Learning the Meaning of "Catholic"

I thank almighty God every day for my embrace of the full faith last year and love the Holy Catholic Church with all my heart. Nevertheless, I am reminded just how different she is from the Episcopalians when I see a story like the following:

Diners report seeing Virgin Mary in food griddle

(Thanks, I think, to For What It's Worth.)

Learning the Meaning of "Catholic"

I thank almighty God every day for my embrace of the full faith last year and love the Holy Catholic Church with all my heart. Nevertheless, I am reminded just how different she is from the Episcopalians when I see a story like the following:

Diners report seeing Virgin Mary in food griddle

(Thanks, I think, to For What It's Worth.)

Let Them Take Taxis

Biden: Stay Off Subways During Swine Flu Panic.

Let Them Take Taxis

Biden: Stay Off Subways During Swine Flu Panic.

Deathly Prose

Mark Twain described the Book of Mormon as "cloroform in print" and anyone who has struggled with that glutinous tome and its turgid, pseudo-Jacobean prose would surely agree with Twain's assessment. As a religious institution, however, the Mormons have no monopoly on soporific reading, as witness this deadly gem recently sent me by my pal Banished Child of Eve, who alerted: "In case you thought being a Catholic theologian was an interesting job." It takes the form of a press release last year from DePaul University, announcing what must have been a truly scintillating conference last fall: "Transformed by Hope: Building a Catholic Theology for the Americas."

Boy, that title really grabs you, doesn't it (and wouldn't you have killed to have attended)? It gets better. Here's a little snippet from the announcement (take a deep breath):

When Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Aparecida, Brazil in May of 2007 for the beginning of the Fifth General Conference of CELAM, he underscored the continuity of this gathering with the four that preceded it: Rio de Janeiro (1955), Medellín (1968), Puebla (1979), and Santo Domingo (1992). But Pope Benedict also acknowledged the newness of the situation to be analyzed at Aparecida and cited in that context the phenomenon of globalization as a potentially unifying but also risk-filled network of relationships extending over the whole planet.

The other changes that have taken place since 1968 include developments within the Latin American theology of liberation that Medellín helped to create as well as critical responses to certain currents of a theology of liberation from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and elsewhere. There is also a new awareness today of the tremendous impact of the globalization of markets on the daily life of the human family. Globalization presents both new opportunities and challenges, but the call of the Gospel to address the plight of the poor remains as urgent as it was in 1968. Moreover, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America Pope John Paul II affirmed that the borders of the Church on the American hemisphere are not national borders. He recalled he clear message of the Gospel to seek a social solidarity rooted in the Trinitarian communion. He enjoined Catholics on this hemisphere to build up ecclesial bonds—relationships of love and mutual support—between the members of the Church in North and South America. Many dioceses have heard this call—including the Archdiocese of Chicago—and have responded by establishing transcontinental ties between parishes and dioceses.

It's kind of like those countless press statements that continually emanate from the offices of the Episcopal Church and United Nations, only without their sparkle.

Deathly Prose

Mark Twain described the Book of Mormon as "cloroform in print" and anyone who has struggled with that glutinous tome and its turgid, pseudo-Jacobean prose would surely agree with Twain's assessment. As a religious institution, however, the Mormons have no monopoly on soporific reading, as witness this deadly gem recently sent me by my pal Banished Child of Eve, who alerted: "In case you thought being a Catholic theologian was an interesting job." It takes the form of a press release last year from DePaul University, announcing what must have been a truly scintillating conference last fall: "Transformed by Hope: Building a Catholic Theology for the Americas."

Boy, that title really grabs you, doesn't it (and wouldn't you have killed to have attended)? It gets better. Here's a little snippet from the announcement (take a deep breath):

When Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Aparecida, Brazil in May of 2007 for the beginning of the Fifth General Conference of CELAM, he underscored the continuity of this gathering with the four that preceded it: Rio de Janeiro (1955), Medellín (1968), Puebla (1979), and Santo Domingo (1992). But Pope Benedict also acknowledged the newness of the situation to be analyzed at Aparecida and cited in that context the phenomenon of globalization as a potentially unifying but also risk-filled network of relationships extending over the whole planet.

The other changes that have taken place since 1968 include developments within the Latin American theology of liberation that Medellín helped to create as well as critical responses to certain currents of a theology of liberation from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and elsewhere. There is also a new awareness today of the tremendous impact of the globalization of markets on the daily life of the human family. Globalization presents both new opportunities and challenges, but the call of the Gospel to address the plight of the poor remains as urgent as it was in 1968. Moreover, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America Pope John Paul II affirmed that the borders of the Church on the American hemisphere are not national borders. He recalled he clear message of the Gospel to seek a social solidarity rooted in the Trinitarian communion. He enjoined Catholics on this hemisphere to build up ecclesial bonds—relationships of love and mutual support—between the members of the Church in North and South America. Many dioceses have heard this call—including the Archdiocese of Chicago—and have responded by establishing transcontinental ties between parishes and dioceses.

It's kind of like those countless press statements that continually emanate from the offices of the Episcopal Church and United Nations, only without their sparkle.

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon, 1939-2009

A scholar who fought the good fight against the forces of apostasy in the Anglican Church. He will be missed.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.

(Thanks to Fr. Hart.)

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon, 1939-2009

A scholar who fought the good fight against the forces of apostasy in the Anglican Church. He will be missed.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.

(Thanks to Fr. Hart.)

An Opportunity to Be Missed

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Obama administration officials, alarmed at doctor shortages, are looking for ways to increase the supply of physicians to meet the needs of an aging population and millions of uninsured people who would gain coverage under legislation championed by the president.

The Obama administration wants to increase the supply of physicians and its solution is to nationalize health care, making doctors government workers and limiting how much money they can make. Yep, that'll do it.

An Opportunity to Be Missed

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Obama administration officials, alarmed at doctor shortages, are looking for ways to increase the supply of physicians to meet the needs of an aging population and millions of uninsured people who would gain coverage under legislation championed by the president.

The Obama administration wants to increase the supply of physicians and its solution is to nationalize health care, making doctors government workers and limiting how much money they can make. Yep, that'll do it.

What We Have to Look Forward to in the Coming Weeks

From here:

What We Have to Look Forward to in the Coming Weeks

From here:

You Just Can't Be Too Careful

Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has apologized to to the American Legion for a report on terrorism that warned

the faltering economy and the election of the country's first African-American president could be used to radicalize extremist groups and bolster their recruiting within the United States.

The report suggested that veterans would make ideal candidates for recruitment because, you know, they're gun nuts--patriotic and all that. 

Not at all, says Ms. Napolitano, it was just a little screw-up and she's terribly sorry. When some people expressed concern

how such an oversight could have occurred, [a] senior DHS official said that because of the massive size of the department -- more than 220,000 employees -- "sometimes things slip through the cracks," and that new internal processes have now been put in place to make sure such a mistake doesn't happen again.

Well, that's reassuring. Still, more than 220,000 employees and things still "slip through the cracks?" They better hire another 50,000. Just to be on the safe side.

You Just Can't Be Too Careful

Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has apologized to to the American Legion for a report on terrorism that warned

the faltering economy and the election of the country's first African-American president could be used to radicalize extremist groups and bolster their recruiting within the United States.

The report suggested that veterans would make ideal candidates for recruitment because, you know, they're gun nuts--patriotic and all that. 

Not at all, says Ms. Napolitano, it was just a little screw-up and she's terribly sorry. When some people expressed concern

how such an oversight could have occurred, [a] senior DHS official said that because of the massive size of the department -- more than 220,000 employees -- "sometimes things slip through the cracks," and that new internal processes have now been put in place to make sure such a mistake doesn't happen again.

Well, that's reassuring. Still, more than 220,000 employees and things still "slip through the cracks?" They better hire another 50,000. Just to be on the safe side.

Poland Shows Us How

From the Washington Times:

In the midst of the global financial crisis, Poland's economy is forecast to grow by almost 1 percent. According to business economists and the Economist magazine, Poland likely will be the only European country with a growing gross domestic product in 2009. Germany's GDP is expected to shrink by more then 5 percent, Britain's by almost 4 percent, France's by 3 percent and the Czech Republic's by 3 percent. With a projected GDP drop of about 3 percent, the United States doesn't look any better.

So how is Poland effecting this "miracle?"

Facing down the global economic crisis, leaders in Warsaw have slashed marginal tax rates, cut government spending and temporarily suspended some government regulations.

What? How can this be? Our President says: "Economists on the left and right agree that the last thing the government should do during a recession is cut back on spending." I would love to know with which economists "on the right" the President consulted but it wouldn't matter to the Poles. They're stubborn, you know.

On Jan. 1, Poland cut its top marginal tax rate from 40 percent to 32 percent - and that's just a start. Last year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to move to a flat-tax rate of 19 percent in 2010 or 2011. What Poland understands is the importance of the marginal tax rate. The less you take from each additional zloty (the Polish currency) that people earn, the harder they work, the more they invest and the bigger the economic pie becomes.

Whence these idiotic notions cutting regulations, taxes and spending?

Poles who suffered under communist central planning don't believe more government is the answer to an ailing economy. An old Polish proverb warns: "Do not push the river, it will flow by itself." That's one of many lessons Mr. Obama and his advisers could learn from this rare, growing European nation.

They could but won't, it goes against everything they were learned. By economists. On the left and right. College perfessers and all that.

Poland Shows Us How

From the Washington Times:

In the midst of the global financial crisis, Poland's economy is forecast to grow by almost 1 percent. According to business economists and the Economist magazine, Poland likely will be the only European country with a growing gross domestic product in 2009. Germany's GDP is expected to shrink by more then 5 percent, Britain's by almost 4 percent, France's by 3 percent and the Czech Republic's by 3 percent. With a projected GDP drop of about 3 percent, the United States doesn't look any better.

So how is Poland effecting this "miracle?"

Facing down the global economic crisis, leaders in Warsaw have slashed marginal tax rates, cut government spending and temporarily suspended some government regulations.

What? How can this be? Our President says: "Economists on the left and right agree that the last thing the government should do during a recession is cut back on spending." I would love to know with which economists "on the right" the President consulted but it wouldn't matter to the Poles. They're stubborn, you know.

On Jan. 1, Poland cut its top marginal tax rate from 40 percent to 32 percent - and that's just a start. Last year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to move to a flat-tax rate of 19 percent in 2010 or 2011. What Poland understands is the importance of the marginal tax rate. The less you take from each additional zloty (the Polish currency) that people earn, the harder they work, the more they invest and the bigger the economic pie becomes.

Whence these idiotic notions cutting regulations, taxes and spending?

Poles who suffered under communist central planning don't believe more government is the answer to an ailing economy. An old Polish proverb warns: "Do not push the river, it will flow by itself." That's one of many lessons Mr. Obama and his advisers could learn from this rare, growing European nation.

They could but won't, it goes against everything they were learned. By economists. On the left and right. College perfessers and all that.

Finally Some Good News About the U.N.

From Commentary:

The UN’s Epic Fail in Geneva
Michael J. Totten - 04.24.2009 - 10:31 AM

The biggest loser at the United Nations Durban Review Conference on “racism” this week in Geneva was the United Nations itself. The United States unfairly got a lot of bad press and bad marks for walking out of the first UN “World Conference Against Racism” in Durban, South Africa, in 2001, even though that conference was little more than an anti-Semitic and anti-American hate festival. The media did a much better job this time around, though, as did the genuine anti-racist activists who showed up to protest. Those vilified by “Durban I” turned out to be the heroes of “Durban II.”

Read it all. Most encouraging, the U.N.'s adoring minions in the media at last seem to have opened their eyes.

Finally Some Good News About the U.N.

From Commentary:

The UN’s Epic Fail in Geneva
Michael J. Totten - 04.24.2009 - 10:31 AM

The biggest loser at the United Nations Durban Review Conference on “racism” this week in Geneva was the United Nations itself. The United States unfairly got a lot of bad press and bad marks for walking out of the first UN “World Conference Against Racism” in Durban, South Africa, in 2001, even though that conference was little more than an anti-Semitic and anti-American hate festival. The media did a much better job this time around, though, as did the genuine anti-racist activists who showed up to protest. Those vilified by “Durban I” turned out to be the heroes of “Durban II.”

Read it all. Most encouraging, the U.N.'s adoring minions in the media at last seem to have opened their eyes.

They Might Want to Rephrase This Headline

AP Source: Freddie Mac CFO told to take time off

He did.

They Might Want to Rephrase This Headline

AP Source: Freddie Mac CFO told to take time off

He did.