Outside The Asylum

Several good Bishops have a bad problem- generations of abuse and homosexuality in the seminaries have devastated the population of priests.  There is hope for the future- these Bishops who are willing to embrace transparency and action on abuse cases are rewarded with an increase (sometimes a miraculous increase)  in vocations; however, the demographic hole still exists. Due to this, many rural populations find themselves with either a closed parish or a circuit riding priest, there not being enough priests left to provide pastors for every situation. At the same time, bad bishops, in a misguided attempt to stem the tide of ridiculously large scandals, are turning to punishing whistleblowers who dare to preach against sexuality in the priesthood (after all, only 80% of the problem is homosexuality, the rest are heterosexuals with "Secret Families"), and if they do, they are quickly removed from being pastors and either have to run for their lives or get sentenced to live...

These are hard to read.  I have real spiritual issues with these abusers.  But for the sake of history, four links: Vigano's 3rd letter The Republican Catholic Political Response The Democratic Catholic Political Response The Orthodox Catholic PREDICTION (Written before the third letter, but wow, does this guy have the gift of prophecy or what)

I wish I could embed this.  Perhaps someday I'll find a youtube link to it.  But when defending a conservative, CNN video is a pretty good link , This is what has gone wrong with America.

Thank you so much for your prayers and good wishes. Your prayers have been answered. My mother's growth has turned out to be benign. Thanks so much! 

Rules for my son: 1.  Do not drink away from where you have a safe bed for the night.  That means home, buddy. 2.  Do not go to parties that are not chaperoned. 3.  Do not go on dates unchaperoned. 4.  While I've encouraged you to be heterosexual, in this day and age you can't touch a girl without a written and notarized agreement first detailing the relationship.  Sheldon Cooper is right.  You need a relationship agreement. It's the only way to be safe thanks to the so-called sexual revolution.

John Hathaway  is a man with challenges.  Marfan Syndrome, Asperger's, stuck in a wheelchair.  Yet he's also a father and a very faithful Catholic. Until today. The rumor that Pope Francis turned away the American Bishops and are not going to let them even investigate the cardinal sins of homosexuality in the seminaries, has broken my heart and his. The Year of Mercy is over.  Judgement Day has arrived.  Are your sins in order?

An interesting thought occurs. Since central Europeans speaking good English are rarely if ever in contact with police, and State of Oregon officials are forbidden from inquiring into immigration status, is the sanctuary law in Oregon inherently racist?

Robert Royal has an excellent article on this today  on his experiences over the weekend, go and read it. This weekend my family was on a retreat for special needs families.  Every year, we send the kids to "respite care" - playtime with volunteers- while we care giving parents get a much needed break and a chance to talk.  This session is led by a priest. This year, Fr. Raul told us a couple of things we really didn't want to hear.  The first was that this would be the last year he was able to come to this retreat, as he's been named as the priest for the deaf community in Portland (and yes, it was a joy to watch him say mass, as he's picked up the habit of adding American Sign Language to the mass- the closest thing I've ever seen to actual honest-to-goodness holy liturgical dance in accordance with the General Instruction- quite beautiful).  And yes, I did make the suggestion that next year, we add the deaf community to the English weekend for the Journey...

The latest round of the priest abuse cases, which is about younger-but-adult people being abused, shows a crack in the very philosophy behind the Sexual Revolution. Not every act can be consented to. At least not validly. Yes does not mean yes when coercion of any sort is involved. Yes does not mean yes when selfishness replaces love. Yes does not mean yes when damage and pain is involved. Yes does not mean yes when sex is perverted away from conception. Yes does not mean yes when sex is over in a single night. Basically, sex is supposed to be a part of something larger- a lifelong relationship that brings new life into existence and raises that new life to be a functional part of society. Sexual revolution consent fails at the primary purpose of sex completely.

I've written often about my confusion at the Jesuit proposal of a "doctrine of reception", which enables cafeteria catholicism by explaining sin away as merely being "a teaching not received", as if the real problem isn't enough learning rather than the effects of Original Sin in our lives. Today, in an article written by  Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB on the Salt and Light blog   we see a new doctrine proposed.  I'd call it, for lack of a better name, the Anti-Pharisee doctrine.  Apparently under this new doctrine, while it is nice to follow scripture and tradition, both are considered  to be "disordered attachments" at times at the discernment of the Pope.  This leads to a rather confused teaching- for everything is now based on the Pope as Dictator, rather than on continuity with the historical magisterium. On Zenit where this first appeared, the article has been rescinded, but it is a fascinating look into the mind of some people in the church...

Everybody knows that Silicon Valley corporations struggle when it comes to how they deal with conservatives.  Here are four very practical suggestions on what big tech social media firms can do to rectify the situation. 1) Provide Transparency:  We need detailed information so everyone can see if liberal groups and users are being treated the same as those on the right. Social media companies operate in a black-box environment, only releasing anecdotes about reports on content and users when they think it necessary. This needs to change. The companies need to design open systems so that they can be held accountable, while giving weight to privacy concerns. 2) Provide Clarity on ‘Hate Speech’:  “Hate speech” is a common concern among social media companies, but no two firms define it the same way. Their definitions are vague and open to interpretation, and their interpretation often looks like an opportunity to silence thought. Today, hate speech means anything libe...

I found this personal account to be quite profound indeed.

I am snowed under with work and do not have time to read the new document from the Catholic CDF right now .  This is a reminder to myself to go and read it sometime.

No, that isn't a spelling error in the title. Homosexuality is nurture, not nature

When this mysterious document came out, dissent set in to Bishops and Priests all over America.  Today, for the 50th Anniversary, the USCCB is actively selling it!

Found in Capitol Chatter today: • Location, location, location:  The Oregon Department of Transportation reminds candidates and their supporters: "Political signs may not be posted on any Oregon state highway right of way, and there are restrictions for signs placed on private property visible from state highways." How is this even slightly legal?

Once again, Pope Francis has given us an Exhortation.  As you can see by the word cloud above, the real message hiding in Gaudete et exultate is "Saint Can Love Life, Jesus Lord, God, Others with Good Will" Not as eloquent as the last word cloud, and perhaps can be rearranged.  Any takers in the comments? Once again though, nice idea, telling us to embrace holiness, but the problems are in the details. I find it problematic that in Gaudete et exsultate , a quick word search for "repentance", "penance" and "confession" are not mentioned as a path to holiness, "conversion" is mentioned only once as  one possible path to  holiness, and the Eucharist and Reconciliation and devotions are only mentioned as a path to sanctification "we are familiar with" and thus, apparently, don't need to be mentioned in depth (Paragraph 110).  In a world where 5/6 Catholics reject weekly Mass, I think that is a horrible assumption that we ...

Progressivism and Catholicism are incompatible. I have no hope left for progress. Every time somebody uses the word progress, hidden in it is "how can I hurt my neighbor today". It is just as bad within the Church. Every time I turn around, people are using "prudence", "Pastoral", "discernment" and "conscience" in very thinly disguised excuses for abuse. I do not think we should be fooled by such claims. Of course, part of my impression MIGHT be because I live in a state where "progress" is defined as kill the unborn and the old human beings to save the salmon and fund windmills. And that whenever I argue against the genocide of the unwanted at church,  I'm sure to run across some "Jesuit trained" person who thinks homosexual rape of boys builds character and that abortion and contraception are necessary to keep those awful poor people from breeding too much. The latest expansion on the Death ...