extreme Catholic 

 
Federal Terri's Bill Moves Forward : Reuters

In an effort to intervene to keep alive a severely brain-damaged Florida woman, federal lawmakers agreed on Saturday on a compromise bill aimed at restoring her feeding tube and pushing the right-to-die case back into court.

I'm not sure about a bill that names Terri. Michael Schivao and George Felos might seek to have it overturned on the basis that it is an unconsitutional "Bill of Attainder" depriving Terri's rights as her guardian.

In fact, any legal steps that do not definitively remove Michael Schivao and Judge Greer from a role in deciding Terri's fate are only delaying tactics.

If even there is a declared right for Terri to fed, Michael Schivao at this point can be counted on to do whatever to hasten her death.

What I think the best scenario would be is a court ruling that withdrawal of feed and water would have to indicated by a date, written and witnessed living will

The scary thing as Mark Levin has mentioned is that if Terri's death is a precedent, there's basically no disabled person who is unable to write and speak who could now prevent their feeding tube from being withdrawn.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 6:19 PM   Permalink  

 
Collecting More Lies on Terri's Case

As I am reading some blogs today, I'm adding to the list of lies. When you hear one of these fly by in conversation, speak up and the challenge the lie

• Terri's case has been reviewed with an opportunity by Terri's family to dispute Michael's claims.
• Terri's plight was hijacked by the religious right against the wishes of everyone close to Terri.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 3:23 PM   Permalink  

 
Andre Norton has died : New York Times

Andre Norton, a prolific and popular science-fiction and fantasy writer whose central theme was the rite of passage to self-realization undertaken by misfits or displaced outsiders, died yesterday at her home in Murfreesboro, Tenn. She was 93.

As a young reader in the 1960's, I devoured all the science fiction I could get my hands on. I can recall three authors from that time: Heinlein, Asimov, and Norton.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:15 AM   Permalink  

 
Bishop Bars Funeral For Owner Of Gay Bar : NBC News

San Diego's Catholic bishop barred funeral services for the owner of a local gay bar because the man's business is considered "inconsistent with Catholic moral teaching."

Bishop Robert Brom ruled that services for John McCusker, 31, could not take place in any church in the San Diego diocese. In a letter explaining the decision, diocese officials wrote "the bishop concluded that to avoid public scandal, Mr. McCusker cannot be granted a funeral in a Catholic church or chapel in the Diocese of San Diego."

I've been reading attacks on the Church for this decision. None of them actually refuted the the fact that he owned a local gay bar. local bulletin board

Nationally, John in DC hates the "hateful" Catholic Church.

I'm just taking note of this. As a question of "can" the bishop do it. The answer is "of course". As a question of "should" the bishop do it. The answer is "I don't know".

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:59 PM   Permalink  

 
Terri's Case made by Sean Hannity.

First, read Terri's Fight for the latest official news.

Here are some of the lies:

• Terri is in a persistent vegetative state.
• Terri is at the end of her life.
• There has never been a case where there's been a recovery from an injury of Terri's severity.
• Terri clearly expressed a wish not be fed or given water should she become incapable of feeding herself.
• The best person to care for and act as guardian for Terri her husband Michael.
• The government is required to believe Michael's account of Terri's wishes.
• The government has no role in interfering with Michael carrying out Terri's wishes.

Sean Hannity dedicated the show to coverage mostly because events were happening during his show. The conversations with the spokespeople for the Schiavo family and the debates with the callers and the interview with stroke surivor Kate Adams are her husband were great. They should be in a "best of" show. Two Cheers.

One Bronx Cheer for his discussions with Rep Jim Sensenbrenner and Sen Rick Santorum. They should have played the crybaby sound clips. The House and Senate should not have adjourned without a common bill. The lame excuses were:

• We can't control the schedule of the House/Senate. They adjourn when they want to.
• We saw a change from "should" to "may" and that was unacceptable(?), incredible(?), unauthorized(?)
• The House bill was too tough to be passed in the Senate.
• The Senate bill was too weak to really protect Terri.

Sean should have screamed at them: stop being such idiots -- the whole world is watching.

It's life and death -- if the Republicans can't deal with Judge Greer and George Felos, then we've been screwed.

So I repeat the close of Peggy Noonan's excellent article:

A final note to the Republican leadership in the House and Senate: You have to pull out all the stops. You have to run over your chairmen if they're being obstructionist for this niggling reason and that. Run over their egos, run past their fatigue. You have to win on this. If you don't, you can't imagine how much you're going to lose. And from people who have faith in you.

Bill Frist and Tom DeLay and Jim Sensenbrenner and Denny Hastert and all the rest would be better off risking looking ridiculous and flying down to Florida, standing outside Terri Schiavo's room and physically restraining the poor harassed staff who may be told soon to remove her feeding tube, than standing by in Washington, helpless and tied in legislative knots, and doing nothing.

Issue whatever subpoena, call whatever witnesses, pass whatever emergency bill, but don't let this woman die.

NewsMax reported this third-hand story from Hanity's show:

Barbara Weller, an attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents, told reporters Friday afternoon that during her visit earlier in the day she told Ms. Schiavo:

"Terri, if you would just say, 'I want to live,' all of this will be over."

According to pro-life activist Randall Terry, who recounted the scene to radio host Sean Hannity, Schiavo tried desperately to repeat Weller's words.

"'I waaaaannt ...,' Schiavo allegedly said, in a prolonged yell that had police stationed nearby running into her hospice room.

"She just started yelling, 'I waaaannt, I waaaannt,'" Terry said, according to Weller's account.

At that point police ejected Weller, he said.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:57 PM   Permalink  

 
If you are into RSS/Atom feeds, syndication, aggregators

Check out St Blogs Feed Descriptions

This XML file contained verified Atom and RSS feeds for blogs listed in St Blogs, which is a blog ring. If you are a Catholic blogger, follow those links to get into the ring and get more hits on your blog.

If you are in the ring, and you have a feed, and you are not in this list, then you have not followed the autodiscovery rules for your feed or, even worse, you're feed is not valid XML. I have sent or will be sending you email about that.

I hope to have some more aggregator-related stuff ready soon. Like a moving 24-hour window over the RSS feeds with item titles and the first 200 words of text.

I'm still updating the list of blogs updated in the last 24 hours.

These are being updated every 8 hours.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:31 PM   Permalink  

 
A small point on adultery

If adultery were still an offense under Florida law, it would have been possible to remove Michael as guardian. Michael's manifest adultery gave Terri's parents no cause of action to replace Michael as guardian.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:46 AM   Permalink  

 
WABC's liberal Ron Kuby on Terri Schivao

Although he recited several things that are untrue or unprovable about the case (i.e. that Terri is in a persistent vegetetive state and that she made her wishes regarding the end of her life known to her husband and his relatives but never to any members of her own family) Ron Kuby does not support the withdrawal of food and water from Terri.

He explained that if you were to give away a kitchen set after your death, it would take a properly executed will to do so. When you make decisions of far greater importance like these end of life instructions, it must be recorded in a witnessed, written form.

Ron Kuby's own father was afflicted with cancer of the throat and informally indicated that he did not want to live without his voice, but when it came to the day to decide to operate or not, his father reversed his decision, chose the operation, and lived for several more years without a voice.

No caller that I heard challenged Ron on the assumption that she is at the end of her life. The correct term to describe her condition is "brain-damaged". She is not in any immediate risk of death. No attempt has been made to rehabilitate her in order to allow her to communicate or to eat and drink without a tube. Patients with the same extent of brain damage have been given physical therapy to allow them to be spoon fed or to feed themselves. Her parents have consistently advocated these steps. Michael Schivao had done so as well -- until the financial settlement with the hospital that treated her was finalized, then he sought to have her die by neglect.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:12 AM   Permalink  

 
Court voids an item in homosexual agenda

Court lets city vendorse off gay-clause hook : New York Post

An appeals court yesterday struck down a controversial law requiring city contractors to offer domestic-partner benefits.

The city's Equal Benefits Law "runs afoul" of state law that seeks "to protect the public fisc by obtaining the best work at the lowest possible price, and to prevent favoritism, improvidence, fraud and corruption in the awarding of public contracts" the state Appellate Division ruling said.

The EBL banned the city from doing business with vendors that have more than $100,000 worth of city contracts that offer health benefits to married couples but not to domestic partners.

Mayor Bloomberg filed suit to stop the law from going into effect after the City Council overrode his veto, and the appeals court sided with the mayor.

The EBL "expressly excludes a class of potential bidders for a reason unrelated to the quality or price of the goods or services they offer," the ruling says. "As we have previously noted, the City Council cannot achieve even laudable goals by making illegal what is specifically allowed by state law."

June Buch, who handled the case for the city's Law Department, said "ensuring equal benefits to all New Yorkers, regardless of sexual orientation, is the administration's deeply held belief. The City Council passing invalid legislation isn't the way to achieve this goal."

Maria Alvarado, a spokeswoman for the council, said, "We will appeal this decision, and expect to prevail over the mayor's effort to use taxpayer funds denying equal treatment for everyone in this city."

As victories go, this one is very small and perhaps short-lived. But we thanks for all of them big and small.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:06 PM   Permalink  

 
Cleft lip abortion done 'in good faith' : UK Guardian

Doctors and health officials will consider whether more guidance on abortions is needed following the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute two doctors who authorised a late abortion on a foetus with a cleft lip and palate.

Perhaps there's an nugget of truth in Ward Churchill's claim that we're all little Eichmann's now.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 4:42 PM   Permalink  

 
No to Rudolph Giuliani in 2008

George Marlin has identified Rudolph Giuliani's positions and why he does not deserve the support of Republicans.

Culture of Life Foundation has the details.

NewsMax has a summary.

The short version is that on the social issues agenda of the Republican party: abortion, marriage, gun ownership, and education reform.

Kevin Miller discusses this as well. I would only take issue with Kevin that as mayor, Giuliani was excellent in fiscal managment, reducing the city's payroll, welfare reform, leadership by example, and inspiring people inside and outside of the city to look anew at New York.

Finally, Rudy's real contribution to New York and to the nation will be to run against Hillary in the Senate in 2006 and stay in the Senate, or be Attorney General in the pro-life Republican we elect in 2008.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:20 AM   Permalink  

 
The 150 year old Cathedral of the diocese of Madison Wisconsin has burnt down

Arson Probe Under Way At St. Raphael : Channel 3000

Arson investigators and arson dogs are combing through the burned-out remains of a historic downtown Madison church. So far, they haven't been able to determine where Monday's massive fire at St. Raphael Cathedral, 222 W. Main St., started or what caused it.

On Wednesday, equipment was brought in to lift up rubble so investigators could get a look beneath it for clues into what sparked the devastating blaze. Arson dogs were also used as part of Wednesday's investigation.

The fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. Monday. Large plumes of dark smoke could be seen from all directions toward the Capitol. Several area fire departments were called in to help Madison firefighters contain the fire, but the building is now in ruins -- except for the church's steeple, which is a downtown Madison landmark.

The new, 40-ton spire just went up in November. It was considered the crowning jewel of a million-dollar restoration of the church. The high-tech spire was designed to withstand the test of time -- as well as fire.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:14 AM   Permalink  

 
Rich nations urged to support African markets : IOL Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki called on rich nations on Thursday to open up their lucrative markets to goods from Africa to enable the world's poorest continent to trade its way out of poverty and ultimately strengthen democracy.

Free and fair access to markets will help Africa to overcome poverty and disease, Kibaki told diplomats and African Union officials on the second day of his four-day visit to Ethiopia.

Africa's share of world trade was less than three percent while exports from the continent had dropped from six percent in 1980 to two percent today.

"Africa's economic performance will largely depend on increased participation in international trade," Kibaki said. "Moreover economic prosperity will further strengthen our democracies."

African farmers have trouble selling their products in Europe and the United States because of tariff barriers and subsidies that undercut their competitive advantages.

In Europe, cows receive $2 (about R12) day in European Union subsidies, but 500 million Africans live on less than this, according to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, a British charity. Africa has a total of 830 million people.

Members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a Paris-based group of the world's wealthiest countries, give their farmers almost $1-billion a day in subsidies. This dwarfs the $22-billion the 30-member group gave in aid to Africa in 2002.

"The developed nations must bring down the walls protecting their markets, if Africa is to have market access," Kibaki said. "Overseas development assistance is welcome, but market access is a better and more effective way of empowering our people." - Sapa-AP

Trade barriers are just the way the world works. I'd have a lot more sympathy if they were such hypocrites about free trade themselves.

Kenya plays the tariff game to its own advantage.

Kenya tea war hots up : Reuters

... Kenya is currently embroiled in a serious trade dispute with its number one tea market, Pakistan, over tariffs. Pakistan buys almost a third of Kenya's total annual tea sales.

Kenya increased the tariff on rice imports from 35 percent to 75 percent, in line with a new East African Community customs union launched in early January.

Officials say Uganda had insisted on a tariff increase on rice to protect and boost its rice production, hoping to increase exports to its EAC partners Kenya and Tanzania.

The Pakistan government has complained bitterly about the increase and demanded that Kenya reduce the tariffs or face unspecified retaliatory measures.

Pakistan has long complained about the trade imbalance with Kenya which is currently heavily in favour of Kenya, and had been pushing for a free trade agreement with east Africa to increase exports of rice and pharmaceuticals to Kenya.

If CAFOD believes in "free trade", it ought to nag Kenya and Pakistan as well as Europe.

(editor's note: this is the article that I complained Blogger lost on me a few days ago.)

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:36 PM   Permalink  

 
Omnium Finis Imminet : The End is Here : Explained at Last

It is hype for NBC's Revelations More details at Nunsploitation and IMDB

(45th Road-Court House Sq., Long Island City) (extreme Catholic photo)

(detail showing Natascha McElhone "Sister Josepha Montifiore" and Bill Pullman "Dr. Richard Massey") (extreme Catholic photo)

(5th Ave 53rd St.) The anonymous ad that started it all (extreme Catholic photo) My earlier blog on this

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:24 PM   Permalink  

 

Sixth Commandment Watch: No effort made to hide it -- combining Lust and Envy

MTV presents the 100 Most Wanted Bodies.

This doesn't admire their achivements in music, acting, modeling, etc. but only their appearance.

This phrase from the Catechism 2354 might apply It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world.

Think of MTV as the gateway drug to porn, and porn the gateway to adultery and prostitution.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:12 PM   Permalink  

 
CNS: New Catholic lay group formed to promote better church management

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A group of U.S. Catholic bishops and lay church and business leaders March 14 announced formation of a National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management.

Its goal is to help Catholic dioceses and parishes improve administrative practices and financial and human resource management as the church confronts clergy shortages and the challenges of training effective lay leadership.

At a press conference in Washington the group also issued an 80-page "Report of the Church in America," reporting the proceedings and recommendations of last July's national leadership round table at Wharton, the prestigious business school of the University of Pennsylvania.

So the Church has it's own version of "We're from the government and we're here to help."

Better management is no substitute for better judgment.

My prescription: Less time with accountants and ledgers and more time in prayer.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 2:44 PM   Permalink  

 
Prayers for Terri : David Limbaugh

Given Terri's reported responsiveness, her ability to breathe on her own, and the doubt and suspicious circumstances surrounding this case, shouldn't the question be resolved in favor of life, especially given what we've seen recently, for example, with a comatose patient regaining consciousness after 19 years?

I find it haunting that we live in a culture of death where the presumption seems to be against finding that a human being would want to go on living and the burden of proof is on those promoting life.

Terri Schiavo and her parents need and deserve our prayers.

It's a good summary to forward to people.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:15 PM   Permalink  

 
Paying by Fingerprint at the Supermarket : Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - Customers of a German supermarket chain will soon be able to pay for their shopping by placing their finger on a scanner at the check-out, saving the time spent scrabbling for coins or cards.

Edeka bosses said they were confident the system could not be abused.

Of course, until theives will start cutting of fingers.
posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:14 AM   Permalink  

 
The Situation in Ireland

I've been reading the apologists for Gerry Adams and it just doesn't add up.

I'm on the same page as Mark Steyn who writes in These Irish eyes are smiling at White House snub of IRA : Chicago Sun-Times on the descent into depravity that the IRA has taken in just the last two years.

Two events made me lose faith in the current leadership of the IRA: the unpunished murder of Robert McCartney and the bank robbery which involved threatening families of bank employees.

It's probably another Yassir Arafat situation with Gerry Adams, he's lost his credibility and only a new leader is going to be able to move things ahead.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 6:00 PM   Permalink  

 
Hannity fell into a trap

He debated a caller accepting the caller's factually erroneous framework that she's been sustained by aggressive medical intervations which if they had not been permitted, would have long ago allowed he to have a natural death.

Sean has talked about this a great deal and I can't believe it but he did not immediately slam the caller for getting his facts wrong. Terri is not being sustained by an aggressive medical intervention but by simple food and water.

What is argued in the court is that she be ordered to die by dehyradation and that anyone be prevented from giving her food and water. This is not a natural death but an execution.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 4:56 PM   Permalink  

 
Mel Gibson on Terri Schiavo

He gets it right. The Bishops have muddied the waters, especially Bp Lynch.

“I fully support the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Schindler to save their daughter, Terri Schiavo, from a cruel starvation. Terri's husband should sign the care of his wife over to her parents so she can be properly care for”, Gibson said.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:56 AM   Permalink  

 
A line was crossed in France

Photo made available Friday March 11, 2005, by French fashion designer Marithe Francois Girbaud, shows the advertising poster inspired by 'the Last Supper' of Leonardo Da Vinci which was banned by the Paris court, Thursday March 10, 2005 . The Italian city of Milan banned the same poster early in February as a parody of a key event in Christian history. The Last Supper depicts Christ's farewell to his disciples. A Paris court ordered the French fashion house late on Thursday to take down the posters within three days because they offended Roman Catholics. (AP Photo/Brigitte Neidermair)

Welcome viewers from Catholic World News.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:10 AM   Permalink  

 
Real Hobbits

Homo floresiensis is a species of dwarf human discovered at the Liang Bua cave on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003. There's a readable background at Talk.Origins.

And at AgapePress has a creatiionist response. Bear in mind I am not a creationist.

I saw the National Geographic Special on Homo floresiensis

Some on web are using this as a hammer to beat the atheistic drums.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:37 PM   Permalink  

 
Starting up a UK/Ireland St. Blogs

James Preece would like to contact Catholic bloggers in Endland, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland to start St Blogs of UK/Ireland

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:39 PM   Permalink  

 

Learning the Bible by teaching the Bible In my teen-adult Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults RCIA) class, we're trying to keep the focus on the lectionary readings and the centrality of Christ in becoming a Catholic. In the contact I've had with teachers and students of RCIA, I've that the greatest disappointment comes from presenting the Catholic faith as a set of laws and obligations that one takes on. Certainly, there's a change in how one thinks and acts, but this is not an end in itself. The means is obedience to the will of God and the end is union with God in heaven. So I present this word-for-word version of the Book of Matthew recited by the late Richard Kiley with Jesus played by Bruce Marchiano which I told the students doesn't contain that miracle of the raising of Lazarus. This is only in the Gospel of John. Then I looked at reference book with a list of the miracles in John before the Passion. I discovered they are ordered from the least to the greatest: from the Wedding at Cana to the Raising of Lazarus. I didn't know that.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:10 PM   Permalink