On Retreat for a few days...

I will be absent for the next few days attending a silent retreat for meditation, prayer, and self-examination in order to learn to better conform my will to God's will. This will be the first such retreat in many years and preparation for it reminds me somewhat of the days of recollection and prayer from seminary life - again may years ago.

The retreat director is Archbishop Burke. I ask again that all who are so disposed, please keep Archbishop Burke in your prayers, especially as he must confront many tests and trials these days from within the Church and from without.

Religion Experts Ask How Jesus Would Vote

Just a few miles from George W. Bush's former office at the state Capitol, a panel of religious experts weighed a question with relevance to many people of faith: How would Jesus vote?

It's a complex topic that can't be boiled down to simple political terms, said religious leaders who attended a Texas Faith Network conference in Austin on Tuesday. Many at the conference voiced concerns that the religious right dominates discussions of faith and morality in politics. They complained that issues such as abortion and gay marriage seem to take priority over hunger, corporate crime and even the war in Iraq.

James C. Moore, co-author of ``Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George Bush Presidential,'' drew laughter and applause when he offered his view to the moderate to left-leaning crowd of about 250 clergy and lay leaders.

Experts....religious experts, no less....unable to distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic evils, covering themselves in moral relativism.

Article.

U.S. Priests urged to Make Abortion and Election Center of Sermons Until November

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., August 17, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Fr. Frank Pavone, director of the international pro-life organization, Priests for Life, will be coming into the Sioux Falls area to give several powerful talks to the clergy and the general public on August 18th and 19th. In what is being hailed as a "whistle-stop" tour of Sioux Falls, Fr. Pavone will be speaking to thousands of area residents about the November election.

Dismissing charges that he and Priests for Life are trying to unfairly influence the presidential election, Fr. Pavone stated: "All we are saying is that this year's elections are pivotal for the pro-life movement, and that it is therefore imperative that we elect more public officials who are willing to do something to restore full protection to the lives of unborn children."

LifeSite Article.

From Today's Post-Dispatch Sound Off

Stop giving

For those who don't like Archbishop Burke's decisions, especially about St. Stanislaus, stop giving to the local Catholic Church and he will be gone. That is one way to get rid of him.

Of course, this is the same rhetoric used by Voice of the Faithful and other less-than-faithful groups - and we can see what happens by looking at the church closings in Boston and other places when support is withheld.

While Archbishop Burke may be destined for for more importantant assignments, it won't be because a few prideful dissidents decide to withhold money.

And then we have this:

Take him back

I wonder if it's possible for Catholics in St. Louis to make Catholics in LaCrosse, Wis., an offer they can't refuse to take back Archbishop Raymond Burke.

I'm certain they would if they had the opportunity. We should thank our Lord that we have been blessed to have him here.

Source.

USCCB refuses to release the "Questionaire" to the Catholic Laity

Demonstrating once again its commitment to full disclosure, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has refused repeated requests to release to the Catholic laity a copy of the much maligned questionnaire directed at political candidates for office. Based on the amount of flack the document is getting, it is clear that copies have already made it to the public domain, but any efforts to identify exactly what questions were actually on the document have been quashed by what has become signature stonewalling by the USCCB.

With so much attention being paid to the elections of 2004 and the bitterly divisive debates over so-called "pro-abortion gay rights Catholic politicians", it is amazing that the USCCB would once again resort the cloak of secrecy and nondisclosure that has so poorly served the Bishops in the past. For an organization that should be interested in building credibility among Catholic voters, the USCCB seems utterly committed to continuing to embarrass themselves. (emphasis mine)

Where is the 'transparency' that was so highly touted a short time ago? Could it be, perhaps, that the 'questionaire' would expose agendas and priorities which are at odds with the more fundamental and more serious issues facing us today? How many more of the "Ono Ekeh-Catholics for Kerry" type people still work at the USCCB?

Catholic Citizens of Illinois article here.

More on St. Stanislaus...Video

(KSDK) — The tug of war over St. Stanislaus Kostka parish continues.

Parish Spokesman Rich Bach stated, "We don't have the right to that money once they have control of it, because then we need their permission and ultimately that permission does have to come from the Archbishop" (Video Link)

Archbishop Raymond Burke stated, "The Assets are put in a trust with all the other 212 parishes. That trust those assets can only be used by the parish. It's not possible for me to go in and take any of those assets." (Video Link)

Source.

Pope calls Women to Protect Right to Life

LOURDES, August 16, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pope John Paul II concluded his 104th international trip yesterday, celebrating Mass at France's foremost Marian shrine in the presence of over 300,000 pilgrims. Lourdes is an especially meaningful place for the ailing Pontiff, who took time out between public appearances for private devotion at the shrine. When he instituted the World Day of the Sick in 1992, Pope John Paul chose February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, as the date on which the event would be celebrated each year.

The 84-year-old pope urged his hearers to respect, love and protect life. He said, "I appeal urgently to all of you, dear brothers and sisters, to do everything in your power to ensure that life, each and every life, will be respected from conception to its natural end. Life is a sacred gift, and no one can presume to be its master."

Article here.


Full text of the Holy Father's homily

Pastor’s religious path leads to Holley church

This is a good example of a priest who lost his way. Instead of following the path set before him by our Lord, he chose a path of rebellion, a path away from Christ.

It seems he was once tied to the "Spiritus Christi" group of James Callan, an ex-priest and the "priestess", Mary Ramerman. But that association was not destined to last very long.

Cadena’s split with Spiritus Christi came when he felt the church elders were still following the dictates of the Roman Catholic church and not necessarily following the ideals discussed when the “revolution” occurred.

It was in early 2002 that Cadena announced that he wanted to get married – to one of the Spiritus parishioners – an announcement that caused a further rift in his relationship with Callan, Ramerman and the newly formed church, he said.

Story here.

Diocese of Tuscon nears threshold on bankruptcy

Arizona Daily Star Article here.

Archbishop Burke on Catholic Answers Live

Yesterday, Archbishop Burke was the guest on the Catholic Answers Live radio program...I had turned on thre radio on my way home to be pleasantly surprised to hear him.

The archived radio show is on Catholic Answers web site here.

Fr Robert Drinan To Receive American Bar Association's Highest Honor

How has he remained a priest all of these years while rejecting the Church? I'm certain St. Ignatius must really be proud!

Article here.