If you were on trial for being a Catholic Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Canon Lawyer and friend Ed Peters answers Fr. Doyle and his ecclesiology of despair

Fr. Thomas Doyle, op, has an essay in The Tablet (24 July 2010) wherein he comments, mostly negatively, on some canonical procedural norms recently revised and published by Rome. My concern here, though, is with what I will call an “ecclesiology of despair” to which I think Fr. Doyle’s essay gives voice.

Concluding his criticisms of the new norms, Fr. Doyle asserts that: “They are tragic evidence that the hierarchical governing body of the Church is no longer capable of leading the People of God.” Now, for Catholics called to maintain communion with the Church in all things (c. 209), such an assertion, no matter what context occasioned it, is disturbing.

Read the rest here: http://canonlawblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/fr-doyle-and-ecclesiology-of-despair.html.

Dog receives communion at Anglican parish
A dog has received communion at an Anglican parish in Toronto. Pets are permitted in the church. . . .

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1002895.htm

This is good news for faithful Catholics but probably not good news for pro-abort politicians.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10070912.html

I hope people react and make this University feel the pain for their ignorant and intolerant violation of Freedom of Speech and Dr. Howell’s rights. Dr. Howell is a friend of mine, a convert and a man who deserves every bit of support we can give him!

“University fires Catholic professor who said homosexual acts violate natural law”

“Following a student complaint, the University of Illinois refused to renew the contract of Dr. Kenneth Howell, an adjunct religion professor, who wrote in an e-mail that “Natural Moral Law says that Morality must be a response to REALITY” and that “sexual acts are only appropriate for people who are complementary, not the same.” Dr. Howell, who taught courses on Catholicism at the university and was recognized for excellence in teaching in 2008 and 2009, wrote the e-mail to his students to help them prepare for their final exam; in the e-mail, he compared utilitarianism and the natural moral law. . . . .”

Article here: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6915

There’s lots you can do — visit http://www.facebook.com/SaveDrKen

Scholar: Worshippers fare better ‘on every observable outcome’
“It’s little known to the public or to elite commentators in the national discourse,” notes Patrick Fagan, director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute at the Family Research Council. “But an amazing phenomenon has been uncovered in the social sciences: the more frequently Americans worship the better they do on every observable outcome measured to date.” He continues: . . .

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6888

Michigan bishop suspends funding of Catholic Campaign for Human Development

A Michigan bishop has temporarily suspended funding of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. “After consulting with a number of advisors, Bishop [Bernard] Hebda has decided that for this year (2010), while CCHD’s systems are under review, a donation will not automatically be sent to CCHD from funds donated through the Diocese of Gaylord’s Catholic Services Appeal Campaign,” said a diocesan spokesman. . . .

More info and full story at http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6683

‘Future pope refused defrocking of convicted priest’
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6492
In a manifest example of media bias, a May 30 Associated Press headline screamed, “Future pope refused defrocking of convicted priest”– even though Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, did not have the authority in 1989 to laicize a priest involuntarily. Instead, the future Pontiff asked the Diocese of Springfield to conduct a canonical trial that could lead to Father Alvin Campbell’s laicization. Three years later, when Father Campbell voluntarily sought his laicization, Cardinal Ratzinger granted his request– as the Church discipline of the time permitted him to do.

New York Times examines homosexuality, seminary admissions
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6493
A front-page story in the May 31 edition of The New York Times examined how vocations directors and seminaries are screening prospective seminarians in light of the Congregation for Catholic Education’s 2005 document that reaffirmed the Church’s longstanding discipline barring those with homosexual tendencies from ordination. “We have no gay men in our seminary at this time,” said a psychologist who screens prospective seminarians for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Jesuit head of Asian Catholic news agency criticizes transubstantiation
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6434
Stating that “Catholics can become fanatical about one form of the Body of Christ in the bread of the Eucharist as the REAL presence of Christ,” Father Michael Kelly, the Jesuit CEO of the Asian Catholic news agency UCA News, criticized the doctrine of transubstantiation in a May 24 column.

2.1 million pilgrims venerated Shroud
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6435
Over 2.1 million pilgrims, including Pope Benedict XVI, venerated the Shroud of Turin when it was on display in Turin’s cathedral between April 10 and May 23.

US bishops withdraw from coalition that backs Kagan for Supreme Court
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6381
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has withdrawn its membership in the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 organizations.

Al Kresta’s Commentary, Part I

Practicing Catholics unfazed by abuse scandals; Pope’s popularity increasing
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6229
A new poll conducted by CBS News and The New York Times has found that 77% of Catholics who attend Mass weekly say that “the Vatican’s handling of recent child sex abuse reports” has had no effect on how they “feel about the Catholic Church.” An additional 12% of practicing Catholics say that they have a more positive feeling about the Church as a result of the Vatican’s handling of the scandals.

New poll finds US Catholics back Pope
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6244
A majority of American Catholics approve of the leadership of Pope Benedict XVI, despite misgivings about the Vatican’s handling of the sex-abuse crisis, according to a new Zogby poll.

“Pope Benedict XVI will appoint an apostolic delegate to supervise the Legionaries of Christ, the Vatican announced on May 1.

“The Saturday announcement from the Vatican press office came a day after the five bishops who had conducted an apostolic visitation of the Legionaries presented their report. In a strongly worded statement, the Vatican indicated that the bishops had reached a “widely convergent evaluation and a shared opinion” on the need for “profound re-evaluation” of the religious order.”

(Picture: Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, March 10, 1920 – Jan 30, 2008, founder of the Legion)

For the whole article on Catholic Culture, click here.

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
Vatican Statement on Apostolic Visitation of Legionaries of Christ (Vatican Radio)
Pope Benedict to Overhaul Legion of Christ (Wall Street Journal)
Pope Reins In Catholic Order Tied to Abuse (New York Times)
Wikipedia article on Fr. Marcial

Legion of Christ responds to Vatican statement; awaits next moves [updated]
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6201
The Legionaries of Christ have issued a brief statement in response to Pope Benedict’s decision to appoint an apostolic delegate to supervise the community.

Pope moves to take control of Legion of Christ

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6200

Pope Benedict XVI will appoint an apostolic delegate to supervise the Legionaries of Christ, the Vatican announced on May 1.

Catholic high schools’ graduation rate much higher than that of public schools

A report released by the National Catholic Education Association has found that Catholic high schools in the United States have a 99.1% graduation rate, compared to a 73.1% graduation rate at public schools. The report also found that 84.7% of Catholic high school graduates attend four-year colleges, compared to 44.1% of public high school graduates.

Vatican Releases Statistical Yearbook

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 27, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican announced today that its publishing house has released a new edition of the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, comprising information from 2000 to 2008, including that the number of Catholics in the world is now 1.16 billion.

Over these nine years, the Catholic presence in the world has grown from 1.045 billion in 2000 to 1.166 billion in 2008, an increase of 11.54%. Considering the statistics in detail, numbers in Africa grew by 33%, in Europe they remained generally stable (an increase of 1.17%), while in Asia they increased by 15.61%, in Oceania by 11.39% and in America by 10.93%. As a percentage of the total population, European Catholics represented 26.8% in 2000 and 24.31% in 2008. In America and Oceania they have remained stable, and increased slightly in Asia.

The number of bishops in the world went up from 4,541 in 2000 to 5,002 in 2008, an increase of 10.15%.

The number of priests also increased slightly over this nine-year period, passing from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008, an overall rise of 0.98%. In Africa and Asia their numbers increased (respectively, by 33.1% and 23.8%); in the Americas they remained stable, while they fell by 7% in Europe and 4% in Oceania.

The number of diocesan priests increased by 3.1%, going from 265,781 in 2000 to 274,007 in 2008. By contrast, the number of regular priests showed a constant decline, down by 3.04% to 135,159 in 2008. Of the continents, only Europe showed a clear reduction in priests: in 2000 they represented 51% of the world total, in 2008 just 47%. On the other hand, Asia and Africa together represented 17.5% of the world total in 2000 and 21.9% in 2008. The Americas slightly increased its percentage to around 30% of the total.

Non-ordained religious numbered 55,057 in the year 2000 and 54,641 in 2008. Comparing this data by continent, Europe showed a strong decline (down by 16.57%), as did Oceania (22.06%); the Americas remained stable, while Asia and Africa grew (by 32% and 10.47%, respectively).

Female religious are almost double the number of priests, and 14 times that of non-ordained male religious, but their numbers are falling, from 800,000 in 2000 to 740,000 in 2008. As for their geographical distribution, 41% reside in Europe, 27.47% in America, 21.77% in Asia and 1.28% in Oceania. The number of female religious has increased in the most dynamic continents: Africa (up by 21%) and Asia (up by 16%).

The Statistical Yearbook of the Church also includes information on the number of philosophy and theology students in diocesan and religious seminaries. In global terms, their numbers increased from 110,583 in 2000 to more than 117,024 in 2008. In Africa and Asia their numbers went up, whereas Europe saw a reduction.

I have many wonderful friends in the Legion of Christ. I never go to Rome without dinner with Fr. Alfonso Aguilar LC. I look forward to the regular e-mails from Fr. Ben Cieply LC. We always stay at the Legionaries Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem with our pilgrimage groups. Fr. Aemon Kelly LC always gives our pilgrims marvelous tours of the Shroud of Turin Exhibit.

In April we will be visiting the Legionarie’s University in Rome with our 140 people “Turin group” to enjoy their Shroud of Turin display. Last year I gave a week-long series of talks at their Regina Apostolorum University. The men I know are great men — though they had the misfortune of a deceptive and sinful founder. It does not make me think any less of these men who have devoted themselves to the Lord and the priesthood.

Catholic World New just updated a new news article on the Legionaries.I agree with the words of Grisez. The sooner the collaborators are exposed and removed, the better — especially for the enthusiastic and holy priests who must carry on after this sad time in their history.

Legion of Christ waits for Vatican action
As the Legion of Christ waits to hear how the Vatican will respond to a report by the five bishops who led an apostolic visitation of the troubled order, an unusually balanced AP story explained how the decision poses a challenge for Pope Benedict. After the exposure of gross misconduct by the Legion’s founder, the late Father Marcial Maciel, the Vatican must decide whether other leaders of the order are tainted by involvement with Maciel. Moral theologian German Grisez says that the Legion must “identify those who knew about Maciel’s wrongdoing, get rid of them, and begin afresh.”

New Vatican web site offers resources on sex-abuse issue
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6053
The Vatican has created a new web site offering resources to explain the Church’s handling of sex-abuse problems.

Deal Hudson on how the bishops should respond.

Tim Staples comments:

“Didn’t I tell you guys that Archbishop Gomez might be the guy? This is incredible news! This guy is a rock! He caused a firestorm when he took the helm in San Antonioand fired half the chancery office!

He is orthodox, a great man, Opus Dei, there is no compromise in him when it comes to orthodoxy and he is Hispanic to boot! As a friend of mine said today, “There is another earthquake about to hit L.A.!”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7560105/Los-Angeles-to-get-Opus-Dei-archbishop.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-jose-gomez7-2010apr07,0,5417685.story

http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-061.shtml

Condescending editorial, mean-spirited column greet Archbishop Gomez in Los Angeles
In its editorial on Archbishop José Gomez’s appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Timessays it would be “comforting” if the archbishop does not call upon pro-abortion politicians to refrain from receiving Holy Communion. . . .

If they ever suspect a chink in the armor the enemy will smell blood and rush in with hatred in their eyes. Thus it is with the secular media and the Catholic Church, especially regarding the Pope.

THE LATEST

L’Osservatore rips Pope’s critics on sex-abuse claims
A strongly worded editorial in the Vatican newspaper has decried the “vile intent” of journalists seeking to link Pope Benedict XVI to the sex-abuse scandal. Following up on a statement from the Vatican press office, L’Osservatore Romano insisted that there was no cover-up by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in a case involving a Milwaukee priest. The CDF only became aware of the case in 1996, the Vatican newspaper noted– decades after the sex-abuse complaints against Father Lawrence Murphy first arose.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100327/D9EN1HPO0.html

New York Times highlights Vatican inaction on abusive Milwaukee priest
In a front-page headline story, the New York Times has called attention to a sex-abuse case in which the Vatican failed to act promptly on a request to defrock a Wisconsin priest who was accused of molesting up to 200 boys at a school for the deaf.

A documented rebuttal to Christopher Hitchens attack on Pope Benedict
This week the militant atheist Christopher Hitchens published a vitriolic attack on Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic faith, concentrating on the sex-abuse scandal and charging that the Pope’s “whole career has the stench of evil.” In a detailed, carefully documented rebuttal, Sean Murphy points to multiple errors of fact in Hitchens’ piece, and concludes: “Were it not for its appearance in the National Post, it would be difficult to believe that a reputable newspaper would publish such absurdity.”

Vatican Spokesman Refutes Murphy Case Accusations
By Genevieve Pollock, VATICAN CITY, MARCH 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).- There were no cover-ups, the Vatican is confirming in response to media accusations that tried to implicate Benedict XVI in the case of a priest accused of abusing deaf children. Today, several media sources followed the New York Times in reporting a story about Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who was accused of molesting up to 200 children. The Holy See published the statement that Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, gave to the Times, in which he deplored this “tragic case” that “involved particularly vulnerable victims who suffered terribly.” For Lombardi’s whole statement, click here

Sean Murphy tracked down all the references and researched all the accusations. Here’s the result, with 80 references.

And an abbreviated version here: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0325.htm

Murphy concludes: “It would be unfair to conclude that Mr. Hitchens deliberately distorted and withheld all of this information. One hesitates to attribute his failings to malicious anti-catholic bigotry. Perhaps he was just remarkably careless in his reading and incompetent in his research.”

Enemies who Call Themselves Catholics: Van Thuân Observatory Affirms Support for Benedict XVI, By Monsignor Giampaolo Crepaldi
ROME, MARCH 22, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The attempt of the press to implicate Benedict XVI in the question of pedophilia is only the most recent sign of the aversion that many have for the Pope.

It is necessary to ask oneself how this Pontiff, despite his evangelical meekness and honesty, the clarity of his words joined to the depth of his thought and of his teachings, arouses in some places sentiments of disgust and forms of anti-clericalism that it was believed had been surmounted. And this, it must be said, causes even greater astonishment and also distress when those who do not follow the Pope and criticize his alleged errors are men of the Church, whether theologians, priests or laymen.

The unheard of and clearly forced accusations of theologian Hans Kung against the person of Joseph Ratzinger, theologian, bishop, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and now Pontiff for having caused, according to him, the pedophilia of some ecclesiastics through his theology and magisterium on celibacy profoundly distress us. It never happened before that the Church was attacked in this way. For the rest of the article, click here.

New York Times Tries to Tie Pope to abuse scandal
The New York Times has reported that Pope Benedict XVI was informed about the parish assignment given to a priest who had been accused of molesting children. But the Vatican has countered that the Times story contains no new information to contradict previous statements that the Pope was unaware of the assignment.

Vatican confirms commission to study Medjugorje

The Vatican has confirmed the formation of a commission to investigate the reported Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, presumably leading up to a formal Vatican statement on the subject….

Muslims slaughter hundreds of Christians in Nigeria

Muslim gangs attacked three villages in central Nigeria and killed up to 400 Christians in pre-dawn attacks on March 7. “The shooting was just meant to bring people from their houses, and then when people came out they started cutting them with machetes,” said one witness.

Another added, “We saw mainly those who are helpless, like small children and then the older men, who cannot run, these were the ones that were slaughtered.”

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1,000 Christian families fled Mosul in 10-day period

[Muslim] Violence against Christians in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul — the modern name for ancient Nineveh — has led over 1,000 Christian families to flee in the past ten days, Syrian Catholic Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa said on March 5.

Wake up America!

Vatican commission to probe Medjugorje?

Pope Benedict XVI has set up a special commission to weigh the authenticity of the reported apparitions by the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje, according to Italian media reports.

We often hear that the Catholic Church has forbidden the reading of the Bible! Have you heard this? Yeah, me too! But, this is another one of those big myths which has worked its way into the popular dialog but one that has not been proved from Church teaching and documents.

There are two good list of quotes from Church documents and leaders of the Church from the early centuries until today.

The second is a list of Catholic Bibles from ancient times that prove the charge against the Catholic Church false, since the Forewords and Prefaces prove that the Catholic Church PROMOTED the reading of Scripture.

Here is the beginning of a long article which gives a TON of information on this topic and proves the Catholic Church has not forbidden the reading of Scripture — but quite the contrary, it has always promoted the reading and study of Scripture by the faithful.

Does/Did the Catholic Church Forbid the Reading of the Bible?

In three parts:
1) Introductory Comments
2) Pope Leo XIII’s On the Study of Holy Scripture
3) Multiple Quotes from Fathers, Popes and Councils

You and I have both heard the myth: “The Catholic Church has forbidden Catholics from reading the Bible!”

I am not intending to say that Catholics, especially in the United States were always big Bible readers in the past.  Certainly there was a deficit in this area — and a certain shyness coming from the problems of Protestantism and their Bible-thumping ways.

But it is a MYTH that Catholics did not read the Bible until the late 20th Century —  until after Vatican II.  Those who could read (many could not read over the centuries and even today ½ the world’s population is effectively illiterate) did read the Bible when they had them.1 Catholic biblical scholarship did not begin with Pius XII. It seems almost ludicrous to have to say that since we Catholics have had the best and the brightest of biblical scholars long before modern times — just consider Origen, Tertullian, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Thomas Aquinas just to mention a few.

There has been a very long history of Bible reading, study and scholarship stretching back to the beginning of Christian/Catholic history….

For the whole article and list of quotes, click here.

Tuesday

Dutch parish withholds Communion to avoid gay disruption
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5586
A Dutch Catholic priest chose not to distribute Communion to the congregation, apparently fearing desecration, as hundreds of homosexual activists crowded into a parish church in Den Bosch. The demonstrators were protesting the church’s decision to deny Communion to a prominent local homosexual.

Thursday

Dutch homosexuals call off disruptions as parish backs down on Communion
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5609
Militant homosexuals in the Netherlands have called off plans to disrupt worship at a Catholic parish in Den Bosch, after receiving assurances that the parish would not deny Communion to open homosexuals.

Friday

Dutch Catholics protest parish compromise with gay activists
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5644
Dutch Catholics are organizing a petition drive in support of a parish priest who refused to distribute Communion to homosexual activists, and criticizing the bishop who apparently pressured the priest to compromise his position. The petition, organized by the magazine Catholica praises the pastor, Father Luc Buyen, but laments that he “has been attacked by homosexuals and then left in the cold by his own Church.” The protest criticizes Bishop Antonius Hurkmans of Den Bosch, who said that everyone should be admitted to Communion, on the assumption that the faithful are responsible for examining their own consciences before doing so. That statement prompted homosexual activists to lift their call for demonstrations at the parish, where scores of protestors– some wearing fright wigs– had attended Mass last Sunday, preparing to present themselves for Communion in defiance of the priest’s directive.

You can listen to the archived show here. More listening options here.

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 21, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The number of Catholics, including the number of priests and seminarians, is increasing worldwide, especially in Asia and Africa. These statistics are found in the 2010 “Annuario Pontificio,” or Pontifical Yearbook, presented Saturday to Benedict XVI by his secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Archbishop Fernando Filoni, who is in charge of general affairs for the Secretariat of State.

In 2008 there were 1.166 billion baptized Catholics worldwide, an increase of 19 million (up 1.7%). Taking into account the increase in the world’s population to 6.7 billion, there is a slight growth in the percentage of Catholics who make up the global population (from 17.33% to 17.40%).

There was also an increase in the number of bishops, from 4,946 in 2007 to 5,002 in 2008 (up 1.13%). The growth in Africa (up 1.83%) and the Americas (up 1.57%) was significant, while in Asia (up 1.09%) and in Europe (up 0.70%) the values are below the overall average. In Oceania during the same period there was a 3% decrease in the number of bishops.

There was also a slight increase (around 1% between 2000 and 2008) for diocesan and religious priests, whose numbers grew from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008.

For the rest of the article, click here.

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Worldwide Catholic population rises to 1.166 billion
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5516
The world’s Catholic population is now 1.166 billion, according to the latest Vatican yearbook. The figure shows an increase of 1.7% in 2007: the last year for which full statistics are available.

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Robust Growth in Catholic Church in America!

Washington D.C., Feb 21, 2010 / 07:47 am (CNA).- The Catholic Church’s membership in the United States grew at the “robust” rate of about 1.5 percent in 2008, according to National Council of Churches’ (NCC) new 2010 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches.

A slight loss in Catholic membership in the U.S. was reported in the 2009 Yearbook, but the NCC said the latest figure shows “robust growth.” The figures come from 2008 statistics. The growth outpaces the estimated U.S. population growth rate in 2008, listed as 0.9 percent, according to the CIA World Factbook.

There are now an estimated 68.1 million Catholics in the United States.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, whose members are known as Mormons, grew 1.7 percent to almost 5.9 million members. The Assemblies of God grew 1.3 percent to about 2.9 million.

Other denominations lost membership. The Presbyterian Church (USA) shrank 3.3 percent and now has about 2.9 million members. American Baptist Churches in the USA decreased two percent to 1.4 million, while the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lost 1.9 percent of its membership, which now stands at 4.7 million.

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest denomination after Catholics, lost 0.24 percent of its membership and now stands at 16.2 million. It also declined in membership in the year prior.

Nice article in Chicago Tribune about the Catholics Come Home program being started in Chicago and other cities after amazing results in Phoenix and other pilot cities.

If you haven’t seen the videos they’ve produced to re-introduce people to the Catholic Church, you really should watch the 2-3 minute videos. Visit here. The website is easy to use and you will enjoy what you find. If you watch the videos you will be greatly inspired.

I am on the Board of Advisers and proud to be associated with Tom Peterson and this great evangelistic effort!

This is worth watching. I know the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. These sisters are nine minutes from my house and we know many of them and visit their convent frequently. They do a delightful job of explaining and presenting themselves on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

This is one of many things that make me proud to be Catholic. Where do you find an institution that allows you to live out your calling for God if it is the single life? Jesus mentions those who are gifted to remain celibate, St. Paul lauds the single life of dedication to God. But how does one live out this life? The Catholic Church has made beautiful options for those who are called to such a life of devotion to God.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Obama appointee to Justice department sought to silence bishops on abortion
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5368
The US Senate judiciary committee has postponed a vote on the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice department. Johnsen’s nomination by President Obama has encountered opposition from Catholic leaders who point to her involvement in a bid to strip the tax-exempt status of the Catholic Church if bishops continued to voice their opposition to legal abortion.