HAD RELATIONSHIP WITH TEEN
Jail time for ex-teacher
I don't subscribe to the horribly anti-Catholic newspaper Newsday but occasionally I can read it at work. This headline jumped out at me - "HAD RELATIONSHIP WITH TEEN". Interesting way to headline an article about a teacher who sexually abused a 16 year old boy. Priests have raped, molested, and preyed, but apparently this guy just "had a relationship with teen".
"It was indeed illegal for his client, Joseph Acosta, 38, to have a sexual relationship with a 16- year-old boy, the Central Islip attorney said. And as a once-respected Spanish teacher at Bellport Middle School with two master's degrees, Acosta should have known better."
"Despite letters of support from parents and co-workers, Acosta cannot be employed as a teacher because of his registered sex offender status, and he has been working as a busboy, Naiburg said. " (emphasis mine)
Wow, you mean to tell me there are parents and teachers who actually believe a child molester should continue teaching?????? Have people learned NOTHING from the Catholic Church's problems??
Thursday, April 22, 2004
What is wrong with the Church today is summed up nicely in a letter to the Long Island Catholic today. The letter writer describes almost 200 people gathering in a parish Church basement, and the letter is titled "Learning Tradition". Sounds good, but the tradition these Catholics were learning was the Jewish tradition of Passover. It was planned by the pastor, Fr. Charles Papa, who was recently caught with pornography site cookies on his computer and admitted to viewing them. So we have a troubled pastor leading Catholics in learning traditions of another faith rather than our own traditions. And people wonder why young Catholics flock to the latin Mass?
The Long Island Catholic has an article on police work and Catholicism that features John Moreno. He wrote Spirituality for Police Officers and runs retreats and nights of recollections that are quite good.
"Police officers “experience all that is bad in society and we do so over and over; we can wind up seeing only the bad in people, expecting the worst from them,” said Mr. Moreno, 74, who worked at Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica for 13 years and is now the director of adult programs at the Emmanuel Retreat House at Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale."
"Police officers “experience all that is bad in society and we do so over and over; we can wind up seeing only the bad in people, expecting the worst from them,” said Mr. Moreno, 74, who worked at Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica for 13 years and is now the director of adult programs at the Emmanuel Retreat House at Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale."
TWO MONTHS AFTER “THE PASSION”:
BODY COUNT—ZERO
"Two months have elapsed since the film was released and no Jew has been killed. Not only have there been no pogroms, there have been no reported beatings, and no reported acts of vandalism associated with the film. This is true not only in the U.S.; it is true all over the world. By now the movie has played in literally scores of countries, all without violence. "
"Those who predicted that the movie would generate violence need to explain themselves."
I will personally blog every single written apology from any of The Passion's public critics right here. I hope I have enough space for all them.
BODY COUNT—ZERO
"Two months have elapsed since the film was released and no Jew has been killed. Not only have there been no pogroms, there have been no reported beatings, and no reported acts of vandalism associated with the film. This is true not only in the U.S.; it is true all over the world. By now the movie has played in literally scores of countries, all without violence. "
"Those who predicted that the movie would generate violence need to explain themselves."
I will personally blog every single written apology from any of The Passion's public critics right here. I hope I have enough space for all them.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
HOLY TURF WARS
Good article by Ralph Peters.
"As a student of history alert to ugly surprises, my fear is that Islamic extremists may arouse passions dormant in the West. Muslim terrorists might do well to recall that there are far more Christian holy places in the Arab world than there are Muslim vestiges in Europe.
Suppose the Christians of tomorrow were provoked to demand the return of the apostolic churches of Asia minor? Or the vast lands of Orthodox Byzantium? Of historical Armenia? Or of Alexandria, the city that dominated early Christian thought? Before Mohammed's triumph, even Mecca had a Christian minority - and Jews had a vital presence in Medina. "
Good article by Ralph Peters.
"As a student of history alert to ugly surprises, my fear is that Islamic extremists may arouse passions dormant in the West. Muslim terrorists might do well to recall that there are far more Christian holy places in the Arab world than there are Muslim vestiges in Europe.
Suppose the Christians of tomorrow were provoked to demand the return of the apostolic churches of Asia minor? Or the vast lands of Orthodox Byzantium? Of historical Armenia? Or of Alexandria, the city that dominated early Christian thought? Before Mohammed's triumph, even Mecca had a Christian minority - and Jews had a vital presence in Medina. "
Monday, April 19, 2004
BISHOP SICK OF LOCAL CHURCH SCENE
"Don't get me wrong—I still care about everyone's eternal soul," Boland added. "I care deeply, but I must admit that the congregations have sorta become one big blur of blue-haired old ladies. Lately, when I get the question about whether so-and-so's cats are waiting for her in heaven, I just fall back on a stock answer."
"Cardinal Roger Mahony said he was not surprised by Boland's attitude.
"Bishop Boland is going through a temporary period of dissatisfaction, similar to those experienced by many of his colleagues," Mahony said. "As a cardinal, I'm forced to listen to that same complaint again and again. It's getting really old. If he's so unhappy, he's more than welcome to quit the Church and go work at a Taco Bell."
Why is it that one of the most refreshing comments I have read by a Cardinal had to be a made up one from The Onion??
"Don't get me wrong—I still care about everyone's eternal soul," Boland added. "I care deeply, but I must admit that the congregations have sorta become one big blur of blue-haired old ladies. Lately, when I get the question about whether so-and-so's cats are waiting for her in heaven, I just fall back on a stock answer."
"Cardinal Roger Mahony said he was not surprised by Boland's attitude.
"Bishop Boland is going through a temporary period of dissatisfaction, similar to those experienced by many of his colleagues," Mahony said. "As a cardinal, I'm forced to listen to that same complaint again and again. It's getting really old. If he's so unhappy, he's more than welcome to quit the Church and go work at a Taco Bell."
Why is it that one of the most refreshing comments I have read by a Cardinal had to be a made up one from The Onion??
Society for a Moratorium on the Music of Marty Haugen and David Haas
Many members of St. Blog's are signed up already for this, I just sent in an email to join. Woudn't it be great if this movement spread? Picture thousands of protesters across the country outside parishes, chanting "2-4-6-8, Gregorian Chant is really great!". It could really happen man!
Many members of St. Blog's are signed up already for this, I just sent in an email to join. Woudn't it be great if this movement spread? Picture thousands of protesters across the country outside parishes, chanting "2-4-6-8, Gregorian Chant is really great!". It could really happen man!
Sunday, April 18, 2004
I recently heard two talks given by Catholics. One was at a local Faith on Tap event by Dr. Joseph Varacalli. The talk he gave is available at the Catholic Social Scientists website: The Cultural And Political Impotence of Catholics In Contemporary American Life. A quote:
"...herein lies one important incongruity between an orthodox understanding of the faith and the vision of secularists and most present day Catholic “liberationist” and “progressivist” thinkers for whom an all-consuming this-worldly political involvement represents a be-all and end-all of human existence. To the contrary, the reconstruction of society along authentic Christian principles and lines at least compatible with Catholic social thought, while a good in and by itself, nonetheless is not the raison d’etre of the Catholic faith. Rather it is a lesser good; it is both secondary to and derivative of the primary mission of assisting individuals in the quest for eternal salvation. "
The other lecture was on Friday night, and was by Dr. William Donohue of the Catholic League. The speaker who introduced him said "I hope he comes out of his shell and tells us how he really feels" which got a good laugh from the crowd. He spoke on the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ. He did an excellent job in pointing out the anti-Catholic nature of most of the criticism. He recounted some of the worst examples and then reviewed some of the stories of people, who as a result of viewing the film, turned themselves in for crimes they committed . He did raise the issue of Mel's traditional Catholicism and how that affected some of the controversy. This was something I had hoped would be raised. He also stated he never asked what Mel's exact situation with the Church was. People were able to write questions down after the talk and Dr. Varacalli, who moderated the discussion, then chose the most critical questions for Donohue to answer. I thought the questions were fair and Dr. Donohue did a decent job responding to the questions, although there were time constraints that made it impossible for full, complete answers. Some of the questions and concerns raised by people showed the vast gulf between those Christians and Jews who watched the film, and seemed to see totally different things.
"...herein lies one important incongruity between an orthodox understanding of the faith and the vision of secularists and most present day Catholic “liberationist” and “progressivist” thinkers for whom an all-consuming this-worldly political involvement represents a be-all and end-all of human existence. To the contrary, the reconstruction of society along authentic Christian principles and lines at least compatible with Catholic social thought, while a good in and by itself, nonetheless is not the raison d’etre of the Catholic faith. Rather it is a lesser good; it is both secondary to and derivative of the primary mission of assisting individuals in the quest for eternal salvation. "
The other lecture was on Friday night, and was by Dr. William Donohue of the Catholic League. The speaker who introduced him said "I hope he comes out of his shell and tells us how he really feels" which got a good laugh from the crowd. He spoke on the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ. He did an excellent job in pointing out the anti-Catholic nature of most of the criticism. He recounted some of the worst examples and then reviewed some of the stories of people, who as a result of viewing the film, turned themselves in for crimes they committed . He did raise the issue of Mel's traditional Catholicism and how that affected some of the controversy. This was something I had hoped would be raised. He also stated he never asked what Mel's exact situation with the Church was. People were able to write questions down after the talk and Dr. Varacalli, who moderated the discussion, then chose the most critical questions for Donohue to answer. I thought the questions were fair and Dr. Donohue did a decent job responding to the questions, although there were time constraints that made it impossible for full, complete answers. Some of the questions and concerns raised by people showed the vast gulf between those Christians and Jews who watched the film, and seemed to see totally different things.
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