A WAR PLAN

There is a battle going on in the Church that may have reached the point of War over this past year. It is the battle between those who think the Church must change its 2000 year old teachings and those who just want to be Catholic. The eruption of the Church’s problems in the secular media has forced me to radically join the war on the side of those who want to maintain the teachings and traditions of the Church. One good battle plan we could use comes from an unlikely source: Bill Clinton. Yes- he is a liar, an adulterer, professional charmer, possibly even a rapist, but no one ever accused him of being a bad politician or a dummy. I can remember articles being written about how Clinton co-opted the republicans' agenda and pulled the democrats to the middle. This is what should be done in the Church.

When people call for more of a voice for laity in the Church, they are right. Laity, such as George Weigel, William Donahue, Helen Hull Hitchcock (I call her Triple H), Alice Von Hildebrand, Deal Hudson, Janet Smith, Ralph McInerney, Thomas Monoghan, etc. should be heard loud and clear.

When people call for supporting “priests of integrity” they are right. We should make sure that Benedict Groeschel, Andrew Apostoli, Mitch Pacwa, Jerry Pokorsky, Joseph Fessio, Richard Neuhaus, C. John McCloskey, etc… are supported as strongly as possible.

When people call for “diversity” we should make sure to highlight the diversity of the Eastern Rite and Anglican Catholics whose priests celebrate Mass facing the altar and who distribute communion on the tongue or the various traditionalist groups.

When people call for more teaching on Vatican II, we should respond by doing just that-teaching what Vatican II actually said. People who talk the most of Vatican II never mention the actual documents and how they called for Gregorian Chant to be sung at Mass by laypeople, wider use of the Liturgy of the Hours, Latin retaining a prominent place in the Mass, etc..

The public exposure of the corruption in the Church over these past 2 years should be the catalyst for the true implementation of Vatican II. Just Bring It.

My cousin Billy had gone to his Marine recruiter on Sept. 12th, 2001 while still in high school to see if they would take him right away and was told to be patient. He recently got out of Marine Boot Camp and was sent "someplace warm". I hope wherever he is, he will be safe. I hope this war is very short and very successful, that it will be fought as justly as possible, that the United States will be safer and the people of Iraq better off.

I was bored by the relentless coverage of the War and the protesters so I checked out EWTN's Life on the Rock. About a dozen nuns from the Nashville Dominicans were singing and discussing their apostolates. The group is so young and joyful and it is great to see them in their habits showing the world they are in love with Jesus. I wonder if these nuns know that they, and communities like them don't really exist. At least that is what I keep reading -this whole orthodoxy leads to vocations and faithful communities of men and women attracting vocations is just a myth according to some Catholics. Oh well, these nuns, who now number 200 (according to their website) looked real enough.

Anyone see Page Six of the NY Post the other day? This is the gossip section that is not actually on page six and it said that Stephen Sondheim might make a musical version of the movie Groundhog Day.

I went to a night of prayer tonight held by Lay Preachers. There is an hour of prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, a delicious dinner, a talk and a Mass. The priest this evening was Fr. Glenn Sudano from the Franciscans Friars of the Renewal. The evening was very good as expected. My mother, on the other hand went to the parish Lenten Mission tonight, and actually left in disgust. I won't go into details but her quote was: "What are they, inventing a new religion?". Although it was said in exasperation, it is actually a good question.

Farewell to Slain Cop
An estimated 10,000 police officers lined Foster Ave. in Flatbush outside Our Lady of Refuge Church in the first funeral for a police officer killed in the line of duty since the 23 services held for cops lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center terrorist attack.


Then he offered a poignant epitaph: "You have worked well, James, my son," the father said. "I consider you a giant, and giants never die. You are a big giant who is sleeping. ... I hope your blood has not been shed in vain, that it may contribute in the fight against crime and terrorism."