Defiant Brisbane pastor ignores Church teaching and discipline

From Catholic Culture.org 

Father Peter Kennedy, who has been relieved of his post as pastor of St. Mary's parish in South Brisbane, Australia, has a long record of dissent from Church teachings on such fundamental doctrinal matters as the existence of heaven and hell and the virgin birth. He has encouraged parishioners to design their own liturgies, substituting other materials in place of the assigned Scripture readings, and has persisted in the use of a baptismal formula that the Vatican has rejected as invalid.

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

• Imagine there's no heaven... (The Record)

Roundup: Op-eds criticize Benedict; Rabbi Levin defends him

I for one stand with His Holiness

Commentators continued to criticize Pope Benedict’s decision to lift the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson of the Society of St. Pius X, even as Rabbi Yehuda Levin defended him. “At this point there has been a wonderfully strong renunciation of Bishop Williamson by the Vatican, and therefore the Jewish community from their statements seems to be satisfied that things are going in the right way," Levin said. “This is just going to increase the frenzy of left-wing Catholics, whether outside the Church or inside, because they now have to carry the ball in terms of keeping the attack on the Pope going.” Many of the Pope's critics seemed unaware that the Pontiff had already denounced Holocaust denial in two public statements since lifting the excommunications. (Catholic Culture.org)

Believe It or Not, Rush Limbaugh Was Right on Stimulus

Mort, don't doubt Rush!!!


By Mort Kondracke

I can't believe I'm writing this, but Rush Limbaugh actually has (or had) a good idea on the stimulus. Or, at least the germ of one.

On his radio show Jan. 26 and in the Wall Street Journal Jan. 29, America's arch-polarizer -- amazingly enough -- proposed the outlines of a reasonable bipartisan stimulus package of both spending and tax cuts.

It may be moot now, given an apparent House-Senate-administration agreement, but Limbaugh's contribution illustrates how decision-making on the stimulus might have proceeded usefully -- and how to think about fighting recessions.

(Full story at Real Clear Politics)

Gov. Jindal To Give GOP Rebuttal

Posted by Kyle Trygstad | Email This | Permalink | Email Author
 
From Real Clear Politics

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) will give the Republican address to the nation following President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress on February 24. Republican congressional leaders Mitch McConnell and John Boehner announced the decision today.

"Gov. Jindal's leadership during a time of recovery in Louisiana, his commitment to real government reform, and his protection of hardworking American families make him an excellent choice to offer Republican solutions for the challenges which lay ahead," McConnell said in a press release.

Jindal is a former member of Congress who was elected governor in 2007. There was speculation that John McCain considered him as a running mate last year, and many believe Jindal could run for president in 2012.

Governor Sebelius. Another Dissident Catholic for Health and Human Services?

By Deacon Keith Fournier
2/12/2009

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Catholic Social thought is built upon the truth that every single human life has an inherent human dignity and must be respected and protected.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) – On Tuesday February 3, 2009, former Senator Tom Daschle withdrew his name from consideration as President Obama’s choice to fill the important position of Secretary of Health and Human Services.

It was disclosed that the nominee had failed to pay substantial back taxes. In a candid N.B.C. News interview the President said that he had “screwed up” in making the nomination. The reason he gave was his concern over feeding a growing perception among the American public that there were two sets of standards when it came to paying taxes and obeying the law, those for ordinary people and those for the powerful. 

However, another story received much less coverage. It was the collective sigh of relief that came after the withdrawal of this dissident Catholic’s name from consideration for this vital post, particularly in Catholic circles. After all, while serving in the US Senate, Senator Tom Daschle opposed the ban on the infanticide called partial birth abortion, endorsed taxpayer funded military abortions and promoted the distribution of so called “morning after” pills in public schools.

The idea that the head of all health policy for the United States would be an advocate of expanding federal funds for the killing of innocent children in the womb made millions of Americans deeply concerned and faithful Catholics angry.For faithful Catholics, it was repugnant that Tom Daschle, a self professed Catholic Christian, held a public position and voting record that was directly at odds with the infallible teaching of his Church.There is no disputing this teaching of the Catholic Church.

Now, the story surrounding this important appointment may be taking an even more troubling turn. If the rumors prove to be true, and observers can recognize the floating of the trial balloons which usually occurs in these situations, the replacement for Tom Daschle may be the Governor of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius. Catholics and all who recognize that the inalienable right to life attaches to all human persons from the moment of conception have serious reason to be alarmed if they are true.

(Full story at Catholic Online) 

Forced Abortion, Rape Victim Comes Forward After Abortionist Given Slap on the Wrist

DETROIT, Mich., February 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Outraged by what she considers a meaningless sentence and remarks by an attorney that she says are insulting and untrue, a former patient of Womancare, a Detroit-area abortion facility, has come forward to tell of her abortion experience with owner, abortionist Alberto Hodari.

Jennifer McCoy's hair-raising account of a forced abortion and the non-reporting of child sexual abuse that allowed her rapist to continue abusing her is part of an investigative report about Hodari's legal problems released today by the pro-life group Operation Rescue. (Click here to read: http://www.operationrescue.org/archives/forced-abortion-rape...)

Womancare, Inc. was last week given six months probation on one count of illegally disposing of abortion records. Eleven other counts have been dismissed. Womancare was charged after Citizens for a Pro-Life Society discovered abortion records along with the remains of aborted babies that had been illegally dumped in the clinic's trash, and reported their findings to the authorities. The Health Department chose not to pursue charges for the illegal disposal of human remains, however.
(Full story at LifeSiteNews.com)

Julio the McDonald's Guy Panned by Public

By P.J. Gladnick (Bio | Archive)

Oooh, this is such a blessing to see you, Mr. President! Thank you for taking time out of your day! Oooooh! Precious God! Thank you so much! Ooooh! Your humble correspondent is desperate to own a Kindle 2 reader so he can have access to thousands of books at any time. However, the price is a bit out of my budget! If you could help me to get one, Mr. President, I will continue to slobber over you!

Yeah, your humble correspondent would absolutely love to have a Kindle 2 reader but the price tag is a bit steep. However, I have now learned the easiest way to get one: just show up at an Obama town hall meeting and put in my request to the Bob Barker-in-chief. Of course a Kindle 2  would be minor gift compared to what another person, Henrietta Hughes, at that Fort Myers meeting received...a home care of the wife of a Florida state representative. So far no one in the mainstream media has questioned how this conveniently came about but a skeptical reader at MichelleMalkin.com, Erik E., commented:

(Fullstory at NewsBusters.org)

Schismatic priest at breakaway St. Louis parish allies with Milingo

From catholicculture.org:

Father Marek Bozek, the excommunicated Polish priest associated with a suppressed St. Louis parish, has become “incardinated” in Married Priests Now!, the movement founded by excommunicated Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo. The movement is funded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Father Bozek has also become “incardinated” in the Reformed Catholic Church. Subsequent to his affiliation with both organizations, Bozek said, “With all due respect for the independent Catholic movement, it's full of weirdos.”
(Full story at St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

12 Year-Old Forced to Take Pregnancy Test, Lawsuit Filed Against Girl's School

Nevada City, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The parents of a 12-year-old girl have filed a lawsuit against a California school district after local school officials forced their daughter to submit to a pregnancy test. Attorneys with the Pacific Justice Institute are representing the student and her parents, who had no knowledge of the test.

In March 2008, Steve Davis, a counselor at Seven Hills Middle School, pulled the student, whose initials are C.R., out of class.

Davis had heard rumors from another student that the young girl was pregnant and demanded to know wether that information was true. The girl denied she was pregnant and told Davis that students had spread false rumors about her in the past.

Instead of accepting the girl's denial as fact or contacting her parents, Davis obtained a pregnancy test from the school nurse and ordered the girl into the bathroom to give a urine sample. Assuming she had no choice, the girl complied and the test came back negative. (Full story at LifeSiteNews.com)

Catholics in Alliance study on abortion reduction found to be faulty

Washington DC, Feb 11, 2009 / 04:09 am (CNA).- Until recently, a Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good study of abortion data claimed that increased spending on welfare programs results in substantial reductions in state abortion rates but many pro-life laws do not. However, the study’s results have been revised following the discovery that incorrect abortion data was used and after criticism from a professor that the group’s conclusions did not follow from the data. (Full story CNA)

Reflection: Holy Eucharist or 'Fast Food'?

By Jennifer Hartline

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

We came and a miracle happened right in front of us. Are we so accustomed to it that it no longer ignites our sense of wonder and awe?

CHESAPEAKE, VA. (Catholic Online) - This morning at Mass I looked around quietly during Communion, and I was struck by a most heartbreaking thought.“I don’t think we even know what we have here. I don’t think we realize WHO we have here.”

It was the Angelic Doctor who once wrote:


"Material food first changes into the one who eats it, and then, as a consequence, restores to him lost strength and increases his vitality. Spiritual food, on the other hand, changes the person who eats it into itself. Thus the effect proper to this Sacrament is the con­ver­sion of a man into Christ, so that he may no longer live, but Christ lives in him; conse­quent­ly, it has the double effect of restoring the spiritual strength he had lost by his sins and defects, and of increasing the strength of his virtues." (St. Thomas, Commentary on Book IV of the Sentences, d.12, q.2, a.11) (Full story at Catholic Online)

Bishop Asks Sen. Casey to Rescind Vote on Policy

Diocese of Scranton (www.dioceseofscranton.org/)

“Your failure to reverse this vote will regrettably mean that you persist formally in cooperating with the evil brought about by this hideous and unnecessary policy.”

SCRANTON, PA (The Diocese of Scranton) - The following Press release is found on the web site of the Diocese of Scranton: Bishop Asks Sen. Casey to Rescind Vote on Policy Affecting Overseas Abortions In a letter to Sen. Robert P. Casey, Bishop Joseph F. Martino condemned the vote taken by Sen. Casey against an amendment to a bill which would have prohibited millions of U.S. tax dollars from going to organizations abroad that provide and promote abortion. The Martinez Amendment to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) would have reinstated the Mexico City Policy rescinded by President Obama on Jan. 23. The amendment was defeated in a vote of 60-37. (Full story at Catholic Online)

‘Bella’ Babies’ Hope

This story passes along the REAL menaing of Hope

BY Tim Drake

Given the national election results, fears of FOCA (the Freedom of Choice Act) and 36 years of legalized abortion in our country, it’s easy to despair.


The numbers alone — an estimated 40 million children aborted since Roe v. Wade imposed abortion on the nation — are enough to drain the joie de vivre from anyone.

Yet, as Christ tells us, there remains faith, hope and love. Pope Benedict XVI came to our country last April to remind us of that second word — hope. The theme of his apostolic journey was “Christ Is Our Hope.”

“The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life,” wrote Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope). (Full story at NCRegister.com)

Mushy Christianity

By Michael Novak

One of the greatest of recent seductions by that wily devil Screwtape – perfectly fitted to the times – is to puff a tiny sugar crystal of Christianity into sweetish airy cotton candy. “IN-clusiveness!” he will insist. “Christianity is about nothing if not IN-clusiveness.”

That is how Screwtape sweet-talks you into affirming that some abomination (divorce, abortion, euthanasia, adultery, gay marriage) is, actually, included within the broad reach of Christian love. It would be positively un-Christian to think ill of that “abomination.” You should be ashamed you ever thought it was wrong. Are you a bigot or something?

“Strange!” I would have thought, “Christianity is about EX-clusion.” On the last day the Judge shall divide the world into sheep and goats, you over on the left, you over on the right. A few of you will be chosen to enter with me into Paradise. The rest will descend, as you have chosen, into everlasting punishment. I have come not to bring peace, but the sword. He who is not with me is against me. God sent His light into the darkness, and the darkness received it not. The gate is narrow, and the way is strait. Only a tiny remnant will be saved. There was much weeping, and tears, and gnashing of teeth.

You can look it up.

Take half an hour, skim through the gospels of Matthew and Mark. (Even more “un-Christian” are some of the Epistles of St. Paul.)

Screwtape has it all wrong. The moment you encounter someone stressing how IN-clusive Christianity is, walk away from him quickly, for the truth is not in him.

Conspicuously was this true of the infamous Newsweek article putting homosexual liaisons in paradise, and picturing marriage (in the Christian view) as a kind of hell. This article appeared at Christmastime – Christmastime! And it was later defended by the usually clear-eyed editor of Newsweek, John Meacham. That is the shrewdest sign of how skillful Screwtape is. He picks none but the best. * * * (Full story at The Catholic Thing)

Crucifixes in the classroom

by Margaret Cabaniss

According to the Boston Globe, Boston College is currently in the middle of an eight-year program to increase the presence of Catholic symbols on their campus. To that end, the school put up 151 crucifixes in classrooms over the Christmas break.

The reaction? Students seemed generally supportive, but for some in the faculty, it was a different story:

A meeting last month of arts and sciences department chairs turned into a heated argument over the classroom icons; a handful of faculty have written to the administration to protest, and some unsuccessfully circulated a petition asking to have crucifixes removed.

"I believe that the display of religious signs and symbols, such as the crucifix, in the classroom is contrary to the letter and spirt of open intellectual discourse that makes education worthwhile and distinguishes first-rate universities from mediocre and provincial ones,"

by Margaret Maxim D. Shrayer, chairman of the department of Slavic and Eastern languages and literatures, said in an interview.
The irony of citing "open intellectual discourse" as a defense for banning certain images from the classroom seems lost on Professor Shrayer. Meanwhile, one professor has apparently refused to teach in a classroom with a crucifix in it, even if he has to relocate at his own expense. Mark Shea has very helpfully illustrated this reaction over on his blog:

Crucifixes in Catholic universities. What will they think of next?

Boston College Places Crucifixes and Icons in Classrooms

Unbelieveable there would be opposition to placing Crucifixes & Icons in classrooms on a CATHOLIC university.

Students and faculty returned to Boston College (BC), a Jesuit Catholic institution, for the Spring 2009 semester to find that crucifixes and icons had been placed in many classrooms that had been long bereft of sacred art. This move, which helps strengthen the university’s Catholic identity, came by direct request of President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., according to a campus newspaper editor.
“Bravo for Boston College!” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. “For Catholics, outward signs, symbols and practices of our faith are an important part of relating to God in a material world.” (Full story at the cardinal Newman Society)