Most Pro-Life Part of The Super Bowl

There was a big debate over the most pro-life moment in the Super Bowl... Tim Tebow boasted of being brave enough to star in a pro-life advertisement sponsored by Focus on the Family during Super Bowl XLIV... Soon after the Super Bowl ended speculation arose that Google's family ad showing the life of a couple, meeting, marrying in a church, and having a baby was the most pro-life part of the Super Bowl. This advertisement had a nice subtle message; it promoted normal family life. When I thought about the messages send by these promoters I was touched; but not as moved as seeing the winning quarterback forgo the usual champagne bath to cherished the moment with his one year old son Baylen and wife Brittany. I felt that this act did more than the Tebow and Google ads combined. Drew Brees won the ultimate prize of his career, and he would rather share it with his family than act crazy. He told America what was most important to him, and the message of life carrier through him unintentionally. I believe that a lot of Americans will take a step back to examine this more closely when they think about how the winning quarterback raised his baby before the Lombardi. Brees was moved to tears as he kissed his baby and relished his Super bowl win. The image of this great athlete gave Americans a reality, children will not end your life, rather they will enrich it! Life is precious.

Culpability, Responsibility, & Actual Ability...Yours, Mine, Ours???

Culpability, Responsibility, & Actual Ability.... When we stand back and think about how we are supposed to live our daily lives; these "-abilities" play a major role. When we chose to follow Christ we are culpable for our actions, that is pretty easy to understand and accept. We then take the responsibility of our own actions and we use our personal physical ability to carry out the tasks the fruits of these actions are our own.

But what about our neighbor's actions? Are we responsible or culpable for those? If we know that our neighbor is going to act sinfully to hurt himself or another person does any of the culpability (or blame) fall upon us? Yes, sometimes even though an action is brought about by another person's physical abilities we still carry the culpability. This occurs when we have knowledge of the sinful actions and ignore our responsibility to follow Christ's example "admonish the sinner." Admonishing the Sinner is a Spiritual Work of Mercy, different from judging a sinner, admonishing is aimed toward changing the sinner's heart and returning them to the mystical body of Christ. If I pray for my neighbor is that enough to remove my culpability? Not always, for example a Church needs to be built and we pray to God to help us build the new Church; materials are provided... someone still needs to be God's hands on earth and build the Church. The same can be said for admonishing the sinner, we can pray for God's wisdom and direction, and although sometimes unpleasant we must be God's hands on earth. Christ told us in John 18:36 "his kingdom is not of this world," and in the modern world it is the trend to allow all people the "don't ask, don't tell" privilege even in regards to their immortal soul. When we are looking to live as Christ, we must do so fearlessly and not follow the trends... His kingdom is not of this world and we want as many souls to enjoy paradise as possible.

Internet Dating: A Tool To Build Up the Church?

In 2001 the online dating entrepreneur eHarmony.com boosted of having successful relationships leading to 10,000 marriages in a single year. Online dating was the fad of 2001, eight years later the meager 3% of Americans who searched for a relationship has grown to over 30%. Worldwide the online dating trend has been catching on; people are not looking to the bars night clubs to hook up; they are making honest profile to form real relationships. China has seen the largest growth of 60% annually; with a net worth of over $81 million dollars in 2008. In the US the reports of profits for online dating in 2007 were nearly $900 million dollars. The US has experienced a growth of 16% annually revealing that 90 million people are seeking their relationships online. CNN news calls online dating a sign of the times; claiming people want less first dates and want to have a wider range of people who share similarities, not wasting money on those not worth-while. An interesting trend that has arisen from this dating phenomenon is a return of the idea of match maker with values cultural background and religion leading the list of qualities for a relationship. JDate (for Jewish Singles), Christian Mingle, and Christian Match are the top three most popular website for 2009 dating. The Catholic Church has always encouraged the faithful to date within their religion. During the twentieth century these views were revoked by most as archaic and out dated. Love at first site became the most popular trend, which spiraled into the U.S. statistics that 50% of marriages end in divorce and 97% will be unhappy. Ignoring values, faith, and addictions Americans fell prey to infatuation, 2009 is revealing that people are returning to love. Couples are learning about one another and taking time to make sure that at the base level they share the same core values. Catholic dating website have exploded over the past eight years; Anthony Buono the president of Ave Maria Singles promises “Hope” with the mission of his site “offer a service solely dedicated to helping faithful, practicing Catholics find their future spouse and help them become a better follower of Christ.” Fr. Benedict Groschel has commended Buono in his work and has endorsed the AMS website as great medium for Catholics to build up the Church through solid marriages. I firmly believe that this return to principles prior to relationships is going to help the Church, and save the family. Marriage is built on the graces of God, and the vow of two people from this love abounds. I know that sometimes every relationship goes through a rough spot, but with God and share principles we can build up the Church and have happier families tomorrow.
Ave Maria Singles

Can your marriage use help? Take the Quiz: Exceptional Marriages

Keeping the Meaning of Christmas Today

Amidst the torrent of sales advertisements, and contiguous list of Government agendas the season of Advent is upon us. Every person is hit with a Santa (& every other so called holiday symbol) seated in the middle of the mall, and a list of presents that never ends... It is difficult to preserve the meaning of Christmas "Christ's birth;" with our culture. In my experience I have found that many people are shying away from the holiday all together, and it is sad that people are sacrificing one of the greatest feasts of Christian tradition to the department store. Families can enjoy the holiday while retaining their Catholic identity. A good way to start is to remind others that Christmas is about the birth of Christ is to say Merry Christmas. Remind yourselves why we as Christians put so much importance on this day. Consider all the energy that the media puts on purchasing gifts; use the same amount of energy to spread Christ's love. Think about the secularization of exchanging Christmas gifts. This change has occurred slowly so that now people incur debt just to keep up with the media's perception of Holiday bliss. Think about the original tradition of gift giving was not to give the most expensive gift; rather it was an imitation of Christ's loving gift of Himself on Christmas. The beginning of our redemption and the manifesting of His love for us. I know that the average jewelry ad tells Americans that love "can be bought." Christ's love is freely given to us everyday and no one is selling it. As Catholics we enjoy the preparation of the advent season, we get to anticipate the coming of Christ's birth at mass in the readings. We can bring these traditions home with an advent wreath on the table. Remind children of the story of St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra who wanted to help families by leaving anonymous gifts (sometimes down the chimney). we as Catholics need to fight for Christmas, Jesus is the reason for the season. We need to hold on to that significance, and not shy away Christ's birth for the fear of commercialism. Remember the traditions of old, bring them into our culture: a living nativity scene is another means of living the traditions of the Church today. Started first by St. Francis, this tradition of imitating the holy family is a great way to better experience the beauty of this mystery. Have a small nativity scene at home, and keep Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus out until Christmas day, this gives the waiting for Christ another visual dimension, especially for children who are learning the meaning of Christmas. Take time before running to the Christmas tree to rip open gifts to see Jesus in the manger. Take time to prepare this advent for the coming of Christ, give the love of Christ to others and imitate his way; this will give you the most meaningful Christmas because Christ is truly at the heart.

Rumor of New Development in Medjugorie Apparition Approval

A report has been released that Vienna's Cardinal Schonborn will be visiting Medjugorje from December 8th through January 4th. Schonborn told Cardinal Ratizinger in 1989, "if Medjugorje were closed, he would also have to close the Seminary in Vienna, because the majority of those candidates had received their call to the priesthood through Medjugorje. To this, Cardinal Ratzinger replied: "Closing Medjugorje is not even a question!" Blessed Mother's Children

Catholic Femina Speaks: This will be a very eye opening event, if in fact Schonborn does visit Medjugorje. He will look at all the facts and give a more clear image of the happening from recent months. I feel confident that he will unearth the truth so that the Church can have a clearer picture of the validity of Medjugorje.

Vatican Gives A Lesson on How to Say Latin Mass

Catholic Femina Speaks: The Tridentine Mass is so long been ignored that the priests of today do not know or understand its rituals and traditions. The return of the full beauty of the Tridentine mass will take time, as the priests learn how to say and the laity learn how to respond and participate.

Traditional- Anglicans Return to the "One" Fold

The prayers of millions have been answered and Christian history has been made on October 20, 2009. 'May They Be One!' In an absolutely stunning announcement on the morning of October 20, the Holy See has, by Apostolic Constitution, provided the canonical vehicle for Anglican Christians to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church. Catholic

Catholic Femina Speaks: What Next? The Anglicans are allowed to return, will this be a new rite? How will the rest of the church react, is this to be like the retelling of the prodigal son... Personally I am over 10 miles away from the nearest Catholic Church, but there is an Anglican church less than a mile away. I am interested to see if they will be offering a valid mass that I can attend. Now, just because the Anglicans have been allowed to return doesn't mean that they all will... if you want to attend an Anglican church to hear a valid mass you must first ask the pastor if this church is in full communion with the Pope in Rome. "Deciding" or "in the process of returning" do not count as a valid mass and do not fulfill your Sunday obligation. The Anglican have always carried in their tradition the "Cup of Christ's traditions." Now unlike other protestant churches who do not accept the truth and have their cup half-empty; the Anglicans who wish to have their cup filled may do so. Praise God: "we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive again; was lost and now is found!" Luke 15:32

The View Host Claims Obama's Disqualified For Nobel Prize

Rachel Campos-Duffy, former reality-TV star and current blogger for Anderson Cooper's AC360 blog, was Elizabeth Hasselbeck's fill-in on today's edition of The View. As a conservative fill-in, she did not disappoint.
Before diving into the meat of the blog, however
RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY: Thank you. And, yes, I found happiness after all. And the news is, because I've never come on "The View," as Joy knows, without announcing a pregnancy. And I am having a sixth child and I'm three months pregnant.
That is wonderful news - congratulations to her and her husband Sean.
Now, containing our pro-life glee for a moment, the Viewettes transitioned from a conversation about Campos-Duffy’s happy home life to a discussion of President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize win:

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: President Obama is happily married. But he received the Nobel Peace Prize, which shocked a lot of people. Were y'all shocked?

CAMPOS-DUFFY: I was shocked.

GOLDBERG: You were shocked?

CAMPOS-DUFFY: I was shocked, and I'll tell you what: I find a lot of irony that the guy who won the Nobel Peace Prize won't meet with the Dalai Lama because he's kowtowing to just about the worst human rights abuser in the world, the Chinese government. So, yeah, I'm shocked and when I think of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, the quintessential one, I think of Mother Teresa.

GOLDBERG: Well, that's going to be hard to - that's a hard act to follow.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: I think of Mother Teresa and Mother Teresa said that we wouldn't have world peace until we ended abortion and I think personally, for me, that it's Obama's radical abortion position that makes him the least qualified for the prize.

Perhaps the pro-life glee containment will have to wait.
Bear in mind, Campos-Duffy has just transitioned from a discussion of her five (soon to be six) children, and how happy her marriage and life have been. At this point, her position on abortion is completely unchallengeable, even by the arch-liberal Joy Behar. And the Viewettes' reaction?

GOLDBERG: I think that's a very interesting way to look at it. I just figured that, if you're getting the Peace Prize, it's probably because you've been, sorta, trying to promote some peace, and after a while in the world, you know, we weren't looked upon in such an interesting way. So I think he's probably gotten it because he's been busting his behind trying to get out there.JOY BEHAR: He has changed the conversation in the world. He's interested in diplomacy. We had - we were starting wars. Now we're not anymore. I don't know what's going to happen in Afghanistan. It is a little ironic that he is involved in two wars and he would be considered the peace person. But he didn't start them and he is trying to end them and he is trying to bring diplomacy around the world and start a new conversation. And I think for that he deserved it.
Yes, Joy Behar is insufferable. But if one were to wait for the response:

CAMPOS-DUFFY: So basically, he just gets a prize for not being George Bush?

BEHAR: That's true. He does get a prize for not being George Bush.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Then I get one!
If I may be so bold: Rachel, take the children and leave the award. If Al Gore gets this prize, and Mahatma Gandhi doesn't, it's not worth having. News Busters

Catholic Femina Speaks: I was glad to hear that there is someone speaking up against this horrible award. Abortion is a crime against humanity, killing children. I agree that this is an award not worth having!

Vatican Applauds Obama Peace Prize

"The awarding of the Nobel Prize for Peace to President Obama is greeted with appreciation in the Vatican, in light of the commitment demonstrated by the President for the promotion of peace in the international arena, and in particular also recently in favor of nuclear disarmament. It's hoped that this very important recognition will further encourage that commitment, which is difficult but fundamental for the future of humanity, so that the desired results will be obtained."

Catholic Femina Speaks: When I learned that Obama received the Nobel Prize for Peace, I was disgusted! When I learned that the Vatican radio applauded this award I was shocked! The Vatican radio is not the Pope, this is the commentator's view and does not speak for the Church. Obama is seeking to fund more abortions than any other American president. I feel that the Nobel Prize no longer bears credibility and means nothing.

Global Warming Hoax Reveals: GLOBAL COOLING!

According to research conducted by Professor Don Easterbrook from Western Washington University last November, the oceans and global temperatures are correlated. The oceans, he says, have a cycle in which they warm and cool cyclically. The most important one is the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). For much of the 1980s and 1990s, it was in a positive cycle, that means warmer than average. And observations have revealed that global temperatures were warm too. But in the last few years it has been losing its warmth and has recently started to cool down. These cycles in the past have lasted for nearly 30 years. So could global temperatures follow? The global cooling from 1945 to 1977 coincided with one of these cold Pacific cycles. Professor Easterbrook says: “The PDO cool mode has replaced the warm mode in the Pacific Ocean, virtually assuring us of about 30 years of global cooling.” BBC Telegraph

Catholic Femina Speaks: Here is another example of the government lying to Americans to collect money in taxes... now we discover that the world is not going to get warmer, but colder. Over the next 30 years the world is going to get consistently colder! If you have been waiting for warm days in the winter guess again, the global cooling is a well documented pattern. These finding will play a big part in people wanting to escape the cold.

School Sues Father For Pro-Life T-Shirt

The father of a middle-school student ordered to remove an "Abortion is not Healthcare" T-shirt on the day of President Obama's speech to students says the school's dress code amounts to "draconian censorship of religious and political speech."

The school's dress code bans "clothing which creates hostile educational environment or evidences discriminatory bias or animus." Another policy prohibits speech which "seek[s] to establish the supremacy of a particular religious denomination, sect, or point of view," according to the lawsuit. Courthouse News Service

Catholic Femina Speaks: So this man is being sued for wearing a pro-life T-Shirt, while children may freely wear Obama clothing without any resistance. The public school system is tool used by the federal government to brain wash children. The Culture of death is subtle and slowly removes the resistance in order to confuse the children. Parents need to take a closer look at their kids' schools and decide if the agenda of the federal government is what they want their children hearing. There is no doubt that this is occurring, beginning at kindergarten with the introduction to the culture of death indoctrinating small children before they are able to read that the government is caring for them, and their parents take back seat. Even children who are removed from the FED's brain washing program at young ages still experience problems; when parents try to instill morals that do not match the stripping of morals from the young children. Massachusetts and California lead the kindergarten revolution with Gay agenda in Massachusetts: "Two Father Penguins" and the stem cell research in California. These programs effectively teach children under six that parents are not a reliable source for morals, misplacing their compassion and morals. These mistakes are hard to undo.

Pro-Life In NY Times

Pro-life people are shown in a positive light in the New York Times, and photos of aborted babies were featured.

See Jill Stanek for photos

Catholic Femina Speaks: This is gaining ground in the pro-life movement. The images that were shown in this article brought tears to my eyes. Any person who can look at these babies' bodies and not feel compassion has given their soul to the devil.

LIFE CHAIN: Sunday October 4, 2:00pm

Come Help End Abortion

How: LIFE CHAIN 2009

When: October 4, 2009 @ 2:00pm

Where: Find Location Here

What: Hold signs up & pray in silent protest to the murder of the unborn.

Why: Because you love life and want to end Abortion!

Octber is Respect Life Month

October is Respect Life Month, below is an exert I saw on Secret Harbor from the“Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska” about how she suffered for the victims of Abortion.

September 16, 1937. I wanted very much to make a Holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament today. But God’s will was otherwise. At eight o’clock I was seized with such violent pains that I had to go to bed at once. I was convulsed with pain for three hours; that is, until eleven o’clock at night. No medicine had any effect on me, and whatever I swallowed I threw up. At times, the pains caused me to lose consciousness. Jesus had me realize that in this way I took part in His Agony in the Garden, and that He Himself allowed these sufferings in order to offer reparation to God for the souls murdered in the wombs of wicked mothers. I have gone through these sufferings three times now. They always start at eight o’clock in the evening and last until eleven. No medicine can lessen these sufferings. When eleven o’clock comes, they cease by themselves, and I fall asleep at that moment. The following day, I feel very weak.

This happened to me for the first time when I was at the sanatorium. The doctors couldn’t get to the bottom of it, and no injection or medicine helped me at all or did I myself have any idea of what the sufferings were about. I told the doctor that never before in my life had I experienced such sufferings, and he declared he did not know what sort of pains they are. But now I understand the nature of these pains, because the Lord himself has made this known to me. Yet when I think that I may perhaps suffer in this way again, I tremble. But I don’t know whether I’ll ever again suffer in this way; I leave that to God. What it pleases God to send, I will accept with submission and love. If only I could save even one soul from murder by means of these sufferings!

Catholic Femina Speaks: A friend suggested this quote from St. Faustina and reminded me how she suffered. Take time this month in a special way to pray for the unborn and make sacrifices for their suffering. We need God to help us put a stop to abortion and end the Culture of Death!

Update! CONGRATULATIONS!: In One Day FEDS Concede to Keep Christ in Christmas

After only one day the Alliance Defense Fund has conceded to allow Christian images on the Government "holiday tree." After a tremendous response from Christians everywhere to maintain the freedom of religion the FEDs were forced to allow images that have Christian tradition or significance. Christ cannot be removed from Christmas as long as it is celebrated, regardless of the efforts of the ADF for diversity. World Net Daily

Catholic Femina Speaks: I was thrilled to see Christians taking ground and speaking up. Keeping our holidays centered in Christ, and protecting our children's freedoms. Prohibiting the national CHRISTMAS TREE was just not constitutional; and I say Christmas tree because Christmas is the holiday with a decorated tree, not Kwanzaa, Hanuka, or Ramadan. I do not find any offense in speaking the truth. Trying to absorb other cultures into an all absorbing blob is more offensive than recognizing that every culture has their own customs and because our nation has been founded as a Christian country placing their trust in God there is nothing inappropriate about expressing this through the celebration of a Christian holiday. I am glad this offense to Christians everywhere has been corrected so quickly.

Vatican Calls New UN Population Control "Abuse of Power"

The Vatican's chief representative to the United Nations said giving foreign development aid only if a country adopts family planning programs that promote artificial birth control is "an abuse of power." Speaking at the United Nations in New York Sept. 29, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, papal nuncio to the world body, said true development entails respecting human life. However, in some parts of the world, "development aid seems to be tied rather to the recipient countries' willingness to adopt programs which discourage demographic growth of certain populations by methods and practices disrespectful of human dignity and rights," he said. He said it is "both cynical and unfortunate" that the developed world frequently tries to export a mentality of artificial birth control to developing countries "as if it were a form of cultural progress or advancement." "To predicate the decision to give development aid on the acceptance of such policies constitutes an abuse of power," CNS

Catholic Femina Speaks: The Contraceptive industry has been continuously growing, they are targeting children and those who are less fortunate. The Vatican has called the recent move to force third world countries into 'family planning' in exchange for aid an "Abuse of Power." Forcing countries into contraception plans is wrong. The Vatican understands that is the role of God to decide birth, not the role of government. The U.N. has been advocating population control for decades, it is now with the support of the Obama administration who are advocates for abortion, that they are getting momentum to carry out their agenda. The people who will suffer the most from this plan are the individuals that the UN is 'claiming' to be aiding. G.W. Bush wanted to police the world for the UN... Obama wants to initiate a genocide of the less productive countries. According to this UN policy only those countries that are wealthy should have children, the poor should be limit or stop reproducing.

St. Therese of Lisieux: Exhumation of Her Body

Catholic Femina Speaks: St. Therese of Lisieux is one of my favorite saints, and these clip is in French, but it is worth watching. Since today is her feast day I thought that it would be a great opportunity to post this. Her body is in-corrupt and the miracles attributed to her are always growing.

Obama To Keep Christ out of Christmas

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys sent a letter to federal and state officials, including Arizona Governor Janice Brewer Monday, calling for them to stop enforcing a requirement prohibiting the state’s schoolchildren from expressing religious viewpoints through Christmas themes while decorating ornaments for the 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree. Arizona was chosen this year to present 4,000 handcrafted ornaments made by elementary, middle-school, and high-school students to decorate Washington, D.C.’s annual Christmas tree.

“Banning Christmas from the Capitol Christmas tree is just absurd. Christian students shouldn’t be discriminated against for expressing their religious beliefs,” said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Jonathan Scruggs. “The First Amendment does not allow government officials to exclude schoolchildren’s ornaments for the capitol’s Christmas tree merely because they communicate a religious viewpoint.”

Guidelines for the ornaments include specifications for their size, weight, composition, and the directive that “Ornaments cannot reflect a religious or political theme… Instead share your interpretation of our theme ‘Arizona’s Gift, from the Grand Canyon State.’” It is also stated that the ornaments “will provide wonderful opportunities for Arizona school children to demonstrate what Arizona means to them… Whether they represent our world-renowned landscapes, our diverse cultures, or other aspects of our state, the ornaments will help convey the particular beauty that is Arizona.” But, if students want to convey that Arizona has a religious significance to them, they are denied the opportunity offered to students with non-religious views. Alliance Defense Fund

Catholic Femina Speaks: I have been saying for a while that President Obama is not Christian... I know that he has claimed to be searching for a church to attend, but he has been in DC for quite sometime there is no excuse. Obama has a history of lying. The Children of Arizona have been asked to create ornaments for a Christmas Tree giving their personal take on Christmas without the true meaning of Christmas. After removing Jesus and the Christmas story all that remains is materialism. The ADF is asking for diversity? What is that suppose to mean, Christmas is a Christian holiday and they are not allowed to display Christ... Diversity is now a term for the exclusion of Christians. Arizona is going to have a difficult time representing anything that remotely resembles Christmas without the reason for the season.

Bishop Charged With Child Porn

TORONTO — Authorities say a Roman Catholic Bishop who oversaw his diocese's settlement with victims of sex abuse is facing child pornography charges. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Brigdit Leger confimer the charges against Bishop Raymond Lahey on Wednesday. The accusations stem from the bishop's arrest following a random search of his laptop computer at Ottawa's airport earlier this month. Lahey didn't mention the arrest when he resigned as bishop of the diocese of Antigonish in Canada's province of Nova Scotia this past weekend. Lahey said he was leaving for personal reasons. Lahey recently oversaw a $15-million Canadian (US$14 million) settlement with people who said they had been sexually abused by priests dating back to 1950. Associated Press

Catholic Femina Speaks: I was very upset over this story. I hope that there is some alibi for Bishop Lahey. This is a shocking story and I pray for all priests.

Pope Visit Czech Republic

Czech-Teens styling the Countries latest Fad for the Pope: Ornate & Modest

The Pope receiving a gift, and undoubtedly smiling for the modestly clad teenagers gazing at him

Holy Father Calling For "Truth" In Catholic Universities

Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the Czech; Pope Benedict held a meeting in the famous Castle of Prague and took the opportunity to speak on Catholic higher education: “I address you as one who has been a professor, solicitous of the right to academic freedom and the responsibility for the authentic use of reason, and is now the Pope who, in his role as Shepherd, is recognized as a voice for the ethical reasoning of humanity... The freedom that underlies the exercise of reason, be it in a university or in the Church, has a purpose: it is directed to the pursuit of truth, and as such gives expression to a tenet of Christianity which in fact gave rise to the university....Indeed,” he continued, “man’s thirst for knowledge prompts every generation to broaden the concept of reason and to drink at the wellsprings of faith. It was precisely the rich heritage of classical wisdom, assimilated and placed at the service of the Gospel, which the first Christian missionaries brought to these lands and established as the basis of a spiritual and cultural unity which endures to this day.”
Digging into the thorny issue of academic freedom in universities, and the autonomy usually claimed by the academic world, Pope Benedict said that the proper autonomy of a university finds meaning in “its accountability to the authority of truth.”

Pope Benedict spoke of "the mending of the breach between science and religion," He concluded his thoughts by saying: “An understanding of reason that is deaf to the divine and which relegates religions into the realm of subcultures, is incapable of entering into the dialogue of cultures that our world so urgently needs. In the end, ‘fidelity to man requires fidelity to the truth, which alone is the guarantee of freedom." CNS

Catholic Femina Speaks: Catholic Universities have been dropping like flies throughout the twentieth century and have declined even more through out the twenty-first century... still people every where are still funding these institutions that do not teach the truths that Holy Mother Church teaches. I am glad that the Pope has made a stand on his authority as the head of the Church to make these institutions accountable to someone. Cabrini College trying to promote homosexual agendas; Notre Dame giving Obama an honorary degree all in the name of the Catholic Church. Evidence has revealed that one's course of study does impact one's faith, and when a good intending individual attends a college that has the name "Catholic," while there is no Catholicity in their university. The new Newman Guide to Choosing A Catholic College has been released, and the schools on the list show "accountability to truth" as the Pope has demanded and a truly Catholic University. The United States Catholic Council of Bishops should follow the Pope's lead and protect the Church from Universities that ignore Church teachings. Catholic is not a club, rather a tradition of morals and beliefs to uphold. Pope Benedict calls for truth and to be Catholic is to want nothing less.

Belief in God Not Growing

Catholic Femina Speaks: It is disturbing to hear how Christianity is declining in the United States, while Atheism is nearly doubling. It is also sad to see how New England is loosing it's Catholic identity; an area with once over 50% Catholic has dropped to less than 36%."The decline of Catholicism in the Northeast in nothing short of stunning" said Barry Kosmin a leader in the study of religious patterns. This drop has shifted the Catholic center of the US to the southwest with their growing number of faithful due to the influx of Hispanic immigrants. I believe that we are going to see an even greater drop in those identifying themselves as Catholics in the New England area since the United States Bishops have been taking a stronger stand against pro-abortion politicians, falsely claiming Catholicity. Many people who are culturally Catholic will flee if the truth is taught.

Is DOMA Catholic? Or An Invasion On the Church?

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) defines marriage as a "legal union between one man and one woman for purposes of all federal laws, and provides that states need not recognize a marriage from another state if it is between persons of the same sex." Thirty-nine states have passed legislation and constitutional amendments to protect marriage as the union between one man and one woman. Thirty-five Catholic lawmakers are not backing DOMA; these same lawmakers have a track record of pro-abortion, anti-family voting... One Nation Under God

Catholic Femina Speaks: Is DOMA Catholic? When I first hear about amending the constitution to define "marriage," I thought this was a good thing... After giving it some more thought, I came to the conclusion that this was not to beneficial for several reasons.
First: As a Catholic I do not recognize marriages by the state, only sacramental marriages. Federal rulings on marriage is taking from the Church to give to the state, and I am opposed taking Church power.

Second: Once the government has the power to define marriage, they can redefine marriage to be anything that they want. It is much easier to change existing legislature rather than introduce new stuff.

Third:I know that it is difficult for people to comprehend, but marriage is not a tangible entity, it is a spiritual bond between spouses, only the married couple by their expressed sacrifice of self in marriage validates a marriage not the state. Thus, defining marriage to mean a union between X and Y is pointless because the state cannot know the intentions of the persons involved to validate the marriage.

The Catholic Cammpaign For (In)Human Development

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development has been funding organizations that are contrary to the morals and beliefs of the Catholic faith. The evidence provided is accurate and needs to be addressed immediately.
Here is a list of the groups funded by the CCHD advocating abortion or prostitution, or both:
1. The Chinese Progressive Association -- CPA
CPA has been funded by the CCHD for the last four years and was scheduled to receive $30,000 this year. Its 2008 voters guide urged Californians to vote against proposition 8 and proposition 4 requiring parental notification for minors seeking abortions.
2. Los Angeles Community Network -- LA CAN
CCHD has just defunded this organization which was to receive $40,000 this year. LACAN promotes same-sex marriage, contraception, and the morning-after pill.
3. The Rebecca Project for Human Rights
The Rebecca Project, funded by the USCCB for the last four years, joined Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion organizations in signing a “wish list” of reproductive priorities for President Obama to carry out during his first 100 days in office. This list includes proposals to increase funding for contraception and abortion, defunding abstinence programs, and the end of the Mexico City Policy.
4. The Women’s Community Revitalization Project
This organization was scheduled to receive $30,000 from the CCHD. It is a "coalition partner" of WomenVotePA, which advocates abortion, the morning-after pill, contraception, and same-sex "marriage."
5. Young Workers United
Scheduled to receive $25,000 from the CCHD. It publicly supports abortion, same-sex "marriage," and the legalization of prostitution. Their 2008 voters guide opposed proposition 8 and proposition 4 in California. The organization also advocated decriminalizing prostitution and urged and advised San Francisco voters to adopt proposition K.

Another important detail was mentioned by LifeSiteNews.com in its report. The
CCHD cannot fund or defund any organization without permission of the local
bishop, according to the CCHD director Ralph McCloud. This means that the
scandal of CCHS grant-making is not just the problem of the USCCB staff, it is
the problem of all the bishops who sign off on funding for groups like the Los
Angeles Community Network in their dioceses.

Rob Gasper, the founder of Bellarmine Veritas Ministry, is to be congratulated for his investigation. I hope he will continue his investigation into lists of CCHD grantees from earlier years -- I am sure he will find more of the same, unfortunately, for Catholics around the nation whose money was being ill spent. Inside Catholic
Catholic Femina Speaks: We as Christians are called to give of our time, talent, & treasure... and as my husband says "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself." The day of blindly paying organizations to care for the poor and under privileged without investigating the evidence of the organizations morals is ending. People are going to have to go out get their hands a little dirty... find out where their "treasure" is going and confirm that funds are used to support good organizations. There is no better assurance that you are supporting a good Catholic organization than investigating it yourself. The USCCB is not a reliable stamp of approval. Simple questions such as what organizations do you support? Or is Planned Parenthood involved with any of your affiliates? These are good starter questions before supporting a cause. I was shocked over the ACORN scandal, but this is much worse... our bishops have blindly given the stamp of approval to an organization that undermines morality. The Culture of Death has infiltrated the Catholic organizations and the faithful must look before they give. We are responsible for where our money is spent. If our donations are used for abortions, then we are paying for abortions. If donors are interested in where their money is spent, and check up on these organizations less of these issues will arise. People will be more careful to avoid scandal and bribes. Pray for the leaders of the Church, and help them by being interested in the happenings around your diocese.
For Others on this Topic...

Stop The "Sheep Stealing" It's Politically Incorrect!

In a recent statement the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops is calling for an end to evangelizing... they have claimed this is an effort to have Christian unity. The USCCB has said:

Proselytism, or the deliberate targeting of another Christian or group of Christians for the sole purpose of getting them to reject their church to join another, is not allowed. Some people may feel called in conscience to change from one tradition to another, but “sheep stealing” is unacceptable! The term proselytism originated in the context of Judaism, in which the term proselyte referred to someone who, coming from the gentiles, had passed into the Chosen People. So too, in the Christian context, the term proselytism was often used as a synonym for missionary activity. More recently, however, the term has taken on a negative connotation, to mean the promotion of a religion by using means, and for motives, contrary to the spirit of the Gospel; that is, which do not safeguard the freedom and dignity of the human person. It is in this sense that the term proselytism is understood in the context of the ecumenical movement."

Second Vatican Council Says:

Our separated brethren, whether considered as individuals or as Communities and Churches, are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow on all those who through Him were born again into one body, and with Him quickened to newness of life-that unity which the Holy Scriptures and the ancient Tradition of the Church proclaim. For it is only through Christ's Catholic Church, which is "the all-embracing means of salvation," that they can benefit fully from the means of salvation. We believe that Our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, in order to establish the one Body of Christ on earth to which all should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the people of God … When the obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion have been gradually overcome, all Christians will at last, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, be gathered into the one and only Church in that unity which Christ bestowed on His Church from the beginning. We believe that this unity subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time … Baptism therefore establishes a sacramental bond of unity which links all who have been reborn by it. But of itself Baptism is only a beginning, an inauguration wholly directed toward the fullness of life in Christ. Baptism, therefore, envisages a complete profession of faith, complete incorporation in the system of salvation such as Christ willed it to be, and finally complete in grafting in Eucharistic communion. Catholic Culture

Catholic Femina Speaks: In a Nut Shell: It is not politically correct to have a religion..."Christianity" is just a general term that expresses you believe in the Trinity and a version of the Bible with an Old and New Testament. It gives no commitment to a set of traditions or a set of moral parameters that a religion sets down. People want to think that their conscience formed or unformed is enough of a spiritual compass to lead them to salvation. Right and wrong is not politically acceptable; everyone is right in one way or another. Furthermore since everyone is right then every religion is right and anyone who disagrees with this is in the wrong.

The Truth Revealed: Ecumenism (or non-Catholic religions) is a large part of the world... Christ told us to preach the good news to all the world. Now the USCCB is telling us not to "sheep steal;" because it is not politically correct. This is in contradiction to the Vatican Decree on Ecumenism and is also in opposition to the Second Vatican council as quoted above. We are called by Christ to share our faith, "let your light shine," "proclaim the good news," etc. Understanding other faiths is a challenge, we understand that Christ established the Catholic Church and He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." this is the way to heaven that has been revealed to us. Christ gave us the responsibility to be the shepherd to St. Peter; and through apostolic succession this is carried down to our present pope: Benedict XVI. There was never a Shepherd's clause that read don't save those sheep that are following a false shepherd! The USCCB has called "Christian unity a goal that won't happen over night." Even though the Catholic church has successfully reunited millions of Christians with the fullness of the faith annually. I have never considered leading Christians to Christ "sheep stealing," and I never will. Following the commands of Christ and the teachings of the Church are the best way to find a path to heaven. Sharing the faith is not politically correct, but it is the best way to live out the gospel.