Sipping some coffee before my 1st meeting of the day.
Here's what I'm reading:
Video: Canadian Prime Minister pockets consecrated host! - AmP
Father Fessio: A New Framework For Social Justice - Caritas In Veritate - Zenit
Father Barron: A First Look At "Caritas In Veritate" - Zenit
Cardinal Rigali Urges Opposition To New Liberalized Embryo - Research Guidelines - Catholic Culture
Why I'm Thankful for George W. Bush - American Thinker
Coming and Going - American Spectator
We Can Win on Healthcare - Human Events
Jackomania: A Gift to Ahmadinejad - Pajamas Media
They'll tell you not to be so negative,
They'll tell you not to be so divisive,
They'll tell you, "why can't you be more tolerant?"
What they really want you to do is SIT DOWN AND SHUT-UP!
That's the underline message to Catholics who stand up for the true church teachings.
Father Z hits the nail on the head with his latest posting.
The Problem With Toning Down the Rhetoric - And Why We Probably Won't Do It
Some of my Catholic friends have been urging me and others on the Catholic right to tone down the rhetoric when it comes to discussing issues related to the Notre Dame scandal, or Notre Shame as time is showing it to have been. They want us to tone down our "harsh rhetoric" on issues such as abortion, President Obama and other Catholics who support him. These friends insist that they respect my right to my point of view, and they assure me that they, too, oppose abortion. However, they argue that many tactics of the Catholic pro-life movement are “negative” (e.g. showing pictures of aborted fetuses) and therefore counter-productive. They argue further that these tactics – which include protesting Notre Shame’s bestowing an honorary doctorate of law on President Obama – actually exacerbate tensions and divisions within the Catholic Church and within society at large. Finally, they charge that such tactics are spiteful and otherwise uncharitable. We on the right would say “sinful,” but these friends of mine don’t use that language.
I am not impervious to these criticisms. I don’t like being thought of in these terms, though I confess I sometimes accept their judgment with a touch of mischievous relish. I don’t know anyone on the Catholic or Christian right who wants to be thought of as using language that is counter-productive, divisive and spiteful.
I am not impervious to these criticisms. I don’t like being thought of in these terms, though I confess I sometimes accept their judgment with a touch of mischievous relish. I don’t know anyone on the Catholic or Christian right who wants to be thought of as using language that is counter-productive, divisive and spiteful.
But when it comes to their suggestion to tone down the rhetoric, I think we shouldn’t, and I doubt we will.
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(photo: CNA)
When I first heard about the new commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, I was elated. Lt. General Stanley, a Special Forces Officer was now in charge and that meant to me that business was going to be taken care of.
That is until I heard about the latest directive from the White House via Secretary of Defense Gates.
New Rules of Engagement: Avoid civilian casualties at all costs. If a firefight appears to be expanding so as to endanger "resident non-combatants," the engagement must be broken off. Air attacks must be limited to targets of strictly confirmed hostile character, with no civilian co-mingling.
Does this sound familiar? It should, it's just like what historians tell us tied the hands of our soldiers in Vietnam. It also insults our brave men in uniform because their already taught not to shoot civilians. They are also taught that war is not a friendly sport of paint ball. People get killed and with these rules of engagement that might very well lead to the deaths of our soldiers.
Robert McNamara, Vietnam war architect, just past away. No doubt the decisions he make will be scrutinized again and again for lessons learned.
I pray this is not history repeating itself. This article explains it better that I can.
An Enlisted Man's Point of View
...
It seems that the U.S, military is once again being urged to avoid civilian casualties. This time Afghanistan is the new theater of operations where American soldiers, Marines, and airmen are supposed to kill the enemy, but do it as decorously as possible to avoid civilians becoming collateral damage.
A hard-charging Ranger special operations officer, Lt. General Stanley McChrystal, was purposely named to be commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR). He had express orders to push forward vigorously against the Taliban. Virtually immediately after this hand-picked warrior assumed command, he received new instructions from the White House via the Pentagon to avoid civilian casualties at all costs. If a firefight appears to be expanding so as to endanger "resident non-combatants," the engagement must be broken off. Air attacks must be limited to targets of strictly confirmed hostile character, with no civilian co-mingling.
Once again, as in the Korean War and in Vietnam and Iraq, as well as other conflicts, U.S. forces have received rules of engagement aimed at securing maximum avoidance of political backlash in a war with an enemy to whom the use of the civilian population as protective cover is an accepted part of his fighting tactics.
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Unemployment at 9.5% this month and rising.
California broke..
Banks are going under..
The big bailout was going to save the day. Frankly I never understood how creating more debt can result in debt recovery.
John Stossel of ABC's 20 /20 reviews the status of the 'Big Bad Bailout'.
Here's Part 1.
I don't know about you, but I feel something very bad is about to happen in Honduras.
Exiled Honduras president, emboldened by support from the U.N. after he gave his cry baby story to the cough, cough world leaders. Apparently he forgot to tell the part of the story where he tried to manipulate the Honduran Constitution to allow him to gain dictatorship of the country.
My fear is that Zelaya will invite Hugo Chavez into his country to restore him into authority and yes dictatorship.
... or Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega
I hope that Obama and Clinton had a relaxing 4th of July celebrating the freedom that they don't support for Honduras.
Speaking live from the plane on the Telesur network, Zelaya says he is just minutes away from landing.
I read this story of a family's brave soldier son and his sacrifice in the war. And the father's brave act in support of his son and the cause his son died for.
We need to remember those families on this forth of July. At least remember to fly you Flag, thank them when you see them on the street and always keep them in your prayers.
When stories had been told, tears wept, and grief expressed, Mr. Bush asked if he could do anything. At that, Bill Krissoff spoke.
"Yes," he said. "I'm a pretty good orthopedic surgeon. When my younger son is deployed to Iraq next March, I would like to be working as a Navy medical officer, but they won't let me because I am 61 years old. Will you give me an age waiver, Mr. President?" Mr. Bush pointed to me. Dr. Krissoff and I exchanged business cards and he promised to fax me his application.
Nice video brought to my attention while conversing on twitter.
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter/wstcstcatholic
I read the speech Obama gave at the LGBT Pride reception at the White House the other day.
Basically he pledges his support for gay rights and changing the laws for the benefit of this group of voters.
He also promised another group of voters that he personally supports marriage between one man and one woman.
Will the real Obama please stand up!
Obama's LGBT Pride remarks insulted mainstream America, pro-family leaser says..
President Barack Obama on Monday addressed an “LGBT Pride” reception at the White House, characterizing opponents of homosexual political issues as holding fast to “worn arguments and old attitudes.” One critical observer said the event aimed to placate the president’s donors but was “insulting” to mainstream Americans.
The president began his comments by saying “Welcome to your White House.” Praising what he considered the “extraordinary progress that we have made,” he said there were “unjust laws to overturn and unfair practices to stop.”
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It's no secret that the Jesuit Congregation, once staunch defenders of the Catholic Church, is starting to 'change' for some reason.
We've seen it mostly in the Catholic University institutions they helped build, as in the most resent Notre Dame scandal. And I've been noticing it in theological opinions in the Catholic news, with support for 'women in the priesthood', support of gay marriage, of stem cell research, even abortion.
The exact opposite of what the church teaches. I don't know what's the cause of this, modernism, relativism, I just don't know. There are more learned people that can articulate this and with more authority than I can.
But as lay Catholic, I believe this is becoming a big problem. A problem because it appears that the church flock is being mislead by a few of it's supposed protectors and shepherds. People are now starting to rationalize there going against the church by siding to these dissenters.
What's the Church to do. We can look to the Vatican for answers, which we should do and not stray from. But all to often we realize that the wheels of the church grind slowly, though when they do grind... they grind to a pulp.
We as a lay Catholics need to have our wits about us. We need to question the sources. To study our faith, pray for our church and it's leaders and shepherds.
Here's another case in point.
Father Donal Godfrey, a prominent Jesuit University Official is to speak at a gay-rights Dignity conference. This organization Dignity USA opposes the Magisterium's teaching on the grave immorality of homosexual acts. Now I hope that Fr. Godfrey is there to share the true teachings of the church, of it's love for all, forgiveness and understanding, but firmly against the practices of the the homosexual life style.
But I doubt it.
Prominent Jesuit University Official To Speak At Gay-Rights Dignity Conference
The Catholic Church is also looking at the various Congregations of Sister in the U.S. . The Vatican did this 'looking into' , reviewing, whatever you want to call it, of the U.S. Seminaries following the priest scandal.
They needed to do this, and in my opinion they need to review the good sisters as well. The Sisters numbers in America have gone down drastically, as with the priest in the US, and the Vatican wants to get a full understanding of what's going on.
The Sisters have done, and continue to do great work in our parishes and communities. Sometimes it hard to see their accomplishments... especially when you don't know who they are since many don't wear habits anymore.
The good sisters have their dissenters as well. Just read the NCR and some of their stories and contributors.
The NYTimes is reporting this one:
U.S. Nuns Facing Vatican Scrutiny
Some sisters are not happy campers at all, and oppose this 'Vatican intrusion'. Just ask Sr. Sandra M. Schneiders professor emerita of New Testament and spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, in California. she urges her fellow nuns not to participate in the Vatican visits to the various congregations.
Well, again lets pray for the religious and pray for vocations. We have many wonderful priest, deacons, bothers, sisters and nuns.
A few bad apples doesn't spoil the whole bunch.
This article from The Baltimore Sun, Mary Ellen Heibel cured from her terminal cancer.
While my faith doesn't depend on miracles, it's something I do believe can and does happen.
The story of Mary Ellen Heibel is uplifting in today's world which is filled with so much suffering joylessness.
The Catholic Church is set to investigate the claim, but it's nice to know that Mary Heibel is cured of her cancer.
Blessed Francis X. Seelos, pray for us.
In Annapolis, A Miracle Worth of Sainthood?
I was at the movies this past weekend to watch that museum movie. It was okay, the wife and I enjoyed it.
While there, I saw the new movie 'Public Enemy' with Jonny Depp being advertised. I probably won't see it, well maybe on DVD if at all. Sounds like it might be one of those glorified blood guts, shoot'm-up, root for the gangster type movies.
I don't know, maybe I'm being premature or probably still thinking about that Al Franken character...
Whatever, I found this article on the movie and Johnny Depp interesting :
Depp Out of His Depth
Today, the latest Hollywood film to glorify criminality opens. In Public Enemies, Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger, and to hear Depp tell it, Dillinger was no bad guy at all, but a genuine American hero.
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Ya, got to read this post at Catholicculture. Anne Hendershott gives us a little reality check on the state of our Catholic brethren.
Obama and the Alternative Magisterium
Nearly a year has passed since Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States and his speech to more than 200 leaders of Catholic colleges and universities at the Catholic University of America. Much has happened, both on campus and off.
There is the historic election of Barack Obama, a politician described by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput as "the most committed abortion rights presidential candidate of either party since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision." His election can be viewed in the context of that papal visit, for many Catholic college professors and administrators helped make his victory possible.
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The Honduras turmoil is slowly rising. Hugo Chavez has vowed to invade if the exiled president Zelaya isn't allowed to return.
President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, have both condemned the events.
Do we really know what's happening down there? Is our administration really on the right side of this issue. Doesn't America stand for democracy and it's defense?
You need to read this article. I think this administration better read it as well...
Saving Democracy in the Honduran 'Coup'
What is being billed as the "first military coup in Central America since the Cold War" occurred early Sunday morning, June 28. The president of Honduras, Jose Manuel Zelaya, was arrested at his residence by members of the Honduran army. His arrest came only hours before he planned to hold an unofficial vote to determine support for his desire to change Honduran law and run for re-election. Per his request, he was flown to Costa Rica where he had asked for asylum.
At first glance this event seems to be another instance of long term democracy's peril in Central America. After all, Central and South America have seen more coups in post-colonial history than a large flock of doves released at a wedding.
Condemnation of President Zelaya's arrest and exile was swift; President Obama said he was "deeply concerned" and leaders of the European Union, along with Secretary of State Clinton, have condemned the military's actions. Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela and close friend of the leftist Zelaya, has vowed to overthrow whatever successor is chosen to serve the remainder of Zelaya's term.
I am not convinced that the military committed a coup d'etat, per se. With such widespread reaction abroad, what was the reaction from the other branches of the Honduran government?
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Amazing. The remains found at the tomb of St. Paul may be the soon verified to be the real bone fragments of Paul himself. Carbon-14 testing will be conducted.
Evidence Points To Authenticity of St. Paul's Tomb.
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The tomb of St. Paul may indeed contain the remains of the Apostle of the Gentiles, Benedict XVI affirmed in his homily at the closing of the Year of St. Paul.
The Pope presided at first vespers this evening for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, which marked the conclusion of the Pauline Year. The celebration took place at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, where it has traditionally been believed St. Paul was buried.
"An authentic scientific analysis" conducted on the sarcophagus conserved in the basilica, the Holy Father said, "seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul."
"A tiny hole was drilled into the sarcophagus -- which over many centuries had never been opened -- in order to insert a special probe, which revealed traces of costly purple colored linen fabric, laminated with pure gold and a blue fabric with linen filaments," Benedict XVI explained.
"Grains of red incense and protein and chalk substances were also discovered," he continued. "There were also tiny bone fragments, which were sent for carbon-14 testing by experts who were unaware of their origin. These were discovered to belong to a person who had lived between the first and second centuries."
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Prayer for 'Billy Mays' and his family
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Act of Contrition
WCC +<><
It's not hard to find out who's on the wrong side and who's on the right side. Who's on the side of democracy and who is trying to defeat it if one just does a little research.
In the case of Honduras, where their president is in exile in Costa Rica, it would appear on the outside that this is just another military coup against the people and an attempt to defeat democracy, but the exact opposite it true.
The backers of the exile president are, let see, Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, and oh yes our very own Hillary Clinton.
It appears the Mr Zelaya (exiled president) was trying to make a change to the country's constitution without legal process. The courts and the legislation smelled a rat and declared that process illegal. Mr. Zelaya proceeded anyway with his dictatorship plans with a little help from his friend Hugo Chavez and the courts and the legislators call him on it. They ordered the military in to help out.
Our own state department is siding with Fidel and Hugo. Something is a miss here.
Read the article:
Honduras Defends Its Democracy
Hugo Chávez's coalition-building efforts suffered a setback yesterday when the Honduran military sent its president packing for abusing the nation's constitution.
It seems that President Mel Zelaya miscalculated when he tried to emulate the success of his good friend Hugo in reshaping the Honduran Constitution to his liking.
But Honduras is not out of the Venezuelan woods yet. Yesterday the Central American country was being pressured to restore the authoritarian Mr. Zelaya by the likes of Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Hillary Clinton and, of course, Hugo himself. The Organization of American States, having ignored Mr. Zelaya's abuses, also wants him back in power. It will be a miracle if Honduran patriots can hold their ground.
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