Vatican II did not create a new Church, Pope reminds audience

This has to be my favorite Pope Benedict quote of the year :)

Pope Benedict said:

Following Vatican Council II some people were convinced that all was new, that a new Church existed, that the pre-conciliar Church had come to an end and that there would be another, completely different Church, an anarchic utopia.

Pope John Paul II was a powerful force against that interpretation of the Council, Pope Benedict observed; the late Pontiff"on the one hand defended the novelty of the Council and at the same time, the oneness and continuity of the Church."

There's an 'app' for that: iPhone applications devised for Catholics

In a world that boasts continual technological change, the iPhone by Apple has gained near-iconic status. Even Apple boasts there are more than 140 million applications -- or "apps," in Apple-speak -- that users can obtain for their phones.

It only follows that there would be some clever Catholics who have devised apps to bolster people's faith.

Dave Brown of Bend, Ore., invented a virtual rosary-beads app as a sign of thanksgiving after doctors found a successful bone-marrow match for his kindergarten-age daughter in 2008, curing her of her leukemia.

Brown and his wife, Jackie, prayed the rosary frequently through their daughter's treatment, even though one parent was in Bend keeping the home fires burning while the other stayed with the desperately ill girl in Portland, Ore. How? With iPhones that Dave Brown bought so they could talk and send photos and video.

As an information technology manager at a window and door company, Dave Brown used his know-how to design an iPhone app that allows the user to pray the rosary. The small screen has animated beads that can be moved with a touch. Corresponding prayers pop up on the screen, along with devotional images. The application knows which mystery to pray on which day. It even knows where the user left off if the rosary is interrupted. The app also has Spanish and French capability.

story here

http://www.catholiciphone.com

Cardinal Ruini heads investigation on the alleged apparitions in Medjugorje

I personally do not believe in the authenticity of the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje. I am hoping this investigation will put the matter to rest so that people will not be misled.

...And Knowing Is Half the Battle!

Archbishop Dolan will not deny Communion to pro-abortion politicians

I was VERY disappointed to read this.  I thought Archbishop Dolan knew better.  According to Archbishop Burke, it is not even a question.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York told an Albany television reporter on March 9 that he does not favor denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion and same-sex marriage.

“NEWS10's John McLoughlin asked Archbishop Dolan if he favored denying the Church's Sacraments to politicians, like Governor David Paterson, who are Roman Catholic but also pro-choice and pro-gay marriage,” WTEN-TV reported. “The prelate acknowledged that some of his fellow bishops might favor such a ban, but Dolan said he does not, (your fellow bishops are right.)  preferring to follow the lead of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who said it was better to try to persuade them than to impose sanctions.” 

story here

Will He or Won't He?

If the House passes the Senate health care bill, we will have Obamacare. There will be NO reconciliation after Obama signs it.

Stupak Says No Abortion Funding Deal in Place, Won't Back Down on Health Care

Bart Stupak, the Michigan congressman whose pro-life Democratic colleagues have the ability to determine whether the Senate health care bill that contains massive abortion funding lives or dies, said in a late Tuesday interview that no abortion deal is in place and he won't back down.

Stupak sparked some concerns with comments that he was optimistic that a deal could be reached on a sidebar bill that concerns some pro-life advocates.

They worry such a bill would enable the pro-abortion Senate bill and Obama would sign it but not the abortion funding limits.

Charles Krauthammer thinks Stupak will cave:

Misdialed call connects woman who had scheduled an abortion to pro-life help

An awesome story from 40 Days for Life.  God works in mysterious ways :)

An Indiana woman who inadvertently dialed a pro-life group instead of a Planned Parenthood clinic about her appointment for an abortion instead found the support she needed to decide to bring her child to term.

The story was recounted in a March 9 report from David Bereit, National Director of 40 Days for Life.

A young woman in Indianapolis, Indiana, named as “Erin,” had sent her children to school and childcare at a friend’s house when she noticed she was late for her abortion appointment at Planned Parenthood.

Though she thought she was calling Planned Parenthood to see if she could still have the abortion, she misdialed the number and instead called the cell phone of 40 Days for Life Indianapolis.

Joseph, the man who answered her call, tried to calm the woman. He took her name and number and said that a counselor would call her back.

The counselor, Elizabeth, called back and begged her not to hang up. She told Erin she had not reached Planned Parenthood and asked if she was a Christian.

When Erin said she was, Elizabeth told her God’s grace was at work in the “wrong number,” 40 Days for Life reports.

story here

St. John Ogilvie

The Saint of the Day for March 10 is St. John Ogilvie

St. John Ogilvie was born of a noble Scottish family in 1579 and was raised a Calvinist. The wealth of his family allowed him to be educated on the continent, and there he became exposed to the religious conflict of the Reformation and Counter Reformation. After learning about both sides he decided to become a Catholic, this was in part because of his respect for the martyrs and saints. St. John attended a variety of Catholic educational institutions and soon discovered a call to join the Jesuits. After his admission to the Society, John petitioned to return to Scotland and work to convert souls there.

John's petition was accepted, and he first began to work to convert the souls of the nobles to Catholicism. He met with great resistance and returned to mainland Europe. After a brief rest, he returned to Scotland and began to work to convert the souls of the common people. He was greatly successful, but found many enemies in Protestant England. Eventually he was betrayed and turned into the authorities as a Catholic and insurrectionist. St. John was tried on the charges of treason and was convicted after three trials. John was sentenced to death by hanging and in 1615 was martyred.

Optimistic Stupak Thinks Dems Will Actually Include Abortion Ban in Health Bill

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) now says he is "more optimistic" that negotiations with top Democrats in the House could lead to adequate language banning abortion funding in health care reform, the Associated Press reported Monday.

"I'm more optimistic than I was a week ago," Stupak told the AP in an interview in Michigan.

"The president says he doesn't want to expand or restrict current law (on abortion). Neither do I," he said. "That's never been our position. So is there some language that we can agree on that hits both points - we don't restrict, we don't expand abortion rights? I think we can get there."

Stupak, the author of the House health bill's abortion funding ban, maintains that leaders will not have enough votes to pass the Senate bill if it is not fixed to ban government funding of abortion with language reflecting the famous Hyde amendment, which includes an exception for rape and incest.

Although Stupak claims that at least a dozen House Democrats will also vote "no" on a bill without the Hyde-like language, it is unclear how such language could be brought to bear on the measure. In order to avoid sending another version of the bill back to the Senate, where Democrats no longer maintain a supermajority, House leaders have been pursuing avenues to pass the Senate bill in the House unamended.

story here

Optional Memorial of St. Frances of Rome, religious

The Saint of the Day for March 9 is St. Frances of Rome.

St. Frances of Rome founded the institute known as the "Oblati di Tor de Specchi" in the Holy City. She was a wealthy patrician and after her husband died, she gave up all her wealth to live a life of abject poverty. Her special privilege from heaven was familiar conversation with her guardian angel. Reading the life of St. Frances, one gains the impression that she moved and lived in the spiritual world more than on earth; in fact, that which gives her life its unique character is her intimate relationship with the blessed world of holy spirits.

During the three periods of her life, three angels of different rank accompanied her, ready to protect her soul against any onslaught of hell and to lead her step by step to spiritual perfection. Day and night the saint saw her angel busy at a mysterious task. With three little golden spindles he unceasingly spun golden threads, strung them around his neck, and diligently wound them into balls. A half year before her death he changed his work. Instead of spinning more golden thread, he began to weave three carpets of varying size with the golden thread he had spun. These carpets symbolized her lifework as virgin, mother, and religious.

Shortly before her death, she noticed how the angel was hurrying his work, and his face was unusually fresh and happy. At the very moment when the last carpet had reached its required length, her soul departed into eternal bliss.

Gates Foundation Explains Bill Gates Re: Vaccines Reducing Population

Poor deluded Bill.  There is no such thing as man-made global warming, so you don't need to kill anyone :)

When Microsoft co-founder and population-control advocate Bill Gates spoke recently of using vaccines to reduce world population, he set off a wave of speculation over his possible allusion to covert sterilization programs. According to the Gates Foundation, however, the multi-billionaire in fact advocates vaccine use to decrease child mortality - something he claims actually decreases population growth.

Gates' comments occurred while he was speaking to a to a TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference on how humans might reduce their CO2 emissions in order to reduce global warming. "Until we get near to zero [carbon emissions]" he claimed, "the temperature will continue to rise" - which he said would lead to "extremely bad" consequences. Washington just had a couple of feet of "global warming" LOL

Because the quantity of CO2 emitted is related to the human population, Gates briefly mentioned means to reduce the projected world population, including "reproductive health services" - abortion and contraception - as well as vaccines.

"Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent," he said.

Gates is well-known for funding pro-abortion population control measures - but Gates' vaccine reference immediately launched speculation regarding the use such drugs to disseminate sterilizing agents on a large scale.

story here

Priorities :)

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Misleads on Abortion Funding in Health Care Bill

She's repeating the lies of Obama and Pelosi. They know that most people don't want to fund abortion with taxpayer money.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius contradicted herself on abortion funding in the Senate health care bill in a Sunday interview on NBC's "Meet the Press." Sebelius applauded the Senate language before and talked about mandatory abortion fees, but now she claims there is no funding.

Sebelius also appeared to contradict herself within the interview, saying at one point that abortion funding is a part of the government-run health care bill.

Sebelius was asked whether the Senate bill would be fixed to top the massive abortion funding it contains and other pro-abortion problems.

"There is no federal money paying for abortions," President Barack Obama's top health care spokeswoman maintained. "That's just not my statement, it is what, you know, a legal analyst who has looked at the Senate bill, it's what the fact checkers who look at the statements say."

Yet, when she spoke with ABC's "This Week" program yesterday, she said "Yes, abortion services are provided" under the Senate health care bill.

story here

Book Review: The Death of a Pope

This story is not so much about the death of Pope John Paul II as it is about the events surrounding the election of his successor.   The central character is Juan Uriarte, a Basque who has recently been acquitted of  charges of terrorist activity.  He  now works for Misericordia, an international aide organization.  He wants to make sure that the most liberal Cardinal he knows is elected Pope.  And above all, he doesn't want someone like Ratzinger elected :)  Kate Ramsey is a reporter who covered Juan's trial and has now become infatuated with him. She becomes unknowingly involved in his plot to affect the Papal election.

Add to the story Kate's Uncle Luke, who is is a Priest in the Vatican, and David Kotovski, who is an intelligence guy who posed as a reporter during Juan's trial, and is keeping a very close eye on him since his acquittal, and this is a multi-faceted story whose various sub-plots are very nicely woven together.  I like an involved plot, and this was a fairly sophisticated story, but not so much as to make it hard to enjoy.  And I did enjoy it very much. 

I highly recommend this book; an excellent story.

Ed Schultz: ‘The Stupak Crowd, I'm Told, May Be Growing’

Let's hope he's right...then Pelosi won't be able to pass the atrocity called Obamacare.

Story Here