"We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
--President George Bush speaking to a joint session of Congress, September 21st, 2001
10 Die As Militants, Saudi Police Clash
Me thinks the Saudis made the wrong choice many years ago.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Police continue search for mother of newborn baby found dead in Amityville
Safe Haven law may have saved Amityville newborn
"After a lot of lobbying from groups like Long Island’s AMT Children of Hope Foundation, 47 states now have some form of the Safe Haven law, including New York. Under the law, birth mothers have five days to hand over an unharmed newborn to someone at a hospital, fire department or police station. The birth mothers are not required to ask questions or give their names. There is no criminal punishment involved."
AMT Children of Hope Foundation
Safe Haven law may have saved Amityville newborn
"After a lot of lobbying from groups like Long Island’s AMT Children of Hope Foundation, 47 states now have some form of the Safe Haven law, including New York. Under the law, birth mothers have five days to hand over an unharmed newborn to someone at a hospital, fire department or police station. The birth mothers are not required to ask questions or give their names. There is no criminal punishment involved."
AMT Children of Hope Foundation
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Man charged with murder after pregnant woman's fetus dies
"A man who was arrested for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in San Jose is being held on a murder charge.
Police say the 25-year-old woman was 18 weeks pregnant when the male fetus was delivered dead yesterday." (emphasis mine)
"An autopsy will be conducted to determine why the fetus died."
"A man who was arrested for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in San Jose is being held on a murder charge.
Police say the 25-year-old woman was 18 weeks pregnant when the male fetus was delivered dead yesterday." (emphasis mine)
"An autopsy will be conducted to determine why the fetus died."
Saturday, December 25, 2004
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I attended the Christmas Concert and 8 PM Mass at St. Martin of Tours Church in Amityville . There was a choir and full orchestra- the music director is a graduate of Julliard. The music was terrific - easily the best quality music at any Mass I have ever attended. If my friend Aristotle, of Confessions of a Recovering Choir Director was there he would have been able to name the arrangements. The Gloria, Agnus Dei and Our Father were particularly beautiful. This was a great way to begin the Christmas Season.
Friday, December 24, 2004
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
New Catholic Blog!
Seattle Catholic has a link to Glendalough: A Catholic Writer's Blog by Matthew Anger. I have seen his writing in Latin Mass magazine. He links to a new book by Susan Lloyd (who also writes for Latin Mass) called "Please Don't Drink the Holy Water! Homeschool Days, Rosary Nights, and Other Near Occasions of Sin". The book sounds very funny. Isn't it cool how traditional Catholics with large families can joke around and enjoy their children, their faith, and their life while others see children, faith and life as burdens?
Seattle Catholic has a link to Glendalough: A Catholic Writer's Blog by Matthew Anger. I have seen his writing in Latin Mass magazine. He links to a new book by Susan Lloyd (who also writes for Latin Mass) called "Please Don't Drink the Holy Water! Homeschool Days, Rosary Nights, and Other Near Occasions of Sin". The book sounds very funny. Isn't it cool how traditional Catholics with large families can joke around and enjoy their children, their faith, and their life while others see children, faith and life as burdens?
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
"Laying the Smackdown on Heresy Since 1981"
I just noticed that Ignatius Insight has an interview with Christopher Blosser of The Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club.
I just noticed that Ignatius Insight has an interview with Christopher Blosser of The Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club.
Monday, December 20, 2004
John Cornwall is now backing away from his claim that Pope Pius XII was anti-semitic. Who cares? The damage is done and Cornwall has made his money. Perhaps he figures he will sell more copies of his book on JPII if he comes across as open minded?
"Devil's advocates were supposed to be fair-minded, and in the past Mr Cornwell, a prolific writer on Catholic matters, has at times been anything but. As he admits, “Hitler's Pope” (1999), his biography of Pope Pius XII, lacked balance. “I would now argue,” he says, “in the light of the debates and evidence following ‘Hitler's Pope', that Pius XII had so little scope of action that it is impossible to judge the motives for his silence during the war, while Rome was under the heel of Mussolini and later occupied by the Germans.”
Cornwall had already been "outed" as a liar by The Catholic League when he published his trash:
"Crucial to his self-promotion is Cornwell’s claim to have been a good, practicing Catholic who set out to defend his Church. His earlier books, however, were marketed as having been written by someone who had left the Church. According to a 1989 report in the Washington Post, Cornwell "was once a seminarian at the English College in Rome and knows the Vatican terrain, [but] he has long since left the seminary and the Catholic faith, and thus writes with that astringent, cool, jaundiced view of the Vatican that only ex-Catholics familiar with Rome seem to have mastered." At that time Cornwell described himself as a "lapsed Catholic for more that 20 years."
"Devil's advocates were supposed to be fair-minded, and in the past Mr Cornwell, a prolific writer on Catholic matters, has at times been anything but. As he admits, “Hitler's Pope” (1999), his biography of Pope Pius XII, lacked balance. “I would now argue,” he says, “in the light of the debates and evidence following ‘Hitler's Pope', that Pius XII had so little scope of action that it is impossible to judge the motives for his silence during the war, while Rome was under the heel of Mussolini and later occupied by the Germans.”
Cornwall had already been "outed" as a liar by The Catholic League when he published his trash:
"Crucial to his self-promotion is Cornwell’s claim to have been a good, practicing Catholic who set out to defend his Church. His earlier books, however, were marketed as having been written by someone who had left the Church. According to a 1989 report in the Washington Post, Cornwell "was once a seminarian at the English College in Rome and knows the Vatican terrain, [but] he has long since left the seminary and the Catholic faith, and thus writes with that astringent, cool, jaundiced view of the Vatican that only ex-Catholics familiar with Rome seem to have mastered." At that time Cornwell described himself as a "lapsed Catholic for more that 20 years."
Sunday, December 19, 2004
The Bishop of Myra knew how to do "wreckovation"!
"The most supreme deity of the pantheon of Myra was Artemis and her temple was the most stunningly beautiful and impressive structure in all Lycia. Nicholas attacked this temple with great might and vigor, causing its total destruction. So complete was its fall that the foundation stones were on top and the pinnacle was driven into the ground. The evil demons then fled, inspiring the people's awe of God."
"The most supreme deity of the pantheon of Myra was Artemis and her temple was the most stunningly beautiful and impressive structure in all Lycia. Nicholas attacked this temple with great might and vigor, causing its total destruction. So complete was its fall that the foundation stones were on top and the pinnacle was driven into the ground. The evil demons then fled, inspiring the people's awe of God."
via Saint Nicholas: Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus
Monday, December 13, 2004
From Seattle Catholic comes news that the White House snubbed Rocco Buttiglione possibly to please "old Europe" on behalf of the State Department. Although this may just be Robert Novak's conjecture, it is worrisome. The EU is doing everything it can to forget its Christian heritage and to push the religion of secular humanism.
We Catholics should hope Malta can continue to fight the good fight within the EU. The small island nation is mostly Catholic and abortion is illegal. This does not sit well with the "old Europe types" in the EU but Malta so far has been able to stick up for itself. Hopefully, "new Europe" countries such as Poland will be able to remind the EU of the Catholicism that is at the heart of its history.
We Catholics should hope Malta can continue to fight the good fight within the EU. The small island nation is mostly Catholic and abortion is illegal. This does not sit well with the "old Europe types" in the EU but Malta so far has been able to stick up for itself. Hopefully, "new Europe" countries such as Poland will be able to remind the EU of the Catholicism that is at the heart of its history.
This weekend was spent getting a Christmas tree, shopping, and wrapping. Fortunately, it ended on a high note: a performance of the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah at St. Ignatius Martyr Church in Long Beach. One of the tenors was none other than the Recovering Choir Director. A special treat was a performance of Bach's Magnificat in D major and needless to say, there were no backing tracks used at this concert.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Bishop Trautmann has been named the head of USCCB Liturgy Committee which is bad news for anyone concerned about true Catholic Liturgy. Amy Welborn at Open Book has listed the committee Trautmann has put together and it includes Bishop Emil Wcela of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Bishop Wcela is a typical liberal bishop who considers "inclusive language" to be a main issue facing the Church over the past twenty years. He has pushed his liberal agenda for years, while ignoring corrupt priests, which by his own admission included a couple of his close friends. (His article published in America magazine - "The Abuse Scandal: What Did I Miss?- March 15th, 2004 is not available online for free.) How this man can be trusted with something as important as Liturgy is beyond me. It was rumored that Bishop McGann, the bishop who ignored the priest-molesters for over twenty years, wanted Wcela to be his successor. Thankfully the Vatican had other ideas and went off Long Island to find more orthodox bishops. So now there is one last chance for Wcela to have some influence in the Church - which is bad.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Monday, December 06, 2004
Pete Vere was quoted in the NY Post today (credited as a "Maple Leafer") in a small blurb about the pro-Bush supporters in Canada. It was actually the beginning of this article from the Weekly Standard.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Report: LI, Fla. dioceses settle sex abuse suit
"Rockville Centre sent Fitzgerald to Florida in 1989, purportedly because of his allergies, without disclosing multiple complaints against him.
On Long Island, Fitzgerald served in the Westbury parish, where another priest had complained that Fitzgerald was fondling young boys. Fitzgerald eventually was transferred to Dix Hills, where he was placed in charge of that parish's youth ministry."
FYI - that "other priest" who complained about Fitzgerald is an orthodox priest who is now at perhaps the most conservative parish we have. He was put in Westbury right out of the seminary and also complained when yet another priest at a different parish he served was molesting boys. Because of his experiences he went on leave for a year and lived at his parents' house- many pastors would not take him in because he was labeled a "trouble maker". It must have been hell to be an orthodox priest in this diocese in the days of Bishop McGann. Thankfully things have changed significantly.
"Rockville Centre sent Fitzgerald to Florida in 1989, purportedly because of his allergies, without disclosing multiple complaints against him.
On Long Island, Fitzgerald served in the Westbury parish, where another priest had complained that Fitzgerald was fondling young boys. Fitzgerald eventually was transferred to Dix Hills, where he was placed in charge of that parish's youth ministry."
FYI - that "other priest" who complained about Fitzgerald is an orthodox priest who is now at perhaps the most conservative parish we have. He was put in Westbury right out of the seminary and also complained when yet another priest at a different parish he served was molesting boys. Because of his experiences he went on leave for a year and lived at his parents' house- many pastors would not take him in because he was labeled a "trouble maker". It must have been hell to be an orthodox priest in this diocese in the days of Bishop McGann. Thankfully things have changed significantly.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
I have been working on updating my St. Blog's Directory (check it out) and hope to have a database of the blogs that I can put into columns for easier searching. I am learning more about Catholic bloggers out there. For instance, Steve Ray of Defenders of the Catholic Faith in addition to being a top notch apologist, is also the founder and owner of a huge office maintenance company.
I have a fascination with the locations of varous parishioners of St. Blog's. I hope to be able to put the directory in a chart form that can be searched or sorted by location. I try to get the info from the blogs so if any info is incorrect please let me know. I am not done adding locations to the directory but surprisely, so far, the state that has the most Catholic bloggers is........ (Howard Dean screaming voice)
CALIFORNIA!!!
A voice from eden - San Francisco
Ad Altare Dei - Santa Barbara
Basia me, Catholica Sum
Between Heaven and Hell
Catholic L.A. - Los Angeles
Church of The Masses - Hollywood
Converted Journey - Brentwood
El Camino Real
Erik's Rants and Recipes
Lex Communis - Fresno
Philothea Rose at Home
Revolution of Love
The New Gasparian - Newark
Veritas. Quid est veritas? - San Francisco
I have a fascination with the locations of varous parishioners of St. Blog's. I hope to be able to put the directory in a chart form that can be searched or sorted by location. I try to get the info from the blogs so if any info is incorrect please let me know. I am not done adding locations to the directory but surprisely, so far, the state that has the most Catholic bloggers is........ (Howard Dean screaming voice)
A voice from eden - San Francisco
Ad Altare Dei - Santa Barbara
Basia me, Catholica Sum
Between Heaven and Hell
Catholic L.A. - Los Angeles
Church of The Masses - Hollywood
Converted Journey - Brentwood
El Camino Real
Erik's Rants and Recipes
Lex Communis - Fresno
Philothea Rose at Home
Revolution of Love
The New Gasparian - Newark
Veritas. Quid est veritas? - San Francisco
Monday, November 29, 2004
Yesterday I went to Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral and then to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It was a nice way to start off Advent.
Diocese plans for future of Catholic elementary schools
Catholic elementary school enrollment is down, while Catholic High School enrollment has risen. This is simply due to the high cost of Catholic schools. Many people send their children to public elementary schools (most of which are very good here on Long Island) because it is just too much to live here and pay for Catholic schooling. There will probably be more closings and consolidations of elementary schools which makes sense. The second collection and foundation are good steps and hopefully the school situation here will stabilize. Meanwhile, everything should be done to make the parish religious education system top notch.
Catholic elementary school enrollment is down, while Catholic High School enrollment has risen. This is simply due to the high cost of Catholic schools. Many people send their children to public elementary schools (most of which are very good here on Long Island) because it is just too much to live here and pay for Catholic schooling. There will probably be more closings and consolidations of elementary schools which makes sense. The second collection and foundation are good steps and hopefully the school situation here will stabilize. Meanwhile, everything should be done to make the parish religious education system top notch.
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