A dog had followed his owner to school.
His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school.
However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building
and made it all the way to the child’s classroom before a teacher noticed
and shooed him outside, closing the door behind him.
The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors.
Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,
‘Don’t feel bad fella’…they won’t let ME in either’
-Submitted by Robert K.
Rice has, in essence, taken up a sort of secularized, liberal Protestantism that attempts—almost Marcion-like—to extract a Jesus from the dust and difficulty and reality of history and turn him into a private guru who is “freed” from and separated from the humanity he embraced, the Church he founded, and the authority he granted to mere mortals. Rice claims her faith is in Christ, but it is a Christ made in her likeness and image: politically correct and socially trendy, anti-Church, disdainful of authority, with an open hostility toward traditional morality.
Whoever her Christ is, he is not the Christ embraced, at last, by St. Augustine, nor seen, near the end, by St. Thomas; he is not the Christ who said:
“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (Jn. 17:20-21)
Say a prayer to Sts. Augustine and Aquinas for Anne Rice, that she might be restored to faith and communion.
A Thursday letter from the University of Illinois Office of University Counsel told Howell’s lawyers at the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) that “The School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics will be contacting Dr. Howell to offer him the opportunity to teach Religion 127, Introduction to Catholicism, on a visiting instructional appointment at the University of Illinois, for the fall 2010 semester. Dr. Howell will be appointed and paid by the University for this adjunct teaching assignment.”
Rembert Weakland was engaging in what the culture of appetite considers virtuous behavior, namely, homosexuality between consenting adults. In order to see why the pundits of the culture of control through appetite are promoting this sort of behavior among Catholic clergy, one need only view the devastation that Rembert Weakland has visited upon the archdiocese of Milwaukee during his tenure there.
Homosexuals, as I have said elsewhere (see my piece on Sir Anthony Blunt in Degenerate Moderns) are by nature of both their orientation and actions subversives.
The preliminary issue is homosexuality–both in action and orientation; the preliminary issue is also repentance, of sin in general and sexual sin in particular, as well as the amazing connection between the brain and the genitals which unrepentant sexual sin engenders. But the major and overriding issue the bishops need to address is the sexualization of the Church, something which has followed unconsciously on the heels of the general sexualization of the culture at large.
In order to propose solutions, the bishops have to have a clear understanding of the problem, and, as if moved by the hand of God, that is precisely what arrived on the scene on the eve of the bishops’ meeting when the case of Archbishop Rembert Weakland broke.
Sexual abuse of minors is a societal problem. The fact that it occurs less frequently among priests than among other segments of society does not lessen its damaging effects to the Church, especially given our culture’s animus against the Roman Catholic Church and their eagerness to use any scandal as a way of weakening the Church’s influence in society.
If repression is portrayed as psychologically unhealthy, it can be argued that Kennedy’s Psychological Investigations and its flawed psychology gave support and justification to beliefs that resulted in the sex abuse of minors. Erickson’s insistence that sexual intimacy was essential to successfully traverse developmental stage six, justified sexual acting out in general, but it also justified sexual activity with predominantly male minors, who because of their proximity were the targets of abusive priests.
Prior to Vatican II the Catholic community adhered to a rigid sexual morality. Sexual activity outside of marriage was strictly forbidden. Forces in secular society relying on the questionable research of Freud and Alfred Kinsey were promoting more liberal policies and even sexual liberation. Some theologians emphasizing “love over law” suggested that individual conscience could arbitrarily pick and choose any sexual behavior. The dissent against Humanae Vitae, unchallenged by the bishops, only encouraged and promoted the acceptance of Kennedy’s premise.
When Psychological Investigations was published in 1972, it relied on Erickson’s and Freud’s materialist psychology, which posited unrestrained sexual behavior as inevitable and healthy. Seminary formation programs as well as individual priests accepted Kennedy uncritically and in an effort to move beyond Stage Six and become normal through sexual intimacy began acting out sexually. Since priests, many of whom were homosexually inclined, had ready access to adolescent males, this vulnerable group of victims was disproportionately targeted. While some abusers were implicated in serial rapes many involved only isolated cases. Nonetheless most involved coercion and all were breaches of both the sixth and ninth commandments as well as the vow of chastity. The scandal, now involving hundreds of cases, has resulted in significant damage to efforts at evangelization in the United States, to say nothing of the staggering financial losses.
Warning! This article deals with movies and adult sexual matters.
And why is moral causality so repugnant to Hollywood? Because it is the only thing that allows people to make sense out of their lives. Hollywood is in the business of control through entertainment. Morality is the opposite of that. It is autonomy through restraint.
Hollywood’s main weapon against moral causality is pornography in its various forms because passion short-circuits reason and provides the simplest form of control. But their lust to dominate goes beyond that. The thread that leads Theseus out of the labyrinth of his own passion is practical reason, which is another word for morality. Syphilis was a moral tale that got decertified in two different ways in two different movies. Which shows how important it is to those who are willing to wreck their stories and lose Oscars by not mentioning it.
At this point, it might be appropriate to mention successful cures, not to syphilis but to what causes syphilis, namely, movies. The antidote to Hollywood used to be known as the pledge, not the Alcohol pledge (although it was similar) but the Legion of Decency pledge not to see obscene movies.
The Legion of Decency Pledge was the teeth in the production code. I’ve written about its demise in John Cardinal Krol and the Cultural Revolution. The pledge is based on the premise of moral causality, the one premise which Hollywood goes out of its way to deny, even if it means wrecking perfectly good stories that could earn lots of money.
As Larry Dickson has pointed out, an oath is the only thing that most people have. The only oath of any significance left in our culture is the marriage vow, which is undermined by Hollywood because Hollywood wants to weaken and control people by robbing their lives of moral significance.
The pledge is the one thing Hollywood feared in the past, and it is something they can learn to fear again. The details still need to be worked out, but a pledge of total abstinence when it comes to television might be a good place to start.
By Doug Lawrence
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
I had the opportunity to spend a pleasant hour on the air today, talking about Catholic stuff with Kathleen McCarthy, President of the In His Sign Network, and host of a twice weekly radio program “What the World Needs Now” (5-6 PM Eastern Time, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). See the official site for times and days of other Catholic programs.
Kathleen is a warm, gracious host, very knowledgeable and strong in her Catholic faith. It was great talking with her, and sharing the faith with so many listeners, in such a public setting.
Kathleen also conducts retreats and workshops, and is available to speak to Catholic groups and conferences . Kathleen’s contact information.
Thanks to Kathleen, for inviting me to be on her program, and special thanks to Harry, who arranged the interview.
I’ve always maintained that good Catholics are some of the nicest people you’re ever going to meet … this side of Heaven … and that certainly applies here!
In the Philadelphia area, tune-in to WTMR-800 AM.
Just a reflection? Mrs. Feargus OCroinin of Edmonton, Alberta
took this photo at the Vatican on July 25.
Close-up view
For all its stumbling through history, despite the Renaissance popes who remain an embarrassment, the Crusades and persecutions and Galileo, forgetting the times it has failed because its members have failed, the Catholic Church has survived; its center has held. It has not petered out on a mountaintop waiting for the end of the world that didn’t come; it has not been confined to one nation like a domestic sport no other country understands; it has not foundered at the death of its leaders, nor even at the death of its founder from which point it springs.
The Catholic Church has survived. In all places, at all times, no matter the circumstances and pressures and purges, it has gone on because it is different. Papists and fish eaters, genuflecters, bead counters, and the ones who “have to go to church on Sunday,” Catholics have stood apart-figuratively as well as literally. Where separation was paranoid, it has, for the most part, been eliminated, but still the central sense remains, the sense that Catholics are different.
In a world of the wishy-washy, of temporary fads and passing interests, of momentary “in” things and the “latest” being hot for only a few weeks, the Catholic Church has lasted since its start 2,000 years ago-lasted and grown and held onto its soul. It has proven that it can stick- in the world or in an individual.
This film will examine the history of abortion in America, from the inception of Planned Parenthood and the profitability of abortion clinics, to Roe v. Wade, to the denial of when life begins, to the fight to save the lives of innocent babies, and the devastating effects it has had on the women that have had them.
Submitted by Nancy W.
“To take the pictures is reasonably quick,” said Frank Klassner, Villanova professor of computing sciences, who provided technical assistance in the development of the virtual tours.
“To stitch them together, to put them on the Web takes much longer,” he said.
It takes from one to two weeks to process, color-correct and adjust distortions from the lens in the hundreds of photo images that are shot in one location, “so everything has crisp, clear lines, so you can zoom in to high-quality” photographic images of the basilica’s interior, he said.
The Catacombs of Rome – pics and information only – no virtual tour
Note: these virtual tours are necessarily graphics intensive and internet pages may initially take a while to load, so please be patient.
Chicago, IL (LifeNews.com) — The first pro-life person has been charged under the new bubble zone law in Chicago that local citizens say has robbed them of their free speech rights outside abortion centers. The city council approved the new last October and pro-life groups say it targets those who provide women abortion alternatives.
Thomas More Society attorney Peter Breen entered a “not guilty” plea in court Tuesday morning on behalf of Joseph Holland, who was charged with disorderly conduct.
Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was praying the rosary on a public sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood Near North abortion facility on July 3 when staff called the police, claiming that he had violated the new ordinance.
Denver, Colo., Jul 24, 2010 / 08:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A documentary on the life of Archbishop Fulton Sheen is being shown in pre-release screenings across the country, as part of an effort to raise awareness of the late archbishop, whose cause for sainthood is currently underway.
The hour-long documentary, entitled, “Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Servant of All,” offers both entertainment and a powerful message of evangelization as it follows the life of the famous archbishop (1895-1979). The video includes the testimonies of dozens of individuals who were touched by the life of the archbishop. It also shows footage from his popular television program, “Life is Worth Living.”
St. Christopher is the Patron Saint of Transportation and Traveling, recognized by both Roman and Orthodox Catholics. Many popular depictions, including those on St. Christopher medals, show him carrying the Christ Child across a river.
His popularity has always been significant and many people, including non-Catholics, carry a St. Christopher medallion in the form of a keychains in the belief that he keeps travelers safe. However, many people believe that the Catholic Church no longer considers him a saint; this stems from a misunderstanding of two separate documents: the General Roman Calendar and the Roman Martyrology.
During the 1960s, the Catholic Church was undergoing several major reforms. One of these involved a review and revision to the Calendar of Saints, which ultimately resulted in the elimination of the feast days of several popular saints.
Numerous people interpreted this to mean that these saints were essentially “unsainted.” This arises from a general misunderstanding of the how the Calendar of Saints functions. Rather than the definitive list of all official Roman Catholic saints, the calendar simply indicates designated feast days; not all saints have feast days, therefore, not all saints are on the calendar.
With the issuing of the third movie in the Twilight series I have to speak out about our culture’s twisted fascination with vampires. I don’t hesitate to tell people that I am totally disgusted with the new fad sweeping over our youth culture these days. It is not just kids that are taken up with the wiles of the dark world either: many moms of teens are swooning for them too. I think that these seductive creatures are simply the spawn of the Harry Potter culture that has for over a decade now been indoctrinating kids to think that the occult world is normal and that all this evil messaging is harmless when dressed up as entertainment. That’s vampire logic – and just what the devil wants us to think.
Gone are the days of Bella Lugosi’s Dracula (1931) where good was good and evil was evil. A crucifix would drive Dracula away and then he had to go into his infernal coffin when the first streaks of dawn appeared. He was in every way presented as a creature of evil, dark of heart and dread to encounter. He drank human blood too, a feature that was supposed to strike terror in every person who valued his life’s essence. The image of a blood-sucking creature who lives in slime and darkness and will pounce on you to drain out your very essence should terrorize every decent person. This is because vampires used to be images of demons. That’s what demons are all about: the vanquishing of all human decency and life. They represent the spiritual vortexes of the demon world that drag down to the depths of hell all who fall prey to their wiles.
But, my, how vampires have come up in the world these days.
Nowadays vampires are divided into good and bad – no longer intrinsically evil. The good ones rescue vulnerable women instead of biting them and, allegedly, drink only animal blood (well, we haven’t seen the last Twilight movie yet…). And crucifixes? Don’t think you’ll see any of those driving away bad guys in these movies. The heroes are the “good” vampires, not the Church or religious faith in Christ.
These super-star vampires also walk around in sunlight and, as a matter of fact, their skin just happens to glisten like diamonds when exposed to direct sunlight. Isn’t that wonderful? The glam vamps are gentlemen, chaste and well-intentioned, yet they are always hovering around the edge of “falling” and in seductive situations which cause young people to think that they are capable, like their hero vampire, Edward Cullen, of going just so far and pulling back, out of self-control. That’s teaching them to play with fire, not a real chastity message for kids.
The worst part of this fascination with vampires from a faith point of view, however, is its blasphemy of the Eucharist. “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you,” said our Blessed Lord in Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel. He is the One who offers His flesh and blood for the life of the world. The vampires eat (bite) the flesh and drink the blood of victims rather than give their own to redeem others. Their bites corrupt and transform their victims into vampires like themselves. They have no life in them. They are the “living dead” by their own estimate.
How sad that this generation has been so taken in by those who represent the very antithesis of the core reality of our Faith – the Eucharist. Vampire logic is anti-Eucharistic logic, and it’s very dangerous for our kids. In their obsessive fascination with such darkness, kids (and adults) turn their backs on the One who actually died for them.
To those who say, “Oh, Father, it’s only harmless entertainment,” I say simply: You’ve been warned.
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
My good friends Jola and Carol recently made the short pilgrimage to the shrine, and they were impressed and very inspired by what they found there.
From the official website:
| The Shrine of Christ’s Passion is an interactive half-mile winding pathway that begins with the Last Supper and Garden of Gethsemane. You then journey through the Passion of Christ as depicted in the Stations of the Cross. | |
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The Cardinal Newman Society compiled this spiritual bouquet for Pope Benedict XVI following Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s call for prayers for the Holy Father on Palm Sunday 2010. By Pentecost Sunday more than 1,070,302 prayers were pledged. This spiritual bouquet was presented to Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America, who in turn sent it to the Vatican.
“On behalf of the more than 20,000 members of The Cardinal Newman Society and thousands more of the faithful, this spiritual bouquet of prayers collected during Eastertide is made of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul … in grateful appreciation to our shepherd for his prayerful Christian witness. We beseech our Blessed Mother, Blessed Saint Michael and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul to pray for our Holy Father. Oremus pro Pontifice!”
Q: Regarding the practice of praying Novenas, which is typically a nine-day series of prayers for a particular intention … what’s the difference between a private novena and a public novena?
A: Public novenas are approved by the Holy See, for routine use by the whole church. Private novenas carry no such approval … which is not to say there is anything necessarily wrong with them (but there might be).
Historical background:
The distinction between private and public use derives above all from the 1917 Code of Canon Law (Canon 1259.2). It forbade the public recitation of litanies that had not been approved by the Holy See. This prohibition included not only the public recitation of unapproved litanies by priests but extended to particular groups of the faithful who prayed in common without an ordained minister present.
This canon has not been retained in the present code. And while the law today is somewhat more flexible, it does not necessarily mean that all litanies formally approved for private use can now be publicly used.
There were and are good reasons for not multiplying the number of public litanies. Canon 839.2 of the 1983 Code directs the local ordinary to assure that “the prayers and pious and sacred exercises of the Christian people are fully in keeping with the norms of the Church.”
– Answer furnished by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university. Courtesy of ZENIT International News Agency and the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).
Average Americans from all walks of life participate in the prayerful pro-life event.
“These are ordinary people with extraordinary faith and courage who were exactly where you are — praying about what God wanted them to do,” he said. “They are from Indiana, Florida, Alabama, New York, Connecticut, California, Louisiana and Canada. They took a leap of faith to lead local 40 Days for Life campaigns.”
The Spring 40 Days for Life campaign saw a milestone reached as organizers said they now know of more than 2,500 babies saved from abortion during these campaigns.
“The exact total is currently 2,536. We’re aware of numerous sets of twins — and at least one set of triplets — included in that count,” organizer David Bereit said. “Not only have 2,536 babies been spared from abortion, but the impact was also felt on each of their mothers and fathers.”
- Save lives from abortion …
- protect women and men …
- provide healing to the wounded …
- mobilize the Body of Christ in your town …
- IN JUST 40 DAYS!
Visit the site:
40 Days for Life – http://40daysforlife.com
Here is a video illustrating the contents of a letter from St. Justin Martyr in 155 A.D. describing the weekly Christian liturgy (Mass) of the Early Church.
Anyone familiar with the modern Catholic Mass–and therefore the Eucharist–will immediately recognize its roots in these words.
St. Justin Martyr was born a pagan but converted to Christianity after studying philosophy. He was a prolific writer and many Church scholars consider him the greatest apologist or defender of the faith from the 2nd century. He was beheaded with six of his companions some time between 163 and 167 A.D.
“This food we call the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God’s Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the Word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus.”
“First Apology”, Ch. 66, inter A.D. 148-155.
“God has therefore announced in advance that all the sacrifices offered in His name, which Jesus Christ offered, that is, in the Eucharist of the Bread and of the Chalice, which are offered by us Christians in every part of the world, are pleasing to Him.”
“Dialogue with Trypho”, Ch. 117, circa 130-160 A.D.
Moreover, as I said before, concerning the sacrifices which you at that time offered, God speaks through Malachias, one of the twelve, as follows: ‘I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord; and I will not accept your sacrifices from your hands; for from the rising of the sun until its setting, my name has been glorified among the gentiles; and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a clean offering: for great is my name among the gentiles, says the Lord; but you profane it.’ It is of the sacrifices offered to Him in every place by us, the gentiles, that is, of the Bread of the Eucharist and likewise of the cup of the Eucharist, that He speaks at that time; and He says that we glorify His name, while you profane it.”
-“Dialogue with Trypho”, [41: 8-10]
Doug Lawrence's Catholic Site 