"Leadership sister" shows true colors, alas

"We would question, however, any policy that is more pro-fetus than actually pro-life. You know, if the rights of the unborn trump all of the rights of all of those who are already born; that is a distortion, too, if there's such an emphasis on that."

Sister Pat Farrell, president, Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Again. I suspect anybody who crowns herself as a "leader." Particularly, of course, in the Catholic Church.


Here, this self-proclaimed "leader" screws up royally. Worse, she...hesitates. If you're a Catholic? You don't hesitate. You know there's a difference between right and wrong and you know what that difference is and you don't...hesitate...to say it.


Sorry, Sister. You are one sorry sister.

Catholic "institutions" should refuse federal $$$

I hate to say it, but the president has a point. If Catholic institutions accept Caesar's dough, then they should be prepared to pay the price.

In the immortal words of Nancy Reagan? Just say "no!"

~~~~~~~~~

Swensen: “He describes himself as a Catholic voter and wrote 'What can you say about a healthcare bill that’ll mandate insurance companies to provide birth control, sterilization, etc. to employees of Catholic universities, hospitals and churches since this goes against the Catholic religion?' We know there is compromising language in place. Some say it doesn’t go far enough and that the real, the much bigger issue is religious liberty, not contraception.”

Obama: “Yeah. Well it’s absolutely true that religious liberty is critical. I mean that’s what our country was founded on. That’s the reason why we exempted churches, we exempted religious institutions, but we did say that big Catholic hospitals or universities who employ a lot of non-Catholics and who receive a lot of federal money, that for them to be in a position to say to a woman who works there you can’t get that from your insurance company even though the institution isn’t paying for it, that that crosses the line where that woman, she suddenly is gonna have to bear the burden and the cost of that. And that’s not fair.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's the whole interview here.

Read the black. Do the red.

Improvising Illinois priest barred from pulpit

ObamaCare's Lost Tribe: Doctors

A Wall Street Journal story the day after the Supreme Court ruling examined in detail its impact across the "health sector." The words "doctor," "physician" and "nurse" appeared nowhere in this report. The piece, however, did cite the view of one CEO who runs a chain of hospitals, explaining how they'd deal with the law's expected $155 billion in compensation cuts. "We will make it up in volume," he said.

Volume? Would that be another word for human beings? It is now. At Obama Memorial, docs won't be treating patients. They'll be processing "volume."

This article is worth the read.

We might not win this battle. But we've already won the war.

Please do be prepared. In the eyes of the secular world, we might not win the battle we are fighting during—and after—the Fortnight for Freedom.

As a matter of fact, in the eyes of the world, we've already lost. You know this. Catholic teachings are all but outlawed in the land of the fruited plains and the home of the brave.

The memorials we celebrate on June 22—Saints John Fisher and Thomas More—remind us all too clearly that a country once dedicated to the Church of Jesus Christ, and Her Vicar in Rome—that, in the secular world, the Kingdom of God is not all that easy to help come about.

But. No matter. We've already won the battle—or, rather, Christ on the Cross has won it for us.

Pray. Fast. Sacrifice. And, yes, fight.

But in the end? Be of good cheer.

We've already won.

Fortnight for Freedom

Prayer. Study. Catechesis. Public Action.

Welcome home, Leah!

She was a very cool atheist, as atheist's go. I expect she'll be an even cooler Catholic. Thank you, Lord.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!

A blessed Corpus Christi to you!

Pelosi On Contraception & Faith: "I Do My Religion On Sundays, In Church"

Uh...how does one "do" one's religion, exactly?

Guardsman, peace-loving landlady are at odds over apartment rental - BostonHerald.com

Yes, indeed, war is hell. But so are some not-so-grateful would-be landladies, in my humble opinion.

My fetus might be ____. So I'll kill her.

Your Congress, my congress, and our president simply reaffirmed the fact that abortion is not at all a "pro-woman" issue. But we knew that already, didn't we?

"The right to choose [to kill my child]" has been a mantra for lo these many years now. What puzzles me is trying to figure out why so many pro-lifers are so upset about the recent decision to bless abortions based on sexual preference. [Read: "I don't want a girl." Or, if it makes you feel better, "I don't want a boy." Probable reality? "I want a boy."]

Well, to be clear, I do understand why folks are upset. I guess my question is: where's the surprise here?

Abortion has never been about "women's rights."

Abortion has always been about egoism. About "I'm better than you are." About "if we're going to [sigh] go through all this crap, then we'd damn well get what we're paying for."

And it's a buyer's market.

If you're apt to be sickly, forget about it. If there's a chance you might be a slow learner, or too short, or too tall, or not quite have the right hair, or not have the exact dimple, or may be a brunette (you wanted a blonde) or might be blonde (redheads are so cute!) or won't be athletically, scholastically, musically, artistically, or fill-in-the-blank inclined, it's toodle-loo toots. You won't make it in our world.

And God help you if they really do find a homosexual gene because if they do? And you've got it?

You're toast.

It's the age of designer babies, folks.

I'm sorry, of course, that our elected officials decided—nah, not decided: affirmed—that it's just peachy to kill an unborn child because she's the "wrong gender."

But I'm certainly not surprised. What else did you expect? Equality???? Come on.

May God continue to bless you.

I hear a siren outside...it's time to pray...

A siren. Something might be wrong. "Dear Mary, someone might be in trouble. Please pray for them, and for those who are off to help them."

It takes next to no time to ask for these prayers. And yet the power of them is something I'm humbly aware of.

I'm driving past a cemetery. It's time to pray. "Lord, have mercy on them...and on me."

A nanosecond and yet how powerful...who knows what soul will be freed from the bondage of Purgatory and welcomed into His Holy Arms? (And let's not forget: I asked for mercy on myself as well.)

I'm walking, sure-footed, and see many people. There's an old man in a scooter. A young woman on crutches. An elderly lady in a wheel chair. A laughing young lady, obviously pregnant, wheeling a carriage with an infant in it and dragging along a toddler.

Yes, indeed. It's time to pray.

As I walk home I see a policeman, lights whirling in his car, approaching another motorist. A speeder? Something worse?

No matter. It's time to pray.

The thing is, our gracious Lord gives us ample opportunities to pray for one another. Not just "hints" but scenes that scream out "for the Lord's sake please pray for me!"

And I'm grateful for them. Because every time I offer up a prayer for someone else I'm also offering a prayer for myself. After all, prayer is conversation with the Almighty and Who else but the Great Conversationalist Himself will ignore me? Or ignore you?

And so, right now, you  might be reading this, intent on feeding your child, kissing your spouse, calling your mom, waving to your neighbor...it doesn't matter.

Because right here and right now? It's time to pray.

Celebrate the anniversary of my Baptism!

"Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 28-19

Alleluia! Today is the anniversary of my Baptism according to the rite of the Roman Catholic Church, by Reverend Joseph Zalibert at Saints Cyril & Methodius Church, Detroit, Michigan (the church moved to Sterling Heights, Michigan in 1971). I thank my parents, Leo James Kelly and Maria Victoria Ulanowicz Kelly, my godparents, Vincent and Angelina DuRocher, and most of all, my God Who claimed me for His own.

It is my great joy to renew the vows made by my parents and godparents on my behalf!

I reject Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

Amen!

A Catholic View: White House Counts Unborn Babies as Visitors?

A Catholic View: White House Counts Unborn Babies as Visitors?

Daily Mass: Confessions of a spoiled brat

I am blessed—and I wish I'd realize this more—to be able to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on a daily basis...have been since the mid-1980's.

This privilege is something I've taken for granted, as easily as a child takes for granted that she'll be fed by her parents.

And, like that same child? I've been complaining. Not that the food isn't good. No, never that. Receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ daily? It just doesn't get any better.

Still, I do complain.

Mostly about the priest celebrants. You know these guys...they gave up their lives in order to serve Christ and His people. I pray for them every day.

Yet still, I complain.

Publicly! Mostly about what I consider the "ad libbing" on the part of the priests. Oh, sheesh, a parenthetical comment is creeping up on me here...

(Okay I can't resist...from today's Mass I give you: "...with you and the Holy Spirit, live and LOVE forever and ever. Amen." Father? There's nothing wrong with the word "reign")

I'm sorry. Actually this, or rather the snitty irritation it aroused it me — forget that, the truth is I allowed  the snitty irritation in myself — got me thinking.

"Kelly? You thought???"

Okay, enough of that. Yes, I did indeed think!

Mostly, I thought of the people who don't have the incredibly blessed luxury of being able to participate in the daily celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I recalled being jarred by a Facebook post from my friend Colleen Hammond, for example, who wrote: "Oh, how I wish I could go to Mass every day!" And I recalled how, years ago now, by friend Lisa Graas, being disabled, was often unable to attend Mass on Sundays, never mind weekdays.

And my mind became unbearably filled with thoughts of folks—Catholic, Jesus-in-the-Eucharist adoring folks—who have been barred by any sorts of things: government, illness, lack of priests, whatever—from celebrating the incredible Sacrifice of Calvary offered bloodlessly but no less live and in Person...that Sacrifice that redeemed us, set us free, and is repeated endlessly, every day, world without end.

And I was, and remain, truly humbled.

I—there's that word again, "I"—need to remember that, through no merit of my own, God has given me the opportunity to, every day, embrace Him in what's the most precious gift in the world: The Mass. And, not incidentally, pray that everyone, the world over, be given the same opportunity.

No doubt, God willing, I'll still point out irregularities some priests insist on practicing when they, too, have been given a gift without compare.

But, please God, with every wince I experience, during the Mass, remind me to pray for those who haven't even the luxury of wincing.

Amen.

Thanks, Chuck. May the Lord welcome you into his arms.

Chuck Colson. Requiescat in pace.

"One of the most wonderful things about being a Christian is that I don't ever get up in the morning and wonder if what I do matters. I live every day to the fullest because I can and I know no matter what I do today, I'm going to do something to advance the Kingdom of God."

Thank you, Charles Colson.

Vermont's "Death with Dignity" Bill: the epitome of cowardliness

Montpelier, VT. In an act even Dorothy's friend, the Cowardly Lion, would've been ashamed of, the Vermont Senate Health and Welfare Committee gave its stamp of approval to a bill which will allow them  and others to, among other things, be the proud witnesses—sole witnesses, incidentally—of, say, a dying guy with a few bucks to bequeath to said witness(s).

How did they do this? Why, for heaven's sake, it was easy...for cowards.

"The physician-assisted suicide bill was inserted into (what else?) a bill that regulates tanning beds.

With no discussion and no testimony, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted 3-2 in favor of adding the death with dignity amendment to the tanning bed bill and then voted 3-2 to approve the overall tanning bed bill.

A battle will surely ensue in the Senate — which is closely divided on death with dignity — over whether the physician-assisted suicide amendment is “germane” to the tanning bed legislation.

But Sen. Hinda Miller, a Chittenden County Democrat who sponsored the amendment, argued it is germane because both bills are related to cancer. The tanning bed bill is designed to prevent it, and physician-assisted suicide would be used by people dying from it, Miller said."

Nope, I'm not making this up. Bleeping cowards.

He has risen!

Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!


A blessed Easter Season to you! And remember: every day this week is Easter Sunday.


He has risen!

Priesthood Vocations: My God of Surprises

Today, among other things (they're called "sins") I confided to my confessor that I was a tad annoyed at the fact that, despite my every-day-insistent-persistent prayers to God our Father -- in His Son's Name, yet! -- for more vocations to the Church, my prayers seemed to be going unanswered. In fact, since the shortage of priests has become more acute than ever (in Boston, of all places, where there was once, not long ago,  the city was the place of choice for the newly ordained), I couldn't figure out why God was ignoring my requests.

My confessor looked at me and asked: "Why do you think God's not answering your prayers?"

Almost sputtering -- okay, I pretty much did sputter -- I gave him my list:

1) The fact that the Confession lines were enormous and only one priest was available to hear us

2) Just yesterday, on Palm Sunday, I had to scrounge up lay folks to help distribute the Blessed Sacrament since Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion were scarce and the place was packed

3) The hospital (not to mention any names but it's initials are "MGH") where I bring the Sacrament to patients a few times a week just cancelled its daily Masses

4) Parishes are closing

5) It's rare to hear a priest preaching about sin, and...

There he stopped me and repeated the question:

"Why do you think God's not answering your prayers?"

I simply blinked. Perhaps the priest, I thought smugly, was overtired. Which seemed to prove my point. But before I could summon up the energy to repeat my complaints, he pretty much told me to shut up and listen. (Not in so many words, but you know how it is.)

"Kelly," he said, "we're sending our newly ordained to other countries. God willing, they will be blessed with the grace to return to this city, this country, one day, and be missionaries to us. God heard and hears your prayers."

Gee. It never occurred to me to specifically ask God to send more harvesters to Boston. And now that it has occurred to me, I don't plan to specify.

The United States of America is a mission country. Years ago, probably before I was even born, this country sent missionaries to Africa, Asia, and all over the world.

Now? We're the ones who need the missionaries.

But first, we need to ask, repeatedly and persistently, God for more vocations to the priesthood.

And let Him decide where to send them.

May the Master of the Harvest continue to bless you.

HHS Mandate Protest: the beginning of the last gasp in the US?

Tomorrow, God willing, thousands of people will protest across the fruited plains in opposition to the US of A's Health and Human Services mandate under the Affordable Care Act (known more as "Obamacare.") The mandate requires all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, etc., regardless of any moral or religious objections.

Many really good people, like the folks at Stand Up for Religious Freedom, as well as those who are not Catholic, are on the good side, and, no doubt, plan to fight the good fight.

But when you come right down to it, this is a Catholic issue. Why do I say this?

Because, for the most part, although the other major faith groups in the world don't consider the "services" mandated by the Executive Branch of the United States of America all that bad. I'm sorry to have to say this, but it's true. Oh, sure, they're "not good," "regrettable," and even "tragic"...but they're not considered a damnation of a soul to hell unless repented via the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (Or are they in other religions? I sure don't think so, but if you know differently, by all means let me know.)

I'm grateful for to all the non-Catholics, including very thoughtful atheists, who oppose this mandate, and I pray to God that they will be rewarded.

But the bottom line? This is, I believe, one of the last steps in eradicating the practice of Catholicism in the United States. Which is, of course, "not good," "regrettable," and "tragic," indeed.

Yet remember: this isn't the first time this has happened in this magnificent world created by God. The Catholic Church, 2,000+ years ago, began as a persecuted institution. Fast-forward 500+ years later, let's say, just across The Pond, and the persecution continued. Hell, it's been going on for years throughout the world. And still is. There is, I daresay, at least one martyr receiving his or her glorious crown each and every day.

And now we come to The Great Experiment: The United States. 

Where Freedom of Religion was supposed to be the watchword, or at least, one of them.

We'll fight. Of course we'll fight. The reason we'll fight is that we're supposed to be put here to spread the Good News, to go out to all the world in order to do so. To do our damn best to make sure that every soul we encounter is made safe for everlasting life with our Triune God.

There's a very good chance that we might lose this battle.

What I mean is, there's every chance that the government of this country will force the Catholic Church—or try—to eat pork, so to speak, as those guys tried to do to the old man in Maccabees. Some, tragically, will eat it. Some will flee. And, many, God willing, will either be punished, fined, imprisoned, or die before we'll do it.

So, remember: we might well lose this battle.

But the war? We've already won it! Or rather, that God Made Man won it for us...just look at your nearest Crucifix.

Hey, I love my country.

But I love my God infinitely more and His promise of eternal life is sweeter than anything imaginable.

So friends, continue to fight the fight. Keeping in mind that the war was won ages ago.

May God continue to bless you.