Mexican Exorcist warns about the influence of Harry Potter

"The leading exorcist of Mexico's main archdiocese said the popular Harry Potter book and film series could allow the devil to enter children's minds, and does ''a lot of damage.''The Reverend Pedro Mendoza, a Roman Catholic priest and exorcist coordinator of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, made the comments at the end of a five-day exorcism conference in Mexico City.''If you put all these ideas in a child's head, that he can become a wizard, the child believes that, and that is opening an avenue through which the devil can get in,'' Mendoza said Friday - the eve of the release of the series' final book.He said that Harry Potter ''doesn't interest us,'' but ''unfortunately, it does a lot of damage.''
NDTV.com

My experience with the occult came as a result of the media fascination with the occult in the 1970's between The Exorcist, The Omen, The Amityville Horror, and, believe it or not, Bewitched. Sometimes, it's not so much what is in a particular film or book that is evil, but what that book leads innocent children to. In the case of the Harry Potter series, all you have to do is read the titles of other books which are included in the display in the bookstore where they are sold. All of them have to do with the occult. Harry Potter books serve as a jumping off point for children to explore the occult. Adolescent experts like Steve Wood call this a 'portal'. He told Johnette Benkovic that when police want to investigate a crime, they request library records of teens, and often such books are involved in the teen's downfall.
HT Colleen Hammond

Liberals try to hide a no-brainer; link between child pornography and

Liberals bothered by Ave Maria's reputation as a 'clean town'

USA Today has an article about Ave Maria University.

On Saturday, the town will open its doors to the public. Next week, Ave Maria University will move from its cramped quarters in Naples to a permanent campus here, which sits on what used to be about 1,000 acres of tomato plants.
Ave Maria has not been without controversy. The Florida American Civil Liberties Union has threatened to sue if the town bans birth control, as Monaghan suggested in a speech

What, a town without birth control in the drugstores, or pornography on cable, what is this guy a Nazi or something? Sounds like the world I was born into in 1962, a world of Gidget and Patty Duke innocence, which within 5 years had literally turned upside down, with HAIR and LSD.

That hasn't appeased the ACLU of Florida, which threatened a lawsuit. Monaghan's "comments on the record give us legitimate concerns about the community he's creating," says Executive Director Howard Simon. Although many religious groups, from the Amish to Hasidic Jews, have their own communities, "constitutional issues arise when the religious group wants to act as if it also has governmental authority."

In other words, we'll tolerate crazy Amish and Hasidim who want to live decently, but no clean Catholics!

The USA already is home to more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities. But Monaghan and his administrators say Ave Maria's campus will reflect a faithfulness to Catholic teachings that they do not see elsewhere. The campus will have single-sex dorms, for instance. And every residence hall will have a chapel.
"We make no apologies for seeking to uphold Catholic moral teachings," particularly when it comes to relations between men and women, Ave Maria University President Nicholas Healy says. "We would not approve of or facilitate something that is very common, I'm told, on college campuses today, hooking up and sleeping around, and … binge drinking."

He's right. It's a terrible scandal for the Church, not only aberrant theology and morality taught at so-called Catholic universities, but the lax moral climate in the dorms, where many students are corrupted. I remember Mother Angelica on her TV show, counseling a college student in one of the above corrupt universities, "dearie, you're paying those people all that money and you're losing your soul. That's not very bright of you!"

As a parting shot, USA Today mentions that Tom Monaghan is a college drop-out. No big letters after his name. Implication; how dare this undereducated dolt think he can start a university? The liberals, both in an out of the Church are waiting for this grand experiment to fail. I hope they are disappointed.

Two years ago, I drove from my brother's home on the east coast of Florida, through the tomato fields of Immokalee where they were constructing the Ave Maria campus, and into the housing development clubhouse they were renting to house the growing school. There, I found a bastion of Catholic culture with intelligent, polite students. I always measure the character of a college student by how they react to children. I work on two college campuses where I wouldn't dream of bringing my girls, because of the indecent dress, rudeness, foul language, and filthy, profane conversations they'd encounter. Not so at Ave Maria. Girls largely wore skirts, and were delighted to see children, many missing their numerous siblings at home. Guys were neat, and chivalrous opening doors, and offering directions. Many were just the type I hope my girls bring home to meet us someday.

We visited the Blessed Sacrament which is in Perpetual Adoration, passed by a coffee house, where intellectual discussion was taking place, not rude adolescent posturing, and found a Catholic conference given for the benefit of the local community. Students were processing around campus, led by nuns in full habit, saying the rosary. Afterwards, students were given a Strauss-style waltz lesson in preparation for the 19th century ball to be held the next day. My girls and I were entranced at the sight of the twirling partners, and the gorgeous music. I thought to ask if they had graduate programs for moms. Now, this is the type of college I could trust my precious daughters to!

For an article on Ave Maria summer conferences, click here.

News: Senators Kennedy and Brownback reintroduce prolife bill to Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) today reintroduced the Pre-natally and Post-natally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act, legislation which would require that families who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome or any other condition, pre-natally or up until a year after birth, will be given up-to-date information about the nature of the condition and connection with support services and networks that could offer assistance.
Those of us who advocate for the rights of the unborn, as well as for the rights of people with Down syndrome have been preparing for this. I see us organizing a welcome kit to parents expecting a child with Down syndrome, containing the book Gifts, the DVD Mr Blue Sky, my upcoming book, and lists of national and local Down syndrome advocacy groups, as well as pre-natal support groups like Be Not Afraid.net and Pre-natal Partners for Life. This support will also include contact information of parents like me, who can honestly tell what raising a child with Down Syndrome is like, for example read my piece, "A Special Mother is Born" published in May/June Faith and Family magazine on the birth of my daughter Christina.

Youth 2000 Retreat at Kellenberg HS, Long Island, July 20-21

Married Couples reject the blessing of children

According to a study released July 1st by the Pew research center, Public Concern over the Delinking of Marriage and Parenthood. Adults of all ages consider unwed parenting to be a big problem for society. "At the same time, however, just four-in-ten (41%) say that children are very important to a successful marriage, compared with 65% of the public who felt this way as recently as 1990".

According to a Washington Post article, "This might be explained by a greater emphasis on soul mate relationships in marriage and an increasing recognition of the stress involved in raising children, said Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, co-director of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University. There is also a more widespread belief that having children is a choice, she said. "Marriage and kids were kind of hyphenated before," she said, "and now the hyphens have been removed."

This is the direct result of forty years of ignoring Humanae Vitae, which begins with the following acknowlegement, " The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships. " Hardships are thought to undermine marriage, and many couples try to avoid any type of sacrifice, for the good of the marriage, their own comfort,freedom of lifestyle, and financial success. It's all about personal satisfaction, and marriage, though it remains the ideal of many, in practice, is becoming less important.
"In the United States today, marriage exerts less influence over how adults organize their lives and how children are born and raised than at any time in the nation's history. Only about half of all adults (ages 18 and older) in the U.S. are married; only about seven-in-ten children live with two parents; and nearly four-in-ten births are to unwed mothers, according to U.S. Census figures. As recently as the early 1970s, more than six-in-ten adults in this country were married; some 85% of children were living with two parents; and just one-birth-in-ten was to an unwed mother."

Funding for Abstinence Education is up for a vote

Report Shows Lower Teen-Sex and Pregnancy Rates
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Decline began with the introduction of abstinence education.
Teen-sex and pregnancy rates are down, according to a National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report released today. Experts say parents should take a closer look at the data to determine what the statistics show and how to keep kids healthy.
The NCHS study tracked trends among high school students from 1991 to 2005. In 1991, 54 percent of teens reported having had sexual intercourse. In 2005, that number dropped to 47 percent. The rate of teen pregnancy also showed a dramatic decline.
Dr. Joyce Abma, social scientist for NCHS, which is a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the data come from "pencil and paper questionnaires" called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey given to students at public and private schools.
"It's a cross-section of the high school student population in the United States in each of those years," Abma said. "The report contains data from each of the biennial surveys between those two time points, but those time points are interesting because the decline is significant between them."
Linda Klepacki, analyst for sexual health at Focus on the Family Action, said 1991 is a significant marker for a reason.
"That's when we separated out abstinence education from contraceptive-based education," she said. "We have seen a continual decline since 1991, so we can infer that we've had an effect with abstinence education in our public schools."
Abma said Klepacki is on to something. While the study did not attempt to investigate cause, she said, efforts to educate teens about the risks associated with sexual intercourse have "increased and intensified" over the last decade.
"Given how many of those efforts are going on," Abma said, "it is probably making an impact on both abstinence and responsible sexual behavior."
Harry Wilson, associate commissioner at the Family and Youth Services Bureau for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the study reflects that kids are making better decisions than they were 10 years ago.
"They’re making those good decisions, and, hopefully, it’s because the programs are working," he said. "The messages that they get are that it’s better to wait."
Klepacki said the trend is significant, but cautioned against being overly optimistic.
"Even though sexual-intercourse rates have been declining, that does not mean that other sexual-activity rates are also declining," she said. "We have seen a move to other sexual activities to protect their 'technical virginity.' " That's why it is important for kids to learn that the best way to stay healthy both physically and emotionally is abstinence until marriage.
"Parents need to continue to teach their children God's interpretation of sexual activity," Klepacki said, "and that's sexual purity in their heart, mind and body."
FOR MORE INFORMATION























Click on this link to contact your Congressman.

Abortions are now legal in Portugal

but Most Doctors Refuse to Do Them Survey Shows
Lisbon, Portugal (LifeNews.com) --
Portugal became the latest nation to legalize abortions when its new abortion law went into effect on Sunday. However a survey shows that 80 percent of the physicians in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation refuse to do them. According to the Fides news service, Manuel Cruz, the head of the pro-life group Life Foundation, said, "Abortion is the worst distortion of medicine because a doctor vows to cure not to kill. This explains the widespread movement of objection of conscience among Portugal's doctors." Meanwhile, Msgr. Carlos Alberto Moreira di Azevedo, a spokesman for the Catholic bishops conference, told Fides that "Catholic nurses and doctors have been encouraged to have recourse to their right to objection of conscience and many have done so." He added: "This comes as a surprise to the government, -- many hospitals will not be able to perform abortions because so many doctors are having recourse to their right to objection of conscience." The new abortion law allows tem though the 10th week of pregnancy although it faces two legal challenges at the Constitutional Court by Portugal's Pro-Life Movement and the legislative assembly of the autonomous region of Madeira. The regional government refuses to allow the law to go into effect there until the courts rule whether it's constitutional. Portugal’s parliament approved the new abortion law after voters failed to approve it on the ballot. Ore than half of the nation failed to vote and only a small percentage of the overall population actually voted to legalize abortion. Under the new law, abortions will be paid for under the nation's health insurance system and women wanting abortions must get the okay from two doctors and go through a three day waiting period beforehand.

The Laity's role in the New Springtime of Evangelization

These are excerpts from The Tide is Turning Toward Catholicism by David Hartline, a book I am reading for inspritation as I slog through my various projects this summer. One of my projects is completing an FCC application for a Non-Commercial Educational Catholic radio station. This is discouraging, because the local laity are rather lackluster when it comes to this amazing opportunity to evangelize Long Island with the outstanding teaching on EWTN. I am encouraged, however, to read the following about Catholic bloggers; did you know how influential you are? Dr Joseph Varacalli, of Nassau Community College Center for Catholic Studies knows, and has organized a panel of Catholic bloggers including yours truly, A Long Island Catholic and Dawn Eden to discuss how Catholic bloggers do an end run around the gatekeepers of Catholic information and evangelization at the upcoming conference for the Society of Catholic Social Scientists October 26-27th at St. John's University Law School. If you have a story about how, as a Catholic blogger, you have made an impact, contact me, and I'll include it in my talk, referring to your blog.

"A shining example of Catholic lay involvement is the Internet and specifically the Catholic blogosphere. While Catholicism has been playing catch-up in radio and television, that is not the case with the Internet and the blogosphere. Catholic laity are in the forefront of evangelizing and defending the Faith. While there are thousands of Catholic websites that zealously defend the Church, there are but a handful of heterodox or liberal Catholic websites questioning the Church's teachings. Pope John Paul II's call for a springtime evangelization of the Church has been answered. Indeed the tide is turning!"
Catholic bloggers, take a bow.

HT Catholic Exchange

Need money? Write an Atheistic Book

"That a teaching is sublime and sustaining does not make it true. But that, along with its service in laying the moral foundations in the Western world for the belief in the dignity of all men and women--a belief that our new new atheists take for granted and for which they provide no compelling alternative foundation--is reason enough to give the variety of religions a fair hearing. And it is reason enough to respect believers as decent human beings struggling to make sense of a mysterious world."

Opinion Journal. com


This is an allusion to the Natural Law, a Catholic belief that the laws of God are written into the souls of men, for example, the belief in the dignity of man.

Sam Brownback and Rev. Henry Shaver stand up for life in Wichita

The Wichita Eagle quotes from Sam Brownback's new book, "From Power to Purpose".

"The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently put out new guidelines recommending that all pregnant women be offered screening to determine whether their child may have Down syndrome. The college argues that it is more responsible to inform parents of their options beforehand so that they can decide whether or not to let the baby live.
This recommendation codifies a practice that has become all too common: direct or indirect pressure applied to parents by the medical establishment to end the lives of unborn children with disabilities, because these children are supposedly too much of a burden for their parents to bear.
About 80 percent of Down syndrome children are aborted today. But if these children are born, the Americans With Disabilities Act protects them and assures them of a certain level of accommodation by society. It's one of the most highly touted pieces of legislation of the past 30 years. If you've got a disability, we want to help you.
The irony is that some people are working to make sure that babies with disabilities are never born. That's such a shame.
Many Down syndrome children are the centerpieces of their families. They have amazing gifts and are full of affection. But apparently society thinks nothing about their death in the womb. I raised this question with my colleagues. I've also raised it during hearings on Supreme Court justices. But there's still no support in favor of the life of a disabled child."
Jean at Catholic Fire quoted the above, and wants us to add some pro-life comments on the left leaning Wichita Eagle article.

Wichita is the home of notorious late term abortionist, George the baby killer Tiller, and at this moment there are hundreds of Christians praying outside his mill, that he be converted or brought to justice. Operation Rescue has been covering the story of attempts to charge him with doing late term abortions against the law, upon underage women, both felonies, but the Attorney General, Morrisey who received campaign money from Tiller has continually obfiscated, so that Tiller is only charged with misdemeanors. Sunday, a brave pastor,"Bud" Shaver, got up and read Isiah 1 at Tiller's Lutheran Church. He was arrested for disrupting the service. A Lutheran minister rrested for reading a Bible verse in a Lutheran church (albeit uninvited) and calling a public sinner to conversion. Unbelievable.

How can such things be happening in this once God-fearing nation?!

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

I have a post on this at Cause of Our Joy.
Are you wearing your scapular today?

Pat Buchanan's take on Summorum Pontificum

"And there are other reasons Benedict XVI acted.
The introduction of the new Mass has been attended by a raft of liturgical innovations by freelancing priests that are transparently heretical. And the years since Vatican II and the introduction of the new Mass have been marked by a crisis of faith in Europe and the United States.
Churches have closed. Faithful have fallen away, or converted to other faiths. Congregations have dwindled. Convents have emptied out. Vocations are a fraction of what they once were. Belief in the truths of Catholicism is not what it was in the years before Vatican II – the halcyon days of the great pope and future Saint. Pius XII.
One cannot know the effect of Pope Benedict’s decision. But the ferocity with which it was fought suggests some bishops are aware of the power of the old Latin Mass and the appeal of its mystery and solemnity to the young.
Pope Benedict, raised Catholic in Nazi Germany, once a reformer, but shaken by the events of 1968 and the social, cultural and moral revolution that followed, seems to have concluded that the Catholic Church’s apertura a sinistra, its opening to the left, has run its course theologically, liturgically and morally, and failed. Restored tradition can do no harm and may offer hope for the revival of a faith that is in its deepest crisis since the Reformation."
Pat Buchanan's blog
As usual, Pat puts history into perspective for us, and helps us to see the earthshaking significance of the return of the Latin Mass. I have some friends who insist that the upheaval of the 60's was due to the overstepping of the intentions of Vatican II, especially the 'throwing out the baby with the bathwater' step of effectively abolishing the Latin Mass. Time will tell, how true is their belief in "lex orendi, lex credendi" (the law of prayer is the law of belief). Will the return of Tradition restore what the Church has lost since it's heyday in the early sixties? As someone born during Vatican II, whose earliest vague memories are of a mystical, holy Mass, which awed one into silence, of frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament, where you dared not enter the church without some kind of head covering, who remembers the scent of incense and wax candles, and the beauty of traditional churches, I pray that I live to see a revival of faith. For the sake of my three daughters. I pray that they don't have to sit through a Mass wondering if the changes the celebrant made (omitting a reading, the creed, changing the wording of the Eucharistic Prayer) rendered the Mass invalid. I pray that every Church is physically beautiful again, that the music is ancient and prayerful, and that the congregation learns to pray thanksgiving after Mass, instead of discussing soccer games. I pray for full churches, for a return to belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and an understanding of the Mass as the unbloody recreation of Calvary, as a sacrifice, not a picnic. That the vocations surge to traditional orders continues, and that there are once again Catholic schools who don't stray from Church teaching. That Catholic Universities delve into the mysteries of our Faith to explain, rather than to destroy them. That the Catholic Church once again becomes the new Jerusalem it is prophesied to be in Revelation, a light to the nations, and reflects the glory of the Lord.

Bishop Fellay, leader of Society of St. Pius X optimistic about reunion with Rome

According to my sources, the SSPX the religious order founded by the late Archbishop Marcel LeFevre, who refused to adopt the Novus Ordo Mass, had outlined the steps for reconciliation with Rome as threefold.
1. Show good faith by declaring that the Traditional Mass was never done away with, and has always been valid, by granting permission for any priest to say it. Done 7/7/2007
2. Clarify and reaffirm the Church's teaching of "no salvation outside the Catholic Church". Done 7/10/2007
3. Lift the excommunication of Archbishop LeFevre, which the Holy Father as Head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith imposed in 1988, at the behest of Pope John Paul II. Coming soon?

According to Bishop Fellay, there has been 'a great leap forward' in negotiations about the 1 million member congregation's return to full communion with Rome, refering to steps one and two.
"Bishop Fellay indicated some optimism about the prospects for another conciliatory move by the Vatican: the lifting of a decree of excommunications levied against the bishops of the SSPX, who were ordained by the late Archbishop Lefebvre without the required approval from Rome. The SSPX has listed the removal of the excommunciation decree, along with universal approval of the Latin Mass, as a condition for reconciliation with the Holy See. Bishop Fellay said that officials in Rome have told him that the effort to lift the excommunications would now be "less difficult than the motu proprio."

This is great news for me, who has many friends who, when frustrated by the bishop's location of the Indult Mass, and refusal to grant an Traditional Mass for the funeral of a diocesan priest, joined the Society a few years ago. We conduct a homeschool Co-op of classes in their chapel, which is only 20 minutes from my home, when no parish on Long Island would give us space, but I explained to the affable pastor, that I could not join the chapel for Sunday Mass until they 'signed with Rome'.
A very dear friend of mine, Mary, died a painful death from breast cancer, while offering up her suffering for this reconciliation. She would smile when she had a painful procedure scheduled, and say, "Letcia, they're going to make progress this week, I got a lot of suffering ahead of me!" Please pray that the Society who treasures the beautiful Tridentine Mass, rejoins fully with Rome, and share this with us. Then, I can attend Mass every Sunday, near home, in a chapel which needs no conversion.
Catholic World News

APA to review guidlines on homosexuality

The American Psychological Association will be reconsidering whether homosexuality will be considered a mental disorder which needs repartive therapy, or simply a lifestyle which requires acceptance therapy.
What will rule, reason or political correctness?

Bigotry and Abortion

Ken Concannon has an insightful article at Catholic Exchange on bigotry and abortion.

Sam Brownback obtains the Right kind of stem cell funding!

Kansas senator and Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback recently voted against the 2008 spending bill for the departments of Labor, Health and Education because the measure has a provision that would overturn President Bush’s limits on funding new embryonic stem cell research. However, Brownback was successful in getting language in the bill funding an institute that conducts research using adult stem cells. Brownback successfully got language for a $500,000 grant to S. 1710 for the Midwest Institute for Comparative Stem Cell Biology. The institute is part of Kansas State University and primary looks at stem cells from human and animal umbilical cord blood. It has shown promise in experiments as treatments for Parkinson’s and breast cancer, said institute co-founder Mark Weiss, according to a CQ report. The earmark would double the institute’s funding, Weiss said. “That would be awesome if we could get some federal support. We’ve really been inching along here and that would help us take it to the next level.”
President Bush has promised to veto any Congressional spending bull that overturns his limits on taxpayer funding of abortion or embryonic stem cell research
LifeNews.com

Coming soon to an altar near you. . .

The now famous French YouTube video "Metamorphose D'un Autel", of the metamorphasis of a Novus Ordo altar to a Traditional Altar is now a giant leap closer to reality! Watching this is SO much sweeter now, enjoy. Remember your French: avant. . . apres (before. . after).

Fox News (St. Louis) Channel video about the Motu Proprio

Click here to watch Fox news affiliate in St. Louis' coverage about the Latin Mass. They seem to give traditional Catholics the edge in this report. For a change!

Blogs for Terri has Petition to stop Dr. Death from spreading his lies

Say No to Dr. Death Petition After his release from prison on June 1 for "good behavior," Jack Kevorkian, a.k.a. Dr. Death, resumed his promotion of assisted suicide as a humane conclusion for the terminally ill. He told Larry King that he felt it was important to speak to young people in high school and college about these issues. Apparently the University of Florida agrees. According to the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, Dr. Kevorkian, a convicted felon and defrocked doctor, is scheduled to speak to the students there and will be paid $50,000 to do so by the University of Florida student government association. The Foundation has released an alert and has posted a online petition that asks the University rescind the invitation to Kevorkian. Would you take a moment to consider signing it? (click here) As you do, consider how inappropriate it is for Kevorkian to be treated as a crusader for patient's rights given his distorted view of human dignity and role in the deaths of numerous patients (he claimed participation in 130 suicides and challenged prosecutors to issue charges).

A Michigan judge in 1999 sentenced Kevorkian to 10 to 25 years in prison for second degree murder and three to seven years for delivery of a controlled substance. At the time, he was denied bail due to his vow to keep assisting patient suicides. Kevorkian is now out of prison, having agreed to stop directly helping people commit suicide he continues to exploit the publicity of his premature release by promoting the actions that landed him in prison. Again, please take a few minutes to consider the online petition that asks the University of Florida to remove this unrepentant felon from the podium.

Blogs for Terri

Be Part of the New Springtime of Evangelization

Pope Benedict XVI once commented on John 5:15, which reads, "No longer do I call you servants... but... friends." The Holy Father said that the Apostles "were able to be apostles and witnesses of Christ because they were close to Him. They were united to him by a bond of love, brought to life by the Holy Spirit."
Lighthouse Catholic Media has experienced tremendous success by distributing over 1,000,000 apologetic CDs to over 1,000 Catholic parishes across the United States and parts of the world. Imagine the impact this is having on our culture! But we must do more; we are called to do more: "Go to the ends of the world", our Lords tells us in Matthew 28.
We are looking for more paid part-time helpers who are friends of the New Evangelization. If you are looking for meaningful work, a way to make some extra money while spreading the Truth of Jesus Christ, please email me today, we need your help! It doesn't matter what your experience is, we provide easy and effective training.


In your email, please include the following information:
Your Full Name
Diocese
Town you live in
Home Phone (or Mobile Phone)
Best time to reach you (mornings, day, evenings)
Tell us what excites you about sharing your Faith
We look forward to hearing from you!
EMAIL NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
tpiekut@yahoo.com
Please write “Lighthouse Catholic Media” in the Subject line of your email
Or call: Theresa M. Piekut (631) 886-1280
(evening or weekend best time to call, or leave message and best time to call you back)

Raymond Arroyo on the Motu Proprio

"While drafting the decree that would return the old Latin mass to Catholic altars around the world, Pope Benedict XVI rightly predicted that reaction to his directive would range from "joyful acceptance to harsh opposition." But what he did not anticipate was the reaction of pundits and not a few clerics who have tried to dismiss the decree as a curiosity--a nonevent that is likely to have little effect beyond a few "ultraconservative" throwbacks. David Gibson, the author of "The Coming Catholic Church," says that the announcement is "much ado about nothing," and French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard says that he doesn't "see a tsunami coming." But there is much more at play here than satiating the liturgical appetites of a few traditionalists. "
Opinion Journal.com
Bishop Ricard should take a look at my sitemeter, which is climbing like a tsunami. Last night, I sent Michael Brown from Spirit Daily a link from my post about the Latin Mass database on Lumen Gentleman, and my readership has quintupled, and it's only noon!

Mater Angelica Catholic Radio Station: a first for Long Island

Home to 2 million Catholics, Long Island is not known as a Catholic evangelization center, and why not? We have more money, better health, longer lives, more education and more leisure time than any Catholics in world history. What are we missing? The answer is catechesis.
We don't appreciate the treasure we have in our Catholic faith, and we are distracted by the pursuit of happiness, which we erroneously assume is in materialism. A bigger home, a better car, etc. How do we call Long Islanders home to their Catholic faith?
The answer, I believe is in the broadcast empire of a Poor Clare cloistered nun, Mother Mary Angelica. Thus, we are naming the radio station we hope, by the grace of God, and the permission of the FCC to open, Mater Angelica, after the little nun who could. We will feature 24 hours of EWTN programming at 91.7 FM. The signal, though small, would cover a large part of the East End, home to the summer playground of the rich and famous, the Hamptons, reaching a potential audience of 50,000 souls for Christ and His Church. We are members of the Catholic Radio Association and represent a trend of a growing number of Catholic radio stations across the nation,
Here's the rub. The applicant, must be a not-for-profitincorporated organization who wants to provide Catholic programming, with 75% of it's board members living within 25 miles of the area covered by the station signal on the East End.
On reflection while looking over my last message about bringing Catholic radio to the Hamptons, I realize I used some language that is not exactly accurate and that may lead someone to a false impression. I should not have described the suggested applicant as some group who would "hold" the FCC permit for Mater Angelica. Whatever group applies for this permit will have all the rights arising from it and will control all programming decisions at any station that results. Mater Angelica is being organized in the hope -- and to plan for all possible contingencies -- such that if a Catholic applicant wins the permit and desires our assistance in building or operating a station, we will be available to offer it. The fact remains that Mater Angelica is looking for a strong applicant under FCC rules who would be likely to secure the FCC permit with an intention to provide Catholic programming in our area." PLEASE, those of you who are interested in applying, please email me leticia77@optonline.net or leave your contact information below, and offer to help. The window of opportunity will soon close, and may not be open for ten more years.
Please help us to save souls, and make this the Lord's Island!

The Vatican One-Two Punch

Fr. Tom Euteneuer, as usual, has a gift for insight into current events. This time, he discusses the Motu Proprio and the declaration that the Catholic Church is the One True Church.

"These two subjects, the Mass and the Church, are the most fundamental matters of our Catholic identity, and because of that, they are also the doctrinal sticking points that have been the cause of more schism in the Church than any others. From the Great East-West Schism of the 11th Century to Henry VIII's usurping of authority in England in the 16th Century to the schism of Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988, doctrinal clarity on the Mass and the Church literally holds Christianity together, and without that clarity, the very mission of Christ is damaged. The average Catholic may not appreciate how vitally important these truths are to our religious identity, but thank heaven Benedict does."
"Those who downplay, deny or denigrate one or both of these teachings are really hurting the cause of Christian unity rather than helping it. Despite the somewhat hostile reactions of other non-Catholic Christian leaders complaining that the Pope has set back the cause of ecumenism, the Pope has done a service to those whose religious traditions have rejected the truths about the Mass or the Church."
"Similarly, a predictable cast of aging, so-called "progressive""Catholic" theologians have been wringing their hands about both of these documents all week claiming that we are going backwards. But I say, let them rage: Peter has spoken and his judgment is infallible! He is calling all Christians to unity by challenging them to accept the truth of Christ which is experienced in its fullness only in the Roman Catholic Church."
read Fr Tom's full text here

Do you want the Latin Mass in your parish?

A blogger called Lumen Gentleman has formed a search engine by which those of us who wish to request the Latin Mass in our parish, across the nation, or across the world can find one another.
If you register, your email will not be given out, but others can send you messages via the database, which you may respond to. I found 8 contacts here on Long Island alone.
Why don't you register, and see how many of us are interested near you? Armed with this knowlege, we could ask our Bishop for a personal parish(Latin Mass only) He said the response has been overwhelming, proving that interest in the Latin Mass is just beginnning to experience a revival. Here's the link.

Morning Star Camp Slideshow

Looking for a truly Catholic camp for your children? St. Benedict Center in Still River, Massachusetts has Morning Star Camp for girls and Monfort Camp for boys.

Here I am picking up the girls after their week at camp July 7th. After the Traditional Mass, held in the outdoor chapel beneath the pines, the priest announced, "The Holy Father has just given wider permission for all Catholics to celebrate Mass they way we just have, and we are grateful". It's a moment I won't ever forget!

Click here for this year's camp slideshows. My daughters Isabella and Gabriela are in them.

Where to start living 'green'

Want to save the fish? Obey Humanae Vitae! Really.
According to this National Catholic Register article on how oral contraceptives, secreted in urine through the sewerage system is decimating the male rainbow trout population and creating frightening bisexual fish. It's an urgent environmental issue, and it is being uniformly ignored by the press. Just how committed are they to the environment, and how susceptible to idealogues like Al Gore?
George Hardon of the Catholic Society of Social Scientists says.
". . . the growing knowledge of estrogen-polluted water may expose the cultural double-standards that protect birth control from the scrutiny given to other chemicals and drugs.
“It’s going to start looking funny,” Harden said. “The radical environmentalist won’t eat a corn chip if the corn contacted a pesticide. But they view it a sacred right and obligation to consume synthetic chemicals that alter a woman’s natural biological functions, even if this practice threatens innocent aquatic life downstream.”
HT The Curt Jester

New Database of Catholics who Request a Traditional Mass

Lumen Gentleman is collecting names and location of Catholics worldwide who wish to request the Latin Mass. So far, he has 41 US states and 5 nations represented. Sign up and help bring the Traditional Mass to your parish.

Prayer to St. Benedict

Glorious Saint Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God. To you I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and owrk for His kingdom. Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you. I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore. {mention your petition} Help me, great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven.
Amen.
I have a special love for St. Benedict, as my college, St. Anselm was Benedictine, and my daughters have just returned from camp with the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the St. Benedict Center in Still River, Ma. He is the founder of monasticism and his Rule is still bearing fruit today.

Society of St. Pius X not yet ready to reconcile with Rome

'In a statement July 7, excommunicated Bishop Bernard Fellay, head of the Swiss-based society, said the papal decision had created a "favorable climate" to consider the doctrinal issues more calmly.'
"The Society of St. Pius X rejoices to see the church thus regain her liturgical tradition and give the possibility of a free access to the treasure of the traditional Mass for the glory of God, the good of the church and the salvation of souls, to the priests and faithful who had so far been deprived of it," the statement said.
The society expressed "its deep gratitude to the sovereign pontiff for this great spiritual benefit."The statement went on to say that the Vatican should withdraw excommunication decrees against the society's leadership to allow further progress in their dialogue.'
Catholic News Service

Father Zuhlsdorf interprets the news reports

Just in case you are getting a headache (like me) reading the various reports from liberal columnists about the decline of Vatican II reforms, Fr. Z offers his witty, intelligent commentary (or what the reporters are really saying) between the lines.

Catholic World News Analysis of "Summorum Pontificum"

" Pope Benedict sees Summorum Pontificum as one necessary step in a long-term reform of the liturgy. He apparently hopes that some elements of the new Novus Ordo liturgy will be integrated into the old Mass, while as some aspects of the extraordinary form will enrich the ordinary. In the long term, one suspects, the Pope sees a convergence of the two forms, bringing about the true organic reform of the liturgy that Vatican II envisioned. "
read the entire article here

The Full Text of the Motu Proprio:" Summorum Pontificum"

Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of Supreme Pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, "to the praise and glory of His name," and "to the benefit of all His Holy Church."Since time immemorial it has been necessary -- as it is also for the future -- to maintain the principle according to which "each particular Church must concur with the universal Church, not only as regards the doctrine of the faith and the sacramental signs, but also as regards the usages universally accepted by uninterrupted apostolic Tradition, which must be observed not only to avoid errors but also to transmit the integrity of the faith, because the Church's law of prayer corresponds to her law of faith."

[1]Among the Pontiffs who showed that requisite concern, particularly outstanding is the name of St. Gregory the Great, who made every effort to ensure that the new peoples of Europe received both the Catholic faith and the treasures of worship and culture that had been accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries. He commanded that the form of the sacred liturgy as celebrated in Rome (concerning both the Sacrifice of Mass and the Divine Office) be conserved. He took great concern to ensure the dissemination of monks and nuns who, following the Rule of St. Benedict, together with the announcement of the Gospel, illustrated with their lives the wise provision of their rule that "nothing should be placed before the work of God." In this way the sacred liturgy, celebrated according to the Roman use, enriched not only the faith and piety but also the culture of many peoples. It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.Many other Roman pontiffs, in the course of the centuries, showed particular solicitude in ensuring that the sacred liturgy accomplished this task more effectively. Outstanding among them is St. Pius V who, sustained by great pastoral zeal and following the exhortations of the Council of Trent, renewed the entire liturgy of the Church, oversaw the publication of liturgical books amended and "renewed in accordance with the norms of the fathers," and provided them for the use of the Latin Church.One of the liturgical books of the Roman rite is the Roman Missal, which developed in the city of Rome and, with the passing of the centuries, little by little took forms very similar to that it has had in recent times."It was towards this same goal that succeeding Roman Pontiffs directed their energies during the subsequent centuries in order to ensure that the rites and liturgical books were brought up to date and when necessary clarified. From the beginning of this century they undertook a more general reform."[2] Thus our predecessors Clement VIII, Urban VIII, St. Pius X,[3] Benedict XV, Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII all played a part.In more recent times, the Second Vatican Council expressed a desire that the respectful reverence due to divine worship should be renewed and adapted to the needs of our time. Moved by this desire our predecessor, the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI, approved, in 1970, reformed and partly renewed liturgical books for the Latin Church. These, translated into the various languages of the world, were willingly accepted by bishops, priests and faithful. John Paul II amended the third typical edition of the Roman Missal. Thus Roman Pontiffs have operated to ensure that "this kind of liturgical edifice ... should again appear resplendent for its dignity and harmony."[4]But in some regions, no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms. These had so deeply marked their culture and their spirit that in 1984 the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, moved by a concern for the pastoral care of these faithful, with the special indult "Quattuor Abhinc Anno," issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted permission to use the Roman Missal published by Blessed John XXIII in the year 1962. Later, in the year 1988, John Paul II with the apostolic letter given as "motu proprio, "Ecclesia Dei," exhorted bishops to make generous use of this power in favor of all the faithful who so desired.Following the insistent prayers of these faithful, long deliberated upon by our predecessor John Paul II, and after having listened to the views of the cardinal fathers of the consistory of 22 March 2006, having reflected deeply upon all aspects of the question, invoked the Holy Spirit and trusting in the help of God, with these apostolic letters we establish the following:

Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the "Lex orandi" (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Blessed John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same "Lex orandi," and must be given due honor for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church's "Lex orandi" will in no any way lead to a division in the Church's "Lex credendi" (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the liturgy of the Church. The conditions for the use of this Missal as laid down by earlier documents "Quattuor Abhinc Annis" and "Ecclesia Dei," are substituted as follows:

Art. 2. In Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use the Roman Missal published by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum. For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other, the priest has no need for permission from the Apostolic See or from his ordinary.

Art. 3. Communities of institutes of consecrated life and of societies of apostolic life, of either pontifical or diocesan right, wishing to celebrate Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal promulgated in 1962, for conventual or "community" celebration in their oratories, may do so. If an individual community or an entire institute or society wishes to undertake such celebrations often, habitually or permanently, the decision must be taken by the superiors major, in accordance with the law and following their own specific decrees and statues.

Art. 4. Celebrations of Mass as mentioned above in art. 2 may -- observing all the norms of law -- also be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted.

5. §1 In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonizes with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with Canon 392, avoiding discord and favoring the unity of the whole Church.
§Art. 2 Celebration in accordance with the Missal of Blessed John XXIII may take place on working days; while on Sundays and feast days one such celebration may also be held.
§3 For faithful and priests who request it, the pastor should also allow celebrations in this extraordinary form for special circumstances such as marriages, funerals or occasional celebrations, i.e., pilgrimages.
§4 Priests who use the Missal of Blessed John XXIII must be qualified to do so and not juridically impeded.
§5 In churches that are not parish or conventual churches, it is the duty of the rector of the church to grant the above permission.
Art. 6. In Masses celebrated in the presence of the people in accordance with the Missal of Blessed John XXIII, the readings may be given in the vernacular, using editions recognized by the Apostolic See.

Art. 7. If a group of lay faithful, as mentioned in art. 5 §1, has not obtained satisfaction to their requests from the pastor, they should inform the diocesan bishop. The bishop is strongly requested to satisfy their wishes. If he cannot arrange for such celebration to take place, the matter should be referred to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

Art. 8. A bishop who, desirous of satisfying such requests, but who for various reasons is unable to do so, may refer the problem to the Commission Ecclesia Dei to obtain counsel and assistance.

Art. 9. §1 The pastor, having attentively examined all aspects, may also grant permission to use the earlier ritual for the administration of the sacraments of baptism, marriage, penance, and the anointing of the sick, if the good of souls would seem to require it.§ 2 Ordinaries are given the right to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation using the earlier Roman Pontifical, if the good of souls would seem to require it. § 2 Clerics ordained "in sacris constitutis" may use the Roman Breviary promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962.Art.

10. The ordinary of a particular place, if he feels it appropriate, may erect a personal parish in accordance with Canon 518 for celebrations following the ancient form of the Roman rite, or appoint a chaplain, while observing all the norms of law.

Art. 11. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, erected by John Paul II in 1988[5], continues to exercise its function. Said commission will have the form, duties and norms that the Roman Pontiff wishes to assign it.

Art. 12. This commission, apart from the powers it enjoys, will exercise the authority of the Holy See, supervising the observance and application of these dispositions.We order that everything We have established with these apostolic letters issued as "motu proprio" be considered as "established and decreed," and to be observed from Sept. 14 of this year, feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, whatever there may be to the contrary.From Rome, at St. Peter's, July 7, 2007, third year of Our Pontificate.[1] General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd ed., 2002, No. 397.[2] John Paul II, apostolic letter "Vicesimus Quintus Annus," Dec. 4, 1988, 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.[3] Ibid.[4] St. Pius X, apostolic letter issued "motu propio data," "Abhinc Duos Annos," Oct. 23, 1913: AAS 5 (1913), 449-450; cf John Paul II, apostolic letter "Vicesimus Quintus Annus," No. 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.[5] Cf John Paul II, apostolic letter issued "motu proprio data," "Ecclesia Dei," July 2, 1988, 6: AAS 80 (1988), 1499Explanatory Letter on "Summorum Pontificum""Growth and Progress, But no Rupture"JULY 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Vatican translation of the letter Benedict XVI addressed to all the bishops of the world concerning his apostolic letter issued "motu proprio," "Summorum Pontificum," which was published today.



* * *LETTER OF HIS HOLINESSBENEDICT XVITO THE BISHOPS ON THE OCCASION OF THE PUBLICATIONOF THE APOSTOLIC LETTER "MOTU PROPRIO DATA"SUMMORUM PONTIFICUMON THE USE OF THE ROMAN LITURGYPRIOR TO THE REFORM OF 1970

My dear Brother Bishops,
With great trust and hope, I am consigning to you as Pastors the text of a new Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The document is the fruit of much reflection, numerous consultations and prayer.News reports and judgments made without sufficient information have created no little confusion. There have been very divergent reactions ranging from joyful acceptance to harsh opposition, about a plan whose contents were in reality unknown.This document was most directly opposed on account of two fears, which I would like to address somewhat more closely in this letter.In the first place, there is the fear that the document detracts from the authority of the Second Vatican Council, one of whose essential decisions -- the liturgical reform -- is being called into question. This fear is unfounded. In this regard, it must first be said that the Missal published by Paul VI and then republished in two subsequent editions by John Paul II, obviously is and continues to be the normal Form -- the "Forma ordinaria" -- of the Eucharistic liturgy. The last version of the "Missale Romanum" prior to the Council, which was published with the authority of Pope John XXIII in 1962 and used during the Council, will now be able to be used as a "Forma extraordinaria" of the liturgical celebration. It is not appropriate to speak of these two versions of the Roman Missal as if they were "two Rites". Rather, it is a matter of a twofold use of one and the same rite.As for the use of the 1962 Missal as a "Forma extraordinaria" of the liturgy of the Mass, I would like to draw attention to the fact that this Missal was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted. At the time of the introduction of the new Missal, it did not seem necessary to issue specific norms for the possible use of the earlier Missal. We all know that, in the movement led by Archbishop Lefebvre, fidelity to the old Missal became an external mark of identity; the reasons for the break which arose over this, however, were at a deeper level. Many people who clearly accepted the binding character of the Second Vatican Council, and were faithful to the Pope and the Bishops, nonetheless also desired to recover the form of the sacred liturgy that was dear to them. This occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear. I am speaking from experience, since I too lived through that period with all its hopes and its confusion. And I have seen how arbitrary deformations of the liturgy caused deep pain to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church.Pope John Paul II thus felt obliged to provide, in his Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei" (2 July 1988), guidelines for the use of the 1962 Missal; that document, however, did not contain detailed prescriptions but appealed in a general way to the generous response of Bishops towards the "legitimate aspirations" of those members of the faithful who requested this usage of the Roman Rite. At the time, the Pope primarily wanted to assist the Society of Saint Pius X to recover full unity with the Successor of Peter, and sought to heal a wound experienced ever more painfully. Unfortunately this reconciliation has not yet come about. Nonetheless, a number of communities have gratefully made use of the possibilities provided by the Motu Proprio. On the other hand, difficulties remain concerning the use of the 1962 Missal outside of these groups, because of the lack of precise juridical norms, particularly because Bishops, in such cases, frequently feared that the authority of the Council would be called into question. Immediately after the Second Vatican Council it was presumed that requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it, but in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. Thus the need has arisen for a clearer juridical regulation which had not been foreseen at the time of the 1988 Motu Proprio. The present Norms are also meant to free Bishops from constantly having to evaluate anew how they are to respond to various situations.In the second place, the fear was expressed in discussions about the awaited Motu Proprio, that the possibility of a wider use of the 1962 Missal would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish communities. This fear also strikes me as quite unfounded. The use of the old Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language; neither of these is found very often. Already from these concrete presuppositions, it is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, not only on account of the juridical norms, but also because of the actual situation of the communities of the faithful.It is true that there have been exaggerations and at times social aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition. Your charity and pastoral prudence will be an incentive and guide for improving these. For that matter, the two Forms of the usage of the Roman Rite can be mutually enriching: new Saints and some of the new Prefaces can and should be inserted in the old Missal. The "Ecclesia Dei" Commission, in contact with various bodies devoted to the "usus antiquior," will study the practical possibilities in this regard. The celebration of the Mass according to the Missal of Paul VI will be able to demonstrate, more powerfully than has been the case hitherto, the sacrality which attracts many people to the former usage. The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal.I now come to the positive reason which motivated my decision to issue this Motu Proprio updating that of 1988. It is a matter of coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church. Looking back over the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have rent the Body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Church's leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity. One has the impression that omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to harden. This glance at the past imposes an obligation on us today: to make every effort to unable for all those who truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: "Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your hearts also!" (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context, but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church's faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place. Needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness.In conclusion, dear Brothers, I very much wish to stress that these new norms do not in any way lessen your own authority and responsibility, either for the liturgy or for the pastoral care of your faithful. Each Bishop, in fact, is the moderator of the liturgy in his own Diocese (cf. "Sacrosanctum Concilium," 22: "Sacrae Liturgiae moderatio ab Ecclesiae auctoritate unice pendet quae quidem est apud Apostolicam Sedem et, ad normam iuris, apud Episcopum").Nothing is taken away, then, from the authority of the Bishop, whose role remains that of being watchful that all is done in peace and serenity. Should some problem arise which the parish priest cannot resolve, the local Ordinary will always be able to intervene, in full harmony, however, with all that has been laid down by the new norms of the Motu Proprio.

Furthermore, I invite you, dear Brothers, to send to the Holy See an account of your experiences, three years after this Motu Proprio has taken effect. If truly serious difficulties come to light, ways to remedy them can be sought.Dear Brothers, with gratitude and trust, I entrust to your hearts as Pastors these pages and the norms of the Motu Proprio. Let us always be mindful of the words of the Apostle Paul addressed to the presbyters of Ephesus: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son" (Acts 20:28).I entrust these norms to the powerful intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you, dear Brothers, to the parish priests of your dioceses, and to all the priests, your co-workers, as well as to all your faithful.

Given at Saint Peter's,

7 July 2007

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

New York Times on Campaign to Raise Awarenes of Down Syndrome

See the video here. I am proud to support this campaign. The authors of the book Gifts are urging American Express cardholders to vote for Awareness Can Build a Family to receive a $5 million grant That is the theme of our campaign and here's the way it is described to American Express:

Awareness Can Build a Family

Yearly, thousands of women are tested to determine if the child they carry has Down syndrome. A positive answer often portrays a bleak future in which their child will impose terrible burdens and dreams die.
Many medical professionals have scant knowledge of Down syndrome and are unable to comfort or educate. Their messages tag people with Down syndrome as having no value, implying there is no place for them in our world. The tragic result: an astonishing 90% of pregnancies involving diagnosis of Down syndrome are terminated.

In fact, there is much to celebrate. Children with Down syndrome excel in school, participating in sports and graduating. As adults they live independent, rewarding lives. Ask a parent, you will hear of joy, fulfillment.
Our Members Project, "Awareness Can Build a Family," would use public service television, ads, booklets and more to tell that people with Down syndrome are more like all of us than not and are of priceless value.
If you agree with all of that, please vote as soon as possible, the first round closes July 15, 2007!
This campaign would also help to place this life-affirming book into the hands of every Obstetrician in the nation. Copies of the book were passed out at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists Convention recently.

I dream of putting together an information packet, complete with the book Gifts, and a DVD of the movie Mr Blue Sky to be given, free of charge to all parents who are expecting a child with Down syndrome. If this happens, the abortion rate for these beautiful children will drop precipitously, from the horrifying rate it is now 93%. Only 7% of these beautiful children live to enrich our world. How impoverished this world is without them!

There's more you can do:
You may have already seen the petition for the re-introduction of the Kennedy-Brownback bill to require that obstetricians whose patients are expecting a child with Down Syndrome give them up-to-date, accurate information, and put them in touch with parents like myself, who are raising children with Down syndrome. You can read more about it here, it was written by Noelle, the blogging mom of Jaden's Journal and the Video Blog for Expectant Parent's Rights.

Catholics in the Public Square: Fr. Pavone, Senator Brownback and Rudy Giuliani

Catholics in the Public Square: Fr. Pavone, Senator Brownback and Rudy Giuliani

Evangelical Catholicism: Catholics Against Rudy...all the way?

Evangelical Catholicism: Catholics Against Rudy...all the way?

The Beauty of Eucharistic Adoration

America the Beautiful!

Fr. Bill Kuchinsky
It is fitting we celebrate Independence Day; the Birthday of our Nation!

We give thanks to Almighty God who in His Loving Providence raised up a Country which has long shone as a light of hope to the World.
The greatness of our republic stems from the sound foundation on which She was built: in accord with the “laws of nature and of Nature’s God.” The Declaration of Independence proclaims the key truths upon which our nation was established and by which it might long prosper: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Thomas Jefferson questioned: "Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?"
Another signer of the Declaration, Charles Carroll, recognized: “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure . . . are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”
As grateful Americans let us secure the survival of our Nation by being faithful to the Commandments and the Eternal Word. We must also ensure that Godly men and women in public office govern in accord with the “laws of nature and of Nature’s God.”
I share with you some words of a man who deeply admired the people of our beloved homeland and saw in us hope for the good of the entire World.
John Paul II on a visit to the U.S. said: “America, you are beautiful and blessed in so many ways ... But your best beauty and your richest blessing is found in the human person: in each man, woman and child, in every immigrant, in every native-born son and daughter… This is the dignity of America, the reason She exists, the condition for Her survival. Yes, the ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones. The best traditions of your land presume respect for those who cannot defend themselves. It you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend life! All the great causes that are yours today will have meaning ONLY to the extent that you guarantee the right to life and protect the human person.”
Please remember the freedom God has granted to us is not a freedom to do as we want, but to do as we ought. Let us choose to serve the Lord, and in His Strength, we can hope to keep America the Beautiful.

Barbara Kralis Jesus Through Mary Foundation Avemaria@earthlink.net

Why Pope Benedict is releasing the Motu Proprio

Dr. Malcolm C. Harris Sr. over at Ex Corde Ecclesiae has an excellent post explaining the errors during the writing and promulgation of the Novus Ordo, and what he senses Pope Benedict intends to happen when both the Tridentine and Novus Ordo masses live side by side for a generation or so. It gives me great hope for renewal of the liturgy.

Catholic Analysis: Great Blogger from Long Island

Catholic Analysis: Great Blogger from Long Island

The Supreme Court Challenges Racial Discrimination in Public Schools

Lawyer Teddy Gordon argued that the Louisville district's plan was a form of
discrimination. In the AP report, he's quoted as saying," Clearly, we need
better race-neutral alternatives. Instead of spending zillions of dollars around
the country to place a black child next to a white child, let's reduce class
size. All the schools are equal. We will no longer accept that an
African-American majority within a school is unacceptable."
Let's keep in mind here that it was parents themselves who were upset with the programs in Seattle and Louisville, and it was the parents who sued. Now, it would stand to reason that parents are in the best position to determine what kind of educational plan is best for their own children. They're far more concerned about whether Johnny can read than who Johnny sits next to in class. No child should have his or her educational opportunities limited because of race. America is supposed to be the land of freedom—not a place where arcane bureaucratic rules and outdated theories of education reign supreme. Parents should have the greatest flexibility in determining where their children go to
school—particularly since it's the parents' tax dollars that are supporting the
schools. It's simply wrong to hang a sign on a schoolhouse door saying only a
certain percentage of blacks or whites are allowed in.
It's morally repugnant to the vast majority of Americans to discriminate against anyone based on race. Therefore, it's time to retire the liberal guilt which states that we have to assign students to schools based on race. Otherwise, we'll never achieve the color-blind society envisioned by King.Town Hall.com

When I taught in a local school district they bused poor Hispanic children for a half hour away from their homes to achieve racial balance. This angered the parents, so when it was time to hire new English as a Second Language teacher, among 20, 000 candidates, the district chose my friend Teresa, born in Bolivia, to pacify the parents. I was in the top five candidates, but was overlooked for what I believe, was racial preference. Teresa and I had graduated with our Master's together, and were both fluent in Spanish, but there the similarities ended. I achieved the 99th percentile in the National Teacher Exam, and Teresa failed it. Three times. Finally, the district had to let her go. An inferior teacher was teaching for three years because of racial preferences.

Conservatives have long been accused of racism, but here the Supreme Court challenges liberal racism, the deliberate assignment of schools based on racial quotas. A much better approach would be to make sure that minorities have high quality schools. This requires a voucher or tax break system which would allow minority parents to choose better schools for their children.

New Yorkers for Choice in Education want just that. UNYCE's goal is to influence our legislators to enact the Maltese-Hikind bill. This legislation is designed to help all education, as well as to give New York's taxpayers some relief. Together we can bring much-needed reform to how elementary and secondary education is financed in New York state.

A letter to Rudy Guiliani

Someone wrote a letter to the editor of the National Catholic Register, using this quote from Causa Nostre Laetitiae, regarding Rudy Guiliani and his criticism of the pro-life plank of the Republican Party.
I have published many letters to the Register, my favorite paper, but not this one. This was only a post on my blog. Someone else sent it. I don't mind, I wasn't misquoted, in fact I am flattered. I just would like to know who did it. By the way, my writing may be reproduced as long as I receive credit like I did here.

It’s Called Catholicism
Relevant to “Politicians and Communion” (May 20):
According to Time magazine, Giuliani has “decided that the reign of social conservatives is coming to an end. ‘He understands that there are a lot of Republicans out there who are sick of everyone kowtowing to the single-issue extremists,’ said one veteran Republican observer in Washington. ‘He’s breaking from the pack.’”
This might mean the end of the pro-life plank in the Republican Party platform, leaving pro-lifers no one to vote for in national elections.
I am proud to be a Catholic single-issue pro-life voter today.
I would be one of those single-issue extremists if I were in Germany in the time of the Nazis, when priests, Jews, Gypsies, Polish people, homosexuals and the handicapped were deemed, “life unworthy of life,” and sent to the gas chambers.
I would be a single issue extremist if I lived during the mid-1800s when the Supreme Court handed down the Dred Scott Decision stating that blacks were property and enslaved them.
It’s called respect for human life, Rudy. It’s called Catholicism.
Leticia Velasquez
East Moriches, New York

Where have all the children gone?

Patrick at Driving Out the Snakes has a post with some depressing news about where children rank in importance in American's opinions on marriage.Eighth. What could be more important than raising up the next generation?
My next door neighbor said that instead of having a second child, they would be getting a boat. A big one. Then they got a second dog, which their son calls his brother. So sad. He used to look through my fence to watch my girls playing together in the yard.
Kimberley Hahn, in her wonderful book on incorporating the Church's teaching on life into your home, Life-Giving Love, said, "the best thing you can give a child is a sibling, someone to love them when you are gone".
God bless those brave Catholic parents who have large families, and put up with all kinds of grief from perfect strangers. My friend Alice Gunther writes about the different reactions she sees to her family of seven children here.
I could only have three children (I lost three children to miscarriage) and now my OB said that carrying a child to term at my age would be enough to help Blessed Mother Teresa qualify for sainthood. Come on Mother, I want twins!

Enough with the violent programs!

"In general, what the commission's report says is that there is strong evidence
that shows violent media can have an impact on children's behaviour and there
are some things that can be done about it," FCC chairman Kevin Martin said
Thursday.
The issue is bipartisan. Mr. Martin, a Republican, gave a joint
interview to The Associated Press with Democratic commissioner Michael Copps.
"The pressure to do something on this is building right now," Mr. Copps
said, noting that TV violence comes up regularly during media ownership hearings
he conducts across the country. "People really feel strongly about this issue
all across this land. This is not a red state or a blue state issue."source: Globe and Mail

Excuse me, but haven't you been discussing this issue for three decades?! Let's take some action, NOW! I voice my opinion regularly via the American Family Association, and their affiliate One Million Moms. I receive petitions and email links weekly to protest sexually explicit, profanity ridden, violent trash on TV, and most times, their campaigns are effective. They were responsible for nearly a million emails sent to the FCC to protest Janet Jackson's Superbowl 'malfunction'. If it weren't for the AFA, the FCC would be a toothless tiger, without the guts to enforce profanity laws. Under Bill Clinton, Attorney General Janet Reno was lenient with child pornographers. We must remain vigilant before the programming gets yet more offensive and damaging to children.

Enough is enough.