Al Kresta's Blog, page 331

Spike in False Claims

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the spike in false claims made against priests:

The report on clergy abuse was released a week ago today, and for some reason, there has been virtually no reporting on what may be the most important finding of them all: the 42 percent increase in accusations found to be unsubstantiated or false. The number of such claims jumped from 12 percent in 2009 to 17 percent in 2010, the largest, by far, in any one year.

The report does not say what accounts for the sharp increase, so it cannot be said with certainty what is causing it. But if I had to guess, it has to do with one thing: the word is out that the clock is ticking, so if someone wants to cash in with a bogus claim, he had better come forward before it's too late.

Whatever the cause is, it puts priests in jeopardy: all it takes is for someone to drop a dime, make up an accusation, and hire a lawyer on a contingency fee basis. The beauty of it all is that your true identity will not be disclosed publicly; you will be assigned the name John Doe 101, and the accused will not know who you really are. Better yet, he may already be dead.

A more aggressive approach by the dioceses is badly needed. False claimants should be sued for perjury and slander. Not until these "victims" pay a price for their maliciousness will justice be done.

Shame on the media for ignoring this story.

Patriot Guard Riders Drown Out Westboro Baptist Church Protesters

Cartoon of the Day - Who's Sleeping?

Today on Kresta - April 18, 2011

Talking about the "things that matter most" on April 18

4:00 – Pope Benedict XVI and Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary, or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI. Indeed, Benedict maintains that the evidence, fairly considered, brings us face-to-face with the challenge of Jesus-a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority, claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception. Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection is Pope Benedict XVI's follow-up to Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordon to the Transfiguration. As we enter this Holy Week, Mark Brumley is here to take us deeper into the Pope's thoughts on this most sacred week of the year.

4:40 – Was Chief Sitting Bull a Catholic?
Was Chief Sitting Bull a Catholic convert? Did he convert William "Buffalo Bill" Cody? For some reason this question has recently surfaced in Catholic circles. As a student of the Old West, having read numerous accounts of Sitting Bull and a resident of the once vast Dakota Territory, Mark Armstrong says he thought it unlikely. But was it possible that Sitting Bull was a full member of the Catholic Church? Mark answers that question.

5:00 – Planned Parenthood and the Politics of the Budget Battles
After the resolution of the budget battle - when we began to hear the details, Marjorie Dannenfelser , President of the Susan B. Anthony List praised pro-life leaders in the House for securing the Dornan Amendment in budget negotiations and pledged to continue to lead the fight to defund Planned Parenthood of taxpayer dollars. The Dornan amendment banned funding for abortions in Washington, D.C. but did not defund Planned Parenthood. Marjorie explains why she sees this as a victory for life.

5:20 – Syria, Libya, Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood: A Tour
As unrest continues across the Middle East, the intervention in Libya continues to be light on details, Syria is cracking down on protests, and a hearing on the Muslim Brotherhood in the US House of Representatives has shown that the US Administration has "no plan" to deal with the Brotherhood, terrorism expert Walid Phares is here to take us on a tour of the trouble spots in the Middle East.

5:40 – Pope Benedict XVI and Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary, or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI. Indeed, Benedict maintains that the evidence, fairly considered, brings us face-to-face with the challenge of Jesus-a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority, claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception. Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection is Pope Benedict XVI's follow-up to Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordon to the Transfiguration. As we enter this Holy Week, Tim Gray is here to take us deeper into the Pope's thoughts on this most sacred week of the year.

"Family Movie Night" Returns

Posted By Nick Thomm:

Truth Be Told is a new made-for-TV family movie, starring Candace Cameron Bure, David James Elliott and Ronny Cox. It plays upon the old adage, that "honesty is the best policy," and according to Colorado's leading marriage counselor, Annie Morgan (Candace Cameron Bure), honesty is the key to successful long-term relationships. Ironically, Annie has never been married and doesn't always follow her own advice.

Trough a misunderstanding, Annie receives an invitation for her and her spouse to join media mogul Terrance Bishop (Ronny Cox), at his New Mexico ranch to discuss her dream job: hosting a radio advice program. Fearful that being single will ruin her chance of a lifetime, Annie conspires with Mark Crane (David James Elliott), an old college friend, recent widower, and father of two teenagers, to pose as a married couple for the weekend. A series of comical misunderstandings color the trip, leaving Annie emotionally involved with Mark's family and battling with her own conscience. As the entertaining and touching story unfolds, Annie begins to realize that the truth may have its consequences, but ultimately it's what opens our hearts and brings out the best in each other.

I had a chance to preview the film today and I recommend it. It has the feel of a made-for-tv movie and is utterly predictable, but the acting is above par for a film of this type, the message is strong, and it will the most edifying thing on TV tomorrow night - of that I have very little doubt.Be Told is the fifth installment of the Family Movie Night Initiative, which was launched last April in direct response to research which revealed that parents across America are seeking more family-oriented entertainment to enjoy together. When P&G and Wal-Mart learned that there was a clear desire for more options when it comes to quality family entertainment, they made a commitment to be part of the solution and are looking forward to bringing more family movies throughout 2011.

Truth Be Told will air on Saturday, April 16 at 8/7c on the FOX Network.

Watch the trailer below.

Bishops say feminist theologian should have sought dialogue before publishing

The U.S. bishops' doctrine committee has responded to concerns about their treatment of the feminist theologian Sister Elizabeth Johnson, pointing out that the "dialogue" she now wishes to have with the bishops should have taken place before the publication of her 2007 book "Quest for the Living God."
On April 8, members of the Catholic Theological Society of America criticized the doctrine committee for its decision to raise objections to Sr. Johnson's book in a public statement. According to the society, the doctrine committee should have had an "informal conversation" with Sr. Johnson first. The author has also complained that she was "never invited" to "clarify critical points" with the committee.

But Father Thomas Weinandy, executive director of the doctrinal board, said that committee chairman Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl would have preferred to speak with Sr. Johnson before the publication of her widely-read book. "Cardinal Wuerl said that if a dialogue should be taking place, it should be before the publication of the book – not after," recalled Fr. Weinandy.

The doctrine committee's executive director said that if theologians were concerned about the bishops' judgment of their ideas, they should have approached the committee with areas of possible concern prior to publication. He indicated that Sr. Johnson could have sought such a dialogue, but chose not to do so.

In light of that choice, he said, it was not reasonable to expect the bishops to restrict themselves to private discussion about a book that had already reached a large audience. "Otherwise, the bishops are always trying to play catch-up," Fr. Weinandy said. "They're never given a chance to actually comment on something before it's published."

Sr. Johnson's book "was already published, and being widely used," Fr. Weinandy explained. "They felt obliged to make a statement, lest the teachers and the students who read this book think that what is being presented here is Catholic doctrine." Several bishops had requested that the doctrine committee review the book, which has become a popular text in some Catholic universities' theology courses.

"So, the doctrine committee undertook a review of the book, and judged that the methodology, conclusions, and arguments in the book were not in accord with Catholic teaching."

Several members of the Catholic Theological Society of America have expressed concern that Sr. Johnson might not have been treated according to the guidelines of a 1989 document entitled "Doctrinal Responsibilities." It says that "informal conversation ought to be the first step" in cases of "misunderstandings about the teaching of the gospel and the ways of expressing it."

According to Fr. Weinandy, however, that document was meant to suggest means of resolving a dispute between individual bishops and theologians teaching at the local level.

Read more here...

From Her Majesty to His Holiness: two birthday presents

The United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth sent two presents to Pope Benedict XVI on April 15. Her first gift was a telegram containing best wishes for the pontiff's 84th birthday tomorrow, and the second was a new U.K. ambassador to the Holy See.

Nigel Baker is the man chosen as Her Majesty's latest representative to the Vatican. According to The Telegraph newspaper, 44-year-old Baker worked briefly at the British Conservative Party's headquarters in the late 1980s. Interestingly, one of his co-workers there is the now British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Since joining the U.K. Foreign Office in 1989, Baker has held postings in Prague, Havana and most recently Bolivia, where he was ambassador. He also spent three years as Private Secretary to Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.
The U.K. Foreign Office says Baker knows Italy well, having spent an academic sabbatical in Verona and Naples between 1996 and 1998. While he isn't a Catholic, his Slovakian wife, Sasha, is. They have one son.

Upon his appointment Baker said, "I am delighted and honoured to be taking up this posting. The last few years have seen the development of a strong and fruitful global partnership between the United Kingdom and the Holy See. The historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in September 2010 reinforced that relationship and opened new avenues for bilateral and multilateral collaboration."

The new ambassador said he looks forward to the "challenge of deepening our engagement across the many issues on which we work together."

Baker takes over from Francis Campbell, the first Catholic to hold the post of ambassador to the Holy See since the English Reformation in the 16th century.

Prior to today's appointment, there had been speculation that the ambassadorship would be offered to one of several prominent Catholic politicians. Names bandied about included the former Conservative government minister and Catholic convert, Anne Widdicombe, as well as the former Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, Lord David Alton.

The Treasurer of the U.K. Parliament's All Party Group on the Holy See, Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, told EWTN News that the new ambassador has big job ahead of him, "Francis Campbell certainly leaves big shoes to fill. So I wish Mr Baker well. The biggest challenge for him will be to build upon the great success of last year's Papal Visit to Scotland and England."

Archbishop Sheen's sainthood cause moving ahead

The beatification cause of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will advance this May when Bishop Daniel J. Jenky of Peoria will present Pope Benedict XVI with the position paper summarizing the life and holiness of the famous television evangelist.

"America is in need of a saint like Archbishop Sheen. He brought so many people closer to Christ during his life here on earth and continues to do so even today through his many writings, television and radio shows," explained Fr. Andrew Apostoli, the vice postulator tasked with preparing and advocating Sheen's cause.

The formal filing of the position paper, called a "positio," with the Congregation for Saints' Causes is the initial step in the Vatican's process to determine whether Archbishop Sheen should be beatified and canonized as a saint.

Sheen was raised in Peoria, Ill. and ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1919.

Bishop Jenky became the Bishop of Competence sponsoring Sheen's cause in 2002. He is also president of the Peoria-based Archbishop Sheen Foundation. The bishop will present the position paper on Sheen's cause to the Pope on May 25 at the end of the weekly general audience.

In November 2010 the Diocese of Peoria suspended its promotion of Archbishop Sheen's cause because of a dispute with the Archdiocese of New York over the final resting place of his remains. The diocese resumed its work in January 2011.

Msgr. Stanley Deptula, executive director of the Archbishop Sheen Foundation, said that once the Congregation for Saints' Causes officially approves the paper they will begin the investigation into an alleged healing attributed to Sheen.

"The foundation believes the healing is a miracle granted through the late archbishop's intercession," Msgr. Deptula explained. Details about supposed miracles are often not discussed while the claim is under investigation by the Vatican.

Deptula and Apostoli will accompany Bishop Jenky to present the positio, as will Msgr. Richard Soseman, the foundation's foreign liaison; Dr. Louis Varela, the foundation's chairman of the board; and Maria Alicia Varela, a foundation board member.

Archbishop Sheen was a charismatic author and a radio and television personality. He broadcast his famous television program "Life is Worth Living" from New York City, where he was ordained an auxiliary bishop in 1951.

Sheen later served as Bishop of Rochester. After his death in 1979, he was buried in the crypt of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Time article on new missal translation

In what purports to be a news article rather than an op-ed piece, Time magazine's Miami and Latin America bureau chief lashes out at the forthcoming revised translation of the Roman Missal without sparing the "Kumbaya crowd."

"The Catholic missal melee is unfortunately a reminder that the tiresome practice of theological hairsplitting is still alive and well in the 21st century," Time reports. "If you thought modern Christendom was beyond that kind of medieval nonsense, think again."

The article continues:

The source of the fuss, like so much Catholic dysfunction today, is Vatican II. That modernizing 1960s church council reformed the Catholic liturgy, allowing Mass to be said in the more accessible vernacular instead of Latin. But one of its more tedious byproducts was the way it emboldened liturgical liberals--the Kumbaya crowd, who often turn Masses into hand-holding, guitar-strumming services that even progressive Catholics find grating--and how it embittered conservatives, including Pope Benedict XVI, who want to take the Mass back, at least partway, to the Latin of the more rigid and remote Tridentine tradition.
"Even if it doesn't restore the Latin, it requires the vernacular to be as faithful a translation of the Latin as possible," the article adds. "And that's where the trouble starts, not just for Catholics but also for English majors. It's sad when Rome's cassocked scholars subordinate their intellectual gifts to church expediency. The specious logic they use to justify an all-male priesthood (none of Jesus' apostles were women, they argue) is one example, and the new missal seems another. The Vatican boasts some of the world's most talented linguists, yet their missal revision commits a cardinal sin of translation: forcing the square peg of one language into the round hole of another."

The article then criticizes "incarnate of the Virgin Mary" and "consubstantial with the Father" as inferior to the current "born of the Virgin Mary" and "one in being with the Father."

"That's not thoughtful translation; that's just theological arrogance," Time, referring to "consubstantial," reports.

Read the article here.

Outrage of the Day

Philadelphia Community Outraged After City-Sponsored Site Offers Condoms to Young Kids