St. Margaret of Scotland, June 10th

The Feast of St. Margaret of Scotland. Patron of large families, the death of children, learning, queens, widows and Scotland. You can read more here and here.

And a very Happy Feast Day to my second favorite Sister.

"Medicine Babies"

From Zenit

Swiss Bishops Decry Use of "Medicine Babies"

Call It "Shocking Eugenics"

ZURICH, Switzerland, JUNE 9, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The Swiss bishops' conference has called the practice of creating babies solely for medicinal purposes a "shocking" and unacceptable development in eugenics.

In a message of the bioethics commission of the episcopal conference, released Wednesday, the bishops refer to Switzerland's first "medicine baby," born in Geneva in January 2005, as "shocking eugenics, enveloped in good sentiments."

The baby girl was conceived through artificial insemination, and was selected in a Brussels laboratory to become a compatible donor of bone marrow for her 6-year-old brother.

"Although it is not prudent to criticize the subjective intention of the parents who have suffered and rejoiced with the cure of their son, it must be recognized that the technique of 'medicine babies' constitutes a worrying form of eugenics," stated the document.

"For this 'medicine baby' girl to be born, Mrs. Hilde van de Velde's Brussels laboratory deliberately produced 20 to 30 human embryos for the purpose of selecting them," the bishops said. "One of them had the good fortune to survive. But the rest were eliminated and destroyed as vulgar merchandise."

The document explained that the practice is inadmissible for two reasons.

First, because we are faced with "human embryos voluntarily produced and eliminated."

The message of the bishops continued: "A noble end does not justify killing embryos, which are individuals of the human species. Here the embryo is not treated as an end: It is used as an instrument and considered as merchandise.

"This practice is a regression of humanism, which is particularly insidious as it camouflages with the emotion aroused by the sick child and the parents' suffering."

Second, the letter stated, the selection of human beings is an act of eugenics.

"Eugenics is an odious practice, which consists in selecting the children that will be born according to utilitarian criteria that does not respect their intrinsic dignity," the bishops wrote.

"In this case, an exterior demand, medical and technical, decides who deserves to live and who deserves to die," the message said.

The note added: "This embryo deserved to live because it is genetically compatible with the recipient of the bone marrow, while the other numerous embryos were killed for the sole reason of not having the required characteristics."

The Swiss always were on the cutting edge of every pharmaceutical advance. And neutral in war, even the war on abortion it seems.

Sheehan Distraught: Democrats Lose Candidate

Cindy Sheehan is upset that Zarqawi is dead.

The real problem is that now the Democrats won't have a presidential candidate to run in 08.

Iraqi Archbishop: Zarqawi's Death Brings Hope

From the article:

Baghdad, Jun. 08, 2006 (CNA) - Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of the Caldean Catholic Church in Iraq, told AsiaNews today that while Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death brings hope for the future, ultimately dialogue and the way of love must conquer the hearts of the Iraqi people. The death of the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq was confirmed by US and Iraqi officials today.

Officials of both governments were overjoyed at killing the most wanted man in Iraq, who was the mastermind of several terrorist attacks and multiple violent murders in Iraq.

President Bush, commenting on the death said, "The ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders. Zarqawi's death is a severe blow to al Qaeda."

However, while the killing does deal a blow to the major terrorist organization in the world, the threat of terror still exists in a very real way in Iraq and abroad and Archbishop Delly hopes that new ways are found to bring peace in his country

“This is a great hope for the end of violence which torments,” the Archbishop said. “but we repeat that the best solution is always in dialogue and not in killing. Killing each other for personal reasons can not bring anything good,” Delly continued, “loving each other and not killing - this is the way to keep in mind.”

McBrien: Messed Up

Fr. McBrien,in his undiminished capacity as leader of the heterodox, crystallizes for us his pet peeves with the direction the Church is going in.

Fr. McBrien's disappointments:

Father Andrew Greeley, a distinguished author and sociologist, has frequently pointed out that it was not the Council but Pope Paul VI's 1968 birth-control encyclical, Humanae Vitae, that opened the breach within the post-conciliar Church. If the pope had sided with the 2-1 majority of his Birth Control Commission and modified the official teaching on contraception, the post-Vatican II history of the Church might look entirely different.

Now I wonder what practical difference it makes. If the number of Catholics who use contraception in violation of the Church's teaching is as high as it seems to be- why does Fr. McBrien care? He cares because he wants the Church to capitulate to modernity. That makes Fr. McBrien a prophet and not just the aging, bored and boring dissident that he remains.

And McBrien attempts to warn us about Bishop Finn, of Kansas City, Missouri, lionized here on this very blog, he says:

And yet the new bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Robert Finn, a member of Opus Dei, has been dismantling much of what had been put in place by his three immediate predecessors: Charles Helmsing (1962-77), John Sullivan (1977-93), and Raymond Boland (1993-2005).

Priests, nuns and lay people who have served in various diocesan offices and agencies established and supported by these three bishops have, in a matter of months, been fired or resigned, and programs have been closed down or suffered cuts in budget and staff (National Catholic Reporter, May 12).

Were Bishops Helmsing, Sullivan and Boland unworthy shepherds, like the hired hands mentioned in the Fourth Gospel (John 10: 12-13)? Did they lead their flocks astray or throw them to the wolves? Were they grievously wrong in their pastoral teachings, policies and appointments? If so, how is a Catholic to know when any bishop is to be respected and obeyed, and when he is not?

Actually, it's very easy to decide when a bishop is to be obeyed. There are a few indicators- a shepherd of souls is vocal in support of human life, dedicated to catechesis, a preserver of tradition and is no slave to the changing winds of political correctness. True it is a select, elite group but they shine like stars in the sky.

Macy's Supports Gay Pride

Macy's Department Store advertises its support of "Gay Pride Week" in Boston with a window display depicting two men holding hands, one is wearing a skirt and a rainbow flag wrapped around his waist. Complaints to the company resulted in the display being removed. I wonder that they didn't display a man holding hands with a young boy to show their support for diversity. How intolerant they are.


The "pride parade" is going to be held on June 10th and the organizers are expecting 8000 marchers up from 5000 last year. If you happen to be in Boston during this depravity, (though I would urge you not to be) you will think that the gates of hell must have opened up. Watch for the hometown favorites- North American Man Boy Love Association (the pedophiles) who march with their victims while cops stand by and protect their right to break the law.



This is the picture of a past parade from the Boston Herald. Now come on. We all know this is not the most interesting picture they have on file.

New Document: Old Truths

Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, head of the Pontifical Council on the Family, has released a 57 page document that reiterates what the Church has always taught. The news article is here.

Condemned again are abortion, contraception, in vitro fertization, same sex "marriage", homosexual adoption, embryonic research.

Hello, this is nothing new. What is new is when the media tries to confuse people by spinning some new twist, some rare exception and says that the Vatican is considering changing its position. Well, guess what, the Vatican can't change it's position because it's God's position. Remember when a few weeks ago the Vatican was set to change its position on condoms? Before that the Vatican was going to abolish limbo.

Some quotes from the document:

"Man of modern times has radicalised the tendency to take the place of God and substitute him," it states. "Never before in history has human procreation, and therefore the family, which is its natural place, been so threatened as in today’s culture."

and

"The human being has the right to be generated, not produced, to come to life not in virtue of an artificial process but of a human act in the full sense of the term: the union between a man and a woman."

Saving the best for last:

From Lifesite news:

The document specifies that abortion is a crime which must be punished. "Today people want to trivialise abortion with the claim that authorities must not penalise this abominable crime," says the 57-page document signed by Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, the head of the Pontifical Council. "It is not acceptable that a crime should remain unpunished."

Though it's raining here in New England, I'm going to be smiling about this all day.

In Honor of Whistleblowing Priests

Great as His mercy is His punishment; He judges men, each according to his deeds. Sirach 16:12

For the priests whose only reward will be in the next life.

Fr. James R. Haley of Arlington, Virginia

Fr. John Nesbella of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Fr. Gerard McGinnity of Ireland

Fr. Andrew Dowgiert of Miami, Florida

Fr. John Conley of San Francisco, California

Fr. Michael Madden of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Fr. Bruce Teague of Springfield, Massachusetts

The Dignity of Labor

The Dignity of Labor
by Fulton J. Sheen

The Catholic position is that working is to some extent like eating-it is a means to an end, and that end is freedom to develop oneself as a child of God and an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. As we do not live to eat, so neither do we live to work; we work to live, not only physically as the cows and camels, but spiritually as persons endowed with an intellect and a will who seek the perfection of their personalities in Him for Whom they were made.

Work is a condition of developing our personality, because through work man establishes relations with God; his neighbor; and nature. Work is a means to the salvation of our souls, the betterment of society, and the advancement of civilization.

First of all, work unites us to God. Not only by its ascetic character does it impose discipline on man by subjugations of his lower passions to order and reason; but more than that, through the intention of the worker the material universe is brought back to God. St. Paul tells us; "All are yours; you are Christ's and Christ is God's." All are yours: the rivers, the seas, the birds and beasts, the gold and steel, the earth and the fullness thereof. All belong to man, but as such they are not to be turned to his selfish ends, but to be used as a menas to lift both him and them to God through Christ. The universe is thus a kind of scaffolding up through which man climbs to the Kingdom of Heaven; It is also a kind of sacrament-a material thing used as a channel of spiritual sanctification. Flowers and trees, metal and machines are dumb and inarticulate. Flowers have no other voice than their perfume, and trees no other speech than the whispering of their leaves. Their mute gaspings need a mind and a voice to lift them out of their materility and give them utterance before the throne of God.

The man who labors does this. When he goes down into the bowels of the earth and says to the gold; "Praise ye the Lord" and hammers it into a chalice to contain the redemptive wine of Calvary, he has united himself to God in one of the noblest of human prayers. The worker in the automobile factory who adds only a screw to an engine, can, if he uses his will, make that act a prayer. If in his own mind, he says: "Propter te Domine," he has made a piece of steel a prayer, and his act will be far richer for his salvation than the carrying of a sick man for miles in the name of science. The Catholic philosophy of life is that not all the best prayers are said on our knees; some of them are said not at work but by works. And just as the flower of a garden can take an added value when plucked out of love for our mother, so a street cleaned by a worker can take an added value when done out of love for God. The kind of work we do has nothing to do with its value; its value comes from the One in whose Name it is given. A drink of cold water in His Name receives reward a hundredfold. The professor at his desk, the scientist in his laboratory, are not nobler men if they work for a salary and human glory than the bootblack or the delivery boy who did their appointed tasks not just to live, but to live for God.

There are millions of Catholics in the world today who are doing these very things, though no one except probably their confessor knows anything about it: typists who in their souls breathe the Divine Name of Jesus every time they put a sheet of paper into their typewriter; iron molders who mark with their thumbs on their great ladles the sign of the cross; night watchmen who make their rounds saying their rosary; nuns and nurses and doctors in hospitals who open sick doors to face in each sickbed in human disguise the suffering and bleeding Christ; policemen and firemen who begin their daily rounds of duties by climbing Calvary, offering its mystical renewal in the Mass as a consecration of their whole day to Christ; mothers feeding, nourishing, and watching over their children as future citizens of the Church and members of the family of the Blessed Trinityh; and athletes offering an aspiration to the Blessed Mother before their race. So the litany of historical cases might go on but of them the rest of the world is ignorant, because it has forgotten that work is not an end but first and foremost a means to the salvation of one's soul and the glory of God.

A Vicious Consensus

The National Consensus Process on Sexual Health and Researching Sexual Behavior which began in April of 2004, has concluded. You may ask what do the Alan Guttmacher Institute (research arm of Planned Parenthood), the National Organization for Women, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have in common. Apparently, after a 2 year process far too much.

Fr. Michael Place, STD (apparently a natural choice) represented the USCCB. Known for his advocacy of socialized (oops I mean universal) medicine and consistent life ethic (read the death penalty and elimination of poverty)he is now the head of the Internation Federation of Catholic Health Institutions.

Their "Consensus" included a definition of sexual health: "A state of physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and social well-being related to one's sexuality and sexual activities."

But alas,

"They said, however, that they were unable to agree on a definition of the term, "sexual orientation."

The most telling statement comes from the wisdom of the Guttmacher Institute- naturally:

"So in a way, you could say that traditional foes learned that consensus is possible and that we believe that consensus can contribute to development of a coherent public health policy," said Dr. Sharon Camp, president of the Guttmacher Institute.

Other areas which they agreed should be subjects of research are:

— The content of school-based sex education.

— Connections between violence and sexual health.

— The impact of religion on sexual practice.

— The sexual health of military personnel, persons with disabilities, prison populations and the aging.

— Barriers to parent-child communication about sexuality.

— The impact of the Internet on sexual health.

Some participants realized the problem with this program and though they began the "Process" with good intentions bailed out. The group "Concerned Women of America" released a statement about the efforts here. Focus on the Family also parted ways with the group.

So, taken for granted is that we must have school based sex education in spite of what Canon Law says, that such education is reserved to the parents. I guess that is water under the bridge with the Talking About Touching and Virtus Programs Dioceses are implementing in spite of parental protests. On every other topic that research is called for it is obvious what the agenda is- the agenda of Planned Parenthood and every other proabortion lobby that represent. Didn't the term "Consensus Project" set off a few warning bells? Didn't anyone at the USCCB think- maybe we shouldn't be involved? Apparently if anyone did show concern, those good instincts were suppressed.

"...for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14

Dr. Johnson Feels a Chill

In a recent Commonweal article entitled After the Big Chill: Intellectual Freedom & Catholic Theologians, you get the distinct feeling that someone is itching for a Vatican smackdown. Maybe it's time to change the editorial leadership of Commonweal as was done with America Magazine?

Make no mistake, Commonweal and those who subvert the Faith through its propaganda venue are the enemy, like the author of this essay, Luke Timothy Johnson, ex-priest and Benedictine monk. But sometimes it is diverting to read their angst filled entreaties. Think of it as a House of Horrors themepark ride which is a pretty good preview of what would become of the Church if they were in charge.

I've snipped a few interesting sections:

The effort by the Vatican and its allies to control theological debate reflects little trust in the capacity of theologians to criticize one another-something they have never been reluctant to do-and even less trust in the best-educated laity in Catholic history that is hungry for intellectual engagement with the faith that is not condensed and condescending. Defenders of the CDF’s actions like to say that theology is an ecclesial, not merely an academic, vocation. I agree. It is precisely because theology is done by and for the church that it requires the highest gifts of theological intelligence and imagination. Some of the best theological talent available to the church today is found outside the clergy. If these lay theologians teach in Catholic colleges or seminaries, they are placed under strict control; if they teach in Protestant or secular schools, they are largely ignored. Many in the hierarchy seem indifferent to the academic theological community, while others seem hostile to the climate of intellectual freedom that theology needs.

The problem Dr. Johnson is not that theologians are criticizing one another but that they are criticizing the hierarchy and especially the Holy Father. Nice try though. And when I read "the best-educated laity in Catholic history" I would have choked on my gum if I chewed gum. Thankfully as ladies do not chew gum, I was safe. And take this statement- some of the best theological talent available to the church (sic) today is found outside the clergy"- oh Mr. Johnson how self aggrandizing of you. I was happy to read that the theologians teaching in protestant colleges are ignored- a nice system- heretics preaching to heretics, somehow fitting.

Like Aquinas, theologians today ask hard questions in the language of our own age concerning the truth of the gospel, not in order to erode or compromise that truth, but to allow its splendor to become more powerfully manifest. Theologians of this age, as of every age, are obliged to inquire into the ways in which the structures and processes of the church itself best serve the truth of the gospel. In every age, Christians must struggle with deep intrinsic tensions that derive from the church’s peculiar and paradoxical character. On one side, there is what we might call the resurrection principle: the powerful gift of the Holy Spirit that comes from the exalted Lord Jesus and pushes believers toward transformation and growth, toward the exercise of spiritual gifts and of responsible freedom in response to the urgings of the Spirit. “The Lord is the Spirit,” declares Paul, “and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17). In Jesus, all previous human understanding of the law and prophets is transcended. And because this spirit of freedom comes from the Lord and not from humans, its exercise must ultimately be responsible to the Lord rather than to humans.

Here we have the crux of what the liberals are longing for- the ability to act freely, engaging in vice, indulging the passions, and as if that were not enough they want the seal of approval from the Church for their misdeeds. What do they mean when they talk about acting "freely in the spirit"? They aren't talking about vague, abstract theological enquiry but about impure and immoral behavior. Behavior always and everywhere condemned by the Church beginning with the New Testament.

It follows that revelation is open and ongoing in the world, specifically in human experience. If God acts in human stories, both within and outside the structures of the church, then the church’s relationship to revelation is not simply that of protector and purveyor. The church must also find a way to become an effective interpreter of God’s self-disclosure in the world. This is not a plea for the privileging of every private human experience. Not every human story reveals God. It is a plea to consider the theological implications of the millions of stories of believers (such as women and homosexuals) whom the church has persisted in regarding as “objects” to be “explained” rather than subjects, that is, persons through whose struggles the Holy Spirit speaks a word to the church.

Ahhhh, now I see. If only we had more homosexual priests and women priests- we could have God disclosing himself to the world through stories. Profound. And what are the theological implications of this as Dr. Johnson suggests- a religion that replaces divinity for humanity. We will worship our "stories" instead of the almighty God. So we replace the heroic lives of the Saints with modern day soap operas.


The Church according to the sad and troubled Dr. Johnson:

The theological impoverishment of the church today is real and if something is not changed, it will undoubtedly get worse. Perhaps it’s too much to hope that the present model of the church as household can open itself to a healthy conversation with the image of the church as the living body of the resurrected Christ, particularly if the present heads of household think that theirs is the only model that is true to revelation. But they are wrong. The alternative (and, I insist, complementary) image of the church is, if anything, truer to the good news as found in Scripture. Those of us who long for a church in which it is possible to be both smart and holy, both loyal and critical, live in hope that something of this vision may gain recognition. Still, suppose the big chill continues, through the papacy of Benedict XVI (despite our fondest hopes) and the papacies to follow. What can theologians do? They can continue to speak prophecy and to practice discernment among God’s people. What is at stake is the integrity of the church’s witness to the living God.

Here Dr. Johnson comes right out and says "the present heads of household" i.e. the hierarchy and Holy Father are wrong. 'Course it's at the end of a long essay. I suppose he saves it for the end so as not to ruin the plot for us. Consider carefully what he states- those who are holy are unintelligent and those who are loyal are dupes. Dr. Johnson ends with a call to arms (though merely theoretically speaking as liberals do not believe in violence of any kind, merely disloyalty). And have you ever noticed that the people who are constantly insisting on integrity seem to have no idea what that word really means?

Illegal Immigration and Sex Crimes

Study from www.drdsk.com

The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes
Committed by Illegal Immigrants in the United States

Copyright © 2006, Violent Crimes Institute

By Deborah Schurman-Kauflin, Ph.D. Violent Crimes Institute, Atlanta,
Georgia

Introduction:

After conducting a 12 month in-depth study of illegal immigrants who
committed sex crimes and murders for the time period of January 1999
through April 2006 , it is clear that the U.S. public faces a dangerous
threat from sex predators who cross the U.S. borders illegally.

There were 1500 cases analyzed in depth. They included: serial rapes,
serial murders, sexual homicides, and child molestation committed by
illegal immigrants. Police reports, public records, interviews with police,
and media accounts were all included. Offenders were located in 36 states,
but it is clear, that the most of the offenders were located in states with
the highest numbers of illegal immigrants. California was number one,
followed by Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, New York, and Florida.

Based on population numbers of 12,000,000 illegal immigrants and the fact
that young males make up more of this population than the general U.S.
population, sex offenders in the illegal immigrant group make up a higher
percentage. When examining ICE reports and public records, it is consistent
to find sex offenders comprising 2% of illegals apprehended. Based on this
2% figure, which is conservative, there are approximately 240,000 illegal
immigrant sex offenders in the United States.

This translates to 93 sex offenders and 12 serial sexual offenders coming
across U.S. borders illegally per day. The 1500 offenders in this study had
a total of 5,999 victims. Each sex offender averaged 4 victims. This places
the estimate for victimization numbers around 960,000 for the 88 months
examined in this study.

Victims:
Of the 1500 cases reviewed, 525 (35%) were child molestations, 358 (24%)
were rapes, and 617 (41%) were sexual homicides and serial murders. Of the
child molestations, 47% of the victims were Hispanic, 36% were Caucasian,
8% were Asian, 6% were African American, and 3% were other nationalities.
In most instances, the offenders were familiar with their victims. In fact,
82% of the victims were known to their attackers. The other 18% were
molested by strangers. In those instances, the illegal immigrants typically
gained access to the victims after having worked as a day laborer at or
near the victims’ homes. Victims ranged in age from 1 year old to 13 years
old, with the average age being 6.

In rape cases, the offenders were less likely to know their victims. Only
64% of the victims knew their attackers. Furthermore, rape victims proved
to be more diverse than child molestation victims. Hispanic and Caucasian
victims were identical at 35% each.

The next most likely victims were African American women, and other
nationalities comprised the remainder. These women suffered brutal attacks.
Commonly, a weapon was used to control the victims. These weapons were most
often sharp instruments. And the victims were beaten during the rapes over
70% of the time. Offenders engaged in sodomy in 67% of the attacks, and
gang rape took place in .007% of the cases. Rape victims ranged in age from
16-79 and averaged age 23.

Serial rapists accounted for 3% of all illegal immigrant rapists. Each
serial rapist averaged 5 victims, with the number of victims ranging from 2
to 11. Two serial rapists were confirmed HIV positive, and another offender
had a venereal disease.

The murders were the worst of the sex crimes and were especially vicious.
The most common method was for an offender to break into a residence and
ambush his victims. Not only were victims raped, but some (6%) were
mutilated. The crime scenes were very bloody, expressing intense, angry
perpetrator personalities. Specifically, most victims were blitzed,
rendered incapable of fighting back, and then raped and murdered. The most
common method of killing was bludgeoning, followed by stabbing. Caucasians
were more likely to become victims of sexual homicide committed by illegal
immigrants. Hispanics were second, and African Americans were third.
Victims of sexual homicides averaged age 42. However, victims ranged in age
from 16-81.

Serial killers accounted for .005% of the sex crimes. The serial killers
averaged 9 victims per offender. Victim choice centered on victims the
offenders did not know. Each serial killer targeted men and women, but
females were higher, making up 73%. Illegal immigrant serial killers were
more likely to strike in the West and the Southern United States.

Victim socioeconomic status changed for each type of crime. Those who fell
victim to child molestation tended to be from a lower socioeconomic status
than those who were raped and those who were raped and murdered. In fact,
57% of those rape/murdered were from the upper middle class.

There was an especially disturbing finding that in 22% of all sex crimes
committed by illegal immigrants, victims with physical and mental
disabilities were targeted. These disabled victims were each under age 18.
In those cases, the perpetrators knew their victims.

Offenders:
The average age of illegal immigrants who were sex offenders was 27, but
they ranged in age from 16-69. Child molesters tended to be older,
averaging age 32. The average age of rapists was 26, and murderers averaged
age 28. There is a trend that these offenders are becoming younger. For
example, in 2006, the average age of sex offender illegal immigrants was
20. The highest number came from Mexico. El Salvador was the original home
to the next highest number of sexual offenders. Other countries of origin
included: Brazil, China, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua,
Puerto Rico, Russia, and Vietnam.

They averaged 4 victims per offender. Nearly 63% had been deported on
another offense prior to the sex crime. There was an average of 3 years of
committing crimes such as DUI, assaults, or drug related offenses prior to
being apprehended for a sexual offense.

Alcohol and drug use seemingly played a large role in these crimes. In
fact, 81% of offenders were drinking or using drugs prior to offending.
Rapists and killers were more likely to use alcohol and drugs consistently
than child molesters.

Offenders had the use of a vehicle in 78% of the cases. However, the
vehicles were only owned by those offenders 54% of the time. In the other
instances, the offenders either borrowed or stole the vehicle.

Many offenders were unkempt in appearance and worked with their hands. They
were transient in that they went where work took them. Therefore, only 25%
were stable within a community. Further, in 31% of the crimes, the
offenders entered into the communities where they offended within 2 months
of the commission of their sex offenses. However, many, 79%, had been in
the U.S. for more than one year before being arrested for a sex crime, and
they were typically known to the Criminal Justice system for prior, less
serious offenses before they molested, raped, or murdered.

There was a trend to be single while offending, as only 23% were married at
the time of their crimes. Most were known to date quite a bit and have
derogatory views of females. Domestic violence was common as well, as
nearly half of those with spouses or significant others had a history of
domestic abuse.

Nearly 35% were considered religious and even more, 59% had been raised in
a religious home. Their work consisted of manual labor in industries such
as agriculture, construction, restaurant, and tourism. Residences were
rented and usually shared with several other illegal immigrants. Many were
partially bi-lingual with a preference for their native languages.

Education levels were typically low. Only 22% had graduated high school. As
such, there was a pattern of irresponsible, impulsive behavior in offender
backgrounds. Solutions to their problems entailed moving, i.e. running
away. Most simply ran to the southern U.S. border after being connected
with their sex offenses.

Conclusions:
Illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes first cross the U.S. border
illegally. Then they gradually commit worse crimes and are continually
released back into society or deported. Those who were deported simply
returned illegally again. Only 2% of the offenders in this study has no
history of criminal behavior, beyond crossing the border illegally. There
is a clear pattern of criminal escalation. From misdemeanors such as
assault or DUI, to drug offenses, illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes
break U.S. laws repeatedly. They are highly mobile, work in low skilled
jobs with their hands, use drugs and alcohol, are generally promiscuous,
have little family stability, and choose victims who are easy to attack.
Their attacks are particularly brutal, and they use a hands-on method of
controlling and/or killing their victims.

Note: Nearly 30% of the victims were illegal immigrants themselves.The
remainder were U.S. citizens.

Obedient to God or Man?

Lest you fear that priests are no longer preaching about mortal sin. Let me reassure you.

Fr. Tran:

Kneeling "is clearly rebellion, grave disobedience and mortal sin," Father Martin Tran, pastor at St. Mary's by the Sea, told his flock in a recent church bulletin. The Diocese of Orange backs Tran's anti-kneeling edict.

But the parishoners say:

Kneeling is an act of adoration. You almost automatically kneel because you're so used to it. Now the priest says we should stand, but we all just ignore him.

Judith M. Clark, 68

The Experts who you can always count on to get it wrong:

Because the earliest Christians viewed Jesus as God and man, Madden said, they generally stood during worship services to show reverence and equality. About the 7th century, however, Catholic theologians put more emphasis on Christ's divinity and introduced kneeling as the only appropriate posture at points in the Mass when God was believed to be present.

Things started to change in the 1960s, Madden said, when Vatican II began moving the church back to its earliest roots. What has ensued, he said, is the predictable struggle of an institution revising centuries of religious practices.

The heresy of antiquarianism trotted out so predictably to justify destroying people's faith.

I'm waiting for this one to go all the way to Rome.

The Terrible Truth Exposed

Representative Ted Harvey, Colorado State Legislature

To all interested parties,

I want to share with you an awesome experience I recently had in the
Colorado House of Representatives. It is a humbling experience to look
back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine
orchestration. As I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat
Speaker of the House mentioned that the coming Monday would be the final
day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were
still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be
addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically
mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being
carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th
anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would
pass a resolution honoring this 90 year legacy of genocide. I drove home
that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness
during the debate on this heinous resolution. On Saturday morning I took my eight-year-old son up to the mountains to go white water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home,exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization.

One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks
earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head
over. After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the
keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped
young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a
guitar. Her name was Gianna Jessen.

Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most
beautiful Christian songs that I have ever heard.She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and 7 ½ months pregnant she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful two-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong. Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.

As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony the Lord inspired me to ask
her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could
introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she
could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's
national anthem! To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitar player to stay as well. A lady
standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our
conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the
guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.
As I was driving home from the banquet my cell phone rang. It was Gianna
and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise
God! When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6:00 to write my speech before
heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words I could sense God's
help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the
pro-life movement. Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House Chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and
the pledge of allegiance I wrote a quick note to the Speaker of the House
explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note
to the Speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of
session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the
Speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative
Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the National
Anthem."

Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner that
you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was
completely still, quiet, and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.
Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly
after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I
could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she
forgot the words and began to hum and said, "Please forgive me I am so
nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member
and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to
give her encouragement and lift her up.
As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of
Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had
chills running all over my body and I knew that I had just witnessed an
act of God. As the song concluded the Speaker of the House explained that Gianna has
cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let
us give her a hand not only for her performance today but also for her
advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into
applause.she had them all in the palm of her hand.

The Speaker then called the House to order and we proceeded as usual to
allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For
dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I
introduced Gianna. As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to
pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial
moments of my political career.

While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver
newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured
the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever
heard before. Finally, I was the last person remaining, so I proceeded to the
microphone and began my speech: "Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of mine-- her name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from
Nashville, Tennessee where she is an accomplished recording artist.
She has cerebral palsy and was raised in foster homes before being
adopted at the age of four. She was born prematurely and weighed only two pounds at birth. She remained in the hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she
had a great will to live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she
was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care.
Because of her cerebral palsy her foster mother was told that it was
doubtful that she would ever crawl or walk. She could not sit up
independently. Through the prayers and dedication of her foster mother,
she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly before her
fourth birthday she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.
She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries,
she was able to walk without assistance.

She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall
gracefully after falling for 29 years. Two years ago she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she can leg press 200 pounds. She became so physically fit that she began running marathons to raise money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just returned last week from England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took her over 8 ½ hrs to complete. They were taking down the course by the time she made it to the finish line. But she made it none the less. With bloody feet and aching
joints she finished the race.

Members would you help me recognize a modern day hero. Gianna Jessen?
At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15 to
20 seconds.Gianna had touched their souls. Ironically, Alice Madden the Majority Leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood Resolution walked over to Gianna and gave her a hug. As the applause began to die down I raised my hand to be recognized one more time. "Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I
would appreciate your time.

My name is Ted Harvey not Paul Harvey but please let me tell you the rest
of the story. The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological
freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother. You see when her biological mother was 17 years old and 7 ½ months pregnant she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb which the fetus is then bathed in and
swallows which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and
out. Within 24 hrs the results are normally an induced still-born
abortion.

As Gianna can testify the procedure is not always 100% effective. Gianna
is an aborted late term fetus that was born alive. The high concentration
of saline in the womb for 24 hrs resulted in a lack of oxygen to her
brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy. Members, today we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood,"
BANG! The gavel came down. Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech.The climax of the morning.The Speaker of the House gaveled me down and said,
"Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction
but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the
House."

At which point I said,"Mr. Speaker I understand, I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today". Silence.Deafening silence. I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me.they were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the legislature for five tough years and this made it all worthwhile. The House Majority Leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.
Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we
touched her soul? She could hug an inspirational cerebral palsy victim
and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she
hugged was also an abortion survivor. The headline in the Denver Post the next day read Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke. The Majority Leader is quoted as saying "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics,"
Yes Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when
she was in her mother's womb and she was when she sang the National
Anthem on the Floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.
The paper went on to quote Gianna Jessen, stating she was glad Harvey
told her story.

"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up
for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's
rights, where were my rights?" Leslie Hanks, one of the matriarchs of the pro-life movement in Colorado, was in the House Chamber that morning and told me that it was the single greatest moment she had witnessed in the State Legislature in the 20
years that she'd been lobbying in the Capitol. All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In His service,
Ted Harvey
Assistant Minority Leader
Colorado House of Representatives



Miss Gianna Jessen

O'Malley Forces Resignation of CEO, Finally

Cardinal O'Malley is beset once again with problems. At least this time isn't not the clergy. The President of Caritas Cristi, the hospital system, is a serial sexual harasser. The Cardinal's first instinct was a slap on the wrist and the pervert keeps his job. Maybe it was hoped that this would keep the story out of the press and demoralize any accusers, thereby discouraging them from bringing a lawsuit. When the head of Human Resources got wind of it her dismay provided the perfect angle for the Boston Globe. "The Cardinal hates women" second only in popularity to "The Cardinal protects sex abusers".

The whole article can be read here. Faced with protests and negative publicity the Cardinal changed course and the Haddad resigned taking 10 months severance.

This case illustrates the difference between men and women and how they make decisions and how pressure is being brought to bear on O'Malley to make decisions the way women do. Women make decisions by consensus. We like to poll our trusted friends and relatives and form a judgment based on what we hear. Men (traditionally) make decisions unilaterally. It's called leadership. I will be the first to point out that the decisions they make are not always infallible but it doesn't matter. If they mean well and are honorable they will be effective and the results will be good. This inspires trust.

But feminists don't want that- male leadership. That is, to them, anathema. So the pressure has been brought to bear on O'Malley before- everytime he has caved in-
1. When he attempted to continue the practice of washing the feet of men on Holy Thursday. A little pressure was brought to bear and he capitulated.
2. When Feminism was called an evil- he was denounced. He acquiesced and then apologized.
3. The latest firing decision. And while I support the decision to fire Haddad, it is a dangerous pattern to go with public opinion especially when it really isn't the public opinion as much as that opinion which the press is manufacturing.

It is disconcerting to find that public opinion, a desire to avoid future lawsuits and pandering to women are the criteria that are shaping O'Malley's leadership. O'Malley strives for humility in keeping with his Franciscan charism. But someone needs to explain to him that humility is not the absence of leadership.

The Ascension of Our Lord

"Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth; go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, even to the consummation of the world."
Matthew 28:18-20

Faith, Football and Formation: And When It All Comes Together

Ben Kessler, "Tommie of the Year" gave a Commencement address at his graduation from St. Thomas University in Minneapolis a few days ago. Seems he upset a few people. Which is why he attracted our attention.

Who is Ben Kessler? Ben is a Seminarian who also happens to play college football as Defensive Tackle for the University. He graduated from the Seminary program with a 4.0 gpa majoring in Philosophy and Business. He will attend the Pontifical College in Rome for his studies next year.

During the speech Kessler referenced some controversial events of the prior school year. First he mentioned a food fight at the Spring formal that became so out of control that Security had to be called to restore order. Next the University had to institute a Travel Policy that prohibited unmarried school employees from sharing hotel rooms on trips because of the rank scandal that existed. In both cases he said that the people involved had acted selfishly. And then the real outrage- he said that women who use birth control are selfish.

The reaction- people booed. People walked out. Thomas Rochon, the University Chief Academic Officer followed his remarks by saying that "it takes courage to express your convictions." Oh, how Mr. Rochon will pay for that remark I'm afraid.

The fallout- the University President, Fr. Dennis Dease is doing damage control. He has disavowed the speech and said that "it was inappropriate for Kessler to express his opinions." Now this is where I have a problem- they were HIS opinions- they were, they are the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. (Right Fr. Dease?)

I regret that it seems that Kessler has apologized for his remarks in that they offended some people. I would have told him never apologize when you haven't done anything wrong. How will Mr. Kessler fare in the seminary? I fear, not well. I fear he will be called "unpastoral". I fear he will be called opinionated and I fear he will be found rigid. And I hope he retains all those qualities and is ordained as soon as possible. We want some mo' ! We want some mo'! (from Remember the Titans).

To read more articles about Ben Kessler go here and here. Better yet, print them out for your sons to read. If you want to congratulate Ben Kessler on his graduation and his graduation speech you can contact him at bckessler@stthomas.edu.

Randall Terry, now Catholic

I have been notified by Mr. Joseph Landry, an associate of Randall Terry, that he has, in fact received an annullment for his 19 year marriage to Cindy Terry.

I appreciate the correction.




Randall Terry, former president of Operation Rescue has entered the Catholic Church. The National Catholic Register has this article which provides some depth.

A brief timeline of his life:

1987 Terry, an evangelical christian, arrested for the first time in Atlanta. Operation Rescue begins and results in 70,000 arrests protesting abortion. Joe Scheidler, Catholic prolife activist says that Randall Terry must have read his book, published in 1985 called "99 Ways to Stop Abortion" because in Chapter 3, rescue is described.

1998 Terry runs for Congress in New York State. Loses badly. Meets his new girlfriend a younger campaign aide and leaves his wife of 19 years Cindy and their 5 children.

1999 Divorces Cindy and is censured and excommunicated by his church.

2000 Remarries and moves to Nashville to record 2 music albums.

2001-2003 Fights homosexual marriage in Vermont and Hawaii. Founds Society for Truth and Justice.

2004 His son Jamiel writes an article stating he is Randall Terry's son and he is gay for Out Magazine. Maya Keyes, daughter of Alan Keyes also declares that she is gay.

Alan Keyes sends out a fundraising letter (I received one) asking for money for Randall Terry. He buys a 2 story house in Florida that he calls the house that Alan Keyes built.

2005 Terry protests starvation of Terri Schiavo and decides to run for Congress in Florida.

2006 Terry converts to the Catholic Faith.

Problems:

Terry's first marriage has not been annulled. He "understands" it was an invalid sacrament. Whatever.

When I first heard of this- the free association went like this:

Florida- Ave Maria College- Tom Monaghan- Catholic deep pockets.

I hope I'm wrong. But I can't help but be a little cynical. Randall Terry has been a lot of places and done a lot of things. I hope the Catholic Church isn't just one of them.

Attachment Parenting: A Critical View

Attachment Parenting, according to a few experts it is the best way of parenting and results in happy children and devoted parents. I haven't seen it. Having known too many children raised with "Attachment Parenting" and seeing their resentful parents who are dealing with hostile, insecure children, it is easy to see where the errors in attachment parenting lie.

It is a difficult topic to discuss because if you are against AP, you are a "detached", uncaring, selfish parent. If your child is expected to sleep alone in their own bed and God forbid in their own room, they are said to be in a state of "learned helplessness". The propaganda is powerful and appeal to the emotions. AP is all about "feelings". Feeling good about yourself as a parent and making your baby or child feel good. Anything difficult or hard is to be avoided. You could call it the novus ordization of parenting.

But what is Attachment Parenting?:

1. "Baby wearing" or carrying your child in a sling for most of their waking moments.
2. Extended breastfeeding until the child self weans. This can means years. Some children are breastfed until the age of 6 or 7. If a new baby comes along both children are breastfed called tandem nursing.
3. Co-sleeping, the family bed. The children who want to (and who wouldn't?) sleep in bed with Mom and Dad for as long as they want to - oops I mean need to.
4. No spanking, for any reason and at any time.

The biggest promoters of this method of parenting are Dr. William Sears, and Catholic author and social worker, Gregory Popcak. Mr. Popcak on his blog, Heart, Mind, Strength asked for comments about AP. He has declared that empirically AP is the best method of parenting. As we corresponded, Mr. Popcak expressed astonishment that anyone could oppose or argue with AP and questioned if deep down I was not as happy as I said I was and was protesting too much. He attempted that old trick, if you disagree with me you must be crazy. Maybe a child raised through AP would have fallen for that but unlike most people Mr. Popcak deals with I have a little more confidence than that.

What happens with Attachment Parenting?:

Physically, Mom and Dad are exhausted and soon become resentful and frustrated. They never get enough sleep because the children are sleeping with them. The children never get enough sleep because everyone is tossing and turning all night. The day begins with everyone cranky and overtired, and goes downhill from there. The parents never spend any time alone because the "needs" of the children come first. Mom is breastfeeding one or more children for years. The constant exposure to breast milk can cause dental caries in children. Two of my friends who practiced extended breastfeeding and co-sleeping had to have their toddler's front teeth pulled because they had rotted. Wearing a child (what a dehumanizing concept as if a child were an accessory!) causes physical delays. One mother became concerned when her 22 month old did not walk or speak. He required occupational therapy and speech therapy. Being carried in a sling, in a zombie like state, reduced his opportunities for tactile experiences and physical exertion. Though he never cried (why would he?) he was being neglected, though quite unintentionally.

The parents resort to NFP to delay or forgo any further parenting. How can they possibly be open to life when they are completely overwhelmed? And besides if it is all about "feeling good", having another baby just doesn't meet that criteria. The result is smaller families, fewer children and selfishness is reinforced.

Emotionally, the child learns that the whole world revolves around him. He never learns self control, self denial, coping mechanisms or independence. Implicitly he is being told that he is incapable. Naturally he feels his parents' resentment. Emotionally the marriage suffers because Mom is totally wrapped up in her children. They occupy the master bedroom while Dad is left to fend for himself. Sometimes even resulting in the Dad in the basement syndrome that this author discusses.

What you have is the appeasement and indulgence of children as a parenting method. Though it sounds so compassionate, much like liberalism, its results are extremely hostile, selfish and insecure children. I don't know about you but I have never met an hostile, selfish and insecure person who managed to be happy. The "experts" mistake contentment or physical satisfaction for joy. AP parents teach their children to avoid all pain, inconvenience and discontent. Christianity is the antidote for this though that would require thinking rather than just feeling.

If we are raising saints, missionaries and martyrs, children must learn sacrifice, austerity, self control, self denial and responsibility. Are we raising saints or consumers? Catholics or pagans? A child has needs but those needs must be distinguished from wants. AP tells us that any "want" a child expresses is really a need and the parents have to respond accordingly. Does this sound like a role reversal? The wisdom of the innocents must be listened to by the adults? So we repudiate what parents know is correct in favor of what a 2 year old thinks he needs. And we repudiate generations of parenting.

To be a good parent- listen to your parents, your grandparents and learn what works. Learn what actually produces happy, well adjusted, confident and unselfish children. You can see the results. You know the children as adults. That is success. When we adopt AP we think back on all the "mistakes" our parents made. We become self pitying, ungrateful little wretches. The world doesn't need any more of those. There are enough liberal democrats.

"Too many parents make life hard for their children by trying too zealously, to make it too easy for them." Goethe

May Procession and Crowning 2006

Saint Benedict Center
Still River, Massachusetts










Bring flowers of the fairest,
Bring flowers of the rarest,
From garden and woodland and hillside and dale.
Our full hearts are swelling,
Our glad voices telling,
The praise of the loveliest Rose of the vale.

For more pictures of the procession go to Section Seven.

Vatican Press Office Communique

Here it is.

Fr. Marcial, founder of the Legionnaires and Regnum Cristi, is suspended from public ministry. Taking into account his advanced age, he is 86, he has not been laicized.

Regainnetwork.org is a group that helps former members of the Legionaires and Regnum Cristi who have suffered as a result of their involvement in the group.

Fr. Maciel, founder of Legionnaires on Restricted Ministry

Read on Whispers.

Interpreted as an acknowledgement that at least some of the accusations are well founded.

This judgment is long overdue and yet I am very sorry for the good priests and laypeople involved with the Legionnaires and Regnum Cristi, though I continue to be wary of them.

John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter broke the story.

From the Reporter:

"After the case was reopened in 2004, the congregation's promoter of justice, Maltese Msgr. Charles Scicluna, began to collect additional testimony. Sources told NCR that the eventual number of accusers who came forward against Maciel was "more than 20, but less than 100."

Washington Gets Wuerl

Bishop (soon to be Cardinal) Wuerl has been named as the replacement for the retiring Cardinal McCarrick of the Diocese of Washington, D.C. Being the seat of the Nation's capitol in some ways it could be said that this is the most prestigious and influential Bishopric in the country. Naturally with that amount of power comes massive responsibility.

Bishop Wuerl is a big believer in collegiality. Collegiality has become on of those "uh-oh" words. It signals a horizontal model of liberal leadership rather than hierarchical. And on no issue is this approach more flawed than on the matter of abortion. During the 2004 Presidential election, Senator John Kerry, a self professed Catholic who supports abortion anytime and anyplace without restriction, was censured by a few (way too few) Bishops; Bishops who stated publicly that if John Kerry presented himself for Holy Communion he would be denied.

However the liberal Bishops sought to find a way to protest that though they say they are prolife they do not expect John Kerry to be prolife. That would be asking Way Too Much. After all Senator Kerry is from Boston (and France)and we have transcended all that sentimentality here and do not tolerate Catholicism in our politicians.

Cardinal McCarrick first spun a document from the Vatican that declared proabortion politicans should not be given Holy Communion and concluded that it said the exact opposite. Unfortunately, McCarrick was not alone in this approach. His willing accomplice was Bishop Wuerl. In this letter on the subject, Wuerl states the following:

Refusal of Communion implies, according to applicable Church law, that the person who is not admitted to Holy Communiion is one who is excommunicated or interdicted, or obstinately persisting in manifest grave sin. (cfC915)

Seems to me that that is the very basis for refusing Communion to proabortion politicians. But then Wuerl parses and parses some more. I think he will be a natural in Washington.

Given the long standing practice of not making a public judgment about the state of the soul of those who present themselves for Holy Communion, it does not seem that it is sufficiently clear that in the matter of voting for legislation that supports abortion such a judgment necessarily follows. The pastoral tradition of the Church places the responsibility of such a judgment first on those presenting themselves for Holy Communion.

Don't understand that conclusion? Well, no one does because it doesn't make any sense. Ever courageously, Wuerl goes on to state that there may be Other Sanctions. He proposes:

- Proabortion politicians being made unwelcome at Catholic Colleges
- Proabortion politicians not receiving honorary degrees and awards from Catholic colleges, and
- Proabortion politicians being barred from using Catholic facilities.


Guess that didn't work out too well.

Bishop Wuerl proposes a "national collegial" approach:

"One such approach would be an actual mechanism of the conference to facilitate some consensus and unified pastoral practice," he said. "Another approach, which would be less formal but perhaps more effective, would be the commitment on the part of all the bishops to discuss beforehand, through some conference structure, decisions that will impact all of the bishops and the church as a whole."

He said a formal mechanism of review by the conference before barring a politician from Communion would require either a two-thirds vote of the bishops and a mandate from the Vatican or a completely unanimous decision by the bishops.

This would effectively tie the hands of any Bishop who wanted to correct anyone. And I guess that is the goal. Silence the few courageous bishops and our opposition to abortion becomes merely rhetorical and theoretical. Afterall it's not as if babies are really dying or anything. Oh, right, I guess they are.

Bishops Rule Parents Can Avoid Religion Class Sex Ed

Does it seem like this isn't getting any coverage? Hmmmm. From the Catholic News Service.

Parents allowed to remove children from sex abuse training programs

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- New regulations issued May 15 by the U.S. bishops allow parents to remove their children from diocesan-sponsored training programs in child sex abuse prevention. The programs are part of the bishops' policies to prevent child sex abuse. But parents in some dioceses have objected to such programs, saying the training constitutes sex education, which they feel is the primary responsibility of the parents. Dioceses and Eastern-rite eparchies are required to provide the training -- known as safe environment programs -- to children attending church-run schools and those who participate in church programs. Such training is also required for clergy, religious, lay employees, parents and volunteers who come in contact with children. Under the new regulations adopted by the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee, dioceses and eparchies are still required to provide the safe environment programs. Parents, however, can choose not to have their children participate

.

Isn't it nice of the bishops to "allow" parents to protect their children from sex ed programs? Not really since it is the parents' right under Canon Law to protect their children from sex ed. The word on these programs was that NO ONE could opt out. No question the Sacraments will be used as a bargaining chip by the Dioceses in an attempt to force compliance but hopefully parents will stand strong and not fall for it.

Asta la Vista Baby

Isn't it funny that some people know when it's time to say goodbye?



And some people don't?

Cardinal Pell Gets It

photo of Cardinal Pell blessing the juventum pilgrims at World Youth Day.

In this article Cardinal Pell explains the value and meaning of celibacy. The definition of the meaning is apparently necessary because a large number of priests "decided" in the 60s and 70s that immoral acts between persons of the same sex did not violate the vow of celibacy. I don't know whether to call that wishful thinking or intentionall idiocy. I suppose either definition is appropriate.

And this quote made me laugh:

Marriage and family life are the basis of all civilization, but they can fluctuate between heaven and hell and always take hard work, time and energy.

Truer words were never spoken. And they say priests don't understand married life- ha! I think that sums it up pretty well. Heaven and hell baby, heaven and hell.

The Sacred Weblog of the Universal Inquisition: The Closing of the Council of Trent

The Sacred Weblog of the Universal Inquisition: The Closing of the Council of Trent

Colombian Bishops Decry Crime of Abortion

Cardinal Rubiano is determined not to make the mistake that the American bishops made when abortion was being legalized here. That was to do nothing.

Bogotá, May. 12, 2006 (CNA) - In response to a ruling by Colombia’s Constitutional Court making the country the first in Latin America to legalize abortion, the country’s bishops said Thursday that civil disobedience may be necessary to resist the new immoral law. Likewise, Bogotá’s Archbishop, Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Saenz is threatening excommunication against the responsible lawmakers.

The president of the Bishops’ Conference of Colombia, Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro, rejected the Court’s decision to legalize abortion in certain cases and said it was a crime against human life. “A door is being opened toward the elimination of the innocent lives of so many children who will not be allowed to live, we have always said this is wrong,” the archbishop said.

“We continue to say that this is an act against the life of the unborn and it is immoral.”

Likewise, Cardinal Rubiano told Columbia’s El Tiempo newspaper that “all those who commit the crime, the sin of abortion, will be excommunicated immediately."

“This applies as well to those who foster or assist abortion,” he added, insinuating that the justices who passed the ruling to allow abortion in some cases, might be included in this excommunication, without mentioning them explicitly.

Cardinal Rubiano lamented that the justices did “open the door” for a broader legalization of abortion. “Draw your own conclusions,” he added, stressing that abortion is “a deliberate murder in the womb of the mother.”

For his part, Archbishop Castro said that “We must have a two-fold perspective, that is, to see the situation of the mother and help her in every way, but also look after the child, because nobody does it…Nobody looks after the baby, there is no consideration for a child that has been conceived, who tries to move forward in this world but has his possibilities cut off.”

The archbishop noted that in the conception through rape, “the child is innocent…the criminal should be punished and put in jail for a longtime, but the child should not have to pay for the sins of another. He is an innocent baby. In this sense we defend the life of the baby as well.”

While Archbishop Castro underscored that a child conceived through rape is “the result of a deplorable action,” he emphasized that what exists in the mother’s womb is a child who committed no crime. Many women who have conceived through rape, he noted, “accept their babies because they understand that the child is one thing, and the person responsible for the rape is another.”

The bishops of Tunja and Engativa decried the Justices for taking the easy way out and they noted that “not everything that is legal is moral.” They said Colombians should question the legitimacy of the ruling.

“It is sad that the Justices have chosen the easy way, which is the path to crime,” said Bishop Hector Gutierrez Pabon of Engativa. “In the Catholic Church, there is no such thing as a first, second or third class citizen and it should be this way also in society.”

“Many people will think that because it is legal it is okay. No! What is legal is not always morally licit,” he added.

Families Fear Life

Though it should be obvious and I'm tired of repeating it, having children is a good thing. An understatement you say? Not when you are fighting the forces of the culture which puts material goods, freedom, physical comfort and self actualization ahead of bringing children into the world. Or as one friend put it, cooperating with God to bring forth an immortal soul. And it cannot be said often enough when you are fighting the imposition of anti-child attitudes from Catholics who should know better.

Immortal, get that? Not a 2 week paycheck that you blow on clothes or a vacation, not a new car that loses 20% of its value when you drive it off the lot, not even a perfect figure. There I've said it. Having a baby is even better than having a perfect figure.

Seems the Holy Father agrees with me. From Zenit today:

"The historic moment we are living calls for Christian families to attest with courageous coherence that procreation is the fruit of love," said the Pontiff.

and

"At times it seems families are besieged by fear in the face of life, paternity and maternity," Benedict XVI continued. "It is necessary to give back confidence to them so that they can continue to fulfill their noble mission of procreation in love."

Desperate Feminist Wives

In this article by Meghan O'Rourke from The Slate a sociological study is examined that claims that women who are "progressive" (make that liberal) have more trouble being happy in their marriages. The conclusion- liberal women are too hard on their husbands and they make it difficult for their husbands to be happy. So, in a strange way, a way that would be anathema to liberal women, you could claim that women who make their husbands happy- by not nagging them, not having unreasonable expectations, appreciating their husband's work, and tolerating their gender differences will be happy themselves. Isn't it amazing how it still takes millions of dollars and all manner of sociological studies to reaffirm Christianity all over again?

From the article:

The sexual revolution tried to free women and men from set-in-stone roles. But the irony turns out to be that having a degree of certainty about what you want (and being in a peer group that feels the same way) is helpful in making people happy. Having more choices about what you want makes you less likely to be happy with whatever choice you end up settling on. Choosing among six brands of jam is easy. But consumers presented with 24 types often leave the supermarket without making a purchase. In much the same way, the more you scrutinize a relationship, the more likely you are to find fault with it. The study's authors, W. Bradford Wilcox and Steven Nock, speculate that fault-finding on the part of wives makes it hard for men to do the emotional work that stabilizes marriages. Meanwhile, traditionalist women—a significant portion of whom are Christian—expect less emotional work from their husbands, Wilcox and Nock speculate, which makes it easier for them to shake off frustrations, and less likely to nag. Whether or not any of this is the case, we do know that traditional marriages have the advantage of offering clearly defined roles. And traditionalist wives have a peer group fundamentally in agreement about what it wants and expects from husbands, creating a built-in support system.

And:

Consider the evidence that evangelical women—who in general endorse traditional gender roles—are better at adjusting psychologically to situations they don't find ideal than feminists are. Studies of evangelical wives who have to work for financial reasons show that, as rigid as gender roles are in their community, women are fairly adept at being what sociologist Sally Gallagher calls "pragmatically egalitarian." That is, they continue to be happy with the division of labor, and to see their husbands as providers, even though they'd prefer to be at home. It's a kind of utilitarian double-think, Gallagher and others argue—and it helps explain why traditionalist women who work might consider themselves happier than feminists who are still struggling to feel secure in their decisions.

Rick Santorum Sanitizes Stem Cells

In this article, it appears that Rick Santorum has once again compromised his pro life beliefs (if he ever held any) in an effort to win re-election. Two years ago he campaigned for and endorsed proabortion Arlen Specter. Now Santorum is running against Bob Casey, Jr. a prolife Democrat- if there is such a thing.

The stem cell legislation:

U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) yesterday called for federal funding of research that would involve creating an altered human embryo [kind of like a baby Frankenstein]- one that could yield precious stem cells but not implant in a uterus.

snip-

"There are some who believe that... there is controversy around these new entities - these collections of cells - as to whether it is an embryo or not," [there are some- wow it almost sounds like he is talking about other people]Santorum said during a news conference at the University of Pennsylvania. "I feel comfortable, given all of the conversations I have had with a number of bioethicists, that these are appropriate steps to take."

Well ya know what Rick. I don't feel at all "comfortable" because I don't trust you. You had no problem setting aside your prolife beliefs to campaign for the Specter of death and now you have no problem finding a way to support stem cell research- killing babies earlier is what it amounts to.

snip-

But yesterday, Santorum came out in favor of another "attempt to bridge the gap," namely the 2005 report by the President's Council on Bioethics. This report outlines what it calls "ethically uncontroversial" concepts for getting embryonic stem cells - including creating an embryo engineered so that it could not keep growing.[why don't we take people who are dwarfs and experiment on them and kill them because they are unable to keep growing? Idiots.]

"I think Sen. Specter would say [the bill] is not exactly what he wanted. And it raised some concerns for me," Santorum said. "Both of us have compromised."

Compromised, sold out, reneged, capitulated, lied, there are so many verbs to express what you have done but it all comes down to the same thing- you blew it in the name of expediency.

snip-

Yesterday, lead researcher Rudolph Jaenisch of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Mass., said he was glad that his experiment is spurring legislative debate aimed at funding an acceptable compromise. But at the International Center for Technology Assessment, which neither advocates nor opposes embryonic stem-cell research, bioethicist Jaydee Hanson said making "defective embryos" is no solution.

"Simply redefining something as 'not an embryo' doesn't make it not an embryo," he said.

The other novel approach for obtaining embryonic stem cells involved removing a single cell, called a blastomere, from an eight-cell mouse embryo. Cambridge, Mass., stem-cell researcher Robert Lanza tricked the blastomere into becoming an embryonic stem cell, while the embryo was implanted and developed normally in a mouse. But since a single human blastomere is theoretically able to develop into an embryo, this method, too, raises ethical questions about what constitutes a human life.

Exactly right, Mr. Hanson. Redefining life, is not going to help you Senator Santorum, cooperating with the Specter of death is not going to help you, and prolifers are not going to help you. We are so done with you so just take your pansy good looks and go back to wherever you came from. Even worse than a proabort is someone who pretends to be prolife, promotes himself as prolife, lies to his constituents and supporters while cooperating with evil.

Fr. Robert Altier's New Assignment

According to Spirit Daily, Fr. Robert Altier has been assigned to the Regina Medical Center. It is well known that when a priest has lost favor with the bishop he is relegated to the nursing home, hospital chaplaincy or prison ministry. Fr. Altier's crime was opposing the diocesan sex education program called Virtus. The program is supposed to be to protect children from sexual abuse. Seems these days you can get silenced and suspended for opposing the sex abuse of children (via sex ed) faster than you can get silenced and suspended for actually abusing children. Disturbing.

Now that Fr. Altier's radio ministry has been shut down and he will no longer be giving sermons in public, someone very helpful has been posting links to his homilies here in the comments section. It appears that the homilies of Fr. Altier are available from 2001 to 2005.

Red Cross Wants Homosexuals to Give Blood

Dr. D.F. Joseph sent me this note saying that the Red Cross had petitioned the FDA to allow them to receive blood donations from homosexual men. I was relieved to find that their petition had been rejected but then I read this:

FDA medical officer Andrew Dayton asked the Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC) whether it was prudent to change the donor deferral policy to ban only men who disclosed having sex with another man within the last five years. Dayton and his colleagues analyzed the projected risk that relaxing the donor deferral rule would have on the nation's blood supply and presented the committee with this data. After much deliberation, the BPAC members voted 7 to 6 to maintain the current deferral policy.

By a vote of 7 to 6. So you know what that means- it's coming.

Even more alarming:

The serological tests routinely performed on all donated blood to detect HIV and other blood-borne viruses are sensitive enough to prevent all but about 10 HIV-infected units from entering the blood supply each year, said Dr. Michael Busch of the University of California-San Francisco. The infected blood that does defy the rigorous testing protocol causes two to three HIV infections each year, he said.

So, ten HIV infected units enter the blood supply each year and 2 to 3 cases of HIV result. Frightening.

For Anyone Prolife....

This story: NSA has Massive Database of Americans' Phone Calls is just NOT news.