Obama told his Muslim audience: “[W]e must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors.”

Hmmm … here are three things he didn’t seem to want to say openly in Cairo:

He didn’t praise doubt, or promote LGBT, or read the Koran’s other verses.

1. He didn’t praise doubt.

Specifically, he didn’t say this (I’ve added changes to his Notre Dame speech in boldface):

“But remember too that the ultimate irony of faith in Islam is that it necessarily admits doubt in Mohammed the prophet, peace be on him (or maybe not?). It is the belief in things not seen. It is beyond our capacity as human beings to know with...READ MORE

At Cairo, Obama had to reach out to Muslims whose religion he admires but who tend to extremist positions (jihad) that he rejects.

At Notre Dame, Obama had to reach out to Catholics whose religion he admires but whose positions (the right to life) he rejects.

The two speeches he gave had some surprising similarities.

In Cairo, he praised a version of Islam that suited his purposes.

His hope — to reinforce the moderate elements in Islam — is a noble one. Let’s hope it works. The danger of his approach: If he is speaking to a wishful-thinking version of the Islamic world, he could speak over the heads of most Muslims, while inciting extremists to be upset that squishier Muslims...READ MORE

Yesterday, President Obama did something radical: He proclaimed June “LGBT Pride” month.

This doesn’t just mean “tolerance for homosexuals month.” The T stands for “transgender.” The movement is clear that it wants men to be able to use women’s bathrooms, among other craziness. (See?)

The White House buried the news, and the media helped. But Obama said he wants to mainstream that craziness:

“Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending...READ MORE

“As a bishop,” writes Bridgeport’s William Lori, “I will take every measure possible to defend our faith and our Church from attempts to silence us — and our individual parishes could be targeted next.”

One thing he is willing to do, it turns out, is sue the state of Connecticut.

It started when parish reorganization Bill 1098 was announced in Connecticut with just five days before its scheduled hearing, Bishop Lori recounts on his blog. At that point, the Bridgeport Diocese:

•  “alerted our membership — in person and through our website;”
•  “encouraged them to exercise their free speech by contacting their elected representatives;”
•  “We organized a...READ MORE

Pro-lifers rushed to the transom to condemn the killing of abortionist George Tiller by a gunman at his Kansas church.

UPDATED with more comment.

Statements from: U.S. bishops, Priests for Life, American Life League, Kansas Bishops, CatholicVote.org and Susan B. Anthony List.

Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, expressed profound regret upon learning of the shooting death of abortion doctor George Tiller.

“Our bishops’ conference and all its members have repeatedly and publicly denounced all forms of violence in our society, including abortion as well as the...READ MORE

At Notre Dame, Obama referred to Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.

“That must have had Cardinal Bernardin turning over in his grave,” writes Elizabeth Lev.

Then, she finds an extraordinary quote from the cardinal himself ... and in the Register, no less.

Obama “cleverly backed up his pro-choice arguments by quoting the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s ‘seamless garment’ project,” wrote Lev, “which many have manipulated to bury abortion among many other issues, as if killing hundreds of thousands of innocent children were somehow morally equivalent to welfare reform and immigration law.”

Said Obama of Bernardin:

“He stood as both a lighthouse and a crossroads — unafraid to speak his mind on...READ MORE

USA Today‘s blog laments that it sees no common ground on abortion — even in “a roomful of people who already agree that ‘abortion is an unspeakable crime’.”

That’s a particular room full of specific people ... a National Press Club meeting with Harvard’s Mary Ann Glendon, Princeton’s Robbie George and ... Pepperdine’s Douglas Kmiec.

Blogger Cathy Lynn Grossman sighs: “It turns out that the definition of ‘common ground’ between those Catholics who are relentlessly opposed to the policies of the Obama administration on all life issues and those who support President Obama on efforts to reduce the demand for abortion is that everyone insists their ground is the only place to stand.”

AP and Reuters today report more evidence that Pope Benedict XVI is the personable Pope, capable of candor and informality.

Like his great Communion and confession advice, it came in response to a child’s question about his childhood.

He said he was an “ingenuous, small town boy,” according to AP.

Reuters rendered the same quote with more poetry: “a rather naive boy in a small village very far from the center, in a forgotten province.”

In the AP story, the Pope said he and the other altar boys were “no saints,” getting into fights occasionally.

Reuters quoted his childhood thoughts on the papacy. First, he noted that he and his friends didn’t spare much thought for the world outside...READ MORE