As a Mets fan, and therefore a Yankee hater, I am very pleased to find Boston winning!!!! Nice to see those Bronx Boors shot down, and I hope that Boston finally wins the World Series. I like to think my support helped - I took a trip to Boston this summer where I got to see a game at Fenway, got beer spilled down my back, and participated in a "Yankees Suck" chant. Anyway, I hope this year will make up for the last 86 years, especially 1986 when my Mets beat the Sox in the most amazing World Series game ever.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Hartman pledges $4.4M for Parkinson's research
"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, with a pledge from Msgr. Thomas Hartman's Foundation of $4.4 million over five years, is launching a research initiative focused on developing treatments for Parkinson's disease."
"None of the funding will be used for research involving stem cells derived from embryos, Hartman said. The Catholic Church is opposed to use of such cells, because an embryo is destroyed in the process. Stem cells taken from adult bone marrow or umbilical cords may hold potential, he said, and part of the research is exploring their value."
"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, with a pledge from Msgr. Thomas Hartman's Foundation of $4.4 million over five years, is launching a research initiative focused on developing treatments for Parkinson's disease."
"None of the funding will be used for research involving stem cells derived from embryos, Hartman said. The Catholic Church is opposed to use of such cells, because an embryo is destroyed in the process. Stem cells taken from adult bone marrow or umbilical cords may hold potential, he said, and part of the research is exploring their value."
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Secret Agent Man pointed me to Jimmy Akin's smackdown of the latest Bob Keeler article in Newsday. I read this of course, but never blogged about it because it was just the same ol' same ol'. Every day I read Newsday (I don't buy, just read it at work) and they always have an article, comment, editorial, or letter to the editor that is either anti-Catholic or an attempt to push a liberal agenda of Catholic Lite. Bill Donohue calls it the most anti-Catholic newspaper in the country, which is amazing. As far as reporters go (Carol Eisenberg for example) their articles usually contain an agenda, a slam, or a comment that shows the distain they have for the Church, the Pope, and the teachings. With editorials: Paul Vitello, Marie Cocco, Sheryl McCarthy are liberals who only like Catholicism when it suites their purpose (death penalty for example) but who display an ignorance and prejudice that is astounding (particularly McCarthy who is just plain dumb). The writer Ed Lowe is your typical "recovering Irish Catholic", in other words, the Church was just a place to go for rituals (baptisms, weddings etc..) but the Church should never actually teach the faith or even worse, expect people to live it. Jimmy Breslin is in a whole different category: he is an outright liar and bigot and should not be employed by a newspaper. (The fact that his writing is past its prime goes without saying.) Occasionally there is an article by Dick Ryan, an old and angry Catholic writer who spouts typical Catholic Lite stuff. Dick Ryan is more sad than anything else.
Which brings me to Bob Keeler. Keeler is the most knowledgeable of the Newsday staff regarding Catholicism, and he is a liberal Catholic, not lapsed as far as I know. His writing is typical of the America, Commonweal, and National Catholic Reporter variety. The fact that his writings shows up in Newsday is due to the fact that he is on their editorial board. A few years ago, he wrote a long series of articles on St. Brigid's in Westbury that covered the typical parish happenings over the course of the year. The fact that it cleverly pushed his agenda for the Church did not take away from the fact that it was a very good series. It was good enough writing that Keeler won a pulitzer and turned the series into a book. I believe that Keeler is on the Newsday editorial board for one reason: to serve as the token practicing Catholic on the staff. His rise to the editorial board coincided with his increasingly strident attacks on the Church, especially the orthodox wing. He sold his soul for a cushy spot on the board and that is why his writing bothers me more than a bigot like Breslin. Keeler is the Uncle Tom of Newsday for us Catholics. It is embarrassing and pathetic to see his writing.
Which brings me to Bob Keeler. Keeler is the most knowledgeable of the Newsday staff regarding Catholicism, and he is a liberal Catholic, not lapsed as far as I know. His writing is typical of the America, Commonweal, and National Catholic Reporter variety. The fact that his writings shows up in Newsday is due to the fact that he is on their editorial board. A few years ago, he wrote a long series of articles on St. Brigid's in Westbury that covered the typical parish happenings over the course of the year. The fact that it cleverly pushed his agenda for the Church did not take away from the fact that it was a very good series. It was good enough writing that Keeler won a pulitzer and turned the series into a book. I believe that Keeler is on the Newsday editorial board for one reason: to serve as the token practicing Catholic on the staff. His rise to the editorial board coincided with his increasingly strident attacks on the Church, especially the orthodox wing. He sold his soul for a cushy spot on the board and that is why his writing bothers me more than a bigot like Breslin. Keeler is the Uncle Tom of Newsday for us Catholics. It is embarrassing and pathetic to see his writing.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Pure Evil, again in my hometown
"Prosecutors say Arena gave Glenn Brockwell Valium the day of his murder. After he passed out, Arena allegedly injected Brockwell with two lethal shots of heroin while her daughter and new boyfriend held him down. Brockwell's body was then dumped at the Massapequa preserve."
This was done on Good Friday, in the Jubilee Year.
"Prosecutors say Arena gave Glenn Brockwell Valium the day of his murder. After he passed out, Arena allegedly injected Brockwell with two lethal shots of heroin while her daughter and new boyfriend held him down. Brockwell's body was then dumped at the Massapequa preserve."
This was done on Good Friday, in the Jubilee Year.
It must have hurt the bigots at Newsday to print this article but there was no way for them to spin it:
Murphy needs no translation
"The Hispanic community at St. Hugh of Lincoln Roman Catholic Church in Huntington Station has been holding a Dia de La Raza (Day of the Race) Mass for 30 years, but yesterday was the first time they got a bishop to celebrate it.
Bishop William Murphy got what was probably one of the warmest receptions he's received since taking over the reins of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2001, prompting two standing ovations and shouts of "Viva!" when another priest called out his name."
Murphy needs no translation
"The Hispanic community at St. Hugh of Lincoln Roman Catholic Church in Huntington Station has been holding a Dia de La Raza (Day of the Race) Mass for 30 years, but yesterday was the first time they got a bishop to celebrate it.
Bishop William Murphy got what was probably one of the warmest receptions he's received since taking over the reins of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2001, prompting two standing ovations and shouts of "Viva!" when another priest called out his name."
Thursday, October 14, 2004
I bought DishNetwork in August of 2001 specifically so I could see EWTN. It has been a wonderful investment, especially since weeks after I got it all the local television stations were knocked out by fundamentalist muslims. My girlfriend has Cablevision which includes Telecare, the television station for the Diocese of Rockville Centre and a local public access station. I just happened to see an interesting show about the bias of Newsday on the local public access station. (We never see anything interesting on Telecare - it is mostly secular humanist type shows with almost no real Catholic content. I consider the network a complete waste of money and am glad it is not my money being wasted.) The interesting public access show was done by the American Family Association of New York, the local affiliate of the American Family Association. Several good Catholics that I have heard about but never met such as Frank Russo and Tom Dennelly were discussing the horrible anti-Catholic bias of Newsday. One thing they mentioned was that the former editor of the letters to the editor section (I don't remember her name) was very good at balancing letters in response to various articles and columns. She would make sure the letters were both pro and con and also that they represented a cross section of readers. Since she retired, the paper routinely publishes letters that backs up the paper's anti-Catholic and liberal bias. I have noticed that some of the most biased things I have ever read were letters to the editor - including the person who wrote in a major NY paper that he wanted Mel Gibson to "go away and take your piety with you!". Contrast this to the excellent discussions you can read in First Things. The Letters section is one of my favorite because whatever the letters say they are well written, respectful and cogent. (Yeeeeah I used cogent in a sentence!) The author of the article that prompted the letter is always given a chance to respond and this makes for an interesting discussion. I find that the letters sections of papers and magazines are sometimes the part I look most forward to reading. This is the closest thing to blogging in the "old media".
I just noticed that the Therese movie has grossed over $566,000 and is expanding to more theaters tommorrow. If you are able to see it - go for it! Although I was hoping it would be a better film, at least the movie is faithful and not horrible. Also, perhaps if we support this film, others may see potential profit to be made by making movies on Catholic themes.
10/19/04- Update: The gross is now $826,578.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Harasser of Mel Gibson is jailed for defiance
No, unfortunately this does not refer to Abraham Foxman or James Carroll. And speaking of Mel Gibson, he recently donated $10 million to two children's medical facilities. I wonder how those who attacked him will spin that one?
No, unfortunately this does not refer to Abraham Foxman or James Carroll. And speaking of Mel Gibson, he recently donated $10 million to two children's medical facilities. I wonder how those who attacked him will spin that one?
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
A car dealership blew up tonight, probably due to a natural gas leak. Finally I can link to an inspiring story from Long Island:
"It was inspiring, witnesses said, how people didn't run away after the explosion to save themselves.Instead they ran toward it to save others."
"It was inspiring, witnesses said, how people didn't run away after the explosion to save themselves.Instead they ran toward it to save others."
I wavered about posting on this silly article by a self-hating Irish guy, but Amy Welborn thinks it is important to discuss ...
A new anti-Semitism
By James Carroll
"new"???
"THE ORIGINAL sin of the Christian church, and the culture that derives from it, is contempt for Jews, a disorder that continues to infect religious belief and popular attitudes."
I attended Catholic schools my whole life and never experienced this disorder or this type of popular attitude. I have lived on Long Island my whole life, in a heavily Catholic/Jewish town and have never experienced this either.
"Discussions of the contemporary resurgence of anti-Semitism focus on such phenomena as the anti-Jewish bigotry of many Muslim preachers or the ready leap from criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians to an undermining of the entire project of the Jewish state."
That sentence is true: none of the discussions of the contemporary resurgence of anti-Semitism revolve around Catholics or Catholicism. Catholics are not, to my knowledge, strapping bombs to their chest to kill Jews. Nor are they blaming the Jews for September 11th as a leader of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury did.
"But this year, a startling manifestation of foundational hatred of the Jewish people has occurred in the very heart of well-intentioned Christian faith"
I am beginning to think this guy lives on a different planet than I do, or that he wrote this while drunk. Based on my experiences with the Boston Irish, I am guessing the latter.
"When the blockbuster DVD of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" was released a few weeks ago, the astounding appeal of an already hugely successful film was made clearer than ever. For many, this portrait of the suffering and death of Jesus is a powerful religious experience, despite its hyper-violence and despite a blatant portrayal of "the Jews" as Satan's allies in the murder of one revered as the Son of God"
It is hard to believe the huge success of the movie despite all that isn't it? Unless of course people did not see the portrayal this writer did. I would guess most people saw a state execution of a man and not "the Jews" working with Satan to murder someone. Then again, maybe most viewers were drunk when they watched the film?
"The film exacerbated problems already adhering in anti-Jewish Gospel texts by drawing on eccentric anti-Jewish "visions" attributed to a 19th century German mystic named Sister Anna Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824)."
So some parts of the Gospels are anti-Jewish? And I didn't know the anti-Jewish visions were attributed to Emmerich? I thought they were attributed to Brentano?? Maybe I was drunk when I read that somewhere?
"When the film was released last spring, Gibson's Braveheart sensibility, imposed on the memory of Jesus, was what disturbed, but now the question moves to the huge population of those who affirm that sensibility as their own. This is the background for the extremely worrying event last week, when, at Vatican ceremonies, Sister Emmerich was "beatified," brought to the threshold of sainthood."
Actually when the movie was released last spring most critics were disturbed by supposed anti-semitism but threw in concern about the violence for good measure.
"The nun is associated with "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ," a text out of the problematic Passion Play tradition, and the acknowledged source of some of Gibson's most lurid denigrations of Jews. ("The high priests were transformed into priests of Satan, for no one could look upon their countenances without beholding there, portrayed in vivid colors, the evil passions with which their souls were filled -- deceit, infernal cunning, and a raging anxiety to carry out that most tremendous of crimes, the death of their Lord and Savior.")"
"According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the "cause" of the canonization of this woman was initiated according to standard church procedures by the bishop of Munster in 1892. Why is the Roman Catholic Church promoting her to the status of "blessed" only now? Is the timing mere coincidence?
From what I understand, the cause was stopped because of questions about the writings and whether they were all her doing. I also understand there have been other causes that were stopped and then restarted recently. This Pope tends to push canonizations quite aggressively.
"More explicitly, why is the Vatican, in honoring this nun, affirming some of the most un-Christian aspects of the Gibson film?"
But that is not what they are doing. Or is this one of those questions that is really a statement? I don't remember any un-Christian aspects of the film anyway.
"Indeed, how can this beatification not be taken as a kind of post-facto imprimatur for "The Passion of the Christ?"
Well, it was explicitly said that her writings had nothing to do with her beatification, so I guess that is how. But if the Church is giving its unofficial okeedokey to the film, then good!
"And given Gibson's open disregard for Vatican II, with its firm repudiation of the "Christ-killer" charge, how can the church embrace this rejection of one of its own most important contemporary teachings?"
Gibson is a traditionalist so he must see Jews as "Christ-killers"???????????????????? He must find it very difficult to work in Hollywood!
"A reading of history suggests an unpleasant answer to these questions. In the 19th century, when the age of revolutions had alienated large numbers of Catholics from the church, many priests and bishops openly embraced the popular anti-Semitism of the day as a way of reconnecting with believers the church had lost. The most notorious instance of this was the Dreyfus affair, when the French church and many French people found common cause against a common enemy."
I don't see any connection ......?
"Reports had it last spring that the pope had approved the Gibson film, but those reports were disputed, and mainly the Vatican kept its distance, a detachment most bishops emulated."
The Pope "approved the Gibson film"? Is this guy really a reporter?
"In thus remaining marginal, alas, the Catholic church missed a major teaching moment, since "The Passion of the Christ" amounts to the most successful project of religious instruction in history. "
Correct! This is the second correct thing this guy has written!
"Instruction in a dark mistake."
Oooooook...
"But the beatification of Sister Emmerich suggests that Catholic leaders are taking an opposite tack now, replacing detachment with embrace."
No it doesn't, but if it did so what?
"Mel Gibson has made the visions associated with Emmerich a world phenomenon, and millions have experienced them as the height of piety"
Thanks be to God! I never thought I would ever see the day when Catholic things would be so widely experienced by people!
"Ignoring the potentially lethal consequences of such visions, are the leaders of an ever more defensive church attaching themselves to this perverse pop-culture success for their own parochial reasons? Does the beleaguered church glimpse its future in Mel Gibson?"
"Potentially lethal consequences" - This is what has been said for years now and the body count due to the film is still ZERO. (But as one commenter said, it is doubling every day). And the answers to those two questions are NO and NO. At most, this action by the Pope can be seen as yet another small olive branch thrown to traditionalists.
"This whole sad story suggests that we Christians -- we Catholics -- have barely begun to uproot anti-Semitism from our tradition. "
This is not a sad story and that sentence is a lie. And what do you mean "we" cowboy?
"And make no mistake, anti-Semitism begins here. Who could have imagined that, returning to square one of the reform, we would have to be insisting again that the "Christ-killer" charge against the Jewish people is a lie?"
We don't have to be doing that, only old, tired, drunk, self-hating morons like James Carroll are doing this.
A new anti-Semitism
By James Carroll
"new"???
"THE ORIGINAL sin of the Christian church, and the culture that derives from it, is contempt for Jews, a disorder that continues to infect religious belief and popular attitudes."
I attended Catholic schools my whole life and never experienced this disorder or this type of popular attitude. I have lived on Long Island my whole life, in a heavily Catholic/Jewish town and have never experienced this either.
"Discussions of the contemporary resurgence of anti-Semitism focus on such phenomena as the anti-Jewish bigotry of many Muslim preachers or the ready leap from criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians to an undermining of the entire project of the Jewish state."
That sentence is true: none of the discussions of the contemporary resurgence of anti-Semitism revolve around Catholics or Catholicism. Catholics are not, to my knowledge, strapping bombs to their chest to kill Jews. Nor are they blaming the Jews for September 11th as a leader of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury did.
"But this year, a startling manifestation of foundational hatred of the Jewish people has occurred in the very heart of well-intentioned Christian faith"
I am beginning to think this guy lives on a different planet than I do, or that he wrote this while drunk. Based on my experiences with the Boston Irish, I am guessing the latter.
"When the blockbuster DVD of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" was released a few weeks ago, the astounding appeal of an already hugely successful film was made clearer than ever. For many, this portrait of the suffering and death of Jesus is a powerful religious experience, despite its hyper-violence and despite a blatant portrayal of "the Jews" as Satan's allies in the murder of one revered as the Son of God"
It is hard to believe the huge success of the movie despite all that isn't it? Unless of course people did not see the portrayal this writer did. I would guess most people saw a state execution of a man and not "the Jews" working with Satan to murder someone. Then again, maybe most viewers were drunk when they watched the film?
"The film exacerbated problems already adhering in anti-Jewish Gospel texts by drawing on eccentric anti-Jewish "visions" attributed to a 19th century German mystic named Sister Anna Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824)."
So some parts of the Gospels are anti-Jewish? And I didn't know the anti-Jewish visions were attributed to Emmerich? I thought they were attributed to Brentano?? Maybe I was drunk when I read that somewhere?
"When the film was released last spring, Gibson's Braveheart sensibility, imposed on the memory of Jesus, was what disturbed, but now the question moves to the huge population of those who affirm that sensibility as their own. This is the background for the extremely worrying event last week, when, at Vatican ceremonies, Sister Emmerich was "beatified," brought to the threshold of sainthood."
Actually when the movie was released last spring most critics were disturbed by supposed anti-semitism but threw in concern about the violence for good measure.
"The nun is associated with "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ," a text out of the problematic Passion Play tradition, and the acknowledged source of some of Gibson's most lurid denigrations of Jews. ("The high priests were transformed into priests of Satan, for no one could look upon their countenances without beholding there, portrayed in vivid colors, the evil passions with which their souls were filled -- deceit, infernal cunning, and a raging anxiety to carry out that most tremendous of crimes, the death of their Lord and Savior.")"
"According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the "cause" of the canonization of this woman was initiated according to standard church procedures by the bishop of Munster in 1892. Why is the Roman Catholic Church promoting her to the status of "blessed" only now? Is the timing mere coincidence?
From what I understand, the cause was stopped because of questions about the writings and whether they were all her doing. I also understand there have been other causes that were stopped and then restarted recently. This Pope tends to push canonizations quite aggressively.
"More explicitly, why is the Vatican, in honoring this nun, affirming some of the most un-Christian aspects of the Gibson film?"
But that is not what they are doing. Or is this one of those questions that is really a statement? I don't remember any un-Christian aspects of the film anyway.
"Indeed, how can this beatification not be taken as a kind of post-facto imprimatur for "The Passion of the Christ?"
Well, it was explicitly said that her writings had nothing to do with her beatification, so I guess that is how. But if the Church is giving its unofficial okeedokey to the film, then good!
"And given Gibson's open disregard for Vatican II, with its firm repudiation of the "Christ-killer" charge, how can the church embrace this rejection of one of its own most important contemporary teachings?"
Gibson is a traditionalist so he must see Jews as "Christ-killers"???????????????????? He must find it very difficult to work in Hollywood!
"A reading of history suggests an unpleasant answer to these questions. In the 19th century, when the age of revolutions had alienated large numbers of Catholics from the church, many priests and bishops openly embraced the popular anti-Semitism of the day as a way of reconnecting with believers the church had lost. The most notorious instance of this was the Dreyfus affair, when the French church and many French people found common cause against a common enemy."
I don't see any connection ......?
"Reports had it last spring that the pope had approved the Gibson film, but those reports were disputed, and mainly the Vatican kept its distance, a detachment most bishops emulated."
The Pope "approved the Gibson film"? Is this guy really a reporter?
"In thus remaining marginal, alas, the Catholic church missed a major teaching moment, since "The Passion of the Christ" amounts to the most successful project of religious instruction in history. "
Correct! This is the second correct thing this guy has written!
"Instruction in a dark mistake."
Oooooook...
"But the beatification of Sister Emmerich suggests that Catholic leaders are taking an opposite tack now, replacing detachment with embrace."
No it doesn't, but if it did so what?
"Mel Gibson has made the visions associated with Emmerich a world phenomenon, and millions have experienced them as the height of piety"
Thanks be to God! I never thought I would ever see the day when Catholic things would be so widely experienced by people!
"Ignoring the potentially lethal consequences of such visions, are the leaders of an ever more defensive church attaching themselves to this perverse pop-culture success for their own parochial reasons? Does the beleaguered church glimpse its future in Mel Gibson?"
"Potentially lethal consequences" - This is what has been said for years now and the body count due to the film is still ZERO. (But as one commenter said, it is doubling every day). And the answers to those two questions are NO and NO. At most, this action by the Pope can be seen as yet another small olive branch thrown to traditionalists.
"This whole sad story suggests that we Christians -- we Catholics -- have barely begun to uproot anti-Semitism from our tradition. "
This is not a sad story and that sentence is a lie. And what do you mean "we" cowboy?
"And make no mistake, anti-Semitism begins here. Who could have imagined that, returning to square one of the reform, we would have to be insisting again that the "Christ-killer" charge against the Jewish people is a lie?"
We don't have to be doing that, only old, tired, drunk, self-hating morons like James Carroll are doing this.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Cops: Boy fatally stabs mom
Fight about girlfriend prompts attack after which 15-year-old takes her car, gun and digs grave for body.
A horrible story from our screwed up culture -the girlfriend is 19 - the argument was because she had spent the night. No word yet on whether they were having sex and if so - will the girlfriend will be charged with statutory rape?
Fight about girlfriend prompts attack after which 15-year-old takes her car, gun and digs grave for body.
A horrible story from our screwed up culture -the girlfriend is 19 - the argument was because she had spent the night. No word yet on whether they were having sex and if so - will the girlfriend will be charged with statutory rape?
I just added Sodakmonk and Crowhill.net to the bloglist. I have always tried to limit the list so I don't spend too much time reading blogs. I am already spending way too much time online.
Malverne resident mourns loss of fellow quadriplegic Christopher Reeve
"Malverne resident Steven McDonald visited Reeve in the hospital just days after the actor was injured. McDonald has lived as a quadriplegic for nearly 20 years; he was shot while on duty for the NYPD and has since forgiven his shooter.
McDonald says that those who may have lost hope found it in Reeve. And like Reeve, McDonald travels the world pushing others to live their fullest. One difference between the two, however, is that McDonald would prefer to see research only on adult stem cells, rather than embryonic stem cells, to help those with debilitating conditions."
"Malverne resident Steven McDonald visited Reeve in the hospital just days after the actor was injured. McDonald has lived as a quadriplegic for nearly 20 years; he was shot while on duty for the NYPD and has since forgiven his shooter.
McDonald says that those who may have lost hope found it in Reeve. And like Reeve, McDonald travels the world pushing others to live their fullest. One difference between the two, however, is that McDonald would prefer to see research only on adult stem cells, rather than embryonic stem cells, to help those with debilitating conditions."
Sunday, October 10, 2004
"Would a 50-year-old “Prophet of God” Have Sex with a 9-year-old Girl? "
"YES" according to this fatwa issued by Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Center of North America. The questioner is "...trying to confuse his readers as if the Prophet was not married to this girl or married her against her will."
"Her maturity, knowledge, intelligence, and contributions during the life of the Prophet and afterwards all indicate that she was either an exceptional nine-year-old or must have been older than that. Whatever the case may be about her age, one thing is certain: she was a most compatible spouse of Prophet Muhammad."
"YES" according to this fatwa issued by Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Center of North America. The questioner is "...trying to confuse his readers as if the Prophet was not married to this girl or married her against her will."
"Her maturity, knowledge, intelligence, and contributions during the life of the Prophet and afterwards all indicate that she was either an exceptional nine-year-old or must have been older than that. Whatever the case may be about her age, one thing is certain: she was a most compatible spouse of Prophet Muhammad."
Saturday, October 09, 2004
We “orthodox” Catholics had better slow down! Catholics are starting schools meant to be thoroughly Catholic to combat the “Universities Formerly Known As Catholic”syndrome. This is a great thing, in theory and I am all for it, being the product of a University that was supposed to be Catholic. But I am noticing a trend, is anyone else? Fr. Fessio is booted from the University of San Francisco because he was too Catholic for the Jesuits. He starts Campion College right across the street to show them how Catholic education is done. It folds. Thomas Monaghan starts Ave Maria College and Ave Maria Law School in Michigan. The law school seems to be a success but the college has troubles. The Catholic philanthropist moves the college to Naples Florida but the people left behind in Michigan are not happy with the way the move was handled. Meanwhile, in Florida Fessio and Monaghan plan for a Church that looks more like a greenhouse. Catholics remember elementary science and realize greenhouse + Florida Sun = Baked Catholic Worshippers. Fessio announces the greenhouse plan was a mistake and it is back to the drawing board. Traditionalists in Pennsylvania try to start St. Justin Martyr but run into trouble when the sponsoring community of priests is exposed as corrupt. Meanwhile, Dr. Thomas Droleskey is planning Christ the King College (while driving around the country in his RV) because none of the existing schools are traditional enough. I want to see good Catholic schools succeed. I want to see them grow and become enough of a threat to the existing “Catholic” schools that they are forced to revert to being Catholic. But good intentions and lots of dough are not enough. These schools need to be good, academically and administratively. Please lets get our orthodox act together! This post was prompted by a fund raising letter packet I received today from Ave Maria University. The brochure is slick, and features idealized pictures of fully habited nuns, beautiful buildings and smiling students. I want to support Ave Maria and any other authentically Catholic schools but I am worried that these mistakes are going to be repeated. I hope things work out for the “new Notre Dame” so it will truly become as good as it could be.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Muslim Fundamentalists Attack Catholics Near Jakarta
What is it going to take to wake the world up to the nightmare of muslim fundamentalism?
What is it going to take to wake the world up to the nightmare of muslim fundamentalism?
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Bad Priests, Bad Men
At Off the Record, there is mention of a Jesuit who died. He is quoted in his obit as saying that "The only thing wrong with that bloody Turk (who shot Pope John Paul II) was that he couldn't shoot straight". What a horrible, evil, nasty, hateful, vile, disgusting, cold, immature, and childish man. This reminds me of a priest of my diocese, still alive, who a couple of years ago publicly said he "can't wait for Mother Angelica to die". When I emailed him about this he admitted it was perhaps an overreaction, but quickly added that she overreacts to things too. This "priest" occupies a powerful position in this diocese. He belongs on the same ash heap as Kung, Shanley, Geoghan, Ritter, McBrien, and this dead Jesuit.
At Off the Record, there is mention of a Jesuit who died. He is quoted in his obit as saying that "The only thing wrong with that bloody Turk (who shot Pope John Paul II) was that he couldn't shoot straight". What a horrible, evil, nasty, hateful, vile, disgusting, cold, immature, and childish man. This reminds me of a priest of my diocese, still alive, who a couple of years ago publicly said he "can't wait for Mother Angelica to die". When I emailed him about this he admitted it was perhaps an overreaction, but quickly added that she overreacts to things too. This "priest" occupies a powerful position in this diocese. He belongs on the same ash heap as Kung, Shanley, Geoghan, Ritter, McBrien, and this dead Jesuit.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Therese was no The Passion of The Christ. The movie makers wanted to capitalize on the appeal of The Passion and its "grassroots" way of marketing. They were smart to do this, but first they should have made sure to make a excellent film like The Passion. The music was nice, some of the scenes were beautifully shot, and some of the acting was good. People afterwards mentioned they would have liked to have seen her visions in the film. My girlfriend, who has a special devotion to St. Therese had this reaction: If she did not already know alot about St. Therese and had not read books on her, then she would have left this film wondering why she was a saint. I added that you wouldn't have a clue why she was a doctor of the Church either. I was glad to see a decent crowd in the theater in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, and I wished the story had been a little better. Highlights would be the scene of Therese escorting an elderly nun down a hallway while listening to music in her head, the nuns putting together the Joan of Arc play, and the finale of the film which left some people moved. Overall, not bad but I wish the filmakers would follow the advice offered on the blog Church of The Masses: Make good films that would appeal to everyone! When I was leaving the movie theater I couldn't help but think: Catholics have the greatest and the most number of stories to tell. We could be pumping out dozens of great movies just on the Saints alone. We need to be able to tell our stories on film in a way that will appeal to anyone who likes a good story. Therese was a start, but only that.
After the film we stood in the lobby wondering whether to eat first or go to Ground Zero. We were by a giant window on the fourth floor when I noticed to our right was Ground Zero. We did not realize it, but the movie theatre was in the Embassy Suites building that had been damaged on September 11th and reopened in the middle of 2002. Since it was closer than we thought we walked over the pedastrian bridge and to one of the viewing areas. It is not as big as you might imagine. People were taking pictures like tourists and that made us feel a little uneasy. So did the tables with merchandise picturing the twin towers, etc.. I expected it to be like a giant memorial or something, but it is actually just a construction site. Just a big hole with trailers, dirt, and some steel and concrete. The giant ramp that descends into the pit is what I recognized first. There is an information booth with pamphlets and drawings of the future of the site which people were studying with interest. I don't find anything particulary good or interesting about the future site design. On the fence are pictures of the history of the twin towers and the attacks of September 11th. There is also the names of everyone who died at Ground Zero that day. The Cross at Ground Zero looked small but was the only thing that made me feel like this was a place of tragedy. The buildings around Ground Zero bore testimony to the day in a more real way. One giant building, probably 40 stories high, was completely covered in black netting. ( I just looked it up on the internet and this was the Bankers Trust building and was exactly 40 stories high- I found information on the area buildings by going into the Ground Zero Interactive Map at this site.) I just hope that when they rebuild the site, they will make sure to create a place where people can come to cry, to remember and to pray.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
I will probably be going to see the movie Therese in Manhattan today. I am not expecting it to be great based on the reviews and trailer. Christians in the arts should take Barbara Nicolosi's exhortations to heart. Anyway, since we will be near Ground Zero I will go there - something I have avoided for 3 years.
I learned from Open Book that Toronto's new poet laureate is also a priest. I then found some of his poems - check out :
The Priest
The Science Masquerade
and especially Male Rage Poem
I love the internet (and St. Blog's) because I find stuff like this out there! In a way, I wish I had the internet in high school or college, but then again, I might have never left my room.
The Priest
The Science Masquerade
and especially Male Rage Poem
I love the internet (and St. Blog's) because I find stuff like this out there! In a way, I wish I had the internet in high school or college, but then again, I might have never left my room.
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