Fr. Z's Blog | Catholic commentary by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There’s wreckovation, and then there is this.

Posted on 26 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In Iraq, ISIS is bulldozing churches and turned the Cathedral of Mosul into a mosque. Meanwhile, many thousands of miles away…

… in the National Post:

What’s happening to Montreal’s churches? Quebec finding new ways to preserve its heritage in a secular age

MONTREAL — Weight machines fill the space where once there were pews, and visitors sip nutritional green smoothies, not communion wine. But despite its dramatic transformation into a private gym and spa, the onetime Dominican St. Jude’s Shrine on Montreal’s St. Denis Street remains a temple of sorts.

“It becomes almost a religion for some people,” Sonya Audrey Bonin, general manager of the Saint-Jude Espace Tonus gym, said this week. “I see it with yoga, with taking care of yourself, being careful about what you eat, having a healthy lifestyle.” And in a secular age when people are more likely to hit the gym than attend mass on a Sunday morning, the upscale facility is being hailed as a model for preserving the religious buildings that constitute an important part of Quebec’s architectural heritage.

[…]

When the council did an inventory in 2003, it identified 2,751 places of worship in the province, the vast majority of them Catholic churches. Since then, about 400 have closed, and Mr. Boucher said the rhythm is accelerating. “A church closes every week. It is a huge phenomenon,” he said. “Everyone needs to make a compromise so the buildings find a useful life in society and continue to convey their historical significance.”

[…]

Read the rest there.

Some of the pics:

Posted in New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, The Religion of Peace | Tagged ISIS, Islam, Montreal, Mosul, parish closures
29 Comments

Pope Francis and the Evangelicals

Posted on 26 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I just read Sandro Magister’s background piece on the Holy Father’s visit to Caserta. Did you read it? HERE

I want to preface this with a reminder that Popes meet with all sorts. Even as I scratch my head about Pope Francis meeting with Joel Olsteen, I remind myself that Paul VI met with Idi Amin Dada. St. John Paul met with Yasser Arafat. Popes meet with all sorts. That’s what Popes do.

ROME, July 23, 2014 – When the news got out, and was confirmed by Fr. Federico Lombardi, that Pope Francis intended to make a private visit to Caserta to meet with a friend, the pastor of a local Evangelical community, the city’s bishop, Giovanni D’Alise, was thunderstruck. He hadn’t been told a thing.

Moreover, the pope had planned his visit to Caserta for the same day as the feast of Saint Anne, the city’s patron. Seeing themselves snubbed, some of the faithful threatened an uprising. It took a good week to convince the pope to change his schedule and divide the trip into two phases: the first a public one with the faithful of Caserta on Saturday, July 26, and the second in private with his Evangelical friend on the following Monday.

[…]

The meeting with [evangelical] Pastor Traettino in Caserta is not, in fact, an isolated episode, but part of a broader effort that Pope Francis is making to win the favor of the worldwide leaders of those “Evangelical” and Pentecostal movements which especially in Latin America are the most fearsome competitor of the Catholic Church, from which they are snatching enormous masses of faithful. [The Church is bleeding out there.]

[…]

Three days later, on June 4, the pope had a long meeting at his residence of Santa Marta with some “Evangelical” leaders of the United States, including the famous televangelist Joel Osteen, California pastor Tim Timmons, and the president of the Evangelical Westmont College, Gayle D. Beebe.

On June 24, another meeting. This time with Texas televangelists James Robinson and Kenneth Copeland, with Bishop Anthony Palmer of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, with John and Carol Arnott of Toronto, and with other prominent leaders. There were also Geoff Tunnicliffe and Brian C. Stiller, respectively the secretary general and “ambassador” of the World Evangelical Alliance. The meeting lasted for three hours and continued through lunch, in the refectory of Santa Marta, where the pope, amid loud laughter, gave Pastor Robinson a high five (see photo). [Yep.]

Copeland and Osteen are proponents of “prosperity theology,” according to which the more faith grows the more wealth grows. They themselves are very wealthy and live an extravagant lifestyle. But Francis spared them the sermon on poverty.

Instead – according to what “ambassador” Stiller reported – the pope assured them: “I’m not interested in converting Evangelicals to Catholicism. There are so many doctrines we will never agree on. Let’s be about showing the love of Jesus.”

But he also told them that he had learned from his friendship with Pastor Traettino that the Catholic Church, with its imposing presence, acts too much as an obstacle to the growth and witness of these communities. And for this reason as well he thought of visiting the Pentecostal community in Caserta: “to offer an apology for the difficulty brought to their congregation.”

[…]

Read the rest there.

Moderation queue is ON.

Posted in Francis, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Joel Olsteen, Pope Francis, prosperity gospel
50 Comments

Napa Institute: Day 3

Posted on 26 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Last evening ended by talking long into the night over cigars and adult beverages.

With the morning we are back at it. I had a chance to break the fast this morning with Bp. Michael Barber of Oakland. He has a lot of challenges in his heavy mandate. Say a prayer for vocations for that diocese. I am confident that he will make a good impact on Oakland: he strikes you right away as sharp as a razor as well as cheerful and charming. Meeting these bishops, men such as Bps. and Archbps. Vann, Coakley, Conley, Barber, Cordileone, Smith, Vasa has been encouraging.

This morning we had a talk by Archbp. Chaput on Pope Francis and Economic Justice. I still have to process it.

Here is a sight for sore eyes. It doesn’t get much better than this. Sen. Rick Santorum chatting with The Extraordinary Ordinary, Bp. Robert Morlino of Madison.

UPDATE

It has been a busy day (which had to include also a nap).

Tonight we have the main dinner. The speaker is to be Curtis Martin.

Today I had a chance to chat at length with several of the bishop attendees. I was also to talk again for a while – twice actually – with Sen Santorum. Also I me, finally face to face, Fr Samuel Weber, OSB, a fine teacher and liturgist, who as I write is sitting on the other side of me from Bp Vasa.

I view of Bp Vasa’s marvelous pectoral cross which has 17 relics and a piece of the Cross.

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged Napa Institute
7 Comments

Is Pres. Obama going to “nullify” immigration laws?

Posted on 26 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From The Weekly Standard:

GOP Senator: Obama To ‘Effectively End Immigration Enforcement’

The Obama administration is preparing to effectively “nullify” the immigration laws of the United States through an executive action, says one Republican senator. As Time reported Thursday, President Obama appears prepared to provide millions of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. work authorization via executive orders:

When President Obama issues executive orders on immigration in coming weeks, pro-reform activists are expecting something dramatic: temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for perhaps several million undocumented immigrants. If the activists are right, the sweeping move would upend a contentious policy fight and carry broad political consequences.

The activists met privately with the President and his aides June 30 at the White House, and say in that meeting Obama suggested he will act before the November midterm elections. They hope his decision will offer relief to a significant percentage of the estimated 11.7 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. “He seems resolute that he’s going to go big and go soon,” says Frank Sharry, executive director of the pro-reform group America’s Voice.

But Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, a Republican, says in a statement that the “temporary relief from deportation” would be a de facto ending of immigration enforcement:

It has now been extensively reported that these executive actions will likely expand his Deferred Action program (DACA) to apply to an additional 5–6 million adult illegal immigrants. The existing DACA program has been widely misunderstood. The executive action did not, as The Hill writes today, only result in ‘deferred deportations for young undocumented immigrants.’ Illegal immigrants in the interior of the U.S. have already, as a practical matter, been immune from enforcement under this Administration. DACA applies to individuals up to 30 years of age and provides actual amnesty papers, photo ID, and work permits to illegal immigrants—who can then take any job in America.

The President’s planned executive orders would expand this permitting program to another 5–6 million illegal immigrants. This would effectively end immigration enforcement in America.

Sessions goes on to urge Americans to call on their elected members of Congress to not support any bill dealing with the current border crisis that does not “block” the Obama administration’s executive actions.

Posted in Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged illegal immigration, immigrants, immigration, Obama Administration, Pres. Obama
12 Comments

Illegal immigrants: what to do?

Posted on 26 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I haven’t been following the news lately, because I am a) attending a conference and b) out of my usual time zones. However, this morning I checked on Pewsitter, because it can give a good overview of most of the top stories and what different people are saying about them.

This is what I saw today.

Sorry, but…. what the heck is going on here? What is really going on?

I’ll open the combox here, but I will have it on moderation. Keep it pithy. Think before posting. Self-edit.

Posted in Cri de Coeur, Our Catholic Identity, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices |
14 Comments

CAPTION CALL

Posted on 25 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Posted in Lighter fare |
27 Comments

MIAMI: Pro-Hamas demo: “Khybar, Khybar, oh Jews, the armies of Muhammad are coming!”

Posted on 25 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Pamela Geller via Pewsitter:

Hamas-CAIR Protest in Miami: “We Are Hamas!”, Genocidal chants “Khybar, Khybar, oh Jews, the armies of Muhammad are coming!”

Clad in the war garb of the jihad, the keffiye,h and chanting the Islamic death dirge, Khybar, Khybar, ya yahud, jaish Muhammad sayud.” The threat of Khybar is the threat of extermination harkening back to Muhammad’s annihilation of an entire tribe of Kews, the Quraya

Muslims unmasked. Mosques unmasked.

Jihad in America.

[…]

The anti-Israel protestors became increasingly hostile, to the point of invoking outrageous Islamist slogans.

In Arabic, they screamed:

“The martyr is God’s love.” This encourages one to die while committing Jihad — it is a celebration of terror attacks including suicide bombings.
“Khaybar, Khaybar Oh, Jew. Muhammad’s army will return.” This refers to a seventh-century massacre in which Muhammad’s army attacked the Jewish community of Khaybar in the Arabian Peninsula. The Jewish males who surrendered were beheaded; Muhammad and his soldiers then divided the women, children, and property. Islamists today routinely invoke this battle as a rallying cry to attack Jews.

In English, they yelled:

“We are Hamas!” openly confirming support for a group officially designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, Japan, Jordan, and Egypt.
“We are Jihad!” thereby calling for holy war.
“Hamas kicked your ass.” That makes for an interesting contradiction: While claiming Gazans are being massacred, the group also claims to have defeated the Israel Defense Forces. Which is it?

Eventually, an Israel supporter calls out, “We’re in America, that’s where we are… we’re not Gaza over here,” a self-proclaimed Hamas fan screams back in Hebrew with an Arabic accent, “Son of a bitch” and “Go to Hell!” along with an obscene arm gesture.

[…]

Sts. Nunilo and Alodia, pray for us.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi, pray for us.

Posted in The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Religion of Peace | Tagged Gaza, Hamas, Israel, jihad, Miami, Religion of Peace, St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Sts. Nunilo and Alodia, The Religion of Peace
35 Comments

About Pope Francis’ possible USA trip

Posted on 25 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From the Holy See:

the Holy See Press Office given today:

“Regarding visits to America, there have been several invitations that the Pope is carefully considering. The Holy Father has indicated his willingness to participate in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015 but at the present moment, there are no concrete plans or programs for any visits to the United States or Mexico. Keep in mind that we are still one year away from the Philadelphia meeting.”

Posted in Francis | Tagged Pope Francis
20 Comments

Chow Line for “Cafeteria Catholics” (heh)

Posted on 25 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Vatican Radio:

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made a surprise visit on Friday to the Vatican’s canteen for its employees. He turned up there unexpected shortly after noon much to everybody’s astonishment and after taking a tray and cutlery joined the line with all the employees to be served his lunch. Staff at the canteen said he ate pasta without sauce and cod served with grilled tomatoes. He ate his lunch at a long table alongside a group of various employees. Describing the papal visit as “like a thunderbolt out of the blue,” the canteen’s chef Franco Pai’ni said the Pope was introduced to the staff and others there and asked them questions about themselves and their work. Afterwards, he paid them compliments on the quality of the food, gave his blessing and took part in a group photo before leaving.

As a priest friend Fr Keyes said: Gives a new meaning to Cafeteria Catholic.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
16 Comments

Napa Institute: Day 2

Posted on 25 July 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am at a breakfast sponsored by Catholic Extension. Archbp. Kurtz is taking about it. He explained that it was its goal to have church in every county in these USA. They have built over 12000 churches. They now give support for seminarians. They provide service to the poor. Last year they dispersed over $30 million.

I had a good chat with Archbp Coakley of Oklahoma City about the late great John Senior and some mutual friends. Also at the table is the local Bishop Robert Vasa, one of the friendliest fellows I’ve met in quite a while. A shot from last night.

Some fun shots. Label of a new line of wine from Trinitas.

With Fr. Pavone. Our paths cross pretty often.

Evening refreshments.

With the great hearted Archbishop of San Francisco.

Happy Sisters… no bus in sight.

Archbp. Kurtz et aliae

UPDATE

After lunch out with the distinguished Fr Keyes, who does so much for the CMAA, and a distinguished canonist friend and a distinguished fellow who does important work for the NAC, I had a pastoral nap.

Now the evening events are revving up.