Fr. Tom Collins: The Injustice of the World's Secularist Social Justice!

It is worth noting the secularist “social justice” agenda, widely supported by a number of

“faithful Catholics in good standing” includes, among other things:

• The brutal barbaric butchering of pre-born babies in utero; 

Fr. Tom Collins: The Politically Incorrect Observations of a Warrior Priest

Editor's comment: Much evil occurs within the Church from promotion of a false notion of "social justice" that has nothing to do with the doctrine taught by Christ or His Church. Fr. Collins points that out specifically in his observations. God bless him for his willingness to speak the truth. We feel blessed to call him friend!

Fr. Tom Collins: Do the Bishops Wink at Human Sacrifice to Save the Planet?

Social justice means loving our Sister, Mother
Earth. Didn't you read Laudato Si?

Editor's comment: In view of the upcoming Pan Amazon Synod which promotes a pagan world view putting mankind on the same level as ants, fungus and other forms of life in the rain forest, Fr. Tom's article has particular relevance. 

Are the pope and the bishops so caught up in the politically correct issues of "integral ecology", global warming, etc. that they devalue human life in favor of the life of the planet? And what does that say about the secular social justice agenda? 

A few weeks ago I asked the question, What is Social Justice Anyway? If you asked your bishop that question, what do you think he would say? 

THE DECEPTION OF THE SOCIAL JUSTICE AGENDA

Social Justice: What is it Anyway?

Is this the path to social justice?

Ah...so much to study, so little time. I've been wanting to research "social justice" for a long time. It's become the mantra of liberals who seem to define it as open borders, abortion on demand without apology as a civil right, and "free" everything from health care to college. Social justice is social-ism in their vocabulary, government-enforced redistribution of income to make everybody an equal comrade.

Liberals always talk about taxing the rich, but end up robbing the pockets of the middle class to achieve their goals. As my dad used to say, "There just aren't enough rich people!" The real target must be the massive middle. And, of course, capitalism in their book, by nature, is evil, which it certainly can be when it exploits workers making them wage slaves. But socialism does exactly the same thing by its nature! The worker is nothing but a mere creature of the state, a cog in the government machine.

But what is social justice...really?

Miscellaneous Observations from Fr. Tom Collins -- Are You Confused?

A report in the Washington Times yesterday (May 29th) shows that human trafficking cartels behind the “migrant crisis”, which has brought hundreds of thousands of “economic refugees” illegally across our borders, with demands from Democrats, clergy and activist judges that “social justice” requires that we pay indefinitely to supply such infiltrators with free room, board, medical care and education.

Letter to a friend: Excellent report about George Soros

The Great Manipulator

Dear Nancy,

This is a scanned copy of an issue of the Mindszenty Report that focuses on George Soros.  It is a concise capsule of Soros that many in your list might find useful. 

I just finished reading Witness, by Whitaker Chambers and am currently reading a book he mentioned in one of the chapters titled Assignment in Utopia, by Eugene Lyons. 

Loving Our Neighbor

..the least of these brothers 
and sisters of mine Matt. 25:40

This past Sunday our deacon, ordinarily a very good homilist,  gave a sermon focused, on the words of St. Paul from his letter to the Galatians, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  The sermon was going well until he said something about  simply writing a check not being good enough and what a shame it is that more of us don't sign up to make sandwiches for the poor. 
At that point, he lost me, because I sensed a political agenda that I've long held in suspicion.  I never heard this "sandwich thing" before we moved to Virginia where I saw it listed in my parish bulletin.  

Reflecting on Social Justice: But What Is It?

Does this depict the meaning of social justice for Catholics?

Social justice is a phrase thrown about frequently. For many it means act like Robin Hood. Take from the rich (anyone who has more than you do) and give it to those who have less (you, of course). We're not talking voluntary giving here, but forced "charity" usually handled by government bureaucrats who have the power to coerce redistribution of income from workers to takers (often those whom they see as voting blocks grateful for government largesse  using other people's money).

Does "Social Justice" Justify Sin? by Fr. Tom Collins

My friend, Fr. Tom Collins, hits another one out of the ball park! I know many Catholics with a false notion of "social justice" who act exactly as Father describes labeling all those who disagree as intolerant and hateful. What times we live in when those who call for social "justice" act so unjustly toward their brothers and sisters!

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It is painful to acknowledge the fact that we have witnessed a serious degradation of many of the Church's sacred disciplines over the past half century. One of the most glaring examples has been the development of unwritten, but de facto policies, which not only passively ignore, but also pro-actively laud and reward the immoral practices of certain political and civic leaders. Provided such practices are allegedly done for the sake of promoting a "social justice" agenda, they apparently are only to be meekly tolerated, but not carefully critiqued, much less vigorously condemned.

Among the immoral practices routinely embraced by many proponents of the" social justice" agenda are slander, deception, voting fraud, abuse of power, political cronyism, denial of accountability, violation of solemn oaths, the lax enforcement of our laws against the illegal infiltration of our nation (thereby enriching drug cartels and human traffickers for decades), the destruction of pre-born children by abortion, the degradation of our posterity by amoral "family life education" programs and by imposing on them an ever-increasing obscenely onerous burden of debt slavery and unfunded mandates. Sadly, in spite of all these abuses, those who routinely practice them are all too often praised by Church leaders, organizations and institutions as champions of justice.

The Catholic Bishop and Immigration

I just read a great article on the Catholic bishops flawed approach to our border invasion. This is my first time reading an article by this author, Vincent Ryan Ruggiero, but I plan to read more. He really hit the nail on the head!

Check it out here.

Clergy who "Fail to Lead Us with the Truth"

Une femme who lives in Northern Virginia whom I've been soliciting to write for the blog sent me this article about a local parish near her home. I couldn't agree more with what she has to say. Clergy are the leaders. If they fail to lead, using wishy-washy speak, or lead in the wrong direction, they do serious damage to the faith. Here's a parish that has a movie night, but the pastor couldn't do one single thing to participate in the bishops' Fortnight for Freedom. No surprise. This is a typical "social justice" parish that follows the world's definitions instead of the Church's. So social justice means community organizing in the image of Saul Alinsky. Now the pastor could have connected Fortnight for Freedom by choosing a good movie that illustrates what happens to a country when it has a corrupt government? For Greater Glory would be an ideal choice with a little talk before hand. Shame on you, Father, and for all the milquetoast statements in your bulletin letter that imply that Church doctrine is just a matter of opinion! 

WHEN PASTORS FAIL TO LEAD
by Chriss Rainey

On June 23, in a Catholic church bulletin in Reston, VA, there appeared under the heading: "From the Pastor" a letter I believe underscores one of the greatest enemies of our faith, tacit accommodation of our clergy who thereby fail to lead us with the truth.

The priest began by acknowledging the fact "we are in the midst of the second annual call from our Bishops for a program called Fortnight for Freedom--two weeks of prayer and action to protect religious freedom." And then he said, "We have not scheduled any specific activities for the parish as a whole, simply because we find scheduling these events does not generate a great deal of presence.

The Plot Thickens at the USCCB

Charges are flying back and forth over the criticism of John Carr, Director of the peace and social justice department at the USCCB which oversees the Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). The bishop responsible for CCHD, Roger Morin, says all the charges against John Carr are "totally ridiculous." Bishop William Murphy, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, went after Carr's accusers telling Catholic News Service,  “I’m concerned about these attacks on John Carr and I know they are false and I think they are even calumnious. I am taking this to be a very sad, sad commentary on the honesty of some people in these pressure groups." Ah yes, the best defense is a good offense. Attack the messenger. It's the same tactic used during the sex abuse scandals when parents were treated like enemies for trying to defend their children from sodomites in the priesthood. Your Excellencies, that strategy didn't work. Where's the openness and transparency you promised? Honesty is certainly at issue here. Perhaps you should examine your own consciences.

Meanwhile, neither bishop addressed the charges which show millions of Catholic dollars being poured into pro-abortion and pro-homosexual groups. But read the CNS article and the American Life League report for yourself. Calling the charges "totally ridiculous" doesn't address the serious scandal of dollars donated for poverty being poured into the coffers of those advocating for abortion, sodomy,  and same-sex marriage. The proof is there and attacking the messenger doesn't address the questions.

In a letter to all diocesan pro-life directors the USCCB's director of the Pro-Life Secretariat, Tom Grenchik defended Carr's pro-life convictions. ALL responded with an open letter to Grenchik pointing out that they never questioned Carr's pro-life beliefs, but the "serious lack of prudence displayed by the USCCB’s social justice arm in its dealings with organizations whose aims directly contradict Church teaching."

Meanwhile the mountain of scandals continues to grow. ALL sent out a news release February 4 detailing a list of heterodox speakers at the upcoming "Social Gathering Conference" which brings together Diocesan Social Justice personnel for a meeting in Washington D.C. February 7-10. Among those on the program is Diana Hayes,  "noted speaker for Call to Action, the 'Catholic' dissident group. Hayes is a homosexuality activist who wrote a book espousing liberation theology, calls for women’s ordination and promotes same-sex 'marriage.'" What a way to educate those responsible for administering social justice programs! Another radical on the agenda is Paul Booth. He and his wife Heather "have served as host committee members for the National Organization for Women's Intrepid Awards Gala." Heather also organized a project called "Jane" in 1965 to help women obtain illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade. That these individuals would be selected for a Catholic gathering  is just one more proof that the "social justice" arm of the bishops is totally corrupt.



I frankly have to laugh at both Bishop Mruphy and Bishop Morin having the gall to allege that those criticizing what's happening at the USCCB made no attempt to contact Carr and CCHD. According to ALL's open letter and an earlier LifeSiteNews story, that simply isn't true. Rob Gaspar of Bellarmine Veritas Ministries and Michael Hichborn of ALL attempted to meet with both John Carr and Ralph McCloud, CCHD director, last fall and were rebuffed.  But, hey, refuse the meeting and then blame the groups for not contacting you! It's a scheme worthy of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid. In view of the USCCB's close association with the death peddlers in the Democratic party, maybe that's where the bishops are getting their advice. They certainly aren't looking to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

More USCCB scandals: High Ranking USCCB Officials Shill for Pro-Abort Democrats

The USCCB has become a mouthpiece for the party of death. They support groups that actively support positions in total contadiction of Catholic teaching. They have enabled and promoted the enemies of the Church. If you want to look at the 2008 audit of the USCCB go here.  You'll be amazed to see not only how much money the organization rakes in from diocesan collections and diocesan assessments, but how much they get from the government. So who is the USCCB serving? God or Caesar? It seems pretty clear from their actions.

Why CCHD Went Wrong - You Can't Get Good Fruit From a Bad Tree! Cut it down!

I read an interesting article this morning about the root problems of the CCHD (Catholic Campaign for Human Development) which the author summarizes as the link to Saul Alinsky's "false view of reality and distorted view of the human person." An organization based on Alinsky's principles was bound to mirror his flawed philosophy which CCHD has done in spades. The author goes on to describe an authentic type of community organizing based on Catholic principles:

A Catholic approach to community organizing, rather recognizes that authentic structural transformation comes about not through deception and seizing power but through individual conversion and human solidarity. It recognizes also that subsidiarity is a co-principle with solidarity. This means that long term solutions are found in helping those in need to recognize that part of any solution is working for the holiness of both the “powerful” as well as the “powerless.” It realizes that situations and societies are authentically transformed not through conflict but through selfless cooperation.

It recognizes that those being served must be an integral part of any solution meant to serve them, and this includes setting the goals and the strategies for achieving them. It is not that confronting unjust situations might sometimes be necessary but a Catholic approach may not succumb to the ideology that confrontation is a normal, even necessary approach.

Neither can a Catholic approach fall into the adjunct heresy that life is a struggle for power. Authentic power is not the forcing of one person’s or group of people’s will over another’s. Rather, authentic power occurs only when love triumphs. God is love who is the source of all authentic power. When one views the other as an enemy to be defeated, authentic power is suppressed. When one views the other, even an oppressor, as a fellow sinner who Christ died for one will be better prepared to discern the proper approach for a particular situation.

Those who have studied CCHD over the years believe it may not be possible to reform the group because of its marriage to the Alinsky model which is based on moral relativism. Catholicism and moral relativism are fundamentally at odds and, although the old adage says that opposites attract that is not the case with good ends and evil means.

The author comes to a conclusion with which I heartily agree:

Because CCHD was founded upon a counter-Catholic ideology, I would argue that CCHD must be disbanded. The Church must also eliminate its material support of any organization formed around Alinsky’s ideology. It is true that we must support efforts that help others “learn to fish” but the Church cannot support corrupt, ideological movements in order to achieve such noble ends.

It is time to abandon this failed experiment called CCHD and devote the available resources to building a new Catholic apostolate dedicated to promoting authentic human flourishing. This new apostolate should base itself upon the social teachings of the Church, built upon an authentic understanding of the human person and how the truth of man demands a social interaction according to the co-principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. The social encyclicals of John Paul II and Benedict XVI are the most mature articulation of this. Anything short of this will risk contaminating authentic efforts at social justice with tactics arising from a relativist, amoral ideology. If we continue with the status quo, we cannot expect anything but more of the same.

Thanks to James for sending the article and to Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex for posting it.

Social Development Begins with Respect for Life

A Commentary on Chapter 1 of Caritas in Veritate: The Truth Doesn't Change

Back in the 70s (before the term "rescue" was in common use) a group of pro-life activists, including myself, conducted regular sit-ins at an abortion mill euphemistically called The Northern Virginia Women's Medical Center. The Center didn't do any medicine; their primary business was killing children. The administrator of the facility was a young woman named Sharon. She and I conversed many times: during sit-ins, at recess in court - we even debated on a local radio station. I tried to witness in Christian charity and challenged Sharon to put her nursing skills to real use instead of killing children. She never stopped in the time I knew her, although one of her nurses, Pam, burned out and left.

Once when our group had again successfully entered the mill to block the killing even though the doors were locked (a nurse opened the door as we walked down the corridor), Sharon said to me in frustration, "You sound like a broken record; you always say the same thing." I replied, "Sharon, the truth doesn't change."

I thought of that as I continued reading Caritas in Veritate this week. The Church doesn't change. Even in the face of new technology and societal development, the principles that guide our actions always remain the same. Pope Benedict makes that clear by his heavy dependence on Pope Paul VI's encyclical Populorum Progressio published more than 40 years ago and reference to the apostles and to the ancient fathers and doctors of the Church. Standing with one foot firmly planted in the traditions of the past and the other in the present facing new challenges, the Church remains solidly grounded in ancient, unchanging truths.

Pope Benedict describes the "two important truths" of Pope Paul's encyclical:

The first is that the whole Church, in all her being and acting -- when she proclaims, when she celebrates, when she performs works of charity -- is engaged in promoting integral human development....The second truth is that authentic human development concerns the whole of the person in every single dimension.

So human development is oriented toward the individual who is seen as an integrated whole: body, intellect, and will. Pope Benedict speaks the same message shared by the great reformers of every age, "the Christian ideal of a single family of peoples in solidarity and fraternity." Consider the Apostles going to the ends of the earth carrying the message of evangelization and baptizing people one by one. The central force serving this true human development, the very heart of social teaching, is "Christian charity" at the service of life.

Life ethics, Pope Benedict makes crystal clear, are at the very heart of social ethics. There can be no true "dignity of the person, justice and peace" where "human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized." Human progress is essentially a vocation "that derives from a transcendent call." It "presupposes the responsible freedom of the individual" and recognizes that each individual is the "principal agent of his own success or failure." The Gospel, Pope Paul says and Pope Benedict reaffirms "is fundamental for development" and it must, to be true, "involve the whole man and every man."

The world often denies the necessity of the Church, faith, and God to bring about human progress. Instead worldly institutions (government, schools, charitable foundations, think tanks, etc.) are seen as the agents of change for the betterment of society. But the pope makes it clear that:

institutions by themselves are not enough, because integral human development is primarily a vocation, and therefore it involves a free assumption of responsibility in solidarity on the part of everyone. Moreover...it needs God: without him, development is either denied, or entrusted exclusively to man, who falls into the trap of thinking he can bring about his own salvation, and ends up promoting a dehumanized form of development.

Think of the paganized public school system attempting to solve the problem of teenage pregnancy by teaching children to fornicate without consequence (an impossibility) and you'll understand what the pope means by "a dehumanized form of development."

Pope Benedict stresses that the Church's social doctrine throughout the ages forms "a single teaching, consistent and at the same time ever new" that shares "the coherence of the overall doctrinal corpus....The church's social doctrine illuminates with an unchanging light the new problems that are constantly emerging." From the Apostles to the Fathers of the Church to "the great Christian doctors" Church teaching still speaks to us today. The great moral principles of the past never grow old, they simply find new applications.

From the very beginning of his encyclical, Pope Benedict makes it clear that respect for life and the dignity of the human person, man's own freedom and responsibility and call to vocation, lie at the center of any discussion of social progress and social justice. It is not a message the media welcomes or is likely to promote. So read the document, not the media spin on its contents.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Papal Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, available online

You can download Pope Benedict's new encyclical, Caritas in Veritate on the papal website. I plan to read most of it tonight at my weekly hour of Eucharistic adoration. I'm sure studying it in the Real Presence of Our Eucharistic Lord can't help but increase my understanding.

I've only read the introduction, but I'm excited at what Pope Benedict is articulating. Charity and truth, he says, are so intimately connected they cannot be separated. When charity is divided from truth it "degenerates into sentimentality." The relativism that results is a "fatal risk" threatening love that distorts it to the degree "it comes to mean the opposite."

We can certainly see this in the abortion debate where those promoting "choice" deny the biological truth of life's beginning. Their "charity" toward women is cold indeed, based on lies and distortions. And so the reality becomes "the opposite," not love but hatred for the unborn child in the womb who, even when fully developed and easily recognizable as a member of the human family, is treated as so much trash. The end result for the woman is hatred and rejection of both her unborn baby and her very self. Her fertility and her natural gift of nurturing become a curse rather than a blessing. Self-hatred is the result. That explains a lot, for example radical feminism's strident anger, its connections to lesbianism, and its sublimation and hatred for all things feminine.

But back to the pope's introduction - in the social sphere, the pope says, truth is essential not only to establishing a just society but a charitable one. "Charity goes beyond justice, because to love is to give, to offer what is 'mine' to the other; but it never lacks justice, which prompts us to give the other what is 'his', what is due to him by reason of his being or his acting. I cannot 'give' what is mine to the other, without first giving him what pertains to him in justice....justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it."

Thus, charity begins with justice, but never ends there. In the broader context it desires "the common good" which "is a great challenge for the Church in a world that is becoming progressively and pervasively globalized." The pope makes it clear that the Church does not interfere "in the politics of States." But instead she has a "mission of truth to accomplish, in every time and circumstance" which is at the "service of truth." Charity, truth, and justice -- a subject worth a lifetime of reflection.

To be continued.