How big is God?

Catching up

As you all know, I have moved away from Vancouver where I was blessed to be able to attend the Latin Mass at an FSSP parish for the last three years. On Sunday, I attended my first Novus Ordo Mass in my new town. It was pretty much as I remembered it, except for two things. There was no Apostle's Creed. I have to give the priest the benefit of the doubt - maybe he just forgot. I wanted to ask him after Mass what happened to the Creed, but I didn't get the opportunity. The other thing was that the Mass was over in 45 minutes, even with a choir. I thought most NO Masses lasted for an hour, at least that is what I recall.

On the positive side, the church is an old one, and still maintains its former beauty. As soon as I unpack my camera and find the charger, I will be taking photos.

On a completely different note, here is a warning I came across for all parents who have teen aged children. We have all heard about the spike in teen suicides, and here is one of the reasons why. It's hard to know what our kids are doing every moment of the day, and what pressure they are under from their friends. Parents, take heed, and have your teenagers watch this news clip so they will be forewarned.

Human Life International's Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy

I know I said I was gone for the weekend, but this is a must read:

Spirit & Life®
"The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63) Human Life International e-Newsletter Volume 04, Number 27 | Friday, August 28, 2009
..................................................................................	www.hli.org
Human Life International's Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy We must, as a matter of precept, pray for the salvation of heretical Catholics like Senator Edward Kennedy, but we do not have to praise him let alone extol him with the full honors of a public Catholic funeral and all the adulation that attends such an event. There was very little about Ted Kennedy's life that deserves admiration from a spiritual or moral point of view. He was probably the worst example of a Catholic statesman that one can think of. When all is said and done, he has distorted the concept of what it means to be a Catholic in public life more than anyone else in leadership today. Obviously we don't know the state of Senator Edward Kennedy's soul upon death. We don't pretend to. We are told by the family that he had the opportunity to confess his sins before a priest, and his priest has said publicly he was "at peace" when he died. For that we are grateful. But it is one thing to confess one's sins and for these matters to be kept, rightfully, private. It is another thing entirely for one who so consistently and publicly advocated for the destruction of unborn human beings to depart the stage without a public repudiation of these views, a public confession, as it were. It is up to God to judge Senator Kennedy's soul. We, as rational persons, must judge his actions, and his actions were not at all in line with one who values and carefully applies Church teaching on weighty matters. Ted Kennedy's positions on a variety of issues have been a grave scandal for decades, and to honor this "catholic" champion of the culture of death with a Catholic funeral is unjust to those who have actually paid the price of fidelity. We now find out that President Obama will eulogize the Senator at his funeral, an indignity which, following on the heels of the Notre Dame fiasco, leaves faithful Catholics feeling sullied, desecrated and dehumanized by men who seem to look for opportunities to slap the Church in the face and do so with impunity simply because they have positions of power. It is not enough for Kennedy to have been a "great guy behind the scenes" as we have seen him referred to even by his political opponents. It is also not praiseworthy to put a Catholic rhetorical veneer on his leftist politics that did nothing to advance true justice as the Church sees it or to advance the peace of Christ in this world. Every indication of Senator Kennedy's career, every public appearance, every sound bite showed an acerbic, divisive and partisan political hack for whom party politics were much more infallible than Church doctrines. Whatever one's political affiliation, if one is only "Catholic" to the extent that his faith rhymes with his party line, then his Catholicism is a fraud. As the Scriptures remind us, there is a time for everything under the sun. This, now, is the time for honesty about our Faith and about those who are called to express it in the public forum. If we do not remind ourselves of the necessity of public confession for public sins such as Senator Kennedy was guilty of, then we are negligent in our embrace of the Faith and we are part of the problem. As Pope Benedict has reminded us recently, charity without truth can easily become mere sentimentality, and we must not fall into that error. A Catholic show of charity for the family must not eclipse the truth that is required of all with eyes to see and ears to hear. Senator Kennedy needs to be sent to the afterlife with a private, family-only funeral and the prayers of the Church for the salvation of his immortal soul. He will not be missed by the unborn who he betrayed time and time again, nor by the rest of us who are laboring to undo the scandalous example of Catholicism that he gave to three generations of Americans. Sincerely, Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President, Human Life International

Protestant Prime Minister Receives Holy Communion

Canada's Prime Minister, who is an evangelical Protestant, received Holy Communion at a funeral Mass last Friday. But according to some reports, he put the Communion Host either in his pocket or in the program rather than consuming it. In the video below, you can clearly see that the Prime Minister does not consume the Host. Since there isn't a priest in Canada who doesn't know Steven Harper isn't Catholic, it begs the question - why was he offered Communion in the first place?

Enforcing Atheism

In California, you can't use the name of Jesus in a public speech, or even hold a Bible study in your own home without coming under the scrutiny of authorities. And don't even think of mentioning God in a wedding ceremony. It's amazing that God hasn't sunk the golden godless state into the ocean yet.

Poetic Justice?

Matthew 26:52 Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Tiller the Killer is dead. Pray for his soul.

More on the Religion of Pieces

When I read stories like this one, where 5 women were buried alive in an "honour" killing in Pakistan just because they wanted to choose their own husbands, it makes me wonder if the left-leaning feminists who sit on our Human Rights Commissions will one day be flexible enough to kick themselves in their rear ends for advancing the agendas of minority groups at all costs. I'm just sayin' - it could soon happen here on the same scale.

The New Sodom

I wonder if California will be sinking into the ocean anytime soon:

Legislature Passes Bill for "Gay Day" Celebrations in California Public Schools

By Peter J. Smith August 8, 2008, SACRAMENTO (LifeSiteNews.com)

- California public schools soon will be planning "gay day" celebrations every May 22 unless Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes the legislation. Thursday the California Assembly approved AB 2567, which designates May 22 as "Harvey Milk Day." The 43 to 26 vote occurred on party lines with Democrats for, Republicans against. Earlier this week, AB 2567 passed the California State Senate on another party line vote 22-13 - Democrats for, Republicans against. The bill will require all public schools to "conduct suitable commemorative exercises" in commemoration of the anti-religious, homosexualist agenda of the late San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk.

According to a Senate analysis of the bill, "This bill requires the Governor to proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day…The designation of a day of significance triggers statutory encouragement for public schools to observe and conduct commemorative exercises suitable to the day. “This bad bill will teach impressionable schoolchildren the anti-religious, homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda of Harvey Milk," warned Randy Thomasson, President of Campaign for Children and Families. "If signed into law, AB 2567 will mean an official day commemorating homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality in California government schools…This will harm children as young as kindergarten.""The Democrats are so cocky, they have no qualms about pushing sexual indoctrination upon children in an election year. For the love of God, parents and their children, we implore Governor Schwarzenegger to veto AB 2567" Thomasson said.

Pope's Tree Flourishes

From Catholic News Agency - When you read the story below, pay attention to the last line. Comments welcome.

Jerusalem, Jul 22, 2008 / 02:06 pm (CNA).- In the Jubilee Year of 2000, Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land stopping at one point to bless an olive tree on the Mount of the Beatitudes. A forester with the Jewish National Fund reports that this tree is the only one producing olives this year.

"It is a miracle," Yossi Karni from the JNF, which maintains the plot, told local media.

During a visit to northern Israel, in March of 2000, the late Pontiff blessed an olive tree that was planted on the Mount of Beatitudes, which was previously called Mt. Eremos. According to tradition, Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount on this mountain, which is located near the Sea of Galilee.

Israel is currently facing what Uri Shani, Israel’s Water Authority director, called “the worst crisis in 80 years.” “Israel's major sources of drinking water, including the Sea of Galilee and the mountain aquifer, are below their ‘red lines,’ meaning they are not recommended to draw water,” he said at a news conference last month.

Karni explained that all the trees on the plot were treated equally, but the ones that did not receive the blessing have not given fruit this year.

"They get treated the same, watered the same," he said, adding that some trees had even started to wither, which he could not explain.

When he was asked what he would do with the olives, Karni told Israel's Channel 10 he might market their "holy oil."

Interesting...

Here are a few stories worth reading today:

Christian education rejected by University of California

Heavy Metal Capuchin Rocker?

Muslims kill Christian teen for courting a Muslim girl

Diversity at the price of freedom

In Canada, all religions, sexualities, races, cultures and people are equal. Even if we do not all think alike, act alike and live alike, we must pretend that we do. Heck, we are just good little government robots, controlled by the strings of the Human Rights Commissions of each province. We are expected to be a tolerant multicultural society that extols each others preferences of religion and sexuality, no matter what they are. We are being censored.

As a result of the Macleans case that is currently before the BC Human Rights Commission, our government has just launched an independent review on hate messaging on the internet: (I have placed my observations in red).

Canadian Human Rights Commission Launches Independent Review On Hate Messaging on the Internet

(Ottawa, June 17, 2008) – The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) has launched a comprehensive policy review of how best to address hate messages on the Internet. Leading constitutional law expert Professor Richard Moon of the University of Windsor will conduct an independent study as an important part of this review. (Think censorship and control)

Speaking today to the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA), CHRC Chief Commissioner Jennifer Lynch, Q.C. said, "The current debate on how to balance freedom of expression with the need to protect Canadians from hate messages in the Internet age is an important one. We are confident that this review will provide insight into the issues and move the discourse one step further."(And will result in the HRC controlling what people say so they can further their own agendas.)

Growing public interest and continued advances in technology all point to a need to examine issues surrounding hate on the Internet. The Commission is dedicated to ensuring that the Canadian Human Rights Act remains effective. "Legislation must evolve – when necessary – to respond and reflect changes in society," said Lynch. (Please, please pray hard for the demise of the Human Rights Commissions!)

Professor Moon is a prominent expert on freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and religion, and the structural aspects of constitutional rights protection. He is the author of the seminal book, "The Constitutional Protection of Freedom of Expression". (Never heard of him, but if he is such an expert, then he must understand freedom of speech is a fundamental right).

He will conduct legal and policy research and analysis and make recommendations on the most appropriate mechanisms for addressing hate messages on the Internet, with specific emphasis on section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the role of the CHRC. His work will include a review of existing statutory and regulatory mechanisms, an examination of the mandates of human rights commissions and tribunals, and a consideration of Canada’s international human rights obligations. (Section 13 deals with communicating any message that is likely to expose a person to hatred or contempt. There goes Leviticus and reading the Douay Rheims version of the Bible where Jesus calls sinners, “Broods of vipers”).

The review is to begin immediately and Professor Moon is expected to submit his report to the Commission this fall. (And shortly after, all Christian Canadian blogs will be under review for discrimination and hate mongering).

EDIT: Here is an interesting Catholic perspective on the totalitarianism that Canada is reeling towards, through the dangerous abuses of freedom by our own appointed Human Rights Commissions.

Subway and Scholastic Discriminate against Homeschoolers

Subway must think that homeschoolers can't write. Either that, or they are just plain discriminating against home schooled children. Subway has a contest called Every Sandwich Tells a Story, open to United States school children; um, I mean school children who are not home schooled. Take a look at their eligibility requirements:

2. ELIGIBILITY. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted. Employees and members of their families of Scholastic and Subway, their parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and their advertising, promotion and production agencies are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

I see the contest is sponsored by Scholastic, and we all know that Scholastic makes their money by plying elementary schools with their catalogues on a monthly basis. No wonder homeschoolers are being discriminated against. Scholastic isn't capable of tapping into that market.

She sold her soul for a fairytale

From my inbox...

Would you renounce your Catholic faith to become a princess? Autumn Kelly did. And her Catholic mother approves:

“I think attitudes to things like that have changed,” she said. “Autumn is a very serious and intelligent young woman. She may be young, but she knows the world. And he’s a great guy. Isn’t that what counts?”

Uh, no, Mrs Kelly. What counts is eternal salvation.

(Kings and queens in England have to be Protestant in order to ascend to the throne, ever since the Act of Settlement of 1701)

Let them eat bread!

Bread and water. Isn't that what prison inmates used to be fed? Not in Canada. For breakfast they get a hearty meal of bacon and eggs, toast and jam, milk, cereal, juice and coffee all neatly wrapped up in a special bonus of two thousand Canadian dollars for the convicted Muslim who takes offense to being served bacon. Our criminals are better fed than the nation's poverty-stricken children who must wait in soup lines to eat their one meal a day.

Warning! Don't try this if you are a born and bred Caucasian Canadian!

A Muslim inmate has won $2,000 and a partial human rights victory over a Correctional Service of Canada policy not to replace bacon with a halal diet for Islam-worshiping cons.

Duane David, who is serving time in Kingston's Joyceville Institution for an unknown crime, had complained to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that his rights were being violated as the prison failed to offer a halal replacement for bacon served to inmates with breakfast every Wednesday.

The court heard Muslims are forbidden from eating pork for religious reasons.

A Federal Court of Canada hearing was told the breakfast included three pieces of bacon, two eggs, three slices of toast, jam, ketchup, milk, coffee, juice and cereal.

'REQUEST WAS REFUSED'

"Muslim inmates who follow a halal diet (usually) receive all of these items, except the bacon," Madame Justice Eleanor Dawson was told. "Mr. David had requested a substitute for the three pieces of bacon, but the request was refused by the institution."

Court heard that an internal grievance filed by David for a bacon replacement was denied at all levels and then a complaint was filed to the commission, whose investigator ruled the matter had been properly dealt with.

David appealed the investigator's decision to the federal court, who this month ordered the attorney general to pay David $2,000 for damages and that the commissions' decision be set aside as a new hearing is launched into the matter.

During the grievance hearing, Joyceville's chief of food services said his department didn't have the budget to offer a bacon replacement and another official called for the banning of the food from all Ontario jails.

It seems like all a minority has to do in Canada is to scream "Discrimination!" at the top of their lungs, with a side chorus of "My rights are being violated!" and they will be pandered to by a government who is all too willing to accommodate their "cultural uniqueness".

Thanks Unitas, for letting me know how privileged our inmates have become.

HPV Vaccine - a dangerous innoculation

I mentioned the dangers of the HPV vaccine in another post a while ago, and since Canada has now implemented this vaccine for grade six to grade nine girls, starting this year, I want to bring to your attention this article by MacLean's Magazine of Canada.

If you are a parent of young girls, you need to read about this vaccine, as it will be introduced as a mass inoculation for a whole generation of girls starting this year. Dangerous and unnecessary , it has caused illness and death to some who receive the vaccine. Here are a few paragraphs from the MacLean's article:

By CATHY GULLI | August 27, 2007 |

The morning after Emily Cunningham got a shot of Gardasil, the new vaccine that protects against four strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts, she woke up with a headache, and neck and back pain. By 9 p.m. that evening in April, she had a fever so high "you could feel the heat rising from her a foot away," according to her mother, Laurie. She was delirious during the night, and the following day couldn't walk without assistance. Bedridden for nearly a week, the 18-year-old from Wyoming missed school, and took Tylenol every four hours. "If Emily had been the only one to get sick we would have said she must have had something else [like the flu]," explained Laurie, "but we know of three other students to have reactions, that is why we are concerned."

Emily's story is only one of 1,637 complaints involving Gardasil, filed as of May to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national surveillance database sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. One could discount what happened to Emily because she had a flu shot that same day, but other really bad reactions have been reported, including seizures, paralysis -- and worst of all, three deaths, including one girl who "died of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine," reads one complaint. Elsewhere in the world there have been reports of similar reactions. In Melbourne, Australia, where a national HPV vaccination program started in April, 26 girls reportedly fainted and were mildly paralyzed after getting one shot each....read the rest here.

Edit: July 7, 2008 - Since this post from 2007 shows up frequently on Google searches for the dangers of HPV, I would like to direct readers also to this post, which is dated July 4, 2008. Please read it if you are concerned about Gardasil.

Appreciation from a Rabbi

Now this will get the ecumenists in a tizzy. A Jewish Rabbi is praising Pope Benedict for being Catholic and sticking to his guns when it comes to Catholic teaching. It's what lots of Catholics have been saying all along.

Rabbi Seplowitz notes that the original form of the Latin Mass included a prayer for the conversion of the Jews. When the Latin Mass was reinstated, the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations wrote to the Vatican, requesting that the conversion prayer not be reintroduced.

“I ask you, does this make sense? Where do we Jews get off making demands of Catholics that they only say prayers that meet with our approval?” he asks. “The audacity of Jews dictating to Christians how they should pray is simply mind-boggling.”

“Should we allow the Vatican to dictate what we say in our prayers? Or should we, perhaps, do a line-by-line analysis of the Talmud to make sure there is nothing there that people may find offensive?” he writes.

Vaccine versus abstinence

Canada is introducing the HPV vaccine for grade six girls this year at a cost of $300 million. The vaccine is meant to protect against genital warts and cervical cancer, and can be administered to girls as young as nine. It's like giving them a license to be promiscuous, rather than educating our children about the value of abstinence. When children are told that the vaccine will protect them against STD's, they receive a subconscious message that it's OK to be promiscuous. After all, they are protected, right? Not only that, they have the endorsement of the government in the form of the vaccine. I think we should be asking ourselves how far $300 million could go in teaching abstinence, which would have such exceedingly far reaching effects that the need for the HPV vaccine would become extinct.

Anti Catholic Law

Did you know that British royalty can marry a Hindu, Muslim, Jew or any other faith without having to renounce their succession to the throne? But if they marry a Catholic, either the heir to the throne has to renounce their right to inherit the throne, or the fiance must renounce their Catholic faith.

British royalty have been barred from becoming Catholics and from marrying one for over three hundred years now, by the 1701 Act of Settlement.

It's easy to see the discrimination against Catholics here, but of equal concern is the hope for salvation for those who refuse to become Catholic to save their souls.

Shouting down a Hindu prayer

When I read this story about a Hindu making the opening prayer in the US senate yesterday, my first thought was that this could have easily happened in Canada. Three people were arrested for shouting Christian prayers of interruption that prevented the Hindu from beginning his prayer.
Video here.

The protesters were branded as intolerant for only wanting their religion in the Senate, and for excluding other religions. I wonder what's next, US? Maybe some Wiccan prayers or some womyn prayers from Sister Chittister? And just to show how far the state has separated from the church maybe there will be guest chaplains who offer incantations to neopagan gods just to keep the pendulum from swinging too far towards the Christian side.

Yes, this could very easily be a Canadian story...

H/T to one of my readers for sending this in

Protecting children from religion?

If the United Nations has their way with this one, religious education of children will be mandated as child abuse. My bet is that Canada will be the first country to implement it as law.