Thursday, February 07, 2008

Pope Says Prayer Is The Engine Of The World


In yesterday evening's Ash Wednesday homily, the Pope reminded the world of its power source and noted that Lent was a journey of conversion calling out to all believers.

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Pope on Ash Wednesday: prayer is "engine of the world"

ROME, February 7 (CNA).-Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday distributed ashes at the ancient Church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine hill in Rome. In his homily at the austere 1,500 year-old church, Vatican Radio reports that the Pope called prayer a "dialogue with God" and the "engine of the world." He also reminded Catholics that Lent is a journey of conversion that invites all believers to prayer, penitence, and fasting.

Pope Benedict said that Christ's prayer on the Cross, "shows us a person abandoned by all entrusts himself completely in God."

"Lent teaches us to experience God as the only anchor of Salvation," he said.

The Pope continued, saying that "true prayer is a dialogue with God, and without this our interior dialogue becomes a monologue, giving rise to thousands of self-justifications. Prayer, therefore, is a guarantee of being open to others. True prayer is the engine of the world, because it keeps us open to God. Without prayer, there is not hope, just illusion, which induces us to escape from reality".

The Pope called prayer, fasting, and almsgiving "places of learning and [the] practice of Christian hope." He said the three activities are inseparable, nourishing each other and bearing fruit when practiced together.

Addressing the topic of suffering, Pope Benedict said that Jesus suffered for truth and justice, revealing the Gospel of Suffering as the other side of the Gospel of Love.

The Pope said all men could take part in this "Gospel of Suffering," saying, "The greater the hope is that animates us, the greater also is the capacity to suffer for truth, love, and goodness,"

"We should offer up the small and great trials of our daily existence and insert them into the great compassion of Christ," Pope Benedict said.

Ashes have been distributed at the Church of Santa Sabina for more than 1,500 years.

[source]


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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Pope: Scientific Progress Must be Truly Respectful of all Human Beings


This morning, from the Vatican:

Benedict XVI invited the members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to give particular attention to "the difficult and complex problems of bioethics". In this context, he indicated that the "Church's Magisterium certainly cannot and should not intervene on every scientific innovation. Rather, it has the task of reiterating the great values at stake, and providing the faithful, and all men and women of good will, with ethical-moral principals and guidelines for these new and important questions.

"The two fundamental criteria for moral discernment in this field", he added, "are: unconditional respect for the human being as a person, from conception to natural death; and respect for the origin of the transmission of human life through the acts of the spouses".

The Pope highlighted "new problems" associated with such questions as "the freezing of human embryos, embryonal reduction, pre-implantation diagnosis, stem cell research and attempts at human cloning". All these, he said, "clearly show how, with artificial insemination outside the body, the barrier protecting human dignity has been broken. When human beings in the weakest and most defenceless stage of their existence are selected, abandoned, killed or used as pure 'biological matter', how can it be denied that they are no longer being treated as 'someone' but as 'something', thus placing the very concept of human dignity in doubt".

The Holy Father highlighted how "the Church appreciates and encourages progress in the biomedical sciences, which opens up previously unimagined therapeutic possibilities". At the same time, he pointed out that "she feels the need to enlighten everyone's consciences so that scientific progress may be truly respectful of all human beings, who must be recognised as having individual dignity because they have been created in the image of God". In this context, he concluded by ensuring participants in the plenary assembly that study of such themes "will certainly contribute to promoting the formation of consciences of many of our brothers and sisters".

[Source]


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Friday, January 18, 2008

Scandal-Racked Jesuits Exhorted by Pope to Return to Orthodoxy

Nothing has been more devastating to our current society over the past forty years or so than the rejection of divine truth regarding human sexuality. The Jesuits have had their ranks infiltrated seriously by various sexual perverts and a host of accompanying demons.

LifeSiteNews reports that last week,

Pope Benedict XVI has called on the ancient order which has been rocked by scandal to reaffirm their "total adhesion to Catholic doctrine" mentioning specifically the Church's teachings on "sexual morality".

This can only have a good effect on society as a whole as the Jesuit order responds in obedience to Benedict XVI and the Magisterium of the Church.

The once illustrious Jesuits, the great defenders of faith, have over the last 40 years been steeped in dissident controversy. Jesuit priests have featured prominently in the homosexual priest scandal and Jesuit universities have been hotbeds of dissent on Church teachings especially those on life and family.

The Pope’s entire address can be found here.


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Monday, January 07, 2008

The Pope on Gospel, Family & Life January 07, 2008

"Greater hope is needed", he added, "so as to permit the common good of everyone to prevail over the luxury of the few and the poverty of the many. 'This great hope can only be God, ... not any god, but the God Who has a human face'".

"If there is great hope, it becomes possible to persevere in sobriety. If true hope is lacking, happiness is sought in inebriation, in superfluity, in excess, in the ruination of oneself and of the world.

"Moderation is not then just an ascetic rule, but also a path of salvation for humanity. it is now clear that only by adopting a sober lifestyle, accompanied by a serious commitment to the fair distribution of wealth, will it be possible to establish a just and sustainable order of development. To this end", the Holy Father concluded, "there is need for men and woman who nourish great hope and possess great courage".

Read the whole report...

GOD IS THE GREAT HOPE HUMANITY NEEDS

VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2008


"From its very first appearance", the Pope added, "the light of Christ began to attract to Him those 'whom God favours' from all languages, peoples and cultures. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that moves hearts and minds in search of truth, beauty, justice and peace".

"Men and women of all generations, have need of guidance on their pilgrimage. What star, then, can they follow? ... The star that guided the Magi ceased its function, but its spiritual light remains present in the words of the Gospel, which even today are able to guide all mankind to Jesus, Those same words - which are nothing other than the reflection of Christ, true God and true man - are authoritatively echoed in the Church ".

The Holy Father went on: "The Church, then, also performs the mission of the star for humankind. But something similar may be said for each individual Christian, called to enlighten through word and deed the footsteps of his fellows. How important it is for we Christians to remain faithful to our vocation. All true believers are always travelling along their own personal itinerary of faith and at the same time, with the little light that each of them carries within, they can and must help those whom they encounter and who perhaps are struggling to find the path that leads to Christ".

Read the whole report...

THE GOSPEL, LIGHT AND GUIDE FOR ALL MANKIND

VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2008



"In every continent the Catholic Church strives to ensure that human rights are not only proclaimed but put into practice. It is to be hoped that agencies created for the defence and promotion of human rights will devote all their energies to this task and, in particular, that the Human Rights Council will be able to meet the expectations generated by its creation.

"The Holy See for its part never tires of reaffirming these principles and rights, founded on what is essential and permanent in the human person. The Church willingly undertakes this service to the true dignity of human persons, created in the image of God. And on the basis of these considerations, I cannot but deplore once again the continual attacks perpetrated on every continent against human life".

"I rejoice that on 18 December the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution calling upon States to institute a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, and I earnestly hope that this initiative will lead to public debate on the sacred character of human life.

"I regret, once again, the disturbing threats to the integrity of the family, founded on the marriage of a man and a woman. Political leaders, of whatever kind, should defend this fundamental institution, the basic cell of society".

"Even religious freedom, 'an essential requirement of the dignity of every person [and] a cornerstone of the structure of human rights' is often undermined. There are many places where this right cannot be fully exercised. The Holy See defends it, demands that it be universally respected, and views with concern discrimination against Christians and against the followers of other religions.

Read the whole report...

POPE DELIVERS HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS

VATICAN CITY, 7 JAN 2008


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Monday, November 19, 2007

Right to Life of Unborn is Absolute, Without Exception, Says Pope

Here’s the unequivocal—and historical—position of the Christian on abortion, as presented by the leader of the world’s largest Christian Body. It's a statement that also includes the spiritual remedy for all those who have participated in the grave sin of abortion.

Clear enough?

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Pope Denounces Abortion Campaigns in Africa

Addresses Kenyan Bishops on Marriage and Family

VATICAN CITY, NOV 19, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI denounced international agencies that promote abortion on the African continent, and encouraged the bishops of Kenya to defend life in all its phases.

The Pope said this upon receiving in audience prelates of the episcopal conference of Kenya, in Rome for their five-yearly visit.

"While the understanding of Christian family life finds a deep resonance in Africa," he said, "it is a matter of great concern that the globalized secular culture is exerting an increasing influence on local communities as a result of campaigns by agencies promoting abortion."

"This direct destruction of an innocent human life can never be justified, however difficult the circumstances that may lead some to consider taking such a grave step," added the Holy Father.

The Pontiff added, "When you preach the Gospel of Life, remind your people that the right to life of every innocent human being, born or unborn, is absolute and applies equally to all people with no exception whatsoever."

Benedict XVI said "the Catholic community must offer support to those women who may find it difficult to accept a child, above all when they are isolated from their family and friends."

"Likewise, the community should be open to welcome back all who repent of having participated in the grave sin of abortion, and should guide them with pastoral charity to accept the grace of forgiveness, the need for penance, and the joy of entering once more into the new life of Christ," he said.

A blessing

The Pope also spoke of marriage and family life, "which the people of Africa hold in particular esteem."

"The devoted love of Christian married couples is a blessing for your country," said the Holy Father. "This precious treasure must be guarded at all costs."

The Pontiff continued: "All too often, the ills besetting some parts of African society, such as promiscuity, polygamy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, can be directly related to disordered notions of marriage and family life.

"For this reason it is important to assist parents in teaching their children how to live out a Christian vision of marriage, conceived as an indissoluble union between one man and one woman, essentially equal in their humanity [...] and open to the generation of new life."

[Source]


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Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Bringing the Pope to Canada in 2008 Will Help in Defending the Unborn

Quebec City will host the International Eucharistic Congress in June 2008. This will be a mammoth event; one which many hope will precipitate a Catholic revival in Quebec. If there is any prospect of such an ambitious outcome it will likely revolve around an appearance by Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the archbishop of Quebec, goes so far as to say "This will certainly be the culmination of our efforts to re-evangelize Quebec.” About 50 cardinals and thousands of delegates from around the world will meet to foster devotion to the Eucharist.

The Pope has been invited to this Congress but up to this point has not confirmed attendance and his travel itinerary for 2008 does not indicate a visit to Quebec.

A petition campaign to bring the Pope to Quebec City is being spearheaded by former Quebec Justice Minister Marc Bellemare. In Quebec City, several businesses are contributing to this effort, including Boston Pizza. They are allowing their patrons to sign paper versions of the petition. Bellemare is also trying to get Quebec City Hall to allow the petition so that visitors can also sign.

There are numerous reasons to support an initiative to secure a visit to Canada from the Pope. From the Vote Life, Canada! point of view such a visit would tremendously highlight the issues surrounding the sanctity of life and add to the momentum generated recently in Canada by several unique and surprising events.

A strange mixture of the Great Canadian Wish List, the Reproductive Choice Campaign of the CCBR, the murder of pregnant women and fetal rights, mainstream media coverage of the ethics of legal abortion, the FCP and Ontario election, outstanding national newspaper commentary, Hollywood movies, the recent LifeCanada polling and even Britain’s abortion debate have all focused an inordinate degree of attention on the cruel and bizarre nature of the status quo on legalized child killing in Canada.

And make no mistake about it: a visit by this Pope would likely catapult the subject, in its varied dimensions, to center stage even before the Pope set foot on Canadian soil. A quick look at what happened recently in Brazil (and Austria) when the Pope visited there would be a good predictor.

Benedict XVI maintains an unceasing focus on the right to life and his very presence serves as a lightning rod to generate controversy—and much needed discussion—surrounding Christian teaching.

So whether you are Catholic or not, be aware that a visit by the Pope will benefit the cause of the Unborn in Canada like perhaps no other single event. Therefore it is a wise move for everyone to support this petition.

Be aware though that this is a petition in French. Remember—it was conceived as a local Quebec campaign. Click here and you will be taken directly to the petition.

The petition says:

JE SOUHAITE LA VENUE DU PAPE BENOÎT XVI À QUÉBEC EN JUIN 2008, À L'OCCASION DU 49e CONGRÈS EUCHARISTIQUE INTERNATIONAL.

Translated: I wish for Pope Benedict XVI To come to Quebec in June 2008 during the 49th International Eucharistic Congress.

Prenom=First Name

Nom=Last name

Courriel: Email address

Oh—and one last thing. This is an effort worth keeping in your prayers.

On behalf of Canada’s Unborn, thank you for your help!

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This posting was the Vote Life, Canada! contribution to the Bring the Pope to Canada blogburst, organized by Suzanne at BigBlueWave.

Other postings in this blogburst can be found at the following links:

Proud to Be Canadian
Deborah Gyapong
The Bear Blog
Stand Your Ground
Left-Right? Up or Down?
Le Québec de Sébastien
Family Matters
SoCon or Bust
Kairux
Wanton Popery
The Catholic Register


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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Pope: St. John Chrysostom Proposed The Model Of The Early Church As A Model For Society

Vatican Information Services reported that this morning, Benedict XVI resumed the catechesis he had begun last week on St. John Chrysostom. It’s very interesting to hear what this ancient saint had to say about the best model for society.
Chrysostom understood that it was not enough to give alms, to help the poor one case at a time, rather that it was necessary to create a new structure, a new model for society ... based on the new Testament.

Apparently, because of his views, St. John Chrysostom had his share of problems politically.

However "despite his kind heart, ... because of his continuous dealings with the civil authorities and institutions, he often found himself involved in political questions and intrigues, ... and was condemned to exile" where he died in the year 407.

St. John Chrysostom is a good model for all Christians, and a model just as urgently required in today’s society.

Would you, as a Christian, be prepared to go into exile for living your faith in society?

The full report from VIS is below. Zenit news will likely report more fully on the address later today.

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JOHN CHRYSOSTOM: A GREAT FATHER OF SOCIAL DOCTRINE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2007 (VIS) - In his general audience, which was held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of more than 20,000 people, the Pope resumed the catechesis he had begun last week on St. John Chrysostom.

This Father of the Church was appointed as bishop of Constantinople, capital of the eastern Roman empire, in the year 397 and immediately began planning the reform of the Church. said the Pope. "The austerity of the episcopal palace," he added, "had to be an example to everyone." In fact, thanks to his "concern for the poor," the saint "was also known as the 'Alms-giver' ... and he created a number of highly-regarded charitable institutions."

"As a true pastor, he treated everyone cordially. ... In particular, he always showed tender concern for women and particular interest in marriage and the family. He invited the faithful to participate in liturgical life, which his creative genius would make particularly splendid and attractive." However "despite his kind heart, ... because of his continuous dealings with the civil authorities and institutions, he often found himself involved in political questions and intrigues, ... and was condemned to exile" where he died in the year 407.

"Of St. John Chrysostom it was said," the Pope continued, "that God caused people to see in him another Paul, a Doctor of the Universe. ... Chrysostom's ideal vision is clearly expressed in his commentary to the first pages of the book of Genesis," in which he meditates upon "the eight works accomplished by God in the sequence of six days." The saint wishes "to lead the faithful back from the creation to the Creator, ... the God of condescension ... Who sends fallen man a letter: Holy Scripture."

The bishop of Constantinople also refers to God as "tender Father, Doctor of souls, Mother and affectionate Friend." In the end "it is God Who descends towards us, He takes bodily from, ... dies on the cross, ... and truly becomes God-with-us, our brother."

"In addition to these three stages - God Who is visible in His creation, God Who writes us a letter, and God Who descends towards us - there is a fourth stage in the life and activity of Christians: the vital and dynamic principle of the Holy Spirit Who transforms the reality of the world. God comes into our lives ... and transforms us from within."

In his commentary to the Acts of the Apostles, St. John Chrysostom proposes "the model of the early Church as a model for society, creating a social 'utopia' ... and seeking to give a Christian soul and a Christian aspect to the city. In other words, Chrysostom understood that it was not enough to give alms, to help the poor one case at a time, rather that it was necessary to create a new structure, a new model for society ... based on the new Testament. For this reason, we may consider him as one of the great Fathers of the Church's social doctrine."

With St. Paul, St. John Chrysostom "supported the primacy of human beings, including slaves and the poor." This contrasted with the structure of the Greek 'polis' where "vast sectors of the population were excluded form the right to citizenship;" in the Christian city, on the other hand, "all are brothers and sisters with the same rights."

At the end of his life St. John Chrysostom returned to the theme of "God's plan for humanity," reaffirming that "God loves each of us with an infinite love, and therefore He wants everyone to be saved."

AG/CHRYSOSTOM/... VIS 070926 (610)

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Monday, September 10, 2007

When Is The Last Time You Saw A Canadian Catholic Bishop Do This?

Here's something I forgot to point out from a posting yesterday.

Bishops of the pseudo-catholic church in Canada don't speak out like this on the subject of legalized child-killing in Canada.

But where are the genuine Bishops?


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Sunday, September 09, 2007

Pope Benedict XVI Slams Abortion On Austria Visit

VIENNA (AFP) — Pope Benedict XVI slammed abortion as the "very opposite" of human rights Friday in Vienna, in an address at the start of a three-day visit to Austria.

"The fundamental human right, the presupposition of every other right, is the right to life itself," the pope told members of the government and the diplomatic corps at the Hofburg, the seat of the Austrian presidency.

"This is true of life from the moment of conception until its natural end," he said in German.

"Abortion, consequently, cannot be a human right -- it is the very opposite."

The pontiff said he was speaking for "those unborn children who have no voice" and called on governments not to legalise abortion but to create "a climate of joy and confidence in life... in which children are not seen as a burden, but rather as a gift for all."

Benedict XVI also urged social and healthcare reforms to combat euthanasia, arguing that "the proper response to end-of-life suffering is loving care and accompaniment on the journey towards death... and not 'actively assisted death'."

In his address, which followed a meeting with Austrian President Heinz Fischer, the pope also stressed Europe's Christian identity.

"Europe cannot and must not deny her Christian roots. These represent a dynamic component as we move forward into the third millenium," he said.


Rest of the story is here.

Zenit's coverage here.


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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Pope Says Miracles Hard To Come By In Britain

Picture on the left is of Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife wife, Cherie. She is shown holding a condom at some sort of conference for Planned Parenthood or similar organization.

The PM Tony Blair has been much in the news lately with rumours of his conversion to Catholicism to soon take place. He met with the Pope just a few days ago and everyone was expecting an official announcement, which did not come.

Perhaps it's because his meeting with the Pope seemed to be much more strained than he expected. Given the fact that Blair has taken Britain solidly down a pro-abortion, pro-sodomy, anti-family path for the last ten years I'm not surprised Pope Benedict didn't give the subject of Blair's possible conversion any free advertising.

The day following Blair's visit, the Pope was reported to have referred in his public address to the need for true conversions!

Honestly, these are the sorts of scandalous news items that sustain such superficiality in Catholic attitudes and practice. The more I see the more I realize this is a worldwide phenomenon and it exists in epidemic proportions, the consequences of which are devastating to the common good.

Cherie Blair is said to be a devout Catholic and to have influenced her husband to conversion, yet she keeps her close ties with pro-aborts and he brings England further down a path of contempt for God, life and family.

And where is the condemnation from London’s Archbishop Cardinal? How has this scandal been addressed?

Sorry to say, there’s been no correction made in public circles in order to keep the Catholic Church’s reputation and teachings intact. There’s been such a blurring of what is good and what is evil. Who can blame both non-Catholics and truly devout Catholics from being scandalized by the actions of the Blairs and the inaction of Catholic hierarchy?

And who pays the price for all this confusion, corruption and heresy?

Society as a whole and unborn children.

Is it any wonder the Unborn are being slaughtered in record numbers in Britain?

Updated: Good posting (with funny video) at Simon Peter Says.


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Monday, June 18, 2007

Open Letter To The Catholic Bishops Of Canada From Vote Life, Canada!

1) Introduction
June 18, 2007
If [...] you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he [the wicked man] shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.
[Ezekiel 33:8]
To the Bishops, the Successors of the Apostles, in Canada,
2) The Silence of the Bishops
With great distress Vote Life, Canada! notes the ongoing virtual silence of the Bishops on the subject of legalized child-killing in Canada and petitions the Bishops to take all necessary steps to confront the demon of abortion in Canada which has claimed over three million unborn victims.
3) Desecration of the Eucharist Precludes Respect for Life
In evaluating the factors contributing to the tragedy of legalized child-killing in our nation, Vote Life, Canada! has taken special notice of the desecration of the Eucharist by obstinate, dissenting "Catholics" living in grave sin and counts this widespread and large-scale practice as the single greatest contributing factor to Canada's moral descent and disrespect for human life. Without acknowledging the neglect and/or indifference of too many Bishops in this tragic situation, it would be impossible indeed to account for such a phenomenon, because, in fact, the oversight of the Eucharist is entrusted entirely to the Successors of the Apostles. How is it possible to foster respect for human life when disrespect for God Himself, through the Body and Blood of Christ, is not only tolerated but modeled at every Mass?
This sacrilege of handing over Jesus to His enemies, through Holy Communion, is no less a crime today than when it was first perpetrated by Pilate 2000 years ago. The Scriptures warn, "For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." Furthermore, the Christian "cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons." Communion with Christ and communion with devils cannot be had at once. Christians, who by association, sympathies, and actions participate in devilish strategies that destroy life, family and the Common Good, cannot participate in Holy Communion. Unless the Holy Scriptures can lie, the implications of this truth are clear and astounding: No such wholesale sacrilegious communion could take place unless so many Bishops had been communing with demons!
Shockingly then, just as "pro-choice" Pontius Pilate, who was "personally opposed," nevertheless delivered Jesus over to His enemies, so too many Bishops of Canada have dispensed the Body and Blood of Jesus to any and all persons in the communion line, even though independent sources cite that as many as 90% of "Catholics" reject the authority and certain crucial teachings of His Church. The truly faithful Catholics have been scandalized and demoralized for decades by this officially sanctioned sacrilege.
4) A Pseudo-Catholic Culture Flourishes in Canada
The result of this abomination is a flourishing pseudo-Catholic culture — one based not upon the mystery of the Eucharist but upon the "magic" of the Eucharist. Thanks to the negligence, or perhaps simply the spiritual darkness, of too many Canadian Bishops, regardless of the moral conduct or spiritual disposition of vast numbers of renegade "Catholics", attendance at Mass and mere reception of Holy Communion is assumed to magically confer absolution for even the gravest sins and satisfy all of God's significant imperatives for the Catholic. This grave misrepresentation of the Catholic faith not only dishonors faithful Catholics but scandalizes the entire Christian community in Canada, many of whom are forced to conclude that Catholicism is but another cultish enemy of the true Christian faith.
The Bishops are well aware that, according to the Catechism, those "Catholics" who deny Church teaching on the intrinsic evils of contraception, abortion and sodomitic relations as well as the mortal sins of masturbation, co-habitation, fornication, pornography, adultery and divorce disqualify themselves from partaking in the Holy Eucharist. Without first giving evidence in Confession of genuine repentance and receiving absolution, they may not receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Despite such explicit teaching, not only inordinate numbers of average Catholics condemn themselves through sacrilegious Communion but significant numbers of openly dissenting priests, religious, theologians, and professors do so as well. These leaders are permitted to further corrupt the faithful by disparaging the Church's doctrine on priestly celibacy, women's ordination, same sex "marriage," and other non-negotiables of the faith, all without public rebuke by the Bishops. The heresy dissent from Rome's teaching by too many Bishops themselves in regard to Catholic sexual ethics, particularly contraception, with its consequent immoral living by millions of Catholics is bringing Canada to the brink of demographic and cultural collapse.
But shouldn't the Bishops be warning such obstinate unrepentant persons that neither baptism nor the Eucharist will save them? Again, according to the Catholic Catechism, to die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love is to be separated forever from Him in Hell. The Bishops know these things but their neglect or unbelief betrays them since they refuse to teach and to warn Catholics. Therefore many of them corrupt the faith and prove themselves not shepherds but wolves, risking the eternal salvation of more than 13 million Canadian Catholics. The result of their distorted, devilish thinking is a collapse in the integrity of the Canadian Catholic community as a whole and an entire generation of Catholics is ignorant of the true means of obtaining God's grace.
5) Pope Benedict Pointed to the Problem
Which habits have the Bishops determined to change in light of Pope Benedict's warning in October past? In no uncertain terms, the Pope tackled the failure of Bishops to address the moral problems of Canada, specifically pointing to homosexual "marriage" and abortion and to the extreme split between the Gospel and culture, strongly evidenced by the exclusion of God in the political realm. If the Bishops continue the unscriptural and heretical practice of granting Holy Communion to those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, and refuse to take due diligence in defending the Holy Eucharist from sacrilege by the ordinary Catholic, Canadian society will continue to go amuck "in the most disturbing of ways," in the Pope's words, through neglect of the truth and of discipline.
The Pope's comments politely and subtly point to a pervasive counterfeit culture which is supported by these sacrilegious communions and the immoral lifestyles of Catholics living in grave sin. Multitudes of such corrupted "Catholics" said to be "in good standing with their Church" impact every strata of Canadian society, including politics, and further degrade it with their anti-God and anti-life attitudes. Politicians, particularly pro-abortion, pro-sodomy "Catholic" Prime Ministers, draw special attention and indeed are capable of shocking degrees of scandal but it is the average uncatechized Catholic voter, in step with the spiritual blindness and befuddlement of too many Bishops, who empowers these "pro-choice" legislators and killers of the Unborn.
6) Bishops Have Failed to Mobilize the Catholic Voting Bloc
There is perhaps no greater example of the dereliction of duty of too many Bishops to halt the killing of Unborns in Canada than the failure to mobilize the Catholic voting bloc in Canada. Legal protection for unborn children necessitates a political, legislative solution, a fact evident to even the least politically savvy of Canadians. Roman Catholic Bishops in Canada exercise moral authority over a formidable voting bloc of nearly 10 million Catholics and yet after nearly forty years of "legalized" child killing in Canada there is no indication whatever that Catholics have been guided by the Bishops to effect this political change in Canada through even the simplest of voting strategies, one solidly founded on basic moral principles yet not centred in partisan politics.
Why must such an emphasis on mobilizing the Christians of Canada to vote effectively on behalf of securing legal rights for the Unborn originate with a campaign such as the Vote Life, Canada! project? Surely, if the Bishops had a will to stop the child killing in Canada, a focused and comprehensive Canada wide, diocesan wide, strategy to engage every Catholic to cast a vote for legal protection of the Unborn would have yielded long ago a complete halt to the killing. In the rare case where Bishops have been found to do anything in this regard it has amounted to a poorly organized, last minute, ineffective scramble. God have mercy on those Bishops for their failure in this most practical of all ways to end the holocaust of the Unborn. Their inaction for decades makes them substantially culpable in the deaths of millions of unborn children.
7) Political Consequences of the Counterfeit Catholic Culture
Out of Canada's counterfeit Catholic culture has emerged political devils such as "Catholic" Prime Ministers Trudeau, Chretien, and Paul Martin. Catholic Bishops were clearly in a compromised, weakened state when, in 1969, they permitted "Catholic" Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and "Catholic" Justice Minister John Turner to foist the "legalization" of the triad of contraception, abortion and sodomy upon Canada, along with the liberalization of divorce laws.
Up until last year, except for a five month break in 38 years, "Catholic" Prime Ministers have managed the affairs of Canada. Every one of them without exception has flouted Catholic teaching on sexuality through their pro-contraception, pro-abortion, pro-sodomy agendas. And every one of them considered themselves good Catholics and regularly presented themselves for Holy Communion. During that 38 year reign of social devastation and spiritual ruin too many Catholic Bishops failed to take steps to deal with this epic scandal. Despite the fierce defiance of Catholic teaching exhibited by the Prime Ministers there is no record of even one single occasion when a Catholic Prime Minister was denied Communion.
Canada's Bishops failed to deal with the grave scandal caused by Paul Martin, Canada's most recent pro-abortion, pro-sodomy "Catholic" Prime Minister, defeated in the 2006 election, who spearheaded same sex "marriage" in Canada and vehemently proclaimed his government's commitment to "a woman's right to choose" without restrictions. His Bishop, the Bishop of Canada's capital city, Ottawa, dismissed any possibility of discipline for Martin, claiming that the Prime Minister was a "faithful member of my cathedral parish." (This same Bishop attends the Ottawa March for Life and at the 2004 March delivered a homily condemning the killing of human embryos for their stem cells.)
Profound failures such as this by too many Bishops of Canada blur the line between that which is evil and that which is good and sustain the "extreme split between the Gospel and culture, strongly evidenced by the exclusion of God in the political realm" lamented by Pope Benedict. How can such a caricature of apostolic leadership be described as anything other than the "blind leading the blind?"
8) Bishops Urgently Need to Implement Guidelines Provided by Rome
Two sets of guidelines authored by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, if diligently and universally honoured by the Bishops of Canada, would decidedly impact the moral climate of Canada and immediately set Canada on a path to rescuing the Unborn. In a 2004 letter to the American bishops entitled appropriately Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion,then-Cardinal Ratzinger said that those "Catholics" who continue to obstinately reject Church teachings must be denied Communion. He cited canon 915 and other Church documents to support this position. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in 2003, published The Participation of Catholics in Political Life which was directed to Catholic Bishops, Catholic politicians and all lay members of the faithful called to participate in the political life of democratic societies. Principles contained in this guide urgently need application in Canada but are constantly ignored by too many Bishops.
9) Bishops Need to Call for a National Fast and Penance
An international celebration planned by the Bishops for 2008 in Quebec City with the theme "The Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world" ought to instead be a call for a national fast whose primary purpose is repentance and conversion. God desires first of all obedience from His Bishops, certainly not festivals, celebration and song at such a time of crisis as we face. Ironically, God's gift of life is also the Unborn... who will pay with their lives for the ongoing desecration of the Eucharist.
Rather than using the Old Testament imagery of an Ark making its journey across the nation, the Eucharistic Congress ought to enjoin Catholics throughout Canada to instead put on sack cloth and ashes, seeking repentance and forgiveness for the disobedience of too many Bishops and the profanation of the Holy Eucharist.
10) Conclusion
Every day the Bishops delay, the souls of Catholics entrapped in the darkness of a false religious culture remain in great danger of eternal damnation and every day the Bishops delay, a further 300 unborn Canadians perish. Their silent scream continues to daily torment those whose Christian conscience remains unfettered by the deceptions of demons.
I hate, I despise your festivals -- and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings, and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
[Amos 5:21-24]
Signed,
Eric Alcock,
President, Vote Life, Canada!

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