Catholic Michael Steele takes over leadership of RNC

I think Steele would have made a good Presidential candidate, had he decided to run in 2008.

The Republican National Committee has chosen Michael Steele, a devout Catholic who is well-known for his charisma and strong work ethic, as its new chairman.

Steele, who previously served as the lieutenant governor of Maryland, is the first black chairman of the Republican Party. He was selected after six rounds of voting with 91 votes out of a possible 168. Steele beat out Ken Blackwell, Ohio's former secretary of state, and Saul Anuzis, Michigan GOP chairman, to win the chairmanship.

Some Republicans questioned Steele's conservative credentials during the campaigning for the chairmanship because of his past association with Christie Todd Whitman's Republican Leadership Council (RLC). Many conservatives within the Party ridiculed the RLC's "big tent" philosophy, which they say attempted to bring pro-abortion candidates onto the Republican ticket.

Deal Hudson, a Catholic political commentator, explained that he first became convinced of Steele's pro-life convictions by a 2003 meeting he invited Steele to with the U.S. Catholic bishops' executive committee.

story here

NBC Rejects Pro-Life Super Bowl Ad Educating Viewers on Obama and Abortion

I'm looking forward to the Superbowl (Go Cardinals!), but this is ridiculous. This ad is not even critical of Barry, and NBC is rejecting it because it is pro-life. They just can't hide their liberal, pro-abort bias. It's no wonder that no one considers them a legitimate news source any more.

NBC is coming under fire from pro-life advocates for rejecting a television commercial a pro-life group hoped to run during the Super Bowl. The ad shows a beautiful picture of an unborn child during an ultrasound and asks what would happen if President Barack Obama had been a victim of abortion.

The commercial, a popular one in recent weeks within the pro-life movement, is sponsored by the pro-life Catholic group Fidelis and its CatholicVote web site.

After several days of negotiations, an NBC representative in Chicago told the group late yesterday that NBC and the NFL are not interested in advertisements involving "political advocacy or issues."

Brian Burch, president of the pro-life group, told LifeNews.com he is upset that NBC officials rejected what he calls a uplifting and positive pro-life ad.

story here

UPDATE: A friend emailed me contact information for NBC

email: nbcsportshelp@nbcuni.com

phone: (818) 840-4444

But they're fine with this raunchy PETA commercial.

Movie Review: Paul Blart, Mall Cop - PG

We took my nephews to see Mall Cop Friday, and they (and I) really liked it.

Kevin James (King of Queens) is Paul Blart. He is a security guard at a New Jersey mall, because he couldn't make the state troopers. He takes the job pretty seriously. I thought one of the coolest things was the scooter-type vehicle he rode around the mall (it is riden standing up) . One of the funniest moments is when he tries to 'pull over' an older guy in a wheelchair, and the guy runs him over :)
As you can tell by the previews, a group of criminals takes over the mall on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. They also take a group of hostages at the bank, including Paul's daughter and girlfriend Amy.
It is up to Paul to stop the bad guys and rescue the hostages. At this point, it is good that he takes the job so seriously. There is a 'Rambo'-esque scene where he gets some of the bad guys, and a 'Die-Hard' esque scene toward the end.
I like unexpected plot twists, and there are a couple of them where you find out people are not whom they seem to be.

No big warnings, but there is one scene where he fights with a woman in Victoria's Secret and you see her in her bra, that you should be aware of.

Overall, very entertaining!

http://www.paulblartmallcop.com/

St. John Bosco

The Saint of the Day for January 31 is St. John Bosco

John Bosco was born near Castelnuovo in the archdiocese of Turin, Italy, in 1815. His father died when John was only two years old and it was his mother Margaret who provided him with a good humanistic and Christian education. His early years were financially difficult but at the age of twenty he entered the major seminary, thanks to the financial help received from Louis Guala, founder and rector of the ecclesiastical residence St. Francis of Assisi in Turin. John Bosco was ordained a priest on June 5, 1846, and with the help of John Borel he founded the oratory of St. Francis de Sales.
At this time the city of Turin was on the threshold of the industrial revolution and as a result there were many challenges and problems, especially for young men. Gifted as he was as an educator and a leader, Don Bosco formulated a system of education based on "reason, religion and kindness." In spite of the criticism and violent attacks of the anti-clericals, he conducted workshops for the tradesmen and manual laborers, schools of arts and sciences for young workers, and schools of the liberal arts for those preparing for the priesthood. In 1868 there were 800 students involved in this educational system. To ensure the continuation of his work, Don Bosco founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), which was approved in 1869. Also, with the help of Sister Mary Dominic Mazzarello, he founded the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix.

In 1875 a wave of emigration to Latin America began, and this prompted the inauguration of the Salesian missionary apostolate. Don Bosco became a traveller throughout Europe, seeking funds for the missions. Some of the reports referred to him as "the new St. Vincent de Paul." He also found time to write popular catechetical pamphlets, which were distributed throughout Italy, as was his Salesian Bulletin. This great apostle of youth died on January 31, 1888, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934. Pope John Paul II named him "teacher and father to the young."

Obama Deputy Attorney General Nominee: Childbirth Worse Than Abortion

It looks like Barry has found a real  "kindred spirit" who shares his disdain for childbirth.

President Barack Obama has come under fire for pro-abortion nominations for various positions and now he is drawing heat for nominating a pro-abortion Deputy Attorney General. His nominee David Ogden, is drawing criticism for authoring a Supreme Court brief dismissing negative effects from an abortion.

During the campaign, Obama came under heavy criticism for a comment saying he did not want his daughters punished with a pregnancy -- intimating that abortion would be the preferred course of action.

Now, Obama has appointed a top Justice Department official who appears to feel the same way.

story here 

Obama Picks Porn Lawyer for #2 at Justice

And here's Barry's efforts to prevent medical care for babies who survive abortions:

BISHOP LYNCH, CATHOLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION DOWNPLAY FOCA THREAT TO CATHOLIC HOSPITALS, CONSCIENCE RIGHTS

Unfortunately, some in the Church are trying to downplay the impact of FOCA. Fortunately, Bishop Paprocki reaffirms our need to combat FOCA.

Even as many American bishops mobilize their dioceses to encourage opposition to the federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the news agency of the US bishops' conference has run a story suggesting that fears of the legislation have been overblown. A Catholic News Service article begins, “Internet rumors to the contrary, no Catholic hospital in the United States is in danger of closing because of the Freedom of Choice Act.”

The CNS article quotes Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg and Sister Carol Keehan, president and CEO of the Catholic Health, both of whom state their opposition to FOCA, but downplay reports about the possible impact of the bill. “There is no plan to shut down any hospital if it passes," Bishop Lynch said. "There's no sense of ominous danger threatening health care institutions."

story here

Rumors aside, FOCA legislation no threat to Catholic health care

Interview with Outgoing Ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon

I hate to see her go.  She was an excellent choice for Ambassador to the Vatican.

Ambassador Glendon, your one year mandate as US Ambassador to the Holy See just expired and you have just returned to your home in the United States. What are your feelings now? A bit saddened?

Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon: It was an enormous privilege to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See during a period when relations between the United States and the Vatican were so close. And of course I will miss my friends in Rome. But it’s also a great feeling to be returning to my vocation of teaching and scholarship with so many first-hand experiences to draw upon. For someone like me who works in the field of international studies, it was a dream come true to witness diplomacy in action as practiced by the outstanding members of the Holy See diplomatic corps.

Full interview is here

Meanwhile, Barry's favorite dissident Catholic Doug Kmiec thinks that he can be pro-abort and still be considered for Ambassador to the Vatican.  I won't be shocked if Barry does this,  but I will be greatly disappointed if the Vatican accepts it.  In 2008, the Vatican rejected a homosexual ambassador from France;  I hope they have the same courage here.

St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti

The Saint of the Day for January 30 is St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti

Hyacintha accepted God’s standards somewhat late in life. Born of a noble family near Viterbo, she entered a local convent of sisters who followed the Third Order Rule. However, she supplied herself with enough food, clothing and other goods to live a very comfortable life amid these sisters pledged to mortification.
A serious illness required that Hyacintha’s confessor bring Holy Communion to her room. Scandalized on seeing how soft a life she had provided for herself, the confessor advised her to live more humbly. Hyacintha disposed of her fine clothes and special foods. She eventually became very penitential in food and clothing; she was ready to do the most humble work in the convent. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and by her penances became an inspiration to the sisters in her convent. She was canonized in 1807.

A Catholic View: The Podcast

We are excited to introduce a new feature on this blog...A new Podcast!

You will notice that there is a "listen now " button in each post. You can now listen to each post, and you can subscribe to this Podcast in iTunes for your iPod or download an MP3 for your MP3 player. Please let us know how you like it!

I heard of this from Patrick Madrid.

Pope condemns Holocaust denial, reaffirms solidarity with Jews

Pope Benedict XVI was quick to address comments made by Bishop Williamson of SSPX minimizing the holocaust.

Pope Benedict XVI renewed his "full and unquestionable solidarity" with the world's Jews and condemned all ignorance, denial and downplaying of the brutal slaughter of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

The pope's comments Jan. 28 came a day after the Chief Rabbinate of Israel broke off ties with the Vatican in protest over the pope lifting the excommunication of a traditionalist bishop who has minimized the severity and extent of the Holocaust.

Speaking the day after International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Pope Benedict said he hoped "the memory of the Holocaust will persuade humanity to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the heart of man."

The Jews were "innocent victims of a blind racist and religious hatred," he said at the end of his general audience in the Paul VI hall.

story here

POPE REJECTS HOLOCAUST DENIAL, URGES SSPX TO ACCEPT VATICAN AUTHORITY

POPE’S OUTREACH UNFAIRLY PORTRAYED

Bishop who denied Holocaust apologizes to pope

Bishop's remarks on Holocaust strain US Jewish-Catholic relations

Bishop Williamson apologizes for ‘imprudent’ Holocaust remarks

Senate Defeats Pro-Life Amendment to Restore Mexico City Policy on Abortion

Chalk up one for Barry and the Culture of Death.

On Wednesday, members of the U.S. Senate defeated an amendment sponsored by pro-life members to restore the Mexico City Policy that President Barack Obama rescinded last week. The policy prevents taxpayers from funding groups like Planned Parenthood that promote or perform abortions overseas.

Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican from Florida, drafted an amendment offered to the SCHIP bill to ask members of the Senate to override Obama's executive order.

The Senate defeated the Martinez amendment on a 60-37 vote with only one Democrat, Sen Bill Nelson of Nebraska, joining most of the chamber's Republicans to support it.

A handful of pro-abortion Republicans joined Senate Democrats in opposing the effort to stop taxpayer money from going overseas to pay for abortions or lobbying foreign countries to reverse their pro-life laws.

story here

Pro-Life Senators Bemoan Vote Against Restoring Mexico City Policy on Abortion

Servant of God Brother Juniper

The Saint of the Day for January 29 is Servant of God Brother Juniper

"Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers," said Francis of this holy friar.
We don’t know much about Juniper before he joined the friars in 1210. Francis sent him to establish "places" for the friars in Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo. When St. Clare was dying, Juniper consoled her. He was devoted to the passion of Jesus and was known for his simplicity.

Several stories about Juniper in the Little Flowers of St. Francis illustrate his exasperating generosity. Once Juniper was taking care of a sick man who had a craving to eat pig’s feet. This helpful friar went to a nearby field, captured a pig and cut off one foot, and then served this meal to the sick man. The owner of the pig was furious and immediately went to Juniper’s superior. When Juniper saw his mistake, he apologized profusely. He also ended up talking this angry man into donating the rest of the pig to the friars!

Another time Juniper had been commanded to quit giving part of his clothing to the half-naked people he met on the road. Desiring to obey his superior, Juniper once told a man in need that he couldn’t give the man his tunic, but he wouldn’t prevent the man from taking it either. In time, the friars learned not to leave anything lying around, for Juniper would probably give it away.

He died in 1258 and is buried at Ara Coeli Church in Rome.

Vatican daily clarifies scope and limits of lifting of Lefebvrists’ excommunication

There is still some progress to be made if SSPX is to return to full communion with the Vatican.

The Vatican’s daily newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published an editorial Monday clarifying the scope and limits of the lifting of the excommunication of four bishops ordained by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988. The editorial stressed that the gesture does not yet mean a return to “full communion” with the Church and moreover is a call to the “full acceptance of the Magisterium, obviously including the Second Vatican Council.”

“Benedict XVI has pronounced important words recalling that ‘the elderly among us also do not forget the first announcement of the Council made by John XXIII on January 25, 1959, exactly 50 years ago.’ It was a gesture that Pope Ratzinger today defines as a ‘providential decision’ prompted by the Holy Spirit and that our newspaper by no accident recalls with emphasis on the day of the lifting of the excommunication.”

story here

Pope Benedict asks SSPX to accept Vatican II

http://catholiccartoonblog.blogspot.com/

$335,000,000 FOR STD PREVENTION IN ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL

Barry and the Dems may have dropped the abortion and birth control funding, but they are still determined to encourage and support promiscuous behavior, especially among teens.

Democrats may have eliminated provisions on birth control and sod for the National Mall in the "job stimulus" -- but buried on page 147 of the bill is stimulation for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases!

The House Democrats' bill includes $335 million for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

In the past, the CDC has used STD education funding for programs that many Members of Congress find objectionable and arguably unrelated to a mission of economic stimulus [such as funding events called 'Booty Call' and 'Great Sex' put on by an organization that received $698,000 in government funds.]

"Whether this funding has merit is not the question; the point is it has no business in an economic plan supposedly focused on job creation," says a stimulated Hill source.

story here

His excellency Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron

Archbishop Vigneron will be installed today at 2:00 PM EST as the Archbishop of Detroit.  You can watch it on EWTN TV or EWTN.com, or on the Archdiocese of Detroit website.   I just heard this morning on Catholic Connection that he is already being attacked in the media for being faithful to the teachings of the Church, so let's all support him and pray for him!

MUST READ: Bishop Hermann of St. Louis – Strongest Ever Pro-Life Column

First Bishop Burke, then Bishop Hermann.  The Diocese of St. Louis always seems to get good Bishops :)  Too bad not all of our Bishops speak out like this.

In our Supreme Court and in our Congress, we have a plethora of so-called Catholics who are failing to live their Catholic identity. Over 50 percent of our electorate voted for a president who is one of the most pro-culture-of-death candidates from a major party to run for the highest office of the land.  If Catholics voted according to Catholic teachings, Barry never would have won.

Yes, we can thank one-half of our Catholics for bailing out on their faith!

After almost 50 years of having 50 percent of Catholics abandoning their Catholic identity, we cannot expect to turn this culture around by short-term political efforts.

In order to bring about a transformation from a culture of death to a culture of life, we have to restore our Catholic identity.

Full Article Here

story here

St. Thomas Aquinas

The Saint of the Day for January 28 is St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas ranks among the greatest writers and theologians of all time. His most important work, the "Summa Theologica," an explanation and summary of the entire body of Catholic teaching, has been standard for centuries, even to our own day. At the Council of Trent it was consulted after the Bible.
To a deeply speculative mind, he joined a remarkable life of prayer, a precious memento of which has been left to us in the Office of Corpus Christi. Reputed as great already in life, he nevertheless remained modest, a perfect model of childlike simplicity and goodness. He was mild in word and kind in deed. He believed everyone was as innocent as he himself was. When someone sinned through weakness, Thomas bemoaned the sin as if it were his own. The goodness of his heart shone in his face, no one could look upon him and remain disconsolate. How he suffered with the poor and the needy was most inspiring. Whatever clothing or other items he could give away, he gladly did. He kept nothing superfluous in his efforts to alleviate the needs of others.

After he died his lifelong companion and confessor testified, "I have always known him to be as innocent as a five-year-old child. Never did a carnal temptation soil his soul, never did he consent to a mortal sin." He cherished a most tender devotion to St. Agnes, constantly carrying relics of this virgin martyr on his person. He died in 1274, at the age of fifty, in the abbey of Fossa Nuova. He is the patron saint of schools and of sacred theology.

Blog Friend Award

My friend Laura granted me this award for blog friends. Here are the qualifications:

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

I would like to share this award with the following bloggers:

Laura (right back at you girlfriend!) http://lauralowder.wordpress.com/

Angela http://michaelgabrielraphael.blogspot.com/

Cathy http://therecoveringdissidentcatholic.blogspot.com/

Adoro http://adorotedevote.blogspot.com/

Jean http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/

Obama Tells Democrats to Drop Planned Parenthood Stimulus Funds After Outrage

Barry backs down.  This is more evidence that we pro-lifers MUST continue to speak up to defend life.

After a national pro-life outcry following news that Congressional Democrats placed a bailout for the Planned Parenthood abortion business in the economic stimulus bill, President Barack Obama has urged party leaders to remove it. Obama is expected to tell Congressional Republicans today during a meeting.

Republican leaders, including House Minority Leader John Boehner complained bitterly about the plan sending money to Planned Parenthood.

Boehner said there is no reason for an economic package to contain funds for the nation's largest abortion business by qualifying more people for family planning funds under Medicaid.

story here

Backing Away from Pelosi, White House Says Birth Control Funding in Stimulus Bill Was Not Obama's Idea

Congress drops $200 million in contraceptive funding from stimulus bill

St. Angela Merici

The Saint of the Day for January 27, is St. Angela Merici.

The saint was born in 1474 in the diocese of Verona. Early in life she dedicated herself to Christ as His bride. After the death of her parents, she desired to live solely for God in quiet and solitude, but her uncle insisted that she manage his household. She renounced her patrimony in order to observe most perfectly the rule for Franciscan Tertiaries.
During a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, she lost her eyesight temporarily. Pope Clement VII, whom she visited in Rome, desired her to remain in the Holy City. Later she founded a society for girls, under the protection of St. Ursula; this was the beginning of the Ursuline Order. St. Angela was almost seventy when she died; her body remained incorrupt for thirty days. Remarkable phenomena occurred at her burial in the Church of St. Afra.

Obama Pledges to Fund Pro-Abortion UNFPA After Killing Mexico City Policy

Barry's on a pro-abort roll.  First he overturned the Mexico City policy which prevented the use of our taxpayer dollars for overseas abortions, and now he's going to fund the UN's Population Fund, which funds abortions worldwide, including forced abortion.  (I thought the pro-aborts called themselves "pro-choice"...but it doesn't look like every woman gets a choice). 

Now that President Barack Obama has fulfilled his promise to overturn the Mexico City Policy and fund groups that promote and perform abortions in other countries, he is laying out additional pro-abortion plans. In his statement accompanying his executive order, Obama says UNFPA funding is next.

Funding United Nations Population Fund has long been a controversial topic and President Bush annually withheld the $40 million in taxpayer dollars the UN group had typically received.

He did so because a State Department investigation found the agency was working hand-in-hand with Chinese officials who instituted its one-child population control policy.

story here

Pope lifts excommunications of Lefebvrite bishops

This is a step toward SSPX being in full communion with the Catholic Church, but many issues still need to be worked out.

Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the excommunication of four bishops ordained against papal orders in 1988 by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The move was considered a major concession to the archbishop's traditionalist followers.

The Vatican said the decree removing the excommunication, signed Jan. 21 and made public three days later, marked an important step toward full communion with the Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1970.

It said some questions remain unresolved with the society, including its future status and that of its priests, and that these issues would be the subject of further talks.

"The Holy Father was motivated in this decision by the hope that complete reconciliation and full communion may be reached as soon as possible," a Vatican statement said.

story here

For more information, see Fr. Zuhlsdorf's excellent post:

MISCONCEPTIONS: What the “lifting” of the SSPX excom’s means for people

Vatican daily explains link between lifting of excommunications and anniversary of Vatican II

PELOSI SAYS BIRTH CONTROL WILL HELP ECONOMY

Unbelieveable.  Nancy spouted this nonsense yesterday morning.

Let's look at some facts.  Since Roe v Wade, we have aborted almost 50 million babies in the U.S. alone.   If we estimate that 30-40 million would be of working age now had they not been, that would be at least 30-40 million more people paying taxes and buying things.  I recently read an estimate that the economic impact of these abortions is in the trillions.  And that's not even counting the millions that have been killed via contraception and embryonic stem-cell research.  Wake up Nancy.  Look at the demographics, what we are doing to ourselves with abortion, contraception and embryonic stem-cell research.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi boldly defended a move to add birth control funding to the new economic "stimulus" package, claiming "contraception will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government."

Pelosi, the mother of 5 children and 6 grandchildren, who once said, "Nothing in my life will ever, ever compare to being a mom," seemed to imply babies are somehow a burden on the treasury.

The revelation came during an exchange Sunday morning on ABC's THIS WEEK.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

story here

PELOSI ON KIDS: THEY’RE AN ECONOMIC DRAIN

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Defends Abortion Industry Bailout in Stimulus Bill

On Monday, January 26, 2009 at 6:30 pm ET, Catholic League President Bill Donohue

will appear on Fox Business Channel’s “Cavuto.”

He will discuss House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement that

contraception will help the U.S. economy.

Sts. Timothy and Titus

The Saints of the Day for January 26 are Sts. Timothy and Titus.

Timothy was Paul's dearest disciple, his most steadfast associate. He was converted during the apostle's first missionary journey. When Paul revisited Lystra, Timothy, though still very young (about twenty) joined him as a co-worker and companion. Thereafter, there existed between them a most intimate bond, as between father and son. St. Paul calls him his beloved child, devoted to him "like a son to his father" (Phil. 2:22). Of a kindly disposition, unselfish, prudent, zealous, he was a great consolation to Paul, particularly in the sufferings of his later years. He also assisted the apostle in the establishment of all the major Christian communities and was entrusted with missions of highest importance. Timothy was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment. Paul made his self-sacrificing companion bishop of Ephesus, but the finest monument left him by his master are the two canonical Epistles bearing his name.

St. Titus, a pagan by birth, became one of St. Paul's most illustrious disciples. He accompanied the apostle on several of his missionary journeys and was entrusted with important missions. Finally he came with St. Paul to the island of Crete, where he was appointed bishop. He performed this duty in accordance with the admonition given him, ". . . in all things show yourself an example of good works" (Tit. 2:7).
Tradition tells us that he died a natural death at the age of 94, having lived in the state of virginity during his whole life. St. Paul left a worthy monument to Titus, his faithful disciple, in the beautiful pastoral letter which forms part of the New Testament. Today's feast in his honor was introduced in 1854.

Movie Review: Inkheart - PG

Brendan Frasier plays Mo Folchart. Mo is a "silver tongue", which means that when he reads aloud, the characters come alive out of the pages. About 9 years ago, (I think he was unaware of this ability at the time), he was reading Inkheart to his daughter and his wife disappeared into the book. Mo has never stopped trying to find her. He also needs to keep searching for a new copy of Inkheart to 'read' her out of the story. He finds the next best thing: the author.

There is also a character, Dustfinger, who has been following Mo around, ironically because he wants to be read back into the story, because he misses his family in the story. There is also a bad guy, Capricorn, who wants Mo to read other bad guys and a creatue out of the story so that he can become more powerful, and he kidnaps Mo's daughter to make him do it. Capricorn also has the answer to where Mo's wife is. Mo must rescue both his wife and daughter, and stop the bad guys who have come out of the story.

There are two scenes where people purposely make the decision to sacrifice their own self interests to help others. I especially liked the scenery in Inkheart. It was filmed in Italy and the UK.

I Don't have any content warnings. There was no profanity or sexual situations.

An excellent movie: interesting characters, and a good story.


http://www.inkheartmovie.com/

Conversion of St. Paul

Sunday January 25  is the feast of the  Conversion of St. Paul

Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior.
One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.

From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a).

Paul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new.

So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate.

Vatican criticizes Obama on abortion issue

The Vatican isn't impressed with Barry so far. I'm not either.

Vatican officials said Saturday they were disappointed by President Barack Obama's decision to end a ban on federal funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide information on them.

Monsignor Rino Fisichella, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, urged Obama to listen to all voices in America without "the arrogance of those who, being in power, believe they can decide of life and death."

Fisichella said in an interview published Saturday in Corriere della Sera that "if this is one of President Obama's first acts, I have to say, in all due respect, that we're heading quickly toward disappointment." Of course we are. This is the most pro-abort administration in history.

Obama signed an executive order that ended the ban on Friday, reversing the policy of the Bush administration.

story here

Obama's pro-abortion executive order creates first clash with Vatican

Vatican Denounces Obama Administration's Decision to Fund Pro-Abortion Groups

St. Francis de Sales

The Saint of the Day for January 24 is St. Francis de Sales

Francis was born on August 21, 1567, and ordained to the priesthood in 1593. From 1594 to 1598 he labored at the difficult and dangerous task of preaching to the Protestants of Chablais and effected the return of some 70,000 souls to the Catholic faith. In 1602 he became bishop of Genf. His zeal for souls is attested in 21,000 extant letters and 4,000 sermons which exemplify how he applied St. Paul's words: "I have become all things to all men." You may epitomize his character in two words, kindliness and lovableness — virtues that were the secret of his success. His writings reflect his kindheartedness and sweet disposition.
Most widely known is the saint's Introduction to the Devout Life, which, with the Imitation of Christ, is rightly considered the finest outline of Christian perfection. Francis' Introduction proves to the world that true piety makes persons amiable, lovable and happy. A renowned and holy friendship existed between him and St. Frances de Chantal. In cooperation with her he founded the Visitation Nuns in 1610. Out of love for his own poor diocese, he refused opportunities for advancement, including the cardinalate. In recognition of the Introduction and his other writings, Francis has been declared a doctor of the Church.

How Francis developed a gentle and amiable disposition is a story in itself; he was not born a saint. By nature his temperament was choleric, fiery; little was needed to throw him into a state of violent anger. It took years before he mastered his impatience, his unruly temper. Even after he became bishop, there were slips, as for instance, when someone rang a bell before he had finished preaching. The important point, of course, is that by constant perseverance he did in time attain perfect self-mastery. Wherein lies a lesson.

Walk for Life West Coast

The 5th Annual Walk for Life West Coast will be January 24, 2009

From the Website:

Our exciting 5th Annual Walk for Life is almost here -- and so is the rain. Given how much California needs rain at this time, it is indeed a blessing. This would be our first Walk in the rain-- but it's also the first walk with the most pro-abortion American President in office. We are ready! Ready for the rain, ready to show how strongly we believe in the sanctity of every human life. Our peaceful gathering this Saturday is not just a family event -- it is a manifestation of our beliefs, our solidarity with men and women hurt by abortion and with the unborn. Many would like to see us stop, many are hoping we will just disappear. But we can't, and we won't. Rain or shine, we will be there on Saturday-- to give witness to the value of life. Rain cannot stop our postcard campaign to fight the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a piece of legislation that would invalidate all limits on abortion.

See you on Saturday -- rain or shine, we'll be there!

The Liberal "mainstream" media won't cover it, but you can see it on EWTN TV.  You can also listen or watch on  www.ewtn.com.

http://www.walkforlifewc.com

Tens of Thousands Crowd San Francisco Waterfront, Rally Against Abortion

EWTN Launches New Pro-Life Site on Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

EWTN Global Catholic Network has announced the launch of a new pro-life site, which can be found at http://www.ewtn.com/prolife.

According to its creators the new site will be updated daily and will include the latest pro-life video and audio segments from EWTN’s many pro-life programs, schedules of upcoming television and radio programs, and highlights from archived programs.

Among the many features of the site are a Pro-Life Forum and a Natural Family Planning Forum where people can post questions about any of the life issues and receive on-line answers. These forums are searchable so people can research answers to questions already posed.

The site also includes relevant papal documents, pro-life news, pro-life links, a pro-life voters’ guide and much more.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 27th year, is available in over 148 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website http://www.ewtn.com and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

source

President Barack Obama Forces Taxpayers to Fund, Promote Worldwide Abortions

No surprise here... Barry begins his pro-abortion agenda.

Barack Obama promised during the presidential campaign that he wanted to reduce abortions and said as much in a statement yesterday in association with the anniversary of Roe. Today, however, he betrayed that promise by forcing taxpayers to fund groups promoting and performing abortions overseas.

In an executive order, the president officially scrapped the Mexico City Policy that protected taxpayers from involvement in overseas abortions for eight years. Now, Obama will send hundreds of millions of dollars to groups that aggressively promote abortions on a worldwide scale.

Obama was slated to overturn on Thursday the protections President Bush put back in place following the Clinton administration, but Obama decided to wait.

He hoped his decision today to force taxpayers to fund foreign abortions will somehow make him seem less radical because he decided to wait until after the pro-life movement mourned the thirty-sixth anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

The executive order will make non-governmental groups that do abortions in other nations or lobby pro-life countries to overturn their abortion limits eligible for public funds.

story here

Barack Obama Will Scrap Mexico Policy Later Today, Fund Foreign Abortions

Pro-Abortion Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand Replaces Hillary Clinton as New York Senator

A word of caution to my fellow pro-lifers.  I predict that the Dems will try to pass Kirsten off as "pro-life".  She is more conservative than most Democrats, especially on gun rights. However, in addition to abortion, she supports embryonic stem cell research, which destroys embryos (lives), and she's a big advocate of government-funded contraception.

Kirsten Gillibrand, a pro-abortion New York congresswoman, has been named by Gov. David Patterson to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate. Clinton received an appointment from pro-abortion President Barack Obama to become the next Secretary of State.

For weeks, speculation had been on pro-abortion Carolyn Kennedy to replace Clinton in the coveted Senate seat, but she backed out of consideration.

As a member of the Senate, Gillibrand would give abortion advocates another vote and a reliable ally in the same manner as Clinton.

"She has not been in Congress long, but she has always voted against the pro-life side," National Right to Life legislative director Douglas Johnson told LifeNews.com.

story here

Pope welcomes Facebook, but cautions

I Think a lot depends on how you use Facebook; for example, there is a group of us Catholic bloggers that associate on Facebook.  I am careful who I add as friends, and I only join Facebook groups whose purpose I support.

Pope Benedict XVI says social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace can foster friendships and understanding, but warns they also can isolate people and marginalize others.

Benedict urged a culture of online respect in his annual message Friday for the World Day of Communications.

Benedict welcomes as a "gift" new technologies such as social networking sites, saying they respond to the "fundamental desire" of people to communicate.

But he also warns that "obsessive" virtual socializing can isolate people from real interaction and deepen the digital divide by excluding those already marginalized.

story here

Pope asks young Catholics to use technology to share their faith

http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/a_catholic_view/

Vatican launches Pope YouTube channel

The Holy Father goes high tech :)   I look forward to carrying some of his YouTube videos on this blog.

Pope Benedict XVI joined U.S. President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II on Friday by launching his own YouTube channel, the latest Vatican effort to reach out to the digital generation.
The Vatican said it was launching the channel to broaden Benedict's audience while also giving the Holy See better control over the papal image online.
In his inaugural foray, Benedict welcomed viewers to this "great family that knows no borders" and said he hoped they would "feel involved in this great dialogue of truth."
The site, http://www.youtube.com/vaticanit, was launched the same day the pontiff praised as a "gift to humanity" the benefits of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace in forging friendships and understanding.

http://www.youtube.com/vatican

story here

Blessed Mother Marianne Cope

The Saint of the Day for January 23 is Blessed Mother Marianne Cope

Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898).
Mother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world, said Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy, he said, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan, she became their mother.”

On January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family immigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption parish school.

Marianne held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress of her congregation. A natural leader, three different times she was superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, where she learned much that would be useful during her years in Hawaii.

Elected provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50 religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the request was put to the Syracuse sisters, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.

In 1888, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Blessed Damien DeVeuster (d. 1889) had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach.

Awarded the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully. Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work on Molokai.

Mother Marianne died on August 9, 1918.

http://blessedmariannecope.org/

Barack Obama Statement: Reduce Abortions by Honoring Pro-Abortion Decision

Is he serious? Does Barry really think we're gullible enough to think we can reduce abortions by 'honoring' the decision that resulted in 50 million of them? If he were really serious, we wouldn't have to worry about FOCA.

President Barack Obama used the occasion of the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision to issue a contradictory statement. The new president called for reducing abortions but honored the radical decision that ushered in an era of 50 million abortions and virtually no limits.

Obama praised the Supreme Court for issuing what has been one of the most condemned rulings in its history.

"[T]his decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: That government should not intrude on our most private family matters,” Obama said in a statement.

And he reaffirmed his official position supporting abortion.

“I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose," he said. How about protecting babies?

The president also issued a call for an expansion of access to birth control and contraception, even though studies and actual abortion data have shown they do nothing to reduce the numbers of abortions.

story here

Fight FOCA

I share Paul Nichol's hope that the USCCB will wake up and continue to fight FOCA.

Vatican expert: Pope Benedict XVI to lift excommunication of Lefebvrists this week

Excellent news. Although there are those who claim that the Holy Father is divisive, news like this would seem to indicate otherwise. Habemus Papam!

Andrea Tornielli, the Vatican expert of the Italian daily "Il Giornale" announced today that Pope Benedict XVI has decided to revoke the decree of excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by French Bishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988, creating a schism in the Catholic Church.

The suspension of the excommunication of the Lefebvrist bishops has been making the rounds of several conservative blogs, mostly in Spanish, since Monday.

Although the announcement of the declaration was expected for Wednesday or Thursday, a Vatican source confirmed to CNA that it will be made public on Friday via the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, headed by Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio.

story here

Bishop Vigneron calls for opposition to Obama abortion stand

A new Archbishop hits the ground running!  (I hope the USCCB is taking notes :)  By the way, his installation will be January 28 (next Wednesday) and it will be webcast on the Detroit Diocese website (linked below)

Archbishop Vigneron, the next Archbishop of Detroit, has expressed disappointment with Obama’s position on abortion and has called for forceful opposition and coalition-building to counter it.

Archbishop Vigneron, speaking in an interview with the Detroit News, said he shares other bishops’ concerns that the Obama administration has given indications that the president is going to rescind some protections for the unborn.

“And I am very disappointed in that,” he told the Detroit News. “We are going to have to represent our opposition as forcefully as we can and try to build coalitions to dissuade the administration from moving to that.”

http://www.aodonline.org/AODOnline/AODOnline.htm

story here

New Archbishop of Detroit Calls for Opposition to Obama Abortion Agenda

EWTN To Air 2009’s Historic “March for Life/Walk for Life”

Today is the big Walk for Life in Washington, D.C.  

My niece is there; her high school sent a couple of buses of students to the March.

There is a blackout among the pro-abort liberal "mainstream" media, but EWTN is providing Excellent coverage.  If you don't have EWTN on TV, you can watch online at the EWTN website.

http://www.marchforlife.org/

Thousands pack national shrine to pray, launch March for Life 2009

Bill Ayers to lecture at Catholic college on ‘pursuit of social justice’

Barry's terrorist buddy is going to speak at a college that calls itself Catholic,  but clearly has no idea what that entails.

St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California has invited the sixties radical Bill Ayers to speak in a lecture series titled “Against the Grain.” The college says Ayers will “discuss his life and work and their inevitable intersection in the pursuit of social justice.”

Ayers, presently an education professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, co-founded the Weather Underground in 1969. Originally called the Weathermen, the Weather Underground was a left-wing terrorist group that planted bombs in public buildings, including the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, and a New York City police station, the California Catholic Daily reports.

I emailed the Oakland (I inadvertently indicated the San Francisco Diocese earlier) Diocese, asking them to prevent this.  I encourage everyone to email Fr. David Staal in the office of the Oakland Bishop:  dstaal@oakdiocese.org

story here

St. Vincent of Saragossa

The Saint of the Day for January 22 is St. Vincent of Saragossa

Vincent of Saragossa was one of the Church's three most illustrious deacons, the other two being Stephen and Lawrence. He is also Spain's most renowned martyr. Ordained deacon by Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, he was taken in chains to Valencia during the Diocletian persecution and put to death. From legend we have the following details of his martyrdom. After brutal scourging in the presence of many witnesses, he was stretched on the rack; but neither torture nor blandishments nor threats could undermine the strength and courage of his faith. Next, he was cast on a heated grating, lacerated with iron hooks, and seared with hot metal plates. Then he was returned to prison, where the floor was heavily strewn with pieces of broken glass. A heavenly brightness flooded the entire dungeon, filling all who saw it with greatest awe.
After this he was placed on a soft bed in the hope that lenient treatment would induce apostasy, since torture had proven ineffective. But strengthened by faith in Christ Jesus and the hope of everlasting life, Vincent maintained an invincible spirit and overcame all efforts, whether by fire, sword, rack, or torture to induce defection. He persevered to the end and gained the heavenly crown of martyrdom. —The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Biden Receives Standing Ovation at Catholic Mass after Receiving Communion

I heard about this on Catholic Connection on EWTN radio this morning.

A triple disgrace:

1. Biden for being pro-abort, yet calling himself Catholic and receiving Communion.

2. The Priest for allowing Biden to receive Communion.

3.  The congregation for supporting and applauding dissent.

Two days before he became the next American Vice President, Sen. Joe Biden attended John F. Kennedy's own Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church for Mass, where parishioners gave the pro-abortion politician a standing ovation minutes after he received communion.

Biden has reportedly worshipped at Holy Trinity several times while serving as a senator.

The event sparked criticism because, according to Church teaching, public figures who support abortion legislation are automatically excommunicated for violating the Church's pro-life teaching, and therefore should not be given communion.

story here