U.S. Catholic's Worst Article In History - Liturgy Translations

U.S. Catholic is one of those unfortunate magazines that seems to be in every public library because they need an Catholic publication. I am convinced this is why it is still around.

I often wonder how many people that were interested in the Catholic Faith came across it and decided if this was the Catholic Church they were not entering. Well I would not blame them. It not only is "progressive" and seem to want to validate all kinds of dissent but it's fluff. So it is not even very well done dissent. Of course now it's worse since they have a web presence and can have more features.

That being said this has to be the worst thing I have seen come out of this publication and that is saying a good bit. Father Z has US CATHOLIC: Dumb article on the new translation.

That is so bad I don't know what to think.

Vatican’s Secretary of State Say No Long Term Future For Married Clergy In Anglican Ordinariate

This should not be shocking. See Vatican sees no future for married clergy in Anglican Ordinariate.

While the Anglicanism has its own distinct patrimony within the Western Church it is not a distinct Church like the Eastern Churches. So after the initial period of Converts is over the norm of celibacy will be imposed.

Stunning Video As John Paul II Body Is Moved For Beatification Ceremony

From one celebration (The Royal Wedding) to the next. This video is something else. See First images of John Paul II being moved from the grottoes

For A Minute I Wanted To Be Anglican - Royal Wedding (updated)

Yep I was up before 2 am watching all this. What was not too like. It was majestic yet had a wonderful simplicity about it. And who could not like the military involvement and the important signs of both Christian and civic religion. For a minute ,like in this great piece from a Catholic viewpoint by Holy Smoke, I really wanted to be Anglican. See This is what the Church of England is for

Bring on the new Ordinariate!!

Update -

I saw this on Twitter and can very much agree:

MississippiMama Danielle
Twitter friends busy being all smug and Above It All, you missed the gospel being presented to about 2 billion people.

How true. The Homily and the Liturgy were very sound on Marriage.

Update II-

The Houston Religon page looks at the homily here at Royal wedding gets sacred, spiritual tone with high-church homily

Update III- Did the British Press get the GOD angle and American press did not? Great piece at Get Religion at God at the royal wedding

Coach Lou Holtz Interviewed On His Catholic Faith

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has one of the better Diocesan newspapers online. They have a nice interview with Lou Holtz on his family's Catholic Faith. See Holtz says Catholic faith has shaped his life

Pictures of Front Pages of Alabama Newspapers Day After Tornado

No words and God knows what we shall find today.(click on pic to get full picture). Death Toll well over 200 now and rising fast

Catholic Bishop - Federal Governement Can't Treat Religious Freedom As Some Special Carveout

I am looking for the full text of this sppech that appeared at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in D.C. Since Monday night when storms hit my area to the horrible unfolding tragedy that is hitting the South from yesterday storms I have not had a change to look.

I am going to hit on this more when I find the text. See Bishop: feds increasingly treating religious freedom as government ‘carveout’

Should House of Represenatives Subpoena Coca-Cola - DOMA

I am glad to see there are a lot legal minds on both sides of the DOMA debate that have concerns how the withdrawal of the Legal Firm went down. On that note see Coke’s role in the K & S scandal.

If I was the Speaker of the House I would be really considering that.

Pope Appoints New Bishop For St Augustine Florida - Bishop Felipe Estévez - Update

It has been a very busy 2 weeks. In a space of 10 days Pope Benedict has appointed 3 Bishops to the United States.

Those include an auxiliary to the Archdiocese of Detroit, a New Bishop to the the Diocese of Evansville Indiana , now one to the historic See of St Augustine Florida the place where American Catholicism was first present in the current United States.

Whispers has the news and profile at Felipe, Upstate: Miami Aux to St Aug.

I was struck at first by the age. 65!!! Now it does say something of Benedict's pontificate that I would note that age. 65 is not such an uncommon age for a Bishop I suppose ,but for an Benedict trend of youthful appointments it's striking. He does have a Seminary background which will much needed for this area that will quite a big of Catholic growth.

Update- Very interesting about how the the New Bishop was part of Operation Peter Pan ( an operation by the USA that saved many Cuban youths from the Castro Regime). See Cuba’s Operation Peter Pan boys lead productive lives in U.S.

The New Anglo Catholic Ordinariate is No Big Deal?

MCJ highlights the thoughts of a significant contributor at the Episcopal Cafe and his thoughts on the new Ordinariate. See GRAVEYARD AHEAD, COMMENCE WHISTLING.

I think Mr Naughton's vision is limited to say the least. I am not the only one that has commented that both in the UK, here in the USA, and indeed worldwide the Ordinariate numbers would not be huge at first. This is not shocking since the structure is being just set up and yes we have to allow time for the Holy Spirit to work.

Let me comment on the Ordinariate here in the USA. From indications from a very good source it appears the Ordinariate in the USA shall be set up and up and running in the next few months. The effect on the PROTESTANT Episcopal USA will be negligible. Many Anglo Catholic have already left. We share see a nice number of Episcopal that have Anglo Catholic leaning come over along with some clergy but the numbers will not be a threat to Episcopal Church USA. I think whole Parishes coming over will be a very rare event.

The Episcopal Church USA in it's current trend toward a progressive theology is becoming more Protestant to the core. So those that agree with that vision are unlikely to adopt an Catholic attitude. This is the same body that now balking signing even an Anglican Covenant that would try to establish some norms as to doctrine.

The growth will not come from Episcopal Church members but from CONVERTS!! I suspect this dynamic will occur in the the UK as well as elsewhere.

Pope Benedict does not view the Ordinariate as some quaint museum piece that will house some Anglicanism within the Catholic Church. Neither do thsee people crossing the Tiber. Over at the Naughton site someone made this comment:

I direct music for a Catholic parish, and for me the Ordinariate is a big deal not in and of itself, but because by establishing it, the Roman Church acknowledges at long last that the Spirit has been working within Anglicanism and has produced a remarkable body of work--both artistic and spiritual--that deserves to be the property of the Universal Church. On the ground that means that when I schedule big Anglican hymns, the Pope has my back LOL.

Indeed!

The key here and I think this often missed is that this will be a real separate structure from the American Bishops. The Priests of the Ordinariate will not report to the established Catholic Bishops but to their own Bishop and later Bishops. These Bishops will report directly to the Rome via the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

This Bishops will not have to ask permission from the established American Catholic Bishops on the opening up Parishes , schools , and other structures that are essential to have. This will cause some tension I suspect. In fact I bet it will cause a lot of tension in some areas. However it is a little "competition" that Latin Rite really needs here in the USA. In fact I think Pope Benedict knows this and thinks that is a grand idea.

Regardless the Ordinariate will not be at the mercy of the now local Catholic Bishops in the USA. That was a critical part of the deal that made with the Holy See. Many Anglican rightfully noted how many Bishops were in fact hostile to the efforts of John Paul the II on the Pastoral Provision and the use of Anglican Use parishes.

These new Parishes will not have to deal with American Bishops that are worried about offending the Episcopal Church down the street. I get every indication that they will downright Evangelical in their zeal to expand and bring the Good News to the Anglo Catholic faith in Union with the Bishop of Rome.

Let us look at an example of one of the few Anglican Use Parishes that was blessed to find a friendly Catholic Bishop the past couple of decades. That is Our Lady of Atonement in San Antonio. This Church was founded in 1983 by 18 former Episcopal Church members. Numbers that Mr Naughton would classify as no big deal.

Late last year there was a Conference at this Church for those interested in entering this new structure. Over at Anglo Catholic see this post which has pics and gives a nice overview of Father Phillip's talk. He also has the full text here .

....On the first Sunday after the canonical erection of this parish, our numbers started to grow slightly. Some of those who had left us decided to come back, and eventually were able to make a Profession of Faith. Episcopalians and Anglicans of various stripes came to see what it was all about, and many of them chose to join with us. Lapsed Catholics found a place where they could rediscover their faith, and were restored to the sacraments. People who had no particular religious background found a small and welcoming community of believers, and so made their way into the Catholic Church. One by one, soul by soul, our parish grew and continues to grow – numerically and spiritually – even though it was born in very discouraging circumstances. And I have no doubt whatsoever that our story will be repeated over and over again in the Ordinariate.

So, to those who claim that the Ordinariates “will never work” – they don’t know what they’re talking about. Even the little experiment which is the Pastoral Provision has achieved remarkable results in a relatively short period of time, when you consider that it’s been undercut at every turn. The Holy Father will have repaired that particular problem when he appoints an Ordinary to lead us....

And so it has!! From 18 members to a Church that has 4 Sunday Masses!! It also has one of the finest schools in the Archdiocese with over 500 students. We learn here:

... Atonement Academy came into being on that same Marian feast, 15 August 1994. We had sixty-six students in grades Kindergarten through 3rd -- the exact number that our school’s cofounder and business manager, Deacon James Orr, said that we would need in order to break even. Those sixty-six students rattled around inside a brand new building big enough for ten classrooms -- more than we would ever need, or so we thought at the time.

The people of this parish are not wealthy, and the existence of this school cannot be explained by a single large example of philanthropy. The academy was a pay-as-you-go financial enterprise at its founding, and it remains so today, almost fifteen years and two facility expansions later, and with seven times the initial enrollment. Our school survives and thrives through the labors and the prayers of many devoted parishioners, parents, and teachers -- and, I am convinced, through the gracious intercession of our patroness, the Mother of God.

Our vision for the school today remains as it was at the founding: a daily sacramental life, a devotion to teaching the Truth that has always been taught by the Church, a solid education grounded in the classics and in the Catholic scholastic tradition, a choral music program rich in sacred musical traditions and high standards of musicianship, an orderly and studious environment for our students, and an affordable Catholic education for hard-working families.

Academically ambitious parents of very capable students are entrusting their children's education to us. We have been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and as one of the Nation’s Top 50 Catholic High Schools. We are accredited and taken seriously by the education community. Those of us who work and pray here know better than to claim personal credit for this progress. We would not have achieved it without God’s blessing upon our work. We are determined to continue offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily as a school community, to continue building up our curriculum, and to continue expanding our facilities, as we are able, to serve more families.

All that is a short period of time!!! All by the "not a big deal" number of people of 18. We shall see this repeated I suspect with some great speed in the major Cities of the USA. Then in the cities of medium size and yes even in rural areas. Parishes, Schools, and yes even the founding of Religious orders of both men and women.

While this is occurring both the Anglo Catholics and those that are in the mainline Roman Catholic Church will benefit by mutual enrichment.

So yes the Ordinariate is very big deal. At some point too this will have a much bigger effect on Anglicanism as a whole than many people can dream.

Be sure to visit Father Phillips very good blog.

Ancient Nun Graffiti In Egypt A Huge Potential Find

This is such a cool and interesting story. See Scribbled by a community of nuns ancient Coptic-graffiti at Abydos

Is it Ever Ok To Lie Debate Gets Noticed Outside Catholic Ghetto - Planned Parenthood

There was a news story on it here. The Religion News Service has an article up at Spotlight on abortion activist makes some Catholics nervous.

Here is my question, if this is such a huge moral question of importance then why her? Lying and deception is a critical part of many Catholics job in Law Enforcement on both the State and Federal levels. Why does a 22 year old girl that exposes Planned Parenthood create all the controversial and everyday Catholics that do prostitution and Drug stings for example do not?

Because if what she is doing is wrong then has not the Church committed malfeasance in not saying HEY CATHOLICS modern day law enforcement is a no go in many cases? The fact that it appears to be fine that one can be Catholic DEA agent acting undercover and deceiving appears to make me think there is a lot of gray area.

If your Catholic Church had No "Converts" Does the Bishop Notice ?

I was thinking of that as I read this piece . Now this does not fall on the Priest alone. I know some Parishes with Orthodox Priest where the Laity has not quite got the message they are integral part of this commission by Christ.. The comments are interesting in that post too.

What To Do When Your Priest Gives A Wacked Homily

When I became Catholic it was to say the least the time period after Catholics migration patterns to the burbs had happened. For whatever reason, Catholic migration patterns or other, it seemed the Catholic devotion to "Parish" had slipped some.

I sort of took up this attitude when I was amazed that I had so many "choices" in the city as to the Mass I could attend.. That is I could go to Mass from 4 Pm on Saturday to pretty much all the way to 6 pm on Sunday. Looking back that was a very bad habit to get into and it got ingrained early. I did not set my life around the Mass or my local community but set the Mass and local community around my secular wants . Further I, like a good many people, "Priest shopped".

The downfall of the geographical parish I think caused a what now seems a predictable set of problems. It is still there but not like we saw in the days of "Fortress Catholicism".

The downfall of the local parish was partly because you had no choice at times. The Liturgy was so against the rubrics or the Priest was basically ranting against the Church that you had to leave. If the Bishop was pretty much in the Priest's Corner well what could you do. However with the trend of more Orthodox Priests , Bishops and the errors of the " Spirit " of Vatican II dying down it's time to be a LOT more self critical of our actions.

Which is why I think the Anchoress has the must read Catholic reading of the day on this subject.

Tulane Students Try to Document Creole and Cajun Language Before It Dies Out

I suppose at the end of my lifetime there is a chance hardly no one at all will speak it. How sad :( .
See Living Language Lab on the Bayou

Pope Benedcit Appoints Man of the Eucharist To Be New Bishop of Evansville Indiana - Fr Chuck Thompson

Congrats Indiana!! Whispers has an excellent look at him here.

New Crisis - Evangelicals and Christian Right Bringing In Too Many Foreign Babies To America

Oh what a screed here. See The Evangelical Adoption Crusade via the The Nation.. As with most things there should safeguards but the overreaction here seems to mask another concern if you ask me. Kudos to Senator Mary Landrieu for not being a part of this.

Catholic Charities of Louisiana Getting Screwed Royally By BP?

Well this interesting and very concerning. See Spill Panel Ducks Out Early Under Fire From Louisianans via Courthouse News:

....Feinberg, who makes $1.25 million a month as the administrator of BP's oil spill fund, did not reply. But twice during the meeting he indicated that he thinks public money - not BP's money - should be used to pay for people who are sick or out of work because of the oil spill.
"We enlisted Catholic Charities to figure out what to do and what to do about subsistence claims," Feinberg said.

He did not say, however, that both BP and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF), which he oversees, recently refused to help Catholic Charities with any money to ease the nonprofit's operating deficit.
Immediately after the oil spill one year ago, BP gave Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans $1.25 million. Catholic Charities spent $700,000 of it right away on food vouchers for the people who had lost their jobs to the oil spill. It spent the rest quickly on bringing resources to hard-hit communities.

The charity's bank account has been slammed by the oil spill; it estimates it can continue operating only until June unless more money comes in.
From his personal email account, Feinberg denied Catholic Charities' request on April 6.

"Under the GCCF protocols for payment of claims and under the Oil Pollution Act, these losses would not be considered losses of profits and would not be compensable by the GCCF," Feinberg wrote.

Catholic Charities asked Feinberg for the money after BP's human resources manager in New Orleans, Iris Cross, told the charity it had to go through the GCCF. Still, during the meeting Thursday, Feinberg recognized the need for nonprofits to address the human disaster left by the spill. "Nonprofits don't get the press, they don't get the thanks," Feinberg said. "I don't think this country could be what it is without the nonprofits."

Later, in response to pleas for medical help from a man who says he is seriously ill from exposure to oil and dispersants, Feinberg was tentative about whether his medical claim would be paid through the GCCF.

"Do you have workers' compensation or Social Security?" Feinberg asked.

Sitting on the panel with Feinberg was David Freedman, general manager of WWOZ-FM and a member of the Gulf Relief Foundation executive committee. Freedman cited Feinberg's past successes in handling Agent Orange claims and as special master for the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund.

"You are highly regarded in New York for the work you have done," Freedman told Feinberg. But in the Gulf, "Frankly, people think that you're disingenuous, dishonest, that you're an agent of BP."

Freedman said he had a problem with Feinberg's comment that "we're all in this together," because "BP hasn't been a good player." Freedman pointed out that on the first anniversary of the beginning of the disaster, BP hadn't even made a public statemen "You're what's left," Freedman told Feinberg.

Feinberg conceded he's faced criticism that he put money in the wrong place. One example is the large sums that Gulf Coast seafood marketing campaigns have received, while desperate fishermen have had to throw themselves at the feet of Catholic Charities.

Ignoring Hispanics With Anglo Names Causes Polling Errors

I think there is a lot of merit to this.

Louisiana Episcopal Church Ash Garden / Cemetery Causes Controversy

Some quotes from neighbors here that are not exactly too happy. It am actually surprised the neighbors have been so successful. See Some oppose church’s plan to create ash cemetery
from the Advocate.

Pope Benedict 2011 Holy Saturday Homily -With Helpful Comments

The Papal Easter Vigil has just ended in Rome. Father Z has the best post with the full text of the Homily with comments. He has also some pics from the TV. Father Z combo of comments and paragraph breaks makes it much easier reading than the Vatican web site.. It also expose the massive themes that Pope Benedict is trying to get across. Good homily as usual.

See Benedict XVI’s sermon for the Easter Vigil

Jewish Comedy Writer of Seinfeld, Cheers, Will and Grace BecomIng Catholic This 2011 Holy Saturday

As my tradition more Convert stories on Holy Saturday. See Jewish Convert: Tom Leopold

13 Students at One Catholic School Entering Catholic Church This 2011 Holy Week

Another interesting Catholic convert (s) story. See NJ students step forward to join Catholic Church.
I thought it was interesting to see how many actual Catholics compared to non Catholics were in the school. In my neck of the woods of course a lot more Protestants attend so it might be regional.

Not sure why they are not going ahead and Confirming the kids too. Seems like if you are adult enough to come into the Church then go ahead and confirm them. That might be a Diocese regulation at a play though. Not sure. Anyway Congrats Welcome!!

Pope Benedict to Confirm and Baptize Converts at 2011 Holy Saturday Service

Tonight like every Holy Saturday the Pope Shall be Baptizing and/or Confirming people that are coming into the Church. Not sure how these people get picked from around the world. I am having difficulty finding a story on these folks tonight. However I did find this. Rome Reports has Pope Benedict XVI will baptize a Chinese woman on Easter

Baton Rouge Advocate Rightly Called Out on Jindal and Louisiana Birther Bill

The Hayride has a good piece calling out the Baton Rouge Advocate's piece on Jindal and the the proposed Birther Bill. See The Advocate’s Slip Is Showing

I think he is right to call out the Advocate of trying to make this a racial or immigrant issue. Let us say that a Republican white white guy with a Canadian birth father and and American mother was running. Lets assume that there was some mystery about his birth and the Yukon territory. You can bet your bottom dollar there would be a segment of democrats in order to stop the Executive from falling into GOP hands that would be doing what we are seeing today.

For the record I think Obama is an American citizen. I also think there potential Constitutional problems with the proposed bill. Those issues are where it should engaged.

On a side note I think Jindal has messed up here. I agree that Jindal does not likely give two flips about this bill. However the Jindal response was I think not responsible. At the very least he should wait to see what kind off bill actually gets to him after all the amendments. That being said I would not be shocked to see Jindal move off this position that he will sign it if the legislature passes it. Partly because the national GOP will not like to see this bill happen. Further this bill is explosive. Jindal is going to need some Democrat support to get his agenda through. That will be much more of a priority in Jindal's mind than this bill dealing with birth certificates.

Louisiana Congressman Cedric Richmond Not Safe At All

In Louisiana the redistricting saga often has the side line of throwing two incumbent GOP Congressmen into what no doubt will be a nasty battle. However what the real interesting story to me is what has been known as the New Orleans seat. To maintain this as a black majority district it had to include a substantial number of rural voters and nice part of North Baton Rouge. How the dynamics of this district has changed is breathtaking.

The progressive blog The Daily Kingfish has a good post looking at this district that is now currently held by Freshman Congressman Cedric Richmond. See Safe District but Not A Safe Seat.
For political geeks like myself this race is a dream come true.

It needs to be recalled that we are sadly going back to the open primary. I thought that was a crucial mistake. I think closed primaries are crucial for party building. But it is what it is.

This could not be happening at a worse time for Congressman Richmond. Republicans in this district could become major king makers. That is if they maintain some discipline and not go voting for a Republican that is doomed to lose anyway.

Social and economic conservative should play smart politics here. There are opportunities to back the right black democrat that would be a improvement to say the least over Congressman Richmond. Further the addition of these Parishes will somewhat keep whoever is in that office a tad nervous. In other words one will not be Congressman for life if he just controls the New Orleans political machine.

Looking At Pope Benedict's Historic First Good Friday Q and A TV Show

John Allen makes some good observation at Thoughts on Benedict’s Good Friday Q&A

Prayers Up For Les Miles And Family- Sister Killed in Car Wreck

How sad. She leaves two children. From what I am hearing she might have been a single mom that Les just recently moved down according to a LSU message board poster whose mom taught one of her kids.

Two news early reports here and here

Update- It is being reported that Les' sister was on her way to watch her daughter play College Softball at Southeastern.

Text of Pope Benedict remarks at the 2011 Colosseum Way of the Cross Plus Vid

Whispers again has it at "I Have Promised You My Own Life... I Have Given You My Death"
Rome Reports has a nice short vid here.

Archbishop of Canterbury's Answers for God Little Girl's Question Who Invented Him

This is quite charming and good.

GOP Utah Governor Strikes Back Against GOP Congressmen Over Immigration Policy

Well this is a interesting twist.

About the Psalms You Will Hear On Good Friday

This is pretty is a pretty good piece. See via The Sacred Page The King & the Cross: Jesus' Passion, the Psalms & David

French Catholic Fundamentalists ?

Sigh here we go again!! Fundamentalist used in a lazy manner again.

HOMILY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI 2011 HOLY THURSDAY EVENING MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

Whispers has the full text of another great Homily of the day by the Pope. For Chrism Mass see earlier post. Father Z has text plus comments. Pics to come

Pope Benedict's Cry To God For the West At the 2011 Chrism Mass

Well this part is well I let it speak for itself.

In third place, finally, is the most noble of the ecclesial oils, the chrism, a mixture of olive oil and aromatic vegetable oils. It is the oil used for anointing priests and kings, in continuity with the great Old Testament traditions of anointing. In the Church this oil serves chiefly for the anointing of confirmation and ordination. Today’s liturgy links this oil with the promise of the prophet Isaiah: “You shall be called the priests of the Lord, men shall speak of you as the ministers of our God” (61:6). The prophet makes reference here to the momentous words of commission and promise that God had addressed to Israel on Sinai: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:6). In and for the vast world, which was largely ignorant of God, Israel had to be as it were a shrine of God for all peoples, exercising a priestly function vis-à-vis the world. It had to bring the world to God, to open it up to him. In his great baptismal catechesis, Saint Peter applied this privilege and this commission of Israel to the entire community of the baptized, proclaiming: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were no people but now you are God’s people” (1 Pet 2:9f.) Baptism and confirmation are an initiation into this people of God that spans the world; the anointing that takes place in baptism and confirmation is an anointing that confers this priestly ministry towards mankind. Christians are a priestly people for the world. Christians should make the living God visible to the world, they should bear witness to him and lead people towards him. When we speak of this task in which we share by virtue of our baptism, it is no reason to boast. It poses a question to us that makes us both joyful and anxious: are we truly God’s shrine in and for the world? Do we open up the pathway to God for others or do we rather conceal it? Have not we – the people of God – become to a large extent a people of unbelief and distance from God? Is it perhaps the case that the West, the heartlands of Christianity, are tired of their faith, bored by their history and culture, and no longer wish to know faith in Jesus Christ? We have reason to cry out at this time to God: “Do not allow us to become a ‘non-people’! Make us recognize you again! Truly, you have anointed us with your love, you have poured out your Holy Spirit upon us. Grant that the power of your Spirit may become newly effective in us, so that we may bear joyful witness to your message!

First Journalist Saint Gets Newspaper Article In Official Prayer For The Church- For Maureen Dowd We Pray To The Lord

This is pretty cool. See Newspaper Article Included In Liturgy of the Hours Text of Blessed Lolo Added for Nov. 4

Plus he was a AP reporter!! Imagine what can be done there. Though if I was the New York Times Op Ed page I would not be holding my breath that they will replace a Sunday Gospel anytime soon. :)

All kidding aside I think this is a good idea. More on this 2oth Century Saint here.

HOMILY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI 2011 HOLY THURSDAY MASS OF THE CHRISM

Related post Pope Benedict's Cry To God For the West At the 2011 Chrism Mass

Beautiful as always. I am having some paragraph formatting problems when I copy and paste still so I will just the full link to the text at Whispers in the Loggia. I will try to get some pics of the Mass

Update-

More pics on this entry plus a new post on the Pope's Holy Thursday Night Service which is about to happen when I get back from the dentist.

National Catholic Educational Association Against Catholic Homeschoolers? - Diocese of Austin Texas Related

Over at American Catholic there is a rather disagreeable matter that is being engaged. See Diocese of Austin: Homeschoolers Need Not Apply.

Yes very disagreeable to talk about in Holy Week but well you just got too.

First there is a lot of good happening in the Diocese of Austin and that area is under huge growth and yes strain that comes with it. I also am going to assume that Bishop of Austin really did not write that letter himself. Needless to say stuff like that causes hurt. The comments in the post are interesting and many come from Catholic families in Austin. They seem to help clarify the situation

However in the comments there was this comment (the 4th one by PDQ) that is just vile and pulls the "Race" card of all things. In the comment right after the administrator of this thread say this person has commented before. As she shows the IP address comes from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

Now that comment could have come from anyone. However as they Darwin Catholic said this has been a repeat offender. Catholic Homeschooling is in my view a special vocation. It is an option and is really not a threat to Catholic education in the way it is generally practiced. In fact for many Catholics it might be the only option. I am assuming in good faith this did not come from someone that has real authority over there or so I pray.It would be the height of FOLLY to assume that is the NCEA viewpoint of policy on how to engage homeschoolers. However others that are in the thick of it might not be so open to that possibility

Regardless the NCEA really should look into this matter and not let someone who has personal gripes cause a unneeded rift between Catholics here. Those remarks were very un Christian . Who knows what other Catholic Homeschooling parents this person might be sending emails too. These people also can find IP addresses too.

Catholic Religious and Social Justice Folks Need To Hire Better Brief Lawyers For Supreme Court Cases ( Climate Change Case)

American Electric Power Co., Inc. v. Connecticut which involved a interesting case if the Plaintiffs could get injunctive relief against the utilities for the emission of greenhouse gases that the plaintiffs allege have contributed to climate change.

Basically a rather novel claim that some federal common law claim for public nuisance exists as greenhouse gases. Judging from what I read from the about the oral argument in front of the Supreme Court even the most progressive of Judges seemed skeptical.

Mirrors of Justice has a good post on this at Climate Change at the Court. The whole thing is a good read for the lay person and Lawyers Catholic or not. However something caught my eye which I want to quote . My comments after the quote:

....Second, an amicus brief was filed by several religious organizations, including five Catholic groups: the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, the Franciscan Action Network, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The brief makes two arguments: (1) “global climate change is a grave and unparalleled threat to God’s creation,” and (2) “justice and morality demand an urgent response to global climate change,” and there are several cites to the Bible, Pope Benedict XVI, and a document from the USCCB.

Now, I’m the last person to say that “justice and morality” don’t have anything to do with law, but that isn’t really the issue here. The religious groups’ amicus brief is, I think, an example of a dangerous temptation in the law and religion field, i.e., a hasty move from religious and moral considerations to hard legal and policy conclusions. AEP v. Connecticut presents a set of legal questions and some fairly technical ones at that, including the scope of implied federal common law, the political question doctrine, standing, and the capacity of the federal courts to enforce an injunction capping greenhouse gas emissions consistent with judicially manageable standards. I don’t know what justice and morality require with respect to the appropriate levels of carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired electricity-generating plants, but, even I did, that wouldn’t help me decide whether federal courts should be setting those levels instead of expert administrative agencies.

This isn’t reducible to a left-right political divide. Though the New York Times had an editorial on the plaintiffs’ side yesterday, such right-wing voices as the Obama Administration, the Washington Post editorial page, and Laurence Tribe have argued that regulation of greenhouse gases is properly the responsibility of the EPA operating under the statutory authority granted in the Clean Air Act, not the subject of a massive lawsuit in federal court. One can scarcely imagine, say, Justice Breyer—who has spent his life arguing for the importance of administrative agencies—thinking that one of the most complicated regulatory issues of the day should be handed over to the federal judiciary. So my concern (as someone committed to the enterprise of bringing the insights of religion to law) is that crudely arguing that “justice and morality” require a particular outcome in this case doesn't make religious voices prophetic, it just makes them look benighted.

I so agree. Too often in Catholic Social Justice circles people forget this Constitution thing exists. The approach seems to be X is good Y is bad and if Z can get us what we want then damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead.

Now there is quite a few questions about the roles of Courts, Federalism, the role of Administrative bodies , etc ,etc, etc in many of these cases. Those really have to be engaged. We really are a system of laws and we do have a governing document. One cannot just ignore it.

Update-

After thinking about and reading this "Brief" again it is even worse. I said :

"The approach seems to be X is good Y is bad and if Z can get us what we want then damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead"

I am not sure they even got that far.

I do wonder if the the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, the Franciscan Action Network, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, AND by the way the THE COLUMBAN CENTER FOR ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH (CCAO) actually had the following discussion:

Hey the EPA just not is cutting it lets put our eggs in the basket of A Federal Judge aided by a couple of Law Clerks that just got out of Law School!!

Somehow I doubt it . I think they just got a call from some aligned group, thought it sounded good and SIGNED ON!! So everyone wins. The Plaintiffs can go look at these good Catholics and other backing us and it gives these Catholic groups something to talk how that they are doing something. Who cares if the actual policy could be a disaster for their goals. I don't think they got that far even. At least that is the impression I get from the "legal brief". The scary thing is how often does this occur?

Should U.S. Bishops Take on Congressman Paul Ryan and His Budget? A Washington D.C Monsignor Engages That Question

A very nice post by Monsignor Pope where he also goes back in the comments. An example of good civil Catholic discussion. See A Request for Your Input on How We Should Address the Deficit and Debt

The issue is of course much bigger than any particular budget as I think Monsignor Pope is trying to get at . Many will be proposed and calling out Catholics of good faith on many issues of economics and fiscal problems relating to the budget as it relates to Catholic Social Justice is just going to be counterproductive. I like the the discussion that is had there in all 113 comments.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond Prays and Pleads For Louisiana Fishermen On BP Oil Spill Anniversary

A sad and tragic day that is recalled today which effects is still going on.

New Yorks Times Very Interesting Piece On Obama's Mom

This is very well done. Oh and I don't his mom was a fan of oil executives which might explain some things:)

Still a good read. It always folly to play armchair political therapist as to lay politico x on the couch. Still I think we get some interesting insight into Obama here.

Law Enforcement Killing of Beloved Louisiana Attorney Ruled 'lawful'

I am going to refrain from much comment on this now :( My Bossier has
Killing of Vivian attorney John Morneau ruled 'lawful'

In Bible Soaked South Ex Catholics Bring Holy Week Services To Evangelical Churches

Well this is pretty interesting from again the Houston newspaper's religion section.. See Ex-Catholic evangelicals return to liturgy for Holy Week .

While It's depressing so many are ex Catholics ( and since this is Houston that might be Latino Ex Catholic which is more depressing ) for me at least as Holy Mother Church guy .still one wonders what else they are bringing into these faith communities.

A Need To Reform The Chrism Mass - It's Not Just For Priests and Bishops

An Anglican had a interesting post on the Holy Week Chrism Mass and the somewhat recent Catholic changes. See Changing the Oils

I think he has a point perhaps and would love to get some Catholic Liturgical input if he is on to something. I , who should know better, often view this as the thing Bishops and Priests just do during Holy Week. Though to the Church's credit there is much attention by Dioceses of trying to get the lay folks down to the Cathedral in the pews.

That being said I think Priests and Bishops , especially in these days, needs a time of special coming together that has liturgical , spiritual, and personal quality and experience. It is pretty impracticable to do that on Holy Thursday . One would not want that to be become a "Cathedral Experience Only" Liturgy at all.

Practices do change of course and people unlike the old days cannot just take the blessed oils home like they are Holy Water. However I still wonder if perhaps there are ways we can make the Chrism Mass more a important part of Holy Week for the laity.

Its 420 Day - Protestants and Weed

LOL at the Houston Newspaper . They gives us some insight on Protestants and pot .See
In honor of 4/20, Christian perspectives on smoking pot

What Dahlia Lithwick Get Right and Wrong on Roe V Wade - The Death of Roe? (Updated)

Update- Look at the bottom for an important update. As a factual matter Lithwick gets a lot more wrong than I had time or want to point out. See bottom for that link.

Dahlia Lithwick is the liberal Supreme Court and legal writer for Slate. While I often disagree with her and think her writing would improve if she opened her mind some her writing is still pretty good.

She has as I say a MUST READ article today at The Death of Roe v. Wade
Supporters and opponents of abortion seem to agree: It's no longer the law of the land. It is one of those pieces where her insight comes into play.

First what she gets wrong. Roe V Wade has not been the law of the land for some time or at least the intent of ROE. For that , and perhaps the backlash to it, you can thank pro-abortion forces. If one reads ROE one sees the Court trying to set up trimesters of state interest where it would be more difficult for an abortion too occur because of rising legitimate state interest. The problem is that the women's health qualification became so broad that it allowed pretty much no prohibition on abortions. An abortion doctor says a woman's mental health is in danger and poof we are even in the land partial birth abortions. Thus we have much more liberal abortion laws than Europe.

The tension is seen Lithwick's article where she even thinks waiting periods are prohibited by Roe. Actually she mentions Roe and its progeny with progeny being the key word. She also I think is wrong to say attitudes on the abortion question have not changed. I think polls have shown a general trend toward more restrictions. Further let is recall that as late as 1974 the Southern Baptist Convention was passing pro-choice resolutions.

But where she is very right is what has been occurring at the State level. I have seen pro-life legislation down to defeat here in Louisiana and now we have some of the most pro-life legalisation on the books. All within a time period of a decade and a half.

It is vogue even in some Catholic corners to criticize the Right to Live Movement, social conservatives, and pro-life GOP folks for doing nothing on abortion. The problem is these folks are just D.C. view based. If it does not happen in the beltway and thus get reported on their cable news it is not happening. Dahila Lithwick at least correctly understands that is a too much limited viewpoint.

Update-

This Notre Dame Law Prof calls her out too. See Let’s Get Hysterical

Haley Barbour Is the Best Baseball Player of the 2012 Field No Doubt

Readers of this blog know I am huge LSU baseball fan (more later today on that) which means I am a big SEC College baseball fan.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State played a important midweek game that means a lot to them. That is the Governor's Cup. The sports writer for the Jackson paper has a good article today on the baseball history of Presidential hopeful Gov Barbour. See Gov. Barbour just as crafty on mound as political arena

Anglican Diocese of Sydney- Head Quarters of Anglican Anti catholics?

I use anti catholic with a small "c" in this post. I do not that because I am not assuming that Anglican in this Diocese are ANTI ROMAN CATHOLIC with a big C. Though I can assume they are much in in disagreement with us.

The Anglican Priest from New Zealand "Liturgy" had an interesting post at lay presidency – again. This deals with the issue if a lay person can "preside" at the Eucharist. This is a consistent thought from this Anglican Diocese that seems to push this issue a great deal.

Strangely you will have some very radical Roman Catholic at times try to push this idea but they are of course on the fringes and have a different agenda in some regards than the conservative Anglicans of Sydney. Anyway this is something I sometimes follow because even in traditional Congregationalist congregations in my area this would never be considered.

Pizzas From Hell and A Holy Week New Zealand Advertising Controversy

Bad taste hmmm yes I think. Liturgy has the story at cross about pizza?

The Vatican- Yesterday’s Technology Tomorrow! -

Father Z has thoughts on the Vatican's new web page rollout. See REVIEW: L’Osservatore Romano’s new website and online editions

On a side not I am happy there appears to be movement. I am hoping what we hear about other areas in Vatican media is true. That being said I am tad disappointed that when the free trial is over the Vatican Newspaper is going to be like 72 dollars a year.

The Vatican that is constantly bordering on running in the red should use their web presence for tasteful and appropriate revenue generation. Like for instance Peter's Pence and other collections. Imagine lets say you donate 25 dollars to Peter's Pence and get a year of the Vatican paper online as a gift. I think this could done in a way which would be a positive and help fund the Vatican media presence too boot as well as other worthy collections. Like for instance the Good Friday Holy Land Collection .

Governor Bobby Jindal Should Consider Vetoing Proposed Birther Bill

From the State of Arizona we have news this morning that the Republican Governor of Arizona vetoed the "Birther Bill".

In other news we learn that while not part of the Governor's of Louisiana legislative package, Jindal might sign a similar piece of legislation if it comes to his desk. See Gov. Jindal will sign 'birther' bill if it reaches his desk.


I suspect that Jindal thinks like I that this is all a big waste of time. Heck he might think like I that Obama is playing a lot of conservatives by letting this play out. Regardless I am not sure Jindal should have the "well if the legislature passes it well what can I do" attitude. I hope he thinks about this as the AZ Governor has done.

The Governor takes this oath of office:
"I, . . ., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution and laws of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as . . ., according to the best of my ability and understanding, so help me God."

I am not making a determination if this proposed birther election law for Federal Office is unconstitutional yet, but there are issues. See this post Is Arizona’s ‘Birther’ Bill Unconstitutional? by lawyer Doug Mataconis . He makes some good points that cannot be ignored. Jindal by his Oath must at least engaged these somewhat obvious arguments and problems. I would not be promising to sign a piece of legalisation till I saw the final bill and engaged the underlying problems.

Six Years of Pope Benedict- A Look At the Macleans Article

Macleans magazine has an article up to mark the big 6th anniversary of Pope Benedict. It is called Is the Pope Catholic? From evolution to safe sex, a surprisingly activist Pope is remaking the Church as we know it.

The article in my view is both good and somewhat well misleading but it hits an overall right theme.

He starts out by saying:
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, not according to confounded Vatican watchers. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was already 78 years old when he became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. He was widely seen as the arch-conservative doctrinal enforcer, the sharp spear point wielded by his charismatic rock star predecessor—Joshua to Pope John Paul II’s Moses, in the words of one Jewish scholar. The consensus opinion was that Benedict would provide a quiet, business-as-usual continuance of John Paul’s 27-year reign and, given his age, a brief pontificate that would allow the 1.1 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church time to catch its breath and consider its future options.


No one, it seems, asked Benedict what he thought of the caretaker idea.

I am not sure that is correct at all. It should be recalled that John Paul the II's long reign was marked at the end by a very long time of declining health. In other words the Vatican powers that be were on death watch. This meant that well things slowed to a crawl for obvious reasons. It is not like the Pope was powerless but perhaps certain things he would want to do would be very slowed down. There are actually good "policy" reasons for why this happens.

It is apparent the American Bishops that were impressed with how Ratzinger was their advocate in reforming the process involving i sexual abuse scandals were not looking for a "caretaker Pope". Further it seemed as to the laity on the ground in various factions all had a feeling that this would be an active pontificate. For whatever Vatican watchers thought this would be a caretaker period there were quite a few that suspected something different.

The writer of the piece to his credit does go on at length on how Benedict has been a very big plus on the dealing with the sexual abuse crisis.

He then goes on correctly to talk about the Pope's concerns for Europe and the Benedict's view of the need of an infusion of a Catholic ID. I think the reform of the the reform (which includes more than the Latin Mass) should deserve more ink but he is on the right track.

The author then goes into statements that Pope Benedict has made in two recent books. One is the now the famous set of interviews he gave to a German Journalist and also in his own recent book just released. What is missing here is of course while these remarks are important they are not part of the official office of the Church as Pope Benedict makes so clear. He first talks about the Pope's statements on condoms. I am not sure first line is not really apt:

The absence from Coren’s book of this particular instance of Benedict backing away from absolutist thinking marks the author as more Catholic than the Pope. Coren’s entire book is a line in the sand separating true Catholicism from everything else, including other branches of Christianity and cultural Catholicism—the practices and beliefs of those raised Catholic and still (occasionally) attending mass, but not following Church doctrine. Among orthodox traditionalists, Benedict’s reputation for doctrinal conservatism serves him as well as it condemns him in among their liberal co-religionists, while ultra-conservatives think he flirts with liberal heresy. In short, Benedict is in a relatively strong Nixon-goes-to-China position to open leftwards. But his room to do so is far from infinite: pontiffs, clearly, have right as well as left flanks to consider.

As the author of this piece noted Catholic teaching was not really altered. Further I am not sure the Pope would think that those that disagreed with him were thinking themselves as "more Catholic than the Pope". However the writer does get that in the Catholic Church there are different schools of thought on issues and doctrine many within in the realm of Orthodoxy. He also gets that while on paper the Vatican State might be a monarchy in reality the truth is more complicated. Further under Catholic doctrine the Bishops ,as the Catechism points out, are not just some agents of their CEO Pope who reigns at the corporate headquarters in Rome.


The writer then goes into what I call rather old news. That is Pope Benedict's view on evolution and the issues concerning the Jews. Anyone who has read Benedict's past writings know that his views on evolution are not new. In fact none of this is really new to the Catholic Church as a whole. Yet one gets a sense from reading this piece that Benedict has broken some new ground.

Further as to Pope Benedict's statement on if the Jews are to blame for Christ's death that is nothing new either. See Vatican II for documentation of that. It is not mentioned in this piece but the real interesting comments about the Jews and conversions. See on that POPE: Don't Evangelize Jews! Really? . Now bearing in mind that Pope Benedict's says people are quite free to disagree with as to various things in his book those passages to have that kept in mind. Still it is significant. Benedict is trying to open up a conversation here.

As to the other statements on the Jews the writer is correct that this did have a good effect as to Catholic Jewish relations.

On the whole a good piece with some caveats. One thing huge item is missing for some reason is the fact that Pope Benedict because of pure timing alone is having a huge influence on the College of Bishops and the College of Cardinals!! For those that thought this would be caretaker Pope , the fact that this could occurs within the Pontificate of Pope Benedict could not be unforseen. Read the amazing stats that are developing as to that in this piece . Benedict is on the verge of doing what took Pope John Paul the II a whole pontificate to do as molding the Leadership AKA Bishops and his future successor in the Church

The Pope is a man in a hurry. He realizes he will not live forever. In fact I suspect he knows because he has observed it that if his helth starts failing his directives will be much more slowing implemented. As long as his health holds up I think we can expect more from this "activist" post.

A Further Look At Soon to be America's Youngest Catholic Bishop - Fr José Arturo Cepeda (Plus Vids)

Whispers has a pretty good post on yesterdays Holy Week Monday surprise. See And Arturo Makes Three: For Hockeytown, an Auxiliary Hat-Trick

Whispers has a good bit of detail about the man and the overall situation. In the big scheme of things though Whispers points out:
As analysis goes, with Hispanics now a de facto majority among the nation's 68 million faithful and tipped to outnumber Anglos in the Lone Star State (where Catholics are still getting used to their new status as Texas' largest religious group) by late this decade, it's worth noting that Cepeda's ascent signals another hat-trick: he's the third Texas priest to be named a bishop in his early 40s in the last five years, alongside Flores and Cantú, each of whom were likewise the bench's youngest member on their respective arrival. The appointment equally reflects two signal trends of Stateside nods in B16's pontificate: for one, the pontiff's decided preference for bishops with significant experience in education and formation... but above all, the most-prized quality among US episcopabili these days: the "crossover" skills of linguistic and cultural fluency in Anglo and Hispanic communities alike, that the next generation of American bishops might successfully bridge the church's present and future on these shores.

Vatican Newpaper Goes Online With User Friendly Website

Well this pretty exciting. The brand new site for L'Osservatore Romano.

If you look on the right in the corner there is a tab to read in English. Also there is a free download (till August 31st) pdf you can do. Though both features are giving me problems today. However it is the first day and so nice we can give them a pass.

I am little confused if the English version and the Italian version is the same. Someone told me the English looks like the weekly version. Still pretty cool and the Italian version should be readable through a web translator.

1896 Video Footage of Pope Leo XIII In Horse Drawn Popemobile

Good grief I did not realize there were even video cameras back then. See at Canterbury Tales Video: Rare 1896 Footage of a Pope Leo XIII (Horse Drawn Popemobile!)

Friends With Benefits and Domestic Violence

The Volokh Conspiracy has a post dealing with an interesting fact pattern. See Friends with Occasional Benefits, and What Happens If You Beat Them Up

I really wonder if this was the intent of the Alaska legislature. Lets say a couple of Frat guys "mess around" with each other a couple of times in College. They then get into a typical College age friend fight or perhaps even less. Is that enough to trigger Domestic Violence laws that have many components that include at times prohibitions on owning a firearm?

It would be interesting to see on the trial court level how perhaps the Courts have handled this issue if it was brought up.

The Radical Environmentalists Behind Stopping Immigration

The Volokh Conspiracy links and talks about something that appeared in the NYT this weekend. See The Green Roots of Anti-Immigration Groups .

This is all rather old news but sadly most people do not seem aware of it. Tanton, Tacndreo, Lou Dobbs all seem to think alike as to this. That is at the core of their support for John Tanton. John Tanton is not just one anti immigration advocate but the most powerful one.

Sadly the one organization that should be aware of all this but is not is the Catholic Church in the USA. Why oh why they have not brought up some his associations is beyond me. It must be just simple ignorance. Though this has been widely known for years.

Now of course this does not mean that all people that are quite vocal on one side against immigration, illegal immigration, or both share these views. But this is what is often behind the considerable power and brain trust of the Tanton groups.

Holy Week Surprise -Pope Benedict Appoints Another Young Hispanic Bishop - Father Jose Arturo Cepeda to Detroit

See An Episcopal Hat-Trick for the Archdiocese of Detroit! Besides the fact that he is an immigrant that came here at the age of 19 his youth stands out. All of 41 years old!! A pattern of Pope Benedict's we are seeing. I am anxious to see what Whispers in the Loggia (who for once in a long time) appears to have got scooped by this since there was nothing indicating on site this was coming.

I am not sure of this but I think Holy Week's announcements of new Bishops are sort of rare.

Vatican Plots. Church of England Converts, and Holy Week

The polemic here is all a tad over the top. See The faithful torn apart from the UK Telegraph.

There is a tendency to write this up in the UK press as something akin to a James Bond novel. I am pretty confident that the Church of England knew what was coming it's way. The article does hint at the real cause for not making all this public with daily press releases. That is the opposition by some in the Vatican and some Catholic Bishops. After all the Catholic Bishops pretty much ignored in many cases the Pastoral Provision which actually brought some Anglican /Episcopal Churches in the USA into the Catholic Church . So they really had no choice. Still we had so many false alarms in the past that everyone knew this was close .

Further we are not just talking Church of England here. While the Archbishop of Canterbury might be the symbolic head it is not really clear if the true head that is running the Anglican communion is the Primate of Episcopal Church USA. One cannot ignore how actions of the American Episcopal Church was pushing the entire Anglican Communion into new areas. So there was a concern and indeed Anglo Catholics asking for this WORLDWIDE.

In the end I do not think there will be huge defections. Most of the growth in this new structure will come from people already Catholic and indeed from converts.

London Times- Christians Should Not Be Against Suicide or Assisted Suicide

So says an Op Ed in the London Times Ed by Minette Marrin:

For many old people — long before they become mortally ill — that prolonged dwindling is a worsening nightmare: a time of maltreatment in geriatric wards, lying on their bedsores in urine and excrement, of dependence on indifferent foreign minders in expensive care homes, a period of painful confusion, feeling ignored, unwanted and lonely. In a less rich society, such things will become more common.

Given all this, the taboo against suicide or assisted suicide seems incomprehensible. Religious people may think it wrong, although I have never quite understood why. It seems odd to me that they are not eager to meet their maker as soon as possible, if heaven is so devoutly to be desired. Perhaps it is different if one’s religion teaches that one might after death come back as a toad.

But, believers apart, for everyone else there is no philosophical reason against suicide that I can see. The usual slippery slope argument is purely emotional: we are all already on the slippery slope as far as any moral decisions go and constantly have to choose between two evils.....

So we can now add this to a list of things such as sexuality , marriage , the Nicene Creed that the Church must change it's position on. The rest is behind a paywall sadly but perhaps we are not missing much. As one commenter says at TITUSONENINE :

Perhaps it shouldn’t surpise me, but it always does that commentators are happy to weigh in on things they are too lazy to study to find out why the position they oppose is supported by others. And that goes for lazy editors, too. Why publish something that proclaims its ignorance? Of course, in our society, there is no stigma attached to being ignorantly critical of Christianity.

Also is that not sort of a breathtaking statement that besides for believers there is NO philosophical reason against suicide . None?

LSU Baseball Pulls Palm Sunday Miracle- Beats an SEC Team

I know we did not win the series but we need win at least one!! What a frustrating few weeks to the Baseball team and fans. With records number of people stranded on base it seems and another day weekend of outhitting our opponent LSU still struggles.

LSU after having a great performance almost lost the Sunday game at the last possible moment again yesterday against Auburn but managed to hold on. See from the Baton Rouge Advocate

Anything but easy

There is a lot of baseball left but LSU has to correct the problem now. There is no more room for error. A tough chore since this might be our toughest week. That is playing a very good Southern Miss team in the Pontiff Classic in New Orleans and THEN going on the road to play onw of the top two teams in the Country that is Vanderbilt Easter weekend.

GEAUX TIGERS

Si It Begins- Pope Benedict's 2011 Palm Sunday Homily

Whispers has it The Force of Gravity vs. The Force of God

Sadly I Did Not Make The Vatican Blog Invite List!! - The List

However it is interesting to see what blogs appear to be on the Vatican radar. It's apparent that not all these names were "picked" out of a hat.

When Internet Friends Kill Themselves

There is something tragic in this age when people can communicate with each other like nothing before they don't reach out. There was a stage in my life when I was very suicidal. Got the pills and everything. It was my Faith (and fear of Hell) and some foggy awareness that managed to break through what it would do to my parents that stopped me from it. I hope if anyone that reads my blog or tweets or whatever that is that state feels free to talk to me. It does get better.

Fed Court - No Civil Claims For Slander In Catholic Church Annulment Cases And Other Confidential Church Proceedings

I am not sure what has got Volokh Conspiracy bothered in this very interesting case. See Free Exercise Clause Absolutely Bars Slander Claims Based on Statements in Confidential Church Proceedings.

I think the Judge got it right. I mean in the end one has to prove damage and what damage could be proven that is a purely civil matter?

Now what if this dealt with some Clergy misconduct and the clergyman sues for slander on the basis he lost his job? I have to read the whole opinion but this seems pretty narrow to me.

Holy Week, The Eucharist , Failings of Catholic Hierarchy ,and Converts

Archbishop Dolan of NYC has some excellent thoughts at A Blessed Holy Week

Lisa Graas at American Catholic has a follow up on that as an convert that I as a Convert largely share. See News Flash: Catholic Priests are Human Beings.

Let me also include Catholic female Religious that yes too can be a pain in the neck, and have failings just like everyone else.

Father over at Standing on My Head has a fun fictional character that makes guess appearances at time called Mantilla the Hon. He uses her to make points about Catholic Liturgy at times. I always recall good ole Mantilla making this comment that was in a post Mantilla on Lutheran Lady Bishops

.............Why don't these people want to have a traditional cope and miter? It's because they hate tradition, that's why. They wear radical clothes because they are radical people. They wear clothes that express themselves rather than expressing the office they hold. I remember one time in Barcelona we get this young bishop who said he didn't want to wear a miter and a cope and ring and all the bishop's special vestments because he doesn't want to be special and he doesn't think he is any better than anybody else. Mgr. Quixote, who was my professor of Ecclesiastical Haberdashery at Salamanca University took him aside and said, "Your Grace, with the greatest respect, everybody already agrees with you. They don't think you're so special either." The new bishop kind of misses the point hon because he says, "Really! Then I won't wear them. I think they embarrass me. I don't want them to be looking at me."

So Monsignor Quixote says, "What I mean is they don't think it's all about you. They want to see the Bishop. They are not coming to see you. They are coming to see the Church and the Bishop stands for the Church. The Bishop's robes do something very important your grace. They block you out. With any luck you will get your wish and no one will see you at all. Then when you're gone the next bishop will wear the same cope and miter and they won't see him either."

Lucky this priest is pretty smart, so he says, "You mean instead of the fancy robes making me special they actually make me not so special?"

"You got it!" says Monsignor. "The splendid robes are not because you're a splendid person, but because the office of the bishop is splendid. The better bishop you are the more you will forget about yourself............"

There is a powerful point in which goes beyond the Liturgical. The people coming into the Church have seen the Church with all her warts exposed. Yet they will still come in this Holy Saturday. I think they get what our Liturgical Fashion expert is saying in all facets of the Church.

Quite a bit of a ruckus was had in St Augustine's time if "bad" Priests could confect valid Sacraments. The answer thank God was affirmed in the yes.

When the Church has gone through her past Clergy scandals I think this is what has got the average Catholics through it. They would shake their head but still somehow knew they were receiving grace though the human side of the Church was imperfect.

If people leave the Church over clerical weakness then they better not point that all powerful microscope toward the laity. They might not get out of bed. There will be no faith community anywhere that can avoid those pitfalls of that group of the faithful.

Next week we start through Holy Week and thank goodness we know how it ends. Take a chance if you can not only to introduce yourselves to these new Catholics in your Parish but look for opportunities to help them along the way.

Regarding Donald Trump and the GOP Nomination

In April 2007 – the leading contender for the Republican nomination was Rudy Giuliani, who ended up winning a single delegate. Go down memory lane here.

Rudy by the way was a much more serious guy than Trump. However anyone that thought about it knew he had no chance. Yet the entertainment driven political media in NYC and D.C. gave him far more early exposure than he perhaps deserved.

While one can make a case that Rudy should have got that attention I suppose one cannot make the case for Trump From Fox to CNN and in all other media outlets it is amazing how much attention Trump is getting. The more attention he gets people that are not really paying attention recognize the name and just mention it on polls. It will not produce votes. In day where we have a crisis in Japan, in active combat in three countries, got must see budget tv drama , it's amazing that Trump is getting all this attention.

What If Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Aquinas Had Met At Monticello - Vatican Bigwig Talk

Thomas Winters has the text of a great talk that Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia, O.P., Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship gave a talk at an inter-faith prayer service held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlottesville (UVA Related). See Abp DiNoia: Thomas Jefferson & Thomas Aquinas

Getting Young Catholics To Confession - Best You Tube Videos For IConfess

Nice resource and post here at How to Encourage Young Catholics to Go to Confession via the Catholic School Chronicle.

75 Catholic Students Invited By Synagogue For Passover Seder

This is a pretty cool story out of California. Yes yes I know there is controversy over this Seders but I think that mainly applies to the Christian version of it in the Church.

Shreveport Attorney Northwestern St and LSU Law Grad Dies Way Too Young - Richard Barry King

Though we are entering Holy Week where we embrace all these mysteries of Life ,death , and resurrection this is still very sad to me. I never head anyone say a bad word about Richard ever. He will be missed.

Obit here

Remembrances here.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Incoming Louisiana Tech 2011 Football Player Malcolm Pichon Has Date To The Prom- His Mom

How sweet. See Salmen High School senior's date to the prom? His mom

Louisiana psychiatrist Who Testifyed Against Catholic Church Gets Two years for Child Porn

Oh Boy. First From the Catholic League:

Dr. Steve Taylor, a Louisiana psychiatrist who has worked with the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), has been sentenced to two years in prison for possession of child pornography. The news drew the following response from Catholic League president Bill Donohue: How many more morally debased psychiatrists are working with SNAP? Did SNAP leaders know about the leisure-time activities of Dr. Taylor?

When did they know and what did they do about it? It's time we learned the truth. What we know already is nauseating. In 2008, Dr. Taylor's computer was seized by the authorities after they learned that he was downloading child pornography. He was jailed on 107 counts at the time, and in September of last year a grand jury indicted him. The court accepted a plea bargain from him this week. Dr. Taylor got off easy, at least according to his own standards.

In 2003, speaking for SNAP clients, he argued that the confidentiality of the confessional seal should not be respected by the law. In a contemptuous statement against the Catholic Church, he voiced his objections to a unanimous decision by the Louisiana House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice protecting the confidential communication of priests, ministers, rabbis and other clergy members. He said at the time that the seal has to be broken because "We have faces now."

Well, SNAP, we now have the faces of the children your colleague downloaded to feed his sick habits. If breaking the priest-penitent privilege is something you support, will you now support turning over the patient records of Dr. Taylor? Will you support a probe of this matter? What if there is more evidence against him? What if there are more victims? You're always looking for new victims, aren't you? Strike when the iron is hot—who cares about psychiatrist-patient privilege?

The New Orelans paper has something on this as well as his background

I saw in the last comment this: Steve Taylor - Everybody's Favorite Pedophile Go online and read LA Board of Medical Examiner's complaint NUMBER: 09-A-024. It's DISGUSTING how these flakes try to cover up for each other. I'm sure the board will start having "technical" problems with these docs any minute.

1. The board sends Taylor to the Behavioral Management Institute in Atlanta to be evaluated by Dr. Gene Abel, M.D. (the guy who literally wrote the book on Pedophiles).

2. When Taylor is faced with taking a polygraph test, he admits to intentionally downloading the kiddie porn.

3. Taylor changes his tune for the board and says, “I’m an old man and I get confused.”

4. The board then chooses to believe Taylor and focus on what the experts DIDN’T say in their report, rather than dealing directly with the fact that Taylor admitted to downloading child pornography. In a nutshell, the eval says he’s got screws loose and the medical board attacks the professional they hired.

Why? There’s a shortage of shrinks, for starters. Second, they seem to want to cover up for each other

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