Pro-life Workers Arrested in Birmingham, A Sad Day for Human Rights

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Nine college-age men and women, members of the Survivors Campus Life Tour, were arrested at Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, while distributing literature to students from a public sidewalk.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) – On Friday morning at 7:00am, Kortney Blythe was released after spending fourteen hours in jail for distributing pro-life literature on a public sidewalk in Birmingham, Alabama. She and three other female members of the Survivors Campus Life Tour were the first to be freed. One more young woman and four young men are yet to be released.

Two attorneys for the nine college-age members worked from late Thursday afternoon straight through until Friday morning to untangle the confused reports of police activity and arrests.

Catholic Online was able to interview Kortney Blythe, director of Campus Life Tours, just as she was released from jail. The interview will be posted later today along with reports from a press conference that will be held at noon in downtown Birmingham.  (Full story at Catholic Online)

This Time it's Bill Clinton Wanting to Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine

rom NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias by Seton Motley

Free Speech and Free Markets?  Nah.

For the third time in eight days, a prominent liberal has called for a return of the Censorship Doctrine, otherwise mis-known as the "Fairness" Doctrine.  This time it's former President and current high-dollar global thug speechifier -- and husband of the Secretary of State -- Bill Clinton.Kudos and our sympathy to Michael Calderone at the Politico, who has to listen to a lot of really bad radio to get these quotes. 
First it was Senators Debbie Stabenow and Tom Harkin, now Clinton.
Clinton was appearing on the liberal Mario Solis Marich (who? Exactly) radio show (audio here).  The censorship discussion went as follows:

MARIO SOLIS MARICH: I want to ask you just one last thing, based on, you know, obviously, your eight years of experience in the White House, which very few people on the planet get to have.  With the fact that shows like this, like the one you're on, is (sic), my show, is so outgunned on the right wing – compared to the right wing that has, like, nine out of ten shows, do you think that it's time – some members of congress are calling for hearings on the Fairness Doctrine – do you believe it's time for some type of enforced media accountability?

FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: Well you either ought to have the Fairness Doctrine, or we ought to have more balance on the other side.  Because, essentially, there's always been a lot of big money to support the right wing talk shows, and let's face it, Rush Limbaugh is fairly entertaining, even when he's saying things that I think are ridiculous.  

MARICH: Right [laughing].

CLINTON:  So, I think that the American people know now that we're in a very serious time, when we all need to be questioned. The President, I'm sure, would be the first to admit that none of us are right all the time, and everything should be debated.

MARICH: Yeah.

CLINTON: But basically, with the future of the country hanging in the balance, we shouldn't be playing petty politics or just, you know, going for entertainment.  So what I think we need to do is, either have more balance in the programs, or have some opportunity for people to offer countervailing opinions.  And when the fairness doctrine was done away with, I was not in favor of doing away with it.  And at the time, frankly, most people thought that there were more liberal than conservative voices.  But, I never minded having someone be heard who disagreed with me.  But if you only have one side, like this blatant drumbeat against the stimulus program, this doesn't reflect the economic reality that we're facing.  

MARICH: Right. 
CLINTON: And it's an example of why we need more debate, not less.  And if you only hear one side on the radio, that's pretty tough. 
MARICH: It is very tough, sir.

The former President lets the cat out the bag, albeit inadvertantly.  He first says "...there's always been a lot of big money to support the right wing talk shows."  Yes, El Presidente, they're called advertisers, and they give big money to support the right wing talk shows because they get a return on their investment.  The same can not be said for liberal shows like the one on which you were appearing yesterday. 
Clinton follows that up with "and let's face it, Rush Limbaugh is fairly entertaining."  Exactly.  Which leads he and his fellow entertaining Conservative cohorts to have listeners, which in turn leads to the big money they receive for plying their on-air wares. 
Liberal radio, having repeatedly failed to move the ratings needle, remains bereft of the listeners that lead to the big money Clinton at once bemoans and envies.  And of course he overlooks the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been sunk into liberal Air America, which has already filed for bankruptcy once, is on the verge of doing so again and may as well file for non-profit status at this point. 
But since when have liberals understood the free market, let alone free speech?

Also read: 

Bill Clinton Advocates Bringing Back Fairness Doctrine

Kansas: 'More Seminarians Than One Stage Can Hold'

The Catholic Key (www.catholickey.org)

A 40-year peak in seminary enrollment is celebrated at a "Support our Seminarians" dinner for Conception Abbey Seminary.

 KANSAS CITY (Catholic Key) - Abbot Gregory Polan of Conception Abbey led nearly 700 voices in a round of “Holy God We Praise Thy Name” at the Downtown Marriot January 30. “We bless and we thank you Lord for countless blessings,” Abbot Polan prayed as he opened the annual S.O.S. - “Support Our Seminarians” dinner and auction in support of men studying for the priesthood from both sides of State Line Road and for Conception Seminary College.

As he has every year, KMBC-TV anchor Larry Moore served as master of ceremonies at the event which was the brainchild of Moore and his wife Ruth. Recalling the humble beginnings of the effort, Moore said in 1994 there was only one seminarian from the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph. “Things got even worse the next year,” Moore said, when there were none. 

(Full story at Catholic Online) 

Invite Others to View Images

from Fr. Frank Pavone's Blog by David

 

Today I want to share with you the following email I received from a pro-abortion person who visited the our website at priestsforlife.org and saw the pictures of aborted babies. She wrote,

“I have been a pro abortion catholic… After seeing the pictures of what it exactly was, I nearly cried thinking I supported this awful murder. I ask Jesus my Christ to forgive my past way of thinking. I finally “get it.” This is pure murder. I pray that more people will get to know what it is they are supporting.”

The person then signed the letter with the pen name, “My Shame.” These pictures, at priestsforlife.org, have this effect on people every day. Invite others to view these images. You may email and print them. Nothing is more effective to end abortion.
–Fr. Frank

Men’s Abortion Wounds

This is one aspect of abortion that is often overlooked when they talk about the "Woman's right to choose". It usually takes two to create a new life.

Pro-lifers have become familiar with the image of sad women displaying “I Regret My Abortion” signs. At the March for Life, they are given a privileged place at the pre-march rally on the Mall and a special station on the steps of the Supreme Court building, from which they tell their stories.

They are living witnesses to an important truth: The pro-life position is the pro-woman position. (Full story at NCRegister.com)

At the 2009 March for Life, there was a new sign in evidence: “I Regret Lost Fatherhood.” The pro-life movement is increasingly reminding the world that men, too, suffer from abortion.

As Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, put it, there are “three victims of every abortion, the child and both of his or her parents.”

My Interview with President Obama

BY BISHOP THOMAS J. TOBIN

(The following is an interview I didn’t have, but can imagine having, with President Obama.)


BISHOP TOBIN: First of all, Mr. President, congratulations on your election and inauguration. They were certainly historic events that inspired a renewed sense of unity and hope for many Americans.


PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, Bishop Tobin. Yes, the goal of my campaign and election was to bring people together, to heal the divisions of the recent past and to inspire new hope for all the citizens of our great country.


TOBIN: I think we’d all agree that your goals of unity and hope are very worthwhile. But for that very reason, many of us were surprised, and even disappointed, that you signed an executive order overturning the so-called “Mexico City Policy” within the first few days of your administration. As you know, your action directs that American tax dollars be used to fund abortions overseas. Why did you have to act so quickly on such a controversial policy?


OBAMA: Well, I believe it was important for me to fulfill the campaign promises I made to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. After all, they’re among my biggest supporters and I don’t want to disappoint them.

(Full story at Rhode Island Catholic)

Priest/Catholic U President: "Abortion is Not an Infallible Teaching"

By Kathleen Gilbert

WINDSOR, Ontario, February 12, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The President of the Catholic Assumption University of Windsor told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) in an interview today that the Catholic Church's position on abortion "is not an infallible teaching."

Fr. Paul Rennick, who is also Vice Chancellor of the school, gave the remarks when LSN sought comment regarding the school's decision to invite Cokie Roberts, a pro-abortion Catholic news analyst who has criticized the Church for preaching against homosexuality and contraception, to address the school as part of the "Christian Culture" lecture series.

Fr. Rennick told LSN that he had "personally vetted" the selection of Roberts and chose her because she was "a woman of faith," a "well known Catholic" and "successful as an individual Christian."

LSN asked Fr. Rennick, "Do you think there is a possibility of scandal from the fact that she has professed very pro-abortion views and has criticized Catholic bishops for teaching Church doctrine on homosexuality and contraception?" The President of the Catholic University replied, "No, I don't."

Asked to elaborate, Fr. Rennick said: "If you look at the catholic population, you'll find a whole variety of positions on all of those topics. It seems to me that disagreement on a particular position doesn't disqualify one from being a Catholic. Unless, of course, that position is whether Jesus is the Christ." (Full story at LifeSiteNews.com)

Left Wing of the Catholic Church Destroying the Faith Says Orthodox Rabbi

By Hilary White, Rome correspondent

ROME, February 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The dissident, leftist movement in the Catholic Church over the last forty years has severely undermined the teaching of the Catholic Church on the moral teachings on life and family, a prominent US Orthodox rabbi told LifeSiteNews.com. Rabbi Yehuda Levin, the head of a group of 800 Orthodox rabbis in the US and Canada, also dismissed the accusations that the Holy See had not sufficiently distanced itself from the comments made by Bishop Richard Williamson of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) on the Holocaust.

I support this move" to reconcile the traditionalist faction in the Church, he said, "because I understand the big picture, which is that the Catholic Church has a problem. There is a strong left wing of the Church that is doing immeasurable harm to the faith."

Rabbi Levin said that he understands "perfectly" why the reconciliation is vital to the fight against abortion and the homosexualist movement.

"I understand that it is very important to fill the pews of the Catholic Church not with cultural Catholics and left-wingers who are helping to destroy the Catholic Church and corrupt the values of the Catholic Church." This corruption, he said, "has a trickle-down effect to every single religious community in the world." (Full Story at LifeSiteNews.com)

Australian bishop at odds with Vatican on celibacy, women priests

From Catholic Culture.org

An Australian bishop has revealed that he has been under investigation by the Vatican because of his willingness to discuss the possibility of ordaining women as priests-- a question that Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have said is definitely resolved-- or ending clerical celibacy. Bishop William Morris of Toowoomba said that he would "continue to fight for what I believe is the truth" regardless of the response from Rome. The bishop referred contemptuously to conservative Catholics who complain to the Vatican about doctrinal and disciplinary irregularities as "temple police."

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

• Toowoomba bishop William Morris under scrutiny from Catholic Church (Courier-Mail)

Boston College attracts praise and hostility for placing crucifixes in classrooms

Boston, Mass., Feb 13, 2009 / 04:00 am (CNA).- Crucifixes and icons were recently placed in all Boston College classrooms at the request of the Jesuit school’s president, Rev. William P. Leahy, SJ. The move has generated a variety of both enthusiastic and hostile responses.

According to a statement from the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), executive editor Donato Infante of the Boston College paper The Observer said that Father Leahy had employees hang the images in classrooms around campus over Christmas Break.

Infante reported that during a “State of the Heights” address two weeks ago, Fr. Leahy responded to complaints about the imagery by saying that the administration did not need to consult professors about the decision. He insisted the crucifixes and the icons will not be taken down. (Full story at CNA)