The following comes from an April 11 story of the Catholic News Agency.
Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton has urged legislators to support laws that build “a culture of life” by placing more stringent guidelines around gun ownership and use.
“Sadly, gun violence is too common a reality,” Bishop Blaire, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, wrote to the U.S. senate on behalf of his group.
The “violence that occurs daily in our homes and communities,” the bishop added, “should lead us to answer the call of Pope Francis to ‘change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace.’”
In his letter, the bishop referenced measures included in Senate bill S. 649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013, commending many of its requirements a “positive step in the right direction.”
Bishop Blaire hoped that the bill will provide Congress with “a foundation to continue to address the issue of gun violence in society.”
The bishop also said that these regulations could help support a culture of life “by promoting policies that reduce gun violence and save people’s lives in homes and communities throughout our nation.”
Among the provisions included in the bill are strictures against gun trafficking, including “effective and enforceable universal background checks for all gun purchases.”
He also asked Congress to limit “civilian access to high-capacity ammunition magazines” and to institute a ban on assault weapons.
In his letter, Bishop Blaire also referenced a 2000 pastoral statement by the U.S. Bishops on Crime and Criminal Justice.
“We support measures that control the sale and use of firearms and make them safer (especially efforts that prevent their unsupervised use by children or anyone other than the owner), and we reiterate our call for sensible regulation of handguns,” Bishop Blaire wrote, quoting the document.
The bishop also asked the Senate to “resist amendments that would expand the use of minimum mandatory sentences as punishment for gun violations,” noting that increased incarceration rates can be partially attributed to “the pervasive use of minimum mandatory sentencing.”
“One-size-fits-all policies are counterproductive, inadequate and replace judges’ assessments with rigid formulations,” he added. “Punishment for its own sake is never justified.”
To read original story, click here.
Link does not work.
Fixed!
Thanks! Sorry you have to work the weekend. Appreciate all you do.
I did not even have to look further than the headline to know that the ‘bishop” was Blaire!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Tyrant.
So the dear Bishop does not want to punish criminals who actually commit crimes with guns with tighter penalties, but he does want the State to harass law-abiding people who exercise Second Amendment rights.
Paul VI got at least two things right: Humanae Vitae and mandatory retirement ages for bishops.
Who would Jesus Shoot? Criminals, I guess. I could certainly see St. Francis protecting himself with high-capacity ammunition magazines
St. Gabiel Possenti defended himself and others with a handgun. Calling yourself St. Peter? Hmm. Interesting.
Peter your argument is stupid….can you argue intelligently please and stop using our Lord in this…you have no respect for our Lord.
The USCCB: Still Carrying the Water for the DNC
You are exactly right. The Bishop needs to stay away from the political garbage and stick with being a shepard of the faith.
Juergensen, absolutely right. Bishop Blaire is only capable of making comments on matters relating to the agenda of the Democratic Party. Could you imagine him saying “Sadly, abortion is too common a reality”? I still remember in Sacramento planning to hand him some pro-life literature, but he saw me from inside the Sheraton Hotel where he had been staying, and he ducked me to go out a different door.
Laurette, if he ducked you, I’m sure it was because he saw hatred in its tracks.
Wow….
What these irrational bishops are attempting to do is integrate themselves with the tryanical oppressive type government regime wannabeez who strive now to do everything in their power to conquer freedom and suppress true Catholicism. These sodomy loving, effeminate and wretched types of clergy are doing exactly what any solid homosexual does, which is to destroy normal human decency, ability to protect oneself and one’s community, and to worhip God without having the gay agenda souls pushing spiritual dementia on us all. If the popes won’t get rid of these discredits not only to the good name of Catholic clergy but to humanity itself, then humanity itself is going to have to find a way to disengage these destroyers from all means of disrupting society.
OMG WOW OMG WOW
When is this fellow going to retire? Soon, I hope.
4 more years.
Yes, all those laws that control the use and sale of firearms are really going to stop the criminals from having guns and trafficking them. Now if only someone would pass a law that makes it illegal to use a gun to attack someone, that would put an end to gun violence. Why didn’t anyone think of that yet?
Another stupid liberal who would disarm and criminalize the citizenry which is ALWAYS the goal of government
Any responsible statement on gun control should address a very important question. It is the central question in the debate. It is this: will restricting gun ownership actually reduce gun crimes or increase them? The major objection to any gun control laws right now is that they would be counter-productive. Bishop Blair does not attempt to address this question. Instead he indulges in hand-wringing about the “violence that occurs daily in our homes and communities” etc. Then he takes a swipe at minimum mandatory sentencing. You need to much better Bishop.
No, Rodney, the central issue is not whether gun restrictions will affect violent crimes, but whether the citizens have the means to prevent a tyrannical government from oppressing them. Read up on the Second Amendment reasoning by those who composed it.
Counter-productive and unconstitutional.
These types of bishops always have women’s expressions on their faces … what’s up with that? It is so disgusting, how they disfigure the Church with their abominable behavior. They advocate the type of society one finds in oppressive nations whether right wing or left wing, but human spirit crunching like the former Soviet Union. What is wrong with their minds that they actually think that taking away the guns of people who do not do criminal stuff is going to help anyone at all? They seem to have lost their rational faculties. Or else they’ve been secreting away to demonic events, or maybe they are simply effeminate and unrepentant about it. Is there no way the Church can raise up holy and well balanced men with strong Godly personalities instead of these religious losers?
Editors: Please read Skai’s post of April 13 @ 9:19 PM. For one thing it is an insult to women, “These types of bishops always have women’s expressions on their faces.” “Maybe they are simply effeminate and unrepentant about it.” The line “Or else they’ve been secreting away to demonic events.” is just anti-Catholic garbage. To accuse a bishop of this is really crossing the line. Do Bishop Blaire’s thoughtful comments on gun violence deserve this kind of bigoted rant? The post of 2:58 PM, is little but undisguised hatred. Rhetoric like this sounds like it is coming from someone with a strong dislike for the Catholic Church.
PA, your disordered gay mind has utterly falsified my post. My post does not address women in any way at all. It addresses the perverse characters of such bishops as Blair, Mahony et al. Men should never be effeminate, for Jesus says such will not enter Heaven … Read your Bible, PA, and stop fulminating on whatever perverse and reprehensibly evil propaganda you get from the gay garbage pails.
Quoting skai: “gay garbage pails”. WOW. talk about offensive.
Han not at all….it all depends on who is seeing it…in reality what matters the most is what offends God and gay garbage offends our Lord and His natural law……so you are right it is offensive to God and to His plan.
See how PA doesn’t get Skai and his style of expression…he accused him of insulting women…..no not at all…PA you just don’t get him.
PA, anti-Catholic is what many priests and bishops have been up to. The new Pope just told all priests to follow what they preach. This is his way of reiterating what Pope Emeritus said, which is that all bishops need to become holy. The popes are saying this, PA, because of the “filth” in their ranks (this having been said by Pope Emeritus). So, PA, by telling me I’m anti-Catholic, you are saying the same thing to Jesus and to the two living popes.
Skai, looking at that picture, Bishop Blaire has a thoughtful expression. Reread what you wrote, “These types of bishops always have women’s expressions on their faces.” In my opinion, you meant this as an insult. Jesus did not say people who are effeminate will not enter heaven. My mother was a very effeminate person. Many people thought very highly of her. St. Paul said something in one of his letters about effeminate people so maybe he would have disliked my mother or me but St. Paul was not Christ and he was not infallible.
It’s all what one see’s…it’s in the eye of the beholder…maybe Skai shouldn’t have brought that up….but its already out there…lets just let that one go….you just don’t get his humor…I know in the past…he has apologized for making inappropriate humor…..
PA stop making a big fuss over it…well OK then …if you do, then you are also fair game…I can name all the countless of times you have said offensive things….
Abeca Christian, I don’t view demonizing bishops to be humor.
No Mark, it sounds like a person with a strong dislike of the actions of those clergy who are dishonest about the teachings of the Church, and who deceive others by stating their own personal opinions are that of the Church.
Women have the right to self protection against the stronger male aggressor as well. The Bishop did not address this either.
Sandra thank you…..someone here uses logic and common sense….
This doesn’t sound like MarkPA…I’ve never seen Mark use the word rhetoric, for one thing. But I took Skai’s post to mean an asexual face rather like that in the figure of satan in “The Passion” where no one could tell the sex of satan…to women it looked a little mannish and to men it looked womanish. I doubt that post was written by MarkPA because he just never sounds so aggressively hostile. The gun control issue is a non=issue if people would only educate themselves on the facts that taking guns from non-criminals just creates easy victims for criminals who will NEVER give up their guns and from loss of personal freedoms and power of people by a tyrannical government that acts purely from evil intentions against an unarmed populace. Such naiveté saddens me and continues to bring embarrassment and loss of dignity to the Church with such handwringing about issues that do not concern the Church and make her seem weak and ineffective. As better posts have expressed here, Bp.Blair should concern himself about the salvation of souls and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and stop being a busyhead about things of which he knows less than nothing. Sadly, he seems to know little about the former either. I’m sorry to write that, as I truly want to be able to love and respect all our bishops. They endure much strife of which we know nothing, I’m sure.
Dana,
Thank you for your very insightful post! America IS starving for God! The spiritual slums of the United States need courageous shepherds, not fretful appearing politicians. Yesterday, I met a 42 year old woman inside a restaurant who initiated a conversation. This woman left the Catholic Church. She told me that she attended Precious Blood Church in Banning Ca., when she was a young girl. She told me why she left the Catholic Church and how she got so much more out of attending Calvary Chapel because she learned more about God there. She said that all religions were the same. I let her talk and I listened. Dana, If I had a nickel for every time I have heard this story, I would be able to pay for one years cost of window washing at the newly purchased Crystal Cathedral. This woman shared her entire life. It was incredibly sad. We continued to talk outside the restaurant and then I asked her if she ever missed receiving the Real Precious Body and Blood of Jesus? Her whole demeanor changed and she said that she did. I asked her if she would be willing to go to a local Catholic Church and go inside and pray in front of the Tabernacle to ask God what He wanted her to do with her life and her children’s lives. This woman was so sad looking but so sweet and she said she would be willing to do that. I hugged her and she left. Dana, it would be even sadder to learn that this woman went to Mass after being away for years to hear about gun control.
Diagnosis: Political obsession with Smith and Wesson….when souls are basically starving for a decent Catechism lesson.
Wikipedia’s Political Culture of Death Focus:
Ammunition types introduced by Smith & Wesson
Bullet coming from a Smith and Wesson 686 .357 Magnum, taken with an air-gap flash.
.22 Short[14]
.32 S&W—sometimes called .32 Short[14]
.32 S&W Long—sometimes called .32 New Colt Police[14]
.32-44 S&W, defined as .32 Caliber (true .32 caliber measures .323″, sole use in Model 3 Revolver to 1898.[15]
.38 S&W—sometimes called .38 Colt New Police and the 38/200 in England.[14]
.38-44 S&W There are two distinct loads with this designation. The first was intended for use in model 3 revolvers up to 1898. The second was a predecessor to the .357 Magnum. Using the latter load in a pre-1898 gun could cause serious injury.[15]
.38 S&W Special[14]—Usually referred to as “.38 Special”
.357 S&W Magnum[14]—Usually referred to as “.357 Magnum”
.40 S&W[14]—Smith & Wesson developed the cartridge but the first firearm to hit the market chambered in .40 was manufactured by Glock[16]
.41 Magnum—While Remington Arms developed the ammunition, Smith & Wesson made the first revolvers to chamber the cartridge.[14]
.44 S&W Special[14]
.44 Remington Magnum[14]
.45 S&W Schofield[14]
.460 S&W Magnum[17]
.500 S&W Magnum[17]
AMMUNITION FOR ETERNAL LIFE
UNDERSTANDING THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Father John Hardon SJ
The twentieth century is the most critical in the history of Christianity. The decades since 1900 are more than so many years that might just as well apply to any other period of history. They mark the beginning of a new age in human civilization and correspondingly, of the Christian religion.
What does this have to do with our subject, “Understanding the Catechism of the Catholic Church?” Everything. Unless we realize the gravity of the crisis through which the Church is now passing, we shall look on the Catechism of the Catholic Church as just another book, or just another piece of religious literature. Which is not true.
This Catechism is of historic importance. Depending on how seriously we take it, the future of the Catholic Church will be shaped accordingly. No one who has any knowledge of our age should have any doubt about the contemporary crisis in Christianity. A crisis, by definition, is a turning point in the course of anything. The course of the Christian religion will, in large measure, depend on whether we see this Catechism as an act of God.
He is providing us with the opportunity of helping to make the twenty-first century the most glorious since the coming of Christ, but on one condition: that we capitalize on the gift He is giving us in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
There are three aspects of this subject as follows:
• Understanding the content or the what of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church.
• Understanding the importance or the why of this Catechism.
• Understanding our obligation to put this gift of God into apostolic use, or
the how of the Catechism.
UNDERSTANDING THE FAITH TAUGHT BY THE CATECHISM
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is not a mere collection of doctrines. It provides the groundwork for understanding what we Catholics believe. On this level, the Catechism is unique.
The Holy Spirit guiding the Church knows that the modern world is the most academically sophisticated in history. In America alone, over five million students go to college every year. We are trained to the hilt in every humanistic subject under the sun. But most Catholics are undereducated in their faith. The result is predictable. By the time they finish even high school, they find themselves in conflict in their own minds. If anything, they are overeducated in science, history, and world literature. At the same time, their minds have been, to say the least, undereducated in knowing the religion they profess. What happens? They abandon their Catholic faith as a remnant of childhood.
The Catechism provides the beginning of what should be considered the single greatest Catholic need in the world today, namely, to understand what we believe.
Recall the sower parable of Our Lord as narrated by St. Matthew. The sower in the parable sows all good seed, but on four different kinds of ground. Only the last soil produces any yield. It is especially the first fruitless soil that applies to these reflections.
In the words of Christ, as the sower sowed the seed, “some seeds fell on the edge of the path; and the birds came and ate them up.”
When the disciples asked Jesus to explain the parable, He told them, “When anyone hears the words of the Kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart. This is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path” (Matthew 13:10, 18-19).
This is both simple and tragic. The seed of God’s revealed truth has been sown into our hearts at Baptism. But that was only the beginning. We must do everything in our power to grasp the meaning of what we believe. Otherwise the devil will come along and steal the faith from our hearts.
There has never been a substitute for understanding our Christian religion. There is no substitute today. But now, this understanding is absolutely imperative. The world in which we live is hell-bent on stealing from our hearts what we believe.
That is why the Catechism of the Catholic Church is such a providential Godsend. It provides the believing Catholic not only with information about what to believe. It also gives us an explanation of the meaning of what we believe.
Of course, the Catechism is only a start. But it promises to be a powerful initiative for waking up a sleeping Catholic world to the duty we have, to know:
• What we are to believe on the revealed word of God
• What the faith we profess is all about
• That Christianity is the most credible religion in the world and, within
Christianity, that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the truth
• That, as a result, we Catholics have a grave responsibility for educating a
world that is wandering in darkness and the shadow of death.
Maybe if you lived in Stockton with its record-breaking number of gun deaths last year, you would see this as a pro-life issue.
I’m too stupid to follow what this post was supposed to be about, but let me just say that when a post includes support for both “Smith & Wesson” and the “catholic” church, I shriek away in horror at the absurd anachronistic confluence.
“I’m too stupid to follow what this post was supposed to be about, but let me just say that when a post includes support for both “Smith & Wesson” and the “catholic” church, I *shriek* away in horror at the absurd anachronistic confluence.”
YFC, Men do not shriek, that is unless they want to be perceived as delicate and fragile. I don’t believe that you want to be perceived that way but maybe you do. Your honesty about you’re being too stupid has made me have even more compassion for your difficult cross. The reason that you did not understand my post is this:
Matthew 6:24 Douay-Rheims Bible
“No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Maybe if you lived in other parts of the country where guns are used for hunting and self protection and are kept securely you wouldn’t compare them to troubled gang area’s…if they don’t have guns, they usually obtain them illegally anyways! So your point is dead!
PA talks about sin but look at him who advocates homosexual lifestyles….I wouldn’t talk PA if I were you…..stop attacking Skai!
It’s not the gun that sins, it is the man who chooses it to commit sin or not…..people stop making stupid arguments…don’t insult our intelligence! Bring back God into the hearts of the people , that is the true solution but since this government is anti-God…..we can not expect anything better and I can understand why good people don’t trust the government and that is why they prefer to arm themselves….I respect that….especially when criminals are protected more than innocent folks….take a look at the unborn, they are the most unprotected.
If the unborn had guns to protect themselves…there would not be any abortions…..as envisioned in one of my cartoon strips….
I live in that part of the country, abeca, and those kinds of guns are not what is being discussed, except for background checks, which we approve of.
Dana, someone can disagree with Bishop Blaire with his opinions on gun violence but it is unfair to engage in a personal attack on him because of this. If he had committed a terrible sin it would be one thing to condemn the sin but it is not proper to attack someone because of a difference of opinion. One should show proper respect to the bishop in this matter.
Well, that’s true ‘Mark’. I will definitely be praying for Bishop Blair tonight! And Catherine, that is absolutely brilliant what you wrote about the catechism and we all should be reading our catechisms more faithfully. I use it for reference but it’s so beautifully written, it can be read from cover to cover. My doctor reads his copy that way. He built his new office next door to planned parenthood and had a beautiful statue of Our Lady w/Baby Jesus placed in a memorial garden that he and his family tend faithfully. There are benches placed there for his patients to sit and enjoy the peace and it stands as a testimony to all those who go to the pp clinic. Thanks for your faithfulness Catherine because you bring a much needed seriousness as to the urgency of what is taking place all about us! It’s no time to be constantly sniping at our bishops as I did earlier, but we must pray for them and one another. That was reeeeeeeeeeeeeally hard to write, but I meant it from the heart!
PA I wonder if Bishop Blaire has done anything scandalous before this article? I don’t recall but I wonder what has he done to bring forth such strong comments. I disagree with his comments on guns but I wonder if there is more to this bishop that others may know that I don’t…maybe that could explain their reaction? Who knows….sorry that you took Skai’s comments so harshly….it’s fair
Mark from PA—don’t tell me that there are not reasons to dislike that into which the “catholic church” has morphed. Bishops including the bishop of Rome must be judged by how they carry out their misson of saving souls– by being bishops and not by being political hacks and protecting their immoral cohorts. They accomplish this only by doing that which is in the job description of their respective offices–namely (1)recieve,(2)teach,(3)defend,and (4)transmit–the Catholic Faith as given to the Apostles by our Lord and Savior. There have beeen errant bishops throughout history, but now we suffer from a bumper crop of them . The ignorante will reply to these principles something like–“You have to respect da office.” Well, it is precisely because of the high esteem I have for the Office that I condemn those who debase that office.
You are deceived if you think you are supposed to judge the bishops. In order to do that, you would have to know their every thought and the movement of their hearts. Even if God gave you the special grace to do that, you would not be permitted to, because God alone is their judge.
I am decieved??? By your standard anything bishops say or do is above criticism and beyond reproach! Did not St.Paul reprimand St. Peter when the latter(Peter) was in error? Are we to overlook the foul Popes– some of whom usurped the papacy by foul means? Is Pope Alexander Vl to be praised by our silence? And of late–how about the bishops and cardinals who face criminal charges for paedophile coverup? Should we remain silent? And the cardinal archbishop of Boston who recently buried Ted Kennedy, the poster boy for abortion and same sex mariage with all the pomp that would be afforded and outstanding Catholic? Was that OK in your opinion? Now I have no “special grace” that allows me to judge bishops. But ALL Catholics are called, indeed obligated, to defend the faith and oppose error,irrespective of the errant one.
Anonymous—when a church expects or demands silence of its members when its leaders are in error,and known to be in error ,it is time to leave that church. To the contrary, the Catholic Church in its dogma defends those who are in error. Lamentably,the modern church reiterates this principle, but fails miserably in enforcing it.
Anony see Tom seems to know the faith a tad bit more than you do…..I wonder who is the one who is looking ignorant now? HMMM
tom there is no talking sense into PA…we have all tried….he preaches but if you honor God’s natural law…he thinks you are hateful.
PA there are many bishops with a strong dislike for the Catholic Church or haven’t you figured that out yet….
Oh No PA says its a “bigoted rant” that means it must be… the gay thought police are on patrol….
I think Skai’s comment of 2:58 was totally right on. Thanks, Skai, for your excellent comment. Keep ’em coming!!!
Laurette Elsberry I agree! Right on SKAI!
Funny how those who worry about tyrannical government, seem to think it would be wise to enable that same power-grabbing government to teach us about God in schools.
Do you really think they won’t warp religious doctrine in order to grab more power? Then where will we be?
Thank you Editor for not censoring Skai…I understand what he meant with his comments and they make sense….he was not insulting women….so I’m not worried….
When Blaire was first made a bishop, there were plenty of stories about him right here on this Site. How about reprinting some of those stories Editor?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Is Bp. Blaire just being a megaphone for demonratic party talking points and for Obama’s mealy-mouthedness or what? Only the low-information dummies who managed to get Obama re-elected could fall for the mantra Bp. Blaire disseminates that a culture of life can be built around making sure that “background checks” for gun owners be the way for insuring a “culture of life.” Is he oblivious to what goes on day in and day out in the U.S.? Like the butchering of approximately 3,000 babies a day in the wombs of expectant mothers? Is this not the REAL block to the “culture of life” which he claims to be so concerned about? And how come he doesn’t mention it in this press release? It appears to me that Bp. Blaire is so besotted by the left’s noxious aura of falsehood and distortion re the drive to eliminate “gun violence” that he’s prone to fall in line to serve their narrative no matter how unreal it is. Too bad he doesn’t act more like a successor to the apostles, and preach in season and out the necessity to recognize the most weak and vulnerable among us, the unborn preborn, instead of haranguing the faithful with leftist nostrums. GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE
Placing more stringent guidelines around gun ownership and use actually creates a culture of death…can you say Chicago…gun-free zones…leftist tyranny — It is the 2nd Amendment that supports a culture of life…enabling us to defend life and liberty from the forces of evil…and useful idiots ;)
really?
Regulating arms, as the constitution itself envisions, “creates a culture of death”. Can you PLEASE provide any possible support for this conclusion?
“s.Peter”, God trusts His creation, and man is made in the image and likeness of God (to which image and likeness man is returning through Jesus Christ), and therefore man is learning how to trust in his own creations. Man created guns. Libtards cannot trust themselves, and so why should there be any wonderment that they cannot trust what man makes, such as guns? The real issue with these numbskulls, however, is not their specious arguments, but the fact that their deepest intent is to destroy creation and God … they are, unwittingly or otherwise, the slaves of the devil. Just like their brethren in the ancient town of Sodom, they would if they could molest and defile the angels of God in their lust to overpower God. The vanity of such as this poster irreverently and deceitfully calling itself “St Peter” is perhaps even an example of those whose hearts have so hardened that they will never see the light of day again.
I see 8 things in this that offend God.
“Regulating arms” is not in the Constitution! It’s also not in the teachings of the Catholic Church!
try the second amendment and the interstate commerce clause. you might find out that regulating arms is in the constitution.
Wrong again YFC,,,,
Fred you are right correct!
In order for Bishops to even try to make sense about gun laws – they MUST:
1) Review the US Constitution and all the States Constitutions so that they will not advocate breaking the law.
2) Make certain that ALL existing laws in the USA and States are currently being enforced (which they are not), prior to advocating additional laws.
3) Make certain that they do not allow the Federal Government to register gun owners so that potential dictators will be able to confiscate guns and make self defense impossible – except for those who support their regime.
4) Review the confiscation of guns and the genocide of millions perpetrated by governments over the last 100 years. (See the Genocide Chart by JPFO which includes the years 1915 through 1994; and read the book “Death by Gun Control”. )
5) Find out why the US Dept of Homeland Security and the IRS is currently purchasing enough hollow point bullets – hundreds of millions of rounds – to kill every man, woman and child in the USA. (Hollow points may not be used by any Military since they do too much damage to the human body.)
_____________________
Bishops and their Conferences need to teach the Faith according to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”.
There is no Church teaching on gun control, gun confiscation, or gun registration in the CCC, but there are paragraphs on legitimate self defense.
Blaire and many others in the USA do not even encourage their Priests, Nuns and Laity to read the CCC.
The Bishops lousy catechesis over the past 50 years, plus their refusal to enforce Canon 915, Canon 1399, and 1 Cor 5:11-13, has lead to the problems of secularism and relativism in today’s society as well as the ignoring of the “culture of life”.
So now they are trying to change society through governmental laws – which violates the Church teaching of subsidiarity. This will never work, since it will not change hearts and criminals will never adhere to laws.
Bishops do your own job, teach the Faith according to the CCC, and stop the SCANDALS within the Church by enforcing Canon 915 and 1399.
Objects do not commit sin. People commit sin.
Bishops stay out of politics – that is the job of the Laity.
Sam, Your points 3, 4, and 5 are downright scary. We need to pray, pray, pray. Only God can save us from this!
If we were to donate to the JPFO (Jews for the Preservation of Firearms) we would know where our money is going. If we donate money to the USCCB or Bishop’s California Catholic Conference we never know where our money is going, and what we are being forced to financially support.
This brings in the question of “FORCED” donations to the USCCB and Bishops’ California Catholic Conference. Bishops are forcing the giving of money through ASSESSMENTS on ALL Parishes (Diocese) to support their own political views.
This is in direct violation of Church teaching about respecting the political freedom and responsibility of the citizen (CCC 2245).
No doubt there will be a fee to register the gun. This is just another tax and feel good legislation. Lawful gun owners do not commit crimes. Newtown was an extreme case of a mentally disturbed young man lost in his psychotic dreams. This kind of gun control will not prevent that situation. How many people drive without licenses or insurance? If your intention is to break the law no law will stop you. Inner city crime will not stop with this bill. Tough enforcement of current laws will get criminals off the streets. Yet, no politician is calling for that, because the prisons are filled with young Black and Hispanic men. To many these laws a racist and unfair to minorities. Politicians and social servants rather have the inner cities rot from drugs and gun violence than really serve the poor by protecting them and preaching to them.
It’s too bad the bishop didn’t do his homework. There was federal gun control in the US from 1994 to 2004. Once the law sun-setted, the US Department of Justice formally concluded that it had no positive impact on gun-related crime.
We have had gun control here in CA since 1989. It too has not made a difference in the gun-related violence we see here in CA. Perhaps the bishop is merely ignorant or perhaps he has an agenda? Either way he should focus on those things he can directly influence, like the strength of families within his own diocese.
Here, here! Good post, R.B.!
haha. I meant Hear, hear!
Everyone who reads this article and knows his/her Faith should pass along the info about reading the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”.
It TRUTHFULLY tells us what the Church teaches and what we are required to adhere to, not the political whim of some Bishops and their staff who seem to make up the Faith as they go along.
Bishops’ conferences whether USCCB or State level is NOT the Magisterium and they have zero authority to dictate their views of the Faith (as someone said, it is too bad they make us all pay for their personal politics through diocese/parish assessments).
When they deviate from anything within the Catechism, they only make themselves less relevant to all, or used by their favorite political party, and cause confusion.
If I were a politician, I would ask the Bishop to “SHOW me where it is in the Catechism by paragraph number”. Many people would be surprised that what many of these Bishops profess is pure baloney.
The Federal Government and the State of CA would not be in such serious debt if the Bishops promoted the Faith per the Catechism – Commutative Justice (CCC 2411) – paying debts, etc.
For quotes from our Popes and more info on the CATECHISM on the net search:
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”.
Pass it on.
:)
MIKE thank you so much…you expressed exactly the common sense I feel about this topic. This bishop is a disappointment to me…he has let the faithful down with his comments of division…this is not a salvation issue and he should stay out of it! I want him to speak up against the horrors of abortion, the sinfulness of embracing homosexual lifestyles…you know the important topics that help us reach sanctifying grace by turning away from those sins.
Bp. Blaire should stay out of this…..if he is ignorant about this important topic and is working against the faithful…can you imagine how faulty he may be in feeding Christ’s sheep.
Abeca Christian, Bishop Blaire is not ignorant and being pro-life is not working against the faithful. Did you read what he said about the call of Pope Francis to “change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace”. Bishop Blaire is doing his job here and some of the comments about him here are truly horrible and unChristian.
Mark from PA,
The right to self protection against unjust aggressors is in the Catechism. None of Bishop Blaire’s statements or references are contained in the CCC.
He (or other Bishops) has no authority to make up their own religion and foist in on the rest of us.
Blaire and the USCCB is NOT the Magisterium.
When people can not protect themselves, unjust governments commit genocide – hundreds of millions of people have been murdered by their own governments in the 20th century.
Please research the net and tell us why in the past year, the US Dept of Homeland Security and the IRS have purchased more than 300 million hollow point bullets – enough to kill every man, woman and child in the US.
The US Military does not use hollow points because of the devastation on the human body. When is the Bishop going to speak about these internal government agencies arming themselves?
(If there was an insurrection, the US Military would be involved – not internal government agencies such as Homeland and the IRS.)
PA I hear you…I too believe in love….but I think you have a different definition of love than I was taught from scriptures and from our Lord…..from what I gather…. well to give you peace….I respect that you felt offended by some of the harsh comments…I must admit there were a few that I thought were more than just expressing their own feelings but they were harsh…. well I think I am leaving this thread….I’ve already expressed my sentiments on gun control.
I do understand that many of the faithful felt let down by the comments of this Bishop too…and I don’t fault them especially when there are more important issues that affect salvation issues and this topic is not one of them…..enough said.. Nighty night….God bless you all. Stay close to Christ!
Well , thanks for that. Abeca Christian. God bless you too. Peace and blessings.
Which of his positions do you disagree with? Background checks, federal laws against gun trafficking, banning assault weapons, limiting civilian access to high capacity ammunition magazines, or not legislating minimum mandatory sentences?
Noho – the Obama Administration is the worst offender of ILLEGAL gun trafficking – let us not forget – “OPERATION FAST and FURIOUS”.
So of course murder has already been outlawed, but there are still some who choose to commit it just the same, and some of those murders are committed using guns. Of course drunk driving has already been outlawed, but there are still many who choose to drive drunk just the same, and some of those driving drunk murder people during the act. So it sounds to me as if Bishop Blair should advocate banning both guns and cars. Should I keep going down the list? I mean why stop there? Creating Utopia on Earth is serious business!!!!!
Stay out of this dear Bishop Blaire worry about the loss of faith and empty seminaries and convents, closed churches, closed schools, since Vatican II. Stop sounding like the Democrat party and their attempt to take away our right to bear arms, just like Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, and Mao did!!!!
Awesome comments JANET!
I agree Abeca. Bishop Blaire can not be trusted to accurately teach and promote our Faith. He has proven this by his own public statements and actions.
Therefore people must teach themselves by reading the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition’. – This is something Blaire purposely does NOT publically promote.
“….the Catechism has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC page xiv)
By his own statement, Blaire does not support punishment of criminals.
As someone said – People commit sin, objects do not. Being charitable perhaps we could say that Blaire has a mental problem.
Clergy are not immune from mental or spiritual or physical illness.
Clergy are not immune from the mortal sins of pride, envy, or sloth.
When religious DEVIATE from:
1) the Bible,
2) the Catechism,
3) Code of Canon Law, or
4) GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal),
they can be ignored, but should be reported to the US Papal Nuncio and the Vatican – so they will not teach falsehoods and commit the mortal sin of Scandal.
Sandra, do you know Bishop Blaine personally. Are you a doctor that you can judge him this way. I can’t believe the horrible things people are saying about this bishop. You may love your guns but don’t hate the bishop.
PA the more you comment, the more I wonder about your intelligence. No pun intended but geeze. This is not about loving our guns more….please stop with those false notions…also to accuse Sandra of hating this Bishop…wow you really need to re-examine your comments. But what can I expect from someone who is defiant against God’s natural law and His commandments especially on the topic of homosexuality. can’t expect you to get it.
Mark from PA, Here is Sandra’s quote, “Bishop Blaire can not be trusted to accurately teach and promote our Faith. He has proven this by his own public statements and actions.”
How do you interpret this as Sandra “hating” the Bishop? To use your own words, “Are you a doctor that you can judge her that way?
How do you know that she is not following Jesus’ command to not follow false teachers? How do you know that she is not following Jesus’ command to “pray for your enemies”?
Mark, please stop judging people as being haters for speaking truths that don’t appeal to you when you have no basis in it.
Tracy, at this point we all no about PA and his pathetic word games, this is something the secular left/homo-sex left have perfected. Now I admit I am a hater, and proudly state that, I hate the constant assault on the Truth by the like of people like PA…
Sandra, I would not say that Bishop Blaire does not support the punishment of criminals. This is an inference. Tracy, Sandra said, “Being charitable perhaps we could say that Blair has a mental problem.” That is not being charitable, that is calumny. Bishop Blair is not a “false teacher” he is a Catholic bishop. She probably doesn’t know Bishop Blair and so she probably does not hate him. She just does not agree with his views about gun violence. However, her personal comments about this bishop are hateful and uncalled for. Saying that a bishop has a mental problem is not speaking a truth that doesn’t appeal to me it is a personal attack on the bishop.
Mark from PA – you can NOT PROVE anything you have written about Bishop Blaire.
Please write the names of the articles you wish us to search on the internet along with the dates, and the name of the publisher.
These comments about Bishop Blaire have been based upon his own published words.
In addition, Bishops are not immune from sin, or physical, or mental health issues. If you believe they are, tell us where we can find this in Church teaching.
I think we all need to ask you to start proving your statements by providing official Documentation.
PETE. you must have confused me with someone else. I have not printed any slander against Bishop Blaire. I am protesting the slanders that others are writing about him. I don’t understand why some posters are trying to fan the flames of hatred against him. He is a faithful bishop of the Catholic Church.
Tracy and Sandra you are both right…it’s hard to trust a man who is suppose to Sheppard God’s people, especially when his judgement call comes off hollow….
Sandra I am sorry that PA just judged you wrongly…you said nothing wrong and your words are truly faithful! Thank you for not misleading me. Tracy God bless you for pointing out the good in her comments and exposing PA for his anonymity against those who quote true teachings from also the CCC.
See National Catholic Register story: Pope Francis:”Where Calumny is, There is the Devil.
All attacks on clergy are inspired by Satan. You can disagree with the bishop on these issues but the comments here don’t disagree (some exceptions) they just attack.
Bishop Blaire has not deviated from any Catholic teaching. Those who want to deny him a voice on the issue because they are not satisfied with something else he has done are simply trying to silence a person who they disagree with. There is nothing in Church teaching that says a bishop cannot make input on an issue that is causing innocents to die. In fact they have a moral right to do so. A bishop that would stand up for guns or any worldly possession over human life would be wrong.
Mark from PA, insults are a hook. It is part of why this website is so addictive. (Also, why nasty political ads work and why insulting celebrities make millions of dollars.) It is up to each individual to decide how to respond to the insult. The first and best way is to be kind. Some people honestly do not know how to express themselves without insults and may be unaware that they are insulting you or someone you care about. Sometimes people deliver reasonable concepts in an unreasonable manner and, if you can overlook the wrapping, the gift is acceptable. Sometimes people are harsh in an attempt to change another person, to let them know the gravity of a wrong they have committed. If the person becomes more insulting, then it might be that they are aggressive and have interpreted your kindness as weakness. You do not, of course, have to accept or believe an insult. People who use insult to manipulate may assume that another person is doing the same thing. When it is viewed as a competition, it can become almost compulsive. It can be a quest for power and when it does not work, the insulter can become despondant. A true manipulator will switch to another tactic. God love you. Thank you for standing up for the Lord’s elect.
Thank you, Anonymous, I am glad that you understand me here.
It seems PA that Anon is just another dissenter promoting the homo-sex agenda…just like you
I dissent from nothing taught by the Catholic Church-Scripture, Tradition or Magisterium. Why do some people always go to “you are gay or a gay supporter” when they disagree with someone? Maybe it’s their idea of the worst thing that can be said about someone? Maybe they are the same poster using various identities?
Anonymous speak for your self…if you feel addicted perhaps it’s time to take a break…..just saying…
“I dissent from nothing taught by the Catholic Church-Scripture, Tradition or Magisterium.” = Baloney! The truth IS ….you DEFEND nothing taught by the Catholic Church-Scripture, Tradition or Magisterium.
Hiding behind the name “anonymous” = prime example of switching tactics.
No dissent. No tactics. Sorry. Does abeca even know what the expression “just sayin'” means?
Anonymous hahahaha…..now you are hilarious….stop humoring me… now I wonder if tonight you will not sleep, for your will try to read into more of my comments…lets see if you can decode them or over analyze them as usual that is how you go about everything here. where oh where will Anonymous hide this time, on what church teachings will he/she use this time to stomp. Again let me remind you that our faith is not a Cult! Stop using cult tactics……lighten up, the cup is half full not half empty…..
Yes Mark from PA. You can also go to his Diocese web site to see for yourself what Bishop Blaire does promote and does not promote.
The Diocese web sites will tell you what a Bishop believes is most important.
And he does not encourage the reading of the CCC by all literate persons within his Diocese.
Btw – by his own public and published words, Bishop Blaire is supportive of the heretical and schismatic Nuns – LCWR – which Pope Francis and the Vatican have both said are in need for reform.
Blaire was also publically supportive of the pro-abortion, “Nuns on the Bus” who spoke at the Democratic Convention.
Mark from PA, instead of complaining about the TRUTH, you would do better to search and read pertaining information on the internet before you post.
Well, Pete, if Bishop Blaire supports the nuns, I am with him. I was taught by nuns in 12 years of school and am thankful for the faith that they shared with me. Most American Catholics support our American nuns including those nuns in the LCWR. A lot of people were inspired by the nuns on the bus. I don’t really know any “pro-abortion” nuns. The nuns that I know are pro-life and pro-children. I realize that some of the posters here don’t like our religious sisters but I support them.
Bishops standing up for the faith and enforcing Canon 915 against abortionist “Catholics” will build the culture of life.
But we don’t see much of that, do we?
Why is that, Bishop Stockton?
Blaire’s hypocrisy represents exactly what the new Pope excoriated in his Sunday sermon.
There is no dignity in guns…these conservatives have no fear of the Lord…..I don’t think they have come close to loving the Lord……see what I mean, we need to pray for gun owners….they are the poorest of the poor in morals. Just because they own guns, I bet many people forget to pray for them and their conversion…. gun owners put their trust in guns and not in God.
False Peter….your words are no saint! What ignorance and purely false notions of yours…..stop mocking
St. Peter, you do not know your faith. The church has always commanded that we protect ourselves and our families. A gun is only a tool for this. A sword is another tool for this, so is a bow and arrow. Let me ask you this? Do you have a problem with the police carrying guns? If you found yourself in a situation where an evil person was bodily threatening you and your family with or without a gun, wouldn’t you call 911 hoping that the police arrive with their guns to deter this evil person from hurting your family? How would you feel if the police arrived too late and the evil deed had already been done? Wouldn’t you then had wished that you had possession of your own gun to protect your family? Or do you possibly believe in a world were weapons and murderers can be eradicated for good? Actually there is such a world, St. Peter, it is called heaven. By the way, your name sake was ordered by Jesus to carry a sword, which was the weapon of choice in their day.
Where in the Bible did Jesus order Peter to carry a sword? From Luke, 18, 10, “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. … 11, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?” Matthew, 26, 51, “And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52, Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”
Now you want scripture quotes….wow which bible? I know that the gay activist use their own biblical theology to defend their gay activism and have even neglected the teachings on sodomy….
What Happened to common sense and common decency!
Tracy, I’m pretty familiar with my faith.
Now a sword is not a gun and a gun is not a sword. The Ar-15 is legal in America and you can empty a 30-round magazine in seconds.
But, for arguments sake, even if sword and gun were the same, the one time a sword is used by a disciple, Jesus rebukes him: ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.’ (Matt 26:52). A sword, therefore, shouldn’t be used even to save the life of God incarnate, Saviour of the World.
Furthermore, the books of Acts is filled with tales of persecution in which the Christians don’t fight back and accept persecution peacefully despite the easy availability of all sorts of weapons.
The fascination American’s have with guns and gun ownership has very little to do with Catholicism and the faith, and much more to do with America’s Civil religion which puts faith in – among other things – the gun. This faith is backed up by the reverence for a constitutional amendment held so sacred, an outsider might think Americans viewed it less as the legal document it is – and more on par with Holy Scripture.
Heresy!
This scenario is likely one of the objectives of the perverted and corrupt politicians running rampant over the citizens of the USA. Also, if Americans had not developed their gun culture, then there would today be no USA; rather it would be another province of the European socialists. Furthermore, martyrdom is more than simply being a peacenik. Martyrdom is dying in testimony to Jesus Christ; gun grabbing politics has nothing to do with the testimony of Jesus Christ, and people who invite tyrants to kill and oppress them are not martyrs but fools.
amen brother peter amen
St. Peter, you said, “gun owners put their trust in guns and not in God.”
I say that gun abolitionist such as yourself put their trust in government and not in God. And I hope you realize that throughout history to the present day, governments have inflicted more death on people than all the private citizen murderers put together.
With about 30,000 deaths a year in America by gunfire, I would say the private citizens of America are doing their darnedest to catch up to most governments. In two years, American civilians killed more Americans than the Viet-Cong managed to kill in the 9 years of the war in Vietnam.
Actually, more civilian Americans were killed by their neighbours in one year than American were killed in the entire length of the Gulf War, the War in Iraq, the War in Afghanistan, and the War on Terror put together!
Really can’t see how any of this violence reflects the message of Christ, Prince of Peace.
On March 19, gun deaths since the Newtown shooting outnumbered those killed on 9/11.
Anonymous, to allow only the govt to possess firearms would turn this nation into the middle east.
No one suggested that.
Utterly false, dude: the number of firearm related homicides in the USA in 2004 was 11,000. More than three times that was automobile accidents. Gun death numbers are far less than almost all other causes of death. Not only that but guns are used thousands of times per month by people defending themselves from violent attackers. And as others have tried to pound into your head, it is not law abiding citizens who murder people, but thugs who are going to have guns anyway regardless of any gun grabbing methods by the govt. Then, and no doubt you’re hoping for this, the govt may evolve into a tyranny just as they do in countless other nations and periods of history … so, dude, you obstructors of freedom, justice, peace and good neighbors need to simply pack your bags and go to some other nation such as Canada or Australia or Mexico. Just get out; go somewhere that you feel safe, perhaps Saudi Arabia.
St. Peter’s number is low. It is 32,000. It includes accidents and suicides (the majority.) And justifiable homocides-the lowest number.
False Peter Such hypocrisy and how many of those guns have also saved life’s! It’s not the gun you have to worry about, its mankind…not all honor and obey God…you don’t need a gun to kill…with any criminal just about anything can be a weapon to him or her.
Get over your ignorance….when the terrorist come knocking…you better hope that those law abiding citizens with guns live next door to you so they can also protect those who have no guns….
Oh, brother. Sometimes I think some of these posts are pranks. If not, I’m non-plussed, as any thinking person must be!
“s.Peter”, God trusts His creation, and man is made in the image and likeness of God (to which image and likeness man is returning through Jesus Christ), and therefore man is learning how to trust in his own creations. Man created guns. Libtards cannot trust themselves, and so why should there be any wonderment that they cannot trust what man makes, such as guns? The real issue with these numbskulls, however, is not their specious arguments, but the fact that their deepest intent is to destroy creation and God … they are, unwittingly or otherwise, the slaves of the devil. Just like their brethren in the ancient town of Sodom, they would if they could molest and defile the angels of God in their lust to overpower God. The vanity of such as this poster irreverently and deceitfully calling itself “St Peter” is perhaps even an example of those whose hearts have so hardened that they will never see the light of day again.
I’ll have to share the ‘libtard’ label w/my brother, Skai. I just sent him a joke this morning …
A doctor comes into a waiting room full of family members. “I have bad news for you. Your grandfather has had a massive
heart attack. His heart is still beating though, but he’s brain dead.’ A woman cried out, “Oh, no! We’ve never had a liberal in the family before!”
Dana, that’s a good one. I’ll risk telling it to those around me : ))
Skai, is it really possible that from my post you can conclude that I support the molestation of God’s angels? That is a mighty leap of logic. Is this the same leap of logic that led you to call the Anonymous poster below an abortionist and a sodomite because he suggested people read the posted article a little more carefully?
Perhaps, if you true goal is to convince myself and others of either your logic position, or faith, or Charity, or any of these, the best method is not to insult and attack. I’ll grant you, Christ had some harsh words to use: “snakes and vipers,” for instance, and “white washed tombs”… but they were never divorced from a coherent lesson. And even so, these were rare and primarily directed to religious hypocrites.
Perhaps we can all explore and meditate on the open compassion Christ had for all people, whether they be rabbis or prostitutes, Roman Soldiers or Jewish Pharisees.
Dude, the giant leap is not giant at all. You who homey up with perverts all fall into the same boat as the ancient residents of Sodom … you are orchestrated by “the devil, who is your father” (Jesus) and aimed at the destruction of God. You need to find out what Catholicism teaches, and who the enemies are.
Dude, my “true” goal is not primarily to convince you of anything but to defend the truth.
Dude, you presume that I and others have never meditated on Christ, that we are reactionaries of some kind. Wrong you are. We are telling you to do what you advocate others doing. Compassion is saving souls from Hell … not indulging them in sin.
Skai, are you claiming that your posts – the very same one’s in which you call people stupid, perverts, sodomites, and such, are actually compassionate posts that save soul’s from hell?
I’ve always been under the impression that Catholicism taught that Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection had something to do with salvation – not your posts. I stand corrected.
Dude, my answer is “yes”, it is compassion to get a sinner’s attention and then deliver the admonishment. BTW, the Popes have been calling bishops to do this, and so many do not do it, that the Popes are calling their ranks infested with “filth”, “bishops must become holy”, “bishops must practice what they preach”. But soothsaying bishops and their groupies want everyone to shut up … to hell with that garbage. Get holy or get hosed. Your choice.
Those who do not own guns put their trust in the Obama Administration, and other Governments.
The bishop is as wrong as Obama and the rest of the Democratic Party on thi issue. What is happening is simple, making law-abiding people the scapegoat for the fact that they refuse to address the real problem that exists. It’s easier to pass a law than to enforce the ones already enacted. They want to regulate me, when I am not part of the problem. I own a few guns, and none of them has ever been used for any kind of violence, nor have they committed violent acts on their own. If they have problems with criminals, why are they going after the law-abiding ? That’s what they’re doing. Many of today’s legislators, if they vote for gun control instead of addressing criminals and dealing with them, will certainly find themselves out of a job, and deservedly so !!!
Yeah right…anything you say buddha…LOL!
Wait till the enemy comes knocking on your door and you have a family and nothing to protect your family with….this happened to a family in Mexico….the Mafia came (they have guns but the citizens don’t), lined them up against the wall of their living room and shot them all…even their children. Right before they were murdered, the father tried fighting them but they beat him up so badly.. his son resisted too…so they made them both watch as they shot each and every member including the little children. Only one survived the shooting. This was a good family but their teen son got involved with the mafia and the family didn’t know….their teen son must have done something to piss the mafia off and the whole family had to pay for it….this was a big family and with conservative Catholic values, with even grandparents living in their small home.
Abeca Christian, this is a very sobering and sad story. I’m afraid it is not an isolated case either in Mexico nor in other parts of the world where citizens are banned by their government from owning guns. Most of the threat actually comes from peoples governments themselves.
That is true Tracy….if this government ever takes our rights away….I would pray that many good people would resist them just like they did during the Cristeros in Mexico. I wonder if our own government is trying to make changes because it is becoming more like a socialist country and probably want to gain more control over it’s people, so they would take guns away to avoid them as being a threat to them.
The right to bear arms is an important part of our freedom….in case a government gets out of control, we can protect ourselves as well especially if they are coming into our homes trying to indoctrinate immorally our children and tell us how to live. I don’t own a gun but I do not want that freedom taken away from good people!
My brother was pointing out that around here the police are carrying machine guns (he used the real term but I am not conversant in gun jargon) in their cars and a number of people have been shot like a hundred times in the back for routine infractions like running from the law (and they were unarmed) I don’t know if you’ve read about these cases but apparently they’re getting out of hand. The sherrif offices in many states have said they will not carry out any laws that contradict the second ammendment and they’ve been facing a number of challenges lately I’ve noticed…like their budgets have been cut back around here. Have you noticed anything going on ?
Abeca, your story is very believable and sad. It happens in this country as well only its our government banging down the door, guns blazing. It’s done by the ATF and they’ve been known to destroy a house and kill people and it was the WRONG house. These sorts of sordid activities used to be exposed by real journalists and a strong free press on shows like 60 Minutes and 2020. Now they’ve become soft news shows. We no longer have a free press. We have a voice of the government. This Kermit Gosnell fiasco is waking people up to the fact that the press hasn’t been reporting on many important news events or political corruption for years!
Dana glad you brought up the ATF…remember the Elián González affair….it was them that forced took the child from his family and handed him over to Cuba. That was a horrible thing. The boy was terrified, the family did everything to try to keep him here since his own mum drowned trying to get him to be free from Cuba and it’s communist enslavement. It was handled wrong and the boy was horrified when men came in with guns…really that family was not threatening…they had the right to keep him here, a free country and the actions of his own mum showed that it what she wanted for her son that she lost her life doing so.
That is when government went too far and that poor family couldn’t protect themselves nor their nephew from that. Yes those ugly things do happen in this country too.
This scenario is likely one of the objectives of the perverted and corrupt politicians running rampant over the citizens of the USA.
Yes Skai and let us not forget the Elian Gonzalex affair.
I recommend you to get a copy of The Wonders of the Holy Name by Father Paul O’Sullivan.
An Introduction to the Devout Life
By: St. Francis de Sales Tan Books has this book…I highly recommend this book!
Yes! It is great!
Good point Abecca…I was over in Rome, Naples and Sicily…while in Naples, I witnessed a car get blown up, with a passenger inside, while drinking espresso and enjoying a canoli at a cafe’…it was the dreaded handiwork of the “Camorra”…a Neoploitan version of La Cosa Nostra or…the Mafia…which has it’s origins in Sicily..
Wow that is scary Jean….
Jean, I once was driving two hundred yards behind a diesel tractor without its trailers on the freeway. Its fuel tank exploded, sending the cab over twenty feet into the air and landing on its top, upside down. I had to weave through the massive pieces of metal strewn all over the freeway. The only car between us was a jeep cherokee loaded with illegal Guatamalans and a middle aged Irish nun in “medium” habit. It flipped and landed on the shoulder on its side. They all crawled out ok except for one young man who was bleeding out his ears … I had them prop him up and diverted the arriving chp woman officer to make sure to call him an ambulance also. I drove back by there an hour or so later and could sense the presense of death … I suspect it was the truck driver though. I had been playing a tape of many singers singing the Ave Maria … it was an eerie event. So, you don’t have to go looking for danger, Jean, for it is already crouching just out of the daylight, waiting to spring.
Coincidentally, I have hunted lion in Mozambique, killing 2…killed one for sport, and another that was a known man-killer, just outside of Limpopo National park…when I dressed the cat, it weighed in at just over 450 lbs….it was a beautiful specimen, gorgeous tawny mane and a gorgeous “yellow” coat, with horny tail tuft…hated having to kill it, but it was man-killer and had taken the lives of 2 people. I had it stuffed…
Jean, I was raised to kill rattlesnakes on sight, and I’ve done that. However, a few years ago friends and family prevailed on me that there is no point to it unless they are a danger such as around the house. So, now I leave them alone when I run into them. Sometimes I study them for a while. Those snakes are perfect predators, and interesting to observe. The muzzle on one of my shotguns is missing some of the parkerization due to a rattler’s venom which exploded when it could not move its head away fast enough. Friends sometimes pick them up and play with them, but have come to look at the odds and now use sticks for this purpose.
Abeca Christian, truly a horrifying story, and I Idon’t doubt it for a moment; I read of many incidents like this a long time ago, but they were stories from Eastern Europe, Russia, etc., and took place AFTER the communists subjugated the various countries that they’d been infiltrating after WW II, behind the then Iron Curtain. Sort of what we’re going through now under our glorious abortionist-in-chief, Obama. Think history doesn’t repeat itself? It ALWAYS does,not in it’s details, but in the SPECIFICS that always pop up after some particularly egregious action by top-down government jn action. Case in point: while campaigning for the presidency, and during a campaign stop in Colorado, dear now-glorious leader Obama casually dropped to the assembled sheeple in attendance that he was mulling over forming a SECRET ARMY with parallel firepower equivalent to the U.S. ARMY!! HUH? This announcement was picked up pretty much ONLY by the alternate conservative media, NOT by the LSM. Obama has yet to EXPLAIN what he meant and the lapdog media will NEVER bring it up. This is ONE SCARY QUASI-DICTATOR, would’nt you agree? Sure seems to me that the sooner this cretin is IMPEACHED, the better we’all be, especially the weak and helpless unborn. But then the thought occurs, “maybe it’s already too late”, for Obama’s revolution “passed in the night, singing songs to freedom”. (American philosopher Garet Garrett). A shuddery thought, eh? God help us all, MARKRITE
Markrite what people are so ignorant about is that when these laws were placed, to protect law abiding citizens to own guns, they forgot that it was also based upon back then, when most people feared the Lord. Many who owned guns and still till today are good Christians. Today the people doing all the shootings are products of the liberal immorality that has been protected by the very liberals. They took God, the Bible out of schools, they support lazy people, they censor churches on many things by threatening to take away their tax exempt status etc. Also mental health issues are not being addressed correctly, they are instead making laws that give more benefits to perverse lifestyles but they make it hard to get real mental health that many do need it. The list goes on..
I don’t own a gun but I respect the right for others of what it was intended for and to…to have that right. We have a history behind that reasoning….when you have people who are from another country, they don’t get it especially if they lack patriotism and understanding of those core Christian values. It’s truly ignorance that many have against guns and if we trust God, why even fear it. I believe that it’s important for women, and children to be taught on responsible gun usage and ownership should they decide…of course not children, they are too young to own guns but it’s good to teach them not to fear the gun but to understand what man is capable of and to teach them as well how to defend themselves. One never knows when we may be forced to protect our family. I pray that I never run into such a scenario but I would hope we would be prepared and not allow fear to dominate us. Fear may come to us but we must act in a way in which our Lord helps us face those fears.
Abeca, I checked, and you can get yourself a pink camo AR-15, and using the standard .223 ammo the kick ain’t gonna be a problem for anybody.
Skai you are cool. What can I say….. : )
Here we go again with the Manichean Heresy. They claim that all visible created things come from the devil. In other words, inanimate objects like guns. Against these heretics, St. Augustine gives this illustration. If a certain man entered the shop of a carpenter and found tools which, if he should fall against them, would seriously wound him. Now if he would consider the carpenter a bad workman because he made and used such tools, it would be stupid indeed. In the same way it is absurd to say that created things evil because they may be harmful; because what is harnful to one may be useful to another. This error is contrary to the faith of the Church. Should we follow what Bishop Blair says or what Saint Augustine said? I’ll take a Saint over a Bishop every time. Obviously, old heresies never die!
Perhaps the gun-control people should start paying Blaire’s monthly stipend instead of the church faithful?
“Tighter gun laws will help build culture of life” is mumbo jumbo at its finest. A bleeding heart liberal’s naive understanding to keep the power from “We the People” and give it to a few elitiests in the government. Let gun confiscation happen and wait a few years, before long the authoritarians masquerading as progressives and liberals, pro-deathers and gays today, would turn this nation into a Communist nation run by the Democommunist Party, and “We the People” without weapons would be helpless to protect our freedoms as our nation’s founders had intended, that is to say, we would be left without a leg to defend ourselves from the Democommunists authoritarian rule just like the billions in the Peoples Republic of China and other communist and socialist nations on the globe today. Out to deceive “We the People” in taking away our guns on account of innocent lives being taken, there is one fact these deceivers don’t point out, that many more innocent people in our degrading country are being legally murdered daily on the order of 1 million per year, that those killed illegally with guns. So why don’t these bleeding heart liberals, progressives, and Democommunists declare war on abortion and abolish it? See the hypocrisy in all of it? Its not the safety of our citizens that they are concerned about, it truly is their absolute control of a defenseless “We the People”. The liberals, progressives, and Democommunists elite, want the power to control the rest of us. Pray the rosary, it is perhaps our last form seeking Holy Mother Mary and Her Son’s protection.
I am afraid the Bishop has no common sense or knowledge about the real world or the Church for that matter based on his philosophy.
I wish the bishops would stat away from the gun control issue. It does not concern their mission. Bishops and politics have never mixed the the gun control issue is nothing more than absolute politics.
A friend of mine was charged by a Gaur in India, many years ago. He was hunting in a heavily wooded area just north of the port city of Tuticorin. He successfully killed this magnificent specimen at almost zero range…the Gaur was injured and he followed it into a densely forested area, that was known to harbor more then it’s fair share of deadly leopards…the round he killed the bull with, was placed expertly… just below the orbit of the animals right eye. It weighed approximately 1500 pounds, and had a reputation as a menace to bee-keepers in the local community. It had charged and killed as many as 4 people, before it was dispatched. People often talk about the inherent danger in hunting the dreaded Cape Buffalo ( Syncerus caffer), one of the “big 5″… I can assure you, M’bogo ain’t got nothin’ on the Gaur…the largest wild cattle in the world…
Jean, why contribute to the decimation of wild animals? Don’t you think it would take more courage to go in and study them without disrupting their lives? This sort of sport coupled with the expanding populations is moving some great animals towards extinction. When I was a kid, each year we’d drive up the center of California and Dad would point out the herds of grazing pronghorn. Today there are no such herds, and their rarity in Californis is such that the legal annual take is one pronghorn, and the tag is auctioned off for several thousand dollars. I found a century old photo of a stack of quail as big as a country store … in the same area today not many people even bother to hunt them, since it is no longer a “turkey shoot”, but requires a lot of time and effort in return for only a few quail bagged. Projecting these facts into the larger world, the gravity of going after big cats needs a lot of soul searching. Snow leopards are headed for extinction as are big tigers. Poachers take them for their body parts for magic rituals. Tigers take poachers for their meat, and in this case I side with the tigers. If you seek dangerous game, you do not have to travel to Africa for Cape Buffalo, as you can find wild boar in Calif, Texas, the southeast USA and other places. A neighbor’s friend spent months in hospital when his medium caliber bullet hit the pig between the eyes and simply rounded its skull. The pig’s tusks sliced up the man’s leg cutting his femoral artery; his friends got to him in time to kill the pig and stop the bleeding … minutes ahead of his impending death. Or why not simply take wild hog with a knife, where you jump on its back and cut its throat, hopefully before its razor tusks cut you? Besides wild hog, if feeding on the right things such as acorns, will be a blessing to those who attend your big barbee. Jean, these wild hogs have become pests to farm crops in many areas and it is increasingly so … Thus, with hog hunting you can kill two birds with one stone … a lethally dangerous animal and great table fare.
Make that one pronghorn per year for the entire state of California; and let me add about the pig hunting, that some hunters use three or four breeds of dogs specially bred to take and hold the pig down by tail, hind legs, forelegs and ears … These breeds include pit bulls, Argentine dogos, blue tick hounds, red bone hounds and probably others. Each breed specializes in one “supernumerary” of the pig. These pigs can reach a thousand pounds and with razor sharp tusks over six inches long. One of the classic types of hunts in ancient times was the boar hunt, using spears, and not a minor poetic theme was the death of the principal hunter, often the young nobleman striving to develop his manhood.
The Church should support holding those who commit crimes accountable for their crimes……you know, just like penance? There is a gun culture because of the violence in the American home, including Catholic homes, that teaches youngsters that violence is OK. Parents beat up their children, then say God is on their side. I don’t wonder why our prisons are full, just look at the violent parenting these criminals suffered at home and then extended into their adult lives. The church should support the victims of crime, too…….how come it’s always a candlelight vigil for the criminals and never the victims of crime?
Guns protect the innocent from crime. Criminals always want to break into homes that are “gun free zones”. Gee, I wonder why?
Like I have said, banning guns will not stop mass murders, to wit, the Boston Marathon bombing, with several dead, maybe two dozen on the critical list, two dozen or so with at least one leg blown off, close to two hundred injuries. The philosophy behind the gun grabbers is the rooted in the false idea that the material world is evil and that man is depraved … This demented idea holds sway not only among Calvinists and Lutherans, but among many power people in other religions: It is fueling their insane concept that disarming good citizens will keep bad citizens from killing people … but, hey, they do not believe that there are good citizens, but only manageable herds of people who would be savage if there were not some over powering police presense. And these bishops who have bought into this utterly deranged and demonic theology need to “get the hell outta Dodge”, ie step down and leave Catholicism to actual Catholics instead of their own faux version of Catholicism.
No one is trying to ban guns. No one is disarming good citizens. Did you not read the article?
Anony isn’t the government trying to make it tougher to own a gun? But I don’t get it…how come the bad guys still have them…I heard they have easy access to them illegally, like finding drugs or weed.
That is correct, Anonymous, in most of the States, which you can read about in the news … because the attempts were mostly defeated by the force of public voter opinion. But had the voters allowed the Blaires and the various corrupt politicians to have their way, then they’d come for the guns. This was done in many nations to idiots who allowed it to happen. During the War of Independence which created the US of A, only about 25% of the population backed the Colonial army and militias. And they won. You gay rights fools and you abortionists and you religious tyrants will never win, and you never have won … not for long, and never totally. Your end is spelled out by Jesus … so, go and read it.
I am not a gay rights fool or an abortionist or a religous tyrant.
Anonymous, anyone who advocates the removal of good people’s means of self defence against either a criminal or a treasonous govt is in bed with abortionists, sodomites and tyrants.
Skai, you do not understand the Catholic Church or the Catholic faith. I wondered on another thread when you called someone lukewarm, because it made no sense. Then I realized that you do not understand what it means. Please find an RCIA or Catechism class. I know you have spoken often against the Catechism, thinking it is legalism. Your lack of understanding is profound. God love you and lead you.
Anonymous, no, it is you sodomites who do not know the real Church. Your evil community, like the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, are just as doomed as they were, only in a different way.
I am not a sodomite.
Then, Anonymous, why do you advocate in favor of the gay agenda, part of which is to take our means of dignity away from us?
Skai, the last sentence of your post of April 16, 5:23 PM, in inappropriate and defamatory. I am sure our bishops have studied more theology than you have, you have you own personal theology in some areas and it is not Catholic theology. Our
Catholic bishops do not have a “faux version of Catholicism.”
What a silly notion(almost fell off my chair in laughter), an ignorant comment to suggest that Skai does not understand the Catholic faith….HE IS the Catholic faith….he probably knows the faith more than many most cradle Catholics….its not about just being intellectual about the faith…it’s about discerning, reasoning and living the faith in Christ…..our faith is not a cult….St. Thomas taught well on our ability to discern, to reason.
Often a times Skai challenges many to think…..
Abeca Christian, I can’t believe that in regard to Skai, you wrote, “HE IS the Catholic faith.” Are you saying that we shouldn’t listen to our bishops but instead follow the opinions of Skai because “HE IS the Catholic faith”? I can just picture him fighting with the nuns in Catholic school. I am really shaking my head here.
PA OK let me put it in another light….maybe this will help you…..Skai is a convert…He became Catholic….is baptized….we are the Catholic faith when we try to follow Christ…we are Christians. From what I gather from his many comments, I do feel that he is genuine in his walk with Christ.
~~Plus my reply was in reply to Anon when it stated “you do not understand the Catholic Church or the Catholic faith.” so hey if you throw out those kind of questions and try to discredit the integrity of a good Catholic Christian…then expect comments like mine…whether you get them or not….
Abeca Christian, Skai is a convert and he has brought some of his previous beliefs into the Catholic Church with him. He condemns Catholic bishops who do not hold to some of his non-Catholic beliefs and opinions. Some of his statements about Church leaders sound like they are coming from someone from a fundamentalist sect.
PA you are a cradle Catholic ….and well I can point out some things about you that you may not want to face…..what you just commented about Skai are irrelevant and also a misrepresentation of what he actually is trying to convey on many of his posts…which most of the time I find that he reasons well and discerns well too. Just face it…you just don’t get him….as you also do not get the teachings on homosexuality either.
abeca. he often chastises people for posting from the Catechism; he makes fun of them and mocks them. He interprets Scripture differently than the Church. He distorts the sayings of the Popes. He has his own theology which does not conform to Catholic teaching. He is told often by many posters that his posts are contrary to the Faith. This is why his Catholicism is oftened questioned and why you look ignorant for defending him. The errors of his that you have supported have made you non-credible.
I wouldn’t call it chastising. No not at all….he has explained in the past what he meant by his comments and I get him…maybe it’s you who interprets scripture differently. Maybe you haven’t been here long enough when he explained himself.
Anonymous frankly I don’t care if you see me as ignorant. I get him because from what I have studied and I was taught from a very holy priest, Catholic Answers, Bible, early saints both doctors of the church, all counsels etc etc…I probably have read and embraced more than most Catholics …..maybe not everything that he says I can agree or not always get, he may have some different points of view but so do you and it is not a sin either but on important church teachings he is right on!
What many Catholics lack today is also understanding the church in it’s infantry….sometimes we act like the Jews who wanted to crucify Christ…like St. Peter before he converted. Like the Pharisees etc etc….
ooops sorry typo on my last sentence I meant this “Like St. Paul…not St. Peter before he converted.
abeca, you always brag about how much Catholicism you know or how faithful you are, but when Skai posts something un- or anti-Catholic you always come on to say” Skai you are correct.’ Why would you do that if you were so knowledgable concerning the Faith? Even Catherine, who usually stays out of things like that, said something to him about his attacks on the Catechism.
Anonymous, if you know Catholic doctrine, then why don’t you use reason to defeat my arguments? The answer is that you can’t because A. you do not know Catholicism and B. my arguments are Catholic. But I have used reasoned argument to destroy many of your assertions … you simply fade away because you really do not know what it is all about.
Anonymous, it is false of you to claim that I chastise people “for” posting from the Catechism. So, not only do you not know Catholicism, or where it came from, you also cannot read well. I may sometimes chastise people who post phrases from the Catechism, but not for doing that. Rather I chastise them for either not interpreting what they have posted very well, for misapplying the phrases, or for treating the Catechism as if it were God or had authority in and of itself. And some posters, such as yourself, believe that your childhood Catholic education is on a par with the Catechism … and you never succeed in demonstrating or proving this. Your arrogant attitude is that since you went to Catholic school or were a “born” Catholic, then you know Catholicism. That makes you look ridiculous.
Well said, Abeca. And thanks. And yes, you understand that sometimes I post arguments which amount to questions, or hypotheses. I typically post in argument form, which neither PA nor Anonymous understand. I kind of picked up this way of discussion from a Catholic, a man who has long been recognized as a Catholic, and one from whom many have learned how to engage any idea with a Catholic argument, or an argument which attempts to derive truth. I’m no fundamentalist like Anonymous, Bob One, or PA, in that I do not see Catholicism as a list of elementary formulas spouted forth by adult Catholics. Many people like these cannot reason and are stuck with following a list of steps or directions or whatever, and they find themselves caught in the crossfire between unscrupulous clergy who take advantage over their religious and/or spiritual immaturity on the one hand and faithful Catholics who use reason and Catholic doctrine to dish up the truth. This is why bad bishops need to be kicked out, sent out to live with the wolves whose bidding they prefer to do. It is why Jesus said He’d pray that the shepherds are true and that the flocks would not be scattered; however, He said He’d pray for this, meaning obviously that He could not wave some magic wand and make it happen, because man is free to choose good or evil. Well, many bishops are down in history as having chosen evil. Also, in the Book of the Apocalypse, we are warned that at some point it will be nigh impossible for anyone to discern true from false … were it not for God’s mercy. This is a profound mystery, especially for those who fear discernment, refuse to try to discern, and simply go by whoever they see as being their lords. These people are so fearful that they turn their hate against reason itself. This is a human trait evidenced long before the Advent of Christ. These haters of reasoned argument based on Catholic doctrine try all sorts of ways to justify themselves, and the current politically correct manner for this is called sometimes “herd mentality” … “Hey everyone let’s diss this dude today”, but they never come up with any just reason to do so. We commonly refer to such people as bigots. Great literary works spell it all out in articulate detail. But these bigots never make use of the gifts of human perspective nor even of divine perspective, and only reduce themselves to babbling about how they were taught to feel in some course somewhere along the line. How else to explain the incoherent ramblings of the PA, Anonymous, Bob One, jon, TEM and others? Their ramblings are incoherent because they try to found everything on how they feel without ever discovering what they base their beliefs on. So because their spiritual foundations are sand, they really cannot pin down their feelings to reality, only to what the herd is up to at the moment. And at the moment the herd is up to screaming because it feels pain of abortion, pain of sodomy, and pain of violence: But it does not know the source of these evils, and thus is led to believe that it is ok for society to institutionalize abortion, sodomy, and violence. But St Paul tells us that sodomy is the consequence of sin. We also know that God’s chastisement is the consequence of sin, and abortion and violence are consequences of sin. These are heinous sins in themselves, but they speak of the root of sin which is to defy God. God provided man with reason, and yet these people defy reason, thus they defy the good that God has given man, and prefer to reduce man to an unreasoning state: Once again we recall that animals are catergorized as unreasoning beings (even though they might have some slight ability to reason). Along with the Anti-Christ, there is the Beast. So guess what these defiants of reason would put onto the world scene … yep, the Beast. PA, Anonymous, Blaire, jon, TEM, Bob One are all voices of defiance against one of the things that makes man different from beasts, reason. They are the beast master wannabes.
When you post things that are contrary to the Faith, we will correct you. For whatever reason, you are hostile to Catholicism and Catholics but you want to make it look like those who correct you are. You invent interpretation of Scripture like the Beast. No one here is silly enough to buy that one. You pick out posters who are not even involved in this and who rarely post but who a number of other posters have issues with. How transparant is that? Assuming that you are a Catholic convert and you just are attached to your own beliefs, it is not necessary to do this. You could just say “I believe what I want!” If you convince others of a false belief, this is what Jesus said “it would be better to be drowned with a millstone around his neck.” I saw your post- at a time when most of the stories that inspired people to write about scandal had stopped- criticizing people for that. I thought you were trying to stir the pot. You may post what you wish, but when you post anti-Catholic or incorrect things, you will be corrected.
Skai, I think your reasoning has led you astray on many things. Here is an example: You never say it but you open the question up that the Lord Jesus Christ might not be in a consecrated Holy Eucharist if the priest is not good enough. That is false. Another one would be that man is not made in the image of God anymore since the sin of Adam. That is false. Both of these can only be known by revelation. There is no reason involved. Man could not reason that God is Three in One. Nor that Jesus Christ is God and Man. Somethings are revealed and you take it on Faith. Many heresies occured because man reasoned and did not believe the Church.
Skai wow I’m impressed. If they don’t get your style….that’s their problem. Like a priest once told me that not everyone has those graces of reason and discernment. Praise God for them and praise God for helping us understand that we are still growing.
Skai I do understand what you mean….I don’t think they will. I just don’t know how to convey as well as you have here. I get it but it’s hard to explain. I am no teacher that is for sure…I’m sure God had other plans for me. You made very good points too. Pride is the root of all evil..
Also Anony states that I brag….just the fact that he/she used the word brag so freely to describe my sentiments of love of faith…shows that they don’t always see good but malice and I feel for them…..brag isn’t the right word to describe my love of faith. Too bad that I came accross that way to him/her. But what can I expect when they twist your words, then I surely can’t expect anything better. Maybe when they can challenge you well by truly answering your questions more in depth…then will we begin to dialogue in charity without lacking common sense.
and about Catherine correcting you about what she saw in your comments, Skai what you and I know is that we are friends in Christ or brothers and sisters in Christ…and when she brought something to your attention is was done in love…she asked for clarity from you and pointed something out…..not when Anony does it…it’s different. We are brothers and sisters and we can discern who is more out to say something out of spite(self righteousness) or out of true charity….
I don’t write anything out of spite. Others here could be misled by what Skai writes. I’m sorry my use of the word brag was offensive to you. All is for the love of God, the love of the Faith and the love of souls. We must defend the Faith. You know it-you should defend it. There are things on which the faithful can have differing points of view. There are other things where we can not without being in error. If, as you say, we are misunderstanding Skai then how many of the 100,000 readers also misunderstand? I suppose I could be less blunt. Listen, abeca, if you will correct the errors, I will stop. Someone needs to post the Catholic Truth for those who read this website that are not Catholic or are confused Catholics or who are returning Catholics. So if you get him, then you should correct his posts so that they do not contain error.
Abeca Christian, yes I don’t get Skai sometimes because what he says is foreign to what I was taught in Catholic school and also over 40 years of regular attendance at Mass. Many of his opinions are an amalgamation of what he believed prior to becoming Catholic mixed with some Catholic beliefs.
PA, it is not knowledge that gives truth to what one says, but truth. But you would not know this because you know no theology at all. Bishops with full knowledge of theology often in history intentionally mislead countless faithful such as yourself. This is why “The skulls of bishops like the road to Hell”, spoken by several saints / doctors of the Church. This is evidenced by the present and former Popes saying the hierarchy is infested with evil, “filth”, “bishops need to become holy”, “bishops and priests need to live what they preach”. PA, your glory days of the gay church are doomed and ending quickly. It might happen so fast that you’d be at the point where your parish priest would be telling you to make a true profession of faith instead of claiming gay rights, or be excommunicated.
Skai, may the day come very soon… and filth is purged from the Church
One motive for these errant bishops in joining the gun grabbing tyrant machine is that they would then be able to use the martial power of govt to do away with competing religions, mainly traditional faithful Catholics and Evangelicals. This move would amount to elevating sodomites and baby killers to reconfigure society to suit their extremely evil intentions. The Scriptures that warn of the “Anti-Christ” were not penned in vain, but to bring attention to the Church that most of the world will be deceived by this creature … So, ask yourselves how this could be carried out if the true and faithful Church were prominent. Thus, obviously the nefarious ones will have to move the real Church out of the limelight and one way of doing this is creating an evil twin. These libtard bishops are obviously intent on doing exactly that, creating a false Church and calling it the true Church: They’ve done it before in history, but only regionally; now they see a shot at doing it globally. They are the filth spoken of by Pope Emeritus.
Our bishops are not creating a false Church. Our bishops are not saying that they want to take guns away from legitimate gun owners and sportsman. Most people agree that there should be background checks to screen people who buy firearms but hardly anyone wants to ban people from hunting. In PA people have to get hunting licenses and deer season is very popular here. I am not a hunter but I realize that with deer overpopulation that the deer hunters provide a valuable service and many people eat venison. (Just to give you an example.)
Once again PA you don’t get it. Its not about hunters or deer season it is about whether law abiding citizens have the right to bear arms to defend themselves and their families from criminals and a tyrannical government, (we are almost there). You and Bishop Blaire don’t seem to be able to grasp this basic fact and right
Canisius, I don’t see where the bishops are saying that people shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun for self-protection. They don’t have any issue with selling guns to responsible people who pass background checks and purchase their guns legally.
PA that’s because you believe everything that a liberal says, I inherently distrust government and by extension distrust liberals…..
Canisius, you are right. No one has a problem selling guns to law abiding citizens. Background checks would have only help determine if the buyer is law abiding and sane. Not too much to ask.
Yes Bob One its too much to ask, because the law as always will become a obstacle. Example, the new gun law passed in Colorado will require federal inspector to give approval if I were to loan my gun to friend to shoot while at the range, the goal here to make so administratively impossible for citizens to comply with the law. This is the trick you on the Left love to play. Liberals HATE the 2nd amendment so they do all in there governments power to null and void. Just once I want to turn the tables on the government and make some bureaucrat bend to my will….
Bishops such as Mahony and Blaire and many others, have already constructed a false Catholic Church … PA, what is your reluctance to read what the Popes have been saying about these “filth” bishops?
It is your opinion, Skai, that bishops that you dislike have constructed a false Catholic Church. Why would they be consecrated bishops and be bishops in good standing if the Pope considered them “filth”? Just because Bishop Blaire does not agree with you opinions on firearms does not make him “filth.” You don’t seem to get that point.
PA, according to your false reasoning, then the popes are simply issuing an opinion that the Church has been infested with “the smoke of satan” (Paul VI), “filth” (Benedict XVI), and “bishops need to become holy” (Benedict XVI), and lately “bishops need to practice what they preach” (Francis). These categories define the lowest of the low, those hypocrites who will never gain Heaven … unless they change their evil ways and begin to follow Jesus. Bishops who practice evil, PA, are not merely sinner Catholics, but abominable anti-Catholics, aka “little satans”. Or do you suppose “smoke of satan has entered Church” means that the works of evil come from Catholic bishops and not from anti-Catholic bishops?
PA, according to the Pope Emeritus, his “the Church shall become smaller and holy”, implies that many bishops have constructed a false church already and they will be separating more clearly from the real Church.
Skai, your conspiracy theory gets deeper and deeper on every post. One of the least understood teachings of our faith is its teachings about Social Justice. Bishop Blair knows what he is talking about. When others say that the Bishops should stay out of the gun argument, they don’t understand the Church’s teachings very well. The violent killing culture of the U.S. is a rightful concern of all churches. Something needs to be done about it, short term and long term. Our senators today showed us what a shameful bunch they are and how easily they can be bought off by a small organization called the NRA. How would it hurt to have background checks for gun purchases. Background checks for hiring new employees is deeper than was proposed by the Bill. How has our country gone so far wrong?
To my understanding there has always been background checks and such…….as it should.
Bob One there are already background checks at at guns shows I know I have had them done. This so called bill which was almost 8000 pages was not even read or explained by the Senate yet people like you want it past, just like Obama card was not read but past. This time it was stopped dead in its tracks and the howl of the liberals is music to my ears. For once you guys brought to your knees, and as for the NRA it has almost 5 million members not exactly a small organization. The more posts you make Bob One, the more your ignorance is exposed…. Yesterday was a great day for liberty…2nd Amendment 1….Liberals 0
Canisius, round two is potential disaster for good people in California, as a host of democrats are bringing to bare extremely repressive laws such as banning lead in all hunting venues, mandatory ammunition purchase permits, restricting purchase of gun powder. The nanny state … btw, how can any self respecting voter continue to elect feinstein … this utter infantilism of Calif voters is alarming. These strange voters eat democrat slop at all three meals daily. And in some states the federal Bureau of Land Management is shutting down vast hunting areas … this is like executive order saying even though the good law abiding citizens have guns, it will be illegal to use or carry them anywhere.
Bob One, it is only a “conspiracy” to you because you have no insight. You do not comprehend the nature of reason, because you fail to comprehend the doctors of the Church, Church doctrines, dogma.
Bob One, maybe Blaire knows what he is talking about, but what he knows is not true. He speaks for those flim flam bishops who want to serve tyrant oppressors and use false causes trumped up to look to many like good causes.
“How would background check system upgrading hurt?” There is not sufficient manpower in the entire federal govt to make the present system work, Bob One. The shooter at the Connecticut school did not buy any guns, but stole them or was given them by his mother who passed her checks. Besides the entire scope of reasons put forth for gun control becomes moot with events such as the Boston Marathon bombing. This type of mass murder/maiming is continuing to arrive in America. An armed citizen may one day take down a bomber before the deed is done … maybe this would not happen with gun grabbing. Two million events annually where people have defended themselves with guns … and the annual gun death toll is not as many as the death toll from car wrecks each year. Kansas City building bomb … 160? lives gone, 9/11 twothousand dead, Boston three dozen amputations, Waco dozens of children killed by fire. Gun registration is worthless, a farce, and has zero affect on career criminals, psychos, gangs. The whole govt project is not about protecting people but protecting the tyrants in their plans to subjugate everyone, and dissolve the USA into the UN. To hell with these traitors, including the foul clergy who supports the elimination of freedom for law abiding citizens. You, Bob One, thought the Nazi attempt on world domination was big and bad, well, you are part and parcel of this next attempt which if it ever launches will pale that relatively primitive attempt seventyfive years ago.
Why do these boneheaded bishops jump on the Feinstein-Obama bandwagon? Don’t they realize that many faithful Catholics are war veterans and patriots who find nothing immoral in gun ownership? Don’t these bishop know that the second amendment of the constitution is as sacrosanct to us as any other? Why do they push the liberal-progressive line that guns are to blame for crimes committed with guns? How can they be so blind as not to realize that they are playing into the hands of those who would gladly violate their rights, too? I have always thought one would have to be above average in intelligence to become a bishop. I guess I have been wrong. This anti-gun push is STUPID!
No American should be denied the right to own a gun. That is not what the argument is about. The question, answered in the Senate today, had to do with whether or not criminals, felons and mentally ill people should have guns. The Senate today said that that would be ok. So, after the thousands of people who have been gunned down in our country by thugs and mentally ill people since Newtown, our legislators have said that that is ok and that we should do absolutely nothing to stop the violence. Let law obeying citizens keep their guns, but lets do something about the violent few.
Bob One, it is always the goal of liberals like you to disarm the citizen, this bill was back door track to registration. You want to do something about the violent few enforce the laws that are already on the damn books…..criminals and mentally ill people will not be complying with any law…
Bob One, did you ever go through a period of your childhood or youth where you had to physically fight your friends or others? I grew up doing that. I know what the con artists do to disarm their opponents, and it is indeed what you and your libtards are doing. But you simply cannot defeat the will of many to win. So, what you spend your days doing is the same old rouse of sweet talking your enemies out of their britches. Every heroic novel I’ve ever read and I’ve read countless of them always has the likes of such soothsayers getting their due rewards at the end, namely resounding judgments, to the thrill of the reader. And, you and your sweet lipped bishops will get yours too.
“You and your sweet lipped bishops will get yours too.” Skai, you really have issues with the bishops it seems. You make a habit of bad-mouthing them here. I agree with you that our bishops are called to be holy but did you ever think that you were also called to be holy however you won’t get there by trash talking Catholic bishops.
Anonymous – this is right in the CCC –
” 2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: ……
of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.”
Please read the words “CONTRARY to the TRUTH”.
Bishop Blaire speaks for himself, and he himself in his own words is trying to pass off gun control as a Catholic Church teaching – which is NOT TRUE.
Now read under “Code of Canon Law” read: ” THE OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS OF ALL THE CHRISTIAN FAITHFUL”. – – – “212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the DUTY to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church AND
to make their opinion KNOWN to the rest of the Christian faithful,
without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.
Sounds like you have some reading to do, since you do not seem to know the Faith.
Pete, Thank you for your post. It is wrong to say that Bishop Blaire is trying to pass off gun control as a Catholic Church teaching. I have read the full text of his letter and it does not do that. He encourages Congress in these matters to build the culture of life-which is a term that was used by John Paul II. It means a culture where human life is paramount-and that is Church teaching. Did you read in your quote of the Canon Law “with reverence to their pastors”? You are free, of course, to disagree with the Bishop. There is nothing in my posts that is contrary to the faith.
Excellent, PETE, super duper, outstanding!!! Heavy artillery is always welcomed especially when you hit the target on the noggin.
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms” – Thomas Jefferson.
“Everyone who is able may have a gun” – Patrick Henry.
“The right of the people to keep and bear…arms shall not be infringed” – James Madison.
“The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them” – Zacharia Johnson.
“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms…” – Richard Henry Lee.
“The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed” – Alexander Hamilton.
“A free people ought…to be armed…” – George Washington.
Lincoln ruled that the defeated Confederate soldiers should take their military arms back home with them. Lincoln was not a man of fear unlike our present day politicians who fear their own shadows.
None of us should be happy with any Bishop or Bishop’s organization that pretends something is Catholic Church teaching when it is NOT.
It is not a matter of loving guns or even loving self defense, but loving TRUTH.
CCC : ” 2467 Man tends by nature toward the truth. He is obliged to honor and bear witness to it: “It is in accordance with their dignity that all men, because they are persons . . . are both impelled by their nature and bound by a moral obligation to seek the truth, especially religious truth. They are also bound to adhere to the truth once they come to know it and direct their whole lives in accordance with the demands of truth.”
CCC: ” 2483 Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error. By injuring man’s relation to truth and to his neighbor, a lie offends against the fundamental relation of man and of his word to the Lord.”
No Bishop or other Clergy should use his TITLE or position in the Church to promote his own personal brand of politics under the name of “Catholic”.
Criminals do not obey laws.
Where was Bishop Blaire and the USCCB regarding the Obama’s Administration illegal “Fast and Furious” that killed and is still killing thousands of innocent Mexicans by drug lords who have guns provided by the Obama Administration – in violation of Federal law.
Where is the Bishop regarding illegal drugs and illegal drug prescriptions which kill more people and ruin more families, and are the root of more imprisonment than anything else in the USA? And Obama not stopping drug running at our borders?
Why is the Bishop trying to punish law abiding citizens, while letting the Obama administration skate on ILLEGAL guns, and Obama’s Homeland Security and the IRS purchasing hundreds of millions of rounds of hollow point bullets?
Sounds like the Bishop does not want to control bad governmental actions, only control law abiding citizens. The Bishop needs to rethink his priorities.
Whatever happened to the Saving of Souls – which is supposed to be his main priority?
Will Bp Blaire get on the bandwagon now to do background checks on anyone who buys a pressure cooker?
That’s right OSCAR. The people who obey the laws feel the injustice but the ones who do not obey them, they could care less and because of them..the good people get punished for them and those who have the ability to defend themselves often have their hands tied up because of too many unjust laws protecting even criminals.
What we need is tougher punishments/laws for criminals….not gun control….there is no such thing. Did/does gun control laws stop guns from being distributed illegally? Does tougher gun control laws stop gangsters from getting them? No! Does it keep them off the streets? Does it stop violence? No.
Catherine,
The trouble with the new V2 Church catechism is that it is a book of etiquette with very little teaching of the inner truths of the Roman Catholic Faith. Compare it to the Catechism of the Council of Trent written back in POPE SAINT Pius the Vth’s reign/time. You will see a major difference, deep discussion of the Faith, It’s 7 Holy Sacraments, Christ’s teachings, and the Blessed Trinity and the Holy Family. There is little in comparison to it in the V2 Church catechism of etiquette. Go ahead make a comparison for yourself. The differences are vast just like the differences between the novus ordo service and Tridentine Latin Mass. The differences are like night and day. Another excellent Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church is “The Catechism Explained” written by Fr. Spirago at the turn of the 19th century. It goes into more detail than the Catechism of the Council of Trent is some matters of the Roman Catholic Faith based on divine revelations to Holy Mother the Church, given to us by the Doctors of the Church, holy Saints like St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquainas and etc. It is sad that so many have lost the true faith of the Roman Catholic Church and don’t know where to find it. We need to pray for all souls that they will return to the true Roman Catholic Faith for the salvation of their souls depends upon it. May God bless you.
The Catechism of Trent also known as the Roman Catechism is the basis and backbone of the CCC. It is very important to read it. It is a very thorough guide. But you misrepresent the CCC by calling it a book of etiquette. It is a sure norm.
The Church was alive and well for almost twothousand years prior to the publication of the Catechism of Trent.
You know it was published in the 1500s, right? This was a joke or something.
Doubting Thomas, things have changed in the Church since the 16th Century and in many cases for the better. Pope Pius V issued a Papal Bull expelling Jews from the Papal States. In the bull he said that Jewish people were diseased and agents of Satan. When you read how they were treated it was truly horrific. Not all of the Renaissance Popes were anti-Semitic, Pope Paul III and Pope Pius IV were opposed to mistreatment of Jewish people. One of the positive developments of Vatican II was the recognition of the evil and sinfulness of anti-Semitism and an outreach to the Jewish people. Pope John Paul II in particular cultivated good relations with our Jewish br0thers and sisters. Some groups in dissent from the Catholic Church still have anti-Semitic views but our Church today has renounced these views.
Doubting Thomas, stick to your guns, PA is the biggest Catholic dissident on this site but tries to school the rest of us, yet my pet dogs know more about the Church than he ever will
Doubting Thomas, your statement about the CCC is not only wrong but heretical and schismatic.
All Catholics are required to adhere to the CCC in entirety.
Now OSCAR there is a fine line between your accusations and what he stated. Also the church has not changed….it is still the same today as it was ….maybe different interpretations or maybe it was washed down but the truth of the matter the faith is still the same….
That is a good way to describe the new Catechism, Doubting Thomas. I find that to understand what the CCC is saying, one has to either know what its claims are based on, or study the reference Scripture and Doctors of the Church. Since I already know most of that, then I find the CCC frustrating because it trails off into vagueness at times. But Catholicism has its authority in the pope, and not in print. Not even the Bible is the ultimate authority, but the pope in union with God is the ultimate authority. What I find is that having a prior knowledge of Scripture and much of the Doctors, reading the CCC for insight, truth, and so forth gets boring because it is written by bureaucrats and not original sources. Long ago I learned to love the original sources and left of paying much attention to cabals of writers because they were simply using lots of psycho babble to deal with the same questions that the original sources dealt with so concisely and clearly. Those who cannot evaluate what they are reading very well, then I guess you can settle for secondary stuff that is pitched for specific readerships … such as mine, for example. I really hope my posting motivates people to go look into the original material, because that is where I have found the clearest expositions of Catholicism. As I’ve mentioned in the past, way back a few decades, I could defeat the Jehovah Witnesses by using their own rather dull translation of Holy Scripture. It is a good thing to be able to understand false stuff and be able to make the falsity plainly known as being false. But the JWs religion is rather stupid and easy to show as being irrational. False Catholicism is much more subtle, but I learned to identify a lot of this garbage by studying St Augustine. I’d place PA, Anonymous, Bob One and some others in the category of gnostic, since they always claim to be right based not on good reasoning but on being “cradle Catholics”. That implies a special knowledge, and that is what gnosticism is about … another word for it is paranoia, and this often derives from guilt. Who does not see that PA is riddled with guilt, what with his advocation of sodomy as being ok, which is the preaching of a false doctrine?
Mark from PA has ALWAYS said that sodomy is immoral. Calling people gnostics because they were baptized as infants is ridiculous. And your opinions about the catechism are just that-your opinions. Pope John Paul II called it a sure norm. I think you should review what Catherine wrote to you about this.
Skai you are correct……I totally agree with you. I read The City of God by St. Augustine and also the Summa Theologica…etc
How hypocritical and what a false statement….. PA advocates gay rights here…so that means that sodomy is involved…geeze what is wrong with you k…Catherine is right!
abeca, Mark from PA is a strong consistent advocate of chastity.
The CCC is not meant to replace what is called the local catechism. Our local catechism is United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Perhaps you will find that less boring. It is good that you read the Summa and City of God. We are supposed to do spiritual reading. There are 35 doctors of the Church (I think) since Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI added a couple. Cardinal Dolan recommends spiritual reading for growth in holiness. “Lectio divina, daily reverent meditation upon Sacred Scripture, is first and formost, of course, but I also speak of daily spiritual reading of the enduring books of our Catholic tradition, as well as interest in the burgeoning contemporary literature on the interior life. Nor shoud we forget attention to the documents of the magisterium, the words of our Holy Father, the documents of the Apostolic See, the messages and patorals of our own bishops, all vehicles of the Holy Spirit for fostering our growth in sanctity.” Cardinal Timothy Dolan from his book Called to Be Holy
Will Bishop Blair now call for making pressure cookers and nails illegal? Will the politicians now ask us to register all our potentially dangerous cookware and matches? Just like they penalized us for 9/11 will they limit marathons and restrict air travel even more? Whenever there are crimes committed the only solution our intellectually challenged ‘leaders’ can think up are always geared towards punishing the rest of us as they feel too much sympathy and kinship with criminals.
If Bishop Blaire truly believes that “things” are sinful rather than people, – such as guns, then it only follows that he will be forced to request the CA and Federal Governments to ban pressure cookers, knives, baseball bats, matches, nails and ball bearings, etc.
I only hope Blaire does not continue to use his position at the USCCB, or his Catholic title of Bishop to continue in his silly quest that has nothing to do with the Catholic Faith.
This is what happens when Bishops refuse to do their own job, but would rather get themselves involved in the politics of the Laity.
The Bishop should actively and openly be encouraging those in his Diocese who are literate to read: the Bible, and the Catechism, and the Code of Canon Law, and GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal).
Blaire should insist that all his Priests, all his Catholic Schools and Catholic Colleges, all his Diocese employees, and every organization within his own Diocese adhere to these.
He should teach about SCANDAL, COMMUTATIVE JUSTICE, SUBSIDIARITY all of which are in the CCC.
But then Blaire is not so interested in teaching the Faith accurately, but in the earthly politics of control and power over the innocent.
I can sympathize with some who fear a gun….who pray that they will never be in a situation that may bring them to have to use one in self defense or to protect another innocent human life. If we fear the object…then the predator has already won over us. We must face our fears, learning to use a gun the right way may also prevent one from accidentally hurt one self or another, it may help calm our nerves too. I don’t own a gun, and yes I do respect it as well but I want to get over my fears and learn to use one properly.
We must not let the object have power over us but we must gain power over the object. Especially if a person lives in a bad part of town and when gangs are the ones who have guns…..then I hope to empower good people to feel confident to defend themselves when necessary especially women and children.
The CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” – – – –
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved … and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium.
I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. “ – Pope John Paul II. (CCC page 5)
“….the Catechism has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
For more info on the CCC including quotes from Popes John Paul II and Pope Benedict with direct links to the Vatican web site on the internet search:
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”.
For years the 30/06 was considered all the gun you needed to hunt the big 5 in Africa. Many African nations will not let “most” hunters use the 06, not because it isn’t enough gun…it’s because the 06 was a symbol of colonialism and oppression and it was used as an “army” rifle…More dangerous game in Africa was dispatched using the 06 then any 375 or 418 or .500. These are all capable of taking down “horned death”, simba and the vicious “hippo”…so was the 06. For years the 303 was used to take out simba…personally, I would never, I mean never, hunt the “great yellow cat” with anything less then an 06 with a Barnes 180 grain triple shock. But I have used a .375 in Mozambique. The good ole standard bolt action 06, was for years synonymous with hunting on the veldt. The Gaur that my colleague dispatched in India, was taken with an 06, with a 180 grain Barnes triple shock!…One shot, dropped him and a second shot finished him…NO JOKE!…remember when hunting in Africa, “black death” and simba can settle your hash in short order…therefore “always bring enough gun”….375 will only do the job, if you hit “horned death” in the right spot…I’ve seen bulls hit with 6-7 500 grain nitro’s and still waddle off into the brush…I’ve also seen one well placed round from an 06 drop a Cape with one round, and keep him down…more and more hunters are wanting to try their hand with the 06 bolt action, just like Papa Hemingway did…I’ve done it…next big hunt will be in Namibia…arid and wide open expanses of veldt…very different then Moz, Tanzania or Botswana. Mark Sullivan has some outstanding films, dealing with hunting the most dangerous game in Africa. He has taken Hippo and M’bogo at 15 feet and less…my buddy took out a “man-killer Gaur” at 25 feet!…ultimate adrenaline rush!
Jean, try dropping a Mallard at 80 yards.
Now, Jean, here is a question, no doubt you can answer. I was told today that the 300 Win Mag can be loaded with a 500 gr Hornady bullet … but I cannot understand how such a combo would be useful for anything practical … Can you clarify this puzzle?
How about you clarify this puzzle buddha…LOL!…I’m not a big/small bore specialist…although I own 8 rifles, 3 shotguns and 6 revolvers and 5 auto/semi-auto handguns…maybe you can make some recommendations to me what I should use when I travel to Windhoek?…should I use my .375 HH. or Rigby 416?…maybe I should use my 416 double rifle…no…. maybe my 500… or how about my double rifle 600 nitro express with a 900 grain cartridge…LOL!, maybe just my 30/06 bolt action with barnes triple shocks for ungulates and simba, what do you think?…stick to mallards sport…
No spear, Jean?? In Hawaii, pig hunting is a spear only event. But, I’m with you on not quite being … well, if I were much younger, I’d love to get into bull riding … what a thrill that would be! I like to hunt with my dog, because I like to work with dogs in this respect. Big game hunting is different; you’re working with people, and it is typically more socially organized. Also, one of your posts reveals that part of that African big game hunting effort is learning where to place the shot for the quick kill. In bird hunting, I end up with a lot of cripples, and have to dispatch them, which is a bummer because they suffer. So I constantly try to find quicker ways to do that. I watched head on as my dog went face to face with a wounded drake mallard (big male duck). I can liken it to a movie scene in Band of Brothers, where Capt Winters walks over a rise and comes face to face, one on one, with a German soldier aged about sixteen, and unarmed. But a large troop of them were bivouacked and not aware of the American assault. Winters looked into the terrified face of the boy in the German army uniform, gave forth an expression of resolve and cut him down. He hated to have to do that; similarly I hate to kill the game birds, but it is necessary. One can find out what is necessary and why it is necessary by studying the Bible and the doctrines of the Church. Yet, some know intuitively without such literate study.
900 grains payloads !!! That’s like a 12 gauge turkey load, about 2 ounces. A coach gun, with its two short barrels can deliver twice that mass of lead with a couple dozen .30 caliber pellets at about the same time. Although not good for big game, perhaps ideal for home defence.
Also, Jean, since you’re the go to man for big bore, big big game, what would be your five top recommendations for semi-autos in .30-06?
Skai…what do you use when you go after mallard…is it a wrist rocket or a red rider b-b gun?…do you use a crossman pellet gun, with pump action or CO 2…LOL!
That day, Jean, my dog and I jumped hundreds of ducks of many species. I was using my Benelli Super Black Eagle. First two shells were 3″ HeviShot #4, third shot was 3-1/2″ HeviShot #2. I’ve also dropped ducks with my Browning Citori 20g using 3″ HeviShot #4, but this gun is more for upland birds, in my case such as quail and chukar. I do not hunt planted birds or gamebird farms, but wild birds in very steep terrain. My dog does the hunting, and I simply follow along and do the shooting.
Try a remington 750…my buddy in Santa Monica has one and swears by it for mulies and moose.
My buddy used to enjoy duck hunting in the midwest Skai…he’s from Valpo Indiana…beautiful town, he’s also an avid golfer…dabbled in surfing when he lived in La Jolla…kinda quirky though…enjoyed wearing perm’s…
I googled it up, Jean; I like its appearance. My only season of deer hunting (mulies around here): Day before opening I found lots of tracks of all sizes and little puddles of water. Next day, no tracks and no water in same area. But did hear a cannon and a medium rifle go off a couple miles away. Never saw a deer that season. Found one while quail hunting later, one which some hunters had told me they hit and then could not find … Poor forkie was propped up against a dead tree just gazing up to the high ridge where the herd hangs out. I think the hard part of hunting is empathizing with the animal and yet carrying out the task of putting it on the grill. There is a Bible story about this … a kind of rite of passage from youth to manhood. Oh yeah, and wouldn’t you know it, but the day after season close, I was driving the forest road by the Cal Fire staging area and a doe was grazing in their picnic area. She looked at me while munching away as I glassed her. There is a ranch where the old caretaker tells me that the day before deer season begins, he’s got two of them permanently inside his cattle fence, then the opener and he’s got fourteen of them living there, then a month later and it’s back to two permanent resident deer. His biggest concern is pot growers up there who like to intimidate him; I ran into a harvested plant with a drip line coming down from a spring about 600 feet up the mountain. Forestry cautioned me to stay out of that area, maybe on account of booby traps, not sure though.
“perms”? I don’t like duck blind hunting. I just dabble on occasion when there is water for them around here, and then we simply gear up, drive five minutes, walk five minutes, stand along the small river … motionless, but in the open … they come flying in near sundown, and bingo, I bag one, the dog fetches it, and we head back home. The chukar hunting is out at the very southern end of their range … very bleak this past drought year. Might have to pony up for gasoline this coming season and head up into Nevada … probably find more birds there anyway. It is really steep; gotta climb a thousand feet up sometimes, walk around, then down the other side, then back up, then return hoping to nail some as sundown approaches.
When Bishop Blaire’s Diocese of Stockton is almost perfect, and he has proven he has done his own job then he can dictate to the rest of the USA. – – – But even then only in accord with the CCC in entirety.
Let us pray that the Bishop reads the CCC from cover to cover and starts to teach accordingly.
In Luke 22: 5-38, the Lord Jesus tells his apostles to sell some their clothes if they have to and buy swords. It is true that he reprimanded Peter in the garden for using it at that time, but he did not tell him or them to throw their swords away but to put them in their sheaths. Some say that when he told them, “He that lives by the sword shall die by the sword, he was not telling the Apostles not to carry them for personal protection but that he was predicting the fall of Jerusalem by the Roman swords for crucifying him and the fall of the Roman Empire for their killing of Christians. In other words, tyrannical governments eventually fall by the sword.
Actually, he did not reprimand St. Peter but just told him to put it away and healed the man that Peter had injured. He then caused the unnecssary amount of soldiers brought against him to fall back to prove the point that He was in power there and gave up his own life since he had legions of angels that could have defencded him if he chose to do so.
Correction: if He chose THEY did so.
Jesus never told anyone other than His apostles that they did not all need weapons. Never in Scripture does God lay blame for violence on weapons. The blame is always on sin. When there is a lot of sin, then there are a lot of “spears”; when there is minimal sin, then the spears are changed into pruning hooks. In moder economic terminology this is called “guns vs butter”. But does present day govt deal with the primary causes of “guns and butter”? No, rather it deals with profit in guns and butter, because it is corrupt. Hence we have extreme violence in society today. With the advent of GMO crops, our abundant “butter” is becoming mostly hot air; and the real violence is being hidden in plain sight. The root of all evil is the love of money, and the means of obtaining it is more and more immoral. That little exchange between Jesus and His apostles shows that with Jesus not a whole lot of violence happens, but apart from Jesus the world is one heck of a violent place. So, Jesus is saying something that we can see is real; yet, many bishops believe, despite His words in the Gospel accounts, that we can end poverty; these same delusional minds also believe that all the world is counted among the faithful and thus need have no means of protection. So, it can be seen how religion of the Mahonys of the Church is shear fantasy and spell nothing less than doom to those who perpetuate it.
Bishop, If you want to help in the just fight, then go forth fighting the liberals on the abortion issue. We need all the help we can get to stop this.
The gun issue…..if you remove the guns from law biding citizens, the criminals will still have them, and we will be unable to defend ourselves. Unfortunately, you are just another voice for the democrats. Very sad, very sad indeed………………
I’m beginning to realize we should start writing out bishops’ names in such a manner: “Bishop Jones (D), or Bishop Fenoli (R) … or Cardinal Snurd (Ind).