Doubt can be the emotional equivalent of anything from a brief spring rain to a Galveston-destroying hurricane. People can feel doubt over whether to place two bucks on the Mariners to win (don’t) or about whether the God in whom they have believed all their life is a sham, a fraud, and a delusion. Doubt … Read more
Since it became the latest media sensation, commentators have attempted to exploit whatever demographic or philosophical fault lines they can discover within the Tea Party protest movement. One of the media’s favorite themes so far has been the alleged tension between fiscal and social conservatives, or between libertarians and Christians. Some believe that incidents such … Read more
Steve Ertelt at LifeNews.com has posted a complete list of President Obama’s record on abortion since taking office. Given the one year anniversary, it’s time to ask whether, since visiting Notre Dame, there has been any subtle or significant change in direction in Obama’s view of innocent human life. After all, President Jenkins, as you … Read more
Faithful Catholics have been so worn down by fighting fundamental heresies taught by bishops that we sometimes shun intrareligious dialogue — that is, talking to sincere but confused fellow Catholics with whom we don’t agree. And that’s a mistake, since many issues really are complex, and we might in fact be confused ourselves. Let’s take … Read more
When the health-care bill passed, the bishops’ reaction was twofold: disappointment at federal funding for abortion, while universal care was applauded. For some, including myself, the sound of the bishops’ clapping was far too loud given the immense tragedy of our federal tax dollars being committed to support abortion under the guise of “women’s health … Read more
Racism, abortion, blasphemy, sex abuse — today’s Friday morning round-up is a more serious affair: Immediately after winning the Republican primary in Kentucky, Rand Paul got in hot water for his appearance on the Rachel Maddow show, where he questioned the constitutionality of one aspect of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Now he’s clearing … Read more
As a deeply worried citizen of a country that justly deserves my love, I watched last night’s election results with a savage, manic glee. How satisfying it was to see the principled patriot Rand Paul crush the monied, establishment hacks, and to throw peanuts at the screen as the pro-abortion, warmongering lech Arlen Specter slinked … Read more
Over at Catholic Advocate I’ve described the sad situation, once again. The USCCB is a member of the Leadership Counsel for Civil and Human Rights, and one of its projects, The Coalition for Constitutional Values, has just published a video endorsing pro-abortion nominee for the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan. How can it be that the … Read more
Well, you don’t often get pro-life pieces at the Huffington Post. Though to be honest, the piece I found isn’t explicitly pro-life. In fact, it doesn’t mention abortion or euthanasia at all. But the ideas he expressed are thoroughly pro-life (though I’d predict the author would deny the connection). Writer Bryan Young, nominally Catholic, recently … Read more
Margaret, over on on NRO’s Corner Maggie Gallagher says that Kagan will be the lynchpin for same-sex marriage in all 50 states: A vote for Elena Kagan is a vote for “marriage equality,” which features in two key cases that will shortly be before the Supreme Court: Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which arises out of California’s … Read more
Sr. Carol Keehan responded to the standing ovation she received at a gathering of Obama’s Catholic coalition by making a very strange claim about her support of the recent health-care legislation signed by President Barack Obama. “We were in complete accord with our bishops and our church that abortion is a grave evil. There is … Read more
The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) is at it again. For those not familiar with AGI, it is a $30-million-a-year research group based in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Named for Alan Guttmacher, former president of Planned Parenthood, the mission of the organization is to “advance sexual and reproductive health” around the world. This makes … Read more
At Catholic Advocate, I argue the White House and the Congress are empowering Catholic dissidents, and, as a result, the Church is paying the price. For those who say we must wait for the Church to exert its influence over politics, I say the Church in presently too weak. The vectors of influence can … Read more
At Catholic Advocate, I argue the White House and the Congress are empowering Catholic dissidents, and, as a result, the Church is paying the price. For those who say we must wait for the Church to exert its influence over politics, I say the Church in presently too weak. The vectors of influence can … Read more
At Catholic Advocate, I argue the White House and the Congress are empowering Catholic dissidents, and, as a result, the Church is paying the price. For those who say we must wait for the Church to exert its influence over politics, I say the Church in presently too weak. The vectors of influence can … Read more
The day after she defended Obama as “pro-choice,” as opposed to “pro-abortion,” Sr. Anita Baird, an employee of the Archdiocese of Chicago, apologized for the remark. The relevant portion of the apology is found at LifeSiteNews: “In order to clarify my quote that appeared on LifeSiteNews.com, I am affirming my belief in the teachings of … Read more
I posted this over at my blog at TrueSlant, but it’s so short — what the heck — I’ll submit it for your disappoval here. For decades, the RNC allowed its employees to get a subsidized abortion. For one night, its young donors received an all-expenses-paid visit to a strip-and-bondage club. Guess which sin miscue … Read more
Regular readers may be taken aback by the question, but I ask it seriously. In fact, I am repeating a question put to Francis Cardinal George by a reporter for the Catholic News Service. A March 23 story from CNS, written by Nancy Frazier O’Brien, featured an exchange with Cardinal George, president of the U.S. … Read more
There are only two facts Catholics need to know about the health-care bill to decide it must be repealed: The bill signed by the president includes federal funding for abortion, and the executive order does nothing to remove that funding. You don’t have to accept those facts on my authority — they have both … Read more
I found Todd’s post particularly interesting today, especially as I had just stumbled across a very different take on Stupak’s health-care capitulation over on Ross Douthat’s New York Times blog. While he would agree with Todd that the executive order is “probably meaningless,” and that the new health-care legislation “effectively tilts public policy in a … Read more