Thought Exercise

Primary Mission of the Catholic Laity: Apply Principles Taught by the Church to the Secular World. That, to me at least, was the general underlying theme of the insightful lecture I attended last night given by Fr. Michael Sweeney, O.P. at St. Dominic's church. Within the realm of American politics, this is an incredibly challenging goal, especially when one considers the inherent conflict between the traditional emphasis that our culture places on individualism (which all too often has lead to destructive self-centeredness -- see, e.g., the Sexual Revolution) and the prime importance that the Church gives to self-sacrifice and doing things for the common good.

It is, of course, important to make a distinction between principle and doctrine. Although both are taught by the Church and can be upheld by Her as infallible truths, it seems to me that principle tends to transcend religion. As such, even an atheist can embrace and believe in a principle that the Church recognizes as being from God. The most obvious example would be the prohibition against murder (which, legally defined, is the intentional killing of another person with malice).

Because of the failure of many American Catholics to make a distinction between principle and doctrine, self-identified and elected Catholic politicians like Mario Cuomo, John Kerry and presumably Gavin Newsome have pretty much "gotten away" with making convoluted public statements about personally being against something that the Church also opposes (e.g., abortion) but nevertheless supporting its legality. In the view of these politicians, the use of their public authority to apply a transcending principle that is dogmatically upheld by the Church equates to an impermissible imposition of religious doctrine. This is plainly untrue, and it’s also scandalous to the extent that many other Catholics have been persuaded into embracing the same false belief. That being said, while no one of us in the Catholic laity can claim perfection in carrying out the primary mission we have been given by the Church, those Catholics who refuse to even engage in the mission by raising the false legal pretense of "separation of church and state" would seem to be especially culpable.

If Only They Weren't Required to be Celibate and Allowed to Marry

A California DMV employee is arrested and charged with sexually molesting seven teenaged girls during driving tests.

Living The Faith After The Election

That's the title of a speaking event tonight at St. Dominic's church is San Francisco. Probably won't be nearly as unintentionally humorous as the upcoming Gavin Newsome Show on Nov. 22 at St. Vincent de Paul's (which I sadly won't be able to make, because I'll be in L.A.), but it should be interesting.

Only in Berserkeley

Despite running a $7.5 million defecit, the city of Berkeley spends in excess of $70,000/year storing shopping carts that were stolen and abandoned by homeless people.

Meanwhile, the chancellor of UC Berkeley was named yesterday to oversee the implementation of California's "loan for clones" pogrom scam program.

This Oughtta be a Hoot

Mayor Gavin Newsome, the man who violated state law by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and who probably supports legalized abortion, will be giving his "perspective" on being a Catholic politician at an upcoming Young Adult Group meeting at St. Vincent de Paul church in San Francisco. Given the certain predictability of his comments, and my thin skin for outright stupidity, I'm going to need some other incentive to show up for this meeting.

Support Ahnuld for Prez TV Ads

My fellow Cahleefonians, starting this Monday there will be a series of television ads running encouraging the adoption of a constitutional amendment that will allow naturalized citizens, like Ahnuld, to run for President. You have been warned girly-men!!

Power, Like Nature, Abhors a Vacuum

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, warns against secular democracy and that if the West isn't careful, Islam could very well be the communism of the 21st century.

Update:Arrrgh! Registration is required to read the article linked above. Here's a summary from Catholic News.

Chairman of SF Abuse Panel Resigns

And while going out the door accuses the archdiocese of obfuscating and engaging in a public relations scheme. (link via Amy Welborn)

Sad Local Note

Acclaimed author and Bay Area resident Iris Chang has apparently committed suicide, leaving behind a husband and 2 year old son. If you ever get the chance, read Ms. Chang's book The Rape of Nanking, a very haunting and controversial chronicle of the atrocities committed by the Japanese in China during WWII.

Not Sure I Like This

According to Al Reuteera, President Bush will be nominating White House Legal Counsel Alberto Gonzales to be the next U.S. Attorney General. In light of the reports that Gonzales has squishy positions on affirmative action and life issues, conservatives should definitely be concerned about this apparent nomination.

State Rankings on the Greatest Virtue

Not a blue (Kerry) state among the top 25.

The Anti-Janet Reno Resigns

And I mean that as a complement. Nice job Mr. Ashcroft, and thank you for your service.

Kill the Sick and Useless Among Us!!

Such effectively is the calling cry of two California state legislators who plan on introducing a bill that would legalize physician assisted suicide. Ahnuld, having made one too many Terminator movies, is apparently undecided on the matter.

A Real Choice

Some Federal employees in Illinois now have the option of choosing a Catholic-run health insurance plan that doesn't cover abortions or contraception. Predictably, Planned Parenthood opposes the providing of such a choice by disingenuously confusing reasonable accommodation for religious indoctrination. Plus, I'm sure those baby butchers don't like the fact that they'll be losing money from this.

Aiming for Arlen

Folks at The Corner think that pressure should be applied to deny Arlen Specter the Chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee for his warning remarks to President Bush about nominating judges who are openly critical of Roe v. Wade, while conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt thinks pro-life efforts should be focused on changing the Senate rules that have allowed pro-abortion Democrats to obstruct Bush's judicial nominees. Frankly, I don't really know who's right on this, but I will say it's a most unfortunate situation that probably could have been altogether avoided had Bush shown a little bit of courage and not endorsed Specter over Pat Toomey in the Pennsylvania GOP primary.

Come to think of it, Hewitt did support Bush's move to endorse Specter in the primaries, so perhaps his argument for restraint and analysis isn't as dispassionate as it should be. But he does nevertheless raise some good points, and I'm going to have to mull them over for a bit to see if I should jump on the "Axe Arlen from the Judiciary Chairmanship" bandwagon.

Update: I'm now leaning toward denying Specter the chairmanship.

Chief Justice Thomas?

All the scuttlebut surrounding William Rehnquist's health and who might succeed him as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court kind of reminds me of the all the mostly media speculation that's been going on the last several years about who the next pope is going to be. In any event, Drudge is flashing a news report about how President Bush is supposedly looking into the possibility of elevating Clarence Thomas to the position of Chief Justice if and when Rehnquist resigns. A bold move to be sure, and one that I would wholeheartedly support. Between Thomas and Antonin Scalia, I personally think Thomas is the better jurist mostly because he appears to view the Ninth Amendment as a vehicle for Natural Law principles. The same can't be really said about Scalia who doesn't really seem to see the Ninth Amendment as anything more than an ink blot that conveys a nice sentiment.

Good Question

Howard Bashman at How Appealing asks what the election results of this past Tuesday mean if, as some people would have you believe, that it is impossible to fill a probable opening on the Supreme Court with a nominee who is a known opponent of Roe v. Wade.

California is a Weapon of Mass Destruction

In a state where abortion has been expressly proclaimed to be a fundamental right, it really isn't suprising that a ballot initiative which allows human beings to be created in a petrie dish and destroyed for purposes of "scientific research" passed with flying colors. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

My Sentiments Exactly

Addressed to the incredibly deep blue MSM.

Lefty Dem Dilemmas

First, they make vacuous promises to leave the U.S. and move to Canada if George Bush wins reelection, then comes news that they'd have to wait up to a year before Canada allows them to become citizens of the Great White North.

Wonder if some of these 'Rats have ever thought of Cuba? I'm sure Fidel would fast track their citizenship applications in no time.