Real Catholic Blog

Many of you probably remember the purported 70,000 nuns who, during the final hours leading up to the health care bill vote in the House of Representatives, announced their support for the bill — and this was before the window dressing executive order bone President Obama threw Rep. Bart Stupak, the allegedly pro-life Democrat from Michigan. Making matters worse is the gloating from the vile, nefarious group Planned Parenthood.

Thomas Peters, at CatholicVoteAction.org Blog, makes note of the thank you message sent to the nuns by Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood. The abortion-on-demand leader wrote this Wednesday on the left-wing Huffington Post:

Richards claimed that it was Catholic nuns who “most importantly broke with the bishops and the Vatican to announce their support for health care reform.”

“This brave and important move, demonstrating that they cared as much about the health care of families in America as they did about church hierarchy, was a critical demonstration of support.”

These nuns must know Catholic Teaching. They must also know the heinous nature of Planned Parenthood. Most people, even if unfamiliar with an issue or proposal, can make an informed decision based on who supports and opposes it. Doubtless, these nuns knew the issue involved.

But even if they didn’t and were sold a bill of goods, in what world are they, or any Catholic with proper formation, living in when they side with Planned Parenthood? On anything?

I received a pleasant surprise today. When I logged on to the blog’s dashboard (the administrative site), there was a comment stuck in the pending file. Comments there need approval to go “live.” It was a comment from a reader about Friday’s post. The post was about the History Channel’s documentary tomorrow night (9:00 Eastern) on the construction of the face of Jesus, made from The Shroud of Turin using 3-D technology (see images).

But it wasn’t just any comment. It was from the co-producers!

I e-mailed Maria Downing and thanked her for reading our blog. Then I asked if we could conduct an interview with her and her husband, Ray, and she replied that they would be happy to do so. Pretty cool, huh? Studio Macbeth is an organization after my own heart as it believes in grassroots marketing, and Maria believes in touching base with all types of media, niche and mass.

There’s a part for you to play in all this: Watch the special tomorrow night (or one of its certain re-airs during Holy Week or Easter Weekend) and submit questions about the documentary on this thread. I’ll include them in what I submit to the the Downings. Let us also know your thoughts on the Shroud of Turin and its authenticity, how it affects your belief, and how, if there ever was conclusive evidence it was the burial cloth of Christ, how it would change the world.

One new fascinating aspect about the Shroud (at least to me) is that the Shroud not only contains the well known photographic characteristics (it has a negative), but it also has 3-D characteristics, which actually made the mapping of the face difficult for Ray Downing. He told Fox News that it produced a mountain range affect that had to be smoothed out. Also in that interview is Father Jonathan Morris, who is featured in the documentary.

What might be revealed about The Shroud of Turin? Can we really learn what the human face of Jesus looks like? Ray Downing of Studio Macbeth and Father Jonathan Morris discuss on Fox News Channel tomorrow night’s History Channel special, “The Real Face of Jesus?”

Wow! What an interesting documentary scheduled for the History Channel next week: A scientist has created what he believes is the Face of Jesus from the Shroud of Turin. I’ll have more next week. For now, here’s a link to an in-depth article from WorldNetDaily. The picture is below. Let us know what you think.

A Holy Week Blessing? Or another futile exercise? Is this the Face of Jesus?  

Sorry for the inactivity — first a cold, now a horrible back pain. But I’m not suffering compared to the country now, nor what the unborn are going through, nor the Church for that matter. Sorry for the brevity, but as I recover — and for the time being — I give it to our favorite straight shooter, Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV.com.

The fact is, according to Voris and many others, tax-payer funded abortion is now a reality and the policy of the United States government. But is the real sin that Catholics were instrumental in bringing this about? This episode of The Vortex spells it out.

Taxpayer funded abortion is now a fact after the health care takeover by the Congress and President Obama. But what role did Catholics, unfortunately and sadly, play in this abomination?

Yesterday was heartbreaking for a number of reasons. Not only has a cabal of secular progressives hijacked the American health care system — that has produced the best health care in the history of the world — and furthered the culture of death, it did so with the aiding and abetting of so-called “pro-life” lawmakers. For whatever reason — immense pressure by their political bosses or a disingenuous or cynical position to begin with — these Congressmen caved in and/or betrayed us. Worse, they betrayed our faith.

They, in turn, were misled by people and groups, claiming to represent to the Church, who said the health care bill passed yesterday had no pro-abortion provisions in it. Simply not true, as the U.S. Catholic Bishops reiterated during the final hours of the process. Words cannot express the disappointment, but Brian Burch at CatholicVote.org does a good job. Below is the letter just released. In addition, here is the official statement from CatholicVote.org on Representative Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) decision to change his mind at the last minute to vote for the pro-abortion bill, a decision that gave the bill its margin of victory.

Dear Friend of CatholicVote.org,

I just got off the phone with the campaign director for Rep. Bart Stupak.

I told her that the members of CatholicVote.org were appalled by his decision to cave and give President Obama control over taxpayer funding for abortion. I also told his staff that we are rescinding our invitation for him to speak at a special CatholicVote.org event scheduled in Chicago for late April.

Rep. Stupak accepted a meaningless promise of an “Executive Order” that does not address the fundamental problems of the bill. In doing so, he not only allowed the pro-abortion bill to pass, his actions gutted any hope for a bipartisan pro-life movement that many argued would have been possible had he stood firm.

After everything we did to support Stupak and his coalition, his actions yesterday were devastating. We were betrayed.

Reality Check

Confronting a loss of such significance is dispiriting. The emails pouring into CatholicVote range from frustration with politics in general to questions about whether there can truly be a pro-life Democrat.

I share many of these frustrations. Our staff did everything possible to stop this disaster. We worked around the clock last week and all weekend to hold the votes together. We worked with individual bishops and staff to encourage wavering votes to hold firm. We were in regular communication with key representatives and their staffs. We ran radio ads, and launched the Stand With Stupak campaign.

We were confident that we had the votes to stop the legislation, until the end, when Stupak and his key allies folded.

The “Stand With Stupak” campaign was about a principle, not a single man. The principle was simple — no compromise on abortion.

And in the end, even Bart Stupak didn’t stand with Stupak.

Looking Ahead

We may be a movement that is hope-filled, but we are also a movement of action.

The frustrations and anger you are inevitably feeling now cannot be ignored. Over the next 7 months, we will be preparing for the November elections.

Any politician who supported this bill must pay a price. And that price is ultimately paid at the ballot box.

The backers of this health care bill never gave up. They fought for nearly a year against public opinion, and wore down their opponents until they got what they wanted.

We must resolve to do the same.

Remember what happened last night.

Remember how you feel right now.

November will be here before you know it.

Sincerely,

Brian

I hate to beat a dead horse. No one likes to hammer at fellow Christians, much less Catholics. But Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV is one who is not afraid to promulgate the truth, and that’s something we need a lot more of these days, especially as so many Catholics are willing to sell out themselves, their faith and their Church for the holy grail of a mythical and unsustainable “social justice” through government running as much of our lives as possible. It is a sell out not only for its false promises, but for the actual harm it causes in the advancement of the culture of death.

Michael Voris explains how we’ve gotten to the precipice of socializing our health care system and creating an abortion-on-demand society.

Regarding the last post about the U.S. Bishops not doing enough until, possibly, now, to affect the debate on the “health care” bill and its funding of abortion, as well as their tolerance of groups and individuals who intentionally misrepresent Catholic teaching, here is the latest commentary from Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV.com. How appropriate the timing! As I posted yesterday, there are real lessons to learn from Saint Patrick. Mr. Voris gives us one, today, that certainly is applicable to the abortion debate and the “health care” bill.

Drive out the snakes as they are present among us to this day and we’re not talking reptiles, either.

It is very sad. Unfortunately, it is very true. Groups of people who claim to represent Catholic teaching on abortion are misrepresenting that absolute teaching on Capitol Hill and working over several key lawmakers to vote for the government-run health care bill, a bill which will fund abortions with tax dollars, mandate coverage of abortion by insurance companies (the ones still around after the government puts most out of business) and, eventually, eliminate all pretense of conscious protections for medical professionals who do not believe in abortion. Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV.com has spoken out about this recently and often, and we posted one of his expositions on this not long ago (click here). 

Now Brian Burch from CatholicVoteAction.org has released this letter which outlines some very disturbing activities by these groups. It is up to counter them. Contact your bishops and encourage them to do all they can to motivate the flock to contact their Congressmen to vote no on the health care bill. Make sure they are doing all they can to influence your state’s legislators. Ask them what they are doing to clamp down on these dissident and dishonest “Catholic” groups. Tell them the USCCB must ensure there is no funding — directly or indirectly — of these groups as it has in the recent past and currently.

Get involved and make your voice known. Get your parish involved. Educate your friends on the issue. Contact your own U.S. Representative now and encourage him or her to vote no on this abortion-laden legislation. Also, please read Mr. Burch’s letter. It is very informative and, at the end, he explains further what action you can take to make a difference. In this season of Lent, when Christ died for our sins, we can do no less for the unborn who are innocently dying every day.

Dear CatholicVote Member,

If you are tempted to think Catholics in America don’t matter, I have some news for you.

The past 48 hours of the health care debate has been a pitched battle between Catholic groups fighting over the votes of Catholic representatives.

If this pro-abortion legislation is ultimately passed, some so-called “Catholic” groups will be responsible. They have done major damage to the pro-life cause and provided cover for Democrats to abandon their pro-life record.

First, it was the Catholic Health Association writing a letter to pro-life Democrats encouraging them to vote ‘yes’ on the Senate pro-abortion healthcare bill. Then yesterday, it was a letter from NETWORK — an advocacy group of Catholic sisters who called for passage of the pro-abortion bill and promised they would be “working on all levels to promote [its] passage.”

Sadly, these groups got to Rep. Dale Kildee. You and I passionately pleaded with him to hold the line, running radio ads for days in his district. But he gave in to pressure yesterday saying he had consulted his priest and constituents and concluded “that no federal money can be used for abortion.”

This is bogus and he knows it. But the pressure was simply too great, and he gave in.

But we aren’t giving up. We have other votes including some “surprise” representatives we are working with that could replace the loss of Kildee and others.

What about the Bishops?

Whenever Catholic groups or politicians betray their faith and undermine our Church, people ask me why I don’t call out the Bishops more for not confronting people who spread dissent and attack our unity.

I agree that respectful criticism of our Bishops has a place, but in this fight, at this hour, I am convinced the Bishops need our help, not our condemnation.

CatholicVote is now working directly with Bishops across the country. They know about us and they are thrilled to have us working alongside them. I cannot emphasize enough how thankful they are for all that you’re doing.

I implored them to personally petition Members of Congress, and to speak out publicly against the distortions being spread by CHA and others. Every Bishop I have spoken with has agreed to do everything he can. And many are already doing so.

The USCCB is running editorials, and today is running ads in major newspapers urging the Congress to OPPOSE the pro-abortion bill.

We are also in direct contact with members of the Stupak Coalition and are assisting them with resources within the Church and in districts where undecided votes remain.

What you can do now

Finally, I have three last things you can do to fight against this horrendous bill.

I have two new Congressmen to call. These pro-life Democrats are sitting right on the fence. Call Rep. Jason Altmire at (724) 226-1304 and call Rep. John Boccieri at (330) 489-4414. With so many people calling Congress, you might have difficulty getting through to them. I didn’t say this was going to be easy.

Visit CatholicVoteAction.org for our primer: “Why the Senate bill must be opposed.”

Pray.

The last one is the most important. You and I have made the phone calls, we’ve defended the Church on the Internet and over the airwaves, we’ve fought the good fight.

But political pundits have said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi will stop at nothing to get this pro-abortion bill through.

Ultimately, though, the fate of this bill rests in greater hands.

Let every member of CatholicVote join together in prayer over these next few fateful days.

Let us boldly ask Our Lord during this Lenten season for victory in this battle. As hard as we have worked, if this bill is defeated, we will rightly give God all of the praise.

Please, take a moment now to make a call to the switchboard upstairs. His line is never busy.

Sincerely,

Brian Burch

Dear St. Patrick,

in your humility you called yourself a sinner,

but you became a most successful missionary

and prompted countless pagans

to follow the Saviour.

Many of their decedents in turn

spread the Good News in numerous foreign lands.

Through your powerful intercession with God,

obtain the missionaries we need

to continue the work you began.

Amen.

Written by Saint Patrick:

As I arise today,

may the strength of God pilot me,

the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me,

the ear of God hear me,

the word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me,

the way of God lie before me,

the shield of God defend me,

the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,

Christ when I stand,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen.