Are Catholics Chicken or Something?

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Jimmy Akin, over at the National Catholic Register, wonders if Catholics are a bunch of wimps.

He had an encounter with an evangelical acquaintance who was concerned that Catholic Jimmy was not saved.

Excerpt

I hope we can chat again in the future!

I couldn’t help admiring about the gentleman the fact that he was bold enough to go up to a total stranger and start talking about sensitive personal things like whether the stranger has a properly configured relationship with God.

That’s one of the more sensitive and personal topics that can be broached, especially in a one-to-one conversation—as opposed to preaching to a big group of people and asking them individually to consider their relationship with God. The latter is peanuts. Any decent public speaker could do that. Going face-to-face with a single person and making the rectitude of his relationship with God the topic, that requires courage!

I could tell that the gentleman was nervous at the beginning of our conversation, so I did my best to set him at easy and signal that I wasn’t threatened or put off. While I didn’t have a lot of time (I was, after all, getting in my car to go somewhere), I engaged the subject with him happily and enthusiastically, and we had a great (if brief) truck-side conversation.

It brought back pleasant memories of my own time as an Evangelical.

And as I drove away, there was a prominent thought in my head: Catholics almost never do what he just did.

Why?

Why Catholics so seldom work up the courage to approach a total stranger with the message of Jesus.

One might think it’s because Catholics are chicken, that they’re afraid to do so. And of course they are. Evangelicals are, too! You have to screw up your nerve to do this kind of thing. That’s only human!

Yet Evangelicals do it and Catholics—for the most part—don’t.

Why is that? Read the article here.

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Pro Abortion Extremist in Chief

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Are you Pro life?   Do you want to end tax payer funding for Planned Parenthood?  Well then you are an extremist. At least according to pro abortion politicians.

This has been especially true in the fight to deprive PP of tax payer funding. They do so much good!  If funding is stopped, women will be thrown under the bus!

William McGurn in his Main Street column in today’s Wall Street Journal asks Who’s the Extremist now?

First he notes that it has been leaked, by democratic aides, that President Obama refused to yield any ground on PP funding as he negotiated with House Speaker John Boehner on a budget. The president was going to let the government shut down rather than see PP defunded.

McGuren writes (Excerpt):

Surely it tells you something about who the real extremists are that an up or down vote is deemed a concession. In an appearance at a rally before the deal, Mr. Schumer vowed that any bill taking taxpayer dollars from Planned Parenthood would “never, never, never” pass the Senate. In the normal way of doing things, it wouldn’t even have come up for a vote.

Most Americans, it is probably safe to say, have no idea that we are talking about an organization that performed 332,278 abortions in 2009—one abortion every 95 seconds. Planned Parenthood counters that no federal dollars go to abortion, but Americans are not stupid. They know money is fungible.

As for serving pregnant women, that would be worth some congressional attention too. Planned Parenthood’s own numbers show that more than 97% of pregnant women it treated were given abortions—against fewer than 3% who received nonabortion services such as adoption or prenatal care.

Thanks to Mr. Boehner, we’ll at least have a democratic debate on this subject instead of a backroom fait accompli. And thanks to the way this deal was struck, we have a reminder that it was the Democratic president and not the Republican speaker who stood on ideology when he decided that it was worth shutting down the entire federal government to protect Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer dollars.

Read the article here (warning: it might be behind a subscription firewall)

I would happily vote for a Democratic candidate that was brave enough to fight for the right to life and cut their PP umbilical cord.

Unfortunately, I just don’t think that is going to happen in my lifetime. For the record, it remains to be seen how Pro life Republicans really are.

Voting none of the above is always an option.

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New Youth Catechism

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

It is said that all translators are traitors. 

The new youth Catechism, YouCat, has just been released, and it has created quite a storm in the Catholic blogosphere. Early reports suggested that the book promoted contraception for married couples.  The original version was written in German, and it was overseen by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn.  Some Catholic bloggers assumed that it was deliberate. Well the Cardinal has been known to make the kind of comments that elicit a “huh, did he really say that?”

But I suspected that there was a less sinister and more mundane explanation, so I kept out of the frey. The US edition is published by Igantious Press, so I was confident that the book is faithful to the teachings of the Church.

Guess what! It was a translation error. In one language edition—Italian.

Catholic News Service reports:

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Distribution of an Italian edition of a new youth catechism was temporarily suspended because of a translation error concerning the church’s teaching on contraception.

Thousands of copies of the Italian translation of “YouCat,” a recently released supplement to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, erroneously left the impression that Catholic couples could use “contraceptive methods.”

As a result, “the product is temporarily suspended, but not halted,” so that the Italian publisher can “examine the text,” Elena Cardinali, a spokeswoman for the Citta Nuova editorial group, told Catholic News Service April 12. Citta Nuova, the publishing arm of the Focolare lay movement, handled the Italian edition of the catechism. Continue reading here.

I have read sample pages of  youth Catechism, and I think that it  will be a great tool.

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St. Stanislaus

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Yesterday the Church celebrated St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr.

“St. Stanislaus was the Bishop of Cracow, Poland. A champion of the liberty of the Church and of the dignity of man, he defended the lonely and the poor. When he reproached King Boleslaus II for his immoral life, the king himself killed him during Mass. He is the patron saint of Poland.”  Read more here.

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The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Reflection for the Sunday Readings.

Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14;Psalm 130:1-8; Romans 8:8-11;John 11:1-45           

Today, as the Church celebrates the third and final Scrutiny for the Elect of God, the readings prepare us for the death and resurrection of our Lord.  The elect, along with the candidates, are on their final two weeks of their journey through the desert. They are parched with thirst as they long for baptism and they hunger for the Eucharist.  Like Lazarus in today’s Gospel, they will emerge from their tomb of sin as they rise up from the waters of baptism.

The first reading concludes Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones where the dead are gradually restored to life. Ezekiel’s prophesy gives hope to the Jews in exile, the dry bones, that God will restore the nation of Israel. God will open up their graves; they will rise from them.  Only God can give new life to the dead.

The psalm is a prayer of hope. God is a God of endless mercy and forgiveness. God waits to restore us and redeems us from the death of sin.  God’s people are never without hope.

St. Paul reminds us, in the second reading that in baptism we are resurrected with Christ. In Baptism we are restored to life just as God’s breath restored life to the dry bones.  Through baptism the “Spirit of  God” dwells within us. He call us from our tombs and makes us a new creation.

The vision of Ezekiel and the resurrection of Lazarus in today’s Gospel are closely linked. Resurrection, to the ancient Jews, was a sign of  the coming of the Messiah when God would gather in all of the Jews from every nation and resurrect  the kingdom of Israel.

The resurrection of Lazarus pre figures the resurrection of Christ. It is a Gospel rich in symbolism. John tells us that Mary is the one who anointed Jesus with oil. This anointing was in preparation for his death.  A close reading of the Gospel text reveals a strange detail. When Jesus was given the message that the friend that he loved is gravely ill in another  town, he does not hurry to go and see Lazarus. Instead we are told that Jesus stayed where he was for two more days!

Jesus waits until his friend dies to go to him, so that he can provide a sign for the disciples. But Jesus is not just showing how powerful He is.  He wants his disciples to see that He can raise the dead, so that they will believe when He himself rises from the dead.

John tells us that before Jesus goes to the tomb of his friend he wept. Jesus weeps not just for  Lazarus.  He weeps for all of us, because human sin has brought suffering and death into the world. Lazarus represents all of humanity.  When Jesus weeps He shows his humanity and he demonstrates his solidarity with the human race.

The resurrection of Lazarus shows us the great mercy of God. God is always waiting to redeem us, reconcile us, and restore us to a new life in Christ.

FATHER/DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH:SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS BISHOP,400-450

He waited for Lazarus to die, staying in the same place until he could tell his disciples that he was dead; then he announced his intention of going to him. Lazarus is dead, he said, and I am glad. Was this a sign of his love for his friend? Not so. Christ was glad because their sorrow over the death of Lazarus was soon to be changed into joy at his restoration to life. I am glad for your sake, he said.  Why for their sake? Because the death and raising of Lazarus were a perfect prefiguration of the death and resurrection of the Lord himself. What the Lord was soon to achieve in himself had already been achieved in his servant. This explains why he said to them: I am glad for your sake not to have been there, because now you will believe.
It was necessary that Lazarus should die, so that the faith of the disciples might also rise with him from the dead.

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Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

I am still working on my Sunday reflection sheet that is handed out at Mass, and   posted on my blog, but Deacon Greg has just posted his homily.

“Every now and then, you’ll find a film critic who bemoans the state of Hollywood movies by pointing out that there are too many sequels.

Last year, a writer noted that in 2010 there were 86 sequels in various stages of development.  Just this year, we have “Scream 4″ about to open,  along with “Underworld 4,” “Mission Impossible 4,” “Cars 2,” “The Hangover 2,” “Transformers 3,” and the final part of the Harry Potter Series.

Ever since the first story was ever told, human beings have wanted to know: “What happened next?”

I find myself feeling that way about this Sunday’s gospel – surely one of the most dramatic and moving episodes in all of the New Testament.  And it always makes me wonder:

What happened to Lazarus after he was brought back from the dead?  How much longer did he live?  What did people say to him?  What did he say to them?  Was he haunted by his memories of his former life?  Did he remember what happened when he was dead?  How did all of that change him?

More importantly: what would any of us do if given a second chance at life?

Well, there is no Lazarus 2.

His story stands alone.

But I think if you really want to know what happened next, the best answer is closer than we may think.

Because Lazarus … is all of us.

That, in fact, is the point of the gospels we have been hearing the last three Sundays – three extraordinary events from the gospel of John.  Three people who had an encounter with Christ.  Three people whose lives were changed forever because of it. ” Continue Reading here.

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No Government Shutdown and Bad News for Pro Abortion Advocates

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Our congressional leaders have reached a temporary agreement and avoided a shut

The House speaker, John A. Boehner, announced the budget agreement reached by Congressional leaders.

down. See miracles are still possible. It seems that there is still hope that funding for Planned Parenthood will end. Thomas Peters of Catholic Vote has the scoop.

Reactions to tonight’s deal will cover a wide spectrum. Initially I was disappointed. This was not total victory for the pro-life or fiscally conscience side. Not even close. But how often does politics give us total victory? Almost never. That said, we got some things, and the important thing to realize is that some of these things could bear great fruit.

For one thing, direct taxpayer funding for abortion will end in the District of Columbia. This was one of the most egregious oversteps made by the pro-abortion Congress last session and it has now been reversed.

More intriguing, the Democrats in the Senate had been preventing any efforts there to hold votes on defunding Planned Parenthood and repealing Obamacare. Those votes will now take place, according to the deal brokered tonight. This is a big deal for two reasons: one, it will keep Planned Parenthood in the hot seat with a real threat that we could defund them (more on that in the future days and weeks – CatholicVote will be engaged in that fight!) – also, this forces lots of Democrats to take a very hard vote – they don’t want their constituents to be reminded where they stand on Obamacare (which is still unpopular) and funding Planned Parenthood (becoming even more unpopular). On this concession, Democrats really got the bad end of the stick, long-term.

This is important: Obama himself had to agree to allowing votes against his signature piece of legislation (Obamacare) and his sacred political cow (Planned Parenthood). Ouch. That is quite an accomplishment by the Republicans, who only control one chamber of Congress and nothing in the Oval Office. And all this without a government shutdown. For that we should commend them.

One more cherry on top – the DC scholarship program is back in the deal. I’m no expert in this issue, but I believe it will be very good for DC Catholic schools. Plus Obama had promised to veto it. So much (once again) for his promise.

… now, all that said, Planned Parenthood remains funded. This is unacceptable. Which is why we will never tire until the last taxpayer dime is held back from their corrupt, life-ending organization. They may have our money to lobby with, but we have the truth on our side, and so we know that, one way or the other, our side wins. Of that I have no doubt.

Continue Reading here.

Although I know that Jesus has conquered sin and death, I read the end of the book,  the realization of victory will not come about until the second coming. So I am not as optimistic as Thomas.  I don’t trust any politician not even those that profess to be pro life. Still it is possible that PP will lose their government funding. Let’s ratchet up the prayers. Oh and don’t forget to fast. Some demons can only be over come by prayer and fasting.

Wouldn’t it be great if Planned Parenthood were in the red instead of in the pink?

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Episcopal Church: Its Good Friday, let’s celebrate Earth Day

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Unbelievable. Mollie over at Get Religions reports:

Episcopal Church: This Good Friday, let’s celebrate Earth Day

The story is a mostly straightforward report — albeit written in The Daily Caller’s winking, knowing fashion — about how the Episcopal Church’s office of Economic and Environmental Affairs is asking Episcopalians to stay mindful of global warming, recycling and reducing carbon dioxide emissions this Good Friday:

“This year Earth Day falls within Holy Week, specifically on Good Friday, a profound coincidence,” said Mike Schut, a church spokesman. “To fully honor Earth Day, we need to reclaim the theology that knows Earth is ‘very good,’ is holy. When we fully recognize that, our actions just may begin to create a more sustainable, compassionate economy and way of life.”

Christians observe Good Friday, the day reserved to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, on the Friday before Easter, which is not celebrated on a fixed date. First observed on April 22, 1970, Earth Day is celebrated to raise awareness about efforts to protect the environment.

Schut continued: “On Good Friday, the day we mark the crucifixion of Christ, God in the flesh, might we suggest that when Earth is degraded, when species go extinct, that another part of God’s body experiences yet another sort of crucifixion — that another way of seeing and experiencing God is diminished?”

My first reaction was that this is just plain silly. But it is worse than silly.  While we can by the light of human reason come to know God through his creation, the earth is not God. The earth, like all created things, is good. But the earth is not, like man, created in the image and likeness of God. 

From the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:

…It is God who made all things, and with regard to each created reality “God saw that it was good” (cf. Gen 1:4,10,12,18,21,25). At the summit of this creation, which “was very good” (Gen 1:31), God placed man. Only man and woman, among all creatures, were made by God “in his own image” (Gen 1,27). The Lord entrusted all of creation to their responsibility, charging them to care for its harmony and development (cf. Gen 1:26-30). This special bond with God explains the privileged position of the first human couple in the order of creation. (#451)

But what is worse, is that the Episcopal Church is asserting that the celebration of  Earth Day is just as important as Good Friday.

Can progressive Christians dilute the Gospel any further?

Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.

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Priest who overcame stuttering known as talented speaker

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

My favorite deacon’s uncle was the celebrant for our wedding. When I met him prior to our big day, I was quite dismayed to discover that the dear man stuttered. But my husband’s sister got married two weeks before we did. I was amazed, and relieved, that Father Kehoe said the entire mass without one stutter.

I was reminded of my deacon’s uncle when I read this story, from the Columbus Dispatch,  about a priest who struggles with stuttering.  H/T Deacon Greg.

The last thing a priest wants to do at a funeral is mess up the name of the deceased.

For one funeral in 1973, this was Monsignor John K. Cody’s biggest fear. So he practiced speaking the woman’s name, out loud, for hours the day before.

Dolores. Dolores. Dolores.

Cody wasn’t worried about forgetting the woman’s name – he had been close to her before she died.

He was afraid of stuttering over it.

Cody, a priest for 38 years who is pastor at St. Christopher Catholic Church near Grandview Heights, has struggled with stammering since he was a child.

Now 64, he has overcome the problem well enough that many of his parishioners and fellow priests have no idea. He credits speech therapy he received in the 1970s for teaching him strategies he still uses.

His success didn’t come without decades of struggle, and even moments of doubt about whether he could fulfill his vocation.

The priesthood involves constant talking, both one-on-one with parishioners and from the pulpit, explaining the Gospel and inspiring his flock.

That’s why Cody could relate to King George VI, played by Colin Firth in The King’s Speech. The film won the Academy Award for best picture this year.

Like the British monarch, Cody had moments of doubt about himself, his therapists and his ability to do his job.

For both king and priest, therapy and hard work took them through stuttering. Continue Reading here.

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Planned Parenthood Not so Pretty in Pink

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Susan Kehoe

Kathyrn Jean Lopez has an article on how Planned Parenthood’s brand is being discredited.H/T Pew Sitter.

Planned Parenthood’s Pink in Hot Water
The nation’s largest abortion provider is on notice

Thursday marks Lobby Day on Capitol Hill for Planned Parenthood. If you’ve been on Capitol Hill lately, you may wonder how that makes it different from any other day recently, where “Will you stand with Planned Parenthood?” has replaced “What do you do?” — and the business-card exchange outside bars and offices has been replaced with petitions ready for your signature.

Ever since Lila Rose’s Live Action released videos showing Planned Parenthood officials’ willingness to aid and abet illegal activity — namely, sex trafficking — the nearly billion-dollar organization has been working overtime to protect its “brand.”

Brand is in quotes because it’s a quote from Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards (daughter of the late former Texas governor Ann Richards). She told Politico last month that “going after the strongest brand in women’s health in America is one of the stupidest things the Republican Party could have done.”

Continue reading here.

First, as I have written before the deception employed by Lila Rose and Live Action are contrary to Catholic teaching.  Lying, no sinful action, can be morally justified because it has a good outcome. The end can never justify the means.

That said Planned Parenthood must be stopped. It is unbelievable that they make over a billion a year and yet they receive over $360 million in our tax dollars.

The public funding of PP is often justified by the fact that they offer health services, other than abortion, to poor women.

But their own website seems to indicate otherwise.  The following payment information is provided under every service that they offer:

Prices and Payment Information

Please contact this health center for birth control services pricing information.

Payment is expected at time of service unless other arrangements have been previously made.

Some birth control services may be covered by your insurance. If you want to use your insurance, please be sure to bring in your insurance information at the time of your visit.

Medicaid accepted.

If you are uninsured, you may qualify for a state-funded program or a lower fee scale. Please bring the following documents:

  • birth certificate
  • pay stub
  • photo ID
  • proof of residence

So it seems, despite federal funding those that do not have insurance, Medicaid (gee  tax payers get to pay twice) have to qualify for state-funded programs to receive services.  Oh wait. A poor person may be able to get a reduced fee service.

In addition, they do not offer mammograms.  They only offer referrals and no funding.

So why does the Susan Komen organization donate to PP? Oh never mind.

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