Thursday, August 29, 2002

Go to Catholic Apologetics International for a transcript of Robert Sungenis' Appearance on CNN International where he debated Rea Howarth, from Catholic Speakout, about ordination of women.
The site also has a transcript of Gisela Forster, one of the seven women excommunicated by the Vatican after being ordained as priests, when she debated Joseph Grieboski from the Inst. of Religious and Public Policy.

Personally, I think this transcript shows CNN's anti-Catholic, liberal bias at its worst. Warning: Don't read this on a full stomach.
In the "I had no idea such things happen" department.....
Sister Jeannine Gramick recently spoke at Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves, MO. Sr. Gramick and Salvatorian Father Robert Nugent, were two of the most widely known U.S. Catholic specialists in gay ministry for nearly three decades before the Vatican ordered their permanent removal from that ministry, citing "harmful confusion caused by the errors and ambiguities in their publications and activities." Sr. Gramick is a Sister of Loretto. Nerinx Hall High School is an all-girl, Catholic college prep high school. According to a post at CatholicStLouis@yahoogroups.com, the principal allowed students to bring their lesbian partners to the school prom. One of the after-school activities is called "Diversity Team."

I'm glad I didn't send my daughter to Nerinx Hall. She would have been easily accepted, though it is the most selective of all the all-girl schools in the St. Louis area. I wonder how they get away with calling it a Catholic high school????


Miracles Never Cease
An article in Time Magazine called A Virus That Kills Cancer discusses "A new approach to humankind's most unforgiving enemy." When I read articles like this, I know there must be a God because He gifts His people with the brains to take care of His people. The new research on cancer treatments is nothing short of miraculous.

Wednesday, August 28, 2002

Ever want to know the most Catholic country in the world? Find out at http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/ You can find out all kinds of Catholic facts there.

Joke-A-Day
A chemistry teacher wanted to teach his 5th grade class a lesson about the evils of liquor, so he produced an experiment that involved a glass of water, a glass of whiskey and two worms. "Now, class. Observe the worms closely," said the teacher putting a worm first into the water. The worm in the water writhed about, happy as a worm in water could be. The second worm, he put into the whiskey. It writhed painfully, and quickly sank to the bottom, dead as a door nail. "Now, what lesson can we derive from this experiment?" the teacher asked. Johnny, who naturally sits at the back, raised his hand and wisely, responded, "Drink whiskey and you won't get worms."

Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Bishop Timothy Dolan of St. Louis will be installed as Archbishop of Milwaukee on 8/28. I suppose it will mean a conversion for him. He'll have to learn to like bratwurst (not pork steaks), the Brewers (not the Cardinals) and Miller beer (not Budweiser). So St. Louisans, who also gave the world ice cream cones, hot dogs, toasted ravioli and a song about "Meet Me in St. Louie, Louie", do not envy his promotion to Archbishop. Give up the Cardinals for the Brewers? Heck no!

Thursday, August 22, 2002

I've been on vacation for awhile. I had to get in the "last flings before school starts" vacation days getting to all the fun places in St. Louis -- Raging Rivers, City Museum, Magic House, Science Center, Children's Aquarium, and the Zoo. My feet are glad to be back under the desk so they can rest awhile.

In the "We told you so department" ...
FDA recall urged for abortion drug
By Cheryl Wetzstein
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Two medical associations and a women's group have asked the Food and Drug Administration to revoke its approval of the chemical abortion drug Mifeprex and halt the drug's distribution.

"We have discovered some startling facts concerning RU-486 — two women are dead, one 21-year-old girl suffered a heart attack and two 15-year-old girls have suffered life-threatening infections," said Sandy Rios, president of Concerned Women for America (CWA).
The FDA ignored its safety and validation procedures to approve Mifeprex on Sept. 28, 2000, perhaps because of the urging of President Clinton and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala, said Mrs. Rios, who called for an audit of the research that led to FDA approval of the drug.

What a shame two women had to die to prove what pro-lifers said.

Thursday, August 15, 2002

The Washington Times reports:
In a July 9 letter to all clergy in his 52 parishes, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath of the Diocese of San Jose, Calif., ordered windows or glass doors put into confessionals and counseling rooms within a year.
Diocesan spokesmen say the idea is for a more "transparent" church as well as some protection for parishioners who fear being alone with clerics in light of the sex-abuse scandals that have rocked the U.S. Catholic Church this year.

Personally, I would not welcome windows in confessionals. Lip readers and body language experts would have a field day. Has the bishop heard of a "right to privacy?"

Tuesday, August 13, 2002

"The current challenges to the church in the United States cannot be addressed within ordinary structures. It is time to convene a plenary council provided for in canon law." Auxiliary Bishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, one of the main initiators of the first proposal, told Catholic News Service Aug. 8 that more than 50 bishops have supported the idea of holding a plenary council.

It sounds like this is a good idea that will lead to real reform instead of a band-aid.

Monday, August 12, 2002

Joke day.
A fly was buzzing along one morning when he saw a lawn mower someone had
left out in their front yard. He flew over and sat on the handle, watching
the children going down the sidewalk on their way to school.
One little boy tripped on a crack and fell, spilling his lunch on the
sidewalk. He picked himself up, put his lunch back in the bag and went on.
But he missed a piece of bologna. The fly had not eaten that morning and he
sure was hungry. So he flew down and started eating the bologna. In fact he
ate so mush that he could not fly, so he waddled across the sidewalk, across
the lawn, up the wheel of the lawn mower, up the handle, and sat there
resting and watching the children.

There was still some bologna laying there on the sidewalk. He was really
stuffed, but that bologna sure did look good.

Finally temptation got the best of him and he jumped off the handle of the
lawn mower to fly over to the bologna. But alas he was too full to fly and
he went splat, dying instantly.
The moral of the story: Don't fly off the handle when you are full of
bologna.

Thursday, August 08, 2002

Ross Mackenzie in TownHall.com Columnists gives a "situation report on predatory priests in the Catholic Church, since June's big do-something do in Dallas. These headlines are all from leading newspapers - chronologically since Dallas.... "

Take the Religious Literacy Exam to test how much you know about the faith. Interesting...

Wednesday, August 07, 2002

Pat Buchanan in TownHall.com Columnists has an article The most admired man on Earth

"What explains the extraordinary attraction Pope John Paul II has, especially for the young?

It cannot be the novelty of a papal visit. For this papacy is 23 years old, and he is the most traveled pope in history. And he long ago lost the charismatic vigor of his early years.

Clearly, it must have to do with the saintliness of the man and the strength of his message, a message at war with what the secular world teaches about how to live. The young are seeking something this man has, and the world has not."

What do you like about JP II?

Tuesday, August 06, 2002

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - - Just weeks before the start of the school year, a judge struck down Florida's voucher law Monday, saying the state constitution forbids the use of tax money to send youngsters to religious schools.

State Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey based his ruling on the Florida Constitution, which he said was "clear and unambiguous" in prohibiting public money from going to churches or other "sectarian institutions."

It sounds like Florida has a Blaine Amendment, which was intended as an anti-Catholic law. Funny how, when the law is used against Protestants, the objections get loud and long.

Pro-life news update:

Common Pleas Judge Michael Conahan dissolved the temporary injunction issued against Tanya Meyers, 23, by another judge a week ago. Conahan also dismissed a lawsuit filed by the former boyfriend, John Stachokus, to try to force her to carry her fetus to term.

A woman's right to have an abortion "is not subject to being vetoed by a woman's husband or partner," said Conahan, who is based in eastern Pennsylvania's Luzerne County. "Neither an ex-boyfriend nor a fetus has standing to interfere with a woman's choice to terminate her pregnancy."


A Washington Times article says
President Bush signed into law yesterday legislation ensuring that every infant born alive is considered a person under federal law, a measure designed to prevent mistreatment of infants who survive abortions or are too underdeveloped to live long-term.

"The Born Alive Infants Protection Act establishes a principle in American law and in American conscience," said Mr. Bush, who held a signing ceremony yesterday at a Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel.
"There is no right to destroy a child who has been born alive. A child who is born has intrinsic worth and must have the full protection of our laws."

It's sad that this country needs such a law as this to guarantee the rights of babies.

Another Washington Times article says

"A new study shows that fathers of the evangelical and Catholic faiths may be better parents than secular dads, if judged by the time they spend with their children in activities or at the dinner table. The author of the study, reported in the Journal of Marriage and Family, said the findings contradict a stereotype that conservative Protestant fathers leave child rearing to stay-at-home wives. Catholic fathers, who excelled in devotion to group activities with their children, on average spent about two hours more a week with their children than fathers of no religion. Both exceeded the time spent by fathers in mainline Protestant churches or with no religious affiliation. Evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches may sponsor more youth-related activities than other churches, providing a broader range of activities for fathers and children to share," he said."

Monday, August 05, 2002

I've been on vacation the past week. We visited Wilson Creek Civil War Battlefield near Springfield, MO, then camped around Table Rock Lake. Now it's back to work and civilization and back-to-school shopping. It's time to satisfy my computer addiction too. Oh, I hate to admit that!
Looks like I didn't miss a lot in the news while I was gone except now we have St. Juan Diego and those other guys -- St What's His Name.

The Vatican web site has speeches from the World Youth Day. Check them out if you want to know what went on there. I'm still trying to get my non-communicative teen to tell me about it. It seems she just wants to talk about the shopping she did more than the spiritual side of the event. Oh, well....