Bishop of Springfield authorizes St. Michael Prayer after Masses

His Excellency the Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois, has authorized the public recitation of the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel - originally composed by the Holy Father Pope Leo XIII in 1886 - following the dismissal at the end of Mass and before the recession.

He announced this authorization to the priests of the Diocese at a dinner preceding the Chrism Mass Tuesday evening and to the people of the Diocese at the conclusion of the Chrism Mass.

Prayer cards with the text of the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel were distributed after every Mass with the newly blessed and consecrated oils to be place in the pews of the parish churches throughout the Diocese.

Father Daren has more here.

Let us pray that more bishops will follow Bishop Paprocki example.

BTW, my family recites the St. Michael Prayer following Holy Communion...after our prayers of Thanksgiving.

Archbishop Burke - Obama at Notre Dame a Scandal

Apostolic Signatura Prefect, Archbishop Raymond Burke has described the University of Notre Dame's conferral of an honorary doctorate on President Barack Obama as "a scandal".

"The proposed granting of an honorary doctorate at Notre Dame University to our president, who is so aggressively advancing an anti-life and anti-family agenda, is rightly the source of the greatest scandal," Archbishop Burke said...

CathNews USA article here

Full text of Archbishop's speech can be found at James Mary's blog

Bishop Olmsted tells Fr. Jenkins Obama invitation "public act of disobedience to US Bishops"

You can read Bishop Olmstead's letter at the American Papist's blog

Bishop D’Arcy will not attend Notre Dame commencement featuring Obama

"President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred.

Bishop John M. D'Arcy has issued a statement saying that he won't be attending Notre Dame's commencement exercises, which will feature President Obama as the keynote speaker and honor him with a doctor of laws degree.

CNA Article

U.S. Bishops List - Standing Up For Life - UPDATED

Updated 11/4/08 Thanks to Fredi for the list of Illinois Bishops.

Update: Every time I add a new Bishop, the list will be updated.

This list was updated October 30th using Inside Catholic's most recent List

It was becoming difficult to keep tract of all the bishops' prolife stance. So yesterday I got the idea of putting together a list of Bishops who have spoken out during this election season or when pro abortion Catholic politicians obstinately publicly announced their own ideas on abortion. Of course, it will be difficult to cover each diocese in each state. However, I try to have at least one diocese representing each individual state.

Interestingly, today there was an article by LifeSiteNews - 50 Bishops Say Abortion Most Important Issue in U.S. Election.

The following is the list of the U.S. Bishops who have either spoken out during this election, have corrected pro-abortion politicians or whose diocese are involved in prolife work such as 40 Days for Life.

Alabama:
- Diocese of Birmingham Bishop Robert J. Baker

Alaska:

Arizona:
- Diocese of Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmstead


Arkansas:
- Diocese of Little Rock Bishop Anthony B. Taylor

California:
- Archdiocese of San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer

Colorado:
- Diocese of Colorado Springs Bishop Michael J. Sheridan
- Archdiocese of Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput
- Archdiocese of Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley

Connecticut:
- Archdiocese of Hartford Archbishop Henry J. Mansell

Delaware:
- Diocese of Wilmington Bishop W. Francis Malooly

Florida:
- Archdiocese of Miami John C. Favalora - Archdiocese of Miami"> Auxiliary Bishop Felipe J. Estevez
- Archdiocese of Miami Auxiliary Bishop John G. Noonan
- Diocese of Orlando Bishop Bishop Thomas Wenski
- Diocese of Palm Beach Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito
- Diocese of Pensacola - Tallahassee Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ
- Diocese of St. Augustine Bishop Victor Galeone
- Diocese of St. Petersburg Bishop Robert N. Lynch
- Diocese of Venice Frank J. Dewane

Georgia:
- Archdiocese of Atlanta Archbishop Gregory D. Wilton

Hawaii:
- Bishop Clarence (Larry) Silva

Idaho:

Illinois:
- Diocese of Belleville Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton
- Archdiocese of Chicago Archbishop Francis George
- Archdiocese of Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Most Reverend Gustavo Garcia-Siller
- Archidocese of Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Most Reverend Francis J. Kane
- Archdiocese of Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Most Reverend John R. Manz
- Archdiocese of Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Most Reverend Thomas J. Paprocki
- Archdiocese of Chicago Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry
- Archdiocese of Chicago Most Reverend George J. Rassas
- Diocese of Joliet Bishop J. Peter Sartain
- Diocese of Peoria Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C.
- Diocese of Rockford Bishop Thomas G. Doran
- Diocese of Springfield Bishop George J. Lucas
- St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Chicago Most Reverend Richard S. Seminack
- St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago Most Reverend Mar Jacob Angadiath
Indiana:
- Archdioese of Indianapolis Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein

Iowa:
- Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana Bishop William L. Higi
- Diocese of Sioux City Bishop R. Walker Nickless

Kansas:
- Diocese of Dodge City Bishop Ronald M. Gilmore
- Diocese of Kansas City Bishop Joseph F. Naumann
- Diocese of Salina Bishop Paul S. Coakley
- Diocese of Wichita Bishop Michael O. Jackels

Kentucky:

Louisiana:
- Diocese of Lake Charles Glen John Provost, D.D.
- Archdiocese of New Orleans Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes

Maine:

Maryland:
- Archdiocese of Baltimore Archbishop Edwin Frederick O'Brien

Massachusetts:
- Archdiocese of Boston Sean Cardinal O'Malley
- Diocese of Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell
- Diocese of Worchester Bishop Robert J. McManus

Michigan:
- Archdiocese of Detroit Adam Cardinal Maida
- Diocese of Lansing Bishop Earl Boyea
- Diocese of Marquette Bishop Alexander K. Sample
- Diocese of Saginaw Bishop Robert J. Carlson

Minnesota:
- Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

Mississippi:

Missouri:
- Diocese of Kansas City/St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn
- Diocese of Springfield - Cape Girardeau Bishop James V. Johnston
- Diocese of St. Louis Archdiocese Adminstrator Bishop Robert J. Hermann

Montana:

Nebraska:
- Diocese of Lincoln Bishop W. Fabian Bruskewitz
- Archdiocese of Omaha Archbishop Elden F. Curtiss

Nevada:

New Hampshire:

New Jersey:
- Diocese of Camden Bishop Joseph Galante
- Archdiocese of Newark Archbishop John J. Myers
- Diocese of Paterson Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli
- Diocese of Trenton Bishop John M. Smith

New Mexico:
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan

New York:
- Diocese of Albany Bishop Howard J. Hubbard
- Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio
- Archdiocese of New York - Edward Cardinal Egan
- State of New York Catholic Bishops
- Diocese of Rockville Center Bishop William Murphy

- Joint Statement by 22 New York Bishops

North Carolina:
- Diocese of Charlotte Bishop Peter J. Jugis JCD
- Diocese of Raleigh Bishop Michael F. Burbidge

North Dakota:
- Diocese of Fargo Bishop Samuel Aquila

Ohio:
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati while Diocese of Duluth Bishop Dennis M. Schnurr
- Diocese of Cleveland Bishop Richard G. Lennon
- Diocese of Toledo Bishop Leonard P. Blair

Oklahoma:
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Archbishop Eusubius J. Beltran
- Diocese of Tulsa Bishop Edward J. Slattery

Oregon:
- Diocese of Baker Bishop Robert Vasa
- Ardiocese of Portland Archbishop John Vlazny

Pennsylvania:
- Diocese of Greensburg Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt
- Diocese of Harrisburg Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes
- Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia Justin Cardinal Rigali
- Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino
- Joint Statement by 16 Bishops

Rhode Island:
-Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin

South Carolina:

South Dakota:
- Diocese of Rapid City Bishop Blase J. Cupich
- Diocese of Sioux Falls Bishop Paul J. Swain
Tennessee:

Texas:
- Diocese of Amarillo Bishop Patrick J. Zurek and retired bishop John Yanta
- Diocse of Austin Bishop Gregory Aymond
- Diocese of Corpus Christi Bishop Rene H. Gracida
- Diocese of Dallas/Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Farrell and Bishop Kevin Vann
- Archdiocese of Galveston - Houston Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
- Archdiocese of San Antonio Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, S.T.D., and Bishop Oscar Cantú, D.D.

Utah:

Vermont:

Virginia:
- Diocese of Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde
- Diocese of Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo

Washington:
- Archdiocese of Seattle Archbishop Alex J. Brunett

West Virginia:

Wisconsin:
- Diocese of Green Bay Bishop David Ricken
- Diocese of LaCrosse Bishop Jerome E. Listecki
- Diocese of Madison Bishop Robert C. Morlino
- Diocese of Milwaukee Bishop Timothy M. Dolan

Wyoming:

District of Columbia:
- Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Auxiliary Bishop Martin D. Holley
- Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl


- Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura Archbishop Raymond Burke

Bishop Serratelli - "No Right to Life, No Freedom"

The Catholic League has reported that Americans United for Separation of Church and State's Barry Lynn has complained about Bishop Arthur Serratelli's pastoral letter to the IRS. Maybe that is the reason the Bishop's article has not been available online from the Diocese of Paterson, NJ's website. BTW, did you know that the worse thing you can be in New Jersey is a snitch? Anyway, I found the bishop's letter at Catholic Online and am posting it here in case it has been removed permanently from the Diocese of Paterson's webiste:

PATERSON, N.J. (The Diocese of Paterson) - After committing a murder in Rome, the famous 17th century Italian painter Caravaggio went to Malta to avoid the death penalty. While there, the Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta commissioned him to do a painting for the chapel of the Co-Cathedral of St. John in Valletta. Caravaggio chose as his theme the martyrdom of John the Baptist. He produced The Beheading of St. John, his largest work, the only one he ever signed. No doubt the scene touched him personally.

Herod was married to Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John the Baptist preached against this sin, he incurred the hatred of Herod’s wife. The day her daughter Salome delighted Herod with her seductive dance, Herodias had her make Herod promise to kill John the Baptist. Within the severe architecture of a 16th century prison, Caravaggio vividly depicts the grisly moment when Herod kept his promise.

Caravaggio’s work, considered his greatest masterpiece, immortalizes the misguided fidelity of a ruler to his gruesome promise. With the stroke of the soldier’s sword, John dies and so does freedom. Freedom is based on the truth of the human person as created by God and protected by his law.When a ruler can decide against God’s law, true freedom is sentenced to death.

Recently, a politician made a promise. Politicians usually do. If this politician fulfills his promise, not only will many of our freedoms as Americans be taken from us, but the innocent and vulnerable will spill their blood.

On April 18, 2007, in Gonzales v. Carhart, The Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. The very next day prominent Democratic members of Congress reintroduced the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). The bill is misleadingly packaged as a freedom bill. It is not! It is a clear act of unreasoned bias to end abruptly and brutally the debate on the pressing and fundamental moral issue of the right to life.

For thirty-five years, Americans have been wrestling with The Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade. Most Americans now favor some kind of a ban on abortion. Most who allow abortion would do so only in very rare cases. In fact, in January, 2008, the Guttmacher Institute published its 14th census of abortion providers in the country. Its statistics showed that the abortion rate continues to decline. Abortions have reached their lowest level since 1974. There is truly a deep sensitivity to life in the soul of America.

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would mortally wound this sensitivity. In effect, it would dismantle the freedom of choice to do all that is necessary to respect and protect human life at its most vulnerable stage. FOCA goes far beyond guaranteeing the right to an abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. It arrogantly prohibits any law or policy interfering with that right. While advocates trumpet this law as the triumph of the freedom of choice, they hide the dark reality that the law would actually inhibit choice.

Laws protecting the rights of nurses, doctors and hospitals with moral objections to abortion would no longer stand. Health and safety regulations for abortion clinics would also vanish. Gone the freedom of health care professionals to be faithful to the Hippocratic Oath “to prescribe regimens for the good of …patients…and never do harm to anyone, to please no one [by prescribing] a deadly drug nor [by giving] advice which may cause his death.” Gone the freedom of conscience so essential for a civil society!

If a minority of avid abortionists succeed to impose this law because of the ignorance or apathy of the majority, the law would force taxpayers to fund abortions. Gone the freedom of taxation with representation!

In its 1992 Casey decision, The Supreme Court ruled as constitutional state laws requiring that women and young girls who seek an abortion receive information on the development of the child in the womb as well as alternatives to abortion. The ruling also determined that a period of waiting, usually 24 or 48 hours before making a decision about an abortion is not an undue burden. The Freedom of Choice Act would nullify these laws immediately. Gone the freedom of women and young girls to have all the information they need to make their own choices!

In about half of the States, there are parental notification or consent laws in effect for minors seeking an abortion. The Supreme Court has ruled that these laws are permitted under Roe v. Wade. With the stroke of a pen, these laws would be abolished. Gone the freedom of parents to care for and protect their children and grandchildren!

Advocates of FOCA redefine a woman’s “health” so as to expressly permit post-viability abortions. Thus, a child who survives an abortion can be left to die for the health of the mother. No politically correct word ...

can mask this reality for what it is. This is infanticide. Gone the freedom for a baby, once born, to live!

Science does not dispute that the child in the womb already has all the characteristics that he or she will develop after birth. Notwithstanding, abortionists obstinately refuse the right of the child within the womb to live as a fundamental human right. They are not happy that Americans have not swallowed their distorted propaganda that denies the dignity of the human person from the first moment of conception.

Pro-abortion advocates close their eyes to the fact that abortion even hurts women as it undermines the very fabric of our society. Their zeal for the Freedom of Choice Act sounds the alarm for decent Americans to wake up! The more the right to life is denied, the more we lose our freedoms. The “pro-choice” movement is not pro-choice. It stands against the freedom to choose what is right according to the truth of the human person.

In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, the present democratic candidate voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act. This law was meant to protect a baby that survived a late-term abortion. When the same legislation came up in the Judiciary Committee on which he served, he held to his opposition. First, he voted “present.” Next, he voted “no.”

Along with 108 members of Congress, the present democratic candidate for President continues his strong support for the Freedom of Choice Act. In a speech before the Planned Parenthood Action Fund last year, he made the promise that the first thing he would do as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. What a choice for a new President!

At the time when Herod murdered John the Baptist because of his promise, Rome practiced the principle "one man, one vote." Whoever the emperor in Rome placed in authority over a subject people, ruled. Today we live in a democracy. We choose our leaders who make our laws. Every vote counts. Today, either we choose to respect and protect life, especially the life of the child in the womb of the mother or we sanction the loss of our most basic freedoms. At this point, we are still free to choose!

Judgment Day is on its way

Bishop Hermann: ‘I thought you should know’
Judgment Day is on its way

by Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Archdiocesan Administrator

Judgment Day is on its way. We cannot stop it. We don’t know when it will come, but just as surely as the sun rises daily, the Son of Man will come when we least expect.

Judgment Day is on its way. For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us in 10:32-33: "Everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."

Judgment Day is on its way. When my time comes, I will be measured by my Savior for the decisions I have made. I will either be acknowledged by Jesus or denied by Him in the presence of our heavenly Father. The question I need to ask myself is this: What kind of witness will I give to Him when I go into the voting booth this election day?

The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the good of the economy and my current lifestyle more than I do the right to life itself, then I am in trouble. Pope John Paul II, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christifideles laici tells us: "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."

The right of our children to be protected from destruction is greater than my right to a thriving economy. I am living proof of this, since I am here because my parents believed this priority and lived it. My desire for a good economy cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion. My desire to end the war in Iraq cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion.

My parents got married about one year before the stock market crash of 1929, and yet they raised 15 children in the midst of the Great Depression. They had no money. My mother made her own wedding gown and her own bouquet of flowers. I have my parents’ wedding picture on the wall of my office, and I am reminded every day of the sacrifices they made for life.

We had no money, but we had each other! My parents were at home with us for three meals every day. We had plenty to eat because we raised almost all of our food. We seldom got new clothes, but we wore hand-me-downs, unless my mother would buy materials and make our clothes. We lived in poverty, but we learned the value of hard work. We had no running water or electricity. We had no TV, Internet or cell phone. Yet, we were very happy because we had life! We had each other! Today, all 15 children in my family of origin are most grateful for the sacrifices Mom and Dad made so that we could have life. Making sacrifices for each other brought us incredible joy and enhanced our dignity, because it gave us a chance to participate in serving each other!

In an article written by Pope John Paul I, printed in the current issue of Magnificat, the pope reflected on the life of Andrew Carnegie, who wrote: "I was born in poverty ... but I would not exchange the memories of my childhood with those of a millionaire’s children. What do they know of family joys, of the sweet figure of a mother who combines the duties of nurse, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel and saint?" Does life get any better than this, when gifts of creativity, generosity and faith are nurtured in the midst of poverty? This is the abundant life on this earth, because it is fueled by faith and sacrifice! Perhaps this is not so much poverty as it is faith-filled luxury.

Judgment Day for us is on its way. Those 47 million children our nation destroyed are still living. We have destroyed their bodies, but their souls are still alive. When our Lord comes again, they may very well be there to judge us. Even worse, Jesus tells us that whatever we do to the least of our brethren, we do to Him. We would truly shudder if we heard the words, "I was in your my mother’s womb but you took my life!"

It is quite possible that we might see these children, but, depending upon the choices we have made, we may very well be separated from them by a great chasm which cannot be crossed, much as the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the poor man, during his lifetime here on earth but was separated from him after death. The rich man was in flames, but Lazarus was in the bosom of his heavenly Father.

The Catholic Church teaches, in its catechism, in the works of Pope John Paul II and in the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, that the issue of life is the most basic issue and must be given priority over the issue of the economy, the issue of war or any other issue. These same teachings inform us that when both candidates permit the right to abortion, but unequally so, we must chose to mitigate the evil by choosing the candidate who is less permissive of abortion.

Judgment Day is on its way! I may deny it. I may pretend that it is still far away, I may deny that my actions are sinful, but that will not change God’s judgment of me.

The deepest problem with many of our Catholics is that they have become so accustomed to rationalizing away a life of sinful actions so that they seem to be on cruise control, heading in the wrong direction. "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

My goal is not to engage you in some political party way but to engage you with our Savior and His teachings. We need to constantly challenge our accustomed behaviors in the light of the Gospel. We may say that we are following our conscience, but are we informing our consciences with the truth about these issues? Cardinal George Pell of Australia has said that we must follow truth and our conscience, but be steeped in truth so that our consciences be rightly formed.

Perhaps having to face these issues during this coming election can turn out to be a grace that truly awakens our need to learn more about the teachings of the Catholic Church, and then to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can receive His mercy and bring our behavior into conformity with the mind and heart of Christ. It is not too late to admit our sinfulness and turn to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we do this, both we and the heavens will be filled with joy!

Judgment Day is on its way. Pray your way into conformity with the teachings of Christ and His Church. Pray the family Rosary daily between now and Election Day so that you may not only make the right choice but also have the courage to discuss these issues with others who may have been misled by our materialistic culture. Include the candidates in your prayer intentions. It is my hope that our discussions will bring all of us to our knees to seek help from above.

St. Louis Review

Shared by Sue

Pastoral Letter from Honolulu Bishop Silva

19 October 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Diocese of Honolulu:

Peace be with you!

We are all probably very weary of the Presidential campaigns by now. We have heard debates and speeches, seen blogs, read newspaper articles, and seen opinion polls. No matter what the polls may have said at any given moment, there is only one opinion poll that matters, and that is the vote itself. One of the candidates will emerge victorious because of the people who supported him with their votes.

I urge all of you to cast your vote on November 4. It is our civic responsibility. But I ask you in these final days before the election to pray over the choices, to reflect upon the values of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to make an informed choice.

There are many issues to consider: war, the economy, ecology, the stability of the family, health care, education, the elimination of poverty at home and abroad. Among the many issues to be weighed, however, one issue alone far outweighs all others: the right to life. Without life, all other issues do not matter. It is the right to life that is fundamental. Abortion in a special way is an issue that we need to focus on, since it is a violation of the human rights of human beings who are so vulnerable they cannot speak for or defend themselves. It is the most widespread – and the only legal – form of domestic violence. It is a cancer that erodes our respect for one another in many different ways. It is a hidden source of anger, depression and denial for those who cannot admit what they know in their heart of hearts, that it is the deliberate taking of the life of a real human girl or boy.

I have often heard the slogan, “You cannot legislate morality.” It is meant to say that there are different opinions and no law can make people do what is right. However, I think the slogan is false. If we cannot legislate morality, then what is it we do legislate? Why is there a need for government at all, if not to articulate and guide society in doing what is right and just? Is that not what morality is? Respect for one another, and the most fundamental respect for life are the bases of all morality and all law. All government officials must serve not by doing what is convenient or popular, but by insisting on higher values for the good of all in society, especially the most vulnerable.

I urge all to vote. But before you do, please pray about what the Lord wants us to do in our society, about what the gospel of Jesus demands. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the strength to do what is right not only in the election but in the years that will follow it, so that we can all remain citizens who are faithful to the Lord and Giver of Life.

What was said or not said during this long campaign matters only now in how it leads us to vote for our new President and other leaders of government. May the Lord enlighten and guide you!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu

Diocese of Honolulu

Archbishop Chaput - "Little Murders"

In an address delivered on October 17, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput stated that ''Prof. Douglas Kmiec has a strong record of service to the Church and the nation in his past. But I think his activism for Senator Barack Obama, and the work of Democratic-friendly groups like Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, have done a disservice to the Church, confused the natural priorities of Catholic social teaching, undermined the progress pro-lifers have made, and provided an excuse for some Catholics to abandon the abortion issue instead of fighting within their parties and at the ballot box to protect the unborn...''

Little Murders

A Politician's Promise: No Right to Life! No Freedom!

by Paterson Diocese Bishop Serratelli A Politician's Promise: No Right to Life! No Freedom!

I'm ashamed to admit that though this was in my hometown's diocese's website, I found this through Father Z's blog

We need to keep speaking out against a pro-death politician being president!

Senator Disinvited From Daughter's High School Commencement Over Stem Cell Debate

ST. LOUIS — Sen. Claire McCaskill was disinvited from speaking at her daughter's Catholic high school commencement because her positions on abortion and embryonic stem cell research are at odds with those of the church.

Students at St. Joseph's Academy in the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac wanted to have McCaskill speak at their graduation this month, McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh said Tuesday.

But the offer was rescinded last week. The senator was told by the school that the decision came from St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, Marsh said.

ARTICLE

Another Bishop We Should Get to Know Better

H/T to Roman Catholic Blog

Apparently, this bishop, Biship Edward K. Braxton, of Belleville, Illinois wants to make sure an individual knows his or her faith before he or she is confirmed in the Catholic Church. In other words, he is a bishop worthy of being a shepherd to the flock.

CLICK HERE TO READ

The Authority of Conscience

Recently, Australian Bishop Anthony Fisher spoke at a Vatican conference on "Conscience and Authority.

Conscience:

"Late scholastic voluntarism and post-scholastic legalism took moral theology down just such a blind alley. Magisterium became the satellite navigator and the role of conscience was to hear, interpret and obey. Many contemporary theologians and pastors are heirs to this. For some the solution to the crisis of moral authority is to keep calling for submission to the navigator."

"... By the 1960s it meant something like strong feeling, intuition or sincere opinion. To appeal to conscience was to foreclose all further discussion and to claim immunity to reasoned argument or the moral law. 'Follow your conscience' came to be code for pursuing personal preferences over and against Church teaching, especially in sexuality, bioethics, remarriage and communion. Conscience was now the highest court of appeal: it had 'primacy' or infallibility... Conscience became, as the then-Cardinal Ratzinger put it, 'a cloak thrown over human subjectivity, allowing man to … hide from reality.'"

The Magisterium:

"The teaching authority of the Church, restating or unfolding the implications of Christ's teaching is called "magisterium." ... Interestingly Jesus' departing promise to be with his Church to the end of time was attached to a charge not to teach the nations Christology or Soteriology or even Fundamental Moral Theology, but to teach them his commandments! By the time of Vatican II the Church could assert that Christ's faithful ought to give the unconditional obedience of faith (obsequium fidei) to all that it proposes as certainly true and could express several ways in which this magisterium is operationalized infallibly."

I hope the CINO politicans in our country will take this talk to heart. I direct this to those who time and time again tell us "I am personally opposed to abortion, but I can’t inflict my beliefs on others" and then expect us to vote them into office! Worse, they say they are following their conscience!

ARTICLE