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Papist Picture of the Day - 6/30/09

"Bless me father, for I have purchased IKEA and shrubberies."

[source: Reuters]

Found: The Bones of St. Paul!

Again, a story that slipped through my fingers. 

Happily, St. Paul did not manage to permanently slip through the fingers of the Church (it seems):

Pope Benedict XVI said last night that bone fragments found inside the tomb of St Paul in Rome had been carbon dated for the first time, "confirming the unanimous and uncontested tradition that they are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul".

He said that archaeologists had inserted a probe into the white marble sarcophagus under the Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls which has been revered for centuries as the tomb of St Paul.

The pontiff said: "Small fragments of bone were carbon dated by experts who knew nothing about their provenance and results showed they were from someone who lived between the 1st and 2nd century. This seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that these are the mortal remains of Paul the Apostle."

The Pope, who said the discovery "fills our souls with great emotion", made the unexpected announcement during Vespers at St Paul's Basilica last night, marking the end of the Pauline year held in honour of the apostle. He said that as well as bone fragments, archaeologists had found grains of red incense, a piece of purple linen with gold sequins and a blue fabric with linen filaments in the tomb. (UK Times)

St. Paul: always full of surprises!

Can we say "pilgrimage site"?

Related: New Discoveries. Why St. Paul Was Given a Philosopher's Face by Sandro Magister:

"The oldest depiction of the apostle has been found just a short distance from his tomb, which is also the object of new investigations. The Church wanted to represent him as the Christian Plato. A daring decision. And still extremely relevant, even today"

In new plan, White House faces choice between Catholics or abortion groups

Dan Gilgoff, with his dependable, informative coverage of things religious/political, notes that as the White House prepares to debut its abortion plan, "packing" is becoming a "major issue":

As the White House readies its plan for finding "common ground" on reproductive health issues and reducing the need for abortion, a major debate has emerged over how to package the plan's two major components: preventing unwanted pregnancies and reducing the need for abortion.

Many abortion rights advocates and some Democrats who want to dial down the culture wars want the White House to package the two parts of the plan together, as a single piece of legislation. The plan would seek to reduce unwanted pregnancies by funding comprehensive sex education and contraception and to reduce the need for abortion by bolstering federal support for pregnant women. Supporters of the approach say it would force senators and members of Congress on both sides of the abortion battle to compromise their traditional positions, creating true common ground that mirrors what President Obama has called for.

But more conservative religious groups working with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships say they would be forced to oppose such a plan—even though they support the abortion reduction part—because they oppose federal dollars for contraception and comprehensive sex education. This camp, which includes such formidable organizations as the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops and the Southern Baptist Convention, is pressuring the White House to decouple the two parts of the plan into separate bills. One bill would focus entirely on preventing unwanted pregnancy, while the other would focus on supporting pregnant women.

The White House declined a request for comment. Advocates for both plans say the administration has offered no hint about how it will come down on the matter. But with the White House expected to announce its plan on abortion and related issues this summer, advocates on both sides are strenuously lobbying for the plan, arguing that it offers the only true hope for common ground on very thorny issues. (Read full article here.)

The Obama team is silent about what it plans to do.

Bottom line:

For the White House, the decision about which tack to take is largely a question of whom it feels more comfortable alienating: religious groups like the Catholic bishops, which it has been trying hard to win over, or abortion rights groups, a key part of the Democratic base that it doesn't want to lose.

As I said in my extended look at Reproductive Health Reality Check's "common ground forum", the new pro-abortion tactic is "[not to] reduce abortion, [but] to reduce the "need" for abortion, often through recourse to contraception." And they will never rule out abortion. In fact, the RHRC's twitter feed yesterday promoted "ensuring universal access to family planning" (a euphemism for contraception and abortion) as common ground!

So what does this "new way" boil down to for us? Catholics giving in on contraception. The radical abortion agenda will not back down one step, so their "common ground" is a mask for us to compromise our principles.

Just look at the thoughts expressed in the ultra-liberal Daily Kos, which specifically targets Catholics:

On the subject of Reproductive Freedom, there can be no common ground between the militant anti-abortion religious right, including the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and those of us who believe that people have the right to use any method of birth control they choice, up to and including safe, legal abortion.

While most of Catholics in this country and much of the rest of the world believe as I do, that girls, women and their sexual partners should have this right, the Roman Catholic hierarchy would rather women die of AIDS, and they and their children die of hunger, rather than a sexual partner use condoms or themselves use artificial methods of birth control or be able to attain a safe, legal abortion.

This sort of thinking is the same type that is held by the owners of Planned Parenthood, and the powerful pro-abortion interests in this country.

Secondly, it's a liberal orthodoxy that universal access to contraception (and honestly, pushing contraceptives on sexually active people, starting young) will reduce the need for abortions.

However, I've heard it argued that the actual data reveals that countries with expanded access to contraception actually have more need for abortions. I would tend to agree with this analysis, because who of us thinks that American youth *don't* have enough access to contraception?! Frankly, the people who don't use contraception for religious reasons are the same people who are far, far less likely to seek an abortion.

But it would help if I had the research at my finger tips. So if you know where it is online, please send me the link and I'll post it on AmP.

There is currently a lobbying battle waging between pro-abortion groups and the USCCB over which plan the Obama team chooses, as Gilgoff reports. We need to be active in supporting the USCCB and combating the tactics of the pro-abortion groups, who only offer a common ground that hurts Americans, born and unborn.

Photo: Five new American Archbishops

Sometimes it's simply impossible to keep up on all the news. One of the stories that slipped through my fingers this week was the donation by Pope Benedict of palliums to *five* new American archbishops yesterday. CNS has a report.

From Left: Archbishops Timothy Dolan of New York, Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, Robert Carlson of St Louis, George Lucas of Omaha, and Allen Vigneron of Detroit.

I wonder if five is a record for a single year?

Ph/t: Whispers, which also has extensive coverage

Photo credit: Joanna Molloy of the New York Daily News

Stunning: New technology allows you to "hold" your baby before birth

This new technology deserves a great deal of attention. I think there is a tremendous opportunity here, as I will explain.

Most of us have seen the amazing 4D photos of unborn children (I've inserted one to the left).

Now a student at the Royal College in Britain has taken the next step of using these photographs to create an individualized, life-size model of the pictured unborn child.

LifeNews:

Stunning new technology is allowing parents to go beyond a 3D or 4D ultrasound to bond with their unborn child in ways never imaginable. A student at the Royal College of Art in Britain has created life-like models based on pictures of unborn children that are the exact shape and size of the baby in the womb.

Fetal models have long been a staple of county fairs and health education classes across the country, but one student has gone further.

Brazilian student Jorge Lopes is a PhD. student at the college and he has pioneered the use of converting data from ultrasounds and MRI scans to form life-size plastic models in a process called rapid prototyping.

"It’s amazing to see the faces of the mothers. They can see the full scale of their baby, really understand the size of it," Lopes told the London Daily Mail newspaper.

The results are breathtaking:

More pictures of the models in action here. 

Technology like this has the potential of re-framing the abortion debate, because this technology does not create an abstract model - it shows, instead, that killing an unborn life is never killing a type of human being, it's killing a distinct, unique human being.

Can you imagine, for instance, if these sorts of models were available to women considering abortion? 

The "other side" of the abortion debate can imagine it. And the prospect scares them:

"Brazilian inventor, Jorge Lopes, figured out a way to use 3-D printing technology to create models from 3-D ultrasound images. The purpose, initially, was for archeological digs. But dinosaur bones? How can you make a fortune from dinosaur bones? You don’t.

But you can make a fortune preying on pregnant women’s fears, hopes and dreams."

See what the author did? Typically, advocates of abortion want to claim that science and technology are on their side. But lo and behold, a technology emerges which brings to mind the true reality of unborn life, and - suddenly - technology is no long neutral to their cause, it is instead "preying" on pregnant women! What can be said about a movement that constantly tries to hide the reality of what happens in an abortion? Are they truly on the side of science, or reason?

Next, the pro-abortionist who has probably accused the pro-life movement of being too preachy gets ... well, really preachy when she doesn't like how things are going. She says (addressing the creator of the technology):

"...don’t set up pregnant women for yet another way to fail in pregnancy and impending motherhood. Surely it’s OK to look deeply into a perfectly formed pair of stark white eyes with no irises and feel nothing."

My question is, how can seeing the human dimensions of your baby make you "fail" in pregnancy and motherhood? Is it not the case that the above author is actually terrified that women, when they see a model of their child, might realize that the real "failed" pregnancy is one where she allows her child to die?

More heartbreaking still, the author's only defense for "feeling nothing" when she looks into the model's eyes ... is that she must ignore the human, beautiful eyes of the real child within the womb. The point of the model is to show what is hidden from our sight. And it's only a guilty conscience that turns away from the truth.

I hope pro-lifers figure out ways of getting these models into the hands of the women who need to see them most. The truth of the human person and human development is on our side, now let's use the tools of science for the right end - to better the plight of unborn children who need mothers to see them as God sees them.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/29/09

Swiss Guard Test #14: Not cracking a smile during the pope's comedy routine.

[source: AP Photo]

Report: Pope's social encyclical July 6 or 7, some key paragraphs revealed

I've fallen a bit behind on this story, so it's time to catch up. Here's the latest I've found:

The upcoming social encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI "Caritas in veritate" - Charity in truth - will bear the date of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29, but will likely become public on July 6 or 7, the Italian daily Corriere della Sera said on Saturday.

An article by Gian Guido Vecchi quotes what he claims are several original paragraphs of the Pope’s third encyclical. (CNA)

Especially of interest:

According to Vecchi, the encyclical will hardly be “good news to the liberals and bad news to the conservatives,” as claimed by some analysts who have not seen the text of the document.

“The Pope quotes Paul VI’s Populorum progressio, which in 1967 denounced the gap between rich and poor countries, but the encyclical also takes from Humanae vitae in criticizing abortion and contraception,” Vecchi writes.

The encyclical, in fact, is likely to say that “openness to life is at the core of every true development,” and regarding the ambiguous policies aimed at “reducing the need for abortion” by means of other social policies, the Pope warns that “if personal and social sensibility toward the welcoming of a new life is lost, even other forms of welcoming (life) useful to social life become fruitless.”

WoW.

Now to replace rumors with reality ... I'll see what more I can find out about the impending publication.

update: Pope Benedict announced today that he has in fact signed "Caritas in Veritas." It's only a matter of time now until we have the full text.

John Allen has published a preview of what he believes will be in the encyclical. Seems accurate to me.

Cardinal O'Malley forces Caritas to make the right call

The news broke last week, but I was traveling at the time. It appears to be good news. 

Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe reports:

Caritas Christi Health Care, the financially challenged Catholic hospital system founded by the Archdiocese of Boston, is abruptly ending its joint venture with a Missouri-based health insurer at the insistence of Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, who has decided that the relationship represented too much of an entanglement between Catholic hospitals and abortion providers.

The dramatic development, just days before the joint venture was scheduled to start providing care to low-income residents as part of the state's efforts to establish near universal health coverage here, is a vindication of sorts for a variety of very conservative Catholic critics of the cardinal, who have been arguing angrily and loudly that it would be "evil" for Caritas to partner with a health provider that covers abortion services.

The development is also a setback for Caritas, because it represents the undoing of one of the most significant steps its new chief executive, Dr. Ralph de la Torre, had announced as part of his efforts to turn around the hospital system's finances. It was not immediately clear last night what the financial impact of the change is on Caritas, but the decision is a stark and public reminder from O'Malley to de la Torre and the general public that moral concerns will trump monetary concerns at the Catholic hospitals.

I don't quite agree with the tone of the above treatment. I am somewhat aware of the criticisms Cardinal O'Malley has been receiving during this process, but just because some people have been too vigorous in their approach does not mean that the fundamental motivation of others is not a good one. It's in fact a Catholic one: we won't allow our hospitals to become accessories to abortions. Period.

AmP has been following the Caritas Christi situation for some time. First on March 12: "What is Caritas Christi up to?" and "An update on Caritas-Centene". Then on May 26: "Will the Boston Archdiocese really allow abortion referrals?" And finally on June 9: "Boston Archdiocese-affiliate health-care to offer abortion coverage" (when it looked like the deal would go through). On June 11th there was a report that Caritas was trying to work out a deal that would address the stated concerns about abortion referrals. Phil Lawler also wrote an in-depth history of the situation which is very helpful if you want more details.

At this point, I think two things are necessary: First, support of Cardinal O'Malley, who I believe is trying his best to do the right thing in a difficult situation. Second, vigilance about the details of the new plan, many of which are given in Paulson's full article treatment in the Boston Globe. There is some concern that Catholic involvement with abortions will still find its way in to the new operating procedures. The case of Caritas Christi is, sadly, the first instance of what is sure to become a more widespread problem as the health care industry reorganizes, often times collapsing Catholic and secular hospitals in with one another.

If anyone has incisive analysis of the current state of affairs, as well as action items and ideas for how the Catholic community can assist in working out an acceptable solution, I'll be happy to take a look and perhaps present them on AmP.

L'Osservatore Romano issues fawning tribute to Michael Jackson?

What the heck is going on with L'Osservatore Romano these days? Who is commissioning these embarrassing articles, and who is allowing them to go to print?! 

Zenit reports on the latest debacle:

Michael Jackson will never die "in the imagination of [his] fans," the Vatican's semi-official newspaper said after news spread of the pop star's death.

Marcello Filotei wrote this Friday in L'Osservatore Romano, comparing the death of the 50-year-old "King of Pop" to that of Elvis Presley.

Jackson died Friday of cardiac arrest at a Los Angelus hospital.

Noting how Jackson was a "child prodigy" with an "extraordinary soul voice," Filotei acknowledged the pop star's many successes, such as his megahit 1982 album "Thriller," "known even by those unfamiliar with this genre of music." The album continues to rank as the best-selling album of all time.

The writer acknowledged elements of the singer's life that drew wide criticism, such as his many plastic surgeries that changed his appearance radically, his increasingly pale complexion, and the allegations of pedophilia in 1993 and 2005. Jackson settled out of court in 1993, and was found not guilty of all charges in 2005.

"But no accusation, however serious or shameful, is enough to tarnish his myth among his millions of fans throughout the entire world," wrote Filotei.

Imagine how strange it would be to see such an editorial in your parish newspaper. Well, the above piece is appearing in the "parish newspaper" of the universal Church. That last line of Filotei's, in particular, sends the wrong message by falling into the current hysterical, cult-of-personality ethos that Jackson's death has inspired among many.

Jackson, it should be noted, from all outside accounts, lived a tortured existence and the circumstances of his death should prompt an outpouring of fervent prayers for his soul, not these gushing, hollywood-esque bon mots about how his "myth" will survive "serious and shameful" accusations. All the artistic success in the world, we must realize, is a basket of straw if your personal life was a spiritual, human wreck.

I really dig Michael Jackson's music, but as a Catholic, I don't have to buy into the myth that great art makes a great man. Michael Jackson's best chance to "never die" is the mercy of Christ, not his best-selling record.

Photo: "Rome catacomb reveals 'oldest' image of St Paul"

And just in time for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul:

Vatican archaeologists using laser technology have discovered what they believe is the oldest image in existence of St Paul the Apostle, dating from the late 4th century, on the walls of catacomb beneath Rome.

Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, revealing the find on Sunday, published a picture of a frescoed image of the face of a man with a pointed black beard on a red background, inside a bright yellow halo. The high forehead is furrowed.

Experts of the Ponitifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology made the discovery on June 19 in the Catacomb of Santa Tecla in Rome and describe it as the "oldest icon in history dedicated to the cult of the Apostle," according to the Vatican newspaper. (Reuters)

And the UK Times gives us the actual image:

The Catacomb of Santa Tecla in Rome is actually near the Basilica Church of "Paul Outside the Walls."

YouTube: Catholic iPhone Apps

An amusing info-parody of Apple's advertisements for the iPhone:

Via Paul (and son) at SQPN (<-- visit this site!).

Sunday project: pray for a pro-abortion politician

It's a straightforward concept, requiring no elaborate explanation from yours truly.

I'm going to pray for John Dingell of Michigan.

People who choose Pelosi should probably get some sort of special indulgence.

Video: Excellent Corpus Christi Procession

I know, I know: this is *so* last week ... but it's also excellent and worth the watch:

Explained by AmP reader Andrew:

"I'd like to draw your attention to a video that was made of a Corpus Christi procession which I participated in here in Bremerton, WA at Our Lady Star of the Sea. This was a first for this parish, walking 1.25 miles throughout the neighborhoods adjacent to the parish, stopping at several houses with altars for Benediction. Well, this is such a phenomenally rare thing for those of us in the Pacific Northwest to be a part of, so much that you can see the graces working through our Catholic community as a result."

New supreme court nominee worse on abortion than her replacee

(okay, so "replacee" isn't a word. I admit it ... anyway.)

Charmaine Yoest and Americans United for Life have really been stepping up their game lately, most recently in exposing supreme court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's stance on abortion:

In a new editorial column appearing in the Washington Times, Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life, makes the case that Sonia Sotomayor is worse on abortion than David Souter, the Supreme Court justice President Barack Obama appointed her to replace.

"Team Obama knows something most Americans don't. When it comes to the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade and the abortion cases that have since made it to the Supreme Court, Sotomayor is no Souter," Yoest contends.

.... The pro-life hierophant bases her assessment of Sotomayor on her leadership role with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund where, from 1980 to 1992, she was a governing board member.

The New York Times notes that Sotomayor "was an involved and ardent supporter of their various legal efforts."

Yoest points out, "Those efforts included no less than six briefs in five abortion-related cases before the Supreme Court -- pushing aggressively for an interpretation of abortion rights that would eliminate most or all state and federal abortion regulations while requiring state and federal funding of abortion." (LifeNews)

Now it makes sense why Sotomayor's nomination is being rushed through so quickly - some folks doesn't want her record examined more closely, especially on the foundational life issues. I guess this is why.

Confirmed: Pope to meet Obama July 10 during evening audience

Mark your calendars:

Pope Benedict XVI will welcome U.S. President Barack Obama to the Vatican July 10 for an audience scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Obama will visit Italy July 8-10 to participate in the Group of Eight summit, a meeting of leaders of the world's wealthiest nations. (CNS)

Since I'm a credit-where-credit-is-due sort of guy (or sure try to be), I agree with CNS' prediction:

Discussions between popes and U.S. presidents usually focus on common concerns regarding world events and the church's concerns over issues or policies with special moral relevance. So in addition to discussing ongoing tensions in the Middle East, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Iraq, Pope Benedict likely will bring up his concerns regarding abortion policy in the United States and renewed government permission for embryonic stem-cell research.

Ya know, because there *are* concerns he can have about what Obama has been doing.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/26/09

"FREE INDULGENCE DAY AT THE VATICAN!!!"

[source: AP Photo]

Reminder: Listen to AmP at 1PM EST!

Today at 1PM EST I'll be doing a segment on "Faith and New Media" for Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau OP's "Word to Life" program on Sirius XM Radio's The Catholic Channel (Sirius 159 and XM 117), live from the Sirius' studios in New York City!

Those Dominicans have a big internet (and now, digital radio) footprint!

Offbeat: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Donate $1 Million to (Catholic) Hospital

Friday is offbeat news day at AmP, and this one is perfect because it allows me to draw upon a story reported by US Magazine:

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and his family donated $1 million to a Missouri hospital over the weekend.

Brad's bro, Doug, announced the generous contribution to St. John's Hospital in his hometown of Springfield Saturday. The money will establish an endowment fund to pay children's cancer specialists, the Springfield News-Leader reports.

The hospital's cancer treatment unit will be renamed the Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center, in honor of Brad's mom, who is passionate about children's issues.

Who are the most generous celebs?

Once completed this summer, St. John's Hospital will become one of six affiliates of the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (one of Jennifer Aniston's favorite charities).

The endowment fund will also go toward building a new pediatric unit, a 10-bedroom hospital-based Ronald McDonald house and doubling the size of the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.

Of course, for the more traditional among us, the Associated Press also has the news.

Following the trail begun by the official news release, one finds that Mercy St. John's hospital is part of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, which is sponsored by "Mercy Health Ministry, an entity established by the Catholic Church to oversee the healing ministry and Catholic identity of Mercy."

Ph/t: The Blog of the Courtier.

Cool: Detroit's Archbishop blogs from Rome

From the Archdiocese of Detroit website:

"Archbishop Allen Vigneron next week will embark on a pilgrimage to receive a pallium -- a thin, woolen scarf, that symbolizes an archbishop's mission to shepherd God's people. Archbishop Vigneron will carry prayers for the people of the Archdiocese in his heart as he journeys to receive his pallium from Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on June 29."

More than that, he will be blogging from Rome at http://aodonline.wordpress.com/!

Other contributers will include a Vicar General of the Detroit archdiocese, the archbishop's 10-year old nephew, a local lay woman who is a long time friend of the archbishop, and a couple of folks in the archdiocesan communications division.

I love to see Archbishops carrying their flock with them, not just in their hearts, but through their words.

Is the Legion visitation taking place?

Back in March I reported that the Legion had announced it was to undergo an apostolic visitation by the Vatican.

An open thread on this question which I started earlier this month has some scattered reports, but no definitive information that the visitation - and the reform that it is expected to outline - has begun.

So what's taking so long?

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/24/09

"Priest noir."

[source: Reuters]

Ad asks Obama: ‘If fatherhood begins at conception, when does life begin?’

Smart move from Family Research Council (background from CNA):



And smart not because it scores "political points," but because it challenges Obama and the pro-abortion movement to face the contradictory nature of the two things they are trying to say. The only conclusion that they can arrive at - but they avoid it at all costs - is that they honestly believe you can end human life when it is inconvenient. That's an inhuman solution.

The video above already has over 100,000 views. It's a powerful message.

Quote of the Day - Nixon on Abortion

Just nasty:

“There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white,” he told an aide, before adding, “Or a rape.”

The background:

On Jan. 23, 1973, when the Supreme Court struck down laws criminalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, President Richard M. Nixon made no public statement. But privately, newly released tapes reveal, he expressed ambivalence. (NYT)

I'm not sure if "ambivalence" is the first description that comes to my mind.

Hear me on Friday broadcasting from New York City!

This Friday at 1PM EST I'll be doing a segment on "Faith and New Media" for Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau OP's "Word to Life" program on Sirius XM Radio's The Catholic Channel (Sirius 159 and XM 117), live from the Sirius' studios in New York City!

You can listen to their archived shows, for instance, here, here and here.

Those Dominicans have a big internet (and now, digital radio) footprint.

... and yes, I will be in NYC for a couple days. Hopefully I can hear Mass said by Archbishop Dolan!

That is, if he would get around to answering my calls. ;-)

Video: Trailer for "The Stoning" Movie, in theaters Friday

I've seen several presentations about this new movie which is coming out on Friday, "The Stoning of Soraya M." It's an incredibly timely film (considering what is going on in Iran), telling the TRUE story about a woman persecuted under Sharia law. Here's the trailer:



It stars Jim Caviezel and was created by some of the same people behind the Passion of the Christ. The website is www.thestoning.com and they are also on Facebook. I plan to see it at some point soon.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/22/09

• Huh? CNS fails to fairly report USCCB's "support D'Arcy" statement 
• Info: Happy Feast Day to Me! 
• Bioethics: "Badethics" - Obama Plans to Replace Bush’s Bioethics Panel 
  
• Photo: "Pint-sized server a surprise at morning Mass" 

Not pictured above the pope: a crucifix.

[source: AP Photo]

Huh? CNS fails to fairly report USCCB's "support D'Arcy" statement

Something important happened at the US bishops' combined meeting last week, which we are just hearing about today: "the USCCB expressed their solidarity for Bishop John M. D’Arcy ... in particular for his care and concern for the University of Notre Dame, which resides in his diocese."

It's an important move because there had previously been a calculated attempt by some liberal Catholics to discredit the dozens and dozens of bishops who spoke out about the Notre Dame scandal, claiming in effect that these vocal bishops represented a "minority" position, out of step with the "majority" of US bishops.

The USCCB released this statement of support:

"The bishops of the United States express our appreciation and support for our brother bishop, the Most Reverend John D'Arcy. We affirm his pastoral concern for Notre Dame University, his solicitude for its Catholic identity, and his loving care for all those the Lord has given him to sanctify, to teach and to shepherd."

Now, how do you think Catholic News Service - the USCCB's own news agency, reported this story?

First, with out-dated numbers: "More than 50 bishops voiced their disapproval of Notre Dame's invitation to Obama and decision to give him an honorary degree." 

In fact, my list (when I stopped counting) had 75+ bishops named. These are not obscure or new numbers, and I wasn't the only one to compile such a list. This is lazy reporting by the CNS author, Nancy Frazier O'Brien. And it's convenient that the number she decides upon is, oh, about 40% of the actual number (by my conservative standards - I only counted active US bishops, for instance).

Second, with dissenting, minority views: "But two bishops interviewed at the San Antonio meeting by the National Catholic Reporter said they see a need for dialogue with U.S. Catholic university presidents about this issue and left open the possibility of revisions to "Catholics in Political Life."

Isn't it fascinating how, when a "minority" of bishops take a position against Notre Dame's invitation, they are dismissed as a minority, but when the majority of US bishops (or at least, the public voice of the bishops in committee) take a position for Bishop D'Arcy, it is then the minority position that is given space and even the last word (seriously - two bishops?! And in the National Catholic Reporter? This is our her go-to source for information!).

Really, it's impossible to win with rules of engagement like this, especially when Catholic News Service seems to have more of an affinity with the National Catholic Reporter than the US Bishops executive committee.

Third, just to really drive this point home, O'Brien says: "The statement made no direct reference ... to a recent call by the board of directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) for the bishops to revisit their 2004 statement, "Catholics in Political Life."

That was an attempt by liberal Catholics to simply change the 2004 statement and so avoid the (legitimate) conclusion made by D'Arcy that Notre Dame and (hence, by inference) many other Catholic institutions are currently operating in violation of what it says.

But back to the point: O'Brien has full awareness of this challenge made by the ACCU, and feels free to make negative points about what statements don't say or respond to, and yet ... she does not bring up the context I mention above, namely, that liberal Catholics have been attempting to marginalize the vocal opposition of dozens of bishops to the Notre Dame invitation. Therefore, in the full picture, the bishops are responding against this attempt to marginalize Bishop D'Arcy by releasing a statement in support of him. Why support Bishop D'Arcy, in other words, unless he was in fact being attacked by some?

So who is left expressing a dissenting viewpoint at this point in the game? Well, two bishops, picked-up by the National Catholic Reporter ... and given selective play by O'Brien in the Catholic News Service.

Related: I'm not the only person to note these endemic issues with CNS's reporting. 

In an effort to be fair myself, CNS does plenty of good reporting - but it's frustrating to see how often it really drops the ball on some of the most important current stories, especially ones that involve Catholic interaction with the culture-at-large. I'm not asking that we all think the same on these issues, I'm asking that more than one way of thinking be fairly presented to the readers of CNS.

Happy Feast Day to Me!

By which I mean, of course, a happy feast day to my patron saint, Thomas More, also known as "omnium horarum homo" (a man for all seasons, referring to his wide scholarship and knowledge).

If you haven't seen the movie about him, A Man For All Seasons (only $8!), see it today. If you have seen it, watch it again!

He shares this feast day with Saint John Fisher.

More about More in the Catholic Encyclopedia. Many useful tidbits about him from SQPN, too.

One of his frequent prayers: "Give me the grace to long for Your holy sacraments, and especially to rejoice in the presence of Your body, sweet Savior Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar."

Here is a prayer to St. Thomas.

St. Thomas More, patron saint of adopted children, civil servants, court clerks, difficult marriages, large families, lawyers, politicians, politicos, statesmen, step-parents, and widowers ... pray for us!

"Badethics": Obama Plans to Replace Bush’s Bioethics Panel

Piece by piece, the group of ethical, biomedical policy advisors that Bush assembled is being dismantled by Obama's administration:

Members of the President’s Council on Bioethics were told by the White House last week that their services were no longer needed and were asked to cancel a planned meeting, a council staff member said Wednesday.

The council was disbanded because it was designed by the Bush administration to be “a philosophically leaning advisory group” that favored discussion over developing a shared consensus, said Reid Cherlin, a White House press officer.

President Obama will appoint a new bioethics commission, one with a new mandate and that “offers practical policy options,” Mr. Cherlin said. (New York Times)

Call me a realist, but I'm pessimistic about the new council Obama will appoint. It's extremely telling what Cherlin had to say about the current members of the council: the replacement of "consensus" over philosophical "discussion", to my mind, means that Obama is not open to discussion on biomedical issues when he's already decided what his policy is going to be. 

However, such a mode of operating renders a bioethics council meaningless - in other words, a council that does not conduct rigorous philosophical discussion is nothing more than a rubber-stamping beauracracy.

This shift of emphasis and vision by Obama is especially troubling considering what promises he has made previously about having a more "ethical" administration that takes into consideration the wisdom of the "experts."

So are experts merely consensus-takers, in Obama's mind?

update: Peter Augustine Lawler, one of the council members who was just given his notice, has published his "Reflections on my Termination". A sample:

I was assured that "President Obama recognizes the value of having a commission of experts in bioethical issues to provide objective and non-ideological bioethics advice to his Administration." It's hard to deny that three shots were being taken here at the Bush Council. It was non-expert, unobjective, and ideological. I couldn't help but think that I, in particular, was being called an amateur faith-based ideologue, as I was by various Democrats and techno-libertarians during the election of 2004 when I was appointed, although it's doubtful that the man who signed the letter actually knows much of anything about me in particular.

There's actually a fourth shot, I think. For Obama, a valuable Council does nothing but offer advice to the administration. The Bush Council was actually given the additional mandate of public education, of developing a national dialogue on controversial bioethical issues.

How much notice was the council given to cease-and-desist? Oh, about 24 hours.

Related: "A Dim Future - After disbanding the President’s Council on Bioethics, what kind of advisory body will Obama put together?" in Catholic World Report online.

Full disclosure: the founder of the American Principles Project, which I recently joined, was founded by Dr. Robert George of Princeton, who served as a member of the President's council.

Photo: "Pint-sized server a surprise at morning Mass"

This story is precious, especially so because I actually know the "pint-sized server" in question, or knew him back when he was a "holy terror in diapers", as I believe his mother (affectionately) used to called him:

"He was barely big enough to see over the altar as he assisted at morning Mass in the chapel at San Marco Church on Tuesday, but the smile on James "Jimmy" Gates, 8, was as tall as truth.

According to his mom, Kim, that smile's been a long time coming.

"He's been wanting to serve and wanting to serve," she said. "Yesterday, he asked Fr. Andrew (Malarz) and he told him he could.

That's all he's been talking about," Gates' mom explained through a beaming smile. "When we arrived this morning, we told Father David and next thing, Jimmy was putting on his alb."

From that point on, it was all quite, well, miraculous. Drawing on the scriptural passages — Paul's Letter to the Corinthians (8:1-9) and Matthew's Gospel (5:43-48) — the Rev. David Foley incorporated the theme of generosity and service while "the littlest angel" listened attentively from his perch on the altar." (Marco Island Florida)

...Do you know a little boy who wants to serve? If he's old enough and mature enough - let him! If not, use it as an incentive for him to be more attentive in Mass, and allow serving to become his reward for good behavior.

Plenty of vocations start this way, and plenty more lifetimes of attentiveness at Mass do as well.

Photo Caption Call - 6/19/09

Even if you don't have a caption, you can rate your favorite captions (submitted by others) in the comment box.

View the last Photo Caption Call here. Submit new photos for AmP photo caption call to my email!

[Photo: Sent in by AmP reader Cyndi.]

Forget sex, the media knows that attacking the Catholic Church sells

First, the lie is spread around with a press release headline: Ohio Catholic Priest Comes OUT as a Drag Queen with a Billboard Dance Hit.

Then it builds with more sensationalism in the press release itself: "In celebration of Gay Pride Month, Big Mama Capretta reveals the surprise truth about her identity. By day, Capretta is none other than Father Anthony, a proud practicing Catholic priest from Columbus, Ohio! Big Mama Capretta's new hit single 'Big Mama's House' is currently #25 on the U.S. Billboard Club Play dance chart."

Next, the Advocate, an "award-winning LGBT news site", basically copies down the press release and offers it as "news", contributing to the believability of the lie begun by the press release.

Finally, huge entertainment blogs take the Advocate "story" as "news" and run with it. My personal favorite? Perez Hilton who pipes: "If the church ever wants to point fingers again, they should start in their own backyard."

Well, sorry to rain on the parade, but this guy has been "out" since the 1980's, and the Catholic "Church" he is part of is actually the Columbus Community of Charity Independent Old Catholic Church, an "all-inclusive and welcoming congregation" .... yadda, yadda, you know the story (actually, oddly-enough, attendance at their "masses" are "open only to membership." So much for being inclusive).

In other words, Father Anthony is as much a Catholic priest as calling myself "DJ-AMP" makes me a musical artist. 

Now, with these facts in hand, let's look at what is actually happening each step of the way in this story:

1) A PR firm realized the only way to promote this guy is to spread the claim he's actually a priest of the Catholic Church. This is false advertising because he is not a Catholic priest, and they knew that.

2) LGBT news sites happily continue the rumor because it plays into their stereotypes about priesthood, hypocrisy in the Church, etc. Never mind that it takes about five minutes of research to dismiss the lies spread by the press release. The Advocate is not even trying for journalistic integrity.

3) Celebrities like Perez Hilton who - idiot that he is - have a significant force in shaping today's pop culture, continue to perpetuate myths and lies about the Catholic Church. Remember this gem of a quote: "If the church ever wants to point fingers again, they should start in their own backyard." Try to imagine for a second if Perez Hilton had said that in reaction to a press release claiming a Hasidic Jew was a transvestite, etc.

Oh that's right, such things will never happen, because anti-Catholic prejudice is still acceptable, LGBT news sites aren't bound by the facts, and press firms have realized that when sex can't sell, attacking the Church will do.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/18/09

Priests try to avoid being seen by Papa Razzi. 

[source: Reuters]

RHRealityCheck offers abortion "common ground" ... on the edge of a cliff

Dan Gilgoff on the oddity (my description) of a "Major Abortion Rights Site [Launching an] Online 'Common Ground' Forum":

"Coinciding with the Obama administration's move to ready a plan for "reducing the need for abortion," a major abortion rights website has launched an online forum aimed at finding what it calls "common ground" in the abortion debate. The forum, called On Common Ground, is hosted by RHRealityCheck.com and went live yesterday.

The unusual project—moderator Cristina Page, a prominent abortion rights advocate, calls it an experiment—already includes posts by Third Way's Rachel Laser, Beliefnet cofounder Steven Waldman, Faith in Public Life's Katie Paris, and others.

One of the striking features of the project's launch is that it uses the recent murder of abortion provider George Tiller to argue that the abortion debate must be wrested away from extremists. It will be fascinating to watch how antiabortion rights groups respond. Some will almost surely brand On Common Ground a cynical attempt by abortion rights supporters to co-opt the antiabortion movement. It will be interesting to see how some of the more moderate antiabortion groups react."

I take Gilgoff's line about "it will be fascinating to watch how antiabortion rights groups respond" as an invitation to take a look at RHRealityCheck.org's "common ground" forum. I don't want to immediately fulfill Gilgoff's prediction that "some [pro-life groups] will almost surely brand On Common Ground a cynical attempt by abortion rights supporters to co-opt the antiabortion movement" ... so let's look at the facts first.

First of all, RHRealityCheck is a radical, pro-abortion organization which specializes in attacking groups, bills and politicians who do not stand up to their litmus test. Just take a look at their profile of Fr. Frank Pavone's Priests for Life, where they claim: "Despite claims of being opposed to violent tactics such as bombing of clinics or murdering doctors, Pavone has long had ties to some of the most extreme anti-abortion activists who sanction such activities."

So, Fr. Pavone hangs out with bomb-throwers? Check.

Another gem from RHRealityCheck's profile of Priests for life: "While their primary mission is to educate and mobilize Catholic clergy as anti-family planning activists, their tactics are often aggressive and overtly political."

So, Priests for Life is essentially a republican front organization? Check.

I could go on and on, but time is short, space is precious, and let's get right to the main points.

Point #1: RHRealityCheck's "common ground" is not an attempt to reduce abortion, it's an attempt to reduce the "need" for abortion, often through recourse to contraception. And they will never rule out abortion.

Christina Page, the front-woman for RHRC's common ground initiative, is also an active blogger at Birth Control Watch.org, where she writes about Alexia Kelley, co-founder of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, and new Director of Faith-based and Community Partnerships at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

"Kelley is a new style pro-lifer, one who believes a progressive agenda will produce pro-life results...

...Make no mistake, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is a Catholic organization that accepts the Church's position on abortion and contraception. But under Kelley's leadership, its efforts were spent exploring an array of policies that succeed at reducing the need for abortion. The organization has taken a notably passive role towards the church's dictates. It has not worked to restrict abortion or make contraception less available, approaches most other anti-abortion and Catholic groups focus on exclusively.

... pro-choice people need to improve the national dialogue on the abortion issue. We can lower the vitriol. We can expose the anti-abortion groups that oppose all the proven ways to reduce the need for abortion. We must isolate those that only stoke the coals of hatred in this conflict and, especially those who create the inflamed environment that inspired Dr. Tiller's murderer. The vast majority of self-described "pro-life" Americans abhor the violence, want to move past the conflict and have both sides work together to find common ground. The American pro-life public has longed for leaders like Kelley and, the truth is, so have we."

Page literally wrote the book on radical access to abortion in American politics. She titled it "How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics and the War on Sex". I highlighted one line in red above to make a simple point: contraception technically reduces the "need" for abortions, but it is an unacceptable "solution" for Catholics, for many reasons grounded in faith and reason. Page's line highlighted in red is classic wedge-politics.

Point #2: RHRC has pre-defined the terms of debate in an unacceptable way. 

Page's operating framework is that the only type of acceptable "pro-lifer" is an apologetic one, who admits the necessity of abortion and contraception, and only from WITHIN that framework, works to reduce the instances of abortion. That's simply unacceptable, to me.

Point #3: Only such "apologetic" pro-lifers are invited to Page's common ground table. 

The profiles of those involved features people who are either militantly pro-choice or covertly pro-choice, with Serrin Foster of Feminists for Life of America being the only exception I can see. But Chris Korzen of Catholics United? Sarah Stoesz, a Planned Parenthood CEO? Why are such individuals included, who have a clear bent to one side of the debate, when there is not a fair representation of the other side? In other words, if those who will always support abortion are invited, why aren't those invited who will never support abortion? (Elsewhere RHRC contributor Rachel Laser basically admits you have to "Find the Right People" to engage in dialogue. Well that's right in a twisted way: you probably won't like the outcome if you try to engage people who aren't willing to meet your unreasonable demands.)

As for the proposals offered by RHRC's common ground, the Prevention First Act "aim[s] to improve access to family planning and encourage the development of effective state-level sex education initiatives." Note, family planning includes both contraception and abortion. This is, again, a wedge move: it implicitly attempts to paint pro-lifers as hypocrites when they do not endorse the proliferation of contraceptives and condoms. The proposal of contraception as "common ground" is poison to faithful, practicing Catholics. 

The other proposals, from what I can see, are not as problematic. But I welcome others to do the leg work on researching the nuts and bolts of them. Sadly, the devil often hides in the details of these "common ground" proposals. 

Point #4: The viewpoints of the RHRC-sanctioned contributors are toxic to faithful Catholics. As I was saying about nuts and bolts, let's take a look at what the contributors to this forum are actually saying. Debra Haffner:

"Here is my suggestion: Let's stop talking about reducing abortions as a goal in itself. Let's keep talking about reducing unintended pregnancies. This is not only the better public health position; it is a faithful and moral one as well."

Okay, so wanting to reduce the destruction of unborn human life is always off the table? Check.

Steve Waldman of Belief Net:

"... pro-lifers need to decide which of their beliefs is more important: their concern for the unborn or their concerns about the nature of premarital sex."

This is slippery, he's actually making an argument that Catholics should quit worrying about contraception. He just can't bring himself to actually say it:

"It’s hard for pro-choicers to take pro-life “common grounders” seriously if they won’t budge on birth control; it’s equally hard for pro-lifers to take pro-choice common grounders seriously if they won’t accept the basic premise of the exercise. So who will be the brave souls to break that conceptual logjam?"

Waldman, if he is sincerely trying to present a Catholic position, shouldn't be challenging Catholics to "budge" on birth control. Catholics cannot budge on intrinsically-evil choices. That's NEVER common ground.

The path to common ground in abortion involves Catholics fudging on contraception? Check.

Sarah Stoesz, a Planned Parenthood CEO, meanwhile takes a swing at recent poll numbers suggesting that America is becoming a more pro-life country: "Read deeper into the results of this and other recent polls and you'll find that, no matter what the label, most Americans want to keep abortion legal."

Oh, so of course we should always have abortion. Most Americans will always want abortion? Check.

Conclusion: So, going back to Gilgoff's prediction, do you think there are reasonable grounds for thinking this innitiative is a "cynical attempt by abortion rights supporters to co-opt the antiabortion movement"? 

As a Catholic who is striving to live out the commands of Jesus Christ when it comes to respecting the dignity of the human person, and as a reasonable fellow who cannot abide any solution which unjustly destroys the rights of the innocent, and who will not accept common ground that results in the destruction of human life, in RHRC's common ground initiative, I see no room at the inn for me, but rather a trap door into a precipice.

Mayor claims underwear edict "takes away freedom of choice."

Shows you just how thin the argument is:

The Brooksville city council recently approved a revised dress code as part of its effort to update existing policies.

The revision instructs employees to observe "strict personal hygiene," including the use of deodorant. It lists "the observable lack of undergarments and exposed undergarments" as "unacceptable attire."

It also prohibits clothing with foul language or messages promoting drug use, "sexually provocative" garments, halter tops and piercings anywhere except the ears.

Repeat offenders can be fired.

The city council approved the dress code 4-1. Mayor Joe Bernadini opposed the revision, saying the underwear edict "takes away freedom of choice." (AP)

I wonder if Catholic parishes could adopt this dress code for Mass?

Okay, something on a more substantial topic soon, I promise.

AmP turns 24

Well, not technically AmP ... me. So I'm taking today off from blogging. Thank you for the prayers. God bless you!

APP blog highlights

In case you were wondering, I've been devoted this week to jump-starting the APP blog. Some highlights:

• Video: Obama's disappointing response to Iranian crisis
• Poll: Gallup finds Americans 2-1 "conservative" over "liberal"
• Video: Public Plan Deception - It's not about choice
• In First Things, Hadley Arkes helps Newt find his voice
• House democrat health-care plan adds $600 billion in new taxes

And that's just a taste.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/16/09

*WARNING: HOSTILE INTRUDER DETECTED!!!* DEPLOYING WRIST-MOUNTED RADAR GUIDANCE. MISSILES ARMED. AWAITING FIRING SOLUTION.... 3, 2, 1....

[source: Reuters]

Heartbreaking: NYT on "Choosing not to keep the baby"

Over at the New York Times blog "Motherlode: Adventures in Parenting", a heartbreaking story:

When asked for advice, Motherlode readers come through, and last week more than 700 of you poured out your thoughts to Emmie, a young woman unexpectedly pregnant as she is about to start a grueling and prestigious Master’s degree program.

I heard from her yesterday. I will let her explain in her own words what she decided and why. Then I ask you to please return later today to brainstorm ideas on how to transform the surge of compassion that rose up here toward Emmie into real action that can help the many young women who find themselves in her shoes.

Emmie sent me a number of emails laying out her thoughts, and asked me to combine them into one.

[Click here to see what she wrote.]

What is heartbreaking for me is not only the "choice" she has made, but how very close she was to making the right one. If there is anything that should inspire us to try harder to provide for young women experiencing problems in their pregnancy, it is a story like this. Let us pray for Emmie and her soon-to-be-ended young child.

Exclusive: ND President Jenkins made $432,000 in 2006

Notre Dame President and Trustee Rev. John Jenkins was compensated to the tune of $432,000 in 2006, and had an expense account of over $170,000 that same year (he is 5th from the top):

For full-size click here.

This image was taken from Page 18 of Notre Dame's public IRS 990 form (PDF) as a c-3 organization.

I'm not drawing any conclusions from this information, but it was surprising to me when I found out.

Picture: Freak Beijing storm turns day into night

This photo is unbelievable. It was taken at 11:30 in the morning....

... practice?

Bad link: Vatican bans Facebook at work

From Jack Smith at the Catholic Key blog:

"From Catholic News Service. It's in the client area, so no public link. Excerpts:

The Vatican spokesman said the move is a "normal and prudent" measure that reflects similar strategies taken by other companies around the world that have blocked employee usage of social networking sites on office networks.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told Catholic News Service June 16 that "there is nothing surprising" about the new ban.

But some employees are complaining (anonymously) about the ban because Facebook has become a major news source and for many has replaced email. That's true for me on both counts.

It's also an important way for apostolates to communicate. It is the main means of communication for the Catholic young adult groups on both sides of the state line here."

More from the CNS article:

Banning Facebook indicates a lack of knowledge about how the Internet functions and how it can be a valuable work tool, the employee said.

"Given the Vatican's foul-up with communication in the past, (the online networking ban) shows they haven't learned their lesson," the employee said.

I completely agree. It's counter-intuitive to ban the world's largest social communications website while other organs of the Vatican are expanding their active presence there. On May 25th, for instance, the Pope encouraged young people to use social media.

Sure, Facebook can be a time-waster at work, but the solution to that temptation is not to ban access to it, but rather to address the unprofessional and selfish attitudes that cause people to waste time at work. In other words, the people that are abusing Facebook at work - once it is banned - will start wasting time with solitaire. And that's pretty tricky to ban.

Cameron Diaz: “We don't need any more kids. We have plenty of people.”

Oh Cameron:

Cameron Diaz has said in an interview in the July issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine, which comes out tomorrow, that “We don't need any more kids. We have plenty of people on this planet.” (LifeSiteNews)

Previous gem from Miss Diaz:

“If you think that rape should be legal, then don’t vote. But if you think that you have a right to your body, and you have a right to say what happens to you and fight off that danger of losing that, then you should vote,” she said.

Maybe her publicist could also begin sending her highlights from world census data.

Study: Breastfed babies get higher grades in school

I should probably have saved this story for a "Friday off-beat" news item, but I figured some of us could use a Tuesday diversion.

Reuters Life! (honestly, I have trouble trusting news sources with exclamation points in their name) ... anyway, Reuters Life! reports:

Breastfed babies seem more likely to do well at high school and to go on to attend college than infants raised on a bottle, according to a new U.S. study.

Professors Joseph Sabia from the American University and Daniel Rees from the University of Colorado Denver based their research on 126 children from 59 families, comparing siblings who were breastfed as infants to others who were not.

By comparing siblings, the study was able to account for the influence of a variety of difficult-to-measure factors such as maternal intelligence and the quality of the home environment.

The study, published in the Journal of Human Capital, found that an additional month of breastfeeding was associated with an increase in high school grade point averages of 0.019 points and an increase in the probability of college attendance of 0.014.

Frankly, those infinitesimal gains don't impress me. They seem well within the margin of error. But hey, a study that promotes breast feeding as good thing? That's fine with me. Especially considering what passes for "health news" these days.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/15/09

In competition with AmP, the Vatican decided to allow banner advertisements.

[source: Reuters]

Monday Catholic Joke

Forwarded by a friend, made me smile on a Monday:

A guy goes into the confessional box. He notices on one side a fully equipped bar with Guinness on tap. On the other wall is a dazzling array of the finest Cuban cigars. Then the priest comes in.

"Father, forgive me, for it's been a very long time since I've been to confession, but I must first admit that the confessional box is much more inviting these days."

The priest replies "Get out. You're on my side."

Important: CT legislature attempts to oppress Catholic Church, Bp. Lori leads response

Connecticut is becoming a flash-point for government oppression of Catholic institutional autonomy. 

I reported extensively on the events which have led to this situation when they began to unfold in early March of this year.

Bishop Lori is not taking this most recent - and most serious - attack lying down:

The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., says he's a man of God, not a lobbyist. But state officials say he's both.

According to the Connecticut Office of State Ethics, the diocese acted as a lobbying organization in March when it rented buses to transport people to a rally in Hartford — the state capital — to protest a bill that would have granted more power to parishioners regarding church finances.

Officials also are investigating whether the church acted as a lobbying organization on its Web site when it urged parishioners to contact lawmakers about the bill, which eventually was withdrawn amid public outcry, and about a another bill to legalize same-sex marriage, which was signed into law in April.

Now the ethics office is "evaluating" whether the diocese failed to register as a lobbyist — an investigation that Bishop William Lori says violates the diocese's First Amendment right to free speech and assembly.

"I don't know what the motive of the Office of State Ethics was or is, but I do know that their actions stem directly from our attempts to defend ourselves in the face of two pieces of legislation that were unfriendly to the day-to-day mission of the church," Lori told FOXNews.com on Thursday.

"We were simply seeking to fulfill our mission, to continue to be ourselves."

And the diocese is fighting back, bringing a civil lawsuit against two Office of State Ethics officials — Enforcement Officer Thomas K. Jones and Executive Director Carol Carson." (FOX News)

Make no mistake, what is happening in Connecticut is also critically important for the Church throughout the United States. I'll be keeping a close eye on this situation as it develops. Keep it tuned here at AmP and also visit the Bridgeport diocese website.

If the Connecticut legislature succeeds in penalizing the Church for acting as a "lobbyist" organization there, the rights of Catholics and Catholic institutions will be endangered elsewhere. We must stop their efforts in their tracks.

Papist Picture of the Day - 06/14/09

Even popes have been known to indulge in a virtual high-five.

[source: Reuters]

Event: Catholic Homeschooling Conference in NJ

Two great things happening in New Jersey soon (details on the other one here):

The Sacred H.E.A.R.T. convention will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at St. John the Evangelist parish in Orange. The convention is designed to assist and edify both veteran and new Catholic homeschoolers in the Tri-state and New England areas, as well as other parents and families seeking guidance and support in raising their children in a Catholic culture.

Participants can hear distinguished speakers, visit vendor booths, ask questions of Catholic college representatives, listen to classical music, and celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with Archbishop Myers. Register at www.heartconvention.org

Steve Greydanus' presentation "Ready or Not: Homeschooling Kids in a Mass-Media World" looks especially interesting. He's the guy behind DecentFilms.com, my favorite place for Catholic movie reviews.

New Catholic (online) Journal

From the Editor-in-Chief:

"The journal is an endeavor which attempts most of all to be Catholic, in both senses of the word: faithful to the authoritative teaching of the Magisterium of the Holy Catholic Church, and applying that faith universally, to everything written. Our goals are to recognize and promote the truth, regardless of who says it, to facilitate an honest dialogue amongst those of differing opinions both outside and within the Church, and to acknowledge the uniqueness of the Church: that it, and it alone, by the salvation it offers, professes the fullness of the truth, on heaven and earth. It is hopefully within the folds of that truth that Veritatis Praeco publishes articles discussing the first principles, politics, man, the state, the university, philosophy, theology, history, literature, and the liturgy." [Visit the blog here.]

He says they plan to update daily over the summer.

Photo Caption Call - 06/13/09

Even if you don't have a caption, you can rate your favorite captions (submitted by others) in the comment box.

View the last Photo Caption Call here. Submit new photos for AmP photo caption call to my email!

[Photo: Sent in by AmP reader Monica.]

Poster: Fr. Jenkin's idea of "Reasoned Dialogue"

After my story on Thursday ("Hypocrite: Fr. Jenkins offers no mercy to pro-lifers arrested on his campus") an AmP reader was inspired to put together the poster below. I thought it was powerful and present it for your consideration:

Related: Video of this priest being arrested on the Notre Dame campus has over 200k YouTube views.

Second Spiritual Help Wanted - University of Great Falls

Looks like there's an expanding job market in Catholic chaplains. Last week it was Wyoming Catholic College, this week it's the University of Great Falls in Montana:

The University of Great Falls, Montana, seeks Roman Catholic priest to serve the spiritual and pastoral needs of the University community. Campus ministry/college experience preferred. Position will be available on July 1, 2009. Duties include: sacramental celebrations and prayer services, pastoral counseling and spiritual direction, Christian faith formation, collaborative activities with campus ministry, and to enhance Catholic identity of the University in collaboration with Catholic Identity Committee. Teaching opportunities available.

Please email letter of interest and CV to Academic Dean, Rev. Jim Sikora at jsikora@ugf.edu. The University actively seeks diversity amongst its employees. Pre-employment background checks are required of successful candidates. More info here.

Don't let the "diversity" bit throw you.

facebook.com/AmericanPapist

That's a much easier URL to remember than the old one (which had a random set of numbers).

I think this would be a good opportunity to push the AmP facebook fanpage past 2,000 members.

And if you have a Facebook account, log in now to claim your personal "vanity" URL.

(... but in a moral, Catholic, way of course.)

O:-)

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/12/09

"Enough with the jerseys - what kind of cognac did you bring me?!"

[source: Reuters]

Friday surprise: Bishop Aymond comes home to New Orleans

An active week for (arch)bishop installations and appointments, and today no different:

The Holy Father appointed Bishop Gregory Michael Aymond of Austin, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of New Orleans (area 10,898, population 1,069,428, Catholics 384,994, priests 369, permanent deacons 183, religious 721), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in New Orleans in 1949, he was ordained a priest in 1975 and consecrated a bishop in 1997. (VIS)

I have more to add, but it will have to wait until after lunchtime today.

update: Anyone have speculation as to who will replace Aymond in Austin?

Papist Picture of the Day - 06/11/09

Papal curtain shopping.

[source: Reuters]

AmP interviewed in DC Catholic Living Examiner

I enjoyed the questions posed by Denise Hunnell.

Maybe you will enjoy my answers. :-)

Huh? Abortion center offered "free abortions" in memory of Tiller

Just sick:

An abortion business in Pennsylvania is drawing criticism for giving away free abortions on Tuesday in honor of slain late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller. The Philadelphia Women's Center said the free abortions were meant to show appreciation for Tiller, who was allegedly killed by extremist gunman Scott Roeder.

Town Hall columnist Jillian Bandes said a staff member at the abortion center said an unspecified number of free abortions were done yesterday for Tiller's “memory and legacy.”

However, by the end of the day, the center stopped doing free abortions and indicated it wouldn't likely do it again. (LifeNews)

I'm trying to grasp what sort of thinking could have led to the decision reported above. 

But I really lack the incentive, for some reason.

Hypocrite: Fr. Jenkins offers no mercy to pro-lifers arrested on his campus

This unfolding drama deserves more attention:

The president of the University of Notre Dame has "no interest" in interfering with the fates of over 80 peaceful pro-life protesters arrested on campus while protesting President Obama's May 17 commencement speech, says the pro-lifers' attorney. One of the arrestees, Lambs of Christ founder Fr. Norman Weslin, issued a statement Monday calling on University president Fr. John Jenkins to heed the arrested group's requests to meet, which Weslin says Fr. Jenkins has ignored.

... Attorney Tom Dixon told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) Tuesday that none of the charges have been dropped, and only two individuals accepted an offer to plead guilty in return for a sentence of time served and a fine. The rest face a maximum sentence of a year and prison and a $5,000 fine.

Asked about Notre Dame's involvement in the case, Dixon said he has "not heard anything" from the school, "except that they don't have any interest in exploring ways to resolve these matters." (LSN) (More backstory here)

So much for an olive branch. Fr. Jenkins is being given a perfect opportunity to show mercy, to deliver on his (and Obama's) promise of putting aside old grievances and moving forward in an enlightened fashion. Instead, Fr. Jenkins offers no common ground and no dialogue to these pro-life protesters.

Actions speak louder than words, and in this case, lack of action speaks louder than anything Fr. Jenkins has said. Does he really believe in forgiveness and understanding? Or does he just play these cards when he stands to benefit?

Wrap-up: Abp. Carlson installed in St. Louis

I'm writing this early in the morning because my flight back to DC was delayed due to inclement weather (thanks for the prayers!). Apologies if this post is a little scattered - I'm trying to fit in the important stuff before heading off to bed.

Here is the text of Archbishop Carlson's homily. 

An excerpt: "May I never be afraid to challenge the secular culture, which is growing everyday more indifference to the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially on the life issues. We will never compromise our commitment to life!"

A second line that struck me: "I will never ordain a man a priest that I do not know." He made this promise to the priests of the archdiocese. I know from experience that he really means it (having known some of his seminarians). He makes it a high priority to have a personal relationship with his priests, present and future.

A special thank you to the almost 1600 folks who followed my live updates via AmP Twitter. I'm surprised all of us were able to fit into that pew! ;-)

It was also such a joy to meet many AmP readers in person who weren't shy about coming up and introducing themselves! Sorry to have missed many of you - I would have loved to stay longer but I had a plane to catch. I will be back.

I commend you to your new shepherd, Archbishop Carlson! You are in the best hands.

For more good stuff, St. Louis review has a full installation page, including an updating photo gallery. 

My special congratulations to the entire media and communications team at the Archdiocese of St. Louis, who fruitfully and professionally used technology to share the joy of their local church with all of us papists, American or Universal.

Photos: Archbishop Carlson's Installation

I'm blogging tonight from the international airport in Charlotte (we're grounded for the time being by a lightning storm moving through). I just opened my email to find these beautiful pictures by Jerry Naunheim Jr. and Lisa A. Johnston for the St. Louis Review waiting for me:

I took a few myself but I'll wait until tomorrow to see if they turned out.

Video/Twitter: Live Coverage of Abp. Carlson's Installation Mass

Cross your fingers that this embedded player works. It should stream live video from the Mass at 2PM CST:

Here are three important links to follow-along:

• I am in the Church posting live updates at twitter.com/americanpapist
• St. Louis Review's special installation page will have photos up soon
• Archdiocese of St. Louis website features the program of the Mass, etc.

Noted: "Catholic Answers sues IRS, alleging ‘intimidation’ on political issues"

I will be watching to see how this situation develops with interest:

The apologetics organization Catholic Answers has filed suit against the Internal Revenue Service claiming the federal tax collection agency has “intimidated” churches and non-profit groups into silence on politically controversial moral issues.

In an announcement posted at the organization’s web site, Catholic Answers president Karl Keating explained that the IRS fined the group for a 2004 e-letter it wrote saying that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry should not be allowed to receive Holy Communion.

Keating charged that Francis Kissling, then-leader of the pro-abortion front group “Catholics for a Free Choice,” had instigated the IRS action with a complaint.

He said Kissling “hated” Catholic Answers’ “Voter’s Guide for Serious Catholics,” which aimed to educate Catholics on issues such as abortion. However, the guide did not mention any candidates or political parties and was cleared of any violations by the IRS. (CNA)

Catholics for a Free Choice use bullying tactics?! That's ... very believable.

Huh? Video game company pays people to fake protest as Christians

I actually blogged about this game some time ago, on an offbeat friday.

But now I'm not smiling:

Video game giant Electronic Arts has admitted it funded a group of fake protesters who pretended to be Christians as a publicity stunt to spur interest in its upcoming action game very loosely based on Dante’s “Inferno.”

The game company hired a group of almost 20 people to stand outside the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the Associated Press says. The phony protesters passed out amateurish material and held signs bearing slogans such as “Trade in Your PlayStation for a PrayStation,” “Hell is not a Game” and “EA = Electronic Anti-Christ.”

Holly Rockwood, an EA spokeswoman, said the charade was arranged by a viral marketing agency hired by the company.

... A web page in the crude style of 1990s web design was also created in connection with the stunt. It depicted crosses crushing the word “sin” and placed images of the King James Bible among phony condemnations and thinly-veiled promotions of the game.

“A video game hero does not have the authority to save and damn... ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE. and he will not judge the sinners who play this game kindly,” the site said. (CNA)

I think EA's move is especially bone-headed considering how many Christians might be interested in a game that at least tries to include "spiritual" things, and considering how many Catholics might get a kick out of the game for its gag value. 

I mean, getting to play Dante as he slashes his way through hell? It sure beats Tetris.

Today - Live Installation Mass Coverage in St. Louis!

I will be live-twittering from the magnificent St. Louis Cathedral Basilica today. Click here for more info!

Photo credit: Creativity+Timothy K Hamilton

Text: Homily of Archbishop-Elect Carlson on the Eve of His Installation

From the most-professional-archdiocesan-website-in-the-world (St. Louis) ... both text and mp3 of Archbishop-Elect Robert Carlson's homily on the eve of his installation Mass (which I will be covering live later today at 2PM CST):

"Here is the homily of Archbishop-elect Robert J. Carlson, delivered on the eve of his Installation as the ninth Archbishop of Saint Louis at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. You may also download an MP3 of his homily. Click through the 'Read more' link below to read the full homily. Also, pictures from Evening Prayer can be viewed on the Saint Louis Review's website."

One of my favorite parts:

"...we must not only 'preach to the choir.' The Church must also be willing to engage the culture. This gets us in trouble when our teaching conflicts with the "wisdom of the day,” but it is also our duty as a moral voice in the community.

Think about the values of the contemporary culture, and compare them with the values of the Gospel. Perhaps there was a time when the culture supported the values of the Gospel, or at least appeared to do so. But we now live in a culture that is not particularly friendly and is sometimes actively hostile to the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

How was his homily received? The Archdiocesan twitter reports it received "over a minute of applause!"

Photo Caption Call - 06/09/09

Even if you don't have a caption, you can rate your favorite captions (submitted by others) in the comment box.

View the last Photo Caption Call here. Submit new photos for AmP photo caption call to my email!

[Photo: Sent in by AmP reader Michael.]

Boston Archdiocese-affiliate health-care to offer abortion coverage

Sad. Embarrassing. Wrong:

Caritas Christi, the health-care system affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, has entered into a partnership that will provide coverage for abortion, sterilization, and contraception under the terms of a state government contract. Celticare Health Plan-- a new offering, which describes itself as “a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care”-- is now offering several options for health-care coverage, with all of the available plans advertising abortion coverage. (Catholic Culture brief)

I blogged about this possibility about a couple weeks ago.

Open Thread: Legion Visitation?

Has anyone heard if the apostolic visitation of the Legionaries of Christ has actually begun yet?

Event: Catholic Writers Conference, Aug 5-7th

From AmP reader Ann:

The Catholic Writers Conference Live!, an event sponsored by the Catholic Writers Guild, will be taking place August 5-7, 2009 in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Trade Show in Somerset, New Jersey. The conference will provide a unique opportunity for Catholic writers of non-fiction and fiction to learn about improving their craft, sharing their faith in their writing and marketing their work. Panel discussions and presentations covering many topics essential for the professional (or professional-to-be!) writer will be offered along with opportunities to ask questions of major Catholic publishers. [Read the full press release online here.]

Next stop: St. Louis!

Today I'm traveling to St. Louis for the installation Mass of Archbishop Robert Carlson at 2PM tomorrow (and no, contrary to what this photo might suggest, I'm not parachuting in ... though that's not a bad idea).

Here are the important links to follow-along:

• I will be tweeting my travels at twitter.com/americanpapist
• St. Louis Review's special installation page (official Catholic newspaper)
• Archdiocese of St. Louis website (will include live video & Mass program!)

Photo credit: km6xo.

Papist Picture of the Day - 06/08/09

The Vatican's new liturgical procession signs could really use an explanation key.

[source: Reuters]

Text: Beatiful meditation by Pope Benedict XVI

This meditation of Pope Benedict from yesterday's Holy Trinity Sunday warmed my heart:

"The Name of the Holy Trinity is Engraved in the Universe"

... "Three Persons Who are one God", the Pope added, "because the Father is love, the Son is love and the Spirit is love. God is entirely and only love, pure love, infinite and eternal. He does not live in splendid solitude, rather He is the never-ending source of life Who incessantly gives and communicates Himself. We may get some idea of this by observing both the macro universe (our earth, the planets, the stars and galaxies) and the micro universe (cells, atoms, elementary particles). In a certain way the 'name' of the Holy Trinity is engraved on everything that exists, because all being, down to the smallest particle, exists in relation to others". Thus we see the "God of relation", thus in the final instance we see "creative Love. Everything comes from love, tends towards love and moves impelled by love, though naturally with differing degrees of awareness and freedom".

"The strongest proof that we are made in the image and likeness of the Trinity is this: only love can make us happy, because we live in relation to others, we live to love and to be loved. Using an analogy taken from biology we could say that the human beings carry in their 'genomes' the profound traces of the Trinity, of God-Love", the Holy Father concluded.

AmP Challenge: No more claiming the US Bishops are "partisan" on abortion

In the interest of dialogue with our liberal Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, I challenge them to explicitly and totally repudiate the pernicious claim that US Bishops, when they speak about abortion, are engaging in "partisan politics." This same claim is similarly made about American Catholics when they, essentially, mimic the talking points of the US Bishops.

The claim that US Bishops, and those who agree with them, are "partisan" when it comes to abortion is deeply hypocritcal, because such a claim is, itself, a partisan charge made exclusively by liberals.

How common is this theme of calling US Bishops and their supporters "partisan" when they speak about abortion? Well, it is very common (see below). Most recently, these liberal partisans have taken to using recent L'Osservatore Romano articles as proof that "their" side is the right one. Well, they are in for a surprise, as I will demonstrate.

Here are some of the chief offenders (note how they all claim L'Osservatore Romano is on their side):

• Joe Feuerherd at National Catholic Reporter: "Less than four months into the new administration we don’t plan a mea culpa. Rather, we agree with L'Osservatore Romano, that the administration has demonstrated thoughtfulness and moderation, even as some of its less temperate Catholic critics declare, "We are at War!"
• Michael Sean Winters of American Magazine: "Chaput sneers at Jenkins. He sneers at Obama. (I am assuming he sneers at L'Osservatore Romano which had a far different interpretation of the President's visit to Notre Dame.)"

And yet in L'Osservatore Romano's own June 5th edition, it said this:

"Obviously the Holy See and L’Osservatore Romano have been, are and will be fully at the side of the U.S. bishops in their commitment in favor of the inviolability of human life in whatever stage of its existence.

Other interpretations have no foundation, especially those that have wanted to use the newspaper’s articles to make it appear that the teachings of the U.S. episcopate on the inherent evil of abortion were an exercise in partisan politics, supposedly in contrast with a different strategy of the Holy See."

L'OR is crystal clear: the interpretation that "the teachings of the U.S. episcopate on the inherent evil of abortion [is] an exercise in partisan politics" ... has "no foundation".

With that said, will Joe Feuerherd again "agree with L'Osservatore Romano" on this point about US Bishops and those who agree with them? Will Michael Sean Winters cease his sniping at Archbishop Chaput and other teaching bishops, or will he do a 180 and himself "sneer at L'OR" now that the newspaper isn't agreeing with his liberal talking points?

If they don't take up this challenge, we can be sure of three things:

1. The entire time they were agreeing with L'Osservatore Romano, it wasn't because they were trying to be faithful Catholics, it was because L'OR was agreeing (they thought) with their liberal talking points
2. They are in fact selectively picking-and-choosing what things they agree with the Vatican on, again filtering what they hear and agree with through a partisan, liberal a priori position
3. They themselves are guilty of engaging in the sort of "partisan politics" which they have accused the US Bishops and those who agree with them of embracing. This is text-book hypocrisy.

To make my case even stronger, I'd ask AmP readers to send me examples of Catholic columnists claiming that the US Bishops are engaging in partisan politics, and especially of recent examples where they claim L'Osservatore Romano is in effect "taking their side." I'd also ask AmP readers to note when this claim is made, in its various forms, from this point forward. I intend to call them on it every time they do it.

Why am I being so blunt about this? Well, certainly there here are many, many things wrong with the current state of debate between liberal Catholics and other Catholics when it comes to the issue of abortion and politics in America, but with this challenge, I hope to begin systematically rooting-out and definitively putting-to-rest one of the most pernicious and offensive of these errors.

I think such charges against our bishops are corrosive to constructive dialogue. Let's at least agree that when they speak about abortion, they are speaking from the heart of the Church, not a partisan talking-points page.

update: readers have asked for more proof of my claim that some notable individuals have systematically set themselves up against the bishops on the issue of abortion, along partisan lines. I have removed my quotation from Stephen Schneck for lack of further evidence. More proof for the other two:

• Joe Feuerherd (Feb 22, 2008 - Washington Post): "[Bishop Doran] is not alone among Catholic bishops in his attempt to anathematize the Democrats, to make the party and its candidates illegitimate in the mind of the electorate." ... "Sounds like I'll be voting for the Democrat -- and the bishops be damned."
• Michael Sean Winters (April 30, 2008 - America Magazine): "I hope the bishops who are in such high dudgeon about Obama will demand that Dr. Glendon be forbidden from receiving any Catholic honors until she renounces her association with the Bush administration."

And for good measure, I've re-added a third:

• Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ (November 7, 2008 - Washington Post): "This division between the vocal, partisan bishops and the silent, nonpartisan bishops will be a major issue at the Baltimore meeting."

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/7/09

Sorry, Barbershop Quartets were not part of the Council.

[source: AP Photo]

A clarification from L'OR about its favorable Obama coverage?

Maybe, but not enough yet:

The Vatican newspaper has once again emphasized that when it comes to the Obama administration and pro-life issues, the Vatican and the U.S. bishops are in full agreement and that no compromise is possible on the right to life.

The newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, said it was a mistake to view its press coverage of Obama — which has been positive on many issues — as evidence that the Vatican is following a “different strategy” than the U.S. bishops in dealing with the new administration.

The comments came in the newspaper’s June 5 edition, in an article criticizing the Obama administration’s restoration of federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.

The newspaper appeared to be defending itself against accusations by some U.S. Catholic commentators that its editorial line was too soft on Obama. (CNS Blog)

I wouldn't say "too soft". I'd say "out of touch with reality." But here is L'OR's clarification:

"It is appropriate to underline that in reporting on recent statements and initiatives of the president of the United States, L’Osservatore Romano has certainly not intended to express appreciation for his positions on questions of ethical importance.

... Obviously the Holy See and L’Osservatore Romano have been, are and will be fully at the side of the U.S. bishops in their commitment in favor of the inviolability of human life in whatever stage of its existence. Other interpretations have no foundation, especially those that have wanted to use the newspaper’s articles to make it appear that the teachings of the U.S. episcopate on the inherent evil of abortion were an exercise in partisan politics, supposedly in contrast with a different strategy of the Holy See.

... President Obama has shown himself to be open to dialogue and the U.S. bishops have welcomed this possibility in a positive manner. But in doing so, they have reaffirmed, and quite rightly, that in dialogue no compromise is ever possible on the fundamental question of the right to life."

Three replies, one for each of the paragraphs quoted above:

1) What L'OR has said certainly leaves it open to exactly that question. What could it have been praising except questions of ethical importance?

2) L'OR expressly denies the claim made by some (mostly pro-Obama liberal Catholics) that "the teachings of the U.S. episcopate on the inherent evil of abortion were an exercise in partisan politics". I'm waiting for pro-Obama liberal Catholics to apologize for continually making this charge. Now is a time for them to prove that they themselves weren't engaging in partisan politics. I'm not holding my breath.

3) Again we are confronted with the problem of dialogue. President Obama has "shown himself to be open to dialogue", L'OR claims. Well, no he hasn't. Because he has shown no openness to re-examining his position that abortion is a fundamental right of women. The technical description for this state of affairs is a dead-lock. It will continue as long as the bishops maintain their position (i.e., forever), and as long as Obama maintains his (forever, barring our vigorous activity to promote a culture of life at every level of our society and also ... well, prayer and fasting).

I'll limit myself to these thoughts at present. But I am happy to see some clarification come from L'OR. Their statement creates the possibility for charitable correction as well as honestly assessing the facts.

Rumor: Di Noia is moving, but not state-side

Earlier this week I reported on rumors that Augustine Di Noia, O.P. might be elevated to become the next bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Now it appears (and my sources are confirming) that Di Noia is indeed due for a move ... but only across the street. It is speculated that this announcement will be made sometime this week.

He will become the new secretary of the CDWDS (the #2 spot), a "bump upstairs" from his current position as undersecretary of the CDF (the #3 spot), taking over Abp. Ranjith's CDWDS position (who is expected to become Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka).

Di Noia, of course, will be elevated to the dignity of Archbishop as part of this move.

Whispers has more, and predicts this curial shake-up next:

"Among other top Curial posts slated to shift over the coming weeks are the presidencies of the Pontifical Councils for Christian Unity and Justice and Peace, where Cardinals Walter Kasper and Renato Martino have both long passed the retirement age of 75."

This is turning into a very interesting summer.

Odd, when I spent some time with Rev. Di Noia a month-and-a-half or so ago he didn't mention this plan to me. But then again, he was more occupied with congratulating his state-side brothers on their recent achievement.

NCRegister: 3 Things Obama Didn't Say in Cairo

Tom Hoopes has a brilliant re-keying of several passages in Obama's speech to a muslim audience in Cairo earlier this week:

Obama told his Muslim audience: “[W]e must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors.”

Hmmm … here are three things he didn’t seem to want to say openly in Cairo: He didn’t praise doubt, or promote LGBT, or read the Koran’s next verse.

[Read the jarring parallelisms Hoopes sets out to prove these three points.]

David Corn in MotherJones has a perfect phrase to describe what Obama is doing:

"Ultimately, Obama is calling for universal acceptance of a relativistic, ecumenical, multicultural view of human nature and the world."

The problem at the center of Obama's position, of course, is that it is premised on a relativistic world-view. This core despair of truth irrevocably flavors his ecumenical, multicultural outreach, vitiating it of the effectiveness it could have if it were objective.

Calling all bad Catholics - Obama has a position for you

Sure enough, months after taking office, Obama is quietly, but systematically, staffing his offices with "bad" Catholics:

President Barack Obama has rewarded the head of a fake pro-life Catholic group that was responsible for misleading voters about his abortion position to a top Health and Human Services post. The nomination is seen as political payback for Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG).

Obama named former CACG executive director Alexia Kelley to head the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kelley is also a former advisor to the John Kerry presidential campaign and Kerry is a strong abortion advocate. (LifeNews)

Maybe "bad" Catholics is too strong, how about simply "bad advice" Catholics:

CACG also released a voter guide in 2006 that was condemned by pro-life groups for misleading Catholics on abortion.

The CACG booklet argued “we often must vote for candidates who hold the ‘wrong’ Catholic positions on some issues in order to maximize the good our vote achieves in other areas.”

There's a simple label for this sort of thinking: "proportionalism."

Unfortunately, proportionalist thinking seems to be the best way to earn a spot in Obama's administration.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/5/09

"... and then my husband did this, and then my husband did that ..."

[source: Reuters]

AmP to cover Abp. Carlson's installation Mass in St. Louis next Wednesday!

T-minus 5 days until AmP provides live, on-the-ground coverage of the installation Mass of Archbishop-elect Robert J. Carlson in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis next Wednesday at 2pm!

One of the hallmarks of Rev. Carlson's pastoral style is accessibility. In keeping with that charecteristic I was happy to note that he will be "travelling to several parishes in the Archdiocese in the days following his Mass of Installation to celebrate Holy Mass with members of the faithful. The Masses are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to come and meet the new Archbishop!" More details on those plans here.

For everyone else not able to make it to St. Louis personally, keep it tuned here and AmP Twitter.

Also, CatholicTV will be covering the events and airing segments about the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Advertise on AmP! (All the cool papists are doing it.)

The AmP sidebar advertisement space is looking a little thin these days. Drop me a line ("thomas [at] americanpapist.com") and I'll send you the AmP rate table. 350-400,000 page views a month is a lot of papists.

NY Gov. Paterson claims gay "marriage" the "right way" from a spiritual standpoint

CNA reports:

"While New York's senators debate whether or not to legalize same-sex "marriage" in their state, the seven Catholic bishops of New York have issued a statement strongly opposing "such a drastic measure."

David Paterson, the governor of New York, introduced a measure to legalize same-sex "marriage" on April 16, claiming that it was the "right way" to proceed from a spiritual standpoint."

It's that last point that gets under my skin - what reasons can Patterson give for his personal revelation?

The bishops of NY, meanwhile, led by Abp. Dolan, give argument after argument after argument:

On Monday, all of the Catholic bishops of New York, headed by the newly-installed Archbishop Timothy Dolan, issued a statement on the attempt to legalize same-sex "marriage."

"We face today the prospect of a law in New York which would radically change the timeless institution of marriage. As pastors of citizens from every corner of our great state, we stand unified in our strong opposition to such a drastic measure," the bishops said, urging Catholics to contact their senators.

Beginning with a historical approach, the group of bishops noted that "throughout history ... the one constant has been the conviction that marriage is the union of a man and a woman in an enduring bond, ordered for the procreation and stable rearing of children."

Although Catholic opposition to same-sex "marriage" is frequently cast as solely religion-based, the New York bishops stated that, "Just as importantly, it is based on reason, sound public policy, and plain common sense." They pointed out that "the state has a compelling legal interest in promoting marriage between men and women in order to create stable families and provide for the safety, health and well being of children.

On the other hand, "the state has no such compelling legal interest in recognizing a relationship between two people of the same sex," the prelates said.

Addressing the argument that homosexual couples face discrimination and must be protected by legalizing same-sex "marriage," the New York bishops advised, "If there are injustices against those in relationships other than marriage, those injustices can certainly be reformed and corrected in a way other than by drastically redefining marriage."

Weighing the common-sense arguments of the bishops against Patterson's interior locutions, well, I think it's obvious which side is coming up short. 

Maybe that explains why Patterson attempts to skip into the "spiritual" ... he's not having a very good time of it in the plainly rational. 

Job: Director of Communications for Catholic Relief Service

Catholic Relief Services is looking for a Director of Communications. More about CRS:

"Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. We alleviate suffering and provide assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality."

The list of requirements are steep (see below), but if you or someone you know is interested, email me and I'll send you the details.

Qualifications:
1. Master's in journalism/public relations or international relations (or equivalent work experience)
2. Minimum 15 years relevant professional work experience incommunications, media relations, and/or public relations, preferably with organization with international focus
3. Minimum 10 years of supervisory experience
4. Extensive familiarity with international news outlets and their traditional and new media needs
5. Extensive global media contacts in print, broadcast and web news
6. Prior experience working with Catholic organizations and/or strong familiarity with Church teachings
7. Strong knowledge of online communications strategies and tactics, latest web technologies, tools and best practices
8. Prior non-profit or philanthropic experience a plus
Foreign Language: Fluency in oral and written Spanish a plus

Consider the comments an opportunity to post other job positions. Plenty of qualified folks read AmP.

This Friday, Support the "Packed With Love" Campaign

This organization contacted me recently about spreading awareness about their new campaign:

Catholic Medical Mission Board—the leading U.S. based Catholic charitable organization focused exclusively on global healthcare—needs your support. Visit “Packed With Love” to put your name on a shipment of medical supplies that will be delivered to resource-poor countries and that can truly save lives. If you add your name, you can watch your box begin its journey and you will be updated on the impact it has on those it reaches. Please share with friends and family!

Since 1928, CMMB’s medical donation program has distributed over $1.7 billion of medicines and medical equipment to improve healthcare in developing nations the world over.

Visit http://www.packedwithlove.org/ to send love and support to those in need.

In response to a question I posed to them about CMMB's adherence to Catholic principles, I was so impressed by their response that I copied below a portion of it:

"As a Catholic organization, CMMB does not—and has not—distributed condoms or advocated their use as a means of preventing the transmission of HIV from one person to another. The education programs CMMB supports focus on individual responsibility, monogamy, abstinence, respect, religious faith, and basic healthcare. We provide to our partners complete and accurate information about condoms as part of our prevention efforts. CMMB follows national guidelines established by the ministry of health, and those of the presiding Conference of Catholic Bishops in each country where we have HIV and AIDS programs."

Now that's the type of organization I support, and would urge other papists to support as well.

Acts of mercy like this one are particularly good to perform on Fridays.

Papist Picture of the Day - 6/4/09

"... zuccheto bandit!!!"

[source: Reuters]

Reminder: Vote for AmP in the 2008 Catholic New Media Awards!

AmP has been nominated in eight (8!) categories.

Please spread the word among your friends, too.

--> VOTE HERE! It only takes a few seconds. And every vote counts.

AmP finished 2nd or 3rd in a whole bunch of categories last year.

Statistics: Pro-Life States Have Lower Abortion Rates

If you have a culture of life, less babies die:

It seems, however, that people do practice what they preach. For each increase of about 10 percent in the number of residents who identify themselves as pro-life, the percentage of pregnancies ending in abortion is reduced by about 5 percent.

Also important to note, states with more ready access to abortion ... have more abortions:

"According to the Guttmacher Institute, approximately one-third of American women live in a county where there is no abortion provider. There is a very strong (inverse) relationship, additionally, between having access to an abortion provider in one's county, and the pro-life leanings of that state."

Much more at FiveThirtyEight.com.

Sometimes its easier to convince people about common sense when you can show them the numbers.

AmP now available on Amazon Kindle!!

This is just so cool!! The blog content of American Papist is now available on the Amazon Kindle. That news deserves two exclamation points.

Some details of the service:

--> Kindle Blogs are auto-delivered wirelessly to your Kindle and updated throughout the day so you can stay current.
--> It's risk free: all Kindle Blog subscriptions start with a 14-day free trial. You can cancel at any time during the free trial period. If you enjoy your subscription, do nothing and it will automatically continue at the regular monthly price.
--> Don't have a Kindle? Get yours here.

Hmm, my birthday is in a few weeks... ;-)

{My thanks to John Norton of OSV for helping me get AmP enrolled in the program.}

CNN Video: Mother says no to abortion in AC360 interview

In the same breath that I say "Good job for airing this, CNN" I have to say "But how can you continue to support abortion in other cases, CNN?!" Here is the touching interview:



"Do you regret [having the baby], looking back?"

"Not one minute of it."

Matthew Balan at NewsBusters has the full transcript + commentary.

UK Court rules Catholic Charities breaking law on homosexual adoption

It is becoming increasingly impossible for the Catholic Church to maintain her autonomy in the face of the homosexual lobby, especially in the United Kingdom:

"The tribunal ruled that a "heterosexuals only" policy in the adoption field of the Catholic Church in England and Wales would fall foul of the ban on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation brought in two years ago.

The Tribunal's ruling leaves leading charity Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) facing a deep religious impasse and creates a fundamental conflict between the tenets of the Catholic Church and the law of the land.

If the charity now sticks to Church policy and continues to follow its "heterosexuals only" policy it could lose its charity status and public funding.

It might also face discrimination claims by same-sex couples it has turned away in the past.

The ruling means that Catholic Care has been thwarted in its wish to amend its charitable objectives on religious grounds so that it could discriminate against same-sex couples wishing to adopt.

Catholic Care has a respected reputation, particularly in finding new families for "hard to place" children, but has never provided adoption services to homosexuals for religious reasons. (UK Telegraph)"

In other words, similar to cases in the US, Catholic Charities is faced with the option of getting out of the adoption business ... or compromising its principles. That's a choice a Church charity shouldn't have to make.

update: and, as if on cue, 9th Circuit Upholds Anti-Catholic Resolution - Same-sex Adoption Backgrounder.

Ph/t: Blog of the Courtier.

Spiritual Help-Wanted: Wyoming Catholic College Seeks Chaplain

A great Catholic college needs a great chaplain:

Wyoming Catholic College -- a flourishing Great Books liberal arts college with an outdoor adventures component -- seeks a priest of orthodox faith and morals to care for souls. At the center of our campus life stands the worthy celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In keeping with the teaching and example of Pope Benedict XVI, liturgy and devotions are carried out in a manner that stresses continuity with Tradition. Treasures such as the Latin language and Gregorian chant are held in utmost esteem. The chaplain’s duties include offering daily Mass and hearing confessions. As a chaplain in a college setting, he should be energetic in working with young people, ready to preach in a way relevant to students’ needs, and comfortable with offering spiritual direction. For more details, please click here.

Rumor: Dominican to become next bishop of Fort Wayne?

I'm hearing a rumor going around Fort Wayne, IN that Bishop D'Arcy's replacement could be ... wait for it ... Fr. Augustine Di Noia, OP!

That's right, a dominican who is currently serving as undersecretary at the congregation for the doctrine of the faith (basically the #3 in charge of it).

The last time a dominican was elevated to the Amearican episcopate (that I know of) was in the 1980's in Louisville.

It's a fascinating choice for one primary reason - by choosing a priest who has not served as a bishop in the United States, the Vatican avoids the sticky problem of either choosing a bishop who spoke out against Notre Dame's invitation of Barack Obama, or choosing one who was silent.

What have you heard?

Papist Picture of the Day - 06/03/09

• Quote of the Day: Cardinal Bernardin on using his consistent ethic to support abortion
• New bishop: As speculated, Bp. George Lucas named new Archbishop of Omaha

"Robot Transformers 3: Vatican Infiltrator."

[source: Reuters]

QOTD: Cardinal Bernardin on using his consistent ethic to support abortion

Cardinal Bernadin, on the front page of the National Catholic Register in