Real Catholic Blog

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

As nice as it is to see Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated — not many saints are celebrated in the secular world — that’s also it’s drawback. That is to say, the day itself has been so secularized, the meaning of it is obfuscated, even trivialized, to the point that it is caricatured. It’s as if it’s only worth celebrating by drinking a lot of green beer. Worship is belittled to that of a secular god — alcohol.

Does it remind you of anything? It should. One beer company a couple of years ago even ran a nauseating series of television ads for weeks, leading up to, and equating, Saint Patrick’s Day with “secular” Christmas, complete with adults dressed like children, eagerly awaiting Saint Patrick’s Day morning, running downstairs to open their presents (of beer).

Not that I oppose a celebratory beer. But I don’t want people to lose sight of this significant saint and consign him to cartoon-like fiction.

Saint Patrick was captured (from his home in Scotland, sorry about that truth) and enslaved as a 14-year-old in then-pagan Ireland (Catholic Online). In captivity, he prayed each day. Later, he wrote:

The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.

As with all saints, there is much to learn from his life. His feast day comes at an appropriate time, during the heart of Lent, because his story is reflective of the season’s meaning — through prayer, he drew closer to Christ, who Himself drew closer to the Father through prayer the night of His Passion. It was that prayer, that closeness that sustained him and led him to freedom and greater things in his life, a life that glorified God.

A couple of notes: Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. It has been associated with him and the Irish since that time.

Unlike the raucous celebrations in his name today, Patrick was humble, pious and gentle. He had a total and devout love and trust in God. He is an example to each of us, for he feared nothing, not even death, because of his complete trust in God.

Saint Patrick: Someone to draw guidance from, not drink a beer to.

It’s funny how things work. Okay, let me stop myself: “how things work” — how very secular. You see how long hours in the pits can make you forget what’s important? Which is exactly why this little story is relevant. It’s not “things” at work. It’s the Holy Spirit, of course!

Yesterday, when I got home, there was a message from the new Friday captain at the Adoration Chapel I attend. Make that, had been attending. A unrelenting work schedule (for the most part) and, admittedly, some disorganization om my part, over the last several months had prohibited me from attending my Friday afternoon hour. But finally, some very much looked-forward-to light at the end of the tunnel is upon men, as the schedule is about to relax, and so I have look forward to rededicating myself to a 3:00 Friday hour of adoration. So, what perfect timing to get such a message!

Then, I get an e-mail from my local Legion of Mary friend. They are having a Mass, Rosary and a potluck brunch, but she left off the flyer attachment. There was enough information in the e-mail, but I replied and asked her to send the flyer anyway. In her reply, was the below quote. Wow! I guess something — not a thing, the Holy Spirit — is telling me something, huh?

Adore and visit Jesus abandoned and forsaken by men in His Sacrament of love. Man has time for everything except for visits to his Lord and God, who is waiting and longing for him in His tabernacle. The streets and houses of amusement are filled with people. The house of God is deserted.

- St. Peter Julian Eymard (1811 – 1868)

Oh, so very true. Just as in my case with work. We all need time to for perspective. Nothing gives us that than time alone with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at Adoration. Silence. The Rosary. Reading meditations or Scripture. Especially during Lent. It will do you good in many ways. Not the least among them, remembering from whence all things come.

We are called to prayer, fasting and sacrifice during Lent. As for prayer, what better way to pray than the Rosary. Even better, pray the Rosary at Eucharistic Adoration. There most likely is a parish or community in your area that has a constant, if not 24-hour, adoration. At the very least, many parishes offer adoration during Lent on Fridays after Stations of the Cross.

Since Lent is about drawing closer to Jesus and his redemption for our sins, praying the Rosary is a powerful way to reach out to our Lord — and the Blessed Mother. Doing so anywhere — by yourself, in a group, silent or out loud — is a very spiritual and tangible way of drawing near Jesus. Doing so at Eucharistic Adoration is especially spiritually fulfilling. There are five mysteries of the Rosary. I have found the Sorrowful Mysteries during Lent, as they are prayed on Fridays, particularly special as they instigate a self-inspection we all should put ourselves through.

Catholics Come Home explains more about the Rosary:

The Rosary is an ancient and powerful prayer that the faithful have been praying for over 800 years. In this video you will see the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary, which include events of the life of Christ and Mary that are meditated upon while reciting the prayers. Every believer in Jesus Christ should honor His mother by praying the Rosary, and in return she will bring you closer to her Son.

And if you object to the Rosary because you don’t think that the Hail Mary is a legitimate prayer, then watch my video “Every Christian should pray the Hail Mary,” and you will see the Biblical basis for the Hail Mary.

The Rosary is a powerful and special way to reach out to Jesus and seek His intercession as well as that of the Blessed Mother.

Faith does matter. During Lent, we are especially called to redouble our faith through prayer, fasting and sacrifice in order to draw closer to God. Here is an instructive video from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, about the Eucharist (EWTN).

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio speaks about the Eucharist.

Here is a wonderful homily by Father Bonaventure of Ave Maria, who preaches on today’s Gospel that tells us of the need to love God above all else because he knows what we need and we can love all others through Him. Lent is a time of self sacrifice that focuses our love for the Holy Trinity and the great gift of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who humbled himself not only to live among us, but to die for us. It is a short homily, but Father Bonaventure packs every word and sentence with powerful theology about our life on earth, love of God and receiving His Grace on earth that will reward us with life in Heaven, where we are ultimately meant to be.

That Grace we receive from Him is not a natural virtue. It must be acquired through patience and prayer.

Pope Benedict XVI today poetically explained the Ritual of Ash Wednesday Ashes at his general audience. He also firmly explained conversion and how Lent is a time to discipline oneself to convert. Believing is one thing. Acting it out is another, a true conversion away from the evil of moral relativism.

This is a great message to begin the holiest of seasons, Lent. The discipline it asks for prepares us for the greatest love of all, our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice — his death on a cross — and Resurrection for our salvation. It’s a message that prepares us to make Lent a season that truly draws us closer to Him.

The Holy Father said:

Conversion is to go against the flow, where the “flow” is a lifestyle that is superficial, incoherent and illusory, which often drags us in, dominates us and makes us slaves of evil or at least prisoners of moral mediocrity.

Pope Benedict asks us to convert ourselves during Lent. Doing so makes us “A precious dust for God.”

As Mardi Gras draws to a close and Ash Wednesday and Lent dawns, I looked for a fulfilling and inspirational commentary on the season. On the ZENIT site, I found this, from John Paul The Great. I think it will set the tone for a fulfilling spiritual journey this Lent, drawing you closer to Christ, and a better understanding of the season and your faith.

“We Acknowledge Ourselves As Sinners,” Says John Paul II

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 5, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of John Paul II’s address at today’s general audience, which he dedicated to the spirit of Ash Wednesday. Earlier he had proclaimed this a day of prayer and fasting for peace.

* * *

1. Today, Ash Wednesday, the liturgy addresses to all the faithful an intense invitation to conversion with the words of the apostle Paul: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Lent is the most propitious time, spiritually, to receive this exhortation, as it is a time of more intense prayer, of penance and of greater attention to the needs of brothers.

With today’s rite of the imposition of ashes, we acknowledge ourselves sinners, invoke the forgiveness of God, manifesting a sincere desire for conversion. Thus we begin an austere ascetic journey, which will lead us to the Easter triduum, heart of the liturgical year.

2. In keeping with the tradition of the Church, all the faithful are obliged today to abstain from meats and to fast, with the sole exception of those who are impeded for reasons of health or age. Fasting has great value in the life of Christians, it is a need of the spirit to relate better to God. In fact, the external aspects of fasting, though important, do not exhaust such a practice. Joined to it is a sincere desire for interior purification, willingness to obey the divine will, and thoughtful solidarity toward brothers, particularly the poorest.

There is, then, a close link between fasting and prayer. To pray is to listen to God and fasting favors this openness of heart.

3. While we enter in the time of Lent, we cannot but be conscious of the present international context, in which threatening tensions of war are agitated. It is necessary that everyone consciously assume responsibility and engage in a common effort to spare humanity another dramatic conflict. For this reason, I wanted today, Ash Wednesday, to be a day of prayer and fasting to implore for peace in the world. Above all, we must ask God for conversion of heart, in which every form of evil and every thrust toward sin is rooted; we must pray and fast for peaceful coexistence among peoples and nations.

At the beginning of our meeting we heard the encouraging words of the Prophet: “One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4). And again: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Ibid.). Above the upheavals of history is the sovereign presence of God, who judges the choices of men. To him [who] “judge[s] between the nations” and “impose[s] terms on many peoples” (Ibid.) we turn our hearts to implore for a future of justice and peace for all. This thought should stimulate each one of us to continue in an incessant prayer and in energetic commitment to construct a world in which egoism gives way to solidarity and love.

4. I also wished to propose again the urgent invitation to conversion, penance and solidarity in the Message for Lent, made known a few days ago, whose theme is the beautiful phrase of the Acts of the Apostles: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (see 20:35).

In fact, only by converting to this logic can a social order be constructed characterized not by a precarious balance of conflicting interests, but by a just and common search for the common good. Christians, as leaven, are called to live and spread a style of generosity in every realm of life, thus promoting the authentic moral and civil development of society. In this connection, I have written: “To deprive oneself not only of the superfluous, but even of something more to distribute it to those in need, contributes to that denial of self without which there is no authentic practice of Christian life” (No. 4: [daily] L’Osservatore Romano, Feb. 7, 2003, p. 5).

5. May this day of prayer and fasting for peace, with which we begin Lent, be translated in concrete gestures of reconciliation. From the family to the international realm, may each one feel and make himself co-responsible for the construction of peace. And the God of peace, who knows the intentions of the heart and calls his children peacemakers (see Matthew 5:9), will not be lacking in his recompense (see Matthew 6:4,6,18).

We entrust our wishes to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Rosary and Mother of Peace. May she take us by the hand and accompany us during the next 40 days toward Easter, to contemplate the Risen Lord.

I wish everyone a good and fruitful Lent!

If you are not familiar with Catholics Come Home, take some time to do so. It does great work.

You may have seen its videos on EWTN, or if you live in the Diocese of Phoenix you may know its work first hand. Its mission is to bring back Catholics who have left the Church for whatever reason or reasons, and it is doing so through modern media techniques. It has produced three world class videos/commercials that inspire even the hardest hearts.

While it has received air time on EWTN, through the Internet and some news programs, CCH now is hitting its stride. In the last year it developed a plan to buy commerical air time in each diocese in the country. It started in the Phoenix Diocese during Lent 2008 and was responsible for bringing back to the Church 92,000 Catholics (see CNS article here).

We are called to bring people to the Lord. A good place to start is reaching out to family, friends, associates, even people we don’t know that well, who have stopped attending church. If you think it’s an odd proposition, remember, Jesus sent the Apostles out to visit strangers and preach to them.

When the priest ends Mass with “Let us now go forth to love and serve the Lord,” it is our commission to spread His Word. As Pope Benedict XVI said at his first World Youth Day homily in 2005: Every day we have good news we can’t wait to share with family and friends — good grades at school, a promotion at work — but how often do we share the Good News of the Gospel?

Probably not often. But a good way to start is to share the Catholic Come Home videos. (Forward this link with the first video. We’ll post the others in the near future.) Visit its Web page and find out how you can help it with its goal, and see if you can facilitate its work in your diocese. It can also provide tips as to what you can do within your parish. Or simply speak to that someone you are concerned about and ask them to come to Church with you Sunday.

A priest I know told the story of a woman who told him she wanted to come back to the Church, but had been away for years and didn’t know how. He replied, “Just come back.” It’s not complicated. 

An epic video worth sharing.