Meandering on.

Um...yeah.

OK, well...I'm awfully intermittent here, so thanks for humouring me. So, let me proffer a potpourri of links as restitution.

If you'd like to see me in person, I'm making a triumphant return to the stage (last seen in college) in a local rendition of Fiddler on the Roof. I'm playing Mordcha, the innkeeper, in three shows. An asteroid is born!

I know what you're thinking--"What's a Teroid?"

The Pope goes all-in in San Fran. Interesting times, as they say.

The home front remains interesting as well, though we are hoping for such to die down. The Eldest Son is bucking for traditional school at the rate he's going. What can you do?

Mayor Ratched goes a step beyond La Leche League, locking up the formula. By the by, Jeff's place is a lively locale, rewarding repeated visits--a haven for limited-government folks not interested in buying what the GOP is selling.

I have been violated! Ok, tagged. I won't hate, but need time to ponder.

An intrepid soul's taking a run at a Byzantium novel, and one worth watching. Yes, I offer advice in the comments. Like I could resist.

Don McClarey gets the annual bomb debate off to a contentious start. Lawyers... My thought: I'm glad I wasn't Harry Truman.

Professor (and father of 5) Amitai Etzioni explains that asking "does being a parent make you happy?" is the wrong question.

Tragic, telling Detroit quote of the year: "There's nothing here but the devil." Two suspects have been arrested.

If the facts hold up (fog of war, etc.), this is as surprising as the sun rising in the east.

Oh, and our new parish is finishing up a genuine renovation, as opposed to wreckovation. The original movement of the altar forward mercifully left the altar rails and everything else intact. Unfortunately, it created an acoustical sump by covering the raised platform for the altar with gold plush carpeting. Oh, and the altar was wooden, and ditto the lectern. Here are some pre-renovation shots of our parish (Abp. Vigneron leading a pro-life vigil from there) from the invaluable Diane K at the Assumption Grotto site.

The old marble lectern has been pulled out of storage, and the entire platform has been redone in marble--from the same quarry as the church when built in 1956. The altar will be marble, and immobile, with a massive 3 x 5 slab for the altar top. The granite baptistery has been moved back to the altar area. I'll have pictures later--Bishop Byrnes is dedicating the altar on August 19 at 11am.

It feels like home.

Tippler post-script: Fonseca Bin No. 27 is my porto of choice. Costco offers it at a ridiculously-low price, so enjoy.

The moment the Archdiocese has been dreading.

The announcement of parish closures happens this month. The City and the inner ring suburbs are getting the worst of it.


Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron is reviewing recommendations to close up to 20 churches in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck, and about 30 more in the suburbs. The pending closures -- which are expected to be finalized this month -- could shrivel the church's urban footprint to nearly one-third of the 112 parishes that existed in Detroit and its enclaves in 1988.

Since 2000, about 25 parishes have closed in Detroit and the surrounding suburbs. Recently, at least seven parishes in the suburbs have decided to close or merge in the next year or two. But unlike the pending suburban closures, many of the urban parishes didn't ask to be closed.

Many of the threatened urban parishes provide services to poor and homeless people. They are beacons of stability. And they are fighting to stay open.

"If it is providing food services, helping the homeless, closing (a church) is really a symbolic death knell of a neighborhood," said demographer Kurt Metzger, who directs Data Driven Detroit and shared population trends and statistics with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, which made the closure recommendations.

Still alive, and still interested in blogging.

Sorry about the light posting--family, work, and being nearly freeze dried have limited the blogging of late.

Three quick hitters with respect to our new Archbishop-designate, Allen Vigneron.

First: Hurrah! On two levels. Yes, impeccable on orthodoxy/catechesis/liturgy, which means the upward trend continues. Second, he's a local, an eastsider, even. Born and raised here, then served as a priest in the archdiocese. That means a lot. He spent a lot of time addressing the economic pain of the region, which was heartfelt and stood him in good stead with the local media, which gave him a sympathetic hearing. He's off on the right foot, which is good. Being a local offers another advantage: he's familiar with the archdiocese and its personnel. It won't take him much time to get up and running. And he knows where the fights will start. The clumsy feeling out/transition period will be minimal.

Second: his appointment has ticked off all the right people in the archdiocese.

Third: he's the first archbishop I've ever met personally. I can confirm his dry sense of humor. Back in 2002, he conducted a parish visit. During a meeting with various lay people involved in the parish programs, he asked me what I did. At the time, I was teaching catechism to 6th graders and told him so. He offered a sage nod and said "Ah. That's the age God takes back their souls."

I took a liking to him right there.

More posts as time permits, but it does look like I'm surfacing at this point.

Depressing beyond words.

St. John Cantius in southwest Detroit will have its last Mass on Sunday.

I can't fault the decision--the demographics were decisively against the parish. But the lamentable part is that this is a net loss to the Catholic heritage of Detroit. It's not like anyone's building anything like it around here: Bauhaus celebrations of horizontal iconoclasm are still the rage.

At St. John Cantius, they poured their lives into the artistic decoration [all these magnificent pics copyright Ricardo Thomas] and built themselves a true community:

The fifth annual Detroit Catholic Men's Conference.

T'was excellent. I attended with Pustula Terribilia, better known as Bubbles the Terrible, combox raconteur and the most Catholic Evangelical on God's Green. His beloved wife followed the lead of mine and generously issued a day pass.

The recordings will be available here in due time. Especially worthwhile were Fr. John Riccardo and Bp. Robert Carlson of Saginaw, who was greeted like he was Ted Nugent by the Saginaw contingent.

Be there next year--it's scheduled for April 12, 2008.

All aboard!

OK--who's going to the Detroit Catholic Men's Conference this weekend? nudgecough Matt? coughcough Anyone? Bueller?

It's always a good experience, with Charismatic preaching and Traditional piety (last year featured a 20 minute procession of the Blessed Sacrament in a gold Papal monstrance accompanied by singing in Latin, if that gives you any indication).

This year's speakers are Bp. Robert "No, I don't 'grow seminarians like Sea Monkeys,' it just looks that way" Carlson, Ralph Martin and Fr. John Riccardo and his father, John Riccardo. Not a clunker in the bunch, and there never have been. No Richard Rohr manhood-as-perpetual-weeniedom, no dissenters on perpetual nostalgia trips to 1976, none of that. The Archdiocese has its share of problems, but the men's and women's conferences are first-rate productions that serve up Catholicism straight and undiluted.

If you can, go.

Mercy High, again.

Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, proud host of Lunch with Gov. Granholm back in 2003 (which netted the school $3,750), is again in the news.

This time, it barred a pro-life speaker from giving a talk on Margaret Sanger to the pro-life club. The speaker in question is author Dan Flynn, whose website is here. Yes, from a cursory review of the website, he looks like a political conservative (however, he's critical of the Iraq war and the President). But the Gov. is naturally something of a partisan, too. Right?

Back in 2003, it justified its decision to host the fundraiser with the following:

"Our consideration last week to withdraw the item took into account the sensitivity of the issue and its potential impact on the welfare of our students," the statement said. "The topic has provoked much discussion and debate.

"We believe that providing Mercy students and mothers with the chance to meet with Gov. Granholm is a valuable educational opportunity and fully consistent with our school's philosophy, mission and values."

This time, apparently the poor dears would be confused by the speaker:

[School Principal Carolyn] Witte said Flynn's message was unsuitable for high school students. The 'content could be misunderstood,' she told Young America's Foundation.
* * *
Witte also added that her students were too 'sensitive' to hear a topic about Planned Parenthood.

Alas, Principal Witte doesn't have any idea what the speaker would actually say:

'I'm not suggesting that I or the school is anti-Mr. Flynn,' she added. 'I just have not heard him speak.'

Unfortunately, we can Mercy speaking, loud and clear. Without saying another word.

Understanding Detroit.

The archdiocese, to be more precise. Inasmuch as it can be understood or explained, that is.

A bit of a furor is developing about the confusing leadership of the archdiocese on our Governor's race.

Five things to keep in mind.

(1) There is a history of official disdain for the good folks at Catholics in the Public Square. I have a very reliable report of an official attempt to stop CPS' advocacy in favor Michigan's marriage amendment proposal back in 2004. It was quickly repented of by the respected and decent person in question, but it was stunning that it was even tried. The good news is that the archdiocese and Michigan Catholic Conference did put in a yeoman's effort to support the amendment, however belatedly. Still, this episode is a prime example of number (2) immediately following.

(2) Detroit is a badly-divided archdiocese. From the pews to the chancery on Washington Boulevard, there is a fierce tussle between the late Cardinal Dearden's dogged progressives on one side and the more conservative Boomer and X-er generations on the other. It isn't pretty, and it results in the phenomenon that prounouncements from HQ are often confused or completely lacking. Put another way, Detroit is often quite literally of two minds on every important issue and those heads try to butt each other whenever they get the chance.

(3) Adam Cardinal Maida draws a very bright line between issue advocacy (generally good) and candidate advocacy (verboten). In the former, the AoD can be a very active player indeed, shooting down an attempt to legalize euthanasia in Michigan in 1998 and using an obscure Michigan constitutional provision to get a partial birth abortion ban past Governor Granholm's itchy veto pen. That the Merry Medeas at NARAL immediately drew a line in the dust and successfully sued to block the PBA law, shrilling "Abortion now, abortion tomorrow and abortion forever!" cannot be laid at the feet of the AoD. In short, the Cardinal has a record of backing words with action.

(4) One word: Triage. That is the best way to sum up the approach to governance here. Water the good ground and neglect the thornbushes. You can see this in the Catholic culture building efforts sponsored by the Archdiocese. Exhs. A and B: the womens' and mens' conferences. This year's conference for women featured--and please sit down--Alice von Hildebrand. [Heather is scouring the wires for her books.] The conference for the lads had Deacon Alex Jones (if you get the chance to hear him, drop everything and do so), and featured an exposition with the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance used by Pope John Paul II during his visit in 1987. With singing in Latin. How Fr. John Riccardo managed to process with the monstrance for 30 full minutes remains a mystery. Pro-life themes in all their glory--along with lengthy lines for the confessionals--abounded.

Both conferences combined had approximately 4500 paying attendees.

Sure, the occasional fragrant [not a typo] dissenter speaks to 20-30 at a parish function (though the Cardinal reached out and barred Anthony Padovano from appearing on Church property, and in 2004 swung his Metropolitan crozier northward and kicked CTA off diocesan grounds in Saginaw). And yes, the oft-gestured-at Bishop Gumbleton still has his podium at the Reporter. But note that the retired bishop complained that Cardinal Maida had spent a decade pointedly ignoring him (Gumbleton was positively wistful describing his shouting matches with Cardinal Szoka).

And I have to point out that the pro-life movement definitely gets spiritual support from headquarters. Upon invitation from CPS, Bishop Boyea celebrated a Respect Life Mass in Warren three weeks ago (and did so despite suffering from a grim cold and the fact he had four Masses total that day). He also led the worshippers in a Rosary and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer counts.

(5) Let's be blunt: Dick DeVos is not the most palatable candidate from a Catholic perspective, either. He has a certain bottom-line corporate mentality that makes it hard to get behind him. It is difficult to get the impression that life issues are all that high on his list of priorities. If Granholm were capable of showing any sign of independence from the Emily's List wing of pro-abortionism, she'd win the race in a walk.

Could the AoD do more? Sure. But it is doing more than critics may be aware.

Restructuring in Detroit.

The Archdiocese revealed its plan yesterday, and it's often more a hint-laden puzzle than something you print up on Mapquest. Bottom line: the inner ring suburbs, not Detroit proper, take the hit this time.

To my pleasant surprise, our inner-ring suburban parish was not clustered, but the qualifier appears to be "for now." The AOD also swatted our vicariate (translating for the non-beadsqueezers: a "vicariate" is a regional organizational unit consisting of a number of parishes) for not providing much in the way of real planning on its part. Essentially, our vicariate tried to punt some tough issues back to the Archdiocese, and downtown said "Nuh-uh--do some serious thought on your own."

There is a significant amount of kvetching about this, as the article shows, but actually I like it. It treats us like grownups and forces us to take some ownership in the process. It's far, far better than the top-down debacle in 1989 that drove Cardinal Szoka into retirement. The downside is that there is plenty of uncertainty remaining, but that's pretty much inevitable in this era.

Good article about Cardinal Maida in Rome.

Just before the Conclave started, Cardinal Maida visited his "parish" in Rome, St. Vitalis, and got a warm reception:

Applause greeted Maida after he rose at the end of mass to salute the congregation.
"It is especially significant that we come together at this historic church. You've witnessed many conclaves, and today, on the eve of another conclave, we pray together," Maida told them in English. "Pray for me. Pray for my brother cardinals, for the church ... that we be guided by the Holy Spirit."

Mauro Medaglini, who was ordained as a Catholic deacon Saturday night in the church, was gleeful after meeting Maida. "I said to his eminence that it's a good omen for me, a good start, that I meet him now," Medaglini said.

When Pope John Paul II installed Maida as a cardinal in 1994, he also named him the titular leader of the Church of St. Vitalis, named for a martyr whose Second-Century death by being buried alive is portrayed on a recently restored side wall mural in the front of the church. The church's formal name also includes the names of St. Vitalis' wife, Valeris, and children Gervase and Protase.

The church is on a busy Rome street, Via Nazionale, and -- coincidentally -- across the street from the Hotel Michigan. One of the oldest churches in Rome, it is built in the rectangular basilica style and reached by 35 steps.

One of my great-grandfathers was named Vitalis--I wonder if it was a deliberate homage, or just an interesting coincidence. All I need now is about $2500 to get over to Rome for a visit and to start the geneological research...

The tragic twilight of Thomas Gumbleton.

Bill Cork points out this story from my own backyard, a Freep story about the recently-submitted resignation letter from America's longest-serving bishop.

Well, "story" is a bit generous. "Hagiography" is a more like it--but that's par for the course. The secular media always plays slow-pitch with the auxiliary bishop. Every assertion from him is treated with an almost-supernatural awe, a deference they would never accord one of the dread inflexible "conservative" prelates.

Despite offering a ripe target, there will be no fisk today. Instead, just a brief commentary.

The story of Thomas Gumbleton is tragedy in the classical Greek sense: the story of a man endowed with great gifts who squandered them in willful blindness. He is without dispute a charismatic man. He can preach. He handles the scriptures deftly, if with a tiresome, consistent, cloying PC preciousness--God as a distant, transcendent It, never an immanent Father. Got to avoid the big He, don't you know? But give him credit--the old radical has his gifts.

And he also lives as advertised: very humbly on the grounds of St. Leo's. No pampered and lace-bedecked prince, he.

Some of this is no doubt a product of his formative years. It is significant that he became a bishop in 1968, because his mindset never evolved past the pointless children's crusade sloganeering of that most unrevolutionary of years. He pretty well peaked in the 1970s, as is seen in his affiliation with the senescent Call to Action and Pax Christi, both born in the disco decade. He's been a nonentity as far as the governance of the Detroit Archdiocese since 1994, as the article indicates. Essentially, the deal is this: the loose cannon can roll around on the deck as he likes, but has no input at all on the nuts and bolts of governance. It's frustrating for those who despise the sight of bishops trashing the faith, but since he'd do that anyway, you might as well get his hands off the wheel.

Just one of those things Detroit Catholics can only marvel at: Ecclesiastical civil war as chess match. Check and counter-check.

But perhaps the saddest part of his career--and its most consistent thread--is his willingness to be a dupe for overseas thugs in his monomaniacal focus on America as the locus of evil in the world.

I'm reminded of his last visit with a peace delegation to Belgium in January 2003, to protest the U.N. sanctions against that country and the planned U.S. invasion. He protested the enforcement of the no-fly zones, and the civilian casualties he claimed resulted from it.

Oh, I'm sorry--did I say "Belgium"? I meant "Iraq." You'll forgive my confusion, though--he might as well have been visiting Belgium for all the brutal nature of the host regime mattered to him. His record of silence on such visits is thundering--and damning.

Now, let me clarify--I have no problem with a robust criticism of U.S. foreign policy and economic behavior. A bracing challenge to both reminds us that our ultimate loyalties are not to Caesar, but to the One who permits Caesar to wield his sword. But criticism of Caesar means criticism of Caesar everywhere--not just in America. Gumbleton's refusal to do any such thing gives his "peace witness" a crabbed, Potemkin village ludicrousness that invariably wrecks it. Instead of being a powerful advocate of peace who stood up for the powerless everwhere, he became just a stock leftist name that appeared on The Usual Letters, received the Usual Periodic Admiring Piece in local papers, and went to the Usual Conferences thereafter, in a spiral of irrelevance.

According to the Free Press, he is said to be going to Cuba soon. Will the fierce advocate of gay rights bring up the arrest and torture of homosexuals? Will the vaunted voice of the voiceless attempt to meet with imprisoned dissidents, living in horrid conditions? Or will he do the Usual Thing and swoon like good leftists do in the presence of Castro's patented Latin Heat? I have a suggestion on how to bet it.

With the gifts he has, Thomas Gumbleton could have been a prophet, but instead he chose to be a partisan.

What a waste.

One big happy family, gathered around the table of the Lord.

Or so the USCCB continues to pretend, avoiding the inconvenient fact that American Catholicism is hardening into warring camps.

Exhibit A, Campaign Season in Metropolitan Detroit:

The tense, passionate fight for the Catholic vote arrived Sunday morning on the sidewalks around National Shrine of the Little Flower church in Royal Oak.

If you are in the Detroit area, make sure to visit the National Shrine--it is a magnificent church.

About 50 Catholics from peace groups and the liberal Catholics for the Common Good passed out flyers and carried signs reading "War is a Life Issue, too" and "Health Care is a Life Issue."

CftCG (sounds rather like Catholics for a Free Choice, eh?) is the rather slow brain child of several progressive Detroit priests and religious bent on pumping an overdose of ether into the consciences of the Faithful on life issues. It includes amongst its ranks the illustrious Frs. Anthony Kosnik and John Nowlan, two of the Detroit Four who wrote a 2002 homage to the abortion stylings of then-candidate Jennifer Granholm in the Detroit Free Press. Fr. Kosnik is also justly renowned for his book Human Sexuality, which, among other fascinating insights, professes befuddlement with the reason why the biblical prohibition of bestiality was instituted. Me, I would have simply figured that a God who demands unchanging standards of personal moral behavior and human dignity created in His image and likeness would naturally have a problem with those creations boffing cattle. But then again, I'm not a Certified Post-Conciliar American Catholic Theologian™.

Moving on.

Despite my problems with the CftCG, I find myself in agreement with the placards, but somewhat befuddled (!) with all the fuss over health care. I mean, didn't Bushitler just sign the largest expansion of health care benefits (Medicare prescription coverage) since the Great Society in the past year?

And you bet war is a life issue--Caesar has a duty to protect me and mine from slaughter at the hands of people resistant to interfaith dialogue.

Art Cairo emerged from mass and rebuffed a handout, which asks Catholics to consider the range of positions besides the church's teaching against abortion when choosing a candidate.
"Are you pro-life? If you don't have life, you can't have clean air or health care," said Cairo, 51, an auto company employee, said to those handing out flyers. "I think you're off base and don't belong here. I'll pray for you."

All hail the sensus fidei! Mr. Cairo nails it in one.

Asked later whom he supported for president, Cairo said he'll vote for President George W. Bush and that he considered it the only way a Catholic should vote.

I'm actually going to disagree with this one somewhat. I think a faithful Catholic could quite reasonably come to the conclusion not to vote for either candidate on Catholic principles (as opposed to the Detroit News editorial which came to the same conclusion based on the Gospel according to Ayn Rand), though that calculus would be influenced by such factors as the closeness of the election, a better viable alternative and so forth. Strictly speaking, there is no candidate running who squares really well with Catholic teaching. And if the Schwarzenegger wing of the party becomes ascendant, the Republicans are toxic, too.

But Ellen Cook, 60, of Birmingham, held up a sign proclaiming "Environment is a Life issue" and said she was dismayed by conservative Catholic groups stressing the primacy of abortion.
"As a concerned citizen of the planet, I value all life at all levels," said Cook. "There's more than one way to look at it."

Would it kill people to use the definite article? Also, I certainly hope "Penmanship is a life issue" got its own sign.

"I value life at all levels." Uh...huh. Translation: "Abortion is so not an issue! Shut up shut up shut up! I can't hear you na-na-na-na...."

Some human life can be snuffed and experimented on at will, and Ms. Cook is A-OK with that, even if she wouldn't do it herself.

But don't screw with mourning doves.

[Restating of the obvious regarding the divided Catholic vote snipped.]

In Michigan, the Kerry campaign mailed letters to about 130,000 Catholic households.

Haven't gotten it. Which is good, given that I like to calm down when I get home.

That, and the stuff is so hard to flush.

A group of Catholic nuns, among them Sister Maureen Sinnott, Sister Gerry Sellman and Sister Beth Rindler, who were leafleting at Shrine on Sunday, also are staffing phone banks -- to say that they oppose abortion, but feel Kerry's positions support Catholic values.

At last! It wouldn't be a good Catholic story without the appearance of a conscience-deadening leftist nun pumping sarin into the moral atmosphere. See above for the translation for "they oppose abortion, but..."

"They've heard that some Catholic bishops say it's a sin to vote for Kerry," said Sinnott, a psychologist. "I tell them that my understanding ... and my own personal prayer has led me to believe that my only moral choice is to vote for Kerry."

Ah, Sr. Sinnott is not just a nun, but a Psychologist! So us goobers must take her more seriously, I suppose. Well, gollll-ee, Sergeant Carter! Hyuck!

Apparently, Sr. is having something of a difficulty grasping the importance of life issues. Since she is not alone among American religious, I offer the following thought experiment for the vowed (ex-embryos, all):

Candidate A is in favor of relaxing certain emissions requirements for industry, but is essentially pro-life.

Candidate B is cool with Kyoto, but supports an open season--no bag limits--on nuns in pantsuits. And he'll even pay for your gun and ammunition.

Who should we vote for? Remember, Candidate B isn't mandating the hunting of nuns--he just believes that the choice should be available to all citizens, regardless of economic circumstances.

Aw, doesn't matter. Anything for a group hug with the Senator!

The Bush campaign has devoted a staff person to Catholic outreach and assembled parish contacts since spring, said Michigan campaign spokesman John Truscott. "It is unprecedented. There's more outreach than we've ever seen before" by the conservative religious groups, said Truscott.
The campaign's polarizing impact is on view in weekly parish bulletins.
Conservative Catholic groups have targeted the archdiocese's 300-plus parishes with their voter guides that favor Bush by claiming that Catholics cannot vote for any candidate who is pro-choice on abortion. Meanwhile, Catholic groups concerned with issues such as health care, jobs and social-justice issues are sending parishes messages favoring Kerry.
Since July, the Archdiocese of Detroit, has three times asked parishes to stop printing material from those groups, and instead asked parishes to use excerpts from the "Faithful Citizenship" guide, which includes the church's position on abortion, as well as information on 50-plus issues outlined by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Ah, "Faithful Citizenship." A somewhat helpful document, but one that is the product of a committee that winces a lot and screams "Don't Sue Us!" A document that unfortunately puts a large number of issues on an equal moral plane, e.g., the 10 question list on pages 3 and 4.

Also notice the leadership of the Archdiocese on this one--it's hard to say where the directive is coming from, and with what authority (this article was the first time I heard of it). I am coming to the firm belief that Detroit's chancery would be better off issuing its edicts in Esperanto. Sure, nobody would understand, but that would-at worst-maintain the status quo.

But some parishes have ignored the directives. The Shrine of the Little Flower, for example, has run items by a conservative Catholic group, Catholics in the Public Square, suggesting voters are sinning if they back candidates who support abortion rights or expanded fetal stem-cell research, both backed by Kerry. "Citizens vote in favor of these evils if they vote in favor of candidates who propose to advance them," said the Oct. 10 Shrine Herald bulletin.
On the other side, the Oct. 10 bulletin for Sacred Heart of the Hills Parish in Auburn Hills contained an article entitled "Voting Our Faith" by a Kansas Benedictine nun that asks voters to consider "Were the reasons given for the Iraq War lies?"

Is it any wonder that Catholicism's influence on the body politic is about that of the Mennonites?

Rev. John West, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic parish in Farmington, said he has stuck to running the approved excerpts from the bishops' "Faithful Citizenship" document.
"In the middle of a political campaign, we have to stay on message, and stay in the center," said West.

What message would that be? Seriously, I have no idea what FC is trying to say, except that a lot of issues can be important. Right in the center, all right: with all the dead squirrels and possums.

Remember what I said about Esperanto?

A handful of U.S. bishops have said Catholic politicians who favor abortion rights, and the Catholics who vote for them, are committing grave sins and have argued they should not receive the Catholic sacrament of Communion.

Spokespeople for Detroit Cardinal Adam Maida and other bishops have said Catholics must give primary weight to a candidate's abortion position in voting, but that Catholic teaching does allow anti-abortion Catholics to support a pro-choice candidate if voters believe the candidate's other positions outweigh the serious evil of abortion.

That's news to me about the "primary weight." Was it said in January? A very vague recollection begins to form. The most that can be said is that the AoD has been lying awfully low on that issue.

At the very least, something could have been done to explain the concept of "proportionate reasons" in the consideration of voting for a p-c candidate. Too late now. At least it's nice to see a reporter take a flier at the concept, if not in so many words.

On one hand, liberal Catholics say thousands of lives are lost because of poverty, inadequate health care and the war in Iraq, also positions on which Pope John Paul II and U.S. bishops have taken clear stands. Conservative Catholics say there is no other issue facing Americans that can outweigh thousands of human lives they regard as lost to abortion every day.

Actually, liberal Catholics, too, would have to agree with the "thousands of human lives" argument. Odd that they never quite get around to saying that. And yes, there are very just points that can be made about poverty, health care and Iraq.

I just wish my progressive brethren would stop pretending (1) that poverty and health care problems began on 1/20/01, (2) the Administration has not increased funding to address those two problems, and (3) whatever the problems with the Iraq war (and they are many), we are currently in a "you broke it, you buy it" position, and (4) at various times, the challenger has sounded indistinguishable from the incumbent on all three.

Nationally, conservative Catholics groups are distributing the "Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics" contending observant Catholics only can vote for candidates who are against abortion rights, fetal stem-cell research, same-sex marriage, euthanasia and cloning. In Michigan, 250,000 guides were passed out by Catholics in the Public Square, a group cofounded by Marlene Elwell, a longtime abortion-rights opponent from Farmington Hills who also runs Citizens for the Protection of Marriage, the group behind Proposal 2, which would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

I could tell you stories about the the AoD has treated CitPS. But I won't. Suffice it to say, you can thank them for the Catholic contribution in getting Prop 2 on the ballot. Though a tip of the cap is owed to the AoD for its unalloyed support of the campaign with both time and resources.

California lawyer Karl Keating, who is behind the "Serious Catholics" guide, said the bishops' "Faithful Citizenship" document is "valuable, but less useful in the voting booth than our document would be."

Does Karl Keating still practice law? Just wondering.

You'd think the paper might have mentioned Catholic Answers.

Michael Hovey, the Detroit archdiocese's director of Catholic Social Teaching, is getting calls from confused Catholics about the "Serious Catholics" guide. He's critical of Keating, saying "This guy sits around on the beach...and writes this stuff."

Warning! Hissy apparatchik defending his turf!

Meow.

This is meant to be no disrespect to Mr. Keating, but he seems remarkably un-tanned in all of the photos of seen of him. And what, pray tell, does that have to do with the content of the heavily-footnoted, magisterial document-citing, Serious Catholics Guide? A substantive response would have been nice.

As I said in another forum today, well-poisoning is not an argument.

Plus, just why are the faithful confused, Mr. Hovey?

"The bishops conference has a perfectly good, authoritative guide," said Hovey, noting the bishops exhort voters to consider all issues.

Which, as noted above, is the problem.

Hovey has given dozens of seminars at parishes to explain the range of Catholic issues. When he spoke at St. Priscilla in Livonia last week, two people who came from outside the parish accused him of not giving enough weight to the church's position against abortion, while others passed out the "Serious Catholics" guides after the meeting.

So Mr. Hovey had a tough day at St. Priscilla's. But what was his response?

Hovey told St. Priscilla parishioners that he makes the sign of the cross when he enters the voting booth.
"Jesus isn't running for president," said Hovey. "We're not going to elect the perfect candidate."

No, but it would be nice if you could point out the moral difficulty of voting for one who does a marvelous job of contradicting Him at a basic level.

Yet another religious order loses its way.

The Michigan-based Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary [sic] offered up $200 to Emily's List.

$200 no doubt obtained from co-religionists operating under the misapprehension that the SIHM (SITH?) was actually a loyal order of Catholic nuns.

Oops.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters, the blue-robed

On what planet do the SIHM currently go about "blue-robed"? These Sisters appear to have kicked the habit.

So to speak.(1)

nuns who have educated legions

Legions?

of Catholic children

Oh, those legions.

Though, speaking as a battle-scarred catechist for sixth and seventh graders, it can be very, very difficult to tell the difference sometimes.

in southeastern Michigan, donated $200 to Emily's List, which raises money for Democratic female candidates who support the right to have abortions.
Despite the church's teachings against abortion, the IHMs made the donation in August 2003 to promote electing more women into office, said Sister Mary Katherine Hamilton, IHM vice president.
"We weren't making a political statement in terms" of abortion, she said.

I'm not sure that anything on earth makes me angrier than someone who presumes I'm a giant drooling idiot, and proceeds to treat me as such.

Patronizing me is the one sure-fire way to set me off. Colloquially: don't pee on me and call it "rain," sister.

EMILY's List has one--one--ONE purpose, and that is to promote pro-abortion women candidates.

You want to know how I confirmed that? I took 30 seconds out of my day and went to the group's website. It's not like the statement of purpose was hidden or ambiguous, either:

EMILY's List, the nation's largest grassroots political network, is dedicated to taking back our country from the radical right wing by electing pro-choice Democratic women to federal, state, and local office.

That's just the first frigging sentence. More, from the same page:

...our grassroots network has helped elect 56 Democratic pro-choice members of Congress, 11 senators, and seven governors.

* * *

The Bush Republicans have launched a sustained assault on the right to choose...

* * *

To win this fall, EMILY's List is supporting an exciting group of pro-choice Democratic women candidates...

Enough.

There are two possibilities here: one, the SIHM are lying through their teeth, a tragic example of yet another decaying, dwindling Catholic religious order (average age: 70) that has lost its way and soul since the Council and has caved in to the culture. Or, more hopefully, the SIHM collectively suffer from a level of heedless, clueless stupidity usually described with such terms as "institutionalized," and the problem can be rectified by appointing a receiver who can ensure that such endearingly rustic folk never handle cash without adult oversight again.

Charity forces us to embrace the latter.

Archdiocese of Detroit spokesman Ned McGrath

Mister Dissent never hangs around/
When he hears this Mighty sound/

"Here I come to save the day!"

That means that Mighty Ned is on his way...

said archdiocesan officials are puzzled

Must...resist...

about the IHM's donation,

[Sorry--the spirit is willing, but the flesh...]:

As they are about a great, great many things, alas.

which they learned about from the Free Press.

Disturbing the contented slumber of many downtown, no doubt.

At least temporarily...

McGrath said Cardinal Adam Maida, who has repeatedly spoken about "the moral evil of abortion," would be "prepared, if necessary, to address what happened with the appropriate pastoral response." He declined to elaborate.

True enough: Maida says, and on occasion even decisively acts, on life issues.

But never against the various orders, and never publicly.

Remember--the pro-abortion editorial from four Detroit priests in 2002 drew no public response whatsoever. Rumors that one of them got a stern talking to and temporary removal bounced around, but that was it. Since this doesn't involve archdiocesan employees, expect even less.

Take this to the bank: You will never hear a public statement from the Archdiocese on this situation. Never.

I would love to be wrong, though.

"Supporting legitimate causes for the advancement of women is one thing," said McGrath. "Support for Emily's List, with its defining litmus test for abortion rights, is quite something else."

Well, he got it in one--an irrefutable point, in soundbite form--which is all the Free Press is ever going to give you. He's usually not this good, so I have to salute him for this one.

The Monroe-based order, known for its social activism and running Detroit's Marygrove College and Birmingham's Marian High School, donates about $25,000 annually to causes -- ranging from overseas missionaries to the League of Conservation Voters and Common Cause.

I might spend my money differently, or almost certainly allocate it differently, but the above three are pretty unobjectionable.

The Rev. Thomas Reese, a longtime Vatican observer and Jesuit priest who edits America magazine, said the sisters' donation falls into the parameters of Catholic doctrine.

All right--Fr. SpeedDial's here! And, as always, he's applying a prodigious dose of ether to the increasingly-deformed consciences of the Faithful.

Fr.'s omnipresence on "Catholic issues" these days is becoming legendary. As a result, I'm beginning to think the "editor" title on the masthead is more honorary than the inkstained elves at America are willing to let on.

That's especially true after the Vatican's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said it's OK for Catholic abortion opponents to support pro-choice candidates if they agree with the candidate's other stands.
"I think the same principles that Cardinal Ratzinger articulated on voting would also be pertinent in terms of donations to support a candidate," Reese said.

And, because he's a Jesuit, Fr. SpeedDial's managed to gunk up the works quite nicely. Actually, those principles do no such thing, especially since the sole purpose of the gals of EMILY is to promote abortion. The only exception is where there are proportionate reasons to support the pro-abortion stance--and the situation where that exists is vanishingly rare:

"The sticking point is this - and this is the hard part," said Burke. "What is a proportionate reason to justify favoring the taking of an innocent, defenseless human life? And I just leave that to you as a question. That's the question that has to be answered in your conscience. What is the proportionate reason?"

"Honestly--it's rain," said the giggling Fr. Reese.

Five minutes before being treed by the angry mob.

Sister Hamilton said the nuns made the contribution to Emily's List because many of its endorsed candidates share the IHM's positions on issues such as human rights, the environment, the economy, children and education.

I supported John Breckinridge because I share his positions on the tariff and support for American agricultural products in international trade.

I contributed to the NSDAP because Schicklgruber shares my beliefs on transportation policy and the importance of maintaining order and national self-esteem.

The IHM donation to Emily's List was in a database of Michigan donors compiled by Dwight L. Morris & Associates of Virginia.
Paul Long, executive director of the Michigan Catholic Conference, denounced the IHM donation to Emily's List. He said there are other ways to advance women in politics, without "contributing to an organization that solely promotes the destruction of human life."

The Catholic Laity--Acting When The Hierarchy Prefers Inertia.

The 600-member IHM order has taken on some confrontational causes -- running an AIDS hospice in South Africa and buying Detroit Edison stock to attend stockholders meetings to protest against the Fermi nuclear plant.

Go back to doing that--at least you can make sensible, honorable--even lead-pipe cinch--Catholic arguments in favor of those activities.

-------------------
Footnote:

(1) I'm not necessarily someone who demands that sisters and brothers in religious life always wear the garb (though I'm not fond of priests who shirk the uniform). I know one very devout sister who is choked-fury indignant about the casual way some of our parish EMEs handled the "Precious Blood" (her words). Nor is wearing the garb an amulet against heterodoxy or bad behavior (witness Fr. McBrien's collared TV appearances). Likewise the decision to wear street clothes does not mark the individual as a hell-bent dissenter. But--I do admit that my behavior tends to be a little better around those in uniform. The same was true before I was Catholic, and watched the Mercy Sisters of Alma going about town. Even this Methodist knew you didn't talk smack around nuns.

Alas, because of that Methodism, I don't have any Sister Margaret Flagrum Mean Nun Stories™ to tell you, though I certainly know a few Catholics who claim to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder from The Dark Days Before Vatican II. You know--brutal wrinkled women just off the boat from Slobovia, their teeth filed to points, making the children memorize the Baltimore Catechism and lashing with their six foot rosary belts those poor urchins unable to regurgitate the Canons of the Council of Trent on demand.

Or something like that. Anyway, such stories seem to be the psychological background for Why The Tabernacle Now Belongs In The Maintenance Locker, or Why Middle Aged Women In Spandex Simply Must Flounce About the Altar Like Charo On Crystal Meth During The Singing of The Responsorial Psalm.

The problem? "It doesn't matter."

Very worthwhile interaction between Rod Dreher and Mark Shea over at Mark's blog.

For those of you interested in Rod's proposals, go here.

If I could sum up the American Catholic crisis from 1965-present, it would be this: those charged with the care of the Church, by word and deed, have cultivated a culture of indifference ("CoI"). Yes, that would be, preeminently, the guys with the mitres.

In the face of provocation on every possible issue, they simply shrug and turn away--when they don't shoot the messenger warning them, that is. Not all of them, to be sure, but more than enough to ensure that the culture is entrenched and spreading.

I know I keep hitting on the abortion issue--flailing away on the expiring nag--but it is the perfect emblem of the problem. The episcopate assures us that the issue is central, and that they care--but.

When the rubber hits the road, we hear about personal discomfort. Even an incoherent celebration of differing standards of treatment on the issue.

When this happens, the CoI makes it clear that it really isn't important after all. Because when it's important--such as benefits during a strike--they act--repeatedly. Even if the CEO target of the rebuke isn't Catholic. [Don't get me wrong--I have no problem with bishops swatting greedy CEOs (if that is the case here). But it would be nice to see a recognition that debates over health care are strictly a privilege of the living--making a--rt--n a more foundational issue.]

But on lesser issues (like you know what), members of the flock who flout church teaching are publicly welcomed.

Because--ultimately--the issue really does not matter. If it did matter, Cdl. Mahony, the man entrusted with the largest Catholic diocese in the United States, would act in such a way as to signal to his flock and the rest of the Body that it does matter. Starting with an assurance of serious consequences for the determined championing of abortion on demand.

Instead of sounding more than a little like he was trying to recover from a blackjack to the noggin.

Then there's the handling of The Love That Routinely Calls Press Conferences.
In Minnesota, bringing the trashing of church teaching to the attention of the metropolitan archbishop will earn you a bullet from That Poor, Poor Man Sagging Under The Burden Of His Office.

Here in Michigan, flush from the victory to bypass the threat of faithful sister Granholm's veto of the PBA ban, the bishops in April decided to sit out the marriage debate.

If you find a coherent reason in there, please refer me to it. "The need for education"? Yeah, it's a real complicated concept, preserving an institution older than Western civilization the way it's always been.

Those of us manning the petition drive tables had to field a lot of questions on the issue--read: none. Yep, way more complicated than the previous ballot initiative the Church supported with its time and treasure--on vouchers (can you say "Custer"? I knew you could!).

[Pop!] Memo to self: "Stop rolling eyes up that far."

But the institution of marriage? Well, that's really complicated, and anyway it'll work itself out in the end...

The Culture of Indifference.

Then there's the routine worship idiocies, the weekly outrages at the local Catholic-for-tax-purposes university--as always, met with idgas (hint: it's an acronym) jets running at full blast. But since there's never even a hint of discipline for anyone on these fronts (see here and here respectively), neither is really worth discussing.

Ultimately, if the leadership doesn't care, why should the rank and file?

More to the point: Why should I?

There is a Plan B, right?

Apparently not.

Smiles, everyone--smiles! Welcome to Fantasy Island!

More inspiring leadership from my neck of the woods--next door in the Diocese of Lansing, to be precise.

The Diocese of Lansing won't withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, Bishop Carl Mengeling said last week.

Instead, the diocese will leave the decision on receiving the Eucharist to individual Catholics.

You mean the same folks who, on average, can name maybe two sacraments (that is, those who survive the first cut and don't associate "sacrament" with "igneous" and "metamorphic")?

Er, permit me to play Sancho Panza/Jeeves/Tattoo for a moment: um, for a plan of action, this seems a little--well--incomplete, boss. The game plan looks like this from here:

Phase One: Collect underpants.
Phase Three: Profit.

Vatican Cardinal Frances Arinze, a Nigerian who heads the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said recently that priests must deny Communion to politicians who favor abortion rights.

The remark could apply to presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, both Roman Catholics who support abortion-rights laws.

"Could"?

"The National Weather Service has issued an Understatement Warning for Ingham County until approximately 5:00pm. As of 11:51 am, spotters reported an understatement the size of a guided missile cruiser hovering over the center of Lansing..."

However, the Vatican said U.S. bishops have discretion in deciding who should receive Communion. But Arinze's comments could put more pressure on them to sanction Catholic politicians whose positions are against church policy, experts say.

Absolutely correct--but it doesn't permit endless dithering and sending it back for committee review.

Mengeling said individual Catholics are obligated to determine if they are fit for Communion, not priests, bishops or cardinals.

"All Catholics, that includes myself, must examine themselves extremely carefully before they approach the Eucharist," Mengeling said. "Our Catholics are adults. We can't treat them like children."

Speaking of which.

Where to begin? OK, so you don't want that biblical spiritual father role--fine. Would hate to make the know-it-all teenagers feel infantilized, I suppose. Let's try the equally-biblical physician analogy instead. After all, people still like doctors--they write all those nice prescriptions.

Here goes: If my doctor sees me about to knock back, via bong, a gallon of wood-grain alcohol, I don't want him to gently suggest that I might want to consider obtaining and reading the material safety data sheet for the fluid at issue at some point in the future.

I want him to charge across the room to knock it out of my idiot hands.

And another thing--what's the point of examining yourself if the head of the diocese isn't willing to suggest any circumstances under which you should refuse to take communion?

Nice contribution to the catechetical black hole, that.

For almost two years, members of the Catholic anti-abortion group Church & Truth Project, based in Ply-mouth, have been protesting in front of St. John's Student Parish in East Lansing and St. Mary Cathedral downtown, demanding that priests not give Communion to Granholm.

Monica Migliorino Miller, director of the Church & Truth Project, said that although the group respects Mengeling, his stance on the issue is wrong.

"The bishops have a responsibility to teach the truth and protect the sacraments," Migliorino Miller said. "To be a bishop means you have to have some courage in this day and age."

Nice try, guys. Prepare to enjoy the cool, refreshing waters of the North Atlantic in springtime--even though the crew sees your flares and has told the Captain, The Californian is staying put.

Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support abortion rights would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God.

"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't."

Let's be direct here: while containing an obvious truth, this is deeply stupid.

Assuming the bishop hasn't been somehow misquoted, it doesn't get any worse than this. You can't judge hearts, true--but you can judge actions. Here, the action--full throated support for unrestricted abortion rights--is being ignored.

Permit me to demonstrate the evil of the Bishop's banality via examples of substitution:

1. Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support slavery would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God.

"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't."

2. Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support segregation would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God.

"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't."

3. Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support the right of husbands to physically chastise their wives would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God.

"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't."

4. Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support abolition of bestiality laws would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God.

"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't."

Is the point clear yet?

While I'm at it, I have a proposal for secular Poperyphobes: if the bishops go silent on abortion, you agree to shut up about the alleged silence of Pius XII.

Deal?

Think about it.

Liz Boyd, Granholm's spokeswoman, said the governor, who regularly attends St. John's, has taken an oath to uphold the laws of the state and that she represents all citizens - not just Catholics.

Since the majority of people opposed to abortion in this country are not Catholic, this is relevant how?

"Gov. Granholm is a person of faith, and her faith is very important to her,"

From 10am to 11am on Sundays and for a similar length of time on one of the fast-dwindling number of non-transferred HDOs.

Boyd said. "Should the church decide to impose spiritual penalties for political votes of which they disapprove, it may be difficult for any Catholic to serve in public office."

Thought Experiment Number Three:

Let's use the example of an organization that these pols would generally respect.
Say, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, f/k/a Handgun Control, Inc. Let us also assume that you are a long-standing, dues-paying member of the Center and its predecessor organizations. Let us further stipulate that you become a very visible figure in the Center--a public face of the organization. You decide, out of deference to those who own firearms ("all the people!"), that, while you are opposed to Saturday Night Specials, "assault weapons" and the carrying of concealed weapons, you do not believe that any of the above should be outlawed.

How long do you think it it would take for the folks at the Brady Center would toss you out on your ample tuchus?

Let me put it this way--the pizza would arrive after you and your personal effects hit the curb.

Would the Brady Center be wrong to boot you out?

Mengeling is one of few bishops who has spoken publicly about the issue since Arinze made his comments.

Oh, and what a contribution it was, too.

Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Neb., said they would not give Communion to Kerry because of his views, which support abortion rights.

"Support"? The Understatement Warning has been extended until 9:00 pm.

Lord have mercy--if the senator were any more enthusiastic, he'd be making goo-goo eyes at Joe Tiller.

To determine what steps to take against Catholic politicians who back positions that don't agree with church doctrine, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops appointed a seven-member committee last year.

Expect the recommendation to refer the matter to an even larger committee in 2007. Unless, of course, that happens to be an election year or a year preceding one.

"You've got different opinions," said Father Thomas Reese, editor in chief of America, The National Catholic Weekly Magazine.

"Some bishops are saying this is not a good political strategy. In fact, it could backfire. For one, it would turn abortion into a Catholic issue when it's a human issue."

Not bad for a guy who edits America.

And who is responsible for trying to turn it into a Catholic issue?

Why, just the bishops of course....

Rep. Julie Dennis, D-Muskegon, said Catholic politicians represent citizens from diverse religious beliefs and backgrounds and they are being unfairly targeted.

"I will not legislate Catholic doctrine because the Vatican thinks I ought to," said Dennis, a Catholic who also supports abortion rights.

"I think it's really unfortunate they are using folks to do this kind of activity."

Thank God for term limits. Again, dimwit, it's not "Catholic doctrine"--there are atheists opposed to abortion, you ninny. No one's "using" you, Ms. Dennis.

They are simply asking you to consider the...incongruity...of professing to be Catholic but supporting the dispatch of human life in the womb for any reason.

That shouldn't be so hard to understand. But thanks to the obfuscation of Bishop Mengeling, it won't be any easier.

'Cause when the goin' gets tough.....the tough get goin'! Who's with me?!? Let's go! Yaaaaaaaaaah!

As Bo Schembechler might say: Listen up, Michigan men!

I'm going: anybody else interested?

I was at the first one last year, and it was superb. Riccardo can flat-out preach, which is saying something. Mass, confession, fellowship, Kresta, Weigel and a box lunch. What more can you ask for?

Fine: as a bonus, you'll have the valuable opportunity to learn that I'm way more obnoxious in real life than on the 'net. Drop me a line.

Well, so much for the kid-glove approach.

One of the most infuriating (if less obvious) things about Gov. Jennifer Granholm from the Catholic perspective is her evident, if clueless, admiration for martyr St. Thomas More. The problem, of course, is that while St. Thomas died defending the sanctity of marriage, Granholm won't risk an endorsement in defense of human life. If Granholm resembles anyone from St. Thomas' time, it would be solicitor-general Richard Rich.

"But for Michigan, Jennifer...?"

Her excuse? The anti-infanticide bill doesn't contain a "clear" exception for the health of the adult. Whatever that means. Of course, it's the "health" exception (which, thanks to Doe v. Bolton covers everything from genuine physical health issues on down to ennui--I exaggerate not) that has led to unrestricted abortion in this country. Let's leave for another day that the American Medical Association has said partial birth abortions are "not good medicine", nor is it ever "medically necessary."

Now, of course, we are treated to the predictable scenario: the bongo-drum accompanied retreat of Michigan's Catholic bishops. Count on it. Take it to the bank. There will be muted ambiguous noises from diocesan offices which could be construed as disappointment, but that will be about it. This, naturally, will not satisfy those appalled by the spectacle of a putatively Catholic governor defending the "right" to crush the skulls of delivered viable infants, who will then contact their chanceries to ask when their shepherds are going to do something about it.

Then Grima McGrath (or his equivalent) will deflect the issue and manage to castigate the faithful who treat the Church's teaching on abortion with the utmost seriousness, and some in St. Blog's will actually cheer Grima on in his efforts.

There it will pretty much end. Unless we refuse to let it die, of course.

"I knew that! You think I didn't know that? Of course I knew that! I'm not being defensive! You're the one being defensive! Why is it always the other person being defensive? Ever think about that? Why don't you think about that?! Is it me, or is it him? It's him, isn't it?"

Or, Memo to Metro Detroit Catholics: "Lose the e-mail address. Now."

UDM and the Archdiocese got caught in the National Catholic Register's klieg lights over Call to Action's Nun 'n' Fun Conference hosted by the University a few weeks back.

Face facts--the mentality that wishes lay people would simply pray, pay and obey is far from dead, as the lame responses from the relevant Catholic authorities show.

Let me see--10? No, not even close. How about 20? Nope, still not enough. 30, maybe? Nah, a little too subtle. Let's try 50.

Yep--50 megatons ought to do it:

At the conference, members of the coalition elected Sister Jeanine Grammick, Sister Beth Rindler and Sister Donna Quinn as the organization’s new executive team.

The Vatican suspended Sister Gramick’s outreach to homosexuals in 1999. Sister Rindler began an underground women’s Eucharist group in 1991 — a group that meets monthly to celebrate Mass without an ordained male priest. Sister Quinn is the co-founder of Women-Church Convergence, a coalition of 32 feminist groups committed to a participatory, egalitarian and self-governing model of church.

Care to guess the name of the lead investigator whose efforts led to Gramick's suspension? Come on--think ironic. Really, really ironic. As in "Wake the hell up!" ironic. Here's Women-Church Convergence, which is especially useful if you forgot to take your senna this morning. Then there's Sister Rindler, an advocate of the same thing that got Tony Padovano the bum rush last May. Yet Sr. Rindler is perfectly welcome, smack in the middle of the Archdiocese. Perhaps Padovano's right: The Church is sexist, after all.

“The speakers are women of conscience,” Sister Rindler said. “They were led by God, you might say."

You might. Sophia knows we wouldn't, but you might. You knuckle-dragging kyriarchists.

"Healthy dissent means you don’t do something just because somebody else says so.”

Unless we say it. Then you'd better snap to, buster--you'd be amazed how quickly we can revert to our ruler-wielding ways when the mood takes us.

Asked whether St. Thomas Aquinas’ description of heresy in the Church as gangrene might apply to their actions, Sister Rindler responded,

"Who the hell is he?"

Oh, no, wait--she said something else:

"Hitler was able to do what he did because people followed. I don’t think it’s always the wisest thing to just follow a so-called leader.”

And, with the Hitler reference, Sr. Rindler concedes the argument. Still, it's good advice to take when Sr. and the Sisters start asking you to follow...

[Important and heartening story about cancellation at Madonna University snipped--but go and read!]

Gesund was one of the local Catholics who contacted both the university and Cardinal Maida’s office.

“Nothing happened,” she said. “That’s what is so frustrating. I don’t understand the silence in the face of public scandal. The shenanigans that go on are the direct result of the silence from the leaders of our Church."

Cardinal Maida could not be reached for comment.

Pecksniffian/Mottramist silver lining? "Well, at least he's consistent on this issue..."

Now, the moment I've been waiting for: Adventus Neddum.

Ned McGrath, director of communications for the archdiocese, said the archdiocese was unaware of the conference.

“We didn’t have any knowledge of it aside from a notice of it in the diocesan newspaper,” McGrath said.

Er, look at the cc: for my e-mail. Also, NM's comment about the newspaper invites the following volley: What was it doing there in the first place? Ack.

Nathan--er, Ned--continues:

“The conference wasn’t sponsored or endorsed by the archdiocese,” McGrath added. “It was an independent free-standing organization that met on the campus of University of Detroit Mercy. People have the right of assembly.”

If I had three wishes from the lamp, one of them would be expended on a mandatory national remedial constitutional law class for all citizens, in which it would be drilled into the heads of the students that THE PROTECTIONS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS APPLY TO WHAT IS CALLED "STATE ACTION" AND DO NOT APPLY TO PURELY PRIVATE ENTITIES NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT--E.G., MY NEIGHBORS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE IN MY BACK YARD TO, SAY, RE-ENACT "P*** CHRIST."

THAT IS ALL.

In other words, Mr. McGrath, I submit your constitutional argument needs work.

McGrath would not comment on how many letters or e-mails the archdiocese received.

Enough to interfere with his ability to find Zig Ziglar's "Lift for the Day" in his inbox, apparently.

“We receive calls on all sorts of things,” McGrath said. “If they are from people within the diocese, we deal with them as best we can. They are responded to on a case-by-case basis.

Still waiting for your response, Ned. My constitutional right to free speech is being stifled by your refusal to acknowledge me!

Well, it might work--it's the same logic he used....

University president Sister Fay did not respond to Register inquiries.

She really, really wanted to--until she realized you were the Register, and not the Reporter. Imagine that happens all the time.

The communications department has received no phone calls or e-mails regarding the event,” said Gary Lichtman, media director for the University of Detroit Mercy.

Are they for real? Seriously? Real serious? Well, I'm sure the Bosnian lunch lady at the school cafeteria didn't get any calls or e-mails either. I would hope they would concede that a chain of command that requires you to go to the Audio-Visual Department to get things done is a mite perplexing.

“If there were people who had comments, this is the first we’ve heard of these people. I cannot speak for the president or anyone else.”

She got at least one. Trust me.

“We did not sponsor or promote this event. It is not our event and nor did we participate in any way,” Lichtman added. “The conference was held in a banquet room of the conference center. The conference center is run by Sodexho, a separate entity that is hired by the university.”

"Nope, nothing to do with it a'tall. Nope. Even though we're not in the process of demanding a retraction from CTA regarding its notice or anything. It could have been held on Mars--er, Venus--for all we had to do with it."

Believe me when I tell you that UDM will not run that splendid piece of legerdemain past a jury in a slip and fall case. Not successfully, anyway.

The rental policy for the conference center states that the university “reserves the right of refusal for any group,” but Lichtman could not say whether the university had refused to rent the conference center to any groups in the past.

[Update: Lichtman has since found a list of groups banned from renting the center: Call to Holiness, Priests for Life, Courage, Adoremus, the National Catholic Register....]

Response?

Bill Cork, bravely peering through the pages of the National Catholic Reporter not written by John Allen, discovered that the gifted but reliably wrong Rev. Thomas Gumbleton has come out in favor of women's ordination. Gumbleton, an auxilliary bishop for the Archdiocese, left no room for doubt, as these money paragraphs indicate:

Our church needs to hear that message today, because we still do not have full equality in the church for women. It is very clear, it seems to me, that the majority of Christians, and the Catholic Christians in this country, think ordination ought to be open to women, but we don't let that happen in our church. We have not reached the fullness of conversion that we are being called to. We are being called to full equality and full mutuality, to a place where every person is afforded his or her full rights as a person.

So we need to be converted. Individually and as a community of disciples, we need to be converted to the full awareness and acceptance of everything Jesus said. Because, certainly in his life, he made no distinctions based on whether a person was man or woman. The first one called to go and proclaim the good news of the resurrection was a woman, not a man. Jesus always included women. When he sent his disciples out two by two, they were men and women. His whole approach was equality and mutuality. We need to be converted to that.

For the Bishop, Women's ordination is no mere issue. Indeed, the Rev. Gumbleton deems it an issue for "conversion"--i.e., denying ordination is nothing less than a sin. Not to discomfit the distaff, but the sticky facts are (1) that the Lord chose only male apostles and (2) the apostles themselves only considered men as a replacement for Iscariot. Yes, even Jesus himself was a little less inclusive than is frequently advertised.

This poses a sticky problem for Detroit's Archbishop, Adam Cardinal Maida. Earlier this year, Cardinal Maida reigned in a Warren parish that wanted to host the bad lounge act known as Dr. Anthony Padovano:

You may not be aware of the range of Dr. Padovano's theological views, some of which are clearly in opposition to the authoritative teaching of the Church. Among such positions are his advocacy for the ordination of women and his view that the celebration of the Eucharist need not be limited to ordained ministry. According to the National Catholic Reporter (March 14, 2003, p. 11) he is a "National Tour Co-sponsor" for the "Rev. Ida Raming, Ph.D., noted Catholic theologian and women's ordination pioneer. Dr. Raming [will speak] about her experience of ordination, excommunication, and the future of women's ministry in the Roman Catholic Church."

* * *

...Dr. Padovano has identified Dignity and the Women's Ordination Conference, among other groups, as "the synagogues of the renewal" (National Catholic Reporter, November 12, 1999, cover story).

In review of the serious concerns which Dr. Padovano's writings and advocacy efforts present, especially in matters ecclesiological, I believe that the potential harm caused to the lay faithful by his lecture series at your parish outweighs the potential benefit envisioned.

Pastoral prudence and my obligation as Archbishop require me to direct you to cancel Dr. Padovano's engagement at your parish on May 14th .

Let's see: we have two men advocating the same position in the same newspaper. The former gets barred from church grounds, even though he and the archbishop were apparently friends in the seminary. The latter...well, can we expect to see the Auxilliary Bishop standing at the corner of Washington and Michigan in Detroit, clutching his beloved Swingline™ stapler and a box full of desk nick-nacks as he waits for the bus? Or will collegiality save the day?

Stay tuned.

Less Than Dyspeptic Musings About Governor Granholm.

This is prompted by a discussion about Mercy High's Le Déjeuner sur L'ansing over at HMS Weblog. Emily Stimpson offered a useful corrective on the situation of people like the Governor:

On Friday, Duncan [Maxwell] called Granholm's religion "a campaign resource." Then today, Greg [Popcak] accused her of "trading on her Catholicism to burnish her image." Maybe that's exactly what she has done. To a certain degree, it's almost undeniable. But, at the same time, we shouldn't assume that that is all her religion means to her. I know plenty of people (who actually share my last name) who consider themselves pro-choice and who also consider themselves good Catholics. Their understanding of the faith is stunted, partially by the horrible teaching they've received from various priests in the post-Vatican II years and partially by their own sin. But, they do have faith and, in their own limited way, are trying to be "good Catholics."

Fair enough. It is impossible to deny that, because of horrible education, Catholics are often confused on moral issues generally, and abortion specifically. This is not helped by heterodox priests trumpeting in favor of "choice", nor the tepid response of the hierarchy, which has fuzzed the issue by decrying abortion but refusing to call politicians to account.

Which gets me to the point: the Governor says that she is personally opposed to abortion, but cannot let this affect the discharge of her public duties. This strikes me as incoherent, but possible. Perhaps one could be opposed to abortion, but believe that the proper way to address it is to change hearts, minds and the culture through protests, education, and the provision of alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, additional benefits for mothers with crisis pregnancies and so forth. One could believe that, compared to cultural change, pursuit of legislative change is unproductive and only inflames the culture war, hardening positions.

Perhaps. It certainly is food for thought: How would you feel about a world where abortion is perfectly legal but nobody ever has one? Or the rough Clinton (I know, I know!) approximate: "Safe, legal and rare." Funny how it was only 1.5 of 3 on that program, but....

While I don't buy into this approach (we abolished Jim Crow first, passed the Civil and Voting Rights Acts, and then hearts changed), it would certainly cause me to temper my views about the Governor (and the Catholic politicos like her). It would be much more of a reasoned position, and much less a mantra.

Is this the Governor's position? I don't see any confirming evidence. The only "evidence" is her declaration: "I'm personally opposed, but..." Before I buy into it, I need to see some evidence that she is indeed "personally opposed." Add to that the fact she is in favor of partial birth abortion, and the doubts harden into near-certainty.

But still: Has she protested abortion, e.g., even if only helping with the pro-life crosses at her church? Has she contributed to pro-life causes? Donated time and talents to such things as crisis pregnancy centers, adoption programs or the like? Is there any such evidence with respect to Granholm? Or other politicians like her? Does anybody have any clarification on this?

If there is such proof, then we have to pay heed to that, and take it into account in our dealings with them.

If there is no such evidence, then it is a fig leaf used to cover what are really pro-abortion views under a nominally "Catholic" cover. If this is the case, let the caning begin.