Pro-life Los Angeles Pregnancy Services (L.A.P.S.) makes the news

Los Angeles Pregnancy Services (L.A.P.S.) http://www.lapsforlife.org/ is a great pro-life center in the impoverished barrio de Pico Union in downtown L.A., in the midst of 11 abortion chambers that prey on poor women and couples.

Today (Monday) the Spanish-language L.A. left-wing newspaper La Opinion has a front-page article (click on this post's title) about L.A.P.S.

The article quotes pro-aborts and their false claims, but it does tell something about L.A.P.S. and its wonderful life-saving work and does admit the existence of the astounding total of 11 abortion chambers in just this barrio alone.

There will be a Part 2 to the article in La Opinion tomorrow (Tuesday).

Does the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have a responsibility, starting from the top down, to begin stanching poor people's baby death toll in el barrio de Pico Union? Claro que si! / Yes, of course!

Terri Schindler Schiavo's judge-ordered starvation-dehydration execution for being disabled was three years ago today -- lest we forget

Three years ago today was a date that will live in infamy: The court-ordered execution of Catholic housewife Terri Schindler Schiavo culminated in her entrance into eternal life after 13 days of dehydration-starvation agony for her.

Terri's only crime was to be brain-damaged. Regardless of what uninformed and liberal-ideologue bishops and priests said about Terri, she was not dying.

Remember Terri! And may we never give in to the culture of death!

Click on this post's title to find out more about Terri at her family's foundation.

Cardinal Mahony calls for "assertive role" in protecting the most vulnerable

An article (click on this post's title) in the March 21 issue of The Tidings, the Archdiocesan newspaper, says that at the Archdiocese's annual Chrism Mass on March 17, Cardinal Mahony said we have to do more to fight evil. He said:

"'Our community here in Southern California is in desperate need of the graces of the oil of catechumens,' he declared. 'That sacred oil is given to us precisely to protect us and to protect others from the onslaught of evil in our midst. Tragically, we see so much violence throughout the archdiocese, all of the young people and children shot down in gang warfare crossfire.'

"'We need to have that oil poured out upon us so that we can take a very assertive role, each one of us as disciples of Jesus, in order to help protect those who are the weakest and most vulnerable. We must be more assertive in helping to bring about an end of the conflict, an end of the violence, to break the chain of gangs and gang families that [is] handed down one generation to the next.'"

Yes, maybe some Angelenos can be more assertive in this situation; but of course, we have to be very careful and prudent about urging people to do something about thousands of armed and dangerous criminals.

But in any case, don't Cardinal Mahony's words, "to protect others from the onslaught of evil in our midst," make you think right away that he should also direct these same words to us to start protecting moms and babies from all the abortionists here in L.A.?

And don't Cardinal Mahony's words, "we can take a very asssertive role... in order to help protect those who are the weakest and most vulnerable" also make you think right away that he should also direct these same words to us to start protecting moms and babies from the abortionists here in L.A.?

Cardinal Mahony, are you listening? Please, it's long past time for you and your fellow bishops and clergy to start leading us to, as you say, "take a very assertive role... to help protect those who are the weakest and most vulnerable."

Your Eminence, nobody is weaker or more vulnerable than our little brothers and sisters in the womb -- don't you agree? So when do you and we start protecting them?

This next Sunday, March 30, is Divine Mercy Sunday this year!

Are you telling everyone about Divine Mercy Sunday? The Apostles of Divine Mercy, a group in Florida, have resources (click on this post's title).

Tell everyone what Jesus says:

"Jesus has promised us: 'the Feast of Mercy [is] a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.'

"'On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity.'" (Diary entry #699) [emphasis added]

"Let us make Jesus happy!"

"Set your face resolutely..."

"Set your face resolutely against all that might harm the Faith."
-- Pope John Paul II, Dec. 14, 1998

May you and I live up to this instruction from Pope John Paul II!

More clergy-Democrat footsie: Here we go again

The online California Catholic Daily on Monday reported (click on this post's title) that Fr. Jon Pedigo will say Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose at 7:15 a.m. this Saturday, March 29, for a group calling itself the Catholic Democrats of California http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/CA/

This will be during the state Democrat convention. The California Democrat platform is rigidly and rabidly pro-abortion and is pro-homosexual "marriage," too.

Don't look now, you Democrat-loving Catholic hierarchy and clergy (you know who you are), but "Catholic Democrat" "social justice" is completely illegitimate, because it countenances the mass murders of babies by the millions.

You can't have social justice when you're killing millions of members of society.

So how can you say Mass for the baby-killing politicians? Will you tell them to repent and confess before they attempt to receive Communion?

When will you ever place God's little babies first, ahead of your Democrat ideology?

Did you hear about the Boston Herald news story (click on this post's title) about altar boys this past Easter Sunday?

Here are the first two paragraphs:

"A new generation of young altar servers captivated by the solemn rituals of Latin Mass is mastering the traditional rite in growing numbers in the Boston archdiocese as the liturgy makes a comeback after a four-decade hiatus.

"'It’s really reverent. That’s why I like it,' said altar server Brendan MacKenzie, 12, of Marshfield, as he readied for the Tenebrae, or 'Spy Wednesday,' service at Mary Immaculate of Lourdes in Newton during Holy Week. 'It brings you closer to God.'"

Then, a little later in the article:

"[Altar boy Angelus] Davulis[, 13,] studies from a booklet titled 'How To Serve Low Mass and Benediction' to learn the difficult Latin. He said he prefers serving at Latin Mass to serving at the Novus Ordo, or modern Mass, because he feels more involved."

"Feels more involved!" Okay, liberals, deal with that!

True, this altar boy is in the sanctuary, not in the congregation. But no one can say the Mass of the Ages does not involve the congregation, too, in "full and active participation" in the Mass.

Anyway, don't you think it's high time the L.A. Religious Education Conference offer some real religious education by holding introductory explanatory and training sessions for Tridentine Mass altar boys every year?

Prayer Before a Crucifix

PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus,
while before Thy face I humbly kneel and with
burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep
in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity,
true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment,
while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy Five Wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind
the words which David, Thy prophet said of Thee, my Jesus,
“They have pierced My Hands and My Feet,
they have numbered all My Bones.” [Psalm 21: 17 – 18]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

God bless you on this Good Friday and always. May your Easter be happy! / Felices Pascuas!

Ole Q has not posted for several days because a bad cold, his first in a long time, has laid him low until now. Glad to be back, and I'll be answering all recent comments on other posts.

The holy photo above is from historic St. Mary Parish in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia (click on this post's title).

"We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world."

Here's an idea for Youth Day in next year's Religious Education Congress

Here's a great idea for next year's Religious Education Congress: On Youth Day, have a Tridentine Latin Mass (as in the photo above).

Prepare the young Catholics of our Archdiocese of Los Angeles ahead of time for their first-ever Tridentine Latin Mass by teaching them about it with excellent materials, including videos, from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (click on this post's title) and similar sources.

It does not make sense, after all, to stamp out and badmouth the Tridentine Latin Mass for 40 years, causing reduced demand for it, and then to say, "See, there's no demand for it." People can see right through that dodge.

Let young Catholics learn -- objectively -- about the Latin Mass and attend it at the Religious Education Congress. According to liberals' ideology, they won't like it; so there's nothing for liberals to fear from exposing young people to it.

Of course, if a lot of young Catholics attend the Tridentine Latin Mass and quite a few do like it, then the only fair and pastoral thing to do is to allow them to request it back home and to urge pastors and principals to grant their requests.

Great idea, no? What do you think? If you like it, please let me know, and then write the Cardinal and the REC in favor of it. Tell them ole Quintero sent you. Why shouldn't the REC diversify by having a Tridentine Latin Mass?

Things Cardinal Mahony said at his 2008 wRECk

Did you hear Cardinal Mahony answering questions at his 2008 wRECk (Religious "Education" Congress)? You can go to http://www.recongress.org/ to learn what he said and also to see what else went down there.

I'll mention a few things.

Asked, "Why can't girls be priests?" Cardinal Mahony replied, "For whatever reason," Jesus did not "involve women...as being priests." He also said, "Nobody knows why." Cardinal Mahony also said again, "For some reason..."

Lots of Catholics know why. Doesn't His Eminence know that saints and scholars through the ages have supplied answers?

Asked, "Why do some clerics in the Church have a problem with the faithful practicing yoga?" Cardinal Mahony answered, "Yoga is a deep meditation process, and if we keep our focus on our living and merciful love, then yoga works for anyone. Meditation in any form always deepens our love with God."

Demons can enter into people through yoga and other occult practices, and a cardinal should warn the faithful about the dangers of yoga / New Age. A cardinal could also tell Catholics about all the kinds of legitimate Catholic meditation and to practice them instead of yoga.

Asked, "Is there high hope for married priests? What is that status on having the option?" His Eminence replied, "At this time, the Pope is not moving towards married priests for the Latin Catholic Church. Recall that the Eastern Catholic Church has had married priests for 2,000 years."

Notice that by saying, "At this time," Cardinal Mahony is implying that the current Pope or a future one would "move towards married priests."

I was glad that when asked, "What is the Archdiocese doing to combat the aggressive proselytism of local fundamentalist sects?" Cardinal Mahony said, "The best way to deal with any sect is to live out our own Catholic faith visibly and publicly. We need to be inviting and welcoming to everyone in our parish. The more outgoing we are with our Faith, the less impact the sects have."

He could also have said, though, that we need to teach the authentic Faith to the faithful, to equip them to answer and resist the lies and errors that the sects perpetrate.

Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus...

Heard one of those sermons a little while ago that calls the Blessed Virgin Mary an average or typical young lady.

She was more than that, as we know; and to remind ourselves of that, we just have to say the Hail, Mary clause by clause and think about what it is telling us.

Some padres need to stop and think and to be more careful in speaking of the Mother of God.

We can also go to the "Mary Prayer Page" (click on this post's title) and find many, many prayers, litanies and novenas about the Blessed Mother.

"...our life, our sweetness and our hope..."

(The painting above is Botticelli's "Madonna of the Magnificat," 1480-1481.)

More about the wRECk 2008

Here are a few more comments about Cardinal Roger Mahony's 2008 wRECk, or Religious Education Congress (click on this post's title).

The wRECk photos show that the Saturday General "Liturgy" (what ever happened to the word "Mass?") featured three girl altar boys. Are we to think there are no boy altar boys left in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles?

The wRECk photos also show that the Black Culture "Liturgy" had the wicker baskets and kool-aid pitchers that are so de riguer at "Congress."

"Peace comes through chastity"

The North County Times (San Diego County) yesterday (March 7) published the following letter (click on this post's title) from a Catholic pastor in Escondido:

Peace comes through chastity
"Rocky Velgos proposes homosexual behavior as normal for [some people] (Letters, Feb. 29). It is not in the authentic nature of human behavior. Homosexual propaganda as inborn, immutable, normal, fulfilling and necessary has no basis in science, as Rocky asserts. Men who have sex with men, MSM, and women who have sex with women, WSW, have been labeled as gays and lesbians by activist groups without hope of knowledge of the innate sexuality of each sex oriented toward the other.

"MSM and WSW behaviors may provide temporary relief from feelings of loneliness, isolation, true identity, inferiority, marginalization, which are characteristic of the condition. Activist organizations trap men and women with same-sex attractions in this condition. Real peace and true acceptance come with chastity, friends who love one without sex and self-acceptance as man or woman without living off another sexually. Peace for those with same-sex desires can be found in religion, authentic science and nonpolitical education, not in repeated acting out in sexual encounters."

The Rev. Richard Perozich, pastor,
St. Mary Catholic Church, Escondido
---------------
Well said, Father!

Let's bring back the Stations of the Cross everywhere

The Lenten Stations of the Cross are one of many Catholic devotions the liberal Catholics have taken away from us in their mania to "update." It's up to us, and everyone we can bring along with us, to bring back the Stations everywhere they have been dropped.

This page takes us to the actual Via Crucis in Jerusalem:
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/jvc/index.html

This page has links to many prayer sites about the Way of the Cross:
http://www.catholiclinks.org/viacrucisingles.htm

This page has the Pro-Life Stations of the Cross:

http://www.priestsforlife.org/prayers/stationsofthecross.html

Does your parish still schedule the Stations of the Cross during Lent? Please let us know the details.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Amen.

Make the Good Friday Prayer Walk in Reparation for Abortion, March 21, up in Ventura

We are all invited to take part in the annual Good Friday Prayer Walk in Reparation for Abortion, on March 21, up in Ventura.

Pro-lifers will meet at Sacred Heart Church, 10800 Henderson Road, Ventura, at 9 a.m. and then walk five miles to the Planned Parenthood abortion chamber on Ralston Street. Along the way, the marchers will sing hymns and pray the Rosary, the Pro-Life Stations of the Cross and other prayers.

The pro-lifers say:

"Please plan to join us for all or part of the walk. If you can't make the walk, join us at Planned Parenthood for prayer at about 12 noon. Please bring signs (no graphic abortion images, please) and walkie talkies, if you have them. Please let us know if you have walkie talkies.

"If you have any questions, please call Katie S., 640-1920, Mary B., 525-9203, or Mary R., 642-3475. Thank you!"

Make the Pro-Life Stations of the Cross in Glendale on Good Friday, March 21

Our Lady of Refuge Chapter, Shield of Roses, is a group of wonderful Rosary-praying pro-life sidewalk counselors. For years they have been saving so many babies' lives and helping so many new moms and dads make ends meet.

This Lent they once again invite you, me and everyone to join them and Columban Father Thomas Cusack at their 24th annual GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS at 7 p.m., March 21, at the Glendale abortion center, 372 W. Arden Avenue (between Central and Pacific Avenues).

OLRC says: Families and children are welcome. Please bring flashlights but no candles. For more info., please call Geri at 818-242-3912. They also say this:

"Each time we stand outside an abortion facility, we're at the scene of the cross. St. John, St. Mary Magdalene, and the Blessed Mother all stood at the foot of the cross affirming Christ's dignity as He silently suffered and died.

"Even though they could not remove Our Lord from the cross nor relieve His temporal suffering, they remained steadfast, offering Him the dignity that others had tried to strip from Him.

"Witnessing at an abortion facility serves the same purpose. Babies are being led to their deaths. We try to save them; but if that fails, our presence witnesses to the dignity that others try to strip from them."

The 13th Station pictured above is from the Stations in the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, 610 Vallejo Street, San Francisco.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Amen.

wRECk 2008

"wRECk" is a good nickname for too much of the REC (pictured above) -- Cardinal Mahony's annual Religious Education Congress.

Not all of it is problematic, of course. But why does any of it have to be problematic? Souls are at stake.

Catholic liberals like to call the REC just "Congress." At the REC web site (click on this post's title) you will find a list of the 2008 speakers, photos such as the one above and transcripts of the Cardinal's live online chat sessions.

Congratulations to Concerned Roman Catholics of America and their friends who leafleted and picketed outside this past Saturday to warn attendees of problems inside.

Some attendees thanked CRCOA and friends for being there to alert people. One said people back home had told her the wRECk had problems.

In the photo above, you can kind of see a miter behind one of the ladies at the far left on the stage during Mass.

Maybe I'll have a little more to say about the wRECk at some point.