Be Yellow

Now I Get It**

Ryan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:32:00 GMT

I've been a dad for a whopping 13 days, so I'm certainly not hoping for a coherent, let alone poetic essay on fatherhood here. Words, of course, do not suffice. However, I'll share a few thoughts...

What's in a name?

First, the obvious: a saint for our generation and arguably the "Man of the 20th Century," pictured above. Pope John Paul II's writings have been instrumental in revealing to this little guy's parents the way, the truth, and the life in Jesus Christ. Also, entering the Archdiocese of Denver has special meaning because the Church here has greatly benefited from an active presence of the Holy Spirit, left in the wake of the historic 1993 World Youth Day visit by the now "Venerable John Paul the Great."

In the O'Connor family, the name 'John' now goes back five generations: John Paul Lee, Ryan John, Glen John, John Russell, and John S.

'Lee' carries special meaning on both sides: his maternal grandpa Chet Lee, and a paternal great-grandmother Lee.

I've heard Scott Hahn talk many times about how his understanding of God reached a much deeper level after having kids. My friend Joe has said that with having a child comes a type of love welling up inside that you previously didn't know existed. All I can say is, I concur.

How can this little creature throw up down my back or pee on my face, and I just smile, stare, and gently say, "That's ok buddy?" So too, how many times do I "throw up" on God and it does nothing to change his unconditional love for me?

Not that we've had to discipline our 2-week-old, but teaching has shed light on how God disciplines us. My students can whine about too much homework or express outrage over having to miss recess or show their work on math problems, but some day they will understand that it was for their own good. How many times have I complained to God about a challenge in life or about His "unfair" laws and disciplines disseminated through His Church? When will I learn that it's for my own good?

Today is the Feast Day of Sts. Joachim and Ann (parents of Mary/grandparents of Jesus). In my Magnificat prayer book, it says this memorial "gives reason to rejoice in the gift of family life and to reflect on the mutual responsibility parents and children have to love one another and lead one another to holiness." Now I get it.**

The Second Vatican Council Fathers said, "The family is the foundation of society. In it the various generations come together and help one another to grow wise and to harmonize personal rights with the other requirements of social life" (Gaudium et Spes, 52). Our life is not all about us now. Forget a full-night's sleep! Now I get it.**

Venerable Pope John Paul II said, "The body, in fact, and it alone is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God..." (Theology of the Body, 2/20/80). Our miraculous son makes the mystery of God a visible reality. Now I get it.**

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange" (CCC 221). So, the exchange of love between Father and Son (signified by husband and wife) is so intense that from it a third person proceeds forth. Family life is a participation in the life of the Trinity! Now I get it.**

St. Paul said, "'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the church" (Eph. 5:31-32). So, Christ is the bridegroom and we (the Church) are his bride. We share a one-flesh union via the Eucharist. The marriage took place when the Church poured forth from Christ's side (like Eve came from Adam's side). This occurred from the cross... which granted true beauty and life via an agonizing bloody mess. So is childbirth! True love = the cross. Now I get it.** (btw, Sarah is my hero.)

Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:31). A love that is free, total, faithful, and fruitful.

Thank you little J.P. Now I get it.**

Mother Mary , St. Joseph, St. Joachim, St. Ann, and Venerable John Paul the Great... Pray for us!

**Footnote: ...at least more than I "got it" two weeks ago! (not claiming to have the whole "mystery of God" thing figured out.)

It's a Boy!

Ryan and Sarah — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:05:00 GMT

With much rejoicing, we finally got to meet our baby boy.

John Paul Lee O'Connor
July 13... Happy Birthday "Meme" (Sarah's mom)!
9:37 PM
8 lbs.
21 in.

Praise the Lord; J.P. and Mama are doing great!

"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! ...For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen."
~Rom 11:33a,36

Venerable John Paul the Great, Pray for us!

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Ryan — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:50:00 GMT

This spring I had the great privilege of leading a middle school Bible study. Every Monday I got to spend some time after school with 14 sixth and seventh grade boys. Being the St. Rose Raiders, we decided to go on an expedition hunting for the lost Ark of the Covenant. Fortunately, we didn't have to take a trip to the Middle East or Ethiopia. It turns out, before "the Word" took on flesh, the Ark of the Covenant took on flesh as well. Her name is Mary, our Mother.

During our first week, we watched some movie trailers, and I had to break it to them that Harrison Ford did not really discover the Ark. Then we studied a few examples for how the Old Testament is fulfilled by the New, and the New is revealed by the Old. Finally, we spent some time studying that all-important word: covenant. The boys learned that while contract is an exchange of goods, covenant is an exchange of persons. Covenant is a legally binding oath creating a family bond and sworn during a liturgical ritual/meal. I've learned that this concept is critical in order to understand God's plan for salvation in the fullness of Christianity.

The second week we dove into studying the Ark of the old Covenant. In preparation for building one ourselves, we looked at the detailed specs given by God directly to Moses (See Exodus 25):

The ark was a chest, 3.75 feet in length and 1.5 feet in height and width. It was made of acacia wood and covered on both the inside and the outside with gold plating. At the four corners of the ark were placed golden rings that permitted gilded acacia poles to be inserted, so that the ark could be carried without being touched. The ark had a lid made from a solid slab of gold, surmounted by two cherubim (angels) of beaten gold facing each other.¹

The glory cloud overshadowed (Greek: episkiasei) the Ark, and God dwelt among the people in the tabernacle (Ex 40). We might think, "it's just a box; what's the big deal?" These words were surely the last for poor Uzzah, who after touching the Ark was struck dead (2Sam 6:3-4, 1Chr 13:10). What made it so holy? Its contents. Inside the Ark were the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments (Ex. 25:10), the rod of Aaron, and a jar of manna (Ex. 16:34, Heb 9:4). In short, God was present inside the Ark.

The Ark was a secret weapon used in spiritual warfare. For example, how did the Israelites attack the evil city of Jericho? The army carried the ark around the city for seven straight days, resulting in the legendary walls falling down in ruin (Josh 6). Later the Philistines learned it was much more than "a box." After capturing the Ark, they suffered seven months of divine punishment before returning it to the Israelites along with a guilt offering (1Sam 5).

King David wisely made Jerusalem not only the political capital, but also the spiritual one by placing the Ark in a Tabernacle there. It would remain in the Temple built by David's son Solomon for 400 years. When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Ark was saved from destruction by Jeremiah. He hid the Ark in a cave on Mt. Nebo (2 Maccabees 2). After the people attempted to mark the spot, Jeremiah said, "The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses" (2 Mac 2:7-8).

During our third meeting, the Raiders began looking for the Ark. "Look for the glory cloud," I told them as they began reading Luke's gospel. It didn't take the explorers long to find God "gathering his people together again and showing his mercy." He sent the angel Gabriel to announce His plan to a young Jewish girl by the name of Mary. You know the story, but check out Gabriel's words carefully: "The power of the Most High will overshadow you." Sound familiar? This is the first use of the verb episkiasei in the New Testament.

The glory cloud is here! The Ark has been revealed! Mary is the new Ark!

In case his readers missed this point, Luke goes on to mirror Mary's story with David's culminating journey involving the old Ark. We compared 2 Samuel Chapter 6 with the first Chapter of Luke:

David arose and took the Ark back to the hill country of Judah. Mary arose and went to the hill country of Judah.
Awed by its presence, David said, "How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?" Awed by her presence, Elizabeth said to Mary, "How can the mother of my Lord come to me?"
The old Ark spent three months blessing the House of Obededom. How long did Mary spend blessing the House of Zechariah with her presence? Three months.
There was much shouting/exclaiming/loud crying (Greek: anaphoneo) in front of the old Ark. The same word is used to describe Elizabeth's "loud cry" before Mary.
David was found leaping and dancing before the old Ark. John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother's womb, as the new Ark approached.
The old Ark ended up in Jerusalem's Temple where God's presence and glory was revealed. Mary ended up in Jerusalem, where she presents God incarnate in the Temple (Luke 2:21-22).

What was inside the old Ark? The Word of God (stone tablets), bread from heaven (manna), and his authority (rod of Aaron). What is inside Mary? Jesus, of course. Who is Jesus? The Word of God made flesh (Jn 1:14), who said he was true bread from heaven (Jn 6)... and would rule all the nations with an iron rod (Rev 12:5).

Just in case all of this remains unconvincing (not sure how), God showed John the Ark during his vision of heaven:

"Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail" (Rev 11:19).

The big moment had arrived! What did the Ark look like?! We read on (remember, the chapter breaks were added much later):

"And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Rev 12:1).

A woman! Was it Mary? Well, it goes on to describe an encounter with a great red dragon (Satan), who wanted to devour the woman's male child (destined to rule the nations with an iron rod). The child was "caught up to God." The dragon then unsuccessfully pursued "the woman" and became angry with her. So he "went off to make war on the rest of her offspring" (Rev 12:17).

Who are her "offspring?" Now this is a popular debate among Christians. Sadly, Protestants have developed such an ingrained (but misguided) aversion to the mother of our Lord - the Ark of the New Covenant.

Are you a Christian? Then Mary is your mother! Read the next line, for it describes those falling under the category of the woman's offspring: "those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus." This explains why Jesus, right before he died, gave his mother to not only John, but to us all!

After discovering the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, we planned and built our own model of the old Ark.

Thank you gentlemen, for a fun exploration!

Then we asked for the prayers of the new Ark. We discussed how important it is to use the new Ark (Mary) as a spiritual weapon, just as they used the old Ark. The Rosary is an indispensable weapon for spiritual warfare. Much like the fate of the evil city of Jericho, the walls surrounding Planned Parenthood killing centers don't stand a chance when we march around them praying the Rosary (See the 40 Days for Life campaign).

I understand many Christians have a hard time wrapping their minds around the Catholic Marian Doctrines (i.e., the Assumption, Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity, etc.). For me, understanding Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant is the best starting point. All the other teachings flow more easily from there. I hear so often: "She's just a woman, human, like the rest of us. What's the big deal?" Well, she's not a goddess. But "just a woman?" - I think not.

Just ask Uzzah.

Our Lady, Our Mother, the Ark of the Covenant... pray for the unification of your children.

From Golden Dome to Golden Calf

Ryan — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:22:00 GMT

Introduction

March 20, 2009 rocked my world. When my beloved Notre Dame announced it would honor the Commander-in-Chief of the Culture of Death, I was shocked and scandalized. I immediately knew my life-long idealistic image of this university was seriously lacking. I knew this type of inexcusable decision did not happen overnight. Since that moment, I've been doing research. What I found was shocking and painful, then depressing, before finally finding peace. Why peace? As painful as it was, discovering the truth is always better than blind ignorance. The truth sets us free.

A few people have asked for a summary of my findings, so here it is. At over 4,000 words, it might seem long. But it could have been 20,000. Sadly, this represents only the highlights; but I think it leaves little doubt that the transformation of the Golden Dome into the golden calf is complete.

1954 Hesburgh's First Clash with the Vatican

Two years after being elected President of the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh showed his true colors. He hosted a symposium on the Catholic Church in world affairs. The main attraction was Jesuit John Courtney Murray, who did not believe Catholic theologians should be silenced because they happen to disagree with the teachings of the Church. "Religious convictions for everyone, Murray contended, were a matter of conscience and faith." ¹ The Vatican ordered Hesburgh to pull the plug on publishing the documents from the symposium. He refused.

1963-67 The Beginning of the End: ND Sells-Out to Rockefeller & Planned Parenthood

Hesburgh and Notre Dame hosted a series of annual meetings called the Conference on Population Problems. This was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. These meetings on population policy were held in conjunction with - are you ready for this? - Planned Parenthood! Yes, that Planned Parenthood. John D. Rockefeller III sought a resolution to what he called "the Catholic Problem." For the Catholic Church represented the last remaining obstacle to universal acceptance of contraception. The birth control movement needed to undermine the Church's authority on the issue, and Hesburgh was their man. He was after much-needed financial support from the Foundation and obviously had no problem rebelling against the Church. Notre Dame got much more than thirty pieces of silver, and Hesburgh was appointed to the Rockefeller Foundation Board of Trustees. Later he would become its Chairman, during a time in which the Foundation was heavily involved in the inherent evil fruit of the contraception root - abortion.

This infamous conference resulted in a Notre Dame Statement supporting artificial birth control - contrary to 19 centuries of infallible Church teaching, of course. The powerful Statement played no small role in greasing the wheels for an unprecedented rejection of Church teaching by Catholics when Pope Paul VI released his encyclical on contraception (Humanae Vitae ) one year later. It is estimated that as many as 70% of American Catholics have rejected this teaching, which has had devastating consequences. However, this number is dropping quickly thanks to the revolutionary teachings of Pope John Paul the Great on the meaning of human existence (Theology of the Body).

One hilarious side note: Fr. Hesburgh arranged a meeting between Rockefeller and Pope Paul VI in the summer of '65. During his unsuccessful attempt to sell the Pope on the value of his newly designed IUD, Rockefeller actually offered to write the Pope's new encyclical on contraception. Pope Paul politely declined. Shocker.

1967 More Selling-Out

In March of '67, the Congregation of Holy Cross sold the University to a lay Board of Trustees. Ultimate power was given to a group of 12 Fellows (6 of whom must be Holy Cross priests) charged with the task of protecting the "essential character of the University as a Catholic institution." A few months later, Hesburgh would proclaim a counterfeit notion of "Catholic character."

1967 The Official Break from the Church: The "Land O'Lakes Statement"

In July of '67, the President of the North American region of the International Federation of Catholic Universities, Fr. Hesburgh, took a group to a conference center owned by Notre Dame in Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin. The resulting Land O'Lakes Statement boldly declared:

"The Catholic university today must be a university in the full modern sense of the word, with a strong commitment to and concern for academic excellence. To perform its teaching and research functions effectively, the Catholic university must have true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself. To say this is simply to assert that institutional autonomy and academic freedom are essential conditions of life and growth, and indeed of survival, for Catholic universities as for all universities."

Translation: In order to survive (i.e., get millions of dollars in federal grants), the Catholic university must be free from the authority of the Vatican and its local Bishop. For its "Catholic" mission should not get in the way of secular glory (i.e., academic rankings on par with Harvard, Stanford, and Vanderbilt).

It is unclear whether Fr. Hesburgh nailed the Land O'Lakes Statement to the Cathedral door in South Bend. Yes, that was a reference to Martin Luther. I know most Domers would consider it blasphemous to call Hesburgh "the Martin Luther of Catholic Higher Education," but I stand by the comparison.

As for complete autonomy from authority "of whatever kind," this is quite a fantasy. Try telling that to one of the dozens of government agencies to which ND is subject, or how about the NCAA! Let's be honest, this "autonomy" was directed at one institution only: the Catholic Church.

We have a word to describe a Christian organization separated from Rome: Protestant. At least most "protestants, however, have the consistency not to claim to be Catholic."²

1969 ND Honors Front-Line Enemy of the Church

One of the signers of the Notre Dame Statement on contraception was Thomas P. Carney. In 1967 Carney was appointed to the ND Board of Trustees. In '69 he was given on honorary degree, and two years later he was given the Sorin Award, the highest honor granted by the Alumni Association.³

Who is Thomas Carney? He was VP in charge of research and development for G.D. Searle. What is G.D. Searle? Now part of Pfizer, Searle was a leading producer of... birth control pills.

1970 Notre Dame Joins the Alinsky Cult

A little background is necessary to explain this one. Saul Alinsky is the godfather of post-modern Marxism/Communism (pick your poison). In the late 30s and 40s Alinsky built up a powerful network of revolutionaries armed with his tactics of confrontation and low-key infiltration. Suffice it to say that Alinsky was anti-Christian. He dedicated his second book, Rules for Radicals, "to Lucifer - the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom." However, he still openly admitted that his strategy would include marrying the Catholic Church with the Labor Movement, which he did so effectively based out of Chicago. In fact, the epicenter of Alinsky's so-called "community organizing" was the Office of Urban Affairs within the Archdiocese of Chicago. It was run by devout Alinsky disciple Msgr. Jack Egan, who was dubbed by the Chicago media as "Alinsky's Intern Priest." In 1965, Cardinal John Patrick Cody was appointed Archbishop of Chicago, and he quickly figured out that the Catholic Church was certainly no place for Alinsky's revolution. By 1969, he closed up shop on the Office of Urban Affairs and told Msgr. Jack to hit the road.

What does this have to do with Notre Dame? Well, Msgr. Egan wasn't finished. He received a phone call from none other than Fr. Ted Hesburgh. Notre Dame would provide a place for Egan to push the Alinsky anti-Catholic revolution! They called it a sabbatical. It lasted 14 years! He directed ND's Institute for Pastoral and Social Ministry, and he founded the CCHD. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development claimed to represent a "crusade against poverty." It claimed to be in line with "Catholic Social Teaching." It pulled the wool over the eyes of well-intentioned Catholics for 40 years, raising a mind-boggling $280 million. Within the last year, the CCHD's chickens are finally coming home to roost. As the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus said, "The CCHD has nothing to do with Catholicism, except that Catholics are asked to pay for it."

The CCHD money trail has been revealed, and guess where it goes. To dozens of radical left-wing Alinsky spin-offs pushing the usual: contraception, abortion, and gay "marriage." For example, ACORN got $8M. Ever heard of them?

Cardinal Cody was eventually replaced by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. Sympathetic to the Alinsky cause, Bernardin invited Egan back to Chicago to head the Office of Human Relations & Ecumenism. Different name, same drill. Egan spent the last years of his life doing more of the same at DePaul University. [For more on this topic, watch this show on RealCatholicTV.com.]

1973 ND Hosts Planned Parenthood (Again)

In June of '73, Notre Dame hosted a regional meeting of Planned Parenthood/World Population. One of the symposium's speakers was Dr. Alan F. Guttmacher, VP of the American Eugenics Society and President of Planned Parenthood.³

Not much else to say about this one.

1976 Land O'Lakes Gains Power

Notre Dame's landmark Land O'Lakes Statement, which separates Catholic schools from the Catholic Church, is adopted by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

1977 ND Scientist Experiments on Aborted Babies³

In September of '77, Dr. Subash Chandra Basu submitted an experiment proposal involving Tay Sachs disease. Sounds innocent enough until you learn that at least four human beings had to die for the experiment to take place. Cell cultures were to be taken from babies aborted at 20 weeks gestation. ND's Committee on the Protection of Human Subjects naturally expressed hesitation; however, most of their concerns involved funding rather than morals. The committee studied Indiana state law and NIH guidelines, but not the teachings of the Catholic Church. They approved the experiment by November.

Dissenting committee member John Connaughton then went above the group and asked for Fr. Hesburgh's intervention. Lacking the moral compass of Connaughton, Hesburgh deferred to theology professor Fr. Edward Malloy (who would later replace Hesburgh as ND's president). Malloy let the experiments on aborted babies continue!

Given their stature as a "Catholic" institution, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare looked to ND for some moral standards on this sensitive unchartered territory. Sadly, ND failed miserably and led the scientific community further down a path of dehumanizing the unborn. The secretive experiments appeared to continue for the next decade.³ I can't find my source, but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that after becoming President, Malloy was praised for putting an end to these heinous experiments. Never mind the fact that he approved them in the first place.

1981 Professor McBrien's Distorted Catholicism

A timeline of ND's fall from the Church would not be complete without mentioning their most famous theologian, Fr. Richard McBrien. Where to even start? McBrien has met very few Catholic doctrines he likes. His latest shock wave bordered on denying the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He was a paid consultant for The Da Vinci Code movie, and the New York Times evidently has him on speed dial for whenever they want a so-called "credible" voice to oppose the Church.

McBrien's popular treatise Catholicism was censured twice by the U.S. Bishops. After two "toned-down" revisions, the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices still ruled the book "erroneous." It has not received an imprimatur ("let it be printed") authorization from the Church. Yet Notre Dame still considers him worthy to be the anchor of its Theology Department. In fact, Fr. Hesburgh said that he "read every word of Catholicism, and I can say without hesitation that it is a thoroughly balanced and orthodox synthesis of the Catholic tradition."³ Big surprise.

1983 Revised Code of Canon Law Addresses Rebellious Catholic Institutions

Hesburgh lost a nine-year battle with the Vatican. The new Code of Canon Law was ratified with the inclusion of certain laws to which Hesburgh objected based on a so-called violation of "academic freedom." These "offensive" canons included apparently shocking mandates such as "bishops concerned have the duty and right of being watchful so that the principles of Catholic doctrine are observed faithfully" (Canon 810). In other words, Catholic schools should actually teach Catholicism! Apparently too much to ask for Notre Dame.

1984 A New "Catholic" Politician is Born: "Personally Opposed to Abortion, but..."

The Catholic Church's politically pro-life position had just become crystal clear. Vice-Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro attempted to reconcile her pro-abortion position with her Catholic faith. Cardinal John O'Connor of New York emphatically corrected her in public fashion. The country knew that claiming to be both Catholic and pro-"choice" at the same time was simply not an option. Until Notre Dame stepped in, that is.

In September of '84, "Catholic" New York Governor Mario Cuomo was brought to Notre Dame to give a landmark speech undermining the Church's pro-life witness in politics. The nonsensical "personally opposed, but don't want to impose" Catholic cop-out was born... from right under Our Lady on the Dome. Just as Notre Dame had presented a supposedly authoritative voice opposite the Bishop of Rome 17 years earlier, now they attempted to explain why the Archbishop of New York was wrong too. The license for politicians supporting the murder of innocent children to call themselves "Catholic" was rubber-stamped by the "leading Catholic university in America." Twenty-six years later, 94% of so-called "Catholic" Congressmen have the alternative Church Magesterium known as the University of Notre Dame to thank for their careers.

To show their true commitment to balanced "academic freedom," Notre Dame invited another Catholic politician to counter Cuomo's address. While Cuomo's nationally-publicized address was held in the large venue of Washington Hall, Congressman Henry Hyde's authentically Catholic perspective was delivered 11 days later in the basement student lounge of the Notre Dame Law School with no public fanfare.² I wonder why.

1985-1988 More Curious CCHD Funding

With ND's Msgr. Egan back in Chicago under the watch of Cardinal Bernardin, his CCHD funds another Alinsky-style group called Developing Communities Project. It is run by a young "community organizing" upstart armed with the complete Alinsky playbook and full of promise for radicals. His name is Barack Obama.

1986-1987 A Safehaven for Catholic Rejects

After his involvement with the so-called Catholics for Free Choice group, disgraced former priest Daniel Maguire's career as a Catholic Theologian needed a resurrection. Notre Dame provided it by inviting him to a campus debate about the Catholic position on abortion. Apparently someone forgot to tell Fr. Hesburgh and his heretic Theology Department Chair, Fr. Richard McBrien, that this issue was not actually up for debate. Also, after suspended Jesuit priest Wayne Fehr married a divorced Episcopalian priestess, he was fired by Marquette... and promptly hired by Notre Dame. Finally, Fr. Charles Curran of Catholic University of America was stripped of his canonical mandate to teach theology and declared by the Vatican neither "suitable nor eligible to exercise the function of a professor of Catholic theology." Notre Dame hired him anyway. Hesburgh's excuse was that he was hired before the ban was issued and "we believe in honoring contracts." So apparently, if "Hesburgh had hired someone to drive a busload of students to Indianapolis and in the interim that person had lost his license because of drunk driving,"³ ...you get the picture.

Later, in his book Hesburgh told us how he really felt about the Curran situation: "The president of the university... could have said, 'We agree that what Father Curran is teaching is in apparent conflict with Catholic doctrine, but even though we disagree with him, we feel that the right of a respected, bona fide theologian to teach according to his own convictions and the right of the university to permit him to do so are more important than strict fidelity to the prevailing orthodoxy.'"¹

So a professor of Catholic theology can invent his own version of Catholicism. Got it.

1989 ND Sponsors Public Showing of Blasphemous Film

The University decided that "academic freedom" trumped the Second Commandment's law against blasphemy. The Department of Communication and Theatre advertised and sponsored four public showings of The Last Temptations of Christ at the campus Snite Museum. The film is filled with gross lies about the Son of God (e.g., it depicts Jesus watching Mary Magdalene on the job). In addition, it smears all of Christ's followers, including Our Lady on the Dome.

1990 Pope John Paul II Issues Constitution for Catholic Higher Ed.

On the Solemnity of the Assumption, Pope John Paul addressed the secularization of Catholic higher education with his encyclical Ex Corde Ecclesiae. John Paul recognized that the Church does not have juridical control over most Catholic universities, nor does it want it. "A Catholic University possesses the autonomy necessary to develop its distinctive identity and pursue its proper mission" (Part II, Article 2, Section 5). However, he also corrected Notre Dame's false notion of "academic freedom" by writing, "...the institutional fidelity of the University to the Christian message includes a recognition of and adherence to the teaching authority of the Church in matters of faith and morals" (Num. 27).

Nine years later the U.S. Bishops would issue guidelines for implementing Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the relevant canons within the 1983 code. The guidelines reaffirmed the mandatum from the Church required of "all Catholics who teach Catholic theological disciplines in a Catholic university" to ensure professors are teaching "within the full communion of the Catholic Church." Of course, Notre Dame shows zero interest in complying with the Church on these issues.

1992 More "Population Control"

By this time, the eugenics movement (i.e., kill the weak for the betterment of the rest of civilization) had long taken names like the UN Global Committee of Parliamentarians on Population and Development. An appeal was made for "science and religion to join hands in a new ecological alliance." In other words, we need some religious to give credibility to our new save the earth/kill the weak combo campaign. A match made in hell.

Among those signing the appeal were Cardinal Bernardin and Fr. Hesburgh.

1995 A Disservice to Students

Under the direction of Fr. Malloy, ND initiates the Core Council for Gay and Lesbian Students. Does this group offer authentic support in line with Church teaching? Not quite.

2001-2008 Pornography Hits the Big Stage

One of ND's most well-publicized hypocrisies involved the performance of the obscene play The Vagina Monologues. Eve Ensler's X-rated filth is at the forefront of destructive Culture of Death propaganda. The play glorifies a plethora of sexual disorders, including rape. This is also the same time period when the Queer Film Festival brought more sanctioned pornography and perversion to campus. The resulting public clash with Ft. Wayne-South Bend Bishop John D'Arcy left no doubt where ND President Fr. Jenkins ranked "academic freedom" in relation to authentic Catholicism.

2004 U.S. Bishops Attempt to Rein In Renegade Catholic Institutions

The USCCB released the statement Catholics in Political Life , in which they outline the moral duty of Catholic institutions to uphold the sanctity of human life. Among the mandates was the following: "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."

ND's track record in this area had not exactly been stellar: cafeteria-Catholic John F. Kennedy in '61, birth-control pill producer Thomas Carney in '69 and '71, staunchly pro-abortion Senator Patrick Moynihan in '92. Would the 2004 mandate have any impact on University policy?

Let's see... outspoken Church critic Mary McAleese, President of Ireland in '06, embryonic-destructive stem cell research advocate Mary Sue Coleman in '07, pro-"choice" Martin Sheen in '08, and of course, abortion-obsessed Barack Obama in '09. Guess not.

2006 Jenkins Stands Up for Catholicity!

In the midst of the Vagina Monologues controversy, some interesting remarks about Catholic character were made. "In his address to the Notre Dame community on January 23, 2006, Fr. Jenkins said, of an anti-Semitic play, 'I do not believe that such a performance could be permitted at Notre Dame." He said: 'It's anti-Semitic elements are clearly and outrageously opposed to the values of a Catholic university."²

Oh! So there are limits to "academic freedom?" I guess the glorification of the lesbian rape of a minor is not "outrageously opposed to the values of a Catholic university." It's painfully obvious that "academic freedom" has one main application at ND: license to distort sexual ethics.

2008 Notre Dame Faculty Lays it on the Line

On April 9, 2008, the Faculty Senate said the following: "The University should not compromise its academic aspirations in its efforts to maintain its Catholic identity." Well then. Tell us how you really feel!

Not surprising given the percentage of faculty members even claiming to be Catholic fell from 85% to 53% in the last few decades.

2008 Fr. Jenkins Selectively Listens to Pope Benedict

A few weeks later, Pope Benedict XVI addressed Catholic educators in Washington, D.C. In part, he said,

"In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges and universities, I wish to reaffirm the value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church's munus docendi [duty to teach] and not somehow autonomous or independent of it... Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual or spiritual."²

After attending the address, Fr. Jenkins said, "It was a great affirmation of our central mission."

Apparently he fell asleep after the first two sentences.

2009 The Culmination: Honoring President Obortion

This one is well-documented, but perhaps after reading the above history you see this fiasco in a different light. Any attempt to paint the Obama honoring as a mistake from an otherwise devoutly Catholic institution shows serious ignorance. During his floundering attempt at defending the decision, Fr. Jenkins informed the Bishops what they really meant by their 2004 mandate against honoring enemies such as Obama. In the end, 83 Bishops (including the Vatican's Chief Justice) publicly denounced Notre Dame, and the U.S. Bishops Conference signed a joint statement of support for Bishop D'Arcy's boycott of the event.

A deeper look at the history reveals a painful conclusion. This was not just ND selling its soul, exchanging truth for prestige. This was a victory lap for the Marxist Saul Alinsky machine that got Obama elected!

Connect the dots. Notre Dame jumps in bed with Planned Parenthood/Rockefeller which seriously weakens the Catholic Church. (Mario Cuomo joins later.) Alinsky infiltrates the Church in Chicago with his intern priest Jack Egan. Egan founds the CCHD and organizes Alinsky's machine from inside the Golden Dome. The CCHD funds dozens of socialist Alinsky spin-offs pushing contraception, murder, and sexual hedonism. Obama got his start leading one of these groups under the watch of Cardinal Bernardin. Out of the Alinsky machine is born the most pro-abortion politician in history to become President of the United States. Like his mentor, Obama surrounds himself with dozens of counterfeit Catholics. The powers that be come together at Notre Dame to celebrate the historic victory. Obama preaches to Notre Dame graduates about theology - theories he learned from an atheist (Alinsky). And who does he gush over throughout the speech? Cardinal Bernardin and Fr. Hesburgh. Now you know why.

2009-Pres. Pro-Lifers Arrested on Campus

I've already chronicled the sad plight of the "ND 88" here. The university's "truly vulgar lust" (as described by the late Professor McInerny) to be accepted by the secular world has never reared its ugly head more prominently than during this ongoing episode.

2009 New South Bend Bishop Needs Prayers

Newly appointed Ft. Wayne-South Bend Bishop Kevin Rhoades said that he expects full compliance of Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Pray for him.

2010 Church Teaching Censored from Student Newspaper

In March, the student newspaper The Observer refused to print a column by professor emeritus Dr. Charles Rice. Why? Rice defends the Catholic Church's teachings on homosexuality.

So much for academic freedom. Think ND's hypocrisy has led to "moral, intellectual, and spiritual confusion" among the students yet?

Conclusion

As Professor Alfred Freddoso points out in the introduction to Dr. Rice's book, those who followed this secularization every step of the way were in no way shocked or scandalized by the Obama Commencement. While it's easy to be fooled by the aura of Touchdown Jesus and the Grotto, Freddoso was among those well aware of the fact that Notre Dame had become "something like a public school in a Catholic neighborhood."²

So where do we go from here? We must come to terms with the two tyrants of our day causing both physical and spiritual destruction within the Church and our country as a whole: the "Culture of Death" (coined by JPII) and the "Dictatorship of Relativism" (coined by Benedict XVI). Satan is no dummy. He is spreading the lie that truth is relative, especially regarding human sexuality. There is plenty of blame to go around, but is it possible to deny that the University of Notre Dame has played a central role in fueling these webs of evil? Is it really possible, in good conscience, to "cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame?"

While 85% of so-called "Catholic" universities have been lost, there is good news. A couple dozen schools do indeed deserve to be called Catholic. Most of these schools boast a campus culture with a peer pressure geared toward holiness, with small pockets of rebellion. For Notre Dame, Georgetown, Boston College, etc... it's the other way around. When do we (ahem...) abort attempts to save these formerly Catholic institutions and focus our efforts on supporting "the new evangelization" (another JPII phrase)?

Professor Freddoso dreams of a future ND president "walking in sack cloth and ashes down the 'God quad'... reciting the most egregious sins of past university administrators, striking his breast and begging for forgiveness. Somehow that could be the beginning of the salvation of the place I love so much... A pretty picture, to be sure. But short of direct divine intervention, nothing resembling it will ever become a reality - especially now that Notre Dame... has been infused with the mentality of a frustratingly bureaucratic and soul-less corporation."²

I'll continue to pray for the coming of that breast-beating president, but until he does... I'm out. My children will go to CU-Boulder before attending Notre Dame. (And my students will be encouraged to do the same if an authentic Catholic school is not an option.) At a public school, at least they will face an honest opposition to the faith, rather than have it subtly attacked in disguise.

A wolf is much more dangerous in sheep's clothing.

Primary Sources:

¹God, Country, Notre Dame by Rev. Theodore Hesburgh (see Chapter 13: "Academic Freedom")

²What Happened to Notre Dame? by Dr. Charles E. Rice

³Is Notre Dame Still Catholic? by E. Michael Jones

Hall of Famer

Ryan — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:25:00 GMT

I've run out of patience waiting for the "official" pictures to arrive, so it's time to offer congratulations.

This spring my dad was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

IBCA Hall of Fame Class of 2010 (didn't miss a beat with a microphone tie for the occasion)

After a short but controversial stint as a scoreboard operator in the 80s, Herscher High School handed Glen the microphone. Over twenty years later, he has become the recognized "Voice of the Tigers." His dedicated service has also branched out to football, baseball, soccer, and track. While some compared his game-clock operating to Tim Donaghy, his P.A. style has been described as a classy combination of Chick Hearn and Ray Clay.

After first receiving word about the honor, Glen was unsure whether he was being inducted as a player or announcer. After days of speculation on sports radio, the Herscher Pilot confirmed he would have to settle for Herscher Hall of Fame player honors for now. At the state level, he would be awarded as an announcer. Now, he waits with Ron Santo for the call as a player.

Congratulations Dad. You deserve it!

The newest Hall of Famer surrounded by some of his many fans making the trip to the induction ceremony

at Illinois State University on April 24.

EP Wedding #7

Sarah — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:52:18 GMT

It has taken me a long time to finally sit down and right this entry. Surprising especially because my calendar is pretty open these days considering we are on summer vacation from school and are taking a hiatus from our usual summer travels given my current (pregnant) state. Nevertheless it is time to write about a wonderful trip we took over Memorial Day weekend.

One of my dear friends from college, Emily, got married in Green Lake Wisconsin. Emily and I met sophomore year at UD when we both pledged the education/allied professions fraternity, EDU. We clicked right away during our pledging in the first semester and due to a few random events ended up living together second semester when two of Emily's roommates were going to be away from campus. We spent the rest of college being the best of buds. We have also managed to stay in pretty close contact in the 6 (WOW!) years since we graduated from Dayton. I visited Emily in Boston, and got to meet her future hubby (although we didn't know it at the time) Josh for the first time. Emily and Josh also came to visit Ryan and I when we lived in Guatemala (Holy Week). We also have been fortunate to get to visit during many holiday seasons when Emily has been with her family in Louisville and I've been with mine in Bardstown.

Emily first asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding last summer. I specifically remember the phone call because I happened to be walking on the "prairie path" in Herscher while we chatted. She asked me to be a bridesmaid and then even stated that she didn't care "how big and pregnant" I was. Little did she know what she was getting herself into! I did end up being quite "big and pregnant" at her wedding and the timing couldn't have been more perfect because another week or two and I wouldn't have been allowed to travel. My doctor probably though I was crazy when at the very first appointment I saw him (at 6 weeks pregnant) I asked if I would be able to travel over Memorial Day. I was so grateful to be able to go and celebrate with Emily and Josh the start of their marriage.

Here are a few photos of the big day:

Rehearsal- I think it is good for all fathers to practice giving away their daughters, makes the actual event less traumatic.

OF COURSE, Emily had fantastic shoes to wear on her wedding day!

Cutting the cake, which was a PERFECT replica of the Save the Date postcards they sent out. Beautiful touch!

All the EP ladies...

and their gentlement (minus one sick Zach).

Besides getting to celebrate with Emily and Josh, it was also a fabulous chance to catch up with ALL of the EP girls and their respective spouses/fiances. The Heidel House Resort on Green Lake is a beautiful place to spend a weekend and we couldn't have had better weather. I was especially glad to have been able to make it and that all the girls could be there because I will be missing the last of the EP weddings. Stroh and Dave are getting married on July 31st in Detroit but Ryan and I won't be able to attend because of my aforementioned state. By then I will no longer be pregnant and instead we will have a new miracle to take care of.

Best wishes to to Stroh and Dave anyway- you will be in our prayers!

One last picture, Kim very sweetly brought special UD presents for the first two EP babies. Little O'Connor and Little Moran will look fabulous in this Flyerware. THANK YOU!

Western Civ's Report Card (It's not pretty...)

Ryan — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:30:00 GMT

I just finished another Scott Hahn masterpiece... First Comes Love. Phenomenal book. A fresh new look at The Fall of man and God's plan for the "new Adam" (i.e., the Christ) to make things right.

I wanted to share a subsection of Chapter 2 entitled "Model Homes." You don't have to follow the news too closely to realize family values are under attack in an unprecedented fashion. It's always good to take a step back and look at the big picture. This section sent a little shiver down my spine.

Social scientists have developed many models for understanding this family arrangement. The one I've found most useful is that of Carle C. Zimmerman of Harvard University, who spoke of ancient families as "trustee families."

In his monumental work Family and Civilization , Zimmerman explained: "The trustee family is so named because it more or less considers itself as immortal, existing in perpetuity, and never being extinguished. As a result, the living members are not the family, but merely 'trustees' of its blood, rights, property, name, and position for their lifetime."

The trustee family envisions the family primarily in religious terms. It's not the nuclear family, or even the extended family, but all the members of the family in the past and the future as well as in the present generation. A sacred bond unities members in the present generation with the ancestors who gave them life; the same bond unites them with their future descendants, who will perpetuate the family name, honor, and worship.

This is hardly what most folks today mean when they speak of the family. Modern households tend to fall under Zimmerman's categories of the "domestic family" or the "atomistic family." The domestic family describes a household based on the marital bond: husband, wife, and their children. In such an arrangement, family members emphasize individual rights along with family duties. In atomistic families, however, individual rights are exalted far above family bonds, and the family itself exists for the sake of the individual's pleasure.

Hahn goes on to outline Zimmerman's differences between these three historical stages of the family:

Trustee-Family Societies

1. Family is a mystical reality.

2. Marriage is a sacred covenant.

3. Children considered a blessing from "the gods."

4. Father is "the patriarch, priest-king who must serve his ancestors as well as his offspring."

5. Sexual immorality is a criminal act.

Domestic-Family Societies

1. Family is a moral tradition.

2. Marriage is a contract.

3. Children are indispensable economic agents.

4. Father is "the authoritarian chief executive of society's fundamental economic unit."

5. Sexual immorality is an individual sin.

Atomistic-Family Societies

1. Family is a cocoon, out of which you escape.

2. Marriage is a convenient means of companionship.

3. Children are an "economic liability, an expense, and an obstacle to personal fulfillment."

4. Father is "a pathetic figure who must be left behind in order for an individual to grow."

5. Sexual immorality is "a private matter, a choice, an alternative lifestyle."

Hahn concludes:

Zimmerman points out that only societies based on the trustee family have been able to rise to the level of civilizations. Yet none of these societies were able to maintain the trustee arrangement forever. At some point in the history of every civilization, its people begin to live according to the domestic-family model. The period of domestic-family dominance, though, is usually short-lived, a transitional phase before the atomistic family takes place. When the atomistic family becomes a society's dominant model, then family duties are widely viewed as impediments to individual fulfillment. The atomistic family - marked by widespread divorce, unrestrained sexual activity, and population decline - usually signifies a civilization in its ultimate decline.

So. Let's see. Contemporary Western Civ:

Marriage = convenient companionship? Check.

Children = liability? Check.

Father = pathetic figure? Check. (See Homer Simpson and every other doofus father on TV.)

Widespread divorce? Check.

Unrestrained sexual activity/alternative lifestyles? Check. Check.

Population decline? Check.

Yikes.

My friend Greg is trying to get me to focus more on hope, so I'll highlight the word usually... "usually signifies a civilization in its ultimate decline."

What I want to know from Prof. Zimmerman is this: Are there any examples of atomistic-family societies that woke up in time to reverse the trend?

Falcons Take Flight

Ryan — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:32:00 GMT

Last week I was fortunate enough to make a quick trip to L.A. for my Falcons' graduation. The Falcons were my second fourth-grade class at St. Marianne and what a special year we had. I'll never forget how excited they were when I let them in on a little secret: that I was flying overnight to Mississippi to propose to Sarah. They went wild! It was an extraordinary moment of grace. It only seemed fitting that as I left their graduation celebration, this time I flew home to Sarah in anticipation of the birth of our first child.

Congratulations Falcons! You will be in my prayers as you take on high school. Be champions. The same goes out to my Rockets in Guatemala! (...even though I was not able to make your graduation. Lo siento.)

To the Marin, Hinchman, Peinado, and Gandara families, thank you for your hospitality!

"ND 88": Then & Now

Ryan — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:07:54 GMT

"ND 88."

The phrase used to be one of pride, joy, and triumph. Formerly, this phrase conjured up images of Tony Rice running wild, Chris Zorich wreaking havoc, and Pat Terrell tipping away passes. It used to take my breath away as I thought of a freshman appropriately named "Rocket" blasting off into college football lore. "ND 88" woke up the echoes with a National Championship that cemented a boyhood infatuation and gave bragging rights to a young dreamer in the 8th grade. 12-0. Perfection. Greatness. This confirmed you could do things the "right" way and still be successful. The University of Notre Dame was different. It was Catholic Disneyland. A beacon of truth and inspiration. It was Our Lady's team and training ground for her army.

Twenty-two years later, much has changed. Turns out, even then, this was false advertising. In 8th grade I didn't know it, of course. Sixty-two football games, 2 degrees, and 2 years of employment under the Dome and I still didn't know it. For the last half century, the true university colors of the Blessed Mother and truth have morphed into hypocrisy blue and calf gold... or perhaps even Satan's favorite color of gray. [By the way, a few people have requested a summary of this timeline of betrayal, so it will be coming soon here it is.]

Countless Catholics have followed and fought against this trend every step of the way. No doubt most of them would excuse my ignorance and the blindness of others in the past. However, the cat is out of the proverbial bag. The era of successful cover up should be over.

And how ironic that the same glorious moniker, ND 88, is now what represents the new, not-so-glorious reality. "ND 88" is the name given to those heroic soldiers of Christ arrested before/during the Obama fiasco on the campus of Our Lady's University for certain "criminal" acts like praying the Rosary and singing Ave Maria. Seriously. So apparently those who wish to provide prayerful, peaceful witness to the sanctity of human life are no longer welcome at Notre Dame.

Most people have never heard about this or do not realize that the case is still going on, if not just heating up. Despite loud calls to drop the charges, Fr. Jenkins and Notre Dame have hidden behind the line, "It's out of our hands." But everybody knows the prosecutor would take seriously the wishes of the so-called victim.

The defendants include a few famous activists. While Fr. Jenkins joined the D.C. March for Life in protest of Roe v. Wade for the first time ever, convert Norma McCorvey (aka Jane Roe) was ironically facing trespassing charges for doing the same thing at Notre Dame. "ND 88" no longer makes me think of Lou Holtz, but Fr. Norman Weslin. The heart-breaking video of the frail 80-year-old, long-time pro-life warrior being hauled off to jail while asking "Why would Notre Dame arrest a Catholic priest for trying to stop the killing of a baby?" tells you everything you need to know about a place that has become a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing.

However, most of the defendants are your average, every-day pro-life activists. As a result of the arrest, one such faithful couple has lost their license to provide foster care.

ND 88 Then.... and Now.

Eye-witness accounts of the festivities tell of an ND police force arresting pro-life demonstrators while giving pro-abortion/pro-Obama demonstrators free reign of the campus. Nevertheless, this did not stop Jenkins from boldly defending the arrests by saying, "We can't have one set of rules for protestors with whom we disagree and another set for those whose cause we happen to agree with."

This statement prompted Sycamore Trust President Bill Dempsey to do some research on the execution of this alleged policy. What he found is quite disturbing. In March of 2007 two sets of protestors were indeed treated quite differently than the pro-lifers. Gay-rights and anti-ROTC activists were arrested on campus and told they would later hear about their court dates. They never heard anything. Dempsey asked ND spokesman Dennis Brown if the charges were dropped, and he responded, "This conversation no longer serves any useful purpose." The South Bend Tribune later corroborated Dempsey's findings.

The most recent major ruling in the case was not good news for ND. The judge will allow defense attorney Tom Dixon, '84 JD'93 to subpoena university documents in an attempt to uncover their inconsistencies while dealing with protests.

Fr. Jenkins clearly just doesn't get it. In the wake of honoring the Commander-in-Chief of the Culture of Death, Jenkins has been attempting to bolster the pro-life reputation of the University. Following the executive style of his prized honoree, he appointed a task force to solve the problem. It doesn't take a task force or special commission to figure out that any weak attempts to appear pro-life mean nothing as you continue to bring down the hammer on the ND 88.

Why doesn't he drop the charges? What evil is at work here?

Many are shocked to discover my 180 regarding good ol' Notre Dame. "Ryan has really lost it." One extreme to the other, I know. It took a while, but I eventually found profound peace with my position. How can you turn your back on a place you've loved so much for so long? I've often been asked. But I believe my protest is an authentic act of love. To love means wanting what is best for the beloved. What is best for Notre Dame is to return to her true character and mission.

If I had the chance, I would have paid a visit to campus last spring. And then we'd be talking about the ND 89. The University has rejected me. More importantly, she has rejected the source of her strength - Jesus Christ, his Church, and his mother.

God is love, so what is the "loving" response? I pray every day that Our Lady will take back her university, and ND will recommit fidelity to her Son's Church. Until that day comes, I see no other option than to follow the guidance of our Lord by "shaking the dust from my feet in testimony against them" (Lk 9:5).

Andrea Bocelli's Story

Ryan — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:38:00 GMT

Andrea Bocelli fans: Did you know his story?

If above player does not work, watch here.

A Born-Again Christian!

Ryan — Sat, 22 May 2010 03:03:40 GMT

Not too often do you get to witness the Sacraments of both Holy Orders and Baptism in the same weekend. But last weekend I did just that. After the Denver Ordination Mass on Saturday, the following day our new niece was born again of water and spirit (John 3:3-5).

What a beautiful photo. Welcome, Carly, to the family of God!

So what happened here? Well, this child was cleansed from "original sin," reborn into new life in Christ, and adopted as a daughter of God. An indelible mark of Christ was imprinted on her soul. (see the CCC)

These days there seems to be much confusion regarding this Sacrament. Many Fundamentalist/Evangelical churches have distorted or simply thrown out the Sacraments instituted by Jesus himself. "Jesus wasn't baptized until he was an adult, and the Bible portrays countless adults being baptized"... so the argument goes. It's heart-breaking to see so many well-intentioned Christian parents led astray on this issue, so I thought I'd use the occasion to share a few thoughts in search of the truth.

First, it must be recognized that the Bible does not include a single case of a child from Christian parents being baptized only after he/she had reached the "age of reason." Second, of course Jesus and other adults weren't baptized as infants, because when they were infants the Sacrament didn't exist!

So, adults were baptized in the first century... yes, the Church still does this today. But there is no evidence that children had to wait until they could consciously "accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior" (and this was never taught until recent times). Does Scripture indicate that infants were baptized from the beginning of Christianity? The answer is yes.

Many times entire households or families were baptized (see Acts 2:39, 16:15,33; 1Cor 1:16). In this age, what are the chances that none of these households included children "under the age of reason"?

Jesus said that no one enters heaven unless they are born again of water and spirit (Jn 3:5). So who is "eligible" for this rebirth through water? According to Jesus, children belong to the kingdom of heaven (Mt 19:14, Lk 18:16). Oh, but he must have meant those children who could "come to him" on their own accord, right? Nope. In this same passage, Luke uses the Greek word brepha, which means infants. "They were bringing even infants to him" (Lk 18:15).

While Jesus did not have the option of baptism as a child, he was circumcised at 8 days old and presented in the temple at 40 days, according to Jewish custom (Lk 2:21-22). Circumcision was how you were sealed as a child of God under the old covenant. And what, according to St. Paul, replaces circumcision under the new covenant? Baptism! (see Col 2:11-12) In the Old Testament, if a man wanted to become a Jew, he had to believe in the God of Israel and be circumcised. Those born into a Jewish family would be circumcised as infants in anticipation of the faith in which he will be raised. The pattern holds true. Rebirth for adults now requires faith in God/Jesus and the new rite of membership - baptism. Babies from Christian families are baptized in anticipation of their upbringing in the faith. This is why St. Paul refers to baptism as the "circumcision of Christ." If he meant for infants to be excluded from Baptism, why would he compare it to circumcision?

If Scripture is not explicit enough, how about considering whether the next generations of Christians baptized infants? What did the Apostles teach them? Born in 140 A.D., an early Christian leader named Irenaeus wrote "He came to save us all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men." (Against Heresies, 189 A.D.) His bishop was Polycarp - a personal disciple of John the Apostle!

A few years later, Hippolytus wrote, "Baptize first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them." (The Apostolic Tradition, 215 A.D.)

These are just two examples of many early Christian writings confirming the importance of baptizing infants.

This is why the Catholic Church teaches that "The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth" (CCC 1250).

After so many centuries, the question is not, "Why do the Catholics baptize infants?" The real question is, "Why did any Christians ever stop?"

Any thoughts?

Ordination 2010

Ryan — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:21:00 GMT

As we close out the Year for Priests, I had the pleasure of witnessing an Ordination Mass for the first time over the weekend. Five men were ordained into the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Denver. Simply awesome! So beautiful. I could try to describe it, but I'll let this incredible short video of last year's Ordination in New York do the talking.

...or watch it here .

Starlin?

Ryan — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:17:00 GMT

So as of Friday, I'm petitioning to add a baby name to our short list of potentials.

Don't you think Starlin O'Connor has a nice ring to it? C'mon guys, who's with me? I think I'll need some support in the polls with this one.

...also can watch video here.

Winter/Spring Photos

Ryan — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:35:00 GMT

Just wanted to share a few recent photos. For full Snapfish album, click here.

The 2008 Football Pool Champion (Boompa) passes on the trophy to the 2009 Champ (Sarah).

Our new house!

A snowmobiling adventure with my dad in the mountains near Winter Park.

At 30 weeks... Sarah looking more radiant than a just-delivered bright yellow rocking
chair ready for the nursery.

The 4th Grade Comets goofing around in their new t-shirts, once again courtesy of Mr. O'Connor's dad.

Fishers of Men

Ryan — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:23:00 GMT

On this 4th Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday - we celebrate the 47th Annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

I thought it was a good opportunity to post this beautiful short film from Grassroots.

The importance of the priesthood cannot be overstated. In the Year for Priests, St. John Vianney, Pray for us.

or watch Part 1 here.

or watch Part 2 here.

Earth Day, Shmearth Day

Ryan — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Sorry James Cameron, but I'm just not into "Earth Day". And I have no interest in your lame movie either.

I know, many popes have written extensively (long before it was cool) about being good stewards of the earth's resources, and I take out my recycling like everybody else. But there's something alarming about a pop culture more concerned with the plight of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus than the legal dismemberment and skull crushing of thousands of innocent babies every day.

The "Global Warming" crowd has jumped in bed with the "Population Control/Sexual Freedom/Reproductive Rights" crowd, and it's a match made in hell. Their alliance used to be somewhat secretive, but the secret's out. (See 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.)

The mainstream media has dubbed B16 "the green pope," but take a look at what he says about true environmentalism:

“If we wish to build true peace, how can we separate, or even set at odds, the protection of the environment and the protection of human life, including the life of the unborn?” (2010 Address to Vatican Diplomatic Corps)

“If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology. It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves.” (Caritatis Veritate)

I'm not going to get into the whole "global warming" debate; I'm not convinced - I'll just leave it at that. But overpopulation is clearly a myth that needs to be exposed - especially since it is being used to justify murdering the vulnerable, inconvenient, disabled, elderly, etc.

Here are a couple short, informative videos on the subject:

If you cannot use the above player, watch video here.

...or watch here.

I also highly recommend another set of terrifying videos done by the Population Research Institute on the United Nations Fund for Population Activity (UNFPA)... yes that's the same UNFPA President Bush defunded after learning of their direct involvement in forced abortions and sterilizations. Funding was quickly reinstated, of course, by you-know-who.

I'll close with one more quote for Al Gore, James Cameron, President Obortion, & Co.:

"Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." ~God

Now there's an inconvenient truth on "Earth Day"!

Happy Birthday Papa Ratzi

Ryan — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:45:00 GMT

Special prayers go out today for Pope Benedict on his 83rd birthday.

If you cannot use the above player, watch video here.

Time to Play Defense

Ryan — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:18:37 GMT

I wasn't necessarily known for my defense on the basketball court, but it's time to defend Papa. Holy Week brought another tidal wave of attacks on Mother Church. This time the cavalry is focusing on our Holy Father himself, Pope Benedict.

Before fighting back, I think it's important to recognize the grave evil perpetrated by Catholic priests and horrendous manner in which some Bishops handled these cases. These events have seriously scarred many victims and brought much embarrassment to the Church. No defense from the media blitz should include excuse-making for these sins - especially egregious sins when committed by men ordained to stand for the person of Christ. Thankfully, judgment for these crimes is ultimately left for God.

Now, because of these scandals, the credibility of the Catholic Church is being questioned. If the Church really is the authorized custodian and teacher of God's revealed truth in the person of Jesus Christ, is it possible for evil acts to be committed by her representatives? Not only is it possible; it is guaranteed! Jesus promised the Church will be made up of both wheat and weeds (See Matthew 13). In fact, one of the original 12 bishops ordained by Jesus himself turned out to be quite a weed, did he not? Christ's promise of the Holy Spirit to lead his Church to all truth (John 16:13) obviously does not guarantee that her human representatives will always be able to live up to her own official teachings. Do you think Judas caused scandal for the first century Church? You can bet the "New York Times" of its day was all over that one. Two thousand years later, not much has changed.

So what do we make of a media market obsessed with bringing down the Pope? Well, this hatred for the Church was also guaranteed by our Lord. No slave is greater than his master. If they persecuted him, they will persecute his appointed vicar (John 15:18-20). I see so much panic within Catholic ranks over this, but I'll tell you when we should panic: If the Church ever became so weak that the world found no need to attack her, then we should worry.

Nevertheless, these attacks do confuse the flock and cause many sheep to leave the shepherd, so we must fight back in order to minimize the damage. So let's play a little game of Fact or Fiction?

FICTION: The New York Times broke a major story pinning the transfer of 1979 German pedophile priest Peter Hullermann on the Pope (then-Cardinal Ratzinger of Munich).

FACT: Their only piece of so-called "evidence" for this accusation is that Ratzinger was "copied" on a memo about the issue, and current judicial vicar of the Munich Archdiocese, Lorenz Wolf, said the memo was routine and unlikely to have landed on the archbishop's desk; therefore, that means (according to the Times) Wolf "was unable to rule out that the Archbishop had seen the memo." Gasp! Stop the presses.

FICTION: According to NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd, Cardinal Ratzinger "ignored repeated warnings and looked away in the case of Rev. Lawrence C. Murphy, a Wisconsin priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys."

FACT: How exactly could Ratzinger have "ignored repeated warnings" about these crimes occurring an ocean away in the 1950s, long before he even rose to high positions in the Church? Twenty-two years after Murphy's last reported offense, his victims pressed the Milwaukee Archbishop to take action in 1996. Ratizinger was then head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and his office approved a trial which could have led to Murphy's defrocking. The CDF also waived its internal statute of limitations for pressing charges against priests in order to keep the trial alive! In June of 1998, Ratzinger's deputy suggested letting a dying Murphy accept "banishment" if he admitted guilt and expressed remorse. But the trial continued up until two weeks before Murphy's August death. Wow, Ratzinger's office approved the trial and waived the statute of limitations to keep it alive. This is a cover-up?

FICTION: The Associated Press has uncovered a 1985 letter to the Bishop of Oakland in which then-Cardinal Ratzinger denied the defrocking of pedophile priest Stephen Kiesle.

FACT: This letter was addressing Kiesle's request to be removed from his vow of celibacy and had nothing to do with covering up pedophilia. It had everything thing to do with his (and John Paul's) efforts to restore the dignity of priestly and marital vows after an excessive period of diocesan dispensations. In fact, in the same letter Ratzinger charged the Oakland Bishop with making sure Kiesle didn't re-offend while the Church dealt with the "grave significance" of his actions.

FICTION: Pope Benedict is the ring-leader of a long-time orchestrated effort to transfer pedophile priests and cover up their crimes.

FACT: No human being on the planet has done more than Pope Benedict to rid the Church of "the filth" (his words). He has brought down the hammer on offending priests and bishops, convened multiple bishops' conferences on the matter, met with victims, apologized on behalf of the Church multiple times, and implemented drastic reforms and legal procedures for the way the Vatican handles these cases. What else can he do?

FICTION: The Catholic Church is the epicenter of sexual abuse, and the Pope should be tried for "crimes against humanity" (a UN judge actually said that with a straight face!).

FACT: The abuse scandal occurred mostly between 1965-1985. During this time, less than 2% of priests were found guilty. Meanwhile, the number for Protestant ministers is 10%. The amount of abuse within the public school system is reportedly more than 100 times the crimes committed within the Catholic Church. Studies show that as much as 60% of sexual abuse occurs from within the family. Do you know how many cases were reported within the 65 million member American Church in 2009? Six. Not six thousand. Not six hundred. Six. As George Weigel said, "The Catholic Church today can be empirically shown to be the safest environment for young people and children in North America."

FICTION: Oppressive, unrealistic celibacy is the cause of sexual misconduct and pedophilia. "It is child abuse to teach that a celibate saint/nun is a noble aspiration," as one Denver Post online commenter said about me.

FACT: There is absolutely no link to celibacy. None. Most (by far!) of these crimes are committed by non-celibates. Today's culture can't wrap their collective heads around the fact that celibacy can be fruitful. They can't fathom giving up sex for the good of the kingdom of God (Mt 19:12). The world is trying to tell us that surrender to every temptation and desire is natural and good. Never mind that following this nonsensical idea would quickly turn a person into a fat, dirty, diseased, mangy beast in prison.

So given all these facts, why does the media firestorm and pathetic Pope-bashing continue? As Bishop Conley wrote, "No other world religious leader, Jewish, Muslim, or other, would be treated in this way."

Here's why: because the Catholic Church remains the only world-wide institution in rock-solid opposition to so many inconvenient truths. The Church is an indigestible pit in the world's stomach. Most notably, the pagan media can't handle the following Church teachings: abortion is murder, contraception is evil, sex is a sacred marital embrace for procreation and bonding, authentic holy matrimony (i.e., between husband and wife) is the bedrock of society, and hell does actually exist.

So let's not be surprised by the latest rounds of shameless attacks on the "pillar and foundation of truth" (1Tim3:15). The Enemy is most certainly behind every one of these guaranteed attacks. I know it can be depressing for Catholics to read the newspaper, but let us not despair.

How can we not find comfort in a guaranteed victory issued back in 33? No, I'm not talking about Joe Namath in Super Bowl III. This came from the Son of God! The powers of death will not prevail against his Church! (Matt 16:18)

Maureen Dowd and Co... good luck with that.

I think credit for this cartoon goes to Sean Delonas of the NY Post.

The newest family member

Sarah — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:25:00 GMT

It has taken me awhile to get this information up on the blog but it is worth the wait!

On March 31st, Kati and Paul brought a new life into this world. Carolyn Ann Rothgery was born at 8:20 in the morning. She weight just under 8 lbs and was 20 inches long. Carly screamed for a good portion of her first hour but has turned out to be a rather calm and quiet baby.

Mom, Dad, and baby Carly are doing well as is Big Brother Wyatt. I was convinced that he thought the "baby in mama's belly" was going to be a friend/playmate for him. While that may become true in the future I think he was expecting another version of himself to play monster trucks with. This is clearly not the case but he has nevertheless been quite loving and gentle with his new sister. He likes to help give her a "paci" and has shared toys with her (whether she actually wants them is of no relevance). The best part is that Carly brought him a new bike and her coming meant his Nani and Boppa, Tio and Tia, and Meme and Papa ALL came to see him AND BROUGHT PRESENTS! Plus when your daddy gets to stay home from work for a week there is lots of play time to enjoy!

We're overjoyed to have the newest Rothgery as an addition to our family and are excited to see whether she'll be getting a boy or girl cousin come July.

I can't help but notice the contrast to when Wyatt was born for myself. I wanted to hold him constantly and cuddle his cute little face and tiny body. I feel the same desire to cuddle Carly but with less intensity. Wyatt is at such a fun and playful age and when you walk in and he runs at you screaming your name out of joy for seeing you, it's hard to not play with him and go pick up a baby that can't really see who you are. I'll just have to continue to do both and eventually we'll all be able to play together!

Band of Brothers

Ryan and Sarah — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:57:00 GMT

Over spring break we moved into our new house (thanks Dad, Paul, Elias, Tate, & Brian for the help!). As we settled in, we received a surprise call from our friend Br. Beau. He was making an unexpected trip to Denver with 4 of his fellow Brothers. On St. Patrick's Day we had the great fortune of hosting these five holy men.

Brother Beau, Brother Raul, Brother Jeremy, Brother Tristen, and Brother Michael are seminarians with The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT).

It was so amazing to hang out with Brother Beau and his new family members. Each of their stories is so unique and beautiful. (A special thanks to Br. Raul for sharing his incredible path to the priesthood!)

Thank you guys for gracing us with your presence. What a blessing for our new house! Any time you are passing through Denver, you have a home.

Please keep these future rock star priests in your prayers.