The Fruits of Lent

Well, I had a low key Lent this year. No heroic penances. No intense period of study. No retreat.

But this is what I have determined, through the Season and through Confession:

I need to work on habits of the mind.

I have undisciplined Habits of Mind, that can and do provide occasions of sin, and near occasions of sin.

And the next step in my Conversion, in my desire to do Penance and to be a Penitent Person, is to convert these habits, to make a consistent effort to convert my habits of Mind to those that will be pleasing to the Lord. Because everything we do, starts in the mind, and it is in the mind and it's habits of thought that our will resides.

So in order to convert my will, to resign myself to the Will of the Lord, I need now to work on my mental habits, to give myself the tools I need to avoid actions that are sinful.

So that's the Fruit of My Lent.

Venison, Pickles and Relish! Oh My!

My sisters have come for Easter Weekend, to attend the Triduum Liturgy at our parish.
They brought me my "own basket" filled with home made pickles (bread and butter, dill, pickled peppers, pickled green beans, relishes, jams, jellies, catchups that aren't based on tomatoes, pickled Spanish tomatoes, salsas, etc) They also brought be a couple of pound of deer burger, and three venison roasts. Whooo Hoooo! And it's the season to grill and use the smoker!

But the best thing--the most wonderful gift I could imagine--was this: My sisters left the Church, (because of liturgical wierdness and the fact that the Gospel wasn't being preached, but progressive politics was) years ago, and eventually became Pentecostal. And yesterday, after the Way of the Cross, they both went to Confession, and received Holy Communion at the Solemn Commemoration of the Passion and Death!

I got to receive Communion with my sisters, for the first time in decades. Truly, the Lord is Great! Yaweh Tzaboath, the Lord, Mighty in Battle!

Thank You, Lord for this great blessing!

Round up, ( I know--the Lazy Man's Blogging Technique)

Abortion and Maternal Health: Three studies, from Poland, Chile and The World Economic Forum have found that nations with permissive abortion laws have a higher rate of maternal mortality than those without. In particular, it stands out that Chile experienced it's highest rate of Maternal Mortality peaked in 1961, with 34% of Maternal Death caused by the abortion. (Chile is a more or less Catholic country, with many more women in 1961 choosing birth over abortion!) They have achieved a 1 91+% decrease in Maternal Death, with a ban on abortion as a major contributing factor.

The New York Daily News has called the NY Times on their crap: The Daily News has published a piece saying that the coverage of the Popes alleged involvement in covering up sexual abuse of minors--and I quote--"false". They also called Maureen Dowd's comments and accusations "extreme". Then they laid out the time line, and the actions taken, all of which occurred before Benedict XVI ascended to high position within the Church, and pointed out that then Cardinal Ratzingers dicastery approved action against the Fr. Murphy, and waived the Statue of Limitations on church proceedings against him, and pointed out that this was not the type of activity consistent with a cover-up.

The Wall Street Journal Online: The WSJ has an article in it's on-line edition about the resurgence of the Rosary in popular Catholic Devotion. It even points out that the Rosary is a series of meditations on the Life of Christ.

To All My Orthodox Brethren-- Have a Glorious Resurrection Day! I am very happy that this year, both of our calendars coincide, so that we can celebrate this Mystery together, in the Unity that the Holy Eucharist provides, and I hope someday that the unfortunate Schism between us can be healed!

Cardinal George is Stepping on it! He is trying to force Tom Roeser to stop writting and publishing his blog, his newspaper columns, etc. Mr. Roeser is not a cleric, so I don't know how far the Cardinal has authority over his writtings. However, if he does issue some sort of Canonical action to silence Mr. Roeser, Mr. Roeser does have recourse to the Roman Rota, and the Apostolic Signatura. These bodies typically uphold the rights of Catholics to write and publish if they are not expressing heretical opinions or schism. Mr. Roeser has been highly critical of some aspects of the Church in the US, but is an orthodox Catholic, and a traditional, conservative man at that. If Cardinal George wants to silence Catholics, I suggest that he silence the heretics, dissidents and schismatics that infest the Archdiocese of Chicago, not an orthodox voice.

A question I have asked, is now asked in the Press: Roman Polanski raped a 13 year old girl by giving her alcohol and 'ludes, talking her into doing nude modeling and then having his way with her. He plead guilty to this in court. Then he fled.

So what's up? People like Whoopy Goldberg say it wasn't "rape rape" and thing it's wrong to have a warrant for his arrest for fleeing custody. He's an "artist" and so should be forgiven for making child porn and raping a 13 year old. Many of the progressives in show business say this.

Yet these same people are crying for the blood of Benedict our Pontiff. And they see no contradiction.

I think they are simply anti-Catholic bigots who see a way--an unjustified way--of beating on the Church. I also think that they hate the Church because, despite it's all too many flaws, it consistently tells them that their life styles and activities are wrong, immoral and can lead to damnation. They don't like that, even though it's true.

Christina Odone, a columnist for the UK Telegraph has pointed this out in print and online: She has had the moral courage to ask this in print, and to put those who want to pillory the Pope on the spot, for their desire to give Polanski a pass on actually drugging raping and porning a 13 year old girl.

Gotta Love 'im!

They have at least kept something of the simplicityand, therefore, the dignity of democracy; and that democracy may yet save their country even from the calamities of wealth and science.

GK Chesterton, What I saw in America. Chapter 6 "In the American Country Side"

H/T to The Shrine of the Holy Whapping--emphasis mine

"The calamities of wealth and science". You gotta love Chesterton! He is one of the most counter cultural writters I have ever read. In six words he has managed to explicate the very greatest dangers to freedom and salvation in the world. The Calamaitous embrace of Mamon and science as ends in themselves.

Jimmy Akin Does it Best!

Here is some more good infor and analysis on the current attempt to discredit the Pope:

www.ncregister.com/blog/cardinal?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:NCRegisterDailyBlog+%2540The+Daily+Register%2541#When:14:59:46Z .

Well written, well reasoned, well documented and with a thorough understand of how Vatican processes work.

Go Idaho!

Idaho has passed a comprehensive law to protect the conscience rights of medical personnel against being fired for not dispensing Euthanasia Drugs, Abortion Drugs or performing various acts that result in Medical Murder.

Good Job Idaho Legislature!

It's Sad that This is Newsworthy

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhoad Island is in the news today.

For personally leading a pro life demonstration in front of an abortuary.

This sort of thing makes the news because most of the moral cowards who wear the Purple in the US don't do things like this. (I will say this--Archbishop Kurtz has and does!)

The question isn't why this should be publicised, but why we aren't hearing about the bishops who don't do things like this. Can you imagine something reading like this: "Question Raised about Today's March for Life: Where was His Excellency? Organizers question the Orthodoxy, moral courage and commitment of their Bishop."

More on the Lies Lbout the Pope

Below I mentioned that MSNBC had posted a misleading and false headline about the Pope. Yesterday I noticed something else: a headline asking "Is His conservative Agenda Kaput?"

There has been an awful lot of pixels dedicated on the Internet stating/explaining/asking is this who brouhaha is an attempt by liberal/modernist factions in the Church, and liberal/progressive forces outside the church to discredit Benedict XVI.

Considering the headline, I would consider that a demonstrated fact.

Catholic Fired for Refusing to Compromise his Faith

Neal McDonough has been replaced on the third day of shooting of the new series Scoundrels.

The network, ABC, called it a casting change. But what really happened is that Mr. McDonough refused to do hot sex scenes, citing his Catholic Faith and his family values.

It's not like the network was unaware of this stand on Mr. McDonoughs part--he has consistently refused to do such scenes through out his career. It is my opinion that after landing the job (and he has passed up or been passed over for other jobs for this same stance) they thought that waving a fat check would melt his resolve.

This is what many in the entertainment industry describe as "fundamentalism", an unwillingness to compromise your faith and principals for money. Those of us who would be so described refer to their stance as a greedy lack of morals or standards.

STOP THE PRESS! THIS JUST IN!

In a last minute announcement , Archbishop Joseph Kurtz has stated that he has told all religious orders in the Archdiocese of Louisville that they must return to obedience of Church norms concerning religious life, cease teaching "New Age" type spirituality, and wear their habits as a public witness to the Consecrated Life, or be declared "personae non grata" in the Archdiocese, those being forced to leave his territory or face excommunication for schism.

Further, he has placed all Clergy within the Archdiocese on notice that they will follow the letter of the GIRM, Summorum Pontificum, and Sacramentam Redemptionis. Those who do not comply have been told that they will be removed from active ministry for "a suitable period of, prayer, reflection and re-catechises on the liturgy."

Also, Archdiocesan policy concerning Altar Servers has been revised to exclude "altar girls" and the use of Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist will be severely curtailed.

Abp. Kurtz also announced a new policy for diocesan Faith Formation Activities. Starting in September all persons teaching Faith Formation and RCIA classes will be expected to be working towards a Pontifical Diploma in catachesis from Catholic distance University, saying "The Goal is that in three years we will be sure that those teaching the faith know the faith, and understand the great moral responsibility they have to pass the Faith on without distortion or omission.

Archbishop Kurtz also recommended to his priests that they make an effort to celebrate at least one ad orientam Mass in their parishes per week and said "It's about time we quite trying to pretend that were not really Roman Catholics, and get back to the practice of our Faith!"














april fools, sadly.

A Surreal Experience in Pedestriana!

If I am a Pedestrian--which I am--then I must in some way be able to call my personal transportation world "Pedestriana", if only for a one time giggle.

Well, Pedestriana got surreal this afternoon, in New Albany, IN. This area has been hit hard by the recession. Our unemployment figures are much higher than the national average, among the highest in the state. And we weren't exactly the affluent area of the state to begin with.

So today, as I waited for the signal to cross the street, what sort of car should turn the corner, but a bright orange Lamborghini!

Bishop Gettlefinger

I met Bishop Gettlefinger a couple of times when I was in my late teens. I was unimpressed.

However, I here by, and publicly, revise my opinion of him. I was wrong.

Bishop Gettlefinger has called Rep Brad Ellsworth, (D-IN) to task. After Rep Ellsworth cited the nuns of the LCWR and Network as reasons he thought he could support the Health Bill, even though he is stating that he is pro-life, Bishop Gettlefinger called him on it, and pointed out that Network, or any other group of nuns, cannot cancel church Teachings, nor can they trump the Bishops.

I do not know is Rep Ellsworth is a Catholic. If he is, and if he doesn't change his ways, I hope Bishop Gettlefinger has the moral courage to bar him from communion.

BTW Ellsworth is being bandied as a candidate for the Senate this year.

Truth About the Fr. Murphy Affair

OK--here are facts. Not Hype, not propaganda, not religious bigotry, but facts:

Thomas Bundage was the Judicial Vicar who handled the Murphy case. He has said that he was never contacted by the AP or the New York Times, yet the quoted him.

He also has said that the "quotes" attributed to him are from a handwritten document dated 1997--and that he did not write it.

There is documentary evidence that the decision to "abate" the proceedings against Murphy was taken by Abp. Rembert Weakland. (You know, the Abp. who used Church Funds, 100's of thousands worth, to pay hushmoney to his catamite.) Not, as alleged, Cdl. Bertone.

And, the authority to deal with cases of sexual abuse by clergy did not pass into the hands of Cdl. Ratzinger until 2001--yet the case that the AP and the NYT are citing were dealt with in 1997.

I am so sick of lies.

Why isn't this being more widely published?

NBC News apologized to the Catholic Legue for a MSNBC headline reading "Pope Describes touching boys: I Went Too Far".

The headline linked to an article that had nothing to do with the Pope. NBC says the headline was an error and has been corrected.

I don't think so. that sort of thing is not an error--it's an attempt to smear the Church and promote Anti-Catholic and sectarian hatred.

I wonder what would happen is the headline had read "Rabbi Describes..."?

Abp. Wuerl, listen!

There apparently has been a protest in DC, on Palm Sunday. The goal: Get Abp. Wuerl to enforce Canon Law and prohibit Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion.

I doubt the Abp. will listen.

But one of the protest spokesmen asked a question: If supporting the unrestricted practice of Abortion (which Catholics faithful to the teachings of the church hold to be murder) isn't enough cause to withhold Communion as a medicinal remedy--what is?

Calling for Death of those whith whom you disagree:

Brian Maloney is calling for the death or suicide of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, and then accuses them of inciting to violence.

Mr. Maloney--have you forgotten the progressives who rioted in '04? Have you forgotten the people who egged the presidents car, etc? Have you forgotten the threats to Republican Congressmen--Oh wait! You just said that they were provoked by the conservative commentators you want to die.

For the record: I don't like Bill O'Reilly, I am not acquainted with Glenn Beck, and I think Rush Limbaugh has a problem with truth. But that doesn't mean you can call for them to die.

Double standard Mo-Fo.

Hate Speech can be an Attempt to Slur or discredit Others.

And progressives excel at that!

The Southern Policy Law Center has listed some sites as "hate sites". They then send this list around to various law enforcement and legal groups.

Here are the ones that are quite simply calumnies--attempts to discredit arguments and viewpoints with a label. (My take on the sites--based on reading them over time, follows in italics)

Americans for Truth About Homosexuality: This site uses peer sociological data, and the Gay Press, and Gay groups own writings to make their points. For using things that can be checked and objectively verified to make their points, they are considered a hate site.

Mass Resistance: A site that exercised their Constitutional Rights to oppose gay marriage laws in Massachusetts. For that exercise of free speech, they a labeled a hate site.

The Illinois Family Institute: A group that promotes traditional Families and Pro Life agendas. It's now labeled a hate group/site.

The Traditional Values Coalition: A lobbying group that promotes traditional values (Duh!) and opposes many of the Presidents Policies and goals. It is now labeled a "hate site" and a "hate group.

OK--so now standing up fro traditional morals, exercising your right to free speech, and not approving of the direction the President has chosen lumps one in with Neo-Nazis, the KKK and the Aryan Brotherhood. Gee--I wonder why that's not considered hate speech.

Get some facts!

The press has been baying like hounds over the chance to engage in some good old fashioned American Catholic Bashing and Anti-Catholic calumnies of the Pope.

Why don't you get a little factual reporting on the situation from one of the player involved, over at: http://catholicanchor.org/wordpress/?p=601 .

A good book has come out about this: Pedophiles and Priest, anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis. There is a good review available, with a nice summary if you haven't the time to read it at:

http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/03/pedophile-priests.html .

Cecile Richards, not a good endorser

The president of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards has thanked the nuns who signed off on Networks endorsement of Obama's pro-death health plan.

Gee--I wonder how that looks to the Visitors from the Congregation for Religious and the inquiry from the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith?

These superannuated hippy/femiinist chicks are trying to pick a fight.

4GW

4GW is an abbreviation of "Fourth Generation Warfare". The first generation of modern warfare climaxed in the Napoleonic wars, and passed during the US Civil War. At the end of the Civil War all the elements of Second Generation Warfare were in place, and found their climatic expression in the Great War (WWI). Third Generation Warfare was born in the opening days of the Second World War. It was characterized by the wars of maneuver conducted on an industrial scale, and was first brought to the worlds attention by the German Blitzkrieg.

The US is currently the worlds foremost practitioner of Third Generation Warfare.

But between the 1920s and the 1950s, Mao Tse Tung formulated and implemented Fourth Generation Warfare, summed up nicely in his famous "16 Characters". And the goals of 4GW warfare were to engage only on favorable terms, to wage war in the enemies rear, against his weaknesses, and most importantly, to win the political battles. 4GW operations led to the fall of Nationalist China, to the First and Second Indochina wars, and to the successful insurgencies around the world. We suk at 4GW.

But I'm not talking about insurgencies as such, right now I'm talking about Spiritual Warfare, and our own nation, our own freedoms in Christ.

Because we all need to read Alinski's Rules for Radicals. This book is a dimension of 4GW. I realized how important this was with my exposure to the dictum that enemies/situations should be attacked by a process of personalize, polarize, emotionalize and ostracize.

Simply apply that to the Church--look at the furor that surrounds us on the polarizing and emotional issue of sodomites preying on boys. Then look at the dates of the allegations--the current set of allegations against the Pope pertain to offenses (and the were heinous!) over 40 years ago, that were under the jurisdiction of the progressive/sodomite party hero from Milwaukee, and the Congregation for the Clergy. Even though the perp was dying at the time it came to Cdl. Ratizingers attention.

Even though His Holiness was prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Even though when this matter was brought to His Holiness' attention the allegations were long out from under the statute of limitations, so no criminal charges could be filed. Even though Weakland, the disgraced sodomite and embezzling Bishop had done nothing of substance to this creep--it ends up being pasted onto the Pope.

Now any spurious attack on the Church is an expression of Spiritual Warfare. And we need, now, to learn the lessons of our foes, and apply them to the temporal realm in which spiritual warfare is conducted.

Just as in WWII, the Allies got their clocks cleaned until 1943, when they learned the lessons of the new warfare and unleashed them onto the Enemy, until we learn to oppose those who are attacking our Church in the same way they attack us, only basing our tactics in prayer and fasting, penance and alms deeds, we will get the living shit kicked out of us. And always, always relying on the truth.

The Internet can be a potent tool for us--just as things like the heretical and foolish Conference in LA can be exposed easily on the Web, we can also expose and call to accountability those around us, in our immediate local, those who do these things. We need only to limit ourselves to the truth, and we can make a difference.

And, we need to name names--period. If a priest or a bishop or a religious speaks error and heresy, immorality and indifference in our hearing, we need to call them out, by name. And this is not uncharitable! For true charity is the desire for the greatest good of another, and actions that can result in damnation are not any ones greatest good.

This will make us unpopular, but we always have a choice--stand at the foot of the cross or stand with the jeering crowd.

Having just watched video of the closing "liturgy" of the LA "Religios Eduction Conference"

I now call for the deposition and excommunication Cardinal Mahoney. Period.

For Schism

Schism is obstinate refusal to submit to ecclesial authority. And the "liturgy" at the Anaheim convention Center could serve as a visual dictionary of forbidden liturgical practices. The "teaching" at the conference was highlighted by people who were espousing error and heresy--to include defrocked priests (who by canon law are not allowed to take ministries in the church--they can't even be altar boys).

Mahoney has lead his Archdiocese into defacto schism, heresy and possibly perdition. This is not to be born.

Open Mindedness sometimes doesn't work.

Sweden is known for being an open minded society. But I think it's backfiring on them.

When a society accepts all "norms", what happens is that there are no "norms". And in Sweden, the practice of tolerance and acceptance has backfired.

In Malmo, twenty years ago there were 1400 Jews. Now there are 700. the reason for the decline is, counter intuitively, Swedish tolerance for ethnic and cultural differences. Because now, the Muslim minority in Malmo, (numbering about 60,000) have been persecuting the Jewish minority to the point that many are fleeing the country. quite a few are going to Israel.

You know, when you are so open minded that you'll tolerate about anything, those who practice what is abhorrent become emboldened--and then begin to subvert your own culture and values.

It's happening here too, with other issues.