Part 1) Have We Forgotten the Meaning of Marriage?
Part 2: Are We Okay With Denying Children their Right to a Mother and a Father?
Part 3: Do Mothers Matter? Do Fathers Matter?
Part 4: What About Equality?
Part 5: What are the Dangers of redefining Marriage?
For higher resolution versions, visit http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Are Catholic Schools Elitist?
Hear what a Catholic school teacher has to say as reported in Zenit:
I (Ileana Salazar0 am a teacher at a Catholic High School where our own tuition is close to $10,000.00 a year. I agree that it is a high price for any parent to have to pay and I admire them for the sacrifices they make for their children. That being said, I do not agree that our Catholic schools are elitist.
People have to realize that it costs an exorbitant amount of money to run a school. Those of us who teach at Catholic schools do so with the full knowledge that we will struggle financially because of the low pay but we accept it lovingly for Christ and for our students.
Many of us teachers will never be able to afford our own homes, have newer cars, cease living with two or three roommates to afford to make rent or ever have enough to send our own children to private school either. Yet, we support our schools with a financial contribution from our own paychecks and we work at helping students with financial need.
I know the cost of receiving a Catholic education. I saw my single mother struggle to send us to parochial school and as an adult I chose to attend a Catholic University. I now owe over $100,000 in student loans but I for one, think it was worth every single penny even if it takes me my whole life to pay it back.
I understand that not every parent can afford to make these sacrifices but let's not start assuming that our Catholic schools are elitist. We need to find a way for our children to receive the education parents truly want for them.
And here’s an answer from Sandy Rongish of Wichita:
In the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, and we have an amazing success with stewardship. Our Catholic schools are full! We have over 3,000 high school kids in 3 schools and every grade school is full. The reason? Not because we all have tons of money, but because this diocese is entirely run on stewardship. We give of our time, talent, and treasure. We are asked to tithe 8% to our parish and there is no tuition charged to attend any of the Catholic schools. Each parish pays for every student that wants to go. Those whose children are grown and still tithe are helping to pay for the younger ones. It works wonderfully!
It appears that the answer is stewardship!
I (Ileana Salazar0 am a teacher at a Catholic High School where our own tuition is close to $10,000.00 a year. I agree that it is a high price for any parent to have to pay and I admire them for the sacrifices they make for their children. That being said, I do not agree that our Catholic schools are elitist.
People have to realize that it costs an exorbitant amount of money to run a school. Those of us who teach at Catholic schools do so with the full knowledge that we will struggle financially because of the low pay but we accept it lovingly for Christ and for our students.
Many of us teachers will never be able to afford our own homes, have newer cars, cease living with two or three roommates to afford to make rent or ever have enough to send our own children to private school either. Yet, we support our schools with a financial contribution from our own paychecks and we work at helping students with financial need.
I know the cost of receiving a Catholic education. I saw my single mother struggle to send us to parochial school and as an adult I chose to attend a Catholic University. I now owe over $100,000 in student loans but I for one, think it was worth every single penny even if it takes me my whole life to pay it back.
I understand that not every parent can afford to make these sacrifices but let's not start assuming that our Catholic schools are elitist. We need to find a way for our children to receive the education parents truly want for them.
And here’s an answer from Sandy Rongish of Wichita:
In the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, and we have an amazing success with stewardship. Our Catholic schools are full! We have over 3,000 high school kids in 3 schools and every grade school is full. The reason? Not because we all have tons of money, but because this diocese is entirely run on stewardship. We give of our time, talent, and treasure. We are asked to tithe 8% to our parish and there is no tuition charged to attend any of the Catholic schools. Each parish pays for every student that wants to go. Those whose children are grown and still tithe are helping to pay for the younger ones. It works wonderfully!
It appears that the answer is stewardship!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
First Grade Attends Lesbian "Wedding"
"Whether Ya Like It Or Not!"
That was the refrain of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's infamous speech following the California Supreme Court's "Marriages" case.
And from today's San Francisco Chronicle:
"A group of San Francisco first-graders took an unusual field trip to City Hall on Friday to toss rose petals on their just-married lesbian teacher - putting the public school children at the center of a fierce election battle over the fate of same-sex marriage....
Mayor Gavin Newsom, a friend of a friend, officiated.
But there was a question of justifying the field trip academically. Jaroflow decided she could...
"It really is what we call a teachable moment," Jaroflow said, noting the historic significance of same-sex marriage and related civil rights issues. "I think I'm well within the parameters."
Nonetheless, the excursion offers Proposition 8 proponents fresh ammunition for their efforts to outlaw gay marriage in California, offering a real-life incident that echoes their recent television and radio ads...
'It's just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding,' said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign. "This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose...'
The trip illustrates the message promoted by the campaign in recent days, namely that unless Prop. 8 passes on Nov. 4, children will learn about same-sex marriage in school.
'It shows that not only can it happen, but it has already happened,' White said.
Whether Ya Like It Or Not!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Bishop Vigneron Video on Marriage!
Our California Catholic Bishops are seizing the teaching moment and speaking out on marriage! Here's His Excellency Allen Vigneron of Oakland. It's over at Marriage Matters to Kids.org.Follow the link to the page, the video will start automatically.
Bishop Cordileone Video on Marriage
Our California Catholic Bishops are seizing the teaching moment and speaking out on marriage! Here's His Excellency Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego.It's over at Marriage Matters to Kids.org.Follow the link to the page, the video will start automatically:
http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/cordileone.html
Archbishop Niederauer Video on Marriage!
Our California Catholic Bishops are seizing the teaching moment and speaking out on marriage! Here's His Excellency George Niederauer of San Francisco. It's over at Marriage Matters to Kids.org.Follow the link to the page, the video will start automatically.
http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/niederauer.html
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Vindication of Humanae Vitae
Here's a short excerpt of a masterful article by Mary Eberstadt
The adversaries of Humanae Vitae also could not have foreseen one important historical development that in retrospect would appear to undermine their demands that the Catholic Church change with the times: the widespread Protestant collapse, particularly the continuing implosion of the Episcopal Church and the other branches of Anglicanism.
It is about as clear as any historical chain can get that this implosion is a direct consequence of the famous Lambeth Conference in 1930, at which the Anglicans abandoned the longstanding Christian position on contraception. If a church cannot tell its flock "what to do with my body," as the saying goes, with regard to contraception, then other uses of that body will quickly prove to be similarly off-limits to ecclesiastical authority.
It makes perfect if unfortunate sense, then, that the Anglicans are today imploding over the issue of homosexuality. To quote Anscombe again: If contraceptive intercourse is permissible, then what objection could there be after all to mutual masturbation, or copulation in vase indebito, sodomy, buggery (I should perhaps remark that I am using a legal term here — not indulging in bad language), when normal copulation is impossible or inadvisable (or in any case, according to taste)? It can't be the mere pattern of bodily behavior in which the stimulation is procured that makes all the difference! But if such things are all right, it becomes perfectly impossible to see anything wrong with homosexual intercourse, for example.
I am not saying: if you think contraception all right you will do these other things; not at all. The habit of respectability persists and old prejudices diehard. But I am saying: you will have no solid reason against these things. You will have no answer to someone who prclaims as many do that they are good too. You cannot point to the known fact that Christianity drew people out of the pagan world, always saying no to these things. Because, if you are defending contraception, you will have rejected Christian tradition.
By giving benediction in 1930 to its married heterosexual members purposely seeking sterile sex, the Anglican Church lost, bit by bit, any authority to tell her other members — married or unmarried, homosexual or heterosexual —not to do the same. To put the point another way, once heterosexuals start claiming the right to act as homosexuals, it would not be long before homosexuals start claiming the rights of heterosexuals. Thus in a bizarre but real sense did Lambeth's attempt to show compassion to married heterosexuals advertently give rise to the modern gay-rights movement — and consequently, to the issues that have divided their church ever since. It is hard to believe that anyone seeking a similar change in Catholic teaching on the subject would want the Catholic Church to follow suit into the moral and theological confusion at the center of today's Anglican Church — yet such is the purposeful ignorance of so many who oppose Rome on birth control that they refuse to connect these cautionary historical dots.
Mary Eberstadt is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution
The adversaries of Humanae Vitae also could not have foreseen one important historical development that in retrospect would appear to undermine their demands that the Catholic Church change with the times: the widespread Protestant collapse, particularly the continuing implosion of the Episcopal Church and the other branches of Anglicanism.
It is about as clear as any historical chain can get that this implosion is a direct consequence of the famous Lambeth Conference in 1930, at which the Anglicans abandoned the longstanding Christian position on contraception. If a church cannot tell its flock "what to do with my body," as the saying goes, with regard to contraception, then other uses of that body will quickly prove to be similarly off-limits to ecclesiastical authority.
It makes perfect if unfortunate sense, then, that the Anglicans are today imploding over the issue of homosexuality. To quote Anscombe again: If contraceptive intercourse is permissible, then what objection could there be after all to mutual masturbation, or copulation in vase indebito, sodomy, buggery (I should perhaps remark that I am using a legal term here — not indulging in bad language), when normal copulation is impossible or inadvisable (or in any case, according to taste)? It can't be the mere pattern of bodily behavior in which the stimulation is procured that makes all the difference! But if such things are all right, it becomes perfectly impossible to see anything wrong with homosexual intercourse, for example.
I am not saying: if you think contraception all right you will do these other things; not at all. The habit of respectability persists and old prejudices diehard. But I am saying: you will have no solid reason against these things. You will have no answer to someone who prclaims as many do that they are good too. You cannot point to the known fact that Christianity drew people out of the pagan world, always saying no to these things. Because, if you are defending contraception, you will have rejected Christian tradition.
By giving benediction in 1930 to its married heterosexual members purposely seeking sterile sex, the Anglican Church lost, bit by bit, any authority to tell her other members — married or unmarried, homosexual or heterosexual —not to do the same. To put the point another way, once heterosexuals start claiming the right to act as homosexuals, it would not be long before homosexuals start claiming the rights of heterosexuals. Thus in a bizarre but real sense did Lambeth's attempt to show compassion to married heterosexuals advertently give rise to the modern gay-rights movement — and consequently, to the issues that have divided their church ever since. It is hard to believe that anyone seeking a similar change in Catholic teaching on the subject would want the Catholic Church to follow suit into the moral and theological confusion at the center of today's Anglican Church — yet such is the purposeful ignorance of so many who oppose Rome on birth control that they refuse to connect these cautionary historical dots.
Mary Eberstadt is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Marriage Matters to Kids!
Wow! With marriage under attack in California here is a great new website:
MarriageMatterstoKids.org has videos of our Catholic Bishops (Bishop Cordileone of San Diego, Archbishop Niederauer of San Francisco, Bishop Vigeneron of Oakland) and others exploring the true meaning of marriage and addressing such questions.
Here's a clip of the concluding segment from youtube:
Go to http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/ to see the full video, plus individual videos of our Bishops.
MarriageMatterstoKids.org has videos of our Catholic Bishops (Bishop Cordileone of San Diego, Archbishop Niederauer of San Francisco, Bishop Vigeneron of Oakland) and others exploring the true meaning of marriage and addressing such questions.
Here's a clip of the concluding segment from youtube:
Go to http://www.marriagematterstokids.org/ to see the full video, plus individual videos of our Bishops.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
California Parental Notification Initiative
A syndicated California columnist named Tom Elias ran a column on Tuesday making absolutely outrageous claims about girls dying and being maimed where there are parental notification laws.
He is LYING. He is MAKING IT UP.
Catherine Short, Legal Director for Life Legal Defense Foundation, has responded as follows:In warning his readers about Proposition 4, the parental notification initiative, Tom Elias makes some bold assertions about “case histories” showing girls getting back alley abortions or self-aborting when faced with the prospect of a parent being notified. His claims are pure, unadulterated fiction. There are no case histories, no studies, no support at all for his oh-so-scientific sounding proclamations.
The opponents of Prop 4 are unable to point to a single case of a minor being harmed by a parental involvement law. But with “journalists” like Mr. Elias around to fabricate this stuff, why would they need facts or evidence? It’s in the newspaper; it must be true.Moving from full lies to half-lies, Mr. Elias states that, under Prop 4, a minor from an abusive home could only get a waiver to tell another adult family member if there was a “formal record” or “formal history” of abuse by a parent. That’s incorrect.Prop 4 allows the doctor to notify another adult family member in place of a parent whenever a girl states in writing that she has been the victim.
Check other false statements on ProLifeBlogs. com
He is LYING. He is MAKING IT UP.
Catherine Short, Legal Director for Life Legal Defense Foundation, has responded as follows:In warning his readers about Proposition 4, the parental notification initiative, Tom Elias makes some bold assertions about “case histories” showing girls getting back alley abortions or self-aborting when faced with the prospect of a parent being notified. His claims are pure, unadulterated fiction. There are no case histories, no studies, no support at all for his oh-so-scientific sounding proclamations.
The opponents of Prop 4 are unable to point to a single case of a minor being harmed by a parental involvement law. But with “journalists” like Mr. Elias around to fabricate this stuff, why would they need facts or evidence? It’s in the newspaper; it must be true.Moving from full lies to half-lies, Mr. Elias states that, under Prop 4, a minor from an abusive home could only get a waiver to tell another adult family member if there was a “formal record” or “formal history” of abuse by a parent. That’s incorrect.Prop 4 allows the doctor to notify another adult family member in place of a parent whenever a girl states in writing that she has been the victim.
Check other false statements on ProLifeBlogs. com
Monday, October 6, 2008
Bill Ayers in 2006
This isn't from twenty or thirty years ago--it's from two years ago. Bill Ayers at the World Education Forum, hosted by the dictator Hugo Chavez of Venezuela:
"President Hugo Chavez, Vice-President Vicente Rangel, Ministers Moncada and Isturiz, invited guests,comrades. I’m honored and humbled to be here with you this morning. I bring greetings and support from your brothers and sisters throughout Northamerica. Welcome to the World Education Forum! Amamos la revolucion Bolivariana!
This is my fourth visit to Venezuela, each time at the invitation of my comrade and friend Luis Bonilla, a brilliant educator and inspiring fighter for justice. Luis has taught me a great deal about the Bolivarian Revolution and about the profound educational reforms underway here in Venezuela under the leadership of President Chavez. We share the belief that education is the motor-force of revolution, and I’ve come to appreciate Luis as a major asset in both the Venezuelan and the international struggle—I look forward to seeing how he and all of you continue to overcome the failings of capitalist education as you seek to create something truly new and deeply humane."
That's Bill Ayers, with whom Senator Barack Obama was friends and worked with for years. Some of Mr. Ayers "educational" theories in practice:
"President Hugo Chavez, Vice-President Vicente Rangel, Ministers Moncada and Isturiz, invited guests,comrades. I’m honored and humbled to be here with you this morning. I bring greetings and support from your brothers and sisters throughout Northamerica. Welcome to the World Education Forum! Amamos la revolucion Bolivariana!
This is my fourth visit to Venezuela, each time at the invitation of my comrade and friend Luis Bonilla, a brilliant educator and inspiring fighter for justice. Luis has taught me a great deal about the Bolivarian Revolution and about the profound educational reforms underway here in Venezuela under the leadership of President Chavez. We share the belief that education is the motor-force of revolution, and I’ve come to appreciate Luis as a major asset in both the Venezuelan and the international struggle—I look forward to seeing how he and all of you continue to overcome the failings of capitalist education as you seek to create something truly new and deeply humane."
That's Bill Ayers, with whom Senator Barack Obama was friends and worked with for years. Some of Mr. Ayers "educational" theories in practice:
Friday, October 3, 2008
Now THAT'S A Bishop!
That'd be Bishop Joseph F. Martino, of Scranton, PA. From Catholic News Agency:
Bishop of Scranton pledges vigilance in correcting pro-choice Catholic politicians
Scranton, PA, Oct 2, 2008 / 04:12 am (CNA).- Bishop Joseph F. Martino of the Diocese of Scranton has directed a pastoral letter on pro-life matters to be read at all weekend Masses of the upcoming Respect Life Weekend, saying Catholic efforts on such issues have “more significance than ever.” Discussing the societal breakdown in the wake of the sexual revolution, Bishop Martino explains Catholic teaching, and pledges “vigilance” in correcting Catholic pro-abortion rights public figures..."
Here are excerpts from His Excellecy's letter:
"Another argument goes like this: “As wrong as abortion is, I don't think it is the only relevant ‘life’ issue that should be considered when deciding for whom to vote.” This reasoning is sound only if other issues carry the same moral weight as abortion does, such as in the case of euthanasia and destruction of embryos for research purposes. Health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes are very important concerns. Neglect of any one of them has dire consequences as the recent financial crisis demonstrates. However, the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does. Being “right” on taxes, education, health care, immigration, and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life. Consider this: The finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day. It is a tragic irony that “pro-choice” candidates have come to support homicide -- the gravest injustice a society can tolerate -- in the name of “social justice.”
Even the Church’s just war theory has moral force because it is grounded in the principle that innocent human life must be protected and defended. Now, a person may, in good faith, misapply just war criteria leading him to mistakenly believe that an unjust war is just, but he or she still knows that innocent human life may not be harmed on purpose. A person who supports permissive abortion laws, however, rejects the truth that innocent human life may never be destroyed. This profound moral failure runs deeper and is more corrupting of the individual, and of the society, than any error in applying just war criteria to particular cases....
While the Church assists the State in the promotion of a just society, its primary concern is to assist men and women in achieving salvation. For this reason, it is incumbent upon bishops to correct Catholics who are in error regarding these matters. Furthermore, public officials who are Catholic and who persist in public support for abortion and other intrinsic evils should not partake in or be admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion. As I have said before, I will be vigilant on this subject."
In other words:
1) Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi (for example), should not present themselves for Communion.
2) If they do, the Priest or Extraordinary Minister should not admit them.
3) Bishop Martino will be watching to make sure his orders are carried out.
Now THAT'S a Bishop!
All emphases added. The full letter is here.
Bishop of Scranton pledges vigilance in correcting pro-choice Catholic politicians
Scranton, PA, Oct 2, 2008 / 04:12 am (CNA).- Bishop Joseph F. Martino of the Diocese of Scranton has directed a pastoral letter on pro-life matters to be read at all weekend Masses of the upcoming Respect Life Weekend, saying Catholic efforts on such issues have “more significance than ever.” Discussing the societal breakdown in the wake of the sexual revolution, Bishop Martino explains Catholic teaching, and pledges “vigilance” in correcting Catholic pro-abortion rights public figures..."
Here are excerpts from His Excellecy's letter:
"Another argument goes like this: “As wrong as abortion is, I don't think it is the only relevant ‘life’ issue that should be considered when deciding for whom to vote.” This reasoning is sound only if other issues carry the same moral weight as abortion does, such as in the case of euthanasia and destruction of embryos for research purposes. Health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes are very important concerns. Neglect of any one of them has dire consequences as the recent financial crisis demonstrates. However, the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does. Being “right” on taxes, education, health care, immigration, and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life. Consider this: The finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day. It is a tragic irony that “pro-choice” candidates have come to support homicide -- the gravest injustice a society can tolerate -- in the name of “social justice.”
Even the Church’s just war theory has moral force because it is grounded in the principle that innocent human life must be protected and defended. Now, a person may, in good faith, misapply just war criteria leading him to mistakenly believe that an unjust war is just, but he or she still knows that innocent human life may not be harmed on purpose. A person who supports permissive abortion laws, however, rejects the truth that innocent human life may never be destroyed. This profound moral failure runs deeper and is more corrupting of the individual, and of the society, than any error in applying just war criteria to particular cases....
While the Church assists the State in the promotion of a just society, its primary concern is to assist men and women in achieving salvation. For this reason, it is incumbent upon bishops to correct Catholics who are in error regarding these matters. Furthermore, public officials who are Catholic and who persist in public support for abortion and other intrinsic evils should not partake in or be admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion. As I have said before, I will be vigilant on this subject."
In other words:
1) Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi (for example), should not present themselves for Communion.
2) If they do, the Priest or Extraordinary Minister should not admit them.
3) Bishop Martino will be watching to make sure his orders are carried out.
Now THAT'S a Bishop!
All emphases added. The full letter is here.
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