Scapegoat Violence?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/31/kansas.doctor.killed/index.html

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Kenny:

I'm somewhat suprised by his pick, although Obama has continually surpised us (both parties) by his choices in personel.

Sotomayor hasn't had any major oppurtunities in the past to vote on pro-life/pro-choice issues. The issue isn't completely clear, although she has ruled in favor or pro-life groups in a few indirect casses (don't know all the details).

If she turns out to be a good judge (and by good I mean respecting the right to life) then I attribute it not to Obama's good intentions, but to Grandma Jean's steadfast prayers for his conversion. The Hurricane's prayers are always yeard!!

New Supreme Court Judge

I see no comments about this major issue in terms of protecting life.

If Obama's entire platform was just a cover-up for his pro-choice agenda, he certainly has a round-about way of going about it with this new judge.

Must Read/View

Robert George and Douglas Kmeic had a discussion last night. George knocked it out of the park with his remarks. Read them here.

http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2009.05.29.001.pdart

You can also view their remarks here:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/05/28/HP/A/19205/Catholic%20University%20Panel%20on%20Sanctity%20of%20Human%20Life.aspx

Kmeic starts his remarks around the 9 minute mark and George around the 30 minute mark.

What do you think?

Thanks

Kenny,

Thanks for the comment and repost. I'm totally inspired right now. I really liked that video to begin with, but I just re-watched it. I have goosebumps for sure. He's so on point. I love that idea of hunkering down. To "preserve". It's hard, sometimes it feels like the church (especially in the U.S.) will be crushed, anihilated. But, if we can preserve then the "propitious moment" will arrive and we'll unleash with a fury.

Unleashing after preserving + hpyomania = insanity....:)

Repost

Danny, you posted this not long ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ9_J_Rw2VY&feature=related

Don't know if I mentioned it, but I love it as well. One of the best speeches I've ever seen. I thought it might have just been accidental that I was so moved by it when I first heard it, but upon review now my response is just as strong. "Hunker down", and then "unleash". It captures Catholicism as epic, adventure, fun and danger.

Catholic Culture

I really liked this article and thought it really hit the nail on the head in talking about the importance of Catholic Culture at a Catholic University.

The Pro-Life Center of Catholic Culture

We should never take politics all by itself, however, just as we should never interpret human interaction solely in terms of power. Politics is a power-inflected function of culture, and at the root of culture lies the deepest commitments to what people hold to be true. The role of culture—American Catholic culture, in particular—is what Fr. Jenkins at Notre Dame, and John DeGioia at Georgetown, and many other presidents of Catholic colleges seem not to understand. Indeed, their lack of Catholic culture is what makes them seem so un-Catholic to those they antagonize, and it is what so befuddles those college presidents when the charge is made. They know they are Catholics: They go to Mass, and they pray, and their faith is real, and their theology is sophisticated, and what right has a bunch of other Catholics to run around accusing them of failing to be Catholic?

But they live in a different world, attenuated and alone. Opposition to abortion doesn’t belong at the absolute center of Catholic theology. It doesn’t belong at the perfect center of Catholic faith. It exists, however, at the center of Catholic culture in this country (albeit a much thinner culture than Catholics knew before). Opposition to abortion is the signpost at the intersection of Catholicism and American public life.

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=1434

Angels and Demons

Danny, your boy Harold Bloom:

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/676

For Bloom, to reconcile the Old Testament God and the New Testament God is to do "psychic violence".

A good pope

I was reading an article about St. Philip Neri, and awesome saint and a good role model for the diocesan priesthood. The article said, despite great scandal and corruption in the church during the time of his life, St. Philip resisted the temptation for division and accusation and worked to reform the church by transformation of his heart, not the political structure. At that time the Pope and bishops were extremely wealthy and corrupt.

I was thinking that the church today has a lot of problems. And there are persecutions of the church. The church is facing some powerful forces. But, how blessed are we to have had two AWESOME Popes. Even if the Church was under full attack from every known enemey (which it seems to be) at least we have a brilliant, holy, loving Pope to lead us. Pope Benedict, despite some controversies is a really great leader.

Book Review

Introduction to the Devout Life
St. Francis De Salles

Objective Scale : 10
Subjective Scale: 10
Miles Caritas : 9.9

I highly reccomend this book. I'm only halfway through. It's a classic and it's inexpensive. I would seriously suggest buying a copy to keep.

Intro to Devout Life (IDL) is packed full of helpful hints about the spiritual journey. There are meditations to help you pray and there are whole excersises on prayer, confessions and basically everthing you can imagine. The counsel is profound and practical at the same time. It's a great aid in the pursuit of truth, namely Christ.

Fr. Barron

This is really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ9_J_Rw2VY&feature=related