A Homily by Father Franklyn M. McAfee - "Awaiting the New Pentecost"

Homily of Reverend Franklyn M. McAfee, D.D.

Pastor Emeritus

St. John the Beloved Catholic Church McLean, Virginia

September 7 , 2008

Obama School Appointee Admired Ardent Promoter of Child Molestation

From LifeSiteNews
By James Tillman

Kevin Jennings, the Obama administration's "safe schools czar," is a professed admirer of Harry Hay, radical homosexual rights activist and ardent promoter of pedophilia.

In remarks given October 25, 1997 at the Grace Church School in New York City, Kevin Jennings said that one "of the people that's always inspired me is Harry Hay, who started the first ongoing gay rights groups in America."

He continued: "Everybody thought Harry Hay was crazy in 1948, and they knew something about him which he apparently did not-they were right, he was crazy. You are all crazy. We are all crazy. All of us who are thinking this way are crazy, because you know what? Sane people keep the world the same [sh*tty] old way it is now."

The reasons people thought Harry Hay to be crazy may be gleaned from some of Harry Hay's remarks at events associated with or run by NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. The professed end of NAMBLA is, according to their website, "to end the extreme oppression of men and boys in mutually consensual relationships." They oppose age-of-consent laws so that pedophilia would become accepted and legal.

In his remarks on February 22, 1983, at New York University, Harry Hay accounts his statutory rape, at fourteen years of age, by a homosexual man twenty-five years old. He thanks this man for the experience, saying that the boy he was at fourteen "needed to know best of all what only another gay man could show him and tell him."

Furthermore, this is apparently an experience he recommends for many children, as his remarks make very clear: "Because if the parents and friends of gays are truly friends of gays, they would know from their gay kids that the relationship with an older man is precisely what thirteen-, fourteen-, and fifteen-year-old kids need more than anything else in the world. And they would be welcoming this, and welcoming the opportunity for young gay kids to have the kind of experience that they would need."

Harry Hay made similar comments in San Francisco, October 7, 1984, during a public forum on the topic "Man/Boy Love and Sexual Liberation." Among his comments is this remark: "I think that the twelve-year-old, thirteen-year-old boy approaching puberty knows very well that there are things about himself that he needs to find out, that he needs to discover, and he wants very much to reach out and find someone who will give this to him."

Nor did Kevin Jenning's hero think that the accusation of child molestation often hurled at NAMBLA carried much weight. As he remarked on June 24, 1994, in the former Stonewall Inn on Sheridan Square in New York, insofar "as child molestation is concerned, the most common form is the sexual coercion by which gay and lesbian children are bedeviled into hetero identities and behaviors. And this is practiced daily by the whole national and international hetero community - parents, family, teachers, preachers, doctors, lawyers, and Indian chiefs, not to overlook U.S. senators and pooh-bah media."

Harry Hay was a radical among "gay rights" activists, opposing those homosexuals who acted like heterosexuals as "assimilationists" who did not fully live out what it is to be homosexual. "We pulled ugly green frog skin of heterosexual conformity over us, and that's how we got through school with a full set of teeth," Hay once explained. "We know how to live through their eyes. We can always play their games, but are we denying ourselves by doing this. If you're going to carry the skin of conformity over you, you are going to suppress the beautiful prince or princess within you."

In his remarks at Grace School Church, Kevin Jennings closed his speech by invoking the memory of Harry Hay. He asked his audience to "think how much can change in one lifetime if in Harry Hay's one very short life, he saw change from not even one person willing to join him to a million people willing to travel to Washington to join him. You can see the same change happen in your lifetime if you believe you can."

When the White House press secretary was asked if Obama was unconcerned about Jennings' praise for Harry Hay, he said that he had nothing to say at the moment.

Kevin Jennings, an openly homosexual, past high-school teacher, has been at the center of other controversies. He was the founder of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN, according to their website, "envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression." In the notorious "Fistgate" scandal, GLSEN held an event in which young teens were told how to perform dangerous homosexual activities. Many have accused GLSEN of attempting to saturate schools with homosexual propaganda.

Sir Kenneth Clark's "Civilisation: The Pursuit of Happiness"

In this ninth episode, Lord Clark reflects on the nature of 18th century music, the work of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart, and - after discussing the painter Watteau - considers that some of its qualities are found in Rococo architecture.

It Didn't Seem Like Yalta or Potsdam at the Time

Who knew The One would earn the Nobel Peace Prize for having a beer with a racist professor and a white cop?

From Our Mail: Defending Belmont Abbey College

From: Senator Rick Santorum

Re: Obama Administration's Assault on Belmont Abbey College

The Obama Administration is working to erase respect for conscience from health insurance and the law in general…

… Don’t believe me?

In his address at the University of Notre Dame, Obama talked a good game about respecting conscience on abortion rights. He did the same thing when he met the Pope. But that was all it was -- talk.

The Obama Administration’s attack on Belmont Abbey College proves that.

Belmont Abbey College is a small, private, Catholic college located in North Carolina. For 130 years, it and the Benedictine monks who run it have been dedicated to handing on the Catholic faith.

But the Obama Administration is now trying to force them to abandon that faith or go out of business.

You see, the Administration at Belmont Abbey College removed contraception, abortion, and voluntary sterilization from its faculty's health care policy after discovering it had accidentally been a part of existing plans.

Employees of the school who objected to this change in policy brought a complaint against the school accusing them of “gender discrimination.”

This accusation against Belmont Abbey College couldn’t be further from the truth.

Belmont Abbey College was not discriminating against women. Unlike many “believers in name only” the college was adhering to the principles of its faith.

At first, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found no evidence of gender discrimination by Belmont Abbey College…..

After a few weeks, the EEOC mysteriously reversed course and announced, in effect, that the college had better toe the Administration’s line, or else.

They are now demanding the school go against the very principles it exists to serve.

Don’t be fooled.

Killing or funding the killing of unborn children has nothing to do with promoting human health.
No Catholic college or other religious institution should ever be required by the government to violate its moral beliefs ...

... Which is why I’m asking for your help today.

Your immediate support for the defense of Belmont Abbey College is VITAL, not only for Belmont Abbey, but for all religious institutions in America.

Too many were silent when Obama went to Notre Dame. As a result his Administration has been emboldened to attack all Catholic institutions. Now, they are shamelessly picking on a small Catholic college – Belmont Abbey.

Tomorrow it could be your local church, the parochial school you send your kids to, it could be the Jesus bumper sticker on your car…

If Obama is given the opportunity to attack even the oldest and most respected religious establishments across the country, what will be next?

The President of Belmont Abbey College has bravely stated that he would rather close the school than go against the church’s most fundamental teachings ...

I commend him for his moral conviction, but I’m afraid for the future of religious freedom in our country.

… Think I’m overreacting?

The impact of even one Catholic college knuckling under or closing would be a catastrophe for all religious institutions.

Which is why I am asking for your help.

Will you stand with me against the Obama Administration’s war on conscience?

Luckily, the Belmont Abbey College has enlisted the help of a law firm that specializes in defending against this type of travesty. It’s called the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

The Becket Fund has a solid reputation for being the best in the business.

I know first hand how effective the Becket Fund is in preserving our freedom of religion. I’ve known them for years.

Way back in the Clinton Administration when Clinton threatened to court-martial military chaplains who followed their consciences by preaching against Clinton’s veto of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, it was the Becket Fund that filed suit in federal court and got that gag order struck down.

And just this past week, when the Freedom from Religion Foundation sued to strike “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, it was the Becket Fund that intervened in the case and successfully defended the Pledge.

In between they have successfully defended all sorts of believers and religious institutions.

Archbishop Chaput knows them well too. As he likes to say, “The work of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is more than ‘good.’ It’s vital.”

By contributing to the Becket Fund, you can directly support religious freedom — for Belmont Abbey — and every other religious school or institution in the country.

Make no mistake, this will not be easy. The Obama Administration is relentless about silencing religious believers.

Will you do me a personal favor, in the name of religious freedom, and contribute – today -- to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s fight for Belmont Abbey College and for all other religious institutions?

Time is of the essence. Belmont Abbey College stands for the moral teachings and principles of the Catholic Church -- it stands for life.

... You and I simply cannot allow the radical leftists in this country to succeed in demanding Belmont Abbey College turn its back on the most basic and fundamental teachings of the church or else close.

Belmont Abbey President William Thierfelder recently said, "All of us need to have moral courage in today's world." He added. "We are so resolute in our commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church that there is no possible way we would ever deviate from it, and if it came down to it ... we would close the school rather than give in ...”

.... Will you exercise your moral courage and help me defend Belmont Abbey College with an urgent and immediate contribution of $500, $250, $100, $35, or whatever you can afford, to prevent religious freedom from becoming a thing of the past?

I’m counting on you to act TODAY!



God Bless,

Hon. Rick Santorum
United State Senator 1995-2007

P.S. I’m tired of hearing outsiders and insiders tell Catholics and other devout religious believers to keep quiet about our religious and moral views in society. That's a kind of bullying. And I don't think Catholics or persons of any faith should accept it....
For the sake and the right of religious liberty for all, I urge you to contribute to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and support the Belmont Abbey College, TODAY!

Move South Carolina Forward with Governor Sanford

From The Greenville News
By Keith Munson

The day after Mark Sanford’s election in 2002, Chip Campsen, Ken Wingate and I accompanied him to the National Governors Association meeting, where we crammed into one hotel room and played rock/paper/scissors for the roll-a-way bed. From that first day, Gov. Sanford has earnestly pursued fiscal restoration for South Carolina — and the recent political whirlwind doesn’t change that fact.

Sen. David Thomas may paint fleeting headlines for his own elective ambition, but he will never paint out the truth of Sanford’s stewardship of tax dollars.

Headline: Sanford cashes in airline ticket he “won” for state reimbursement.

Truth: Sanford bought an airline ticket at a charity auction for $1,100 and used it for official travel in lieu of the state spending $2,000 more for the flight. (If only all state procurement could be this efficient).

Headline: Sanford “breaks law” flying business rather than coach on overseas flights.

Truth: The S.C. Commerce Department’s purchase of these tickets was established policy for over 20 years, approved by the comptroller general, immaterial to the Legislative Audit Council, and occurred more than 230 times since 1984, including by members of Sen. Thomas’s own committee.

Headline: Sanford derelict in failing to report trips in private planes.

Truth: Gifts from friends and families are not reportable. How does not reporting every time you bummed a ride from your pilot-brother make you unfit to be governor? It’s not like he was hiding it — they were noted on his calendar.

If you step back and look at the bigger picture, you will see a clear image of fiscal vigilance. Sanford sold the state’s interest in one jet, saving more than $1.5 million dollars. He flies the smaller state plane when he can, avoids helicopter flights and stopped the convenient, but expensive, pick-up at Owens Field. He has flown one-third less than the average of the preceding three governors (about 100 hours less, of which, only a few hours have been questioned). In total, Sanford’s office has cut its travel budget by 63 percent from the previous administration.

Looking beyond travel, when Gov. Sanford took office, Gov. Jim Hodges had already spent around 85 percent of the annual Governor’s Mansion budget, in just 50 percent of the fiscal year. Columbia politicos were outraged, but I recall the Sanford camp thinking 15 percent would be more than enough for their needs.

When the Governor’s Mansion was evacuated for mold remediation, the governor’s family stayed in the pool house, rather than incur the expense of a substitute residency (and by “house” I mean a large sun room with one bathroom). When BMW offered a vehicle for the governor’s use, he sent it to the Highway Patrol. These, and a hundred things like these (saving South Carolina tens of millions), are what define Mark Sanford.

When I see opponents and spectators try to redefine Gov. Sanford for their own advancement and amusement, I’m reminded of the “witch burning” scene in Monty Python’s “The Holy Grail.” In this scene, the mob knows the woman is a witch because she looks like a witch, and she looks like a witch because the mob dressed her up like a witch (www.youtube.com — search “She’s a Witch”). This circular reasoning resembles the logic employed to belittle Gov. Sanford and make it seem as if his resignation would be justifiable. It is not.

Asking for his resignation (“we’d prefer you not be governor”) is a far cry from impeachment (“we have soberly and solemnly determined that you have committed ‘serious crimes or serious misconduct in office.’”). And while legislators, with the best intentions, may believe that Gov. Sanford should resign, I’d submit that based on the current record, only the opportunistic or vengeful could support impeachment.

Now that everyone has staked out their position on resignation, maybe the scab-picking will stop and the healing will begin. There are several areas of agreement where legislative progress can be made next session: instituting spending caps with Sen. Glenn McConnell’s leadership, tort reform with Speaker Bobby Harrell’s and Sen. Larry Martin’s suggestions, restructuring our state’s health care agencies via Sen. Harvey Peeler’s task force, and improving unemployment services, something Rep. Kenny Bingham has been advocating for several months.

Gov. Sanford is committed to making progress. If the General Assembly will commit, then this could be their most productive legislative session. Now that’s a headline I look forward to reading.

Keith Munson of Greenville is an attorney and he served on Gov. Mark Sanford’s transition team. He can be reached at KMunson@wcsr.com.

Pope Awards Highest Honor to EWTN Founder Mother Angelica and Chairman

EWTN has consistently given high priority to uncompromising support for Catholic moral principles and the pro-life movement.

From LifeSiteNews

Pope Benedict XVI has awarded EWTN foundress, Mother Mary Angelica, and Deacon Bill Steltemeier, Chairman of EWTN's Board of Governors, the Cross of Honor for distinguished service to the Church. The medal, officially known as "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" (literally "For the Church and the Pope"), is the highest honor that the Pope can bestow upon laity and religious.

The acknowledgement of Mother Angelica's work by the Pope is highly significant in light of high profile criticism that the EWTN foundress has sustained over her unwavering fidelity to the faith. Mother Angelica had to endure crushing criticism and even attempts to take over her station by various left-leaning Catholic bishops in the United States.

As Catholic League President Bill Donohue wrote in a 2005 review of Raymond Arroyo’s nationally best-selling book on Mother Angelica, some bishops actively fought EWTN at its inception. “Indeed, the bishops tried to outdo her by launching their own effort, the Catholic Telecommunications Network of America (CTNA). It was clear from the beginning that Mother Angelica was seen as a threat: EWTN had a traditional orientation and CTNA took a modernist stance. EWTN won. CTNA collapsed.”

Donohue added: “Mother Angelica did not take kindly to those clerics who questioned her authority to showcase some bishops, but not others. ‘I happen to own the network,’ she instructed. When told that this would not be forever, she let loose: ‘I'll blow the damn thing up before you get your hands on it.’”

From its beginning the station has placed a strong emphasis on explaining and defending Catholic moral principles related to life and family. It has extensively covered the annual Washington March for Life, featured numerous pro-life leaders and broadcasted exceptionally hard-hitting talks by EWTN regulars such as Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Fr. Thomas Euteneuer of HLI and Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.

During elections EWTN has followed the direction of the Popes and faithful bishops and emphasized that the top priority for Catholics during elections must be the candidates' stands on abortion and marriage and the family and that candidates who are strongly pro-abortion or who support same-sex 'marriage' cannot be supported regardless of their stands on other issues. This is one of many reasons which has caused the station to be intensely disliked by the liberal Catholic establishment that has for many years pushed a more liberal 'social justice' priority list of voting issues.

Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham conferred the awards in a brief ceremony following Sunday benediction at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama.

"The Holy Father's recognition of Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill Steltemeier is a much-deserved honor. It acknowledges the tremendous faith, hard work and incredible sacrifices that each of them have made throughout the years in founding and building up the Network," said EWTN President and CEO Michael P. Warsaw. "Their recognition is also a great honor for EWTN and is a clear sign of the importance of the Network's mission for the Church and the Pope. We are grateful to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and to Bishop Baker for this honor."

Mother Mary Angelica, 86, is a Poor Clare Nun of Perpetual Adoration. She came to Alabama in 1961 to found Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale. In 1981, she began Eternal Word Television Network in a garage on the monastery property. In 1999, Mother Angelica relocated the Monastery to the grounds of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama. She continues to reside there with her community of Nuns.

Deacon R. William Steltemeier, 80, was a successful Nashville attorney who left his law practice to join Mother Angelica with her fledgling television network. He served as EWTN's President for many years and continues to serve as Chairman of the Network's Board of Governors.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 28th year, is available in over 150 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website http://www.ewtn.com/ and publishing arm, EWTN, is the largest religious media network in the world."