Pope Cleans Up Dead Angel Who Flew Into Sistine Chapel Window http://t.co/vAgG0JU3Ux
— The Onion (@TheOnion) August 31, 2015
Who am I to drudge?
JS Op-ed: The tragic error at the core of artist's 'Eggs Benedict'
The author is Rev. Mr. Michael Bowen, a deacon at St. Monica's in Whitefish Bay, WI.
Absolutely brilliant.
From a reader:
The Aug. 20 dialogue at the Milwaukee Art Museum on "Eggs Benedict" presented a classic conflict between faith and science. Science, represented by the church, won.continue at JS
The faith, in this case, was ideological, ridiculing Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for saying that distribution of condoms had not stemmed the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and had actually made it worse. The science, brilliantly summarized by Dr. Christine Zainer, consisted of detailed empirical studies and opinions from public health experts showing that condom distribution had in fact failed to stem the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa; and had, indeed, contributed to spreading HIV/AIDS.
Because of the public health phenomenon known as "risk compensation," condom distribution makes people think sex with condoms is safer than it is. They therefore engage in high-risk sexual activity that they would otherwise refrain from, resulting in transmission of HIV/AIDS to people who would not otherwise contract it. Because no condom is 100% effective, and many fall far short of that (especially if they are re-used), the false sense of security generated by condom distribution leads to HIV/AIDS infections that would not otherwise have occurred.
In short, as explained by Edward C. Green, a senior research fellow at the Harvard University School of Public Health and a self-described liberal and pro-contraceptionist, "The pope was right." Benedict's statement was not the mindless assertion of religious dogma over science-based health care that "Eggs Benedict" falsely portrayed it as being. It was, rather, a courageous witness to human dignity based on religious faith but solidly backed by well-informed scientific opinion and empirical data. It was the artist, Niki Johnson, not the pontiff, who ignored the relevant science.
Absolutely brilliant.
From a reader:
They are taking the piece down at the end of the month according to this article:HT AI
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/controversial-condom-portrait-of-pope-benedict-offers-a-chance-for-real-dialogue-b99549753z1-321036171.html
I had cancelled my membership to the Milwaukee Art Museum . I won't renew it, but I will feel more comfortable visiting on occasion.
What Happened When I Dressed Like a Priest
continue at EsquireI was a priest, standing at the bar of the Billy Goat Tavern beneath the great concrete decks that brace up downtown Chicago. Strike that. I was not a priest. I shouldn't say that. I was me, me wearing the uniform of a priest. It was 10:30 on a Friday morning, the bar a well-lit temple of Formica. I was visiting my favorite bartender, as is my wont when I am in Chicago. Priest or no: My uniform was an old-school liturgical cassock. Twenty buttons rising to a traditional clerical collar. Part tunic, part Nehru jacket, with a big open flare at my feet. That thing really kicked up in the wind when I walked the city. The thing really had some sweep.
When I walked in, my friend immediately set me up with a no-disrespect-intended pour of bourbon, with a draft beer back. My shoulders were turned to the half-full restaurant; a small circle of recent acquaintances screened me. I'd like to say I was mindful of being the most visible man in the room—me, the priest—but who was I kidding? People had been staring at me for twenty-three blocks. One hour in the uniform and I knew this much: On a bright summer's day, in a sprawling city, a priest in a cassock is a thing to behold. People draw out their eye contact with a priest. They give nods or bow just a smidge. Or they stare. Openly. Respectfully. Distantly. When walking in pairs, men wind up their cheeriest selves to blurt out suddenly, "Good morning, Father." A habit learned in high school, revisited gladly. Twenty-three blocks and the world could not take its eyes off me. A priest, striding north.
"The sceptic ultimately undermines democracy"
(1) because he can see no significance in death and such things of a literal equality;
(2) because he introduces different first principles, making debate impossible: and debate is the life of democracy;
(3) because the fading of the images of sacred persons leaves a man too prone to be a respecter of earthly persons;
(4) because there will be more, not less, respect for human rights if they can be treated as divine rights.
― G.K. Chesterton
via The Transom
"I heard you calling out and had to come over," she said. "I go to Tulane..."
This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans.
One of the deadliest hurricane's ever, Katrina left a trail of destruction in its wake--both literally and figuratively. Beyond the loss of life, the hurricane became the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, with damage topping $100 billion. There was also a political price to be paid. Katrina effectively ended George W. Bush's presidency just seven months after he was inaugurated to his second term. A decade later, New Orleans still hasn't fully recovered from the hurricane. The city's population is down nearly 25 percent from before the storm.
Somehow, it's simultaneously hard to believe that it's already been ten years and that it's only been ten years. I haven't given the storm much--if any thought--in recent years. But the coverage of this week's anniversary takes me back.
When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, I was just days away from starting my senior year at the UW-Madison . The storm had already caused damage throughout the Caribbean and in Florida, but the question on everybody's mind that last week of August was whether Katrina would make a direct hit on New Orleans. When it became increasingly clear that it would, the world watched and waited to see how severe the impact would be on a city already situated below sea level.
When Katrina reached the Louisiana Coast, I spent most of the night glued to cable news coverage with my roommate Jay. As the storm drew near, it was amusing to watch reporters kill time or conduct interviews with stubborn, sometimes crazy residents who refused to leave town.
The amusement, of course, wouldn't last long. When the storm finally passed, daylight revealed that the city had suffered massive damage. The levees failed, and 80 percent of the Big Easy was under water. Countless houses were destroyed. Refugees scattered about the country found themselves without homes to which they could return.
And they were the lucky ones. Around 1,500 people who tried to ride out the storm didn't make it--their bodies strewn about the city.
Iowa Catholic Worker House hosts "priestess" for "Mass," diocese reprimands
A Des Moines Catholic group has been told it can no longer host Mass after allowing a woman to perform sacramental services in December.continue at Des Moines Register
Bishop Richard Pates of the Diocese of Des Moines ordered the Catholic Worker House to cease holding services in a letter dated May 5. An article explaining the ruling appeared in the August issue of "The Catholic Mirror," the diocese's monthly newspaper.
"This matter has been reviewed by the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Des Moines," the letter reads. "Members expressed great offense at this action of a rite that is so precious to them and others."
The council of priests voted unanimously to strip the Des Moines Catholic Worker House of its authority to hold Mass "for the time.”
The article's author seems to either not understand the details of this story or to simply be advocating for her own personal opinion.
HT FrER
Bp. Ricken asks for intercession of the Holy Innocents in pro-life cause, 200+ attend Appleton prayer vigil
continue at The CompassLast Saturday, we celebrated a daily Mass at St. Pius X Church in Appleton and then proceeded to pray in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Grand Chute, where abortions are performed on a regular basis. There was a very large turnout, more than 200 people. I asked everyone to bring love into the situation. Our mantra was and is “Jesus loves you. We love you. This place is not the answer.” We are not going to condemn those who have gotten involved with this in any way, but we are here to point out the mercy and love of God available to all of us. Divine Mercy consoles and purifies our hearts.
I asked the people to pray to the Holy Innocents to intercede from heaven to close down that place. We pray to the Holy Innocents of Jesus’ day, who were slain because King Herod ordered the slaughter in order to kill Jesus. Did you realize that there have been 57 million abortions in this country since 1973? All of those innocent children are in the heavenly court. Can you imagine if even a fraction of those children intervene with God to change people’s hearts? We asked the Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven, to send those holy innocents to intervene to close that “business” down.
Photo
University of Wisconsin faculty defends baby parts sale, confirms research needs freshly killed babies
In July, Reps. Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) and Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) introduced legislation that would ban the sale of fetal body parts in the state of Wisconsin and not allow federal funding to go toward Planned Parenthood. The LaCrosse Tribune reported that the legislation was a response to the scandal surrounding Planned Parenthood buying the body parts of aborted babies.continue at LifeNews
Now, nearly 700 faculty members from University of Wisconsin have signed a letter arguing that the bill would cut off “hope for patients” and deter biomedical students and the biotechnology industry from coming to their University because it shows “that Wisconsin is no place to do business.”
The letter says, “We wonder whether legislators have considered the ethical implications of denying current and future patients the benefits of the research that would be blocked by this legislation. Research done with cell lines derived from fetal tissue has benefited millions in the form of vaccines and treatments for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, heart disease, and viral and bacterial infections.”
Then, the letter alleges that prohibiting research on aborted babies’ body parts would “ risk untold numbers of lives” because they use it to find critical vaccines. The faculty explained, “The cell lines derived from fetal tissue are commonly used for research in laboratories worldwide. Other tissues and cells, such as those derived from miscarriages cannot be substituted for this research, despite the claims of the proponents of this ban.” [Get that?]
Important to remember that the University of Wisconsin wanted a late term abortion site on campus so they could get (as Jill Stanek pointed out about StemExpress) "organs from very freshly killed babies."
In fact, that is exactly what UW just stated in this letter, they need freshly killed babies. Let's read it one more time.
"Other tissues and cells [oh yeah, and organs and heads], such as those derived from miscarriages, cannot be substituted for this research, despite the claims of the proponents of this ban."UW seeks to deflect and turn this into the same as the embryonic vs ethical(or "adult") stem cell debate, although that hardly is a scientific debate anymore considering what a bust embryonic research has been.
Unclear if the signatories support some of the laws broken by Planned Parenthood recently, including sale of parts without consent of the mother.
"There is no suitable substitute for the HEK293 cell. To attempt to find a replacement for these or for cells derived in the future, in all their diverse applications, would cost billions and risk untold numbers of lives."It's probably best for UW if the body count is left "untold." One has to wonder if billions of dollars were spent on ethical research, could an alternative flu vaccine be created. After all, there are ethical alternatives to many vaccines used today.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services reporting abortions down 10% in 2014
***BREAKING *** The numbers for 2014 have just been released and abortions are DOWN 10% in Wisconsin! Read the report...
Posted by Pro-Life Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 26, 2015
The Wisconsin health department released new abortion numbers today and they provide additional evidence that cutting taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood and enacting additional pro-life laws saves unborn babies from abortion. Specifically, 662 babies were saved from abortions in the latest year for which abortion data is available compared with the year before.continue at LifeSite
The newly released Department of Health Services Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin report shows there were 6,462 abortions performed in 2013 and 5,800 in 2014.
Those numbers come three years after pro-life Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a bill to cut taxpayer funding to the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
That's a large loss of "product" to the abortion profiteers.
Also, this:
Superior Catholic Herald profiles Troops of Saint George in Farmington
continue at Superior Catholic HeraldOn a warm August night, a group of boys are rummaging through camping gear in the Farmington Town Hall.
“Sunglasses?” one asks. “Are they essential?”
The boys are cadets in the Troops of Saint George, an apostolate that pairs virtue and Catholic values with outdoor recreation and adventure.
Founded in 2013 by Dr. Taylor Marshall, a Texan and former Episcopalian priest who converted to Catholicism, the program is an opportunity for fathers and sons to bond, “to use the outdoors as our canvas and the sacraments as our path to light the way for the formation of Holy Catholic men and boys.”
Although the Troops are a fledgling organization, awareness of the program is spreading. The Polk County group is one of only two in the state – the other is in Kenosha – but the Twin Cities area is home to several troops.
Louisiana native Randy Borne is the captain of Troop 73, which meets twice monthly in the Town of Farmington, a few miles south of Osceola.
Borne’s son was in the Boy Scouts when, in 2013, the Boy Scouts of America changed its policy on homosexual members. He wanted his son in a program consistent with Catholic teaching, so when another parent passed him a sheet of paper with information on the Troops of Saint George, Borne was interested.
The Troops of Saint George have only two chapters in Wisconsin, there are several active and growing chapters in Minnesota. https://troopsofsaintgeorge.org/find-a-troop/
In related news, the Diocese of La Crosse reiterated their support for The Boy Scouts of America in a recent issue of The Catholic Times. They feel they will not be forced to capitulate and are given an exception under the latest BSA Adult Membership Resolution.
In the July 27 letter signed by NCCS(National Catholic Committee on Scouting) chairman Edward Martin and NCCS national chaplain, Father Michael Hanifin, the NCCS acknowledged the BSA’s reaffirmation of local autonomy in its policy statement while remaining cautious about how the policy will work in practice.
Video documents 5 a.m., 75 Mile Journey from Missouri to Illinois to nearest Sunday Latin Mass
The Latin Mass Society of Northeast Missouri offers this ‘home video’ documenting their journey and interviews with attendees of the Latin Mass offered by the Fraternity of St. Peter priests. It captures the sacrifice and vitality that is exhibited in Latin Mass communities, no matter how restricted they are often permitted to be – and how difficult they often are to find.http://unavoce.org/2015/05/26/why-video-documents-5-a-m-75-mile-journey-from-missouri-to-illinois-to-nearest-sunday-latin-mass-video/
Mystery object at Sinsinawa
I am not entirely sure what this is, so I thought I’d open it up to the readership.continue at Father Z
It might be Sophia giving birth to the World Soul over the deep primal waters in the beneath… rather like what the LCWR is into.
Any other guesses?
Wisconsin FSCC nun take on principal job
continue at Casa Grande DispatchSt. Anthony of Padua Catholic School has a new principal, and she is the first nun to lead the school in many years.
Sister Carol Seidl grew up in Luxemburg, Wisconsin.
“It’s a small farming community, 960 people,” she said. “I grew up on our family farm, a dairy farm, now a third-generation dairy farm.”
Her family was religious, she said. She attended a Catholic school taught by nuns and had a first cousin who was a nun.
“They were my inspiration,” she said.
Seidl took the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, which was founded in Wisconsin.
HT MK
Eastern-rite Milwaukee churches plan joint festival
continue at JS
Orthodox praying at 40 Day for Life in Milwaukee Three Eastern-rite Christian churches from across the Milwaukee area are collaborating on a first-of-its-kind festival celebrating their Middle Eastern heritages and traditions from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 3126 95th St. in Sturtevant.
The festival will bring together members of St. George Melkite Church in Milwaukee; St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Cedarburg; and the Maronite Mission of Milwaukee, which worships at St. Sebastian.
Some more photos of Cardinal Burke in Gabon Africa
via Icrsp Gabon
 |
| Visiting the old cathedral, the cardinal meets a young priest ordained on 15 August and asked him on his knees for his first blessing |
Bishop Morlino, pro-life leaders support ban of selling fetal body parts in WI
continue at MadCatHeraldMADISON -- “People can never be reduced to things,” said Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison as he concluded his testimony before the State Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety on August 11.
Bishop Morlino spoke in support of Assembly Bill 305 (AB 305), which would make it illegal to sell and use fetal body parts from an abortion in the state of Wisconsin.
The bill was authored by State Representatives André Jacque (R-DePere) and Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) with support from State Senator Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and other state lawmakers.
It comes after videos were released reportedly showing discussion among Planned Parenthood officials relating to the sale of fetal body parts.
The bill was introduced to the committee on August 11. Community members, including Bishop Morlino, came out to testify in support of the bill, as did those who were opposed to its passage.
“Every fertilized egg is a unique individual of the human species,” said Bishop Morlino during his testimony. “To say that a unique individual of the human species is not a human being is quite a jump, but then to dismember it in precisely such a way that it is useful for other purposes makes a person into a thing,” he added. “Our human reason tells us that human people are never things.”
Opponents of the bill made the argument that the ban could halt important life-saving research [Soylent Green much?] in the health care field where researchers use fetal body parts for their work.
Milwaukee Art Museum "Art, AIDS, Religion, and Censorship" panel meets tomorrow at 6:15 PM on Pope Benedict condom piece, please attend!
via Men of Christ - Milwaukee
You may be aware that the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) began displaying "Eggs Benedict"—a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI fabricated out of 17,000 colored condoms—in late July, 2015. The artist, Niki Johnson, stated that she was inspired to create this piece "after remarks he (Pope Benedict) made on a trip to Africa in March of 2009 suggesting that condoms would not prevent the transmission of AIDS." Johnson stated that the piece was "made in an act of protest."
On Thursday, August 20, at 6:15 P.M, MAM will hold a multidisciplinary panel on "Art, AIDS, Religion, and Censorship."
Brady Roberts, Chief Curator, MAM, Moderator will lead the panelists:
Each panelist will speak for 10 minutes. There will be a one-hour question/answer/comment period.
PLEASE ATTEND this important panel discussion! We must stand up for our faith.
If you go tomorrow, Thursday, August 20 2015:
6:15 P.M.—8:15 P.M.
Milwaukee Art Museum, Lubar Hall
700 N. Art Museum Drive
mam.org
You may be aware that the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) began displaying "Eggs Benedict"—a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI fabricated out of 17,000 colored condoms—in late July, 2015. The artist, Niki Johnson, stated that she was inspired to create this piece "after remarks he (Pope Benedict) made on a trip to Africa in March of 2009 suggesting that condoms would not prevent the transmission of AIDS." Johnson stated that the piece was "made in an act of protest."
On Thursday, August 20, at 6:15 P.M, MAM will hold a multidisciplinary panel on "Art, AIDS, Religion, and Censorship."
Brady Roberts, Chief Curator, MAM, Moderator will lead the panelists:
- Niki Johnson, Artist
- Jonathan Katz, Associate Professor of Visual Studies, Art Department, University of Buffalo
- Jamie Manson, Theologian: book editor and columnist, National Catholic Reporter [really??]
- Kali Murray, Associate Professor of Law, Marquette University
Each panelist will speak for 10 minutes. There will be a one-hour question/answer/comment period.
PLEASE ATTEND this important panel discussion! We must stand up for our faith.
If you go tomorrow, Thursday, August 20 2015:
6:15 P.M.—8:15 P.M.
Milwaukee Art Museum, Lubar Hall
700 N. Art Museum Drive
mam.org
Cardinal Burke in Gabon, Africa
His Eminence, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, arriving at Libreville (Gabon, Africa) for the blessing of the facade of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (an apostolate parish of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest), that will take place on the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption this Saturday, August 15, 2015. The facade was recently installed with azulejos stones, glazed colored tiles with a depiction of the Nativity of Christ the Infant King, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and the three patrons of the Institute (St. Francis de Sales, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Benedict).https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007786064784&fref=ts
HT LC
 |
| The man next to the cardinal is Ali Bongo Ondimba, the president of Gabon and the first lady. |
Cardinal Burke TLM at Minneapolis Basilica cancelled
The Eponymous Flower posted it here: Pontifical High Mass at Basilica with Cardinal Burke Cancelled
I reached out to a member of Una Voce St. Paul and Minneapolis to confirm and the Mass has indeed been cancelled. No other details were provided.
As Tancred pointed out, the Cardinal will be at the annual meeting of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The meeting takes place in Minneapolis at the same weekend of the planned TLM at the basilica. I think the Cardinal is attending at least part of the conference but the order will be making a pilgrimage to the Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse the following Monday. This is a great group that assists Catholics and the holy sites in the Holy Land.
The point is, it seemed to make sense to schedule an event while the Cardinal was in the area, so it is left to speculation as to what occurred here.
Background:
We have received great news that Una Voce St. Paul and Minneapolis has arranged for Cardinal Burke to celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form in September.
Date: September 19, 2015
Time: 10:00 a.m.
I reached out to a member of Una Voce St. Paul and Minneapolis to confirm and the Mass has indeed been cancelled. No other details were provided.
As Tancred pointed out, the Cardinal will be at the annual meeting of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The meeting takes place in Minneapolis at the same weekend of the planned TLM at the basilica. I think the Cardinal is attending at least part of the conference but the order will be making a pilgrimage to the Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse the following Monday. This is a great group that assists Catholics and the holy sites in the Holy Land.
The point is, it seemed to make sense to schedule an event while the Cardinal was in the area, so it is left to speculation as to what occurred here.
Background:
Dog Days of Summer Roundup
A roundup? It seems like it's been a while.... "Don't you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone!"
Sushi paired with spirituality in Green Bay diocesan event
The free event that pairs sushi tasting with faith-enriching fellowship is sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay’s Department of New Evangelization.Yum!
“It’s very casual — a lot of laughter, a lot of smiles,” said Phil Lawson, coordinator for the department’s young adult ministry discipleship and formation.
Enrollment drop led to St. Peter the Fisherman K-8 school closure in Two Rivers
Reactions from parents are mixed, Reynebeau said. The school’s closing ends more than a century of Catholic education in Two Rivers.
Diocese of Green Bay Director of Communications Justine Lodel said Roncalli High School is working with SPTF to transport students from Two Rivers to the Manitowoc Catholic schools.Bp. Callahan and La Crosse seminarians made pilgrimage to Briggsville Shrine
On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the feast day of St. Philomena, Bishop William P. Callahan of La Crosse will celebrate Mass in the church at 11 a.m. Seminarians from the Diocese of La Crosse will also be present. This feast day Mass is open to everyone.Charlie Sykes interviews Archbishop Listecki on sex abuse scandal (audio)
(Shrine website)
"I consistently say this: we are a very different church than we were 20 years ago," Listecki says, "and that's largely because of the awareness of the issue."JS Editorial Staff: Reasonable end to Arch. MKE bankruptcy
Chicago Tribune profiles the current seminarians of the Gary Diocese as they make their way to Catholic priesthood (part 1, part 2)
Cream City Catholic profiles Holy Trinity Parish in Milwaukee.
And last but first, congrats to contributor Steve (and Laura) Karlen on the birth of their daughter!
Drunk Catholic History: Spirits and the Holy Spirit
Ever wonder why we call alcohol “spirits”? After all, “spirit” can refer to:continue at One Peter Five
And when spirit is associated with anything physical, it is usually not something wet like alcohol but something dry. Indeed, “spirit” is derived from the Latin spiritus (meaning breath, air, or gentle wind), and in the early Church it was used to translate the Greek pneuma and the Hebrew ruah, both of which also mean wind, breath, or spirit.
- the human soul, either in whole or in part;
- an intelligent creature with no material body (angels and demons, or if you are getting fanciful, sprites, nymphs, and so forth);
- the Third Person in the Holy Trinity;
- courage or gumption;
- a defining quality, such as “the spirit of a place.”
How, then, did air become hooch? One theory popular on the Internet is that “alcohol” comes from the Arabic al-kuhl, a “body-eating spirit.” The problem is that al-kuḥl actually means “eye cosmetic,” which was once made in a way that loosely resembled the distillation of alcohol.[i]
In the English language the first instances of “spirit” were derived from passages in the Vulgate translation of the Bible mentioning spiritus and were therefore in conformity with biblical usage. “Spirit,” in other words, had a largely spiritual meaning, something in contradistinction to worldliness, materiality, literalness, etc. Tied to this usage were other qualities of the soul, such as courage, mental vigor, or liveliness.
Abp. Listecki, Bp. Ricken invite Catholics to pray 54 day rosary in support of marriages and families
The bishops of the United States have received an invitation from Archbishop Jerome Listecki of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, who is the episcopal advisor of the Rosary Evangelization Apostolate, to join together in prayer for 54 days from Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven, until Oct. 7, the feast of the Holy Rosary. [Remember Lepanto!]continue at The Compass
The invitation is very simple: to pray the rosary once a day for 54 days, in support of marriages and families. We will pray for the safe travel of the Holy Father and for all of those traveling to see and pray with the Holy Father at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September. We will also remember to pray for the successful outcome of the Synod of Bishops on Marriage and Family Life in Rome in October.
The custom with a “54-Day Rosary Novena,” is to pray 27 days of petition (asking for something) and 27 days thanking God for answering the prayer of petition. Many people who have agreed to pray this rosary novena in this way claim that very difficult situations have been cleared up and impossible requests have been answered in a very powerful way.
Well, it doesn't hurt to start a few days late.
Photo via MKECatholic
Church Militant interviews "brave young guys" at Cream City Catholic
Cool!
The Milwaukee vocations office told Jake(who was discerning a call to the priesthood) that Cream City Catholic was "divisive." That isn't very "Church of Nice"-ish, is it?
Around August 2014 we appeared on Church Militant TV to explain our mission and the purpose of Cream City Catholic. And here it is out of the YouTube archives just for you! Enjoy!
The Milwaukee vocations office told Jake(who was discerning a call to the priesthood) that Cream City Catholic was "divisive." That isn't very "Church of Nice"-ish, is it?
Facebook pulls Compass story due to ‘abusive content’
 |
| Facebook has blocked a story link from The Compass website about a Byzantine monk’s battle with Facebook about his religious title. |
GREEN BAY – A story about a Byzantine monk’s decision to legally change his name in order to use his religious title on Facebook — posted on The Compass website Aug. 14 and shared on its Facebook page that same day — was blocked by Facebook due to “abusive” content.continue at The Compass
On Monday morning, Aug. 17, The Compass contacted Facebook seeking an explanation.
The incident began after The Compass interviewed Fr. Moses Wright, known to friends on Facebook as Hierodeacon Moses, about changing his name in order to comply with Facebook regulations on authentic identities. On Aug. 12, Facebook changed his profile name from Hierodeacon Moses to his given name, Michael Wright. The next day, Fr. Moses, who lives at Holy Resurrection Monastery in St. Nazianz, drove to the Manitowoc County Courthouse to begin the process of legally changing his name.
This is French Revolutionist. It is ridiculous that Facebook is either woefully ignorant or blatantly persecuting Christians who have for 2,000 years beginning with Peter taken a religious name after birth. As a social media platform I prefer Twitter anyway. Facebook may be a juggernaut but I'm not sure it will stay that way if at a platform level it continues to push political positions.
Archdiocese moving to strengthen Milwaukee's Catholic school system
Alan J. Borsuk in a Commentary on Education column in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel starts by saying Milwaukee's Catholic schools haven't fared as badly as some, but goes on to note that isn't saying much.
If you've experienced the liturgical consultant or fund-raising consultant, you might anticipate what's next.
"Enrollment in all Catholic schools fell from 5.2 million in 1960 to 2 million in 2014, a drop of more than 60%. Hundreds of parish schools have closed. Put it this way: Total Catholic enrollment in 2014 was slightly higher than in 1920."My usual take is to note how complacent the Church has been, as opposed to a for-profit organization posting similar results.
"until now, if you want to see innovation and high octane education, Catholic schools were not promising places to look. The era of strict nuns at the heart of school life was gone, but many parish schools had stuck with established ways. (The Lutheran LUMIN and HOPE schools and St. Marcus Lutheran elementary school were better places to look for ambitious change.)"The nuns are gone, so all hail the LCWR; but I digress.
If you've experienced the liturgical consultant or fund-raising consultant, you might anticipate what's next.
"The Archdiocese brought in consultants from Notre Dame University to assess the urban Catholic schools. Their reports criticized the leadership, educational practices and faith-building work of many of the schools."It's as if it's been no one's job to oversee this.
"Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Archbishop Jerome Listecki, said, 'A great drumbeat for fundamental change in our program' arose.Here's the elevator explanation.
"The new effort — officially titled Seton Catholic Schools — is a result."
"Don Drees, project manager for the Seton effort, said the focus will be on three areas: educational improvements, including consistent curriculum among schools; improved religious education; and improved governance.The obvious questions being where has leadership been, and given that lack, where will it come from.
"Kathleen Cepelka, superintendent of archdiocese schools, said each school will keep its own identity, but there will be a strong centralized push for quality, with principals as a key focus. 'Leadership is everything,' she said."
"The logo of the new initiative includes the line, 'Transforming Urban Education.' That is an appealing goal that the voucher opportunity has not brought Milwaukee Catholic schools so far."And giving priority to a logo and a slogan has not been a good sign in the past. But at least there's no reference to a New Pentecost, so we'll hope for the best.
Into the sunset
Historic Note – on John Carroll's 225th, the lone living US cardinal in lineage of Stateside church's founder is.... pic.twitter.com/XqijoE1hnU
— Rocco Palmo (@roccopalmo) August 15, 2015Bp. Callahan to speak at La Crosse Catholic men's group this Friday
And of course, I'm up north. I'd encourage locals to attend the event. It's no Knights of Divine Mercy but we're working on it. Very grateful to Bp. Callahan for coming to speak.Friday, August 14th...Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Knights of St. Joseph - 6-8pm at St. James the Less (1032 Caledonia St)
The Knights of St. Joseph are overjoyed and appreciative that Bishop William Callahan will be with us for our evening of prayer this month.
We begin by praying the Angelus and then Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. After this, we have an opportunity for Eucharistic Adoration and confession until 7pm. Bishop Callahan will be this month's speaker. Following his talk, the Knights will conclude the evening with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Night Prayer. Immediately following, the Knights adjourn to Murphy Hall (church basement) for pizza, refreshments, and camaraderie. Men of all parishes are welcome to join us.
Be sure to check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/laxknights?ref=tn_tnmn for coming and past events, photos, and articles meant to bolster the faith of all Catholic men.
The Adoremus Bulletin - July 2015
The print edition has not yet arrived, and I just noted the latest issue is up. The online edition is published as a single pdf document. I've created a table of contents linking to the pages on which each article or feature begins.
This issue includes:
- The Stained Glass Window in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, cover
- News & Views, page 2: Translation of Confirmation Rite approved; Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference to be held October 2015; U.S. Bishops respond to same-sex "marriage" ruling; New "Sacramental Series" authored by Cardinal Jorge Medina Estévez.
- The Silent Action of the Heart, by Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for the Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, page 2
- A Liturgy Transformed, by Christopher Carstens, page 3
- The Homiletic Directory: A Pastor’s Perspective, by Fr. William P. Felix, Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., page 3
- The Hymns the Church Calls Her Own – And the coming opportunity to truly make them our own, by Adam Bartlett, page 4
- "St. Thomas Aquinas Church communicates beauty – and beauty attracts.": St. Thomas Aquinas Church at the University of Nebraska Newman Center – rejuvenating the Church’s architectural tradition and engaging souls, by Joseph O’Brien, Managing Editor, page 6
- Speaking of St. Thomas Aquinas Church: An Oral Commentary, by Kevin Clark, Architect, Clark Architectural Collaborative 3
- Implementing the Liturgical Reform of the Second Vatican Council: Message of His Eminence, Robert Cardinal Sarah, to the Conference "Sacra Liturgia USA 2015" New York City, 1-4 June 2015, page 9
- Letters - Readers Forum: Anticipating the new Hours translation; Enough translations already!; Welcome back, Adoremus!; Adoremus Bulletin in France; Lucy Carroll, 1946-2015; Questions of Faith: Baptismal Godparents and Proxies?
- Donors - Memorials, page 11
Dead right
The sidebar to Brian T. Olszewski's report of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's mediated bankruptcy settlement in the
Milwaukee Catholic Herald includes this in the sources of the money.
"$3 million - amount Cemetery Trust will lend to archdiocese for settlementThis compares to payment of only $2 million from the trust, in the form of a loan, in the reorganization plan our Archdiocese filed in February 2014."$8 million - amount from Cemetery Trust to settle pending litigation
"$5 million - amount from Cemetery Trust for past cemetery care expenses not previously reimbursed by the Trust"
A few months back when I posted on the Cemetery Trust's loss on appeal to the Seventh Circuit, I concluded,
"The net effect may be that the plan of reorganization will be revised so that the Cemetery Trust loans more money to our Archdiocese to finance a larger payment to abuse claimants."Not exactly calling my shot, but I'll take it.
Oh, SNAP
Last Tuesday:
8:10 AM Peter Isely posted at SNAP Network on What to look for in the Milwaukee Archdiocese new bankruptcy reorganization plan.
Then the resolution via mediation was announced.
3:22 PM he posted Milwaukee Archdiocese "settles" sex abuse bankruptcy: $15 million dollars for hundreds of victims, $30 million for a handful of lawyers.
You can't have too many New Pentecosts
Scott Bauer's Associated Press report that the 'Milwaukee archdiocese settles for $21 million' in the
Wisconsin Law Journal included,
"'This settlement represents for us in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee a new Pentecost, a day of rebirth that renews our focus on word, worship and service,' [Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome] Listeki said."At the Archdiocese's website we can still view the video from the 2014 Synod: A New Pentecost.
Looks like there's bound to be another one before long.
FF: 1000 FF edition
A little language after the song is over. I think this is awesome.
details http://www.spin.com/2015/07/watch-1000-musicians-play-foo-fighters-learn-to-fly-same-time-italy-dave-grohl/
I'm out on vacation next week from all my jobs, including this one, and the one where I care about stuff, but probably not the one where I drink beer and go fishing.
details http://www.spin.com/2015/07/watch-1000-musicians-play-foo-fighters-learn-to-fly-same-time-italy-dave-grohl/
I'm out on vacation next week from all my jobs, including this one, and the one where I care about stuff, but probably not the one where I drink beer and go fishing.
Bp. Morlino: A word of caution about the Society of Saint Pius X
The 50 years since the close of the Second Vatican Council have been tumultuous for the Church. Forces both inside and outside of the Church tried to distort and exploit the council and the post-conciliar liturgical reforms to create a new Church after their own image.continue at MadCathHerald
Too many of us endured years of sloppy or irreverent liturgy and mushy or even unorthodox preaching and catechesis. Too often when we voiced our concerns we were ignored.
Most of the faithful Catholics who saw this happening fought hard for a “reform of the reform.” Sadly, others decided that the only way forward was to work outside of -- and sometimes against -- the hierarchical Church and its structures.
This was the choice made by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a worldwide society of priests best known for its strong opposition to the post-conciliar reform of the Mass. The Masses that they celebrate in their own chapels according to the 1962 Missal have attracted sizeable communities of the lay faithful, even here in the Diocese of Madison.
I want to be cautious and fair about the SSPX. Many of their concerns are legitimate. Many of their values and aspirations are admirable, and their zeal is impressive. Their priests wish to serve the Lord and His people. The people who attend their chapels are fervent.
HT FatherZ
Feast of the Transfiguration
Happens to be my favorite mystery of the rosary.
In 1456, the Kingdom of Hungary repulsed an Ottoman invasion of the Balkans by breaking the Siege of Belgrade. News of the victory arrived in Rome on August 6 where the pope extended the feast to the entire Church.
John Hunyadi and St. John of Capistrano rejected Sultan Mehmed II claim to the great Christian kingdom of Hungary.
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| Statue of John Hunyadi by Pál Pátzay |
Bishop David Kagan of Bismarck, North Dakota cuts ties with Boy Scouts
BISMARCK, ND, August 5, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) -- As faith organizations across the United States grapple with the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to allow openly homosexual Scout leaders, one Catholic bishop is drawing a clear line in the sand.continue at LifeSite
Bishop David Kagan of Bismarck, North Dakota, said he regretted having to make the decision, yet, “in conscience as the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese of Bismarck, I cannot permit our Catholic institutions to accept and participate directly or indirectly in any organization, which has policies and methods, which contradict the authoritative moral teachings of the Catholic Church.”
Bishop Kagan pulled all diocesan organizations from the Boy Scouts August 3, saying in a statement that the Boy Scouts’ decision to allow openly gay adults into leadership positions had been expected, and that the religious exemption in the Scouts’ resolution fell short in providing the needed protection for Catholic entities that sponsor troops.
“While there are indications that the BSA has a religious organization exception, which each local troop could invoke, that will provide no protection for any of our parishes and/or schools, which sponsor troops,” Bishop Kagan said. “Thus, effective immediately, the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Bismarck and each and every one of its parishes, schools and other institutions, is formally disaffiliated with and from the Boy Scouts of America.”
Why did the Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy take so long to resolve?
Q: Why did it take so long to resolve?JS FaithWatch
A: That's a long and complex answer, so we'll just address a few reasons here.
Milwaukee is not like the other dioceses where multimillion-dollar settlements were reached. It's the only one without access to insurance, and so lawyers for the church and its creditors battled over other sources of money, including parishes, a $35 million parish investment fund and a now $70 million cemetery trust.
It's also the only diocese to attempt to throw out all of the sex abuse claims filed in bankruptcy. And the creditors committee, which is made up of abuse survivors but represents all creditors in the case, aggressively defended those claims.
The case proceeded more like a contentious tort litigation, which is adversarial in nature, rather than a Chapter 11, which is intended to bring parties together to negotiate.
Nearly every decision in the case was appealed. In one decision, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan V. Kelley found that forcing the church to tap at least some of its cemetery funds would not violate its religious liberty.
Q: How much is the deal worth and where is the money coming from?
A: In all, the deal is valued at about $29 million, with $21 million going to victims, $500,000 for a therapy fund and $7.8 million to legal fees. The archdiocese's insurers will pay $11 million and its cemetery trust $16 million. The balance will come from archdiocesan resources that are yet to be determined, said Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Archbishop Jerome Listecki. And parishes will contribute to the therapy fund.
Abp. Cupich blasts Planned Parenthood in op-ed in Chicago Tribune, calls for "solid action," unfortunately invokes Seamless Garment
continue at Chicago TribuneThe release of videos of Planned Parenthood physicians discussing the market for tissue harvested in abortions has produced varied and strong reactions, and has, ironically, given us a reason for hope and an opportunity as a nation.
The tapes have generated a visceral reaction independent of how they were made or whether Planned Parenthood was making a profit. Rather, the widespread revulsion over the tapes arose because they unmasked the fact that, in our public conversation about abortion, we have so muted the humanity of the unborn child that some consider it quite acceptable to speak freely of crushing a child's skull to preserve valuable body parts and to have that discussion over lunch.
Yet, the outrage expressed by many at the physicians' callous and flippant attitude toward trafficking in human body parts is evidence that American hearts have not been irreparably hardened by the steady devaluing of human dignity in our society.
Bravo and thank you Abp. Cupich!
Image
Update: You may want to just stop reading after this lead section. He invokes the Dogma of the Seamless Garment:
While commerce in the remains of defenseless children is particularly repulsive, we should be no less appalled by the indifference toward the thousands of people who die daily for lack of decent medical care; who are denied rights by a broken immigration system and by racism; who suffer in hunger, joblessness and want; who pay the price of violence in gun-saturated neighborhoods; or who are executed by the state in the name of justice.Read that? We should be no less appalled. What an absolutely brutal statement, like comparing the atrocities in German in concentration camps, to the "rights denied immigrants." Last time I checked, immigrants were not being dismembered and sold for their body parts.
.@ArchbishopBlase "Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia." - Benedict XVI
— Ignazio (@IgnazioChicago) August 3, 2015
Breaking: Milwaukee Archdiocese settles sexual abuse claims for $21 million, after nearly five year litigation
continue at JSThe Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced Tuesday it will pay $21 million to compensate victims of childhood sexual abuse under a settlement agreement announced Tuesday — a deal that clears the way to ending its nearly 5-year-old bankruptcy.
Of the 575 men and women who filed sex abuse claims in the bankruptcy, 330 would receive a financial settlement.
It's also not known how many additional millions of dollars will go to pay fees of numerous attorneys and other professionals hired by the archdiocese and its creditors committee over the course of the case.
A $500,000 fund will be created to help abuse survivors obtain counseling and any other therapy they might need. Parishes will contribute to that fund.
Statement from Abp. Listecki:
Under the settlement agreement, the abuse survivors will receive $21 million. That is a large amount of money, but we all know that no amount of money could ever restore what was taken from these individuals. The money will be shared by abuse survivors of diocesan priests, but some payments will also be made to those who made claims against religious order men and women, and lay people who were employed by parishes or schools. More details about the settlement are posted at archmil.org (click here).
As part of this settlement, all parishes and schools will receive a legal release protecting them from future lawsuits. This was important because we wanted certainty that we could all move forward together in our ministry of Word, Worship and Service.
The settlement money will come from various sources, including insurance settlements and a settlement with the Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust. This settlement has been developed with a great deal of care and thought. The Trust assures us that as we move forward, it will continue to have the necessary resources to fulfill its duty of maintaining our nine Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic cemeteries for their sacred purpose and for the families with loved ones interred there.
SNAP say sex abuse claims against Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis surpass 400
Clergy sex abuse claims against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis poured in as the 5 p.m. deadline approached Monday. By the end of the day, the scope of the church’s problem was more clear: Attorneys counted more than 400 claims.details at Star Tribune
Attorneys representing sex abuse victims had been working around the clock to prepare the claims, stemming from the sexual abuse of children by dozens of Catholic priests over decades.
Assumption Mass at Good Help Shrine with Bp. Ricken
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| As many as 3,000 attended this event in recent years, upwards of 10,000 in years past |
Outdoor Mass at 11 A.M. with Principal Celebrant, Bishop David L. Ricken, and special guest Bishop Emeritus Tafoya. Mass will be outside, followed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament and rosary procession on the shrine grounds. Please bring your own lawn chairs for seating on the outside lawn.Good Help Shrine
This special celebration on the Feast of the Assumption is a tradition at the Shrine that was started by Adele Brise after the great fire of 1871. The current statue used in the procession was given to Adele by St. Joseph Parish in Champion, after the original statue was damaged.
A promotional event flyer is available here by clicking “download” under the event title above. Please share with your parish and friends.
In 2013, Cardinal George celebrated this event.
ChurchMilitant: One-Two Punch in La Crosse and The Vortex at the Shrine
LA CROSSE, Wis., August 3, 2015 (ChurchMilitant.com) - Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Cdl. Raymond Leo Burke met in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this weekend and spoke on marriage, the family and the crisis in the Church, among other topics. The event, organized by the Queen of the Americas Guild, was part of the "Remaining in the Truth of Christ" conference at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.continue at ChurchMilitant.com
In the keynote address, Cdl. Burke, former Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura and current patron of the Sovereign Order of Malta, warned the packed basilica of major problems inside and outside the Church. And it's the weakness crippling the Church, says Cdl. Burke, that ends up harming the rest of society.
He took last year's Extraordinary Synod on the Family as the defining moment when the crisis within the Church became undeniable. He believes the Synod took issues that the Church has always spoken on with clarity and handled them — sometimes erroneously — with no consistent reference to Church Tradition or the Magisterium. Especially telling, says Cdl. Burke, is the way the Synod's discussions overlooked the evil in relationships featuring such grave sins as adultery, premarital cohabitation and sodomy.
HT LC
The latest episode of The Vortex is also on site at the Shrine(video).
Father Z visits La Crosse once in a Blue Moon
Father Z covers his visit to the La Crosse Guadalupe Shrine.
Unfortunately I was out of town on my own errands wrapped in mystery and some "Smit-icks." Otherwise, I ought to have insisted on buying him a beer. I've met him briefly in person a few years ago at Knights of Divine Mercy. Speaking of, KDM in September?
TCG: Real Men Love Babies
continue at The Catholic GentlemanDo real men love babies? Everything about these pooping, screaming, totally helpless little people—the babies, that is—challenges a man’s feral instincts and refined sensibilities. Yet, whether we like it or not, babies put to rest the frenzied individualism, the restless search for purpose, and the demand for instant ego gratification so predictable among the male sex. Fatherhood is an invitation to grow up faster than most of us want, and maybe this is a tiny clue as to why for men babies are so scary.
Men in the heat of passion, like animals, are usually oblivious to the natural link between sex and babies. But when a child is conceived the curtain is pulled back, if only for a moment, and a man very well might find himself asking: Why did I want to have sex in the first place?
Your wife tells you the big news. It’s the kind of discovery that makes grandmothers, aunts, and mother-in-laws giddy with excitement. But for you it raises even bigger concerns, too, changes that could reshape your whole life. The intersection of babies and masculine identity is about as beautiful and thorny as a rose bush—but who gives a flying goose about rose bushes? Life as you know it is about to end.
Why do men turn to sex—of all things, sex!—to sate our longing for adventure, wholeness, possibility, completion, and immortality? What does it mean that men are sexual beings, different from women? Why are men generally more active and aggressive and eager, and women more passive and receptive and resistant? And why are babies so scary?
Bp. Callahan interviewed by CatholicTV on cause of Fr. Joe Walijewski
Skip to 8:43. Autoplays, so put it below the read more.
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