Karl Keating's 7/27 E-Letter

KARL KEATING'S E-LETTER
July 27, 2004

TOPIC:
WANT TO GET FIRED? SHARE THIS E-LETTER
ISSUING AN "ULTIMATUM"
YOU TOO CAN BECOME A MILLIONAIRE

Dear Friend of Catholic Answers:

My E-Letter makes some people happy and some people apoplectic. One of the latter is a priest who runs a small (and ever smaller) parish in Georgia. Here is the story, as recounted to me by a subscriber who identified herself as Theresa:

"I sent your E-Letter to a lot of my Catholic friends, including my parish priest. I was an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, head of the women's group, an instructor in Pre-Cana, an instructor for pre-baptism, and a member of the parish council and choir. I was fired from all those positions.

"My priest called me up, told me in a disgusted tone never to send him letters from you again, and then proceeded to fire me from all of my volunteer positions. I was essentially kicked out of my home parish.

"Just a final note: This man cornered me at Mass this past Sunday and yelled at me for telling him that I don't agree with his views on married priests. I was very diplomatic, respectful, and calm. It's unfortunate that some of our shepherds are like this, and ours wonders why his flock went from about 400 to just over 100 during his tenure."

Driving away three-quarters of one's congregation is not something normally considered a sign of successful pastoral management. I recall hearing about one diocese where the bishop told pastors that they would not receive associate priests for their parishes unless their parishes regularly produced priestly vocations. That bishop smartly used the carrot. It seems that Theresa's pastor confines himself to the stick.

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE--OR ELSE?

Last week I discussed the "Affirmation of Personal Faith" instituted by Bishop Robert F. Vasa of the Diocese of Baker. The "Affirmation" is to be signed by anyone working in parish ministries. Anyone unwilling to sign must remove himself from ministerial positions. Several subscribers to the E-Letter wondered whether taking such a hard line is the way to go.

Stacey Burdue wrote:

"I don't believe an ultimatum is the most effective, or Christlike, method to enforce the Church's teaching upon people or to assume those involved in ministries have successfully finished their journey. I do believe that God is with all people on their journey, that the people involved in ministries bring a multitude of gifts that do benefit the Church a great deal even while some may struggle with some very serious issues.

"I do not believe that we are living Christ's command to love our neighbors when we present them with a document that says 'sign this or get out.' I believe to do so would hurt the people who are trying to be good Catholics by participating in a ministry yet who are still on a journey of faith themselves."

On one level I sympathize with this argument; on another I don't.

Certainly each Catholic is on a journey of faith. The person sitting next to you in the pew may be considerably ahead of you, or considerably behind you, in that journey. But aren't there two elements to the journey, one intellectual and one spiritual?

When we speak about people being on a journey, if we're speaking about Catholics, as distinguished from non-Catholics, we almost always mean people who are trying, however fitfully, to deepen their spiritual lives--to avoid habitual sins, to become more regular in prayer, to attend Mass not just on Sundays.

If we're speaking about non-Catholics, usually we mean a journey toward acceptance of Catholic teachings: letting go of misconceptions and errors from their pre-existing faith, coming to see and to adhere to Catholic truths they heretofore had rejected.

What we usually don't have in mind, when we talk about Catholics who are on a journey of faith, is Catholics who don't accept basic teachings of the Church. We presuppose that Catholics know basic teachings and accept them.

I can understand why many Catholics might not accept the Church's teaching on the circumincession of the Holy Trinity--they have never heard of such a teaching. It's not that they reject it. They just don't know about it. Most Catholics, even solidly orthodox ones, never have it brought to their attention. No need, really. It's an obscure teaching, one commonly reserved for theological journals.

But when we look at Bishop Vasa's "Affirmation of Personal Faith," we don't find any mention of circumincession. What we find are simple, almost self-evident teachings that every adult Catholic has heard of and should be able to understand without difficulty. There is nothing complicated about opposing abortion, contraception, or homosexual acts.

Adult Catholics who approve of abortion in some cases, who approve of (and likely practice) contraception, who think there is nothing wrong with homosexual acts--such Catholics are not, except in highly unusual cases, "on a journey of faith" with respect to these issues. They are not seeking advice ("Explain to me, Father, why abortion is always wrong"). They simply oppose Catholic teaching, either in their own lives ("My spouse and I see nothing wrong in using contraception") or in the lives of others ("Homosexuals should be able to express their love as they see fit").

Now maybe there are some people who, on such issues, truly are struggling to learn the Church's teaching and who, once they have learned it, will accept it. But such people are rare birds. What we're really talking about is people who know full well what the Church teaches on these matters and who, for whatever reasons, reject that teaching.

I really don't think such people are "on a journey of faith" at all. To be on a journey is to make progress, however fitfully. Such people have turned off the highway and parked themselves under a tree: "This is as far as I'm going." They really don't want to continue the journey because they know where it will take them, to acceptance of things they'd rather not be burdened with. They don't want to be fully Catholic; they are satisfied to be partially Catholic.

But that isn't good enough, says Bishop Vasa, when it comes to holding positions of authority in the Church. If you're going to teach the faith, if you're going to be seen as an exemplar of Catholicism, if you're going to be identified by the public as a representative Catholic, then you need to represent the entirety of the Catholic faith, not just the portion of it you like. And that is why he issued his "ultimatum."

That's too harsh, too loaded, a word for the "Affirmation." I think it's better to look at the "Affirmation" as an attempt to have truth in advertising. You hold yourself out to be a Catholic? Fine, then be a Catholic in fact, not just in title. It's not fair to others if you say you're Catholic when in fact you're only half-Catholic.

A GET RICH QUICK SCHEME

Fr. John F. Paul, S.J., wrote that "Somehow I had the idea that your E-Letter had to do with Wall Street and investments. I was going to add your address to my junk senders' list. Then a friend made a reference to one of your E-Letters. I went back and, thank God, realized that your E-Letters are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to faith issues and the modernist crisis that has all but destroyed the Church."

That was a close call, Father, but you've given me an idea. Maybe I should start an investment letter. Still better, I could take out full-page newspaper ads touting my secret to instant financial security. Image this headline: "How to Become a Millionaire in Ten Easy Steps." Then the small text: "Step No. 1: Get a million dollars ..."

Until next time,
Karl

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To subscribe to Karl Keating's E-Letter, send an e-mail to eletter@catholic.com and write "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line or go to http://www.catholic.com/newsletters.asp.
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To learn more about the Catholic faith and about Catholic Answers, visit us at http://www.catholic.com.
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The content of this E-Letter is copyright 2004 by Karl Keating.

CCC approves resolutions..

Each year, the CCC issues resolutions at its convocation which give a certain moral support to the mission of the Church. This year, five resolutions were approved at their July (12-15) 2004 convocation in Chicago:

1. Support of all bishops who insist that pro-abortion politicians must not receive communion.

2. Support of all legislation which protects the life of the unborn and the nature of marriage as a permanent union between a man and a woman.

3. Condemnation of the secular media’s use of false notions of separation of Church and state to attack the rights of the Church to preach the Gospel.

4. Reaffirmation of the CCC’s consistent denunciation of all forms of child abuse, demand for punishment of all perpetrators, insistence on justice for victims, and condemnation of injustice against those falsely accused and denied due process.

5. Resolution of prayers and support for all military personnel and their families in the war on terrorism, and for the innocent victims of violence.

Link

A Flawed Understanding of Missouri's Amendment 2

Doug Gray, campaign manger with the Constitutional Defense League for No on Amendment 2, has a naive and flawed understanding of Amendment 2, as does the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. These groups oppose the amendment because, as they say, it perpetuates discrimination.

But many of our laws are discriminatory, in that they discriminate actions that are immoral such as, murder, burglary, assault, robbery, etc. To discriminate is to discern, distinguish or differentiate ideas or actions. One has no right to engage or promote those things which contradict the natural law.

"Regardless of someone's position on gay marriage, the statute clearly says there is no gay marriage in state," Gray said. "It's all about the Constitution and whether we want to put discriminatory laws in the Constitution. There is a radical agenda by a few to take an issue like gay marriage and drive a wedge between people to get people out to vote."

St. Louis Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has written a column published on the Archdiocese of St. Louis website stating that it was a person's duty to vote and urging people to vote 'yes' on Amendment 2.

"By marriage, a man and a woman promise faithful and enduring love, giving to each other, exclusively and for life, the right to the conjugal act by which married love is blessed with its highest fruit, the conception of a child," Burke states. "Marriage is not an institution which was established by our society or culture. Rather, it is inherent to our human nature and is found in all societies and cultures."

Burke sites the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and church teachings to urge people to safeguard the sanctity of marriage by voting in favor of Amendment 2.

Gray believes this argument is naive.

There is a naive argument here, but it is not Archbishop Burke's.
Source.

Someone has failed to teach Catholic moral truths...

...and it is evident in this Post Dispatch Town Talk column.

Voter's choice

LAST WEEK SOMEBODY said you can't be Catholic and favor abortion which would indicate that you shouldn't vote for John Kerry. But you also can't be Catholic and be for the death penalty, pro-war and try to cut back on welfare like President Bush. A really good Catholic can't vote either way without sinning, so you should just vote for whomever you planned to before Archbishop Burke opened his mouth.

It is well past time for St. Louis Catholics to become educated in authentic Catholic teaching regarding those things which are intrinsically evil and those things which are not. The utter confusion of people, such as the one above, is disgraceful and it speaks volumes regarding the failure of those charged with imparting the truths of the faith to the faithful.

Article.

When an order abandons the truth, it dies...

The number of Marist priests has declined in the past 30 years, and they struggle to find priests to tend to their parishes, schools and communities.

The Rev. Steik, a founding member of the Marist community at Star of the Sea, believes the church must look to new possibilities and possible restructuring of church order to recruit people to religious life and the priesthood.

"We need to be open to more of the questions of young people in the world today, discussing AIDS, the role of women in the church and gay and lesbian ministries," Steik said.

Some seem to think that the answer lies in openness to women priests and to homosexuality and that this will encourage vocations to the order. They have failed in their mission.

Slowly, those orders which have have abandoned the moral teachings of the Church continue to die from a self-imposed spiritual malnutrition and starvation of the soul.

Link.

France Nonchalantly Introduces Chemical Abortion

The French government has introduced chemical abortions, saying that women can undergo them without having to be hospitalized.

The measure, already planned by the government in 2001, sparked no debate in the media. Health Minister Philippe Douste Blazy signed the decree last Friday, authorizing induced abortion through drugs prescribed by a gynecologist or family doctor.

According to the decree, women can undergo chemical abortion up to seven weeks after missing their period, but they must visit their gynecologist or family doctor five times before having recourse to it.

This is to be financed, of course, by 'social security' - what an ironic use of terminology.

Source.

Canadian Government Meat Inspectors...

Canadian Government Insists Immigrant Strippers Bare All for Officials

Sergio Mercado, of the Canadian Embassy in Mexico has issued a memo ordering all Canadian Immigration Officers to insist on seeing the full monty if a woman wants to come to Canada to work as a stripper.

The rules are that a prospective stripper-immigrant must provide nude photos of herself doing her 'act' in a club to prove her bona fides.

Meanwhile immigration officers [from other countries] are boasting that they export only the best in female flesh for Canadian audiences.

The continuing Western moral decadence...we are sliding into oblivion.

Merciful Lord, grant us the strength and perseverance to endure these times and, if it be Your will, the courage and fortitude to confront and convert those who would destroy and pervert our nations.

Source.

Abortion Docs Don't Have to Report Statutory Rape

In a decision handed down Monday, a federal judge ruled that abortionists are not required to comply with a law requiring the reporting of sexual abuse or rape of minors to authorities.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten argued that most underage sex is consensual, thus a mandatory reporting of all underage sexual activity would constitute an invasion of privacy. He also reasoned that mandatory reporting would deter minors from seeking abortions out of fear of the abusive relationship being exposed.

Confusion reigns everywhere.

The judge decides that those who are underage are capable of making decisions and assuming responsibility for their actions...yet, the bishops and others tell us that juveniles are not responsible for their actions and should not be subject to capital punishment for heinous crimes...

One must also wonder at what age the honorable judge decides that a child is no longer able to give adequate consent?

Article

Ruling on clergy abuse may yield new cases

In some cases, the crimes happened so long ago that criminal charges were out of the question. Statutes of limitations — time limits for prosecution — were a roadblock to many attorneys wanting jail-time for abusive priests.

But some attorneys — among them St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce — began to look for ways to file charges.

Earlier this month, a three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District ruled that no statute of limitations existed to bar Joyce's prosecution of a priest accused of child sex abuse in the late 1970s.

As the article states, all of this hinges on the proper interpretation of the meaning of "or" and "during". A way was 'found' to get around the statute of limitations.

In 2002, Joyce charged [priest Thomas] Graham under a 1969 law that says anyone convicted of "the detestable and abominable crime against nature" can be given two years to life in prison. Because the code does not specify a time limit on prosecution, Joyce argued that the statute of limitations must be determined by the sentencing options.

Until crime code changes in 1979, Missouri law explicitly gave no statute of limitations for crimes punishable by "death or by imprisonment in the penitentiary during life." Most at issue in the code are the words "during" and "or."

The panel's July 6 opinion found that "during life" meant a life sentence. And "or" meant the crime did not have to have both the death penalty and life imprisonment as a sentencing option.

Thus, sodomy, for which an offender could receive two years to life in prison, has the same statute of limitations as does murder, which allows for both a life sentence or the death penalty.

Setting aside the statute of limitations issue for a moment, one thing I noticed immediately was that sodomy is referred to as "the detestable and abominable crime against nature" and it was punishable from 2 years to life.

One wonders, considering the relentless push for homosexual "unions", if sodomy, primarily practiced by homosexual males, is still "the detestable and abominable crime against nature" as it was before 1979 when Missouri crime code changes occurred or if it is now viewed as "loving and life-giving relationship" by the Missouri statutes - I guess I should check that out...

Anyway, as anyone who studied civics in high school may remember, there are valid and compelling reasons for statutes of limitations. "Memories fade. Documents are lost. People disappear."

On the other hand, David Clohessy of SNAP argues that:

[V]ictims frequently sit in silence. They are often convinced that the abuse isn't actually abuse. Sometimes they block out the incidents altogether.

"They don't understand first that it's abuse, second that they're being harmed," Anderson said. "It takes them time to come forward to report it, to take legal action."

Time limits are imposed for most crimes to avoid the "he said, she said" conundrum, especially when there is little or no physical evidence.

Some expect the ruling to be overturned on appeal - others are confident it will stand. I guess now we wait and see.

Article here.

Bishop DiLorenzo not ready to support diocese split

In a reversal of his predecessor’s position, newly installed Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo has decided not to support a proposal to split the Richmond diocese and create a new Catholic diocese with Hampton Roads at its core.

“The decision to split the diocese comes from a recommendation of the diocesan bishop, and he is not convinced it needs to be done, and he is not recommending it be done,” said Robin A. Price , a spokeswoman for DiLorenzo and managing editor of The Catholic Virginian, the diocesan newspaper.

Link

Spanish sect leader says he is the real Pope

Papal pretender "Gregorio XVII" is leader of a self-styled church in Spain who says God crowned him after Pope Paul VI's 1978 death, that Satan controls the Vatican and that the devil will crucify him at the start of an apocalyptic end of an era.

"Rome...is no longer the capital of Christianity; the new Rome is the Sacred Place of El Palmar de Troya," a booklet from Gregorio's church quotes God as telling him.

Article

In 1980 'pope Gregorio' introduced 'palmarian rite' of Mass, which includes almost only the Consecration. During next few years he changed all rites. New ones are probably invalid.

We should also carefully examine so-called 'Palmarian Catechism'. The catechism teaches that in the Holy Mass are two sacrifices - the Christ's one and the Mary's one. 'Pope Gregorio' says also that the Mary's body and blood are present in the Holy Communion and that we receive a bit of her blood during Baptism. He thinks that somewhere in the Space there is a place kept away from the first human sin - he calls it the Planet of Mary. On the other hand there is also a place where one can't hope for salvation - the Planet of Antichrist.

Creatures, who live on the Planet of Antichrist come from the fourth dimension, and people who live in the Planet of Mary, including Eliash, Henoh, Moises and saint John, look at the Space from the eight dimension. During the Armageddon people from the Planet of Mary will come back on Earth to help us in the battle.

On the other hand we should remember that the 'Palmarian Catechism' clearly reaffirms main evangelical principles, forgotten by so many modern 'neochristians'.

Source...

Archbishop Chaput: SSPX barred from shrine

The Denver Roman Catholic Archdiocese again has rebuffed a breakaway traditionalist Catholic church that wanted to end a two-day, 50-mile pilgrimage with a Mass at a mountaintop shrine west of Denver.

The pastor of Mission of St. Isidore the Farmer several weeks ago asked the archdiocese to approve an Aug. 7 Mass at the Mother of Cabrini shrine, which towers over Interstate 70 near Golden.

But Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput declined, saying the congregation is out of communion with the Roman Catholic Church and with the archdiocese. An identical request was refused two years ago for the same reasons.

Link...

Diocese of Jefferson City and bishop will pay in abuse cases

The Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City and a former bishop have agreed to pay settlements to two former high school seminarians who allege they were sexually abused while they were students.

The two men had filed suit against the diocese and the Rev. Anthony J. O'Connell, who resigned in March 2002 as bishop in Palm Beach, Fla., after he admitted to having molested a third seminarian. O'Connell was a teacher and rector of the former St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Hannibal, Mo., for about 25 years until 1988.

Post Dispatch Link.

Kill scientists, says animal rights chief

A top adviser to Britain's two most powerful animal rights protest groups caused outrage last night by claiming that the assassination of scientists working in biomedical research would save millions of animals' lives.

Article

Satanism Linked to Priest's Murder in Chilean Cathedral

Assailant Invoked Devil's Name, Says Servite Superior

Cardinal Arinze Outlines Pope's Contributions on Liturgy and Eucharist

This is another article of Cardinal Arinze's talk in Pittsburgh.

The centrality of the liturgy, with the Eucharistic sacrifice as its apex, is one of key reasons why John Paul II's pontificate stands out, according to Cardinal Francis Arinze.

The prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments recently spoke on the Pope's teachings on the sacred liturgy and the Eucharist to more than 300 attendees at Christendom College's Summer Institute, which was entitled "Confronting the Culture of Death: John Paul II's Prophetic Vision for the Renewal of Christian Culture."

Zenit link

“The Passion” for Christians Only in Malaysia

After box-office records in the Arab world, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ will soon be released in Malaysia, but for “Christian eyes only.” Some months ago Catholics and Protestants were worried that the Film Censorship Board might block its release, but following the intervention of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi the movie was approved for “Christians only,” for viewing “at designated cinemas,” and without prior advertising.

Link.

A Lucid Response to a 'Confused' Commonweal Author

Fr Rob Johansen has an excellent article, clarifying the Church's teaching and shedding much needed light on the confusion regarding the "persistent vegetative state". This is one of the best articles I have read on the subject!
Link here.

Science and Vatican Agree: Cognitively Disabled Can Recover

On September 11, 2001, while the world was riveted to the sight of two planes crashing into the World Trade Towers, a 60-year-old Missouri man was fighting for his life in a St. Louis hospital. Hit by a truck, he suffered massive head injuries and was flown to a state-of-the-art intensive care unit where doctors applied every ounce of their skill to save his life.

Three days later, he was still alive, but in a coma and breathing only with the aid of ventilator. Doctors saw little hope that he would recover and recommended that the family withdraw treatment and let him die. They refused.

"When the family wouldn't withdraw treatment, the hospital told them they had to put him somewhere else because he was never going to recover," said ex-trauma nurse and spokesperson for the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses, Nancy Valko. "They told the family he was going to die. He would never get off the ventilator. There was absolutely no chance of recovery."

The man was transferred to a nursing home, where patients are likely to receive little or no rehabilitative help. Thankfully, Valko visited him weekly and, together with the family, employed nothing more than a few simple sensory stimulation techniques she learned on the job. Ever so gradually, they began to see signs of awakening. "By Thanksgiving, the man was awake and talking and able to start eating by mouth," Valko said. "He's made a full recovery."

Valko is one of many in the medical profession who greeted the pope's recent statement about the ethical care of persons in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) with tears of joy rather than outright derision.

Good article...

Seattle: a longtime liberal archdiocese leans right

When John Barnes heard Seattle Archbishop Alexander Brunett declare this week that it was impossible for Roman Catholic politicians to keep the faith and support abortion rights, he cheered.

My first thought was, it's about time," said Barnes, a member of St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Stanwood. "It's long overdue."

Yes...about 30 years overdue in many places...But...

Carrie Sheehan, who worshipped at St. Joseph Church in Seattle for 44 years but no longer attends, said her greatest disappointment is the current divergence from the liberalizing reforms of Vatican II -- particularly with regard to women's involvement.

Still waiting for women priestesses? The liberalizing reforms of Vatican II are there if one submits oneself to the "authentic" affirmations of the council, such as that of laity's obligation to confront and change the world...And she no longer attends Mass - this is what decades of defective catechesis has wrought.

"There was this tremendous hopefulness for a whole new openness, but no -- it's still just a male hierarchy," she said.

As it always has been and always will be, just as Christ ordained it. The hopefulness is in Christ and Him crucified, and the Church and sacraments are His channels of grace for us. One must look with humility, docility, and obedience to the Church and the Holy Father as our sure guides in fulfilling our hopes to be in union with Christ.

While Sheehan, a 75-year-old mother of seven, considers herself a loyal, lifelong Catholic, none of her eight grandchildren has been baptized.

"The old me would have agonized over that," she said. "But I see that they are still beautiful, spiritual people and the church doesn't speak to their values."

But now, there is no agony because she and many others have been mislead by those who bring division into the Church, acting as agents of the evil one. She may consider herself a loyal Catholic, but the fact that she is now comfortable that none of her grandchildren have been baptized reflects an abandonment of the faith and a lack of concern for the eternal life and happiness with God of her own family. How truly sad these situations are - the complete and utter disregard for the spiritual welfare of one's family members.

It seems many have fallen into apostacy and are not even aware of it, because true charity has been lost or denied - that love by which people are counseled with the truth and prayerfully led toward the path of eternal life.

We must continue to pray for the Holy Father, our bishops, priests and religious, and for all so that we may be more receptive to the graces God bestows on us in order to that we may do His will rather than our own will.

Article.

The Paulist Center, where people who hate the Church go to church

There are no kneelers in the church and the atmosphere is decidedly casual. (Of the hundred or so people at Mass on Sunday morning, only two men wore coat and tie.) At times the Mass departs from the Catholic text. During the Nicene Creed, for example, the sections on believing in only "one Lord" ("We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God . . .") and only "one holy Catholic and apostolic Church" are excised from the prayer.

On the back of the Sunday bulletin, the Paulist Center carries ads, like all Catholic churches do. Where most Churches have ads from local florists, funeral homes, hotels, and restaurants, the Paulist Center carries ads for the Animal Rescue League and "Yoga of the Future." The biggest block of ads is from psychotherapists. More than a fifth of the ads in the Paulist Center bulletin are from "Jungian psychoanalysts" who offer counseling, "body psychotherapy," and even "dream interpretation."

The people who come to the Paulist Center aren't your typical Catholics. "The congregation is not geographical, but ideological...

The ideology which brings people to the Paulist Center is best explained by the Center's Mission Statement which declares, "Attentive to the Holy Spirit, we are a Catholic community that welcomes all, liberates the voice of each and goes forth to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ." (Before Mass, this Mission Statement is projected, in large type, onto the wall above the alter, on either side of the statue of Christ.) In their Vision Statement, the Center goes on to explain that they aspire to serve "those persons searching for a spiritual home and those who have been alienated from the Catholic Church."

It should come as no surprise, then that Fr. John Ardis has been invited to the give the invocation at the Democratic convention...Evidently, he is an expert at confirming people in their errors and sins. No fraternal correction is allowed here unless, of course, one happens to be faithful to the teachings of the Church.

Article.

When shepherds vacillate, the sheep stray.

The numbers prove that if every Catholic voter, acting on an informed conscience, refused to vote for any politician — Democrat, Republican or independent — who supports abortion, the scourge could be eliminated almost overnight.

A Catholic bloc vote against abortion would stun the Democratic Party into renouncing its abortion platform and serve notice to the wobbly Republicans, especially their Catholic sell-outs.

Beyond John Kerry, the bishops have a lot of work to do with the flock. The unanswered questions are: Do they recognize it, and do they have the will?

When Bishops Fear to Lead.

Archbishop O'Malley not invited to offer blessing for Democrats

In a break from past practice, the Democratic Party is not inviting the archbishop of Boston to offer a blessing at the Democratic National Convention, but instead is inviting a Paulist priest who has taken Senator John F. Kerry's side in a national debate over whether politicians who support abortion rights should receive Communion.

The Kerry campaign said last night it is seeking to have the Rev. John B. Ardis, director of the Paulist Center, deliver an invocation at the convention. The Paulist Center is on Beacon Hill, where Kerry lives, and the senator and his wife have often worshiped at the chapel there.

One wonders just exactly who or what they 'worship' at the chapel....

Article here.

Cardinal Arinze captivates audience

Cardinal Francis Arinze, one of the most powerful men at the Vatican, is known for an acerbic wit in defense of church teachings.

He did not disappoint 112 people who had paid $250 to hear him at a benefit dinner in the LeMont restaurant Friday night, where miniature papal flags on toothpicks decorated their creme brulee. But Arinze was as critical of conservative Catholic foibles as of liberal ones, and his descriptions of his own work were charmingly self-effacing.

Arinze spoke for an hour, drawing rave reviews.

"He made the complicated issues of faith very clear and very joyful," said the Rev. Joe Codori, parochial vicar at St. Theresa of Avila in Perrysville.

Article here.

Eucharistic Congress Planned in Washington

A Eucharistic Congress planned for Sept. 24-25, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, takes its theme from John Paul II's 2003 encyclical.

Speakers at the congress will include Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C.; Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments; Cardinals James Francis Stafford, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary; and Sister Nirmala, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity.

The CMSWR (The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious) Web site has a link for those who want to register for the congress, or to obtain information.

Zenit Article

Kerry Thinking on Abortion Same as Supreme Court on Allowing Slavery

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry gave an interview on abortion yesterday on ABC news. Host Peter Jennings asked Kerry about his statement that "life begins at conception" to which Kerry responded by drawing a distinction between the beginning of human life and 'personhood'.

What a statement of imbecility! I would imagine that those who are stricken with some sort of debilitating disease or are old and sick lose their 'personhood' at some point also?

Catholic League president William Donohue remarked on Kerry's statements pointing out that in distinguish between human life and personhood, Kerry mirrored the dichotomy that was advanced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857 in the Dred Scott decision that legalized slavery. "In that ruling, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote that members of 'the negro race' were 'not regarded as a portion of the people or citizens of the Government.' Similarly, he concluded that 'it is too plain for argument, that they have never been regarded as part of the people or citizens of the State'," said Donohue.

Lifesite Article

Bishops' stances not supported by the Church

Here is another attempt to spin the truth with flawed opinions and previously refuted 'facts'. This article by Jimmy Patterson of the Midlan Reporter-Telegram is laced with error even though he has some truth in it. Not only that, but the innuendos of the article can be seen as attempts to discredit both Archbishop Raymond Burke and Bishop Michael Sheridan.

Was he [Archbishop Burke] in error for acting as judge and jury in a case involving someone's [John Kerry] personal convictions?

The simple answer, which Mr. Patterson fails to note, is no. It is the obligation of the bishop to teach, govern and sanctify, and protecting the Holy Eucharist from sacrilege and protecting the faithful from scandal are duties entrusted to him.

[W]as the archbishop's assertion simply a case of trying to sway his Catholic electorate by casting the Democratic candidate in a negative light?

Had the author read or listened to any of Archbishop Burke's responses over the past several weeks or months, he would not hav had to even ask this question - but - this rhetorical question was asked precisely to cast doubt and confusion among unsuspecting readers.

Whatever the ultimate agendas of these two representatives of the church, local Catholic officials say the statements of the two are theirs alone and insist the church does not practice the withholding of Holy Communion from its faithful because personal beliefs may differ from the dictates handed down by the Vatican.

Here the author is dead wrong...the discipline of the Church demands that Holy Communion be withheld in cases involving obstinate and manifest grave sin. Merely because the discipline has not been enforced, especially here in the US does not mean that the Church condones the failure. This is evident in Cardinal Ratzinger's "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles".

And personal beliefs which are contrary to what the Church proposes for us to believe separate one from communion with the Church - it is a sin against faith. Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God, believe in all that God has said and revealed to us, AND believe in all that the Church proposes for our for our belief, because He is Truth itself (CCC 1814). To reject a truth of the Faith is to reject God. One's personal beliefs, therefore, must be in accord with the teachngs of the Church if one is to remain in communion with Christ and His Church.

The author proceeds to quote both Bishop Michael Pfeifer, of the Diocese of San Angelo, who says he would do things differently, and Fr. Tom Kelley, parish priest at Our Lady of San Juan Catholic Church. Fr. Kelley states,

"I would give him Communion, I wouldn't hesitate. Kerry is not saying he believes in abortion. What he is saying publicly is that he believes in our country and that the United States is based on the Constitution and the decision that everyone has a right to make his or her own decision."

Thankfully, Fr. Kelley is not a bishop and were he to be in a diocese where the bishop stated otherwise, one would hope he would be obedient at least to the bishop since he evidently pays no attention to the Holy See which has stated:

When “these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible,” and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it” (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration “Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics” [2002], nos. 3-4).

The eminent Fr. Kelley proceeds:

Kelley said Burke and Sheridan's views were "out of it, quite frankly."

"If a person came to Communion who really very publicly had caused even a major scandal of some sort, even then (withholding Communion) would be a judgment call. When (Burke) suggests not giving Communion to Kerry, he has made a decision that Kerry has a moral flaw."

The priest is wrong again. As the Holy Father has previously stated and as Cardinal Ratzinger made perfectly clear recently:

This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgement on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.

Once again one has to question what, if any, theological education some of our priests and bishops received? It seems that many may have been absent during several of the classes.

Article is here.

Shrine hosts annual Healing Novena

Father Louis Studer and other priests from around the country will preside over the annual Healing Novena July 28 through Aug. 5 at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.

Each weekday of the Novena, various speakers will speak on the ministries and mission work of the Missionary Oblates at 10 a.m. in the Shrine Hotel conference room. The rosary will be recited at 3 p.m. each day in the Hotel Chapel.

The evening Novena Masses begin at 7:30 p.m. It is free of charge and open to the public. Participants will be given a complimentary prayer book.

Link

The Catholic's Best Solutions for Internet Protection

by Peter Mirus
special to CatholicCulture.org

This week CatholicCulture.org is releasing a follow-up to my recent article about protecting your children (and yourself) when on the Internet. In that article, I made mention of the fact that we have performed extensive testing of many products that can assist you in that endeavor.

The result is the following article:

Catholic Tech Watch: The Catholic's Best Solutions for Internet Protection

I encourage you to read this article. It is likely the only article available about this subject written from a Catholic perspective and based on expert analysis.

The new article that we are releasing is a brief overview of the issues at hand and the products that we reviewed, including our recommendations and individual product reviews.

In fact, the article forms a mini section of the site that we hope will eventually turn into a full site section titled "Catholic Tech." This will be determined by your feedback, so please let us know what you think! We look forward to receiving your comments.

To read my original article: Pornography and the Internet: Are Your Children Safe?

These are two excellent articles that every Catholic with Internet acces should read. Considering the dangers to which children could be exposed on the Internet, the articles are necessary reading and useful in fulfilling one's role as a parent to protect children. It is estimated that 12% of websites on the Internet are pornographic.

Catholic Culture link here.

Austrian bishop silenced during apostolic visitation

During an apostolic visitation of his St. Pölten diocese, the embattled Bishop Kurt Krenn has been ordered to refrain from public statements, and to obtain approval of the Vatican's investigator, Bishop Klaus Kung, for any significant pastoral decisions, Austrian media reports have disclosed.

The restrictions on Bishop Krenn will remain in place for the length of the apostolic visitation-- which, according to a spokesman for Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schønborn, is expected to last 6-8 weeks.

Catholic World News report.

Has the time for "dialogue" passed?

Catholic lawmakers ignoring bishops' warning on abortion and Communion

Scores of leading Roman Catholic politicians across the country appear undaunted by election-year warnings from bishops that those who support abortion rights may be unworthy to receive Holy Communion. In Associated Press interviews with more than 75 such politicians, none said that they are abstaining from the sacrament over the issue, and many said they believed voting for legalized abortion did not jeopardize their standing with the church.

Deal Hudson, editor of the conservative Catholic magazine Crisis, has been highly critical of bishops who fail to take a hard line against dissenting Catholic lawmakers, and said he wasn't surprised that the politicians hadn't reconsidered their positions.

"Bishops have been ignoring this issue for 30 years, so (politicians) don't take the bishops seriously," Hudson said.

However, Bill Ryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said it was too soon to know whether the bishops have been effective, since they are focused on building relationships with Catholic politicians and educating them about church teaching.

"The bishops want to have a dialogue with Catholic officials," Ryan said. "If an elected official were to say that he or she did not choose to give consideration to these matters, that would be unfortunate, but it would not be a reflection on the Catholic bishops."

Too soon to know whether bishop have been effective? Does Ryan actually believe this? What relationships have they built for 30n some years? I have to agree with Deal Hudson's take on this.

Too many US bishops have been negligent in their duties and have become a scandal to the Church.

Link to several responses of policians.

Pensacola Bishop Ricard Critical of Obedient, Loyal Bishops

There are those who believe the best way to handle those who dissent from church teaching and doctrine is to place the priest and those who assist him with the distribution of holy Communion in the role of judge.

The bishop is clearly wrong here. Where manifest grave sin is concerned and when the person engaged in such sin is obstinate, Holy Communion must be denied (Cardinal Ratzinger)

Such a change of role would require ministers of Communion to determine the worthiness of those coming forth to receive the body and blood of Christ.

Hardly...the person receiving a prior notification would know well in advance NOT to approach. Priests in the diocese would be notified as Archbishop Burke did in La Crosse. Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion would be advised by their priests.

Moral theologians and canon lawyers warn the bishops that such steps could raise serious questions about Catholic teaching.

Yes...it raises SERIOUS questions from the faithful about why those who embrace heresy and others who reject Church teaching are allowed to continue to engage in sacrilege and scandalize the faithful.

There is the additional concern about the impact of such practices on faithful legislators, the Catholic community and the role of the church in public life.

YAWN....this is getting tiring...Perhaps the good bishop should consider resigning from his office if he feels incapable of admonishing sinners and instructing the ignorant? This type of lack of concern for dealing with these grave issues is appalling.

Some advocates of a more severe approach to these issues go so far as to suggest that anyone who votes for a candidate who supports abortion on demand commits a serious and grave sin. I do not support those who would want to turn the reception of the holy Eucharist or the Communion line into a partisan political battleground.

Basic Catholic moral theology, your Excellency...Apparently, then Bishop Ricard does not support Archbishop Burke, and Bishops Sheridan and Bruskewitz and others who choose to teach what the Church teaches.

The Church really does not need bishops like this, but perhaps, this is part of the suffering we must endure for the many offenses against our Lord. We should pray for the confused and weak. We should pray for those who are courageous in the face of adversity, even among their own. We should pray the God will grant us mercy and grace to persevere in these times of confusion and geave moral evils.

Article here. It's a sad commentary on episcopal leadership.

President of Catholic Missions Fully Supports 'Pro-Abortion' Politician

Fr. Sebastien Groleau President of Catholic Missions In Canada (CMIC), an organ of the Catholic Church and chaired by Toronto Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, has responded to concerns over his appointment of a former Ontario cabinet minister listed as 'pro-abortion' by a pro-life group to a high-profile post within the Catholic organization. Following a LifeSiteNews.com story which exposed former cabinet minister Tina Molinari's controversial background, several pro-lifers and past donors to CMIC expressed their concerns to the organization.

Rev. Groleau insinuated in his letter that the pro-lifers who wrote him out of concern were themselves to blame for contravening the will of God - by being angry. Groleau quoted the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill: and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment," adding, "I trust you do not fall in the latter category."

Rev. Groleau has indicated he can't comprehend the scandal caused when a prominent public official who was known to be in support of abortion is given a highly placed position within a Catholic organization.

Employing the tactics of the Evil One...misdirect the concerns of the faithful back to them as if they are the one responsible. And he can't understand the concept of the scandal of his actions...If true, he needs to be relieved of his faculties and re-educated in the area of moral theology.

Article here.

Civil, church law may come in conflict in church's bankruptcy filing

The bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of Portland is almost certain to place church law and civic law in conflict.

The two legal systems have met before in Oregon, and churches have often prevailed.

The question, Skeel said, is whether the court will count parishes and schools as assets of the archdiocese when the time comes to develop the reorganization plan.

Canon law holds that parish and school assets cannot be seized by the archdiocese.

Full article

"Designer Baby" Decision Flawed, Say Prelates

The decision by Britain's Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority to allow for the creation of embryonic children to provide therapeutic tissue for an older sibling is "deeply flawed," warns a Catholic bishop.

"Everyone will sympathize with the plight of parents searching for a tissue donor for a gravely ill child," Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff said in a statement today over the "designer baby" decision.

Our Lord must be truly offended that the world has begun the process of 'farming' humans for later harvesting.

GOP asks for Catholic parish directories to target people for registration

The Republican National Committee has asked Bush-backing Roman Catholics to provide copies of their parish directories to help register Catholics to vote in the November election, a use of personal information not necessarily condoned by dioceses around the country.

In a story posted Thursday on its Web site, the National Catholic Reporter said a GOP official had urged people who attended a Catholic outreach event in January to provide parish directories and membership lists to the political party.

Post Dispatch article here.

RICO suit filed against Tucson diocese

A former Catholic seminarian is suing the Diocese of Tucson, its bishops, and Bishop Wilton Gregory, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops among other high-ranking American prelates. The suit alleges a pattern of racketeering activity exemplified by fraud and obstruction of justice.

Attorney Ivan Abrams filed the case under provisions of federal RICO - Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations - statutes. The federal RICO law is a set of statutes that was initially directed at shutting down organized crime. Over the past two years, however, RICO has been used by some plaintiffs who argue that the Church cover-up of the clergy abuse crisis falls under RICO’s provisions.

Philip A. Hower was studying at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, when he was ousted from the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by now-Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore. Hower claims he was essentially ‘fired’ and later blackballed from ordination in other dioceses because he ‘blew the whistle’ on the homosexual activities of priests with whom he resided as a priest candidate.

Hower’s own investigation, he says, has revealed the same pattern of deception in the dioceses of Boston, Los Angeles, Saint Louis, Minneapolis, Chicago, Manchester and Portland, Maine—to name but a few. Hower’s treatment at the hands of Keeler and Moreno illustrates the modus operandi whereby whistleblowers are treated as criminals, while active homosexual priests are protected and promoted by their allies in what priest sociologist Fr. Andrew Greeley has dubbed "the Lavender Mafia."

In a paragraph that nicely sums up the nature of Hower’s complaints, the lawsuit states: "The actions of which [Hower] complains were committed by persons in pursuit of their own secular interests, who used the structure of the Roman Catholic Church as a shield behind which they could conduct their affairs in wanton and intentional disregard of the criminal and civil law of the State of Arizona and the United States of America, and in contempt of the tenets of their faith, and in deliberate flaunting of their nominal positions as officials and managers within the Roman Catholic Church."

Complete article here

...This, if true, demonstrates the depravity that has infected priests, bishops, and even cardinals in the Church. May God have mercy on those who have poisoned and continue to poison His Church.

We must pray even harder and offer reparations for these sins against Christ and His Church.

Dr. Arthur Hippler: A Reply To Some Catholic Politicians

A Reply To Some Catholic Politicians
By ARTHUR M. HIPPLER

In recent weeks, the press in Wisconsin and elsewhere has given ample space to our Catholic legislators who support abortion to "defend themselves" against Bishop Raymond L. Burke’s "notification" that such Catholics should not be admitted to Communion. The character of the objections is largely pragmatic, and reveals a fundamental compromise on the application of Catholic social teaching to American politics.

(Bishop Burke wrote the "notification" as the bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis.; he has now been installed as the archbishop of St. Louis, Mo.)
Some have asked, "What is the role of an individual to work within the realm of his own conscience?" This question seems to consider conscience detached from its foundation in the moral law. Without this foundation, conscience becomes mere rationalization. No one, for example, would excuse a Catholic legislator who promoted racist policies on the ground of "conscience." Conscience must be measured by the moral law, or else it becomes simply a license for personal whim.

Others have objected this way: "We can’t be a one-issue Church. We can’t have one issue be the litmus test to decide if someone is a good Catholic or not." They wonder why the bishop did not bar politicians from Communion who support capital punishment or the Iraq war.
...
Allow me to conclude with this observation: By and large, few are objecting to Bishop Burke’s reasoning in the pastoral letter On the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility and its accompanying "notification." They do not like the consequences and repercussions, but they cannot deny that His Excellency has followed out the logical conclusions of Catholic teaching. By this, many Catholics are openly admitting that they have compromised the truth of Catholic teaching for secular and political gain.

Dr. Arthur M. Hippler is the director of the Office of Justice and Peace in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis.

Wanderer Article here.

Crusade for Life walkers not welcome in Baltimore

Dear Cardinal Keeler:

I was distressed and disappointed to read that you denied access to Baltimore's Catholic churches to the young people walking from Maine to Washington for the unborn. What message does this send to idealistic youth who love the faith and act on it to protect the innocent? They are the future! Visit the website describing the Crusade walk to meet these beautiful young adults and read the witness of their vibrant faith. http://www.all.org/crusade.htm

Our Churches do not belong to you, Your Excellency. They were raised and are maintained by the generosity of the faithful. On what possible grounds did you make the decision to ban these young Catholics from our churches? I can only conclude that it is an act of retribution against American Life League for having the courage to speak out boldly about the necessity of our bishops to act like they truly believe the unborn are worthy of human dignity and protection.

I hope you will reconsider your decision as it reflects very badly on you. It must appear to others as it does to me as a petty decision made out of pique.

Orthodox Catholics in this country are deeply grieved by our bishops acting more like the secular bureaucrats than our spiritual fathers in the Body of Christ. Please withdraw your ban against these beautiful young people and welcome them to your diocese with open arms. They are the future and a beautiful part of the solution to the crisis of faith in this country.

If you have eyes to see you must recognize it.

Sincerely in Christ,
Mary Ann Kreitzer
President, Les Femmes
www.lesfemmes-thetruth.org

With regard to my previous message, Cdl. Keeler has shut down his chancery e-mail. I suggest the following contact information.

William Cardinal Keeler
Archdiocese of Baltimore
Catholic Center, 320 Cathedral Street, 21201
410-547-5437

Print out your e-mail and send it. Or give the Cardinal a call. Let them know that the Church militant will fight for the faith even when the bishops won't. And send a copy of your e-mail to the Apostolic nuncio: Most Rev. Gabriel Montalvo, 3339 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. Put a short cover letter on it explaining that the Cardinal has banned our courageous and orthodox young people from speaking in parishes in his diocese but allows dissenters and pro-abortionists the same privilege. Shame on him!

Mary Ann Kreitzer
Les Femmes
www.lesfemmes-thetruth.org

"The first law of history is not to dare to utter falsehood; the second, not to fear to speak the truth."
Pope Leo XIII

Greeley's moral loopholes

Rev. Andrew Greeley quotes the Most Rev. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger that certain moral rules could be applied that would allow a faithful Catholic to vote for a faithless Catholic, abortion-advocate John Kerry.

Remote material cooperation excuses the person from direct moral responsibility for harms caused to the poor, the innocent the downtrodden - the aborted babies. Why even try to live with remote material cooperation and vote for someone who has the bloodstained hands from too many abortions?

Greeley urges bishops to support women and not exercise political clout. Bishops should not have political clout; instead they should speak the truth. Aborting babies hurts women, destroys unborn and being-born children, and distorts doctors who swore the Hippocratic Oath.

Greeley does not have political clout but a tired arm for his pen that he uses to carry water for the Democratic Party, both hell-bent on aborting babies. Aborting babies are not proportionate reasons for supporting abortion advocates.

Fr. Tim O'Malley
Chicago

Link here.

Cardinal Arinze Addresses Christendom's Summer Institute

"No one can have God as Father who does not have Church as mother," said Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze at Christendom College’s 2004 Summer Institute. The institute focused on Pope John Paul II and his many contributions to the Church during his 25-year pontificate. Throughout the day, a sub-theme emerged that the pope is the vital link between the Church and Christ.

"The divine element can never fall short. The human element sometimes falls short," said Cardinal Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. He described the pope as the "perpetual and visible source of unity of the bishops and all the faithful."

"When God speaks, we are not expected to hire six lawyers to debate," Cardinal Arinze said. "We obey and live it out.

Faithful Catholics will obey with humility and docility.

Father Anthony Mastroeni, a priest from the Diocese of Patterson, N.J., and adjunct professor of theology at Christendom, spoke about John Paul II and the priesthood.

"What is a priest? He is the heart of Jesus for us," said Father Mastroeni. "Many see him as just a regular guy. What we need to see is Christ."

Although the final end or purpose of the priest is to make the Eucharist available, he also has a duty to proclaim the Gospel, to be a good confessor and to be holy, he said.

Father Mastroeni rebuked the abuse of general absolution. "The doctor does not diagnose a crowd or over the phone," he said. Instead, it should be a painstaking, individual process. "In the confessional, (the priest) quickens souls back to life."

Parishioners want priests to be "beacons, not weather vanes," he said.

I have heard Fr. Mastroeni on a set of Fatima Conference tapes and from what I heard, he sounds like a good and faithful priest who is not afraid to speak the truth.

And lest we forget:

"Love the pope and pray for him," Cardinal Arinze said. "The care of Christ’s flock is not easy. He has much to suffer."

Complete article here.

Survey finds Catholics skeptical of bishops' handling of sex abuse

WARNING....This is a reference to a Catholic News Service article...

U.S. Catholics regard the clerical sexual abuse scandal and the bishops' handling of it as two of the most serious problems facing the church, according to a study by two leading sociologists.
...
"Our survey tells us that tomorrow's Catholics will be more individualistic, more tolerant in the area of sexual morality, less inclined to defer to teachings of the hierarchy, less committed to Catholic institutions and less involved in parish life," they said.

Actually, they meant to say, "Tomorrow's Catholics will not really be "Catholic"!

Article here.

Read it and pray for the Church.

USCCB weighs in on Capital Punishment for Adolescents

A broad array of individuals, groups and nations - including Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, the American Medical Association, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the European Union - urged the Supreme Court on Monday to declare that it is unconstitutional to execute people for crimes they committed before turning 18.
...
Four justices - Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Souter and John Paul Stevens - have said that imposing the death penalty for offenses by 16- and 17-year-olds is "inconsistent with evolving standards of decency in a civilized society." But thus far, they have not attracted the fifth vote they need to overturn the practice, which is increasingly rare.

What are these "evolving standards of decency"? I suppose they include the murder of unborn children and assisting the old and sick to "die with dignity"? Many of these people would not recognize standards of decency if they were presented to them in black and white. And, from what I have seen, decency has not "evolved" in the 20th and 21st centuries, but regressed to barbarism...

Mark Chopko, general counsel to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and author of the brief by religious groups, said all major religions teach that "the young don't have the same moral culpability" as adults.

"There is a great consensus among religious organizations that executing juveniles should offend the sense of decency in any society," he said.

Article here.

Eight men settle lawsuit with Springfield, Ill., diocese

The Catholic Diocese of Springfield recently settled a lawsuit brought by eight men who said they were sexually abused by a former priest in the 1970s.

Diocese spokeswoman Kathie Sass said Wednesday the men will share $1.2 million.

Link to Post article here.

Cardinal Arinze to speak in Pittsburgh Friday night

He is among the most powerful men in the Vatican, atop all A-lists of possible future popes, and on Friday night Cardinal Francis Arinze will headline a fund-raiser in Pittsburgh for one of his favorite ministries.

Arinze will speak, mingle and answer written questions at Le Mont restaurant on Mount Washington. The $250 per plate dinner benefits the Apostolate for Family Consecration. Arinze has close ties to the group, which promotes family spirituality and the teachings of Pope John Paul II. He spends part of each summer recording teaching tapes at its headquarters, Catholic Familyland in Bloomington, Ohio. But this is the first time he has raised money for them.

Article here.

The New Mysteries of the Rosary for John Kerry and others

Jeff Miller of The Curt Jester has posted some new mysteries called the "Flip Flop Mysteries" here.

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.

Andrew Greeley says Catholics CAN vote for Kerry

The matter is settled!  Fr. Andrew Greeley has written:

Catholics can vote for John Kerry. They don't have to, but it would not be a sin to do so, according to a distinguished theologian [Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who wrote:

"A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate's stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons."

But that's not all, he then slams all bishops who follow the directives of the Holy Father and the law of the Church:

This theory of "indirect material cooperation" is traditional Catholic moral teaching. Apparently, the few bishops who excluded Catholics from communion if they voted for Kerry didn't know much traditional moral theology -- which demonstrates what the qualifications are for the bishopric these days.

It is difficult to express sufficient gratitude to Andrew Greeley for giving us the teachings of his 'church'. Under Greeley's moral umbrella, one is at liberty to vote for Kerry or any other supporter of baby killing for ANY REASON whatsoever except that of supporting abortion! It's all so clear now. Why didn't Pope John Paul and the Bishops just state this years ago?

This does bring up some questions, however. May one rightly conclude from his article that one may ignore any and all directives from one's lawful bishop if the bishop's statement is contrary to Greeley's "Bulla"?

Is it possible that Archbishop Burke's forthcoming Pastoral Letter will confirm Greeley's erudite theological conclusions?  (No, I don't think so)

Perhaps some now-enlightened Catholic voters will send a few letters requesting clarification of these obvious unCatholic voting principles to Cardinal George just to be sure?

Dear Lord, thank you for sending us people like Greeley so that we may test and exercise our virtues!

Full Chicago Sun-Times Article here. There's much more than I addressed.