Punditry

I have gripped about Catholics for Faithful Citizenship in the past because they hide behind a patina of USCCB support. When they are in reality just another left wing group that limits the Church’s social teaching to the planks of the Democratic Party. Fr. Carr of Catholicism Anew has made a very fascinating find about some of the people who run the site. This is interesting because they have for the most part hid their identity and have used tricks to hide their domain information. The one identified member also ran catholicsforkerry04.org. Fr. Carr has found out that the person actually behind the domain is one Jackie Zhao of Elmherst NY.

This is where the investigation takes a surprising turn. This blog took the effort to track down referral spam he was getting. The internet addresses associated with this person was sending out spam that is predominately for casinos as both regular and comment spam. The WHOIS information for Jackie Zhao contained a 800 number for contact information. This number is actually a sex hotline number. Further investigation reveals that Jackie Zhao actually lives in Fuzhou Fujian, China. So we have an "Catholic" site spilling out liberal propaganda that is actually run from a spammer in China.

Read Fr. Carr’s commentary on the whole thing.

… would be a better title for the new cowboy movie. There has been much talk on the film review of this movie from the USCCB’s Office for Film and Broadcasting which is rather sympathetic to say the least. Cosmo-Litury-Sex does a nice job highlighting parts of their review. Though I guess now I know why Willy Nelson warned mothers not to let their kids to grow up to be cowboys.

Parents upset over sex-ed speaker

Evangelical to talk today at Berkley High about abstinence

This morning. The topic: sex education.

In the past, that alone might have had parents protesting.

But the objections of some parents this week weren’t about sex or talk of abstinence, but instead about religion in school. [Source]

I was rather supervised to find that the speaker they were talking about was Jason Evert of Catholic answers who they described as an evangelical Catholic. The article goes on and on and then mentions it was three parents who complained and worried that the speaker was out to indoctrinate their children. An article in a newspaper about three parents complaining is pretty ridiculous? Talk about a slow news day.

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – A priest at St. John’s University is resigning from his leadership position in response to newly clarified restrictions against admitting homosexuals into the Catholic priesthood.

The Rev. Bob Pierson, in an e-mail Wednesday to administrators and students at St. John’s and nearby College of St. Benedict, said, "Because I can no longer honestly represent, explain and defend the church’s teaching on homosexuality, I feel I must resign." Pierson said he would resign effective Jan. 15.

Pope Benedict XVI is running the most brilliant inquisition in Church history. No need for trials, inquiries, or other messy procedures. Those who are at odds with Church teaching are just resigning. They are just vanishing one by one on their own cognizance. Nobody expects the vanish inquisition.

Being that this case seems to be one more as part of a trend I just can’t help wondering just what in the world the new Vatican document has changed in the slightest? The constant teaching of the Church and every magisterial document on the subject saying the same thing just how did a document affecting seminaries become the final straw?

Pierson, the Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry, said in the e-mail that he is gay and celibate. He said there were several elements in the Vatican document that he did not accept as true, including the assertion that homosexuals are "objectively disordered."

"I am not an infallible person, but I cannot remain silent about my disagreement in conscience with this document, or the church’s teaching on homosexuality," the priest said. [Source]

Why is it that they always have to mischaracterized Church teaching by not stating that it is homosexual acts which are gravely disordered? If in conscience you can’t accept Church teaching then why misquote them instead of correctly stating exactly what you disagree with? Please send some prayers the way of the confused priest.

In yet another article on Democrats trying to appeal to the faithful.

…"Democrats believe that Congress should act on the true meaning of Christmas – hope, generosity and goodwill toward others," said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., urging an increase in the minimum wage. "Unfortunately, our Republican friends seem to have forgotten the meaning of Christmas."

Well I would agree with that to some extent, though the problem is before you lecture somebody else on the meaning of Christmas it might be a good idea to know what it is first. His statement on the meaning of Christmas is derived from greeting cards and the storyline of every crappy Christmas movie that comes down the pike. It might be a good idea to start with the Gospel of Luke before moving on to wishy-washy sentiment.

That we should act with generosity and goodwill toward others is a given, but these are not ends in themselves but responses to what God has done for us. I have said before that the reason for the season is sin and that the whole point of Christmas is that we needed a savior and that Jesus wondrously humbled himself taking the form of a slave as St. Paul said in Philippians. To equate not seeing that the minimum wage is not a prudential act in helping the poor with not knowing the meaning of Christmas is simply ridiculous.

Granted many Republicans are at ease with using Christian terminology and having their acts show that it is empty. But it is almost comical to hear Democrats try to do the same thing. I lived in Japan for a couple of years and they loved English words on products, but the way they put them together showed they had no idea what they meant (see Engrish). Many Democrats have exactly the same problem. They want to use the wording, but they have no idea how it goes together – maybe this could be called Religrish.

Now I admit to being a pretty partisan conservative, but I am not blind to the myriad faults of the modern Republican Party. I am Catholic first and cringe when reading/hearing torture apologists just as much or maybe even more than when I hear the abortion apologists on the left. No this isn’t one of the both parties suck posts – instead I say "A Pax on both houses." That is the peace of Christ.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

Though of course as this passage from the Gospel of Luke denotes that peace is conditional.

In the heart of Rome, the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany has quietly opened the first convento misto, where men and women who take religious orders can choose to live under the same roof.

Unlike nuns and friars in traditional convents and monasteries, the Bethany brethren take meals together and hold joint prayer sessions every day.

They engage in discussions on the issues of the day and share the daily chores, such as tending the gardens that provide much of their fresh food. [Source]

But since it isn’t a monastery or a covent is it a conventery or a monavent? I am not sure what to make of this other than that it would have to be done very prudently.

…Brother Paolo said that he was confident that the order would know how to respond if a nun and a monk fell in love.

“Well, apart from closed orders, most communities of monks and nuns have contact with the opposite sex in one way or another. There is always the possibility they will be attracted to each other. But people become friars or nuns because they are committed to Christ. When Christ is in your life you need no other partner.”

Well that is certainly the right answer

… Pope Benedict XVI has shut the door firmly on any prospect of allowing priests to marry. Brother Paolo, the Father Superior at the Fraternity of Bethany, said that he believed mixed communities offered “the way forward”, and would attract men and women to the religious life at a time when Church vocations were in decline.

It seems to me that having a vocation to the religious life that required as a condition to live in a mixed community is rather problematic. It is like saying I will give myself wholly to Christ in religious life only if I can live in community with members of the opposite sex. The Church has a rich history of the interactions between religious of both sexes with St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila being a prime example.

The author of the article of course takes multiple potshots at the pope, past and present.

…Pope Benedict XVI has shut the door firmly on any prospect of allowing priests to marry.
…The nuns do not, however, appear to support the idea of women priests, an innovation sternly opposed by the late John Paul II and by his successor and former doctrinal adviser, Benedict XVI.
…In 1969 Pope Paul VI gave the Franciscans autonomy but their leftist sympathies have irritated the new Pope

Fr. Jim DeBruycker the new pastor of the infamous St. Joan’s in a homily on Dec 4th said.

Of course, that’s what chaplains do. You anoint, you burn sage, call down the moon and say Kadesh. It’s pretty easy to be God’s anointed one.

Kadesh? Well perhaps he didn’t mean the ancient Canaanite city, but Kaddish instead. Kaddish is commonly known as the mourner’s prayer and it is prayed for 11 months for the deceased and the purification of their soul. This practice is pretty much identical in effect and belief to the Catholic belief in Purgatory so a Catholic chaplain praying with a Jewish person who has lost a family member makes some sense. Though it is by Jewish practice normally to be prayed only by those who have directly lost a close relative or parent. But burning sage and calling down the moon are both purely Pagan practices that no Catholic priest should involve themselves in. Comforting family members is one thing, but surely this crosses the line.

…At the heart of Jesus’ message and John’s was “God is in you and you have the power to bring God to others.” Ever notice how every time someone tries to honor Jesus, he disappears? He is human, and he knows power’s allure, and he was called to give it to others to make them know they have the power to give, to heal, to do justice. And he knows the hardest thing for humans is not to use power, but to run away and give it to others.

St. Leonard’s warned me not to talk about this because they said you’d know I was really a kook. Remember my going away presents were a gold-plated (actually spray-painted) plunger and a new wand-ebony 11 inches, good for spellwork. I am an avid fan of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter books and movies. Both brilliant expositions of taking power and finding power within.

The smallest of the warriors, a hobbit, is the only one with enough character not to be seduced by the ring of power; and it’s not even the smartest of the small people, but his faithful companion, Sam, who is most true. They are successful, while the powerful destroy each other.

What about Harry Potter? A boy kept in the closet for years who finds he is not a geek when he finally gets out, but a person of really great power who, none the less, has to continue to fight for his right to exist. That sounds familiar.

So, if you don’t get it, and if St. Joan’s don’t get it, we are on trouble. You are the messenger, you have the power and only you can bring the message as it is given to you. But it takes effort. Part of why we belong to a greater Church is that sometimes we are wrong and it’s good to be challenged. Something which you are used to; being challenged, that is, not being wrong. I guess. I suppose. At least that is what everyone here maintains

I’m with this blogger who needs an interpreter for the last paragraph. Now I have much sympathy for Fr. DeBruycker having to be the pastor of this troublesome parish that is virtually in schism from the Church and where the laity believe in the infallibility of their own mirror. Though I guess this homily is a step up from the previous week’s "homily" given by a woman who is a oan Chittister, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossen fan.

I found this article on Catholic retreat centers as a chance for relaxation to be interesting by what it leaves out. The religion ghost in this story did not come out to haunt. We get an architectural review of one center, and the arts and crafts available, but nothing whatsoever on any any kind of spirituality at tall. Though to be fair this is the state of many retreat centers anyway.

A reader sent me links to a couple of stories.

Rome, Dec. 06, 2005 (CNA) – Dissident theologians opposing the beatification of Pope John Paul II have issued an appeal urging Catholics critical of the late pope to tell the Vatican if they also think he should not be made a saint.

The Rome diocese has opened a beatification cause for the Pope. Church officials have asked all Catholics to come forward with personal experiences or evidence of possible miracles that could support a reputation for holiness.

The Group of dissident theologians presented their views in a press conference hosted by the Italian agency ADISTA, in order to foster public backing against the beatification process of Karol Woytila.

One of the best-known signatories was Jose Maria Castillo, a Jesuit professor who has taught theology at the University of Granada. Another was Italian theologian Giovanni Franzoni.

"We invite such persons (critical of the late pope) to overcome their shyness and timidity and formally express, with gospel freedom, facts which according to their consciences and convictions should be an obstacle to beatification," they wrote. [Source]

That’s a laugh, especially the shy and timid critics of the pope part. An answer to prayer would be shy and timid dissidents.

Los Angeles, December 5, 2005 — Beyond Belief Media has formally
declared war on Christmas, the December 25 holiday in which
Christians celebrate the birth of the mythical figure Jesus Christ,
the company announced today.

“Christian conservatives complain nonstop about the ‘War on Christmas,’ but there really isn’t any such war,” said Beyond Belief Media president Brian Flemming, a former undamentalist
Christian who is now an atheist activist. “So we have decided to
wage one, to demonstrate what it would look like if Jesus’ birthday
were truly attacked.”

As its opening salvo, Beyond Belief Media has purchased
advertisements this week in the New York Times, USA Today and the New
Yorker magazine. The company’s 300-member volunteer “street
team” is also descending on Christmas-themed public events with
random “guerilla giveaways” of Beyond Belief’s acclaimed
documentary THE GOD WHO WASN’T THERE.

“No Christmas pageant or Nativity display is safe from our troops,” said Flemming. “Wherever the mythical figure Jesus is
celebrated as if he were real, we will be there with an information
barrage. We will undercut the idea that there is any point at all to
celebrating the ‘birth’ of a character in a fairy tale.”

No surprise that this mockumentary includes Richard Dawkins who seems to spend his whole life explaining why God does not exist. If you believe something is only a fairy tale and then devote most of your short human life to debunking a fairly tale. Even James Toranto who is not exactly part of the religious right calls such people "Atheist Jerks" For example he referenced another group that was asking students to exchange bibles for porn magazines at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Carl Olson in response to the Taranto story posted:

Occasionally, but not often, you do hear about (or even meet) an atheist who really does seem comfortable in his unbelieving skin. Which is, I think, how a real atheist would be: completely unflappable in the face of passionate and proselytizing Christians. After all, if theism is complete nonsense and theists are irrational fools, why be bothered by their mere comments? Perhaps because, as Chesteron noted, if there was no God, there would be no atheist

This is so predictable that it is funny. You just knew that there would be so many articles attacking the new Narnia movie. The too violent meme doesn’t work here like it did for the TPOTC, so this time it is -wait here it comes – too Christian.

‘Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion‘

Of all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to? Poor child Edmund, to blame for everything, must bear the full weight of a guilt only Christians know how to inflict, with a twisted knife to the heart.

That nosey and busy body Messiah dying for our sins without asking anybody first. How dare he! Shouldn’t he have waited for a petition first. How dare he create us without asking us first. Though I do admit there is a paradoxical problem in doing just that.

Even funnier she than goes on to compare C.S. Lewis to Norman Vincent Peale and the health and wealth gospel types.

This appears to be CS Lewis’s view, too. In the battle at the end of the film, visually a great epic treat, the child crusaders are crowned kings and queens for no particular reason. Intellectually, the poor do not inherit Lewis’s earth.

Does any of this matter? Not really. Most children will never notice. But adults who wince at the worst elements of Christian belief may need a sickbag handy for the most religiose scenes.