March 13, 2014
Categories: Books & Publications, Events, Human Rights, Inspirational, Politics, Religious Ed, Scandals . Tags: balls, Bishop Olson, bishops, Fisher More College, heresy, pope, sanctions, Taylor Marshall, Traditional-Mass . Author: Doug Lawrence . Comments: 1 Comment
The new Cosmos television series and the ongoing war between faith and science.
“Everyone” knew the earth was the center of the universe?
Wow, who’s going to tell Copernicus? Kepler? Stigliola? Diggs? Maestlin? Rothmann? Brahe? All of them believed in models of the cosmos that were not considered orthodox, and lived at the time of Bruno. All of them escaped the fire, and indeed weren’t even pursued by the Inquisition. Right here we have the major lie at the heart of modern anti-religious scientific propaganda: the war between faith and science.
We’re supposed to just assume this ignorant backwards world of the past hates smart people. Tyson himself says it matter-of-factly: “How was [Bruno] spending New Year’s Eve [in 1599]? In prison, of course.”
Of course! Because that’s what the Church does to smart people! Bad church! Bad!
Editor’s note: The truth is, there existed at the time, no way of scientifically proving or disproving many of the theories these men (including Galileo and his telescope) proposed. If our understanding of the Sacred Scriptures needed to be reinterpreted, the Church first demanded real proof. There was none – and there would not be for many, many years.
When people began to promote their unproven and as yet, unverifiable theories as dogma, the Church said no. When some of them persisted, they were sanctioned in various ways.
The rest of the truth is that many of the theories these men promoted eventually proved to be – at least in part – false and/or scientifically incorrect, in many aspects. Not surprising, since no way existed (at that time) to definitively prove or disprove them.
That’s something the pro-science/anti-church guys always seem to conveniently leave out!
Galileo was wrong: The Bible does not teach how the Heavens go … but rather, how to go to Heaven
Science, Galileo and the Catholic Church
Pope Francis fires an anti-Traditionalist “shot across the bow” of Franciscan religious order
Look for this matter to (eventually) be adjudicated by Cardinal Burke
The Franciscans of the Immaculate distinguish themselves just by the rigor and evangelical poverty in which they live, by their Franciscan charism since its inception. Instead of this, the Congregation of Religious is directing in the name of the Pope, to transfer the General Government of management to a minority of rebellious, progressive brothers, to which the neo-Commissioner will rely upon to “normalize” the Order, or in other words, to lead it into that disaster which it has so far escaped, thanks to its loyalty to Church order and the Magisterium.
Why are we surprised? Christian university retaliates against pro-life student for showing graphic reality of abortion.
“The hypocrisy I’ve seen is also disappointing,” lamented Diana. “When I told Dr. Elliott the punishment was inappropriate, she said I should have thought about that before. Seriously? I’m trying to save lives, and this is what she does?”
Diana has since written a letter to the Biola administration and nursing department faculty explaining her motivation for showing the reality of abortion.
“Most people on this campus would say they’re pro-life, but they don’t have a strong enough conviction to do anything about it,” said Diana. “You can say you’re a Christian all day long, but where’s the evidence? We are challenged at Biola to say what we believe and what are we going to do about it.
“Four months ago I didn’t know anything about the issue,” Diana concluded. “These last four months have changed my life forever. I can’t believe we’re doing absolutely nothing for these babies or the women.”
“I am upset that Father Howlin has been released from ministry,” (Bishop) Imesch wrote to the supporter. “… people like Father Howlin are removed from ministry for a period of time far beyond what I think is called for.”
WHITLEY CITY, Ky. — Five years after church officials ordered the Rev. Carroll Howlin to stop functioning as a missionary priest in this isolated mountain community, Joliet diocesan leaders received a letter from a suburban pastor that illuminated just how little the diocese had done to enforce its own protective measures amid a crippling sexual abuse scandal.
Howlin, an avuncular-looking priest who moved here more than 30 years ago, had been suspended in 2002 after he was accused of molesting a teenage boy — the second of four such allegations he would face in his career. The Joliet Diocese later substantiated claims involving two other victims, including one who committed suicide at 17.
China’s officially atheistic Communist Party wants not only the right to approve Catholic bishops, but also to fire those who get out of line.
BEIJING (AP) — In a fresh challenge to Vatican authority, China has revoked the title of a new Catholic bishop in Shanghai who outraged Chinese officials by immediately dropping out of the government agency that oversees the country’s officially sanctioned church, religious officials said Wednesday.
Ma Daqin, who was jointly named for the post in a rare consensus between Beijing and the Vatican, has been confined to a seminary since he announced his intention to drop out of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in front of a congregation during his July 7 ordination as auxiliary bishop.
The move by Ma, 44, was seen as challenging China’s attempts to run the country’s Catholic church independently of the Vatican.
No money … No Jesus!
The German Catholic bishops have announced that any Catholic who formally withdraws from the Church, by announcing a decision not to pay the “church tax,” will not be allowed the receive the sacraments or hold office in the Church.
Editor’s note: I wonder if anyone ran this plan past Colonel Klink?
Interview with priest who was sanctioned by his bishop for teaching that homosexual acts are wrong.
The local, and even national, “controversy” that has engulfed me is due to the fact that I have been vocal in promoting what the Roman Catholic Church teaches in regard to the whole issue of homosexuality. It’s a disgrace, but the City Council of El Paso has been adamant in trying to legitimize same-sex unions. This goes completely contrary to Catholic Church teaching.
I’ve made it clear to the Catholics of El Paso (and beyond) that every single Catholic has a moral obligation before God Himself to oppose any government attempt to legalize homosexual unions. A Catholic who fails to oppose this homosexual agenda, is committing a grave sin by omission. Furthermore, if a Catholic doesn’t assent to the infallible moral teaching of the Church that homosexual acts are mortally sinful, then such a Catholic is placing himself / herself outside of communion with the Church.
These are the Catholics who are actually excommunicating themselves, not the Society of St. Pius X!
A Big Question About the Father Corapi Affair: Aren’t we mixing apples and oranges?
The Big Question: Why were strict procedures developed for investigating the alleged clerical abuse of children apparently applied to the Father Corapi case … when according to Catholic Canon Law … the gravity of the two cases … and the potential sanctions … are not even remotely similar?
Knights of Columbus refuse to allow suspension of members who promote abortion, gay marriage
In a letter to the Massachusetts K of C leadership, Marrella declared that “a subordinate council may not impose fraternal discipline with respect to a public figure’s official actions on matters pertaining to faith and morals. Rather, any such discipline must be made by or at the direction of the Supreme Board of Directors.”
“We recognize that some of our members who are public figures may use their public position to advocate or support policy positions that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals,” Marrella conceded in his letter. He went on to admit that such public advocacy “contradicts the Catholic identity and mission of the Order.”
Nevertheless, the top legal official of the K of C said that any action taken against K of C members who are public figures would “necessarily affect the entire Order.” For that reason, he said, any disciplinary action should be taken by the group’s top leadership.
Marrella went on to say that the K of C would not go further than the American bishops in taking public action against members whose public stands conflict with Church moral teachings. “If the public figure’s bishop has not excommunicated him for his public positions on issues relating to matters of faith and morals, it would be highly inappropriate for the Knights of Columbus to do so,” he wrote.
The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, which had supported the proposed resolution at the state convention, decried the intervention by the top K of C office as an “abdication of responsibility.” C.J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League, said: “This letter effectively kills any grassroots initiative within the Knights to address the scandal of pro-abortion pols in the Order.”
The Catholic Action League charged that the K of C’s refusal to take action against pro-abortion members would allow the continuation of a public scandal. “In the 37 years since Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Board of Directors has never, to public knowledge, removed a single pro-abortion political figure from the Knights of Columbus,” Doyle noted. “In Massachusetts, a majority of Knights serving in the Legislature voted in 2007 against a constitutional amendment restoring traditional marriage, and voted in 2005 for a law which compels Catholic hospitals to distribute the so-called morning-after pill to rape victims.”
Editor’s note: It should be noted that being excommunicated from the Catholic Church is a far different matter than being disciplined by or ejected from the Knights of Columbus. Excommunication can have a profound effect on one’s personal soul, while the Knights remain one of many Catholic organizations, in which membership remains essentially social, and purely optional.
The Knights collectively do much good work, have lots of political clout, and they also have the ability to write big checks, but when it comes to matters like this, they remain impotent, by choice.
It is the opinion/experience of this writer (who is also a member of the K of C) that qualifying for their life insurance products is more difficult than it ought to be, that the selection of insurance products offered is rather limited, and that the price for K of C insurance tends to run substantially higher than the prices of other, virtually identical products, offered by similarly rated companies.
If anyone at the K of C wishes to provide proof to the contrary, I’ll be more than happy to publish it here.
Bishop explains Kennedy sanctions. Surprised at Kennedy’s response.
“I am disappointed and really surprised that Congressman Patrick Kennedy has chosen to reopen the public discussion about his practice of the faith and his reception of Holy Communion. This comes almost two weeks after the Congressman indicated to local media that he would no longer comment publicly on his faith or his relationship with the Catholic Church,” Bishop Tobin writes.
Bishop Tobin said that on February 21, 2007, he wrote to Congressman Kennedy stating that “in light of the Church’s clear teaching, and your consistent actions, therefore, I believe it is inappropriate for you to be receiving Holy Communion and I now ask respectfully that you refrain from doing so.
“My request came in light of the new statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that said, ‘If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately to repudiate her definite teachings on moral issues, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the Church. Reception of Holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain.’”
In the same letter, Bishop Tobin wrote to Congressman Kennedy: “I am writing to you personally and confidentially as a pastor addressing a member of his flock . . . At the present time I have no need or intention to make this a public issue.”
On February 28, 2007, the Congressman responded to the Bishop sating: “I have the utmost respect for the work you do on behalf of the Catholic community in Rhode Island… I understand your pastoral advice was confidential in nature and given with the best intentions for my personal spiritual welfare.”
“I am disappointed that the Congressman would make public my pastoral and confidential request of nearly three years ago that sought to provide solely for his spiritual well-being,” the bishop writes in his Sunday statement.
Bishop Tobin explains that he has “no desire” to discuss Congressman Kennedy’s spiritual life in public.
“At the same time, I will absolutely respond publicly and strongly whenever he attacks the Catholic Church, misrepresents the teachings of the Church, or issues inaccurate statements about my pastoral ministry. It should be absolutely clear the Congressman himself has once again chosen to make this discussion a matter of public record. In the meantime, I will continue to pray – sincerely and fervently – for his conversion and repentance, and for his personal and spiritual well-being. I wish him well.”
Courtesy of Catholic News Agency
Kennedy: Barred from Communion
WASHINGTON — Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has forbidden Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy to receive the Roman Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion because of his advocacy of abortion rights, the Rhode Island Democrat said Friday.
Editor’s note: If a bishop with some “guts” had done the same for the late Senator Kennedy around thirty years ago, there’s a very good chance that abortion would not be a pivotal and controversial health care issue today.
Doug Lawrence's Catholic Weblog 
SaintNicholasPunchedAHeretic March 4, 2014 2:55 pm
First the rage at the diabolic actions of this Bishop. Then the calls for calm and reflection. Then the gossip and the fallacious logic of ad hominem attacks on the principal of the college in question as somehow excusing the demonstrably wrong actions of this Bishop ( see Rorate for details). And this after the FFI. And who next?
Seriously folks. We have a demonstrable heretic of a Pope and not a single Cardinal or Bishop on the planet with the balls to call him out on his daily offences against the faith. We have the vast majority of so-called Catholics who go to no form of Mass at all – Ordinary, Extraordinary or otherwise. And the ones that do go the vast majority on a daily basis I live lives in total disregard of Church teachings. And yet, the Traditionalists tie themselves in knots agonising over questions of whether this group offers licit and valid sacraments, or illicit but valid sacraments or proper jurisdiction to do this but not that- arguments which would fly over the heads of the notionally Catholic but functionally heretical ‘Catholic’ population at large.
Hit the heretics where it hurts. Withdraw financial support. Step back a bit. Take a deep breath. Recognise the direction things are going. Clamber aboard the lifeboats of the SSPX and pray that the storm eventually passes.
Link to article/site