HYPOCRITE!!!
This fraud is exactly what Our Lady of Akita warned us about

Here's some of the article from The Washington Times; Bishop knew of abortion plan
Told 'there was nothing he could do'
Julia Duin
Monday, June 30, 2008

The Roman Catholic bishop of Richmond was told that a diocesan charity planned to help a teenage foster child get an abortion in January and did not try to prevent the procedure.
Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo "was told erroneously that everything was in place and there was nothing he could do to stop it," said Steve Neill, Bishop DiLorenzo's communications officer. "He is very apologetic about the whole episode.

"It is very awkward, it is very embarrassing. A human life was taken. He certainly has not taken it lightly in any way. He is clearly opposed to abortion."

Mr. Neill said the bishop was informed Jan. 17, the day before an abortion was performed on the 16-year-old Guatemalan girl, who was a foster care client of Commonwealth Catholic Charities of Richmond (CCR), a group incorporated under the diocese.

CCR Executive Director Joanne Nattrass also knew about the planned abortion, Mr. Neill said. "The director was very upset about it and it clearly went against all she stood for as a director of Catholic Charities," he said.

After The Washington Times revealed the abortion on June 18, Ms. Nattrass released a statement on June 19 saying the incident was "contrary to basic teachings of the Catholic Church."

Federal authorities are investigating CCR because the girl was a ward of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS had contracted with CCR to take care of the girl, whose parents are not in the country.

Ms. Nattrass wrote that neither CCR nor diocesan funds paid for the abortion but did not say who did. Federal law forbids any federal funds to be used.

Is Barack Obama An Article Of Beachwear, Or Just As Transparent As The End Result Of Landscaping?
In other words, a flip-flop, or as clear as a bucket of mud?

Here's some of the article from Fox News; (Emphasis mine) Obama also told FOX Business Network that he has “said consistently that I believe that the Second Amendment is an individual right, and that was the essential decision that the Supreme Court came down on.

“And it also recognized that even though we have an individual right to bear arms, that that right can be limited by sensible, reasonable gun laws,” he said.

In public, though, Obama has spoken carefully and broadly about the D.C. handgun ban. Asked about the Supreme Court case Wednesday, Obama said he would not speculate on the coming decision. He said he supports the Second Amendment, but that local governments should have the right to provide “common sense gun laws” to keep firearms out of the wrong hands.

In other instances, Obama refused to articulate a position when asked whether he thought the D.C. ban was constitutional.

Pity Your Senile Grandmother and the Mentally Retarded
The government will let them die

Hat tip to Catholic Eye

Any emergency room doctor, Navy corpsman, or Army medic is familiar with triage, the process of sorting victims, as of a battle or disaster, to determine medical priority in order to increase the number of survivors. In a time of overwhelming catastrophe or just sheer numbers from separate incidents, these medical professionals must make the hard decision of who to save. Time is of the essence. Patients who can wait for care or those with a slim chance of surviving go to the bottom of the list.

Our ever-caring government has compiled such a list in the event of a pandemic flu or health catastrophe hits. The Dept. of Homeland Security, the Center for disease control, and the military assembled a task force of doctors to determine who is expendable.

When there’s a shortage of beds or vaccine, those on the “dump” list are:
1) people over 85,
2) severely burned patients over 60,
3) those with severe impairments, including Alzheimer’s, and
4) those with severe chronic disease, such a heart failure, lung disease, or poorly controlled (how do they determine that?) diabetes.

Did you get your flu shot this year?

If They's Only Put This Much Effort Into Finding A Freakin' Job
"Will Play Footsie For Food"

WARNING!! Harsh Language Alert (It's been a while, hasn't it?)

File this one in the "You Gotta Be Shittin' Me" drawer. Here's some of the article from The Washington Times; (Emphasis and comments mine) District kicks off homeless soccer trials
U.S. team spots open

Shortly after noon on a broiling Friday, Lawrence Cann stood in the middle of a new soccer pitch inside a new tennis stadium located in the middle of downtown and boomed into a microphone, "Welcome to the 2008 Homeless USA Cup!" (Between the concession stand, the ticket sellers, whoever's responsible for cleaning up the human feces and crack vials on the sidelines... no one could find a job?)

Sometimes, it's good just to have a place to go and feel welcomed, especially when a friendly destination is not always a given in life. (No shit, ain't life a bitch? Does that mean I can bug the crap outta everyone instead of working for a living?)

It's a given here, where about 95 players and coaches are fed, clothed and housed, and playing a lot of street soccer. The trials will produce the eight-man U.S. team, plus alternates, that will play in the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, in December. (And all the money that could go to creating meaningful and dignified work.)

Ray Isaac from Charlotte, N.C., prepares to compete in the Homeless USA Cup. At the end of the weekend tournament, an all-star team will be named to represent the United States in the Homeless World Cup competition.

"We weren't there just to try to win," said Ray Isaac, a veteran of that team. "We came to serve the cause. The reason we got that trophy, we inspirated. Not just our team, but everybody." (And Ray also stated "I inspirated like a Mo' Fo'! The sweatification was unmabelievable! IT'S HOT OUT HERE!!)

Winning the tournament is an obvious goal. So is a trip to Melbourne. The players will be picked according to how well they play, their personality and how they interact. But most seem happy simply to play soccer, serve the cause and, yes, "inspirate." (And an all expense paid trip to Australia. I re-iterate; you gotta be shittin' me.)Of course, those truly in need deserve our help. I just doubt these slackers are "really in need". Do you know how long I would have to save up (AKA: bust my hump) to afford a trip to Australia just to screw-off?

WHAT!!?? Does This Mean That Jesus Isn't My Palsie-Walsie Anymore!?
*Dancing and singing* Jesus is my buddy... Jesus is my pal!

As we all know, things move glacially slow in The Church. Sometimes a little TOO slow! But nonetheless, this is great news.

Here's some of the article from the Catholic News Service; Vatican: Receiving Eucharist kneeling will be norm at papal liturgies
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Receiving the Eucharist on the tongue while kneeling before the pope will become the norm at papal liturgies, said the Vatican's liturgist.

While current norms allow the faithful to receive the Eucharist in the hand while standing, Pope Benedict XVI has indicated a preference for the more traditional practice, said Msgr. Guido Marini, master of papal liturgical ceremonies.

Kneeling and receiving Communion on the tongue highlights "the truth of the real presence (of Christ) in the Eucharist, helps the devotion of the faithful and introduces the sense of mystery more easily," he said in a June 26 interview with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

Pastorally speaking, he said "it is urgent to highlight and recover" these aspects of the sacredness and mystery of the Eucharist in modern times.

Generally at papal Masses, those receiving Communion from the pope stand and the majority choose to receive on the tongue.

But starting with a May 22 Mass outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, two ushers placed a kneeler in front of the altar and the chosen communicants all knelt and received on the tongue.

At a June 15 Mass in the southern Italian port city of Brindisi, the pope again distributed Communion to the faithful on the tongue while they were kneeling.

In the Vatican newspaper interview, Msgr. Marini was asked if this practice was destined to become the norm in all papal celebrations, and he replied, "I really think so."

He said "it is necessary not to forget that the distribution of Communion in the hand, from a juridical standpoint, remains up to now an indult," which is an exemption from a general requirement that is granted by the Vatican to the bishops' conferences which have requested it. He said the pope's adoption of the traditional practice of distributing Communion "aims to highlight the force of the valid norm for the whole church."

You Think This Is What The Pope Means By The Eastern Orthodox Being Sister Churches?
And not by the VatII-speak "Seperated Brethered" drivel

From Catholic World News; (Emphasis mine.)
Russian prelate sees Orthodox, Catholics as natural allies

Smolensk, Jun. 24, 2008 (CWNews.com) - A leading Russian Orthodox prelate has said that the Catholic and Orthodox churches are natural allies in the public realm, notwithstanding their differences on theological issues.

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kalingrad said that the Holy See and the Moscow patriarchate stand side by side in defense of fundamental moral principles, particularly in Europe. He observed that the two largest Christian churches have “almost identical positions” on issues involving social and family morality and the defense of human rights.

The Orthodox prelate pointed out that there is no such agreement between the Orthodox and Protestant faiths. He cited the widespread acceptance of homosexuality as evidence of the “devastating liberalism of many Christian communities.”

"We're Number TWO!"
Sequels that never did measure up to the original Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Desi Arnaz, Jr.
Ronald Reagan, Jr.
The New Coke
The New Europe
The New Mass
New Jeresy
New Mexico (The exception to the rule)
Second Thoughts
Second Place
English as a Second Language
Nova Scotia
Aldo Nova
Chevy Nova II
Rambo II
Herpes Simplex II
Vatican IICan anyone think of any others?

A Mile Wide...
An inch deep

The latest breath of fresh air (insert sarcasm here) that is "The Spirit" of Vatican II. Here's the meat and potatoes from The California Catholic Daily; (Emphasis mine.) “Many religions can lead to eternal life”
Majority of U.S. Catholics say one faith as good as another

Many Americans are very religious, but few are dogmatic in their faith, according to a report issued yesterday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

According to the Pew report, while 56% of Americans say their religion is “very important” to them, only 27% say there is only one way to interpret the teachings of their religion, and only 24% believe their religion is “the one, true faith leading to eternal life.” Twenty-four percent of Americans said they attend religious services at least once a week.

The percentage of Catholics saying their religion is very important did not differ from the national average, while 79% of Evangelicals and 85% of those belonging to historically African-American churches said their religion was very important. Only 19% of Catholics asserted that there is only one way to interpret the teachings of their faith, compared to 41% of Evangelical Christians.

Among Catholics, just 16% said they thought their religion was “the one, true faith leading to eternal life,” while 79% said “many religions can lead to eternal life.” Of Evangelicals, 36% affirmed the necessity of their religion for salvation, while 57% took the more unrestricted view.

Thirty-three percent of Catholics say they attend religious services weekly.

The percentage of Catholics who said their belief in God is “absolutely certain” also differed little from the national average – 71% for the latter, 72% for the former – while 90% of Evangelical Christians said they were absolutely certain of God’s existence.Of course, the exception is Invincible Ignorance... but most Catholics present day wouldn't know Invincible Ignorance is it clocked 'em squarely on their ignorant heads.

You can't argue with facts. The numbers point to one, and only one conclusion -- The New and Improved, Spirit of Vatican II Catholic Church, is indistinguishable from your run of the mill, liberal, generic Protestant denomination.

And that's exactly what the Rad-Novus Ordites want.

QUOTE of the DAY:

from a June 23 United Press International article about the fact that many Dutch are preparing for the world to end in 2012:

"You know, maybe it's really not that bad that the Netherlands will be destroyed," Petra Faile said. "I don't like it here anymore. Take immigration, for example. They keep letting people in. And then we have to build more houses, which makes the Netherlands even heavier. The country will sink even lower, which will make the flooding worse."

(Anti-) Catholic Charities STRIKE AGAIN!!
The latest from the Archdiocese of Sodom and Gomorrah

Interesting article from The California Catholic Daily. Here's a bit of it; (Emphasis mine) “Asking them to subsidize sin”
List of leaders at San Francisco Catholic Charities’ annual AIDS fundraiser like Who’s Who of same-sex marriage supporters

On June 3, just a few weeks after the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, San Francisco Catholic Charities-CYO held its 2008 Red House Fundraiser. According to the Catholic Charities-CYO web site, the annual event has been held since 2004. This year’s fundraiser, reports the site, was held “in the heart of the Castro.”

The co-chairs of the event and the honorary committee members were a Who’s Who of same-sex “marriage” supporters.

They included:

Nanette Lee Miller, treasurer of CCCYO, who “married” another woman in 2004, yet still serves on CCCYO’s board.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who said of the court’s decision: “By the way, as California goes, so goes the rest of the nation… this is the future and it is now.”

San Francisco County Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who said: "I think it is a win for justice and a win for California and a win for the future.”

Rebecca Rolph, executive director of the San Francisco LGBT Center, who said: "This is the best day of my professional life.”

Donna Sachet, a transvestite and member of the board of Equality California, was also an honorary committee member, and was in attendance. Equality California was one of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case that brought about legal same-sex marriage in California.

Holy Schnike!!
It's the Tommy Boy Top Ten, plus one!

Vir Simplex over at American Rumpo has the ultimate Tommy Boy tribute. But I'm only posting 6-11.

If you want to see the top five, you gotta swing on over to American Rumpo.
#11 - The President or CEO of the company you work for just might have been a D- 7 year college student that wasted most of his brain on malted hops and bong resin. This is the guy you trust with your livelihood? IDIOT!!

#10 - Keep an eye on your kids, if you catch them eating bear claws two at a time this could be a sign of problems down the road!

#9 - Urinating in public is hazardous to your health (especially near an electical transformer)!

#8 - If you have daughters DO NOT create the whole "tooth fairy" program. One of these fairies could be a crazy glue sniffer and well........just don't take a chance!

#7 - Never go sailing alone.......you never know when you are going to need a friend to scare the crap out of some punk kids who are mocking you!

#6 - If you are in sales and you have been getting way too many no's when trying to close the deal. Get someone to hit you across the face with a 2"x4" it might just knock something loose!

Oh No He Diyint!!
Oh yes he diyid!

Kinda putting the shawarma before the cous-cous, aren't you, Barry? Barack Obama appears with personalized presidential seal
by Michael Saul and Celeste Katz
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Barack Obama introduced his own take on the presidential seal on Friday. Yes, he can. But, really: Oh, no, he didn't!

Barack Obama's presidential campaign raised eyebrows and elicited snickers Friday when it unveiled the Obamamania version of the presidential seal.

At a meeting with Democratic governors in Chicago, Obama sat behind a rostrum with a seal that looked not-so-coincidentally like the official seal of the President of the United States. Featuring an eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, the seal contained a Latin phrase for a touch of gravitas that roughly translates to "Yes, We Can."

Asked to explain the new seal, Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "It's a mix of presidential politics and a call for hope and change." Snarked John McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds, "I think we can all agree that we need presidential candidates that are serious enough not to play make-believe on the campaign trail."

"It's laughable, ridiculous, preposterous and revealing all at the same time," Bounds said.Are you sure it wasn't Jackie Chiles who origionally said that?

Uncle Walter Appears As An Angel Of Light
And he brought the Wicked Witch from the North with him

In every glib comment, there a grain (and sometimes a truckload) of truth. I tend to think the latter when Walter Cronkite was presented some award from group calling itself the World Federalist Association.

The ol' Cronkster made no bones about his desire for nations to surrender certain aspects of national sovereignty in his clarion call for One World Government. And as Uncle Walter was chiding and ridiculing Christianity in general (and Pat Robertson specifically) that there would be no world order until the 'arrival of The Messiah', and anything done for such without Christ, is the work of the devil. Much laughter from the assembled minions at this point.

But I wasn't laughing when Cronkite said; "Join me, I'm glad to sit at the right hand of satan".



Remember, this is the same Walter Cronkite who publicly stated "The Viet-Nam War is unwinnable" during the Tet Offensive. Never mind the fact that the US Armed Forces kicked the living shit out of the Viet Cong. Hell, they had their asses whipped so badly, they were knocked out of the war for the remainder of the war, and North Viet-Nam (who were ALREADY in-country) had to militarily fill the vacuum.

But gee, I thought that Viet-Nam was just a civil war. At least that's what my hippie, draft-dodger college history professors told me.

Oh, and Uncle Walter, too.

Don't Think For A MINUTE The This Is An Isoltaed Case
More and More often, it's coming to light that "Catholic Charities" is neither

I've posted about some of the questionable antics, if not their outright duplicity in murder Click here and here. And those are just a couple of articles that I've posted on. We've all read plenty of horror stories about the non and anti-Catholic actions of "Catholic Charities".

Here's some of the article from LifeSiteNews.com; (Emphasis and comments mine) Catholic Charity Caught Helping Virginia Girl Obtain Abortion
"This incident is a most regrettable stain on the record of excellence in the work both of MRS and of Catholic Charities," says bishops' letter.

By Tim Waggoner

RICHMOND, VA, June 19, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Diocese of Richmond in Virginia is caught in the middle of a controversy surrounding workers at a Catholic charity, who helped procure an abortion for an abandoned immigrant. Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo, as well as two other bishops, wrote a letter to the 350 bishops nationwide addressing the situation, in which they indicated that the workers have since been fired. (And those "workers" just woke-up one morning and decided to go against a fairly widely known and understood Teaching of The Faith? Suuuuuure.)

According to the letter, in January, the unnamed 16-year old girl from Guatemala obtained the abortion by using a parental consent form signed by workers from the Commonwealth Catholic Charity, Richmond (CCR). Members from the charity also drove the girl to the abortion center and, two-months prior, issued her a contraceptive device. Consequently, four members of the CCR have been fired, and one supervisor from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) agency has been suspended. (Hmmm.... I guess waking-up and deciding to go against Church Teaching is catchy.)

To add to the controversy, a federal investigation is in the works, given the fact that Virginian law states that only a parent, grandparent or adult sibling can give parental consent - not a social worker. (I'll bet no one at "Catholic Charities" knew that. Just as much of a mystery as Church Teaching.)

As reported by the Washington Times, the girl was a ward of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). For years the USCCB has received contracts from the HSS for the care of foster immigrants. The USCCB, namely their MRS arm, in turn subcontracts to Catholic Agencies such as the CCR. (Oh... so they SHOULD have been aware of state law! Ahh, but what the hell, they don't even know God's Law.)

As faithful Catholics are aware, any Catholic who procures or helps someone else procure an abortion is automatically excommunicated. Further, one who uses contraception is considered to be in a state of mortal sin. (Quick, someone notify the USCCB. Or are they still debating "ineffeable"?)

Yet according to the bishops' letter, the employees behind the scandal were unaware of some or all of the Church's teaching on abortion and contraception: "Some members of the MRS staff were not sufficiently aware of church teaching and [USCCB] policy regarding these matters to take stronger and more appropriate actions." (Two words -- "bull" and "shit")

In order to combat this ignorance, the letter said that all MRS employees will be trained on "the primacy of Catholic teachings and beliefs as they impact their work or professional ethics...to assure that such unacceptable incidents never happen again." (AKA: DUCK AND COVER!!)

"This incident is a most regrettable stain on the record of excellence in the work both of MRS and of Catholic Charities," read the letter.

In a LifeSiteNews interview, Steve Neil, the spokesperson for the Richmond diocese, confirmed that, "all Catholic agencies are to uphold the Church's teachings." (Three words -- "bull", "f******", and "shit".)

Neil also said that it is "expected that all employees of Catholic Agencies are to adhere to these teachings and should be fired if they do not. Ultimately they are undermining the mission of the Church." (And a dead fish rots from the head down. Don't think for a moment that these "workers" haven't had authorization from some rather high placed individuals.)The rest of the article is essentially verbal gymnastics and textbook illustrations of what we called in the Marine Corps CYA: Cover Your Ass. But as the captain of the Titanic once said "I think that's just the tip of the iceberg."

This Is Just Freakin' Disturbing
Ewwwwwww.......

WARNING!! Keep the kiddies away from this post.

It most certainly is in the MOS description of a Catholic priest to tell me how to be a good Catholic husband, but methinks this guy's is just a dirty old man.

Here's some of the article from The Courier Mail (Australia); (Emphasis and comments mine.) Catholic monk's sex guide
June 18, 2008 05:05pm

A CELIBATE Polish monk has established a website offering a guide to good sex for married couples, dubbed the 'Catholic Kama Sutra'. Father Ksawery Knotz's site gives graphic lovemaking hints and describes sex as a deeply spiritual act in which the couple can experience God. (He should be more concerned with the salvation of my soul, not the operational capabilities of my hydraulics.)

"In Catholic teaching, the conjugal act is presented as a meeting that occurs not only between a husband and a wife who love each other, but also between the married couple and God," he said. (This is dangerously close to the Church of the Sacred Orgasm that's all the rage with homosexuals and other assorted hedonists.)

The Franciscan monk, who runs the site with the help of a panel of married couples, is also the author of a book titled The Marriage Act: A Chance to Meet God in Your Marriage Partner. He said on his website sex should be seen by couples as a gift from God. (Whoops!! CHURCH OF THE SACRED ORGASM ALERT... CHURCH OF THE SACRED ORGASM ALERT!!"

Father Knotz said oral sex was morally acceptable and was not a sin where it was part of foreplay, but said sex aids and stimulants led to a dangerous abuse and trivialisation of sex. (Ohhhh... the comments I could make.)

In describing ways to how to reach an orgasm, he said it was a heavenly experience but added it was not essential to the sexual act. (Hell, why even do it then!!??)

Father Knotz also suggested planning ahead for sex and said it should be accompanied by dressing up in elegant clothes, dinner with a special atmosphere, a fragrant bath, music, candles and flowers. (Does a 12 pack of warm Old Milwaukee's Best, an enchanted evening of Dukes of Hazzard - Season 2, me parading around suggestively in my least ripped-up tighty whities, and the heartfelt promise of a shared Camel non-filter afterwards count?)As the enigmatic LF pointed out ever so succinctly - Love is not two people gazing at each other but rather two people together gazing into a fire. - GK Chesterton

How Do You Respond To Such Blatant Stupidity?
The king of anti-Catholic whoppers

In a discussion I had awhile back with an ardent non- (and anti) Catholic, this individual was getting frustrated due to my irritating bad habit of pointing to Sacred Scriptures to refute her litany of... well, when you get right down to it... outright lies leveled against The Church.

You know, the usual nonsense they throw at us; we worship Mary and the Saints; there's no Scriptural basis for Sacramental Confession; the Eucharist is merely symbolic, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

But like I said, her arguments were simplistic and easily dissectable. In her growing frustration she grasped at her final straw; "Well, you Catholics are the ones who crucified Jesus!" When I asked her to explain her rather desperate claim, her reasoning was such; "Jesus was crucified by Roman soldiers... and you're Roman Catholics!"

Of course, I just had to ask her who taught her that. And of course, it was her Fundie preacher.

Tigga, PLEASE!!
And Barbar for Secretary of State

Thank you, BO for making this SOOOOOOOO easy! This rates right up where with Jimmy Carter taking advice on nuclear policy from his 12-year-old daughter.

I've always known that those who Barack Hussein Obama surrounds himself with are childlike... I just never realized how so very childish many of them are.

Here's some of the article from The Telegraph (UK); (Emphasis mine)

Barack Obama aide: Why Winnie the Pooh should shape US foreign policy
By Tim Shipman in Washington
Last Updated: 2:04AM BST 17/06/2008
Winnie the Pooh, Luke Skywalker and British football hooligans could shape the foreign policy of Barack Obama if he becomes US President, according to a key adviser.

Richard Danzig, who served as Navy Secretary under President Clinton and is tipped to become National Security Adviser in an Obama White House, told a major foreign policy conference in Washington that the future of US strategy in the war on terrorism should follow a lesson from the pages of Winnie the Pooh, which can be shortened to: if it is causing you too much pain, try something else.

Mr Danzig told the Centre for New American Security: “Winnie the Pooh seems to me to be a fundamental text on national security.”

He spelt out how American troops, spies and anti-terrorist officials could learn key lessons by understanding the desire of terrorists to emulate superheroes like Luke Skywalker, and the lust for violence of violent football fans.

Mr Danzig spelt out the need to change by reading a paragraph from chapter one of the children’s classic, which says: “Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump on the back of his head behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming down stairs. But sometimes he thinks there really is another way if only he could stop bumping a minute and think about it.”Does anyone need more of an example of how amazingly dumbed-down Defeatocrats are?

It Look Like The One Legged Woman REALLY DID Win The Ass-Kickin' Contest As heard this morning on The John Boy & Billy Big Show

Nothing new or earth shattering happening. I just feel kinda sorry for Paul McCartney. That's all I have to say.

I LOVE IT!!!
Image is everything. Substance is nothing

It simply doesn't get any better than this. Here's some of the article from Politico.com; (Emphasis mine) Muslims barred from picture at Obama event
By BEN SMITH 6/18/08 11:08 AM EST Updated: 6/18/08 12:48 PM EST

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit on Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

The campaign has apologized to the women, both Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally. (No shit. But if you want to support this phony, that's your call.)

"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers." (Kinda like the volunteers who had a Che Guevara flag prominantly displayed at a Obama 08 HQ in Texas?)

Building a human backdrop to a political candidate, a set of faces to appear on television and in photographs, is always a delicate exercise in demographics and political correctness.

"I was coming to support him, and I felt like I was discriminated against by the very person who was supposed to be bringing this change, who I could really relate to," said Hebba Aref, a 25-year-old lawyer who lives in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. "The message that I thought was delivered to us was that they do not want him associated with Muslims or Muslim supporters."

In Detroit on Monday, the two different Obama volunteers — in separate incidents — made it clear that headscarves wouldn't be in the picture. The volunteers gave different explanations for excluding the hijabs, one bluntly political and the other less clear.

In Aref's case, there was no ambiguity.

That incident began when the volunteer asked Aref's friend Ali Koussan and two other friends, Aref's brother Sharif and another young lawyer, Brandon Edward Miller, whether they would like to sit behind the stage. The three young men said they would, but mentioned they were with friends.

The men said the volunteer, a twenty-something African-American woman in a green shirt, asked if their friends looked and were dressed like the young men, who were all light-skinned and wearing suits. Miller said yes, but mentioned that one of their friends was wearing a headscarf with her suit.

The volunteer "explained to me that because of the political climate and what's going on in the world and what's going on with Muslim Americans, it's not good for [Aref] to be seen on TV or associated with Obama," said Koussan, who is a law student at Wayne State University. (Well, well, well...)

Both Koussan and Miller said they specifically recalled the volunteer citing the "political climate" in telling them they couldn't sit behind Obama. "I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me. Are you serious?'" Koussan recalled. (Yes, they're VERY serious.)

KWITCHERBITCHIN!!
Suck it up, zip it up, offer it up

As the Europeans laugh at us due to our collective whining over gas hovering around $4 a gallon, I'm still amazed at the number of drivers who steadfastly run their air conditioners, even when the high temps were in the low 70's.

And more often than not, those who ran their A/C's even when the weather was nice, were those who owned those gigantic vehicles that got around 300 yards per gallon. And they're often the ones who bitch the loudest about the cost of fuel.

Nobody Loves Me, Everybody Hates Me, I Think I'll Go Eat Worms
The processional hymn sung at The Church of Global Warming Environmentalists Want You to Eat Bugs
By Tom Purcell
FrontPageMagazine.com Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Bugs. They want us to eat bugs.

I speak of a recent article in Time that explains why eating bugs is good for the environment. As it goes, bugs require "little room and few resources to grow." Bugs are cold-blooded invertebrates, you see. They are efficient. Much more of the grub they eat is converted into edible bug body parts than is the case with our friends the cows.

Cows are warm-blooded vertebrates. They need to consume lots more food just to keep their body temperature steady. Their food is grown on farms. Fossil fuels must be burned to harvest, process and transport it. Farming requires lots of land and water.

"It takes far less water to raise a third of a pound of grasshoppers than the staggering 869 gal. needed to produce the same amount of beef," reports Time. True, but a hunk of steak is less likely to hop off your plate while you're trying to eat it.

Better yet, bugs are good for us. A 3.5 oz. portion of caterpillars contains 1oz. of protein. That's more than you'd get in the same amount of chicken -- assuming the caterpillars don't try to crawl out of you. Water bugs have four times as much iron as beef. Of course, you need to be four times as drunk to consume them.

And bugs are tasty. People in other cultures have been enjoying them for years. We narrow-minded Americans wouldn't know that, though. We wouldn't know that chocolate and waxworm cookies are delicious (and I'm not making that one up).

If you find the concept of bug eating amusing -- if you find it icky -- you might want to think again. The way things are headed, you may be eating plenty of bugs soon.

Look, where global warming is concerned, I'm with syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer -- I'm a global warming agnostic. It can't be good that we're pumping so much CO2 into the environment -- and it may be that our activity is having an effect on the climate.

On the other hand, it may be we're having little or no effect. Despite what many global-warming alarmists are saying, science doesn't know for certain. Science has two speeds: "proven as fact" and "not sure." Like it or not, the scientific theory that humans are causing the Earth to warm is still in the "not sure" camp.

Nonetheless, we're racing ahead in an anti-global-warming frenzy. Some global-warming advocates have turned the issue into a religion -- the believers shall be exalted and the deniers shall be burned at the stake.

Many in the media -- folks who are supposed to be skeptical about things -- are as enamored of the "humans-are-destroying-the-Earth" story-line as they are of Barack Obama. They love to report doomsday scenarios that scare the bejesus out of us.

Corporations have jumped on board. They don't want bad press for denying or contributing to warming, and the better-run corporations are exploiting the frenzy to make dough.

As more folks embrace a religious conviction that humans are the cause of warming, the politicians are right with them. There aren't many votes in second-guessing the global warming gods. Both presidential candidates are in the global warming camp.

And the do-gooders, who love to control what the rest of us do, believe they've finally landed an issue that will give them the power they seek -- the power to make the rest of us sacrifice on a global scale to save Mother Earth.

The do-gooders are making tremendous headway. That's why I recommend you bone up on your cooking techniques. You especially might want to master the use of garlic and butter and other spices and herbs that will effectively mask the taste of those crunchy critters we usually step on or swat.

You might want to invest in a good-quality blender, too ("bugamole," anyone?). Because the global-warming frenzy is picking up intensity. And that means one thing.

Bugs. They want us to eat bugs.

Yeah, They've Been Anglin' For Cans Alright... Each Others
Ohhhhhh, that's pronounced "ANGLICANS"!

Dear British Bum Bandits, thanks for making the decision of so many fence sitting Anglicans that much easier. Hmmm, but does that qualify you two as fence pole sitters?

Here's some of the article from the Catholic World News; (Emphasis mine) Homosexual wedding intensifies Anglican dispute

London, Jun. 16, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The worldwide Anglican communion, already severely strained by disputes over homosexuality, has been tested again by revelations that two English clerics exchanged vows in a church ceremony in May.

The two Anglican priests, Peter Cowell and David Lord, defied their bishop by conducting the ceremony in St. Bartholomew's church in London. In an official comment on the event, the Church of England said that the ceremony involved "a fairly serious breach of the rules."

The ceremony has given new vigor to the outrage expressed by many conservative Anglican leaders, particularly in Africa, over the acceptance of homosexuality among their English and American counterparts. The complaints of these conservative Anglicans have threatened an open split within the Anglican hierarchy.

News of the London "wedding" ceremony came as Anglicans prepared for the Lambeth Conference, a decennial gathering of the world's Anglican bishops, in July. The conference had already been regarded as a likely showdown between the opposing factions within the Anglican community.

I Was Introduced To This Last Week...
Thought you might find it rather hard hitting, as well Litany of Humility
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930),
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

...And The Battle Lines Are Drawn
LET'S GET IT ON!!!

Hold on to your hats, fellow Bloglodytes... the fecal matter has hit the oscillating temperature control unit - in a BIG way.

It's rare that I post entire news articles, but I will for this one. This is literally the Battle of Midway for Catholicism. Don't kid yourself - this fight (and that's exactly what it's going to be... a fight) will determine both the tactics and strategy any future spread of orthodox, traditional Catholicism, especially in The West.

From The Telegraph (UK); (Emphasis mine) Latin Mass to return to England and Wales
By Damian Thompson
Last updated: 7:32 PM BST 14/06/2008

The traditional Latin Mass – effectively banned by Rome for 40 years – is to be reintroduced into every Roman Catholic parish in England and Wales, the senior Vatican cardinal in charge of Latin liturgy said at a press conference in London today.
In addition, all seminaries will be required to teach trainee priests how to say the old Mass so that they can celebrate it in all parishes.

Catholic congregations throughout the world will receive special instruction on how to appreciate the old services, formerly known as the Tridentine Rite.

Yesterday’s announcement by the senior Vatican cardinal in charge of Latin liturgy, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, speaking on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, will horrify Catholic liberals, including many bishops of England and Wales.

The Pope upset the liberals last year when he issued a decree removing their power to block the celebration of the old Mass. Yesterday’s move demonstrates that the Vatican intends to go much further in promoting the ancient liturgy.

Asked whether the Latin Mass would be celebrated in many ordinary parishes in future, Cardinal Castrillon said: “Not many parishes – all parishes. The Holy Father is offering this not only for the few groups who demand it, but so that everybody knows this way of celebrating the Eucharist.”

The Cardinal, who heads the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, made his comments as he was preparing to celebrate a traditional Latin Mass at Westminster Cathedral yesterday, the first time a cardinal has done so there for 40 years.

In the traditional rite, the priest faces in the same direction as the people and reads the main prayer of the Mass in Latin, in a voice so low as to be virtually silent. By contrast, in the new rite the priest faces the people and speaks audibly in the local language.

Cardinal Castrillon said that the reverent silence of the traditional rite was one of the “treasures” that Catholics would rediscover, and young worshippers would encounter for the first time.

Pope Benedict will reintroduce the old rite – which will be known as the “Gregorian Rite” - even where the congregation has not asked for it. “People don’t know about it, and therefore they don’t ask for it,” the Cardinal explained.

The revised Mass, adopted in 1970 after the Second Vatican Council, had given rise to “many, many, many abuses”, the Cardinal said. He added: “The experience of the last 40 years has not always been so good. Many people have lost their sense of adoration for God, and these abuses mean that many children do not know how to be in the presence of God.”

However, the new rite will not disappear; the Pope wishes to see the two forms of Mass existing side by side.

Such sweeping liturgical changes are certain to cause intense controversy. At a press conference, a journalist from the liberal Tablet magazine, which is close to the English bishops, told the Cardinal that the new liturgical changes amounted to “going backwards”.

Following last year’s papal decree, liberal bishops in England and America have attempted to limit the takeup of the old Mass by arguing that the rules say it should only be reintroduced when a “stable group” of the faithful request it. But Cardinal Castrillon said that a stable group could consist of as few as three people, and they need not come from the same parish.

The changes will take a few years to implement fully, he added, just as the Second Vatican Council had taken a long time to absorb. He insisted that the widespread reintroduction of the old Mass did not contradict the teachings of the Council.Personal note: be it forging a sword; molding Marines; turning coal into diamonds; or cleansing The Church from heretics and self-worshippers; there are two tried and true principles that work --- heat and pressure. Falter once... JUST ONCE... and the procedure will invariably become a dismal failure.

Pray for The Holy Father.

If He Does Convert...
Let's hope he isn't another "Phony Tony" Blair

Interesting little article from The Catholic News Agency. Here's the meat and potatoes of it; (Emphasis mine) English paper announces President Bush may be considering Catholicism

Vatican City, Jun 13, 2008 / 05:50 pm (CNA).- Today as President Bush and Pope Benedict XVI met at the Vatican, the English newspaper, The Telegraph reported that Bush may be considering converting to Catholicism at the end of his presidential term. The Telegraph indicated that various Italian newspapers have been commenting on the news, especially Il Foglio.

A friend of President Bush, Fr. George William Rutler, who converted to Catholicism in 1979, stated that Bush respects how Catholicism was founded by Christ who appointed Peter as the first Pope. "I think what fascinates him about Catholicism is its historical plausibility," said the priest. "He does appreciate the systematic theology of the church, its intellectual cogency and stability." Fr. Rutler also mentioned that the president "is not unaware of how evangelicalism -- by comparison with Catholicism -- may seem more limited both theologically and historically."

According to the Washington Post, President Bush currently belongs to a Methodist church in Texas and attends an Episcopal church in Washington, D.C.

However, in recent years, the head of state has developed a strong relationship with the Pope and has made known his deep respect for Catholicism. The Telegraph noted that prior to his presidency, Bush's political advisor invited Catholic intellectuals to Texas to explain the teachings of the Church to the president. Bush has also appointed Catholic judges to the Supreme Court, has selected Catholic speech-writers and consultants, and has read the Pope’s theological books.

In April, prior to the Pope’s visit to the U.S., the Washington Post quoted William McGurn, one of Bush’s former writers who stated, "I used to say that there are more Catholics on President Bush's speechwriting team than on any Notre Dame starting lineup in the past half-century."

The Post’s story detailed the likelihood of Bush's possible conversion to Catholicism by quoting those close to the head of state. Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator, labeled Bush as a Catholic president. “I don't think there's any question about it. He's certainly much more Catholic than Kennedy."

While President John F. Kennedy struggled to balance his Catholic upbringing and politics, many of Bush’s positions on ethical matters such as gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research are in line with the Church.

Yet, Bush has received criticism from Catholics who point out that his invasion of Iraq is strictly against the teachings of the Vatican. However, the Post mentions that prior to the war, the president met with Catholics to discuss just-war theory. “White House adviser Leonard Leo, who heads Catholic outreach for the Republican National Committee, says that Bush ‘has engaged in dialogue with Catholics and shared perspectives with Catholics in a way I think is fairly unique in American politics.’”I would like to point out that the quote from the article- "Yet, Bush has received criticism from Catholics who point out that his invasion of Iraq is strictly against the teachings of the Vatican." - is factually incorrect. There is no, and has never been a so-called "Vatican teaching" against the war in Iraq.

The current and previous pope may have had reservations and personally been against the war, but like I said, there is no definitive, binding-upon-pain-of-sin teaching against such.

If there were, than the hundreds of thousands of American, British, Australian, Canadian, Italian, Dutch, etc, Catholics who are members of those nations Armed Forces, as well as hundreds of Catholic Chaplains, would be in a state of mortal sin and de facto excommunicated for "going against Church Teaching".

WHOA!! Back The Truck Up...
Beep, beep, beep, beep!

Warning!! Crude langua... blah, blah, blah

In the on again off again, in is out, up is down, wrong is right, world of the Archdiocese of Than Franthisco, it was first reported that Most Holy Redeemer Faith Community and Sodomotorium WAS going to participate in the anal... oops, I mean annual Fag-Fest better known as "Gay Pride Week". Personally, I find very little to be proud in the fact that one's rectum is turned inside out. That is unless your nom de bandit de trou de cul happens to be Blossom.

Anyhow, this little psycho-drama (heavy emphasis on psycho) hasn't come to an end juuuuuuuust quite yet. Here's some of the article from The California Catholic Daily; (Emphasis and comments mine)“A 100 percent chance we will not be in the parade”
San Francisco parishes won’t join this year’s “gay pride” march, but Most Holy Redeemer will have beverage booth

Two parishes with a history of openly participating in San Francisco’s annual “gay pride” parade will not be joining the spectacle this year after the city’s archbishop requested that they desist and because, according to their pastors, interest among parishioners has faded. (Or maybe they're all just dying off from the Anally Inserted Death Serum?)

Fr. Steve Meriwether, pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Church in San Francisco’s predominantly homosexual Castro District, said parishioners chose not to participate of their own volition. “It is really just our response to… well, we’re tired of the hate mail,” he said. ((Does that mean the the Letters of St Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor 6:10); the Romans (Rom 1:24-27); and to St. Timothy (1 Tim 1:10) all qualify as hate mail?))

“The parishioners see their participation in the parade as an evangelical outreach, but they don’t enjoy being called nasty names either. This wasn’t because of any request from the archdiocese.” (Translation: screw you, Mister Mansy-Wansy, meany-weeny Archbishop!)

The June 1 Most Holy Redeemer bulletin, however, indicates the parish will participate in the weekend’s events by sponsoring a beverage booth near San Francisco’s Civic Center, next to the main stage, on Saturday, June 28. Members of MHR’s AIDS Support Group will staff the booth. “There’s a 100 percent chance we will not be in the parade this year, but the AIDS Support Group will have a beverage booth to raise funds for AIDS services,” said Robert Pementell, director of the group.
So they're not actually IN the parade, but are still PARTICIPATING in the events. Hmmm... kinda reminds me of the Gospel of Bill Clinton - oral sex isn't marital infidelity.

Just What The Hell Were You Thinking?

Vatican: 'People obsessed by Islam''We mustn't get the impression there are first-class, second-class religions'
Posted: June 10, 2008
WorldNetDaily

The Vatican says the world is focusing on Islam to the exclusion of other faiths, and there needs to be a balance among the various belief systems when issues are discussed.

"Yes, the people are obsessed by Islam. For example I'm going to India next month and I want to give this message that all religions are equal. Sometimes there are priorities because of particular situations, but we mustn't get the impression there are first class religions and second class religions," said Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue.

His comments focused on the council's recent meetings concerning new guidelines for interfaith dialogue and were in an interview with Terrasanta.net, a Website of the Holy Land Review, published by a U.S. church organization. He said the Catholic Church must "have regard for all religions."

"What was interesting about our discussions was that we did not concentrate on Islam because in a way we are being held hostage by Islam a little bit," he said. "Islam is very important, but there are also other great Asiatic religious traditions. Islam is one religion."

According to the United Kingdom Mail newspaper, Pope Benedict XVI has scheduled an unprecedented Catholic-Muslim meeting in October.

Tauran said the new guidelines are intended to be "a kind of road map for priests, bishops and ordinary brothers and sisters."

Christians, he said "have many things in common with other believers – for example that we all believe in one God, that we profess the same sacredness of life, the necessity of fraternity, the experience of prayer."

But he said while Christians and the Catholic Church are working to recognize and grant consideration to Muslims, societies dominated by Islam are failing completely to reciprocate.
"What is good for me is good for the other, so if it's possible for Muslims to have a mosque in the West, we should have the same in Muslim countries. This is not the case in many countries," he said, specifically citing Saudi Arabia.

One success story has been in Qatar, where he said he recently celebrated mass at a new church in Doha.

"It is a very impressive building. Now we're going to have a school there run by nuns. So this is an example of very good inter-religious dialogue with very concrete effects. In Saudi Arabia that is not the case yet," he said.

Tauran said that there are indications Saudi officials may be willing to meet with Christians and Jews, but talk of actually building a church in Saudi Arabia is premature.

"We don't have precise information about what the [Saudi] king has in mind, but I suppose it will be a gradual evolution, for example the possibility to celebrate services in hotels, in embassies," Tauran said.

The interfaith guidelines are being developed now, he said, because there are a lot of plans and initiatives around the world "and we have to put them into some order."
He reserved much of his criticism for the fact Islam does not treat other religions as Islam is treated.

"The purpose of interreligious dialogue is to know the other better in order to understand the content of his faith, and of course the Holy Father is insisting on freedom of religion, freedom to have a religion and not to have one, and the freedom to change religion. This is something also stated in international law, and of course for the Muslims, it's not the same," he said.
He also noted that disputes in the Holy Land are far from a resolution, largely because of the attitudes of those involved.

"And also Jews and Muslims have more of an 'eye for eye' mentality than one of forgiveness," the interviewer asked.

"Yes," was Tauran's succinct reply.

Vatican Cardinal Ordains Four for Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
Remnant Editor Questions Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos

(Guess What? The SSPX is NOT in Schism!)
Michael J. Matt
Editor, The Remnant

(Posted June 11, 2008 http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/) On May 30, 2008 (the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), it was indeed a pleasure to witness the ordination to the priesthood of Rev. Mr. Jared McCambridge, Rev. Mr. Dennis Gordon, Rev. Mr. Justin Nolan, and Rev. Mr. Jonathan Romanoski. The Sacrament of Holy Orders was conferred for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) according to the traditional rite by Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. The historic event was televised live throughout the world on EWTN.

That there was standing room only in a cathedral with a seating capacity of 800 says a good deal about the success of the event. The congregation was comprised of ladies in skirts and veils, men in suits, and an abundance of well-behaved children (no small feat given the Mass was three hours in duration). The dozens of mothers with babies in their arms who lined the vestibule walls provided additional promise for the future of the apostolates operated by the FSSP in America.

After the ordination I had an opportunity to speak briefly with a number of the priests, including two of the newly ordained. On the road to Chartres over the years, I've seen many of them come up ‘through the ranks’ on their way to ordination. Priests at last, they were positively on fire with enthusiasm for their vital mission to bring Christ and Catholic Tradition to the whole world.

While it is true that a few critics still labor under the false impression that FSSP priests are not militant enough, this is unfortunate and evidently due to a lack of first-hand experience with these impressive young priests. It’s unlikely that anyone would actually question to his face the Catholic militancy of a Father Romanoski, for example, or Father Nolan or any number of the cassocked warriors for Christ with whom I spoke in Lincoln. In many ways these young men are becoming the Marines of the traditional Catholic movement—‘going in’ first and operating under difficult conditions and in often ‘hostile territory.’

It seems to us, in fact, that credit to the FSSP for holding that difficult ground is long overdue. Ever since 1988 it was predicted that the Fraternity of St. Peter was on the verge of a total sellout to the Novus Ordo, which was to include adopting the new lectionary, communion in the hand, regular bi-rituality, etc. But this never materialized. As was noted above, I’ve been walking the Chartres Pilgrimage with FSSP priests and seminarians every spring for 17 years and if there has been any change in attitude during that time it could only be an increase in their militancy and genuine commitment to the exclusive use of the Tridentine Mass.

For twenty years now the FSSP has been laboring for the restoration of the Mass at the heart of the Church. Since July 7, 2007, they have trained over 100 Novus Ordo priests to offer the traditional Mass; and now they've launched the new initiative that (Deo volente) will introduce the Traditional Mass to thousands of priests around the world.

Remind me again—where’s the sellout? One can only imagine how much more could have been accomplished had the FSSP been given a bishop of their own—something else that’s long overdue! But in God’s good Providence and under the remarkable leadership of Superior General Fr. John Berg, the FSSP forges ahead in this universal push to restore the traditional Mass to the Church.

Last month's priestly ordinations in Nebraska served as a poignant reminder that some progress is indeed being made, especially since July 7, 2007. I had an opportunity to attend the FSSP's press conference with Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos and was amazed to hear a Vatican Cardinal delivering argument after argument in favor of the old Mass that Michael Davies and my father had been making forty years ago but that had been dutifully dismissed as signs of a “dangerous trajectory toward schism”. Now those same arguments flow eloquently from the lips of princes of the Church. Go figure!

Disagreements notwithstanding, His Eminence struck me as a humble man with a wonderful sense of humor, a profound sense of the dignity of his office and deep love for the holy sacrifice of the Mass. In his demeanor he’s very much a priest of the old school, and it was not only an honor but also a genuine pleasure to meet with him albeit briefly.

Would we disagree on some fundamental points? Absolutely! But the Cardinal doesn’t seem to shy away from discussing those differences, either, and nor is he hesitant to go on the record in defense of traditionalists when simple justice demands it: “As a journalist seeking accuracy in terminology,” I asked him, “is ‘schism’ the correct word to describe the standing of the SSPX?”
“No, there isn't a schism! They have an ‘irregular standing.’” The Cardinal then proceeded to explain why the SSPX is not in schism (see interview below).

My jaw must have been on the floor. How many times we have made the same argument over the years in the pages of The Remnant only to be chastised by the neo-Catholics as aiders and abettors of schismatics! With a few brief words the Cardinal obliterated the tired arguments of the schism-mongers. Those who would still insist that traditionalists in the Society of St. Pius X are in schism must now concede that their position is completely untenable, lest they violate the norms of Christian charity.

In addition to publicly defending traditional Catholics against dubious charges, the Cardinal was eager to share his profound appreciation for the old Mass and the traditionalist efforts to preserve it. Now, let’s consider that for a moment: Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos is in his late 70s; he has spent much of his priestly life offering the New Mass. Considering this and given his elevated rank in the Church, these repeated calls of his for the old Mass to be restored in every diocese in the world represent a previously unthinkable concession and a rather staggering turn of events. In this sense, then, and regardless of affiliation, champagne corks should have been popping all over ‘tradland’ on May 30, 2008! We may wish he’d say and do more to rein in the Novus Ordo and its myriad abuses, but as far as the enemies of Tradition are concerned Cardinal Castrillón has said and done far too much already. As far as they’re concerned, in fact, he’s siding with us! And if there was any doubt of that before, his high-profile visit to Lincoln drove the point home rather forcefully. Again, pop the cork!

Twenty years ago when Traditionalists such as this writer were hearing Mass in basement chapels with no hope of reprieve anywhere on the horizon, no one would have dreamed that a day would come when the head of a Vatican commission, acting with the Pope’s full blessing, would offer a traditional Mass and ordain four traditionalist priests in a ceremony televised all around the world! Think of the ramifications of that! Archbishop Bugnini (RIP) must have turned in his grave. We can’t dismiss the impact of such Vatican initiatives in favor of Tradition merely because, in our opinion, the Vatican hasn’t gone far enough. "Patience and time, time and patience" said the old Russian general as he waited for Napoleon to realize that his Grand Army was about to freeze to death. The game is afoot, and though there’s much work to be done we cannot miss this golden opportunity to take the Cause of Tradition to the next level. And this includes a constant and respectful reiteration of our legitimate objections.

The progressivists, for example, would like nothing better than to torpedo the Holy Father’s MP by introducing altar girls and Communion in the hand into the traditional Mass. We cannot let that happen.

The new instruction for the MP that is rumored to be coming out soon will evidently deal at least in part with the question of the liturgical calendar. Some speculate that the new calendar might even be foisted upon the old Mass. Again, this would be unacceptable.

Msgr. Gamber was quite right about the fiasco that was the introduction of the new calendar! In The Reform of the Roman Liturgy: Its Problems and Background (a work formally endorsed by then Cardinal Josef Ratzinger), Gamber wrote: “But what possible advantage can be gained for the pastoral care of the faithful by changing the feast days of the saints in the Church calendar, changing the way of counting Sundays during the liturgical year, or even changing the words of Consecration? What possible advantage can be gained by introducing a completely new Order of Readings and abolishing the old one, or by making minor and unimportant adjustments to the traditional rite, and then finally by publishing a new Missal? Was all this really done because of a pastoral concern about the souls of the faithful, or did it not rather represent a radical breach with the traditional rite, to prevent the further use of traditional liturgical texts and thus to make the celebration of the “Tridentine Mass” impossible—because it no longer reflected the new spirit moving through the Church?” (The Reform of the Roman Liturgy, Page 100)

Would the new instruction actually send us down that road again? Until we know the answer to this question we’d do well to mend fences and hold our respective positions—with the approved orders working for the Restoration on the inside and the SSPX continuing their work on the ‘outside’. I brought this potential impasse to the Cardinal’s attention last week, and can only pray that he realizes how serious it is.

These are the questions, then, that remain unanswered as we make our way though these uncharted waters; but these are also the very things that should motivate us to stick together, to form a united front, and to continue to prayerfully and respectfully take the case for Catholic Tradition to the highest authorities in the Church. This is no time to retreat further into the ghetto. Tradition is front-page news all over the world, and Vatican officials are willing to hear us out. I well remember the days when this was not the case...when no one in Rome could hear the voices of traditional Catholics crying the wilderness all over the world. That at long last has changed, and we need to take advantage of it.

Here, then, is Cardinal Castrillón. There were two other journalists at the FSSP's press conference on May 30th, as well, and their questions were very insightful; most of the questions concerning traditionalism, the SSPX, the MP etc., are mine. There’s much more I would like to have said to His Eminence but, alas, time was limited and it was late in day. I was grateful for the few minutes with His Eminence that were provided for us.

Special thanks to Fr. Joseph Lee, FSSP, for setting up the conference, and of course to Cardinal Castrillón himself. It was indeed an honor to speak with him, and I pray that God will grant His Eminence every grace necessary during this perilous time to assist in the full restoration of Catholic identity and Catholic life through the full restoration of the Traditional Latin Mass and thus the Traditional faith throughout the world. Please God, may it happen soon! In the meantime, keep the Cardinal in your prayers, as well as the Fraternity of St. Peter and all traditionalist priests who man the front lines in this battle for the soul of the Catholic Church in the modern world.

That'll Be 3 Our Father's and 3 Hail Mary's
...and yer gettin' off easy, Caveman

OK, I'll come clean. I stole from a priest. Actually, I stole a priest's idea. Good Father Richtsteig has his "Latest Earworm" section. I've always thought that was a pretty cool idea. So I thought I'd give it a shot.

But here's the Caveman Proviso: only obscure Classic Rock. And not just any old Classic Rock --- but the kind of stuff that simultaneously pissed-off your parents, and made your ears bleed profusely. Every so often, I just might play something a little mellower... but don't expect any of that soft-pop Air Supply or Stevie Nicks garbage.

Expect long lost gems to find their ways back to your lives. I promise.

One other thing' for sure... whatever I program, I guarantee it'll be something you probably haven't heard for years, put a smile on your face, set your toes a'tappin, You might even cut a rug with the Ol' Girl!

The debut song is "I'm A Man" by Chicago, circa the early 70's. Terry Kath's guitar work (the most underrated in the history of Rock and Roll) is so amazing, that even Jimi Hendrix once said "I thought I was good, but this guy, Terry Kath, he's the best in the universe!"

And besides, the back to back screams of Terry Kath and Peter Cetera towards the end of the song are the stuff of legend.

ENJOY!!

This One's for You, PreVat2
Hope your head doesn't explode

As Ken88 over at Hallowed Ground recently posted; (Please read the entire quote. It's very powerful.) Pope St. Pius X (while Bishop of Mantua) : “A priest must bring his every action, every step, every habit into harmony with the sublimity of his vocation. The priest who at the altar celebrates eternal mysteries, assumes, as it were, a divine form; this he must not relinquish when he descends from the High Mount and departs from the Temple of the Lord. Wherever he is, or in whatever work he engages, he must never cease to be a priest, accompanied by the dignity, gravity and decorum of a priest. He must, therefore, be holy; he must be saintly, so that his words and work express his love, impress his authority, and command respect. Exterior dignity is more powerful than eloquent words…. On the other hand, if he forgets the dignity of his character, if he does not show in his exterior comportment more gravity than seculars, he incurs the displeasure of those very people who applaud his levity but are not slow to despise both him and what he stands for.”And even though it was on a different topic, the equally eloquent Sub Vet says; If the last post upped your blood pressure...... double up your meds and wrap your head in duct tape, this will put you in Scanner territory.How dignified....

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It's got a
good beat... I can dance to it. I'll give it a 7.

Ireland "Charismatics" Dancing 4 Jesus

"TAX THE EVIL BOTTLED WATER COMPANIES!!...
Oops, I mean pray to Sister Mother Earth"

Who says that paganism hasn't infected The Church? Not that long ago, I posted concerning the "Eco-Spiritual Stations of The Cross" at Inaccurate Deception Faith Community and Heresytorium, Durham, NC (Diocese of Raleigh)... and now this nonsense from the head honchoette from some coven out west - From the California Catholic Daily; (Emphasis mine) Fight for the poor and “Sister Mother Earth”
Religious orders take on bottled water

“Environmental Tips from the Green Franciscan Sister,” a column in a publication for Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, is one way Sr. Jane Corcoran gets out her message of environmental stewardship – a message she sees as part of her hospital and religious ministry.

"Within hospitals, we have been slow to realize that ecology is part of our mission," Sr. Janet in 2003 told Health Progress, a publication of the Catholic Healthcare Association. "We are now seeing that we are called to be stewards of God's creation, to honor and respect the sacredness of creation."

Among the environmental messages Sister Janet and other Franciscans are currently addressing is the issue of bottled water -- an issue, they say, that doesn’t just adversely affect nature but human societies. “Sister Mother Earth” needs help, Sister Janet told the Jan. 11, 2008 National Catholic Reporter. “It’s a matter of getting people to think more consciously about what they are doing.”

Portrait Of A Slack-Ass
That was me, 50 pounds ago*... but still a slack-ass



I finally got off my butt and updated my links. Most of those listed as "new"... well, I would have sworn that I already had them listed. To those faithful Bloglodytes who may have thought that I slighted them by not blog-rolling them, all I can say is - sorry! Such is the life of a slack-ass.

*Taken a couple of years ago, when I went as The Golden Dome of Notre Dame for Holloween.

Ahhh... Another "Springtime Of The Church" Moment
Brought to you by the Lavender Mafia

Dear USCCB,
Thanks for nothing.

As the old saying goes, a dead fish rots from the head down. Here's some of a rather interesting article from The Christian Post; (Emphasis mine) Survey: Americans Divided on Homosexuality as Sin
By Audrey Barrick
Christian Post Reporter
Fri, Jun. 06 2008 08:16 AM ET

Americans are nearly evenly divided on whether they believe homosexual behavior is a sin, a new survey showed. While 48 percent of Americans agree it is a sin, 45 percent said they don't believe homosexuality is sinful, according to a LifeWay Research study, released Wednesday.

[Director of LifeWay Research] Ed Stetzer also called it surprising to find that the majority of Catholics (55 percent) do not believe homosexual behavior is a sin. Only 39 percent of Catholics called it a sin.

Catholics were also most likely to say same-sex attraction is inevitable and determined at birth. Thirty percent of Catholics said that that is what contributes most to homosexuality compared to 20 percent of Protestants, 12 percent of born agains, and 24 percent of Americans overall.

The born-again, evangelical, fundamentalist group (48 percent) is most likely to believe homosexuality is a choice while 42 percent of Protestants, 41 percent of Catholics and 39 percent of Americans agree, saying "choice" is what contributes most to same-sex attraction.I normally don't put a lot of stock in what a Protestant group tells me that the pulse of Catholicism is this way or that way, but I think in this case, they're right.

After all, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I've been to more than one parish where even the cast of La Cage aux Folles would look at the priest and say "damn... that dude's a fag."

_______________________________________
UPDATE!!
Thanks to both Mr & Mrs NYPD and to Christine for passing this info on to me. Here's the meat and potatoes of the article from LifeSiteNews.com; (Emphasis mine) San Francisco Archdiocese Puts Kibosh on Church's Plans for Gay Pride Parade
By Peter J. Smith

SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The San Francisco Catholic parish that gave the homosexual movement its rainbow flag will have a new surprise in store at the upcoming annual gay pride weekend in San Francisco: they are not coming.

The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese has asked Most Holy Redeemer Parish in the Castro district not to participate this year and the parish has so far agreed.Hell, that only took how many years? By the way... what's this "asked" and "so far agreed" bullshit? Who the hell's in charge, anyways?

What I Tell Ya?
So much for "courageous leadership" of Cardinal George

From the Chicago Tribune;

Rev. Michael Pfleger is set to return June 16 after mocking Sen. Hillary Clinton, St. Sabina official says
South Side church erupts with joy that the archdiocese's 2-week sabbatical won't be permanent

Thelma Jeanne Johnson reacts to hearing the news that Rev. Michael Pfleger will return to St. Sabina Catholic Church on June 16. (Tribune photo by Chuck Berman / June 8, 2008)
By John Keilman Tribune reporter
11:19 PM CDT, June 8, 2008

The choir was booming, the dancers were swirling and open seats were scarce in the sweltering pews, but longtime members of St. Sabina Catholic Church thought Sunday's service was a bit flat in the absence of Rev. Michael Pfleger.

Cardinal Francis George had ordered the fiery activist priest to take two weeks off after Pfleger's widely broadcast comments mocking Sen. Hillary Clinton and saying, in what he later called a slip of the tongue, that "America is the greatest sin against God."

Some of his intensely devoted parishioners were worried that his sabbatical would prove permanent. So when a St. Sabina official announced during mass that Pfleger would return June 16, the church exploded in cheers.

"I was just overwhelmed," Brandy Scott, 27, said later. "I had to cry."Yeah... I feel like crying, too. I'll bet luther is in his little corner of hell, laughing his ass off.

Barack Obama: Modern Day Robin Hood, Or Snake-Oil Salesman?
Or just plain ol' bullshitter?

By happenstance, I caught a wee bit of the Neil Boortz radio show today. I don't really listen to him all that much, but I can only stand Don't Fear The Reaper only so much. NO MORE COWBELL!!

Anyhow, he was stating some facts and figures about BO and his call for, as The Empty Suit himself stated;
"I'll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we'll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills."Ooooohhhh... sounds good to me! It's time those nasties over at Exxon-Mobil paid their fair share, by gigger! So I thought I'd swing over to the Boortz site and check it out.

Boortz had some dead-on points, such as: even though the Democrats try to paint this picture of evil corporate fat-cats who are raking in all the bucks over gas profits, did you know that throughout the oil and natural gas industries only about 1.5% of the stock is owned by company executives? And a few other things were pointed out, such as:
Almost 43 percent of oil and natural gas company shares are owned by mutual funds and asset management companies that have mutual funds. Mutual funds manage accounts for 55 million U.S. households with a median income of $68,700.

Twenty seven percent of shares are owned by other institutional investors like pension funds. In 2004, more than 2,600 pension funds run by federal, state and local governments held almost $64 billion in shares of U.S. oil and natural gas companies. These funds represent the major retirement security for the nation's current and retired soldiers, teachers, and police and fire personnel at every level of government.

Fourteen percent of shares are held in IRA and other personal retirement accounts. Forty five million U.S. households have IRA and other personal retirement accounts, with an average account value of just over $22,000.Oh, and in case you were wondering where all these really cool stats come from... no, they're not from Bush or Cheney or Exxon-Mobil. They're from a certain Robert J. Shapiro. The former Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs os a certain President Bill Clinton. Here's the study itself.

So if "windfall profits" are taxed, guess who 98.5% of those who are getting nailed will be? Share this with your idiot liberal friends. Imagine how fun it will be to watch their heads explode. Too bad stupidity isn't painful