In defense of our beloved shepherd, Pope Benedict

I am breaking my Holy Week fast from blogging for an important article which clears up the vile allegations of the New York Times. This article from Life Site News from the priest who was in charge of the Fr Murphy case, sets the record straight, and accuses the Times of sloppy journalism. In 1996, two decades after the last allegations of abuse by Fr. Murphy were made, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (then run by Cardinal Ratzinger) was informed of the accusations. The CDF instructed the local diocese to begin canonical proceedings against the priest. In the end, however, the recommendation was made by the CDF, due to Fr. Murphys extremely poor health, simply to restrict his pastoral activities, and he died several months later.


The NYTimes, however, has charged the CDF, and Pope Benedict himself, with having failed to take the case seriously, and of having declined to defrock the priest, “even though several American bishops repeatedly warned them that failure to act on the matter could embarrass the church.”
But Brundage has come to the defense of the pope, writing that "has done more than any other pope or bishop in history to rid the Catholic Church of the scourge of child sexual abuse and provide for those who have been injured."

It seems there may be an agenda afoot. . .don't you think it suspicious that the dirty tricks happened when the Church nearly succeeded in blocking the largest expansion of abortion in our time, in the health care bill?

Wisdom on the betrayal of Holy Week and Obamacare

Fr George Rutler puts the bitterness which has overtaken my soul over the health care plan into perspective. This is not the first time in history that the innocent have been betrayed by crooked hypocritical politicians using God's name in vain.
Read his meditation  here,and offer your fasting, prayers and mortifications this Holiest of Weeks, in reparation for the thousands of innocents who will die as a result of the bill. We have learned nothing from the death of Terri Schiavo, whose anniversary is March 31.
This blog will rest here until the Resurrection of Our Lord on Easter Sunday. I will be singing the Triduum for Holy Week in our church choir; Missa del Angelis, Panis Angelicus, Pange Lingua, O Sacred Head Surrounded, Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart), O Sacrum Convivium, Mass of the Blessed Sacrament,Ubi Caritas, and The King of Love My Shepherd Is. When politics disappoints, and it always does, there is always the Mass to soothe our battle weary souls.

A Blessed Holy Week to my readers.

Leten Alms could help homeless pregnant women

Are you holding a jar full of Lenten Alms? Want a suggestion of where they could do great good?


You could donate the money to help pregnant homeless women of Good Counsel Homes in the South Bronx and help create a prayer wall with Our Lady of Guadalupe's image on the side of their home in the Bronx.

Peter O'Malley a volunteer at Good Counsel says,

We invite you to participate with your prayers and gifts in the placing of the image Our Lady of Guadalupe on the exterior wall of Good Counsel’s home in the South Bronx, NY for the benefit of homeless expectant mothers choosing life for their unborn children.

Read more about it on their blog:

http://olgmural.org/

Youth for Life Conference March 27

I'll be speaking on what young people can do about the health care plan
at the Youth for Life Conference from 4-8PM

 St Michael Center,
 Academy of the Holy Family
School Hill Road
 Baltic, CT

News Service from EWTN

Irondale , AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network has entered into an agreement with Catholic News Agency to share news and resources from around the world to Catholics and those interested in the Catholic faith, Catholic news and Catholic perspectives.
To showcase this expanded news service, EWTN has launched a new website, www.ewtnnews.com.

“EWTN is proud of the many ways it continues to provide news to Catholics around the world,” said EWTN Executive Vice President Doug Keck . “Our news outreach already includes exclusive television programs such as ‘The World Over’ with EWTN News Director Raymond Arroyo and radio’s ‘Vatican Insider’ with Rome Bureau Chief Joan Lewis, plus daily television and radio “news links,” and now we’ve added a full –blown Internet news service.”

Alejandro Bermúdez, who serves as CNA ’s editor-in-chief, said that this new agreement is a major expansion of a partnership that began years ago.
“The agreement gives each organization an avenue to use its strengths to provide high quality, accurate reporting on matters of interest to the Catholic community and beyond,” he said.

EWTN President and CEO Michael P. Warsaw noted that EWTN launched its online service in 1996, making it a pioneer in the use of the worldwide web to deliver Catholic News and information. He encouraged viewers to log onto the new website and enjoy its greatly expanded content.
“This new project with CNA continues our history of using every means of technology to share the faith with people around the globe,” he said. “I believe this is an important step forward for EWTN, CNA and for the delivery of Catholic news around the globe.”
EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 29th year, is available in over 150 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website, www.ewtn.com, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Nun wars

Read Sr Mary Ann Walsh's USCCB Media Blog. She sets the record straight on which nuns the social justice group NETWORK represents, and which they don't.
Here is a great article in the National Catholic Register about which Catholic organizations you can trust to make a political statement, and which you cannot.

 Good for you, Sister!

Planned Parenthood is cashin' in on health care plan

Rep Stupak, if the President's Executive Order prevents federal funding of abortion, then why is Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion business in the world, so happy about the bill?

Planned Parenthood called the pro-abortion health care bill the House approved late Sunday night a victory and applauded the financial windfall it expected to reap as a result. The abortion business also dismissed the executive order President Barack Obama promised Congressman Bart Stupak as harmless.

Read the entire article at Life News.

Universal health care does NOT reduce abortions

Call me a sucker. I was willing to believe Bart Stupak a few minutes ago when he said that health care for pregnant women would reduce abortions.
But the facts prove otherwise in Massacusetts, according to Dr Phelan of the New England Jouranl of Medicine quoted in the the CCCF Blog.

Why the executive order is useless

An executive order is an ineffective maneuver and completely unacceptable.
Here's why:

1. An executive order can be rescinded any time. President Obama could reverse it next week, next month, or next year. Should another pro-abortion president be elected in the future, it could be rescinded on inauguration day.

2. An executive order will not prevent insurance companies that provide abortion from participating in the exchanges.

3. Abortion funding in the health care legislation can be only be removed using the legislative process. An executive order not only doesn't fix the problem, it isn't needed to fix the problem, and could not stand a legal challenge. If Democrats are serious about protecting taxpayers from funding abortion in the health care bill, they must use the legislative process to fix the problem.

ACTION:
Call the following members of Congress immediately and tell them that an executive order by the president on abortion is unacceptable and urge them to vote NO on the pro-abortion health care bill.
Marion Berry (AR) 202-225-4076

Kathy Dahlkemper (PA) 202 225-3103

Daniel Lipinski (IL) 202-225-5701

Earl Pomeroy (ND) 202-225-2611

Nick Rahall (WV) 202-225-3452

Bart Stupak (MI) 202-225-4744

Steve Driehaus (OH) 202-225-2216

Joe Donnelly (IN) 202-225-3915

Jerry Costello (IL) 202-225-5661

Marcy Kaptur (OH) 202-225-4146

Paul Kanjorski (PA) 202-225-6511

Alan Mollohan (WV) 202-225-4172

Children with Down syndrome may lose their health care

Sad news for those with Down syndrome on their day to celebrate; their health care has been jeopardized.
See Healthcare for Gunner, a website from Kristen Hawkins of Students for Life for details on why those of us who love someone with Down syndrome should be afraid for them.

Stupak caves into pressure; will vote YES on health care

Bart Stupak is giving in to pressure and voting YES to the health care bill, he says he reached an agreement with Obama who will issue an executive order to forbid federal funds being used for health care, and provide conscience protection for health care workers. I though that Obama said there was NO abortion funding in the bill. Shows you how reliable his word is.


This executive order is rescindable, and may be declared unconstitutional. It is meaningless.

This is a tragedy, Bart Stupak was our last hope to defeat this vote. He is starting to repeat the Democratic talking points that the funds for pregnant women will prevent abortions. It may prevent some, but not as many as the bill will pay for, after Obama goes back on his word.

Fr Paul Marx OSB rest in peace

The Apostle of Life who founded Human Life International and the Population Research Institute,  passed away quietly in his sleep, three months short of his ninetieth birthday.
Read a touching tribute to him here.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/mar/10032002.html
May the angels lead hin into paradise.

Congressman Joe Courtney announces "yes" vote on CNN

OK Congressman Courtney,since you vote "yes" on health care, I will carry out my promise to work for your oponent in this upcoming election, as I promised you numerous times.
You are on the wrong side of the will of the people of Eastern CT.

Lies about health care: Bill Donohue speaks out

DISINFORMATION ON HEALTH BILL IS RAMPANT
Catholic League president Bill Donohue seeks to set the record straight on the status of the Catholic Church's position on the health care bill:

We are delighted that Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a news release yesterday clarifying the position of Catholics on the health care bill. She explicitly cited a dissident Catholic group, NETWORK, for giving the false impression that 59,000 nuns have lined up in favor of the bill. "The letter had 55 signatories, some individuals, some groups of three to five persons. One endorser signed twice."

Perhaps the most commonly disseminated piece of disinformation concerns the question of abortion in the legislation. Is it true, as Catholic dissidents are saying, that the Senate bill does not cover abortion? And if so, are the bishops the ones promoting false information?

The answer does not require legal analysis. All it requires is an ability to read and exercise common sense. If abortion coverage is not in the bill, then why is it that every single amendment written to make absolutely sure that abortion funding is not in the legislation was defeated by pro-abortion senators?

We are happy to note that a health group of real professionals, namely the Catholic Medical Association, has formally opposed the bill; Catholic doctors should be listened to on this issue. The fact that they see right through the disinformation is heartening.
Those in the media who want to know what the Catholic position is on this issue, and every other public policy issue, need only access the website of the USCCB. What others say is intriguing, but hardly determinative.

Catholic vs Catholic over health care

Pro-life blogger Jill Stanek is right. Its a holy war.
Somehow those of us Catholics  who adhere to Church teachings on life issues must get through to the members of Network and the Catholic Health Association that this health care bill cannot be supported by Catholics.
For the good of their souls, and of the poor. Yes, the poor, whose children's lives are at stake. Ask abortion clinic escort Dominican Sr Donna Quinn. No amount of health benefits  for the poor can eradicate the fact that poor minority women are the ones who have the most abortions. Since the sisters of etwork say they work with the poor, they must know that. Or has their pro-abortion agenda blinded them to the plight of those they claim to serve?
Many of these women religious are high in postions of power in the Church. They, like CHA CEO Sr Carol Keehan who draws a salary of over $400K (she claims its donated to her order, but that is still a lot of money for an order with vows of poverty) They have become too involved in the status quo and those who fear that Catholic hospitals will be forced by this health care bill to perform abortions are a bit late; they already do.

In Catholic hospitals in Connecticut, the abortifacient drug Plan B is distributed to rape victims. Rep Chris Coutu (R) was part of an effort to keep CT Catholic hospitals from being forced into providing the drug which works by preventing an embryo from implanting in the uterus, but he told me that "the bishops undercut our efforts" by accepting this illicit procedure. Remember; they had a way out and chose to allow an abortifacient anyway. http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/connecticut_bishops_urged_to_reverse_plan_b_decision/

In London Ontario, Catholic priest and chief ehticist for the diocese, Fr Michael Prieur, advises women to undergo so called 'early induction' abortions.. These take place when pregnant mothers have their labor induced early to give birth tobabies before the age of viability (22 weeks).Allegedly, the babies for whom Fr Prieur allows abortions have fatal anomalies, in other words, they would not live long outside the womb.  Oh, its made so pretty, they have special rooms where the dying child, gasping for air, but given none, is photographed, hand and foot printed and even dressed up in a gown for a family photo. This is a comfort to famlies whose child  with a fatal anomaly is born naturally, and I wish I had this comfort with my three miscarriages, but when the parents and the doctors have conspired to kill the 'unacceptable' child then dare to dress it up, it is an outrage, when it is proposed by a Catholic priest it is SCANDALOUS. Read the Life Site News story here.
 http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031810.html

Is it any accident that Canada, where there has been socialized medicine for 30 years is proposing induced abortion for expensive disabled babies? In September, with Healthcare for Gunner, I spent two days with three Canadians who came to the US to warn us that socialized medicine is dangerous for the disabled, especially little Annie Farlow with Trisomy 18, who at months of age, was in a Canadian hospital and given a fatal dose of morphine without her parents' knowlege. Barb to her credit, has dedicated years of her life to pursue justice for Annie. She has encountered nothing but stonewalling and heartless bureaucrats. The most recent report from thE Coroner said that since Annie (a disabled non-verbal toddler) couldn't make her wishes known, the doctors didn't know she wanted to live. Oh really. This is socialized healthcare at its best, saving the taxpayer money by eliminating expensive patients.

And then there's Terri Schiavo, whose bishop sent a priest to her hearing to remove the feeding tube to testify on behalf of her adulterous husband Michael Schiavo who wanted Terri dead, to spend her lawsuit money with his new woman and children. Bishop Lynch even had the temerity to blame Terri's devoted family for the 'lack of peace' surrounding the nationwide story. They had offered, at no cost to Michael, to take their daughter home and care for her. He wanted her dead, and the bishop took his side.  Not a week after Terri's misrable dehydration/starvation murder, our beloved Pope John Paul II died with a feeding tube. I am convinced he had the tube inserted, not because he needed one (the Church does not insist on forcing burdensome food and water on those actively dyiing, as he was) but to tell American that Terri a young woman with years of life ahead of her should have had one.
Don't forge to commemorate the anniversay of her murder which will be commemorated by a concert on March 31. See the Terri foundation website for details.
 http://www.terrisfight.org/

These leaders of the Church have been scadalously disobedient to the 15 year old encyclical Evangelium Vitae, and now, through the public war over health care,  the public is becoming ever more painfully aware of what has scandalized the faithful. So, to those of you who are shocked by the contentitous divide in the Church over abortion, and end of life issues for the frail and disabled, I say, "where have you been?"
Important represnetatives of our Church have been betraying the teaching on life issues publicly for years. Now they are about to cash in big time on their shame. Catholic hospitals in the CHA will be on board with the rationing of care to the disabled and the elderly and abortion procedures mandated by Obamacare.
Someday there will be a higher Court before whom those who have distorted Church teaching on life issues must appear. And no amount of backroom deals or arm-twisting will sway this Judge.
May Almighty God have mercy on us.
St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us.

Rising Chorus of Bishops against health care bill

Here's why:

Health care reform must protect life and conscience, not threaten them. The Senate bill extends abortion coverage, allows federal funds to pay for elective abortions and denies adequate conscience protection to individuals and institutions.

 Thank you Bishops William Murphy (my old diocese Rockville Centre) Daniel Di Nardo of Galveston, and John Wester of Salt Lake City. God bless your boldness in this time when we need heroes.

Read the story in the Washington Post.

Tragic Ireland losing the Faith

Ireland is a land who has suffered so many trials; the Potato Famine, the Penal Laws, the Troubles, but no crisis as tragic as that she suffers today; there is a report on NPR about how, in response to abuse, Irishmen have establised a website to 'unbaptize' themselves. Such a loss from a land whose faith was always strengthened by trials. This scandal has broken many people's faith, but according to Irish Times columnist Breda O'Brien,  there's another culprit; materialism. We know a lot about this in the US. Once we are comfortable, God becomes an accessory  that doesn't go with our lifestyle.
I remember visiting a leaner, more Catholic Ireland for Easter 1987, where churches were packed with young famlies who rode two deep in the back seats of in tiny Nissans.
Now, there is scandal and prosperity and Ireland is suffering from both.
We await the Holy Father's advice on this situation.
They may take their name off the rolls, but the mark of Baptism remains on their souls. May Almighty God have mercy on Ireland.
St Patrick pray for us.

Listen to the 7 hour Irish music steam here to keep from becoming despondent, wait, that's one of Irish music's best themes. Delicious despondency.

Sr Carol Keehan explains her position in favor of the health care bill

New York Times unfairly attacking Pope Benedict

Catholic League president Bill Donohue takes on the New York Times:
On March 10, the New York Times ran an article on sex abuse in the Catholic Church stating that in Austria a priest abused a boy 40 years ago. Yesterday, readers learned of a German case where a man says he was abused in 1979. But when Rabbi Baruch Lebovits was found guilty last week on eight counts of sexually abusing a Brooklyn boy, the Times failed to report it. This is not an accident—it is deliberate.
Worse, on Saturday, the Times ran a front-page story saying that in 2002, when the sex abuse scandal in Boston hit, the pope—then Cardinal Ratzinger—"made statements that minimized the problem." No quotes or evidence of any kind were given. "Minimize the problem." Interesting phrase. In 2005, the Times reported that in 2002, Ratzinger believed that "less than 1 percent of priests are guilty" of sex abuse (it was later found that 4 percent was a more accurate figure). The Times characterized his remark by saying he "appeared to minimize the problem." Looks like they got their talking points down just fine.

What the Times could have said over the weekend was that on January 9, 2002, three days after the Boston Globe broke the story on sex abuse, it ran a story reporting that Ratzinger had sent a letter to the bishops worldwide saying that "even a hint" of the sexual abuse of minors merited an investigation. But to do so would have compromised the conclusion it sought to reach.


If the Times were truly interested in eradicating sex abuse, it not only would report on cases like Rabbi Lebovits, it would not seek to protect the public school establishment. But it does. Here's the proof. Last year, there were two bills being debated in Albany on the subject of sex abuse: one targeted only private institutions like the Catholic Church, giving the public schools a pass; the other covered both private and public. The Times endorsed the former.

Contact NYT Public Editor Clark Hoyt: public@nytimes.com

Catholic hospitals uspport Obamacare, USCCB does not

The USCCB does not support Obamacare, but the Catholic Health Association does. Read the story here
.http://www.lifenews.com/nat6118.html

Read the hosptial story at One News Now.

Stand with Stupak; the video

Hitler rails against Pope Benedict

Stupak under attack from NOW

from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League:

Mary Pollock, legislative vice president of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for Women, yesterday accused Rep. Bart Stupak, a Catholic, of imposing his religious beliefs on the nation. “It is outrageous and un-American,” Pollock said of the pro-life congressman.

Commenting on this remark is Bill Donohue of the Catholic League:
Smear words have been used against virtually every religious, racial and ethnic group in American history. Fortunately, they are rarely voiced anymore. Unfortunately, it is still fair game in many quarters to indict Roman Catholics. One of the most vile canards ever invoked against Catholics is the rap that they are “un-American.” This bigoted slur has its origins in the early part of the 19th century. It is more than disconcerting—it is disgusting—that it is still being made against Catholics in 2010. That it should come from the mouth of a radical feminist activist is not wholly surprising, but it is reprehensible nonetheless.
As the clock winds down on the health care bill, anti-Catholicism is raising its ugly head with greater frequency. It is time for men and women of goodwill from all faith backgrounds, and on both sides of the abortion issue, to unequivocally denounce these bigoted expressions. What Mary Pollock said should be condemned by everyone.
Contact the Michigan president of NOW, Renee Beeker: Presidentminow@aol.com

Exorcist; the devil is in the Vatican

We know the devil is very active in Washington these days, as Catholic Pelosi lies about abortion funding in the health care bill, Catholic Bart Stupak is attacked as 'unamerican' for opposing it on that basis,  and the silence from the USCCB is deafening.
 Did you know that the Prince of Darkness is also active in the Vatican? If you read "Windswept House"by Fr Malachi Martin, which he claims was based on truth, before his mysterious murder, you would know that.
Fr Gabriel Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican who has written two books entitled,
"An Exorcist Tells His Story", the devil is apparent in the attempted murder of Pope John Paul II, the attack on Pope Benedict by a deranged woman over Christmas, and the pedophilia scandal.
I read a book a while ago about a secret Communist plan to send moles into the Catholic priesthood to destroy it from within. From some of the nonsense we have seen in some of our dioceses, I believe that someone wants the priesthood to fall, for it will take the Church down with it. And now there are new allegations of child abuse, involving Pope Benedict's brother, who slapped boys in the face while teaching school. While I wouldn't condone this, it was probably an accepted practice at the time.
Whats the solution? Exorcisms, according to Fr Amorth who was interviewed by ABC news here. However, author of the book, "The Rite" (see my review here) Matt Baglio is pessimistic, as he sent copies of his book to every bishop in the US to encourage them to appoint exorcists, only to be ignored in all but two cases. Fr Amorth has harsh words for such bishops,
 '"I believe bishops who don't appoint exorcists are committing a mortal sin,".

Call your representative now to oppose health care bill!

from Marjorie Dannelfeser;
Tomorrow afternoon, I am meeting with Rep. Bart Stupak—the pro-life Democrat from Michigan who has taken the lead on Capitol Hill in the fight against abortion funding. I know Congressman Stupak is doing all he can to ensure that this Senate health care bill does not lead to hundreds of thousands of taxpayer-funded abortions across the nation. But he cannot do it alone.

Time is so short. Speaker Pelosi is dead set on forcing a vote to pass the Senate health care bill by March 18th, opening the floodgates for abortion on-demand, at the expense of you and me. But, she doesn’t have the votes yet.

You MUST call your Representative right now to tell them you do not want this pro-abortion health care bill.

Earlier this week, Nancy Pelosi told the LA Times, "I think we can get there, but I'm going to need help from any place I can get it." Everything is resting on the House members, who desperately need to hear from their constituents right now. The more pro-life pressure we can generate in the next 2 weeks, the better. We’ve got to flood these representatives’ offices with pro-life phone calls.

 I know I have asked a lot from you this week, but please immediately TELEPHONE the Washington, D.C. office of your Representative. I promise, it is so easy, just click here to get your representative’s phone number and helpful talking points.

You and I both know that we cannot just sit back as the largest expansion of government-backed abortion on-demand since 1973 comes to pass. The lives of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies are at risk. You must make your voice heard in Washington today.

The polling we released last week shows just how much impact the constituents have on their Member of Congress. At least 3 of every 5 people surveyed across eight districts agreed, “Abortion and abortion funding have no place in health care reform.” Also, the majority of Americans in the districts polled are less likely to reelect their Representative if they vote for pro-abortion health care reform.


I can’t wait to share these poll results with Rep. Stupak tomorrow. He needs all the backup we can give him, so please call your Representative right now. Be sure to let me know how it goes so I can tell Rep. Stupak how many people have called their Representatives.


My take;

I called Congressman Joe Courtney's office and was given the line by the female staffer who answered the phone  that the Hyde Amendment would prevent  federal funds for abortion, I called it a 'bait and switch tactic' where Planned Parenthood puts the federal funds in one pocket and pulls out more abortion funding from the other.S he tried to cite Nancy Pelosi, and I asked her to cite someone reliable, like Rep Chris Smith. who called this legislation "the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v Wade" or Bart Stupak who won't vote for it because of abortion funding.I told her I saw the SEIU lobbyists bragging that their time had come as they walked the halls of Congress after the election. I know that Obama and Courtney are beholden to NARAL, PP and the pro-abortion unions for their elections, and that they will be benefiting mightily from this health care plan with my tax dollars!
 I reminded the staffer that I have travelled both to Courtney's Town Hall Meetings, and to DC three times this year to oppose abortion funding in the health care plan. I informed her that I am a blogger for David Horowitz's Newsreal and Catholic Vote.
 The female staffer tried to tell me what a noble organization Planned Parenthood is, and I educated her about the eugenics of Margaret Sanger. and asked her if she knew the stats of abortion in the black community, and told her to look up photos of Sanger with Nazis and KKK members. She wanted to reduce the poverty rolls by eliminating the children of the poor,and PP still does that by abortion. She tried to tell me PP does many good things for women, and I asked her if she knew of the Hartford case where a minor girl who was kidnapped and molested was given an abortion legally thanks to laws preventing parental notification, and was returned to her rapist's custody instead of saved.
. I told her I wouldn't be associatee with any group which is racist and exploits women, like PP. I reminded her if Courtney voted in favor of this bill, that I would continue to work for his opponent, Matt Daly, a pro-life candidate for the Second District in CT. At that point, she took my address, and I felt like I was making an impact. I reminded her to check her facts about wonderful Planned Parenthood, told her I am not a Republican,. but  a pro-lifer and no one can buy my vote. I hope she will do the same. We parted amicably, and I am praying for her.
Once while talking with the female staffer of a pro-abortion Congressman I asked her if she suspecte the pro-abortion people were after money, and reminded her that no one pays pro-lifers. She was taken aback by this and I think may have had a change of heart. That's why I told the Courtney staffer the same thing, I do this for love of these women, not for money. I rarely get paid from anywhere I write, and if I do, I spend the money on gas to get to my next protest or conference.
The need is more urgent than ever to save this nation from the encroaching Culture of Death.
Have you called your congressman today?

The damage done by JFK

I wrote here about the near worship Catholics gave John F Kennedy in the 1960's which was extended to Robert and Teddy, even down to Patrick and Maria Shriver. Was this adulation warranted? Did JFK erect more barriers than he smashed by promising to seperate his personal Catholic beliefs from his political career becoming the first Catholic president?
Archbishop Charles Chaput, in this address to Houston Baptist Univeristy says "yes".

Fifty years ago this fall, in September 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy, the Democratic candidate for president, spoke to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association. He had one purpose. He needed to convince 300 uneasy Protestant ministers, and the country at large, that a Catholic like himself could serve loyally as our nation’s chief executive. Kennedy convinced the country, if not the ministers, and went on to be elected. And his speech left a lasting mark on American politics. It was sincere, compelling, articulate – and wrong. Not wrong about the patriotism of Catholics, but wrong about American history and very wrong about the role of religious faith in our nation’s life. And he wasn’t merely “wrong.” His Houston remarks profoundly undermined the place not just of Catholics, but of all religious believers, in America’s public life and political conversation. Today, half a century later, we’re paying for the damage.

It's time for faithful Christians to ignore the false barrier between Church and State erected by Justice Black in 1947, and enage fully in the political process. Our morals and character are urgently needed as salt and light  in a culture of death which is rapidly becoming a totalitarian aetheist state.
Obama talks about the familiar Christian principles of charity and love of neighbor, but his actions belie his words. His administration is promoting abortion, homosexuality, alienation of children from their parents, barring poor children from good schools,  as the schoolteachers move into the role of moral guides, and, perhaps most ominous of all, his administration is intimidating those who would protest. Remember David Axelrod's list of those who are speaking against the health care plan? I signed up, and I hope you did. We Christians need to be on record at times like these as opponents of such draconian tactics. Yes, it may cost us, but someday we will have to face the Just Judge who has entrusted us to live in times like these for a reason.
Its an uphill battle and it hurts more when seedy politicans like Nancy Pelosi lie to the bishops saying there is no funding of abortion in the health care bill. Or when she asks legislators to pass it "to find out what's in it". But we are living in the Church militant, and while 500 Christians are being hacked to death in Nigeria by militant Muslims, staging an ongoing protest to abortion funding and moral decline is a comparatively small burden.
Call your Representatives and tell them you oppose the health care bill as it stands, supporting abortion.


Read the entire speech on MercatorNet.

We already fund enough abortion

You already fund abortion through your tax dollars if you live in one of these 17 states. CCCF blog has an excellent post with the details.

Despite the Hyde Amendment, those up-to-17 states that permit abortions to be paid for with taxpayer dollars still fund – at this time – an estimated 250,000 abortions a year (costing on the order of $125 million). The nation’s two top abortion states, California and New York State, alone account for 140,000 state-taxpayer funded abortions, out of their total of 425,000 abortions a year (those two states accounting for nearly 40% of all abortions in America).

According to the blog, abortions, especially those of children with pre-natal diagnoses like Down syndrome or autism (yes, this is coming) will increase dramatically in a push to control costs.
Rationing of health care to give to what the government considers 'worthwhile' children.
This will be done by death panels.
Sarah Palin was right.

Hang on Stupak, Stupak hang on!

Even the Dems are admitting it; its all about abortion. Read this piece in Business Week.

His comments underscore the risk the abortion issue poses as congressional Democrats seek to pass comprehensive health legislation with no Republican support. Party leaders have yet to settle on a strategy to resolve the abortion dispute.

 The health care bill hangs on a thread, and a small group of pro-life Democrats, led by Bart Stupak are holding the scissors. On today's Good Morning America, Stupak said that he will direct the group to vote the bill down unless a provision to exlcude federal funding of abortion is included, something Nancy Pelosi says is unecessary.

So, when you try and ignore the issue of abortion, it comes back to haunt you, doesn't it Speaker Pelosi?

Question; if, according to Pelosi, there is NO federal funding of abortion in this bill, how does she get out of this tight corner she has painted for herself?

It just goes to show Democrats that when you abandon morality to pander to special interests, that there are consequences to be faced. And some politicians with consciences.

Hang on Stupak, this is your moment of destiny. Pro-lifers are watching and praying for you to hold fast.

Senate to vote on anti-Catholic bigot Dawn Johnsen

from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League:

After failing to win approval to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department last year, Dawn Johnsen was renominated by President Obama this year. Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her; her nomination will now go before the full Senate

.In the minds of many, on both sides of the aisle, Dawn Johnsen is considered controversial for many reasons. Of interest to the Catholic League is one issue—her anti-Catholic bigotry.

In 1988, Dawn Johnsen worked on a brief, United States Catholic Conference v. Abortion Rights Mobilization, that sought to strip the Catholic Church of its tax-exempt status. The brief could have targeted all those religions which are anti-abortion, but it did not. Instead, it singled out the Catholic Church for punishment.
I am writing today to every member of the Senate asking just one question: Are you aware that Dawn Johnsen, who will soon be voted upon by the full Senate, sought to strip the Roman Catholic Church of its tax-exempt status in 1988?
My letter is intended as a big FYI.