VERITATEM IN CARITATE

Help a Friend Battle PKD!!!

2011-07-27T00:04:00.000-04:00

http://www.pkdcure.org/Default.aspx?TabId=1182&Type=1&ParticipantID=14446&frid=253

Eucharistic Adoration

2011-03-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

This is VERY powerful! And not just for college students, but for all of us!!!

Promoting Eucharistic Adoration & Miracles Exhibit

Winner of David A. Smith Printing Penn State Football Tickets Giveaway!!!

2010-09-20T09:20:00.000-04:00

http://www.dasprint.com/2010/09/psu-ticket-giveaway-winner/

Logos Bible Software

2010-09-16T21:33:00.001-04:00

Logos Bible Software is giving away thousands of dollars of prizes to celebrate the launch of Logos Bible Software 4 Mac on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!

They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC base packages and upgrades. Check it out!

Installation of Bishop McFadden - Diocese of Harrisburg

2010-08-19T11:04:00.001-04:00

Catholic Clergy Stand with Peter and Defend Pope

2010-04-02T10:59:00.001-04:00

Catholic Clergy Stand with Peter and Defend Pope

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New iPhone/iPod Touch App - SudokuKids! (Created by a friend of mine!)

2010-03-02T23:21:00.003-05:00

SudokuKids is the fun numbers puzzle Sudoku simplified for kids.

SudokuKids has lots of 4x4 puzzles that range from easy to challenging in a beautifully packaged app that kids love. Add up to 3 users to track your progress through the puzzles or just touch Quick Play to get started.

Videos of Dominican Sisters on Oprah!

2010-02-11T12:31:00.003-05:00

http://bit.ly/dtDWcK

Why abortion?

2010-02-04T11:26:00.001-05:00

Why abortion?

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Modesty in Dress

2010-01-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

Two great links on modesty in dress shared by Colleen Hammond on Facebook: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=138555 and http://www.modesty-mall.com/ivy.html.

These are great articles for generating a discussion on teh topic of modesty in dress in our society today. They would be good for a Youth Group setting.

"Kick Save!" - Another Tim Tebow-like story

2010-01-28T11:21:00.002-05:00

With all the chatter about the Tim Tebow Superbowl commercial in the news, on Facebook, Twitter and the blogs, I was reminded of another similar great story of a professional athlete. I did some digging and located a version of it here. You will not be disappointed!

Jeff & Erin's Epic Wedding Trailer (No! I don't know these people.)

2010-01-26T23:12:00.001-05:00

Click here to go to a website where you can watch this great video!

Frequently Requested Catholic Church Statistics

2010-01-25T23:02:00.002-05:00

Go here for a ton of very recent statistics on the Catholic Church by CARA, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

Yes, we must be concerned with evangelization, but a great deal of it obviously needs to begin within the confines of the Catholic Church itself. It does no good to be the largest religion if the followers are not faithful.

New Shroud of Turin Evidence!

2010-01-19T08:56:00.001-05:00

CATHOLICSEEKING "Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in Thee" St. Augustine: Vatican researcher discovers Jesus death certificate on Holy Shroud

Is Martha Coakley TRYING to do everything to NOT get elected to replace Ted Kennedy?

2010-01-15T13:16:00.001-05:00

"You can have religous freedom but you shouldn't work in an emergency room."

- Martha Coakley
Candidate for U.S. Senate to replace Ted Kennedy
Directed to faithful Catholics on the Ken Pittman Radio Show in Massachusetts
January 14, 2010

http://www.kenpittman.com/articles/186/1/Martha-Coakley-on-the-Ken-Pittman-Show/Page1.html

Great goal by Scott Lang's Hershey Trojans Teammate and Scott's Third Goal of the Game

2010-01-14T22:33:00.001-05:00

Replay of Installation Mass of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

2010-01-14T18:54:00.002-05:00

CatholicTV

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Pelosi's Archbishop Sets Her Straight . . . Yet Again!!!

2010-01-14T13:14:00.002-05:00

Catholic San Francisco

Posted using ShareThis

Bishop Rhoades Leaves the Diocese of Harrisburg

2010-01-08T23:44:00.000-05:00

Funny Stuff!

2010-01-07T20:22:00.002-05:00

The economy is so bad that:

I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked,
"Can you afford fries with that?"

Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their
children's names.

A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .

Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

The Mafia is laying off judges.

Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh
Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by
the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And, finally...

I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my
savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide
Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan , and when I told them I was
suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.

Wendy's Loves Jesus! (well, at least this one does!)

2009-12-28T16:40:00.003-05:00

Taken on 12/28/2009 at the Wendy's restaurant just off the Bedford, PA exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Thanks to my wife Carla!

Even though fast food is not high on my list, from now on anytime I head west on the PA Turnpike I know where I'm spending my food dollars!!!

Spread this one around!!!

The World's Toughest Catholic Quiz - by Karl Keating

2009-12-27T20:17:00.001-05:00

The World's Toughest Catholic Quiz
By Karl Keating

Some call it "the pop quiz from hell." Others call it things we can't print in a family magazine.

You are about to find out if you know as much about your faith as you claim to know. Take it from me: Your ego will suffer. But don't fall into despair. Most Catholics (some priests included, alas) will answer most of these questions incorrectly.

When I sprang this quiz on an audience of well-informed Catholic business leaders and their spouses, few got more than half the questions right, and that was with some sub rosa "sharing" by test takers. The high score was seventeen right out of twenty, and that was a very good score indeed. Some people got only a third right.

To save you acute embarrassment, this quiz will not be turned in. It is for your enlightenment (and amusement) only. In fact, I suggest you take the quiz in private so no one else will know the truth about the state of your Catholic knowledge. (If you happen to do well, you can brag later.)

For each question, circle the one answer which you think is most fully correct. There are no trick questions, but you must read very carefully. Terms are used in their precise meanings; don't be fooled into selecting a wrong answer by thinking in loose or colloquial terms. Each question has only one correct answer, but it might be "None of the above."

At the end of this article I explain why each possible answer is right or wrong. You can score yourself and see how you rate as an apologist. (Sorry, no prizes will be awarded to anyone for anything.)

All set? Here we go:

Questions

1. In the Mass

a. Jesus is symbolized by the bread and wine from the moment of consecration onward.

b. Jesus is spiritually present when the community gathers in prayer under the leadership of the priest and ceases to be spiritually present when the priest leaves the sanctuary.

c. Jesus is physically present along with the bread and wine once the consecration has occurred.

d. Jesus is present, and the bread and wine are not present, after the consecration.

e. None of the above.

2. After the consecration

a. The host on the paten is Jesus' body, and the contents of the chalice are Jesus' blood.

b. The host symbolizes Jesus' body, and the wine symbolizes Jesus' blood.

c. The host is both Jesus' body and blood, and the wine is both Jesus' body and blood.

d. Jesus' body and blood are really present with the bread and the wine, and this is called the Real Presence.

e. None of the above.

3. The consecration of the Eucharist

a. Can be performed by a Catholic priest or by a priest of an Eastern Orthodox church.

b. Can be performed by a Catholic priest only if he celebrates Mass with at least two witnesses.

c. Can be performed by Catholic priests and Anglican priests so long as they have the proper intention and pronounce the correct words of consecration.

d. Can be performed by deacons and specially-commissioned lay persons in emergency situations.

e. None of the above.

4. A Mass is invalid

a. If fewer than half the people present hold hands during the Our Father.

b. If the priest omits the opening sign of the cross and the Nicene Creed.

c. If the priest celebrates Mass while he is in the state of mortal sin.

d. If the priest ad libs any part of the canon.

e. None of the above.

5. Holy Communion may be taken by

a. Anyone at all, so long as his conscience tells him it is the right thing to do.

b. Any Christian who wishes to manifest the unity which Christ willed for his Church.

c. Catholics in the state of grace, but not by Protestants even if they are in the state of grace.

d. Catholics who have committed mortal sins and are sorry for them, even if they have not confessed them yet in confession.

e. None of the above.

6. The doctrine of the Trinity means

a. There is one God who manifests himself in the three distinct roles of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

b. Since the Resurrection there have been four persons in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ the God-Man.

c. In the Godhead there is only one divine person, and he takes on different.aspects according to his actions as Creator, Redeemer, or Sanctifier.

d. There are three Gods who work so closely together that it is proper to call them one God.

e. None of the above.

7. A deacon is

a. A priest who does not have permission to celebrate Mass until after his wife dies.

b. A layman who may distribute Communion, marry people, baptize babies, and wear vestments.

c. A man who has received the first level of holy orders and is neither a priest nor a layman.

d. Forbidden to hear confessions and give absolution except in emergency situations and in the absence of a priest.

e. None of the above.

8. A sister is

a. Neither a lay person nor a cleric.

b. A cleric, but no longer a lay person.

c. May be installed as a chaplain of a hospital.

d. Is the female equivalent of a deacon.

e. None of the above.

9. An archbishop

a. Is always an older bishop and, by canon law, must be at least 55 years of age.

b. Has jurisdiction over all the bishops within his metropolitan area, and he may overrule their decisions.

c. Assists the pope by voting on prospective cardinals.

d. Is a regular bishop who has been given the honorary title of archbishop by leading bishops in his national bishops' conference.

e. None of the above.

10. Which of the following is a defined Catholic dogma?

a. Limbo

b. Purgatory

c. Both limbo and purgatory.

d. Priestly celibacy.

e. None of the above.

11. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception means

a. Mary conceived Jesus immaculately in her womb, without the aid of a human father.

b. Mary conceived Jesus immaculately in her womb, and he remained without sin.

c. Mary was conceived immaculately in her mother's womb, without the aid of a human father.

d. Mary was conceived immaculately in her mother's womb and was preserved from sin.

e. None of the above.

12. Papal infallibility means

a. The pope is preserved by the Holy Spirit from committing mortal sins.

b. Anything the pope teaches is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit to be true.

c. The pope's teachings must be obeyed because he is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and thus speaks for the Holy Spirit, who cannot err.

d. The pope is incapable of teaching erroneously on matters of faith and morals when he teaches publicly and officially a doctrine for all Christians, not just Catholics, to hold.

e. None of the above.

13. Contraception is

a. Permissible only to married couples with the permission of their parish priest and under extenuating circumstances.

b. Never permissible, no matter what the circumstances.

c. Permissible if the husband and wife, after honest prayer, conclude it is right for them and do not use it selfishly.

d. Permissible only if the wife's health would be in danger or if the husband is unable to support a large family.

e. None of the above.

14. The sacrament of confession

a. Must be received before receiving Communion by anyone guilty of a mortal sin since his last confession.

b. Is entirely superfluous if you privately and sincerely confess your sins to God.

c. Must be received by all Catholic adults at least once a year. (This is one of the six precepts of the Church.)

d. Was done away with by Vatican II, except in cases of the three sins which "cry out to God for vengeance": murder, adultery, and sexism.

e. None of the above.

15. At the Crucifixion

a. Jesus' human nature died on the cross.

b. Only the human person of Jesus, not the divine person of Jesus, died on the cross.

c. God died on the cross.

d. Jesus' human and divine natures both died on the cross, but the universe was kept going by the Father and the Holy Spirit until Jesus' Resurrection.

e. None of the above.

16. Purgatory is

a. A state of natural happiness where souls of unbaptized infants and morally good non-Christians will wait until they are judged on the Last Day.

b. A state of mild punishment for people who were not bad enough to go to hell and who were not good enough to go to heaven.

c. A state of purification for people who die in the state of grace but who do not die with complete love for God.

d. A temporary state where sincere people who do not die in the state of grace get a second chance to do good and thus avoid going to hell.

e. None of the above.

17. An annulment is

a. The canon law equivalent of a divorce under the civil law.

b. A Church-authorized dissolution of a marriage which has failed through the infidelity of one of the spouses.

c. A declaration that no valid marriage existed in the first place, even if there are children born during the relationship.

d. A declaration that children born in a failed marriage are not illegitimate.

e. None of the above.

18. Parish councils

a. Were set up by Vatican II to oversee the work of parish priests.

b. Prevail against the opinions of pastors if at least two-thirds of the council members agree on an issue.

c. Advise the pastor and relieve him of administrative duties, but have no authority over him.

d. Were instituted by Vatican II because the Church is now a democracy, not a monarchy.

e. None of the above.

19. Mortal sin

a. Is nowhere mentioned in Scripture.

b. Is a theological construct from the Church of the Middle Ages, and since Vatican II we recognize that there are only two kinds of sins, venial and serious.

c. Is the same as serious sin; only the words are different.

d. Makes it impossible for you ever to get to heaven, no matter what you do.

e. None of the above.

20. Apologetics means

a. Never having to say you're sorry.

b. The art of apologizing for being a Catholic.

c. A course which seminarians used to have to take but which they now are exempted from by canon law.

d. Giving reasoned explanations and defenses for the faith.

e. None of the above.

Answers

There you have it! Now you know why some people call this "the pop quiz from hell." Now let's look at the answers.

Question 1

a. Wrong, because Jesus is not symbolized by the bread and wine--they become him.

b. Wrong, because Jesus is more than just spiritually present during Mass and because he remains present in the consecrated elements until they cease to look like bread and wine. The priest's presence in the sanctuary isn't necessary.

c. Wrong, because, although physically present, Jesus is not present with the bread and the wine. They cease to be present after the consecration. This is the heresy of consubstantiation or impanation.

d. Correct, because the bread and wine cease to be present in their essence or substance after the consecration. Only Jesus is present, though the mere appearances of bread and wine remain.

e. Wrong, because 1d is correct.

Question 2

a. Wrong, because the host and the contents of the chalice are each both the body and blood of Jesus, even though, because of their appearances, we commonly call one the body and the other the blood.

b. Wrong, because the host and wine do not symbolize Jesus but become him.

c. Correct, because both the host and the wine (which is no longer wine but is called that only because of its appearance) become both the real body and blood of Jesus.

d. Wrong, because after the consecration the bread and wine cease to be present, so Jesus' body and blood cannot be present with them.

e. Wrong, because 2c is correct.

Question 3

a. Correct, because the Eastern Orthodox churches have the seven sacraments and therefore a real priesthood. It takes a real priest to confect the Real Presence.

b. Wrong, because a priest may celebrate Mass by himself. The validity of the Mass does not depend on the presence of witnesses. Perhaps you are confusing here the validity of a marriage, which normally requires two witnesses.

c. Wrong, because Anglican orders are not valid. Out of courtesy we call Anglican ministers "Father," but Pope Leo XIII definitely determined in 1896 that Anglican orders long ago became defective. This means Anglican priests are, technically, Christian laymen. Since they aren't priests, their having the proper intention and their pronouncing the correct words of consecration are immaterial.

d. Wrong, because deacons have only partial priestly orders and lay people have no priestly orders, and you need full priestly orders to consecrate the Eucharist.

e. Wrong, because 3a is correct.

Question 4

a. Wrong. If you chose this answer you should think seriously about enrolling in a first-grade religion class. The seven-year-olds probably will be able to teach you something.

b. Wrong, even though it is illicit for a priest to omit the opening sign of the cross or, when specified by the rubrics, the creed, such omission does not make the Mass invalid.

c. Wrong, because the efficacy of any sacrament does not depend on the holiness of the minister. If so, we never could tell if absolution "took" in the confessional or if a Mass were validly said, since we can't see inside the priest's soul. Sacraments work through their own power, given by Christ, not through the virtuousness of the priest.

d. Wrong, but close. If the priest ad libs the words of consecration, he likely will end up with an invalid Mass. If he ad libs other parts of the canon, he acts illicitly and perhaps sinfully, but the Mass does not become invalid.

e. Correct, because all the other possible answers are wrong.

Question 5

a. Wrong, because, as an obvious case, non-Christians may not take Communion, nor may someone knowingly in the state of mortal sin.

b. Wrong, because canon law provides that only those Christians (such as the Eastern Orthodox) who believe in the Real Presence as Catholics do may take Communion in our churches (canon 844). All they need do is ask.

c. Correct. Since Protestants do not believe as Catholics do regarding the Real Presence, they may not take Communion, even if they are in the state of grace. The very act of taking Communion is a visible sign that you believe exactly as the Catholic Church teaches concerning the Real Presence, and Protestants don't.

d. Wrong, because, absent a life-or-death situation, you must go to confession before receiving Communion, even if you have repented of your mortal sin.

e. Wrong, because 5c is correct.

Question 6

a. Wrong, because this is the heresy of Modalism, which says that there is one Person in the Godhead and that Person, so to speak, wears different "masks" according to his different activities.

b. Wrong. This is another nonsense answer. The very word Trinity comes from the prefix for three ("tri"), so you should have seen right away that the Trinity could not be composed of four Persons.

c. Wrong, because this is just a rephrasing, in "gender neutral language," of 6a.

d. Wrong, because Christians are monotheists and believe in one God, not three. No matter how closely together three gods work, they remain three gods, not one.

e. Correct, because all the other possible answers are wrong.

Question 7

a. Wrong, because a deacon is not a married priest. Married priests are called, well, married priests, and they are common in some of the Eastern rites. Although deacons are ordained, they receive only the first level of holy orders.

b. Wrong, because, although deacons may do all these things, they are not laymen. They are clerics, even though they usually don't dress anything like priests.

c. Correct, because a deacon, as a cleric, is no longer a layman but is not yet a priest.

d. Wrong, because a deacon never can give priestly absolution, for the simple reason that he is not a priest.

e. Wrong, because 7c is correct.

Question 8

a. Wrong, because sisters (women religious), like brothers (men religious), are lay people. They are not ordained--they take vows, which is different.

b. Wrong, because sisters are not ordained, and only the ordained are clerics. There are three grades of clerics: deacons, priests, bishops.

c. Wrong, even though in some places sisters are termed chaplains. According to canon law (canon 564), chaplains, properly speaking, are priests. It isn't correct to call someone a chaplain merely because he (or she) provides some sort of spiritual counseling.

d. Wrong, because there are no female deacons, because women cannot be ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops.

e. Correct, because all the other possible answers are wrong.

Question 9

a. Wrong, because canon law provides no age requirement for the office of archbishop.

b. Wrong, because diocesan bishops (ordinaries), as distinguished from auxiliary bishops, have only the pope as their boss, though, for ceremonial purposes, arch_bishops take the lead over bishops within their metro_politan areas.

c. Wrong, because cardinals are not selected by voting. The pope chooses them directly.

d. Wrong, because a man becomes an archbishop by being named by the pope to an archepiscopal see. Such sees normally are in larger cities or have had some historical importance.

e. Correct, because all the other possible answers are wrong.

Question 10

a. Wrong, because limbo is not a defined dogma. It is a theological speculation, and good Catholics may believe or not believe in it, as the arguments move them. But if the Church were to define formally the existence or non-existence of limbo, everyone would be obliged in conscience to fall in line.

b. Correct, because purgatory is an official dogma of the Church. Even though it is not much talked about today, Catholics still must believe in it. It is not optional.

c. Wrong, because only purgatory is a defined dogma.

d. Wrong, because priestly celibacy is a custom, not a dogma.

e. Wrong, because 10b is correct.

Question 11

a. Wrong, because this defines not the Immaculate Conception, but the Virgin Birth of Jesus (that is, the birth of Jesus from a Virgin).

b. Wrong, even though it is true Jesus remained without sin and was conceived immaculately. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception concerns Mary's conception, not Jesus'.

c. Wrong, because Mary had a human father. It is believed her mother's name was Anne and her father's Joachim.

d. Correct, because the main consequence of the Immaculate Conception is that Mary was able to live a sinless life. (She could have sinned, had she so chosen, but she chose not to; Adam and Eve could have chosen not to sin, but they chose to sin.)

e. Wrong, because 11d is correct.

Question 12

a. Wrong. This is the notion of impeccability--the inability to sin. Only Jesus was impeccable. It has nothing to do with infallibility, which means the inability to err.

b. Wrong, because the pope's infallibility is guaranteed only when he speaks officially on matters of faith and morals. If he tells you who will win the next World Series, keep your betting money in your pocket.

c. Wrong, even though it is true that the pope's teaching (even his non-infallible teaching) must be obeyed. This simply isn't what the doctrine of infallibility means.

d. Correct, as defined formally at Vatican I (1870).

e. Wrong, because 12d is correct.

Question 13

a. Wrong, because a priest cannot give permission to anyone to engage in any sinful act.

b. Correct, as explained in Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae. It is immaterial that most Catholics don't practice what the Church always has preached. Truth is not determined by majority vote.

c. Wrong, because this is a cop-out. Contraception is always immoral and does not become moral just because some couples agree not to use it "selfishly." Do bank heists become moral if the thieves agree to distribute the proceeds not to themselves but to the poor?

d. Wrong, because a good motive cannot make an evil act good. If there is a problem with the wife's health or the family's pocketbook, the couple should consider natural family planning (which is not the same as the rhythm method); it can be used morally because it does not subvert the requisite openness to new life.

e. Wrong, because 13b is correct.

Question 14

a. Correct. Compare answer 5d.

b. Wrong, because this would imply Jesus set up a superfluous sacrament, confession, and he never did anything superfluously. See John 20:22-23.

c. Wrong, because this is not one of the six precepts of the Church, for the simple reason that you need to go to confession only if you commit a mortal sin, though it is good to go frequently even if you commit only venial sins.

d. Wrong, because this is another nonsense answer. The word "sexism" didn't even exist during Vatican II.

e. Wrong, because 14a is correct.

Question 15

a. Wrong, because natures aren't put to death--persons are. When you die, it is not your human nature which dies, but you as a distinct person.

b. Wrong, because there is no human person in Jesus. There is only one Person, the divine, who already (by definition) had a divine nature and who took on a human nature.

c. Correct, because the Person who died on the cross was a divine Person, commonly called the Son of God. Since that Person is God, it is proper to say God died on the cross, even though that sounds odd and may make some unthinking people conclude that it means that God ceased to exists, which, of course, was not the case. (If you were sure this answer could not be right, don't fret--you're in good company. Most people miss this question because the correct answer "just doesn't sound right.")

d. Wrong, first because natures don't die, persons do, and second because the answer suggest Jesus couldn't keep the universe going, as though he ceased to be God between the time of his death and his Resurrection.

e. Wrong, because 15c is correct.

Question 16

a. Wrong, because what is described is almost (not quite) the definition of limbo--not quite because limbo is posited to be a permanent state of natural happiness, not one that will end on the Last Day.

b. Wrong, first because the answer suggests purgatory is permanent (in fact, it will cease to exist at the end of the world when the last person leaves it for heaven), second because the answer suggests purgatory is for people who are not good enough to go to heaven (in fact, it is precisely for people who are good enough to go to heaven--but not quite yet; everyone who goes to purgatory will go to heaven).

c. Correct, because purgatory is a state in which the last vestiges of self-love are removed, so we might enter heaven according to Revelation 21:27, which says "nothing unclean shall enter heaven."

d. Wrong, because you only go around once in life ("It is appointed to man once to die and then comes judgment" [Heb. 9:27]). Your soul is judged immediately after your death, and your fate is sealed then.

e. Wrong, because 16c is correct.

Question 17

a. Wrong, because there is no canon law equivalent of civil divorce because sacramental marriages can't be ended by divorce.

b. Wrong, because a sacramental marriage, once made, is not undone even if one of the spouses becomes unfaithful. Only death ends a valid, sacramental marriage.

c. Correct, because the existence of children from the relationship is not a bar to being granted a decree of nullity.

d. Wrong, because an annulment is a decision that no valid, sacramental marriage existed in the first place. It is not a decision about the legitimacy or illegitimacy of children. (Church law holds that children born in putative marriages which are later annulled are to be considered legitimate.)

e. Wrong, because 17c is correct.

Question 18

a. Wrong, because Vatican II did not set up parish councils and because such councils are not above parish priests.

b. Wrong, because this is just a "supermajority variation" of 18a.

c. Correct, because parish councils are under the pastor, who, under canon law, is subject in his running of the parish only to his bishop and to the Vatican.

d. Wrong, because Vatican II did not institute them (parish councils predate Vatican II) and because the Church remains a monarchy, not a democracy, because it mirrors the organization of heaven, which is a monarchy.

e. Wrong, because 18c is correct.

Question 19

a. Wrong, because mortal sin is mentioned in 1 John 5:16: "Not all sin is mortal," which implies that some sin is.

b. Wrong, because serious sin is exactly the same as mortal sin. Only the words differ.

c. Correct; see 19b.

d. Wrong, because you can go to heaven if you die after repenting of a mortal sin.

e. Wrong, because 19c is correct.

Question 20

a. Wrong, unless you saw the movie Love Story too many times.

b. Wrong. This betrays a penchant for using the colloquial meaning of a word when trying to decide on the word's definition.

c. Wrong, even though it is true that no seminary we know of has courses in apologetics.

d. Correct. Need we say more?

e. Wrong. Back up one answer.

Scoring

Those are the answers. Tally up how many you got right. Don't fret if your percentage is lower than you expected it to be.

As you see, the Catholic faith is a very exact thing. Yes, you can be saved even if you know it imperfectly, but your value as an apologist will increase as you learn how much you still have to learn.

Here are the official rankings:

Fewer than four answers correct: Downright embarrassing. Even random guessing should have gotten you a score of four out of twenty. Crumple up your answer sheet and make a novena.

Four to seven answers correct: Frankly, pretty poor. You have a long way to go before you're prepared to explain your faith in public.

Eight to ten answers correct: On the low side, but you will be spared public penance.

Eleven to thirteen answers correct: About average or a little better--nothing to be ashamed about, but nothing to write home about either.

Fourteen to sixteen answers correct: You're nearly ready to take over the adult education classes in your parish--you need to do just a little more homework.

Seventeen to nineteen answers correct: Wonderful! You have every reason to be satisfied with yourself.

Twenty correct: Zounds! Contact me about a job as an apologist.

Karl Keating is the editor of This Rock. Patrick Madrid, a colleague of his at Catholic Answers, assisted him in the construction of the questions.

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9302fea1.asp

Chipmunks Christmas Song - The Original!!!

2009-12-22T22:08:00.000-05:00

My Christmas Gift to You - A Hooters Poster!!

2009-12-22T12:26:00.001-05:00

The Speeding Ticket

2009-12-20T00:29:00.004-05:00

Jack took a long look at his speedometer
Before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour,
Jack pulled over, but only partially.
Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard.
Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror.
The cop was stepping out of his car,
The big pad in hand..

Bob? Bob from Church?
Jack sunk farther into his trench coat.
This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church.
A guy who happened to be a little eager
To get home after a long day at the office...
A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow..

Jumping out of the car,
He approached a man he saw every Sunday,
A man he'd never seen in uniform.

'Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.'

'Hello, Jack..' No smile.

'Guess you caught me red-handed
In a rush to see my wife and kids.'

'Yeah, I guess.' Bob seemed uncertain.
Good.

'I've seen some long days at the office lately.
I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once.'

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement.
'Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight.
Know what I mean?'

'I know what you mean.
I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct .'
Ouch.
This was not going in the right direction.
Time to change tactics.

'What'd you clock me at?'

'Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?'

'Now wait a minute here, Bob.
I checked as soon as I saw you.
I was barely nudging 65.'
The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

'Please, Jack, in the car'

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard..
He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad...

Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason,
It would be a month of Sundays
Before Jack ever sat near this cop again.

A tap on the door jerked his head to the left
There was Bob, a folded paper in hand
Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches,
Just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

'Thanks..'
Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word.
Jack watched his retreat in the mirror.
Jack unfolded the sheet of paper.
How much was this one going to cost?

Wait a minute.
What was this? Some kind of joke?

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

'Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter..
She was six when killed by a car.
You guessed it - a speeding driver.
A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free.
Free to hug his daughters, all three of them.
I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven
Before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man.
A thousand times I thought I had.
Maybe I did, but I need to do it again.
Even now.
Pray for me.
And be careful, Jack,
my son is all I have left.'

'Bob'

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car
pull away and head down the road.
Jack watched until it disappeared.
A full 15 minutes later, he too,
pulled away and drove slowly home,
praying for forgiveness and
hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived...

Life is precious.
Handle with care.
This is an important message.
Drive safely and carefully.

The life you save may be . . .

Your own child or grandchild.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO!

2009-12-18T16:51:00.003-05:00

The couple that sneaked into the Whitehouse without any credentials!!!!!

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Ponder this Quote from G.K. Chesterton

2009-12-15T18:26:00.004-05:00

“You are free in our time to say that God does not exist;

you are free to say that He exists and is evil;

you are free to say that He would like to exist if He could.

You may talk of God as a metaphor or a mystification;

you may water Him down with gallons of long words,

or boil Him to the rags of metaphysics;

and it is not merely that nobody punishes, but nobody protests.

But if you speak of God as a fact, as a thing like a tiger,

as a reason for changing one's conduct,

then the modern world will stop you somehow if it can.

We are long past talking about whether an unbeliever should be punished for being irreverent.

It is now thought irreverent to be a believer.”

(From Chesterton’s book on George Bernard Shaw)

Senator Arlen Specter - The King of Double-Speak!!!

2009-12-15T12:34:00.003-05:00

A direct quote from a letter rec'd on 12/14/09 by a colleague from PA Senator Arlen Specter:

"I am personally opposed to abortion. However, I do not believe that this is an issue that should be controlled by the Federal government."

Yet, Specter voted to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment that would have kept the Federal government from requiring us to pay for abortions.

You figure it out!

From my perspective, if that man's lips are moving . . .

Letter from Jesus about Christmas

2009-12-09T11:39:00.003-05:00

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are
taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't
actually born during this time of the year and that some of your predecessors decided to celebrate My birthday at what was actually a time of pagan festival. I do appreciate being
remembered anytime, though.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be understood most
easily by thinking about what loving parents teach their children. As far as I’m concerned, if you really want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in
which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get
rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and replace them with a small Nativity
scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there
wouldn't be any need for a display on the town square because there
would be a lot of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that some people are calling the tree a
holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all
trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape
vine if you wish. I actually spoke of that one in a teaching,
explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks
were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my
wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Write letters of love and hope to soldiers away
from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I
know. They tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them
personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about everything you don’t like that he’s doing, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then
follow up. It will be nice for him to hear from you again.

4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their
own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since
you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm
smile. It could make the difference.

6. Instead of nit picking because some retailers don’t allow their employees to say, “Merry Christmas”, give each salesperson you meet a warm smile and a kind word. Then
stop shopping at stores on Sunday. If the stores didn't make so much money
on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home
with their families as I would like them to do.

7. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your
town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they
have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some
food and a few gifts and give them to Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army or some other
charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

8.. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and
loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret
that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions
that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and
do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check
out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but
the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas
with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Hershey Trojans' Ice Hockey

2009-12-06T00:00:00.003-05:00

"Ryan Tezak is the captain and Scott Lang is assistant captain, and they have it going right now. Most of this team played under Dave, and they pretty much know what they are doing."

Coming into the season, many thought with the departure of Fenyves and players such as Tyler Lewis and Jonathan Lang that the Trojans wouldn't be as potent as last year's squad. Some even think that the Trojans have slipped enough to be unseated as the league's Tier I kingpin.

Led by returning players Scott Lang, Ryan Tezak, Pat Darling, Justin Smith, Brooks Lewis, Todd Warden and Shane Winters, the Trojans have scored 22 goals and are 4-0 entering Wednesday's action.

Speculation is that with the graduation of Jonathan Lang, the Trojans have a significant hole between the pipes. But so far, junior Colin Sinclair and sophomore Gage Cvijic have stood up nicely, allowing eight goals.

JEREMY ELLIOTT, The Patriot-News, December 03, 2009 1:36 p.m.

Read full article here: http://highschoolsports.pennlive.com/news/article/5392482662491901830/malloy-seeks-another-hershey-trojans-ice-hockey-title-run/

Another nice goal by Scott!

2009-12-02T14:39:00.002-05:00

Another nice goal by Scott!

2009-12-02T14:39:00.000-05:00

High School Playbook Lancaster-Lebanon-Dauphin-York - WGAL - Video - Trojans And Rams Battle On The Ice

Scott Lang - Hockey video!

2009-12-02T12:35:00.000-05:00

"The Manhattan Declaration" - Have you heard of it yet?

2009-11-24T22:58:00.002-05:00

Here is the basic statement:

"Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

the sanctity of human life
the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Announced: November 20, 2009

Drafted by: Chuck Colson, Founder of The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, along with Robert George (Professor, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University) and Timothy George (Professor, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University).

Length: 4,700 words

Signed by: 125 Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders, including Focus on the Family Dr. James Dobson and National Association of Evangelicals president Leith Anderson, as well as 15 Roman Catholic bishops, including Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, Justin Cardinal Rigali of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C.

Check out the full story here: http://manhattandeclaration.org/index.php

Sign the Declaration here: http://manhattandeclaration.org/decsign.php

HOLY INCENSE !!!

2009-11-23T18:50:00.001-05:00

The Great News for Bishop Rhoades Continues!

2009-11-17T20:58:00.003-05:00

USCCB News Release
09-241
November 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BALTIMORE—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop (USCCB), meeting for their Fall General Assembly, elected by simple majority as chairman-elect:

Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind. of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth in a 145-93 vote over Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kan.

WAY TO GO BISHOP RHOADES!!! Our prayers are with you!

BISHOP THOMAS J. TOBIN: "Dear Congressman Kennedy"

2009-11-16T18:00:00.002-05:00

DIRECT. TO THE POINT. CLEAR.

No sugar-coating or mincing of words here!

http://www.thericatholic.com/opinion/detail.html?sub_id=2632

Victoria Lang on Video with Bishop Rhoades!!!

2009-11-15T23:19:00.001-05:00

Monsignor William King and Monsignor James Lyons - Diocese of Harrisburg

2009-11-13T22:51:00.001-05:00

Immediate Release
November 13, 2009
Contact: Joe Aponick
657-4804 x210
www.hbgdiocese.org

Two Diocesan Priests Honored with Title of Monsignor

Father William King and Father James Lyons have been named Chaplains of His Holiness with the title of Monsignor, the Diocese of Harrisburg announced on Nov. 13. The honor is bestowed by the Holy Father for priests who have served in an exemplary way.

Solemn Vespers to mark the occasion will be held at St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

"I offer my congratulations and prayerful best wishes to Father James Lyons and Father William King on receiving the papal honor of Chaplain to His Holiness," Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades said. "This recognition of their exemplary priestly ministry is an honor for our diocese. I thank them for their devoted service to the faithful of our diocese and for their generous assistance to me in the past five years. In this special Year for Priests, I thank all the priests of our diocese for their dedication and faithful service."

Monsignor William J. King is the Diocesan Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia and currently resides at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Mechanicsburg.

He was ordained April 9, 1983, by Bishop William Keeler, and previously served as Diocesan Judicial Vicar and Secretary for Canonical Services. He has also served as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lancaster and pastor of St. Lawrence Parish in Harrisburg. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Atlanta to help reorganize its Metropolitan Tribunal. He received a Licentiate in Canon Law from The Catholic University of America and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

"I am very grateful to both Bishop Rhoades and the Holy Father for this honor, and look to their fine examples as I continue in the ministry of service in the Diocese of Harrisburg," Monsignor King remarked.

Monsignor James M. Lyons is the pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in Steelton. He was ordained May 14, 1988, by Bishop William Keeler.

Monsignor Lyons previously served as Diocesan Vicar General, as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lancaster and St. Theresa Parish in New Cumberland, and as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Harrisburg. He was elected Diocesan Administrator following the death of Bishop Nicholas C. Dattilo in 2004. He is currently a member of the College of Consultors.

"My initial response when Bishop Rhoades told me that I was to be named Monsignor was surprise," Monsignor Lyons remarked. "I am very grateful to Bishop Rhoades for thinking highly enough of me to submit by name to Rome for this honor."

+ + +

"Santa Free Zone?" - Read on!

2009-11-12T12:56:00.002-05:00

German diocese creates ‘Santa-free zone’

Speyer, Germany, Nov 11, 2009 / 05:09 pm (CNA).- In an effort to encourage people to replace the commercialization of the Christmas season with a true devotion to Advent, Christmas and the “true Santa Claus,” several groups within the German Diocese of Speyer have initiated a “Santa-free campaign.”

The Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) of Speyer has partnered with other organizations to champion the cause of St. Nicholas of Myra, a friend and helper of children and those in trouble. St. Nicholas, whose feast is celebrated on December 6, represents the good side of man: selflessness, charity and selfless service, the campaign says.

St. Nicholas who was a bishop in Myra, (now Demre) in Turkey, is known for his generosity and for his love for children. One of the most famous stories of the generosity of St. Nicholas says that he threw bags of gold through an open window in the house of a poor man to serve as dowry for the man’s daughters, who otherwise would have been sold into slavery. The gold is said to have landed in the family’s shoes, which were drying near the fire. This is why children leave their shoes out by the door, or hang their stockings by the fireplace in the hopes of receiving a gift on the eve of his feast.

Katrin Naab, chairman of the Diocesan BDKJ says, “St. Nicholas has nothing to do with the fictional advertising character with the red and white bobble hat.”

The “Santa-free zone” campaign includes a variety of posters, pins, an e-card, fair trade chocolate and an open air Christmas market, as well as Masses for children, youth, and families on the feast of St. Nicholas itself.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17666

Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard?

2009-11-11T22:26:00.000-05:00

Please watch this video! It may save your life or that of a loved one of yours!

Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard?

BOYCOTT BROOKSTONE if you agree this man was wronged

2009-11-10T10:18:00.002-05:00

Massachusetts Man Fired for Telling Colleague that Homosexual Behavior Is Wrong

Excerpt:

The incident leading to Vidala's termination began when a visiting manager told Vidala that she was getting married. Vidala congratulated her and asked where he (her husband) was taking her for the honeymoon. The other manager corrected him, saying "where is she taking me."

"I didn't say anything, I quickly changed the subject, and I kind of went on with the workday," Vidala said. But the manager continued to repeatedly mention her female 'fiancée' throughout the day.

"It made me uncomfortable because I see that sort of behavior as immoral, personally," Vidala said. And so when the manager mentioned her "marriage" for what Vidala says was "at least the fourth time," Vidala felt compelled to speak.

"Regarding homosexuality, I believe that that 's bad stuff," Vidala says he told the manager. He says that he was going to continue by explaining that he would prefer her not to bring it up in the workplace, but she started laughing.

"Get over it. HR buddy, keep your opinions to yourself," she said. A few hours later Vidala was suspended; two days later Vidala received a termination letter, which accuses him of "harassment" and of "imposing" his beliefs upon others.

. . .

Vidala was also disturbed by a video Brookstone shows to all new employees to help illustrate its personnel policies. According to Vidala, in it a man who describes himself as gay says that he was offended by overhearing another man say, "Well, gee, you know, I'd be uncomfortable if a homosexual hit on me."

Vidala continued: "You could have a so-called homosexual person hit on you [if you work for Brookstone], and you won't be able to say anything, because by expressing your belief that what they're doing is wrong, you're harassing them."

Goalie, Sydney Crosby (Yes, I said "goalie!")

2009-11-04T23:05:00.000-05:00

Uplifting Interview with Steeler Troy Polamalu!!!

2009-11-04T09:58:00.001-05:00

http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/features/the_mane_man#When:10:00:47Z

Planned Parenthood Director Quits Over Pressure to Raise More Money by Getting More Abortion in the Door!

2009-11-02T22:12:00.002-05:00

But just watch Planned Parenthood's response. "If you ever leave and tell people the TRUTH about what we do, we'll haul you into court!"

Wow, it's amazing how many people's heads they've pulled the wool over! WAKE UP PEOPLE! USE YOUR BRAINS!

Religious Life Explained! - Excellent!!!

2009-10-29T17:29:00.001-04:00

By Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P., Ph.D. :

http://hancaquam.blogspot.com/2009/10/terms-of-religious-life-explained.html

Abortion Kills More Black Americans Than the Seven Leading Causes of Death Combined, Says CDC Data

2009-10-29T15:28:00.004-04:00

- Abortion killed at least 203,991 blacks in the 36 states and two cities (New York City and the District of Columbia) that reported abortions by race in 2005, according to the Center for Disease Control ("CDC")

- During that same year, a total of 198,385 blacks nationwide died from heart disease, cancer, strokes, accidents, diabetes, homicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined

- That comprises 35.5 percent of all abortions reported for that year

- According to numbers gleaned from statistics provided by the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion group, 1,784 blacks are aborted each day

- Three out of five African-American women will obtain an abortion

- The abortion rate for blacks in the United States is almost 5 times that for white women

- A significant proportion of Planned Parenthood clinics are located in minority communities

- Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, who was a known eugenist, also had a Negro project that was directed at the "undesirables"

Dr. Alveda King, niece of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a pro-life activist has commented,"The great irony is that abortion has done what the Klan only dreamed of."

(Gleaned from CNSNews.com; Friday, October 23, 2009; By Karen Shuberg)

+ So where's Al Sharpton now?

+ Where's Rev. Jesse Jackson?

+ Why is the NAACP silent on this?

+ How about the Congressional Black Caucus?

+ The Urban League?

+ And the saddest point of all, how can the African American President Barack Obama be such a strong supporter of the immoral, albeit currently legal "right" of black mothers to terminate the lives of the black human beings they are carrying in their wombs?

Would he have been a supporter of slavery too?

After all, that was legal one time too!

+ Pres. Obama blindly supports Planned Parenthood, but never once questions why they abort vastly higher percentages of black human beings than white human beings each and every year.

+ Pres. Obama is driven by the $$$ he receives from Planned Parenthood's support of him, but never questions why there are so many more Planned Parenthood abortuaries in black areas than in white areas.

+ If a white police officer is too rough with a black criminal, blacks want to tear him from limb to limb.

If a white abortionist tears a black human being from limb to limb inside of his mother, everyone is perfectly quiet.

+ Sorry, but I just don't get it. Both situations are abhorently wrong, and both must STOP!

The Irony of Some Things is Inescapable!

2009-10-28T12:17:00.001-04:00

Check out the nature of the lead article, and the ad that appeared at the bottom right.

"Sure Wish Somebody Would Invent Something To Keep The Sun Out Of My Eyes."

2009-10-27T20:33:00.001-04:00

If you haven't seen this . . . it's pretty funny!

2009-10-21T11:00:00.001-04:00

Pro-Life Pumpkin!!!

2009-10-20T21:30:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of American Life League:

Simply download the .pdf stencil and print it out. Tape the stencil to your pumpkin and with a pointed object, like a small screwdriver, poke shallow holes along the perimeter of the image. With a paring knife, carefully cut out the areas shaded in black.

http://www.all.org/article.php?id=12273

Hardware!!!

2009-10-16T21:33:00.003-04:00

1 Peter 1:3-9

2009-10-15T22:40:00.000-04:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you

who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.

In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials,

so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,

as you attain the goal of (your) faith, the salvation of your souls.

PA Catholic Bishops' Statement on Health Care Reform

2009-10-15T21:56:00.004-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy B. Hill, APR
October 13, 2009

717-238-9613
abhill@pacatholic.org

Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania issue statement on health care reform

HARRISBURG (October 13) - Health care reform was discussed at a meeting of Pennsylvania’s Catholic Bishops on October 6, 2009. Together, they issue the following statement:

Our Catholic moral tradition teaches that every human being, from the moment of conception to natural death, has an innate dignity that entitles him or her to certain rights and protections. Included among these is the right to life and to have access to health care, which is essential to preserving human life and promoting human dignity. As the Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania, we must frankly express our concerns that the health care reform proposals currently under review by the U.S. Congress do not yet guarantee these fundamental rights.

True health care reform must maintain longstanding public policies which restrict funding for abortion and respect the consciences of health care providers. The cost structures of the resulting plan must not impose excessive financial burdens on low and moderate-income individuals and families. Measures must be in place to safeguard the health of all of society, including the poor, the elderly, and immigrants. Legal immigrants and their family members must be allowed timely access to comprehensive and affordable health care coverage and an adequate safety net must be maintained for those who remain uncovered.

The Catholic community of Pennsylvania can be a strong and reliable partner in advancing health care reform; but as faith leaders, we cannot and will not support or urge the Catholic faithful to support reform that violates the Church’s long held principles on life and dignity. We will work tirelessly to improve the legislation to reflect these essential priorities.

Health care is not just another issue for the Church or for a healthy society. It is a fundamental issue. Health care is a critical component of the Catholic Church’s ministry. Every year, Pennsylvania’s Catholic hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies provide quality health care to millions. The Church itself is a major purchaser of health insurance for thousands of employees in our many agencies and institutions. In some cases, the Church is self-insured. The Catholic Church in Pennsylvania brings both strong convictions and everyday experience to the issue of health care reform.

This debate presents our country with a unique opportunity to improve the health care system for all, especially those who lack affordable coverage and decent care. We believe that health care reform legislation can be drafted to truly protect human life and dignity.

Catholics have been leading proponents of health care reform for many years in America. If a final health care reform bill does not have respect for life at all stages of development, respect for consciences, affordability and inclusion of all of society, the Bishops will be forced to oppose it. Therefore, we pray that critical shortcomings in the current proposals will be remedied.

Ronald Reagan on Socialized Medicine . . . 48 Years ago!

2009-10-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

Obamageddon!

2009-10-15T21:48:00.000-04:00

2 Chronicles 7:14 - WOW!

2009-10-14T14:47:00.004-04:00

"If my people,

upon whom my name has been pronounced,

humble themselves and pray,

and seek my presence

and turn from their evil ways,

I will hear them from heaven

and pardon their sins

and revive their land. "

A Truly Worthy Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-13T12:00:00.003-04:00

"We are talking of peace. These are things that break peace, but I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing — direct murder by the mother herself. And we read in the Scripture, for God says very clearly: Even if a mother could forget her child — I will not forget you — I have carved you in the palm of my hand. We are carved in the palm of His hand, so close to Him that unborn child has been carved in the hand of God. And that is what strikes me most, the beginning of that sentence, that even if a mother could forget something impossible — but even if she could forget — I will not forget you. And today the greatest means — the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion. And we who are standing here — our parents wanted us. We would not be here if our parents would do that to us. Our children, we want them, we love them, but what of the millions. Many people are very, very concerned with the children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own child — what is left for me to kill you and you kill me — there is nothing between."

- Mother Teresa. "Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech." December 11, 1979 Oslo, Norway.

Just the Facts - Obama on Abortion So Far

2009-10-13T11:57:00.001-04:00

Post-Election / Pre-Inauguration
November 5, 2008 - Obama selects pro-abortion Rep. Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has a 0% pro-life voting record according to National Right to Life.
November 19, 2008 - Obama picks pro-abortion former Sen. Tom Daschle as his Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has a long pro-abortion voting record according to National Right to Life.
November 20, 2008 - Obama chooses former NARAL legal director Dawn Johnsen to serve as a member of his Department of Justice Review Team. Later, he finalizes her appointment as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Legal Counsel in the Obama administration.
November 24, 2008 - Obama appoints Ellen Moran, the former director of the pro-abortion group Emily's List as his White House communications director. Emily's List only supported candidates who favored taxpayer funded abortions and opposed a partial-birth abortion ban.
November 24, 2008 - Obama puts former Emily's List board member Melody Barnes in place as his director of the Domestic Policy Council.
November 30, 2008 - Obama named pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. Clinton has an unblemished pro-abortion voting record and has supported making unlimited abortions an international right.
December 10, 2008 - Obama selects pro-abortion former Clinton administration official Jeanne Lambrew to become the deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Planned Parenthood is "excited" about the selection.
December 10, 2008 - Obama transition team publishes memo from dozens of pro-abortion groups listing their laundry list of pro-abortions actions they want him to take.

Pro-Abortion Presidential Record - 2009
January 5, 2009 - Obama picks pro-abortion Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as the chairman of the Democratic Party.
January 6, 2009 - Obama chooses Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife, as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department.
January 22, 2009 - Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.
January 23, 2009 - Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.
January 26, 2009 - Obama nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg, tells members of the Senate that taxpayers should be forced to fund abortions. Nominee erroneously says limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.
January 29, 2009 - President Obama nominates pro-abortion David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General.
February 12, 2009 - Obama nominates pro-abortion Elena Kagan to serve as Solicitor General. February 27, 2009 - Starts the process of overturning pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.February 28, 2009 - Barack Obama nominates pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius to become Secretary of Health and Human Services.
March 5, 2009 - The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.
March 9, 2009 - President Barack Obama signed an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.March 10, 2009 - Obama announces the creation of a new foreign policy position to focus on women's issues. He names Melanne Verveer, an abortion advocate, to occupy the post.
March 10, 2009 - Reverses an executive order to press for more research into ways of obtaining embryonic stem cells without harming human life. The order Obama scrapped would have promoted new forms of stem cell research.
March 11, 2009 - Obama signed an executive order establishing a new agency within his administration known as the White House Council on Women and Girls. Obama's director of public liaison at the White House, Tina Tchen, an abortion advocate, became director of it.March 11, 2009 - Obama administration promotes an unlimited right to abortion at a United Nations meeting.March 11, 2009 - Obama administration officials deny negative effects of abortion at United Nation's meeting.March 17, 2009 - President Barack Obama makes his first judicial appointment and names pro-abortion federal Judge David Hamilton to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.March 26 - President Obama announced $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that has been criticized for promoting abortion and working closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations.
April 7 - The Vatican has rejected three Obama ambassador nominees because of their positions in favor of abortions.April 7 - Obama has named pro-abortion law professor Harold Hongju Koh as the top lawyer for the State Department.April 7 - Put more abortion advocates on his White House advisory council for faith-based issues.
April 8 - Obama nominee for assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, Ron Weich, is pro-abortion.
April 14 - Obama administration releases document that claims pro-life people may engage in violence or extremism.
April 17 - Obama administration releases the proposed guidelines that implement his decision to allow taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research that involves the destruction of human life.
April 23 - Refused to appeal a ruling requiring the FDA to allow 17-year-old girls to purchase the morning after pill without either a doctor visit or parental involvement beforehand.
April 27 - Obama's women's ambassador Melanne Verveer touted Obama's decision to send $50 million to the United Nation's Population Fund.
May 5 - Details emerge about a terrorism dictionary the administration of President Barack Obama put together in March. The Domestic Extremism Lexicon calls pro-life advocates violent and claims they employ racist overtones in engaging in criminal actions.
May 8 - President Obama releases a new budget that allows the Legal Services Corporation to use tax dollars to pay for pro-abortion litigation.
May 8 - President Obama's new budget calls for taxpayer funded abortions in the nation's capital.
May 8 - President Obama's budget eliminates all federal funding for abstinence-only education.
May 15 - Appointed pro-abortion New York City health commissioner Thomas Frieden as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
May 26 - Appoints appeals court judge Sonia Sonotmayor as a Supreme Court nominee. Sotomayor agrees that the courts should make policy, such as the Roe v. Wade case. Sotomayor is later opposed by pro-life groups and supported by pro-abortion groups and those who know her say she will support abortion on the high court.
July 2- Calls for an unlimited right to abortion at a United Nation's meeting.
July 7- The Obama administration admits it ignored the majority of Americans who opposed the proposed guidelines that would implement Obama's decision to force taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research.
July 14 - Obama science czar nominee John Holdren is revealed to have written before that he favors forced abortions.
July 30 - Awards several pro-abortion activists with the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.
July 31 - Tells the National Institutes of Health to adopt rules that allow embryonic stem cell research.
August 4 - Information becomes public that Ezekiel Emanuel, an Obama advisor at the Office of Management and Budget and a member of Federal Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research, supports rationing health care for disabled Americans that could lead to euthanasia.
August 6 - Obama criticized for asking for people to "snitch" on groups and people who oppose the pro-abruption health care bills in Congress.
August 13 - Obama wrongly said a senator backe the pro-euthanasia components of the health care bill.
August 24 - Releases veterans guide promoting euthanasia.
September 13 - Obama waits two days to comment on shooting of pro-life advocate whereas he commented immediately on shooting of abortion practitioner.
September 15 - Senate confirms Obama's new regulatory czar Cass Sunstein, who is pro-abortion.
October 5 - Selected pro-abortion lawyer and Georgetown University law professor Chai Feldblum for the EEOC.

Scott Lang Qualifies for District 3 High School Golf Championship

2009-10-09T22:58:00.005-04:00

Four Locals Qualify For District 3 Golf Championship

Hershey will send three golfers and Palmyra one to the District 3 Golf Championship at Briarwood Golf Course in York on Oct. 16. Hershey’s Dan Kinney, Todd Warden and Scott Lang, and Palmyra’s Tyler Shank qualified for next week’s tournament at the Mid-Penn Conference Tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Range End Golf Club in Dillsburg.

Obama - Nobel Peace Prize - For what?

2009-10-09T12:31:00.005-04:00

Obama lauds Peace Prize, says work just started

10/9/2009 10:32:00 AM
Associated Press/AP Online

WASHINGTON - A beaming President Barack Obama says he's honored to win the Nobel Peace Prize, but says he isn't sure he's done enough to earn it. Tell him to give me a call. I’ll confirm for him that he hasn’t done “jack squat!”

Appearing in the Rose Garden Friday, Obama acknowledged he was "both surprised and deeply humbled" to win the award. He said he does not "view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments," but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States and the world. Obama said, "I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize." I never thought I’d see the day when I would actually agree with this man on something!

Do you think he was awarded this prize for bringing together a professor and a police officer to share a beer? (No, wait a minute, couldn't be possible since Obama was the one who caused the rift between them!)

Keep in mind that the deadline for the nominations for this award was February 1st, 2009. Obama had all of 12 DAYS under his belt as President by then!

Pope Benedict XVI Awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal to EWTN's Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill Steltemeier

2009-10-06T12:09:00.003-04:00

The medal is the highest honor the Pope can bestow upon laity and religious. Bishop of Birmingham Robert J. Baker conferred the awards in a brief ceremony following Sunday benediction at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama.

Mother Mary Angelica, 86, is a Poor Clare Nun of Perpetual Adoration who founded Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama in 1961. She began EWTN in a garage on the monastery property in 1981. In 1999 she relocated the monastery to the grounds of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville.

Deacon R. William Steltemeier, 80, is a former Nashville, Tenn. attorney who left his law practice to join Mother Angelica’s fledgling television network. He served as EWTN’s president and now serves as chairman of the network’s Board of Governors.

U.N. Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family

2009-10-06T10:30:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I ask you to go to this website immediately and sign the UN Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family.

A coalition of pro-life and pro-family groups, being led by C-FAM (Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute) will present the petition names to the UN this December. Their goal is 1 million names!

I urge you to go HERE, read the petition, and then sign the petition and send this link to everyone you know.

At THIS site you will also see the petition has been translated into more than 15 languages. It is truly universal!

Please go HERE and sign the petition and then forward this message to EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Many thanks.
Tom

© Copyright 2009 Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 495, New York, NY 10017
www.c-fam.org

A Compelling Short Play

2009-10-05T21:42:00.000-04:00

Say "Thank you!"

2009-10-05T21:21:00.000-04:00

Infamous Richard McBrien of Much Maligned Notre Dame Trashes Cherished Catholicism Once Again

2009-10-04T22:27:00.009-04:00

In the SUPER, ULTRA-LIBERAL, National Catholic Reporter, infamous, and equally ultra-liberal Notre Dame (yes, that FORMER Catholic University) professor Richard McBrien had an article published on September 8, 2009, wherein he maligned the beautiful and powerful devotion of Eucharistic Adoration. (Read the full piece of trash here if you really want to.)

He supposedly wrote his essay in response to an article in The Boston Globe that alluded to a return to Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese of Boston. Here are his actual words (believe it or not!), with my comments interspersed throughout in red:

Notwithstanding Pope Benedict XVI's personal endorsement of eucharistic adoration (So McBrien, who is a Catholic priest, tells us we should ignore the Holy Father over his personal opinion! Nice try McBrien!) and the sporadic restoration of the practice in the archdiocese of Boston and elsewhere, it is difficult to speak favorably about the devotion today. ("It is difficult to speak favorably about" adoring JESUS CHRIST, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Creator of the Universe, you know GOD, is what McBrien, a Catholic Priest, is actually saying! He must have done the mail order version of Seminary and Ordination!)

Now that most Catholics are literate and even well-educated, the Mass is in the language of the people (i.e, the vernacular), and its rituals are relatively easy to understand and follow, there is little or no need for extraneous eucharistic devotions. (So now McBrien is telling Jesus that when He said, "Can you not spend one hour with me," He was wasting His time because that's just "extraneous!") The Mass itself provides all that a Catholic needs sacramentally and spiritually. (So I guess McBrien wants us to toss out Baptism and Reconciliation/Penance too!)

Eucharistic adoration, perpetual or not, is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward, not forward. (No McBrien, it's your actual or at least borderline heretical teaching and opinions that continually cause the Church to take steps backward to points where we had less of an understanding of revealed truth. You Sir have become the poster boy for relativists everywhere! That's apparent because they and/or the liberal media rolls you out whenever they are looking to malign the Church and her true teachings.)

Is it surprising to anyone that McBrien is employed at Notre Dame? (Anymore, I truly feel and hurt for "Our Lady" whenever I have to refer to that school by her name.) Thank God we the guarantee that guys like McBrien will NEVER prevail against the Church!!!

SNL Pokes Fun at Obama's Lack of Accomplishments!!!

2009-10-04T19:12:00.000-04:00

Scott Lang Medals in High School Golf by Shooting His Lowest Round

2009-09-30T23:30:00.001-04:00

Hershey Clinches Keystone Golf

Scott Lang fired a 2-over-par 74 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Manada Golf Club to lead Hershey to a sweep of its division match and give the Trojans the Mid-Penn Conference Keystone Division title outright. Hershey, which posted a 400 score Tuesday, finished with a 27-3 record.

Too funny!!!

2009-09-23T23:06:00.000-04:00

Esteemed and Faithful Catholic Notre Dame Professor Emeritus Charles Rice - Open Letter to Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins

2009-09-23T12:49:00.002-04:00

"Notre Dame pro-life efforts being tarnished by trespass charges."

South Bend, Ind., Sep 23, 2009 / 06:08 am (CNA)

Respected Notre Dame law professor emeritus Charles E. Rice has criticized University of Notre Dame President Fr. John I. Jenkins’ announcement of new pro-life initiatives, saying they will be regarded only as a “cosmetic covering” unless charges are dropped against pro-life protesters arrested during President Barack Obama’s commencement speech.

In a September 21 open letter to Fr. Jenkins, Prof. Rice said that University Chief of Staff Frances L. Shavers was being “misleading” in saying that the 88 pro-life protesters arrested during President Obama’s appearance at the university were arrested for trespassing and not for expressing pro-life views. Prof. Rice explained that the protesters were arrested “not because they were there, but because of who they were, why they were there and what they were saying." "Notre Dame ought to state publicly that it has no interest in seeing those prosecutions proceed in any form and that it requests the prosecutor to exercise his discretion to dismiss all those charges unconditionally."

Prof. Rice highlighted the case of 79-year-old Fr. Norman Weslin, a longtime pro-life advocate who is a Lutheran convert, a widower and former Lt. Colonel in the 82nd Airborne Division. Rice called his arrest “one of the lowest points in the entire history of Notre Dame.” "It would have been better for you and the complicit Fellows and Trustees to dialogue with Fr. Weslin rather than lock him up as a criminal. You all could have learned something from him. His actions in defense of innocent life and the Faith have been and are heroic. Notre Dame’s treatment of Fr. Weslin is a despicable disgrace, the responsibility for which falls directly and personally upon yourself as the President of Notre Dame.”

Fr. Jenkins’ presentation of himself as a pro-life advocate while continuing to be the “jailer” of those offering an “authentic pro-life witness” would be “a mockery,” Prof. Rice charged, again calling for the charges to be dismissed.

"As long as you pursue the criminalization of those pro-life witnesses, your newest pro-life statements will be regarded reasonably as a cosmetic covering of the institutional anatomy in the wake of the continuing backlash arising from your conferral of Notre Dame’s highest honor on the most relentlessly pro-abortion public official in the world,” Prof. Rice wrote.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17190

Archbishop Burke: Funeral Rites Should be Denied to Publicly Pro-Abort Catholics

2009-09-23T12:40:00.002-04:00

Says Catholics also "should have the courage to look truth in the eye and call things by their common names"

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)

Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Vatican's Apostolic Signatura, also defended the duty of Catholics to speak in charity against the scandal caused by such figures.

Archbishop Burke also said that "neither Holy Communion nor funeral rites should be administered to" politicians who support abortion or same-sex "marriage." "To deny these is not a judgment of the soul, but a recognition of the scandal and its effects," he said. Burke said that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

He also added, "The Church's unity is founded on speaking the truth in love," he said. "This does not destroy unity but helps to repair a breach in the life of the Church."

The Archbishop was given a standing ovation at the conclusion of his address.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/sep/09092111.html

LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CHRISTOPHER WEST - Signed by Cardinal Rigali, Bishop Rhoades

2009-09-17T22:23:00.002-04:00

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, SEPT. 17, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is the letter that was sent Aug. 10 by Cardinal Justin Rigali, the archbishop of Philadelphia, and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg, to Christopher West, founder and director of the Theology of the Body Institute.

* * *

Support for Christopher West from Cardinal Justin Rigali

and Bishop Kevin Rhoades

Click here.

Helen Alvaré: I always knew she was great woman, but this proves my point!

2009-09-13T21:53:00.001-04:00

Can there be such a thing as a "Pro-Choice Catholic?"

2009-09-11T13:24:00.002-04:00

The self-applied label "Pro-Choice Catholic" that some people use has bothered me for quite some time. If you are truly intellectually honest with yourself, you must come to the conclusion that, in reality, it is a definite impossibility to be a "Pro-Choice Catholic." You can be "Pro-Choice," or you can be "Catholic," but the terms are mutually exclusive.

"Pro-Choice" = being in favor of permitting a woman to end the life of the conceived human being that now temporarily resides in her womb as he or she continues to develop further in his or her young human life.

"Catholic" = not in favor of permitting a woman to end the life of the conceived human being that now temporarily resides in her womb as he or she continues to develop further in his or her young human life. (See, Exodus 20:13 here; and Catechism of the Catholic Church 2258 and 2270 - 2275 here; and The Didache (attributed to The Apostles of Christ) II2 here.)

One "becomes" "Pro-Choice" by agreeing with the definition of "Pro-Choice." That definition permits procured abortion.

One "is" Catholic by believing what God has revealed (see Bible reference above), and what the Church teaches based upon Christ's authority to do so (see Catechism and Didache references above.) That Divine Revelation and Church teaching absolutely forbids procured abortion in every instance.

If you believe/agree with one of the above, you necessarily disagree with the other! Sorry, but this is one of those, "you can't have it both ways" deals of life!

It would be no different than another person saying I am a "Pro-God Atheist!" Unless one is living in a world of their own, they have to agree that such a label is an intellectual impossibility. A person cannot deny the existence of God, while at the same time being a fan of the God in whom he does not believe exists!

One is certainly free to employ whatever labels they want, but that in and of itself doesn't make the usage accurate, regardless of the self-brainwashing that has taken place.

If I see a cow in a field with a sign hanging around its neck that reads "HORSE," that doesn't make it a horse!

Such people need to pick one and go with it! They display their intellectual dishonesty from the very start by putting forth a "Pro-Choice Catholic" moniker! It's simply a false "feel-good" tactic that gets them nowhere in the end. And I do mean "the end!"

What does it mean to be a REAL MAN OF GOD?

2009-09-11T12:09:00.000-04:00

Why we cannot allow THE NATURE OF Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass to die a slow death

2009-09-09T11:11:00.002-04:00

I can't say it any better than this: (read here.)

This is so powerful and on point that Bishop Rene Henry Gracida, retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas recently deferred to this article in lashing out against the scandal caused by the nature of his funeral. (See here.)

Please don't misunderstand me at all. I am not and have never questioned whether Ted Kennedy should have been given a Catholic funeral. He most certainly should have. It's the nature and extent of the spectacle that is causing the scandal and confusion among Catholics and those who pay attention to what the Catholic Church teaches and believes.

Have we forgotten "Lex orandi. Lex credendi. Lex vivendi."?

ObamaCare is an Obamanation! No thanks! I'll pass!

2009-09-08T21:32:00.000-04:00

Trailer for "Blood Money" Movie

2009-09-08T12:47:00.001-04:00

Go to : Blood Money

God Lives Under The Bed

2009-09-01T09:52:00.002-04:00

I envy Kevin. My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night.

He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...'

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult.

He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?

Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.
The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied.

He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.

He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.

And Saturdays - oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. 'That one's goin' to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.

His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.

He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.

His life is simple.

He will never know the entanglements of wealth of power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never

worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.

He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.

He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure.

He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.

Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.

It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.

It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap. I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care.

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.

And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all!

It was HOW Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass was conducted that was the problem!

2009-09-01T09:43:00.002-04:00

This article by a (frustrated) Catholic priest masterfully explains the problem with HOW Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass was conducted.

Priest pedophiles, Notre Dame, Ted Kennedy, opposition to Humanae Vitae . . . and anyone wonders why so many Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Why should anyone be surprised?

May his soul rest in peace, and may the souls of the living faithful not be scandalized by how the Church memorialized him.

Inside the Womb (1 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:41:00.001-04:00

Inside the Womb (2 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:40:00.002-04:00

Inside the Womb (3 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:40:00.001-04:00

Inside the Womb (4 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:39:00.002-04:00

Inside the Womb (5 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:39:00.001-04:00

Inside the Womb (6 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:38:00.002-04:00

Inside the Womb (7 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:38:00.001-04:00

Inside the Womb (8 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

Inside the Womb (9 of 9)

2009-08-26T10:36:00.000-04:00

Victoria - Great Golf Shot!

2009-08-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

"Warshing" Clothes Recipe..........

2009-08-12T17:02:00.001-04:00

Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe: this is exact copy as written and found in
old scrapbook - with spelling errors and all.
WARSHING CLOTHES
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.. sort things, make 3 piles, l white, 1 colored, 1 work To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
================================================
Paste this over your washer and dryer Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet---those two-holers used to get mighty cold!
For you non-southerners - wrench means, rinse ;)

AND WE THOUGHT WE HAVE IT ROUGH

Another elite, arrogant, liberal politician.

2009-08-10T22:17:00.002-04:00

Hillary Clinton is just so pleasant isn't she?

2009-08-10T22:02:00.001-04:00

And so it begins . . .

2009-08-10T20:08:00.002-04:00

EEOC Forces Catholic Belmont Abbey College to Fund Contraception in Insurance

"The Obama administration has ruled that a small Catholic college must provide coverage for contraception in its insurance plans for employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that Belmont Abbey College must provide the coverage, even though it violates Catholic teachings."

The President of Belmont Abbey, William Thierfelder, is a former Board of Directors member of the company I work for, Real Alternatives. Please pray for him as I trust that he is in for a battle that will not soon end. He is involved in what is called, "white martydom" these days. He is very strong in our faith and will no doubt fight this to the bitter end.

Here is the whole story.

"A BETTER Eucharist?"

2009-08-03T20:35:00.002-04:00

This article is just too good to paraphrase, so here it is in full:

Second-rate Eucharist?

I went to Mass at my area cathedral today. In what is increasingly a rarity, especially for the weekday Mass, the Archbishop was present as chief celebrant and homilist. He was assisted by one of the priest regulars who often celebrate weekday and Sunday masses.

Communion time sent me into deeper reflection than the usual prayers and meditation at this part of the Mass. It is not uncommon to find that when there is a female eucharistic minister distributing communion, alongside a man, the “male line” is always way longer. Even when the woman communion distributor has come to the end of her queue, she is often left standing with a look on her face that suggests a plea to communicants to come over, while the communicants remain resolute in displaying their skills at not noticing that she is waiting to be useful.

I often get up to receive communion with a “Holy Mother Church allows it, therefore I am game” shrug when somethings do not appear to be in line with my “preference.” From now on I resolve to make this a silent burst of joy, as in “Yippee, there’s Jesus; here I come.” I am sometimes guilty of the behaviour of queue avoidance, even though more often than not, I try to take the communion line that is closet or most conveniently located to where I am seated.

The shunning of certain ministers of the Eucharist does not just show up when there is a male/female choice. It is also apparent that people prefer to go the the priest’s queue when there is a permanent deacon or male Eucharistic Minister serving alongside him. This morning, the distinction between who has the “better” Eucharist took on a new twist that, for some reason, truly saddened me. This dear parish priest has a reputation for dedication and holiness. He is sound in all aspects. But there he was, towards the end of communion, standing with a host in hand hovering over the ciborium, looking imploringly at the line of a few going to the archbishop, as if to say, “hey, we could get this over with a lot more quickly if some of you just switched lanes.” Nobody budged from the Archbishop’s line.

I guess when you have your mind set on the notion that you will receive the “better” Body of Christ, it is kind of like an anti-climax if the “second rate” queue runs out of people and you feel forced to switch because of some unwritten protocol. Does this imply that some of us have embedded in our minds the notion of a hierarchy of Hosts; that the hand from which communion is received is more a determinant of the Holy Eucharist being the Body of Christ, than what it inherently is? Would a fan approach their favourite celebrity and feel the authograph is authentic only if a certain brand of pen is used, or depending on who chauffered the star?

Maybe that tinge of sadness I felt this morning was remorse for my past behaviour which suggested just that. Then again, perhaps it was because today’s gospel. Don’t know if the Archbishop got it mixed up by reading Matthew 14: 22-36, but it hammered home the point about lack of faith. You know, the story where Peter tried to walk on the water to meet Jesus and as soon as he got that sinking feeling cried out in fright, “Lord, save me.” And Jesus said, “Oh you of little faith.”

http://mgwriters.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/second-rate-eucharist/

O, poor misguided Father Jenkins! Man did he sell out!

2009-07-30T10:05:00.002-04:00

By: Glenn McCoy of TownHall.com

(How in the world did I miss this during the height of this fiasco? Better late than never for something as good as this!)

New research backs abortion-breast cancer link. Is a 66 PERCENT INCREASE a risk you're willing to take?

2009-07-29T21:01:00.003-04:00

For your personal discernment. However, when you are finished reading, the simple question is whether young women should be given this information or not. Should they be given the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they are willing to take the risk that the results of this study are wrong or not? Or, should this be hidden from them by their medical providers and society at large until definitive and undisputed proof is finally found? Would you want to be told this if you were a young woman today?

One other question to ask yourself is whether in light of yet another such study should the Susan G. Komen Foundation and it's "Race for the Cure" (you know, the one's who are trying to help find a cure for breast cancer), continue to donate money to Planned Parenthood (you know, the one's who think every day is a great day for an abortion - so long as they are making millions of dollars off of our women)?

Here's the story about the study:

Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Jul 29, 2009 / 12:14 am (CNA).- A Turkish researcher has reported a statistically significant 66 percent increase in breast cancer risk among women who have had an abortion.

Dr. Vahit Ozmen and his colleagues at the Istanbul Medical Faculty and Magee-Women's hospital conducted a retrospective study in breast cancer risk factors which discovered the connection. Their study was published in the World Journal of Surgical Oncology, an open access, peer reviewed online medical journal.

The researchers also reviewed the contemporary literature on the possible abortion-breast cancer link, saying “the majority of the studies reported that induced abortion was associated with increased breast cancer risk.”

According to the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute (BCPI) director Joel Brind, a professor of endocrinology at Baruch College at City University of New York, said the findings call into question the National Cancer Institute’s 2003 declaration that it was “established” that there was no connection between abortion and breast cancer.

The new study, Brind said, is “honest research” that cracks the “wall of denial erected by our increasingly nonsensical and bizarre political institutions.”

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16692

Catholic Dictionary - For Catholics Only

2009-07-29T20:59:00.001-04:00

This information is for Catholics only. It must not be divulged to non-Catholics. The less they know about our rituals and code words, the better off they are.

AMEN	The only part of a prayer that everyone knows.
BULLETIN	Your receipt for attending Mass.
CHOIR	A group of people whose singing allows the rest of the Parish to lip-sync.
HOLY WATER	A liquid whose chemical formula is H2OLY.
HYMN	A song of praise usually sung in a key three octaves higher than that of the congregation's range.
RECESSIONAL HYMN	The last song at Mass often sung a little more quietly, since most of the people have already left.
INCENSE	Holy Smoke!
JESUITS	An order of priests known for their ability to find colleges with good basketball teams.
JONAH	The original 'Jaws' story.
JUSTICE	When kids have kids of their own.
KYRIE ELEISON	The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognize besides gyros and baklava. (For you non-Catholics it means "Lord have mercy".)
MAGI	The most famous trio to attend a baby shower.
MANGER	Where Mary placed Jesus because Joseph forgot the crib when packing the donkey.
PEW	A medieval torture device still found in Catholic churches.
PROCESSION	The ceremonial formation at the beginning of Mass consisting of altar servers, the celebrant, and late parishioners looking for seats.
RECESSIONAL	The ceremonial procession at the conclusion of Mass led by parishioners trying to beat the crowd to the parking lot.
RELICS	People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually know when to sit, kneel, and stand.
STABLE	Where Mary gave birth to Jesus because Joseph wasn't covered by an HMO. (The Bible's way of showing us that holiday travel has always been rough.)
TEN COMMANDMENTS	The most important Top Ten list not given by David Letterman.
USHERS	The only people in the parish who don't know the seating capacity of a pew.

Vatican's Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Sacraments Speaks on Issue of Withholding Communion

2009-07-24T13:31:00.003-04:00

July 23, 2009 - Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, the head of the Vatican's liturgical office, stated that the principle of charity (love) in truth is what guides the decision to withhold communion to unrepentant pro-abortion polititians. He mentioned that it is done in consideration for their eternal salvation, and not for punishment as is often mis-reported.

Such individuals are in a very grave state of sin, and giving them the Blessed Sacrament only compounds their problems. Such a situation also raises significant issues for the one who gives them communion if they have full knowledge of their state of MANIFEST GRAVE SIN. Not only does such an action fail to guard the sanctity of the sacred species, but it also is a direct act of aiding and abetting one to engage in further sin to their eternal detriment.

In addition, is causes real and very serious scandal among the faithful. If they see a known and outwardly pro-abortion politician being given the Eucharist, it can lead one to question whether the Church truly believes it is the REAL PRESENCE of Christ. Would a representative of the Church give the REAL BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, and DIVINITY of Christ to someone who they know is not properly disposed to receive Him? Since they did so, "it must not really be Christ, but merely a symbol." The Bishops MUST protect not only the Blessed sacrament itself, but also the faithful who are trying their very best to follow what the Church teaches about the Real Presence. Instead, too often many Bishops spend all of their energy protecting the pro-abortion politician! What's wrong with this picture?

I found it particularly interesting that Cardinal Canizares pointed to the document produced by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2004 when Cardinal Ratzinger was Prefect. That document stated clearly that pro-abortion Catholic politicians "must be refused" Holy Communion if they attempt to receive at Mass.

Why is that clear mandate not followed by ALL of our Bishops? Why is this not a "no-brainer?" And so many wonder why is there so much confusion among the faithful today about our Church and her teachings!!!

YARD WORK AS VIEWED FROM HEAVEN

2009-07-13T16:50:00.002-04:00

Overheard in a conversation between God and St. Francis:

God: Francis, you know all about gardens and nature; what in the world
is going on down there in the U.S.? What happened to the dandelions,
violets,thistles and the stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect
no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil,
withstand drought, and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the
long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees, and flocks of
songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of color by now. All I see
are patches of green.

St. Francis: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. They are called
the Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went
to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

God: Grass? But it is so boring, it's not colorful. It doesn't attract
butterflies, bees or birds, only grubs and sod worms. It's
temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want
grass growing?

St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it has grown a little,
they cut it....sometimes two times a week.

God: They cut it? Do they bale it like hay?

St Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

St. Francis: No sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now let me get this straight. . . they fertilize it to make it
grow and when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

St. Francis: Yes, sir.

God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut
back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth
and saves them a lot of work.

St. Francis: You aren't going to believe this Lord, but when the grass
stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water
it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

God: What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a
sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow
leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the
autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep the
moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they
rot, the leaves become compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural
circle of life.

St. Francis: You'd better sit down, Lord. As soon as the leaves fall,
the Suburbanites rake them into great piles and pay to have them
hauled away.

God: No way! What do they do to protect the shrubs and tree roots in
the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

St Francis: After throwing the leaves away, they go out and buy
something called mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in
place of the leaves.

God: And where do they get this mulch?

St.. Francis: They cut down the trees and grind them up to make mulch.

God: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. Saint
Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled
for us tonight?

St. Catherine: "Dumb and Dumber," Lord. It's a really stupid movie about. . .

God: Never mind--I think I just heard the whole story from Saint Francis!