Real Catholic Blog

CatholicVote.org late last week announced that its long-awaited Web site overhaul is complete. But in addition, as part of its two-year anniversary celebration, it released its latest commercial, “The Dream 2010,” which we gladly share below. Catholic Vote reports that within 72 hours of its release it had 30,000 views. Let us know what you think of it.

Catholic Vote, recognized for its creative, well produced and thought-provoking ads, promises more of the same, especially as election time draws near, and Catholics are called to make informed decisions as to who should represent us in government. While this ad doesn’t strike me as up to the standards of its past work, that is a pretty high standard. I look forward to seeing its next releases.

CatholicVote.org celebrates its two-year anniversary with a new Web site and another glossy, attention-grabbing ad.

Despite the best efforts of atheists, the U.S. Postal Service in May approved the issuance of a commerative Mother Teresa stamp. Finally, last Sunday, at a ceremony at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., exactly 13 years after she died on September 5, 1997, the USPS released the stamp. More than 145,000 people signed a nationwide online petition organized by CatholicVote.org to stiffen the spine of the USPS — and it worked. 

Now, let’s go out and buy as many as we can (see American Papist)! What better way to prove we were right, to show America how dear this woman was to all the world and to honor this saintly nun (CatholicVoteAction.org Blog). What better way to show our country the strength and grace of The Catholic Church and to spread the good message of The Church as exemplified by the life of Mother Teresa? As far as a simple, conventional method that’s every bit as powerful as anything in this Internet driven, social media crazed culture . . . nothing!

Worth every cent . . . and then some! The Mother Teresa stamp now is available from the U.S. Postal Service. Time to buy them up!

Early this morning, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) conceded defeat in the Alaska Republican primary to unheralded challenger Joe Miller. Mr. Miller, a West Point graduate,  Persian Gulf War combat veteran, Ivy League law school graduate, attorney and former state and federal judge, was more than 20 points down in the most recent polls leading up to Tuesday’s election. However, he led by only 1,700 votes after voting ended, but 15,000 absentee ballots had to be counted, and a recount was in the offing. However, as the ballots were counted, Senator Murkowski saw that she was not gaining and conceded defeat.

Lesson learned: Senator Murkowski is, sadly, another Catholic in public office who flaunts The Faith and The Truth with her steadfast pro-abortion views. As bishop after bishop  have proclaimed, Catholics in public office cannot stand in good conscience in The Church while enabling the killing of the innocent unborn, just as they cannot tolerate the killing of a person on the street or in a robbery.

Although Catholic Democrats come under most public criticism for this by the faithful (because most Democrats are pro-abortion), there are CINO (Catholics In Name Only) RINOs as well (Republicans In Name Only), and both gladly trade on their Catholicism for votes while refusing to uphold the principle of Life. 

It was very telling that Alaksa Right To Life, other pro-life organizations and media (see Defend Us In Battle), as well as prominent pro-life individuals, endorsed Mr. Miller over an incumbent Catholic (see Gun Lovin’ Alaska Catholic Club blog), while the WISH List a women’s “pro-choice” political action committee endorsed Senator Murkowski. I tried to find Mr. Miller’s religious affiliation to no avail (he doesn’t list it on his campaign bio and a Google search came up empty). But I will take anyone of any faith any day who is unapologetically pro-life over someone who trades on his or her faith assuming people will step in line.

A recent Wall Street Journal article chronicled the problem evangelical churches are having keeping young members. It’s an interesting turn of media events, so to speak: After years of pounding the Catholic Church for its declining attendance at the expense of rising protestant churches with charismatic pastors, now it seems the media is examining the flight of young evangelicals to other churches.

It’s important for Catholics to understand why this is happening. While many of our dioceses went through (or are still in) a period of “hipness” to ”attract” young people, that’s exactly what drove them away — a lack of substance. While trying to be “relevant” to the young (and even not so young) the Church watered down the Mass and its emphasis on certain Church teachings. While evangelicals got a bump for a number of years by its sheer emotional pull, people soon find out that after a service, when the “alleluias” are over, there isn’t much there, there.

The American Church must never forget the substance and challenge of The Faith. For too long “Modern” Catholicism focused on emotion, not substance. But emotion does have a place — as a tool, not an end. It’s a lesson the Church in America has had to learn the hard way. Sadly, some still have not learned. Perhaps, this new exodus from the evangelical movement will give Catholic dioceses an opening to present the Truth to those so desperately seeking it.

As usual, Michael Voris at RealCatholicTV gets to the heart of the matter. Please take a view and let us know what you think.

Can the Catholic Church learn from the exodus of many from evangelical “mega churches”? 

Here is a recent installment of The Vortex from RealCatholicTV’s Michael Voris. It is an excellent testimonial to The Faith and its mission to resolve evil in the world: Four priests prayed at a Rockford, Ill., abortion center and saved lives! It’s not because they are priests, but the power of their faith.

 Four priests and the power of The Faith saved lives at an abortion center.

Teresa Shipley at Discovery.com reports that archaeologists believe they have discovered the bones of Saint John The Baptist, who baptised our Lord Jesus Christ (see John Paul II commentary), and infamously beheaded by King Herod at the request of his wife’s daughter, Salome (Catholic-Forum.com). The discovery was made at a 5th century monastary near the Black Sea in Bulgaria.

According to the article:

Bulgarian archaeologists excavating under an ancient basilica last week unearthed a reliquary, or a container full of human relics.

Bone fragments of a human skull, hand and tooth were found inside. …

The archaeologists believe that a date inscribed on the alabaster jar, June 24, is a good sign that the reliquary houses John the Baptist’s remains.

June 24 is the day Christian’s celebrate the birth of Jesus’ contemporary.

Seems a bit too coincidental to me. Besides . . . Bulgaria? How and why would John The Baptists’ remains find there way there? Of course, anything is possible. The Vatican is taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Fabrizio Bisconti, superintendent of the Vatican Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, told CNN more information and research is needed before the Holy See will opine on the discovery (see CNN’s Belief Blog for more, including video).

It’s interesting to contemplate, but misidentifications, not to mention forgeries, in ancient and Biblical antiquities are common. We look forward to more information confirming or dismissing what would be a terrific find.

Saint John The Baptist’s remains may have been found. The authenticity of the find, however, impacts little on Catholic faith.

I recently received a letter from former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Written on behalf of the Cardinal Newman Society, his letter serves as an update — and a frightening alarm — on the assault by the governing Washington, D.C., secularists on Catholic teaching. More appalling is their willing accomplices — so-called Catholics, Catholics In Name Only (CINOs) — who scandalously give these progressives cover not only to devalue and debase the teachings of the Faith, but also redefine traditional American family values as well.

The letter below is a very important read. It was shortened for length, but you will get the picture. More like a horror film. Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to engage civicly and do our part to restore the proper promulgation of the Faith in the public square and work to keep our institutions intact.  

As someone who treasures our Catholic Faith, I write with great concern.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo recently said that Catholics who lobbied for the health care reform law — ignoring the Bishops’ warnings about abortion funding and weak conscience protections — had caused “confusion and a wound to Catholic unity.”

And to make matters worse, among those working against the Church on pro-life health care were educators at our Catholic colleges.

And then there is this: President Obama’s latest addition to the powerful Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a same-sex marriage advocate whose concept of “sexual liberty” would trump our religious liberty.

And what were the credentials by which she was selected for this honor? Since 1991, she has been a celebrated professor at Georgetown Law Center — at a Jesuit Catholic university.

When Catholic colleges help advance the secular assault on morality and religious liberty, faithful Catholics need to stand up in defense of the Faith!

We cannot ignore the fact that certain Catholic colleges are employing and honoring dissenters who actively undermine the Church on abortion, marriage, healthcare and conscience protections. …

Chai Feldblum, the recent Georgetown law professor who is now at the EEOC, helped author the “Employment Non-Discrimination Act ” (ENDA) which is before Congress. This bill could cripple Catholic schools, hospitals and other charities by forcing them to provide benefits to same-sex couples.

Feldblum joins the EEOC just as it considers an appeal by Belmont Abbey College, a faithful Catholic college in North Carolina which has been charged with discrimination for refusing to cover birth control pills in its employee health plan.

If the appeal is rejected, Belmont Abbey and other faithful Catholic colleges could be forced to close their doors rather than compromise their Catholic identity! …

But the irony here is that the celebrated professor of a Catholic university is now a threat to faithful Catholic colleges! …

Consider the damage that liberal Catholics caused during the last days of the healthcare debate, when they undermined the Bishops’ demands for pro-life and conscience provisions.

For instance, an influential group of 25 leading “theologians” — 11 of them citing Catholic college credentials — lobbied Congress to reject concerns about the bill. That gave legislators cover to vote for the bill with a “clear conscience.”

And according to the Associated Press, the University of Notre Dame’s president emeritus Father Theodore Hesburgh helped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi convince a pro-life congressman to switch his vote in support of the health care bill.

Soon after the health care law was signed, Georgetown welcomed “special guest” Nancy Pelosi to a university celebration despite her firm opposition to any pro-life compromise in the law. …

Several leading Catholic colleges and universities have long been a source of disunity in the Church by employing dissident theologians, honoring pro-abortion politicians and hosting performances of the obscene play, The Vagina Monologues. …

The federal takeover of student loans — so that money is loaned directly from the U.S. government — is raising new concerns about protecting Catholic colleges from government intrusion. …

And the EEOC is expected to rule on Belmont Abbey College, potentially setting up a court battle that could have devastating consequences for the religious freedom of Catholics! …

If we want to restore a Culture of Life to America . . . if we want to protect the institution of marriage . . . if we want to hand on the Faith to future generations . . . then we must ensure faithful Catholic education, and we must oppose dissent and disunity.

We have all had enough of scandal. …

And may God bless you for all that will be accomplished with your support!

Rick Santorum

When Pope Benedict endorsed using all modern electronic means to spread the Word of God, he might not have had Father Jay Finelli in mind. As devout a Mac head as he is a priest, there is no gadget or online tool Father Finelli is not using to win new souls for Christ (see The Georgia Bulletin). You can even see him opening his iPad upon its deliver to him.

Podcasts? Check! Video podcasts? Of course! Blog? Got that down, too. He even has a Chantcast! He is on Twitter as well Facebook and YouTube might as well be old school for him. He even has a live stream.

It’s all well and good and with younger priests come newer techniques.  Priests are no different than anyone else. They will bring with them their interests and parts of applicable modernity to their job. In this sense, they are no different than a young CPA using online tools while the grizzled old vet still uses the ledger book. In fact, we love EWTN and a new wave of technology at its founding allowed it to take off — and newer technology allows it to flourish still — and EWTN is about as traditional and true to the Word as there is. It’s safe to say we love the way technology has enabled hundreds of millions to stay in tune with the Faith, and to spread it, or we wouldn’t be here at RealCatholic ourselves.

Still, and again as in life, technology has a role. It can be a road to, but not a substitute for, our personal relationship with God and the manifestation of that on Sunday, which is the receiving of the Holy Eucharist. Delivering and receiving a better understanding of the Word through technology is a useful supplement it, but listening to Father Finelli’s homilies or watching Mass on EWTN cannot take the place of attending Mass. Watching videos of a papal address cannot take the place of saying the Rosary or Eucharistic Adoration.

Technology has its place. But we have ours — in the pews and in prayer, engaged in our parishes and the communities around us.

The iPadre takes Christ’s injunction seriously high tech: To spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. 

Here’s a letter from CatholicVote President Brian Burch concerning serious revelations about the new health care law and its permissiveness on abortion — despite what most everyone who read the billsaid. Brian spells out a crucial episode being played out in Pennsylvania right now that could determine whether, despite President Obama’s cynical executive order to the contrary, federal funding of abortions now will be the law of the land>

Dear CatholicVote Friend,

Can you answer this question?

Does President Obama’s new healthcare law fund abortions or not?

Last week the Obama administration announced they would be pouring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars (our money!) into high-risk insurance pools in Pennsylvania and New Mexico where taxpayer funded abortions would be covered.

And then they got caught.

The National Right to Life Committee exposed the plan, prompting pro-life groups and legislative leaders to demand answers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded by promising not to use the funds for abortion. This time.

Sign our petition to the Catholic Health Association to help us make sure this doesn’t happen again!

Cardinal DiNardo speaking on behalf of the Catholic Bishops responded saying: “We welcome this new policy [preventing abortion coverage] . . . while continuing to be gravely concerned that it was not issued until after some states had announced that pro-abortion health plans were approved and had begun to enroll patients.”

The Cardinal emphasized that the episode makes clear that a new law (not an Executive Order) is needed to strictly prohibit all funding for abortion.

Let’s face it, the nearly 2000-page health care law is so complicated it is virtually impossible to keep up with the new authorities and regulatory agencies that could be manipulated to funnel your money to abortion providers.

So something must be done.

Taxpayer dollars must NEVER be used to fund the destruction of innocent human life.

Some groups claiming to be faithful to the Church continue to claim that the new health care bill does not fund abortion. But last week’s episode proves there are loopholes, and we can’t rely on promises from the Obama administration to keep our money out of the hands of abortion doctors.

Our petition to the Catholic Health Association calling on them to get behind the Protect Life Act continues to add new signatures every day.

Join over 56,000 people that have already signed our petition!

If the Catholic Health Association claims to be Catholic, then they must be held accountable.

Help us turn up the heat. Sign our petition today. …

- Your Friends at CatholicVote.org

Here’s a report from CNN on the Shroud of Turin. Even the reporter seems to be enlightened (see video below). Of course there are skeptics, but more and more are coming to believe. (It’s amazing how some people either purposely ignore the evidence or are truly ignorant of it and base their denials on old, outdated assertions.) The report was in advance of Pope Benedict’s visit last month and below that is a video of his adoration of the Shroud. We’ll have more about his visit soon. 

If a reporter can see the light . . . then hope truly is on the rise. 

Pope Benedict XVI praying before the Shroud of Turin. The Church believes the Shroud is a holy article to kindle faith. But many believe in a more definitive declaration.