teach others to believe and learn -- and these are the experts! These are the fathers, if you will, and they are so scared. They are so scared of a movie they didn't even see that they had to run with the critics and say, "Anti-Semitisc! We don't want to be..." They didn't even have the guts to stand up for this, and it's about them!

It's about who they are, and they didn't have the guts to stand up -- and now they want to get back in. Now that the American people are going to see the movie in droves, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Ah, forget it, forget it. We want to be back in. "In remarks released Wednesday on the Catholic news service, three staff members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops office fulfillment broadcasting is the film might be overly violent but it's not anti-Semitic now." What business did you people have saying it was anti-Semitic anyway? You know that there's no anti-Semitism in the story of the crucifixion. That's not what it's about. Why did you join the chorus of detractors of a movie made by a man of your faith about what you do?

Because you're gutless. These are gutless people. Now, if gutless people are standing up, how can gutless people stand up for Jesus Christ? They ran away from this, and now of course, "Can we come back in? Can we come back in? I guess there's no anti-Semitism now." I saw this movie in July. I've been telling anybody who's asking me: "There's no anti-Semitism in the movie. I know anti-Semitism when I see it. It's all over the Middle East. That's where anti-Semitism is. It's all over France. It's all over Germany. I know it when I see it. It isn't here."

Yep...gutless elitists! My guess is many are not Catholic at all - Is that a requirement to work at the USCCB? Probably not!

- posted by LRS @ 2:36 PM   

 
Hedonistic Culture is factor in Church's Problems
Burke cites "hedonistic culture" as a factor in church's problems
By Aisha Sultan
Of the Post-Dispatch
02/27/2004

Archbishop Raymond Burke blamed society's "hedonistic culture" as the most significant cause of sexual abuse within the church.....(my emphasis)

I watched Archbishop Burke on EWTN and I did not hear him say this although he did mention the problem with the culture as far as chastity is concerned - nor did he indicate this in the St Louis Review article he wrote...From what I could gather he wants to spend more time reviewing it. He did say that he thought some primary reasons for these problems is failure to teach doctrinal truths and a lack of a proper ascetical prayer life. So it seems to me the above sentence and implication may be out of context, if not out of line....But then again, consider the source, The P-D, defender of truth.

"My own conclusion is we have not taken seriously enough the influence of our culture," he said. When pressed to explain these aspects of the culture, Burke offered the example of pornography. He added that society, as a whole, does not properly address the problem of sexual abuse, which he repeatedly described as a grave evil.

- posted by LRS @ 2:18 PM   

 
Full Text of the John Jay Report to the Bishops
I have not yet read it...

The full report can be found here.


- posted by LRS @ 7:44 AM   

 
A Report on the Crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States.
I have not read this one yet, either, but I did notice this:
"If you're conservative, homosexuality is the problem; if you're liberal, celibacy is the problem. So you tell me who you are, and I'll tell you what the problem is."

Excerpts from this report from the National Review Board:

Certainly, the debate implicates important developments in both the universal Church and the Church in the United States over the past fifty years. These developments include: the significant increase in vocations in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s; the Ecumenical Council of Bishops held from 1962 to 1965 known as Vatican II; the publication of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae in 1968, which reaffirmed traditional Church teaching on sexual morality and artificial contraception, and the negative reaction to that encyclical by many priests and laity in the United States, fostering what is often termed the "culture of dissent" within the American Church; the exodus of almost twenty thousand men from the priesthood in the late 1960s and 1970s; and attempts to reform the priesthood and seminary formation by Pope John Paul II, culminating with the publication in 1992 of Pastores Dabo Vobis.

As several priests and bishops told us, discussions about the "causes" of the current crisis often are seen as an opportunity to rehash old arguments about Vatican II and the other developments summarized above. As one bishop put it, echoing the comments of the bishop quoted above, those of a "conservative bent" lay the blame for the crisis on changes made at Vatican II and the culture of dissent, whereas the "progressives" lay the blame for the crisis on the failure to implement the reforms of Vatican II. There is, he added, a "little truth" in both points of view.

Despite the predictable liberal/conservative dichotomy, however, there is a surprising amount of consensus across the "political" spectrum regarding the issues underlying the crisis. The commonality of view among the broad range of people interviewed by the Review Board, in fact, gives credibility to the conclusions that the Board members reached as a result of their investigation.

The Review Board has determined that any discussion of the "causes and context" must address certain issues relating to the selection of candidates for the priesthood and to the formation of priests, as well as special issues relating to sexual orientation, celibacy, and spiritual life. Each of these subjects is discussed below.


# 50. The next step for the bishops and the Board is to commission a broad-based and multi-year study of the epidemic of abuse that the John Jay College study describes. It is hoped that such a study will identify the interactive causal factors in a systematic, epidemiological (host/victim-agent/predator-environ¬ment/culture) fashion. Such a study will enable the Church to develop additional policies for the protection of children and also will bring light to the factors that lead to child abuse in society at large and the steps that can be taken to protect children from the physical and psychological trauma of sexual abuse in the future.

- posted by LRS @ 7:31 AM   

 
Study shows scope of US sex-abuse scandal
From CWNews.com:

Washington, Feb. 27 (CWNews.com) - Over 4,000 American Catholic priests have been charges with the sexual abuse of children in the past 50 years, according to a report to be released today by US bishops' conference.

At a Friday press conference in Washington, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops will formally release two studies on the sex-abuse scandal: a statistic analysis prepared by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and an analysis of those findings by the National Review Board commissioned by the US bishops.

(Although the contents of those studies were not scheduled for release until 11 on Friday morning, a diocesan newspaper broke the embargo, and secular press reports began circulating early Friday morning.)

The American bishops have already spent $572 million in legal damages and attorneys' fees to settle lawsuits brought by sex-abuse victims, the reports noted. That figure is artificially low, however, because it does not include some major settlement that occurred after the data were collected (such as the $85 million paid by the Boston archdiocese), and many lawsuits are still pending.

The report found that 80 percent of the abuse involved male victims. That percentage climbed steadily from the 1950s through the 1980s, while the number of incidents also increased. Sex-abuse charges were most commonly brought against priests ordained in the 1960s and 1970s, and among the priests ordained in 1970, one out of ten has been accused of molesting children.

The John Jay study showed that only 14 percent of the incidents of sexual abuse reported to bishops were brought to the attention of local law-enforcement authorities, and 95 percent of the perpetrators avoided criminal charges. Of those who did face charges, 64 percent were convicted.

In its analysis of the issue, the National Review Board noted that it could find no expressions of outrage in any of the correspondence between bishops and priests who had been accused of sexual abuse.

[CWN will provide fuller analysis of the reports as the information becomes available.]

We must pray even more for the conversion of those involved in the hideous crimes against God and His people, especially His little ones. We must offer our prayers, sacrifices, and daily mortifications to Him Who can right all wrongs. Especially during this time of Lenten preparation, let us resolve to ask our Lord to purify and cleanse His Church from those who are contaminating His Spotless Bride.

- posted by LRS @ 7:15 AM   

 
For Stations of the Cross Today....
For the reality of the Passion of the Christ:
The Stations of the Cross In the Light of the Shroud

What better way to comprehend the true reality of the Passion of Christ than to compare the traditional Stations of the Cross — handed down to us by St. Francis and the Franciscans — than by comparing them with the scientific and medical Truths found in more than 600,000 hours of peer-reviewed research surrounding the Shroud of Turin.

For it is the very burial cloth of Jesus, proven not only by the Image of the Holy Face imprinted on the linen, but by the fact that the Saints themselves have instinctually venerated this sacred relic.

The Shroud shows us the Passion of Christ unlike anything in mankind’s history, and unlike a movie, presents accurate details of a Sacrifice no normal person could endure. Not since the eyewitnesses to the Crucifixion of Jesus has anyone been able to comprehend the true depth of what our Lord went through.

In this Light, let us then examine each Station and what the Shroud can visually show us as believers in the 3rd Millennium.

- posted by LRS @ 7:00 AM   

 
EWTN TOWN HALL MEETING LIVE
EWTN TOWN HALL MEETING LIVE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.: NATIONAL REVIEW BOARD FINDINGS (90:00)

Raymond Arroyo hosts EWTN News Town Hall Meeting on the report from the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Youth. The report is expected to contain the findings of a survey by criminologists, detailing all known allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests in the past 50 years.

Panelists include national review board members Robert Bennett, Anne Burke and William Burleigh; editors Kate O’Beirne and the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus; scholar George Weigel; and members of the clergy, including Bishop John D’Arcy, of the Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Archbishop Raymond Burke of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Friday February 27, 2004 8:00 PM LIVE
Saturday February 28, 2004 1:00 AM
Sunday February 29, 2004 4:30 PM
Monday March 1, 2004 10:00 AM
Monday March 1, 2004 11:00 PM

- posted by LRS @ 6:27 AM   

 
Reports On Clergy Sex Abuse
Revised Media Advisory:
U.S. Conference Of Catholic Bishops
Responds to Reports On Clergy Sex Abuse

WASHINGTON (February 24, 2004)

WHAT: News conference to respond to the findings of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice report on the Nature and Scope of abuse (1950-2002) and the National Review Board's Causes and Context report. Media credentials required. The reports are scheduled to be released by the National Review Board at 9:30 AM ET.

WHEN: Friday, February 27, 2004
11:30 AM ET

WHERE: National Press Club, Washington, DC
- posted by LRS @ 6:17 AM   

 
Orthodox study guides to "The Passion"
From Catholic Citizens of Illinois:

CCI NOTES:
Thanks to the enormous efforts of Dennis and Chris Cortes at www.civicsinaction.org, a detailed study guide is presented here to assist viewers in making the most out of Mel Gibson's Christian epic, "The Passion of Jesus Christ."

Five units are presented, each of which includes reflections on life and death of Christ, as well as prayers, discussion topics, questions, and definitions of significant Christian terms.

This is a powerful course of reflection and prayer developed through the cooperation of several faithful priests and lay Catholic writers.

Your friends at CCI heartily encourage all "Passion" attendees to enjoy these carefully prepared study guides, and act on them in your daily lives.

(PS, This is NOT the heterodox National Catholic Reporter's so-called 'study guides.' These are authentic Christian study guides.)
- posted by LRS @ 6:01 AM   

 
Pilate asks Jesus, "What is truth?"
When Pilate asks, "Quid est veritas?" (What is truth?), Jesus does not answer him.

This is because the answer to Pilate's question is contained within the question itself.

By rearranging the letters of the words in the question, one can find the answer to it:
"Est vir qui adest."
(IT IS THE MAN WHO IS BEFORE YOU)

-------------------------
Thanks to " Cincinnatus", who credits his Latin teacher, Sister Anna Roberta Benson.
- posted by LRS @ 12:30 PM   

 
Coming: New Vatican call for use of Latin

Vatican, Feb. 26 (CWNews.com)
A new document on the use of Latin in the Church, and the teaching of Latin in seminaries, is expected sometime this year.

Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, has confirmed that he hopes the document being prepared by that Congregation will be published in 2004.

"In order not to mutilate herself, the Church cannot fail to conserve her tradition and patrimony written in Latin," the Polish cardinal remarked during a February 25 meeting in Rome. He pointed out that Latin remains the official language of the Roman Church, and the official documents of the magisterium are written in that language. Therefore, he concluded, the Church needs priests who are familiar with the language, in order to ensure that they fully understand Catholic teachings.

Cardinal Grocholewski expressed regret that previous Vatican statements encouraging the teaching of Latin in Catholic seminaries-- such as Pope Paul VI's Veterum Sapentia of 1962-- are clearly not being applied. He added that Pope John Paul II had also encouraged Latin study in his 1979 apostolic constitution Sapientia Christiana, and the 1983 Code of Canon Law states calls for a "good understanding" of Latin among Catholic priests. On the 40th anniversary of Veterum Sapentia, Pope John Paul said that he would like to see "an ever stronger love for that language among the candidates for the priesthood."

The Congregation for Catholic Education, which is preparing the new document on the use of Latin, is asking a group of Latin scholars to review the proposed text. After that editorial review, the document will be sent to the presidents of the world's episcopal conferences before being made public. Cardinal Grocholewski indicated that he hoped that entire process would be complete before the end of 2004.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

- posted by LRS @ 12:15 PM   

 
I saw "The Passion"
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

I went to a 10:00pm showing of "The Passion" last night. I went with one of my sons. I had pre-ordered tickets over the web which was good, because the 10:00pm movie was sold out when we arrived at the theatre.

It is not difficult, nor am I ashamed to admit that my eyes were filled with tears during this movie. Afterwards, we drove home - I was speechless, shaken to my very core. There was nothing that I could say. I did not turn on the radio. We drove home for 30 minutes in complete and eerie silence. My heart was heavy with sorrow, with sadness, with guilt, with contrition...yet, with a profound and inexplicable sense of gratitude and hope.

I do not have words to describe the film. There are no words that I can think of to do justice to the film. I suspect that each person will see and experience it differently depending on one's own spiritual growth and formation. All I can do is relate what I felt and even that I find difficult.

I saw nothing which could be construed as anti-semitic. I do, however, have a new found disgust for Caiaphas and the high priests for the manipulation and lying with which they engaged Pilate to further their cause to have Jesus put to death. And this disgust translates into a disgust I have for myself - for upon deeper reflection, I know that in my life I have acted like Caiaphas!

I felt a sense of sadness and sorrow for Pilate, as he was forced into a position from which he could do nothing except wash his hands of the whole affair. A consummate politician! Would I have done the same had I been in Pilate's sandals? Unfortunately, who among us has not done what Pilate has done - who among us has not denied the Truth when He (the Way, the Truth, and the Life) was standing before us. Surely I, too, have denied Him to His Face just as Peter and others. Surely also, I have many times in my life rejected Him so that I could take easy way out and abandon the crosses He wished to share with me.

I must also admit that I have been remiss in contemplating the Passion of Christ properly. I have become accustomed to the sanitized version of the Passion which is prevalent in many parts of the Church today. I have always known that he suffered and died for us - yet, I never quite visualized the scourging and crucifixion for what it truly was - an horrific and grotesque display of man's inhumanity to man and in this case, the worst crime of all - deicide. Christ's perfect sacrifice to atone for all of our sins against God. All of this agony and suffering for love of mankind, His disobedient and ungrateful creatures.

These things were brought to light for me as I watched Christ's agony and passion - as I watched His Mother's pain and anguish...He was sent here to atone for our transgressions - to be the Perfect Sacrifice! How utterly shameful I felt both during and after the movie- my heart heavy with sorrow - for being part of the mob crying out "Crucify Him!" at various stages in my life. Lord, have mercy on us!

My reciting of the Stations of the Cross will be different from now on. My eyes well up with tears when I merely think about it. My daily Rosary and contemplating the mysteries has a new dimension. My daily Act of Contrition has a 'real' meaning and purpose - for I understand what my sins did to Jesus. I now have a deeper, more profound understanding of the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass - and a deeper comprehension and appreciation of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament - of all He has done for us to bring us closer to Him.

As I said, this movie will effect people differently. Some may acquire a new understanding of Christ's redemptive sacrifice. Yet some may experience nothing profound, and for these we must pray for our Lord to open their hearts to His infinite Love. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!

-------

O my God, I am heartily sorry and beg pardon for all of my sins NOT SO MUCH because these sins bring suffering and Hell to me, but because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ and have offended Thy Infinite Goodness. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.


- posted by LRS @ 6:10 AM   

 
Pope Invites the Faithful to Focus on the Essentials
Code: ZE04022502
Date: 2004-02-25
Pope Invites the Faithful to Focus on the Essentials
Lenten Advice in Ash Wednesday Homily

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 25, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II began Lent by inviting the faithful to embrace austerity in order to reduce "to the essential the baggage" in the journey of life.

The Pope presided today at the rite of the imposition of ashes, which he said "underlines man's awareness of himself as sinner" and "the willingness to accept and translate into concrete choices one's adherence to the Gospel."

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, made the sign of the cross on the Holy Father's forehead with fingers covered in ashes, reciting the ancient Ash Wednesday formula "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

The Pope then imposed ashes on Cardinal Sodano, as well as on some cardinals, bishops, priests, faithful and, in particular, his personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and his physician, Dr. Renato Buzzonetti.

In the homily, addressed to more than 6,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope described Lent, the 40 days in preparation for Easter, as an "intense time of spiritual training and of generous service to brothers."

"This necessarily entails sacrifices and renunciations. In fact, one must reduce the baggage to the essential so as not to be weighed down on the journey," he said.

"To become genuine disciples of Christ, it is necessary to deny oneself, to take up one's cross every day, and to follow him. It is the arduous path of holiness, which every baptized person is called to follow," the Pope explained.

John Paul II stressed that the "external gestures of penance have value if they are expressions of an interior attitude, if they manifest the firm determination to turn away from evil and walk on the path of goodness. Here is the profound meaning of Christian asceticism."

The Pontiff mentioned the means the Church has always proposed to live this important period of the Christian calendar.

In the first place, "humble and docile adherence to the will of God accompanied by incessant prayer," he said.

Then: "the penitential forms that are typical of the Christian tradition, such as abstinence, fasting, mortification and self-denial, even of goods that are legitimate in themselves."

Finally, the Pope pointed to the "concrete gestures of acceptance in relating to one's neighbor, which today's page of the Gospel evokes with the word 'alms.'"

Because of his state of health, John Paul II presided at the rite of the imposition of ashes in the Vatican basilica. In previous years, he presided at this ceremony in the Basilica of St. Sabina, on Rome's Aventine Hill.

On Sunday, the Pope begins his annual weeklong retreat.
- posted by LRS @ 5:53 AM   

 
“THE PASSION” WOUNDS THEOLOGIANS’ EGOS
This is a MUST read from William Donohue of the Catholic League:

"Having spent their entire adult lives studying the Bible, and having concluded they really don’t know very much about their subject (no argument there), they’re angry at Mel because he pays them no respect. More important, why are they angry with Mel for giving us his version of what happened when they confess they don’t know what happened? How can his portrayal be inauthentic if they don’t know what is authentic?
. . .
"Over the weekend, they made it clear that they don’t like the movie because, they say, it doesn’t conform to their understanding of Christ’s death. How unfortunate.
. . .
“What’s driving the ‘experts’ mad is the realization that all their books, articles and lectures put together cannot compare to the influence that Mel’s film will have on people all over the world. Their frail egos have been wounded. Even annihilated. Time for them to repair to the sanctity of their library carrel and contemplate starting over. It’s never too late to admit failure and start on the long journey back. To Truth.”

Classic Donohue! Telling it like it is!


- posted by LRS @ 5:30 AM   

 
The President of Marymount Manhattan College joins Bishop McGrath
An editorial commentary in the St Louis Post-Dispatch by Judson R. Shaver, President of Marymount Manhattan College, proclaims that the Gospels are not true, that the passion narratives are not historical.

This is similar to Bishop Patrick Mcgrath's article I commented on earlier.

Shaver states:

[H]is (Mel Gibson's) film is unhistorical and replicates the Gospels' shifting of blame from Rome to the Jews.

This blame-shifting is part of a broad strand of Christian anti-Semitism that begins in the New Testament and runs through modern, well-intentioned Christian thought.
...
While scholars find it difficult to establish exactly what Jesus said or did, there is no reason to believe that he rejected Judaism or the Jews.
...
The fact that Christian anti-Judaism is rooted in some New Testament texts has both created the sickness and delayed the cure. We cannot deny the sinful events in our history or the members of our fellowship who fall far short of the Christian ideal; neither can we can reject our scripture.

Shaver, however, seems to have rejected that Scripture was divinely inspired, and at least our understanding of Sacred Scripture as taught by the Church (See Dei Verbum)

He goes on to write:

If we can't abandon the New Testament or even its truly regrettable passages, I believe we can learn to read scripture differently.
...
Christians forgot that the Gospels, with their passion narratives, were originally the literary and theological creations of Jews.

Of course, we must read them and interpret them, not with the mind of the Church, but according to our own sensibilities - much like the ECUSA has reinterpreted Scripture to say that homosexuality is NOT an abomination to God. I just wonder how these people who advocate heretical* positions obtain jobs at allegedly 'Catholic' schools?

But wait a second - we soon find out what he is really saying...

Many of us know better, (regarding the true way to read the Gospels) but millions of Christians don't - including, I fear, Mel Gibson and the large evangelical audience his film will attract.

The truth is Shaver appears to be a member of an elitist group, formerly known centuries ago as the Gnostics - those who have been given special insights and powers that God did not want to share with us "common" and unenlightened people. Only those who have been granted special insight are capable of understanding the Gospels, not as historical in the events that are narrated, but "theological reflections"...

Lord, have mercy on us!


* CCC 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. "Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him."
- posted by LRS @ 6:30 AM   

 
Pope stresses "interior attitude" as Lent begins

Vatican, Feb. 25 (CWNews.com)
As he presided over Ash Wednesday services in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II reminded participants: “External gestures of penance have value if they express an interior attitude."

The Holy Father joined with all the cardinals of the Roman Curia, the Sistine Chapel choir, and about 6,000 faithful in a solemn ceremony inaugurating the penitential season of Lent. In his homily, he remarked that the imposition of ashes is "particularly important to the Christian tradition." This external gesture, he explained, signifies "the conscience of sinful man, in the face of God's majesty and holiness."

The Pope encouraged the faithful to follow traditional Lenten practices, including "abstinence, fasting, mortification and giving up legitimate goods." He noted that these observances should be coupled with "incessant prayer" and acts of charity. Echoing the theme of his Lenten message for 2004, the Pope particularly encouraged acts of charity toward, and care for, children in need.

The Liturgy of the Word in the Vatican basilica included Scripture readings, the Pope's homily, and then the distribution of ashes. A number of bishops, priests and lay people receive the ashes from the Pope himself, in front of the Altar of Confession. The Pontiff then received his ashes from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, while dozens of priests continued the distribution throughout the basilica.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

(Emphasis mine)

- posted by LRS @ 6:05 AM   

 
Spirit of the Lenten Season by Fr. John Hardon
There are two guiding principles for the observance of Lent. During this season, the faithful are to grow in their love of Jesus Crucified, and they are to practice extra penance for their own and other people's sins. Both aspects of Lent deserve some explanation.

Love of Jesus Crucified. The spirit of Lent is the spirit of Christ Crucified. Therefore, whatever enables us to better understand Christ's Passion and Death, and deepens our responsive love for His great love toward us should be fostered during the Lenten season. Some recommendations:

Meditation on the Gospel narratives of Christ's Passion.

Spiritual reading of books like Goodier's Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Abbot Marmion's The Way of the Cross, Edward Leen's Why the Cross?, Fulton Sheen's Seven Words on the Cross.

Recitation of prayers like Soul of Christ Sanctify Me.

Besides making the daily Way of the Cross, encouraging others to make the Stations at least on Fridays during Lent.

Having some symbol of Christ's Passion, like the crucifix or picture of the crucifix within easy eye vision to remind us of the Passion at odd moments of the day.

Having some short aspiration which is recited (at least mentally) a few times during the day, like, "My Jesus Crucified," or "Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death, have mercy on us."

Occasionally reciting the Litany of the Precious Blood.

Spending some extra time before the Blessed Sacrament, asking Our Lord to grow in the understanding of His continued Passion now in the Church, which is His Mystical Body on earth!

Making an occasional entry into one's spiritual journal about, "How much the Passion of Christ means to me."

Reparation for Sin. In practicing penance, we should keep in mind that there are two levels of reparation we are to practice, for our own and other people's sins. We are to expiate the guilt incurred by failing in one's love for God. And we are to repair the harm done by disobeying the will of God.

On the first level, our penance should be the practice of a deeper and more generous love for God

By making acts of divine love.

By doing our ordinary work with more selfless love for God.

By putting our heart more sincerely into whatever we are doing, and periodically telling our Lord we are doing it out of love for Him.

By deciding before Lent, what form(s) of charity I will practice towards those with whom I live or work. There is no more pleasing love of God, as expiation, than the selfless love of others whom God puts into my daily life.

By going through the spiritual and corporal works or mercy, and selecting one or more on which I wish to concentrate during Lent, as my form of penance-as-love, offered to the loving but offended God.

On the second level, our penance should strive to endure some pain in order to expiate the sinful pleasure that is always the substance of sin. This can take on a variety of forms, and no two people are the same in this matter. The following are merely examples.

More frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance during Lent.

More frequent attendance at Mass.

Less time spent in eating, or eating less food, or getting up earlier than usual.

Sacrifice of some hours per week that would otherwise have been spent in watching television, listening to the radio, reading secular newspapers, magazines, or fiction.

Walking, instead of driving, and walking upstairs instead of using an elevator.

Doing without some delicacy at table, or not eating between meals.

Getting up promptly in the morning, and retiring in good time at night.

Answering letters or writing to persons who would appreciate hearing from us.

Gauging one's time in telephone conversation or conversation in general.

Copyright © 2000 Inter Mirifica
- posted by LRS @ 5:49 AM   

 
The Way of the Cross
Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
THE WAY OF THE CROSS
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

During many centuries pious Christians went as pilgrims to Jerusalem, but when the Holy land was taken over by the Moslems these pilgrimages ceased. As a result, in many parts of Europe the custom arose of placing pictures in churches, representing the journey to Calvary. Probably the first to do this was Blessed Alvarez, a Dominican, at Cordova in Spain. About 1350 the Franciscans adopted the practice in Italy and even today the privilege of erecting the stations of the Cross belongs by apostolic indult to the Order of Friars Minor.

The stations are fourteen in number, although in the past, in different places, the number varied from eleven to sixteen. They may begin on either side of the church.

The devotion has always been highly indulgenced to a point where in 1931 Pius XI annulled the existing indulgences, which had become incalculable. Instead the following were decreed: (1) a plenary indulgence each time for all the faithful who, at least with contrite hearts, either singly or in groups, perform the Way of the Cross. To gain this plenary indulgence - -. No special prayers are prescribed, nor is it necessary to leave and reenter the church in order to gain it repeatedly; (2) another plenary indulgence for those who receive Holy Communion on the same day on which they have made the Way of the Cross, or within a month from the time when they have completed in ten times (3) a partial indulgence of ten years for each of the stations, in case, having begun the exercise, they failed for any reasonable cause to finish it.

A Station Crucifix is a crucifix specially blessed for the indulgences of the Way of the Cross by a priest having the faculty, with a single sign of the cross. The conditions for gaining the indulgences of the Way of The Cross with the crucifix so bless are: (1) Persons impeded from visiting the stations by other causes than sickness must hold the crucifix in their hands, or, if any reasonable cause, prevents this, must carry it with them in some way, and must moreover recite twenty Paters, Aves, and Glorias (fourteen for the stations, five for the five wounds, and one for the Intention of the Holy Father, (2) the sick who cannot visit the stations may of course gain the indulgences as above described, but if they are unable without grave inconvenience to fulfill those conditions they can gain all the indulgences of the Way of the Cross if with a loving and contrite heart they either kiss or even look at any crucifix which has been blessed for this purpose, and which is shown to them by a priest or by any other persons, and recite some short prayer or aspiration (even Mentally) in memory of the passion and death of our Lord.

In making the station only two things are required: to move from one to the other without notable interruption between them, and to meditate on the Passion.

It is not required, although certainly proper, to meditate on the particular mystery of the Passion represented by the station one is visiting. Neither is it necessary to say vocal prayers while making the stations, or after making them to pray for the intention of the Holy Father. If one cannot move about because of a crowd, or if the stations are being made publicly, it is sufficient to turn toward each station.

As a person walks from one station to the next, he first identifies the station and then says, "We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee because by Thy Holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world." And genuflecting while making that aspiration. At the Stations you may close with an Our Father and a Hail Mary and even adding, "may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen."

According to Benedict XIV, the Way of the Cross is one of he best means for converting sinners, stirring up fervor in the hearts of the lukewarm, and leading virtuous souls on to perfection.

Copyright © 2003 by Inter Mirifica

Read the rest of the article with the meditations on the Stations here.


- posted by LRS @ 5:26 AM   

 
A Spirit-led Lent
by Msgr. Charles M. Mangan

From Catholicexchange.com

Today is Ash Wednesday. The Church commences her forty days' pilgrimage that leads to Easter Sunday and the empty tomb. Some who write about Lent readily acknowledge that “these forty days” of prayer, self-denial and almsgiving, which should be seen as a unique opportunity to draw closer to the Lord, often inspire an irrational fear in the hearts of the faithful.

I admit that especially in the past, the mere thought of Lent evoked in me a sense of dread — even if not manifested exteriorly. Although Lent is not only dedicated to doing bodily penance, that element usually looms largest for many disciples of Jesus. Given that our human nature resists discipline, this may well be a factor in any reaction against Lent within us.

I have wondered on Ash Wednesday whether I can continue the Lenten discipline that I crafted. “Can I really go forty days without candy . . . Coca-Cola . . . dessert?

Those mortifications can be excellent. But I must remember that Lent isn’t about my anticipated feats designed to show how strong and persistent I am. Rather, Lent is about opening myself to Christ so that finally He can work in me as He has always wanted. Yes, I should devise a plan that includes more intense prayer, self-denial and acts of charity. Yet, I need to remain receptive to the Holy Spirit Who may be trying to lead me in another direction from the one I select.

Although I begin these six weeks somewhat intimidated by the prospect of how the unknown of human frailty may surface in me, within a few days I see what I had suspected: with God’s grace I can make a break with those extraneous things in my life.

And as Holy Week dawns, I will confess that there is so much in my life I can put aside. Lent always demonstrates to me that life needn’t be complicated and that I can live with much less.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (1090-1153), penned a prayer for Lent centuries ago that spoke of the confidence in the Lord that he desired. Such trust in God is what we need as we start Lent.

“Let me hold fast You, Lord, Whom the Angels themselves yearn to look upon. Wherever You go, I will follow You. If You pass through fire, I will not flinch; I fear no evil when You are with me. You carry my griefs, because You grieve for my sake. You passed through the narrow doorway from death to life, to make it wide enough for all to follow. Nothing can ever separate me from Your love.”

We need not be afraid. The Messiah Who invites us to walk with Him in His passion will accompany us to the grave where we will rise with Him.

Prayer . . . penance . . . charity . . . this is the path that Jesus chose almost 2,000 years ago. We take the identical way. The Father rewarded Christ for His fidelity. May we receive the same prize that the Risen Lord earned: victory over sin and death, which one day will blossom into everlasting peace in Heaven.

- posted by LRS @ 5:20 AM   

 
Cardinal Pell on "The Passion"
Code: ZE04022424
Date: 2004-02-24
Cardinal Pell on "The Passion"
"It Is Strong Meat"
SYDNEY, Australia, FEB. 24, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal George Pell wrote this commentary on the film "The Passion of the Christ." It appeared in the Sunday Telegraph and on the archdiocese's Web site.

Some excerpts:

The film is a contemporary masterpiece, artistically and technically. It is not absurd to compare it with the paintings of the Italian master Caravaggio, because of its beauty and drama. It is more genuinely spiritual, even more violent but less erotic than Caravaggio's canvases.

"The Passion" belongs to the turn of the 20th century, the cruellest in history, because of its violence which is explicit and continual. The scourging is worse than the crucifixion.

Those who are searching will be provoked to reflection. I have requested that all senior students in Catholic schools be invited to see the film...

It will help outsiders understand why there have been so many martyrs prepared to die for Christ, (more in the 20th century than any other) and why Christianity has such a profound influence in many different cultures after 2,000 years. The call to follow Christ is personal and primal. There was never any medieval morality play with an impact like this film's.

Generations of believers will see Mel Gibson's "The Passion" as a classic. But it is strong meat. Not for the faint hearted.

- posted by LRS @ 5:10 AM   

 
STATEMENT TO THE PRESS by Paul Likoudis
The death of my good friend and close collaborator for the past 13 years is devastating to me personally and completely unnecessary.

Do I blame Bishop Howard Hubbard for this tragedy?

Yes, I do. But there are other culprits and hosts of guilty bystanders.
- posted by LRS @ 6:20 AM   

 
Conservative Catholics take on church in Albany
It's amazing that the language used by reporters centers on the "political", such as conservative and liberal. Perhaps a more appropriate term in this case would be 'scandalized', or 'faithful', or even 'orthodox'. Why? Let's look at the first sentence of the article:

A tolerance of homosexuality, feminism and liberal doctrine has led to the scandals nationwide and claims of a gay den of priests led by the Albany bishop, said conservative Catholics on Sunday.
. . .
"(Stephen Brady's) quoted as saying he wants to take the diocese back," (Gerry) Ladouceur said. "The problem is he wants to take it back to the 15th century."

Interesting observation for someone so clueless. But why the 15th century and not the 1st or 2nd or 19th? Why not the 20th century which gave us so much good (evil) that we must celebrate and worship ourselves.

Although, I don't always agree with Brady's methods, I feel he and Paul Likoudis are performing a great service in Albany - much better than the service of the shepherd who has been there for so long, all the while leading souls to hell.

The Church in America, and maybe in other parts of the world, is split - it is painfully obvious to those who have eyes to see. There are those who have fashioned a new church in their own image, a church without sin, a church whose god is anything they want him/her/it to be. There can be no compromise with this 'new' church for it is of the devil himself. And far too many have been deceived and have gleefully embraced his deceptions and have drunk of his poison. The live in darkness and call it light.

Some of us want to take back our Church from the clutches of Satan and those who support him. We want the Truth to be faithfully handed on to our children (this is called catechesis). We want virtues to be esteemed rather than ridiculed. We want heresy exposed as a grievous offense to God and His people. We want sin and evil exposed to the light of day so that all may know that it leads to eternal damnation.

The Church is America is rather like Humpty Dumpty - it cannot be put back together again. But we have hope. Those who are remaining within the walls of the Church that Christ established on earth, are guaranteed the Truth - and if we accept and obey Jesus and His Church, we have nothing to fear and eternal happiness awaits us.

Here is the full article.

- posted by LRS @ 6:03 AM   

 
Another reason for a "Cleansing" at the USCCB

February 23, 2004
**********************************************
Dear Friend,

I know I just wrote to you on Friday, but I have an important follow-up to my last e-letter that I need to share with you right away.

First, a little history...

In the February issue of CRISIS, we ran an article on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) titled "Playing Politics: Inside the Bishops' Conference, Part II." In it, the author
explained that, when it comes to political issues, the conference as a whole acts like a group of pro-life Democrats. (If you haven't read the article yet, you can find it here:
http://www.crisismagazine.com/feature2.htm)

Amazingly enough, some people at the conference took objection to that characterization. Certainly not everyone there fits this description, they said. Well, I have to admit, they're right. Not everyone in the Conference is a pro-life Democrat.

Some are just plain Democrats.

A case in point is Ono Ekeh, the administrator of the "Catholics For Kerry" internet newsgroup. You see, when he's not working to get pro-abortion Democrat John Kerry elected president, he can be found at his other job: program coordinator for the Secretariat for African-American Catholics at the USCCB.

As you probably know, the USCCB itself takes a strong pro-life stance, saying that "the well-informed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political policy or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals," especially in regards to abortion.

So, how can an employee of the conference go directly against this clear mandate and publicly support a politician who has said repeatedly that he will approve only pro-abortion judges for the Supreme Court?

Journalist Tim Drake tipped me off to Ekeh and his position at the conference. While writing a story on John Kerry, Drake interviewed Ekeh about his support for the senator. When Drake asked about Ekeh's profession, Ekeh simply responded that he was "a small business owner." He made no mention of being employed by the bishops' conference.

It's no wonder -- on the "Catholics for Kerry" site, Ekeh has made several comments that directly challenge the Vatican, the bishops' conference, and even the president of the conference, Bishop Wilton Gregory himself. Not what you'd expect from someone in Gregory's employ.

Predictably, Ekeh goes to great (sometimes downright comical) lengths to justify support for a politician who blatantly rejects the Church's teaching on life issues. Ekeh explains that, instead of opposing abortion, Kerry will target poverty and thus help eliminate the dire financial circumstances that often drive women to abortion. In this way, Ekeh claims, "John Kerry's vision for America is a pro-life vision that will ultimately reduce the frequency of and need for abortions."

I wonder if John Kerry knows that his vision is "pro-life." After all, in my last e-letter I quoted Kerry saying that he wants to EXPAND abortion and make it MORE available, not eliminate poverty to reduce abortion rates. The "vision" Ekeh describes seems to be one he's invented himself.

But Ekeh doesn't end there. He even goes so far as to defend Kerry against the explicit directives from the Vatican and the USCCB that condemn political support for abortion and gay marriage.

With regards to the Vatican's comments on a politician's responsibility to support pro-life legislation, Ekeh boasts that "John Kerry has recently made it clear that he will not be taking orders from the Vatican and rightly so... Senator Kerry made a prudent decision in rejecting the Vatican's demands. Such a rejection does not mean a lack of respect for the Vatican or the Church's teachings. Rather, it highlights that the man understands that his obligations are primarily to the people his [sic] serves and not the Vatican."

He goes on to claim that the pope has never specifically commented on a politician's duty in this regard. Even the "Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life" won't convince him, since it was written by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and not the pope himself. (Never mind that the pope gave the Note his complete support and clearly stands behind its message.)

Ekeh gets a bit personal when it comes to his boss, Bishop Gregory. He's especially offended by Gregory's comments regarding gay marriage, where the bishop rightly points out that a Catholic
legislator is in "formal cooperation" with sin if he "does not oppose" legislation in favor of gay unions. Ekeh sniffs that "This is getting as close to excommunication as they would dare in our day and age... This is no less then than a tool of manipulation or control. This is commensurate with how the Holy See controlled politics in the Middle Ages, they had the ultimate threat, the threat of excommunication."

Oh brother.

Look, it's one thing for a Catholic to be a pro-life Democrat -- that in itself is a perfectly legitimate position and consistent with our Catholic Faith. However, it's completely unacceptable to follow Ekeh and trade away our pro-life responsibilities.

As Kerry advances down the presidential campaign trail, and as other Catholics equivocate on his blatantly pro-abortion record, it will become more and more vital for the bishops to speak out. And for the members of the conference itself, the issue is getting a bit close to home.

Talk to you later this week,

Deal

--------------------------------------------------
It's truly shameful that this is allowed to continue. How disgusting!
- posted by LRS @ 5:18 AM   

 
The power and the glory of Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"
Gibson's Film
The power and the glory of Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"
Inside the Vatican
By: Robert Moynihan

Another excellent review. Some powerful excerpts:

I wept.

I wept for the implacable inevitability of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the ruin of his body, which, yes, is presented as the temple of God, but which reminded me of my own body, of my sons' bodies -- how many times I have bandaged their little, and not-so-little, cuts! -- of the bodies of soldiers and civilians being blown apart in Iraq... and in Israel... of the bodies of millions in the past century... of the bodies of those who suffered and died in the concentration camps...
. . .
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is splendid.

It is her sorrow that made me weep.
. . .
During the struggle in the garden to arrest Jesus, his eye is struck. From that moment until the end of the film -- except in flashbacks -- one eye is black and shut.

I hated that. I wanted to see his whole face more, both his eyes. I think: "I wish Mel had waited until the middle of the film to strike Jesus' eye..."

And then I think: "What a foolish thing to wish..."
. . .
During the scourging, I longed for a flashback, anything to bring us back to a time when things were good, when Jesus was living with his parents, or when he was preaching.
. . .
There is no doubt that there is a "eucharistic" dimension to this film, which makes it more profoundly "religious" or Christian -- but also Jewish, as I will explain in a minute -- than any other film about Christ's passion.

The film is "eucharistic" -- a depiction of the religious sacrifice which constitutes, in Catholic belief, the initiation of a new world, redeemed from sin, a world of eternal life.
. . .
In a few days, barring a cataclysm, the film will be in theaters, and millions will see it.

And millions will weep.

But that weeping will not be channeled into hatred of any group or groups; rather, it will be channeled into a renewed commitment to the central message of the man who is depicted suffering in this film: "Love one another."

Perhaps this movie will be an impetus for many to turn from a sinful world and a sinful life? Perhaps it will help us realize the importance of God's infinite merciful love? Maybe it will help us restore some sanity and virtue to our society?
- posted by LRS @ 7:05 AM   

 
Reports of Albany meeting yesterday concerning Hubbard & Fr Minkler
Roman Catholic Faithful, headed be Stephen Brady and Paul Likoudis of The Wanderer, held a meeting to discuss the investigation of the Diocese of Albany & Bishop Howard Hubbard.

The alleged letter of Fr. Minkler

Another view from the AP.

Bishop's foes, backers clash at forum (Times Union)

And let's not forget that the diocese is paying $770 per hour to an independent investigator to review allegations against Bishop Hubbard.


Things are really bad in this diocese and have been for a while, it seems. Michael Rose wrote an article in July 2003 which stated that Bishop Hubbard established a policy of recruiting, primarily, homosexuals for the priesthood.

How the people in that diocese must have suffered! I truly pray that the facts concerning Fr. Minkler's death come to light and that all of the wolves and Satan's minions in that diocese are brought to temporal justice and the diocese is purged of those responsible for the destruction of the faith and the loss of souls.
- posted by LRS @ 6:24 AM   

 
Transmission of Faith Depends on Catechesis, Says Pope

Says Parents and Educators Must Witness to What They Teach

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 22, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The future of the transmission of the faith and of the Church itself depends on catechesis, says John Paul II.

The Pope focused on catechesis in his address Friday to the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Paris, whom he met at the conclusion of their five-yearly visit to Rome.

The Holy Father mentioned the process of secularization under way in French society, which shows that "a first proclamation of the Gospel" is "necessary" virtually everywhere.

This phenomenon, however, is counterbalanced by signs of hope, such as that of the numerous young people and adults who request baptism.

"May the calls of the people who want 'to see Jesus' and who knock on the door of the Church help you to bring about a new springtime of evangelization and catechesis," the Pope told the French bishops.

Catechists must know that on their work depends "the future of the transmission of the faith and its being put into action," the Pontiff added. "The visibility of the Church of tomorrow also depends on it to a great extent."

In his address, delivered after the greeting addressed to him on behalf of the bishops by Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger of Paris, the Holy Father offered fundamental guidelines for catechesis to become a genuine discovery of Christ.

Referring to the catechesis of children and young people, John Paul II said: "It is important to give them a religious and moral education of quality, which offers clear and solid elements of the faith that leads to an intense spiritual life, as a child is also 'capax Dei' [capable of God], as the Fathers of the Church said, to a sacramental life, and to a worthy and beautiful human life."

"For catechetical formation to become a solid nucleus of existence, it must be accompanied by regular religious practice," the Pope said. "How can the proposal made to children take root, and how can Christ transform their being and action from within, if they do not meet with him regularly?"

He continued: "Christian life cannot be based on a mere sociological attitude, nor on knowledge of some rudiments of the Christian message, which would not lead to participation in the life of the Church. It would be the sign that faith remains as something totally external to persons."

"Young people are particularly sensitive to consistency between people's words and their concrete lives," the Pope said. "How can young people become aware of the need to participate in Sunday Mass or of the practice of the sacrament of penance if their parents or teachers do not live such a religious and ecclesial life?"

The Holy Father added: "Daily witness is the seal of the authenticity of the teaching that is imparted."

[Zenit Link here]

This is exactly what the Marian Catechist Apostolate does. Read colums by Archbishop Burke and Fr. John Hardon here. You may even consider becoming a member of this vitally needed apostolate.
- posted by LRS @ 6:11 AM   

 
Atlanta Archbishop John Donoghue & "The Passion" movie

Diocesan Publication
Published: February 19, 2004

To the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, And to All People of Good Faith

Dear Friends in Christ,

On Wednesday February 25th, we will celebrate Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the Lenten Season for the year of our Lord, 2004. As good Catholics do every year, we will undertake during the ensuing forty days, special acts of penance, including, as our Lord has taught us, prayer, fasting, and the giving of alms. We do these things to clear our minds, and to dispose our souls to accept more readily, the gift that Jesus Christ, the Son of God has made us - His life and His death - His suffering, and His redemption of all mankind.

This year, there is a special event which can help to make this Lent unlike any before, and perhaps, change us permanently, in the way we visualize and attempt to share in the great love our Lord has shown us. This event is the release of the film, The Passion, conceived, produced and directed by Mel Gibson.

Last summer Mel Gibson brought his film to Atlanta, and shared it with a small number of local religious leaders. At that time, I was able to talk at length with Mr. Gibson privately, and I am completely convinced that his motive in making this film was entirely religious, and that it manifests what I consider to be his sincere faith and devotion. I am also impressed by the willingness with which he faced the monumental challenges of accurately depicting the Gospel events surrounding the Passion of our Lord, as well as his courage in answering the opposition which such a depiction has and will continue to provoke.

Mel Gibson's understanding has been enlightened by the understanding of the Church. Specifically, in his depiction of the capture, the trial and the condemnation of Jesus Christ, no one bears the blame exclusively - neither the Jews, nor the Romans, nor the Herodians. Our Lord's sufferings and death are the result of one thing, and one thing only - the presence of evil in the world as a result of sin, the weakness of men and women when overcome by the temptations of Satan. All people bear the blame for our Lord's suffering and death - all people should feel sorrow or contrition that Christ's innocence is the only worthy sacrifice to atone for our sinfulness. These are hard lessons for us to bear at the best of times, for we are so proud; and these are almost impossible lessons for our modern culture, which seems devoted to the complete denial of sin and evil. Mel Gibson's desire is to show that sin and evil do exist, that Satan is real, and that only by humbly participating in the merits gained by our Lord, only by seeing, by feeling and by sharing in His suffering and death do we gain the grace, the gift, of being made worthy again to share the company of God. This is a gift that Jesus Christ made to all men and women - His gift does not consider race or creed - His gift embraces all who embrace Him. The blame for His death is upon the heads of all the children of Adam and Eve. And if there is one who can be said to condemn Him, then it is the one whom Jesus called "a murderer from the beginning" - Satan.

I believe that all people should see this film. And as your bishop, I would urge all Catholics of the Archdiocese of Atlanta to see this film. But do not expect to view it objectively or without being changed. It will not leave you the same person you were before - you will never again not be able to picture the scope of our Lord's suffering, and the terrible price He paid in order to save us. And consequently, you will never again be able to think of yourself as being innocent, or only relatively involved in the events of His Passion. That is a result of the true artistry that Mel Gibson has brought to the production, along with the work of an amazing cast, and cinematography that elevates this film to a place among the greatest ever made. But most importantly, it is a result of Mel Gibson's faithful adherence to the words and the spirit of the Gospel.

One important caution must be given. This movie is not for children, and by that, I specifically mean children who have not yet achieved an age to understand the graphic violence that can be done by humans to other humans, and to themselves. It would be unwise for me to try and decide what age that might be - and it is a responsibility that I consider to be the inviolate privilege of mothers and fathers. To be safe, I would suggest that no children under high school age should see this film, unless their parents have seen it first, and give their consent. In any case, young people will need to rely upon the counsel of older men and women, as well as priests, and educators of the Church, in order to absorb the impact of this film.

Dear friends, the lesson of The Passion is terrible - and beautiful - to behold, but the truth of accepting and making this lesson a part of our own lives, is to gain deeper faith in the ultimate outcome of Christ's purpose in coming among mankind - His victory over death - our death - ".to give his life as a ransom for many." May this magnificent film, a gift from God, help us to learn what we need to know, and may our Lenten and Easter celebrations this year, bring us an abundance of contrition, repentance, and new-found hope in the power of Jesus Christ to save us, and give us eternal life.

Sincerely yours,

Most Reverend John F. Donoghue Archbishop of Atlanta

I did not have a web site to link to...This was emailed to me.
- posted by LRS @ 7:50 PM   

 
From war to abuse, Archbishop Burke speaks out
Today, the Post-Dispatch has published an interview with Archbishop Raymond Burke.

"Inside the Vatican," a national Catholic publication, recently named him among the top 10 people of the year, and its editor calls him the "arguably the fastest rising bishop in the U.S. hierarchy." Meanwhile, one of the nation's largest anti-abortion groups recently launched an ad campaign around him."

The Archbishbishop discusses the following:

Consolidation of area parishes and the pain associated with the reorganization,
(He's very aware of the pain this causes and is sympathetic to those affected and he has suffered much because of it as well)

Politicians, abortion, euthanasia, and the dignity of life & the common good,
(He will do the same here if necessary - It's not a policy of his, but he is following Church law.)

The death of his father when he was young, and the importance of his mother, family & faith,
(He has a passion for the education and care of children - this can be seen by the LaCrosse Religious Education curriculum he established)

The sex-abuse scandal,
(He wants to meet with victims and those making allegations, not with SNAP)

Racial tensions in the St. Louis area,
(He feels that this is one of the human difficulties to confront, and probably one of the toughest to deal with.)

His appetite for reading, especially history, biography, philosophy, and theology,
(Right now, he's reading about the life of Bishop DuBourg and the history of the archdiocese)

Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ",
(His response up to this point is positive and he plans to see it sometime during the first week of Lent.)

Just War Theory and the war in Iraq,
(He feels the war would fall under the auspices of the Just War theory-that it was not unjust considering the evil of the regime among other things.)

Catholics and their use of artificial contraception,
(It's an essential part of Catholic teaching, and those preparing for Marriage must understand and accept it)

The homosexual 'marriage' debate,
(He will address the subject because Catholics are asking themselves how the Church view this)

Homosexual orientation and the priesthood,
(Homosexuality is disordered. There is no place in the priesthood for those who are active sexually, either homosexual or heterosexual. Also those with an inclination toward homosexuality should not be admitted to the priesthood.)

The importance of family farms,
(Farming is at the very foundation of our well being in this country)

The Building of a shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe here?
(We have shrines around the area. He'll have to wait and see what the needs are)

All in all, this was a really decent article from the Post-Dispatch. I would recommend that everyone who is interested read it. You have to remember that in the Post, Pro-Life becomes 'anti-abortion', but this is the mindset of the secular media. And Archbishop Burke is truly a man of humiliy.

You can find it here.
- posted by LRS @ 11:39 AM   

 
Message drew sister to priest (Fr John Minkler)
The circumstances surrounding the death of Fr. Minkler are so strange and bizarre. I pray that the truth comes out soon. Please pray also for Fr. Minkler and his family.

Call prompted discovery of cleric who died amid Hubbard controversy
By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer First published: Saturday, February 21, 2004

Before he died, a priest embroiled in the controversy surrounding Bishop Howard Hubbard arranged for his sister to find him, according to a police report obtained by the Times Union. Patricia Minkler told Watervliet police that she went to the 2319 Seventh St. home of her brother, the Rev. John Minkler, on Sunday after getting a call from another Catholic priest.

She found her brother on the kitchen floor, face-down on a blanket, and called police at about 1:48 p.m. for help with an "attempted suicide," according to the police report. Firefighters at the scene determined that he was dead, the report said.

Minkler had died sometime between 4:30 p.m. Feb. 13, and when his body was found.

Prescription pills were found near Minkler, Albany County Coroner Herman Thomas said. Thomas is awaiting the results of toxicology tests before ruling on the cause of death. He has not disclosed the nature of the medication.

The death came days after Minkler was publicly identified as the author of a 1995 letter to then-New York Archbishop John O'Connor that accused Hubbard of homosexual behavior and theological transgressions.

On Feb. 13, Minkler signed a statement for the Albany Diocese disavowing authorship of the letter.

Minkler left a note near his body, but its contents have not been disclosed by Thomas, who is conducting an investigation into the death. District Attorney Paul Clyne said the note probably will not be made public.

Patricia Minkler said the Rev. Edward Sipperly, a retired priest from Clifton Park, told her that he had received a message on his answering machine from John Minkler asking that his sister be called to "respond to his address with her keys to the residence because he is ill," according to the police report.

Sipperly did not know the date or time of the message from John Minkler. The police report does not state when Sipperly contacted the sister.

A man answering the telephone at Sipperly's home Friday told a reporter that Sipperly wasn't there and hung up immediately. Several other calls to the residence were not answered.

Attempts to reach Patricia Minkler for comment were unsuccessful.

The last known contact with Minkler was with the Rev. Joseph Wilson, a Queens priest, who said Minkler was very upset that being identified as the letter's author could ruin him.

Albany Diocese spokesman Ken Goldfarb said Friday that Minkler told the diocese that Sipperly would help him with his duties as chaplain at the Stratton VA Medical Center.

Minkler was a chaplain there for 20 years, but VA spokeswoman Linda Blumenstock said Friday there is no record that Sipperly was a volunteer.

During the 1990s, Sipperly was pastor at St. Stanislaus Church in Amsterdam.

In 1986, he was bound, beaten and robbed while pastor at St. Joseph's Church in Green Island, where one of his assailants yanked a silver cross and chain from around his neck, spat in his face and said, "I hate your God, I hate your religion and I hate you."

- posted by LRS @ 12:47 AM   

 
Diogenes suggests a "Thought Experiment"
Imagine a large suburban high school whose faculty and administration (considered a unity for present purposes) devises a series of programs to deal with the problem of student drug dealers. After some months of very mixed results it happens that a faculty member himself is arrested for selling drugs; then another; then two more in quick succession.
. . .
Suppose that it was wholly unknown for the faculty to identify and expel one of its own for drug use. That in every single case the faculty drug dealers were discharged only after an arrest by police or after overwhelmingly disgraceful media exposure.
. . .
Now imagine this. Not only does the faculty give absolutely zero indication that there is a problem that needs fixing in its own ranks, but it continues to speak exclusively -- without exception -- of a problem "out there," among the students, and continues to speak of itself as the perfectly obvious body to effect the cure.

It doesn't make me feel any better at all.


- posted by LRS @ 12:37 AM   

 
Why does Archbishop Pilarczyk want this law repealed?
Archbishop Pilarczyk wrote a letter urging the repeal of the following law:

"The City of Cincinnati and its various Boards and Commissions may not enact, adopt, enforce or administer any ordinance, regulation, rule or policy which provides that homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, status, conduct, or relationship constitutes, entitles, or otherwise provides a person with the basis to have any claim of minority or protected status, quota preference or other preferential treatment. This provision of the City Charter shall in all respects be self-executing. Any ordinance, regulation, rule or policy enacted before this amendment is adopted that violates the foregoing prohibition shall be null and void and of no force or effect."

I am unable to see anything discriminatory in the above. It seems that it seeks to prevent homosexuals from having special "minority" privileges which certainly seems reasonable. What group will be next to apply for special treatment because of disordered inclinations?

This man and the people of Cincinnati need our prayers.

- posted by LRS @ 12:17 AM   

 
Cardinal George Encourages People To See Gibson's Film
Chicago's Cardinal George Encourages People to See Gibson's Film
On Friday, Feb. 13 while attending a general meeting of Deanery III and IV priests and others, Albert Judy, O.P. (St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, River Forest, Illlinois) asked Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I. about the upcoming film, The Passion of the Christ. Here is the transcription from a digital recording:

Question: Albert Judy, O.P.

Is the archdiocese, especially the office of evangelization and catechesis prepared to take the maximum advantage of the movie that's about to appear, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ? I think it is going to be an incredible opportunity...it would be a shame if we are not able to take advantage of this event.

Response: Cardinal George, O.M.I.:

I have not seen the whole film. I have seen a rough cut, and from a cinematic point of view it is masterfully done. The images are so forceful, so powerful, that your imagination is changed. You live with new images of the passion. At least I did since seeing those images, without yet seeing how they come together in a film.

There is a priest in the archdiocese who has a lot of experience in filmmaking, and he has sent out to the parishes all the information on the film and how to participate in viewing it. I have sent out the documents from Rome and the USCCB on how to read the Passion stories in the Gospels. I would encourage people to see the film.

I would then say something else. We should see it not only as Christian believers; we should try to watch it with the eyes of the Jewish people.

The history of anti-Semitism, a very sorrowful history, has made many Jews very sensitive to any recognition that even some Jews were involved in the death of Jesus. Obviously some Jews were involved in the death of Jesus. He had enemies among his own people. His apostle Judas betrayed him and some of the leaders of the people were against him. Read the Gospels. At the same time, all Jesus' friends were Jews, as were the first apostles and disciples - everybody was a Jew within this story, except the Romans who, in fact, killed him. They killed him in their own fashion - a terrible execution, torture. And all of that torture is attributed to the Romans in the film.

But the push to have him condemned is attributed to some of the Jewish leaders, even though the Romans are primarily responsible. Jesus had enemies among his own people. He also had friends and disciples among his own people. Jesus was a Jew. And you can hardly tell the story of Jesus' life, certainly not the story of his death, without saying that some Jews did this and some Jews did that.

That very telling creates fear in the hearts of many Jewish people today. We should be aware of that even as we watch this film as Christians and are moved by it. We should try to think how a Jew [would] watch this. That's part of living as a community: we internalize the reactions of others, whether they're Jews or atheists or Protestants or Hindus. We try to live together. We have to be ourselves as Christians with the right to say, "Jesus is Lord;" but we have to say it in such a way that others don't take fright. That's the challenge of this film. I hope you'll see it, and I hope it will not harm interfaith relations.

Dominican Life
© 2002-2004 All Rights Reserved
- posted by LRS @ 12:10 AM   

 
Fr. Donald Cozzens, Keynote Speaker at VOTF-St Louis
One week after the special Credo sponsored Lenten Retreat on March 5 & 6, VOTF-St Louis and Voice of the Faithful Mid-Missouri will present their "Conference on the Challenges in the Church" on March 13.

For more information see this.

I hope to attend to give a report on the goings on.
I'm curious what these people would do if they were outnumbered by the truly faithful Catholics in the archdiocese?

- posted by LRS @ 12:03 AM   

 
Thanks for your time...
This was sent to me earlier this evening and I thought I should share it.
-------------------------------------
Thanks for your time
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. in fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box? " Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it. Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There, inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover.

Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

---------------------------------
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"


- posted by LRS @ 9:40 PM   

 
Who has not read the Catechism, or the Second Vatican Council documents?
PATRICK J. McGRATH is the Roman Catholic bishop of San Jose. He wrote this column for the Mercury News.

I do offer some reflections on underlying concerns that seem to be coming into focus in light of the Ash Wednesday release of ``The Passion.''

While the primary source material of the film is attributed to the four gospels, these sacred books are not historical accounts of the historical events that they narrate. They are theological reflections upon the events that form the core of Christian faith and belief. (Emphasis added by me)

But from the Catechism we read this:
#126 We can distinguish three stages in the formation of the Gospels:
1. The life and teaching of Jesus. The Church holds firmly that the four Gospels, "whose historicity she unhesitatingly affirms, faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, while he lived among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation, until the day when he was taken up."[99]

And the footnote #99 above directs us to the Second Vatican Council's Dei Verbum #19 which states:
Holy Mother Church has firmly and with absolute constancy held, and continues to hold, that the four Gospels just named, whose historical character the Church unhesitatingly asserts, faithfully hand on what Jesus Christ, while living among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation until the day He was taken up into heaven (see Acts 1:1).

I suppose one could also extract excerpts from Pascendi Dominici Gregis or Lamentabili Sane, both from Pope Pius X, but I suppose the Catechism and Dei Verbum are enough to begin the educational process for the San Jose bishop.
- posted by LRS @ 12:08 PM   

 
Kenneth Hulshof, Catholic, and Archbishop Burke
Another Post-Dispatch Letter to Editor writer has questions...

Hulshof silent on important issues

In a polished presentation, the congressman emphasized three points: that he and his wife were members of a certain Catholic church; that he opposed abortion; and that he opposed gun control. Not one word was devoted to any other issue.

Nothing, for example, on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, environment, stem-cell research, women's rights, national defense, government funding of religious institutions, the exploding national debt (private and public) or the unconscionable gap in income and wealth between the top 2 percent and the bottom 20 percent of our nation's population.

Cynics would argue that the congressman was simply honoring the dictum that the easiest votes to get are single-issue voters. Nevertheless, his silence on the important issues comes in stark contrast to the themes he had chosen.

If Congressman Hulshof wishes to exploit his Catholic credentials, does he not have a corresponding obligation to all his constituents to identify clearly where he advocates policies which contradict the desires of the conservatives who control the Vatican? This question gains special relevance now that the archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Burke, has decreed that Catholic lawmakers who support abortion rights, euthanasia or the death penalty shall not receive Communion until they publicly renounce such views.

I have yet to hear Archbishop Burke state that support for capital punishment precludes one from receiving Holy Communion. As a matter of fact, Dr. Arthur Hippler, Archbishops Burke's Director of Justice and Peace, in the Diocese of LaCrosse, has written extensively on this subject. The confusion of the letter writer might be cleared up by reading these articles. Also Archbishop Burke proposes that there is a disconnect of sorts when he says:

Our consistent stance on the dignity of all human life is not understood by some. Many understand our care for the poor and the marginalized, but they part company with us in our defense of innocent and defenseless life in the womb. They will stand with us against capital punishment, but not against procured abortion or euthanasia. *

Since the proper role of religion lies in being a critic of government and not as a participant in government, may we ask Hulshof two more questions?

The proper role of religion is to be a critic of government? Now we understand your dilemma. The role proper to religion is to offer praise and glory to God and to help mankind reach eternal happiness with God.

When religious leaders take advantage of the shield of our laws in order to oppose or endorse particular candidates, should not churches and church schools then forfeit their tax exemption as well as the ability of donors to deduct contributions from their income and estate taxes?

Another confusion in the mind of Mr. Meyer. The Catholic Church does not oppose nor endorse political candidates for office. The Church reminds the faithful of their duties with respect to the teachings of Christ, to be mindful of the responsibilities they have to participate wisely in choosing political leaders.

Since Archbishop Burke is following instructions from Rome, should he not register with our federal authorities as a foreign lobbyist?

Donald Meyer
Labadie

Finally, we reach the apex of Mr. Meyer's thinking. His view of Archbishop Burke as a 'patsy' of Rome, rather than as a successor of the Apostles, a disicple of Christ, and a shepherd of the faithful, is seriously flawed and is indicative of a warped view of reality.

Christ, have mercy on us!

* A Pastoral Letter to Christs's Faithful of the Diocese of LaCrosse
On the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility
The Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Bishop of LaCrosse
November 23, 2003



- posted by LRS @ 7:11 AM   

 
Claire McCaskill and the Church
This is from an article in yesterday's Post-Dispatch:

In an interview, McCaskill, a Roman Catholic and a supporter of abortion rights, was asked about directives by bishops that public officials should adhere publicly to church teachings against abortion. St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke has criticized the abortion-rights stand of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and said that if Kerry were to stand in his Communion line, he wouldn't give him the sacrament.

Last week, Archbishop James P. Keleher of the Kansas City, Kan., Diocese wrote Catholic institutions to say abortion-rights activists and politicians should not be invited to speak at those institutions.

McCaskill said she was disappointed that the church hierarchy had singled out one issue.

Some will say that the defense of innocent life is only one issue among many, that it is important but not fundamental. They are wrong. In the natural moral law, the good of life is the most fundamental good and the condition for the enjoyment of all other goods (cf. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics [November 1998], n. 5).*

"There's a lot of subject matter out there - birth control, the death penalty, euthanasia, social justice, and when you begin picking one topic and not talking about the other topics, I think that there is an issue of fairness in terms of the Catholic doctrine and how public officials are getting called to task," said McCaskill. "I'm hopeful that they pray about it, and I'm going to pray about it, and I hope that I still feel welcome in my church."

Catholics therefore cannot legitimately believe that, if they support programs for the poor and marginalized, this “makes up” for not being consistently prolife. “Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing and health care.... But being ‘right’ in such matters can never excuse a wrong choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life. Indeed, the failure to protect and defend life in its most vulnerable stages renders suspect any claims to the ‘rightness’ of positions in other matters affecting the poorest and least powerful of the human community” (Living the Gospel of Life, n. 23).*

McCaskill is a member of St. Gerard Majella parish in Kirkwood. Asked if she could still go to Communion if she got a letter from Archbishop Burke on abortion, McCaskill said, "I'll be candid. I do not participate in Communion now because I have remarried and did not want to go through what I considered a less-than-honest process of annulling my previous marriage.

"I wasn't comfortable in saying things to get an annulment that I had to say because they weren't true. I participate at my parish and do not take Communion at the present time. So it doesn't impact me other than it's hurtful."

At least on the point of refraining from Holy Communion, I can agree with her. It is a sacrilege and a mortal sin, objectively speaking, to receive Holy Communion while in an adulterous relationship, which is what her situation is, and which she seems to understand, at least in principle. Living in adultery precludes one from receiving the Sacraments.

However, one should not lie or fabricate stories and conditions when applying for an annulment. If she received advice that lying is required in order to secure a decree of nullity, she has been misinformed and, hopefully, this person is not a representative of the Church.

* A Pastoral Letter to Christs's Faithful of the Diocese of LaCrosse
On the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility
The Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Bishop of LaCrosse
November 23, 2003
- posted by LRS @ 7:10 AM   

 
Do these 'Liturgists' even know what the Catechism is?
Do they even know what the teachings of the Church are?
The Doctrinal Confusion of Liberal Liturgists

Apparently not....


- posted by LRS @ 7:08 AM   

 
The USCCB needs a good "cleansing"....
The only role the Bible says the Pharisees have in the passion of Jesus is, in one case they try to warn him that there's a plot against his life," said Eugene Fisher, the spokesman on interfaith relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C.

To counter some of the hype around Gibson's film, Fisher's staff has been hurriedly distributing to Catholic clergy fresh copies of 40 years of Catholic statements combating anti-Semitism. A 1988 declaration by the American bishops offers point-by-point instruction for any accurate portrayal of Jesus' death, including that Pharisees "should not be depicted as party to the proceedings against Jesus."

This, I believe, is the same group that published "Reflections on Covenant and Mission" which is no longer on the USCCB website, probably due to the confusion it caused the faithful and for its complete misunderstanding of the Catholic Church's position.

Some one should clean the "Augean stables", so to speak. Perhaps they can keep those who would make a profession of faith and take the oath of fidelity?


- posted by LRS @ 6:16 AM   

 
FOES OF “THE PASSION” CRACKING UP
Catholic League president William Donohue commented today on the way some critics of “The Passion of the Christ” are behaving:

“With the opening of ‘The Passion of the Christ’ less than a week away, it is obvious that some of the film’s critics are cracking up. For example, gossip maven Liz Smith today echoes ADL chief Abe Foxman’s remark that Mel Gibson is a ‘true believer.’ Ex-priest John Dominic Crossan accuses Mel of ‘playing with dynamite,’ offering that the film is ‘dangerously irresponsible.’ Bart Charlow, director of the National Conference for Community and Justice, says Mel is ‘treading on ancient and dangerous grounds,’ adding that it may lead to ‘synagogue firebombings.’ Rabbi James Rudin of the American Jewish Committee is upset about a scene in which Jesus is hung over a bridge by chains; Rudin says this wasn’t in the New Testament. Abe Foxman says the movie betrays Vatican II and that the Church has ‘a responsibility to stand up to defend its own teaching.’ And several media talk-show hosts have grilled me about the propriety of young people seeing a movie with so much violence.

“The term ‘true believer’ was coined by philosopher Eric Hoffer to describe fanatics, both religious and secular. In other words, it accurately describes Mel’s most extreme critics. Those who are sounding the alarms over anti-Semitic violence are historically ignorant: the last time Jews were assaulted after the production of a Passion Play was in the Middle Ages. As for fidelity to the New Testament, Mel is not obligated to tailor his interpretation of the Bible according to someone else’s politically correct straightjacket. If they don’t like his version, they can always make their own. Moreover, it takes chutzpah for a non-Catholic to lecture the Church about defending its teachings, simply because he doesn’t like a movie the Church had nothing to do with. As for the violence, it is amazing to hear those who think it’s okay for a teenager to submit her unborn child to lethal violence—without parental consent—now worry whether she is able to endure a movie about the death of Jesus.

“These critics are cracking up. But their demagoguery is failing: they cannot stop the movie from being a blockbuster.”

- posted by LRS @ 6:14 AM   

 
Stations of the Cross, Immaculate Conception Parish
This is a letter that I wrote to my pastor, associate pastors, and deacons a couple of weeks ago. I now understand that the change is finalized and Stations will be moved from Friday evening to Wednesday evening so as to NOT "interfere" with the Fish Fry or a planned speaking series. As yet, I have received no response from the pastor - and I don't expect one. And I fully understand that there is no mandate or law requiring Stations on Fridays, etc.

*** Letter from Feb 9.
Last week, in a discussion with one of our deacons, I became aware of a recent decision by you, in consultation with others, to move our customary Friday Stations of the Cross to Wednesday evening. Are we to assume that this is being done so as not to interfere with the IQ Series talks that have scheduled for Friday evenings? Since I am unable to understand how praying the Stations on a Friday evening at 6:00pm or 6:30pm could possibly interfere with an event scheduled for 7:00pm or 7:30pm, could you or someone else explain the rationale behind this to me?

You, no doubt, are aware that the longstanding custom in our parish, our archdiocese and throughout the U.S., has always regarded Fridays as the most appropriate day to pray the Stations of the Cross, particularly during Lent. Not only is Friday a day of exceptional devotion and remembrance of Good Friday, it is also an obligatory day of penance, during which we are to practice fasting and abstinence, especially during the Lenten season. Shifting this time-honored Catholic devotional custom from Fridays to Wednesdays seems shamefully offensive in that it is a direct affront to the sensibilities of faithful Catholics who have traditionally viewed Fridays during Lent as a time of special prayer, grace, and conversion.

The Congregation of Divine Worship in its "Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, Principles and Guidelines" (Dec. 2001), when discussing the Via Crucis and the link to the Veneration of the Cross, confirms this when it states:

Popular piety tends to anticipate the cultic veneration of the Cross. Throughout Lent, every Friday is observed, since very ancient times, as a commemoration of the Lord's Passion and the faithful easily direct their devotions towards the mystery of the Cross. (Emphasis added)

How, then, will the faithful of the parish properly observe Fridays if you move our Stations of the Cross devotions to Wednesday? Why would any pastor choose to disrupt that to which we have become accustomed over many decades? Why would we want to discard our Catholic heritage and pious practices and traditions which are so beneficial for growing closer to our Lord?

Regardless of your final decision in this matter, it remains a fact that the faithful may continue to practice this pious devotion privately in the Chapel on Fridays or any other day and, if properly disposed, to also merit a plenary indulgence since the Chapel contains "legitimately erected" stations. Some of the faithful may even opt to pray the Via Crucis at other parishes which have not arbitrarily abandoned a customary and venerable devotion for the sake of some perceived expediency or in the erroneous belief that more people may attend on Wednesday rather than Friday. If attendance is the issue, perhaps having Stations on two or more nights would be a better alternative.

Secondly, after having read the Enchiridion of Indulgences No.63 (1968) with regard to the Stations of the Cross and the requirements necessary for obtaining the plenary indulgence, I have a question whether the new church has Stations of the Cross that have been "legitimately erected". I am quite skeptical at this point that, 1) a plenary indulgence may be obtained by praying the Via Crucis in the new church which does not appear to have "legitimately erected" stations, and 2) whether the banners being used for stations are even permissible for this pious devotion.

The documentation that I have regarding this observation comes from three sources: Code of Canon Law #1169 (with commentary), Inter Oecumenici #77, and the Roman Ritual. All three of these sources indicate that the blessing and erecting of Stations of the Cross are reserved to a bishop. If the blessing of Stations is actually reserved to a bishop, then one must ask if one of our bishops actually blessed the banners that have been or are currently being used for stations in the church. If not, did Archbishop Rigali give permission to have these banners blessed by a priest rather than a bishop? If neither of these questions can be answered in the affirmative, then do we not have a slight problem here? It also appears from the relevant documents that stations should be permanent (erected), rather than seasonal articles that can be put up and taken down at will.

Lastly, in closing, if it is determined that we do not have "legitimately erected" stations in the new church, would it not be appropriate and fitting that the Stations of the Cross devotions be relocated back to the Chapel so that those who wish to obtain a plenary indulgence may do so?

If it is determined that we do, in fact, have "legitimately erected" stations in the new church, then the only issue remaining is that of moving the devotions from Friday to Wednesday. I would ask that you prayerfully consider the reasons for maintaining these devotions on Friday with the possibility of adding other days if that would seem advantageous.

I look forward to hearing from you about this and as always, all of you are in my daily prayers.
*** End of letter

To clear up any questions that may arise from those unfamiliar with Immaculate Conception Church in Dardenne, allow me to initally address some of those:

IQ Series
This is a attempt by the parish to invigorate the faith of parishioners and others by bringing in speakers who would give talks on some aspect of the faith. For the most part, these speakers give talks on Friday evening. Initially, one speaker a month was to be the goal. During this Lenten season, however, it looks like we will have a speaker on every Friday. It is unclear to me whether fidelity to Church teaching is a prerequisite to be invited to speak. These talks are scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. (Stations started at 6:00 or 6:30)

New Church
Our new church building looks like the typical modern church built today in most parts of the U.S., based on the mundane architectural minimalism of the 70's. There are no stations. We have one statue only, and that is of our Blessed Mother, off to the side in an alcove. We do, however, have a "monumental" cross (not crucifix) behind the altar which blocks the view of a small tabernacle which is a good distance away. The cross is a conglomeration of steel & glass, which is truly reminiscent of the 60's & 70's culture. It would be perfect for any Protestant church building. We will, once again, have 'banners' for Stations. Unfortunately, they are not tie-dyed.

Chapel (Old Church)
Our old church, which we have outgrown holds about 200-250 people. It was built in the late 1890's by the hard work and efforts of area Catholics doing all they could to built a worthy house for God, and it was extraordinarily simple yet beautiful until a "renovation" was done about 10-15 years ago. However, it could still be restored to its former beauty and it does, at least, have Stations. At it still retains nearly all of the statues which we had before the renovation.

Other
The parish, while I would not classify it as an hotbed for dissidence, nevertheless has its share of sanctioned liturgical abuses and other issues which have not yet been rectified. I have engaged in discussions defending:
the perpetual virginity of Mary,
the male only priesthood,
the sacrificial nature of the Holy Mass,
the real, true, substantial, and unique Presence of Christ in the Eucharist,
non-Catholics inability to receive Holy Communion, and so forth.

Hopefully, these things may change with the recent appointment of Archbishop Raymond Burke.
- posted by LRS @ 5:50 AM   

 
Vatican unconvinced by ADL's Foxman
Abraham H. Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League official, met Feb. 16 with U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Archbishop Foley told CNS he explained to Foxman, "I saw no anti-Semitism in the film."

"Mr. Foxman said he saw it with different eyes," the archbishop said.

Watching the film, Archbishop Foley said, "I found myself meditating deeply on the sinfulness of each one of us."

"I would hope people would accept the film as a meditation on our own culpability for Christ's suffering," the archbishop said.

[Full Story]
- posted by LRS @ 6:50 AM   

 
Bishop Bruskewitz is not participating in the farce.
In general, the USCCB has refused to address the fundamental cause for the "crisis" and have failed to address the issue of homosexuality. Bishop Bruskewitz tried to have this addressed at the Dallas meeting but ran into a 'brick wall', so to speak.

A San Diego and Riverside County newspaper article has referred to the good bishop as a "dissenter." The full article is here.

He has questioned the prudence of having people such as Leon Panetta on the National Review Board and has indicated, rightly so, that the faithful are scandalized by this.

Bishop Bruskewitz should be commended for his courage in refusing to be part of this charade. It has been opined before that this entire Child Protection program is likely to turn into another bureaucratic behemoth with the likes of Kathleen McChesney running the show and looking for ways to audit individual parishes.

Later on in the article, we witness more 'digs' at Bishop Bruskewitz, such as:

The diocese has long been known for its conservative bent. Girls, for example, are not allowed to serve at the altar, a practice that has become common around the country. Bruskewitz believes that having boys serve at the altar encourages vocations to the priesthood, Huber said.

Bruskewitz also welcomed to the diocese the U.S. branch of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, which built a seminary and began classes in 2000. The fraternity emphasizes the Latin rite Mass ---- the standard before the Second Vatican Council ---- in which the priest speaks Latin and faces away from the congregation.

In 1996, Bruskewitz threatened to excommunicate Lincoln Catholics who belong to certain groups that he considered perilous to the faith, including the Masons and church reform advocates Call to Action.

Jim McShane, a Call to Action member who was targeted by the bishop's excommunication threats, said Bruskewitz's noncompliance with the audit and survey are typical.

Interesting. The reporter notes that Bruskewitz leads a conservative diocese correctly stating that he does not permit altar girls, which is the prerogative of each bishop. It's a pity that more bishops do not adopt a similar stance.

But that's not all! He has even 'welcomed' the FSSP - which "speaks in Latin" and celebrates Holy Mass ad orientem and toward God rather than facing the people. And he even had the nerve to threaten excommunication to those who chose to leave the Church anyway. Is it any wonder why the Diocese of Lincoln has more vocations that it has room for those discerning a vocation to the priesthood? Why is there no 'priest shortage' there? Perhaps he saw enough while in the Milwaukee diocese under the 'leadership' of Rembert Weakland. Perhaps that's why he said one of the happiest moments of his life was seeing Milwaukee in his rearview mirror?

While the reporter cleverly attempts to demonize Bishop Bruskewitz by the appeal to Post Vatican II hysteria and permissiveness and by quoting a Call to Action member, those who know of Bishop Bruskewitz wil not be fooled by these kind of reports.

- posted by LRS @ 6:26 AM   

 
'The Passion' … for Its Author, Is a Mass
From Zenit, comes this wonderful review of "The Passion".

Vittorio Messori is the first journalist in history to publish a book-length interview with a pope, the multimillion-selling "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (1994), as well as numerous other works such as "The Ratzinger Report" (1987) and his best-selling "Ipotesi su Gesù" (The Jesus Hypothesis, 1976).

After seeing Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," he wrote the following article for the Italian daily Corriere della Sera and offered the piece to ZENIT for publication in other languages.
--------
Two women weep quietly, without sobbing; the monsignor in clergyman's dress who is next to me is very pale, his eyes closed; the young ecclesiastical secretary nervously fingers a rosary; a tentative, solitary start of applause quickly dies out in embarrassment.

For many, very long minutes, no one stands up, no one moves, no one speaks. So, what we were being told was true: "The Passion of The Christ" has struck us, it has worked in us, the first guinea pigs, the effect that Gibson wanted.

For what it's worth, I myself was disconcerted and speechless: For years I have examined one by one the Greek words with which the Evangelists recount those events; not one historical minutia of those 12 hours in Jerusalem is unknown to me. I have addressed it in a 400-page book that Gibson himself has taken into account. I know everything, or rather, I now discover that I thought I knew: everything changes if those words are translated into images of such power to transform in flesh and blood, striking signs of love and hatred.
--------
Gibson, a Catholic who loves the Tradition, is a strong champion of the doctrine confirmed by the Council of Trent: the Mass is "also" a fraternal meal but it is "above all" Jesus' sacrifice, the bloodless renewal of the passion. This is what matters, not the "understanding of the words," as the new liturgists wish, whose superficiality Mel mocks as it seems like blasphemy to him. The redemptive value of the actions and gestures that have their culmination on Calvary has no need of expressions that anyone can understand.

This film, for its author, is a Mass: Let it be, then, in an obscure language, as it was for so many centuries. If the mind does not understand, so much the better. What matters is that the heart understands that all that happened redeems us from sin and opens to us the doors of salvation. Precisely as the prophecy of Isaiah reminds us on the "Servant of Yahweh" which, taking up the whole screen, is the prologue of the entire film. The wonder, however, seems to me to be verified: After a while, one stops reading the subtitles to enter, without distractions, in the terrible and marvelous scenes -- that are sufficient in themselves.

[Full Article here]



- posted by LRS @ 5:18 AM   

 
CATHOLIC WATCHDOG GROUP TO CONDUCT MEETING OF ALBANY CATHOLICS
Just received....

Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.Press Release

Contact: Stephen G. Brady
Phone: (217) 632-5920

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1 PM EDT, February 18, 2004

CATHOLIC WATCHDOG GROUP TO CONDUCT MEETING OF ALBANY CATHOLICS

An international group of faithful Roman Catholics has scheduled a
public meeting in Albany to discuss its ongoing investigation of the
Albany Catholic Diocese.

Stephen G. Brady, president of the Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.
(RCF) issued a statement on Wednesday that he will arrive in Albany
from RCF's headquarters in Petersburg, Illinois, on Saturday
evening, February 21. The meeting will take place at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel, Albany City Center, State & Lodge Streets, 10 Eyck Plaza,
Albany, NY 12207.

In 2001, Mr. Brady was entrusted by the recently-deceased Fr. John
Minkler with a confidential 1995 report of corruption in the Albany
diocese that Fr. Minkler had prepared for then-New York Cardinal
O'Connor. Fr. Minkler had been seeking RCF's assistance to
help bring about reformative changes in the Albany diocese. RCF was
contacted by Fr. Minkler the day before his body was discovered in his
Watervliet home.

Joining Mr. Brady at the meeting will be Paul Likoudis, news editor
of The Wanderer, a weekly Catholic newspaper. For over 15 years, Mr.
Likoudis has probed the link between the homosexual revolutionists who
came to power in the early 1960s and the moral downfall of the Roman
Catholic Church. Fr. Minkler had been informing Mr. Likoudis about
problems in the Albany diocese for the last 13 years. Mr. Likoudis
spoke with Fr. Minkler shortly after Father's Friday meeting with
chancery officials, just two days before his body was found.

RCF is a not-for-profit lay organization, with many religious
members, dedicated to promoting orthodox Catholic teaching and
fighting heterodoxy and corruption within the Catholic hierarchy.

-End-

- posted by LRS @ 12:37 PM   

 
No speeches in Catholic institutions by abortion rights advocates

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Archbishop James P. Keleher has asked Catholic institutions under his jurisdiction to stop inviting politicans or others who favor abortion rights to speak or take part in other presentations.

His statement was published in the archdiocesan newspaper on Friday, the day after Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, spoke at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth.

The governor, invited to speak as part of the school's Lincoln Lectureship series, talked about education and economic development. Anti-abortion advocates had been critical of the invitation for her to speak on the Catholic campus.

Hours before her speech, the governor and Keleher appeared together at a news conference to rally support for affordable housing. Asked then about the controversy over Sebelius being invited to speak on the campus, the archbishop declined to comment.

But the next day, in a statement published in The Leaven newspaper, Keleher said abortion is such an important issue that "it is imperative that our Catholic churches, schools and institutions make every effort not only to support the pro-life movement, but especially to ensure that the public understand our unequivocal stand on this issue."

The archbishop requested that no abortion-rights advocate or politician who espouses an abortion-rights stance be allowed to "address, give workshops, or otherwise make any presentation" at Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

"We must stand solidly behind the Gospel of Life," the statement said.

Keleher could not be reached for comment Monday, his office said.

When Sebelius took office a year ago, Keleher expressed displeasure with her abortion-rights stance, asking her to move an inauguration interfaith service from Topeka's Assumption Catholic Church. Sebelius, who attends the church, refused to move the service.

Information from: Journal-World
© 2004 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.kansascity.com

It's certainly a move in the right direction, however, this should have been the norm all along. Now it is time to address the 'Catholic' politicians who give scandal to faithful by there unrepentant support of abortion, just as Archbishop Burke has done.
- posted by LRS @ 6:30 AM   

 
An Email regarding Emily's List and Political Candidates
From a Email I received, we have this:

Please help me get the word out that Nancy Farmer, running against Senator Bond in Missouri's senate election, and Betty Castor, who is running in Florida's senate race, are on Emily's List.

In case you are unfamiliar with Emily's List, it is the financial powerhouse that gives volumes of money to the campaigns of candidates who meet three requirements: female, Democrat and unconditionally pro-abortion.

Women who have supported all pro-abortion legislation but voted to support a ban on partial-birth abortion were immediately scratched from the list because Emily's List tolerates no exceptions to their pro-abortion agenda (cloning, fetal tissue research, no parental notification for abortion and artificial contraception, no 24-hour waiting period for abortion, etc.).

If you want to know who else is on Emily's List, go to www.emilyslist.org and click on their candidate recommendations.

There is also a Susan B. Anthony List organization that provides funding to pro-life female candidates. Their website is: www.sba-list.org

Thank you so much for what you can do. May God bless each one of our efforts to elect men and women who will uphold the sovereignty and laws of God. I am thankful to Him for this precious right and obligation.

I certainly do not want this to be a political site, however, ALL who embrace the culture of death need to be exposed for what they are or what they wish to be, both Catholics and non-Catholics, alike. Anyone who denies the unborn the right to life does not deserve to represent the public - or more aptly, those fortunate enough to have NOT been aborted.
- posted by LRS @ 6:15 AM   

 
ADL Director asking Vatican to intervene in "The Passion"
Jewish leader visits Rome, discusses 'Passion' with Vatican officials

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The week before "The Passion of the Christ" was to open on U.S. movie screens, the U.S. director of the Anti-Defamation League asked for a Vatican statement that the film does not reflect Catholic belief about the role of the Jews in the death of Jesus.

As we all know there were no Jews in Jerusalem at that time. Just as there were no Romans. This is all just too much! Lord, have mercy on us!

Abraham H. Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League official, was in Rome Feb. 16-18 on his way to a European conference on anti-Semitism. He said he wanted to use the opportunity to express his concerns about Mel Gibson's film and to seek a Vatican statement about it. "I'm reaching out to the Catholic Church and saying, 'It's time for you to step up to the plate. Mr. Gibson is challenging your teaching,'" Foxman told Catholic News Service Feb. 17.

Mr. Foxman must be seeing and hearing things differently. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"He is marketing this film as the Gospel truth, the historic truth in a way contrary to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and church guidelines on the presentation of the Passion," Foxman said. Vatican II said that Jesus' passion "cannot be blamed upon all the Jews then living, without distinction, nor upon the Jews of today."

Mel Gibson has repeatedly stated that ALL of us bear responsibility - all of us are culpable...I suppose that Mr. Foxman wants to be excluded from all humanity?

Could it be that the next request will be to add some sort of warning to the Gospels - that these also might be a cause of some anti-semitic feelings?
- posted by LRS @ 6:03 AM   

 
Jesterware Presents: Missal Defense
Check it out.

It's what OCP song books are really good for.
- posted by LRS @ 12:01 AM   

 
And I missed his talk at ICD's 2002 Christmas Novena
The Rev. Jason Samuel was one of the speakers at the Christmas Novena at Immaculate Conception Church in December of 2002. He was not on the list of speakers for the 2003 Novena, however. We did have two other protestant ministers, though...What Catholic Christmas Novena would be complete with them?

Anyway, to the point...a couple of women at the parish pointed out this story in the Post-Dispatch to me.

I wonder if anyone in charge at ICD knows about this? Maybe I'll send them a copy.
- posted by LRS @ 11:54 PM   

 
V-Monologues & SLU
I wasn't able to verify whether SLU permitted the V-Monologues to go on as scheduled or not....I wrote a letter to Fr. Biondi but never received a response other than he did receive my email.

At least last year I received a 'rationalization' as to why they were not going to cancel it.

The Cardinal Newman Society indicated that it went on as scheduled. Shameful!
- posted by LRS @ 11:27 PM   

 
Priest in the Albany Diocese found dead
Feb. 16 - A priest in the middle of the sex abuse allegations made
against Bishop Howard Hubbard was found dead Sunday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4281634/

The death of an Albany priest is raising more questions than answers
tonight. His name recently surfaced in connection with the allegations
against Bishop Howard Hubbard.
http://www.fox23news.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=38EA058D-B665-4187-9D15-92EA8F92C528

- posted by LRS @ 11:24 PM   

 
Coming soon to parish near you...?
Group urges Catholics to bypass dioceses
Members of a support group (SNAP) for people abused by priests targeted three Metro East churches Sunday morning, passing out leaflets, which stated: "We are here today because your bishop has used your donations to fight against children and for child molesters."


- posted by LRS @ 11:11 PM   

 
Spirtual Warfare is here - ready or not.
"My friends and I had many conversations with other parishioners who wanted to learn more about the Catholic Church's position on same-sex marriage . . . and so we set up our booth to give educational materials to interested parishioners," Karl Wirth wrote in an e-mail to the Globe. Wirth, a high-tech worker and Harvard graduate, approached the pastor, Monsignor Dennis Sheehan, for permission to set up a table, and Sheehan agreed.

So far so good, right?

One outraged parishioner threw many of the fliers into the sacristy's trash and tore down some of the signs adorning a booth, before breaking down in tears. A second churchgoer, too upset to sit through services, went home and wrote an open letter that he distributed after Mass, calling the distribution of the flier "an injustice."

The parish council discussed the controversy at last Sunday's meeting, and plans to consider whether anyone should be allowed to promote a political cause in the church. But no decision was made.

Quoting the catechism, trying to enlighten people with the truths of our faith is now "politics"...Be happy when people revile you for following Christ...Pray for the Church which is under attack from within!
- posted by LRS @ 10:58 PM   

 
Another Confused Post-Dispatcher Reader
Today's Post-Dispatch has more letters to the editor regarding Abp. Burke's statement that he would deny Sen. Kerry Holy Communion. Here is the letter of the confused writer.

Archbishop Raymond Burke has said he would not administer communion to Catholic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. This was in response to our pope's call to protect the unborn. Pope John Paul II also has denounced the death penalty. So why doesn't the archbishop go a step further and refuse communion to those who support the death penalty?

And let's not forget that the pope also opposed the United States going to war with Iraq. Maybe we should also refuse communion to pro-war people?

I am upset that the archbishop has made this a political issue. I am a Catholic. I am pro-life. Pro-life means anti-death penalty as well as anti-abortion. It is hard for me to be totally Democratic or totally Republican. That is why our church should not be jumping into this fray.

If our church is going to denounce Kerry on the abortion issue, it also needs to denounce President George W. Bush for his support of the death penalty and for taking us into a pre-emptive war in Iraq.

Jenny Smith
Jefferson City

This letter sounds as if it came straight from the pages of the National Catholic Reporter from a couple of days ago...?

Poor Jenny Smith is so confused...unable to understand that there are those things which are intrinsically evil and always morally wrong. Perhaps her pastor or her bishop in Jefferson City can clarify the problems for her. This would be a great act of charity.

It is correct that the Holy Father has stated that the use of the death penalty should not be used if other means are availbable to protect society, however the Church grants, as she always has, that the prudential judgement of imposing punishment is a right and power of lawful temporal authority. Abortion is MURDER, Capital Punishment is not! The two are not morally equivalent, except perhaps in the mind of one who is confused.

Secondly, the statement that Archbishop Burke has made this a political issue is false. The refusal of the Sacrament of Holy Communion is not political. The refusal of Catholics to abide by and promote the natural moral law can be political, especially when unjust laws are promoted or defended.

The defense of innocent life is the most fundamental issue we face in this country. All other rights or issues are meaningless if the 'right' to life is really of no importance. It is impossible to enjoy other rights and privileges if one has been denied the most fundamental right to life. It is this fundamental right to life which accords all of us the subsequent ability to enjoy and participate in other rights, duties, pleasures, etc.

All of us have a duty to help those who are blinded and cannot see the truth. All of us can find ourselves in this situation - none of us are immune. However, when we understand and believe what the Church teaches, we must share that truth with others as an act of charity. We must practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. And we must pray the our Lord will enlighten the minds of those who are so confused and are unable to understand.

Our good Archbishop is trying to open the hearts of those who have refused the grace of God and persist in public scandal and who, by their own actions and speech, continue to lead others away from Christ and His Church. He follows the lead of the good shepherd. Please pray for him also as he endures these attacks.
- posted by LRS @ 11:28 AM   

 
St Louis Marian Catechist Apostolate Meeting Feb 18
Two informational meetings will be offered next week to explain the Marian Catechist Apostolate at the office of the St Louis Division of the Blue Army, 6009 Heege Rd.

Both meetings will be held on Feb 18.
One is at 11:00am and the other will be at 7:00pm.

The program was developed by Fr. John Hardon at the request of the Holy Father. Before Fr Hardon died, he asked Archbishop Burke to take over the duties and responsibilities for the apostolate. Archbishop Burke is the National Director of the Marian Catechists Apostolate.

Foe more information, call the Blue Army at (314) 892-7751.


- posted by LRS @ 8:19 AM   

 
Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics
Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics
Copyright © 2004, Catholic Answers.
All Rights Reserved.

HOW THIS VOTER'S GUIDE HELPS YOU
This voter's guide helps you cast your vote in an informed manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching. It helps you eliminate from consideration candidates who endorse policies that cannot be reconciled with moral norms that used to be held by all Christians.

On most issues that come before voters or legislators, a Catholic can take one side or the other and not act contrary to his faith. Most matters do not have a "Catholic position."

But some issues are so key, so elemental, that only one position accords with the teaching of the Christian gospel. No one endorsing the wrong side of these subjects can be said to act in accord with the Church's moral norms.

This voter's guide identifies five "non-negotiable" issues and helps you narrow down the list of acceptable candidates, whether they are running for national, state, or local offices.

Candidates who endorse or promote any of the five non-negotiables should be considered to have disqualified themselves from holding public office, and you should not vote for them. You should make your choice from among the remaining candidates.

YOUR ROLE AS A CATHOLIC VOTER
Catholics have a moral obligation to promote the common good through the exercise of their voting privileges (cf. CCC 2240). It is not just civil authorities who have responsibility for a country. "Service of the common good require[s] citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community" (CCC 2239). This means citizens should participate in the political process at the ballot box.

But voting cannot be arbitrary. "A well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law that contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals" (CPL 4).

Some things always are wrong, and no one may vote in favor of them, directly or indirectly. Citizens vote in favor of these evils if they vote in favor of candidates who propose to advance them. Thus, Catholics should not vote for anyone who intends to push programs or laws that are intrinsically evil.

THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES
These five issues are called non-negotiable because they concern actions that are always morally wrong and must never be promoted by the law. It is a serious sin to endorse or promote any of these actions, and no candidate who really wants to advance the common good will support any of the five non-negotiables.

1. Abortion

The Church teaches that, regarding a law permitting abortions, it is "never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or to vote for it" (EV 73). Abortion is the intentional and direct killing of an innocent human being, and therefore it is a form of homicide.

The child is always an innocent party, and no law may permit the taking of his life. Even when a child is conceived through rape or incest, the fault is not the child's, who should not suffer death for others' sins.

2. Euthanasia

Often disguised by the name "mercy killing," euthanasia also is a form of homicide. No one has a right to take his own life (suicide), and no one has the right to take the life of any innocent person.

In euthanasia, the ill or elderly are killed out of a misplaced sense of compassion, but true compassion cannot include doing something intrinsically evil to another person (cf. EV 73).

3. Fetal Stem Cell Research

Human embryos are human beings. "Respect for the dignity of the human being excludes all experimental manipulation or exploitation of the human embryo" (CRF 4b).

Recent scientific advances show that any medical cure that might arise from experimentation on fetal stem cells can be developed by using adult stem cells instead. Adult stem cells can be obtained without doing harm to the adults from whom they come. Thus there no longer is a medical argument in favor of using fetal stem cells.

4. Human Cloning

"Attempts . . . for obtaining a human being without any connection with sexuality through 'twin fission,' cloning, or parthenogenesis are to be considered contrary to the moral law, since they are in opposition to the dignity both of human procreation and of the conjugal union" (RHL I:6).

Human cloning also ends up being a form of homicide because the "rejected" or "unsuccessful" clones are destroyed, yet each clone is a human being.

5. Homosexual "Marriage"

True marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Legal recognition of any other form of "marriage" undermines true marriage, and legal recognition of homosexual unions actually does homosexual persons a disfavor by encouraging them to persist in what is an objectively immoral arrangement.

"When legislation in favor of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral" (UHP 10).

WHICH POLITICAL OFFICES SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT?
Laws are passed by the legislature, enforced by the executive branch, and interpreted by the judiciary. This means you should scrutinize any candidate for the legislature, anyone running for an executive office, and anyone nominated for the bench. This is true not only at the national level but also at the state and local levels.

True, the lesser the office, the less likely the office holder will take up certain issues. Your city council, for example, perhaps never will take up the issue of human cloning. But it is important that you evaluate every candidate, no matter what office is being sought.

Few people achieve high office without first holding low office. Some people become congressional representatives, senators, or presidents without having been elected to a lesser office. But most representatives, senators, and presidents started their political careers at the local level. The same is true for state lawmakers. Most of them began on city councils and school boards and worked their way up the political ladder.

Tomorrow's candidates for higher offices will come mainly from today's candidates for lower offices. It is therefore prudent to apply the same standards to local candidates as to state and national ones.

If candidates who are wrong on non-negotiable issues fail to be elected to lower offices, they might not become candidates for higher offices. This would make it easier to elect good candidates for the more influential offices at the state and national levels.

HOW TO DETERMINE A CANDIDATE'S POSITION
1. The higher the office, the easier this will be. Congressional representatives and senators, for example, repeatedly have seen these issues come before them and so have taken positions on them. Often the same can be said at the state level. In either case, learning a candidate's position can be as easy as reading newspaper or magazine articles, looking up his views on the Internet, or studying one of the many printed candidate surveys that are distributed at election time.

2. It often is more difficult to learn the views of candidates for local offices because few of them have an opportunity to consider legislation on such things as abortion, cloning, and the sanctity of marriage. But these candidates, being local, often can be contacted directly or have local campaign offices that will explain their positions.

3. If you cannot determine a candidate's views by other means, do not hesitate to write directly to him and ask how he stands on each of the non-negotiables.

HOW NOT TO VOTE
1. Do not base your vote on your political party affiliation, your earlier voting habits, or your family's voting tradition. Years ago, these may have been trustworthy ways to determine whom to vote for, but today they are not reliable. You need to look at each candidate as an individual. This means that you may end up casting votes for candidates from more than one party.

2. Do not cast your vote based on candidates' appearance, personality, or "media savvy." Some attractive, engaging, and "sound-bite-capable" candidates endorse intrinsic evils and so should be opposed, while other candidates, who may be plain-looking, uninspiring, and ill at ease in front of cameras, endorse legislation in accord with basic Christian principles.

3. Do not vote for candidates simply because they declare themselves to be Catholic. Unfortunately, many self-described Catholic candidates reject basic Catholic moral teaching. They are "Catholic" only when seeking votes from Catholics.

4. Do not choose among candidates based on "What's in it for me?" Make your decision based on which candidates seem most likely to promote the common good, even if you will not benefit directly or immediately from the legislation they propose.

5. Do not reward with your vote candidates who are right on lesser issues but who are wrong on key moral issues. One candidate may have a record of voting exactly as you wish, aside from voting also in favor of, say, euthanasia. Such a candidate should not get your vote. Candidates need to learn that being wrong on even one of the non-negotiable issues is enough to exclude them from consideration.

HOW TO VOTE
1. For each office, first determine how each candidate stands on each of the five non-negotiable issues.

2. Eliminate from consideration candidates who are wrong on any of the non-negotiable issues. No matter how right they may be on other issues, they should be considered disqualified if they are wrong on even one of the non-negotiables.

3. Choose from among the remaining candidates, based on your assessment of each candidate's views on other, lesser issues.

WHEN THERE IS NO "ACCEPTABLE" CANDIDATE
In some political races, each candidate takes a wrong position on one or more of the five non-negotiables. In such a case you may vote for the candidate who takes the fewest such positions or who seems least likely to be able to advance immoral legislation, or you may choose to vote for no one.

THE ROLE OF YOUR CONSCIENCE
Conscience is like an alarm. It warns you when you are about to do something wrong. It does not itself determine what is right or wrong. For your conscience to work properly, it must be properly informed-that is, you must inform yourself about what is right and what is wrong. Only then will your conscience be a trusted guide.

Unfortunately, today many Catholics have not formed their consciences adequately regarding key moral issues. The result is that their consciences do not "sound off" at appropriate times, including on election day.

A well-formed conscience never will contradict Catholic moral teaching. For that reason, if you are unsure where your conscience is leading you when at the ballot box, place your trust in the unwavering moral teachings of the Church. (The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent source of authentic moral teaching.)

WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH THIS VOTER'S GUIDE
Please do not keep this voter's guide to yourself. Read it, learn from it, and prepare your selection of candidates based on it. Then give this voter's guide to a friend, and ask your friend to read it and pass it on to others. The more people who vote in accord with basic moral principles, the better off our country will be.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABBREVIATIONS
CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church

CPL Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, Doctrinal Notes on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life

CRF Pontifical Council for the Family, Charter of the Rights of the Family

EV John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life)

RHL Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation

UHP Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Considerations regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons
- posted by LRS @ 7:18 AM   

 
And along with the NCR Letter we have this "cogent" editorial
Communion ban an ineffective tactic

Legislators who support “procured abortion or euthanasia” are engaged in “manifest grave sin,” Burke said in a “notification” last year.

What about those who support embryonic stem cell research? How far does one go?

One can also rightly ask: What about politicians who do not actively support other life issues? What about politicians who demagogue the death penalty? What about those who consistently oppose programs that would assist pregnant women and reduce the number of abortions? What about politicians who support war, even preemptive war?

The inconsistencies here discredit the admonishers.

That said, what insight might be found in Burke and Hughes’ positions?

At least some dishonesty can be attributed to Catholic politicians who say they “agree with” or “accept” church teaching on abortion, but then do nothing to help curtail the practice.

Once again, we see brilliance emanating from the minds of the writers at the "Distorter". Equating Capital punishment, war, etc., with the intrinsic evil of abortion.

Actually the inconsistencies in this editorial discredit the writer as well as National Catholic Reporter. But then again, that's required standard operating procedure at NCR.

Sowing confusion among the faithful, just as the father of lies has always done and continues to do. But wait, we have even more:

Catholic politicians face the stark reality that official church teaching states that abortion is tantamount to taking of an innocent human life.

Let's be clear, here....It is more than tanatmount - it ...IS... the taking of innocent human life!

To embrace this teaching fully is to accept that more than 40 million human beings have been legally eliminated since Roe v. Wade became the law of the land 31 years ago. It is clear that many Catholics do not hold to that extreme view of the issue...

EXTREME VIEW???? Any Catholic who does not hold this view has denied a fundamental teaching of the Church, and as such, has separated himself from Christ and His Church. There is NO compromising on this teaching of the CHurch! Those who deny this cannot truthfully claim to be Catholic and in full communion with the Church, and may not partake in the sacramental life of the Church.

So what is a bishop to do?

First, preach and teach the principles of Catholic morality.

This is exactly what Archbishop Burke and others are doing!

Second, acknowledge in a democracy, when dealing with legislators, there are not easy answers and that elected officials both lead and reflect the virtues and vices of those they represent.

BZZZZT! Wrong answer...The Church gives us the truth. The hard part for many is actually choosing to abide by natural moral law. And who would want to reflect the "vices" of those who are represented? Do we not want to reflect the GOOD and do all we can to minimize or eliminate the EVIL?

Third, refrain from the temptation to move to disciplinary solutions. They are ineffective and are bound to fail, especially when they are widely viewed as inconsistent.

Widely viewed as ineffective by whom? Those heretics, apostates, or schismatics* who deny the clear and unambiguous teachings of the Church?

And what else, that discipline has never worked??? And no one ever admonishes a wayward child for doing wrong? And the best approach has always been to encourage and confirm them in their errors and sinfulness?

Sorry, but that answer is also wrong! Since you only answered 1 of 3 correctly, you fail! Go back to school and re-take your catechism classes and then come back and try to take the test again!

* 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. "Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him." (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

- posted by LRS @ 1:30 AM   

 
Archbishop Burke is misunderstood by National Catholic Reporter
But then again, the Catholic Faith is also misunderstood by them...Here's a recent "Letter to the Editor"

Your article (NCR, Jan. 23) that Bishop Raymond L. Burke of La Crosse, Wis., denies Communion to politicians who support abortion and euthanasia makes one wonder about the charity of the bishop. If the legislators are wrong, receiving the Eucharist might help them have a conversion of heart.

I feel in my bones the Rep. David Obey gave an appropriate answer for someone living in a democracy. Bishop Burke [now archbishop of St. Louis] has the right of instruction and the right to lobby and vote, but he crosses the line when he tells a Catholic how the power of the law should be applied in a pluralistic democracy. Taken to its extreme, under Burke’s law, only right-wing Catholics could stand for election.

Burke goes on to say that “they will stand with us against capital punishment, but not against procured abortion or euthanasia.” Has Burke written against capital punishment? Has he told the legislators who sponsor state murder they can no longer go to Communion? Has he taken a stand against our unilateral invasion of Iraq as Pope John Paul II has time and again?

Yes, abortion is morally unacceptable. Rep. Obey and most non-Catholics would agree, but is the alternative of “back alley -- sweep it under the poverty rug” a moral alternative? If it is, let’s get the funding

Every act of contraception is a potential abortion. Where does the now archbishop stand on that? Will he deny Communion to the 90 percent who ignore Humanae Vitae?

JAMES LEAHY Ridgefield, Conn.

Not much surprise here....I guess no one has read the Bishop's Pastoral Letter.

My suggestion to these people who don't seem to uinderstand- read the catechism if your priest are deficient in teaching the faith to you.





- posted by LRS @ 10:26 PM   

 
The Gospel of Suffering

A Lenten reflection from Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter, Salvifici Doloris, The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering, February 11, 1984

Christ retains in His risen body the marks of the wounds of the Cross in His hands, feet and side. Through the Resurrection, He manifests “the victorious power of suffering”’ and He wishes to imbue with the conviction of this power the hearts of those whom He chose as Apostles and those whom He continually chooses and sends forth. The Apostle Paul will say: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim 3:12).

While the first great chapter of the Gospel of suffering is written down, as the generations pass, by those who suffer persecutions for Christ’s sake, simultaneously another great chapter of this Gospel unfolds through the course of history. This chapter is written by all those “who suffer together with Christ”, uniting their human sufferings to His salvific suffering. In these people there is fulfilled what the first witnesses of the Passion and Resurrection said and wrote about sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

Therefore in those people there is fulfilled the Gospel of suffering, and, at the same time, each of them continues in a certain sense to write it: they write it and proclaim it to the world, they announce it to the world in which they live and to the people of their time.

Down through the centuries and generations it has been seen that “in suffering there is concealed” a particular “power that draws a person interiorly close to Christ”, a special grace. To this grace many saints, such as Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Ignatius of Loyola and others, owe their profound conversion. A result of such a conversion is not only that the individual discovers the salvific meaning of suffering but above all that he becomes a completely new person. He discovers a new dimension, as it were, of “his entire life and vocation”. This discovery is a particular confirmation of the spiritual greatness which in man surpasses the body in a way that is completely beyond compare. When this body is gravely ill, totally incapacitated, and the person is almost incapable of living and acting, all the more do interior “maturity and spiritual greatness” become evident, constituting a touching lesson to those who are healthy and normal.

This interior maturity and spiritual greatness in suffering are certainly the “result” of a particular “conversion” and cooperation with the grace of the Crucified Redeemer. It is He Himself who acts at the heart of human sufferings through His Spirit of truth, through the consoling Spirit. It is He who transforms, in a certain sense, the very substance of the spiritual life, indicating for the person who suffers a place close to himself. “It is He” – as the interior Master and Guide – “who reveals” to the suffering brother and sister this “wonderful interchange”, situated at the very heart of the mystery of the Redemption.

From the Marian Catechist Website

- posted by LRS @ 7:10 AM   

 
Some Great News!
South Dakota House passes law banning abortion

Pierre, South Dakota, Feb. 11 (CWNews.com)
South Dakota's House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that would outlaw most abortions in the state. The bill, which passed 54-15, outlaw's all abortions, except where the mother's life is in danger. It does not include exceptions for rape or "health," a catch-all term that includes emotional problems and would allow abortion for virtually any reason.

The bill's chief sponsor, Republican Rep. Matt McCaulley, said of the health exception: "When we're considering an innocent life, the health of the mother is not a substantial enough justification to take the innocent life."

Critics of the bill said it is a waste of time since US Supreme Court decisions, beginning with 1973's Roe v. Wade, have declared abortion a right and have rejected most state laws setting wholesale restrictions on abortion.

The bill is aimed at abortionists, who could receive up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines for performing an abortion.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

- posted by LRS @ 6:20 AM   

 
Priest charged in pot case under investigation for sex abuse
Who would have thought it after reading the first story here.

Now comes this:
Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Mary Ann Kovach said Tuesday that she plans to meet with police to determine if sex charges should be brought against Rev. Richard Arko, 40.
Pray for him, and for all who are affected by this. Pray for the bishop and the diocese. Pray for the Church, and ask our Lord to have mercy on us all for all of our transgressions.
- posted by LRS @ 6:15 AM   

 
Bishops' Committee-The Bible, The Jews, and The Death of Jesus
Well, it's out - one week before the movie, "The Passion" is to be shown. The Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (BCEIA) of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is publishing a collection of key documents of Catholic teaching on the Church's relationship to the Jews and its opposition to anti-Semitism.

The 128 page paper collection will be available on Feb 23 for the price of $11.95. Your money would probably be better spent buying the Catechism.

Here is more info.
- posted by LRS @ 6:09 AM   

 
Salvific Suffering?
A reader writes about the article below, Pope affirms "salvific" suffering :
"I don't believe I understand. What does he mean by 'salvific suffering'? If he is referring to -our- suffering, atoning for sins, didn't Christ fully accomplish that on the Cross?"

Yes, Christ fully atoned for our sins - past, present and future- when He died for us on the Cross. His suffering was salvific (saving).

However, we can, and should, unite our sufferings with His.

These are some excerpts from "Salvifici Doloris"
(The Christian Meaning Of Suffering)by Pope John Paul II (1984)

Encyclical of Pope John Paul II ...declaring the power of salvific suffering, the Apostle Paul says: “In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.”

These words seem to be found at the end of the long road that winds through the suffering which forms part of the history of man and which is illuminated by the Word of God. These words have as it were the value of a final discovery, which is accompanied by joy. For this reason St. Paul writes: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.” The joy comes from the discovery of the meaning of suffering, and this discovery, even if it is most personally shared in by Paul of Tarsus who wrote these words, is at the same time valid for others. The Apostle shares his own discovery and rejoices in it because of all those whom it can help — just as it helped him to understand the salvific meaning of suffering.

Christ did not conceal from His listeners the need for suffering. He said very clearly: “If any man would come after me..let him take up his cross daily,” and before His disciples He placed demands of a moral nature that can only be fulfilled on condition that they should “deny themselves.” The way that leads to the kingdom of heaven is “hard and narrow,” and Christ contrasts it to the “wide and easy” way that “leads to destruction.”

On various occasions Christ also said that His disciples and confessors would meet with much persecution, something which as we know—happened not only in the first centuries of the Church’s life under the Roman Empire, but also came true in various historical periods and in other parts of the world, and still does even in our own time.

This encyclical is not really that long. It brings to light the mystery of suffering.
- posted by LRS @ 5:37 PM   

 
Our Lady of Lourdes - February 11

From Catholic Exchange

Title: Our Lady of Lourdes
Author: Gail Buckley
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2004

The year was 1858 and the place was the French foothills of the Pyrenees. A young girl named Bernadette Soubirous, her sister Toinette and their friend Jeanne Abadie were out gathering firewood for their families. Toinette and Abadie crossed a stream to gather wood on the other side, but Bernadette hesitated, fearing that wading in the cold water would bring on an asthma attack.

When her sister and friend moved out of her sight, she decided to take a chance anyway, and started to remove her shoes. It was at that moment that she was startled by a great noise like thunder. Turning towards a grotto behind her, she saw a single rosebush swaying as if being blown by a strong wind. Almost immediately she also saw a golden cloud form over the rosebush and a young and beautiful lady appear in the cloud. The lady smiled at Bernadette and motioned for her to come closer. All the fear that Bernadette had felt a few moments earlier faded away at the sight of this lady. She felt safe as if with her mother.

The Lady was dressed in an ivory-colored robe tied at the waist with a sapphire-colored sash. A long ivory-colored mantle trimmed in gold hung in folds flowing down to her feet. On her bare feet were two golden roses than shone like the gold trim on her mantle. Bernadette was awestruck by the vision of this Lady and didn’t speak, nor did the Lady. Bernadette found herself reaching for her rosary, which she always carried with her, and dropping down on her knees. It was then that Bernadette noticed the pearl rosary hanging on the Lady’s right arm, which she now also took into her delicate hands. Bernadette tried to lift her hand to cross herself before reciting the rosary, however, her arm seemed paralyzed. It was only after the Lady crossed herself that Bernadette was able to move her arm and do likewise. Bernadette prayed aloud, by herself. The Lady was silent except at the end of each decade when she recited, with Bernadette, the Gloria. When Bernadette finished praying the Rosary, the Lady and the golden cloud disappeared.

Bernadette had many other visions of the Lady in the grotto. At first her parents were very upset and unbelieving of the visions. Her mother thought that either Bernadette was imagining things or that what she was seeing was demonic. Word spread in the small village about her visions of this mysterious lady and crowds of people started following Bernadette to the grotto. Many ridiculed her, but some were supportive. One woman thought Bernadette might be encountering the spirit of one of her deceased friends. Bernadette’s family implored her to take holy water and throw some on the Lady. She did take some with her, but poured in on the ground.

The Lady repeatedly asked Bernadette to pray for the conversion of sinners and asked for penance for sins. When she instructed Bernadette to wash herself and drink from a place at the base of the grotto, Bernadette was perplexed. She looked, but could find no water. The Lady told her to dig in the ground, which Bernadette did, which caused quite a stir among the onlookers. Some thought she was insane. Bernadette continued to dig in the gravel and dirt until the ground started to feel damp. Then a trickle of water appeared and more started bubbling up from the ground forming a small puddle. Following the Lady’s instructions, Bernadette rubbed the water on her body and cupped some in her hands and drank it.

Still Bernadette’s mother refused to believe her daughter and other family members continued to ridicule her. When Bernadette spoke to the Lady about this, the Lady replied, “I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next.”

The next request of the Lady to Bernadette was to have a chapel built on the site of her visits. For Bernadette, a shy, 14 year-old girl, this was an impossible task. She felt compelled, though, to go to the parish priest with the request. She received a curt dismissal from him with these words: “Tell the beautiful Lady that the Cure’ of Lourdes is not in the habit of dealing with mysterious strangers. If she wants a chapel and has the right to one, she must reveal her identity.”

On the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1858, Bernadette got the answer to her question. “I am the Immaculate Conception,” replied the beautiful Lady. Bernadette was so excited to have an answer for the priest that she immediately set out for the rectory, repeating the words over and over to herself so as not to forget them. Although Bernadette didn’t understand the words, when she repeated them to the priest he was convinced that the mysterious Lady was the Blessed Virgin Mary. He knew that Bernadette, a poor, uneducated young girl, could not have been aware of the term "Immaculate Conception,” especially since this was a newly-proclaimed dogma in the Church that most people were not familiar with.

In 1864, Bernadette entered the order of the Sisters of Nevers and went to live in a convent. Two years later a chapel was erected and dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. The puddle that had appeared when Bernadette scratched at the soil continued to get larger and larger and today produces 32,000 gallons of water daily. Thousands of pilgrims visit Lourdes each year to bathe in the miraculous waters. Today Lourdes is the most well-known healing and pilgrimage site in the world.


Lessons - Our Lady of Lourdes

On January 18, 1862, the Church officially confirmed the apparitions at Lourdes. Sixteen years later, in 1879, Sister Bernadette died. Her body, however, on display in the Sister’s Chapel, has never decomposed. Bernadette was canonized on December 8, 1933.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, our Lady of Lourdes, we thank you for appearing to the child Bernadette so as to show the world the power of God. The miracles brought forth then and even until now are a great testimony of His Love and Mercy. Thank you, Mother, not only for the miraculous healing power of the waters of Lourdes but also for the love and compassion that prevails there. We thank our Father in heaven for you, dear Mother and also for Saint Bernadette and we implore your intercessions for us that we will always be like little children, docile and loving and open to His Will. Amen.

- posted by LRS @ 7:01 AM   

 
Two key appointments for Roman Curia

Vatican, Feb. 11 (CWNews.com)
Pope John Paul II has named new prelates to head two important Vatican offices.

The Holy Father accepted the resignations of Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, the prefect of the Congregation for Religious; and Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. Both outgoing Vatican officials had reached the retirement age of 75.

The new prefect of the Congregation for Religious will be Archbishop Franc Rode, the current Archbishop of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The new secretary general of the Synod of Bishops will be Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, a Croatian cleric who is currently serving as apostolic nuncio in Ukraine.

Cardinal Somalo, who is 76, had headed the Congregation for Religious since 1992; prior to that, he had been prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship from 1988 to 1992. The Spanish cardinal was also selected by Pope John Paul II in 1993 for the post of camerlengo: the Vatican official who, in the case of the Pontiff's death, coordinates the interim administration of the Holy See and convenes a papal conclave. Cardinal Somalo will continue to hold that responsibility.

Archbishop Rode, a 69-year-old Lazarist priest, has previously served at the Vatican as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, before becoming an archbishop in his native Slovenia. As the prefect of a Vatican congregation, he would be expected to be named a cardinal at the next consistory.

Cardinal Schotte, a 75-year-old Belgian, has headed the Synod of Bishops since 1984. During that time he has been responsible for the organization of a dozen meetings of the Synod, including a series of special meetings of bishops' synods from the various continents. A priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he served at the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace before his latest assignment.

Archbishop Eterovic, who is 53, has been in the Vatican diplomatic service since 1980, with postings in Ivory Cost, Spain, and Nicaragua as well as a stint in the Vatican Secretariat of State. A polyglot-- he speaks Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian as well as his native Croatian-- he will now assume responsibility for the organization of the next Synod of Bishops, which will focus on the Eucharist. That meeting of the Synod, which will probably take place sometime in 2005, will be formally announced in the coming weeks. Archbishop Eterovic, too, will presumably be elevated to the College of Cardinals at the next consistory.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

For those who attended the Eucharistic Congress here in St. Louis a couple of years ago, you may remember Cardinal Schotte and his wonderful keynote address. You may also recall that he was called on at the last moment by then Archbishop Rigali to give the keynote address because Fr. Benedict Groeschel, who was to give the address, was delayed because of inclement weather. Cardinal Schotte gave an excellent imprompu talk lasting about 35-40 minutes which was interrupted several times by applause. His recollections and devotion to the our Lord and the Blessed Sacrament was truly inspiring.

I would certainly recommend listening to his address to the faithful. It was recorded and made available by St. Joseph Communications and they may still have them available. If you cannot locate a copy of the taped address and are interested in it, let me know and I'll see what can be done to get a copy to you.
- posted by LRS @ 7:00 AM   

 
Is Notre Dame really a Catholic University? Is this Hesburgh's Legacy?
At Notre Dame, gay film fest a first
Some students call this week's event a breakthrough for a religious school that officially brands homosexual behavior a sin

After the V-Monologues have come and gone this year, maybe more 'Catholic' universities will pick this up, too. I guess I will pass this along to the Cardinal Newman Society, eh?
- posted by LRS @ 6:36 AM   

 
Pope affirms "salvific" suffering

Vatican, Feb. 11 (CWNews.com)
No one has the right deliberately to end a human life, even if the individual is suffering, Pope John Paul II insisted.
The Holy Father made his remarks during his weekly public audience on February 11, as the Church observed both the World Day for the Sick and the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. He spoke to about 4,000 people in the Paul VI auditorium.

(The Pope's regular Wednesday audience was one of only a few scheduled events at the Vatican. February 11 is also a holiday for the Vatican, commemorating the Lateran accords that established the sovereignty of the Vatican city-state.)

"Every human being, even those marked by sickness and suffering, is a great gift to the Church and to humanity," the Pope said. He said that everyone who is in pain because of illness should find other people ready to provide them with care and concern. Human suffering, he said, "is always a call for the display of merciful love."

The World Day for the Sick should be a reminder of "the important place in the Christian community for people who suffer," the Pope continued. He reminded his audience that while suffering can appear pointless from a human perspective, in the light of the Gospel we should seek its "profound salvific significance."

Pope John Paul, who delivered most of his speech in Italian, conveyed a special message in French to the participants in the official observance of the World Day for the Sick, which was taking place at the Marian shrine in Lourdes, France. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care, presided at a Mass for the occasion, celebrated in the basilica at Lourdes.

At the conclusion of his public audience, the Pope made reference to the 75th anniversary of the Lateran accords, describing them as "a historic opening" and a positive benchmark in relations between the Catholic Church and the Italian state.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

- posted by LRS @ 6:32 AM   

 
Church of England questions sex of three wise men

London, Feb. 10 (CWNews.com)
The Church of England has challenged the traditional belief that three wise men travelled from the East to the manger at Bethlehem.

The church's General Synod has decided that "the visitors were not necessarily wise and not necessarily men."

Authorizing a new set of prayers for use in church services, the Synod decreed that the three wise men-- as they are called in the ancient King James translation of the Bible-- must henceforth be referred to as "Magi".

The argument is that there is no biblical evidence that were three visitors or that they were indeed men.

The Synod's revision committee argued that the original Greek, magos/magoi was a transliteration of the name of an official in the Persian court. They say St. Matthew deliberately used an exotic word to emphasize the exotic nature of the visitors to Jesus.

In its report the committee says, "To translate the term into something more universally understood (as the Authorized Version did) is to miss the point being made. Further, while it seems very unlikely that these Persian court officials were female, the possibility that one or more of the magoi were female cannot be excluded completely."

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

The implosion continues.
- posted by LRS @ 12:39 PM   

 
USCCB Committee to distribute 150 page booklet in advance of the Passion?

Fearful that Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" will revive age-old tension between Christians and Jews over the death of Jesus Christ, U.S. bishops are issuing strict instructions on how Catholics should view the crucifixion.

A 150-page booklet, "The Bible, the Jews and the Death of Jesus," will be released this week to every diocese in the United States, instructing Catholics on the Vatican's position: that Jews were not collectively responsible for Christ's torture and death.

[Full Story here]
Seems awfully strange to me that a Bishops' committee has the money and time to create a 150 page booklet to "remind' us that all of us are culpable for Christ's suffering and death.

The booklet is being issued by the Committee for Ecumenical Affairs of the Bishops' conference.

We must remember that most of these things are not from the Bishops but from internal committees. I am reminded of several documents that come out of these committees: "Environment and Art in Catholic Worship", "Always our Children", and the recent document about our not having to evangelize our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Why don't we contrast this with Archbishop Chaput's thoughts:

"I hope every adult Catholic in northern Colorado sees it," Chaput said, "as well as the general adult public."

Chaput said he got the idea for the forum after seeing mounting evidence of anti-Semitism during his work on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

"For Catholics, anti-Semitism is more than a human rights issue; it's a form of sacrilege and blasphemy against the people God chose for his own," Chaput said.

- posted by LRS @ 12:38 PM   

 
WILL JEWS BE ASSAULTED AFTER “THE PASSION”?
The Catholic League asks this question...Perhaps someone should email William Donohue and advise him to contact Bishop Stephen E. Blaire, Committee for Ecumenical Affairs of the Bishops' conference.

[Full Article]
- posted by LRS @ 12:22 PM   

 
Latin 'anything but dead' in Catholic schools in Wilmington Diocese

WILMINGTON, Del. (CNS) -- For a supposedly dead language, Latin is alive and well at some Catholic schools in the Wilmington Diocese. Although it was abandoned by most public schools in the past 40 years or so, many students and teachers say that studying Latin has many benefits.

"I like that it's an ancient language that has a lot to do with the culture," said Thomas Bounds, a sophomore at Salesianum School in Wilmington. Bounds, who takes Latin II, said his Latin class, with 13 students, is smaller than most of his classes, which gives it a more personal atmosphere. He also said the language has helped him with vocabulary, English grammar and his SAT scores.

At Ursuline Academy, also in Wilmington, Latin is mandatory for sixth-graders. In the seventh and eighth grades, students can choose Latin, French or Spanish. "This year Latin was the most highly sought-after choice," said Robin Chambers, Ursuline's curriculum director. Ursuline has added a year of Latin study each fall since introducing the course three years ago.

From Catholic News Briefs

It's an encouraging sign to see this. The Romance languages are based on the Latin. The 5 major Romance languages are: French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish.

It's so amazing that in our haste to jettison anything having any proximity to the pre-Vatican II era, we discarded and lost so much. I fear it will take many years to recover from this. As we can see from this story (and I'm certain that there are many others), our Catholic heritage is so rich and so beneficial. These schools, teachers, and students should be congratulated for the work they are doing.
- posted by LRS @ 10:34 PM   

 
Vatican sends draft of minicatechism to cardinals for review
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has completed a draft of a 150-page minicatechism and is sending the text to cardinals and bishops' conferences for review, a Vatican source said.

Pope John Paul II commissioned the shorter, simpler version of the 865-page "Catechism of the Catholic Church" last year, and a 10-member commission has been working on the text since March. The source said Feb. 9 that over the next few months the commission would consider the input of cardinals and bishops' conferences, and that a final draft is expected to be completed later this year.

The minicatechism outlines church teachings in four parts, under the headings of profession of faith, sacraments, commandments and prayer, the source said. The work on the draft was considered unusually fast by Vatican standards.

Last year, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Vatican's doctrinal congregation and president of the drafting commission, said he expected the preparation work to take about two years.

From Catholic News Briefs


- posted by LRS @ 10:30 PM   

 
Why the Warning to Pro-Abortion Politicians Was Right -- Even Obligatory
Two U.S. Professors Defend Bishop Burke's Decision

PRINCETON, New Jersey, FEB. 9, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Two leading Catholic intellectuals came out in strong support of the decision by a Midwest bishop to ask pro-abortion Catholic politicians in his diocese to refrain from receiving Communion.

In an article published by National Review Online, professors Robert George and Gerard Bradley defended the actions of then La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke (now archbishop of St. Louis).

The professors wrote: "Having made every effort to persuade pro-abortion Catholic legislators to fulfill their obligations in justice to the unborn, Bishop Burke articulated the obvious: Any Catholic who exercises political power to expose a disfavored class of human beings to unjust killing sets himself against the very faith he claims to share. The Church cannot permit such a person to pretend to share in the faith he publicly defies. By receiving Communion -- the sacrament of unity -- pro-abortion Catholics are pretending exactly that. The bishop has called a halt to the pretense."

Robert George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. Gerard Bradley is professor of law at the University of Notre Dame and president of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.

The two professors expanded on their analysis for ZENIT.

Both men have stated that bishops have a duty to act, now that Archbishop Burke has taken the lead - This duty, this obligation, is not optional.
- posted by LRS @ 10:14 PM   

 
The Post-Dispatch continues its confusion regarding Abp. Burke, church/state
Saturday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch continued its confusion of the relationship of Archbishop Burke's clear position on the Church's teaching regarding the scandal caused by Catholic politicians who advocate and promote the culture of death and the subsequent interdict to deny them Holy Communion.

"It's one thing for the Catholic church to behave like any other interest group and say, 'We have these positions and hope people will be persuaded by these positions.' That doesn't raise fears," said John Green, an Akron University professor who studies the intersection of religion and politics. "But when it gets to the next level, where religious sanctions are used against politicians because of positions they take. . ., that does raise some of the fears that people had back in the 1960s. I think that tends to increase the concern that the church may be playing an inappropriate role in democracy."

The Catholic Church behaving like any other interest group? Fears that people had in the 1960's? Inappropriate role in democracy? I guess this is similar to the same role the Church played in the past speaking out against segregation?

"It's not Rome imposing a particular view on anybody," said Starrs, director of the Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church of the American Life League, the nation's largest anti-abortion advocacy group. "It's just the Catholic church asking for all people to stand up for all innocent life, and if you want to be Catholic, some things are non-negotiable, and one of those is protecting life in the womb."

At least they quoted someone else who is Catholic and understands the position of the Church. But wait a minute. They can't let it stop there...they must select some 'real' ideologues to give the truth on the subject.

In fact, Catholics are widely divided on many social issues.

An ABC News-Washington Post poll last year found that 88 percent of Catholics find birth control morally acceptable, 62 percent found the death penalty morally acceptable and 30 percent found abortion acceptable.

"The Catholics that are in the pews are there for spiritual fulfillment and aren't looking to the church hierarchy for political leadership and guidance," said Paul Djupe, assistant professor of political science at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Perhaps not, however, fundamental moral precepts must be understood if one is ever going to grow spiritually. And when injustice is promoted as a good when in fact it is an evil, it is the obligation of the Church to enlightened the faithful about this issue.

Still, some question whether such edicts from church leaders come close to crossing the line between the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.

Apparently another person who failed to read the Constitution or pass a basic Civics class. Some believe that repeating this lie often enough will make it true.

Green said," It's one thing to say we think Senator Kerry is wrong. But it's quite another to deny the means of grace because of a political position."

If Kerry was in a state of grace, he would not hold the "Pro-Death" position he promotes. He, himself, is responsible for any denial of Holy Communion.

Sue Crawford, an associate professor of political science at Creighton University, said such fears might be more viable if Kerry had reversed his position.

"If Kerry were to come out and say, 'I was wrong and I won't do it anymore because I value my link to the church,' it would raise that concern," she said. "If he backs down on this, what else will he back down? People might be worried then about whether they could trust Catholic politicians."

That's right! People will be worried when someone accepts morality as a way of life and publicly admits that they were wrong.

Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, an abortion-rights group, believes such statements from church leaders revive concerns about whether Catholic politicians can be trusted to make laws based on the common good rather than religious beliefs.

Ah yes! We must not go without quoting Kissling! Promoting abortion, the intentional murder of the unborn in the womb - in what should be the safest place for them - is a common good? Also, If we are to understand this correctly, we should abolish all laws which have been enacted which were based on religious beliefs. What a glorious day!

"This is the fear that those of us who are Catholic have that when bishops say things like this that they may contribute to anti-Catholicism by reigniting the old belief that Catholics are not independent from Rome," Kissling said.

Actually, 'Catholics' who are estranged from Rome and the successor of St. Peter and Christ's Church of their own free will, might be better understood as schismatics and heretics. The inversion or denial of objective truth is so rampant today. One must wonder what these "Catholics" would say to Jesus if He were to confront them. Better yet, what will they say when they appear before Him on the day of judgement?
- posted by LRS @ 10:07 AM   

 
John Paul II Laments Media Distortion of Magisterial Documents
Calls for Opportune Methods of Transmitting Church Teaching

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 6, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II lamented that the media often distort documents of the magisterium, and he asked that opportune methods be found for the transmission of Church teaching.

The faithful are often "disoriented more than informed by immediate reactions and interpretations by the media," the Pope said.

The Holy Father expressed his concern when he met today with participants of the plenary session convoked every two years by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"Reception of a document must be seen above all as an ecclesial event of welcoming the magisterium," the Pope said.

"It is a question, in fact, of an authoritative word that shines light on a truth of faith or on several aspects of Catholic doctrine that are contested or distorted by particular currents of thought or action," he added.

"Precisely in this doctrinal instruction is found the profoundly pastoral character of the document, the reception of which becomes, therefore, a propitious occasion of formation, catechesis and evangelization," the Holy Father said.

"For the reception to become a genuine ecclesial event, it is appropriate to provide opportune methods of transmission and diffusion of the document itself which allows for full awareness," he added.

The Pope insisted that such a document must be accepted by the pastors of the Church "as teaching that contributes to form the Christian conscience of the faithful in the face of the challenges of the contemporary world."

- posted by LRS @ 11:48 AM   

 
Pope instructs CDF on doctrinal, sex-abuse roles
Vatican, Feb. 06 (CWNews.com)
At a February 6 meeting with the members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Pope John Paul II called the prelates' attention to three key topics: respect for Church teachings, the defense of natural law, and the discipline of clerics who are guilty of sexual misconduct.

The Pope met with the full membership of the Vatican's top doctrinal body as the Congregation concluded its biennial plenary assembly. He encouraged them to be forthright in proclaiming and defending the teachings of the Church, at a time marked by "both a widespread relativism and a tendency toward facile pragmatism." In today's culture, the Holy Father remarked, it is particularly important to convey the message that "full adherence to the Catholic faith does not diminish, but actually exalts human freedom."

In his remarks to the Congregation, the Pontiff spoke of the need to ensure that the teachings of the magisterium are properly received throughout the Catholic world, and the importance of defending the traditional understanding of natural law. Then he turned to the "very delicate and current" question of sexual abuse.

Recent years have seen a "notable increase" in the number of cases in which a Catholic cleric is accused of gravely immoral conduct. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is charged with the responsibility of canonical discipline in these cases, and the Pope said that-- having provided for a just hearing, and respect the rights of the accused-- the Congregation must be guided by 'the predominant need to protect the People of God."

Once an offense has been proven, the Pontiff said, discipline should be meted out in proportion to the severity of the offense. At the same time, he continued, the Congregation should look beyond the current disciplinary cases, and help dioceses to provide "just and balanced formation" for future priests. He called for collaboration with other dicasteries "to adopt the measures that are necessary to ensure that priests live in accordance with their call and commitment to perfect and perpetual chastity for the sake of the kingdom of God."

Earlier in his talk, the Pope had placed heavy emphasis on the natural-law tradition, explaining that a "crisis in metaphysics" in today's world has created an unhappy situation in which many people "no longer recognize the truth that is inscribed on the heart of every human person." He reminded the group that natural law is a "great patrimony of human wisdom," rather than a specifically Christian or Catholic body of thought. The natural law, he said, sets out "the first and most essential norms that regulate moral life."

To help revive a general understanding of basic human morality, the Pontiff asked the Congregation to "promote opportune initiatives" that could spread a better acceptance of the natural law. He remarked that such initiatives should have the support of "different denominations, religions, and cultures."

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also has the responsibility of monitoring the reception of Church teachings, including the popular understanding of new documents issued by the Vatican. Pope John Paul expressed his concern that the Catholic faithful are sometimes "disoriented rather than instructed" when a new document appears-- in large part because the teachings are distorted or misinterpreted by the mass media.

The issuance of a teaching document from the Holy See, the Pope said, should be understood not as a "media event," but as a means of promoting communion within the Church. The teachings of the magisterium, he explained, are intended to "shine light on a truth of the faith, or on some aspects of Catholic doctrine that are contested or distorted by particular trends of current thought and behavior."


© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

- posted by LRS @ 7:00 AM   

 
Holy Mass with Archbishop Burke Last Night
Last night at St. Cletus Church in St. Charles, Archbishop Burke celebrated Holy Mass following the St. Charles Deanery meeting. Most of the St. Charles county priests were in attendance as well as many of the deacons.

We arrived at St. Cletus about 6:30pm, an hour before the start of Mass. I had been to St. Cletus before and I can honestly say that I am not impressed with the stark nakedness of the interior of the church. With a sliding glass door to separate the tabernacle from the church proper, it becomes more suited to a meeting hall rather than a gateway to heaven, a sacred space where one can leave the mundane world behind and enter into a sacred place of holiness, a church truly worthy of our Lord. However, it did have Stations of the Cross mounted on the walls which is significantly more than my parish church. In our new 'worship space', we have banners for stations which can be taken down when Lent is over. But anyway, I digress.

The next thing I noticed was the credence table which held - not common wine glasses but - gold goblets, something usually not seen in many parishes here. I had heard and read that the Archbishop "goes by the book" when he celebrates the Sacred Mysteries and that he expects his priests to do likewise. Praise God for that! Maybe 'Danced Prayer', or as it used to be called, Liturgical Dance, will be eliminated from Sacred Liturgy here in the St. Louis Archdiocese?

Upon seeing his Excellency up close, I could detect a sincere humility and kindness in this servant of our Lord, which evoked an inexplicable sense of joy and happiness in me as I watched him process into the sanctuary. I think that I can relate, in a simple sort of way, to the sadness that the faithful in La Crosse must feel because of his transfer to St. Louis.

In my rush to get to St. Cletus early to have a decent seat in order to see and hear, I forgot my tape recorder. So my recollections of the homily will be short. Suffice it to say that his homily seemed to me to be a shortened, but equally inspiring version of his Installation Mass homily. He did praise catechists, both those in the Catholic schools and those involved in PSR. He also stressed being faithful to the authentic teachings of the Church. He emphasized that the Faith must be handed on to children fully and completely, as it was handed on to us. [The true meaning of 'catechesis'.]

He also warned against a reductionist view of the faith and a picking and choosing of doctrines which to our minds might be acceptable and unacceptable. The totality of the Church's teaching must be accepted, lived and taught.

After Holy Mass but before the Final Blessing, Archbishop Burke was presented with a first class relic of St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne. From my vantage point, he appeared very pleased and humbled to have been presented with such a gift.

Immediately following, a reception was held in the gymnasium. We were one of the first in line waiting for the Archbishop to come out to greet and receive the faithful. When it was my turn to greet him, I knelt and kissed his ring (probably one of the few to do that) and thanked him for his service to the Lord and His Church. I also asked him to sign my copy of the "Marian Catechist Manual", a publication of Fr. John Hardon's with Archbishop Burke's Imprimatur. His smile widened and I could sense a twinkle of sorts in his eyes at seeing this booklet - he is the National Director of the Marian Catechist Apostulate, chosen specifically for this by Fr. Hardon before he died. He asked me to keep in touch since I have started the Marian Catechist formation process.

As I have stated many times in the past, our Lord has provided us with a true shepherd in the person of Archbishop Burke. Please pray for him as he prays for us.
- posted by LRS @ 7:30 PM   

 
A Primer on Canon 915 By Barb Kralis
Essential information to present to your Bishop regarding THEIR OBLIGATION to deny the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians, and the risks of refusing to do so

Unquestionably, canon 915 is the most discussed canon in the Codex Iuris Canonici, or Code of Canon Law, in recent Church history. Many in the secular and Protestant media have reported on the January 8, 2004 canonical actions of Archbishop Raymond Burke, then bishop of the La Crosse, Wisconsin diocese. Because of their misinformation, speculation and outright resentment, confusion reigns regarding the Archbishop's promulgation of his 'canonical notification' based on canon 915, the official communication of what the Church's discipline is.

I would like to make some important clarifications, with appropriate documentation, in hopes that people of all faiths will understand the Archbishop's actions, why it was appropriate for him to discipline persistent, obstinate, manifest pro abortion Catholic legislators, and why no other U.S. Bishop can refuse to immediately follow the same procedures in their own dioceses. All Bishops must protect the Eucharist from sacrilege.

Another good article; see the complete article here.
- posted by LRS @ 7:11 PM   

 
Cardinal Ratzinger reflects on authority, diversity
Rome, Feb. 4 (CWNews.com) - In a wide-ranging interview in this week's issue of the Italian weekly magazine Famiglia Cristiana, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said that the function of the Roman Curia is to reconcile unity and diversity within the Catholic Church, demonstrating that the faith is a "polyphonic reality."

Famiglia Cristiana published the interview with the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to coincide with the appearance of the Italian edition of the cardinal's latest book, which focuses on the understanding of communion within the Church. He explained, in his magazine interview, that the Curia aims to foster communion among the local churches, or dioceses, of the Catholic world.

Cardinal Ratzinger explained that "it is not simply a matter of cultivating the proper relations between the Curia and the local churches, but rather of promoting the unity and multiplicity that is the Church." He said that the Vatican does not seek to question the authority or "submerge the charisms" of the local churches. Instead, the Roman Curia hope to balance the demands of unity and diversity. As he put it:

On one hand, the central service of the Roman Curia should not be involved with issues that could be better treated by the local Church; on the other hand, the local churches should not live in an autonomous manner, but should work to enrich the unity, because Christ is one.

Speaking of his own particular role in defending orthodox Catholic doctrine, the German cardinal said that he is also pleased when local bishops or episcopal conferences can handle questions regarding the teaching of dissident theologians. But he said that "often they tell us that the questions go beyond the limits of the local Church, touching upon the debate within the universal Church, and they look for us to help them."

Cardinal Ratzinger said that in order to understand the workings of the Church properly, it is essential to realize that "the Church is a theological, rather than sociological, fact." It would be a serious error, he said, to transform the idea of communion into a "purely sociological" notion. At the same time, he continued, "building upon the foundation of a theological concept of communion, a more profound social vision emerges."

Cardinal Ratzinger also observed that in some countries, the national bishops' conference is so large-- "sometimes including more than 200 bishops"-- that it is difficult to handle serious theological concerns within the context of a regular meeting. "There is a risk that the discussions and the solutions wil be guided by the bureaucracy," he said. "Frankly, a deeper exchange on disputed topics is impossible." In those cases, he remarked, it may often be advisable to leave issues to the discretion of individual bishops.

The cardinal mentioned that there are similar problems with the Synod of Bishops, saying that synodal meetings have become "too ritualized" to allow a full range of discussions among the bishops who participate. He suggested that although Synod meetings must be organized properly in order to streamline the process, some provisions should be made for "real, full discussions."

Touching on many other issues in the course of his conversation with Famiglia Cristiana, Cardinal Ratzinger:

Lamented a widespread tendency to view the Eucharistic liturgy as a means of communication, or "a spectacle, a show," rather than emphasizing "interior participation" of the faithful in the sacrifice.

Noted that attendance at Sunday Mass in his native Germany has declined by 70 percent in the past 20 years, and suggested that the faithful evidently do not feel attracted to the "creative" liturgical celebrations that they often encounter.

Confirmed that he has submitted his resignation "several times" to Pope John Paul, but indicated that now, at the age of 76, he is leaving that decision in the hands of the Pope.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

- posted by LRS @ 6:15 AM   

 
National Catholic Reporter weighs in on Abp. Burke's stance...
Last week National Catholic Reporter criticized the new translations of the Missal as "revisionists ... attacking the reform,... that a secretly appointed committee of 11 men -- no women included -- met quietly at the Vatican to overturn decades of work on translation, work that had been done under the approving mandate of Pope Paul VI."

Ah yes, the Vox Clara committee is sending us all back to the Dark Ages by applying the principles and directives of "Liturgiam Authenticum" to English translations. Since several others have already adequately responded to this NCR whining (see this and this), I will let it pass and instead focus on an editorial for this week which questions Archbishop Raymond Burke's recent notification to pro-death, pro-abortion politicians.

Who is one of the people interviewed for this editorial piece? Why, none other than the famous pro-death 'Catholic' governor of New York, Mario Cuomo - a lawyer chosen to speak about fundamentals of the Faith. And, of course, NCR relates Cuomo's famous speech at Notre Dame at the request of - who else ? - the Reverend Richard McBrien - a stalwart of heterdoxy.

And one again, a lame attempt is made to equate abortion, the deliberate taking of innocent life, to capital punishment - as if the two acts were morally equivalent. NCR reports, a seemingly exasperated Cuomo said, "It's more of an issue for the theologians than for the politicians."

Actually that is not the case. Since the bishop of a diocese is charged with the welfare of the souls of his people and to properly catechize them, he is obligated to do all he can to lead those souls toward Christ.

At least NCR understands that there is no issure regarding the question of church-state separation. It simply does not exist.

The do question whether he acted properly canonically by asking: "...did Burke, a canon lawyer, act properly under church law? Hard to tell." This, I believe has been answered appropriately, first by Abp. Burke, and subsequently confirmed by Dr. Edward Peters, here.

Lastly, NCR asks, "Was Burke's action theologically sound?" Ignoring the fact that the editor fails to address the Archbishop by the title appropriate to his office, they do quote Robert George, who, with Gerard Bradley, defended Archbishop Burke's actions in Nation Review Online.

But no sooner than they quote Robert George, they appeal to Loyola Marymount theologian, Michael Horan, who counters that "Burke's way off base." Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems that nearly every time one refuses to use the title "Bishop" or "Archbishop", we can rest assured that the person speaking harbors either some disdain for the Archbishop or dissents from the position the Archbishop has taken.

Horan goes on to say, "The bishop's point of view presumes that the Eucharist is a reward for good behavior. Interestingly, the only transgressions for which the early church communities practiced excommunication were adultery, apostasy and murder (of human beings already born). Abortion was not one of the transgressions that merited excommunication."

Any bets that Michael Horan does not have a mandatum to teach theology? It amazes me that that these so-called 'theologians' have such a defective understanding of theology. Just another reason not to send your children to Loyola Marymount, that bastion of authentic Catholic theology.

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which he offers you in the name of sinners; and to those who implore your mercy, in your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.
- posted by LRS @ 6:02 AM   

 
Kerry – A Textbook Pro-Abortion "Catholic"
A LifesiteNews article shows the hypocrisy demonstrated by this man who continues to promote himself as a Catholic, even though he has abandoned the Faith.
Pay for the conversion of his heart and for those who, because of his example, have succumbed to his ideologies and beliefs.
- posted by LRS @ 5:24 AM   

 
The State of Massachusetts joins others in Sodom...
Mass. High Court Rules for Gay Marriage
By JENNIFER PETER, Associated Press Writer

BOSTON - The Massachusetts high court ruled Wednesday that only full, equal marriage rights for gay couples — rather than civil unions — would be constitutional, erasing any doubts that the nation's first same-sex marriages could take place in the state beginning in mid-May.

The court issued the opinion in response to a request from the state Senate about whether Vermont-style civil unions, which convey the state benefits of marriage — but not the title — would meet constitutional muster.

"The history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal," the four justices who ruled in favor of gay marriage wrote in the advisory opinion. A bill that would allow for civil unions, but falls short of marriage, makes for "unconstitutional, inferior, and discriminatory status for same-sex couples."
. . .

Massachusetts has one of the highest concentrations of gay households in the country with at 1.3 percent of the total number of coupled households, according to the 2000 census. In California, 1.4 percent of the coupled households are occupied by same-sex partners. Vermont and New York also registered at 1.3 percent, while in Washington, D.C., the rate is 5.1 percent

The spiritual battle is being fought with greater and greater fury. At times like these it's easy to despair and lose hope. Lest we forget, it's always darkest before the dawn.

Pray for these judges who have lost all sense of right and wrong. And pray that the legislators will confront this absurd decision by unrestrained judicial activism. And pray that God will enlighten those who see lies as truth, darkness as light, evil as good.
- posted by LRS @ 12:01 PM   

 
Kudos to Fr. Bob Spriggs og Highland, IL
Also in the same Letters to the Editor section in the Post-Dispatch, we find a priest in the Diocese of Springfield who understands the necessary requirement of being a Catholic who is "properly disposed" to receive the Sacraments.

No Mass

Sen. John Kerry's explanation of his being Catholic yet supporting abortion rights (Post-Dispatch, Jan. 30) is so much gobbledygook. His understanding of the separation of church and state is as politically convenient for him as it is morally convoluted. Were Kerry to attend Mass at our parish church, I would refuse him Communion.

The Rev. Bob Spriggs
St. Paul Church
Highland, Ill.

- posted by LRS @ 6:05 AM   

 
Is "Civics" no longer taught in schools these days?
Another letter to the editor of the St. Louis Post Dispatch demonstrates either the problem of schools in teaching "Civics" or "National/State Government", or that some failed to learn while in school.

Church vs. state?

So, Archbishop Raymond Burke wants to get involved in politics and dictate how Catholic legislators vote. Fine, let him get involved, but as a consequence the Archdiocese of St. Louis should lose its religious tax exemption. Perhaps this would remind the Archbishop of our constitutional separation of church and state.

Gordon Brown
Maryland Heights

- posted by LRS @ 6:01 AM   

 
Karl Keating's E-Letter for Feb 3, 2004
TOPICS:
SURVEY OF BRITISH PRIESTS
SHOULD WE SAY HOMOSEXUALS ARE "DISORDERED"?
SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS
Dear Friend of Catholic Answers:

I have been interviewed enough times to know that it is the rare reporter who will quote you accurately. That leads me to suspect that what I read in a news report was not really said by the man quoted. If it had been, he might make a good successor to Mrs. Malaprop.

Gateway Computers is buying out eMachines, which has been more successful recently than has Gateway in making money from the sale of PCs. The news report quotes an industry analyst as saying, "This is at least a taciturn admission by Gateway that they haven't been able to transform themselves as they would like."

What a delightful typo: "a taciturn admission." I'm sure the analyst said "tacit," which means implied, rather than "taciturn," which means disinclined to talk. But, in a way, "taciturn" seems to fit: When your business isn't doing very well, you aren't too inclined to want to talk about it.

THINGS MAY BE WORSE ACROSS THE POND

A survey of priests in England and Wales has caused an episcopal uproar. According to a story in the January issue of "The Catholic World Report," the bishops have focused more on alleged shortcomings of the survey's methodology than on the story told by the survey, and the story is not a pretty one.

A third of the priests said they think women should be ordained. Half said that priests who left the ministry to marry should be readmitted. Most of the priests oppose the Church's teaching on the immorality of contraception, and a majority say that Catholics who are divorced and remarried should be able to receive Communion. Only a quarter of the priests say that a practicing homosexual should be banned from the priesthood.

I am saddened to learn of such opinions, but I am not surprised--or in despair.

As I repeatedly have said in the E-Letter, younger priests are much more solid, on the whole, than are priests ordained in the 1960s and 1970s. With new recruits entering at one end of the priestly spectrum and attrition handling the other end, things will improve.

In twenty years such a survey will have markedly different (and encouraging) results. This is not to say that there will be no priests who hold wrong opinions, but things will look much brighter. Just be patient.

ARE HOMOSEXUALS DISORDERED?

I read the report on the survey about the time I read a letter in the "National Catholic Reporter." The letter was written by Fr. Ken Lohrmeyer, who lives in Kansas.

He said that "gay priests have a burden heterosexual priests never even dream about--namely, the fact that the church they have devoted their lives to officially declares them to be 'objectively disordered' along with all other homosexual persons. The absurd implication is that God made a mistake in creating them gay (I believe it is not a freely chosen lifestyle)."

There are at least two problems here:

1. The Church does not say that homosexual persons are "objectively disordered." It says that homosexual persons have a disorder, and it says that homosexual acts (not homosexual persons) are "intrinsically disordered" (CCC 2357).

Consider an analogy. You may remember thalidomide. Four decades ago this then-new sedative was widely prescribed. Some pregnant women who used it gave birth to infants who were malformed, and thalidomide quickly fell out of use.

A "thalidomide child" who was born with, say, only one arm has had, all his life, a physical disorder. Human beings are supposed to have two arms, and he does not. Does this mean that this now middle-aged person is "disordered"? No, because that uses the term in the wrong way. He has a disorder, but that does not mean he is wholly disordered.

Or consider the case of the alcoholic. He has a psychological disorder that has a physical component to it. We do not say that the alcoholic is disordered so much as that he suffers from a disorder. To say the first would be to suggest that everything about him is wrong, and that is not the case.

There are many kinds of disorders--physical, psychological, emotional, mental, social. Many of them have no moral consequences.

The "thalidomide child" who has but one arm is not induced by that fact to engage in actions that are immoral.

It is a different situation with the alcoholic. If he starts with a social drink, he will find himself falling into drunkenness. Social drinking is not a sin, but drunkenness is, so there is a moral component to the alcoholic's disorder. His disorder entices him to do something morally innocent (having a social drink) but greases the way for him to go beyond that into something morally improper (drunkenness).

Homosexuality is a step beyond that. The homosexual's desire is for something that, in its nature, is immoral: sexual union with someone of the same sex. In his case, there is no analogue to the first social drink.

2. Fr. Lohrmeyer says that homosexuality is "not a freely chosen lifestyle." While one can say that the condition of homosexuality is not freely chosen (CCC 2358), one cannot say that about the homosexual lifestyle.

When we talk about a lifestyle, we are talking about how someone acts, and acts are freely chosen. No homosexual is compelled to engage in homosexual acts. He may not have chosen to be a homosexual, but he has the freedom to choose not to perform homosexual acts.

Fr. Lohrmeyer seems to have missed this simple distinction, and his misperception leads him to say that the homosexual priest wakes up "every day of his life knowing that his church really doesn't like him all that much and basically wishes he would just go away."

ONE SCENARIO

Frankly, I can think of a few homosexual priests who should "just go away." I mean men who persist in and who advocate immoral acts and who cause much scandal by doing so.

I also know of homosexual priests who live chastely; they know they have a disorder, and they have succeeded in working around it, somewhat like the alcoholic who, through a support group, has been able to stay sober.

No one, on any side of the theological divide, denies that we have a remarkably high proportion of homosexuals in the priesthood in this country, and many of those homosexual priests are "gays"--that is, they have chosen the homosexual lifestyle.

Nearly all of the clerical sexual abuse problems we have been reading about have had their origin in homosexuality. This is almost universally known and, among bishops and clergy, almost universally not talked about (at least not publicly). Still, it's a fact.

Even if the abuse scandal had not arisen, there still would have been a problem with "gay" priests--I refer to those homosexual priests who engage in homosexual acts with adults rather than with minors.

Many people have wondered what can be done to solve the problem. Here is one possible scheme:

1. If a priest is "gay"--that is, living a homosexual lifestyle--he should be removed from ministry immediately and quietly. He should have no position of authority or responsibility in the Church and should seek secular employment instead. (Will some dioceses be understaffed? Yes, but too bad. Just squeeze more people into fewer pews until new priests are trained.)

2. If a priest is homosexual but not "gay"--that is, if he is living chastely--let him continue in ministry until normal retirement.

3. Exclude from seminary formation and ordination any homosexual, whether "gay" or chaste. The former brings with him too much baggage, and the latter should not sign up for "guy-only" work that will have him living with other men (thus putting him into near occasions of sin). Even if the chaste homosexual thinks he has a call to the priesthood, it would be uncharitable to him to admit him to ordination. He should be encouraged to serve the Church in other ways.

This three-step process would solve the abuse scandal almost overnight, and it would heal the priesthood in America over the next two decades or so. It would cause inconvenience in those dioceses with a high proportion of "gay" priests, but that inconvenience will pass soon enough and, in any case, is more palatable than the existing situation.

Until next time,

Karl

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- posted by LRS @ 6:07 PM   

 
St Charles Deanery Serra Club Newsletter for January
is available here. It is a PDF file.
- posted by LRS @ 7:15 AM   

 
The next papal conclave may be the most crucial since 1534...
Thinking about the Papal Succession

The Church is still grappling with the consequences of the European Enlightenment. The next papal conclave will define the terms of the struggle.
By James Hitchcock

In a recent book (Frankly: Six Discussions with the Cardinal), Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Mechelen-Brussels predicts that, if Pope John Paul II becomes incapacitated, he might resign. This was a forecast made previously by Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz, president of the German bishops' conference. Bishop Lehmann later said that he had been misunderstood, while Cardinal Danneels' remarks brought an unusually curt response from an official Vatican spokesman: "That's his opinion."

Dr James Hitchcock has an excellent article here.




- posted by LRS @ 6:50 AM   

 
George Weigel and "Issues" for the next papal conclave
Weigel opines that the issues will not be about abortion, homosexuality and ordination of women to the priesthood as the secularists and dissenters would have us believe. He states that there are at least three matters of global consequence are shaping the pre-conclave discussions among key cardinal-electors.

These are:
Collapsing Catholicism in Europe
Radical Islam
Biotechnology

In addition to these weighty questions, the next conclave will be shaped by dramatically altered expectations of the papacy. The world and the church no longer think of the pope as the CEO of Catholic Church Inc. Thanks to John Paul II, the world and the church now expect the pope to exercise a global ministry of religious presence and moral witness. At the same time, influential cardinal-electors believe that John Paul II has been more successful in articulating a robust, compassionate Catholic orthodoxy than in embedding that vision in the church's practice. Finding a man who can do both -- bring the church to the world in a compelling way, and reform the church's discipline -- is the great "personality" issue the cardinals must resolve.

Let us pray that our Lord grants our Holy Father many more years before we must see another conclave.
- posted by LRS @ 6:46 AM   

 
The Catholic League raises necessary questions

SEXUAL ABUSE IN SOCIAL CONTEXT:
CATHOLIC CLERGY AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS

Special Report
by
Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
February 2004

PREFACE

The purpose of this special report is to put the recent scandal in the Catholic Church in perspective. It does not seek to exculpate anyone who had anything to do with priestly sexual misconduct, but it does seek to challenge those who continue to treat this issue in isolation. Indeed, to discuss the incidence of sexual abuse committed by Roman Catholic priests without reference to the level of offense found among the clergy of other religions, or to that of other professionals, is grossly unfair.

Specifically, this report was prepared to guide the discussion that will inevitably follow two major studies that will be issued on February 27. One of them, a national study on the extent of sexual abuse of minors by priests since 1950, will be released by John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. The other is a study of the causes and consequences of the abuse crisis; it will be released by the National Review Board that was established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Both studies were done at the request of the U.S. bishops.

It is the belief of the Catholic League that no meaningful conversation can take place on this issue without having some baseline data regarding the incidence of abuse that occurs outside the Catholic Church. That was the sole intent of this special report, and if it contributes to that end, then it will have been a success.

William A. Donohue, Ph.D.
President

Finally, a voice of reason. Personally, I find it extremely distasteful and repugnant that certain people were appointed to the National Review Board and that the new department "overseeing" compliance at the USCCB seems to be growing into a large bureaucratic entity needing more and more funds. The most "eye raising" part of the initial report was this from the report and Deal Hudson's e-letter discussing the Jan. Report:

McChesney then listed general recommendations of the report for the bishops in the future. She first mentioned the importance of auditing individual parishes -- all 19,000 of them -- to see how well they implemented the charter on a local level, where it's most important. She also urged that "safe environment programs" be developed to help protect young people. Another recommendation was that this audit be repeated annually and contain hard numbers so that a diocese's progress could be measured over time.

Somebody, it seems is looking for long term employment. Something just doesn't smell right in all of this and I think William Donohue is on the right track to call these people to account and present useful data and information. Here is his full report.
- posted by LRS @ 6:27 AM   

 
Institutes That Live the Gospel Still Get Vocations
Institutes of consecrated life that give special importance to prayer and the radical nature of the Gospel continue to inspire vocations, says a Vatican official.

This is evident here also in the US where seminaries in faithful, orthodox dioceses are overflowing with men discerning a call to the priesthood.

It seems, also, that those religious orders of women are growing when they embrace the faith with fidelity. Those orders which follow the call of Christ and His Church with humility are attracting more and more women to the religious life. I see them at every conference. Younger and younger sisters, all wearing religious habits - a reminder of their dedication to Christ.

While those institutes which are Christocentric are thriving, I cannot neglect to mention with some sadness those institutes which are dead or dying. Another Zenit article discusses these "Present Challenges to Religious Life". There has been a failure to find a balance between "being in the world but not of the world," which the Gospel stresses.

It seems that many, if not all, of those dying orders embraced the thinking of the world, abandoned their religious garb, and blended into the secular world. Some became ecology oriented activists such as the order of sisters who taught me in grade school. They left a very important and worthwhile service of educating children to pursue an objective which, while perhaps noble, was not in accord with the reasons for their existence. It seems they lost their true vision, their essence, their life - they were no longer oriented toward Christ but to man...

Nevertheless, there seems to be a resurgence of vocations in certain areas and for this we should be ever so grateful. And we must continue to pray that many others will also answer the call of our Lord to become priests or religious.
- posted by LRS @ 6:22 AM   

 
Reminder, Da Vinci Code Lecture at Kenrick, Thur, Feb 5
More Info....
- posted by LRS @ 6:10 AM   

 
Cardinal George Mulling Action on Catholic Pro-Abortion Politicians

"It's not a question of separation between church and state institutionally, that's taken for granted," said Cardinal George. "It's a question of the relationship between life and faith, so you have to work with peoples' conscience and try to inform their conscience so that they understand the obligations of their faith that apply to their life no matter what form of life they are in, be it political life or economic life or the entertainment arts."

Reminds Lay Catholics of Duty to Vote Pro-Life
[Full Story on Lifesite News]


- posted by LRS @ 5:50 AM   

 
A Canon Lawyer's Review of Archbishop Burke's Action
Denial of the Eucharist to pro-abortion Catholic politicians:
a canonical case study
By Dr. Edward N. Peters
- posted by LRS @ 7:38 PM   

 
New Communion Technology
Look at this New Communion Technology, courtesy of The Curt Jester. I thought it was good for a chuckle, especially considering the sorry state of affairs we are in with so-called "Catholic" politicians.

One of my favorites, though is this one, "Liturgy for Ignoramuses".

Your first step to liturgical understanding.
Your first step is to find a Catholic Church to go to. In the past this was a simple procedure of driving around your neighborhood until you spotted one.

This should be required reading for all 'liturgists'!

- posted by LRS @ 5:11 AM   

 
Archbishop Burke's Installation Mass Homily
I saw his homily printed in the St. Louis Review Friday night and thought it would be a good idea to post the link (PDF file) and reproduce it in text form below. The Review also has some good articles on its site and some excellent pictures. One on my favorites it this one.


FAMILY PRIDE - Archbishop Burke hugs his great-nephew, Kellen Bornbach, after Kellen and his family brought the offertory gifts during the installation Mass.


======= The Archbishop's Homily ============
MASS OF INSTALLATION
MEMORIAL OF SAINTS TIMOTHY AND TITUS
CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINT LOUIS, ST. LOUIS
JANUARY 26, 2004

I. Saint Paul’s words to Saint Timothy, his disciple, co-worker and indeed his most beloved spiritual son, point to the truth we celebrate today: the grace of the Holy Spirit at work within the Apostles and their successors for the teaching, sanctification and pastoral rule of God’s holy people. Timothy had accompanied and assisted Paul on his apostolic journeys; had undertaken, at Paul’s direction, apostolic missions of his own; and had been consecrated as the First Bishop of Ephesus. Saint Paul, in his letters to him, recalls to Timothy’s mind the power of God’s grace within him by his consecration, so that he might be courageous and faithful in carrying out the apostolic ministry. How wise and how encouraging Paul’s words were for Timothy:
Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (Reading II). Saint Paul wrote similar words to Titus who was also a disciple and co-worker, and whom the Apostle of the Nations consecrated as the First Bishop of Crete. In fact, in Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus we find a kind of rule of life for a bishop.

In honoring today the memory of Saints Timothy and Titus, we celebrate the grace of the apostolic office, handed down faithfully, from that first generation in the life of the Church, to our time and place. That grace was given to me through the hands of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, on January 6, 1995, first for the service of the Church in La Crosse and now for the service of the Church in St. Louis. Having completed my apostolic mission in my beloved home diocese and taking up today the same apostolic mission in my new home diocese, I, with you, thank God for the outpouring of His grace in my life for your sake. Today, deeply conscious of my unworthiness, I hear the words of Saint Paul to Timothy, as if spoken to me by our Holy Father: “So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (Reading II).

The memory of Saints Timothy and Titus leads us also to celebrate the beloved co-workers of the Bishop, our priests who share in the priestly office for the shepherding of God’s flock. The teaching of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council reminds us: “Bishops, therefore, because of the gift of the Holy Spirit that has been given to priests at their ordination, will regard them as their indispensable helpers and advisers in the ministry and in the task of teaching, sanctifying and shepherding the people of God” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, Presbyterorum Ordinis [7 December 1965], n. 7a). Let us thank God today for our priests of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, my co-workers in carrying out the ministry of Christ the Great Shepherd.

II. Our celebration of the apostolic office and ministry is truly a celebration of Christ, the Good Shepherd, in whose person the Apostles and their successors have acted on behalf of God’s holy people in every age. God the Father had promised through the Prophet Isaiah that the fullness of the Holy Spirit would be upon His anointed, upon the Christ, for our salvation. By His Redemptive Incarnation, God the Son, in whom the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwells, has freed us from our slavery to sin and won for us a share in the same Holy Spirit (Reading I).

Among the many riches of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church is the consecration of bishops as true shepherds of God’s flock. By the grace of Holy Orders, Bishops act in the person of Christ, the Good Shepherd, sharing in His own life and ministry. So it is that Christ, in His final discourse to His disciples, a small portion of which we have heard proclaimed in today’s Gospel, can say:
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. (Gospel)

At the Lord’s Supper, Christ, Who had called the Apostles, consecrated them to carry out His mission of Head and Shepherd in every community of faith, above all by renewing in every time and place the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Eucharist. In the Holy Eucharist, most of all, we witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the ministry of those called and consecrated as bishops and priests.

III. We also celebrate today the fifth anniversary of the arrival of our Holy Father Pope John Paul II on pastoral visit to this historic diocese of our nation. On January 26 and 27 of 1999, the faithful of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and all who joined them in receiving our Holy Father’s visit witnessed directly the Holy Spirit at work in the apostolic ministry of the Successor of Saint Peter, “the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the
whole company of the faithful” (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium [21 November 1964], n. 23a). Recalling the Holy Father’s visit on this memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, on this the day of my installation as Archbishop of St. Louis, I express my deepest gratitude to Pope John Paul II for confiding to me this new apostolic mission, and I pledge again my steadfast loyalty in fostering, in communion with him, the unity of the Church. Let us thank God, in a special way today, for Pope John Paul II, and pray that God continue to grant him wisdom and strength for the pastoral care of the universal Church.

Our Holy Father, true to his apostolic office, came to St. Louis at the sunset of the Second Christian Millennium and the dawn of the Third Christian Millennium to teach us how to live more fully in Christ, how to cooperate more fully with the gift of Holy Spirit poured forth into our hearts. He came to guide and help us in carrying out the New Evangelization, the teaching of the faith with the new energy and enthusiasm required in an age forgetful of God and even hostile to His plan for our salvation. His words during the Pastoral Visit remain so timely, a kind of examination of conscience for us today as we, together, begin a new chapter in the life of the Church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

IV. In proposing to us the challenge of the New Evangelization, our Holy Father draws us to the Heart of Jesus, “the door through which the eternal love of the Father is poured out on the world” (Pope John Paul II, Homily, Solemn Eucharistic Celebration, America’s Center, St. Louis, 27 January 1999, n. 1c). He draws us to the glorious open Heart of Jesus in the celebration of the Holy Mass and in Eucharistic Adoration. The Holy Mass is the fullest and most perfect encounter which we have with Christ in this world. Christ made truly present for us on the altar of sacrifice remains with us in the Sacrament of His true Body and Blood reposed in the tabernacles of our churches and chapels. To help us to understand more deeply and love more fully the Eucharistic mystery, on Holy Thursday of last year, our Holy Father gave us his Encyclical Letter “On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church” in which he tells us:
The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace (n. 25c).

Coming to you as your new archbishop, I urge you to draw close to the Heart of Jesus opened wide for you in the Holy Eucharist, by your faithful participation in the Sunday Mass and in weekday Mass, when possible, and by your Eucharistic devotion, especially Eucharistic visits and adoration.

Placing our hearts within the Sacred Heart of Jesus through participation in the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic devotion, let us enthrone the image of His Sacred Heart in our homes and places of work and recreation, consecrating ourselves and all that we do to His service. The Sacred Heart devotion is a most fitting and efficacious way of extending Eucharistic worship and devotion into every moment of our lives and every aspect of our lives. Christ must reign in us for the salvation of the world. Sharers in Christ’s own Spirit, we must more and more turn over our lives completely to Him.

In the daily conversion of life, by which our hearts are more perfectly conformed to the Heart of Jesus, we are inspired and aided by our brothers and sisters who have answered the call to the consecrated life. By their closer following in the Gospel virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience, they assist us all to attain a greater holiness of life.

Let us thank God today for the many consecrated persons in the Archdiocese and pray that the young men and women from the Archdiocese, whom God is calling to the consecrated life, will respond with an undivided heart.

In urging the universal reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I also commend the many associations
of the faithful who so strongly contribute to the building up of the life of the Church: the Legion of Mary, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, the Knights of Columbus, the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, the International Serra Club, to name a few.

V. Drawing us to the Heart of Jesus for the New Evangelization, our Holy Father reminds us that special attention must be given to “the family and the renewal of Christian marriage” (Pope John Paul II, Homily, 27 January 1999, n. 5). It is in the family, in the home formed by the faithful, enduring and procreative love of man and woman in marriage, that the Church first comes to life, that we first come to know, love and serve Christ. Children are indeed “the crowning glory” of marriage (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes [7 December 1965], n. 48a), for in the procreation and education of children husband and wife find the greatest fruit of their married love and build up all of society in unity and peace.

What the Church has always known is a new discovery for the thoroughly secularized society of our time, namely that the state of the family determines very much the state of society. In urging our special attention to the family, our Holy Father declared: “As the family goes, so goes the nation!” (Homily, 27 January 1999, n. 5a). According to the wisdom of God’s plan, the exclusive and lifelong love of a man and a woman, who are united in marriage, is the chosen place in which He gives new human life and provides the solid foundation of the life of all society.

The care of a shepherd for the flock must begin with the family, with attention to the preparation of children and young people for marriage, if it be their vocation, and in the encouragement and support of the married, in their daily living to strive toward the high standard of Christlike love for each other and for their children. It is within the family, first of all, that children and young people come to know God’s special plan for them, their vocation in life, their way to salvation.

Whether young people are called to the married life or dedicated single life or consecrated life or priesthood, they will first come to know the oblation of love, which their vocation demands, through the love of their parents in the family.

Next to the gift of life itself, there is no more important gift that parents can give to their children than assisting them in knowing their vocation in life, their way of giving glory to God and serving their neighbor, as we say in the Church, their way to salvation. No matter what goods we may provide for our children, also in abundance, they will never know happiness in life until they have discovered God’s plan for them and embraced His plan with all their heart.

Repeatedly, we are told that parents and parish priests provide the most critical inspiration and assistance to a young person seeking to know God’s will. May our homes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis be the first and most important place for carrying out the apostolate of vocations.

In speaking about the family, I cannot fail to mention the Catholic schools and parish religious education programs, which provide a fundamental and irreplaceable service to parents in the Catholic education of their children. Through catechesis, children and young people receive a most important help in knowing their vocation in life and preparing to do whatever God asks of them.

Saint Paul instructs Timothy to entrust the teaching of the faith “to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others well” (Second Reading). We owe a profound debt of gratitude to our catechists, whether in the Catholic schools or in the programs of religious education, whose apostolate lies at the foundation of the life of the Church.

VI. Finally, in drawing us to the Heart of Jesus, our Holy Father taught us the first and most fundamental principle of the moral life: the inviolability of all human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Contemplating the Heart of Jesus, opened by the soldier’s spear as Christ died on the cross for us, we cannot doubt the immense love of God for each and every one of us.

Sharers in the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are called to be heralds and instruments of the Gospel of Life. Perhaps no service of the Church to the world is more sorely needed today than the fostering of the reverence for all human life. Sadly, society is characterized by violence in a myriad of forms, but most wrongfully in the attack upon the life of those who have the first title to our care: the innocent and defenseless unborn, and those whose lives have grown burdened under advanced years, special needs or serious illness. Too many lives have already been taken through violence. Let us spare no effort in the apostolate of the respect for all human life.

In the Heart of Jesus we will find the inspiration and strength to be “followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation” (Homily, 27 January 1999, n. 5b). In Christ, we will find the way to protect ourselves from crime without violently taking the life of the criminal. May Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, who desired so strongly to bring the Gospel to her native American brothers and sisters, intercede for us, that we will always find the way to respect and promote the dignity of life of every brother and sister, without boundary of origin or race.

The Archdiocese is blessed with so many charitable, educational and missionary institutions. Through their fidelity to their Catholic identity, may they serve all in justice and love. May we seek the intercession and follow the example of our patrons, Saint Louis IX of France, who daily fed the hungry at his table and served the needy in his own person, and Saint Vincent de Paul who “studied to procure the relief of others under all necessities, whether spiritual or corporal” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints, 1956 edition, Vol. 3, p. 143).

VII. Our celebration of the apostolic office and ministry will now reach its fullness in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in which Christ, the Good Shepherd, renews the outpouring of His life for us on Calvary. Through this Holy Eucharist, may Christ draw us, shepherd and flock, into one, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father and for the salvation of our world.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America and Star of the New Evangelization, we implore your help and protection, that we may do all that Christ asks of us, and that I may never fail in the mission which Christ has entrusted to me.

Saint Louis IX of France, pray for us.
Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us.
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, pray for us.
- posted by LRS @ 7:23 AM