The news media is covering a letter sent from the Vatican to the bishops of Ireland allegedly ordering the cover-up of child sex abuse. The letter said no such thing, but provides an excellent opportunity to example the dangers of the proposed mandatory reporting requirement. I. The BackgroundIn 1997, the Bishops of Ireland were considered… Continue reading What the Vatican’s “Irish Letter” Really Said
Tag: news
Doctor Who Kills Babies For a Living…
…accused of having killed babies. A 69-year-old Philadelphia doctor who performed abortions was charged by prosecutors on Wednesday with the murder of seven newborns who were killed with scissors and of a female patient who died of an overdose of anesthetics. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said Dr. Kermit Gosnell, a family practitioner who had… Continue reading Doctor Who Kills Babies For a Living…
Abortion Today, Social Security Tomorrow
On Sunday, Fr. Ruskamp informed the congregation that on January 1, 2011, the first Baby Boomer hit 65, the traditional retirement age. This means that in this country, we’ll be seeing roughly 10,000 people retiring every day for the next 19 years. They’re already calling it the “Boomer Bust” and the “Silver Tsunami,” and the economics aren’t… Continue reading Abortion Today, Social Security Tomorrow
Obama on the Tuscon Shooting
Obama’s speech at the memorial service for those killed in the recent Tuscon shooting was beautiful, and he stood head and shoulders above those who have tried to exploit the massacre for quick political points. The speech was also chock full of religious references. It begins: To the families of those we’ve lost; to all… Continue reading Obama on the Tuscon Shooting
It is Well with My Soul
Yesterday’s posts unwittingly had a strange theme: good things arising out of tragic situations. There was the assassination in Pakistan, in which the grieving family reached out to the aggrieved in Arizona; there was the Tuscon massacre itself, which reminded us that people like Daniel Hernandez still exist, willing to risk their lives to help their fellow… Continue reading It is Well with My Soul
A Truly Inspiring Story from Egypt
Like Pakistan, which I mentioned this morning, Egypt has experienced a rise in anti-Christian violence at the hands of Muslim extremists. But the reaction in Egypt has been far different from Pakistan’s, and far more inspiring. 2011 began in Egypt with 23 Coptic Christians killed, and about a hundred injured, as a result of a… Continue reading A Truly Inspiring Story from Egypt
People to Keep in Your Prayers
This weekend, as I’m sure most of you know, a deranged gunman shot and seriously wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords this weekend at a supermarket she was doing a meet-and-greet at, then started randomly firing into the crowd, wounding something like twenty people, and killing six, including a nine-year old, a judge, and a Congressional aide… Continue reading People to Keep in Your Prayers
Boehner and Ashes
John Boehner (R-OH) became Speaker of the House yesterday. If you didn’t know, he’s a pro-life Catholic (he’s one of twelve kids from a working class family, who grew up running the family bar, so he’s sort of a walking Catholic stereotype). His speech upon becoming Speaker of the House impressed even his political opponents… Continue reading Boehner and Ashes
The Vatican Settles the Condom Debate
The Congregation for Doctrine and Faith, Pope Benedict’s old stomping grounds as Cardinal, has issued a statement clarifying the obvious: the pope’s comments, contrary to the media reports, never suggested a change in the Church’s position, nor is there going to be one. From the English press release: Following the publication of the interview-book Light… Continue reading The Vatican Settles the Condom Debate
From Assassin to Presbyterian Pastor
The New York Times has a fascinating profile of Kim Shin-jo, the North Korean would-be assassin of South Korea’s president: As the North Korean raiding party scattered and retreated northward, hunted for more than a week, all but two of the attackers committed suicide or were killed. One was a commando who got back safely… Continue reading From Assassin to Presbyterian Pastor