Year for Priests: Today's Priest

Today's Priest: F. Leo Hayes

Ordination date: May 27, 1961

Status: Active diocesan priest

Current assignment:

St. Elizabeth Parish, Ava; St. Ann Parish, Raddle; St. Joseph Parish, Willisville, Pastor

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Prayer for Fr. Hayes and all priests in the Belleville diocese and in the Church worldwide:

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and

consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.

Will Bishops Go Beyond Stupak Issues?

This is being asked by Politico in a political context. No, Politico doesnt ask whether bishops will oppose the general theory of the Dems--WHICH THEY SHOULD. [Message to USCCB.]

Bishops apparently "feel emboldened" by the success of Stupak--which really wasnt' enough even on abortion. After Saturday's Massacre in the Senate, do the bishops really think they can get any further? I don't. OPPOSE THE WHOLE THING, BISHOPS.

The article devolves into the Patrick Kennedy issues. Whoopdie-doo.

And In the End

The love you take is equal to the love...you make....

Apparently, tonight is the last show of Jon & Kate that will air. That strife is o'er. At what cost? That show destroyed the marriage of the parents of 8 young children and destroyed any normalcy they could have had. So much damage done. Kate, always thinking about the show. I wonder how they'll make money now. Neither has a job. I guess they get some royalties. But who wants to watch anymore now that the family is over. You know there'll be a retrospective in a few years--especially as funds dry up.

"It's so sad it's cut short. It's too soon," Kate Gosselin said about her reality series, not her marriage.
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And that couple were the darlings of evangelical Christians who are always looking to be affirmed in popular culture. Do not put your faith in men. I watched frequently until this past year. I never saw any outward signs of Christian living or marriage going on there. They were filmed enough that we should have been able to detect such a lifestyle. Nope. It was all about stuff.

Poor children.
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Chicks must read this stuff. There's a poll at the end. Half of respondents are on Kate's side. Jon has little support. The right answer in my book is "Neither." A pox on both them. I side w/the kiddies.

Global Warming Fraud Revealed

The fraud is being revealed. Yeah! Here also.

The NYT thinks the revealed documents are not publishable b/c they weren't meant for the public. Too bad they dont' think that about American war plans, intelligence, and all that.

Losing a Catholic Voice for an Ex-Catholic

I don't mean to claim that either is all-good or all-bad, though I have become more accustomed to Laura's show in the a/m over the years--from back in DC where we heard her also. 97.1 apparently doesn't want to keep Beck against Rush on KMOX. Beck must air live in the a/m. We are losing Laura Ingraham (and Ray Arroyo's frequent visits) during her live time. She's now stuck competing with Rush. STL was one of the few live airing stations for her. She got so many calls from STL. Beck's too hot to bury underneath Rush, not that I'm into him.

97.1 is conceding to Rush and dooming Ingraham.

You can hear her whole show via wtnt.com radio in DC.

Boo!
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Igraham and Arroyo are talking about the Twilight films and adult women liking them. I only know what I hear about the movies/books on tv/radio. This is teenie bopper stuff so it's weird for the adult women to get into it. But also, Twilight is about vampires, girls liking the "bad boys." One mom says she likes it b/c the characters are chaste. Lead characters take vow not to take human life, but they get blood from animals...Weird stuff....

He Will Come Again in Glory to Judge

The living and the dead. How the "spirit of Vatican II" crowd hate that idea of Last Things, judgment and triumph.

Yesterday was the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Interesting, and deliberately of course, how Mother Church asks us these past few weeks whether we are ready to meet Our Lord on the last day. Then we are asked these next few weeks whether we are ready to meet Our Lord as He becomes Man and walks among us on earth.

Ready or not, here He comes!

[In the EF calendar, we are still called to think of Last Things, but the Church counts the Sundays from Pentecost until the Last Sunday of the liturgical year.]

Bozek May Step Down?

I just heard a blurb about this possibility on 97.1. It may allow the archdiocese to come back in and restore the parish and the faithful. Let us pray for the many souls lost and misled. Recall, that Abp., Burke had issued procedures by which marriages and other sacraments officiated by the excommunicated Bozek could be regularized by the archdioceses.

Bozek's laicization was approved in January.

The STL PD reports on Bozek's own comments a propos of nothing except perhaps that the parish could lose in civil litigation against the diocese. He has offered to step down if it will help the parish.

Commenters say his contract is up next month and that financial accountability has been lacking under Bozek and the defiant board of directors. This is a good example of why a parish has to be legally tied to the diocese, for oversight and check on finances as well as integrity of the faith.

Pray for all the souls!

Imagine the beauty, glory and triumph of the rites and blessings that will be undertaken to restore the parish to holiness and again under the protection of Our Mother Church. Would that this could take place prior to the Incarnation.

Like Martin Luther King

Conrad Black, Canadian millionaire publisher, is writing from behind bars. Okay, I don't mean to offer any moral equivalence. I couldn't resist the comparison, however. I have seen columns from him. I thought he was convicted (a Belleville native was the prosecuting judge). I am surprised he's allowed to publish from jail. Wow. He ought to be paying room and board. Lord knows the federal government could use the money. [Here, Black writes about his incarceration.]

For those without the acumen to comprehend the deep destruction being wrought by Obama and Co (yes, started with TARP. Paulson and Bernanke should be in jail), Conrad Black outlines is all here very nicely. Black may not be ethical, but he's a smart man--until he got caught of course.
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This is the theory of the HOW of Obama's plans.

Obama was raised on black liberation theology and marxism. In Latin America, [anti-European, anti-white] liberation theology and marxism go hand in hand and was the demise of many a dedicated missionary to those nations.

Obama's ideas will do nothing to repair the economy. He may not want to do anything to repair the economy b/c of his skewed sense or racial and economic justice.

Oh, Those Kennedy's

Patrick, Congressoid from Rhode Island, has been experiencing some Catholic Identity issues. News came out over the weekend that, since 2007, his Bp. Tobin of his home diocese has requested that Kennedy not present himself for communion because of his pro-abortion views and such. Apparently Kennedy has not met with his bishop who requested a meeting. There is some history that is coming to a head after Kennedy's comments that the bishops are missing the boat on this great social justice issue of socialized medicine.

This appears to be the interview (published on Sat or Sun) in which Kennedy says the bishop TOLD him not to receive and TOLD priests not to give him communion.

The bishop issued a public response on November 22 revealing this history and that he REQUESTED that Kennedy not present himself. Apparently, no instruction to clergy.



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One side note in this AFP article. The reporter actually says this:

Communion is a church ritual that involves the sharing of bread and wine meant to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
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Remember, France is no longer Catholic.

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Hopefully, these Kennedy's will find some other way to make money than off the people.

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Help turn the tide. Vote in this survey via Fr Z to support the Church!

Dumb as a B'rack

Obama is very stupid about economics. His marxist worldview, which is a false understanding of markets and a threat to freedom, is failing terribly and he's apparently too proud to concede that. The upcoming jobs summit is going to be a joke. The talkers have summits to make it look like they're doing something. Nothing comes of it. Certainly, nothing good. How can this nation have elected an incompetent who has no idea how to help employers hire and expand their businesses?

Gosh, and I also forgot that we are facing tax increases (as consumers and income-earners) in 2011 as the Bush tax cuts are going to be allowed to expire. After that, if this healthcare madness comes to pass, many excise, sales and income taxes are going to sprout all the way to the heavens while our nation descends into hell. No wonder businesses are not hiring and are operating at a stand-still trying to stay above water.

The Bishops in the Public Square

Cardinal George had a few things to say about the bishops participating in public debates this week. Also, recall, behind closed doors the bishops were to discuss the various endeavors run by laity such as higher education and tv, print or radio media. From the WaPost today:

• On Catholic endeavors:
  

At a time of fractious debate within the Catholic Church in the United States, the head of the national bishops group said this week that Catholic universities, media outlets and other affiliated organizations that insist on independence from the church hierarchy are "less than fully Catholic."

In an address that opened the semiannual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, implored 300 fellow bishops to "look for ways to strengthen church unity."

"Since everything and everyone in Catholic communion is truly interrelated," George said, ". . . an insistence on complete independence from the bishop renders a person or institution sectarian, less than fully Catholic."

In particular, church leaders have begun discussing ways to "strengthen our relationships" with Catholic universities, media groups that claim "the right to be a voice in the church," and other organizations that work under Catholic auspices, George said.

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• On the public square:

George defended the bishops' political involvement, which includes a successful push for an antiabortion amendment in the health-care reform bill the House passed Nov. 7.

"It is not for us, as bishops, to speak to a particular means of delivering health care," George said Monday. "It is our responsibility, however, to insist, as a moral voice concerned with human solidarity, that everyone should be cared for, and that no one should be deliberately killed."

The bishops have shown no signs of withdrawing from debate on controversial public issues. At their meeting in Baltimore this week, bishops approved a statement that strongly condemns efforts to legalize same-sex unions, reinforces the church's ban on many forms of contraception and insists that health-care workers are obligated to provide most severely brain-damaged patients with food and water.

"To limit our teaching or governing to what the state is not interested in would be to betray both the Constitution of our country and, much more importantly, the Lord himself," George said. George acknowledged that the Catholic hierarchy's moral authority has been tarnished by the clergy sex abuse scandal that has cost the church more than $2.6 billion since 1950. But, he said, "the sinfulness of churchmen cannot be allowed to discredit the truth of Catholic teaching or to destroy the relationships that create ecclesial communion."

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It's a 2 pager, including statements from critics such as the Catholic pro-abort crowd and SNAP.

No, They're Christians

The MSM calls the coalition of Christians who have authored the "Manhatten Declaration" "conservatives." No, they are not mere conservatives, they are Christians. That's the whole point of the Declaration.

More than a dozen Christian leaders -- including Catholic bishops, an Orthodox priest, and officials of evangelical organizations -- endorsed the document at the National Press Club. Organizers on Friday (Nov. 20) claimed about 150 initial signatories.

Archbishop Justin Rigali of Philadelphia cited increasing numbers of troubling incidents that he said sparked the new concerted approach, including doctors expected to refer or perform abortions despite their own objections, acceptance of embryonic stem cell research and assisted suicide, and the risk of marriage being "redefined in its very essence."

"If someone asks, `Why now? What is the urgency of a declaration of conscience by Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic leaders?', we say we must speak now because justice, which is love in action, demands that we not remain silent in the face of these threats," Rigali said.

Supporters said possible civil disobedience would be up to individuals, but could include closing facilities or paying fines.
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I note that I have not seen any evidence that the Episcopal Church or any of its clergy are involved.

USCCB on Senate Bill

They are "disappointed." Excerpt from yesterday's press release, with a bit more detail. They want Stupak and also mention--yeah, immigrants, among other things...Do they really believe Obama opposes public funding of abortions? Right...?

According to the bishops, the bill “does not live up to President Obama’s commitment of barring the use of federal dollars for abortion and maintaining current conscience laws.” They cited an “abortion surcharge” that would force insurance purchasers to pay for other people’s abortions, provisions that would allow the HHS Secretary to mandate unlimited abortion coverage nationwide, and that the bill does not even allow for religious institutions to offer their own employees coverage that conforms to their institution’s teaching.

“The Catholic bishops have advocated for decades for affordable and accessible health care for all, especially the poor and marginalized,” the bishops said. “The Senate bill makes great progress in covering people in our nation. However, the Senate bill would still leave over 24 million people in our nation without health insurance. This is not acceptable.”

The bishops encouraged expanding Medicaid eligibility for those living at 133 percent or lower of the federal policy level. They also urged an end to the five-year ban on legal immigrants for accessing federal health benefits programs and said that undocumented persons should not be barred from purchasing insurance plans with their own money.

“Providing affordable and accessible health care that clearly reflects these fundamental principles is a public good, moral imperative and urgent national priority,” said the bishops.

The text of the letter can be found online at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-11-20-ltr-usccb-health-care-to-senate.pdf and in Spanish at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/SP_1080_hc_reform_Sen_1120.pdf.

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Chicago Official Catholic?

The funeral for the recently deceased Chicago chief of schools (suicide or not?) is being held at a church called Holy Family. Catholic churches with this name are a dime a dozen. Would a protestant or non-denominational church have this name?

This article refers to a sign of peace, so it must be a Catholic service. [REVISED TEXT] It is not clear that he was given a full rite of Christian burial, but he probably was. A reader notes that while a person committing suicide might be denied a funeral, it just doesn't really happen. The priest celebrant was not identified.

May he rest in peace.

HOPE and CHANGE!

Really? Is this just a tease? He must know the polling will really stink up the place by 2012, as bad as it is now. He wants to do his damage and go. Routine running of government clearly bores him. Oh, please let this hope come true. I am all for CHANGE!

Senate Dems Not Pro-Life Apparently

With 60 votes planned to open debate tonight, we must note that not one has said no since this is a strong pro-abortion bill.

Jesus on the Streets of Kansas City

For the National Catholic Youth Conference, which some Belleville kids are attending this weekend. If any read (I don't think so, but hey) this blog, check in with a comment.

Great eucharistic procession. Excellent!

Bonnie Erbe and Me? In Agreement?

Feminist PBS hostess, Bonnie Erbe is offended by the buying off of Blanche Lincoln of ARK. Not only that, she doesn't seem to buy into the Obama wholesale change by federalizing health insurance. Wow.

A Senator's healthcare vote should be based on whether he or she believes in public subsidies, from middle class and wealthy taxpayers, to provide healthcare for low income Americans. It should not be based on the government equivalent of a bribe.

Who loses on both ends of this type of deal? Middle class taxpayers, that's who. We are the ones who get taxed ad nauseam and unlike wealthy taxpayers, we can ill afford higher taxes.

Healthcare needs fixing in this country. Insurance companies

have gotten away too long with scams such as "preexisting conditions" and charging certain customers more because they happen to be old or happen to be female. That does not mean we need the wholesale sea change proposed by the Obama administration which includes cheap insurance

premiums funded by the federal government for people who claim they can't afford insurance.

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Welcome to the fold of Americans who want liberty and fiscal responsibility, honest deal-making...and all that. Where has she been all this time with this opposition from the left?

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Lincoln of ARK makes the 60th vote that will open debate on the Senate floor of the pending 2000+ page bill. Timman commented here the other day that only divine intervention can save us from this evil agenda. Laura I yesterday called on her audience to pray. What do we have left but mercy from Our God? Our temporal leaders show us no mercy on this radical agenda.

Another Saturday Night Massacre ahead tonight...a massacre on our freedoms.

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Red State has posted these data on the quantitative impacts of the socialized medicine bill. The nation's economy--what's still alive--will now be dead until people's ingenuity find a way around this big mess. It's going to take some work.

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David Broder opposes this mess. For fiscal reasons. Hey, we'll take it. It is a VERY BAD fiscal plan of action, among its other evils.

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Are traditional liberals, at least in the media, now going to separate themselves from the True Believers?

Evil Christians in Educational Materials

Some years ago I purchased, for our family, a series of encyclopedic books geared toward younger school children from a college-age girl going door to door. [After that I don't any more b/c of what I learned about that industry and the near enslavement of the kids involved. We had 2 incomes at the time, too. Different ballgame now.] The books have been interesting, especially for my scientifically-minded older boy. All of the books are about some aspect of science, except one, which is about sociology, human history. [eg, space, geography, botany, human body, & technology] I wanted to invest going forward, since we could get plenty of affordable educational toddler books off the shelf.

The publisher is Southwestern. The book series is called Explore and Learn. I have a set of volumes 1-6. This wiki entry gets at their controversial student employment practices. I had also understood they were a Christian enterprise. I expected reasonable content, as a result. The text we encountered in People in Place and Time, vol 4 of the series yesterday was rather surprising to see.

With Thanksgiving coming up, we decided yesterday to look into the pilgrims in People in Place and Time. Well, I got a surprise. I get that Pilgrims to America might be a blurb when we're starting with primitive peoples on to modern culture and various ways people live around the world. I get that many events would be glossed over and simplified for children. Yet, we didn't quite get that far before we were surprised.

So, what did we find? The brief discussions of ancient Greece and Rome were fine, though there is no distinction that the Roman Empire wasn't always Christian. Now, some details may be too much. Okay. The book did discuss the barbaric gladiator battles, but did not mention Christian martyrdom at the hands of pagan Rome. Most of the generic text was okay. I'll just pull out the sentences/passages that don't make it.

The Middle Ages:

• "Christians often attacked the followers of other religions, particularly Muslim Arabs who lived in Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East." (24)
• "The Arabs were great scholars. They studied the stars, geography, and mathematics." [True on the surface, but ignores the scholarship pursued by Christians in Europe and more sustained today.] (25)
  
• While the definitions of "Christian" and "Muslim" as their followers is reasonable, there is no explanation of who is "Jesus Christ" while we have "the Prophet Muhammad" for the leader of Islam. (25)

European Discoverers:

• Italy in particular is credited as the place were scholarship is on the rise in Europe, and inventions and technology is being advanced. Columbus was mentioned, with no problem, amazingly. (26)
• "They [sailors and explorers from Europe] were looking for precious spices and gold, and for new lands to conquer. these European explorers often killed the local people or forced them to become slaves." (26)
• The next page is actually okay, I suppose as one doesn't really want to develop too much the divisions within Christianity. Elizabeth I's reign and Martin Luther's protest were simply discussed. Funny how the authors decided against highlighting King Henry VIII. Leonardo da Vinci is even highlighted for his great artistry and scientific endeavors. No mention of his "code," however. (27)

The Factory Age: [A couple of things here which seemed unnecessary, though admittedly true and not an attack on Christians. Did Dickens write these?]

• "While most factory workers were very poor in the 1800s, the owners of some factories grew very rich." (29)
• "Europeans took over more and more land around the world in the 1700s and 1800s." Then talks about the Indian Mutiny against the Brits in India. (29)
• "Smoke from factory chimneys [in Britain] blackened towns and cities and even the surrounding countryside." (29)

Other minor points. We apparently only had one World War (I) worth noting in the 20C. (31)

Special Days (20C):

• "Christmas is the time when Christians celebrated the birth of Christ. The feast of Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the Muslim month of Ramadan, when no food may be eaten during the daytime." (70) [Who is Christ? Easter? What about Jewish holydays?]
• St. Nicholas is described as the Dutch Santa Claus. "St. Nicholas has servants who chase the naughty children but give candy to the ones who have been good." (71) [So much for the real St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra.]
• Carnival is defined as: "a festival first held in Europe before Lent, a long period of going without food. Carnivals today are marked by dancing. costumes, and feasting." (71) [We can't name "Mardi Gras" or say that Lent is a Christian time of penitence and ends with Easter, the Resurrection of Christ?]
  

I've got to get lunch and then to soccer. But there is another entry to come...

The Manhatten Project

Actually, it's called "The Manhatten Declaration." Abp. Timothy Dolan is working with some evangelical leaders to prepare call to action (!) for Catholics and evangelicals. The article asks whether this newer generation is up for the (apparently old in the media eyes) agenda. From US News' blog:

A who's who of Christian right leaders, including Chuck Colson and Tony Perkins, have partnered with a handful of more moderate religious voices, including National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson and New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, to release a document that reasserts the primacy of three culture war issues for Christians in the public square: abortion, marriage, and religious liberties.

A handful of those who signed the document, called "The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience," gathered today at the National Press Club for the launch event. The declaration reads like a throwback to the culture wars of the 2004 election, but Colson says the project is aimed at instilling social conservative political orthodoxy in a new generation of believers.

"We argue that there is a hierarchy of issues," he told the New York Times. "A lot of younger evangelicals say they're all alike. We're hoping to educate them that these are the three most important issues."

It's an interesting goal that says a lot about the fears of a graying generation of culture warriors, but the big question is how to instill the declaration's principles in the new generation. Releasing a 4,700 word document at the National Press Club doesn't seem like the straightest path to young people's hearts.

Here's an excerpt from the declaration, which has 145 signers:

Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.

Read the full manifesto here.

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Look! They have a hierarchy of issues. Evangelicals are learning from the Church! And Allman sneered at that hierarchy.

Rowan's Laugh-in

Rowan says to Benedict XVI, "Female bishops? What female bishops?" "Aw, com'on. Relax, Ben."

The Church of England continues to engage in ecumenical discussions with Rome, while some of her more tradition-minded members pack up and head for Rome.

Breitbart to Holder: Investigate...Or Else

On one hand I find it cool that Breitbart's demanding action, but on the other hand, is this okay for a journalist to politically blackmail the Attorney General of the United States of America?

The AG and all relevant law enforcement have made themselves vulnerable by ignoring the corruption by their political allies. I hope the Dems are destroyed by their ACORN associations next year.

Breitbart: Oh my goodness there are! Not only are there more tapes, it’s not just ACORN. And this message is to Attorney General Holder: I want you to know that we have more tapes, it’s not just ACORN, and we’re going to hold out until the next election cycle, or else if you want to do a clean investigation, we will give you the rest of what we have, we will comply with you, we will give you the documentation we have from countless ACORN whistleblowers who want to come forward but are fearful of this organization and the retribution that they fear that this is a dangerous organization. So if you get into an investigation, we will give you the tapes; if you don’t give us the tapes, we will revisit these tapes come election time.

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Our Temporal Hope

As far as preventing socialized medicine is concerned is Joe Lieberman. Stay strong, Joe!

He may not be a last resort. Mary Landrieu is not keen on the public option, but she's being bribed. This is how it works. We'll give you a few mil, you help us deprive the people of their freedom. Look, I get compromise, wheeling-and-dealing, and horse-trading to work out a non-ideological budget deal, but this is downright evil.

Ben Nelson might also help to gum up the works with pro-life concerns. That's okay. Do it. Stop this evil pro-death bill.

Remember, Stupak is not a complete pro-life agenda as it relates to abortion and conscience clauses. It does not address elder care, care rationing or liberty of doctors and patients.

I think...I could be wrong...Claire McCaskill could be a "No" on public option since Missouri is fairly conservative. She could get annihilated in the 2012 re-election. She is tired. I don't think she's just talking about having the emotional, mental and physical wherewithal to pass another big bill. It's the political wherewithal that concerns her.

Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas could be political toast if she goes with a public option.
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Roland Burris' bullet points include the abortion lie and other claims:

“Government Takeover”: Some believe that a public insurance option will mean the end of private health insurance. On the contrary, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports that if insurance reform passes with a public plan option, the number of people covered by private, employer-sponsored coverage will actually increase.

Rationing: Rationed care will not happen with reform. In fact, the bill takes a number of steps to prevent insurance companies from making your coverage decisions. Insurance reform will restore your doctor’s ability to treat patients properly, without deferring to insurance company bureaucrats who deny coverage and treatments.

Medicare: Rumors abound that reform jeopardizes existing Medicare coverage. The truth is, cutting waste, fraud, and abuse will assure the security of the Medicare trust fund for years to come. In addition, insurance reform will end cost sharing for preventative care, cut the prescription drug “doughnut hole” in half, and lower Medicare premiums.

Abortion: None of the reform proposals being considered would mandate coverage of abortions. Both the House and Senate versions have a “conscious protection” clause, which allows doctors the right to refuse to perform an abortion, if doing so conflicts with their values.

“Death Panels”: One proposal would give seniors the option to receive Medicare covered counseling sessions, with their doctor, to discuss end-of-life care options such as a living will and hospice care. The decision to seek these sessions, as well as the end-of –life choices themselves, will remain completely with the patient.

Federal Employees: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s reform proposal requires all Members of Congress and their staffs to enroll in the public insurance plan. I fully support this proposal, as I believe that we Senators should have a personal stake in the reforms we propose.

Cost: President Obama has repeatedly stated that any reform must maintain budget neutrality and not increase taxes for the middle class. Congress continues to consider various options to pay for the legislation, but I share the President's commitment to a bill that does not increase the federal budget deficit.
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If you're interested in reading the whole email from Burris, drop me an email and I'll be happy to forward the email I was sent. The Party prepared the talking points very nicely, except that abortion lie. The Party is happy to excuse his lies so as to get his vote on this evil.

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Remember, a vote tomorrow evening again. I'll try to live-blog, but I usually am not online when it's family time. The Dem leadership is giving him a light slap on the wrist but need his vote. So, no consequence. Surprise, surprise surprise.

Year for Priests: Today's Priest

Today's Priest: Fr. Gerald Hechenberger

Ordination date: June 1, 1996

Status: Active diocesan priest

Current Assignment: Pastor, St. John the Baptist, Smithton

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Prayer for Fr. Hechengerger and all priests in the Belleville diocese and in the Church worldwide:

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and

consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.

Bishops and Nancy

Nancy Pelosi now says that Stupak was marker to keep the Dems on board with socialized medicine. It ain't staying. BIshops have been played.

I thought Card George knew that Obie was not one to negotiate and he'd play his opponents for fools.

Ray Arroyo's on hand in Laura I's studio. I have to get a kid to a doctor appt this mornning. We'll need to watch TWO tonight for a USCCB wrap up.

"Status quo" is word du jour Ray says. But Hyde bars it today. That's the status quo. Ray's citing sections of the Senate Bill.

More Reduced Medical Treatments for Women

Where is NOW? And the rest of the feminist gang?

First, the government experts tell us we women don't need mammograms before the age of 50.

Now, they tell us women don't need pap smears every year.

Here's what the CDC is telling men about cancer screening. Is this a reduced testing approach?

Gettysburg Address Anniversary

Fr Z reminds us. I commented that Garry Wills, dissenting Catholic, in fact wrote a great book about the short speech.

Jamie Allman's Awful First Column

In the STL PD. He claimed he would be a voice for conservatism. He tries to be contrarian to his own base. He doesn't make sense in the process. He professes to be a serious Roman Catholic and worked for Abp. Burke for not very long. Here he betrays the Church and Abp. Carlson, trying to be too cute by half to fit in at the STL PD. He bought into the whole MSM meme about diocesan budgets, gay marriage and so forth. Timman takes it apart so I don't have to.

Mark Kirk News

He's the leading contender to win the U.S. Senate seat current held by Roland Burris. He's quite moderate, from a district near Chicago.

He's caught heck from the Chicago media for opposing the transfer of Gitmo detainees to Thomson, IL. Geesh. You folks can have them, if you must. Just keep them north of I-80. Frum, weasel that he is, says that the "right" must leave Kirk alone so he can win.

Kirk also is quite pro-abortion. The NARAL crowd is angry with him for voting for Stupak and declares him no longer pro-abortion.

Kirk just got divorced. No kids. He belongs to the United Church of Christ denomination. Wiki.

This is what our state is stuck with. Sigh.

Eggo Shortage

Yes, I saw a sign about this at the supermarket yesterday. I had to laugh remembering Rush laugh about food being more scarce for citizens today. I just now heard Rush talk about the shortage of Eggos. Good thing there are store brands and pancake/waffle mixes--or flour and such for the more skilled.

A Palin Commentary

I am not convinced that Sarah Palin is "presidential" material, but I think she's a very smart politician and says things that people want to hear. She's not all that incorrect on many policy issues. Her family soap opera must be overcome or risen above. It is what it is. She can't help that. I thought her Levi Johnston answer to Oprah (I heard tapes) was good. They love him and want him to be a part of the family, bla, bla. No shots at him. He's a kid. She wants to play in a bigger arena, one would think.

That said, I don't think she needs to have an Eastern pedigree to be presidential. In fact, that is her plus as far as the public is concerned. She's a rube like us with a degree at a second rate state institution in the hinterlands. That's most of America.

I suppose the problem is that the people who like her, really like her and don't see her limitations and those who hate her are really crazy. David Frum, for example, who's a failed conservative and tried to start "A New Majority" but could not get beyond his minority of 2 or 3 people. [Frum wants to give up the social conservative agenda. He had to part ways with National Review last year--a long time coming.] Frum really hates Palin here and here (google search), eg.

Andrew Sullivan, gay man who's left Rome and is sometimes politically conservative, is really on a tear and believes, apparently in his heart and soul that Trig is really the FIRST illegitimate child of Bristol Palin. Politico covers the spat.

Norah O'Donnell claimed on Chris Matthews' show that the Palin fans in Michigan were unable to articulate why they liked her as the CNN chick did to the tea partiers this summer. The Palin crowd was horribly white too. Here's the transcript and video of the insults.

Let her be for now. But the GOP does need to find a way to work with her. She can't be rogue and be a part of the team at the same time. The GOP should join in her message. Michelle Bachman's got the same ideas as Palin. The male establishment is stubborn.

Is she some Christian savior-ette? On one hand if so many evangelicals were fooled by Jon and Kate,* perhaps they need to be more cautious and prudent about Palin and what/who she really is. She's a pol and activist. That doesn't make her bad, but it doesn't make her a goddess.

---
*I, for one, was puzzled when I first learned of Jon and Kate's claims to evangelical Christianity and that evangelicals had embraced them. I never saw a hint of Christianity on their show. Their vow renewal was not terribly religious on a Hawaiian beach. But then I am a liturgical Christian. I don't get it.

Year for Priests: Today's Priest

Today's Priest: Fr. Jerome H. Hibner

Ordination date: July 5, 1964

Status: Retired

***********

Prayer for Fr. Hibner and all priests in the Belleville diocese and in the Church worldwide:

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and

consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.

May Their Love of Death Kill the Whole Thing

The Senate bill "mandates" federal funding of abortions. Over 2000 pages as in the House.

House Minority Leader, Catholic, John Boehner, issues a statement on this.

First Talk of Restraint

In White House entertaining comes in the form of cutting back on the Annual W.H. Hanukkah party. Is this really a surprise after all the spitting on Israel he's done all year and with his Muslim sympathies? Think of all those weekly cocktail parties since the over-priced inauguration. What will the Christmas party be like?

Suggestion on the Poll

I looked at my current poll in retrospect. Let's hold off on NO responses until the last day of the poll (or after First Sunday of Advent). A "NO"is premature this week if your pastor plans on raising it on one of the next 2 Sundays. So, let's record the Yeses only right now. Then offer NO after the First Sunday in Advent. Let's give our priests 2 Sundays.

KSM's Day in Civilian Court: Bad Idea

Maybe Obie's really wearing "Bad Idea" jeans and not "Mom jeans." [video links]

Pat Buchanan explores the various ways in which this is a bad idea and could become a grave disaster.

Did Obama and Holder violate first principles of American jurisprudence by practically guranteeing a guilty verdict with a death penalty? How will this not then be either a show-trial or a destruction of civil rights for American citizens (no Miranda, torture allegations) in future criminal cases? Our reputation will be ruined by this trial, not restored.

USCCB on Abortion Funding

Get Religion highlights a really bad story about the USCCB's role in passing Stupak last week. The funny thing is this is just TOO MUCH for the pro-abortion crowd in America. The USCCB taking on a black pro-abort senator some years ago is racist...Like they've never opposed abortion propounded by any one..."dictating" to Ms. Nancy, "ardent Catholic"...sure.

Relatedly, the pro-abortion crowd is not a majority: over 60% polled oppose government funding and oppose most or all abortions.

The increase in social and economic conservatism appears to be a direct response to the radicalism of Obie & Co.

New Poll

I will leave this poll up and available for a couple of weeks to give our priests time to say something in their homilies. We may hear something during a weekday Mass as the USCCB meetings close down. Or we may not hear it until Advent, when the new liturgical year begins. Perhaps a priest might note that this could be the last year with the current translations. So, let us see.

Cherished. Cherished? Ha!

I just don't think I can top Fr Z's fisking of this whine by Anthony Stevens-Arroyo (no relation to Raymond, I don't think) about the new translations. S-A calls the current--and only--prayers of the Mass in English "cherished" by the faithful. Oh, puleeeeezzze!

Bishop Braxton at the USCCB

The BND reports that Bishop Braxton asked the John Jay investigators whether there was a link between homosexuality and the priest abuses.

I am glad to hear of our bishop's interest and concern about matters at the USCCB. I am particularly glad that he had something to ask about this important matter often swept under the rug. But they did deny the link. Good on Bp. Braxton for asking!

At the meeting Tuesday, Bishop Edward Braxton, of the Diocese of Belleville, asked the researchers whether their study indicated that homosexuality should be considered when evaluating a candidate for the priesthood. In 2005, the Vatican issued a policy statement that men with "deep-seated" attraction to other men should be barred from the priesthood.

Smith said: "If that exclusion were based on the fact that that person would be more probable than any other candidate to abuse, we do not find that at this time."

Last year, James Wisniewski won a $5 million judgment in St. Clair County Circuit Court from the Belleville Diocese in August 2008. He testified that a priest sexually abused him when he was a child in Salem. The case is now on appeal.

Since March 1993, the Belleville Diocese has removed 15 priests and one deacon for allegations of sexual abuse of a child or sexual misconduct.

The question about homosexuality has been raised repeatedly within and outside the church because the overwhelming majority of known victims were boys. As part of the church's response to the crisis, the Vatican ordered a review of all U.S. seminaries that, among other issues, looked for any "evidence of homosexuality" in the schools.

Yet, many experts on sex offenders reject any link between sexual orientation and committing abuse. Karen Terry, a John Jay researcher, said it was important to distinguish between sexual identity and behavior, and to look at who the offender had access to when seeking victims.

*****

What I think is being done is that experts respond to such questions by saying that homosexuals are not necessarily pedophiles. That may be true. But, what the researchers don't say is whether same-sex abuse is necessarily homosexual. It would seem to be in its nature, no? Why do grown men go after male teens and boys? Why not girls? Sure, some pedophiles may go after boys or girls. Indeed, some priests have abused relationships with women and girls, sadly. Thus, a heterosexual pedophile, even a priest, can get females if he wants them. The JJ person seems to be implying that if girls were as available as altar boys, the priests would have abused them. So, why don't we have scores of women and older girls speaking up about being abused as altar chicks these past couple of decades?

I apologize for all the pain this discussion brings upon our good and holy priests as well as those abused by the few evil priests.

May God forgive us all and protect our little ones.

****

Bishop Braxton's question made AP reporting.

Memorial Acclamation Problems?

Did you know that the popular "Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again" is apparently liturgically incorrect? I have seen chatter of this on blogs over the years. I see it again on Fr Z's. There is supposition that that one may get scuttled in the new translations. We know the others. That's fine. I did some Googling. This page appears to have helpful information.

At the very moment of the representation of Our Lord's One Sacrifice to the Father, we as a whole people speak directly to Jesus. We address Him both directly and personally, the source of all our hope, not as one whom we merely remember, but as the Crucified and Risen Lord, fully present, right now, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, in our midst, perfectly able to hear us, and to hear our faith in Him and in His Sacrificial Work which continues in our time, among us.

Yet, if we employ the fourth Memorial Acclamation, which is not universal in the Church but which was added to the English-language rite, we no longer speak to the Lord; we merely, only, speak about Him:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

If we use Memorial Acclamation A ("Christ has died...."), an opportunity to speak directly, publicly, and personally to our Lord, Jesus Christ, at the very moment of the representation of the New Covenant, simply disappears.

One might wonder how the committee of experts who composed this Memorial Acclamation could have missed this evident difference between their effort, and the three universal Acclamations. However, everyone, including experts, misses things all the time. It was a mistake; everyone makes mistakes.

****

That web page finds problems with the other Memorial Acclamations a well. I do not put this forth as an authority, but as evidence that some concerns exist about some MAs.

****

This blogger indicates that last year the issue of Memorial Acclamations came up. They are up for change in the new Missal. We'll have to see what it turns out to be.

Okay, this is what it will be from the USCCB Missal page:

Priest: The mystery of faith.
[People: Christ has died… a U.S. adaptation yet to be decided by Holy See]

A – We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.

or B – When we eat this Bread
and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.

or C – Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross
and Resurrection,
you have set us free.

------------

"Christ had died" may be dead. It is a U.S. exception. Why do we need to be different from other English speaking nations on this?

Gay Agenda in Britain

Oh, brother. Sorry, men no longer count. They are unnecessary. Two women are better parents than a man and a woman. The kids turn out better, so we are told by the UK Nanny State. This is silly of course on its face. Children are nurtured by women at home, at school, in daycare, and so on. It is no surprising that children of lesbians are quite nurtured. But what about a masculine nature affecting them? Children of both sexes need the masculine nature of a father. Pointing out that lesbians' off spring (by adoption or biological of one woman) become lawyers and doctors doesn't mean much. Those fields are becoming feminized with activism, frankly. Over half of all college students are female. Men are retreating into engineering and science, where women are not going in droves yet--but don't tell the female profs at Harvard.

Gay couples who adopt or IVF are two-income, high earners--as are many heterosexual couples who adopt or IVF. So, their kids are starting off as economically and academically advantaged. Manufactured (sorry) families are a bit different. They're not spontaneous or haphazard; they are often wealthier, better educated and usually smaller in size.

Let's note what else those, em, airheads, have to say about parenting and life in the UK.

They want to enter private family homes anytime to ensure the children are safe. Look, as part of our adoption, we endured post-adoption visits and had to show that had child safety stuff up, but our social worker was "on our side" and not a representative of the State, but of the adoption agency which had to report to Russia. That was an indignity, though not a great one, one has to endure when entrusted with the care of others' children. I get that. My kids, my business, however, unless they are in severe danger--not from uncovered outlets.

And, don't forget, once you've raised your kids under the govt's direction and you're no longer useful, the government has a plan for putting you out to pasture. The Pathway to Death is encouraged.

Year for Priests: Today's Priest

Today's Priest: Fr. Federico C. Higuera

Ordination date: June 5, 1982

Status: Active diocesan priest

Current Assignment: Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Anna

****
Prayer for Fr. Higuera and all priests in the Belleville diocese and in the Church worldwide:

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and

consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.

USCCB Notes

Rocco Palmo's info is very interesting. I didn't quite understand what he was doing. If you click on one of his "Cover it Live" black blocks, it will open into a "chart" of text blurbs, kinda like tweets with a time stamp. The current live blogging reads UP; the archive reads DOWN. Lots of side notes, too. Good background and context.

Palmo indicates that the new missals might be available by Easter 2011. Perhaps to be commenced in their use for Advent 2011, two years.

I wish EWTN had covered this because telecare tv went out from too many viewers right at a dramatic moment of the votes on Bp. Trautman's last ditch efforts to stop the new ICEL translations. We're also going to have to prepare ourselves for further controls of Catholic lay media unaffiliated with the official Church. The sad thing is that what arms of various dioceses put out is lacking. [Eg, Liz Q does her best to focus on anything but the faith in her human interest articles.]

Why do people turn to EWTN? Why do they buy the National Catholic Reporter? Or National Catholic Register? But, with the civil laws in the U.S., there is only so much that the Church can do to the entities. They could ask dissenters to take "Catholic" off their names I suppose or sanction clergy, religious or laity who spew dissent or disobedience--those who claim orthodoxy can disobey and dissent too, eg, SSPX. They are no less subject to sin. The NCReporter article does talk about Cardinal George's concerns about Catholic universities, which must be a reference to Notre Dame of course, though there are broad concerns about mandamus.

Here's a note from Rocco yesterday about the EWTN loss of coverage:
5:05 pm: first, as so many of you have asked, just spoke with Michael Warsaw -- president of EWTN, who's here with the crew... in a nutshell, Warsaw said that, as was its right, the conference transferred its coverage contract to Telecare and that, on seeing the latter's plans, the 'Bama-based outlet ultimately decided to just run a preview and wrap-up on their own instead of gavel-to-gavel. (EWTN had been running the cameras and the feed here for some two decades.) Apparently, the transfer call was communicated to the network quite late in the game -- word around says mid-to-late October... and, well, that's your story; Arroyo & Co. will run their wrap on The World Over, Friday night at 8.
*****

The USCCB is so off-base on the socialized medicine debate. They're going to lead us to our deaths. Yes, I said it. Arrrgggghhhhh.
****
Wow. Why don't they bring this chant into their dioceses and parishes?
***
UPDATE: Bp. Trautman does--or did--want to pursue litigation within the Church about the translations. Sigh! One question I have is whether the V2 documents, which Bp. Trautman cites, constitute Church Law. Yes, they are Church teaching. But are they Church Law--in the Code of Canon Law? Yes, splitting hairs. It seems it has to be Church Law to permit a legal complaint to go forward.

Prayer Request

One of our readers lost his job as part of his employer's response to Obama policies. The reader does have a family to support. I ask that you join me in praying for our reader friend and family. Thanks

What patron saint should we call upon?

Care Rationing Test-Drive

Some federal board now says that women over 40 and under 50 do not need annual mammographies. Cancer societies are outraged.

USCCB Wants to Sue Congregation in Apostolic Signatura?

Oh, for gosh sake! See this on USCCB's twitter feed. Bp. Trautman, Your Excellency, give it up. Surrender to the Mother Church.

They are in order of most recent to earlier posts:

1. Says USCCB could sue Congregation in Apostolic Signatura, or USCCB could say they approve Congregation's help with translation. less than 20 seconds ago from web
2. George says Trautman issue will still be addressed, as Conference may have right to translate antiphons. 6 minutes ago from web
3. George thanks head of ICEL for his work on the translation. 8 minutes ago from web
4. Serratelli speaks on importance of catechesis on translation. Says time of implementation of translation will be determined by recognitio. 9 minutes ago from web
5. Serratelli: Perfection will come when liturgy on Earth gives way to worship of God in Heaven. 15 minutes ago from web
6. US Adaptation of Roman Missal passed. Serratelli calls this historic moment. George quips, "Not yet."

***
The good news is that the translations passed!
---

• In other USCCB news, here is a presser on the John Jay study that was presented today. I think this is the 2nd of 3 total studies to be done for the USCCB.
• New committee heads (called "elect" for their first year, then full committee head a year later).

---
I was trying to see what Fr Z is saying about Bp. Trautman's ICEL revolt. Can't stay with it. His site must be very busy!

UPDATE: Okay, twitter updates indicate that the USCCB has agreed to let Rome translate antiphons. Bp. Trautman has been defeated. Other documents of the conference are being approved.

Hey, Tim Kaine!

I thought you were pro-life, in particular that you were strongly opposed to the death penalty! Okay, we've got a cop-killer executed, DC Sniper executed, now a 60 year old man who killed a couple 8 years ago is to be executed. This guy has chosen the electric chair. Oh, my. May God have mercy on his soul.

As we've been discussing, the death penalty is a tough teaching of the Church. Many argue about whether the Church outright prohibits the death penalty, especially as it is possible to house a violent criminal for life to protect society and punish the killer.

Gee, I thought George W Bush was the evil pro-death penalty governor in our country.

I'm just askin'...

More from The Messenger

• Here is an article expanding information on the plans to develop senior housing in the Cathedral neighbhorhood in Belleville. Dan Buck and the St. Patrick Center of STL are involved. A good group to invite into the project! Good luck!
  

“The intended purpose of these purchases is to demolish rundown properties to make way for new residential growth,” according to both Father John Myler, cathedral rector and Sister Theresa Markus, SSND. “We are excited to pump new life into this challenged area by creating affordable living for seniors who want to live in the city, live close to the cathedral and close to St. Elizabeth Hospital and their doctors, and yet live independently in a welcoming, safe and charming environment.”

Preliminary plans call for a city block of sixteen one or two-bedroom cottage-like independent living residences opening onto a common courtyard, not institutional in appearance, but designed to reflect the architectural influence of the area.

The parish has partnered with Celtic Creative, a consulting social enterprise of St. Patrick Center in downtown St. Louis. To make this senior living project a reality in the next 18-24 months, the Celtic Creative/ St. Patrick Center team will guide the cathedral team “every step of the way.”

To fund this project, the parish will seek both public and private funding, including tax credits, state housing trust funds, various federal opportunities and private donations. “For many decades, the Catholic Church and other faith-based groups have partnered with federal and state governments to build affordable senior housing,” says St. Patrick Center CEO Dan Buck.

Buck and the team at St. Patrick Center “bring the expertise,” Father Myler says, “and the cathedral parish will bring the commitment and the community-spirit to complete this task.”
*****

• The Oddwalk Ministry guys associated with the Our Lady of the Snows Shrine are slated for the National Catholic Youth Conference coming up soon. They came up in liturgical discussions here at SOIL Catholics--last winter, I think. They sound like good talented guys. Pop music and guitars are not appropriate for Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
• The Messenger lists recipients of CCHD funds this year. All of the local recipients do appear to be Catholic entities. So, if our money stays here rather than is aggregated at the USCCB to be distributed by the USCCB, it might be worthwhile to fund these activities...Better yet, fund them or donate needed items to them directly.
  

Report on Sexual Abuses Presented

Fr Z has been watching the USCCB while I've been out. It's pretty powerful stuff he says.

Here is live feed from telecaretv.org, an operation of the Rockville Centre diocese. [click on "watch live" to the left under the video picture.]

That part's over now. It looks like they are voting on various resolutions.

Which topic at the moment? I'll see...Numerous amendments are pending and debate sought on some of them...It's like watching Congress on mundane budget matters...The Marriage Document is pending as I type...

Sarah Palin: Open Thread

Her book Going Rogue is out today. Have your say. I'm out for a while.

Rocco. Palmo.

Rocco Palmo is blogging the USCCB events, but frankly nothing to say about yesterday. He gives us a preview of today's planned votes. He says all votes occur today. Bp. Trautman will have his Custer moment today. I think he'll go down fighting, but, down he will go. The Vatican wants this done.

What will be said on health care? Will some bishops who are not happy with the bill or see the dangers in it speak up at some point this week? Will there be an occasion to do so?

Year for Priests: Today's Priest

Today's Priest: Msgr. William Hitpas

Ordination date: May 13, 1967

Status: Active diocesan priest

Current Assignment: Pastor, St. Nicholas parish, O'Fallon

********
Prayer for Msgr. Hitpas and all priests in the Belleville diocese and in the Church worldwide:

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,

which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,

daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and

shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and

consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and

everlasting crown. Amen.

USCCB Meeting Notes

The Twitter feed from USCCB is pretty informative. Again, however, on the discussion of "healthcare" it is quite clear, from even the brief statements, that the USCCB felt it was heard on abortion b/c it was open to the larger agenda--which is socialized medicine.

I don't do Facebook, but USCCB does here.

Here is the USCCB's "Media Blog." But no update today.
***
As I watch the re-airing of The World Over, with the Reform CCHD crowd on, and thinking of Raymond's own doubts about CCHD, I suspect that this may be the catalyst for the USCCB being angry enough to crowd out EWTN and Raymond from coverage and commentary--but the USCCB's anti EWTN feelings are long-held. EWTN's program guide said it would air the meetings, but it has not. Ray promised a full airing of the events at this week's meetings on his broadcast this Friday.

40th Anniversary of Novus Ordo

The Novus Ordo was introduced the First Sunday of Advent in 1969, forty years ago this Advent--in 2 Sundays.

I have come to bury Ceasar, not to praise him, frankly...

If You Have a Job, Dems Want You to Give It Away

But out of that very empty pot of devalued money, they will pay you unemployment to share your job. Huh? What? Is this the idea of Dr. Robert Reischhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....?

Don't do it. If they take away your job, you will never get it back.

How about encouraging married couples who both work to consider one staying home with the kids? No, wait, there go all the cell phone and internet accounts, Kindle, huge SUVs--which don't go w/the Obie agenda anyway--great holidays abroad...And child care centers will have lay-offs as will housekeeping firms and free-lancers. Oh, dear.

Where are all the good sensible enonomists? The Dems must have fired the lot of them.

--
I just have to call this entry communism b/c it reeks of central command and control over employment and individuals' lives and livelihood.

Perhaps Seminaries Should Require Economics Courses

The ABC, Rowan Williams, exhibit #2. [#1 being the USCCB of course.]

Latest from USCCB on Health Care

The USCCB is asking next for parishes and people to call Senators to urge that their 4 points be addressed in a Senate socialized medicine bill. After the USCCB role in the House bill and all that has come before or since, I am convinced with little doubt, individual bishops notwithstanding, the USCCB is quite okay with socialized medicine and doesn't care about the variety of evil provisions in these bills.

I will continue to call and urge for regulatory and market reforms, eg:

• Allow interstate pooling of risk;
• Reduce mandates of various services to be covered by insurers;
• Allow catastrophic only to be available a la carte;
• Implement tort reform to limit awards and other regulations to discourage frivolous lawsuits, and to reduce costs of malpractice insurance and of unnecessary preventive procedures;
• Audit and resolve fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid.
  

You may have other ideas, but these are generally those that I find most effective in addressing the stated market failures and cost problems with the already-stretched social welfare programs.

EWTN Not Airing USCCB Meeting

You can watch live stream here at telecare tv, an operation of an upstate NY diocese.

The USCCB does not like Ray Arroyo's commentary. And Fr. Neuhaus is gone. He's not around to annoy them. May he rest in peace.

I do hope that EWTN airs some sort of nightly recap for a half hour at least. I guess not. Sigh. We'll see.

I think it's great that the official arms of the Church are using modern technology to spread the gospel or convey vital information such as USCCB acitvities to the faithful and the public.

But, the USCCB brotherhood as a unit has raised suspicions on the part of the faithful from uber-orthodox to progressive dissenters on a variety of fronts. They really need to let in the public, or at least the faithful and unaffiliated laity must be able to offer a point of view. No, dogma and morals of the Church are not up for democratic vote. I believe in the Church being run and operated by the ordained hierarchy. No problem. But, if we are to trust them, as sadly ordained men are subject to sin as are laity, they need to let us in. Isn't that what the lay boards for not just abuse issues, but also routine financial and operational activities of a parish or diocese are about? Yet, not just to oversee the clergy, but to offer assistance to over-taxed clergy.

Controlling the message. A diocesan priest and fellow broadcasters employed by a diocese aren't going to raise questions that Ray and Fr. Neuhaus or other independent laity would.

If you have read Ray's bio of Mother Angelica, you will not be surprised to see EWTN frozen out of coverage.
---
Is this a mass or reading/prayer service we're watching? They've printed out some nice-looking programs.
Ok. Here we go. Introduce new bishops. Oh, no. Come forward to be welcomed. Just like new parishioners....
---
Administrative stuff...I saw a black bishop a couple rows behind the camera. I can't make out the face well with online video quality. I can't tell whether it's Bp. Braxton.

----
Ditching Roberts Rules? New parliamentary procedures....
----
Here are headlines describing the various issues at hand:

• Marriage statement
• Reproductive technology pamphlet
• ICEL translations
• Electing committee heads (one apprentice year before taking full office)
• Ethical directives on hydration and nutrition
  

Ramping Up Against CCHD

Gateway Pundit is spreading the word. Or stirring the pot, if you like CCHD!

Don't forget you can put in a coupon instead this Sunday.

Richard Viguerie, an early conservative Catholic I've never heard of, published on Christian Newswire a rather lengthy letter on the evil supported by CCHD, beyond ACORN and other political activities that have nothing to do with the mission of the Church. At the end of the letter, it is said that Mr. Viguerie has not contributed to any bishop appeal for 35 years! Just a bit:


This network of ACORN-type organizations, funded to a great degree by CCHD, provides money and organizational muscle for such causes as same-sex marriage, amnesty for illegal aliens, and abortion-on-demand up to, and shortly after, the moment of birth.

And they provide critical backing for politicians who not only support such causes, but who are also among some of the biggest anti-Catholic bigots and opponents of values held by Catholics.

For example, ACORN, funded by CCHD, provided at least 40,000 voter registrations, both real and fraudulent, in the U.S. Senate race that Al Franken won by 312 votes. In turn, Franken provided Senate Democrats with their 60th vote -- and the filibuster-proof majority they need to pass radical pro-abortion legislation.

That wasn't the first time that CCHD changed the course of history, shifting it dramatically to the Left.

CCHD money was the foundation for President Obama's political career, his role as a "community organizer" in Chicago. That job -- the young Barack Obama's first political job -- was as the lead organizer for the Developing Communities Project in Chicago, a project of the Calumet Community Religious Conference, which had been created by local Catholic churches and funded by CCHD.

According to The New Republic magazine, the Calumet project "aimed to convert the black churches of Chicago's South Side into agents of social change." (Obama discussed Catholic Church support for Calumet in his book, Dreams from My Father.)

The late Father Richard John Neuhaus wrote last year that the CCHD had "nothing to do with Catholicism, except that Catholics are asked to pay for it. Some bishops no longer allow the CCHD collection in their dioceses, and more should not allow it. In fact, CCHD, misbegotten in concept and corrupt in practice, should, at long last, be terminated."

It's time to STOP THE BISHOPS FROM FUNDING ACORN-TYPE GROUPS.
*****
Here are the lay groups pushing for reform of CCHD.

Fun in PSR

I have seen kids write some funny things on their papers in PSR just since this fall. Lower grade kids.

"Cheezus" and "Lard" were two funny examples that are often the kind of thing one sees.

Yesterday, we were talking about talents/gifts from God, like playing an instrument, being good at a sport. The Q was how w can show God's love with our gifts. Seriously, one boy wrote that he was good at arm farting. Then the rest of the boys started in. Oh, dear. My first grade son learned how to "arm fart" really well too, unfortunately. Did these kids teach my boy? [ha, ha]

But to get serious again, I did ask the kids if doing disrespectful things were part of showing God's love? That got them to thinking.

We're preparing for First Confession. Not much direction provided, frankly. I think the other 2nd grade at our parish (next door to us) might be getting better detail than our class is getting. I am only an aide. I cannot appropriately say more. Pray for these kids to get the full picture in time, sooner rather than later.

LIturgy Translation Make MSM

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, secular paper, covers the upcoming battle on liturgical translations. Recall that Bp. Trautman is fighting it tooth and nail for the dumb Joe and Mary Catholics in his diocese.

I thought the Vatican was dictatorial and could "crack down" on those who do not blindly obey?

Come on. Just have it done with, Rome. Tell the USCCB how it's going to be.

SEIU Can't Accept No for an Answer

SEIU wants a do-over of the vote in which, 2/3% of those family caregivers who voted, rejected any union representation in Illinois. The assault is not over. SEIU is actually claiming that the State did not act in an unbiased, which is a hoot. The State did everything it could to help the union win and it failed.

Relatedly, SEIU is going after a kid who's volunteering by cleaning a walking path to earn a Scoutinb badge. The city of Allentown laid of many workers, including SEIU members. The union claims no one has a right to do this work except union laborers. They're such a barrier to progress these unions.

All via Michelle Malkin today.

Slavery in Australia

What else can you call it? Impoverished British children were taken from their families and sent to Australia, Canada and American colonies to work in various camps and develop the colonies. A sort of fresh-start. But some were taken as toddlers!

This started at about the same time slave trade from Africa to the American colonies, but continued into the early 20C, long after American slavery of Africans ended.

The practice of sending such youngsters to America presumably ended with the independence of our nation...It might have been carried out privately but not with American participation.

An apology from Oz PM Rudd, but no compensation is pending. That's important precedent.

UK PM Brown is expected to apologize as well.

All the while Britain was forcing people to become citizens of new nations, America was "colonized" and developed by men and women from around the globe who took a chance on faith and hope for the better life and fresh start. Sadly, the exception was slavery of Africans.

Is This to Make us Feel Better?

An examination of the socialized medicine plans from the Left. This appears to be an examination of the Senate bill pending, not the House bill.

Oh, no. Not that many people will be eligible. Right. Wait til they force it on us. We'll all get it soon enough. This sentence (on p2) is a howler:

It’s a byproduct of Obama’s desire to preserve the employer-based insurance system and not shock the system with too much change, too quickly.

***

Right. Don't shock the system. Don't change too much too quickly. Oh, yeah. That's Obam all right.

A Daily Assault

It is indeed hard to keep up. C*ap and tax might be scuttled, but socialized medicine isn't over yet. The jihadis who've admitted guilt and asked to be martyred will be tried in civil court. [Even Mike Lupika, liberal sports guy who writes about politics (!), gets it.]

Today's news is that Obie wants to control the subway and light rail systems of America. Because, you know, the federal government is so competitent. And they have money. Sure.

If this ain't communism and centralized planning in the works, we'd at a minimum have to call them control freaks. Control our access to medical care and transportation, then guns of course, then you've got a nice controlling state.

These people love "systems." I dislike the word. We don't want or need "systems" for everything. This implies one size fits all and rigidity.

One piece of good news: ACORN may file for bankrupcty. They are on the ropes. But they can just emerge re-branded. Be alert. We need more lerts.

The Chicago Way

Don't forget this is where Obie and his team came from and are still involved integrally.

A school board chief? Wow. What corruption underlies this untimely death?

Mr. Scott, RIP.

UPDATE: Suicide?