Catholic Fire

Following their private meeting in the Oval Office today, a joint communique was released by President Bush and Pope Benedict. Full text: His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and President George W. Bush met today in the Oval Office of the White House. President Bush, on behalf of all Americans, welcomed the Holy Father, wished him a happy birthday, and thanked him for the spiritual and moral guidance, which he offers to the whole human family. The President wished the Pope every success in his Apostolic Journey and in his address at the United Nations, and expressed appreciation for the Pope’s upcoming visit to “Ground Zero” in New York. During their meeting, the Holy Father and the President discussed a number of topics of common interest to the Holy See and the United States of America, including moral and religious considerations to which both parties are committed: the respect of the dignity of the human person; the defense and promotion of life, matrimony and the family; the education ...

On September 30, San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair will be held. The ad for this year’s gay/leather event depicts half-naked homosexuals at a table mimicking the Last Supper. The sadomasochistic theme features sex toys displayed on the table. Catholic League president Bill Donohue explains his response today: “Kudos to Concerned Women for America for bringing this obscenity to the attention of the public. Their strategy is to get California politicians to denounce this event. Our strategy is to get Miller Brewing Company to withdraw its sponsorship. Here’s why. “There are several sponsors to this street fair, but most are local and represent niche markets; Miller is the only national household sponsor. Furthermore, Miller has a record of acceding to requests from various segments of the population that have objected to certain ads: it has bowed to the wishes of Muslims, African-American clergy, lawyers and feminists by pulling ads deemed offensive. Surely it will do the same in this i...

Pew Survey Finds Voters Uninformed on Life and Family Issues by Hillary White A recent Pew research poll indicates that pro-life advocates have a way to go in bringing the life and family issues into the minds of voters. The August 2007 Religion and Public Life Survey was taken between August 1 and 18 and surveyed 3,002 adults. The survey found that social issues such as abortion and homosexual "marriage" continue to take a back seat in voters' minds to other domestic issues and the war in Iraq. In the last general election that voted in President Bush, the religious beliefs of candidates and the so-called "values" issues, including abortion, were found at exit polls to have been more significant factors than had previously been thought. Currently, despite the efforts of pro-life groups, only 22 per cent of the public and only 31 per cent of Republicans know that Rudy Giuliani is pro-abortion . 78 per cent said the economy, health care and the environment were t...