No matter how much they may claim that killing is a “right” people who advance the culture of death do what those who want to kill with impunity always do: They obfuscate the language to hide the facts of what they are doing from the world at large — and from themselves. These twists and turns of ordinary language are not just an attempt to hide the truth of killing, they are also a form of justification. Thus, legalized medical... Read more
I’m a strong believer in penance, but not so much in assigned penances. As a convert I think it’s highly likely that I just don’t “get” penance in the Catholic sense. Whatever the priest tells me to do as a penance in confession, I do. I don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent. If the American Bishops decide that we should return to meatless Fridays all year round, I’ll do that, too. But so far as I’m concerned, penance is... Read more
How would changing the legal definition of marriage impact women and children? The following article from LifeSiteNews discusses one law professor who is — finally — asking just that question. Julian Rivers, a professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Bristol Law School takes the position that legalizing same-sex marriage would have a negative impact on both women and children. I think he’s right, and I think the discussion about this is long overdue. The article reads in part, emphases... Read more
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” … 7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between... Read more
South Bend, Ind., Nov 12, 2012 / 07:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano has told the University of Notre Dame that there is a concrete “menace” to religious liberty in the U.S. that is advancing in part because some influential Catholic public figures and university professors are allied with those opposed to Church teaching. “Evidence is emerging which demonstrates that the threat to religious freedom is not solely a concern for non-democratic and totalitarian regimes,” he said. “Unfortunately... Read more
What is wrong — and right — with the role of faith in American politics today? Several Patheos bloggers took a shot at answering this question before the November 6 election. To be honest, I’m more interested in what you think. Before we devise a plan for what we’re going to do, let’s stop and ask ourselves how we got here. This question is a good one for beginning the process of thinking that through. You may have noticed that... Read more
As this LifeNews article shows, even in the reddest red state, the fight goes on … The Planned Parenthood abortion business is suing the state of Oklahoma after state officials yanked taxpayer funds it received through a taxpayer-funded program that provides food for low income women and children. In October, Oklahoma officials dropped the abortion giant so it could steer tax dollars to legitimate agencies helping women and children in need. The Oklahoma State Department of Health ended its WIC contract with... Read more
Baltimore, Md., Nov 12, 2012 / 03:54 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In the aftermath of the Nov. 6 elections, the U.S. bishops stressed that they will push ahead with defending religious liberty from the Obama administration’s contraception mandate, which cannot be lived with as it stands. “Currently the HHS mandate is on the books,” said Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who leads the bishops’ ad hoc religious freedom committee. “That’s what we actually concretely have to deal with now.”... Read more
A reader brought me up short yesterday with the observation that Oklahoma is not the center of the known universe and what I experience here doesn’t translate so well to her life as a Christian in Seattle. She had a point, and a good one. In truth, I am an expert on what it means to be a female, pro-life, Catholic, Democratic wife, mother, member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. It’s kind of hard to top my knowledge of that... Read more
This is Cardinal Dolan’s address to the Fall USCCB General Assembly. I’m going to put the entire address here for you to read it. I will add one spoiler: There’s talk about bringing back meatless Fridays. How would you feel about that if it happens? Here’s the address, from the USCCB website. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Address given at the USCCB General Assembly Fall meeting on November 12, 2012.... Read more
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