Faith & the Public Order: March 2009 Archives

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is supporting a change in law that would open the door to Catholics being a monarch. But this may also open the door to a Muslim or a Hindu being a King or Queen of England. Interesting. Read about it. But there's criticism, too.

The Act of Settlement and the Protestant Succession

Last autumn, www.ilsussidiario.net, an internet news portal edited by the Foundation of Subsidiarity directed by Giorgio Vittadini, sponsored a special "On the Spot" section with articles from US-based writers on aspects of the presidential election. This was a start for what will now be a new regular English-language section of the site.

Add this link to your favorites: http://www.ilsussidiario.net/articoli.aspx?canale=103

The "On the Spot" section will feature news and opinion pieces on all aspects of life in the USA and English speaking countries, with our particular judgment on events. (N.B. Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete writes a column every week). It will include interviews and articles from experts as well as regular reporters.

Looking for writers. There is a need to produce at least two or three original articles weekly of about 450-650 words. In addition, some of the articles would be translated into Italian for a daily audience of 3000 people.

If you would like to join us in this venture, please write to clairityrose@gmail.com.

Tom Hoopes at the National Catholic Register opened my eyes this morning with a brief article on the State of Connecticut's intrusion into matters of faith, doctrine and Church.

Last week had SB 1098; now we have to contend with SB 899. This new bill being proposed is wide reaching and very intrusive and just plain wrong, not just in matters of faith but culture, government and parenting.

The problem is education: the lack of it retards greater freedom and happiness for which we are made for by God: beatitude.

Bill giving laity control of parish finances killed in Connecticut

HARTFORD, Conn. (CNS) -- At the request of its proponents, a bill that would have given laypeople financial control of their parishes in Connecticut has been withdrawn and is dead for this legislative session. In a joint statement March 10, the co-chairmen of the Connecticut Legislature's Judiciary Committee, Sen. Andrew J. McDonald of Stamford and Rep. Michael Lawlor of East Haven, announced the cancellation of a scheduled March 11 hearing on the controversial bill. There was no immediate comment on the bill's demise from the Catholic bishops of Connecticut, who had strongly opposed the legislation and urged Catholics to turn out at the hearing in large numbers. "At the request of the proponents who are advocating this legislation, we have decided to cancel the public hearing for tomorrow, table any further consideration of this bill for the duration of this session, and ask the attorney general his opinion regarding the constitutionality of the existing law," said McDonald and Lawlor, both Democrats and Catholics. "It would serve no useful purpose to have a conversation about changing the laws that govern existing Roman Catholic corporations until we know if any of these existing laws are constitutional," they said.

For the moment the bill is off the table. Good. Prayers answered. BUT it's only a matter of time before this initiative (or something similar) is reintroduced --with sharper teeth-- which will shake the dander of faithful Catholics who hold firmly to Catholic teaching. Some will see this threat as lacking merit, but heterodox will pull something else to threaten the security of free exercise of religion. Sorry to say, fellow Nutmegers have tried to disrupt the unity of the Church. Senator Michael McLachlan this afternoon after announcing the tabling of the bill, "Now they [Andrew McDonald and Michael Lawler] want the Catholic Church to defend the laws on the books since 1866!" THE fight is not over...by a long shot.

 Saint Michael, pray for us!!!

The editors of Headline Bistro, the headline service of the Knights Columbus, posted an analysis of the current situation regarding legislative bill 1098 introduced by two Connecticut congressmen last week.

Keeping up-to-date:

Carl Anderson's Op-Ed piece in the Stamford Advocate "Shredding the First Amendment in the Constitution State"

"Religious Freedom Under Attack in Connecticut"

The New Haven Register's March 9th article on the subject

The bill's chief proponent, Tom Gallagher, has an Op-Ed piece in the National Catholic Reporter.

Last Thursday, March 5th, two Connecticut state congressmen introduced a bill that proposes to restructure Catholic parish life taking authority away from pastors, the bishop and the pope.

The bill VIOLATES the FIRST AMENDMENT of the US Constitution!!! Read the Bill 1098/2009.

This is a direct attack on the part of these congressmen on the Roman Catholic Church for the Church's teaching the Gospel, especially regarding homosexuality and birth control.

More information to be had on the website of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport here and a letter from the archbishop of Hartford.

From the Knights of Columbus

The story at Newstime.com

Last year the Society of Jesus in Slovakia has put a considerable effort in drawing the attention to a novice, Tomas Munk, who converted to Catholicism from Judaism in the late 1930s.

In the spring of 2008 a  book of Ivan Petransky about his life was published Zivot pod hviezdou ("A life under a star"). People from around the Jesuit community in Ruzomberok have organized a concert to remember this young brave man who in his early life had written: Amor Christi usque ad oblivionem sui - Love for Christ until self-oblivion. The local TV station has produced a documentary DVD on his life and people are very much interested in the witness this young man has got to offer. Parts of the published book were broadcasted on the Catholic radio station in the country.

Tomas Munk was born in Budapest on January 29, 1924 as the first son of a Jewish couple. After conversion in 1939 he was received in the Catholic Church. Tomas studied in Bratislava and partly in Ruzomberok. He decided to become priest in the Society of Jesus where he entered on July 30, 1943. In the autumn of 1944, Nazi soldiers came in Ruzomberok. After several months the whole family was arrested and the Nazi eventually came to the Novitiate and took him away as a Jewish convert. According to a fellow novice, now a respected Jesuit, Tomas confided to him having prayed all night in the Novitiate chapel: "I have sacrificed my life for my nation, for its conversion and for the Church." Tomas was killed on the way to the concentration camp.

A point of connection for me with Tomas Munk is that we share the same birth date but 45 years apart from each other, and that we had a love of the Society. May he interceded for all of us.

Tony Blair is defending the place of faith in public discourse and saying that it needs to show itself in action. The some time British Prime Minister entered into full communion with the Catholic Church following his leaving public office.

Can you give reasons for your belief in Jesus Christ? If so, are you truly following Christ and being a good-enough witness of the Gospel and the Church?

Follow Blair's foundation, The Tony Blair Faith Foundation

The President of the United States of America needs to realize not everyone supports Planned Parenthood's goals. Please follow this suggestion if you are against abortion. Please send this message to everyone in your address book that thinks similarly. MAYBE our biased MEDIA would even mention it IF we DO IT. Mark March 31 on your calendar!

What:  Get red envelopes or postcards and mail them on March 31st to the White House; You can buy them at Kinkos, or any party supply stores.

When:  March 31, 2009

To Whom:

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message:

This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion.  It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.

We will mail the envelopes out March 31, 2009.

Forward this event to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. It would be good if we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died [in the U.S.] before having a chance to live.

It may seem that those who believe abortion is wrong are in a minority. It may seem like we have no voice and it's shameful to even bring it up. Let us show our President and the world that the voices of those of us who do not believe abortion is acceptable are not silent and must be heard. Together we can change the heart of The President and save the lives of millions of children.

President Barack Obama spoke at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund event, uttering the now infamous line, "Well, the first thing I'd do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. [Applause.] That's the first thing that I'd do."

An empty red envelope will send a message to President Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue [The Freedom of Choice Act, which will essentially "undo" every law currently in place to limit abortion in the U.S. (i.e., parental consent laws, parental notification, waiting periods, prohibition of transporting a minor girl across state lines to obtain an abortion, etc.)]. It will be quiet, but clear.

Please read more about The Freedom of Choice Act here:

http://www.lifenews.com/nat4359.html 

http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2008/07/one_year_annive.html