Bishop Jenky: "Heroic Catholicism" Needed to Confront Government Threats

Bishop Jenky meets with Pope Benedict XVI

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria recently told a men's conference in his diocese that "heroic Catholicism, not casual Catholicism” is required to confront the Obama administration's threats to religious liberty and the public ministries of the Church.  In the strongest language and, we believe, one of the best homilies ever delivered by an American bishop, he warned that Catholic ministries of all kinds -- schools, hospitals, charities and Newman Centers -- could be shut by the fall of 2013, rather than "cooperate with the intrinsic evil of killing innocent human life in the womb."

The full text of Bishop Jenky's address follows:

Constitution Party National Convention to Meet in Nashville Amidst Unprecedented Voter Dissatisfaction with Obama and Romney

Constitution Party National Chairman, Jim Clymer, announced the 2012 National Convention of the Constitution Party which will be held April 18-21 in Nashville, Tennessee.

"American voters who support limited, constitutional government, traditional American values, the protection of American jobs and preservation of individual liberty can take heart! They will not be limited to a difficult choice between Obama and Romney as the one likely to be the least threat to their life, liberty, property and other interests. The Constitution Party will be offering the Constitutional option in 2012," said Clymer.

Seventy-two (and Counting) Representatives Support Earmark Ban

Rep. Tim Scott, the only SC Representative listed as supporting a ban on earmarks.

It seems that the TEA Party movement has a considerable amount of work yet to do, even in conservative states like South Carolina.  The Heritage Foundation has reported that only "72 Representatives have firmly stated to constituents that they will support a continuing ban on earmarks."  

In South Carolina, only the principled Tim Scott is on the list.  Do the others need reminding or have they already succumbed to the Washington Establishment culture? 

The 72 supporting a continuing ban on earmarks are:

Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)
Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ)
Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA)
Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)
Rep. John Campbell (R-CA)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
Rep. Steve Southerland (R-FL)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)
Rep. Allen West  (R-FL)
Rep. Sandy Adams (R-FL)
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA)
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)
Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA)
Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA)
Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL)
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL)
Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-IL)
Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN)
Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)
Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN)
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS)
Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)
Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI)
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI)
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN)
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)
Rep. Alan Nunnelee (R-MS)
Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS)
Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-AL)
Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC)
Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH)
Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ)
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH)
Rep. James Renacci (R-OH)
Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA)
Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Rep. Mark Critz (D-PA)
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)
Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC)
Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN)
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN)
Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX)
Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)
Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-TX)
Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX)
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX)
Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA)
Rep. Robert Hurt (R-VA)
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Don’t see your Representative here? Use this link to call and ask if he or she supports continuing the earmark ban.

--This post has been updated here.--

Santorum Declines to Endorse Mitt Romney

Surrounded by his wife, Karen, and members of his family, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum announces he will suspend his campaign during a press conference in Gettysburg, Pa. (Getty Images / April 10, 2012)

Rick Santorum pointedly declined Monday night to endorse presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney, instead pointing out that he has not backed a candidate in the race and urging his supporters to vote their conscience.

“As far as how you vote, that’s up to you,” Santorum told thousands of supporters during a conference call. “I haven’t supported any candidate at this point, so that’s really up to you.”

Read the rest of this entry >>

Mitt's 'McCain Impression'

By Stephen Stone, President of Renew America

With Rick Santorum's recent departure from the 2012 presidential sweepstakes, the Republican establishment — aided and abetted by self-identified "conservative" voters — has just ensured the re-election of Barack Obama.

That's a view widely held by real conservatives, not just my own view.

The GOP now fields one of the most disliked, ruthlessly ambitious, untruthful, problematic candidates for president in recent memory. Never before in modern history has a Republican presidential candidate been so overtly manipulative of the political process, or of the public mind, than Mitt Romney. (You'd have to revisit Obama's media-driven, illusion-based 2008 Democratic candidacy to see something comparable). As a result, rarely has the Republican base been left with so unpopular a choice.

Of course all along, the Romney camp's presumption has been that in the end, conservatives will vote for Mitt in large numbers precisely because they have no other choice.

That's not likely to happen, though — given human nature, and given the principled nature of some voters — despite the country's intense disaffection for Dictator-in-Charge Obama.

Looking After the Home Folks - Kenya Sees Spike in Obama Administration-Funded Projects

From US Trade & Aid Monitor

Kenyan businesses lately are increasingly becoming recipients of U.S. government largesse, as the Obama Administration, among pursuing other endeavors, aims to expand "livestock-related economic opportunities" in that nation. Although this and other recently released presolicitation notices for unrelated programs serve as advance alerts to potential vendors—and therefore do not offer cost estimates and other details— a review of U.S. government contracting actions nonetheless indicates a spike of activity in Kenya in a variety of sectors.

The White House is committing to a five-year effort to "improve the inclusiveness and competitiveness" of the livestock industry specifically in Marsabit and Garissa counties, Kenya, according to a presolicitation notice released April 12 that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor located via routine database research.

The Feed the Future-related initiative, known as the Resilience and Economic Growth in the Arid Lands-Accelerated Growth, or REGAL-AG, program, will be carried out by contractors hired by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to the document.

The agency did not disclose the project’s estimated cost: "No additional information regarding this planned RFP [Request for Proposals] is available at this time."

USAID that same day separately alerted potential contractors to the launching of yet another endeavor in that nation, known as the Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises, or KAVES, program.

The KAVES presolicitation notice simply states the agency’s intention “to use full and open competition for the contract, which will be performed in Kenya. USAID intends to release the solicitation within the next 45 days.”

The agency pointed out that the presolicitation number——will change upon release of a bid request, but the program name would remain the same.

Other recent contracting actions include:

• Up to $50 million in U.S. Navy-coordinated military construction projects on the horizon at Camp Simba, Kenya, and at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

• Deployment to Kenya of a privately contracted Regional Advisor for USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). as well as an Emerging Pandemic Threats Advisor.

• A U.S. Trade & Development Agency-led search for a contractor to perform a “definitional mission” exploring possible funding of geothermal energy projects in Kenya and Rwanda.

The above-mentioned endeavors have taken place in recent weeks; however, other notable U.S.-funded Kenyan projects thus far in 2012 include the launching of a National Institutes of Health-led initiative to hire contractors to conduct genetic research of Kenyans with Type-2 diabetes. Separately, the U.S. Army embarked upon a market survey of potential vendors to provide helicopter flight-training simulators to the Kenyan government.

Happy Birthday and Viva il Papa!

Today is the 85th birthday of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and this week we will mark the 7th anniversary of his election to the Chair of Saint Peter.  For this gentle, kind, brilliant, holy teacher and shepherd, we give thanks to God and pray that he continues as Christ's 265th Vicar on Earth for many more years.

In these seven years, he has undertaken 23 international trips, including the first state visit by a Pope to England and Scotland (Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit in 1982).  He has made 26 pastoral trips throughout Italy.  He has presided over 4 synods of bishops and 3 world youth days.  In 3 encyclicals and in all of his many books, homilies, letters and addresses he has spoken powerfully, clearly and from the heart, to the heart.  One of his frequent references to his predecessor and friendship with Christ provides a beautiful example:

Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us?...And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation....When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.

His contributions to building the unity of the Church and healing old divisions have been monumental and historic.  There has never been such friendship and collaboration with leaders of the Orthodox churches as there has been throughout this pontificate.  Through his apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus he has provided a bridge through which thousands of Anglicans and other Protestants are entering the Church, while maintaining their own rich patrimony.  Through his Apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum he has restored the Roman Church's own patrimony, ending nearly a half century of division and conflict and restoring reverence and beauty to sacred liturgy.  And in the English-speaking world he has restored a faithful and reverent translation of the Roman Missal.  He has been tireless in seeking reconciliation with those alienated by false interpretations and reckless innovations following the Second Vatican Council.

Most importantly, his joyful, faithful and total submission to the service of Jesus Christ and His Church has inspired vibrant, new, evangelical growth throughout the universal Church that has also spawned a boom in religious and priestly vocations.

For all of this and so much more, we wish Pope Benedict God's richest blessings, a happy birthday and heartily proclaim "Viva il Papa!"