The Shrine of St. John Neumann

Today is the feast day of St. John Neumann, a wonderful model for what a bishop ought to be: humble, simple, zealous for souls, a teacher, a martyr for his flock. St. John Neumann was all that and more. I made a virtual visit to his national shrine in Philadelphia today, but I hope to go there for real this year. You see, one of my new year's intentions is to visit more shrines in the United States. What a wealth the country offers and some are only a few hours from my home in the Shenandoah Valley including St. John Neumann's. Two easy pilgrimage stops that could be made in tandem are the Shrine of St. John Neumann and the nearby Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, a northern suburb (where I lived for several years as a teenager).

If you've never read St. John Neumann's short autobiography, I recommend it.

The CCHD Hucksters Know All the Tricks

A few days ago I wrote about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and their bogus reform. (See here.) Apparently, the CCHD hucksters are worried that too many Catholics in the pew are on to their game and won't buy into their message of hope and change at CCHD. Ah, what to do, what to do? Got it! Repackage and change the name. For sure that's happened in California which is calling this year's CCHD collection "National Needs in the Diocese of Orange."

Is this happening in other dioceses? Probably. So watch out for any "national" collection and verify before you give. Although my blanket recommendation is don't give to any special collections at all unless you know exactly how the money is being spent. Most of the church collections, especially the national and international "charities", are so tainted by federal money that they are no longer identifiable as Catholic. This is certainly true of "Catholic" Charities. Remember a few years ago when the Richmond Catholic Charities enabled the abortion of a young teenager in their care? (See here.)

It's time for a new national/international Catholic charity run by orthodox laity that refuses federal money, is completely voluntary (i.e., doesn't coerce through taxation), and follows Catholic teaching in grant-giving. It's time to cut off the bogus groups that operate according to secular policies using the name "Catholic" as window dressing.

We need truth in advertising in Catholic giving! How many would put one penny in the CCHD collection if they knew their money enabled abortion, contraception, gay rights, illegal immigration, and a host of other leftwing initiatives?