And the winner is....Grading the USCCB Committee Picks

The bishops have voted, the tallies are in, and new sub-heads at the USCCB are chosen. Some good news; some bad from my perspective (take that for what it's worth). If I were grading the picks on a pass/fail scale here's what I would say:

FAIL -- The new Conference Secretary is Bishop George Murry, SJ of Youngstown who will continue in the position he took over last year when Bishop Gerald Kicanas was elevated to Conference Vice President. He beat Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton 150 to 69. While I don't know a lot about either bishop, Bishop Blaire was a strong and outspoken proponent of Proposition 8 in California. In view of the battle he definitely earned combat points. On the other hand, the SJ behind Bishop Murray's name cannot, unfortunately, be taken as a good sign these days. As an order, the Jesuits are among the chief underminers of Church doctrine, particularly through their scandalous Catholic colleges. Bishop Murray has served on the Board of Detroit Mercy which is among the worst Catholic colleges in the country, but bishop board members are often mere figureheads. I pray that Bishop Murray is among the few (and lonely) holy Jesuits around.

PASS ++ Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas beat out Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston 139 to 84 to head the National Collections Committee. Thank God! Bishop Bransfield, former rector of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, was known for his lavish parties in Washington, D.C. The first thing he did in the See of Wheeling, my husband's home town, was to renovate the bishop's Victorian mansion to the tune of over a million dollars. He called for every fireplace (I believe there are nine) to be brought up to working code and installed a wine cooler that cost tens of thousands of dollars and a large-screen plasma television. In a city where many workers are losing their jobs and pensions due to the collapse of the steel and coal industries, Bishop Bransfield's lavish spending on his personal comfort is a scandal. Some of the workmen on the renovation who were not Catholic were sickened by what they saw. Great ad for Catholicism eh? That 89 of his brother bishops thought Bransfield was fit to oversee national collections does not speak well of their discernment.

FAIL -- Archbishop Donald Wuerl of D.C. defeated Bishop Jerome Listecki of LaCrosse 140 to 85 to become head of the Doctrine Committee. I think this is another unfortunate sign of business as usual. Bishop Listecki has spoken clearly on Church doctrine relating to the life issues, chastising pro-abortion politicians like Nancy Pelosi. Archbishop Wuerl has frequently demonstrated that it's politics as usual (following the McCarrick model) since he took over Washington. He has made it clear that pro-abortion politicians will not be impeded from photo ops at the Communion rail.

FAIL -- Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston will preside over Pro-Life Activities beating Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City 165 to 59. Both bishops have been outspoken on the life issues, but Archbishop Naumann is a personal hero of mine since he has made it clear he will implement Canon Law 915 by refusing Communion to rabid pro-abortion governor Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius is a fellow alumna of Trinity College in Washington, D.C. graduating two years behind me. I'm afraid the bishops' vote shows they don't want someone who takes Canon Law TOO seriously to be the national spokesman on pro-life. It might make their wishy-washy (political)positions obvious. Are they being pastoral when they let pro-abortion politicians receive the body of the Lord sacrilegiously or are they cowards? You can probably guess my answer to that question.

FAIL -- Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles beat out Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas 129 to 97 for the Office of Communications. Zavala is the bishop rep of Pax Christi, whose peace position never extends to the war against society's weakest members. Zavala falls short on communicating the fullness of truth about the pro-life cause. This was not a good pick for the unborn since Bishop Finn speaks with strength and clarity, perhaps more clarity than the majority of the bench of bishops will tolerate.

PASS ++ Coadjutor Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento beat Bishop Terry Steib of Memphis 134 to 92 to take over the committee on Cultural Diversity. Bishop Soto's strong and unequivocal address to the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries last September gives me confidence in his choice for this position.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the picks illustrate that, despite many bishops being a sign of contradiction to the world according to their evangelical calling, the old guard, the bishop-politicians, are still running the show. If they elevate Bishop Gerald Kicanas next year to president, which is almost certain, faithful laity (and orthodox bishops), will still be out in the cold. That Bishop Kicanas would not allow the distribution of the excellent voter guide developed by Bishop Olmstead speaks volumes. The Holy Family Society of Tucson has posted many articles about the troubling positions and actions of Bishop Kicanas. Start now to oppose his elevation as President of the Conference.

Pray for all the bishops, strong and weak, as they continue to lead their flocks. That Catholic voters ignored the teachings of the Church when they went into the voting booth this month is a sad reflection of the shepherding most Catholics receive today in their parishes and dioceses. Pray, fast, and work for Church renewal.

Choose Life Plates for Virginia - IM4IT

Virginia State Senator Ken Cuccinelli (The picture is not Ken, but former state delegate Dick Black, a pro-life hero who fought unsuccessfully for the tag in previous legislative sessions) will be introducing a bill to approve Choose Life license plates in the state. Let's make 2009 the year. The vanity plate will cost $25, but $15 from every plate will be used to promote adoption. We can do this! A website has been set up where Virginians can sign a petition for the plates and download a hard copy to collect signatures. Jump on the Choose Life bandwagon and help to bring the pro-life tag to Virginia. The pro-aborts will fight this tooth and claw because they are not "pro-choice" at all; they are pro-abortion and they oppose the choice for life!

Two Thumbs Down for the Bishops on Election of Zavala!

The bishops' meeting in Baltimore continues, but one decision merits two thumbs down as it indicates episcopal politics as usual.

The bishops elected Gabino Zavala, auxiliary of Los Angeles and affilitated with the liberal group Pax Christi to head up the Communications Committee passing over Bishop Robert Finn, a strong advocate for the unborn.

While some bishops were strongly defending abortion as the central issue in the recent presidential campaign, Bishop Zavala was mouthing nuanced interpretations of the bishops' document on Faithful Citizenship providing cover for liberals voting for Obama. Washington Post Columnist E.J. Dionne, an abortion champion, praised the bishop's statement which says more than enough about its impact.

That the bishops chose Bishop Zavala over Bishop Finn who called voting for pro-abortion candidates a grave sin sends a clear message to pro-life Catholics who believe abortion is the central issue of our day. "We don't want to be embarrassed by a bishop who might speak TOO clearly on this issue."

More homosexual hate

The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission website is documenting attacks by gay activists. Will homosexuals be held accountable for their hate crimes? Don't hold you breath, but take action. Sign the petition calling on California Attorney General Edmund Brown, Jr. to uphold the law (CA penal code 302) against disrupting church services. Vandalism, intimidation, and assault are the weapons of anti-Christian homosexual thugs. Return their hate with love, but be prepared to suffer for Christ.

Kristallnacht (the night of broken glass): Is it beginning in the United States?

On the night of November 9-10, 1938 in Nazi Germany a coordinated attack against the Jews took place all over the country. Two hundred synagogues and thousands of German businesses were ransacked and destroyed. It also marked the beginning of the massive deportation of Jews to the concentration camps.

The attack on the Church in the United States is beginning. In Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Bash Back, an anarchist group of homosexual activists infiltrated the congregation of Mt. Hope Church while others dressed in pink and black created a loud disturbance outside. At a pre-set moment the insiders, dressed conservatively, began the disturbance and those outside entered the church to terrorize the congregation and vandalize. City Pulse covered the story and blogs4god lists links to commentary around the internet. For the most part the invasion of Church is being ignored by the mainstream media. Can you imagine the reaction if straights had invaded a gay bar? It would be front page news for weeks.

We haven't seen the end of this. The rage over passage of California's Proposition 8 upholding traditional marriage is sparking action against churches all over the country. In fact a national protest is scheduled for this weekend. Any violent actions will be covered up, just like the brutal murder of Mary Stachowicz by homosexual Nicholas Gutierrez in 2002. You haven't heard about that you say? Bet you recognize the name Matthew Shepherd. Did you know that all of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims were young men? No? The mainstream media hides homosexual crimes. Watch for homosexual hatred against Christians coming to a church near you. But don't expect it to be called a hate crime. Those intolerant Christians deserve everything they get. That's what they said about Mary Stachowicz, the Catholic mother of four who was raped and tortured before she died. Apparently boys weren't the only thing that turned her attacker on.

Get ready for an ugly America: Tolerance in action

Listen to reporter (Kimberly Chang) say, "Are you okay, Phyllis?" as a 69 year old woman gets surrounded and verbally assaulted by a gang of gays furious over the loss of proposition 8 in California. The anchor back on the set has the gall to say, "a lot of hate, quite honestly, on both sides." Exactly how did that little old lady show hate?

This video provides a vivid example of exactly how biased the media is. A dear elderly lady smiles and prays while this vicious group of thugs attacks her, grabs the cross out of her hands and stomps it on the ground. This is the love and tolerance of the gay community. Historically, sexual depravity ends in violence. The Marquis de Sade's Paris preceded the French Revolution with its reign of terror. The Weimer Republic with its nudity, child pornography, and cabarets appealing to any and all sexual appetites no matter how depraved preceded Hitler's rise to power and the death camps. Lust and murder go together. This chilling video is a warning of what's ahead.

I experienced something similar on two occasions. At a feminist march a friend and I prayed inside a fenced area with crosses representing babies killed by abortion. A mob circled the area screaming at us. The hate was palpable so we just began reciting the St. Michael prayer over and over. At a rescue where I was the media spokesman, I was surrounded by dozens of pro-aborts screaming at me as a stood in silent prayer holding a fetal model of a ten week developing baby. By the time they were finished foaming at the mouth with hateful rage within inches of my face I was shaking in reaction. Watching this video brought those experiences back in vivid detail.

Pray to withstand the trial that's coming. If you dare to stand against it, you will be treated as this woman was and worse. May God have mercy on our country.

From the Creepy Trivia Files...

Lots of people have been proposing that Obama may be the anti-Christ. Well...I take such prognostications with a grain of salt although the messiah stuff, media worship, world obamamania, obama kids singing to their leader, etc. is pretty creepy.

But now a new bit of trivia enters the picture that must certainly clinch it. On November 5th, election day, the pick three lottery in Obama's state of Illinois was.....guess what....666. Really! You can check it out for yourself. Think the winner will give his lottery windfall to "the one" for redistribution to the masses?

Author Michael O'Brien addresses the question of anti-Christ as well in a letter to his readers.
"What are we to make of a man who has appeared out of semi-obscurity and become, nearly overnight, so very much an idol of the popular imagination? That he intends to become the most effective advocate of murder of the unborn ever seen in America should give us pause. Murder and lies are as old as the lands east of Eden, of course, but when they are charmingly packaged, proposed as reasonable and just policies (with a smile, a resonant voice, and an appealing flash of the eyes), one begins to wonder just what is afoot in the modern age. It brings to mind a passage from the first Act of Shakespeare's Hamlet:

"'That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain...'

"The line is from a scene where prince Hamlet has just encountered the ghost of his father, who informs his son that he was poisoned by his own brother Claudius (the 'smiling, damned villain'), who after murdering him, seized the king's crown and his queen.

"Barack Obama is an image-maker, creating his own myth as he goes along... Our hero. Our visionary. Our Great Friend and spokesman in the forum of the world?"

If you want to read an interesting book about the anti-Christ read Msgr. Robert Hugh Benson's Lord of the World or Michael O'Brien's Fr. Elijah. As for Obama, pray for him and work against all the evil he has planned to advance the murder of the unborn and the expansion of sexual perversion.

FIGHT FOCA!

One of the worst results of the election is the virtual guarantee that we will get the Freedom of Choice Act which will result in expansion of the murder of children and the abandonment of their mothers, especially minors, who will experience devastating exploitation as all state protections are destroyed.

This bill is not about freedom of choice but the power to coerce.

FOCA is a centerpiece of the new administration. Obama promised it, the Democrats love it, and Planned Parenthood will demand it.

Despite all that, we must continue to fight to prevent it through prayer and action. Join the Fight Foca movement by signing the petition of Americans United for Life. That is just the beginning; we must never weary in doing good. Don't waste time mourning the outcome on election day. Renew your dedication to defend the tiniest ones, God's precious children!

Picking Pockets in the Pew: the CCHD Scandal

Fleecing the flock!

On November 23rd in Catholic churches around the country ushers will pass collection baskets for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Millions of trusting Catholics will contribute “to help the poor.” What many don’t know is that their hard-earned dollars will pour into the coffers of liberal organizations promoting causes they oppose and which often hurt the poor.

In 1969, the U.S. bishops established CCHD “to fund low-income controlled empowerment projects and to educate Catholics about the root causes of poverty.1 Since then the campaign has spent $300 million funding community and parish organizing. According to the grant application criteria on the CCHD website, groups offering direct services, e.g., soup kitchens, day care centers, homeless shelters, etc. are ineligible. So scrap the Missionaries of Charity, your local free clinic, or crisis pregnancy center; they are banned by definition. Not a single one appears on the 2007 summary of CCHD grantees.2 To be eligible, groups must organize the poor “to enact institutional change.” That means working for modification of existing laws and/or policies; and establishment of participatory and just social structures and/or redistribution of decision-making powers so that people living in poverty can be involved in policy-making that affects their lives.”3 (There is also an "economic development" category of funding for businesses run by and creating jobs for low-income people, but it's a small percentage of the pie – useful, however, for CCHD PR.)

The bottom line is CCHD primarily funds community organizers who go into neighborhoods and agitate for change using local people led by trained organizers, the real decision-makers. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing depending on the change and the tactics used, but CCHD has a shaky history of funding groups that promote radical left socialism rather than Catholicism. CCHD policy is modeled more on the failed strategies of secular poverty programs than on Catholic social justice philosophy. (Continued...)

A prophecy -- pray it does not come to pass

Prophets in the Old Testament warned the Israelites about future catastrophes if they did not repent and turn back to God. The warnings were always conditional.

"If my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and revive their land." (2 Chronicles 14)

In mid October James Dobson wrote a prophetic letter, Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America. It is a sobering document. I urge you to run it off, read it, and save it in a safe place. Is Dobson's vision of what's coming for our country true? Will we lose free speech? Will doctors and nurses be forced to participate in abortions or lose their jobs? Will churches be forced to hire homosexuals and allow same-sex weddings? Will teachers be fired if they refuse to teach that homosexuality is good? Will homeschooling be restricted or even banned? Will elderly Americans be denied healthcare under a nationalized system? Will Christian books be removed from libraries and book stores as hate speech? Will the U.S. become a nation tried by a world court of the U.N.? Will her sovereignty disappear? Will guns be, not only regulated, but confiscated?

Dobson's letter raises many questions. Will his scenario of lost freedoms come to pass? I have no idea. But I will print out his letter and watch and see what happens. All those who wanted change may get it. Whether it will be a change for the better or a nightmare repetition from the past remains to be seen. Prophetic warnings are conditional. Embrace the message of Fatima because that promise is filled with hope. If we pray the rosary daily Mary promises that in the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph. That is a promise and a prophecy we can count on.