Oh, Lord, Kumbayah

As a relatively new Catholic, I cannot say I have pondered much the state of Christ's Church in places like Mississippi. But if this remarkable item, taken from the pages of the Mississippi Catholic, has veracity, Holy Church in the Magnolia State is seriously close to flatlining.

Religious communities offer visions, ideas for future

JACKSON — In June, the Mission and Ministry in Mississippi Task Force Committee held meetings with the leadership of religious order priests and religious communities of sisters and brothers to discuss, according to Bishop Joseph Latino, “how we can all coordinate our efforts to best meet the needs of the parishes and missions in our diocese.”

Ah, that has a familiar ring! As a former Episcopalian, I am well familiar with the obfuscatory language of an institution in decline. Permit me to translate: our churches are emptying by the day and we're running out of money. Expect wholesale closings and parish mergers.

Below are some of the responses from the two gatherings:

Uh-oh.

+ We can look at our shortage of priests as a “scary” time or as an exciting time. How can we help our people see these changes as an opportunity for growth?

Are you, like me, beginning to smell a big, fat commie rat?


No? Read on, then.

+ We must face the reality that with the tremendous decrease in priests, people will be more and more dependent on religious, lay persons and lay ecclesial ministers in the future.

Becoming clearer now? Brings to mind "never let a serious crisis go to waste," in this instance a last-chance opportunity for post-Vatican II reformers to push those anachronistic male priests into the background and let "the "people" run the show; to transform their diocese into a liberal mainstream Protestant church (never mind that numbers for liberal mainstream Protestant churches are even worse than those for the Catholic Church).

And off we go:

+ Leaders of religious order priests want to remain faithful to their particular charism; they are not just interested in sending more priests. They want to share in shaping a vision for the future and the future church.

I'm not sure the word "share" is entirely accurate.

+ Small communities need the Catholic Church, a Catholic presence. Because of our social teachings, we can not live around poverty, illiteracy, homelessness and not respond. We have to be true to our religious charism, which always keeps us on the edge, on the fringe.

You really want to be on the fringe? How about celebrating the mass, even Novus Ordo, strictly according to the rubrics, with chant instead of "On Eagles' Wings?" Now that would be cutting edge.

+ We need trained community organizers.

"Trained," no doubt, by the Maryknoll nuns; and you think these people would be aware "community organizer" has lost a bit of caché these past two years.

+ Some priests need to be educated that people have a right to speak about what they want as a church.

And if they won't be "educated," ve haf vays ov deelink vit tem.

+ The liturgy needs to be vibrant; we need to continue work with bilingual liturgy and talk to people about the meaning of Eucharist.

Because nothing says "Come unto me" like like "Gather Us In" croaked out in English or Spanish.

(Now skipping a bit)

+ Weekly Mass can be celebrated on another day than Sunday.

Great idea! Just a few tiny snags you'll need to deal with: the Third Commandment, Mark 2:27-28, and the Cathechism of the Catholic Church (you've heard of it, haven't you?).

+ Could we not have a dialogue about extraordinary celebrants of the Eucharist? When help was needed in the past, extraordinary ministers of Communion were started.

Gosh, would I be considered skeptical for having the notion there is an ulterior motive here?

And finally (although there are more, go see for yourself):

+ We need to develop a process where people can name their fears.

Res ipsa loquitur.

To be sure, this colloquy consisted of "over 30 sisters and one brother representing 28 religious communities in the Diocese of Jackson" (regular readers should of this blog should have no trouble guessing which ones) and accompanying photos suggest the numerous innovations proposed were yet outnumbered by the wrinkles. Still, the bishop (near retirement age himself), seems to have given a warm welcome to these 'sixties relics and their goofball ecclesiology, if not exactly his imprimatur. That is never a good idea, it only encourages them.

(Thanks to Banished Child of Eve)

Oh, Lord, Kumbayah

As a relatively new Catholic, I cannot say I have pondered much the state of Christ's Church in places like Mississippi. But if this remarkable item, taken from the pages of the Mississippi Catholic, has veracity, Holy Church in the Magnolia State is seriously close to flatlining.

Religious communities offer visions, ideas for future

JACKSON — In June, the Mission and Ministry in Mississippi Task Force Committee held meetings with the leadership of religious order priests and religious communities of sisters and brothers to discuss, according to Bishop Joseph Latino, “how we can all coordinate our efforts to best meet the needs of the parishes and missions in our diocese.”

Ah, that has a familiar ring! As a former Episcopalian, I am well familiar with the obfuscatory language of an institution in decline. Permit me to translate: our churches are emptying by the day and we're running out of money. Expect wholesale closings and parish mergers.

Below are some of the responses from the two gatherings:

Uh-oh.

+ We can look at our shortage of priests as a “scary” time or as an exciting time. How can we help our people see these changes as an opportunity for growth?

Are you, like me, beginning to smell a big, fat commie rat?


No? Read on, then.

+ We must face the reality that with the tremendous decrease in priests, people will be more and more dependent on religious, lay persons and lay ecclesial ministers in the future.

Becoming clearer now? Brings to mind "never let a serious crisis go to waste," in this instance a last-chance opportunity for post-Vatican II reformers to push those anachronistic male priests into the background and let "the "people" run the show; to transform their diocese into a liberal mainstream Protestant church (never mind that numbers for liberal mainstream Protestant churches are even worse than those for the Catholic Church).

And off we go:

+ Leaders of religious order priests want to remain faithful to their particular charism; they are not just interested in sending more priests. They want to share in shaping a vision for the future and the future church.

I'm not sure the word "share" is entirely accurate.

+ Small communities need the Catholic Church, a Catholic presence. Because of our social teachings, we can not live around poverty, illiteracy, homelessness and not respond. We have to be true to our religious charism, which always keeps us on the edge, on the fringe.

You really want to be on the fringe? How about celebrating the mass, even Novus Ordo, strictly according to the rubrics, with chant instead of "On Eagles' Wings?" Now that would be cutting edge.

+ We need trained community organizers.

"Trained," no doubt, by the Maryknoll nuns; and you think these people would be aware "community organizer" has lost a bit of caché these past two years.

+ Some priests need to be educated that people have a right to speak about what they want as a church.

And if they won't be "educated," ve haf vays ov deelink vit tem.

+ The liturgy needs to be vibrant; we need to continue work with bilingual liturgy and talk to people about the meaning of Eucharist.

Because nothing says "Come unto me" like like "Gather Us In" croaked out in English or Spanish.

(Now skipping a bit)

+ Weekly Mass can be celebrated on another day than Sunday.

Great idea! Just a few tiny snags you'll need to deal with: the Third Commandment, Mark 2:27-28, and the Cathechism of the Catholic Church (you've heard of it, haven't you?).

+ Could we not have a dialogue about extraordinary celebrants of the Eucharist? When help was needed in the past, extraordinary ministers of Communion were started.

Gosh, would I be considered skeptical for having the notion there is an ulterior motive here?

And finally (although there are more, go see for yourself):

+ We need to develop a process where people can name their fears.

Res ipsa loquitur.

To be sure, this colloquy consisted of "over 30 sisters and one brother representing 28 religious communities in the Diocese of Jackson" (regular readers should of this blog should have no trouble guessing which ones) and accompanying photos suggest the numerous innovations proposed were yet outnumbered by the wrinkles. Still, the bishop (near retirement age himself), seems to have given a warm welcome to these 'sixties relics and their goofball ecclesiology, if not exactly his imprimatur. That is never a good idea, it only encourages them.

(Thanks to Banished Child of Eve)

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Gaia

During the height (or depths) of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky debacle, the President's Democrat and media defenders took no end of delight in comparing critics of the his boorish behavior with the Puritans. I always found that amusing because given the number of babies the typical Puritan mommy pushed out, they and their mates must have screwed like bunnies (even adulterously if, as scholars believe, Hawthorne's famous account was based on actual incident).

Lest you think, however, those days of insufferable self-righteous overseers of our souls are ages past, that Puritanism, described by Mencken as "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy," no longer obtains, think again. Ann Althouse (via Instapundit) points to a list enumerating, albeit tongue-in-cheek, proper behavior all good environmentalists best engage in if they, like the Reverend Dimsdale, want to avoid charges of hypocrisy. Some suggestions include

Your weight should be at the low end of normal, indicating that you are not overconsuming the products of agriculture.

You should not engage in vigorous physical exercise, as this will increase your caloric requirements. You may do simple weight-lifting or calisthenics to keep in shape. Check how many calories per hour are burned and choose a form of exercise that burns as few calories as possible.

Restrict your use of transportation. Do not assume that walking or biking is less productive of carbon emissions than using a highly efficient small car. Do not go anywhere you don't have to go. When there is no food in the house to make dinner, instead of hopping in the car to go to the grocery store or a restaurant, take it as a cue to fast.

And so forth. Of course, we all know not one environmentalist in a thousand would ever consider such a harsh and ascetic regime; give the Puritans' their due, they at least attempted to practice what they preached. But as far as a bullying insistence that the rest of us, anyway, should forswear pleasurable activity and creature comforts to atone for our sinful existence, the modern environmentalist and Puritan of yore are two peas in a pod. Mencken could easily have been describing 21st century environmentalists (and the left-liberals in general) when he wrote the following.

The Puritan's utter lack of aesthetic sense, his distrust of all romantic emotion, his unmatchable intolerance of opposition, his unbreakable belief in his own bleak and narrow views, his savage cruelty of attack, his lust for relentless and barbarous persecution-- these things have put an almost unbearable burden up on the exchange of ideas in the United States.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Gaia

During the height (or depths) of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky debacle, the President's Democrat and media defenders took no end of delight in comparing critics of the his boorish behavior with the Puritans. I always found that amusing because given the number of babies the typical Puritan mommy pushed out, they and their mates must have screwed like bunnies (even adulterously if, as scholars believe, Hawthorne's famous account was based on actual incident).

Lest you think, however, those days of insufferable self-righteous overseers of our souls are ages past, that Puritanism, described by Mencken as "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy," no longer obtains, think again. Ann Althouse (via Instapundit) points to a list enumerating, albeit tongue-in-cheek, proper behavior all good environmentalists best engage in if they, like the Reverend Dimsdale, want to avoid charges of hypocrisy. Some suggestions include

Your weight should be at the low end of normal, indicating that you are not overconsuming the products of agriculture.

You should not engage in vigorous physical exercise, as this will increase your caloric requirements. You may do simple weight-lifting or calisthenics to keep in shape. Check how many calories per hour are burned and choose a form of exercise that burns as few calories as possible.

Restrict your use of transportation. Do not assume that walking or biking is less productive of carbon emissions than using a highly efficient small car. Do not go anywhere you don't have to go. When there is no food in the house to make dinner, instead of hopping in the car to go to the grocery store or a restaurant, take it as a cue to fast.

And so forth. Of course, we all know not one environmentalist in a thousand would ever consider such a harsh and ascetic regime; give the Puritans' their due, they at least attempted to practice what they preached. But as far as a bullying insistence that the rest of us, anyway, should forswear pleasurable activity and creature comforts to atone for our sinful existence, the modern environmentalist and Puritan of yore are two peas in a pod. Mencken could easily have been describing 21st century environmentalists (and the left-liberals in general) when he wrote the following.

The Puritan's utter lack of aesthetic sense, his distrust of all romantic emotion, his unmatchable intolerance of opposition, his unbreakable belief in his own bleak and narrow views, his savage cruelty of attack, his lust for relentless and barbarous persecution-- these things have put an almost unbearable burden up on the exchange of ideas in the United States.

Comes the Moment to Decide

Now that it is all-but-official the Church of England will have women bishops and thus has shucked any possible claim to catholicity, Forward in Faith, an organization of those dwindling beleaguered souls who call themselves Anglo-Catholics (as I did for most my life) holding the fort in the C of E and the Anglican Communion, has at last put its foot down--sort of:

The draft Measure to permit the ordination women as bishops, approved today by the General Synod and sent for discussion and approval by Diocesan Synods, contains nothing which can satisfy the legitimate needs of members of Forward in Faith.

Now, though, is not the time for precipitate action. There will be ample opportunity for priests to take counsel together at the Sacred Synods called by the Catholic Bishops in each province in September, and for Forward in Faith to take stock at the National Assembly in October.

While some might argue that statement is about as namby-pamby as they come (better to yak about it even more rather than actually make a decision), there is a certain logic to Forward in Faith's stance. The reason they dare not take any "precipitate action" is somebody already did, the Pope, last year, in his Anglicanorum Coetibus, which provides for "personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church." The path has been laid and Forward in Faith must decide whether or not to go down it, a frightening decision indeed for they must also decide, once and for all, if they are Protestant or Catholic; via media is no more and never was (how ironic, in this year of Cardinal Newman's canonization).

Forward in Faith and all Anglo-Catholics have but two choices: go forward and accept the Pope's generous offer to be received en mass into the Catholic Church and retain most elements of the glorious Anglican worship tradition; or stay behind, for whatever reasons (but anti-Romish snobbery must certainly play a part), bound in hideous Dante-esque fashion to their increasingly feeble and irrelevant, albeit implacable, liberal protestant tormentors and disappear with them into the abyss.

ADDENDUM (thanks to Bill Tighe): this good and righteous soul now knows it is finished. So sad.

Comes the Moment to Decide

Now that it is all-but-official the Church of England will have women bishops and thus has shucked any possible claim to catholicity, Forward in Faith, an organization of those dwindling beleaguered souls who call themselves Anglo-Catholics (as I did for most my life) holding the fort in the C of E and the Anglican Communion, has at last put its foot down--sort of:

The draft Measure to permit the ordination women as bishops, approved today by the General Synod and sent for discussion and approval by Diocesan Synods, contains nothing which can satisfy the legitimate needs of members of Forward in Faith.

Now, though, is not the time for precipitate action. There will be ample opportunity for priests to take counsel together at the Sacred Synods called by the Catholic Bishops in each province in September, and for Forward in Faith to take stock at the National Assembly in October.

While some might argue that statement is about as namby-pamby as they come (better to yak about it even more rather than actually make a decision), there is a certain logic to Forward in Faith's stance. The reason they dare not take any "precipitate action" is somebody already did, the Pope, last year, in his Anglicanorum Coetibus, which provides for "personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church." The path has been laid and Forward in Faith must decide whether or not to go down it, a frightening decision indeed for they must also decide, once and for all, if they are Protestant or Catholic; via media is no more and never was (how ironic, in this year of Cardinal Newman's canonization).

Forward in Faith and all Anglo-Catholics have but two choices: go forward and accept the Pope's generous offer to be received en mass into the Catholic Church and retain most elements of the glorious Anglican worship tradition; or stay behind, for whatever reasons (but anti-Romish snobbery must certainly play a part), bound in hideous Dante-esque fashion to their increasingly feeble and irrelevant, albeit implacable, liberal protestant tormentors and disappear with them into the abyss.

ADDENDUM (thanks to Bill Tighe): this good and righteous soul now knows it is finished. So sad.

Laborum Dulce Lenimen

From The Hill:

White House dismisses critics, defends Obama's golf outings during Gulf crisis

The White House is dismissing criticism that President Barack Obama shouldn’t play golf during the Gulf oil spill.

White House spokesman Bill Burton on Monday said the president deserves some time to relax, and he doesn’t “think that there’s a person in this country that doesn’t think that their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind.”

No argument there. Let's have a look at a typically arduous week for our President, as provided in painstaking detail by spokesman Burton (with emphasis added to certain verbs).

“And so after a week where the president was taking on the oil spill, an historic agreement with BP to put aside $20 billion to pay claims; after a day on Friday when he strengthened lobby and ethics rules in the White House; after going to Ohio to talk about the economy and see the progress that’s being made and some of those stimulus projects that are happening around the country — all the different issues that the president is dealing with, I think that a little time to himself on Father’s Day weekend probably does us all good as American citizens that our president is taking that time,” Burton said.

Whew! I'm exhausted simply by reading it! How one man manages to squeeze so much into one little week and also get in a round of golf is beyond my poor powers.

Laborum Dulce Lenimen

From The Hill:

White House dismisses critics, defends Obama's golf outings during Gulf crisis

The White House is dismissing criticism that President Barack Obama shouldn’t play golf during the Gulf oil spill.

White House spokesman Bill Burton on Monday said the president deserves some time to relax, and he doesn’t “think that there’s a person in this country that doesn’t think that their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind.”

No argument there. Let's have a look at a typically arduous week for our President, as provided in painstaking detail by spokesman Burton (with emphasis added to certain verbs).

“And so after a week where the president was taking on the oil spill, an historic agreement with BP to put aside $20 billion to pay claims; after a day on Friday when he strengthened lobby and ethics rules in the White House; after going to Ohio to talk about the economy and see the progress that’s being made and some of those stimulus projects that are happening around the country — all the different issues that the president is dealing with, I think that a little time to himself on Father’s Day weekend probably does us all good as American citizens that our president is taking that time,” Burton said.

Whew! I'm exhausted simply by reading it! How one man manages to squeeze so much into one little week and also get in a round of golf is beyond my poor powers.

Oil and Water

It's official, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have announced

"their intention to propose jointly in due course an amendment to the draft legislation to enable women to become bishops in the Church of England due to be debated at General Synod in July."

The tyranny of the majority:

Successive General Synod debates have produced clear majorities in favour of admitting women to the episcopate in the Church of England. At the same time, a number of motions have also shown a widespread desire to proceed in a way that will maintain the highest possible degree of communion within the Church of England between those who differ on the substantive point...

How, pray tell?

Once women become bishops, it will be possible to maintain something like the present 'mixed economy' in the Church of England only if there is provision for someone other than the diocesan bishop to provide episcopal oversight for those who are unable to accept the new situation.

Thence follows a long, opaque and muddled-headed contrivance by which the archbishops hope to maintain the "mixed economy." It will prove as brilliant a success as "mixed economies" of free markets and socialism are lately showing themselves to be in Europe and the United States.

Since the archbishops seem fond of economic metaphor, they might consider the counsel proffered by the financier Thomas Gresham (1519-1579) to the first Queen Elizabeth after she succeeded to the throne. Gresham wrote her that "good and bad coin cannot circulate together," referring to the "unexampled state of badness" of the English currency following the "Great Debasements" of (and do note the irony) Henry VIII and Edward VI. The same may be said for religious doctrine.

Oil and Water

It's official, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have announced

"their intention to propose jointly in due course an amendment to the draft legislation to enable women to become bishops in the Church of England due to be debated at General Synod in July."

The tyranny of the majority:

Successive General Synod debates have produced clear majorities in favour of admitting women to the episcopate in the Church of England. At the same time, a number of motions have also shown a widespread desire to proceed in a way that will maintain the highest possible degree of communion within the Church of England between those who differ on the substantive point...

How, pray tell?

Once women become bishops, it will be possible to maintain something like the present 'mixed economy' in the Church of England only if there is provision for someone other than the diocesan bishop to provide episcopal oversight for those who are unable to accept the new situation.

Thence follows a long, opaque and muddled-headed contrivance by which the archbishops hope to maintain the "mixed economy." It will prove as brilliant a success as "mixed economies" of free markets and socialism are lately showing themselves to be in Europe and the United States.

Since the archbishops seem fond of economic metaphor, they might consider the counsel proffered by the financier Thomas Gresham (1519-1579) to the first Queen Elizabeth after she succeeded to the throne. Gresham wrote her that "good and bad coin cannot circulate together," referring to the "unexampled state of badness" of the English currency following the "Great Debasements" of (and do note the irony) Henry VIII and Edward VI. The same may be said for religious doctrine.

Putting the Toothpaste Back in the Tube

From the Mail Online:

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are to make a dramatic intervention in the long-running row over women bishops this week by demanding that opponents of female clergy are not driven out of the Church.

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu are so concerned thousands of traditionalist churchgoers will quit when women become bishops that they are to risk the wrath of liberals by calling for major reforms in Church legislation.

Sources said their statement will spell out a legal formula that will give traditionalist clergy and parishes the right to reject the authority of a woman bishop.

Uh, fellas? Don't you think this new-found concern for "traditionalist" Anglicans would have been far more timely back in 1994 when you "ordained" women as priests? For once, I'm on the side of the innovators: if the liberal hierarchy in the C of E were able to contort what little dogma there is in Anglicanism to allow women priests, it's a bit disingenuous to "re-contort" it back so as not to allow women bishops. You made the mess sixteen years ago; it's way beyond fixing at this late date.

UPDATE: My blog buddy (and occasional sparring partner) ace reporter The Young Fogey (Serge) comments: "Try around 1970 when some pan-Anglican committee said there was no theological objection to it." Indeed, indeed and I have no reason to doubt it.

Have you noticed, though, whenever someone tries to pin down when things really began to go wrong for the Anglican Church, someone else can always provide a creditable earlier date; then someone else comes up with an even earlier date and on and on, straight back to the Act of Supremacy of 1534. In other words, things began to go wrong for the Anglican Church from moment of its inception; it was doomed from the start.

Putting the Toothpaste Back in the Tube

From the Mail Online:

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are to make a dramatic intervention in the long-running row over women bishops this week by demanding that opponents of female clergy are not driven out of the Church.

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu are so concerned thousands of traditionalist churchgoers will quit when women become bishops that they are to risk the wrath of liberals by calling for major reforms in Church legislation.

Sources said their statement will spell out a legal formula that will give traditionalist clergy and parishes the right to reject the authority of a woman bishop.

Uh, fellas? Don't you think this new-found concern for "traditionalist" Anglicans would have been far more timely back in 1994 when you "ordained" women as priests? For once, I'm on the side of the innovators: if the liberal hierarchy in the C of E were able to contort what little dogma there is in Anglicanism to allow women priests, it's a bit disingenuous to "re-contort" it back so as not to allow women bishops. You made the mess sixteen years ago; it's way beyond fixing at this late date.

UPDATE: My blog buddy (and occasional sparring partner) ace reporter The Young Fogey (Serge) comments: "Try around 1970 when some pan-Anglican committee said there was no theological objection to it." Indeed, indeed and I have no reason to doubt it.

Have you noticed, though, whenever someone tries to pin down when things really began to go wrong for the Anglican Church, someone else can always provide a creditable earlier date; then someone else comes up with an even earlier date and on and on, straight back to the Act of Supremacy of 1534. In other words, things began to go wrong for the Anglican Church from moment of its inception; it was doomed from the start.

Detroit: the Final Chapter

Detroit's black middle-class, the last of the middle-class in that city, is finally throwing in the towel and fleeing. Once they're gone the pitiful remainder of a once great city will implode.

It should be noted the political leaders of Detroit were early and eager embracers of the vast array of social programs promulgated by Lyndon Johnson and his Democratic Congress as part of the "Great Society" legislation. Almost all those programs were monumental failures; whatever social ills they were supposed to address in almost every case got worse. Let us not forget the farcically named War on Poverty was well under way in Detroit in 1967 when the city went up in flames.

Liberals today will insist the problems of Detroit were already so entrenched nothing could save it; that by the early '60s the city was so beset by joblessness, bad schools, bad housing--the usual litany that are the putative cause of ever-rising lawlessness and urban decline--even the noble and hugely expensive Great Society initiative was unable to the reverse the city's fortunes and its wholesale abandonment by productive citizenry. Oddly enough though, despite their utter failure, most of those social programs continue to this day in one form or the other.

You think it would dawn someday on the social architects, community activists, urban planners and the like their efforts in Detroit are not just ineffective but counter-productive. That is assuming, however, they care more about the lot of the poor than propagating an ideologically bankrupt social agenda at the expense of the dwindling few who must pay for it, the middle class, the last of which are leaving the city for good.

Detroit: the Final Chapter

Detroit's black middle-class, the last of the middle-class in that city, is finally throwing in the towel and fleeing. Once they're gone the pitiful remainder of a once great city will implode.

It should be noted the political leaders of Detroit were early and eager embracers of the vast array of social programs promulgated by Lyndon Johnson and his Democratic Congress as part of the "Great Society" legislation. Almost all those programs were monumental failures; whatever social ills they were supposed to address in almost every case got worse. Let us not forget the farcically named War on Poverty was well under way in Detroit in 1967 when the city went up in flames.

Liberals today will insist the problems of Detroit were already so entrenched nothing could save it; that by the early '60s the city was so beset by joblessness, bad schools, bad housing--the usual litany that are the putative cause of ever-rising lawlessness and urban decline--even the noble and hugely expensive Great Society initiative was unable to the reverse the city's fortunes and its wholesale abandonment by productive citizenry. Oddly enough though, despite their utter failure, most of those social programs continue to this day in one form or the other.

You think it would dawn someday on the social architects, community activists, urban planners and the like their efforts in Detroit are not just ineffective but counter-productive. That is assuming, however, they care more about the lot of the poor than propagating an ideologically bankrupt social agenda at the expense of the dwindling few who must pay for it, the middle class, the last of which are leaving the city for good.

Divine Retribution

From Popular Mechanics:

The largest oil spill the world has seen [in Kuwait, in the aftermath of the Gulf war, 1991] exacted little permanent damage on coral ecosystems and local fisheries, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission at Unesco. The study concluded that about half the oil evaporated, one-eighth of it was recovered and another quarter washed ashore, mostly in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks to Instapundit

Divine Retribution

From Popular Mechanics:

The largest oil spill the world has seen [in Kuwait, in the aftermath of the Gulf war, 1991] exacted little permanent damage on coral ecosystems and local fisheries, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission at Unesco. The study concluded that about half the oil evaporated, one-eighth of it was recovered and another quarter washed ashore, mostly in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks to Instapundit

Full Steam Ahead!

It's good to see our President finally taking decisive action on the Gulf oil spill disaster: on Tuesday he had an emergency consultation with movie director James Cameron in hopes of finding a solution to the problem; you see, Cameron's an expert on underwater filming (now don't say "huh?").

The irony of Cameron also being the director of Titanic is too obvious to require further commentary except that the crew at The Onion must surely find it all droll.

Full Steam Ahead!

It's good to see our President finally taking decisive action on the Gulf oil spill disaster: on Tuesday he had an emergency consultation with movie director James Cameron in hopes of finding a solution to the problem; you see, Cameron's an expert on underwater filming (now don't say "huh?").

The irony of Cameron also being the director of Titanic is too obvious to require further commentary except that the crew at The Onion must surely find it all droll.

The Latest Alternative to Vapid Conversation

First read about yet another whiz-bang electronic device sported by our increasingly shallow "educated class," Foursquare, as reported in (where else?) the New York Times.

Now read the between-the-lines account in the Onion.

The Times' story almost seems a parody of the Onion, especially the photo (above) but the Onion's, of course, is far closer to the mark: a foul-mouthed obituary for a dying medium.

(Thanks to Serge)

The Latest Alternative to Vapid Conversation

First read about yet another whiz-bang electronic device sported by our increasingly shallow "educated class," Foursquare, as reported in (where else?) the New York Times.

Now read the between-the-lines account in the Onion.

The Times' story almost seems a parody of the Onion, especially the photo (above) but the Onion's, of course, is far closer to the mark: a foul-mouthed obituary for a dying medium.

(Thanks to Serge)

Extreme Unction

Watch, if can bear it, the installation of Mary Glasspool, the first lesbian bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a multi-culti extravaganza. Note the ghastly surrounds, a dismal convention center. Note the row upon row of empty seats. Note the preponderance of grey heads among those who did attend, how atrociously dressed people are, the drab depressing dowdiness of it all.

Note also, as I did with particular pain, the wretched music. Not the myriad ethnic numbers (I am clueless about that stuff), rather the few traditional works--tossed in, I suppose, to suggest continuity with the Episcopal Church's glorious Anglican heritage. Up until now, the Episcopal Church has kept its performance practices up to a high standard; whatever other nonsense might take place during a state occasion, you could always count on a few, well-performed traditional anthems or hymns that would thrill you to the marrow. Not any more. The choirs here are dreadful: obviously amateurs, mostly old women with wobbly voices, the ensemble and pitch horrendous. Even the brass choir, which I assume is professional, makes countless clams.

The less said about the liturgy and ritual, of course, the better. What we are witnessing here is an institution in its death throes; what is sadder still is except for those who have or had a connection to it, nobody cares. Requiescat in pace.

(Thanks to Banished Child of Eve and StandFirm)

Extreme Unction

Watch, if can bear it, the installation of Mary Glasspool, the first lesbian bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a multi-culti extravaganza. Note the ghastly surrounds, a dismal convention center. Note the row upon row of empty seats. Note the preponderance of grey heads among those who did attend, how atrociously dressed people are, the drab depressing dowdiness of it all.

Note also, as I did with particular pain, the wretched music. Not the myriad ethnic numbers (I am clueless about that stuff), rather the few traditional works--tossed in, I suppose, to suggest continuity with the Episcopal Church's glorious Anglican heritage. Up until now, the Episcopal Church has kept its performance practices up to a high standard; whatever other nonsense might take place during a state occasion, you could always count on a few, well-performed traditional anthems or hymns that would thrill you to the marrow. Not any more. The choirs here are dreadful: obviously amateurs, mostly old women with wobbly voices, the ensemble and pitch horrendous. Even the brass choir, which I assume is professional, makes countless clams.

The less said about the liturgy and ritual, of course, the better. What we are witnessing here is an institution in its death throes; what is sadder still is except for those who have or had a connection to it, nobody cares. Requiescat in pace.

(Thanks to Banished Child of Eve and StandFirm)

Water Music

Comes the most peculiar news from Boston of a musical tribute to the Kennedy family.

The world premiere of "The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers," is set for Tuesday night at Symphony Hall. Celebrity narrators Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris will read from some of the most famous speeches of President John F. Kennedy and Sens. Robert and Edward Kennedy.

Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart commissioned composer Peter Boyer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens to write the piece, which will be performed several other times this spring and during the Pops summer season.

I suppose those Bostonians are welcome to it but I can't imagine scalpers will do a brisk business outside Symphony Hall on nights the Kennedy brothers portrait is performed. Still, if the Pops wants to do this thing right, they will join forces with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at some point during the tribute for a rousing rendition of the famous and much beloved Teddy Kennedy Song (to the tune of the Irish Washerwoman):

Oh, your mother is dead
And your father is dead
And your brother is dead
And your brother is dead
And your brother is dead
And your wife is a drunk
And your kid has one leg
And your car doesn't float.

Hat tip to Robbo

Water Music

Comes the most peculiar news from Boston of a musical tribute to the Kennedy family.

The world premiere of "The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers," is set for Tuesday night at Symphony Hall. Celebrity narrators Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris will read from some of the most famous speeches of President John F. Kennedy and Sens. Robert and Edward Kennedy.

Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart commissioned composer Peter Boyer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens to write the piece, which will be performed several other times this spring and during the Pops summer season.

I suppose those Bostonians are welcome to it but I can't imagine scalpers will do a brisk business outside Symphony Hall on nights the Kennedy brothers portrait is performed. Still, if the Pops wants to do this thing right, they will join forces with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at some point during the tribute for a rousing rendition of the famous and much beloved Teddy Kennedy Song (to the tune of the Irish Washerwoman):

Oh, your mother is dead
And your father is dead
And your brother is dead
And your brother is dead
And your brother is dead
And your wife is a drunk
And your kid has one leg
And your car doesn't float.

Hat tip to Robbo

Cry Babies

Damien Thompson of the Telegraph reports on the welcoming gift being prepared for the Pope when he visits England in September for the beatification of Cardinal Newman.

A ghastly discovery today: plans to subject Pope Benedict XVI to trendy musical tripe when he celebrates the Beatification Mass for Cardinal Newman at Coventry Airport on September 19. According to Nick Baty, a supporter of the little gang of composers who have liturgical commissions sewn up in this country, the music for the Mass will include...

Since all that crap sounds alike, it's pointless to list it. Thompson continues,

Oh, and there’s a brief motet by Elgar and a couple of rousing Newman-based hymns; but basically it’s game set and match to the Society of St Gregory (SSG), the mafia of the mediocre who ensure that most music at Mass in most dioceses reeks of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. This stuff didn’t sound either beautiful or cutting-edge when it was performed for Pope John Paul; how will it sound to the ears of a genuine music lover, Pope Benedict XVI? And young Catholics, especially, loathe it.

Good for those young Catholics. They, like baby boomers of the past, rebel against hoary and hidebound conservatism but unlike in my generation, the conservatives are the liberals these days. The Holy Father's advocacy of the Catholic Church's glorious musical and liturgical legacy is well known and he has fought mightily to have them restored to their rightful place in the mass. The ploy of larding up up Newman's beatification mass with post-Vatican II sludge can only be interpreted as an effrontery, a temper tantrum to let the mean old Pope know just what the liberal English Catholic hierarchy thinks of him.

They're getting so old, these people; what a shame they won't grow up.

Cry Babies

Damien Thompson of the Telegraph reports on the welcoming gift being prepared for the Pope when he visits England in September for the beatification of Cardinal Newman.

A ghastly discovery today: plans to subject Pope Benedict XVI to trendy musical tripe when he celebrates the Beatification Mass for Cardinal Newman at Coventry Airport on September 19. According to Nick Baty, a supporter of the little gang of composers who have liturgical commissions sewn up in this country, the music for the Mass will include...

Since all that crap sounds alike, it's pointless to list it. Thompson continues,

Oh, and there’s a brief motet by Elgar and a couple of rousing Newman-based hymns; but basically it’s game set and match to the Society of St Gregory (SSG), the mafia of the mediocre who ensure that most music at Mass in most dioceses reeks of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. This stuff didn’t sound either beautiful or cutting-edge when it was performed for Pope John Paul; how will it sound to the ears of a genuine music lover, Pope Benedict XVI? And young Catholics, especially, loathe it.

Good for those young Catholics. They, like baby boomers of the past, rebel against hoary and hidebound conservatism but unlike in my generation, the conservatives are the liberals these days. The Holy Father's advocacy of the Catholic Church's glorious musical and liturgical legacy is well known and he has fought mightily to have them restored to their rightful place in the mass. The ploy of larding up up Newman's beatification mass with post-Vatican II sludge can only be interpreted as an effrontery, a temper tantrum to let the mean old Pope know just what the liberal English Catholic hierarchy thinks of him.

They're getting so old, these people; what a shame they won't grow up.

I ♥ Polarization

The editors at the Washington Post, in top handringing form, lament the recent trend toward "partisanship and paralysis" and wonder if there is a way to "carve out some space for those who strive to work across party lines in the national interest?" Which makes Mona Charen at the National Review wonder in return where those budding sculptors at the Post were hiding just a short while ago.

This call to a high-minded spirit of compromise was utterly absent in the winter of 2009, when it seemed that the Democrats would carry all before them. When newly inaugurated Barack Obama airily spurned Republicans who objected to aspects of the stimulus bill with the reply “I won,” the Post did not pull its chin about the problem of polarization. Nor did the great stewards of bipartisanship turn a hair when Speaker Pelosi declared, during the health-care debate, that “a bill can be bipartisan without bipartisan votes.”

Finally, at long last, the Republicans (some of them, anyway) realize this country is charging full speed toward the abyss. Liberals like those at the Post, terrifed at the prospect of their cherished doctrines in jeopardy, now suggest in the spirit of compromise our run off the cliff be slowed to a stately and respectable promenade.

I ♥ Polarization

The editors at the Washington Post, in top handringing form, lament the recent trend toward "partisanship and paralysis" and wonder if there is a way to "carve out some space for those who strive to work across party lines in the national interest?" Which makes Mona Charen at the National Review wonder in return where those budding sculptors at the Post were hiding just a short while ago.

This call to a high-minded spirit of compromise was utterly absent in the winter of 2009, when it seemed that the Democrats would carry all before them. When newly inaugurated Barack Obama airily spurned Republicans who objected to aspects of the stimulus bill with the reply “I won,” the Post did not pull its chin about the problem of polarization. Nor did the great stewards of bipartisanship turn a hair when Speaker Pelosi declared, during the health-care debate, that “a bill can be bipartisan without bipartisan votes.”

Finally, at long last, the Republicans (some of them, anyway) realize this country is charging full speed toward the abyss. Liberals like those at the Post, terrifed at the prospect of their cherished doctrines in jeopardy, now suggest in the spirit of compromise our run off the cliff be slowed to a stately and respectable promenade.

Expediency

Illegals are pouring over our border in Arizona and the federal government not only does nothing about it but, via the Obama Administration, derides Arizona for simply doing what the feds refuse to do. Meanwhile, up in Franklin, Vermont, a sleepy town on the Canadian border, the feds tell a dairy farmer to accept $39,500 for his five acres of his land or they will take it from him by force, so they may spend $8 million to "secure" a little-used border crossing abutting his property. The feds do this, obviously, so they may claim they are "doing something" about illegal immigrants yet be spared angry accusations from the usual suspects they are targeting the wrong illegal immigrants.

Expediency

Illegals are pouring over our border in Arizona and the federal government not only does nothing about it but, via the Obama Administration, derides Arizona for simply doing what the feds refuse to do. Meanwhile, up in Franklin, Vermont, a sleepy town on the Canadian border, the feds tell a dairy farmer to accept $39,500 for his five acres of his land or they will take it from him by force, so they may spend $8 million to "secure" a little-used border crossing abutting his property. The feds do this, obviously, so they may claim they are "doing something" about illegal immigrants yet be spared angry accusations from the usual suspects they are targeting the wrong illegal immigrants.

Unmitigated Gall

From nj.com:

TRENTON -- A Senate committee approved legislation today creating scholarships for students to attend private schools during a raucous hearing held in front of the Statehouse Annex building.

Hundreds of demonstrators, mostly students from private and charter schools, gathered to rally for the bill. Supporters said it provides students a chance to leave failing public schools, while opponents said it undermines the public school system.

Actually, the public schools were undermined years ago, by the very same people so fiercely opposed to vouchers. They did not prevail, however. This part is priceless.

The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee. The hearing was scheduled to be held in a normal committee room, but senators said it was packed with NJEA members when they arrived.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said he asked them to make room for some of the bill's supporters, splitting the seating evenly between the two sides.

"They said we're not moving. So we'll have it outside," he said.

Statehouse staff carried out desks and chairs for senators, and the hearing -- complete with testimony and parliamentary procedure -- was held in front of hundreds of demonstrators.

"It's a great lesson in civics," Lesniak said.

Sure is and how deliciously humiliating! If anyone had told me a year ago this would be take place in one of bluest states in nation, I would have asked him what he was smoking. We are witnessing a tide change in this country.

UPDATE: Also galling is the implication taxpayers are to serve the schools, not the other way around.

Unmitigated Gall

From nj.com:

TRENTON -- A Senate committee approved legislation today creating scholarships for students to attend private schools during a raucous hearing held in front of the Statehouse Annex building.

Hundreds of demonstrators, mostly students from private and charter schools, gathered to rally for the bill. Supporters said it provides students a chance to leave failing public schools, while opponents said it undermines the public school system.

Actually, the public schools were undermined years ago, by the very same people so fiercely opposed to vouchers. They did not prevail, however. This part is priceless.

The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee. The hearing was scheduled to be held in a normal committee room, but senators said it was packed with NJEA members when they arrived.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said he asked them to make room for some of the bill's supporters, splitting the seating evenly between the two sides.

"They said we're not moving. So we'll have it outside," he said.

Statehouse staff carried out desks and chairs for senators, and the hearing -- complete with testimony and parliamentary procedure -- was held in front of hundreds of demonstrators.

"It's a great lesson in civics," Lesniak said.

Sure is and how deliciously humiliating! If anyone had told me a year ago this would be take place in one of bluest states in nation, I would have asked him what he was smoking. We are witnessing a tide change in this country.

UPDATE: Also galling is the implication taxpayers are to serve the schools, not the other way around.

Don't Sugarcoat it, Governor

I like this guy.

Gov Christie calls S-L columnist thin-skinned for inquiring about his 'confrontational tone'

It's being noised he's presidential material. Works for me.

Don't Sugarcoat it, Governor

I like this guy.

Gov Christie calls S-L columnist thin-skinned for inquiring about his 'confrontational tone'

It's being noised he's presidential material. Works for me.

McWorship

I made the claim earlier that most modern the pop songs sound alike and provided strong evidence to back it up. That claim, apparently, may also be made for so-called "contemporary worship."

Thanks to Fr. C

McWorship

I made the claim earlier that most modern the pop songs sound alike and provided strong evidence to back it up. That claim, apparently, may also be made for so-called "contemporary worship."

Thanks to Fr. C

Some Dictatorships are More Equal than Others

Glenn Reynolds wonders at the disparity between Western attitudes toward communism verses Nazism. While most among our elite now acknowledge that abuses took (and take) place in communist regimes, abuses that used to be politely ignored, there is far more attention paid to the atrocities of Nazism; this despite the general consensus there were over 150 million people who died at the hands of the communists in the last century, far more than those murdered by the Nazis.

The reason for the muted reaction to communist abuses, I think, is that Western culture is overwhelmingly dominated by liberals and ultimately there isn't a whole lot of difference between liberals, in their modern incarnation, and hard-line Stalinists. The goal is the same; the only difference is the timetable. It was not for nothing around 1935, during the New Deal, it was popularly said by communists to their liberal colleagues that they were simply "liberals in a hurry." And to what were they hurrying? Forced equality, at the point of a gun if necessary, just like the liberals.

The tacit endorsement of communism by liberals was made strikingly clear to me back in the 'nineties when a bar opened in the newly-hip Lower East Side (after, of course, Republican ogre Rudy Giuliani had cleaned up crime in New York). I can't remember its name, the "Politboro" or the "Kremlin"--it doesn't matter, but the theme of place was the former Soviet Union, with a hammer-and-sickle and red stars motif, along with portraits of Uncle Joe Stalin and the gang, photographs of May Day parades--you get the idea.

The joint was hugely popular for a while and was considered by many (for almost a whole year!) a Bar of the Century. I remember, though, at the time wondering just how well that bar would have been received had it adopted as its theme Nazi Germany, with portraits of Hitler and Himmler and stills from "Triumph of the Will" hanging on the walls. Not terribly well, was my conclusion; some forms of tyranny are absolutely unacceptable to the hip liberal elite.

Some Dictatorships are More Equal than Others

Glenn Reynolds wonders at the disparity between Western attitudes toward communism verses Nazism. While most among our elite now acknowledge that abuses took (and take) place in communist regimes, abuses that used to be politely ignored, there is far more attention paid to the atrocities of Nazism; this despite the general consensus there were over 150 million people who died at the hands of the communists in the last century, far more than those murdered by the Nazis.

The reason for the muted reaction to communist abuses, I think, is that Western culture is overwhelmingly dominated by liberals and ultimately there isn't a whole lot of difference between liberals, in their modern incarnation, and hard-line Stalinists. The goal is the same; the only difference is the timetable. It was not for nothing around 1935, during the New Deal, it was popularly said by communists to their liberal colleagues that they were simply "liberals in a hurry." And to what were they hurrying? Forced equality, at the point of a gun if necessary, just like the liberals.

The tacit endorsement of communism by liberals was made strikingly clear to me back in the 'nineties when a bar opened in the newly-hip Lower East Side (after, of course, Republican ogre Rudy Giuliani had cleaned up crime in New York). I can't remember its name, the "Politboro" or the "Kremlin"--it doesn't matter, but the theme of place was the former Soviet Union, with a hammer-and-sickle and red stars motif, along with portraits of Uncle Joe Stalin and the gang, photographs of May Day parades--you get the idea.

The joint was hugely popular for a while and was considered by many (for almost a whole year!) a Bar of the Century. I remember, though, at the time wondering just how well that bar would have been received had it adopted as its theme Nazi Germany, with portraits of Hitler and Himmler and stills from "Triumph of the Will" hanging on the walls. Not terribly well, was my conclusion; some forms of tyranny are absolutely unacceptable to the hip liberal elite.

C'mon Harry, One More Time

Has Barack Obama finally seen the light regarding the multi-trillion dollar debt?

"For too long, Washington has kicked this challenge to the next generation...This time, the status quo is no longer acceptable to Americans.

Nope, keep dreaming. Those stirring words were spoken by our plucky President about the just-introduced Senate bill limiting carbon dioxide emissions, the "cap and tax" bill.

Lest you think, "now there's one that's DOA," don't forget many of us thought the same of the healthcare monstrosity last year. I say, however, go ahead and pass the thing. If this bill, with its huge tax increases, meets with even half the acclaim healthcare did, we may be reasonably sure the Democrats are going the way of the Whigs.

C'mon Harry, One More Time

Has Barack Obama finally seen the light regarding the multi-trillion dollar debt?

"For too long, Washington has kicked this challenge to the next generation...This time, the status quo is no longer acceptable to Americans.

Nope, keep dreaming. Those stirring words were spoken by our plucky President about the just-introduced Senate bill limiting carbon dioxide emissions, the "cap and tax" bill.

Lest you think, "now there's one that's DOA," don't forget many of us thought the same of the healthcare monstrosity last year. I say, however, go ahead and pass the thing. If this bill, with its huge tax increases, meets with even half the acclaim healthcare did, we may be reasonably sure the Democrats are going the way of the Whigs.

Vote Early and Often

Run, don't walk, over to Christopher Johnson's Bad Vestments website and nominate your pick for "worst Christian vestment you have ever seen." There is a tempting array of choices on the Bad Vestments site and you will certainly find many, many more on the Internets.

For what it's worth, here is my nominee.



No need for a telescopic sight to dispatch that fearsome creation, especially when the thing is modeled in the manner shown.

Vote Early and Often

Run, don't walk, over to Christopher Johnson's Bad Vestments website and nominate your pick for "worst Christian vestment you have ever seen." There is a tempting array of choices on the Bad Vestments site and you will certainly find many, many more on the Internets.

For what it's worth, here is my nominee.



No need for a telescopic sight to dispatch that fearsome creation, especially when the thing is modeled in the manner shown.

How Will Anyone Know?

New York Post: LEGISLATURE OKS FURLOUGH FOR STATE WORKERS

How Will Anyone Know?

New York Post: LEGISLATURE OKS FURLOUGH FOR STATE WORKERS

Thanks, But I'm Looking Forward to Root Canal that Day

A recently received invitation.

Thanks, But I'm Looking Forward to Root Canal that Day

A recently received invitation.

Many Happy Returns

New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority, the agency responsible for the city's trains, buses, bridges and tunnels is hemorrhaging money, a victim of declining revenues owing to the recession and colossal mismanagement. Lately the agency has been making drastic cuts in subway and bus service and threatens more of them unless it can get its financial affairs in order.

It is thus gratifying to learn that despite its severe financial woes, the MTA is digging deep beneath the sofa cushions to find the $134,000 per annum necessary to keep Chief Equal-Employment-Opportunity Officer Gloria Colon on the payroll. Ms. Colon recently displayed her incalculable worth to the MTA and city's long-suffering commuters by distributing a memo to 300 employees announcing a significant milestone in the history of mass transit: the 50th anniversary of the FDA's approval of Enovid, the first oral contraceptive.

Why thank you, Ms. Colon and a very happy anniversary to you, too.

Many Happy Returns

New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority, the agency responsible for the city's trains, buses, bridges and tunnels is hemorrhaging money, a victim of declining revenues owing to the recession and colossal mismanagement. Lately the agency has been making drastic cuts in subway and bus service and threatens more of them unless it can get its financial affairs in order.

It is thus gratifying to learn that despite its severe financial woes, the MTA is digging deep beneath the sofa cushions to find the $134,000 per annum necessary to keep Chief Equal-Employment-Opportunity Officer Gloria Colon on the payroll. Ms. Colon recently displayed her incalculable worth to the MTA and city's long-suffering commuters by distributing a memo to 300 employees announcing a significant milestone in the history of mass transit: the 50th anniversary of the FDA's approval of Enovid, the first oral contraceptive.

Why thank you, Ms. Colon and a very happy anniversary to you, too.

She Got it Right the First Time

From the New York Post:

The Golf Channel reporter who explained why Tiger Woods yesterday pulled out of a major tournament could use some lessons in anatomy.

"[Woods] says he's been playing with a bad neck for about a month and thinks it could be a bulging d- - k," Win McMurry said on-air.

What she meant to say is that the serial-cheater quit in the final round of The Players Championship in Florida because of a bulging disc in his upper back.

The red-faced reporter quickly corrected her X-rated observation.

She Got it Right the First Time

From the New York Post:

The Golf Channel reporter who explained why Tiger Woods yesterday pulled out of a major tournament could use some lessons in anatomy.

"[Woods] says he's been playing with a bad neck for about a month and thinks it could be a bulging d- - k," Win McMurry said on-air.

What she meant to say is that the serial-cheater quit in the final round of The Players Championship in Florida because of a bulging disc in his upper back.

The red-faced reporter quickly corrected her X-rated observation.

Here was a Really Bad Guy

From Taylor Marshall's blog Canterbury Tales:

By now we know that the founder of the Legionaries of Christ Marcial Maciel had abused drugs, abused children, abused millions in Church donations, and worked under four to five alias in order live as husband or lover to a number of women...

It has been recently revealed that Marcial Maciel refused to confess his sins on his death bed and that he refused Last Rites by saying to the priests at hand "I said no!" and that he "did not believe in God's pardon." The reaction led to the summoning of an exorcist.

*****

Maciel's life seems thoroughly diabolical--plagued with lies, sacrilege, adultery, false witnesses, rape, theft, incest, and child molestation. The stories and legends that will arise about him through the ages will be stupendously haunting--a true Faustus. He is perhaps the greatest ecclesiastical villain since Judas Iscariot.

Wow, after a long sordid run he checks out of this existence by blaspheming the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin. This guy was truly evil.

Read it all.

(Thanks to Augustine)

Here was a Really Bad Guy

From Taylor Marshall's blog Canterbury Tales:

By now we know that the founder of the Legionaries of Christ Marcial Maciel had abused drugs, abused children, abused millions in Church donations, and worked under four to five alias in order live as husband or lover to a number of women...

It has been recently revealed that Marcial Maciel refused to confess his sins on his death bed and that he refused Last Rites by saying to the priests at hand "I said no!" and that he "did not believe in God's pardon." The reaction led to the summoning of an exorcist.

*****

Maciel's life seems thoroughly diabolical--plagued with lies, sacrilege, adultery, false witnesses, rape, theft, incest, and child molestation. The stories and legends that will arise about him through the ages will be stupendously haunting--a true Faustus. He is perhaps the greatest ecclesiastical villain since Judas Iscariot.

Wow, after a long sordid run he checks out of this existence by blaspheming the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin. This guy was truly evil.

Read it all.

(Thanks to Augustine)

You've Got to be Carefully Taught

I work but a block from Fifth Avenue and so can observe close up most of the various ethnic parades that take place on New York City's Main Street. You see lots of flag waving, of course, the flags of the celebrants' (or their ancestors') native countries as well as of their their adopted country, the United States. This holds true regardless the parade: the St. Patrick's Day, the Columbus Day, the Greek Independence Day, the Steuben Day, the Dominican Day Parade and the host of others I have surely left out.

The national day of Mexico, Cinco de Mayo, is not celebrated to any great extent in New York but is, as you might expect, in California. Yesterday, May 5th, five high school students in Morgan Hill, California, a suburb of San Jose, were suspended when they refused an order from an educrat to turn the t-shirts they were wearing inside out because he considered them "incendiary." The shirts were adorned with American flags.

"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.

The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

Miss Nunez speaks the truth, in a way. We can be sure she and her friends will never be seen waving an American flag, on the Fourth of July or any other day. That would be contrary to the narrative so carefully taught in the public schools that for ethnic victims like herself, the United States of America is a racist and oppressive nation, not to be celebrated but condemned. Miss Nunez has learned her lesson well and owes a debt of gratitude to that racist and oppressive nation providing her schooling.

You've Got to be Carefully Taught

I work but a block from Fifth Avenue and so can observe close up most of the various ethnic parades that take place on New York City's Main Street. You see lots of flag waving, of course, the flags of the celebrants' (or their ancestors') native countries as well as of their their adopted country, the United States. This holds true regardless the parade: the St. Patrick's Day, the Columbus Day, the Greek Independence Day, the Steuben Day, the Dominican Day Parade and the host of others I have surely left out.

The national day of Mexico, Cinco de Mayo, is not celebrated to any great extent in New York but is, as you might expect, in California. Yesterday, May 5th, five high school students in Morgan Hill, California, a suburb of San Jose, were suspended when they refused an order from an educrat to turn the t-shirts they were wearing inside out because he considered them "incendiary." The shirts were adorned with American flags.

"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.

The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

Miss Nunez speaks the truth, in a way. We can be sure she and her friends will never be seen waving an American flag, on the Fourth of July or any other day. That would be contrary to the narrative so carefully taught in the public schools that for ethnic victims like herself, the United States of America is a racist and oppressive nation, not to be celebrated but condemned. Miss Nunez has learned her lesson well and owes a debt of gratitude to that racist and oppressive nation providing her schooling.

Upsetting the Apple Cart

In the small-and-getting-smaller-world of Anglo-Catholicism (whence your Bloviator originates) there was a bit of a tizzy recently when word leaked out several A-C bishops had traveled to Rome and met with Vatican officials, including the Pope, allegedly, to discuss details of the Anglicanorum Ceotibus, a vehicle devised by the Vatican by which Anglicans may become Roman Catholics en masse while retaining most aspects of Anglican worship, via so-called Anglican Ordinariates. The meeting was precipitated by, among other things, the impending move by the General Synod of the Church of England to permit women bishops.

Among the Anglicans in Rome was John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham and chairman of Forward in Faith International, an Anglo-Catholic "support group" within the Anglican Communnion. He is not a happy camper about the leak and has expressed great concern over its consequences as well questioning the motive of whomever spilled the beans. He recently issued a statement to members of FIF in which he informed them:

I am embarrassed by the leak to the press that we had visited the Holy See. All of us have expressed an interest in the Ordinariate and so it is obviously necessary to understand exactly what is intended and how the Ordinariate will be implemented. We were certainly neither negotiating nor plotting. The leak came as a real surprise to me as it happened whilst I was abroad. As we had not informed others of our visit, who leaked it - and why - is a very serious question. It risks damage to the Church of England, and to Catholic Anglicans in particular, as well as to the forthcoming visit to the UK of the Holy Father. It also has serious ecumenical implications. To say it was malicious would seem to fit the facts.

Bishop Broadhurst maintains, sincerely I am sure, that he is still a loyal Anglican (although so did Newman up until he poped). He states further:

I have a deep love for the Church of England and its Anglo-Catholic tradition in particular. The question of how it is to continue is a serious one. Though the signs in General Synod do not look good, many still hope for proper provision in line with previously made promises. Our visit must not be allowed to colour these discussions.

The biggest obstacle facing Anglo-Catholics who wish to come over to Rome is not the Anglican Church, rather liberal Catholic bishops (whose numbers, thankfully, are also getting smaller), holdovers of the dreadful post-Vatican II reforms . They are vehemently opposed to large numbers of Anglo-Catholics becoming Roman Catholics because they will spoil everything by bringing with them tasteful liturgy and soaring music, in short, worship for grownups, which appalls the felt banners and giant puppets contingent, who earnestly believe worshipers should be treated like children. Opposition from liberal Catholic bishops is, apparently, the reason the Anglican bishops bypassed them went and straight to the Vatican, a wise move, I think. Let us pray the press leak does not force Coetibus off the rails.

Upsetting the Apple Cart

In the small-and-getting-smaller-world of Anglo-Catholicism (whence your Bloviator originates) there was a bit of a tizzy recently when word leaked out several A-C bishops had traveled to Rome and met with Vatican officials, including the Pope, allegedly, to discuss details of the Anglicanorum Ceotibus, a vehicle devised by the Vatican by which Anglicans may become Roman Catholics en masse while retaining most aspects of Anglican worship, via so-called Anglican Ordinariates. The meeting was precipitated by, among other things, the impending move by the General Synod of the Church of England to permit women bishops.

Among the Anglicans in Rome was John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham and chairman of Forward in Faith International, an Anglo-Catholic "support group" within the Anglican Communnion. He is not a happy camper about the leak and has expressed great concern over its consequences as well questioning the motive of whomever spilled the beans. He recently issued a statement to members of FIF in which he informed them:

I am embarrassed by the leak to the press that we had visited the Holy See. All of us have expressed an interest in the Ordinariate and so it is obviously necessary to understand exactly what is intended and how the Ordinariate will be implemented. We were certainly neither negotiating nor plotting. The leak came as a real surprise to me as it happened whilst I was abroad. As we had not informed others of our visit, who leaked it - and why - is a very serious question. It risks damage to the Church of England, and to Catholic Anglicans in particular, as well as to the forthcoming visit to the UK of the Holy Father. It also has serious ecumenical implications. To say it was malicious would seem to fit the facts.

Bishop Broadhurst maintains, sincerely I am sure, that he is still a loyal Anglican (although so did Newman up until he poped). He states further:

I have a deep love for the Church of England and its Anglo-Catholic tradition in particular. The question of how it is to continue is a serious one. Though the signs in General Synod do not look good, many still hope for proper provision in line with previously made promises. Our visit must not be allowed to colour these discussions.

The biggest obstacle facing Anglo-Catholics who wish to come over to Rome is not the Anglican Church, rather liberal Catholic bishops (whose numbers, thankfully, are also getting smaller), holdovers of the dreadful post-Vatican II reforms . They are vehemently opposed to large numbers of Anglo-Catholics becoming Roman Catholics because they will spoil everything by bringing with them tasteful liturgy and soaring music, in short, worship for grownups, which appalls the felt banners and giant puppets contingent, who earnestly believe worshipers should be treated like children. Opposition from liberal Catholic bishops is, apparently, the reason the Anglican bishops bypassed them went and straight to the Vatican, a wise move, I think. Let us pray the press leak does not force Coetibus off the rails.

Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before

In the 70s I found myself listening to rock 'n' roll less and less, giving it up entirely by decade's end; it seemed all the songs sounded alike. I was not mistaken.



In the unlikely event you want to know, the four chords in question are the tonic, dominant, submediant and subdominant (I-V-vi-IV).

(Thanks to Robbo)

Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before

In the 70s I found myself listening to rock 'n' roll less and less, giving it up entirely by decade's end; it seemed all the songs sounded alike. I was not mistaken.



In the unlikely event you want to know, the four chords in question are the tonic, dominant, submediant and subdominant (I-V-vi-IV).

(Thanks to Robbo)