Wow Democrats Trying To Hide They Are Killing Immigration Reform Again

Seems like I am in a time warp and it is 2007 again. When on when are immigration reform groups and Catholic social justice groups going to realize they are getting played.

The Catholic Key has the latest at

Are Democrats Trying to Kill Immigration Reform?

Answer YES SOME ARE!!

Cool Group Catholic Seminarians Blog -ADD THIS NOW

See Jeff City Seminarians

Which is a group blog by some seminarians of the Diocese of Jefferson City in Missouri.

Dr. Albert Mohler Talks Bishop Long and Accountability

Albert Mohler, who I like and respect, made some interesting comments regarding the accountability and the whole Bishop Long Church scandal in Atlanta.

I pretty much agree with Stop Baptist Predators at her post Denominational Double-talk that the leadership of the Southern Baptist Church really has no business acting superior here.

Now I have a lot disagreements with SNAP leadership (the main clergy sexual abuse victim's organization) and some of the Catholic spokespeople. While I think they are wrong on some proposals I understand their rage and hurt so I cannot blame them. However it has caused me to stop interacting with them, and I suspect other Catholics of good faith that want address the problem have too. That is unfortunate for all .

However this brings us to these comments and Stop Baptist Predators which sadly has also has this pretty damning web site. I get the impression she is sort of the leader SNAP Baptist division

I don't know if it is because I was raised in the Baptist faith or perhaps we both have legal backgrounds ,but she is one of the folks of SNAP I seem to be able to listen too and learn.

I disagree with her no doubt on certain proposals and views she has . For instance I would disagree with her about the legal standing of the Clergy/ penitent privilege See her recent post Ezell's failed leadership on sexual abuse.

However she seems reasonable and does not for the most part brings in another theological agenda under the guise of helping the victims. Which sadly SNAP Catholic spokespeople sort of do and has the effect of really turning me off.

If you review her sites she KNOWS her stuff. She pretty much puts into words and documents what a lot of us in Southern Baptist land have known for a long time. That the SBC is up to their neck with problems regarding this but because the focus is on the Catholics 24/7 no one notices in the media.

Which brings us to the comments of Dr. Mohler that I would hope would know better.

Let me excerpt some of that:
The prior scandal in so many of these cases is the lack of accountability in these ministries. Many of these independent mega-church pastors are defacto dictators, totally without accountability structures. The congregations lack the discipline of a denomination and the pastors or leaders often lack any accountability at all.........

Well, the problem is that these ministries are built on charismatic leadership, so the congregation rarely tosses any leader out, regardless of behavior. In a confrontation with a Senate committee, Bishop Long was asked if he, rather than the church’s board of directors, was in actual control. We are about to find out.

What about at your church?.............

Well as you can see at Denominational Double-talk she has a lot to say about that!!!

Now one reason I like the Stop Baptist Predators is that she sort of brings out a point I often to try bring out to Catholics. Putting local lay people in charge and having local autonomy is not the magic bullet as to preventing sexual abuse in the Church. In fact as to the Southern Baptist example we can see how that is abused.

As Mohler is talking about "charismatic" figures, I do wonder where he is getting the idea the Baptist have safeguards against this. People that sexually abuse are often the most charming charismatic people around. That is why they are do dangerous. We also see the magic Board of Deacons do not in a depressing large number of these cases swoop in from on high to save the day. Neither did the Baptist church at a state or national level either.

See

Pastor in strip club shows Baptistland patterns , (note I get her premise but I am not so sure I agree with how the media handled this)

Baptists must face fear and prioritize risks, (How the reality of $$$$ intrudes)

Iowa church illustrates low standards of Baptistland ,

It's a "business decision" ,

Bolivar Baptist Baloney (Where is the Larger Church Discipline?)

20/20 to air update on Matt Baker story

During a Southern Baptist Convention

That is just her entries from this past summer. Again read her blog and go to the main web site.

As I have often said the Southern Baptists are just a couple of good law firms away which have deep pockets and can connect the dots, to having some major judgments against the many State Conventions and perhaps the SBC itself. Then the avalanche starts.

I like Mohler and respect him. But so far I have not heard his loud, booming , and influential voice as at the SBC or anywhere else on this issues .

Perhaps I am reading him wrong. One could read him as doing this post to try to jump start the discussion in the SBC. Well I hope that is the case because if not he is being very naive.

Catholics Get Yourself To The Chant Cafe Blog

Wow this is great!!!

North Louisiana Abortion Case Might Be Heading To the U.S. Supreme Court

Well this is important. See New Lawsuit Opens Door to Future Supreme Court Abortion Case

On a very related matter in this same Diocese. If you are in or near the Dicoese of Shreveport consider going to Bishop Duca's Pro Life Dinner this weekend.


Respect Life Sunday, October 3rd, 7:15 pm
St. Joseph Church Family LIfe Center in Shreveport
Speaker: Bishop Michael G. Duca
To make reservations, call St. Joseph Church Office, 318-865-3581
$30 for adults and $20 for youth
For more information contact Roxie Tabor318-773-1027

Louisiana Folks On Oct 5th To Celebrate 3rd Father Seelos Day Since Proclaimed By Governor Jindal

The Diocese of Shreveport publication has a nice article on this as well as resources on how to celebrate this day. See Father Seelos Day in Louisiana

Great Article and Pics On Latin Solemn Mass At Notre Dame Seminary In New Orleans

What a treat. The New Liturgical Movement has Solemn Mass in the Usus Antiquior at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans . Note the former Archbishop of New Orleans is in attendance.

Man With Louisiana Connection Teaching Catholic Values To Georgia Football Players

The Georgia Bulletin has a great story here at Teachable moments on the gridiron which involves the football team at Holy Spirit Prep in Atlanata that look like quite the impressive school!!!

What a great article!! My Dyy is made by just reading it!!

What makes these article interesting for me at least is there is Louisiana connection.

From the article we find the head Coach of this Junior Football Team is Brian Moscona that has quite the background.

Here we note Mr. Moscona was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge. He then studied marketing and public policy at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He also spent a year discerning if he had a Vocation to the Priesthood.

On a side note , thought not mentioned in the article, the Head football Coach of the Varsity Team seems to have some Louisiana connection. See Holy Spirit Prep hires new football coach .

Here we learn Coach Jim Falcetti spent 3 year in Baton Rouge coaching at at Redemptorist High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana which at the time won the State Championship. . From his bio we also see he teaches Latin and English. We also learn He most recently returned from archeological work in Italy where he served as residence chief and assistant trench supervisor on an excavation of an Etrsucan temple. His current projects include reporting on the excavation and contributing to a publication on the Roman poet Martial.

Returning to the assistant Coach to the Varsity team that is mentioned in the article , though he has no Louisiana connection that I can see, Tom Curtin is a Latin and religion teacher who also directs the school’s liturgical choir!! He also has has served the school as a faculty mentor in the Moda Real Apostolate, as a junior high football coach, as a team leader for HSP’s religious retreat program, and as Master of the House of Chalcedon. Oh and he like al the men above he went to Notre Dame, and got his Law degree too boot.

It seems on the whole paradise if you want to have you son learn football and be Catholic.

Pope’s Prayer Intention For October 2010 Regards Catholic Universities

Well that is a good thing to pray about (also of course for Campus Ministry at Secular Universities too). See Pope’s October prayer intention focuses on Catholic universities.

Historic- First Church From Episcopal Church Has Announced it Will Join the Catholic Church Under Anglicanorum Coetibus.

Anglo Catholic has Mount Calvary Church, Baltimore (see the comments) and the The Bovina Bloviator has more.

This will be the first Episcopal Church USA to petition to join the Catholic Church under terms of the under terms of Anglicanorum Coetibus. It also looks like it appears the present Episcopal Church Bishop will not fight them tooth and nail on their leaving which is nice.

Now a few observations. Anglo Catholics are not many in the Episcopal Church compared to other factions. This Parish is VERY VERY VERY Anglo Catholic. In fact what is amazing is that this Parish has stayed around in the TEC while others have long gone to other American Anglican groups. How many of this very ANGLO Catholic Parishes there are in the TEC I am not sure versus Anglo Catholic leaning ones.

Having parishes leave the The Episcopal USA to go into the Catholic Church will be be rare in my view. First it appears that Episcopal Church USA is very happy to spend money on litigation with this possibly being a rare example where they will allow the Parish to buy their building back.

Second despite what many Catholics think Anglo Catholics are not the majority in the TEC.

Most of the actions will be with other Anglican Churches outside the TEC folks and those Anglicans and Episcopalian that bind themselves into some sort of association to enter as a group with the intent to establish a Parish.

Anglo Catholic has has posts on the Parishes that have already announced their intention the past week to petition the Church . See
Holy Nativity, Payson, Arizona
Hawaiian ACA Mission Petitions to Enter Catholic ChurchCathedral of the Incarnation Welcomes Appointment of Pastoral Delegate and Declares Intent to Pursue Unity under the Terms of Anglicanorum Coetibus

Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Race Causing Controversy Within the Tea Party

THIS SHOULD HAVE COME AS NO SHOCK. The Lafayette paper has Disagreements emerge in La. tea party groups

Further you can imagine that a lot of Republicans themselves are POED that Villere did not resign as head of the Louisiana GOP when he decided to run for Lt Governor and more importantly run against other Republicans.

Insert "Christian" Instead of Catholic and This Anti Catholic Classic Sounds Modern

Dr Francis Beckwith has a good post at Will Herberg's 1949 Commentary review of Paul Blanshard's notorious American Freedom and Catholic Power on his blog Return to Rome.

He makes a good point here:
There is much that those of us in 2010 can learn from Will Herberg's important 1949 review of Paul Blanshard's famous (or infamous) tome, American Freedom and Catholic Power (1949). Long before Christian conservatives were called "American Taliban" by secular progressives, and long before the United States had to wrestle with controversies surrounding its Muslim citizenry, American Catholic Christians were confronted by a truly vile form of bigotry and suspicion that was embraced by both elite and popular culture. Catholics were labeled by those like Blanshard, who called themselves the "true Americans," as enemies of the very idea of America and the rights, liberties, and alliegences that this nation requires of itself and for its citizens to uphold. Appearing in the August 1949 issue of Commentary, I reproduce Herberg's scathing review in its entirety.

Again read the whole thing. insert Christian for Catholic in places and it sounds like today.

For instance do it in this paragraph:
Mr. Blanshard's prejudices make it impossible for him to appreciate the deep concern that many religious people feel about an allegedly “neutral” school system that in fact indoctrinates the child and young person with an outlook on life in which man is held to be sufficient unto himself and God is treated as an outmoded irrelevance. This secularism, linked to an exaltation of the “social-welfare state” as an omnicompetent agency for the total control of social life, prevents Mr. Blanshard from understanding how people may seriously insist that since social, family, and educational problems are at bottom moral, they cannot be separated from one's religious faith, and if that faith is institutionalized in that form, from one's church.

His perfervid nationalism and statism make it hard for him to grasp how any person genuinely devoted to democracy can nevertheless contend that there is a higher law in the name of which the dictates of the state may be disallowed if these dictates are felt to come into conflict with obedience to God. Mr. Blanshard excoriates (pages 52-53) the Catholics for affirming that they would disobey a law outlawing parochial schools and compelling parents to send their children to the public schools. He thinks such an attitude outrageously undemocratic and a menace to American freedom. To me, on the contrary, this attitude seems not only intelligible but thoroughly in line with the best of democratic tradition, which has always rejected the pretensions of the state to a monopoly of social and cultural life.

Austin Catholic Makes Cartoon Where A Catholic and Protestant Debate Justification!! (Great)

A Protestant Seeks to Educate a Catholic on Justification In the comments we learn this is the result of this Catholic blogger
St. Joseph’s Vanguard And Our Lady’s Train from Austin Texas.

On another note I am going to use this cartoon technology to do a LSU fan Parody.

2010 Thomas More Studies Conference Coming Up In Dallas This November

As usual the topics look great. Pro-Ecclesia has the details here.

At LSU Football Game Fan Has Sex With Police Car (VID - Yes Really)

Pew Poll On Religion Shows Americans Are Idiots

Lot of talk on how atheists know religion better than Christians in the Pew study. I don't think that is the real story. I would expert atheists that are quite vocal to know more. Example Anti Catholics know more about the Church than Catholics do etc etc.

The problem is that a lot of American are of course Christians in name only. However the real problem is that Americans on the whole would failed this religious test so badly.

Take the quiz!!

It seems by just reading the newspaper or paying attention in life most people should have scored a 14 out 15 on this.

We have huge problems in the educational system. Both secular and religious it appears.

Michael Winters Asks If Archbishop Chaput Too Defensive As to Media (Living In the Catholic Internet Ghetto)

Michael Winters in his little corner of National Catholic Reporter rightly brings attention to Archbishop presentation and Q & A session with religion journalists last weekend.

See Silk on Chaput

He ends by saying:
"The only other thing about Chaput's address that jumped out at me was the sheer defensiveness of his speech. Coming on the heels of the media's coverage of Pope Benedict's successful trip to the UK, almost all of it favorable, that defensiveness seemed more than a little odd."

This is the problem. Chaput was talking to what was USA media. The USA media practically ignored the historic UK trip and has yet to really show what a success it was.

The same weekend Chaput was talking we were greeted instead by another unbalanced attack on Benedict by CNN. (See A much-needed response to the CNN Report ) and yet another female Catholic Priest story that was do horrible that Get Religion had to call it out. See Media ordains female priests . Oh and on Chaput and the media look at this That’s mighty Native American of you!

Now I am not picking on Winters. I think all Catholics that monitor Catholic news often get the false impression that the nation is following the Catholic news like we do. The internet gives a false view of that. While the Catholic Press and the UK press were covering Benedict it was clear 95 percent of what we were twittering and linking was not coming from the USA secular media.

Historic Black Catholic High School Becoming A Pipeline For LSU Football

An interesting LSU and Louisiana Catholic related article from the LSU newspaper. See St. Augustine players form talent channel to LSU

Tip of the Hat to The #lsu Daily (a nice resource)

Is Bobby Jindal Using Veterans For Political Gain? A Response

The Daily Kingfish, a Louisiana progressive blog, has a post up at Jindal's Manipulating Veterans for Political Points? . The Kingfish has a question mark there but it is clear he thinks so without looking at all the facts.

Before we get to that there is another dig toward Bobby on these helicopter trips to "rural" towns and Church trips. As to rural read "North Louisiana" where before Jindal came in we could go decade without seeing a Governor. What is not noted is most of the time these "Church" trips are also coupled with a secular event too.

However as to the complaints. The basic charge is that Bobby is using these events for political purposes. Why not just send the medal to Vets in the mail.

Well I do think some workable exceptions should be made. However I think it is quite clear that Louisiana has decided they want to make this a special public honor in the community with a public event.

However what is really being missed here is what goes on at these ceremonies. Jindal is just a part of it. There are also Federal Vet officials present and in fact the Louisiana Sec of Veteran affairs takes up a huge part of the program. He is there to explain to Veterans what benefits they are trying to give them. He also serves the purpose of educating the general public that is there of what the State of Louisiana is doing to help VETS. Which might be good in these days of budget cuts. So the purpose of the event if far more than just a photo op for Bobby.

In Shreveport Louisiana The First Local Campaign Ad Aimed Toward Latinos?

My Bossier has a post up looking at the Shreveport races for election day this week. See Shreveport city races gearing up for the finish . Of interest is a person City Council woman has a vid up in spanish aimed at Latinos. That might indeed be a first. See the vid at his link.

I intend to try to contact her to see what sort of feedback she got on it. I would be curious if this ad is just running on her site or if she running via local cable too.

Pope Benedict Is ALREADY On the Verge of Changing the American Church For Decades Though His Bishops (Rocco Series)

Rocco Palamo has start a five part series on the Benedict's remaking of the American Church Bench. which will be at his place and over at NCR via Michael Winters .

Part can be seen at The Bench, Rebooted or at Q & A: Rocco Palmo (Part I) at NCR. Both have the same text but varying introductions.

This is one of the best pieces that shows how Pope Benedict it appears because partly of timing of his Pontificate is about to change the American Church through it's Bishops and Cardinals in ways we have not seen in a very very long time.

Let me note just a few things things that caught my eye:

-Benedict's intimate knowledge of the cases file for New Bishops/Cardinals is creating a new breed different from JPII's appointments

-Benedict's choices to the American bench in five past years has shown an important emphasis on pastoral ability

-Most of Benedict's Bishops/Cardinal appointments have been in the trenches of education aNd parish life.

-Pope Benedict's new Bishops /Cardinals he appoints recognize the rapid emergence of Hispanics in massive numbers

-Pope Benedict's Hispanic Bishops are seen to have the talent to unite the Anglo and Hispanic Catholics. See See Brownsville’s Daniel Flores, Austin’s Joe Vasquez of Austin and Sacramento’s Jaime Soto.

-Pope Benedict's Latino American Bishops are young and being promoted fast.

-Pope Benedict new Bishops and appointments lacks reliance exclusively upon the Roman universities.

-Pope Benedict has appoint a great number of Bishops and promoted those that have IVY league educations and much varied life experience. Example of this are: - Hebda (Harvard& Columbia Law) Soto & Piché( Morningside Heights) Barres (Princeton) - many more examples at the article).

-Benedict sent word via the Papal Nuncio to American Bishops “your successors will not look like yourselves".

-Benedict's timing Pope has created the opportunity to remake the American Church.

-B16's USA appointments soon to hit "that magic number of 100" -- that is, a critical mass of the bench.

How All Christians Got Cheated When Some Sisters Went Without the Habit

Thank God in the Catholic religious communities that are growing the Habit is coming back. The Anchoress has a good post on this at Cheating the Habit of Being

Obama Carries A Picture of the Blessed Mother - Is He a Crypto Catholic?

Now this is interesting. From Commonweal we learn President Obama always carries a picture of Mary Help of Christians. See Obama and the BVM

From that link another related link . See A Troubling Question About Obama's Religion: Is He a Covert Catholic?

Coach Les Miles Using I Pad Application to Recuit

This is pretty cool. See 'The Miles Method' brings LSU football recruiting to forefront

Miami Archsbishop Is Making Major Changes and Shaking Stuff Up

Thank God about time. I am glad to see this. The Miami Herald has

Miami archbishop shifts landscape for pastors and parishes

The Relics of St Don Bosco Come To New Orleans

Ds Mihi Animas has the cool vids at The Relic Tour of Don Bosco Rolls Through the Big Easy!

Nega Tigers Careless Revolution At LSU Against Les Miles Has Corrupted Youth, Given Anarchy, and Destroyed Holy Sites

The Infallible Fan Base (The people) Has spoken And will do it what it pleases. From booing players to now destroying remnants of ancient civilizations.

I blame this malfeasance of parenting and open rebellion on the Nega Tigers and their spirit of blind revolution , misguided as it is, against the Les Miles regime. It is an infection . Soon we shall have a LSU version of Robespierre running around and we all know how that turned out.
Like the French Revolution this will not end well.

Read it all LSU Mounds reopened and read like how The King of France the LSU administration is inept at handling all this.

The “coup de etat” Is Complete Katharine Jefferts Schori Now Metropolitan Of Episcopal Church USA

To say the least this is breath taking. See The Constitutional Crisis in ECUSA (I).

One must really hand it to Schori. She missed her calling. She would have made a fine politico who has a knack of obtaining more power and control. Perhaps she should be running for mayor of Chicago.

The fix appears in now. While Schori is complaining about some Vatican Curia being formed in Canterbury she has effectively taken control of the entire Church in the USA.

One will think this will not retard her spending on Law suits which appear to be on track to top twenty million dollars by the end of 2012 and is on track at the end of her term in 2015(that is if she ever leaves )to be a whopping , Sixty-Four Million Dollars in legal costs . See Just How Much Has ECUSA Spent on Lawsuits? And How Much Will It Spend?.

Returning to the matter at hand this appears to be well the final attempted act in a saga that has been playing out for now 4o years.

The liberals demanded "tolerance" from the conservative establishment and largely got it. They then got power and bit by little bit they have tighten the vise on their opponents. Now this is not a pure power grab for the sake of power. These are true believers that think that people for instance that refuse to recognize gay unions and non celibate gay clergy are acting against the will of GOD.

This drama will now play out in Diocese of South Carolina.

Update- I thought in fairness I should put up the argument from the other side that is sort of related. See Wild and Crazy Anglican Guys: Surely they could have done better....

Well he sort of has a point too at least legally in some regards. It is all sort of a big mess and when you throw in wanting to remain in communion with the larger Communion it gets real complicated. I do think though the above link leaves out some crucial details which maybe I will get into later. However "Know the Enemy": the Office of the Presiding Bishop and especially the part then the end. A more full look at this issue can be seen here at "Know the Enemy": As the Church Formed, So It May Dissolve. Further at another blog a very interesting bit of history that is important Diocesan Independence and the War Between the States

No let me say as I a Roman Catholic it is really not any skin off my nose how American Anglicans govern themselves. I just post these links because I find the issues pretty fascinating to look at .

Regardless to the office of "primate" itself it appears these are some major changes with this new legislation.

The Anglican Use Comes to the Diocese of Nashville

Some interesting news here. See Our Lady of Martyrs Anglican Use Society via Anglo Catholic.

Another Day Another Bad Female Catholic Priest Story - This TIme At Time (Update)

MCJ has MUST BE MONDAY.

The comments are pretty good and show that no doubt part of this media interest is because of the moves the Catholic Church is doing with certain Anglo Catholics. This women priest movement has lost considerable steam since the 80's and now we are seeing the last desperate moves.

Again what is fascinating is the Eastern Orthodox angle to this story is left out. Needless to say the highest priority in Rome's eyes is continued progress on unification with the Orthodox. Currently high profile talks are occurring. Female Priests would pretty much destroy that forever.

Update- The Deacon Bench , who to say the least knows something about journalism , rips this story apart at

Failing the test of TIME: their story about "women priests"

Archbishop Donald Wuerl on Anglicanorum Coetibus Since Becoming the Delegate

The vid is here

L'Osservatore Romano Lead Editorial On The Pope's Trip to the UK

Whispers has the English translation up.

Horrible- Four Vandebilt Catholic High School Students, Including Quarterback, Killed in Accident After LSU Football Game

Update vid and story here Mother says victims were 'beautiful kids' . Amazing the mother of the vicitms could come to the school Memorial Mass just the day after and help all the kids out.

The Houma paper has a rather extensive article too.

Wow tragic.

Glen Guilbeau Calling Out LSU Fans and the Boo Birds

You know it is bad when he takes his criticism off Les Miles and directs his gaze to the fan base. See Glenn Guilbeau: Good passing games don't always add up to victories

Lincoln and Jewish Chaplains

Some rather cool history I was not aware of.

After UK Visit By Pope Benedict Local Mass So Packed People Having to Stand Outside

Wow this is really good news.

LSU Fans At Times I Really Hate You

One of the most difficult things about being a LSU fan is you must share space with the most bipolar fan base in the world. In truth because so much sucks in Louisiana we are fearful that God will take notice that LSU is doing well and will smite the team down.

Looking at the message boards this morning one would think after the win against WVU we just lost to the Baton Rouge School for the Deaf football team(which actually is good).

LSU fans as a rule in LIFE always see the glass as half empty which brings us to this morning.

We win against a good team but looking at the message boards one would think we just lost to the UNO Club football team!!

I know we have problems at QB. But news flash folks Gary Crowton wants to keep his job. Why do people think J Lee is the magic answer? The same people that are demanding LEE are the same ones earlier this year were suggesting he go to Northwestern St.

The boos are unacceptable. This fan base would have booed Bert Jones .

We beat #18 North Carolina and you complain. We win at Vandy to start the conference schedule with a win and you're disgusted. We whip a very physical Miss. St. team and you worry. We beat a top 25 non-conference team in Tiger Stadium to start 4-0 and you boo our coach and QB.

I am going to the Courthouse on Monday and ask for a protective order from the LSU fan base because you are truly driving me insane.

If you want to see woe look at Georgia where we are seeing carnage that rivals the time General Sherman got careless with matches.

Rant over!!

It's Games Day!! Geaux LSU Beat West Virginia

Does My Blog Look Weird?

I can barely read this thing. Hope this clears up soon. Not sure if it my computer or something else.

Maps of Europe For All Stereotypes

Oh this is pretty funny.

The Empire Strikes Back -Anglo Catholic Church of England Loyalists Announces Alternative to Pope Benedict Offer

Hmm See From the C of E news Ordinariate or Religious Society?

An announcement today about the formation of The Missionary Society of Saint Wilfrid and Saint Hilda, which has a website here.
Anglican Catholic bishops have announced that in addition to the provision of an Ordinariate offered recently by Pope Benedict there is to be a new Society [of St Wilfrid and St Hilda] for bishops, clergy, religious and laity in order to provide a place within the Church of England where catholics can worship and minister with integrity without accepting innovations that further distance the Church of England from the greater churches of the East and West…

Not holding my breath that Episcopal Church USA will give a similar offer. They are too busy suing their flock.

Archbishop Chaput Does Not Disappoint At Today's Religious News Writer Conference

I was watching the journalist attending the religion news writers conference in Denver tweet this live and well it was fun. CNA , just minutes after he finished, has a news story up giving a lot of the quotes and the direction he was going . See Prejudiced journalism 'diminishes public life,' warns Archbishop Chaput

I expect there will be a lot more on this. There was a interesting back and forth that went on between him and the jouranlist that is not mentioned. I am sure that is going to get a lot of attention too.

Yes There Are Jews In Jail Celebrating Yom Kippur

A interesting couple of stories here from Get Religion. See Yom Kippur yearround for inmates

Prediction- Sadly Many Immigration Reform Advocates Will Mess UP In Their Dealings With The Tea Parties

One reason I have been hesitant about doing anything formally with the Tea Parties is I have feared I could not embrace their attitude toward immigration reform.

I thought there might be a divide over it. Mainly because some Libertarians and quite a few social conservatives are open too it. The fact that the GOP pledge did not hit hard on some no "amnesty" theme gave me hope.

Now it appears that within the Tea party there appears at this point there can be a difference of views on this is making me very happy. Perhaps I might in some ways get involved if I can be for sensible immigration reform and not be called a RINO or a Tea party in Name only.

See Tea Party divided over immigration

However have no doubt many immigration reform advocates will mess this up and go with the stereotype. They will lash out and not reach out!! They will be lead by the Democrats into making statements that will cause division and an opportunity will be lost. I have seen this before as to how pro immigration reform GOP folks have been treated or for that matter ignored.

The fact that many went out all for Obama , who killed immigration reform in the Senate, shows that sadly many are just using the immigration reform issue for partisan means.

Hopefully I am wrong.

In Shreveport Black Voter Urged to Vote By Republican With Promises of Limos and Chicken Wings (Not the Onion)

Yes Yes Yes I know it is common for black politicos and operatives to combine transport to the polls and food to get voters to the polls (though I never heard of LIMOs). One just has to listen to Urban radio on election day to discover that fact.

Still when the white GOP guy does it the optics are just really bad!! Yes life is not fair but still.

My Bossier has the full story!! See Wooley's appeal to black voters: Free wings and a limo ride

Update!! There is some hope among some GOP folks that this is a fake flyer done by the opposition. Well we can hope though I don't see that based on anything yet.

Update II- I do note there is no "paid BY" and other legal stuff on it that is required. MAYBE IT IS FAKE!! However as someone that has been on the other side of the fence and worked for DEMS trying to get the black vote we were never precise and to the letter as to all requirement of campaign law as to stuff like this. If the WOOLEY campaign wants to comment in the comments do so and I will update.

Update III- Ok have talked to someone from the Wooley campaign. He says it is a community event. In fact Chicken dinners have been handled out in the past as too door to door campaigning and no one has complained. Well that is good. I really don't have a problem with it really. I am much more concerned how this looks and willbe used. I have already seen Calvin Lester ( A Dem Politico) starting to have fun with it. I think and I KNOW THERE IS A DOUBLE STANDARD here. If the double standard can be defeated and all can do this I have no problem. We shall see how this plays.

Geaux Mary Landrieu - Escalates Battle Over Drilling Ban In A Dramatic Way

I don't often priase Landrieu but I am doing it here. Via Instapundit-



THE HILL: Landrieu to block OMB nominee unless oil drilling ban lifted. “A Gulf Coast Democrat is vowing to block Senate confirmation of President Obama’s budget director until the administration agrees to lift or ease a federal freeze on deepwater oil-and-gas drilling. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D-La.) hold on Jacob Lew, Obama’s widely praised pick to run the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), marks a dramatic political escalation of her battle against the temporary drilling ban, imposed as a safety measure after the BP oil spill.” They told me if I voted for John McCain, pro-oil interests would hold the government hostage. And they were right!
Posted at 8:30 am by Glenn Reynolds

Thinks Moving Fast On Both Sides of the Pond As to the Anglo Catholic Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus

I think it was apparent that Pope Benedict was not going to act in huge public ways on his Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus untill his trip to the UK was over. This was for reasons of Christian charity, diplomacy, and just good taste.

However the has down concluded and it appears things are now moving at a rapid clip. Yesterday in the USA we saw this. See Huge News- Pope Picks Archbishop of Washington D.C. To Head Anglican / Episcopal Outreach Under Anglicanorum Coetibus

Today from the UK the Catholic Herald is reporting things are moving there. See Britain could have an ordinariate by new year

I expect we shall hear similar things soon from such places as Australia , Canada, and New Zealand.

Exciting times.

Major Update at The Empire Strikes Back -Anglo Catholic Church of England Loyalists Announces Alternative to Pope Benedict Offer

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Grow A Pair- Call Out Creighton Professors

Revolution 21 has a excellent post on this at The sexual apostates

American Religious Conservatives On Alert For Ameridolatry

I think it is a good thing we are aware of signs of it and on the flip sides point out when something is not “Ameridolatry”

Summa This, Summa That has various links of the discussion taking place at Ameridolatry Becoming Quite the Topic

Catholic Priest Gets Ordained Two Days After His Baby is Born

NO NO there is no scandal here. See Phoenix Diocese welcomes Episcopalian into Catholic priesthood

Should USA Catholics Have A Temporary Second Sunday Collection For Anglo Catholics

With the exciting news today see Anglicanorum Wuerlibus it is time for American Catholics to help support this effort with their money. We shall all be enriched by their presence.

If I am asked to support the Catholic University of American in a second collection I see no reason why we can't help these folks out.

These various Anglican and Episcopal priests, parishes, and academics that are about to make the swim over the next years are going out on a limb in many ways. That includes financial. It will be necessary to help the Anglicanorum Coetibus framework for a number of years.

That includes insurance for buildings, houses of formations, Anglo Catholic educational places of learning, salaries and insurance for many married priests with families, and in mission planting efforts.

One rather painless way to this (though not the only needed avenue) is another second Sunday collection that could be put in a place for the next few years.

I think Catholics would rather be excited about this and this would be a way for us to get involved.

Terms Used Way To Much To Now Be Devoid Of Meaning- Homophobe, RINO, and Socialist

For example
Karl Rove does not = RINO.
Being Against Gay Marriage Does not = Homophobe
Being a Democrat does not = Socialist.

Coming in a close 4th this week is "GOP establishment"

I swear reading some conservative bloggers you would think they we have been persecuted non stop. Strange since we appears to have had a virtual veto power over any GOP Nominee or his VP from being pro-choice for quite a while. Further I note a lot of people that are complaining about the establishment have been part of the establishment for some time.

Now I understand why this is done to some degree. They get the microscope off their ( and indeed OUR ) own failures because they can complain about this vague establishment for being the cause of all our failures.

Nothing wrong with shaking things up but the persecution complex is sort of silly.

Saint's Owner Tom Benson Donates 8 Million Dollars to Loyola For New Jesuit Center

Thank you Tom for being such a "Saint".

Huge News- Pope Picks Archbishop of Washington D.C. To Head Anglican / Episcopal Outreach Under Anglicanorum Coetibus

Whispers in the Loggia has a excellent post on this breaking story. See Anglicanorum Wuerlibusfrom.

Needless to say it is a huge deal that the head guy on this is the Archbishop of D.C.

It's also big deal that he will be a Cardinal soon no doubt .


Adding the soon to be Archbishop of L.A (who will become a Cardinal soon no doubt and had a great relationship with Anglo Catholics) ,Cardinal Dinardo of Houston who has a good track record with Anglo Catholics there will be at LEAST 3 Princes of the USA Church who are in important poistions to look after their interest.

Related Should USA Catholics Have A Temporary Second Sunday Collection For Anglo Catholics

Religious Leaders Have An Ignorance of the Media Too -A Two Way Street

I commented on the interesting talk Douthat gave yesterday where he mentioned that the media folks covering religion are often ignorant of the subject. On the flip side he mentioned this was a two way street. Get Religion has What Douthat said

Could Black Republican Bill Marcy Beat Bennie Thompson In the Mississippi Delta

I really am not going to get even let myself get hopeful here. There have actually been a couple of attractive black Republicans that one would hope could be do coalition in the past. You would get your hopes up and boom did not happened. I have seen conservative largely fed up Democrat voters team up to support more conservative democrats.. BENNY SURVIVES!! RINSE WASH REPEAT.

Yet I have to admit I want to hope when I see these poll numbers. The Hayride has the link at More November foreshadowing from the Mississippi Delta.

I always take a interest in this district because I have a good bit of friends and family that seem to live under the reign of Congressman Thompson.

Pro Choice "Catholic" Loretta Sanchez Talks About Those Mean Unfair Vietnamese Trying To Take Her House Seat

Hey NEWSFLASH Congresswoman Sanchez!! IF you perhaps pro-life like a good many of those largely pro-life Catholic Vietnamese might vote for you and you might be further ahead!!!

See Loretta Sanchez on Univision: The Vietnamese are trying to take my House seat

OH and by way support CAO in Louisiana.

What Pope Benedict Means By the Future Catholic Creative Minority

Action Inst has a good post on this at Samuel Gregg: Benedict’s Creative Minority

Winona Daily News Versus Pope Benedict and the Catholics of Minnesota

Tip of the Hat to the Catholic Key that brought this to my attention on Twitter today.

Boy did some newspaper folks in a op-ed department wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

See Our view: Church is picking unnecessary fight

Before I get into the op-ed a few words from Pope Benedict who it appears the staff were not listening to when he was in the UK last week or if they did think he is wrong wrong wrong.

From the Ancient Westminster Hall

Religion, in other words, is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation. In this light, I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance. There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none. And there are those who argue – paradoxically with the intention of eliminating discrimination – that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. I would invite all of you, therefore, within your respective spheres of influence, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.

Now to the op-ed. Let me say I always find it amusing when the press tells other to restrict their various first amendment rights please!!

So let's begin!!

Let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to pick on gay people than it is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give shelter to the homeless. It’s probably cheaper, too.
For just the cost of a stamp, some letterhead and a DVD, the Rev. John Quinn, the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona, has joined his other unmarried brother bishops in sending out kits to parishioners in the diocese, warning them of the impending danger of same-sex marriages.

Now this is a sort of constant theme they use here. They seem to want to do a US versus THEM dynamic. The laity versus the weirdo celibate Bishops.

Of course though they don't have to the courage to say it , it is clear they want to rest of Orthodox Catholic mortals that believe we have a role in the public square to shut up too or to be more precise don't use our right to petition our legislators

One other note I wish to being up . The Diocese of Winona does it part in trying to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and find shelter to the homeless. Did they happen to look at this newsletter Working For The Common Good Summer 2009.

Quinn, if you’ll excuse the phrase, pontificated about the dangers of same-sex marriage in the diocesan newspaper, The Courier.
Yet, when pressed on the issue by the Daily News, a diocesan spokesperson referred questions to the archdiocese of Minneapolis/St.Paul, saying this was really its bailiwick.

I suppose they are referencing this edition which can be downloaded here. See page two where it is discussed among other matters.

This most recent example should be doubly disappointing to area faithful.
First, if Quinn has the conviction of principles enough to espouse it in print, under his own name, then he should be courageous enough to defend such a position, rather than deferring to some distant authority.

Well let me say I can take no position if he should had talked to the brain trust at the Winona Daily News. Perhaps he should have. However looking at the quality of argument here they present maybe he thought "What Is the Point!!".

But even more troubling than Quinn’s silence is the position the church has taken.
It’s urging Catholics to take legislative action.

OH NO!!!

If the church wants to preach and practice a policy of discrimination and second-class citizenry from its pulpits, that is an established constitutional right, even if irksome and disconcerting.
If the church — Catholic or otherwise — wants to preach a message of homosexuality’s sinfulness, then it can only be considered free, religious speech, even if, we believe it grossly uninformed and patently hurtful.

Thank for the permission

But when the church starts urging political activity, especially using a vehicle as overt as the diocese’s own printed propaganda, then it crosses an equally hallowed line between church and state.
Any church’s authority is one of spirituality.
Yet, politics, especially in our American democracy, is decidedly secular.
When Quinn and other bishops urge political action, they go too far.

Now this is where the op-ed folks play the game where they pretend to be lawyers and Constitutional experts!! Now they never attempt to make the argument why oral speech from a Catholic pulpit gets more protection than something wrote in the Diocesean newspaper. Strange they don't do that since you know they are a newspaper.

They don't also cite any legal opinion or constitutional authority that the Church has gone "too far". They don't because they know they can't. The Church is very much operating within it's rights in the public square.

It would indeed to be interesting to see if this paper has objected to t Church involvement in issues varying from state execution, the support of immigration reform and the DREAM act, to SNAP, and other various social concerns.

If they did voice objections they would still be wrong. However one suspects their past op-eds have been selective in being critical of the Church based on if they were in common alliance with the Church at the time on certain issues.

Again we see this time and time again elsewhere. In fact go back to this newsletter Working For The Common Good Summer 2009 I quoted earlier.

It appears that the Winona Daily News had no objections to the political activity mentioned in most of that letter regarding the legislative session. Why not? If the Church is crossing that hallowed line of separation of Church and State why the silence the past year till now?

Nowhere do the bishops acknowledge that even if a marriage rights bill passed, it would never compel any church or denomination to perform weddings it didn’t approve of.

I don't think that is the Church's concern so why mention it.

That makes us wonder if the bishops aren’t just taking an opportunity to engage in gay bashing, because the threat gay marriage presents to Catholic clergy is almost less than minimal.

Ahh the being opposed to gay marriage is now "gay bashing" card.

Also note again they do the US versus them thing here. The remote clergy vs the rest of us Catholic folks.

Of course gay marriage will effect the Church as a body and individual Catholics in numerous ways. Just look at the what happen in D.C. as to how the Catholic Church had to close down certain services to conform to anti gay discrimination law. Further when something is made a fundamental right all sorts of new "protections" will come in that Catholics will be compelled to be obeyed by law. IT is the natural order of things. Now you might think that should happen but if so lets have that discussion.

Even area lawmakers — for example, Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, who introduced a marriage bill aimed at defining it as between a man and a woman — said the church’s interference seems ill timed, considering the massive budget problems looming.

It’s a scary thing when we urge the Catholic Church to follow the politicians’ lead.
If the church was really so concerned with families and the sanctity of marriage, it might realize that so many of the
families are hurting because of lost jobs. Lost jobs mean lost food, lost homes, lost opportunities.

I might be dense but I am not sure why the Church cannot be concerned and act on both. Has the Winona newspaper had an Op-ed saying that their legislature shall not deal with any matters at all unless it deals with job creation?

In a time of such hurt, such need and such brokenness, it’s hard to believe bishops would even spend the money and the political capital to fight a war that denies rights to some individuals, while granting them to others.
The bishops, including Quinn, would do well to remember: Just because God’s name is invoked, doesn’t mean the war is holy.

Now this is interesting. Now it appears they were against the Church being involved in political matters. But the two above paragraphs seem to indicate they have no problem if the Church uses it's it's "political capital" on other matters. Which is it?

Further in these "tough times" has the Winona Daily News stopped commenting on issues of the day that do not involved growth in jobs in Minnesota because it might hurt people's feelings?

We see recent Op-Eds :
Quran should be read, not attacked The Catholic Church In America invested time and resources in this debate. Should we shut up, stay out of it and not engaged our politicos?

Our view: English-only idea lacks wisdom I suspect the Catholic Church is not thrilled about this either- SHOULD WE SHUT UP and not to devote resources to this issue

Oh and look at this Our view: High court's decision holds church accountable (By the way the legal minds at the Winona Daily News very much overestimated the importance of the Supreme Court actions there).

Other views: Another techno-threat ... Textual harassment

Our view: This law is wrong - for Minnesota, too . AZ immigration law related which needless to say the Catholic Church has been involved in. Should we shut up and stay out MR Winona Daily News?

No More Drug-Fueled Visits to Amsterdam Under Possible New American Law

I am no were near pro-legalization of drugs but I very much disagree with this. See Wider Still and Wider

Regardless of what you think about drug prohibition, the proposed legislation raises an interesting issue of principle (and, for that matter, elementary diplomatic courtesy). The extraterritorial extension of domestic law is something that should always be done with great care and greater restraint. As is to be expected from almost anything that emerges from a Congress that is as arrogant as it is incompetent, neither quality appears evident here.

Were the Founding Fathers Christians, Secularists, or Believers?

It seems so much has been writen on this subject but we are no closer to resolving it. I think part of the problem is like politics people views of who are "Founders" is quite limited.

Anyway Joe carter has a good post on this that looks at some research. The comments are good too. See Founding Believers

After Benedict's Trip To the UK The Future of the Ordinariate for Anglicans Looks Bright

Damian Thompson has a great piece that I will combine with another addressing recent developments our North American shores as to the Anglican Catholic Ordinariate vision and plan. See Benedict will bounce Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church



We’ll have to see whether the Pope’s visit will lead to a “Benedict bounce” of new vocations, as Cardinal Keith O’Brien predicts. But I’m pretty sure it will bounce more Anglicans into the Catholic Church – some of them under cover of the Ordinariate scheme,....

I agree that should happen. (By the way I wish people would stop using the word "scheme".

Perhaps we need to change the way we think about the Ordinariate. It’s a structure that will be built from the ground up on the Catholic bank of the Tiber. I don’t see many C of E parishes converting en masse: even the most Anglo-Papal congregations contain diehard Anglicans who simply cannot face the prospect of becoming “Romans”. ......

Exactly!! We need to see the reality but the reality is in fact good if not better in some ways.

The success of the Ordinariate doesn’t depend on mass transit. The crucial thing is that this new ecclesial structure lays solid foundations. I can envisage two or three parishes in London, and maybe one in each of our major cities, made of up former Anglicans from different congregations who are bound together by their Anglo-Catholic past and far stricter standards of worship than you would find in a typical Catholic parish...............

Yes the success of the Ordinariate does not depend on Mass Conversions of Parishes. In fact one should really think if that is a good idea to start with.


All this talk of “Anglican patrimony” is rather misleading in England, where Anglicans attracted to the Ordinariate scheme tend to be happy with the Roman Missal (and will be even happier with its new translation). The patrimony of the new communities may have more to do with liturgical style than with liturgical texts. But it’s important to remember that the first Ordinariate parish will be a jumping-off point rather than a final destination: we’re essentially talking about a new movement with the opportunity to develop its own charism. My main worry is that Anglicans planning to take advantage of Anglicanorum coetibus will be disheartened by the sneers and hand-wringing of reactionaries in both Churches. Please, don’t be. The Pope believes that the Ordinariate is prophetic: the next stage in the route to Christian unity.

Exactly. As to Liturgy there are different concern that have to met in different places. I actually think the "hand wringing" of reactionaries will go away one these folks have their own Bishops.

Now returning to our shores some Anglo Catholics got very disappointed with some Anglo Catholic Bishops in North American the last couple of days. See this hard hitting titled piece at Anglo Catholic Thirty Pieces of Silver.

Now the comments by some of the more informed folks as to this is where the meat at is in this post. Reading through them I am taken that this is not a disaster.

I thought these comments were good and show a reality:

Robert Smith says:
September 21, 2010 at 9:19 pm
So first of all the one really good ACA parish in Colorado is Diocese of Missouri Valley. I was so looking forward to them coming into the Catholic Church. The priest there thought it was a good idea but does this mean that he won't be coming in at all? Is it up to the individual parish?
Secondly how can the ACA pass up this opportunity? They are desperately in need of young fresh blood, which can only be provided by those of us who are in the Roman Catholic Church. I was offered the chance to be a ACA seminarian but declined because I could not see myself in 60 years having any sort of parish left. At 22 I am the youngest person in my ACA parish by 40 years! The average age of a congregant is 80! In twenty years there won't be a parish left! But I was SO eager to serve the same congregations as an Ordinariate priest because I knew that it would be sustaining. I know this because so many young Roman Catholics are eager to have an Ordinariate! Bishop, you haven't built up the body of Christ, all you've done is decided to build yourself and your parishes a coffin.

Lastly, and then I'll be quiet, I am not despairing for the future of the Ordinariate. As was pointed out in an early article, the majority of congregants for the Ordinariate in the US will come from RC parishes. In fact as a diocesan RC seminarian I have already received permission to study the Anglican Use to serve at, or start, an Anglican Use parish in Denver, regardless of the status of the Ordinariate. I will greatly miss my ACA brothers and sisters and I will pray that they will come around to their senses but I had no worries about the success of the Ordinariate. Anglicanism will find a home, back where it always belonged, in the Roman Catholic Church.

I quite agree with this and will have something to add on this later.

Another comment from the blogger at the Anglo Catholic blogspot which is a Anglican-Use Roman Catholic Community In Springfield Missouri says

Shane Schaetzel says:
September 21, 2010 at 11:36 pm
While the subject of this letter is disturbing and unfortunate, I am not the least bit worried about it. I am saddened that these bishops, and their followers, will not join us at this time, but the loss is more theirs than ours. I don't mean to come across as conceited here. This isn't about us. It's about history.

When it comes to the ordinariate I'm a firm believer in the saying "if you build it, they will come." The ordinariate will be built just as soon as the Holy Father names the bishop. Once that happens an unstoppable chain of events will begin. Parishes and missions will quickly be incorporated into his jurisdiction. Once that happens, other prayer groups from various areas will spontaneously form requesting pastoral oversight, quickly filling the void created by these few bishops and their followers who refused to join us. Yes, those prayer groups may be small at first, but they will grow, and with pastoral oversight from the ordinary bishop they will have a clear mission and identity.
In time the ordinariate will surpass in size all the "continuing" Anglican groups combined. Within a generation the American ordinariate will surpass the size of all the "continuing" Anglican groups and The Episcopal Church combined. It is inevitable, because it is Catholic, and the Holy Spirit Himself will make it happen, just as He has for every other Catholic body. So you see, the loss is more theirs than ours. We are fortunate and blessed enough to participate in the ordinariate and thus play a role in history that will not soon be forgotten. For some strange reason however, a few bishops from the ACA have chosen not to take part of that. Oh well.

I think he right on many things there. However I find his size prediction in the next ten years to be way too optimistic. However when the Holy Father names the Bishop/Bishops for the various jurisdictions then we are off to the races. It will become quite clear that these are not just some second Class Churches under the regular Ordinary of the geographic region. Thus it should become clear to many Anglicans they shall be protected.

Joshua of Psallite Sapienter get to one of the big problems as to TAC itself:

Joshua says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:30 am
This is sad – but understandable.
After all, as the comments of a learned Canadian TAC member indicate (see earlier post), even doctrinal issues that any Catholic would imagine were unquestioned by these very confidently self-identified Anglo-Catholics – the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption – are in fact real stumbling blocks in a way that speaks of the reactions of High Churchmen in 1854, not 2010. Add to that issues disciplinary and pastoral – the question of irregular marital situations, plus fears, real or imaginary, of Rome and her priests and bishops – and the sad truth that even this once-in-400 year offer will prove a bridge too far for many becomes evident.

No one should cross the Ponte Benedetto unless they can do so with a clear conscience. At the same time, we must continue to point out, in real concern not in haughty meanness, that to try and forge unity in the Alphabet Soup, while better than nothing, will not in the end amount to much: as a friend of mine said, "In the TAC, it ain't springtime" – Hepworth and all others who have fought for this reunion with Rome are the ones with eyes wide open, since they know that, whatever the very real costs, the only long-term hope for Anglicanism is back in full communion with Peter: "Look to the Rock whence ye were hewn" (Isaiah 51:1).
Pastors should know that leading their flock means gently but firmly guiding them to good pasture and springs of living water – not letting the sheep wander withersoever they please, not following the flock.

What HAS been needed, and HAS been conspicuously lacking, it transpires, has been the TAC clergy, at least in the States, fulfilling their appointed ministry of teaching their people – and that means teaching the Catholic beliefs that the TAC episcopate solemnly declared they held. If signing the Catechism was just a nice gesture, and really these men in mitres were High Church Protestants at heart, then the fear of Catholics that Anglicanism is Janus-faced have been confirmed yet again.

Which is why I welcome this process. For those that cannot accept the Full Faith we shall consider them our Firends in Christ but it is best they stay put. That being said that is not a disaster.

The Ordinariate will be a great blessing. We have seen successful Anglican Use Parishes in the USA where the local Bishop if fulling welcoming. One example is The Church of the Our Lady of the Atonement is a remarkable Anglican Use parish in the Archdiocese of San Antonio (whose Archbishop is about to be Archbishop of L.A. The Church that blogs at Atonement Online does say We have a problem... . That is as you can see they are growing by leaps and bounds and so is there school.

Now this is a small glimpse of what the Anglican Catholic Ordinariate will look like in the future. It is strong parish in union with Rome based in the Anglican Patrimony with perhaps a excellent school to boot. When we see the Ordinariate get their own Bishops (yes I think we need to start moving faster) then I see no reason why this will not be duplicated in major cities and then in various other parts of the country. See his past post at Anglo Catholic It's Déjà Vu All Over Again. The upside will be that the process this time should be less painful in some regards.

Next door in the Diocese of Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston , where we have a very friendly Cardinal as to the Anglican Use Parishes that being Dinardo we see Our Lady Of Walsingham. Cardinal Dinardo talked about this Parish and the future of the Ordinariate here. See
Cardinal DiNardo is positive about the future of Anglican Use. He also used the occasion to give the good advice of Don't Rush Things.

Although Cardinal DiNardo is very supportive of the Anglican Use personal parish and the fruition of the Anglican Ordinariates, he advises caution in the fleshing out of the skeletal structure put into place by Pope Benedict with the Anglicaorum Coetibus and its accompanying Norms. He noted that the Anglicaorum Coetibus was not only a work of the Holy See but more importantly the document was a work of the Holy Spirit seeking unity.

Cardinal DiNardo also sees the Anglican Use parish as an effective Catholic evangelization tool to not only reach out to the spiritual marooned Episcopalians in this country and Anglicans abroad to bring them into the fullness of faith in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church through the See of Peter and to also bring those disenfranchised Catholics who have left the Church and discovered Her again through the beauty and majesty of the Anglican Use liturgy.

However the Cardinal warned against Anglican Use parishes becoming a select group and failing to enter into the cross pollenization of liturgical and spiritual enrichment with the wider Latin Rite Catholic Church. He thinks it would be very prudent if once the Ordinariate gets up and running that the Pastoral Provision priests stay temporarily incardinated within their local Latin Rite diocese for on-going financial support at least in the terms of health insurance and retirement benefits until the Ordinariate can afford to foot the entire cost of a married priest and his family needs. That in the beginning the Ordinariate will be small with few self-sustaining parishes and would therefore be financially strapped while the Ordinariate will have to immediately be able to support its own Ordinary and his immediate chancellery structure.
"Go slow!" Cardinal DiNardo emphasized, reminding his Anglican Use audience several times to be patient as the internal workings of the Ordinariate are developed and put into place, reminding the group that the Anglican Ordinariates are a work in process. He noted that patience, common sense and good humor were needed to by all as the details of the Ordinariates are developed and hammered into place well all the while imploring the intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham and realizing that eventually things will fall into place.

I should also note that the this new arrangement shall in time be the place where many non Anglican Protestants and other come in the union with the Church

The ex Church of England Priest now Catholic Priest blogger Standing On My Head in South Carolina notes this at Evangelical Anglican Catholics?

So I think the future looks bright.

Attack On Vatican Bank Smells of Italian Politics

It appears the head of the Vatican Bank was not pleased to see the Vatican and especially his name associated with headlines that had the words money laundering in it.

I have huge doubts about this too since Ettore Gotti Tedeschi is viewed as a man of great integrity. The Vatican responded pretty quickly in standing behind Tedeschi and this came from the highest levels.

There is a good post and interview with the Bank President here at Vatican Bank President: "We're Being Attacked"

Tip fo the Hat to Lisa Graas

Celebration of Christianity First Being Brought to Louisiana In 1682 at St Joseph Louisiana

Well this is interesting. People often think all the important Catholic history of Louisiana happend in South Louisiana. A good bit happened up north too!!

The latest addition of the Catholic newspapers for the Diocese of Alexandrai has a nice photo of the cross and other pictures on page page 13/ It is a PDF files and be viewed here The Church Today, Sept. 20, 2010

I wish there was a bigger story :( Here are the captions below

St. Joseph, La -- Where
Christianity
was first brought to
Louisiana in 1682

LEFT. The plaque on the stone cross pedestal
reads: “In March of 1682, Fr. Zenobius Membre,
a French Franciscan Recollect Father accompanying
Robert deLa Salle’s Expedition down
the Mississippi, became the first missionary to
proclaim the Gospel of Christ within the State
of Louisiana when he preached to the Tensas
Indians on the shores of Lake St. Joseph. This
monument was erected in his memory during
the Centennial Jubilee of the establishment of
the Diocese of Alexandria, Anno Domini 2010.”

Ross Douthat: Religion Reporters Need To Be Like Sports Writers

Douthat of the NYT gave a presentation to the Annenberg School for Communciation & Journalism on covering religion. If you go to the bottom of the link I am about to provide they have some brief excerpts from his speech. His sports analogy is at the end. See VIDEO: Ross Douthat: Journalists Ignorant Of Religion

Archbishop Chaput On Catholics and the The Next America

I guess with the Pope stuff in the UK I missed this article last week. First Things has Catholics and the Next America

Tip of the Hat too Cahiers Péguy

2010 LSU Tiger Stadium Football Game Day Intro Is AWESOME!! -VID

I also agree with somebody that said it would be even more awesome if Les waited to take the field till it was over. Maybe this week.