Re-emergence of the Church Militant

I want to share with you an outstanding article by Fr. Rick Heilman on the growing prosecution of our church:
The Growing Persecution of the Church and the Re-emergence of the Church Militant.

In this article Fr. Heilman quotes Pope Pius XII and Pope Benedict XVI on the attacks the Church has faced in the past and up until the present day:

“The Church, the Mystical Body, exists on this earth, and is called the Church militant, because its members struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

In 1953, the Pope who had led the Church through two decades of darkness in a world besieged by war, Pope Pius XII stated, “We belong to the Church militant; and She is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass Her destruction.”

We are becoming increasingly aware in our time that we are the Church militant as we battle the ravages caused by the culture of death. In addition, as we witness the growing hostility toward the church throughout the world, we realize that we are indeed engaged in a spiritual warfare.

This article from Fr. Heilman is a great reminder that there is an ongoing spiritual battle and we are all enlisted to stand against this evil and defend our Church and our faith. Pray for our Church, our Pope and Bishops, and our families, that God may strengthen us in this spiritual war and that more Catholics also wake up and stand with the Church Militant.

I have also included below the awesome video, "The Church Militant - Bringing Catholic Back", which Fr. Heilman included at the end of his article. Please take the time to read the full article and watch this powerful video.

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

Recently, the Vatican announced that the cause for canonization for Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen has progressed to the next step and he has been declared Venerable. This announcement was made on the same day as the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare. I am not sure if this is just a coincidence, but we as the Church now have Venerable Fulton Sheen as an intercessor for us in this battle for religious freedom.

To commemorate the Vatican's announcement, I have re-posted a video that I had shared here sometime ago that tells a great story about Archbishop Sheen and his passion for the faith.

Venerable Fulton Sheen, please pray for us and for our nation!

The Line in the Sand

By now everyone has probably heard about the disappointing ruling by the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Roberts inexplicable decision to support Obamacare. While I would have preferred seeing this so called Affordable Care Act completely struck down, the SCOTUS decision upholding Obamacare will serve a greater purpose in defending religious freedoms in the long term.

If this healthcare overhaul was struck down, the HHS Mandate lawsuit would have also ended since the mandate itself would no longer be in effect. However, the question of religious freedom would have gone unanswered. The current administration has set a dangerous precedent by infringing on religious freedoms to further its political and ideological agenda. The lawsuits against the mandate will now continue and hopefully end with the Supreme Court definitively ending this abuse of power and disregard of religious freedoms by the President.

How can we be so hopeful that the Supreme Court will make the right decision in regards to religious freedoms? As reported by Michelle Baumann of Catholic News Agency: (emphasis mine)

[Hannah Smith, Senior Counsel, The Beckett Fund] pointed to the majority opinion, penned by Chief Justice John Roberts, which states, “Even if the taxing power enables Congress to impose a tax on not obtaining health insurance, any tax must still comply with other requirements in the Constitution.”

The opinion of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, was even more explicit, she said.

Ginsberg wrote, “A mandate to purchase a particular product would be unconstitutional if, for example, the edict impermissibly abridged the freedom of speech, interfered with the free exercise of religion, or infringed on a liberty interest protected by the Due Process Clause.”

The direct mention of religious freedom as a reason to find such a mandate unconstitutional is a hopeful sign in the battle over the contraception requirement, Smith said.

She explained that these two statements are “essential” in suggesting that the court may strike down the contraception mandate if asked to rule on it, a positive indication for defenders of religious freedom.

The line in the sand has been drawn. The current administration is now even more emboldened with this Supreme Court victory. This can become a defining moment in history for us as Catholics. By coming together and supporting our Bishops in this battle, we can truly show the world what it means to be "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic".

Even though the Fortnight for Freedom is over, the battle continues. There are several things that we can all do to help our Bishops in this fight. First, we must pray and fast for religious freedom. Secondly, speak out publicly in favor of the Church and against this HHS mandate. By this I mean call and write to your elected officials and write to your local newspapers. You can also write about it on your blogs and social media sites. We need to get the truth out to counter the lies in the media. This isn't just some "Catholic thing" about contraception or abortion. This is about protecting the religious freedoms of every citizen in this country. In this battle, we are all Catholics. Finally, take the time to educate yourself on Obamacare, the HHS Mandate and how this impacts our freedoms. This will help you better understand the issues when you vote and allow you to better defend the position of the Catholic Church on this matter.

The line in the sand has been drawn. The question is now do we stand and fight or do we stick our head in the sand and ignore it?

Fellowship of the Unashamed - Part 2

This is a great video presentation of the Mission Statement I wrote about in my last blog post. This video was too good to pass up and definitely worth sharing with others.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I found this mission statement on the blog of Catholic author and speaker Patrick Madrid back in September of 2011. I am posting it now because more relevant than ever in light of the open hostility of our society and government towards our faith.

God is calling every Catholic today to live up to the ideals in this mission statement and follow in the steps of the the saints and martyrs of our Church. This is how we defend our faith, protect our families, and fight against this culture of death.

MISSION STATEMENT: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED
(Author unknown)

I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.

My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid

Obama Announces He Supports Gay Marriage

From CNN: Obama Announces He Supports Gay Marriage

Does the above story really surprise anyone? I don't believe that his position on gay marriage has "evolved" at all. The truth is he didn't have the backbone to take a stand on this issue until he was finally backed into a corner by remarks by Joe Biden and others in his cabinet. As far back as 1996, Obama was on record supporting gay marriage. More recently, Obama's repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and his push to end the Defense of Marriage Act made it very clear what he thought of traditional marriage. Also in 2009, Obama criticized supporters of traditional families as trying to "enshrine discrimination in the Constitution" and "holding on to outworn arguments and old attitudes". Make no mistake about it, Obama holds very radical views on religious freedom, marriage, family, and even human life.

To put it bluntly, it is unconscionable for any Catholic to vote for Barack Obama. While there may be issues where he is in agreement with Catholic doctrine, absolutely nothing outweighs his stances on the intrinsic evils of abortion and gay marriage and his blatant attacks on religious freedoms. I cannot fathom any circumstances that would justify a Catholic voting for Obama. The problem here is that too many Catholics are not educated enough in their faith and don't fully understand the Church's teachings on these critical issues.

This is a crucial point in our nation's history. Never before has a sitting president been so opposed to the teachings of the Catholic Church on marriage, family, and human life. With the upcoming election, we have the opportunity to right this ship and get our nation off of the deadly course it's on right now. This isn't about being a "progressive catholic" or "liberal catholic" or "conservative catholic" or a "traditional catholic". This is about being a Catholic first and foremost and standing shoulder to shoulder with our Bishops and priests as well as our brothers and sisters from other denominations to defend our faith and families.

I strongly encourage you to read "Our First Most Cherished Liberty" by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is a powerful document that details the current threat to our religious freedoms by the the recent HHS mandate, gay marriage laws, and even illegal immigration laws. It is very important that we as Catholics educate ourselves and share these truths with as many people as possible. Our Church and our faith are under attack and we can't afford to be complacent. To quote Roger Cardinal Mahoney in the above Bishop's statement, "this must be fought against with all the energies the Catholic community can muster."

Pro-Life Thoughts

I just wanted to share two articles that I wrote for my parish's new Pro-Life newsletter on the important topics of abortion and euthanasia.

40 Days for Life – The Power of Prayer

Since 2007 the National 40 days for Life campaign has brought thousands of people together in all 50 states to fast and pray for an end to abortion. These campaigns happen twice yearly, in the spring and fall, and the success stories are truly miraculous. The 2012 spring 40 Days for Life is now over; however, nationwide over 883 babies were spared from abortion! Praise God! Through the peaceful and prayerful presence of ordinary people in the 40 Days campaign, the hearts of so many men and women were converted resulting is over 800 precious lives saved.

But the success doesn’t stop there. 21 abortion centers have shut down permanently because of local 40 Days for Life Campaigns. 61 abortion clinic workers also quit their jobs and turned away from this industry all because of the power of these prayers. The success of the 40 Days for Life depends on ordinary people making a commitment to pray and fast whether it’s for one hour or several hours, anything will help. Please pray for the continued success of the 40 Days for Life campaigns and consider joining the next campaign whether it’s signing up to pray with a group at a local clinic or just praying at home. Your prayers will make a difference.

Euthanasia – Our Prayers are Needed

Here in Rhode Island, many of us may be unaware of the growing push for the legalization of physician assisted suicide in several other states. In Massachusetts, euthanasia advocates are working towards a ballot question that have voters decide on its legalization in November. In New York, Vermont, Hawaii, and Montana, state legislatures are debating bills to decriminalize assisted suicide. These bills are being reviewed by legislative committees and no votes have been scheduled yet, but the pro-euthanasia lobbyists are pushing hard. In New Mexico, two doctors have filed a court challenge against the state’s laws prohibiting assisted suicides. If any of these are successful, they will join Oregon and Washington, were euthanasia has been legal for several years.

While it may appear that we don’t have much say as to what happens in other states, what we can do is pray. Like abortion, euthanasia is another affront to the dignity of all human life. From conception to the grave, all life is a precious gift from God and has meaning. All our prayers are needed so that the elected officials embrace a culture of life and work against these misguided bills. We also need to remain vigilant against any future attempt in our state to legalize assisted suicide. Please keep these states in your prayers as well as our own state and our nation during this election year.

Will you vote the values that will stand the test of fire?

Almost Everything in Society Is Against Fatherhood

NFL Player Turned Pastor: Almost Everything in Society Is Against Fatherhood

Unfortunately, rather than listening to Freddie Scott in the article at the link above, men and boys today are instead flooded with Hollywood's and pro-sports images of what today's "real men" are like. These are usually summed up in the following categories:

Selfish, spoiled, and womanizing
Immature, lazy, and stupid
Effeminate, and/or gay.

Freddie Scott hit the nail on the head with these quotes:

"We are facing some serious problems in our nation and if we do not take the appropriate steps we're going to continue to see this," said Scott.
"The term fatherless does not only refer to a child who does not have a father in the home," said Scott.
"Biblical fatherlessness also occurs when a man in the home does not meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of his children; by definition its being less than a father."

I sincerely fear for the future of our world if continue on this path. Pray for the success of ministries like Freddie Scott and that more men wake up and accept God's call for them to embrace true manliness and true fatherhood.

Nancy Pelosi Scandalizes the Church Again

Congresswoman and Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi once again showed her true feelings regarding her faith with this recent statement regarding Obama's HHS mandate:

First of all, I am going to stick with my fellow Catholics in supporting the Administration on this. I think it was a very courageous decision that they made, and I support it.

She claims to be an ardent Catholic, but has no problem forcing her Church to violate it's beliefs on contraception and sexuality. This should come as a surprise to no one, since this is not the first time Pelosi has been at odds with the Bishops and our Church.

Over at Fr. Z's blog, he wrote a very strongly worded statement about what actions the Bishops should take against Pelosi and other high profile Catholics who continue to publicly scandalize the Church and mislead other Catholics. I wholeheartedly agree with his suggestion: deny her Communion. Her Bishop needs to make a very clear and very public message that she can no longer present herself for Communion until she publicly renounces her sinful actions. This would send a clear message and draw a line in the sand that our Shepherds will no longer tolerate the actions of these dissenting Catholic politicians.

I stand with Fr. Z on this one.

Let there be national repercussions and a media firestorm.

Pres. Obama and his administration have openly and aggressively attacked the Catholic Church by trying to force Catholic institutions to perform actions which are evil even by reason alone and natural law, and not just by Catholic doctrine.

Nancy Pelosi has publicly chosen sides against the Catholic Church's teachings and against the bishops.

Let her choice be publicly confirmed by those same bishops.

Nancy Pelosi must not admitted to Holy Communion until she publicly changes her defiant stance and positions.

Stop the Shredding of Our Values

A New Catholic Action is Rising

I recently came across this article by Deacon Keith Fournier: Silver Lining in the Unconstitutional HHS Edict? A New Catholic Action Is Rising

In this article, Deacon Fournier discusses the silver lining in the recent attack on our faith by the Obama administration, the birth of a New Catholic Action. Since this whole mess started, I too have noticed many of the same things that the Deacon mentions, such as an unprecedented unity among the Bishops in this matter and Catholics from both sides of the political spectrum coming together to fight this battle. Over the past few days, I have also seen reports that Obama's high profile Catholic allies are now abandoning him over this HHS mandate. (See here and here.)

I pray that Deacon Fournier is correct in his prediction and that we Catholics see this as an opportunity to finally unite and, through the the grace of God, work together the bring about the real change this country desperately needs.

News Media Ignores Nearly Half Million People Marching for Life

Organizers of the 2012 March for Life in Washington DC estimate between 400,000 and 500,000 people marched to show their support for life and and end to abortion.

Yet the mainstream media ignores scenes like this:

and instead ignored the March completely or publicized scenes like this:

This is what we are up against in this battle for life. We are not only fighting against well funded groups like Planned Parenthood and a President that is openly hostile to pro-life causes, we are also facing a powerful media machine that is trying to poison the minds of all against a culture of life.

The news media has deliberately distorted the facts to give the perception that the size of the pro-abortion protestors was comparable in size to the pro-life marchers. I guess there must be a new type math being taught in our public schools, where less than one hundred protestors is equal to over 400,000 marchers.

Since the March for Life, we have witnessed what pro-abortion supporters will resort to. We have seen outright lies from the news media, the Komen Foundation coming under attack, and a Pro-life rally in Rhode Island disrupted by pro-abortion thugs throwing condoms a teen age girls at the rally.

The pro-abortion side is afraid because they see the growing momentum behind the pro-life movement. They have admitted that last year, pro-life advocates scored major victories in passing legislation such as de-funding Planned Parenthood and requiring ultrasounds before abortions. They know that the culture of life is winning the hearts and minds of many, especially the youth of our society. The culture of death is desperate and is resorting to desperate measures.

Related Articles:

Selfish, spoiled, and womanizing

Immature, lazy, and stupid

Effeminate, and/or gay.