EWTN's Vatican bureau chief Joan Lewis is blogging the Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict from Turkey. Her entry today has lots of background on the Pope's visit to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

This appears to be EWTN's first attempt at blogging and they really need to use some standard blogging software. Her entry today simply replaced her entry from yesterday and for something EWTN calls a "A Daily Blog" this is a rather odd format. This must be Mission Impossible blogging software - your entry will self destruct in 24 hours. Please fix this EWTN and add an RSS link to what might become an excellent blog.

Steven D. Greydanus at DecentFilms.com reviews The Nativity Story.

ERIE, Pa. -- Cathedral Prep High School in Erie, Pa., is taking a dim view of pee-pee.

Students are staging a production of the Broadway hit, "Urinetown: The Musical."

Erie Catholic Bishop Donald Trautman does not object to the play itself -- but a diocesan spokesman said the bishop is concerned with the title "Urinetown" being connected publicly to the all-male Catholic high school.

So, the student play will go unnamed.

It would be a copyright violation to alter the show's title. That means the high school must try to sell tickets to its upcoming school play without referring to its title -- "Urinetown: The Musical."

Posters and programs will also refrain from using the play's name. The curtain goes up on the unnamed show Dec. 7 through Dec. 10.

The Rev. Michael DeMartinis, director of the play, said he's hoping people will come to see this play, which dare not speak its name.

Well I guess the Bishop's objection doesn't matter much now that the story has hit the news. The play itself is about a drought-stricken future where urination is no longer free with songs like It's A Privilege To Pee. The title Urinetown is also pretty dumb and if you are going to make a musical on this subject matter why not call it Piddler on a Roof? One theater reviewer mentions this part of the silly plot.

When Bobby meets and falls in love with Hope, the daughter of UGC president Caldwell B. Cladwell, he is inspired to lead a charge against a proposed rate hike that would drive urination farther out of the bounds of the city's poor.

I guess this would make them piss poor.

Jay Anderson emphasizes parts of a Jeff Israely article on the Apostolic Journey.

Long known for his rigid thinking, Benedict XVI shows new flexibility in trying to mend fences in the wake of his controversial speech about Islam.

Joseph Ratzinger has never been known for his flexibility. As a university theologian and the Vatican's top doctrinal watchdog, the German prelate consistently stuck to his intellectual guns, sometimes stepping on sensibilities in the process. That unbendable belief in his own truth may have indeed gotten the now Pope Benedict XVI into trouble with his provocative September speech about faith and violence that sparked anger throughout the Muslim world. But the papacy often requires old men to learn new tricks. And so on Tuesday, as he set off on the most delicate mission of his life, the 79-year-old Pontiff was showing a very different side, one that reflects a growing awareness of his new role.

This is the same Jeff Israely that on Sep 13th wrote a very favorable piece on the Pope's Regensburg address and then on Sep 19th blamed the Pope for not foreseeing the reaction by many in the Muslim world - something he himself didn't see in his first column.

tmatt at Get Religion also comments on the same article.

The Time piece by Jeff Israely focuses totally on Islam and politics, with little or no content on the original papal goal of pushing for human rights and religious liberty in Turkey (with a special emphasis on the plight of Orthodox Christians). Everything starts with the headline, which is “The Pope Tones Down His Act in Turkey — Long known for his rigid thinking, Benedict XVI shows new flexibility in trying to mend fences in the wake of his controversial speech about Islam.”

No, I didn't’t make that up. Read the article for yourself.

Must be rigid thinking that makes you emphasize the small part of the story over the actual reason for the Pope's visit.

The article later goes on to say:

The pope planned to travel to Istanbul later Wednesday to meet Bartholomew I, leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians. The two major branches of Christianity represented by Bartholomew and Benedict split in 1054 over differences in opinion on the power of the papacy. The two spiritual heads will meet in an attempt to breach the divide and reunite the churches.

Which has got to be the lamest analysis of the schism I have ever seen. Bartholomew I is not exactly the head of the Orthodox churches. He is seen as the primus inter pares ("first among equals"), which indicates his seniority among all Orthodox bishops. As Wikipedia notes:

This unique role often sees the Ecumenical Patriarch referred to as the "spiritual leader" of the Orthodox Church in some sources, though this is not an official title of the patriarch nor is it usually used in scholarly sources on the patriarchate. Such a title is not incorrect if it refers to this unique role, but it sometimes leads to a belief that the office is thus the equivalent of an Orthodox papacy, an impression sometimes given from unqualified references in the press. [Emphasis added]

Christine at TheWorld...IMHO writes:

No joke, said all the subscribers to People magazine. But, Stallone added, he's been going through a change in his life. He's realized that he was wrong to place his career and fame ahead of his family. "The more I go to church," he said, "and the more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus and listening to His Word and having Him guide my hand, I feel as though the pressure is off me now."

And, admitting that the analogy might be a little pedestrian, he made a correlation between physical and spiritual fitness. "You need to have the expertise and the guidance of someone else. You cannot train yourself," he said. "I feel the same way about Christianity and about what the church is: The church is the gym of the soul."

And, he said, his life experiences are what allowed him to write the final chapter of the epic series. "I needed to actually go through my trials and tribulations," he said, "before I could be man enough to know how to write that kind of story that Rocky Balboa is."

So, as someone who began listening on the call as a giggling skeptic, and who does not expect Rocky Balboa to be heralded as a Christian film, I have to confess I was won over by the real-life story of redemption I heard.

So, what's next for Stallone? I can only imagine Rambo sneaking into Burma to free Christian missionaries who are being held by militants. And as the invincible one-man army looks into the eyes of the ordinary folks from Oklahoma and South Carolina who are risking their lives for the Gospel, he is swept up by their commitment.

Oh, wait. I'm. Not. Kidding. "It rekindles something in him. He doesn't believe at first, he's seen too much. He's bitter. But when he meets these people and looks into their eyes, he's swept up in it, and literally he's just taken on this journey," Stallone said. "He's a Christian warrior! Can you believe it?" I'm believin' it.

Well he could also make a movie of the Council of Nicea and instead of his trademark line from the first Rocky movie could yell out "Arian! Arian!" instead.

"I have the clothes and you have the beard for it. Together we could make a great Santa."

After all Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, Lycia now part of modern day Turkey.

The caption the AP provided I think is rather confused.

In this picture released by the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate Pope Benedict XVI, left, is greeted by American Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios as he arrives at Istanbul's St. George's patriarchal church for a service, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006. The pope is in Turkey on a four-day visit. (AP Photo/Nikos Manginas)

Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate Pope Benedict XVI? That's a new one on me. I didn't realize relations have progressed that far - if only it was true. Too bad it is only a case of missing punctuation.

Though it does remind me of my Rome Depot parody that included this item.

Sport's Gear
	Ecumenical Scuba Tanks Follow the Pope's advice and "breathe with both lungs" of the Church when you go scuba diving. One tank is filled with an oxygen/nitrogen mix of Roman air and the other an oxygen/nitrogen mix of Eastern air. $399.99

Mark Shea will be speaking in Sunrise, Fl

December 4-6 Speaking at All Saints Catholic Church, 10900 W Oakland Park Blvd, Sunrise Florida. Topics: 101 Reasons Not to Be Catholic, Where are You With God? Contact: Sebastian Hazelton. Phone: 954-742-2666.

So if you are in the Ft. Lauderdale area check it out. If it was a bit closer I would have liked to go myself.

College Catholic transcribes on the spot part of a Colbert show from last night. (He says his translation is about 70% accurate)

“My man of the year every years is the pope no matter who he is….Turkey is getting a healthy dose of vitamin B16…upon arrival the Pope spoke today about reaching out to Muslims (Pope’s quote)… Sorry Holiness that is too ecumenical, I liked you better when you were John Paul’s rotweiler… the ecumenical movement seeks to bring people together… the Pope’s visit is designed to bridge the gap between Christians and Muslims…the Muslims are a tad miffed, alright homicidally outraged, over a speech the Pope gave criticizing Mohamed as evil and inhuman…the Pope is trying to make amends and that is a big mistake.. Mohamed happens to be wrong (crowd is a bit shocked Colbert points at audience members and tells them sit back down)….hear me out, I am a Roman Catholic, the one true faith, (the Microsoft of religions) I know Roman Catholicism is the one true faith because Roman Catholicism tells me it’s the one true faith… I am sorry Islam, inherent in my belief is your wrongness… Muslims believe Mohamed ascended to Heaven on a horse, horses can’t fly, Jesus can!… the 72 virgin huggers are going to say Muslims do believe in Jesus, yah they believe that Jesus was just God’s friend, I hate to break it to you but anybody can be God’s friend, even Ted Haggard, God is a people person… the truth is Jesus is the only son of God (recites The Creed to applause) that’s the hometown crowd! Now what I just said is the complete truth or the Muslims are right and I am an infidel. I’ll tell you, the one thing I respect about Muslims is that at least they have the balls to say I am wrong… now when Christians try to be ecumenical we just look weak in our faith… if religions have to agree lets just agree on the one thing we both believe, the other guy is going to Hell!”

Colbert is fairly refreshing, though I still have no real feel how much of his television Catholicism is an act. Though he does make a mistake when it comes to ecumenism. Ecumenism is the movement for Christian unity. Dealing with Islam is interreligious dialogue not ecumenism. The "other guy going to Hell" is a bit Colbert has done before and is fairly funny in a comedy segment, but certainly not catechetical.

Gerald also covers this Colbert episode.

As for the Vitamin B16 I once did a parody along that line within a week of Pope Benedict's selection though I called them Humanae Vitaemins.

WASHINGTON (November 27, 2006)—No one knows what she really looked like, yet the Blessed Virgin Mary stands among the most popular artistic subjects in history. In every medium, with every imaginable material, in tiny personal images and gigantic mosaics, artists have depicted her the world over.

Picturing Mary, a stunning new high-definition documentary to debut next month on public television, explores how images of the Virgin reflect numerous traditions, devotional practices and cultures. The one-hour program leads viewers on a pictorial journey through history from the earliest times to the present day and presents a stunning array of art from twelve locations in eight different countries.

Picturing Mary is a joint effort of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) and New York public television station Thirteen/WNET. The documentary follows[KS1] their previous collaboration on the 2001 Emmy award-winning The Face: Jesus In Art. The documentary is narrated by actress Jane Seymour and features quotations read by actor James Keach.

“This program is a Christmas gift from the Catholic Communication Campaign to TV viewers,” says CCC Director of Production Ellen McCloskey. “In fact, many stations will present it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Like The Face: Jesus in Art, Picturing Mary will become a perennial television favorite during the Advent and Christmas seasons.”

Almost all of the artworks featured in Picturing Mary were filmed in situ, that is, in the original settings where they were intended to be viewed hundreds of years ago. Settings include the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, Italy, home of one of the greatest paintings of the Venetian Renaissance,Titian’s 22-foot-high “Assumption.”

Other settings include Bruges, Belgium, where Jan van Eyck used what was then a new medium – oil painting – to astonishing effect on full size pictures of Mary.

The documentary also highlights Rembrandt van Rijn’s work in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, where he created hundreds of etchings, prints and drawings to establish himself as the greatest illustrator of Scripture ever. Devoted to realism, Rembrandt depicts Mary in “Death of the Virgin” not as the lovely maiden traditionally pictured, but as a sick old woman.

The use of the latest widescreen high definition technology enables startlingly beautiful pictures from far away places, including Mexico City, site of the magnificent Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe; and Lake Tana, in Ethiopia, where Christians under siege took refuge in the 16th century.

Picturing Mary allows viewers up-close virtual visits to some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. At the Vatican, for example, the filmmakers capture Michelangelo’s exquisite Pieta from behind the glass shield that has protected it since the early 1970’s.

Below is the text of a Catholic League ad that appeared on today’s op-ed page in the New York Times:

American Papist

Against the Grain

With the Pope in Turkey I thought it would be interesting to do some background history on Turkey considering that Constantinople, now Istanbul, was once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and subsequently became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. There is of course a rich Catholic history in this area filled with both glories and scandals.

I will discuss one of the low points.

The above picture is the infamous sack of Constantinople. Now I am not sure why so many of the Orthodox are still upset about this sack in the first place. I don't know much of the history behind it other than that it dates back to 1204 and the times of the Fourth Crusade. Maybe it was filled with something unpleasant and left at the gates of Constantinople as an insult or something. Perhaps some mischievous Knight, like some kid on Halloween, filled it with manure and set it on fire. I can see how the gate guard might have been quite mad when he stomped the fire out, but this is quite a grudge to carry on for so long.

Pope John Paul II apologized about the events surround the sack in May 2001 so can't we all just get along?

Reports of the Anglican leader Rowan Williams’ liturgical celebration on Sunday in the Dominican Church of Santa Sabina in Rome seem to raise a number of issues. How can it be that an Anglican clergyman – with access to his own Anglican church building in Rome – can so publicly use a Catholic altar dressed in a chasuble and carrying a crosier? And what of the reportedly extraordinary participation of Catholic curial officials - “Canadian Fr Donald Bolen, an official at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity with responsibility for the Reformed churches, proclaimed the Gospel at the Mass after having received Archbishop Williams' blessing”? Rowan Williams is an erudite man and surely knows the significance of this. And no doubt so too do those Catholics responsible for the celebration. But we are not in communion with Anglicans and it seems somewhat disingenuous if not scandalous so to blur the line between, a line defended over the centuries by the blood of the martyrs of England and Wales.

Whoever thought that it was a good idea for the Anglican leader to "celebrate Mass" in a Dominican Church in Rome really needs to explain it. With Anglican orders being invalid this is really a case of dress-up and play-acting and for curial officials to be involved it certainly appears quite scandalous. This is almost an "Assisi" moment, though I doubt the Pope had anything to do with it and I certainly hope it comes to his attention.

*Photo is from Catholic Press Photos of the actual event.

Catholic Underground provided a link to this electronic Advent Calendar that is quite fun. Each day provides some text along with a link to another site. The name of the link provided for Christmas is very funny along with the actual site link to.

Catholic Underground has an excellent podcast that specializes on news in the Catholic world. The members are self-identified computer geeks and talk about tech and sometimes moral implications involved. The members of Catholic Underground are Father Ryan Humphries a priest for the Diocese of Alexandria, Deacon Chris Decker Deacon Chris Decker is transitional deacon for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Daniel Kedinger a graphic designer with crucé design and has a penchant for finding the meeting place for faith and technology, and Joshua LeBlanc he co-founder and president of cyberCatholics.com - who also provides the technical side for the Catholic blog awards.

The Vatican is so anxious about the Pope's safety during his trip to Turkey this week that it has vetoed use of the traditional "Popemobile".

Instead, Pope Benedict XVI will travel in an armour-plated car, with several similar vehicles used as decoys, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the former papal spokesman, said.

Officials have also drawn up contingency plans for him to wear a bulletproof vest beneath his papal vestments as Turkish authorities mount a huge security operation including rooftop snipers, special forces, helicopters and navy speedboats.
[Via American Papist]

Bulletproof vest? Shouldn't that be bulletproof vestments?

Fr. Z attended the Vatican screening of The Nativity Story and has his favorable review up.

Ankara. The Turkish special services arrested a group of extremists who had prepared an attack against the head of the Papal Council for Encouraging of Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper, RIA Novosti reports citing Sabah. The attack should take place during the future visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Turkey. The material based upon special services’ claims doesn’t point out details about the identity and nationality of the arrested.

Effort launched to help get needed Catholic Bibles, books, and religious goods to active duty U.S. Military personnel around the world.

Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, the largest online Catholic retailer in the U.S, has established a “gift registry” service for military chaplains and military personnel.

Additionally, in cooperation with Catholics in the Military, www.catholicmil.org, Aquinas and More Catholic Goods has established the “Send a Bible to a Soldier” program.

Military chaplains continue to request many hundreds of items that are urgently needed and Aquinas and More Catholic Goods is asking generous supporters of our troops to visit this link on our website: Aquinas and More SoldierRegistry and make a donation toward this important cause.

To date this effort has produced very positive results and has sent many hundreds of items to our dedicated military chaplains - most are currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Please help us to help meet the spiritual needs of our military personnel who so courageously give of themselves.

Turkey: Protesters hold massive anti-pope rally

Well that is the last straw. First they have been holding protests against the visit of Pope Benedict, now they are holding rallies for anti-popes. I wonder which anti-pope they were rallying for. Perhaps Pope Michael the 1st who lives in Kansas.

I also just realized another reason why Jesus did not choose women to be ordained. Since sooner or later we would have ended up with an Auntie-Pope.

For a serious and in depth roundup of the Pope's impending trip to Turkey see Christopher's list of stories.

Ian from the Aquinas and More Catholic Goods website has started a new Wiki called The Catholic Catechetical Review

This Wiki is meant to be a repository for reviews of Catholic religious education materials. This includes material listed in the United States Bishops' Conference Conformity Listing of Catechetical Texts and Series as well as resources that are not on the list.

The reason for this project is that there is not any resource for those who not only want to know that a text doesn't contradict the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but also whether the content of the program is complete, accurate and actually of substance.

This review will help those looking at the Catechetical texts on the USCCB’s Catechetical list for actual quality of the series. This is seriously needed since as Ian notes quoting a bishop:

Placing a text or series on the approved list does not constitute an endorsement. Similar to an imprimatur, it means only that the series is in conformity with the Catechism and does not contradict it. This is a negative statement and should be understood that way.

Previously Amy Welborn noted the quality of one approved series and its serious deficiency. So if you have had experience with any series of Catechetical texts please help out by giving it a review on The Catholic Catechetical Review Wiki.

Here is a funny piece Abbott & Costello Learn Hebrew based on the classic Whose on first skit.

I once did a similar post along these lines Abbott and Costello go to Sunday School

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- The pastor at Anchorage First Free Methodist Church was mystified. Why was the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chastising him? No animals are harmed in the church's holiday nativity display. In fact, animals aren't used at all.

People, however, do dress the parts - Mary, Joseph, the wise men, etc. The volunteers stand shivering at a manger on the church lawn in a silent tribute to Christmas.

The Rev. Jason Armstrong was confused by an e-mail this week from PETA, which admonished him for subjecting animals "to cruel treatment and danger," by forcing them into roles in the church's annual manger scene.

"We've never had live animals, so I just figured this was some spam thing," Armstrong said. "It's rough enough on us people standing out there in the cold. So we're definitely not using animals."

Jackie Vergerio, PETA's captive animals in entertainment specialist, said her organization tracks churches nationwide that use real animals in "living nativity scenes."

Well that would be a rather strange bullet to have in your resume.

Seems the confusion started with the church's choice of phrase. PETA flagged Free Methodist's display as a "living nativity," and indeed, that's how the church describes it on its Web site.

To PETA, that means animals.

Wow if this mistake doesn't say everything about PETA nothing does. Exactly how dangerous is it for an animal to get a gig at a Nativity scene in the first place? Is their a high incidence of being crushed by a Creshe or accidents involving swaddling clothes? Where does the cruel part come in? Perhaps it is forcing animals to act and not getting paid to scale. Are they giving them their motivations first before thrusting them on stage. Are Cows and sheep always getting type-cast as cows and sheep?

Via Diogenes:

The home-page of America Magazine ("essential reading for thinking Catholics") has this notice up:

Note from Webmaster: Someone is using our domain name, americamagazine.org, as the return address for spam advertising HoodiaLife, a diet pill. This is NOT being sent by us. This deception is known as "spoofing" -- the use of false "From:" addresses to make a message appear to be from a legitimate sender. We have complained to the FTC.

Yes. Now with regard to the spoofing that's been going on for the past forty years, how do the rest of us get in contact with the FTC?

Spoofing - now that is an excellent term to describe organizations and media that describe themselves as Catholic while having various degrees of separation from authentic magisterial teaching. Just try to read the mission statements of most Catholic universities without having the word spoofing come to you now.

In computing there is a technique known as phishing that allows people to fraudulently acquire information by pretending they are something they are not. They do this via email or websites and on websites they make use of site redirection in a hidden frame to make you think you are on a legitimate site when you are not. Newer browsers have phishing filters to warn you when a site is not what it appears to be. It would be great to have a magisterial phishing detection toolbar built into your browser to warn you about rad trad and progressive sites. "Warning this site contains information contrary to the magisterium of the Catholic Church" Now with experience most people do develop a Catholic phishing filter on their own. For myself I know it normally does not take long to determine the Catholic spoofing factor of a website often by their links. But some sites are rather crafty concerning their links so it would be nice to have in a Catholic phishing filter a buzzword algorithm that gives you a buzzword index which can be used to determine the character of a site. High uses of words like prophetic, dialogue, male hierarchal, sexual identity could easily be indexed to give you a clue. Of course sites like Catholic Culture have been doing good site reviews for years with detailed information that could be easily used as a database to get started with in a Catholic phishing filter.

Thomas F. Roeser has a wonderful story (scroll down) of a fast-moving executive Mary Strom who ditched it all to run the Women's Center in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Truly an inspiring pro-life story. [Via Matt C. Abbot]

Guy Selvester at Shouts in the Piazza brilliantly captions this photo with.

Pssssst! Benedict, what did you get for number 36?

-Number 36? That answer was "Apostolic Succession".

Oh...I didn't get that.

Scrappleface continues his comedic genius.

(2006-11-24) — In an effort to make its film about the birth of the Christ more relevant to the holiday season, New Line Cinema today released a re-cut version of its promotional trailer for ‘The Nativity Story‘, incorporating elements of other popular holiday classics like ‘Deck the Halls’ and ‘Deja Vu’.

The re-released trailer comes after focus groups told New Line that the original commercial “lacked a strong holiday appeal.”

“We acknowledge that a baby born in a manger 2,000 years ago has little relevance for today’s audiences,” said an unnamed studio spokesman, “but we’re hoping the new spot will let us ride the coattails of these other films that capture the meaning of the holidays more explicitly.”

Via Catholic Pillow Fight this editorial from NCReporter.

So why again? Apparently the bishops feel that people just aren't listening. If that's their hunch, we'd agree. Why aren't they listening? Let's consider for starters the document on contraception. A lot of the U.S. bishops today might say there are a lot of bad, or at least ignorant, Catholics out there, Catholics influenced by the contraceptive culture, for instance, who no longer know good from evil.

Maybe they're right. More likely, though, it's because the teaching makes little sense, doesn't match the experience of lay Catholics and tends to reduce all of human love to the act of breeding.

You just have to laugh at people who put up an argument against contraception that it "doesn't match the experience of lay Catholics." Well lying is quite common so I guess that means lying isn't a sin. We should just wipe off the 8th Commandment of the list because bearing false witness does not match the lived experience of most Catholics. Lust, greed, pride, envy, sloth etc are also all part of the lived experience of most people so lets just wipe those off those map - just think how easy it is to memorize the Zero Deadly Sins. I had never realized lived experience was a component of Catholic theology in the first place or maybe they had some fancy Latin phrase for it I am unaware of. Those long words like concupiscence can also just get jettisoned and next in line of course would be repentance.

I also find it humorous the charge of the Church reducing human love to breeding or the phrase sometime bandied about "pelvic orthodoxy." It seems to me that progressives often reduce acts of love to sex since they argue that those with same sex attraction can't be fulfilled unless they have sex. That there is no problem with cohabitating because they "love" each other. That a celibate priesthood is disordered and leads to problems. Chaste love is not exactly in their lexicon. This is why they are so opposed to good orthodox Catholic groups like Courage.

A reader sent me a link to this story.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Rare Abyssinian lion cubs are being poisoned at a zoo in Ethiopia and sold to taxidermists because there isn't enough money to care for the animals, the facility's administrator said Wednesday.

Famous for their black manes, the lions are revered in Ethiopia, adorning statues and the national currency. Wildlife experts estimate only 1,000 of the animals, which are smaller than other lions, remain in the wild.

"These animals are the pride of our country, but our only alternative right now is to send them to the taxidermist," said Muhedin Abdulaziz, who heads the Lion Zoo in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Animal conservation groups expressed outrage at the killings.

James Isiche, regional director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Nairobi, Kenya, said the zoo should prevent the animals from breeding if it can't care for them.

Where is a animal version of Planned Parenthood when you need them, or would that be Pride Parenthood in this case.

Dear Amy: Our 24-year-old daughter has declared to us that she is in love with a 50-year-old Catholic priest. She says that he has told her that he loves her, too, though she doesn't know if he would leave the priesthood for her.

I threatened to call the bishop and tell him what is going on, but my daughter works at the diocesan office, where she met this priest, and she says that I could get her fired.

My husband and I have told her how disturbed we are, but she says that his affection, support and attention are important to her. She ignores our concerns.

Are we right to distrust him?

Should we confront him?

- Anonymous

Dear Anonymous: I shared your letter with the Rev. Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame. Father McBrien and I agree that your daughter has a right to mess up her life by falling in love with the wrong person.

McBrien says, "The daughter is an adult and needs to work this out on her own. However, the parents have every right to offer their advice. But they should do nothing beyond that. We may be dealing here with irresponsible behavior but surely not criminal behavior."

McBrien adds, "I am not defending the priest, and I agree that it is probably a dead-end relationship. If the priest is her superior, then this relationship is also unethical. This young woman needs to talk with a professional counselor who could help her to work this thing out in her own mind. The parents, however, lack the necessary objectivity, even if their concerns are valid and they are only looking out for her well-being." [Source]

"probably a dead-end relationship"? So if the priest wasn't her superior the behavior would be ethical? Fine, fornicate just as long as somebody isn't in your supervisory chain of command. As always the more you hear from Father McBrien, the less you want to hear from Father McBrien. The idea that a situation involving two people committing objectively grave sin requires little action is un-Christian. What about Matthew 18 of going to the sinner and rebuking them, and if they don't repent to go higher? What about the scandal of people knowing about this relationship? Father McBrien espouses the exact same response that has lead so many diocese to have to file for bankruptcy, of course after having filed moral bankruptcy.

Not surprisingly Fr. McBrien also writes a glowing review of Father Donald Cozzens new book "Freeing Celibacy" in this weeks Tidings. He managers to mention part of Fr. Cozzens biography without of course his loss of faculties to teach in a Catholic school. The 50 year old priest in the story is freeing celibacy indeed.

By The Universe: Scores of Catholics who pay thousands of pounds a year to watch cable television are frustrated at being denied access to the dedicated Catholic channel EWTN.

And it is looking increasingly unlikely that communications giant ntl:Telewest has any plans to resume negotiations aimed at broadcasting the network. This may mean many Catholics leaving cable for Sky, which shows the free-to-view channel, according to EWTN’s European manager Ian Murray.

Mr Murray has called on Catholic viewers to make one final attempt to change ntl:Telewest’s mind.

“As many people as possible should bombard the company with requests for it to show EWTN,” he said.

Andy Tollock, head of St Claire Media, which broadcasts the American-based channel, said: “We receive frequent requests from cable viewers for EWTN to be broadcast on ntl:Telewest but nothing so far has happened from them.

“I have ntl:Telewest myself and it has a large number of channels, including the pay-for-view God Channel, so one presumes the problem is not a restricted number of channel bands available.”

Pay-for-view God Channel? Shouldn't that be Pray-for-view? Some of course do try to channel God or say make me a channel of your peace, but the God Channel just seems more like a parody idea than an actual name. This channel though is actually not pay-per-view, they charge a 5 pound premium per month for access. Checking up on this channel I found that they started off with a really dumb idea for Billboard advertisements with "God the Father, God the Son and god the tv channel." Again more like parody then an actual Christian cable television ad campaign.

Now they have a new ad campaign for their future availability in the U.S. with "GOD is coming to AMERICA." Apparently God is now writing press releases for them in this long rambling piece.

“And I shall light a TORCH, a TORCH, a literal TORCH of the fire of My saints of America – a torch that shall set ablaze the world, for it is time to look OUT America, beyond your cities, beyond your towns. Look out, Look OUT, America, for the nations have need of you. Rise up from the bondage of complacency, for the East cries out to you and the North travails and the South calls to you in the spirit. And so My fire shall fall and from the East Coast to the West and from the West across the seas it shall go, and from the North it shall rise, north, north even to Russia, it shall burn, and to the South – the South, a flame of fire shall rise."

It seems by the quality of this writing that God is either suffering writers block since the completion of the New Testament or somebody else wrote it. Though I have heard that he hired a Holy Ghost writer for the Bible in the first place.

The Pope holds on for dear life as his driver decides to test out the capabilities of the Papal Jeep.

Though I guess the Pope's Fiat goes well with Mary's Fiat.

The article below (that I post each year) shows that the first Thanksgiving was actually celebrated in St. Augustine, Florida on September 8, 1565. This was the first community act of religion in the first permanent European settlement in the land and it also included both Spanish and natives. This article originally appeared in my diocese magazine. I am just sparing you looking through the pdf file for it.

When on September 8, 1565 Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his 800 Spanish settlers founded the settlement of St. Augustine in La Florida, the landing party celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving, and, afterward, Menéndez laid out a meal to which he invited as guests the native Seloy tribe who occupied the site.

The celebrant of the Mass was St. Augustine’s first pastor, Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, and the feast day in the church calendar was that of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What exactly the Seloy natives thought of those strange liturgical proceedings we do not know, except that, in his personal chronicle, Father Lopez wrote that “the Indians imitated all they saw done.”

What was the meal that followed? Again we do not know. But, from our knowledge of what the Spaniards had on board their five ships, we can surmise that it was cocido, a stew made from salted pork and garbanzo beans, laced with garlic seasoning, and accompanied by hard sea biscuits and red wine. If it happened that the Seloy contributed to the meal from their own food stores, fresh or smoked, then the menu could have included as well: turkey,venison, and gopher tortoise; seafood such as mullet, drum, and sea catfish; maize (corn),beans and squash.

What is important historically about that liturgy and meal was stated by me in a 1965 book entitled The Cross in the Sand: “It was the first community act of religion and thanksgiving in the first permanent [European] settlement in the land.” The keyword in that sentence was “permanent.” Numerous thanksgivings for a safe voyage and landing had been made before in Florida, by such explorers as Juan Ponce de León, in 1513 and 1521, Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528, Hernando de Soto in 1529, Father Luis Cáncer de Barbastro in 1549, and Tristán de Luna in 1559. Indeed French Calvinists (Huguenots) who came to the St. Johns River with Jean Ribault in 1562 and René de Laudonnière in 1564 similarly offered prayers of thanksgiving for their safe arrivals. But all of those ventures, Catholic and Calvinist, failed to put down permanent roots.

St. Augustine’s ceremonies were important historically in that they took place in what would develop into a permanently occupied European city, North America’s first. They were important culturally as well in that the religious observance was accompanied by a communal meal, to which Spaniards and natives alike were invited. The thanksgiving at St. Augustine, celebrated 56 years before the Puritan-Pilgrim thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation (Massachusetts), did not, however, become the origin of a national annual tradition, as Plymouth would. The reason is that, as the maxim holds, it is the victors who write the histories.

During the 18th and 19th centuries British forces won out over those of Spain and France for mastery over the continent. Thus, British observances, such as the annual reenactment of the Pilgrims’ harvest festival in 1621, became a national practice and holiday in the new United States, and over time obliterated knowledge of the prior Spanish experiences in Florida, particularly at St. Augustine. Indeed, as the Pilgrims’ legend grew, people of Anglo-American descent in New England came to believe that Plymouth was the first European settlement in the country and that no other Europeans were here before the arrival of the Mayflower– beliefs that are still widespread in that region.

In recent years, Jamestown, Virginia has enjoyed some success in persuading its Anglo-American cousins in Plymouth that it was founded in 1607, thirteen years before the Pilgrims’ arrival, and that there were regular ship schedules from England to Jamestown before the Mayflower’s voyage of 1620. Furthermore, Berkeley Plantation near Charles City, Virginia, has convincingly demonstrated that it conducted a thanksgiving ceremony on December 4, 1619, nearly two years before the festival at Plymouth. Thought to have been on Berkeley’s menu were oysters, shad, rockfish, and perch. Along the old Spanish borderlands provinces from Florida to California an occasional voice is heard asserting that this site or that was the first permanent Spanish settlement in the United States – a claim often made in Santa Fe, New Mexico which was founded in 1610 – or that it was the place where the first thanksgiving took place. An example of the latter claim appeared last year in the New York Times, which, while recounting the colonizing expedition of Juan de Oñate from Mexico City into what became New Mexico, stated that celebrations of Oñate’s party in 1598 “are considered [the Times did not say by whom] the United States’ first Thanksgiving.”

The historical fact remains that St. Augustine’s thanksgiving not only came earlier; it was the first to take place in a permanent settlement. The Ancient City deserves national notice for that distinction.

Perhaps most of New England is now willing to concede as much, though that was not the case in November 1985, when an Associated Press reporter built a short Thanksgiving Day story around my aforesaid sentence of 20 years before in The Cross in the Sand. When his story appeared in Boston and other papers, New England went into shock. WBZ-TV in Boston interviewed me live by satellite for its 6:00 p.m. regional news
program.

The newsman told me that all of Massachusetts was “freaked out,” and that, as he spoke, “the Selectmen of Plymouth are holding an emergency meeting to contend with this new information that there were Spaniards in Florida before there were Englishmen in Massachusetts.”

I replied, “Fine. And you can tell them for me that, by the time the Pilgrims came to Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal.”

The somewhat rattled chairman of the Selectmen was quoted as saying: “I hate to take the wind out of the professor’s sails, but there were no turkeys running around in Florida in the 1500s. But there may be a few loose ones down there now at the University of Florida.” So there! Within a few days of the tempest a reporter from the Boston Globe called to tell me that throughout Massachusetts I had become known as “The Grinch Who Stole Thanksgiving.” Well, let’s hope that everyone up north has settled down now. And let’s enjoy all our Thanksgivings whenever and wherever they first began.

Dr. Michael V. Gannon is a Distinguished Service Professor of History at the University of Florida. He has had a long interest in the early Spanish missions of Florida about which he has written extensively. Two of his books, Rebel Bishop (1964) and The Cross in the Sand (1965) treat of the early history of this state

THE POPE, who is this week meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury, is drawing up plans to welcome disaffected Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI is keen to reach out to conservative Anglicans who have been antagonised by their church’s stance on women priests and homosexuality. Senior Vatican figures are understood to have drawn up a dossier on the most effective means of attracting disenchanted Anglicans.

The recruitment drive is a potential embarrassment for Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is travelling to Italy for his meeting with the Pope.

It is understood that Fr Joseph Augustine di Noia, undersecretary of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the most powerful of the Vatican’s departments, has led a team analysing the current schism in the Anglican world.

...In America, some of the 2.5m Anglicans have already left the church and become Catholics. In some cases, entire parishes have “defected”, but they have been allowed to continue with some of their Anglican traditions and prayers.

John Myers, the Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, who has been involved in supporting former Anglicans who have converted to Catholicism, has been helping di Noia with his recruitment dossier. He travelled to Rome last month to suggest ways of appealing to Anglicans.

The Pope’s enthusiasm for bringing traditional Anglicans into the fold was expressed powerfully three years ago when as Cardinal Ratzinger he sent greetings to a group of conservative churchmen meeting in Texas in protest at the election of Robinson.

The way the article is framed this seems rather dubious. As if they was planning some specific recruitment drive aimed at conservative Anglicans. For one thing what can the Vatican do compared to what the Anglican communion isn't already doing to repel conservative Anglicans?

There could be some things in the works though. The website for The Pastoral Provision, the process to bring in Anglican priests into the priesthood, has recently been spruced up. There could also be an effort to make Anglican Use parishes more available - though this is just conjecture. Any effort to heal the schism is very unlikely since the split has been widening at a pace to make the Grand Canyon seem like a crack in the sidewalk by comparison. Any efforts at this will primarily be done at the individual and the rare case a whole parish level. Diogneses has a good post on this subject.

Now if there was an actual campaign to attract disaffected Catholics - what would it look like? A campaign could be the reverse of this one in a Simpson's episode.

Though "Welcome pissed-off Anglicans" just doesn't have the desired ring to it.

Maybe something more like this.

WASHINGTON - Sen. Sam Brownback, who is considering a White House bid in 2008, said Monday the Republican field has room for a "full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative" and pledged to make a final decision next month.

The Kansas senator said he was not discouraged from running by the Democrats' strong gains in this month's midterm elections, including majority control of the House and Senate.

"It does not make it less likely," he said in an interview. "I really believe that the basic conservative ideas and ideals were not repudiated. Our execution was."

A more daunting challenge for Brownback are the better known potential candidates. Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani have set up presidential exploratory committees. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., also are weighing bids.

"I think there's room for a full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative in the field," Brownback said. "I fully agree that other people have much higher name identification than I do. No question about that. But I think what you have to look at is the policy positions they get out once you have an effective campaign."

Brownback, who was elected in 1996, is a forceful foe of abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. He also has taken a prominent role in the fight against genocide in Sudan's Darfur region.

I only wish Sen. Brownback had been a Governor vice a Senator considering how few Senators make it to the White house. Though this Presidential election season looks like on the Democratic side it will be mostly senators. I do know that I can vote for Brownback in the primaries with zero holding -the-nose factor.

I guess it is a good thing Michael Richards never directed a movie on the life of Christ - or otherwise his racist outburst against blacks at the Laugh Factory would be getting a whole lot of media attention.

*Title came from Steve Dillard's post at Southern Appeal.

Threshing Grain links to a nice video done by the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity.

They also maintain a blog at Future Priests of the Third Millennium.

Some are under the impression that the Papal States have been eliminated. Well here is a collection of Papal States to show they are wrong.

Reflective

Thirsty

Punkish

Appreciative

Amused

Suspicious

Exasperated

Pleading

Cool

Somber

Prayerful

Joyful

Chillin'

 I wonder if the is the first Ad Orientum Time Cover?

There cover story on the Pope and Islam as he gets ready to go to Turkey includes What the Pope Gets Right by Fr. Neuhaus and of course the Muslim balance of And Where He's Still in the Dark. Rather ironic title considering that the author of it is the one in dark as far as the Regensburg speech goes.

But Benedict's speech implicitly suggested that he believes that Islam has no such relationship with reason--and thus is excluded from being European.

He frames the Pope's whole speech on being European centric and says that Benedict is a "profoundly European Pope." That he whole speech was about European identity. It is amazing how so many can read the same speech and then talk about as if they read a totally different one. He then goes on to what Kathy Shaidle would describe as "They invented Chess you know" defense of Islam with a list of influential Muslim scholars - though it seems to me most of them were greatly influenced by Greek thought in the first place. One he mentions kind of makes the Pope's point about reason. Avicenna believed that human minds were not in themselves capable of abstract thought, only potentially and only when illuminated by an angel - the Tenth Intellect.

Via Vivivicat

Folks, I don't know what you've been experiencing, but at least twice in the last 10 days I have received two unrequested e-mail communications from an AOL address containing releases and pronunciamientos from Emmanuel Milingo, the schismatic and apostate archbishop who got married in a mass wedding officiated by Sun Myung Moon a few years back, and now heads an agitprop organization pushing for the reinstatement of laicized priests.

This morning I deleted a comment from the same person responding to my post on the issue, entitled, Milingo lacks standing to question priestly celibacy, or anything else for that matter. The comment was an exact copy of the latest unrequested e-mail.

I have seen the same response in the comment section of some other blogs. Now advocating a married priesthood is one thing. Attempting to ordain your own bishops and being excommunicated is another. But generating spam and blog comment spam is quite another. We should bring back the ecclesial penalty of anathema sit to punish ecclesial spammers.

For and article with such an editorializing headline Bishops at odds with parishioners on subject of contraception, the article itself is quite good with plenty of quotes from those who believe contraception to be sinful - including Archbishop Joseph Naumann and Christopher West.

The document itself "Married Love and the Gift of Life" was approved by the bishop's conference by a vote of 95 percent with no debate on the floor. The document is a good summary of the Church's teaching in language that can be easily understood. The document also goes into the abortafacient quality of some contraceptives.

The approval of this document got very little media attention, which should be surprising since the bishops have not released anything on this subject since 1968. The document on homosexuality is what got all the attention.

Though while I am certainly glad to see the USCCB approve this document, I am not naive enough to think it will make much difference. Have you ever seen a USCCB document available in a parish? The average Catholic that attends Mass each Sunday will likely never hear about this document and are also not likely to have its message preached to them in the first place.

PDF version of the document

Amy Welborn publishes an apology by the pastor of Christ the King parish in the Orange County diocese - the celebrant of the Halloween Mass in their bulletin. She comments on his apology.

It's a start. Really, it is. Of course, the basic point is still not addressed, which is...and a Halloween Mass with anyone dressed up in costumes is consistent with the Christian liturgical tradition, even as diverse as it might be....how?

But. It's a start. Things are moving in a different direction than they were in say, 1975, and we can pray, in good faith and hope and generosity, that they'll just keep moving...

I agree with her critique since the pastor apologized for how the costumes some of the EMHMs were wearing and not whether they should be wearing costumes of any sort. I also wonder about his saying that many parishioners requested being able to wear costumes along with their children since the video of the even really shows only EMHMs and those in the choir wearing them. It certainly didn't appear that this was a practice adopted by many of the parishioners themselves. Also not mentioned was their practice of decorating the sanctuary with pumpkins. Regardless his apology is a good first step.

Dom has a copy of the letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, to the heads of all the national episcopal conferences regarding the pro multis translation. Quick take: "for all" is to be replaced by "for many" in translations as a more precise vernacular translation. Which is a good thing not only for being more exact, but that it takes off the table a complaint by many traditionalists. I never thought it was a great problem to become excised about in the first place, especially that it somehow invalidates the consecration, it is just much more precise to use a better translation of the Greek words used from Mark and Matthew.

Back on June 15th the Bishops did address this subject.

Bishop Trautman: Please recall that we did have a consultation on this. Overwhelmingly the American bishops favored the wording that we have now. And we do have some word from the Congregation that this is under active advisement right now. We expect the Holy Father and the Congregation to respond in the near future. So that’s what the response of the committee indicates. But we have declined, at this point, to change it.

Bishop Foley: Because pro multis is used quite extensively in the Scripture. And I look forward to hearing the Holy See, because I feel that it is an important point.

Bishop Trautman: At this point, though, the committee is saying we will stay with the wording that reflects the vast majority of bishops through the consultation. If the Holy See were to change then there will be a proper adjustment.

So I wonder how long the "proper adjustment" will take, though I would imagine it will be incorporated along with the other translation changes to the Mass.

A reader has a nice graphic for this on his blog.

Update: Father Z emphasizes that this change was done in request of the Holy Father since Cardinal Arinze's letter says "At his direction,"

This is not the decision of either the CDWDS or the CDF. This was the Pope’s decision. As I have written elsewhere, the translations of sacramental forms are reserved to the Pope alone.

We find this in the Holy See’s official instrument of promulgation, Acta Apostolicae Sedis for 28 February 1974 (AAS 66 (1974) 98-99). Here we find a circular letter dated 25 October 1973 over the signature of then Secretary of State Jean Card. Villot, countersigned by Archbp. Annibale Bugnini (my translation from the Latin): “The Supreme Pontiff reserves to himself the power of approving directly all translations into vernacular languages of the formulas of sacraments.”

There is no appeal against this decision.

Shrines: Images of Italian Worship by Frances Mayes (Introduction), Steven Rothfeld (Photographer)

This ia a beautiful coffee table book of predominately Marian shrines in Italy. Considering the large number of small and roadside shrines in Italy the photographer was working in a target rich environment. The book is worth buying just for the photos alone. The one caveat is the text that goes along with the book. For the most part the photo's have no text associated with them and it would have been nice to know the exact location of some of these beautiful shrines. There is a index in the back with thumbnails of all the pictures in the book along with the name of the city, but no address.

You get the feeling that those involved with this project are not Catholic themselves. Using the word worship in the book title when most are Marian shrines is a mistake and the introduction contains a real theological whopper "She's a friend, divine but still a friend." This though is a book you get for the pictures and not the articles.

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei by Scott Hahn

This book is partly an introduction to the spirituality of Opus Dei and also how Opus Dei was a influence in Scott Hahn's conversion and daily spiritual life. This book is not meant as a in depth introduction to Opus Dei and it's founder St. Josemaría Escrivá, but it does cover the basics. I was a loosely familiar with the charism of Opus Dei and some of the writings of St. Escrivá via the excellent commentary in the Navarre Bible, and through Scott Hahn's book I found that my understanding of Opus Dei was loose indeed. After reading this I found myself wanting to read deeper into St. Josemaría Escrivá writings. The spiritually of Opus Dei was much richer than I had suspected and that divine filiation was a cornerstone of it.

Scott Hahn's books are always easy to read and he is able to explain complex theological ideas in an easy to grasp way. In this book he refrains from the massive punning that is characteristic of some of his other books. I generally love his puns, but I know some are turned off from his use of them and there feel they mar an otherwise serious work. I found it very interesting his description of the founding of Opus Dei and how its founding was many years in genesis. That St. Escrivá vision of this order had no expression until the Second Vatican Council and the creation of personal prelature of which Opus Dei is still the only one. We now mostly take for granted that ordinary life is a path to sanctity, something that was not much emphasized before Vatican II and that it was really St. Josemaría Escrivá who really lead the groundwork for the The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church in Lumen Gentium.

Scott Hahn also details parts of his personal journey and how Opus Dei helped him in both incorporating devotions into his life, but in the times when his wife Kimberly was still not Catholic. Considering that Opus Dei has become such a boogeyman for some and that there are so many media distortions about it, it is rather surprising that Scott Hahn did not mention any of this or answer any of the common misconceptions. I realize he didn't write this as an apologetically work defending Opus Dei, but with such outright confusion considering The Da Vinci Code it is a rather odd oversight.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and it gave me much to think on in how work is incorporated into your life and how it can really be a work of God.

Let God's Light Shine Forth: The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI Edited by Dr. Robert Moynihan.

When I received this book not being previously aware of the author I had some trepidations about it. Reading it and finishing it I found myself quite glad to have been introduced to it. Dr. Robert Moynihan is the founder and Editor of Inside the Vatican magazine of which I have heard many good things about.

The first major section details the life of Josef Ratzinger from his birth through most of his life in the Church. I was aware of some of what is mentioned, but the book goes into detail on his early life as their family moved around trying to live their life without falling under control of the Nazis. His life is followed through seminary, his life as a priest, his time at Vatican II, and concentrates on his time as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The section that covered Fr. Ratzinger in his work as a theological consultant at Vatican II to have some interesting tidbits of information. The author describes that even though there had been a loose movement of reform of the liturgy, that it was really only a hot topic in Germany and Italy. The fact that Sacrosanctum Concilium was the first document of Vatican II had nothing to do with a priority towards reforming the liturgy, but that they though that a document on the liturgy would be the least controversial and easiest to get through.

Also covered is his time as Prefect as the CDF and how he dealt with the issues of liberation theology and the increase of those who were dissenting from the magisterium. This chapter gives a good over view of Ratzinger the man and the the caricature of him that is finally being dispelled by this actions as the Pope.

The second major section of the book covers his spiritual vision. The author for the most past lets the writing of Pope Benedict himself to do the talking. This section contains multiple chapters on various topics and each chapter is subdivided into various themes. Under the themes are the writings of Pope Benedict as they relate to the subjects the editor has picked out. I found this format to be very good in delivering on the promise of the book's title to give us the spiritual vision of Pope Benedict XVI. This provides a excellent guide to looking up the Pope's understanding on a slew of topics. The Pope is such a beautiful and deep writer and so much can be learned from him on a plethora of subjects. I also thing that this section of the book can be fruitfully used for meditation by reading one of the short paragraphs on a topic and reflecting on what he has to say about it.

I have read several of the Pope's books before and after his election though I am still quite the amateur in understanding the Pope's spiritual vision, though this book is quite helpful in piecing together. Highly recommended.

Father, Forgive Me for I Am Frustrated: Growing in Your Faith Even When It Isn't Easy Being Catholic by Fr. Mitch Pacwa

When I first saw this title a couple of years ago I knew it would be one I wanted to read. I came across it in a bookstore last year and it finally made its way through my book queue for books to read. I enjoy listening to Fr. Pacwa for both his knowledge and humor and both come through admirably in this book. He addresses the many topics that frustrates faithful Catholics from the liturgy wars to other frustrations.

He starts from the basics though the basics seem to be often forgotten when it comes to these issues. So often anger is directed primarily in griping with very little or anything done in a positive direction. One of the things that gripe me about many so-called reform groups is that they largely seem to be focused on changing others. All true reform starts at personal reform. The removing of the log in your own eye. The book focuses on the steps in personal reform and analyzing what you are frustrated about and what steps you need to address it.

There is much practical advise in this book and I think it should be required reading for anybody starting an apostolate or who finds themselves frustrated or angry about what is happening in the Church. This book will let you get grounded first before addressing problems. Or dealing with frustrations in situations where you are doing what is right, but are not being treated rightly. He builds that chapter around St. Teresa of Avila's famous line "God, if this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few of them!"

Along the way he also reflects on example from his personal life and how he overcame these problems by following the steps he outlines. There is nothing revolutionary in this book since it is mainly an application of Matthew 18, but sometimes repeating what should be basic to the Christian life is revolutionary in effect.

Truth in blogging: Images of Italian Worship, Ordinary Work, Ordinary Grace, and The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI were provided for review.

A reader sent me a nice article on Blessed Miquel Pro and his influence on both Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh.

Rev. Fr. John Trigilio, Jr., PhD, ThD has written an article in response to a recent editorial in Commonweal magazine. His response is excellent and truly a must read.

On Fr. Trigilio's site he has a great picture of himself handing a copy of his book John Paul II for Dummies to Pope Benedict XVI.

Gerald has a copy of a letter that Father Joseph Patrick Breen has sent to Cardinal Levada, who he refers to as "Cardinal Bill", who he went to seminary with. The letter is typical boilerplate dissident advocacy talking points. On of Gerald readers wondered how the letter was leaked - whether it was the CDF or someone in his parish. I pretty much doubt that this letter was leaked at all. There is a full story on him in his advocacy in his local newspaper. The newspaper also has a PDF of his letter.

The article included:

In 1993, Breen was asked by former Nashville Bishop Edward Kmiec to sign a pledge refraining from advocating that the church's celibacy rule be changed to ease a priest shortage.

The prohibition came shortly after Breen had mailed a letter to Catholic bishops outlining his views. The year before, 780 members of Breen's church signed a petition to the pope with the same request.

The gag order was quietly lifted two years later, and Breen continued his fight, writing to Catholic newspapers and talking with fellow priests.

Then last month, Breen celebrated the 45th anniversary of his ordination in Rome with fellow seminarians, including Cardinal Bill Levada, who now heads the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which sets policies on faith and morals for Catholics worldwide.

Breen handed Levada a letter that said there was consensus among Catholics for married priests, artificial birth control, a greater acceptance of divorced people and women deaconesses.

In Athanasius time there was also a consensus among Catholics that God the Father and the Son were not co-eternal and that Jesus though a divine being was created and inferior to God the father. This only goes to show that modern dissidents are much more boring than previous ones like Arius.

The headline of the article is "Priest not afraid to advocate change." Exactly what would he be afraid of? He is not exactly a martyr and will get headlines not a headsman's axe. In the modern climate dissent is punished by indifference.

Ha!

Paul at Alive and Young reviews Dawn Eden's new book The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On.

Order The Thrill of the Chaste from Amazon. Available from Amazon NOW and in Stores December 5, 2006.

Via Kathy Shaidle

Quite possibly the world's stupidest Muslim guy actually asks, with a straight face, one presumes:

"Why has the [Nobel] Prize been awarded to 167 Jews and only 4 Arabs?"

Because you don't get the Nobel for perfecting suicide bomber belts and making explosive shoes. This maybe also explains why the issuance of patents to those in Arab countries has slowed to a crawl. I read this tidbit before.

According to the 2003 Arab Human Development Report, between 1980 and 1999 the nine leading Arab economies registered 370 patents (in the US) for new inventions. Patents are a good measure of a society's education quality, entrepreneurship, rule of law and innovation. During that same 20-year period, South Korea registered 16,328 patents for inventions. You don't run into a lot of South Koreans who want to be martyrs.

Their messages are short, simple, and completely opposed to one another. Planned Parenthood was first with billboards that say "Birth Control is Easy." Then the local Catholic Diocese responded with its billboards that say "Birth Control is Harmful."

The billboards got our attention because, outside of politics, you don't see a lot of billboard wars. And we thought people might want to know more about them.

The signs are meant to get attention, and they got the attention of the Catholic Church.

"Because whereas birth control might be easy. It may not be in one's best interest. It may not be a good thing," said Erick Bell with the church’s Family Life Office.

Bell says their own billboards are meant to inform people of, among other things, some of the medical side effects of birth control that they don't think get enough attention.

"A woman is at increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer, an increased risk of heart attack and high blood pressure," Bell said. "All of these are well documented side effects of birth control pills."

This was done by the Respect Life office of the Diocese of Tulsa which has a good site for people seeing the billboards.

I don't expect similar billboards anytime soon sponsored by the USCCB or individual bishop. On the new document on the Eucharist

The move to name contraception as a reason to refrain from communion failed 148-75.

Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., said that the drafters did not include contraception because it was not intended to be a comprehensive list of sins and there was a concern that this "particularly difficult pastoral problem" would distract from everything else in the document. Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, auxiliary of San Diego, argued that not mentioning it would draw even more attention.

So maybe billboards like "Contraception is messy pastorally." Though is it a pastoral problem or is that that pastors have been the problem. That such outright dissent from the Church has gone on for so long with nary an outcry makes it of course an embarrassment to the Bishop's conference. A wink and a nod has been given to this issue and it seems that for many their theological hearts were just never behind it. You wonder how many in the past in the confessional have told people to "follow their conscience" on this matter?

The part about it not being an exhaustive list is of course true, but they managed to make room for "verbal abuse" and "immoral business practices" - not that these don't belong. You can see the full list here in a direct link to that section of the document I put up on my site.

The bishops assembled in Baltimore have just posted their major pronouncements on the Eucharist, contraception, and homosexuality, and I must say the first one leaves me downright gleeful.

"Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper" is the unwieldy title of a twenty-page document on the Eucharist. It is superb and, as one poster on Amy Welborn's site remarked, ought to be mandatory reading for American Catholics. You won't find Mick-like sophistry about "other presences," nor will you have need for bifocals to make your way through fuzzy doctrinal content. The bishops have written a measured, well-organized, and precise statement on the centrality of Holy Communion in the life of the Church.

...Its two flaws concern bars to worthiness (they should have mentioned contraception, given its prevalence) and the topic of scandal (everyone knows the bishops are talking about politicians who negotiate the "non negotiables," so why not say it?).

Regardless, I'd be tempted to high-five my pastor after Mass were he to review its contents in a forthcoming homily.

I totally agree with Rich Leonardi, except for the two flaws this is a very good document.

I do hate PDF formatted documents and this one was worse than usual since it is double spaced with plenty of footnotes in the text. I have converted it to html and formatted it to look nice and it is available here. I also moved the footnotes to the bottom of the document and hyper linked them. I spent much more time doing this than I had expected, but I do believe the results are worthwhile.

“On the ABC website for ‘Good Morning America,’ a poll is being taken that asks, ‘Should Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Marry?’ This is a great idea—Catholics very much want to hear from non-Catholics what they think about the Catholic Church’s internal strictures. In fact, the idea is so good that it ought to be extended to Jews and Muslims. So in the spirit of inclusion, the Catholic League is asking two questions: a) Should Orthodox Jews Be Allowed to Eat Ham Sandwiches? and b) Should Muslim Women Be Allowed to Wear Mini Skirts?

“The ABC poll on Catholics offers three possible responses:

Yes. It is unfair to prevent them from experiencing one of life’s joys: companionship.

No. The vows are founded in religious doctrine and tradition and should not be changed.

I’m not sure.

“Accordingly, I would like to amend the affirmative option regarding Orthodox Jews to read:

Yes. It is unfair to prevent them from experiencing one of life’s joys: pork.

“Regarding Muslim women, the affirmative response is:

Yes. It is unfair to prevent them from experiencing one of life’s joys: being a sex tease.

VATICAN CITY — A top Vatican official on Tuesday denounced a wall around the Vatican as "inhumane," and compared it to the Cold War-era Berlin Wall.

Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Holy See's office concerned with migrant and itinerant peoples, urged the Pope to allow more vistors to enter legally.

"I must note, unfortunately, that in a world which greeted with joy the fall of the Berlin Wall, others are being erected between neighborhood and neighborhood, city and city, nation and nation," he said at a news conference to present Pope Benedict XVI's annual message about migrants.

"The Leonine Wall was originally built to keep out Muslims who were unfairly described as raiders at the time when they were only doing raiding jobs that Romans wouldn't do. Even if you build a 20 foot wall somebody will just come along with a 21 foot ladder. If you watch Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 3 you see him easily scaling the wall and gaining access."

Cardino Martino also condemned a recent move by the Vatican Museum to limit tour groups until 10, he favors and open admission policy where undocumented tourists can visit 24 hours a day.

Unfortunately here is what Cardino Martino actually condemned.

A talking Jesus doll has been turned down by the Marine Reserves' Toys for Tots program.

A suburban Los Angeles company offered to donate 4,000 of the foot- tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season. The battery-powered Jesus is one of several dolls manufactured by one2believe, a division of the Valencia- based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., based on Biblical figures.

But the charity balked because of the dolls' religious nature.

Toys are donated to kids based on financial need and "we don't know anything about their background, their religious affiliations," said Bill Grein, vice president of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, in Quantico, Va.

As a government entity, Marines "don't profess one religion over another," Grein said Tuesday. "We can't take a chance on sending a talking Jesus doll to a Jewish family or a Muslim family."

Do Jews and Muslims give toys on Christmas? The Marine's Toy for Tots Mission statement says they "Distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted." Political correctness where Jesus dolls are outlawed on Jesus' birthday is exactly the type of contradictions we expect today. It is just so dangerous to have proselytizing plastic doll's converting children against their parents will. Talking Jesus dolls are scarier then an alive Chucky doll to many secular parents.

The company that provides these dolls also makes other ones from the Old and New Testament. Too bad they don't have an Abraham doll since that would be acceptable for Christian, Jewish, and Muslim children. They could donate them instead and see what excuse they come up with next.

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, New York: Two women were arrested after they chained themselves to the front doors of a Catholic diocese building to protest the authorized killing of deer on church property.

"We're appealing to members of the diocese who respect God's teachings of love and compassion of all creatures to halt the inhumane deer killing," Deirdre Guelke, a Hunter College student from Queens, said in a statement before her arrest.

Guelke and Therese Ferreira chained themselves to the entrance of the Diocese of Rockville Centre offices to protest the deer cull at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception and in Caumsett State Historic Park.

A marksman with a shotgun has been hunting the deer because of an increase in the number of car accidents and near misses with the animals on local roads. The deer meat has been used to stock a food pantry.
[Via Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate]

I admit I posted this story just for the blog title.

Jay notices the irony that the women protesting the deer kill attends Hunter College.

Today Jimmy Akin rightly criticizes a X-Men - Star Trek: Then Next Generation crossover novel mentioned one of my favorite film shorts Bambi Meets Godzilla.

Time Magazine covers nuns in America and how some orders are growing and having to build to accommodate new aspirants.

Emily at Shrine of the Holy Whapping says:

I experienced remarkably little of the internal cringing I generally go through when reading MSM pieces about Catholicism.

Which is almost a ringing endorsement for an article in the MSM. Reading it myself I found that it did indeed mark low on the internal-cringing scale, but not cringe-free. She also notes that they attribute the success of growing orders to technology savvy with of course not mention of faithfulness to what the Church teaches.

Amy Welborn has been providing excellent coverage of the bishop's conference and today includes this:

Archbishop Burke is speaking about Courage and EnCourage . It seems as if his amendment is calling for explicit recognition of the ministry. Saying that there is no support group that is more faithful or has more history.

Bishop Serratelli: says the committee agrees with Bishop Burke. It's not a question of the group. The committee felt with a generic statement and not to recommend or mention any particular group.

Bishop Paproki gets up and speaks in support of Archbishop Burke and poitns out since this is a document for bishops, it would be helpful to have specific suggestions.

Bishop Niederauer speaks against Archbishop Burke's amendment. I want to support the committee's judgment for a generic mention. No reason given.

Why am I not surprised ?

...Cardinal George: in favor of the amendment, strongly, saying that Courage has been unjustly attacked and falsely misrepresented. The effectiveness of the group has struck him: "they are not only striving to be chaste, but they are striving to be saints. They are holy people."

Thank you Cardinal George for speaking the truth. The amendment though was defeated 121 to 105, but they did approve mention of Courage and Encourage as a footnote. Maybe they should start a new group called Discourage since they seem to want to discourage those with same-sex attraction from living a chaste life.

American Papist has also been providing good coverage of the conference.

A parish web site with pictures of men kissing and the pastor blessing the participants of a gay pride parade must of course be the infamous Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in San Francisco. [Via The Lair of the Catholic Cavemen]

The pastor Fr. Meriwether is reportedly on leave from his duties after so many complaints to the Archdiocese for this parish allowing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence holding bingo games with sex toy prizes in the parish hall. Unfortunately it appears the Archdiocese is now allowing Fr. Meriwether to return to his parish. This Sunday they are holding a pancake breakfast in honor of his return. So now that the media attention has gone away from the last fiasco it appears that everything is back to what can be called normal there. People thought that the infamous St. Joan parish with it's rainbow flag was scandalous, but this parishes web site puts them into the bush leagues.

Not surprising this parish also has monthly Monthly Celebration of the Anointing of the Sick where all are invited to come and participate. Somehow I don't think the parish is populated by one hundred percent of people who are "dangerously ill" in regards to canon law.

Please send a polite email to the archdiocese about this scandalous situation.

Archbishop George Niederauer and Bishop John Wester
Bishop Ignatius Wang.

John C. Wright further restates the arguments he made against abortion and answers the large number of comments that the original post generated. Some argued that he was making a religious argument when he did nothing of the sort and he writes that they arguments he used he come up with while he was still an atheist. He also mentions something that I have heard Fr. Pavone mention that when you start talking science with pro-abortion supporters they start talking theology.

His new series of posts are well worth reading and really packed with sound arguments.

Gut Check Part Two - Restating the Case
Gut Check Part Three - Answering Objections
Gut Check Part Three - The Scream
Gut Check Conclusion - The Plea for Charity

Imagine there's no Religion
Something I would ban
Those hateful lemmings
homophobia plan
Imagine fall the steeple
Tolerance today

Ban organized religion
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
Ignore Stalin's debut
Imagine all the people
Living selfishly

You may say that I'm a schemer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday we'll ban you
And the world will be as one

Imagine no restrictions
I wonder if you can
No need Commandments
Utopia for a gay man
Imagine all the believers
Closeted religion world

You may say that I'm a schemer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday we'll ban you
And the world will be as one

Thomas Craughwell the author of Saints Behaving Badly, which I favorably reviewed here, has setup a site of antique Holy Cards that can be obtained as Christmas Cards and Blank Note cards. They are quite beautiful.

Today being Veteran's Day and also appropriately the feast of Martin of Tours I give a warm thanks to my fellow Veterans past and present.

"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." G.K. Chesterton

Sen. John Kerry also released a Veteran's Day Message and I was glad it was written in crayon and block letters so that we could easily understand it.

Being ex-military and someone who loves the Carmelites I always liked this story.

GEORGES THIERRY D'ARGENLIEU (LOUIS OF THE TRINITY OCD)

Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu was born in 1889. At the age of 17 he graduated from the Ecole Navale. During World War I he received the Legion of Honour for his part in the Moroccan campaign. He left the navy in 1920 and became a Carmelite at the age of 31. At the time of the French mobilisation in 1939 he was Provincial of the Paris Province. He took off his habit and resumed the uniform of a naval commander. He was captured by the Germans in June 1940, at Cherbourg. Three days later he leapt from a moving convoy train en route to Germany. He then commandeered a fishing boat and sailed it to Jersey. A few days later he reached London and presented himself to the Carmelite Priory in Kensington, and in what must be that hospitable community's only lapse, he was turned away. When his identity was confirmed, he used to visit during his time in London, to share fraternal life. In London he worked closely with General de Gaulle.

He was commissioned to gather the remnants of the French navy and regain French colonial Africa for the Free French forces. In late 1940, while attempting to negotiate with Vichy regime in Dakar, he was seriously wounded. Six weeks later, needing crutches to stand, he directed the assaults on Gabon, Port Gentil and Libreville. In 1941 he was appointed to a similar mission in the Pacific. When his ship reached Brisbane he visited Auchenflower Carmel to see the French Prioress, Mother Mary Raphael, who held him in high regard as a friar and as a patriot. Perhaps it was this visit that stimulated Mother Raphael to seek a foundation of Carmelite friars for Australia. Admiral d'Argenlieu meanwhile gained New Caledonia for the Free French and made it his headquarters. During this time he arrested and imprisoned a number of Marist Missionaries who were Vichy supporters. It is for this that the Marists in Australia and the Pacific remember him!

After further diplomatic work for the Free French he returned to London in 1943. He was appointed commander of the French naval forces in Britain and played a role in planning the Normandy invasion. At the liberation of Paris he walked beside Generals de Gaulle and Leclerc in the great victory parade to the thanksgiving Te Deum in Notre Dame. After the war he was Governor General of Indo-China until 1947, when he asked to return to his monastery. On his retirement, he was given a number of awards including the Grand Cross of the legion of Honour and being invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He then removed his admiral's uniform and resumed his Carmelite habit and lived a humble and quiet life of prayer. Because of his closeness to de Gaulle he wanted to avoid having his ministry politicised. He therefore seldom preached in public, preferring instead to lead 'enclosed' retreats for groups such as priests and nuns. He died at the priory of Avon in 1964.

CLEVELAND -- The Rev. Dan Smith uses an extremely unorthodox way to preach the Christian gospels. He wants to attract young people turned off by conventional churches.

NewsChannel5's Ted Henry reported Smith will do almost anything to convince those turned off by religion that being spiritual can be cool. He wants to attract the unchurched.

"I have some people who haven't been to church in 10 to 15 years or forever, saying man that this is cool," Smith said.

Another interesting element is where the church -- Momentum Christian Church -- is located.

The congregation meets at the Cinemark movie theater on Canal Road.

"A lot of time when you walk into a church it feels kind of solemn, but when you walk into a theater, it feels like something exciting is about to happen,” Smith said.

Momentum Church is new to Cleveland and people are finding a wide array of activities for kids, teens and adults.

"I am a younger person, I like a more upbeat type of church," one member said.

Another member said, "We've been here ever since it started. It's different. It’s not like being at church."

...Some might consider this approach a bold church experiment because of everything -- a movie house, video games, Hip Hop, comedy, plus the teachings of Christ. But Smith thinks it is his life's passion to bring what he has to offer to both the unchurched and the disillusioned.

I wonder if they play trailers like "Jesus - Coming Soon! The Second Coming, the sequel we have all been waiting for, this times he's here to judge."

Gerald posts on update on a story he covered before.

You may remember Maia Nolan, pro-choice, anti-Pope editor of the Anchorage diocesan paper. Looks like she's out of a job. JD sent me this ad from Catholic News Service

The ad for a new editor included:

The requirements for this position include: excellent verbal and written communication skills; practicing Catholic and in union with the magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church

Springfield, FL (LifeNews.com) -- After he successfully won a court order to kill Terri Schiavo via euthanasia, the disabled woman's former husband Michael pledged to take on pro-life advocates and formed a political action committee to defeat them. However, the candidates Michael campaigned for during the 2006 mid-term elections didn't fare very well.

In fact, every candidate Michael personally campaigned for during the election cycle went down to defeat.

Michael traveled to Colorado twice to campaign against pro-life Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Colorado congresswoman. He even attended a late October debate between Musgrave and her opponent and shouted at her when the event concluded.

But his efforts failed as Musgrave defeated her opponent, pro-abortion state Rep. Angie Paccione, a candidate Michael endorsed.

Meanwhile, Michael traveled to Colorado in July to host a fundraiser for Congressional candidate Peggy Lamm, who proceeded to lose her Democratic primary the next month.

Michael Schiavo didn't fare too well in Connecticut either, where he campaigned for Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. On Tuesday, Lamont lost his bid to replace Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Lieberman has also voted for a Congressional bill that said federal courts should review the lawsuit Terri's parents filed to stop Michael from killing her.

Finally, Michael was unable to rally support for a candidate in his home state of Florida.

He backed Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis, saying he was one of the few politicians who "stood up and acted with conviction.... He stood up not just for me and not just for Terri but for every American."

Davis and Schiavo developed a bond after Terri's death as he called Michael to support him.

Michael's support, however, didn't give Davis enough votes on election night as he lost by a 52-45 percent margin to Charlie Crist.

The defeats probably won't faze Michael, who said during the elections he would do whatever was necessary to target pro-life lawmakers who sided with Terri's parents.

As Jonathan at Ancient and Future Catholic Musings said:

It seems now there are two groups of people who should avoid Michael Schiavo like the plague:

1) Women
2) Politicians

Well maybe with his track record maybe he should continue to support pro-abortion politicians. But I not sure exactly why he campaigned against Charlie Crist since he was no supporter of those who fought for Terri Schiavo's Life. Maybe because Jim Davis was more militant on the issue and for Michael Schiavo he had to choose between the greater of two evils. For example when Crist was interviewed on this subject.

Is there something wrong with Florida’s statutes when someone like Terri Schiavo can be starved to death? She was not in the process of dying; her death was as result of the fact that food and water were removed from her. Is there something wrong with our statutes when the courts can interpret the laws to allow that to happen?

Crist: I don’t think so.

After having a truly pro-life and conservative Jeb Bush as Governor I expect a serious let down with Charlie Crist. He once described himself "I am pro-choice, but not pro-abortion. I believe that a woman has the right to choose, but would prefer only after careful consideration and consultation with her family, her physician and her clergy; not her government." Now he seems to have modified his views on a purely political level by now describing himself as pro-life, though he does not want Roe v. Wade overturned or have any kind of waiting period before getting an abortion. I think this is how much of the GOP is trending. Like Democratic candidates before who dropped pro-life views when running for higher office we now have the same thing in reverse among Republicans.

John Allen Jr. writes on how the speech delivered to the press about the Pope's talk with the Swiss bishops bore no relation to what the Holy Father actually said.

...The back-story to what happened is that on Sunday evening, the Secretariat of State sent the 2005 draft up to the papal apartment in preparation for Tuesday's meeting. Hearing nothing, they presumed that Benedict intended to use it, and gave it to the Press Office and L'Osservatore Romano for distribution. In fact, however, the reason Benedict never replied with any corrections or amendments is because he decided to set aside the draft altogether. When the mistake became clear, copies of L'Osservatore Romano with the unused text had to be withdrawn, and the Press Office found itself in the awkward position of retracting its own bulletin.

If this were the White House, some of us might suspect that all this was on purpose. In the end, the criticisms of the Swiss church that Vatican officials wanted to make are now on the record, but the pope gets to look like a nice guy because he decided to go positive. In fact, however, the only realistic reaction to such a theory is the Italian word magari -- if only the Vatican communications operation were that sophisticated! In fact, this is simply a classic instance of the right hand not knowing what the left was doing, an all-too-frequent reality of Vatican life.

I don't think that this is a case that this was a mistake where first a more harsh speech is reported and then later corrected. I think maybe this could be a case, and perhaps the first, of them playing Good Pope/Bad Pope -a psychological tactic used for softening up wayward bishop conferences. Well I don't actually believe that, but I do think it is a pretty funny idea especially if you contrast the two speeches.

Bad Pope: "it is a right and duty of everyone to ensure (the Mass) be celebrated in accordance with the rules laid down by the Church."

Good Pope: "This complete form of faith as expressed by the Creed, of a faith in and with the Church as a living entity in which the Lord is at work,"

With Good Pope/Bad Pope you can smack down about liturgical abuses and then go all pastoral and catechist on them. I guess this could also be called Pope-Rope-a-Dope.

Wayne Laugesen of NCRegister interviews Catholic apologist John Martignoni. I often listen to John on EWTN on Mondays Open Line and I had only heard bits and pieces of his conversion story back to the faith. This interview goes into more detail and how it was a fund-raising letter from Covenant House that started him back into the Church.

NCRegister also has another good story of story of Father James Searby who went from circus promoter for Barnum & Bailey to priest in a profile called Adventures in Sanctity. Fr. Searby also has a weekly homily podcast.

Mike Aquilina has a good post on Pope St. Leo the Great whose feast day is today.

SF author John C. Wright has an excellent post on abortion with some very good arguments he has used when talking with those who are pro-abortion.

Thinking further on Fr. Philip N. Powell vocation exhortation and the problems where some diocese seem to be spending most of their effort in creating pastoral associates to take over parishes and have priests to come in to "deliver" the sacraments instead of concentrating on praying for and encouraging vocations. I thought about the future of such an approach.

I have envisioned a couple of future dictionary terms that could be used when such practices become widespread.

Dieocease - A dieocease is an administrative territorial unit administrated by a bishop. The prominent feature of a dieocease is not necessarily a shrinking Catholic population, but a population characterized with both fewer priests and where as time goes by even less of the faithful live in accordance with Catholic teaching. A dieocease relies prominently on priests from other countries to fill their seminaries, though this starts to slowly diminish as potential seminarians see that there role will be just as SDUs (see entry under perish). Another prominent feature of a dieocease is heterodoxy or can't-we-all-just-get-along-doxy where the attitude "Woe to me if I preach the Gospel" is prevalent. Those with Holy Orders become concerned that preaching what the Church teaches will make some people uncomfortable and that the idea of sin is highly intolerant to their flock's self esteem. Another common parameter associated with a dieocese is that no matter how short of priests they get, they will never think of looking at a regular diocese that is filling their seminary and where vocations are flourishing and emulating what makes them successful.

Perish- A perish is a territorial subdivision of a dieocese. A perish does not have an assigned priest but a pastoral assistant instead. Priests knows as SDUs (Sacramental Delivery Vehicles) visit these perishes to deliver the sacraments from time to time and to consecrate enough hosts for Communion services throughout the month. The Entertainment/Worship (E/W) ratio of perishes is usually very high. The Holy Entertainment of the Mass is the dominant culture. Also the Relevant/Reverence (R/R) ratio is normally also in the same range E/W ratio and an E/W ration of 100/1 falls within a normal range for a perish.

Perish Mission -A annual retreat where perishioners are affirmed in their okayness.

Seminary - Empty building within a dieocease where seminarians used to be trained for the priesthood. In some instanced these buildings have been transformed into Feminaries where predominantly female Pastoral Associates are trained while waiting for a new Pope to allow women priests.

75 - A number looked forward to by some members of a diocese in that this number marks a year a bishop must offer their resignation in accord with canon law.

Nov. 08 (CWNews.com) - The president of the French bishops' conference has said that discussions of a papal initiative to broaden use of the traditional Latin Mass has "taken on unreal proportions." But Cardinal Paul Ricard has repated that the rumored papal document is not ready for release.

Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the French bishops' meeting at Lourdes, Cardinal Ricard said that "various consultations" will be made by Vatican officials before the release of a new papal document on the traditional liturgy. "We can communicate our fears and hopes," he had already promised his fellow French bishops.

Cardinal Ricard told reporter that the Ecclesia Dei commission, of which he is a member, will have an opportunity to review the proposed motu proprio which which the Pope would free up use of the traditional liturgy. Consultations on that document will begin in Rome soon, he suggested.
[Via NLM]

Oh great, now the French find something not to surrender on.

Jimmy Akin comments on the story Vatican opposes Saddam’s death sentence. It is often the case in the press where any comment by a Vatican official is translated as Vatican. They often do the same thing with local Bishops in saying the Catholic Church says when referencing their statements. This is of course very sloppy and Jimmy Akin says the headline should be something like "Vatican officials oppose Saddam's death sentence" instead. This type of misreporting is worse though when it is done by a Catholic source such as in this case the Catholic News Agency.

Jimmy then goes on to comment on other misstatements made in the article as they apply to Catholic teaching on the death penalty.

In addition to the war, which he called a key factor in the losses of fellow Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Rick Santorum and others, Specter said his party will have to become "a lot more progressive and a lot less ideological."

Specter commended Santorum for his candor, but said Pennsylvania's junior senator paid the price at the polls.

"Rick took a lot of controversial positions," Specter said. "You saw the results yesterday."

I do wonder if Sen. Specter campaigned for Rick Santorum as much as he had done for him? Somehow I doubt it. I truly will miss Sen Santorum in the Senate and I doubt if Senator-Elect Casey is going to be all that pro-life.

I thought this quip to be rather funny over at The Corner.

In the Senate, he will impress few and function as a wholly owned subsidiary of Chuck Schumer, except when he is occasionally given dispensation to cast a pro-life or pro-gun vote. --John J. Miller

TALLAHASSEE - A request to review a proposed state constitutional amendment that would require state spending on embryonic stem cell research went to the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Attorney General Charlie Crist asked for the review after Secretary of State Sue Cobb verified sponsors had collected 10 percent of more than 600,000 signatures needed to get the citizen initiative on the 2008 ballot.

The high court will determine whether the amendment conforms to a requirement that initiatives cover a single subject and if the ballot summary is clear and accurate. The justices did not immediately set a date for oral argument.

The proposal would require the state to appropriate $20 million annually for 10 years.

The Culture of Death never sleeps. I guess one positive thing is that yesterday we Floridians passed a state constitutional amendment requiring 60 percent of the voters to approve any state constitutional amendments (which passed by 63%).

Pope Benedict XVI poses for the June page of his calendar called 'Together, one year with the Pope' in this photo released November 8, 2006. The Pope posed for this benefit calendar in the past summer during his retreat at Castelgandolfo, north of Rome. The calendar is made of 14 pictures, taken from the Famiglia Cristiana's photographer Giancarlo Giuliani, and will be sold from November 23. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Giancarlo Giuliani/Famiglia Cristiana/Handout (ITALY)

Being the Pope he of course posed in his loosey-whiteys not tighty-whiteys.

I quipped previously that if Missouri passed Amendment 2 that they should be called the Snow Me state. With the measure unfortunately passing by 50.3 percent you do have to wonder just how many with the intention of actually banning cloning voted in favor of it. It is a wonder though in the modern climate that it passed by so little of a margin. That the pro-cloners spent 30 to 1 in money with support continuing dropping in the polls. The modern medicine show rolls on from state to state guaranteeing miraculous cures and spouting lies. After the con scientists count their grant money and dream of one day patenting the results of embryonic stem-cell research. Since you can't patent adult stem-cells ESCR looks much more lucrative - not in cures, but cash.

Disappointing also was the rejection of the South Dakota abortion ban. In a mostly pro-life state you have to wonder if Roe v. Wade is overturned how many states will actually ban abortion in all cases? What we will probably get is abortion restricted in most cases with what have become the normal (though still wrong) exceptions - though this is much preferable to what we have now.

I do hope that one day aborturaries and embryonic stem-cell research centers will be seen in the same way as concentration camps. That these places will be seen as places where horrible evils occurred.

I happily found myself this morning much more detached from the election results than I have previously been. I am still a political junkie, but the phrase "put no trust in princes" keeps echoing whenever I start to get to upset. Even Speaker Pelosi evokes more a smile than a grin for me - though maybe that is just the happy thoughts of punditry ahead. Watching elections is like reading the Book of Judges with all of the cycles of good judge/bad judge. Or like reading Kings I and II with the same cycles of mainly bad kings with few exceptions. I just have to remember the Book or Revelations to know that everything turns out good in the end. This does not remove the need of both prayer and action in the world, it just makes it easier when kept in mind.

Power Station Mass via Gilibrand.
More pictures here including communion with Leavened bread (illicit not invalid).

I guess this is a version of the Domincan-can or perhaps Communion line dancing.

Previous versions here.

What are your captions?

Vatican City, Nov. 07, 2006 (CNA) - A "speech" allegedly delivered by Pope Benedict XVI to the Swiss bishops was released and few hours later recalled by the Vatican Press Office on Tuesday.

The "Sala Stampa" released a speech allegedly given by Pope Benedict in the context of the Ad Limina visit of the Catholic bishops of Switzerland (scheduled from November 7-9).

According to the Swiss press, the alleged "speech" released by the press office, and even summarized by the Vatican Information Service (VIS), was one prepared by the late Pope John Paul II, but never delivered, since the Ad Limina visit of the Swiss bishops was suspended in February 2005, when the Pope's health became more precarious.

The speech was posted for few hours on the Vatican web page and was also released in Switzerland by the press office of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference. Both recalled the text without further comment.
[Via American Papist]

Just in time for shortly after Halloween this installment of Ad Limina visits from the dead! Cue ghost sound effects.

"My decision to clone myself should not be the government's business, or Cardinal O'Conner's, anymore than a woman's decision to have an abortion is. Cloning is highly significant. Its part of the reproductive rights of every human being."

--Randy Wicher, cloning activist

Via Mary Meets Dolly

I voted earlier today and used a touchscreen voting machine for the first time. Unfortunately it had no Voticons. One thing that is always annoying is voting for judges. All you usually have to go by is some short quip in a voting guide that basically tells you nothing. I lucked out this year between the choice of two judges since one of them made it very easy for me. In her short blurb she quoted Anthony Kennedy, which pretty much calls for a slam-dunk decision to vote for the other person.

Unfortunately my representative, Corrine Brown of Jacksonville, ran unopposed. I suppose nobody from my district was corrupt enough to replace her. She once referred to the Bush Administration as a "racist" "bunch of white men" and told a Cuban-American Representative that "you all look alike to me". She is good for comic relief though and she keeps some people employed just as long as they are ethics investigators.

Tim Harrison of mycatholic.com has provided the ability for those with blogs/websites to easily add Daily Mass Readings and Reflections, Search Catholic Blogs (CatholicBlogs.com), and Catholic Search Engine (google.com) at CatholicContent.com.

Here is a promising new blog by Navy Doctor Tim Collins who has written for Envoy, New Oxford Review, Angelus, and National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly.

UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs.

Researchers from Newcastle University and Kings College, London, have asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for a three-year licence.

The hybrid human-bovine embryos would be used for stem cell research and would not be allowed to develop for more than a few days.

But critics say it is unethical and potentially dangerous.

I guess they want to create a missteak or perhaps dairy farms will start delivering the milk of human kindness.

Kathy Shaidle's headline was Don't have a man-cow.

Electron micrograph of a four-day-old human embryo.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven." Matt 18:10

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Matt 25:40

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,and before you were born I consecrated you;" Je 1:5

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live," Dt 30:19

I saw this Time cover over at Evangelical Catholicism and I thought that the Rosary picture is quite profound even if they didn't mean it that way. A title like God vs. Science is like Reason vs. Logic.

The picture shows a seamless interweaving of life and the Rosary. This picture also reminded me of what John Paul II wrote in Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

Thus the simple prayer of the Rosary marks the rhythm of human life

That just as DNA is fundamental to life, so is prayer. Each strand in DNA is a chain of chemicals called nucleotides. There are only four nucleotides in DNA: adenine (abbreviated A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T) and are used to make up all of the sequences. There are also only four types of prayer (A)doroation (C)ontrition (T)hanksgiving (S)upplication. Every prayer is made up of at least one of these sequences and the perfect prayers like the Our Father are made up of all four.

DNA has been called the chain of life and the Rosary has been prayed in what are called life chains. Fr Groeschel also wrote a wonderful book called The Rosary: Chain of Hope (which includes the Luminous Mysteries) There are DNA ladders and Ladder Rosaries.

I think this picture truly has a lot to meditate on and I think Time has produced a very good icon even if done unintentionally.

Here is a related story.

Vatican, Nov. 06 (CWNews.com) - There is no conflict between Christian faith and scientific truth, Pope Benedict XVI assured participants in this week's plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

In an English-language address to the 80 scientists, gathered in Rome for a discussion on scientific accuracy and the limits of prediction, the Pope conceded that many people see the progress of science as a reason to dismiss faith.

But in fact, the Pope said, scientific inquiry itself is part of God's plan for mankind. And science has its own limits, he added. "Science replace philosophy and revelation by giving an exhaustive answer to man's most radical questions: questions about the meaning of living and dying, about ultimate values, and about the nature of progress itself." Regarding the specific theme of the Pontifical Academy's discussions, the Holy Father said that scientists have a moral obligation to accuracy, and to recognizing their own limitations. In practical terms, he said, "this means avoiding needlessly alarming predictions when these are not supported by sufficient data or exceed science's actual ability to predict. But it also means avoiding the opposite, namely a silence, born of fear, in the face of genuine problems."

The decision was not a difficult one for Frank McMahon, although he said it was one he thought he would never have to make.

As a prerecorded message from Bishop Robert Morlino began playing during Saturday's Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Madison, McMahon, 70, a lifelong Catholic, quietly but purposefully strode to an exit.

"I could have stayed in there and pretended I was soaking it up, but why be a hypocrite?" said McMahon, as he waited out the 14-minute message from Morlino by gazing at a quilt hanging in the church vestibule.

A handful of other parishioners also walked out, unwilling to hear Morlino's opposition to three controversial issues - same-sex marriage, the death penalty and embryonic stem-cell research. One read the Bible. One prayed. One dabbed at tears.
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It was an odd and difficult weekend, many Catholics said. While they are no strangers to the complexities of church issues, this was a new development in negotiating the tricky intersection of personal faith, religious doctrine and electoral politics, they said.

Morlino, bishop for 270,000 Catholics in the 11-county Madison diocese, had ordered all parishes to play his strongly worded audio message on Nov. 4 and 5, just days before an election in which all three hot-button topics will be on the state ballot, either directly or indirectly.

It is rather sad that they have not heard a previous message before Bishop Morlino's tape. As if what the Church teaches has been a secret that was just released. Though maybe that is rather accurate in some parishes. Does walking out before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass fulfill your Sunday obligation? If not what a great way to make a political point by committing a grave sin.

This is how some of the priests introduced the Bishop's tape.

" As most of you have heard by now, I have been ordered to play this." Another said he was "required" to play it.

At Holy Mother of Consolation Church in Oregon, the Rev. Bill Connell admitted he wasn't supposed to say anything about the taped message from Morlino but couldn't help himself. Looking a bit ragged, Connell confessed he hadn't slept for two nights, worrying about what parishioners might do or say upon hearing the tape.

Loosing sleep over how parishioners would react to Church teaching? Seems to me he should be losing sleep over the bad catechesis at his parish. The article though at least printed the positive reaction from some people.

Jennifer Milas, 54, a member of St. Ignatius, said she fully supports the bishop and was glad that he ordered the tape to be played.

"I think a lot of people hadn't talked about their beliefs much," she said. "This really brought it to people's minds."

Milas said she will be voting in favor of the ban on gay marriage and civil unions Tuesday. As for those who walked out of services or protested in other ways, "I just pray that they'll have a stronger faith," she said. "I don't condemn them. I pray for them."

The only thing I would quibble with the good bishop on is his statement on "standing against the death penalty." Mixing things that are intrinsically evil with something requiring prudential judgment only muddle what the Church teaches. For the record I believe that the death penalty should be severely limited, but opposition should be framed in what the Church teaches and not on subject that then-Cardinal Ratzinger said could entail a "legitimate diversity of opinion" among Catholics. Though in this case Bishop Morlino is probably referring to voting in support of a non-binding resolution concerning the death penalty and somebody convicted with first degree murder.

The diocese of Sioux Falls suggests starting a novena to the Immaculate Conception today especially since they have an abortion ban on their ballot. So for the next nine days I will be running their novena.

Prayer To The Immaculate Conception
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Nine
O Mother of the King of the Universe, most perfect member of the human race, "our tainted nature’s solitary boast," we turn to you as mother, advocate, and mediatrix. O Holy Mary, assist us in our present necessity. By your Immaculate Conception, O Mary conceived without sin, we humbly beseech you from the bottom of our heart to intercede for us with your Divine Son and ask that we be granted the favor for which we now plead...

(State your intention here...)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen.

Litany of the Blessed Virgin

Fr. Philip N. Powell, OP reflect on vocation in what before the final blessing.

With the impending election coming there is much talk about the selection of candidates. In some races you think of the phrase "choosing the lesser of two evils." A phrase I really don't like. Even in cases where you a choosing between two candidates that might have views you don't like; you are really choosing to limit evil and are not choosing evil but a good.

Some have spoken of sending a message by sitting out the election or voting third party instead. Well to be sarcastic - all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to vote third party or to sit out the election. Kevin Miller had a very good post on this subject today. If because people sit out and a Supreme Court nominee that could overturn Roe v. Wade doesn't make it through the process - that will really send a message.

Unfortunately it is rarely the case that you pull the lever on a candidate and think wow this person is the perfect moral candidate. Unfortunately in are present system when you vote for someone there is no really good public way to mark your displeasure or that you are voting for them with reservations.

I do have a solution though to this problem. When you read message boards and some blogs you can see the use of emoticons for people to be able to mark the related emotion to what they are saying.

With the advent of so many LCD touch screens in the voting booth just how hard would it be to able to add emoticons with each of your votes? When the emoticons are tabulated politicians would see exactly what you really think of them. Right now a vote appears to them to be an 100 percent vote of approval. It would be great for their humility to get a 80 percent "yawning" and a 10 percent "grossed out' along with other ratings.

Though the standard emoticons are really not expressive enough. I suggest a new category for voting machines - Voticons. Here are some possible Voticons.

Holding my nose while voting for you

You were the lesser of two devils

After voting for you I think I am gonna spew

I am embarrassed to have voted for you but you sucked less than the other person.

I voted pro-life, please don't disappoint me

Used for politicians like Sen McCain where you are "split" between liking him one day and hating him the next.

Remember this is my wallet not yours, please vote accordingly.

Now in some situations I guess you could actually use one of the normal smiley emoticons, for example if you actually get to vote for someone like Sen. Sam Brownback

And here is one last one:

"It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged." G.K. Chesterton

MELBOURNE will host the next world parliament of religions, "the Olympic Games of religion and spirituality", expected to draw 10,000 overseas visitors to the city in December 2009.

The city's harmony between religions and commitment to inter-faith understanding helped it to beat Singapore and New Delhi, according to a spokesman for the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Mike Williams, the bureau's general manager, sales, said the taskforce went to as many grassroots religious centers as possible during their week-long visit in September.

The bureau says the eight-day parliament, the world's biggest multi-faith gathering, will bring visitors from 74 countries — including leaders of the world's main religions and many less-known ones — and will be worth more than $75 million to the state.

The successful bid is subject to completion of the financial plan.

The Federal and State governments are each contributing $2 million.

RMIT Professor Des Cahill, head of the Melbourne bid committee, said: "It is a credit to our multicultural and inter-faith climate that the world's religious leaders and their faith communities have chosen Melbourne for such an important event.

"It is like winning the Olympic Games of religion and spirituality."

A idea of a real Olympic Games of religion and spirituality does have some promise. You could have the Communion dash. This is where contestants receive Communion and then dash out to their car to get out and avoid the traffic in the parking lot. The of course there would be the mountain climb since so many claim there are many paths to the top of the mountain and all of them equal. Wrestling could be another sport considering the number of people wrestling with their conscience. But this at least would be a venerable sport going back to Jacob.

You could also have a teaching relay race. Churches pass on doctrine from generation to generation and the one to not drop doctrines wins. Though they might complain that it is only the Catholic Church that ever wins this one and that Orthodox churches usually come in second.

A group of St. Louis area Catholics led by former U.S. senator Tom Eagleton has challenged church leaders by forming Catholics for Amendment 2.

In a two-page letter sent by e-mail last week to fellow Catholics, the group laid out its reasons for supporting the ballot measure that would protect stem-cell research in Missouri.

Passage would ensure that research could go forward and treatments would be available in Missouri. It would keep Missouri on par with other states by allowing any research and treatment permitted under federal law. And it is moderate in its approach, the letter said.

“Some people want to ban all stem cell research,” the letter said. “At the other extreme there are those who would like to see research proceed completely unfettered. We believe that Amendment 2 strikes a responsible balance … (with) clear ethical boundaries and safety guidelines.”

The letter was signed by the group’s 30-member steering committee, made up mostly of people connected to Washington University and various medical institutions, and including Eagleton, a Democrat, and former state senator Anita Yeckel, a Republican.

The letter is a direct challenge to Missouri’s Catholic bishops, who also sent letters last week to parishioners. Those letters urged the faithful to vote against Amendment 2.

Tom Eagleton was briefly a Vice-Presidential Candidate who stepped down after his electro-shock treatments were revealed is leading this effort. It makes you wonder if he received too many or too few treatments. This group who has members who post on Daily Kos is just another one of those faux Catholic groups who will flat-out lie for their agenda. Who is it that wants to ban all stem-cell research?

CATHOLICS FOR AMENDMENT 2 is putting together a statement to demonstrate Catholic support for Amendment 2 in Missouri which would keep vitally necessary embryonic/SCNT research. I ask my fellow Catholics in Missouri to sign on and send ultra-traditionalist Arcbishop [sic] Burke (St. Louis) and Opus Dei Bishop Finn (KC) a message that this is our Church too and that the faithful do support this very pro-life research.

By this definition Dr. Josef Mengele was also pro-life. So what if the research leads to the death of some, after all they were only Jews/embryos. Not really human you know and they don't look like us. Imagine how many lives we can save by our research.

They are also not afraid to continue the lies in the amendment itself.

Fact #3: Stem cell research does not involve the cloning of a human being, and Amendment 2 strictly bans any attempt to do so. What Amendment 2 does permit (as long as federal law permits) is the creation of stem cells through a process that utilizes a patient's own single skin cell and an unfertilized egg. There is no sperm involved and no fertilization. This process is sometimes called "therapeutic cloning" because it copies the patient's own cell, and the new cells can potentially be used to treat the patient's disease. Amendment 2 specifically bans any attempt to initiate a pregnancy with these cells or to create a human version of Dolly the Sheep. Without Amendment 2, cloning a person is entirely legal in Missouri. Amendment 2 will prohibit it.

Unbelievable. So copying the persons cells is not cloning? That using the same process (SCNT) to create Dolly the Sheep is also not cloning. That somehow if you kill early that a clone was never created. That somehow if they implant an embryo that they say was not cloned if implanted into a uterus then becomes a clone?

There letter also goes on with the false claim that the church opposed using cadavers for research, a subject I covered before. Their understanding of Church history is just as tenuous as their understanding of moral theology.

I can easily understand secular sources advancing such arguments, but I totally fail to understand Catholics doing so. Obviously they must believe we are a soul body composite. That all living things have a soul. Do they think embryos have a animal soul that somehow becomes an human one at implantation or birth? That Jesus before becoming fully God/fully Man, was once fully God, fully animal? When Mary went to the house of Zechariah it could well be the case that Jesus as embryo had not yet implanted into Mary's womb since this roughly occurs seven to ten days after ovulation. By their definition a similar aged embryo can be killed for medical research yet Elizabeth responded at the sight of Mary by saying "...that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Strangely John the Baptist responded in the womb to the presence of an embryo.

Roman Catholic Blog has pictures from the Halloween Mass at the "Catholic-Christian community" of Corpus Christi in Aliso Viejo, in the Diocese of Orange, California. The pictures includes a devil in the choir(rock group) and a She-Devil as a extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. I guess someone dressed as a She-Devil giving out communion is extraordinary. Someone should have gone dressed as a kneeler, since in that diocese it would be pretty scary.

Catholic Church Conservation has pictures of a group of nuns (thankfully not at Mass) who appear to be willing to wear anything but a habit. Diogenes also comments on one of the pictures of a nun in solidarity with the murder of innocents - chickens that is.

The diocese of Sioux Falls suggests starting a novena to the Immaculate Conception today especially since they have an abortion ban on their ballot. So for the next nine days I will be running their novena.

Prayer To The Immaculate Conception
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Eight
O Most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, intercede with him for us that we be granted the favor which we petition for so earnestly in this novena...O Mother of the Word Incarnate, we feel animated with confidence that your prayers in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. O Glorious Mother of God, in memory of your joyous Immaculate Conception, hear our prayers and obtain for us our petitions.

(State your intention here...)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin

Florida first-grader Brandon Rodriguez is convinced God wants us to be kind. A dinner table conversation prompted him to travel great lengths to accomplish the task.

Brandon's dad, Izzy Rodriguez, a native New Yorker, scans the New York Daily News online for information from his hometown. Back in August, when he read about a priest in Brooklyn who was given a parking ticket while administering sacraments to an elderly woman who was dying of the flu at a hospital, Rodriguez was annoyed.

"Can you believe it?" he told his wife over dinner at their St. Cloud home. "They fined the priest $115 while he's administering last rites."

Six-year-old Brandon listened. "Ugh, that is horrible," he said. "Boy, God is going to be mad at that police officer."
Brandon slid off his chair and headed toward his room, Rodriguez told the Florida Catholic late last month. "Wait," said Brandon's mother, Karen Rodriguez. "Come back here and finish your meal!"

Izzy Rodriguez reached across the table. "Wait a minute," he said.

They heard clinking sounds. Rodriguez knew it was coins dropping from the Maxwell House Coffee can in Brandon's room.

He winked at his wife. "I know what he's doing," Rodriguez said.

Brandon emerged, clutching the bottom of his T-shirt, which was loaded with pennies, nickels, quarters and dimes.

"Dad, can you count this?" he asked.

Rodriguez and his son sorted the coins. Rodriguez calculated the amount, which totaled $3.42, but instead of verbalizing the sum, Rodriguez said, "Wow, Brandon. You've got enough money to do whatever your heart desires!"

Brandon grabbed his Veggie Tales suitcase. "I need to go and help the Father in New York," he said.
[Via God's Wonderful Love]

A reader sent me the following article.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Episcopal Church, threatened with losing its place in the world Anglican fellowship in a feud over the Bible and sexuality, is putting its future in the hands of a new leader.

On Saturday, Katharine Jefferts Schori was to be installed in the Washington National Cathedral as presiding bishop, becoming the first female priest to lead a national church in the nearly 500-year-old Anglican Communion.

Jefferts Schori, 52, was bishop of Nevada when she was elected at the Episcopal General Convention in June. She hopes to revitalize Episcopal parishes after years of declining membership and advance the church's fight against poverty and other social ills at home and abroad.

But internal conflicts are likely to consume much of her time.

The 2.3 million-member denomination, the U.S. wing of Anglicanism, sparked an uproar when it consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, three years ago.

Most overseas Anglican archbishops believe same-sex relationships violate Scripture and they want the U.S. denomination to adhere to that teaching or leave the communion.

By contrast, conservatives are a minority in The Episcopal Church, yet their protests here have had some impact. They have chipped away at the authority of the denomination by withholding money and building alliances directly with like-minded Anglicans overseas.

It will fall to Jefferts Schori to try and reconcile The Episcopal Church with its critics — a job complicated by her personal outlook on sexuality.

Jefferts Schori unapologetically supports ordaining gays and allowing blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples, and she voted to approve Robinson's election in New Hampshire.

...Jefferts Schori decided to pursue full-time ministry after federal funding for her scientific research dried up. She was ordained in 1994.

Wow, now this is an arguments for Federal funding of scientific research if I ever saw one. The term Anglican Communion is getting more ironic by the day, perhaps Anglican Diaspora would be more accurate.

Michael Cook at mercator.net has an interesting article on Alfonso Cuarón's latest film called Children of Men.

It depicts an ageing England in the year 2027, 18 years after the last child on the planet was born. The whole world has been afflicted by a mysterious and insoluble epidemic of infertility. There are no children. None at all. Nowhere. In about 50 years' time everyone knows that men will have vanished from the earth.

It's a fascinating premise drawn from a 1992 novel by the British mystery writer P.D. James, now Baroness (Phyllis Dorothy) James of Holland Park. Global sterility is science fiction, of course, but it is a projection of current trends towards lower and lower birth rates throughout the world. In 20 years' time in many countries in Europe and Asia, the largest age group will be the over-65s, with the average age approaching 50 -- the age of the hero of Children of Men.

His review touches both on movie and the book and the parallels to declining populations in Europe.

Cuarón, obviously a reader of the Guardian, hasn't been consulting Mark Steyn's doom-laden columns in the London Telegraph about effete Europeans who have forgotten that demography is destiny. Childlessness is clearly too trivial a theme to serve as anything more than an pretext for nail-biting action and brilliant cinematography. The film's real topic is the Iraq War, the Palestinian conflict and European attitudes towards refugees.

Cuarón is a visual, not a cerebral, director. Even Mark Steyn will appreciate his images of a senescent Europe. Nearly everyone looks over 35. Children are just gut-wrenching memories. In one of many painful moments in the film, Theo saunters through a public library where middle-aged women are sobbing over computer screens with blurry images of smiling youngsters.

Mark Steyn's new book America Alone also touches on some this in regards to demographics.

Relatedly, last night Mark Steyn hosted the Hugh Hewitt Show. Please someone get Mark Steyn his own show - he had me laughing and thinking throughout the three hours. At one point Mark Steyn and James Lileks were on together which had to be one of the highest concentrations of brilliance and wit ever on the radio.

What we claim to believe as Christians must inform all aspects of our lives.

by Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

In his comments to the 2006 Gospel of Life conference on Oct. 28, Archbishop Chaput outlined seven simple principles that Catholics should use to inform their actions in the public square — this year and every year, whether elections loom or not.

1. Relationships have consequences. If we claim to love someone or believe something, we should act accordingly. A married man should be faithful to his wife all the time, every day, in every way. In like manner, a baptized person should seek to be faithful to Jesus Christ all the time, every day, in every way.

2. Jesus gave us the Church as our mother and teacher. She speaks for Jesus Christ and teaches in His name. Therefore, we owe the same fidelity to the Church that we owe to Christ.

3. Jesus told us to “make disciples of all nations” and to be “leaven in the world.” The Epistle of James tells us to be “doers of [God’s] word, and not hearers only,” and that “faith without works is dead.” What we claim to believe as Christians, we need to then prove by our actions — in every aspect of our lives; our families, our friendships, our work and business dealings, and also in our political choices. Otherwise we’re just lying to ourselves and others.

4. Catholic teaching has two basic principles we should use in judging every public issue: First, does this issue advance the dignity of the individual human person; and second, does this issue promote the common good? We can never choose one of these principles to the exclusion of the other. We need to follow both. A public policy can’t truly serve the common good if it violates, or allows to be violated, the sanctity of someone’s fundamental human rights, from conception to natural death.

5. We should bring our faith to bear on all public issues. But not all public issues are equal. Many are important. But some, like the right to life itself, are foundational.

6. As Catholics, we need to think and vote according to our consciences. But a human “conscience” doesn’t suddenly happen out of thin air. It needs to be cultivated, grow and be formed in the light of truth, so that we can understand the difference between good and evil in a genuinely Christian way. Conscience is never simply a matter of personal opinion or preference. It’s not what we want to do, but what we know we should do because of God’s truth in our hearts. We discover that truth by thinking and praying seriously over what Christ’s Church teaches, and trying to conform our actions to her moral guidance.

7. Jesus tells us to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” That means we have a serious duty to respect and appropriately serve public authority. But Jesus doesn’t tell us how much actually belongs to Caesar — and in fact, all of the important things about our lives belong not to Caesar, but to God. God should always come first. When we seek first to be “faithful citizens” of our real and ultimate home — heaven — then we naturally become better citizens of this world, because we become sources of virtue and character and justice for the people around us, even when our message is unpopular. The more truly and faithfully we live as Catholics, the more truly and faithfully we serve our nation’s best ideals and deepest needs.

Here is a excellent speech speech given by Dr. Michael Waldstein from 31 October 2006 in Heiligenkreuz (Austria): Tolkien and St. Thomas on Beauty

In it contains the quote Joseph Pearce is so fond to point out:

“The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like ‘religion’, to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.“ --Tolkien

Gerald posts on the "Catholic-Christian community" of Corpus Christi in Aliso Viejo in the Diocese of Orange, California having a Halloween Mass. Where the parishioners are invited to wear costumes. Afterwards they are planning to carve a "Fred-o-lantern." The following is my favorite part of their notice.

Our God is not threatened by carved vegetables

Sounds like something for a hymn.

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
Our God is not threatened by carved vegetables
Our God is an awesome God

Now it might be one thing if they had specified that they come dressed up as saints, but even that reduces the Mass to that of something less than worship. The idea of a Communion line with witches, ghosts, Jasons, and assorted super heroes and monsters is pretty scary though.

Incoming Bishop Martin Amos, newly chosen as the eighth man to hold that title with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport, has asked for a low-key installation service later this month, and the diocese is poised to deliver just that.

“No money is set aside for this event. All our assets are currently under the protection of the bankruptcy court,” diocese spokesman David Montgomery said Thursday.

A special collection is being taken throughout the church’s 22-county eastern Iowa region to pay for the pared-down celebration since the diocese declared bankruptcy last month. That was two days before the Vatican announced the appointment of Amos and that it had accepted the retirement of Bishop William Franklin.

The Amos installation is planned for 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at St. John Vianney Church, Bettendorf. The Bettendorf church was chosen over Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport, because it is larger and has more parking and other facilities, Montgomery said. The historic cathedral, also called the bishop’s church, holds 220 fewer people.

The diocese has no idea how well the special collection will go, but the funds are intended to provide travel expenses for a group of invited dignitaries. Amos is a bishop in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.

“Bishop Amos wants a low-key installation,” Montgomery said. “He’s considering the financial situation of the diocese.”

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States, will travel from Washington, D.C., to read a letter from Pope Benedict during the service. Nine other bishops also have been invited to take part, and some of them are paying their own expenses, Montgomery said.

Such a ceremony normally would include 28 invited bishops, he said. There also are costs involved with the reception to be held after the installation, but it will not include a dinner.

They should just have an episcopal pot luck afterwards.

Valley Catholics are being asked to pressure the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to stop funding cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood clinics.

The foundation is one of the nation's leading organizations in raising money for breast cancer awareness, and although the organization says Planned Parenthood uses the money only for cancer screenings, the church is concerned Planned Parenthood also performs abortions.

"Some will argue the grant is earmarked for areas other than abortion or contraception, so the affiliation between the organizations is inconsequential," said an editorial in Thursday's Catholic Sun, the diocese newspaper. "But the sad reality is that the grant money now frees up Planned Parenthood funds for those other areas opposing life and counter to our Catholic faith."
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The editorial was approved by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. But Olmsted has not taken action against two major Komen supporters with ties to the diocese.

...A Planned Parenthood representative said some people in the community have a misconception about the organization's work.

"The reality is that over 90 percent of our work is about sexual health education and prevention of unplanned pregnancy and disease," said Melissa Fink, the organization's spokeswoman. "Last year alone, our health centers served nearly 55,000 women and men across central and northern Arizona."

I like the irony of "misconception about the organization's work" and then talking about the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. I also find it rather funny that they defend themselves that they do not just do abortion, but provide contraception also as a rebuttal for why Catholics should support them.

Catholic Church Conservation plays "What it is?" My first thought was a fancy tootsie pop. My second thought was that they were setting up the ball sport played in Battlestar Galactica.

The diocese of Sioux Falls suggests starting a novena to the Immaculate Conception today especially since they have an abortion ban on their ballot. So for the next nine days I will be running their novena.

Prayer To The Immaculate Conception
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Six
Glorious and immortal Queen of Heaven, we profess our firm belief in your Immaculate Conception preordained for you in the merits of your Divine Son. We
rejoice with you in your Immaculate Conception. To the one ever-reigning God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in Person, one in nature, we offer thanks for your blessed Immaculate Conception. O Mother of the Word made Flesh, listen to our petition as we ask this special grace during this novena...

(State your intention here...)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.

Litany of the Blessed Virgin

A reader from the St. Francis De Sales Church, Riverside, CA gave me a link to a parish mission that was given there.

"It is a privilege to be able to recommend, to the reading and listening public, the work of Father Richard Rego, insofar as these tape recorded talks seem to present a very coherent and balanced view of the teaching of the Church, a series of vital issues, issues that are essential for eternal salvation. In some instances, Father takes up themes which are unwelcome and unpopular in certain circles, but which, nevertheless, need to be read and heard. It is my prayer that the work presented by Father Richard Rego will have a happy and pleasant resonance in those who are privileged to read and hear his presentations."
The Most Reverend Fabian W. Bruskewitz
Bishop of Lincoln

This page has six talks from Fr. Rego available as MP3s.

Fr. Rego also maintains a blog.

Dawn Eden has a great music video promoting her soon to be released book Thrill of the Chaste.

Via Diogenes.

Check out this ad from Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good:

Some things ARE as simple as RIGHT and WRONG

Abandoning the poor is WRONG
45 million Americans without health insurance is WRONG
Torture is WRONG
Government corruption is WRONG
War without a plan for peace is WRONG

Notice anything missing?

It's always sad when people feign an interest in subjects that bore them. Think of the progressive Christians you know: is there a single one of them who doesn't convey the attitude that religion is an irritating interruption of more important business?

I guess they now have their own five "non-negotiable" principles now. Once again though they are pointing out things that no politician is running a campaign on. Who is running on a I am for government corruption campaign or where they say vote for me and I will abandon the poor. I missed the campaign of somebody advocating war without planning. "I'm John Doe and I approve this message supporting torture " was an ad I missed.

It seems that the words "Common Good" are the progressive's latest phrase. I see it used now almost everyday. I guess it replaces the "Seamless Garment", but to the same effect. These magical words turn things like the minimum wage to be the same moral weight as abortion. That healthy young people who normally don't want to pay for heath care is the same problem as scientists killing human embryos for experiments. They are ruining the phrase common good the same way they ruined the phrase social justice.

If you conducted a Turing test where you had to differentiate between the DNC's talking points and the talking points of most progressives would it be humanly possible to tell the difference?

Hell Pizza's latest "condom" promotion has fuelled public anger and brought about 30 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority in a matter of hours.

The Advertising Standards Authority said today it had been inundated with complaints about Hell Pizza's latest promotion.

The pizza company has included condoms in a mail-out to promote its "Lust" pizza.

The small pamphlet advertising the Lust pizza contains a condom, and explicit instructions on how to use the condom during sex.

Hell Pizza giving out condoms seems pretty appropriate to me. This being in New Zealand and the fact that Hell Pizza delivers I bet they have a problem with at least one city. After all I would hope Hell Pizza will not prevail against Christchurch. With a lust pizza instead of asking to be delivered from evil they deliver evil.

They also have a delivery promise. Now Hell being outside of time 30 minutes late is pretty subjective.

JOLIETTE, QC, November 1, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Diocese of Joliette has issued a press release after the mainstream media erroneously reported that the Vatican had given permission for a Catholic priest who supports abortion and homosexual 'marriage' to run for public office.

Both a Canadian Press story, published in several papers, and a CBC story claimed that the Vatican granted Fr. Raymond Gravel special permission to run for politics. Gravel is representing the Bloc Quebecois, a separatist party which is also known for its support of abortion and homosexual 'marriage'.

The first line of the press release from the diocese states: "No 'green light' was given by the Vatican." It continues, "The Bishop of Joliette did not receive any permission from Roman Authorities regarding the plans of Fr. Raymond Gravel."

Of course I truly doubt that there will be as many news stories correcting storiest saying the priest had Vatican permission as there were to assert this.

The openly gay Gravel, 54, is a former male prostitute who decided to enrol in a Catholic seminary after suffering a beating that left him near death.

He also supports legalized abortion and the ordination of homosexuals (in 2005, he told a Montreal magazine that 50 per cent of priests in Quebec are gay and that priests in general don't take their vow of celibacy seriously).

He also once received a disciplinary letter from a cardinal named Joseph Ratzinger, better known these days as Pope Benedict XIV.

The outspoken Gravel, who has also run afoul of his church because of his support for gay marriage, wants to run for the Bloc in Repentigny, a staunchly sovereignist riding just off the eastern tip of the Island of Montreal.

The Star was unable to reach Gravel for comment, but he told Radio-Canada that if the Catholic authorities objected to his desire to run, he would continue in his current vocation.

To have believed the original stories in the first place means that you are also probably corresponding with someone in Nigeria concerning a windfall financial transaction. This premise of the story was so ridiculous in the first place and it just shows you how stupid the MSM is. Sure they have editors, but wouldn't a story like this require that someone check with the Archdiocese first?

Fr. Gravel saying he would continue in his current vocation is Church authorities objected is a not unsurprising lie. At the time he already knew not that there was no way he was ever to get such permission. Or that he lied about the Vatican permission in the first place is the sure sign of a dissenter. On this rock I will build my Church, sorry it was not on this Fr. Gravel I will build my Church. Even though every dissenter considers themselves infallible.

Update: Diogenes comments on the story and asks the obvious questions.

The diocese of Sioux Falls suggests starting a novena to the Immaculate Conception today especially since they have an abortion ban on their ballot. So for the next nine days I will be running their novena.

Prayer To The Immaculate Conception
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Five
O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, did prepare a fitting dwelling for your Son, we beseech you that as by the foreseen death of your Son, you did preserve her from all stain of sin, grant that through her intercession, we may be favored with the granting of the grace that we seek for at this time...

(State your intention here...)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen.

Litany of the Blessed Virgin

ROSEDALE, Md. -- A Rosedale family, priests and parishioners are praying that a stolen heirloom will be returned in time for an important ceremony this weekend.

On Saturday, Friar David Kashen is to be ordained as a priest at St. Clements Catholic Church in Rosedale, the parish where he grew up.

But something important is missing.

Last week, the chalice that once belonged to his uncle, the late Father John Barbernitz, was stolen.

It was the same chalice Barbernitz held when he was ordained in the same sanctuary in 1950.

"The chalice that was given was a gift from the parish. It's very special to me. Not only was it my uncle's, but it was something that came from the parish," Kashen said.

"The people in this parish donated jewels and gold to make this chalice. That's why it has so much meaning," said Patricia Barbernitz, a nun who is Kashen's aunt and sister to his late uncle.

The chalice and communion plate, called the Patton, were stolen last week from Kashen's aunt's house not far from the church.

The Patton? Well General Patton was called "Old Blood and Guts", but that is not exactly the same as vessels for the Sacred Body and Blood. Of course they meant Paten, which is an easy mistake.

I do hope that they are returned in time.

"The sisters aren't going to pray to St. Anthony, because it's not lost. Instead, they're praying to the thief. He has no idea what he's up against, with all these nuns praying, and I agree with that," Barbernitz said.

St. Dismas get to work!

Fr. Roderick put together a very funny and well produced short Halloween/All Saints Day/All Souls Day movie.

A reader sent me a link to a homily by Archbishop Chaput at at Red Mass. The Archbishop always makes for a good read and his homily included the following.

We need to drill it into our heads that defending the sanctity of the human person and serving the common good can’t be separated. Stuffing our Catholic faith in a closet when we enter the public square or join a public debate isn’t good manners, and it isn’t political courtesy. It’s cowardice. And we’ll be judged for that cowardice by the God who created us.
[ Read the whole thing]

Unlike I guess every other blogger and their dog I have not yet commented on Kerry's statement.

First off go over to Happy Catholic for some good comic relief on this subject.

I certainly don't buy any of Kerry's excuses or his apology after he said he would not apologize. I have experienced this sort of military sneer first hand in my own life. When I joined the Navy in very liberal Portland, Or the reaction by some was that I must have been forced by a judge or that I didn't have any other job opportunities. My High School electronics teacher who was the quintessential liberal (though so was I at the time) often made comments to me how I was throwing away my life away and that I would be doing nothing but mopping the deck. I also spent six months as a recruiter where my tires were spiked and our office vandalized in Washington state.

I think this attitude is quite prevalent among many liberals. When Richard Belzer appeared on the Bill Mayer show earlier this year they both disparaged the reason people joined the military and Belzer said "They're 19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job," These statements were welcomed approvingly by the audience, but being a Bill Mayer audience that does not say much. Then there was Donna Shalala who said that "the best and the brightest sons" did not go to Vietnam. Though maybe with John Kerry she had a point.

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended."

So I guess now us military types are to stupid to correctly interpret what he said. I guess some of us must be dumb after all to not get the nuance of his statement. Maybe if I studied the French I would get it. A "retired Army guy" at Michelle Malkin's site has the same opinion about this part of the apology.

Maybe those serving in Iraq should feel themselves honored instead. After all he didn't accuse them of cutting off heads and acting like Genghis Khan this time around. He was also slightly nicer than last year when he said "And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women,"

Now that I think of it John Kerry is actually making real progress. Going from calling military personnel beheaders acting like a Mongolian warlord, to people who terrorize women and kids, and finally to just people who lack job opportunities is progress indeed.

The diocese of Sioux Falls suggests starting a novena to the Immaculate Conception today especially since they have an abortion ban on their ballot. So for the next nine days I will be running their novena.

Prayer To The Immaculate Conception
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Four
O Mary, Mother of God, endowed in your glorious Immaculate Conception with the fullness of grace; unique among women in that you are both mother and virgin; Mother of Christ, we ask you to look down with a tender heart from your throne and listen to our prayers as we earnestly ask that you obtain for us the favor for which we now plead...

(State your intention here...)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin