Catholic Standard Review (Feb. 21, 2019)

Well, I am very late on this review, but due to work (a very nasty habit -- just kidding), I was unable to get around to a review of the Catholic Standard.  So here are a couple of take aways...

• The Editor's Notebook highlights the fact that the Archdiocese of Washington will now have a Director of Digital Media.
• We have a Catholic News Service (CNS) story about McCarrick being removed from the clerical state.  It does mention that he has been living at a Capuchin friary in Kansas since September 2018.  Although it does not mention where he now, we can safely assume that he is still there.  No mention of (1) who is paying for this and (2) of Pope Francis' rehabilitation of him a few years ago.
• We have a Catholic Standard story on McCarrick but makes no mention of Cardinal Wuerl's passing along a report of sexual abuse to the Papal Nuncio years before. We also have no mention of where he (McCarrick) is staying or who is paying for it.  It just rehashes the known.  Interesting how those facts are not mentioned.
• There is a CNS story on the Vatican Abuse Sumit (Page 5) but there is no mention of homosexual bishops and priests, and there abuse of seminarians and young men. All of this started with McCarrick and now the message seems to be: "There is nothing to see here, folks."  There are also really no solutions presented.  To be expected. 
• We see that there is a "Engaging the Mission" workshop for parish leaders on March 16th.  Wonder if there will be any sessions on the abuse in the church by priests and bishops and the cover up by the bishops.  
• We have an article on how the Archdiocese won a $10K grant dealing with diversity and the fact that Imacculee Ilibagiza spoke at St. Andrew's the Apostle on the Rwanda Genocide.  I am sorry I missed the talk.
• We see that the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is fighting the End of Life Option Act.  
• A CNS story on Lent and the church crisis.  One of the interesting things about this is that it includes a comment by the former head of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.  The LCWR has resisted and remains silent on the abuse by nuns, against other nuns and the laity.  
• We have an article on how people are attempting to support Holy Family School in Hyattsville, MD.  I think that is great but how come some of the money that is given to Christo Rey HS, cannot be given to them?  I mean it is apx. $5million spend of CRHS.
• There is a rather lackluster article on supporting the Appeal.  Restates much of what we have heard before.  My recommendation is:  Don't Give.  When it hurts the pocketbook, is when they will really notice the anger.
• There is a two page article on Jubilee Religious Anniversaries.  Did you notice that of the seven women religious, the two who did not have a profile picture were the one's in habits?   However, let us congratulate the two consecrated women of Regnum Christi.  

Well, that's if folks.  Let me know what you think.

Catholic Standard Review (January 24, 2019)

Well, once again, I do a quick review to let you know what you can look forward to in this week's issue of the Catholic Standard.

• Three are still no photos, and as far as I can tell, no mention of Cardinal Wuerl.  Let's see how long that will last.
  
• We see a couple of stories on the March for Life.
• According to the page 5 story, the Annual Appeal exceeded 99% of the goal.  Now, what is most interesting, is that 34,000 donors provided $14million in funds. More about this in another blog posting.
• The Maryland Catholic Conference will be pushing for the regular stuff.  However, I note that they are not publicly advocating for illegal aliens, as in the past.  Could it be because of the blow back in previous years?
• Catholic Schools Week.  I am always supporting of Catholic Schools Week.  However, in the list of noted Catholic School graduates, they list Muriel Bowser, the Democrat party (not Democratic) Mayor of DC.  It should be noted that she is a big pro-abortion and gay rights supporter.  Epic Fail on that one, Catholic Standard.  
• Article on USCCB Education Secretary.  Didn't know we had one.
• Congrats to the St. Mary's (Landover Hills) for winning the Maryland Cyber Robotics Coding Competition.
• World Youth Day has a couple of articles and a cover photo. 
• Obit on Rev. Charles Currie by Catholic News Service.  When you quote Rep. Nancy Pelosi, you know that this is one of those priests that have led the church down the wrong path. 

Help Stop DACA and Maryland Catholic Conference!

It seems that the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is pushing to support DACA.   They are sending out their pre-written emails and asking everyone to simply sign.   

However, you can turn the tables on the MCC and show them that those who violate the law, should not be rewarded.

When they send you the canned form to complete, simply change it.  Change the note to say that you do not support DACA and that you do not want your legislators to sponsor it.

Let's do it!

MCC Crowning Achievement - None!

The radical leftist National Catholic Reporter (NCF) highlighted the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) as one of the Catholic lobbying groups.  It stated:


The Maryland Catholic Conference has helped the state pass an increase in the minimum wage, protect social services in the budget, defended the rights of immigrants and -- in what executive director Mary Ellen Russell calls the "crowning achievement" of recent years -- pass a repeal of the state death penalty.  As a bonus, just before he left office, Gov. Martin O'Maley commuted the sentences of four people on death row who were not affected by the repeal, and will now face live in prison and not death.


"Catholic Charities works with state agencies," Russell explained, "but the conference helps them deal with the implementation of a variety of policies in education, health insurance and immigration initiatives."


In several states, including Maryland, the state health commissioners did not guarantee that the state health exchange set up under the Affordable Care Act included a policy that did not cover elective abortion, something the act required.  As well, the Maryland conference will need to help implement the changes to the immigration system announced by Obama last year.


The MCC worked with the NAACP -- a pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage group to end the death penalty.  When they allowed me to comment on their Facebook page, I chastised them for it.  Ms. Russell explained to me that they were proud to work with anyone who would end it.  They have since taken down my comments from January 2013 and have banned me from commenting upon their website, as they knew I was right.


They were supporters of Obamacare and continue to support those who have entered the county illegally.


They do not even seem to attempt to stop abortion.  They have given up on it.


However, they have failed since the time of Dick Dowling to get tax credits for businesses which support Catholic Schools.  They have failed repeatedly to obtain tax credits for those who sent their children to Catholic Schools.  Personally, I am beginning to think that they are doing it for show.


They could not stop the rain tax.  They did little to stop gay marriage in the state.


They, like many Catholics, are willing to cozy up to radical leftist politicians, because of contracts.  No wonder why they ignore us, as they know we are more than willing to cozy up to then at the next social justice initative.

ABOLISH THE MCC!

 

Maryland Catholic Conference: Supporting the Destruction of the Constitution and a Despot?

With the Republican Party taking over the Senate, winning additional seats in the House of Representatives, as well as, the Governorship of Maryland (and other states), Obama (does not deserve the title of the President of the United States, as he vacilates between Tyrant and President of a Banana Republic) has decided to take Executive Action on illegal aliens.

If the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) decides to support this action, then I am condeming them as supporters of the destruction of the Constitution and of a TYRANT.

Yes, you read it correct:  The Maryland Catholic Conference is willing to destroy the powers enumerated in the Constitution and support a Tyrant, for a policy which most Americans (and I bet most Catholics) do not support.

The MCC is out of touch, a failure and needs to be disbanded.

Do you agree?


PS:  If the Maryland Catholic Conference wishes to respond to this, I will publish their reply in full.  I won't ban them, as they have done to me, on Facebook.

Update: Immigration Talk at St. Matthew's Cathedral on July 26th.

On July 26th, Mr. Kevin Appleby (formerly of the Maryland Catholic Conference) spoke at St. Matthew's Cathedral.  He is currently the Director of Migration Policy and Public Affairs at the USCCB.

Here is a first hand account from a particpant.  Thank you.

++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a series, and in this first talk, he focused on the biblical and papal injunctions to care for migrants and the view of the bishops on US immigration policy.

The facts on which the bishops were operating, as he described them, were largely CIR propaganda--we don't need more enforcement because Obama is already deporting more illegal aliens than any other President, the best way to stop illegal immigration is to admit them all legally, not allowing immigrants to bring their brothers, sisters, etc. is "separating families", etc.  He also claimed that most economists agree that over the long run immigrants are net contributors (he evidently was unaware of the Jordan Commission report).  He did admit that Americans without a high school degree were probably "hurt."

He said that there was "work to do" in getting many Catholics to understand all of this, although he admitted that during Mass might not be the best time.   This was the basis of my own question, which was, more or less:  "The opposition of myself and other Catholics I know to the pushing of CIR by the bishops is not our failure to understand the issues, but our doubts that the bishops are competent to take positions on complex issues such as which family members should be admitted, how best to deal with illegal aliens already here (the example I gave was giving them a 2-year work permit if they committed to return home versus offering them a "path to citizenship"), etc. He expected the bishops to remind us to show charity even to illegal immigrants, but they should stay out of the weeds of immigration policy.  His response was that the bishops may not have time to become immigration policy experts but they had staff like himself who did and that the bishops intervened in other policy matters such as abortion laws.  I was not offered a rebuttal opportunity.

One woman politely questioned whether the policies he supported would make it harder for the black teenagers she worked with to get a good job.  I don't recall how he answered.

There were two "hostile" questions about why the Church was supporting "open borders," but the questioners were incoherent and didn't do us any favors.  The speaker asked "did someone send you here":  both said they had read about the meeting in their parish bulletins. He didn't ask me that question.

 There were a few softball questions.  One interesting question came from a woman, with a heavy Asian accent, who said she had overstayed her visa because she could make more money here than at home and wondered why she would not be eligible for legalization.  He misunderstood the question and didn't really answer it, so I intervened to inform her that visa overstayers would also be eligible for legalization.
    Everyone was very polite to me, but when I got up to leave I could see in the faces of many in the audience that I was the devil incarnate.

Thank You Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC)! Now please quit your jobs!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC), the Justice for (Illegal) Maryland Immigrants and the Archdiocese of Washington. 

They, and those who have supported the illegal aliens entering the country, have just cost the taxpayers of Maryland an extra $68,000,000 of tax money to educate them.  This of course does not include the health care and other services to be provided.

When taxpayers are fleeing the State of Maryland due to higher taxes, and putting an extra burden on those who support Catholic education, there is only one thing that I can say to the Archdiocese of Washington: 

DISBAND THE MCC NOW!

MCC = EPIC FAIL AGAIN

Well, as is normally the case, the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is falling in line with the radical left regarding ILLEGAL ALIENS.

It seems that the new approach will be to call them refugees.  In that manner, then can get in much easier.  

No, these are not refugees.  And the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is really insulting those who have come as refugees, such as those fleeing Vietnam after the fall, Cambodia, the Sudan, etc.

Once again, I call for the closure of the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) and do not give the the CCHD donation in August.

Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) = EPIC FAIL

As usual, the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is on the side of ILLEGAL ALIENS.

There most recent propaganda statement makes no mention that:

• These youth and adults have entered the country ILLEGALLY
• That there are MS-13 and other gang members coming through
• That US Government is not defending our borders
• That they are siding with the same government that is willing to force them to violate their faith.
• That the US Bishops are willing to take $$$ from the federal government to help house and protect those who have violated our laws.
• That this will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars to house, educate, medicate ILLEGAL ALIENS and instead of putting the $$ into our churches and schools, our churches and schools will close.

THE MCC NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN AND ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES FIRED!

Another Reason why CCHD should not be funded this Sunday!

In March of 2013, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), which is the domestic anti-poverty agency of the U.S. bishops, approved special grants totaling nearly $1 million “to mobilize Catholics on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform and to prepare Catholic institutions for the prospects of reform legislation.”

According to the USCCB website, Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, the chairman of the CCHD subcommittee, announced the grants after the bishops determined that “swift action by the Catholic community was essential in advancing the recently emerging prospects for immigration reform. CCHD has taken significant steps to contribute in a swift and meaningful way to this most important national conversation.”

Read more:  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/08/07/Why-Are-Catholic-Bishops-Funding-Advocacy-For-Comprehensive-Immigration-Reform

REMEMBER:  When the ushers come around on Sunday, GIVE NOTHING! 

Free Beer and Pizza by the MCC! Woohoo!

Hey folks, the Maryland Catholic Conference is offering free beer and pizza at locations around the Archdiocese.  That's right but as they say, there is no free lunch.

You see, what the MCC is trying to do is gather a group of folks, turn them into bloggers, and use them to support their views.

Now, wouldn't it be great, if hundreds signed up and no one showed?  Or, hundreds signed up and used what they learned to oppose them on gun control, illegal aliens, etc.   Or maybe showed up, ate the pizza, drank the beer and walked out.  

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Eat the pizza.  Drink the beer.  Turn against them.  Spread the word.

Sign up here:  http://www.mdcathcon.org/

+++++++++++++


Do you believe that the Death Penalty should be an option in the State of Maryland for cop killers, mass murderers, and terrorists?
 
Do you believe that the voters, and not the radical lefist legislature and their out of touch supporters, should decide about the Death Penalty in MD?
 
Then sign the petition to put it on the ballot in 2014!
http://mdpetitions.com/

Join with other Catholics to Reinstate the Death Penalty in MD

Join with other Maryland Catholics to reinstate the Death Penalty!

http://mdcatholicsforthedeathpenalty2013.blogspot.com/

 

Now is not the time to repeal the Death Penalty! Put the vote on the Ballot!

Do you believe that the Death Penalty should be an option in the State of Maryland for cop killers, mass murderers, and terrorists?

Do you believe that the voters, and not the radical lefist legislature and their out of touch supporters, should decide about the Death Penalty in MD?

Then sign the petition to put it on the ballot in 2014!

http://mdpetitions.com/

MCC and the "Rain Tax"

I don't know why the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is crying about the Stormwater Fee aka "rain tax."

A short time ago, the MCC sent out an email to all Catholics asking them to write to their legislators opposing this tax.  They stated that many non-profits, such as Catholic Church, would be hit hard by this tax and basically have to reduce the number of services they provide to the community.

Now, I normally would support this effort and would have helped to advertise this.  However, this time I did not.

Why?

In 2007 there was a proposal in Maryland to increase the "progressive" tax.  The MCC stated that this was a good thing, as we need to take care of the poor and those who are less fortunate.   This also included the environment.

I argued that by increasing taxes in this manner, it would (1) decrease the amount that I have to give to charities; (2) change the debate that the state should be the key provider of support and not individuals; and (3) if you give into them on this, then there will be no stopping the state (or other government entity) from increasing taxes. 

Fast forward six years and since the "rain tax" already hits homeowners, who to you think they have decided to hit next?  Businesses and non-profits, like the Catholic Church.

I have argued, to no avail, a long time ago that when the Church does this, it will come back to bite them big time.  It took seven years, but it has.

The Archdiocese of Washington will have to make some tough decisions but the toughest will be:  "What do we cut and how much more can we ask of our parishioners, who are paying higher and higher taxes?"

(And as an aside, I wonder how many Catholic priests, religious and those who work for the Archdiocese voted for Democrat Party members.  I guess you got what you asked for, didn't you.)

Personally, I say cut the Spanish Center and redirect those funds to our Catholic Schools.  Reduce the amount spend on Catholic Charities and redirect those funds to our Catholic Schools.  Increase the amount on the Newman Center in GW (that will drive the homosexuals really crazy).

Catholic Schools get parents involved and makes them part of the larger parish. 

 

The Maryland Catholic Conference - FAIL

I just received an alert from the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) that once again pushes to provide illegal aliens with a driver's license.

A driver's license is the pathway to all sorts of other legal documents.  A driver's license does not guarantee that the person will be a safe driver.  A driver's license rewards those who have broken the law.

Yet, when the MCC hears word that we should ask people for valid ID when it comes time to vote, we are told that we are RACISTS and we don't care about poor people.

The MCC has failed us time and time again.  They can't get vouchers, can't prevent same-sex marriage, but they are more than willing to restrict the 2nd Amendment for law abiding citizens, and provide cheap tuition for illegal aliens.

FIRE THEM ALL!

MCC in bed with those who seek to undermine the Catholic Church

Once again, the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is willing to "hop into bed" in a manner of speaking with anyone who will support the end of the death penalty in Maryland, including those who do not support Church teachings.

The MCC has this LONG tradition of doing this.  From the days of Dick Dowling, now to Mary Ellen Russell, they seem to be willing to latch on to anyone, on any issue that they support.

As I pointed out to you a while back, the MCC is in bed with the NAACP (and had their interns proudly take photos with them) -- they are pro-abortion and pro-gay -- and now the Quixote Center, which supports women's ordination, etc.  

In fact, a reader pointed out to me that the MCC is a member of CASE of MD, which works to abolish the death penalty.  They are an umbrella group of organizations -- including pro-gay and pro-abortion.

I don't know why the MCC trusts the State of Maryland to keep criminals locked up.  Look what Homeland Security has done to illegal aliens, who have committed crimes.  They have released hundreds of them.

Maybe it is time we end the Maryland Catholic Conference. 

 

Don't Cry for Me MCC (Maryland Catholic Conference)

You know, I really hate to say this, but when you lie in bed with dogs, you get fleas.

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) and many in the Catholic Church have been supporting a large number of positions of the Democratic left in the Maryland legislature.  With each victory, such as with in-state tuition for illegal aliens, everyone "paying their fair share", gun control, the death penalty, radical environmentalism, the left becomes more and more emboldened.  

It seems that there is a new "fee" about the hit us and the MCC let us know:

The State of Maryland has mandated that ten local jurisdictions, including Montgomery County, impose new local fees, or taxes, on all property owners for "stormwater management." The State law exempts property owned by state and local governments, but applies to all other property owners, including nonprofits, churches, schools, and individuals. This new Rain Tax will be based upon the amount of "impervious surface area" on the property – building structures, driveways, sidewalks, pools, parking lots. Our schools and parishes will be severely impacted.

And since this Rain Tax is written as a fee, churches and nonprofits were not exempted. Read a commentary on the issue here.

At present, there are no exemptions for nonprofit, religious or charitable organizations, and the financial impact could be significant, particularly for those parish campuses that include large volumes of impervious surface area. In addition to the substantial financial impact on our schools, churches, and charitable organizations that rely largely on donations and provide badly needed services to our communities, we are gravely concerned that this tax represents an erosion of the tax exemption that churches rightly expect because of our charitable nature. We fear that the needs of government may lead them to levy more of our assets in the future, and we want to register our concerns now to stop any such diversion of our resources.

While we all share a desire for a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay, the toll that this tax might exact on parish finances, is dramatic.

Montgomery County Council is considering how to implement the Rain Tax.







The Maryland Catholic Conference and those who voted for the radical left, have no one to blame but themselves.  And we all pay for it.  

Thank you MCC, you have increased our taxes once again.

MCC: Off-Target

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is the lobbying arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Wilmington (DE).  It represents the Roman Catholic Church in the Maryland Legislature. 

 

There is nothing wrong with having a office dedicated to pushing issues that are important to you.  There are many groups out there who have such a lobbying effort.

What really bothers me is when the MCC gets involved in an issue for which they show their ignorance.  The recent example is their support of gun control in the State of Maryland.

So, let's take a very brief look at their press release/talking points.

First, let's ask the question:  Which is an "assault weapon?"  

 A.  a knife   

 B. a baseball bat   

C.  a Colt® AR-15 Tactical Carbine    

D. All of the Above.   

 Answer:  D.  All of the above.

You see, you can use any of the above items to "assault" someone.   The term "assault weapon" is a made up phrase from the 1994 piece of legislation which outlawed certain semi-automatic rifles because of their cosmetic appearance.  That is right, the MCC is more worried about what a rifle looks like, than what it can do. 

Second, they claim that reducing magazine size will reduce killings. The 1994 legislation which banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds, it had NO EFFECT on the crime rate.  Don't trust me, look at the statistics.

Third, their support of licensing, database, etc. does absolutely nothing to deter criminals and puts an undue burden on law abiding citizens.  Criminals do not go into gun shops and purchase a gun (with all of the paperwork that goes along with it), so that they can go out and commit a crime.  Criminals do not leave their guns at crime scenes.  If they do, it is a gun which has been stolen or unregistered.  The only people that this really puts a burden on are law abiding citizens, who look to protect themselves and their communities.

Finally, the MCC takes a statement by the US Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and "sells-it" as official Church teaching, which it is not.  It is simply a statement which has no official bearing.

What we have there is the MCC using the talking points of the radical left and making it their own.  They are wasting their time and limited resources on measures, which do nothing to help end violence and promote a culture of life.  All this is, is a "feel good" attempt  to allow them to say that they did something, even if it does absolutely nothing to change the hearts and minds of those for whom life is cheap.   

Maybe it is time to ban the Maryland Catholic Conference instead of "assault weapons." 

IRONY: MCC & NAACP Join Forces on Death Penalty

On January 15, 2013 the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) on their Facebook page, a photo of their interns meeting with the NAACP President.  This photo op was due to their opposition to the death penalty.

So here we have a pro-life group, teaming up with a race based, pro-aborition group to abolish the death penalty. 

So my question is:  Why would the MCC join forces with a group which supports death sentences to the unborn?

I mean posting a photo on their Facebook page only gives street creed to what the NAACP supports. 

Maryland Voters -- Say NO to Question 4 the Nightmare Act

The wording for the Dream Act (aka The Nightmare Act) has been published by the Maryland Catholic Conference and others.

I urge you to vote NO on Question 4.  Do not give those who are in the country illegally, the same rights and privileges as those who were either born here legally or have entered the country legally.

You know the Maryland Catholic Conference is not telling the full truth on this.  And, as some of you know, they will no longer let me comment on their website about it.  I guess, they don't like it when you knock down their straw arguments. 

And tell the Maryland Catholic Conference to put their efforts into defeating the Gay Marriage vote, as well as, focusing on obtaining vouchers and tax credits for those who send their children to Catholic Schools.  

For shame MCC!!!