extreme Catholic 

A hundred feet from my front door a rider of one of these was struck by a car and I saw the police and EMS response. Later I saw a few more of these bicycles. They don't have license plates. At this point I don't know if they are required. However, I saw that the riders in the street simply aren't aware of the cars around them and how slow they are travelling relative to the other traffic. I prayed for the person on the ambulance gurney. Maybe I haven't been paying attention but they just seemed to have appeared in September in Queens.

Labels: new york, observation

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:22 PM   Permalink  

Labels: new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:24 PM   Permalink  

Iran and the Saudis have more than enough money to come in and buy America's vacant Catholic convents, schools, rectories, seminaries, and churches. To the Catholics, it is cash, and cash is necessary to pay for the sexual abuse settlements. To Muslims, this is more than real estate, it is a monument to the triumph of Islam and the retreat of Christianity. Photographs and videos fuel a propaganda campaign demonstrating that it's only a matter of time before the West is dead, enslaved, or converted to Islam. This not the loss of the Hagia Sophia, but in principle, the same.

Labels: catholic, islam, new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:54 PM   Permalink  

Girl on date: My mother had an abortion when I was 11.
Boy on date: That must be because your parents realized they could never produce anything as beautiful as you again.

Labels: abortion, blogs, new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:23 PM   Permalink  

I first found them on 43rd Street, then 20 or so years ago they moved to 52nd Street, and their new location is 64 West 38th Street which is near Sixth Ave.

They are the excellent Catholic books and media store in Manhattan.

Labels: catholic, new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:35 PM   Permalink  

It's a 5-story walk-up. Dreadful.

Labels: new york, phrases

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:57 PM   Permalink  

I swear to God, I'm fucking taking this ball and I'm shoving it down your fucking throat.

New York Times

Labels: blashemy, culture, new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:49 PM   Permalink  

George Marlin, New York Post

IN MAY 2000, when Pope John Paul II had to decide on a successor to the late John Cardinal O'Connor, the pontiff rejected Vatican recommendations and plucked from the ranks a man who had served him well as a canon lawyer in Rome and who had proven himself an able shepherd in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., the Most Rev. Edward M. Egan, D.D., J.C.D.

Labels: catholic, church, new york, vatican

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:45 PM   Permalink  

I wish Cardinal Egan well in whatever assignment he receives from the Pope. It is ironic that he is getting the greatest amount of local television coverage now at his exit. This wasn't true with his three predecessors during my life. Cardinal Egan was the master of his ecclesial domain and confronting the culture of death was a secondary concern for him. It will take the perspective of history to judge if he left the Church in New York in better condition than he found it.

As I blogged earlier the Cardinal made himself a prisoner of precedent and invited candidate Obama to the Al Smith dinner on the basis that while he was pro-abortion, he wasn't Catholic, and therefore not subject to the Church's "discipline".

Best wishes as well for Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

Labels: church, culture, new york, obama, politics

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:05 PM   Permalink  

It's time to cash in on Catholic guilt.

At least that's what some parishioners think is happening at St. Luke's Church in Whitestone, Queens, where detailed breakdowns of members' weekly donations have begun appearing in the weekly bulletin.

Catholics are cheap. That's the old news. Catholics are so cheap they contribute whatever they contributed when they were 20 years old without regard to the fact there were 20 years old -- 40 years ago. That's the new news.

Here is what I added to the comment box:

Let me comment on the article: Each parish also publishes a financial statement of where the money goes (i.e. expenses) which includes the salaries for the priests, religious orders, and staff who are neither. Only members of religious orders take vows of poverty. A diocesan priest has a modest salary. In a financial statement you see a big number being the sum total of all the sources of income. I think it is very helpful to see the breakdown of donations so that one gets an idea of what the gap is between the expenses of the parish and its income. If this parish has to close, how many of those dollar-a-week or five-dollars-a-week parishioners will be complaining to the bishop?

Labels: catholic, church, new york, parish life

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 5:12 PM   Permalink  

The wreckage of the US Airways Flight that went down in the Hudson River has become something of a tourist attraction. Fox 5's Lisa Evers talked to people who couldn't get over the miracle of all 155 people on board surviving the crash.

It is finally out of the Hudson River so life on the West Side can get back to normal. Reporters stand out in the cold and say stuff like "Here, 24 hours ago..." -- and there's nothing to see there now. It's a report that could have been given in the cozy studio, but you need to have video showing that the reporter was there. Perhaps there will be a plaque place on the riverfront to memorialize the event.

Labels: new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:59 PM   Permalink  

Jim Boulet was the head of English First. Where I live is the most multicultural census tract in the United States. Americans of European descent are now a minority here, so I have always followed the groups which support English as the primary language for creating a cultural unity and identity for America.

I know many more immigrants (legal and illegal) than the average New Yorker and that's saying a lot. They love the opportunity and quality of life here. On the down side they also see a huge opportunity in scamming the government for benefits, even some which they might legitimately qualify for.

One thing for certain is that the ability to read and write English is the critical skill to get employment above the most menial level. I hope the children raised in my neighborhood see it as their home and not merely an address.

Labels: new york, obituary, politics, social justice

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:57 PM   Permalink  

I knew there would be copycat shoe throwing incidents. This one happened just after the Bush visit to Iraq -- on December 17, 2008.

New York Times: Say Whatever You Want, but No Throwing Shoes

The target was the chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The attempted thrower was complaining about the proposed fare increase.

It's not funny any more.

Labels: new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:32 PM   Permalink  

In preparation for the Pope's visit I contacted Catholic Answers and through their generosity obtained 1,000 copies of their booklet We have a Pope. It would be my job to distribute them. Friday

I went to St. Malachy's, even before arriving I helped some Franciscan Friars of the Renewal who were given an incorrect address to the Church to get to the church. I met up with some members of the Catholic Evidence Guild and they distributed them to mostly indifferent New Yorkers. The first wave were my fellow New Yorkers on their way from the office to the subway or bus terminal. The second wave were people on their way to Friday night Broadway musicals and plays. St. Malachy's is also known as The Actor's Chapel. People would wave at us from the tour buses and cab riders and drivers would hold out their hand and accept one.

As time passed some more Franciscan Friars and Sisters of Life arrived along with their young lay volunteers to distribute prayer cards and greet people in the name of the Church.

I shared with them Fr. Groeschel's joke on the difference between New York and Los Angeles. In L.A. people smile but don't know why they are smiling but they do. In New York people wear a frown and they know why they frown.

We were all drawn there to pray to God, in thanks for the Pope and to pray for the success of his mission here. It was publicized in many places to the sort of people who get updated on Catholic life here in New York. This notice is from GodSpy

We had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We had Evening Prayer (vespers). This is the first time I heard Fr. Richard Baker liturgically sing. He has a wonderful voice. I was sitting in the front but could see the church fill. Remarkably, tourists gave up a Friday night in New York City to be in church. Even a Evangelical minister and his staying in a nearby hotel attended. Two (hopefully) future priests attended, my son and a friend from Cathedral Prep.

As planned, we processed quite rapidly from Eight Avenue and West 49th Street (St. Malachy's Way) to the residence of the Vatican United Nations observer. at 20 East 72nd Street. About 2 miles (from: 239 west 49th street to: 20 east 72nd street, new york, ny) We took the Madison Ave route so we walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Along the way, we were praying, a friar had a guitar and was singing and my little group was handing out tracts to people. At this time and place we mostly encountering tourists.

We began to pass some elegant restaurants who because of the unseasonably warm weather who were really alarmed as the cloud of witnesses to Jesus were singing, praying, and praising on their way to meet his vicar.

Upon arrival we could see a large crowd gathering and waiting. We joined them. About 300 feet away there was a commotion and then we were told that His Holiness came down to the street to greet and bless the crowd. And it was time to go home.

Saturday

Today's plan was to distribute 600 copies of "We Have a Pope."

I arrived as the Mass was in progress. A small number of people were admitted to a secured zone near the Cathedral at 50th Street and even a smaller group admitted to the Mass. I would work the multitudes above 57th Street.

My progress as an evangelist. Smiling helps. I began to realize that bad seed was being spread: anti-Catholic tracts (i.e. the Pope is the Anti-Christ) and something called "Bayside - the facts revealed" (the "rad-trads"). Then I saw the vendors selling flags, pennants, and t-shirts. So I shouted "Free! We have a Pope. It's all about the Pope. It's pro-Catholic. It's pro-Pope. And best of all it's free." When people saw one being given out with no money changing hands, they descended upon me This was huge group that was hard to characterize: it consisted of nearby New Yorkers, the simply curious; the tourists who were there because it was the place to be in New York on this day; visitors who might be called pilgrims with banners like "Communion and Liberation" and the "Neo-Catechumical Way." No one had a bad thing to say about the Pope.

I saw an Associated Press cameraman-reporter doing an interview and boldly volunteered to be interviewed. I was asked "why are people here?" I answered "To celebrate their Catholic identity. The vicar of Christ has come to our city and we want to welcome him. It's a good day to be Catholic." I was asked what about the scandal "I believe that Pope has acknowledged the crimes and mistakes in a very forceful way, but that's not the reason for his visit. He comes to bring us the hope that is Christ." I was asked "What's your overall impression?" I said "Like today's weather, it's a new springtime for the Church in America." If not me, please let some positive person's interview get aired. The reporter smiled.

The mood of the crowd in a word "bored" because people were under the impression that he would be traveling from the Cathedral to the residence at the end of the Mass (or 11:30am), the Pope made the trip nearly two hours later. But the moment came and the crowd went wild and I had distributed 1,000 copies of "We Have a Pope".

Labels: church, new york, pope, special event

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:20 PM   Permalink  

Five people were murdered pleading for their lives in the Wendy's massacre. The killer was John Taylor. He was sentenced to death but he was re-sentenced this past week to life.(AP News)

New York State's legislators run on the platform of support for the death penalty but the last execution was in 1963. The state's law then, like all death penalty laws was declared unconstitutional in 1972 by the United States Supreme Court. Since the composition of the judges of New York States is uniformly liberal and adverse to the death penalty, the following pattern has been repeated three or four times since 1976:

• Legislation is passed attempting to pass the Court's criteria for a constitutional death penalty.
• Someone is convicted.
• The law is found to have a defect and the sentence is overturned.
• Legislators are outraged and vow to write a bill that corrects this defect.

The sort of plain language death penalty laws other states have has already been found to be unconstitutional in New York, so each new death penalty law has very specific process directions to prosecutors and judges that are a legal minefield. I suspect that the law is becoming so complex that it gets sabotaged each time as it is being drafted by hiding something in it that offers a pretense for overturning it down the road.

The specific defect in the Wendy's Massacre case was the instruction mandated by the law to be given by the judge to break a deadlock, namely that the judge instructs the jury exactly what the law says will happen to a defendant if the deadlock is not broken. This instruction itself, or maybe its mandate was unconstitutional. We're back to legislative outrage phase listed above. It's law-writing whack-a-mole.

New York is not alone in states where the de-facto legislature is its high courts. Before we move on to discuss the death penalty as matter of Catholic morality, I want to bring up this item in the news and the practical impossibility of there being an actual execution in New York state.

Labels: death penalty, law, new york

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:33 PM   Permalink