Grace & Peace in 2009

As a reminder, I am spending time with family and friends over the twelve days of Christmas and will return to DC (and regular blogging) soon. I hope these days have been as blessed for you as they have been for me!

God save us in 2009.

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/28/08

Monsignor Ganswein: "My preeeeeeeeeeeecious!"

[source: AFP/Filippo Monteforte]

Photo: Christmas Eve in St. Peter's Square

"People walk around a Nativity scene, center below the obelisk, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008. Pope Benedict XVI is gearing up for his Christmas celebrations with Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican's Christmas festivities began several hours earlier Wednesday with the unveiling of the larger-than-life Nativity scene next to the Vatican's largest-ever Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)."

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/24/08

A rare shot of a cardinal about to bilocate.

[source: AP Photo/Max Rossi, pool]

Free download: O Emmanuel Antiphon Chant

A little freebie offered by Paraclete Press.

Hiatus

Posting has been light (and will be lighter) due to my finishing up school and work in DC, and heading back home to MI for Christmas this weekend. In the meantime, safe travels to everyone who is journeying, especially through the nasty conditions many of us can expect! I'll try to chirp on twitter from time to time.

2009 Pro-Life Blog Awards have begun

Hosted by the American Life League.

Hop on over if you're a pro-life blogger!

Pope 'more likely to die after Wales won Grand Slam'

I can't tell if this is actually being regarded as "news".

Silly British tabloids.

Viva il Papa!

Ph/t: AmP Reader Tim.

Two-Day AmP Gear Sale!

Two exciting offers, just to make sure everyone who wants Papist Gear this Christmas, gets Papist Gear this Christmas:

1) CafePress is offering a free upgrade to its premium shipping through Friday to ensure Dec. 24th delivery.

2) I'm dropping prices on AmP Gear until Friday (midnight EST) to help out folks on a budget!

Click here to browse the AmP CafePress store.

And remember what I said in my first post - I'd love to have people send me their pics of their Papist Gear in action ... on the road, at home, at seminary, at school - be creative!

Pro-Life Blog wins Canadian Blog Awards

... by a whopping margin of almost 60% of the vote!

Thanks to all you Papists who heard my call and voted! Hopefully more people hear about this fine blog.

EWTN provides Digital Advent Wreath for those on a budget

For your inner devotional pyromaniac:

http://ewtn.com/

I tried to light the whole homepage on fire.

Pro-Life Rick Warren to Give Invocation at Obama Inauguration

CBNews:

Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. It makes a whole lot of sense. Even though Warren and Obama disagree on the life issue, they do see eye to eye on many social justice issues. This move is also classic Obama because it is a signal to religious conservatives that he’s willing to bring in both sides to the faith discussion in this country. Obama has never shied away from that.

So how's this "pleasing both sides" working out?

"Gay leaders furious with Obama."

Oh.

(And by the by: why are pro-lifers okay when Obama invites them, but are otherwise to be shunned?)

Cash offered to addicts, alcoholics who agree to sterilization

This is so offensive to the dignity of the human person!

Instead of attempting to cure the cause of people's ills, some are attempting to nullify the inconvenience these people cause to the rest of society:

Folks at downtown's Ronstadt Transit Center on Tuesday afternoon had a way to make a quick $300.

The only stipulation was that the people be drug addicts or alcoholics who agree to long-term birth control.

The group Project Prevention, started by Barbara Harris in 1997, has so far paid more than 2,800 men and women across the nation.

.... Acceptable long-term birth control includes tubal ligation, Depo Provera shots and IUDs for women, or a vasectomy for men. (Tuscon Citizen)

Here's how Project Prevention responds to criticism:

"Those who oppose what we're doing should be willing to step up and adopt a few of the babies," Harris said. "These women can't raise these children."

Don't bother mentioning why people might oppose this.

I wonder how these unfortunate addicted people are going to use this $300 ... oh, that's right.

Pope Benedict: crisis helps restore simplicity to Christmas

Make no mistake: poverty is not a good in itself.

But riches can and so often do distract us from our true treasure in heaven:

The world economic crisis might mean fewer Christmas presents, but Pope Benedict XVI says that tough times can give back simplicity and solidarity to holiday celebrations.

Benedict has expressed hope that the financial crisis will help people focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas, when Christians worldwide mark the birth of Jesus.

Benedict says the crisis can help people to rediscover what he calls "the warmth, simplicity, friendship and solidarity" contained in authentic Christmas values.

The pope reflected on economic suffering during his traditional Wednesday audience with pilgrims and tourists at the Vatican. (AP)

You can read the complete text of the Holy Father's (short) address here.

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/17/08

Today's Top Post: Introducing American Papist Apparel!

Pope Benedict receives his Christmas bonus check for a job "very well done."

[source: REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito (VATICAN)]

Nominations for Catholic New Media and Innovation Awards

AmP is in, and so can you. From LoveToBeCatholic.com founder Thomas Hall:

At long last, I am moving forward with an informal award to recoginize excellence in Catholic New Media and innovation. This is my small effort to bring attention to the good work of many talented people who unselfishly find unique and original ways to evangelize the Catholic faith.

I set up a special email account to accept suggestions: awards@lovetobecatholic.com

There are no specific award categories. I prefer to keep the nomination field broad and defined only as new media and innovation. It will be fun to see what suggestions people send to us.

Here is a link to my blog post about the awards.

Spread the word!

A legislative threat to the Archdiocese of Washington?

Local blogger William Newton alerts us:

Former Mayor and current City Councilman Marion Barry is known for (and has plead guilty to) many things. Now he appears to be spearheading a movement to go after the Archdiocese of Washington in court. In the interest of supporting our Archdiocese, I supply the following which was forwarded to me[]. Please pray, and do what you can to combat this effort.

I'm looking for some confirmation. Has anyone else heard about this?

update: read the DC Wire to get more of the back story. Note how enemies of the Church cleverly phrase their arguments to mask their intentions. But their aims are obvious: they want to further pilfer Church assets.

update 2: Read this letter to the editor in WaPo from the Arch. of Washington's Chancellor.

Ph/t: Eric Wilson.

iBreviary for your iPhone!

iCool! A digital vade mecum:

Ph/t: Cellphone9 via IntoMobile.

Jeff Miller has the authorized St. Blogs' review of the program.

While it's been widely claimed the iBreviary is "Vatican approved", there isn't in fact any congregation in charge of approving/endorsing software programs. Jeff claims, however, that the Vatican's Council for Social Communications has mentioned it. I'd imagine that if the program simply faithfully transposes the text of an authorized Breviary, the approval carries over with it.

Gee, all I need now is an iPhone. *sigh*.

update: a clarification directly from the creator of the program, Don Paolo Padrini, who says representatives at the Vatican have mentioned and appreciate the application.

15 sedevacantist nuns rejoin the Catholic Church

Tales of hope ought to be widely told:

Last July, 15 nuns from a schismatic convent in Washington state rejoined the Catholic Church. They left the motherhouse of the Religious Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI), located on the outskirts of Spokane, to form a new congregation: the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church. They formally renounced their state of schism, made a profession of the Catholic faith, became a private association of the faithful under the care of Spokane Bishop William Skylstad, and recognized the legitimacy of the popes from Paul VI through Benedict XVI.

Their former order, which still has approximately 35 sisters, holds to the sedevacantist position that popes elected since John XXIII are invalid and that Vatican II was a heretical council.

Welcome home.

Westminster Abbey adds Hindu snowmen to Christmas displays

'Tis the season ... to be kooky:

Some Anglican clergy have added a multicultural twist to Christmas decorations, adding Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple to the lawn where the traditional scene of a baby Jesus, angels, and the three wise men used to be displayed alone.

“Strictly speaking, the message of Christmas is about the birth of Christ, but it has a much broader message of peace and goodwill,” said Hedges.

Westminster Abbey will showcase life-size snowmen with turbans and bindi dots on their foreheads to send out the message that Christmas is not exclusively for Christians.

The Diocese of Liverpool will stage a nativity that features a Chinese dragon and lantern procession. (Christian Today)

Aside from providing good "photo caption call" fodder, this is such malarkey.

... though I'd love to see the Chinese Dragon take on the Hindu snowmen!

(Related: Barack and Michelle Obama are appearing in Italian nativity scenes this year.)

And if you're looking for a little sanity in all this madness, run to Fr. James Schall:

".... my theory about the elimination of Christmas is more subtle than just prejudice or bigotry, which also exists. “Tis the season to be jolly.” You cannot celebrate something for no reason. All holidays were originally holy days. Celebrations could not be something simply “man-made.” They have to arise out of what is unexpected, startling, transcendent, too good to be true. We do not have holidays just to have holidays..."

And we don't put up Nativity Scenes just to get rid of that extra wood we had lying in the back yard.

December 17: O Sapientia

Today begin the O Antiphons.

I grew up with this wonderful tradition, and would recommend it to you.

CatholicCulture explains (and provides directions for how to pray them):

"December 17 marks the beginning of the "O" Antiphons, the seven jewels of our liturgy, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve. These antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ. The Church recalls the variety of the ills of man before the coming of the Redeemer."

Today's O Antiphon:

O Sapientia (December 17) O Wisdom (Eccl 24: 5), you came forth from the mouth of the Most High (Sir 24: 30), and reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly (Wis 8: 1). Come, and teach us the way of prudence (Isa 40: 14).

If you are around kids, you might also consider building an "O" Antiphon House!

update: Sandro Magister also writes on the O Antiphons today.

Abortion industry to receive $1.5BILLION bailout

Talk about change we don't need.

With all the money being tossed around by the government these days, pro-abortion activists smell blood in the water. The Susan B. Anthony list gives us some of the grim details:

The Abortion Bailout Package:

* $1 BILLION dollars in taxpayer funding for International Abortion Groups
* $700 million in taxpayer funding for “Title X” Health Clinics (aka your local Planned Parenthood affiliate)
* $65 million for the UNFPA, an international aid organization connected to coercive abortion as part of China’s coercive one-child policy
* Repeal the Hyde Amendment – Vastly expanding federal taxpayer funding for abortions
* Include Abortion coverage in any taxpayer-subsidized national health care program

SBA provides an online form to let you write a letter to your Senator easily.

Deal Hudson provides more context:

Go to Change.gov, the Web site of President-elect Barack Obama, and you'll find a document titled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration." Signed by dozens of pro-abortion groups, including Catholics for Choice, this 55-page document provides an overview of the marching orders for the Obama administration in removing all present restrictions on abortions while dramatically increasing abortion funding.

... The attitude expressed in "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration" is anything but moderate -- it is imperial, determined, and uncompromising. The fact that it is posted on the official Web site of the Obama-Biden transition is an unambiguous endorsement of its policy recommendations.

Introducing American Papist Apparel!

Plenty of folks have asked me over the years why there wasn't any such thing as American Papist fan gear?

There's a simple answer: I don't know how to make it.

Well, lucky for us, Erik Bootsma has genersouly contributed his top-notch graphic design services, so now we're happy to offer you the first "official" American Papist fan gear on CafePress for American Papist Fans.

... and not just AmP fans, but also anyone who wants a distinctive "Not Your Average Catholic" brand of clothing.

Shirts, Hoodies, Kids clothes, Hats, Bags, Mugs, Buttons, Magnets, ... we got it all. I think the stickers are cool, myself.

And if you need some graphic design work done for you, well, you can already tell Erik knows his stuff. Contact him at erikbootsma [at] yahoo.com and see if he can help! (update: and also visit his blog, Beatus Est.)

And do please spread the word around about AmP Apparel!

Also, I'd like to create a gallery of AmP fans sporting their papist gear. So if you buy something from the story, send me a picture of you with it and I'll figure out a cool way to use it down the road!

Announced: Themes for the next 3 World Youth Days

Hot off the press:

The Holy Father has chosen the themes for the next three World Youth Days so as to help build a spiritual itinerary that will culminate in the World Youth Day celebrations scheduled to take place in Madrid, Spain from 16 to 21 August, 2011.

- 24th World Youth Day (2009): "We Have Set Our Hope on the Living God" (1 Tim 4:10)

- 25th World Youth Day (2010): "Good Teacher, What Must I do to Inherit Eternal Life?" (Mk 10:17)

- 26th World Youth Day (2011): "Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith" (cf Col 2:7)

The '09 and '10 WYDs will be held in Rome, 2011 in the Reino de Espana.

update: more from Whispers:

Slated to take up the entire third week of August 2011, interest in the Madrid gathering is already running quite high... and as further proof that Karol Wojtyla's beloved brainchild is here to stay, the jockeying for its 2014 follow-up has already begun in earnest.

update 2: The exact dates for WYD 2011 are August 15-21.

Permanent birth control through intentional self-mutilation

It's the latest and trendiest in the contracepting world - "Essure coils" (one pictured at left):

Getting your tubes tied is not the most appealing phrase, but it's way more user-friendly than sterilization. Maybe that's why the maker of Essure--a newer, cheaper, faster, scalpel-free alternative to tubal ligation--is marketing the procedure as "permanent birth control."

... The 1 1/2-in.-long (38 mm) coils--which are like pen springs but smaller and softer--contain fibers that irritate the tubes and prompt scar tissue to grow into and around the tiny loops. After three months, the Fallopian tubes are blocked, preventing eggs from reaching the uterus to be fertilized.

... Unlike some tubal-ligation methods, Essure cannot be reversed. (Time)

What an idea: insert a foreign object into your body, lacerating the Fallopian tubes until scarred tissue clogs the passage (graphic images: an Essure coil in operation). Gee, that doesn't sound like medicine to me.

To be fair, Time is well aware this procedure could raise questions in some people's minds:

Of course, there is another choice for couples who don't want to take any chances--right, gents?

Hmm, that's not actually one of the questions I had in mind.

Life Teen Founder Excommunicated

Fr. Dale Fushek, best known for being one of the founders of "Life Teen", has finally been excommunicated.

From the Diocese of Phoenix website:

December 15, 2008-The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, has issued a Decree of Excommunication to Reverend Monsignor Dale Fushek and Reverend Mark Dippre.

Fushek and Dippre have incurred the censure of excommunication because they have chosen to be in schism with the Catholic Church by establishing and leading an opposing ecclesial community known to the public as the Praise and Worship Center. Both priests have consistently refused to comply with explicit directions by Bishop Olmsted to discontinue engaging in public ministry. The excommunications were incurred after repeated offers of reconciliation were ignored. The decree of excommunication by Bishop Olmsted declares the censure that Fushek and Dippre, as ordained priests, have brought upon themselves. The purpose of these sanctions is to reconcile both men with the Catholic Church and to preserve the integrity and unity of the Diocese.

... Bishop Olmsted continues to express his grave concern for Catholics who may be misled or confused by the actions of Dale Fushek and Mark Dippre. The Diocese of Phoenix does not endorse the actions of these excommunicated priests and we encourage Catholics to refrain from attending or supporting the Praise and Worship Center. We remind Catholics that the ultimate form of praise and worship is and always will be the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and we urge them to keep the Mass as the center of their lives. There is no substitution for the graces received at Mass and no prayer more edifying.

Marcel has a reaction statement from the current president of Life Teen, Randy Raus, making the point that Fr. Fushek's involvement with Life Teen is long over:

This excommunication is not connected in any way with the ministry of Life Teen, as all of the actions that led to this occurred after Rev. Dale Fushek’s involvement with our ministry. Further, I want to make it clear that Life Teen is in no way associated with his new venture.

Even though it has been almost four years since he has been directly involved with the movement of Life Teen, the media continues to associate Rev. Dale Fushek with Life Teen. While we continue to pray for Rev. Dale Fushek, the movement of Life Teen is in full support of Bishop Olmsted and Diocese of Phoenix in this matter.

Fr. Fushek (wiki entry) has been very bad news for a long time. In 2005 he was indicted for sexually-related misdemeanor charges. The one-time vicar general of the diocese was accused of sexually abusing a teen, and costing the diocese a $100,000 settlement. I commented on this developing story briefly back in January.

Well, good riddance.

Photo Caption Call - 12/15/08

Today's Top Story: Quick Movie Review: The Tale of Desperaux

Also, even if you don't have a caption to add, you can now rate your favorites in the comment box!

Winner: "The Children were aghast that St. Nicholas would violate the rubrics by wearing the wrong liturgical color for his own feast day." - Brian Walden

Add your captions below in the comment box! View the winning caption from the last Photo Caption Call here.

[Source: dunstan.feng]

Nude Virgin Mary cover prompts Playboy apology

As if we didn't have enough reasons to despise the publication:

A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company's U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize.

The magazine, which hit newsstands on Dec. 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday's pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts.

She is standing in front of a stained glass window with the cover line, "We Love You, Maria" in Spanish. (Reuters)

Actually, the line reads "Te Adoramus, Maria." That has a slightly different flavor to it.

And the apology is completely unacceptable:

While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies," the statement said.

Raul Sayrols, publisher of Playboy Mexico, said in a statement, "The image is not and never was intended to portray the Virgin of Guadalupe or any other religious figure. The intent was to reflect a Renaissance-like mood on the cover."

Oh come on. I've seen the cover, and it's obviously trying to be provocative by alluding to the Virgin Mary. The trouble is, there's no point calling for a boycott here because no Catholic should ever buy Playboy in the first place.

I mean, it's not like Playboy has any moral integrity to squander.

BlogAds pricing discount

I've dropped the prices of AmP BlogAds to encourage some new ones.

Folks are also welcome to email me with alternative proposals.

Pope Benedict XVI under-fire for 'negative' statements

Who the heck does Marco Politi think he is?

Pope Benedict XVI has come under fire from a leading Vatican watcher as "The Pope who says No" following a series of "negative" Vatican statements on homosexuality, the disabled and bio-ethics.

Marco Politi, the veteran Vatican correspondent of La Repubblica, said this was "yet another papal no" after Vatican opposition to UN declarations on the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the rights of the disabled, on the grounds that they could be seen a sanctioning gay marriage and abortion.

"It is one veto after another" Mr Politi wrote. "Not to this, no to that. No, no, no". He said the Vatican was clearly aware that under Pope Benedict it was acquiring a reputation for "banning everything", since it had issued a "pre-emptive statement" noting that "on a superfical first reading" the document on bio-ethics "might give the impression of being a collection of prohibitions". "But that is precisely the public perception", Mr Politi said. (UK Times Online)

Oh brother, nothing new here. Mr. Politi risks acquiring a reputation for "missing the point of everything".

As I first heard my parish priest say, behind every No of the Church (and of God), is a deeper Yes. The Church affirms the dignity of the person and denies those procedures which endanger it.

And the rest of the article is a catalogue of inaccuracies. It always really gets me the way the UK tabloids can be so anti-Catholic, and specifically anti-Pope. I realize this was an Italian journalist, but the UK tabloids are always seem eager to pick this sort of trash reporting up and republish it.

I have to say, finally, that the published comments made in response to the UK Times article reveal a wonderful example of faithful Catholics actively defending the Church and the Pope online. Good for them!

Magister posts his top Catholic news links

*Humph*, I'm not on another list.

Pope Benedict says end of the world not nigh

As much as it would solve our worries, don't count on it:

The closing days of 2008 may be marked by floods, terrorism and global financial collapse - but Pope Benedict XVI has assured believers that the end of the world is not nigh.

Speaking at a ceremony at which he blessed figures of the infant Jesus for Rome Nativity cribs, the Pope said there had been "alarmism" about the end of the world since the days of St Paul, who in his Letter to the Philippians had told early Christians to rejoice because "The Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:4-5). This had been wrongly taken to mean the imminent approach of the Last Judgement.

... Pope Benedict commented that "already at that time, the Church, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, increasingly understood that the 'closeness' of God is not a question of space and time, but a question of love: love draws near!" He said Christmas was coming "to remind us of this fundamental truth of our faith, and in front of the Nativity scene we can taste Christian joy, contemplating in the newborn Jesus the face of God, who out of love drew close to us." (UK Times Online)

Let nothing you dismay.

Photos: The Vatican's Tree is Lit

One huge honkin' tree!



Caption: "The Vatican's tallest Christmas tree is seen twinkling in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008. Hundreds of pilgrims from the firs' native Austria sang carols in the pouring rain Saturday as the tree was officially unveiled. The Vatican says the 109-foot (33-meter) red spruce from the Piesting Valley is the tallest since Pope John Paul II started the tradition of setting up a tree in the square in 1982."

The Tale of Desperaux

I saw an advance screening of The Tale of Desperaux this morning and was quite impressed.

It's a lovely animated film for younger audience, although the parents in my screening enjoyed it as well! I was cracking up most the time.

Desperaux combines excellent animation with a complex, virtue-extolling storyline based on this novel of the same name by Kate Dicamillo and Timothy Ering.

You can watch a high-quality trailer of the movie here.

Desperaux is a fairy tale in all the right ways, without any of the recent Hollywood -style deconstruction that has been popular (I loved the Shrek series, but it was an "anti-fairy tale" flick).

The movie will be released the 19th, and if you're looking for something to entertain the kids (or your nieces/nephews/grandchildren) amidst the Christmas reunions, I don't think you could do much better.

There's plenty to admire in this tale of little Desperaux!

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/12/08

Today's Top Post: SF Jesuit U. requires *abortion* coverage for students

"Pope Benedict congratulates the winner of the Vatican's first beauty pageant."

[source: (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO)]

Update: SF Jesuit U. *drops* abortion coverage for students

Ignatius Insight Scoop:

The Our Sunday Visitor blog reported on it yesterday, and now has posted a response from Gary McDonald, AVP, Communications and Public Affairs at the University, stating:

It was not the University's intention to offer this coverage. USF supports the Catholic Church's views on the sanctity of life, at all stages, and we will remove this provision from our student healthplan. We regret this mistake, and we take full responsibility for not adequately reviewing the contract. We are grateful to those who brought this issue to our attention.

LifeNews.com has a bit more on the story.

Catholic Key has been covering the story closely.

See also: University apologizes for student health plan abortion coverage, but questions remain (CNA) and University of San Francisco Drops Abortion Insurance Coverage from Student Plan (CNS).

Released: Dignitas Personae (full text, etc.)

As discussed previously, the follow-up document from the CDF to Donum Vitae (1987) and Evangelium Vitae (1995), both landmark statements from the Church on the literally life-and-death importance of bioethics, has been released: the instruction Dignitas Personae ("The Dignity of the Person"):

The Vatican's introduction [I've summarized some sections in brackets, important parts in bold]:

Aim "In recent years, biomedical research has made great strides, opening new possibilities for the treatment of disease, but also giving rise to serious questions which had not been directly treated in the Instruction Donum vitae (22 February 1987). A new Instruction, which is dated 8 September 2008, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, seeks to provide some responses to these new bioethical questions, as these have been the focus of expectations and concerns in large sectors of society. In this way, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith seeks both to contribute “to the formation of conscience” (n. 10) and to encourage biomedical research respectful of the dignity of every human being and of procreation."

Title [Dignity of the Person = "from conception to natural death"] This fundamental principle expresses “a great ‘yes’ to human life and must be at the center of ethical reflection on biomedical research” (n. 1)."

Value "The document is an Instruction of a doctrinal nature, published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and expressly approved by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. The Instruction therefore falls within the category of documents that “participate in the ordinary Magisterium of the successor of Peter” (Instruction Donum veritatis, n.18), and is to be received by Catholics “with the religious assent of their spirit” (Dignitas personae, n. 37).

Preparation [this is an update of Donum Vitae, framed by Veritatis Splendor and Evangelium Vitae]

Intended recipients of the document [not only Catholics, but "all who seek the truth"]
Structure The Instruction has three parts: “the first recalls some anthropological, theological and ethical elements of fundamental importance; the second addresses new problems regarding procreation; the third examines new procedures involving the manipulation of embryos and the human genetic patrimony” (n. 3).

Important links:

• Read Dignitas Personae here (PDF format)
• Read the accompanying 2-page Q&A here (PDF format)
• Read the USCCB news release here (HTML page)

Busy day...

update: William Saunders of the Family Research Council has penned a short explanation and commentary of this new document over at The Catholic Thing. John Allen also helpfully weighs in at length.

Initial mainstream media reactions:

• WaPo: "Vatican Condemns Cloning, Embryonic Stem Cell Research"
• USA Today: "Roman Catholic Church updates code on reproduction"
• AFP: "Vatican condemns cloning, stem cell research"
• NYT: "Vatican Issues Instruction on Bioethics"
• Reuters: "Vatican condemns embryo stem cell research, cloning"
• AP: "Vatican issues major new bioethics document"

update 2: good thoughts from Yuvel Levin, speaking as a non-Catholic who likes the document:

"One of the great ironies of the stem cell debates of the last few years has been that some of the most serious attention to scientific detail and reality has come from Catholic circles, while some of the most wide-eyed messianic faith-healing talk has come from liberal political (and sometimes even scientific) circles." (NRO)

I wouldn't say this is exactly a case of irony.

Avery Cardinal Dulles has passed away

Avery Cardinal Dulles, 1918-2008.

I heard the sad news independently, but Rocco has the details.

Let perpetual light shine upon him.

update: the Jesuit Conference has released a statement.

SF Jesuit U. requires *abortion* coverage for students

update, 4:30pm: SF Jesuit U. *drops* abortion coverage for students

From an AmP reader:

It has recently come to light that the Jesuit University of San Francisco requires all students to buy health insurance that provides coverage for abortion. This means that a Catholic institution is directly funding the killing of children with tuition, and even worse, with our tithes and offerings.

I will link to the University's Web site which details the plan (Scroll down to page 15, and at the very top, under Maternity Expenses, you will see the following):

"Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy Covered Medical Expenses are payable as follows: Preferred Care: 90% of the Negotiated Charge. Non-Preferred Care: 70% of the Reasonable Charge."

Also see the press release from the Cardinal Newman Society, original reporting from the Catholic Key blog, as well as this article by LifeSiteNews, which gives us the email address of the USF President, Fr. Stephen Privett: "privett@usfca.edu".

Drop him a line and tell him (with charity) of your disapproval.

Pope says address AIDS by also working to change sexual behavior

So true, and a preview of what I predict he will say when he visits Africa next year:

In his 2009 World Day of Peace message released today, Pope Benedict XVI urged the world to fight moral underdevelopment and problem behavior in order to achieve victory over the AIDS pandemic.

Pope Benedict decried the tactics of developed countries that “make economic aid conditional upon the implementation of anti-life policies” to countries suffering from AIDS. The message pointed out that developing countries with higher birth rates have a better chance to emerge from poverty, and concluded, “Population is proving to be an asset, not a factor that contributes to poverty.”

Rather than use barrier methods of birth control as a means to control AIDS, Pope Benedict called for a return to morality and respect for true marriage. “It is especially hard to combat AIDS, a major cause of poverty, unless the moral issues connected with the spread of the virus are also addressed.”

However, in order to address the moral issues involved, “First and foremost, educational campaigns are needed, aimed especially at the young, to promote a sexual ethic that fully corresponds to the dignity of the person.” The Pope thereby excluded what are known as “comprehensive sex education” programs as a strategy to deal with AIDS, instead supporting programs promoting abstinence until marriage and fidelity in marriage. He praised the effectiveness of educational programs that promote chastity and true marriage: “Initiatives of this kind have already borne important fruits, causing a reduction in the spread of AIDS.” (LSN)

The bullet talking points I gather from this:

• don't force anti-life policies under the pretense of economic aid
• population growth is the way out of poverty, not into
• anti-HIV/AIDS measures are useless if they ignore the underlying sexual/moral causes
• "abstinence until marriage and fidelity in marriage" promotes human dignity and health
• "our way works, their way doesn't", so inform yourself and don't lose courage!

Obama to lift stem cell research ban in his first 100 days?

www.change.gov has been setup by the Obama transition team to allow Americans an "open government" where they can pose questions to his administration and then vote for which ones they want answered first.

Currently this is the fourth most popular question:

Of course, the question is improperly phrase: it is actually a ban on embryonic stem cell research using federal funds (i.e. taxpayer dollars).

Q: How again, exactly, will Obama keep James M. and Thomas P. both happy?

A: He won't.

Coupon for Christmas Shopping at Aquinas & More

Click here for the coupon:

Do AmP readers know of any other current coupons or promotions for online Catholic vendors?

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/11/08

Today's Top Post: Photo: World's Largest Cappa Magna?

"When you're sending roses to the pope, a dozen simply won't cut it."

[source: (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)]

Photo: World's Largest Cappa Magna?

Pictured below has to be the largest "cappa magna" I've ever seen. A cappa magna (great cope) is "a ceremonial cloak having a long train and a silk or fur-lined hood, worn by cardinals, bishops, and certain other dignitaries" (source). How'd you like to be that altar server?

Who's wearing it? Cardinal Hoyos. Who also wears it? The new head of CDWDS (Catholic liturgy).

Dappled Photos has a huge compilation of Cappa Magna photos, NLM spotlights an awesome photo of the future Pius XII in his, while Deacon Greg posts an anonymous reader's defense of the tradition and, from the July archives, Gerald Warner describes "cappaphobia" as a "mental disorder afflicting progressive Catholics."

Plenty to see and read.

BotC: Nativity Scene by Robert Campin

[Beauties of the Church #8]

Nativty Scene by Robert Campin, 1375 }{ Photo by Flickr user Daijahv

Benedict XVI to visit tomb of Padre Pio in May

Folks are sure to be happy to hear this news:

On the feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, officials announced that Pope Benedict XVI will visit three Italian dioceses next year, including the diocese where San Giovanni Rotondo is located, the burial place of St. Pio de Pietrelcina or “Padre Pio.”

According to Vatican Radio, “The Pope will visit Cassino and the Abbey of Montecassino on May 24; on June 21, he will visit the shrine of San Giovanni Rotondo, where the tomb of Padre Pio is located and on September 6 he will visit Viterbo and Bagnoreggio.” (CNA)

Bishops of Los Angeles issue letter reassuring gays

I'm calling this a case of "unteaching":

The bishops of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, led by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, issued a letter to homosexual Catholics on Friday seeking to ensure them that the Church’s support for Proposition 8 was not meant to diminish their dignity or their membership in the Church. The true aim of the Church’s support, the bishops write, was to “preserve the ordered relationship between man and woman created by God.”

The pastoral letter, which was printed in the archdiocesan paper The Tidings, is written to all homosexual members of the Church as well as the rest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. According to the bishops, its purpose is to offer reassurance to gays amidst the fallout surrounding Prop. 8’s success that they are “cherished members of the Catholic Church, and that we value you as equal and active members of the Body of Christ.” (CNA)

U.N. to receive 350k signatures calling for defense of life

Mine was one of them, and many of them were yours:

A coalition of pro-life and pro-marriage groups on Wednesday will present to the United Nations a petition containing at least 350,000 signatures asking that U.N. member states interpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as protecting unborn children from abortion and protecting the traditional family.

The Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) was the primary organizer of the petition drive, called “U.N. Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family.” It was joined by the Pro-Life Federation of Poland, the Institute of Family Policy of Spain, United Families International of the US, and U.S.-based Concerned Women for America. (CNA)

Some doubts about Doubt

"Meryl Streep had doubts about 'Doubt'", reports CNN.

Article highlights:

• "Doubt" stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
• Film is based on a Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play by the same name
• It examines what happens when a nun suspects a priest of abusing a student

I doubt I'm going to see it. Here's the trailer.

Vatican Christmas Decoration Details

Today's Bulletino tells us the 2008 Vatican Christmas Tree will arrive on the 12th, a gift from lower Austria:

The lighting ceremony of the tree in the square, a Norway spruce 33 metres high from the municipality of Gutenstein, will take place at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday 13 December. The tree, which has been decorated with more than 2,000 baubles and a large star, will be lit by a boy from the Altenburg Choir in the course of a brief ceremony due to be presided by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State, accompanied by Bishop Renato Boccardo, secretary general of the Governorate. Austrian government representatives and pilgrims will participate in the event, during which musicians and singers from Ziersdorf and Altenburg will provide musical accompaniment.

This year's nativity scene will have as its theme the "walls of Bethlehem":

The Christmas decorations in St. Peter's Square will be completed on the evening of 24 December with the unveiling of the nativity scene located at the centre of the square. The scene of Jesus' birth, which dominates centre stage, is this year located under a temporary structure of wooden planks in the lee of "walls of Bethlehem". The setting on the outskirts of the town is emphasised by the presence of a watchtower, by a large gateway that serves as backdrop to the Nativity, and by humble dwellings stretching along the walls themselves. The scene is populated by a series of statuesque figures, some of which come from the nativity scene created by St. Vincent Pallotti in the Roman church of Sant'Andrea della Valle in 1842.

Here is what last year's Vatican Christmas adornments looked like (credit: Laura Santoboni):

I hope to have photos of this year's decorations online promptly, once they are unveiled in Rome!

Photo Caption Call - 12/09/08

Today's Top Story: Save the Date! Lessons from St. Paul.

Winning Caption: "Why can't you play chess with a womynpriest? Because they can't tell a bishop from a queen." - WhollyRoaminCatholic

Honorably mention: "My Dear Wormwood, Inspiring the patient to organize a demonstration for women priests was an excellent idea, but you must pay attention to execution. At least teach them how to hold a crozier - it's not a cane! And it's imperative to keep the grey-haired old women out of pictures; we must fool them into thinking this is a new, progressive idea. Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape." - Brian Walden

Add your captions below in the comment box! View the winning caption from the last Photo Caption Call here.

[Source: Miguel Ramirez]

Breaking: New Prefect Appointed for CDWDS (liturgy)!

From today's Vatican bulletino:

The Holy Father appointed Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, archbishop of Toledo, Spain, as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He succeeds Cardinal Francis Arinze, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

This appointment has been in the rumor mill for some time.

Catholic Blogosphere reactions:

• Fr. Z: "In Spain he has been called the "Little Ratzinger".
• Rocco: the youngest of the '06 Cardinals (at 63), Llovera's background is in catechetical theology
• NLM: "it sounds as though we can expect much that is very good from the Cardinal." [I'd hope so.]

This also means that 76-year-old Cardinal Arinze will finally be allowed to step down. He will be missed!

update: and good heavens, Daily Peep has the photos which should terrify liturgical progressives.

Angelicum invites Cherie Blair to speak in Rome

Troubling news from the Social Sciences Faculty at the Angelicum in Rome. It seems we have new stories like this all the time:

"Pro-life Catholics around the world are responding with outrage that the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome (the “Angelicum”), one of the premier Catholic institutions of higher education, has invited Cherie Blair, the pro-abortion wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, to speak at a conference on women’s rights on December 12th." (LifeSiteNews)

Cherie Blair is simply very bad news when it comes to sexual ethics, as the LifeSiteNews article details at length. She's also made the AmP pages on occassion.

Fr. Philip Powell has obtained a copy of the reply written by Sr. Helen Alford, OP, the dean of the Angelicum social sciences school, who claims that because the Pontifical Academy invited her, so can they.

Her response doesn't satisfy John Smeaton who writes: "it was not justified of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to have invited Mrs Blair to speak in 2006, nor is it justified of the Angelicum today."

I have to say inviting Cherie Blair on the topic of women and human rights is a paradoxical choice because it is in this area where she most directly opposes Catholic doctrine and practice, energetically and continually.

Ph/t: Dawn.

update: Hilary White, LSN's Rome correspondent, posts an update.

Charities to aid Christians in Orissa?

Papists! Help me answer this AmP reader's request:

I'm a transitional deacon and I'm involved in a continuing formation program before ordination. There are a bunch of us here and we've decided to give some money to charity in lieu of gifts. So, we're going to make our proposals and vote on them at the community meeting next Thursday. I'd like to propose a charity to aid the Church in Orissa and was wondering if you could recommend a good one.

What should I recommend to him?

(More on the plight of Catholics in Orissa here.)

Abortion Politics Didn’t Doom the Republican Party

So says Ross Douthat in the New York Times:

"An iron law of recent American politics dictates that any Republican setback at the polls will be quickly pinned on the pro-life movement .... [but] why should abortion opponents, of all conservative factions, take the blame for the financial meltdown, or the bungled occupation of Iraq, or the handling of Hurricane Katrina?"

I agree with his analysis, and appreciate his awareness that Roe stands squarely in the way of all progress towards ever significantly and permanently reducing abortions (look at the last thought which I have underlined):

"no ... compromise is possible so long as Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey remain on the books. These decisions are monuments to pro-choice absolutism, and for pro-lifers to accept them means accepting that no serious legal restrictions on abortion will ever be possible — no matter what the polls say, and no matter how many hearts and minds pro-lifers change.

... Facing a hostile governing majority, pro-lifers can and should talk more about the possibility of compromise: They should explain, more often and more cogently, that if Americans want laws that better reflect their muddled sentiments on abortion, it is pro-choice maximalism, not the pro-life movement, that’s really standing in the way."

The best way forward? Douthat says:

"So long as the Supreme Court remains closely divided, and a post-Roe world remains in reach, the movement’s basic political task must remain the same. Not because pro-lifers are absolutists who reject compromise, but because any real compromise will always depend on overturning Roe. Giving up on this goal would mean giving up the movement’s very purpose, while gaining nothing in return."

Douthat is essentially making the same points that the US Bishops have made. Moreover, he is not trying to give political advice to the GOP, he is demonstrating that the best way to bring public policy more in accord with the views of the majority of American people on the issue of abortion is to abandon the abortion absolutism of the past thirty years and, you guess it, bring in some much-needed change.

In this case, that change is repealing Roe.

A note about comments

Last night I switched AmP to a more evolved comment system. It has a few extra bells and whistles but should still be fairly straight forward to use. Please let me know (by email) if you experience any difficulties.

As many of you have probably noticed, we've had some nasty trolls try to upset our normally-easygoing discussion threads lately. I've been taking active measures to delete these comments and ban the guilty parties.

If it happens to persist much longer I may have to enable comment moderation to pre-screen them out, but in the meantime I'll allow comments to stay live because I think it makes for more fluid interaction among readers.

Okay everyone - thanks for your patience! We now return to our regularly-scheduled AmP programming.

Jesus was born in June, astronomers claim

The supernova theory is out. Venus/Jupiter conjunction is in:

Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June, by charting the appearance of the 'Christmas star' which the Bible says led the three Wise Men to Jesus.

They found that a bright star which appeared over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago pinpointed the date of Christ's birth as June 17 rather than December 25.

The researchers claim the 'Christmas star' was most likely a magnificent conjunction of the planets Venus and Jupiter, which were so close together they would have shone unusually brightly as a single "beacon of light" which appeared suddenly.

... Australian astronomer Dave Reneke used complex computer software to chart the exact positions of all celestial bodies and map the night sky as it would have appeared over the Holy Land more than 2,000 years ago.

It revealed a spectacular astronomical event around the time of Jesus's birth.

... Using the St Matthew's Gospel as a reference point, Mr Reneke pinpointed the planetary conjunction, which appeared in the constellation of Leo, to the exact date of June 17 in the year 2BC.

... "This is not an attempt to decry religion. It's really backing it up as it shows there really was a bright object appearing in the East at the right time.

"Often when we mix science with religion in this kind of forum, it can upset people. In this case, I think this could serve to reinforce people's faith."

Previous theories have speculated the star was a supernova - an exploding star - or even a comet. But Mr Reneke says by narrowing the date down, the technology has provided the most compelling explanation yet. (UK Telegraph)

You won't hear me complaining - June 17th is my birthday. :)

But don't worry, I'm still accepting presents on both days.

Ph/t: Billy Newton at Blog of the Courtier.

More Muslim-Christian violence in Nigeria

Ruth Gedhill, via Amy.

We must pray for the Christians being persecuted here: at least 400 dead in this latest outbreak.

Personal account of someone who survived the Mumbai massacre

Moving testimony from Peter O'Malley, who found himself in the center of the Mumbai massacre.

His conclusion:

Agnostic and atheist friends have told me that they’d be a wreck if such a thing had happened to them. But my feeling is that the Lord, for some reason, put His protective hands around me. I had little to do with my deliverance; He was and is in control, and that is fine with me.

What good can come out of this dreadful experience? Hopefully a more widespread recognition that the power of prayer and an unshakeable faith in God’s loving plan can get us through anything. That is why I am offering this account to Catholic Exchange. I want others to pray and draw closer to Christ and His Mother, especially in these uncertain times.

A harrowing account, but inspirational to see how his faith never left but rather aided him in his distress.

Lisa Hendey’s 10 Most Fascinating Catholics of 2008

*Humph*, I didn't make the list, but see who did.

Clearly she needs to start following me on twitter!

Save the Date! Lessons from St. Paul.

This is well worth attending:

More details....

• Keynote Speaker - Most Rev. Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Denver (what a treat!)
• Main Speaker - SherryWeddell Co-Founder and Director Catherine of Siena Institute
• Multiple Workshops - Scripture, Spirituality, Youth ministry, Parish renewal, and much more

Contact: 313-883-8792 ][ http://www.shms.edu/ ][ lessonsfromstpaul@shms.edu

Please help me spread the word on your blog and among your friends.

If you blog about this conference and let me know, I'll include a link to it here!

• Jean Heimann at Catholic Fire
• Mark Shea at Catholic & Enjoying It!
• Sherry W. of Intentional Disciples
• Catholic Mommy Brain

Newsweek nonsense equates "Jesus has two (Immaculate) Mommies"

Mike Fragoso over at the FRC blog writes a first-class response to Lisa Miller's laughable attempt in Newsweek to deconstruct the traditional Christian vision of Marriage. A sample of Fragoso's response (underlining mine):

[Miller] elides much of the New Testament, and her history is reliant on the quotably wrong Stephanie Coontz. Where does one begin to answer imputations that King David was a homosexual? How can one comprehend-let alone respond to-an argument that first apparently admits Christ's virgin birth and then proceeds to equate the Holy Family to "Jesus has two (Immaculate) Mommies"? The Bible is simply a weapon-at-hand for her preferred policy ends. She's the sort of person Aeflric was worried about.

That underlined equating that "Jesus has two (Immaculate) Mommies" got me thinking: what an antitype that is to the Solemnity of Mary's Immaculate Conception which we Catholics are celebrating today!

It never ceases to amaze me how people can use the same words as we do, and yet completely miss their proper meaning. But there is something deeper in play here: the publication of this article is clearly a result of the California referendum reversing the CA court's decision to allow homosexual marriage, which subsequently caused progressive secularists to attack traditional Christian churches for their continued resistance to state-mandated homosexual "marriage."

What happens when these secular progressives try to do theology? Little gems like this:

"We cannot look to the Bible as a marriage manual, but we can read it for universal truths as we struggle toward a more just future."

How wonderfully Hegelian. Problem is, universal truths and justice itself are not separated from individual acts, which either bring about justice, or defeat it. Sorry to be a bother - but that's what Christ actually revealed.

Theology a la Miller, part deux:

"More basic than theology, though, is human need."

Actually, nothing is deeper than theology in this sense: theology reveals to us that human need is placed within us by God, and that His love is the only answer to the deepest yearnings (needs) of the human heart.

But if you have convinced yourself that your deepest yearning is to witness the legalization of homosexual "marriage", than sure, theology is inconvenient.

And so is the biblical teaching on marriage.

update: well isn't this interesting. Politico is reporting (in a very popular story) that Newsweek is catching alot of heat for this (cover)story:

Leading social conservatives blasted Newsweek for its current cover story, "The Religious Case for Gay Marriage," which they said misinterprets both biblical scripture and their own political movement.

.... Tony Perkins, president of the socially conservative Family Research Council, agreed, calling Newsweek’s cover story “yet another attack on orthodox Christianity. I hardly think that Newsweek is a credible venue for theological discussion,” said Perkins. “I mean, I thought it was just full of holes.”

And yes, that's the same Family Research Council I mention in this same post.

What really gets me is the way the Newsweek editors are being defiant on the issue, as if Miller's argument actually holds any theological weight. I'm sorry, but such a stand would just be laughed off the soapbox if we were encountering an objective debate here. Instead, we are witnessing an ideologically-driven deconstruction of Christian teaching and tradition.

Arguing that the Christian vision of marriage ought not to influence American legislation is one thing, but denying the Christian vision of marriage in its essence ... that's another (and mute) topic.

[photo credit: Flickr user Steve Rhodes]

BotC: Carpaccio's Birth of the Virgin

[Beauties of the Church #7]

Birth of the Virgin by Vittorio Carpaccio }{ Photo by Flickr user Circa 1440

Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for U.S. Catholics.

It's also the third anniversary of my registering www.AmericanPapist.com. :-)

DC Priest Chases Thief, Goes on to Lead Mass

Not your average pre-Sunday Mass prep:

Prior to celebrating mass Sunday morning, a Capitol Hill priest went on a couple of runs -- one for some exercise and one to catch a thief.

[let's jump into the story:] Rev. Bill Hegedusich asked the man not to run in the church and then noticed two bags of money were missing from the safe, which was unlocked because church officials were preparing for mass. Hegedusich had to act quickly, as the man was sprinting toward the door.

The priest chased the man through an alley and down the street. Knowing where the alley came out, Hegedusich tried to cut off the man.

Thinking the man could be armed, Hegedusich kept his distance and yelled that he just wanted the money back. The thief ditched one bag on North Carolina Avenue SE and continued running with the other, the Washington Post reported.

Hegedusich picked up the bag and headed back to the church, where he celebrated 11 a.m. Mass a few minutes late. (NBC Washington)

Good for Fr. Bill! The Thief only made off with about $65 because of his brave (and prudent) reaction.

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/05/08

Today's Top Post: Patriarch Alexei II, head of Russian Orthodox Church, dies

"Wait! Don't leave! I forgot to give the blessing!"

[source: REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi (VATICAN)]

"Papist" in the news

Who's callin' us papists these days?!

RedlandsDailyFacts: "The Protestant reformers frowned on the pies, seeing them as a human tradition, not divine, and the Puritan regime forbade them as "papist." But a tasty treat defies religious laws, and the pies returned to England when good King Charles II replaced the stern Puritans and they have been a part of English cuisine ever since at Christmastide." {Lesson learned: Papists love pies.}

NumisBaster: "In any event, James had waged an unending campaign to bring the Kirk to heel, an effort culminating in the so-called "Black Articles of Perth" in 1618. These not only mandated such "papist" practices as kneeling to receive communion, but - much worse - reintroduced the office of bishop." {Lesson learned: Liturgical legislation is best not left to kings.}

ScienceBlogs: "The irony here is that America in 1787 was almost entirely Protestant and one of the arguments heard from many a pulpit in those days was that the ban on religious tests for office would lead - gasp - to a "Papist" ruling the country." {Lesson learned: Papists are the original outlaws.}

TheMorningCall: "The Puritans, a group similar to but distinct from the Pilgrims, were happy to celebrate Thanksgiving as their seminal annual celebration because it conveniently replaced Christmas, which they deemed decadent, unsupported by the Gospels, and entirely too papist." {Lesson learned: Papists know how to Christmas-it-up right.}

TheFirstPost: "Conrad had converted to Rome for his first marriage, and made much of his Papist propriety." {Lesson learned: ... actually, I'm stumped.}

Friday Pro-Life News

A warning from C-FAM's Austin Ruse:

We report today on the prospects at the UN for the re-emergence of Hillary Clinton on UN social policy. Clinton was the driving force for much abortion mischief at the UN during the tenure of her husband. Much more mischief is expected with her and other pro-abortion radicals now in the employ of the Obama administration.

C-FAM is also planning to present a petition to the UN against a (counter-)petition for abortion to become an internationally recognized right ... anyway, sign it please. It took me about 20 seconds to become signature #151,424.

Meanwhile, as CNN reruns year-old interviews on "the problem of pro-life doctors", Fox News runs a special report on Planned Parenthood's infamous Christmas stocking stuffers (which I blogged about here), and Bill O'Reilly interviews the brave girl who exposed Planned Parenthood Indiana (which I blogged about here).

Keep it up.

Friday Humor

The Onion Sports takes a crack at a Papist Photo Caption Call. :-)

Patriarch Alexei II, head of Russian Orthodox Church, dies

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexiy II, has died at the age of 79.

There is no word on the cause of his death at his residence outside Moscow, but he had been sick for some time. No date has been set yet for the funeral.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called his death a "great loss".

Alexiy II was credited with helping restore the moral authority of the Russian Orthodox Church after decades of repression under communism.

Favoured by the KGB as he rose through the Church's ranks, he then oversaw its post-communist revival.

However, relations with the Roman Catholic Church remained frosty and he repeatedly refused to meet the late Pope John Paul II, or his successor, Benedict XVI. (BBC)

Prayers for his passing, and his sucessor. Pope Benedict says he is profoundly saddened by the news.

update: someone help this papist out - how do the Russian Orthodox elect a new head?

(Besides, of course, just calling Pope Benedict and having done with it).

update 2: "The "Holy Synod" of Russian Orthodox bishops will meet to elect the next patriarch.This is also the manner in which (Eastern) patriarchs are elected in the Catholic Church." - f.r.

Here is the website of the Russian Orthodox Church. Same page translated into English.

Photo Caption Call - 12/04/08

Today's Top Story: Time Journalist: Obama can't keep both pro-life & pro-abortion camps happy

Winning Caption: "After noticing the motorcyclists lacked helmets, Father decided he better administer Last Rights!" - Spacepiston

Add your captions below in the comment box! View the winning caption from the last Photo Caption Call here.

[Source: Aisaider 2008]

Slower news day

Or maybe I'm just missing out on the important stories out there.

So help me fill the void - what are you talking about these days?

"Couples staying together because of poor economy"

Aw, shucks:

Running into your ex is almost always awkward and stressful. David Snyder and Nancy Partridge deal with it nearly every day.

The Denver couple divorced after six years of marriage but have been forced to live together for months because they can't sell their place or afford to set up separate households in this slumping economy.

Snyder gets the master bedroom, while Partridge gets a smaller one. Snyder watches TV on one end of the house, Partridge on the other. The two split the grocery bill and kitchen duties. Sometimes they eat dinner together, sometimes apart. There are awkward silences, or worse.

"We've had tremendous arguments over things like who gets to park in the garage, but at this point, it's kind of settling down into a routine," said Partridge, 45, who works in public relations. (AP)

"Settling down into a routine"? I hope they realize that this newfound ability to resolve conflcits could have disastrously favorable effects on their marriage ... okay, so it's probably too late, but I'm just sayin'.

Time: Obama can't keep both pro-life & pro-abortion camps happy

Color me not surprised:

Amy Sullivan, National Correspondent for Time Magazine, says that during the election season pro-Obama religious liberals felt "thrown under a bus" by the Obama campaign.

Many had gone out on a limb to say Obama favored abortion reduction. But the campaign then went into a minor panic after Sarah Palin's selection, fearing she would help attract independent women to the Republicans. So Democrats began running ads emphasizing traditional support for abortion rights sans abortion reduction. This infuriated pro-life Obama supporters who had gone out on a limb.

Subsequently, Obama and Joe Biden talked more about abortion reduction. But in an interview we did for Trinity Wall Street, Sullivan -- the nation's foremost expert on the religious left -- argues, that Obama will have a difficult time retaining the trust of pro-life Obama voters, while still satisfying his pro-choice supporters. (Steve Waldmen)

I wonder if this makes me the "nation's foremost expert on the religious left."

Because I've been saying this since day one.

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/03/08

Today's Top Post: Video: Planned Parenthood breaking laws to get 13-yr-olds abortions

So much for leisurly after-dinner strolls in the garden.

[source: AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino]

Breaking: Conservative Episcopalians to form rival US province

The fracture of the Anglican communion continues. This time, dramatically:

Conservatives estranged from the Episcopal Church in the United States and its Canadian counterpart are expected to formally announce Wednesday the formation of a rival “province” in the two countries.

Leaders of the new Anglican Church in North America are expected to unveil a draft constitution for the province — or ecclesiastical territorial division — at an evening service at the 1,200-seat Wheaton Evangelical Free Church in Wheaton, Illinois, the group said in a written statement.

“The public release of our draft constitution is an important concrete step toward the goal of a biblical, missionary and united Anglican Church in North America,” Bishop Robert Duncan of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, diocese, said in the written statement.

The move comes after years of debate over several issues, ranging from the interpretation of the Bible to homosexuality. Tensions reached a boiling point in 2003, when the Episcopal Church consecrated an openly gay man, Rev. Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire. (CNN)

Stand Firm is the traditional Anglican blog in America. They have been posting live updates:

BREAKING: Constitution Approved for New Province // From an anonymous (but impeccable) source. That's all we have now. More details as news develops. // The vote to approve the constitution was unanimous, with no abstentions. // 4 of 9 canons have been voted on. The assembly has now broken for lunch. // No more news until the press conference later in the day.

They also have a live video stream from Wheaton where the meeting is taking place.

More links: New York Times, AssociatedPress, UK Telegraph, Dallas Morning News.

I wonder if any conservative pastors, congregations or individuals are considering the Catholic Church as an alternative to this new rival province and the old communion?

update: also checkout Texanglican.

[photo credit: Sally Ryan for the New York Times.]

Female Swiss Guards?

CNS:

The Swiss Guard's new commander said he was willing to consider the possibility of allowing female recruits.

When asked in an interview after his appointment whether women would one day be able to join the elite papal guard, Anrig told a Swiss news Web site, www.swissinfo.ch, that although he was unfamiliar with the finer details of the Swiss Guard regulations he believed, "as commandant, one has to be always open to new questions including those relating to recruitment."

Right now, I'd say a 173 centimeter tall man has more of a chance than a woman. Not kidding.

Waiting for the wedding before first kiss?

A Chicago couple decided to.

Fox & Friends decided to mock the decision (not cool).

What do you think about the decision?

Laudable? Puritanical?

Video: Planned Parenthood breaking laws to get 13yr-olds abortions

Not to upset your lunch, but this sort of thing should upset us.

Live Action Films has posted an undercover video of a Planned Parenthood nurse in Indiana violating about every law she can think of ... just to make sure a 13 year old girl can get her abortion. And when the nurse is told the young girl's "boyfriend" is 31? "Oh, don't tell me his age, I don't want to hear it."

LifeNews has more background.

Remind me, again, why Planned Parenthood continues to be the go-to organization of choice for Obama administration appointments? Including, yesterday, our new Secretary of Homeland Security? Why, with each year, does Planned Parenthood receive more and more government money?

Planned Parenthood of Indiana made the AmP radar last week for offering Gift Certificates for Abortions.

What other organization in the United States could get away with all of this?!

update: in a related vein, Jill posts about the amazing success of the 40 Days for Life campaign.

update 2: Planned Parenthood Suspends Employee After Statutory Rape Coverup Video

Fr. Thomas Berg on "Digital Decadence"

As someone who spends a large amount of time in the "digital world", I found this thought-provoking:

This year, our Thanksgiving was interrupted by unsettling blips on our (plasma) screens, Blackberries or smartphones: A young man webcasts his own suicide. One hundred-ninety plus people are massacred in Mumbai by Islamic terrorists. A Walmart employee is trampled to death by a mob of shoppers on Black Friday.

Beyond the disturbing nature of these tragedies in themselves, I find myself disturbed about something else: about what becomes of these incidents in the information age. What cultural perils beset us as we digitalize and informationalize human tragedy?

[Read the full article.]

Theology of the Body Short Script Contest

AmP reader Angela writes:

I work at Family Theater Productions in Hollywood. It's a Catholic Production Company that is a part of Holy Cross Family Ministries. Our website is here.

One of the main things we do is outreach to the young Catholics in Hollywood trying to make it in the entertainment industry as actors, writers, directors, etc.

Our latest project is to have a short script writing contest to help writers try and integrate the teachings of John Paul 2 into the art of writing. We are holding a small script writing contest and hope to let as many people know about it as possible in the hopes that people will give it a try. They can find all the details on our Facebook page.

Christmas ringtones and wallpapers for your cellphone

As a way of helping users to enter more deeply into the Advent and Christmas seasons, Catholic Mobile is offering ringtones such as “Jingle Bells,” “The First Noel,” “Oh Christmas Tree, “Little Drummer Boy” and many other favorites, as well as wallpapers, that can be downloaded at www.catholicmobile.com.

Pro-God ad campaign responds to DC secularists

'Tis the season... for competing ad campaigns.

A couple weeks ago I posted a picture of the "why believe in a god?" campaign that is running on DC buses.

CNA reports that the Center for Family Development has decided to respond with a counter-campaign.

You can see the ad image here. They also have a Facebook page and are taking donations.

"Holy See not in favor of death penalty for gays, Vatican spokesman clarifies"

As if the point needed clarification?!

Homosexual rights advocates in Italy harshly criticized the [Holy See's]remarks, labeling them “grotesque” and “anachronistic.”

The Director of Vatican Radio, Father Frederico Lombardi, defended the archbishop’s remarks, saying “no one wants the death penalty or jail or fines for homosexuals.” (CNA)

Oh that's right, if the Church even dares to do anything less than totally support an international right to homosexual marriage .... it gets accused of favoring the death penalty for homosexuals.

Now that sure sounds like a reasonable way to discuss the issue. (/sarcasm.)

Stupid Stocking Stuffer: Chocolate Jesus

German churches have criticized a businessman for selling thousands of chocolates shaped like Jesus.

The candies come from Frank Oynhausen’s "Sweet Lord" chocolate-making business, which wraps the figures in gold foil.

“I started thinking about how I could reintroduce traditional religious values into this commercial world," Oynhausen states on his web site.

The figures at present are custom-produced, costing about $190 for almost a quarter pound. Oynhausen expressed hopes of mass producing the product and exporting it for sale in countries such as the U.S.

The German Protestant Church criticized the idea as “tasteless.”

Aegidius Engel, a spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Paderborn, was also critical, saying:

"It is terrible that Jesus is being wrapped up in gold foil and sold along with chocolate bunnies, edible penguins and lollipops."

"This is ruining the symbol of Jesus himself," he added, according to Reuters. (CNA)

Barf.

Photo Caption Call - 12/02/08

Today's Top Story: Fr. Euteneuer (HLI) vs. NCRegister re: Obama

Photo Caption: "This week, Jamie and Adam try to recreate the Assumption on Mythbusters." - Michael Thomas

Add your captions below in the comment box! View the winning caption from the last Photo Caption Call here.

Please support AmP when you buy Catholic books online. Use this link for Ignatius Press and this link for Amazon.com.

[Source: Beatus Est via NLM]

Put AmP Flair on your Facebook!

This is a little inside I realize ....

For those of you who know, and are interested, you can now receive and send "AmP Facebook Flair"! Just add the Flair application (if you don't have it already) and search for "papist". Pretty nifty, huh?

update: I've discovered that I have Mike Thomas of Saginaw/Bay City, MI to thank for this work!

Fr. Euteneuer (HLI) vs. NCRegister re: Obama

Fr. Tom Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, has gone so far as to claim that the Legionariest of Christ are "now officially part of the problem, not part of the solution" and have "lost it on this one" because of a supposedly "pro-Obama" editorial penned by National Catholic Register editor Tom Hoopes, a layman employed by the Legionaries.

Fr. Euteneuer even goes so far as to claim that the Register editorial at issue reminded him of a National Catholic Reporter editorial, and as a result he has cancelled his subscription and urged others to do this same.

Now these are very serious accusations and actions taken.

And I think they are misguided.

Tom Hoopes has responded to these accusations here and I agree with him that the National Catholic Register, pace Fr. Euteneuer, has been a stalwart defender and champion of the rights of the unborn in this recent election.

And while I may find the editorial in question a bit gushy for my taste - it's not a suffitient reason to cancel a subscription to a fine Catholic newspaper. And good heavens, this is still nothing compared to the NCReporter.

Bishop on FOCA: "You can go take a Flying Leap"

Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, VA, when asked about FOCA and Catholic hospital closures:

Bishop Paul Loverde of the Roman Catholic diocese of Arlington, Va., said last week that if the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) should become law and a Catholic hospital in his diocese is forced to provide abortions, he would refuse to let the hospital comply, but he would also not close the institution.

Though there are no Catholic hospitals in his diocese, the bishop nevertheless was defiant: "I would say, 'Yeah, I'm not going to close the hospital, you're going to arrest me, go right ahead. You'll have to drag me out, go right ahead. I'm not closing this hospital, we will not perform abortions, and you can go take a flying leap." (CNS)

Ph/t: Margaret Cabaniss of Inside Catholic.

US Bishops to get extra year to prepare Ad Limina report

Until mid-2010, is the bottom-line. This delay caused by the Vatican's considerable backlog.

The Vatican's considerable backlog caused by several factors, including many new bishops:

According to the Vatican's official statistical yearbook, at the end of 1983 there were 2,285 diocesan bishops in the world and they had 651 coadjutor or auxiliary bishops.

By the end of 2006 -- the year covered in the most recent edition of the yearbook -- there were 2,705 diocesan bishops with 606 coadjutor or auxiliary bishops.

In essence, that means that in 1983 the pope would have had to meet an average of 457 diocesan bishops each year in order to see them all every five years. By 2006, the average number of meetings needed each year rose to 541. (CNS)

Here's a solution: let me meet with them first, and I'll screen out the baddies. ;-)

Condom Ads Target Catholics on World AIDS Day

Steve Waldman:

Planetwire.org, a website on family planning issues, reports:

Two new radio advertisements for condom use began to target Catholics in the U.S. Hispanic community here today, World AIDS Day, with the message that "good Catholics use condoms" to protect the people they love.

Full report here.

... and guess who's behind it? That offensive organization Catholics for Choice. More propaganda:

One of the ads features a grandmother talking about her grandson, who is gay, and the other involves a couple discussing the importance of love, faith and condom use in their relationship. "We are Catholics and people of faith and we know sex is sacred and that we need to take care of each other. And this means using a condom every time we have sex," the second ad says.

I'm trying to find a parallel to reveal the double-standard here: how making these lying claims about Catholics is acceptable, while patently-false truth-claims about other religions would be derided. It's like saying "good Mormons use alcohol, tabacco, coffea and tea" or "good Muslims adore Jesus Christ as God" ... imagine how those ad campaigns would be received.

I dunno, I'm just getting really fed up with Catholics for Choice and I'm too distracted right now to think up a comprehensive plan to counter-act their dissembling efforts. Especially their tactic of turning World AIDS Day into "world scapegoat-the-Catholic-Church-for-AIDS-Day."

This ploy becomes incredibly tragic when one realizes that the Church's teaching on abstinence before marriage and fidelity within marriage, when widely practiced, does more to reduce the incidence of new HIV/AIDS infections than all the condoms Catholics for Choice could ever throw at the problem.

Second priest says Obama-voters should confess

Just to get both coasts involved.

The AP report was so short (and the reporting so horrible) that I have to pick it apart.

My comments in [brackets]:

A Roman Catholic priest has told parishioners they should confess if they voted for Barack Obama because the president-elect supports abortion rights. [I'm sure he asked them to confess the sin of voting for Obama, not confess that they voted for him.]

The Rev. Joseph Illo said parishioners at St. Joseph's Catholic Church shouldn't risk losing their "state of grace" by receiving Communion sacrilegiously. [No, I'm sure the priest said those who commit a mortal sin are thereby deprived of the "state of grace". Seriously, this counts as religion reporting?]

He delivered the message in a Nov. 21 letter and at Mass. [I bet it was a bulletin.]

In an interview last week with the Modesto Bee, Illo said he sent the letter because Catholic teaching requires that people go to confession when they commit a mortal sin. [Wow, I actually don't have see anything worth correcting in this paragraph - good job, AP reporter!]

The Most Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of the Stockton diocese, disagreed with Ilo. Catholics were not in need of confession if they voted for Obama after considering many issues, the bishop said. He also said Catholics should not be compelled to disclose how they voted to their priest. ["After considering many issues" - now there's an oversimplification that completely does away with the substance of the debate.]

Saturday, Illo said he would make a statement about his letter at services this morning. [Protestants have services, Catholics have Mass. They are different.]

You know the reporting is bad when you can actually discover the truth of the situation past the obvious blunders the actual report contains. That's how obvious the facts are, facts which escape the persons paid to report this news! It just goes to prove William Shneider's famous quip: "The press ... just doesn't get religion."

I've created a whole category for this sort of reporting. I call it, "stupid reporting."

Pope warns students about technology isolation

I hope I'm not being ironic by spreading this news ... on my blog:

Students today are in danger of losing this balance [between solitude and communion], the Holy Father explained, due to the increased use of information technologies. “On the one hand, they run the risk of a growing reduction in their capacity for concentration and mental application on an individual level; on the other, that of isolating themselves individually in an increasingly virtual reality.”

In doing so, students close themselves off to “constructive relations with others." (CNA)

Pope Benedict, of course, is very right to point out the danger of going "too much" in either the direction of communion or solitude. So be careful how much you read my blog, or watch my YouTube channel, browse my Flickr page, hang out on my FaceBook page, wait for my Twitter updates, or .... you get the idea.

Seriously, however, the tendency to isolate oneself I think is a problem for some people more than others, but in my experience it's fairly obvious when it's getting to be a serious problem.

Loosing the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time, however, is more insidious and therefore causes me much more concern. I think it's a problem not only caused by time online, but much more by our media culture (including especially TV ads, shows, cable news, etc).

So keep reading books. Honestly - it's the best way to keep your brain in shape. And have long conversations with your friends. That's what humans do. And of course, if you need reading tips or stuff to talk about...

.... there's always AmP. :-)

Bishop: Quit with the stupid baby names, already!

Via CMR (one of my new favorite blogs, by the way):

An Italian bishop has called on parents to stop giving their children "ridiculous" names and revert to traditional Christian names instead.

Monsignor Bassano Staffieri, retired bishop of La Spezia in Liguria, said that of the 500 girls born in the city this year, "not one was registered or baptised with the name Maria". He added."A name is not just a sound, it has a profound meaning."

Mothers and fathers "should return to using a name like Maria, which is inspired by the Virgin Mary", instead of opting for "exotic or strange names of which their children will later be ashamed", the bishop said. There were signs that parents were reverting to traditional names for boys, "but this is still not the case with baby girls, alas". (underlining mine)

He said the reason was not so much that Italian families were abandoning the Catholic faith but rather that they did not give enough thought to baptismal names. "The problem is they do not think about what they are doing".

Here's a good litmus test if you have doubts about the name you are considering: when you tell your friends what you are thinking of naming your child, do they ask in return, "What saint is that?"

If they have to ask, keep trying.

Unless, of course, you chose "Columkille."

Is Advent a penitential season?

update: whoops, looks like somehow an old post surfaced on JA.com and I got confused.

What Jimmy observes about liturgical purple is still interesting, however:

I mean, what's with all the purple? One clue may be found in Wikipedia:

In the Roman Church the liturgical color of purple or violet is used in the liturgy. Often times the purple used is a darker purple (sometimes called "Royal Purple") whereas in Lent the color is often a reddish purple ("Roman Purple).

So maybe . . . just maybe . . . the purple in Advent is supposed to be a signification of the birth of a coming King rather than a sign of penance."

But seriously, how many parishes have separate shades of purple to destinguish between Lent and Advent? This is a useful confirmation that liturgical colors matter, and that liturgical details matter.

update: for those who wish to pursue this topic further, see Adam Schwend "Advent questions: Holy water, blue and Guadete Sunday".

Can you translate? Want a good job?

"Ignatius Press is currently seeking French, German, and Italian translators to translate book-length works into English."

Details here.

Buy something at Ignatius Press through this link and I get a commission. update: now it works.

Papist Picture of the Day - 12/01/08

Today's Top Post: What's going on with UD?

Pope Benedict is given the honor of selecting his ceremonial lightsaber first.

[source: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool]

BotC: Madonna of the Health Stained Glass

[Beauties of the Church #6]

Madonna of the Health Stained Glass in Milan ][ Photo by Flickr user shotbart

What's going on with UD?

Read the speaker description below and then ask yourself what University you'd think would issue her an invitation to speak:

A self-described "Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt," [the professor] combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating anti-Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies.

I bet one of the universities you didn't consider is the Catholic University of Dallas, which is quite excited to have her.

("Her" being Dr. Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt U.)

This isn't the first head-scratching speaker move made by UD in recent memory, either. Last year they invited radical anti-war activist Cindy Seehan (to speak to their economics department?!).

UD also apparently wasted a bundle of money in an ill-conceived plan to compete with SMU for the George W. Bush Library (why would a Catholic school want that?) and now the UD student newspaper details how the UD faculty have been taking "pay cuts and reduced contributions to their retirement fund" since 2003-04, which as one might imagine is causing significant stress:

.... Dr. Richard Dougherty of the politics department went into detail about the strain faculty members are under without adequate compensation. Older faculty can't afford to retire, younger faculty are working two jobs to make ends meet, and some professors have been forced to buy clothing for their children at thrift stores, Dougherty said.

Another person interviewed described faculty morale as being "at a breaking point."

With problems like this on campus, one would hope UD might take some time off from eliminating anti-Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies and instead try eliminating the poverty of its professors.

November posts new record

Last month was, once again, the most popular month ever in AmP's history, by a healthy margin. The pages were physically viewed almost 200,000 times, and that's not even counting the RSS, email and Facebook readerships.

.... all of which makes it incumbent on me to mention these fantastic AmP BlogAds opportunities! =)

Tonight - Look Up!

Of the many celestial sights, this is a beautiful and easy one to appreciate (as long as you have clear skies):

Every once in a while, something will appear in the night sky that will attract the attention of even those who normally don't bother looking up. It's likely to be that way on Monday evening, Dec. 1.

A slender crescent moon, just 15-percent illuminated, will appear in very close proximity to the two brightest planets in our sky, Venus and Jupiter. (SPACE.com)

A student culture of plagiarism

Some sobering statistics that sadly jive with what I hear from teachers:

Cheating in school is rampant and getting worse. Sixty-four percent of students cheated on a test in the past year and 38 percent did so two or more times, up from 60 percent and 35 percent in a 2006 survey. Thirty-six percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2004. (AP)

Plagiarism is also encouraged by teachers who aren't as vigilant as they should be. After all, students are far less likely to try cheating if they don't think they'll be able to get away with it in the first place.

Not like that's any excuse....

Hillary Clinton appointed Sec. of State

Chickens coming home to roost:

Obama introduced Clinton first, saying of his former presidential rival, "She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic. ... She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world."

Clinton will give up her seat as a senator from New York to join the Obama Cabinet. Her appointment was preceded by lengthy negotiations involving her husband, the former president, whose international business connections posed potential conflicts of interests.

The former president also agreed to disclose the donors to the foundation that built his library, as well as contributors to his international foundation.

She said to Obama, in a brief turn at the lectern, "I am proud to join you ... and may God bless you and our great country."

Sen. Clinton had scarcely finished speaking when her husband issued a written statement. "She is the right person for the job of helping to restore America's image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security, by building a future for our children with more partners and fewer adversaries, one of shared responsibilities and opportunities," he said. (AP)

Oh the drama we can expect.

Vatican's ITC takes a look at Natural Law

Interesting....

The International Theological Commission is celebrating its plenary session from 1 to 5 December in the Vatican's "Domus Sanctae Marthae", under the chairmanship of Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., secretary general of the commission.

The commission, which has a five-year mandate that expires this year, will study the matters presented for it to examine, says a communique published today. In particular, a draft document on natural moral law entitled "The search for universal ethics. A new look at natural law", will be presented for members' approval. The draft document will still have to follow the procedures laid down in the Statutes before any publication. (VIS)

Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions for December

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for December is: "That, faced by the growing expansion of the culture of violence and death, the Church may courageously promote the culture of life through all