Cardinal Oscar's Amazing Talk | National Catholic Reporter

Cardinal Oscar's Amazing Talk | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect Acton will either condemn the remarks or say nothing.  They certainly won't face them honestly - which is truly sad.

Shame on Rubio | National Catholic Reporter

Shame on Rubio | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is not cowardice, it is partisanship and the pandering to donors.  It is more craven the fearful.

Wieseltier on Tongues & the NYTimes | National Catholic Reporter

Wieseltier on Tongues & the NYTimes | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: He misses it.  Prayer is about lifting oneself to God in order to find out God's will - not to bribe God into doing what he is going to do anyway.  This is why the Bishops call for fasting for all sorts of things political (like the current 40 Days for Life) is so wrong headed.  If they were praying correctly, they would seek guidance as to how THEY can change - not how Democrats in the pews can change.  Speaking in tongues with the interpretation of tongues - which is presumably inspired - IS actually more likely to hit the mark for following God's will - again assuming honesty rather than manipulation and wishful thinking.

Not a happy day in Hartford | National Catholic Reporter

Not a happy day in Hartford | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I am opposed to embryonic stem cell research - not because it takes a life - it does not.  It simply does not work unless your goal is to figure out how to take a cell from a donor, clone it and then make a new organ.  This is no longer necessary because they can manipulate genes in an adult stem cell to do what is required.

As for this particular appointment - my prediction was that this would show the extent to which the Congregation on (of?) Bishops had been reformed.  This is our answer - not yet.  The Church is a big ship.  It takes time to change course.  I suspect that the faithful of Hartford are used to this kind of thing, so there at least won't be any further losses.  If the new bishops muffs things up, he will likely be replaced.  At least he was not sent to Arlington, Virginia.  Then I would be really upset.  Even though our bishop is a culture warrior as well, he does not use Communion as a weapon.  Its bad enough that Lori is our Metropolitan.  At least he is still on a bit of a tight leash.

New Abp for Hartford | National Catholic Reporter

New Abp for Hartford | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This will be an interesting bell weather on how St. Francis is doing in reigning in the Conference on Bishops.

The Real Issue with Obamacare | National Catholic Reporter

The Real Issue with Obamacare | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sebelius did not craft the act.  Rahm's brother did.  Quit trying to fire her.  She is a patriot who stood up to an arrogant bishop back home who was committing sedition and whose successor continues to.  Obama is letting these guys off easy. I would have called in the Nuncio and told him in no uncertain terms that her ability to receive Communion must be restored or he will be sent home without replacement.  Sedition is a serious matter.

I agree that most people's insurance won't be changed.  The problem is that those whose will be essentially had very bad insurance that was no better than being uninsured at all.  A subsidized public option would be good for such people, rather than a subsidy and a higher payment.

What Ails America? Samoas! | National Catholic Reporter

What Ails America? Samoas! | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Tagalongs!  20 boxes!  Seriously, fools like this are why the right-wing movement is perceived as nutty and why the pro-life movement has no chance.  When Rome starts ordaining women priests I will begin to take their commitment to a Gospel of Life seriously.  It needs to be preached with a feminine voice.  Of course, if given the choice between ordaining women and making the anti-abortion message credible, I fear the hierarchy will throw the unborn under the bus.

Berkowitz Reviews Klein Halevi's New Book | National Catholic Reporter

Berkowitz Reviews Klein Halevi's New Book | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The state of Israel is related to the state of Arab governance in general, because any Palestianian state must be ceded to a larger pan-Arab state or kingdom.  Until Israel is ready for that, including ceding some of Arab Northern Israel, it will not have peace.  (They also need to give Gaza back to Egypt and make sure Egypt passifies it).  As for multiple Zionisms, the Zionist dreams of the Romany need to be included in any such discussion of who should return.  The tribe of Judah sometimes acts as if they were the only tribe.  There are eleven others and most of us are now Catholic assimilated Romany.

How Bishops Speak | National Catholic Reporter

How Bishops Speak | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: What scares Nienstedt is that the people are way ahead of him in compassion for gays and lesbians - indeed his own largely gay priesthood may begin blessing gay unions quietly.  They might even seek to join one and therefore leave the clergy.  THAT is what is giving them nightmares, as well as the fear that the Magisterium is not as infallible as they all hope it is.

As for Catholic institutions, what they bemoan most is the loss of slave labor by sisters and nuns in Catholic parochial schools, which has caused them to either be elite, close or be turned into charter schools.  God forbid they try to pay teachers more (even unionized ones) while leaving tuition prices low enough for all parish families to afford.

As far as critisizing the enlightment, that is a fools errand and has been since Vatican II essentailly wrote an enlightenment version of freedom of thought and religion into the dogma of the Church.  There is no going back from that, regardless of how many John Paul II priests wish to.

Gay marriage foes change their tactics, but not their tune | National Catholic Reporter

Gay marriage foes change their tactics, but not their tune | National Catholic Reporter These idiots, who are essentially working for bishops who hate to admit the Magisterium can ever be wrong, forget that Canon law states that only functionality is necessary for marriage, not fecundity.  Older couples could not marry (or have sex) if the ability to have offspring from the sexual act was a requirement.  Marriage is about creating family units (and gay people may have kids, either from a straight marriage designed to pass or children inherited from family members who have passed).  Not recognizing these unions (which are sacramental if vows are exchanged - even without a priest - who is the witness, not the celebrant - again, according the the theology of marriage) is, in essence, leaving gay people as infants who are forever tied to their families of origin.  While civil unions can do this, the reality is that such a state is MARRIAGE and to not call it that is simply pandering to religious people.  It is time to quit pandering and call it marriage.  The reason the Church is so adament about this is the same reason it won't budge on birth control - even though it is wrong on that as well.  Their entire intellectual construct of Magisterial infalliabilty  would fall apart if they admitted error on these issues.

Motley Monk v. McElroy | National Catholic Reporter

Motley Monk v. McElroy | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Motley Monk needs to take some intro level poltical science classes.  He also needs to take a good end of life ethics class from a Jesuit who does not buy into the post Evangelicum Vitae fever about passive euthanisia - which is both morally and legally licit.  Letting someone who is terminal die naturally is no sin.  Active euthanasia is not a practice in the vast majority of the country - especially among Catholics (and is no sin for the unchurched, even if it is moral evil - see Romans on this).  As for abortion, polticis is the art of the possible.  There is no possible legal or judicial fix for abortion under our constitutional system.  A judicial reversal would also tear down much of the remainder of equal protection jurisprudence - particularly federal supremacy.  That would be unacceptable and would leave the fate of the Church in the hands of people in the south who still believe that the Pope is the anti-christ.  They burn churches now - wait until they can legislate them closed!  As for legality, equal proection questions pretty much prevent a first trimester abortion ban, which would necessitate criminal investigations of every miscarriage, as well as possible tort action, once you make an embryo a legal person.  Really.  No bill doing this will pass and no bill avoiding these issues will pass the constitutional smell test.  One must conclude that anyone who waves the bloody sheet of abortion is pandering to the mob and is not serious.  This is not even a prudential choice - the pro-life movement is guilty of defrauding its flock and fundraisers for Republican poltical gain - at least in the US.  In other nations, where rights are granted by the state and not regarded as inalienable, abortion might be regulated. Not here, however.  Give up the dream.

Hahn Needs to Study Some Theology | National Catholic Reporter

Hahn Needs to Study Some Theology | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Hahn just hates the idea that the bishops and the pope are straying from pelvic issues into an area that he thinks he can exercise "prudential judgement" without restraint.  This is right wing libertarianism run amok - what I would expect to see in the WSJ.

Wassup at EWTN? | National Catholic Reporter

Wassup at EWTN? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: EWTN practices old style hierarchical Catholicism.  One characteristic of that mindset is to baptize the establishment.  This ideology considers Obama a non-establishment usurper, so they will try to make the facts fit their world view.  They cannot imagine that there exists libertarianism or egalitarianism as legitimate ways of thinking - although they are very willing to accept a Catholic benevolent despotism - which is why this pope likely vexes them.  Too egalitarian.

ACA RollOut Saga Continues | National Catholic Reporter

ACA RollOut Saga Continues | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Church never admits when it it wrong, which it is on the question of whether federal funds cover abortions in Obamacare - at least any more than the tax subidy for corporations for the purchase of health insurance also funds abortion.  In reality, buying popcorn at your local multiplex is more likely than paying your taxes to lead to a money stream that leads to an abortion, as low wage laborers are more likely to use their money for abortion than a tax deferred insurance fund.  Most abortions are funded with cash.

On Obama and Sebelius, they are not IT guys.  They are attorneys and elected officials.  If you want to know the name of the person responsible for the roll-out problems, look to the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  I suspect that this is where the decision was made to require sign up to view plan options.  If the decision was made higher up, that official or his staff should have politiely informed whomever came up with that idea that it would have dire technical consequences.  Sometimes the best thing someone in that job can do is say no to the boss.

The name is Tony Trenkle, although I suspect that it may have been whomever George Linares replaced, since George is now the acting CMS Cheif Technology Officer.  This may mean that his predecessor resigned over this flap already - or it could also mean that the vacancy contribued to the problem.  Of course, George could also be the civil servant who should have known better.  That is up to Sebelius to sort out - although I suspect she already has and is unwilling to throw the person recently retired under the bus publicly.

Here is the link to IT at CMS.

Good News & Bleak Analysis | National Catholic Reporter

Good News & Bleak Analysis | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The rightwing media (FoxNews and the radio talk shows) are essential one organization linked with the Republican National Committee. They are not a credible news source.  It is sad that the Democrats are now forced to own a health plan devised by the Heritage Foundation - and now only rejected due to the skin color and age of the President enacting it.  A Democratic reform would have been to expand the U.S. Uniformed Public Health Service into a large enough organization to treat all Medicare and Medicare employees as well as the uninsured - and eventually into a real British style National Health Service.  The real problem in health is not cost - it is the extraction of profit by investors.  While single-payer would essentially introduce price regulation - federalization is the only thing - aside from employers hiring doctors as staff rather than offering insurance - that has any chance of getting medical costs under control.

Chaput Responds to McElroy | National Catholic Reporter

Chaput Responds to McElroy | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The fact of the matter is that politics is the art of the possible, not the art of the perfect.  We can do much to reduce poverty in the political sphere.  There is little or nothing that can be done about abortion - especially in a year where only state elections are occurring.  Giving fetuses (2nd trimester) or embryos (1st trimester) personhood rights can only come through Congress (who enforces the 14th Amendment) and in a way that does not violate equal protection rules on criminal law (holding mothers as well as doctors accountable and investigating all failed pregnancies - including miscarriages using police power) and civil law (making miscarriages a tort event - thus making first trimester obstetric care all but impossible - which impacts all pregnancies).  As on child sex abuse, the Church is badly advised by staff and lawyers on what is really going on.  Sadly, pro-choice Catholic politicians have been reticent to educate the bishops because it still looks bad with the faithful to correct them publicly - even when they need correction and are associating with a party that is essentially defrauding the pro-life faithful for their own electoral and financial gain.

Review: Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality, Part II | National Catholic Reporter

Review: Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality, Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Concupescence is one of those things that makes life worthwhile.  It is also called passion and it is from God.  What is not from God is the concept of a natural order, which is a sophistry to fudge the issue of the fact that God cannot be damaged by human actions. In reality, for the purposes of morality it is really just our experience that should be the guide to working out natural law.  Church teaching on sexuality does not pass the smell test.  It makes life less good, especially on the issue of homosexuality.  1000 years of the worship of rationality is NOT the entire tradtion of the Church.  The 1986 letter was written because in a world where the Church was begining to conclude that sexuality was a gift from God, calling homosexuality disordered was the only way to avoid admitting that gay marriage was a viable moral option (other than channeling gays to the priesthood - celibate or otherwise).  Indeed, should gay marriage catch on among possible priests, the rectories will be empty indeed.

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The budget committee is a side show which will hopefully allow appropriations bills to get passed while no one is looking.  Sadly, they will probably wait.  I don't suspect major entitlement reform will happen, with the possible exception of the chained CPI - although that should only be allowed if the minimum wage is also increased and tied to the same inflation rate.  Increasing the Medicare Part B (and Part D) premium funding to 35% of program costs is also an option to be considered, but only if the Social Security base payment is increased - which could happen if we switched the employer contribution from a match to the employee levy to some kind of consumption tax (a Value Added Tax or a VAT-like Net Business Receipts Tax - the latter being useful if personal retirement accounts are being adopted - something Obama will never do) with every worker being credited with the same amount.  The alternative is to simply raise or eliminate the income caps and change the OASI bend points so that wealthier payers receive no windfall on the other end.  I prefer the VAT myself.  I just seems fairer and puts the redistirubtion up front.  Of course, many of those who want to "reform" entitlements really don't care as much about privatization as they do ending or minimizing redistriubtion.  Such people simply don't like Social Insurance as a concept.  I care little for their opinions.

Seamless Garment in Action | National Catholic Reporter

Seamless Garment in Action | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: That is the real meaning of being pro-life - although I am not sure what the issue of abortion has to do with the legal brief in this case.  I am glad this came to a happy ending - although the equal protection claus and the ban on cruel and unusual punishment seem adequate and probably carried the day.  In the larger issue, the pro-life concerns are justified.  Imagine if she were only two months pregnant and the judge ordered the pregnancy to be terminated?  While this is not likely in deeply red Tennessee, I would not put such sentiments beyond the scope of some judges or anti-immigrant states.  It is not much of a leap from mandatory Norplant use by welfare mothers - which has been done - or the sterilization of mental patients and criminals - which is part of our past and the real impetus for the modern Church teaching on birth control.  Oddly, this respect for reproductive freedom in Catholic doctrine seems to have been abandonned under the banner of regulating our sex lives and protecting blastocysts who have not yet attained individuality.

Garnett on Governance | National Catholic Reporter

Garnett on Governance | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Certain Catholic politicians listen more to Ayn Rand then to Catholic Social Teaching.  Sadly, one of them is leading negotiations on the budget.  I would rather he be excommunicated or denied Communion than Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden.  Allowing abortion is one thing.  Evicerating Food Stamps so the poor families must actually procure one is much worse.  I am not against all libertarianism.  If the libertarian structure redirects public money - or even tax receipts - to a more effective religious organization to provide services that is not a bad thing (with the possible exception of adoption services - which tend to thrive on placing the children of white teenagers or drug users with new families without first facilitating  way for the mother to keep the child on a long term basis).

Review: Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality | National Catholic Reporter

Review: Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: A true examination of tradition should go back 1000 years to a time when gay couples were not persecuted by the Church and the story of Sts. Bachus and Sergius were remembered (they were such a couple who were also Roman soldiers and were martyred for Christ).  As for current times, pastorally we must examine whether we want to encourage monogamy or promiscuity for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.  The answer should be obvious - as is the conclusion that the reason the hierarchy is so strident on this issue is that everyone knows they are wrong and they do not wish to admit error -else their whole construct of an infallible Magisterium collapse (and it is simply a construct).

Nominees announced for USCCB leadership roles | National Catholic Reporter

Nominees announced for USCCB leadership roles | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Saints preserve us from either Chaput or Lori.  At least Dolan is not being considered for re-election.  I think my wife knows DiNardo, so he is less of an enigma to us.  He might be a good second (with Kurtz becoming Prez in what would be a nice return to regular order after Dolan was put in outside of it).  The key question should be how each is doing on the Dallas norms.

O'Loughlin on Francis | National Catholic Reporter

O'Loughlin on Francis | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: He covers the water front, but I don't think Francis will be the agent of change.  The woman he writes about, her family and her wife and her family must be the ones who demand it.  Especially if they write checks to the annual bishop's appeal.

How Priests Should Not Speak | National Catholic Reporter

How Priests Should Not Speak | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Ideally, minstry is a fleshy experience.  Sadly, this priest still has enforcing sexuality on his mind rather than advancing charity.  Indeed, a great deal can be said for reinforcing sexual teaching by linking it to human dignity and charity rather than trying to enforce the doctrinal line.  Pity is the right emotion here.  Sadly, I doubt he is alone.

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The budget committee is a side show which will hopefully allow appropriations bills to get passed while no one is looking.  Sadly, they will probably wait.  I don't suspect major entitlement reform will happen, with the possible exception of the chained CPI - although that should only be allowed if the minimum wage is also increased and tied to the same inflation rate.  Increasing the Medicare Part B (and Part D) premium funding to 35% of program costs is also an option to be considered, but only if the Social Security base payment is increased - which could happen if we switched the employer contribution from a match to the employee levy to some kind of consumption tax (a Value Added Tax or a VAT-like Net Business Receipts Tax - the latter being useful if personal retirement accounts are being adopted - something Obama will never do) with every worker being credited with the same amount.  The alternative is to simply raise or eliminate the income caps and change the OASI bend points so that wealthier payers receive no windfall on the other end.  I prefer the VAT myself.  I just seems fairer and puts the redistirubtion up front.  Of course, many of those who want to "reform" entitlements really don't care as much about privatization as they do ending or minimizing redistriubtion.  Such people simply don't like Social Insurance as a concept.  I care little for their opinions.

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. CW | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The budget committee is a side show which will hopefully allow appropriations bills to get passed while no one is looking.  Sadly, they will probably wait.  I don't suspect major entitlement reform will happen, with the possible exception of the chained CPI - although that should only be allowed if the minimum wage is also increased and tied to the same inflation rate.  Increasing the Medicare Part B (and Part D) premium funding to 35% of program costs is also an option to be considered, but only if the Social Security base payment is increased - which could happen if we switched the employer contribution from a match to the employee levy to some kind of consumption tax (a Value Added Tax or a VAT-like Net Business Receipts Tax - the latter being useful if personal retirement accounts are being adopted - something Obama will never do) with every worker being credited with the same amount.  The alternative is to simply raise or eliminate the income caps and change the OASI bend points so that wealthier payers receive no windfall on the other end.  I prefer the VAT myself.  I just seems fairer and puts the redistirubtion up front.  Of course, many of those who want to "reform" entitlements really don't care as much about privatization as they do ending or minimizing redistriubtion.  Such people simply don't like Social Insurance as a concept.  I care little for their opinions.

Clark on Fiscal Priorities | National Catholic Reporter

Clark on Fiscal Priorities | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: She is very correct.  Hopefully the new process will cut the sequester by at least half.

Vile, vile, vile | National Catholic Reporter

Vile, vile, vile | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The former Speaker does misremember what we were all taught in Ethics about whether the unborn deserve protection.  She is incorrect when stating that if there is doubt, you can abort.  The teaching is that if there is no doubt that a child is not a life, you can abort or contracept.  Since I have no doubt that life begins at gastruatlon, I can prevent pregnancy before that point.  Still, how we fight abortion is a prudential decision.  90% of abortions happen in the first trimester - but giving first trimester embryos federal protection (states cannot change the terms of personhood under the 14th Amendment - they have abused that power in the past and continue to on immigration) is problematic at best because doing so makes every miscarriage a public event subject both to criminal investigation and tort relief - forcing doctors to not see first trimester patients.  This puts more women and children at risk than allowing abortion.  Case closed.

Jana Bennett on The Other Big Chill | National Catholic Reporter

Jana Bennett on The Other Big Chill | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Yes and no.  Academic theology outside the Seminary has been marked more by exploration than the mandate to support Catholic teaching.  As such, it can take advantage of archeology and all those other things condemned as "Modernism."  It is truly about time that the discipline joined the 21st Century.  If only they would also look at gastrulation, the redefinition of the soul given what we know about neuroscience (it is about energy, not the brain) and married sexuality, we might have something there.  I remember a time when even saying Masturbation was not always a mortal sin got people fired from theology departments.  A bit of backlash against such nonsense is more than justified.

Common Sense vs. Political Correctness | National Catholic Reporter

Common Sense vs. Political Correctness | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Usually both parties are too drunk to deal with sex - although if the male is deliberatly not getting drunk while making the girl drunk, he is a rapist and should be prosecuted as such.  Some of us would consider taking advantage of a young or older lady when intoxicated to be beyond the pale, even before anyone considered it rape.

Fire Sebelius Now! | National Catholic Reporter

Fire Sebelius Now! | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I strongly disagree.  Sebelius made no secret in dealing with the White House that the rollout was not ready for prime time.  Firing the people who could not get it done would not really help matters either, although if contractors are to blame some action should probably be taken in terms of penalites.  As for the contraception flap, anyone paying attention should no two things - first, Valerie Jarrett picked the fight with the bishops, not the Secretary.  Second - the notice should have included the fact that contraception has been required in policies that include preventative care SINCE 2000!  To not note the latter fact is BAD JOURNALISM!  Shame on you for continuing to spread misinformation on this issue.  Indeed, NY Catholic Charities tried to sue on this matter under a New York law similar to the EEOC ruling.  They lost.  Twice.  Quit beating a dead horse and advise the USCCB to do the same.

Save Us From Gloomy Saints | National Catholic Reporter

Save Us From Gloomy Saints | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Some of our founding fathers thought religion to be an old country phenomenon.  Others were evangelical and had no use for the Catholic Church.  One or two might have been Catholic - but mostly popery was frowned upon.  No one should be allowed to Catholicize the American founding or even its early history without failing the smell test.  Only an evolving Constitution and populace give the Church any place at the table.  Indeed, prior to Vatican II, the Catholic Church very much against the freedom of religion America embodies.

Kaveny on Humanae Vitae | National Catholic Reporter

Kaveny on Humanae Vitae | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Church had no business expanding on its prohibitions on eugenic sterilization and forcing birth control on the poor (really the same thing) by making proclamations on biology that simply were not true (life begins at gastrulation) or on intruding into married sexuality once those who knew something about it advised them of the error of their analysis.  Having asked and ignoring that input, it is no surprise that we have lost respect for their teachings.  Using natural family planning as a way to finesse the economic rights to have a family based wage is also sinful, yet the Church promotes this all the time, including among its own workers.  Indeed, if the Church gave a $12,000 raise to each employee when a new child was born, we could take its commitment to life seriously.  The term is put up or shut up, I believe.

DC's Crisis: Insanity or Evil? | National Catholic Reporter

DC's Crisis: Insanity or Evil? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: What the Tea Party was doing was evil - although probably also ignorant - because it was based on fraud.  Nothing could have been done about Obamacare.  Never wound a king (pun intended).  This was the GOP trying to kill itself.  Hopefully the succeed, as this will also destabilize the Democrats and allow for the creation of a true centrist party that actually reflects the beliefs of most citizens, including Catholics.

Bp McElroy: Call Your Office | National Catholic Reporter

Bp McElroy: Call Your Office | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Let us hope that the bishops give this idiot something to really complain about.  I suspect there is a silent majority of liberal prelates who love what Francis is saying.  It is time for Dolan and Chaput to take their seats and close their mouths.  They are not fighting for Life - rather they are fighting for the Republican Party, who say much and do nothing for the unborn.

You Thought the HHS Mandate Was Trouble! | National Catholic Reporter

You Thought the HHS Mandate Was Trouble! | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: While Elohim and Allah are one and the same, using Allah is probably seen as a way of confusing those we would want to convert.  Trickery should have no part in preaching the Gospel.

Silk on "Poor Father" Syndrome | National Catholic Reporter

Silk on "Poor Father" Syndrome | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The problem is the bishops and the solution is to move the authority to hire and fire priests to parish councils, with operation management held by lay deacons of both genders (lay so that they can marry and remarry).  Any diocese wide operations should have independent boards.  Let the clergy proclaim the Gospel, but move their wordly power to the laity.  Justice demands no less.

Is Pope Francis Unclear? | National Catholic Reporter

Is Pope Francis Unclear? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect that the energy for the fortnight for freedom came from a desire to find some way to make the child abuse lawsuits stop.  If they won on the contraception cases they might get a pass on sexual abuse.  I hope they lose for that reason.  As for conservative commentators, Christ says it best when he compares the pharasees and scribes to white tombs - beautiful on the outside and dead and rotten on the inside.  Francis is preaching to such as these, but if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets (especially Amos), who would they be convinced is some (like Lazarus or Christ) came back from the dead?

Franciscan Action Network on Shutdown | National Catholic Reporter

Franciscan Action Network on Shutdown | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Prayer and fasting did not solve this - the fear of financial collapse and pressure from the financial sector did.  Once business donors started making phone calls, compromise happened.

GOP Kool-Aid | National Catholic Reporter

GOP Kool-Aid | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I love it when they start turning on each other.  Cruz is an oppotunist and should be treated as such by all sane Republicans (and Catholic voters).

Bury the Dead | National Catholic Reporter

Bury the Dead | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Wrong answer.  Burying this monster would desecrate the entire cemetary.  Let him be buried civilly, as we used to do to suicides.

Governor Brown's Veto | National Catholic Reporter

Governor Brown's Veto | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: What is most needed is to strip the bishops of operating authority over all Church property.  Let mixed boards of directors and parish councils run things for a while, with lay deacons managing day to day operations (meaning they can marry, remarry and be of either gender).  Let the clergy preach the gospel and celebrate the Sacraments and keep their hands out of the till.  It will be harder for predatory priests to move around if the sending parish council is liable for not informing the new parish of why the priest is moving.  It is time for the Church to join the 21st Century.  Given their past conduct, the bishops do not deserve to rule anymore.

Pope Condemns Anti-Semitism | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Condemns Anti-Semitism | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: So much for the St. Pius X Society.

GOP's Hispanic Problem | National Catholic Reporter

GOP's Hispanic Problem | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect they would think that they have a problem with fewer whites, not more Latinos.  There is no other reason they could be so blind in their anti-immigrant policies (or try so hard to enact voter supression).  Good riddance to them when they finally fade away.

Shocked, Shocked To Find Gambling Going On | National Catholic Reporter

Shocked, Shocked To Find Gambling Going On | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Contraception in the scriptures are only condemed to the extent that it violates a family obligation to give an heir to a dead brother.  Even abortion was part of the procedure to punish a woman for adultery.  The prohibition on contraception should have nothing to do with life issues (life begins at gastrulation) or on married sexuality (not the hierarchy's business - or Dr. Smith's).  Where it does come in is in regard to forced sterilization or contraception for eugenic purposes (including forcing welfare mothers to use it) or to avoid issues of economic justice (and natural family planning is just as bad if it is necessary for economic reasons).  Both of these reasons dovetail nicely with Francis focus on the poor (and the Lord's).

The Christian Case for Vegetarianism | National Catholic Reporter

The Christian Case for Vegetarianism | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Eating fish on Fridays is about supporting the fishing industry. Avoiding meat may or may not help the third world - especially since we import meat from the global south. Currency and labor reform are much more important than vegitarianism - although given advances in laboratory grown meat from stem cells, the case for vegitarianism may be moot someday soon - especially after they synthesize fat and blood cells.

The GOP's Moment of Truth | National Catholic Reporter

The GOP's Moment of Truth | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: They waited until the 16th, at virtually the last minute.  Those who voted for a clean bill now call themselves the Sanity Caucus.  You can infer what they think of the others.  If they Boehner allows them to keep voting with the Democrats on such matters as immigration reform and reforming Obamacare (without cancelling it or rolling back the revenue pieces aimed at the wealthy), there just may be some good old fashioned governing to do in the next year - but I won't hold my breath.

Orthodox Bishops? | National Catholic Reporter

Orthodox Bishops? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It would be nice if we behaved like the Orthodox, with a local patriarch rather than a faction of the faithful that hangs on every word out of Rome (with the exception of this Pope).

Immigration & the Shutdown | National Catholic Reporter

Immigration & the Shutdown | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Don't underestimate the capacity of the Republican Party to shoot itself in the foot. I am actually shocked that some of them have not called for the mandatory sterilization of undocumented women or the forced abortion of their pregnancies.

A New Gilded Age? | National Catholic Reporter

A New Gilded Age? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Mostly, people who live off investments behave like other people.  There are few Dowton Abbey's here.  If the wealthy had servants in uniforms and never ate at 5 Guys, you could claim a lack of social cohesion.  Instead, they mostly behave like the middle class - even if their houses may be a bit bigger if they are in the CEO class.

McElroy's Game Changer | National Catholic Reporter

McElroy's Game Changer | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Our Lord said it best when telling Pharisees that prostitutes would enter Heaven before they would.  He was also focusing on social justice more than personal sin.  To be clear on abortion, the answer to it is actually not divorced from focusing on poverty - rather focusing on poverty is the answer to dealing with the abortion rate, since the issue is constitutional, not legislative in this country. While it is possible to have Congress, rather than the states, enact an abortion law declaring second, or even first, trimester fetuses and embyoes to be protected by the Constitution, doing so raises all kinds of questions about how much society will intervene in miscarriages.  Since that is particularly unsavory, the reality is that 90% of abortions will always be legal.

Dems for Life at S. Court | National Catholic Reporter

Dems for Life at S. Court | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: What they need to work for is not financial resources to fund mothers from conception to birth. What is essential is working for funding of children from birth to adulthood. Until they can accomplish that, they are not worth our time. If they are effective in moving policy on that issue, no one will need to demonstrate or counsel at another clinic. Before limits, the behavior of some protestors was reprehensible - as is the harassment and violence directed at clinic personnel - both at their jobs and at their homes. You have to look at the history to know that the protective barriers are well deserved - and the current federal jurisprudence is not likely to change because of this new case. As for fighting contraception, their biology is wrong. Individuality begins at gastrulation and not a moment before.

Diversity at the CTSA | National Catholic Reporter

Diversity at the CTSA | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Theology has moved from catecheses to a search for truth. As the Lord said, do not hide your light under a basket. Remember that he was a liberal theologian in his day, fighting the establishment. That is sometimes not a bad place to be, especially in the area of moral theology. Archeology should also inform good theology. For conservative theologians, it often has not. Pius X was on the wrong side of this issue in his Syllabus or Errors - which deserves ridicule.

New-look synod on marriage is first fruit of G-8 | National Catholic Reporter

New-look synod on marriage is first fruit of G-8 | National Catholic Reporter by JA.  MGB: Its still a bunch of eunichs telling the rest of us how to be married. No pass.  They have no experience in the matter, aside from telling married people what to do.  Empathy requires that they themselves try out the married life before they yammer on about this.

Stop Parsing the Pope | National Catholic Reporter

Stop Parsing the Pope | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: What the right wing does not understand is that the doctrine is meant to serve humans, not God. Indeed, even worship is for our benefit. It is refrigerator art on God's wall. Indeed, the angels are only a slightly better version of refrigerator art in comparison to the harmony of the Trinity. We need God, God does not need us.

Gomez Applauds New Driving Bill for Immigrants | National Catholic Reporter

Gomez Applauds New Driving Bill for Immigrants | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: This is just basic public safety. It should have applied to the Affordable Care Act as well. I like the call for national reform. If it happens, an expansion of the ACA will not be required, although the Act should be expanded to include mandatory sick leave for all workers. Only then will people stop using the ER for primary care (although I think some hospitals like the traffic and the opportunity to bill someone for it).

Balz: Bad News Is Polarization Not Going Anywhere | National Catholic Reporter

Balz: Bad News Is Polarization Not Going Anywhere | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: We have always been polarized about race and the Obama presidency excites that nerve. One hopes that different people becoming older will allow for some peace on this issue, as those who cling to the view that Obama is too young and too black to serve quietly leave the ranks of active voters by dying out. The reason that GOP presidential primary voting numbers have fallen off since 2008 is because a significant percentage died. They will continue to do so, with anchor babies and multi-ethnic suburbanites buying into the property left behind - which in some cases may change the dynamic of entire congressional districts.

DC's Red Mass | National Catholic Reporter

DC's Red Mass | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I am glad being counter cultural again means condemning the capitalists. If only the Court would do the same - although much of what is needed must come from the legislative branch and a friendly executive. For want of 19 House seats, Capitalism in all its ugliness, gets a free pass.

"What Then Must We Do?" Part II | National Catholic Reporter

"What Then Must We Do?" Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I wrote such a book, which is published online, called Musings from the Christian Left. Google it. One important part of the employee-owned firm of the future is not just employee-ownership but employee-consumption of both physical goods, financial services and governmental services. Until these items are included there is always room for the financial sector to get its claws into anything. Libertarians are often quite happy getting rid of government - but they don't provide an alternative - which I do. They also don't get that if you get rid of big government, you must also get rid of capitalism - replacing it with some form of worker ownership AND control.

Who Gets Hurt In a Shutdown? | National Catholic Reporter

Who Gets Hurt In a Shutdown? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Women and children are generally hurt by the GOP agenda, as are federal workers.  The sad spectical  is the Republicans trying to pass little extension for those activities, like national parks, that make good photo-ops.

NCBC & Obamacare | National Catholic Reporter

NCBC & Obamacare | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The NCBC is a Republican front group, just like the National Right to Life Committee and other such organizations.  The Bishops won't challenge them because too many of them are in bed with the GOP themselves.  Of course, what the bishops are really afraid of acknowledging is that Catholics are as likely as anyone else in America (or the world at large) to use abortion services.  Poor Catholics are even more likely.

Review: "What Then Must We Do?" | National Catholic Reporter

Review: "What Then Must We Do?" | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Gar is essentially a libertarian socialist (like me).  Employee owned corporations and cooperatives are the solution - although it is hard to get unions behind this because reducing executive wages in companies will tend to reduce them in unions - and most union leadership likes their executive lifestyle and their participation in Democratic Party politics.  From my point of view, the best way to expand employee ownership is to divert Social Security taxes to buying up employer voting stock (with each worker getting the same entitlement). The Democratic Party as it is now will never support that.

Don't let worst-case scenarios dictate policy | National Catholic Reporter

Don't let worst-case scenarios dictate policy | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Doerflinger is the reason that Catholic Bishops involved in the National Right to Life Committee have sold their souls to the Republican Party.  Indeed, the Susan B. Anthony Fund used his faulty analysis in ridding the House of pro-life Democrats who voted for the Affordable Care Act.  Shameful.  Programs funded by ACA subsidies fund abortions no less and no more than those plans for employees of large corporations who receive a tax exclusion to pay for health insurance.  Richard never bothers to mention this.  It would ruin his case.  What the GOP most objects to is not abortions provided by insurers under the Act or even the basic structure of the Act itself.  What they hate is the funding through a payroll tax on non-wage (also called unearned) income over $250,000 - largely because their donor base (Grover Norquist) hates it.

CCHD & CRS in Good Company | National Catholic Reporter

CCHD & CRS in Good Company | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I suspect they (Life Site News) protest to much because they are afraid they will be found out as shills for the Republican Party. They are trying to inoculate themselves, but it won't work.

Off to San Juan | National Catholic Reporter

Off to San Juan | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The Tea Party opposition to the Affordable Care Act has nothing to do with not wanting government facilitating the health care market or even providing subsidies to the working poor to buy insurance. It is about repealing the tax provisions on non-wage income for families making over $250,000. In other words, it is about protecting their wealthy donors. They are what we call in the business "astroturf" - partisan hacks pretending to be a grass roots movement - often with expenses paid by people like the Koch Brothers. The facts that Obama is a son of Africa and that he is younger than most of them does not hurt their opposition either.

Germaine Grisez on Pope Francis | National Catholic Reporter

Germaine Grisez on Pope Francis | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Germaine seems afraid of the concept that our knowledge of the truth is not as perfect as he thinks it is, leaving room for further development and even change in doctrine. To claim the Church of Rome has the ultimate truth all the time is the height of relativism (one truth for Catholics, another for people who can think for themselves).

Shame on We Are the Church | National Catholic Reporter

Shame on We Are the Church | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Their rationale is the existence of child sexual abuse by clergy during his papacy, however I am quite sure that this occurred under John XXIII as well. Indeed, as long as there have been altar servers or children taught by priests this has likely occurred. When the Lord said "let the little children come to me, but woe to any who would lead any of these astray, it is better that they be thrown into the sea with a millstone around their neck" he was not talking about false teachings, but the sexual corruption of children by clergy. That is one of those passages that seems to show that things were put in Jesus mouth whether he said them or not.

Sing It Bernie Sanders! | National Catholic Reporter

Sing It Bernie Sanders! | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I suspect it is poverty and inequality that leads to more bad health incomes (like diabetes caused by Food Stamps sustaining only a high starch diet) than the inefficiencies of the payment system. Single Payer would help, but better income transfers to families would help more, as well as mandatory sick leave legislation.

Pope Francis' latest bombshell interview | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis' latest bombshell interview | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: More proof this pope is a liberal. I wonder what his opinion is on the Enlightenment?

Everyone's life and dignity needs to be protected and respected | National Catholic Reporter

Everyone's life and dignity needs to be protected and respected | National Catholic Reporter For members of the clergy, especially bishops, who are part of the National Right to Life Committee, protect life is code for vote Republican - which is why we ignore them.

Idaho lawmaker introduces Marriage and Religious Freedom Act in House | National Catholic Reporter

Idaho lawmaker introduces Marriage and Religious Freedom Act in House | National Catholic Reporter It will never pass the Senate or get by the courts. No such law is necessary as no religious group is forced to perform a gay wedding (although it is a good idea to do so). What the Church must do is treat all civilly married people the same. In the Catholic Church, civil heterosexual marriages are considered invalid, yet employees who are married that way get benefits. The same rule must apply to gay married couples as well or the Church is simply trying to hide its homophobia with morality. Most of us can see through this.