extreme Catholic 

 
"He's a Widera guy" or "He's one of the Ramos ones." Finding Strength in Pain: Los Angeles Times

Some of the victims, meeting for the first time, realized they had gone to the same school. The common ground, in many cases, was even more intimate. Most of the priests in question were repeat offenders. In the hallway, one victim would often refer to another by his abuser's name: "He's a Widera guy" or "He's one of the Ramos ones."

I know you've read a lot of clergy abuse stories. This article is a bit different in taking you inside the process where these multi-million dollar settlements are reached.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:48 PM   Permalink  

 
Greepeace protests research on human embryos

Ice blocks containing baby dolls are lined up by environmental group Greenpeace during a demonstration in front of the seat of the German lower house of parliament in the Reichstag building in Berlin, December 3, 2004. Greenpeace is protesting against scientific patents on human embryos. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:26 PM   Permalink  

 
God has changed his mind. Join our Church before he changes it back.

God is still speaking

There's a blogstorm on the commercial from the dwindling membership of the United Church of Christ and it's “Still Speaking” compaign (video link)

Dawn Eden is covering this and so is Amy Welborn.

The commerical shows people who might not be recognized outside of New York or LA. They are bouncers who determine if you fit the profile for who gets into the church.

The commercial claims that these denominations exist but the UCC is not one of them.

I don't know of any denomination that excludes people for being Latino, poor, etc. so I see it a form of false Phariseeism/Pharisaism on the part of the UCC: More inclusive than thou

If the UCC were honest, they might say: We're a denomination that no longer believes that our members sin. Sin is what the Catholics and Evangelicals do, 'cause they believe in it.

The idea of velvet ropes in front a church is nothing new if it happens to be the (Episcopal) Church of the Holy Communion at 47 W 20th St. which became the notorious gay club Limelight. It was closed for a few years and became Avalon another dance club.

It's a small building but the entire New York City membership of the UCC could fit in it at one time.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:46 PM   Permalink  

 
Boycott Target Target May Face Backlash on Salvation Army: AP

A backlash could be brewing against Target Corp. after it decided to ban Salvation Army bell-ringers and their red kettles from its store entrances this holiday season.

The company announced the decision months ago, but the criticism didn't start to mount until Salvation Army officials recently noted the problems it could cause to their fund raising plans, and shoppers noticed the bell ringers' absence.

The latest reaction has come from several national Christian groups, who are denouncing Target's decision.

“For Target to say that the Salvation Army is no longer welcome at the inn should send a message to Christians that perhaps they'd like to do their shopping elsewhere,” said Robert Knight, a spokesman for Concerned Women of America, a Christian activist group that claims more than 500,000 members.

This, of course, was a change in Target's practice in prior years.

Yeah, the want the spirit of gift-giving but limited only to stuff you can buy in Target.

If Target wants to make Target a conscience-free zone, then I can easily avoid Target.

Expect appeals from secularists to shop at Target and avoid the stores where the Salvation Army is present.

In New York, also, the Salvation Army is in court to maintain that it is qualifies for a religious exemption.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:16 PM   Permalink  

 
The newest icon of giving and generosity is Donald Trump.

I've heard the commercials on radio: yuck!

From the advertising news web site: Media Post

Also launching a holiday campaign is Office Depot. Keep up with me, people. Office Depot has compiled a list of the Top 100 Gifts for businesspeople. Dubbed "Gifts That Mean Business," the list highlights Office Depot's commitment to helping customers find the perfect present for the businesspeople in their lives. The campaign consists of TV and radio spots, direct mail, e-mail and in-store displays. The two thirty-second TV spots were created by BBDO New York. Titled "Because" and "It's for you," the ads feature several items from the company's Top 100 Gifts list. "Because" focuses on various small business owners giving gifts to people that help their businesses succeed and "It's for you" promotes Office Depot's exclusive deals on select HP and Compaq desktop and notebook computers. The radio spots tout Office Depot's relationship with Donald Trump. TV spots debuted on Nov. 24 and are running on both network and cable TV during primetime, late night and early morning.

Press Releases here and here

Remember: Trump is the reason for the season.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:17 PM   Permalink  

 
A lesson for the liberal elite: Bernard Moon, Boston Globe

In a recent speech at Tufts University, Andy Rooney reflected on the election and said, according to The Tufts Daily, that Christian fundamentalism is a result of "a lack of education. They haven't been exposed to what the world has to offer."

Those comments as well as the identification of the "bigoted Christian redneck" after Election Day in various editorials left me wondering: Where do these "liberal elites" get this fictional image of Christians? When did this distorted perspective begin in our cultural history? How can I work to bridge this gap?

Rooney is reflective of the "liberal elite" in America that suffers from an odd disconnect with much of America and those who voted for President Bush. With respect to Isaac Asimov, I have decided to create "The Three Political Laws of Christian Fundamentalists" for the confused "liberal elite":

A Christian is a human being capable of independent, logical reasoning to the highest order.

A Christian is not a mindless entity seeking to obey public religious leaders, such as Pat Robertson, John Paul II, or Ralph Reed, when voting on the future of America.

A Christian must protect his own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the Bible.

A home run. Read it.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:27 AM   Permalink  

 
Writing sample from a company that specializes in communications

It reinforced relationships with a number of major multinational clients, strong agencies in Europe to develop Red Cell, Bates Asia, a number of ex-Zenith media planning and buying operations, effective healthcare and retail-rooted branding and identity operations, and a number of specialist public relations and event management capabilities.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:27 AM   Permalink  

 
The Society of Saint John is suppressed

Bishop voids scandal-ridden organization: Scranton Times-Leader

Noting that the Diocese of Scranton had to arrange a $2.6 million bailout for the troubled Society of St. John, Bishop Joseph Martino has "suppressed" the society.

Suppression is a Roman Catholic action taken under canon, or church, law. It reverses the bishop's approval, which was needed when the society set up in the diocese. Diocese offices were closed Friday and no one could be reached to explain what would happen to the society as a result of suppression.

Martino issued a "decree" of the suppression "as of Nov. 24, 2004." That decree was published in Catholic Light, the diocese's weekly newspaper. Many Catholics received the paper in Friday's mail.

The Society of St. John website has no mention of this supression.

I learned about this back in 2002 from this article by Rod Dreher in NRO and Dr. Jeffrey Bond's letter to then-Bishop Timlin.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:41 PM   Permalink  

 
St. Blog's tracker robot repaired

Because Ringsurf, the host for the Catholic webring known as St. Blog's Parish changed the listing format my parser of their listings stopped working.

I've corrected that problem so you can look at the list of recently updated blogs again. And they will be updated every 8 hours approiximately.

I also have a list of related RSS/Atom feeds autodiscovered.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 4:21 PM   Permalink  

 
Street Justice Crowd Pounds “Thug” :New York Post

Stunned Queens residents yesterday watched in horror as an out-of-control stolen car struck a young woman and pinned her against a home — then angrily dished out vigilante justice by beating the driver when he kept racing the engine, witnesses said.

"The girl was pinned to the hood of the car, pressed against the wall," said Herb Shedrick.

He saw the 1995 Toyota first jump a curb on 110th Street near 174th Avenue at around 3:17 p.m., then strike Rashawna Belt, 20, dragging her through his fence and across the street before hitting the wall of another house, law-enforcement sources said.

"He was revving the engine," Shedrick said.

"I kept telling the driver to stop the car, to get out of the car. But he kept pushing the gas, and she kept screaming.

"Eventually, she closed her eyes, and she fell limp."

Angry neighbors began punching the man as he sat in the car pressing the gas pedal — with Belt still stuck to his grill — witnesses said.

They eventually dragged him out of the car and held him until cops arrived.

The man — who cops said had just stolen the car minutes earlier from in front of a nearby supermarket — had to be hospitalized at St. Mary Immaculate for serious injuries.

This is located in Jamaica-St. Albans.

This is getting to be common at accidents. In fact, there's an exception to the fleeing the scene of an accident law if you immediately call 911 and drive to a police precinct or go to a place where the police can locate you if you believe that you are threatened by remaining at the scene of an accident.

I wonder what would have taken place if someone was on the spot with about 40 feet of strong rope.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 1:44 PM   Permalink  

 
Tolerance Watch

Pro-abort vandals suspected in church desecration: Boston Herald

Vandals spray-painted a statue of the Virgin Mary outside a Cambridge church this weekend and put a crown made of coat hangers on her head.

The statue sits between the church and rectory, where it has been for more than 20 years. Near it is a plaque reading, “In loving memory of the unborn victims of abortion,” which was placed by a local Knights of Columbus council.

The vandalism, which also included “Get yr religion off our lives!” spray-painted on the driveway in front of the church, occurred sometime during the day on Saturday. The coat hangers and the painted message made it appear to have been done by people motivated by the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion.

“No matter where anyone stands on any issue, this is uncalled for. It's a desecration of church property,” said the Rev. Charles Collins, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in North Cambridge.

All the graffiti was removed yesterday afternoon after police arrived to investigate.

Collins said this is the first incident of its kind at St. John the Evangelist in the 11 years he's been there, and the church has not been a lightning rod for controversies about abortion or other issues.

“If anything, we tend to be more of a progressive church,” said Collins.

Cambridge police are investigating the incident.

What does being progessive have to do with it? Fr. Collins, do you think that you could appease these vandal by offering a public dissent on the Church's teaching that abortion in the taking of a human life?

Meanwhile, looking for this reported in the agenda-driven Boston Globe, I couldn't find the story but I found this old stupid story on the Virgin Mary in the grilled cheese in the Globe.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:17 PM   Permalink  

 
DaVinci Code, the movie

Some interesting discussion already on this on the Internet Movie Database.

I agree with the comment that you can't build a three movie deal on the premise that "the Catholic Church is really, really evil".

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:30 AM   Permalink  

 
Knights Templar seek papal apology for 700 years of persecution: UK Independent

Seven hundred years after they were denounced as heretics and condemned to torture and death, the Knights Templar are calling for a public apology from the Roman Catholic Church.

The secretive organisation which was formed at the time of the Crusades has written to Pope John Paul II requesting that the Vatican officially atone for the persecution of the order.

More fallout from the DaVinci Code nonsense. There is no group today that can call itself "Knights Templar" with any legitimacy.

The original order were thoroughly suppressed and its properties given to the monarchs or to the other military orders (i.e. St. John, etc.)

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 2:54 PM   Permalink  

 
Is there even a debate in Europe? (outside of Vatican City)

Looking at the Irish media and talking to some people who are actually there, it seems that I've been presuming that there's a debate taking place that isn't taking place.

Should Ireland (or Europe) become secular and intolerant of religious freedom, especially in its public expression?

Guardian UK: President issues call to tame Celtic Tiger

Note: this is not about any NBA or MLB team.

Everyone appears to be apathetic except for militant secularists and Muslims.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:52 AM   Permalink