WI Cong. Sensenbrenner becomes Catholic; +Dolan, Listecki, Morlino attend

Wisconsin Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-Menomonee Falls) converted to Catholicism in a quiet ceremony at Milwaukee's St. Francis de Sales Seminary on Monday — a private affair reportedly attended by at least two Wisconsin bishops and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.

Sensenbrenner's office confirmed the conversion in an e-mail. But it turned down an interview request, saying the congressman "sees this as a private matter."

The ceremony was first noted by Mark Silk, professor and director of the Greenberg Center for the study of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College in Connecticutt, on his blog, Spiritual Politics. In addition to Dolan, Silk said, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki and Madison Bishop Robert Morlino were on hand.

A spokesman for Morlino confirmed Wednesday that he attended the ceremony. Listecki's chief of staff, Jerry Topczewski, said, "We don't comment on his private calendar." A representative for Dolan could not be reached.

The Republican lawmaker had previously identified himself as an "Anglican Catholic," Silk noted, "so jumping the Tiber was for him not much of a leap religiously."

"Sensenbrenner seems to have been traveling this road for awhile," said Silk.

continue at JS

Welcome Cong. Sensenbrenner!  To quote Fr. Groeschel, "come on in, the water is terrible!" LOL

I think Silk's article is a little over the top as far as how Sensenbrenner now needs to change his policy on immigration.  

HT AC

Update on Dominic Pio

A few days ago I posted on the story of 5 month old Dominic Pio.  His father is former state assemblyman Mark Gundrum.

An update:

Just a quick update.  Dominic is doing well, very well, there is no breathing tube!!!  He is definitely still in need of prayers as he is very high risk for leaking cerebral fluid and getting infections. He is in pain tonight,but they are doing a good job of trying to keep him comfortable.  Again, please pray for these intentions, it is hard to see your baby uncomfortable.

The surgeons did an incredible job and I can't wait to show you some pictures as soon as I am able to upload them.  He is extremely swollen at this point and it is expected to get worse before it gets better, but has a completely new face with no encephalocele  and a beautiful new nose and lips!  I cannot wait until I can see my little boy's smile again, soon enough I am sure!  So many people have reached out to us and have offered their love, it has made this process grace filled.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for praying Dominic through this surgery, please help us pray for him for a complete recovery!  I am so tired I will have to post when I can think straight, please understand :). Until tomorrow...

Oh by the way little Dominic, even Governor Walker and Congressman Sensenbrenner called to see how you are doing.

Continued prayers are needed:

Things can change very quickly we were told and that is what is happening, Dominic could use some prayers tonight. He has come down with a fever, his sodium levels are high and he is having trouble clearing his phlegm causing his saturation levels to drop. These are all very common things after this type of surgery,but nerve wracking and scary. It is so hard to see him like this,I just want to scoop him up and make it all better.

I'd hate to be a parent in this situation under Obamacare. 

WI State Senator introduces Anti-HHS Mandate Tax Opt-Out Bill

Capital Rosary Rally

Transcript of Congressman Sensenbrenner’s Remarks at Today’s Press Conference

“We will be introducing the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act of 2012. What this legislation will do is repeal the taxes that will be levied upon those religious institutions and those who have moral or religious objections in the private sector from having to pay for insurance under the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that violate their religious or moral views.

We’ve had an awful lot of debate on this subject since Obamacare was passed and since Secretary Sebelius announced her mandates sometime in the fall of last year.

What has not been discussed is the tax that is imposed upon those that fail to comply with that mandate, either through religious objections or moral grounds. Those taxes are severe, they are confiscatory. It is $100 per employee per day. So, a religious institution that, say, has a church and an elementary school beside it that employs fifty employees total, which include the administrative and maintenance personnel, ends up being taxed $36,500 per employee per year. Or the fifty-employee institution would have to pay a tax of $1,825,000 per year, every year.

This is a part of the Internal Revenue Code that was passed as a part of Obamacare, and for those who are interested in citing the section, it is Internal Revenue Code Section 4980D. Obviously, if these taxes are levied and they are enforced, there will be no religious-affiliated institutions left in this country. Religious-affiliated institutions, I think, have been one of the ways that there has been diversity provided in education, in healthcare, and in various types of social services in-relief services. I don’t think they should be taxed out of business, and neither do my co-sponsors.”

Here's the bill 

Will the Wisconsin Bishops support this bill????