Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"In the past, including last month, when the unemployment rate has dropped that was because of a big drop off in the number of people looking for work. In government logic, fewer people looking for work means fewer people who are unemployed. (You have to be looking to be counted.)" (Full article here).
The following article speech entitled “Another kind of terrorism: The unjust economic system," was given on October 5, 2001, by The Most Rev. Vincent Michael Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi, India. His Excellency gave speech at the general Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican. It is taken from the Oct. 31, 2001 issue of the Vatican weekly, L'Osservatore Romano):
A few days ago, we were all stunned when we saw on the television the destruction of the World Trade Center, and heard about the death of over dox-thousand innocent people. In some countries of the world today, it is a daily affair, and often a sign of despair stemming from helplessness.
There is another kind of subtle, hidden, little spoken of terrorism. I mean the terrorism of an unjust economic system which grinds to death thousands of people every day. According to a study on international debt published two years ago, eleven million children under the age of five die every year the world over mainly for lack of food and health care against preventable diseases.
With the present trend of globalization, the situation of the poor is getting worse. Small industries are closed down, depriving thousands of people of gainful employment; the state-spending on the basic requirements of the poor is reduced as part of the structural adjustment programme; the poor are getting further marginalized and driven to despair. They become easy victims to politicians and fundamentalists. Do we have a message of hope for them, not just in words but in concrete action programs?
The statistical situation of poverty in the third millennium is frightening. While nearly one billion of the people of the world are illiterate... nearly 1.3 billion people lack safe potable water, and about half of the world's population is without access to adequate sanitation.
There is a frightening sentence in the Second Vatican Council (Gaudium et spes) from the Decree of Gatian: Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you are not feeding him, you are killing him. It is a case of murder by omission.
There is enough in the world today for all that people need, but not enough for their greed (Mahatma Gandhi). Should we not take a clear stand with and for the poor, and against the system in which they do not count? It will be part of our commitment to a culture of life and a civilization of love.
“The worst form of terrorism: the economic and financial mechanisms”
In the first week of January, 2002, a meeting took place in Delhi, India, organized by the Justice, Peace and Development Commission of the Indian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which was reported by Vatican Radio on January 9. In his speech, the Archbishop of Delhi, Most Rev. Vincent Concessao, developed on the subject he had mentioned at the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican last October (see page 5), defining social injustice as the worst form of terrorism. He stressed the fact that the terrorist attacks of September 11 made much ado in the world, but that one continued to keep silent on another type of terrorism that makes, every day, thousands of victims, and which does not seem worth the attention of governments. Archbishop Concessao referred to the economic and financial mechanisms that rule the globe and which, according to statistics, are more deadly than terrorism in its common interpretation. “We live in a state of scandalous social injustice,” he said, “and the tendency goes towards an aggravation of the situation. The Church must therefore fight for social justice, without which peace and harmony cannot exist.”
Isn't the truth refreshing? What a shame that the Obama administration doesn't at least give it a try. Perhaps we need a new department within Homeland Security to deal with this form of terrorism?
The following article speech entitled “Another kind of terrorism: The unjust economic system," was given on October 5, 2001, by The Most Rev. Vincent Michael Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi, India. His Excellency gave speech at the general Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican. It is taken from the Oct. 31, 2001 issue of the Vatican weekly, L'Osservatore Romano):
A few days ago, we were all stunned when we saw on the television the destruction of the World Trade Center, and heard about the death of over dox-thousand innocent people. In some countries of the world today, it is a daily affair, and often a sign of despair stemming from helplessness.
There is another kind of subtle, hidden, little spoken of terrorism. I mean the terrorism of an unjust economic system which grinds to death thousands of people every day. According to a study on international debt published two years ago, eleven million children under the age of five die every year the world over mainly for lack of food and health care against preventable diseases.
With the present trend of globalization, the situation of the poor is getting worse. Small industries are closed down, depriving thousands of people of gainful employment; the state-spending on the basic requirements of the poor is reduced as part of the structural adjustment programme; the poor are getting further marginalized and driven to despair. They become easy victims to politicians and fundamentalists. Do we have a message of hope for them, not just in words but in concrete action programs?
The statistical situation of poverty in the third millennium is frightening. While nearly one billion of the people of the world are illiterate... nearly 1.3 billion people lack safe potable water, and about half of the world's population is without access to adequate sanitation.
There is a frightening sentence in the Second Vatican Council (Gaudium et spes) from the Decree of Gatian: Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you are not feeding him, you are killing him. It is a case of murder by omission.
There is enough in the world today for all that people need, but not enough for their greed (Mahatma Gandhi). Should we not take a clear stand with and for the poor, and against the system in which they do not count? It will be part of our commitment to a culture of life and a civilization of love.
“The worst form of terrorism: the economic and financial mechanisms”
In the first week of January, 2002, a meeting took place in Delhi, India, organized by the Justice, Peace and Development Commission of the Indian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which was reported by Vatican Radio on January 9. In his speech, the Archbishop of Delhi, Most Rev. Vincent Concessao, developed on the subject he had mentioned at the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican last October (see page 5), defining social injustice as the worst form of terrorism. He stressed the fact that the terrorist attacks of September 11 made much ado in the world, but that one continued to keep silent on another type of terrorism that makes, every day, thousands of victims, and which does not seem worth the attention of governments. Archbishop Concessao referred to the economic and financial mechanisms that rule the globe and which, according to statistics, are more deadly than terrorism in its common interpretation. “We live in a state of scandalous social injustice,” he said, “and the tendency goes towards an aggravation of the situation. The Church must therefore fight for social justice, without which peace and harmony cannot exist.”
Isn't the truth refreshing? What a shame that the Obama administration doesn't at least give it a try. Perhaps we need a new department within Homeland Security to deal with this form of terrorism?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
California lawmakers are proposing a law that would require schools to portray homosexuals, lesbians, transsexuals and those who have chosen other alternative sexual lifestyles [pedophilia?] as positive role models to children in all public schools. The Campaign for Children and Families warns that under this proposed legislation, "children as young as kindergarten will be taught to admire homosexuality, same-sex 'marriages,' bisexuality, and transsexuality."
The Pontifical Council for the Family, in its document entitled The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, cites Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio: "'The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship between parents and children; and it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others', except in the case, as mentioned at the beginning, of physical or psychological impossibility." (No. 41).
This important document then explains that, "This doctrine is based on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, and is also proclaimed by the Charter of the Rights of the Family: 'Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they ...have the right to educate their children in conformity with their moral and religious convictions, taking into account the cultural traditions of the family which favour the good and the dignity of the child; they should also receive from society the necessary aid and assistance to perform their educational role properly'. The Pope insists upon the fact that this holds especially with regard to sexuality: 'Sex education, which is a basic right and duty of parents, must always be carried out under their attentive guidance, whether at home or in educational centres chosen and controlled by them. In this regard, the Church reaffirms the law of subsidiarity, which the school is bound to observe when it cooperates in sex education, by entering into the same spirit that animates the parents'. The Holy Father adds, 'In view of the close links between the sexual dimension of the person and his or her ethical values, education must bring the children to a knowledge of and respect for the moral norms as the necessary and highly valuable guarantee for responsible personal growth in human sexuality'. No one is capable of giving moral education in this delicate area better than duly prepared parents." (The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, Nos 42, 43).
As I said in a previous post, the new humanitarian religion of Antichrist will embrace homosexuality and any other form of deviancy. Pleasure will be the ultimate principle. And children must be indoctrinated in the ways of Hell so that they may take their place in the New Satanic Society, the Moloch State where the only thing which will be forbidden is orthodox Christianity. Under this new satanic religion, all will be encouraged to create their own reality according to what feels right to them. This spirit is already infecting certain corners of the Church. See here for example.
This New Age relativism is promoted by the Worcester Commission for Women [Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts]. In a Blog post which may be found here, the Commission has published a prayer by New Age advocate Joyce Rupp. Ms. Rupp writes, "We will make choices and decisions in 2010 of how we create our reality." She prays that we will all "..let go of aversion and avoidance of the unwanted" so that we will, "welcome people and events disturbing [our] comfort zone."
Sister Joyce Rupp, a self-proclaimed spiritual midwife who feels that she resonates with mystical islamic sufism, has extolled New-Ageism as valuable and claims to have stretched herself "beyond the safe world of heterosexuality" while attending a "gathering of lesbians." And this certainly explains what she means when she prays that we "let go of aversion and avoidance of the unwanted." In an interview with US Catholic (April 2000), Sister Joyce Rupp said that, "In many ways, New Age has become the new enemy. That's unfortunate because some things about New Age are valuable...I think some Church people are envious about New Age, because it does draw people toward spiritual growth."
There you have it. A new credo for a New Age. Create your own reality. And if that reality entails engaging in homosexual acts then so be it. Do what feels good for you. This is what the sons of hell want to impart to your children. It is an education for Hell.
The Pontifical Council for the Family, in its document entitled The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, cites Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio: "'The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship between parents and children; and it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others', except in the case, as mentioned at the beginning, of physical or psychological impossibility." (No. 41).
This important document then explains that, "This doctrine is based on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, and is also proclaimed by the Charter of the Rights of the Family: 'Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they ...have the right to educate their children in conformity with their moral and religious convictions, taking into account the cultural traditions of the family which favour the good and the dignity of the child; they should also receive from society the necessary aid and assistance to perform their educational role properly'. The Pope insists upon the fact that this holds especially with regard to sexuality: 'Sex education, which is a basic right and duty of parents, must always be carried out under their attentive guidance, whether at home or in educational centres chosen and controlled by them. In this regard, the Church reaffirms the law of subsidiarity, which the school is bound to observe when it cooperates in sex education, by entering into the same spirit that animates the parents'. The Holy Father adds, 'In view of the close links between the sexual dimension of the person and his or her ethical values, education must bring the children to a knowledge of and respect for the moral norms as the necessary and highly valuable guarantee for responsible personal growth in human sexuality'. No one is capable of giving moral education in this delicate area better than duly prepared parents." (The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, Nos 42, 43).
As I said in a previous post, the new humanitarian religion of Antichrist will embrace homosexuality and any other form of deviancy. Pleasure will be the ultimate principle. And children must be indoctrinated in the ways of Hell so that they may take their place in the New Satanic Society, the Moloch State where the only thing which will be forbidden is orthodox Christianity. Under this new satanic religion, all will be encouraged to create their own reality according to what feels right to them. This spirit is already infecting certain corners of the Church. See here for example.
This New Age relativism is promoted by the Worcester Commission for Women [Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts]. In a Blog post which may be found here, the Commission has published a prayer by New Age advocate Joyce Rupp. Ms. Rupp writes, "We will make choices and decisions in 2010 of how we create our reality." She prays that we will all "..let go of aversion and avoidance of the unwanted" so that we will, "welcome people and events disturbing [our] comfort zone."
Sister Joyce Rupp, a self-proclaimed spiritual midwife who feels that she resonates with mystical islamic sufism, has extolled New-Ageism as valuable and claims to have stretched herself "beyond the safe world of heterosexuality" while attending a "gathering of lesbians." And this certainly explains what she means when she prays that we "let go of aversion and avoidance of the unwanted." In an interview with US Catholic (April 2000), Sister Joyce Rupp said that, "In many ways, New Age has become the new enemy. That's unfortunate because some things about New Age are valuable...I think some Church people are envious about New Age, because it does draw people toward spiritual growth."
There you have it. A new credo for a New Age. Create your own reality. And if that reality entails engaging in homosexual acts then so be it. Do what feels good for you. This is what the sons of hell want to impart to your children. It is an education for Hell.
Friday, February 11, 2011
US Government Funds Youth “Sex Work” Programs
By Tyler Ament
WASHINGTON, February 10 (C-FAM) A program funded by the United States government is using aid money to normalize commercial sexual exploitation of young people in the developing world.
Under the guise of providing health services to “young people who sell sex,” critics charge the Interagency Youth Working Group with working to normalize the commercial sexual exploitation of young people.
The program, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development, focuses on developing “interventions to reduce health risks” faced by young people involved in “commercial sex work.”
Describing various threats to the well being of young prostitutes, the program lists discrimination, and urges changes in societal norms and public policy rather than the behavior of the “sex workers.”
Critics say such strategies don’t get at the underlying problem, which is the commercial sexual exploitation of young people. They say that the focus on providing health services to “youth sex workers” is merely a harm-reduction approach, which only reduces the harm they face in the dangerous world of prostitution.
Laura Lederer is one such critic of the harm-reduction approach, and is no stranger to the commercial sexual exploitation issue. Starting in the nongovernmental sector, Lederer, was instrumental in drafting and passing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which mandated the creation of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. As Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Global Affairs in the Department of State she traveled to over 50 countries to see the problem first-hand, visiting red-light districts, shelters, and service providers for human trafficking victims. Currently, she is president of Global Centurion, an organization dedicated to combating the demand side of the commercial sexual exploitation problem.
She says that the harm-reduction and normalization approach does not properly address the multi-leveled problem of commercial sexual exploitation. Dr. Jeff Barrows, a medical expert on the issue, says that these approaches are like “putting a bandage on a child in a burning building and walking away.” Lederer says, “We must find a way to get children out of the burning building.”
Some say that some poverty-stricken young people are engaging in what some call “survival sex.” Lederer responds that they, too, are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Lederer sees the push for normalization of “youth sex work” as part of the broader debate about whether prostitution should be considered work. She says that a crucial part of the debate is the question of whether all things are for sale. She says that the fact that developed countries like the United States donate rather than sell human organs and blood is indicative of the fact that we “categorize things so that we can protect our humanity,” and that commoditizing the human body through “sex work” is a step away from respecting the dignity of every human person.
The Interagency Youth Working Group is funded by the United States Agency for International Development through the Knowledge For Health Project.
Many thanks to Tyler Ament and the good folks over at C-FAM for exposing this. Increasingly, the rights of Christian children and their parents are coming under attack. Why? No one has ever put it more eloquently than Randy Engel:
"Is it any wonder that the state must wage war against the family? For the state requires not individuals who dream, and think, and pray, but rather what has come to be called 'the mass man' - rootless, unaffirmed, a reactor - a mere reed blowing in the wind - a thing to be manipulated, to be used, to be disposed of, but never, never, to be loved, for the giant has no heart. And since the modern state has no heart, that which men previously have done out of love, must now be done out of fear, and hatred, and brute force." (The Family Under Siege, The Wanderer, March 6, 1980).
This is why the U.S. funds Planned Parenthood, a racist organization which has given aid to a pimp's underage sex ring. See here.
By Tyler Ament
WASHINGTON, February 10 (C-FAM) A program funded by the United States government is using aid money to normalize commercial sexual exploitation of young people in the developing world.
Under the guise of providing health services to “young people who sell sex,” critics charge the Interagency Youth Working Group with working to normalize the commercial sexual exploitation of young people.
The program, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development, focuses on developing “interventions to reduce health risks” faced by young people involved in “commercial sex work.”
Describing various threats to the well being of young prostitutes, the program lists discrimination, and urges changes in societal norms and public policy rather than the behavior of the “sex workers.”
Critics say such strategies don’t get at the underlying problem, which is the commercial sexual exploitation of young people. They say that the focus on providing health services to “youth sex workers” is merely a harm-reduction approach, which only reduces the harm they face in the dangerous world of prostitution.
Laura Lederer is one such critic of the harm-reduction approach, and is no stranger to the commercial sexual exploitation issue. Starting in the nongovernmental sector, Lederer, was instrumental in drafting and passing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which mandated the creation of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. As Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Global Affairs in the Department of State she traveled to over 50 countries to see the problem first-hand, visiting red-light districts, shelters, and service providers for human trafficking victims. Currently, she is president of Global Centurion, an organization dedicated to combating the demand side of the commercial sexual exploitation problem.
She says that the harm-reduction and normalization approach does not properly address the multi-leveled problem of commercial sexual exploitation. Dr. Jeff Barrows, a medical expert on the issue, says that these approaches are like “putting a bandage on a child in a burning building and walking away.” Lederer says, “We must find a way to get children out of the burning building.”
Some say that some poverty-stricken young people are engaging in what some call “survival sex.” Lederer responds that they, too, are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Lederer sees the push for normalization of “youth sex work” as part of the broader debate about whether prostitution should be considered work. She says that a crucial part of the debate is the question of whether all things are for sale. She says that the fact that developed countries like the United States donate rather than sell human organs and blood is indicative of the fact that we “categorize things so that we can protect our humanity,” and that commoditizing the human body through “sex work” is a step away from respecting the dignity of every human person.
The Interagency Youth Working Group is funded by the United States Agency for International Development through the Knowledge For Health Project.
Many thanks to Tyler Ament and the good folks over at C-FAM for exposing this. Increasingly, the rights of Christian children and their parents are coming under attack. Why? No one has ever put it more eloquently than Randy Engel:
"Is it any wonder that the state must wage war against the family? For the state requires not individuals who dream, and think, and pray, but rather what has come to be called 'the mass man' - rootless, unaffirmed, a reactor - a mere reed blowing in the wind - a thing to be manipulated, to be used, to be disposed of, but never, never, to be loved, for the giant has no heart. And since the modern state has no heart, that which men previously have done out of love, must now be done out of fear, and hatred, and brute force." (The Family Under Siege, The Wanderer, March 6, 1980).
This is why the U.S. funds Planned Parenthood, a racist organization which has given aid to a pimp's underage sex ring. See here.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
In one of his last homilies, Archbishop Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador, said: "A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!" this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along with the powers of darkness and sin."
We've had enough of a preaching which leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. We've had enough of a Cotton-Candy Catholicism which offers Chicken-Soup Homilies and asinine theatrics rather than the solid meat of sound preaching and liturgical reverence. Sadly, so many of our priests haven't caught on to this. And so they continue to spoon-feed us the unsatisfying pablum.
The time for lying is over. I have been saying this for years. Back in 2009, Archbishop Charles Chaput noted that, "40 years of American Catholic complacency and poor formation are bearing exactly the fruit we should have expected...We can't talk about following St. Paul and converting our culture until we sober up and get honest about what we've allowed ourselves to become. We need to stop lying to each other..." (See here).
The lying must stop. For this to happen, we need priests and Bishops who fear God more than they do men. Cowards will not lead us out of the valley of death. Only shepherds who have the spiritual strength, the Cardinal Gift of Fortitude, to brave the risk of worldly criticism, will be able to lead the American Catholic Church out of the valley of the Culture of Death and back on the road to the Civilization of Love which Pope John Paul II spoke of so often.
Why have so many priests succumbed to fear? Why is it that their preaching no longer points out sin? Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange provides us with an answer:
"The reason for this is not difficult to find. A sermon is the result of the combined effort of all the priest's powers; it reveals his entire person; it is his struggle against the vices of the surrounding world." In other words, if the preaching is unsound, it is because the priest's spiritual life is unsound. Fr. Lagrange continues, "Everything in the priest cooperates in his preaching - study, reflection, his powers to compose and revise, the activity of his intellect, his imagination, his memory, his feelings, his voice. Therefore, when he preaches, the priest stands exposed for all to study; some will be attracted, others will not. Some will accept what he says, others will simply criticize. So if the priest approaches his task from the human angle, he will say to himself: 'I cannot afford to lose my reputation; people of weight in the parish who take offense easily must be spared their feelings and not provoked; I must proceed warily so as not to incur criticism.' In that way Christian eloquence is invaded by a profane eloquence in which the preacher looks after his own interests, not the glory of God or the saving of souls." (The Priest In Union With Christ, p. 156).
I've never been a fan of lying. And this because Our Lord tells us that the Devil is the Father of all lies (John 8:44), If it's lying you want, this Blog is not for you. Forty years of lying has wrought so much damage to the American Catholic Church. Archbishop Chaput is right, we are merely reaping the fruit of what we've planted. St. Paul tells us that, "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.." (Galatians 5: 22). But what fruit have we witnessed in the American Catholic Church? The Church has been infected with dry-rot as so many Catholics have succumbed to the works of the flesh.
We need heroic shepherds. Men who, like Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J., are willing to give their very lives for the Catholic Church and her teaching.
This is not a time for cowards. We need men of holy stubborness which, in spiritual terms, is called perseverance.
We've had enough of a preaching which leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. We've had enough of a Cotton-Candy Catholicism which offers Chicken-Soup Homilies and asinine theatrics rather than the solid meat of sound preaching and liturgical reverence. Sadly, so many of our priests haven't caught on to this. And so they continue to spoon-feed us the unsatisfying pablum.
The time for lying is over. I have been saying this for years. Back in 2009, Archbishop Charles Chaput noted that, "40 years of American Catholic complacency and poor formation are bearing exactly the fruit we should have expected...We can't talk about following St. Paul and converting our culture until we sober up and get honest about what we've allowed ourselves to become. We need to stop lying to each other..." (See here).
The lying must stop. For this to happen, we need priests and Bishops who fear God more than they do men. Cowards will not lead us out of the valley of death. Only shepherds who have the spiritual strength, the Cardinal Gift of Fortitude, to brave the risk of worldly criticism, will be able to lead the American Catholic Church out of the valley of the Culture of Death and back on the road to the Civilization of Love which Pope John Paul II spoke of so often.
Why have so many priests succumbed to fear? Why is it that their preaching no longer points out sin? Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange provides us with an answer:
"The reason for this is not difficult to find. A sermon is the result of the combined effort of all the priest's powers; it reveals his entire person; it is his struggle against the vices of the surrounding world." In other words, if the preaching is unsound, it is because the priest's spiritual life is unsound. Fr. Lagrange continues, "Everything in the priest cooperates in his preaching - study, reflection, his powers to compose and revise, the activity of his intellect, his imagination, his memory, his feelings, his voice. Therefore, when he preaches, the priest stands exposed for all to study; some will be attracted, others will not. Some will accept what he says, others will simply criticize. So if the priest approaches his task from the human angle, he will say to himself: 'I cannot afford to lose my reputation; people of weight in the parish who take offense easily must be spared their feelings and not provoked; I must proceed warily so as not to incur criticism.' In that way Christian eloquence is invaded by a profane eloquence in which the preacher looks after his own interests, not the glory of God or the saving of souls." (The Priest In Union With Christ, p. 156).
I've never been a fan of lying. And this because Our Lord tells us that the Devil is the Father of all lies (John 8:44), If it's lying you want, this Blog is not for you. Forty years of lying has wrought so much damage to the American Catholic Church. Archbishop Chaput is right, we are merely reaping the fruit of what we've planted. St. Paul tells us that, "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.." (Galatians 5: 22). But what fruit have we witnessed in the American Catholic Church? The Church has been infected with dry-rot as so many Catholics have succumbed to the works of the flesh.
We need heroic shepherds. Men who, like Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J., are willing to give their very lives for the Catholic Church and her teaching.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
In the comments section of a previous post, Mr. Michael Cole noted how, "Homosexuals, lesbians and transsexuals are often afflicted by evil spirits. Gender confusion is often a sign of demonic possession. Fr. Malachi Martin recounts the story of a possessed transsexual in his bestselling book "Hostage to the Devil." In the chapter titled "The Virgin and the Girl-Fixer," he writes, "At one moment, Father Gerald, the exorcist, was bending over the possessed, Richard/Rita, who had sunk his teeth into his own instep. In the next instant, the glaze in Richard/Rita's eyes broke, melting into a lurid gleam of mockery. Greenish. The teeth loosened their grip on the instep. The mouth opened, baring gums and throat, the tongue protruded, quivering on a stream of gray foam bubbles. The whole face was furrowed in irregular lines, as Richard/Rita broke into peals of laughter. Great buffeting gusts of mocking, jeering, Schadenfreude laughter. Laugter pouring from a belly of amused scorn and contemptuous hate." See here.
Gender confusion has led to the push for so-called gender-neutral bathrooms across the United States. Mr. Sarav Chidambaram, a radical homosexual activist who received an award from the Cambridge Peace Commission, of which Father Thomas Massaro of the Boston Archdiocese is a member, has been one of those agitating for gender neutral bathrooms. See here.
If the Archdiocese of Boston is not advancing a homosexual agenda, why is it tolerating dissent from the Church's authentic teaching regarding homosexuality? See here.
Related reading here.
Gender confusion has led to the push for so-called gender-neutral bathrooms across the United States. Mr. Sarav Chidambaram, a radical homosexual activist who received an award from the Cambridge Peace Commission, of which Father Thomas Massaro of the Boston Archdiocese is a member, has been one of those agitating for gender neutral bathrooms. See here.
If the Archdiocese of Boston is not advancing a homosexual agenda, why is it tolerating dissent from the Church's authentic teaching regarding homosexuality? See here.
Related reading here.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Vatican II, in its' Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis) No. 4, tells us that: "The People of God are joined together primarily by the word of the living God. And rightfully they expect this from their priests. Since no one can be saved who does not first believe, priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have the primary duty of proclaiming the Gospel of God to all. In this way they fulfill the command of the Lord: "Going therefore into the whole world preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mk 16:15), and they establish and build up the People of God. Through the saving word the spark of faith is lit in the hearts of unbelievers, and fed in the hearts of the faithful. This is the way that the congregation of faithful is started and grows, just as the Apostle describes: "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17).
To all men, therefore, priests are debtors that the truth of the Gospel which they have may be given to others. And so, whether by entering into profitable dialogue they bring people to the worship of God, whether by openly preaching they proclaim the mystery of Christ, or whether in the light of Christ they treat contemporary problems, they are relying not on their own wisdom for it is the word of Christ they teach, and it is to conversion and holiness that they exhort all men."
According to the Council, the task of priests is "not to teach their own wisdom but God's Word." And this task is of no less importance for the priest than his offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Both of these are inseperably linked to each other: "The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1552).
For this reason, priests have the very serious obligation to teach the faithful under their care that it is never licit to have sexual relations outside of marriage; that a Catholic cannot (having been validly married in the Church) after divorce, marry another or otherwise pretend that sexual relations with another individual are somehow "marital"; that "formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense" and that '"the Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life" (CCC, 2272); and that "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible, is intrinsically evil.." (CCC, No. 2370, citing Humanae Vitae, No. 14).
The Church proposes these (and other teachings) as true and it does so in the name of Christ. The priest is not to question them. He is not to ignore them or neglect them out of a false sense of "compassion" or "charity." It was Pope Paul VI who said that, "To diminish in no way the saving teaching of Christ constitutes an eminent form of charity for souls." (Humanae Vitae, No. 29).
Pope John Paul II reiterated these words in Familiaris Consortio, No. 33. We are reminded in Lumen Gentium 14 of the Second Vatican Council that: "He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a "bodily" manner and not "in his heart." All the Church's children should remember that their exalted status is to be attributed not to their own merits but to the special grace of Christ. If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word and deed, not only shall they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged."
When a priest ignores or neglects his duty, his task, of serving the Word of God with fidelity, he fails to persevere in that charity described by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II as a charity which diminishes in no way the saving teaching of Christ. And he will be the more severely judged (Luke 12:48).
But so many priests have neglected their duty to proclaim the Gospel to all. And the Church is now reaping the fruit of this infidelity. Even though Canon Law states quite clearly that, "The Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance from the sacred pastors out of the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the word of God and the sacraments" (Canon 213), there has been a dearth of sound catechesis. The People of God have not been formed by sound instruction based on Church doctrine and Church Tradition. When was the last time (if ever) you heard a homily in your local parish citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church or papal documents? Were it not for EWTN, you might never hear such authentic preaching.
And this is nothing short of shameful. For such a foundation is vital. Where it is absent, people will assume that they have the right to form their conscience according to their own opinions, their own whims. The Catechism teaches us that, "Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings." (1783).
Those priests who remain silent while their people crave truth and direction are betraying their vocation. And they will be (as Lumen Gentium 14 reminds us), the more severely judged. As will every Catholic who knowingly rejects the authoritative teachings of Christ's Church. Truly the words of Hosea apply to our own time:
"Sons of Israel, listen to the word of Yahweh, for Yahweh indicts the inhabitants of the country; there is no fidelity, no tenderness, no knowledge of God in the country, only perjury and lies, slaughter, theft, adultery and violence, murder after murder. This is why the country is in mourning, and all who live in it pineaway, even the wild animals and the birds of heaven; the fish of the sea themselves are perishing."
And to the priests:
"But let no man denounce, no man rebuke; it is you, priest that I denounce. Day and night you stumble along, the prophet stumbling with you, and you are the ruin of your people. My people perish for want of knowledge. As you have rejected knowledge so do I reject you from my priesthood; you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I in my turn will forget your children. Many as they are, all of them have sinned against me, they have bartered their glory for shame. They feed on the sin of my people, they are all greedy for their iniquity. But as with the people, so let it be with the priest: I will make them for their conduct, I will pay them out for their deeds. They will eat but never be satisfied, they will play the whore but still be sterile, because they have deserted Yahweh to give themselves up to whoring." (Hosea 4: 1-11).
In a speech given on March 21, 2009 in Detroit, Archbishop Charles Chaput, having been asked to examine what November 2008 and its aftermath can teach Catholics about American culture, the state of American Catholicism and the kind of Pauline discipleship necessary today, said that, "November showed us that 40 years of American Catholic complacency and poor formation are bearing exactly the fruit we should have expected. Or to put it more discreetly, the November elections confirmed a trend, rather than created a new moment, in American culture.” And noting that there was no question about President Barack Obama’s views on abortion "rights," embryonic stem cell research and other "problematic issues," His Excellency said that, "Some Catholics in both political parties are deeply troubled by these issues. But too many Catholics just don’t really care. That’s the truth of it. If they cared, our political environment would be different. If 65 million Catholics really cared about their faith and cared about what it teaches, neither political party could ignore what we believe about justice for the poor, or the homeless, or immigrants, or the unborn child. If 65 million American Catholics really understood their faith, we wouldn’t need to waste each other’s time arguing about whether the legalized killing of an unborn child is somehow ‘balanced out’ or excused by three other good social policies.”
Then His Excellency offered a stunning indictment of American "Catholicism":
"We need to stop over-counting our numbers, our influence, our institutions and our resources, because they’re not real. We can’t talk about following St. Paul and converting our culture until we sober up and get honest about what we’ve allowed ourselves to become. We need to stop lying to each other, to ourselves and to God by claiming to ‘personally oppose’ some homicidal evil -- but then allowing it to be legal at the same time." See full text here.
To all men, therefore, priests are debtors that the truth of the Gospel which they have may be given to others. And so, whether by entering into profitable dialogue they bring people to the worship of God, whether by openly preaching they proclaim the mystery of Christ, or whether in the light of Christ they treat contemporary problems, they are relying not on their own wisdom for it is the word of Christ they teach, and it is to conversion and holiness that they exhort all men."
According to the Council, the task of priests is "not to teach their own wisdom but God's Word." And this task is of no less importance for the priest than his offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Both of these are inseperably linked to each other: "The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1552).
For this reason, priests have the very serious obligation to teach the faithful under their care that it is never licit to have sexual relations outside of marriage; that a Catholic cannot (having been validly married in the Church) after divorce, marry another or otherwise pretend that sexual relations with another individual are somehow "marital"; that "formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense" and that '"the Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life" (CCC, 2272); and that "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible, is intrinsically evil.." (CCC, No. 2370, citing Humanae Vitae, No. 14).
The Church proposes these (and other teachings) as true and it does so in the name of Christ. The priest is not to question them. He is not to ignore them or neglect them out of a false sense of "compassion" or "charity." It was Pope Paul VI who said that, "To diminish in no way the saving teaching of Christ constitutes an eminent form of charity for souls." (Humanae Vitae, No. 29).
Pope John Paul II reiterated these words in Familiaris Consortio, No. 33. We are reminded in Lumen Gentium 14 of the Second Vatican Council that: "He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a "bodily" manner and not "in his heart." All the Church's children should remember that their exalted status is to be attributed not to their own merits but to the special grace of Christ. If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word and deed, not only shall they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged."
When a priest ignores or neglects his duty, his task, of serving the Word of God with fidelity, he fails to persevere in that charity described by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II as a charity which diminishes in no way the saving teaching of Christ. And he will be the more severely judged (Luke 12:48).
But so many priests have neglected their duty to proclaim the Gospel to all. And the Church is now reaping the fruit of this infidelity. Even though Canon Law states quite clearly that, "The Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance from the sacred pastors out of the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the word of God and the sacraments" (Canon 213), there has been a dearth of sound catechesis. The People of God have not been formed by sound instruction based on Church doctrine and Church Tradition. When was the last time (if ever) you heard a homily in your local parish citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church or papal documents? Were it not for EWTN, you might never hear such authentic preaching.
And this is nothing short of shameful. For such a foundation is vital. Where it is absent, people will assume that they have the right to form their conscience according to their own opinions, their own whims. The Catechism teaches us that, "Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings." (1783).
Those priests who remain silent while their people crave truth and direction are betraying their vocation. And they will be (as Lumen Gentium 14 reminds us), the more severely judged. As will every Catholic who knowingly rejects the authoritative teachings of Christ's Church. Truly the words of Hosea apply to our own time:
"Sons of Israel, listen to the word of Yahweh, for Yahweh indicts the inhabitants of the country; there is no fidelity, no tenderness, no knowledge of God in the country, only perjury and lies, slaughter, theft, adultery and violence, murder after murder. This is why the country is in mourning, and all who live in it pineaway, even the wild animals and the birds of heaven; the fish of the sea themselves are perishing."
And to the priests:
"But let no man denounce, no man rebuke; it is you, priest that I denounce. Day and night you stumble along, the prophet stumbling with you, and you are the ruin of your people. My people perish for want of knowledge. As you have rejected knowledge so do I reject you from my priesthood; you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I in my turn will forget your children. Many as they are, all of them have sinned against me, they have bartered their glory for shame. They feed on the sin of my people, they are all greedy for their iniquity. But as with the people, so let it be with the priest: I will make them for their conduct, I will pay them out for their deeds. They will eat but never be satisfied, they will play the whore but still be sterile, because they have deserted Yahweh to give themselves up to whoring." (Hosea 4: 1-11).
In a speech given on March 21, 2009 in Detroit, Archbishop Charles Chaput, having been asked to examine what November 2008 and its aftermath can teach Catholics about American culture, the state of American Catholicism and the kind of Pauline discipleship necessary today, said that, "November showed us that 40 years of American Catholic complacency and poor formation are bearing exactly the fruit we should have expected. Or to put it more discreetly, the November elections confirmed a trend, rather than created a new moment, in American culture.” And noting that there was no question about President Barack Obama’s views on abortion "rights," embryonic stem cell research and other "problematic issues," His Excellency said that, "Some Catholics in both political parties are deeply troubled by these issues. But too many Catholics just don’t really care. That’s the truth of it. If they cared, our political environment would be different. If 65 million Catholics really cared about their faith and cared about what it teaches, neither political party could ignore what we believe about justice for the poor, or the homeless, or immigrants, or the unborn child. If 65 million American Catholics really understood their faith, we wouldn’t need to waste each other’s time arguing about whether the legalized killing of an unborn child is somehow ‘balanced out’ or excused by three other good social policies.”
Then His Excellency offered a stunning indictment of American "Catholicism":
"We need to stop over-counting our numbers, our influence, our institutions and our resources, because they’re not real. We can’t talk about following St. Paul and converting our culture until we sober up and get honest about what we’ve allowed ourselves to become. We need to stop lying to each other, to ourselves and to God by claiming to ‘personally oppose’ some homicidal evil -- but then allowing it to be legal at the same time." See full text here.
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