The Areopagus 5-19-09
posted by Phil Lawson
5-19-09
As far back as I can remember, my house has received the daily newspaper. I recall being a paperboy as a youth. On those very early Sunday mornings, after completing the deliveries, I’d stay up to read the paper before catching a few more winks prior to Mass. Indeed, I have always considered it both a fruitful and pleasurable activity.
Last week I cancelled my subscription to our local daily. I have had disagreements with them before, which is to be expected in any newspaper. There have been times I have even taken offense at what they have published. The final straw came via a letter to the editor May 12th in which the author, trying to make a contrary point stooped to labeling Pope Benedict “a Nazi foot-soldier.” Such a blatantly false and loaded accusation, not to mention a slanderous label, has no place in a professional newspaper that makes a claim to truth, factualism, and the respectful exchange of ideas.
The author used this slander to support his claim that the pope’s words aren’t worth much and that instead the world would in essence be a much better place if more people listened to his own (Nigbor’s) opinion concerning all the usual issues…abortion, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, etc.
The actual letter I sent to the newspaper is listed below.
To Whom It May Concern:
This morning I cancelled my subscription to the Stevens Point Journal--something I have received since I first moved to the area in the summer of 2001.
In the past, I have had disagreements or concerns about what's been printed, however this is to be expected from a newspaper.
However, on Tuesday, May 12th, you published a letter to the editor from Mike Nigbor in which he labeled Pope Benedict "a Nazi foot-soldier." This both blatantly untrue and slanderous. As the historical record indicates, the pope as a young man was automatically enrolled in Hitler's Youth--as every single German child was--but he managed to never partake or do anything with that organization. Using such charged terms serves no purpose to further the author's argument. And I'm surprised the Stevens Point Journal would allow such a slanderous charge to even be published.
I thank you for your time and consideration.
Phil’s Tidbits:
Last year I had the privilege of speaking at an Assembly of God church about Catholicism. To the pastor’s credit, he saw that a large portion of his congregation were former Catholics who harbored an animosity toward their former church. Realizing that this was spiritually unhealthy, he invited a priest and myself in for a series of reflections on three consecutive weekends. It was a positive experience and quite the treat let me tell you---and seemingly as fruitful as such an endeavor can be. Afterwards it got back to me that the pastor had described yours truly as “really Catholic.” I took that as a compliment That memory is occasioned by this quote (cited in First Things) on loving the Church from the Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac:
“Such a person will have fallen in love with the beauty of the House of God; the Church will have stolen his heart. She is his spiritual native country, his ‘mother and his brethren,’ and nothing which concerns her will leave him indifferent or detached; he will root himself in her soil, form himself in her likeness and make himself one with her experience….It will be from her that he learns how to live and from her that he learns how to die.”
-Something to keep in mind, something to aim for as we celebrate Pentecost—“the birthday” of the Church as it’s often called in 11 days.
A follow-up on the importance of taking your kids to Mass every week:
Study: Children That Go to Mass, Continue Going
Finds U.S. Catholics Are Staying Catholic
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- If parents want their children to carry the Catholic faith from childhood to adulthood, take them to Mass, say a U.S. bishops' conference spokesman.
Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, past chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Catechesis and next chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, said this Monday in response to a Pew Forum survey that revealed a key factor in whether or not one remains Catholic as an adult is whether or not one attends Mass as a child or teenager.
The study, “Faith in Flux: Changes in the Religious Affiliation in the U.S.,” was made public Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
“The report highlights the importance of Mass attendance among children and teenagers,” the archbishop said. “Adolescence is a critical time in religious development and, as the poll shows, what happens in the teen years has a long-lasting affect. We have to help young people and their parents appreciate the importance of going to weekly Mass so teenagers know Jesus is there for them now and always.“
The study also revealed a 68% retention rate of Catholics in the Church, which is higher than most other Christian churches. The key reason people leave their church, the study reported, is that “they just gradually drifted away from the faith.”
The study said only 2%-3% percent of those polled cited sexual abuse of children as a reason for leaving when asked in an open-ended question why they left.
When people were asked to choose why they left from a list of possible reasons, the number jumped from 21% for Catholics who became Protestant, and 27% for former Catholics who are now unaffiliated with any church. Other reasons for leaving the Church, such as disagreement on doctrinal matters, figured much higher.
Archbishop Wuerl said the poll showed the resilience of the Catholic faith, even in the face of something as horrific as the sexual abuse crisis.
“Catholics can separate the sins and human failings of individuals from the substance of the faith,” he said. “Sexual abuse of a child is a terrible sin and crime, but most Catholics people, because of good personal experience with their priests in their parishes, recognize sex abuse by clergy as the aberration it is. They also look to the church’s 2,000-year history, which has seen the faith flourish despite some painful times.”
This is a bit older…but still relevant---and unfortunately all too true as far as laws in states throughout the Union.Parental Consent Required For Tattoos in Maryland, But Not For Abortion
By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
BALTIMORE, February 26, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Maryland House of Delegates has unanimously approved a proposal to require "parental consent" for tattoos and body piercings done on minors. However, the state still only requires that one parent be notified that a minor is going to have an abortion, with no need for the parent's consent.
Republicans in the House tried and failed to amend the "tattoos and body piercing" measure to include parental consent for abortion when Del. Gail H. Bates, a Howard County Republican, asked to have the measure include parental consent for "other invasive surgical procedures."
However, House Speaker Michael E. Busch declined to consider the proposed amendment, arguing that it changed the purpose of the bill and was, therefore, out of order, according to a Baltimore Sun report.
Maryland's Parental Notification for Abortion Law (Article 20-103) requires that one parent or guardian be notified before a minor has an abortion. The parent/guardian does not need to consent to or agree with the minor's choice, but does need to know the minor is planning to have an abortion.
Maryland's parental notification law also says specifically that no notification is required if, in the judgment of the doctor performing the abortion: the minor is mature and capable of giving her informed consent to the procedure, or notification would not be in the minor's best interest, or notice may lead to physical or emotional abuse of the minor, or the minor patient does not live with her parent or guardian, or a reasonable effort to give notice has been unsuccessful.
Scott Davis of National Pro-Life Radio commented that the Maryland parental notification law is so full of loopholes that it is rendered practically meaningless.
"This gives the abortionist sole and unreviewable discretion in regards to parental rights," Davis explained.
"The physician may perform the abortion, without notice to a parent or guardian of a minor if, in the professional judgment of the physician, notification would not be in the interest of the minor.
"So a teenage girl's parents could be kept in the dark about an abortion, a medical procedure with grave physical and psychological risks, simply because the abortion provider thinks it's a good idea."
Davis also pointed out that each year approximately 22.6% of Maryland abortions are performed on girls 16 and under.
God Bless you!
Phil Lawson For the latest info on St. Peter’s, check out the parish website: www.saintpetercatholic.com (You can also find old editions of the Areopagus here)
The Areopagus is a regular email for adults that includes various reflections, tidbits, news and events. Hope you find it fruitful!
If you would like to be added to this list, send an email to lawsphil@gmail.com
On the other hand, if you would like to be removed, send an email to the same address indicating that.
As far back as I can remember, my house has received the daily newspaper. I recall being a paperboy as a youth. On those very early Sunday mornings, after completing the deliveries, I’d stay up to read the paper before catching a few more winks prior to Mass. Indeed, I have always considered it both a fruitful and pleasurable activity.
Last week I cancelled my subscription to our local daily. I have had disagreements with them before, which is to be expected in any newspaper. There have been times I have even taken offense at what they have published. The final straw came via a letter to the editor May 12th in which the author, trying to make a contrary point stooped to labeling Pope Benedict “a Nazi foot-soldier.” Such a blatantly false and loaded accusation, not to mention a slanderous label, has no place in a professional newspaper that makes a claim to truth, factualism, and the respectful exchange of ideas.
The author used this slander to support his claim that the pope’s words aren’t worth much and that instead the world would in essence be a much better place if more people listened to his own (Nigbor’s) opinion concerning all the usual issues…abortion, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, etc.
The actual letter I sent to the newspaper is listed below.
To Whom It May Concern:
This morning I cancelled my subscription to the Stevens Point Journal--something I have received since I first moved to the area in the summer of 2001.
In the past, I have had disagreements or concerns about what's been printed, however this is to be expected from a newspaper.
However, on Tuesday, May 12th, you published a letter to the editor from Mike Nigbor in which he labeled Pope Benedict "a Nazi foot-soldier." This both blatantly untrue and slanderous. As the historical record indicates, the pope as a young man was automatically enrolled in Hitler's Youth--as every single German child was--but he managed to never partake or do anything with that organization. Using such charged terms serves no purpose to further the author's argument. And I'm surprised the Stevens Point Journal would allow such a slanderous charge to even be published.
I thank you for your time and consideration.
Phil’s Tidbits:
Last year I had the privilege of speaking at an Assembly of God church about Catholicism. To the pastor’s credit, he saw that a large portion of his congregation were former Catholics who harbored an animosity toward their former church. Realizing that this was spiritually unhealthy, he invited a priest and myself in for a series of reflections on three consecutive weekends. It was a positive experience and quite the treat let me tell you---and seemingly as fruitful as such an endeavor can be. Afterwards it got back to me that the pastor had described yours truly as “really Catholic.” I took that as a compliment That memory is occasioned by this quote (cited in First Things) on loving the Church from the Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac:
“Such a person will have fallen in love with the beauty of the House of God; the Church will have stolen his heart. She is his spiritual native country, his ‘mother and his brethren,’ and nothing which concerns her will leave him indifferent or detached; he will root himself in her soil, form himself in her likeness and make himself one with her experience….It will be from her that he learns how to live and from her that he learns how to die.”
-Something to keep in mind, something to aim for as we celebrate Pentecost—“the birthday” of the Church as it’s often called in 11 days.
A follow-up on the importance of taking your kids to Mass every week:
Study: Children That Go to Mass, Continue Going
Finds U.S. Catholics Are Staying Catholic
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- If parents want their children to carry the Catholic faith from childhood to adulthood, take them to Mass, say a U.S. bishops' conference spokesman.
Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, past chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Catechesis and next chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, said this Monday in response to a Pew Forum survey that revealed a key factor in whether or not one remains Catholic as an adult is whether or not one attends Mass as a child or teenager.
The study, “Faith in Flux: Changes in the Religious Affiliation in the U.S.,” was made public Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
“The report highlights the importance of Mass attendance among children and teenagers,” the archbishop said. “Adolescence is a critical time in religious development and, as the poll shows, what happens in the teen years has a long-lasting affect. We have to help young people and their parents appreciate the importance of going to weekly Mass so teenagers know Jesus is there for them now and always.“
The study also revealed a 68% retention rate of Catholics in the Church, which is higher than most other Christian churches. The key reason people leave their church, the study reported, is that “they just gradually drifted away from the faith.”
The study said only 2%-3% percent of those polled cited sexual abuse of children as a reason for leaving when asked in an open-ended question why they left.
When people were asked to choose why they left from a list of possible reasons, the number jumped from 21% for Catholics who became Protestant, and 27% for former Catholics who are now unaffiliated with any church. Other reasons for leaving the Church, such as disagreement on doctrinal matters, figured much higher.
Archbishop Wuerl said the poll showed the resilience of the Catholic faith, even in the face of something as horrific as the sexual abuse crisis.
“Catholics can separate the sins and human failings of individuals from the substance of the faith,” he said. “Sexual abuse of a child is a terrible sin and crime, but most Catholics people, because of good personal experience with their priests in their parishes, recognize sex abuse by clergy as the aberration it is. They also look to the church’s 2,000-year history, which has seen the faith flourish despite some painful times.”
This is a bit older…but still relevant---and unfortunately all too true as far as laws in states throughout the Union.Parental Consent Required For Tattoos in Maryland, But Not For Abortion
By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
BALTIMORE, February 26, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Maryland House of Delegates has unanimously approved a proposal to require "parental consent" for tattoos and body piercings done on minors. However, the state still only requires that one parent be notified that a minor is going to have an abortion, with no need for the parent's consent.
Republicans in the House tried and failed to amend the "tattoos and body piercing" measure to include parental consent for abortion when Del. Gail H. Bates, a Howard County Republican, asked to have the measure include parental consent for "other invasive surgical procedures."
However, House Speaker Michael E. Busch declined to consider the proposed amendment, arguing that it changed the purpose of the bill and was, therefore, out of order, according to a Baltimore Sun report.
Maryland's Parental Notification for Abortion Law (Article 20-103) requires that one parent or guardian be notified before a minor has an abortion. The parent/guardian does not need to consent to or agree with the minor's choice, but does need to know the minor is planning to have an abortion.
Maryland's parental notification law also says specifically that no notification is required if, in the judgment of the doctor performing the abortion: the minor is mature and capable of giving her informed consent to the procedure, or notification would not be in the minor's best interest, or notice may lead to physical or emotional abuse of the minor, or the minor patient does not live with her parent or guardian, or a reasonable effort to give notice has been unsuccessful.
Scott Davis of National Pro-Life Radio commented that the Maryland parental notification law is so full of loopholes that it is rendered practically meaningless.
"This gives the abortionist sole and unreviewable discretion in regards to parental rights," Davis explained.
"The physician may perform the abortion, without notice to a parent or guardian of a minor if, in the professional judgment of the physician, notification would not be in the interest of the minor.
"So a teenage girl's parents could be kept in the dark about an abortion, a medical procedure with grave physical and psychological risks, simply because the abortion provider thinks it's a good idea."
Davis also pointed out that each year approximately 22.6% of Maryland abortions are performed on girls 16 and under.
God Bless you!
Phil Lawson For the latest info on St. Peter’s, check out the parish website: www.saintpetercatholic.com (You can also find old editions of the Areopagus here)
The Areopagus is a regular email for adults that includes various reflections, tidbits, news and events. Hope you find it fruitful!
If you would like to be added to this list, send an email to lawsphil@gmail.com
On the other hand, if you would like to be removed, send an email to the same address indicating that.
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