Remembering Veteran's Day

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has protected our freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has protected our freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has protected our freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the community organizer, who has protected our freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has protected our right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has protected our right to vote.

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag,



It is the VETERAN, who serves under the Flag.



May God bless and protect those who have served or continue to serve our country with dedication, courage, and sacrifice.

This is a re-post from a couple of years ago...I felt it was even more appropriate now given today's political climate.

Happy Independence Day - Some Quotes to Ponder

This is a re-post from last year - and it's even more applicable today:

Below are some quotes worth reading as our country is being attacked from within and de-Christianization, with its inherent demoralizing effects, is standard operating procedure by an out-of-control federal government which has become tyranical and dictatorial in scope and action:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."
--Patrick Henry, The Trumpet Voice of Freedom: Patrick Henry of Virginia, p. iii.

"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual....Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us."
--John Hancock, History of the United States of America, Vol. II, p. 229.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.
--Thomas Paine

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
--Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever; That a revolution of the wheel of fortune, a change of situation, is among possible events; that it may become probable by Supernatural influence! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in that event."
--Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, p. 237.

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."
--George Washington, The Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ prescribes the wisest rules for just conduct in every situation of life. Happy they who are enabled to obey them in all situations!"
--Benjamin Rush, The Autobiography of Benjamin Rush, pp. 165-166.

"Christianity is the only true and perfect religion, and that in proportion as mankind adopts its principles and obeys its precepts, they will be wise and happy."
--Benjamin Rush, Essays, Literary, Moral, and Philosophical, published in 1798.

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
--Ben Franklin, Congressional Congress, 1787

May you have a most happy and blessed Independence Day!

You may want to re-read our American Founding Documents. This is, after all, why we celebrate today.

Please reflect on what this day truly means and ponder if, were you in the same situation, would you risk life, liberty, and property (as did our Founding Fathers) to oppose and revolt against the heavy hand of tyranny?

May God bless you and our country! And please pray for our military - past, present and future!

Lent 2010. Pope Benedict's Ash Wednesday (Chiesa)

His torment is the disappearance of faith. His program is to lead men to God. His preferred instrument is teaching. But the Vatican curia doesn't help him much. And sometimes it harms him...

Continued here

Happy Independence Day - Some Quotes to Ponder

Below are some quotes worth reading as our country is being attacked from within and de-Christianization, with its inherent demoralizing effects, is standard operating procedure by an out-of-control federal government which has become tyranical and dictatorial in scope and action:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."
--Patrick Henry, The Trumpet Voice of Freedom: Patrick Henry of Virginia, p. iii.

"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual....Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us."
--John Hancock, History of the United States of America, Vol. II, p. 229.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.
--Thomas Paine

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
--Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever; That a revolution of the wheel of fortune, a change of situation, is among possible events; that it may become probable by Supernatural influence! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in that event."
--Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, p. 237.

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."
--George Washington, The Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ prescribes the wisest rules for just conduct in every situation of life. Happy they who are enabled to obey them in all situations!"
--Benjamin Rush, The Autobiography of Benjamin Rush, pp. 165-166.

"Christianity is the only true and perfect religion, and that in proportion as mankind adopts its principles and obeys its precepts, they will be wise and happy."
--Benjamin Rush, Essays, Literary, Moral, and Philosophical, published in 1798.

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
--Ben Franklin, Congressional Congress, 1787

May you have a most happy and blessed Independence Day!

You may want to re-read our American Founding Documents. This is, after all, why we celebrate today.

Please reflect on what this day truly means and ponder if, were you in the same situation, would you risk life, liberty, and property (as did our Founding Fathers) to oppose and revolt against the heavy hand of tyranny?

May God bless you and our country! And please pray for our military - past, present and future!

Archbishop Raymond Burke, The Overseer of Justice

From Inside the Vatican by Andrew Rabel, reporting from Rome:

Pope Benedict XVI one year ago ago called an American, Archbishop Raymond Burke, to head the Apostolic Signatura, the office which oversees the correct administration of justice in the Church. Here, after one year at his post, Burke discusses his work in Rome, but also the controversial shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe he established in Wisconsin, and President Obama's speech at Notre Dame...

Editor's note: Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, recently invited Andrew Rabel, Australian ITV correspondent, to a friendly lunch nearby his offices at the Palazzo della Cancelleria (photo). Never to be outdone, Andrew always carries his dictaphone with him. So the former archbishop of St Louis, with his typical graciousness, consented to an interview, despite the noise in the crowded restaurant. It is the second interview ITV has conducted with His Excellency in less than a year.

This wonderful interview can be read at Inside the Vatican here. Enjoy!

An 87-Year-Old's Economic Survival Guide

Excerpted from Human Events:

...I turn to a recent conversation I had with my mother. I asked her, "How would you encourage the average American to weather the economic storms of today?"

Here's her advice, in her words:

-- "Lean upon God for help and strength. We didn't just have each other to lean on, but we had God, too. We all attended church and belonged to a faith community. Church was the hub of society, the community core and rallying point. Today people turn to government the way we used to turn to churches. It's been that way ever since Herbert Hoover's alleged promise of a 'chicken in every pot' and President Roosevelt's New Deal. Too many have abandoned faith and community. We trust in money more than God. And maybe that's a reason why we're in this economic pickle."

-- "Get back to the basics. Simplify your life. Live within your means. People have got to be willing to downsize and be OK with it. We must quit borrowing and cut spending. Be grateful for what you have, especially your health and loved ones. Be content with what you have, and remember the stuff will never make you happy. Never. Back then, we didn't have one-hundredth of what people do today, and yet we seemed happier than most today, even during the Great Depression.

-- "Be humble and willing to work. Back then, any work was good work. We picked cotton, picked up cans, scrap metal, whatever it took to get by. Where's that work ethic today? If someone's not being paid $10 an hour today, they're whining and unwilling to work, even if they don't have a job. The message from yesteryear is don't be too proud to do whatever it takes to meet the financial needs of your family.

-- "Be rich in love. We didn't have much. In fact, we had nothing at all, compared to people today, but we had each other. We were poor, but rich in love. We've lost the value of family and friends today, and we've got to gain it back if we're ever to get back on track. If we lose all our stuff and still have one another and our health, what have we really lost?

-- "Be a part of a community. Today people are much more alone, much more isolated. We used to be close with our neighbors. If one person had a bigger or better garden or orchard, they shared the vegetables and fruits with others in need. Society has shifted from caring for one another to being dependent upon government aid and welfare. That is why so many today trust in government to deliver them. They've forgotten an America that used to rally around one another in smaller clusters, called neighborhoods and communities. We must rekindle those local communal fires and relearn the power of that age-old commandment, 'Love thy neighbor.'

-- "Help someone else. We never quit helping others back then. Today too many people are consumed with their own problems and only helping themselves. 'What's in it for me?' is the question most are asking. But back then, it was, 'What can I do to help my neighbor, too?'...

Now that's conventional wisdom that should be shouted and posted in every corridor of government, every community across America, and every blog on the Internet.

Call me overly pragmatic, but I think a little practical wisdom and encouragement is what we all need about now. Mom always was good for that. She still is.

Bishop Hermann: It would be a "privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion."

From the St Louis review:

Last week at the annual fall assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, archdiocesan administrator Bishop Robert J. Hermann stated that for any bishop, it would be a "privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion."

His comments were picked up by media outlets across the country and have been touted in the blogosphere as a courageous statement in the defense of unborn human life.

Review staff writer Jennifer Brinker recently met with Bishop Hermann, where he reflected on his statement and also answered several other questions relating to the issue of abortion, the bishops’ meeting and the recent presidential election.

Let’s delve right into the issue at hand. At the recent bishops’ meeting in Baltimore, you said this:

"We have lost 50 times as many children in the last 35 years as we have lost soldiers in all the wars since the Revolution.

"I think any bishop here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion.

"If we are willing to die tomorrow, then we should be willing to, until the end of our lives, to take all kinds of criticism for opposing this horrible infanticide."...

Kudos to Bishop Hermann to speak so boldly in a culture infatuated with self and which denies the most innocent the inalienable right to life. The fact that some "shepherds" are unwilling to speak the truth of this evil of abortion, to say nothing of them willing to lay down their lives for the sake of Christ and His littles ones, speaks volumes about the state of the Church in Amerika today.

Read more of Bishop Hermann's interview here.

An open letter to our fellow Catholics on Election Eve

by Edward Morrissey and Elizabeth “The Anchoress” Scalia

Many of our Catholic friends support Barack Obama in the upcoming election, despite being the most radically pro-abortion presidential candidate in American history. Other Catholics have publicly declared support for Obama as Catholics, arguing that their faith leads them to choose Obama over the pro-life candidate, John McCain. We believe that they have overlooked in their arguments of “social justice” the foundation of our faith and of social justice: the sanctity of human life, and its origin.

It is not our intent to argue legalistically from the Catechism to our brethren. We have both covered that extensively in posts over the last few months. We want to remind our parishioners of the central fact that social justice has to start with the protection of innocent human life, and that our faith does not allow a trade between abortion and other social-justice policies....

Obama 1995 Video: Rev. Wright Represents The Best of What The Black Church Has to Offer

From Kerry Picket at News Busters:

In 1995, Barack Obama gave a TV interview to discuss the memoir he wrote, "Dreams From My Father." Philip Klein at The American Spectator picked up on this back in August, but the video is making rounds again now. Obama spoke very highly of his then pastor Rev.Jeremiah Wright...

Here is a sermon by Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ - the infamous "G-Damn America" - and Wright inspired the title of Barack Obama's book "Audacity Of Hope." Obama says,

"Reverend Wright ahh, ahh, my pastor who, I, I speak about in the chapter in the book, I think represents the best of what, ah, The Black Church has to offer."

Bishop Robert Hermann: We live in hope!

We live in hope. This time immediately preceding a national election can be a time of turmoil, or it can also be a time of great transformation. If we live on the horizontal and cyclical plane only, we will find ourselves frustrated....

We live in hope. God could very well be saying to us today: "You shall not molest or destroy the child in the womb. Remember that when you were in the womb you were protected and given a chance to live!" We may say to ourselves: "I am against abortion, but I will still vote for a candidate who is pro-abortion, because I am voting for a better economy, and that will reduce abortions." If that is the case, then why were there not millions of abortions in the Great Depression of the 1930s? Instead, parents often had large families, because they lived in a faith society that supported life, and not death....

We live in hope....Yet we may say to ourselves: "I believe in God, and yet I will vote for a candidate who promotes abortion." How can we say that we believe in God but act as if God did not exist? Jesus told us: "Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father." Again He tells us: "By their fruits you shall know them." If we promote abortion by our vote, we participate in society’s great lie.

We live in hope. How can I say that I believe in God and yet vote for candidates who promote the Freedom of Choice Act which would, in effect, nullify every limitation put on abortion during the past 30 years? How can I say I believe in God but vote for candidates who would support legislation that would permit the destruction of a child who survived a botched abortion? In other words, with my vote I can continue to drench this land with the blood of millions of our children, or with my vote I can take a stand to help end this senseless slaughter of the innocent children....

We live in hope. Finally, I encourage everyone, once again, to pray the Rosary daily for the sake of our country. Pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe....

We live in hope. Remember that eight years ago the outcome of the national election was not made known until Dec. 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! We live in hope!

An excellent article by Bishop Hermann!

Fatima group has election Masses

The St. Louis Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima will sponsor a vigil of Masses on election day, Nov. 4, at St. George Church in Affton. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The effort was organized in response to the Missouri bishops’ request for prayers for the elections and for the United States, said Mary Broome, president of the St. Louis Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima.

Masses will be offered by a different priest each hour from 6 a.m. until the closing Mass at 7 p.m. at St. George, 4980 Heege Road in the Gardenville neighborhood of Affton. The recitation of the Rosary will follow each Mass.

Bishop Robert Hermann, archdiocesan administrator, will celebrate 10 a.m. Mass.

At each hour, there will be a personal consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, patroness of the United States.

A complete schedule of Masses and celebrants is as follows:
6 a.m. — Msgr. Charles Forst;
7 a.m. — Father David Novak;
8 a.m. — Father Thomas Robertson;
9 a.m. — Father Edwin Albers, OFM;
10 a.m. — Bishop Robert Hermann;
11 a.m. — Msgr. Eugene Morris;
noon — Father Dennis Doyle;
1 p.m. — Father Bernadine Hahn, OFM;
2 p.m. — Msgr. Timothy Cronin;
3 p.m. — Father Timothy Henderson;
4 p.m. — Father Jack Siefert;
5 p.m. — Father Jibran Bou Merhi (Maronite);
6 p.m. — Father Thomas Grady;
7 p.m. — Father Thomas Hogan, SJ.

For more information, call (314) 352-0229.

News Updates, 10/31

Archbishop of Omaha Issues Voting Statement To Be Read At All Parishes This Sunday
Explaining that "the core of Catholic moral and social teaching is respect for the sacred dignity of every human life," the Archbishop joined the more than 80 Catholic prelates who have said that abortion and right to life are the defining issues in this election

Video Shows Babies Left to Die After Failed Abortions in Method Obama OKed
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new video of a Planned Parenthood staff member in New Jersey has surfaced showing abortion centers leave babies to die who survive failed abortions. The video shows the kind of infanticide that Barack Obama opposed stopping in Illinois continues to occur.


Terrorists bomb Catholic university in Spain
The University of Navarra, a Catholic school in Pamplona, Spain was bombed by the Basque separatist group ETA on Thursday morning. Initial estimates indicate that 21 people have been injured.

Gianna Jessen to Sen. Obama’s Attacks: “I’ve Dealt with Worse – I’ve Survived an Abortion.” [LifeSiteNews.com]
“State Senator Barack Obama voted 4 times against laws to protect babies who survive abortions," says Jessen. "Meanwhile, U.S. Senators voted 98-0 for Born Alive Infant Protections. ... Tell [Obama] abortion survivors deserve legal protections too.

Vatican issues screening guidelines for priests
Church to be more selective about its candidates

Barack Obama's Health Care Plan Covers Abortion, Would Require Tax-Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A leading pro-life group has uncovered a questionnaire the campaign of Barack Obama filed with a pro-abortion web site.

Catholic bishops give $200K to ban gay marriage
Backing ballot initiative to change state constitution

Ex-Muslim tells pope Islam not inherently good
Islamic terror not a result of a minority gone astray

Row over Catholic principal's Obama yard sign
High profile educator lives in eyesight of the school
[Fire him!!!]

Woman sues Catholic priest who seduced her
Father Elvis suspended after suit made public

Death of Indian priest to be investigated
Survives attack by mob but mysteriously dies in hospital

German archbishop pens his own 'Das Kapital'
Criticism of big business addressed to Karl Marx

Catholic Church funds ACORN and systemic wars
Campaign for Human Development has supported abortion
[Old news - been going on for years; ever since the NCCB/USCC was infiltrated by marxists, leftists, and radical Democrats]

Why the faithful are 'quitting Church'
Christians are falling away from institutional religion
[Again, old news - this, too, has been going on for years; ever since the NCCB/USCC was infiltrated by moral relativists, socialists, syncretists, marxists, leftists, radical Democrats, and heretics]

Vote Pro-Life, Differences Between McCain and Obama on Abortion Too Great
The Family Research Council is undertaking a last-minute effort to urge voters to oppose Barack Obama because of his pro-abortion record and to support pro-life candidates for the House and Senate.


Issues & Politics
________________

The Plot to Overthrow the United States of America? [55 minute video]
Using sections of available clips available, CitizenSlim wonders if Barrack Obama has dark plans for this country, especially with his planned "Civilian National Security Force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded [as the military] in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set"?
[Does "Civilian National Security Force" mean "brownshirts"?]

Obama's New Attack on Those Who Don't Want Higher Taxes: ‘Selfishness’
"The reason that we want to do this, change our tax code, is not because I have anything against the rich," Obama said in Sarasota, Florida, yesterday...
[It's only because he a Marxist.]

The Purging-Reporters Tossed Off Obama's Plane
Newspapers endorsed Sen. John McCain.
[an example of the Totalitarian leadership to come?]

Barack Obama 'could worsen crisis': Rupert Murdoch
With the US election five days away, Murdoch criticised Senator Obama's tax policies as "crazy", particularly his plan to hand out tax rebates to most Americans and to increase taxes for people earning more than $250,000. He said Senator Obama's promises to give tax rebates to 95per cent of Americans was "rubbish".

Video-Woman on NBC6 Orlando-Under Obama "I won't have to work to pay for Gas! Or my Mortgage!"

Supremes asked to halt Tuesday's vote
Constitutional crisis feared over Obama's 'qualifications'

Obama Lays Plans to Kill Expectations [of Hope & Change] After Election Victory?
Barack Obama's senior advisers have drawn up plans to lower expectations for his presidency if he wins next week's election, amid concerns that many of his euphoric supporters are harboring unrealistic hopes of what he can achieve.

Getting the 'Ayers Issue' Straight
If we move beyond the retort of being 8 years old at the time, and consider what we already know, there is plenty of disturbing evidence from Obama's own past about the Ayers relationship.

Video from the L.A. Times Obama-Khalidi protest

Obama's 2005 Daily Kos Post : Tone It Down, and Usher in a New Progressive Era
Barack Obama sent a letter to the Daily Kos which was posted back in 2005 to talk strategy and "change" to the Kossacks. Obama was very serious about toning down the rhetoric only until it was safe enough to "enforce a more clearly progressive agenda.” (h/t to Gateway Pundit for bringing this back through Sweetness and Light)...

Romney: Obama Would Kill Millions of Jobs
[And with his FOCA, MILLIONS of Unborn/Born Alive Babies]

Rifle company executive ousted after announcing Obama support
Montana gunsmith Dan Cooper has been ousted as chief executive of the rifle company that bears his name after pressure from gun owners who are angry that he is supporting Democrat Barack Obama.

Obama audio — “Well I, I, I, I continue to, I continue to, uh, uh, support a ban on concealed carry laws.”

If Iraqis could vote it would be for McCain

Obama and the Politics of Crowds
The masses greeting the candidate on the trail are a sign of great unease.

If Obama Can't Win It He'll Steal It
Most Americans know about the allegations of election fraud leveled against the liberal activist organization ACORN. What you may not know is how closely they work with the campaign of Barack Obama...

First exit poll of actual American votes from Israel shows big McCain win
A startling 76 percent of those polled said that they had voted for John McCain.

If Obama Wins, Set Clocks BACK 91 Years!

Attacks Now Starting on "Tito The Builder" (Hispanic Press, in Spanish)

On CNN - In Columbia, MO, Obama said that "five days from now we will fundamentally change America". Is anyone listening to what this marxist is really saying?

Erica Jong Tells Italians Obama Loss 'Will Spark the Second American Civil War'
[Actually, an Obama victory will spark a major constitutional crisis and perhaps worse...]

NOVAK: Obama poised to win election; McCain not facing blowout; Dems will fall short of 60-majority in senate...

"Dead People Voting Throughout Florida" (WFTV)
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -- Thousands of dead Floridians are registered to vote and some in Central Florida had ballots cast in their names long after their deaths.

More information about Obama's Socialism
[The website of the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America has an archive of their newsletters. Here is the newsletter "New Ground 69 March - April, 2000". In this newsletter they give their "Recommendations for the March Primary Election". Emphasis in bold.]

Barak Obama is serving only his second term in the Illinois State Senate so he might be fairly charged with ambition, but the same might have be said of Bobby Rush when he ran against Congressman Charles Hayes. Obama also has put in time at the grass roots, working for five years as a community organizer in Harlem and in Chicago. When Obama participated in a 1996 UofC YDS Townhall Meeting on Economic Insecurity, much of what he had to say was well within the mainstream of European social democracy. To volunteer, call 773 846 2262. Contributions may be sent to Obama for Congress 2000, PO Box 497987, Chicago, IL 60649.

Obama SIGNED A CONTRACT with the socialist New Party

Obama for Congress 2000 Radio Ads
The 3 radio ads for Obamaaired during his campaign for Congress in Illinois's First District in March 2000. Obama lost to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush, who was endorsed by President Clinton.


Liberals call it Progressive, "We the People" call it Communism

Warriors with Our Eyes Fixed on Heaven (Bishop Finn's Column)

Last Saturday I had the privilege of consecrating the restored church of Old St. Patrick. This is the oldest existing Catholic church in Kansas City. It will serve as the Oratory for the Latin Mass community which first began here under Bishop John Sullivan, and for many years has shared the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows.

One of the beauties of the Traditional Latin High Mass that I celebrated is that it highlights a most profound aspect of the Mass, namely our participation with the Communion of Saints.

The high altar, multiple candles, incense and Gregorian chant, collectively give us a striking image of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is our ultimate home. Every Mass celebrates this reality, but I must admit that the traditional Mass captured this magnificent expression of the ultimate hope and goal of Christians in a powerful way. We should reflect on this often, because the ultimate goal of everything we do is to get ourselves to heaven and bring with us as many as we can....

...let us resolve to be warriors of the Church militant; warriors with our eyes fixed on heaven. Let us ask God's mercy and strength to persevere in our call - individual and collective - to holiness. Mary, Mother of the Church, Pray for us!

Fr John Corapi: Eleventh Hour Election Alert, Part 1

Fr. Corapi produced a half hour video today that all Catholics (and Americans) should see. It expounds upon what Bishop Rene H. Gracida just said boldly in a recent radio spot. (He is the Bishop that ordained Fr. Corapi a Deacon).

"This is Bishop Rene H. Gracida, reminding all Catholics that they must vote in this election with an informed conscience. A Catholic cannot be said to have voted in this election with a good conscience if they have voted for a pro-abortion candidate. Barack Hussein Obama is a pro-abortion candidate."

Due to time limits, this is in 3 parts.



Part 2 is here.

Part 3 is here.

Catholic School Teacher "Channels" Padre Pio

Is someone asleep at the wheel?

Dottie Zimmerman is a 63-year-old mother of three, an award-winning religion teacher at a Toledo Catholic school, a former Ursuline nun, and a director of the Children's Theatre Workshop.

For the last five years, Mrs. Zimmerman also says she has been "channeling" Padre Pio, letting the dead Italian Catholic saint mystically speak through her.

It is a "gift," she said, and although she never asked for it she believes she must use it to help others, especially children....

It's for the children...hmmm, where have we heard that before?

Mrs. Zimmerman said in a recent interview that although she doesn't channel Padre Pio publicly very often, she hears from him almost daily.

I'm certain. Does the Diocese of Toledo have any exorcists?

An eighth-grade religion teacher at St. Patrick of Heatherdowns School for nearly 30 years, Mrs. Zimmerman said she felt as though spiritual conversations had been percolating within her for years before she began to explore her gift.

She had dismissed the voices as figments of her overactive imagination.

Figments of an overactive imagination? Color me skeptical...

New church at La Crosse’s Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

La Crosse - High above the marble floor of the new Shrine Church, painted stars glisten against the turquoise interior of a soaring dome.

Richly symbolic, they tell the story at the heart of a 103-acre site that is expected to draw cardinals, clergy, religious and crowds of everyday Catholics to the wooded bluffs of western Wisconsin this week....

St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, who started the movement to build the shrine when he was bishop of the La Crosse Diocese, will return for the church dedication and some related activities during seven days of celebration, which begin Monday....

Burke sparked discussion in the diocese when he announced plans in December 1999 to create a multimillion-dollar shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary that many Hispanics revere. Although La Crosse has no large concentration of Hispanics, Burke noted that Pope John Paul II had declared her the Mother of the Americas.

"Because of the loss of hope in our time and the immensity of the moral difficulties which we face, there is a great desire for a place of pilgrimage in which faith and hope can be renewed," Burke said at the time....

What a beautiful shrine! It's to be dedicated this week. Wish I could be there! Maybe a road trip/vacation can be arranged?

from JS-Online here
And a picture gallery can be viewed here.

18 New Orleans Parishes Closed, More to Follow

NEW ORLEANS (CNS) -- Confirming decisions he had announced in April in a post-Katrina realignment plan for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes signed letters July 3 closing 18 parishes and either merging them with others or changing their status to mission churches....

Archbishop Hughes signed the letters of suppression following a facilitation process in which parishioners were invited to town hall meetings to express their feelings and concerns about the closures and mergers. Each parish selected a leadership team that made recommendations to Archbishop Hughes.

The decisions, announced at parishes July 11-12, involve 11 clusters of parishes. Archbishop Hughes also said four pairs of parishes would each share a pastor....

It's sad to see this occur, and it must be disheartening, not only for the faithful of the closed parishes, but also for any bishop who has to make such difficult decisions. Many of us have gone through similar trials in recent years and offer our prayers of support.

Answers, What Kind of a Theologian Are You-The Nativity?

Questions can be viewed here.

1. Micheas, Mich. 5, 2.
2. a-Yes. b-Yes. c-Yes. d-No.
3. a-Yes. b-Yes. c-Yes.
4. a-No. b-Yes. c-Yes.
5. a-No. b-No. c-No.
6. a-St. Peter, Mat. 16, 15. b-St. John, John. 1, 18.
7. a-Yes. b-Yes. c-Yes. d-No.
8. a-Yes. b-No. c-Yes.
9. a~No. b-Yes. c-Yes. d-Yes.
10. a-St. John, Jo. 1, 1, 14. b-St. Paul, Gal. 4, 4.
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Adapted from The Queen's Work Magazine, December 1946

What Kind of a Theologian Are You? The Nativity

You know that

"all those things are to be believed with divine and Catholic faith which are contained in the written or orally transmitted word of God, and which the Church, either by a solemn judgment or by her ordinary and universal magisterium, proposes for belief as having been divinely revealed." (Vatican Council.)

Can you recognize truths which are of divine and Catholic faith?

Try the following quiz on The Nativity.

Give yourself 10 points for each of the 10 questions Which you answer correctly.
If you score 95-100, give yourself a SCL (summa cum laude);
90-94, a MCL (magna cum laude);
85-89, a CL (cum laude);
80-84, a BP (bene probatus);
70-79, a P (probatus);
1>-69, a NP (non probatus).

[Answer each "a, b, c, d" with Yes, No, or the proper response]
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1. Who said' "And thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda: out of thee shall...come...the ruler of Israel"?

2. That tiny Babe in the manger was

a) miraculously conceived;
b) immaculately conceived;
c) miraculously born;
d) miraculously nourished.

3. Even as a Babe He was

a) King;
b) Head of the whole human family;
c) the Mediator between God and men.

4. The Infant had

a) the infused virtue of faith;
b) the infused virtue of charity;
c) the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

5. Could the shepherds tell just by looking at Him that He

a) was not a human person;
b) was a divine person;
c) was the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity?

6. Who later on called Him

a) "Christ, the Son of the living God";
b) "The only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father"?

7. That Infant had

a) two wills;
b) two free wills;
c) two noncontrary wills;
d) two omnipotent wills.

8. His human intellect

a) was immune from error;
b) was omniscient;
c) had the beatific vision.

9. Is it of divine and Catholic faith that He had a body that was

a) brought from heaven;
b) born of Mary;
c) mortal;
d) adorable?

10. Who said of Him

a) "'In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh";
b) "God sent his Son born of a woman"?

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Answers next Monday...

Adapted from The Queen's Work Magazine, December 1946

Answers-What's Your Moral IQ on Double Effect?

Questions can be viewed here.
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1. Joe did not commit suicide.
(1) He sought to save Bill's life, not to kill himself.
(2) Swimming in itself is an indifferent act.
(3) The saving of Bill's life is not produced by the evil effect of Joe's death, for if by some chance his life were saved, the good effect would follow just the same.
(4) To give one's life to save another's is a proportionate reason.

2. Yes.
(1) He sought first to kill himself, an evil act.
(2) This act is wrong of its very nature.
(3) The good effect: namely, the saving of Bill's life is produced by an eyil means - Joe shooting himself.
(4) The reason is the same as in the first case.

3. No.
(1) The good effect, the weakening of an enemy, is directly intended.
(2) Destroying a ship is not evil in itself.
(3) His own death is not the cause of the good effect, the destruction of the carrier.
(4) There is a sufficient rea­son for permitting himself to be killed.

4. No. He intends to murder his fellow prisoners in order to obtain a good effect, to save the lives of himself and his family. The fact that they are willing doesn't change the case, because they have no authority to consent to the unjust killing of themselves.

5. No. All the conditions are fulfilled.
(1) He intends the good effect, the de­struction of the ammunition dump.
(2) This is not evil in itself.
(3) The death of the women and children in the maternity hospital is not the cause of the destruction of the ammunition dump.
(4) The saving of the lives of his fellow countrymen and the weakening of the enemy is a proportionate reason for the death of the people in the hospital.

6. No. The conditions are fulfiIied.
(1) She does not wish to kill herself but she does want to escape death by fire.
(2) Jumping out a window is not evil in itself.
(3) The good effect, escaping a horrible death by fire, is not brought about by the evil effect, being killed, because if she were caught in a fire net, the good effect would follow anyway.
(4) She is not putting her life in any worse danger than she is in at present and she is escaping death by fire.
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Adapted from The Queen's Work Magazine, January 1947