Did Pope Benedict really call for a "One-World Government and New World Order"?!

In my early reading of Cartitas in Veritate, I noted on the first day it was available that paragraph 67 would be "sure to generate some vigorous debate back-and-forth." And sure enough it did.

John Henry Westen, however, argues that the pope speaks against such a reality, and not for it:

Newspapers, blogs, talk-shows on radio and television are full of discussion over Pope Benedict XVI's supposed call for a "new world order" or a "one-world government." These ideas are, however, neither based in reality nor a clear reading of the Pope's latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, the release of which yesterday spawned the heated discussion.

The Pope actually speaks directly against a one-world government, and, as would be expected from those who have read his previous writings, calls for massive reform of the United Nations. Confusion seems to have come from paragraph 67 of the encyclical, which has some choice pull-quotes which have spiced the pages of the world's news, from the New York Times to those of conspiracy theorist bloggers seeing the Pope as the Anti-Christ. [Read on.]

Survey: Reactions and commentary to Caritas in Veritate

Yesterday, a minute after the embargo was lifted, I made available the full text of Caritas in Veritate.

24 hours later, it's time to survey the Catholic commentary:

• An economist friend of mine published in Pew Sitter: "'Curse of the Mad Scientists' created the chaos described in Pope Benedict’s encyclical on economics, says UDM economics professor"
• For more (excellent) economic commentary from a Catholic perspective, see the multiple contributions made available by those affiliated with the Acton Institute here. They do this for a living.
• Sandro Magister publishes an anthology of what he considers to be the most important passages (My own quote pulls are accessible via this link and then scrolling down the page)
• The Catholic Thing has a symposium with contributions from Michael Novak, James Schall, SJ, Joseph Wood and Rob Royal
• Dan Gilgoff I think misses the hierarchy of truths proposed by Pope Benedict when he claims that "Pope Benedict's Encyclical Is a Boost for Catholic Progressives"
• In a similar vein, David Gibson claims "The Pope Is a Liberal. Who knew?" Problem is, for many "liberals", that amounts to abandoning or subordinating life issues. Sorry, I know that doesn't work.
• Deal Hudson, representing the other end of the spectrum, claims the encyclical "tightens up the Church's social teaching"
• LifeSiteNews, meanwhile, in addition to Paragraph 28 (which I mentioned), points out the strong pro-life points made in Paragraph 44.

I haven't dipped into the mainstream commentaries yet - I'm almost afraid to - but give it another 24hrs, and I'll include them as well. That's about how long it takes to separate wheat from chaff these days.

Tomorrow at 6am EST: Text of Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict's 3rd encyclical

Tomorrow at 12PM Rome-time (6AM EST) the embargo will be lifted on Pope Benedict's third encyclical letter:

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

CARITAS IN VERITATE

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS

PRIESTS AND DEACONS

MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS

THE LAY FAITHFUL

AND ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL

ON INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

IN CHARITY AND TRUTH

Once the embargo is lifted I will post the full text as a Microsoft word document here on AmP. So check back then.

Vatican denounces errors behind the economic crisis

A topic I'm sure people aren't all too eager to revisit during the weekend, but bear the Pope out:

Referring to his forthcoming social Encyclical, the Pope then presented a synthetic overview of the crisis, analysing it at two levels. First he considered the macroeconomic aspects, highlighting the shortcomings of a system founded on selfishness and the idolatry of money, which cast a shadow over man's reason and will and lead him into the ways of error. Here the Church is called to make her voice heard - nationally and internationally - in order to help bring about a change of direction and show the path of true reason illuminated by faith, which is the path of self-sacrifice and concern for the needy.

The second aspect of the Holy Father's analysis concerned the sphere of microeconomics. Large-scale projects for reform, he said, cannot come about unless individuals alter their ways. If there are no just people, then there can be no justice. Hence he invited people to intensify their humble, everyday efforts for the conversion of hearts, an undertaking that above all involves parishes whose activity is not just limited to the local community but opens up to all humanity. (VIS)

Notice that this general topic apparently will find a place in the Pope's upcoming social encyclical, which I've blogged about before. I'm blogging on the fly right now so don't have a way of tracking down the latest projections for when this encyclical might be published. What have you heard?

"Climate change to get major attention in 2009"

CNS Blog:

Climate change and the vital importance of protecting God’s creation is going to be the focus of a major campaign opening in 2009 and coordinated through The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change.

The coalition, under executive director Daniel Misleh, is planning to introduce an ambitious effort to reach all of the country’s 19,000 parishes through what is being called the Catholic Climate Covenant: The St. Francis Pledge to Protect Creation and the Poor.

I want to hear your comments before I make mine.

Full-court press for gay "Marriage"; Bishops call for Catholic response

Connecticut has ruled gay "Marriage" is legal.

First, a cluster of news links....

[The NYT: "Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut" Commentary: "Using Biology, Not Religion, to Argue Against Same-Sex Marriage"Related, WSJ: "First Graders Taken to San Francisco City Hall for Gay Wedding" Local: "State Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage"]

The Connecticut Catholic Conference, has condemned the decision and "calls for a “Yes” vote on a Constitutional Convention" More information on that campaign here.

Let me make it doubly clear - here is what the Catholic Conference of Connecticut has said:

"... we will be calling on the Catholic people of our state to vote “Yes” for a Constitutional Convention and the right of referendum on Election Day." (source.)

That's pretty clear.

Meanwhile, on the other coast.... http://www.protectmarriage.com/ & TFP's action blog.

Moreover, some of the California bishops are active. From an AmP reader:

"There is a new website up (http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/) that has a series of videos on the meaning of marriage. The site is a Catholic response to the situation of marriage in California and what the upcoming election might mean.

There are extended (10-20 minutes) interviews with Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego, Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, and Bishop Allen Vigneron of Oakland.

The home page has a 13 minute video with Bishops, Priests, a family counselor, a constitutional lawyer and ordinary people discussing marriage and what it means."

Form your conscience - vote Catholic this November!

Video: The failed vote, and Pelosi's partisanship

Plenty of people (rightly, I would say) are pinning a large part of the blame for today's failed vote in the House on Nancy Pelosi's flagrantly-partisan, bald-faced-profiteering speech given just prior to the vote.

Her beginning:

“Madam Speaker, when was the last time someone asked you for $700 billion? “It is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush Administration’s failed economic policies—policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision, and no discipline in the system.

Her ending:

“Today, we will act to avert this crisis, but informed by our experience of the past eight years with the failed economic leadership that has left us left capable of meeting the challenges of the future. “We choose a different path. In the new year, with a new Congress and a new president, we will break free with a failed past and take America in a New Direction to a better future.”

The full video:

Worst speaker of the house ever? I'm beginning to think so. Especially when you consider the history I've pointed out. She really should take that retreat in San Francisco which she's been offered, and accepted....

24 Days, 13 Hours, 38 Minutes....

Abp. Chaput asks politicians, "what about comprehensive immigration reform?"

CNA reports:

What happened immigration reform as an issue in the 2008 presidential election? That’s exactly what Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver is asking in his weekly column in the Denver Catholic Register, as he calls for an end to raids by customs agents and pushes for comprehensive reform.

“Here’s the surest sign of an election year: Certain hot potato issues—the kind that nobody in either major party really wants to deal with in a tight race—mysteriously disappear,” writes the archbishop.

Do note that this is the same Archbishop who was the first to respond to Speaker Pelosi and Senator Biden. So much for those who have claimed hi mto be a "single-issue" or "partisan" defender of human dignity.

I refuse to join Catholics United

Today, upon the occasion of Joe Biden's selection as Barack Obama's vice-presidential candidate, I received a press release from the executive director of Catholics United, which claims to be a ...

"non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the message of justice and the common good found at the heart of the Catholic Social Tradition."

I wish I could agree this is in reality the case. First, let's take a look at their press release, briefly:

"Catholics United believes Senator Biden’s selection as vice presidential candidate is a positive development for Americans who respect leaders who have strong religious, family, and personal values. Senator Biden’s well-known commitment to his Catholic faith has inspired his advocacy on issues such as genocide, universal health care, education, workers’ rights, and violence against women. His faith has helped him to find solace during times of tragedy and crisis.”

Notably absent: defense of the unborn. I'm sorry, but nothing is closer to the "heart of the Catholic Social Tradition" than the dignity and right of all human beings to life. Next:

“We are optimistic that Senator Biden’s history of seeking practical means of addressing abortion will help move our nation beyond the divisive, acrimonious, and unproductive debate that has come to surround the issue. Senator Biden accepts his church’s teachings on human life and can work to advance these teachings in ways that Americans of all political persuasions can support.”

Biden's "practical means of addressing abortion" have been, historically, to allow and never restrict it. His choices continue the debate on abortion because he has not actually helped "address" the problem at all.

Now here's my favorite paragraph:

“Catholics United is especially hopeful that operatives on the far right will refrain from using Senator Biden’s faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church as political weapons in the coming campaign. Faith and values should be used to unite Americans behind solutions to the key challenges of this age – war, poverty, lack of health care, and a looming climate crisis – and not as partisan wedges to divide voters.”

You've got to be kidding me. Clearly this organization defines the "heart of the Catholic Social Tradition" to be silencing the actual "teachings of the Catholic Church," ignoring the need to live one's faith even in the public forum, and excluding the defense of human life from the "key challenges of this age."

For an organization that claims to be non-partisan, why exactly does everything in these three paragraphs seem like it is lifted directly from this year's democrat playbook on faith and religion?

Not convinced? The author of this press release, Chris Korzen...

• recently took part in a Democratic conference call (along side promininant pro-Obama Catholic Douglas Kmiec) to prepare for the upcoming national convention. [source]
• is the guy behind the defunct "Catholic Voting Projet", which Karl Keating accurately pointed out claimed to be run by "nonpartisan," [indeed - 'committed' Catholics] but their web site has a clear bias in favor of John Kerry." Karl Keating systematically destroys Korzen's claims to be non-partisan and "Catholic".
• frequently tries to marginalize conservative Catholics, claiming them to be GOP shills.
• writes for ultra-liberal Huffington Post claiming that McCain is getting a free ride for flirting with pro-abortion politicians, and this somehow shows that he isn't truly pro-life.
• again, writes for ultra-liberal Huffington Post, this time claiming "Extremists Pressure Catholic Bishops to Use Communion as Political Weapon"

Okay, enough links. My point: Chris Korzen is yet another liberal democrat masquerading as a "non-partisan/big-tent" Catholic.

Honestly, just look through the Catholics United recent posts and try to find a single post that isn't critical of republicans and supportive of democrats.

(All of this is bad enough, but I really start scratching my head when Catholics United and Chris Korzen are uncritically included, for instance, in CNS blog coverage ... did they do no research?)

I don't get angered by liberals disagreeing with the social teachings of the Church. I don't get especially angered at Catholics dissenting from the teachings of the Church, as long as they admit they are dissenting. But I do get angry, and cannot tolerate, when liberal Catholics falsely claim their opinions to be in harmony with the Church's social teaching when in fact they are not.

That's really the only reason Catholics United deserves any of my time. And I refuse to join them.