Recent Headlines and Conclusions

Below are various headlines pulled from catholicculture.org's recent daily updates.  An explanation of what to make of these headlines is inserted in this bold type face.  

JESUIT PROVINCE IN NORTHWESTERN US FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY
FEBRUARY 18, 2009

 -I can't help but recall the words of Fr. Ilo, "take all the money away, we're better off being a poor church."  Don't forget the nature and purpose of mendicantism and the vow of poverty--If God continues to want your order's existence, then God will provide.  Sometimes God calls the loan and it's time for foreclosure.  There are orders that can hardly make room for all their recruits, the Jesuits have had empty, decrepit halls for quite some time.  I recall the Ignatian retreat I made some years ago with the Jesuits at Santa Clara University.  The freezers full of Hagen Daz bars (to which I had full access and took full advantage) were delightful, but hardly conducive to a disciplined, ascetic, prayerful life of service and poverty...let alone a disciplined retreat experience.  The liturgical concepts of Form and Matter have long been misaligned with this order.  Incidentally, this bankruptcy stems from sexual abuse lawsuits

MIXED RESPONSES AFTER CRUCIFIXES RETURN TO BOSTON COLLEGE CLASSROOMS
FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Students, faculty members, and administrators at Jesuit-run Boston College are divided over the return of crucifixes to classrooms, Boston newspapers report. "The Christian art reflects our pride in and commitment to our religious heritage," Was this pride missing for a period of time? said Jack Dunn, the spokesman for a school that has been prominently identified with dissent from Church teaching on many recent occasions. But the head of the Slavic-language department said that the appearnce of religious symbol is is " contrary to the letter and spirt of open intellectual discourse that makes education worthwhile and distinguishes first-rate universities from mediocre and provincial ones." So censoring the history, heritage, and focus of Catholicism is somehow conducive to the open exchange of ideas and meaningful discussion?  The chairman of the chemistry department agreed that it is "offensive." Would it be offensive to see the slain lord displayed in art anywhere, or only on the campus of Catholic institutions?  Neither professor indicated a desire to leave the university.  Who gives up tenure...you can say anything, do anything and face no real consequences.  The only catch, your employers promote things which you find "offensive" and "contrary to...intellectual discourse." and makes you a proponent of a "mediocre" institution...Its seems these prof's are likely violating their own consciences for the sake of personal gain.  Be honest!  If it is truly offensive and truly a violation of what you believe, don't be a part of it.  

 

 

FRENCH GROUP TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST BISHOP WILLIAMSON
FEBRUARY 12, 2009

The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism will file charges against Bishop Richard Williamson for “contesting crimes against humanity.”  The thought police strike again...funny parallel to the crucifixes at Boston College and open discussion of events/facts leading to mediocrity.  The SSPX bishop questions evidence and says "I haven't seen the proof."  For this he is on the verge of prosecution?

Congresswoman Finds Her Place?

Is it the place of Congress members to apply their religion to how they think on domestic policy issues? As Archhbishop Chaput of Denver, CO unabashedly stated in Render Unto Caesar, if we believe, then we must act in accordance with what we believe. In other words, faith without works that are indicative of that faith is meaningless (a paraphrase of the Epistle of St. James as well).

On this very day, Congresswoman Pelosi of CA, home sweet leftist home, had the blessed opportunity to meet with his holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. The following was listed on the web:

The Pope regularly meets with visiting dignitaries after his Wednesday audience, and ordinarily no public statements are issued. But following his meeting with Pelosi, that meeting, the Vatican released this unusual public statement:

His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church's consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in co-operation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development. (end quote)

Will Pelosi respond accordingly? Does the faith she claims to confess still bind her heart? Is her place in or out of the Body of Christ? Is her place in this world, the Civitas Humanum, or in the next, the Civitas Dei? Apparently her own bishop met with her about her startlingly false remarks on theology, history, and philosophy on Meet the Press...was he as direct?

The Way One Thinks

In recent months, or is it years now? Sen. Obama, now Pres. Obama, quipped that knowing when life began was beyond his pay grade.  A recent mock interview published by the Archbishop of Rhode Island led to a new reflection on Pres. Obama's thought process.  Does the president give much thought to the life of the children cut short?  Think back to the inaugural address as well, where it was declared that "whether or not it works" is the only standard by which to judge.  

Abortion is possibly the one issue which holds the Republican party together-how many current republicans would completely jump ship if the party platform were to radically change on abortion?  The way the President (Obama) thinks on this issue is best described as flippant, given the quip just mentioned.  How does he think?  What formed his thought process?  Let's combine the inaugural address with the earlier quip of the tongue and describe the President's thought process as Pragmatic-Flippancy.  If an issue is not of concern to him, then it can be deemed, "above my pay grade."  If it is important to me and to my base...then pragmatism, results are the judging criteria, is what we use to measure the proper response and course of action.  

One famous politician of old comes to mind when I think of utter pragmatism in politics.  It has been said that this politician was the founding father of modern political science as a "science."  That famous Italian monarchist...Niccolo Macciavelli.  The one and only.  Famous for one line above all else: The Ends Justify the Means.  Not to dive into the nature and validity of teleological reasoning, but if results the only judge, then the ends justify the means.  

England has two stand out politicians that are in stark contrast to Macciavelli and Obama, both were well-trained lawyers.  Both were advisors and friends to the king.  Both were named the Lord High Chancellor of the King's realm, both the highest legal authorities in all their lands with all to lose and nothing more to gain, but added wealth; at least in the earthly realm.  Thomas Beckett and Thomas More both gave their lives for deciding that ends and means are important.  Both lawyers stood firm, death before pragmatism.  

The Archbishops article: http://thericatholic.com/stories/1894.html

A Sense of Place

A sense of place is constantly in the process of formation; the way we think, the inheritance-s we have received from our forbears, the work we do, and the cities and elsewhere-s that we call home give us our sense of place.  

This initial post is everyone's first insight into the agendas this blog is intended to vent, foment, and spread. 

One guiding principle, which will be oft repeated: 

Nothing is Neutral!  

All decisions and propensities bespeak of something, none are neutral.