SOME NOTES ON THE APOSTOLIC VISITATION OF THE LCWR NUNS IN RELATION TO CANADA

I. P is for Polyester and, gosh darn it, it's a fascinating substance when chemically considered. It has many forms, natural and synthetic, though the most commonly known - as in fabric for clothing - is polyethylene terephthalate, having the molecular formula C10 H8 O4, with "PET" as the slick sounding acronym. As a material, PET is durable, stiff, effectively water insoluble and, if you've had the pleasure to observe the phenomenon, highly reflective in the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum, whether that light emanates naturally from the sun or artificially from, say, spotlights - and let me tell you, the reflectivity effect is spectacular under an Argon laser. I've got the pictures to prove it. Polyester shines, it shimmers, it even glows on rare occasions, yielding a cornucopia of colourations. But even more fascinating than the photometrics of polyester was its meteoric rise in popularity after 1965, in the semblance of fashion statements showcased by Catholic women religious. This is a worrying situation. The combination of polyester apparel, a highly flammable material, with bouffants drenched in similarly flammable hairspray, is a five-alarm fire hazard just waiting to happen... okay okay, I'll stop. Sorry, ladies, couldn't resist.

II. Yes, ever since this blog got going in early 2009 there's been fair amount of lambasting of the Polyester Menace. Let's not forget that Mr. Scampers has levelled some broadsides, too. Your host has received criticism over it, perhaps deservingly sometimes. Though I've been vindicated in a way because in the three or so years that have past, after innumerable exposés and reports in the Catholic blogosphere, the damage effectuated by the Habitless Hordes is now demonstrated to be an indisputable fact. Endorsement of Barry and his health care dictatorship, priestesses, Gaia and goddesses worship, "reproductive health" and so forth. Sure, you have the likes of Fr. James Martin at America magazine defending the LCWR nuns with his Twitter hashtag campaign. Yet methinks most Catholics on the internet - orthodox inclined, already know Martin manoeuvres like a snake in the grass. So no worries there, ephemeral and insignificant influence, excepting with the useful idiots at the Vox Nova blog. Anyhow, Rome has delivered its verdict and the gals have been found wanting.

III. The decline in the number of women religious in the West has been thoroughly documented over the last decade or so.[1] The average age of a nun these days is about 70 years and, save traditional orders with younger postulants (which are growing, thankfully), those orders advocating social/ecological justice, feminism and New Age esoterica are gaining few entrants, if any. The biological solution is doing its cold, indifferent work and even prominent polyester pantsuit nuns are acknowledging immanent extinction. It's not all bad news, however. There is no "vocation crisis" with regard to nuns if, as a prime example, we look to countries in Africa and South Asia.[2] These ladies, too, are habit-wearing orthodoxians and care not an iota about health care conferences or the welfare of polar bears wandering precariously atop a supposedly shrinking cryosphere.

IV. Given these trends, it was astonishing (well, not really) to read the following in a recent editorial at the Prairie Messenger:

Most religious communities in the west have been undergoing a drastic change. Their membership is aging and decreasing; they are not attracting young members as they once did; they are giving up ownership of institutions such as schools and hospitals; and they are shifting into more pastoral types of work. In much of this, they reflect what is happening in other groups in our church and society today. Historians of religious life point out that religious congregations go through cycles; many don’t last more than 200 years, so the decline experienced today is normal. Many of today's congregations were founded to do social work. In a historical context, this was an innovation.[3]

Three counterpoints to be made here. Firstly, in the case of women religious, decreasing membership is not so much a reflection of "our church and society" as a nearly absolute succumbing to the spirit of the world, the secular one. A qualifier should also have been made. Only membership in orders run by pantsuit fashionistas are on the decline. Traditional orders, albeit now small in comparison, are on the rise. Social stats attest. Secondly, a summoning of the cyclical fallacy. An author of a book examining the rise and fall of religious orders states: "Cyclic theorists tend to oversimplify history and to postulate the existence of regular cycles or of a mechanical relationship between movements of religious fervor and large-scale environmental forces - neither of which is empirically justified".[4] Note particularly the phrases "regular cycles... mechanical relationship" or, in Pete's case, "natural", as if inevitable, regardless of human choices involved. Decline in religious orders is "natural", like the axial precession of the equinoxes, and there's nothing human freewill can do to change the condition. Yes, the birth rate decline and cultural factors are at play. Still, this view effectively makes adherence to doctrine, to magisterial teachings, a non sequitur. Of course, this is part of the ruse - no distinction made between habit-wearing and habitless nuns. The former strive to obedience, they're growing in number, whereas as the latter are largely defiant of Church authority and oblivion now appears on their horizon. Thirdly, "social work" as an "innovation" in the Church. In the past this meant feeding the hungry, helping the poor, comforting the widows, etc. which - I'm quite sure - Christ preached 2000+ years ago. It also meant copious prayer and devotion to the holy. Call it an "innovation" if you like, though what I don't find particularly innovative is a social worker nun lounging around in her privately-own condominium suite, cracking open a few cold ones after a hard day of protesting and committee meetings. Seems not apropos.

V. It's difficult to understand why there's been such an uproar over the Visitation, as if the LCWR have been unjustly affronted. In actuality, the Church has been effectuating such investigations for centuries, overseen by Rome itself and/or bishops:

A primary purpose of... episcopal jurisdiction was to prevent the nuns and monks from falling into error and heresy. Several authors have remarked that women, especially, were attracted to various heretical movements such as the Gnostics, the Cathars, the Waldensians, and the Protestant reformers - perhaps because these groups promised, initially at least, to give their female adherents higher status and more power... the bishops were responsible for assuring the doctrinal orthodoxy of the religious communities within their jurisdiction. It was also feared that, if left unsupervised, both women and men in religious communities would degenerate into loose living.[5]

Like the Protestant and Gnostic heresies, Modernism and Feminism promises women religious "higher status and more power", a euphemism for doctrinal/magisterial rejection. And the LCWR has more or less been left "unsupervised" for five decades. From what I've read and learned from private conversations with women and men religious, the "loose living" descriptor is an understatement when it comes to liberal religious orders. But, you see, the wholesale dismissal of the pre-conciliar church by Modernist luminaries, let alone the historical revisionism, has facilitated an ignorance of two millennia past, making 1965 AD into 33 AD. This is why, for example, we already have a group of uninformed people protesting Rome's final decision on the LCWR. The news report says "nearly two dozen Catholics, and even people of other faiths, gathered here outside of St. Mary's Church in a strong showing of support" (H/T Tancred at The Eponymous Flower). Judging by screenshots from the newsreel, not sure if "strong support" is an apt phrase to characterize this...

...or this...

...oh my, it is true: old is gold.

VI. The previous post addressed some reactions to the Apostolic Visitation of the LCWR - American nuns, that is. What about Canada? Currently, there are approximately 50 orders/institutes of women religious in Canada. As this blogger lamented in a post last year, it wouldn't have been that much of a hassle for Rome to check up on things north of the 49th Parallel. Alas, not much done and it's not as if the Canadian bishops are performing corrective measures. So, as a public service to any respectable Catholic ladies considering the religious life, TH2 conducted his own Virtual Visitation - assessing, screening, scrutinizing orders/institutes across Canada. For traditional orders, the following would be worthy of consideration: Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate (Cambridge, ON), Sisters of the Sacred Heart (Welland, ON), Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood (Toronto, ON), Carmel of St. Joseph (St. Agatha, ON), Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus (Toronto, Mississauga, St. Catharines, ON; Medicine Hat, AB). Not many, mainly in Ontario, although I'm sure there are a few more.

VII. Sure, do you own investigations, though it is highly advisable you stay away from the following places: Ursulines of Jesus (Prince George, BC; Edmonton, AB), Ursulines of the Chatham Union (Chatham, ON), School Sisters of Notre Dame (Waterdown, ON), Sisters of Sion (Toronto, ON), Sisters of St. Martha (Antigonish, NS), Sisters of Charity (Halifax, NS), Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul (Kingston, ON), Sisters of Mercy (St. John's, NL), Our Lady's Missionaries (Toronto, ON), Les Filles de la Sagesse (Ottawa, ON), Congrégation de Notre-Dame (Montreal, QC), Benedictine Sisters at the House of Bread Monastery (Nanaimo, BC), Benedictine Sisters at St. Benedict's Monastery (Winnipeg, MB), Sisters of Social Service (Toronto/Hamilton, ON; Regina, SK), Adrian Dominican Sisters (based out of Adrian, MI), Sisters of St. Joseph (at various Ontario locations: London, Hamilton, Toronto, Peterborough, Sault Ste. Marie), and the notorious Loretto Sisters, Canadian Province of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM).

The aforelisted are dead end LCWR analogues. Diminution and disappearance loom. Accordingly, we conclude by saying...

NOTES / REFERENCES

1. Cf. P. Wittberg, The Rise and Fall of Catholic Religious Orders, A Social Movement Perspective (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994), pp. 1-3.

2. A good summary of the present situation can be found at J. Ziegler, "Nuns Worldwide", Catholic World Report, May 12, 2011.

3. P. Novecosky, "Vocation Sunday", Prairie Messenger, April 18, 2012.

4. Wittberg, op. cit., p. 6.

5. Ibid., pp. 79-80.

SOME NOTES ON THE APOSTOLIC VISITATION OF THE LCWR NUNS IN RELATION TO CANADA

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 3

An ongoing analysis of subtle and/or blatant heresy/apostasy advocated by the Canadian Catholic Mainstream Media

Today's Lesson: Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather (Matthew 24:28).


PRAIRIE MESSENGER. A few delightful stories to report regarding this Fabianist outfit from the Flatlands. First and foremost the earth shattering news that Archbishop James Weisgerber has signed a pledge against bottled water.[1] Thrilled this blogger was upon hearing the announcement. Why the folks at CNN didn't have a newsflash on this item is a mystery. Such dastardly people, they are. Reportedly, Sparkles has decided to support Development and Peace's campaign against bottled water. He signed a "campaign card pledging that he would not drink bottled water where public water is available". Now the first thing that popped up in my head upon reading this glorious news regarded D+P's involvement with this issue. Why is money from the collection plate wasted on silly things like this? Aren't they supposed to be facilitating abortion social justice in the "Global South"? Incidentally, "global south" is a contradictory phrase, but we're talking about D+P hippiecrats here so we'll let that one pass. Nonetheless, it's good to know that Sparkles has set his priorities aright by standing up against those nefarious corporations: "There is a reason why companies sell bottled water and that reason is profit", states the article. Gosh, we wouldn't want that to occur. Like totally, we wouldn't want the economy to run n'stuff. Plus, it's better to leach from the suckers in the pews. Perhaps Sparkles overlooks the fact that, in disaster situations, bottled water has provided relief to those who suffered after the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. After the Haiti earthquake, it was the military that efficiently distributed bottled water to the victims and corporations that produce bottled water donated millions in assistance. These insightful observations were made by Steve G at the SoCon or Bust blog. He further noted: "if you ban bottled water from 'normal' consumption (i.e. non–emergency situations) you'd essentially put those companies out of business. Consequently, when a disaster strikes, you wouldn't be able to fall back on those companies to supply those millions of white–and–blue bottles". So would Sparkles re–evaluate his priorities if becoming aware of this economic reality? Naaaahhhh. He's got more ethereal matters of concern, like receiving major awards. God forbid he speak out on important issues, like the pro–life cause. That Sparkles... what a guy. Yet maybe we should forget the abovementioned. Instead, just look at those happy faces. That photograph more than compensates for the farce. As Mr. Roarke used to say: "Smiles, everyone! Smiles...". Indeed, sir, indeed. Though it's still not time to depart from Fantasy Island. A few months ago PM issued an article by Jocelyn Rait, member of the Catholic Network for Women's Equality: "the issue of women's equality in the Roman Catholic Church will not be cooling down any time soon".[2] Apparently, Ms. Rait is upset that Maryknoll priest Ray Bourgeois was excommunicated for protesting in favour women's ordination, to Rome no less. One wonders why PM International News Editor Peter "Novocaine" Novecosky permits such heresy to be published? The logical deduction is that he consents or else is just plain numb to the issue. An open question, it seems. In other news, a certain Joan Eyolfson Cadham, "an oral storyteller with professional status", provides a penetrating analysis of the recent Koran–burning controversy in PM's "Around the Kitchen Table" column (see her inset photo). Now I am oblivious as to what this Viking princess has been consuming in the kitchen. Whatever it is, her judgement evidently has been impaired as a consequence. She chose an easy target like Pastor Terry Jones to disguise the fact that the proposed building of a mosque at Ground Zero was not as offensively in–your–face as when compared to some fundamentalist who "was going to set the planet on fire by burning 200 copies of the Qur'an".[3] Perhaps she has a crush on Tariq Ramadan. Finally, there is a review of a book and film by Canada's most famous atheist nature worshipper, namely David "Wild Man" Suzuki. Canadians know: this person (yes, that is an actual photograph). According to the PM scribbler, Suzuki's "vision is 'catholic' in the best sense of an all–embracing universality and emphasis that humans are spiritual beings who need love and community". Strange that that would be argued. I recall Suzuki writing this:

...the pope’s pronouncements to the impoverished masses of people in large parts of the Third World will cruelly worsen and condemn them to a life of squalor that will only worsen while hastening us all on a path of planetary ecocide. We must condemn the reprehensible and suicidal policy of the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to birth control. That is what I call an eco–sin.

How quaint... and don't forget to check out PM's links page for other goodies. There you can quickly click to The Steven Lewis Foundation, National Catholic Reporter and "Essays in Theology by Rev. Richard McBrien".

WESTERN CATHOLIC REPORTER. Perhaps some of you are aware that WCR website has recently undergone a facelift. This is an exciting development (at least for me) as that heretofore pasty yellow background/template at the site conjured up disturbing images of 1970s talk show set designs (don't get me started on the pink background at the Prairie Messenger, I'm very suspicious). Apparently, the redesign is part of a revamping process: "The WCR board of directors has launched a process to revision the mission and role of the newspaper in the light of the Church's call for a new evangelization".[5] Edmonton Abp. Richard Smith, VP of The Star Chamber, is overseeing the matter. The study is being undertaken by a certain Bryan Froehle of St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, director of the Practical Theology program. Formerly, Froehle was Executive Director of CARA, acronym for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.[6] In the past he conducted work for The Star Chamber's brother conciliarists south of the border. Currently, he also works at firm called Essential Conversations, based out of Chicago. Its mission "is to support organizations that seek to build a better world. Our focus is on helping non–profit and faith–based organizations become... healthy and vibrant". Past clients include the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education. Grantocracy Alert! Getting back to WCR, there seems to be a concern that "many readers mistakenly consider editorial content to be actively endorsed by the archbishop as publisher". Now that statement is interesting. Why would WCR readers maintain such a view? Does the chancery office, ever in need of secrecy for the commission of the hippy aggiornamento, want to disassociate itself from the overtly leftist agenda of its allies at WCR? The claim for revision is "due diligence and proper governance... standard business practice". Still, something is going on here. Note that a readership survey formed part of WCR's "revision mission"[7] and its results on this particular issue, too, are interesting. Or, I should say, revealing:

Most readers (75 per cent) understand that the paper is sponsored by the archdiocese to serve the Catholic community rather than an "official newspaper" meant to always reflect the thinking of the archbishop on matters of the day, or to focus on letting people know about the work of the archdiocesan offices.

Does that statement seem confusing to you? Bureaucratspeak, it is. If WCR is archdiocese–sponsored to "serve" Catholics in the pews (the money source), why shouldn't Westerners be allowed to be informed on "the work of archdiocese offices"? Why cannot they be of "focus" every so often? Is there something to hide? Why the secrecy? As any Catholic who keeps apprised of Church political news knows, the chancery office is the root and source of all kinds of dissenting mischief. Again, something is going on here. Other revelations from the survey: the average reader's age is 61, 84%

of readers "want to continue to read the newspaper in a print format" and "most expressed their highest satisfaction with Ron Rolheiser's work". Accordingly, there's a leftist–V2 baby boomer factor involved. Moreover, a miniscule 2% of readers view WCR online, evidencing that younger, tech–savvy Catholics effectively have no interest in WCR. Clearly, these statistics show that only graying social justice liberals are WCR orientated. But what happens when boomers and outmoded print media soon fade away? Will the upgraded website attract the kids? The hard data say negatory. The WCR Board of Directors must be very worried. No need to despair, however. For their viewing pleasure, TH2 embeds a most wonderful video for reminiscing purposes, most conducive to letting flow that nostalgia for the good old days. Indeed, it was a very good year.

NOVALIS PUBLISHERS. Like WCR, the Novalis' website recently has been "refreshed", according to Publishing Director Joseph Sinasac. I also notice this refreshment now admits funding support by the feds: "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for business development activities". Good to know my tax dollars are being put to heretical use. In a recent internet message, Sinasac further informs us that Novalis acts as distributor for 20 international religious publishers, including the Marxists at Orbis Publishers. Nice. Strange is his claim that missalettes published by Novalis since the 1930s "represented the beginning of a publishing enterprise that has served the Church faithfully in many ways for three–quarters of a century". Well, I would reduce that figure by 40+ years to circa 1960s as Novalis' publications in recent years have been far from faithful. If not already, the reader might take some time to read a splendoriffic analysis of Novalis here. You are forewarned. Apostasy Joe's claim that Novalis has "served the Church faithfully" is, of course, a howler. But if I'm wrong, why has Novalis newly advertised James H. Cone's book A Black Theology of Liberation? Website descriptor: "Combining the visions of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., Cone radically reappraised Christianity from the perspective of the oppressed black community in North America". Hmmmm... something isn't right here. Maybe we should let Cone speak for himself:

The white man has brainwashed us black people to fasten our gaze upon a blond–haired, blue–eyed Jesus! We're worshiping a Jesus that doesn't even look like us! Oh, yes!... The blond–haired, blue–eyed white man has taught you and me to worship a white Jesus, and to shout and sing and pray to this God that's his God, the white man's God. The white man has taught us to shout and sing and pray until we die, to wait until death, for some dreamy heaven–in–the–hereafter... while this white man has his milk and honey in the streets paved with golden dollars here on this earth![8]

Ah, yes, it's whitey's fault. Does Novalis' distribution of Cone's book (let alone the rest) evidence that Sinasac endorses this over–the–top Marxist–based racial Christianity? Both JP2 (in 1984) and B16 (in 2009) have explicitly censured liberation theology.[9] A few months back I saw Sinasac on Salt+Light TV's Perspectives program. He seemed a mild mannered fellow. "Radical" did not come to mind. Still, why does he permit such blatant heresy to be disseminated? Could it be that the position of Publishing Director is merely symbolic, without real control, and that fruitcakes behind the scenes are running the show? Is it publicity and prestige? Or maybe he just doesn't give a rat's ass? Regardless, I now have this picture in my head of Fr. Gutiérrez laughing uncontrollably from the heights of some Peruvian mountaintop. Qué passe?

CATHOLIC REGISTER. As per usual, shenanigans continue to eventuate at Sinasac's old outfit. Yet some of the credit for the analysis below goes to investigations[10] conducted by Fr. Alphonse de Valk, the hero priest marginalized/ignored by the Canadian Catholic MSM (Fr. de Valk is editor/founder of Catholic Insight magazine, Canada's best. Subscribe here). Let's first give some context: For some time homosexual activists have been making headway into Catholic school curricula. One example relates to the bureaucratic busybodies at the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA), which grovels before the pro–abortion labour unions. Fr. de Valk mentions a December 12, 2010 article by Sheila Dabu Nonato in the Catholic Register entitled: "Gay teacher's network aims to recruit Catholics", wherein we are told, with a morally neutral undercurrent, that an openly homosexual teachers group has been created to "reach out" to Catholic schools so as to provide a "safe environment" for students with homosexual tendencies. Turns out that OECTA is a "partner" of Egale Canada, "a national organization that advances equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans–identified people and their families across Canada".

Another article on the same date has the title: "Catholic boards' denominational rights will trump provinces' equity strategy". A rather self–assured sounding title. By either obliviousness or committing the sin of omission (the Register is very good at the latter), the piece states that "all is well in Catholic schools". Then this incongruous statement follows:

When it comes to asking questions on sensitive information such as sexual orientation, school boards' hands are tied by the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits employers from enquiring about this type of information.

How can all be "well" when the school boards' hand are "tied"? Everything is fine, according to the Register, don't you worry. Move along, nothing to see here. This shrewd wordplay was on display again with an editorial just a few days ago. Some background first: The Halton Catholic District School Board recently reneged on a policy banning "alliance" clubs between homosexuals and heterosexuals (Why not use "straight"? Okay, then let's use "warped" for the homosexual antonym. Is not "unhappy" the opposite of "gay". You see? Precise language matters). HCDSB gave in after an outcry from activists. It also helped that one of the boards' trustees is a sodomite. LSN gave full coverage of the affair.[11] Pathetic was the stance of the Ontario bishops. Speaking on their behalf, Toronto Abp. Thomas Collins issued this statement:

The bishops of Ontario agree with a January 13, 2011 Globe and Mail editorial when it says, "It is not for the Church, by itself, to run Catholic education in Ontario"... There are numerous partners involved in the formation of our young people, all playing critical roles in the educational journey... In our publicly funded Catholic schools, however, as bishops it is our role to help to weave the thread of faith in our schools by offering guidance, as well as pastoral leadership and support, to our partners in Catholic education on a host of issues relating to the faith foundation of our schools.[12]

Oh my, what a disappointment this Collins has turned out to be. A dud. Taking advice from the Globe and Mail? You're kidding? Right? With flowery phraseology like "educational journey" and "weave the thread of faith in our schools" it appears that his canonist advisors have got the hots for Lonergan's Aquikantianism. Now let's go transatlantic and check out what the boys in Rome have to say on this subject:

...it is for the Church to establish the authentic contents of Catholic religious education in schools. This guarantees, for both parents and the pupils themselves, that the education presented as Catholic is indeed authentic. The Church identifies this task as its own, ratione materiae, and claims it for its own competence, regardless of the nature of the school (State–run or non–State–run, Catholic or non–Catholic) in which such teaching is given. Therefore, "The Catholic religious instruction and education which are imparted in any schools whatsoever are subject to the authority of the Church... It is for the conference of bishops to issue general norms about this field of action and for the diocesan bishop to regulate and watch over it". (TH2 italics)

If the abovementioned is too complex to apprehend, or if the Commodore 64 disallows access to the Vatican's website, then perhaps it would be a good idea for Collins simply to refer to the Catechism[14], that is if there is even a copy down there at St. Michael's chancery office. Maintaining the party line, the abovementioned editorial at the Catholic Register leads off with this Politically Correct title: "Schools are Tolerant". Notice: this is a headstrong assertion. The editorial is so conniving that fisking is necessitated [TH2 analysis in bolded square brackets]:

Last November the Halton Catholic District School board passed an equity policy that explicitly banned gay–straight alliances.[which was consistent with Catholic teaching]. Following an outcry from gay activists [i.e. homosexual fascistas to whom liberal Catholics cower], a new board of trustees [including a sodomite who hid his activist agenda] cancelled that policy and replaced it with one that, although making no mention of gay–straight alliances [i.e. sin of omission] was widely interpreted as an endorsement of the controversial after–school clubs and a victory for those who would see Catholic values trumped in schools by secular morality.[Is the CR editorial staff ignorant to the fact that a gateway to further permissiveness has been opened? Apparently.]

If that were indeed true [yes, it is true], it would be a sad day for Catholic education [sad, indeed]. The primary role of trustees is to be faithful guardians of the morals and values that are the bedrock of Catholic education [...and they have failed, big time]. So what happened in Halton? [a bloody catastrophe, that's what happened]

For starters, despite media interpretations [what about "interpretations" from orthodox Catholic commentators?], the board has not approved gay–straight alliances.[be specific, they are fearful of confronting opponents from an authentically Catholic perspective] It replaced the policy that banned the clubs with an interim one that still allows the board to ban them [how convenient, avoid the issue, such a lovely thing procrastination is], although it remains unclear if that will happen.[come on, nothing will happen so long as scaredycats are on the board of trustees]

Halton has joined several other Ontario jurisdictions in adopting the so–called Catholic template policy drafted last year by the Ontario Education Services Corporation in consultation with [oh no...] Ontario bishops and Catholic educators.[...and lo!, the apostasy continues afar and unencumbered] That policy meets requirements for schools to proactively promote tolerance, equity and inclusiveness.[how nice, in a Oprah Winfrey sort of way] While the government endorses gay–straight alliances [i.e. immorality], it recognizes the constitutional right of Catholic boards [wink wink] to stay faithful to Catholic teaching [indeed, a sucker is born every minute], and therefore the government proposes [i.e. enforces] gay–straight alliances as an option, not a requirement.[if CR believes that, then may I ask what is your favourite Kool–Aid flavour: Looney Lemon or Goofy Grape?]

So, as it stands, the government policy is in alignment with the position adopted in Halton [ROFLMAO!] and supported by the [spineless] bishops [what a surprise] even though there is disagreement on gay–straight alliances.[i.e. bishops do not uphold Catholic moral principles, due to complacency and/or cowardice] For that matter, Halton’s November policy also conformed with the positions of the government and bishops.[that matters not now, the repeal changes everything]

The Church gets a bad rap on this issue.[primarily, it is the Ontario bishops who should be criticized] The government enacted its equity policy in 2008.[unfortunately, due to Premier McGuinty, nepotist, antinomian, lapsed Catholic] Many Ontario Catholic schools, following recommendation by the bishops in 2004 [they are not there to recommend, but to "regulate", see above], put policies in place years before that to create learning environments that strive to be free of bullying and harassment – for all students.[the Catholic ethic as such, heck, the Second Commandment, prohibits these; a confusion of being with behaviour]

Catholic schools have been at the forefront of promoting tolerance and charity.[how "spirit" of Vatican 2ish] So it is grating [tough, drink a glass of milk, have a cheese sandwich] when educators and Church leaders are themselves objects of derision, called homophobes among various slurs, because their strategy for combating intolerance differs from methods preferred by activists and others who seem blind to the irony of advancing their own beliefs through bullying.[CR fails to understand that the homosexual lobby is becoming increasingly domineering, where Catholics are cast as villains unless they comply to its dictates, not "recommendations". Any backlash of harsh words from Catholics are a result of frustration after realizing that the bishops and so–called Catholic media outlets are the "useful idiots" of this lobby, due of their Oprahesque "tolerance", lukewarm faith and desire to be accepted in the secular world]

There are lessons to learn from this episode.[now CR starts to condescend the reader, we're right, you're wrong] Educators must never waiver in promoting the distinctive religious values of Catholic education.[they already have waivered and continue to do so] Also, along with the bishops, they need to be better communicators to counteract the misinformation that makes tantalizing headlines [good job LifeSite News, keeps fighting the apparatchiks] and, ultimately, could threaten the very existence of publicly funded Catholic education.[Catholic education has already gone down the tubes in Canada, hence the emergence of homeschooling]

So there you have it [BREAK]... This just in: LSN is reporting that "gay activists are targeting the St. Clair Catholic District School Board in an effort to launch a gay-straight alliance at one of the board’s schools".[16] Thank you very very much, CR editors, for all that you do.

DEFUNCT/ALLIANCES. Catholic Insight is reporting that the Atlantic Catholic (Antigonish, NS) and the Catholic Times (Montreal, QC) are ceasing publication. These closures are part of an emerging trend in Canada. With the challenges now being posed by the new media, diocesan papers/outlets and "centres" for social justice now have to compete. After decades of not having a rostrum to express/disseminate their views about the terrible state of affairs in the Church today, Catholic (mainly orthodox) news/commentary websites and bloggers are presently coming into the forefront. Although old school print outlets (defenders of the status quo party line) are shutting down, the strongest of the remaining agencies are forming alliances and combining forces as they themselves transition over to the internet so as to counteract the new kids on the block. One example: the Catholic Register and the B.C. Catholic just recently embedded Salt+Light TV videos into their websites. There is a war on the horizon and all signs indicate that it is going to be vicious. I will be addressing this subject in detail in a future post.


NOTES / REFERENCES

1. M. LeMaître, "Weisgerber signs water pledge", Prairie Messenger, January 11, 2011. LINK

2. J. Rait, "An issue that won't cool down in autumn", Prairie Messenger, September 15, 2010. LINK

3. J.E. Cadham, "History has proven that all it takes is one fanatic", Prairie Messenger, September 22, 2010. LINK

4. G. Schmitz, "An appeal for dialogue, for the love of this planet", Prairie Messenger, November 3, 2010. LINK

5. G. Argan, "WCR to 'revision' mission of the newspaper", Western Catholic Reporter, September 20, 2010. LINK

6. CARA also operates the blog 1964. LINK

7. G. Argan, "Raise your voice in deciding the WCR's future", Western Catholic Reporter, November 1, 2010. LINK; R. Baier, "Readers give strong response to WCR Survey", Western Catholic Reporter, December 27, 2010. LINK

8. Quoted in S. Kurtz, " 'Context,' You Say? A Guide to the Radical Theology of Rev. Jeremiah Wright", National Review, May 19, 2008, vol. LX, no. 9. pp. 28–36.

9. Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Certain Aspects of the "Theology of Liberation" (Libertas nuntius), August 6, 1984. LINK In a December 2009 address to Brazilian Bishops, Pope Benedict reminded them of the Libertas nuntius Instruction, stating the "theses and methodologies" of liberation theology have Marxist origins: "Their more or less visible consequences, of rebellion, division, dissent, offense, anarchy are still being felt, creating amidst your diocesan communities great pain and a grave loss of living strength... deceitful principles of liberation theology...", etc. Cf. "Pope Warns against 'Deceitful' Marxist–Based Theology to Brazilian Bishops", LifeSite News, December 8, 2009 (author not indicated). LINK

10. See A. de Valk, "Bowing Before Idols", Catholic Insight, January 2011, vol. XIX, no. 1, p. 3; A. de Valk, "The Enemy Within: Subverting Catholic Education", Catholic Insight, January 2011, vol. XIX, no. 1, pp. 25–28.

11. P.B. Craine, "SHOCK: Ontario Catholic board voting to repeal ban on homosexual clubs tonight", LifeSite News, January 11, 2011. LINK; P.B. Craine, "Catholic school board votes to abandon Catholic teaching on homosexuality", LifeSite News, January 12, 2011. LINK; J.-H. Weston, "Ontario bishops to schools: use anti–bullying programs faithful to Catholic teaching", LifeSite News, January 17, 2011. LINK; P.B. Craine, "Canadian Catholic school board 'bullied' into scrapping pro–family policy", LifeSite News, January 19, 2011. LINK

12. Quoted in P.B. Craine, "Evangelicals disappointed at lack of Catholic leadership on homosexuality push in Ontario schools", LifeSite News, January 26, 2011. LINK

13. Congregation for Catholic Education, Circular Letter to the Presidents of Bishops' Conferences on Religious Education in Schools, sec. III, paras. 13–14. LINK H/T to Socon or Bust for the link to this document.

14. Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 2242): "The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directive of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demand of the moral order, to the fundamental rights or teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community" (cf. Matthew 22:21).

15. "Schools are Tolerant" (Editorial), Catholic Register, January 26, 2011. LINK

16. P.B. Craine, "Catholic 'safe schools' policy recommends homosexual youth hotline", LifeSite News, January 31, 2011. LINK

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 3

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 2

An ongoing analysis of subtle and/or blatant heresy/apostasy advocated by the Canadian Catholic Mainstream Media

Today's Lesson: The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite (Ecclesiastes 1:15).

DISSEMINARE DISSENSIO AD NAUSEUM. Novalis Publishers, an internal enemy of the Roman Catholic Church, is all geared up for its autumn publishing season. In his Fall 2010 Letter, Publishing Director Joseph Sinasac seems very excited about this season's line-up: "Once again, Joan Chittister, the best-selling American Catholic author, has provided Novalis with her latest wisdom with God's Tender Mercies, on the sustenance to be found in an attitude of forgiveness."[1] Hooray for heresy! Three cheers for womyn priests! Let's hear it for pansexual pantheism! Joanie's back with a vengeance and Novalis must be making pretty good coin from her tracts as they churn out lots of her stuff. I wonder what Fr. Paul Marx, founder of Human Life International, would think? Oh, here's one thing he said about the blueberry muffin: "Sister Joan Chittister is a wicked woman, to say nothing of a wicked nun... this wild nun... has been doing her dirty work for quite some time."[2] So thank you, Apostasy Joe, for all that you do. Keep on truckin', buddy. Note to Canadian Catholics: Did you hear about Novalis' new motto?: "Screwing you since Vatican II".

YE OLDE CATHLYC TYMES. What's going on at the New Catholic Times these days? There is always something fascinating happening over there at its website, despite hardly any responses in the com boxes. Yet I thought they were a major outfit, representing a large contingency of Canadian Catholics? What gives? Usually, no original articles. Just regurgitations from other radicalist sources. Why is that? Guess when your view of society is disproved innumerable times and becomes outdated and boring that pamphleteering duties need be relegated to others more innovative at repeating old errors with new labels. Labour Day has just come and gone and, goodness gracious, did that nostalgia for the good ole days of mayhem and Marxism brim to the surface. Let's see... an article [LINK] from haereticus extraordinarius Fr. Richard McBrien, wherein we read at the outset: "I keep hoping that one of these years the U.S. Catholic Bishops will issue a Labor Day statement that focuses on the church’s responsibility to practice what it preaches and teaches about social justice and human rights."[3] What? Social justice has not been the dominant forces in the last 40+ years? What a funny guy. Another article is by Ralph Nader, all-around-leftist-activist-do-gooder, that false messiah for the worker, now fading into the sunset. [LINK] Read this self-congratulatory extract: "One day I was at BWI airport and went to the crowded men's room. As I entered, the elderly cleaning man erupted in frustration. 'I'm sick of this job,' he shouted to no one in particular. 'Hour after hour I clean up, come back, see the crap, clean up some more. It never ends,' he wailed. The men who were wiping, flushing, washing, drying and zipping were stunned and silently shuffled out, as if he wasn’t there. I thanked him for his work and candor, calmed him down and gave him a gratuity. The others looked at me blankly as if I was dealing with a ghost they never see as a human being."[4] A kind gesture, to be sure. But where did Nader head off to afterward? The next protest rally? A TV interview? Book signing? All talk, never getting the hands dirty on a regularized or routine basis. Chesterton: "They love ordinary people from afar and talk about them often. But nearness to the people and their beliefs frightens them and confuses them".

WESTERN CRAPLIC REPORTER. Arrrrrrrggg. What say ye maytees? At the Western Catholic Reporter Glen Argan is troubled. He is upset over "the public face of Christianity" in light of vampire novelist Anne Rice, who recently "quit" Catholicism because it is "anti-gay... anti-feminist... anti-artificial birth control... anti-Democrat... anti-secular humanism... anti-science... anti-life". Let alone Rice's standard dilettante bromides, Argan seems to think that the Church compelled Annie to jump ship. He also sympathizes with her. Arrrrrrrggg, he's a sensitive guy. She is absolutely right and 2000 years of Catholic teaching and tradition, consistent and unwavering, is wrong. The Church has made some bad public relations decisions lately, he laments: "The recent classic example of failure in this area - though not the only one - was the decision to lift the excommunications of four traditionalist bishops, blithely unaware that one of them was a Holocaust denier."[5] Of course, the anti-Semitism of Richard Williamson (the person referred) does not form the central node of Argan's grievance. Arrrrrrrggg, this is a diversion. Rather, it is the fact that Pope Benedict lifted the excommunication on the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and, therefore, Argan is well cognizant of the Church's gradual return to orthodoxy and reverent liturgy after decades of abuse by the now graying hippies. Arrrrrrrggg, does this poor fellow seem fearful. If this horrendous trend continues, no longer will Argan be entirely comfortable with, for example, writing puff pieces on Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, as he did last July 26.[6] Johnson, for the record, is a well known heretic, advocating one-world government, goddess worship, womyn's ordination and the feminization the Holy Trinity.[7] According to Argan, "the God of love is on the side of the poor and oppressed". Ah, yes, the Marxist class warfare thing. Does this mean that my upper middle class friend who drives a Ferrari is going to Hell? Anyhow, thank you Glen for approving of Johnson and her struggle against the evils of "masculine language" and, even more so, for exemplifying the feminization of man in modern society. Send him to the plank, maytees! Feed Glen Arrrrrgan to the fishies. Arrrrrrrggg...


FAIRY MESSENGER. The Prairie Messenger is endorsing a book by Fr. Andrew Murray Britz, OSB: Truth To Power: The Journalism of a Benedictine Monk. Do you think that fellow Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister's Foreward to this book yields a clue as to text's contents? Let's see: "This collection is an enduring part of the spiritual literature of our period". Oh my dear. The advertisment goes on to say: "Britz is known for his challenging editorials, weighing in on the concrete issues of our time: birth control, abortion, clergy abuse, sexism in the church, etc."[LINK] Hmmmm.... I wonder what all this means? Is Britz gonna get with the kidz? Truth to power, baby! Well, let's read a quote from one of Fr. Britiz's "challenging editorials": "Strange and, I think, dangerous changes are taking place in the ecumenical world."[8] Vexed about Pope Benedict's ordinariate offered to the Anglicans, are you? They seem to be crossing the Tiber is droves. I guess years of inutile liberal "dialogue" was a load of crap after all. It appears that all those decades of dissent were for nothing. Too bad. Enjoy your retirement.



A RON ROLHEISHER MOMENT. Do you ever notice that Fr. Ron Rolheiser... oops, he prefers not to formally present himself as a Catholic priest, a soul specially consecrated to Jesus Christ. I mean, rather, this: Do you ever notice that Fr. Ron Rolheiser, whose weekly column appears in 70 newspapers worldwide, approvingly quotes heretics, non-Catholics and leftist radicals on a regular basis? I do. Yes, he will quote the orthodox Catholic every once in a while, but the impression received is that their insights are really no better or superior than your run-of-the-mill dissenter. We are all the same. Difference means divisiveness, and we want none of that. This is his subtle heresy, whether done knowingly or not. After all, Rolheiser is a self-proclaimed "community-builder" (is like a community organizer?) and just wants everyone to get along. So maybe we should give him a break? But not today. Over the last few months he has, in his columns, favourably quoted from the following... First: Karl Rahner (1904-1984), progressivist Jesuit priest, "spirit" of Vatican II superstar, suit and tie kinda guy, had 22 year affair with German novelist Luise Rinser.[9] Second: the "mystical tradition of Islam". Seriously? Third: liberal Christian author Donald Miller, recently appointed to be on Barack Obama's "Task Force on Fatherhood and Healthy Families". Fourth: Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957), one-time admirer of Lenin, enchanted by Nietzsche, author of the not so Catholic friendly The Last Temptation (of Christ), made into a controversial film by Martin Scorsese (released 1988). In his latest column, entitled The Lesson of Loneliness, Rolheiser quotes from the anti-authoritarian/Dionysian Persian poet Hafez (ca. 1325-1390): "Don't surrender your loneliness / So quickly / Let it cut more deep / Let it ferment and season you."[10] Notice: wallow in sentimentality, give in to self pity and passivity, get lost in a mushy inwardist emotionalism, let your feelings fester. This has echoes of quietism, a heresy occurrent in 17th century Europe. Admittedly, yours truly is cold and indifferent in his analyses, yet no inference is here being made that emotions do not constitute part of the human condition. Still, with Rolheisher this self-remedial, self-annihilating emotionalism is made almost absolute, bordering on the pathetic. True love is an act of the will, which Catholic doctrine and the saints have always said. Emotions are ephemeral. So, then, here is our Ron Rolheiser Moment (from a December 2007 article): "Advent is about longing, about getting in touch with it, about heightening it, about letting it raise our psychic temperatures, about sizzling as damp, green logs inside the fires of intimacy, about intuiting the kingdom of God by seeing, through desire, what the world might look like if a Messiah were to come and, with us, establish justice, peace and unity on this earth". Endless gushing verbosity. Please make it stop.

CATHOLIC DISGORGISTER. John Bentley Mays at the Catholic Register argues that the Ground Zero mosque controversy is a direct consequence of racism: "The bitter controversy raging in the United States over the proposed mosque near New York’s World Trade Centre site has exposed a dark, durable stain on American public life. It’s racism of the old-fashioned, virulent kind, blurring distinctions, stereotyping the hated and feared 'Other', radically threatening the discipline and tolerance necessary to make a multicultural society work."[11] For my American readers, know that with Bentley (I like "Bentley", so let's call him Bentley) we have the typical elitist snob of the ruling intellectual class, at once spewing a vulgar anti-Americanism while extolling the so-called superior virtues of multiculturalism (he is American born, but lives up here). Pat Buchanan express Bentley's attitude more succinctly: "faculty-lounge obtuseness to the feelings of the people among whom they live."[12] Notice how the whole racism accusation immediately nullifies, in one swipe, all justified counterarguments to the mosque being built. Total silencing and vilification. According to a recent poll, 70% of Americans think the mosque should not be built. Based on Bentley's "logic", then, this means that 70% of Americans are racist. See the stupidity. What Bentley fails to understand is that - as my American friend Anita at V for Victory! pointed out - Islam is specifically a religion, not a race. But Bentley deceitfully attempts to equalize racism and religion. Racism, he writes, "always works by isolating and demonizing the 'Other', branding all as criminals for the crimes of the few, by taking indiscriminate revenge for those crimes on whole religious or ethnic communities". This is his escape hatch. Racism relates to the physical traits of a person. Religion relates to the theological beliefs of a person. The material versus the immaterial. Since, to Bentley, racism equals religious bigotry, he does not have to face head-on what Islam is as a religion. Like many on the Vulgar Left, he possesses not the testicular fortitude to deal with the objective facts of what Mohammedism is as a religion (i.e. theocratic, ideological) and thus sweeps those facts under the carpet of Political Correctness. Bentley continues: "Anyone who knows Muslims personally or Islam beyond what they hear on talk radio... is aware of the dangerous generalization embodied in this belief". Apparently, Bentley listens only to talk radio and never has read the Koran. Neither has he, it seems, read a book on the history of religions. But none of this matters to this little weasel. That Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the mosque's development, does not condemn terrorism or Sharia is of no concern. That this Iman blames the US for the abomination committed on September 11, 2001 is of no relevance. That Bentley does not see in this controversy echoes of Mohammedan triumphalism at Cordoba, Spain betrays his utter historical ignorance. Fr. Raymond de Souza gets to the crux:

What kind of mosque and community centre will Cordoba House be? The sad reality is that throughout the Islamic world, especially in the Arab nations, Christian churches, schools and orphanages - where they are allowed to be built at all - often find mosques built next door, from which hostility and harassment issues forth.[13]

But the devastating broadside to Bentley and his latte-slurping confreres comes from the pen of Amir Taheri:

In fact, the proposed structure is known in Islamic history as a rabat - literally a connector. The first rabat appeared at the time of the Prophet. The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word "raid"). The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit to Islamic rule... building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet. To all those who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the destruction of the American "Great Satan," this would be of great symbolic value... The argument is that Cordoba, in southern Spain, was a city where followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism lived together in peace and produced literature and philosophy. In fact, Cordoba's history is full of stories of oppression and massacre, prompted by religious fanaticism... A rabat in the heart of Manhattan would be of great symbolic value to those who want a high-profile, "in your face" projection of Islam in the infidel West.[14]

So much for multiculturalism. But, of course, the abovementioned means naught to this mal vivant. Deer looking in the headlights. Fantasy over factuality. Instead, Bentley will be at the salon sipping apple martinis with his tight-ass windbag friends at The Walrus, blathering over deconstructionist art and architecture. Have fun in the bubble, Bentley.


NOTES / REFERENCES

1. J. Sinasac, Fall 2010 Letter from the Publishing Director, Novalis Canada. LINK [UPDATE Sept. 24/10: link removed by Novalis. See link for book here]. See my analysis of Novalis here.

2. Letter from Fr. Paul Marx to Fr. Tom Euteneuer (August 20, 2007).

3. R. McBrien, "For Labor Day, church should embody social teachings", National Catholic Reporter, September 3, 2010. LINK

4. R. Nader, "Honoring Those Who Toil", Eurasia Review, September 3, 2010. LINK

5. G. Argan, "Author's opting out from Church gives a heads up", Western Catholic Reporter (editorial), September 6, 2010. LINK

6. G. Argan, "A feminist perception of the Spirit", Western Catholic Reporter, July 26, 2010. LINK

7. See, for example, T.M. Baklinkski, "Catholic University to Give Award to Goddess-Worshipping Theologian", LifeSite News, November 13, 2007. LINK

8. A.M. Britz, "Dangerous trends evident in Catholic ecumenism", Prairie Messenger (op-ed), April 28, 2010. LINK Read more about Fr. Britz the dime-a-dozen "social justice" heretic here.

9. This affair was chronicled in P. Schaeffer, "Karl Rahner's Secret 22-year Romance", National Catholic Reporter, December 19, 1997. LINK

10. The columns cited here include: "Love in a Time of Opposition" (July 25/10), "Ego, God, and Ministry" (August 1/10), "Editing Your Own Life" (August 15/10), "Spirituality and the Seasons of our Lives" (August 22/10), "The Lesson within Loneliness" (September 9/10) and "Advent Longing" December 2/07). These can be found in the archives at Rolheiser's website. LINK

11. J.B. Mays, "Racism at centre of 9/11 mosque dispute", Catholic Register, September 1, 2010. LINK

12. P.J. Buchanan, "Only Bigots Oppose the Mosque!", Human Events, August 24, 2010. LINK

13. R.J. de Souza, "Harassment and hostility, or healing and harmony?", National Post, September 9, 2010. LINK

14. A. Taheri, "Islam center's eerie echo of ancient terror", New York Post, September 10, 2010. LINK

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 2

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 1

An ongoing analysis of subtle and/or blatant heresy/apostasy advocated by the Canadian Catholic Mainstream Media

Today's Lesson: All we like sheep have gone astray, everyone has turned aside into his own way (Isaiah 53:6).

PAPAL POTSHOT. In a recent editorial at the cornball pastoral periodical Celebrate!, Bernadette Gasslein writes of the "of the widespread denial and hiding of the reality of sexual abuse of children and youth to save the Church’s institutional face."[1] She goes on to state: "To engage in this challenging work of reconciliation, we cannot demean either victim or offender. If any of us speaks of "ridding the Church of filth," we inevitably communicate that some person is filth - and both victims and offenders have been so demeaned. This is not the message of the Gospel or the Church’s social teaching" (TH2 emphasis). Gasslein is referring to the words of Pope Benedict who, upon his election to the papacy, promised to rid "filth" from the Church, meaning those religious who committed sexual abuses.[2] Right away three things are noticed: Firstly, why does Gasslein not explicitly indicate, by name, that it is Benedict XVI to whom she is making reference? The fact she does not speaks volumes. Secondly, she makes the standard dilettante error of confusing being with behaviour, i.e. ignorantly assuming that the ridding of filth means that the person as such is filth, inferring that the Pope is unaware of the distinction between the sin and sinner (e.g. "love the sinner, hate the sin"). It is safe to assume that His Holiness is more philosophically nuanced than, outfitted with theological equipment superior to, Ms. Gasslein. Thirdly, if Gasslein cannot deal with a specific and hard hitting word like "filth" to characterize the sexual abuse of (predominately) young boys by homosexual priests (ephebophilia)[3], then what other word should be used depict these abominations? Tune in to the next Oprah to find out. No surprise here with Gasslein's secret contempt. Recall: Celebrate! is published by the enemies at Novalis Publishers.

SIN OF OMISSION. "Of the 74 people named to the Order of Canada on Canada Day, only one of them has spent a lifetime explaining to the world how to be human".[4] So writes Michael Swan at The Catholic Register, referring to Sr. Simone Roach, who taught nursing at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Now the appointment to the Order of Canada has nowadays turned into a national joke. "Who doesn't have that award?", goes the righteous retort. Recipients are mainly on the politically correct Left. But what makes the report atrocious (within the context of Catholicism and balanced reporting) is that Mr. Swan completely omits the recent controversy regarding the naming of Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada in 2008. He was named thereto by that prissy, endistancing bureaucrat, Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada. Morgentaler is Canada's most notorious abortionist, operating Moloch mills throughout Canada. In response to his appointment, not a few have resigned from the Order, including Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte.[5] Not only is it despicable that Swan quietly leaves this salient issue aside, his article makes it as if Sr. Roach's appointment is something to be celebrated by Catholics, to be highly commended. The fact that Sr. Roach is welcoming the appointment also speaks to her character and submission to the spirit of the world. What makes it worse is Roach's nursing involvement, of that appertaining to human life/health, though evidently the life/health of unborn children is to her a bottom tier concern. It is also worth mentioning that Sr. Christine Leyser, IBVM, a habitless "social justice" nun, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2009.[6] She gratefully accepted as well. The embedded image above shows this apostate smooching the CBC Fabianist Governor General, Michaëlle Jean. Sleep well, muffins.

LAMENTATION OVER DEFUNDING OF PRO-ABORTION GROUPS. In his "Journey to Justice" column in the Western Catholic Reporter Joe Gunn writes of "the chill emanating from Ottawa, which has frozen the good efforts of civil society groups across the land".[7] He is lamenting "the most egregious cut to international development groups". Cut as in the federal governments reduction of dollars to leftist NGOs and charities. He specifically laments cuts made to Amnesty International, OXFAM, KAIROS, Development & Peace and the women's group MATCH International (amongst others). But wait a second. Why is Gunny lamenting? All of these groups are known facilitators/promotors of abortion.[8] Abortion is murder and the Catholic Church has always forbidden it as a grave evil. Again, the question is this: Why is Gunny, who writes for a supposedly "Catholic" newspaper, lamenting over the loss of public funding to pro-abortion groups? The logical deduction is either he deems abortion to not be an evil or he simply does not care (which is the same as the former). As a "social justice" bureaucrat, the abortion issue would, of course, intrude upon his dream of a future Marxist utopia. Pathetic. Underhanded. Conniving.

NEW GERITOL TIMES. Those radical Marxist fossils at the New Catholic Times are at it again. This month they posted an article by Daniel C. Maguire from Marquette University, "president of the Religious Consultation on Population, Reproductive Health, and Ethics". The article is entitled "Hierarchy, Sex and Power: A Primer on Educating Bishops", originally published by the Moloch worshipping, hellbound group "Catholics for Choice".[9] No surprise here, of course, but it would be nice if the staff at New Clapper Times would at least relax once in a while. Don't they nap anymore? They certainly deserve to do so after the last 40+ years of revolutionizing and pot smoking. Oh, lest we forget: the enemies at Novalis Publishers endorse their comrades at NCT. Click here and follow the arrows.

EDITOR PROVOCATION. At the Prairie Messenger the following (extract) Letter to the Editor was published: "On April 16, Rev. Hans Küng, the world famous theologian and Catholic priest, published a letter in The New York Times that challenged all Catholics, lay and clerical, to take a good hard look at what is happening to the Catholic Church. Since then, I have seen two references to the letter in the PM. One was a response from the Vatican. The other was a reference by a local person. But I have not seen his letter in full".[10] That the letter writer is a buffoon is clear. Yet what is interesting is the Editor's note thereafter: "The text of Rev. Hans Kung's open letter to the world's bishops (April 2010) can be found in the PM's online edition this week." Happily does the Editor plaster Küng's diatribe at the Prairie Messenger website, linked in from the home page.[11] The Editor (obviously a scoundrel) makes no mention of Küng being a manifest heretic; no mention that Küng denies Christ's divinity and that he negates papal infallibility (to say the least); no mention of the disproven allegations against the Pope (with facts), about whom Küng wrote: "the worldwide system of covering up cases of sexual crimes committed by clerics was engineered by the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Ratzinger". Note that the Editor's lack of commentary on, or qualifications of, Küng's letter is a standard tactic used to provoke and quietly insult orthodox Catholics. The Editor's escape hatch is that he just presented Küng's letter as such, neither praising or condemning it. Accordingly, he has a built-in defence that automatically disallows criticism, thus removing all responsibility away from himself with respect to his dissemination of heresy. Schmuck.


NOTES / REFERENCES

1. B. Gasslein, Healing the Body of Christ, Celebrate!, July/August 2010. LINK

2. See also a recent report, "Pope seen as leader ridding church of 'filth'", ZENIT, March 16, 2010. LINK

3. Studies show that 80+% of the abuse was committed by homosexuals. Cf. John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, 2004 LINK See also P. Jenkins, Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis (London: Oxford University Press, 2001) and B. Donohue, "Catholic Church's issue is homosexuality, not pedophilia", The Washington Post, July 22, 2010. LINK

4. M. Swan, "Order of Canada recognizes nun's role in caring for humanity", The Catholic Register, July 8, 2010. LINK Subnote that Roach was nominated by Anglican priestess Maggie Myers.

5. See, for example, T.M. Baklinski, "Another Resignation from Order of Canada over Morgentaler Debacle", LifeSite News, April 20, 2010. LINK A good commentary on this matter comes from I. Hunter, "Ian Hunter on Henry Morgentaler's Order of Canada: A symbol of moral decay", National Post, July 2, 2008. LINK

6. Leysner belongs to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM), Loretto Sisters, Canadian Province (Guelph, Ontario). Visit these habitless nuns at their website here and learn about social justice and other NGO crap. With links to Amnesty International, Development and Peace, the paganistic nature worshipping Earth Charter, the United Nations and other abortion facilitators.

7. J. Gunn, "Government silences voices of dissent, Charities, NGOs, suddenly find themselves cut off from federal funds", Western Catholic Reporter, July 19, 2010. LINK TH2 fisks Gunny here.

8. For the support/facilitation of abortion by Amnesty International: "Amnesty International Canada's consultations regarding sexual and reproductive rights - May 2007", Public Statement issued on June 14, 2007. LINK OXFAM: S Block, "Oxfam and Sojourners gang up to save the world", Spero News, July 21, 2009. LINK KAIROS: A. de Valk, "Catholics should stop funding KAIROS", Catholic Insight, January 2010, vol. XVIII, no. 1, p. 3. LINK MATCH International: P. Tuns, "Ottawa defunds feminist groups", The Interim, June 9, 2010. LINK For Development & Peace (an arm of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, CCCB) see the LifeSite News D&P-dedicated page here including the excellent investigations/analyses conducted at the SoCon or Bust blog here.

9. The editor at New Catholic Times republished it here. Original publication: D.C. Maguire, "Hierarchy, Sex and Power: A Primer on Educating Bishops", Conscience, vol. XXXI, no. 1, pp. 18-23. LINK

10. "Kung's open letter to bishops a significant contribution to discussion of difficult issues", Prairie Messenger, vol. 88, no. 7, July 14, 2010. LINK

11. Hans Küng's "open letter" can be found here at the Prairie Messenger. Originally entitled "Church in worst credibility crisis since Reformation, theologian tells bishops", The Irish Times, April 16, 2010.

CANADIAN CATHOLIC MSM HIGHLIGHTS / NO. 1