US Bishops Issue Pastoral Letter on Marriage, Condemn Contraception, Homosexual Unions

From Catholic World News

The bishops of the United States have issued a 60-page pastoral letter on marriage that offers an overview of Catholic teaching on the sacrament while addressing the challenges posed by contraception, same-sex unions, divorce, and cohabitation.

The draft of the document, which earned praise from pro-life and pro-family leaders, underwent nearly 100 changes before it was approved by a 180-45 margin. For example, in the section on contraception-- which cites Humanae Vitae seven times-- the sentence “this is an intrinsically evil action” was changed and expanded to

This is objectively wrong in and of itself and is essentially opposed to God’s plan for marriage and proper human development. It makes the act of intercourse signify, or speak, something less than the unreserved self-gift intended in the marriage promises.

The draft’s key paragraph condemning the legal recognition of homosexual unions remained unchanged:

The legal recognition of same-sex unions poses a multifaceted threat to the very fabric of society, striking at the source from which society and culture come and which they are meant to serve. Such recognition affects all people, married and non-married: not only at the fundamental levels of the good of the spouses, the good of children, the intrinsic dignity of every human person, and the common good, but also at the levels of education, cultural imagination and influence, and religious freedom.

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

• Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan (USCCB)
• Bishops OK marriage pastoral with many changes, some opposition (CNS)
• Draft of pastoral letter (National Catholic Reporter)
• Leaked US Bishops Draft Marriage Pastoral Letter Strong, but Under Fire from Dissidents (LifeSiteNews.com)

The Illegitimate Administration Makes Illegitimate Claims of Success

Jobs 'Saved or Created' in Congressional Districts That Don't Exist

From ABC News
By Jonathan Karl

Here's a stimulus success story: In Arizona's 15th congressional district, 30 jobs have been saved or created with just $761,420 in federal stimulus spending. At least that's what the Web site set up by the Obama administration to track the $787 billion stimulus says.

There's one problem, though: There is no 15th congressional district in Arizona; the state has only eight districts.

And ABC News has found many more entries for projects like this in places that are incorrectly identified.

Late Monday, officials with the Recovery Board created to track the stimulus spending, said the mistakes in crediting nonexistent congressional districts were caused by human error.

"We report what the recipients submit to us," said Ed Pound, Communications Director for the Board.

Pound told ABC News the board receives declarations from the recipients - state governments, federal agencies and universities - of stimulus money about what program is being funded.

"Some recipients clearly don't know what congressional district they live in, so they appear to be just throwing in any number. We expected all along that recipients would make mistakes on their congressional districts, on jobs numbers, on award amounts, and so on. Human beings make mistakes," Pound said.

The issue has raised hackles on Capitol Hill.

Rep. David Obey, D-Wisc, who chairs the powerful House appropriations Committee, issued a paper statement demanding that the recovery.gov Web site be updated.

"The inaccuracies on recovery.gov that have come to light are outrageous and the Administration owes itself, the Congress, and every American a commitment to work night and day to correct the ludicrous mistakes."

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Airport Rules Changed after Ron Paul Aide Detained

From The Washington Times
By Stephen Dinan

An angry aide to Rep. Ron Paul, an iPhone and $4,700 in cash have forced the Transportation Security Administration to quietly issue two new rules telling its airport screeners they can only conduct searches related to airplane safety.

In response, the American Civil Liberties Union is dropping its lawsuit on behalf of Steve Bierfeldt, the man who was detained in March and who recorded the confrontation on his iPhone as TSA and local police officers spent half an hour demanding answers as to why he was carrying the money through Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

The new rules, issuedin September and October, tell officers "screening may not be conducted to detect evidence of crimes unrelated to transportation security" and that large amounts of cash don't qualify as suspicious for purposes of safety.

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A Homily by The Rev. George Rutler, S.T.D. - "The Widow's Mite"

Homily of Father George Rutler, S. T. D.

Pastor

Church of Our Saviour

New York City

November 8, 2009

MS Baptist All-State Youth Choir & Orchestra 2008 - "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all."

George Schultz on 'Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Wall: Reflections from Yesterday, Lessons for Today'

From a conference at the Reagan Presidential Library on November 6, 2009.

Christian Defense Coalition Concerned about the Role of the FBI Under the Obama Administration

The Christian Defense Coalition wonders why their Director, Rev. Patrick Mahoney, was visited and questioned by FBI agents for leading a peaceful prayer vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Yet Major Hasan, who contacted Islamic terrorists multiple times, made threatening comments to the American military and considered himself a "Soldier of Allah" was never visited or questioned by the FBI.

Is it possible that Rev. Mahoney was targeted because he has been an outspoken critic of President Obama's record on human rights and social justice?

Federal agents came to the home of Rev. Mahoney to question him about laying roses and praying in front of the Chinese Embassy on June 4th of this year.

The purpose of the prayer vigil was to honor and remember the heroic students who were brutalized in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago and to call upon the Chinese government to protect human rights and honor religious freedom. (View Pictures here.)

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney comments,

"I was deeply troubled to have agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation come to my home and question me about my peaceful activities at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

"Those activities included conducting a prayer vigil and laying roses at the Embassy to honor the students who were killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre 20 years ago. We also wanted to pray that the Chinese government would honor and protect human rights and civil liberties in their country.

"It is even more troubling to realize that I was visited at my home by the FBI for peacefully exercising my First Amendment rights, yet Major Hasan received no such visit by the FBI for contacting Islamic terrorists multiple times and making threatening comments to the American military.

"How is it possible that a Christian minister is investigated and questioned by federal agents for holding a peaceful prayer vigil and a person who killed 13 people and had numerous contacts with terrorists was never visited or questioned?

"Is this the new policy of the FBI under President Obama? If you are a Christian minister and pray and speak out against the human rights abuses of the Chinese government and challenge the President on his human rights policies, you will be investigated by the FBI. However, if you are a Muslim who is in regular contact with terrorists and makes hateful comments against the American military you will be granted a free pass."