Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1249

The Bad Catholic blog...

...is pretty dang funny.

Monstrous

Canadian mother strangles newborn and gets no jail time because the judge says it's just another form of abortion.

There is no slippery slope. There is no slippery slope. Ideas have no consequences. Ideas have no consequences. There is no slippery slope. There is no slippery slope. Ideas have no consequences. Ideas have no consequences.[image error]

Polygenism Spells Doom of Christianity!!!!!

Not so much as you might think. We discuss it over at the Register today.[image error]

Hey Western Washington!

Here's where I am this evening!  Hope to see you!

September 14 6:30 PM Mass with talk to follow, Holy Innocents parish, Duvall, WA. Topic: 101 Reasons Not to Be Catholic. Contact: George Doty[image error]

I don't get Bp. Cupich

A reader writes:

Dear Friends,

We recently learned about a troubling decision regarding pro-life activities by our bishop, His Excellency Blase Cupich of the Diocese of Spokane.

I am emailing you because you are a parishioner in the diocese, or have a connection to the diocese, or you have the ability to make public this regrettable decision.

Bishop Cupich has informed all of his priests and seminarians that they cannot:
- pray outside of Planned Parenthood
- promote or organize peaceful protest outside Planned Parenthood in their parishes (naming 40 Days for Life specifically)
- or allow pro-life material to be distributed in their parishes unless it is published by the Washington State Conference of Catholic Bishops or the USCCB--who, ironically, support 40 DFL.

This information came to us directly from multiple Spokane priests. We were also told by these priests that Bishop Cupich identifies himself as pro-life, but disagrees with the "tactic" of praying outside of abortion clinics. The reason he gave for his decision is that he does not want his priests being identified with "extreme" pro-life persons.

We know you all understand the great concern that comes when a bishop is 1) not overtly supportive of pro-life activities and 2) will not allow his priests to fight for the pro-life cause by praying and giving witness to the sanctity of human life outside of Planned Parenthood.

My wife and I have written a letter that we will be sending to the bishop tomorrow and have copied the text below. I am asking that you also do what you can to help him change his mind, especially since we begin the fall campaign of 40 Days for Life in a few weeks.

Let us all pray for Bishop Cupich that he has a conversion of heart on this issue.

May God bless each of you as you fight for life!
****

Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich
Diocese Of Spokane
1023 W. Riverside Avenue
Spokane, WA 99210

Your Excellency:
We have recently learned of facts that are highly disturbing to us. We are seeking clarification from your office.
We have been told that you have forbidden priests and seminarians of the Diocese of Spokane from praying in front of Planned Parenthood, participating in 40 Days for Life, organizing peaceful protest outside of Planned Parenthood (either as a part of 40 Days for Life or otherwise), and endorsing/allowing communication of pro-life activities involving the above two methods in a parish.
We also learned that no pro-life literature may be distributed in a parish except for those produced by the Washington State Conference of Catholic Bishops or by the USCCB. A few months ago, we learned that you declined to endorse 40 Days for Life—something Bishop Skylstad, your predecessor, did indeed endorse. Even the USCCB supports and promotes this organization.
We were concerned, but hoped you had a good reason for your decision, and that it might be a misunderstanding. With this new information, we find it hard to believe it is a misunderstanding.
As members of the Diocese of Spokane, we do not understand why our bishop, the man entrusted by the Church and by Christ to lead the flock, would not allow a peaceful protest of the destruction of human lives. The pro-life issue, which has been championed and endorsed by Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI and the USCCB, is the most important of our age.
In the last 38 years, since abortion became legal in the United States, over 50 million children have been lost (that we know of) through the horror of abortion. While we are hoping that your denial of priests to pray for the unborn outside of the very place where children are murdered is a matter of disagreement on tactics, it seems as though you do not support the movement at all; again, we hope that is not true.
However, we do not understand how a bishop could not endorse praying the rosary, Our Lady's prayer, for the sake of the unborn, their mothers and fathers and the workers, at the very scene of their deaths. Prayer and peaceful witness are the only ways that we will win the battle of converting hearts to believe in the sanctity of every human life. If what we heard is true, telling priests not to pray outside of abortion clinics would be equivalent to telling a priest in Germany or Poland that they should not pray outside of Death Camps. The same tragedy that happened in Germany is happening in our country today, but too many people are standing by without defending the unborn.
We need our priests and our bishops, our spiritual leaders, to take on the cause of defending the unborn! We need our priests and bishops to unabashedly proclaim the sanctity of human life! We need our priests and bishops to witness to the women who are going into a clinic and are in need of a friendly face! If they don't lead the people of God, how will we win this battle for the lives of the unborn? How do we tell the world that the Catholic Church is the most pro-life faith when our bishops are not willing to sacrifice for the life of a baby?
We are not necessarily asking you to pray outside of Planned Parenthood or be the leader of 40 Days for Life, although we wish you would desire to do so.
But we are asking you to clarify why you would not allow your priests and seminarians to take part in this essential part of the pro-life movement. We are also asking you to publicly endorse 40 Days for Life, an important part of our witness in this diocese each year.
It saddens us that our new bishop is not overtly pro-life, let alone that he will not allow his priests and seminarians to express their own pro-life convictions.
Know that we will pray for you as the shepherd of our diocese. However, if this decision remains in effect, we will not be able to support you financially. We will be rescinding our 2011 pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal, additionally.
It is essential that the Catholic Church be the beacon of hope in this time where our society finds it acceptable to murder innocent human life by the millions each year.
May God bless you in your ministry and give you wisdom as you lead our diocese.

I don't get the guy. His reasoning isn't even internally consistent since the USCCB (rightly) has no problem at all with 40 DFL, a perfectly peaceful, non-confrontational, non-gory form of civil witness for life. Plus, he's just taken over a diocese that's been through the ringer financially due to abuse lawsuits. So he deliberately spits in the eye of the most dedicated and loyal Catholics, provoking them to withhold their appeal funds out of conscience? What gives?

God grant him a change of heart through Christ Jesus.

By the way, in stark contrast to Bp. Cupich, here is a story about Abp. Vigneron of Detroit, manfully leading people in prayer outside two abortion mills--in the rain. God be praised for good shepherds![image error]

GOP just keeps bringing the crazy

A reader writes:

Have you seen the news report that republicans are going to introduce a bill that would prohibit the federal government from requiring inspections of oil pipelines? Apparently they are afraid that it would cost pipeline companies too much money. Which is okay, unless you live by an oil pipeline that springs a leak.

The Party of Responsibility is just a gift that keeps on giving, ain't it? But remember, as long as you wear the Precious Feet pin, you can do absolutely anything you like and it's fine. The New Theology is simply this: opposition to abortion taketh away the sins of the world.

Of course, some of us in Washington remember what happens when pipelines are left uninspected. But who cares what a bunch of Blue State socialists and greenies think. When the GOP says we can neglect our responsibilities because an EvilCorp can't be bothered, that should be good enough for any real American. They are, after all, the job creators and wealth producers.

The People's Democratic National Security State of Heaven...

building a national security state in the Empire of Fear, because we aren't afraid or anything.

Here's how the ridiculous ballooning police state apparatus is playing out here in Washington, America's First Line of Defense Against the Canadian Menace.

A reader writes:

A while back I read about a Catholic apostolate which allows people to write back and forth with criminals in jail - a sort of pen pal thing, I guess. The author said it was a great way to "visit Me in prison." Do you have any idea what this guy may have been referring to? I went back and tried to find the article (I think it was on Inside Catholic / Crisis), but I can't find it. If you or any of your readers know about this, please let me know.

I don't know anything about this. Anyone? Bueller?

Bobbi Ruffato defects from Corapi

Santa Cruz Media muckety muck who acted as sock puppet in trashing Fr. Corapi's accuser now writes the woman and her husband:

I want you both to know that I resigned from Santa Cruz Media around the beginning of last month, as I could not support the direction John Corapi was taking. He is leading good Catholics away from the Church and is causing them to fight and bicker amongst themselves....not to mention his personal lifestyle choices.

I spoke with the attorney investigator for SOLT. I was able to provide him some information, as I was constrained only by the terms of my employment contract that prevented me from disclosing business information. Thus, I could provide information not related to the business of Santa Cruz Media. He said he has not been able to get in touch with you and asked me to please reach out to you and let you know that it is very important that you contact him. I believe what you say, and I think he does too.

After seeing what people are doing online to the two of you, I am very frightened about my name getting out there. However, if it does, so be it. The truth is the truth, and I am deeply concerned for Fr. Corapi's eternal soul. I pray that he returns home to his order. The two of you remain in my prayers as well.

I will forward the last email I received from Mr. X, as it contains his contact information. Also, I hope it will help set your minds at ease regarding my sincerity.

Shortly thereafter, the Black Sheepdog FB page vanished. Dunno what it means, but I'm glad to see Ms. Ruffato do the right thing. I'm praying that God will speak to Fr. Corapi through the failure of his scam and that he will repent, return to obedience to Holy Church and find abundant pardon for the grave evil he has done. God is mighty to forgive.

God Bless Ramona Trevino

Rejoicing in heaven is reaching blowout party levels with each person like her. Thanks be to God!