Catholic Fire

Obama continues to deny his involvement in pro-abortion legislation as evidenced in his interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. Via IRFL Daily News : Specifically referencing partial-birth abortions, Obama insisted that he "strongly believe[s] that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions. I have said so repeatedly." If so, why would he so vigorously criticize the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act upheld last year by the Supreme Court? Because it had no health exception, he said. Obama goes the extra mile, telling Wallace this federal law was in service of what pro-lifers "oftentimes" try to do: "polarize the debate…" Justice Kennedy, who wrote the majority decision last year, demolished the allegation that the lack of a health exception represented an unconstitutional burden on the right to abortion. [See "Separating the Wheat from the Chaff"--www.nrlc.org/news_and_Views/April07/nv042607.html] Unfortunately, Wallace did not foll...

Via Roman Catholic Blog. A look at Obama's pattern of "borrowing" rhetoric from uncredited sources. Is Obama a plagiarist? See for yourself.

Via LifeSite News : Without a single reference to a Church document or a passage of Scripture, a new booklet from author Victor Claveau demonstrates that popular contraceptives, considered hallmarks of our modern culture and signs of civilized man's technological conquest of nature, kill at least 6 million US children a year, subject women to a host of harmful side effects, subvert the meaning of sex and family life, and have played a key role in a black genocide. Claveau's 28-page "'Birth Control and Abortifacients' begins with a detailed analysis of the various standard methods of contraception, noting their abortifacient action and harmful side effects on women. Claveau pays particular attention to the popular birth control pills that have been widely accepted, even by professedly "pro-life" women, as a means to reduce the sort of unwanted pregnancies that often end in abortion. Birth control pills artificially flood a woman's body with high levels...

I found this at Some Have Hats. What 10 (non-religious) items would you take with you to the convent? (Or the monastery?) We will assume that the implied privileges would come with the items. Here are mine: 1. a laptop 2. my CD Player and CD's 3. My DVD Player and DVD's 4. one cosmetic/personal hygiene kit (lifetime supply) 5. my library 6. my Juice Plus+ (lifetime supply) 7. my La-Z-Boy recliner 8. my bed 9. my massage therapist 10. my husband (It would get awfully lonely there without him.) I sound like a perfect candidate for the monastery/convent, don't I?

For more information on Dorothy Day and this documentary, go here.

I have been blogging about Wichita's late-term abortionist George Tiller for some time now and most of you know that he is aptly known as "the world's notorious late-term abortionist." He has openly admitted killing babies up until the day before delivery and boasts of more late-term killing experience of anyone outside Communist China. Now you have the opportunity to make a powerful pro-life statement by signing Kansas Coalition for Life's Signature Ad. This ad is scheduled to be published in the Wichita Eagle on Mother’s Day, 2008, and other publications throughout the year as the budget allows. The ad makes the following bold declaration: Every human being is created by God, and has an inherent right to life and liberty. Therefore, like William Wilberforce and those who signed the petition to stop the English Slave Trade 200 years ago, we the undersigned urge those in public office, or in any position of power and influence, to stop taxpayer funding of organ...

"I cannot tell you one thing that happens in an abortion clinic that is not a lie." ~ Carol Everett , Ex- Abortion Clinic Owner

MAY - Saturday 3: At 6 p.m. in the Roman basilica of St. Mary Major, recitation of the Rosary - Sunday 11: Pentecost Sunday. Mass at 10 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica. - Saturday 17 and Sunday 18: Pastoral visit to Savona and Genoa, Italy. - Thursday 22: Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Mass at 7 p.m. in the basilica of St. John Lateran, followed by a procession to the basilica of St. Mary Major for Eucharistic blessing. JUNE - Saturday 14 and Sunday 15: Pastoral visit to Santa Maria di Leuca and Brindisi, Italy. -Saturday 28: At 6 p.m. in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the- Walls, First Vespers for the solemn opening of the Pauline Year - Sunday 29: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Mass at 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica. Blessing and imposition of the pallium on metropolitan archbishops JULY - Saturday 12 to Monday 21: Apostolic trip to Australia for World Youth Day in Sydney. AUGUST - Friday 15: Solemnity of the Assumption, Mass at 8 a.m. in the parish church of...

An excerpt: "I had the opportunity to pay homage to that great country, which from its beginnings was built on the foundation of a harmonious union between religious, ethical and political principles, and which still constitutes a valid example of healthy laicism, where the religious dimension, in the diversity of its expressions, is not only tolerated but turned to advantage as the 'soul' of the nation and the fundamental guarantee of the rights and duties of human beings". Entire Story.

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That Christians may use literature, art and the mass media to greater advantage in order to favor a culture which defends and promotes the values of the human person". His mission intention is: "That the Virgin Mary, Star of evangelization and Queen of the Apostles, may still guide today with maternal affection the missionaries, both men and women, throughout the world, just as she accompanied the Apostles in the early stages of the Church".

Fed Ex stops by with a package, you've been been married for 16 years, and sign for it with your maiden name. It's just a cold -- but my brain doesn't seem to be working well now -- hence, the mindless, but fun quizzes to dull the brain and relax the body. Quizzes get the endorphins going for me.

You Are Muesli You are broad minded and cosmopolitan. Your tastes are varied and numerous. You like many types of things. You definitely aren't picky. The only thing you can't stand is being bored. You're the kind of person who can't have the same breakfast often. Your breakfast is unpredictable, unique, and very varies. What Kind of Cereal Are You?

You Are Classical Music You are a somewhat serious person who enjoys studying subjects deeply. Art of all kinds interests you, and a good piece of art can really effect you emotionally. You are inspired by human achievement, and you appreciate work that takes years to accomplish. For you, the finer things in life are not about snobbery - they're about quality. What Kind of Music Are You?

Music video from Robert Galea. "At the Foot of the Cross" taken from his WHAT A DAY album.

Flickr User Christus Vincit posts the best photos of Pope Benedict XVI. Via New Advent and The Curt Jester.

Michael Ghislieri was born near Alessandria in Italy in 1504. He was a poor shepherd boy, who entered the Dominican Order at the age of 14 and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. He taught theology and philosophy for sixteen years and developed a reputation as a gifted teacher and preacher. Michael led an austere and holy life in the monastery: he fasted, performed penance, spent long hours of the night in meditation and prayer, and traveled in silence on foot without a cloak. After being ordained a bishop and named a Cardinal, he became pope at the age of 62, taking the name of Pope Pius V. His holiness and austerity continued in the papacy. He refused to wear the ornate and flowing garments of previous popes, but insisted upon wearing his white Dominican habit even as head of the Church. To this day, the pope wears white, a custom begun by this Dominican pontiff. His reign, though short, was one of the most fruitful of the sixteenth century. During his six year pontificate, Pius ...

Today, I am praying for the following special intentions: John Michael Talbot and his community: several of their structures burned to the ground last night Carol, a young wife and mother who has cervical cancer. A minor who is pregnant by a con artist she still trusts. An end to abortion and all sins against human life. An end to tragedies like this. For this special intention. All the prayer requests at One Came Back.

This week's Carnival is being hosted by Steven at Book Reviews and More. Steven has done a superb job with images (such as the one at the left) and the theme to create a beautiful Carnival post. Here are just a few of the great posts you'll find there: Denise Hunnell presents The Most Confusing Sacrament--This Was A Surprise! posted at Catholic Matriarch in my Domestic Church aka Catholic Mom . Aggie Catholics (aka Mary's Aggies) writes about In-Vitro Fertilization and Catholics she ponders about the morality of in-vitro fertilization and Catholic teaching. Sarah in a post As We Enter Your First Spring from just another day of Catholic pondering shares a letter to her 6-month-old daughter to try and capture the wonder of seeing the new world through her daughter's eyes. Be sure to go to Steven's blog and check out all the posts -- you'll be glad you did!

Happy Birthday, Christine! Praying for a day filled with special blessings. In the love of Jesus and Mary, Jean

Have a beautiful birthday, Marie ! I'm praying for birthday blessings for you today. In His love, Jean

"Pills or dinner?" was the subject heading of Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards' email alert yesterday. The premise is ridiculous: that due to rising prices of artificial female steroids, i.e., birth control pills, college nyphomaniacs are being forced to choose between illicit sex and eating. Here's what happened. Legislators passed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to save $40 billion over 5 years. A consequence, according to U.S. News & World Report : A quirk in a new federal law, designed to save taxpayers money on Medicaid reimbursements for drugs, has effectively persuaded pharmaceutical companies to stop selling their products to these [university] pharmacies at deeply discounted rates. (If companies continue to offer such discounts, the law stipulates, they will also receive lower payments from Medicaid.) Shock: the government isn't buying the whining. In response to one request to restore the loophole, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid wro...

From LifesiteNews: Sacrificing their precious sleep and leisure time, more than 70 students from Virginia's Christendom College filled the lawns outside a D.C. Planned Parenthood (PP) clinic on Saturday morning to prayerfully battle abortion and support a handful of student sidewalk counselors offering information on crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) to women entering and exiting the facility. Saturday's "Mega-Shield" event was the culminating event of the semester for Shield of Roses, a Christendom pro-life group comprised of students who travel about an hour and fifteen minutes each Saturday morning to the nearest PP facility. Most of the students attend a 7am Mass offered on campus before piling into school vans or personal vehicles. Paul Wilson, the current student head of Shield of Roses, promotes Shield on campus and leads a program of prayer that includes 20 decades of the Rosary, traditional hymns, and the chaplet of Divine Mercy. Members of the college choi...

Today is the feast of my Confirmation saint, St. Catherine of Siena, Caterina di Giacomo di Benicasa (1347 - 1380). As a mystic, activist, reformer, contemplative, and Doctor of the Church, she is one of the most prominent figures in Christian history. “I, CATHERINE, … write to strengthen you in the precious blood of the Son of God, desiring to see you consumed in the fire of his charity ….” That is the way Catherine of Siena, the fiery young lay Dominican of the mid-14th century, might well have chosen to introduce herself to today's 21st century readers. It was typical of this Dominican saint always to think and speak of herself only in connection with Christ and to present herself that way to others. She was a mystic (who had visions beginning at the age of seven) and a doctor of the Church -- a gifted, powerful and highly influential woman of her time. We celebrate Catherine of Siena as an international political figure and a feminist hero. We think of her as Eleanor Roosevelt...

Photo: Giuliani in line to receive Holy Communion at Papal Mass (courtesy of AP) Cardinal Egan released a statement today addressing the fact that Rudy Giuliani received Communion at the Papal Mass in New York. This is the first time a Cardinal, let alone a bishop, has addressed a pro-abortion Catholic politician receiving Communion since Archbishop Burke publicly stated that he would deny John Kerry Communion should he present himself in his diocese. The following is a statement issued by Edward Cardinal Egan: “ The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God. Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind. Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York, that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known sup...

October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962 If you must choose between me and the baby, no hesitation; Choose—and I demand it—the baby, Save him!” Gianna Beretta Molla was an Italian doctor, wife, and mother who refused to have either an abortion or hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child. Doctors had discovered in the second month of her pregnancy a fibroma tumor in her uterus. As a doctor, Gianna knew the consequences of not fully treating the fibroma. She chose the life of her child over her own. On the morning of April 21, 1962, a healthy baby girl was born, Gianna Emanuela. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you», the mother died of septic peritonitis. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. Gianna was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international year of the fa...

Totus Tuus Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia meatua sunt, O Virgo, super omnia benedicta. Translates as: I am all yours, and all that is mine is yours, O Virgin, blessed above all. Louis de Montfort's life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the church. Totus tuus was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul the Great) chose it as his episcopal motto. Born to a poor family in 1673 in the Breton village of Montfort, as an adult, Louis identified himself by the place of his baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1700. He preached parish missions throughout western France, walking from city to city. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to t...

Thursday, May 1 - Sunday, May 11 For A Renewed Descent of the Holy Spirit In Our Day “As we give thanks for past blessings, and look to the challenges of the future, let us implore from God the grace of a new Pentecost for the Church in America. May tongues of fire, combining burning love of God and neighbor with zeal for the spread of Christ’s Kingdom, descend on all present.”Pope Benedict XVI, Papal Visit to the United States, April 19, 2008 Our world is in great danger. It is under constant threat from unprecedented acts of terrorism and war, disasters of nature, economic crises, mass hunger, moral decline, attacks on human rights and the sanctity of human life. As people of faith, we know we are engaged in a colossal battle between the Gospel of Life and the “culture of death.” We are deeply concerned, but not without hope. More and more people realize that our world needs conversion. More and more people realize that our efforts alone will not be enough. We need the help of heave...

American Life League pays tribute to Wellington Mara, former owner of the World Champion New York Giants and a pro-life hero.

Via Esther. You Would Be a Pet Cat Independent and aloof, you don't like to be dependent on anyone. And as for other people, you can take them or leave them. You often don't care. You live your life by your own rules. And you have deep motivations that no one truly understands. Why you would make a great pet: You're not needy or greedy... unlike other four legged friends. Why you would make a bad pet: You're not exactly running down to greet people at the door What you would love about being a cat: Agility and freedom What you would hate about being a cat: Being treated like a dog by clueless humans What Kind of Pet Would You Be?

My favorites have been: 1. Expelled -- No Intelligence Allowed **** A Must See 2. The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (DVD) *** 3. Nim's Island *** I've read some great reviews of Expelled -- No Intelligence Allowed. I particularly enjoyed the review of Expelled at Libertas , who comments, "We all know there’s a war against religion in America. We all know it’s a hostile and unrelenting war. We knew this long before the ACLU sued to have Christmas trees removed from firehouses. Under the guise of a separation of church and state — which is written nowhere in the Constitution — freedom of religion is under assault by hostile atheists desperate for a godless theocracy. But did you know this hostility extends to science and academia?" Go here to read the rest. For teens, I would refer you to Joey's review here. Adults will want to check out the following posts: Darwin's Kool-Aid: A Review Of Ben Stein's "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" at Rom...

It's true -- my boyfriend aka my dh Bill is back! PTL! Alleluia! After living and working in a different area of the state since the end of January -- he's home and I'm rejoicing! He has a job right here in town so we won't be moving! This is the answer to prayer. Thank you, Lord! Which of these videos do you prefer? I think I like the music on the original but like the dancing on the American Dreams version -- it's joyful and energetic. I am joyful at the moment, but not too energetic with this cold. In case you're wondering why I haven't been posting here as much as I normally do, I have had lots going on -- unpacking the items we had packed for moving, his moving back home, etc. I have had computer geeks coming and going and am scheduled to have a major overhaul on my computer by the "Geek Squad" this week. I am also starting a new business as well as continuing my freelance writing assignments. Lots of changes going on here, but blogging wil...

Room of Tears is a beautiful video on the Holy Father's acceptance of the papacy in 2005. The new popes all get dressed in a room off the Sistine Chapel before being presented to the world. They often weep as they ponder the responsibility. Thanks be to God for the gift of our dear Papa!

Domini Sumus , the host of this weeks' Catholic Carnival, cleverly asks: "Suffering from Pope withdrawal? Get your B16 supplement in this week's Catholic Carnival in which we remember some of the papal events of the past week." There are some great posts there -- click here to read them.

What Is The First And Foremost Right Of All Women?

My heart aches from missing the later part of the Holy Father's visit due to family emergencies as well as the breakdown of my computer -- which didn't work at all for the later part of the visit and then has worked off and on this week for only short spurts of time. I managed to catch glimpses of him on EWTN during this time, but it just wasn't enough for me. Thankfully, I found this concise, well-written, and very enlightening editorial from the National Catholic Register to fill me in on what I missed, to interpret the events for me, and to point out the significance of his visit. Most importantly --this editorial helps me to understand who Pope Benedict really is and what he wants me to do to build the kingdom of Christ in the world. The World Meets Benedict As we launched Pope2008.com, our blogsite covering the papal events; as we put together stories for the Register; as we planned features for our sister publication, Faith & Family magazine, as our own Circle Pre...

"Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All things pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices." ~ St. Teresa of Avila

The ultimate foundation of the value and the dignity of man, of the meaning of his life, is the fact that he is God's image and likeness! ~ Pope John Paul II

Computer woes continue, despite the fact that I have had a reliable and trustworthy expert computer repairman here working on my Dell computer for the past two days. Apparently when a Windows program was previously installed there was a problem and we need a patch to repair it. In the meantime, this multi-tasker can only open one or two programs at a time until it's fixed. What a pain. Can anyone relate to what I'm talking about?

by Judie Brown When we launched our new website, http://www.firebillmaher.com/ , we had no idea that it would generate so much interest! In fact we launched the site just hours before Mr. Maher was allegedly going to apologize for the awful comments he made about Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church. I suppose that you heard about these comments but, in case you did not know what Mr. Maher said on April 11, here is a précis for you: Bill Maher called the Catholic Church "a child-abusing religious cult." Bill Maher lied when he said Pope Benedict "used to be a Nazi." Bill Maher said the Catholic Church is "the Bear Stearns of organized pedophilia." Bill Maher libelously alleged that before becoming pope, Benedict "wrote a letter instructing every Catholic bishop to keep the sex abuse of minors secret until the statute of limitations ran out." Bill Maher said that the Catholic Church's attitude is, "We're here, we're queer, ge...

Today is the optional memorial of St. Anslem of Canterbury, Benedictine Monk, Bishop, Theologian, Philosopher, and Doctor of the Church. St. Anslem (b. 1033, Aosta, Lombardy; d. 1109, Canterbury, Kent) is generally considered to be the founder of the philosophical school of Scholasticism, for his attempt to analyze and illumine the truths of faith through the aid of reason. He was a major figure in the intellectual life of the Middle Ages, and a major political and ecclesiastical force as well. To learn more about him, go here. Here are a few of his gems: "O God, let me know you and love you so that I may find joy in you; and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day, until at last that knowledge, love and joy come to me in all their plenitude. While I am here on earth let me know you fully; let my love for you grow deeper here, so that there I may love you fully. On earth then I shall have great joy in hope, and in heaven complete joy in t...

Have a beautiful birthday, Mother Angelica! You are dearly loved by all of us!

I'm back online viewing things through my 19" Dell flat screen monitor . This is the first time I've had a flat screen monitor and I really like it! I can see what I'm creating much better and don't have to sit 6" away from the monitor anymore. Those chiropractic adjustments on my neck add up, especially when you don't have health insurance. Even my shoulders and back aren't as tense and that is a wonderful advantage for someone like me, who struggles with the pain of FMS and OA. It certainly has its health advantages. As for the price, I didn't do any comparison shopping -- there wasn't time -- I just stopped by Best Buy, which usually has the best prices on electronics in this part of the country.

I apologize for not posting daily as I normally do. Thursday evening, a quick flash of light came across my screen, then everything went dark as my 10 year old monitor died. I will be out shopping today for a new monitor and resume regular blogging as soon as possible. I'm praying for a monitor that will last just as long, if not longer and that I will get it at a good price. More to come....

As he celebrated Mass for a congregation of over 45,000 people in a Washington baseball stadium, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the virtue of hope-- the subject of his encyclical Spe Salvi-- and the call to repentance and conversion. Greeted by thunderous applause when he arrived at Nationals Park, the Pope presided at a liturgical celebration that featured music drawn from a wide variety of sources, prompting one television commentator to describe the liturgy as "consciously multicultural." In his homily the Pontiff observed that the American people have always valued the virtue of hope, preserving their confidence even in times of trial. That confidence is tested today, he said, as "we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations" of our culture. He exhorted Christians to approach this crisis with a firm reliance on the power of faith. In the Christian understanding, the Pope said, hope is based on the realization that Christ has brought man the...

Papal Address 2 USA - WASHINGTON - 16.04.2008 National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Meeting with the Bishops of the United States 2-Original text Dear Brother Bishops, It gives me great joy to greet you today, at the start of my visit to this country, and I thank Cardinal George for the gracious words he has addressed to me on your behalf. I want to thank all of you, especially the Officers of the Episcopal Conference, for the hard work that has gone into the preparation of this visit. My grateful appreciation goes also to the staff and volunteers of the National Shrine, who have welcomed us here this evening. American Catholics are noted for their loyal devotion to the see of Peter. My pastoral visit here is an opportunity to strengthen further the bonds of communion that unite us. We began by celebrating Evening Prayer in this Basilica dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a shrine of special significance to American Catholics, right in the heart o...