While the LCWR whines about unfair treatment, Thomas L. McDonald posts a speech from the site  of an LCWR keynote speaker and introduces it with:

The keynote speaker for the annual conference of the LCWR is New Age quack Barbara Marx Hubbard. If you’ve never heard of her, just try to imagine a combination of Deepak Chopra and Ray Kurzweil with an extra helping of crazy. Her big thing is Conscious Evolution, which is the latest repackaging of “est” with an added transhumanist/post-humanist subtext. Here she is explaining Conscious Evolution, which sounds like a combination of X-Men comics, techno-fetishizing, narcissism, New Age nonsense, paganism, trite bromides, bad grammar, Gnosticism, and good old heresy.

Read the speech here which really is full-on crazy where we learn what the Resurrection really was (well not really). That this was the keynote speech for even dissident nuns is rather surprising. But when you leave the Magisterium behind you become open to even the most irrational of theology. I think of Frank Sheed’s brilliant book “Theology and Sanity” and really the Magisterium  (guided by the Holy Spirit) keeps us sane as heterodoxy is really a form of insanity in not seeing reality as it really is.

The sympathetic news stories in support of these dissident nuns is to be expected. Though it is funny that members of the LCWR didn’t seem to see this coming considering how many times they talk about being prophetic. Though I am annoyed about the stories scoping all American nuns as coming under this. For them faithful American nuns should be ignored.

There has been some very interesting developments lately concerning two 4-letter organizations. The SSPX (Society of Saint Piux X) and the LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious).

I have watched with interest the latest news concerning Vatican dialog with the SSPX and that concerning the CDF’s “Doctrinal Preamble” that “steps forward have been taken, that is to say, that the response, the new response, is rather encouraging. But there are still developments that will be made, and examined, and decisions which should be taken in the next few weeks.”

This is advancing much better than I had suspected it would. Really I was quite pessimistic about any real progress concerning the leadership of the SSPX.  Now I am much more optimistic that something substantive  will occur and I pray that it does.

The news concerning the  Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious is also very interesting.  This statement from the CDF is the result of the visitation they made to the LCWR in 2009. I remember some thinking this would result in a total white wash with the Vatican effectively doing nothing about the problem.  For myself I have learned some patience in regard to how the Vatican and especially the CDF reacts.  Well really I have realized I need patience on being patient since the CDF really must act slowly and deliberately out of charity for those being investigated.  Really what I would wish for is special Vatican S.W.A.T. Teams that repel out of helicopters onto dissident institutions with specially trained prayer warriors.

Regardless, the CDF is certainly taking the dissent of the LCWR seriously and are acting accordingly.

The overarching concern of the doctrinal Assessment is, therefore, to assist the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States in implementing an ecclesiology of communion founded on faith in Jesus Christ and the Church as the essential foundation for its important service to religious Communities and to all those in consecrated life.

It looks like the LCWR did their Captain Renault impersonation with “I’m shocked, shocked to find that dissent is going on in here!”

In its response, the Presidency of the LCWR maintained that it does not knowingly invite speakers who take a stand against a teaching of the Church “when it has been declared as authoritative teaching.” Further, the Presidency maintains that the assertions made by speakers are their own and do not imply intent on the part of the LCWR. Given the facts examined, however, this response is inadequate. The Second Vatican Council clearly indicates that an authentic teaching of the Church calls for the religious submission of intellect and will, and is not limited to defined dogmas or ex cathedra statements (cf. Lumen gentium, 25). For example, the LCWR publicly expressed in 1977 its refusal to assent to the teaching of Inter insigniores on the reservation of priestly ordination to men. This public refusal has never been corrected. Beyond this, the CDF understands that speakers at conferences or general assemblies do not submit their texts for prior review by the LCWR Presidency. But, as the Assessment demonstrated, the sum of those talks over the years is a matter of serious concern.

The CDF’s plan is a serious plan of guidance and overview. The short version to quote “Animal House” the CDF has declared that “Well, as of this moment, they’re on DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION!” Well maybe not.

The actual steps the CDF is undertaking with their “5 year plan” is available in the doctrinal assessment itself.

The members of the CDF, SSPX, and LCWR are certainly in need of our prayers as this is not going to be an easy process. Though as pessimistic as I was for the full unification with the SSPX, I have pessimism-squared in regards to the LCWR and it’s members. Regardless I will rejoice for each person that does indeed return.

A surprisingly respectful article from the Washington Post, also amazingly sneer-free.

Ashley McGuire fell in love with the Catholic Church five years ago, after reading its teaching against artificial birth control.

McGuire, then a skeptical Protestant college student, initially saw the ban as a mandatory march to “domestic slavery.” But the more she read, the more she was blown away by the idea that sex — and women’s bodies — must be about more than physical pleasure.

Yet the images the church uses to promote its own method of birth control freaked her out. Pamphlets for what the church calls natural family planning feature photos of babies galore. A church-sponsored class on the method uses a book with a woman on the cover, smiling as she balances a grocery bag on one hip, a baby on the other.

“My guess is 99 out of 100 21st-century women trying to navigate the decision about contraception would see that cover and run for the hills,” McGuire wrote in a post on her blog, Altcatholicah, which is aimed at Catholic women.

McGuire, 26, of Alexandria is part of a movement of younger, religiously conservative Catholic women who are trying to rebrand an often-ignored church teaching: its ban on birth control methods such as the Pill. Arguing that church theology has been poorly explained and encouraged, they want to shift the image of a traditional Catholic woman from one at home with children to one with a great, communicative sex life, a chemical-free body and babies only when the parents think the time is right.

The article does not really get the nuances concerning Serious motives, just reasons, proportionately serious reasons in regards to the spacing of children. Despite that, quite a positive article considering the author Michelle Boorstein is not exactly known for friendly articles regarding the Church.

I finally got around to watch the Cardinal Pell/Richard Dawkins debate which is about an hour long.

Quite an interesting debate that was fairly civil.  I already knew Cardinal Pell was one sharp cookie, though did not know about his sense of humor and wit.  I also knew Richard Dawkins was not a serious philosophical student and he proved it here in spades.  He also seemed to be quite humorless and multiple times had to ask why people were laughing.  I guess he got the selfish gene, but not the humor one.  I did find Dawkins to be rather charming.

Though like many debates no doubt atheists will think Dawkins got the upper hand and other will think the same of Cardinal Pell.  It was not a perfect debate performance by Cardinal Pell, but it was pretty excellent – though he went off point a couple of times in reply.  Once when the Cardinal was talking about Darwin and his theism, Dawkins called him a liar and the Cardinal replied citing the page number in Darwin’s autobiography.  There were other exchanges like that.

Dawkins referred to “Lawrence Krauss’  book A Universe From Nothing: Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing.” a couple of times – a book the Cardinal had also read.  It is a rather a shell-game of a book where nothing is really something – but a much simpler state.  The Cardinal brought up the critical review of the book from what should have been the sympathetic New York Times.

My opinion of Dawkins is that he is really unequipped for such debates.  His understanding of Christian theology is totally undeveloped and distorted as if it was frozen at a grade school level.  That understanding opposing arguments is not a worthwhile use of his time and thus he would jump in with painfully silly questions for the Cardinal.  For example when the Cardinal explained the creation account and it’s literary form. That a truth was being told in poetical form, not in modern historical writing.  But Dawkins oblivious to the the Cardinal was saying, responded by asking that since Adam and Eve were not real than where did original sin come from?. I felt embarrassed for Dawkins at this point.  As Mark Shea sometimes says “Scratch an Atheist, find a Fundamentalist”.

In a related post Marc at Bad Catholic in his post ReligiON, ReligiOFF wrote in part “It hurts to even mutter the heresy, but Science didn’t spring forth from Richard Dawkins’ ass.”  His post is quite brilliant, especially characterizing the atheist culture at Reddit.

A local Planned Parenthood abortion business in California is copycatting the 40 Days for Life campaign, which recently resulted in saving the lives of more than 700 unborn children from abortion. The abortion business has set up its own 40 Days of Prayer for the local abortion center.

“We trust you to decide about your sexuality, having your children, and planning your family,” says a flier promoting the Humbolt County Clergy for Choice event. “We are religious leaders who value all human life. We accept that religions differ about when life begins. We are here to help.”

“We believe that human life is holy. That’s why we believe in your right to choose to be a parent or not,” the pro-abortion religious leaders continue. “It can be helpful to talk with friends you trust, with licensed counselors, and with whatever religious person you choose. Humboldt County Clergy are available to talk with you about the spiritual aspects of choice. Find out more by calling Six Rivers Planned Parenthood.”

…

* “Day 40: Today we give thanks and celebrate that abortion is still safe and legal.”

50 million plus children might have a different definition of “safe”. This kind of reminds me of the Devil quoting scripture. He knows the words, but when it comes down to it really doesn’t understand them and this Planned Parenthood follows suit.

It is interesting that unlike the campaign “40 Days for Life” they have to go with “40 Days of Prayer” since they really can’t mention what they are praying for. They add the subtitle “Supporting Women Everywhere” which is equally vague.

Mostly though what this situation calls for is for the Prophet Elijah. He ran into a similar circumstance himself. “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal then follow him.” The god of ardent abortion believers is not the God of “For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb.”, but a god more resembling Moloch. So that life might be made “easier” a child is sacrificed on the altar of the cold steel table. Elijah simply would not play Baal with them.

Elijah proposed a test to the priests of Baal and the priests of Asherah on Mt. Carmel. His proposal concerned a test of prayer where he allowed them to pray first and call down fire for their sacrifice. They prayed and prayed to no avail. They started to pray more and to cut themselves again to no avail. Elijah ups the ante by pouring water on his own sacrifice three times.

“O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O LORD, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back.”Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”

So let us propose a similar test of prayer with the “40 Days for Life” and the “40 Days of Prayer” campaign. One metric on the pro-life side is abortion clinics closed. So if their prayer if really efficacious than their prayer should result in more abortion clinics open. Another metric on the pro-life side is the number of mothers who decided to be open to life and no go through with the abortion. Planned Parenthood can hardly boost of the number of dead babies of those saved from the mother not changing her mind.

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