Apr 30, 2010

Holy See okays Third Edition of the Roman Missal

Our U.S. bishops announced today (click on this post's title) that the Holy See has okayed the Third Edition of the Roman Missal.

Roman Missal workshops are now taking place in dioceses around the USA to help teach priests and diocesan leaders how to prepare parishioners for the new translation.

One workshop is scheduled for the Diocese of Orange, on June 21-22. Another is scheduled for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, on August 24-25.

Let's pray for peace

Let's pray for peace and civility here in L.A. tomorrow, and in Phoenix. May those who are against the new Arizona law not resort to hate speech and violence.

Notice that the liberal politicians and "news" media call the peaceful people who go to Tea Party rallies "angry" and "violent" and "stirring up hate," but they do not say that about the far-left rioters of recent years who did so much damage in the downtowns of Seattle and Pittsburgh.

Pray for peace, and for protection for everyone, tomorrow, May 1, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

Apr 29, 2010

Pope Benedict will visit Fatima, May 11-14

Hope you'll be able to watch on EWTN when Pope Benedict visits Fatima May 11-14.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us poor sinners who have recourse to thee! Amen.

Pope Benedict to visit Holy Shroud this weekend

Hope you can watch EWTN this Saturday and Sunday as Pope Benedict goes to Turin to visit the Holy Shroud.

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

Meeting tomorrow about the Legionaries of Christ

Maybe you've heard them, too -- reports that the Pope will meet tomorrow with the task force, including Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who have investigated the Legionaries of Christ.

There will be a statement from the Vatican about the meeting, the reports say, but whatever action is to be taken will be announced later and the Pope will be the one deciding, of course.

Cardinal Levada on apologetics

Today's Zenit daily news bulletin reports on a talk that our Cardinal William Levada from L.A., the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave today at a conference about "A New Apologetics for a New Millennium."

Cardinal Levada said, "A new apologetics for the new millennium should focus on the beauty of God's creation.... we must pay greater attention to the mystery and the beauty of Catholic worship, of a sacramental vision of the world that lets us recognize and value the beauty of creation as a foreshadowing of the new heavens and the new earth."

Zenit reports that Cardinal Levada concluded with these words:

"... it should be possible after all to find the truth of the mind and of the heart in just such a dialogue where there emerges what Christians have learned to be the mind and strength and heart and soul of the Gospel revealed in Jesus: that God is love, and that our creation in God's image and likeness makes all humanity able to love God above all things and love our neighbor as ourselves."

It is nice, isn't it, to hear Cardinal Levada speak of the need to pay more attention to the mystery and beauty of Catholic worship. Somehow, when I hear those words, the Latin Mass comes to mind; how about you?

It would be nice if the cardinal's mentions of emphasizing "the beauty of creation" and of "our creation in God's image and likeness" would prompt more Catholics to include preborn babies in the mix when they think and pray about and act upon those things.

So let's you and I give witness, in our example and words every day, to the rights, dignity and profound worth of God's beautiful preborn babies and the place they deserve in everyone's heart and mind and soul.

Apr 26, 2010

Loyola Marymount defies U.S. bishops by naming pro-aborts as commencement speakers

Loyola Marymount University has invited two pro-aborts to give its commencement addresses this year, the online California Catholic Daily reported yesterday (click on this post's title).

The two selectees are Deval Patrick, the governor of Taxachusetts, and Marlene Canter, a former member of the board of the L.A. Unified School District.

Both Patrick and Miss Canter also support homosexual pseudo-marriage, the Daily reports.

As the Daily points out, in June 2004 our U.S. bishops stipulated, in their document, “Catholics in Political Life,” that:

“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” [emphasis in original]


Um, don't look now, LMU, but making someone your commencement speaker is giving them a platform. It is also honoring them. If you don't care what the U.S. bishops say, how about caring about all the little unborn babies whose slayings America's pro-aborts make possible?

Apr 25, 2010

Bishop Edward Slattery's unforgettable sermon at the historic Latin Mass in the National Shrine

Did you see, on EWTN this past Saturday afternoon, the Tridentine Pontifical High Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception?

Deo gratias that the Mass of the Ages was celebrated at the Shrine once again after more than 40 years in exile. The holy and reverent rite, in the beautiful Latin tongue of the universal Catholic Church, was seen and heard once more, at long last.

The huge Shrine, which holds 7,000, was full, and many of the congregation were young Catholics. So much for the anti-Latin Mass propaganda that nobody, especially any young person, could love the Latin Mass.

Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, the celebrant, gave a holy sermon, and you can find it, hear it and read the text of it at Fr. John Zuhlsdorf's excellent blogspot (click on this post's title).

Fr. Zuhlsdorf was a commentator on EWTN's live telecast of the historic Latin Mass. On his blogspot he has a photo of himself with Fr. John Trigilio at dinner afterwards; they look happy indeed, and they deserve to.

Wonder when the Latin Mass will next be celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels here in ole L.A.? Imagine...

Cardinal Mahony in the news

Today's L.A. Times carries some letters to the editor (click on this post's title) about our Cardinal Roger Mahony's comments last Sunday about the Arizona bill to take on illegal immigration.

You can see the cardinal's comments at his blogspot: http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.com/

Now, the whole matter of people who enter the USA illegally is a thorny one. Ole Q is not supporting the Arizona bill (which is now the law in that state), and he does not hold with roundups and mass deportations. Ole Q also decries all racism, of course, and sympathizes with poor people who seek a chance to better their lives.

So do not accuse me of supporting any of those things, if I nevertheless point out some puzzling things about Cardinal Mahony's comments on illegal immigration, now and in the past.

Invariably he just says, "immigrants." He does not distinguish between immigrants who enter the USA legally and those who enter illegally. Is there really no difference?

He does not cite Catholic teachings that countries have a right to maintain their territorial integrity and that immigrants must respect a country's laws. (Refugees are a different case.)

He does not express even a syllable of sympathy and respect for American citizens in his flock and of every faith who are struggling to support their families in the face of rampant job losses and unemployment, and a recession / depression, and yet are expected to keep doing so under soon-to-increase, ever-more-oppressive taxation, much of it for social spending.

Is there any limit to the tax burden that American breadwinners are expected to absorb? (And by "American breadwinners" I'm including all immigrants who come here legally -- which they do with difficulty and at great sacrifice.)

He never explains whether there is any limit whatsoever to the number of people from other countries whom the American people are expected to support. (He rightly points out that "immigrants" contribute to the economy, but he does not point out the equal truth that "immigrants" create a burden on welfare, education, and medical systems.)

On a related note, the cardinal asks this question: "The Census Bureau reports that every day a minimum of 10,000 baby boomers retire. How are we going to provide the labor pool to fill all of these jobs in the coming years?"

Well, we would not be in that fix, of having too few American workers around, if our U.S. (and specifically L.A.) hierarchy and clergy had for the past 42 years, since the wise and beautiful encyclical Humanae Vitae, taught all Catholics, from the pulpit and in Confession, the eternal truths that artificial contraception and sterilization are grave sins and are not negotiable.

Nor would we be in that fix if our hierarchy and clergy had for the past 42 years recognized and spoken against the contraceptive mentality, the anti-life, anti-child, pagan mindset.

We would have lots more Catholic American workers and breadwinners and taxpayers around today if our shepherds had shepherded us rightly according to Catholic pro-life truth.

Now, once again, let me emphasize again -- Ole Q loves and respects everyone and is not anti-immigrant; he just believes we have to take everyone into account and work out solutions for the common good of all, including beleaguered American citizens-taxpayers-breadwinners.

Apr 15, 2010

Fr. Pavone applauds Archbishop Gomez

Today's Los Angeles Times (click on this post's title) has an excellent letter to the editor from Fr. Frank Pavone, the founder and national director of Priests for Life. Here it is:

"Anyone chosen to take over as leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles must be 'concerned about doctrinal purity,' as Loyola professor Father Thomas P. Rausch put it in The Times, and should insist that Catholics adhere to church teachings on abortion and other issues.

"It's hard to tell if Rausch agrees this is a good thing, but at Priests for Life, we applaud the selection of Archbishop Gomez to lead Catholics in 'laid-back Southern California.'

"To have someone with an unambiguous commitment to life leading the nation's largest diocese can only help our cause, which is saving the lives of thousands of babies every day.

"Also, a bishop has every right, indeed an obligation, to inject the church into national debates. Pope Benedict XVI has given us a clear mandate to do so.

"Father Frank Pavone
Staten Island, N.Y.
The writer is national director of Priests for Life.
"

Apr 9, 2010

In defense of Archbishop Gomez and the priesthood

The Sacred Page blogspot (click on this post's title) in the last few days has run some good defenses of Archbishop Gomez and the Catholic priesthood itself.

Apr 6, 2010

Good sign: The L.A. Times's Tim Rutten is worried about Archbishop Gomez

L.A. Times columnist Tim Rutten, a liberal, is really worried (click on this post's title) about Archbishop Jose Gomez. That's a good sign!

Rutten says, "Mahony is the last of the politically progressive, pastorally centered American prelates selected in the wake of Vatican II. Gomez belongs to a traditionalist generation."

Rutten frets that Archbishop Gomez's appointment could be "disruptive" and could bring "wrenching" changes to us L.A. Catholics, such as maintaining distinctions between priests and laymen.

Rutten smears Opus Dei at length and is upset about Archbishop Gomez's links to it. He also doesn't like the Archbishop's "close association" with pro-life Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who, says Rutten, practices "confrontational leadership" -- in other words, he doesn't pal around with Catholic pro-abortion politicians, he says they should be denied Communion.

And the editorialists at the Times are spouting advice already:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-bishop7-2010apr07,0,6057074.story

They say they hope Archbishop Gomez won't be "confrontational" and will have "circumspection" like Cardinal Mahony in not "calling on pro-choice [sic; read, "pro-abortion"] Catholic politicians not to take Holy Communion."

Let's keep Archbishop Gomez in prayer, and Cardinal Mahony and all our Archdiocese.

Habemus Coadjutorem!

Ole Q isn't quite sure what the accusative case of "coadjutor" is, but never mind that. Our Archdiocese of Los Angeles now has a coadjutor archbishop (click on this post's title).

He is Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, 58, of San Antonio, and the word is that he loves the Latin Mass and he very publicly opposed Notre Dame's honoring of Obama last year. He was ordained a priest in the Opus Dei Prelature in Spain in 1978.

Archbishop Gomez will succeed Cardinal Mahony early next year.

Cardinal Mahony introduced Archbishop Gomez at a news conference at the Cathedral this morning at 10. A Mass of Reception for Archbishop Gomez will take place May 26.

Included in Archbishop Gomez's official statement are the following words:

"Los Angeles, like no other city in the world, has the global face of the Catholic Church.

"That fact invites us to do two things: first, to thank God for our diversity and the energy it creates; and second, to commit ourselves more deeply to the things that unite us – a zeal for Jesus Christ; confidence in the Gospel; reverence for the Eucharist; service to the poor; defense of the unborn child, the immigrant and the disabled; and a love for the Church as our mother and teacher. These are the things that have purified and renewed the Church in every generation... [emphasis added]

"To Cardinal Mahony I promise my fraternal love and fidelity, and all the energy of my days. To my brother bishops, priests and deacons, I promise to listen well and learn well. And I promise to love and support you as a brother. Please pray for me that I serve the Church and her people in a manner that honors God, honors them and honors the witness of Cardinal Mahony and his predecessors."

Deo gratias! Let's all pray for Archbishop Gomez, for Cardinal Mahony and our auxiliary bishops, for our clergy, religious, and laity, and for all abortion-targeted babies and their moms throughout our vast archdiocese. Amen.

Apr 5, 2010

Some perspective about the Cesar Chavez exhibition at the Cathedral

Have you noticed the publicity blitz going on about Cesar Chavez (1927-1993), the co-founder, along with pro-abortion Dolores Huerta, of the United Farm Workers union?

He would have been 83 on March 31. Lots of news articles are appearing about him. A report (click on this post's title) notes that the Cathedral is hosting an exhibition about him.

The Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper at http://www.vida-nueva.com/ had a cover story about Chavez, and other stories about him are in that issue, too.

A campaign, which the far Left is part of, has been going on for two years or more to make March 31 a Cesar Chavez national holiday. That date is already a California observance.

And now it turns out that Obama, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis -- abortion zealots all -- will have the National Park Service study various places, such as Delano, California, as Chavez-oriented possible historic landmarks or even new parts of the national park system. You can read about that here:
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/02/nation/la-na-cesar-chavez2-2010apr02

My point is simply that Chavez does not deserve the unqualified and uninformed adulation that the Left demands we have for him.

The Left has always loved Chavez, but not all farm workers did. It is obviously true that farm workers were terribly exploited and that they still endure difficult conditions. It is also obvious that they deserve the best representation.

It is also true that Chavez and the UFW did win reforms that have helped farm workers. But the fact remains that many farm workers wanted, and want, nothing to do with the UFW.

And since when is the Left ever a totally sincere defender of workers and ever without ulterior motives?

The following info about Chavez is interesting. (Now, it is from a Wikipedia entry, and we all know that those are not necessarily the best scholarly sources. But we also know that properly footnoted sources in Wikipedia entries are legitimate.) Here goes:

"On a few occasions, concerns that undocumented migrant labor would undermine UFW strike campaigns led to a number of controversial events, which the UFW describes as anti-strikebreaking events, but which have also been interpreted as being anti-immigrant. In 1969, Chávez and members of the UFW marched through the Imperial and Coachella Valleys to the border of Mexico to protest growers' use of undocumented immigrants as strikebreakers... [emphasis added]

"In its early years, Chávez and the UFW went so far as to report undocumented immigrants who served as strikebreaking replacement workers, as well as those who refused to unionize, to the [INS]. [emphasis added]

"In 1973, the United Farm Workers set up a "wet line" along the United States-Mexico border to prevent Mexican immigrants from entering the United States illegally and potentially undermining the UFW's unionization efforts. During one such event in which Chávez was not involved, some UFW members, under the guidance of Chávez's cousin Manuel, physically attacked the strikebreakers, after attempts to peacefully persuade them not to cross the border failed." [emphasis added]

Today's pushers of amnesty for illegals never mention these inconvenient facts.

Of course, the left will smear all criticism of Chavez as being anti-labor, but that charge is obviously not true at all. Quintero wholeheartedly subscribes to Catholic social justice doctrine, which reminds us all that we must believe in and support all the dignity and rights of labor.

We must all remember, too, that of the four sins that Scripture says cry to Heaven for vengeance, two involve sins against workers -- oppressing the poor and cheating workers of their wages. (The other two such sins are murder and sodomy.)

Apr 1, 2010

Please come to the 26th annual Good Friday Pro-Life Stations of the Cross in Glendale

You can do something pro-life this Good Friday, April 2!

Our Lady of Refuge Chapter of Shield of Roses, the tremendously effective baby-saving sidewalk counseling group, invites you to pray with them at their 26th annual Good Friday Stations of the Cross. A padre will be present.

Shield of Roses says the time is 7 p.m. Friday, April 2, and the place is outside the Glendale abortion center, 372 W. Arden Avenue between Central and Pacific Avenues.

Shield of Roses also says families and children are welcome, and people should please bring flashlights but NO candles. For more info, phone Geri at 818-242-3912.

Shield of Roses explains:

"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."

Now, if you're visiting this site and and are someone who doesn't like Ole Quintero, please don't let your dislike of me influence your view of the wonderful pro-life group Shield of Roses. I'm sure they have no idea that Ole Q even exists, and they certainly don't know I'm plugging their Good Friday pro-life witness. Thank you for listening to my request.
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