Sex Assault On Mepham Student

Sound familiar? This is the school made famous when young men were raped and tortured by football players Ken Carney, Tom Diasparra, and Phil Sofia. There were others who stood around and cheered but they were not prosecuted. The media hype intensified until the students and town turned on their football heros (it took awhile) but we haven't heard much since.

SANTO SUBITO???

Sainthood Process for Pope John Paul II Opened

"For Thomas Suozzi, being Catholic is an important part of who he is. So is being a politician. Tuesday, he sought to find a way to be both on abortion and was solidly endorsed by his bishop."

From Newsday: Reactions to Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi's abortion proposal

Pro

"In a rare show of support from a high-ranking church official for a Catholic politician who backs abortion rights, Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre Tuesday lauded Suozzi's "courageous and positive" step."

"Johanna Cervellino, education chairman of the Long Island Coalition for Life, a nonsectarian group based in Ronkonkoma, called the plan "very positive. Many women don't know the alternatives."

Con

"It sounds like something an anti-choice public official would say," said Kelli Conlin, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice New York. After reviewing the text, she said Suozzi had "almost apologetically buried" his position on abortion rights."

Newsday has stated in each article that Suozzi supports abortion rights, but he has mostly expressed his opinion that abortion is legal and will continue to be that way. The pro-life movement, through marches, pickets, education, technology, and real assistance to women in need, has succeeded enough to effect change in the political climate. The rise of pro-life clinics, homes for pregnant women, and safe-haven laws have all made inroads in the fight against abortion. Pro-lifers should be politically smart enough to show support for anyone or anything that will continue this trend.

Suozzi enters abortion debate

"Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi this morning said he wanted to bring together "intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate and religious people" on both sides of the abortion debate by spending $1 million a year for three years on homes for single mothers, programs to encourage adoption, and education to prevent unplanned pregnancies."

Text of Suozzi's Speech

Suozzi mentions Patricia Shea and Momma's House and how he helped this pro-life group, as mentioned on this blog. Suozzi is clearly in a difficult position as a Democrat who must tow the party line on abortion. His stance on pushing abortion alternatives does predate the current Hillary Clinton-led push to the middle that Democrats have adopted since the election.

Statement from Bishop Murphy on Suozzi’s plan to reduce abortions

"Over the weekend, the Catholic League website was hacked, apparently by Islamic extremists."

Great Mother's Day post at E-Pression by new mother, Zorak.

Theological Question of the Day:

I am a Mets fan, and therefore a Yankees hater. I am enjoying the current dismal performance of those darn pinstriped millionaires. The team owner, George Steinbrenner, known as "The Boss" among other four letter words, owns Bellamy Road, a favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Is it wrong for me to want this horse to lose just because of its semi-relationship to the New York Yankees?

Great post from a Sean, who grew up in Massapequa and may be someone I know from childhood-

"I'm a bad Catholic, not because the Catholic Church is wrong. It's because I don't follow their teachings, and if I don't like it, I can find a church that will be nicer to me."

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi will propose spending $3 million to reduce abortions. When Suozzi was mayor of Glen Cove he did assist Momma's House and is on their honorary board of trustees.

Look at what Newsday is reporting -

That image on an underpass some believed looked like Our Lady of Guadalupe was covered by someone with black shoe polish and a swastika. The state highway department considered that to be graffiti so they covered it with brown paint. People somehow removed the paint and the image is now back, intact.

The editor of the Jesuit magazine America is quitting, perhaps due to revelations of complaints filed in Rome.

Fr. Gommar DePauw, RIP

Fr. DePauw was the first Catholic priest to establish an independent chapel to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass. The Ave Maria chapel in Westbury was established in 1968. Mel Gibson worshiped there once. He sounded like a priest way ahead of his time, may he rest in peace.

Twenty-first Annual

SPIRITUALITY CONVOCATION

Date: May 21, 2005 9:00AM - 4:00 PM

Place: Auditorium of Archbishop Stepinac High School
950 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605

The Archdiocese of New York will have Fr. Benedict Groeschel speaking on The Eucharist and The Legacy of John Paul II!! As if that is not enough they will also have Dr. Scott Hahn speaking on The Lamb's Supper!!

I learned about this from St. Blog's commentator KH, who will be there representin' The Montfort Academy, an all-boys Catholic high school in Westchester.

My parish has really decorated the sanctuary this Easter with more plants and flowers than ever before. The funny thing is that right in back of the altar, in the center is an arrangement of big plants with flowers all around them. The tabernacle is to the right, as it has been since our Church was renovated. These flowers and plants with candles on either side are now the focus of attention. This arrangement has taken the place of a high altar and tabernacle, it even looks to me like a high altar or how a high altar would be decorated for Easter. Our parish sometimes puts wreaths on the walls down the center of the Church, or in Advent, banners with the “O Antiphons”. These wreaths and banners are placed between the stained glass windows kind of where statues or icons of saints would be. I once walked into a parish where the two alcoves on either side of the back wall of the sanctuary had potted plants on a shelf. These alcoves were obviously built for Mary and Joseph and it was jarring to see the plants because my mind immediately pictured Mary and Joseph. I think what happens here is that Catholics have a notion of how a Church should be setup and are decorating them in an “old-fashioned” way perhaps without even realizing it. Something tells people (probably ladies of the parish) that the main focus should be in the back center of the altar and that something should be on either side, and something should be on the walls down the center of the Church. Even though our Churches have been renovated and changed, our minds still point us to the traditional arrangements. I know my mind is telling me the tabernacle should be in the center at the back of the sanctuary on a high altar, with Mary and Joseph on either side, and saints on the walls. I wonder if the people doing the decorating think like me, or if they just do this subconsciously?

Help send Aristotle the Recovering Choir Director to World Youth Day!

cantemusdomino.net
Donate to the Juventutem/ WYD 2005 Fund Drive

Beaten Priest Prays for Attackers

THE AMAZING REVERT

I just found two posts from September 2003 that had predictions by me - both of which were amazingly accurate. The first prediction was about the Passion of the Christ movie - click here to be amazed! The second was about Pope John Paul II and I am glad I wrote my thoughts because they came absolutely true. The post is here but I will quote myself -

"Wouldn't it be great if the Pope announced he could no longer travel but invited people to visit him in Rome. And after so many years of giving so much to people, we could then visit the Pope by the millions. Imagine millions of people streaming into Vatican City, setting all kinds of records, to pay tribute to John Paul the Great. "

-Gen X Revert (September 13th, 2003)

Thomas Woods has a new book out - How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. I have heard this Long Islander speak twice and have enjoyed his writings. His output is simply amazing. He once mentioned he was working on a book about persecution of the Church from the French Revolution to present, which I am looking forward to reading. I asked him when we can expect this to come out but it sounded like other projects were taking priority, so I will buy a few of his books and wait.

Reality TV in monastery changes five lives forever

An amazing story via Angry Twins. I always thought that monasteries should have a program for college age students to live as monks while attending college. The students would do better in college due to the disciplined lifestyle, the monastery would be given workers and some fresh blood, and vocations might follow. For students that don't become monks, they would take some great lessons with them throughout life. Portsmouth Abbey has an intern program that looks good.