Government takes over, Obama apologizes

by Star Parker

The Obama administration, completing its first full week, wasted no time getting priorities in order. First, issue formal apologies to the world, and then begin advancing massive, intrusive government at home.

The president chose Arab television, Al Arabiya, to give his first sit down interview. He took the opportunity to confirm the long held Arab view that the real problem is America and President Obama apologized on our behalf.

"...America was not born as a colonial power," he told the Arab viewing audience - implying we are now. And he regretfully confessed that "We sometimes make mistakes. We are not perfect."

Sorry, but weren't we the ones that were attacked? Do we not stand in long lines and disrobe in airports because of them? Does anyone recall anywhere, anytime hearing apologies from any Arab or Muslim leader?

(Full story at Townhall.com)

Lesbian Couple Who Forced Homosexual "Marriage" On Massachusetts Have Filed For Divorce

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

BOSTON, February 4, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Julie and Hillary Goodridge, the lesbian couple who led the fight for same-sex “marriage” in Massachusetts in 2003, filed for divorce in Suffolk Probate and Family Court last Thursday, the Boston Herald reported yesterday.

The two lesbians, who share custody of their 12-year-old daughter Annie, "married" on May 17, 2004, the first day same-sex “marriages” became legal under a Massachusetts court ruling.

It was reported that the couple broke up two years after their ground-breaking "wedding."

Khris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, a pro-family public policy organization founded on Judeo-Christian values, commented on the development: “Divorce is a very painful issue, but I also can’t help but reflect on the pain this couple has caused the commonwealth (of Massachusetts) and the nation to redefine marriage. And now they’re getting divorced? It doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Mineau said.
“Obviously, they don’t hold the institution in very high esteem.”

St. John Chrysostom "On Fasting"

Thanks to David Nixon for bringing this to my attention. This is a splendid abridgement of St. John Chrysostom "On Fasting".

On Fasting
St. John Chrysostom
 
Fasting is a medicine. But medicine, as beneficial as it is, becomes useless because of the inexperience of the user. He has to know the appropriate time that the medicine should be taken and the right amount of medicine and the condition of the body which is to take it, the weather conditions and the season of the year and the appropriate diet of the sick and many other things. If any of these things are overlooked, the medicine will do more harm than good. So, if one who is going to heal the body needs so much accuracy, when we care for the soul and are concerned about healing it from bad thoughts, it is necessary to examine and observe everything with every possible detail.

Fasting is the change of every part of our life, because the sacrifice of the fast is not the abstinence but the distancing from sins. Therefore, whoever limits the fast to the deprivation of food, he is the one who, in reality, abhors and ridicules the fast. Are you fasting? Show me your fast with your works. Which works? If you see someone who is poor, show him mercy. If you see an enemy, reconcile with him. If you see a friend who is becoming successful, do not be jealous of him! If you see a beautiful woman on the street, pass her by.

(Read complete article at OrthodoxyToday.org)

Pope Benedict exhorts Catholics to rediscover fasting this Lent

Vatican City, Feb 3, 2009 / 11:49 am (CNA).- As Catholics around the world prepare to begin the Lenten season in just over three weeks, Pope Benedict XVI has published his Lenten Message for 2009. This year the Holy Father focuses his message on the meaning and value of fasting, emphasizing that it helps believers to prepare to do the will of God.

The message, which the Pope penned on December 11, 2008, has as its title, a verse from the Gospel of St. Matthew: "He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry."

The Holy Father traces the practice of fasting all the way back to God’s command to Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Walking through salvation history, the Pope points to his Lenten message’s theme: "The true fast is thus directed to eating the 'true food', which is to do the Father's will."

Pope Benedict also acknowledges that fasting has become fashionable for people concerned with their bodily health, but he explains that for believers the primary benefit of fasting is as "a 'therapy' to heal all that prevents them from conformity to the will of God." "Denying material food, which nourishes our body," the Pope adds, "nurtures an interior disposition to listen to Christ and be fed by His saving word." (Full Story at CNA)

Daschle Withdraws as Nominee for HHS Secretary

This is good news.

Catholic Online (http://www.catholic.org/)


Former North Dakota Senator Tom Daschle has removed his name from consideration as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - Former Senator Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Health and Human Service on Tuesday amid concerns over tax issues and conflicts of interest.

Daschle stated that he didn’t feel he had the full trust of the American people or of the congress and felt the cloud over his nomination could be a distraction from the issues. In addition to stepping back from the position as HHS Secretary he has also removed himself from consideration as the White House Health Czar, the other post offered by the President. 

The announcement came less than three hours after Nancy Killefer, nominee for the government’s first chief performance officer over tax problems.

The former senator was the third nominee to remove himself from nomination, the first being New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to was tapped as the next Secretary of Commerce.

Sources on Capitol Hill have indicated that Daschle’s withdrawal will set back the initiatives for health care reform as he had such familiarity with the inner workings of the Congress.

The Neediest Cases

We will take the victories where we can get them.

Daschle is unemployed. Is he unemployable?

By JAMES TARANTO


Tom Daschle is not the Tom Daschle Barack Obama thought he knew. Today, as the Washington Post reports, Daschle withdrew his nomination as secretary of health and human services, "citing the distractions that followed his failure to pay all of his taxes in recent years."

Hey, how come when "distractions" were raised about Obama during the campaign, the candidate told us to shut up and talk about the real issues, whereas when the "distractions" concern Obama's nominees, he throws them under the bus? (Full story at WSJ Online)

Legionaries of Christ acknowledge founder’s ‘inappropriate’ behavior

Okay, there are going to be a lot of news coming out in the MSM and blogosphere concerning this sad situation. I ask that you follow the most current information about this at the links listed below, or check out my Favorite Blogs.. I will attempt to at least keep links updated. Thank you and God Bless.

Patrick Madrid.com

American Papist

New Haven, Feb 3, 2009 / 01:29 pm (CNA).- Responding to unconfirmed revelations of misconduct by the Legionaries of Christ Founder Fr. Marcial Maciel, the U.S. spokesman for the Legionaries of Christ has acknowledged unspecified actions that “weren’t appropriate for a Catholic priest.” However, he insisted that Fr. Maciel “was and always will be the father of the Legion.” (Full story at CNA)

British grandparents lose custody of children to homosexual couple

My grandson lives with us. I cannot imagine how devastating this would be if it happened. Please pray for these Grandparents. This is what happens when political corectness takes over and all reason is lost.


Edinburgh, Feb 3, 2009 / 06:36 am (CNA).- Two British grandparents aged 59 and 46 have been told that they are too old and unfit to care for their grandchildren, who are to be placed with an adoptive homosexual couple.
The children had been in their grandparents’ care during their mother’s struggles with heroin. After their mother failed to bring them home from a visit, social workers became involved and the police were called in.
The children, a five-year-old boy called “Josh” and his four-year-old sister “Chloe,” were placed in foster care, an arrangement the grandparents believed to be temporary.
The local adoption and foster council went to court four times to have the children permanently removed and adopted, but each time the court ruled in favor of the grandparents.
According to The People, the council threatened to hire expensive lawyers, causing the grandparents to abandon their legal fight because of the potential legal fees and because of their fear the court hearings would prevent the grandchildren from having a settled home.
The unnamed 59-year-old grandfather, speaking in an interview with The People, said the day the social workers came to take away his and his 46-year-old wife’s grandchildren was “the worst day of my life.” (Full story at CNA)