As a new administration and Congress begin, the merger of populism and nationalism at work in the cultural and political currents of the United States compels us to explore deeply the nature of both nationalism and patriotism and to evaluate them in the light of our identity as disciples of Jesus Christ.
The recent election campaign was deeply marred by exclusionary rhetoric and proposals that have driven deep wedges into our culture and raised the specter of imposing exclusionary government policies that target specific groups on the margins of our society. It is essential that this nativist element of the nationalist current in our culture, that does not represent a majority of Americans in either political party, be purged from the national debate in the coming months. “Who are the people” in the United States? All of us.
Three Key Issue Areas
There is an obligation of every nation to integrate its policies and the pursuit of its national interests with the good of humanity as a whole, becoming, in the words of Pope Francis, “a community that sacrifices particular interests in order to share in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life.” Parochial nationalism utterly rejects such an integration. Thus a central question for our nation, and especially for the Catholic community, is whether our nation’s actions in three key issue areas of foreign policy will be dictated by American self-interest alone or by American interest seen in the context of the international common good.
The first of these issue areas is the global economy. Speaking to the United Nations, Pope Francis was clear in describing the current economic realities of our world that all nations must sacrifice to change: “In effect, a selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity leads both to the misuse of available natural resources and to the exclusion of the weak and the disadvantaged. Economic and social exclusion is a complete denial of human fraternity and a grave offense against human rights….” In the vision of economic life that the pope has so powerfully presented to the world, grotesque levels of inequality, unemployment, dire poverty and malnutrition constitute the wholesale violation of core elements of an authentic substantive global common good. They are compounded by the instrumentalization of the human person through globalized markets in human trafficking, the sexual exploitation of children, slave labor and the drug and weapons trades.
The second area of challenge between nationalism and Catholic social teaching centers on the global environment. In “Laudato Si’” Pope Francis sounds a fire bell to the world about the environmental crisis looming for our world in climate change, the deterioration of biodiversity and the loss of farmlands and water for the poorest peoples of the world. The pope is clear that the only pathway forward lies in international cooperation designed to confront the destructive trajectories that have been inflicted upon our common home by human choice. “An interdependent world not only makes us more conscious of the negative effects of certain lifestyles and models of production and consumption that affect us all; more important, it motivates us to ensure that solutions are proposed from a global perspective, and not simply to defend the interests of a few countries. Interdependence obliges us to think of one world with a common plan.”
The third major area of Catholic social teaching that conflicts with nationalism concerns the responsibility of all peoples for the refugees in the world. It was this responsibility that brought Pope Francis to the island of Lampedusa in the earliest days of his pontificate to remember in prayer those hundreds of refugees who had drowned seeking freedom from oppression and suffering. Recalling the story of Cain and Abel in the Book of Genesis, Francis declared: “God asks each one of us: Where is the blood of your brother that cries out to me?… Today no one in the world feels responsible for this; we have lost the sense of fraternal responsibility.” In a world that is confronting the largest refugee crisis in more than six decades, the nationalism surging through the United States categorically denies just that sense of responsibility for refugees that Francis underscores. This is what passes for nationalism in a country that has historically distinguished itself as being a haven for refugees.
The Task Ahead
The Catholic vote was pivotal in the 2016 election. Now the Catholic community must be pivotal in bringing the vision of the church’s social teaching into the dialogue that will unfold in the coming months. That dialogue is immensely enriched by the new acceptance within the presidency and the Congress of the right to life for the unborn. It must also be enriched by a rearticulation of what patriotism means for the citizens of our nation: a patriotism that recognizes that every member of our society constitutes equally “the people,” a patriotism that sees greatness not in power or wealth but as a moral and spiritual aspiration founded in justice, freedom and solidarity; and a patriotism that advances America’s aims in the world in a manner that enhances the dignity and integral human development of all peoples.
Full story at America Magazine.
“…nativist element of our culture must be purged from the national debate.”
What needs to be purged is the pretense that putting our national priorities in order, much like one must do in their own lives, is something other than what it is. A necessary duty.
There is absolutely zero basis for implying that the United States by enforcing just laws that protect both citizens and immigrants represents, “the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants.
The issue at hand is managing the immigration process by way of legitimate and legal means. A country has a duty to protect its citizenry. And a porous border invites illicit trafficking in all manner of goods, to…
… sadly include the smuggling of people. It is the latter that exploits human beings by opening immigration up to black marketeers who, as with most trades, take full advantage of whatever, whenever.
Stop using the Catholic community, your Excellency, for the promotion of political agendas that exploit the good will of all and the desires of those who might, because of your words, put themselves at risk by breaking just laws.
Stop parsing Catholic teaching so as to portray doing one’s duty by one’s country as evil. Perhaps all would be better served if your “teaching” were expressed in similar terms by your brother bishops in Mexico with regard to their stringent immigration policies.
Exactly. Aren’t we all tired of these hacks parading as shepards of the faith. Show some balance, Excellency. Your own record (bishops in US) has been horrible. Clean your OWN house first, and then come out with your Dem wish list concerns.
Matthew 7:3 seems to apply:
“…Any why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?”
The answer, of course, is political expediency!
“… It must also be enriched by a rearticulation of what patriotism means for the citizens of our nation: a patriotism that recognizes that every member of our society constitutes equally “the people,” a patriotism that sees greatness not in power or wealth but as a moral and spiritual aspiration founded in justice, freedom and solidarity; and a patriotism that advances America’s aims in the world in a manner that enhances the dignity and integral human development of all peoples.”
This would also be far better received if you and your brother bishops reartciulated what fidelity to Catholic teaching means for not just faithful Catholics, but for Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, and religious within the RCC. Let us return to a…
…fidelity that teaches the dignity and integral aspects of upholding all aspects of Catholic Faith and Morals.Not just the select few that advance a global agenda that feigns national sovereignty is some backward concept.
For while you wax on about “America’s Aims” in the world, you forget, (although you never forget with regard to your own interests) that one must be true to one’s principles and uphold one’s legitimate laws in order to give good example. Otherwise the example is to be led, not to lead.
..and the integral development of all peoples includes bringing each person to acknowledge that which is just – like immigration laws – and attempt, by every means, to work within the law for the good of all. Including the…
… fellows with whom one desires to live beside as neighbors.
AMalley as usual you throw multiple castigations without one whit of substantiation. Reading your posts, including this one, it’s full of fact-less assertions. For your information, the fact is that the legitimate clergy upholds ALL DOCTRINES of the Catholic Faith. ALL OF THEM! If you are going to assert that they don’t, then prove it!
I don’t have to prove it, jon. If you’re living in the sand, it is incumbent upon you to lift your head and see what is all around for the world to see. The world “you” are supposed to be a light to, not an occasion of scandal and sin and misdirection like tittering assistant at a magic show.
Excellent posts, Ann Malley!
A person making any kind of claim is duty-bound to prove his point when called upon.
C’mon jon! It’s very obvious! The only reason that you are threatened is because *all* of Ann Malley’s posts are *actually* Catholic. People are attempting to demonize President Trump for wanting America to be safe, much in the same way that many bishop’s in authority have silenced, removed, punished and then demonized faithful priests who simply *upheld* all Church teaching! These faithful priests were persecuted by brother priests, (See Our Lady of Akita) simply because they *actually* followed *all* of Christ’s Magisterial Teachings. These faithful priests wanted *souls to be safe*. Ann Malley is simply explaining a part of the many reasons why there is a great loss of faith and why the hemorrhaging is still occurring. Here…
Here is some proof!
Pope Francis worried over ‘hemorrhage’ of priests, nuns from Catholic Church
https://globalnews.ca/news/3211457/pope-francis-worried-over-hemorrhage-of-priests-nuns-from-catholic-church/
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis says he is concerned about what he calls a “hemorrhage” of priests and nuns from the Catholic church.The pope on Saturday told participants at a Vatican gathering on religious life that the loss of clergy is weakening the church.
continued….
continued…
First among the factors he (Pope Francis) cited as causing nuns and priests to quit their vocations is a society that discourages lifelong commitments. Francis lamented that many conduct their lives based on “a la carte” choices.
https://globalnews.ca/news/3211457/pope-francis-worried-over-hemorrhage-of-priests-nuns-from-catholic-church/
more proof continued….
continued…..
Half of U.S. adults raised Catholic have left the church at some point
By Caryle Murphy
Some older American Catholics might remember a time when people thought of the Catholic Church like a family: hard to ignore and even harder to leave. But a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. Catholics shows that at least some of these perceptions may no longer be entirely true. Indeed, about half (52%) of all U.S. adults who were raised Catholic have left the church at some point in their lives. A significant minority of them returned, but most (four-in-ten of all those raised Catholic) have not.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/15/half-of-u-s-adults-raised-catholic-have-left-the-church-at-some-point/
“Francis lamented that many conduct their lives based on “a la carte” choices.”
Many shepherds rejected Church teaching on Humanae Vitae and homosexual unions. Many are accomplices in to trying to eradicate authentic Catholic Traditions, hence a deliberate deprivation of knowledge to help souls gain graces. We are seeing the hemorrhaging because many bishops are still going selective “a la carte” acceptance of Church teaching.
continued…
continued….
The real danger lies in the great loss of faith and the amount of sanctifying graces they are depriving Christ’s sheep. No wonder there is such a mess. Many claim to be Catholic but their teaching actions are “a la carte”. Instead of their primary duty to guard the Deposit of Faith contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, some are now accomplices in helping to form the Califate. We must love our bishops enough to remind them and also warn them of the reality that there was a reason why St. Athanasius said, “The floor of hell is paved with bishops.” – Council of Nicaea, AD 325
Catherine, you are at a grave disadvantage as you are trying to use facts and reasoning with Pious jon; but I appreciate your bringing up the AP story (globalnews.com) dated 1/28/17, in which P Francis acknowledges the accelerating loss of priestly and religious vocations—“the Francis Effect”.
This past summer “jon” claimed a great vocation “surge” in several posts. He knows better — the Diocese of San Jose is a leader in priests departures in 1st 10 years after ordination.
But imams are Bp. PJ’S focus these days.
…and I suppose now the religious litmus test of not living via a la carte mentality is doing whatever Simon(Francis)-says-now, not Catholic teaching. After all, upholding all the commandments paralyzes Christians:
https://www.romereports.com/2017/01/27/pope-in-santa-marta-explains-the-sins-that-paralyze-christians
Sorry, jon, but your going to have to go back to the drawing board and discern what the rock of Truth is. Peter, in the flesh, all by himself? Or Peter, yielding to the gift of the Father, proclaiming the fullness of Truth?
Thanks, Catherine, Fr. Perozich, and Campion. Good company is always appreciated ;^)
Campion says Catherine is using “facts.” FALSE! The drop in vocations do not necessarily prove AMalley’s point. Correlation DOES NOT EQUAL causation, which is a typical illogical arguments many people here like to commit.
Let us lay to rest once and for all the phony “causation v. correlation” argument. For one thing ( I am not the first to note this here – anon. Anselm noted this) it has nothing to do with the Catholic discernment of spirits as described by S. Ignatius Loyola (n.331-336). Check it out. We do make judgments based on outcomes. We must.
S. Ignatius makes very clear that the Holy Spirit inclines the soul to greater spiritual goods; the fruits of the “good Spirit” are “wholly good and directed to what is right.” So, the massive loss of vocations which even the Holy Father now acknowledges (note how “jon” skipped over this matter, which he has previously denied) is not a “good”. Something very wrong, very evil is at work, in the…
..Church.
So, we must “test every spirit” (1 John 4:1), Sp Ex 333.
Everywhere Catholic tradition is honored, traditional sacraments and teaching are revered and its rules are sacrosanct, vocations prosper. At least most, if not all, places that invest themselves in Francis-Vatican II-every-day-a-different-church, vocations die out.
Juxtaposition means something: the Benedictine Sisters of Gower, MO, a traditional order, are overflowing with vocations. So were the Friars of Mary Immaculate, til Frankenchurch destroyed them. The Jesuits, or Cupich’s Chicago diocese, and in fact also Bergoglio’s own cardinal-archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, emptied out under his own leadership, all experiencing an undeniable drop in…
vocations.
S. Ignatius (n. 333): “We must carefully observe the whole course of our thoughts. If the beginning and middle and end of the course of thoughts are wholly good and directed to what is entirely right, it is a sign that they are from the good angel. But if the course of thoughts suggested to us may terminate in something evil, or distracting, or less good than the soul had formerly proposed to do. Again, in what weakens the soul, or disquiets it; or by destroying the peace, tranquillity, and quiet which it had before, it may cause disturbance to the soul.”
The present state of the Church demands accountability, and denying causation is a convenient and inane effort at avoidance of that accountability.
By the way, here is the article evidencing Bergoglio’s catastrophic leadership with regards to vocations during his 15-year tenure (1998-2013) in Rio de Janeiro:
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-real-francis-effect-collapse-of.html
Based on this record alone, Bergoglio should not have been elected pope.
Here are the facts on Cardinal Blase “Blazing Wreck” Cupich:
Cupich was appointed in Sept, 2014, and in his first full year in charge of the seminary (2016), he ordained 5, for all Chicago diocese. 5. That’s right. Here are the numbers for the preceding years:
Year Priests Ordained Cardinal
2016 5 Cupich
2015 14 {Card George – deceased Apr 2015}
2014 12 George
2013 10 George
2012 14 George
2011 10 George
2010 14 George
Vast Chicago diocese always averaged 12 priests a year—until Blazing Wreck took over.
Moreover, Cupich has made major changes in Mundelein Seminary especially to the faculty and the spiritual directors (too trad, all of the Card. George people; of course: its Blazing Wreck at work), even including wreckovating the seminary chapel. A contact I connected with told me 6 mos ago that since Blaze took over, esp. in 2015, the college seminary and theology seminary had begun emptying out to other more tradition-friendly dioceses and orders.
Yes Causation and Correlation in fact often go hand-in-hand. Surprise.
O Campion, the “proof” you’re providing is hardly proof of anything. How is this alleged sudden “drop” in the number or ordinandis a particular “fact” demonstrating that this Bishop you’re referring to is “not upholding Catholic doctrine”? HOW? What you’re alleging is that “traditional” elements are being moved out of the Seminary, which is the reasoning for the drop in the number of men ordained in 2016. Well, you’ve right there missed a few steps in logical reasoning. You have not demonstrated that this Bishop is not upholding Catholic doctrine, which is the particular assertion I had asked AMalley to prove, which she still hasn’t, by the way. Instead, you have presented an alleged “fact” (drop in the number of…
men this Bishop ordained last year), then falsely correlated that to not upholding Catholic doctrine because allegedly he is getting rid of the “traditionalists.” NOT CONVINCING, and UTTERLY ILLOGICAL!
Well said, Ann
All immature, corrupt, Godless, immoral, hippie leftist socialists, HATE AUTHORITY, and HATE RESPONSIBILITY! That is why they always immediately label figures of authority and responsibility, as “Hitler,” or as “Nazis.” They have been BRAINWASHED to despise all “father figures of authority and responsibility,” and do not understand that they are required to grow up and become one! Selflessly work hard to be a good family, church, and community member– and a good American citizen! With good morals, and a good conscience! A good, responsible “father figure,” or a good “mother figure,” in our community!
Jesus Christ saves us from sin, from eternal death, from isolation for goodness, eternal life, and for communion with God and with one another. He does not preach economic equality, globalism. He does ask us to go out to the world to tell the Good News, that everyone who believes in Jesus and who is baptized can be saved. These opinions by the bishop are his interpretations of social and socialist teachings, and as a Catholic, I grant him respect to express them. I will concentrate on the salvation of souls and the preaching of the gospel in these end times.
Fr. Richard, it doesn’t happen often, but you are dead wrong in this case. You can’t tell the Good New without telling/asking people to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us, without practicing Catholic Social Teachings, without teaching that we should care for the poor, etc. Today the Gospel is the Sermon on the Mount. What we are talking about here are the Beatitudes. Eternal life comes to those who practice the Catholic faith, not just believe in it.
Some immigrants come to America, get well-off financially– and next, slowly lose their cultural, religious, and family values! A few generations later, everything is all gone– to the god of materialism and “success!” My grandfather had dreams of sailing to America, at the turn of the 20th century, because, as he said– he was beautifully educated by the Jesuits, in his homeland– yet looked forward to a life of possible poverty, after finishing school! What a terrible irony! Anyway– he was a good man, with excellent family and religious values, lifelong!
It was NOT FAIR that young Kate Steinle was brutally killed in cold blood, by an illegal alien, a drug dealer and murderer– who was allowed into San Francisco, due to the fact that it is a Sanctuary City. Kate was walking with her father, along the Embarcadero, near the Ferry Building, enjoying the pretty day– when all of a sudden, she was brutally murdered by an alien gunman! SHE DESERVED TO BE PROTECTED AS A GOOD AND DECENT AMERICAN CITIZEN!! All who aspire to American citizenship, need good background checks, and to obey the rules, to become good citizens! And such people deserve our praise, love, and support!
Dead wrong is a deadly diversion, Bob One.
Eternal Life – the Faith and the grace to live it – are gifts of God, not a manufacture of a given set of principles. All the “good” works in the world, if exercised without charity (that is rightly ordered love of God and neighbor), are worth nothing.
The pretense of mounting a social justice outright upon the premise of falsehood – i.e. pretending that the necessity of upholding just law for the good of all, to include legal immigrants – is really “nationalism” in disguise is using the gospel to beat down virtue for the sake of politics, and the desire to appear good. That’s looking for one camel sized phylactery to parade upon the world stage, not seek God’s will. The latter often…
… leaves us unseen or, at the very least, a stumbling block to those who would garner human respect.
And what will you say to Jesus at the Last Judgement when he asks you what you did for the poor, the hungry, the refugees, the homeless, the disenfranchised, those being persecuted?
There is a big difference between practicing Catholicism, and daily performing the Seven Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy– as opposed to the evil, misguided, secular political practice of socialism and Communism– which only seeks the material welfare of mankind, in a totally corrupt and Godless manner.
Over the years, my family has known several immigrants (most of them Latinos) who worked hard, got their papers in order, and studied for their US. Citizenship exams– and passed with flying colors! Upon receiving American citizenship, everyone was overjoyed, and there were many big celebrations! My grandparents also received their U.S. citizenship likewise, after I was born. Everyone has always been VERY PROUD to become a good American citizen! Proud of their beautiful, adopted country, very patriotic and loyal to the land they love!
These new immigrant Americans, were all very patriotic, and were very good citizen of their communities, and good Church members, too! Many also served in our military. They all got good educations, good jobs, raised good families, with good values, to contribute their best to our country, and to our Church!
…that we did our duty despite the temptation to pick up that which was not ours – swallowing the bait of a global crisis of orchestrated need that forces people to leave their homes and;provide a cover for the infiltration of evil into the United States. The selfsame evil that will, like a Trojan horse, destroy this country, not only for those who are being falsely slandered as “nativists” but for anyone seeking a new and better life here in the United States. (The poor immigrants are the Horse, not the enemy inside.)
These refugees are being USED, people. And so too are you with “charity” and “fear of the Lord” and “undue shaming” being the tools of the trade. Root cause that reality and put an end to it at the source. A…
… gullible facilitation of the charity BandAid only allows the wound to fester and never heal properly.
Creating safe zones for those who are in danger so that they do not need to uproot themselves and treat our country an the only solution to problems is to acknowledge and uphold the reality that other countries, contrary to being lost causes, are worth the effort to reclaim. Not cede them to evil.
Wait, Jane, so unless we put on the Mantle of Self-Congratulatory Social Concern (‘feed the hungry, the refugees, the homeless, the persecuted, etc”) (Mt. 6:1: the “righteousness” of the Hypocrites Jesus called it), we do not follow Christ?
Really? So, what of S. Therese de Lisieux’s “Little Way”, in which by the active and sincere practice of charity every day in our daily interactions with others according to our state of life, that we fulfill the Gospel commands? Or, was S. Therese just deluded, and failed to fulfill the George Soros-Hollywood-Celebrity-style ostentatious “care for the oppressed” , the showy charity that is a mile wide and a micrometer deep and sincere?
I have worked too long in Catholic institutions where some of the biggest wind-filled-containers march about propounding their Ponderous Beatitude Imperatives, went to be arrested at the School of the Americas protests, or threw blood on people and equipment at Oak Ridge or Kansas City nuclear facilities (don’t forget to throw the ‘blood’, it’s great theatre) — of course, while all their expenses and fine dining are being paid for on the religious order’s or diocese’s or ordinary Catholic’s hard-earned dime — and in real life were some of the most jaded, self-centered, nasty, uncharitable people you would have ever met.
As my father used to say, “It’s going to be very interesting on Judgment Day.”
But how can you grant him respect, as a Catholic or otherwise, to express these socialist teachings under the auspices of bishop? As a private citizen, sure. This blatant misuse of his position as a shepherd, however, is not worthy of respect. Quite the opposite.
Father, I agree with you 100%!! Thanks for your excellent post!
Bishop McElroy is to be avoided. He is wrong on so much of what he says, and he has amnesia, as well (a Zombie-Liberal affliction), for example: (1) Catholics were vital in 2016, but critical to the success of Obama, accepting all his promises of the USA as “Abortion City” and the home of free sex; (2) B. McElroy’s type of clergy ignores Catholic doctrine in an effort to achieve whatever they say that “Catholic social doctrine” means: and (3) there is no “environmental crisis;” there is a moral crisis, however, something that Francis and McElroy blithely ignore. The “Old World” moral authority is pretty much done now, thanks to feckless Catholic leadership.
SChristoph, reading your post, I have judged it to be rather superficial. There is nothing of merit. Your point #1 is really pointless. Not only is it grammatically problematic, it’s incomprehensible. Your point #2 needs proof. What doctrine is being “ignored”? Really. As for point #3, you sound like as if you’re lamenting a bygone era that is not going to come back again, whatever that era was. There may be no environmental crisis, but other bishops have given attention to other moral crises that are more pressing. This bishop has chosen to target the environment. He made be one of a very few people who do so. Really folks. You sound all bent-out-of-shape for no reason at all.
“jon,” OK, let’s make it truly clear: (1) Catholic voters need to be careful to vote consistent with their Faith, having led to the election of Obama as President; (2) B. McElroy is a heretic, directing his priests to grant communion to divorced/remarried/no annulment Catholics; and (3) I have no idea of your response. My point was that environmentalism is not a Catholic doctrine and should not clutter the Church’s mission of salvation. The true crisis is a moral one, where the Church appears willing to wink at adultery, homosexual sex, and other mortal sins in its desire to appear relevant. People choosing to commit sins does not make their behavior morally acceptable, no matter how long they choose to continue that behavior.
(Part Deux) ” . . . Oh, I forgot — B. McElroy should never have been made a bishop and should resign immediately, for the good of the souls of his diocese. He seeks to do nothing more than imprint the lying Zombie-Liberal dogmas now so much in fashion at the Vatican. Time for him to go (and for people to stop paying their hard earned wages to support him).
All practicing Catholics should voice a similar concern, “jon”.
SC: #1). You are rehashing the 2008 elections. That is past. Besides where’s your proof that any Catholic was led to vote for Obama. NONE! The clergy have been very careful not to endorse any candidate in any election. So you’re WRONG! #2). This is heresy, irreverence, disobedience, and downright unlawful Canonically. It deserves no comment, only pity and a call to repentance. #3). The Church has not approved adultery, homosexuality, fornication, and mortal sins. So you’re point is meritless. The Pope however has added concern and care for the environment as meriting attention. That you have a problem with that means that you most likely have little regard for the environment. Shame on you.
S. Christopher, if as Epictetus is supposed to have said, “Virtue is its own reward”, attempting to dialogue with jon using reason and facts is its own punishment.
New meaning to the phrase “invincible ignorance”.
Excellent posts, as always, St. Christopher! (And you should always ignore the ignorant poster, jon.) And oh, YES– we have a TREMENDOUS moral crisis in the Church, and in the world! The moral crisis, which you also mentioned– is enough to send the whole world to the flaming depths of Hell, real quick — if they all don’t wake up pretty soon! The Church is responsible to God, for MORAL leadership– so, where is it, the last fifty years, since the Council?? It seems like Christ has been set aside, for human “freedoms” to sin!!
P.S. The whole world knows the constantly-publicized statistics, of the huge numbers of Obama-supporting Catholic voters, who were vital to his success in the Presidential elections! And what the entire world truly needs to know, with daily teaching and preaching by our Church— is that without leading a good moral life, obedient to Christ’s teachings — your life isn’t worth anything; you are spiritually DEAD. To reform one’s life immediately, is a MUST!!
To say that there is no environmental crisis is to repudiate science and casual observation as well. The earth is in crisis. Our country is in crisis, look who we just elected. Back in the 30s the German people, by overwhelming odds elected a paper hanger to be their Chancellor. Look what happened. We can’t let that happen to our country.
Hitler was not elected to anything much less by overwhelming odds. He lost the 1932 election for president to Hindenburg who then appointed him Chancellor in 1933. Hopefully Trump will not appoint Hillary to anything.
Your comment is idiotic, “Bob One” (are you paid by a George Soros organization?). I know, I know — “global warming” that fraudulent excuse to eliminate a free market economy, and American dominance, in pursuit of entirely worthless “protective” projects around the world.
Whether the weather warms is subject to the same natural laws that have always applied. As noted in previous blogs, there has not been adequate debate on the subject; although there has been significant threatening, fudging of science data, personal attacks and the like. The propaganda machines have been turning out big time on this one.
Bob One,
First, the Democrats in California don’t believe that the Earth is in crisis: they only say that it is. Also, the science is not yet proven: It’s only a theory. Second, I’ve been a massive critic of Donald Trump. But the comparison of Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler is not tethered in reality, especially when I’ve never heard you make such comparisons of Barrack Obama. Donald Trump might well prove me wrong, but to date, I consider Trump and Obama to be remarkably similar and divisive in their approach to things. It’s my hope that Trump will not be like Obama.
Steve, my point is simple. We as a nation cannot let our values, beliefs and history be destroyed by a government administration bent on trying to be practical and ruling by fiat. Obama tried it, and President Trump is trying it with executive orders, not laws passed by Congress. Neither is the right way to govern in a Republic. In the campaign, Mr. Trump called for extreme vetting. He led people to believe that we didn’t do that already. The people that are let into the country from the middle east are the most vetted in history, already. (Think of all tho folks who come over the southern border not vetted.) We can’t let this man’s ignorance of the American Spirit be the guiding light for our nation. He needs to lead like a…
Bob One,
I think it’s too early to tell if Trump will rule like Obama. We won’t know until he gets pushback from Congress. Right now, I get the sense that Trump is mostly reversing Obama’s orders and issuing new orders to give direction in anticipation of future legislation.
Regarding immigration from the Middle East, I’ll answer your statements with a question. Is it possible to properly vet someone from an unstable, corrupt third world country when the threat of major violence is so serious?
Well, Steve Seitz, we let people in from Italy, don’t we?
YFC,
Yes we do. But what point are you trying to make?
Bob One, I know it is an exercise in futility to cite facts about alleged man-made “climate-change” (or is it “global warming”, B?), but even Gina McCarthy, then-EPA administrator admitted in July, 2015, that even if all the then-draconian EPA carbon-control plans were imposed, it would only affect temperatures by 1/100th of a degree Celsius: Here, watch her here, Bob 1:
https://www.climatedepot.com/2015/07/15/epa-chief-admits-obama-regs-have-no-measurable-climate-impact-one-one-hundredth-of-a-degree-epa-chief-mccarthy-defends-regs-as-enormously-beneficial-symbolic-impact/
And Dr. Michael Mann of Penn State (he, who with Dr Philip Jones of East Anglia Univ, UK, couldn’t explain the “climate-factors” they employed to alter measuring-station temperature data (to more conveniently fit their fake-science hypotheses), in 2014 said that he was wrong about global-warming (right, because in 2014, he said there was a “pause”), now again has claimed (2/6/15) that warming has resumed—but wait, I thought it was “climate-change” (Paul Erlich said it was global-cooling and as wrong as he was in 1968, he has been invited to lecture the wrong-way Vatican and its pope–see, everybody wins!)
It all makes sense: just close your eyes and believe them.
” Back in the 30s the German people, by overwhelming odds elected a paper hanger to be their Chancellor. Look what happened. We can’t let that happen to our country.” The default position of a liberal scream NAZI when you disagree with someone…
Dear Chris,
I’ve spent some time trying to get my head around zombie liberals myself. Do you think that zombie liberals speak at the March for Life or call for parental notification? https://cal-catholic.com/san-diego-bishop-calls-for-federal-parental-notification-law/
Zombie liberals use whatever tools are at their disposal, YFC. Good mixed with evil is the surest way to get the whole swallowed down with a ready gulp.
So, yes, some Zombie liberals or those who have been tasked to take up the banner of that which will facilitate their goals — unchecked immigration for profit and/or political currying of a certain party in the US who prefer to dissolve national sovereignty in lieu of some larger goal of establishing a one world government — will absolutely do what is necessary to “appear” faithful.
That’s why St. Paul warns of an Angel of Light, not a red suited individual with horns and a tail.
Your point, “YFC”? Everything that Satan says is a lie. He can lead us through good acts to an evil end. For example, Hitler controlled inflation, built highways and other public works (putting people to work), got public services to essentially act reasonably (e.g. trains run on time), that sort of thing. But Hitler — clearly possessed — was aimed at an entirely evil administration.
Merely because a heretic, like B. McElroy, stands up for a good policy means nothing about the morality of the man, or what he stands for. He has called for the open desecration of the Eucharist, by inviting adulterers to freely come in and receive, as long as they “feel OK” about it. Apostasy.
What “rise of nationalism?”
What is gratuitously asserted – is gratuitously denied.
Come back with some REAL issues.
The Catholic response should be to heed the advice of Padre Pio, “Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry”. Calm down folks!
Pope Francis has it wrong. The United States is a Nation. Give to Cesar what belongs to Cesar. And by all means cancel the Paris Global Warming Accord which is the vehicle the Pope helped construct for US to provide reparations to the idle. I am so glad Catholics voted 52% for Donald Trump. He has not dissapointed.
DId you listen to today’s readings?
Again, your point, “YFC”? The beginnings of the beatitudes are beautiful, an expression of God’s universal law of love, something we can barely understand here on Earth. If anything, the promise that “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” means people like B. McElroy will be rebuked, in a most public way, and the true message of Christ will be proclaimed. This result will lead to the promised “satisfaction”. So, we must continue to show our demand for righteousness in the Church, not a Zombie-Lefty fool like B. McElroy and his army of colleagues, all being advanced by Pope Francis.
I take it the answer is no.
“‘Bp.’ Robert McElroy (D-San Diego), who seldom has an unexpressed political thought, writing in America magazine..”
Hey, “Bp.” McElroy (D-San Diego), how bout this: “No Catholic can subscribe to even moderate socialism..” (Mater et Magistra, #34, 1961).
We’ll accept your resignation any time now. You can always run for office in CA: your party runs this totalitarian socialist Atlantis-like-submerging state.
Here again is an illogical contention. There is NOTHING in what this Bishop has written that espouses socialism as Marx and Lenin would have known. Again, this is a particular tactic of commenters such as Campion. Set up a straw man, then bash it. WRONG!
There is nothing that the Bishop has written here that pertains to the proper Catholic response to this Trojan horse of immigration. Engaging in a sentimental argument against imagined slights is teaching nothing but how to use people – immigrants and Catholics – making sport of their pain, suffering and duty.
It’s a shameful display of misdirection and avoiding the truth.
So, yes, you’re right, jon. The Bishop should not set up a straw man and then bash it in a pretense to curry support for his position of hiding the truth. WRONG, indeed!
Neither Mater et Magistra (1961) nor Quad. Anno. (1931) make any mention of Lenin/Leninist socialism nor Marx/Marxist socialism. That is jon’s straw-man argument (“socialism as Marx or Lenin would have known”) . Again preacher-jon amazingly displays stunning ignorance on these two key encyclicals.
In actual fact Mater and Magistra (#31) and Quad Anno prohibit ANY Catholic participation in socialism (“no Catholic can subscribe to even moderate socialism”)–regardless of whether it is Marxist, Leninist or other. But you cant expect an uninformed finger-wagger to know that.
McElroy has violated the prohibition against participation in socialism many times, ex., supporting the Affordable Care Act, his insistence on Church…
..support of public employees’ unions, which are bankrupting the state pension system, and his enmity with free markets (he wants government-central control, as does P. Francis) to produce equal outcomes despite different incomes—in other words, make every one impoverished.
No Catholic can subscribe to even MODERATE socialism (jon likes to capitalize things)—not Lenin’s or Marx’s: so, resign now, Bp. McElroy (D-San Diego).
Sorry but AMalley’s response is purely rhetorical because it merely ascribes an intent into other people’s actions which may or may not be legitimate and true. How can she know other people’s intent? Is she God? And as for Campion’s, his response is illogical because he alleges that this particular Bishop’s support of certain Democrat policies as proof of this Bishop’s participation with socialism. This is illogical because first he has to prove that these Obama policies are indeed manifestations of socialism (in the classic Marxist-Leninist construction, which is the bedrock of socialism, regardless of Campion’s false assertions to the contrary). Secondly Campion has to demonstrate that this Bishop espouses these policies AND…
that he does so because these are socialist policies. My point: People, before you accuse people of the things you accuse them of, especially those anointed as the shepherds of the Church, you better do better than merely throw unsubstantiated and false claims.
Bob One:
You don’t get a spot reserved in federal prison for “minor offenses”—or, for that matter, in overcrowded CA state prisons, where they can only keep the worst of the worst in the overcrowded system. Your attempt to “explain away” the overwhelming numbers of incarcerated felon illegals is brutal to the victims of their crimes—but for their presence their lives would not have been destroyed.
As for your putative open-borders position, your denials are utterly ineffective when your support for mass illegal immigration is evident.
There is no bigger “populist” since 2013 than “Rolling Stone” Papa Francesco.
If populism is bad, he’d better cut it out!
Pope Francis and Bishop McElroy do not seek to preserve the sovereignty of nations. As did Obama, they seek the NWO, the New World Order.
Globalism is dying on the vine. Thank you God….
Another moronically stupid, not to mention heterodox bunch of fluff from a Church prelate. These guys are going to have to make a decision, if they really want to earn the title of Bishop, they should stick to saving souls and matters of established Catholic dogma. My guess is that this fraudulent Bishop is fully supportive of the La Raza types, ignorant to the fact that it s about the most nationalist major Mexican lobbying group…it’s also racist.
If however these deficient church learders want to be politicians they can then join the local RAT party central committee and quit pretending, oh and they can finally shut up about abortion since they obviously are estranged from the Pro Life core of Catholicism.
Had enough of all this half-wacky (on the liberals/leftists part) stressing debate yet? Wonder where you can find an honestly Roman Catholic Parish to join, one which practices tradition, is God-centered, where the clergy are more interested in pleasing God and saving souls as opposed to all the secular political topics that draw people away from God. Who instead of seeking God’s help, they look for politicians and the New World Order and United Nations to solve the world’s problems. Then pray to God to show you His way back to a true Roman Catholic Parish. He will, it is a request that He won’t deny. Pray the Rosary.
Some of us, of a certain age, and those who study history, have lived through or witnessed the rise of nationalism in the word. We can barely remember WW II, but like the Great Depression for the generation before us, it lingers int he memory. So, we know about Nationalism expressed so cruelly in Germany and Italy, the USSR under Stalin, Peron in Argentina, the dictatorships of Paraguay, Japan under Tojo, and many others. It is important for us to protect our borders, keep our country safe, etc. for sure. But, for our sake and the sake of our great nation it has to be done within the values that have made us great, the rule of law that separates us from so many other countries, and in a way that is consistent with the teachings of our…
More stupidity, eh, “Bob One?” President Trump is not Hitler, or Tojo, or Stalin, or anyone else who led their countries into war or totalitarianism. The only modern risk of such in America has been the Obama Administration, with its refusal to recognize the rule of law, the precise wording of the Constitution, and its overarching dedication to the abortion industry, specifically Planned Parenthood.
President Trump will succeed because, at basis, he preaches a return to individual freedoms, which is the cornerstone of America. Freedom, and belief in individual responsibility; not a government dictating which bathroom our children must use. Obama was a terrible president, by his design; Trump embraces what America represents. It…
(Part Deux) ” . . . is “America First” now, not “we are the world.” Yes, “it’s a small world after all” is a cute Disney song and ride at Disney World, but a terrible way to see the world and America’s place in it.
Oh yes, as you Soros People well know and love, a One World Government also has the self-perceived responsibility to redefine religion, to make it in service to their political views. And what are they? Well, one of the key points is population control, particularly (thanks Margaret Sanger) of “brown people.” On obfuscation allowed, “Bob One;” your pals are killers.
America first is a great sounding slogan, with some merit, but it also deludes people about the reality of the small world in which we live. Consider only one potential act by the Chinese government, because they don’t like our unilateral trade policies; they stop shipment of IPhones. Nearly 30% of students in American colleges are from other countries. Think of a world that is not trained in our systems and beliefs. Think of a country that no longer accepts immigrants because of their religion or national origin. Think of a country where the President tries to rule by Executive Orders and ignores the Legislative branch. Think of a country that has a President who refers to “My Attorney General” instead of an independent head of…
…there is no delusion, Bob One. We are supposed to focus on our duties of state right here at home. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. So, without properly loving ourselves, that is seeing to the salvation of our own souls by way of doing our duty of state and exercising charity right here at home first, we set no example to be followed. Why? The watchword will be to let your own country fall short of paying its bills and feeding its people to drive the global agenda by appearing generous. (But the motor will soon run out that way. And appearances are often deceiving. Like a Trojan horse.)
Think of a country that can no longer help refugees because it has made paupers of its own people. As for ruling by Executive Order,…
Bob One, please address the following:
1) % of federal prisoners who are illegal aliens? 36.5%, over 1/3rd of the population, for most recent year (FY 2014) available (US Sentencing Commission, July 2015)
2) In 2014 (most recent year data available) 79,000 illegals are incarcerated in CA state prisons, out of 136,000 inmates–58% (https://www.nationalreview.com/article/421673/) .
Thanks, Bob, on behalf of all the victims of these criminals, whose lives would be whole, except for your insane open-borders policy.
Steve, I have never opted for open borders. Aliens who commit crimes should be in jail until they are deported . I think the data shows, that most of the incarcerations are for minor offenses, but that is not particularly important. They should be deported..
Bob One, we are too involved with foreign countries– and have neglected taking care of our own country, responsibly! God help us! We can and should manufacture our own AMERICAN iPhones! Almost all of the products in our stores today, say “Made in China,” instead of “Made in America!” Big mistake! And our colleges are established to educate AMERICANS! For Heaven’s sake– each country must have its OWN schools, to educate its OWN young people! And Russia had better not interfere with our elections– and we must not interfere with theirs, either, nor interfere in the affairs of any other country!
P.S. Our taxes go to pay for our schools, kindergarten through grad school, and beyond– for our American kids (American citizens) to be educated. And if we want to send our kids to Catholic schools– likewise, our Church must provide Catholic schools, kindergarten through grad school, and beyond— for CATHOLICS!
When we send our sons and daughters to a state university– and pay tuition– their classmates should mostly be other American students — not filled with tons of foreign students! Foreign students should only make up a very small percent of the student body. Our Church also has Catholic missions in many countries around the world, with Catholic schools, to help educate struggling, disadvantaged kids. It is wonderful, for dedicated lay Catholics to go and volunteer, helping nuns, brothers and priests, at these missions– as teachers, social workers, nurses, etc.