Learning to do God’s Will*
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Saturday, April 3, 2010
Elizabeth greets Mary with the words: “Blessed are you who have believed.” The act of faith by which Mary became God’s doorway into the world and offered herself as the dwelling place of that hope that made her blessed, is, by its very nature, an act of obedience: let it be with me according to your word – with my whole being I am the servant of the Lord.
For Mary, faith meant being at God’s service, saying Yes. In her act of faith, she puts at God’s disposal here whole being for the work he wants to accomplish in her. Faith is not one attitude among many, but a frame of mind with regard to oneself – placing it at God’s disposal and so at the disposal of truth and love.
In his encyclical on Mary, Pope John Paul II has expounded this faith with great profundity. I propose to choose from this encyclical two points that can lead us to a deeper understanding of Mary’s faith and thus faith as obedience. The first of these is the reference to Psalm 40:6-8, from which the Letter to Hebrews (10:5-7) quotes Jesus’ act of obedience to the Father that found its fulfillment in His Incarnation and crucifixion: “Sacrifice and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me ….Then I said, ‘See God I have come to do you will.’ …”
In her Yes to the birth of God’s Son from her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary placed her body, her whole self, at God’s disposal to do what he pleases. Her Yes put her will in perfect conformity with the will of the Son. Because her Yes echoes the Yes of Jesus’ words: a body you have prepared for me, it makes possible the Incarnation of Jesus and his human birth.
If God is to have entry into our world and to be born there, Mary’s Yes, this conformity of our will with God’s will, must be repeated again and again. On the Cross this conformity of wills finds its definitive expression. There is no evidence there, as there is in the Psalms, of the glory that is David’s. As in the case of Abraham, faith has been cast into utter darkness: “A body you have prepared for me…. See, God, I have come to do your will.” On the Cross this readiness is put to the proof, and precisely the darkness in which Mary stands engulfed reflects the fullness of her identity of her will with that of Jesus.
Faith is a community formed by the Cross, and it is only on the Cross that it achieves its full perfection: the place where redemption seemed utterly beyond our reach is actually the place where it is consummated. We must, I think, relearn our devotion to the Cross. It seemed too passive to us, too pessimistic, too sentimental – but if we had been devoted to the Cross of Jesus in our lifetime, how will we endure our own cross when it comes for it to be laid upon us?
A friend of mine, who depended for years on kidney dialysis and who realized and who realized that his life was slipping away from him moment by moment, once told me that as a child, and later as an adult, he had had a special devotion to the Way of the Cross and had often prayed it. When he heard the frightening diagnosis of his illness, he was at first stunned; then suddenly the thought came to him what you have prayed so often has now become a reality in your life; now you can really accompany Jesus; you have joined to him in his Way of the Cross…
Happy Easter,
George H. Kubeck, * Meditation of April 3rd, Cardinal Ratzinger, “Co-Workers of the Truth”, Ignatius Press, 1992.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The Tragedy of Sexual Abuse of Minors
The Tragedy of Sexual Abuse of Minors
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Wednesday, March 31, 2010
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/03/scoundrel-times * George Weigel
1.Be honest and look at the statistics:
•< 2% of priests have been found guilty of sexual abuse of minors;
•98% of priests are striving to live lives of celibacy and holiness. {There were six credible cases of clerical abuse in 2009 as reported in the U.S. bishops’ annual audit, in a church of some 65 million members.}*
•35-50% of sexual abuse of minor cases occur in the home by relatives or friends;
•40% of sexual abuse of minor cases occur within the educational system.
2.Even 1 case of a sexual abuse of a minor is a tragedy.
3.Sexual abuse is often hidden and denied or excused.
4.The guilty excuse themselves by pointing to high profile perpetrators or those under suspicion of abuse.
5.Many among the critics tend to ignore the facts, refusing to accept one is innocent until proven guilty. People are angry and condemn the Church.
6.Jesus warns the angry accusers, “Judge not and you will not be judged…Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
7.Jesus called twelve men to follow him:
•Peter, the first pope denied he knew Jesus;
•Judas sold Jesus to his enemies and later hanged himself because he couldn’t accept forgiveness;
•The apostles ran away when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus.
8.Jesus founded His church on imperfect humans born with original sin; those living on this earth are not perfect. He came to call sinners.
9.If those looking for THE PERFECT CHURCH think they have found such a church, if they join this so called church, the church becomes imperfect because they (the new members) themselves are imperfect.
10.Pray for sinners that they may accept the graces God wants to give them.
11.Pray sinners ask for forgiveness and beg God for the graces to overcome their weaknesses.
12.Pray for all priests, bishops and the Pope (who come from the pool of imperfect humans); they suffer because of the scandals.
13.Throughout history (2000 years) the Catholic Church has been afflicted by sins of heresy, dishonesty, unfaithfulness and failures to teach the members how to overcome their weaknesses/sins. Yet, the Catholic Church still exists.
14.Jesus said, “Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
G.H. and M. Kubeck
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Wednesday, March 31, 2010
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/03/scoundrel-times * George Weigel
1.Be honest and look at the statistics:
•< 2% of priests have been found guilty of sexual abuse of minors;
•98% of priests are striving to live lives of celibacy and holiness. {There were six credible cases of clerical abuse in 2009 as reported in the U.S. bishops’ annual audit, in a church of some 65 million members.}*
•35-50% of sexual abuse of minor cases occur in the home by relatives or friends;
•40% of sexual abuse of minor cases occur within the educational system.
2.Even 1 case of a sexual abuse of a minor is a tragedy.
3.Sexual abuse is often hidden and denied or excused.
4.The guilty excuse themselves by pointing to high profile perpetrators or those under suspicion of abuse.
5.Many among the critics tend to ignore the facts, refusing to accept one is innocent until proven guilty. People are angry and condemn the Church.
6.Jesus warns the angry accusers, “Judge not and you will not be judged…Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
7.Jesus called twelve men to follow him:
•Peter, the first pope denied he knew Jesus;
•Judas sold Jesus to his enemies and later hanged himself because he couldn’t accept forgiveness;
•The apostles ran away when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus.
8.Jesus founded His church on imperfect humans born with original sin; those living on this earth are not perfect. He came to call sinners.
9.If those looking for THE PERFECT CHURCH think they have found such a church, if they join this so called church, the church becomes imperfect because they (the new members) themselves are imperfect.
10.Pray for sinners that they may accept the graces God wants to give them.
11.Pray sinners ask for forgiveness and beg God for the graces to overcome their weaknesses.
12.Pray for all priests, bishops and the Pope (who come from the pool of imperfect humans); they suffer because of the scandals.
13.Throughout history (2000 years) the Catholic Church has been afflicted by sins of heresy, dishonesty, unfaithfulness and failures to teach the members how to overcome their weaknesses/sins. Yet, the Catholic Church still exists.
14.Jesus said, “Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
G.H. and M. Kubeck
Saturday, March 27, 2010
When Pretense Masquerades as Virtue # 2 of 2
When Pretense Masquerades as Virtue. # 2 of 2
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Saturday, March 27, 2010
We continue with the article by columnist Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers, March 24th.
“Finally, an executive order cannot trump or change a federal statute.
“One can reasonably surmise that Obama, a former constitutional law professor, is well aware of the uselessness of his promise. Perhaps this is why he didn’t mention it during the bill-signing ceremony Tuesday.
“Stupak knew that the executive order was merely political cover for him and his pro-life colleagues. He knew it because several members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explained it to him, according to sources. The only way to prevent public funding for abortion was for his amendment to be added to the Senate bill.
“Clearly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the president didn’t want that. What they did want was the abortion funding that the Senate bill allowed.
“Thus the health care bill passed because of a mutually understood deception – a pretense masquerading as virtue. No wonder Stupak locked his doors and turned off his phones Sunday, according to several pro-life lobbyists who camped outside his office.
“Stupak’s fall from grace is a lesson in human frailty. In a matter of hours, he went from representing the majority of Americans who don’t want public money spent on abortion to leading the army on the other side. Already he has lost speaking invitation to the Illinois Catholic Prayer Breakfast next month.
“After the Sunday vote, a group of Democrats, including Stupak, gathered in a pub to celebrate. In a biblical moment, New York Rep. Anthony Weiner was spotted planting a big kiss on Stupak’s cheek. To a Catholic man well versed in the Gospel, this is not a comforting gesture.”
George H. Kubeck “As a Congressman and voting for the Senate Health Care Bill and a practicing Catholic, I would have excommunicated myself from my Catholic Faith and the Catholic Church. You can find a liberal theologian telling you, you are not.”
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Saturday, March 27, 2010
We continue with the article by columnist Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers, March 24th.
“Finally, an executive order cannot trump or change a federal statute.
“One can reasonably surmise that Obama, a former constitutional law professor, is well aware of the uselessness of his promise. Perhaps this is why he didn’t mention it during the bill-signing ceremony Tuesday.
“Stupak knew that the executive order was merely political cover for him and his pro-life colleagues. He knew it because several members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explained it to him, according to sources. The only way to prevent public funding for abortion was for his amendment to be added to the Senate bill.
“Clearly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the president didn’t want that. What they did want was the abortion funding that the Senate bill allowed.
“Thus the health care bill passed because of a mutually understood deception – a pretense masquerading as virtue. No wonder Stupak locked his doors and turned off his phones Sunday, according to several pro-life lobbyists who camped outside his office.
“Stupak’s fall from grace is a lesson in human frailty. In a matter of hours, he went from representing the majority of Americans who don’t want public money spent on abortion to leading the army on the other side. Already he has lost speaking invitation to the Illinois Catholic Prayer Breakfast next month.
“After the Sunday vote, a group of Democrats, including Stupak, gathered in a pub to celebrate. In a biblical moment, New York Rep. Anthony Weiner was spotted planting a big kiss on Stupak’s cheek. To a Catholic man well versed in the Gospel, this is not a comforting gesture.”
George H. Kubeck “As a Congressman and voting for the Senate Health Care Bill and a practicing Catholic, I would have excommunicated myself from my Catholic Faith and the Catholic Church. You can find a liberal theologian telling you, you are not.”
When Pretense Masquerades as Virtue # 1 of 2
When Pretense Masquerades as Virtue # 1 of 2
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Saturday, March 27, 2010
{National syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker has penned a devastating column on Bart Stupak that was distributed today. March 24, 2010 in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers across the country. And we are in it. Before you read on, let me (Brian Burch) say something.
Rep. Stupak made a horrible choice. We wrote on this on Monday. Make no mistake we take no delight in the public airing of his failure. Indeed, there is nothing here to celebrate. CatholicVote.org urges you to pray that Mr. Stupak and other politicians who compromised on this foundational issue will recognize the error in their judgment. We pray for them, and all our leaders that the light of Christ will illuminate their minds and strengthen their resolve to stand firm for what is right.}
Etymology: Eponym for Rep. Bart Stupak
Function: verb – 1: In a legislative process, to obstruct passage of a proposed law on the basis of a moral principle (i.e. protecting the unborn) , accumulating in the process, then at a key moment surrendering in exchange for fig leaf, the size which varies according to the degree of emasculation of said legislator and/or as a reflection of just how stupid people are presumed to be. (Slang: backstabber.)
Poor Bart Stupak. The man tried to be a hero for the unborn, and then, when all the power of the moment was in his frail human hands, he dropped the baby.
Now, in the wake of his decision to vote “yes” for a health care bill that expands public funding for abortion, he is vilified and will forever be remembered as the guy who Stupaked health care reform and the pro-life movement.
Of all the disappointed activists, Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote.org and creator of StandWithStupak.com was perhaps the most demonstrated in his support of pro-life Democrats. He even created a video with a remake of the final battle scene from “Braveheart.”
A helmeted British Barack Obama says, “Our calvary will ride them down like grass …Full Attack!” Whereupon, Stupak, eyeglasses incongruously perched on his blue-painted face, commands his pitchfork army, “Steady … Hold, hold, hold.” Alas, Stupak couldn’t hold.
Ultimately, he was weak and overwhelmed by raw political power. History is no stranger to such moments, but this one needs to be understood for what it was. A deception.
The executive order promising no federal funds will be used for abortion is utterly useless, and everybody knows it. First, the president can revoke it as quickly as he signs it.
Second, an order cannot confer jurisdiction in the courts or establish any grounds for suing anybody in court, according to a former White House counsel… judicially unenforceable…
George H. Kubeck
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Saturday, March 27, 2010
{National syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker has penned a devastating column on Bart Stupak that was distributed today. March 24, 2010 in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers across the country. And we are in it. Before you read on, let me (Brian Burch) say something.
Rep. Stupak made a horrible choice. We wrote on this on Monday. Make no mistake we take no delight in the public airing of his failure. Indeed, there is nothing here to celebrate. CatholicVote.org urges you to pray that Mr. Stupak and other politicians who compromised on this foundational issue will recognize the error in their judgment. We pray for them, and all our leaders that the light of Christ will illuminate their minds and strengthen their resolve to stand firm for what is right.}
Etymology: Eponym for Rep. Bart Stupak
Function: verb – 1: In a legislative process, to obstruct passage of a proposed law on the basis of a moral principle (i.e. protecting the unborn) , accumulating in the process, then at a key moment surrendering in exchange for fig leaf, the size which varies according to the degree of emasculation of said legislator and/or as a reflection of just how stupid people are presumed to be. (Slang: backstabber.)
Poor Bart Stupak. The man tried to be a hero for the unborn, and then, when all the power of the moment was in his frail human hands, he dropped the baby.
Now, in the wake of his decision to vote “yes” for a health care bill that expands public funding for abortion, he is vilified and will forever be remembered as the guy who Stupaked health care reform and the pro-life movement.
Of all the disappointed activists, Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote.org and creator of StandWithStupak.com was perhaps the most demonstrated in his support of pro-life Democrats. He even created a video with a remake of the final battle scene from “Braveheart.”
A helmeted British Barack Obama says, “Our calvary will ride them down like grass …Full Attack!” Whereupon, Stupak, eyeglasses incongruously perched on his blue-painted face, commands his pitchfork army, “Steady … Hold, hold, hold.” Alas, Stupak couldn’t hold.
Ultimately, he was weak and overwhelmed by raw political power. History is no stranger to such moments, but this one needs to be understood for what it was. A deception.
The executive order promising no federal funds will be used for abortion is utterly useless, and everybody knows it. First, the president can revoke it as quickly as he signs it.
Second, an order cannot confer jurisdiction in the courts or establish any grounds for suing anybody in court, according to a former White House counsel… judicially unenforceable…
George H. Kubeck
Thursday, March 25, 2010
BETRAYED
BETRAYED
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Thursday, March 25, 2010
Preface:
The above is the title of an e-mail received, March 22, 2010 from brianburch@catholicvoteacttion.crg to gmkubeck@aol.com
Dear Friend of CatholicVote.org
I just got off the phone with the campaign director for Rep. Bart Stupak.
I told her that the members of CatholicVote.org were appalled by his decision to cave and give President Obama control over tax payer funding for abortion. I also told his staff that we are rescinding our invitation for him to speak at a special CatholicVote.org event scheduled in Chicago for late April.
Rep. Stupak accepted a meaningless promise of an “Executive Order” that does not address the fundamental problems of the bill in doing so he not only allowed the pro-abortion bill to pass, his actions gutted any hope for a bipartisan pro-life movement that many argued would have been possible had he stood firm.
After everything we did to support Stupak and his coalition, his actions yesterday were devastating. We were betrayed.
Reality Check:
Confronting a loss of such significance is dispiriting. The emails pouring in to CatholicVote range from frustration with politics in general to questions about whether there can truly be a pro-life Democrat.
I share many of these frustrations. Our staff did everything possible to stop this disaster. We worked around the clock last week and all weekend to hold the vote together. We worked with individual bishops and staff to encourage wavering votes to hold firm. We were in regular communication with key representatives and their staffs. We ran radio ads, and launched the Stand With Stupak campaign.
We were confident that we had the votes to stop the legislation, until the end, when Stupak and his key allies folded.
The “Stand With Stupak” campaign was about a principle, not a single man. The principle was simple – no compromise on abortion. And in the end even Bart Stupak didn’t stand with Stupak.
Looking Ahead:
We may be a movement that is hope-filled, but we are also a movement of action. The frustrations and anger you are inevitably feeling now cannot be ignored. Over the next 7 months we will be preparing for the November elections. Any politician who supported this bill must pay a price. And that price is ultimately paid at the ballot box.
The backers of this health care bill never gave up. They fought for nearly a year against public opinion, and wore down their opponents until they got what they wanted.We must resolve to do the same. Remember what happened last night. Remember how you feel right now. November will be here before you know it.
Sincerely,
Brian
George H. Kubeck thank you Brian for sharing your ideas on this abortion included Health Care B.
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Thursday, March 25, 2010
Preface:
The above is the title of an e-mail received, March 22, 2010 from brianburch@catholicvoteacttion.crg to gmkubeck@aol.com
Dear Friend of CatholicVote.org
I just got off the phone with the campaign director for Rep. Bart Stupak.
I told her that the members of CatholicVote.org were appalled by his decision to cave and give President Obama control over tax payer funding for abortion. I also told his staff that we are rescinding our invitation for him to speak at a special CatholicVote.org event scheduled in Chicago for late April.
Rep. Stupak accepted a meaningless promise of an “Executive Order” that does not address the fundamental problems of the bill in doing so he not only allowed the pro-abortion bill to pass, his actions gutted any hope for a bipartisan pro-life movement that many argued would have been possible had he stood firm.
After everything we did to support Stupak and his coalition, his actions yesterday were devastating. We were betrayed.
Reality Check:
Confronting a loss of such significance is dispiriting. The emails pouring in to CatholicVote range from frustration with politics in general to questions about whether there can truly be a pro-life Democrat.
I share many of these frustrations. Our staff did everything possible to stop this disaster. We worked around the clock last week and all weekend to hold the vote together. We worked with individual bishops and staff to encourage wavering votes to hold firm. We were in regular communication with key representatives and their staffs. We ran radio ads, and launched the Stand With Stupak campaign.
We were confident that we had the votes to stop the legislation, until the end, when Stupak and his key allies folded.
The “Stand With Stupak” campaign was about a principle, not a single man. The principle was simple – no compromise on abortion. And in the end even Bart Stupak didn’t stand with Stupak.
Looking Ahead:
We may be a movement that is hope-filled, but we are also a movement of action. The frustrations and anger you are inevitably feeling now cannot be ignored. Over the next 7 months we will be preparing for the November elections. Any politician who supported this bill must pay a price. And that price is ultimately paid at the ballot box.
The backers of this health care bill never gave up. They fought for nearly a year against public opinion, and wore down their opponents until they got what they wanted.We must resolve to do the same. Remember what happened last night. Remember how you feel right now. November will be here before you know it.
Sincerely,
Brian
George H. Kubeck thank you Brian for sharing your ideas on this abortion included Health Care B.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Classic by Chaput: Attn. CINOP - 4 of 4
A Classic by Chaput: Attn. CINOP – 4 of 4
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Preface: Concerning the Stupak betrayal, legal experts at the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, and Family Research Council have confirmed that if the Senate bill is signed into law, it is a statuary mandate for the new health plans to include federal funding of elective abortion. Maybe, the U.S.A. pro-life movement can learn something overall from Chaput’s talk. (Cont’d)
“Now here’s the first and most important do. DO BECOME MARTYRS… Martyr is originally a Greek word, and it simply means “witness.” We need to witness our beliefs about human dignity with example of our daily choices and actions. But public can be costly. We need to be ready to pay a price for our convictions. We may never be asked to bleed for what we believe. But we do see character assassination, contempt and calumny against good people every day in our public media. We need to prepare for that. Nothing, not even our good name, should stop us from doing what we know to be right.
“Here’s the second do. DO KEEP HOPE ALIVE. Cultivating a spirit of joy is not self-deceptive. It’s a way to acknowledge that God really is on the side of human life and dignity, that human nature, created by God and despite the wound of original sin, is also on our side. Nothing is more important than happy warriors. I have never seen in my life joy-filled pro-abortion event. And I’ve always found that instructive.
“Here’s the third do. DO USE THE BEST MEANS OF YOUR MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES. Today’s new technologies can be a mixed blessing. But they’re also cheap and useful tools that pro-lifers – like Brian Burch at catholicvote.org and many others -- can use very effectively. Many of the traditional, mainline media are losing influence. Bogs, social networks and You Tube are thriving…
“Here is the fourth and final do - DO REMEMBER THAT RENEWING THE CULTURE, NOT GRASPING AT POWER, IS OUR REAL GOAL. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTION IS VITAL. BUT IT’S NOT AN END IN ITSELF.
“Culture is our “human ecology” – the environment where we breathe not only air, but ideas, beliefs, art, music, social manners and values. Our job is to carry out; according the talents and skills God gave us, what John Paul II called the “evangelization of culture.”
… Culture can be changed in small but powerful ways. But achieving that change demands from each of us a lifelong commitment to education; to studying and really understanding the issues that face us in science, medicine, technology and law; … to personal action and personal witness in the public square…
“I want to leave you with two final thoughts. Here’s the first. Nothing we do to defend the human person, no matter how small, is ever unfruitful or forgotten. Our actions touch other lives and move other hearts in ways we can never fully understand …
“Don’t ever underestimate the beauty and power of the witness you give in your pro-life work… But I also came here for me, to see your dedication and to draw friendship and strength from you. One thing we learn from Scripture is that God doesn’t have much use for the vain, or the prideful, for big shots or celebrities. But He loves the “anawim” – the ordinary, simple, everyday people who keep God’s Word, who stay faithful to His commandments, and who sustain the life of the world by leavening it with their goodness…
“Here’s my second and final thought. I was in Texas last week, and a friend shared with me the unofficial motto of the Texas Rangers. It goes like this: “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fella that’s in the right, and keeps a-comin.”… Virtue does matter. Courage and humility, justice and perseverance, do have the power. Good does win…
George H. Kubeck, the Stupak betrayal is a tragedy. We have a few articles on it.
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Preface: Concerning the Stupak betrayal, legal experts at the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, and Family Research Council have confirmed that if the Senate bill is signed into law, it is a statuary mandate for the new health plans to include federal funding of elective abortion. Maybe, the U.S.A. pro-life movement can learn something overall from Chaput’s talk. (Cont’d)
“Now here’s the first and most important do. DO BECOME MARTYRS… Martyr is originally a Greek word, and it simply means “witness.” We need to witness our beliefs about human dignity with example of our daily choices and actions. But public can be costly. We need to be ready to pay a price for our convictions. We may never be asked to bleed for what we believe. But we do see character assassination, contempt and calumny against good people every day in our public media. We need to prepare for that. Nothing, not even our good name, should stop us from doing what we know to be right.
“Here’s the second do. DO KEEP HOPE ALIVE. Cultivating a spirit of joy is not self-deceptive. It’s a way to acknowledge that God really is on the side of human life and dignity, that human nature, created by God and despite the wound of original sin, is also on our side. Nothing is more important than happy warriors. I have never seen in my life joy-filled pro-abortion event. And I’ve always found that instructive.
“Here’s the third do. DO USE THE BEST MEANS OF YOUR MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES. Today’s new technologies can be a mixed blessing. But they’re also cheap and useful tools that pro-lifers – like Brian Burch at catholicvote.org and many others -- can use very effectively. Many of the traditional, mainline media are losing influence. Bogs, social networks and You Tube are thriving…
“Here is the fourth and final do - DO REMEMBER THAT RENEWING THE CULTURE, NOT GRASPING AT POWER, IS OUR REAL GOAL. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTION IS VITAL. BUT IT’S NOT AN END IN ITSELF.
“Culture is our “human ecology” – the environment where we breathe not only air, but ideas, beliefs, art, music, social manners and values. Our job is to carry out; according the talents and skills God gave us, what John Paul II called the “evangelization of culture.”
… Culture can be changed in small but powerful ways. But achieving that change demands from each of us a lifelong commitment to education; to studying and really understanding the issues that face us in science, medicine, technology and law; … to personal action and personal witness in the public square…
“I want to leave you with two final thoughts. Here’s the first. Nothing we do to defend the human person, no matter how small, is ever unfruitful or forgotten. Our actions touch other lives and move other hearts in ways we can never fully understand …
“Don’t ever underestimate the beauty and power of the witness you give in your pro-life work… But I also came here for me, to see your dedication and to draw friendship and strength from you. One thing we learn from Scripture is that God doesn’t have much use for the vain, or the prideful, for big shots or celebrities. But He loves the “anawim” – the ordinary, simple, everyday people who keep God’s Word, who stay faithful to His commandments, and who sustain the life of the world by leavening it with their goodness…
“Here’s my second and final thought. I was in Texas last week, and a friend shared with me the unofficial motto of the Texas Rangers. It goes like this: “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fella that’s in the right, and keeps a-comin.”… Virtue does matter. Courage and humility, justice and perseverance, do have the power. Good does win…
George H. Kubeck, the Stupak betrayal is a tragedy. We have a few articles on it.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A Classic by Chaput: Attn. CINOP - 3 of 4
A Classic by Chaput: Attn. CINOP – 3 of 4
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Preface: In the light of Bart Stupak’s betrayal of the nation’s pro-life movement this past weekend: - by voting for the Senate’s abortion included Health Care Bill, the thoughts of Archbishop Chaput in his talk to the Cleveland Right to Life Center are most poignant.
“Of course, working to end abortion doesn’t absolve us from our obligations to the poor. It doesn’t excuse us from our duties to the disabled, the elderly and immigrants. In fact, it demands from us a much stronger commitment to materially support women who find themselves in a difficult pregnancy.
“All of these obligations are vital. God will hold us accountable if we ignore them. But none of these other duties can obscure the fact that no human rights are secure if the right to life is not. And unfortunately, abortion is no longer the major bioethical threat to that right in our culture. In fact, the right to life has never, at any time in the past, faced the range of challenges it faces right now, and will face in the immediate future. Physician-assisted suicide, cloning, genetic engineering and development in biotechnology will raise profoundly serious questions about the definition of “human nature” and the protection of human dignity in the years ahead.
“This raises a pressing question: What do those of us in pro-life work need to do in preparing for whatever lies ahead? Let me offer a few dos and don’t that might help guide us, and we can talk about them in greater depth during our discussion time.
“Here is the first don’t. DON’T LET DIVISIONS TAKE ROOT. Unity is a sign of God’s Spirit. Division is the sign of someone very different. St. Augustine said that we need to be united in the essentials, free in the debatables, and charitable in all things… As a bishop, I’ve been baffled by the energy wasted on internal pro-life bickering…
“Here is the second don’t. DON’T CREATE OR ACCEPT FALSE OPPOSITIONS.
Dialectical thinking – and by that I means the idea that most of our options involve “either/or” choices – is usually untrue and un-Christian. During the 2008 election, a number of new and so-called pro-life organizations argued we should stop fighting the legal struggle over abortion. Instead we should join with “pro-choice” supporters to “common ground.” Their argument was pretty simple. Why fight a losing battle on the legal front? Let’s drop the “divisive” political battle. Instead let’s all work together to tackle the economic and health issues that might eventually reduce abortions.
“The trouble is, Americans didn’t take the gradual, social improvement road to “reducing” racism. Quite the opposite. We passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nor have I heard anyone to suggest that the best way to deal with murder, robbery sexual assault or domestic abuse it to improve the availability of health care and job training…
“Likewise, if we really believe that abortion is an intimate act of violence – and it is – then we can’t aim at anything less than ending abortion… Protecting the unborn child is not an either/or choice. It’s “both/and.” We need to help women facing problem pregnancies with good health care and economic support, and we need to pass laws that will end legal abortion. We need to do both…
“Here is the third don’t. DON’T HATE THE ADVERSARY. People who support so-called “abortion rights” are opponents to the cause of life. But they rarely understand the full gravity of what they are doing, and they are never our “enemies.” Our enemy is the EVIL ONE, not other human beings… We need to trust in the power of love, the true power of God. St. Irenaeus of Lyon warned the early Christians that we’ve sent like sheep into the midst of wolves. The moment we become wolves ourselves, we lose…
George H. Kubeck
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Preface: In the light of Bart Stupak’s betrayal of the nation’s pro-life movement this past weekend: - by voting for the Senate’s abortion included Health Care Bill, the thoughts of Archbishop Chaput in his talk to the Cleveland Right to Life Center are most poignant.
“Of course, working to end abortion doesn’t absolve us from our obligations to the poor. It doesn’t excuse us from our duties to the disabled, the elderly and immigrants. In fact, it demands from us a much stronger commitment to materially support women who find themselves in a difficult pregnancy.
“All of these obligations are vital. God will hold us accountable if we ignore them. But none of these other duties can obscure the fact that no human rights are secure if the right to life is not. And unfortunately, abortion is no longer the major bioethical threat to that right in our culture. In fact, the right to life has never, at any time in the past, faced the range of challenges it faces right now, and will face in the immediate future. Physician-assisted suicide, cloning, genetic engineering and development in biotechnology will raise profoundly serious questions about the definition of “human nature” and the protection of human dignity in the years ahead.
“This raises a pressing question: What do those of us in pro-life work need to do in preparing for whatever lies ahead? Let me offer a few dos and don’t that might help guide us, and we can talk about them in greater depth during our discussion time.
“Here is the first don’t. DON’T LET DIVISIONS TAKE ROOT. Unity is a sign of God’s Spirit. Division is the sign of someone very different. St. Augustine said that we need to be united in the essentials, free in the debatables, and charitable in all things… As a bishop, I’ve been baffled by the energy wasted on internal pro-life bickering…
“Here is the second don’t. DON’T CREATE OR ACCEPT FALSE OPPOSITIONS.
Dialectical thinking – and by that I means the idea that most of our options involve “either/or” choices – is usually untrue and un-Christian. During the 2008 election, a number of new and so-called pro-life organizations argued we should stop fighting the legal struggle over abortion. Instead we should join with “pro-choice” supporters to “common ground.” Their argument was pretty simple. Why fight a losing battle on the legal front? Let’s drop the “divisive” political battle. Instead let’s all work together to tackle the economic and health issues that might eventually reduce abortions.
“The trouble is, Americans didn’t take the gradual, social improvement road to “reducing” racism. Quite the opposite. We passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nor have I heard anyone to suggest that the best way to deal with murder, robbery sexual assault or domestic abuse it to improve the availability of health care and job training…
“Likewise, if we really believe that abortion is an intimate act of violence – and it is – then we can’t aim at anything less than ending abortion… Protecting the unborn child is not an either/or choice. It’s “both/and.” We need to help women facing problem pregnancies with good health care and economic support, and we need to pass laws that will end legal abortion. We need to do both…
“Here is the third don’t. DON’T HATE THE ADVERSARY. People who support so-called “abortion rights” are opponents to the cause of life. But they rarely understand the full gravity of what they are doing, and they are never our “enemies.” Our enemy is the EVIL ONE, not other human beings… We need to trust in the power of love, the true power of God. St. Irenaeus of Lyon warned the early Christians that we’ve sent like sheep into the midst of wolves. The moment we become wolves ourselves, we lose…
George H. Kubeck
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)