This week marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that imposed legalized abortion on the entire nation. Many Catholics will, as is proper, pay particular attention to the intellectually indefensible and morally disastrous core principle of Roe: that there can be a right to kill a human being who is not guilty of any crime and who is not an aggressor. It is also worth reminding ourselves, however, that Roe is also a train-wreck as an act of Constitutional interpretation. This is an especially important point for American Catholics, and all pro-life Americans, since it reminds us that the abortion right is not really part of our constitutional regime but instead an abuse of it.Read the rest of this article here.
Roe claims that there is a constitutional right to abortion. The obvious infirmity of this claim is — as Justice Scalia never tires of pointing out — that the word “abortion” is never used in the Constitution. The document is utterly silent on the question, which leaves states free to legislate on it according to their own best judgment.
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Friday, January 25, 2013
Roe v Wade: Settled law?
Actually, there is no such thing. If there were slavery would still be legal, women never would have gotten the right to vote segregation would still be the norm in any areas of our country. This is the most unsettled of laws because it simply does not pass Constitutional muster. Carson Hollaway at Catholicvote.org puts it very succinctly, I think.
Hundreds of Thousands Gather for Record-Breaking March for Life
From Lifenews.com:
Sarah Torre of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation, talked about the meaning of this year’s March for Life.
“Like many annual March for Life events before it, there will likely also be smaller groups of counter-protests by abortion advocates holding signs and chanting slogans championing the ethic of Roe that pledges unwavering allegiance to a right of abortion-on-demand, for any reason. But those now-tired slogans are no longer able to convince a new generation that denying life to some will lead to a more just society and freedom for others,” she said.
You can read the rest of this article here.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Why My Support for Abortion Was Based on Love…and Lies |Blogs | NCRegister.com
Why My Support for Abortion Was Based on Love…and Lies |Blogs | NCRegister.com:
It is important to remember that when opposing abortion we are opposing an unequivocally intrinsic evil. However we need to be careful about treating pro-abortion advocates, providers and those who have had abortions as if they were one and the same as the evil of which hey are a victim. The greatest evils in the world are often committed in the service of misguided, misinformed, seemingly righteous compassion for one group at the expense of another. This is especially effective when that group can be demonized as the source of contemporary ills and marginalized as somewhat less than fully human deserving of compassion or endowed with even the basic right to live and has been the catalyst for all the great atrocities and genocides of human history. This is the story one such victim who was able to find her way to redemption. There have been many more and there are even more to come. Its called conversion. It is what the pro-life movement is all about.
'via Blog this'
It is important to remember that when opposing abortion we are opposing an unequivocally intrinsic evil. However we need to be careful about treating pro-abortion advocates, providers and those who have had abortions as if they were one and the same as the evil of which hey are a victim. The greatest evils in the world are often committed in the service of misguided, misinformed, seemingly righteous compassion for one group at the expense of another. This is especially effective when that group can be demonized as the source of contemporary ills and marginalized as somewhat less than fully human deserving of compassion or endowed with even the basic right to live and has been the catalyst for all the great atrocities and genocides of human history. This is the story one such victim who was able to find her way to redemption. There have been many more and there are even more to come. Its called conversion. It is what the pro-life movement is all about.
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
ARCHBISHOP AQUILA: 40 Years of the Culture of Death
ARCHBISHOP AQUILA: 40 Years of the Culture of Death:
The Archbishop tells of a time when as an aspiring doctor he witnessed the results. It's an experienced which changed his life, which at the time did not include a strong Catholic faith. He writes
The Archbishop tells of a time when as an aspiring doctor he witnessed the results. It's an experienced which changed his life, which at the time did not include a strong Catholic faith. He writes
You can read the rest here.I witnessed the death of two small people who never had the chance to take a breath. I can never forget that. And I have never been the same. My faith was weak at the time. But I knew by reason, and by what I saw, that a human life was destroyed. My conscience awakened to the truth of the dignity of the human being from the moment of conception. I became pro-life and eventually returned to my faith.I learned what human dignity was when I saw it callously disregarded. I know, without a doubt, that abortion is a violent act of murder and exploitation. And I know that our responsibility is to work and pray without ceasing for its end.
Biggest Irish pro-life rally ever - Over 30,000 people tell Enda to keep...
Watching the news tonight I saw a lot about Beyonce's performance of the National Anthem and how "stunning" the First Lady's dress was for the Inaugural Ball and even how when she wears a designer's dress it means millions of dollars in sales to that designer. So I guess it was because of such pressing and important stories such as these that that they just could not find room to even mention in passing tens of thousands of people flooding the streets of Dublin to reject the legalized genocide of abortion in Ireland. The cynic in me can't help but speculate that if those crowds were demanding legalized abortion on demand that story would be leading newscasts and be the subject of banner headlines for a week. But perhaps that's just a manifestation of my anti-MSM paranoia.
Monday, January 21, 2013
A Nation Rises - March for Life
You have to hand it to the President. On occasion he can be downright inspiring. These words, spoken in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy issue a challenge to all people concerned with the influences of the culture of death in which we live. This Friday there will be thousands taking up this challenge and responding to the words in this message. We can only pray that Congress and the President hears and responds to their pleas.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Anglican nuns praised for joining Catholic Church :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
On January 1st eleven formerly Anglican nuns were recieved into the Catholic Church as the exodus of orthodox Christians from the Anglican Communion continues. This trend is likely to accelerate as fewer and fewer tradioonla believers remain, particularly among the clergy, and the Anglican and Episcopal continue to allow current secular social mores to define the dogma of the Church. Read this rather uplifting story here.
Now the IRS is arbitrarily bypassing legislative process
The IRS has long made a distinction between illegally evading and and legitimately avoiding taxes. Disputes have often occurred concerning whether individual activities fell into one category or the other but were adjudicated individually and loopholes had to be addressed or closed it was done legislatively. Now the IRS has decided to to preemptively decide any potential tax court case by deciding in advance that using perfectly legal existing business structures to minimize a company's exposure to the Obamacare Tax will be considered illegitimate and therefore evasion. For more read this.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Bi-partisanship
I wanted to find something that represented the hard work, dedication and concern for their fellow Americans exhibited by Congress lately. Then I found this here. I think ti sums all that up quite nicely.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
National Cathedral to perform same-sex weddings - Washington Times
What is happening in the National Cathedral is nothing short of a desecration. There simply is no other way to describe it. The Episcopal Church continues its slide into irrelevancy as a Christian denomination, leaving many of its faithful, not to mention its own clergy, out in the cold theologically. This ongoing deconstruction of the Episcopal Church in America and the Anglican Church in the UK is attributable directly to a lack of direction due to te non-existence of any central magisterial teaching authority. Theoretically, the King or Queen of England would be the head of the church, at least in England but that role along with any governmental role of the monarchy is now merely ceremonial. Happily many of those leaving that shepherdless fold are finding their way back home to the Catholic Church. Welcome home!
One thing (alright many things but one in particular) that Rev Edgar said really annoyed me:
"In light of the legality of same-sex marriage n the District f Columbia and now Maryland, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, decided in December to allow an expansion of the Christian marriage sacrament."
Well isn't that just so special!
Well isn't that just so special!
We are constantly being bombarded about the "separation" of Church and State, usually by people who have never even read the Constitution or they would know that this concept appears no where in the document. What does appear in it and is routinely ignored, particularly by this Administration, is unequivocal protection against what so blithely accepts, that civil law should be imposed on and supersede religious doctrine and trump Christian conscience..
Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research suggests
Came across this article that seems to take scientific issue with the current crop of young people's claim on the title of "Greatest Generation." (See my earlier post here.) It also takes issue with the assumption that the word "modern" is a synonym for the word "beneficial."
Liturgical Dance in Liverpool Cathedral-if you can stand it.
The only thing worse than the dancing in this rather sad video is the atrocious musical accompaniment. However we can take heart from all the empty seats. Liturgical dance may not yet be quite dead in the Church but it thankfully appears to be in its death throws. Which is appropriate since "death throws" are what come to mind when watching this garbage.
California's population problem
For much of its history there were more Californians who were born in other parts of the country than there were born inside the state. That trend reversed briefly in the recent past but the birth rate is currently below what is considered to be below the replacement birthrate of 2.1 per woman. Coupled by the steady stream of productive people and jobs from the state due to the the floundering economy California is facing ratio of producers to government dependents that is all but unsustainable.
This article at wsj.com has has more on the problem.
This article at wsj.com has has more on the problem.
Are we are raising a generation of deluded narcissists?
The short answer is yes, we are. The generation that is now graduating college and entering, or at least trying to enter, the workforce and are discovering that much of what there parents told them about the world has no relationship to reality. There are no prizes for just showing up, accomplishments are earned not bestowed and no one, especially your boss and co-workers, cares one whit about your self esteem. So is it any surprise that these self absorbed, self involved, self entitled bunch has now voted itself as the "Greatest Generation" displacing the generation that fought and won World War II. You can't blame them, really. Their parents have been telling them how special they are all their lives. Who is the rest of the world to tell them to tell them they really aren't.
An important victory in the fight against the HHS mandates.
Tom Monahan, the founder of Ave Maria University, has won a temporary moratoriam on implementing mandated contraception coverage for his employees at a company he owns, Domino Farms. Ave Maria also has a suit pending against these blatantly unconstitutional mandates but that decision is still pending. The Judge in Read on here.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
One killing every 94 seconds
Under any conceivable circumstances this would be a horrific statistic. For Planned Parenthood it is a source of pride. This from Brietbart.
And the American genocide continues, with 333,964 murders in 2011. That’s the figure proudly released by Planned Parenthood Federation of America in their report delineating how many abortions they performed in fiscal 2011. Doing some simple math reveals that the number of abortions performed equates to one abortion every 94 seconds.
And Planned Parenthood can be pleased with their progress: the number of abortions they performed in 2011 was up from 2010, when they snuffed out 329,445 lives. And the U.S. government can carry the banner high with the abortion provider; Planned Parenthood received $542.4 million in “government health services grants and reimbursements,” including “payments from Medicaid managed care plans.”
Read the rest of the article here.
Al Gore has finally done it
He has finally revealed himself as the, fake phony and fraud many of us already knew him to be. For years his detractors have contended that his seeming dedication to environmental causes was motivated entirely by a special kind of "green energy," the kind with dead Presidents on them. Somehow his supporters have somehow seen past a lifestyle that had a carbon foot print the size of a small city to see some kind of environmental messiah. You can read more here.
Alex Jones Piers Morgan Part 2. 1776 Will Commence Again' If Guns Taken ...
Part 2 of today's wake up call.
Alex Jones Piers Morgan Part 1. 1776 Will Commence Again' If Guns Taken ...
Good Morning. Having trouble getting the ole eyes open? Well this should help. Enjoy.
ACLU may sue over Greensburg teens' 'sexting' charges | TribLIVE
I wonder if the ACLU ever considers that it is violating the rights both the children's and the parents rights when they seek to use cases like this to forward their agenda to pervert the Constitution into an emancipation proclamation for all that is vile, disgusting and destructive in our society? The mother of the young girl deserves a medal for the way she handled this situation. Sexting is not a civil right, it is a serious problem which is resulting in the sexual exploitation of children by other children and, undoubtedly, by unscrupulous adults who manage to intercept these pictures. Parents have the right to restrict the activity of their children to what they deem appropriate. hey do not want nor do they need the advice and consent of the crackpots in the ACLU.
Monday, January 7, 2013
French government warns Catholic schools to stay ‘neutral’ on homosexual ‘marriage’
I remember when I was in high school and there was a great deal of discussion about the Blaine Amendment to the NY State Constitution which removed virtually all government financial aid from private and parochial schools. It was decried as as totally unfair as the parents of the children in these schools paid taxes, including school taxes, just as did those in public schools. The argument was perfectly valid but as it turns out it was probably the best thing that could have happened in terms of autonomy over what gets taught in parochial schools concerning Faith and Morality. The French Education Minister is basing his justification for this unconscionable intrusion into religious education on the fact that the teachers in public school are paid by the goverment so the schools are considered to be under contract to the government. Whenever you accept so-called aid from any government you give up a piece of your freedom with every penny you accept. This story is a case in point.
Catholic Education, in Need of Salvation (by a married priesthood?)
Why is it that some people think that all the ills of the church may be addressed by a married priesthood? Whether its the decline in vocations or sex scandals or disappearing parishioners it seems that all of these problems would just vanish if the Church would just stop being so obstinate and allow priests to marry. This article in the NY Times Op Ed section seems to take the view that the the ills that beset parochial education in this country might best be addressed in this way either by policy change or by default as the numbers of priests continues to decline. But what is truly mind boggling is that a professor in a Catholic university is so incredibly ignorant of the role of the Permanent Deaconate in the Church. We are not lying in wait to take over the roles of priests as their number declines and that of deacons increases nor are we a defacto married priesthood waiting to be foisted on an unsuspecting congregation. The implication that we are is one born of ignorance that one might expect from the average reporter but I would expect more someone who is a professional Catholic educator. Or perhaps now I am the one being naive.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Petition about the “Catholics are a hate-group” petition
Father Z posted this Action Item over on his blog, What Does The Prayer Really Say. We need 25,000 signatures. I think we can do much better than that. As of this post there are 730 signatures. Read and sign the petition and ask your friends to do the same.
A Christmas Concert
In Russia and for many of our Orthodox brothers and sisters today is Christmas day. So with that in mind I would like to share this one last Christmas Concert. And to our Eastern brethren, Merry Christmas!
Woman forges decades-long bond with 11-year old panhandler | Fox News Video
Sometimes you make a decision that might seem impulsive, at least to others. There is no shortage of panhandlers in NYC and most of the time people pass them by feeling perhaps a little put upon and annoyed as they go about their day. This story starts with an encounter that like so many thousand that happen each day but...well watch the video and see for yourself.
Woman forges decades-long bond with 11-year old panhandler | Fox News Video:
'via Blog this'
Woman forges decades-long bond with 11-year old panhandler | Fox News Video:
'via Blog this'
15-year-old shot by Taliban released from hospital | Fox News Video
Three months ago armed cowards from the Taliban pulled over a school bus and shot a 15 year old girl in the head. She has now been released from the hospital. In the midst of this unspeakable evil, one which is sadly commonplace wherever the Taliban is present. What is next for young Malala? Check out the video.
15-year-old shot by Taliban released from hospital | Fox News Video:
'via Blog this'
15-year-old shot by Taliban released from hospital | Fox News Video:
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Visit your parents, or else!
China has passed a rather unusual law recently concerning the treatment of it's elderly requiring young people to visit their parents "often". It doesn't seem to quantify just what "often" is but they also granted the elderly a new avenue for redress by allowing them to sue their children for neglect. Since what constitutes "often" was left deliberately vague the only way to avoid running afoul of the is to truly visit one's parents...well...often!
It might seem odd that such a militaristic police state should be concerned with such mundane issues like elder care but there is an important self serving aspect of the government action here.For over fifty years China has had in place a strict one child per couple policy which was achieved through birth control, sterilization and, when that failed, mandatory or even forced abortions. This policy had the desired effect in the short term of slowing the explosive growth in the Chinese population. But moral abomination such as this policy often yields what is perceived as a short term benefit while the consequences, while they may be slow in coming, are far more destructive than what was posed by the original problem. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg of consequences that China is running up against now as many, many people will enter old age with no children to care for them and a government totally unprepared to take up the slack. The lesson should not be lost on us. A culture of death cannot survive for very long without suffering the consequences of its morally outrageous behavior.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Government Healthcare Run Amok
One of the scariest features of Robin Cooke medical dramas is that they are so plausible given the right circumstances and technology. When Coma was first written years ago some of the technology already existed but computers had not progressed to the point where they could literally keep what amounted to living cadavers alive in order to harvest healthy organs. If we have not yet reached that point yet, at least to the point demonstrated in the recent movie remake, we are a great deal closer than we were in 1977 when the original novel was published.
But even scarier to me is that the shock and revulsion we felt when we reached that point in the book or the original movie when we finally out the reason for all those unexplained comas in what seemed like perfectly healthy people during relatively minor procedures. Oh we have not yet reached the point where such a practice would be acceptable I fear that our sensibilities as a society have devolved to the point where it might be considered plausible at some point in the future.
The reason I bring this up is because of this story I came upon in the Mail Online website. It describes what amounts to no less than mass euthanasia being administered by bureaucratic decree without consultation with either the patients or their families. See what we have to look forward to?
But even scarier to me is that the shock and revulsion we felt when we reached that point in the book or the original movie when we finally out the reason for all those unexplained comas in what seemed like perfectly healthy people during relatively minor procedures. Oh we have not yet reached the point where such a practice would be acceptable I fear that our sensibilities as a society have devolved to the point where it might be considered plausible at some point in the future.
The reason I bring this up is because of this story I came upon in the Mail Online website. It describes what amounts to no less than mass euthanasia being administered by bureaucratic decree without consultation with either the patients or their families. See what we have to look forward to?
Sunday's Angelus
Many parents these days seem inordinately concerned with being friends to their children while others go to the opposite extreme of trying to rule over every aspect of their child's life. In his address to a packed St Peter's Square this Sunday His Holiness points out that the true role of parenting is that of being a guardian in their children's lives, not a friend but not a master either.
The Holy Father said in part, "Mary and Joseph’s concern for Jesus is the same as every parent who educates a child, introduces them to life and to understanding reality. Today, therefore, we should say a special prayer to the Lord for all the families of the world. Imitating the Holy Family of Nazareth, may parents seriously concern themselves about the growth and education of their children, so that they may mature as responsible and honest citizens, without ever forgetting that faith is a precious gift to be nourished in their children through personal example."
You can find the entire text or listen to the mp3 here.
The Holy Father said in part, "Mary and Joseph’s concern for Jesus is the same as every parent who educates a child, introduces them to life and to understanding reality. Today, therefore, we should say a special prayer to the Lord for all the families of the world. Imitating the Holy Family of Nazareth, may parents seriously concern themselves about the growth and education of their children, so that they may mature as responsible and honest citizens, without ever forgetting that faith is a precious gift to be nourished in their children through personal example."
You can find the entire text or listen to the mp3 here.
Happy New Year
It's a new day, a new year and a new look for the blog. I wanted to post something special so I went to Pewsitter.com, which is kind of a Catholic Drudge Report, and found this story. It is a story about the true meaning of Love. What better way to kick off the new year?
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