Bingo a big business for Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Federal tax returns filed by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence show their biggest moneymaker over the years has been “Revival Bingo” and that, in 2005, San Francisco Catholic Charities received a $1000 donation from the “leading order of queer nuns.”

The information comes from the group’s Form 990, a form required by federal law to be filed every year by tax-exempt charities...

For the 2005 calendar year, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence reported a total income of $129,380, with an end-of-year balance of $55,330 after expenses. Of the total income, the group reported gross receipts of $33,212 for 10 bingo games -- an average of more than $3300 per game...

More at California Catholic Daily here.

Gospel for Monday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 12:13-21

Parable of the Rich Fool

[13] One of the multitude said to Him (Jesus), "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me." [14] But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or divider over you?" [15] And He said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." [16] And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; [17] and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' [18] And he said, `I will do this: I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' [20] But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' [21] So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
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Commentary:

13. This man is only interested in his own problems; he sees in Jesus only a teacher with authority and prestige who can help sort out his case (cf. Deuteronomy 21:17). He is a good example of those who approach religious authorities not to seek advice on the way they should go in their spiritual life, but rather to get them to solve their material problems. Jesus vigorously rejects the man's request--not because He is insensitive to the injustice which may have been committed in this family, but because it is not part of His redemptive mission to intervene in matters of this kind. By His word and example the Master shows us that His work of salvation is not aimed at solving the many social and family problems that arise in human society; He has come to give us principles and moral standards which should inspire our actions in temporal affairs, but not to give us precise, technical solutions to problems which arise; to that end He has endowed us with intelligence and freedom.

15-21. After His statement in verse 15, Jesus tells the parable of the foolish rich man: what folly it is to put our trust in amassing material goods to ensure we have a comfortable life on earth, forgetting the goods of the spirit, which are what really ensure us--through God's mercy--of eternal life.

This is how St. Athanasius explained these words of our Lord: "A person who lives as if he were to die every day--given that our life is uncertain by definition-- will not sin, for good fear extinguishes most of the disorder of our appetites; whereas he who thinks he has a long life ahead of him will easily let himself be dominated by pleasures" ("Adversus Antigonum").

19. This man's stupidity consisted in making material possession his only aim in life and his only insurance policy. It is lawful for a person to want to own what he needs for living, but if possession of material resources becomes an absolute, it spells the ultimate destruction of the individual and of society. "Increased possession is not the ultimate goal of nations nor of individuals. All growth is ambivalent. It is essential if man is to develop as a man, but in a way it imprisons man if he considers it the supreme good, and it restricts his vision. Then we see hearts harden and minds close, and men no longer gather together in friendship but out of self-interest, which soon leads to strife and disunity. The exclusive pursuit of possessions thus becomes an obstacle to individual fulfillment and to man's true greatness. Both for nations and for individual, avarice is the most evident form of underdevelopment" ([Pope] Paul VI, "Populorum Progressio", 19).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Thoughts and Counsels - October 22

Being all members of the same body, with the same head, who is Christ, it is proper that we should have in common the same joys and sor­rows.

-Ven. Louis de Granada
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From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for October 22, Peace Through the Gospel

There was in Jerusalem, along with the leper hospital kept by the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, another leper hospital kept by Moravian sisters, a Protestant religious order. The largest number of patients in the hospital were Turks, but there were also Jews. One day a Christian of about twenty-two came. The doctors believed they could cure him. Alas! The leprosy reappeared in a terrible form and he became blind. What was God doing then? Were not the Turks going to conclude the uselessness of faith?

Teach him Braille? His fingers were dead and had lost tactual sensitivity. What was to be done? The Sisters read him a little from St. Paul. He wanted to learn the texts by heart. From then on, he never grew weary. Apart from the others he meditated and prayed. And the Sisters, pointing to him, remarked: "Surrounded by the Turks who had on his account blasphemed Christ, he lives in such peace, he is so good, so cheerful, that he can tell them what none among us has been ever able to do, 'It is my faith in Jesus which makes my leprosy so sweet to me. It is with Him that I accept what Allah has chosen for me and I bless Him for it.'"

Often we might wish that God would take away our cross. He grants a greater grace; He gives us the strength to accept it. For certain sick persons, for example, who are cured at Lourdes, how many return home with their infirmity! But they return with a greater courage to support their trial, and this miracle of the moral and spiritual order is, if we understand it well, superior to the sudden restoration of health.

Am I sufficiently penetrated with the Gospel? Have I drunk deeply enough, and with a soul sufficiently alert, at the sources of faith, of peace, of hope?

Ah! if only I knew the sacred words, by heart, or rather, if only the holy words were the very heart of my heart! How essential it is for me to know my Gospel, to meditate these Good Tidings, to learn to read and retain!
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Cardinal Rigali: Pro-choice supporters worshipping false idols

People who support abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research are worshipping “modern-day false idols,” Cardinal Justin Rigali said in Lincoln Saturday.

“(They are) putting their faith in human ingenuity and technology,” rather than following God and moral principles, he told about 350 people attending the annual Nebraska pro-life convention.

Opposition to embryonic research is not a religious position, but a moral stance based on scientific facts, Rigali said...Even an embryo has the full complement of DNA that make a human being, he noted.

He also talked about the incorrect concept of freedom espoused by those who support abortion choice. “Freedom of choice is invoked against the freedom of someone to be born,” he said in the interview. “The most basic freedom is the freedom to exist, to live.” That freedom, Rigali said, is denied when an unborn child in aborted.

“The cause of life cannot be served by destroying life,” he said in his speech.

More here

Notes from a Cultural Madhouse-They don’t know their onions

From California Catholic Daily, Christopher Zehnder writes:

It may mark me as naïve, but I believe Archbishop George Niederauer when he says he did not know that the two clown-like figures to whom he gave communion at Most Holy Redeemer church on Oct. 7 were members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. At least, I think the archbishop had his doubts, and giving the clowns the benefit of the doubt, gave them communion. . .

...If there’s anything society seems to lack in our post-modern day, it’s common sense. “They don’t know their onions,” as my grandfather used to say. And, indeed, it’s not just “they” who can’t tell the difference between a Cippolini and a Vidalia, its we Catholics. Sometimes I think we have even less common sense than most people in the world. . .

Common sense is a function of tradition, something to which the Catholic Church is said to be committed beyond all sense. Tradition is that which is passed down from generation to generation. . .

Yet there is nothing so questioned and despised today as tradition. Tradition is immediately suspect in our time because it is thought of as a set of unexamined assumptions. . .

Article is here.

It would certainly be of tremendous benefit for us to become acquainted or reacquainted with the writings of G.K. Chesterton, who has been called the "Apostle of Common Sense". The common thread in Chesterton’s writings is common sense.

When reading the above article on "common sense", I could not help but be reminded of Chesterton and of the work of Dale Ahlquist, whose books and program on EWTN bring the "Apostle of Common Sense" to so many who might otherwise not know of this man and his works defending both the Church and common sense...

While it is on my mind, allow me to post a link to Recovering The Lost Art of Common Sense , an excerpt from Common Sense 101: Lessons From G.K. Chesterton , by Dale Ahlquist. Enjoy!

1st Reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: Exodus 17:8-13

A Battle Against the Amalekites

[8] Then came Amalek and fought with Israel at Rephidim. [9] And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." [10] So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. [11] Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. [12] But Moses' hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [13] And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
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Commentary:

17:8-16 In addition to shortages of food and water the Israelites also had to cope with attacks from other groups in the desert over rights to wells and pastures. Their confrontation with the Amalekites shows that the same God who has alleviated their more pressing needs (hunger and thirst) will protect them from enemy attack.

The Amalekites were an ancient people (cf Num 24:20; Gen 14:7; 36:12, 16; Judg 1:16) who were spread all over the north of the Sinai peninsula, the Negeb, Seir and the south of Canaan; they controlled the caravan routes between Arabia and Egypt. In the Bible they appear as a perennial enemy of Israel (cf. Deut 25:17-18; 1 Sam 15:3; 27:8; 30) until in the time of Hezekiah (1 Chron 4:41-43) the oracle about blotting out their memory finds fulfillment (v. 14). The mention of Joshua leading the battle and of Aaron and Hur helping Moses to pray point to the fact that after Moses political-military and religious authority will be split, with the priests taking over the latter.

With the rod in his hand, Moses directs the battle from a distance, but his main involvement is by interceding for his people, asking God to give them victory. The Fathers read this episode as a figure of the action of Christ who, on the cross (symbolized by the rod), won victory over the devil and death (cf. Tertullian, "Adversus Marcionem", 3, 18; St Cyprian, "Testimonia", 2, 21).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

2nd Reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Staying True to Scripture

[14] But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it [15] and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Dedication to Preaching

[1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching.
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Commentary:

14-15. "Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed": this is sound advice--that Timothy should not relinquish the truth which he learned from his mother and from the Apostle: "Religion, of its nature, must be passed on in its entirety to children with the same fidelity as it has been received by the parents themselves; we have no right to take religion and do with it what we will; rather, it is we who must follow religion wherever it leads us" (St Vincent of Lerins, "Commonitorium", 5).

Assiduous meditation on the Word of God and reflection on our experience in the light of faith make for deeper understanding of revealed truth; but the essential meaning of the truths of faith does not change, because God does not contradict himself. Progress in theolog y consists in obtaining this deeper understanding of the content of Revelation and relating it to the needs and the insights of people in each culture and period of history. In this connection Paul VI wrote: "We also insisted on the grave responsibility incumbent upon us, but which we share with our Brothers in the Episcopate, of preserving unaltered the content of the Catholic faith which the Lord entrusted to the Apostles. While being translated into all expressions, this content must be neither impaired nor mutilated. While being clothed with the outward forms proper to each people, and made explicit by theological expression which takes account of different cultural, social and even racial milieu it must remain the content of the Catholic faith just exactly as the ecclesial Magisterium has received it and transmits it" ("Evangelii Nuntiandi", 65).

16. Due to the conciseness of the Greek language (which often omits the verb to b e), this verse can also be translated as "All scripture inspired by God is profitable"; cf. the RSV note. Paul is explicitly stating here that all the books of the Bible are inspired by God, and are therefore of great help to the Church in its mission.

The books of Sacred Scripture enjoy special authority because "the divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself. To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their powers and faculties so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more. Since, therefore, all that the inspired authors, or sacred writers, affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture, firmly, faithfully and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scripture" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 11).

Therefore, the Bible is very useful in preaching and teaching, in theological research and for one's own spiritual advancement and that of others. Referring to the training of future priests, the Second Vatican Council recommends that they "receive a most careful training in Holy Scripture, which should be the soul, as it were, of all theology" ("Optatam Totius, 16).

St Gregory the Great has this to say about Scripture's usefulness "for teaching": "Anyone preparing to preach in the right way needs to take his points from the Sacred Scriptures in order to ensure that everything he says is based on divine authority" ("Moralia", 18, 26). And the same Father says elsewhere: "What is Sacred Scripture if not a kind of letter from almighty God to his creature? [...] Therefore, please study and reflect on the words of your Creator every day. Learn what the will of God is by entering deep into the words of that God, so as to desire divine things more ardently and set your soul aflame with great yearning for heavenly delights" ("Epistula ad Theodorum Medicum", 5, 31).

Scripture is also profitable "for reproof", St Jerome writes: "Read the divine Scriptures very often, or, to put it better, never let sacred reading matter out of your hands. Learn what it has to teach, keep a firm hold on the word of faith which accords with doctrine, so as to be able to exhort othe rs with sound doctrine and win over your opponents" ("Ad Nepoitanum", 7).

17. "Man of God": see the note on 1 Tim 6:11. This description shows the basis of a priest's dignity. "The priestly vocation is invested with a dignity and greatness which has no equal on earth. St Catherine of Siena put these words on Jesus' lips: 'I do not wish the respect which priests should be given to be in any way diminished; for the reverence and respect which is shown them is not referred to them but to Me, by virtue of the Blood which I have given to them to administer. Were it not for this, you should render them the same reverence as lay people, and no more....you must not offend them; by offending them you offend Me and not them. Therefore I forbid it and I have laid it down that you shall not touch my Christs" (J. Escriva, "In Love with the Church", 38).

1. The last chapter of the letter, summing up its main themes, is in fact St Paul's last wi ll and testament and has the features of that type of document: it begins in a formal manner (vv. 1-5), protests the sincerity of his dedicated life (vv. 6-8) and concludes with some very tender, personal messages (vv. 9-22).

The opening is couched in a solemn form (also found in 1 Tim 5:21) similar to a Greco-Roman will, laying on the heirs an obligation to carry out the testator's wishes: "I charge you"; a series of imperatives follows. To underline the importance of what the testator is requesting, God the Father and Jesus Christ are invoked as witnesses, guarantors of the commitments which will devolve on the heirs. By swearing this document the testator is performing an act of the virtue of religion, because he is acknowledging God as Supreme Judge, to whom we must render an account of our actions.

"Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead": a graphic, catechetical expression (cf. Acts 10:42; 1 Pet 4:5), confessing belief in the truth that all men without exception will undergo judgment by Jesus Christ, from whose decision there is no appeal. This has become part of the Creed; in a solemn profession of faith, the "Creed of the People of God", Pope Paul VI elaborated on this article of faith as we have seen in the commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1:5 above.

2. "Preach the word": that is, the message of the Gospel, which includes all the truths to be believed, the commandments to be kept and the sacraments and other supernatural resources to be availed of. In the life of the Church the ministry of the word has special importance; it is the channel God has established whereby man can partake of the Gospel; priests have a special duty to preach the word: "The people of God is formed into one in the first place by the Word of the living God, which is quite rightly sought from the mouth of priests. For since nobody can be saved who has not first bel ieved, it is the first task of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel of God to all men. In this way they carry out the Lord's command, 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation' (Mk 16:15) and thus set up and increase the people of God" (Vatican II, "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 4).

"In season and out of season", that is, even in adverse circumstances (cf. v. 3), or when hearers are disinclined to accept the Christian message. Timothy and, like him, all other sacred ministers, ought to behave towards the faithful in accordance with the demands of Christian life and doctrine. "What do men want, what do they expect of the priest, the minister of Christ, the living sign of the presence of the Good Shepherd? We would venture to say that, although they may not explicitly say so, they need, want and hope for a priest-priest, a priest through and through, a man who gives his life for them, by opening to them the horizons of the soul; a man who unceasingly exercises his ministry whose heart is capable of understanding, and a man who gives simply and joyfully, in season and even out of season, what he alone can give--the richness of grace, of divine intimacy which, through him, God wishes to distribute among men" (A. del Portillo, "On Priesthood", p. 66).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Gospel for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 18:1-8

Persevering Prayer. Parable of the Unjust Judge

[1] And He (Jesus) told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. [2] He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; [3] and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him saying, `Vindicate me against my adversary.' [4] For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor regard man, [5] yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.' [6] And the Lord said, "hear what the unrighteous judge says.
[7] And will not God vindicate His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? [8] I tell you, He will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
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Commentary:

1-8. The parable of the unjust judge is a very eloquent lesson about the effectiveness of persevering, confident prayer. It also forms a conclusion to Jesus' teaching about watchfulness, contained in the previous verses (17:23-26). Comparing God with a person like this makes the point even clearer: if even an unjust judge ends up giving justice to the man who keeps on pleading his case, how much more will God, who is infinitely just, and who is our Father, listen to the persevering prayer of His children. God, in other words, gives justice to His elect if they persist in seeking His help.

1. "They ought always to pray and not lose heart." Why must we pray?

"1. WE MUST PRAY FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE WE ARE BELIEVERS.

"Prayer is in fact the recognition of our limitation and our dependence: we come from God, we belong to God and we return to God! We cannot, therefore, but abandon ourselves to Him, our Creator and Lord, with full and complete confidence [...].

"Prayer, therefore, is first of all an act of intelligence, a feeling of humility and gratitude, an attitude of trust and abandonment to Him who gave us life out of love.

"Prayer is a mysterious but real dialogue with God, a dialogue of confidence and love.

"2. WE, HOWEVER, ARE CHRISTIANS, AND THEREFORE WE MUST PRAY AS CHRISTIANS.
"For the Christian, in fact, prayer acquires a particular characteristic, which completely changes its innermost nature and innermost value. The Christian is a disciple of Jesus; he is one who really believes that Jesus is the Word Incarnate, the Son of God who came among us on this earth.

"As a man, the life of Jesus was a continual prayer, a continual act of worship and love of the Father and since the maximum_expression of prayer is sacrifice, the summit of Jesus' prayer is the Sacrifice of the Cross, anticipated by the Eucharist at the Last Supper and handed down by means of the Holy Mass throughout the centuries.

"Therefore, the Christian knows that his prayer is that of Jesus; every prayer of his starts from Jesus; it is He who prays in us, with us, for us. All those who believe in God, pray; but the Christian prays in Jesus Christ: Christ is our prayer!

"3. FINALLY, WE MUST ALSO PRAY BECAUSE WE ARE FRAIL AND GUILTY.
"It must be humbly and realistically recognized that we are poor creatures, confused in ideas, tempted by evil, frail and weak, in continual need of inner strength and consolation. Prayer gives the strength for great ideas, to maintain faith, charity, purity and generosity. Prayer gives the courage to emerge from indifference and guilt, if unfortunately one has yielded to temptation and weakness. Prayer gives light to see and consider the events of one's own life and of history in the salvific perspective of God and eternity. Therefore, do not stop praying! Let not a day pass without your having prayed a little! Prayer is a duty, but it is also a great joy, because it is a dialogue with God through Jesus Christ! Every Sunday, Holy Mass: if it is possible for you, sometimes during the week. Every day, morning and evening prayers, and at the most suitable moments!" (John Paul II, "Audience with Young People", 14 March 1979).

8. Jesus combines His teaching about perseverance in prayer with a serious warning about the need to remain firm in the faith: faith and prayer go hand in hand. St. Augustine comments, "In order to pray, let us believe; and for our faith not to weaken, let us pray. Faith causes prayer to grow, and when prayer grows our faith is strengthened" ("Sermon", 115).

Our Lord has promised His Church that it will remain true to its mission until the end of time (cf. Matthew 28:20); the Church, therefore, cannot go off the path of the true faith. But not everyone will remain faithful: some will turn their backs on the faith of their own accord. This is the mystery which St. Paul describes as "the rebellion" (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and which Jesus Christ announces on other occasions (cf. Matthew 24:12-13). In this way our Lord warns us, to help us stay watchful and persevere in the faith and in prayer even though people around us fall away.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Thoughts and Counsels - October 21

We should never abandon, on account of the difficulties we encounter, an enterprise under­taken with due reflection.

-St. Vincent de Paul
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From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for October 21, All Things But Means

A certain young sick priest was not able to say Mass; he did not feel, however, that he deserved the pity heaped on him. To a young girl who could not follow her vocation on account of illness, he wrote, mindful of his own affliction, as well as hers, "You see everything is only a means."

Ah, if I were able to understand that well, in what a spirit of faith, and in what peace would I live!

In Faith: Everything has but one goal, the glory of God. Health or sickness, success or failure, happiness or persecution, death or life, these are all means. If they are able to serve - and they are always able to serve, in procuring the glory of God - I ought not attach more value to one than to the other. If God wishes me to be ill, powerless, reduced to insignificance, to incapacity, could there be any more effective means then, than sickness, power­lessness, nothingness, for procuring the glory of God? They are the most excellent, they are freer from selfish whim and self-­satisfaction.

In Peace: Instead of always seeking for one thing more than another, for what delights rather than what wounds; instead of pitying myself and losing my spiritual poise when suffering strikes me, I should abandon myself peacefully into the hands of the Lord; provided that He be content, that His glory be procured, why should I care? Should He deign to send me what is most crucify­ing, far from losing heart, I will regard it as a particular mark of His goodness for me.

I will keep a clear view of the goal, of the end. Everything is but a means.
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Sisters of Perpetual (Self) Indulgence now teach theology

From Spero News:

In response to critics, the gay performers known as "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" defend San Francisco archbishop Niederauer for giving them Holy Communion "in keeping with the Second Vatican Council."

By Joni Durling

Pope says political field is for laypeople, but church must guide

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Involvement in politics is a role reserved to laypeople, but Catholic Church leaders must explain and promote the moral principles that will contribute to the common good, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"The church, while recognizing that it is not a political agent, cannot abstain from taking an interest in the good of the whole civil community in which it lives and works," the pope said in a message published Oct. 18...

Pope Benedict said the most pressing issues include "respect for human life and the attention that must be paid to the needs of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman."

Gospel for Saturday, 28th Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, priest
Old Calendar: St. John Cantius (Kanty), priest

From: Luke 12:8-12

Various Teachings of Jesus (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [8] "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; [9] but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. [10] And every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. [11] And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; [12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."
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Commentary:

8-9. This follows logically from Christ's previous teaching: worse than physical evils, worse even than death, are evils of the soul, that is, sin. Those who out of fear of temporal suffering deny our Lord and are unfaithful to the demands of the faith will fall into a greater evil still: they will be denied by Christ Himself on the Day of Judgment; whereas those who are penalized in this life because of their faithfulness to Christ will receive the eternal reward of being recognized by Him and will come to share His glory.

10. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in maliciously attributing to the devil actions which have God as their origin. A person who does that prevents God's pardon from reaching him: that is why he cannot obtain forgiveness (cf. Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:28-30). Jesus understands and excuses the weakness of a person who makes a moral mistake, but He is not similarly indulgent to someone who shuts his eyes and his heart to the wonderful things the Spirit does; that was the way these Pharisees acted who accused Jesus of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebul; it is the way unbelieving people act who refuse to see in Christ's work a sign of the goodness of God, who reject the invitation God offers them and who thereby put themselves outside the reach of salvation (cf. Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31). See the note on Mark 3:28-30.

[The note on Mark 3:28-30 states:
28-30. Jesus has just worked a miracle but the scribes refuse to recognize it "for they had said `He has an unclean spirit'" (verse 30). They do not want to admit that God is the author of the miracle. In this attitude lies the special gravity of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit--attributing to the prince of evil, to Satan, the good works performed by God Himself. Anyone acting in this way will become like the sick person who has so lost confidence in the doctor that he rejects him as if an enemy and regards as poison the medicine that can save his life. That is why our Lord says that he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not forgiven: not because God cannot forgive all sins, but because that person, in his blindness towards God, rejects Jesus Christ, His teaching and His miracles, and despises the graces of the Holy Spirit as if they were designed to trap him (cf. "St. Pius V Catechism", II, 5, 19; St. Thomas Aquinas, "Summa Theologiae", II-II, q. 14, a. 3).]
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Thoughts and Counsels - October 20

Prayer is our principal weapon. By it we ob­tain of God the victory over our evil inclinations, and over all temptations of hell.

-St. Alphonsus
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for October 20, The Best Prayer

According to Father Foucauld, and he knew, "the best prayer is the one in which there is the most love."

It is not a question of the best prayer in itself according to theory, but of the best prayer in deed, according to our interior dispositions.

Then, I need not be frightened or disturbed, if at prayer I am utterly devoid of thoughts, or if my mind always revolves in the same circle; if I am not like those souls who discover beautiful ideas or new points of view, or at any rate, enjoy variety in their thoughts.

My prayer gets its value not from my head but from my heart. Should my prayer overflow with ideas but lack love it is very im­perfect, but if it is permeated with love, although poor in ideas, it is truly perfect.

Without doubt, when I prepare my meditation I ought to try to determine upon a definite subject to aid my memory and my intel­lect, since it has been proved that, in general, the heart and will are not moved unless the mind is attentive, enlightened, and con­vinced; but the subject of my meditation can be the same for several successive days, above all if I am experienced in the prac­tice of habituated prayer. I ought not hesitate, however, to aban­don this subject if the Holy Spirit suggests another to me, even at the very beginning of my prayer, or if, like Magdalen at the feet of Jesus, I am satisfied to unite myself to the Divine Master while gazing on Him.

I will do all in my power to use the means to pray well, but be willing to renounce them if God Himself enlightens me, drawing me into a silence that unites me more closely to Him than words could ever do.
_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Hillary's National "Catholic" Steering Committee

OK, folks, I almost deleted this as spam before I read it...Here's what is says:

Dear Friend,

We are starting a conversation with Catholics across America and hope you will join us. Hillary shares your vision for the common good -- quality, affordable health care for all Americans, better educational opportunities for our children, and a plan for peace and stability from Baghdad to Darfur. Together we can make this vision a reality.

Join Hillary's National Catholic Steering Committee to be a part of this campaign to make history.

To sign up, visit our Faith Steering Committee website:

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/faith

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
Burns Strider
Senior Advisor
Director of Faith Outreach

P.S. I have attached a document that discusses Hillary's record on issues of faith. Please read it and pass it along to your family, friends, and neighbors.

The document quoted may be available at the website - I think most, if not all, faithful Catholics already know where this woman stands...especially regarding her stauch support of the heinous crime of abortion,- the brutal killing of the most innocent among us.

It might be worth checking out in order to spread the Gospel, the truth about the sanctity of human life - especially the defenseless unborn, the necessity of safeguarding the institution of marriage and the family as the basic unit of societal life and well being, etc.! Maybe someone there will be touched by the grace of God.

We had "Katholics for Kerry" and soon we'll see "Catholics for Clinton"...How sad.

Starting Today-A Novena for Priests

From Fr Frank Pavone:

Where would we be without faithful pastors, priests and preachers? And how much more could we get done if we had a multitude more of holy and zealous shepherds of souls?

Every year, thanks to an organization called Serra International, the last Sunday of October is designated as "Priesthood Sunday." People are invited to pray for their priests and to honor them in various ways.

At Priests for Life, we have decided to observe this day by having a novena for priests, starting this Friday, October 19. Go to www.priestsforlife.org, and you'll see the link at which you can download the special prayer.

When you do so, you will also have the opportunity to send me:

a) Your prayer intentions. What priests should we pray for in a special way? Are there some who have health problems; are there others who need a special dose of courage?

b) Your stories. Tell me about your favorite priest, or how a priest or pastor inspired and strengthened you in your own walk with the Lord.

As you know, Priests for Life is committed to help every member of the clergy be a vigorous voice for the lives of the unborn. Priesthood Sunday can be a time when we all pray and work for that!

Join the Priesthood Novena: October 19- 27

Prayer for Priesthood Novena

Father,
You sent your Son Jesus Christ
To be our High Priest,
And you gave us the gift of the priesthood
To continue his saving work.

Bless our priests, and give us more of them.
Make them holy.
Strengthen them to proclaim the Gospel of Life,
And to defend the rights of all,
Especially the unborn.

Bring us, your priests and people
To the life that never ends.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen

Latin Mass OK with Pope

...And it's OK with me, too!

In Rapid City, SD:

When Jean Carlson returned to the Latin Mass of her childhood, she immediately found something she had been missing.

"There's just a sense of humility when you walk in and participate in the Mass," she said. "There's a mystery about the Mass."

The sense of mystery and awe, lamentably in some cases, has been obscured. Nevertheless, if we are unable to find a church which celebrates the extraordinary form of the Mass, we can always look for a place where the ordinary form is celebrated with the reverence and dignity it so rightfully deserves.

Of course being a secualr report, here again we have a reporter who fails to check facts:

In the Extraordinary Mass, priests face away from the congregation. The Mass is celebrated in Latin, and there is less interaction between the congregation and the priest. A different liturgical calendar also is followed.

The priests faces toward God as do the people - as he leads them toward God in the Holy Sacrifice.

Ordinary Mass is celebrated in the vernacular, with priests facing the congregation. There is also more interaction between the congregation and priest.

After Vatican II, churches could celebrate Extraordinary Masses in Latin only with the permission of their bishops.

Again, and unless I'm mistaken, the Novus Ordo was always permitted to be celebrated in Latin.

The article relates the story of a young priest who now celebrates the Extraordinary form of the Mass even though he grew up with the Ordinary form:

The quiet contemplative atmosphere of the Extraordinary Masses appealed to him. "The new Mass ... There's so much distraction."

Quite understandable...there are plenty of distractions, at times, for the faithful as well.

Read more about, if you like, here.

Curran speech spotlights reforms of Pope John XXIII

When Charles Curran gave talks at Catholic universities 25 years ago, newspaper headlines the following day would read, "Radical priest disappoints."

But Curran got a very different reaction Thursday night during his talk, "The Life and Legacy of Pope John XXIII" at St. Edward's University.

Curran is best known for reaffirming the need for a ban on artificial contraception and questioning the Catholic Church's authority on teaching moral issues, including premarital sex, abortion and homosexuality. He was removed from the faculty of the Catholic University of America in 1986.

Actually Curran is infamous for his outspoken dissent against the Church and the natural moral law because of his affirmation of and support for artificial contraception, and the other moral issues above. But he is not alone in this widespread dissent. The author rightly notes that he was removed from the faculty of the Catholic University of America in 1986 - BUT, this was 18 years, almost 2 decades, after his tirade and denunciation of Humanae Vitae! And it took the Holy Father to do the job of the bishops who were supposed to be in charge of CUA, to evict this malcontent from the university.

"He is known for his book 'Loyal Dissent' that says you can be a faithful Catholic but disagree with the pope," said assistant history professor Anne Martinez. "For a lot of people, this approach is American Catholicism."

For far too many professed Catholics, this is their approach - it's been called "cafeteria Catholicism" and worse. The fact is, there is no such thing as 'loyal dissent.' It's analogous to claiming that there is such a thing as a 'square circle.'

Curran did not discuss the controversial issues that surround Pope John XXIII, but instead talked about his life and achievements.

What controversial issues surrounded the life of Pope John XXIII?

Pope John XXIII was best known for the reforms he enacted when he called the second Vatican Council, where he changed the way the Catholic Church operates its services to include the congregation, said engineering junior Julia Rosinski, a member of the Catholic Students Association. The former pope recommended that masses be conducted in the language of the people, while retaining Latin as a language of worship.

"It is beautiful in Latin, but it was harder for general public to connect with God and the mass," Rosinski said. "That was the biggest thing. He helped people relate to the church."

Now here's a gal who studied her church history and read the documents of Vatican II. Her professors must really be proud. Soon to be a Summa cum laude graduate, for sure.

Before John XXIII, Catholics were leaving the church because they couldn't connect. The new church was set up to help better connect people with Christ, Rosinski said.

Where does one go to learn this?

From the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University we see these statistics from Jan 2005:

Slightly more than 20 percent of Post-Vatican II Generation Catholics [born after 1960] say they attend Mass at least once a week or more.

By comparison, 52 percent of Pre-Vatican II Generation Catholics [born before 1943 ] and 38 percent of Vatican II Generation Catholics [born between 1943 and 1960 ] report weekly Mass attendance. The levels of attendance by these generations are unchanged from CARA’s September 2000 poll.

Somebody must have slipped her some bad data in class...

Curran said it was unfortunate that the Catholic Church may be pulling away from the issues important to John XXIII's Vatican.

Curran still thinks that he is the authentic interpreter of the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

Who needs a Church, when we have the likes of Curran and others repudiating the Holy Father and the Church? Some must think that Jesus said, "He who hears Charles Curran and his companions, hears Me!" It's probably to be found in the latest translation.

The 'Courage' to go 'Beyond Gay'

From Matt Abott's column from last Saturday:

I'd like to put in a good word about Courage, "a spiritual support system which would assist men and women with same-sex attractions in living chaste lives in fellowship, truth and love."

Developed by Father John Harvey, with the assistance of Father Benedict Groeschel, Courage held "its first meeting in September, 1980 at the Shrine of Mother Seton in South Ferry.

"With the endorsement of the Holy See, Courage now has more than 110 Chapters and contact people world-wide, over 1500 persons participating in its ListServs, and hundreds of persons per week receiving assistance from the main office and website. It has become a mainstream Catholic Apostolate helping thousands of men and women find peace through fellowship, prayer, and the Sacraments."

Some may recall that Archbishop Burke vigorously attempted to get an amendment passed recently at the USCCB bishops' meeting to have both Courage and Encourage included in a document the bishops were to vote on...Some realize how important this is, especially in today's confused world.

Secondly, Abbot includes an excerpt from a book by David Morrison, who is a Catholic writer and promoter of the apostolate. He authored the book Beyond Gay, from which the following excerpt comes (Chap. 15, 244-245):

'So much confusion reigns about what the Church teaches about same-sex attraction that I urge every homosexually attracted person to forget what they think the Church teaches or what they have heard she teaches and learn instead what she really teaches. . .

This is just the first sentence-It really is a must read. I highly recommend that Matt Abbott's post be read as Morrison eloquently relates what authentic, true love is.

Matt's column is here.

Traditional Anglican Communion Petitions Rome for Union

The College of Bishops of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) recently petitioned for “full, corporate, sacramental union” with the Roman Catholic Church recently.

HT to PG for the link

Bishops' document to offer new guidance on Catholics' political role

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Rejecting a political climate based on "powerful interests, partisan attacks, sound bites and media hype," the U.S. bishops call Catholics to "a different kind of political engagement" in a document to be voted on during their fall general meeting Nov. 12-15 in Baltimore.

Hey Father, erase my Baptismal records!

A court is Spain says the Church must do just that if a person requests it....

MADRID - DPA - The Spanish judiciary has for the first time recognized the right of a Catholic to stop being a member of the church, radio reports said Thursday.

The National Court sided with a person who had taken the Valencia archbishop's office to court for refusing to cancel his baptism certificate...

Surely, the Church will tell the state to go take a hike?

What's next? Who's going to be the first to demand that the state to erase his birth records?

More here.

The St Louis Archdiocese New Website!

www.archstl.org!

We are pleased to present to the faithful of the Archdiocese and to the Internet community the new cyberspace home of the Roman Catholic Church in St. Louis.

In addition to an attractive and streamlined design that allows for greater ease of navigation, many new features have been introduced to the website. Content for the offices and agencies that advance the mission of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has been significantly expanded, and the homepage of the site will be updated continually with news and other features, including blogs, questions and answers about the Catholic faith, homilies by archdiocesan priests, and much more. We hope that you enjoy your visit, and that you will bookmark the website and return to it often.

And it looks GREAT! It's time to become re-acquainted with it - click here.

Updates on the TFP Public Square Rosary

TFP Public Square Rosary Campaign:

We did it! We held well over 2,000 Public Square Rosary Rallies nationwide. For a brief account of this great victory for Our Lady on October 13, click here.

Also take a look at our photo album with impressive pictures from all over the country. Click here to enter the photo gallery.

Tridentine Mass II: An apology

By Rev. Peter J. Daly
The Tidings
October 19, 2007

I'm sorry.

Some weeks ago I wrote a column about the recent "motu proprio" from Rome permitting wider celebration of the Tridentine Mass (The Tidings, Aug. 17).

In 20 years of writing columns I never got so much angry mail. The only columns that even came close were about gun control and immigration.

On conservative Catholic blogs my name has been mud. I have been called everything from a heretic to a fool.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone. And it may surprise my correspondents, but I actually agree with many of them...

A decent article in the Tidings by Fr Daly.

Link here...
The old Latin ritual was universal. No matter where you were, from Korea to Chicago, it was the same. Its universality united us and set us apart.

HT to Trish!

Gospel for Oct 19, Memorial of Saint John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs

Old Calendar: St. Peter of Alcantara

From: Luke 12:1-7

Various Teachings of Jesus

[1] In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, He (Jesus) began to say to His disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [2] Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. [3] Whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."

[4] "I tell you, My friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. [5] But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into Hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! [6] Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. [7] Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."
_______________________

Commentary:

3. Most Palestinian houses had a roof in the form of a terrace. There people would meet to chat and while away the time in the hottest part of the day. Jesus points out to His disciples that just as in these get-togethers things said in private became matters of discussion, so too, despite the Pharisees' and scribes' efforts to hide their vices and defects under the veil of hypocrisy, they would become a matter of common knowledge.

6-7. Nothing--not even the most insignificant thing--escapes God, His Providence and the judgment He will mete out. For this same reason no one should fear that any suffering or persecution he experiences in following Christ will remain unrewarded in eternity.

The teaching about fear, contained in verse 5, is filled out in verses 6 and 7, where Jesus tells us that God is a good Father who watches over every one of us--much more than He does over these little ones (whom He also remembers). Therefore, our fear of God should not be servile (based on fear of punishment); it should be a filial fear (the fear of someone who does not want to displease his father), a fear nourished by trust in Divine Providence.
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Former Priest "Reflects" on Upcoming Women's "Ordinations"

Received this evening:

Pastoral Comments
Franks’s Reflection on Roman Catholic WomenPriests’ Ordination

Ree Hudson, who has been visiting us from time to time since April of 2006, and Elsie McGrath, who also has visited Sts. Clare & Francis, are set to be ordained by Bishop Patricia Fresen at 3:00 pm on Sunday, the 11th of November at the Central Reform Congregation. Ree stood up last Saturday and welcomed all who wish to attend.

We at Sts. Clare & Francis belong to a branch of Catholicism that is not under the jurisdiction of Rome. We belong to the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC). Ree and Elsie are doing something different. Their intention is to remain within the Roman Catholic Church and to take actions which we could call “civil disobedience.” Civil disobedience has a long and honored tradition for effecting social change, e.g., the Indian resistance to the British Empire, the Civil Rights Boycotts in the US, and the anti-Apartheid movement of South Africa. Ree and Elsie belong to a group of Roman Catholics (http://www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org ) who believe that by intentionally disobeying their church law and living as if it has no hold on them, they will be able to help effect change in the Roman Catholic Church. They are like Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man and who said by her action, “Your rules are unjust; and I will not obey them.”

What we are doing is different. To use the Rosa Parks example, we have chosen to live in a city, as it were, where people can sit wherever they want on the bus. Our bishop is thrilled about the ordination of women, including our own Jessica Rowley. We are not fighting any battles about women’s ordination. Of course, just like in the 1960’s, we hear of the struggles in places that border us, and our hearts are glad that someone has the courage to struggle for the full acceptance and integration of women. (We cannot ignore the fact that Patricia Fresen, the bishop who will be ordaining Ree and Elsie was herself a strong fighter against apartheid in South Africa.) Our sincerest congratulations to Ree and Elsie!

The world needs fighters and architects. We at Sts. Clare & Francis have chosen the latter path of imagining, designing, and building boldly. We intend to model a church in the Catholic tradition where all are truly welcome to participate. As we have open-house after open-house in our new “structure,” many will find that this is the model of Church they have been looking for. And they will want to move here, to live here. So let us continue to build in earnest. We are building for the same reason they are fighting: no one should be told they are less important on a bus that Jesus is supposedly driving.

Your brother,
Frank [Krebs]

An ex-priest, Mr. Krebs apparently left the Catholic Church years ago to pursue his relationship with his homosexual partner. He is now the "pastor" of Sts. Clare and Francis Ecumenical Catholic Church - a group with a changeable creed and beliefs with Catholic "symbols."

Regardless of the intentions of Hudson and McGrath, should they proceed with their attempts to be ordained, they will no longer be members of the Roman Catholic Church - they will have voluntarily separated themselves from Holy Mother Church and from Jesus Christ.

And the claim that this act of rebellion and disobedience to Christ and His Church is similar to "civil disobedience" is, at best, specious.

In Luke 10:16 we read the words of Christ:

"He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

Two weeks ago we read this Gospel and the commentary which states:

On the evening of the day of His resurrection, our Lord entrusts His Apostles with the mission received from the Father, endowing them with powers similar to His own (John 20:21). Some days later He will confer on Peter the primacy He had already promised him (John 21:15-17). The Pope is the successor of Peter, and the bishops the successor of the Apostles (cf. "Lumen Gentium", 20).

Therefore, "Bishops who teach in communion with the Roman Pontiff are to be revered by all as witnesses of divine and Catholic truth [...]. This loyal submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak "ex cathedra" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 25).

It is absolutely necessary for the salvation of our souls that we obey the law of God and live in accordance with His will - and He willed to leave us a Church and shepherds, invested with His authority to bind and loose, to guide us on our pilgrimage toward heaven.

If we refuse to listen to the Church, we refuse to listen to Christ - it's really that simple! It is not hard to understand!

Some, however, would rather follow Satan, who in his rebellion in submitting to God, cried out "I will not serve!" They, likewise, cry out to God and the Church, "I will not serve You! My will be done!"

One must not despise obedience, because obedience is divine, and the divine is not despicable. Divine, not only because, as St. Paul says, "Authority comes from God only" (Rom. xiii, I), but also because of Christ's example:

"He dispossessed himself, accepted an obedience which brought him to death, death on a cross." (Philippians 2:7-8)

While Obedience may at times be difficult, disobedience and rebellion are easy - because they are the tools of the devil, used by us to separate ourselves from God.

Unfortunately, these women and those who support their act of defiance against Christ and His Church, are sowing the seeds of eternal death and eternity apart from God. Pray that they might repent and seek His mercy.

More California Catholic "News"

For those who have seen this, I apologize - actually, I need to apologize to those who haven't seen it, also. From RomanCatholicBlog:

Jungle Boogie: The Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino Goes Native

Archbishop Niederauer complains about blogging "bullies"...

Tom Peters writes:

...the truly unfortunate addition to the debate was made today by the Archbishop himself:

Asked about reaction he had received, Archbishop Niederauer expressed concern about the impact of Web logs, or blogs."

The blogosphere is a kind of dangerous, endless recess in a global schoolyard," he said, "where the bullies with the biggest bullhorns can shout whatever they want."

...doesn't the line given by Archbishop Niederauer ("The blogosphere is a kind of dangerous, endless recess in a global schoolyard where the bullies with the biggest bullhorns can shout whatever they want.") almost sound like a trial-run for the account he will be eventually asked to give for this whole affair to his brother bishops and superiors in Rome?

Of course, there is much, much more...

While complaining about blogs might be justified in some instances, this episode at Most Holy Redeemer doesn't appear to one of those cases - any reasonable and prudent individual should have been aware of the "climate" of the parish. This would seem to be even more important for a visiting bishop, especially considering the parish's history and its apparent defiance of the moral teachings of the Church.

One might wonder if the good archbishop would prefer that everyone close their eyes while the moral teachings of the Church are ridiculed and the Holy Eucharist is freely given to those who display such utter contempt for Christ and His Church. It's inconceivable how anyone could claim to be ignorant of history of the "Sisters of Perpetual Self-Indulgence" or shut his eyes to the whole sordid affair.

Some would prefer that faithful Catholics no longer defend the faith against such miserable atrocities. But this, no faithful Catholic can do.

These people need our prayers. Perhaps the sad experience will allow them to see the harm and scandal that they are causing to the Church>

You can read the entire post at AmericanPapist here.

Thoughts and Counsels - October 19

In your prayers, if you would quickly and surely draw upon you the grace of God, pray in a special manner for our Holy Church and all those connected with it.

-Ven. Louis De Blois
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for October 19, On Putting Up With Oneself

We have to put up with others. But that is by far not the worst. There is something much more difficult, to put up with self.

The beginner in the religious life thinks that she is going to con­quer everything, overcome all, at one stroke. After some years, however, the soul perceives that it has not conquered evil with a single blow, that it has not conquered it at all. Nature, checked for a moment, comes back on a gallop, stronger than before, as if to seek compensation for having been opposed.

It is true that it would be very agreeable to finally master the game; to command victoriously by my own powers; to be defini­tively established in perfection; to be free from my former cow­ardices, and a certain laxity that characterized me for a long time.

But no! There is never an end to them. What patience I need to accept my imperfect condition, and what a clear knowledge of the right tactics to adopt! There is really no contradiction in my desire to correct my faults and my continued imperfection; between a zealous hunger for good and for a perfect peace of soul, after having done what is less perfect.

I must realize that my taste for good is a desire for fidelity; my falls into imperfection prove infirmity. These apparently opposite conditions are not contradictory at all, they merely fulfil different objectives.

"Courage then my soul. Carry your cross, the cross of your nothing­ness. Change, but in no exaggerated way. Accept your imperfection and by a divine trick use it to elevate yourself above the earth and to come close to God."
_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Choosing the good and spiritual warfare

Diogenes writes, in part, "Taking sides":

...The intensity of the gay-activist antipathy as well as its target of choice is displayed with exceptional clarity in the Drag Nuns Communion incident [see here for details], and the reactions to the incident highlight the fault-lines along which the U.S. Church is split. One might think gay-friendly moderates would cringe at the flamboyance of drag-queen activism and the belligerence of the Sister Edith sacrilege, but in fact the reproaches come exclusively from the conservative side of the aisle, while the progressivists seem unable to grasp what all the fuss is about. Some have hesitantly conceded that the Sister Act was "inappropriate" -- as if the dispute hinged on the etiquette of church-going -- but the general liberal consensus seems to be that anything that antagonizes the Catholic League must be on the right track and worthy of defense...

...The majority of U.S. bishops, remember, was trained in a theological culture that views the Sister's principal lapse as "over-accessorizing." Blasphemy (little different from heresy in this respect) is treated as a quaint, 19th-century sort of sin, the censure of which would be as comically obsolete as a treatment for dropsy or St. Vitus Dance, and few churchmen speak ill of the objective disorder in whose service the blasphemy is uttered. We can expect few efforts to tackle the current scandal. But the post-Conciliar ecclesiastics are passing away, and their successors are bolder where they're wrong and bolder where they're right. By putting their real motives on open display, Sister Edith and her pals have helped shape the terms of the conflict for the next generation.

There's much more here and here at AmericanPapist.

DePaul Conference Blurs Truth about Homosexuality

DePaul University plans to host a pro-homosexual conference on October 19-20 called: “Out There: The Second National Conference of Scholars and Student Affairs Personnel Involved in LGBTQ Issues on Catholic Campuses.” 1

A June 12 draft of the conference schedule lists shocking lecture titles:

“The Ins and Outs of Teaching LGBTQ”
“Queer Teens Between the Sheets”
“Queering Theology: Contradictions and Accommodations”
“Queering Services and Benefits at Catholic Institutions”

The conference promoted by Women’s and Gender Studies seems to blur the distinction between good and evil, sidestepping two thousand years of Catholic teaching and natural law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 says:

“Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’” (CCC, § 2357)

DePaul is our nation’s largest Catholic university. However, the word “sin” is never mentioned in any of the twenty seven sessions of the “Out There” conference. The event reveals that there is a growing trend on Catholic campuses to adulterate and blur the truth about homosexuality.

Sign your instant protest now

More at TFP here.

Adult stem cells still trump embryonic stem cells

From MercatorNet:
An exclusive interview with an Iowa scientist who is promoting adult stem cell research.

Tabernacle Stolen from NC Catholic Church

A tabernacle from St. Ann Catholic Church is missing.

The 18-inch golden box used to store the Eucharist was stolen sometime between 4 p.m. Sunday and noon Monday, said the Rev. Tom Malloy.
. . .
“Whoever took it was either very very desperate or very very stupid,” Malloy said. “It’s not something that you can really pawn.”

But that won't keep people from trying. And what happened to our Lord?
The story about this theft can be read here. And speaking of tabernacles...

A couple of years ago while checking out the local flea market, an object caught my eye - and I'm sure that I did the classic double-take, I was so surprised. And I hope I haven't related this before.

I walked over to a folding table which supported, somehow, a rather impressive tabernacle, about 18-20 inches tall and deep, and about 15-16 inches wide, with double doors (2 sets) - and - the keys were with it. And this tabernacle weighed about 100 pounds or more, or so it seemed. It was h e a v y!



A young boy came up to me as I was looking it over and said that it was a 'Catholic sacrament holder.' "Oh, really," I said to him, "how much is this?"

The price being asked was a bit more money than I had with me at the time so I got the name and phone number of the man who was selling. I was determined to remove this sacred object from the realm of the flea market, which I was able to do later.

New Musical Season Opens at the Vatican – And Here's the Program

Pope Ratzinger seems to be stepping up the tempo. The curia will have a new office with authority in the field of sacred music. And the choir of the Sistine Chapel is getting a new director

by Sandro Magister

"...the institution, in the Roman curia, of an office endowed with authority in the area of sacred music"....?

Judge Finds Probable Cause on Criminal Charges Filed Against Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON, October 17, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Planned Parenthood faces criminal charges for aborting late-term, pre-born babies in violation of Kansas state law. Today, Kansas District Attorney Phill Kline filed a 107-count indictment against the abortion group. District Court Judge James Vano found probable cause...

Some good news in Kansas.

But then take a look at what's going on in Maine:

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Pupils at a city middle school will be able to get birth control pills and patches at their student health center after the local school board approved the proposal Wednesday evening.

The plan, offered by city health officials, makes King Middle School the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available to students in grades 6 through 8, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

What responsible parent or adult could approve of such things? No one who has any sense of responsibility or good judgment could approve this - this is a complete act of irresponsibility and child endangerment.

Survivors of the abortion holocaust are being encouraged to kill or cripple themselves by engaging in sexual promiscuity. Vice or virtue - what an injustice for these children!

When I hear of these stories, I can't help but recall a comment by Fr Corapi during one of his talks, "God placed obvious limits on our intelligence, but none on our stupidity."

God help us all!

Link to the article.

Who's To Blame If Hillary Clinton Wins The Catholic Vote in 2008?

by Deal W. Hudson
"If Giuliani and Clinton are the nominees, then Hillary Clinton will certainly win the Catholic vote in 2008." This is the opinion of a chief strategist behind George W. Bush's success with Catholic voters in 2000 and 2004.

Steve Wagner, president of QEV Analytics in Washington, D.C., isn't happy in reaching this conclusion. "Hillary Clinton, in spite of her pro-abortion position, will present a vigorous social justice agenda that will fill the void created by the GOP candidates."
. . .
Wagner explains, "The Catholic discontent with Bush and the Republican Party is not about Iraq, or he would have lost their vote in 2004. It's about their failure to deliver on the promises they made to address the moral decline of our society. Iraq and 9/11 distracted the president and the party from addressing the core concerns of Catholics and other people of faith."
. . .
But for now, if Wagner is right, we face the prospect of a pro-abortion candidate belonging to a pro-abortion political party winning the majority of the Catholic vote.

Some may not have seen this.

Source.

Gospel for Oct 18, Feast: St. Luke, Evangelist

From: Luke 10:1-9

The Mission of the Seventy Disciples

[1] After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come. [2] And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. [3] Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. [4] Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. [5] Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!' [6] And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. [7] And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. [8] Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; [9] heal the sick in it and say to them, "The Kingdom of God has come near to you.'"
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Commentary:

1-12. Those who followed our Lord and received a calling from Him (cf. Luke 9:57-62) included many other disciples in addition to the Twelve (cf. Mark 2:15). We do not know who most of them were; but undoubtedly some of them were with Him all along, from when Jesus was baptized by John up to the time of His ascension--for example, Joseph called Barrabas, and Matthias (cf. Acts 1:21-26). We can also include Cleopas and his companion, whom the risen Christ appeared to on the road to Emmaus (cf. Luke 24:13-35).

From among these disciples, our Lord chooses seventy-two for a special assignment. Of them, as of the Apostles (cf. Luke 9:1-5), He demands total detachment and complete abandonment to divine providence.

From Baptism onwards every Christian is called by Christ to perform a mission. Therefore, the Church, in our Lord's name, "makes to all the laity an earnest appeal in the Lord to give a willing, noble and enthusiastic response to the voice of Christ, who at this hour is summoning them more pressingly, and to the urging of the Holy Spirit. The younger generation should feel this call to be addressed in a special way to themselves; they should welcome it eagerly and generously. It is the Lord Himself, by this Council, who is once more inviting all the laity to unite themselves to Him ever more intimately, to consider His interests as their own (cf. Philippians 2:5), and to join in His mission as Savior. It is the Lord who is again sending them into every town and every place where He Himself is to come (cf. Luke 10:1). He sends them on the Church's apostolate, an apostolate that is one yet has different forms and methods, an apostolate that must all the time be adapting itself to the needs of the moment; He sends them on an apostolate where they are to show themselves His cooperators, doing their full share continually in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord their labor cannot be lost (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58)" (Vatican II, "Apostolicam Actuositatem", 33).

3-4. Christ wants to instill apostolic daring into His disciples; this is why He says, "I send you out", which leads St. John Chrysostom to comment: "This suffices to give us encouragement, to give us confidence and to ensure that we are not afraid of our assailants" ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 33). The Apostles' and disciples' boldness stemmed from their firm conviction that they were on a God-given mission: they acted, as Peter the Apostle confidently explained to the Sanhedrin, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, "for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

"And the Lord goes on," St. Gregory the Great adds, "Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.' Such should be the confidence the preacher places in God that even if he is not provided with the necessities of life, he is convinced that they will come his way. This will ensure that worry about providing temporal things for himself does not distract him from providing others with eternal things" ("In Evangelia Homiliae", 17). Apostolate calls for generous self-surrender which leads to detachment; therefore, Peter, following our Lord's commandment, when the beggar at the Beautiful Gate asked him for alms (Acts 3:2-3), said, "I have no silver or gold" ("ibid.", 3:6), "not so as to glory in his poverty", St. Ambrose points out, "but to obey the Lord's command. It is as if he were saying, `You see in me a disciple of Christ, and you ask me for gold? He gave us something much more valuable than gold, the power to act in His name. I do not have what Christ did not give me, but I do have what He did give me: In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk' (cf. Acts 3:6)" ("Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc".). Apostolate, therefore, demands detachment from material things and it also requires us to be always available, for there is an urgency about apostolic work.

"And salute no one on the road": "How can it be", St. Ambrose asks himself, "that the Lord wishes to get rid of a custom so full of kindness? Notice, however, that He does not just say, `Do not salute anyone', but adds, `on the road.' And there is a reason for this.

"He also commanded Elisha not to salute anyone he met, when He sent him to lay his staff on the body of the dead child (2 Kings 4:29): He gave him this order so as to get him to do this task without delay and effect the raising of the child, and not waste time by stopping to talk to any passer-by he met. Therefore, there is no question of omitting good manners to greet others; it is a matter of removing a possible obstacle in the way of service; when God commands, human considerations should be set aside, at least for the time being. To greet a person is a good thing, but it is better to carry out a divine instruction which could easily be frustrated by a delay ("ibid.").

6. Everyone is "a son of peace" who is disposed to accept the teaching of the Gospel which brings with it God's peace. Our Lord's recommendation to His disciples to proclaim peace should be a constant feature of all the apostolic action of Christians: "Christian apostolate is not a political program or a cultural alternative. It implies the spreading of good, `infecting' others with a desire to love, sowing peace and joy" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 124).

Feeling peace in our soul and in our surroundings is an unmistakable sign that God is with us, and a fruit of the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:22): "Get rid of these scruples that deprive you of peace. What takes away your peace of soul cannot come from God. When God comes to you, you will feel the truth of those greetings: My peace I give to you..., peace I leave you..., peace be with you..., and you will feel it even in the midst of troubles" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 258).

7. Our Lord clearly considered poverty and detachment a key feature in an apostle. But He was aware of His disciples' material needs and therefore stated the principle that apostolic ministry deserves its recompense. Vatican II reminds us that we all have an obligation to contribute to the sustenance of those who generously devote themselves to the service of the Church: "Completely devoted as they are to the service of God in the fulfillment of the office entrusted to them, priests are entitled to receive a just remuneration. For `the laborer deserves his wages' (Luke 10:7), and `the Lord commanded that they who proclaim the Gospel should get their living by the Gospel' (1 Corinthians 9:14). For this reason, insofar as provision is not made from some other source for the just remuneration of priests, the faithful are bound by a real obligation of seeing to it that the necessary provision for a decent and fitting livelihood for the priests are available" (Vatican II, "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 20).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Thoughts and Counsels - October 18

After knowing the will of God in regard to a work which we undertake, we should continue courageously, however difficult it may be. We should follow it to the end with as much con­stancy as the obstacles we encounter are great.­

-St. Vincent de Paul
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for October 18, The Merit of Religious Life

Why is consecration to God by the vows of religion of such im­mense merit in the opinion of eminent doctors and theologians, as for example, Suarez, who classes it according to its spiritual effects and its remission of the temporal punishments on the same level with baptism or martyrdom?

It is because of the perfection of the love of God which this con­secration testifies, perfection which can be measured by the gran­deur of the sacrifices for which love has rendered it capable.

Is it not the surest mark of the greatest love to make the offering of all that one holds most dear, through love of Our Lord Jesus Christ?

By the vow of poverty, one immolates material goods with the pleasures they might procure.

By the vow of chastity, the desires of the flesh and the joys of family life.

By the vow of obedience, independence and exterior liberty.

Let us note, besides, that it is not a question of an act made merely in passing but of a definitive offering, giving not only the fruit but the tree.

And if each time that one renews the vows, alone or publicly, she puts into that offering the same love as the first time, the same privileges are merited. Even more, for is it not reasonable that the more one perseveres in her gift, the more the intensity of love ought to increase?

"My God, let me not pass even one day without renewing my engagements. Consider each beating of my heart as a constant renewal of my three vows."
October 19

_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Embryonic stem-cell opponents decry hefty donation to Blunt

Several groups opposed to embryonic stem cell research say they're distressed by Gov. Matt Blunt's $250,000 campaign donation from a group supporting such research.

"It's appalling that any candidate would take any money from an organization that supports the destruction of human embryos for research," said Sam Lee, executive director of Campaign Life Missouri, an anti-abortion lobbying group.

He added, "These large amounts of money give the appearance that candidates and officeholders are for sale."

Bought and paid for, it seems...

Pam Fichter, president of Missouri Right to Life, the state's largest anti-abortion group, declined to say whether the donation would affect her group's decision over which candidates to endorse in next year's statewide election.

Missouri Right to Life supported Blunt, a Republican, in his first bid for governor in 2004. But many of the group's leaders have been at odds with him for several years since then, largely because of their differences on the stem cell issue.

Blunt's position on ESCR is more than problematic - it's appalling, disgraceful, and a source of scandal yet Jay Nixon's positions on the sanctity of human life are even worse:

Blunt spokesman John Hancock said anti-abortion activists should remember there is "a cavernous difference" between Blunt and Nixon on most other abortion-related issues. Blunt has emphasized his abortion opposition, while Nixon supports abortion rights.

Catholics will need to seriously review Archbishop Burke's Pastoral Letter, "On Our Civic Responsibility for the Common Good," when voting for candidates for public office this next year.

The Post Dispatch article is here.