Westminster Abbey adds Hindu snowmen to Christmas displays

'Tis the season ... to be kooky:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Permanent birth control through intentional self-mutilation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Automatic excommunication for FOCA voters?

Matt Hadro of CNSNews.com tried to get Cardinal George to say as much, but he wasn't biting. Jeff Miller adds some helpful comments and Deal Hudson outlines some reasons why it should.

I think this is an interesting question to raise, but will become urgent should FOCA be introduced.

On the end of Catholic Hospitals

Ed Morissey at Hot Air tells us how serious the bishops are about not allowing Catholic Hospitals to be forced into performing abortions under FOCA:

[The bishops will] shut them down and take the losses in order to prevent their use as abortion clinics. To do otherwise, the bishops stated, would be to cooperate in the evil of abortions.

What kind of impact would that have? The Catholic Church is one of the nation’s biggest health-care providers. In 2007, they ran 557 hospitals that serviced over 83 million patients. The church also had 417 clinics that saw over seven million patients. If they shut down almost a thousand hospitals and clinics nationwide, the US would not just lose a significant portion of available health care, but the poor and working-class families that received the health care would have fewer options.

Also, the Catholic Church runs this on a non-profit basis, spending vast sums of its money to ensure access for those unable to pay. That’s the kind of model that many on the Left believe should exclusively provide health care — and FOCA would spell the end of the major provider already in that model.

Notice that point about Catholic hospitals being non-profits? And to think that a common criticism of the Catholic pro-life movement during this election was that, somehow, we aren't serious about providing concrete medical care and assistance to the poor. Simply unbelievable.

So how serious are democrats and Obama about FOCA? Serious enough to push the Catholic Church in the US out of the health care industry?

Let's hope drawing these clear lines in the sand will give them pause. We're not blinking first.

Text/Commentary: Cardinal George's letter to President-elect Obama

You can read the text here.

My pull quotes:

[On Roe v. Wade:] Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.

[On FOCA:] "It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil."

[On the election, etc.:] "The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve.

Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected.

Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion."

What's especially significant about this? Cardinal George is speaking not just personally, nor as the Archbishop of Chicago, but as the President of the gathered American bishops:

"On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will ... The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted."

"This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops...."

Okay, moment of truth time: when dozens of individual bishops were making these same points during the election, they were dismissed as a "minority" or "mavericks" by their liberal critics. Now will those same critics who disagreed with these brave bishops admit that their alternative position is NOW a minority one?

In other words, here is the contradiction. When bishops said something they didn't like they would dismiss them as "fringe" or "extreme", now that the combined bishops are, as a body, saying the same things as were said before by a few, will they continue to refer to the position taken by all the bishops in similar terms?

Tick, tock, tock.

Breaking: Bishops to present concerns on abortion, other issues to politicians

CNS - which has lots of coverage, follows the knotted thread:

With a new administration and a Democratic-dominated Congress about to take office, the U.S. bishops will spell out their concerns about policies and laws that might make abortion more readily available.

After a total of nearly three hours of discussion in public and private sessions Nov. 11 during their annual fall meeting, the bishops gave their president, Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George, a set of concerns about abortion and other matters to raise in a public statement he will issue on their behalf. The statement was to be completed for final approval Nov. 12.

Martino tries to get some movement:

Bishop Joseph F. Martino of Scranton, Pa., said though he realized the statement would not address that topic, "we are going to have to speak as firmly as possible to Catholic politicians who are not merely reluctant to vote pro-life, but are stridently anti-life." He noted that in ages past, U.S. bishops took canonical measures against Catholic politicians who supported institutional racism.

"We have to have something like that," he said. "I cannot have the vice president-elect (Joseph Biden) coming to Scranton (his childhood home) saying he learned his values there, when his values are utterly against the teachings of the Catholic Church."

The Church already does have "something like that." The laws are on the books, they're just not being used.

Tobin (!):

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, R.I., said toward the end of the discussion that if the statement were to include everything heard in that session, "you might as well just reprint 'Faithful Citizenship,'" the bishops' 2007 document on political responsibility.

He said instead the final version should be concise, taking a lesson from Obama's own successful campaign strategy, which focused narrowly on change and hope.

"That carried him to the presidency," Bishop Tobin said. The bishops need to find a similar succinct approach, he said, "less political, less politically correct and more prophetic. We need somehow to reclaim the prophetic voice on this issue."

Though I agree with Tobin about "less political, less politically correct, and more prophetic" .... did I just catch a hint that he is admitting Obama reaches people better these days than the bishops themselves? What does it say that Obama can come across as more "prophetic" than bishops who are consecrated into the prophetic priesthood of Christ Himself?

Talk about a wake-up call.

Results: New Bishop chairs announced + analysis

The results as reported by Whispers:

Conference Secretary:
Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton: 69
Bishop George Murry SJ of Youngstown: 150

National Collections:
Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston: 84
Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas: 139

Cultural Diversity:
Coadjutor Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento: 134
Bishop Terry Steib SVD of Memphis: 92

Communications:
Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St Joseph: 97
Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles: 129

Pro-Life Activities:
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston: 165
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City-St Joseph: 59

Doctrine:
Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington: 140
Bishop Jerome Listecki of LaCrosse: 85

I don't know how to evaluate the claim made by some that these elections to bishops chairs are "politically influenced" - i.e., popular bishops get elected and unpopular ones don't. While that certainly seems like a very human temptation, I tend to disbelieve it actually obtains here in any serious way.

At any rate, some gut reactions:

• No comment on the first two
• Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas was a very outspoken bishop and won comfortably
• Coadjutor Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento has dished out some needed truths himself
• Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles over Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St Joseph is perhaps the most interesting. Finn is a firebrand on behalf of life, while Zavala - not so much.
• Similarly, Naumann joined his words with Finn .... but DiNardo is no lightweight himself
• Wuerl for Doctrine seems straightforward enough, he's articulate and knows his stuff

And just to shut down one line of disagreement at the outset: I'm not trying to evaluate the "goodness" of these bishops based only on how vocally they preach the Church's teaching about unborn life.

However, the other side will be going over these chair elections with a fine-tooth comb trying to do the opposite - saying that whenever an outspoken bishop isn't chosen, somehow the American bishops are shunning them. I don't think that is the case. And either way, it's best to know a little bit about their records.

It begins: ESCR Bans & The Mexico City policy first to go in Obama administration

Get used to photo-ops like this one:

Barack Obama with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.

CNA reports:

"President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team is preparing the first actions of his presidency, planning to lift embryonic stem cell research funding restrictions and rules which prevent international organizations that receive U.S. aid from counseling women about the availability of abortion."

Okay, Kmiec et al., explain to me how proliferating the human-destroying procedure of embryonic stem cell research + providing funding to pro-abortion international groups ... builds up a culture of life.

Are pro-life dems making a "breakthrough"?

Tom McFeely has a most intersting post on NCRegister.com, my comments in bold:

Let’s face it, there weren’t very many pro-life silver linings among the electoral clouds that formed Tuesday evening over America. Agreed.

But here’s one: A record 31 Democratic Party pro-life candidates were elected to Congress.

According to Democrats for Life of America, five new Democratic pro-lifers were elected, joining 26 pro-life incumbents who were re-elected. Out of 58 total.

“This will be only the second time in 30 years that the number of pro-life Democrats increases instead of decreases,” Kristen Day, director of Democrats for Life of America, told Lifenews.com. “The first time we made gains was in 2006 due to the work of pro-life Democrats all over this country advocating on behalf of the pro-life cause.” DLA, not to be confused with "Catholic Democrats" - a front group

The first task confronting Congressional pro-lifers from both parties in the next Congress? Forging bipartisan alliances across the aisles of the Senate and the House of Representatives to prevent passage of the abortion lobby’s Freedom of Choice (FOCA) legislation. Most important, and some small encouragement.

I've said it before, "pro-life" and "democrat" can be a powerfully appealing combination to a Catholic. It's clear to me I need to learn more about Democrats for Life of America. What I've seen so far, I mostly like (i.e., "Pro-Life Is The Winning Strategy For Democrats", etc). Other things they have said, while I don't agree with entirely, are certainly far better than what we are used to hearing.

I know I would love to support pro-life candidates within the democrat party. After all, contrary to what you may hear, pro-life is not a partisan issue. The goal of true pro-life advocates is not to see republicans win, but to see human life preserved across party lines.

Sadly, it appears that the democrat party's leadership remains strongly committed to abortion rights, as is evident from their most recent party platform. What will it take to make these higher-ups realize that they need not be the "party of death", to quote the phrase of an archbishop?

Maybe Catholics electing more pro-life Democrats.

"Muslims seek crisis management plan with Vatican"

Reuters:

Muslim scholars due to meet Pope Benedict and Roman Catholic officials this week hope the Vatican will agree to joint crisis management plan to defuse tensions that flare up between Christianity and Islam.

Violent protests in the Islamic world after a Danish newspaper printed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad might have been averted if Christians and Muslims had spoken out jointly against such unrest and the provocation behind it, they say.

Let's be awkwardly specific: what needs to be managed is the crises caused by ... muslims.

It bears repeating: Bishops who speak, speak this way

At least in the overwhelming majority of cases. Bishops who are not adopting this strong rhetoric calling Catholics to vote an informed conscience on the issue, particularly, of abortion can be counted on one hand.

Another case in point to close-out the day: Bishop Robert Carlson of Saginaw whose statement (PDF) treats the presidential election as well as pro-ESCR Proposal 2 in Michigan (which I have discussed here).

Since I see no need to reduplicate work already done well, please see Fr. Z's analysis of the document.

On supporting one another in pursuit of the good and true

Doing the right thing often isn't easy.

Bishop Robert Vasa, in his most recent column, tells us one way that he is encouraged:

It might be a perception that my boldness regarding pro-abortion politicians is courageous but in truth I only follow the lead of those who exemplify a boldness far greater than my own. The bold speaking out on the part of Archbishop Raymond Burke regarding the contentious issue of Catholic pro-abortion politicians and Holy communion emboldens cowards like me to follow his example. The firm and measured response of Cardinal Egan and a variety of other Archbishops and Bishops to misleading statements of the Speaker of the House emboldens others, like myself, to shake off the shackles of fear and to stand with them.

Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, on Comending the Bishops:

Faithful Catholics in the US have been both stunned and gratified by the recent show of episcopal strength in dealing with the heretical nonsense of “Catholics” in public life who clearly misrepresent the Church’s teaching on vital issues.

... The trend is truly heartening. Let’s pray that it continues! Much more could be done, of course, but I am grateful that more bishops are standing up to strengthen and protect the faith of millions.

... [I would mention] the strong pro-life stances of Archbishops Burke (now in Rome) and Chaput (Denver) as well as Bishops Vasa (Baker, OR), Farrell and Vann (Dallas, TX), Martino (Scranton, PA) and Mallooly (Wilmington, DE) who are representatives of a group of other bishops who have made their voices heard forcefully on the Catholic voting issue.

... Thankfully, there are many more examples of episcopal courage that we could add to the reflections but suffice it to say that there seems to be a new wind blowing through the College of Bishops all around the world these days.

... We also need to thank them personally when they speak out in order to encourage them to do even more! Now that the example has been set, let us hope that other bishops and priests will have the audacity of our hope in Christ to go out and do the same!

What they said.

Top 10 Faith Factors in the Election

Steven Waldman's list mentions Catholics in points 4 and 5:

4. Will Catholics Ignore Their Bishops?
The overall Catholic vote has gone with the popular vote winner every election since 1968. Catholic bishops have been urging Catholic voters to vote for antiabortion candidates, but a majority of Catholic voters now favor abortion rights so it remains to be seen what influence the church will have. (Sen. Obama is also winning with the 100-year-old-nuns bloc.) Another factor in Sen. Obama’s favor: a higher percentage of the Catholic vote will be Latino this year.

Last election, President Bush won Catholic voters 52%-46%.

5. Can Obama Finally Bowl a Strike With Skeptical White Catholics?
During the primaries, Obama did poorly with white Catholics, often working-class ethnics or their offspring. Remember his feeble attempt to curry favor through bowling? They tend to be culturally conservative and haven’t voted for a Democrat since 1996. On the other hand, they’re especially concerned about the economy this year, and Sen. Biden has been trying to bond with them as a fellow “cultural Catholics.”

Point of reference: In 2004, Bush won 56% of white Catholics, Kerry 43%

My thoughts:

4. While a majority of Catholics might favor abortion rights (what poll claims this, by the way?), I would argue that a majority of Catholics would identify more with McCain than Obama on the issue. The question is how much weight they will give to abortion at all. As for Latino voters - I would guess them to be more conservative on the issue of abortion than other Catholics.

5. I think the success of Senator Biden's Catholic outreach is hovering somewhere near zero. Catholics who do take their faith seriously couldn't care less for his "cultural Catholicism" and Catholics who don't take their faith seriously I don't foresee being seriously swayed by it, either.

Tuesday will tell.

"Holy See to publish document on use of psychology in seminaries"

Important:

On October 30 the Congregation for Catholic Education will issue a new document entitled, “Orientations For The Use Of Psychological Competencies In The Admission And Formation Of Candidates To The Priesthood.”

...According to a Vatican official consulted by CNA, the document “is intended to propose clear criteria for establishing an adequate balance between recourse to psychology and spirituality, in order to avoid falling into both a psychology that ignores sin and grace, and a spirituality that overlooks factors related to the human mind and affectivity.” (CNA)

Without going into details, I have heard that the use of psychology has been abused in seminarian formation programs in the past, and the Holy See has as one its top priorities ... fixing it, and quickly.

Lies, Damn Lies, and ... Polling

Much is being made of Faith in Public Life's new poll "The Young and the Faithful". I've discussed it previously here and, after asking, found the AmP community's input to be very helpful. Read through those here.

Recently, CNS published it's take on the results:

The survey indicated that younger Catholics are less traditional than older Catholics. More young Catholics identified themselves as Democrats than as Republicans -- 54 percent to 35 percent -- whereas older Catholics were almost evenly split between the two political parties . Only 28 percent of young Catholics said they are politically conservative, compared to 42 percent of older Catholics.

CNS gives the last word to a Faith in Public Life spokeswoman:

Expect to see the dividing lines of the culture wars continue to fade," said Katie Paris, director of communications strategy at Faith in Public Life.

My take? I think this poll and the accompanying analysis of its results have many blind spots.

If I had to choose *one* blind spot, it would be the difference between active and nominal Catholics. This difference applies to Catholics over 35, and even more so to those under 35.

Nominal Catholics, not surprisingly, closely follow the national trends. As AmP reader Gradchica said: "One might think these infrequent attenders have learned just enough of their faith to dangerously misinterpret it, and to miss the fine distinctions."

Active Catholics, however, are counter-cultural and don't follow the national trends. The proof for this claim is very easy to provide.....

For instance, a CNA editorial notes:

Where Obama has broken the pattern, his Catholic problem shows up among weekly Mass attendees. He won in Missouri, 50 percent to 46 percent, but lost active Catholics, 46 percent to 53 percent. He tied in Wisconsin but lost among active Catholics, 46 percent to 53 percent.

CWNews, commenting on a Pew forum study, also points out:

The Pew profile confirm that Catholics compose a crucial political constituency. But the survey also shows a sharp distinction between the Catholics who attend Mass regularly and those who are not active. Thus for example, among Catholics who attend Mass weekly, 60% say that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances; among those who do not go to Mass regularly the figure is 29%. Similarly, 42% of the regular Mass-goers oppose research that entails the destruction of human embryos; only 22% of the less active Catholics take that stand.

More troubling, however, is another trend: younger Catholics are less likely to be as active in their faith as their parents. This fact explains the general trend of young Catholics being "less conservative", or what have you.

Which brings us back to the point Archbishop Charles Chaput makes in his book Render Unto Caesar, that the crisis of voting is at root a crisis of faith. It should therefore not surprise us that people who do not even attend Mass regularly, who do not live an active faith, also do not have the same perspective on moral issues as the Church does.

I realize this is a bold claim, and that I have expressed it without all the qualifications, provisos and considerations that a more full treatment would contain, but I think it remains the fundamental insight which explains both how a) active Catholics vote differently and yet b) overall, Catholics are more "mainstream" in their voting habits than the previous generation.

Final consideration:

Are things getting worse? I don't think so. I think matters are becoming more clear. Pope Benedict has said, and I have quoted him before as saying, that active, passionate minorities shape cultures. The cohesion shown among conservative Catholics, and the stable dedication they demonstrate to the teachings of the Church, is more able to spread itself through teaching and witness, and propogate itself through children and education, than a nominal faith ever can or will.

One only has to look to the constant biblical admonition of Jesus that, to those who have much faith, more will be given, and to those who have little faith, even what they have will be taken away - to begin understanding the reality that I would claim is again present here before us.

So our task? Increase our faith, live it, and share it with others.

And don't fret about the polls.

Claim: 1-in-4 Bishops Promote "single issue voting"

Writing for the UK Tablet, Rocco does his homework, crunches the numbers, and comes up with this:

A quarter of America's bishops have said that the most important issue for voters in the forthcoming presidential election is abortion - comments that may help boost the fortunes of Republican candidate John McCain.

Some 50 out of the nation's 197 active bishops have published articles or given interviews during the run-up up to the election urging abortion as the key issue on which voters should decide which way to vote.

Of course, "single issue voting" is a caricature of what these bishops are teaching. They are actually defending the centrality of certain issues against those who would subjectively marginalize them. And so, in a very real way, the bishops are promoting "all issue voting", at least when compared to the alternative. We must always guard against letting the other side claim this truth as their own.

But let's get back to the really amazing statistic: over 1-in-4 active bishops have said this!

Rocco, whose comprehensiveness is to be trusted, can in fact only find two bishops who apparently argue the alternative "there's alot of issues out there" approach. So by my count, the bishops split like this:

• Abortion is the key issue: 50+
• Abortion is one issue among many: 2
• No comment (yet): 145

So what is the correct conclusion? Well, I would say it can no longer be claimed that the number of bishops who are concerned about the dismissal of abortion (and other fundamental life issues) constitute a slim minority - in fact, they are now a significant voice in the American hierarchy.

Some people, however, are obviously still living in serious denial. Robert Kaiser writing for the National Catholic Reporter today is a sterling example of the inability to admit the tide has turned. He begins:

"I really resent the few U.S. bishops who are now engaged in a campaign to swing the election for John McCain -- as they did for George W. Bush in 2004."

And let me just stop him right there, because by Rocco's count (and with the confirmation of the reporting I have done over the past months), Kaiser actually "resents" about 1-in-4 American bishops, if he resents those bishops who teach publicly that abortion is the key issue for Catholics when voting.

So, who should feel lonely now?

In your email inbox: "You've got an STD!"

The web 2.0 solution to one of those pesky drawbacks of the "sexual revolution", from WebMD:

It has never been so important to check your inbox.

Four years after the launch of inSPOT.org, which allows people with sexually transmitted diseases to notify sexual partners via email, nearly 50,000 e-cards have been sent, according to an article published in PLoS Medicine.

The site is designed to increase the notification of partners -- part of an overall strategy to prevent and control sexually transmitted diseases. In the U.S. there are 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases diagnosed each year, including 900,000 cases of chlamydia, 330,000 cases of gonorrhea, and 55,400 HIV infections, according to the PLoS Medicine article.

A picture:

A sample message:

The electronic cards deliver the news in a variety of styles. Some are flirty: "You're too hot to be out of action. I got diagnosed with an STD since we played. You might want to get checked too."

Some are somber: "Who? What? When? Where? It doesn't matter. I got an STD; you might have it too. Please get checked out."

Helpfully, WebMD considered these sort of articles to be topical to the above story:

• What Does It Take to Lift Your Sex Life to the Next Level?
• Which Birth Control is Right For You?
• International Teen Sex Survey

... and it's a surprise that we need an E-Card STD-notification service?!

Picture: Facebook ad seeks human eggs

A friend of mine here in Washington DC, like most girls her age (2o's), has a profile on Facebook.

And what does Facebook consider an appropriate advertisement for her demographic?

See for yourself:

Egg donation can be an appealing solution to the financial difficulties young women face, especially those attending higher education.

But the fact of the matter is that egg donors are most often recruited in order to assist couples trying to become pregnant through In Vitro fertilization, which is condemned by the Catholic Church.

Egg donation, while reducing the donors fertility, also treats a woman's reproductive gametes as a product that can be bought at a market price, which is against human dignity.

I don't think Facebook should be allowing such ads to be targeted at young women.

Claim: Obama's strenuous Catholic outreach making inroads

Could they be buying it?

"... the bigger news is Obama's jump among white [non-hispanic] Catholics, where he's totally reversed McCain's lead. Last month, McCain led 48-percent to 41-percent among white [non-hispanic] Catholics. Now, Obama's up 49-percent to 41-percent. And here's a fascinating tidbit: McCain's 16-point lead among White Catholics [overall] from last month has evaporated. The candidates are now dead even among those voters. Obama's strenuous Catholic outreach is finally starting to pay off." (BeliefNet)

Can you hear the glee in Dan's voice?

Related: Shock Poll: Dems Favor Obama (CMR)

Up next? Climate Change.

I'm a man-made global warming skeptic. There, I said it. When the world was getting warmer, I admitted it, but didn't attribute it to human activity. Now that it's getting colder, I don't attribute it to human inactivity.

Being a skeptic takes some guts when CNN publishes articles like this on a daily basis:

"Climate change is happening faster than previously predicted according to a new World Wildlife Fund report.

Bringing together some of the most recent scientific reports and data, "Climate change: faster, stronger, sooner" reveals that global warming is accelerating more rapidly than the predictions made in the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report published in 2007."

Then I sit back, sip a cup of tea, and read something that strikes me as far more sane:

In early September, I began noticing a string of news stories about scientists rejecting the orthodoxy on global warming. Actually, it was more like a string of guest columns and long letters to the editor since it is hard for skeptical scientists to get published in the cabal of climate journals now controlled by the Great Sanhedrin of the environmental movement.

Still, the number of climate change skeptics is growing rapidly. Because a funny thing is happening to global temperatures -- they're going down, not up.

[Helpful graph:]

Now where was I? Oh yes:

For nearly 30 years, Professor Christy has been in charge of NASA's eight weather satellites that take more than 300,000 temperature readings daily around the globe. In a paper co-written with Dr. Douglass, he concludes that while manmade emissions may be having a slight impact, "variations in global temperatures since 1978 ... cannot be attributed to carbon dioxide."

Moreover, while the chart below was not produced by Douglass and Christy, it was produced using their data and it clearly shows that in the past four years -- the period corresponding to reduced solar activity -- all of the rise in global temperatures since 1979 has disappeared.

It may be that more global warming doubters are surfacing because there just isn't any global warming.

Well, let's just hope annoying news like this doesn't get out before the democrats can spend billions of dollars on "climate change" legislation in the coming year.

And to be clear: I have no problem pursuing energy alternatives, but pursuing them only to reduce carbon dioxide emissions strikes me as imprudent and frankly, more than our economy can handle right now.

Photo: The "Obama Votive"

Source, NRO: "A reader took this picture today at a street fair at Hayes and Octavia in San Francisco, of all places."

Dutch abortion ship makes for Spanish harbor

Caption: "29-08-04, 17:15 hours: The Portugese Navy circles the Women on Waves ship and orders the captain to stop approaching Portugal. Photo: Nadya Peek for Women on Waves" (source)

Today one of these "abortion ships" will be visiting the coast of Spain:

A Spanish pro-life group said it plans to protest the arrival on Thursday of a Dutch boat that is offering to provide abortions that circumvent Spain's strict laws.

The boat is due to anchor off the Mediterranean port of Valencia, the Dutch non-profit organisation Women on Waves said on its web site.

From Friday, it will offer abortions on the ship in international waters under the Netherlands' more liberal abortion laws.

This "symbolic initiative" will allow "abortions outside Spanish law for the first time in Spain's recent history, but without violating it," said Spanish gynaecologist Josep Lluis Carbonell, one of the promoters.

But it has already sparked controversy.

Valencia's conservative mayor Rita Barbera termed the plan a "provocation that has sparked indignation."

The anti-abortion group Provida in Valencia said its members plan a protest aboard a smaller vessels when the boat arrives. (AFP)

The concept is pretty simple - take a storage container and put a mini-abortion clinic in it (source):

Then sail it around and provide abortions on international waters (source):
Note how members of the pro-abortion movement are willing to break and circumvent laws, while simultaneously criticizing pro-life people who try to save lives by working around government policies.

(And for anyone who has seen the end of the movie Children of Men, what an anti-type this is!)

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!

Liberal website libels Catholic author Dawn Eden

I watched this story develop over the weekend and around 9pm tonight I knew it was time to get involved. You see, it's a twisted tale - as twisted as the nutroots efforts to attack Sarah Palin in any way/shape/form that presents itself - including the fictitious.

I'll quickly describe the situation and you'll see what I mean.

A while ago Catholic author Dawn Eden (a personal friend, I should add) posted her SAT scores online. A few days ago, someone doing a Google image search for "SAT scores" found Dawn's photocopy, and substituted Sarah Palin's name for it - and replaced some of the scores with lower ones. The point of this forgery was to spread the rumor that Sarah Palin didn't perform well in her standardized testing.

Fast-forward a couple blog news cycles later, and most the major liberal outlets that had claimed the story to be true ... backed off.


Then Gawker stepped in it. Dawn:

"Three days ago in the post below, I exposed how Gawker fell for a forgery that purported to be Sarah Palin's SAT scoresheet but was actually a Photoshop job—made by someone who stole my own scoresheet off my blog and pasted in bad grades. Now, Gawker admits it fell for a forgery—and libels me by claiming the bad grades are mine.

That is just plain bad reporting, and, if not corrected, crosses the border into libel. (It would be hard for Gawker to prove absence of malice, given its previous reportage on me.)"

Click the image above or here for a preview of Gawker's post - no reason to give them traffic unless you are curious.

The only one with egg on their face at this point is Gawker, who swooped in on a story that was wrong to begin with, and then when they discovered their error, made a second serious error (or at least embarrassingly poor fact-gathering), and just presumed that because Dawn is a practicing, conservative, chastity-talk-giving Catholic ... well then she must be stupid.

Gee, if you look at the facts, it's Gawker that sure looks stupid. I mean - at least Dawn demonstrates fourth-grade reading comprehension. I'm not sure that I can say the same about Gawker.

Also, if anyone wants to represent Dawn against Gawker pro-bono, drop her a line.

Gawker might benefit from the detention.

New polling claims Younger Christians becoming more liberal

I received an initiation to participate in a conference call yesterday explaining the results of new polling data acquired by the "progressive" religions group Faith in Public Life (founded after the '04 elections), on young evangelicals and Catholics. Unfortunately prior duties prevented me from participating.

The results are online here (PDF).

I have something to say in response to each one of their conclusions.

But, because this is a topic very close to myself and one of the ongoing goals of AmP (to provide news, quality commentary and content for young Catholics living in America), I'll probably spend a bit more time on this report and try to get something on it published (you'll hear about that when it happens).

In the meantime, what are your observations?

Related previous AmP topics:

• Commentary: If Liberal Catholicism is Dead, then the Youth Killed It (May 7)
• Report: "Younger Catholics Becoming Increasingly Liberal, Studies Show" (February 17)
• Cardinal Pell on the signs of hope among young conservative Catholics (May 2006)

C-FAM UN petition for the unborn passes 15k signatures

Add yours here: International Call for the Rights and Dignity of the Human Person and the Family":

This December 10th is Human Rights Day and is the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This will be a very big deal at UN headquarters in New York. The opponents of the unborn child will be out in force. We expect they will present petitions to the General Assembly asking for an EXPLICIT RIGHT TO ABORTION. Those agitating for this are the largest, richest and deadliest abortion groups in the world: International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International.

We do not know how many names they will submit on December 10th, but I do know that we, defenders of God’s precious infants, must answer them with names of our own. Can we get 50,000? 100,000? More? We sure could if you get this petition to EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

16,400 at the time of this writing....

Dubai's latest: World's tallest building planned

Concept art:

The story.

My previous posts mentioning Dubai here.

Now that the Tower of Babel is under construction, I'm happy to see we already have an Ark.

On L'O.R. adding its two cents to US economic woes

I'm not sure what all to make of this. But I'm trying to come to terms with it [my comments in brackets]. I'd love to start a conversation about this:

The current financial crisis pummeling the United States and beyond is a sign that the so-called "new economy" and its risky investments have failed, the Vatican newspaper said. [I think what failed was unsound speculation, widely practiced and condoned.]

The booming growth of financial markets did not correspond to real growth or concrete development for society because it created an artificially robust gross national product, said a Sept. 24 article in L'Osservatore Romano. [I don't know about this one way or the other, but I'm prone to admit it.]

The only real growth registered in this crisis has been "the commissions, profits of the banks and bonuses for the managers," it said. [That's fairly obvious.]

The article, with the headline "A costly illusion," was written by Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, an Italian economist and professor of financial ethics at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy.

The U.S. financial meltdown has been blamed on "the greed of managers and lack of regulations. But curiously, no one ever refers to the indirect responsibility of the government's economic policy" which, he wrote, tried to cover the lack of any real economic development with a booming Wall Street. [I agree with this.]

He said the U.S. government's proposed bailout may stave off any worst-case scenario for its troubled financial markets, but it will not repair the root causes of the crisis. [Well sure, that's apparent.]

"Despite various attempts, the Western world does not know how to map out a model of development that is capable of guaranteeing stable wealth," the article said. [I disagree with this. I think we did very well for quite some time. It was departing from free market principles and introducing heavy government regulation that turned things sour.]

The West has "not succeeded with its new economy project, it did not succeed with accelerating growth in Asia by transferring low-cost production (there), and it did not succeed after inventing a boom in the GNP through risky financial models that were poorly conceived and badly regulated," it said. [Sure, but that does not mean the West doesn't know what it's doing, it's just losing its way, and badly.]

"In order to maintain this sham GNP, the banks financed things that were not guaranteed" and that should not have been financed, like the subprime loans, it said. Financial institutions created an "economic growth out of debt and, therefore, (created something) very risky," it added. [Yep, I'm with this.]

The article said the lesson to be learned is that nations cannot build a healthy economy or experience real development if it is not based on "balanced demographic growth." [Ah, now that's an excellent point. Demographics are hugely important - but what would the author say about the situation in Italy/Europe?!]

It said the world economy also needs to be run responsibly and transparently with precise rules. [Sure, sure, but good luck.]

Okay, it's Friday. If anyone has some time on their hands, feel free to educate the rest of us.

Recreating the bible in our own (green) image

Doesn't this little scheme speak volumes? It did to me:

"Now there is a Bible trying to make gardeners of us all. On Oct. 7, HarperCollins is releasing The Green Bible, a Scripture for the Prius age that calls attention to more than 1,000 verses related to nature by printing them in a pleasant shade of forest green, much as red-letter editions of the Bible encrimson the words of Jesus." (Time)

I don't think it was so much the idea of green highlights for nature-references, as the idea that previous generations would highlight the words of Jesus in red, that got to me.

How far we've truly developed as a people of God.

The shadow of Dubai's skyscrapers

Regular readers know I have a bit of a fixation of Dubai, the most rapidly-expanding metropolis in the world. My images of Dubai have actually made it to the front page of numerous Google image searches. I refer to the city, somewhat comically, as the modern-day Babel. And you can see why:

In one important way, however, Dubai is a modern-day Babel: it is an example of impressive human achievement that is made possible through the exploitation and de-humanization of its laborers.

Laurance Alvarado over at IC has a good post on the situation, and how it is deteriorating.

Drudge notes "Men becoming priests at mid-life"

Internet news rainmaker DrudgeReport.com noted this article by Pantagraph: "Men becoming priests at mid-life". I'm happy that this trend is gaining visibiliy:

In what he calls his past life, the Rev. Geoffrey Horton worked at a Bloomington-Normal insurance company, coached a women’s softball team, owned a home and invested in a 401K.

Although life was good, Horton, 43, felt something was missing. In May, he found his calling as a newly ordained Roman Catholic priest.

“I became a priest for the only reason anyone should ever become a priest, because I felt that’s what God was asking of me,” said Horton, currently assigned at a church in Peoria.

There's much to comment on hear, as well as about the topic in general. But sadly, current obligations dictate that I have to shut down blogger and prepare for a busy upcoming week for now. So have at it!

Muslims taking over Britain by having more babies

Religion News Blog (which can tend to be sensational):

A hate fanatic has boasted that Muslims will one day conquer Britain — by having more babies.

Speaking at a rally marking 9/11, Anjem Choudary bragged that a birth explosion would let followers of Islam take control of the country.

Undercover Sun investigators secretly recorded Choudary telling a young and impressionable audience that they would eventually rule under strict Sharia law.

And our team listened in chilled silence as he predicted: “Islam is superior and will never be surpassed. The flag of Islam will rise over Downing Street.”

Hateful rhetoric aside, the objective demographics he refers to - are correct. And not just England, but France, Italy, etc.

Violence against Christians in Orissa subsiding? {updated}

{updated 4:30pm, see below}

Despite some reports of violence spreading, overall, the situation appear to be improving:

Violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa appears to be subsiding after 26 people were killed and 4,000 Christian homes, churches and centers were destroyed by Hindu extremists.

Fides News Agency is reporting that local police authorities say the violence has tapered off after a curfew was established on Monday. The police are continuing to patrol public places, town squares, centers, streets and around churches to prevent the outbreak of further violence.

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said this past Saturday that because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government did not deploy government troops to the region, the violence has lasted for a week. (CNA)

Thank God. Let's keep the region in our prayers.

Previous reports on this story:

• September 1: Sandro Magister, others, on the growing Hindu violence
• August 29: Pray for Christian victims of Hindu persecution in India

update: not so, says someone very close to the situation...

Your rhetorical question seems to imply that the worst is over for Christians in Orissa. According to my Indian confreres here in Rome (and in Orissa)... Not so! I would suggest the blog "ORISSA BURNING" for continued reports on the situation.

Many of my SVD confreres are reported there or are listed as victims of the violence:

• Fr. Simon Lakra, SVD
• Fr. Edward Sequeira, SVD
• Fr. Babu Joseph, SVD
• Fr. Augustine Kanjamala, SVD
• Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, SVD
• The more than 140 SVD priests and brothers in Orissa would ask that you continue to make public the persecution of Christians and their forced re-conversion to Hinduism.

- Fr. David Streit, SVD, Asst. Secretary General, Rome

I had no intention of dropping the story, and will continue watching and posting.

Commentary: Pelosi visits Hiroshima memorial

Today Nancy Pelosi visited a Hiroshima memorial in Japan and laid flowers.

When asked how she justified the decision to drop the nuclear bomb, she responded:

Pelosi: "I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition. And Senator--St. Augustine said only when you need to. We don't know. The point is, is that it shouldn't have an impact on the President's right to nuclear bomb. The UN talks about very clear definitions of when you can nuclear bomb, certain considerations; long-term war; not so shorter war. There's very clear distinctions. This isn't about nuclear bombing on demand, it's about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and--to--that the President has to make with his military advisors and his god. And so I don't think anybody can tell you when you can nuclear bomb. As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who've decided..."

Interviewer: "The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it..."

Pelosi: "I understand that."

Interviewer: "... nuclear bombs are never to be used..."

REP. PELOSI: "I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that."

Oh wait, she actually didn't attempt to defend that mass murder.

Pray for Christian victims of Hindu persecution in India

I would be gravely amiss if I did not mention this developing story.

John Allen has published an extensive, one-stop-read article on the topic:

Islamic radicalism is causing great consternation these days, and rightly so. Christopher Hitchens has said it represents "an intricate cultural and political challenge that will absorb all of our energies for the rest of our lives," and while other assertions from Hitchens may be open to debate, it's tough to take issue here.

One risk, however, is that the scramble to do something about Islam may obscure other important inter-religious challenges. Dramatic events in India this week illustrate just such a conundrum, one that deserves more attention than it seems to be getting: The worrying rise of Hindu extremism.

Allen goes on to detail what has happened, why it is happened, and why it is significant not only for the present and future of Catholics in India, but also for the universal Church.

On Tuesday, the Vatican issued a statement:

"In reference to the tragic news coming from India concerning violence against the faithful and the institutions of the Catholic church, the Holy See, while expressing solidarity with the local churches and religious congregations involved, condemns these acts that injure the dignity and liberty of persons and compromise peaceful civil co-existence. At the same time, it appeals to all parties so that, with a sense of responsibility, all oppression may be ended and a climate of dialogue and mutual respect may be restored."

Bottom line: The Vatican is watching, and isn't happy.

For those desiring more, breaking information there is a blog "Orissa Burning" which is cataloguing the atrocities. This post, in particular, is noteworthy:

"The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday released the number of people killed and list of Christian churches and institutions attacked and destroyed in the continuing violence that started on Monday. [Read it here.]" (Ph/t: Amy.)

That should be something to get started. The story seems to be getting scant attention in the mainstream media.

Report: Women leaving christianity for ... Wicca

And what's promoting this trend? The teen-TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"!

Now, Religion News Blog can tend to be a bit alarmist, but it's still noteworthy:

The old-fashioned attitudes and hierarchies of churches are causing a steep decline in the number of female worshippers, according to an academic study.

The report claims more than 50,000 women a year have deserted their congregations over the past two decades because they feel the church is not relevant to their lives.

It says that instead young women are becoming attracted to the pagan religion Wicca, where females play a central role, which has grown in popularity after being featured positively in films, TV shows and books.

.. Over the past decade, it claims, women have been leaving churches at twice the rate of men.

In addition, the census is said to show that teenage boys now outnumber girls in the pews for the first time.

It's only a hunch of mine, but I'd imagine this is a greater problem for Protestant denominations.

Video: Japan's "Catholic" Wedding Trend

Yikes!

Revealing quote: "So-called 'Catholic' weddings now make up 60% of all weddings in Japan, yet the population is only 1% Christian."

Who's performing these so-called "Catholic weddings"? Non-Catholic profiteers.

On Egg Donation and Cultural Narcissism

Stories like this one by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, which point out the demographic implosion taking place in the west because of sub-replacement level birth rates, are popping up more and more often. What's surprising is that they have now reached the awareness of such online liberal strongholds as The Huffington Post and New York Times Magazine.

Nicely enough, when the Rabbi begins to diagnose the problem, he begins with a point made by Pope Benedict:

... Pope Benedict summed it up best. "Europe is infected by a strange lack of desire for the future. Children, our future, are perceived as a threat to the present."

While the article blames the falling birthrate on poor government policies that do not enforce maternity leave or subsidize post-natal care, as well as inflexible working conditions for women, a far more important reason is growing Western narcissism. As the west becomes richer it is also becoming more self-absorbed.

Children consume time and resources both of which young adults would rather focus on themselves. Better to have the availability, and the cash, to jet to Paris for the weekend then push a kid on some dumb swing. Not that we don't love kids any more. We do, but in an abstract as-long-as-it-doesn't-interfere-with-our-freedom kind of way. Having them in our thirties, and about one or two max, minimizes the disruption.

... The Western cult of narcissism is spoiling our kids, making us neglectful of our elders, spawning an out-of-control material insatiability, and destroying us -- quite literally -- by having us die off without a replacement generation.

And of all the many remedies available that might free us from our growing self-absorption, having one more baby than we originally planned for our marriages is the best remedy of all. (HP)

The most one commentor can do in response is trot out some outdate overpopulation predictions that have long since been disproven. And wouldn't you know it? LifeSiteNews today reports: "Communist Government in Indian Province Proposes Crippling Sanctions against Having a Third Child"

And on a similar note, more women are choosing to donate their eggs as a way to make spare income:

Now more than ever, women are donating their eggs to make ends meet.

So, who's doing it, and how easy is the process?

Melissa, who declined to give her last name, admitted the main reason she's donating eggs is because she's struggling financially.

... At the Center For Egg Options in Illinois, the number of women donating has increased significantly since April.

"There's no reason to think that suddenly there's 30 percent more people who have suddenly had this inner feeling to help out people and what's changed, it’s the economy," said fertility specialist Ed Marut. (Fox 5 Vegas)

And so when a narcissist decides to have a child, they don't even have their own. Now that's self-destructive.

Video: PRI exposes feminists ignoring sex-selective abortions worldwide

A needed message, well told:

Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute (PRI), says that America has a hidden problem of sex discrimination, but a form of discrimination that feminists refuse to address.

In PRI’s latest YouTube video, Mosher decries the practice, common in East and South Asian countries, of sex-selective abortion. According to the United Nations, this practice has already claimed the lives of over 100 million girls worldwide. The video goes on to cite a recent study published by the National Academy of Sciences, saying that many American groups, particularly those of Asian descent, have the same skewed birthrates as found in their country of origin. Many of the sexist customs and practices that have led to these skewed birthrates are being imported into the United States.

The Video...

More information at their website.

Noted: "Gay Bishop Must Resign or Confess, Says Sudan Church Head"

Sanity prevails, at least in the Sudan:

The head of the Anglican church in Sudan said on Tuesday that unity could be restored to the troubled Anglican Communion only when the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson resigns or confesses he has "made a mistake" in embracing homosexuality.

The Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul told reporters at the Lambeth Conference, the once-a-decade gathering of Anglican bishops, that Robinson “should resign for the sake of the Church.”

“We consider him as a human being. We are not throwing him away. But he is supposed to resign to allow the Church to be united,” he said. “The norms of the Anglican Communion have been violated.”

He added that those involved with Robinson's consecration also had to confess.
"We as Christians always forgive one another and confess whenever we make mistakes. If they could do that that would help the Anglican world."

Just under a quarter of Communion's bishops have boycotted the Conference in protest of the attendance of pro-gay clergy. The absent bishops, largely conservative church leaders from the Global South, held an alternative summit in Jerusalem last month, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).

“I think there is already a breakdown of the Anglican Communion,” the Sudanese archbishop said. “Three hundred bishops have stayed away from this conference because of Gene Robinson. Shouldn’t Gene Robinson resign to allow the 300 bishops to come back to the house?”

In an official statement issued earlier on Tuesday, the Episcopal Church of Sudan said that it could not accept church leaders who practice contrary to the biblical teaching on sexuality. (Christian Today)

On ignoring the "f" word in questions of early puberty

Liberal Feminist blog Feministing.com, in their "weekly feminist reader" notes this article in Colorlines ("the national newsmagazine on race and politics"), which claims that plastic is the reason why black girls enter puberty earlier than white girls:

"A 1997 study, conducted at pediatricians’ offices nationwide, found that girls were showing the first signs of puberty about a year earlier than was considered normal. Most striking was that Black girls were beginning puberty about a year earlier than white girls."

What I found most striking is the entire article never once mentions the many many studies which claim that early puberty normally occurs in situations where there is no biological father present during the girls' upbringing (it's a pheromone thing). African American homes in the United States, sadly, often do not have the original biological father present through the entirety of childhood.

In other words, lack of a father, not the presence of plastics, can begin to account for some of the disparity in the statistics along ethnic lines.

But if there's anything I've learned from reading these radical feminist blogs, it's to never accept a sound sociological/biological explanation when a hypothetical ecological/lifestyle solution can be offered instead.

Chuck Colson sums it up for me...

On the topic of gas prices:

It is galling to me to watch people who, doubtless, live in large homes, fly in private planes, and are not affected by the price of gas, build their idea of utopia on the backs of the poor. Christians must care about the environment, of course — but people, especially the poor, come first.

So, if our leaders are, indeed, ready to change this immoral status quo, I say, “What took you so long? And let’s get going now.”

I agree. And I don't even own or drive a car.

Commentary: Pope Benedict talks eloquently about ... water

I admit to raising my eyebrows upon my first reading:

"I am pleased to send a message of faith and hope", the Pope writes, "to those who are visiting the 2008 Saragossa Expo dedicated to the complex themes tied to the importance of water for human life and the maintenance of equilibrium among the diverse elements of our world. The Holy See wanted to be present at the Expo with a pavilion that was jointly prepared with the archdiocese of Saragossa, which I thank for their generous commitment to promoting proper cultural initiatives that draw the visitor closer to the immense patrimony of spirituality, art, and social wisdom that is inspired by water and which has been safeguarded by the Catholic Church".

"We have to be aware that, regrettably, water - an essential and indispensable good that the Lord has given us to maintain and develop life -, because of incursions and pressures from various social factors, is today considered a good that must be especially protected through clear national and international policies and used according to sensible criteria of solidarity and responsibility. The use of water - which is seen as a universal and inalienable right - is related to the growing and urgent needs of those living in poverty, keeping in mind that the 'limited access to drinkable water affects the well being of an enormous number of people and is frequently the cause of illness, suffering, conflict, poverty, and also death'".

"Those who consider water today to be a predominantly material good", the Pope concludes, "should not forget the religious meanings that believers, and Christianity above all, have developed from it, giving it great value as a precious immaterial good that always enriches human life on this earth. How can we not recall in this circumstance the suggestive message that comes to us from Sacred Scripture, which treats water as a symbol of purification and life? The full recovery of this spiritual dimension is ensured and presupposed for a proper approach to the ethical, political, and economic problems that affect the complex management of water on the part of all concerned, as well as in the national and international spheres". (VIS)

After thinking about it for a bit, however, I began to see the two-fold point. First, a clean and accessible water supply is indeed of paramount importance in the fight against global hunger and disease. Second, in the final paragraph, Pope Benedict transcends the material good represented by water and elevates his discourse to treat water's spiritual symbolism and (even) sacramental efficacy.

Now that's a type of conservationism I can admire.

Cardinal Pell undescores the importance of campus ministry

From a Cardinal Newman Society exclusive:

George Cardinal Pell of Sydney encourages college students attending World Youth Day and emphasizes the importance of campus ministry work in an article prepared for the flagship publication of The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, a division of The Cardinal Newman Society.

“I am deeply committed to what universities can do, and in particular to what Catholic universities can do,” writes Cardinal Pell. “I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of university education and the role of the Church in helping to form the next generation of leaders. For secular universities, this means a serious commitment by the Church to chaplaincy services.”

Speaking of college students at World Youth Day, Cardinal Pell writes, “I hope many of these pilgrims will come back to their universities and studies with a renewed commitment and energy to spreading the word on campus. Pope Benedict XVI is not only a wonderful pastor, but an intellectual in the best traditions of Catholic Europe and European university life. University students in particular will find much to inspire them and to pray about in the Pope’s teaching during World Youth Day.”

Cardinal Pell’s article, “World Youth Day and Catholic University Students,” will appear in the September issue of The Center’s Bulletin of Catholic Higher Education. An advance copy of the article is now available at http://www.catholichighered.org/.

It's an excellent point, considering that the vast majority of Catholic youth do not attend Catholic colleges, even "in name only" ones.

Soccer star Chase Hilgenbrinck retires to enter priesthood

Professional soccer isn't exactly my cup of tea, but brave young men sacrificing fame and fortune to discern a call from God? I'm all about that. From USA Today:

When Chase Hilgenbrinck bounced from Chile to Colorado to New England this spring, his eyes were already on another path. Not toward another MLS club or Europe. Toward the priesthood.

MLS fans might have been startled to read the New England Revolution's announcement this week that the defender was ending his career in midseason to enter a seminary at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland, but the decision wasn't abrupt.

It was something very personal to me. I didn't discuss it with anybody for a long time," says Hilgenbrinck, adding that it took a couple years to reflect. "I just discerned it through personal prayer for a long time, trying to come to a conclusion if this was really what the Lord was calling me to or not."

He started the application process a year ago, telling his family when he returned from Chile. Yet he also wanted his family to see him play in MLS. He was waived by the Colorado Rapids in preseason but landed in New England, where he appeared in four league games and Open Cup and reserve play.

Hilgenbrinck gave the Revs plenty of notice. But coach Steve Nicol encouraged him to stay as long as possible, and the team made no announcement until he had departed after Sunday's SuperLiga game in which he dressed but did not play.

"There's always something that surprises you," Nicol says. "On this occasion, it's a good surprise. Chase is going to go and do something that he really wants to go and do. There's not many of us that can say we're able to do something we really want to do, so that's great for him."

Mount St. Mary's, eh? That's right up the street from DC.

More from Chase Hilgenbrinck himself:

Chase Hilgenbrinck's decision to leave MLS for the seminary and eventual priesthood was surprising but not sudden. The former Revolution defender tells the story ...
Why?Because I feel called. I’ve actually had my calling. I’ve been discerning this decision for several years now. I had a chance to go play professional soccer in Chile. For a long time, I felt called to something greater, and I didn't know what it was. I thought maybe it was professional soccer. In playing soccer, I realized that wasn’t it. I continued searching.

(In Chile,) for a time, I was trying to get used to the culture and trying to get used to life on my own. I did a lot of soul-searching. I went back to my roots in the Catholic church. I did a lot of praying and strengthened my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That is what led me and first got me onto the idea that this was a possibility for my future, that this could be what the Lord was calling me to. It was something very personal to me – I didn’t discuss it with anybody for a long time. I just discerned it through personal prayer for a long time, trying to come to a conclusion if this was really what the Lord was calling me to or not.

After all this time, I did realize this is my calling. I decided to discuss that with the priest, who is Father Brian Brownsey, the vocations director of the Peoria diocese where I live. I was accepted by the bishop of the Peoria diocese to be a seminarian. They have accepted me and are sending me to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.

I found an old interview he gave on YouTube:



Watching it, I think one can sense in him the maturity you need to prudentially make a decision like this.

Best of luck, Chase. Our prayers are with you!

It's WPD 2008!

No, this blog title is not a typo. I don't mean "WYD" (World Youth Day), I mean "World Population Day." It was technically July 11, as the girls at Feministing have informed me.

The Bush administration, to their ire, has blocked funding to it for the seventh consecutive year (good for them), despite the Feministas claiming that "Family planning is a human right."

The spiel from the United Nations Population Fund:

n 1968, world leaders proclaimed that individuals have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children. Forty years later, modern contraception remains out of reach for hundreds of millions of women, men and young people.

This year’s World Population Day reaffirms the right of people to plan their families. It encourages activities, events and information that will help make this right real – especially for those who often have the hardest time getting the information and services they need to plan their families, such as marginalized populations and young people.

When people can plan their families, they can plan their lives. They can plan to beat poverty. They can plan on healthier mothers and children. They can plan to gain equality for women. Plan to support World Population Day this year!

A 10 second Google search, however, reveals the other things the UNFPA supports:

• UNFPA Population Awards Honor Abortion Advocates: "One of the awards’ most controversial past recipients was Qian Xinzhong, who as minister of China's State Family Planning Commission was responsible for overseeing China’s draconian one-child policy, which included forced abortion and mandatory sterilization."
• US Government Withholds UNFPA Funding over Coerced Abortion for Another Year
• 'Abolish the United Nations Population Fund': "It is an organization that was set up in 1968 for the purpose of reducing fertility rates around the world, and over the past three-and-a-half decades it has not deviated from that purpose. To give you one example, the U.N. Population Fund recently offered the government of Pakistan $250 million in aid in return for the insertion of sex education programs in all of the primary and secondary schools throughout Pakistan, sex education programs which would not only provide-impose-sex education on young and innocent children but would also attempt to instill in them norms of small family size, to instill in them anti-natal attitudes."
• UN Declares Abortion a Universal Right; Enforced Pregnancy an International Crime: "At issue are globally guaranteed "freedom of sexual expression," access to contraceptives and abortion for the world's youth (defined by the UN World Health Organization as 10-18 year olds) without parental consent, and the demand that abortion and "gender equity" be granted status as a universal human right."
• U.N. plans ways to limit births: the United Nations population fund supports abortion and sterilization programs throughout the third world and is seeking to impose birth-control methods as human rights

The message? Birth control: it's for other people (mostly the poor).

Learning no lessons from the "pregnancy pact"

I've refrained from talking much about this "pregnancy pact" that allegedly took place in Gloucester, Massachusettes. I'll skip the details - basically it involves teen girls intentionally getting pregnant.

The reactions to and conclusions being drawn from the situation, however, are sometimes unbelievably short-sighted. Just read this first line from the Associated Press:

The high school where the principal claimed girls formed a pact to get pregnant is one of the few in Massachusetts with a day care center, leading some to wonder whether that sent a message that teen motherhood is OK.

Whatever the causes of this outbreak of teen pregnancies were, I'm pretty sure the prospect of having easy access to day-care for their newborns wasn't the tipping point.

Photos: Inappropriate advertisements help finance Church upkeep in Italy

Reader Joe writes:

My daughter just returned from a semester in Rome. She was with a group of students and seminarians, mostly from Saint Thomas University in Minnesota, all of whom enjoy your website. She shared some of your humorous captions with me, so I thought you might like to see a couple of photos that I took recently in Milan.

The first place I went was the famous Gothic cathedral. You can imagine how shocking it was to find large (40-50 foot) billboards plastered on the sides of the cathedral! One of them reminded me of a 'B' rated sci-fi movie from the 1950's-the Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman. Apparently, in Italy, many churches are actually owned and maintained by the government with the stipulation that the faithful can continue to worship at these sites. Scaffolding space is rented out to advertisers when renovations are underway. That is because the Church can't afford to maintain all of the priceless artwork and architecture.

I couldn't agree more with this gentleman's reaction. When I was in Milan several years ago to see the Milan Cathedral, these advertisements were not in place. I do remember, however, often seeing inappropriate advertisements featured to the scaffolding at other Catholic Churches in Italy (and Austria).

I wonder if these Churches could think up some sort of workaround. For instance: how about starting a fund to buy out the advertisement space with Catholic ads? Parishioners and tourists could add money to this fund, which would enable Catholic outfits to compete against the mainstream promoters. I'd have gladly donated a couple euros to such a fund when I was visiting.

Anyway, it's the first solution that came to mind. What do you think?

Update: WYD condom-throwers could face jail

I somewhat indecorously described this sort of thing earlier as something that "ticks me off."

Looks like the aussies don't have much patience with this sort of thing either:

Protesters planning to hand out condoms to Catholic pilgrims during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Australia this month face arrest under special new police powers, critics said on Tuesday.

Police and emergency service volunteers will be able to stop conduct that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants" in World Youth Day events expected to draw hundreds of thousands of young people to Sydney. (AFP)

Update 2: More details from the Associated Press:

New regulations give police and emergency services workers the power to order anyone to stop behavior that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day event," according to a New South Wales state government gazette. Anyone who does not comply faces a $5,300 fine.

The latest Reality TV phenomenon? A french seminarian.

Not sure how I feel about this:

The French love of reality programmes encompasses the music talent show Star Academy, match-making for lonely rural farmers and a polite version of Wife Swap - On a echangé nos mamans. But now the French Catholic church has jumped on the bandwagon with a show about priests that has become an internet phenomenon.

The diocese of Besançon in eastern France has launched Prêtre Academy - Priest Academy - to mark its first ordination of a new local priest for three years.

In episodes available online, viewers can watch the new recruit, Franck Ruffiot, 30, demonstrate how he prays, pay a visit to trendy contemporary artist friend and explain his feelings in a diary room. Two slightly older priests, Michel and Christophe, are followed in their daily lives.

The online show began as a marketing drive to reach young people as the church struggles with declining numbers - each year 500 priests retire or die in France while only 100 recruits join the clergy. But the short episodes showing the priests' somewhat mundane local lives have become a kind of light-hearted cult viewing online, with the first two instalments netting more than150,000 hits and the final episode due this week. (UK Guardian)

Purient interest or authentic fascination?

New title exposes the evils of cohabitation

Zenit:

Living together before marriage is a very common practice for couples in many countries. Many defend it on the basis that it enables the future husband and wife to get to know each other better.

Abundant evidence exists, however, that cohabitation is more of an obstacle rather than an advantage in preparing for marriage. Michael and Harriet McManus recently published “Living Together: Myths, Risks and Answers (Howard Books)", which documents their research on the topic.

Once again, experience and data prove the wisdom of the teaching.

Priests: spiritual rigour need not outstrip physical fitness

Sure, it's easy for a young guy like me to point this out, but I think this does deserve note:

[CNS] With studies confirming that a high percentage of U.S. clerics are overweight and lead inactive and nutritionally unhealthy lifestyles, several Catholic leaders in interviews with Catholic News Service said priests should focus on their bodies with the same care they give the souls of their parishioners.

"We should remind our priests to take the time for relaxation and physical exercise," said Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, himself a physically fit 69-year-old Catholic leader. "It's very important for their health and their ministry."

A 2001 national survey of more than 2,500 Christian religious leaders -- conducted by the pastoral leadership research project "Pulpit and Pew" based at Duke Divinity School in North Carolina -- said that 76 percent of Christian clergy were either overweight or obese, 15 percentage points higher than for the general U.S. population.

Reasons:

It's easy for clergy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle with a work schedule that has them on call 24 hours every day of the week and also to indulge in unhealthy foods provided at the numerous social functions and potluck dinners they are required to attend, said Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington.

... Because many diocesan priests live alone, it's easy for them to fall into the trap of eating junk food and spending their leisure time in a sedentary way, which is why group activities can be beneficial for priests, Father Joensen said.

A generation thing?

In general, younger priests lead healthier lifestyles than older clergy, said Father William M. Joensen, 48, of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and a philosophy professor at Loras College in Dubuque, which has a small number of seminarians in its St. Pius X Seminary Program.

"You can attribute some of that to a generational philosophy which places physical fitness as a priority," said Father Joensen, himself an avid bicyclist who was spending part of June in Spain on a cycling trip.

"But, we also stress in priestly formation that it is important to avoid reverting to a sedentary lifestyle and to focus on staying active. This becomes an issue in their evaluations, when I work with them as a spiritual director," he said.

The point:

Physically fit priests also have more credibility when espousing the virtues of being a good steward of one's body to members of their congregation, Father Garcia said.

My experiences agree with what this article claims.

Seminarians of my generation, in general, put a greater focus on remaining fit, and this is often positively enforced in their formation. Priests of an older generation are more hit-and-miss. I have many priests friends who won't be competing in any marathon anytime soon. I also have a priest friend who is one of the most physically fit individuals I have ever met. This man is better able to fulfill his demanding duties as a priest because his body does what he needs it to do.

Do I have a point here? Not really. I think most of us would agree that being physically fit is a good and useful thing. I'm just mentioning it again here so that maybe we can think of an inventive way to help our priests care for their bodies as they care for our souls.

The Beatitudes, according to the Gospel of the Sierra Club

Since when did mention by the Sierra Club become the measure of charitable activity for Catholics?

Stories like this one ("Sierra Club book recognizes Catholics doing their part on environment"), especially perplex me.

The opening lines:

Don Conklin and Ellen Buelow are in good company -- and lots of it. The two New Mexico Catholics are, like Catholics everywhere, doing their part to help the environment and to make others aware of potential ecological dangers that arise from wasteful habits.

Catholics, in fact, are prominently featured in nine chapters of a new Sierra Club book, "Faith in Action," which highlights faith-led environmental action in each of the 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Conklin and Buelow, members of Holy Rosary Parish in Albuquerque, N.M., helped engineer a light-bulb swap -- incandescent bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs, in March. Before the swap was over, 3,000 bulbs changed hands."

We did this as a Lenten project," said Conklin, a pastoral associate at the 2,700-household parish.

Energy saving replacing alms-giving. Wonderful. Conklin happily reports that the project "didn't cost us a thing." Hello, that's normally a sign that your activity of choice isn't really a penance. Buelow, meanwhile, is the parish's social justice coordinator. When the social justice coordinator is collaborating with the local electric company, something tells me this isn't distinctively Catholic or faith-based social justice. So why describe it as such?

I won't get into the other examples, but for most of them the same observation applies: one can make the case that these are good things to do, but I simply don't see how they are an integral part of what a parish should be doing per se, especially if these activities compete with or supplement things such as, say, celebration of the sacraments, adoration, care of the poor and sick, etc.

3,000 Iraqis become Roman Catholics - showing Anglicans the way?

Damian Thompson (a UK journalist I'm starting to read closely), reports:

Three thousand Iraqi Christians living in America have become Roman Catholics together, in a deal with the Vatican that will spark the interest of traditionalist Anglicans who want to convert en masse without losing their cultural identity.

.... The lessons for English-speaking Christianity are almost too obvious to need pointing out. If the Catholic Church is prepared to demonstrate generosity in negotiable areas such as liturgical language and married priests, centuries of disunity can be overcome.

But, when it comes to Anglo-Catholics, that’s a big “if”. The Catholic ecumenical establishment – in Rome and, especially, in Westminster – is not keen on Anglican traditionalists, and recoils from the prospect of them worshipping together as Roman Catholics with their own communal identity.

The Iraqis in question are becoming Chaldean-rite Catholics. I studied with several Chaldean Catholic seminarians and have spoken to them about the persecution the Chaldean Catholic Church is undergoing in Iraq.

Disaster at Myanmar? Quick - send them condoms!

Via Curt Jester and the Anchoress, something I just can't understand:

220 000 condoms off to Myanmar

Bangkok - The United Nations will send nearly a quarter of a million condoms into cyclone-hit Myanmar to help needy survivors with no access to contraceptives, a UN official says.

So far, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said it had sent 72 800 condoms to survivors struggling to maintain their family planning after the storm hit in early May.

A total of 218 400 condoms would be delivered, UNFPA aid advisor Chaiyos Kunanusont said.

"We don't want regular use of contraception disrupted. An emergency usually damages the health system, so people don't have access to condoms and contraceptives," said Chaiyos.

"Needy survivors" who need .... condoms?! "Struggling survivors" who struggle ... to maintain their family planning?! How does this sort of decision make any sort of sense in even a secular perspective?

Oh that's right. I guess it's future disaster prevention. Because if there are less people, there are less fatalities.

Pope Benedict talks Humanae Vitae on its 40th anniversary

And he discusses its prophetic teaching within a new, broader framework prompted by the developments of technology, and how they are to be related to true human fulfillment. CWNews and CNA provide coverage.

Related: "For the Clergy, Obedience to Church "Requires Preaching About the Moral Evil of Contraception says Archbishop" (LifeSiteNews).

John Allen on what to take away from the pope's visit

And not just what the media can take away - what the Church should take away, too.

Sure, there is lots of details and (perhaps) foreign jargon and categories in Allen's piece.

But bottom line: good things happened, and there is potential for better things to take place.

Pictures: Franciscan Univ. of Steuenville hosts Latin Mass

From Fr. Z:

He has more pictures and first-hand comments.

"Bill to Ban Human-Animal Hybrid Creation Introduced in Congress"

An AmP shout-out to Rep. Chris Smith:

Yesterday, Rep. Chris Smith introduced the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act, H.R. 5910, to ban the creation of part-human, part-animal hybrid beings. The legislation is timely as researchers are already tinkering with human-animal hybrid technologies. British scientists are actively perfecting the hybrid technique. On April 1, 2008 the BBC reported that, "Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK." (LSN)

Modern Day Babel: Saudi prince plans mile-high skyscraper!

I've said many times before in my coverage of the insane building projects in the middle east that they represent the modern day spirit of babel. This most recent project is therefore no surprise to me:

"Mile-high tower: Saudi prince promises £5bn desert spire TWICE as tall as nearest rival being built"

On a clear day, the view from the top will take in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Ocean - providing you've a head for heights.

Plans for a mile-high tower in the Saudi Arabian desert have been unveiled by the billionaire owner of London's Savoy Hotel.

At 5,250ft, the ~$10billion project, masterminded by two British engineering consultancies, will be twice as high as its nearest rivals, skyscrapers under construction in Dubai and Kuwait, and almost seven times as high as the Canary Wharf tower in London's Docklands....

.... Experts say the technical challenges are enormous. Much of the lifting will be carried out by helicopters, which will also be used as commuter transport for builders.

The tower will have to be capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures, with its top baking in the desert sun by day but dropping to well below freezing at night.

To resist the strong winds prevalent in the area and stop it swaying, giving its occupants a form of high-rise seasickness, it will be fitted with a giant computer-operated damper.

(Estimated completion date: 2012. )

Everything new, is old. Nimrod lives.

Commentary: Vatican admits Muslims more numerous than Catholics

The story:

Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday.

Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiled the Vatican's newly-released 2008 yearbook of statistics, said Muslims made up 19.2 percent of the world's population and Catholics 17.4 percent.

"For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us," Formenti told Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview, saying the data referred to 2006.

He said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians made up 33 percent of the world's population -- or about 2 billion people.

The Vatican recently put the number of Catholics in the world at 1.13 billion people. It did not provide a figure for Muslims, generally estimated at around 1.3 billion.
Formenti said that while the number of Catholics as a proportion of the world's population was fairly stable, the percentage of Muslims was growing because of higher birth rates.

He said the data on Muslim populations had been compiled by individual countries and then released by the United Nations, adding the Vatican could only vouch for its own statistics.

A clarification (because you can make a catchy headline out of practically any set of statistics):

"Islam" should be taken as an umbrella term much like "Christianity." Islam does not have a central authority, and divisions of Islam are many. Islam is primarily divided into Sunnis (~940 million) and Shiites (~170 million).

Thus, It would be more accurate to compare "Islam" with "Christianity" and compare "Catholicism" with, say, the Sunni branch of Islam. In both these cases, Christianity and Catholicism remain more numerous than their respective counterparts.

Of course, this grammatical precision does not dismiss the demographic reality here: Muslims are having children at rates far exceeding Christians (and Jews, for that matter). It's a sad reality that of the three "Abrahamic Faiths", only Islam appears to fully live out God's promise of fertility.

Furthermore, this population shift is not just taking place in clearly identifiable areas. I remember being in Ireland one weekend in 2003, the first weekend that the number of people attending a Mosque exceeded the number of people attending Anglican services in the UK.

For any questions about world religions and demographics, Philip Jenkins is the scholar to read. I don't always agree with his ecclesiology, but his knowledge of the worldwide landscape is unparalleled, and especially the situation in Africa. His 2006 article for First Things, "Believing in the Global South" is a good place to start.

For those who are looking for a book-length treatment, one might read "The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South", "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity" or "God's Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe's Religious Crisis" (in which he claims that the "Islamification" of Europe is being over-dramatized, but Richard John Neuhaus disagrees).

I think that sufficies for a reading list.

Oh, and having Christian babies would help matters as well.

update: more commentary from Monsignor Vittorio Formenti (who compiled the statistics):

Formenti said the information on Muslim numbers had been released by the United Nations, while the Vatican's data on Catholics was based on questionnaires sent out to dioceses worldwide.

"Latin America remains the stronghold for Catholicism, while the American continent as a whole has 49.8% of the world's total," he said.

Formenti said that the number of Catholic priests was on the rebound, particularly in Asia, "where there are few Catholics, but they are driven by great spirit".

He described Africa as a "grand resource" for the church, while Europe and North America were struggling. The number of nuns was undergoing a "drastic reduction".
As for the enrolment of seminarians, Guadalajara in Mexico had the largest number, with two seminaries "packed full".

France, the Netherlands and Belgium were bottom of the league, while Italy was seeing a "small, very small reprise". (source: Rome office of UK Guardian.)

Article: "5 Reasons Muslims Convert"

From Christianity Today:

1. The lifestyle of Christians. Former Muslims cited the love that Christians exhibited in their relationships with non-Christians and their treatment of women as equals.
2. The power of God in answered prayers and healing. Experiences of God's supernatural work—especially important to folk Muslims who have a characteristic concern for power and blessings—increased after their conversions, according to the survey. Often dreams about Jesus were reported.
3. Dissatisfaction with the type of Islam they had experienced. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the Qur'an, emphasizing God's punishment over his love. Others cited Islamic militancy and the failure of Islamic law to transform society.
4. The spiritual truth in the Bible. Muslims are generally taught that the Torah, Psalms, and the Gospels are from God, but that they became corrupted. These Christian converts said, however, that the truth of God found in Scripture became compelling for them and key to their understanding of God's character.
5. Biblical teachings about the love of God. In the Qur'an, God's love is conditional, but God's love for all people was especially eye-opening for Muslims. These converts were moved by the love expressed through the life and teachings of Jesus. The next step for many Muslims was to become part of a fellowship of loving Christians.

A "sixth" reason that I often hear is the "Fatherhood of God". Islam teaches that Jesus Christ is not divine, and so God is not Father in relation to his Son. Subsequently, God cannot be said in any meaningful way to be our father, either. Knowing the paternal love of God the Father can help non-believers accept the revelation of God's Son.

(Road)Sign of the Times: "drive thru" churches

Proving the adage, "Where there's a market, there's a way"....:


From the UK Times' Faith Central:

.... we are happy to present a selection of drive-thru churches, all nicely unselfconscious, including a unique (sadly closed) funeral parlour in Pensacola where mourners can say their farewells through a glass window without troubling to get out of the car.

CS Lewis would not approve. In the Screwtape Letters he points out that "we are animals, and what our bodies do affects our minds". I.e. if you kneel to pray (or at least get out of your car) you might pray better.

These are protestant initiatives, which take place in the United States. I'm proud of the author for the classic C.S. Lewis reference, which is highly applicable to the situation.

An example of these "drive thru" outfits:

This drive-in Christian Church is a converted drive-in movie theatre in Daytona Beach. The minister delivers his message from a high balcony just below where the movie screen once hung. According to National Catholic Reporter, the congregation attracts an average of 700 people every week. To hear the service, worshipers must tune 88.5 FM. As you can see .... churchgoers receive a packaged Communion kit where they can find some wine for the worship.

Sure enough, the beginning of the report filed in 2003 by the National Catholic Reporter:

"Ever get to church and wish you could just stay in the car? Here, you can."

Blech, I can't read anymore. I feel like I'm getting car sick.

Guess what percentage of Catholics will abstain from meat today.

Georgetown's Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate (CARA) says:

60% of Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent.

Actually, that's higher than I would have guessed.

The percentage jumps far higher if you also regularly attend Mass on Sundays - 89%.

44% of Catholics try to "undertake some special spiritual effort" during Lent. Sunday-goers? 85%.

Standing in line at one of Catholic University's cafeterias today, and watching all the kids order chicken, I wondered how many Catholics under 30 abstain from meat. I'd like to see the CARA findings by age.

CNN tries, fails, to talk about "online confession" intelligently

CNN has published a typically-incompetent attempt to discuss the points-of-comparison between the traditional Catholic sacrament of confession and the fake, trendy online substitutes that have appeared in recent years across the web.

The article,"Forgive us father, we'd rather go online," begins with the line: "If you can pay for your bills online, why not pay for your sins?"

Hmm, can you guess what's coming next?

Most of the article is standard fare explaining how these websites do business by letting people "confess" their sins anonymously, but then it gets to talking about the Catholic Church:

"The Georgetown University study, which came out in 2005, found a significant decline in Catholics who go to confession. Although the Roman Catholic Church officially opposes online confessions, the Archdiocese of Washington used radio advertisements last year to encourage sinners to return to the sacrament. And in Chicago, Illinois, five parishes hosted "24 Hours of Grace" with rotating priests."

You've got to be kidding me. Did the author really just try to claim a contradiction between the Church's opposition to "online confessions" and the fact that the Church advertises traditional confession on the radio ("Although...")?! Even the next sentence about penance services in Chicago do nothing to support the author's conclusion. Yes, the Church is against online confessions; yes, the Church is attempting to make traditional Confession more available. What's so hard about that?

I'm similarly dissapointed by what the interviewed priest either had to say, or what the interview left out. There is no mention of Jesus or God, or that forgiveness actually happens through the sacrament. Instead we get words like "accountability", "responsibility" and "impact." Please.

Bottom line: people are still sinning (surprise) and online substitutes for confession aren't helping people, emotionally or actually (surprise). Oh yeah, and CNN wouldn't know a confessional from a fancy phone booth.

Gay Episcopal bishop Robinson pouts about Lambeth snub

Associated Press:

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop announced he will have no official role in a meeting this summer of world Anglican leaders, saying restrictions that organizers wanted to place on his involvement had caused him "considerable pain."

Irony:

"I am dismayed and sickhearted that we can't sit around a table, as brothers and sisters in Christ, and study Scripture together," he said. "It makes me wonder, if we can't sit around a table and study the Bible together, what kind of Communion do we have and what are we trying to save?"

What kind of Communion do they have and are trying to save? Oh, maybe the communion called for in Lev 18:22, Lev 20:13, 1 Cor 6:9-10 and Rom 1:26-28, for a start start. It's hypocritical of him to accuse Lambeth of being uncharitable towards him when it is he who is condoning acts explicitly forbidded by God in scripture.

One thing I can agree with that Robinson said: "Pray for me. I will need that. A lot."

The UK Guardian, meanwhile, notes that Robinson will be at Lambeth although not participating in it, and 'planned to be available to anyone interested in "pursuing conversations that would include him'".

I blogged at-length here about the challenges facing the Anglican communion this year at Lambeth.

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi the latest YouTube sensation

UK Telegraph:

One of the Vatican's most senior cardinals has become an internet sensation after using YouTube, the internet video-sharing website, as a pulpit during Lent.

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, 73, the charismatic Archbishop of Milan, responded on film to a set of questions that were emailed to his diocese. He intends to post a new video every Friday until Easter.

Mgr Tettamanzi prefaces his question and answer session with a catechesis for Lent.

The success of the first video, which was downloaded more than 16,000 times [now over 64,000 - AmP] in a few days, has surprised the Church.

More than 12,000 people a day are emailing questions for the cardinal to answer. In the last video, Mgr Tettamanzi preached about the meaning of baptism.

... The diocese of Milan said that YouTube was a useful tool in helping it spread the Easter message.

"The cardinal's attitude is always one of dialogue," said a spokesman.

I can't attest to this sentence one way or the other:

He is one of the most liberal figures at the top of the Catholic Church, and is possibly the leading Italian candidate to become the next pope.

The claim about being "liberal" sounds like typical british tabloid editorialism. As for his being a leading candidate to become the next pope, I find that these sources rarely even attempt to back up such statements.

If you can understand Italian, the video is here on YouTube.

Zenit notes this case as part of a wider use of new media by Church figures. A good read.

update: as if on cue....

"Video of His Eminence Cardinal George's visit to the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago is now available through the Institute's Web site:

• Part One on YouTube
• Part Two on YouTube

His Eminence, the President of the USCCB, assisted and preached at Solemn Mass at the Shrine in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.

Funds are currently being gathered for the shrine's restoration."

UK Millionare could get life in jail for trying to terminate wife's pregnancy

UK Daily Mail:

A husband hid abortion pills in a sandwich and gave it to his wife in a desperate bid to kill their unborn child, a court heard yesterday.

Gil Magira, 36, feigned concern and rushed her to hospital when she started bleeding.

But he tried to finish the job the next day by giving her a second dose of tablets mixed in yoghurt.

Anat Abraham, 41, eventually gave birth prematurely to a healthy son, Matan, now eight months old.

...

Yesterday, the businessman was jailed for three years and nine months at the Old Bailey after admitting the rare offence of administering a poison with intent to cause miscarriage.

It is believed to be the first such prosecution since abortion was legalised 40 years ago.

... Mr Goldberg said Magira realised he had sinned against his religion by seeking an abortion and suggested he would hope to gain access to his son once released from prison.

Report/Interview: Fidelity works against AIDS in Africa

In the fight against AIDS, abstinence-based programs that focus on changing behaviors rather than handing out condoms simply work better, says an AIDS expert.

Matthew Hanley has been a HIV/AIDS technical adviser at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for the last seven years and is the author of the forthcoming book "Avoiding Risk, Affirming Life: Science, Love, and AIDS."

In this interview with ZENIT, Hanley comments on the programs and principles that have led to dropping rates of HIV prevalence in Africa.

Remember, so-called "abstinence" programs are the most effective because they are actually "abstinence and fidelity" programs. The Church isn't saying to people "never have sex," it is saying, "Have sex, but in the right way (an exclusive marriage)." This messages preserves both human life and the dignity of humans.

Or you could employ the alternative approach - just throw condoms and contraceptives at the problem.

And yet, it's the Catholic Church that is constantly maligned for being "uncivilized." Good one!

Report: Apostolic Nunciature in Venezuela Bombed

Not. Cool.

Luckily, the bomb appears to have been intended to intimidate more than to directly harm:

Venezuelan bishops urged their government to protect the Pope's "house in Venezuela" after a bomb was set off outside the offices of the apostolic nunciature in Caracas.

The bombing occurred Thursday, and caused only minor damages. The façade of the structure was also vandalized with political graffiti.

The prelates reiterated their support for Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, the apostolic nuncio, and promised their prayers "for his intentions and for the successful development of his diplomatic and pastoral service." - Zenit

The article does not directly describe the cause of the tensions, but I do know Hugo Chavez's regime has long been antagonistic to the Catholic Church in Venezuala, and its leaders in particular.

From CWNews archives, Pope Benedict raised these issues directly with Chavez in May 2006:

Pope Benedict XVI took an extraordinary step to challenge Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez during a May 11 meeting at the Vatican.

At the conclusion of a private conversation with the visiting Venezuelan leader, the Holy Father presented Chavez with a letter detailing the concerns of the Holy See regarding the condition of the Church in Venezuela.

... Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told reporters that the Pope had used the letter to emphasize the issues that he considers most critical, including:

• the freedom of the Holy See to nominate new bishops,
• the preservation of a distinctive Catholic identity at the Church-run University of Santa Rosa in Lima,
• the elimination of religious education from the school curriculum,
• the introduction of public-health programs that undermine the right to life, and
  the need for independence in the Catholic media

During his talk with the Pontiff, Chavez offered assurances that his government would work to ease the tensions that have characterized his relations with the Venezuelan bishops, Navarro-Valls reported.

Zenit, in its coverage, does not elaborate on what the political graffiti said, so we can't know directly what might have motivated the attack. Was it Chavez cronies encouraged to cause trouble? Was it Venezuelans who have bought into the misinformation Chavez has spread about the Church?

I'd appreciate someone with direct knowledge of the situation helping us out in the combox.

In the meantime, let's pray for the Church in Venezuela.

Report: "Younger Catholics Becoming Increasingly Liberal, Studies Show"

An article published by the Christian Post today summarizes the findings of University of Connecticut Professor William d’Antonio in his recently released book American Catholics Today: New Realities of Their Faith and Church, in which he claims to confirm a consistent trend: "...in every survey since 1987, younger Catholics have become increasingly more liberal and less practicing in their faith and values."

I have a couple reactions to his claims.

First, polls are never a guaranteed guide to assessing intangible attitudes like "liberal," and they normally ignore other salient aspects of the questions they attempt to directly answer. However, I agree that it is reasonable to claim there has been a general trend towards embracing "liberal" points of view among youth.

I have to wonder, however, if the end of this trend isn't already in sight. In many ways these polls reveal the long-term fallout of the sexual revolution and other social events from the 70's and 80's. As a result, the youth who are graduating, attending or entering college nowadays have had to more radically "choose" (and make sacrifices for) their faith. In other words, because of the many challenges leveled against religion nowadays, those who have remained faithful to conservative ideals and orthodox positions now constitute a vibrant, tested - albeit numerically diminished - force in today's world.

So I wouldn't count the battle lost yet. Indeed, they have not yet begun to fight.

One need only witness the active Catholic campuses, youth groups, websites, blogs, seminaries, young professionals and married couples to see the movement flourishing. And frankly, most of them are too busy living their faith to answer pollsters.

Picture/Report: Dubai to build world's largest arch bridge by 2012

It's an example that there's truth in the saying: "the internet gods are fickle."

This summer, on a slow news day, I put together a little post titled "Proof that Dubai has more money that it can spend" and in it explained some of the incredible construction projects that the U.A.E. has undertaken there.

For whatever reason, that post is one of the most popular ones I have ever written, no doubt aided by favorable google image search rankings. So, what they heck, here's another post in the same vein.

"Dubai to build world's largest arch bridge by 2012" (click image above for full-size version):

If any real city on our planet can claim an active stake in creating the urban landscape of the future, it's probably Dubai. Artificial islands arranged in the shape of the world? Check. The world's only seven-star hotel? Check. And in 2012, it will also become home to the largest, tallest arch bridge ever.

Here's some info on the bridge as envisioned by New York architecture firm Fxfowle:

1) It's one mile long and 670 feet tall. 2) It will have 12 lanes for traffic. 3) It will cost 817 million dollars. 4) The design has Sheikh Mohammed's official stamp of approval. 5) The bridge will carry more than 2,000 vehicles per hour in each direction. 6) A metro line will run across the middle. 7) Construction begins in March, with a slated completion date of 2012.

My favorite description of Dubai, instead of "urban landscape of the future", is quite simply "Babel".

... and wouldn't you know it? Also: No word on any massive language meltdowns - yet.

On a more somber note, Dubai reminds me of Babel not only for its behemoth construction enterprises, but also because there is evidently a great deal of unjust worker exploitation taking place on the work sites.

The Latest on the Lambeth Conference Crisis

The Lambeth Conferences are the largest gatherings of anglican bishops, and are held only once every 10 years. The last conference held in 1998 hotly debated the issue of homosexuality in scripture. The fourteenth conference is schedule to take place this summer (July 16 - August 4).

But numerous conservative anglican bishops plan to boycott it.

CWNews reports:

The Anglican bishops of Uganda have announced that they will not take part in the Lambeth Conference, the worldwide meeting of the Anglican hierarchy that will take place at Canterbury in July.

Archbishop Henry Orombi said that the Ugandan bishops were joining their colleagues from Nigeria and Rwanda in a boycostt of this year's Lambeth Conference because of profound and unresolved disagreements with other Anglican leaders over the ordination of an openly homosexual American bishop. The installation of Bishop Gene Robinson in New Hampshire was an act of "flagrant disregard" for existing norms within the Anglican communion, he charged.

While this not may seem like a big deal to someone living in the West, the fact remains that Nigeria constitutions over 10% of the worldwide members in the Anglican communion (and growing). You can read the full text of the letter the Nigerian archbishop submitted to Lambeth here (scroll down). Note Paragraph 6:

"The Church of Uganda, by this decision, wishes to reaffirm our commitment to the resolutions of the 2006 Provincial Assembly and Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, which, in substance, denounced homosexual practice and called upon the Church to remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures."

Guess which side I'm taking on this one.

The UK Times reports than Kenya and Rwanda are also expected to follow suit, as is Sydney, Australia. It seems to this (admittedly-uninformed) observer that the Anglican communion is crumbling in Africa, and at least one anglican bishop in the U.S. would energetically agree with that assesment. I'm sure there are others.

Those bishops who are not attending Lambeth this year are holding a "rival" conference in Israel this June (so, a month in advance of Lambeth), which is being called the "Global Anglican Future" Conference. This whole situation reminds me of the councils and anti-councils of the Christian middle-ages, and as I recall, those normally didn't help matters much in the short term.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has been doing his best to hold Lambeth together. He has, for example, not invited Gene Robinson, the openly gay bishop of New Hampshire who was ordained in 2004. Well, this does not appear to have been enough, at least to the conservative African bishops.

Degree programs seek to educate pastors, avoid embezzlement

Many U.S. churches have been victims of embezzlement over the years, reflecting not just moral weakness on the part of the wrongdoers, but lax financial controls. Often, church budgets are overseen by volunteers or employees with little guidance or professional training.

Now, some colleges are hoping to prevent such faith-shattering abuses by offering programs devoted specifically to managing church finances and personnel.

Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and Boston College started programs in September, and Villanova University outside Philadelphia is offering an online master's degree in church management beginning this summer.

The concept is becoming more popular despite some among the faithful who bristle at the notion of the church as a business, said Kerry Robinson, executive director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, a Roman Catholic group. - AP

Fact: the Catholic Church is not fundamentally a business.

Fact: stewardship of temporal goods, in this age, requires education.

Conclusion: while it doesn't have to be the pastor, it doesn't hurt to have someone competent on staff.

German bishops choose liberal Zollitsch over conservative Marx

Okay, that headline paints it very black and white, but here's the gist:

Germany's Catholic bishops elected Robert Zollitsch, 69, archbishop of Freiburg in the south-west of the country, as their new spokesman and chairman.

... The bishops passed over another, more conservative candidate, Reinhard Marx, 54, who has been freshly enthroned as archbishop of Munich.

... Observers said the choice also indicated a continued mood of independence among the 69 bishops towards Pope Benedict XVI, the German-born conservative theologian Joseph Ratzinger.

... The Vatican's response may be gauged by the time it takes to award Zollitsch a cardinal's hat. - DPA

CWNews, which normally presents salient points accurately, says:

During his tenure as chief spokesman for the German hierarchy, Cardinal Lehmann found himself in tension with the Holy See on several disputed points, such as allowing Communion for Catholics who are divorced and remarried, priestly celibacy, and the policies of church-run counseling centers regarding abortion referrals.

Just what Germany needs: dissent on marriage proscriptions, priestly celibacy, and life issues. Ouch.

Bland coverage from the AP here. Terse coverage from Zenit here. Deutsche Welle confirms DPA's take here.

American bishops survey U.S. Catholics' views on marriage

"Although nearly three-quarters of American Catholics say they are somewhat or very familiar with church teachings on marriage, many mistakenly believe that a non-Catholic spouse must promise to raise the couple's children as Catholic and that church teaching accepts divorce in cases of marital infidelity.

... Archbishop [Kurtz of Louisville] also expressed concern that 41 percent of younger Catholics were choosing to marry outside the church and that "more than half of unmarried young Catholic adults do not consider it important to be married in the church." - CNS

Clearly, there's much work to be done. Luckily, my father has already done some of the heavy lifting.

"De-Christianization of Europe is reversible," says Cardinal - but is it probable?

"During a speech at the Saint-Louis of France cultural center in Rome, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, said that the de-Christianization of Europe is dramatic and accelerated, but it is not irreversible."
- Catholic News Agency

Yes, but in this case, is a reversal of the dramatic and accelerated de-Christianization of Europe probable?

If you're looking for signs of hope, look to the Grotto of Lourdes, which celebrates its 150th anniversary today.

But I wonder, what will things look like 150 years from now? Isn't it time to prepare for "demographic winter"?

One small step for the little small ones in Italy

CNA reports:

The directors of obstetrics and gynecology clinics at four universities in Rome have signed a declaration expressing their commitment to use all means to save babies who survive an abortion.

The statement, which is seen as one of the first fruits of the Day of Life recently held in Italy, says, “In response to the chance that a fetus survives an abortion, the life of the individual must be protected and given all of the medical means necessary to stay alive, with or without the consent of the mother.”

Experts assure that in the case of pre-mature babies, “The doctor must revive the baby, independently of his parents, unless it is not obvious that it is a case of therapeutic aggression.”

The signing of the statement comes as Italy debates the possible liberalization of abortion.

I simply cannot fathom how one debates and passes legislation such as this one without logically and necessarily being faced with the contradictions it poses to all abortion practices.

And then you come across as being ungrateful for what has been done. Well, it's not enough.

Pope's February missionary intention: evangelize.

Today the Vatican released the Pope's prayer intentions for February:

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for February is: "That the mentally handicapped may not be marginalised, but respected and lovingly helped to live in a way worthy of their physical and social condition".

His mission intention is: "That the institutes of consecrated life, which are so flourishing in mission countries, may rediscover the missionary dimension and, faithful to the radical choice of evangelical counsels, be generous in bearing witness to and announcing Christ to the ends of the earth."

Amen.

What really angers the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy

Amid news that, in preparation for Brazil's Carnival celebrations, the government will be handing out millions of free condoms, Reuters indulges in some editorializing:

Recife city also plans to distribute morning-after contraceptive pills -- a move that has angered the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy.

The church opposes Brazil's much lauded anti-AIDS campaign on the grounds that it promotes contraception.

Wait a minute. How exactly does the morning-after pill prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS? That's right, it does not. Therefore, the distrubtion of morning-after pills can in no way be taken as being part of an "anti-AIDS campaign."

Furthermore, the church does not oppose anti-AIDS campaigns "on the grounds that it promotes contraception." This is a woefully inadequate account of the Church's position. The quotation from Bp. Duarte sheds some light on the situation:

"... while the church was not against people having fun in Carnival, the morning-after pill and condom campaign "will only serve to diminish inhibitions and encourage orgiastic behavior."

... and that's just a start. After all, the President of Brazil (whom the article notes, is known as a"gregarious character" who "enjoys a drink") has been on the radio asking people to not go overboard, and "His dour warning appeared to be partly prompted by a rise in deaths and accidents from drunken driving during the Christmas holidays."

So, to review: when the President tells people to behave more responsibly while simultaneously distributes condoms, it's a wonderful government innitiative. When a Catholic Bishop speaks out and notes how giving people the means towards a bad end does not help the situation, he's out to lunch.

It's going to be a long Lent.

Pics: A chapel converted into a "modern and stylish apartment"

Talk about social commentary....

In the Netherlands a firm called Zecc has taken the chapel of the former Friars of Utrecht (which in the mid 1900's housed 217 friars), moved the remaining elderly thirteen of them to a nursing home, and converted the complex into 40 "modern and stylish" apartments - including the chapel.

The first picture is of the original, and then the adaptations:




From freshome:

"The design team chose to keep many of the original features like the high gothic stained glass windows and the original choir organ. To allow more light to enter the space, they cut a Mondrian-inspired glass window into the front of the house facing the street perhaps paying homage to Rietveld’s nearby infamous Schroder House. The entire living area has been whitewashed, while the private spaces above were painted dark. In conclusion this place might be controversial, but it looks very modern and stylish."

Yatzer adds: "The character of the little chapel has been respected and enhanced were possible."

For the very interested, this PDF file contains more pictures and design notes (in Dutch).

To adapt a line from Shakespeare's 73rd Sonnet:

"Modern, Stylish apartments, where once the bare ruin'd choirs stood."

And lest you think this is an isolated phenomenon, The Cool Hunter (in a piece titled "Immaculate Renovations"):

Here at TCH, we’ve been noticing architects around the world are transforming church buildings into various types of structures including houses, retail stores, libraries, and well, cooler churches.

I'll let you form a final conclusion, and leave you with this example:

In Maastricht an 800 year old Dominican church was transformed into the newest addition to the Selexyz book store chain – the Selexyz Dominicanen – housing an impressive collection of books not only in Dutch, but in English as well.

The challenge for the Amsterdam based architects Merkx + Girod was staying true to the original character and charm of the church, while also achieving a desirable amount of commercial space. A multi-storey steel structure that houses the majority of the books was constructed and placed along the central nave of the church under the vaulted ceiling.

This, friends, is the architectural facade of creeping materialism. Sometimes beautiful, always deadly.

blogback: "The resulting whited sepulcher is indicative of the state of the Church in the Netherlands." - Will Cubbedge

Complete Coverage: Jesuits elect new superior Adolfo Nicolás, 71

From the website for Jesuits in the United States:

"After four days of prayer and personal conversation known as murmurationes, the 217 Jesuit electors gathered in Rome from around the world have chosen Adolfo Nicolás, SJ as the 30th Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

He was the President of the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania and the former Provincial of Japan.

He is now Father General to nearly 20,000 Jesuits worldwide, including 2,900 in the United States, and the 29th successor to St. Ignatius Loyola who founded the Jesuits in 1540."

Catholic News Service reports:

Spanish-born Father Adolfo Nicolas, moderator of the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania, was elected superior general of the Society of Jesus Jan. 19.

The 217 voting delegates to the Jesuit General Congregation elected Father Nicolas, 71, on their second ballot. He succeeds Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, 79, who had asked to resign because of his age.

Pope Benedict XVI was informed of the election of Father Nicolas before the Jesuits announced it publicly.

...

Father Nicolas was ordained to the priesthood in Tokyo and is the former Jesuit provincial of Japan. He also had served as director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila.

Interviewed in December about his hopes for the work of the General Congregation, Father Nicolas said, "I have a feeling, still imprecise and difficult to define, that there is something important in our religious life that needs attention and is not getting it.

"We have certainly been diligent in addressing our problems whenever we have seen them," he said, noting the focus of past General Congregations, "but the uneasiness in the society and in the church has not disappeared."

In the interview, with the Province Express, the newsletter of the Australian Jesuits, he said, "The question for us is: Is it enough that we are happy with our life and are improving our service and ministry? Isn't there also an important factor in the perception of people ('vox populi') that should drive us to some deeper reflection on religious life today?

..."How come we elicit so much admiration and so little following?" he asked.

He concluded by telling the newsletter that he hoped the General Congregation would begin "a process of dynamic and open reflection on our religious life that might begin a process of re-creation of the society for our times, not only in the quality of our services, but also and mostly in the quality of our personal and community witness to the church and the world."

Mark Brumley finds an additional interview with Fr. Nicolas from earlier last year.

A brief biography of Fr. Nicolas from CNS:

Born April 29, 1936, in Palencia, Spain, Father Nicolas entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1953. After earning a degree in philosophy in Spain, he was sent to Japan to study theology. He was ordained a priest in Tokyo in 1967.

After earning a master's degree in theology from the Jesuit-run Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he returned to Japan and taught systematic theology at Sophia University in Tokyo.

In 1978-84 he was director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila. In 1991-1993 he was rector of the program for Jesuit scholastics in Japan, and in 1993 he was appointed provincial for Japan.

Before being named moderator of the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania in 2004, he spent three years working in a poor immigrant parish in Tokyo, living with and ministering to Filipino and other Asian immigrants.

Father Nicolas speaks Spanish, Japanese, English, French and Italian

Rocco Palmo files his report on the election here and notes:

Unlike the vast majority of those tipped for the post, the new Father-General comes short on Roman experience -- a former provincial of Japan, the theologian spent three years of study at the Gregorian University before a three decade run as a professor at Tokyo's Sofia University. He turns 72 in late April.

John Allen's coverage. Some excerpts that give insight into what Fr. Nicolas is reputed to represent:

... Though Nicolás, 71, was not among the most commonly mentioned candidates in the run-up to today’s vote, Jesuit sources said he represents a fairly bold choice – something of a blend between the mild personal manner and diplomatic skill of Kolvenbach, and the prophetic emphasis on justice, peace, and church reform associated with former General Fr. Pedro Arrupe.

... A former director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila and head of the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania, Nicolás is said to be particularly close to the church in Japan. In broad strokes, Jesuit observers say he represents the theological outlook associated with the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, with emphasis on inter-religious dialogue, advocacy for justice and peace, and “inculturation” of church teachings and practices.

...Nicolás himself knows the alarms such views can sometimes set off in Rome. A Jesuit source in Rome said that several years ago, Nicolás was under consideration as Rector of the Gregorian University, but the Vatican expressed doubts about the appointment on the basis of concerns about the role he played as a theological advisor to the Japanese bishops during the 1998 Synod for Asia. During that session, prelates from across Asia, including a particularly strong push from Japan, argued for greater collegiality, or decentralization, in church authority.

These paragraphs are somewhat disheartening when you compare them with what has been said recently by Pope Benedict, Cardinal Franc Rode, and other noted observers.

Brief coverage in the Associated Press published here.

John Allen informs us that Fr. Nicolas will "lead the Jesuits in a Thanksgiving Mass tomorrow, followed by a reception at the Gregorian University. On Monday morning, he will take over leadership of the General Congregation as it begins charting a future course for the Jesuit order."

Guide them, O Holy Spirit.

Far MORE than 1/3 of Catholics believe in the Real Presence

Or so a new report from The National Catholic Reporter (yes, yes, I know...) concludes:

"81 percent say that “belief that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist” is essential in their understanding of the Catholic faith. Keep in mind that the survey is of a cross section of the 65 million Catholics in the U.S. (although Latinos are greatly underrepresented). Among the more highly committed Catholics, it is reasonable to assume that belief in the Real Presence is considerably higher than 81 percent. This is worth keeping in mind because some years ago a clumsily worded question in a survey came up with the conclusion that only one third of Catholics believed in the Real Presence, and that “finding” still crops up in discussions on the state of Catholicism. Among active Catholics, belief in the Real Presence, as also in the Incarnation, the Virgin Birth, and the Resurrection of Jesus, edges up toward unanimity."

[Read more at FirstThings.]

Ph/t: Jimmy Akin.

Anyone who doubts MMGW must work for Exxon-Mobile

In response to this news that the "consensus" on MMGW is in-fact shrinking:

"More than 400 scientists challenge claims by former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations about the threat of man-made global warming, a new Senate minority report says."...

... Several scientists in the report said many colleagues share their skepticism about man-made climate change but don't speak out publicly for fear of retribution, according to the report.

"Many of my colleagues with whom I spoke share these views and report on their inability to publish their skepticism in the scientific or public media," atmospheric scientist Nathan Paldor, professor of Dynamical Meteorology and Physical Oceanography at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said in the report. - Washington Times

How does the Gore camp respond? With an acknowledgement that research must continue?

After a quick review of the report, Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said 25 or 30 of the scientists may have received funding from Exxon Mobil Corp. (underlining mine)

Exxon Mobil spokesman Gantt H. Walton dismissed the accusation, saying the company is concerned about climate-change issues and does not pay scientists to bash global-warming theories.

Far from it. Why argue the science when you can accuse the opposition of corruption?

Read the U.S. Senate Committee Minority report here.

Latin Mass makes it to the cover of U.S. News & World Report

Will Cubbedge dropped me a line today, and I paraphrase:

The attached image is from the celebrant featured in the cover photo from this week's US News and World Report. Msgr. Charles Pope performed my marriage, and I'm serving the mass pictured as 1st Acolyte.

Here is the article:

"A Return to Tradition" - A new interest in old ways takes root in Catholicism and many other faiths

Al Gore & the Pope's Holiday Un-Greenery

Apologies in advance for mentioning Al Gore. Don't be upset - my purpose this time is to amuse:

"Al Gore, who was criticized for high electric bills at his Tennessee mansion, has completed a host of improvements to make the home more energy efficient, and a building-industry group has praised the house as one of the nation's most environmentally friendly.

The former vice president has installed solar panels, a rainwater-collection system and geothermal heating. He also replaced all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs — even on his Christmas tree." - AP

... did you catch it? That's right, Al Gore murdered a tree. Unless, of course, he went outside and decorated a living tree. Or had the tree delicately removed from its soil with the roots intact. Somehow, I doubt it.

Of course, over in uber-industrialized Rome, Pope Benedict has wantonly decreed the merciless felling of a mighty, old-growth, 140-year-old, 75-foot-plus, 3-ton Christmas tree. With the decoration lights included, I have no idea how much net carbon dioxide is going to be released into the atmosphere. Probably some.

To add insult to injury, that huge tree is going to be plopped-down right next to a nativity scene.

What are its seventeen life-sized nativity figures made from? You guessed it: previously-living wood.

And the worst of it is, Santa can't give either of these two a lump of coal for Christmas. They might burn it.