Catholic Fire

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Springfield diocese has announced that he will offer prayers "for exorcism in reparation for the sin of same-sex marriage" the same day that Illinois legalizes gay marriage. The gay marriage bill is expected to be signed into law by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn next week. “It is scandalous that so many Catholic politicians are responsible for enabling the passage of this legislation and even twisting the words of the pope to rationalize their actions despite the clear teaching of the church,” said Paprocki. “All politicians now have the moral obligation to work for the repeal of this sinful and objectionable legislation. We must pray for deliverance from this evil which has penetrated our state and our church.” Related: Gay Marriage Exorcism: Illinois Bishop Plans Prayer Service Opposing 'Evil' Marriage Equality Law Bishop Paprocki: Same-sex marriage 'grave sin'

Tracey Rowland, an Australian philosopher, discusses how the Catholic Church should respond to proponents of same-sex marriage.

This wonderful story comes from Brandon Voight at Ignitum Today : As an Evangelical Christian in 2008, “God’s Rottweiler” worried me. From what I heard, he was a cold and stodgy disciplinarian with a hyper-traditionalist streak, more likely to crack a whip than save a soul. But then I became Catholic. I devoured his books and studied his speeches, and I discovered a much different man. He was humble, spiritual, and wise—more Gandalf than Stalin. In the five years since becoming Catholic, Pope Benedict has taught me several lessons. But three stick out in particular: the priority of encountering Christ, the proper interpretation of the Bible, and the astounding power of the new media. First, when you study Pope Benedict’s work you’ll quickly notice his evangelical bend. He incessantly reminds us that Christianity is not about a philosophy, a set of doctrines, or a moral list of do’s and don’ts: it’s about a relationship with Christ. Those other things certainly matter but they

While New York's senators debate whether or not to legalize same-sex "marriage" in their state, the seven Catholic bishops of New York have issued a statement strongly opposing "such a drastic measure." David Paterson, the governor of New York, introduced a measure to legalize same-sex "marriage" on April 16, claiming that it was the "right way" to proceed from a spiritual standpoint. The New York State Assembly later passed the bill by an 89-52 vote, with five Republicans voting in support. The measure now awaits a vote in the Senate, but Sen. Tom Duane (D-Manhattan), the bill's main sponsor, is still trying to garner the 32 votes he needs to secure its passage. On Monday, all of the Catholic bishops of New York, headed by the newly-installed Archbishop Timothy Dolan , issued a statement on the attempt to legalize same-sex "marriage." "We face today the prospect of a law in New York which would radically change the ti

This November, California voters will be asked to decide by ballot if marriage in their state is to be defined as solely between one man and one woman. No doubt voters in other states will soon face that same decision. With such a radical cultural change hanging in the balance, it's more important than ever that voters be aware of important social-science research that sheds light on the issue. Trayce L. Hansen, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist, recently reviewed the available research on homosexually parented children and reports findings relevant to the same-sex marriage debate: Children raised by openly homosexual parents are more likely to engage in homosexual behavior themselves. And some self-described pro-homosexual researchers who uncovered such results attempted to conceal them by declaring that no differences were found. The findings of Dr. Hansen's review are revealed in a newly released article entitled, "Pro-Homosexual Researchers Conceal Findings: Children Rais

Sarah is once again hosting the Catholic Carnival this week and has done a great job, as usual. Here are a few of my favorite posts: The Picture of the Hindu God that Barack Obama Carries for Good Luck Is His Torment Justified? at Reasonable Kansans This Kansan is on her toes when it comes to discussing evolution. I would like this post even if I wasn't written by a fellow Kansan. California's Catholic Bishops Speak on Same-Sex Marriage ... And They Lived Happily Ever After: A Tale of a Mixed Marriage by Kate Wicker is the first of a series and is well-worth your time to read. Steven R. McEvoy has done a great job of reviewing a book that is certainly one of my favorite sci-fi books Infinite Space, Infinite God. Go there and read all the super posts -- there's quite a variety this week!

Christians must have recourse to conscientious objection to abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, said the President of Pontifical Academy for Life, Bishop Elio Sgreccia, at the conclusion of a conference last week. “Until now we were familiar with objection of conscience in two fields, against military service and war and against abortion and sterilization,” he said, but there are many other cases today. “For example, the morning-after pill, or chemical abortion, and other methods including vaccines used in the third world,” he said. The bishop was speaking at a two-day general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life at the Vatican, Feb. 23-24. About 400 participants from around the world participated. The theme was: “The Christian Conscience Supports the Right to Life”. “The conscience is often called the sanctuary of the person, the most secret nucleus which decides man’s action,” Bishop Sgreccia said. “Since it is a sacred place the conscience can also be profaned, destroye