Another Diocese warns it could go bankrupt

The Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese has been unable to settle 10 sexual abuse lawsuits and could be forced into bankruptcy by "adverse verdicts" if some of the cases go to trial, the diocese attorney said Monday.

The Santa Rosa Diocese considered bankruptcy in 1999 to cope with a $16 million debt attributed to former Bishop G. Patrick Ziemann's mismanagement. A special fund-raising campaign run by clergy, laity and Walsh raised more than $16 million in pledges, helping with the diocese's financial recovery, church officials said last year.

Santa Rosa still is repaying loans from other dioceses that were obtained during the fiscal crisis.

Article here...

So first, it is Portland with Tucson, it seems soon to follow and now Santa Rosa.

Archbishop Vlazny of Portland explains here that the bankruptcy filing offers everyone a chance to heal.

Archbishop Brunett:All Catholics should unite behind universal principles

Archbishop Brunett has an editorial column in the Seattle Times here and discusses "Catholic Participation in Political life" here.

Vatican: Speedy response to Austrian sex scandal reflects seriousness

Pope John Paul II's speed in ordering a special investigation into an Austrian diocese and its seminary reflects the seriousness of the allegations of sexual misconduct there as well as the formal request of the Austrian bishops' conference, Vatican officials said.

A Vatican official, who asked not to be named, said the publication of photographs showing members of the seminary staff and students engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior "is scandalous in the most literal sense."

The photographs, he said, "show widespread corruption within the seminary. The Holy Father must have been horrified."

"You don't need a degree in canon law to know that something needed to be done immediately," he said.

CNS Article.

A Request for Prayers for Archbisop Burke

Here is an excerpt from an email I received recently and I thought I should share it with everyone.

Thank you for your generous response to the spiritual bouquet for our Holy Father John Paul II. On June 30th, after the Holy Father's General Audience, Archbishop Burke personally presented the spiritual bouquet to our Holy Father on behalf of the Marian Catechists and the pilgrims from the St. Louis Archdiocese and from La Crosse Diocese. Over 24,500 prayer offerings are included in the spiritual bouquet.

I am sure you are aware of Archbishop Burke's courageous and heroic public stance regarding the sanctity of life and the moral evil of abortion and euthanasia; but sadly, His Excellency is almost the lone voice of sanity among our nation's bishops. Really, Archbishop Burke is like another St. Athanasius (who alone stood firm against the Arians in the 4th century). Daily, His Excellency is under attack and derided by many Catholic politicians and the secular media. Archbishop Burke especially needs our prayers and spiritual sacrifices.

At the annual Marian Catechist retreat this year, August 19-22, we would like to present a spiritual bouquet to Archbishop Burke, our National Director, as an expression of our gratitude for His Excellency's firm and courageous witness to the Truth and also as a pledge of our support and solidarity with His Excellency.

If you would like to participate in this spiritual bouquet, please send in your prayer offerings to the following e-mail address by Friday, August 6, 2004: lfchou@centurytel.net. Those who do not have e-mail access may call in their prayer offerings at (608)782-0011.

Friends, family members, and relatives are welcome to participate in the spiritual bouquet.

Please include the following information in your response: your name, your diocese, city and state, prayers to be offered and their number (i.e. 10 Rosaries, 9 Novenas, 7 Mass Intentions, 5 Holy Hours, etc.). The prayers and sacrifices should be offered within a year.

Thank you and God bless.

Bishop Olmsted awaits word from CDF on suspended priests

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted is awaiting reports from the Vatican and the Mesa Police Department before he determines what action to take with two East Valley priests.

On April 30, he suspended the Rev. John Cunningham, founding pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Gilbert, for allegedly celebrating Mass at a wedding with a non-Catholic priest. Olmsted said it was "inconsistent with Catholic teaching" for a clergyman of another tradition and not grounded in Catholic doctrine to participate in the Eucharist. Named as interim pastor of the parish with more than 770 registered families was the Rev. Donald Kline.

Article here.

A Tale of Two Dioceses (Karl Keating e-letter)

Dear Friend of Catholic Answers:

Bishop Walter F. Sullivan was a liberal who maintained some of the original meaning of the word "liberal." Unlike many of his counterparts on the left half of the episcopal spectrum, he permitted the celebration of the Tridentine Mass, and there were other ways in which he was said to have given liberty to those with whom he did not agree on liturgical or other matters.

But he was a liberal in the usual sense too. He catered to pressure groups, establishing, for example, a "sexual minorities" commission to advise him on "gay and lesbian issues," and there were de rigueur commissions dealing with women, people with AIDS, black Catholics, and social justice issues.

Sullivan retired after leading the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, for 29 years. His replacement is Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo, who took over in May. He formerly was the bishop of Honolulu.

Under DiLorenzo the "sexual minorities" commission is not being reactivated. (It and all other commissions went into suspension when Sullivan retired.) The new bishop removed from the women's commission a member who was vocal in her support of women's ordination; she had served as the secretary of the Women's Ordination Conference. Membership in 24 other commissions is being reviewed.

Especially interesting is that DiLorenzo announced that no one could be invited to speak on Church property unless first approved by the diocesan theologian, a post that had lain vacant under Sullivan.

In deciding whether a proposed speaker passes muster, the new diocesan theologian, Fr. Russell E. Smith, has been instructed to use a simple standard: orthodoxy. "Orthodoxy is right teaching. Anything contrary to Catholic teaching will not fly. Don't expect anything about women's ordination in this diocese." The definition of orthodoxy, Smith said, can be found in the Catechism and in canon law. To help parishes, he will be sending them guidelines.

Smith's duties go beyond vetting prospective speakers. He also will handle complaints about liturgical abuses. "I am to determine whether or not there is a problem, and I propose the easy solution to the problem, which is to fix it voluntarily." If that fails, the situation will be handled by diocesan administrators as a personnel matter, said Smith.

Richmond has been known for three decades as a "progressive" diocese. It may be transformed in three years into one that has made great progress in putting itself in line with the teachings and practices of the Church. Stay tuned.

VASA NON VACILLATOR

At the other end of the country we find a parallel story.

Bishop Robert F. Vasa heads the Diocese of Baker, Oregon. He has issued a regulation that requires those involved in parish ministries, especially in catechetics and in service at Mass, to provide assent to a list of ten doctrinal statements as well as to "all the teaching of the Catholic Church."

The document is called the "Affirmation of Personal Faith." Anyone who declines to sign it is asked to withdraw from ministerial duties. Among the issues in the "Affirmation" are teachings on homosexuality, contraception, chastity, marriage, abortion, euthanasia, the Real Presence, Mary, hell, purgatory, and the authority of the Church.

Vasa noted that "some Catholics claim a right to 'religious dissent' from even the serious moral teachings of the Church," but this "does not carry with it a corresponding 'right' to hold positions of esteem as a catechist or liturgical minister."

In a cover letter to lay ministers, Vasa wrote, "The summary statements which I have collected in the 'Affirmation of Personal Faith' are all taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They represent the authentic and authoritative teaching of the Catholic Church, and acceptance of these tenets is expected of every Catholic. While it is sufficient for me to 'presume' that Catholics who attend Mass and receive Communion adhere to these teachings (unless the contrary is clearly evident), such a presumption is not sufficient for those whom I commission to teach and act in some official capacity."

The "Affirmation of Personal Faith" includes statements such as these:

"I affirm that I reject direct, intentional abortion and I do not recognize the legitimacy of anyone's claim to a moral right to form their own conscience in this matter. I am not pro-choice."

"I affirm and believe the Church's teaching about the sinfulness of contraception."

"I affirm and believe the teaching of the Church about the evil of homosexual acts."

"I affirm and believe that those who die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified undergo additional purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joys of heaven. I affirm that the Church's name for this final purification is purgatory."

"I further acknowledge that those teachings pronounced in a definitive manner, even though not as an infallible definition, are binding on the consciences of the faithful and are to be adhered to with religious assent."

In a footnote the "Affirmation" says that "The Church requires the making of a Profession of Faith by various persons when they undertake specific duties related to Church administration and teaching (cf. Canon 833). In the Diocese of Baker this has been expanded to include those who take on the ecclesial duties of Catechist, Liturgical Reader, Cantor, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and other Church positions which entail a presumption of orthodoxy."

The full text of the "Affirmation," along with Bishop Vasa's cover letter and an explanatory document titled "Giving Testimony to the Truth," may be found at http://www.dioceseofbaker.org/giving_testimon_to_the_truth.htm

HARRUMPH!

Not surprisingly, not everyone in the diocese has been pleased. A small group calling itself Concerned Catholics of the Diocese of Baker sent a letter to Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, asking him to review the new documents. The group includes the diocese's former episcopal vicar. The letter charges that "Giving Testimony" is "narrow and imbalanced" in that it ignores "the principal teachings of Christ and the Gospel."

Of course "Giving Testimony" is "narrow," and the "Affirmation," being shorter, is even narrower. If it were to be otherwise, they would be the Catechism, not booklet-length documents. The issue shouldn't be whether "Giving Testimony" and the "Affirmation" are "narrow" but whether what they propose for belief is correct.

If the faith consisted of 100 propositions, it would not be much of an argument to say that a doctrinal statement was too "narrow" because it listed only ten of them. What matters is whether what is listed is true and therefore worthy to be affirmed.

At the largest parish in the diocese, St. Francis of Assisi in Bend, more than two dozen people have withdrawn from ministry. One such person, Wilma Hens, said the "Affirmation" focused too heavily on "pelvic issues." Vasa responded by noting that he "did not set the [sexual] agenda, but the world set that agenda."

Would Hens have signed the "Affirmation" if it had included a few dozen additional points that had nothing to do with sexual morality? Not likely. Her kind of complaint comes from those who reject one or more moral teachings of the Church.

The pastor of St. Patrick's parish in Madras also is unhappy with the "Affirmation." "It breaks my heart," said Fr. Jim Stephens, "that a number of good people ... have told me they cannot continue in parish ministry, that they cannot make the 'Affirmation of Personal Faith' because they have some reservation about some of the teachings."

Stephens says his heart is broken because these people now feel excluded. Why didn't his heart break when he discovered that they didn't accept the entirety of the Catholic faith? Isn't rejection of formal Catholic teachings a worse thing than feeling left out?

What will Stephens do to insure his flock accepts the faith in its entirety? He doesn't say.

Until next time,

Karl

The content of this E-Letter is copyright 2004 by Karl Keating.

Soon the time will come when the wheat is separated from the chaff.

Voting rights and Archbishop Burke

Here are a couple of "Town Talk" blurbs from today's Post-Dispatch

ARCHBISHOP BURKE IS such a great politician now in telling all of us Catholics how we should vote or we're a bunch of sinners. Maybe he should spend more time figuring out why there's so many pedophile priests in the Catholic Church. I'm a practicing Catholic and I want to tell you, Mr. Archbishop, you or no one else is going to tell me how to vote.

A practicing Catholic? Who doesn't know how to address the Archbishop? Who doesn't recognize the evil of supporting abortion? Poor soul - His confusion must be from all his orthodox Catholic education and spiritual formation he's been receiving from his parish. That is, IF he attends Mass at least every Sunday...

And one more:

I WISH YOU people would get off the Archbishop's back. He is not telling you how to vote. He is trying to educate you that you can't be Catholic and favor abortion. John Kerry thinks it can be both ways and is making a mockery of the Catholic faith.

Thankfully, there are some people who "get it", unlike the person above who is probably confused about many daily life issues.

It will be interesting in the next few months...The division will be seen even more clearly as time goes on. Those who profess to believe in the one true God will be demonized by those who believe themselves to be god...and many of these will be calling themselves "Catholic".

Post Dispatch Link.

Archbishop Burke and Republicans

Archbishop and Republicans

Archbishop Burke needs to talk to his political candidates. The Republicans control the White House, the Senate and the Supreme Court. Have the abortion laws changed at all? Maybe his candidates should not receive Communion, because they have not done what they said they would do.

Here is a good example of intellectual dishonesty. The partial Birth Abortion Ban has been signed into law federally as has the 24 hour notification here in Missouri. These are steps to safeguard the lives of the unborn from a brutal murder - however, judicial activism has prevented them from being implemented. These attempts to deny the right to life to the unborn certainly is not the doing of the Republicans.

The caller to the Post-Dispatch has engaged in sophistry to make a pointless political remark lacking in substance.

Soundoff article here.

Holden & McCaskill both support murder of the unborn

Responding to a question from a panel of journalists, both Holden and McCaskill said they were disappointed in St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke's directive to Catholics that they are committing a sin if they vote for candidates who support abortion rights. Both McCaskill and Holden support women's right to choose to have an abortion.

McCaskill said voters needed to make up their minds about who would be the best governor on social justice issues, taking care of those who need help, preventing child abuse and keeping children from being murdered and thrown away in Dumpsters.

Holden said he supported a woman's right to make a decision for herself on whether to have an abortion.

"I think it's unfortunate when any leader tries to step in and put their value decision over the value system of the one making the decision," Holden said. "I would hope leaders would leave this decision to the woman and the family involved."

Both have disqualified themselves as possible candidates for Catholics by their support of abortion. McCaskill's attempt to invoke "social justice" as a smokescreen for her support of abortion is deplorable, especially since she claims to be a professed Catholic.

Article here.

Culture of Death at Catholic Colleges in U.S.

The trend of Catholic colleges hosting abortion-rights advocates has grown so much that the U.S. bishops' conference has asked Church-related institutions to refrain from honoring those who act in defiance of Church teachings.

Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, co-authored a five-year study with the group's Erin Butcher investigating inroads made by advocates of abortion, contraception, premarital sexual activity and physician-assisted suicide on Catholic college campuses.

Reilly shared with ZENIT the importance of the U.S. bishops' statement and the danger of Catholic schools welcoming high-profile persons who publicly oppose the Church's fundamental moral principles.

Here is Part 1 of the interview and Part 2 is here.

Defrocked Priest Starts Own Church

A Roman Catholic priest defrocked over sexual abuse allegations has started his own church in western Waukesha County.

Just last week, the Milwaukee Archdiocese listed Joseph Collova on its restricted priest list.

At the same time, however, the Milwaukee Archdiocese said his ordination in another religion severs all ties Collova once had with the Roman Catholic Church.

Another one with a handful of supporters.

Article.

Archbishop warns Catholic politicians on abortion

Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett joined a growing chorus of U.S. bishops Monday and warned Catholic politicians that it's impossible to keep the faith and support abortion.

Brunett said those who support abortion have adopted "a morally untenable position and are choosing a path that leads them away from the church." And those "who suggest that they can disassociate totally their political actions in principle from their Catholic faith are laboring under a dangerous moral delusion."

Article

Bishop Vasa would deny Holy Communion

7/17/2004 - 11:00 AM PST

Bishop Vasa will deny Senator Kerry the Eucharist. He is no stranger to controversy nor does he shy away from defending Church teachings.

In answer to the question, 'If the pro-abortion 'Catholic' Senator John Kerry came up to you for Holy Communion, would you deny him,' Bishop Vasa quickly replied:

"Absolutely. I would agree, certainly, with Archbishop Burke and Bishop Bruskewitz in their own actions in this matter. I literally could not give Holy Communion to a professed and actively committed pro-choice politician."

Were all of the bishops informed of Cardinal Ratzinger's clear supportive directive citing why the bishops must deny manifest, obstinate, persistent persons in grave sin?

Bishop Vasa replied that the June memorandum from Cardinal Ratzinger was not given to the Conference of Bishops in Denver.

Article

Vatican sends investigator to Austrian diocese

Bishop Klaus Kung of Feldkirch, Austria, will be the apostolic visitator, the Vatican announced. The formal announcement indicated that the visitator had been assigned "in particular for the diocesan seminary."

Article

Honosexuals should not be ordained as priests

Bishop John M. D'Arcy, who in private letters to other church officials as early as 1978 questioned the reassignment of priests accused of sexual misconduct, said yesterday that the church must improve its screening process for accepting seminarians and that homosexuals should be prohibited from being ordained as priests.

This is what the Holy See stated in 1961 - but, of course, why listen to Rome. But then the Boston Globe wants to find out how the Boston Archdiocese and homosexual activists 'feel' about Bishop D'Arcy's statement:

The Rev. Christopher J. Coyne, spokesman for the archdiocese, said that while there has been discussion among some members of the archdiocese and at the Vatican about the possibility of banning homosexuals from the priesthood, no decisions have been made.

''The main issue is celibacy," he said, adding that D'Arcy's concerns about gay priests ''aren't necessarily shared by others."

Chuck Colbert, a Cambridge freelance writer and gay Catholic activist, said many Catholics understand that homosexuality and pedophilia have no connection. ''People make the distinctions," he said. ''People know gay priests."

D'Arcy's contention that gay men would find it difficult to resist temptation in a mostly male environment is flawed and closed-minded, Colbert said. ''Straight men are always around attractive women and they don't collapse," he said.

Close- minded? Given the statistics in the John Jay report? Given that homosexual inclinations are disordered? Colbert was the 'man' who disrupted Mass back in March when a video advocation the preservation of marriage was shown. Let's ask him how he "feels" about the statement, knowing that his inability to think rationally might be caused by his disordered inclinations.

Article here

The Great Irony: Bush is the Social Justice Candidate

But even if Catholic liberals are taken at their illogical word that somehow poverty is on a par with the right to life, the authentic social justice candidate in this election is still, surprise of surprises, George W. Bush. Social justice looks at the modern causes of a life of poverty and seeks realistic remedies. George Bush has consistently proposed two revolutionary initiatives that strike at the root of the cycle of American poverty: faith-based initiatives and school vouchers.

If you think outside the box and attack substance abuse with proven faith-based approaches and offer real educational opportunity to poor kids, then social justice can be advanced in today's America--without killing one single unborn or partially born infant. The grand illusion of liberal Catholics is that the Democratic Party is the party of social justice, while in fact it is the party of the extravagantly unjust status quo of poverty and abortion. It is time for Catholic liberals to open their minds.

Article

Lifesite: Archbishop Burke, spokesman for orthodoxy

Archbishop Raymond Burke has become the effective spokesman for the orthodox Catholic position among the US bishops with his unabashed criticism of Catholic politicians who support abortion.


Burke has been equally forthright on the subject of homosexual 'marriage.' He has issued a letter addressed to the Catholics of the St. Louis Archdiocese in which he urges his flock to participate in the decision and offers a document for instruction. Burke says, "The action in question has profound implications for the future of marriage and family life… I urge you to exercise your right and fulfill your duty to vote on Aug. 3"

Lifesite article.

This is a position EVERY Catholic bishop and priest should take...Pray that it may soon be so!

"They can take the priest...We won't give up the parish"

Such is the attitude of one parishioner at the 124-year old parish at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

No priest? Then why have a parish?

St Louis Post Dispatch article here.

Surely everyone has heard of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Minneapolis?

"GLBT Pride/Twin Cities Presents the 2004 Community Pride Award to Church of St. Joan of Arc."

This distinctive award inscription honored St. Joan's for their committed support of their GLBT members. To show that support, over 150 members of the parish marched in this year's Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade held June 27 and attended the "Dreaming Out Loud GLBT Prayer Service-A Celebration of Pride and Community” held in SJA's church on June 23rd.

In a time when right wing conservatives of many churches condemn the lifestyle of homosexuality, some excluding gays and lesbians from worship while perpetuating a message of hate, St. Joan's has been steadfast in welcoming their GLBT parishioners. A monthly potluck support group run by Ron Joki and Theresa Healy allows for an outreach of connectiveness. An annual GLBT spiritual retreat explores biblical readings, meditations, rituals, play and musical skits with guest performers and speakers that confront negativity, challenges exclusivity and affirms acceptance and healing. This very website includes a GLBT section devoted to updates of relative news, GLBT families, same-sex adoption and potluck meetings. And SJA continues their presence in marching in the Pride parade each year.

Let's see here...One of the irreversible teachings of the Church is that homosexual acts are intrinsically evil. So, evidently, the Church must also be a "right wing conservative...perpetuating a message of hate?" All because some people see evil and call it good! How wonderful! Satan must be proud of his followers.

Parish Link here.

Take a look around the site. And it claims to be Catholic? Is anyone in charge there?

History and Significance of Dogma of Immaculate Conception

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed 150 years ago, rediscovers in its profundity the expression "full of grace," says a consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Discalced Carmelite Father Jesus Castellano Cervera, a specialist in Marian studies, reflects in this interview with ZENIT on the origin and significance of this dogma. Next month John Paul II will make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, the place in France where the Blessed Virgin appeared in 1858 and confirmed the truth of her immaculate conception.

Zenit article here.

This is by no means an in-depth theological treatise, but it will help to get a grasp of the history and meaning of the Immaculate Conception.