Reports Gateway Pundit breaking news of NY Times killing a story that would have shown a close link between ACORN, Project Vote and the Obama campaign before the election:
“The radical ACORN organization worked closely with the Obama campaign during the election this past year although the community organizing group was not open about this. The photo below was scrubbed from the ACORN website before the election”:
Purifying the Church is a work of the Spirit in all ages. The Church is the home of sinners working on being saints. Like the disciples that needed Jesus to wash their feet although they had already been cleansed by Christ, Christians in contact with the world do find that the dust and dirt does stick.
Here I want to repeat a message and spread an appeal made by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. He says, some of the very liberal Catholic are calling for all kinds of changes that will leave the Catholic Church no longer the Catholic Church. Fr. Groeschel says, that the Church has be humiliated. It has been demoralized. We are asking what will happen. He says, “Pray! Pray! Pray!………Pray for the Church, pray for the victims and pray for our enemies?”
In an urgent appeal Fr. Groeschel joins EWTN in asking, “What can we do as Catholics and Christians to bring something good out to these most vicious attacks on the Church in the media and society?……Otherwise, we will have what Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen calls ‘wasted suffering’.”
Fr. Groeschel calls for reform; vigilance and reform to carry us forward from this point of humiliation, betrayal and defamation. Here are some areas which need reformation:
1. Liturgy and prayer
It should be reverent devout and worthy. Worship of God is a serious business. Prepare for it! Dress for it!
2. Eucharistic celebration and Reconciliation
Mass should be presented in a manner that supports prayer with appropriate music for all ages that lifts the heart and spirit. It should be prayerful.
3. Catholic education
Many Catholic schools of higher education should not be called Catholic. Many are simply trying to make money – greed!
4. Catholic Social Service and Hospitals
Many Catholic Hospital and Social Services are lacking in areas of Catholic sexual morality and catholic medical ethics. How do you make changes? Write letters!… Begin your letter to schools and hospitals the need change in these areas like this: “Before we do anything else, we thought it was only fair to contact you.”
5. Religious life
According to Fr. Benedict, Catholics can be very stupid. They don’t know how to deal with a theory. They let themselves be influenced by every passing fad. This is what has destroyed people; taking too much from psychology and not enough from the Gospel and from the Tradition of the Found. Give them a theory and they think they have to believe it. Something comes along, call it psychology, call it the ennegram and Catholics have to pick it up and play with it. For His part, Father Groeschel knows what he believes. He believes in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t need to believe in psychology or the creations of pop-culture. Psychology or things masquerading as modern thought have have far too much influence on Catholic thinking. Many Catholic communities are completely lacking in prayer life, in witness to the Gospel. They are openly open disloyalty to Catholic teaching and especially to the Holy Father.
Speak up! Cause trouble! Do not accept the false and mediocre. Resurrect the wonderful spirit of your community’s founder or foundress. Read the Gospel. Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Watch out for the influence of psychology. Some things are effective as tools but not as Creed.
6. Issues of Life
Finally, Fr. Groseschel says, “Speak out for Life.” We are not a loud voice. There are millions of Catholics and so far our voice is still a whisper. Get with it. Discover your Catholic heart and passion!
Don’t be surprised that the Church is being crucified. The Church is the Body of Christ. It is going to the Cross. As you call it on it’s sinfulness, don’t exempt yourself. Don’t be afraid of a Crucified Christ. Turn to Christ! Where Satan reigns; the Crucified Conquers! Christ conqueror! Christ captain! Christ command! The Church will come forth purified and one with its Lord.
From The Story of a Soul (L’Histoire d’une Ame):
The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, by Therese Martin (of Lisieux)
At last dawned the eternal day. It was Thursday, September 30,
1897. In the morning, the sweet Victim, her eyes fixed on Our
Lady’s statue, spoke thus of her last night on earth: “Oh! with
what fervour I have prayed to her! . . . And yet it has been pure
agony, without a ray of consolation. . . . Earth’s air is failing
me: when shall I breathe the air of Heaven?”For weeks she had been unable to raise herself in bed, but, at
half-past two in the afternoon, she sat up and exclaimed: “Dear
Mother, the chalice is full to overflowing! I could never have
believed that it was possible to suffer so intensely. . . . I can
only explain it by my extreme desire to save souls. . . .” And a
little while after: “Yes, all that I have written about my thirst
for suffering is really true! I do not regret having surrendered
myself to Love.”She repeated these last words several times. A little later she
added: “Mother, prepare me to die well.” The good Mother Prioress
encouraged her with these words: “My child, you are quite ready to
appear before God, for you have always understood the virtue of
humility.” Then, in striking words, Therese bore witness to
herself:“Yes, I feel it; my soul has ever sought the truth. . . . I have
understood humility of heart!”. . . . . . .
At half-past four, her agony began–the agony of this “Victim of
Divine Love.” When the Community gathered round her, she thanked
them with the sweetest smile, and then, completely given over to
love and suffering, the Crucifix clasped in her failing hands, she
entered on the final combat. The sweat of death lay heavy on her
brow . . . she trembled . . . but, as a pilot, when close to
harbour, is not dismayed by the fury of the storm, so this soul,
strong in faith, saw close at hand the beacon-lights of Heaven,
and valiantly put forth every effort to reach the shore.As the convent bells rang the evening Angelus, she fixed an
inexpressible look upon the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, the
Star of the Sea. Was it not the moment to repeat her beautiful
prayer:“O thou who camest to smile on me in the morn of my life, come
once again and smile, Mother, for now it is eventide!”[15]A few minutes after seven, turning to the Prioress, the poor
little Martyr asked: “Mother, is it not the agony? . . . am I not
going to die?” “Yes, my child, it is the agony, but Jesus perhaps
wills that it be prolonged for some hours.” In a sweet and
plaintive voice she replied: “Ah, very well then . . . very well
. . . I do not wish to suffer less!”Then, looking at her crucifix:
“Oh! . . . I love Him! . . . My God, I . . . love . . . Thee!”
These were her last words. She had scarcely uttered them when, to
our great surprise, she sank down quite suddenly, her head
inclined a little to the right, in the attitude of the Virgin
Martyrs offering themselves to the sword; or rather, as a Victim
of Love, awaiting from the Divine Archer the fiery shaft, by which
she longs to die.Suddenly she raised herself, as though called by a mysterious
voice; and opening her eyes, which shone with unutterable
happiness and peace, fixed her gaze a little above the statue of
Our Lady. Thus she remained for about the space of a _Credo,_ when
her blessed soul, now become the prey of the “Divine Eagle,” was
borne away to the heights of Heaven.(From the Project Gutenberg Ebook)
InstaPundit on behalf of Simon Jester:
Here is where we could use your help. Submit your t-shirt ideas. Send us articles about dumb government. Even send us pictures of you and your neighbors at a tea party, esp. if you are sporting a Simon Jester! We will publish your pictures down there in the gallery, investigate your articles and give our take on them, and some new designs are already in the works. We aim to be a source of information and a rallying point for citizens who love the liberty inherent in all men and codified in our founding documents.
Daniel Hannan, he’s just too funny and sensible to be in government!
Glenn Reynolds/Instapundit finds more Daniel Hannan MEP (Member European Parliament) and escoriator on Scarsborough’ morning joe:
“The truth Prime Minister is that you have run out of our Money….You’re pathologically incapable of taking responsibility for these things… You are the Devalued Prime Minister of a Devalued Government.
Liberal spending mania selling their children future for their projects and agenda.
Twelve days after the Pope on the way to Africa answered a reporters question saying the Aides“is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can aggravate the problem.”
The media continues to defame the Pope but because of the controversy people are doing their homework and reading reports of disease control agencies and checking the stats.
The Pope is right. Media morality won’t work in the battle against Aids Their wishful thinking and magic condoms offer risky hope in an area where HIV and AIDS holds nations hostage.
Ugandan health officials wade into the fray with there knowledge based facts and observations (not biased based opinions.)
Raymond Arroy quotes author Matthew Hanley on the NCNC blot this week who wrote:
“An exhaustive review of the impact of condom promotion on actual HIV transmission in the developing world concluded that condoms have not been responsible for turning around any of the severe African epidemics. This rigorous study was originally commissioned by UNAIDS, and conducted by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco. Instead of welcoming the findings, and adapting HIV prevention strategies accordingly, UNAIDS first tried to alter the findings, and ultimately refused to publish them. The findings were so threatening to UNAIDS that the researchers were finally forced to publish them on their own in another, peer-reviewed journal.”
Be Holy! 