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Monday, September 29, 2008

Burke on Democrat Party: risks becoming “party of death”

Archbp. Burke on Democrat Party: risks becoming “party of death”
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULUM — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 4:02 pm

When His Excellency Most Rev. Raymond Burke was moved from being Archbishop of St. Louis to Rome as the new Prefect of the Apostolic Segnatura, many people asked me if this was an example of promoveatur ut ammoveatur, that he was promoted to get him out of the USA before the American election cycle heated up.

I calmly responded "No, I don’t think so.

My less clam interior reaction was closer to: HA HAH HAHAHAHA! O HO HO HAHAHA!

In other words, it makes no difference on what side of the Atlantic he is working, Raymond Burke is a serious bishop, a man of integrity, who won’t be silent when called on to give his views on issues which Catholic bishops must speak about.

This is in from Catholic News Service:



U.S. archbishop at Vatican says Democrats becoming ‘party of death’

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS)—The Democratic Party in the United States "risks transforming itself definitively into a ‘party of death,’" said U.S. Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Vatican’s highest court.

An interview with the former archbishop of St. Louis was published in the Sept. 27 edition of Avvenire, a daily Catholic newspaper sponsored by the Italian bishops’ conference.

The newspaper asked the archbishop, the new head of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, for his reaction to reports that his Vatican job was designed to get him away from St. Louis.

"I have too much respect for the pope to believe that in order to move someone away from a diocese he would nominate him to a very sensitive dicastery like this one," said the archbishop, whose office is in charge of ensuring that lower church courts correctly administer justice in accordance with canon law.

Archbishop Burke was asked if he knew that the August Democratic National Convention in Denver featured a guest appearance by Sheryl Crow, a musician whose performance at a 2007 benefit for a Catholic children’s hospital the archbishop had opposed because of her support for abortion and embryonic stem-cell research.

"That does not surprise me much," the archbishop said. "At this point the Democratic Party risks transforming itself definitely into a ‘party of death’ because of its choices on bioethical questions as Ramesh Ponnuru wrote in his book, ‘The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts and the Disregard for Human Life.‘"

Archbishop Burke said the Democratic Party once was "the party that helped our immigrant parents and grandparents better integrate and prosper in American society. But it is not the same anymore."

Pro-life Democrats are "rare, unfortunately," he said.

Archbishop Burke also was asked about being one of a few U.S. bishops to publicly ban Catholic politicians who hold positions contrary to church teaching from receiving Communion.

"Mine was not an isolated position," the archbishop said. "It was shared by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver, by Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte (N.C.) and by others."

"But it is true that the bishops’ conference has not taken this position, leaving each bishop free to act as he believes best. For my part, I always have maintained that there must be a united position in order to demonstrate the unity of the church in facing this serious question," he said. [Amen.]

"Recently, I have noticed that other bishops are coming to this position," he said, especially after Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., "while presenting themselves as good Catholics, have represented church teaching on abortion in a false and tendentious manner."

Archbishop Burke said he is convinced that a 2004 letter from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the U.S. bishops and canon law say "it is not licit to give holy Communion to one who is publicly and obstinately a sinner. And it is logical that one who publicly and obstinately acts in favor of procured abortion enters into this category."

The newspaper asked Archbishop Burke if he ever wondered why the issue of Communion for Catholic politicians was almost unheard of in Europe, where abortion is legal in most countries.

"I don’t know if Catholic politicians in Europe are more coherent, although I would have some doubts," he said.

However, he said, "I am convinced that the church must always be very clear on this point."

We are blessed as a church

Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 9:33 AM
Subject: bulletin-092808.pdf (application/pdf Object)


We are blessed as a church

with friends, great and small, like Archangels, Michael,

Gabriel and Raphael, Guardian Angels and St. Theresa of

the Child Jesus, the “Little Flower”, whose feasts we

celebrate this week. (The Archangels on Mon., St. Theresa

on Wed., and The Guardian Angels on Thurs.) They

inspire our parish to be ‘angels’ for others through caring

and comforting ministries. We are blessed as a church with

the Bible, the living Word of God, that we have through

the efforts of St. Jerome, whose feast we celebrate this

Tuesday. We are blessed as a parish with Bible studies and

small group sharing that help us deepen our knowledge

and love of God’s Word. We are blessed as a church with

the example of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast we

celebrate next Saturday, and whose love of animals and

simply prayerfulness showed God’s power at work in

renewing the lives of Christians. We are blessed as a parish

with prayer groups and Adoration Guardians who help us

‘storm heaven’ for healing and o

http://www.ourladyofthefields.org/Bulletins/bulletin-092808.pdf

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Yahoo news has it right

Yahoo news has it right

stock plunge

AIG bailout

US carmakers are next

BUT:

Brenda spills the identity of Kelly's baby's father on the new "90210." » Spoiler: It's Brandon or Dylan
http://www.yahoo.com/

Friday, September 12, 2008

ON THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF 911

ON THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF 911
Today the world remembers the day of infamy that has come to be called 911. On September 11, 2001 the unthinkable happened—We were attacked by a hostile force deep within our own country. We were all shocked, many people were surprised, angry, saddened, or had their faith shaken.

Political correctness and genuine civility restrain us seven years later from saying much of what many of us think. We must love our country in season and out of season, convenient or inconvenient, whether the rest of the world does or not. That, however, does not mean we can’t correct ourselves, better ourselves. “Know thyself,” the Philosopher says.

Seven years later I admit that I am weary of the arguments at both extremes. At times the far left seems to truly despise the hand that feeds it. America bashing in some quarters has taken on the respectability of a rite of passage, if not a religion. You might expect it from some of the western European nations we have repeatedly bailed out of the hell visited on them by the Hitlers, Stalins, and other assorted thugs and mass murderers. It is shocking, however, when immigrants that have gone from relative rags to riches (most of us) hate themselves so venomously (We are the country after all).

On the other hand, there are those on the far right that seem to have a blind patriotism that discounts the evils this poor nation “under God” has subjugated itself to. We are in an economic crisis of unprecedented proportions, not just because of dependence on foreign oil, the housing crash, etc., but because of the crass negligence of the leaders we have voted into office—in both parties. Poor and weak leadership is punishment for sin. In an indirect way, so are all of the other evils that beset creation. An increasing number of countries hate us for various reasons. Terrorism has intruded itself into our daily life. We worry constantly about a host of evils. Why?

Do you suppose that a nation and the people that have democratically elected the leaders of that nation can be pleasing to God if they were guilty of the outrageous crime of genocide? If a nation legally and systematically had murdered 48,000,000 unwanted women over 60 years of age, would that nation be favored, blessed, and protected by God? Alright, change it to men under 30 years of age. Human beings are human beings.

We have under the specious pretext of law—the law of the highest Court in the land—murdered 48,000,000 innocent human beings through abortion in this country since that dark day Satan donned judicial robes and issued his decision in Roe v. Wade. The nation, and most of the world, is “bewitched” into thinking that this is somehow acceptable because a court of morally blind, if not insane, men said so. Hitler said many things, as did Stalin, and every other individual or institution living apart from God and His unalterable law. They are all gone. The immutable will of God and His truth still stand and always will.

As we recall the hell of 911 and pray for the victims, their families, and the nation in general, remember that God is not a fool, nor is He a disinterested party in the affairs of men. God knows every human being He created from all eternity by name. He loves each one as if they were His only child. How shall one nation under God answer God when He calls for an accounting for these beloved souls? Will we be protected from our enemies, from a never-ending cascade of natural disasters, from financial ruin?

May the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, enlighten our minds and strengthen our wills to love the good and fight evil tirelessly; to defend the most innocent and helpless of our brothers and sisters—the unborn. The hour is late, darkness is falling, a day of reckoning is fast upon us. Now is the time to attack the evils of the day, abortion being the preeminent evil, for if the right to life is undermined, eroded, and ultimately destroyed, no other rights are relevant or meaningful.



God Bless You,

Father John Corapi

Bishops to Bush: Drop the Raids

Bishops to Bush: Drop the Raids
Within the hour, the following statement was released in Washington by the chair of the US Bishops' Committee on Migration, Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City:
On behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I call upon the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and President Bush to reexamine the use of worksite enforcement raids as an immigration enforcement tool. The humanitarian costs of these raids are immeasurable and unacceptable in a civilized society.

In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, we have sought to work collaboratively with DHS to ensure that raids are carried out humanely. It seems to us that DHS has attempted to abide by several humanitarian considerations in executing some of the workplace raids.

However, we believe that DHS has not gone far enough to ensure that human rights protections are consistently applied in all enforcement actions.

For over a year now, DHS has targeted employers who hire unauthorized workers by using force to enter worksites and arrest immigrant workers. During the process of these raids, U.S.-citizen children have been separated from their parents for days, if not longer; immigrants arrested have not been afforded the rights of due process; and local communities, including legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens, have been disrupted and dislocated. The sweeping nature of these raids---which often involve hundreds of law enforcement personnel with weapons---strike fear in immigrant communities and make it difficult for those arrested to secure basic due process protections, including legal counsel.

We have witnessed first-hand the suffering of immigrant families and are gravely concerned about the collateral human consequences of immigration enforcement raids on the family unit. Many of our local parishes have helped respond to human needs generated by these enforcement actions, providing counseling and legal services to parents and children and basic needs assistance to immigrant communities.

Raids strike immigrant communities unexpectedly, leaving the affected immigrant families to cope in their aftermath. Husbands are separated from their wives, and children are separated from their parents. Many families never recover; others never reunite.

As our government confronts the challenges of immigration, let it not forget one of its core duties: protecting the family unit as the fundamental institution upon which society and government itself depends.

While we do not question the right and duty of our government to enforce the law, we do question whether worksite enforcement raids are the most effective and humane method for performing this duty, particularly as they are presently being implemented. In this regard, we ask DHS to immediately pledge to take the following actions to mitigate the human costs of these raids:
DHS should refrain from enforcement activity in certain areas that provide humanitarian relief—churches, hospitals, community health centers, schools, food banks, and other community-based organizations that provide charitable services;
Primary, not simply sole, caregivers should be released following an enforcement action to care for their children. A variety of release mechanisms, including parole in the public interest, release on recognizance, bail, and alternatives to detention should be utilized for this purpose:
DHS should facilitate access to meaningful legal representation for arrested individuals so that they are aware of their legal rights and options;
Enforcement actions should be conducted in a manner which preserves basic human dignity: immigrants who are working to survive and support their families should not be treated like criminals.
Mechanisms should be instituted to allow family members to remain together and to locate each other during and following an enforcement action. Non-profit and community groups should be engaged in this effort.
Absent the effective and immediate implementation of these safeguards, we believe that these enforcement raids should be abandoned.

Immigration enforcement raids demonstrate politically the ability of the government to enforce the law. They do little, however, to solve the broader challenge of illegal immigration. They also reveal, sadly, the failure of a seriously flawed immigration system, which, as we have consistently stated, requires comprehensive reform.

As they begin their general election campaigns, we urge the two presidential candidates to engage the issue of immigration in a humane, thoughtful, and courageous manner.

We urge our elected and appointed officials to turn away from enforcement-only methods and direct their energy toward the adoption of comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Priority of Rejecting Intrinsic Evil

Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 8:10 PM
Subject: What Does The Prayer Really Say?


The Priority of Rejecting Intrinsic Evil

There are, however, some issues that always involve doing evil, such as legalized abortion, the promotion of same-sex unions and ‘marriages,’ repression of religious liberty, as well as public policies permitting euthanasia, racial discrimination or destructive human embryonic stem cell research. A properly formed conscience must give such issues priority even over other matters with important moral dimensions. To vote for a candidate who supports these intrinsic evils because he or she supports these evils is to participate in a grave moral evil. It can never be justified.

Even if we understand the moral dimensions of the full array of social issues and have correctly prioritized those involving intrinsic evils, we still must make prudential judgments in the selection of candidates. In an ideal situation, we may have a choice between two candidates who both oppose public policies that involve intrinsic evils. In such a case, we need to study their approach on all the other issues that involve the promotion of the dignity of the human person and prayerfully choose the best individual.
http://wdtprs.com/blog/

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Public Servants and Moral Reasoning:

Public Servants and Moral Reasoning:

A notice to the Catholic community in northern Colorado

To Catholics of the Archdiocese of Denver:

When Catholics serve on the national stage, their actions and words impact the faith of Catholics around the country. As a result, they open themselves to legitimate scrutiny by local Catholics and local bishops on matters of Catholic belief. In 2008, although NBC probably didn't intend it, Meet the Press has become a national window on the flawed moral reasoning of some Catholic public servants.

On August 24, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, describing herself as an ardent, practicing Catholic, misrepresented the overwhelming body of Catholic teaching against abortion to the show's nationwide audience, while defending her "pro-choice" abortion views. On September 7, Sen. Joseph Biden compounded the problem to the same Meet the Press audience.

Sen. Biden is a man of distinguished public service. That doesn't excuse poor logic or bad facts. Asked when life begins, Sen. Biden said that, "it's a personal and private issue." But in reality, modern biology knows exactly when human life begins: at the moment of conception. Religion has nothing to do with it. People might argue when human "personhood" begins - though that leads public policy in very dangerous directions - but no one can any longer claim that the beginning of life is a matter of religious opinion.

Sen. Biden also confused the nature of pluralism. Real pluralism thrives on healthy, non-violent disagreement; it requires an environment where people of conviction will struggle respectfully but vigorously to advance their beliefs. In his interview, the senator observed that other people with strong religious views disagree with the Catholic approach to abortion. It's certainly true that we need to acknowledge the views of other people and compromise whenever possible - but not at the expense of a developing child's right to life. Abortion is a foundational issue; it is not an issue like housing policy or the price of foreign oil. It always involves the intentional killing of an innocent life, and it is always, grievously wrong. If, as Sen. Biden said, "I'm prepared as a matter of faith [emphasis added] to accept that life begins at the moment of conception," then he is not merely wrong about the science of new life; he also fails to defend the innocent life he already knows is there.

As the senator said in his interview, he has opposed public funding for abortions. To his great credit, he also backed a successful ban on partial-birth abortions. But his strong support for the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade and the false "right" to abortion it enshrines, can't be excused by any serious Catholic. Support for Roe and the "right to choose" an abortion simply masks what abortion is, and what abortion does. Roe is bad law. As long as it stands, it prevents returning the abortion issue to the states where it belongs, so that the American people can decide its future through fair debate and legislation.

In his Meet the Press interview, Sen. Biden used a morally exhausted argument that American Catholics have been hearing for 40 years: i.e., that Catholics can't "impose" their religiously based views on the rest of the country. But resistance to abortion is a matter of human rights, not religious opinion. And the senator knows very well as a lawmaker that all law involves the imposition of some people's convictions on everyone else. That is the nature of the law. American Catholics have allowed themselves to be bullied into accepting the destruction of more than a million developing unborn children a year. Other people have imposed their "pro-choice" beliefs on American society without any remorse for decades.

If we claim to be Catholic, then American Catholics, including public officials who describe themselvesas Catholic, need to act accordingly. We need to put an end to Roe and the industry of permissive abortion it enables. Otherwise all of us - from senators and members of Congress, to Catholic laypeople in the pews - fail not only as believers and disciples, but also as citizens.

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Archbishop of Denver

James D. Conley

Auxiliary Bishop of Denver

Monday, September 8, 2008

What Does The Prayer Really Say?

Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 9:24 AM
Subject: What Does The Prayer Really Say?»Blog Archive » QUAERITUR: priests not blessing children at Communion


Reverend Dear Fr Z,

The post by Gerry Scheid is spot on. The great Archbishop Chaput has written very sensitively but firmly on this same point. It is a pity that so many get carried away by “niceness” and “cuteness” at the expense of principle, which they are generally not accustomed to considering.

Comment by vexilla regis — 7 September 2008 @ 8:23 pm
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2008/09/quaeritur-priests-not-blessing-children-at-communion/#comments

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Gov. Palin: ex-Catholic?

Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 8:45 AM
Subject: What Does The Prayer Really Say?


Gov. Palin: ex-Catholic? Stop bugging me about it
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULUM — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 4:56 pm
I am getting strange and even hysterical e-mail from quite a few people about VP candidate Sarah Palin being an "apostate Catholic".

"BUT FATHER! BUT FATHERFATHERFATHER! WHY aren’t YOU paying ATTENTION to THIS???!?".

Some e-mail is reasonable and mature. Some includes lots of SHOUTING and UNDERLINING.

Tip for the future: If you write e-mail like that to me, I delete it, mostly unread.

However, about Sarah Palin as "apostate", ...

To my knowledge Gov. Palin was baptized in the Catholic Church, but her parents left the Catholic Church for some Protestant sect when she was around 12 years old.

I don’t hold twelve-year-old children accountable for the actions of their parents.

Would that be even slightly rational?

I understand she attends a non-denominational Christian church of some sort.

"Apostasy" is accomplished by a formal act, not by being taken away from the Church as a child and then growing up in a Christian sect.

I wish she were a Catholic! I wish everyone were Catholic! But she’s not, and it seems not to be her fault.

Some who are Catholic really aren’t… and in the case of some politicians that is their fault.

Until it is revealed that Gov. Palin has made some sort of formal act of apostasy from the Catholic Church or done something anti-Catholic, I think you ought to breathe deeply and regularly, trying breathing into a paper bag, and maintain some control.

And stop shouting at me about it.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/

Saturday, September 6, 2008

the Delorius Passion?

Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 9:48 AM
Subject: Marian Catholic Family Forum - Olympics - Powered by ForumCo.com - The Forum Company


BTW... John is your quote from the Delorius Passion? Wasn't this book so problematic (the problems attributed to much creative elaboration on the part of the translator) set aside as unreliable? I'm no scholar on this (so please feel free to correct me), but I do not believe anything in the Delorius Passion is binding in anyway on the faithful.
http://mariancatholicforum.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~1575.asp

The Precepts

The Precepts

You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.

We must "sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord" (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, "and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days."
You shall confess your sins at least once a year.

We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament "continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness."
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.

This "guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy."
You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.

"The fourth precept ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart." See below for more about fasting & abstinence.
You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

"The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability."
(These quotations are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its section about the Precepts of the Catholic Church (#2041-3).)

Note that these precepts of the Catholic Church are required, unless you have a legitimate reason for not meeting them. For example:

If you are sick, tending to a sick child, or camping in the wilderness on Sunday and cannot get to Mass, it is not a grave violation to miss Mass that day.
Children, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing women do not have to fast on normal fast days (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday).

Go beyond the minimum!

Always remember: the precepts of the Catholic Church are minimum levels of participation in the life of the Church. Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally try to do far more than they require.

Many people recommend that Catholics:

Attend Mass at least one more time a week. (Most Church parishes celebrate Mass every day of the year!)
Go to confession at least once a month, and find a regular confessor so he can give you better guidance.
Find a good spiritual director to give you sound guidance for growing in the spiritual life.
Receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at every Mass, if you meet the guidelines for reception (are free from mortal sin, etc.).
Make a habit of practicing penitential and charitable acts beyond those required by the precepts of the Catholic Church.
Contribute as much as possible to the material needs of the Church and the needy.
This brief article on the precepts of the Catholic Church is just one of a series of articles about Catholic morality. There are also more articles for the beginning Catholic available from our home page.

Buying vs Renting

Buying vs. Renting
There are many considerations to weigh before purchasing a home
- Fri, Feb 22, 2008
Provided by Informa

A home is one of the most expensive purchases most of us will ever make during our lifetime. Whether you decide to rent or buy, either choice comes with its own rewards and risks. Homeownership offers many advantages over renting including:

Advantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
Tax write-off No tax write-off
You can upgrade your home as you see fit Need permission to make any changes
Build equity in your home as value appreciates Your money goes toward the landlords equity
Control of loan payment options Rent can increase periodically
Pride of homeownership You have no ownership

While owning your own home has many benefits, there are still risks to consider:

Disadvantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
You're responsible for property maintenance Your landlord or manager handles general repairs
Need to sell, rent or lease property in order to re-locate. May have to wait until market conditions are right Freedom to move once your lease expires
You pay for all your own utilities, property taxes and insurance May include utilities, property taxes, and property insurance
Home improvement upgrades can run into thousands of dollars You're not financially responsible for improvements
However, all things considered, homeownership is by far one of the best single investments you can make given the potential long-term benefits.

When does it make sense to buy?

People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a chance of watching their investment appreciate is one reason. Purchasing a home to save money over the long-term is another.

Example

Let's say you're currently renting a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Your monthly rent is $1,000. You find a two-bedroom, two-bath at a market price of $250,000 (roughly the national average.) You have $25,000 saved - enough for a 10 percent down payment. For the purpose of this example, you're looking to finance $225,000, which includes closing costs.

Using one of several mortgage calculators on the Internet, your monthly payment would be approximately $1,385 for a 30-year fixed loan at an APR of 6.20 percent (the national average). After taxes and appreciation in equity, your monthly payment over five years would average $499 per month.

Costs Savings of Buying versus Renting
Calculations Rent Purchase
Monthly rent/estimated mortgage payment $1,000 $1,385
Purchase price of home $250,000
Percentage of down payment 25,000
Length of loan term (years) 30
Interest rate 6.2%
Years you plan to stay in the home 5
Yearly property tax rate 1%
Yearly home value appreciation rate 4%
Results
Price of home after appreciation $304,163
Remaining balance after 5 years 209,887
Equity in house 94,276
Tax savings (28% bracket) 23,030
Avg. monthly payment over time 1,047 499
Total payments (over 5 years) $62,820 $29,973
Total savings if buying $32,847
Source: Ginniemae.gov. These calculations are estimates only. You should always seek the guidance of financial or tax experts before making any buying decisions.

The outcome could dramatically change should an unforeseen economic downturn or financial hardship occur (e.g., home improvement costs, catastrophic damage, etc.). While, no one can predict if home appreciation values will spiral downward, or if mortgage interest rates will rise, it's clear that under the right circumstances home ownership can be financially rewarding.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Mother Teresa

Sent: Friday, September 05, 2008 9:17 AM
Subject: "Give God Permission"


And so, on her feast-day, there's no better time for a brief compilation of Mother Teresims:

The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved -- they are Jesus in disguise.
Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.
Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity, and also that beautiful virtue of purity, and lack of that respect for each other.
There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.
There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.

Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.
Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.
The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. But we are perfectly happy.
If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.
Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.

There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.
If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.
It is a poverty to decide that an unborn child must die so that you may live as you like.
If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.
We can do no great things; only small things with great love.
You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear: "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me." Clear.
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.
I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.
Despite giving your best to the world, you may be kicked in the teeth. Give the best you've got anyway.

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.

Well, let's do something beautiful for God.
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

STICK WITH SARAH, WHO ENGENDERS EMPATHY, INSPIRATION

STICK WITH SARAH, WHO ENGENDERS EMPATHY, INSPIRATION
By Dick Morris 09.3.2008 Published on TheHill.com on September 2, 2008

Sarah Palin’s selection will end up as a big win for John McCain. He has to stay with her and quell any talk of pulling an Eagleton (after the time when 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern pulled the plug on Missouri Sen. Tom Eagleton, who had been his choice for vice president). McCain and Palin will confound their critics and gain good yardage in the presidential race.


None of the criticisms of Sarah Palin amount to any misconduct on her part. Her daughter got pregnant. Her husband had a DWI 20 years ago. Her sister married a bum — a state trooper — who admits he shot a Taser gun at his 11-year-old son to instill discipline, and a lot of her friends and family badgered his boss to discharge him. Palin, acting without explanation, but with ample justification and within her authority, fired the trooper’s boss. All this comes to a massive “So what?”

The important thing about Sarah Palin is her public life. She has rooted out corruption and triggered scandals — real financial scandals, not salacious personal gossip — that led to the resignations of the Alaska Republican Party chairman and the attorney general and the defeat of the governor. It is that commitment to exposing corruption, reforming ethics, cutting spending and smashing the insider lobbyist-legislator relationships that dominate Washington that will be on display when Palin speaks out on Wednesday. Voters, anxious to change Washington, will love every minute of it.

And then they will come to grasp the essential difference between McCain and Bush. McCain is an outsider and Bush, after three generations of Washington breeding, is an insider. McCain chose Palin. Bush chose Cheney.

The attacks on Palin mirror the problems that tens of millions of American women find in their everyday lives. To attack them would be to condemn themselves and their own choices in their own lives. Watching Palin standing strong and McCain backing her up will be inspiring to many of them. And the identification of the Democrats with the attacks on her will turn them off.

After Palin speaks, voters will give McCain huge credit for selecting her and standing by her despite the personal attacks. Women throughout the country will empathize with a person who has a difficult family. Single mothers will applaud her attitude toward her own daughter in distress. And the contrast between McCain’s toleration and understanding and Obama’s refusal even to consider nominating a woman will be apparent to female voters. McCain and Palin will get great credit for being outsiders, not cut from the plastic mold fashioned by political consultants.

Combined with the good public-sector performance in the face of Gustav — and the Republican willingness to suspend their convention while the battle raged — the Palin episode shows the best in the Republican Party and sends a signal that it is under new management.

The Republicans, McCain and Palin, will come through this crisis in great shape.





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Sep 3 2008 | Category: Dick's Articles | 1 Comment

Monday, September 1, 2008

Media obsession: 5 questions for Palin

Media obsession: 5 questions for Palin
By: John F. Harris
August 31, 2008 10:03 AM EST

If John McCain had picked Mitt Romney or Joe Lieberman to be his running mate, news organizations (Politico included) would have had profiles and analyses at the ready the instant the news went out.
Instead, McCain’s choice threw the chattering class for a loop, to put it mildly. And it turned political journalists into instant biographers who were scrambling frantically to learn the key political and personal details to answer the question of the moment: Who is Sarah Palin?

This is a fluid moment — and a hazardous one — for both Palin and McCain. The default assumption of many reporters and editors is that someone who was elected Alaska governor just two years ago can’t be remotely prepared to be president on Day One, should the need arise. Conservative activists, meanwhile, have found a new heroine (check out our e-mail if you have any doubt) who loves to hunt and who strongly opposes abortion rights.

See Also
McCain: I may postpone convention
Obama vs. his staff
Obama calls Palin ‘up and coming’
The truth is, neither skeptics nor boosters really know all that much about Palin. Over the next 72 hours, whether she becomes a new star of the GOP or an albatross will be determined in large part by a wave of second- and third-day news coverage about McCain’s unexpected running mate.

Naturally, there will be the usual articles about her record in passing bills in Alaska and her positions on certain hot-button issues. But the inquiries that have the most potential to explode will delve into more sensitive terrain.

Based on the experience of several election cycles and (firsthand) knowledge of the professional habits and assumptions of the news business, here are five questions about Palin that reporters and editors will try to answer before she addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday:

1. What’s in her passport?

The most intense doubts about Palin flow from a belief that the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, does not know enough to be an effective commander in chief.

How much her passport has been stamped does not necessarily speak to that. But if it turns out she has rarely traveled abroad — or has never been to any foreign country other than Canada — this will be seized upon instantly.

George W. Bush, for instance, had to swat away questions in 2000 about his thin travelogue.
Palin’s best hope on the sensitive point of her foreign policy credentials is that expectations for her in the Oct. 8 vice presidential debate in St. Louis against Joe Biden (chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) are so low that Palin will be able to soar above them.

What we know so far

2. Who pays the bills?

This is a question that resonates especially with subjects who are not already on the national scene.

Most people who have been prominent on the Washington stage already faced extensive disclosure requirements and have seen or weathered financial controversies at close range. People who suddenly spring to fame, by contrast, are often unprepared for the onslaught of skeptical questions about their finances and business relationships.

Recall how the glow of history-making that accompanied Democrat Geraldine Ferraro’s selection as Walter Mondale’s running mate was soon overtaken by a furor over husband John Zaccaro’s business dealings.

What we know so far




3. Does she believe in evolution?

Palin was selected in part because she is a social conservative. And one complaint social conservatives have about the news media is largely true: Most reporters and editors are more secular in their outlook than the general public, according to a number of studies over the years.

This does not mean that Palin will receive biased coverage because of her religious views. But it does mean that many reporters trying to learn about her will be curious about the role religion plays in her life, whether she considers herself born again or evangelical, and whether she has espoused views that many journalists would consider exotic, such as a belief in creationism or prophecies of an eventual apocalypse.

What we know so far

4. What’s her family life like?

This is an especially sensitive one. But based on conversations with journalists, operatives and average voters, it is one that is on a lot of people’s minds: How does a mother of five children who are still at home, one of whom is an infant born with Down syndrome, plan to manage the demands of a national candidacy or the White House?

Is this a question that would be asked of a man? Certainly not in an earlier era, though cultural expectations about the role of fathers have changed enough that even a male politician might expect some questions on this score. And Palin supporters will surely, and perhaps legitimately, cry sexism if she is hazed about whether she is neglecting her family. But this is unquestionably a set of questions that Palin, as well as her husband, former high school boyfriend Todd Palin, can expect to face.

What we know so far

5. Has she been nice to people on the way up?

Big, nuanced biographical portraits of politicians take time. On the other hand, any good reporter can get a pretty fair quick sketch of a statehouse politician in a couple of days. Every one of the 50 state capitols has an in-crowd of legislators, political operatives and state reporters who love to gossip and are more than eager to share their thoughts with national reporters who ask: What’s your take on this person?

Whether the answers are favorable or damaging will depend less on Palin’s partisan leanings or her governing agenda than on how people who regularly deal with her find her at the personal level. Is she accessible to the press and does she answer questions straightforwardly? Is she vindictive to legislators who cross her? Does she have a sense of humor? Would you want to share a meal with her?

Politicians who are likable and have nurtured good personal relationships along the way find that their reputations are a lot sturdier when a hurricane of opposition researchers and reporters blows into town.

What we know so far

© 2008 Capitol News Company, LLC