Showing posts with label USCCB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USCCB. Show all posts

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Bill Donahue Stands by Socialist USCCB


We've been interested in establishing the liberal pedigree of one William Donahue who's a bit of a would-be Catholic carny, barking for donations and declaiming the "enemies" of the Catholic Church while shilling for the USCCB. He's also been promoting the idea of "hate crimes" and we see him here doing lapdog service for the socialist "Health Care Reform" here.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the latest statement by the bishops on health care reform:

The day before President Obama’s State of the Union address, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a letter imploring the Congress to move forward with health care reform. A plea to the president to do the same was put forth by 23 progressive religious leaders. But the contents of the letters were strikingly different, and the reaction to the bishops has been sharp.

The bishops reiterated their call for universal health care, standing fast on the need to protect conscience rights and the rights of the unborn. New York Times journalist David D. Kirkpatrick, however, calls out the bishops by claiming, “Now that the legislation appears to be near death, the bishops are on the other side.” Wrong. They never switched positions. Indeed, no organization in the nation has been more consistent in its support for health care reform than the USCCB. That the bishops do not support forcing the taxpayers to pay for abortions, and that they care deeply about the conscience rights of doctors and nurses, is hardly a new position. Practicing Catholics believe abortion is “intrinsically evil,” thus it has no legitimate place in any health care legislation.

Sarah Posner, a left-wing writer, is furious with the bishops. She speaks derisively of their commitment to “life-giving” health care; she argues that their real “motive” is to “normalize and expand their agenda on reproductive care”; she accuses them of pursuing a “divide and conquer strategy”; she contends they seek “to portray themselves as the heroes” after “they’ve absolved themselves of responsibility for holding the House bill hostage”; and so forth. In other words, because the bishops have stuck to their guns, they’re the opportunists!

The letter by religious progressives never mentions any objection to abortion or the need for conscience rights, though it does conclude by citing their dedication to “helping the vulnerable.” Nice to know that these religious leaders don’t count the unborn among the vulnerable.

Dealer to Junkies: "Don't Abandon Health Care"

Unelected Bishops aren't satisfied with soft-socialism, they're still bent on the ineffective the highly centralized and failed economic practices of 1848-1992. Despite the best efforts of their DNC masters, the USCCB has failed to push the Socialist agenda yet again. The problem is, however, is that they are using the spiritual capital of the Catholic Church in the United States to push the socialist agendas of others who are not friendly to the Catholic Church. Still, these bemitred denizens of heterodoxy at the USCCB are not willing to give up so easily, they are haranguing their socialist colleagues for yet another go at the freedom and liberty not only of Holy Mother Church, but also the American taxpayer.

January 27, 2010


Months after threatening to oppose the health care overhaul over abortion – and one week after the election of a 41st Republican senator cost the Democrats their filibuster-proof majority, casting passage into doubt – Catholic bishops now are urging Congress against dropping the project.

“The health care debate, with all its political and ideological conflict, seems to have lost its central moral focus and policy priority, which is to ensure that affordable, quality, life-giving care is available to all,” Cardinal Daniel DiDinardo and bishops William F. Murphy and John Wester, writing on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, say in a letter sent to members of Congress this week. “Now is not the time to abandon this task, but rather to set aside partisan divisions and special interest pressures to find ways to enact genuine reform. Although political contexts have changed, the moral and policy failure that leaves tens of millions of our sisters and brothers without access to health care still remains.”

The bishops have advocated consistently for broadening access to health care, but oppose abortion. In November, the conference took an active role in lobbying for an amendment to the House version of the health care overhaul to prohibit taxpayer subsidies for insurance plans that cover the procedure.




Related Articles:



Catholic Bishops Pursuing Liberal Policy Advocating Socialized Medicine.


More USCCB advocating Socialism

USCCB Media Blog

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Socialist Witch Commands Bishops: ACORN, moveon.org (must read)

"I tell priests and bishops what to do."

M.J. Tully, Chancellor - Connects Catholics with Moveon.org and ACORN and more...


Dear Advocates for Life,

Strong words and shocking to those at a Southern Oregon meeting in Spring 2007. The actions of Mary Jo Tully have many faithful Catholics wondering what's going on. When she was hired by then Archbishop William Levada, she even helped him define her role, she is one of two women Chancellors in the U.S. Normally a Chancellor is a priest of deacon. But her words, even in jest are not appropriate.

She is in charge of many things but right now I'll concentrate on this: Ballot Measure 66 & 67.

The Archdiocese, not through the Oregon Catholic Conference, but the Office of Justice and Peace says Yes on 66 and 67. Mary Jo is in charge of the director of that office. It's not so much the yes (although I believe a NO vote is more prudent) but the alliances that were exposed in this process that are the problem. We weren't given an opportunity to express ourselves.

Connecting the Dots: TO PUT US (Western Oregon Catholics) IN THE VOTER'S GUIDE ON THE "YES" SIDE.

Attachment #1 - Mary Jo Tully's name is listed with "Defend Oregon" and "Tax Fairness Oregon", who paid $500 to be in the voter's guide since they didn't have the 1000 names to be in the "Vote Yes on 66 and 67' and therefore couldn't get in for free. Remember, non-profits won't have to be taxed, like the church.
Connecting More Dots: WHO ARE THEY, REALLY?

Tax Fairness, Defend Oregon and Our Oregon all have the same address and phone number.

Tax Fairness Oregon Mission Statement
George Soros' Moveon.org's political arm Democracy in Action..is in the web address of Tax Fairness Oregon.

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5838/t/6961/p/dia/action/public/index?action_KEY=1202&start=25

Democracy in Action Links to Pro-Aborts and Church Dissidents. Democracy In Action's mission - To "Wire the Progressive Movement." You'll see Faith in Public Life and ACORN Saul Alinsky group and Catholic Alliance a dissident group just to name two.
Now, notice how Mary Jo Tully signed the Tax Fairness "Religious Leaders" list first and then five minutes later our Archbishop did the same. A week later, Matt Cato, newly hired Office of Justice and Peace director signed a week later.

113Thu Nov 19 17:44:24 EST 2009 Matt Cato
94Thu Nov 12 20:59:47 EST 2009Most Rev. John G. Vlazny
93Thu Nov 12 20:54:42 EST 2009Chancellor Mary Jo Tully


*It is fair and just that those who continue to prosper greatly should give back a little more of their income to support the public services that have made their prosperity possible. The responsibility of the wealthy to the poor and to the common good is a principle deeply rooted in the texts and teachings of our religious traditions." Tax Fairness Oregon Statement
SO....What's going on...?

Pro-Life Action of Oregon www.prolifeactionoregon.org put in a call to the Archdiocese upon hearing that both Planned Parenthood and NARAL were urging supporters with big money to vote yes, the Archdiocesan Chancellor Mary Jo Tully replied, “That’s not a bad thing is it?”

After being asked whether the archbishop knows about Planned Parenthood and NARAL’s lobbying efforts, Chancellor Tully replied, “No, I don’t think he knows.”

See. http://prolifeactionoforegon.org/2010/01/06/planned-parenthood-leads-tax-increase-lobby/
Statements IN FAVOR in your VOTERS' PAMPHLET which you should receive in the mail:
Page 16, bottom of right column: Planned Parenthood and NARAL
Page 28, middle of right column: Ecumenical Ministries (Catholic Archdiocese is a member)
Page 73, both columns: Ecumenical Ministries and NARAL

With this action they aligned the Catholics of western Oregon with Planned Parenthood, NARAL National Abortion Rights Action League, Basic Rights Oregon (homosexual lobby) but that's not all.
Mary Jo Tully is on the Board of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. That is the biggest problem we have as Catholics in Oregon.

Western Oregon Catholics are now aligned once again, with ultra-liberal, progressive values, but now it's so obvious, it's blatant and stomach-turning. These NOT the values of the Roman Catholic Church.

So we see that January 25, 2010 the Archbishop endorses Measure 66 & 67.

We pray that Mary Jo Tully can get some new friends and not be so outspoken about her role. It is very unnerving that not ONE of the churches we associate with are pro-life , REAL pro-life protecting unborn white babies, brown babies, black babies, every baby.

It's just not a priority, no matter what the Archbishop says.

God Bless you and yours,
Carolyn

"In accord with the knowledge, competence and preeminence which they possess, they (laity) have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard for the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons." (Canon 212, P3)


www.vocalnews.org
VOCAL
Voice of Catholics Advocating Life
PO Box 458
Sublimity, OR 97385
503-769-4767
Member of the Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World". www.catholicmediacoalition.org
and Reform Catholic Campaign for Human Development Now www.reformcchdnow.com



Here's Mary Jo (the one with the pantsuit and the orange hair) with her friends at the Oregon Catholic Press: where the gay Dan Schutte practices his craft, or here, or you can hear a gay-friendly tune by Michael Joncas, here, or hear the relaxing tones of the mostly gay St. Louis Jesuits, here

Your pastor shouldn't have this crap in the pews on Sunday, your parish shouldn't have to support Mary Jo and it shouldn't support OCP either. h/t: Gabriel


Related Articles

Deacon Levine Resurfaces in Oregon.

Chum's in the Water: Professional Victims and Lawyers Circle Jesuit Oregon Province.

Oregon Province Sex-Abuse Claims Reach 500.

Friday, January 15, 2010

American Bishops Ask Obama to Grant Hatians Temporary Citizenship

The magnanimity of the American Bishops offers yet another opportunity to expand the welfare state even beyond the boarders of our country.

In a letter President Barack Obama on January 15, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked the White House to designate the country of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

“It is clear that Haiti merits an immediate designation of TPS after suffering the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake of January 12, one of the worst in Haitian history,” Cardinal George said in the letter.

TPS permits nationals of a designated nation living in the United States to reside here legally and qualify for work authorization. TPS designation is based upon determination that armed conflict, political unrest, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions exist in a nation and that the return of that country’s nationals would further destabilize the nation and potentially bring harm to those returned.

Read further...

Monday, December 28, 2009

CHA Denies Spilt with Bishops on Abortion

Despite previous reports of disengagement with the USCCB at the New York Times on Healthcare Reform with respect to Abortion, the head of CHA, Sister Keehan, insists that they are fully behind the US Bishop's socialist agenda and its tentative Prolife position.

'Not a shred of disagreement' between CHA, bishops on health reform

By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Despite a New York Times report to the contrary, the Catholic Health Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are working together to achieve health reform legislation that does not expand federal funding of abortion, according to the CHA president and CEO.

Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity, told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview Dec. 28 that her organization has never wavered in its commitment to health care that protects "from conception to natural death," as outlined in the CHA document, "Our Vision for U.S. Health Care."

She disputed a report in The New York Times Dec. 26 that a recent CHA statement on Senate negotiations over abortion funding in health reform legislation represented a split with the bishops.

"There is not a shred of disagreement between CHA and the bishops," Sister Carol said. "We believe there is a great possibility and probability that in conference committee we can work toward a solution that will prevent federal funding of abortion."

She said the CHA, which represents more than 600 Catholic hospitals in the U.S., "brings a lot of expertise with funding structures in the marketplace" to the debate and hopes to "bring that to bear" during the conference committee's work.

Shortly before the Senate approved its version of health reform legislation early Dec. 24, the chairmen of three USCCB committees said the bill should not be approved "without incorporating essential changes to ensure" that it "truly protects the life, dignity, consciences and health of all."

In a letter sent late Dec. 22, about 36 hours before the Senate's 60-39 vote along party lines, the USCCB leaders pledged continued efforts to incorporate needed changes during the work of the House-Senate conference committee.

"For many months, our bishops' conference has worked with members of Congress, the administration and others to fashion health care reform legislation that truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all," said the letter signed by Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and Bishops William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and John C. Wester of Salt Lake City.

The three chair the USCCB committees on Pro-Life Activities, on Domestic Justice and Human Development and on Migration, respectively.

"We regret to say that in all the areas of our moral concern, the Senate health care reform bill is deficient," the three chairmen added.

The bishops said their biggest problem with the Senate bill was its treatment of abortion funding, which "not only falls short of the House's standard but violates long-standing precedent in all other federal health programs."

In addition to not maintaining the legal status quo on abortion funding that has been supported by President Barack Obama and by the majority of Americans in many polls, the abortion provisions in the manager's amendment to the Senate bill would require purchasers of some health insurance plans "to pay for other people's abortions in a very direct and explicit way," the USCCB letter said.

"There is no provision for individuals to opt out of this abortion payment in federally subsidized plans, so people will be required by law to pay for other people's abortions," it added.

The Senate bill also fails to include provisions to prevent "discrimination against health care providers that decline involvement in abortion" and would not protect the rights of Catholic and other institutions "to provide and purchase health coverage consistent with their moral and religious convictions on other procedures," the chairmen said.

The letter also urged changes in the Senate bill's provisions barring undocumented immigrants from purchasing health insurance from an exchange with their own money and banning legal immigrants from federal health benefit programs for five years.

Sister Carol said Times reporter David D. Kirkpatrick based his Dec. 26 story on a Dec. 17 CHA statement which noted that CHA had not reviewed the language of various amendments on the table at the time but was "encouraged by recent deliberations and the outline" Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., was developing.

At that point, "I felt they were making progress and were getting where we needed to be," she said.

"I understand that it doesn't make a good story to say (CHA and the USCCB) are working together," Sister Carol added. "But it would have been an honest story."

In an earlier statement, Cardinal DiNardo said the USCCB would continue to oppose the Senate legislation "unless and until" it is amended to "comply with long-standing Hyde restrictions on federal funding of elective abortions and health plans that include them."

The Hyde amendment prohibits federal funding of abortion except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the woman's life.

On abortion, the USCCB had backed a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and others. Similar to a House-passed measure sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., the amendment would have incorporated the Hyde amendment protections into the health reform bill.

When the Senate tabled Nelson's amendment in a 54-45 vote Dec. 8, Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, USCCB president, and the three USCCB chairmen called it "a grave mistake and a serious blow to genuine health reform."

Nelson joined with the 57 other Senate Democrats and two independents in voting Dec. 19 to end debate on the health reform legislation, cutting off a Republican filibuster.

Nelson told the Lincoln Journal Star Dec. 23 that he "did not compromise my pro-life principles" by supporting the Senate language on abortion funding. "We just found different language that will work," he added.

Link to original...

Friday, December 25, 2009

Why Aren't American Bishops Resigning?

Ok, we write about this all of the time, we write about the moral and intellectual incapacity of most Bishops to reign their Diocese. They live in an environment of not so benign neglect, and the welcome deaths of the Theologians of the Vatican II generation, notably Fr. Schilebeecx a few days ago, and Fr. Godfry Dieckman OSB, has us thinking about how people compartmentalize things to the point where the emotional attachments exist without any rational justification.

A lot of people would get arrested for practicing surgery without the need or requisite training and certification, but in Theology, you can botch all kinds of souls and no one says anything. Even the state turns a blind eye when professional Clerics, under the seal of the confessional, or in the capacity of mental health care workers, take young people into their conference to guide and shape them in a way completely inconsistent with Catholic teaching. The government even turns a blind eye when these unprincipled charlatans seek to take liberties with their charges, like a priest out of Boccaccio's Daecameron, for illicit and forbidden pleasure.

The Scriptures are astoundingly clear, even where civil justice and modern post-Vatican II theologians with their notions of easy virtue and a debased theological perspective and deliberate liturgical chaos fail. Such men should have a milestone tied around their necks and they should be cast into the sea, but quite often, such men will challenge a seeker of justice and the layman so ill-advised to challenge the prelate or priest on his quest for illicit pleasure, had better have a lot of documentation before the Vatican will be forced to act under the pressure of public opinion to remove a man like Archbishop Weakland, who even today, shakes his self-rightous fist at his accusers and justifies his gay-friendly approach. Perhaps such self-righteous homosexuals, publishing words by which we can hang them legally later, is a great ally? These men are brash, and like individual roaches in a plague of roaches, fearless.

If Scriptures are clear, the history of the Church is quite clear. Homosexuals, the kind who nowadays abuse children, would be sent to the scaffold or the stake after a fair trial by the Inquisition. We favor the restoration of this. The Vatican should, in collaboration with existing governments, send independent fact-finders to investigate abuses and try the guilty in ecclesiastical courts where excommunication will be invoked; then the state can try and convict these monsters and ship them to maximum security prisons where they can enjoy the tender mercies of convict justice.

Anyhow, like Fr. Z, we digress, and we've already mentioned the possibility of American Bishops resigning, of course, they have resigned for some right reasons (+Weakland and +Law), but no one, even most of the Catholic press, is addressing the Bishops' failings with regard to teaching and upholding the Catholic Faith. Many Bishops seem to think that supporting Marxists causes such as CCHD and Catholic Charities will save them and sometimes it isn't enough, but in Cardinal Mahony's case, he seems to lead a charmed life. Will no one rid us of this troublesome priest? No one?


Four Irish bishops have now resigned within weeks of a scathing report that they knowingly sheltered sexual predator priests from the laws of church and state.


The 720-report into abuse cover-ups in Dublin from 1940 to 2004 became public in late November. Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin (shown above), who was brought in after the period dealt with in the report, made it clear that the old ways of protecting priests, not children and teens, were inexcusable.

Two bishops resigned earlier this month. Two more resigned during Christmas Mass, offering apologies to victims and all Dublin's one million Catholics.

Here in the USA, however, only one bishop resigned in acknowledgment of mismanagement.


U.S. Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace as archbishop of Boston over his role in the clergy sex abuse crisis, prays during a Mass at the St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, Sunday, April 10, 2005.

CAPTIONBy Anja Niedringhaus, APCardinal Bernard Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston, where the scandal erupted here in 2002, in the face of demands from his flock and his priests. Two bishops were ousted because they themselves were credibly accused of abuse -- Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee and Anthony O'Connell of Palm Beach, Fla.


But while the abuse crisis on US shores has largely subsided from the headlines, groups such as BishopAccountability.org continue to call for scores of bishops to do more than apologize for mistakes.

They call for individual accounting for all the records of how abusive priests were dealt with and for bishops to face the canonical and legal consequences of their mismanagement, above and beyond apologies.



Link to original...

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Quisling USCCB Mounts Another Last Ditch Defense

The Bishops aren't too happy that a lot of Marxist legistlation isn't going to be passed into law, but they are, to be fair, keen on insuring that none of this mostly favoured legislation includes funding for abortion. Considering their resistance to the Congressional Bill, it's hard to believe that their resistance against abortion funding wasn't half-hearted like the French General Staff's too deliberate ineptitude in facing the Germans in 1940. Sure, individual units of Frenchmen fought bravely against the invading Germans, but Command Headquarters was largely blind and stuck in a hermetic enclosure from the rest of its armies owing to a complete lack of effectivc communication with its subordinate units; France in 1940, like American Catholicism, is doomed to political irrelavence and defeat.

But we're Catholics, we're used to being murdered by our enemies and betrayed by our shepherds. We should thank God for these tribulations and these shepherds. They and the surrounding irreligion and illusory freedoms give us much opportunity to proove our love of God.


Read the USCCB letter, it'll be dead letter before long, possibly a historical document choronicling the decline and fall of American Catholicism. What an ugly logo.

Here's a blog writing about this. He doesn't get it.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

EWTN's Arroyo Hosts Reform CCHD Reps Who Reveal Shocking Evidence Against USCCB Anti-Poverty Arm

From Catholic Answers:

The ALL compilation is quite instructive; it links to the USCCB list of grantees as well. Skimming through the USCCB list of grantees and descriptions, I did a word search for "empower" and got 24 hits. Is that evil? No, but it means that the grantees are often more political than charitable in nature, usually associated with a "progressive" social agenda.

Link to original...

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Dean Moves to Kill Obamacare

The enemy of your enemy is your friend. God has a sense of irony. The Bishops won't defeat the bill, but a Godless socialist will.

WASHINGTON – Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean argued Wednesday that the health care overhaul bill taking shape in the Senate further empowers private insurers at the expense of consumer choice.

"You will be forced to buy insurance. If you don't, you'll pay a fine," said Dean, a physician. "It's an insurance company bailout." Interviewed on ABC's "Good Morning America," he said the bill has some good provisions, "but there has to be a line beyond which you think the bill is bad for the country."

"This is an insurance company's dream," the former Democratic presidential candidate said. "This is the Washington scramble, and it's a shame."

Dean asserted that the Senate's health care bill would not prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage for preexisting conditions and he also said it would allow the industry to charge older people far more than others for premiums.

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., a prominent House liberal, protested the absence of any government-run insurance option in the Senate bill.

"We can't let the perfect be enemy of the good," Weiner said on CBS' "Early Show," "but we are reaching a tipping point."

When House and Senate negotiators go to conference to work out a compromise bill, Weiner said, "We should move away from some of the things the Senate has done and move back to where the House is. You need to contain cost. You do that with a public option."

(This version CORRECTS SUBS 2nd graf, deleting word 'now' to correct Dean quote.)

Link to original...

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Bishops Press Senate On Abortion

The author thinks that the American Bishop's increasing hostillity against progressive Senators on the issue of abortion, may alienate them from them in other leftist platforms they both share. The Bishops have long been allies of progressive political forces, it's time they realize that liberalism is no friend to the Church.

As liberals bitterly absorb the loss of a government-backed insurance option, the divisive issues of abortion and covering immigrants could soon re-emerge as the Senate finalizes a reform measure.

The U.S. Catholic Bishops on Monday sent senators letters urging action on each issue, siding with conservatives on one and liberals on the other.

On abortion, the letter from Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the conference’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, urged a last minute insertion of language that would block taxpayer money from subsidizing abortion coverage.

Read further...

USCCB's Propaganda Arm Receives More Criticism

If there s anything that demonstrates the proclivities and sortcomings of the USCCB, it is a national news service that misconstrues, distorts and minimizes Catholic teaching on a fairly consistent basis. Can anyone really dispute that the USCCB is made up mostly of men who fall short of the mark of ortodoxy?

WASHINGTON, DC, December 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - CNS' cavalier attitude toward orthodoxy is not confined to its recent treatment of the life issue alone. Some other examples, just to name a few:

In 2005, CNS issued a glowing review of the movie "Brokeback Mountain" and rated the homosexual propaganda piece as suitable for a "limited adult audience." Following the backlash of outraged readers, CNS eventually changed the rating to "morally offensive," but the fawning assessment of the film as "a serious contemplation on loneliness and connection" remains unchanged to this very day, however.


http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/dec/09121406.html

Saturday, December 5, 2009

The Bishops' Poor Case for Healthcare Reform

If and we mean, if, the Bishops have a moral case against Health Care Reform, they certainly haven't done a very good job of making it.


The ultimate constraint that we all face is knowledge -- what we know and don't know. The knowledge problem is pervasive and by no means trivial as hinted at by just a few examples. You've purchased a house. Was it the best deal you could have gotten? Was there some other house you could have purchased that 10 years later would not have needed extensive repairs or was in a community with more likeable neighbors and a better environment for your children? What about the person you married? Was there another person who would have made for a more pleasing spouse? Though these are important questions, the most intelligent answer you can give to all of them is: "I don't know."

Read further...

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Openly Lesbian "Catholic" Woman Is Member of USCCB Subcommittee For Health Care and Work

By James Todd
Pewsitter.com


December 3, 2009 - According to the USCCB website Mary Kay Henry was appointed to the USCCB Subcommittee for Health Care and Work in 1998. Now more than a decade later, Ms. Henry continues to provide consultation to the USCCB in this capacity – in spite of her open dissent from Church teaching on homosexuality.

Michael Voris of Real Catholic TV, who first reported this story, stated that when he called the USCCB their only immediate comment was that someone would get back to him. Mr. Voris in his daily video commentary states: “Where do the bishops find these people to consult? Surely, there has to be .. somewhere in America .. a faithful Catholic the bishops can turn to for advice on matters of health care.”

What Mr. Voris is referring to is the information found in Mary Kay Henry’s CV posted on the SEIU web site. The last paragraph of that CV follows.

“Mary Kay is also active in the fight for immigration reform and gay and lesbian rights. She is a founding member of SEIU's gay and lesbian Lavender Caucus. She and her partner, Paula Macchello, have been together for 20 years.”

There appears to be a growing distrust and credibility gap between faithful Catholics and the USCCB. Just last month the USCCB’s annual CCHD collection was challenged by a coalition of Catholic lay groups, over the CCHD funding of anti-catholic organizations.

Last year, immediately after the 2008 elections, CCHD finalized their decision to defund Acorn and end its many years of association with this controversial group.

Michael Hitchborn of American Life League, commenting upon CCHD funding controversy last month stated “Given how easily we discovered CCHD funding going to anti-Catholic causes, the only two possibilities are that the CCHD is incompetent or complicit.”

Mr. Hitchborn’s quote would seem to apply here, to the present association between Mary Henry and the USCCB, as well. A quick 5 minute search on the internet can uncover Ms. Henry’s CV including a statement about her “partner” of 20 years, her role as a founding member of a gay and lesbian organization, her active support for gay marriage, and her opposition to Prop 8 in California.


Link to original...

Monday, November 30, 2009

Bishop Bruskewitz addresses CCHD's Incompatibillity with Catholicism

"We question the ideology of [CCHD]," The good Bishop basically puts it in a nutshell and says what so many of his brother Bishops refuses to say.


LINCOLN, Nebraska, November 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) --Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska explained in an interview with LifeSiteNews.com today his reasons for dropping the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) collection in his diocese, saying that CCHD head Bishop Roger Morin was "a little bit too dismissive" of concerns brought against the organization.

Bishop Bruskewitz is one of five bishops confirmed so far to have chosen not to take up the collection this year for the national CCHD, the USCCB's domestic anti-poverty arm. The others included Bishop Victor Galeone of St. Augustine, Florida; Bishop John O. Barres of Allentown, Pennsylvania; Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, Wisconsin; and Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, at least three other U.S. bishops have called for reform of the CCHD.

"We question the ideology of [CCHD]," the bishop explained in the interview, "and ... we are shocked at the scandalous participation with the ACORN organization and also the participation with other organizations of questionable moral values or standards."

The organization came under fire in the months leading up to this past weekend's national collection due to reports documenting how numerous grantees have promoted or are promoting activities contrary to Church teaching, including abortion, contraception, and same-sex "marriage." In fact, the Reform CCHD Now coalition announced last week that $1.3 million is allocated to questionable groups. Additionally, critics have charged CCHD with favoring "left-leaning" groups in the spirit of infamous community organizer Saul Alinksy.

CCHD ceased funding ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), a liberal network of community activism groups, last year due to concerns about "financial management" and "political partisanship." CCHD had given ACORN over $7 million in grants during the previous ten years. ACORN came under renewed scrutiny this year after sting operations caught several ACORN offices condoning child prostitution and sex trafficking.

"It's so extremely controversial," the bishop said about CCHD. There have been "many negative resonances about it from people throughout the diocese and beyond the diocese," he said, adding that the "controversial character made it appear that [CCHD] was not effective" in meeting its purposes.
His diocese doesn't "rule [CCHD] out entirely," he said, but he would only reconsider the collection if there were "some changes in the organization itself, or its purposes, or its goals."

The collection "served very little purpose for us," he said, noting that the Lincoln diocese has not received funds from CCHD. "We do have a very extensive Catholic Social Services, St. Vincent de Paul activity here in the diocese," he said, "which supplies the needs of those who are impoverished, of those who need assistance to come out of poverty."

Bishop Roger Morin, chairman of the USCCB's subcommittee on the CCHD, delivered a passionate plea in defense of the organization at last week's USCCB plenary meeting. While pledging their commitment to ensure grantees' respect for Catholic teaching, he decried the "outrageous" allegations made by CCHD's critics that it funds pro-abortion or anti-family organizations.

But Bishop Bruskewitz expressed displeasure with Bishop Morin's report, saying the bishop did not adequately consider the criticisms brought against the CCHD.

"I didn't think [the report] took into account sufficiently the negatives that have been bantered about with regard to the organization," he said. He said Bishop Morin was "obviously defending the organization he had been involved in different areas," and now for which he's the chairman.

The report, further, "lacked some of the interests" that concerned people "have brought to the fore," he said. "I think he was perhaps a little bit too dismissive of them."

Nevertheless, he maintained that he has "no objection" to people supporting CCHD should they choose. If "people [who] like this organization ... want to send money to it, even from my diocese, they can," he said. "But I'm not going to take up the collection."


Link to original...

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Gay Governors Choose Wealth and Power Over Truth

Gay Governors usurp the teaching authority of the Church and become a Magisterium all of their own, but it proves that they are concerned about losing the Church's endorsement for their various governmental programs. The price for fighting the Church will be high both in this life and the next.

WJZ

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)The governors of Virginia and Maryland say it would be wrong for the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington to quit providing social services if the District of Columbia approves gay marriage.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley are both Catholics. They criticized the church's position on the district's gay marriage proposal Tuesday during a joint appearance on WTOP radio in Washington.

The D.C. council is expected to approve gay marriage next month. If that happens, the archdiocese says it may end contracts with the city to run homeless shelters and provide other social services.

Kaine and O'Malley both said they disagree with that response.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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The Bishops Should Fight Obamacare With All Their Might

The first entry comes from Cardinal Rigali and shows some really decisive leadership.

The other entry by Father Robert Sirico at last asks the right questions and puts the social teachings of the Church in relation to her traditional role as the true source of Charity in her hospitals, orphanages, schools and soup kitchens. She has always fed and clothed the poor and this legistlation threatens what.


(CNSNews.com) - A top Roman Catholic cardinal told CNSNews.com that there is “no way” Catholic members of Congress can support the Senate health care reform bill as long as it includes a provision that allows tax dollars to go to insurance plans that cover abortion.

At the National Press Club on Nov. 20, CNSNews.com asked Cardinal Justin Rigali, the archbishop of Philadelphia: “The Senate health care bill that Majority Leader Reid released this week permits tax dollars to go to insurance plans which cover abortion. And my question is: Would it be a mortal sin for a Catholic member of Congress to vote for this bill knowing that this provision is in it?”

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Powerblog

Posted by Rev. Robert Sirico

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

As the health care debate moves to the U.S. Senate, much of the focus has been on how the Catholic bishops’ support of the amendment by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, the Menominee Democrat, to prohibit the use of tax dollars to fund abortion was a major victory for the pro-life side. The bishops urged the House of Representatives, through local parishes and in a Nov. 6 letter, to ensure that “needed health care reform legislation truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all.”

All people of good will, all those who value human life and dignity, should cheer this development.

But there’s more to this health care juggernaut that should give us reason to oppose it in its current form. We should first be concerned with the vast expansion of government reach into the private lives of millions of Americans.

This “reform” will create a system that will put bureaucrats in charge of personal health care decisions — not doctors. It will give the federal government an avenue to nationalize more than 15 percent of the U.S. economy, putting bureaucrats and elected officials in the role of manager and regulator — much as we’ve seen in banking and automobiles.

Amazingly, with the push for a $1 trillion-plus health care package and the attendant debt, we may soon see Canada with lower government spending (as a percent of gross domestic product) on heath care than the United States. All this, too, is a threat to human dignity.

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Related articles:

Recent news about the Baltimore Conference in Summary.

Bishop Bruskewitz mildly criticizes Bishop Morin regarding the CCHD.


Bishop Morin Equivocates about CCHD.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Clergy are cafeteria Catholics too

The clergy are aware that people are angry about this and some of them are probably more forthright about it than others, but this priest isn't atypical in his response. Seems like there's a real crisis of confidence. It's as if he were uncertain as to why he became a priest in the first place.

By Dianne Skripek

As a Catholic I was stunned when after Holy Communion the Pastor announced how there wouldn't be (but would be) a Second Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development last Sunday, November 22.

After offering a cursory, confusing explanation of the CCHD controversy, Father stated there wasn''t a collection in typical fashion of basket passing but designated baskets were available in the vestibule. If someone wanted to donate to CCHD, the parish office would send a check on contributors'' behalf. After googling for facts, I thanked God I don''t typically give to Second Collections unless it directly supports missionaries or the needy.


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Monday, November 23, 2009

31 CCHD-Funded Groups Supported, Trained by Pro-Abortion, Homosexual Marriage


31 CCHD-Funded Groups Supported, Trained by Pro-Abortion, Homosexual Marriage

The coalition's latest discovery exposes 31 organizations partnered with Center for Community Change. CCC is a politically radical, anti-life, pro-homosexualist organization whose board members include Heather Booth, former consultant for the National Organization for Women and Sara Gould, president and CEO of pro-abortion Ms. Foundation for Women.

community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education," according to their web site.

Since the coalition began the investigation at least two dioceses, Allentown and Madison, have publicly announced they will not be participating in the Nov. 22 collection. Gamaliel, one of the CCHD grantees partnered with CCC, reports that five diocese have backed out of this year's CCHD collection.

Socialist roots of CCHD and Connections to Political struggles ongoing in relation to Healthcare Reform.

Defense by Archbishops Nienstedt and Chaput, although Archbishop Nienstedt suggests giving money to other worthy Catholic organizations instead.

Bishop Morin's equivocations on behalf of CCHD.

George Soros' support for Liberal causes within the Catholic Church, particularly the CCHD another dire portent of socialist infiltration.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

CCHD Provides an Opportunity for Liberal Socialists to Undercut and Distract during the Healthcare Debate

Words on the relative success or failure of CCHD will be interesting to read, possibly on Monday, but is seems safe to say that given the pre-emptive attempt to head off the criticism and disatisfaction they knew was brewing as a result of their tacit approval for the various anti-Catholic organizations they've been supporting with the Catholic Church's popular clout, for years.

We've known about this for years and years, and we're surprised that an issue is being made about it now, but we're not surprised that some Bishops are denying the fact they knew about it at all, or just as bad, that we should believe them that something effective will be done in the future.

Court Jester is looking for news on Dicoese that don't collect here...

More on Bishop Roger's equivocations here...


Raymond Arroy's credibillity has even been called into question by Bishop Morin. He's a bit like one of those villains in a melodrama, and it's as if this is the first time in throughout the years that we've known about this. In previous years not more than a few occasional boos emanated from various places against these villains. People almost seemed to take it for granted that Bishops didn't take their religion seriously. Why should they, no one else does. Just a few crazy "Lefebvrists" and " Catholics United for the Faith" type people.

Perhaps there is truth to the suspicion that the politicos are taking shots at the USCCB for their support of the Stupak Amendment. If that's the case, the Bishops have only themselves to blame for being as cynical as the Democrats who must surely be engineering this campaign against them, or perhaps, finally, Catholics are truly coming to their senses and might at any moment show up outside episcopal bungalos with pitchforks and burning torches.