Cheers! Very accurate, very funny, and I think you stole mostly all of the thunder from the ‘new atheists’ and far leftist who are crouched and ready to pounce with these very same ideas.

One of the few things you might have missed is how they will make an issue of God blessing America instead of the whole world… and of course they will somehow manage to depict the church as something in decline and struggling with sex-abuse cases, then the real zealots will mention some witch hunting references, and of course, good old Galileo… the patron saint of the new atheists.

They will depict themselves as the ‘tolerant’ ones while they force our institutions to pay for abortions and sterilizations.

Oh well, it’s always to be controversial to be a Christian… why expect it to stop now?

What about Rebecca, Sarah, Rachel? Obviously he has no respect for women!
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We all (“born again” and “saved” christians) know that when you die, you go straight to Jesus.  How dare he suggest that we pray for the dead!
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Well, ya know, he’s a Catholic and they’re all damned to hell anyway - what do you expect?
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I can’t think of any others; apparently I go to Mass too often and don’t turn the TV on enough to hear all the leftist rebuttals.

Amen, Amen

In answer to those who would quibble about Mohammed: I think the good Cardinal chose Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jesus specifically to include all three of the world’s major religions, inasmuch as Abraham was the father of Mohammed through Ismael, his other son, Isaac and son Jacob for the Jews, and of course, Jesus, for the Christians. It’s subtle, but that’s the way things are done in religious-speak.

But the real question is: where are the Buddhists? Answer me that!  Hah!  Hollywood types at the DNC will get real upset if Buddha isn’t there.

Patti. As a Catholic, guess I’ll see you in hell then. BTW, if you knew anything about Cardinal Dolan, which apparently you don’t, you would know of his live fot the Mary, the mother of God. Apparently, by your less than charitable remarks, you aren’t much of a Christian either. I fwel sad for people who don’t know a rhing about Catholicism or any faith for that matter and feel the need to bash it. Blessings to you.

Margaret B, I think it’s pretty clear Patti is joking…she says she’s been spending too much time in Mass to know what other leftist critiques there might be.  She wasn’t being uncharitable to Catholics, she was being satrical about left-wing people.  She is Catholic and clearly joking.

First and foremost Cardinal Dolan is a great man and modern role model for Christians today. He is truly a person many of us can learn a lot from. Now in respect to the Catholic bashing, if you know nothing of Catholicism, I beg of you not to bash it. I am a proud Catholic and I give thanks for the Church, the ONLY Church established b Jesus Christ himself and the ONLY Church that for 2,000 + years can trace it’s origins and teachings to all the apostles. This is the Church you hate? And if all of you true Evangelical Christians really know your Bible (the Bible you can thank the Catholic Church for putting together), you can read Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8; 2 Macc. 12:43-45; Baruch 3:4. These are but a few. I am not here to bash your faiths, but as brothers and sisters in Christ, be more vigilant and tolerant of other faiths. The teachings of Christ is that of love not and tolerance, not hate.

Margaret B & Justin P - Pat asked, “What did I miss?” at the end of his article and in the same vein as he had written above, I made some comments that I fully expect to hear at work, at the convention I’m going to this weekend, at dinner Sunday night, etc.
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To use an analogy, if you compared Catholicism to being pregnant, I guess I’d be in my 9th month - or REALLY pregnant. (As if in your first trimester you’re “just a little” pregnant?)
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One of my favorite sayings, that I still believe rings true, is what the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, “There are not even 100 people in this country who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they THINK the Catholic Church to be.”

The Cardinal delivered an excellent prayer.  It covered everything & was meant to be heard by God.  Those of us here on earth only eaves-dropped.

It’s funny Patti’s remark was (mis)interpreted by Margaret B, who thought it to be a poke at the Catholic Church.  I knew Patti was only teasing. I’m surprised Margaret did not add the following in her barb to Patti:

* You are your own pope!
* You are a troll.  What are you doing reading a Catholic blog?
* And Justin P, pointed out:
“I am a proud Catholic and I give thanks for the Church, the ONLY Church established b Jesus Christ himself and the ONLY Church that for 2,000 + years can trace it’s origins and teachings to all the apostles.”
* Justin P also pointed out someone here “hates” the church, thereby giving credence to the age-old Catholic whine, “The media doesn’t like us! It’s not fair.”
*You don’t SOUND Catholic to me. Your soul is in danger. Go to confession.

Lastly, how in the world did someone draw Cardinal Dolan’s love for Mary into this article?  Did they want Mary mentioned too?  God help us.

Good job, Pat Archbold.  Now, how about a list of “Predictable Catholic Responses”, when they feel cornered, and cannot base their convictions on FACTS or work from their own adult faith formation?  I’m beginning to think their reaction is like “Catholic Reflex”. Hit a knee, & it bobs up automatically.

It was good to read what the cardinal actually said.  I approve of every word.  I’d not add or subtract one jot or tittle of what he wrote.  Keep up the good work, Mr. Archbold, in writing & making Catholics THINK and engage. (mostly think)

Why would Dolan pray at the DNC convention when they stand for everything he does not—abortion, partial birth abortion and contraception?  Maybe he’s going to perform a group exorcism on Catholics—Biden, Pelosi, Durbin, Leahy, Cuomo and the Catholic strategist “in chief” Axelrod.  Better yet, maybe issue an excommunication.  The next thing we might see is a full color guard of the Knights of Columbus show up honoring all Catholic Democrat politicians right after they have another one of their Spaghetti & Meatball dinners.

I give 50%/50% odds that, assuming he delivers the same prayer, he either gets booed when the references to abortion and gay marriage appear; or, alternatively, that the media types like Chris Matthews or that Toure doofus get critical and make an issue of it.

<blockquote><i>Why would Dolan pray at the DNC convention when they stand for everything he does not—abortion, partial birth abortion and contraception?  Maybe he’s going to perform a group exorcism…
—-New Observer (6:11 PM)

An exorcism… Hmm… An exorcism is a kind of prayer, isn’t it?

I like how you think.  :-)

You missed: the “values” of “love” and “equality”, and the sins of “intolerance” and “bigotry”.  Never mind that Nature has discriminated. Never mind that bigotry is unjust or unreasonable discrimination and that being discriminatory is not bad in and of itself. Never mind that if two men love each other that shouldn’t mean sodomy. Never mind that men and women are different but equal for a reason and a Creator.

I really Hope that the Cardinals prayer doesn’t turn out as “let’s be friends everyone”. That would be a lie, and a big one. I really hope he is doing the right thing here. We’ll see. Maybe, just maybe, this will help save the Democratic Party.  TheIr really going down a rabbit hole, it’s come to mean that their most important party planks are: abortion, same-sex marriage and raise taxes. Ironically the first two are directly related to contraception, and the third indirectly as the leading cause of poverty among children in the country unwed mothers and divorce.

What a mess.

I love the idea of a mass exorcism!  There has never been such a stark contrast between the party of life and the party of death!  The choice is easy for faithful Catholics!  God bless the USA!

The Church is a hospital, and the good Cardinal is heading to a spiritual national disaster to do whatever he can to save eternal lives.

I miss read the dialogue, and I apologize Patti. And I like that statement Barb made.

Islam is antithetical to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and therefor to the Christian principles our founders insisted should be taught in public education.  The real Muslim goal is to destroy Christianity and kill the infidel as directed by the Quran.  Freedom of religion in this country should never be open to any religion that thrives only to destroy the God our nation chose to trust. The American people had better wake up to the danger of their brand of “Trojan Horse” in our midst.  Fortunately our true God has promised that Islam can never prevail.

Bigots are the ones most inclined to make ashes of themselves.

I have been worried about the survival of the nation our founders willed to us only twice in 85 years.  The first time was when Obama was elected to fulfill two prophecies. One by Norman Thomas who said after he lost the presidential election in 1936 that the Socialists would take over our nation without firing a shot. The other was from the stigmatic Padre Pio that our nation would be taken over, but it would be only a short time. I pray to God that he meant four year. The American voters have the capacity to destroy our religious freedom in the next election. If the Democrats and apostate Catholics that elected Obama don’t correct their treason and reject Socialism, freedom will be gone.  I have sadly watched the encroachment of Socialism and corresponding decline of morality from John Dewey, that began after I started public school in 1933 to Obama. I hope the voters reclaim our nation from the Socialist blight in November.  God have mercy if they don’t.

‘A prayer is a prayer’ but was this one given by a Catholic Cardinal?  I thought Catholics offered prayer to the Father through the Son Jesus.  Jesus is mentioned once as one of God’s children.  In light of the Cardinal’s efforts to get invited to both conventions, I would have thought he could at least offer a prayer that you could tell was offered by a christian. Take out the one mention of Jesus or add a different name after the Lord’s name and this could have been offered by a Rabbi or Imam. Compare the prayer with the model for christian prayer, the Lord’s prayer.  There is no forgiveness or mention of God’s greatest attribute ‘mercy’.  This is a prayer as an american would offer it regardless of what their faith is.  In other words, this was a politically correct prayer.  I would rather have heard a prayer offered from Tim Tebow or Jeremy Lin.  Just a prediction but I think the Cardinal wants to offer benediction at the next Presidential Inauguration. This prayer and the one he will offer at the DNC are his application.  I am disappointed that the Cardinal chose this over saying no to inviting the politicians who oppose ‘Life’ to a charity dinner.

Bob Rowland….........I too have been worried about the survival of our country!  The first time was on November 4, 2008 when McCain lost the election. It has been a very difficult 4 years!  Like you, I am very worried about this next election. Our country will not survive four more years under this administration. As a baby boomer, I feel fortunate to haves lived my life in a free country. I have traveled to many foreign countries in Europe and Asia and we do not want to live under any form of socialistic government. There is no place like home!  How does one break through the blindness?!?  I pray continuously that Democrats and especially Catholics wake up!  There is a huge difference this year between the party of life and the party of death GOD bless the USA! 

What our country is going through right now, as Lin mentioned with us being at a crossroads, with a clear distinction between our two major parties, reminds me of the book of Esther.  She was born for such a time as that was.  Not only did she pray and fast, getting everyone to join with her, so her prayer reached God’s ears, but she acted, and showed courage and trust in God.  That is what we need to do, now.

We pray TO the Father (who hears and answers prayer), in Jesus’s name (because He is our Advocate, sitting at God’s right hand, making intercession for us, knowing our flaws and failings, because He experienced what it is to be human) and our prayers are offered, by the power of the Holy Spirit (who resides in us, and when we don’t even know what to say, will pray for us, with groanings of the heart, helping us commune with the Father).

The bishops are FINALLY mostly on the same page, for the first time in history.  They are morally correct in what they are now teaching, via bulletin inserts:
* the Sanctity of Life from the cradle to the grave
* the Preservation of Traditional Marriage
* Religious Freedom - all aspects of it, with government keeping out, and allowing us to live what we profess to believe, with God-honoring values.

To the above three, I add the Freedom of Enterprise, as what Chick-fil-A is going through right now may come to a home town near you, too.  Freedom of Speech needs to be protected as well, no one should be barred from doing business, based on their Christian values.

Yes, Catholics and all other God-fearers, need to wake up!  What we have had so far, a party in power that does not recognize what Christians hold dear, must be voted out of office.  Most Christians form values like this:

1) Look at what Jesus Himself said (found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the first part of Acts of the Apostles)
2) Read the balance of the New Testament: epistles and all other books.
3) Read the Old Testament, for applicable verses that make it square with the NT.
4) Read what those saints that have gone before us wrote, those that taught from sound apostolic teachings, such as those from where we got the Nicene & the Apostles Creed.
5) Think about our own experiences, and our own feelings and opinions.

But we are all flawed.  Our own opinions and feelings ought not trump points 1-4.  For many liberal Catholics, liberal mainline Protestants, and even liberal Jewish people, Point Number 5 trumps everything, making them left of Center; Center being God’s Will and God’s Word.

So it’s time to pray like never before.  Fast.  Get behind our bishops and priests, hold intelligent conversations about the need for us to turn back to God, as a country.  Be an Esther.  Be a Moses.  Be a saint.

Very well written, Terah James!  Pray, pray, and pray some more!  God bless!

@ Terah James, I wish everything you wrote was true. Sadly, the Cardinal didn’t offer a prayer at the RNC as you said we pray ‘We pray TO the Father (who hears and answers prayer), in Jesus’s name’. When the president of the Usccb seeks to offer the final prayer at both conventions and doesn’t pray in Jesus name it has to make you wonder. When he is more concerned with being civil than standing up to politicians for the right to life cause it has to make you wonder. When he distracts people from the real problem of the mandate by saying it is really a religious freedom issue when it is the greatest attack on life in decades, it has to make you wonder. unfortunately, the distinction between the Partys isn’t clear enough. It is more like a choice between going to hell really fast or a little bit slower.

Well written Terah J.!
(Why is it that trolls always begin an argument with “sadly”? )

I was thinking the same thing as Paul B when Cardinal Dolan put Jesus into the same category of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  I didn’t want to nitpick but thought it odd that Jesus is just one of several of God’s children.  He and the Father are One and all prayer is offered to the Father through his beloved Son, Jesus.  After all, “before Abraham, I am”.  Paul, you wrote what ached in my heart, that this speech, as well intentioned as it was, was anemic and generic.  Also, it would have been better had the prayer been made at the beginning of the Opening of the last day of the Convention rather than after the balloons had fallen and it was harder to quiet the hall.  It was an awkward moment.  The Cardinal didn’t know what to do with himself and just slinked behind.  Kind of embarassing.  But again, placing Jesus in the category of only adopted sons of God was bowing to the gods of political correctness. It saddened me.

Politics and religion do not mix and that’s why you heard a politically correct prayer placing Jesus into the mix of the Patriachs, holy men as they were.  Jesus is in a special category of his own being the Son of God. The prayer did not give Him the special place He deserves.  No wonder we have a mess in the Church and in our country today.

What a great column!  And you’re absolutely right on the “so-called criticism”.  If he does us this same prayer at the end of the Dem’s convention, you can be sure you WILL hear those criticisms.  The Cardinal is very brave I think to say this great prayer at both of the conventions.  From what I could see when he was finished, people were bowing their heads in prayer.  Wonder though, if it will be the same at the other convention, where most of the PC celebrity crowd resides.  Thank you Cardinal Dolan for expressing what we should be praying for at this time.

Hmmm.  Your point about Jesus’ Name needing to be the focus of the prayer is well taken, proving that feedback from the pew is valuable.  Church leaders ought not to be above hearing concerns, and your point is valid.

When Cardinal Dolan invited Pres. Obama to the fundraiser, I was one of the many that sent him an email, voicing my angst.  Perhaps a few from the pew can also write to him about this, asking him to take special note to direct his prayer in Jesus’ Name, at the Dem. Convention?  That is even more important, in my opinion, as Pres. Obama seems to be Muslim, to me.

It’s likely that it was not done intentionally at the Rep. Convention, but I agree with you that Jesus’ Name needs to be invoked, and specifically.  Upon a second look, the prayer above could be said to Allah.  I never noticed it before now.  So I believe I am wrong, and you, Paul B, are right.  Thank you for pointing it out.

I say so especially because there are some city councils now that are so “open” with who says their prayers to open their meetings, that a local city had a Hindu priest give an invocation recently, and I heard of an Atheist that is going to open a city council meeting back east.  It’s very important that a Catholic bishop’s prayer be specifically in Jesus’ Name.

It was easy to find Card. Dolan’s email address, but I do not have it handy.  He was swamped with people writing to him then, prompting him to give his reasoning for extending that invitation.  Giving feedback, respectfully, is very, very good.

I applaud the columnists that are encouraging all of us (including our leadership) to think, and to be God-honoring, in our everyday lives, including our prayer lives.  Thank you. Thank you to the NC Register too.

I thought a prayer should please God,not every one else.

Hmm.  When I heard the Cardinal’s prayer, I also thought he’s going to give the same one at the Dem convention.  However, I don’t think there’ll be much of a reaction at all.  Sure, Chris Matthews and some other Catholic educated folks in the room will understand that the reference to Natural Law equal abortion and gay marriage, but most of them won’t.    And those conventioneers who are offended by the somewhat esoteric prayer?  All they have to do is to show some self control and remain silent and then the Catholic Union Dems sitting in the pews will have received the message that it’s ok to vote for the party of Death.  I wish this prayer would be controversial at the Democratic Convention, but my biggest fear is that it won’t be.

The content of the prayer would not matter. People in a state of sin can rationalize any behavior.

  “With firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, let us pray. Almighty God, Father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, we beg your continued blessings on this sanctuary of freedom”

Hummmm .... you MISSED his praying “for this sanctuary of freedom” ... what sanctuary of freedom???? ... these guys kill babies and rail against God .... duhhh!!

Marguerite, I agree with your comment about putting Jesus in same category as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Jesus seemed like an afterthought.  I also wished he would say the words of Father, Son and Holy Spirit out loud.  It’s one thing for lay people to not want to do that that but a Cardinal should not be apprehensive about saying those words aloud and Catholics usually end with “through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen”. I don’t recall those words.  I hate to be nitpicking but other Catolics on other websites notice that also.

As a Catholic, I find it increasingly difficult to respect especially cardinals, bishops and priests who do not believe in the Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They manifest this public denial by their written and spoken words.

I have a few questions for this man.

Mr. Dolan,

Do you believe that Our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST IS GOD?

Are you putting God on the same level as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

Have you forgotten the following words of our Blessed Lord?

“I and the Father are one.” [John 10:30]
“Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.” John 8:58

Are you a Roman Catholic bishop? Just remember these words of the Son of God:

[32] Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. [33] But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 10:33]

You need to make a public statement about your blasphemy that will lead souls astray.

It is significant that our Holy Father publicly spoke of Judas only 3 days before the timely demise of Cardinal Martini.

This sermon could well apply to Cardinal Dolan/Cardinals, bishops, priests, religious women and laity intent on creating a modern, all inclusive politically correct Catholicism within the True Church.

VATICAN CITY, August 28, 2012 – In his Angelus address Sunday,

Pope Benedict XVI SPOKE OF JUDAS’ BETRAYAL OF CHRIST, SAYING THAT JUDAS’ PROBLEM WAS FAILING TO LEAVE CHRIST WHEN HE NO LONGER BELIEVED – A “FALSEHOOD,” SAID THE POPE, “WHICH IS A MARK OF THE DEVIL.”

“Judas,” said Pope Benedict, “could have left, as many of the disciples did; indeed, he would have left if he were honest. Instead he remained with Jesus. HE DID NOT REMAIN BECAUSE OF FAITH, OR BECAUSE OF LOVE, BUT WITH THE SECRET INTENTION OF TAKING VENGEANCE ON THE MASTER.”

“… for those Catholics who cannot bring themselves to believe the formal teachings of the Church on life and family matters it would be more honest to leave the Church rather than betraying Her.”

“…Intellectual difficulty is not disobedience.” He explained, “You might have teachings you find difficult to accept. However, (in those circumstances) it is virtuous to believe since you make a sacrifice of your own will, taking as your own the mind of the Church.”

To Cardinal Dolan, cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay Catholics who like Martini clamour for a futile and demonic change, LEAVE.

You will never be able to change the Magisterium and Tradition of the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH because Jesus said, [18] And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [Matthew 16:18
[18] The gates of hell: That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself, or his agents. For as the church is here likened to a house, or fortress, built on a rock; so the adverse powers are likened to a contrary house or fortress, the gates of which, that is, the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or church of Christ.

By this promise we are fully assured that, neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the church of Christ.

It was as I feared.  The Dems were respectful.  I suspect most of the folks there praying along with the Cardinal (African Americans) actually agreed with him.  And now what’s the takeaway message for the Catholic Union guy sitting in the Pew?  Probably something along the lines of Caroline Kennedy, who, as a Catholic woman takes her reproductive health seriously (or something like that).  Sigh.

As usual, Dolan was late for the train and misguided.  He was hoping to hear the confession of Sandra Fluke.  And after hearing the blather of that NARAL lady claiming her right to abortion “with dignity” I almost threw up.  How interesting that Caroline Kennedy wants to protect women from the GOP when her own father and uncle were serial womanizers and users.