Catholics Without Borders

Going Dark

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:58:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

We recently experienced an instance where several very popular web sites went dark in protest of proposed legislation that would have impacted a range of popular web sites. For very different reasons I am going dark for a few months, probably until early autumn.

First and foremost, I have grown weary of my own postings. They all sound the same to me these days and more negative than positive.

Second, my involvement as a board member of the Central Virginia L'Arche project is turning into something of an unpaid part time job. It is my primary priority.

Finally, I am kicking off a new book project, an attempt to write a spiritual autobiography which answers the question, for me if no one else, how did I morph into what I have become spiritually, how did my religious beliefs come to be what they are? Obviously my lifelong Catholicism is a backdrop for this endeavor. This is a different effort than my previous book which told the story of my days as a candidate for the priesthood.

So I wish you all an enjoyable (and early) spring and summer. I'll be back on the air some time after labor day.

Many thanks for your loyal readership.

Jim

My Battle with E D (Electioneering Dyspepsia)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Before I launch into today's posting I want to point out that I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican and so, where the November elections are concerned, I don't have a dog in the fight.

That said, here, in no particular order, are the top ten reasons why I would like to spend each quadrennial election year alone on a desert island without contact with the outside world:

Spectacularly stupid viral email. This is spam containing "facts" made up by extreme partisans and passed on by others of the same ilk who are willing to believe anything about the opposition. A recent example, one of many in the "scare the elderly" genre, is an email received recently by Mary Ann warning us that because of "Obamacare" the monthly Medicare Part B premium was going to jump from 2012's approximately $100 per month to $247 in 2014. The true 2014 number is $117.
Mindless Media Frenzy. Nothing related to a candidate is too insignificant to merit coverage by every talking head on television for at least one news cycle. Certain Republican candidates seem to get fourscore and seven questions about gay marriage for every question they get about Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, energy independence, employment, the economy, deficit reduction, social security, medicare and health care reform. I won't be surprised if, before it's over, we don't get 24/7 coverage of the political significance of candidate X's new haircut.
Demonization of other. Apparently it's not enough to say that my opponent and I, or the opposing party and I, differ on issues X, Y and Z and here's why I believe my approach to the issue is in the best interest of our country. Nope, it's apparently necessary to paint the other side as a combination of Satan, Judas, Benedict Arnold, Karl Marx and Adolph Hitler.......over and over again.
Negative TV Ads. These ads, which every candidate claims to be against but every candidate uses, are a corollary to number 3 above. These ads are insulting to the voters because they assume that no one does any fact checking. And maybe no one does any checking because these ads seem to work.
Single Issue Voters. Whether it's gay rights, guns, abortion, taxes or any other issue, there are millions of voters who vote based on their pet cause and that alone. Where a candidate comes down on all the other issues doesn't seem to matter.
Meaningless Campaign Promises. Remember when candidate Obama committed to close Guantanamo?
The Candidates. It seems that anyone who can raise enough money can run for President. This year, on the Republican side, we were treated to a couple of candidates who were ignorant of basic Middle School geography. On the Democratic side, there is only one candidate (as was the case on the Republican side with President Bush in 2004). Why shouldn't the "in party" have a choice of whether or not to run additional candidates? (Check item 10 below for a likely answer).
Vote Tampering. As a native of Chicago who is old enough to have lived there during the rise of the first Mayor Daley I find myself wondering who really won Illinois in the 1960 presidential election. The mantra then was "vote early, vote often." Voters were paid at the polls. Dead people voted. Today, things are a little more sophisticated. This election cycle we are seeing an all-out effort to use our good old friend the law to keep people from voting by enacting legislation related to voter registration and voter identification requirements that millions of poor people can't satisfy. And as someone or another pointed out, the extent of participation is the best measure of the strength of a democracy.
Values Voters. This term sounds like a self serving label that a certain group of voters has assigned to itself. I think the implication is that their values are patriotic and godly and that they and they alone are "values voters." The fact is that everyone who goes to the polls is a values voter, even if what they value is, for example, greed.
"The System." Our political system has been corrupted by "big money." It currently costs $1.1 million to get elected to the House and $6.5 million if you are running for the Senate. But this is chump change compared to a run for the presidency. Barak Obama spent $750 million in 2008 and projections are that the cost of winning the White House in 2012 will be in the area of one billion dollars.......yes, billion. You don't raise that kind of money five and ten dollars at a time. So what we are left with (apologies to Mr. Lincoln) is "government of the people, by special interests, for special interests."

So ends my top ten list.

If you have a "favorite" election related peeve, or you think any of my top ten are bogus, I'd love to hear from you. You can either use the comments feature of this blog and do so anonymously, or you can email me at EireForEvr@comcast.net.

Tunnel Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0000

"Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train." (Lou Holtz).

There was a phenomenon known among World War II fighter pilots as target fixation, the consequences of which can be deadly.  Target fixation is the result of one's brain becoming so focused on an object that one can unintentionally collide with it. In the case of fighter pilots of another era the danger was flying one's plane into the ground.

I can attest to the validity of this phenomenon as I have recently experienced it. Hence the reference in my most recent posting to "forgetting to look both ways when crossing the street." Here's what happened.

There I was, driving along life's super-highway at my customary 5 m.p.h. over the speed limit, my eyes for the most part fixed on my rear view mirror as I happily watched day after day of 2011 recede into the past. An occasional glance forward revealed the onrush of a new year which I just knew had to be better than the one growing ever smaller as it receded at 75 miles-an-hour.

My trusty GPS told me that there were two toll booths between me and midnight on December 31st: Christmas, our nation's biggest retail holiday, and the arrival from Michigan of my daughter Beth and her family who would be with us between Christmas and New Year's.

The Christmas toll didn't bother me. I was in all ways ready for it. I even had exact change. I was also ready for Beth and family.  And so, other than occasionally looking to my right or left for indications that the toll stops were upon me, I kept on my merry way, often laughing at 2011 as it continued its onrush toward the dustbin of history.

I don't remember much of the rest of the trip. Christmas came and went as did Beth, Jim, Sarah, Mary and Kevin. I love it when they come to visit, but as an obsessive creature of habit it was nice to awaken on the morning of the last day of the hated 2011 and realize that Mary Ann and I had the house to ourselves. My old behavior patterns were reactivated. God was in His heaven, all was right with the world.

It was 6.30 PM when it happened. There I was, ensconced like Archie Bunker in my favorite chair, ready for the evening news and its ever-so-earnest network anchor. It was then and there that my trip to 2012 ended as abruptly as if I had been hit by an eighteen wheeler. Truthfully, I didn't know what to think: "Is there no God?" "How can I not have seen this coming?"  "How stupid am I?" "Why wasn't I paying attention?" "Hey God, if you're real and listening, can I have a rerun of 2011.....puhleeeeez!!!?!!!

You see folks, it was then, seconds after 6.30 PM Eastern time on New Year's Eve 2011, my own personal Day of Infamy, that the reality of 2012 as an election year hit me like a left hook from Muhammad Ali.

More later.....

Previews of Coming Distractions

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I probably should have stayed awake long enough to watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve. God knows I was more than happy to see the end of 2011 as Mary Ann was in cancer treatment for the entire year and the end of her treatments appeared to be in sight as the end of December rolled around.

A couple of days ago she had a PET scan that was one of those "good news - could have been better news" things. The good, no, make that GREAT news is that the scan revealed that her liver is completely cancer free. This is an incredibly positive development. However she has three tiny spots elsewhere and in the world of cancer tiny does not mean insignificant.

Bottom line, she will have the final treatment of her current chemotherapy cycle in February while her oncologist "ponders," which means that as of today we don't know what comes next. It could be anything from a daily pill to more chemotherapy.

So for now we are praying that whatever comes next will be easier on her than the past twelve months. The good news is that the lady of the house is a hard woman to knock down and her initial disappointment over the possibility of still more chemotherapy will quickly pass and she will continue her lifelong pattern of living life full-blast. Mary Ann's mantra remains "I will not be defined by cancer."

Meanwhile, I forgot to look both ways when crossing the street. More about that in my next posting.

I wish my readers along with their families and friends all the best in 2012.

Guest Blogger: "Diary of an Arrested Priest"

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 02:45:00 +0000

Dear Readers:

The attached guest posting was written by The Reverend Michael Sniffen, an Episcopal priest of the Diocese of Long Island. The following is posted with his permission. His "diary" is well worth reading and reflecting upon in the contexts of both the Incarnation and the times in which we live.

This is a lengthy posting, one that you may want to go back to from time to time, so you might want to print it.

Jim

*****

Diary of an Arrested Priest

The Rev. Michael Sniffen

“Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”

-Matthew 25:37-40

"The church is the church only when it exists for others." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

On Saturday, December 17th 2011, in the third week of Advent, I was arrested in a vacant lot owned by Trinity Church, New York.

Earlier that day, I visited the flagship Apple Store to purchase a Macbook Air as a Christmas gift for my brother. My wife and I strolled down 5th Avenue looking at the Christmas decorations, soaking in the holiday spirit and window shopping. It was a refreshingly crisp winter day. New York was glittering and beautiful. After some lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in SOHO, I went to join clergy colleagues at an Occupy Wall Street celebration and rally at 6th Avenue and Canal Street.

I became involved in the OWS movement when a visit to Zuccotti Park in September (motivated by simple curiosity) turned out to be a convicting religious experience. The encampment in Zuccotti seemed to me a post-modern incarnation of the community depicted in the book of Acts. Sharing things in common, working for the good of all, wrestling with fundamental inequities in society. Since that visit, I have spent as much time as possible listening to the prophetic voices coming out of the movement. I have helped coordinate housing and food for occupiers. I have been part of ongoing discussions among faith leaders throughout the city, the country and the world regarding the urgent need for a dramatic shift in the economic and social realities which are crippling God’s people. I have preached about the movement, with the movement and to the movement. Over the past three months, I have come to view OWS as both a catalyst and a first fruit of the change I wish to see in the world. Not only do I support what the movement stands for and hopes to accomplish, I also support and love the human beings who make up this movement. They are sacraments of God’s love, God’s justice and God’s peace among us.

On December17th, occupiers, community leaders and partners from New York (and beyond) gathered to celebrate the movement’s three month mark. Several civil rights heroes of mine were expected to speak and I wanted to meet them. I planned to visit the celebration and then return home and rest before Sunday. I thought, “Is it really only one week till Christmas? Where has the time gone? Has OWS only been a reality for three months? Wow...it seems a lot has happened in that time. What a gift to the world!”

The mood at the rally was celebratory. There was a general sense of enthusiasm, happiness and passionate commitment. The Church needs more of all three. As I came around the corner where the gathering was taking place, I spoke with some other clergy who passed on the word that folks were planning to go forward with an act of civil disobedience. They would be entering the vacant lot which had been proposed as a Winter encampment site for OWS. This made me a little uncomfortable. I had considered participating in civil disobedience on other occasions, but had evaluated each situation and decided that it was not right for me personally to participate. I felt the same way this day. I did not think that entering the lot would move the good people of Trinity to change their minds regarding use of the space. I was also not sure how helpful the action would be to the movement and, truth be told, I had not planned to stick around for more than an hour. So, I decided not to participate if any act of civil disobedience did take place. I would be there as a non-violent witness, an OWS supporter and a representative of the Church. Good enough.

As the rally unfolded, I was standing near bishop Packard (retired bishop to the Armed Services), his wife, other clergy and faith leaders. Suddenly, a large staircase emerged from the crowd and was placed against the fence on the north side of the lot. Was it Jacob’s ladder? People began to cheer. Banners were raised. I watched as bishop Packard went up the stairs and over the fence in a purple cassock and cincture given to him by the Archbishop of Canterbury. His cassock ripped and he fell to the ground on his back. I lunged forward in fear and concern. In the same moment, police began to push hard on the crowd from the street. I could feel the physical pressure through dozens of people whose bodies were pressing on mine. More people began to climb the staircase. Up and over they went into an empty gravel lot. And there was jubilation! Could standing in an empty lot really cause so much excitement, so much joy? People inside the fence felt completely liberated. I could see it on their faces.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a large gathering of police wearing riot gear and carrying weapons. My stomach drops. When I was 16 years old, a police officer hit me hard on the arm with a Maglite on the beach in my hometown. It left a painful bruise for weeks. That act of violence was minor compared to what I have seen happen to participants in the OWS movement for simply sitting still.

I look at the people inside the fence and have a feeling which I can only describe as overwhelming love and concern. I must decide, in an instant, where to place my body as a priest. It is no time for sitting on the fence. I climb the stairs and enter the lot. People are cheering and chanting, some are crying, some are silent. I see a sign which reads, “Trinity Church - Hero of 9/11. Be a hero again!” I turn and flash a peace sign to the crowd and to the cops - the same thing I do with parishioners whose hands I can’t reach from the aisle on Sunday. Where are the Trinity clergy? The work of non-violent peacemaking is not best left to the quasi-military NYPD, surely. My iphone vibrates in my hand as I dash toward someone who has fallen over the fence. On the phone is a reporter from the Episcopal News Service. “Michael,” she says. “Are you there? What’s happening?” I tell her that occupiers have entered the lot and I have entered with them. My attention is with the fallen women. “Are you ok?” I ask. She nods and brushes herself off. I say into the phone, “As a priest, I have to be with my people and these are my people. I am here in solidarity with them.” Full stop. I have a deep and overwhelming sense of responsibility that cannot be overcome by reason or logic. Is this what it feels like to be a parent? Is this what the incarnation really means? Damn it. What have I climbed into?

This may sound like overstatement, but the option of not going over that fence felt roughly equivalent to abandoning Christ on the cross. I kid you not. I felt the pain and the courage of the occupiers viscerally. I could not let them go alone. Not with the risk of violence which I saw mounting. Not after I had stood with them and they with me in so many other places. My conscience as a priest and as a human being took over and I knew which side of the fence I had to be on. It was obvious. As someone whose spirituality is deeply rooted in the liturgy, I heard the words spoken by my Bishop on the day of my ordination, “You are to love and serve the people among whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor...My brother, do you believe that you are truly called by God and his Church to this priesthood. Answer: I believe I am so called.”

Some clergy and I begin to sing, “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming” as the police enter the lot in force. We’re attempting to calm the tension and embody a non-violent, peaceful presence. I realize that I still have the Episcopal News Service on the phone in my hand. “I have to go,” I say, and put the phone into my pocket. The police come in fast and hard. I raise my hands. Was I blessing them? Was I trying to slow them down? Was I showing them that I had nothing in my hands? I can’t say for sure. Maybe all three. An older male officer in a white shirt throws a young woman next to me to the ground and jams his knee into her back with his full weight. I lunge forward and shout, “This is not necessary! She’s not resisting you! Just calm down!” He looks up and I see him glance at my collar. “You calm down!” he shouts at me as he gets up, moves toward me and brings his pointer finger within an inch of my face. Then he turns to another officer and shouts angrily, “Start collaring people!” Are we having an ordination?

A younger male officer, as gently and kindly as a mother touches one of her children, takes hold of my arms and puts plastic cuffs on me. He does so, dare I say, lovingly.

The officer in the white shirt moves on to another young woman wearing a pink tutu. He flings her around roughly and onto a makeshift bench face down. Her bag goes flying. He twists her arm dramatically behind her and shoves it upward toward her shoulder as he pushes her off the bench and onto the ground. Her stockings rip and her knees begin to bleed. I can see the pain on her face. Not just physical, but spiritual. “Stop it! You’re hurting her!” I shout. Is my voice even audible? The officer man-handling her turns and looks at me again. His face is red with rage.

The gentle officer holding me appears to be upset. “Are you ok?” he asks me. “I’m fine,” I say. “But I am concerned about these other people. Can you stop him from being so rough?” The officer shrugs and raises his eyebrows. I see sadness in his face. He sees the concern in my eyes.

I look around as action in the lot comes to a stop. Who is here? A humble bishop in ripped vestments, a group of ecumenical clergy, a Roman Catholic nun, students, hunger strikers, parents, grandparents, and others. What crime have they committed? Stepping onto church property as a statement of solidarity with the poor, the least and the lost. This motley crew has hurt no one and is hardly threatening. No personal property has been destroyed. In Advent, we celebrate the in-breaking of God and they call this trespassing. We better be careful with our theology.

I cannot make sense of the situation. I cannot get past the fact that I am an Episcopal priest standing in a vacant lot owned by an Episcopal parish, performing a priestly duty and I am under arrest. Wow. I think about my wife and how she is expecting me home right about now. I’m sorry. I did not plan to climb any fences, but here I am.

In John’s gospel it says, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus [asked], ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:8-10) There are so many things that I do not understand, and I am supposed to be a teacher of the faith. Lord, help me to understand.

As we are loaded onto the police bus, people sing, “We shall Occupy” to the tune of, “We shall Overcome.” An officer says, “O.K. quiet down. This part of the game is over.” Someone behind me says, “This is not a game. This is real life.” I sit silently on the bus and stare out the window as people stop their cars in the middle of traffic, get out and cheer. People on the sidewalks down Canal street hold their fists in the air. Some on the bus feel encouraged. I am overcome with sadness as the brokenness of the world floods my soul. Where is the greatness of God in this season of Advent? Be still and know.

As I am having my mugshot taken, the flash of light reminds me of the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary in the gospel I am not yet ready to preach tomorrow morning. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) God grant me courage and wisdom in these troubled times. Grant me strength of heart and mind and soul and body to say alongside Mary, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; Let it be with me according to your word."

One by one we are processed, separated male and female and locked into large holding cells. Inside, we talk about the movement and how desperately we want peace, justice and equality for all God’s people. Clergy speak one on one with occupiers. The bishop convenes a General Assembly. We talk about the experience of being arrested. We get to know one another and share our stories. Several occupiers remark about how much better they have been treated during this arrest. They reckon it is because clergy are present. I find this small bit of good news gratifying. A supervising officer brings us bread, cheese and milk. It reminds me of being in kindergarten and having snack delivered to the classroom. Someone asks, “Can I have two milks?” Response: “don’t push it.” Fair enough.

A hunger-striker who has not eaten for 15 days as part of “the ask” for Trinity to grant use of this empty lot to the movement rises to his feet. He does so slowly and unsteadily from a bench in the corner of our cell. A tear runs down his face. "It is an honor and a privilege to break bread with you today, my friends." The hair on my arms stands up. I cry. Others do too. This is one of the most vivid experiences of “church” I have had in my life. Christ is palpably present in this cell as sure as you’re born. I could reach out and touch the wounds if I wanted to. My middle name is Thomas, after all. We embrace the breaker of bread and each other. Afterwards, I sit on the floor of the cell at the bishop’s feet.

As I recount this Eucharistic moment to my congregation on Sunday morning after my release, I weep in the pulpit. Sweet sacrament divine. As I end my sermon and walk to my stall, people stand and applaud. They are not applauding me. They are applauding the presence of Christ in the midst of brokenness. I can feel it. I cry all the way through the Nicene Creed. That’s got to be a first. I look around through my tears and members of my choir are crying. As I distribute the Body of Christ to my parishioners as I do every week in almost exactly the same way, something is different. People grab my hands and hold them. Not one person, but many. One man who always keeps his eyes on the floor looks me straight in the eyes. “The Body of Christ,” I say. “In the name of justice,” he says. I lose it and begin sobbing. I almost drop the patten. Another parishioner approaches with tears in her eyes. “The Body of Christ,” I say. “Thank you,” she manages while holding my shoulder and squeezing. Tears hit the Host. Is Jesus weeping? “The Body of Christ,” I say to one of my wardens. He says to me, “I want to shake your hand.”

At the end of the service, I raise my hands which were cuffed behind my back the night before. “Life is short, and there is not much time to gladden the hearts of those around us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.”

Forgive us, Lord. We know not what we do. I did not mean to trespass on your holy vacant lot. But I did, and now you’ve broken into me. How can I keep from singing?

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung.

It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,

When half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;

Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind.

To show God's love aright, she bore to us a Savior,

When half spent was the night.

The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,

How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night.

To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger they found Him,

As angel heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,

Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;

True man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,

And lightens every load.

The Kingdom of God is inside us and all around us. The world is a mess and yet the beauty of community is springing up in the most unexpected places. In an empty lot. In a prison cell. God is building staircases into our hearts this Advent. Sacrificial love is rushing up those stairs. It is the most powerful force on earth and it cannot be stopped. “We are unstoppable,” says God. “Another world is possible.”

What happened on the 17th of December will be forgotten pretty soon. The media cycle will move on. People and institutions will move on. I’m out of jail, but I am still under arrest. God’s Holy Spirit has arrested me. It’s troubling and comforting and overwhelming. I feel completely alive and scared and hopeful. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. Help me climb your staircase one step at a time and meet me on the other side. For you have promised, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Be with us all in this season of brokenness and mending.

A “collaring” prayer:

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know things which were cast down are being raised up; and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, pg. 528)

Keeping Mary Warm

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:01:00 +0000

About a week ago I came across a newspaper account describing the circumstances of Mary Power who lives in the West Roxbury section of Boston. Mary is 92, lives in a trailer and has an annual income from Social Security of $11,148. Due to deep cuts in the federal home heating oil assistance program, Mary's heating subsidy will drop from $1,035 per year to $685, while heating oil prices are rising. It will probably take $3,000 of her income to heat her trailer if she wants to stay warm, which she can't afford to do. So Mary plans to keep her thermostat set at 60 degrees throughout the winter and stay in bed under the covers. This is a woman who spent the productive years of her life working (until she was 80) as a waitress and a cashier.

I believe that a budget is a moral as well as a financial document, whether it is my own family budget or the budget of government at various levels. It seems to me that what government is and is not willing to fund is a statement of said government's values.

A case in point is the recent infighting at the federal level over deficit reduction. It has been my life experience that spending on programs designed to help people maintain their health, fund their old age, keep the low income elderly warm during the harsh Northeastern, Midwestern and Mountain-State winters and help below-the-poverty-line moms feed their children are chronically in the budget-cutters' bulls eye. Recent deep cuts to the federal home heating assistance program like the one Mary Power depends on and past and likely future cuts to WIC, a highly successful nutrition program for pregnant women, infants and young children are cases in point.

On the other hand few citizens and their elected representatives seem to care what wars and military interventions cost. Iraq and Afghanistan are two recent examples and now we are being asked to fund these wars "after the fact" in large part by taxing an already wounded middle class, by cutting programs designed to educate our children, to keep people alive and well and to sustain the elderly.

I am not suggesting that "all those social programs" should not be subject to scrutiny in the areas of cost versus the benefits they deliver, or that fraud should not be rooted out of these programs. However, I am suggesting that the budget for federal entities whose primary purpose is to take lives be subject to the same scrutiny. God knows there were horrendous examples of fraud, waste and mismanagement during the Iraq war, but no one suggested cutting off the DOD's water because of it. Such has not been the case when fraud and waste and found in "social programs."

I doubt whether the average voter knows what our defense budget is, much less how it stacks up against similar budgets throughout the rest of the world. The number that I generally encounter in the media is somewhere north of 600 billion dollars, the largest defense budget in the world by far.

Let's take a look at the numbers.

The Obama administration's defense budget request for 2012 is $676 billion dollars which includes $118 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. China has the second largest defense budget, which is projected to be one-fifth the size of ours in 2012. I have discovered that our defense (i.e.: Pentagon) budget is larger than the combined defense budgets of China and the next eighteen largest defense budgets, namely those of the UK, France, the Russian Federation, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, India, South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Greece, the UAE and the Netherlands (2009 figures, the most recent I was able to find).

In addition to the planned 676 billion dollar Pentagon budget, another $523 billion dollars (see table below) in what one might characterize as "national security funding" are not reflected in the Defense Department's Budget.

Obama 2112 Request (incl Iraq and Afghanistan-see above)	676,000,000,000
Nuclear Weapons Related funds in the Dept of Energy Budget	19,300,000,000
"Miscellaneous" Def. Related Funds	7,800,000,000
Counter-terrorism activities in the State Dept Budget	8,700,000,000
Homeland Security in Homeland Security, HHS, DOJ Budgets	53,500,000,000
CIA, NSA budgets (estimate)	53,100,000,000
Veterans Programs	129,300,000,000
Direct Security Spending, Iraq, Afgh, etc. in Dept of Foreign Affairs Budget	18,000,000,000
Pensions for military and civilian employees of the DOD	48,500,000,000
DOD share of interest on the national debt (est.).	185,000,000,000
TOTAL NATIONAL SECURITY SPENDING	1,199,200,000,000

I do not pretend that this number is absolutely accurate as it is extremely difficult to find current and directly comparable numbers both for our country and for the budgets of other countries. But if I am even remotely in the ballpark, the $1.199 trillion in national security spending (2012 budget) shown above means that our total annual national security spending is larger than the defense spending of the entire rest of the world (2009 figures for the rest of the world, less North Korea and Zimbabwe, whose figures are not available). Granted, an unknown in my numbers is the total "hidden defense spending" buried in the national budgets of other countries, but the magnitude of our national security spending when compared to the rest of the world is nonetheless astounding.

The American middle class is shrinking, with many formerly middle class families falling into the low income category. Working low income families now constitute 31% of all families; this category has grown by over 25% in the last ten years. Paychecks for working low income families have fallen to under $15,000 per-annum. In twenty nine of our cities, 25% of families needing emergency food assistance did not receive it due to lack of funding.

I could go on.

Suffice it to say that I don't understand how we always seem to have money to fund national security as it is presently defined and to continually try to obtain more defense and security dollars by shrinking the pool of funds budgeted for programs designed to assist those living on the margins. And if one is obsessed with national security, perhaps one should ask whether the downward economic spiral being experienced by so many of our people isn't in and of itself a threat to national security.

If, given the magnitude of security related spending in the face of the economic plight of so many of our people isn't a moral issue I don't know what is. We like to characterize ourselves as a Christian nation, a notion that seems to be contradicted by our behavior. But perhaps my problem is that I don't understand the teachings of the New Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures and the traditional social and moral teachings of the major Christian denominations where the least of His brethren are concerned.

Whither Occupy?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:24:00 +0000

I have been following the Occupy Movement with considerable interest. It has been my life experience that it takes a great deal to push Americans to take to the streets in large numbers and for a sustained period of time. Likewise I have found that when such actions have taken place in the past social change has followed. The Civil Rights, Womens and Anti-Vietnam War movements are all examples of such phenomena.

In my heart of hearts I am rooting for the Occupy Movent to be successful based on the bits and pieces I have been able to uncover about who these folks are and what they want.

That said there are lessons Occupy is going to have to learn from the past if it is to bring about meaningful change. The three movements mentioned above were successful in large part because of the following:

A clearly defined objective linked to our national ideals.
Charismatic leadership.
Success over time in reaching out to the middle class.
Defining their issue as a moral one.
Political action that resulted in a broadening of their base and moving those directly involved in their movement as well as those sympathetic to it to vote and to cast their ballots for candidates who were supportive of the movement's cause.
Clergy engagement including and perhaps especially those in denominational leadership positions.
An irrevocable committment on the part of those advocating for the issue including the willingness to go to jail or for that matter die (as in the case of the Civil Rights movement) rather than give up.

Looking at the challenges Occupy faces, the following come to mind:

Given the current Occupy model (camping outdoors, etc) will the movement survive the winter in the Mountain States, the Midwest and the Northeast?
Is Occupy prepared for what could be a ten year battle?
During the Civil Rights, Womens and anti-war eras we were not the polarized society we are today. While people of all ages and ethnic groups are part of Occupy, will people across the entire ideological spectrum embrace Occupy and is such a crossover necessary for Occupy to be successful?
Will Occupy influence how people vote? Will it bring new voters into the political process?
How will Congress react over the long run? Will ideology unltimately trump Occupy regardless of how widespread the movement becomes?

Finally, Occupy has gone global and has emerged against the backdrop of pro-democracy movements around the world. Globally, people without wealth or power seem to be saying "we have had enough."

If nothing else, a global Occupy movement, demands for democracy across the Islamic world and now Myanmar, coupled with a major election in the U.S., will make for an interesting 2012.

The "New" Old Mass

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:21:00 +0000

There has been a surprising amount of media coverage over the recent revised translation of the Mass that has inflicted in some cases confusion and in all cases expense on Catholic parishes around the world. The "new" translation impacts all Catholics, no matter what language they speak.

As news of the new mass began to leak out, those of us who are addicted to following such things heard that some of the countries in Western Europe got decent translations, whereas the translation into English sounded like it wasn't done by a native English speaker.

Truth be told, it took me a while to "get it."

A couple of weeks ago I heard a snide comment to the effect that the Republican Party is trying to repeal the twentieth century. I pass this along only as context for a widely held view that the powers that be in Rome are trying to repeal the Second Vatican Council and return us to the Church of the 1940s and 50s when Catholic triumphalism was alive and well.

Here's an excellent example of what I mean.

The former translation, which flowed from the reforms of Vatican II said that Jesus' blood was shed "for you and for all." The new translation says "for you and for many." From an ecumenical and interfaith perspective, one must wonder who is not part of "the many." I can almost hear the Vatican cheerleaders chanting "we're number one."

To their credit, the English speaking bishops, back in 1998, approved a revised translation intended to update the Vatican II translation that was published in 1973 and was admittedly done in a hurry. The 1998 version was approved unanimously by the world's English speaking Bishops, but torpedoed by the Roman Curia (think of the clerical equivalent of Vito Corleone and his friends).

The new Curia-approved translation was rolled out this past weekend (November 26-27) which marked the beginning of the season of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year. Unfortunately the new year the Vatican seems to have had in mind when it published said translation was 1265, the year Thomas Aquinas began work on his Summa Theologica. Witness the already infamous inclusion of the word "consubstantial."

I'll leave you with a quote from Anthony Ruff, OSB who, in protest over how the new translation was done, resigned his post as Chair of the Music Committee of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy. Here's what Ruff had to say:

The forthcoming missal is but a part of a larger pattern of top-down impositions by a central authority that does not consider itself accountable to the larger church. When I think of how secretive the translation process was, how little consultation was done with priests or laity, how the Holy See allowed a small group to hijack the translation at the final stage, how unsatisfactory the final text is, how this text was imposed on national conferences of bishops in violation of legitimate episcopal authority, how much deception and mischief have marked the process--and then when I think of Our Lord's teachings on service and love and unity..... I weep.

Happy New Year.

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:38:00 +0000

Mary Ann and I will spend this Thanksgiving holiday in Western New York state where her Mom and her youngest sister live. We have been busy getting ready for the 450 mile drive and our first real taste of winter. New York's "Southern Tier" has already had its first taste of snow so bringing the right clothing is key to enjoying our time up there. Mary Ann's brother from Arizona and her sister from California will also be there.

The preparations for our trip have helped me focus on what the upcoming holiday means to me and I thought I would share some of the items on my "Thank You" list.

First and foremost, for my 45+ year marriage to a woman who is a model of what a spouse, parent and person of faith ought to be.
Next is our growing extended family, especially our sons and daughters who have turned out to be good spouses and good parents.
Then there is our ability to live comfortably if not extravagantly in our retirement years.
My fourth item, and maybe it should be first this year given the health challenges Mary Ann has had and continues to have, is excellent health insurance which gives us access the best medical care available.
Here's a big one, an item that is if nothing else statistically shocking given the times we live in: all five our our sons and daughters and all of their spouses continue to be employed.
Then there are my in-laws, who from day one have made me feel like a member of the family.
Looking back over the course of my life, I am grateful for a wonderful education that taught me, first and foremost, to think for myself and which gave me the tools to do just that.
For being born into a faith tradition that has constantly challenged me to live out an ongoing trajectory of growth in my inner life, to continually refine the development of my conscience, and to live accordingly.
Lastly, for friends and mentors I met along the way, many of whom are still among the living and would be embarrassed if I were to mention them by name.

In so many ways, I feel like the most fortunate of men.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Occupy Wall Street --- Que Pasa?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:26:00 +0000

There was a time in my life, I think in my early forties, when I was into lobbying of a sort. I wrote personal letters (not email) to the White House, my Senators and my Congressman. I also called the offices of my congressional representatives and once tested the waters of face to face meetings with members of the Virginia General Assembly. And I learned something of interest in the process.

Back then and probably today as well public officials, who always have their eyes on the next election, had a way of statistically analyzing citizen-initiated contacts and weighting them by how much trouble it was for the citizen to initiate the contact. (My list in the opening paragraph of this posting is listed in order of difficulty).

For the politician, the more difficult the method of contact used by the citizen the more intensely said citizen felt about her or his issue. And by some sort of formula the pols were able to get a good sense of the voters by extrapolating these weighted contacts. Of course a key factor, cynics would say the key factor, to a politician's stand on a given issue was the position of major campaign donors on said issue.

Which brings me to the recent Occupy movement.

There has been a lot of buzz in the media about what is going on with Occupy and a lot of questions are being asked:

Who are these people?
What do they want?
Who are the leaders?
Are the various groups across the country collaborating?
Is Occupy some sort of political conspiracy?

Recently we have seen a crackdown on Occupy by the mayors of several cities and questions about possible police overreaction are being raised along with conjecture as to whether mayors are talking to one another and working to act in lockstep against Occupy.

My sense, and I have no empirical data to support this, is that Occupy does not have a single, clearly defined target and while the greed symbolized by major Wall Street financial institutions may have been the trigger, other issues and concerns beyond Wall Street swelled the ranks of the movement.

What strikes me is that I haven't seen anything remotely like Occupy since the Vietnam War Era and that was at least forty years ago. The Vietnam situation was also very different. There was a single rallying point, our young people were dying by the thousands, the war touched most American families and ultimately the war turned out to be based on lies.

Occupy seems to be rooted in general dissatisfaction with greed as symbolized by the behavior of those at the top of the pyramid in corporate America, the financial institutions in particular, and the general state of our economy against a backdrop of politically driven gridlock in a Washington where defeating the other party seems more important than solving the problems that are impacting the everyday lives of our people.

Whatever Occupy is in its current incarnation, it is not something orchestrated by the White House nor is it some sort of public referendum on the Tea Party. I think it is something bigger. And based on how politicians, at least those in my younger days, used to measure voter attitudes, those in the White House and the Congress ought to be very concerned about the significance of large numbers of Americans taking to the streets.

Say It Ain't So, Joe.....

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:07:00 +0000

By the time this blog posting hits your mailbox, absent spending time in a cave you are painfully aware of the sex abuse scandal at Penn State University which has led to the firing of a heretofore highly respected football coach and the university president. Some members of the football program staff have been charged with crimes. Others are running for criminal defense attorneys.

Meanwhile, the university leadership, to its credit, is working hard to shift the focus to the victims of this sad mess.

This whole fiasco has the odor of the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, though there is a significant difference. The Board of Trustees of this secular university has acted swiftly and with more principle than the Vatican has vis-a-vis the Catholic abuse scandal. The bad news is that there are some in both political parties that seem to me to be more worried about taking a politically disadvantageous step than in and doing the right thing. The governor of Pennsylvania is a notable exception. On the other side, there is the congressman in whose district Penn State is located who seems to be doing his level best to sniff the political wind and not alienate any potential voters.

What remains a mystery is the behavior of those Penn State students who chose to act like a mob while defending head football coach Joe Paterno, despite his role in the scandal. How anyone can think Paterno's failure to take the strongest possible action in this matter is beyond me. One can only wonder what kind of moral compass the protesting students have.

The Church and the Aircraft Carrier

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Those of us fated to grow up as Catholics and remain in the Church as adults are painfully aware that the wheels of the Vatican grind slowly. Change comes at seemingly glacial speed. An analology that one hears frequently is that getting the Church to change direction is like trying to turn an aircraft carrier around on a dime.....it's not gonna happen. Such has been my experience, until lately that is, when I became aware of the case of retired Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit.

Gumbleton is a member of the generation of bishops that have come to be known as "Vatican II bishops." Those tagged with this label are generally very pastoral in their outlook and approach to their jobs and take the social teachings of Catholicism most seriously. Over the years, Bishop Gumbleton gave the Vatican numerous reasons to develop a case of "appointer's remorse."

He is a founding member of Pax Christi USA, a large, active and vocal Catholic organization that is opposed to war. He was arrested, and not for the first time, outside the White House for engaging in an act of civil disobedience aimed at protesting the war in Iraq. (He was the only American bishop to have done this despite the fact that two very conservative popes have labeled the Iraq war "unjust" [and therefore immoral]).
He has been an active supporter of New Ways Ministry, an organization dedicated to helping gay and lesbian Catholics find acceptance within the Church. Gumbleton's involvement in this ministry was triggered when his brother revealed that he was gay.
Finally, and this turned out to be the proverbial "straw," he has been very supportive of organizations working to hold the Church accountable for protecting priests who are sexual predators.

2005, a time when the sexual abuse crisis was raging and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops still didn't "get it" found Thomas Gumbleton, then a retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, serving as pastor of St. Leo parish in Detroit, an appointment he sought after his retirement.

In 2006 Gumbleton, disillusioned over the posture of the U.S. national bishops conference, was asked by SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) to testify on behalf of SNAP in a hearing in which SNAP was seeking to incease the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases involving priests. The USCCB was on record as opposing such a change.

Bishop Gumbleton broke ranks with the U.S. Bishops Conference and testified on behalf of SNAP. In the proces he revealed a secret that he had been keeping for a half-century: he himself was the victim of sexual abuse by a priest.

Here's where the aircraft carrier analogy comes into play.

Within ten days, lightning speed by Church standards, he was removed as pastor of St. Leo. In addition, as he is in demand nationally as a speaker, he was prohibited from entering any other diocese in the United States without explicit permission from the bishop of said diocese, one of whom went so far as to proactively tell Gumbleton he was never to enter said bishop's diocese for any reason.

It seems that Bishop Gumbleton was guilty of violating communio episcaporum, (the communion of bishops) and other similar hienous canonical crimes. Had he been guilty of buggering a little boy he might have been pastor for life.....

Thomas Gumbleton holds a Doctorate in Canon Law and nine honorary doctorates. In addition, he has been honored with the following awards:

Isaac Hecker Peacemaker (1975)

Metro Detroit Council of Churches (1976)

Pacem in Terris Award (1979)

Public Citizen of the Year Natl. Assoc. of Social Workers (1980)

Institute for Peace and Justice (1981)

Justice and Peace Medal - St. Bonaventure University (1981)

Jewish National Fund - Trees for Israel (1981)

American Personnel & Guidance Assoc. (1981)

Life Achievement Award - Interfaith Peace Ministry (1987)

Groundwork Discipleship Award (1989)

The Institute for International Peace - University of Notre Dame (1990)

Palestine Aid Society (1990)

University of Notre Dame Peacemaker (1991)

Pope Paul VI Teacher of Peace - Pax Christi USA (1991)

Pax Christi MI Purple Ribbon Award (1992)

Pax Christi Ambassador of Peace (1992)

Joseph C. Wilson Award - Xerox Corp. (1992)

Pax Christi N.Y. Peacemaker Award (1992)

Certificate of Appreciation - Dignity Detroit (1992)

Honorary Chaplaincy Aids Award (1994)

Outstanding Service & Witness Award Dignity/USA (1995)

Bridge Building Award - New Ways Ministry (1995)

Lifelong Honorary membership - In Pax Christi International (1995)

Call to Action Leadership Award (1995)

San Damiano - Madonna U. Press Symposium (1996)

National Peace Foundation - Award of Peacemaker/Peacebuilder (1997)

The Francis House Award (1997)

Spirit of Detroit Award (1998)

Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (1998)

Bishop Dozier Peace & Justice Award - Christian Brothers University (1998)

Humanitarian Award, MI Coalition for Human Rights (1998)

1998 PHD Award, Harambee, Core City Neighborhoods (1998)

1999 Peacemaking Award - Nebraskans for Peace (1999)

1999 Washington Theological Union - Distinguished Service Award (1999)

Prophets of Peace Award - Benedictine Sisters of Erie (2000)

Faithful Revolutionary Award - St. James Justice Action Ministry (2000)

Civic & Humanitarian Award - Arab-American & Chaldean Council (2000)

Lou Kousin Award - New Jersey Peace Action (2001)

Humanitarian Service Award - LIFE for Relief & Development (2001)

Lifetime Achievement Peacebuilder Award - Peace Action of Michigan (2002)

Lifetime Achievement in Peacemaking - University of Missouri (2002)

Dignity USA (2003)

Sadako Peace Citation - Disarmament and Economic Conversion Committee of Sisters & Co-members of the Loretto Community (2003)

Reconciler Award - National Franciscan Federation (2003)

Theresa Maxis Award for Social Justice - Marygrove College, National Franciscan Federation (2003)

Philip A. Hart Award - Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame (2003)

Community Peace Maker Award - Wayne State University (2003)

2005 Global Peace Award (2005)

Mercyhurst College's Archbishop Oscar Romero Award (2007)

St. Leo Parish is indeed fortunate to be rid of this cancer upon the episcopacy.

Catholic Miscellany

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:09:00 +0000

In numeric terms,

Brazil

is the largest Catholic country in the world, with its 163 million Catholics representing 85 percent of the population. The 85% figure represents baptismal totals. 17 percent of Brazilians were born Catholic but have subsequently left the church.

Explanations for the departure of the 17% include:

Brazil

's economic boom has played a role in convincing Brazilian young people that they don’t need religion.

· The perception that the Brazilian clergy and episcopacy are remote and arrogant.

· Elements of church teaching that younger people don’t agree with, including the church's positions on abortion, contraception and homosexuality.

· An over-concentration on politics by the Brazilian church.

· A severe priest shortage.

Does any of this sound familiar?

*****

In the

Philippines

, Luis Antonio Tagle has been named the new Archbishop of Manila, putting him in line to become a cardinal. Tagle, at 54, is very young for the job by church standards and it is not an uncommon view that Tagle could one day be pope.

*****

Here’s a piece of advice that was recently offered to the Canadian bishops, advice that ought to apply to anyone anywhere in a leadership position: "If your staff hasn't told you at least once in the last year to go to Hell, you ought to fire them, because they're not doing their job."

*****

Finally, in Kansas City, Bishop Robert W. Finn of the the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese has been indicted for failure to report a priest who was found to be in possession of hundreds of images of child pornography. This is being viewed as a message to the entire American church, one that is long overdue in my view.

One Hundred Years Ago

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:47:00 +0000

November and winter will soon be upon us, and then a new year. I thought this might be a good time to look back in time to 1911 - one hundred years ago. What follows are some facts about life in America a century ago.

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.

Ninety percent of all doctors had no education. Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as substandard.

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada was only 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A

A Few Positive Words - Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:28:00 +0000

Continuing with the theme of my previous posting, what follows are what the noted Catholic Ethicist Richard McBrien sees as "three strengths of contemporary Catholicism."

Since the Second Vatican Council, Catholicism has proven to be remarkably open to other religions. It has been a leader in the ecumenical and interfaith movements. The Church has been working overtime in the area of ecumenism, especially on its relationship with Judaism, which it sees as a spiritual parent.
Catholicism is open to scientific research. It does not dismiss the findings of science as not biblical. Instead, the Church looks for the theological significance of the latest data that flows from scientific research. The Church has for decades accepted evolution and is not part of the creationism debate. We believe that God created the universe and everything that is in it; we don't see evolution as in conflict with this core belief.
Finally, Catholic social teaching is the most developed among the world's religions. We have consistently promoted human rights and justice in all aspects of life: social, political and economic.

Note: these points were taken from a recent article published by McBrien. McBrien's comments, like John Allen's observations in my previous posting, remind me that I have to do a better job of giving at least equal time to the strengths of the religious tradition that I love, warts and all.

A Few Positive Words - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:28:00 +0000

From time to time Mary Ann and I, frustrated by ongoing issues related to sexual abuse among the Catholic clergy and the abuse of power by the American Catholic hierarchy, will look at one another and one of us will say: "Tell me again - why are we still Catholic?"

We have a laundry list of reasons for staying where we are, which I won't go into now. But there is something I would like to pass on that is in a sense related to our all-too-frequent question.

John L. Allen Jr. is a reporter and correspondent for the bi-weekly National Catholic Reporter. His beat is the Vatican and the worldwide Catholic hierarchy. John writes a regular column in the NCR and is a regular on the religion-related lecture circuit.

After a recent speech in Belleville, Illinois John was approached by a reporter form the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who asked, among other things, "What do you think the Catholic church does best and doesn't get much credit for?"

Here's Allen's answer:

"Fundamentally, I don't think the Catholic church gets enough credit for being a hell of a lot of fun. There's great warmth and laughter in most Catholic circles, a rich intellectual tradition, a vast body of lore, an incredible range of characters, a deep desire to do good, an abiding faith against all odds, an ability to go anywhere and feel instantly at home, and even a deep love of good food, good drink, and good company. All that is part of the tapestry of Catholic life, but it rarely sees the light of day in commentary and reporting that focuses exclusively on crisis, scandal and heartache."

Perhaps Allen's words are another way of saying that we are a true community, not unlike a big noisy family whose bonds transcend its differences.

The Color of Justice

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:09:00 +0000

I believe what follows is self explanatory.

Guest Blog: One Face of the Health Care Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:28:00 +0000

I HATE IT WHEN THIS HAPPENS

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:36:00 +0000

Last week in my bible study group the subject somehow got around to people of faith who were "caught in the cookie jar" not being what they claim to be. Some of the usual suspects came up including former televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. I chimed in with things like the sexual abuse crisis in Catholicism and the current investigation of a Catholic pro-life not-for-profit that is being investigated for possible financial improprieties.

My smugness quickly evaporated when the youngest person in the room, some forty years my junior, opined that perhaps instead of focusing on the flaws and weaknesses of others what each of us ought to be doing is is taking an honest look at ourselves to be sure that we are "walking the talk."

It seems that wisdom isn't the exclusive purview of the not-so-young.

JESUS EXPERIENCES SURGE IN POPULARITY!!! But Why? This Inquiring Mind Wants to Know...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:47:00 +0000

One would have to live in a cave not to have noticed that Jesus of Nazareth, aka The Christ, has been undergoing a substantial uptick in popularity these days. The mass media, especially cable television, has been closely monitoring and reporting on this phenomenon.

I have done my level best, to no avail, to identify the cause of this spike in Jesus' popularity, which appears to be cyclical in nature. The best I have been able to come up with is that The Jesus Phenomenon begins in the autumn of each year that immediately precedes a leap year and continues for up to twelve months when it abruptly drops off the radar. A search of the Christian scriptures, especially the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts and Revelation yields neither evidence of such a phenomenon in the time of primitive Christianity nor the reason why it has been occurring with increasing intensity over the past thirty-five years or so in the United States.

Some in the media have suggested that representing ones self as Jesus' "main man" (or woman) is a crass pre-election year political ploy that can be counted on to garner votes. Surely this can't be true as political candidates knock themselves out declaring their undying love for and direct ideological descent from the Founding Fathers who saw fit to protect us from an official state religion and religious tests for public office.

So what's going on here...........really?

A Curious Juxtaposition of Events

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Regular readers of this blog will recall that Sunday, October 2, 2011, was designated "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" by a large number of pastors of evangelical Christian Churches. Their goal was to challenge current IRS regulations that enjoin not-for-profit entities from endorsing a specific political party or candidate.

This past week the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, hardly a gaggle of friends of mine, published the 2011 version of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, a document that the bishops typically publish approximately one year before a presidential election. It should be noted that when we elect a new President we also elect a new House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate. "Faithful Citizenship" isn't just about the Presidency.

What I find interesting is that the bishops' apparent obsession with abortion is nowhere present in this document. Instead the USCCB has chosen to list six areas of moral concern of which abortion is one. The other five are infringement on religious liberty, the defense of traditional marriage, the ongoing economic crisis and its impact on the poor, the need for immigration reform and finally, war and related issues.

Nowhere in the document will one find the slightest hint of an attempt to tell Catholics how to vote. Rather, the Bishops' Conference stresses the obligation of individual Catholics to form their consciences and it recognizes that different Catholics, acting in good conscience, will come to different conclusions about the major parties and their candidates.

It should be stressed that conscience formation does not mean that a Catholic voter is free to believe whatever he or she wants to believe willy-nilly. Conscience formation includes prayerful consideration of the traditional teachings of the Church, ongoing reflection on the teachings of Jesus as found in the Gospels and the voice of the Holy Spirit as it is heard in times of prayer and reflection.

Part and parcel of conscience formation in the context of the USCCB document are the cold, hard facts that there will never be a candidate or party that embraces the Catholic view on all issues and that voting in a free society always means persons of conscience will be called upon to examine both the espoused positions of the major parties as spelled out in their respective platforms and their past performance on said issues as well as the positions taken by the individual candidates of each party in light of their documented track records on key moral issues.

Finally, and perhaps most important, the bishops make it clear that they do not embrace single issue voting. Said more directly, an election is not to be treated as a referendum on abortion, war or any other hot button issue.

Painful as it is for me to consider, perhaps the Catholic bishops of the United States have more respect for the intelligence and moral commitment of the average man and woman in the pew than I once imagined.

Pulpit Freedom Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 20:20:00 +0000

Today, October 2, 2011, has been designated “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” by a group of ministers (the number I have seen ranges from 33 to “in the hundreds”) who plan to challenge the current tax code prohibition against churches and other not-for-profit entities engaging in political campaign activity, a ban that includes advocating for or against specific candidates and/or a specific political party. These ministers have committed to publicly violate the current prohibition by naming in their sermons today preferred candidates, a preferred political party or both. The target of these actions seems to be the Internal Revenue Service.

The most definitive relevant court case I have been able to find is Branch Ministries Inc. versus Rossotti where the court upheld the prohibition of partisan political activity by any and all tax exempt organizations. In the case cited the court held that “the government has a compelling interest in maintaining the integrity of the tax system and in not subsidizing partisan political activity.”

It should be noted that it is the Congress of the United States and not the Internal Revenue Service that legislates the tax code, to include defining how the IRS code applies to all not-for-profit or 501(c) 3 organizations, including churches.

Under the current code individual church members are free to contribute their own money to political parties, political action committees and individual candidates and to lobby their congressional representatives to change the current tax code as it applies to tax-exempt churches as long as they do so as private citizens and not as representatives of their respective churches. But unless and until the code as it applies to non-profits is changed by the Congress, the IRS is legally required to enforce the current code.

I have no problem with what these ministers are doing as long as they are willing to accept the potential consequences of their actions. Why they are targeting the IRS with their challenge, a federal entity that has no power to change the tax code, is a mystery.

Likewise I don’t understand why the leadership of these churches feels the need to name specific candidates and/or a specific party that church leadership sees as advocating public policy that is or is not in line with biblical principles as the leadership understands said principles.

Churches, synagogues and mosques are free to take positions on specific public policy issues and initiatives. They may also articulate to their congregants the moral principles of their respective faiths, to educate their membership in the principles of conscience formation, and to remind their members that they have a responsibility to live out their faith in all aspects of their lives, including the exercise of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

It seems to me that if congregational leaders have been doing this consistently and effectively they ought to be able to trust the moral and spiritual maturity of their members to exercise their citizenship appropriately without picking a fight over the tax code.

Amused by the ongoing "we're gonna shut down the Federal Government" childishness? Think again...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:39:00 +0000

Like most of us, I viewed the ongoing threats to shut down the Federal Government as a child's game that didn't really affect me.....but as it happens I was wrong......hopefully not dead wrong.

I recently encountrered a person, previously known to me, who is scheduled to start work as a federal agent for one of the major federal law enforcement agencies. However, this person's start-date has been put off for a couple of months because the hiring agency is out of money. It can't pay the persons who do background checks for security clearances until the latest budget game is over. So one of our major law enforcement agencies in essence has a hiring freeze imposed by those who are into causing budget gridlock.

I can only wonder how many other federal agencies in areas of law enforcement, intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism, to say nothing of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Marine Corps face the same deadlock.

The inmates are in charge of the asylum, folks.

You Might Have a Friend or Family Member to Whom You Want to Forward This Posting

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:35:00 +0000

Dear Readers,
Please note that this posting is for awareness purposes only. It is most definitely NOT a solicitation of any sort.

Jim

For the past three years I have been part of an ecumenical/interfaith community that is attempting to establish here in Central Virginia a true family home for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Our community is called Friends of L'Arche Central Virginia. Rather than expending a lot of words trying to explain what we are about, I thought I would include the link below which was produced by L'Arche Metro D.C. It is well worth the eight minutes of your time it will take to view it.

The reason I am highlighting the L'Arche organization is that it is a very well kept secret that I want to bring to the attention of any of you who have a family member or a friend who has a family member with an intellectual disability. Many parents of such children live with the ongoing worry about who will care for their intellectually disabled children when they are no longer around to care for them. L'Arche is a possibility that such parents would do well to consider. I have also included a link to the web site of L'Arche USA which lists the current and "in development" L'Arche communities in the United States.

L'Arche DC Video Link: http://vimeo.com/11093809

L'Arche USA Web Site Link: http://www.larcheusa.org/who-we-are/communities/

What Happened to Feminism?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:57:00 +0000

I do not subscribe to any premium cable channels but I happened to notice that HBO recently carried a program on Gloria Steinem, a name that back in the 60s and 70s came to be synonymous with feminism, the women's liberation movement or simply the women's movement.

Throughout her life Steinem has been active in politics and the media (she is an accomplished writer) and has founded or co-founded numerous organizations that sought to bring about equality for women in American society. While it may be fair to characterize her the face of the movement she is but one of many strong, intelligent women who are helped bring about the political, social and workplace gains women have made over the last thirty or forty years.

As I mulled over the HBO program notice I found myself wondering where the next generation of Steinems, Friedans and Chisholms are hiding.

The "power women" of the Vietnam and Watergate eras were and are intelligent, knowledgeable and articulate. They did not and do not need memorized talking points or handlers of various sorts. Back in the day, they provided unscripted answers to questions from all comers at open forums free of planted "softball" questions. Their politics were overwhelmingly left of center.

Today, it is women of the political right who are in the limelight and who, whether by intention or by default, in the eyes of many represent the women of our country.

Which leaves us with women like Michelle Bachmann who promises gasoline under $2 a gallon "when she is President" and former vice-presidential candidate and college graduate Sarah Palin who didn't know whether Africa was a country or a continent. I don't see any of these women being credible advocates who will move women toward full equality in our society.

Clearly there are women of dubious accomplishment who are prominent on the political scene and who are left of center. Nancy Pelosi comes to mind. But such women are not on the ascendancy, seldom part of the daily news cycle, and are in no danger of running the country or of having substantive influence in the arena of issues important to women.

What all this means to the future of women in our country is unclear but it does not seem to bode well if, like me, you are hoping to live to see the day when our daughters and granddaughters will be judged solely on intelligence, vision and the capacity to lead and will have the same opportunities and rewards as their male counterparts.