Gotta Love the National Catholic Reporter Crowd
February 8, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Someone named Michael Sean Winters * has experienced another petit mal paroxysm of truculence against political conservatives, this time lashing out on the National Catholic Reporter website against the recent Tea Party convention, sneering at pretty much everyone there for being, in his words, “birthers” (meaning those who question whether Dear Leader was really born in the U.S. or not). There’s a discussion going on about that, one which I have little interest and no part in. Apparently, though, the fact that it’s a topic of concern for some really gets his goat.
“I am not a fan of guilt by association, but those conservatives liberals who wish to be taken seriously need to explicitly disassociate themselves from such nonsense [as Winters’]. There is a difference between a difference of opinion and being nuts. If you hang out with nuts and do not call them out on their nuttiness, people can be forgiven for thinking you concur. America needs a thoughtful and articulate conservative liberal political voice, but no such voice emerged from the proceedings in NashvilleThe National Catholic Reporter.”
* I know who Michael Sean Winters is. He has a penchant for referring to those with whom he disagrees as “someone named So-and-So,” insinuating they are obscure. He did it again in the NCR blog post linked to above. (Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery, eh, wot?)
The Amazing Story of "Christian Elephants" in India
February 8, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Talk about bad Karma. The Archdiocese of Colombo has this astonishing story which I have never heard of before. Makes me wonder whether St. Francis of Assisi got tired of the Hindu mobbery against Christians going on in India and decided to send some of his pachyderm pals into the mix for a little payback action. On second thought, nah, St. Francis would never do something like that. I think.
In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire. The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes. Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.
In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles. In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.
These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms.
Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.
Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.
Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.
It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.
Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.
These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people. Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.
Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community. They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephant soon follow and get the job done.
The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs. In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”
With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. “The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. “There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They come from Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa. (Source)
Meet me in St. Louis, February 6th (Men's Conference)
February 3, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Neuroscientist Explores How Porn Hijacks Male Brain
February 3, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
This is your brain:
You Can Keep Your Kids Catholic. Here's How . . .
February 3, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Russian Orthodox Church to appoint 400 priests as military chaplains
February 3, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
I suspect that folks my age and older will likely find this news item from the Russian
Interfax news agency rather remarkable:Moscow, February 3, Interfax – The Russian Orthodox Church will appoint about 400 priests for service as armed forces chaplains in fulfillment of a directive of the chief of the General Staff late last year that instituted chaplaincy positions in the military, the website of Patriarch Kirill cited the Primate as saying.There is a plan to set up centers to provide clergy with three-month training for chaplaincy service, the Patriarch told a Bishops’ Meeting in Moscow.The clergy to be sent to the military will include both clerics with experience of service in the armed forces and young priests who are fit to serve in field conditions.Under a directive by the chief of the General Staff effective from December 1, 2009, the commander of an armed forces unit is to have a civilian aide who is a cleric and ministers to religious servicemen.Russian military units abroad have become the first to acquire chaplains – 13 priests went to serve there in December.The command of the North Caucasus Military District had a military clergy department set up in October 2009. Patriarch Kirill asked the bishops of the Southern Federal District to name candidates to fill 30 chaplaincy positions in the district’s military units.The Armed Forces Sociological Center says more than 70% of Russia’s military personnel consider themselves religious. About 80% of them identify themselves as Orthodox Christians, about 13% as Muslims, about 3% as Buddhists, and 4% as followers of other faiths. There are 530 churches on the premises of military units.
“I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”
I interpret the “conversion of Russia” to mean a conversion that entails a full reunion with the Catholic Church. And in addition to the above, stories like this and this give me a great deal of hope that I will live to see that blessed day.
A New Low for the Already Low "Reality" Show Genre
February 2, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Show Lets Viewers Decide If ‘Reality Stars’ Get Abortions“The ‘Bump’ was conceived after President Obama’s commencement address at Note Dame University last year where he said he wanted “to find ways to communicate about a workable solution to the problem of unintended pregnancies,” executive producer Dominic Iocco told The Washington Post. . . . (continue reading)See also: BumptheShow.com
This is what SUVs looked like in the 60s
February 1, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
From the wicked cool TV series “Lost in Space,” which I watched religiously, all three seasons it was on . . .
What the . . .?
February 1, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Obowma does it again. (But why?)
"A systemic pattern of cooperation with evil"
February 1, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
LifeSiteNews.com reports on the past involvement of John Carr, a senior USCCB employee, with a group that promotes abortion and the gay agenda:
A national group that promotes abortion and homosexual rights has deep ties with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, according to a report released Monday.
Top USCCB executive John Carr held simultaneous leadership roles, creating a conflict of interest, with the USCCB and the radical Center for Community Change.“The closer we look at the Bishops Conference [staff and programs], the more we find a systemic pattern of cooperation with evil,” said Michael Hichborn, American Life League’s lead researcher into the USCCB scandal. “The CCC has lodged itself into the highest places of power in the USCCB while working to promote abortion and homosexuality.”John Carr is the USCCB executive director of the Department of Justice Peace and Human Development which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). He has been employed by the USCCB since 1987.John Carr’s relationship with the Center for Community Change goes back at least to 1983, serving in leadership roles from 1999 to 2006 – including as chairman of the board. The Reform CCHD Now report details the organization’s promotion of abortion, “reproductive rights” and homosexuality as among the CCC’s core advocacy focuses.In 2001, while Carr served as both a USCCB exec and CCC leader, the Catholic Bishops Conference funneled $150,000 to the pro-abortion group. The USCCB web site currently promotes the group and officials have spoken at CCC events.“Strangely, Carr’s leadership on the CCC’s board shows up on several bios he’s submitted for speaking engagements, but the word for word bio on the USCCB web site mysteriously omits that one detail,” Hichborn said. “Why?”Revelations of John Carr’s involvement in the Center for Community Change come only months after members of the Reform CCHD Now coalition, including American Life League, uncovered 31 CCHD grantees partnered with the CCC.“The CCHD claims it will immediately investigate accusations against organizations it funds yet it is silent on the CCC,” said Hichborn. “How can Carr and the USCCB possibly justify this intimate relationship with such an obvious enemy of the Church?” . . . (continue reading)See also: Deal Hudson’s take on this.Update: Our Sunday Visitor has looked into the allegations made by the American Life League against Mr. Carr and has found several discrepancies. OSV posted this statement from Mr. Carr responding to the ALL article:
Neither the American Life League nor the Bellarmine Institute contacted me, CCHD or the bishops’ conference before making these accusations. If they had, they would have learned that I left the board of the Center for Community Change in February of 2005 and that I had no involvement in or knowledge of the actions alleged in the press release.
My experience with CCC was that it focused on poverty, housing and immigration and had no involvement in issues involving abortion and homosexuality.
When I served, the board never discussed or acted on any position involving these matters and if they had, I would have vigorously opposed any advocacy for access to abortion or gay marriage.
I have spent my personal and professional life defending human life and dignity and Catholic teaching, including current efforts to keep abortion funding out of health care reform. I regret that once again the failure to contact me or CCHD has led to unfair allegations in attempts to undermine the essential work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
