I usually don't write about celebrities, but what the hey? It's all over the papers.
Katie Holmes, the latest wife of Scientologist Tom Cruise, has a new hair cut. I can't get over the thought that she went from cute to scary and creepy overnight in this relationship. I hope she's OK and not too Stepford like it seems.
What do I know anyway?
Just wondering.
11 August 2008
09 August 2008
Catholic Teachings Are Not At Fault
I wrote the letter below in The Pitt News regarding the sex abuse scandal for the campus Catholic student group (the links don't work). This is the latest in the series regarding my writings (as opinions columnist etc.) in The Pitt News.
Letter to the editor
By:
Posted: 3/27/02
Catholic teachings are not at fault
The Newman Oratory Catholic Organization, as the official Roman Catholic organization on the Pitt campus, would like to take this opportunity to formally address the recent criticism the Church has received. We would like to acknowledge the current situation about pedophilic and ephebophilic priests, address the general attack the Church underwent recently in the Pitt News and finally address the Catholics here on the Pitt campus.
It pains us that priests of the Catholic Church violated members of the Church’s innocents in the recent and distant past. In this scandalous sin, they strike at the very God, Church and world they vowed to serve. May God have mercy on us.
We also wish to address the bishops of the dioceses that allowed this crime to continue. In all 50 states, sexual child abuse is a felony. At the first proof of abuse, those priests should have been immediately pulled from ministry and handed over to the authorities.
Of course this criticism is easily assailed in hindsight, as Bishop Wuerl of the Diocese of Pittsburgh reported. “[All the Bishops] were … assured [by psychological scientists] that with proper treatment and oversight, this type of compulsive behavior could be controlled … Nonetheless we know today that the risk is too great.” (see www.pitt.edu/~oratory/citations.html for all article references.)
Now, the policies of the Bishops have changed. The way in which these cases were treated was a grievous error, but the Catholic teachings that deal directly or indirectly with the priesthood are not to be blamed. Other unrelated issues should be addressed separately.
It had been speculated by Catholics and non-Catholics alike that the requirement of celibacy for Catholic priests in the Roman rite is indeed what caused the current situation. According to Dr. Frederick Berlin, M.D., Ph.D., the founder of the Sexual Disorders Clinic at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, there is no evidence that supports the claim that the celibate priest is any more likely to be a pedophiliac or ephebophiliac than any other person, including those who are married.
In fact, as reported by Deal Hudson of CRISIS Magazine, “…celibacy should be rather easy to defend, especially in a culture where sexual behavior has damaged so many people. The fact that you have 46,000 men in the U.S. and 100,000 men around the world who have dedicated themselves totally to the service of Catholics is a powerful witness to a generation addicted to genital satisfaction.” (ccc#2352)
In “The Ten Commandments: The First Draft”, [M. Derek] Care mentioned that priests in the Catholic church are celibate to remain pure, but in fact, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1579-80 (ccc#1579-1580) priestly celibacy is “‘for the sake of the kingdom of heaven,” to “consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to ‘the affairs of the Lord” and to “radiantly proclaim the Reign of God.” If a priest disregards the Church’s teaching, it is caused by his own sin.
Further, as ignorantly alleged, the church is not hostile toward homosexuals, only opposed to the gay acts they commit (ccc#2357-2359), teachings about birth control are not “arbitrary” (ccc#2366-2372 and Onan’s sin in Genesis 38 (see citations)) and Catholics do not worship idols (ccc#2112-2114), but create art, or icons (see ccc#1159-1162 and 2129-2132) that remind us of Jesus, heavenly beings and the Saints.
In addition, the Catholic Church did not fully ignore the recent scandalous events, but definitely did not ignore the Holocaust. As a matter of fact, Einstein spoke for the Church in Time magazine in 1940 about the Holocaust, saying, “Only the [Catholic] Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign for suppressing truth.”
For all those in the Catholic Church on campus, please realize the only response to this and all scandals is holiness. When the Church suffers the most as the Body of Christ from within or by others (John 15:18-20), God calls us all the more to witness to the Church’s real face: as people called into the race for Holiness (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) by the grace of Jesus and guided by the Spirit in the pillar and bulwark of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Even Judas betrayed Jesus, but thank God the other Eleven Apostles found the grace to continue as His disciples to proclaim One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism with Simon Peter as their Rock (Ephesians 4:4-16, Matthew 16:18, John 1:42).
Gutter Ball Master, on behalf of
Ryan Catholic Newman Center
4450 Bayard St.
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
(412) 681-3181
http://www.pitt.edu/~oratory
© Copyright 2008 The Pitt News
Letter to the editor
By:
Posted: 3/27/02
Catholic teachings are not at fault
The Newman Oratory Catholic Organization, as the official Roman Catholic organization on the Pitt campus, would like to take this opportunity to formally address the recent criticism the Church has received. We would like to acknowledge the current situation about pedophilic and ephebophilic priests, address the general attack the Church underwent recently in the Pitt News and finally address the Catholics here on the Pitt campus.
It pains us that priests of the Catholic Church violated members of the Church’s innocents in the recent and distant past. In this scandalous sin, they strike at the very God, Church and world they vowed to serve. May God have mercy on us.
We also wish to address the bishops of the dioceses that allowed this crime to continue. In all 50 states, sexual child abuse is a felony. At the first proof of abuse, those priests should have been immediately pulled from ministry and handed over to the authorities.
Of course this criticism is easily assailed in hindsight, as Bishop Wuerl of the Diocese of Pittsburgh reported. “[All the Bishops] were … assured [by psychological scientists] that with proper treatment and oversight, this type of compulsive behavior could be controlled … Nonetheless we know today that the risk is too great.” (see www.pitt.edu/~oratory/citations.html for all article references.)
Now, the policies of the Bishops have changed. The way in which these cases were treated was a grievous error, but the Catholic teachings that deal directly or indirectly with the priesthood are not to be blamed. Other unrelated issues should be addressed separately.
It had been speculated by Catholics and non-Catholics alike that the requirement of celibacy for Catholic priests in the Roman rite is indeed what caused the current situation. According to Dr. Frederick Berlin, M.D., Ph.D., the founder of the Sexual Disorders Clinic at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, there is no evidence that supports the claim that the celibate priest is any more likely to be a pedophiliac or ephebophiliac than any other person, including those who are married.
In fact, as reported by Deal Hudson of CRISIS Magazine, “…celibacy should be rather easy to defend, especially in a culture where sexual behavior has damaged so many people. The fact that you have 46,000 men in the U.S. and 100,000 men around the world who have dedicated themselves totally to the service of Catholics is a powerful witness to a generation addicted to genital satisfaction.” (ccc#2352)
In “The Ten Commandments: The First Draft”, [M. Derek] Care mentioned that priests in the Catholic church are celibate to remain pure, but in fact, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1579-80 (ccc#1579-1580) priestly celibacy is “‘for the sake of the kingdom of heaven,” to “consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to ‘the affairs of the Lord” and to “radiantly proclaim the Reign of God.” If a priest disregards the Church’s teaching, it is caused by his own sin.
Further, as ignorantly alleged, the church is not hostile toward homosexuals, only opposed to the gay acts they commit (ccc#2357-2359), teachings about birth control are not “arbitrary” (ccc#2366-2372 and Onan’s sin in Genesis 38 (see citations)) and Catholics do not worship idols (ccc#2112-2114), but create art, or icons (see ccc#1159-1162 and 2129-2132) that remind us of Jesus, heavenly beings and the Saints.
In addition, the Catholic Church did not fully ignore the recent scandalous events, but definitely did not ignore the Holocaust. As a matter of fact, Einstein spoke for the Church in Time magazine in 1940 about the Holocaust, saying, “Only the [Catholic] Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign for suppressing truth.”
For all those in the Catholic Church on campus, please realize the only response to this and all scandals is holiness. When the Church suffers the most as the Body of Christ from within or by others (John 15:18-20), God calls us all the more to witness to the Church’s real face: as people called into the race for Holiness (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) by the grace of Jesus and guided by the Spirit in the pillar and bulwark of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Even Judas betrayed Jesus, but thank God the other Eleven Apostles found the grace to continue as His disciples to proclaim One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism with Simon Peter as their Rock (Ephesians 4:4-16, Matthew 16:18, John 1:42).
Gutter Ball Master, on behalf of
Ryan Catholic Newman Center
4450 Bayard St.
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
(412) 681-3181
http://www.pitt.edu/~oratory
© Copyright 2008 The Pitt News
07 August 2008
So Mature.
What is maturity? My Mom defined it as being able to talk about things besides yourself. A VERY popular definition is that one must be sexy or open to casual or premarital sex (de facto marriage). I think how one defines maturity determines an adult’s attitude and, therefore, actions. Changes in societies' view of maturity change the very landscape of that society since adults act from their view of what society defines as mature behavior.
Remember Debbie Gibson (of the ‘80/90’s)? As a girl and early adolescent, she dressed and carried herself in a respectable manner. When she became older, or, grew up, she dressed and performed more “maturely”. Why must this maturity include an increase in one's 'sex factor'?
It begs to question, how do I define maturity, and, therefore, believe what society should view as mature? Maturity is NOT becoming sexed up. It's a change in attitude wherein one simply takes responsibility for themselves and comes to a realization that they need to respect themselves and their neighbor's freedom, or, better yet, to love their neighbor. An outward sex appeal should not define one's maturity. In actuality, it shows that they are really not so mature.
Remember Debbie Gibson (of the ‘80/90’s)? As a girl and early adolescent, she dressed and carried herself in a respectable manner. When she became older, or, grew up, she dressed and performed more “maturely”. Why must this maturity include an increase in one's 'sex factor'?
It begs to question, how do I define maturity, and, therefore, believe what society should view as mature? Maturity is NOT becoming sexed up. It's a change in attitude wherein one simply takes responsibility for themselves and comes to a realization that they need to respect themselves and their neighbor's freedom, or, better yet, to love their neighbor. An outward sex appeal should not define one's maturity. In actuality, it shows that they are really not so mature.
06 August 2008
God Bless Everyone
I look at bumper stickers a lot. The other day there was a car with an Obama campaign one and a “God bless everyone, no exceptions” sticker. I wonder if they knew that Obama doesn’t think that some people are to be blessed but killed just after they are born in partial birth abortions (intact D&E)? Maybe they’re like many other people who try not to think about it. I don’t know unless I talked to the driver. Do you think they’re just ignorant of Obama’s radical views on abortion?
I say God bless everyone from the moment of conception to their natural death.
I say God bless everyone from the moment of conception to their natural death.
30 July 2008
Pro-Life a Liberal Notion?
I already started putting up my old articles from The Pitt News when I was an opinions writer. Here's another one that I thought was one of my better ones.
Pro-Life a Liberal Notion?
When I think liberal in reference to the abortion issue, I usually think pro-choice; on Saturday, February 26, however, my notions changed. I had the pleasure of listening to Mallory Crawford, founder of Earth Mother Enterprises, speak at this year’s Pro-Life Saturday presented by Students for Life. She spoke about her pro-life stance as a liberal, hippie and Suffragette, sharing basic concepts enunciated in current liberal vocabulary (obviously, conservatives also use some liberal terminology).
“Social justice” is a phrase used in liberal circles to obviously highlight the individual’s need for justice in society. This notion of social justice reaches all people regardless of race, creed, or position in life. According to the Declaration of Independence, all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Wouldn’t justice for all include the right of life for the unborn child?
The next word in standard liberal vocabulary is “inclusion”. With a liberal viewpoint, the more inclusive something is, the more valuable that entity. By definition, exclusion would not allow certain individuals to participate in something if they didn’t measure up to certain standards. Recently, the standard measure of life is the value of its productivity. If a particular life is a burden or inconvenient, it is deemed to have less innate worth. This is some of the reasoning behind abortion, euthanasia and suicide. In the case of abortion, the unborn human is excluded on the basis that they would not only be unable to produce enough but actually hinder a mother from certain tasks or a valued role if they were present. However, aborting the child would exclude him or her from participating in the most basic entitlement: life. As Mother Theresa said, “It is a poverty that a child must die so that [the mother] can live as [she wishes].”
I love the next word. It is “progressive”. By definition, one with a liberal perspective loves things that are new. New technology and medicine enlighten us to things that we could never even imagine in the past. These new technologies, social programs and medicines make the possibility of bringing a life into the world more possible and successful. When we know better, we think better. A picture of an unborn baby on an ultrasound makes it clearer that the moving fetus within the mother is alive. As said by Harrison Hickman, pollster for the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, “Probably nothing has been as damaging to [the pro-choice] cause as the advances in technology which have allowed pictures of the developing fetus, because people now talk about the fetus in much different terms than they did 15 years ago. They talk about it as a human being, which is not something that I have an easy answer on how to cure.” As Mallory Crawford put it, the “lack of imagination for a person [thinking of] having an abortion” can be supplemented by the real image of a sonogram.
Certainly pregnancy can pose practical concerns. However, new social programs have made bringing a baby boy or girl into the world more feasible than ever. Project Women in Need (Project WIN at 1-888-LIFE-AID) is a PA state “government-aided pregnancy care service that is a model for a congressional bill that would enact a similar [program] on a federal level”. There are about 100 Project WIN and 100 private pro-life crisis pregnancy centers like Birthright in PA alone. They all provide free pregnancy testing and offer real, practical measures to allow the mother to bring her baby into the world. This, by the way, is many more than the current number of pro-choice directed sites like Planned Parenthood. There are indeed progressive options for pregnant women who have an unexpected “life detour” in their own lives.
The ideals of social justice, inclusion and progressiveness are indeed embraced in liberalism just as they were for the old hippies and Suffragettes, two groups by which Mallory Crawford identified herself. Hippies valued life, while abortion was contrary to love and life. On the other hand, the Suffragettes, or the original feminists tackled many women’s issues in the earlier part of this century as well. Women like Susan B. Anthony talked about motherhood as a woman’s right while, at the same time, not attacking their unborn children. They were trying and succeeding to gain equal rights for themselves as women, mothers, sisters and daughters: created equal by their creator and in their mother.
Pro-Life a Liberal Notion?
When I think liberal in reference to the abortion issue, I usually think pro-choice; on Saturday, February 26, however, my notions changed. I had the pleasure of listening to Mallory Crawford, founder of Earth Mother Enterprises, speak at this year’s Pro-Life Saturday presented by Students for Life. She spoke about her pro-life stance as a liberal, hippie and Suffragette, sharing basic concepts enunciated in current liberal vocabulary (obviously, conservatives also use some liberal terminology).
“Social justice” is a phrase used in liberal circles to obviously highlight the individual’s need for justice in society. This notion of social justice reaches all people regardless of race, creed, or position in life. According to the Declaration of Independence, all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Wouldn’t justice for all include the right of life for the unborn child?
The next word in standard liberal vocabulary is “inclusion”. With a liberal viewpoint, the more inclusive something is, the more valuable that entity. By definition, exclusion would not allow certain individuals to participate in something if they didn’t measure up to certain standards. Recently, the standard measure of life is the value of its productivity. If a particular life is a burden or inconvenient, it is deemed to have less innate worth. This is some of the reasoning behind abortion, euthanasia and suicide. In the case of abortion, the unborn human is excluded on the basis that they would not only be unable to produce enough but actually hinder a mother from certain tasks or a valued role if they were present. However, aborting the child would exclude him or her from participating in the most basic entitlement: life. As Mother Theresa said, “It is a poverty that a child must die so that [the mother] can live as [she wishes].”
I love the next word. It is “progressive”. By definition, one with a liberal perspective loves things that are new. New technology and medicine enlighten us to things that we could never even imagine in the past. These new technologies, social programs and medicines make the possibility of bringing a life into the world more possible and successful. When we know better, we think better. A picture of an unborn baby on an ultrasound makes it clearer that the moving fetus within the mother is alive. As said by Harrison Hickman, pollster for the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, “Probably nothing has been as damaging to [the pro-choice] cause as the advances in technology which have allowed pictures of the developing fetus, because people now talk about the fetus in much different terms than they did 15 years ago. They talk about it as a human being, which is not something that I have an easy answer on how to cure.” As Mallory Crawford put it, the “lack of imagination for a person [thinking of] having an abortion” can be supplemented by the real image of a sonogram.
Certainly pregnancy can pose practical concerns. However, new social programs have made bringing a baby boy or girl into the world more feasible than ever. Project Women in Need (Project WIN at 1-888-LIFE-AID) is a PA state “government-aided pregnancy care service that is a model for a congressional bill that would enact a similar [program] on a federal level”. There are about 100 Project WIN and 100 private pro-life crisis pregnancy centers like Birthright in PA alone. They all provide free pregnancy testing and offer real, practical measures to allow the mother to bring her baby into the world. This, by the way, is many more than the current number of pro-choice directed sites like Planned Parenthood. There are indeed progressive options for pregnant women who have an unexpected “life detour” in their own lives.
The ideals of social justice, inclusion and progressiveness are indeed embraced in liberalism just as they were for the old hippies and Suffragettes, two groups by which Mallory Crawford identified herself. Hippies valued life, while abortion was contrary to love and life. On the other hand, the Suffragettes, or the original feminists tackled many women’s issues in the earlier part of this century as well. Women like Susan B. Anthony talked about motherhood as a woman’s right while, at the same time, not attacking their unborn children. They were trying and succeeding to gain equal rights for themselves as women, mothers, sisters and daughters: created equal by their creator and in their mother.
25 July 2008
A Dissent from the Humanae Vitae Dissent
Today is the fortieth anniversary of Humanae Vitae, the controversial – to say the least - encyclical of Pope Paul VI “On The Regulation Of Birth”, or on contraception. An introspective article of Cardinal James Francis Stafford was written today in which he personally describes the time in July/August 1968 when the encyclical was released and the – mostly dissenting - aftermath (my current parish, St. Joseph's Passionist Monastery Parish in Baltimore, is mentioned in the article).
I was thinking about all the Truth that was restated (from the constant teaching in all the Christian Churches until 1931 at Lambeth, England) in the encyclical when my mind turned toward Lambeth (the site of the Church of England’s conference) of this year (going on now) and the Church of England. An almost inevitable split in the Church of England will take place soon between conservative and liberal bishops over the consecration of an unrepentant, practicing gay bishop and other controversial topics. Many conservative bishops of the Church of England are either turning towards Rome or looking into forming separate diocese but with the same traditions (little “t”) of the Church of England.
The Church of England has fallen into this state of disrepair from its founding. Why does the Church of England exist? It’s because a powerful man wanted a pretty girl and his father said no. (and another girl, however many times)
When will Christians learn that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, the head of the Church? No matter what the political landscape or currents of the day, the Church will remain firm in the Truth revealed by Christ and the Holy Spirit entrusted to the Church and the Pope.
Whether dissent exists from Humanae Vitae, or whether there is separation of the Church of England from the Holy See over unchaste behavior, the Truth about sex, marriage, and the human body remains intact in the Church Christ founded upon Peter.
I wonder if the Church of England will totally rejoin with Rome someday?
Further, a major way that religious vocations can make a comeback is for Catholics to have more children by adhering to Catholic teachings relayed in Humanae Vitae, Evangelium Vitae, and the Theology of the Body.
Will you join me in trying to be faithful to the sexuality teachings of the Church?
I was thinking about all the Truth that was restated (from the constant teaching in all the Christian Churches until 1931 at Lambeth, England) in the encyclical when my mind turned toward Lambeth (the site of the Church of England’s conference) of this year (going on now) and the Church of England. An almost inevitable split in the Church of England will take place soon between conservative and liberal bishops over the consecration of an unrepentant, practicing gay bishop and other controversial topics. Many conservative bishops of the Church of England are either turning towards Rome or looking into forming separate diocese but with the same traditions (little “t”) of the Church of England.
The Church of England has fallen into this state of disrepair from its founding. Why does the Church of England exist? It’s because a powerful man wanted a pretty girl and his father said no. (and another girl, however many times)
When will Christians learn that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, the head of the Church? No matter what the political landscape or currents of the day, the Church will remain firm in the Truth revealed by Christ and the Holy Spirit entrusted to the Church and the Pope.
Whether dissent exists from Humanae Vitae, or whether there is separation of the Church of England from the Holy See over unchaste behavior, the Truth about sex, marriage, and the human body remains intact in the Church Christ founded upon Peter.
I wonder if the Church of England will totally rejoin with Rome someday?
Further, a major way that religious vocations can make a comeback is for Catholics to have more children by adhering to Catholic teachings relayed in Humanae Vitae, Evangelium Vitae, and the Theology of the Body.
Will you join me in trying to be faithful to the sexuality teachings of the Church?
23 July 2008
Atheist Link
I was asked here:
Specifically regarding the Dawkins website, after I finish The God Delusion, I would like to sign up as a commenter on the site and comment. Would you join me in signing up and commenting? The Church Militant needs to confront the Militant Atheists head on. We'll get spit on, but so was Christ.
Thank you for commenting! God bless.
If you are a Catholic, why are you linking to Richard Dawkins? -SMI frequently visit the links on my page. I do not agree with much of the liberal and Atheist content on those pages. However, I strive to stay informed about topics with which I don't agree. Further, since I will probably hear the content of these pages in my conversations online and in real life, I would like to have the opportunity to think and pray about them. If I did not do this, I would probably get caught off guard. I know I am to let the Holy Spirit speak through me, but it doesn't hurt to stay informed.
Specifically regarding the Dawkins website, after I finish The God Delusion, I would like to sign up as a commenter on the site and comment. Would you join me in signing up and commenting? The Church Militant needs to confront the Militant Atheists head on. We'll get spit on, but so was Christ.
Thank you for commenting! God bless.
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