Today on CMR - May 14, 2008

Obama The Christian (When Convenient)
—Obama takes pandering to a whole new level.

Attorney Calls Pope to Testify on Sex Abuse
—Frivolous does not begin to describe this lunacy.

Vatican: It's OK to Believe in Aliens
—Mulder, Scully, and Pope Benedict?

Right to Life For Plants, Not People
—I'm giving up. The world has gone mad. Mad, I tell you!

Haugen Locuta Est – Causa Finita Est
—Marty Haugen responds and closes the case.

Why Are Atheists Obsessed With Religion?
—How do you fit all that hate onto a bumper sticker?

Signs of Progress
—Pro-abort pols missing their commencement invites from Catholic institutions.

Second Spring: Chicago's Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy
—A preview of a remarkable new shrine in Chicago.

What Traditional Anglicans Wrote To Rome
—Letter seeking union with the See of Rome.

Gerald Augustinus whY?
—Oh no! Is the Cafeteria Open again?

Where Do Art Projects Go To Die?
—Calling All Parents!

Maybe Clericalism Wasn't So Bad
—I am beginning to think that Maureen Martin might be a long lost sister of ours.

Obama The Christian (When Convenient)

Presidential candidate Barack Obama, while campaigning in West Virginia this past week, was seen wearing a flag lapel pin. It had been noticed previously that Obama did not wear a lapel pin. He had derided the notation of the lack of pin as a false issue and famously claimed that a flag pin was no susbtitute for patriotism. However, when it comes to campaigning in a state where patriotism is not a dirty word, out came the lapel pin. False issue or not, subsititute for patriotism or not, truly felt or not, visible patriotism was the order of the day and Obama complied.

Now that the Kentucky primary approaches, Obama is wearing more than a lapel pin. False or not, substitute or not, believed or not, Obama is wearing his Christianity on his sleeve. Check out these campaign posters from the Obama campaign in Kentucky.

I can't wait until we see the poster with Barack out hunting. This is the most ridiculous type of pandering imaginable, undoubtedly there will be many persuaded by it. Not me, Obama has made it abundantly clear what he really thinks of Christians.

Now I want you to stop and think for just a moment and think what the likely reaction to a conservative Christian running similar ads. The hue and cry "separation of church and state" would be carried by the ordinary ministers of the media from coast to coast. As with everything else, Obama will get a pass on this shameless pandering. The media would be beside themselves. Chris Matthews would get another tingle up his leg as he and his friends climbed up on their high horses.

What this ad says to me and should say to all my fellow Christians is this. Not only does Barack Obama think that you cling to religion and guns out of bitterness, he also thinks you are an idiot.

Attorney Calls Pope to Testify on Sex Abuse

Pope Benedict XVI should be questioned soon about clergy sex abuse in the Catholic church because he is the most knowledgeable person on the topic and his advanced age makes future testimony unlikely, an attorney said yesterday, according to the Associated Press.

Gutsy, huh? By any chance the attorney's name wasn't John Edwards was it? How ridiculous is this? Can you say media whores? Some people will do anything to get noticed. But mind you this guy isn't the first. Similar lawsuits have named the pope, the Vatican and other high-ranking church officials as defendants. But they've all failed. So the lawyer knows they've failed. So why do it? The guy wants to grow up to be Gloria Allred.

Anyway, what does the Pope have to do with this? Does he really think these bishops and cardinals all get their orders every morning on a conference call with Rome. Obviously, this lawyer isn't Catholic because then he'd know that the Cardinals and bishops completely ignore the Pope all the time.

Today on CMR - May 13, 2008

Vatican: It's OK to Believe in Aliens
—Mulder, Scully, and Pope Benedict?

Right to Life For Plants, Not People
—I'm giving up. The world has gone mad. Mad, I tell you!

Haugen Locuta Est – Causa Finita Est
—Marty Haugen responds and closes the case.

Why Are Atheists Obsessed With Religion?
—How do you fit all that hate onto a bumper sticker?

Signs of Progress
—Pro-abort pols missing their commencement invites from Catholic institutions.

Second Spring: Chicago's Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy
—A preview of a remarkable new shrine in Chicago.

What Traditional Anglicans Wrote To Rome
—Letter seeking union with the See of Rome.

Gerald Augustinus whY?
—Oh no! Is the Cafeteria Open again?

Where Do Art Projects Go To Die?
—Calling All Parents!

Maybe Clericalism Wasn't So Bad
—I am beginning to think that Maureen Martin might be a long lost sister of ours.

Archbishop Urges Gov. To Refrain from Communion
—Cites Abortion Stance

TiVo is Destroying Society!
—Someone Shot J.R.!?

Vatican: It's OK to Believe in Aliens

Vatican: It's OK to Believe in Aliens. That's the headline. Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published in the Associated Press.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."

In the interview by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes said that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom, he said.

The interview, headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother," covered a variety of topics including the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and science, and the theological implications of the existence of alien life.

Funes said science, especially astronomy, does not contradict religion, touching on a theme of Pope Benedict XVI, who has made exploring the relationship between faith and reason a key aspect of his papacy.

The Bible "is not a science book," Funes said, adding that he believes the Big Bang theory is the most "reasonable" explanation for the creation of the universe. The theory says the universe began billions of years ago in the explosion of a single, super-dense point that contained all matter.

But he said he continues to believe that "God is the creator of the universe and that we are not the result of chance."

So I have nothing smart-alecky to say here. I would ask him why he felt the need to discuss this in the press. Was it to get press attention for the upcoming X-files movie.

Also, why is that anytime someone even loosely associated with the Vatican says anything, the press feels perfectly at ease attributing their quote as "The Vatican?"

Now, of course, we cannot limit God. But someone should limit this guy talking to the press.

Right to Life For Plants, Not People

This is one of those stories that just show clearly how upside down the world is, that any tether to reality has thinned to the point of snapping.

At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the "dignity" of plants and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong, according to the Weekly Standard.

This is not a joke. I know you're thinking that I'm just making up stories but this is real. The concept of "plant rights" is being seriously debated.

A few years ago the Swiss added to their national constitution a provision requiring "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms." No one knew exactly what it meant, so they asked the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology to figure it out. The resulting report, "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants," is enough to short circuit the brain.

A "clear majority" of the panel adopted what it called a "biocentric" moral view, meaning that "living organisms should be considered morally for their own sake because they are alive." Thus, the panel determined that we cannot claim "absolute ownership" over plants and, moreover, that "individual plants have an inherent worth." This means that "we may not use them just as we please, even if the plant community is not in danger, or if our actions do not endanger the species, or if we are not acting arbitrarily."

The committee offered this illustration: A farmer mows his field (apparently an acceptable action, perhaps because the hay is intended to feed the farmer's herd--the report doesn't say). But then, while walking home, he casually "decapitates" some wildflowers with his scythe. The panel decries this act as immoral, though its members can't agree why. The report states, opaquely:

At this point it remains unclear whether this action is condemned because it expresses a particular moral stance of the farmer toward other organisms or because something bad is being done to the flowers themselves.

Mind you that about 15% of all pregnancies in Switzerland are terminated by abortion. The law states that for a woman in Switzerland to procure an abortion (even late term) they must state that they are in distress -which includes threat of severe physical or psychological damage to the mother.

Now back to the farmer who decapitated the flowers. Shouldn't we take into account the emotional distress those flowers were causing him?

In a sane world, we wouldn't be having these conversations. We are, however, not residing in one. My hope, however, resides in the future, that some anonymous man in the 24th century will read old news articles and laugh uproriously as to how insane everyone was way back when.

Haugen Locuta Est – Causa Finita Est

In a strange and well ... strange email to Jeff Miller (the Curt Jester), Marty Haugen has voiced his displeasure over the criticism he has received.

Primarily, Haugen is writing in his defense after oft being accused of single-handedly destroying Catholic music. An unfair charge since he most certainly had help. I liken Haugen to a weapons manufacturer who doesn't care into whose hands his weapons fall. While not directly responsible for the destruction, he certainly had a hand in it.

Anyway, Haugen caught his fair share of criticism some months ago when he wrote:

First of all, although I am not Roman Catholic, I have a deep love and respect for and faith in the worship tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. My own hesitancy about joining the Church is not about its eucharistic theology, but rather around the unwillingness of the Church to commission, ordain and welcome all humans as Jesus did–male and female, married and unmarried, saints and sinners. I believe that the Church, God’s people and all of creation have suffered from this omission.

I do not think of my own music as central or important to Roman Catholic worship, present or future.

So he believes in the Eucharistic theology but women, married, or gay priests are a deal breaker for him. Apparently, he is as fatuous as his music.

In his letter to Jeff Miller, Haugen complains about the treatment he has received and he includes this odd accusation:

I pray for us all, (especially) for those who think my prayers might not be heard as well as theirs. Don't we all want God's Reign to come? My music is not at the heart of what we seek and do as Christians. What we sing is not as important as how we live.

Now I am not sure what he means by this, but if his prayers (as indicated by his earlier writing), are for gay married womynpriests, then yes. Your prayers will not as well heard as others.

So if you have been tempted to think that Marty bears an unfair burden for the damage done over the past decades, just remember what he has said here.

Haugen Locuta Est – Causa Finita Est. Haugen has spoken, the case is closed.

Why Are Atheists Obsessed With Religion?

Atheism is defined as "the doctrine or belief that there is no God" or simply "disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings."

Now that does not even come close to today's atheism. Today's atheists are on the march and in your face. (I wish some Christians had the fire of evangelism that so many atheists seem to feel.)

Atheism, in reality, is simply an affirmation in what you don't believe. Now, I don't run around constantly telling people things I don't believe. I find it much more fun to talk about what I do believe. In fact, I run a whole darn blog called Creative Minority Report which could be titled THINGS I DO BELIEVE.

But atheism has become not simply a vacuum. It is now an active hatred of all things sacred. Look at these bumper stickers. They say nothing about what they believe. It is an attack. (Did you notice how the "Atheist family on board" only had one kid?)

I read in the newspaper about a new bumper sticker which said, "So many Christians, so few lions."

Every Christian blogger has run into the wandering evangelical atheists which drop by to throw insults at you and say how much smarter they are than you. It happens all the time. Now I can honestly tell you, I've never, not once, gone to an atheist web site to insult anyone. I don't even know if there are atheist web sites unless you count Barack Obama's campaign website. (I'm kidding...kind of)

I think, however, they are feeling that the tide is turning toward them. They seem to think that with just one last great push they can set society free from the constraints of Christianity.

But I will say, they do this at their own peril. Remember all the schools, hospitals, and adoption centers that Church runs. How many atheist hospitals are there? (You can't count abortion clinics!)

And all the precious rights you shout about are yours only because they are not a gift of the government. They are God-given. Take God out of the situation and your rights become negotiable by powerful interests. I'll just say beware if what you're attacking and attempting to break is exactly what you're standing on.

Signs of Progress

The best evidence yet that the drumbeat against public support of pro-abortion Catholic pols at Catholic institutions is having an effect appears in the Boston Globe of all places.

The Globe tells us how the personally opposed prevaricators are just not getting the choice commencement invites from Catholic Institutions to which they had shamefully become accustomed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is one of the nation's most powerful Catholics, but this year the only commencement address she gave was at one of the eight campuses of Miami Dade College.

Senator John F. Kerry is headlining three commencements this year - the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, UMass Lowell, and Wheelock College - but it's been nine years since he's done one at a Catholic institution, Boston College Law School.

As for the scion of the nation's most famous Catholic family, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, his major commencement address this year is at Wesleyan University, founded by Methodists.

After repeatedly getting criticized by conservative Catholics, and after years of pressure from the Vatican and some American bishops, Catholic colleges and universities are now shying away from politicians - especially those who, like Kennedy, Kerry, and Pelosi, support abortion rights - as commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients.

Instead, the schools are scrutinizing the public records of potential honorees for evidence of open dissent from key church teachings, especially on abortion, and they are choosing noncontroversial church insiders or nonpolitical figures for their most prominent honors. "I think there's a concerted effort to use the moment of naming people who reinforce the Catholic identity of our institutions, and I'm pleased by that," Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston said in an interview.

Poor dears. Echoing Cardinal O'Malley, good!

It is a disgrace that pro-abort pols have not only received a pass when it comes to publicly opposing the teachings of the church, but is beyond scandalous when they are held up as the ideal by being invited to speak at commencement. The Cardinal Newman Society has been instrumental in bringing to light the scandal.

The Cardinal Newman Society, a conservative organization that each year scrutinizes the hundreds of men and women who are given honorary degrees by the nation's 225 Catholic colleges and graduate institutions, has identified a dwindling number of honorees who dissent from the church on key moral teachings - 24 in 2006, 13 in 2007, and six thus far this year.

"When a Catholic college administrator deliberately chooses a person who is publicly opposing the church, it raises serious flags, and very often the schools choosing those commencement speakers have problems across the board in terms of applying their Catholic identity to what they do," said Patrick J. Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society.

Hats off to the Cardinal Newman Society. While there are still institutions that run afoul of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, progress is being made. Take this quote from the Rev. D. Paul Sullins, a professor of sociology at Catholic University.

[He] noted that while his university "has never honored any real Catholic dissenter," in past years there have been speakers whose primary claim to fame was not their Catholicism. This year, though, the university chose the head of the Knights of Columbus.

"It doesn't get more Catholic than that," he said.

No, it doesn't get more Catholic than that!

Today on CMR - May 12, 2008

Second Spring: Chicago's Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy
—A preview of a remarkable new shrine in Chicago.

What Traditional Anglicans Wrote To Rome
—The contents of the letter seeking full, corporate, and sacramental union with the See of Rome.

Where Do Art Projects Go To Die?
—Calling All Parents!

Maybe Clericalism Wasn't So Bad
—I am beginning to think that Maureen Martin might be a long lost sister of ours.

Archbishop Urges Gov. To Refrain from Communion
—Cites Abortion Stance

Gerald Augustinus whY?
—Oh no! Is the Cafeteria Open again?

TiVo is Destroying Society!
—Someone Shot J.R.!?

Fool and Unusual Punishment
—330 Year sentence for a 72 year old white collar criminal.

McCain Speaks, Get Your Decoder Ring Out
—Pssst! He's Talking About the A word.

Mennonites For Obama?
—Barack Obama seems to have locked up the college-aged Mennonite vote.

10 Year Olds Knew it in 1948
—Catholic Comics Got it Right, Why Can't Theologians

Second Spring: Chicago's Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy

CMR is happy to give its readers a preview of a remarkable shrine in Chicago, the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy, now in its final planning stages. The Sanctuary grows from the vision of Fr. Anthony Bus, the pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, who tells the story of the sanctuary in his book A Mother's Plea. The project's architect, James McCrery of Washington, DC, a specialist in classical architecture, drew the sketches shown here (click the pictures for larger images).

The sanctuary is understood as a refuge in the heart of the city, with a large exterior garden surrounding a crucifix amidst a fountain of flowing water, symbolizing the grace flowing into the world through the sacraments of the Church.

The highlight of the project is the sanctuary proper, an interior chapel for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The entire complex grows from the primacy of the reserved Sacrament in the iconic monstrance, a large sculpted and gilded image of the Ark of the Covenant (the Ark containing the tablets of the Old Law) with an image of the Virgin (the new Ark) with the Blessed Sacrament located in her womb (the new Law) sitting atop it. Surrounded by pairs of columns of 12 different marbles which symbolize the Twelve Tribes of Israel being fulfilled in the 12 apostles, the chapel will be a place of absolute silence and prayer, a place to draw down God's mercy upon the world.

The architecture draws from the tradition of Roman courtyards (especially Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza in Rome) as well as Byzantine and early Christian precedents. In a very sophisticated use of imagery and the classical orders, references to the Old and New Testaments are woven throughout the complex.

The Second Spring has indeed arrived in Chicago in the evangelical mission of prayer which will occur at the Sanctuary, but also in the sophistication of its architecture, which reconnects with the great tradition in a way completely new and needed in our times. The Sanctuary team is actively looking for generous donors to help make this worthy project a reality. It is a noble cause, has trustworthy and dedicated people seeing it to completion, and a talented architect who will prove that the great tradition of sacramental architecture and theological symbolism is still alive and well.

Where Do Art Projects Go To Die?

Being the father of five I sometimes feel that I'm getting pretty good and the whole parenting thing. But as my children are all fairly young I'm asking for help. Now, you must understand this is very difficult for me. I'd rather be lost for hours than ask for directions. I'd rather be dipped in mud and bugs than ask for help in just about anything.

But this situation has gotten out of hand. I have an eight year old in second grade and a six year old in Kindergarten and they're just starting to make projects. Now we all have fun making them. We bond and it's great fun and we take pride in it. My children tend to think big in these types of things so we don't just have paper cherubs we have cardboard angels. We don't make posters we create murals. You get the idea. And I'm all for it because I'm a little crazy and I'm secretly desperate for them to be the best in their classes. But the problem occurs when the children bring the projects home.

So now we have something quite large we all worked on together, took pride in, and laughed about AND IT'S SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR LIVING ROOM! Now I can't tell them to put it in their room because the four girls are all in one room and there's just no more room. I can't put it in the boy's room because it's not his and let's face it the life expectancy of a cardboard angel alone with the boy is about twenty minutes.

Now I know other parents must have dealt with this. What do you do with huge giant humongous projects...which by the way they take great considerable pride in. When company comes over the children show off their projects.

I refuse to let my home become a museum of elementary school projects. So do I throw them away when they're sleeping, hold some kind of "letting go" ceremony, take a picture, make them throw it away? Flush it? I know some of you have been through this. What did you do? If you have any ideas I'm listening.

What Traditional Anglicans Wrote To Rome

Some months back we wrote about the quest for unity of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The TAC is a breakaway group of orthodox Anglicans seeking full, corporate, and sacramental union with the See of Rome. Essentially, they wished to be joined to the Catholic Church while maintaining some of the traditions and structure that make them Anglican Catholics. We here at CMR continue to be very interested in the fate of our Anglo brethren.

As of yet, there is still no official reaction from the Holy See so their fate is still unknown. Additionally, and probably wisely, the leaders of the TAC have vowed to keep mum on the subject until the Holy See offers some guidance on the matter.

However, we now have a glimpse into some of the contents of the letter seeking unity delivered by the TAC back in October. The following is gleaned from part of an internal fund raising letter of the TAC containing excerpts of the letter to Rome.

On Communion:
“a worldwide community of Anglican Christians has united under the name “The Traditional Anglican Communion” for three main purposes:

• To identify, reaffirm and consolidate in its community the elements… conduct that mark the Church of Christ…
• To seek as a body full and visible communion, particularly eucharistic communion, in Christ, with the Roman Catholic Church..
• To achieve such communion while maintaining those revered traditions… that constitute the cherished and centuries-old heritage of Anglican communities throughout the world

On acceptance of the ministry of the bishop of Rome:
We accept the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter, which is a ministry of teaching and discerning the faith and a “perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity” and understand this ministry is essential to the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

On acceptance of the catholic faith
“We accept that the most complete and authentic expression and application of the catholic faith in this moment of time is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church…”

And their appeal to the Church
“Driven by these realizations, which we must now in good conscience bring to the attention of the Holy See, we seek a communal and ecclesial way of being Anglican Catholics in communion with the Holy See, at once treasuring the full expression of catholic faith and treasuring our tradition within which we have come to this moment. We seek the guidance of the Holy See as to the fulfillment of these our desires and those of the churches in which we have been called to serve.”

We have noted before, with irony, that there are many groups in ostensible unity with the Church that would never say the things that the TAC does. I sincerely hope that some accommodation can be made for the TAC. The signal that would be sent to Anglicans worldwide and Christians everywhere upon the first first corporate re-union since the reformation would be wonderful. We are praying for you.

Weekend on CMR - May 10-11, 2008

What Traditional Anglicans Wrote To Rome
—The contents of the letter seeking full, corporate, and sacramental union with the See of Rome.

Maybe Clericalism Wasn't So Bad
—I am beginning to think that Maureen Martin might be a long lost sister of ours.

Archbishop Urges Gov. To Refrain from Communion
—Cites Abortion Stance

Gerald Augustinus whY?
—Oh no! Is the Cafeteria Open again?

TiVo is Destroying Society!
—Someone Shot J.R.!?

Minister: Stop Having So Many Children!
—Your babies are destroying the world.

Fool and Unusual Punishment
—330 Year sentence for a 72 year old white collar criminal.

McCain Speaks, Get Your Decoder Ring Out
—Pssst! He's Talking About the A word.

From Iraq With Love To Stephen King
—A Message from the Illiterate Troops

Mennonites For Obama?
—Barack Obama seems to have locked up the college-aged Mennonite vote.

Nuns Neglecting Their Husbands
—A Tale of Two Nunneries

10 Year Olds Knew it in 1948
—Catholic Comics Got it Right, Why Can't Theologians