LOL.  You would have liked the HHS protest I was at—there were quite a few chillun there!

To get spitting mad….1-watch the video at this link.  http://www.abortionno.org/ Maybe protest organizers should set up a big screen at the beginning of a march and show the video.  The life of that innocent baby is what we are fighting for.  2-read post abortion testimonials, especially by those who were coerced and by mothers who faced there decision 20 years later.  3-Educate yourself about how life unfolds and develops from the moment of conception, it is beautiful and destroying such such a divine creation is worth getting spitting mad. Now, help others become spitting mad.  Thanks for the article.

Amen to all these points!  I’m tired of wimpy “we can’t offend anyone” ‘Catholics.’  Jesus was blunt when He needed to be.  Let’s show courage—not cowardice or complacency.

OK, I posted this over at the CMR site…

I would like to request that you issue a retraction in regards to a point you made in your first reason.

Detroit Red Wings fans have never *never!* turned over cars after winning a playoff game. Unless it was foreign, but that’s besides the point. Given that the Red Wings have made the playoffs for 20 consecutive seasons (a record for any of the major sports), it is more likely that we would turn over cars if they *didn’t* make the playoffs.

Now, if you had said Detroit Lions fans turning over cars after losing a playoff game - or even playing in one - well, then, I wouldn’t have any rejoinder for such a statement. Likely because it’d be true…

I am a decade older than you, yet I don’t have blue hair, ben-gay, or smoke cigarettes. I didn’t vote for Obama. I like Latin but rarely use it outside of mass. The reason I won’t protest is because these things don’t work. All I can do is spread Christ’s teachings. If they don’t heed, I shake the dust off my feet and move on. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to change hearts. The only weapons we have are praying the rosary and fasting. Anything beyond that is a waste of time.

The Lions are comeing! The Lions are coming! Check out President Obama’s March 16th,2012 Executive Order on whitehouse.gov!
The rights being taken away are my own conscience rights!  What about health care workers? As an OB nurse, my jobs were contingent on my right to consciensciously object to administration of contraceptives, and participation in tubals and abortions. What happens to those rights now?
If contraceptives are redefined as"preventative care,” and have become a “right,” then I would be guilty of malpractice to refuse my patient what is due her, based on my conscience. The slippery slope just got greased!

Thought provoking article Matt.  Shame this line had to appear in it
“Let’s start screaming like a short-changed Cartegena hooker.”  That line isn’t funny anymore…. 
Perhaps, you might want to check out the Sex trafficking article/Opinion on lifesitenews.  The ugly American - sex trafficking and our national humiliation
by Albert Mohler

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/the-ugly-american-sex-trafficking-and-our-national-humiliation

We need to work on that Canon shooting out Canons for those who have violated the Canons.  That’s a winner.

“send Obama back to Chicago so Bill Ayers could write his memoirs.”

Maybe if you knocked off the ad hominem attacks and focused on facts, your arguments would be taken seriously.

OMGosh! You used allusion and metaphor that possibly evoked some sort of bad thing someplace! How dare you?! </sarcasm>. Personally, I think a little “smoked lion” would be a tasty treat this summer. 1 Peter 3:13-14 - “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”

And Mary demonstrates reason #9 Catholics are bad protesters… Everything that’s said is somehow twisted to be irreligious or heretical or bad taste…  lol

Translating the whole text into basic English: “We are victims!!! (sob sob sob)”

Maybe if you just focused on the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act you objected to (contraceptive mandate, for example) and not the bill as a whole, as it contains many things Catholics should be in favor of, like 30 million additional people insured and the inability to deny coverage for per-existing conditions.

Good points!!! I couldnt stop laughing when I was reading them, but they are all true!!

Keeping off the grass is no way to run a successful protest movement; it’s a guarantee of non-coverage.  Nothing will change till Catholics find the courage for widespread (non-violent) civil disobedience.

@Tim - Nah. the whole thing’s a big pile of steaming fascist poop. Besides, how the durn-heck does anybody protest one clause of something the People’s Democratic Congress didn’t even read before they shoved it down our throats? 30-second pop-culture-media sound bites about what might be in there ain’t gonna wash the dog. No, sir, it’s pretty much all or nothing at this point.

HA!  Good job.

One slight problem: out of all the Catholics in the U.S., about 20% to 25% attend Mass on a regular basis.  And out of that bunch, we have the “Seattle Catholics”... I am inclined to think that someone in the Obama administration knows those numbers too. 

This is going to take more than just Catholics if it is going to gain any traction.

Had this same conversation with a friend right before reading this post, which is timely and so true.  With humor, the best.  We are complacent - but also not convicted.  Last week, sent out 150 emails trying to get people interested in organizing something during the fortnight - nothing, but an auto-reply, “out of the office.”  Need more Catholics, including clergy, like Mary Magdalene. She was desperate, and wanted to change her life and those around her. She recognized that Christ was the answer.  Convicted she would not be quiet.  The Apostles were willing to die for Christ.  Bishops who say that their hospitals and schools will have to close, adds to the complacency, since most Catholic do not send their children to Catholic schools.  I pray for the day ONE of them will stand and say they are willing to go to prison BEFORE the hospitals are forced to close.  One who will say he will die a martyr so that his successors can live.  Sadly, it seems we can’t wait. We must be Mary Magdalenes.  Protest our case with an energized conviction.  Keep the humor and the JOY!  We did this in the UN.  It unnerved them. Some drama would be good.

Thank you Matt, We Catholics are poor protesters largely because we have no Leadership from the Bishops and priests. Our so-called leadership has told us to “Shut up and go sit in the corner and pray”. I encourage you to do what I do. I bought inexpensive colored markers and poster board and MADE SIGNS. Get your BACKSIDE OFF your easy chair and go hold your signs on a busy street corner. I get many thumbs up and horn honks in approval of what I am doing. Yes, I get a FEW middle fingers. But I am out there letting my voice be heard. You can do the same.

I don’t go along with your suggestions.  The press will compare the “violent” nature of the Catholic protesters versus the “non-violent” and peaceful protests of the others. It will feed into the media generated idea that the CAtholic Church is imposing itself on poor helpless victims.

Better to have large numbers of people protesting peacefully and prayerfully.

Hat Lady, “The only weapons we have are praying the rosary and fasting. Anything beyond that is a waste of time.”

I would think that you, in the wisdom of your age, would remember the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The variety and scope of the works of the saints suggests that you should try something that requires you to get off the couch at least once a week.

An our only defense against Nazism was prayer and fasting.  And, oh yeah, lots of guns and tanks and bombers and soldiers and pilots and spies and stuff.  Prayer, fasting, and that other stuff.

I get tired of Bill Donahue.  Since no comment comes out of the Catholic League without letting us know THIS IS WHAT BILL DONAHUE SAYS, it begins to sound like the Catholic League is just one grumpy guy.  If so, he can safely be ignored as an isolated crank.  It would show not only more humility, but also a wider movement, if it was not just about Bill Donahue.

Yeah, it’s pretty surprising that our cultural and spiritual enemies don’t put the March for Life on the evening news. If we were all more like Bill Donahue, we would make quite an impact, because then our enemies WOULD put us on the evening news and we would win the political war over abortion, the HHS mandate would be rescinded and Rick Santorum would become President and put Prof. Charles Rice on the Supreme Court.

Look, if our consciences are threatened by the HHS mandate, then we are not in a political war, but a spiritual war. If our bishops ( and we) want to fight a spiritual war politically (it’s a threat to our religious liberty, etc)and by jumping up and down to get the attention of the media, we are going to get creamed, period.

IF we Catholics would clean up our act, repent of being caught up in the contraceptive/pornographic/gluttonous/ luxurious culture, etc., get to Confession and to Mass, then GOD WOULD FIGHT OUR BATTLES FOR US.  That is essentially the way it worked for the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan.  They became ritually pure, they offered sacrifice, they praised God, they picked up their swords and went to war. But again and again God made it very clear that His was the battle and His the victory.

If the Bishops would ask every pastor in the country to offer daily Mass at an hour when most people could attend (7AM?), ask them to push Daily Mass from the pulpit and make Confession available before and after Mass, we would prevail in this spiritual war.

We are soldiers of Christ.  We may have to pick up the pen, or make placards and march in parades, but that cannot be at the heart of our strategy.  We are soldiers of Christ; we should fight with the weapons of Christ: the sacraments, novenas, all night vigils, fasting, rosaries. We don’t need the New York Times to pay attention. We need God to come to our aid.

Hilarious and true- I’m in!

Hilarious and true- I’m in!

I agree with Maria: hilarious. I’m in, too. Great job, Matthew Archbold!
And Lee, we don’t have to choose between fighting a spiritual and a political battle. Fight both. Jesus didn’t pray over the money changers at the temple—right? How about some righteous anger? Babies are dying every day and we’re not supposed to protest?
“Pray always”, yes, but also render unto Caeser. And right now, Caeser needs to be rendered right out of office by our votes, our protests, our letters to the editor, etc. Get active! If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

If a bishop needs help in overturning cars as a method of protest, let me know so I can help him. If he wants to stay at home and hide behind the written word, I’ll follow his example. I guess that makes me a bad Catholic.

Lol, I want to come to your protest, but only if you have the bull horn.

Jeannette Marie,

  The question is whether we are going to fight the enemy on his own ground and on his own terms-never a great idea.  He stakes it out as a political battle, but in threatening our consciences exposes his deceit. It is NOT a political battle. It is a spiritual battle in which we are being pressed up against the fiery abyss.

  Our struggle, then, is not with Obama, and Sebelius and Axelrod- but with the principalities and powers of darkness. In that war, votes, protests and letters to the editor won’t quite do the trick. To suggest that they will seems infantile at this point. Sorry.

  We KNOW this won’t work, because in great part it is the way we have fought the abortion wars.  Yes, of course, there was a very strong spiritual component in that contest, but it has not been enough. We know that much, too. Our prayers have not been answered. 

  In that contest we have pointed to Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood, the New York Times, the “media” as the evil geniuses behind this holocaust. Yet, the fact that our prayers and efforts have not prevailed strongly suggests that we,too, are displeasing God in some fundamental way. He is not listening. Of course, there are breakthroughs here and there, but on the whole we are being pressed back.  There is the “gay marriage” issue, the apostasy of our young people, etc., etc..

No, on a spiritual level we have to do something altogether different and on a much more massive scale. There are plenty of indications that a strong recovery of the Sacrament of Penance needs to be part of the strategy- that, and a return to the disciplines of the faith.

Our small town has held our own Pro-Life walk and rally, every year for the past 30 years.  The first time I walked with the group, from our church to City Hall, a large newstation put a microphone and camera onto a woman in the group, as she walked.  I later saw this woman on camera.

At the time, I had no idea that a baby would look like a baby, so soon after conception. I thought a fetus was a mass of tissue.  I only went on the walk because I had friends walking, and I wanted to support their effort.  I had to learn about abortion on my own, and even embryonic stem cell research.  Other than to chant: “Catholics are Pro-Life!” I got no teaching at my parish either.  It is rarely, if ever, mentioned from the pulpit.

What I always thought was a missed opportunity, from my first walk, was the woman with the camera on her, for a LONG, long, time, never looked AT the camera, or the camera-man, or the lady interviewer, she just mumbled, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb.  Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.”

That was it.  She got in a whole Catholic prayer.  So good for her.  But who did she educate?  I was standing right by her, and I saw her on TV. Yet, it wasn’t until months later, I learned how quickly a fetus forms. 

Would the lady interviewer and the camera-man want to film this walker again?  I doubt it.  Frankly, I was surprised they didn’t scrap the film on the cutting room floor.  The prayer belonged in Church.  DIALOG and EDUCATION needs to be in the public square.  Catholics need to be taught how to engage a secular society, in order to be Salt and Light to the world, that needs it, in order to be equipped in matters that have eternal value.

What do you expect from our “Church leaders?”  So many bishops and priests satanically refuse to give homilies on sin, contraception, evils of homosexuality, abortion….. No wonder 53% of Catholics voted for Obama, the Hitlerite and Stalinite in 2008!!

I wrote the bishop of Boise, Michael Driscoll, asking him that question.  I received a non-reply, to wit: the Church mandates the priest speaks on the readings of the day and the bishop allows the priests to homilize on other topics of their choosing. 

No direction to speak on the evils of the day.  Wow!  No wonder so many Catholics are ill-education and confused. 

John Martignoni (sp?) had an idea that I thougth was neat:  at the March for Life rally, at some point, have all the marchers cell phone or tweet the major news outlets asking them where they are and to come on down.

The last time I saw a Bishop at a protest was recently in downtown Los Angeles.  The Auxiliary Bishop (not American btw) was protesting in favor of rights for illegal aliens.  These same illegals—some had decided to burn an American flag.  Seems the Bishop had justified the sin of stealing American taxpayer money since he is not American himself.  The emphasis the church has on their “social gospel” needs a do-over or just plain scrap it.

Lee Gilbert I agree with Jeanette Marie. We MUST take an “all of the above” strategy and He is listening.

Amen to the comments of Howard, Jackie and Phil.  Bill Donahue is about the worst front-man Catholics can have.  Reporters have to strain from laughing when interviewing him.  Everytime Matt Lauer interviews him on the TODAY SHOW, it’s like watching the 3 Stooges.  And praying the rosary during pro-life rallies only alienates other Christians from participating with Catholics.  And @Phil who received a non reply from the Bishop of Boise:  “the Church mandates the priest speaks on the readings of the day and the bishop allows the priests to homilize on other topics of their choosing.”—Hey, Phil, mostly it’s the “other topics of their choosing” since they hadn’t done any prep work on the readings “of the day.” 

Lee, I wasn’t disagreeing with you. I suggested that we don’t have to choose between fighting a spiritual and political battles. I agree that the battle is with the principalities and powers of darkness. But who is carrying out that work on earth? The people who need to be voted out of office in November.
So, yes to novenas and to prayer vigils and to confession. But I’m also going to take my place in the public square, and I will take a public stand for life and for religious liberty. If you think this is infantile, so be it. Blessings your day.

Let’s imitate the Christians in the Colosseum who had unshakable Faith, Hope of Eternity and Self-Giving Charity.

Lee Gilbert has the spiritual side covered. Everything the man says is correct, and it’s said in ways much more convincing than other similar whispers. The question is, can we, like the Israelites, regain our Godly and Righteous ways and still go kick pagan butt? I think so. In fact, if we follow Briother Gilbert’s advice, we would be seeing results much more like unto Jericho than Aphek.

You are so right about the smiling faces at the Pro-life marches. What are they smiling giddy about? We used to be called the Church Militant. When I was a student in Rome in 1973 Jesus Christ Superstar came to town as a movie. I tried to get the Vatican to protest it by using the intercession of a renowned priest, Father Werenfried Van Stratten, whom I knew. No dice. According to L’Osservatore Romano Paul VI viewed part of it. NO CONDEMNATION of the Blasphemy. ANother time I went around the city for a short time tearing up ADS for jeans that blasphemed Our Lord and was looked upon as a nut. I gave up. No protest over the Ads by the Vatican. Bishops are upset over the HHS mandate. To give in to it is a sin, many of them are saying. That’s good. But it is also a sin, a cooperation with sacrilege, to give Communion to pro-abort politicians. I have to stop here. The faithful will rally when their leaders rally. Where there is no authority the people will perish. On moral issues Bishops like Jenky inspire me. But where is a strong doctrinal voice? They are all wimps when it comes to divine saving Faith. So are most traditional Catholic websites. Witness the canonizations of Chuck Colson. A man of natural virtue? No question. One wonders if any of his Catholic friends asked this courageous man to become Catholic. This man could hardly claim ignorance of the true religion. Doctrinal wimps will not have the fortitude to be effective moral leaders. If one can be saved by one’s sincerity then what does it matter what one believes. This is the fundamental issue. Morals will fall if there is no defense of the one doctrine that Christ gave to the custody of His Church, not merely to safeguard but to preach and die for.

@RocketSurgeon:  Agreed, brother.  There is a time for prayer.  There is also a time when standing for righteousness is also called for in the midst of all manner of evil and ungodliness.  Followers of Chirst have had 50 years of retreat since the removal of prayer in school.  It’s about time the USCCB focus their priority more on equipping the saints instead of only tweaking the Mass.

“Let’s make the administration remember who invented the Crusades and the Inquisition, punk.” Best line I’ve read on a blog all year.

You have to realize that when protests are on weekday afternoons, unless it is something that has been planned for a long time (i.e. March for Life), young and middle-aged people will not show up because they have to work and/or are in school! The anti-HHS mandate rally closest to me was on a Friday in the middle of the day. No wonder it was mostly retired people who showed up! The Walk for Life West Coast was on a Saturday in the middle of the day, and plenty of people showed up. My local parish rented two buses to take people. And the east coast’s March for Life was on a Monday, but it was on their site for a year (since last year’s March ended) so people could plan to take time off work to attend.

For the summer protests I believe there will be a better turnout as far as young people, because students and teachers are out for the summer. But I still think weekends will be more popular than weekdays.

I disagree with your idea that Catholics need to be loud, active, or even a little angry during protests.  We are not like that because we are Catholic.  We are not Protestants (or protestors). Catholics spend a lifetime learning to surrender ourselves to the Will of God, and learning to avoid sin, to be meek, and humble (as Jesus instructed us on the Sermon on the Mount/Plain - Matthew Ch 5 and Luke Ch 6).  I first noticed the phenomenon that your article is about, when I was at the Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally.  The Baptists sort of ran the thing, and they were singing songs and screaming out speeches.  They even said “come on Catholics can you yell!”  The Catholics gave very emotional speeches that tended to be more cranial.  And we had our Rosaries and were ready to PRAY!  I was disappointed that they didn’t say the Rosary or even sing the Divine Mercy chaplet. At least a Priest led us in the Our Father and Hail Mary. As my wife said, we must have some faith!

Let’s think of this in a slightly different light.  A man is holding a gun to the head of another forcing him to do something evil.  You are there.  Do do stand by and pray, or do you do something (while praying, hopefully)?  Since we broke away from the king and took resposibility for our own government we have an obligation to defend the constitution.  Don’t you get it yet?  This time they are coming for us!  Sure, the bishops should have taken a stand decades ago.  But they didn’t.  Now they have.  Are we going to heed their call and do something or not?  The political option is a sham.  There is no real difference bewtween Democarats and Republicans (oh, wait, I forgot, Jesus was a Republican!)  Politics in the country is a sham and mostly an enormous wast of time, although there may still be a glimmer of hope in this arena.  We have been sheople for far to long.  It is time to stand up and say, “I’m mad as hell!  And I’m not going to take it anymore! (I bet hardly any Cathoics have even seen that movie).  DO we want the freedom to practice religion or not?  Because, I’ll tell you what the fathers of our country told us, freedom is not free!  Viva Christo Rey!

@Christopher Michael:  So Protestants are somehow to blame for not saying the Rosary with you.  It’s time childish Catholics started acting like responsible adults.  Why all the finger-pointing?  If you have even bothered to read the gospel beyond your slanted view of desiring to be meek, you will see that while Jesus was meek—He was never “weak.” Check Matthew 12 what with Jesus calling the religious leaders out as a “brood of vipers” and a bunch of hypocrites.  Doesn’t exactly sound very loving and kind, does it?  But then you would have Jesus molded into the kind of Jesus **you** want Him to be.  How can you expect non-Catholcs to say the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet if they don’t know it?  Think about it.  Did you offer to teach anyone?  Did you have extras to hand out?  Your other comment is also hilarioius:  “We are not like that because we Catholic.”  Clearly you have never seen Bill Donahue in action.  When it comes to political protest like the crucifix in a glass of urine on display at the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art, Donahue was all over national TV in a classic example of a Catholic on steroids.  Probably you would have preferred Donahue offer to say the Rosary with Katie Couric.

I might not vote for Obama this time around, but I definitely will not vote for Romney either, considering the state he left Massachusetts in with the Church stripped of major components of itself as the key executor of social services to the needy. Massachusetts soon found out that in covering the bill, it was soon in financial straits, and its purveyor was long gone. Listening to Romney speak is like listening to a Stepford Wife before the rebellion. We need someone who has fire burning in him, not someone who gives us lip service. More cheap empty platitudes we do not need.

Love!  I’m totally in!

Kelso wrote: “Witness the canonizations of Chuck Colson. A man of natural virtue? No question. One wonders if any of his Catholic friends asked this courageous man to become Catholic. This man could hardly claim ignorance of the true religion.”

So now that Colson is dead, and has met his Maker, is it really so important that he should have converted to be Catholic?  If so, why?  How would it have made a difference in his life, or more importantly, in his afterlife?  Are you saying, in a veiled fashion, that Chuck Colson’s soul is in hell, just because he was not Catholic?  If so, by what authority do you say that?

I ask, because Deacon Bill Gallerizzo wrote, “I might not vote for Obama this time around, but I definitely will not vote for Romney”, meaning he prefers President Obama, THE most gay-friendly, abortion-loving President in the pocket of Planned Parenthood, in history, who denies America was (and is) a Christian nation; whereas, Chuck Colson spoke out boldly for God-honoring legislation, and REACHED OUT to everyone of like-mind, be they Catholics or fellow Christians, putting his faith into ACTION.

Kelso, you added, “Morals will fall if there is no defense of the one doctrine that Christ gave to the custody of His Church, not merely to safeguard but to preach and die for.”

So who is dying for the Catholic Church these days?  I don’t even see any priest or bishop missing a meal, or being at all uncomfortable anywhere in a developed country.

So was Deacon Bill’s comment wise?  Is he preaching the truth, in terms of what is God-honoring?  With whom would the USCCB Bishops be able to work best?  With President Obama, or with Chuck Colson, or a non-Catholic Christian of his ilk?  By the way, in November, we are voting for a man that can lead the country in a God-honoring fashion, we aren’t voting for a pastor.

Frankly, if the entire world had a lobotomy, and they were all made Catholic, by force, there would just be more pew sitters, ignorant of Scripture, & more priests refusing to PREACH AND TEACH the word of God. Right?

It’s time all Christians get on the same page, and work to make our society more God-honoring.  That’s what counts, and we WILL be judged for what we did about things over which we do have control.  The FIVE non-Negotiables?  Amen to them.  Let’s spread the word, as did Chuck Colson.
He deserves his accolades and recognition.

First on the list could be that ALL Catholic churches be open on the National Day of Prayer, May 3rd, from 12noon-1PM, and no clergy need be there, it’s just a simple time for ALL Christians to pray for a return to God in our country.  Catholics never recognize that day - and it’s been going on for dozens of years now.  President Obama does not recognize the day, and he almost goes out of his way to boycott it, from how I see it.

Yet, we need to pray - and as a Body of Christ. 

Deacon Bill, You just won the election for Obama.

  When Catholics regain their Catholic identity, and not resemble our Protestant bretheren, they’ll do just fine. Marian devotions, Stations of the Cross, abortionists and those who procure abortions are going to hell unless they go to confession, (Sorry Protestants come into the fold) purgatory for those who look by and wink wink at pro-abortion Catholic polititians, even vote for them.
  Why do you use the word protest, a Protestant ersatz?  Catholics used to proclaim their faith like Peter upside down on the Cross, not protest.  We are not sixties hippies trying to show our parents that 2000 years of history was wrong, just the opposite.

“Cartagena hooker”? Wow…

Maria, don’t worry about deacon Bill, he will have no effect on getting Obama re-elected, he’s one of those catholic in name only type, more loyal to the democratic party than the Church and they’re very frustrated that the church is waking up to the evil’s of the pro-abortion party and Obama.

@Maria:  Yes.  Deacon Bill is just another Catholic Obama shill like David Axelrod.  No doubt Bill is one of many   Massachusetts Catholics with a shrine in their home who bow and worship anyone named “Kennedy.”

Maria (and all Romney supporters),
You still don’t get it?  The two party system is a sham.  There is no real difference in a vote for Obama versus one for Romney.  Wake up.  Neither party has done us any favors.  After all our campaigning for the Republicans late term abortions are still legal in most states.  Wake up. We have been used!  Karl Rove knew how to play Catholics as did the Obama machine.  Luckily, our hope is not in politics.  That being said, we do have a duty to our country and I for one, will stand up for the constitution.  If we do not take a stand now we may lose our chance.  This is about religious freedom and the continuation of the Republic.  So don’t give this naive stuff about how we have to vote for Romney.  That will not save the Republic.  But, if there is a glimmer of a chance to save her, now is that time!  Viva Christo Rey!

Brilliant! You’re my kind of Catholic.
Yoooo Hoooo, let’s go protesting! BTW, do you think it would be blasphemous if I wear a cheesehead at the next ‘Catholic protest’? I mean I don’t want to rise up any competition or hard feelings if a Bishop happens to show up wearing a fancy miter. Goodness! Listen to me, I’m so Catholic!

Great post Matt!  Now do a folloup on how we Catholics can kick some butt.  Most people need that push.

I have a question for the author.  Do you think this comment is the way to start a viable, respectful, Catholic protest?

“Let’s start screaming like a short-changed Cartegena hooker.”

Even more disturbing than the statement itself is the fact that only a few responses so far have noted the despicable nature of the comments.  Is there something funny about a man who commits adultery with a prostitute and then makes her scream by refusing to pay her? Is there something funny about this on a Catholic website?  What happens when enemies of the Church read this comment?  Is this a service to the truth?  Is it charitable to women?  Does it honor the commandments?  Does it honor human dignity?  Is it respectful of marriage, edifying to teenagers, tactful humor?  Is it dignified and saintly? 

Do I want my son reading this column?  No, because I don’t want him to laugh at adultery and the objectification of women.  Do I want my daughter to read this column?  No, I don’t want her to see a Catholic man making light of adultery and the objectification of women.  I want her to run far away from that man.  In fact, I don’t want anybody to read this column, because it only serves to reinforce every negative stereotype about Catholics and women.  I am ashamed that this statement came from a Catholic man, and I hope he sees the wisdom of apologizing - publicly - for his boorish insensitivity. 

I get that it was intended to be a joke.  It wasn’t funny.

I might add, it seemed a little racist, too.  Cartegena?  Really?

Parishioner,
Actually, it was hilarious, but in a way you’d never understand.  It makes fun of the entire fake political outrage.  It makes fun of the people that believe this lady could command the attention she is getting if there were not some high up, probably CIA, that wanted her to.  It makes fun of the extremely gullible press.  Ect.,ect., ect.

Why not try a “mass hunger strike till death” against HHS by bishops…. A ghndian way to protest…

Deacon Bill, You just won the election for Obama.

If anything, it seems he brought Obama one vote closer to defeat.  I gather from his comment that he voted for the O last time, but will not this time.  According the mathematics with which I am familiar, 0 is less than 1.  So if Obama had his 1 vote last time, and will have 0 of his votes this time, Obama has lost one vote he previously had.  Hard to win an election for someone when you reduce his vote count.  Maybe there is some principle of quantum theory involved in your calculations with which I am not familiar?

In fact, if every Catholic who voted for the O in 2008 does as Deacon Bill intends to do, the O will have a very hard time getting re-elected.

LOL!  Thanks, Matt.  I needed a good chuckle.  You nailed it.  The Nickelback comment—ouch.  When Obama won the Catholic vote in 2008, I was dismayed that so many were so misinformed.  I am confident that he will not win the Catholic vote in 2012.  He’s made sure even the most uninformed Catholic voter knows where he stands.

The men committed adultery.  Maybe I missed something.  It wasn’t funny.  Kind of sad, actually.

Parishioner- In and of itself, there is nothing funny about anyone (man or woman) committing adultry.  But you need to lighten up.  This article is well-written, and the image of the Cartegena hooker screaming is a good one.  It’s descriptive.  It’s like God sheltering us under His feathers.  God is not a bird.  It’s just an image to describe something in writing, that gives a picture.  The same with this article. I think the writing is not only brilliant, it’s TRUE.

To your point, “I don’t want anybody to read this column, because it only serves to reinforce every negative stereotype about Catholics and women.” May I please ask you: What precisely IS the negative stereotype about Catholics to which you refer? 

From my standpoint, this column not only pinpoints a sterotype (based on truth!) but it opens a door to what may correct our problem.  We have to face this.  It’s like a cancer that must be detected, and then removed, in order to restore health.

From my perspective, other Catholic stereotypes that your son and daughter would be WISE to see, so they can not continue passing it on to another generation in our educated and developed world include:

1- Catholics refusing to read the Bible for themselves, allowing simple and clear interpretation of it to permeate their lives.
2- Catholics refusing to ask questions, accepting *everything* they are told, even if what they are told originated in the Middle Ages, and not during the days recorded in the New Testament.
The Stereotype?  From my perspective here, Catholics are lazy, and gullible.  You want that for your children?

3- Catholics lack integrity, picking and choosing what they like about the faith, IN REAL LIFE, and filtering out what they do not like,  many times made to feel comfortable with this lack of integrity, by their own parish priests.  Like if 87% of Catholic women use contraception, and not 98%, as we’ve heard reported, that means only 13% of Catholic women hold true to what the church officially teaches?  So what would your son and daughter think of that?

Encourge your son and daughter to READ NEWS and to try to COME UP WITH God-honoring SOLUTIONS, because those in our generation, and those Catholics that came before us have blown it, big-time.

All we can do is pray, because we are woefully equipped to be in public, focused on JESUS, Who, by the way, I think would have gotten a chuckle from the IMAGE this column painted for us, and Who would be pleased that fellow Catholics care enough to DO something to correct what ails our church.

J+M+J   You have a problem with Latin, Matthew?  We noticed you managed to slip in a sarcastic comment in regard to speaking Latin. We hope it is not a jab at the Traditional Latin Mass - the Mass of all times and one that is blooming quickly worldwide, one that is becoming the norm and not the exception. Latin has become once again a required language in all seminaries. It’s about time.  Thank you Pope Benedict XVI. Praised be God. In regard to speaking up as Catholics, read one of my favorite saints; he says it like it is.  St. John Chrysostom: “He who is not angry when he has cause to be, sins.  For unreasonable patience is the hotbed of many vices: it fosters negligence, stimulates not only the wicked, but above all, the good to do wrong.”  ...through silence, apathy, condoning, “do not offend”, etc. Sound familiar? 
God bless!

Um, Milites, the Roman rite is in Latin, ordinary or extraordinary form.  Do you honestly think the Mass from the 1962 Missal is the same as that celebrated by Pope Pius V?  What about the Mass celebrated by St. Justin Martyr?  Where the Masses celebrated by St. John the Apostle in Latin?  One does not have to celebrate the extraordinary form to use Latin.  You do know that, right?

I suppose if the Second Coming occurred tomorrow, you would be like the Pharisees and condemn Jesus for also not speaking in Latin, wearing a Scapular or for reciting the Divine Mercy Devotions.  No doubt you also will say to Jesus:  “But we did all these things in your name!”  Uh, huh. . . .  Legalism .......  will be the death of us.

I (for one) am grateful for Bill Donohue of the Catholic League.  He criticizes those who publicly pick (w/o justification) on Catholics as Catholics; and gets his comments out promptly to the media.  A shortcoming of the USCCB has been to defer any comments until the next meeting, or refer complaints to committees.  You miss the attention of the Main Stream Media because by the time you respond to some situation, their attention has gone elsewhere.
TeaPot562

I agree with TeaPot562’s comment about the need for bishops to respond quickly and in unison.  It would be great, if they could have management skills taught to them at their upcoming USCCB meetings.

I suggest Dick Lyell’s from the Catholic Business Hour Radio program, to teach them.  Lyell’s would have to treat our bishops like any other “managers”, team leaders in a multi-national organization.  It’s basic management skills they so badly need.

That may be hard, because the bishops may expect deference, and Lyell’s may want to kowtow a bit to them.  But for the good of everyone (the universal Church, as well as here in the USA) bishops need to learn leadership skills, those pertaining to leaders/managers, in aiding them:

1) to keep underlings (pastors, priests and other staff) on the same page with them - after bishops themselves are on the same page, that is! and
2) to be able to communicate with the secular world, in One Voice, and in an effective manner.

TeaPot’s salient comment needs to be heeded.  Does anyone know Dick Lyell’s?  I just listen to his program on Saturday mornings; he gives sound advice about business, and about keeping our FAITH and BELIEFS in our work and private lives. 

Just what the bishops and our clergy could use.  He’s also good because he’s a family man & a business man, and he’s not a pie in the sky, contemplate your navel, talk in fancy religious terms and wearing opulent robes kind of person, at the mercy of the “Master of Ceremonies” from the diocese.  Lyell’s is a man’s man, who can communicate with everyone - women too.  PLEASE, GET HIM TO TEACH THE BISHOPS!!

Hey Deacon Bill- You probably know my parish deacon. He has political signs on his lawn at every election…. for the abortion supporting democrat candidate. Politics is his religion, not Catholicism. It makes me sick to drive by and see it. Oh- What happened when I called the rectory about it? Yea, that’s right- NOTHING! Bishops, pastors get in the real world. Put on your big boy pants and LEAD.

FABULOUS !
  CHURCH MILITANT UNITE !
      GET REVERENT.
PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN FOR MARTYRDOM !

Right on! And we do need all of us, not just Catholics, as one who commented said. The hooker thing doesn’t sit well.

Oh my goodness! Humor and Truth! Please tell me you have a 17 year old son who can date my daughter! Thank you for this pep talk.

Catholics need to stop being wimps.And the self-loathing Catholics who always support idiots like Obama and Pelosi need to be publicly bashed as the same type of self-deprecating Jews who worked with the Nazis to rat out their own kind….

Except for a few Christian voices here, you many should check your Christianity facts.  They are published boldly in the Beatitudes, right amidst the Gospels.  You are not representative of Christ or His church.  You’re exactly like the ones who wanted a different kind of Messiah/King. Do not cave in to the ways of this world.

@Carol O:  Your comment is not surprising, yet remains standard fare for adult Catholics who really never have graduated from their parish grammar school catechism.  You think you know the gospel while remaining ignorant of the Bible.  Claiming passages which identify your view of God’s nature only compromises (though unwittingly) how He operates and in particular how He views and deals with sin.  If (as the Lord says) “I change not” –He will only be patient with behavior which is evil, vile and filled with all kinds of wickedness in His sight for a period.  His desire is that men repent and change their behavior.  Still, the Scriptures tell us abomination before the Lord has its limits.  You wish to cite the Beatitudes starting in Matthew 5 because this passage fits your image of the Lord Jesus.  You cannot, however, ignore how the Lord has dealt with the wicked, sinful and prideful in the past.  He rends His justice accordingly when pushed without repentance.  Witness Sodom & Gomorrah, Nimrod, Pharoah, Achan, Amelek, the Hiittes, the Jebusites, including other tribal people all of whom were not only destroyed, but annilhilated in the conquest of Canaan including all vestiges of their pagan altars and icon gods.  Further, the Bible tells us the Philistine Army was inflicted with a severe case of hemorrhoids when they stole the Ark of the Covenant and mocked Yahweh.  (Yes, you can look that up,—it’s there).  Likewise, King Nebuchadnezzar was forced into submission on all fours to eat like a billygoat for seven years.  You are misguided to think that followers of Christ should be led to the slaughter without standing for righteousness.  Indeed, our witness for the gospel demands all believers stand in the midst of evil and not cave to the culture, Hollywood or governmental policies which violate biblical principles.  We do not answer to Washington, Hollywood or the Supreme Court but to the Lord Himself.  John the Baptist was executed for standing for righteousness when imprisoned for speaking about the evil of King Herod Antipas after divorcing his wife to marry Heroidias (both his sister-in-law and niece).  It is both naïve and deceptive to think God now, in modern times, views sin in some sort of lesser light in which He has morphed into a nice, “loving and kind” God appearing in the NT rather than Him being “angry” and wrathful of the OT.  Indeed you would be wrong.  Witness in ACTS of the Apostles where Ananias & Sapphira (husband and wife) were struck dead by the Lord for lying about their tithe to the church following the sale of property.  Carol, it is very Christian to stand against the culture and not wilt in the face of sin.  Jeremiah the Prophet and Daniel did likewise including the three Hebrew children Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  It is time for “Kumbaya” Catholics including passive clergy to stand for the entire gospel instead of only the selected and comfortable gospel.  For as Paul tells us in Romans 1 —you who know the truth “are without excuse.”

In the Pew - Wow. You know so much about the Bible.  You sound Protestant.

Of all the people Catholics could and should think of looking up to, Occupy Wall Street just isn’t it.  And we don’t usually make up songs about how “they will know we are Christian by our anger, by our anger!  They will know we are Christians by our anger!”

I don’t want to see Bishop Lori overturning a Chevy Volt or even beginning to look like he might.  I don’t want Catholics acting as though we’re ready to start reigniting the Crusades and the Inquisition right now, especially in this politically charged climate, especially after the development of a remarkably comprehensive and sophisticated apparatus at the service of the US government for combating international organizations, motivated by religion, that it deems a threat.

Anyway, more here: http://attheturnofthetide.blogspot.com/2012/05/matt-archbold-religious-liberty-and.html

Caspar, we already have an archbishop in Los Angeles leading angry rallies for the “rights” of illegals.  Rights?  What rights?  Apparently the “right” to burn the American flag.

“There is no real difference bewtween Democarats (sic) and Republicans…”
-Blake Helgoth (6:47)

False. Democarats are wealthy. Compared to them, Republicans are mendicants.

<blockquote>(oh, wait, I forgot, Jesus was a Republican!)

How could you forget, Blake?

Republicans know Jesus said, “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.”  Thus, the vast majority of Republicans work hard and pay taxes.

Democarats and Democrats seek to render the poor unto Caesar.  Thus, most Democrats work the system and spend taxes.  See the difference?

Micha,
I was speaking of the parties.  The international banks and corporations have become so wealthy that they now work the two parties like puppets on a string.  That is why, election after election, nothing of great importance ever changes, no matter the party voted in.  The puppeteers are the ones working the system.  We think choosing a side is oh so nightly important, but we are the fools.  The cost of our foolishness is that we are now on the brink of loosing the Republic.

OK!!  People,  stop bagging on Matthew.  Everything he wrote is true (except maybe the Redwings comment, I don’t know about that one)  those of you who tried to pick apart each item are not getting it.  Reason number 10 - Catholics don’t “get it”.  He is using humour to make a point.  Also, a little hyperbole thrown in for good measure.  If you don’t know what hyperbole is look it up and then ask your Priest to show you all the places Jesus and Paul use it in the NT.  If all of the people in this country who call themselves Catholic would follow even 1/2 the teachings of the Church this country would not be headed to “hell in a hand basket” the way it is now.  One last thing, those of you who whine and complain about all of the uninsured people in this country and/or that people get denied coverage for pre-existing conditions need to take a basic course in math and econmics.  Why would an insurance company want to cover someone who pays a monthly premieum of say $150.00 but whose medical bills are $1500.00 per month from the get go.  It doesn’t make sense.  Insurance companies would go broke in a matter of months.  They are in business to make a profit.  They are not some big charity in the sky with orchards full of trees that grow money instead of leaves.  Do any of you who voted for obama ever stop and think about what comes out of your mouths?  Because,  from what I see you are either delusional, stupid, or liars.  I’m leaning towards delusional with a big scoop of stupid on top.

I’m appalled at the state of our church in America, Where Catholics only show up at mass for Ash Wednesday , Christmas and or Easter. 70 % of Catholics don’t attend mass. Just think if they all came back, What a impact it would have. I’m appalled that the only person running that is truly pro life has been blacked out of the media and is filling Stadiums to over flowing and the media blacked him out from the beginning.
They would rather sit back and just go with the flow and not ruffle anyone’s feathers. This Catholic is ruffling Feathers, Its time for us to vote for a real Statesman that has courage. Pro Life Ron Paul going through the Delegate process to get on the Ballot despite media blackout.
He is a Humble Christian man and will repeal roe verses wade..I for one am standing my Catholic Ground and will be voting my Catholic conscience !!! Ron Paul and Liberty and Freedom or we will have a Totalitarian Dictatorship with Obama or Romney neither of which can fill the floor seats of a stadium.Ron Paul 2012 grow up and take a stand or live through Communism.

How long are Catholics going stand around?

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemoller, Protestant pastor speaking out against the Nazis.

Awesome post!  I thought it was hilarious and pretty darn true!  Fire out that Pelosi excommunication writ!

” I was a little concerned at the last anti-HHS mandate rally I attended. There was more blue hair there than at a Marge Simpson costume party. I’m in my 40’s and they all referred to me as “young man.”

I really liked your article and resonated with it, except the part about the blue hair and people calling you young. 1) You look young. 2. ) While it is extremely important that young people carry the torch forward,as they have the energy to do so, it is also important for older people, all people, age, creeds and colors and religions,who oppose abortion to be involved. We need everyone. Older people let it happen since 1973. They may have relatives and friends who committed abortion, or may done themselves although they may not be able to go public.

Protests were not invented by the young and many mature citizens may have survived and participated in the tumultuous ‘60’s with the civil rights movement, women’s lib, and marches against the Viet Nam war. They may be quite experienced in non violent protest. Or perhaps they realize they should have been, so this is the best cause to get on board with. All life is important, all people to this movement. I know what you meant to say and have often felt Catholic protestors in general, at least in recent years have been milk toast sometimes. But old people are valuable and their wisdom is invaluable. Just sayin’ dude! Keep it coming!

Sister in Christ ( kinda old ): )