Thumbs Up to Infanticide

A leading medical "ethics" organization has signed off on infanticide.

It is hard not to say to Catholics who have cozied up with the culture of death "We (conservative "wackos") told you so"

Click here to read the article

A King in the Ashes

A little levity in the midst of the battle - this is basically my homily from the school Mass this morning. It made me smile at least

"the king of Nineveh...rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes." Jonah 3:6

When my brothers and I were kids we constantly were getting dirty...especially in the Summer. We'd swim in the creek, play in the mud, run around in the yard, climb trees, build forts, ride bikes, play basketball and football - in a word we got "filthy" almost every day.

We also considered it an extreme luxury (it was rare) where our Mom would overlook our nightly shower and we got to go to bed dirty!!!

Now, as an adult, the idea of getting dirty doesn't do anything for me, and I actually mostly try to avoid it.

Now to the King of Nineveh. He heard the preaching of Jonah about the need to repent, and he put on scratchy clothes and sat in the dirt.

Many people hear that story and think..."That's so sad...that poor guy...how depressing that he sat in the dirt and got all gross."

Many people, from the outside, say the same thing about Lent.

"How sad...how depressing...that a person would remember that they are sinners...what a downer!"

I want to offer a different way of looking at that king and also a different way of looking at Lent.

Perhaps it wasn't depressing or sad at all for that King. Perhaps he was thrilled to be in the dirt again, just like he was a little child. Perhaps, after he realized what really mattered, after he realized that his food and his robes had only been distracting him from the Truth, did he shed them like a kid and hop in the dirt.

Perhaps our Lent is the same way, if we only look at it differently. Lent can be a time of great joy, of remembering what matters, and thus the giving up of candy bars and TV, the giving up of video games and treating each other meanly, is not sad but can be a cause for celebration. Perhaps, if we only look at it differently, we can see Lent as it truly is.

Children love getting dirty. Most adults, like the king today, hate getting dirty. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Jesus said:

"unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

FDA Reprimands Birth Control Pill Maker for Deception

My favorite quote: "It isn't for everyone."

ENGAGE!!!

People have been asking me "what do I do to help fight this cultural war and return our country to sanity." Here is my answer...

ENGAGE!!!

First of all, we have to educate ourselves. What does the Church teach? Why? What are the pitfalls of contraception/abortion? What are the links between breast cancer and the pill and what are the links between abortion and breast cancer? Read up on the quick and VERY helpful handouts that the bishops have put on their website. You can find some of those links in the right hand column of this blog or visit www.usccb.org

When you are educated enough --- go out and ENGAGE these clowns that really are all bark and no bite. You'll find if you ask one or two intelligent questions of them they'll inevitably revert to something like "Well...you guys did the crusades!!" Which of course means that they have nothing of importance or substance to say.

Go watch my "I Have a Say" video, but click on the Youtube icon in the bottom right hand corner, which will take you to the actual Youtube site. You'll see on there that I've been trying to argue with 5 or 6 knuckleheads about substance.

This illustrates a key Planned Parenthood tactic - they send people after videos and into chat rooms to relentlessly be loud --- stupid and uneducated but loud, hoping to scare people off.

My challenge to you - leave a comment on a video. It doesn't take long to sign up to start responding to videos. Leave messages on Indystar after articles that are on important topics. If you follow a blog, leave a comment or two - engage these people on the internet and bring the fight to them. If you are tired of sitting back and watching other people fight --- hop in! It's easier than you think.

HHS to Cancer and AIDS Patients: "Sorry!" --- Sterlization Patient: "You must be covered!"

Bishop Lori knocked it out of the park today. An excerpt:

Taking just one example of “essential health benefits”—prescription drugs—the state may define this category to require coverage of cancer drugs, AIDS drugs, and other life-saving treatments. But HHS has no quarrel with a state that decides not to require coverage of drugs like these. By contrast, HHS requires that state to cover drugs that, according to respected medical studies and the drugs’ manufacturers, may increase women’s risk of suffering from breast cancer, stroke and AIDS.

In this context, the rigid mandate to cover sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients is especially absurd. How would HHS respond to the claims of cancer patients that they are entitled to “free access” to cancer drugs, which can mean the difference between life or death? How would HHS respond to a state that did not include such life-saving drugs as an “essential health benefit”? Whatever HHS’s response is, we know it would have to be something far less than HHS’s full-throated demand for “free access” to contraceptives in every state and in every plan. Again, under the mandate, the world is turned upside down.

You can read his entire testimony by clicking here:

Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood??

Why We Need a Magisterium

Ordained Baptist minister Unitarian Partial Birth Abortion Doctor

Chili from TLC Talks About Her Abortion

This woman has crazy courage!

When He Returns by Bob Dylan

when he returns from thessalonian on GodTube.

GREAT SONG and great lyrics as well! Listen along as you read the lyrics below.

The iron hand it ain’t no match for the iron rod
The strongest wall will crumble and fall to a mighty God
For all those who have eyes and all those who have ears
It is only He who can reduce me to tears
Don’t you cry and don’t you die and don’t you burn
For like a thief in the night, He’ll replace wrong with right
When He returns

Truth is an arrow and the gate is narrow that it passes through
He unleashed His power at an unknown hour that no one knew
How long can I listen to the lies of prejudice?
How long can I stay drunk on fear out in the wilderness?
Can I cast it aside, all this loyalty and this pride?
Will I ever learn that there’ll be no peace, that the war won’t cease
Until He returns?

Surrender your crown on this blood-stained ground, take off your mask
He sees your deeds, He knows your needs even before you ask
How long can you falsify and deny what is real?
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal?
Of every earthly plan that be known to man, He is unconcerned
He’s got plans of His own to set up His throne
When He returns

I Have A Say - My Video

"I Have A Say" - Send Me Your Stories!!! PLEASE!!!

Cecile Richards is the President of Planned Parenthood and she put out a video yesterday asking women to post videos titled "I Have a Say." Her stated rationale was to protest women not being invited to a recent House meeting on birth control. The meeting was on religious freedom, not birth control, so their lies continue.

Anyway, I've started a second blog called "I Have A Say" and I want to make it a place that is solely filled with YOUR stories. Stories about why your thankful you do have a say! Perhaps a thank you to your parents who, through their "yes to life" have given you a say. It could be a beautiful collection of stories and essays affirming life and all of its beauty.

Again..."Who are you thankful for giving you a say, and what does it mean to you to have a say."

Please send entries to fatherjohnhollowell@gmail.com. Let me know if you want your full name published, just your first name, or your entire name. Also, please give me a TITLE for what you write.

Spread this around; I'd love to get tons of stories on there. The address for the other blog is http://i--have--a--say.blogspot.com/ (or you can click here to visit the site)

Cecile, Cecile!!!

Pt. 1: Cecile, the House meeting was on "religious liberty" not on "birth control"

Pt. 2: Roll back the tape on Cecile complaining about the media being uncooperative...Planned Parenthood has the media in their back pocket. Please, if you are going to complain about something, complain about something that doesn't make me laugh out loud when I hear you say it.

Pt. 3: sex-selective abortion is on the rise in countries all over the world. Thanks to Planned Parenthood, someday House hearings might not have women testifying because there won't be any if they keep "vacuuming uteruses." (not for profit, of course, because Planned Parenthood is all about helping women (wink wink!)

Pt. 4: In the White House meeting to decide on the HHS mandate, there were 10 people as reported here. Vice President Biden, Sebelius, other chiefs of staff...and Cecile Richards. That's how tight this woman is with the President of the United States...and she's trying to make it sound like no one hears poor little Planned Parenthood's cries for help?

Lenten Talk at Ball State's Newman Center

Thanks to Ambria Martin for the invitation to come and talk to the wonderful Communio group that they have going up at Ball State. It was wonderful and refreshing to be with great young and vibrant Catholics for dinner, reflection, and adoration.

VIDEO: Nun to Appear on the Red Carpet Sunday

Weekend Movie Reviews

Click on each title below to access their review

Wanderlust

Act of Valor

Gone

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Coriolanus

NPR News Story Illustrates Planned Parenthood Double Standard

Yesterday I was on the road and I did something I knew was going to likely get my blood pressure up - after every other station was on a commercial I switched over to NPR. Sure enough, as I switched over, a story was beginning on Virginia's law to require ultrasounds before abortions. Granted, without being an expert on ultrasounds, I'm not sure why Virginia was wanting them to be 'transvaginal' ultrasounds as opposed to a regular one, but that wasn't even the take on the story anyways. I list a few complaints with NPR

complaint 1 on the story: NPR refers over and over to two camps, the first being "anti-abortion" and the second being "abortion rights supporters." Really? Again, postmoderns have nothing substantive to fight with, they simply can try and change words around and try to reshape debates through labeling. Why not call one camp "anti-children" and the other "defenders and crusaders for the beautiful cause for life"? Wouldn't they moan and complain and whine like "babies"? (pun intended)

complaint 2 in this story: Look at what a Planned Parenthood rep from Metropolitan Washington D.C. said in the story:

"I don't think that any of us want politicians interfering with our medical decisions or the government mandating what is medically necessary...This has to do with...interfering with the patient/doctor relationship."

Ah, the irony!

Let's take it in two parts. Part 1 "I don't think any of us want politicians interfering with our medical decisions or the government mandating what is medically necessary"

I totally agree! I don't think so either. And where have we heard her word mandate before...hum...Oh, I remember, from President Barack 'Planned Parenthood' Obama. Planned Parenthood and I on the same page...this is a first!

Second part of her quote "this has to with interfering with the patient/doctor relationship." Hum, where have I heard that complaint recently...Oh, I remember, it has been from the Catholic doctors and patients who have been saying for several years to the government "leave our consciences alone."

It is sickening to watch the demonic wordsmiths at Planned Parenthood continue to utterly manipulate and misrepresent the truth. But you have to hand it to them (with an assist to their allies at NPR) they are very good at playing the victim while victimizing the rest of the country who doesn't buy in to their world view.

You can read the whole story here

Newt Takes on CNN's Bias - Well Said!!

What about Obama's infanticide?? Great question

LENT!!! (with a Hoosiers Reference Thrown In)

Pope Benedict's Lenten Message

Click here to access Pope Benedict's message to all Catholics concerning Lent 2012

Letter From Cardinal Dolan to All Bishops on HHS Mandate

This is a letter from Cardinal Dolan on the HHS situation to all his brother bishops in the United States. Bishop Coyne sent it on to all the priests with permission to share it with anyone who would be interested.


February 22, 2012
Dear Brother Bishops,
Since we last wrote to you concerning the critical efforts we are undertaking together to protect religious freedom in our beloved country, many of you have requested that we write once more to update you on the situation and to again request the assistance of all the faithful in this important work. We are happy to do so now.

First, we wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to you, and to all our sisters and brothers in Christ, for the remarkable witness of our unity in faith and strength of conviction during this past month. We have made our voices heard, and we will not cease from doing so until religious freedom is restored.

As we know, on January 20, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a
decision to issue final regulations that would force practically all employers, including many religious institutions, to pay for abortion inducing drugs, sterilizations, and contraception. The regulations would provide no protections for our great institutions—such as Catholic charities, hospitals, and universities—or for the individual faithful in the marketplace. The regulations struck at the heart of our fundamental right to religious liberty, which affects our ability to serve
those outside our faith community.

Since January 20, the reaction was immediate and sustained. We came together, joined
by people of every creed and political persuasion, to make one thing resoundingly clear: we stand united against any attempt to deny or weaken the right to religious liberty upon which our country was founded.

On Friday, February 10, the Administration issued the final rules. By their very terms, the rules were reaffirmed “without change.” The mandate to provide the illicit services remains. The exceedingly narrow exemption for churches remains. Despite the outcry, all the threats to religious liberty posed by the initial rules remain.

Religious freedom is a fundamental right of all. This right does not depend on any
government’s decision to grant it: it is God-given, and just societies recognize and respect its free exercise. The free exercise of religion extends well beyond the freedom of worship. It also forbids government from forcing people or groups to violate their most deeply held religious convictions, and from interfering in the internal affairs of religious organizations.

Recent actions by the Administration have attempted to reduce this free exercise to a “privilege” arbitrarily granted by the government as a mere exemption from an allencompassing, extreme form of secularism. The exemption is too narrowly defined, because it does not exempt most non-profit religious employers, the religiously affiliated insurer, the selfinsured employer, the for-profit religious employer, or other private businesses owned and operated by people who rightly object to paying for abortion inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception. And because it is instituted only by executive whim, even this unduly narrow exemption can be taken away easily.

In the United States, religious liberty does not depend on the benevolence of who is
regulating us. It is our “first freedom” and respect for it must be broad and inclusive—not narrow and exclusive. Catholics and other people of faith and good will are not second class citizens. And it is not for the government to decide which of our ministries is “religious enough” to warrant religious freedom protection.

This is not just about contraception, abortion-causing drugs, and sterilization—although all should recognize the injustices involved in making them part of a universal mandated health care program. It is not about Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals. It is about people of faith. This is first and foremost a matter of religious liberty for all. If the government can, for example, tell Catholics that they cannot be in the insurance business today without violating their religious convictions, where does it end? This violates the constitutional limits on our government, and the basic rights upon which our country was founded.

Much remains to be done. We cannot rest when faced with so grave a threat to the
religious liberty for which our parents and grandparents fought. In this moment in history we must work diligently to preserve religious liberty and to remove all threats to the practice of our faith in the public square. This is our heritage as Americans. President Obama should rescind the mandate, or at the very least, provide full and effective measures to protect religious liberty and
conscience.

Above all, dear brothers, we rely on the help of the Lord in this important struggle. We all need to act now by contacting our legislators in support of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, which can be done through our action alert on www.usccb.org/conscience.

We invite you to share the contents of this letter with the faithful of your diocese in whatever form, or by whatever means, you consider most suitable. Let us continue to pray for a quick and complete resolution to this and all threats to religious liberty and the exercise of our faith in our great country.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
President, United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops

Most Reverend William E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport
Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty

Fallible Tips For Lent

I see legalism during Lent sometimes, and I think it can be problematic. Lent should not be about proving to yourself (and definitely not proving to other people) how strong your will is and how disciplined you are. It is about clearing away attachments so that we can more completely attach ourselves to God. With that being said, I offer some tips for Lent

1. Don't tell people what you are giving up for Lent.

2. Don't ask people what they are giving up for Lent. Don't try to guess what someone gave up for Lent either (Dave: "Bill, you want some coffee?" Bill: "No thanks." Dave: "What, did you give up coffee for Lent?" - don't be Dave!)

3. If someone breaks #1 or #2 with you, don't correct them (although if you are giving up a few things, you can just mention one thing you've given up to satisfy their curiosity).

4. If someone offers you something that you have given up for Lent, I advise proceeding in one of two ways, depending on the situation

a. If it is a situation where you can casually brush off the offer without drawing attention to it, then just decline the offer
(example: "Dave, I'm going to the concession stand...do you want anything?" Dave: "No I'm fine." Dave does not have to say "No, I gave up candy and snacks for Lent.")

b. If it is a situation where you are with a small group of people, or you are at someone's house for dinner or something like that, and they offer you dessert or something, just take it and don't tell them "Sorry, I gave that up for Lent." If someone gives up TV but the whole family is watching TV, don't go sit in the other room, just watch TV and be with the family.

5. Don't replace what you are giving up with some other thing that you are attached to

6. Take advantage of the detachment to do something positive like prayer and/or doing something to help the poor.

7. If you normally celebrate Sundays and Solemnities during the year with a spirit of feasting, then continue to celebrate those days during Lent. If that involves breaking something that you're fasting from, then break your fast. However, if you don't celebrate Sundays or Solemnities, then don't break whatever you are fasting from during Lent.

The important thing is to realize that Lent is a time to strip away some attachments and spend time growing closer to Christ not crossing the finish line of Easter 46 days from now with your Lenten promises unbroken at all costs.

Lent is made for man, not man for Lent!

Good News Amidst HHS discussion

In the ongoing HHS Mandate coverage, two blog followers sent me the following stories about the power of adoption and the joy of children. In keeping people up to date on the facts of what is going on it can be easy to despair - but the good work that our Lord is doing continues on despite the Devil's attempts to derail that work. Here are two positive and powerful stories of the beauty of God's plan for human sexuality.

The first is a video done by classmate Fr. Josh McCarty's Lolek Productions. Very well done! Fr. Josh's video has had some plugs nationally from Lifesite News and locally with a front page story in the Lexington News Paper. Congrats Fr. Josh!


The second came from a reader who I've known for a long time and comes from a great family. He sent me the following story and asked to remain anonymous:

"I know there has been a lot of discussion going on about Planned Parenthood vs the Catholic Church, and I personally just received some very interesting news on adoption. The gift of life and love were really put into perspective for me tonight. In addition, I feel like I saw a glimpse of how wonderful and mysterious God's plan is for us. I thought I would just pass it on to you...

My father, out of nowhere, got some information about his birth certificate and information on his adoption. He was adopted when he was one week old and even though he tried to get information, medical history, and names in the past he always hit dead ends and was unable to obtain any information. Well today he was able to look at a packet of information from his adoption that has opened doors for our family to put some puzzle pieces together. Anyways, when my Dad looked at his birth certificate, his birth name was Joseph Patrick! No one had any idea what my father's birth name was until 8 hours ago, but yet my brother's middle name is Joseph and my middle name is Patrick! Some people might say this is just a coincidence, but it just seems too perfect that my Dad's two little boys would have his birth names as their middle names!

The gift of life and love seems so much more precious tonight with this news! I'm so thankful that my father's birth mother gave him over to my loving grandparents. I am so blessed with wonderful grandparents, the world's best parents, and the greatest bother all because of God's love and plan!"

Musings from the Choir Loft

Several weeks ago, Cardinal Ritter High School's choir was asked to do the music for our Archdiocesan Catholic School Mass. I am the "director" of said choir, which should greatly alarm anyone who knows me because my musical knowledge consists in knowing the difference between a bass and treble clef (maybe)! When I say I am the "director" it means that I write our students passes so that they can come to choir practice during home room.

We are fortunate, though, to have some VERY talented musicians and singers, and it has been a real joy of mine to work with them and put stuff together for our Masses.

So back to us leading the Archdiocesan Mass at the Cathedral...there were going to be several priests in attendance, and so we did not want to stand where choirs at our Cathedral sometimes do which is in the sanctuary. We made our way up to the choir loft and I learned some really interesting things about liturgical music while being up there.

First of all, I learned that when you are up in the choir loft, you don't need microphones. For the songs and chants our kids did, the lack of microphones gave the sound a much more angelic quality than the sound that I typically encounter at Masses where the musicians/choirs are miked up.

Secondly, the choir loft was great because we could move around, reposition ourselves, change music sheets around, briefly whisper to get on the same page and so forth in between songs. I, as the "director" could watch the Mass and signal to the choir and musicians when we needed to keep playing and when we needed to stop, and I didn't have to think about the fact that I would somehow be distracting and taking people's attention off of the Mass.

I realized, yet again, that somethings that Catholic parishes have thrown out were really not helpful changes at all, and that there is a lot of wisdom in the way things were typically done for the last 1500+ years or so. If I ever get a chance to build a church building, it will definitely have a choir loft for the sake of those attending Mass AND for the sake of the choir itself getting to breath easy and not have to be "on stage."

God Is Doing Something New Today - Do You Perceive It?

Why Not IVF?

In an editorial piece for the Star, local reporter David Orentlicher asks that the government start covering In Vitro Fertilization for women who are struggling to conceive. He asks the question - if you are going to "protect" those who can conceive from conceiving, why not help those conceive who can't?

The answer to his question is quite clear - "YOU CAN'T!!!" What I mean by that is if you are going to cover one you eventually are going to cover the other. They are linked at the hip and the agenda is all coming from the same immoral faucet.

It isn't that mandating coverage for birth control, abortifacients, and sterilizations permits some to make a "slippery slope" argument about future coverage of IVF and physical abortions (beyond the chemical ones the Obama team is covering already) - It's all one piece and the two can't be separated.

Covering birth control, abortifacients and sterilizations is not a POTENTIAL slope leading to POTENTIALLY other things - it is the case that once you pass the above sins you are already sledding downhill at 40 mph and the other things will inevitably receive coverage as well.

Indy Catholic Artists - UNITE!!!

Tomorrow, Friday, February 17th, the first gathering of a group calling itself "Indy Catholic Artists" will take place at St. John's Catholic Church at 7 pm (click here to go to the webpage for the event). The gathering will feature adoration of the Blessed Sacrament along with a homily by myself. Adoration will be followed by a chance for people to enjoy some light desert and to get to know one another.

This is a group that myself, Melissa Scarlet and Katie Sahm have put together, and we are excited to see where it will go. What we hope to do is to simply offer spiritual nourishment to Catholic artists throughout the Archdiocese on a monthly basis. Where it goes from there is totally in the hands of the Holy Spirit.

The gathering is for anyone who considers themselves an artist (which, as we hope to show) should be everyone. We are hoping to attract actors, musicians, singers, painters, architects, videographers, photographers, writers, graphic designers, poets, and any other forms of art that are out there.

It has been interesting as word of our gathering (open to all people) has spread. At exactly the same time as our group was meeting, we've recently learned that the Archdiocese is also promoting a newly formed non-profit entitled "Ministry through the Arts Program" headed by Jonathan Stahl (click here to check out their website).

Clearly, the Holy Spirit is afoot in the midst of all of this, and that is VERY exciting.

Please spread the word, and know that all are welcome to participate tomorrow night at St. John's, or at future gatherings which will be held in Indianapolis Catholic Churches throughout the city on every third Friday of the month. Our March gathering will be held at Holy Rosary.

SO NEEDED!!! A Catholic Writes About His Same Sex Attraction

In teaching this topic (and the subsequent firestorm that engulfed this blog because of it about 1 year ago) I think the most important thing that I've come to understand in the homosexuality discussions is that for those who really look at the Church's teaching on the topic, the Church's message is actually good news.

An essay I always had my students read, a Catholic author, David Morrison, talks about how no one but the Church gets it right. (click here to purchase an AMAZING collection of Catholic essays for today's Catholic) He said you have the evangelical Protestant Bible Christians describing same-sex attraction as a sin, while you have the left wing culture of death folks talking about how same-sex attraction is something that you are born with and can't control. The Church comes through with the only message that actually is corroborated by Scripture AND modern psychology - that same-sex attraction itself is not something that, certainly in the short-term, a person ever has any control over. The Church says the attraction is not a sin, while at the same time having the courage to call all people to chastity and to note that sexual ACTION (not attraction) ought only to manifest itself in marriage.

Now, another Catholic writer, Patrick Einheber, is commencing a series of articles on this same topic, daring to write about his own struggles with same-sex attraction while also living within the heart of the Church. I strongly encourage all Catholics (and all people of good will) to follow this story and check back regularly with this young man's columns. It is a message that talking heads on all sides of the debate need to pay attention to. Click here to see the author's first installment.

MSNBC Video: 5 Gay Marriage People Vs. Maggie Gallagher - But Gallagher Wins

On the other front where the Church will likely soon be persecuted from, MSNBC, the White House's propaganda arm, recently had on a Catholic, Ms. Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage, on one of their shows to debate with, get this, FIVE people who are all in support of redefining marriage. It is pretty clear that Ms. Gallagher won going away despite the hostile environment that MSNBC naturally was seeking to create. The video is worth a watch.

Sr. Keehan Backtracks on Backtracking???

So Sr. Carol Keehan, head of the Catholic Health Association, who helped ramrod the President's original health care bill through (flipping the bird at the Bishops who kindly asked (which is why I could never be a bishop!) to not help shove it through) came out AGAINST the mandate. Of course, with the President's "accommodation" last Friday, she was back firmly in camp Obama, as has been detailed elsewhere on this blog.

Well, lo and behold, she's back with the Bishops it seems, at least for now. In a (sickening) turn of events, Sr. Carol has apparently learned that HER ORGANIZATION won't be exempt! How awesome is that??? Isn't this how evil works? This is playing out like every good vs. evil movie I've ever seen. The evil one makes what everyone else realizes to be promises that will never be kept to some minion that he later plans to squash anyway. Examples that quickly come to mind would include Edmund Pevinsee agreeing to help the White Witch and Saruman agreeing to work with Sauron.

Sister Carol --- WAKE UP!!! --- you're being used as a pawn - the President is constantly holding you up to the Catholic faithful and saying "look, the Bishops are out of touch, you don't have to follow their guidance, just like this sister doesn't either." And now you find that your organization won't be exempt. High school freshmen just learning for the first time about plot structure could see this coming from a mile away.

Sister, although I have no doubt you don't read my blog, repent, for your sake and for the sake of the Church in the United States. Realize that breaking with the bishops on something this fundamental and this public is tantamount to heresy. Come back home to the Catholic Church.

Read the full story with the CHA letter here.

Bishop Blaire on Behalf of USCCB Refutes Ridiculous Claim

The Bishops have said for two years, clearly, unanimously, and unequivocally that they support health care for all. Yesterday, the White House press secretary stated that "I would simply note with regard to the bishops that they never supported health care reform to begin with.." which is a bald-face lie and shows how actively the White House is seeking to divide the Catholic Church back into the two halves that it has existed in for most of the last forty years. It is becoming quite clear that they greatly fear (and didn't see coming) the amazing political force that a UNITED Catholic Church presents to them (hence their buying the souls of Sr. Keehan and E.J. Dionne for thirty pieces of silver getting them to both pretend that last Friday's "compromise" changed anything at all in this debate).

Bishop Blaire of Stockton very soundly attacks the White House's ridiculous claim that the Bishops of the U.S. have never supported health care for all. Click here to read Bishop Blare's defense.

Actual Planned Parenthood Tweet

"RT @ppazaction: It's Condom Week! Show your love for your Valentine by using condoms consistently & correctly: http://ow.ly/8RPY8 #safesex"

Planned Parenthood has likely turned this into an actual Valentine's Day card that they hope to distribute to middle schoolers without their parents' knowledge!

The irony in this Tweet is amazing and sad at the same time. St. Valentine was a martyr in the early Church - a person who gave EVERYTHING for those he loved. Planned Parenthood is saying "in his honor (they probably don't know he was a saint) be selfish with sex - don't give everything to the person you are having sex with - hold some of yourself back while engaging in the sex and then flush that part of yourself down the toilet!"

What a contrast to what the Church teaches about sexuality and love!!! Sex outside of the context of marriage is selfish. Sex with contraception is selfish. Period. The Church doesn't teach that to punish but to encourage people to avoid those pitfalls so that they may instead experience AUTHENTIC, happy, real, life-giving love.

That all of this tension in our country right now is basically a battle between Planned Parenthood and the Catholic Church (as Fulton Sheen predicted) is becoming ever more apparent.

All Catholics are on one side or the other. On one side is the pro-contraception, pro-abortion small "c" catholics, and on the other side is those who live the Church's teaching. It is time to choose a side and time to encourage others to choose a side. This is as black-and-white good-vs.-evil as it has been since possibly WWII.

"Happy Valentine's Day from Planned Parenthood - don't forget to use a condom while having sex outside of marriage!!!"

We Need More of This!!!

Even the Pollsters Get It: Going to Mass Makes a Big Difference

As election season cranks up, I've been listening and observing the coverage and a thought occurred to me that I thought I'd pass on.

The "Catholic vote" is often discussed because it is considered one of the more important indicators of who will win. When pollsters on NPR or any of the other major news outlets talk about the "Catholic vote" they almost inevitably go on to say something like "but when you look at "Catholics who attend Mass weekly" you see..." What these pollsters are noting in their own secular way is also what the Church obviously teaches - going to Mass every Sunday MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

If only the Catholics who take weeks off here and there or miss when they are on vacation or miss when they travel etc. would notice the same thing that Rasmussen and Gallup notice as well - those who miss Mass and those who go to Mass every week are two different types of "Catholic."

Homily - "Marriage is Being Punched in the Face"

VIDEO: Cardinal Wuerl On Mandate and "Compromise"

Well done Cardinal Wuerl!

Business Insider Magazine: "It's Time to Admit It, The Church Is Right On Birth Control"

I'm late to the game on posting this, but I finally got around to reading it even though it came out last week. This article (from Business Insider!) is so freaking good, I wanted to jump up and down with joy!! Amidst all of the insanity, some are taking a second look at the contraception issue themselves, and are apparently experiencing conversion. Read the great article by clicking here.

Great photo from Mark Shea's blog

Hey Islam - Look How Awesome Democracy Is!!!

One of the other interesting side stories with this HHS mandate is the effects it could have on the "Arab Spring" - the push for democracy in many Arab states throughout the world that have been occurring over the course of the past year.

One of Islam's biggest critiques of democracy has been that it could allow secularism to obliterate religious belief. Most Islamic countries have long been under theocratic rule where the government and the Islamic Faith are one.

Many in the West, both secular and Christian, have been telling Islamic peoples and nations that they need not fear the religious plurality that democracy allows, but how could Muslim peoples see what is happening now in our country and not be afraid of democracy? The President is putting on a display for all the world to see exactly what many Muslims fear in democracy - precisely the situation where a secular government wages a war on religious beliefs.

As John Paul II said OVER AND OVER, democracy is not a sure thing. He noted many times that it seems like the best thing, but it is not objective in nature, and must be monitored vigilantly or it can become precisely what it has become in the U.S.

I find it highly ironic that at a time when we are trying to help others usher in democracy in their nations, we are, at the same time, showing them how their fears of democracy are rightly justified.

Freedom of "Worship" vs. Freedom of Religion

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says about the freedom of religion:

"the principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance."

The United States' Constitution has as its First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Both of these quotes say what is obvious to most people - religion spills into life and is not contained simply within the doors of a church. Put another way, there is no religion that simply advocates attending a weekly worship service.

In fact, our society typically SLANDERS those for whom religion simply involves attending the worship service and DOESN'T get carried out into the streets of every day life. We typically refer to such people as hypocrites!

However, people from President Obama's camp have begun slipping into their speeches a VERY dangerous phrase that Archbishop Chaput and others are rightly raising the alarm over...the phrase they've employed is "freedom of worship," and they've been using it where a constitutionally minded person such as the President should be using the phrase "freedom of religion."

What is scary is that "freedom of worship" implies that a group can do whatever they want as part of their worship service, but that the government has authority to control all aspects beyond the doors of the Church.

The irony here is that this flies in the face of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The writers and signers of the Declaration quite clearly sought to prevent just such an interpretation by explicitly expanding the definition of religion to include not just "worship" but also the "practice and observance" of one's religion as well.

The Constitution PROTECTS not just my right to worship but also my right to OBSERVE my religion and to PRACTICE my religion beyond the doors of my Church.

It is as if the Obama administration is trying to encourage religious people to be the most dreaded word in all of society, a person who worships but does not put teachings into practice - a hypocrite.

Statements Roll In: "Compromise" Changes Nothing

Just listening to the President's statement one realizes instantly that his "compromise" is no compromise at all. After first looking over the "compromise" Catholics and many people of other faiths are coming out with statements letting everyone know that this compromise isn't even a compromise at all because it changes nothing.

Read the statement by the Bishops' Conference by clicking here

NEW UPDATE: Archbishop Chaput blasts "compromise" - click here to read

Read the statement by Fr. Frank Pavone by clicking here

Read Dr. Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist ethics commission by clicking here

Interfaith Leaders Stand with the Church - click here for the statement

Read Notre Dame law school dismantling of the President's "compromise" here

Furthermore Sr. Carol Keehan of the CHA (Contracepting Hospital Administrators), NARAL and Planned Parenthood are all in favor of the compromise. 'nuf said. Let me know below if you run into other statements from other organizations. I am sure the Bishops will not issue individual statements again because the "compromise" changes absolutely nothing from the original mandate.

Pay Attention to Who Jumps Back Into Obama/Planned Parenthood Camp

It will be really interesting to see who jumps back into the arms of the President and Planned Parenthood. Of course we already have today Sr. Carol Keehan and the Catholic Health Association embracing "the compromise." We also have American Catholic magazine (which pains me to even mention as an outlet) telling the Bishops that they should embrace the compromise.

I'll keep a running list of the catholics who were looking for the first excuse to jump ship and start pushing the culture of death agenda once again. Should be an interesting and VERY TELLING weekend!

Bishop Slattery Responds to "the Compromise"

'I Changed My Mind About Killing Your Mother!!!"

If someone told me "I am going to kill your mother" and then came back four days later and said "I have changed my mind about killing your mother" I would not be praising said person as "wise" or "compromising" or anything else in that vein.

That is the exact same thing we have here. Already people are dissecting the deception in the "contraception compromise," and as the analysis pours in I'll pass it on. But let's be clear about one thing - if any Catholic praises whatever this "compromise" turns out to be, they just don't get it.

This change is nothing other than the President's camp failing to properly forecast the push back from the Catholic Church. There is no change of heart on any of this, no apology about violating religious liberty; all this is is an acknowlegement that our society is not QUITE ready to accept this garbage.

There are certain things you can never take back, and this is one of them. To suggest that the government could force the Church to fund contraception and sterilizations, and to put a law in place to do that can not ever be undone. Again, there is no going back after saying something like "I am going to kill your mom."

I think most Catholics are smart enough to see these past 10 days for what they are. This is not "cooler heads prevailing" this is not "dialogue working" and any attempt to frame it in that light is naivete in its most dangerous form.

I don't think most Catholics who fled "camp Obama" this week are going to go back. I'm sure that Cardinal Mahony and some of the other bishops have recognized the President for who he really is... at least I hope so.

There's no way to undo what the President put into action, no way to unsay it, no way to unsuggest such a blatant violation of our First Amendment, and I have no doubt that President Obama regrets anything other than his timing.

Humanae Vitae 17

Of all the fake inspirational posters I've seen, this one is my favorite by far!

In case you are wondering what Humanae Vitae #17 said, it says:

"17. Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife.

"I have no love for half-hearted men" Psalm 119: 113

Bishop Coyne's Statement on the HHS Mandate

Statement on the recent ruling from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Bishop Christopher CoyneMy friends, the recent ruling from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is one that challenges the rights of all people of faith to live their lives according to the beliefs and dictates of that faith. I stand with my brother bishops across the United States as absolutely opposed to this mandate. Please know that I treat this matter with the utmost seriousness. My perception is that we are in this for the long-haul and our attention needs to be focused on the spring presidential primary and the November presidential election. I also want to consult with the clergy and lay leaders of the Archdiocese as to how we best educate and inform our people about this matter.

The Archdiocese has already posted the statement of the USCCB and Cardinal-designate Dolan regarding this matter on the website. In the meantime, I draw your attention to this statement of the Indiana Catholic Conference. Each statement mirrors my own thoughts. Please continue to pray for our people and our country. May God bless you all and those you love.

+Bishop Coyne

Can Priests Go To War?

As the whispers of Catholic persecution in our country begin a slow crescendo, it was good to be reminded about what St. Thomas Aquinas says about whether or not priests can fight. The article can be read by clicking here.

Planned Parenthood's Hostages

Great article from the Wall Street Journal - click here to read

"Kids are Stupid!!" - Homily for Catholic Schools Week

What A Difference Two and A Half Years Make!

2009

2012
“This unnecessary intervention by the government into religion disregards our nation’s commitment to the rights of conscience and the longstanding work of religious groups to help build a more compassionate society and vibrant democracy. I find that profoundly troubling on many levels.” - Fr. John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame, smiling in the photo, above left

Why You Can't Even Talk to Obama et. al.

Yesterday, the President's spokesperson took the stage and instead of answering questions, took a well-worn page out of the Obama playbook - act like the other side is stupid and doesn't understand.

Question after question was asked along the lines of "What about the President requiring religious institutions to cover contraception"

Answer...time and time again..."we aren't requiring anyone to use contraception."

THAT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!

Not only does it not answer the question, it treats the President's political opponents like they are stupid and don't understand how simple it is. At Notre Dame, the President famously called for people not to reduce political opponents "to a caricature" and yet he is doing it himself in the most ridiculous and blatant way yet again.

WE KNOW IT ISN'T REQUIRING ANYONE TO USE CONTRACEPTION...Now answer the question you were asked...be a man...stand there and at least have the intellectual honesty to own what you have done as an administration.

Click here to read the entire transcript of the White House briefing.

VIDEO: President Obama at ND: "Let's Draft a Sensible Conscience Clause"

This is a cut-up I made of some ND-Obama speech footage. While I was joining with thousands of Catholics at the Grotto at Notre Dame on May 17th, 2009, President Obama was in the Joyce Center making the following promise:

VIDEO: Margaret Sanger Interview (Spoiler Alert: anti-Catholic Rant)

I stumbled across this video which doesn't have many views but is pretty amazing! It is an interview with Mrs. Sanger. Early on in the video the interviewer asks her "Today your opposition stems from where?" Sanger responds: "I feel that my main opposition is from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church!"

The rest of the video is a rant against the Church and the Church's position.



This shows, yet again, that the battle against contraception, abortion, and the rest is a battle being fought by the Catholic Church. Pretending that their is a middle ground between the Church's teaching and Ms. Sanger's is simply that - pretending.

Planned Parenthood Propaganda Video

John Jalsevac over at Life Site News found this lovely cartoon which continues to highlight the true insanity of people over at Planned Parenthood. As Jalsevac notes:

"Drowning an abstinence advocate in a garbage can full of water, blowing up zombie pro-life protesters with giant condoms shot from a gun, cooking a pro-life senator in a boiling cauldron – these are all things Planned Parenthood thought were so funny and so clever that they included them in a promotional video put out by its former Planned Parenthood Golden Gate affiliate in 2005."

Again, you have to see it to believe it!

"I Know About the Bad Popes!!!"