Honoring Father Norman Weslin as Light Finally Dawns Upon Notre Dame
. . . There is a lot at stake. Don't let the news media's exploitation of scandal sway you from the urgency of what this government is trying to sell you under the guise of health care. Perhaps it's time to stand finally with the faithful voices courageously telling us the truth, such as that of Cardinal Timothy Dolan who told CBS's “Face the Nation" on April 8:"We didn't ask for this fight, but we won't back away from it." Catholic fidelity would go a long way toward removing the real millstone of Catholic scandal, the one depicted in stark contrast around the necks of Father Norman Weslin and President Barak Obama on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in that 2009 photo. Long after that other Catholic scandal is forgotten, this one will endure for generations to come. . . .
A Treacherous Descent: Religious Freedom in America Put to the Test
. . . The case currently before the Supreme Court seems an almost natural result of what I have repeatedly called "the settlement game" that has driven the Catholic scandal. In the Boston College Law Review, Professor John S. Baker summarized the grave implications of this capitulation: "The Church should recognize the New Hampshire settlement for what it potentially is: ‘the camel’s nose inside the tent.’ Over the years, the U.S. Department of Justice has set precedents by bringing and then settling dubious cases against corporations and other business entities. Over time, prosecutors use these unlitigated "precedents" to launch bolder prosecutions, as circumstances permit. This intrusion by a state prosecutor into the jurisdiction of the Church may encourage and be the basis for actions by other state prosecutors." "The decision by the Diocese [of Manchester] to enter into this agreement represents a dangerous capitulation by one diocese that may have created a serious threat to the other dioceses of the United States.” (44 B.C.L.Rev. 1061, July/Sept. 2003). . .
In Memoriam: Cardinal Avery Dulles and Fr. Richard John Neuhaus
. . . In a letter dated 7 September 2007, the eve of the anniversary of his own communion with the Catholic faith, Father Richard John Neuhaus - advisor to popes and presidents - took the time to write to a prisoner. His encouraging letter to Pornchai Moontri in prison after reading "Pornchai's Story" published by The Catholic League, prompted Pornchai to realize the impact of what he called "true believers." Father Neuhaus wrote: "Your story is very moving indeed. While ... there is little concrete that any of us can do about this situation, we can pray, and you may be sure that you are in my prayers. In truth, prayer is the most concrete and effective instrument God has given us in order to participate in His purposes, which are often beyond our understanding." . . .