“Just a Minute, Mr. President!”

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 4:42 AM By BETH
I actually fully agree with this statement by Cardinal Mahoney. I hope that those Catholics who follow him in the LA Diocese and others heed his words. And I hope that no decent American votes for OBAMA in the upcoming elections. George Soros and others through various organizations have already donated over $60 MILLION for Obama’s re-election. Also another Soros funded organization has just been exposed for trying to intimidate reporters from Fox News – watch for more on this.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 5:42 AM By Ed
Christ’s Church has existed for 2,000 years and has seen empires come and go. Christ’s Church will still be here long after Obama’s immoral empire has turned to dust and he has been long forgotten.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:04 AM By St. Christopher
Astonishing! Cardinal Mahony must be given credit for his statement of opposition. And we should all take his advice: (1) write to Obama, personally; (2) write to each Member of one’s jurisdiction; (3) write to your bishop; (4) write to the USCCB; and (5) write to one or more of your favorite media outlets. Enough writing will work as liberals are essentially cowards and do not want to buck public opposition, with one exception. President Obama is pretty much limited, now, on what he can do. Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and other groups, and the WH “sisterhood” will not permit Obama to give up; he is in perdition for the duration (and maybe longer). This policy can be reversed, including by litigation. Good work, Cardinal Mahony.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:12 AM By JLS
Amazing!!! Could this be the voice of a cardinal once there is no bureaucracy spinning it?

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:16 AM By Ted
Well, even a broken clock is right twice every day. Finally, the Cardinal has taken a stand I cannot help but agree with. He used a tone as if betrayed by a friend, in my view, but he’s right. My congressman, Mike Pence was against Obamacare from day one as a solid conservative. I’ll still contact him, and both Senator Coates and Senator Lugar about this. But the president is willing to “rule” by executive order, and will be adamant in his stand. Because this is not about women’s rights, or about “affordable healthcare”, but about power and control. We in America are at a critical point in our history, where we can return to our former strength and freedom or we can devolve into a latter-day Greece. We MUST not allow the latter. The Catholic vote must NOT go to Obama this time. I say risk your tax-exempt status if you must, Your Exellencies, lead for a change, shout from the pulpit – fight like men. Remember when men fought for principle ? For justice, and for freedom? We’re there. Quit the arm waving, ACT !!!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:18 AM By Sue in soCal
Who is this man and what have they done with the real Cardinal Mahony? Wow! Two blogs from the cardinal calling out Obama! What is the world coming to? Is this the sign of the end times? After all these years, Cardinal Mahony and I are agreeing. The Apocalypse is nigh!!!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:43 AM By Jo Ann Reyes
I am so happy to see our bishops stepping up to the plate. As catholics we must be united. This is not a time for disagreement. Remember to pray for our bishops and our country. We must save our country from this evil. God bless us all.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:43 AM By Amy
Will the real Cardinal Mahony stand up. Unfortunately, it is a little difficult to digest what Cardinal Mahony is saying. Does he mean it or is there a hidden agenda. If only he had spoken like this before President Obama was elected in 2008. I know you cannot cry over spilled milk but if only the Cardinals and Bishops of the United States had the courage to speak out then about what President Obama promised he would do – for example the Freedom of Choice Act…..what a different world we would be living in now. President Obama was perfectly clear about his stand on abortion then….and yet, few Bishops had a word to say about that. Why the change now? He is the same President they and 54 per cent of Catholics voted for in 2008. Prayer and fasting is the answer to the horrible mess that we are now in.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:21 AM By Juergensen
It is wonderful to see Cardinal Mahony stand up for the Church. But there is an elephant in the room. It is the sad fact that before Obama launched this direct attack on the Church, the bishops had been largely silent as regards this monster. Had Obama simply waited until after the election to impose these new regulations on the Church, we would have heard virtually nothing from the bishops on Obama. Oh, wait, I stand corrected. We have heard from the bishops on Obama. Their USCCB tells us we can vote for this absolute abortionist “if” we simply “intend” not to support abortion when we pull the lever for him (Sec. 34, “Faithful Citizenship”). Which raises an interesting question: If Obama’s affinity for abortion can be so cavalierly overlooked by Catholics in the voting booth, voting him into office while “intending” not to support abortion, why can’t the USCCB comply with Obama’s mandate while “intending” not to support contraception? Alas, the fruit of “Faithful Citizenship.”

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:21 AM By Brian S
Cardinal Mahony deserves unqualified praise for his forthright statements. Coming from one who cannot be pigeon-holed as a political conservative, they will be more difficult for our enemies to dismiss and their political weight will be much greater. His blunt and direct words speak directly to the people.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:25 AM By WOODY GUIDRY 
NEED A NEW HEAD? A CARDINAL SPEAKS IN THE WAY WE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CLAMMERING FOR, AND, NOW, IT’S “YATTA, YATTA, YATTA” NEGATIVE REMARKS FOR NOT HAVING DONE IT THIS WAY BEFORE. THERE’S EGG ALL OVER YOUR FACES.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:42 AM By Larry
Brian S.: There’s one potentially very effective way in which our enemies can “dismiss” the Cardinal’s comments, and that is by prodding their media stooges to launch a major offensive over the Cardinal’s questionable handling of sex abuse cases in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Mahony is very vulnerable on that count, and the Obama outfit fights The Chicago Way–real dirty! Don’t be surprised if old news suddenly becomes new news. Also don’t be surprised if the Dems quietly slip the word to him through back channels to shut up or else.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:04 AM By Camille
Hurray for Cardinal Mahoney. This is the Catholic church’s version of the Arizona Governor shaking her finger at Obama. It reminds me, however, of the old phrase which goes something like: there are none so vengeful as those scorned by their former lover.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:06 AM By Maryanne Leonard
It is hard to resist bashing bishops and even cardinals who are so disappointing to us, but when they do stand up and express Catholic values so effectively, let’s just praise them and support them. If a child behaves well, you don’t keep bashing him or her for all the naughty things they did previously, right? Somehow we know to encourage them in good behavior. Even cardinals and bishops need to be encouraged when they do something right, in case they ever get another great inspiration. Why should they stand up and do right if it means we are still going to throw tomatoes at them? Friends, these guys are just human beings too, and we need to encourage Catholicity whenever we see it, most especially from the hierarchy. It’s called positive reinforcement, and it works.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:16 AM By Brian S
Larry, of course they are going to fight back, and no doubt it will include the strategy you suggest. As for words delivered “back-channel”, you don’t think those have already been delivered? I’m with Woody on this – the bishops are doing what we’ve asked for, we need to join behind them.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:31 AM By Juergensen
@ Woody: After 40 years of relative silence and inaction by the bishops, the horse is out of the barn. He sits in the White House, with horns, devising ways to sacrifice ever more babies to his master, the Prince of Darkness. You want us to be euphoric because the bishops are now finally standing up to this antichrist, whom they tacitly endorsed and voted for in 2008? As EWTN News Chief Raymond Arroyo stated after the 2008 election: “The bishops I spoke to say that maybe half of their brother bishops, if not more, voted for Obama.”

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:11 AM By Life Lady
So, here we all sit, applauding the words longed for from Archbishop Mahony, and some are saying “great” while other murmur and castigate. Recall the parable about the farmer who went to the town square to hire people for his harvest (do I have to go on about that one?) and at the end of the day he paid them all the same? This is a great example of the meaning and fruits of such a thing, that God is generous, no matter how long or little we work for His Glory. Prayer and sacrifice, long-standing the foundation of the Church, will not go unrewarded. All of you out there who have been praying for our bishops (I know I have kicked it up a notch) we can all see the fruits of our prayers in the statement of this man. Let us redouble our efforts. No matter how late our bishops are coming to realize and act on the necessity TO act, they are doing so, and BLESSED BE GOD, and BLESSED BE HIS HOLY NAME.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:16 AM By JOHN
Given that we have never seen such “toughness” by the bishops, especially Mahony, in regard to a DEM president, is it possible that this is Act II Scene I of the “Let’s Re-elect Obama” drama? Is this a staged objection that results in Obama seemingly caving in to the bishops, while he pleases the Left by cementing in more “reproductive rights” policies? What do you all think?

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:48 AM By Mike Ybarrondo
My prayers actually work!!! Cardinal Mahony has finally seen the light. Now for the rest of the modernists, liberal clerics and Catholics to wake up. The wolf in sheepskin has been exposed. God Bless You Cardinal Mahony.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:52 AM By Jackie Quinn
With all the emphasis on contraception and all the talk about the 98% of Catholics that practice it, maybe this would be a good time for parishes to get people in to teach the method of natural family planning. Great strides have have been taken to pinpoint a womens fertile time so it is accurate, it is safe and most of all within the framework of catholic teaching. Lets hear it from our Bishops on this topic.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:11 AM By Brian S
Juergensen – you don’t need to be euphoric to be supportive. Woody never suggested you should feel euphoria. JOHN, Obama expected to be criticized by EWTN, he did not expect to be criticized by Cardinal Mahony. That should make us more thankful for Mahony’s blast, it is the more effective one.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:25 AM By Judith Brown
As Michael Voris said yesterday on The Vortex, this is the greatest opportunity for not only issues of freedom of conscience and religious liberty, but for the Catholic hierarchy to acknowledge their role in setting up this confrontation. For 40 years the bishops have failed to teach the evil of artificial contraception. They need to publicly acknowledge this failure and uphold “Humanae Vitae” – Obama has cleverly hit the “Achilles Heel” of the Catholic Church in N. America – many, many misled and wilfully ignorant priests/nuns/laity are quite OK with funding contraception, sterilization, and abortificient drugs.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:36 AM By Mike Ybarrondo
Amen. Judith, you hit the nail on the head. Perhaps this is the straw which broke the camel back. Now for the rest of the Bishops, priest and laity to stand up and be heard.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:37 AM By Abeca Christian
For the Bishops and priests who supported Obama during his election year, how do you like him now?

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:40 AM By george
This piece reminds me much more of a former Bishop of Stockton when he was chasing an Archbishopric than the former Archbishop of Los Angeles … surely, the Cardinal was not prompted in any way to write from a doctrinal perspective due to recent reports on the Holy Father’s declining health …

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:58 AM By Sandee Soule’
You have not seen the hidden agenda and this is only the beginning of a new hell in the lives of all the people of the United States of America. For all of you – not just Catholics – who voted for Obama… how is it all working for you now? I am a Catholic-American and proud to be Catholic with every inch of my being. This has been my prayer for a few years for Obama…………. “Let his days be few; let another take his office.” Psalm 109:8 …….and I have it posted on every email I send so I pray it often. He scares me and is taking away my freedom.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:07 AM By Terry
Good for CTholic who oppose this, but wouldn’t total conversion be better? In other words, once you start embracing God and loving people, then they really start to change. It’s not simply saying, “I’m for this and against this, and I use natural family planning.”. It’s treating people with charity that gets them to convert. Too many Catholics are cold and insular to truly represent the “Universal Church.”. Once Catholics embrace the world, then the world will change, not just following guidelines, but following guidelines then loving others. You won’t convert people by being materialistic and indifferent, but saying “hey I’m against this and so-and-so is bad.”. Jesus did not take one letter out of the law, but he destroyed it by love. More Catholics need to remember to be more embracing and outgoing, and combine that with orthodox worship and moral teachings.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:20 AM By Elizabeth
My feeling on the matter is that after a person retires from any position, let alone one such as a Cardinal…. I really believe, they feel they have a freedom about them, and with that freedom, feel they can speak up! Sad I know, but better late then never.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:49 AM By Larry
George: Cardinal Mahony is the darkest of all dark horses in the race for the papacy. He doesn’t have a chance and he has to know that. Whatever his motives may or may not be, it can’t be that he’s campaigning for the white hat.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 12:18 PM By Doc Mugwump
Thank you Cardinal Mahoney! You are speaking the TRUTH boldly and with authority. Keep it up!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 1:11 PM By Katherine
As part of a webcast held last week by a conservative political organization, the Most Rev. Walker Nickless, the Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, warned that contraception was a grave moral evil and that Christians “have to stand up and violently oppose this.” It is very clear that with 98% of women using birth control, the democratic process does not offer much hope in efforts against contraception. But does the closing of that door mean that violence is the only alternative?

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 1:36 PM By Catholic Joe
2 things… I thought Most Rev. Jose Chavez was the archbishop? Cardinal Mahony, with a rare golden opportunity to give the moral teaching on the evils of contraception, only focuses on the Constitutional Component. Your Eminence, is there a part II to the speech?

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 1:42 PM By Ted
Larry, you’re right. He will not be in contention for the papacy. I don’t necessarily believe the rumors about the Holy Father’s health anyway. He’s aging, but that doesn’t mean all that much. Leo XIII lived into his 90’s when medical care was primitive compared to today (until Obamacare sets in, anyway).

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:23 PM By Becie
Cardinal Mahoney siding with Church Tradition and its teaching? I thought I was dreaming! I’m a Los Angeles resident—this is the same prelate who refused to follow (just one example) the pope’s directive to eschew chalices made from common materials. He replied that “we have a 20-year tradition in Los Angeles…” Yeah—that always trumps 2,000 years of Tradition!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:27 PM By Larry
Catholic Joe: The Ordinary of Los Angeles is Archbishop Jose Gomez.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 3:10 PM By Larry
I think it’s not only appropriate but mandatory to question the motives of someone who has shown so little regard for Catholic orthodoxy over the years. Brian S. writes: “As for words delivered ‘back-channel’, you don’t think those have already been delivered?” You may be onto something there, Brian! A couple of the many possibilities might be: that Cardinal Mahony is being positioned to, as they used to say, “craft a compromise” at the last minute between Obama and the U.S. bishops to (as John suggests) boost Obama’s re-election chances, or; that Mahony is part of an effort by the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party to pressure Obama to refuse nomination for a second term in exchange for some plumb like UN Secretary-General, while someone else–like Hillary?–runs in his stead. Just a thought–and there are many more possibilities besides these.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 3:28 PM By Brian S
There are possibilities, Larry, and there are fantasies, and the notion that the Democrats is going to push their president out, especially when doing so would alienate the 98% of American blacks who form the most dependable block of support for their party is a fantasy.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 4:43 PM By Larry
Brian–this isn’t the place to get into a lengthy political debate, but I have heard reports, of unknown and unknowable veracity, that cooler heads in the party either have or will try to ease him out. The simple fact is that the near-unanimous support for the Democrats among African-Americans cannot compensate for the loss of everyone else, which looms as a real possibility with every new decision Obama makes. Plus I suspect that turnout within the inner city may not be very enthusiastic anyway. The City of Chicago now has fewer registered voters than in 1942, a point which newspaper stories recently remarked upon.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:04 PM By Tracy
I’m with those who don’t trust Mahoney. I wish I could, but not yet. His sudden boldness is suspicious to me. For those that aren’t aware, now that Santorum is in the lead for the Republican nomination, the media is suggesting that he, as a Catholic, who doesn’t use birth control, will outlaw contraception if he were elected president. This contraception battle did not just pop up per chance out of nowhere. The president knows he has the main stream news media behind him. They will do anything to get him reelected. Let’s face it, Santorum is about as clean a candidate you will get. If the news media can’t scare off the voters with this contraception issue, trust me the Dems will throw something more heinous at him, or whomever is the nominee. It will be at the midnight hour before the election, when it will be too late to undo the damage. Oh, and don’t think for a minute that the “occupy wall street” was spontaneous either. This was to set the stage to discredit “big corporate” Mitt Romney.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:07 PM By Delilah
Can it be? Cardinal Mahony is actually standing up for Church teaching? I know I haven’t died and gone to heaven. I guess, some how, he saw the light. Pax

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:13 PM By Jim
Obama has managed to awaken a sleeping giant (the US bishops)!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:24 PM By Brian S.
Wall Street discredits itself, that the Republicans will nominate a man who personifies that nest of vipers demonstrates that they are as dominated by those forces as the Democrats are to the abortionists. Santorum, on the other hand, has no chance to beat Obama. His continued strength must show a death wish. Obama is now leading both, btw Larry.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:21 PM By Cody in Tucson
The Bishop of Tucson has been hiding behind his website and statements from the USCCB on this issue. Do you think Cdl Mahony’s strong statements will rub off on him? Nah, not an Alinsky community organizer like him!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:53 PM By k
Pope Pius IX in 1864 spoke against freedom of conscience. Freedom of conscience could be a yawning pit that we need to watch out for. What begins as a legitimate call for people of faith to not be forced to violate their conscience could become, if codified into law, the loophole that’s used for anyone to do anything-anarchy.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:33 PM By Allen
Cardinal Mahony is outraged by women using contraception. This is the man that signed off on almost a Billion dollars worth of priest abuse victims cases so he didn’t have to testify in court and end up in a criminal court room. He also stopped the victims from having their day in court. What a guy. Fund your own hospitals and keep it all Catholic. You will. then be within your religious rights under the constitution. The Church cannot accept public money then push their religious opinions on other Americans in the work place. The law of the land is the Constitution and not one’s religious opinions.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:33 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Larry, I don’t think you are including those in the cemeteries and the illegals in yours Chicago statistics? God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 6:30 AM By JLS
Correction, Allen: The Constitution WAS the law of the land; it today resembles the huge sailfish in the story The Old Man and the Sea, a great creature nipped down to a skeleton by sharks.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 6:37 AM By blb
Do the right thing, Mr. President, it looks like your constituency would like you to do so. Do you have an ethical mind? Do the right thing..

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 7:48 AM By Larry
“Obama is now leading both, btw Larry.” For now, Brian.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:21 AM By Prof Helen
Couldn’t agree more. Where was THIS Cardinal Mahoney for the past decade ?

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 9:18 AM By Catherine
Be on guard for those posters who will cleverly cite the saints and cleverly cite the Popes yet underhandedly work to undermine the very teachings that these holy men and holy women followed. Be on guard for those who sound orthodox yet support, praise, run interference for and even edify those who undermine Catholic Church teaching. Be on guard for those who secretly enjoy the confusion or the hurt initiated by them. In order to be heard they mix truths with lies and use different aliases to praise their own same voice that only seeks to undermine Catholic church teaching. The toe is left in the tent to further their own agenda.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:41 PM By Cilla
Attaboy, Cardinal Mahoney! I’m proud of you!

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 2:26 PM By Don Guillermo
The question now is whether Archbishop Dolan as president of the USCCB will accept or reject Mr. Obama’s “compromise.” If he accepts it, I will restrict all of my donations to the “building fund” of my parish. That way, neither my local bishop nor the USCCB would get any percentage whatsoever.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 9:04 PM By June
george, You are so right when you mention the Bishop of Stockton making orthodox statements, with an eye on being Archbishop of Los Angeles. History is repeating itself. This time the eye is on the Papacy.

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 7:35 AM By Anne T.
Hooray! for Cardinal Mahony. Better late than never.

Posted Saturday, February 18, 2012 1:25 AM By Abeca Christian
I agree with the Post from Thursday, February 16, 2012 9:18 AM By Catherine. You are right. I had to learn a lesson myself. Praise God that even though they may fool some of us some of the times, that if we remain faithful, that God will still protect us and the truth will be known sooner or later.

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2012 1:43 PM By Allen
February 16, 2012 6:30 AM By JLS , On the third day the fish tires, and Santiago, sleep-deprived, aching, and nearly delirious, manages to pull the marlin in close enough to kill it with a harpoon thrust. Dead beside the skiff, the marlin is the largest Santiago has ever seen. He lashes it to his boat, raises the small mast, and sets sail for home. While Santiago is excited by the price that the marlin will bring at market, he is more concerned that the people who will eat the fish are unworthy of its greatness. Those that wish the failure of our Constitution are unworthy of its greatness.

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2012 7:34 PM By JLS
Yes, Allen, the Constitution is great, but it requires responsible people, and this quality has been lost perhaps forever. But it really could not last beyond the globalization of government that has overwhelmed it. There is nothing that can be done about this; yet, Allen, if you think there can be, then do not hesitate to put forth your argument. The USA is has reached heights of glory, but only for a time; the Catholic Church lasts until the end of time. These are two different things, Allen. The Church does well to prepare for change; hopefully it prepares well as well.

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2012 7:35 PM By JLS
Allen, I read the book about forty years ago.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 12:54 AM By Allen
JLS, The Civil War took us to Hell and back. Americans killing Americans. It just doesn’t get much worse that that. We are still one country and our Constitution is intact.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 3:01 AM By OSCAR
JLS, there are responsibile people who would adhere to the law – the US CONSTITUTION. The problem is the VOTERS who have become too self-centered and too greedy – wanting the government to do too much for them rather than voting for those who would follow the Constitution. It’s not too late if we Pray, get off our rear ends and work for good candidates, and vote for moral candidates. God can do anything. (Even the USCCB and some individual Bishops have become too dependent on the government. The government is not God.)

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 7:21 AM By Canisius
Allen will be the first guy outside the local parish leading the mob with torches. Allen if you think we are one country you are dreaming, you want us to worship government, and keep our mouths shut much like it was for Christians in the old Soviet Bloc. Guess what another civil war is coming it will bloody and purging it will be my hope that every bit of the Left will be wiped out

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 8:16 AM By JLS
Allen, try comparing the Civil War with the countless European wars over many many centuries. What about countless other wars throughout time and space on Planet Earth? Are you of the belief that Americans are worth more to God than anyone else? Try Catholicism as a religion instead of Americanism.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 2:27 PM By Allen
JLS & Canisius, Government is the essence of coercion. In America’s support of religion is to be completely voluntary. The Constitution guarantees freedom from religion imposed or established by force of law. It is that freedom which provided welcome to many of our ancestors and which we celebrate in a nation where religions of all kinds freely flourish.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 3:45 PM By Canisius
Allen the Constitution also guaranty freedom from government imposing itself on religion, which is what is happening with this HHS Ruling. However liberals just refuse to see this,

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 4:36 PM By Allen
JLS, Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” puts the Civil War in perspective as a test of the success of the American Revolution. The nation founded on equality was in the midst of a war to determine whether such a nation could continue to exist. He said that they were gathered to formally dedicate ground hallowed by the men, American citizens, who died there, but his speech turned the event into a rededication of the living to the war effort to preserve a nation of freedom.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 4:39 PM By MacDonald
@ Allen — your 2:27 post reminds me of those abroad who want to establish Sharia Law in their countries, much to the horror of others, including Christians. You offer a good warning about government imposing one religion on the people…

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 5:35 PM By JLS
No, Allen, the Constitution prohibits the federal govt from establishing a religion. But the fed govt has de facto established a religion. It has not official name, but it does exist, and it opposes Catholicism.

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 5:40 PM By JLS
Let me try it again, OSCAR: There is already one world government. Now how do you re-establish the United States in this situation?

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 9:47 PM By Allen
JLS, We must remember that the people of all the States are entitled to all the privileges and immunities of the citizen of the several States. We should bear this in mind, and act in such a way as to say nothing insulting or irritating. I would inculcate this idea, so that we may not, like Pharisees, set ourselves up to be better than other people. A. Lincoln

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 11:20 PM By Abeca Christian
The new enforced pagan religion is the one that promotes “gayness”

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 7:13 PM By Anne T.
Allen, both JLS and I are descended from some of the early American patriots from the Revolutionary War, way before the Civil War. You are forgetting Abraham Lincoln’s many references to God and the Bible in his speeches. He did not totally separate church and state, neither did the American patriots from whom I am descended. Many were deacons of churches. The saying on our Liberty Bell is straight from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. Allen do you know the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic? I would look them up if I were you. Yes, no one is required to sing them or should be forced to sing them, but most Americans who were against slavery, including Lincoln, did sing them. The majority was never denied a certain amount of religion in the public arena as long a no one was forced to be involved. It is fine to have a public Christmas tree, just as long as no one is required to take part in the lighting. By the way, if Catholics must fund their own hospitals, and it is not such a bad idea, they should not have to fund public schools by taxation unless they use them. Fair is fair, Allen. Also, Allen, it is impossible to have total freedom from religion in any country. What about those who practice polygamy or polyandry? Should we allow them to have two wives or two husbands which is against the Christian religion but not theirs? Should we allow Satanists to practice human sacrifice if they believe in it? Should the state force Jews and Muslims to serve pork and Baptists to serve alcohol in a business of theirs that is open to the public, just as they are trying to force Catholics to fund abortions now in their business? If they force Catholics to support contraception and abortions, why not? You see, when one truly looks at the history of this country, it really was for the most part founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and one can deny that, but the denial does not make it so, and there are many, many unaswered questions out there.

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 9:30 PM By JLS
One of the choices we all have is freedom of religion vs growing corruption.

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 11:22 PM By Abeca Christian
A minute with the current president is already too much for me.

Posted Wednesday, February 22, 2012 12:17 PM By Bruce
Oddly, the retired cardinal’s statement is mainly secular and centered on the government’s imposition of tyranny and taking away our individual rights. Granted, he is correct and I’d like to add that this latest Obama and demoncrats attack (nationally regarding Obamacare but internationally regarding his executive order to cast aside the Mexico City Agreement which prevented US taxpayer money from funding international infant genocide) is against God’s pro-creation and thereby makes the United States the laughing stock of the world. Why? Because our government is trying to impose the image of our bright shining city/beacon of hope, freedom, and security on a hill with a compassion for all people’s rights in the world even to the point of allowing and protecting dangerous illegal immigrant criminals and their religion of death to enter and thrive within our national borders. Even dim-witted nations can see the facade, that there truly is no government compassion nor protection for the most innocent victims in our nation, our youngest and most defenseless citizens against infant genocide. Even the animal world has more “common sense and decency” for the most part because it protects its young from danger. Sadly, what the cardinal does not say and should, is that abortion and the use of contraceptives and abortificants is against God’s commandment “Thou shalt not kill” and that to do so constitutes a mortal sin.

Posted Saturday, February 25, 2012 3:09 PM By jas
much to think about, we need to keep in mind that all life is precious from conception to natural death. God Bless America !!!!!!!!!

Posted Saturday, February 25, 2012 5:02 PM By JLS
The de facto govt religion of the USA is a kind of protestant/unitarianism. If a politician does not buy into this at least informally, then he or she will not get very high on the ladder. It is the way the voters want it. The voters want moral relativism, and that is what they vote for. Any candidate pegged as a moral absolutist, by which I mean one who talks and acts on all commonly accepted moral points, will not get elected to high national office … because of the moral factions. One faction will subscribe to moral set a,b,c,d,e; the next will subscribe to c,d,e,f,g; the next to a,c,e,g; and so on. So a candidate has to convince each group that he is their man and not that of one of the other groups.

Posted Saturday, February 25, 2012 5:56 PM By Dana
This is when ALL of us must be united and supportive of our bishops. Not to be repetitive but it serves no purpose to keep bringing up old grievances. Every time we say the Lord’s prayer serves as a reminder to ‘forgive us our trespasses as WE FORGIVE those who trespass against us’. We’re not given a free pass on this. We’re called to forgive or we won’t be forgiven. (also it’s really boring to hear everyone carping. ha) We’re a family, my fellow Catholics, and we’re being challenged and threatened by the the big bully down the block (aka Big Brother) and now is NOT the time to be finding fault with those who will be firing the big guns. They have the voice and the authority but they need our support. Look how they’re being challenged by the pseudo-Catholic health groups. We’re one body…as long as we’re in communion with Christ. We’re not given options if we’re to be Christ’s hands & feet here on earth.

Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012 10:20 PM By Abeca Christian
Dana your last comments conveys at tone of mercy and charity. You are right, I hope we can try to be better but we have a lot at stake here, our Salvation and feel let down but you are right on the points you make. God bless you!

Posted Wednesday, February 29, 2012 7:07 AM By JLS
Dana, the bishops should respond to God, so when they close their ears to God, what good does it do to support them. And when they open their ears to God, then there really is no need to support them. When bishops seek support from the laity, it means they are doing their own thing and not God’s.

Posted Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:20 AM By Dana
Thank you Abeca. As usual, you really ‘get’ it. Satan’s fingerprint can always be spotted where there is division and dissension. ‘Divide & conquer’ is a cliche’ for that very reason…it’s a tried and true technique to keep Christians from being effective in what we are all called to be.” The Church of God is called by Christ to manifest to a world ensnared by its sins and evil designs that, despite everything, God in his mercy can convert hearts to unity and enable them to enter into communion with him.”(JPII, from ‘That they may be one” ency.1995)

Posted Thursday, March 01, 2012 2:54 AM By Abeca Christian
Dana yip but I just read JLS’s comments and he too makes sense. After all they are leaders of the faith. Often times I seek to have a tone of mercy and charity as you do but there is that voice that keeps conveying what JLS just commented last. I suppose that is the voice of my soul, who wants salvation and looks for that great example from those who are suppose to bring us Jesus. But I get both your comments. They are good reflections!