How To Spot A Cafeteria Catholic

This article appeared on Newsday.com We have noted the Cafeteria Catholics in case you were not able to tell the difference.

Heading into the noon Mass at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre Tuesday, Anne-Marie Patton (Catholic) said she had no doubts Rudy Giuliani was out of line when he received Holy Communion at a papal Mass despite his public advocacy for abortion rights.

And she agreed with the public rebuke Giuliani received on Monday from Cardinal Edward Egan.

"I think it's more than rude," said Patton, of Rockville Centre, as a light rain fell at the cathedral. "If Giuliani knows the teachings of the church and knows the state of his personal life, he should know he is not entitled to receive Holy Communion."

She added: "If you are a member of a religion or an organization, you abide by the rules."

But another Roman Catholic, Cristina Ruiz Diaz of Farmingdale (Cafeteria Catholic), said she thought Egan was making too much of the matter. "Just because that's one point we disagree with ... doesn't mean that we're bad Catholics and nobody should talk to us," she said.

"A lot of people think that way [about abortion rights] and they're not as public," she added.

Catholics across Long Island had mixed reactions Tuesday on the flare-up. Some said Egan's actions were justified, while others thought he was stirring up a ruckus over something inconsequential.

Egan posted a statement on the Archdiocese of New York's Web site stating that he and Giuliani had a "private agreement" that Giuliani would not receive Holy Communion -- then Giuliani violated the agreement by doing so at the April 19 Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Giuliani is also twice-divorced and thrice-married. He never had his second marriage annulled and by church doctrine should not receive Holy Communion for that reason either.

Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, said yesterday Egan does not plan any generalized crackdown on average Catholics in the pews who support abortion rights and receive Holy Communion.

But he said the issue with Giuliani had become so public that the cardinal felt obligated to respond. He added that "Catholics have an obligation to understand church teaching and to understand that Holy Communion should only be received when a person is in a state of grace."

Asked what Egan's move might mean for Catholics who worship on Long Island, Sean Dolan, spokesman for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, said the diocese adheres to church doctrine that prohibits abortion and added that any public official who advocates abortion shouldn't receive Communion.

Another parishioner at St. Agnes, Peg McHale (Catholic), 82, of Lynbrook, said that "it stands to reason if you are promoting abortion, then you are not in good standing with the Catholic Church" and should not receive Communion.

Janet Liotta (Cafeteria Catholic), a Catholic from Farmingdale, said that while Giuliani's lifestyle shows "he is not a Catholic," Egan also mishandled it by making a public spectacle. "I don't think Egan is acting in a Christ-like manner," she said. "I think it's heartless."

Real estate agent Charles Funk (Cafeteria Catholic), who works in Centereach, said there are other, more important issues the cardinal should spend his time on. "It's more like gossip than news," he said.

OLTIV's Proposal For Spending Tax Rebate

Tax rebates are going out this week. Americans are being given an opportunity that NOBODY in the media or White House has hit upon. It is an opportunity to do something that would not only represent patriotism for this country, but it would also represent an act of purity as requested by Our Lady of America.

One of the most powerful influences we have in making our daily decisions is peer pressure. Peer pressure begins its influence upon our behavior before we speak and it keeps its grip on us throught our entire life. We care so much about how others around us perceive us that we make the majority of our choices with these perceptions in mind. Anyone who says otherwise is just not being truthful with themselves or anyone else.

Anyway, a golden opportunity presents itself with these tax rebates. An opportunity to bring people together in a way we have not experienced as a country since WWII. If implemented with enthusiasm, it would create a patriotic wave across this land that would unify every person under a common ideal that would be seen as an act of purity to every other country on the globe.

What if:

Every American family took their rebates and made a determined decision to spend that money locally?

Every spending decision was based upon not sending that money to foreign manufacturers (directly or indirectly)?

Every spending decision was directed towards making our homes more energy efficient?

If groups of neighbors organized together, they could negotiate better prices from HVAC service companies to send a technician to their block to give their furnaces and A/C units tuneups to increase efficiency and save energy ($$$). The local service company would save money by not travelling all over to make the same number of calls and those dollars would hopefully circulate several more times within the community thus maximizing the economic impact.

How about getting your auto serviced with those dollars to keep it running as fuel-efficient as possible? The dollars stay local and circulate...and you save money at the pump.

How about putting in more insulation in your home?

If taken as an ideological goal, this country would spend this money upgrading its own residential infrastructures and reap the benefits of this economic stimulus for years to come.

Peer pressure can do the job for us as a whole that we may not be able to commit to as individuals. If this was accepted as "public policy", the result could be beyond what anyone in Washington could have ever dreamed.

If too many Americans do not accept this opportunity to do something good for all of us and simply dismiss this as just another "windfall" of cash, we'll probably see an increase in laptop computer and flat screen television sales...both of which will create a giant sucking sound of cash leaving our country...again! Not patriotic and certainly not an example of purity in our lives.

We need to stop bashing our leaders and realize we are in a crisis that is within our own ability to help solve.

Patriotism and Purity are both fueled by peer pressure. Fortunately for us, it is an easily renewable resource.

Did The Bishops Do The Right Thing?

In the aftermath of the visit by Pope Benedict XVI, a troublesome question is asked by traditional Catholics: Did American pro-choice politicians receiving Communion at the papal masses indicate a softening on the abortion question by the pope? The answer is "no." On the contrary, it reflected disobedience to Benedict by the archbishops of New York and Washington.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sens. John Kerry, Christopher Dodd and Edward M. Kennedy received Communion at Nationals Park in Washington, as did Rudolph Giuliani at Yankee Stadium in New York. They were present because they were invited to the masses by Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington and Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York. Given choice seats, they took Communion hosts as a matter of course.

Vatican sources say the pope has not retreated from his long-held position that pro-choice politicians should be deprived of Communion, but the decisions in Washington and New York were not his.

The effect was to dull messages of faith, obligation and compassion conveyed by Benedict. In his Yankee Stadium homily, he talked of "authority" and "obedience" - acknowledging that "these are not easy words to speak nowadays."

They surely are not for four ex-presidential candidates and two princes of the church, representing Catholics who defy their faith's doctrine on abortion.

As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Benedict's position was unequivocal. Asked in 2004 whether presidential nominee Kerry should be allowed to take Communion, he replied, "The minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it."

He has not altered his position. When as Benedict he arrived in Brazil a year ago, he declared: "The killing of an innocent human child is incompatible with going into Communion in the body of Christ."

Benedict did not reiterate that position in Washington and New York, because a pope traveling abroad is influenced by the stance of local church authorities - and American bishops are divided. (St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke leads those who believe pro-choice politicians can't receive Communion.)

Wuerl is averse to colliding with powerful laymen. He could have avoided any confrontation at Nationals Park by simply not inviting the pro-choice politicians to a mass where there was no room for the vast majority of Catholics who wanted to attend.

In New York, Giuliani receiving Communion was even more remarkable. Unlike Pelosi and Kennedy, who are regular Mass attendees, the former mayor of New York says he goes to church only "occasionally," usually for holidays or funerals. Abortion aside, Giuliani's third marriage would make him ineligible for Communion because his second marriage was not annulled by the church. But New York's Cardinal Egan is not apt to offend the powerful, and Giuliani was invited to the Mass.

There are devout pro-life Catholics who oppose rejection of any worshiper at the Communion rail, but they believe bishops should publicly manifest disapproval of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. The bishops of Washington and New York do not. (During Wuerl's installation mass as archbishop of Washington in 2006, he shook hands with Kerry and Kennedy, seated side by side.)

At Yankee Stadium, Benedict spoke of the "inalienable dignity and rights" of "the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother's womb." In parishes across the country, the faithful hear their priests echo the pope's words. Those professions ring hollow when pro-choice politicians are honored as they were during the pope's visit.

Where Did We Go So Wrong?

Spring is in the air and a new batch of high schoolers will be graduating soon. That means it is "prank" season.

The staff at this school felt these kids had to be "made an example of to the rest of the student body" so their "bad example" would not be repeated. This statement was made by the same staff who has fought vigorously to supply FREE condoms to students without parental consent.

Apparently endorsing teen sex is not viewed by our school administrators as setting a bad example but celebrating class spirit by having a gorilla chasing a pack of tennis-shoed bananas is.

Something is terribly wrong here.

'Monkey Business' Gets H.S. Seniors Suspended - Education News Story - WMAQ | Chicago

http://video.nbc5.com/player/?id=244457

Do Voters Really Want "Change" or "Comfort"?

Today is primary day in Pennsylvania and analysts expect that the result of today's vote will more clearly define who the Democratic Presidential candidate will be. In the end, will it even matter who runs? Both candidates and their supporters are chanting "Change" when in reality what they really want is to feel "Comfort". They feel that by ignoring certain facts and only looking at how they can target the blame for the world's problems on the desk of the current administration, they will effect "Change" because "we can do it better". Do what better?

While this President has done more than the rest of the free world, combined, to help fight AIDS and malaria in Africa, hardly anybody in the mainstream media has covered this as "news" because it makes Americans "uncomfortable". The same goes with the good things that the United States has been able to do for Iraqis in the midst of the ongoing war with Al Qaeda and their Iranian (and other) supporters. None of these works of charity and humanity seem to command the media attention because they go against the grain of the negative reporting that sells more newspapers. Good news just does not sell as well as bad news because when people are "comfortable" they go about their business in a kind of ignorant bliss that politicians would kill for (and sometimes do).

Do people really want change or do they just want to feel comfortable again? Do they really think the President can drop gas prices to any level that would bring them comfort? Do they really think anybody can do anything to change natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, new strains of viral diseases, terrorist attacks, droughts, etc...?

There's only ONE entity known to man that can do such things and He has tried to warn us about what is coming. He tried so hard to warn us, He sent his own Son to help save us. When that didn't work, He sent His Son's Mother to ask us to listen to what it was Her Son said and make a "change". If we haven't done it in all these years, what makes a few politicians think they can do it?

Think about this:
China is using more resources than the entire North American continent these days. They are polluting the environment with more toxic waste than one could imagine. Their peasant class (farm workers) have had their drinking waters poisoned by industrialists. They are getting sick and it will not be long before they realize why it is and who it was that brought this on. There are more people in China drinking deadly polluted water than there are in the entire United States. This isn't to say that the USA is not contributing to this same problem, but just imagine if this were the case in New Jersey or California. How long before civil revolt would occur on both coasts?

Japan ran out of butter in its grocery stores yesterday. This has caused a minor crisis...and it's just butter. Wait until they run out of rice and other main staples that their culture relies on. Crop failures are being reported all over Asia...it won't be long before supplies are gone.

Do you wonder why bread has shot up in price here in the USA? Try buying produce this week and compare it to last month's prices. Even the outlet stores' prices are up...and that's for the old stuff.

People can talk about whether or not the USA is in a recession. It doesn't matter because the real problem facing this country and the entire world is a food shortage. Soon, it will be water.

Everyone likes to think that they are somehow more benevolent and intelligent than those who might rebel, but how long could you go without water? If your neighbors would not share their water with you and your family, how long would it be before you would get violent? Be honest.

Financial woes can usually take care of themselves with time and effort. People get uncomfortable, but they usually don't go into massive rebellions. Starvation, on the other hand, usually only takes a few short weeks before people rebel. Few of the voters casting ballots today are thinking about this. They are mostly thinking about their own comfort. Are they going to be willing to share their wealth for the benefit of others or are they going to vote for "Change" again when the time comes so they can maintain their "Comfort"?

When you hear voters talk about "Change", they typically go on about how they don't want to be involved in wars and the dirty business of being the world's police force. Well, all they will have to do is vote for their "Change" and wait in "Comfort" while the rest of the world starts rebelling...because the "Change" is on its way and you can be assured of that. God has told us so and now He is showing us He means it.

The President's Address to National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

President George W. Bush addressed the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast just after 8:30 this morning, in a speech filled with glowing references to Pope Benedict XVI. "It's not every day you get to be the warm-up act to the Holy Father," began the President jovially, referring to the fact that the guests would soon be viewing a live broadcast of the Pope's remarks to the United Nations.

"This has been a joyous week," said the President beaming and eliciting applause. "It's been a joyous time for Catholics - and it wasn't such a bad week for Methodists, either," he added. "The excitement was just palpable. The streets were lined with people that were so thrilled that the Holy Father was here. And it was such a privilege to welcome this good man to the United States."

The President seemed at a loss for words as he recalled his meeting with the Pope at the White House. "For those of you on the South Lawn - who saw the South Lawn ceremony live, it was - what an unbelievable - it was just such a special moment," he said. "And it was a special moment to be able to visit with the Holy Father in the Oval Office. He is a humble servant of God. He is a brilliant professor. He is a warm and generous soul."

The President specified the attributes which he appreciates in Benedict XVI. "He is courageous in the defense of fundamental truths. His Holiness believes that freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man, woman and child on Earth. He understands that every person has value, or to use his words, 'each of us is willed, each of us is loved, [and] each of us is necessary.'"

"The Holy Father strongly believes that to whom much is given much is required - and he is a messenger of God's call to love our neighbors as we'd like to be loved ourselves," said Bush.

As he has done on previous occasions, the President tied his own work to promote life, to the Pope. "One of the blessings of being the President is I get to see firsthand how people are motivated by the fundamental truths articulated by the Holy Father," he said.

"Together, over the nearly seven and a half years we've worked to uphold the dignity of human life. Over the last - over the last years, my administration has put a stop to U.S. tax dollars funding foreign groups that perform or promote abortions. We've worked together to protect unborn victims of violence, and to end the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion. We have stood fast in our belief that promising medical advances can co-exist with ethical medical practices."

The President also appealed to the Pope's stands as he enumerated his administration's work to promote Catholic education, religious freedom, and faith-based charity.

Bush concluded with a heartfelt thanks for the prayers of Catholics for his Presidential mission and also by offering a prayer for the Pope.

"This is a prayer breakfast. And this is a perfect place for me to say how much I appreciate the prayers of the people for me and Laura. I can't thank our fellow citizens enough for taking time out of their lives to lift us up for prayer. I have finally begun to understand the story of the calm and the rough seas and I believe - I believe in my heart of hearts that it's because of the prayers of my fellow citizens," he said.

"And today with the trust in the Lord's wisdom and goodness, I offer prayers of my own: for each gathered in the room, for the safety and success of the Holy Father's visit, and for God's continued blessings on our great land."

The Holy Father's Visit



I want to thank you for your prayers regarding Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday.

The visit was a tremendous blessing for all involved. If you were able to watch on EWTN, you probably realize that everything went according to plan.

Upon entering the National Shrine at 5:30 P.M., the Holy Father was welcomed with a surprise chorus of “Happy Birthday” by staff members of the Shrine, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

It was a great privilege to then accompany the Holy Father on a tour of the Great Upper Church, making a special stop at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and the Oratory of Our Lady of Altötting. Devotion to Our Lady of Altötting comes from the Holy Father’s home region of Bavaria in Germany. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI was instrumental in encouraging the construction of this Oratory at the National Shrine. In addition to being the Holy Father’s 81st Birthday, yesterday marked the third anniversary of the dedication of the Oratory of Our Lady of Altötting.

Following his visit to the Upper Church, we then went to the Crypt Church, where the Holy Father celebrated Evening Prayer with the United States Catholic Bishops in a closed service, where we remembered all of the intentions that you sent in last week. Shrine staff members were able to participate from the Upper Church by way of closed circuit television screens.

Pope Benedict XVI addressed the Bishops after Evening Prayer, and spoke of National Shrine as a place of special significance to American Catholics. You may find the full address here.

Yesterday the Holy Father’s visit to the United States continued with a public mass at National’s Stadium and meetings at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center and The Catholic University of America – our next door neighbors! Today he traveled up to New York City for several events before returning home to Rome.

I hope you know just how important your prayers and support have been over the past few days, weeks, and months as we prepared for this visit. We could not have done it without your prayers and support. Thank you!



Sincerely Yours in Christ,



Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi

Rector

Urgent Prayer Request

An emergency meeting has been scheduled at Sylvan Springs on Friday morning involving board members of OLTIV and a prominent member of the religious community in our ongoing effort to find the best possible way to secure the Rome City property for Our Lady of America.

Please pray for the success of Our Lady The Immaculate Virgin and for the success of Sylvan Springs in bringing families closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spe Salvi (On Christian Hope)

Pope Benedict XVI's second encyclical, Spe Salvi, presents the Catholic faithful with teachings on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity...what any reasonable person would agree are the fundamental basis of a moral Christian lifestyle. That is, unless you are a Democratic candidate running for President of the United States this year.

After watching last night's "debate" between Clinton and Obama, it appears that both of these candidates are more than willing to accuse President Bush of every trouble facing this country at present. To hear them prattle on about how this White House has caused all of these problems makes you wonder if they really have any willingness to tackle the really tough question facing this country...why are Americans becoming more violent and disconnected to each other? Why are we, as a country, so willing to accept the moral decay and depravity exhibited on our televisions and various media outlets every day and call it free speech and entertainment?

What will become of us if we allow either of these two into the Oval Office?

Mrs. Clinton has already showed us she has no stomach for holding people accountable. Remember when she did nothing to confront her husband's own public lies regarding his immoral behavior in the same Oval office? Can we expect her to set any kind of high moral example for Americans...especially our youth?

Mr. Obama doesn't seem to get it either. He talks a big game but he has not shown any leadership in this moral category either. He had his chance to condemn his preacher for inflammatory remarks, but instead he gave him a "pass" by saying he was like an old uncle who sometimes says things you don't agree with. Sorry, but that dog won't hunt either. The President of The United States must be willing to do what is hard and unpopular for the greater good.

Where is the talk of Hope? Where is the candidates' demand of acceptance of responsibility and accountability that is needed to be shouldered by all of the citizens of the USA to turn this country back into "One Nation, Under God..."?

As Benedict wrote in Spe Salvi, "man needs God; otherwise he remains without hope." We cannot be saved from ourselves by government or science, but only by unconditional, absolute love.

Jesus didn't ask us to like one another. He knew that, given our own tendencies towards personal preferences, it would be an absolute impossibility for us to all like each other. Even he didn't like the Pharisees. If he did, he would have been hanging out with them every opportunity he had. No, he didn't like them. He loved them; and that is exactly what he asks of each of us. Love one another. Look for the soul in each other and love them "as I have loved you".

Benedict said: "Man's great, true hope that holds firm in spite of all disappointments can only be God- God who has loved us and who continues to love us 'to the end', until all is accomplished".

Deadline For Proposals

All interested parties are advised that the deadline for submission of proposals for the purchase of the Rome City, IN property is Friday, April 18 at 5:00 PM.

Proposals and inquiries may be emailed to info@oltiv.org.

Bring Me My Children...Bring Me All of My Children!

Prayer Intentions for Pope's Visit

This is a very good opportunity to get your prayer request
(Our Lady of America perhaps?) before Pope Benedict XVI and the American Bishops at the same time. Please do not let this opportunity pass you by.

In just two weeks the National Shrine will be hosting the Holy Father during his historic first visit to the United States.

Pope Benedict XVI will tour the Great Upper Church and celebrate a private Evening Prayer with the United States’ Bishops on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.

While this event is closed to the public, I would like to offer you, as a special friend to the National Shrine, a way to participate spiritually by sending me your prayer intentions. These intentions will be remembered at the Solemn Vespers by the Holy Father.

In order for me to include your prayer intentions, I need to receive them by no later than next Friday, April 11, 2008.

I hope to include as many people in this way as possible, so if you know of others that would also appreciate having their intentions remembered during the Holy Father’s Evening Prayer service, please forward this email to them so that they may also participate. Please keep the priests and staff of the Shrine in your prayers as we finish our preparations for this momentous occasion.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi
Rector


PS. If you wish to make a donation to help us complete our preparations for the Pope’s visit in two weeks, you may do so by using our secure donation form. Your gift would be most appreciated.

To make it as easy as possible for our website visitors to send along their prayer requests, email them to OLTIV at info@oltiv.org . We will send them along in larger bundles to Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi.
Send as many prayer intentions as you wish. All emails will be erased by OLTIV once forwarded.

Pope's Upcoming Message To United States Mirrors OLA's Call For Purity

It appears Our Lady of America was ahead of the curve on this one too! It is time for Her to be enthroned as She requested. Please keep praying.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - Benedict XVI will bring with him to the United States this month a "revolution of virtue," says the leader the Knights of Columbus.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, in Rome today to present his book "A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World," told us that the message of the Pontiff's two encyclicals is the same one the people of the United States are waiting for when he visits April 15-20.

"We are talking about a revolution of virtue, but of the theological virtues: faith, hope and love," said Anderson. "And this is the message Benedict XVI has given us with his two encyclicals, 'Deus Caritas Est," on love, and 'Spe Salvi,' on hope."

The supreme knight said that especially during this election year, Americans are waiting "in a tremendous way” to hear about “the question of change and the question of hope, and Christianity is a religion of change and a religion of hope.”

Commenting on the contents of his book, Anderson said, “The effect of 9/11 it still very strong in the United States, and one of the things I suggest in the book is to discover what kind of people we are, what kind of people we want to become.”

The answer to these questions, he said, is precisely in the civilization of love.

Life and death

“In such a civilization every person is a child of God. We are all intrinsically valuable. The battle today is between the culture of death (where people are judged by their social or economic value) and the culture of life,” he said.

Anderson pushes aside religious differences in order to spread a message of hope to those who are wary of the constant turmoil of modern society.

“By embracing the culture of life and standing with those most marginalized and deemed “useless” or a “burden” on modern society, Christians can change the tone and direction of our culture,” he affirmed.

Anderson noted that his book seeks to transcend the "clash of civilizations," because he says love isn't something exclusive to Christians. He added that he attempts to present “a road map for helping Christians understand their role in the World.”

To promote this civilization of love, clarifies Anderson, implies a decision to promote life and the family. Where have we heard that before?