The Bishop Plays Football
Yep, another end-run around Church Teaching

Just when I thought that things were turning around in my old hometown diocese of San Diego... I read the fine print. Looks like Bishop Brom is up to his old tricks of bait and switch.

As I was reading this article from The California Catholic Daily, I was actually heartened about what I was reading. Believe it or not, I was going to do a glowing post on what Bishop Brom has ordered. That is, like I said, until I read the fine print.

Here's some of the article; (emphasis mine) Candidates we cannot “take seriously”
San Diego diocese’s voter’s guide gives little leeway in voting for candidates who support “intrinsic evils”

The Office for Social Ministry of the diocese of San Diego came out with a voter’s guide this month. The guide, "As a Catholic … How Do I Decide?" says it “does not tell an individual how to vote,” but helps “users form their consciences so that they can make sound moral choices.” The guide has several sections, each dealing with a different area of political and social concern: “Protecting Human Life,” “Marriage and Family,” “Protecting Immigrants and Refugees,” (I wonder if 2241 of the Catechism was even mentioned? You know, the section that says that a nation has the right to control immigration, and that immigrants are obliged to obey the laws of their new nation. No, it wasn't.) “Protecting Workers and Working Poor Families,” “Promoting Health Care,” “Safe and Affordable Housing,” “Protecting Families from the Harm of Pornography,” and “Promoting Global Solidarity. ("Global Solidarity"? Will everyone join me in a rousing chorus of L'Internationale?)

“Protecting Human Life” is by far the longest section of the guide. To the question, “Can a Catholic vote for a candidate who supports abortion, euthanasia, or embryonic stem cell research, that are clearly intrinsic evils?” the guide first responds with the November U.S. bishops’ document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship -- but then itself gives a more uncompromising explanation of it. “A candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support,” said the bishops. Immediately following this statement, the San Diego diocesan guide adds, “Put simply, protecting human life is paramount in the political arena, and some evils are so profound and egregious that a reasonable person can not take seriously the candidacy of a person who allows or fosters them.” (I sure was impressed by what I had read so far. Until I read the next paragraph...)

The guide gives the example of a candidate “that was right on every issue except for one. Let’s say, because a candidate was so focused on the safety of constituents, that he or she supported and would work for the use of capital punishment for anyone over the age of 16 that was involved in gang membership or gang criminal activity. “Would or could a voter take seriously a politician supporting this position no matter how ‘right’ he or she was on a host of other issues? Obviously not,” says the guide.
Anyone remember Five Non-Negotiables? In case anyone forgot, they're:
1. Abortion
2. Euthanasia
3. Embryonic Stem Cell Research
4. Human Cloning
5. Homosexual “Marriage”

And no, you don't have to do a double-take. The death penalty isn't listed, no matter what the Office of Social Ministry of San Diego says. Why do they have to do this collusion... this purposeful heavy dose of authentic Catholic teaching, and insert an outright falsehood giving it the impression that it IS authentic Catholic teaching? Please... stop trying to equate helpless unborn children with sadistic killers.

By the way... how many millions has Bishop Brom had to pay out for protecting rapists? And no, I'm not denying the legitimacy nor the validity of Bishop Brom's episcopacy. I just think he's pissed away any and all credibility he ever had. If Bp. Brom REALLY wanted to bring back any credibility to the teaching authority emanating from the Diocese of San Diego... he's step down and allow another to clean-up the disaster he's created.

He's legitimate, just not credible. Kinda like Arius until he finally went off the deep end.

No Longer Hidden In The Catecombs
Last gasp of the Neo-Anglicans?

Great news from my hometown. And this from one of the more theologically liberal, anti-Traditional diocese in America. Here's some of the article from The California Catholic Daily; “Waiting for this for years”
San Diego bishop erects Latin Mass parish, anyone in diocese may join

After a 23-year-wait, the Latin Mass community of San Diego now has its own parish.

On Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, San Diego Bishop Robert Brom officially erected St. Anne Church at 621 Sicard St. as a “personal parish” for Catholics in the diocese who prefer the extraordinary form of the Mass in Latin. A “personal parish” has no geographical boundaries, which means any Catholic living in the diocese may join.

Bishop Brom turned over the parish to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a society of apostolic life approved in 1988 by Pope John Paul II specifically dedicated to continued use of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite – also known as the Latin or Tridentine Mass.

“They’ve been waiting for this for years and years and years,” said Fr. Carl Gismondi, the new FSSP pastor at St. Anne. Before Bishop Brom elevated the Latin Mass community to parish status, it had been meeting since 1985 at the chapel of Holy Cross Cemetery as the only episcopally-authorized Tridentine Latin Mass congregation in San Diego.

The arrival of the Latin Mass parish to St. Anne brings new life to the parish, which had been merged with nearby Our Lady of Guadalupe parish and served only as a mission church until finally being closed altogether.

Fr. Gismondi, who resides in the parish’s four-bedroom rectory, says the old church “needs work.” For example, he said, a marble altar from 1942 was moved away from the wall of the sanctuary in the 1970s, and needs to be moved back to its original location. And there are a variety of other problems common to an older structure, “like termites,” he said.

During the six weeks he was been pastor at St. Anne, the 225-person capacity sanctuary has been close to full during Sunday Masses, said Fr. Gismondi. He estimated that between 300-400 people attend Sunday Mass there.Like I said, this is in a diocese where the TLM was openly sneered at for decades. The little seed that was planted at a termite infested "second thought" of a closed down parish literally will be a beacon of light in a sea of heresy and Modernism. Anyone who doubts me, obviously hasn't been to your average San Diego Nervous Disorder parish.

But here's the $64,000 question (and this pertains to Catholics world-wide) --- the Diocese of San Diego is geographically huge. From the coast all the way to the Arizona line, and almost a hundred miles from north to south. What happens when Catholics from El Centro or Borrego Springs or Fallbrook, or other towns within the diocese that are literally hours and hours away from St. Anne's, what if they (per Summorum Pontificum) are desirous of a Traditional Latin Mass in their neighborhood parish?

By the way... St. Anne's is in a pretty "rough neigborhood". Why am I not shocked that a TLM Parish wasn't established in La Jolla or Rancho Santa Fe? But that's OK. I get the funny feeling that the good folks in South Central San Diego (like most folks who don't have much) will appriciate St. Anne's a damn sight more than the rich snobs in La Jolla.

Anyhow, is it going to be a case of Tango Sierra for Traddies? Maybe not if the rumblings concerning the "clarification" in regards to Summorum Pontificum are true.

Here's some of the article from Rorate Caeli; According to the document, the traditionalist faithful present in a parish will have the full protection of the law to ask for the old Mass, and if the bishop refuses (here is the news), saying that there are no priests capable of celebrating according to the ancient rite in that place, the Commission Ecclesia Dei will authoritatively ("di imperio") send a priest able to do so to that diocese. In short, the bishops will no longer be able to refuse a priori to have the old Mass celebrated, because in such cases, the Commission Ecclesia Dei will send a delegated priest of its own.SLAM!!!

Don Corleone Would Be Proud
Shame on the Bishop of San Diego

How are you suppose to deal with a Man of Faith who does nothing but act in Bad Faith?

As those who frequent The Lair already know, I've been following the recent goings on the diocese of my hometown... San Diego, California.

The latest is just beyond the pale.

~ First the bishop protects kiddie-rapists "priests".
~ Then he dances the legalese two-step with the District Attorney and police.
~ He treats the victims as if they were the criminals.
~ And the latest from the bishop is that he tries to hide $1.5 million that would be owed to the victims.

With shepherds like Presider Brom, who needs wolves?

Anyhow, it's rare that I post entire articles... but this op/ed piece from the San Diego Union pretty much (sadly) says it all.

Diocese's asset giveaway is shabby at best
April 7, 2007

Given that today is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we regret having to discomfit the San Diego area's nearly 1 million Catholics with a fresh rebuke of their wayward diocese. But the San Diego diocese's actions leave us no choice. Yesterday's Union-Tribune story – documenting how the diocese gave away more than $1.5 million in assets in the months before filing for bankruptcy in February – appears to be a jarring act of bad faith.

We say “appears to be” because the diocese won't explain itself, and it is possible to conceive of a benign explanation for the asset transfers. Still, the logical assumption is that the diocese was following a standard strategy of organizations that have filed for bankruptcy: reducing assets to lessen what's available to pay creditors. But there are limits to this approach – reducing assets by simply giving them away to avoid paying debts could qualify as fraud under bankruptcy laws.

Unfortunately, no one should be surprised that the diocese would go this route in its response to the 150 lawsuits it faces over alleged sexual abuse by diocese priests. The diocese has played hardball at every turn with clergy victims, using legal trickery to try to keep damning internal documents from prosecutors and police, and seeking to endlessly delay trials that would spotlight its own perfidy.

San Diego Bishop Robert Brom even suggested the Catholic Church is being punished unfairly for the actions of a few miscreants, ignoring the fact that the church's hierarchy – thanks to its practice of transferring known abusers and molesters instead of turning them over to police – was responsible for thousands of new assaults.

As we have observed before, the diocese is undeserving of sympathy. This view is confirmed anew by its latest tactic.

Home To A World Famous Zoo, Sea World, Balboa Park, Perfect Weather, And Another (Morally) Bankrupt Catholic Diocese
San Diego, California... my hometown

Even though I was raised all over the world due to my father being a career Navy man, and I now live back East, I've always considered San Diego my hometown. And for the first time ever in my life, I'm embarrassed to say that.

You see, the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, under the leadership of Bishop Robert Brom, is striving to join the diocese of Tucson, Spokane, Portland, Ore., and Davenport, Iowa in declaring bankruptcy. Is the diocese broke? Hardly.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune;

Facing claims that could exceed $200 million, the diocese may choose this route rather than go to trial in about 150 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests.

According to attorney Irwin Zalkin, who represents many of the 150 San Diego plaintiffs said the diocese has more than ample assets and insurance to settle the clergy-abuse claims and characterized bankruptcy as “a desperate maneuver.”

“San Diego is one of the richest dioceses in the country,” Zalkin said. “It has more than $600 million in real estate assets based solely on tax assessors' values and not market value.” The real estate holdings include not only churches, schools, rectories and diocese offices, but also investment property, such as apartment buildings, condominium complexes, commercial developments and undeveloped land.

In addition, Zalkin said, the diocese is part of the Catholic Mutual Group, a pool of 125 dioceses in North America whose Web site states: “Our coverage is backed by recognized financial organizations with assets in excess of $75 billion.”

And another interesting tid-bit... Facing claims that could exceed $200 million, the diocese may choose this route rather than go to trial in about 150 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests.

Ahhh... in other words, the identity of the accused "priests" will be safe and... ummm... what's the word I'm looking for.... oh, that's right, protected.

It's beyond me how a weasel the likes of Robert Brom could ever rise to the Episcopacy of The Catholic Church. But then again, the Dallas Morning News has some interesting news on His Sexcellency concerning the cover-up and protection (and actual participation) in predatory sexcapades that the majority of American bishops have been involved with.

One final interesting stat about the Diocese of San Diego; there's one priest for every 3,555 Catholics. By the way... there's no "Crisis in Vocations" in San Diego, is there? This must be that "Springtime of The Church" that the Vatican II-istas have been crowing about for 40 years. Ya think?

"Gay Agenda Fuels Catholic Exodus" -
Sign held by a Catholic protestor outside of "Catholic" University of San Diego

WITH PAPAL FLAGS WAVING and balloons flying overhead, the activist group Catholic Crusaders greeted the University of San Diego Board of Trustees as they arrived at the campus for a February 24 meeting. One protestor held a sign which read "Gay Agenda fuels Catholic Exodus". Other signs alerted trustees that the freshman class of 2005 has 68 fewer Catholics than the 2004 class. The Crusaders, who have protested outside the university's main gate many times over the past three years, usually direct their messages to parents. The February 24 event was their first protest aimed particularly at the board of trustees.

During the protest, seven student reporters from the school newspaper, The Vista, approached the Crusaders to question them and take pictures. The following afternoon, a second contingent of Crusaders assembled at the school's main entrance to protest a "Pride" alumni event and fundraiser held at the campus alumni center. PRIDE, an organization of homosexual students and faculty advisors, celebrated its tenth anniversary at USD along with two other gay activist groups on campus, "Pride-Law" and "Rainbow Educators."

Talk about the world being turned upside-down. Faithful Catholics are on the outside looking in, while activist homosexuals are permitted to "teach" at a so-called Catholic university.

Shame of the University of San Diego, and shame on the Bishop of San Diego, Bishop Brom for allowing this travesty to continue. Is it any wonder that Brom's diocese is 2d to last in America for enrolled seminarians?

Taking Former Altar Boy's Top 10 AND RUNNIN' WITH IT!!
Click here to see his Top 10 reasons to hate the Moru Proprio

One thing I'll give Bishop Trautman... at least he brought up the Motu Proprio on his diocesan web site. He's batting .400, but at least he said something.

That's more than I can say for Roger Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles. As of this date and time (11:00 EST, July 13, 2007), absolutely nothing on the Archdiocese of LA web site even makes the slightest of mentions of the most earth-shaking news to hit to Catholicism since Vatican II.

But they do have a listing (the very first on their menu) of various languages that Mass is celebrated in. If one counts "African-American" and "Native-American" Cultural Focus as languages, then Mass is celebrated in 31 languages... from American Sign Language to Vietnamese.

Shockingly enough... Latin isn't listed. They love saying how they do offer it in accordance with Ecclesia Dei, but it's location is uber-secret. I guess they're on double secret probation.

The Archdiocesan newspaper, The Tidings (or as I call it... Low Tidings) ran a story on the MP. They're batting .400.

My hometown diocese, San Diego (I grew up there), has zilch on their web site. I guess they're still busy selling off church property to pay for rapist "priests". But the diocesan paper, The Southern Cross, did mention the MP in a story from the Catholic News Service (the official news organ of the USCCB).

It was a rather terse snippet that summed up the release of the MP as essentially "[the Pope's] time-honored Vatican tradition: clearing his desk". From there, five whole sentences about the freeing of the Traditional Latin Mass. Hey, if Bishop Brom wants to ignore the runner on 3d, that's his call. But like I said... he's probably really super busy selling off church property. One must set priorities, you know.

The Diocese of Tucson is conspicuously silent as well. But they do have a link prominently displayed to report rapists "priests". Wow... I'm underwhelmed.

I'm genuinely surprised by the reaction of Archbishop Weurl of Washington, DC. I'll admit that I don't trust Archbishop Weurl... especially since his refusal to stand-up to pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians. But anyhow, the Archdiocesan web site states "We will be putting together a committee to revise the sacramental norms and facilitate implementation of the motu proprio by its effective date in September". Hmmm.... certain catch-words jump out at me. "Committee", "revise", "facilitate". Sheesh... why all the drama? In the words of a certain shoe company -- "just do it".

And in all fairness, I did come across more than one Diocesan web site that hasn't been updated since July, 6th, the day before the Motu Proprio was announced. I'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt in the meantime.

But you know... the news isn't all bad.

But the winner of the 1st Annual Vir Speluncae Catholicus "Gee, I'm Glad He's My Bishop" Award is His Excellency Michael Burbidge of Raleigh, NC.

News
Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Letter on the Roman Rite

On Saturday, July 7, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated motu proprio the Apostolic Letter On the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970. (Summorum Pontificum).

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge will meet with advisors to begin pastoral implementation of the Holy Father’s instructions. Directions given in the Apostolic Letter will be effective September 14, 2007, the feast of the Triumph of the Cross.

No double-talk, no catch phrases, no seminar-speak, just straight talk. "...begin pastoral implementation...". No committees being formed. No "ascertaining what constitutes a stable community". No searching for loopholes to end-run around The Holy Father.

There's only one thing I don't like about Bishop Burbidge being the Bishop of Raleigh... I got a nasty feeling that he'll be leaving us fairly soon (at least within 4 years). I can easily see him moving onto an Archdiocese one day soon.

A Snapshot Of Those Telling The Holy Father To Go To Hell
After just a quick perusal of the news...

After my usual morning ritual of cruising various Catholic news portals, I couldn't help but notice a number of articles I've read in the past 24 hours where some rather high placed/oft quoted (by the liberal media) Catholics are taking their potshots at Pope Benedict.

Case in point:

From The Telegraph (UK), we read the rather sensationalistic headline: Pope Benedict attacked by Catholic Church’s most senior theologians. But alas, it was a plurality of one. A certain discredited Swiss Roman Protestant by the name of Hans Küng,who lamented the “tragedy” for the Catholic Church that Rome had failed to follow the path of liberalisation set out by the Vatican II council in 1965. I've read that particular article a few times to see who else was quoted as to rate the pluralization of the word "theologian". No such luck. I guess at The Telegraph, Hans and Küng count as two different people.

I also posted just yesterday concerning one of the senior clergyman in The Philippines who none-too-subtly openly challenged what The Pope (via Cardinal Bertone) had to say concerning homosexuals and their supporters being admitted to seminary. I'm still scratching my head as to exactly why Cardinal Rosales is so strongly in favor of queers infecting the priesthood. Hmmmm....

Lastly, I couldn't help but notice that not only is San Diego last in the National League West, my beloved hometown is also doing pretty piss poor when it comes to fidelity and loyalty. Specifically, the end-run that Bishop Robert "Will Sell Church Property To Pay For Rapists" Brom is pulling on Summorum Pontificum. It turns out that Bishop Bobbie is doing his own version of court packing... not to be confused with the fudge packing that so prevalent in the Diocese of San Diego.

Requiem for a Warrior
Very Reverend Tullio Andreatta, RIP

A priest for 70 years and less than a dozen priests attend his funeral!

Bishop nowhere in sight.

Hat Tip to PreVat2 who provided the opening of this post

Many of you know that I spent 14 years living in San Diego. In 1997, having entered the Church from Anglicanism, and being immediately appalled at the Novus Ordo (New Mass), a priest (a close friend from my Marine Corps days) locked me on to the Traditional Latin Mass held every Sunday at Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel. When I witnessed my first High Mass there, my heart never went back to the New Mass….and never will.

God bless this great warrior of God and champion of Tradition, Monsignor Andreatta.


Following Pope John Paul II's 1984 authorization allowing the public celebration of the Tridentine Latin Mass, Monsignor Andreatta was the first priest in North America to obtain permission from a diocesan bishop to do so. Following his appointment as chaplain, beginning on February 24, 1985, the Tridentine Latin Mass was offered by Monsignor Andreatta at St. Vincent de Paul Church in central San Diego. Due to the objections of several of the clergy (Only in a post-Vatican II world could such a thing happen!!) the Tridentine Latin Mass was soon moved to Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel where it was offered every Sunday and Holyday without exception by Monsignor Andreatta until his retirement in 1991.

It was Monsignor Andreatta's hope and prayer that a parish church be provided where his beloved Mass could be offered and the other sacraments provided. Thanks be to God, he lived to see the day when, on October 7, 2008, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, a personal parish was erected in San Diego for the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Anne Catholic Church.

Monsignor Andreatta will be laid to rest on Saturday, December 12, 2009, following a Solemn Requiem High Mass which will be offered at The Immaculata (pictured below) where Monsignor Andreatta celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his priesthood. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

I had the honor of attending Msgr. Andreatta's Solemn Requiem Mass Saturday morning. It started shortly after 10 and probably lasted close to two hrs. Fr. Gismondi, FSSP, the pastor of St. Anne’s, San Diego’s only full-time, all-the-time, traditional parish, was the celebrant; Fr. Federico Masutti, FSSP, the associate at St. Anne’s, served as deacon; and Fr. Burt Boudoin, Associate at St. Mary’s in Escondido and local chaplain to the Knights of Columbus, was the sub-deacon. The good monsignor wanted no viewing and the casket was a humble wooden box.

What was shocking was there were only 6 to 8 priests in choir (I didn’t get a good count)!! Whiskey tango foxtrot! The man was 95 years old and a priest since 1938 (a year before Hitler invaded Poland)! First and foremost, where was the bishop? Fr. Andreatta had been assigned to the diocese for half a century (hell, he had already been a priest for a 25 years when Bishop Brom was ordained!), but his boss couldn’t find time to attend funeral of one of his own priests?

You can’t tell me the other priests in the San Diego diocese did not know about this funeral. He was the longest serving priest in the diocese. Surely they all knew of him by reputation, if not personally. At last report, there are 233 active priests in that diocese and less than 10 (discounting the three at the altar) could make it?

I thought there was a brotherhood among priests, akin, if you will, to the Marine Corps. Where was the loyalty, the esprit de corps, the simple respect, of those other priests? None of them could break away from their busy schedules to come and pay their respects!!!! I know they weren't all sitting in confessionals in their churches hearing Saturday confessions.

Or was it because they were afraid to come out in the rain? Yes, it was pouring at times. Take your pick here: was heaven shedding tears over the loss of a good priest here on earth or was the Prince of the World doing his diabolic best to discourage people from coming out? It seems the latter may have worked on the people most expected to be in attendance.

As an aside, as I was walking into church, I ran into a young, probably 20-something, young man wearing a suit and carrying his missal. He had neither umbrella nor raincoat and he was drenched. Can you imagine how cold and uncomfortable it must have been to sit through a two-hour Mass in soaking wet clothes? God bless his Christian heart. At least one person in that lukewarm diocese understood the corporal work of mercy to Bury the Dead.

(For the record, there were about 200 or more lay people in attendance plus an outstanding Gregorian choir.)

I cannot believe the other priests did not know about the time and place of the funeral Mass (in probably the biggest church in the diocese). Was the poor old man disliked that much?

Please, Lord, tell me that hatred for the traditional Mass does not run so deep in San Diego that 200+ priests withheld honoring a brother priest because they could not bring themselves to attend a Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

Our Lady of Akita pray for us.

More Anti-Catholicism From The "Catholic" University Of San Diego
As usual, Bishop Brom does and says absolutely nothing

I believe this to be an important posting. If anyone thinks it's just USD that honors pro-abortion and pro-homosexual activists, you better think again. Notre Dame, Loyola, Georgetown, "Catholic" institutions all... routinely not only ignore Church teachings... they trample upon them.

I've posted about the anti-Catholic drivel oozing out of USD. Nothing's changed... status quo... Our Lady of Akita is proven right for the millionth time.

Here's the entire article from The California Catholic Daily; (Emphasis mine)

“Take their phones, their fax, their copiers”
Longtime pro-life nemesis Jim McElroy lionized in University of San Diego’s magazine

The Spring 2010 edition of USD Magazine, a publication of the University of San Diego’s communications department, features a full-page paean on San Diego attorney Jim McElroy, who graduated from the USD law school in 1977. What the article fails to mention is that McElroy is a lawyer for Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties who has made it his life’s work to bankrupt the pro-life movement.

USD identifies itself as “a Roman Catholic institution” whose mission is “grounded in Catholic social teachings, a tradition of thought and action that affirms the Church’s commitment to work for a just and peaceful society. Students are encouraged to explore how faith and reason are compatible in education, and to develop strong moral convictions.”

McElroy evidently meets the “strong moral convictions” element based on what is written about him in USD Magazine. “Jim McElroy is in the business of being unpopular,” the article begins. “Standing up for those whose rights have been not just violated, but decimated, McElroy is not looking for friends. He’s out for justice. And he has the law on his side.”

The article concentrates on McElroy’s legal battles against racism, especially in his capacity as chairman of the board of directors of the Southern Poverty Law Center. But it does not mention his association with Planned Parenthood or his role in attempts to remove the landmark cross from atop San Diego’s Soledad Mountain, a veterans’ memorial.

In 2005, McElroy described efforts to save the cross as “a waste of taxpayers’ money.”

But his ties to Planned Parenthood run much deeper. In 1995, McElroy received Planned Parenthood’s “Margaret Sanger Award,” named after the group’s eugenicist founder, and given to McElroy “for his work on behalf of women's rights.”

In 1996, the now defunct Womancare Health Center in San Diego, another abortion provider, honored McElroy for "outstanding work in protecting the rights of women,"

McElroy is perhaps best known by pro-lifers for his cutthroat legal tactics aimed at bankrupting them. In October 2002, for example, McElroy represented Planned Parenthood in a lawsuit against pro-lifers who witnessed outside Planned Parenthood’s Mission Valley clinic, persuading a judge to order the defendants to pay him and his clients $66,000 in attorney’s fees. A judge rejected an effort by McElroy to make individual participants pay the judgment, which they said would have bankrupted them.

According to a June 1994 Kaiser Health Daily Report, bankrupting pro-life groups is exactly the strategy McElroy has in mind: “San Diego attorney Jim McElroy, who has been successful retrieving money in KKK lawsuits, said that pro-choicers need to be aggressive when collecting: ‘You're not going to get $10 million from an organization with a $40,000 budget, but if you get their $40,000, that really has an effect. You can put a receiver on their post office box, you can take their phones, their fax, their copiers, and it cuts into what they can do.’"

California Catholic Daily asked USD Magazine editor Julene Snyder in a brief telephone interview if she was aware of McElroy’s association with Planned Parenthood. “No, I didn’t know about it,” she said. Asked whether, had she known about it, it would have changed her decision about the article, Snyder said, “I prefer not to comment.” She said she needed to consult with others at the magazine before saying anything else on the subject.

The California Catholic Daily Just Doesn't Seem To Get It
How can such a 1st rate publication get this so wrong? Over and over and over

An interesting article from the CCD concerning Summorum Pontificum. Can anyone else spot the consistent screw-up? Here's a few snippets;

In response to Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, San Diego’s Bishop Robert Brom has approved a weekday celebration of the traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine Rite).

Since the motu proprio’s publication in June, three (California) bishops now have expressed their willingness to accommodate those who desire to attend the Tridentine Mass.

In July, Monterey’s new bishop, Richard Garcia, said he would provide two, non-parish locations for the celebration of the Mass.

Orange diocese’s Bishop Tod Brown approved an additional Sunday Traditional Mass...

Only Four Holy Days in L.A. Diocese
The rest of the Church in the U.S. has six

Pat M. wrote to the Adoremus Bulletin (a publication that urges the reform of the plain ‘ol Ordinary Form) and asked about this announcement in her parish bulletin:

“New Year’s Mass: In the ecclesial Province of Los Angeles...the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is NOT observed as a Holy Day of Obligation, however in our Diocese, January 1st is observed as a special Day of Prayer for World Justice and Peace....”

The editor’s responded with the following:

According to the 1969 General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar §55, “Only with the approval of the Apostolic See (the Vatican) may a celebration be removed from the calendar or changed in rank.”

An individual bishop may dispense the obligation of a particular Holy Day in his diocese “for cause” – but he may not to it permanently. Since 2002, the Archbishop of Los Angeles (and some other bishops in California) have done this every year, thus deviating from the calendar of Holy Days observed by the rest of the Church in the United States.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles states on its web site that it observes only four Holy Days. (The other sees is the California ecclesial province also go along with this, including Mahoney’s cronies: Brown in Orange and Brom in San Diego.)

So, is any one surprised? Nothing new here. The usual modernist idol of “peace and justice” is more important than the Mother of God and Mahoney thumbing his nose at Rome and weakening the Faith for tens of thousands of Angelenos by dropping two holy days.

For Shame, Padres...
FOR SHAME!!
Helmet tip to my goomba, Motes

WARNING! This post contains crude and explicit language. If that may offend you, don't read it.

Over the many years, I've had plenty of reasons to be embarrassed of my beloved Padres. The decades worth of losing seasons, those ugly-ass uniforms back in the 70's, Ted Leitner, the list is endless. I had plenty of reasons to be embarrassed... but never was. Until now.

You see, the July 8th game will be promoted as “Out in Petco Park”, also known as "Pride Night". That's right.... it'll be Queer Night at the old ball yard. Complete with the National Anthem being sung by the Gay Men's Chorus of San Diego (I hope they don't screw-up the line "...that our flag was still there"). Oddly enough, this promotion also falls on the day that all kids under 14 get in free. Smart move. Talk about lambs among wolves.

Now there are those who defend this action by saying that this is just another promotion. After all, Petco Park will also have an Episcopalian Night. So what? They can't tell the difference between a Bishop and a Queen. Ahhh... and we also are told that Petco Park also recently held Harley-Davidson Night and Bowling League Night. Folks, "Pride Night" isn't based on a love of motorcycles or bowling. This is based solely and exclusively on a deviant and abnormal sexual perversion. And it's being celebrated?

Baseball is suppose to be about dad taking his son to learn and love America's Past Time, not so Sonny-Boy can ask, "Daddy, why are those two men kissing?" Baseball isn't suppose to be about being subjected to the Gay Men's Chorus of San Diego lisping their way through the Nathional Anthem. Baseball is suppose to be about peanuts and crackerjacks, not penis and the crack of Jack.

And besides, confusion will reign at the ball park that night. Who the hell will know who's pitching and catching? If a batter slaps a homer, as a sign of respect and solidarity with the Sodomites-In-The-Stands, will said hitter run the bases backwards? Will we see the pink bats, yet again? Will the Queers work themselves into a big gay frenzy if they find out that any given player is a switch hitter, has to go to 1st because he has four balls on him, or was once accused of having a corked bat? And for the love of God, when Hoffy comes out in the bottom of the ninth, don't play any AC/DC.

And what makes this most embarrassing, our own Bishop Brom is conspicuously silent. But then again, he is kinda side tracked with legal trouble right now. Something about him protecting homosexual rapist "priests". I wonder if His Sexcellency will be in the stands July 8th?