Iona Catholic

Spanish leftists oppose abortion and slam "socialists"

2009-04-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Left wing Spanish political group, Solidarity, has issued a press release explaining that its ideology has led it to defend the right to life of the unborn from conception to natural death, in clear opposition to abortion.
In its statement, Solidarity said, "We are socialists and we oppose abortion and its legalisation. We oppose all attacks on life: the death penalty, torture, hunger, the arms race, war, slavery," Catholic News Agency reports.

The group called abortion "an odious act of violence carried out against the unborn and against mothers."

"With such a 'pseudo-progressive' measure as abortion advocacy a so-called socialist party, headed by Zapatero, has explicitly put forward a neoliberal political and economic capitalist program," the statement said.

The statement later indicated that "the womb of the mother should be the most protected place in nature. Society must also protect children and mothers before and after birth."

One of the members of the group, Jesus Berenger, 41, explained, "I am part of the left and the left before used to defend life, the weakest, but now the parties are driven by their interests. I defend the dignity of the person. I am against hunger, exploitation and abortion, which is murder."

Ordination of five new Franciscans of the Immaculate

2009-03-27T02:24:00.000-07:00

Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, on March 25 celebrated Pontifical Mass in the usus antiquior and ordained five priests for the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI) in the church of St. Francis in Tarquinia (a small town in Latium). H/T NLM

British Museum finds relics of 39 saints after 100 years

2009-03-27T02:20:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful video on the Guardian site showing that the British Museum has found relics of 39 saints after 100 years
Discovery made by curator when 12th-century German portable altar was opened for the first time.
Recommend this.

Obama’s Embryonic Stem-Cell Order: “Cannibalization of Human Beings”

2009-03-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

Judie Brown, President of American Life League, responding to President Obama’s executive order releasing federal funding for embryonic stem-cell experiments, said, “It is a tragic day for America, for preborn children and for the entire pro-life community. A president who once claimed he wanted to reduce abortion has exposed his hypocrisy over and over again.

For the first time in American history, the federal government will now encourage the cannibalization of human persons for science. Obama’s bloodthirsty hunger for aborting preborn babies has reached a new low.

This grisly biotechnological assault on preborn children will only end with a ban on in vitro fertilization—the root of a problem that today became more horrific than ever”.

Harvard AIDS Expert Says Pope is Correct on Condom Distribution Making AIDS Worse

2009-03-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Edward C. Green, director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, has said that the evidence confirms that the Pope is correct in his assessment that condom distribution exacerbates the problem of AIDS.

"The pope is correct," Green told National Review Online Wednesday, "or put it a better way, the best evidence we have supports the pope's comments."

"There is," Green added, "a consistent association shown by our best studies, including the U.S.-funded 'Demographic Health Surveys,' between greater availability and use of condoms and higher (not lower) HIV-infection rates."

Green said that the Pope was right and that the best evidence that we have supports his comments because condoms have not proved effective. Greater availability and use of condoms leads to higher, not lower HIV-infection rates. He explains:

This may be due in part to a phenomenon known as risk compensation, meaning that when one uses a risk-reduction ‘technology’ such as condoms, one often loses the benefit (reduction in risk) by ‘compensating’ or taking greater chances than one would take without the risk-reduction technology.”

Or, as we might put it simply, the promotion of condoms leads to promiscuity. Green also said,

I also noticed that the pope said ‘monogamy’ was the best single answer to African AIDS, rather than ‘abstinence.’ The best and latest empirical evidence indeed shows that reduction in multiple and concurrent sexual partners is the most important single behavior change associated with reduction in HIV-infection rates

Source: March 19, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)

Russian Patriarchate support Pope on condoms stance

2009-03-20T13:35:00.001-07:00

The Russian Orthodox Church supports the position of Pope Benedict XVI rejecting condoms including in order to prevent HIV infection.

"It is incorrect to consider condoms as a panacea for AIDS," the deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin told a round table in Moscow on Friday, commenting on the international row concerned with the pope's statement in Africa.

AIDS can be prevented not by contraceptives but by education and a righteous life, the priest said.

"If a person lives a sinful, aimless and senseless life, uses drugs and is lewd, some disease will kill him one day, neither a condom nor medicine will save him," Fr. Vsevolod added.

Currently some organizations speaking on AIDS are seeking to simultaneously preserve the ideal of sexual freedom and the fight against AIDS, he said. It is impossible to reconcile these things, he said.

Vatican liberates Traditional Latin Mass in Killala

2009-03-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

A high-profile Vatican office has ordered Bishop John Fleming to make provision for the traditional Latin Mass in his Killala diocese.
The move, from the powerful 'Ecclesia Dei' Commission comes after the Killala Council of Priests decided that no provision should be made for the celebration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

In July 2007, Pope Benedict's letter, Summorum Pontificum, eased restrictions on the pre-Vatican II Mass, the so-called Tridentine Rite and established that any Catholic priest can celebrate the traditional Latin Mass without first seeking the permission of his bishop.

Prior to the coming into force of Summorum Pontificum bishops had the right to restrict access to the Latin Mass.

Initially, the Killala Council of Priests, an advisory body made up of both elected members and priests appointed by Bishop Fleming, advised that no provision should be made for the Latin Mass pending a request for clarification from the Vatican on aspects of the Pope's letter.

This advice was accepted by Bishop Fleming and an announcement made that the Mass would be unavailable in the Killala diocese.

However, The Irish Catholic has learned that the matter came to the attention of the Holy See as a number of people in Killala wrote to the Vatican to express their frustration at the lack of provision.

The Irish Catholic also understands that a number of diocesan priests who believed the decision countermanded papal legislation, contacted Bishop Fleming to register discontent.

The 'Ecclesia Dei' Commission, headed by Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, then wrote to Bishop Fleming insisting that the restriction was forbidden under Church law since Pope Benedict had made universal provision for the availability of the Mass in the extraordinary form.

In its letter, the Commission insisted that neither Bishop Fleming, nor the Council of Priests, had the right to place a restriction on a right approved by the Pope.

Bishop Fleming has now designated the Church of the Assumption, Ardagh, Crossmolina, Co Mayo as the centre for the traditional Mass in the Killala diocese and the celebrant will be Fr John Loftus, a priest of the diocese. [source: IC]

No granny killing - Church's opposition to euthanasia

2009-03-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

"DAY FOR LIFE"
2002
"End of Life Care - Ethical and Pastoral Issues"

Irish Bishops' Committee for Bioethics

SUMMARY

Palliative Care avoids two extremesAdvances in medicine and in technology mean that the taking of decisions about appropriate care for peoplewho have advanced and progressive illness have become more complex.

The document says that, in caringfor people who are dying, there are two extremes to be avoided:

a. Trying to keep people alive at all costs, even when it is clear that death is imminent
b. Deciding to end the life of a person on the basis that his or her life no longer worth living. (pp. 5-6)

Palliative care avoids both of these extremes "in that it upholds absolute respect for human life, and acknowledges human mortality and the dominion we have over life" It is about "maximising the quality oflife remaining, while enabling patients to 'live until they die.' (p. 7)

Euthanasia is not acceptable
Euthanasia is any action or omission, which is deliberately calculated to end the life of another human being,with or without that person's consent, on so-called health grounds. (pp 7-8).
Euthanasia is morally unacceptable not only because it "would mean the introduction of a qualitative judgement on what is determined to be a worthwhile life or existence," but also because it "would have an enormous effect on theethos of healthcare provision." (p. 12)

"The Catholic Church absolutely rejects Euthanasia as a response to chronic or serious illness. This rejection is rooted in an understanding of the human person as someone who is called into life by God, and the ultimate meaning of whose life is to be found in relationship with God. " (p. 19)

The Rights and Responsibilities of Healthcare Professionals

The document points out that healthcare professionals, although they act on behalf of the patient, are not just functionaries who are required to do whatever they are asked to do. They have a right and a duty to choosewhat is good, and to reject any course of action which conflicts with an informed judgement of conscience, even if this is requested by the patient or by the family." (p. 13)

Appropriate Pain Relief is not Euthanasia

The document uses the traditional Principle of Double Effect to explain that necessary pain relief, even if itsometimes results in an unintended and unavoidable reduction in the length of life is not euthanasia. Thedegree to which life is shortened must not be out of proportionate to the benefits which come to the patientthrough pain relief.(p. 9)

Euthanasia is not Necessary

The document points out that requests for euthanasia frequently coincide with a bad period of symptom control, even a clinically treatable depression.(p 10) The solution, in part, is to improve pain control. In the vast majority of cases unbearable pain can be avoided. Some distress is not directly related to physical pain, but has its roots in issues such as "fear, anxiety, loss ofcontrol and loss of independence. "

Good counselling, which is an integral part of palliative care "allows thepatient, the family, and others who are closely involved to discuss these fears. " (p. 15) Sedation maysometimes be required to deal with high levels of anxiety, but it should not be a first resort. While it cancertainly help to reduce the experience of emotional stress, it also reduces the capacity of the patient torespond freely and deliberately to what is happening in his/her life." (p. 15)

(Sedation is not the same as physical pain-relief; sedation deals with emotional distress).
The Provision of Resources

The document makes a very strong case for the provision of adequate resources for palliative care,not only in hospices, but in general hospitals and in the community."The inadequacy of such resources impinges directly on the quality of care that can be provided to those who are dying, and may be a contributory factor in the level of demand for euthanasia. (p. 16)

Spiritual and Sacramental Ministry

The document points out that "a comprehensive approach to healthcare must take account of the spiritualneeds of the patient. " (p 20) All the key moments of life, including sickness and death, have the capacity tobring our relationship with God into sharper focus. Poor communication is an obstacle to spiritual care,because patients are often discouraged from even mentioning the possibility of death.

By contrast, the ethos of sensitive but honest communication that is part of palliative care greatly facilitates the spiritual and sacramental care of those who are dying; the patient's questions are welcomed and answered appropriately.Talk of death and dying is not taboo. This means that if people pray with the patient, they can pray more honestly too.” (p.21)

Cardinal Pell urges faithful to defend religious freedom

2009-03-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a summary of Cardinal Pell's lecture last week to the Oxford Newman Society: Varieties of Intollerance: Religious and Secular, courtesy of CNS.

Confronting religious intolerance regularly and publicly is among the "crucial tasks" of Christians in the 21st century, said an Australian cardinal.

Cardinal George Pell of Sydney said the Catholic Church's freedom in the Western world was under pressure from a new and dangerous trend of the use of anti-discrimination laws and human rights claims to attack the role of religion in public life and individuals' right of conscience.

In a March 6 lecture titled "Varieties of Intolerance: Religious and Secular," he said Christians needed to "recover their self-confidence and courage" if they were to counter the problem.

"Put simply, Christians have to recover their genius for showing that there are better ways to live and to build a good society," he told the Oxford University Newman Society.

"The secular and religious intolerance of our day needs to be confronted regularly and publicly," he said. "Believers need to call the bluff of what is, even in most parts of Europe, a small minority with disproportionate influence in the media. This is one of the crucial tasks for Christians in the 21st century."

As his primary example of mounting intolerance, Cardinal Pell cited the treatment of U.S. Christians and Mormons who supported Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment that reversed California's gay marriage law in November.

He described how churches and temples were subjected to violence, vandalism and intimidation, and how some supporters of the amendment were forced from their jobs and blacklisted.

"We should note the strange way in which some of the most permissive groups and communities, for example, Californian liberals in the case of Proposition 8, easily become repressive, despite all their high rhetoric about diversity and tolerance," he said.

"There is the one-sidedness about discrimination and vilification," he said, because anti-Christian "blacklisting and intimidation is passed over in silence."

Cardinal Pell added that in a healthy democracy people should be free to discuss and criticize each other's beliefs.

Reciprocity, he said, was essential to this but "some secularists seem to like one-way streets," seeking to drive Christianity from the provision of education, health care and welfare services to the wider community.

The cardinal predicted a "major escalation in the culture wars" if President Barack Obama signed into law the Freedom of Choice Act, which would sweep away restrictions on abortion and deny medical practitioners and hospitals the right to conscientiously object to participating in abortions. As of March 10, the act had not been introduced in Congress.

"Clearly there is an urgent need to deepen public understanding of the importance and nature of religious freedom," said Cardinal Pell. "Believers should not be treated by government and the courts as a tolerated and divisive minority whose rights must always yield to the minority secular agenda."

He explained that the effect of the rising intolerance of modern liberalism was to "enforce conformity" and to strip Christianity of the power of its public witness.

"There is no need to drive the church out of services if the secularization of its agencies can achieve this end," he added.

The pressure against religion in public life, he said, stemmed mainly from a misplaced belief in "absolute sexual freedom."

He said that as sexual freedom became a driver of consumption, people could see the "re-emergence of slavery in Europe and Asia, the booming exploitation of pornography and prostitution, and the commercialization of surrogacy, egg donation, and the production and destruction of human embryos and human stem-cell lines."
H/T Fr Ray Blake MM

Linz priest who opposed bishop's appointment admits living with girlfriend

2009-03-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

The Austrian Diocese of Linz has a certain notriety for its own interpretation of the Catholic faith, the was news last week of a priest who blesses gay couples and does conjuring tricks during Mass, and now this week...
An Austrian priest who helped rally opposition to the Pope's appointment of an auxiliary bishop for the Linz diocese has admitted that he keeps a mistress, the German-language Kath.net news service has revealed. Father Josef Friedl, one of the 31 deans who said they would refuse to accept the episcopal ordination of Father Gerhard Maria Wagner, told a public forum that he opposes the discipline of priestly celibacy and lives with his girlfriend; he said that his parishioners have no objections. According to the daily Der Welt, Friedl is one of several deans of the Linz diocese who lives openly with a woman. Meanwhile another Austrian prelate, Bishop Egon Kapellari of Graz, said that Father Wagner-- who has withdrawn from the episcopal appointment-- had "traumatized" the Austrian public with his public statements of opposition to homosexuality and insistence that God punishes sin.
Catholic Culture HT MM

Homosexual lobby attempt to restrict religious freedom in US

2009-03-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Important video, bringing up the big issues

French Cardinal wins macho award

2009-03-07T15:41:00.001-08:00

French Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois: Macho of the Year
A much-admired French Cardinal named Andre Vingt-Trois is being celebrated in France by feminists, who finally bestowed upon him the coveted ‘Macho of the Year’ award.
The feminist group called Les Chiennes de garde (The “Guard Bitches”) gave Cardinal Vingt-Trois the grand prize for remarks he made about female participation in the Catholic Church.

“The hard part is finding women who are properly trained. It’s not enough to have a skirt, you have to have something between your ears as well.”

Andre Vingt-Trois is quite correct in a literal sense.

Second prize went to a comedian named Fabrice Eboue who uttered the following quip on national TV:

“Feminism is not just for authoritarian or sexually frustrated women — it’s also for lesbians”.

When they aren’t giving awards, Les Chiennes de garde is the sort of yahoo activist group which runs around throwing pies at people.

French Cardinal wins macho award

2009-03-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

Mary's Perpetual Virginity

2009-03-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

Watch this video clip of Fr. Angelo who addressed the confusion of many regarding Mary's Perpetual Virginity in the film "The Nativity."
Fr. Angelo M. Geiger is a priest of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. He is a well sought retreat master and conference speaker in North America and has written numerous articles on Franciscan and Marian topics. He is currently serving as the regional superior of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. He is currently residing in our friary in Griswold, CT.

Now we got the Francisans: Biggest jump in priests saying TLM in decades

2009-03-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Absolutely fantastic news. A new religious order with 500 members, the Francisans of the Immaculate have announced that they shall prefer to celebrate the TLM from now onwards. A letter to the editor of the Italian newspaper La Stampa by the Procurator General of the Order, Fr. Alessandro Maria Apollonio gave the order's reasons:

The Franciscans of the Immaculate avail themselves, with joy and grateful appreciation, of the initiative taken by Pope Benedict XVI with the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. [...] The choice to predilect the "extraordinary form" corresponds to a legitimate internal choice of the religious family, as foreseen in the same motu proprio, in a Catholic spirit of fidelity to the Pope and to the liturgical tradition of the Order founded by St. Francis of Assisi. [...]

The spirit of St. Francis, in fact, tends to the greatest possible glorification of God through the good and beautiful things of the world and has always led us to seek what most helps to elevate the mind and heart to the "Most High, Almighty and Good Lord" to whom alone are due "praises, glory, honor and all blessing"(Canticle of the Sun). The extraordinary form of the liturgy of the Vetus Ordo - which is accompanied by that of the Novus Ordo (Missal of Paul VI) - offers, indeed, the happy possibility to live more intensely the vocation and mission of St. Francis of Assisi, within the universality of the Church and its wealth of expressions.

As I write the Nuns of the order in a new house in Corwall, England are changing community life to center around the TLM and 1962 Francisan Breviary. The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has a fine article which tells us:

the nuns at Lanherne have been using the 1962 Mass Rite on a daily basis since June 2008. Their chaplain - one of their own Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - and a US citizen had no prior experience of celebrating the rite but is doing very well with the 1962 Missal. The Conventual Mass is sung daily - the Masses are open to the faithful.

As Carlos Palad said: "The implications are immense. The FFI, in one blow, has just become the largest Order dedicated to the 1962 Missal in the whole world. They have a large number of convents and missions all over the world. The reach of the EF has just been practically doubled."

Now in the TLM, they can kneel alongside their Franciscan forefathers from the past many centuries and offer the Holy Sacrifice to God without a difference in form of expression.

An argument for celibacy

2009-03-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

Take two clergymen, a Catholic and a Protestant, both genuinely holy and devout men.

The Protestant is a family man with a job for which he receives a stipend. He has a wife to console and children to nurture. Because of human nature, his flock and even his job will always take second place after his family.

The Catholic on the other hand has no wife to comfort him and no children to bring him satisfaction. He lives on charity and has foregone an earthly family in order to be wedded to his Church. He puts this into practise by devoting all of himself to his parish community which becomes his family, and that is why he is called "father".

H/T to Anthony at Holy Smoke

Christian faith in God, rational basis for Science

2009-03-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

I came across an article by Fr Stanley Jaki on the history and underlying philosophy of science today and it brought to mind the Christian basis - the belief that God has created a rational order of physical laws in creation that can be observed as the basis for the development of science in Christian countries.

Fr Seamus Murphy also takes this thought up in a letter to The Irish Times some months ago:

Science and the Catholic Church

Madam, - Martin Kinsella's claim that the Galileo case proves Church hostility to science won't stand up and ignores too much (September 23rd 2008).

First, it assumes that Galileo and his opponents understood their clash as religion versus science. But that interpretation dates only from the late 19th century in J.W. Draper's History of the Conflict between Religion and Science(1875) and A.D. White's History of the Warfare of Science with Theology(1895).

Galileo, who died a Catholic, didn't see it that way. Nor could the institution that, 40 years earlier, produced the Gregorian calendar we still use be described as "anti-science".

Second, while Newton's work in the late 17th century vindicated Galileo decisively, it was not obvious in the early 17th century that Galileo was correct. One could reasonably think differently, as did the Danish scientist Tycho Brahe.

Mr Kinsella ignores the long list of Christian scientists, and nobody has ever demonstrated that their faith obstructed their scientific achievements or that they were viewed by their church as "bad" Christians.

Johannes Kepler in astronomy, Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell in physics, and Asa Gray and Theodosius Dobzhansky in evolutionary biology are obvious examples.

As for clergy, Fr Georges Lemaître was one of the first to develop the Big Bang theory in the early 20th century, and the 19th-century "father" of genetics was the Augustinian Gregor Mendel. There are also some 30 craters on the moon named after Jesuit astronomers.

Finally, the Judaeo-Christian view of the world as (a) real, (b) not evil, and (c) not divine indirectly facilitated the emergence of science. Further, it held that the physical world is the product of a rational mind, thus supporting the faith of the scientist that the universe is intelligible and that the sciences can yield knowledge. - Yours, etc,
Dr SEAMUS MURPHY SJ,
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy,
Milltown Institute,
Dublin 6.

Virtual Josephite schism in Austria coming under Papal scrutiny

2009-02-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

Anti-Papal Austrian bishops resurrect the Josephite heresy

Heresies are like fashions: wait long enough and an old heterodoxy will become modish again.
The Catholic bishops of Austria have just resurrected Josephism, 219 years after the death of its instigator, Emperor Joseph II, who seized control of the Church, imposing 6,200 religious laws and even dictating the size of candles.

When the Pope recently selected Father Gerhard Maria Wagner as auxiliary bishop of Linz, shock waves ran through the episcopal ranks. Wagner is a doctrinal and liturgical conservative - in shorthand, a Catholic - and that is an automatic disqualification for wearing a mitre in trendy Austria.

The temper of the Austrian hierarchy can be gauged from the example of Bishop Reinhold Stecher who, on his retirement a decade ago, published a letter denouncing the then Pope John Paul II's insistence on clerical celibacy and ban on ordaining priestesses (an infallibly declared doctrine of faith).

What made the bishops so nervous about Father Wagner's appointment was the fact that the Austrian hierarchy is on the verge of a generational handover, with four bishops nearing retirement, and the faded 1960s trendies dread being succeeded by younger, more orthodox prelates.

So the screws were put on Father Wagner, who announced his renunciation of the post he had just accepted. He has since made a statement that his resignation was not voluntary.

The Austrian Bishops' Conference then issued an egregious pastoral letter that amounted to collective defiance of the Holy See.

Regarding episcopal appointments it stated that "before the Holy Father takes the final decision, reliable and thoroughly tested basic information must be provided on which he can rely".

That is barely coded language for a right of veto on appointments - as exercised historically by Joseph II.

The bishops want to eliminate any candidate with a whiff of orthodoxy about him or - horror of horrors - a penchant for the Latin Tridentine Mass.

The pastoral said: "This can ensure that bishops are appointed who are not 'against' but 'for' a local church." What is that supposed to mean?

So outrageous was the blatant defiance expressed in this pastoral letter and so profound the shock it is beginning to provoke among Catholics around the world for its impertinence towards the Pope that some of the bishops are beginning to backtrack and criticise the proceedings against Father Wagner.

Bishop Ludwig Schwarz of Linz has been summoned to Rome and the Linz Priests' Circle has said that forcing Wagner's withdrawal showed how anti-Roman forces and forces from outside the Church are rebelling against the Pope's God-given authority.

The bishops' concern to protect the modern liturgy is understandable: of Austria's 5.6 million Catholics, it now attracts a magnificent 13 per cent to Mass on Sundays.

The mindset betrayed by the pastoral was schismatic: a return to the Josephite concept of a self-contained Austrian Church, on the Gallican model.

It is difficult to regard the Austrian hierarchy as in full communion with Rome, in the light of its conduct.

Austria, like so many other countries, needs a complete change of personnel among its bishops.
(Source: TTUK)

Drogheda to get statue to hospital founder Mother Mary Martin

2009-02-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

Plans are afoot to erect a statue in Drogheda to Mother Mary Martin, the founder of the Medical Missionaries of Mary.
A committee has been formed to plan the monument to the nun who made a pioneering and far-reaching impact on bringing improved healthcare to many countries.

If the statue goes ahead, she will be the town's first well-known woman to be honoured in sculpture.

Former mayor Frank Godfrey said the intention of the committee is to proceed with commissioning an artist and finding an appropriate location for the statue.

“Mother Mary made an outstanding contribution to Drogheda and to the world,” he remarked. “Drogheda was blessed to have her, she set up the hospital in the 1950s and she was loved by the people of the town”.

“Given the current state of our health services, she could teach the minister for health a thing or two,” he added.

Mr Godfrey said that the pioneering nun “gave so much to this town and the world, it's only right that she be recognised for all the good she did”.

Mother Martin’s order was said to be 'delighted' at the prospect of their founder being honoured with a statue and Mr Godfrey said he hoped to win support for the project from Drogheda Borough Council and friends of the Lourdes Hospital which she founded.

Source: CIN

Three important TLM's in Italy in quick succession.

2009-02-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Three important Masses will be celebrated according to the usus aniquior in Italy in the coming months. Even two years ago, such a succession of high profile TLM would have been extremely unlikely. Shows how much things have improved for the better.

First, Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, will celebrate Pontifical Mass and ordain five priests for the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI) in the church of St. Francis in Tarquinia (a small town in Latium) on the Feast of the Annunciation (25 March 2009) at 10 a.m.

Then the Superior of the FFI, Fr Stefano Maria Manelli, will celebrate Solemn Mass in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran on the occasion of the Octocentennial of the Approbation of the Rule of St. Francis on 16 April 2009, also at 10 a.m.

And lastly, Cardinal Cañizares, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, will pontificate in the same Archbasilica of St. John Lateran on the following 21 April 2009, again at 10 a.m.

H/T to NLM

Pope calls Bishop of Linz, Austria in for a little talk

2009-02-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

The Austrian bishops thought they were simply going to bully the pope into submission by moving against his appointees. Hopefully this latest move will mean the Pope shall restore order and unity with the Church Universal in Austria. I've had enough of virtual national schisms.

Bishop of Linz summoned to Rome at short notice!

Linz (kath.net)
Peace and quiet seems unlikely to return too soon to the Diocese of Linz. kath.net was able to ascertain that Bishop Ludwig Schwarz traveled to Rome at short notice on Friday. He cancelled the youth catechesis that was scheduled for Friday evening in Linz. Schwarz has an appointment with the Congregation of Bishops in Rome.

After a statement by Gerhard Maria Wagner saying that his resignation was not voluntary, the bishop of Linz now finds himself under considerable pressure. Even some of his Austrian fellow-bishops are now unofficially expressing criticism of the proceedings. A letter from Gerhard Maria Wagner asking the Pope to reverse his appointment as auxiliary bishop has been received by the Congregation of Bishops. Church sources in the Vatican told kath.net that Pope Benedict XVI has assigned top priority to the issue and will deal with it personally. It is not known when the Pope will make a decision. The Friday bulletin of the Vatican Press Office once again made no mention of the Wagner affair.

An increasing number of people within the Vatican itself are speaking quite openly about an Apostolic Visitation for the Diocese of Linz. kath.net was informed by sources within the Austrian Church that several Austrian bishops have already commented favourably on the prospect of an Apostolic Visitation in the Diocese of Linz. Given the crisis in the diocese, Rome is not excluding the possibility that a coadjutor bishop could be nominated.

Denver archbishop warns against ‘spirit of adulation’ surrounding Obama

2009-02-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

Denver archbishop warns against ‘spirit of adulation’ surrounding Obama
Canadians packed St. Basil’s Church in Toronto on Monday evening to hear Archbishop Charles Chaput speak about how Catholics should live out their faith in the public square.

After giving a sketch of the basic principles in his New York Times Bestseller "Render Unto Caesar," the archbishop offered his insights on the need for an honest assessment of the situation of the Church in the public square.

"I like clarity, and there’s a reason why," began the archbishop. "I think modern life, including life in the Church, suffers from a phony unwillingness to offend that poses as prudence and good manners, but too often turns out to be cowardice. Human beings owe each other respect and appropriate courtesy. But we also owe each other the truth -- which means candor."

The Denver prelate then provided his critique of President Obama.........According to the archbishop, the political situation for Catholics is difficult to discern because a "spirit of adulation bordering on servility already exists among some of the same Democratic-friendly Catholic writers, scholars, editors and activists who once accused pro-lifers of being too cozy with Republicans. It turns out that Caesar is an equal opportunity employer."

Looking ahead to the coming months and years, Chaput offered four "simple things" to remember.

"First," he said, "all political leaders draw their authority from God. We owe no leader any submission or cooperation in the pursuit of grave evil."

"In fact, we have the duty to change bad laws and resist grave evil in our public life, both by our words and our non-violent actions. The truest respect we can show to civil authority is the witness of our Catholic faith and our moral convictions, without excuses or apologies."

In a reference to the messianic treatment the Barack Obama received from some Americans during the presidential primaries, Archbishop Chaput delivered his second point: "in democracies, we elect public servants, not messiahs."

Noting that Obama actually trailed in the weeks just before the election, the Denver archbishop said that this places some of today’s talk about a "new American mandate" in perspective.

"Americans, including many Catholics, elected a gifted man to fix an economic crisis. That’s the mandate. They gave nobody a mandate to retool American culture on the issues of marriage and the family, sexuality, bioethics, religion in public life and abortion. That retooling could easily happen, and it clearly will happen -- but only if Catholics and other religious believers allow it."

The third point to focus on when the beliefs of Catholics are challenged is that "it doesn’t matter what we claim to believe if we’re unwilling to act on our beliefs," Chaput counseled.

"The fourth and final thing to remember, and there’s no easy way to say it," remarked Archbishop Chaput, is that the "Church in the United States has done a poor job of forming the faith and conscience of Catholics for more than 40 years."

The full text of the archbishop's speech can be found here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=790

Ash Wednesday- the Forty days of Lent

2009-02-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

Kramskoy, Ivan (1837-1887)
Jesus Christ in the Wilderness.

Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi attended the Petersburg Academy of Arts from 1857 to 1863, but he left before graduation as one of the artists in the "Rebellion of the Fourteen" who protested against the stagnant rules governing competitions at the Academy. After his departure, Kramskoi supported the creation of the Petersburg Artel of Artists, and he subsequently became its leader, He was also a founding member and an active participant in the Circle of the Itinerants, acting as the group's moral conscience and ideological inspiration. In 1869 Kramskoi received the title of a member of the Academy and afterwards enjoyed tremendous authority and influence among Russian artists.

Msgr Ranjith on the Flaws of the Postconciliar Liturgical Reforms and the Need for a Reform of the Reform

2009-02-24T03:53:00.000-08:00

H/T to NLM.

Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, the Secretary of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has written a foreword to a book by Msgr. Nicola Giampietro (True Development of the Liturgy, due to be published by Roman Catholic Books in September).
It is based on the diaries and notes of Cardinal Fernando Antonelli OFM, who was the Secretary of the Liturgical Commission of the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1964 and went on to be Archbishop Ranjith's predecessor as Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites from 1965 until 1969. Speaking of the influences on the work of the Consilium, he writes:

An exaggerated sense of antiquarianism, anthopologism, confusion of roles between the ordained and the non-ordained, a limitless provision of space for experimentation-- and indeed, the tendency to look down upon some aspects of the development of the Liturgy in the second millennium-- were increasingly visible among certain liturgical schools.

And regarding the result of the reforms, he observes:
Some practices which Sacrosanctum Concilium had never even contemplated were allowed into the Liturgy, like Mass versus populum, Holy Communion in the hand, altogether giving up on the Latin and Gregorian Chant in favor of the vernacular and songs and hymns without much space for God, and extension beyond any reasonable limits of the faculty to concelebrate at Holy Mass. There was also the gross misinterpretation of the principle of "active participation.

Basic concepts and themes like Sacrifice and Redemption, Mission, Proclamation and Conversion, Adoration as an integral element of Communion, and the need of the Church for salvation--all were sidelined, while Dialogue, Inculturation, Ecumenism, Eucharist-as-Banquet, Evangelization-as-Witness, etc., became more important. Absolute values were disdained.

Such an unblinkered look at the liturgical reforms can, Msgr Ranjith writes,
help us to be courageous in improving or changing that which was erroneously introduced and which appears to be incompatible with the true dignity of the Liturgy.

This is nothing short of a manifesto for a true Reform of the Reform. You can read the entire article about the foreword at Catholic World News here.

13 Year-old boy becomes a father.

2009-02-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

This boy of 13, who looks 8 has become a father.
The sexualisation of children has gone so far, that children are now begetting chlidren. I agree with the last comment below that sex education normalising sex for children is counterproductive.

From the Sun:

A baby-faced boy in the UK has become father, but when asked how he would cope financially he responded, “What’s financially?”

Alfie Patton, 13, became a dad this week after his 15-year-old girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, gave birth to little Maisie Roxanne.

The boy has told Britain’s Sun he “thought it would be good to have a baby.”

“I didn’t think about how we could afford it,” he said.

“I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometime gives me 10 pounds.

“When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble.

“We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.

Alfie, who stands only 125 cm high, had a single night of unprotected sex with Chantelle when he was just 12.

Christian groups have commended the teenagers’ decision to keep the baby.

Michaela Aston, of the anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, told the Sun: “We commend these teenagers for their courage in bringing their child into the world.

“At the same time this is symptomatic of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”

Link here:

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass

2009-02-21T13:38:00.001-08:00

The most beautiful and worthy thing this side of heaven

2009-02-20T09:15:00.002-08:00

Definition of a liberal rarely adds up

2009-02-20T02:58:00.000-08:00

"liberals" – whose behaviour seldom tallies with the dictionary definition of that term

In regards Fr Tim Finigan being the target of a Tablet hachtet job:
Fr. Finigan has been savaged by.........a dead sheep.

Protestant urge in Germany lights anti-Benedict actions

2009-02-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

Cardinal Cordes slams Cardinal Lehmann for stoking the fires of dissent

kreuz.net – Ein katholischer Kardinal übt scharfe Kritik an Kardinal Lehmann

The turmoil caused by the removal of the four-Lefebvre excommunications was in fact a well-orchestrated poisoning of wells - and a serious failure of the German bishops.

kreuz.net) "Chaos Days in Rome,"was how the anti-religious magazine 'Der Spiegel' described the staging around the repeal of the Lefebvre-excommunications.

But the German Curia Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes would like to call this event rather a "well-orchestrated poisoning of the wells in Germany" .

He has just said this in a very long article for the Catholic newspaper ‘Tagespost'.
Worldly bishops with a secular image of the Church

For those distant from the church and who lack God - and apparently also for secularised bishops – excommunication appears as a banal exclusion from a club.
In truth, it is about being excluded from the economy of sacramental graces, said the cardinal.

Cardinal Cordes criticized in this regard, the bishop of Mainz, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, razor-sharply:

"Certainly he could have in recent days, as the most quoted of German Catholic Bishops in the Vatican thanks to his well-known good relations with the media, ironed out misunderstandings, addressing the spiritual dimension of the act and could have with the Pope directed people to view the faith and God. "

Failure in Mainz
But he had used his statements to demand from the leadership of the church “a little more political sensitivity ".

"A spiritually sick member of the body of Christ giving pain to the Pope over the years is at best thought of as a sentiment of old age" - Cardinal Cordes gave as analysis.

The Cardinal is adamant: "The Church should not be reduced to one body among many in society, least of all by their shepherds."

Is Christianity in ruins?

The total subordination to politics and the unquestioned legacy of narrow Enlightenment thought patterns determine – according Cardinal Cordes – even now the minds of a lot of opinion-makers.

The Cardinal cited the Danish religious philosopher Soren Kierkegaard:
"It is a long time ago now that God was listened to as the owner and something of a Lord, so Christianity is in ruins, so do we now completely and utterly abolish wish to abolish it or ad libitum trim it to something that is our own property and invention? "

Incomprehensible German Hysteria
For the German reactions to the lifting of the Lefebvre excommunication – the Curial Cardinal has no sympathy:

"Who from Rome looks at the ferocity of the response in Germany to the withdrawal of the excommunication of the four Lefevre bishops had to rub his eyes."

Remarks and statements of understanding from bishops loyal to the Pope were held back by editors:

Trial by Journalists
"The complaint, which the German chancellor issued publicly to the Successor of Peter again gave the Court of Journalists opportunity for agitation."
Cardinal Cordes compared the German hysteria to the prudent international reactions:

"In the U.S., the leader writer of the New York Times, I. Fisher, even used the occasion for a detailed and very favorable rating of Pope Benedict."

"Why this zeal in Germany?" - asked the cardinal.
German resentment against the Pope

His answer: "It appears, therefore, not the people, but the institution of the Office of Peter is the actual bone of contention."
This office makes some of the population north of the Alps continually "see red":

"And the majority of the media are all too happy to link this to everything dark or with legitimate grievance."

Over-enthusiastic media
The animosity directed against the Roman Pope was an ancient heritage in the "land of the Reformation".

German media have in recent weeks seen an opportunity to make from the “Williamson case” a “Benedict case”:

"With such a view, it would be possible to understand that overboard involvement in the issue, which is far beyond the duty to provide just news."
H/T to Catholic Conservation

Our family, the Church

2009-02-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

Not our family, but God's family - The Church.

Check out these short videos, some are very touching; they are all interesting.
Wouldn't it be great if the Catholic Church in Ireland did something similar.

What is plagiarism?: An example by Michael Kelly of The Irish Catholic

2009-02-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

I spotted a post recently about journalists who plagiarise other people's work and pass it off as their own. So I looked up wikipedia and found the working definition as follows:

Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of the language and ideas of another author and representation of them as one's own original work.

In journalism, plagiarism is considered a breach of journalistic ethics, and reporters caught plagiarizing typically face disciplinary measures ranging from suspension to termination.

Journalism
Since journalism's main currency is public trust, a reporter's failure to honestly acknowledge their sources undercuts a newspaper or television news show's integrity and undermines its credibility. Journalists accused of plagiarism are often suspended from their reporting tasks while the charges are being looked into by the news organization.

I was reading a book entitled "Letters to a Young Catholic" by well-known American author George Weigel recently. Chapter two of his book is a fascinating account of the find of the 'trophies' of St Peter in the Roman Basilica under the reign of Pope Pius XI.
On can read this chapter here on google books.
It is pages 19-21 which chime exactly with what I read later in an article by Michael Kelly, a journalist with The Irish Catholic newspaper.
George Weigels book was published in 2004 while Michael Kelly's article, with exactly the same wording was published a year later in The Irish Catholic on February 17, 2005.

[Click for full photo view] The first paragraph, in chapter two of Weigel's book reads:

"Pius XI died on February 10, 1939. Prior to his election as bishop of Rome in 1922, he had ben the archbishop of Milan for a brief period, and the Milanesee wanted to honour his memory by building a fitting resting place for him in St. Peter's Basilica. So funds were raised, artists commissioned, and a magnificent marble sarcophagus, which was to be the centrepiece of a richly decorated mosaic vault, was prepared and sent to Rome. ........"

The first paragraph of Michael Kelly's article has exactly the same wording and continues in that vein for the rest of the article.

For more on this see here.

Austrian bishops turn on the Pope

2009-02-16T15:34:00.000-08:00

This is a video about a Youth Mass celebrated on 16th of November 2008 by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna in Wolfsthal, Lower Austria.

Austrian Bishops in open revolt against freedom of the Pope to appoint the bishops in Austria. This urge has been festering for decades. We saw it also in Chur. Time now for the Papacy to stand up for its rights against the tide of Gallican arrogance and national division.

From the statement of the Bishops of Austria, signed and released today:
"4. There were problems of communication also in the recent appointment of an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Linz. The bishops are aware that Fr Wagner asked the Pope to withdraw the appointment. The theme of Episcopal appointments is therefore important because since the mid-eighties in Austria it has been associated with a number of problems. For many, the controversy over episcopal appointments led to a painful conflict, and they have triggered splits in the church,. It is precisely in this area that sensitivity is most appropriate. There is no question that the Pope is free to appoint bishops. The bishops do not want to go back in time where - as in 1918 - the Emperor alone chose the bishops. Even a 'popular choice' of the bishops would divide the church into parties and conflicts would be inevitable. We bishops are convinced that the procedure provided for in canon law for the selection and the examination of candidates has proved its worth, if this procedure is really followed. Therefore, before the Holy Father takes the final decision, reliable and thoroughly tested basic information must be provided on which he can rely. In Austria in the next few years a number of bishops are to be appointed. The faithful are legitimately concerned that the process of candidate search, examination of the proposals and the final decisions should be carefully undertaken and with pastoral sensitivity are possible. This can ensure that bishops are appointed who are not 'against' but 'for' a local church. We bishops will make every possible effort to support the forthcoming episcopal appointments in the sense of monitoring these procedures in close cooperation with the relevant Vatican offices."
....
"Trusting in God's help, we will overcome the crisis of recent weeks." [Adapted according to original text]

From Rotati Caeli : There was no true "crisis", but open revolt against the Pope, inflamed and supported by the shameless Bishops of Austria, first among them the Cardinal-Archbishop of Vienna. If the Pope does not intervene urgently in this case, if a PUBLIC response is not given - since the Bishops of Austria chose to make the matter public - the perception of the authority of the Pope in Europe is finished. The anti-Roman rebellion of the Austrian Bishops is intolerable.

Novena Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI

2009-02-14T04:15:00.000-08:00

February 14 - 22

From the FSSP: Many of the faithful are aware of the opposition which the Holy Father has faced in his efforts to reconcile the Society of Pius X. The current pressure from the media and others seems to not only threaten Pope Benedict’s work with the SSPX. It also seems as though some would like to see it work as a means to undermine his very teaching and governing authority for his pontificate.

Given these oppositions which the Holy Father faces; given the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter's particular role in working as a bridge for those who have grown apart from the Church in the last forty years; finally, given that we hold St. Peter as our patron and have a particular attachment to his successor, the Fraterniy of St. Peter has asked all of its the members to offer increased prayers at this time for strength for Pope Benedict XVI.

Novena for the Pope:
Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory be.

V: Let us pray for our Pope Benedict.
R: May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

V. Thou art Peter,
R. And upon this Rock, I will build My Church.

Let us Pray,
Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon your servant, Benedict, our Sovereign Pontiff, and guide him in your goodness on the way of eternal salvation; so that, with the prompting of your grace, he may desire what pleases you and accomplish it with all his strength. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

V. Mother of the Church. R. Pray for us
V. St. Peter. R. Pray for us

Five tips for Conservatives debating others

2009-02-13T03:05:00.000-08:00

Five tips for Conservatives debating against Secularists/Feminists/Marxists anti-Family, anti-Christian, anti-Democracy advocates

The Opening Statement:

This is your opportunity to set the tone of the debate and frame the issues and your opponent. Open with a story of why you’re running and briefly state your three major legislative priorities. The trick is to tie these legislative priorities into an overall theme. Barack Obama was successful in this regard as he always linked everything back to his themes of “hope” and “change.” While these overall themes were used ad nauseam, they stuck in the minds of his voters and eventually worked. If there is not an opening statement, you must blend your introduction into the first response.

Use Conversational Language
When responding to questions, you should use a fourth- to eighth- grade level vocabulary to clearly articulate your positions. You don’t need to dumb everything down but don’t use George Will-esque language. Conservatives have a tendency to use such grandiose verbiage to sound exclusively knowledgeable. But most people don’t speak that way, so you may come across as arrogant.

Using Numbers and Facts
Use numbers only in a way that illustrates your main points. The trick is to use them in terms that people can visually understand. Instead of saying that “Congress spends twelve billion dollars a year to run itself,” say “Congress spends more than a dozen states spend on their entire operation!” People can envision twelve states on a map easier than they can envision twelve billion dollars because a map is more familiar to them than twelve billion dollars.

Use Transitional Phrases

The biggest mistake a conservative can make is actually answering every question. Responding to questions is an opportunity for you to get back on message and discuss your overall theme and legislative priorities. If the moderator or your opponent leads you down a defensive path, use transitional phrases to stay on message. Stay on offense by using the following transitional phrases: “That’s an interesting point but…,” “I think we’re getting away from the big issue here…,” and “Well, the moms and pops I talk to tell me…”

Use Stories
Voters love a good story for the same reason you should use visual examples when describing numbers and facts. People relate better to people than they do to numbers and tend to remember stories more so than legislative minutiae. In the first presidential debate in 2000, Vice President Al Gore used a story of an elderly lady who collected aluminum cans to exchange them for money so she could buy food and medicine. This image was so powerful that the media ran stories about this elderly lady for several news cycles. (Note: It was later discovered that the elderly lady collected the aluminum cans just for fun!)

Christopher N. Malagisi is the Director of Political Training at The Leadership Institute and is an Adjunct Professor at American University teaching a course titled “Grassroots Campaigning & Political Activism.”

Heroic Polish midwife protects life

2009-02-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

H/T to Seattle Catholic and HoC for this:

At Seattle Catholic, you can read the story by Matthew Anger of the heroic midwife of Auschwitz, Stanislawa Leszczynska. The conditions under which mothers had to give birth were quite horrific and babies were routinely drowned in a barrel after being born:

The heroic midwife, at the risk of her life, refused to participate in the infanticide. Instead, she offered care for the women as far as she could in the appalling conditions in which she worked, and made sure that the children were baptised. Few of them survived very long. On one occasion, she faced down the infamou Dr Mengele who shouted at her that "Orders are orders!"

The words of Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae have a striking relevance to the story of Stanislawa Leszczynska:

Abortion and euthanasia are thus crimes which no human law can claim to legitimize. There is no obligation in conscience to obey such laws; instead there is a grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. From the very beginnings of the Church, the apostolic preaching reminded Christians of their duty to obey legitimately constituted public authorities (cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-14), but at the same time it firmly warned that "we must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

In the Old Testament, precisely in regard to threats against life, we find a significant example of resistance to the unjust command of those in authority. After Pharaoh ordered the killing of all newborn males, the Hebrew midwives refused. "They did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live" (Ex 1:17). But the ultimate reason for their action should be noted: "the midwives feared God" (ibid.). It is precisely from obedience to God-to whom alone is due that fear which is acknowledgment of his absolute sovereignty-that the strength and the courage to resist unjust human laws are born. It is the strength and the courage of those prepared even to be imprisoned or put to the sword, in the certainty that this is what makes for "the endurance and faith of the saints" (Rev 13:10).

In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to "take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law, or vote for it".

The cause for the canonisation of Stanislawa Leszczynska has been introduced by the diocese of Łódź in Poland. She is very much a pro-life heroine and I hope that she will become widely known in the pro-life movement.

Israeli election to bring changes?

2009-02-10T07:15:00.001-08:00

Interesting article by Julian Kossoff, a former journo with the Jewish Chronicle, in today's Daily Telegraph blog
Salient point of Orthodox Haredi Jews opposed to Zionism here:

Dubbed the Israeli Putin,[Avigdor Lieberman] the Molodvan-born former bouncer and has set a collision course with the other "ultras" of Israeli society.

The "no loyalty, no citizenship" policy threatens to challenge the grudging status quo which has allowed to the Haredi community to thrive in Israel, reaping generous state subsides for their social welfare and educational network, despite the fact that many in their ranks veer from ambiguous to outright hostility towards the concept of the state that funds them.

Many of the 'black hats' believe Zionism to be a secularist aberration which has hijacked Judaism; that to reinvent the Jewish nation in the Holy Land prior to the return of the Messiah is downright heresy.

Just like Israel's Arabs, most members of the ultra-Orthodox community don't serve in the army. Yisrael Beiteinu thus questions their loyalty and right to citizenship.

Castrillón speaks: "We are moving forward"

2009-02-10T03:05:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, disgruntled 'liberal Catholics' and Catholic-haters have used the stupid remarks of Bishop Richard Williamson to attack the Pope, Catholic unity and his work for an enhanced hermeneutic of continuity. This should be overcome by all means possible - prayer, getting the message out in the media and setting out the case for reconciliation.
Above all Pope Benedict XVI must not be forced to loose nerve in the face of this media onslaught- particularly evident in Germany.

The turning tide:
In an interview to the RCN radio network of Colombia, Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, president of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", had some interesting words on current events:

"I have always had truth as a rule. The Holy Father knows this. We are moving forward, ensuring that this unity of the Church be rebuilt, and that this schism be completely ended."

"[W]hat is important at this moment is that the Pope has stopped a schism. The charity that Christ wanted to exist in the Church has been remarkably reestablished, and paths of hope are opened."
H/T Rorati Caeli

Libertas leader makes move for Catholic support

2009-02-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

Libertas leader Declan Ganley firmly posted his colours to the Christian and pro-life culture mast at a family conference in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon during the weekend. Strongly affirming his personal commitment to the Catholic faith the Tuam-based founder of the No to Lisbon campaign group said that in Ireland and in Europe today, ‘’there is a desperate need to heal the flaws inflicting modernity, to end a dictatorship of relativism and to put the person, her rights, and her needs, back at the heart of the political agenda.’
Speaking at the Abbey Field Hotel before 350 people, late on Saturday he said, ‘My faith in God is not a threat to my neighbour, In fact my faith in God is my neighbour’s best guarantor of his safety and freedom.’ Declan Ganley added there was a need for those sharing a belief that “man is the crown of creation and not some parasitic presence on this earth’ to stand up and defend those beliefs. Over a wide ranging speech, frequently quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said “Our Holy Father teaches us that once society does not treat every life as precious and inviolable from conception to natural death then man becomes a product subjected to ‘pragmatism’ and utilitarianism’ such that abortion, euthanasia, and the destruction of human life are promoted as false rights and choices.’ He called on people at the meeting organised by the lay-based John Paul II Society, to commit to ‘no longer apologising for our beliefs. To unabashedly love our Lord, love our neighbour and to be prepared to sacrifice and serve.’ Making reference to the sustaining effect that religious faith had on previous generations, particularly in times of hardship, he added that was a need that ‘public figures should never to afraid to speak of their faith, their beliefs and their values.’
Also addressing the conference, entitled ‘Render Unto Caesar: Personal Faith and Public Duty’ was the internationally known Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver who asked listeners to be ‘vigourous and unembarrassed about our Catholic presence in society.’ Archbishop Chaput, who is half-American Indian stressed the importance of individual integrity and called on people to give public witness to what they believed in their family, workplace and also in the way they vote.
Saying that while Christians ‘owe secular leaders our respect and prayers; respect for the law; obedience to proper authority; and service to the common good,’ this was not to be confused with ‘subservience, or silence, or inaction, or excuse-making or acquiescence to grave evil in the public life we all share.’
Declan Ganley’s Libertas group recently applied for status and funding as a pan-European political party to the European Parliament. Affirming his will to vote NO at the next Lisbon referendum, he suggested that the politician declarations being talked about on Lisbon ‘ won’t be worth the paper they are written on’. In a question and answer session he remained, he said, very pro-European and strongly opposed to euroscepticism.
It has been speculated in recent months that Ganley wishes to run for the Connacht-Ulster constituency in the next-European Parliament election, but at the Roscommon conference, he refused to confirm whether he would be running or not.
See report and hear audio from the Irish Times here and here.

Names for ugly and inappropriate vestments

2009-02-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

How about:

polyester ponchos
overpriced horseblanket
polyester bin-liners?
Any other one you can think of?

Fr Z has a funny ditty about blue vestments:

This is sung to the tune of O Come, O Come Emmanuel:

O come, o come liturgical blue;
out with the old, and in with the new.
Let’s banish purple vestments from here,
the color blue is very HOT this year.

There is also an ugly vestment competition here.

The bit that mattered has been cut out

2009-02-05T07:43:00.001-08:00

As Steve Wilson at the Daily Telegraph noted, last night, ITV give us a break but missed Everton's winner against Liverpool
in the last minute of the game.

If ITV do the FA Cup - which this morning many dismayed viewers who stuck with the broadcaster through more than two hours of coverage last night will wish they didn't - adverts is what you get.
And missing a minute or so of the 120 on offer in Everton's FA Cup replay victory over Liverpool would have been no bad thing.....
Just, not that particular minute - the minute where the match was decided, the minute that saw the only goal of the game, the minute that mattered.

Reminds me abit of Irenaeus's comment that doctrines of the Gospel are like coloured stone mosaic - we must accept the whole thing - to take out , remove or change around what God has given and the Church has accepted for centuries is to short-change the hearer of the Gospel - and distort the message of God.

Catholic faith is not just believed by all, but all of the message that God gave in Christ.

Feet of Clay - Legionaries of Christ founder - found out

2009-02-05T04:16:00.000-08:00

First thing, there are many excellent Catholics with the Legionairies of Christ as well as the Regnum Christi Movement.
I have met them and they are very good people. They do a lot of very good work.

It has however transpired that their order's founder was a sexual predator and serial womaniser who had two children by a Spanish woman dating from the 1980's.
It is trickling out that :
Maciel fathered a child who is now in her early 20's;

Maciel offered some money illicitly to his own family;

I saw this comment on the net and agree with all but the last sentence:
"The only amazing aspect of this kerfuffle is that the LC organization should have learned from the blunders of Americano dioceses during the Priestly Scandals of 2001-05. As in- come clean, mop up the mess, do it quickly and publicly, move forward. If LC’s appeal comes from the charism of one man, it will dry up like the orders of nuns who went cloud cuckoo. If it’s rooted in Christ and His Church- not Maciel’s Church- it may find, like Opus Dei during the Da Vinci Code hysteria, that bad publicity is better than none."

One ex-LC wrote: "The Legion must go forward, purged of the toxins released into its bloodstream by years of machiavellian duplicity, and recreate itself solely on the merits of its works."

According to the Wikipedia entry: "Internally, the Legion has collapsed and is now struggling to recreate itself on the merits of its works alone, with no reference to the Founder. His name and history are being purged from the Congregation' s internal literature, his pictures are being removed from the walls of the schools and seminaries of the Legion and his writings are no longer being quoted in homilies and preaching of Legionary priests."

This episode really shows the dangers of the cult of personality organisations with in the Church. Hero worship is always a temptation - this can apply to priests, bishops and even Popes - not excluding Pope John Paul II.

It was Cardinal Ratzinger himself who reopened the investigation on MM while he was head of the CDF.

As John Allen has said, "The centrality of the founder: The Vatican’s communiqué two years ago took pains to distinguish its conclusion about Maciel from any indictment of the Legionaries as a whole: “Independently of the person of the founder,” it said, “the worthy apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and the Regnum Christi Association is recognized with gratitude.” Many Legionaries and other experts on religious life, however, warn that things aren’t that simple. The identity and spirituality of a religious order is deeply tied to the personality of its founder, and there aren’t many ready examples of orders which have flourished despite compelling evidence of moral corruption on the part of the founder. To acknowledge merit to the charges against Maciel, at least in the eyes of some, would therefore be tantamount to jeopardizing the viability of the communities he founded. It could also, of course, jeopardize the vocations of Legionaries intensely devoted to the figure of Maciel."

I hope this does not happen but that purged of aspects of a Cult of personality, the LC and RC will be solidified in the faith and Tradition of the Church and continue to flourish in the future.

U.K. MUSLIM POPULATION GROWS 10 TIMES FASTER THAN THE REST OF POPULATION

2009-02-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chr 7:14)

The Muslim population in the U.K. has grown by more than 500,000 to 2.4 million in four short years. Muslims multiplied 10 times faster than the rest of the Nation, the research by the Office for National Statistics reveals. During the same period the number of Christians in the country fell by more than 2 million.

Excerpts from Timesonline: Experts said that the increase was attributable to immigration, a higher birthrate and conversions to Islam during the period of 2004-2008, when the data was gathered."

"There are more than 42.6 million Christians in Britain, according to the Office for National Statistics, whose figures were obtained through the quarterly Labour Force Survey of around 53,000 homes. But while the biggest Christian population is among over-70s bracket, for Muslims it is the under-4s. [Emphasis added]

"Muhammad Abdul Bari, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, predicted that the number of mosques in Britain would multiply from the present 1,600 in line with the rising Islamic population. He said the greater platform that Muslims would command in the future should not be perceived as a threat to the rest of society.

“We each have our own set of beliefs. This should really be a source of celebration rather than fear as long as we all clearly understand that we must abide by the laws of this country regardless of the faith we belong to,” he said.
And here is solid evidence of the growth of Eurabia...

"The total number of Muslims in Great Britain:
2004: 1,087,000
2005: 2,017,000
2006: 2,142,000
2007: 2,327,000
2008: 2,422,000

Source: Labour Force Survey. H/T to this site

Slideshow of Ethiopian Christmas

2009-02-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

A very interesting slide show of an Ethiopian Christmas is viewable here

Tyrone priest criticises First Communion fashion magazine

2009-02-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

A County Tyrone priest has slammed a magazine encouraging parents to splash out on their children’s First Holy Communion.
Fr Declan Boland said the targeting of parents by Your Child's First Holy Communion which shows young girls modelling the latest in Communion wear has "inappropriate".

The magazine, which is a spin-off of the highly successful wedding magazine Irish Wedding Diary. carries advertisements for tiaras, fashion accessories and portrait photographers.

Fr Boland said it was time parents changed their focus to the spiritual dimension of their children getting their First Communion and took an approach of “moderation and sensibility” to the occasion.

"The Church and schools try and down play the whole issue of clothing, parties and whatever gifts the children get for their Holy Communion,” he remarked.

But he said it “can be a struggle” because parents get “caught up in the external things”.

“But if this magazine is out there now, I feel we are in danger of losing sight of what we are about and the true meaning of Holy Communion, which is receiving the body of Christ for the first time,” Fr Boland remarked. [CIN]

Statement by Dr Alcuin Reid on a SSPX response

2009-02-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

This should clarify positions a good bit.
Fr Z received this from Alcuin Reid, who is the editor and author of good liturgical sources:

Statement by Dr Alcuin Reid:

On Friday BBC Radio asked me to discuss recent events concerning the SSPX on ‘The Sunday Programme’ this morning. Following that request I asked the SSPX for comment on the issues to be discussed.

Unfortunately Bishop Fellay’s reply reached me only after the programme aired. His reply, written for publication, states:

"The position of Bishop Williamson is clearly not the position of our Society.
Antisemitism has no place in our ranks.

We follow fully God’s commandments on justice and charity and the constant teaching of the Church. Antisemitism has been condemned by the Church. So do we condemn it.

I fully agree with Fr Schmidberger’s statement about Bishop Williamson’s words. (www.fsspx.info)"

God bless you

+Bernard Fellay

The Difference Between Men and Women: What goes through your head when someone says "Do you want to go for a drink?"

2009-02-01T06:33:00.001-08:00

H/T to http://inhocsigno.blogspot.com/

Liberals are depressed over work of Pope Benedict and traditional re-integration

2009-02-01T06:18:00.001-08:00

Robert Mickens of The Tablet has a sour piece in "America" on Pope Benedict and Vatican II, of course some people might not share his pessimism about the present situation.

"A young professor at the Legionaries of Christ's university in Rome, Fr Mauro Gagliardi, gave a clue of what to expect.

The Fraternity of St Pius X can offer the Church an important contribution in applying the 'hermeneutic of continuity' that must be applied to the documents of Vatican II," he said.

This apparent reference to Pope Bendict's hermeneutic for interpreting the Council is imprecise -- as Fr Joseph Komonchak and others have clearly pointed out -- but it is not altogether mistaken. And Fr Gagliardi is not just any professor in Rome. He was recently named as consultant to the papal liturgical ceremonies office and mixes in the circles that are currently in favour in the Vatican. He said, "The 'Lefebvrists' have a spirituality and charism that can be a richness for the life of the entire Church." This certainly is the view of Cardinal Castrillon and probably reflects, at least in some measure, the Pope's thinking, too.

There is no question that Pope Benedict wants the SSPX back in the Church. Up to now he has done everything to accommodate them on their terms. He will do so on the interpretation of the Council, as well. The two CDF documents in 2007 (on the nature of the Church on 29 June and on evangelisation on 3 December ) have already begun paving the way for this. The Lefebvrists will argue, and the Pope will agree, that, in substance, we have the same doctrine after Vatican II has we had before. All "changes" were merely stylistic or operational, but not theogical -- i.e. none of the changes were essential, so none have to be adopted. The Vatican and the SSPX will also say, together, that much of the Council was badly misinterpreted by theologians and bishops in the post-conciliar period, and they will even cite the long list of theologians the CDF condemned to prove that Rome never caved in. Despite everything to the contrary (i.e. the fact that the SSPX does not really buy or live Vatican II), they will find a way together to finagle a formula that helps them profess "true fidelity and true recognition" of the Council (in light of the constant Tradition) but allows them to continue living as if Vatican II never existed. There are already a number of "Ecclesia Dei" communities in communion in Rome (off-shoots of the SSPX like the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter) that currently do this.

The formula that is produced will be just as disingenuous as the invented nonsense of "two forms of the one Roman Rite".

H/T to DT and Fr Ray Blake.

Be a hero on the Hudson - fun game

2009-01-31T04:10:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend this 'Hero on the Hudson' game for a laugh:
Press left direction button to put plane nose down, press right to put plane nose up. Bon chance!

There is a lion in the hierarchy

2009-01-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI with a lion cub

Cardinal Castrillón says full communion with SSPX will come

2009-01-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 29, 2009
Cardinal Castrillón:
Relevant declarations to Corriere della Sera
Excerpts of an article published today in Italian national daily Corriere della Sera:

"[Card. Castrillón:] Full communion will come. In our discussions, Bishop Fellay recognized the Second Vatican Council, he recognized it theologically. Only a few difficulties remain...[sic]"

Maybe on Nostra Aetate, the declaration which represented a turning point in the relationship with the Jews?

"[Card. Castrillón:] No, that is not a problem. It involves discussing aspects such as ecumenism, liberty of conscience...[sic]"

Full interview here

Not only that but madcap Bishop Williamson of SSPX has apologised to the Holy See for his ridiciulous holocaust denial comments.

On another matter, Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro, chief of Human Life International’s Rome bureau said his Curial source told him that they are currently busy working out the practical arrangements for a fully regularized Society of St. Pius X.
See here.

In light of then Cardinal Ratzinger's comments to the bishops of Chile this may not prove intractable at all:

Certainly, there is mentality of narrow views that isolate Vatican II and which has provoked this opposition. There are many accounts of it which give the impression that, from Vatican II onward, everything has been changed, and that what preceded it has no value or, at best, has value only in the light of Vatican II.

The Second Vatican Council has not been treated as a part of the entire living Tradition of the Church, but as an end of Tradition, a new start from zero. The truth is that this particular Council defined no dogma at all, and deliberately chose to remain on a modest level, as a merely pastoral council; and yet many treat it as though it had made itself into a sort of superdogma which takes away the importance of all the rest.

This idea is made stronger by things that are now happening. That which previously was considered most holy – the form in which the liturgy was handed down – suddenly appears as the most forbidden of all things, the one thing that can safely be prohibited. It is intolerable to criticize decisions which have been taken since the Council; on the other hand, if men make question of ancient rules, or even of the great truths of the Faith – for instance, the corporal virginity of Mary, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the immortality of the soul, etc. – nobody complains or only does so with the greatest moderation.

US Bishops' election document faulty and helped Pro-abortion Obama

2009-01-29T12:47:00.000-08:00

Vatican Archbishop Raymond Burke says that the USCCB's "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" is partly to blame for the election of the "most pro-abortion president" in US history.

Catholic Online reports that Archbishop Burke, the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, named a document on the election produced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops that he said "led to confusion" among the faithful and led ultimately to massive support among Catholics for Barack Obama.

The US bishops' document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," stated that, under certain circumstances, a Catholic could in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports abortion because of "other grave reasons," as long as they do not intend to support that pro-abortion position.

Archbishop Burke, the former Archbishop of St. Louise Mo. and recently appointed head of the highest ecclesiastical court in the Catholic Church, told LifeSiteNews.com that although "there were a greater number of bishops who spoke up very clearly and firmly ... there was also a number who did not."

But most damaging, he said, was the document "Faithful Citizenship" that "led to confusion" among the voting Catholic population.

"While it stated that the issue of life was the first and most important issue, it went on in some specific areas to say 'but there are other issues' that are of comparable importance without making necessary distinctions."

Archbishop Burke, citing an article by a priest and ethics expert of St. Louis archdiocese, Msgr. Kevin McMahon, who analysed how the bishops' document actually contributed to the election of Obama, called its proposal "a kind of false thinking, that says, 'there's the evil of taking an innocent and defenceless human life but there are other evils and they're worthy of equal consideration.'

"But they're not. The economic situation, or opposition to the war in Iraq, or whatever it may be, those things don't rise to the same level as something that is always and everywhere evil, namely the killing of innocent and defenceless human life."

Archbishop Burke also cited the work of the official news service of the US Catholic Bishops' Conference, that many pro-life observers complained soft-pedalled the newly elected president's opposition to traditional morality.

"The bishops need to look also at our Catholic News Service, CNS, they need to review their coverage of the whole thing and give some new direction, in my judgement," he said.

(Source: CTHUS)

Who is the fluffy teddy bear - the Pope or Dalai Lama?

2009-01-28T03:38:00.000-08:00

Bit of fun: Trendy Lefty Liberals are aghast ...

Australian TV host John Safran playing a little game of who said this? The big, bad, authoritarian Pope or the cute and cudly Dalai Lama.
The Pope is a huge bugbear because he's soooooo dogmatic and dictatorial and, well, censorious! The Liberal lefties who read the Guardian and its ilk much prefer trendy gurus such as the Dalai Lama... unless they actually read what he says........H/T here

Holocaust-denier bishop gets silenced by Society of St Pius X - about time too.

2009-01-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Rorate Caeli reports:
Communiqué of the Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X,
Bishop Bernard Fellay

It has come to our attention that Bishop Richard Williamson, a member of our Society, granted an interview to a Swedish network. In this interview, he also commented on historical issues, especially on the genocide of Jews by the National-Socialist regime. It is obvious that a bishop speaks with religious authority solely on matters of faith and morals. Our Society claims no authority over historical or other secular matters.
The mission of the Society is the offering and restoration of authentic Catholic teaching, as reflected in the traditional dogmas. We are known, accepted and appreciated worldwide for this.
We view this matter with great concern, as this exorbitance has caused severe damage to our religious mission. We apologize to the Holy Father and to all people of good will for the trouble it has caused.
It must remain clear that those comments do not reflect in any way the attitude of our community. That is why I have forbidden Bishop Williamson to issue any public opinion on any political or historical matter until further notice.
The constantly accusations against the Society have also apparently served the purpose of discrediting our mission. We will not allow this, but will continue to preach Catholic doctrine and to offer the Sacraments in the ancient rite.

Menzingen, January 27, 2009
+ Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General

As District Superior of the Society [of Saint Pius X] in Germany, I am very troubled by the words pronounced by Bishop Williamson here in this country.

The banalization of the genocide of the Jews by the Nazi regime and of its horror are unacceptable for us.

The persecution and murder of an incalculable number of Jews under the Third Reich touches us painfully and they also violate the Christian commandment of love for neighbor which does not distinguish ethnicities.

I must apologize for this behavior and dissociate myself from such a view.

Such dissociation is also necessary for us because the father of Archbishop Lefebvre died in a KZ [concentration camp] and because numerous Catholic priests lost their lives in Hitler's concentration camps.

Stuttgart, January 27, 2009
Father Franz Schmidberger

Are we living in a post-Vatican II springtime? An alternative view

2009-01-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

Gerald Warner in the Daily Telegraph here gives an alternative view about effect of second Vatican Council:

Fifty years on: time to revisit and reform the Second Vatican Catastrophe
Posted By: Gerald Warner at Jan 27, 2009 at 07:49:45 [General]
Posted in: Society , Religion
Tags:
Benedict XVI, Second Vatican Council, Summorum Pontificum

Benedict XVI grows in stature as his reign progresses. To the momentous achievement of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, freeing the Tridentine Mass, he has now added the sagacious and just lifting of the excommunications imposed on the four bishops of the Society of St Pius X.

Although there was widespread scepticism about the validity of those censures, their lifting removes a roadblock to the restoration of the Church after the damage wrought by the Second Vatican Catastrophe. Not everyone is happy about the pardoning of the bishops. The staff of The Tablet are rumoured to be on suicide watch, while the malign spirit of those who, without any conscious irony, denominate themselves "liberals" was well illustrated by Gianni Gennari, an Italian journalist.

Gennari is a laicized priest, now married. Fighting back tears, he responded to news of the lifting of the excommunications: "It is a tragedy, the complete debacle of the Church!... I am disappointed, stunned, scandalised... In this case there is no place for the mercy of Christ"... Of course not. The Modernists have always excluded from any kind of mercy those faithful Catholics who adhere unreservedly to the Deposit of Faith. Anything that reduces the likes of Gennari to tears has to be good news.

Over the past few days, some blinkeredly optimistic souls have been trying - without much real hope - to persuade Catholics to "celebrate" the 50th anniversary of the announcement of the Second Vatican Council. This was the great "renewal", when the Holy Ghost inspired the Church to aggiornamento, or modernisation. What form has that Renewal taken?

In England and Wales in 1964, at the end of the Council, there were 137,673 Catholic baptisms; in 2003 the figure was 56,180. In 1964 there were 45,592 Catholic marriages, in 2003 there were 11,013. Mass attendance has fallen by 40 per cent. In "Holy" Ireland, only 48 per cent of so-called Catholics go to Mass. In France, there were 35,000 priests in 1980; today there are fewer than 19,000. Renewal?

In the United States, in 1965, there were 1,575 priestly ordinations; in 2002 there were 450 - a 350 per cent decline. In 1965 there were 49,000 seminarians, in 2002 just 4,700. Today 15 per cent of US parishes are without priests. Only 25 per cent of America's nominal Catholics attend Mass. Worse still is the erosion of faith among those who ludicrously describe themselves as Catholics. Among US Catholics aged 18-44 (the children of Vatican II) as many as 70 per cent say they believe the Eucharist is merely a "symbolic reminder" of Christ.

To describe this unprecedented collapse of the Church as "renewal" is insane; to attribute it to the operation of the Holy Ghost is blasphemous. The Catholic Church is in the same position as an alcoholic: until it admits to the problem, no cure is possible. The problem is Vatican II.

Pope Benedict himself has expressed reservations about at least one Council document. The only remotely celebratory response to the Council's 50th anniversary would be to appoint a commission of orthodox theologians to scrutinise all of Vatican II's documents and correct their errors. It is time to revisit and reform this council that has brought forth such poisonous fruits.

Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster calls Vatican II: A Magna Carta of the Holy Spirit
The Catholic Herald 23 January 2009 here:
Another more positive interpretation of VatII can be found here.

Are Irish Catechetics a disaster? Looks like it.

2009-01-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

Speaking about right of Catholic schools being just that in a pluralist society, Dr Diarmuid Martin of Dublin today had stiff comments to say about effectiveness of Catholic schools and catechetical programmes. Has the penny finally dropped about the total failure of present catechetical programmes used in Catholic schools to convey knowledge never mind commitment, to young Irish people. Eanna Johnson has a fine number of studies about deficiencies of AliveO programmes here.

Archbishop Martin says Catholic school identity at risk
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS must not water down their identity to conform with a more pluralist society, the Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin said yesterday.

At a conference to mark the first Catholic Schools Week in the Republic, Dr Martin said the Catholic school system had its rightful place within a multicultural society.

“Pluralism does not mean watering down identity. Indeed, a Catholic school which waters down its identity waters down its real contribution to society and renders itself useless,” he said.

“The survival of Catholic education in Ireland will not depend on it fitting in to an overall pluralist secularist philosophy, but on it being fully Catholic, bringing that specific contribution of the message of Jesus Christ to society........"

The archbishop also questioned the success of Catholic schools in passing on the faith to young people.

“What are we to say about a Catholic school system and catechetical programmes which have produced the numerically largest cohort of unchurched young people in recent Irish history?” he asked.

“Irish young people are among the most catechised in western Europe, with religious instruction right through primary and secondary school, and yet we cannot say that they are among the most evangelised.

“Indeed, the biggest challenge that I, as archbishop, see for the church in Dublin is precisely that of the evangelisation of young people and their insertion as true and committed members of a believing and worshipping community.”.......

Bishop Leo O’Reilly, chair of the Bishops Commission for Education, said it was important that Catholic schools became more conscious of their identity as the schools system became more pluralist.

Souce: The Irish Times Tuesday Jan 27, 2009.

Time to concentrate attention on dialogue of tradition with Orthodox churches

2009-01-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

Russian Orthodox National Council meets to elect patriarch

I am of the opinion that ecumenical conferences and the like with Protestant sects are a waste of time. Notice all the time and attention wasted with the Anglican Communion over the last 40 years. -Same too with Lutherans, Baptists etc.
It is time now to concentrate on avenues which are worthwhile and contain genuine hopes and possibility of re-union. That is with the various Orthodox churches as well as Oriental rite church - those who split away after Chalcedon.
Like the Orthodox and Oriental churches, the Catholic Church celebrates seven sacraments, and has many other similarities. I understand they have a great respect for traditional practices of the Catholic Church, so perhaps the lifting of excommunication against Society of Pius X four, will help in talks with Orthodox and Oriental churches.
News

The bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church this evening in Moscow elected Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, 62, to succeed the late Patriarch Alexi II as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The new Patriarch's challenge: to deepen the Church's influence inside Russia, and to widen its presence outside Russia

Kirill will "certainly" invite Pope Benedict XVI to visit Russia, and increase collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church worldwide, Orthodox sources say.

This was after the Local (national) Council of the Russian Orthodox Church opened its meeting at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow to elect the Russian patriarch.

MOSCOW, January 27 (Itar-Tass) --

Fr Vincent Twomey refuses to debate at UCC

2009-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Theologian refuses UCC debate invite over decision on stem-cell research

A FORMER professor of moral theology at St Patrick’s College Maynooth has turned down an invitation to take part in a debate held by the UCC Philosophical Society on Monday January 26th.
Fr Vincent Twomey said it “evidently supports the policy of your university to allow stem-cell research on human embryos which, of its nature, involves the killing of children in the earliest stages of their development”.

The invitation last Tuesday said the motion for debate would be “That this house would allow homosexual couples to adopt” and that society members would be delighted if Fr Twomey was willing to speak in opposition.

Fr Twomey said: “I gather that you hosted a ‘debate’ on this topic soon after the governing body announced its decision [to allow stem cell research at UCC] by a majority of one.

“At that debate one of speakers, I gather, was Dame Mary Warnock, the main advocate of destructive experimentation on human embryos in Britain.

“You boast of her as one of your patrons.
“Such ‘debates’ are but exercises in propaganda and with no concern for the truth . . .”

He continued: “Just as I am not prepared to be associated with any debating society that would embrace Nazi or Marxist ideology, so too I am not prepared to be associated with a philosophical society that supports the killing of children even for the most noble of motives.”

A spokesperson for the UCC Philosophical Society was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Source: The Irish Times Sat 24th Jan 2008.

Stop liturgical abuse

2009-01-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

The product of a Jesuit education

2009-01-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

9% Of the New Congress in the US is Jesuit Educated, 30% Of Congress Is Catholic.

33 out of the 51 of these members are committed to legislating pro abortion laws.

The 111th Congress, sworn in last week, features 51 members (out of 535) who are Jesuit-educated, according to the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Georgetown has by far the most alumni at the Capitol -- 18 -- but local favorites Boston College and the College of the Holy Cross have their share, with six and four graduates in Congress, respectively.

Some Italian Jews and Catholic Liberals gang up to criticise Pope Benedict XVI

2009-01-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

As Sandro Magister has shown a number of prominent Italian Jewish leaders have ganged up with some liberal Churchmen in Italy to attack the teaching of the Catholic Church about its prayer for the conversion of the Jews.

Giorgio Israel, an Italian Jewish commentator (and Math professor at the University of Rome - La Sapienza), writes in Il Foglio about the attacks of the Italian rabbinate against Pope Benedict XVI. Liberal Judaism, he says, have acted together with the leaders of the "Progressive" Italian Church (especially those in the Archdiocese of Milan) to undermine the reputation of Pope Benedict XVI.

According to Damian Thompson and CNS, the Vatican has called on the Italian Jewish leaders to calm down a bit and see sense.

A large part of the dispute centers around the Good Friday prayers of the Traditional Latin Mass.

The post 1955 text of the Good Friday Prayers can be found here. The later version correctly translates perfidius as faithless.

Oremus et pro perfidis Iudaeis: ut Deus et Dominus noster auferat velamen de cordibus eorum; ut et ipsi agnoscant Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum.

Let us pray also for the faithless Jews: that our God and Lord would remove the veil from their hearts: that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ.

S. Oremus. Priest: Let us pray.
V. Flectamus genua. Deacon: Let us kneel.
R. Levate. Subdeacon: Arise.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui etiam iudaicam perfidiam a tua misericordia non repellis: exaudi preces nostras, quas pro illius populi obcaecatione deferimus; ut, agnita veritatis tuae luce, quae Christus est, a suis tenebris eruantur. Per Dominum nostrum, Iesum Christum, filium tuum, qui tecum vivat et regnat in unitate Spiritu Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who drivest not away from Thy mercy even the faithless Jews: hear our prayers, which we offer for the blindness of that people: that, acknowledging the light of Thy truth, which is Christ, they may be rescued from their darkness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Some Jewish leaders have attacked Benedict XVI for his approval of TLM and its attendant Good Friday Prayers.
This is a bit selective, because the Novus Ordo Mass repeatedly calls for the conversion of Jews, but no-one says a thing.
One can also note the 1962 breviary speaks about the Jews on Ember Wednesday in Lent. Compared to 'Judaeorum plebe damnata' a prayer for their conversion is positively benign.

As we get started, please understand I don't think Jews are in a worse position that anyone else, and believe the Church should pray for the conversion of all to faith in Jesus Christ and their entry into His Church. To be Catholic is to preach the Gospel to all people in all places at all times, as Jesus Himself commanded us to do. (see Mark 16:15)

There have been a number of changes to prayers for conversions of Jews on Good Friday. This is a scholarly critique by someone whose views of the papacy I don't share - but this exposition of facts on this issue seems essentially accurate.

Most interesting he points out that the reference to the veil on their hearts is directly from St. Paul (2 Cor. 3: 13-16 NIV):

13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.
14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Pope Benedict asked that the 1962 Prayers on Good Friday be slightly amended. [ I don't agree with this particular apologists views on a number of issues - just on issue of Good Friday prayers.]

It is as plain as day that there is a battle going on among Catholic theologians about the status of the Old Testament Covenant and the Church's relationship with the Jewish people.
Though I don't agree with him on many important issues this American apologist points out important issues and even managed to get the American bishops to change and correct their adult catechism: here The following sentence had to be expunged from the book's text: "Thus the covenant that God made with the Jewish people through Moses remains eternally valid for them."
In a round about way we return to the essential point that if the Catholic Church wishes to call itself apostolic it must continue to preach and pray for the conversion of all non-Catholics into the Catholic Church and a flowering of faith in Jesus in their hearts. For the Church to do otherwise would be to declare itself not Catholic, and throw away its duty of mission given by Jesus Christ the Saviour.
The Catholic Church, as the commissioned herald of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is the New Israel which fulfills and supersedes the Old Covenant with the the New Covenant. This is sometimes called supersessionism or Replacement Theology.

Speculation that The Irish Catholic is going down the tubes

2009-01-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

Another blog once asked if the Irish Catholic newspaper is not just going down the tubes editorially but financially as well.
The print run for the paper when it was last printed by The Limerick Leader had fallen to 17,000. It has a large number of journalists and plethora of say-nothing columists - all of whom need big pay packets. Having a flick through it one can notice it has next to no large ads. This week it had one half page ad - about a meeting organised by the paper itself. It is not getting ad income. It has now been forced to put up its cover price for second time in a few months.

This fall in readership no doubt was because it has turned not just liberal in matters theological, but become a campaign sheet for Lisbon Yes campaign. No wonder as Irish Catholic deputy editor Michael Kelly is an activist in Fianna Fail who canvassed for Seam Ardagh TD for Dublin South Central during the last election, and the paper is governed by a board made up in part of IFA leaders. How could one expect to be independent and objective in this matters?

It is a great pity to watch it go down hill so steadily - it could have been a force for good and building up the faith and reporting on the Church in Ireland. Many friends of mine, who would have been keen readers before, now no longer buy it. With readership, prestige, advertising revenue going down as costs go up - is it only a matter of time before this privately owned company hits the wall. This year might tell us.

The US needs our prayers.

2009-01-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

A number of priests in America are saying the following prayer today, as President Obama takes office.

Thanks to Fr Z for telling us that the prayer below was composed by John Carroll, Archbishop of Baltimore, in 1791. He was the first bishop appointed for the United States in 1789 by Pope Pius VI. He was made the first archbishop when his see of Baltimore was elevated to the status of an archdiocese. John was a cousin of Charles Carroll of Maryland, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

PRAYER FOR GOVERNMENT We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name. We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope N., the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, N., all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty. We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state , for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.
.....
To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Confession joke

2009-01-20T04:32:00.000-08:00

The Confession Session

The new priest is nervous about hearing confessions, so he asks an older priest to sit in on his sessions.

The new priest hears several confessions, then the old priest asks him to step out of the confessional for a few suggestions.

The old priest suggests, "Cross your arms over your chest and rub your chin with one hand."

The new priest tries this.

The old priest then suggests, "Try saying things like, 'I see, yes, go on, and I understand, how did you feel about that?"

The new priest says those things, trying them out.

The old priest concludes, "Now, don't you think that's a little better than slapping your knee and saying, 'No way! What happened next?'"

Why can't an Irish priest come out and say this

2009-01-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

H/T to Fr Z for spotting this.
This American Fr Markey gets right to the point. Clangs all the right bells. I find it very insightful.
Hopefully not too distant from now in time, an Irish priest will have the balls to say the same. Or even an bishop!

January 18, 2009

Part I: These past two Sundays I have dedicated my Pastor’s Column to New Year Resolutions. First I recommended that following Pope Benedict XVI’s lead, people no longer receive Holy Communion in the hand, and start receiving on the tongue. Secondly I recommended that people start correcting themselves when they use the Lord’s name in vain. This week I recommend that everyone in the parish make it a point to attend the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form of the Mass at least a few times during the coming year.
To begin to understand why, perhaps it is best to ask a question: How many Catholics today even realize that there is a liturgical crisis currently going on in the Church? Many parishes during the post-Vatican II era fell into irregular liturgical practices to such an extent that Pope John Paul II needed to commission a juridical document in 2004 for the universal Church in order to address the issue: “It is not possible to be silent about the abuses, even quite grave ones, against the nature of the liturgy and the sacraments as well as the tradition and authority of the Church, which in our day not infrequently plague liturgical celebrations in one ecclesial environment or another. In some places the perpetuation of liturgical abuses has become habitual” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 4).
Habitual abuse means that neither the clergy nor the laity at Mass even realizes that the Sacred Mass, that which offers true worship to God and forms Catholic identity like no other act, is being deformed. Such ignorance of the nature of the liturgy prompted Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to write in 2000: “Liturgical education today, of both priests and laity, is deficient to a deplorable extent. Much remains to be done here.” Sadly these attempts by Rome to correct liturgical abuse seem to have been virtually ignored by much of the Church at the parish level.
Since I arrived here at St. Mary Church in 2003 I have tried to address these issues and as everyone knows, I have made the renewal of the liturgy a priority for the parish. The first thing I did as pastor was to simply bring St. Mary Church into conformity with the norms of the Church. In the following years, I introduced singing the Latin Mass parts into all of the Masses, depending on the Mass and the occasion, as the documents require: “...steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 54). Thirdly I reserved altar serving to boys alone in order promote vocations to the priesthood. Finally, I have tried to imbue the liturgy here with a sacred spirit, avoiding profane greetings and actions, and I sought to build a sacred music program that would truly reflect our rich and ancient heritage.
Most importantly, I have attempted to educate everyone about why I was doing all of this. I have held numerous evening classes on the liturgy over the years, given homilies and written bulletin columns, trying to explain the proper spirit of the liturgy, and the authentic liturgical norms of the Church.
Many Catholics, who have been rightly offended by the profanation of the sacred over the years, joyfully embraced these changes. Some while not familiar with liturgical theology, have grown to understand better why a reverent liturgy is a more prayerful experience, and have also supported the changes.
Nonetheless the decisions I have made have been hard for others, and there have been not a few complaints. I am sometimes saddened by the brazen words of people who come to me and criticize a St. Mary’s priest for actually prayerfully offering the Mass according to the liturgical norms. To me, the person’s comment is symbolic of the current liturgical crisis: many years of a more casual liturgy, and even habitual liturgical abuse, are hard to overcome. Furthermore, the fact that so few parishes are implementing what the Magisterium is asking us to do makes the changes at St. Mary Church appear even more strange.
Yet how many Catholics truly understand what the Mass is: the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Christ’s crucifixion to God the Father? (Catechism #1367) Some people are still coming to Sunday Mass expecting liturgical abuses or to be entertained by the priest, rather than the real reason we come – to worship God, offering this perfect sacrifice according to the means handed down to us by Mother Church.
If only more people understood that novelties and priestly creativity in the Mass take away from this transcendent reality, and suddenly the sacred act is profaned, taking on the mere personality of the priest. No! As Padre Pio says, at Mass we are to humbly pray like St. John and Our Lady at the foot of the cross. Would that more people’s comments to me about the Mass reflected this understanding.

January 25, 2009

Part II: Yet beyond the lack of fidelity to the Vatican II liturgical norms there is still a deeper question which has only now begun to be addressed by Pope Benedict XVI: whether the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council that we have today was what the Fathers of the Council intended. Addressing the discontinuity between the Council’s idea of liturgical renewal and the final form of the Vatican II Mass, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote: “(I)n the place of liturgy as the fruit of development came fabricated liturgy. We abandoned the organic, living process of growth and development over centuries, and replaced it –as in a manufacturing process- with a fabrication, a banal on-the-spot product.”
For example, today much of what Catholics think is the Second Vatican Council liturgical reform did not in fact come from the Council: “To the ordinary churchgoer,” wrote Cardinal Ratzinger, “the two most obvious effects of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council seem to be the disappearance of Latin and the turning of the altars towards the people. Those who read the relevant texts will be astonished to learn that neither is in fact found in the decrees of the Council.” There is a long list of other changes as well that are simply not in the Vatican II documents either: removing altar rails, Communion in the hand, altar girls, etc.
For this reason Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to liberalize the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) is essential to reconnecting us with our lost tradition, and understanding what authentic worship of God is all about. This Mass was the Mass of our forefathers, of countless saints, and which in its essence dates back to the earliest Church.
Inspired by the Holy Father, I began the Extraordinary Form at the parish every Sunday over a year ago. As your Pastor I wish more people in the parish would understand that we have been given a treasure here at St. Mary’s with this Extraordinary Form, and while the Mass is definitely growing, it is still a disappointment that more people do not recognize what this is all about. .......

I encourage people to come and attend the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form so that they will experience what is in my opinion is the fullness of Catholic worship, and which communicates the Sacred to a higher degree than the other forms. The Ordinary Mass is a simpler version of this more ancient form, yet points to this fuller expression of worship.
I ask you to attend a few times because it sometimes takes a little while to appreciate its subtly, beauty and order. Even if you prefer the Ordinary Form of the Mass, your attendance at the Extraordinary Form will at least help you understand our history and the Ordinary Form better.
With all of the liturgical growth here at the parish over the past five years I hope that these two Pastor’s columns would help people to understand the big picture of why I am making these decisions. It is not my own personal whim which motivates me, but my desire to have our parish think and worship with the mind and heart of the Church.
Furthermore I think it more than a coincidence that the crisis in the liturgy over the past forty years coincided with so many other ecclesial crises: the radical decline in priestly and religious vocations, the shrinking and closing of Catholic schools, the breakdown of the family and the growth of the culture of death, the painful clergy scandals, etc. The Mass is the heart and source of our faith. If is the Mass is deformed and weak, then so is the rest of the body. As Pope Benedict XVI has written, “I am convinced that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is, to a large extent, due to the disintegration of the liturgy.”
In conclusion, nothing will affect a renewal in the Church and in the culture more than a renewal in the liturgy. The Mass not only expresses what we believe, it shapes what we believe. Come, open yourself to what the Holy Spirit is doing at this point in history, and worship our Lord in the coming year in spirit and truth.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Greg J. Markey
Priest
http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/pastorbox.html

Back to the future: Communion with physical signs of reverence

2009-01-17T05:53:00.000-08:00

H/T to Fr Ray Blake for this

A book, Dominus Est: by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, about the history of the reception of Holy Communion was endorsed very stronglyby Cardinal Francis Arinze and was reviewed very favourably by in in L'Osservatore Romanum. Schneider comes down very heavily in favour of receiving Communion on the tongue.

Interestly one of the first interviews with Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Divine Worship, dealt with Communion on the Tongue

"No, it is not just a matter of form. What does it mean to receive communion in the mouth? What does it mean to kneel before the Most Holy Sacrament? What dies it mean to kneel during the consecration at Mass? It means adoration, it means recognizing the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; it means respect and an attitude of faith of a man who prostrates before God because he knows that everything comes from Him, and we feel speechless, dumbfounded, before the wondrousness, his goodness, and his mercy. That is why it is not the same to place the hand, and to receive communion in any fashion, than doing it in a respectful way; it is not the same to receive communion kneeling or standing up, because all these signs indicate a profound meaning. What we have to grasp is that profound attitude of the man who prostrates himself before God, and that is what the Pope wants."

Cardinal Stafford, Prefect of the Apostolic Penitentiary speaking of sins reserved to the Holy See, spoke recently of desecration of the Holy Eucharist, said,
"this offense is occurring with more and more frequency, not just in satanic rites but by ordinary faithful who receive Communion and then remove the host from their mouths and spit it out or otherwise desecrate it."

Jews against Zionism

2009-01-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

Here are a people we rarely hear about on TV or radio, Jews who are opposed to the secular and racist ideology of Zionism
Do not blame 'the Jews' for what is going on in Gaza. The whole Israeli problem was precipitated by Zionists:

TRADITIONAL JEWS ARE NOT ZIONISTS
Although there are those who refuse to accept the teachings of the Rabbis and will continue to support the Zionist state, there are also many who are totally unaware of the history of Zionism and its contradiction to the beliefs of Torah-True Jews.

Contrary to common perception, Jewish anti-Zionism is not restricted exclusively to the well know Jewish anti-Zionist movements such as Satmar and Neturei Karta.

There are in fact many Jewish movements, groups and organizations whose ideology regarding Zionism and the so-called "State of Israel" is that of the unadulterated Torah position that any form of Zionism is heresy and that the existence of the so-called "State of Israel" is illegitimate.

No one has had to create any antagonism between our Torah and Zionism because such antagonism exists by virtue of the essence of Judaism itself, which can never tolerate the heresy of Zionism.

Zionism is wrong from the Torah viewpoint, not because many of its adherents are lax in practice or even anti-religious, but because its fundamental principle conflicts with the Torah.

Here's a video of religous and anti-Zionist Jews.

This is a powerful video of Jewish UK MP Gerald Kaufman speaking to the British parliament on Jan 16th, 2009.
Sir Gerald, who was brought up as an orthodox Jew and Zionist, said: "My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town a German soldier shot her dead in her bed.

"My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza. The present Israeli government ruthlessly and cynically exploits the continuing guilt from gentiles over the slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust as justification for their murder of Palestinians."

I disagree with one line by Mr Kaufman. He said "Israel was born out of Jewish Terrorism". This is wrong, not all Jews are Israeli. Not all Jews are Zionists. Many Jews are anti-Zionist.
It must be corrected thus: "Israel was born out of Zionist Terrorism"

Is Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin being Intellectually honest?

2009-01-16T04:36:00.000-08:00

The Archbishop of Dublin has taken umbrage at people stating the obvious meaning of the words and phrases that he uses when he approaches the issue of homosexual acts. This time concerning his interview with Vincent Browne.

For the umteempth time, he claims that he has been mis-understood again! Yet another clarification is offered.

The problem is not that he is mis-understood, the problem is his refusal to publicly attest to the immorality of homosexual acts and publicly declare that he is opposed to the legalisation of gay / civil union. It is really that simple.
Until Dr Martin does both these things it is difficult to see anything but his refusal to publicly endorse Church teaching.

He says below he does not know about the moral culpability of individuals in regards homosexual acts.
Thing is, as he should well know - An intrinsically evil act is one that is objectively wrong in and of itself, and which therefore can never be justified by circumstances or consequences.

There are no circumstances in which an intrinsically evil act - such as homosexual acts - would be morally good.
So his reply of not knowing subjective moral culpability is nonsense - We must ask if he is being intellectually honest on this matter?

Securus iudicat orbis terrarum ("The whole world will safely judge"), declared St. Augustine of the Church's all-embracing Catholicity.

Below is the statement from Archbhishop's House concerning his interview with Vincent Browne:

15/1/09 Church Teaching on Mutuality of the Sexes

In a recent television interview, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin was quizzed about the significance of certain phrases taken, often in isolation, from documents of the Church on homosexuality.

In response the first question of the interview Archbishop Martin clearly and without hesitation replied that he fully accepted the teaching of the Church on the morality of homosexual acts in its entirety.

In a later section of the interview Archbishop Martin was asked a question which touched on the moral culpability of individuals. He replied that he could not make generalized statements about individual situations, noting “I do not know”, in a sense in which the “not knowing” referred not to the Church’s teaching but to the specific circumstances of individuals.

Unfortunately, many anonymous sources have spread the view that Archbishop Martin had refused to endorse Catholic teaching. One website even invites its readers to begin looking at the interview a full two minutes after the point where the Archbishop spoke of his full adherence to the teaching of the Church.

Archbishop Martin confirms once again his complete adherence to this teaching which also constitutes the norm for teaching and preaching in the diocese.

The Archbishop has repeatedly, over a number of years, stressed how the Church’s position on human sexuality is based on a vision in which the mutuality of the sexes is recognised as something anthropologically unique and irreplaceable and not as a simple cultural construct which can be adapted and changed.

The relevant church teachings are reproduced here:

Catechism of the Catholic Church (2357, 2358, 2359)

Considerations regarding proposals to give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons (June 3, 2003)

Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons (1/10/1986)

Persona Humana Declaration on certain questions concerning sexual ethics

Previous posts on this issue:
post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4.

Catholic Church calls for peace in Palestine

2009-01-15T03:39:00.000-08:00

Today, Episcopal Conferences called for an end to violence in the Holy Land.

Holy Land religious leaders condemn Christian Zionism as false, a corrupting influence

JERUSALEM (Catholic Online) – Christian Zionism is a false and extreme theological and political philosophy that is has become a corrupting influence in the politics of Israel and the United States, said a Catholic patriarch and three other religious leaders here, urging Christians churches to break their silence. 8/31/2006

There are many articles on the net taking Christian Zionism to task: here ,here here

Christian Zionists are the false friends of Israel.

Irish bishops' commission demand cease fire in Gaza

2009-01-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

Concluding a week long visit of solidarity to the Holy Land, Bishop Raymond Field, Chair of the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs and Father Eamon Martin, Executive Secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have expressed alarm at the level of human suffering and living conditions currently being experienced by the people of Gaza. Bishop Field called for immediate action to end hostilities in order to begin building peace with justice in the region.

Bishop Field and Fr Martin are part of a delegation of Catholic Church leaders from Europe and North America visiting Christians of the Holy Land whose purpose is to express solidarity with them and listen to their concerns at this time. The visit was organised by the Co-ordination of Episcopal Conferences on behalf of the Holy See.......

Commenting today from Bethlehem manger square, about 40 miles from Gaza, Bishop Field said: “The horror and destruction of Gaza gets worse every day. From the posters and graffiti all around us, to the black flags flying from the Church of the Nativity, everywhere we look stark reminders of this human and societal tragedy exist. The most moving point of our visit was to hear the parish priest of Gaza, Fr Manawel Musallam, describing the terrifying nightmare that his people are living through.

“Fr Musallam told us about the death from fear and shock of a 14 year old girl in his parish, and about the chronic lack of food, water and energy which is threatening their very lives. Fr Musallam pleaded with us: ‘The world is not giving us our right; stop our living like animals in a prison. Do justice for Palestine and you will have lasting peace.’

“We assured Fr Manawel that the thoughts and prayers of people in Ireland are with him and with all the people of Gaza at this time.”

Celebrating our Faith with beauty and joy

2009-01-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful photograph taken from a blog of a Polish Jesuit.

The flowers, the vestments, the gold monstrance. Christ deserves the best we can give in return.

Church in Sri Lanka calls for modesty in lay dress

2009-01-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

In Ireland, I have not even heard the issue of modest dress in church raised for many many years. No one seems to care. Surely the way we dress signifies something of our interior disposition.

While not having a great hang-up about the way people dress in church - one can be dressed modestly and still unready for entering church etc. Dressing modestly is usually a sign of reverence and ensures less of a distraction to others. A priest in Colombo, Sri Lanka makes the case for more modest dress in church.

SRI LANKA Calls For Women To Cover Up At Cathedral

The clothing some young women wear to Mass at Colombo's main Catholic Church is attracting attention, judging by the messages on the notice board asking them to dress more modestly.

Father Tony Martyn, appointed parish priest of St. Lucia's Cathedral in 2006, says Sunday Mass there has become something of a women's fashion parade. This may have silent admirers, but it definitely has others frowning.

"Modesty is a virtue not limited to conduct, gestures, language, reading and thought, but also to clothing," Father Martyn told UCA News at the end of December.

"Here they (people) meet God," the priest said.

Three priests at the cathedral and some parishioners complain that some young women come to church in revealing short skirts, halter tops and low-cut blouses. This creates an unpleasant atmosphere, sets a bad example for youngsters and distracts many people, especially young men, they maintain. They also say little was done about the situation in the past.

Since November, however, some parishioners have distributed head veils free of charge to women, especially the young, to be worn during church services. Women traditionally wore a head covering to church, but the practice has slipped.

Meanwhile, the cathedral notice board shows pictures of modest dress as well as signs parishioners have put up calling on women to dress modestly and all parishioners not to dress extravagantly. Some signs appeal to parents to educate children about this. "Begin early," one said.

Father Joseph cited Saint Paul's admonition against extravagant dress in his First Letter to Timothy......

COLOMBO

Source UCAN news

January 12, 2009

Though I don't agree with a lot of what he writes in other matters, an American Catholic apologist here does a very good article on the wearing of the veil at Mass. The useful part is the collection of quotations from the Fathers on the issue - page 4 onwards.
Can you just imagine the furore if an Irish bishop said we were to return to the biblical admonition of women wearing the veil again in church. Editorials in The Irish Times or what?

Korean bishops criticise Charismatic excesses

2009-01-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

Korean Bishops denounce Charismatic excesses

Finally, a bishops' conference has the courage to take on a movement that, until very recently, has been practically above public criticism in the Catholic Church despite the numerous errors and dubious practices associated with it. The specific condemnation of the practice of "family tree healing" -- very common in charismatic circles -- is most necessary.

KOREA Bishops Provide Guidelines For Charismatic Renewal Movement

SEOUL (UCAN) -- Korean bishops, in a recent document, mentioned certain negative aspects of the charismatic movement in the Church here, while at the same time acknowledging its contributions to Church life.
The Committee for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) says that although the movement has helped to renew the faith of Catholics, some aspects have been questionable.

Its 88-page document, Right Understanding of the Holy Spirit, cites certain misunderstandings of the faith and unethical behavior of some followers, the abuse of spiritual gifts, a fanatical atmosphere at some prayer meetings, and deviation from Church teaching by some laypeople, priests and Religious.

The document, which the committee issued on Dec. 24, attributes decades of growth in the spiritual renewal movement, which focuses on the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives, to members' dedication. However, it pointed out that some followers have pursued fame, money and privilege, which it calls "a great obstacle" to the movement.

The bishops' committee says some of these people have sought money from people, claiming they possess the gift of healing or prophecy.......

Source UCAN News here
This website gives an alternative and Protestant critique of Charismatic excesses.

Russian Orthodox Church and importance of Tradition

2009-01-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

I know there are a number of problems with loose structure of Orthodox federations of churches and that Russian Orthodox Church can be intransigent but this post does highlight the fact that they recognise the importance of ecclesiatical tradition and found that radical reform of church practice does not work:

No desire for reform - in Russian Orthodoxy
Interfax reports on comments made by the current locum tenens of the Moscow Patriarchate:

There will be no reforms in the Russian Orthodox Church when a new Patriarch takes office, Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Kirill told the media in Moscow on Monday.

"I strongly oppose any church reforms. Besides, I do not think that any of the 145 archbishops that may be nominated for Patriarch have reform aspirations," he said.

Russia has twice learned "the necessity of careful attitude to traditions, especially church traditions," the Metropolitan said.

"The first lesson we learned was the church split by Old Believers. Our second lesson was the notorious innovations of the 1920s. Both processes caused agitation and divided people but neither of them reached the goals set by the reformers," he told.

"Church reforms cannot attain their goals unless these goals are rooted in people's life," Metropolitan Kirill remarked.

"Our Church is strong with its ability to preserve the belief and the flawless moral paradigm and to pass them over from one generation to another," the Metropolitan said.

"The Church is conservative by nature, as it maintains the apostolic belief," he added.

"If we want to pass the belief from one generation to another for centuries, the belief must be intact. Any reform damaging the belief, traditions and values is called heresy," he said.

Tongue in cheek type of joke

2009-01-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Helen for this one.

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off.

So I ran over and said, “Stop! Don’t do it! There’s so much to live for!”

He said, “Like what?”

I said, “Well, are you religious or atheist?”

“Religious.”

I said, “Me too! Are you Christian or Buddist?”

“Christian.”

I said, “Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?”

“Baptist.”

I said, “Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?”

“Baptist Church of God.”

I said, “Me too! Are you original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?”

“Reformed Baptist Church of God.”

I said, “Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?”

He said, “Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915.”

I said, “Die, heretic scum!” and I pushed him off the bridge.

Here is an interesting set of pics and a good story of a fireman bravely helping a man threatening suicide.

Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin refuses to endorse Church teaching again

2009-01-10T03:30:00.000-08:00

The Archbishop of Dublin was asked by Vincent Brown - "do you think child sexual abuse is a moral
evil?" to which the Archbishop replied, after several attempts, and repeating of the question, "I have no
idea".

Well, no, that didn't actually happen - what the Archbishop said was "I would kill anyone who
touched the children of friends of mine" which is rather strong for a bishop but good punter friendly
language to get the masses on side before the reports come out and makes clear that the Archbishop
recognises sin when he sees it.

The Archbishop of Dublin was then asked by Vincent Brown - "do you think homosexual acts are a
moral evil?" to which the Archbishop replied, after several attempts, and repeating of the question,
"I have no idea".

This time it did actually happen.

So for all the talk of anthropology, caring relationships, uniqueness of marriage, it comes down to that
- a reluctance by a Catholic bishop to confirm and deliver basis Catholic teaching. Of course he
could nuance it. Of course he could point out that homosexual sins aren't worse than other sins.
But if he can't bring himself to confirm the sinfulness of the act, where can he go from there?

Perhaps he was too busy in his head trying to think how to answer the question as to whether he
wanted to remain as Archbishop of Dublin or return to Rome.

Video of Vincent Brown show on TV3 on Jan 7th 2008.
Dr Martin's replies when asked about moral status of homosexual acts is in the last quarter of the interview.

In the course of the television interview, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is given a splendid chance to witness to the integrity and truth of Catholic teaching. So here he is in action:

Interviewer: You can say yes or no to my question: do you think that people -- homosexual people -- who engage in homosexual sexual relations are engaged in an intrinsic moral evil?

Archbishop: I would not make a judgment, again, on ... on ... on ... on ... on individual people. I have no idea.

Global Warming alert

2009-01-10T01:45:00.001-08:00

According to the New York Times solar panels in Minnesota are being rendered useless by thick snow fall. Ironic or what.

New orthodox religious orders flourish

2009-01-08T01:32:00.000-08:00

look at this beautiful photograph of an investiture from Kansas Catholic (H/t).

On Tuesday, January 6, 2009, the Feast of the Epiphany, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, a traditional community in the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph (MO), had a novice make her first profession of vows and also had the investiture in the Benedictine Habit of four postulants. This happened at the Oratory of Old Saint Patrick in Kansas City, MO.

Here are photographs of the Holy Mass, celebrated by His Excellency Robert W. Finn, as well as the profession of Sister Grace of the Merciful Face of Jesus and the investiture of the four postulants. Congratulations to the Benedictines of Mary for their phenomenal growth. Their website is here, and details, among other things, their making of traditional vestments.

Fr Finegan at HOC comments that a Dutch sociologist, has noted that it is only orthodox religious orders which are attracting vocations, libby whatever you're having yourself orders are dying on their feet.

In an interesting article in the Nederlands Dagblad (Nieuwe ordes weer in habijt), the sociologist Theo Schepens is quoted on the pattern of religious life he observes in the Netherlands today.

"You see growth in those orders that emphasize the Pope, the Eucharist and Mary. Among the religious there was always a lot of support for progressive movements [...] These would lead to an attractive Church, these were the future. Well, it seems not [...] not that there's so much growth in traditional orders, but they're the only ones growing at all."

Of the religious orders for men in Ireland the only one that I know is doing well for vocations is the Dominicans.
See enclosed Dominican nuns being interviewed on RTE TV here.

Two liturgical calendars

2009-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Calendar above which makes reference to both traditional and new rite liturgical dates aptly illustrates the contradictions and problems caused by having two liturgical calendars.

Well-known blogger, Fr Z. highlights some of the signals sent out by moving Holy Days of Obligation to the Sunday here.

The Roman Station for Epiphany is San Pietro in Vaticano. The only problem is that Epiphany in the Vatican is celebrated on 6 January, when it ought to be. In the rest of the world, sadly, Epiphany is moved around, thus obliterating it’s fixed character in relation to Christmas Day......

The celebration of Epiphany stretches back to the Church’s earliest times. In the Greek East, Epiphany was of far greater importance than Christmas, which was a relative latecomer. In the Latin West, Christmas developed first, and Epiphany later.

In many countries people exchange gifts on Epiphany, in imitation of the Magi with their gifts. Epiphany truly falls on 6 January, the twelfth day after Christmas, as in “On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…”, and also the title of Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night. In the reformed, post-Conciliar calendar Epiphany is usually transferred to a Sunday, so that more people can attend the Mass.

I think it is a mistake to transfer important feasts like Epiphany, in Christmastide, and Ascension Thursday in Eastertide. These feasts are pegged to the great celebrations of Christmas and Easter for a reason. When we transfer these feasts to Sunday, we diminish the meaning of the liturgical year. By making our obligations as Catholics ever more lax and easier to fulfill, a subtle signal is sent that none of our obligations, practices or teachings are important enough to warrant a place and, at times, sacrifice in our daily lives.

Bishops will support Lisbon II claims The Irish Catholic

2009-01-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

Michael Kelly, deputy editor of The Irish Catholic, and a Fianna Fail cumann member of Dublin South Central has an unsourced article in this weeks Irish Catholic claiming the Irish bishops will come out in support of Lisbon II.
Not only is unsourced material unworthy of a front page in a respectable newspaper, but it is despicable that a journalist who is a member of a political party should not disclose this to the paper's readership.
They have words to describe this type of journalism: Propaganda could be one, piffle the other.

Bishops to back Lisbon II
Michael Kelly

The Bishops' Conference is set to adopt an unequivocal pro-Lisbon approach to the second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty The Irish Catholic understands.

The Church came in for sharp criticism from politicians after a statement in the run up to the first Lisbon Treaty referendum made very positive statements about the treaty, but, crucially, stopped short of an endorsement.

Now, The Irish Catholic understands that Government assurances on the right to life and other sensitive ethical issues will lead the Bishops' Conference to be clearer in its support.......

A well-placed Church source confirmed to The Irish Catholic that in the second Lisbon referendum, due to be held later this year, a stronger statement of support will be issued by a committee of the Bishops' Conference. At this stage it is unclear whether that statement would come from the Standing Committee or the bishops' Committee on Europe.

Another senior figure privately admitted to The Irish Catholic that the inconclusive statement on Lisbon ''may have caused some unnecessary confusion''.

More on Michael Kelly of The Irish Catholic here:

The Liturgical Year and the sanctification of time

2009-01-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

Pic: NLM May 19, 2007.
Happy New Year. Mm, well the Church New Year began weeks ago in Advent.

Recent changes in the Church calendar are not without problems. Yes it was good to add a number of new saints into the calendar and have them celebrated,.
However, radical structural reform to the Liturgical Calendar , such as moving important Feast days like Christ the King to different days have caused and at times signified changes in belief.

In the last few years, the transfer of Holy Days of Obligation to the nearest Sunday has contributed to the secularisation of time. There was plenty of pressure on from the surrounding culture to do that already without the Catholic bishops of Ireland and of Britain contributing to this effect.

Changing the calendar not only caused a rupture with traditional calendar of the Church but also added to break with Anglican tradition who more or less held to old Roman calendar.

Currently, under Pope Benedict's moto proprio, in the one Roman rite, there are now two calendars at work. I think it is best to go back to the traditional Roman Calendar to avoid confusion and conflict. It shall be another important movement in the the Benedictine reform of the reform. It can also show new rite of Mass is in organic continuity with traditional liturgical practice of the Church.

Senior Church prelates such as Cardinal George in the US has pointed out the niaviety and harm changing the Church calendar has done.

Cardinal George in 2003 said:

Liturgical renewal after the Council, he suggested, had shown in hindsight a "kind of naive innocence", with inadequate "thought being given to what happens in any community when its symbol system is disrupted."

The liturgical calendar was an example. For since the Liturgy "is the place where time and eternity meet", changing the liturgical calendar, he said, "means to change our way of relating to God".

This can flow over to thinking on doctrinal matters. "Pastorally, every bishop has been asked: 'Since we no longer recognise certain saints on the Church's calendar, why can't the Church correct her teaching on sexual morality, on women's ordination and on other difficult doctrines?'"

He continued: "A change in space, in architecture and in the placement of altars and other liturgical furnishings has similar effect, as has a change in language, which carries and conditions our thinking and evaluating. A change in Liturgy changes the context of the Church's life.

Interestingly as Fr Ray Blake of Mary Magdalene blog pointed out that "Protestant hatred of the Blessed Virgin ended the start of traditional English New Year on Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation, 25th March, the hangover from that was the start of the Tax Year, a few days later, from 1st April."

He was corrected by a commentor who said:

Father, I am sorry to be a pedant but the tax year starts on 6th April. This came about when Britain adopted the Gregorian Calendar in September 1752. Because of the differences between the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the delay in Britain adopting the new calendar, this required a correction of 11 days, 2nd September 1752 being followed not by 3rd September but by 14th.

After 1753, the British tax year in Britain continued to operate on the Julian calendar and began on 5 April, which was the "Old Style" new year's day of 25 March. A 12th skipped Julian leap day in 1800 changed its start to 6 April. It was not changed when a 13th Julian leap day was skipped in 1900, so the tax year in the United Kingdom still begins on 6 April.

Hey monkey - where is my Hamlet?

2008-12-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

h/t to Fr Z for this

This is a play on the odds that our planet Earth just "happened by pure chance".

And… given enough typewriters and monkeys, and enough time, one of them would by the random bashing of keys duplicate Hamlet - Yep, sure; there is a budding Shakespeare in every monkey. Just give it time and enough paper. Sure. There, there now.

Tribute to Cardinal Avery Dulles

2008-12-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

I know he died on December 12, 2008 but I think it good to commemorate the late Cardinal Avery Dulles.
May he rest in peace.
He has many very good Theological essays. For instance see this on the Filioque clause in the creed.

Please pray for the soul of Card. Avery Dulles who passed away aged 90.

Card. Dulles on apologetics:

"...In a pluralist society like our own, religious faith is felt to be divisive. To avoid conflict Christians frequently take refuge in the excuse that people should be left free to make up their own minds about what to believe. After all, they say, no one can be argued into faith. Even to raise the question of truth in religion is considered impolite.

This withdrawal from controversy, though it seems to be kind and courteous, is insidious. Religion becomes marginalized to the degree that it no longer dares to raise its voice in public. This privatization has debilitating consequences for the faith of believers themselves. If we do not consider that it is important for others to hear the Christian proclamation, we inevitably begin to question its importance for ourselves. The result is a massive loss of interest in religious teaching. The reluctance of believers to defend their faith has produced all too many fuzzyminded and listless Christians, who care very little about what is to be believed. Their halfhearted religion is far removed from that of the apostles and the martyrs. It is a degenerate offspring of authentic Christianity.

Recognizing that faith is enfeebled if its rational grounds are denied, committed Christians are today returning to apologetics..."

(From "The Rebirth of Apologetics", First Things, May 2004)

Cardinal Dulles resources are available here

Christian faith gives dignity to Africans - atheistic Times columnist

2008-12-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

Matthew Parris in The Times says that in his experience of Africa over many years, that practice of the Christian Faith brings dignity to African people.
Missionaries, not aid money, he says are the solution to Africa's biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people's mindset:

Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.

I used to avoid this truth by applauding - as you can - the practical work of mission churches in Africa. It's a pity, I would say, that salvation is part of the package, but Christians black and white, working in Africa, do heal the sick, do teach people to read and write; and only the severest kind of secularist could see a mission hospital or school and say the world would be better without it. I would allow that if faith was needed to motivate missionaries to help, then, fine: but what counted was the help, not the faith.

But this doesn't fit the facts. Faith does more than support the missionary; it is also transferred to his flock. This is the effect that matters so immensely, and which I cannot help observing.

First, then, the observation. We had friends who were missionaries, and as a child I stayed often with them; I also stayed, alone with my little brother, in a traditional rural African village. In the city we had working for us Africans who had converted and were strong believers. The Christians were always different. Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world - a directness in their dealings with others - that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. They stood tall.......

{Christian also worked for secular NGOs] It would suit me to believe that their honesty, diligence and optimism in their work was unconnected with personal faith. Their work was secular, but surely affected by what they were. What they were was, in turn, influenced by a conception of man's place in the Universe that Christianity had taught.

There's long been a fashion among Western academic sociologists for placing tribal value systems within a ring fence, beyond critiques founded in our own culture: “theirs” and therefore best for “them”; authentic and of intrinsically equal worth to ours.

I don't follow this. I observe that tribal belief is no more peaceable than ours; and that it suppresses individuality. People think collectively; first in terms of the community, extended family and tribe. This rural-traditional mindset feeds into the “big man” and gangster politics of the African city: the exaggerated respect for a swaggering leader, and the (literal) inability to understand the whole idea of loyal opposition.

Anxiety - fear of evil spirits, of ancestors, of nature and the wild, of a tribal hierarchy, of quite everyday things - strikes deep into the whole structure of rural African thought. Every man has his place and, call it fear or respect, a great weight grinds down the individual spirit, stunting curiosity. People won't take the initiative, won't take things into their own hands or on their own shoulders.

The Christian faith make strengh to make a stand against sin and abuse

Philip Jenkins has a great piece up on The New Republic site explaining why homosexuality is such a big deal for African Christians. I knew that it was vitally important in Christianity’s rivalry with Islam, as Jenkins explains:

The Muslim context helps explain the sensitivity of gay issues in one other key respect. In the region later known as Uganda, Christianity first arrived in the 1870s, when the area was already under Muslim influence and a hunting ground for Arab slave-raiders. The king of Buganda had adopted Arab customs of pederasty, and he expected the young men of his court to submit to his demands. But a growing number of Christian courtiers and pages refused to participate, despite his threats, and an enraged king launched a persecution that resulted in hundreds of martyrdoms: On a single day, some 30 Bugandans were burned alive. Yet the area’s churches flourished, and, eventually, the British expelled the Arab slavers. That foundation story remains well-known in the region, and it intertwines Christianity with resistance to tyranny and Muslim imperialism–both symbolized by sexual deviance. Reinforcing such memories are more recent experiences with Muslim tyrants, such as Idi Amin, whose victims included the head of his country’s Anglican Church. For many Africans, then, sexual unorthodoxy has implications that are at once un-Christian, anti-national, and oppressive.

St. Charles Lwanga and the Ugandan martyrs, Catholics who died for the faith at the hands of a pederast king give glory to God by their show of faith. They are an example and a help to all Christians.

Maynooth lecturer calls Infancy narratives fictions

2008-12-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

A longtime lecturer in Dogmatic Theology at Maynooth, Fr Martin Henry has described the Infancy Narratives of the Gospels as fictions.
The longtime lecturer in Maynooth Pontifical University has, I believe been bamboozeling students for years with Japanese poetry and references to Neitzche.
I see, very appropriately that one of his books are entitled, 'On not understanding God (1997) and another is
Tangents: Essays and Reflections ( 2008).
Very appropriate. In my opinion, Fr Henry is an agnostic who does not believe very much of what the Catholic Church believes. It is a scandal that such a lecturer has been allowed to teach at Maynooth for years.
When people seek why Maynooth turns out such a stream of theological illiterates, they won't have to look far past Fr Henry for an answer.

Madam, - I wonder if Prof Brian Arkins is missing the point of the Nativity stories in the Gospels? The facts he states are not in dispute. But what may be in dispute is his interpretation of the Gospels as a literary genre.

I find Morna Hooker's book Beginnings: Keys that Open the Gospelsmore enlightening than Prof Arkins's array of petits faits vrais on the point of Matthew's and Luke's opening narratives. Of course they are fictions - what else do you expect religious poetry to be? But being fiction isn't the same thing as being fraudulent, false or meaningless - or, worse still, well-meaning. Nor need fictions be without allusion to "real" places and events, though that is not their "point".

The 18th-century champions of the European Enlightenment were reluctant to go beyond the "hard facts" of history - as, curiously enough, are contemporary fundamentalists. Prof Arkins is certainly doing his bit to try to drag little Ireland, kicking and screaming, into the 18th century. But who wants to live in the 18th century? - Yours, etc,

MARTIN HENRY,

Lecturer in Dogmatic Theology,
St Patrick's College,
Maynooth, Co Kildare.

Irish Times Thursday 24th Dec 08.

The Priests singing Pie Jesu

2008-12-26T04:14:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful song.

Merry Christmas to one and all

2008-12-24T08:39:00.000-08:00

Et Verbum caro factum est

'For on to us a Child is given'

Bouguereau, Adolphe-William
Virgin and Child
1888
Oil on canvas
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

Christmas Message from Cardinal Seán Brady

2008-12-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

'Re-capitalise' the family and community: Cardinal Brady

“There is much talk about re-capitalising the banks with cash. This Christmas let us recapitalise our families, our local community and our society with concern for one another and with love. It is an investment which each one of us can make. It is an investment which comes with a guaranteed return. Let us rebuild family and community life as well as our economic system so that our future prosperity will be built on more solid foundations than it was before.”

Church in Ireland ignores Catholic teaching on Anglican orders

2008-12-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

Procession of Anglican Clergy in Australia with a friend- Darth Vader

All the joint Christmas statements from Catholic bishops and Anglican "bishops" is a fine example of how many
Catholic bishops ignore the Catholic teaching that Anglican orders are null and void.

If the Catholic bishops accepted 'Apostolicae Curae' by Pope Leo XIII they would not publish joint pamphlets or messages in which
Church of Ireland ministers are identified as 'bishops'.

Here's an example:

Christmas Message - Bishops Buckley & Colton (Joint)

The Most Reverend John Buckley, Bishop of Cork and Ross and The Right Reverend Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
"Our celebrations of Christmas come this year in the midst of a difficult time for many people. There have been many expressions of concern about the economic outlook and commercial life in our society, including here in Cork.

We encourage everyone, as a first priority, to celebrate a simple Christmas – a Christmas which concentrates on the Christmas good news of the birth of Jesus Christ the light of the world, a light that no darkness can overcome.

As Jesus Christ himself lived among us as a sign of God’s presence and solidarity with humanity, we encourage everyone to show practical and generous solidarity with those for whom Christmas brings hardship and anxiety. These are times when we need to discover afresh the value of community life, of friendship and of support towards each other.

We wish you all every blessing of joy, peace and hope this Christmas and throughout the New Year."

Apostolicae Curae is the title of a papal bull, issued in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII, declaring all Anglican ordinations to be "absolutely null and utterly void".

The principal objection to Anglican orders being valid, according to Leo XIII, was the alleged deficiency of intention and of form of the Anglican ordination rites. In the case of deficiency of intention, the pope declared that the rites expressed an intention to create a priesthood different from the sacrificing priesthood of the Catholic Church and reduce ordination to a mere ecclesiastical institution, an appointment or blessing, instead of a sacramental conferral of actual grace by the action itself.

In 1998 Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and later Pope Benedict XVI) issued a doctrinal commentary to accompany Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter Ad Tuendam Fidem,... Ratzinger’s commentary listed Leo XIII’s declaration in Apostolicae Curae that Anglican orders are “absolutely null and utterly void” as one of the teachings to which Catholics must give “firm and definitive assent”.

Bishop Magee under pressure in Cloyne

2008-12-23T10:54:00.001-08:00

Another crisis of authority - this time in Cloyne.

It is clear that Bishop Magee failed to both carry out the agreed Church guidelines on allegations of child abuse or even carry out an investigation under Canon Law This was reported in the Indo
A few politicians have called for Magee's head, but I shall rest judgement until the whole story comes out.
However, I will say one thing - it looks if guidelines had been followed from the start - there would have been no need for this rigmarole.

Very overlooked in the whole affair was the fact that the matter was thoroughly investigated by the Gardai and there were no charges whatsoever laid against the accused priests.
This came up in the Examiner, but was totally ignored by The Irish Times.

As Kilbarry1 on politics.ie pointed out :
'Last Saturday there were numerous articles in the 3 main dailies about the alleged failure of Bishop Magee of Cloyne (Co Cork) to deal properly with allegations of child abuse made against two priests. Only one article in one paper (Irish Examiner) mentioned that the Director of Public Prosecutions returned the files on both priests with a direction NOT to prosecute.

The following is an extract from the article by Eoin English.

DPP Was Sent 4 files On Priests But No Charges Brought
Irish Examiner.com:(Dec 20, 2008) DPP was sent 4 files on priests but no charges brought

"DESPITE extensive Garda probes, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided that two priests in the Cloyne diocese accused of child abuse should not face criminal charges.

Gardaí confirmed that “full and thorough” investigations were carried out into each of the allegations levelled against Fr A and Fr B, both priests in the Cloyne diocese.

But after examining one substantial Garda file in relation to Fr A and three files in relation to Fr B, the DPP directed that neither priest should face criminal prosecution. .......

Supt McCarthy said each of the allegations relating to both priests were investigated “fully and thoroughly”.

“Substantial and comprehensive Garda files were prepared. We took the investigations as far as possible and all possible evidence was gathered,” he said.

A single Garda file in relation to Fr A was forwarded to the DPP in November 2006 but the DPP directed in February 2007 that no prosecution should follow.

Three substantial files relating to allegations against Fr B were forwarded to the DPP some time later and in each of the cases, the DPP directed that no prosecution should follow.

Supt McCarthy confirmed that there are no current investigations relating to alleged child abuse by priests in the Cloyne diocese."

Various commentators have called for Bishop Magee to resign, including many who you would expect - One in Four, etc
David Quinn called for the bishop's resignation, on Morning Ireland I believe, after writing this piece for the Irish Independent

The whole affair is well covered on Clerical Whispers for December 23 and 24th.

Rorate Caeli

2008-12-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

Rorate Caeli (Introit)
The Fourth Sunday of Advent recalls the Annunciation when the Word of God took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The words of this introit are taken from Isaiah 45:8 but given a specifically Christ-centred interpretation: "Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down the Just One; let the earth open, that the Saviour may sprout forth, and let it cause justice to spring up also; I the LORD have begotten him."

Below is a video of this chant sung by the Dominican brothers at Blackfriars Oxford. [H/T to http://godzdogz.op.org/ ]

Video here

Out of the closet, Gary O'Sullivan

2008-12-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

I notice that editor of The Irish Catholic, Gary O'Sullivan has a letter in The Irish Times in support of Diarmuid Martin on the issue of gay marriage/civil unions/ or relationships of depenency - whatever you want to call it.
I believe that Gary O'Sullivan has his own personal reasons for supporting Dr Martin's stance on the legalisation of gay unions - no sorry, relationships of dependency.

Irish Times Letters page

Madam, - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin (November 28th) seeks to clarify the interpretation of remarks he made on marriage and civil unions at a recent Maynooth press conference, which I attended.

Bishops and archbishops can all too easily go down the road of condemnation when speaking out on the issues of the day and know there will be no misunderstanding of their position. To be fair to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, he does try to take the harder road in his public utterances as advocated by Pope Benedict, which is to promote Christianity as a positive option.

It would be a shame if this approach and the merits of the Archbishop's argument were lost because of a misunderstanding of the nuanced position he was trying to articulate.

Dr Martin, while promoting the positives for society of the Christian view of marriage, was also striving to inform those who misinterpret the church's position as uncaring and unsympathetic. The Church does care about the rights of a variety of people in caring and dependent relationships. This position is largely lost in the current debate on marriage and civil unions.

To ensure clarity in future Maynooth press conferences may I suggest to the bishops that the gatherings be less of a sprint to the finish and that they stay behind to meet reporters - who make the effort to travel out to Maynooth - and clarify any queries. - Yours, etc,

GARRY O'SULLIVAN,
managing editor,
The Irish Catholic,
Bluebell,
Dublin 12.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2008/1129/1227828909140.html

A quick websearch shows that Garry O'Sullivan was once communications officer for the Jesuits in Ireland.
This order has had particular problems with theological liberalism and a culture of homosexuality among a number of its
members.
It is sad to read in journals like Inside the Vatican the high number of active homosexuals active within the Jesuit order.
I find it quite sad to see how far the Society of Jesus in Ireland has fallen. It used to have a huge number of vocations, now it has virtually none.

Time for Diarmuid Martin to preach Church's faith or leave

2008-12-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

Up until this point the Archbhishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin has talked about 'relationships of dependency' and non-maritial types of intimacy. He has failed to publicly support the Catholic Church's teaching on the immorality of homosexual acts or explain why the Church is opposed to the legalisation of gay civil unions. This is at best a dereliction of duty and at worst a scandal.
Given his refusal to do so over the last four years, I propose it is time to pray that Pope Benedict XVI will promote Diarmuid to a position of absolutely no consequence in the Vatican where he can do less damage than he is doing in Ireland at present.

D Martin - Relationships of Dependency and Intimacy

2008-12-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

In The Irish Times Wednesday, November 26, 2008
in article entitled, 'Bishops differ over emphasis on civil unions' It stated:

'He [D Martin] noted that while "the Catholic Church is in favour of marriage, it is not against other forms of intimacy". He added that "consistently, all Christian churches emphasise the uniqueness of marriage based on the complementarity of the sexes", but they addressed other forms of intimacy on other bases.'

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1126/1227486583451.html

[Marriage is for the intimacy between a man and woman.
Other forms of intimacy - such as between two men or two women. Other forms of intimacy - such as homosexual intimacy.]

This was Diarmuid's letter a few day's later. Friday November 28th Nov 2008:

Archbishop and civil unions

Madam, - I have received a number of calls from people who feel that my remarks, as presented in your report of November 26th, "Bishops differ over emphasis on civil unions", seem to indicate that I do not accept Catholic teaching on marriage.

I was responding to a series of questions from journalists regarding a variety of aspects of the forthcoming Civil Partnership Bill. It is possible that the manner in which my different remarks appeared may have given rise to false interpretation.

While saying that I might have addressed the theme differently, I did clearly say that I was supportive of the basic content of Cardinal Brady's position on the Bill and of his comments at the recent Céifin conference.

Above all my remarks wished to stress that the Christian teaching on marriage, rather than starting out from negative criticisms, is a positive endorsement of the unique and irreplaceable contribution to society made by the family based on marriage, that is, on the mutual and exclusive love of husband and wife.

While stressing, as I have consistently done, the Christian teaching on the mutuality of the sexes as fundamental to the understanding of marriage, I am fully aware of the need to protect the rights of a variety of people in caring and dependent relationships, different to marriage.

Unfortunately, some members of the public and some public commentators seize on such comments and concern as an opportunity to say that I advocate positions in conflict with Catholic teaching. For my part, I regret if my comments may have appeared unclear. On the other hand, the contrived polemic of such commentators does little to promote marriage and its value to society.

- Yours, etc,
Archbishop DIARMUID MARTIN, Archbishop's House, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2008/1128/1227739086753.html

This follows on from his earlier statements in November 2004:

Irish Prime Minister and Dublin Catholic Archbishop Back Homosexual Spousal Rights

DUBLIN, November 16, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Irish homosexual activists who came to Canada to 'marry' and are currently challenging Ireland to grant them spousal inheritance rights have garnered support from Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and shockingly from Dublin's Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Commenting on the case to the Irish state television RTE, Ahern said, "They say: 'We want more equality and we want to be treated fairer.' I agree with that. I totally agree with that. These people who are in relationships which are not illegal, they're not immoral, they're not improper. We should try to deal with some of the issues they have to surmount in their daily lives. And I think that's the fairest, caring and Christian way to deal with this."

Archbishop Martin was questioned by the Irish Independent newspaper on Ahern statements calling granting the spousal rights the "fairest" and "Christian way to deal with this."

Archbishop Martin told the Irish Independent: "I recognise that there are many different kinds of caring relationships and these often create dependencies for those involved. The State may feel in justice that the rights of people in these relationships need to be protected."

He continued: "I have a wide range of relationships in mind. I do not exclude gay relationships but my main concern is with all caring relationships where dependencies have come into being."

He said the rights "would primarily be inheritance and property."

LifeSiteNews.com contacted the Archdiocese of Dublin to confirm the remarks. "The substance of his comments are accurate," Paul Tighe, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Dublin told LifeSiteNews.com.

Other bishops commenting on such situations have expressed opposition to such spousal rights noting that current provisions allow for wills and private legal arrangements to bequeath or share property between individuals.

Pope John Paul II has made statements on the recognition of spousal rights. In his famous November 4, 2000 address to the world's politicians the Pope counseled them, "with regard to all laws which would do harm to the family, striking at its unity and its indissolubility, or which would give legal validity to a union between persons, including those of the same sex, who demand the same rights as the family founded upon marriage between a man and a woman." He warned "Christian legislators may neither contribute to the formulation of such a law nor approve it in parliamentary assembly, although, where such a law already exists, it is licit for them to propose amendments which would diminish its adverse effects."

And what pray tell - was the media reaction to this statement by D Martin. Yip, wild cheering at his support for gay civil unions:

See the Irish Times of Tue 11 Nov 2004
Archbishop backs rights for same-sex couples

"The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin appears to have given his backing for the legal rights of co-habiting couples, including same-sex couples, to be addressed.The Archdiocese of Dublin today stood over the comments made by Dr Diarmuid Martin but refused to confirm whether they constituted a call on the Government to take action on the issue."

What do you think? Everyone misundertands Diarmuid's support for Gay civil unions or is it a case of 'The World will safely judge.' The Irish Times, The Irish Independent and the people who read his words understood what D Martin said very well.

Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin supports Gay Civil Unions

2008-12-22T07:11:00.000-08:00

Dublin's Diarmuid Martin is still refusing to endorse the Catholic Church's opposition to the legalisation of Civil Unions for homosexuals.

His comments in the last few weeks have angered a large number of lay people (he says he has received a lot of phone calls about his earlier comments) and forced him lament peoples' misunderstanding of what he said.

People understand very well what he means.

He is all in favour of the legalisation of Gay Unions, but he wants to support it by use of dog whistles and ambiguous phrases. What he consistently refuses to do, is to say, in union with the Catholic Church - that homosexual acts are immoral and that he is opposed to the legalisation of civil unions. He just has to say this and all mis-understandings are wiped away immediately.

We read today that he has spend almost half a million during up the Archbishop's Palace for himself, and that he's been out of the Diocese for 53 days since August.

That old joke about 'St Martin de Tours' appears to be correct after all.

But the most important issue is the Archbishop's attempt to undermine the Catholic position on marriage, the very fine defense of marriage by Cardinal Sean Brady.

For this alone - I think it's time for Diarmuid to be promoted by the Vatican to a position where he can do less damage that at present.

In Mid December, Archbishop Martin had the following letter in The Irish Catholic:

Dear Editor,

I am surprised at the comments of your columnist, Mr David Quinn, (Dec 4) on my remarks at a Press Conference at the conclusion of the Winter meeting of the Irish Episcopal Conference and in my subsequent letter to the Irish Times.

On both occasions I clearly indicated that I was [sic] "was supportive of the basic content of Cardinal Brady's position on the Bill and of his comments made at the recent Ceifin conference", yet Mr Quinn continues to insinuate that in my comments I was placing my myself at odds with those of Cardinal Brady.

I spoke of the contribution of "the family based on marriage, that is, on the mutual and exclusive love of husband and wife" as "unique and irreplaceable". I fail to understand how Mr Quinn could interpret as being "remarkably conciliatory" to any Government which would propose to accord rights belonging to marriage to civil unions.

The debate about civil unions is precisely about a situation in which the mutuality of the sexes is no longer seen as something anthropologically unique and irreplaceable, but simply a cultural construct which can be adapted and changed. That is the central issue which the Church should be addressing in her catechesis and in her witness towards society.

Yours etc.
+Diarmuid Martin

Poor Diarmuid, always seems to be mis-understood doesn't he.
Here's another occasion, asked was missing Sunday Mass a mortal sin, Martin refused to say yes or not, but gives a definition of a mortal sin instead.

Archbishop 'disappointed'

Independent.ie
Thursday March 03 2005

Sir - The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, wishes to express his disappointment at the manner in which a recent newspaper interview was taken up in a subsequent article in your paper under the heading 'Missing Sunday Mass is not a mortal sin, says Archbishop'.
In the original interview with another paper, Archbishop Martin addressed the situation of people who had drifted from Church practice, but who still maintained bonds with the Church through prayer and occasional Church attendance. The Archbishop would not be drawn into answering questions about the subjective dispositions of conscience of individuals. In no place did he challenge or deny the current norms of Church teaching and discipline on Mass attendance, as some have interpreted the headline in the Irish Independent.

Indeed the Archbishop clearly recalled the centrality of active membership of the Eucharistic community and attendance at Mass each Sunday.

This matter again indicates the difficulty the Archbishop increasingly encounters in attempting to address questions of Church life, which are complex in their nature and require to be examined in a sensitive manner. The Archbishop sincerely feels a mature debate on Church life is not served when genuine attempts to address these issues in a receptive manner are responded to with superficial newspaper headlines. Archbishop Martin remains genuinely committed to fostering such a debate.

Annette O Donnell,
Director of Communications, Archdiocese of Dublin

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/archbishop-disappointed-267129.html

A response to article in The Irish Independent entitled:

Missing Sunday Mass is not a mortal sin, says Archbishop

By David Quinn Religious Correspondent

Wednesday February 23 2005

'NOT going to Mass every week isn't necessarily a mortal sin, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has said.
Archbishop Martin said there are many people who don't practise "but who may be of deep faith", and that an action is only a mortal sin if a person knows what they are doing is gravely wrong. He said this would rarely be the case "with many of the people who don't go to Mass".

Dr Martin said in a newspaper interview that although Mass and the Eucharist are still central aspects of the faith for Catholics, a new model of the Irish Church was emerging which would see regular, occasional and very sporadic church attendance. He said: "There are many, many instances of people who don't practise, but who may be of deep faith."

He also said it is not necessarily a mortal sin not to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

Dr Martin said: "I don't go judging individual people - a mortal sin is always a conscious decision on the part of somebody to do something which is seriously wrong.

"And I don't think that is the case with many of those who don't go to Mass."

Reacting to Archbishop Martin's comments, several priests stressed that although they agreed with him that Mass attendance can be over-emphasised, it was still very important to go in order to remain a part of the wider Catholic community.'

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/missing-sunday-mass-is-not-a-mortal-sin-says-archbishop-275564.html