Movie Review

by Jim Martorana

St. Peter

Directed by Giulio Base

Released in 2005

Avalaible on DVD

PG 13

St Peter watches from a distance as Jesus is crucified on Calvary. He has denied Christ three times. He is almost crushed with his unworthiness but the apostles and disciples are united in trusting him for guidance and leadership. This movie is the story of Peter from Christ’s crucifixion until his own more than 30 years later.

St. Peter, starring Omar Sharif, is a penetrating portrait of the humble man chosen directly by Jesus to head His church. The story is told from the viewpoint of Peter, so we see Peter as weak, humble, and often unsure of himself. When he is lost he turns to prayer and we see him strengthened and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit guides him to remember what Jesus taught him so that he will lead the church correctly. You watch the Gospel come alive in Peter as he lives the challenge of leading the Church.

The relationship of Paul and Peter is a major focus of the film. You see them praying together and supporting the church. Paul challenges Peter to live the Gospel on the issue of the Gentiles. But Paul always defers to Peter as head of the Church. . Peter sees Paul beheaded and must console the Church of Rome.

I recommend this movie highly. It is true to the Gospel (Peter even tells Mark to write down everything he tells him). I thought they did a superb job of showing Peter’s ongoing conversion and growth in realization of all that Christ had taught. Every time there is a crisis, Peter goes to prayer and remembers what Christ taught and lived.

This movie is rated PG 13 for violent images (it is not nearly as graphic as the Passion).I wouldn’t hesitate to take a 10 year old to see it.

The DVD is available at Amazon.com

Reprinted with permission from Fighting Irish Thomas fightingthomasirish.org

Looking for a Breadth of Fresh Air

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
A CINOP (Catholic in Name Only Politician) who sets aside the 10 commandments, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Natural Law is in serious trouble. Why sell his soul for that kind of politics? He is a knowledgeable person and has leadership qualities. We want and need him to protect the family and life in America, and because on our side there is a serious problem with fortitude and leadership.
It is said that we live in a post Christian America. Let us live with it and do the best we can. This is wrong. This is not the way. The role model for all Christians, in particular clergy and laity is the life of Pope John Paul II. Study his messages and his public actions. He spoke out fearlessly against the culture of death in Eastern Europe and Russia. He was marked for death. He was no wimp. Atheistic communism crumbled in those countries and with only minor violence. We can do the same with the culture of death (a term coined by the Pope) in America. We need truth. Justice is truth in action.
The great hurdles are money, media, entertainment and academia. For example, they finance the legislators who voted for SB. 1427. The legislators are out of their minds. Let us take a look at the website of www.Catholicsforthecommongood.org.:
“SB 1437 would prohibit any materials, discussions or activities that would reflect adversely on homosexual or transgender people, which includes their lifestyles… In fact, it would prevent discussion of the natural family with a married mother and father as the foundation of our society and the best environment for children to receive a good start in life. SB 1437 would further undermine parents’ rights and responsibilities to educate their children according to their religious or moral beliefs regarding marriage. This blatant promotion of a special interest agenda would be fully integrated into the core curriculum and school activities.” This is not respect and love for all. This is not life. This is death for our children and country. Call Governor Schwarzenegger. Register your opposition to SB 1437 on his automated opinion tracking system calling (916) -445-2841 # 2
Married love is the primary model of God’s love for humanity. Pope Benedict said in an address last week, and it is the only foundation strong enough to support a society “that can be home to all human beings.” Vatican City, May 15/06 LifeSiteNews.
Yet marriage is viciously attacked and undermined by rogue judges. There is an absolute need to come out with one voice by every single person and shepherd that The Marriage Protection Amendment be passed by the U.S. Senate during the week of June 5th.
It may be our last chance. It is a thorn and scandal that the CINOP is not on our side.
In closing: Today’s Office of Readings (Liturgy of the Hours) would be quite appropriate. From the Book of Revelation, 21:1-8 – “To anyone who thirsts I will give to drink without cost from the spring of life-giving water…. As for cowards and traitors to the faith, the depraved and murderers, the fornicators and sorcerers, the idol-worshippers & deceivers of every sort – their lot is the fiery pool of burning sulphur, a second death”
From a letter to Diognetus: “Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs….Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men ….They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all men, but all men persecute them.”
George H. Kubeck, Appropriate also for today. Duplicate and or translate into Spanish.

Catholic Democrats Scold Pope on Abortion

Monday, June 4, 2007
The above is the title of Deal W. Hudson’s The Window dated May 22, 2007 – “A Catholic Look at Society and Politics”. From thewindow@morleyinstitute.org, may I share the following from his e-mail?
“It all began May 9th on the plane flight from Rome to Brazil. Pope Benedict XVI was asked by the reporter what he thought of the warning of excommunication Mexican bishops gave to Catholic politicians who support legalize abortion.
“The Pope was emphatic: ‘Yes, this excommunication was not an arbitrary one but is allowed by Cannon law which says that the killing of an innocent child is incompatible with receiving communion, which is receiving the body of Christ….They (the bishops) simply announced publicly what is contained in the law of the Church.’…
“But it wasn’t Giuliani who scolded Pope Benedict XVI. America’s mayor went out of his way to say, ‘I do not get into debates with the Pope. That is not a good idea….”
“Some Catholic Democrats see things differently. On May 14, eighteen Catholic Democrats in the House issued a signed statement condemning the Pope for his comments. Excommunication, their statement reads, would ‘offend the very nature of the American experiment and do a great disservice to the centuries of good work the Church has done.’
“The leader of the ‘Catholic 18’ is Re. Rosa DeLauro (D-Ct) who was joined by well-known pro-aborts such as Kennedy (D-RI), and Linda Sanchez (D-Ca)….
“Of those eighteen who did sign, all but two, Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and James Langevin (D-RI) have dismal voting records on Catholic issues where Church teaching is absolutely clear. For example:
1. Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act – passage (110th)
Marriage Amendment Act (109th) 3. Terri Schiavo: Federal court review (109th)
4, Child Intestate Abortion Notification Act (109th)
5. Abortion in military medical facilities (109th)
6. Coercive abortion/United Nations Population Fund (109th)
7. Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act: passage (109th)
8. Hunan Cloning Ban: passage (108th)
9. Partial-Birth Abortion Ban: passage (108th)
10. Unborn Victims of Violence Act (108th)

(Except for # 3, (absent or not voting) the following in Congress voted against the Catholic position on all 9 of the above, Linda Sanchez (D-Ca), Hilda Solis (D-Ca), Mike Thompson (D-Ca), Rosa DeLauro (D-Ca), John Larson (D-Ct), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Tim Bishop (D-NY), and James Moran (D-VA). Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Joe Baca (D-Ca), Anna Eshoo (D-Ca), voted against 8 of the Catholic positions. Bill Pascrelli (D-NJ) voted against 7.) GHK
“It’s very difficult to square this type of voting record with the following sentence taken from the group’s statement: ‘Advancing respect for life and the dignity of every human being is, as our Church has taught us, our own life’s mission.’”

The above is a very important document. The evidence is conclusive. Have we the right to call these politicians, Catholics-in-name-only? (CINOPs) This derivative should be as common in our public conversation as RINO, (Republicans-in-name-only.)
As Catholics should we not target these phonies for absolute defeat in 2008?
It is the duty of other Catholic Laity to study this matter and to speak out.

George H. Kubeck, http://wwwcinops.begone.blogspot.com/

Looking for a Pied Piper

Monday, Feb. 12, 2007
You can call them liberals, secular progressives, or the elite of a major political party. They are all in the same boat looking for a pied piper to run in 2008. Who are they and what do they want for our country? Well, the book is titled Bankrupt, by David Limbaugh. It hits the nail on the head. Here are five or six pages from the 434 pages.

“Liberals can protest until they’re blue in the face that their “values” more authentically reflect the Christian faith than do those of conservative Christians. The Reverend Jim Wallis, author of God’s Politics, can continue his mission to “rescue religion from the Right.” But in the process he’s going to have to explain the Left’s denigration of moral absolutes, its celebration of secular humanism, its dilution of the uniqueness of the Gospel, and its derision of central elements of the Judeo-Christian ethic. He’s going to have to explain why the Left even supports partial-birth abortion – the grotesque, abominable procedure of killing a baby that is halfway out of its mother’s body crushing its skull.

“Most voters can usually detect counterfeit peddlers of faith and morality. For candidates to resonate on faith issues they must do more than specialize in empty rhetoric or wrap their policy positions in artificial recitations of Scriptures. It will take more than “reclaiming some language,” as recommended by Reverend Robert Edgar, general secretary of the leftist National Council of Churches. As Janice Shaw Crouse of Concerned Women for America said, “The moral values that were a top priority in this election (2004) – abortion, embryonic stem cell research, same-sex unions – are rooted in deep religious beliefs.”

“Wallis would have to be politically tone-deaf not to realize it is the liberals, who, in the name of tolerance, inclusiveness, and religious freedom, suppress religious liberties of Christians. It is liberals who radically oppose the government’s slightest recognition of Christianity but are silent when the government endorses secular values and those of other religions. It is liberals who fight to remove legitimate Christian influence on politics and policy, and who deny historical Christian role in the development of our constitutional system and political culture. How many liberals are upset at public schools prohibiting teachers from using American historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence, in class because of their reference to God or Christianity? Actually, liberals are the forefront of efforts to censor references to Christianity from public school American history textbooks. The Left even supported the New Jersey Education Association’s proposed ban of a portrait of George Washington in public schools. The Left celebrates secular values – not Christina values – as the backbone or our freedom tradition. Is it any wonder observant Christians are suspicious of liberalism and its “values”? p. 97-99

“Liberalism is a religion. Its entire impetus – as misguided as conservatives believe it to be – is morally based. Government is morally required to redistribute wealth and income. Government should impose race- and gender-based preferences to equalize the playing field – as a matter of values. And, as Thomas Friedman (New York Times) opined, government should sanctify homosexual unions and protect a mother’s right to terminate her pregnancy – because for liberals those are the morally superior positions. So morally superior that they must be imposed on society at all costs & through any means, including unconstitutional judicial “legislation.” p.108

“Liberals are also somewhat selective in their attitude toward “privacy.” They don’t respect for the “privacy’ of parents with regard to decisions concerning their children….The infamous Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed: “We … hold that there is no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children.”131

In closing: Can the elite and liberal controlled party apparatus that is morally and intellectually bankrupt regain the White House in 2008? They can if we vote for them.

George H. Kubeck, Appropriate for today. Please duplicate and or translate into Spanish.

A Hamiltonian Minute

Saturday, June 2, 2007
It would be a good idea to restore some kind of trust and respect for the two major political parties on the immigration issue. They need to denounce vehemently two destructive thoughts and ideas in the public arena. They are the advocates of open borders and the propaganda that there is no danger of a terrorist attack.
In my time, both of these ideas border on treason. They deliberately seek to undermine the integrity of our identity as Americans, our Constitution, a nation of laws, and our country’s survival. GHK

Catholic Voters: Fools No More # 2 of 2

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006
What’s new this week with the CINOPS in California? Well, the Catholic-in-name-only Politicians in the California’s Democratic-controlled State Assembly just passed, with the CINOP vote, SB 1437. This law would alter K-12 public education textbooks, instructional materials, and school-sponsored activities to positively reference trans-sexuality, transvestitism, bisexuality, and homosexuality, including homosexual ‘marriage.’ SB 1437 now goes to the State Senate for a concurrence vote.

As a retired public school teacher, pro-life apologist and activist, this is an outrage. May I share with you later some of the thoughts going through my mind.

In his opening remarks, CINOP Democrat Fabian Nunez, the Assembly Speaker and the bill’s floor jockey, openly said the real purpose of SB 1437 is to OUTLAW TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN THE STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM. “The way you correct a wrong is by outlawing. ‘Cause if you don’t outlaw it, then people’s biases tend to take over and dominate the perspective and the point of view,” Nunez said.

And, in his close, Nunez admitted that SB 1437 will promote lesbianism to young girls. “If someone wants to teach kids in kindergarten that Jack and Jill ran up the hill, this bill doesn’t prohibit that. But it does say if somebody wants to say that if Jill and Jill ran up the hill and somehow that’s wrong – then this bill says that that is not acceptable.” said Nunez. (info from prolife@crusadeforlife.org)

“We call upon Governor Schwarzenegger to keep his promise to veto SB 1437 which micromanages public schools by forcing them to promote a gaggle of sexual lifestyles that disturb parents and confuse kids,” said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, a leading statewide pro-family organization fighting against SB 1437 all year.(info fromccf01@savecalifornia.com )
(As the E-mail, I received, Aug .23rd from the CA. State Deputy, Knights of Columbus, Emilio B Moure, and in cooperation and guidance from the California Catholic Conference, please call the Governor’s automated opinion tracking system by calling (916) 445-2841 and pressing the number 2. Please ask your family members, friends, and neighbors to do this as well – this is a critical moment.)

The opponents of the bill had at least three significant comments. Republican Assemblymen Jay La Suer of San Diego, “This bill is a basically predatory bill that preys upon the innocence of children.” Dennis Mountjoy of Monrovia, “But you don’t care about the basics, you want to socially engineer our children.” Doug La Malfa of Redding, “Parents are sick and tired of this kind of stuff being pushed upon their kids in school.”
In closing, ...Please share the enclosed past info letters with pro-life organizations in your County.
George H. Kubeck, Appropriate for today. Please duplicate and or translate into Spanish.
P.S. Luckily, the RINO and CINOP Governor vetoed the bill but it will come up again this year. Sadly, CINOP Fabian Nunez's position is diabolical. He is the enemy of the people who elected him and a stupid stooge of the Culture of Death.

Catholic Voters: Fools No More # 1 of 2

Saturday, August, 19, 2006
Thanks to the following for their information: 1) Fr. Benedict Groeschel in a taped interview, S 109, Sept.2, 1995, How to Maintain Your Christian Identity, St. Joseph Radio, P.O. Box 2983, Orange, Ca. 92859. 2) Russell Shaw, Tension seen between Morals and Party Platforms, Our Sunday Visitor, p. 3, Aug. 20, 2006. 3) Brian Murphy, Heresies That Prevent a Culture of Life, http://www.godsplanforlife.org/ Heresies/Heresies.htm
Father Groeschel talks about the early Christian Church and the constant struggle by the Martyrs to strengthen the Christians against giving in to paganism. St. Ignatius of Antioch who died in 107, wrote letters to the same people that Paul wrote telling the Christians and warning the Christians to stay away from pagan values. St. Cyprian & St. Ireneaus said the same thing.
In our society we worship many of the false gods, money, power, sexual pleasure and security. Thankfully Christians are not attracted to the paganism of the Nazis and Bolsheviks. However, a rabbi once said to Father Groeschel that the worse trouble the Jews ever had was with ex-Christian pagans. These were people who were baptized and some even went to Christian schools. The list includes Stalin, Lenin, Hitler (Catholic), Goebbels (Catholic) Goering and Krushchev. The culture is bad when it is an obstacle to the gospel and the revelation of God. It is a difficult and worthy struggle to maintain our Christian identity with the many temptations of the false gods around us.

It would be a good idea to reread the Russell Shaw article a few times. In between the lines, he is trying to tell us something. The bottom line is that there is a very serious abyss between the party platforms of the two major parties in the U.S.A. The Catholic Democratic politicians are in conflict with the Church on values issues. Last February, 55 of the 73 Catholic Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a statement saying “the primacy of conscience” outweighs the moral teaching of the Church on abortion. (This reminds me of the letter that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco wrote to the U.S. Bishops warning them that the ‘threat of withholding a sacrament will revive latent anti-Catholic prejudice.’ All of this is audacious by self-loathing Catholic politicians.)
Three prominent members of the hierarchy responded with a statement pointing out that conscience must be ‘consistent with fundamental moral principles.’ Abortion is wrong because it is ‘a grave violation of the most fundamental human right – the right to life.’ Also, with President Bush vetoing the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill, H.R. 810, the Catholic Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) called Bush a ‘a moral Ayatollah’ for vetoing the bill. (There are at least 10 pro-abortion Catholic politicians in the Senate. I believe two of them are Republicans.)

Brian Murphy believes that the Church has always considered heresy to be a dangerous pervasive enemy capable of subverting the souls of the entire Church community. He sees three heresies from the world that have invaded and reached full bloom inside the Catholic Church. The first heresy is appropriate for our consideration. It is the Primacy of Conscience Heresy.
This heresy says that every individual has the right, if not the complete obligation, to nullify, or change the moral law according to his conscience and to apply that change not only to his own life but to the public arena. The truth is that man is forbidden by God to nullify or change the moral law. Brian continues:
“God loves us and want man to have great freedom. However, he has mandated that man must not eat the fruit of the ‘Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.’ Gen. 2:16. Man must not establish the moral law. If he does, history has proven over and over again that he gets it all messed up. So, man’s freedom under God’s plan for life has a definite limit. This limit is for our benefit, our survival and our prosperity…. God instructs us to allow him to use His infinite wisdom to establish the moral law.”
The pagan principles that we are focusing on are the absolute evils of abortion, same-sex marriage, assisted suicide, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. It is a tragedy to have a Catholic-in–name-only religion in America. Everything possible must be done to inform and vote these misguided Catholics, the CINOPS (Catholic in Name Only Politicians) out of office.
George H. Kubeck, (Appropriate for today, duplicate and or translate into Spanish.)