Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, delivered the Catholic University of America 123rd Annual Commencement Address on May 12, 2012. Video of his remarks is available on Catholic University’s website. We have provided the transcript here with several excellent sections in bold. (more…)
NETWORK, a DC Catholic lobbying organization, has been little known outside the Beltway since its founding by Catholic sisters in 1971. Within the Beltway and in the media, NETWORK is known as a Catholic organization whose representatives often visit members of Congress but never to advocate on behalf of the unborn or the true meaning of marriage.
When President Clinton presented the Presidential Citizen’s Medal in 2001 to one of NETWORK’s founders, he praised the “national Catholic lobby that has mobilized thousands of nuns and lay people to fight for social progress in South Africa, for women’s rights and for economic justice.”
Yet, it was during the debate over Obamacare when NETWORK attracted national attention. As NETWORK describes proudly on its web site: “….during the 2010 health care reform struggle, NETWORK Executive Director Simone Campbell, SSS, wrote the “nuns’ letter” supporting the bill and got 59 signers on the letter, including LCWR. She was thanked by President Obama and invited to the ceremony celebrating its being signed into law.” (more…)
Catholic Advocate Vice President Matt Smith today issued the following statement regarding the panel discussion “Truth, Lies and Politics” being held this evening, Jan. 3, in Newton, Massachusetts at the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center. The event has been promoted in the Boston Globe as “Truth, Lies and Politics, a panel discussion featuring [Congressman Barney] Frank, journalist Robert Kuttner, and Father J. Bryan Hehir [Archdiocese of Boston Secretary for Health Care and Social Services]. Author Leonard Fein moderates the program exploring the relationship (or lack thereof) between politicians and truth-telling.”
“Father Hehir has an opportunity this evening to represent the teachings of our Church. The question is: will Father Hehir himself speak the Truth tonight?” asked Smith. “Will he speak the Truth to Congressman Frank about marriage being between one man and one woman? Or address Congressman Frank’s 100% pro-abortion voting record? These are pressing issues of ‘truth-telling’ between politicians.”
According to Freedom to Marry, a pro-same sex marriage organization: “We need more Barney Franks in public life, not fewer, and fortunately we will always have his indelible example to work from.” From their own website, “Freedom to Marry is leading the campaign to overturn DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act] and is working across the country to win marriage in more states and educate the public about why marriage matters to same-sex couples and their families.”
Smith added, “With Congressman Frank’s retirement at the end of this year, will Father Hehir take the opportunity tonight to publicly speak the Truth that faithful Catholics do not need more representatives voting like Barney Frank in Washington if we are going to make progress on the settled issues of life and marriage?”
A few weeks ago, October 24, 2011, members of the mainstream media reported on a Vatican document. They invariably spin any document coming from the Vatican one way or the other, depending on whether or not it conforms to a liberal viewpoint. The latest episode occurred when the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace issued its ponderously titled “Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary System in the Context of Global Public Authority.”
The headlines announcing “The Vatican Calls for a World Bank” misrepresented the document itself and ignored the fact that it in no way represented an authoritative statement of Church teaching. The next step in the media comment was, of course, to link the release of the document with the Occupy Wall Street movement which was just beginning to gain momentum.
Those who comment responsibly and knowledgeably on Vatican matters did what they always do — publish their corrective columns the following day, explaining how a document from a particular Vatican council should not be misrepresented by the American media as something akin to the papal encyclical. But, by then, the damage is usually done. One of these columns, however, appeared only a few days ago and deserves our attention at Catholic Advocate. (more…)
I’ve been in the presence of two saints in my lifetime, maybe more, but two who I thought were saints at the time. One was John Paul II, the other I won’t name because he is still among us.
When I first saw Pope John Paul II, he was kneeling before the altar in his private chapel — his back and shoulders were so massive he could have been a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. But more importantly, as I watched him pray I could feel the radiation of sanctity. I had long heard about the “odor of sanctity” but I had never experienced it myself. (more…)
Recently Deal Hudson and I joined Catholic League President Bill Donohue for dinner in New York City. During our conversation, Bill spoke passionately about his plans to take out a full page ad in the New York Times to address the recent state of sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Church and the attention it is receiving.
At the time of our meal, Bill was not sure when the advertisement would run and fortunately it was published today. We are providing a link here to the text of the ad and encourage everyone to read it. We believe this is important as well to the overall treatment of Catholics in the public square.
By Matt Smith, Vice President of Catholic Advocate
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