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Whenever you use the links on my blog's to make purchases, such as from Mystic Monk Coffee, CCleaner, and others, I earn a small commission. This commission does not have any effect on your costs.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Catholic News Herald - Who runs the diocese? A reflection by Charlotte's second bishop

Read this reflection by the late Archbishop Donoghue about the Diocese of Charlotte. It's the latest installment of the 40 anniversary series:

Catholic News Herald - Who runs the diocese? A reflection by Charlotte's second bishop

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

UK MEP: We Should be Given Monthly Audit of All Taxpayer-Funded Abortions

For Immediate Release
 
Rome, 28th February 2012
 
A senior Member of the European Parliament has called on the UK government to carry out a monthly audit of all abortions that receive funding from the British taxpayer, after a newspaper exposed terminations being illegally carried out on the basis of gender.

Nirj Deva MEP, President of the International Committee on Human Dignity, said such an audit would ensure that the British people "can finally begin an informed debate on how much public money funds abortions on the basis of nothing but gender."

Following news of the practice reported in London's Daily Telegraph on February 23rd, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley pledged to carry out an urgent and thorough investigation, and handed the matter over to the police. He called illegal abortion "morally repugnant". The head of the Care Quality Commission - the body tasked with regulating such practices - resigned after the story broke.

Deva, who recently came second in the elections for the European Parliament's Speaker, congratulated the government for its "prompt response" and praised Lansley for "his brave, principled stance".
 
The MEP said he knew from experience the kind of hostility the minister could now expect. "Several years ago I introduced an amendment to the EU's Development Budget, demanding a gender audit on every overseas abortion that is paid for by EU taxpayers - this was before people were talking much about the issue of gendercide," Deva said. "Sadly, the socialists and liberals joined together to defeat my amendment, saying explicitly that a woman's right to choose an abortion must remain sacrosanct, including the right to choose not to have a girl."

Deva added that these latest revelations, which the newspaper exposed through undercover reporting, regrettably came as no surprise: "For me it was a bit like the famous scene in Casablanca when Claude Rains exclaims to Humphrey Bogart: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that there's gambling going on in here" while simultaneously pocketing in one smooth action his evening's winnings."

"If you talk to people in the abortion industry, they all know that this is happening, but it's obviously not in their commercial interests to talk about it, so they just impose a culture of silence, and then intimidate anyone who dares to challenge them. My own modest proposal for an analysis of abortions was roundly defeated by those whose vested interests keep the abortion trade out of the public domain, away from clear legal parameters and solely within their own power," he said. "I remember observing with sadness that the ideological fanaticism of some of the UK's MEPs from the political Left who were advocating a so-called liberty for mothers abroad that is illegal at home."

"The very people claiming that their support of abortion derives from 'gender equality' are in fact actively promoting a life-killing practice of gender inequality."

Deva said statistics from around the world clearly prove that gender-selected abortions heavily discriminate against the female gender. "It is the duty of all who genuinely believe in gender equality to open their eyes to the most grievous injustice dealt to women globally, the very denial of their basic right to life," he said.

"I would like, therefore, on behalf of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, to offer a helpful contribution to the debate and ask that every single abortion that is funded by the British taxpayer, either wholly or in part, has the gender recorded of each baby being terminated, and for these results to be compiled and made public on a monthly basis," he said.

Deva, who is also the Vice President of the European Parliament's Development Committee, also invited politicians in other parliaments around the world to contact him for advice on how to table similar amendments in their own national assemblies by emailing him at nirj.deva@dignitatishumanae.com.

"The time has come for full disclosure," Deva concluded. 
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The Dignitatis Humanae Institute aims to uphold human dignity based on the anthropological truth that man is born in the image and likeness of God and therefore has an innate human dignity of infinite worth to be upheld. The Institute promotes this understanding by supporting Christians in public life, assisting them to present effective and coherent responses to increasing efforts to silence the Christian voice in the public square.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

California Catholic Daily - A Lie is a Lie

Read the following opinion piece on the HHS mandate by Father Juan VĂ©lez, a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei, who resides in San Francisco. He is author of Passion for Truth, the Life of John Henry Newman.

Click the link below to read the entire article:

California Catholic Daily - A Lie is a Lie

Friday, February 24, 2012

Liberal nuns file brief in support of Obama health-care plan : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following is from Catholic Culture:

  • "A group of liberal Catholic nuns has filed in amicus brief with the US Supreme Court in defense of the Obama administration’s health-care program."

This is when someone needs to step up to the plate and discipline these dissident, disobedient daughters of the Church.

Click the link below to read more:

Liberal nuns file brief in support of Obama health-care plan : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The Advisors Behind the Contraception Mandate

The following is from Live Action:

According to ABC’s Jake Tapper, the most influential supporters of the controversial Contraception Mandate were HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, former Director of Domestic Policy Melody Barnes (who has resigned from the Obama administration), Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards.

Click below to read more:

The Advisors Behind the Contraception Mandate

Savaging Santorum: The Media's Top 10 Worst Anti-Santorum Quotes | Media Research Center

Savaging Santorum: The Media's Top 10 Worst Anti-Santorum Quotes | Media Research Center

Thursday, February 23, 2012

A New Book On The Life of Cardinal John Henry Newman



Tan Books will soon be releasing a new book on the life of Cardinal John Henry Newman entitled, “Passion for Truth: The Life of John Henry Newman”.

This biography of John Henry Newman is written by Father Juan R. VĂ©lez, a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei who resides in San Francisco, California. Father VĂ©lez received a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre, where he completed his doctoral thesis on John Henry Newman. Before his ordination to the priesthood, Father VĂ©lez also received a medical degree from the University of Navarre, and he was previously board certified in internal medicine.

Father VĂ©lez's interest in the life of Cardinal John Henry Newman began with his doctoral studies under Professor JosĂ© Morales. Father VĂ©lez is author of a number of academic articles on Cardinal Newman, and co-edited a short anthology of texts entitled “Take Five, Meditations on John Henry Newman”.

Below is a portion of the information about this book from Tan Books website:

"In Passion for Truth, author and scholar Fr. Juan R. VĂ©lez painstakingly uncovers the life and work of Blessed John Henry Newman. In the story of his early years, his family upbringing and university education, and through his vast correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues, VĂ©lez acquaints us with Newman, the loyal friend, profound thinker, prolific writer, and holy priest. A true Catholic gentleman, who can be admired and loved by all who love the Truth."


The publication date for “Passion for Truth The Life of John Henry Newman” By: Fr. Juan R. VĂ©lez is March 2012, and the book can be pre-ordered from Tan Books by clicking here.

You may also want to visit the website for the book by clicking here.

Vote FOR Marriage - 2 - Bishop Burbidge

Second in a series of videos by the Bishops of North Carolina explaining the position of the Catholic Church in support FOR the marriage amendment. Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh explains four important points of Church Teaching about marriage. He also urges all North Carolinians to vote FOR Marriage on May 8, 2012.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Evangelicals, Southern Baptists rip HHS mandate : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The Family Research Council has announced that 2,500 pastors and other evangelical leaders have signed a letter condemning the Obama administration’s contraception mandate.

Click below to read more:

Evangelicals, Southern Baptists rip HHS mandate : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Thanks!



I want to thank all of the readers and followers of Faith of the Fathers blogs for your support the last couple of months.

Your purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee from these blogs have been a great help to the good Carmelite Monks of Wyoming, and to me also. The purchases you made allowed me to earn a commission, which enabled me to pay my power bill. As you may know, my work hours have been cut back, and your purchases allowed me to continue to have lights, heat, and water (as I am on a well).

Thank you also for your support through the other items and links on these blogs.

So, whether you are a subscriber to my blog pages, follow the blogs from Facebook or from Twitter... no matter how you come to Faith of the Fathers blogs, thank you very much!

May God Bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Your brother in Christ,

Steve Smith

Friday, February 17, 2012

Mr. President, Leave Our Church Alone!


From the time of his first campaign for President of the United States in 2008, it should have been glaringly apparent of Barack Obama's disdain for religion, and religious people. In April of 2008 he said, "and it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

No, Mr. Obama. We do not cling to our religion because we are bitter or frustrated. We cling to our religion because it gives us hope. It gives us inspiration. It gives us strength that we can not find anywhere else or from any other source. We believe in and trust Our Savior, Jesus Christ, because He gives us what no man, no government, no earthly king or leader could ever hope to give us. No one or any one thing can ever, or could ever take the place of Our King and His Church.

We can quote from the Declaration of Independence, the truth which is “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Yet Mr. Obama, on at least two different occasions, you could not bring yourself to say “endowed by their Creator”, which was another glaring example of your disdain for religion. We, who “cling to our religion”, know that our lives, our liberty, and our rights all come from the Creator of all that is seen, and all that is unseen. You may find it hard to believe, but we know that these come from Him, and have never come from any earthly government, king, or leader.

Yet, we have seen many, many examples of earthly governments, kings, and leaders do all within their power to try to eliminate and destroy those God given rights and freedoms, which were never theirs to bestow or to deny.

When those governments and those leaders denied those God given rights to the people, they didn't merely deny those rights to the people, they were also denying God.

When you ask... when you demand... that the Catholic Church, and Catholic institutions around this country, deny their conscience, deny their beliefs, deny their morality, and discard over 2,000 years of teaching, then you are asking us... you are demanding that we deny our God and His Church.

That is something that we can not do, and that we will not do... not today... not tomorrow... not ever. We will not deny Jesus Christ, and His Church for you or for anyone. But rest assured Mr. Obama, that come this November, I... and many more like me... fully intend to deny you at the ballot box.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Abortion, Contraception and the Church Fathers | Daily News | NCRegister.com

Despite what some commentators and politicians think, Church teaching on abortion and contraception has remained unchanged.

Read more:


Abortion, Contraception and the Church Fathers | Daily News | NCRegister.com

White House criticizes bishops, trumpets support from CHA, Catholic Charities : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

White House criticizes bishops, trumpets support from CHA, Catholic Charities : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Now Planned Parenthood bullies Catholic food bank for saying no to them | LifeSiteNews.com

Read the story linked to below, as it relates how Planned Parenthood had a conniption fit when a Catholic food bank would not send a truck to the PP office to pick up a food donation. You may send the food bank an email of support at: info@paulspantry.org

Now Planned Parenthood bullies Catholic food bank for saying no to them | LifeSiteNews.com

White House kept CHA informed on 'compromise,' with bishops in the dark : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following excerpts are from the Catholic Culture article, “White House kept CHA informed on 'compromise,' with bishops in the dark”. The emphases are mine:

  • Did Sister Carol Keehan, the head of the Catholic Health Association, help the White House prepare for its “compromise” proposal for the HHS mandate? The National Catholic Register examines the evidence in a probing analysis.
  • Sister Keehan—who had become an ally of the White House with her stalwart support for the Obama health-care program even after the US bishops turned against it—apparently consulted with officials of the Obama administration before the “compromise” was announced. Her public statement in support of the revised plan was available even before President Obama announced it.
Click the link below to read the entire article:


White House kept CHA informed on 'compromise,' with bishops in the dark : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Call your senator NOW: Reid to allow vote on repeal of contraceptive mandate - Jill Stanek

Call your senator NOW: Reid to allow vote on repeal of contraceptive mandate - Jill Stanek

Thursday, February 09, 2012

EWTN Files Suit to Block Contraception Mandate | Daily News | NCRegister.com

Eternal Word Television Network filed a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Birmingham, Ala., seeking to halt the federal government’s imposition of its contraception mandate and to have the court declare the federal rule unconstitutional.

Read more:

EWTN Files Suit to Block Contraception Mandate | Daily News | NCRegister.com

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan Speaks Out Against HHS Mandate (Video Link)


Let me try this again. When I posted this earlier, the video could not be show on my blog. Even though the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) website gave a code to embed the video, and even offered to direct post the video to blogger. So, I apologize to those of you who came here expecting to find the video.
So, here is the link to the video on the USCCB website, where you can go watch it:

 http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/index.cfm

Again, my apologies to you all!

Monday, February 06, 2012

Mystic Monk Coffee



As many of you know, a certain national coffee chain, has decided to support same sex marriage.

A well known and well respected Catholic priest and blogger has suggested...and I whole heartedly agree...that instead of supporting that certain national coffee chain, coffee drinking Catholics should consider buying Mystic Monk Coffee instead.

In case you weren't aware, Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted and blended by the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming. They roast and blend coffee to raise money for their monastery in Wyoming. Roasting coffee is also a form of manual labor for their monastic way of life. So by purchasing Mystic Monk Coffee (ground or whole bean), you can help support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming, and feel good with the knowledge that you are not supporting a company that endorses same sex marriage. It also helps me out with the commissions I get from sales that originate on "Faith of the Fathers Blogs" when you go their web site by clicking our links and graphic ads.

I have never drank any of the coffee from that certain national chain, but I have drank the Cowboy Blend, the Hermits Bold Blend, and the Mystic Monk Blend. I enjoyed all three, but the Mystic Monk Blend is my favorite.

This month, the monks are also offering a flavored coffee, Choclate Cherry (ground only) that they describe as:"The sweetest of all the Mystic Monk Coffee flavors, chocolate cherry brightens your day with a wild tart burst of flavor." Also available are Chocolate Covered Cherries which they describe as: "Real dried cherries, coated first with a layer of milk chocolate, and then finished with a layer of cherry flavored white chocolate. Pair with one of our flavored coffees for a special winter treat!"

If you are not a coffee fan, the good monks also have Mystic Monk Tea available.

So give the good monks some support with your purchase of Mystic Monk Coffee!

Sunday, February 05, 2012

White House Misrepresents Its Own Contraceptive Mandate

White House Misrepresents Its Own Contraceptive Mandate

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Pelosi Vows to Stand With Obama Against Catholic Church; Says Decision Forcing Catholics to Act Against Faith Was ‘Very Courageous’ | CNSnews.com

Nancy Pelosi is standing behind the Obama Administration's decision to force Catholic institutions to provide health insurance plans that cover sterilizations and artificial contraceptives, including those that induce abortions.

Click the link below for the entire article:

Pelosi Vows to Stand With Obama Against Catholic Church; Says Decision Forcing Catholics to Act Against Faith Was ‘Very Courageous’ | CNSnews.com

Top 10 Most Dangerous Countries for Christians

Top 10 Most Dangerous Countries for Christians