Thursday, April 30, 2009

Swine Flu and "Flurry of Alarmism" - or a Rational Response

Another unit in the American Catholic Church has published an article about the swine flu / influenza 2009 H1N1:
"Flu/Swine Flu Guidelines"
The Catholic Sun (April 30, 2009) (published twice a month by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona)

"Editor's note: In light of the much-publicized 'Swine Flu' outbreak in various parts of the world including in our own country, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has directed Fr. Kieran Kleczewski, executive director of the Office of Worship, and Fr. John Muir, associate director, to develop the following guidelines that Catholics in the Diocese of Phoenix may find helpful. At the present time these guidelines are voluntary:

"With the outbreak of 'Swine Flu' in Mexico and other parts of the world including the United States, in order to promote safety and health in public worship and assist in alleviating undue anxiety among the faithful, it seems prudent to issue the following liturgical guidelines for the Diocese of Phoenix...."
This one's a bit more detailed than what the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis published, but it's basically the same approach: wash your hands, don't sneeze on people - and use common sense. (More at "Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Swine Flu " (April 30, 2009).)

New Disease: Familiar Attitude

I think there's a familiar pattern emerging, in the way some circles react to the swine flu:
"Swine Flu Is Bad, But Panic Is Dangerous"
CBS News (April 30, 2009)
"Governments Often Overreact To Influenza Outbreaks; Declan McCullagh Offers Some Historic Perspective"

"...Cable TV hosts - in a flurry of alarmism ably captured by Jon Stewart on the Daily Show - have pressed the panic button. Repeatedly...."
For starters, CBS is an old-school, traditional news organization - the sort of outfit that's threatened by the (to them) new cable media.

I get the impression that the 'intelligent' and 'sophisticated' people - in America, at least - have been distancing themselves from the "flurry of alarmism" connected with influenza 2009 H1N1.
Panic, No: Concern, Yes
Not panicking is a good idea. I can't think of a situation that would be improved by panicking, come to think of it.

And, I've seen remarkably little signs of panic in America. That observation wouldn't count for much, but Reuters noticed the same thing: "In US, there's anxiety over swine flu but no panic" (Reuters (April 28, 2009)).

So, What's With this "Flurry of Alarmism"?

I think we're looking at the upper crust of American society reacting in a fairly predictable way: distancing themselves from the rabble.

Quite a number of people around the world are very concerned about the spread of influenza 2009 H1N1. Some, like those running Egypt, have been a bit hasty: Egyptian pig farmers rioted when their government ordered around 400,000 hogs slaughtered.

Here in America, though, the government is taking what I think is a rational approach (aside from a few politicos who want to close the Mexican border).

And, the Catholic Church is also reacting in what I think is a reasonable way: publishing information, and reminding people that personal hygiene is much more important, now that a potentially lethal disease is making the rounds.

Unlike those who like to be great thinkers and profound observers, the Catholic Church has a responsibility to deal rationally and practically with the real world: not with the world as we would like it to be.

Thanks to thecatholicsun on Twitter, for the the heads-up on this.

List of posts relating to Swine flu 2009; and list of background resources, in another blog:
List of posts relating to my view of "sophistication," American style:

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Swine Flu

"Archdiocese addresses influenza concerns"
TheCatholicSpirit.com (April 30, 2009) (official newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)

"The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis wants to be notified immediately, along with the Minnesota Department of Health, if a student in any of its schools may be ill with swine flu, said Andy Eisenzimmer, archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs.

"That is the message being communicated by e-mail with its schools and parishes, after reports of swine influenza across the nation and in Cold Spring, in the St. Cloud diocese, which prompted the closing of Rocori Middle School and St. Boniface Catholic School. The positive diagnosis for the person in Cold Spring who is recovering and was not hospitalized was confirmed April 20 [sic! April 30, 2009: first confirmed Minn. case].

"However, liturgical guidelines will not change at this time...."

The article is pretty much common sense, and an explanation of what the Archdiocese is doing.

"...'There is no need to tell pastors not to distribute both species or to ask that the sign of peace not be given,' Father Erickson said. 'This is, in essence, the stance currently of the [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops], which currently does not feel it is necessary to issue norms for the whole United States. They've put it in the hands of the local bishops.'

"The archdiocese will include a reminder for pastors, individuals and whole communities that they need to continue to 'exercise discretion and to be extra sensitive to hygiene,' he said. 'Certainly, it's important for pastors and for extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, that they are washing their hands before engaging in this ministry,' Father Erickson said. Sacristans also need to be 'very attentive' when they are washing vessels after they have been purified. And anyone who is feeling ill, should not attend Mass...."

We're supposed to be physically clean when receiving or handling a consecrated Host anyway, so I'm not at all surprised at the archdiocese's position. The USCCB's leaving decisions about this matter up to local bishops is about what I'd expect. There's enough going on at a global and national level, without higher levels of the hierarchy micro-managing dioceses and parishes.

Meanwhile, we've got resources like TheCatholicSpirit.com to provide information.

"...'If this becomes more serious than it is at the moment, I don't want people operating from misinformation or from rumor. We want to communicate precise facts to all our locations, so they can treat [the situation] with the seriousness it needs, but not panic,' he [archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs Andy Eisenzimmer] said...."

Thanks to catholicspirit on Twitter, for bringing attention to this article.

List of posts relating to Swine flu 2009; and list of background resources, in another blog:

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Swine Flu

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a few words about swine flu:

"DIVINE WORSHIP COMMITTEE PUBLISHES Q&A ON SWINE FLU, MASS"
Office of Media Relations United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (April 29, 2009)

"WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops' Committee on Divine Worship has posted on the Web a series of 10 questions and answers related to participation at Mass during the time of the swine influenza (swine flu).

"The information echoes that published in 2006 at the time of the avian (bird) flu and was developed in conjunction with the U.S. Center for Disease Control...."

And, the Q&A:

"Ten Questions on Influenza/Swine Flu and the Liturgy"
Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

This is a pretty good Q&A about swine flu and how it affects Catholic practices. Nothing startling or new: pretty much just common sense, with commentary.

Related post:

Swine Flu and Mexico City: No Baptisms, No Confirmations, No Mass - But Plenty of Faith

It looks to me like people in Mexico city are taking the swine flu outbreak seriously: soccer stadiums, and the cathedral, are almost empty.

But Catholics there are praying: and took out the Lord of Health icon for the first time in about three centuries.

"Mexico City locks itself in amid swine flu fears"
The Associated Press (April 27, 2009)

"MEXICO CITY (AP) — The cardinal said Mass in a shuttered cathedral. Soccer teams played to empty stadiums. A televised variety show filled its seats with cardboard cutouts...."

"...Mexico City residents - chilangos, they're called - are accustomed to living in public view...."

"...But on Sunday even the enormous Zocalo plaza,...was all but empty. A handful of women wearing surgical masks knelt on the plaza's stones and prayed, their arms reaching upward in a lonely vigil.

"Soldiers in surgical masks shooed away the faithful at the cathedral, pointing to a board with pieces of paper.

" 'There are no baptisms,' one read.

" 'No confirmations,' read another.

" 'No Masses,' said a third.

" 'Inside, Cardinal Norberto Rivera delivered a sermon to nearly empty pews, his pleas for divine intervention relayed over television and radio.

" ' 'Grant us the prudence and serenity to act with responsibility and to avoid being infected or to infect others,' he appealed to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. 'Give help to health workers, keep vigil for the recovery of the sick and console those in mourning.'

" 'For the first time in 300 years, the cathedral also removed from storage an icon of the Lord of Health, which was placed on the principal altar by a procession of worshippers [!], Mexico's government news agency Notimex reported...."

Those Superstitious, Idolatrous, Ignorant Catholics!

I learned quite a bit about about Catholics and the Catholic Church, growing up in a virulently anti-Catholic area. Nearly all of it's wrong: and the rest is inaccurate.

About icons and other images. Unlike some Protestant churches, the Catholic Church doesn't design its sanctuaries along the lines of sensory deprivation chambers. We've got color, pictures, words: anything that will remind people of whose house they're in, and why they're there.

"Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other:

"We declare that we preserve intact all the written and unwritten traditions of the Church which have been entrusted to us. One of these traditions consists in the production of representational artwork, which accords with the history of the preaching of the Gospel. For it confirms that the incarnation of the Word of God was real and not imaginary, and to our benefit as well, for realities that illustrate each other undoubtedly reflect each other's meaning." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1160)

That second paragraph is a quote from the second Council of Nicaea: in translation, of course. English wouldn't exist for about a thousand years, when those ideas were recorded.

Given the Church's track record for reaching out to everybody - not just those are good readers and have eidetic memory - I don't think Catholicism is going to stop using icons any time soon. There's more in the Catechism: 972, 1161, 1162, and 2705.

Veneration and icons are covered to, including: 1159, 1192 and 2131.

God hasn't been shy about using visual aids: there's that business with the bronze serpent (Numbers 21, 5-9), and that rather detailed description of how vestments (Exodus 28) and the ark for the covenant (Exodus 25) were supposed to look.

The way I see it, God made us with eyes. He's used visual aids Himself, to get points across. I don't see a problem with following His lead.

Thanks to CatholicSpirit on Twitter, for giving the heads-up on American Mass adjustments.

Related post:

Sunday, April 26, 2009

3rd Sunday of Easter: A Reflection

Readings for April 26, 2009, 3rd Sunday of Easter:

3RD Sunday of Easter 2009: A Reflection

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
April 26, 2009

From the Gospel for today [Lk 24:35-48] we get the impression that the Apostles still had questions concerning what was happening to Jesus in His resurrected body. The disciples in the Emmaus story had quite a revelation to report. Of how they came to recognize Jesus in the breaking of bread. A point to ponder here. I don't remember where I read this or heard it, but one of the possible reasons for the disciples to not recognize Jesus was that maybe He was clean shaven. My memory also recalls that it was a custom for Jewish men who are on a mission to not shave until the mission was complete.

The suddenness of Jesus' appearance in their midst was for sure startling and surely frightening. Were they seeing a ghost? Of course this means that this resurrected Jesus was not simply a resuscitated corpse, as Father shared with us last week. A physical body does not appear and disappear, or pass through a door as we heard in the Gospel of Mercy Sunday. Another side light that you may find interesting: When I carved Divine Mercy 28 years ago, with no foreknowledge as to rules or information from the Diary, it wasn't released yet, I carved Him with no back. In other words, He was appearing through the door of the upper room but wasn't completely through yet.

On the other hand, Jesus is concerned to demonstrate to the disciples that He is not a ghost. He invites them to observe and even to handle His body. 'Thomas, put your finger into the nail hole and your hand into my side, be not unbelieving but believe.' If they still have doubts, Jesus dispels these by having breakfast with them and eating fish. The body of the resurrected Christ was apparently a transformation of His physical body, so that it retained many of its characteristics but transcended its limitations. What matters is that disciples experienced Jesus as a real and living person, the same Lord they had known and loved.

There is a little good news, bad news to Jesus' resurrection. The good news is that Jesus had truly risen from the dead, the bad news for the disciples is that Jesus was to return to the Father. But we know well enough that this is part of human life. Each day we live is made up of both sunshine and shadows, good news and bad news.

When Jesus called the twelve to follow Him, He did not invite them to live "happily ever after." Following Jesus meant sleepless nights and sleeping on the ground and eating what was available, and persecution as well. Following Jesus meant suffering as he suffered, and for some, to die as He had died. They would be betrayed and forsaken by family and friends. They would endure the loss of all things. Yet they testified again and again, like Paul, that nothing they lost really mattered because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Forgetting what lay behind and straining toward what lay ahead, they pressed on toward the call of God in Christ Jesus. What many may consider tragic they saw as a Triumphant way to live.

We must wonder if this has any meaning for us today? Does anyone suffer today for following Jesus? Is there any cost in Christian discipleship today? We may respond - Count the ways! Jesus still invites us to the way of genuine self-discovery, the way of becoming who we really are. But it is the way of self-giving, suffering Love. This is the only way we become who we really are. It means there is a time to say No and a time to say Yes! We must say No to the pull of a dying world if we are to say Yes to the Kingdom of God. The triumphant way is the way of Love, which always involves suffering. To Love is to Suffer, to Suffer is to Love.

Saints are described and defined in different ways. All would agree however, that the true Saint follows the triumphant way of the Cross. The true Saint is empty of self-concern and filled with God's Love. The true Saint gives God's Love to others - - warning them, leading them, bringing them back to God's ways. True Saints become instruments of God. They have lost their own will to be replaced by the Will of God.

This is the case of St. George Martyr, our Saint from last Thursday, when he exchanged being a soldier in one army to be a soldier in the army of Christ. It is said of him by St. Peter Damian that he was armed with the invincible standard of the cross, he did battle with an evil king and acquitted himself so well that, in vanquishing the king, he overcame the prince of the wicked spirits and encouraged other soldiers of Christ to perform deeds in His cause.

St. Peter Damian further comments: We must now cleanse ourselves, as St. Paul tells us, from all defilements of the body and the spirit, so that one day we too may deserve to enter the temple of blessedness to which we now aspire.

Truly we must be cleansed of the stains of our past sins and be resplendent in the virtue of our new way of life. Then we can be confident of celebrating Easter, an Eternal Easter, worthily and truly following the example of the blessed martyrs.

Maybe the reason I have a special liking for this Saint is that he was and remained a soldier To be called to be a soldier for Christ is above all callings. In one word, soldier, we know that we are in a battle against evil, and we must know it and put up a good fight. For the salvation of the world and each one of us is at stake. This battle is won only in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, His Passion, Death and Resurrection. The disciples knew this, the Saints knew this, and we are to come to know this, for this is what we are called to be. Soldiers for Christ!

More-or-less related posts:
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.
More:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Homosexuality: It's Not What You Feel, it's What You Do that Counts

Although what you let yourself feel is important, too. Which is a huge topic by itself. No time for that now. It's the cleaning both sides of a cup thing. (That imagery for keeping the spirit clean is in Matthew 23, 25-27)

I ran into an article today, thanks to Catholic news Serv. and The Catholic Spirit on Twitter:

"Homosexual attraction: A disordered desire for love"
Father Michael Schmitz, in Northern Cross, Diocese of Duluth, via TheCatholicSpirit.com (April 21, 2009)
"Why is homosexuality a sin?

"First, homosexuality is not a sin. The term 'homosexuality' refers to the condition of being sexually attracted to mem­­bers of one’s own gender. An at­traction, even a same-sex attraction, is not sinful; it is simply a description of what is. Every one of us struggles daily with our attractions and desires. This is the human condition: We are made good but are sometimes attracted to things that aren't good for us...."
(TheCatholicSpirit.com
The rest of the article is a pretty good discussion of Catholic teaching on sexual morality. I'm pretty sure that Perez Hilton wouldn't want to read it, and you certainly don't have to: but there is something to be learned there.

I particularly appreciated the discussion of how "love" in English means everything from God's attitude toward us, to emotions associated with a teenage crush.

Related post:
I hope that this will be the last post I do on this particular topic for some time. Sex is great, but there's more to humanity than that.

"Dumb B*ch" Carrie Prejean: Faith, and an "Apoplectic" Blogger

I think Perez Hilton had some reason for calling Miss USA Contestant Carrie Prejean a "dumb b*ch" [redacted].

" 'That's not the kind of woman I want to be Miss USA,' he said. 'Miss USA should represent all Americans and, with her answer, she instantly alienated millions of gays and lesbians and their friends.'

"Earlier, Hilton had said on his video blog he would have run onstage and ripped the tiara off Prejean's head had she won the title...." (Newsday.com)

It seems that homosexuals in America are not accustomed to being assaulted with reminders of Abrahamic beliefs: not in nicely-organized public activities like beauty pageants. Beauty pageant contestants are, to my limited knowledge, expected to be diplomatically vague: unless the views they state adhere to politically-correct standards.

Stating Christian Beliefs? Without Authorization? Outrageous!

Mr. Hilton's outrage at Carrie Prejean's statement isn't isolated. The Miss USA contest audience booed her, and a Miss USA official was not amused, either:

"...And the blogger [Mr. Hilton] would not have been the only member of the Miss USA family to go apoplectic had Prejean advanced in the competition. Keith Lewis, executive director of California's Miss USA operations, said in a statement released to Hilton that 'religious beliefs have no place in politics in the Miss CA family.'

"Prejean Monday said she was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything...."

That "religious beliefs have no place in politics" is a familiar refrain. Americans who are serious about their faith, and follow one of the Abrahamic religions are expected to either renounce their beliefs, or sit down and be quiet. It's called 'being tolerant.'

Religious beliefs have been (and are, in my opinion) important in public debate - and political action. Christian beliefs, and beliefs which were presented as Christian, played a significant role in the abolitionist movement of the 19th century: on both sides1 (Yale, Columbia: it might be well to remember that Frederick Douglas was speaking in 1846, and had very specific rhetorical goals in mind)

I've noticed that, although American law supports religious freedom, the dominant (that's not the same as majority) American culture tolerates religious beliefs that deviate from its own preferences only as long as those beliefs are kept behind closed doors. Or, at times and places set aside for 'those people.'

Carrie Prejean: Awful Alienator; Christian Woman

I don't doubt that, by the the standards of Mr. Hilton and America's dominant culture, Carrie Prejean is an alienator (as in "an unpleasant person..." - not android hunter).

In today's America, religious beliefs seem to be tolerated as long as they adhere to politically correct standards. Which Carrie Prejean's clearly don't.
No Wonder She Alienated so Many - She's One of Those People
Carrie Prejean is a student at San Diego Christian College, an educational institution which appears to live up to its name.

"Carrie Prejean is dedicated to serving the Lord and is not at all shy about her Christianity--even on national television. As the new 2009 Miss California USA, Carrie has shown that she can balance the pressures of national competition with her desire to share Christ's love with younger women.

"Carrie has recently been serving with a ministry that seeks to reveal Christ's transforming love to women in the adult entertainment industry. Led by a young women who herself was delivered by Christ, the group 'gets real' with these women and discusses their problems and life struggles. Carrie feels that she can connect with women her age and believes that God is using her to bring hope to others...." (San Diego Christian College News)

Christians Associating with "Sinners" - Not Exactly a New Idea

When I was in college, in the seventies and eighties, "women in the adult entertainment industry" were viewed from two perspectives: as victims of male oppression; or as revolutionaries, sort of, striking out against the stultifying inhibitions while breaking free of poverty.

Both points of view have some basis in reality.

I'm not sure what the current intellectual fashions are, regarding pornography.

The Catholic Church is against pornography (2354), prostitiution (2355), and rape (2356). Talk about stultifying! (References are to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.)

Being opposed to what a person does is not being opposed to the person. The fifteenth chapter of Luke leads with a case in point: the sinners and tax collectors thing.

Catholics are instructed to accepted homosexuals "...with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition." (2358)

Accepting people with respect, compassion, and sensitivity isn't the same as saying 'go and sin some more.' The Church accepts people with homosexual tendencies: but it doesn't affirm homosexual practices(2357-2359).

For that matter, Catholics aren't even allowed to kill themselves (2280-2283). In a way, I can see how people get the idea that Christians in general, and Catholics in particular, don't want us to have any fun. Church teachings are more a matter of promoting long-term welfare for short-term whoopee: a distinctly counter-cultural concept in America.

Carrie Prejean: Not the First to Opt for God

A promising athlete, Eric Liddell, competed in the 1924 Olympics but would not run on a Sunday. A movie with cool music and Hollywood's usual respect for fact was based vaguely on his experience, and Harold Abrahams'.

I doubt that Carrie Prejean will get a "Chariots of Fire" treatment any time soon: but that doesn't seem to be what she's looking for. In an interview, Carrie Prejean talked about how she views being a "dumb b*ch."

"...This happened for a reason. By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith. I'm glad I stayed true to myself...." And, asked "Are you upset that Perez Hilton called you a "b**ch" in his blog rant?" she answered:

"Yes, but I have no regrets about answering honestly. He asked me for my opinion and I gave it to him. I have nothing against gay people, and I didn't mean to offend anyone in my answer." (FOXNews)

Related posts: News and Views:
1 (Yale, Columbia) It might be well to remember that Frederick Douglas was speaking in 1846, and had very specific rhetorical goals in mind. American institutions of higher education are, grudgingly, capable of conceding that Christianity played a positive role in the abolitionist movement - for which they are to be praised.

Even if I hadn't decided that slavery was a bad idea before I converted, as a Catholic, I have to be against slavery. The Catholic Church says that slavery is wrong (2414).

Monday, April 20, 2009

Miss USA Contestant Gives Wrong Answer: "Dumb B*ch" Booed by Audience

An entertainment piece in news.com.au led with this:
  • "Miss California asked about gay marriage"
  • "Perez Hilton calls answer 'worst ever' "
  • "Hilton says contestant a 'dumb b*ch' "
"A US beauty pageant hopeful was called 'a dumb b*ch' by a celebrity judge after candidly answering a question about same-sex marriage." (news.com.au, redacted)

The "dumb b*ch" was asked, by Perez Hilton, for her views on gay marriage.

The International news section of samesame.com gives a bit more detail:

"Perez Hilton was one of the judges of the Miss USA pageant, held on Sunday at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. During question time, Perez asked Miss California, 21 year old Carrie Prejean, about same-sex marriage. Perez says that her answer was 'the worst answer in pageant history', evoking boos from the audience...."

Miss California, Carrie Prejean: Insufficiently Vague?

That Carrie Prejean person must have said something pretty much awful. And, from one point of view, she did:
  • Hilton:
    " ' Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalise same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?' "
  • Perjean:
    " 'Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other,' answered Miss California. 'We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. You know what, in my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offence to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you.' "

Note to Beauty Contest Contestants: Park Your Opinions at the Door?

There you have it: a beauty contest contestant who said it's "great" that Americans may freely choose who they marry, acknowledging that same-sex marriages are legal, but expressing a belief that this is not correct.

Unheard of! No wonder the audience booed!

That wasn't, we're told, the reason that Miss California did not become Miss USA. Perez Hilton stated, quite clearly, in a video on his blog, quoted by samesame.com:

" 'She lost not because she doesn’t believe in gay marriage, she lost because she’s a dumb b*ch!'..."

Hilton continued: " '...she could have answered the question in a more diplomatic way, along the lines of 'Perez, that’s a great question and that's a very hot topic in our country right now. I think it’s a question that each state should answer for themselves because that’s our forefathers designed our government. The states rule themselves and then there are certain laws that are federal.' " (samesame.com, redacted, but with original punctuation)

Hilton actually has a point. Beauty contest winners are supposed to be world-class diplomats, capable of reacting to situations politely, charmingly, and without revealing an iota of opinion or position.

On the other hand, although I haven't made a study of it, it does seem that beauty contest contestants are free to express opinions about saving the rain forests, ending poverty, and other issues - as long as their opinions are the approved ones, of course.

A "Dumb B*ch's" Response, America, and Abraham

On the other hand the "dumb b*ch" remark, and the reaction of the audience, reveals a great deal about Mr. Hilton, the audience: and possibly about America.

Although many Americans may at least say they accept beliefs of an Abrahamic religion, a rejection of those beliefs is not at all uncommon.

In fact, it is easy to think, based on Mr. Hilton's vehement reaction to what the "dumb b*ch" said, and on the audience's reaction, that there are strong social sanctions against openly expressing beliefs shared by Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
Perez Hilton: Blogger, Beauty Pageant Judge, and Flashy Dresser
Mr. Perez Hilton's reaction to the runner-up's response to his question isn't as impolite as it may seem, by contemporary American standards.

I understand that he's an "openly gay gossip blogger" - and a flashy dresser, judging from one photo of him (Kansas City Star, used w/o permission). Mr. Hilton probably has a personal stake in the same-sex marriage issue, whether or not he wants to have a relationship sanctioned by the state.

With the tacit acceptance of his views that's been enforced in many circles for the last few decades, it may have been a severe shock to hear a dissenting opinion: particularly in the context of a beauty pageant.

Today, he apparently has simmered down and would like to "...take Miss California out for coffee and 'talk.'... " (Kansas City Star)
Back to the "Dumb B*ch," America, and Abraham
America does have freedom of expression to an extent that very few countries do. That's certainly the case with America's laws, as written. However, just as the fifties had its conventions ("The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit," Sloan Wilson, 1955, is a relatively painless introduction to the period); today's America has behavior which is expected, and behavior which is not tolerated.

The dominant culture in today's America encourages activism and social consciousness: as long as it's in defense of the spotted owl, gay rights (and affirmation of homosexual behavior), and other approved positions.

The pressure to conform to a particular world view - or at least to sit down and be quiet - is very strong. Dr. William Gray, in my opinion, discovered this when he expressed doubts over the official view on global warming. The official version of his de-funding gives a different story. And, Dr. Gray backs up his superiors. I don't blame him: He's a career academic, and you don't survive in that game without friends on review boards.

Carrie Prejean violated part of America's social code when she voiced an opinion which was contrary to what Mr. Hilton wanted to hear. That's evident, I think, from the audience reaction as well as Mr. Hilton's initial evaluation of her value as a person.

As a beauty contest contestant, Carrie Prejean should have been blandly vague on all issues except those for which the dominant culture demands a particular position.

As a human being, Miss California showed a level of candor and perhaps courage which few people display. For that, I applaud her.

I try to conform my own views on homosexuality and related conditions to Catholic teachings: which are nowhere near as judgmental and harsh as many seem to believe. (March 13, 2009)

Related posts: In the news:
More, at

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Fear of Right-Wing Extremism: Commie-Hunting in Reverse

I was born in the Truman administration, and remember the tail end of the commie-hunting days. What's talked about, or referred to, most these days seems to be Senator Joe McCarthy and his anti-Communist witch hunts.

There may actually have been commies in the State Department, but what the Senator accomplished in the long run was discrediting his sort of pogrom against people who don't toe the party line.

I sincerely hope that what I see brewing in Homeland Security and the Obama administration isn't a replay of the 'good old days' of McCarthyism: this time with pro-life people, American veterans, supporters of Ron Paul, and other dangerous radicals in the cross hairs.

I've posted about this before. What's new today is that another blogger's post (Tim Burke, in Salvation Is an Adventure) contains a link to the latest disturbing document from Homeland Security programs: "(U//FOUO) Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."

The link appears in "Right Wing Extremism" (Salvation is an Adventure (April 19, 2009)): a blog which I've added to the blogroll.

I'm taking the liberty of quoting parts of the last paragraph of that post:
"...In the event that the federal government does indeed decide to try to silence us, what are we, as Christians to do? We are to do what Peter and John did when they were brought before the Sanhedrin in Acts Chapter 4. ... It is impossible for us, as Christians, to deny our faith and our beliefs. We must stand up! We must make our voices known. We must band together as the disciples did in the early Church and proclaim from the message of the Lord from the rooftops. Christ said we would be persecuted. It is all a part of the adventure of salvation. BRING IT ON!"
(Salvation Is an Adventure)
I would much rather not "bring it on." On the other hand, If I must choose, I would much rather be in trouble with the awesome might of the United States Supreme Court, The entire legislative branch, and both houses of Congress, than with the Father of Jesus of Nazareth.

Related posts:

Divine Mercy Sunday: a Few Words, a Link or Two

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday: the second Sunday of Easter.

There's a devotion to the Divine Mercy in Sauk Centre, where I live, that's into its third decade. The whole community was dedicated to the Divine Mercy in 1982, the year my wife and I married. There's a bit more detail about the local devotion in a Mercy Sunday homily from 2002.

There's a chaplet and a novena associated with the Divine Mercy devotion. (A chaplet is a collection of prayers, a novena is a set of prayers said over a nine-day period.)

And, a great deal more information at:

Marians of the Immaculate Conception
Association of Marian Helpers
Stockbridge, MA 01263-0004

1 800 462 7426

www.marian.org

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Capital Punishment: for Troy Davis, it's Personal


Update
"3 leaders firmly in Davis’ corner 2 Ga. congressmen, NAACP leader say they are convinced of Davis’ innocence"
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (May 30, 2009)

"Ga. Reps Believe Davis' Innocence"
MyFOX Atlanta (May 29, 2009)

"Two Georgia congressmen are ramping up the fight to save the life of a death row inmate. Congressmen John Lewis and Hank Johnson are among several lawmakers now asking the U.S. attorney to intervene in the Troy Davis case.

" 'I came away convinced that this man is innocent man,' said Lewis...."

I am not completely convinced that Troy Davis is innocent. On the other hand, there's very good reason to believe that he is.

If he's executed - which he probably will be, soon - it'll be a little late for the state of Georgia to say 'oops. Sorry about that.'

As I pointed out in another post, courts are made up of human beings, and we've been known to make mistakes. While a prisoner can be released, the authority of state and federal courts doesn't extend to raising people from the dead. More at "Capital Punishment: Killing Those Who Deserve to Die," 'By the Power Vested in Me by the Supreme Court, Rise?!' (October 2, 2008).

Tony Davis Doesn't Have Much Time

A blog post, "Please help spare the life of an innocent man on death row"
BIG BLUE WAVE (April 18, 2009), has information about Tony Davis and the dubiously sound case against him:
"Troy Davis faces execution for the murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in Georgia, despite a strong claim of innocence. 7 out of 9 witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence links Davis to the crime. The Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles has voted to deny clemency, yet Governor Perdue can still exercise leadership to ensure that his death sentence is commuted. Please urge him to demonstrate respect for fairness and justice by supporting clemency for Troy Davis...."
(BIG BLUE WAVE)
The post includes a plea to "keep flooding Governor Perdue's office with emails demanding justice for Troy." Along with links to Amnesty International that should make the task relatively easy.

The plea originates with Amnesty International's American branch. If you don't want to go though that organization, here is a more direct way of contacting Governor Perdue:

Why Bother?

In my case, it's because if I don't do something about my beliefs, there's not much point having them. Although I do believe that many people deserve to die, I also accept the Catholic teaching that killing people should be a last resort of the state - one that a country with the resources of America doesn't have to exercise.

I also know that innocent people can be - and have been - convicted. Since the Supreme Court of the United States of America can't raise people from the dead, I don't think it's a particularly good idea to kill them in the first place.

You don't have to do a thing about Troy Davis. The decision is yours. As for me, I'll be using the State of Georgia website's form as soon as I post this, asking the governor to give Mr. Davis time for another chance for justice.

Related post:In the news:
UPDATE (April 18, 2009, 4:37 Central)

A minute ago, I submitted a message to Georgia's Governor Sonny Perdue. The text of my message follows:
Troy Davis has been convicted of murdering Police Officer Mark MacPhail. This is an extremely serious offense: but execution is a serious matter, too. And, an irreversible one.

A Georgia paper ( http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stories/2009/04/16/troy_davis_appeal.html ) and CNN ( http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/16/georgia.troy.davis/ ) have written that witnesses have recanted testimony, and given other details which cast doubt on the verdict.

I understand how appealing it can be to have 'closure,' by killing someone when a murder has been committed.

In this case, however, I believe that the State of Georgia may be about to kill an innocent man. That might prove to be embarrassing, as well as unjust.

I do not live in your state, but I am an American citizen - and am concerned with how America's version of justice is perceived.

I cannot see the harm in at least delaying Tony Davis' execution until the glaring irregularities in his conviction are resolved.

Please, Governor Perdue: allow another appeal before killing this man.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Father Damien: Another Hero


Update:
Father Damien to be canonized.
"19th Century Belgian Priest Who Aided Lepers in Hawaii to Become Saint"
FOXNews (February 21, 2009)

"A 19th-century Belgian priest who ministered to leprosy patients in Hawaii will be declared a saint Oct. 11 at a Vatican ceremony presided over by Pope Benedict XVI.

"The Rev. Damien de Veuster's canonization date was set Saturday during a meeting between Benedict and cardinals at the Apostolic Palace.

"De Veuster will be canonized along with four other people, the Vatican said.

"In July, Benedict approved a miracle attributed to the priest's intercession, declaring that a Honolulu woman's recovery in 1999 from terminal lung cancer was the miracle needed for him to be made a saint.

"He was beatified — a step toward sainthood - in 1995 by Pope John Paul II...."
This is good news for me. I don't remember having many 'heroes' as a child or youth, although there were people whose accomplishments I admired.

Father Damien, when I learned about him, went into my short list of "heroes:" people who willingly gave up their own safety, wealth, and sometimes lives, for others. Think Horatio at the bridge and Pliny the Elder, in Western Civilization's history.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Religious Symbols Verboten! 'IHS' Verboten! - Rules for Leader's Appearance at Georgetown

"Obama Nixes 'Jesus' at Georgetown"
Catholic Online (April 17, 2009) (I know: it's April 16 here in Minnesota - Probably a dateline thing)

"The bigger story is the audacity of the Obama administration to ask a religious school to neuter itself before the president speaks there.

"NEW YORK (Catholic League) - When President Barack Obama spoke at Georgetown University on April 14, the White House requested that all religious symbols and signage that might appear as a backdrop to where the president was to speak be covered up. Georgetown acceded to the request and made sure that the symbol 'IHS,' a monogram of the name Jesus Christ, was not in sight...."

'Nuff said.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Doctrinal Assessment for Leadership Conference of Women Religious - Having Standards

I read that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is going through a doctrinal assessment. It's not in mainstream news, as far as I've seen, but my guess is that it will be in the near future.

Particularly since
  1. The doctrinal assessment comes on top of the Vatican-initiated apostolic visitation of institutes for women religious in the United States
  2. The Catholic Church has standards
    • And is starting to apply them in America
I may be wrong about this, but I think a possible - maybe probable - outcome of this doctrinal assessment will be claims of persecution.

Maybe even conspiracy theories about how the Holy See is trying to squash 'democratic' voices in the American Church.

And, of course, the tired old 'Christianity oppresses women' thing. It's a little hard for me to see an outfit whose founder's mother told him where, when, and how to perform his first miracle (John 2, 1-10); that honors St. Catherine of Siena and St. Thérèse (or Therese) of Therese of Lisieux as a doctors of the church1; and Bl. Teresa of Calcutta2, as "oppressing" women.

The Catholic Church Has Standards - And the Door's Open

I have no idea how that LCWR doctrinal assessment will come out. Either the LCWR will be found to be in line with Catholic doctrine, or it won't. If there's been do-it-yourself theology going on, it'll be identified.

At that point, my guess is that the LCWR leadership will have a choice between hanging on to their version of what they think God and the Church should be like, or going along with the Holy See.

Authoritarian? Yes. But, the door's open. Both ways. I was able to become a Catholic: and anybody who wants to can stop being a Catholic. I wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done.

Me, I'm glad to see that the Holy See is paying attention to what's been going on in America, and is carefully applying standards.

Related posts: In the news:
1I generally use Princeton's WordNet for definitions of possibly-unfamiliar terms. In this case, WordNet has the tail wagging the dog:

"Doctor of the Church (Roman Catholic Church) a title conferred on 33 saints who distinguished themselves through the orthodoxy of their theological teaching".

The doctors' teaching is orthodox, all right: but that's partly because they smoothed out rough patches in Church teachings. Whoever put together the Wikipedia entry had a better handle on what "doctor of the church" means.

"...In Roman Catholicism, this title is given to a saint from whose writings the whole Church is held to have derived great advantage and to whom 'eminent learning' and 'great sanctity' have been attributed by a proclamation of a pope or of an ecumenical council. This honour is given rarely, only posthumously, and only after canonization. No ecumenical council has yet exercised the prerogative of proclaiming a Doctor of the Church...." (Doctor of the Church Wikipedia)

I can't blame the Princeton WordNet for getting it a bit backwards. America was a solidly Protestant country: It's no surprise that an assumption or two here and there, from that tradition, gets confused with fact.

2. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta is up for canonization - being declared a saint.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Sandra Cantu: Terrible Loss; High Emotions; Time to Think and Pray

Repeating what I've written before, family and friends of Sandra Cantu are hurting. You could consider praying for them. The same goes for friends and family of Melissa Huckaby, whose daughter was best friends with Sandra - and who was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Canut.

It's your decision, of course. You don't have to pray. You don't even have to approve of prayer. You are free to make your own decisions.

Murder Isn't Nice

Right now, there seems to be pretty good reason to believe that Melissa Huckaby killed Sandra Cantu. What she told police didn't match what she told the Tracy Press: she said she had no criminal record, but had pleaded no contest to a burglary charge and been convicted of theft.

Case Solved by Spunky Girl Reporter - Sort of

I often write about how stereotypes and cliches aren't always true, and shouldn't be the foundation of a decision - but as Gosalyn said to Darkwing Duck (I think it was in Let's Get Respectable, but I could be wrong): 'Cliches are cliches for a reason!' (It's been over a decade since I viewed that, so cut me some slack on accuracy, okay?)

What I was getting at was that, in the case of Sandra Cantu's murder, we've even a spunky girl reporter: a stock character, back in the 1940s.

"...As neighbors traded information and rumors, Jennifer Wadsworth was trying to confirm the unusual things she was hearing.

"The 22-year-old reporter, one of two who covers local news for the Tracy Press, had heard two things: that a woman had been hospitalized in connection with Sandra's case and that the suitcase that entombed the girl had once belonged to Huckaby's family.'..." (SFGATE)

The Request was 'Prayers for Melissa Huckaby' - Not 'Spring Melissa Huckaby'

I lived through a period of American history, when it was quite fashionable to feel sorry for criminals.

Digression: The Menndez Brothers

The Menendez brothers' had the poor judgment to kill their parents after that notion was declining in popularity. You may or may not remember them: They're the brothers who murdered their parents, went on a spending spree, said they were very sorry, and almost walked away free.

If you've read about the Menendez brothers' trial, it's probably the second ones, which ended in 1996. Their first trials, which ended in 1994, deadlocked in both cases. The defense quite successfully portrayed the Menendez brothers as victims of society: more specifically, victims of their father. It's quite possible that the father had behaved badly. That wasn't an excuse for the brothers to kill their parents, back on August 20, 1989.

Killing Your Parents isn't Nice, and You Shouldn't Do it

It's an old idea: "...''Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you.'..." (Exodus 20: 12); but I'm inclined to believe the person who said that, and people don't seem to have changed all that much since Moses had that interview on Mount Sinai.

Killing children isn't very nice, either: even if you're stressed out. It's covered in that list of no-nos that Moses got (Exodus 20, again). About three millennia later, the Catechism of the Catholic Church's Article 5 discusses Exodus 20: 13. You know, that "You shall not kill" thing that comes right before "You shall not commit adultery" and "You shall not steal." (I know: the Catholic Church is so restrictive.)

Criminals are Sinners are People

I think it's a good idea to pray for the Menendez brothers, too. What they did was wrong - whatever excuse they had. But they're people, like me and you. I'm reminded of that time that the authorities brought a woman who was guilty of adultery to Jesus. They probably figured they'd catch him, one way or another.

Instead, he said "...'Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'..." The whole thing's in John 8.

The forgiveness angle of that was discussed quite a bit when I was growing up - and is very important. Jesus also said, "...'Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more.'..." Which is also important.

And other topic.

Desire for Vengeance is Understandable - And a Bad Idea

Particularly now that the police probably have arrested the person who probably killed Sandra Cantu, a desire for vengeance will be focused on Melissa Huckaby and her family.

"...Sandra's uncle, Joe Chavez, said he found it difficult to contain his rage toward Huckaby's family.

'I want to go over there and beat the crap out of those people, but I'm not going to do that,' he said as he stood at the entrance to the mobile home park where the little girl lived with her mother. 'I just want to vent my anger but it's not in me.'
" (AP)

I think I can understand, to a very limited extent, what Joe Chavez may be feeling. A great injustice has been done: the death of Sandra Cantu; a violation of trust in the Tracy community; and, as seems likely, the mark of murder on the innocent daughter of Melissa Huckaby.

This injustice must be dealt with. The wrong must be corrected, as far as can be done.

But personal vengeance isn't the way to do it. I've written about this before.

I know that if a wrong had been done to my family, I'd be very inclined to act as many of my ancestors would have: Visiting retribution on the heads of the person who had wronged my family, and those connected with them. "Njal's Saga" is an example of what happens in cases like that. It's an an inspiring tale of courage and determination: and a cautionary tale of why the road of vengeance is best left untraveled.

The 28th chapter of Sirach's book might be an interesting read, on that subject. Then, there's Romans 12: 19. The Catechism has a word or two on vengeance, too: 1472, 2302. A couple of important points from that: sin hurts others; and it hurts the sinner. A lot. As paragraph 2302 puts it, "...If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin...." It's the Matthew 5: 22 thing. "...But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment...."

Easy? No way.

It's a whole lot easier to 'go with the flow' either seek vengeance, or hold on to feelings of anger against those who hurt you. But it's not a good idea.

More-or-less related posts: In the news:

The Catholic Church From a Priest's Perspective: a New-to-Me Blog

"Diary of a Rookie Priest" is Fr. Mark Mossa's blog: "On June 14, 2008 I was ordained a Catholic priest. So, who am I now?"

Some posts are funny ("Watch Your Metaphors" (April 11, 2009)), some serious ("Holy Thursday" (April 9, 2009)). I think it'd be worth following this blog - as a sort of 'inside look' at the Catholic Church: as it looks through a priest's eyes.

About that Holy Thursday post: I can't recall right now, which pope it was who started calling his post "servant of the servants of Christ," but it's that sort of awareness of what authority and power should mean that's very much in the Holy Thursday foot-washing.


Holy Thursday at Our Lady of the Angels Church, Sauk Centre, Minnesota. April 9, 2009.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

"If There Were no God - - -"

Just a thought:

"If there were no God, there would be no Atheists."
G. K. Chesterton, The Quotations Page

This Time it's Clover Road Baptist Church: 'Everybody Knows' What Those People are Like

News coverage's been fairly even-handed, covering Sandra Cantu's murder - apparently at the hands of a
  • Sunday school teacher
  • Granddaughter of a Baptist Pastor
  • Who's apparently been arrested before
    • The granddaughter, not the pastor
The KCRA video in this blog's "In the news" links gives a pretty good summary.

So what? As I wrote before,

First: A Lot of People Who Knew Sandra Cantu Could Use Prayer

It's just a suggestion: but you might consider praying for Sandra's family, and people in Tracy. That's just a suggestion. You have a free will: use it.

Second: Beware Assumptions and Speculation

The rumors are getting better and better, apparently. Including one about the suitcase that Sandra was dumped in coming from a Clover Road Baptist Church yard sale. The pastor's wife says that the last yard sale was maybe ten years ago - which makes the connection pretty remote.

But improbability - or impossibility - doesn't stop rumors.

Besides, it was the pastor's wife who said that the last yard sale was maybe ten years ago - maybe they're all in on it. Or, while we're at it, maybe they're all shape shifting space alien lizard people. When it comes to rumor and speculation, the sky's the limit.

Blame a Previous Generation?

It's been decades since "Mommy Dearest" was among the most popular 'what my awful parent(s) did to me' tell-alls. Sometimes an earlier generation does have something to do with the tattered career, disastrous personal life, and/or substance abuse issues of celebrities. Sometimes not-so-famous people have sad backgrounds.

We also, each of us, has a conscience. That's an old-fashioned, maybe corny, term these days. That doesn't change the importance of having a well-formed conscience (Catechism, Article 6, Daniel 13:9, 1TM 1: 18-1, for starters)

I wrote about slander and gossip in another post. Bottom line: slander isn't nice and we shouldn't do it.

It looks like the case of who killed Sandra Cantu, and why, is going to be very messy. In a way, it's going to be a big opportunity for practicing patience and other virtues.

And, I'm afraid that it will also be an opportunity to watch mud being flung at a particular group, with particular attention to a few individuals in that group.

It looks very much like something bad was done to Sandra Cantu. Law enforcement has arrested one person: a granddaughter of Clover Road Baptist Church's pastor. There's no reason to believe that the pastor's family, and Clover Road Baptist Church, are all involved.

I'm afraid, though, that if it hasn't already started, the familiar old 'guilt by association' business will soon appear.

"Tracy Pastor, Wife Speak About Sandra Cantu"

KSBWTV, YouTube (April 10, 2009)
video 3:09

Related post: In the news:

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Obama's Harry Knox: My Tax Dollars at Work

The fed's "faith-based initiative" has a really groovy guru.

"...President Barack Obama has named to the federal government's faith-based initiative a gay-rights activist who, last month, described Pope Benedict XVI and certain Catholic bishops as 'discredited leaders' because of their opposition to same-sex marriage.

"Harry Knox, who is a newly appointed member of Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, is the director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual activist group...." (Chicago Daily Observer)

Not everybody's happy with Mr. Knox.

"Newt Gingrich said Tuesday the Obama administration is "intensely secular" and "anti-religious," the former House Speaker's second hard-hitting criticism of the new administration this week...." (CNN)

Harry Knox Anti-Religious? I Don't Think So

With due respect to Mr. Gingrich, I disagree with his evaluation of Harry Knox.

From what I've read, there's little doubt that Mr. Knox is not in solidarity with the Holy See on a few issues, but I have no reason to doubt that he has deeply held religious values. Values, anyway.
Not All Religious People are Christians
I am quite willing to believe that Mr. Knox sincerely and deeply believes in principles. His writings make that fairly obvious. He may even believe in a deity. And he quite likely shares with many successful people a religious attention to detail.

Personally, I'm disappointed in the appointment of Harry Knox: but not at all surprised. What is interesting about the current situation is that conventional Protestant Christians are in the same boat as those Catholics. That seems to have been happening more often lately - but that's just my impression.

Related posts: In the news:

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Sandra Cantu's Dead: Time for Prayer and Thought

The search for Sandra Cantu, an eight-year-old in Tracy, California, ended yesterday. Searchers found her body in a suitcase, in a pond. She's quite dead. Sandra went missing March 27. She and her family live in Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park. Lived, in Sandra's case.

First: A Lot of People Who Knew Sandra Cantu Could Use Prayer

It hurts to lose a child. This is just a suggestion: but you might consider praying for Sandra's family, and people in Tracy. My guess is that they're hurting, bad. You don't have to, of course: it's strictly up to you.

Second: Beware Assumptions and Speculation

Juicy bits are starting to show up in the news: a church is being searched by police; a pastor lives in a trailer park.

Maybe I'm sensitive, but I smelled a bit of class consciousness rising to the surface. Journalists are too polite, and careful, to use terms like "trailer trash," and references to Orchard Estates may be strictly factual.

Running with assumptions and jumping to conclusions is simply not a good idea. Case in point: a newspaper, the Tracy Press.
'You Know What Those People are Like'
The Tracy Press - "one of only a handful of family-owned newspapers left in California" - has been doing quite a job, covering Sandra Cantu's death. A few headlines: Kudos to the Tracy Press, though: The 'felon' story leads with an explanation that Lisa Encarnacion, who showed up as the bereaved family's spokesperson, "didn't know Sandra's mother Maria Chavez or her father Danny Cantu, or their families. But she said she was drawn to help them and showed up at the first vigil at the mobile home park.

"She, too, had experienced the pain of losing a child when her 16-year-old son, Adam, died in an accident on his dirt bike six years ago...."
Provocative Headlines, Human Complexities
Lisa Encarnacion may have been sincerely trying to help Sandra Cantu's family. Aside from a few words in the news, I know nothing about her. I think she was prudent to step aside, though, when "police told the family about her criminal past...." (Tracy Press)

But I will not criticize her.
Sin is Real: So is Forgiveness
The Catholic Church isn't exactly tolerant of criminal activity. Article 10 / The Tenth Commandment in the Catechism is pretty definite about coveting your neighbor's property being a no-no:
  • " 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.' "
    (Ex 20:17)
  • " 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. 'You shall not desire your neighbor's house or field, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything that belongs to him.' "
    (Deut 5:21)
On the other hand, there's that forgiveness thing: "...and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors...." (Mt 6: 12)

The Catechism's Article 8 / Sin starts off with a section on "Mercy and Sin" (1846-1848). That section includes references to the letter of Paul to the Romans: "...The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom 5:20, 21) Bottom line, sin's real, and we're required to forgive. It's not easy, but I'm not going to tell God that He's wrong. Besides, I need forgiveness myself: and I'm not stupid.

Slander isn't Nice

Slander is "words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another ... aspersion, calumny, ... defamation, denigration (an abusive attack on a person's character or good name)." (Princeton's WordNet) Doesn't sound very nice: and it isn't. 'Gossip' doesn't have the negative vibes that 'slander' does, but it's a close cousin: "...gossip, tittle-tattle, chin wag, ... causerie (light informal conversation for social occasions) ... (a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people)...." (Princeton's WordNet, again)
What's the Harm in a Little Gossip?
"Gossip," meaning "light informal conversation," isn't, I think, a problem. Not all conversations have to be profound. On the other hand, those light conversations can slide over an ill-marked border into slander. And that's a problem.

The case of Sandra Cantu may give journalists, bloggers like me, and everyone else, opportunity for chewing up the reputations of quite a few people. This isn't anything new. Psalm 109 has quite a bit to say about slander, from the victim's point of view. There's a long bit in another book:
"...Never repeat gossip, and you will not be reviled. Tell nothing to friend or foe; if you have a fault, reveal it not, for he who hears it will hold it against you, and in time become your enemy. Let anything you hear die within you; be assured it will not make you burst. ... Like an arrow lodged in a man's thigh is gossip in the breast of a fool. ... Admonish your friend--often it may be slander; every story you must not believe. Then, too, a man can slip and not mean it; who has not sinned with his tongue?..."
(Sirach 19: 6-15)

Is it True? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?

I can't remember when I first heard those three questions given as a guide for repeating information about someone else. They seem to be a pretty good, easy-to-remember guide. A whole lot easier to remember than, "Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty...." (Catechism 2477-2479)

Related posts: In the news:

Sunday, April 5, 2009

5th Sunday of Lent 2009: A Reflection

Readings for April 5, 2009, Palm Sunday: Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion - At the Procession with Palms

5TH Sunday of Lent 2009: A Reflection

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
Feb. 22, 2009

We are over the half way mark for Lent 2009. We must ask ourselves, where do I stand in the eyes of God? Have I lived up to the intent of my Baptismal promises? Have I as your Deacon lived up to my Ordination Commitment to be a worthy witness for Christ and His Church? Sometimes I feel totally inadequate, especially as I try to impart Truth and Doctrine to our young people. Now I'm complaining a little, how does one get through to the young when they are not brought to church, to Mass on the weekend, yet are sent to religion class? Maybe I'm putting to much of a load on myself in this regard, for you know as well as I that children learn most and fastest from their parents. And what do children learn by far the fastest, it is disobedience, it is sin. We as the people of God do not need help to sin but we sure need all the help we can get to be Holy.

Disobedience is the root of all sin. Lucifer said to God before the world was formed, "I will not serve." That sin came to us when our first parents preferred to follow the advice of the tempter and ate from the tree that they were forbidden to eat. That "original sin " has been transmitted to every one born ever since. The only exception being the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Simply put: sin is a choice of something other then God. That was the choice made by Adam and Eve. That is what is done by every person who commits a sin. Sin always has the appearance of good. Of course if that were not so one would not commit sin.

We may ask ourselves the question, "What is the worst thing that could ever happen to us? " That we should lose our sight? That we become paralyzed? That we should lose someone we love? What of all the evil things that might happen to us which is by far the worst? The answer is that the worst thing that could ever happen to us that we disrupt our relationship with God. That we commit a mortal sin. That we become separated from God through sin and lose Him for all Eternity. There is nothing more evil than this – to miss our final goal. Not to live the life of our Creator for whom we were made.

We must eliminate sin in our lives because it keeps us from God, our final goal. Salvation is a struggle, a struggle made easy if we place ourselves in God's presence and follow Jesus through the teachings of His Church. One of the great saints once said that very simply the purpose of our lives should be to do good, and to avoid evil. Or, we should do all that the love of God requires, that we become Holy.

Every Catholic, young and old should know the basics of their religion. Every Catholic should know the difference between mortal and venial sins. Mortal sin is the deliberate choosing of something gravely contrary to God's law. It destroys the love of God in our hearts. Venial sin is choosing something contrary to God's law, a moral disorder that can be repaired by charity.

We believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God and are disfigured by sin. God wants us reconciled to Himself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "To reunite all His children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into His Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is the world reconciled. She is the bark which "in then full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world… According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood ". That's from 845 in the Catechism and is worth rereading.

We must strive to eliminate sin from our lives because sin will keep us from God. Can there be a greater reason then that?

We are called to Love, true Love covers a multitude of sin as St. Augustan reminds us. A couple weeks ago I reminded my 7th graders that I Love them as this is commanded by God, and I remind you as well that I love you! I concluded by saying, if it could be that there is horror in Heaven it would be that I wait for you there and you do not show up. Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.
A quick 'thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.
More:

Like it? Pin it, Plus it, - - -

Pinterest: My Stuff, and More

Advertisement

Unique, innovative candles


Visit us online:
Spiral Light CandleFind a Retailer
Spiral Light Candle Store

Popular Posts

Label Cloud

1277 abortion ADD ADHD-Inattentive Adoration Chapel Advent Afghanistan Africa America Amoris Laetitia angels animals annulment Annunciation anti-catholicism Antichrist apocalyptic ideas apparitions archaeology architecture Arianism art Asperger syndrome assumptions asteroid astronomy Australia authority balance and moderation baptism being Catholic beliefs bias Bible Bible and Catechism bioethics biology blogs brain Brazil business Canada capital punishment Caritas in Veritate Catechism Catholic Church Catholic counter-culture Catholicism change happens charisms charity Chile China Christianity Christmas citizenship climate change climatology cloning comets common good common sense Communion community compassion confirmation conscience conversion Corpus Christi cosmology creation credibility crime crucifix Crucifixion Cuba culture dance dark night of the soul death depression designer babies despair detachment devotion discipline disease diversity divination Divine Mercy divorce Docetism domestic church dualism duty Easter economics education elections emotions England entertainment environmental issues Epiphany Establishment Clause ethics ethnicity Eucharist eugenics Europe evangelizing evolution exobiology exoplanets exorcism extremophiles faith faith and works family Father's Day Faust Faustus fear of the Lord fiction Final Judgment First Amendment forgiveness Fortnight For Freedom free will freedom fun genetics genocide geoengineering geology getting a grip global Gnosticism God God's will good judgment government gratitude great commission guest post guilt Haiti Halloween happiness hate health Heaven Hell HHS hierarchy history holidays Holy Family Holy See Holy Spirit holy water home schooling hope humility humor hypocrisy idolatry image of God images Immaculate Conception immigrants in the news Incarnation Independence Day India information technology Internet Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Japan Jesus John Paul II joy just war justice Kansas Kenya Knights of Columbus knowledge Korea language Last Judgment last things law learning Lent Lenten Chaplet life issues love magi magic Magisterium Manichaeism marriage martyrs Mary Mass materialism media medicine meditation Memorial Day mercy meteor meteorology Mexico Minnesota miracles Missouri moderation modesty Monophysitism Mother Teresa of Calcutta Mother's Day movies music Muslims myth natural law neighbor Nestorianism New Year's Eve New Zealand news Nietzsche obedience Oceania organization original sin paleontology parish Parousia penance penitence Pentecost Philippines physical disability physics pilgrimage politics Pope Pope in Germany 2011 population growth positive law poverty prayer predestination presumption pride priests prophets prostitution Providence Purgatory purpose quantum entanglement quotes reason redemption reflections relics religion religious freedom repentance Resurrection robots Roman Missal Third Edition rosaries rules sacramentals Sacraments Saints salvation schools science secondary causes SETI sex shrines sin slavery social justice solar planets soul South Sudan space aliens space exploration Spain spirituality stem cell research stereotypes stewardship stories storm Sudan suicide Sunday obligation superstition symbols technology temptation terraforming the establishment the human condition tolerance Tradition traffic Transfiguration Transubstantiation travel Trinity trust truth uncertainty United Kingdom universal destination of goods vacation Vatican Vatican II veneration vengeance Veterans Day videos virtue vlog vocations voting war warp drive theory wealth weather wisdom within reason work worship writing

Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.