A Catholic Perspective On America's Economic Crisis

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Dr. Alan Keyes is the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the Reagan administration. He is a practicing Roman Catholic and third degree knight. He, and a group of other concerned citizens, have created "America's Independent Party" as a political refuge for those who have been abandoned by the status quo two-party system.

Traditional Catholicism Restored To The Ozark Mountians

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: In a world were there is so much bad news, it's nice to see something positive once in a while. Pope Benedict XVI's "reform of the reform" has hit the Ozark Mountains of the central Midwestern states. In this northwest corner of the Bible Belt, and upper hills region of Dixie, lies one of the most socially conservative regions of the entire United States. It is a low mountain range stretching from the Mississippi River in Missouri, down into the upper regions of Arkansas and reaching into the eastern portion of Oklahoma. Settled primarily by German immigrants during the last two centuries, the Ozark mountains offer a unique blend of Catholic, Lutheran, Mennonite, Amish, Baptist and Pentecostal culture. While the return of traditional Catholicism was delayed to the Ozarks for decades, under the reign of our current pope, and the pastoral care of newly appointed bishops, the Ozarks are now witnessing a complete revival of traditional Catholicism.

Springfield Missouri, often referred to as the "Queen City of the Ozarks" now provides both Sunday and weekday Latin mass at St. Agnes Cathedral. Weekday masses are low, and Sunday masses are high, with Gregorian chant and traditional hymns. Weekly Latin masses are also provided in Missouri at Queen of All Saints Chapel in Springfield, Holy Trinity Church in Marshfield, St. Williams Church in Buffalo, St. Anthony Chapel in Jefferson City, St. Ann Parish in Carthage, Assumption Parish in New Haven, and St. Martin Church in Starkenburg. In Arkansas weekly masses are provided at St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village and St. Peter Fisherman Church in Mountain Home. The Ozarks are now the home of Our Lady of the Annunciation Monastary of Clear Creek in Hulbert Oklahoma, which offers both Sunday and weekday Latin masses, as well as the Divine Office chanted in Latin daily.

So here is a call to all Traditional Catholics in the United States. Traditional Catholicism is blossoming in the Ozark Mountains. This area is socially conservative and has a relatively good and stable economy in comparison to the rest of the United States. Springfield Missouri still has plenty of jobs, and the area is somewhat economically independent from the rest of the country. While businesses nationwide are downsizing, many area businesses in the Ozarks are expanding. This is especially true for Springfield Missouri, and the surrounding areas of Republic, Nixa and Ozark. Springfield also has a good financial assistance program for Catholic schools and the state of Missouri is one of the most homeschool friendly states in the entire nation. Parents have more rights in Missouri then almost anywhere else on the globe. If your a traditional Catholic, looking to relocate to a good place to raise children and find work, the Ozark Mountains just might be the place for you. Give it some thought and prayer.

Faith in the Time of Influenza A(H1N1)

HOMILY13th Sunday in Ordinary TimeReadings: Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24; Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13; 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mk 5:21-43The readings this Sunday provide a timely opportunity to reflect on God and our experience of life and death, sickness and healing. Recently the Influenza A(H1N1) has been declared a global pandemic, though the panic seems to be subsiding now due to reports of low death

ALERT: U.S. Dollar To Crash - Hyperinflation On The Way

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Regular readers of this blog know 'The Catholic Knight' has been warning that the greatest economic catastrophe in American history is about to hit. Before the end of the year, the stock market will take a dive that will make the panic of 2008 look like a mere speed bump. Unemployment will reach at least 10% before Christmas 2009. By Christmas 2010, it will be closer to 20%. This by itself puts the USA into a "Great Depression" economic model. Yes, that's bad, but I'm afraid the worst is yet to come. Worse? How could it get any worse? I'm afraid it can, and it will.

The actions of both the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have set America up for the worst body blow she's ever had. By failing to let the market correct itself, and by trying to avoid recession by pumping massive stimulus packages into the economy, the Democrats and Republicans have set us up for impending hyperinflation. What does that mean? It means that whenever the economy starts to recover from this market correction we now find ourselves in, the average American will not benefit from it. Why? Because the value of the dollar will go down - way down - to the point where it costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars just to buy one bad of groceries.

There is no way to stop this from happening now. The legislation has already been passed, the billions of dollars in stimulus has been allocated, and the printing presses are rolling into overdrive churning out the cash. It's a done deal. The dollar is going to crash. Maybe not tomorrow, but within a year or two at the most. What's done is done.

There is a way to prepare for this. Buy gold or silver. Get it into your hand, so it can be sold at a later date. Invest in gold and silver mining, as well as agriculture. Watch these videos to learn more and understand. There is no need to fear. There is no need to panic. This is not the time for fear or panic. This is the time for getting prepared. Pass this message on to anyone who has ears to hear it....

How Firm is your Foundation?

Homily - Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary TimeReadings: Gn 16:1-12, 15-16; Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5; Mt 7:21-29The Gospel today has the account of Jesus advising His disciples to be careful about the kind of foundation upon which their house (their life) is being built. So, what is your foundation made of: sand or rock? (I could almost remember the Christian action song on the same theme that

Ten propositions on being a theologian

by Kim Fabriciusfaith-theology.blogspot.com1. Actually, there is no such thing as a theologian, anymore than there is such a thing as a Christian. Theologians are not solitary creatures. Theology is the outcome of good conversation, the conversation of friends. Though – the rabies theologorum – you could be forgiven for thinking the opposite! Which is why, in the interest of world peace, it is

The God who is Greater than our Fears

HOMILY: 12th Sunday in Ordinary TimeReadings: Jb 38:1, 8-11; Ps 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31; 2 Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4:35-41The Gospel today narrates one of Jesus’ miracle stories, one that was especially dear to the early Christian communities. When the original audiences of the gospel were reading and listening to it, the communities of believers were suffering many storms: rejections, violence,

15 books

i was tagged with this meme by a facebook friend:"Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose."i'm posting here my comments alongside each book,because they may (or may not) looked too presumptuous

Divine Office For Traditional Catholics

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: A low-cost paperback version of the old Roman Breviary, pre-Vatican II, according to the Extraordinary Form, also known as the Tridentine form, (both in Latin & English text), has been completed by David Siefker. It can be downloaded for free in PDF form HERE. It can be ordered in hardcopy HERE for about $14.

As a personal request from 'The Catholic Knight,' I would like to put out a call to all iPhone application programmers to get in contact with David Siefker about the possibility of making a native iPhone application for this breviary that will automatically arrange a daily pattern of prayer similar to iBreviery and/or Universalis. Perhaps the two of you can work out some kind of arrangement to bring the traditional breviary to iPhone users. I can think of nothing more profound that would bring the traditional office to more people. David Siefker can be contacted HERE.

Our Lady of America

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Our Lady of America is a locally APPROVED devotion that is very much applicable to the crisis our nation now finds itself in. My Catholic brothers and sisters, America is about to undergo a tremendous purging, unlike anything we've ever seen before. The United States will soon be humbled. Our Lady revealed to Sister Mary Ephrem that she wants Americans to lead the way toward renewal of the Catholic Christian faith, both in the Americas and throughout the world. This is the mission of our generation. This is our task. This is the reason why our generation was born. We must fulfill our purpose!

During our lifetime we have witnessed the decline and fall of the Catholic Church in America. We have seen the failures of Vatican II in the vain and fruitless ways the reforms were implemented in our land. The Holy Father, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, calls us back to Tradition, to restore the ancient practices of the Church and thus renew her liturgical life. He also calls us to personal holiness and to propagate the Catholic Christian faith. His message is identical to that of Our Lady of America.

America will soon be humbled. Our economic might will soon be crushed. Our political and military clout will soon be diminished. In all of this we must repent of our sins, and look to the message of Our Lady of America for renewal. You can read those messages for yourself here as PDF documents.

The United States does serve a purpose in this world, but we have strayed far from our mission. Our Lady of America calls us back to it. Will you listen to her? Will you heed her warnings? Will you accept her advice? You can. We all can, and America can be renewed because of it. We can be given a purpose again. The United States of America does not, and cannot, find it's purpose in materialism, political clout and military might. Our purpose is in Christ. Our meaning is in his gospel. Our identity is in Our Lady of America. Without these things we are lost. For sixty years Americans have been intoxicated with success, wealth and power, far greater than any nation in the history of the world. Those days are soon to be over, and America will be humbled.

In the midst of this economic, political and social catastrophe, which will soon affect the whole world, there is hope. We can be renewed. We can find meaning and purpose once again. This time not in wealth, not in politics nor in power. This time we can find wealth in the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Trinity, our faith, our families and our mission of evangelism. Our Lady of America will show us the way, if we will only listen to her. Will you?

OUR LADY OF AMERICA

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

“The only authentic source of information about Our Lady of America or the writings of Sister Mildred Neuzil come from Our Lady of the Nativity Convent and the Our Lady of America Center in Fostoria, Ohio.  No other internet website or group has the legal or moral authority to disseminate information or promote devotion.
 
“It was the wish of Sister Mildred and Archbishop Leibold that we at the Our Lady of America Center in Fostoria be entrusted with care of these messages so that authenticity could be maintained and guarded.  Any other promotional sources offend the guidance of Archbishop Leibold.” 
Sister Mary Joseph Therese, C.I.T.
Relatives of Sister Mildred Many Neuzil, C.I.T.
Friends and Volunteers for Our Lady of America
Our Lady of the Nativity Convent
700 North Susan Drive
Fostoria, Ohio, 44830
(419) 435-3838
http://www.ourladyofamerica.com

source

SSPX, Final Rosary Crusade, Consecration Of Russia, Last Spiritual Battle of Fatima

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: As we approach the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, that ushered Marxism onto the world scene in all it's forms (communism, socialism and fascism), and simultaneously the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions, the final battle of the Church in our age is now underway.

In May through October of 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three peasant children in Fatima Portugal with a warning. She told the children that Russia would spread it's evils all over the world, and the Church would suffer greatly, ultimately resulting in the assassination of the pope, unless the pope (in union with the bishops of the world) consecrated Russia to her immaculate heart as an act of faith and renewal. Many believe this prophecy was fulfilled in the papacy of John Paul II, and indeed many signs point to that conclusion. However, while John Paul II was nearly assassinated by a Muslim hired by the Soviet KJB, and he did consecrate the whole world to Mary's immaculate heart, he never specifically consecrated Russia as the apparition at Fatima requested. So there is considerable disagreement as to whether the Virgin's instruction has truly been honored the way she requested it.

Simultaneously, the threat of worldwide communism, socialism and fascism remains. Entire nations remain under communist rule, and even Russia still has a fascist dictator controlling it. As the world's economic crisis continues to worsen, in what the Europeans are already calling an "economic depression," the threat of Marxist ideologies making a huge worldwide comeback has become a very real possibility. Then when we consider the increasing nationalization of private industry underway in the United States, which is supposedly the "leader of the free world," we have the makings of Russia's evil Bolshevik Revolution spreading around the globe. To assume that the current pope is safe from all danger would be foolish. There are many who see the possibility of another assassination attempt in the near future. Likewise, there are many who believe the pope will soon be forced to leave the Vatican, and ultimately die in exile. Again, this is all just speculation, but it is not without merit.

Still yet, there are now revelations that the Soviets struck a deal with the Vatican just before the Second Vatican Council, in which it was agreed that the bishops would not mention communism by name, in exchange the Soviets agreed to leave the council unmolested. Even though the Church's struggle against communism was the defining spiritual battle of the 20th century, a quick reading of the Vatican II documents reveal that the bishops kept their end of the bargain. Should it be any surprise then that the Second Vatican Council remains the most vague and unspecific ecumenical council in the 2,000 year history of the Catholic Church? According to Pope Paul VI, who concluded the Council, the bishops of Vatican II chose not to exercise the note of infallibility at all, thus putting it on a lower level than previous ecumenical councils, making it purely pastoral in nature. The years following Vatican II were marked by confusion and chaos, as Pope Paul VI instituted a whole new liturgical form created by his chief liturgist, an alleged Freemason mole, Monsignor Annibale Bugnini. (NOTE: Allegations of Bugnini's Masonic connections have never been proved.) The "reform" of the liturgy, which dramatically altered it in almost every way, was accompanied by unapproved liturgical innovations of every sort, on every level, from papal celebrations down to the regular mass at local parishes. The problem was so bad that Pope Paul VI referred to it as the "smoke of Satan" having entered the Church (read more here). With this liturgical "reform" and innovation came an immediate drop in vocations to the priesthood, followed by a general apostasy of many Catholics leaving the faith, and of those that remained, half no longer practice. Now the Church finds itself near the end of the greatest crisis it's ever faced. The priesthood is vanishing as those ordained in the 1960s and 70s approach retirement. Religious orders have likewise seen a similar drop in vocations, to the point where some convents and monasteries are being shut down and boarded up. Publicly, the Church is faced with clerical sex-abuse scandals (which only amount to less than 5% of the clergy by the way), followed by bad press and public ridicule. The pope is attacked in the media and assailed by his own clergy for nothing other than practicing orthodoxy and leadership. Finally, the Church has been plagued with the problem of Cafeteria Catholicism and the heresy of Liberation Theology. Cafeteria Catholicism being the insistence of some Catholics to "pick and choose" which doctrines they will believe. Liberation Theology being the heretical teaching of socialism that is white-washed with a "Christian" facade. Liberation Theology has been utterly condemned by every pope who has encountered it, especially John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Indeed, when the bishops of Vatican II made their deal with the communists, they effectively made their deal with the devil, and they've been paying the price ever since. Pope Benedict XVI, while Cardinal Ratzinger, plainly stated that the crisis in the Church today is liturgical in origin. Lex orandi, lex credendi - or - "The law of prayer is the law of faith." Our liturgical chaos has reflected (and in many ways created) the moral and spiritual chaos within the Catholic Church today.

So here we are, forty years after the institution of the new liturgy following the Second Vatican Council. The one religious order that most vehemently criticized the "reforms" of Vatican II, and the new liturgical form, was the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). Having always received grief from champions of the "reform," in 1988 the SSPX clergy unfortunately found themselves unfairly excommunicated by the Vatican over a dispute concerning a technical detail of canon law. Just this year (2009), Pope Benedict XVI revoked those excommunications, and a firestorm erupted among the so-called champions of "reform" because of it. Now negotiations between the SSPX and the Vatican begin in earnest. The Vatican seeks a way to bring the SSPX back into the normal canonical structure of the Church. The SSPX seeks to reform the Vatican entirely, thus restoring liturgical and doctrinal sanity within the worldwide Church. Both sides will be pushing hard to meet their goals. However, in the midst of all this, the SSPX has asked us simply to pray, not for them, and not for the negotiations concerning their future. They ask instead that we pray for the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and for the Church in general, that the wishes of Our Lady of Fatima be fulfilled exactly as she requested, thus relying on God's miraculous grace to put down the Marxist threat (both inside and outside the Church) once and for all.

Our time has come. The battle of the ages reaches it's final act within the next few years. Will Satan triumph, and Our Lady's conditional prophecies concerning the terrible future of the Church be fulfilled? Or will her promise of God's miraculous grace win the day instead. WE ordinary every-day Catholics hold the answer to these questions within our own hands. Pray the Rosary for the consecration of Russia. Print out the form below. Fill it in as you go, and mail it into the address provided on it. These lists will be presented to the Holy Father himself, and he will see them. Yours will be included in that if you participate. It's time to make history, and this time we'll do it simply by calling upon Our Lady, and relying totally on the miraculous grace of God to save us from the threat of Marxism (in all it's evil forms), and restore order and discipline to the Catholic Church.

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE ROSARY FORM HERE

Barack Obama Is Anti-Catholic

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: President Barack Hussein Obama is the most anti-Catholic politician in the history of the United States. His anti-Catholicism is subtle and clever. He doesn't seek to defame or disparage the Catholic Church. He doesn't even seek to undermine or persecute it. No. His strategy is simple and cunning. Instead, he intentionally exploits the weaknesses of the U.S. Catholic Church with the intent of dividing it, fracturing it, and rendering it impotent.

It's nothing personal. It's just business. Obama doesn't necessarily hate Catholics. Nor does he necessarily hate Catholicism. I'm sure he would have no problem shaking the pope's hand, or speaking at Catholic universities (oh wait! he's already done that). It's just that Catholicism gets in the way of his agenda you see.

It's no secret anymore that Barack Obama is a socialist and a fascist. Every policy decision he's made thus far has been in the trend of nationalization of private industry (the definition of socialism), or to use government bailouts to control business according to his agenda (the definition of fascism). Since the Republicans have been whipped, the media is now in his back pocket, and Evangelicals are losing their cohesiveness, Obama has virtually no one left to stop him. Except that is for one thing. It's the only entity that has effectively fought and defeated both socialism and fascism on three continents. That entity is the Catholic Church. Ever since the rise of Marxist ideology in the early 20th century, every single Catholic pope from then until now has directly challenged, opposed and condemned it and the leaders behind it. Pope John Paul II's defeat of communism in Poland is an example of just how dangerous the Catholic Church can be to Obama's agenda. All the pope would need to do is publicly condemn Obama's presidency and the tide would begin to turn on Obama overnight, as he would be forced to reckon with the wrath of the nation's sixty-seven-million Roman Catholics. When asked to choose between the pope and the president, even the most moderate Catholic would find a canonically condemned administration difficult to support. Obama knows that as his agenda becomes more clear and obvious to the world, this day of reckoning will come with the Catholic Church.

Therefore, his strategy is to divide and conquer. He's doing it by appointing as many Cafeteria Catholics as possible to high ranking government positions. These so-called "Catholics," who are marginal at best, have already made their choice to support various Leftist and Marxist agendas over the teachings of the Church anyway. Many of them subscribe to abortion-on-demand, a legal position utterly condemned by the Catholic Church. Likewise, many of them subscribe to Liberation Theology, a socialist ideology also condemned by the Catholic Church. These ideologies fall right in line with Obama's socialist and fascist agenda. By appointing these so-called "Catholics" to high ranking positions within the government, while simultaneously speaking at as many Catholic engagements as possible, Barack Obama can use his alleged "pro-Catholic record" as ammunition against any future attacks by the Vatican or U.S. Catholic bishops. Simultaneously, he's exploiting the U.S. Catholic Church's biggest weakness, which is the American bishops' poor catechises and lax discipline of the faithful for the last 40 years. We could say the U.S. Catholic bishops have dug their own grave, and now they must lie in it. Indeed they have, and that is exactly what Obama is banking on. With the clergy already scandalized by sex-abuse and cover-up, (a phenomenon that only affected 5% of the clergy by the way), many U.S. Catholics are already frustrated with the leadership of the U.S. Church and question it's moral authority. Surly this history will be drudged up in any direct confrontation between the Church and the Whitehouse. Obama is banking that with his supposed "pro-Catholic record," and the frustration many Catholics already have with the hierarchy, he will be able to split the Church among the laity. Since only about half of all U.S. Catholics regularly practice the faith anyway, he's betting he can easily pull the other half over to his side and get them to actively work against (even protest) the Catholic hierarchy in his favor when the time is right. Indeed, nothing would serve Obama better than an all out split (a formal schism) within the U.S. Catholic Church during his administration, and you can bet that's exactly what he and his cronies are working toward.

So it's time for U.S. Catholics to pull together and remember the work of Pope John Paul II against the communists in Poland. By organizing the Polish Church with solidarity, John Paul II was able to bring the socialists to their knees in that country. There was nothing John Paul II taught that was any different than what previous pontiffs had taught about socialism. There is nothing different between what John Paul II taught about Catholic Social Justice, and what the current Pope Benedict XVI teaches about it. From the early 20th century, to this very day, the teaching of the popes on communism, socialism, and fascism has been clear and consistent. If we are truly Catholic, then we know what that teaching is. If for some reason you find yourself as a Catholic who doesn't know, you had better do some reading and find out, before it's too late. As for those of us who do know, let us be bold and remember the words of Pope John Paul II upon his election to the papacy - "Do not be afraid!"

Pope Prepares World For The New Economy

(Zenit.org).- The market economy is only a path to progress if it is oriented to the common good, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope on Saturday considered the possible shortfalls of the free market system when he received in audience members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation. The foundation was founded by Pope John Paul II in 1993 as a lay foundation that aims to promote the social doctrine of the Church in professional and business sectors. The foundation hosted in Rome on Friday their annual international conference.

In his address, Benedict XVI called for a rethinking of predominant economic models.

"The financial crisis that has struck the industrialized nations, the emergent nations and those that are developing, shows in a clear way how the economic and financial paradigms that have been dominant in recent years must be rethought," he said.

The Pope lauded his listeners' consideration of the "interdependency between institutions, society and the market."

Drawing from the 1991 encyclical by his predecessor, after which the Centesimus Annus foundation is named, the Holy Father noted how "the market economy, understood as 'an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic sector' can only be recognized as a way of economic and civil progress if it is oriented to the common good....

read full story here

The Left's SACRAMENT Of Abortion

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Perhaps some have wondered why 'The Catholic Knight' has up till know refrained from commenting on the murder of the infamous abortionist George Tiller. While it should go without saying that the murder of a human being is disgusting, no matter how disgusting that human being is, the Left wing's attempt to make a martyr out of this man is perhaps the only thing more disgusting. It seems that every pro-life organization across the country felt the need to chime in on the renunciation of such violence, and in spite of this loud outcry the Left continued to disparage the pro-life movement, as if it were some kind of jihad from a radical Islamic organization. Now that I've brought it up I suppose in this heated political climate any failure on my part to denounce this act of violence will certainly result in revocation of my account on blogger. So that being said, here is the official statement from "The Catholic Knight"...

The cold-blooded murder of the infamous abortionist George Tiller was a cowardly act of violence that can never be condoned by any pro-lifer for any reason whatsoever. In a manner similar to gang violence, one murderer was killed by another. Therein lies the epitome of the "culture of death" wherein human life is cheapened to the point where people justify violence, in the name of a cause, with the deranged idea that the ends justify the means. This could be said of both Dr. George Tiller (the abortionist) and Scott Roeder (the man who killed him). Both men justified violence against human beings in the name of a cause as if the ends justify the means - an ideology that is 100% incompatible with Christianity and the pro-life movement.

Now that being said allow me to get down to the purpose behind this blog entry. To Left-Wing Liberals, abortion is a sacrament. That's right, I said SACRAMENT. Websters defines the word sacrament as "a Christian rite (as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality." While the Left is anything but Christian, it would appear that they do believe abortion is some kind of "divine right" or "gift" from God that has been ordained as a "symbol" of some kind of "spiritual reality." In many ways it could be compared to a blood sacrifice to the Secular god of convenience and sexual promiscuity.

So if abortion is a "sacrament," then obviously that makes George Tiller a "martyr" of some kind, like some kind of a "priest" murdered for his administration of the "sacred rite." Of course that's how the Left sees him anyway...

(Priests For Life) - Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., today reacted to remarks by late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart that compared the killing of George Tiller to the assassination of her uncle.

“For LeRoy Carhart to mention the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who worked through peaceful and non-violent means, in the same breath with that of George Tiller, whose work ended peace and brought violence to babies in the womb, is offensive beyond belief,” said Dr. King. “The analogy is just wrong.”

“Dr. Carhart also speaks of hate crimes,” added Dr. King. “I would simply ask him, is it not hateful to regard an entire class of people as non-human because they’re unwanted?”

read full story here

Vatican In Negotiations With SSPX - Pope Restructures Ecclesia Dei

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Information coming out of the Vatican now indicates the Holy See is preparing for intense negotiations with the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). Part of this process involves a complete restructuring of Ecclesia Dei under the Congregation of the Doctrine and Faith...

(Rorate Caeli) - The papal plan to transform the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" in an internal office of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - first announced by the Pope himself in his letter to the Bishops - is about to become a reality. According to Vaticanist Andrea Tornielli, a motu proprio on the new structure of "Ecclesia Dei" will be made public in the next few days....

read full story here

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(Rorate Caeli) - This morning the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith discussed how to begin the doctrinal dialogue with the Lefebvrite Preiestly Fraternity of St. Pius X, for whom four bishops – among whom is the negationist [Bp.] Richard Williamson – Pope Benedict XVI in February revoked an excommunication.

According to the French agency I.Media, the cardinals of the ex-Holy Office – to whom Pope Ratzinger entrusted the dialogue wiht the Lefebvrites in view of their eventual reinstatement, in the future, in the structure of the Church – discussed a text "drawn up to clarify the parameter of the doctrinal dialogue with the Fraternity". This dialogue should start with the necessity "of accepting the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium of the Pope" subsequent to the Council.

According to I.Media, the Superior of the Lefebvrites, [Bp.] Bernard Fellay, was received at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 5 June last and, even if there hasn’t been identified the "team" which on the two sides will effectively conduct the dialogue, it is probable that there will take part the Swiss Domincan Fr. Charles Morerod, the new Secretary for the International Theological Commission and, on the part of the Lefebvrites, Fr. [l’abbate] Gregoire Celier, co-author of a recent book on Benedict XVI....

read full story here

Psalm 139 (a double tanka)

Yahweh, I know you are neareven when I don'tcare, when I let the concernsof life overwhelmmy pray'r, O God, you are here.When I need you, you are hereby my side, to guardme against the demons I'vemade - could have been lostbut for You, Lord, who are near.

Stimulus Bills Fail - Economic Depression Looms

Special thanks to "Innocent Bystanders" blog for this information: read more here.

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: As all the experts (with a good track record) predicted, the economic stimulus packages, passed under both the Bush and Obama administrations, have failed miserably. While the Obama administration claims it will retool stimulus programs and spend more stimulus money, the same experts (with a good track record) are predicting this will fail too. The United States of America is sliding into a Great Depression and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. 

Now anybody who reads this blog knows 'The Catholic Knight' is no fan of alleged President Barack Obama. Likewise, anybody who's been reading this blog for some time knows 'The Catholic Knight' didn't care much for George W. Bush either. In all fairness to both men however, I would like to point out that this enormous market adjustment, which will put our nation in a Great Depression, is neither man's fault. Yes, they did stupid things to contribute to the problem, and even make it worse, but they themselves are not the root cause. The origin of this Great Depression goes back to the 1960s with the massive government expansion of entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Welfare. While Franklin Roosevelt did his share of socializing America back in the 1930s, it was President Lyndon Johnson who really pushed America into full socialism mode. The expansion of these federal entitlement programs massively increased the federal deficit, and with those deficits year after year, the federal debt grew to levels never before seen in peace time. For all their rhetoric, the Republicans didn't do much to reduce the federal deficit over the last fifty years, except for a brief time between 1995 and 1999 when they cut spending considerably, while working with (and sometimes against) Democratic President Bill Clinton. However, this was short lived. When Republicans controlled the Congress and the Whitehouse from 2001 to 2006 they went on a spending spree that would make any beltway liberal proud to be American. Nearly fifty years of reckless government spending have passed. The Democrats became known as the "Tax & Spend Party," while the Republicans became known as the "Borrow & Spend Party." Under both parties the government printed more money, to help cover the expenditures of each.  So as the market was flooded with more U.S. dollars, the value of those dollars went down, down, down. Over the last fifty years we've seen tenfold inflation. What used to cost a dollar in 1960 now costs ten dollars as of the date of this blog entry (6/8/2009). What cost $10 in 1960, now costs $100. What once cost $100, now costs a thousand! Unfortunately, that's the good news.

The bad news is that for the last thirty years, ever since the end of the Carter administration, the federal government has been refusing to let the market correct itself. Every time we slump into a recession, the fed immediately pumps cash into the market, or lowers interest rates, to keep the economy moving. The problem is that this has been going on for too long. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have allowed the market to do what it's supposed to do. Every time an economic bubble would burst, the fed would intervene somehow, creating a new bubble bigger than the last. That's fine until that bubble grows so big that it's time to burst again. So the fed steps in and inflates an even bigger bubble. The problem is you can't keep doing this indefinitely. We've reached that point now, and the federal government has effectively sacrificed it's own currency in the name of trying to prevent the market from correcting itself. The latest example of this is the ridiculously low interest rates, coupled with the massive economic stimulus packages passed under both Republican (Bush) and Democratic (Obama) administrations. Now the Federal Reserve can't drop the interest rates much lower, and there isn't enough money to pay for these massive stimulus packages. Naturally, the politicians will try to get more money by taxing the people. However, with everybody losing their jobs, and the rich tightening their belts, there isn't nearly as much money to tax as there once was just a year ago. So what's left? Print more money of course, and that is exactly what the treasury department is doing. It's printing more dollars than have ever existed before. Of course, what is that going to do to the dollar? It's going to drive it's value way down, causing a surge in the cost of goods and services - runaway inflation. Usually during an economic recession the value of currency increases. This is part of how normal market corrections usually work. However, in this case, we've actually seen the value of the dollar slide as the recession worsens. That is unprecedented, and it means the dollar is in trouble. If the value of the dollar is going down at a time when it's supposed to go up (right now), then what does that mean the dollar will do at a time when it's supposed to go down? It means the dollar will crater! So what does that mean for Americans? It means we're hosed! Because even when the economy finally does recover, which won't be for some time, the value of our money will be going down. In other words, the average American will not significantly benefit from an economic recovery. When the recovery happens, (again that won't be for a long time), the dollars coming back in to the average American's bank account won't be worth nearly as much as they once were. They may even be near worthless.

So here's the scenario. The entitlement programs expanded during the 1960s and after, have caused the federal government to run billions of dollars in deficits for nearly fifty years. Those billions of dollars in deficits have added up to $9 trillion of debt in that same amount of time. Meanwhile the panic caused by the early market correction in 2008 caused the federal government to pump another $2 trillion dollars into the market in less than a year, raising our national debt to over $11 trillion. Simultaneously, there are way too many dollars in the world, and the fed continues to print more, causing the value of the dollar to decline at a time when it should be increasing, leaving open the probability of a complete collapse of the dollar once economic recovery sets in (at a time when the dollar is supposed to decline). Meanwhile, during the last fifty years, the United States has completely lost it's industrial and manufacturing base due to outsourcing and plant relocation to other countries. This is the result of bad tax law and bad trade laws. Leaving American business with no infrastructure to produce it's way out of economic hardship. The final economic bubble is about to burst, which is the "bailout bubble" designed to protect the commercial retail market, probably within months of this blog entry (6/8/2009). Once that goes the game is over. POP! The fed can't lower interest rates enough to compensate. The government has no one left to tax. All the treasury can do is print more money, while the government floats more debt. That will make the dollar worthless, while the federal government has no choice to print more money to start paying down the debt, or risk defaulting on the bonds (an option which is unacceptable). So that's it. Game over. America is economically FINISHED!  The post World War II Era of American Supremacy has come to an end.

In the coming years the nation will be immersed into a Great Depression, possibly worse than the one seen during the 1930s. It's an economic reality nobody is prepared for, and the entire world will be affected. No politician can stop this. No political party can save us. There is no plan, no model, and no quick fix to this problem. We just have to go through this. Unemployment will reach at least 10% by Christmas 2009 and will be pushing 20% by Christmas 2010. Yes, there will be political ramifications of this, but don't expect the Republicans to do as well as they would like in the 2010 election. Remember, this problem is fifty years in the making, and the Republicans share just as much of the blame as the Democrats. Both organizations are run by criminals that have robbed this once great nation of it's wealth. They just happen to be criminals of two different flavors - red and blue.

Crime will certainly increase in the years ahead, everything from identity theft to street muggings. Kidnapping for ransom will become a regular everyday occurrence in this country, just as it is in many third-world nations. By the 2012 election, this nation will be prime for revolution. What kind of revolution? Your guess is as good as mine. Will it be bloody? Who knows. Will it be communist? I sure hope not. Will it be a revolution that throws off the shackles of big government and returns to the founding principles upon which this nation was built? We can only hope. Will the political borders of America remain stable during this revolution? I don't know. Will some states attempt to secede and form their own countries? I suspect some may try, but their success is questionable. Yes, the United States of America is headed for some very hard times, not seen since the American Revolution and the post Civil War era.  May God have mercy on us all.

So naturally, the philosophical question that arises is why? Why did this all happen? What caused it, and how can it be prevented from happening again? Americans will have a lot of time to think about this in the months and years ahead, while they're struggling to pay their rent and mortgages, and simultaneously trying to put food on the table.

If I may be so bold as to offer my own impression, I would have to say it all comes back to God. During the early years of the 1960s, both the United States government, and American society at large, simply forgot about God. Religion simply wasn't taken as seriously as it once was - particularly the Christian religion. The reckless deficit spending of our federal government was more of a symptom than a disease. Our politicians really thought they could play "masters of the universe" with American tax dollars. In a sense they were playing God. The role of government took on the characteristic of divinity - as we've seen in European socialist governments, and Asian communist governments. Within a decade, Uncle Sam became the primary provider for the poor and economically disadvantaged. No longer was it the primary role of the Church to take care of these people. In this sense, the Church was put out of business. Government became the new "church" of America. Of course as the years rolled by the real Church became more impotent, while the government "church" advanced in size and power. The tragic issues of abortion, euthanasia, and government promoted homosexuality added to the list of symptoms. Meanwhile the federal government spent more money, accruing more power, piling on greater debt, and ultimately sowing the seeds of it's own destruction.

The Three Hermits

'Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us.' For my homily this Trinity Sunday, I am including a shorter narration of this short story by Leo Tolstoy, itself apparently a retelling of an old legend in the Volga District of Russia....'And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore like unto them:

The South (Dixie) Produces The Best Catholics - Too Bad There Aren't Many

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The image above represents the Catholic population in the United States. You may click on it for a larger view. Areas shaded red represent regions of the country where the Catholic population is 25% or greater. Areas shaded blue represent regions of the country where the Catholic population is 5% or less. Interestingly enough, some of the most conservative and orthodox Catholics come from the blue shaded area. Living as a Catholic minority in a Protestant based culture is probably the refining fire that solidified their Catholic identity. Some of the most traditional Catholic communities can be found in the Southland (Dixie). Likewise, some of the most conservative and orthodox Catholics come from the Bible Belt. EWTN is broadcasted from Alabama. I think it's high time we support and assist our faithful Catholic brethren in the blue shaded areas.

U.S. Congress To Pass Pedophile Protection Act

(WND) - Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., today confirmed that he will fight the "hate crimes" legislation now pending in the U.S. Senate and, if necessary, will launch a filibuster against the plan that critics have dubbed the "Pedophile Protection Act."

His Washington office confirmed to WND that position today, shortly after several Christian activists who have been rallying opposition to the proposal said they'd gotten word he would help.

The proposal, called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, already has passed the House 249-175. But analysts have reported it would designate homosexuals and others with an alternative sexual lifestyle choice for special protections under federal law.

At the same time, it would leave Christian ministers open to prosecution should their statements, especially Biblical condemnations of homosexuality, be linked to any subsequent offense, by anyone, against a homosexual person....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: What does it say of a government that gives special legal protection to pedophiles, but prosecutes Christians simply for saying that sexual perversion is a sin? We live in a time when the United States government is in the habit of calling evil good and good evil. How can God in any way honor such a government as this?

Why Be Catholic?

• Catholics Come Home Website
• See A Primer On Catholicism

Answers To Specific Catholic Questions...

THE CHURCH
The Biblical Church
Primacy of Peter
Apostolic Succession

THE BIBLE
Scripture Alone
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THE SACRAMENTS
Baptism
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HOLY MATRIMONY
Divorce & Remarriage
Contraception
Homosexuality
Husband's Headship
THE VIRGIN MARY
THE SAINTS
JUSTIFICATION
SALVATION

ESCHATOLOGY
Second Coming / Rapture
Purgatory
Hell
Zionism

THE TRINITY
Jesus Christ's Divinity
The Holy Spirit
Messianic Prophecies

OTHER
Angels
Tongue Speaking
Usury
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Fasting
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Vain & Repetitious Prayer
Modesty in Dress
Just War

SCIENCE
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CATHOLIC Q& A
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TOP TEN QUESTIONS
DIFFERENT CHURCHES?

Oratio Imperata for the Promotion of the Culture of Life

Dear People of God:Peace in the Risen Lord!We have received urgent and reliable news that Congress will most likely vote on the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill very soon. Further, there are still other bills pending that threaten the sanctity of life, especially in its most vulnerable stages, the integrity of the family and the values of our nation, especially the young. Thus, we need more prayers

ALERT: New Anti-Catholicism Sweeps America!

The anti-catholic cartoon above was published by Harper's Weekly in 1875.

The anti-catholic cartoon below was published by the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2007.

(WND) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport in Connecticut has filed a federal lawsuit following assertions by a state official that rallying church members at the Capitol in Hartford constitutes a violation of lobbying law.

Six weeks after 4,000 Catholics in Connecticut rallied in opposition to a proposed state law known as Bill 1098, which dictated local parishes reorganize their governing structures to substitute lay leaders for priests in oversight of finances , the Diocese of Bridgeport received a letter from Connecticut's Office of State Ethics informing it that an investigation was underway to ascertain if the diocese had violated state law by failing to register as a lobbyist organization.

"Following the surprise introduction of Bill 1098," said Diocese Bishop William E. Lori in a statement, "a proposal that singled out Catholic parishes and would have forced them to reorganize contrary to church law and the First Amendment, our diocese responded in the most natural, spontaneous, and frankly, American, of ways: we alerted our membership – in person and through our website; we encouraged them to exercise
their free speech by contacting their elected representatives; and we organized a rally at the State Capitol. How can this possibly be called lobbying?"

Nonetheless, the lawsuit states, in a meeting with church representatives one month following the investigation letter, the ethics enforcement officer of the state OSE, Thomas K. Jones, told church representatives that the rally in Hartford and statements on the diocese website constituted a sufficient basis to file a complaint.

Consequently, a complaint from Jones could lead to imposition of a $10,000 fine and even possible criminal charges against the diocese. Furthermore, to become a registered lobbyist, the diocese would have to comply with reporting requirements, submit to audits and wear badges at the Capitol...

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: This is the beginning of a long trend which will define the civil rights of Catholics for the next few decades. Yes, the United States of America has ALWAYS had an anti-Catholic streak going all the way back to pre-Revolution English colonial days. The State of Maryland (originally the "Mary Land Colony") was founded as a safe haven for Catholics seeking refuge from Protestant driven persecution in the other twelve English colonies. Originally American anti-Catholicism was a Protestant driven phenomenon. Then in the 1800s it became a Freemason driven phenomenon. We saw the last gasp of Protestant/Masonic anti-Catholicism during the 1928 presidential election, when Governor Al Smith (a Catholic) was defeated in a negative campaign that questioned his ability to serve as president because of his Catholic loyalties to the Church and the pope. When all the votes were counted, he only carried two New England states and the deep South states.

A lot of time has passed since 1928, and since then America has had it's first and only Catholic president in 1961 through 1963 - who happened to be assassinated by the way. While the old Protestant anti-Catholicism still remains in some Evangelical and Pentecostal circles, the Masonic anti-Catholicism has faded into the history books (at least in the United States anyway). It has been replaced by a new Secular Liberal anti-Catholicism which is far more venomous and much more willing to abuse the power of government to express itself. For example; in 2006 the City of San Francisco passed a resolution condemning the Catholic Church outright, and called upon San Franciscan Catholics to rebel against Church teaching. In 2007 the Louisiana Democratic Party launched an anti-Catholic campaign blitz against then gubernatorial candidate Bobby Jindal based entirely on his staunch Catholic beliefs. During the confirmation hearings of practicing Catholic nominees to the Supreme Court (John Roberts and Samuel Alito) the mainstream news media went on an anti-Catholic frenzy. Some Democratic senators conducting the confirmation hearing followed up with questions that called the patriotism of Roberts and Alito into question, with the implication that their staunch Catholic faith somehow disqualified them. The list of examples goes on and on.

The new Secular Liberal anti-Catholicism is far more insidious and more subtle than it's predecessors among 19th century Masons and 18th century Protestants. Basically this is how it works. Cafeteria Catholics, who oppose the Church's teachings, are rewarded in every way possible. For example; you won't see a high ranking Catholic in the Democratic Party unless he or she specifically opposes Church teaching on most social issues.  Virtually all high ranking Catholics in the Democratic Party are high ranking specifically because of their opposition to the Catholic Church.  This is how the Secular Left rewards them.  While Practicing Catholics, who believe and obey the Church's teachings, are villainized and marginalized in every way possible.

In recent years, however, what we're starting to see is something more bold. As we saw in the article above, and in the 2006 anti-Catholic measure in San Francisco, City and State governments controlled by Secular Liberals, are now passing resolutions and regulations that actually target the Catholic Church specifically, even to the exclusion of all other churches and charitable institutions. In the years ahead we can only expect this to get worse, and it will probably be the defining civil-rights issue for Catholics over the next few decades.  Expect to see a lot more anti-Catholic legislation coming out of the West Coast and the New England states in the years ahead, where Secular Liberalism is concentrated and controls most of the governing authorities.