Friday, October 31, 2008

Quick Note about Sunday's 9:30am Mass

I just got a message from Fr. Perrone indicating - if I understood him correctly - that the 9:30am Mass would be in the ordinary form, not in the extraordinary form (Tridentine). My guess is that it will be a Latin Novus Ordo.

It will be an orchestral Mass featuring the Requiem by Maurice Duruflé. This change has something to do with the calendars of the two forms, and the way the feast days are falling. Father will explain it this weekend in a pamphlet insert.


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Please join us on Monday, November 3 for 7:00pm Mass and spend some time in Adoration, one of the most powerful forms of prayer. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will continue throughout the night until the 6:30am Mass. The angels continuously adore Our Lord. Learn more at the Real Presence website. If you are unable to come during the night, please help us to pack the Church for the 7:00pm Mass.
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An Election Prayer by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ (Servant of God)


Lord Jesus Christ, You told us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.

Enlighten the minds of our people in America. May we choose a President of the United States and other government officials according to Your Divine Will.

Give our citizens the courage to choose leaders of our nation who respect the sanctity of unborn human life, the sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of marital relations, the sanctity of the family and the sanctity of the aging.

Grant us the wisdom to give You what belongs to You, our God. If we do this as a nation, we are confident You will give us an abundance of Your blessings through our elected leaders. Amen.




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Over 115 Bishops Have Spoken Out on Priority of Life Issues Heading into Election

EDIT: I have to head off to work, but wish I had time to mail the link below to local media outlets. Please....send the link below to as many media outlets as you can, including the major cable news networks, newspapers, radio stations, etc. Just right-click and "copy shortcut" then paste it in. Use the "report news" tools on their websites. Flood them!!! Mainstream media needs to report this. Many ordinary Catholics who need to see this aren't reading Catholic internet sites or diocesan newspapers.

Several of these lists are now floating around. This one is from Inside Catholic. Deal Hudson explains:

Among the over 115+ bishops who have spoken out in this election in defense of Church teaching are 74 ordinaries (bishops who head dioceses). That's over one-third of the 197 dioceses and archdioceses in the United States.

There are also 5 cardinals and 13 archbishops on the list.

The regional dispersion is rather even: South 10, Southeast 7, Southwest 11, West 6, Northeast 21, Midwest 31, and Northwest 3.

The "red state, blue state" representation is close to even as well: Red 43, Blue 40.

Here is what looks like the final list for the 2008 election. Thanks to all the readers who offered additions and corrections. (Please let me know if I have left any out.)

"A Catholic Mom in Hawaii" has listed these bishops by states and dioceses. Thanks Esther!

1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver
2. Bishop James Conley, auxiliary of Denver
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C.
4. Justin Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities
5. Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine
6. Edward Cardinal Egan of New York
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh
9. Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio
11. Bishop Oscar Cantu, auxiliary of San Antonio
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin
16. Sean Cardinal O'Malley of Boston
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis
19. Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, President of the USCCB
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco
25. Bishop Glen Provost of Lake Charles, LA
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn
27. Bishop Joseph F. Martino of Scranton
28. Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
30. Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte
31. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh
32. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, KS
33. Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO
34. Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, WS35. Bishop Ronald Gilmore of Dodge City, KS36. Bishop Paul Coakley of Salina, KS37. Bishop Michael Jackels of Wichita38. Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach39. Bishop Kevin W. Vann of Fort Worth
40. Bishop Rene H. Gracida, retired, of Corpus Christi
41. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of Houston
42. Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington
43. Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond
44. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Center
45. Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester
46. Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Patterson
47. Bishop Robert Herrmann of St. Louis
48. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore
49. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix
50. Bishop Thomas D. Doran of Rockford
51. Bishop Joseph A. Galante of Camden
52. Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham
53. Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett of Seattle
54. Bishop J. Peter Sartain of Joliet
55. Bishop John M. Smith of Trenton
56. Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing
57. Bishop Leonard R. Blair of Toledo
58. Bishop Francis J. Dewane of Venice
59. Bishop W. Frances Malooly of Wilmington
60. Bishop John Yanta, retired, of Amarillo
61. Bishop James V. Johnston of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
62. Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland
63. Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City
64. Bishop Lawrence Brandt of Greensburg
65. Bishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinatti
66. Bishop Larry Silva of Honolulu
67. Bishop Paul Swain of Sioux Falls
68. Bishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe
69. Bishop Eusebius Beltran of Oklahoma City
70. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Harrisburg
71. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein of Indianapolis
72. Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette
73. Bishop Timothy McDonnell of Springfield, MA
74. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee
75. Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay
76. Bishop William Higi of Lafayette
77. Bishop Patrick Zurek of Amarillo
78. Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans
79. Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence80. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta
81. Archbishop John F. Donoghue, retired, of Atlanta
82. Bishop George W. Coleman of Fall River, MA
83. Bishop Peter Christensen of Superior, WI
84. Archbishop Elden F. Curtiss of Omaha
85. Bishop Ron Ganier of Louisville
86. Joint Statement by the bishops of New York State (22 bishops)
87. Joint Statement by the bishops of Pennsylvania (16 bishops)
88. Joint Statement by the bishops of Kansas (4 bishops)89. Joint Statement by the bishops of Florida (9 bishops)



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The ACLU and the Left's Double Standard

I've often said that the ACLU should start focusing it's time and money on things like "pre-existing" medical conditions, one of the most blatant forms of discrimination, in my humble opinion. But, they are too busy with fighting God in city hall, on the dollar bill, and on the football field.

There's also a double standard, which Michelle Malkin pegs perfectly in this article. I'll start you out here and you can follow the link to finish reading....

Plundering the Plumber's Records
by Michelle Malkin

If Joe the Plumber were Jawad the Suspected Terrorist, civil liberties activists would stampede the halls of Congress on his behalf. Liberal columnists would hyperventilate over the outrageous invasions of his privacy by Ohio state and local employees. The ACLU would demand the Big Brother snoopers' heads. And Democratic leaders would convene immediate hearings and parade him around the Beltway as the new poster boy/victim of unlawful domestic spying.

But because peaceful American citizen Joe Wurzelbacher is an outspoken enemy of socialism, rather than an enemy of America, the defenders of privacy have responded to his plight with an impenetrable cone of silence.

After the last presidential debate, during which John McCain invoked Joe the Plumber's anti-socialism shot heard 'round the world, several taxpayer-subsidized employees in Ohio immediately rifled through government databases in search of damning information. The Columbus Dispatch identified Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, as one of the dirt-diggers. She also happens to support Barack Obama and contributed the maximum amount to his presidential campaign.

On Wednesday, Jones-Kelley admitted that the records checks on Wurzelbacher that she approved were far more extensive than she first acknowledged. In addition to pawing through his child-support papers, the agency "also checked Wurzelbacher in its computer systems to determine whether he was receiving welfare assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes."

Jones-Kelley argued that plumbing the plumber's information was no big deal because the agency always checks up on citizens who come into public light. Democratic Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland quickly pooh-poohed the civil liberties infringements and denied any nefarious political motives.

If that doesn't send a chill up your spine, you don't have a spine.


...continue reading Plundering the Plumber's Records

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Diocese of Scranton: Groups "Treading on the name Catholic" with false voting doctrine

There is so much going on it is hard to keep up with. In the diocese of Scranton, we have some great action on the part of the bishop.

Bishop Martino is at it again. This time he is taking on so-called "catholic" groups which are perverting Catholic teaching in an effort to shift the Catholic vote into the Obama column. He has done this in two places:

1) Catholic Light (pdf) - the diocesan paper (Oct 23, 2008)

2) A video which calls out those groups and their errors.

In left sidebar of paper is the following lead-in:



The Catholic Church and the Issues

In this election cycle, many public misrepresentations about Catholic teaching on the
life issues, particularly abortion, have surfaced.

Certain groups and individuals have used their own erroneous interpretations of Church documents,particularly the U.S. Bishops’ statement on Faithful Citizenship, to justify their political positions and to contradict the Church’s actual teaching on the centrality of abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.

The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton are hereby reminded that partisan political groups such as Catholic United, Catholics in Alliancefor the Common Good, and other like-minded groups and individuals who make statements about Catholic teaching do not speak with the same authority or authenticity as their bishop.

This issue of The Catholic Light contains several articles that clarify what the Church actually teaches about the issues and the concept of the common good.

There are several great articles in that same edition.


Now for the video. This should be broadcast everywhere. Dioceses should pick it up and put it on their own websites.




Related:



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Bishop Finn: Whose side will you chooose?

Fresh before it goes to print, is a strong statement out of Bishop Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph about voting. It has been released to the blog of the Catholic Key, the diocesan paper where it will appear as a column.

This is what Catholics should be hearing from the pulpit. Based on the list of over 80 bishops which have spoken up similarly in recent weeks, I think it is only a matter of time before priests start following the lead of their bishops. He starts out talking about the recent consecration of the Cathedral of st. Patrick and works that into the main point.


Warriors with Our Eyes Fixed on Heaven

Last Saturday I had the privilege of consecrating the restored church of Old St. Patrick. This is the oldest existing Catholic church in Kansas City. It will serve as the Oratory for the Latin Mass community which first began here under Bishop John Sullivan, and for many years has shared the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows.

One of the beauties of the Traditional Latin High Mass that I celebrated is that it highlights a most profound aspect of the Mass, namely our participation with the Communion of Saints. The high altar, multiple candles, incense and Gregorian chant, collectively give us a striking image of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is our ultimate home. Every Mass celebrates this reality, but I must admit that the traditional Mass captured this magnificent expression of the ultimate hope and goal of Christians in a powerful way. We should reflect on this often, because the ultimate goal of everything we do is to get ourselves to heaven and bring with us as many as we can.

The month of November begins with the two great celebrations: All Saints day (November 1) and the Commemoration of All Souls (November 2). These feasts celebrate our communion with the "Church triumphant" in heaven, and the "Church suffering" in purgatory. Today I would like to share a few brief comments about what we have sometimes called the "Church militant," the Church here on earth.

We, the Church on earth, have a very special challenge as participants in the grace and life of Jesus Christ to "fight" against the enemies of Christ's justice and truth and light and life. We must be attentive to the demands of this daily "battle" in a peaceable but serious manner.

I am sometimes amazed at the casual manner with which Christians, Catholics included, take up our life within what Pope John Paul II rightly called the "culture of death." The Church, by comparison, reminds us that we are engaged - by reason of our Baptism and Confirmation - in a battle, "not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities and powers, with the rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in heaven." (Eph 6:12) Jesus Christ has won the ultimate battle, but we, in the course of our human life must make our choice, determining on whose side we will live and die. Whose side will you choose?!

What is at stake in this battle is our immortal soul, our salvation. My responsibility as bishop is with the eternal destiny of those entrusted to my care. My total energies must be directed to the well being of those who otherwise may come under the spell of a radically flawed and fundamentally distorted moral sense, at odds with what our Mother the Church teaches. There are objective and transcendent truths. There is such a thing as right and wrong. There is a legitimate hierarchy of moral evils, and the direct willful destruction of human life can never be justified; it can never be supported. Do you believe this firm teaching of the Church?

Did you know that in Canada priests and Christian ministers have already been brought before tribunals for preaching and teaching in support of marriage? They are charged with "hate speech" against homosexuality. In light of the tyranny of choice growing each day in our own beloved country, we ought to be ready for similar attacks on religious freedom. We must not fail to preach the Gospel. We can not withhold the truth of our faith. That is why I will never be silent about human life. It is why I am proud of so many others - bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity - who are not afraid to speak out about the values that matter most. What about you?!

Our Lord told His apostles that they would be hated by the world, just as He was. Nearly all of them died a martyr's death. As warriors in the Church militant, we must never resort to violence. But we must stand up fearlessly against the agents of death, the enemies of human life. Human beings are not Satan, but we know too well that they can come under his spell. They can become willing agents of death, numbed and poisoned in this culture of death. What about you?!

As we begin this month of November, the month of the Church, let us call upon the Saints to inspire us, befriend us, and pray for us. Let us offer many prayers and sacrifices for the poor souls who have gone before us. They need our meritorious suffrages to help them reach heaven.

And let us resolve to be warriors of the Church militant; warriors with our eyes fixed on heaven. Let us ask God's mercy and strength to persevere in our call - individual and collective - to holiness. Mary, Mother of the Church, Pray for us!
Source: Bishop Finn's Latest Column at the Catholic Key Blog




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Aquinas and More: Advent and Christmas Store

Aquinas and More is a faithfully Catholic online store. I was just alerted through email that they have opened their Advent and Christmas Store.




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Knights of Columbus Bowling & Pizza Party!




I got this from Ryan Cryderman of the Knights of Columbus at Assumption Grotto. Please support this effort.


What: A bowling party hosted by the Knights of Columbus in efforts to raise money for the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross monastery in Brazil.

How Much: It will cost $15.00 per person during the day session and $25.00 per person during the night session. Each session includes two hours of bowling, shoes, two slices of pizza and a pop.

When: November 15th from 2:00pm to 4:30pm (Day session) and November 15th 8:30pm to 11pm (Night session).

Where: Universal Lanes, 2101 E 12 Mile Rd Warren, MI 48092 (on 12 Mile in-between Dequindre and Ryan).

Why: The proceeds will be donated to the Monastery of Santa Cruz (Mosteiro da Santa Cruz), a Canons Regular of the Holy Cross monastery in Brazil. Recently, Fr. Basil Nortz, the prior of this monastery, contacted Council 13419 asking us to adopt two seminarians of his order. The Council voted to organize this event in an effort to raise additional funds for the seminarians.

How Do You Sign Up: To reserve a spot, please send an email to rpc10@albion.edu by November 8th. We will need to give Universal Lanes an estimate of how many bowlers we will have. If you don’t reserve a spot, you can still come and bowl – Universal Lanes would like to have a rough estimate as to how many people will be attending.

Is It OK To Invite Family And Friends?: Yes, it would be great to have as many people as possible to raise money for this cause. This will be a great event for the youth of the parish and will give parishioners the opportunity to meet the men of the Knights of Columbus.

Any questions, please let me know.

Thanks,

Ryan Cryderman


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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

A Post to Watch: "50 Bishops"... and Then Some

You have to check a list that Rocco Palmo is continuously updating on Bishops who have spoken up in recent weeks as we head into the election. Keep it as a reference and check in for updates. The link....in a moment.

As I said in my last post, the bishops have not been butting in and being partisan. They were dragged in by Catholic politicians who grossly and very publicly perverted Catholic teaching. At best it was ignorance. But it seems this is not the case with certain politicians who are persisting in their errors and leading others into scandal. At worst, these Catholic pols are attempting to get Catholic votes for themselves, someone else, or on anti-life/immoral proposals.

Check this out.....read and then scroll down. It is breath-taking....

"50 Bishops" ...and Then Some


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Bishop Boyea of Lansing Michigan Publicly Corrects Governor Granholm

Over 80 bishops have said that abortion/life issues are defining matters.for the Election. They have not injected themselves into partisan politics; they were drawn in by Catholic politicians skewing the teachings of the Church in public ways. The bishops are the teaching authority on Catholic matters for their dioceses.

In this case, Governor Granholm uses her public position to tell other Catholics that it's "pro-life" to vote "yes" on embryonic stem cell research (Proposal 2 on the Michigan ballot) when voting "no" is actually consistent with Catholic teaching.

Bishop Earl Boyea, recently installed in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, had this to say:

Bishop Responds to Governor

The Most Reverend Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing, issued the following statement on October 27, 2008 in response to recent comments by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm:


In a Sunday address in Grand Rapids, Governor Jennifer Granholm incredibly said of Proposal 2 "As a Catholic, I can say to be pro-cure is to be pro-life." Of course, Catholics and all other responsible citizens will continue to seek cures for disease and injury. But to imply that Proposal 2 is a valid expression of Catholic principles is shocking. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Proposal 2, which goes before Michigan voters in a week, would give an unrestricted license to those who perform destructive experiments on human embryos. While the Catholic Church strongly supports legitimate forms of stem cell research and all other proper forms of scientific inquiry, the Church also teaches that is it is always immoral to destroy a human embryo. For that reason, the Catholic Bishops of Michigan have taken a strong position in opposition to this well-funded assault on human life.

Saint Paul reminds us that we must preach the Truth in season and out of season. The Truth will never go unspoken. To be in favor of Proposal 2 is not to be pro-life. A well-formed Catholic conscience would never lead a person to support Proposal 2 "as a Catholic."


Bishop Boyea also released another document: How Shall I Cast my Vote? While this talks about Proposal 2, His Excellency also goes into other life issues, and prudential issues (war, justice, etc.)

Resources on Proposal 2 in Michigan and Stem Cell Research






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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Constitution of the United States and Obama. Huh?

Back in the 2001 radio interview which just surfaced, in which Barack Obama reveals more of his "spread the wealth" ideology, I found this one statement so stunning that my jaw dropped while I was at work hearing it.

"The Constitution reflected the enormous blind spot in this culture that carries
on to this day. The framers had that same blind spot ... the fundamental flaw of
this country."

Let me understand this right. A man who could very well become our next US president - that is, one who is charged with upholding the Constitution of the United States finds it....well...imperfect???

There is no way to spin his words. Of course, the media elites are either not bothering to cover it, or they are downplaying it. There's more in the interview that is quite disturbing.

It's bad enough that a court, legistlating from the bench, managed to pervert the US Constitution in Roe v. Wade in order to permit the killing of unborn citizens, with unborn black babies being burned and dismembered at a rate of 5x that of white babies. The US Constitution guarantees the right to life, not the right to kill. Now, we have someone who will look for an opportunity to turn the Supreme Court and federal courts into one kangaroo court system to advance more of the same.

Related:




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October 28: In the news and around the blogosphere...

I don't have much time today, other than to provide some interesting links to news and blogposts.

First, some important notes about things in progress and forthcoming...


  • We are one week away from the Election and in the midst of a Novena.

  • Tonight, Fr. Perrone is the guest speaker at the St. Monica Sodality and the session is open. He will speak on the Tridentine. My understanding is that the Sodality gathers for the Holy Rosary at 6:30pm, assists at the 7:00pm Mass, then meets in the lounge.

  • Assumption Grotto will have an all night Adoration Vigil on Election Eve. Click here for details.

  • Sts Cyril & Methodius in Sterling Heights will hold round-the-clock Adoration on October 29-31.

  • Assumption Grotto has a wine-tasting/Italian Dinner fundraiser following the 4pm Mass. Tickets are $25 per person and $40 per couple.

  • A Fall Cotillion is coming up at Assumption Grotto on November 8th (just like the Winter Cotillian). Funds raised will go toward's the new musical, The Heritance. Folks - this is the kind of thing that makes Grotto interesting. People get all decked out in fashions from 100-200+ years ago and they have an interesting band - Michigan Ruffwater String Band.

In the news...

In the blogosphere....

Note: Many of comboxes are as interesting as the original posts.


A few voting guides and resources:



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Sunday, October 26, 2008

Into Great Silence - on EWTN in 30 minutes!!!

The monk movie - Into Great Silence - which got global attention will be featured for the first time on television when EWTN airs it in 25 minutes from the time of this post. Go catch it while you can!


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

9 Days left - Join in the Novenas and Holy Hours for the Election


I have posted on these before, but I want to bring them back to the forefront with only 9 days left until the election.

There are several Novena's circulating. These are prayers made typically on 9 successive days, but there have been other Novenas such as a 9 week Rosary Novena and the 54 day Rosary Novena. I highly recommend one of the Novena's involving the Holy Rosary, as well as the Novena our bishops have asked us to pray.

Fr. John Corapi, SOLT, has promoted a Novena in the form of a Rosary to Our Lady of Victory.

On his home page (taken 10-26-2008), Father says:

No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God’s will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

Click here to download a PDF copy of Father's entire article (1 page) to email, link and distribute freely.

I understand that EWTN is running a Rosary Novena, I believe at 9:00am daily.

Rosary Novenas are among the most powerful.

USCCB's Election Novena

Our bishops through the USCCB have asked us to say a 9 day Novena prayer before the election. Clicking this link for the Faithful Citizenship Novena will take you to a PDF file which has a 9 day prayer. More resources from USCCB


HOLY HOURS AND ADORATION OPPORTUNITIES

Coming up this Wednesday and Thursday (Oct 29-30), there will be Adoration at Sts Cyril & Methodius in Sterling Heights, MI around the clock.

On the eve of the Election, Monday, November 3, Assumption Grotto in Detroit will have an all night Election Eve Adoration Vigil in the parish Church. Security will be provided (park bewteen the school and Church to make it easy for our guards). We will also have coffee, tea and snacks for those who are planning on staying long hours during the night. I believe Fr. Perrone will have the heat on, but it is a good idea to dress in several layers.

If you cannot come during the night for the Adoration vigil, perhaps you can help us to pack the parish Church for the 7:00pm Mass on Nov 3 after which, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will begin until 6:30am Mass the next morning.

If there are other locations in the US, please feel free to list them in this combox. Let others know where they can pick up a place to join in prayer for the Election, especially on November 3 and 4th.

OTHER

Offer up your work and sacrifices as prayer. If you want to make it to a Holy Hour and can't, perhaps you can spend an hour in silence at home.

As an aside, EWTN has a great resource page for voting, in addition to others I have shown in my sidebar. Fr. Frank Pavone's voting guide has been getting many outclicks. I think you will like this voting reference page at EWTN, as well. It's loaded with text and podcasts/mp3s.

Of course, we can't plug this enough. Please go to Catholic Vote for various ways to share this video through email, blogs and sites.





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Tridentine Class at Grotto Tuesday

I heard through the announcments after the Masses this weekend that Fr. Perrone was going to hold another one of his "Tridentine" classes on Tuesday. However, I did not hear the time. It will be in the school lounge.

If someone heard the time, email me: TeDeumBlog@gmail.com or drop it into the combox. Otherwise, I'll contact the rectory tomorrow and post the time in the evening.

It will make it easier if someone provides it in the form of a comment that I can simply publish. This way, I can get the news out sooner.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

One Baby One Vote - Join in Sunday, Nov 3 at 3:00pm


Click the pic to go to the One Baby One Vote website for details! It's simple - all you have to do
enter your name (you don't have to give your full name), enter a name for an unknown baby, and click the adopt button. Then, you pray on Nov 2 at 3:00pm

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Cardinal Egan: Just Look...

Cardinal Egan's column for this week features a stunning photograph and a thought-provoking article. Here it is in it's entirety.

Just Look

The picture on this page is an untouched photograph of a being that has been within its mother for 20 weeks. Please do me the favor of looking at it carefully.




Have you any doubt that it is a human being?

If you do not have any such doubt, have you any doubt that it is an innocent human being?

If you have no doubt about this either, have you any doubt that the authorities in a civilized society are duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if anyone were to wish to kill it?

If your answer to this last query is negative, that is, if you have no doubt that the authorities in a civilized society would be duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if someone were to wish to kill it, I would suggest—even insist—that there is not a lot more to be said about the issue of abortion in our society. It is wrong, and it cannot—must not—be tolerated.

But you might protest that all of this is too easy. Why, you might inquire, have I not delved into the opinion of philosophers and theologians about the matter? And even worse: Why have I not raised the usual questions about what a "human being" is, what a "person" is, what it means to be "living," and such? People who write books and articles about abortion always concern themselves with these kinds of things. Even the justices of the Supreme Court who gave us "Roe v. Wade" address them. Why do I neglect philosophers and theologians? Why do I not get into defining "human being," defining "person," defining "living," and the rest? Because, I respond, I am sound of mind and endowed with a fine set of eyes, into which I do not believe it is well to cast sand. I looked at the photograph, and I have no doubt about what I saw and what are the duties of a civilized society if what I saw is in danger of being killed by someone who wishes to kill it or, if you prefer, someone who "chooses" to kill it. In brief: I looked, and I know what I saw.

But what about the being that has been in its mother for only 15 weeks or only 10? Have you photographs of that too? Yes, I do. However, I hardly think it necessary to show them. For if we agree that the being in the photograph printed on this page is an innocent human being, you have no choice but to admit that it may not be legitimately killed even before 20 weeks unless you can indicate with scientific proof the point in the development of the being before which it was other than an innocent human being and, therefore, available to be legitimately killed. Nor have Aristotle, Aquinas or even the most brilliant embryologists of our era or any other era been able to do so. If there is a time when something less than a human being in a mother morphs into a human being, it is not a time that anyone has ever been able to identify, though many have made guesses. However, guesses are of no help. A man with a shotgun who decides to shoot a being that he believes may be a human being is properly hauled before a judge. And hopefully, the judge in question knows what a "human being" is and what the implications of someone's wishing to kill it are. The word "incarceration" comes to mind.

However, we must not stop here. The matter becomes even clearer and simpler if you obtain from the National Geographic Society two extraordinary DVDs. One is entitled "In the Womb" and illustrates in color and in motion the development of one innocent human being within its mother. The other is entitled "In the Womb—Multiples" and in color and motion shows the development of two innocent human beings—twin boys—within their mother. If you have ever allowed yourself to wonder, for example, what "living" means, these two DVDs will be a great help. The one innocent human being squirms about, waves its arms, sucks its thumb, smiles broadly and even yawns; and the two innocent human beings do all of that and more: They fight each other. One gives his brother a kick, and the other responds with a sock to the jaw. If you can convince yourself that these beings are something other than living and innocent human beings, something, for example, such as "mere clusters of tissues," you have a problem far more basic than merely not appreciating the wrongness of abortion. And that problem is—forgive me—self-deceit in a most extreme form.

Adolf Hitler convinced himself and his subjects that Jews and homosexuals were other than human beings. Joseph Stalin did the same as regards Cossacks and Russian aristocrats. And this despite the fact that Hitler and his subjects had seen both Jews and homosexuals with their own eyes, and Stalin and his subjects had seen both Cossacks and Russian aristocrats with theirs. Happily, there are few today who would hesitate to condemn in the roundest terms the self-deceit of Hitler, Stalin or even their subjects to the extent that the subjects could have done something to end the madness and protect living, innocent human beings.

It is high time to stop pretending that we do not know what this nation of ours is allowing—and approving—with the killing each year of more than 1,600,000 innocent human beings within their mothers. We know full well that to kill what is clearly seen to be an innocent human being or what cannot be proved to be other than an innocent human being is as wrong as wrong gets. Nor can we honorably cover our shame (1) by appealing to the thoughts of Aristotle or Aquinas on the subject, inasmuch as we are all well aware that their understanding of matters embryological was hopelessly mistaken, (2) by suggesting that "killing" and "choosing to kill" are somehow distinct ethically, morally or criminally, (3) by feigning ignorance of the meaning of "human being," "person," "living," and such, (4) by maintaining that among the acts covered by the right to privacy is the act of killing an innocent human being, and (5) by claiming that the being within the mother is "part" of the mother, so as to sustain the oft-repeated slogan that a mother may kill or authorize the killing of the being within her "because she is free to do as she wishes with her own body."

One day, please God, when the stranglehold on public opinion in the United States has been released by the extremists for whom abortion is the center of their political and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, look back on what we have been doing to innocent human beings within their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what was approved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Case" in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what was perpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothing at all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, and making it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness not at all. On the contrary, it intensifies it.

Do me a favor. Look at the photograph again. Look and decide with honesty and decency what the Lord expects of you and me as the horror of "legalized" abortion continues to erode the honor of our nation. Look, and do not absolve yourself if you refuse to act.



Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York


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It's the economy stupid! How the Democrats, Barack Obama, and ACORN initiated this economic crisis and hindered regulation called for by Republicans

I must admit that my family had always voted Democrat like many Catholic families. But the Democratic party is no longer the party my ancestors supported. They have become the party of death. Setting all that aside, I have other reasons why I cannot support Democrats and it has to do with economic ideals, as well as my thoughts about how judges should function, which does not include legislating from the bench.

I voted for the first time when I reached voting age and Reagan ran for office. I proudly pulled the Republican switch, breaking that long standing tradition. And, so did my family. We were Reagan Democrats. We did it mainly because we were pro-lifers and little did we know how the Republican Ronald Reagan would yank us out of a nasty economic crisis in the eighties. He knew it couldn't be fixed with big government spending and more taxes and so does John McCain.

I can tell you that if I set aside entirely, the culture of death ideals of Barack Obama, which I cannot, I would still vote for McCain on the basis that his economic plan is the kind that can get us out of this crisis. There are some videos worth watching if you want to see just how deeply the Democrats were in getting us to where we are now and we ought not put them in charge now.

If you are thinking of voting for a Democrat, I would ask you to watch these videos carefully. It's about the current major crisis. Don't cloud judgement with any other issue if you are concerned with getting out of this mess because if we end up with a Democratic super majority in Congress along with a Democrat for President, there will be an entire pack of wolves watching the economic henhouse. And, don't think for a minute that with such a Democratic slant we will get an honest and fair investigation into "how we got here". It will be easy for the truth to get swept under the rug without checks and balances in Congress, as easily as Barney Frank and company are trying to spread blame like peanut butter in order to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing.

In this first video, you will see the Clinton administration at work explaining the kind of "loan affirmative action" that was being given to us. The man makes the case for giving unqualified people home loans. In the same video, you will see ACORN and Barack Obama's involvment in forcing banks to give loans to these folks. That's right - the same ACORN that is under investigation for voter registration fraud in multiple states. And, the same organization which has publicaly backed Barack Obama while receiving large sums of US tax dollars.




Typically, the Republicans are against regulation while the Democrats are in favor of more regulation. It is one of the key differences between Democrats and Republicans. However, Republicans smelled a rat years ago and started begging for regulation of Fannie and Freddie, only to have it blocked time and again by certain Democrats. These video clips were from some years ago, but today we now know that many of these folks received large sums of money which was a conflict of interest. How could they accept regulation of Fannie & Freddie when they would be affecting their own pockets? Watch this....



Who received the most money from Fannie & Freddie? Watch this video where the Dems are called the "Family & Conscience" of Fannie & Freddie and it is followed by a newsclip from John Gibson which reveals the top three benefactors of funds from the two companies. No wonder the Democrats didn't want regulation. Certain news organizations have not been reporting this info to the general public. If Obama gets into the presidency, it will be like the fox guarding the henhouse.





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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Traditional Church Music and "Liturgy Committees"

Great topic posted by Jeffrey Tucker over at the New Liturgical Movement entitled:



One thing I really like about Assumption Grotto: There is no liturgy committee! Actually, it's a committee of one.......





The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Joe the Plumber: Country not Founded on Government Handouts

I've got Fox News on and a short time ago Neil Cavuto interviewed Joe the Plumber. Apparently, there are people willing to raise funds to help this guy run for Congress. He wouldn't say yes or no, but would consider it. I would like to see him go for it, but he is right - it is a sacrifice because you have to represent the people not get into it for yourself, an attitude lacking these days. He's got to consider the kind of invasions that I will discuss below. I'm sure he'll get all the funds he needs from hard-working Ohio folks and others.

One of the most impressive points he just made is that the country was founded on hard work, neighbors helping neighbors and Churches helping people, not on government handouts. I also heard him say something similarly impressive when asked if he would accept money raised by others for his back taxes. His response was that he had strong arms and a good back and he would rather work than use his hands for a handout. This came after first crediting his parents for giving him good values. If I find an uploaded video segment, I'll link it or embed it here.

In the same segment, it was revealed that Joe has had an even worse invasion of privacy than previously thought. Apparently, government computers may have been used to "hack" into his records illegally. It's shameful to see that a man who simply raises a question of Barack Obama ends up with, as he called it, "a proctology exam". From the Columbus Dispatch:


"State and local officials are investigating if state and law-enforcement computer systems were illegally accessed when they were tapped for personal information about "Joe the Plumber."

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher became part of the national political lexicon Oct. 15 when Republican presidential candidate John McCain mentioned him frequently during his final debate with Democrat Barack Obama.

The 34-year-old from the Toledo suburb of Holland is held out by McCain as an example of an American who would be harmed by Obama's tax proposals.

Public records requested by The Dispatch disclose that information on Wurzelbacher's driver's license or his sport-utility vehicle was pulled from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles database three times shortly after the debate.

Information on Wurzelbacher was accessed by accounts assigned to the office of Ohio Attorney General Nancy H. Rogers, the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Toledo Police Department.

It has not been determined who checked on Wurzelbacher, or why. Direct access to driver's license and vehicle registration information from BMV computers is restricted to legitimate law enforcement and government business.

Consider that if someone with the kind of past associations as Barack Obama applied for a job with the federal government he would not pass the background check. Forget the government - most of the mainstream media has spent more time investigating the private life of Joe the Plumber than they have on Barack Obama.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Is Abp Chaput engaging in partisan politics? Not so, says pro-life Democrat

Archbishop Chaput has been a real leader among bishops with attacking the many misrepresentations of the Catholic faith that have been promoted chiefly by Democrats, such as Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden.

Some have accused the Archbishop of being partisan, but a pro-life Democrat disagrees.

Writing a Friday post on the Jesuits’ America magazine group blog “In All Things,” Stricherz responded to fellow blogger Michael Sean Winters’ description of the prelate as the nation’s “second most vocal supporter of the GOP.”

Calling the description a “mischaracterization,” Stricherz, a pro-life Democrat, said he thinks it reflects “a larger misunderstanding that progressive Catholics have about their co-religionist opponents.”

He then referenced Archbishop Chaput’s August remarks in which the prelate acknowledged many important issues are relevant to the election, but also asserted that the right to life is “foundational” and all other rights depend on it.

“We can’t build a healthy society while ignoring the routine and very profitable legalized homicide that goes on every day against America’s unborn children,” Archbishop Chaput commented, continuing:

“Yet for thirty-five years I’ve watched prominent ‘pro-choice’ Catholics justify themselves with the kind of moral and verbal gymnastics that should qualify as an Olympic event. All they’ve really done is capitulate to Roe v. Wade.”

Stricherz said the archbishop’s stance should not be interpreted in a partisan spirit.

“This position is not, strictly speaking, Republican or Democratic,” he noted, saying it was the same position of the late Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, Sr.
Go read more at CNA: Archbishop Chaput’s pro-life remarks ‘not Republican or Democratic,’ pro-life Democrat says

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Just for laughs

Sometimes you just gotta have some laughs. Watch this entire clip of a Chimpanzee learning how to ride a Segway. I mean, he learns, but getting there is the funny part.




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Obama, Redistribution, and Social Security

Thanks to Joe the Plumber, we have finally heard from Obama's own mouth that he wants to "spread the wealth".

I was watching Fox News and there was a dialogue with Andrew Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute over Obama's plan and Social Security. I recommend reading this: Obama on Social Security.

More:





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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Photostory: Bishop Athanasius Schneider at ICRSS in Rome



Greg Kollmorgen at NLM has a photostory up of Bishop Athanasius Schneider on his recent visit to the ICRSS (Institute of Christ the King) in Rome.

Bishop Schneider, who is the author of the soon to be released, Dominus Est (which has been pre-ordered by the Grotto Gift shop), spent time at Assumption Grotto during his 10 day visit to the US (see links below).

It's also noteworthy to point out that His Excellency was taped for a future session of EWTN Live while he was in. That program will air as shown on the EWTN Live page with Fr. Mitch Pacwa.


Dec. 17 Bp. Athanasius Schneider, ORC.
The Catholic Faith Behind the Iron Curtain

Previous Posts on Bishop Schneider, including photos


EDIT: I see a note in the combox over at NLM by Fr. Peter Stravinskas of Newman House - the publisher of Dominus Est. Here is what he says:

Good news: Bishop Schneider's book, "Dominus Est," on the distribution of Holy Communion, just rolled off the presses yesterday. The retail price is eight dollars, but a 50% discount is being offered for the first month for orders of five copies or more to the same address (shipping & handling billed accordingly).Orders may be sent to: Newman House Press, 601 Buhler Court, Pine Beach, NJ 08741.An order form and further information may also be obtained by going to: jhcnewman.org; then click on "Newman House Press."


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More straight talk from bishops and priests....

Rocco Palmo has a followup with details of Bishop Naumann's address at the University of Kansas yesterday.

There is another suprise followup Rocco gives us, by Bishop Martino of Scranton. You will recall the eye-catching headline for the first part of the story: "This Is Madness, People": In Surprise Cameo, Scranton Bishop Repudiates USCCB, Dems, Et al. . Now, we have: "Stop the Insanity" Part Deux

There is also an excellent homily out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Fr. Chas Canoy of Thomas the Apostle Parish. Go read, "Render unto Caesar" at Catholics in the Public Square.

For more out of our bishops, see yesterday's post for a listing of recent statements and newsmakers.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Bishop Martino of Scranton, PA: "This is madness, people!"

Folks, there are more reports of bishops speaking up than I can post on. I'm going to place some links here for you to follow up on. The first is the basis of the post title.



Priests and other Catholics are speaking up, as well:

And, don't miss this: Gotta Watch Video: American's Choice 2008


Pray for our bishops!
The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

USCCB Press Release: Legal Protection for Unborn and Support for Mothers are Both Needed

Fresh out of the USCCB today: Legal Protection for Unborn, Support for Mothers Both Needed, Say Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy.


WASHINGTON—"Our faith requires us to oppose abortion on demand and to provide help to mothers facing challenging pregnancies," Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., said in an October 21 statement. The bishops urged Catholics to study the teaching of the Church, rather than rely on statements and materials from outside groups and individuals.

Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy made the joint statement in response to arguments that the Church should accept the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a "permanent fixture of constitutional law" and should concede that the only way to reduce abortions is to provide more government support for pregnant women. At the same time the two bishops also responded to those who argue that the Church's efforts against abortion should focus solely on restoring recognition for unborn children's human rights and that proposals to provide social and economic support for pregnant women distract from that effort.

Cardinal Rigali chairs of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Bishop Murphy chairs the bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

"Providing support for pregnant women so they choose to have their babies is a necessary but not sufficient response to abortion. Similarly, reversal of Roe is a necessary but not sufficient condition for restoring an order of justice in our society's treatment of defenseless human life," they said.

The bishops also noted that "in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision knocked down laws against abortion in all 50 states, fabricating a constitutional 'right' to abortion that continues to haunt and divide our society....Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose. Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life," they said.

The bishops added that legalizing abortion had greatly increased annual abortions in the United States. "The law is a teacher, and Roe taught many women, physicians and others that abortion is an acceptable answer to a wide range of problems."

The bishops noted strides made in modifying Roe v. Wade's unjust legal precedent and drew attention to the many lives saved by the modest laws and regulations allowed under Roe. They voiced concern that the pending pro-abortion "Freedom of Choice Act" (S. 1173, H.R. 1964) in Congress would threaten strides made in limiting abortions.

"Bans on public funding [of abortion], laws requiring informed consent for women and parental involvement for minors, and other modest and widely supported laws have saved millions of lives. Laws made possible by reversing Roe would save many more," they said.

"On the other hand, this progress could be lost through a key pro-abortion proposal, the 'Freedom of Choice Act,' which supporters say would knock down hundreds of current pro-life laws and forbid any public program to 'discriminate' against abortion in providing services to women," Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy said.

"By protecting the child's life to the maximum degree possible, improving life-affirming support for pregnant women, and changing the attitudes and prejudices imposed on many women to make them see abortion as an acceptable or necessary solution, we will truly help build a culture of life," they said.

The full text of the joint statement may be found at www.usccb.org/prolife/Rigali-Murphy-Joint-Statement.pdf.

I recommend also that you check out the commentary by Tom Peters at American Papist: Breaking: US Bishops set the record straight in today's statement.

Things are moving rapidly over there at AmP - check his homepage frequently. He has lots of good posts up.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Gotta Watch Video: American's Choice 2008

H/T to Salesian Father, Steve Leake and "Moniales OP" for bringing to my attention this excellent video. Please get this around the blogosphere. If you don't see it on your favorite Catholic blog, please email them or drop a message in the combox.

Go here for the URL and Embed Codes




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!