Tuesday, March 31, 2009

ND - Kmiec debates Weigel

Catholics In the Public Square has the post and links. Very interesting.

One thing that's pointed out in the post and that I've noticed is how most people that defend President Obama seem to place a spin on what he actually believes in regard to abortion.

You can almost see them bending over backwards, playing with words to show he is not pro-choice.... which of course his actions more than prove (that he is pro-choice). You can see this in the arguments that Fr. Reese (see previous post) puts forth and you can see it in Doug Kmiec's arguments.

Doug Kmiec Debates George Weigel over Notre Dame

(also, h/t to InsightScoop)

Creative Minority Report as a reponse to Mr. Kmiec as well: Responding to Kmiec

Monday, March 30, 2009

"Who Painted the Image?"

Now I know that Mrs. Clinton is not Catholic, but I would have thought that most people know about the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and now St. Juan Diego and the event of 1531.

But maybe I'm wrong.... Hmmm.

Well, she asked the question about the image on a recent visit to the Basilica in Mexico, "Who painted the image?"

After observing it for a while, Mrs. Clinton asked “who painted it?” to which Msgr. Monroy responded “God!”

What a teaching moment. I hope Msgr. Monroy went a little further in his explanation. I hope he told her the whole story.

I hope...

Hillary Clinton leaves flowers fro Our Lady of Guadalupe, asks 'Who painted it?'

The Mystery of Our Lady's eyes

The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Even a Wikipedia entry

Friday, March 27, 2009

Satan? Naaa, just a figment of your Imagination

It seems that notion, that "Satan is not real, that he is just a ideology that seems to cause evilness to come true, is a notion that is getting to be very popular today.

Some say if only we can stop believing in Satan that he will no longer exist. Some that belief in anything is a crutch to alleviate guilt we have in ourselves.

ABC's Nightline focused this passed Thursday's show to a debate on the subject. The panel consisted of a Pastor of a Christian church, and an ex-prostitute from Las Vegas. They defended the existence of Satan and his influence.

The other side of the debate, that there is no Satan or only a balance of opposing forces, cold and hot, up and down was defended by Deepak Chopra (Author and scientist) and Bishop Carlton Pearson, an ex-Pentecostal minister.

The only huge hole in the debate, was no one from the Catholic church. Personally I would have loved to have seen someone like Dinish D'Souza on the panel.

A very peculiar debate, very lacking in substance. Very touchy feely, and no one really from the Christian view point, with any worthy challenges to the opposing view.

Anyway, you can see the debate Here


This is the first installment

America just like the EU?

America should be just like the EU. That's what many think would be the best thing that could happen to the U.S.

Let's see, churches emptying, and well, just listen to Daniel Hannan a member of the U.K. Parliament as he describes the status of England.



let think about this a little more....please

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Obam - 'I inherited this debt'


Interesting graphs posted on American Thinker.


I don't know about you but I'm getting tiered of hearing that the present day debit has been inherited from the last administration and we need to "save and invest" to get out of this mess.
Just the facts Ma 'am...
(graph from Washington Post)


Projected Deficit - Washington Post Article

Obama excuses from Fr. Thomas Reese

Fr. Thomas Reese can be found on The Faith Blog.

This would be funny if he wasnt' so serious...

1. "In his personal life, Obama has never acted in defiance of the fundamental moral principle that abortion is wrong.

"Perfectly true. Except if you count his voting for abortion every chance he gets including voting against legislation to restrict partial birth abortions, battling Jill Stanek for the right to murder infants born alive during an abortion, funding overseas abortions, voting against prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion, and declaring it open season on embryos by funding embryonic stem cell research. But other than that, he's been great.

2."Publicly, Obama has never spoken out against the fundamental moral principle that abortion is wrong."

Obama is the guy who said, "I don't want them punished with a baby" or did Fr. Reese never hear that one. You see, in that statement Obama is clearly making abortion a good that stands above the inconvenience of a crisis pregnancy. In his construction, it it at least a lesser evil if not a good.

3. "He supports legal restrictions on third trimester abortions with a health-of-the-mother exemption.

"What part of the "Freedom of Choice Act" does Fr. Reese not understand?

4. "Although he does not believe that other abortions can be made illegal, he supports programs to reduce the number of abortions."

No. He supports handing out condoms like breath mints and thinks that saying they will reduce abortions makes it an easy sell. Although nobody has ever found that more condoms leads to less abortion. Nobody.

5. "Notre Dame is not honoring Obama because of his views on abortion but because he is President of the United States, as has been made clear by the Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame's president."

Fr. Jenkin's intentions of honoring President Obama are unclear. I don't think many people believe he's honoring him because of Obama's stance on abortion. But what many Catholics are concerned with is that Fr. Jenkins is ignoring Obama's radical history of supporting abortion.

(Read the whole article)

The White House pressures papal nuncio

The White House is displease with Archbishop Raymond Burke's chastisement of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for her support of abortion.

So the White House is placing pressure on the papal nuncio to quiet the Archbishop.


The Catholic THING
A reliable source tells me that someone representing the Obama administration is about to put pressure on the papal nuncio to the United States to get Archbishop Raymond Burke to be quiet. The Obama complaint is that Archbishop Burke, who is now head of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, has supported another bishop in his chastisement of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for her support of abortion.
MORE

Boy, this administration thinks this is going to quiet the church. Let's raise our voices together, in prayer, as well as in our communities & to our government leaders.

Notre Dame Students Repond

ND students responded on Wednesday to the invitation of Mr. Obama to this years commencement ceremony.

Notre Dame student groups denounce University's choice for commencement speech

NOTRE DAME, IN, 25 March 2009 — A number of student groups at the University of Notre Dame issued a statement today repudiating the University’s selection of President Barack Obama to deliver its 2009 Commencement Address. The statement criticizes the president’s position on abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and other life issues, and chastises University administration for apparently looking over what they termed "fundamental moral principles."

The statement responds to Friday afternoon’s announcement of Obama as the speaker for the University’s 164th Commencement. Citing Catholic teaching on abortion, as well as the US Bishops’ 2004 document "Catholics in Political Life," which deals with issues surrounding a Catholic response to politicians who advocate abortion, the student statement expresses “deepest opposition” to the decision. "This is not a partisan issue; rather, it’s an issue of respect for human life, and our Catholic character. We want to emphasize that we are not attacking the office of the President, but taking issue with his moral stances. I think the statement makes it clear that the student body of Notre Dame is not unequivocally in favor of this decision,” said senior Emily Toates of Notre Dame Right to Life.

An Ad Hoc committee sponsored by a coalition of University-sponsored student groups has been organized to lead student response. These groups include Notre Dame Right to Life, Jus Vitae (Notre Dame Law School Right to Life), the Irish Rover independent student newspaper, Notre Dame College Republicans, The University of Notre Dame Anscombe Society, The Identity Project of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Knights of the Immaculata, Notre Dame Children of Mary, the Orestes Brownson Council, Notre Dame Law St. Thomas More Society, and the Federalist Society of the Notre Dame Law School.
MORE

Catholics United - "Doesn't Speak for Me as a Catholic!"

And I specifically mean Mr. Chris Korzen. It seems that this pro-abortion funded group disguising itself under the name 'Catholic' is now being touted by the media as a legitimate voice of Catholics.

This is so far from the truth. Any orthodox Catholic who follows the teachings of the church, and her shepherd on earth, Pope Benedict XVI should NOT associate themselves with this group.

The name of the group should be changed to 'Dissenting Catholics United'. I think that would be more appropriate.

AmP has the story:

Front-group Catholics United slips into attacking Bishop D'Arcy (thanks AmP)

I have zero patience for Catholics United.

It's a front organization that abuses the name "Catholic" for anti-life interests, and is moreover funded by pro-abortion advocates like the billionaire George Soros,
as others have exposed.So I wasn't surprised to find out that their executive director Chris Korzen issued a press release today welcoming ND's decision to invite Obama.

It's not hard for Catholics United to think of ways to criticize orthodox Catholics of exploiting the faith for political ends ... because that's exactly what Korzen and company do. The difference is Korzen and co. (falsely and hypocritically) claim the other side is doing it.
So how do you prove which side is disingenuous? Simple enough: you wait for one side to slip.


And Korzen and co. just did.

Here's some of what he said:

As a Catholic, I am deeply disappointed by the knee-jerk opposition to Notre Dame’s decision to confer an honorary degree on President Obama and invite him to give the 2009 commencement address. President Obama’s appearance at Notre Dame will be nothing short of an honor for all Catholics.

Attacking Notre Dame is simply disingenuous and reflects a larger pattern of manipulation of the Catholic faith for political advantage.

Regrettably, the individuals leading the charge against Notre Dame are partisan operatives who routinely use a single-issue analysis to divorce the Catholic faith from its longstanding commitment to social justice and the sanctity of all human life.
MORE

By the way if you haven't yet signed the petition (157,900 signature so far) please do so HERE

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Notre Dame - Petition Signature are Growing

80,000 signatures and climbing!

....sign the petition here: Notre Dame Commencement

Story: ND - No Bama

Paging Bishop John D'Arcy - "Where are you?"

Looks like Bishop D'Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend (home of the fighting Irish) will be weighing in on the ND commencement speaker. Not that it will do any good since the good Fr. Jenkins decided to ignore the bishop's advise the last time he offered it.

Not even the USCCB wants to say anything.

But... we'll see. Let's pray for our Shepherds.

The Bishop and the President (American Catholic)

Notre Dame - The Cardinal Newman Society Petition

The Cardinal Newman Society, noted for it's support for Catholics on many college campuses throughout the nation, has sponsored a web site to protest the invitation of President Obama to speak at the commencement ceremonies this year at Notre Dame.

The university will also HONOR President Obama with an honorary Law degree.

www.notredamescandal.com

You can sign the petition and make a donation. So far 55, 177 signature have been taken and growing.

There is also info to contact Jr Jenkin (..who made the decision to retain the invitation to Mr. Obama).

Articles:

The Observer (Notre Dame online Paper)

Notre Dame sticking with Obama for commencement

Wha...? (Carl at InsightScoop)

Is Obama Worth a Mass? (Ralph McInerny - professor at N.D.)

WCC has signed the petition...

Monday, March 23, 2009

University of Notre Dame - Lose of Catholic Identity

Ralph McInerny, a member of the staff for over 50 years says:

The University of Notre Dame has officially and with much self-satisfaction invited President Barack Obama to address its 2009 graduates and to receive an honorary law degree. Not to put too fine a point on it, this is a deliberate thumbing of the collective nose at the Roman Catholic Church to which Notre Dame purports to be faithful. Faithful? Tell it to Julian the Apostate.

... the invitation to Barack Obama is far from being the usual effort of the university to get into warm contact with the power figures of the day. It is an unequivocal abandonment of any pretense at being a Catholic university. And it is in sad continuity with decades of waffling that have led with seeming inevitability to it.
MORE

Notre Dame to honor President Obama with an honorary Law degree...hmmm.

Amp has the post...Ralph McInerny: " Notre Dame has forfeited its right to call itself a Catholic university"

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Douglas Kmiec Being called on the Carpet...

Robert P. George is calling Doug Kmiec to task in an email debate: Is President Obama leaving the door open to 'Cloning', with this decision to fund Embryonic Stem Cell research?

Mr. George does think this, as I do. Just the fact President Obama has allowed government funded stem cell research on human embryos doesn't give me just cause to believe that 'Cloning' stemming from this research is out of the question. And further that President Obama would give the green light to such research later if certain scientist could pull him into their line of thinking.

Anyways, the email debate is mentioned in the article and can be found here: God & Country

Over the past few days, George and Kmiec have engaged in a rigorous E-mail debate on the nature of human cloning and other thorny issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research—like whether Catholics who use medical treatments developed from embryonic stem cell research are complicit in what the Roman Catholic Church calls the evil of embryo destruction. They've CC'd me on their E-mails back and forth.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

B16 - Condoms

B16's comments on condom use is hitting the headlines. Fortunately AmP has been keeping track the commotion and has the great coverage.

American Papist
Was Pope B16 misquoted on condoms in Africa? Maybe not.

also..

Patrick Madrid has a great video link of interview on condom usage you can't miss. (thanks Pat)

Pat Madrid - A quick Catholic Case Against Condoms

Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Marriage

Someone told me that Webster Dictionary now has a new definition for the word 'Marriage' to include same sex marriage.

I didn't believe it so I looked it up online:

Pronunciation: \'mer-ij, 'ma-rij\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English mariage, from Anglo-French, from marier to marry
Date: 14th century

1 a (1): the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage b: the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock c: the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected ; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities3: an intimate or close union

(red emphasis is mine)


I don't know when this change actually took place and I'm not sure that the print copy has caught up to the online version. But if it has our school children will now be tested to include this definition in their vocabulary testing.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

No Way to Teat the Troops...

Since my last post was on our beloved Veterans, this latest decision from the Commander In-Chief himself.

The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment

The leader of the nation's largest veterans organization says he is "deeply disappointed and concerned" after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs in such cases.

...

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ' to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"

...

Commander Rehbein reiterated points made last week in testimony to both House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. It was stated then that The American Legion believes that the reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate that VA treat service-connected injuries and disabilities given that the United States government sends members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered. Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing. The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits...
MORE

This is no way to treat our Vets.

Brothers At War - The Movie

(PHOTO: Brothers At War)


I mentioned this movie effort earlier in one of my post. It looks like the movie is now ready for the big screen.

Here's a synopsis:



BROTHERS AT WAR is an intimate portrait of an American family during a turbulent time. Jake Rademacher sets out to understand the experience, sacrifice, and motivation of his two brothers serving in Iraq. The film follows Jake’s exploits as he risks everything—including his life—to tell his brothers’ story. Often humorous, but sometimes downright lethal, BROTHERS AT WAR is a remarkable journey where Jake embeds with four combat units in Iraq.



Unprecedented access to U.S. and Iraqi combat units take him behind the camouflage curtain with secret reconnaissance troops on the Syrian border, into sniper "Hide Sites" in the Sunni Triangle, through raging machine gun battles with the Iraqi Army. Ultimately, the film follows his brothers home where separations and life-threatening work ripple through their parents, siblings, wives and children. BROTHERS AT WAR provides a rare look at the bonds and service of our soldiers on the frontlines and the profound effects their service has on the loved ones they leave behind.

Not much out there to pay $10.00 to watch and this one looks like one I won't miss.



Not so much from an entertainment stand point, more of an appreciation, and respect for all the troops who are laying it on the line for us back home.



Make one kind of ashamed of all our griping cry-babing ways.

Go see the movie.



BROTHERS AT WAR (VIEW THE MOVIE CLIP)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Bill Clintion - 'Embryos Are Not Fertilized'

What?

Here's his actual quote:

BILL CLINTON: I think -- the answer is I think that we’ll work it through. When it’s -- if it -- particularly, if it’s done right. If it’s obvious that we’re not taking embryos that can -- that under any conceivable scenario would be used for a process that would allow them to be fertilized and become little babies, and I think if it’s obvious that we’re not talking about some science fiction cloning of human beings, then I think the American people will support this. I think they’ll support it because we want to solve type 1 diabetes. We want to solve -- we want to find out about whether Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s can be reversed. We want a whole range of other things. And I think at some point, you know -- maybe it’s -- decades down the way -- if somebody severs an arm and you try to sew it back on, and you’re missing some component things, if you can figure out how to fill in the blanks, I think people would like that. So I think we'll just have to debate it as we go along. I think -- I was anxious for the president to do this and get this research going again --

EMBRYOS ARE FERTILIZED EGGS!

The worst part is the one doing the interview is a Dr. Gupta himself. The good Doctor didn't once correct him.

How many people will believe these mis-facts (...okay lets use the proper word here LIES!), I don't know. While I don't know Mr. Clinton's thoughts, its hard for be to believe that his didn't know what he was saying.

He was there to speak on behalf of the Obama decision. With his wife Madame Secretary of State, I guess you can say anything and get away with it.

FACT: AN EMBRYO IS A BABY.

FACT: IT'S A VIABLE HUMAN BEING AS LONG AS YOU DON'T REMOVE IT FROM THE MOM BEFORE IT'S GESTATION PERIOD.

FACT: THERE IS NO PROOF AN ANY PROGRESS IN THE EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH FIELD... IT DOEN'T WORK!

401K Shock - Who Should Be Your Advisor?

Okay, so I took a peek at my 401k yesterday.
Yup, it's what I expected but not much I can do about it right now.

We are all having the same thoughts now a days.

What will I have put away for retirement? Will it be enough to survive?

Will I lose my job? How will I provide for my family? Will I lose my house?

Health care, food... the list goes on.

Thinking of these things is a daily cross we are all carrying.

I was reading the Lenten readings for today and they are so apropos.

First Reading: Jer 17:5-10

Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.

Gospel: Lk 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.
'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said,
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Keep your chin up fellow 'life-travelers'
Depend on one who will never guide you down the wrong path.

God's retirement plan will never diminish - eternal happiness...

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

President Lincoln - Hidden Watch Message

A cool piece of history, confirmed.

Secret Message in Lincoln's Watch Found
For nearly 150 years, a story has circulated about a hidden Civil War message engraved inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch. On Tuesday, museum curators confirmed it was true. A watchmaker used tiny tools to carefully pry open the antique watch at the National Museum of American History, and a descendant of the engraver read aloud the message from a metal plate underneath the watch face.

"Jonathan Dillon April 13 - 1861," part of the inscription reads, "Fort Sumpter (sic) was attacked by the rebels on the above date." Another part reads, "Thank God we have a government."
The words were etched in tiny cursive handwriting and filled the the space between tiny screws and gears that jutted through the metal plate. A magnifying glass was required to read them.

MORE

WCC Salutes: Lt. j.g. Aloysius Schmitt, Chaplain USS Oklahoma

First American chaplin to die in World War II aboard the USS Oklahoma at Pear Harbor.

American Catholic has the Story

I also salute all our men and women in the Armed Forces

WCC +<><

Connecticut Bill 1098 - Proposed by......

This from the Catholic League:

The bill that would allow the state legislature in Connecticut to reconfigure the governing structure of the Catholic Church has been pulled. Introduced by Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, the bill was withdrawn at the behest of the person who proposed it, Tom Gallagher; he is a contributor to the National Catholic Reporter, a left-wing Catholic newspaper. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will now review the constitutionality of the bill....

“The big losers are the Catholic left-wing activists who pushed for this measure. To be specific, Voice of the Faithful, a dissident Catholic group comprised mainly of senior citizens, has been promoting a lay Catholic takeover of the Catholic Church for many years. Also, their ideological kinfolk at the National Catholic Reporter republished an article by Gallagher calling for an aggressive civil law approach to parish governance.

“Lawlor, McDonald, Gallagher, Voice of the Faithful, and the National Catholic Reporter totally underestimated the reaction of rank-and-file Catholics. Chalk up a big victory for Catholics who are loyal to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and to the religious liberty provisions of the First Amendment.”

MORE

H/T to The Cloud of Fire Blog

Bishops & Priest, no longer in charge of RC Churchs - Proposal in Connecticut

This is scary. State Legislators propose a Bill that would govern the Church structure pitting lay parishioners control of finances over priests and bishops.... by state law.

Catholicculture has the story and the resources:

Connecticut Legislators Bristle at Catholic Criticism of [Connecticut] Bill.

Resource Article:

Catholic Church, State In Power Struggle
A proposed bill that would take power from Catholic priests and bishops and turn it over to parishioners has sparked outrage among church leaders, criticism from opposition lawmakers and questions about its legality."You cannot tell a church how it can govern itself," said Marc D. Stern, general counsel for the American Jewish Congress in New York. "The church is entitled to govern itself any which way it wants."

The bill, which would create lay councils of seven to 13 people to oversee the finances of local parishes, relegating Catholic pastors and bishops to an advisory role, won't get its official public hearing before the legislature's judiciary committee until Wednesday. MORE

Seems that some parishioners of local parishes have a concern (in some cases rightfuly so) about the some mismanagement of church funds ($400,000 missing at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Greenwich is one case. In California there's also the case in I believe Santa Rosa), however is alllowing the State Legislature to make law that govern the Catholic Church structure the right road to travel.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

AmP has the 'rally call' [Action Item: Recsources for Catholics ralling in Hartford tomorrow]

Carl at InsightScoop : Connecticut Bill 1098 pulled... for now.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

More Popular to have "No Religion"

This is an interesting survey from the Program on Public Values at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

15%, in the survey say they have no religion affiliation. Is it the youth, is it middle aged people...who are these people?

Is it that they are atheist or is it that they consider themselves not a part of traditional churches. Have they created their own versions of religion?

Many questions, however one point remains predominant. How do they obtain the fullness of the faith. Many of these non religious folks in the survey may have some sort of believe but modified to conform with their life style.

This, in my opinion maybe more dangerous than not having the fullness of faith that Christ intended us to have.

Kind of reminds me of the Lennon song 'Imagine'

'Imagine ....no hell below us. Above us only sky.'

This is more dangerous because the numbers that live this imaginary religion is much larger than the true atheist. Therefore you have more of the 'faithful' agreeing that abortion isn't that big of a deal. That euthanasia is merciful, that marriage between a man an woman is a thing of the past. But "I still believe in god."

what to do....

Prayer is the first thing. Study your faith. Share your faith. Most important, live your faith to the fullest.

More Americans say they have no religion.

A wide-ranging study on American religious life found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out o of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined and more people say they have no religion at all.

Fifteen percent of respondents said they had no religion, an increase from 14.2 percent in 2001 and 8.2 percent in 1990, according to the American Religious Identification Survey.

Northern New England surpassed the Pacific Northwest as the least religious region, with Vermont reporting the highest share of those claiming no religion, at 34 percent. Still, the study found that the numbers of Americans with no religion rose in every state.

"No other religious bloc has kept such a pace in every state," the study's authors said.
more

Monday, March 09, 2009

"NO CLONES" - Wink, Wink...

..So Don't Sign The Executive Order!

"No Clones" So that's suppose to make me feel better. How about the bigger issue.

DON'T KILL BABIES!

President Barack Obama says human cloning is "dangerous, profoundly wrong" and has no place in society.
Obama made the comments as he was signing an executive order that will allow federal spending on embryonic
stem cell research.

Some critics say the research can lead to human cloning. Obama said the government will develop strict guidelines for the research because misuse or abuse is unacceptable.

Let's see, Re-funding of International Planned Parenthood:

President Obama struck down a rule Friday that prohibits U.S. money from funding international family-planning clinics that promote abortion or provide counseling or referrals about abortion services.

Mr. Obama's support for FOCA:

Obama is not "merely" a cosponsor of the bill, but someone who has declared enactment of the FOCA to be a top priority. In his too-little-noted speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007, Obama said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."

Now the stem-cell reversal... its getting harder for Pro-Obama Catholics to claim that he's pro-life.

Hudson River Landing - Computer Re-enactment

Here's a computer re-enactment of the Hudson River landing.

Amazing...


Friday, March 06, 2009

Follow-Up: "I'm a Pro-Choice Catholic"

AmP follows up on the article in the National Catholic Reporter - 'I'm a Pro-Choice Catholic'

NCReporter pro-abortion Young Voices author could face penalty

Calif Marriage Ban: One for the Voters!

The Calif Supreme Court leaning toward the voters approval of Prop 8.

Thursday's arguments pitted the right of the people to change their constitution against the right to wed. The California Supreme Court's seven justices indicated a wariness to override the will of voters, who approved Proposition 8 in November - 4 1/2 months after the same court had ruled 4-3 to legalize gay marriage.

This by no means the end of this, so keep the prayers going. Marriage: One Man & One Woman

Catholic Hospital "Will Close" if FOCA Passed - US Catholic Bishops

U.S. Catholic Bishops let the nation know what will happen if the Freedom Of Choice Act passes.

A proposed bill promising major changes in the U.S. abortion landscape has Roman Catholic bishops threatening to close Catholic hospitals if the Democratic Congress and White House make it law.

The Freedom of Choice Act failed to get out of subcommittee in 2004, but its sponsor is poised to refile it now that former Senate co-sponsor Barack Obama occupies the Oval Office.

A spokesman for Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said the legislation "is among the congressman's priorities. We expect to reintroduce it sooner rather than later."
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009

"I am a Pro-Choice Catholic" - The Catechism Says So?

This article caught my eye yesterday.

I am a pro-choice Catholic to me is a contradiction of terms, however this article can be found on a leading Catholic Newspaper..confusing isn't it.

I am a prochoice Catholic by Kate Childs Graham

I wasn’t always a prochoice Catholic. During college I attended the annual March for Life on more than one occasion. The first time my friends and I traveled to the event from Indianapolis, Ind., was with a bus full of high school students -- most, seemingly, only going for the trip to Washington, D.C., with their friends, sans parental supervision. Needless to say, it was a noisy bus ride. After I transferred to Catholic University, I volunteered for the Mass for Life two years in a row -- helping to herd all of those high school students into every crevice of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
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Dr. Peters of 'In the Light of the Law' blog has the rebuttal.
Young Voices, old canards , and Canon 1369

... In any case, Graham presents a somewhat different profile from that of most other Catholics who are effectively lapsed in regard to Church moral teaching (even if they adhere to some of the social justice principles and/or liturgical practices). Graham claims to have been pro-life at one point and to have taken a small but active role in college pro-life activities, only to have later changed her opinion after extensive study and prayer.
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Also, 'Te Deum laudamus!' blog takes action.
An Open Letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops...

I wish to express my greatest desires that you receive many graces during this Lenten season. I thank all of you for your service and dedication as successors to the apostles.I ran across something this morning that left me deeply troubled and would like to share my concern.
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