Running Off At The Keyboard

GURDJIEFF & YEZIDISM PML sent in this website which describes the Yezidism and Gurdjieff's involvlement with it. It's worth a read. The occult world is amazingly interconnected. CarrieTomko@aol.com

FR. MINKLER'S SUICIDE NOTE is discussed in an article at Capital News 9. Outspoken attorney John Aretakis continued to press the Albany Diocese on Bishop Howard Hubbard's alleged homosexual relations and is now saying the note left by Father John Minkler before his suicide lashed out at the Bishop. "I have been told by people who are aware of the letter. That it does address Bishop Hubbard's homosexuality and the rampant homosexuality and sexual misconduct of many Albany Diocesan priests, including Bishop Hubbard," Aretakis said. Aretakis stood by several alleged victims of clergy abuse, all who said Bishop Hubbard's homosexual lifestyle was well known around the community. And they also said Hubbard did everything in his power to shelter his fellow gay priests. Blogger credit to Spirit Daily. CarrieTomko@aol.com

IRAQ'S SMORGASBOARD OF RELIGION It's easy to think of Iraq as the home of Islam, but there are other religions in evidence there in the home of the caves that housed the Dead Sea Scrolls. From an article at kavkazcenter.com comes an article with the following passage: Various reports say that the Kurds are supported by Iran, Syria, Greece and even Russia. But Turkey has a certain degree of anxiety concerning them, because up to 5 million Kurds are living in southeastern regions of the country. Kurds are not uniform, they practice different belief systems � from Islam to Communism or Satanism (Yezids). In Europe the Kurds are represented by a broad diaspora, which appeared during the Turkish raids in 1999 due to the arrest of one of their leaders, Abdullah Ocalan. Yezids. Hmmm. Never heard of 'em. CarrieTomko@aol.com

NEWS FROM PLANET ZIRCON FoxNews tells us: Madonna -- whose hits include "Like a Virgin" and "Vogue" -- is now apparently a religious scholar. Her two children's books are now being sold side by side with bibles and other weighty tracts. Madonna's books, "The English Roses" (Amazon rank No. 1,547) and "Mr. Peabody's Apples" (Amazon rank No. 1,927), are now for sale at the Kabbalah Center of Los Angeles' book store. Kabbalah, a celebrity religion that purports to be a branch of Judaism, has attracted such rocket scientists as Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Courtney Love, Sandra Bernhard and Roseanne. Kabbalah is actually a family-run business owned and operated by 75-year-old "Rabbi" Philip Berg (real name: Feivel Gruberger), who believes, according to Los Angeles magazine, that he can stop earthquakes. I don't know about that, but he's very good at raising money. The New York branch of the Kabbalah Center, according to its tax records, had net assets last year of more than $24 million. At its last filing available, for 2000, the Los Angeles branch had more than $11 million in its coffers. The word "sex" gets tossed into the mix that this article recounts. That comes as no surprise when Madonna figures prominently in the story. It would seem that next to Judaism and Christianity, we have a new religion called "Kabbalah." Who knew??!! Blogger credit to Spirit Daily. CarrieTomko@aol.com

CALLING A SPADE IN DENVER The Denver Diocesan newspaper Archbishop's column has told it like it is: "If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's probably a duck. A fox can claim to be a duck all day long. But he's still a fox." We've all heard that saying, or some version of it, a thousand times. The reason is simple: It's true. Our actions prove who we are. If a gulf exists between what we say, how we look and what we do, we're not living in a spirit of truth. A fox, even if he quacks, is still a fox. Sooner or later, it becomes obvious. I remembered this last week as I read yet another news report about candidates who claim to be Catholic and then prominently ignore their own faith on matters of public policy. We've come a long way from John F. Kennedy, who merely locked his faith in the closet. Now we have Catholic senators who take pride in arguing for legislation that threatens and destroys life � and who then also take Communion. Too bad the Pilot can't offer a similar article. First, quoting John Paul II, it reminds us that, "man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality." In other words, unless our personal faith shapes our public choices and actions, it's just a pious delusion. Private faith, if it's genuine, always becomes public witness � including political witness. Second, while Christians "must recognize the legitimacy of differing points of view about the organization of worldly affairs," they are also "called to reject, as injurious to democratic life, a conception of pluralism that reflects moral relativism." Appeals to a phony definition of pluralism and tolerance can never excuse inaction in the face of grave evil � including attacks on the sanctity of life. Catholics can only ensure real pluralism by "living and acting in conformity" with their religious convictions so that, "through political life, society will become more just and more consistent with the dignity of the human person." Hmmm, yes. As Mom knows, "actions speak louder than words." But alas, the man quoted seems to have exempted himself from his own instruction. At least when he is visiting Assisi. Sad. I want to like the Pope. I want to respect the Pope. And just about the moment I start doing that again, I read something like this. It's discouraging. Chaput is taking the Pope at his words. And the words are correct. We should stand by our convictions. Our faith should not be something we put on on Sunday morning and take off again before lunch. Kerry needs to learn that. O'Malley needs to defend that. Chaput needs to convince his fellow bishops of that. And the Pope needs to bring his actions into line with these words. And yes, sometimes I need to reform my own behavior to be inline with my stated beliefs. Sin is so compromising. CarrieTomko@aol.com

STRUGGLE TO RETURN TO CHRISTIAN VALUES an opinion piece at Scotland on Sunday, has this analysis of our current situation: Around the developed world, it is clear that aggressive secularist lobbies are now assailing Christianity. By the imposition of so-called anti-hate laws and enforcement of ethical aberrations abhorrent to Christians, believers are to be presented with the stark alternatives of coming to a self-serving accommodation with the forces of evil, or incurring legal and social penalties amounting to persecution. How many will stand up to be counted? Religion has been so diluted that it would be unsurprising if the reaction of many young people today to the drama of Calvary was indignation at the ecological irresponsibility of destroying three trees. The world of paganism, just as it was before the original triumph of Christianity, is bleak. For all its token deference to the interests of the weak, it is a devil-take-the-hindmost, bread-and-circuses society in which the unborn are torn from the womb and, increasingly, the elderly infirm are to be killed off for the convenience of the young and active. Even some people of no religious affiliation are becoming alarmed at the violence and disorder of a society lacking any moral compass. Spearheaded by the media, all decency and reticence are being trampled down. Among the young, in particular, where parents (if they have any) have abdicated their responsibility, �peer pressure� exerts a gravitational pull downward to the lowest common denominator. It is evasive and trite to claim that we have been here before: we have not. There have been periods of decadence in human history; but they did not result in the dissolution of the basic unit of civilisation - the family - as is the case today. Ours is an unexampled decadence.... The critical question at Easter is: how is the pagan West to be Christianised again and who will be the agents of conversion? Not the mincing, fissiparous Church of England, is the evident answer. Rome, since the Second Vatican Catastrophe, has been in free-fall. Now that the word �renewal� has finally been displaced by �crisis� in headlines in the Catholic press, a comical attempt at reform is being essayed. The New Mass is to undergo a few cosmetic changes: the 1960s Marxist-collectivist "We believe", at the beginning of the Creed, is to be replaced by the correct translation: "I believe". That only took 40 years to achieve. At this rate, the liturgical witchdoctors may arrive at a vaguely orthodox version of the Mass sometime around 2150. They are putting a Band-aid on a body that has been run over by an articulated lorry. Their irrelevant tinkerings will not stem the haemhorrage of indifferent Catholics out of the Church, nor prevent the increasing return to tradition and the Tridentine Mass of the surviving serious faithful. Therein lies the hope of a restored Rome. So, are we down for the count, or is resurrection still possible? The faith of an awful lot of us hangs in the balance. Can we all become agnostic to satisfy the cultural elites? Those elites are pushing the easy road. They want no part of the narrow gate. Yet those of us who are dedicated to the faith know that our identity is wrapped up in our beliefs; and that if we must give them up, we will no longer know who we are. Blogger credit to CruxNews. CarrieTomko@aol.com

FROM MATT C. ABBOTT AT CRUX NEWS the journal's new contributing editor, comes this exposure of the hypocricy at Seton Hall: Abbott reports on the award ceremony scheduled to take place today at Seton Hall, that will be picketed by the American Life League. He goes on to state: "Seton Hall is a nominally Catholic arm of the Archdiocese of Newark. The Seton Hall website proclaims that it is �the oldest diocesan university in the United States� and states that �Seton Hall is Catholic not only by its charter and mission, but also by its ongoing spirit and activity.� Despite this lip service to its Catholic tradition, Seton Hall Law School -- which has a faculty riddled with pro-abortion professors and has no record of honoring any pro-life heroes -- is once again creating a major scandal by honoring prominent pro-abortion figures. Indeed, the two involved in this year's award ceremony are personally responsible for imposing the Culture of Death on our society; they will stand on Seton Hall's stage with innocent blood dripping from their hands as they accept the praise of a �Catholic� faculty and administration whose salaries and facilities (including the stage) are paid for by millions of dollars fleeced from unsuspecting Catholics who believe the false and fraudulent pretense that the Law School is still Catholic. "Please contact the Archbishop of Newark, the President of the University and the Dean of the Law School to protest this outrage and to demand that this award ceremony be canceled and that the Law School's sponsorship of this annual award be terminated immediately. Here is the contact information: "Archbishop John Myers 973-497-4190 goodneja@rcan.org "Msgr. Robert Sheeran 973-761-9620 sheeraro@shu.edu "Dean Patrick Hobbs 973-642-8750 hobbspat@shu.edu" Here is a link to Seton Hall's Catholic Tradition webpage. If you were choosing a school for your Catholic kid, wouldn't this look appealing? The truth your kid would discover is another matter. As an article about this award ceremony and other non-Catholic activities at Catholic colleges at the Agape Press website puts it: While an open marketplace of ideas is ideal for a secular university, such a marketplace is detrimental to a traditional Catholic university. From the first inception of Catholic education, the goals have been twofold -- to educate the mind and sharpen the sword. If a Catholic university places the key tenets of its faith in a common marketplace of ideas, it is succumbing to the very relativism it has been battling all these years. Ask yourself this: What future Catholic warrior will sacrifice his livelihood, family, worldly belongings, or life for a faith that is being peddled in an open air marketplace? While it is true the marketplace may permit the university to win the mind of the student, the marketplace will never win that student's heart. Falsehood in advertising seems to be the name of the Catholic game these days. It's entrenched in Catholic colleges. We have taken direction from our fearless leader in Rome and mastered the skill. John Paul II, the great defender of Catholic Tradition, the true son of Poland who calls the Polish founders of Unitarianism "martyrs" for the faith, as I reported yesterday, who promulgates Dominus Iesus while at the same time preaching a creed of universalism via his ecumenical actions, the man who promotes the heresies of Pentecostalism and messianism, the man who talks nobly about "holiness" while permitting abusive priests to continue in their practices, has taught us well. His ability to obfuscate doctrine by using so many words that the eyes glaze over and the mind zombies out is masterful. Those who follow in his footsteps are not so skilled, and their hypocricy is available for all to dissect on the internet. Thank God for Catholic journalists who are willing to call the bluff. CarrieTomko@aol.com

PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW ACCEPT'S THE POPE'S APOLOGY for the Roman Catholic involvement in the sacking of Constantinople according to this article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Blot credit to Spirit Daily. CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE SISTERS OF CASA MARIA Fr. Bryce Sibley has linked this convent where there are real nuns, and since they are so rare, I'm linking them as well. They even wear their habits when they lay roof tiles! If that didn't earn them time off Purgatory, nothing will! This is the way I remember nuns from the 1950s, and I have always respected and admired the memory of them. Take a look at their retreat schedule. Those are priests listed there. And there are no New Age sessions, either. The topics are Catholic. This website gives me the hope that a day may come when we have nuns in Catholic schools grounding the youth in authentic Catholic faith. Perhaps it's not an entirely utopian wish. CarrieTomko@aol.com

O'MALLEY'S STATEMENT REDUCED TO A "SUGGESTION" in the news media's spin on Kerry. This is not unexpected considering the weak position adhered to by O'Malley. "Suggestions" and recommendations from the chancery hold no weight in the current Catholic climate. Either O'Malley takes a much stronger position, or Catholics assume that the Bishops support cafeteria catholicism ala John Kerry. We are still waiting for O'Malley's response to Kerry's actions. Fr. Rob Johansen says it well in Open Book: Yes, the sex-abuse scandal and the bishops' egregious handling of it has seriously damaged their moral authority. But impotent shuffling and milquetoastian silence on serious moral issues won't do anything to repair that authority. Posted by: Fr. Rob Johansen at April 15, 2004 10:00 AM Meanwhile, the article attempts to paint the Democrats as more Catholic than the Republicans. They just don't get it. Right to life issues trump everything else, in spite of the fact that the bishops committee appears to be waffling on this if the article is accurate. If the Dems are so focused on the Catholic vote, let's have a scorecard on their vote on the Defense of Marriage amendment. According to the American Family Association, Congress is about to throw in the towel. If it dies in committee, will the Courts formulate legislation by judicial decision? AFA is attempting to generate pressure on Congress. The phone numbers and information you need to add to the pressure are listed in the article. How about making this the second issue on the Dems scorecard after they check in their numbers on defense of life? Yeah, I like that idea. A lot. Now if the bishops will just defend it, we might have a shot at getting legislators who really do vote like Catholics. Senator Kerry, do you want to switch parties? Blog Credit to a couple of readers who sent in the info. CarrieTomko@aol.com

MORE ON SOCINIANS The Starr King School for the Ministry, the institution in the Western U.S. that prepares ministers for Unitarian-Universalism and which is part of the Graduate Theological Union, has an article up at their website by George H. Williams, from which this passage is taken: The exception regarding exclusive salvation to which I referred above is the Church of the Polish Brethren. They tended to be pacifist, although their leaders, both patrons and many ministers, belonged to the noble class, for which the sward in its sheath was as much a part of public dress as one�s boots. Yet these Unitarians sought toleration, neither as religious relativists nor as exclusivistic bigots. They truly believed that no only those inside their Church but also those outside their Church who followed the precepts of Christ, whether these non-Socinians had become acquainted with essential moral guidance of Christ through a Lutheran sermon or at a Catholic mass, would be saved for eternal life. The Socinians were a minority, but their theory of toleration rested on the view that religion is all-important and that its most profound effects upon personal behavior and upon the cohesion and order to society, an acknowledged legitimate concern of the state, stem from the freedom with which, in humility, all religious groups recognize that they might not have the plentitude of Christ�s saving truth. The Socinians believed in full tolerance in a non-coercive society where �dissidents concerning religion� could engage in personal or group exchange or debate about Truth and where no particular group, whether already dominant or becoming dominant, would prevail at the expense of the others through preferential treatment by the political machinery of the Commonwealth. Many of these Unitarian Polish Brethren believed, like Origen and the ancient unknown author of the Epistle to Diognetus, that true Christians could, though a minority, save by their prayer and godly example the whole of the Roman world or, in the Socinian case, the whole of the vast Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. That sounds rather a lot like the philosophy of John Paul II. Even a hint at messianism is there. Considering that he refers to Polish Brethren as martyrs in his June 2, 1997 homily, and as Poles who "gave their lives for the Gospel of Christ" in his homily of June 7, 1999, concluding that the above passage seems to match his philosophy is not unreasonable. Williams goes on to state: Thus I believe in non-reductionist interfaith ecumenism, without however, delegitimizing the right to proselytize.(38) Moreover, I believe that within the Judaeo-Christian development, and notably in the Christ-event, something happened of religious and ethical significance for all mankind giving both human history and our individual destiny enhanced significance. That, too, sounds like words JPII would speak. Williams goes on to talk about the Byzantine/Orthodox Church being dominated by the secular state, adding: But then nevertheless they fervidly proclaim with the Communists the Party plan for world peace, the rights of underdeveloped nations against �capitalist imperialists,� and the degeneracy of Western �liberalism,� especially as expressed by its unconventional youth. That reference to "degeneracy of Western liberalism" and "rights of underdeveloped nations" could just as easily have come from the pen of the pope. John Paul II considers Polish Brethern "martyrs," and his philosophy also matches the philosophy of one who exemplifies Unitarian-Universalist philosophy, which is the philosophy of the Masonic Lodge and the philosophy of anti-Catholics. It is certainly a reversal of what the Church taught for centuries. What are we to make of that? UPDATE Williams was professor of Church History at Harvard University. He served as Acting Dean of the Harvard Divinity School for two years. He was also an observer at Vatican II. He wrote The Polish Brethren: Documentation of the History and Thought of Unitarianism in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Diaspora 1601-1685 and The Mind of John Paul II: Origins of His Thought and Action among other books. Harvard Divinity School is one of three U.S. schools for the ministry of Unitarian Universalism. CarrieTomko@aol.com

SOCINIANS Since I brought up the UUAs of Beacon Hill, might as well bring up the Socinians who were the forerunners of the Unitarians. Here they are in the Catholic Encyclopedia where the "Catechism of the Unitarians" is mentioned and where their history includes residency in Cracow, Poland. The article indicates at least one bishop died at the hands of the Socinians. Ultimately the Catholics in Poland expelled the Socinians. While the article claims that the Socinians were not, strictly speaking, forerunners of the UUAs, this website claims Socinianism was the Unitarianism in the 16th and 17th Centuries. This paper was up on the Western Kentucky University website on August 4, 2001, when I printed it. Marian Hillar calls them Polish Brethren and claims they were Poland's contribution to the Enlightenment. The Harvard Library Guide for Unitarian Universalist Tradition includes a book by Earl Morse Wilbur which places the Socinians in the Unitarian Movement. Interestingly, the Center for Socinian Studies places the ouroboros logo (snake swallowing its tail) next to their title. That is a common occult symbol. Incidentally, James Luther Adams, a UUA minister, was present among the Protestant Observers at Vatican II. John Paul II mentions the Polish Brethren in a homily on 7 June 1999: The Servant of God, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, knew how to appreciate the eloquence of these events. When in 1973, after numerous attempts, he obtained permission from the Communist authorities of the time to build in Bydgoszcz the first Church after the Second World War, he gave it an unusual name: �The Holy Polish Brethren Martyrs�. The Primate of the Millennium wanted to express in this way the conviction that the land of Bydgoszcz, tested by �persecution for righteousness� sake�, was a fitting place for such a Church. He mentioned them also on 2 June 1997: As was the martyr's death of Saint Adalbert, their martyrdom too was described in the chronicle of Saint Bruno of Querfurt, the apostle and missionary Bishop who in the time of Boleslaw the Brave engaged in evangelization in the territories of western and northern Poland. They are called the Polish Brethren, even though there were foreigners among them. Two of them came to Poland from Italy, in order to transplant monastic life here in accordance with the Rule of Saint Benedict. Their death by martyrdom, along with that of Saint Adalbert, took place in a sense at the threshold of the thousand-year history of Christianity in our land. CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE BOOK OF ENOCH is mentioned by Levi. In the paragraph immediately below the one I've quoted regarding the bridge, Levi says: This allegory embodies all the great traditions of the Kabalah and the secret Christian doctrine of St. John, which is now utterly unknown. It follows that Seth, Moses, David, Solomon and Christ obtained from the same Kabalistic Tree their royal sceptres and pontifical crooks. We can understand in this manner why the Christ was adored in His manger by the Magi. Let us recur, however, to the BOOK OF ENOCH, as greater authority attaches to it than can be attributed to an unknown manuscript; the former is cited in the New Testament by the Apostle St. Jude. Tradition refers the invention of letters to Enoch, and it is to him that we must therefore trace back the teachings embodied in the SEPHER YETZIRAH, which is the elementary work of the Kabalah, its compiler--according to the Rabbins--being the patriarch Abraham, as the heir of the secrets of Enoch and as the father of initiation in Israel. Enoch would seem in this manner to be identical with the Egyptian Hermes Trismegistus, while the famous BOOK OF THOTH, written throughout in hieroglyphics and in numbers would be that occult Bible, anterior to the book of Moses and full of mysteries, to which the initiated William Postel alludes so frequently throughout his works, under the title of the GENESIS OF ENOCH. The Bible says that Enoch did not die, but that God translated him from one life to another. He is to return and confound Anti-Christ at the end of time, when he will be one of the last martyrs, or witnesses of truth, mentioned in the Apocalypse of St. John. That which is said of Enoch in this respect has been said also of all the great initiators recorded in Kabalism. St. John himself, according to the primitive Christians, was saved from death, and it was long thought that he could be seen breathing in his tomb. The explanation is that the absolute science of life preserves against death, as the instinct of the people has always led them to divine. However this may be, the extant memorials of Enoch are contained in two books, one of which is hieroglyphic and the other of the nature of allegory. The first comprises the hieratic keys of initiation, while the second is the history of a great profanation which caused the destruction of the world and the reign of chaos after that of the giants. (p. 57-58) Justin, is the Death of Adam part of The Penitence of Adam? CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE ECUMENICAL MIRACLE ROSARY from the Rosary Hour Radio Show in Polish. A link at the bottom of the website goes to this English description of the Ecumenical Rosary. Bead by bead instructions are given on this webpage. On the links page in the website several rosary websites are listed, including Lutheran ones. The Rosicrucian Rosary does not seem to have made the list. A reader sent a link to this website which tells a story of a Catholic-Lutheran couple who have created an ecumenical rosary of their own. CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE FOOTNOTE FOR THE QUOTATION GIVEN BELOW taken from The History of Magic by Eliphas Levi, p. 57: Whatever the date to which the BOOK OF THE PENITENCE OF ADAM may be referable, it represents one form of a legend which was spread widely in the middle ages. THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS seems to have instituted the first analogy between the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of the Cross. "All ye who have died through the wood which this man" - Adam - "hath touched: all of you I will make alive again by the wood of the cross." The legend of the triple branch, under a strange transformation, reappears in that chronicle of the Holy Graal which has been ascribed to the authorship of Walter Map. There is no end to the stories which represent Christ dying upon a tree which was a cutting from the Tree of Knowledge. This is how the Tree of Knowledge becomes the Tree of Life in Christian legend. I looked up the BOOK OF THE PENITENCE OF ADAM. From the Catholic Encyclopedia: The Book of Adam or "Contradiction of Adam and Eve," is a romance made up of Oriental fables. It was first translated from the Ethiopian version into German by Dillman, "Das christliche Adambuch" (G�ttingen, 1853), and into English by Malan, "The Book of Adam and Eve" (London, 1882). From a University of Virginia research report: THE LIFE OF ADAM AND EVE From Gary A. Anderson of the University of Virginia and Michael E. Stone, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Equally problematic is the question of the work's provenance. Most scholars have assumed a Jewish origin for the work, on the grounds that evidence of explicit Christian features are so minimal in the tale and seem to be of a late redactional level rather than integral to the story itself. Yet recent scholarship on the creation and transmission of such apocryphal tales from antiquity suggests that the possibility of Christian origins be given due consideration. In any event the fact that the tale was copied, edited and expanded by Christian scribes and enjoyed immense popularity in Christian circles needs to be taken seriously. There is evidence of Jewish familiarity with parts of the work but no evidence of any role in the transmission of the text as it now presently stands. Under the heading "Armenian" Michael E. Stone's original publication is titled THE PENITENCE OF ADAM From an organization devoted to the New Testament Canon: The Penitence of Adam is here listed as one of the rejected apocryphal books. Clearly all of these sources place Levi's speculation about the "bridge" over which Christ walked on the way to His crucifixion which was later used as a beam of His cross are sources rejected by the compilers of the New Testament. If such a scene is part of the prophecy of Anne Katherine Emmerich that was used in the making of Gibson's movie TPOTC, it is outside of the acceptable material for the depiction of the Crucifixion. I don't have a copy of Emmerich's prophecies, and so I asked the question as to whether this passage reflected the scene from the movie. In reading this material from Levi, keep in mind, as I do, that Levi was initiated by Wronski, a prominent Polish member of the Paris occult revival and friend of Adam Mickiewicz, to whom Karol Wojtyla looked for inspiration. Also keep in mind that much of the material from Levi comes from the Kabbalah, the source of Soloviev's theology (and also the source of Polish and Russian messianism?) I was led to these sources by reading material either by or about John Paul II. What's more, John Paul II said of the movie, "It is as it was" which would presumably cover the incident on the bridge which appears to come from unapproved non-canonical apocryphal literature. Also keep in mind material posted about the Neocatechumenal Way which indicates that John Paul II is fostering a movement that will bring the Jews within the Catholic circle, via Domus Galilaeae. And in this connection, keep in mind that according to the CHRISTIAN ORDER report on NC-Way, their liturgy does not follow the prescribed formula, but rather has a formula of its own that is to represent the formula used by the "early Church." And remember that a figure of Christ crucified included what appears to be the Ephod, or breastplate, of the Jewish High Priest. This is an organization that is being promoted by the pope, that is ordaining seminarians in numerous dioceses all over the world, including the Denver, Colorado diocese; and it is happening at a time when diocesan seminaries are empty. Additionally, the charismatics are promoting, with the approval of the Pope, a doctrine of baptism of the Holy Spirit which amounts to a new revelation, when Catholics have always believed that Revelation was complete with Christ. Perhaps a pertinent question would be where does John Paul II stand on the material contained in the Kabbalah? Our theology seems to be taking a nosedive into murky waters. CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST - A QUESTION Is there anyone reading this who has seen the movie? I'm reading The History of Magic written by Eliphas Levi. In the first chapter is this description about which I have a question: "It came to pass in this manner that Seth beheld the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life, incorporated together after such a manner that they formed but a single tree" - signifying the harmony of science and religion in the transcendental Kabalah. "And the angel gave him three seeds containing the vital power of the said tree." The reference is here to the Kabalistic triad. "When Adam died, Seth, in obedience to the directions of the angel, placed the three seeds in the mouth of his father, as a token of eternal life. The samplings which spring up from these, became the Burning Bush, in the midst of which God communicated to Moses his Eternal Name...signifying He Who is and is to come. Moses plucked a triple branch of the sacred bush and used it as his miraculous wand. Although separated from its root, the branch continued to live and blossom, and it was subsequently preserved in the Ark. King David planted the branch on Mount Zion and Solomon took wood from each section of the triple trunk to make the two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, which were placed at the entrance of the Temple. They were covered with bronze, and the third section was inserted at the threshold of the chief gate. It was a talisman which hindered things unclean from entering within. But certain nefarious Levites removed during the night this obstacle to their unholy freedom and cast it, loaded with stones, to the bottom of the Temple reservoir. From this time forward an angel of God troubled the waters of the pool, imparting to them a miraculous value, so that men might be distracted from seeking the tree of Solomon in its depths. In the days of Jesus Christ the pool was cleansed and the Jews, finding the beam of wood, which in their eyes seemed useless, carried the latter outside the town and threw it across the brook Cedron. It was over this bridge that our Saviour passed after his arrest at night in the Garden of Olives. His executioners cast him from it into the water; and then in their haste to prepare the instrument-in-chief of His passion, they took the beam with them, which was made of three kinds of wood, and formed the cross therewith." I have read that there is a scene in TPOTC where Christ is cast off of a bridge (in an attempt to drown Him?). Can anyone verify that the scene matches the above description or does not match it? It's most interesting that in the introduction to this book Levi speaks about the compatibility of faith and reason. It reminds me very much of John Paul II's encyclical on the topic. Levi places heavy emphasis on the Kabala, just as Soloviev also was completely captivated by the Kabbalah. CarrieTomko@aol.com

CARDINAL EGAN COMING UNDER FIRE in a website dedicated to saving historic and beautiful churches in the New York Diocese, sent in by a reader. What religion will Egan propose in symbols if he is given a green light on renovation? Will it be Catholic, or something else? CarrieTomko@aol.com

WILLIAM H. KENNEDY DISCUSSES HIS BOOK on Satanism within the priest sexual abuse scandal titled Lucifer's Lodge on "For a Closer Look" radio program. Scroll down to January 7, 2004. If Kennedy is correct, the cover-up continues to the extent that the satanic influence has not come out. In the second hour, Kennedy talks about the mural at the Denver Airport. You can see pictures of this mural here here and here He also speaks of Malachi Martin in the second hour. When he speaks briefly about getting Mexicans "into the system" of the NWO, think about how the most dedicated Catholics who volunteer in their parishes are now being put "into the system" via the background research done as a response to the sexual abuse scandal. Kennedy says that he is a Catholic in this interview. He has written for Dagobert's Revenge according to Eskaton the website dedicated to his writing. Dagobert's Revenge is dedicated to the occult. CarrieTomko@aol.com

BEACON HILL, BOSTON The Paulist Center where Senator Kerry received communion is located on Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill is also well known as a center of Unitarian Universalism. That website lists a number of UUA buildings. There is something else of interest on Beacon Hill according to Beacon Hill Online... Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) 140 Bowdoin Street Boston, MA 02108 617-523-4575 Worship: Sun. 11 am And not to forget the Paulist Center... Paulist Center (Catholic) 5 Park Street Boston, MA 02108 617-742-4460 Mass: Sat. 6 pm; Sun. 10 am, noon, 6 pm CarrieTomko@aol.com

BOSTON'S PAULIST CENTER DESCRIBED BY THE AMERICAN SPECTATOR The Center, which includes a small chapel, is known as a hotbed for old-line liberation theology holdouts from the 1970s and 1980s. "When the radicalized Maryknoll seminaries came under investigation by the Vatican for their continued teaching of liberation theology back in the 1980s, these folks in Boston picked up the mantle," says a priest in the Boston archdiocese. "We don't have straight oversight of the place." The Paulist Center features a number of adherents of the liberation philosophy, which played a pivotal role in the Marxist uprisings in El Salvador and Nicaragua back in the late 1970s and 1980s. A number of far-left Jesuits are regular speakers at the Center, which lately has featured classes on "Tapas Acupuncture" techniques and a series of lectures of how best to remove the Church hierarchy in order to evolve the Catholic Church into a nontraditional democracy. Kerry's attendance at the Paulist Center, besides its close proximity to home, was thought by some Catholics to be an attempt to avoid any embarrassing run-ins with the Boston Diocese, which in the past has expressed its displeasure with Kerry for his pro-abortion positions. CarrieTomko@aol.com

EMAIL FROM LEE PENN For your information .... some of the recently circulated charges against Malachi Martin appear to be false. Note also that there is a link to williamhkennedy.com in the forwarded e-mail; Kennedy is completing a book, Lucifer's Lodge, on Satanic ritual abuse in the Catholic Church. Lee ========================================================= ----------------- Forwarded Message: Subj: JESUITS SET RECORD STRAIGHT ON MALACHI MARTIN Date: 4/13/2004 3:59:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: Frwils To: Frwils www.williamhkennedy.com This is very interesting. Just what Father Fiore told me. Fr Wilson High Ranking Jesuit Confirms Malachi Martin�s Status as Life Long Priest by William H. Kennedy - April 2004In a stunning reversal of past policy Father Vincent O�Keefe SJ, former Vicar General of the Society of Jesus and a past President of Fordham University, affirmed that Malachi Martin was in fact granted a dispensation from all his vows in the Jesuit order except for chastity. This dispels decades of rumors that Father Martin was defrocked for having had an affair with the wife of a famous journalist. This was the false lie spread by past Jesuits to discredit Father Martin. Martin requested and received a special dispensation by Pope Paul VI to remain a Catholic priest and say Mass in private. Ever since Father Martin�s scathing review of his former order The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church (1988) rumors were spread by members of this order claiming Martin was defrocked and expelled from the Church of Rome. Martin denied this charge until his death in 1999. Father Mitchell Pacwa � chief spokesman at the Catholic run EWTN would regularly hang up on callers who inquired about Martin on his live call in show. Father O�Keefe was the Vicar General of the Society in 1965, at the time of Father Malachi Martin�s departure from Rome. Why Father O�Keefe decided to set the record straight on Malachi Martin is anyone�s guess. The clarification appeared on the Malachi Martin yahoo e-group posted by a member who communicated with Fr. Tom Widner SJ, Secretary for Communication of the US Jesuit Conference, concerning Martin�s status. Father Widner questioned Father O�Keefe � now retired � and he recalled Martin�s receiving a special dispensation relieving him of all his vows except for chastity. The communication (see below) also promoted two other myths about Martin including the lie that Martin lived in an unchaste relationship. The message referred to an incorrect obituary of Martin which appeared in the New York Times. The lady in question was merely Martin�s landlady for whom he also acted as spiritual advisor. The communication also falsely reports that Martin requested release from his vow of chastity, another lie which was spread about the scholarly priest. However, the fact that the Jesuits have confirmed that Martin was a valid priest his whole life and was not defrocked marks a radical change in Jesuit policy concerning Father Malachi Martin � they are now acknowledging his status as a life long priest. Source: I spoke with Fr. Vincent O'Keefe, former vicar general of the Society of Jesus who is now retired. According to Fr. O'Keefe, Malachi Martin was indeed dispensed from his vows of poverty and obedience but not the vow of chastity. At the time Martin requested such dispensation, the Vatican was not dispensing priests who so requested such dispensation from the vow of chastity or celibacy. Fr. O'Keefe pointed out that Martin never married. His obituary in the New York Times, however, points out that Martin lived with a female companion. Fr. Widner Tom Widner SJ Secretary for Communications U.S. Jesuit Conference 1616 P St. N.W., Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20036-1420 202-462-0400 Fax: 202-328-9212 ================================================ That was the end of Lee Penn's email. I did a little checking to see if Kennedy's claims regarding three priests could be verified. Here is the website for William Kennedy. Here is the article on Malachi Martin. Here is a link to information about his new book, Lucifer's Lodge. From the website: Case studies include; Father Sean Fortune of Ireland who raped children in a haunted house and threatened detractors with magical hexes. Father Frederick Ryan who tattooed a boy with a devil figure and then raped him, Father Bernard Lane who sexually abused homeless boys in a ritual chamber called The Black Room... Each of these priests are mentioned in connection with sexual abuse in an article on the web. Father Sean Fortune From the website: In Ireland, the Roman Catholic Church faces 'the greatest institutional crisis in its modern history' (The Irish Times quoted by Alastair Cooke Letter from America BBC Radio 4, 28 April 2002). $500m has been claimed by more than three thousand victims over the past thirty years. Allegations against paedophile priests have forced the resignation of the long-serving Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey. He had been criticised for the way he handled sex abuse allegations against Father Sean Fortune, who committed suicide in 1999 shortly before he was due to stand trial on twenty-nine charges of sexually assaulting young boys. (Owen Bowcott The Guardian 13 April 2002) Father Frederick Ryan From the website: Garry Garland had launched a lawsuit last week against Father Frederick Ryan, the former vice-chancellor. Garland claimed that he had been sexually assaulted at the cardinal's residence, and that Cardinal Medeiros had observed as Father Ryan took Garland-- then a 17-year-old boy-- to his own living quarters in the building. Father Bernard Lane From the website: Judge Sweeney was even more direct in saying that one accused priest, Father Bernard Lane, had offered false testimony under oath. Last week, the judge referred the case of Father Lane to the attorney general of Massachusetts, for possible prosecution on perjury charges. Court Testimony--specifically the Deposition of Cardinal Bernard Law--mentions Father Lane. So Boston may again be in the news with sexual abuse as well as being in the news with Kerry's campaign strategy. Never a dull moment on the shores of the Atlantic. I'm still awaiting Archbishop O'Malley's comments on Kerry's campaign event last Sunday. CarrieTomko@aol.com

REDEMPTORIS MATER SEMINARY IN GUAM WELCOMES CENTERING PRAYER From the website: Fr. Keating was invited to Guam by our Archbishop Anthony S. We, the Guam Region Centering Prayer Group, were so happy when Fr. Keating accepted this invitation. Seeing him in person and not just through videos made us feel very important and confident in what we are doing here in Guam. Fr. Keating arrived in Guam on Tuesday, April 1, 2003. Members of our prayer group, along with Connie Guerrero, the Archdiocese Director of the Office of Faith Formation, greeted Fr. Keating when he arrived at the airport. Crossing the Pacific Ocean in a cramped plane over a 16-hour flight must not have been fun for Fr. Keating, who is of tall stature. Yet, he met us with great joy and gave us the feeling that we had met him before. It was a mutual feeling of comfortable familiarity. We actually had some practice greeting him at the airport. As Fr. Keating was not aware of crossing the International Dateline, we had originally received word that he would arrive on March 31st. However, his actual arrival date was April 1st, Guam time. This is behind the motto: Guam, Where America�s Day Begins. Even after his long flight, there was no rest for Fr. Keating. He started the following morning meeting with the clergy, leaders of the religious communities, and deacon candidates at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. That evening, he met with our prayer group. The gathering was held at the Bank of Guam building in the heart of Hagatna, with a beautiful view of the island and Pacific Ocean beyond. He encouraged us to continue our spiritual journey, inspired us to learn more, to let go and not to be afraid, and affirmed our progress. His busy schedule continued as he held a Retreat Workshop with the Chancery Office Staff, held a workshop for the Catechist and Faith Community, visited the Carmelite Sisters in the village of Fr. Keating, thank you for taking the time to visit us here in Guam, and sharing your wisdom and insight with us as we walk together in our spiritual journey. Sister Bernadette Marie The Paulist Center in Boston where Kerry received Easter Eucharist also welcomes a centering prayer group. Does this mean that NC-Way can also be described as "New Age"? Christopher Ferrara comments on NC-Way: Another example is the �Neo-Catechumenal Way,� a movement whose name would suggest it is the prefect embodiment of neo-Catholicism. Active in dioceses throughout the world, this Judaized, semi-gnostic, intra-ecclesial sect conducts private, closed-door Saturday night �liturgies� which have been dispensed from all compliance with even the absurdly liberalized liturgical laws of the Novus Ordo. The neo-liturgy of this sect has no Offertory, and the congregation dances the horah around the altar-table before consuming a Host the size and consistency of a personal pan pizza, which tends to crumble and leave fragments all over the floor. The sect�s lay founders, Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez (I kid you not) have concocted a neo-catechism in which the movement�s adherents are trained to varying levels of gnostic initiation into the thinking of Kiko and Carmen. This �catechism� is rife with heterodoxy, including the proposition that the Church went astray after the 8th Century and became obscured by an accretion of unnecessary customs and structures � precisely what the Protestants say � until its essence was freed again by Vatican II.7 The sect is armed with a letter of commendation from the Pope himself � which, sad to say, is quite authentic. (The Pope has repeatedly praised this �ecclesial movement.�) While you're in the website, take a look at what he says about the charismatic movement! CarrieTomko@aol.com

THE NEW AGE CHURCH Justin asks if this sanctuary at the "New Age" Paulist Center reflects the new Johannite relgion developing in certain circles? I don't know for sure, but the thought went through my mind as well. Certainly not just the placement but also the size of the baptismal font brought immediately to mind the interior of at least one of the churches of the NC-Way movement which also appeared to place baptism and Eucharist on an equal playing field, both by size and placement of the font. The Neocatechumenal Way is a primary actor in the new religious movements. They have an international center in Israel that has the Pope's support, called the Domus Galilaeae. The church looks from the outside like a synagogue. Some of the images associated with this center are Jewish. For example, scroll down to the Christ figure on the cross at this webpage. Notice what looks like the breastplate of the Jewish High Priest on the Crucified Christ figure. There is little to recognize in the pictures of the sanctuary of the Domus Galilaeae. Where is the altar? Why do the pews face the center aisle? This picture does show an altar. It is part of this series from the Domus Galilaeae. There is an interesting article on the NC-Way liturgy at the Christian Order website which concludes with these final comments: This short paper has focused on some of the more negative aspects of the NC Way. There are, however, some positive things that can be said about the NC Way, which is shown by the great number of people who have flocked to its ranks in recent years and by the many conversions that have taken place. This is not surprising when one considers the state of the post-conciliar Church. I have recently been told that the NC celebration of the Eucharist is now an official liturgy of the Catholic Church. Any educated Catholic would ask 'how is it possible that something of such a Protestant nature could be approved by Rome?' I can only say that it appears that the founders of the NC Way have a great deal of influence in the Vatican. After a five year period in the NC, one of those being spent in a Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Australia, I firmly believe that one cannot possibly experience anything remotely Catholic within the NC Way, despite what is often advocated by catechists within the Neocatechumenate. I am now convinced more than ever that an authentic Catholic life revolves around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as celebrated in the traditional rites of the Catholic Church. This is the only written description of NC-Way services that I've seen so far. Four pictures of their church interiors used to be available on the web. Three showed a baptismal pool in the shape of a cross located in the center of the church before the altar, and easily rivaling the size of the altar. The fourth had a cross embedded in the floor in the same location. All four pictures showed benches lining the side walls and facing each other rather than facing the altar. This is more reminiscent of the interior of a Masonic lodge than of a Catholic church. POPE THANKS NC-WAY FOR VOCATIONS Zenit carries the story on March 18 of the Pope thanking the NC-Way: Code: ZE04031806 Date: 2004-03-18 Pope Thanks Neocatechumenal Way for Vocations It Inspires Greets Community of Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Rome VATICAN CITY, MARCH 18, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II thanked the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way for the large number of priestly vocations they inspire, especially in the Rome Diocese. The Pope expressed these sentiments today when he met in the Vatican with the community of the Redemptoris Mater diocesan seminary of Rome. The seminary forms candidates from communities of the Neocatechumenal Way, present in more than 90 Roman parishes. Vatican Radio said that 196 priests have been ordained from this seminary since its foundation 16 years ago. At the same time, it has been a model for the more than 50 Redemptoris Mater diocesan or missionary seminaries worldwide, in which 1,500 seminarians are being formed, and from which more than 1,000 priests have been ordained. "I want to thank the Neocatechumenal Way, in which your vocations were born and grew," the Pope said. He mentioned in particular the founders of the Way -- Kiko Arg�ello and Carmen Hern�ndez -- "to whom is owed the happy intuition of proposing the establishment" of the seminary. "In these 16 years, a great number of zealous priests have come out of your seminary, opportunely dedicated in part to the pastoral service of the Diocese of Rome, and in part to the mission in all parts of the world," the Holy Father added.... The Way is present in more than 900 dioceses, with 17,000 communities. There are NC-Way seminaries in Rome, Perth, Guam, and Denver, CO to name just four locations that I've found this afternoon. CarrieTomko@aol.com

ALJAZEERAH REPORTS ON KERRY'S EASTER COMMUNION CarrieTomko@aol.com

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE It's Easter Week, right? Check out Easter B sent in by a reader. And make sure your volume is turned on! Enjoy... CarrieTomko@aol.com

PATRICK BUCHANAN ON KERRY for anyone who hasn't already read it. It was popsted 18 hours ago at WorldNetDaily. CarrieTomko@aol.com

DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOST SOUL: CATHOLIC CARDINAL GEORGE OF CHICAGO posted 5 hours ago by MichNews.com: Of course, Kerry, having shown himself to be spiritually bankrupt in continuing to go against divine revelation as well as the leadership of his Church, persists in receiving the sacramental elements "unworthily." In his stubborn spirit contrary to the Holy Spirit, Kerry prays for damnation upon his own soul. What though about the spiritual leadrship at Boston's Paulist Center where John and Teresa Kerry frequent? Will that priestly leadership prohibit the Kerrys from partaking of the sacred elements? Will Boston Diocesan Archbishop Sean O'Malley issue a statement prohibiting the Kerrys from receiving Communion? To date, O'Malley has made no statement to the press nor to the Paulist leadership prohibiting Kerrys from the Blessed Sacrament, though many have brought the matter to the Archbishop's attention. Reverend John Ardis is the Paulist Center's Director. He told reporters that he is aware that Kerrys have received Communion in that sanctuary. Also, when he was asked if he had been told not to offer Kerrys Communion, Ardis quickly replied that "the Archbishop has not taken a stand and (therefore Kerry) is free to receive the Eucharist." With such waffling, is there any wonder that Cardinal George wonders if the Democratic Party has lost its soul. In addition, with such reasoning, can it also be wondered if segments of the Roman Catholic leadership are beginning to lose soul grip on the divine revelation? CarrieTomko@aol.com

BRUSKEWITZ WILL DENY KERRY An article from The Washington Dispatch explains Bishop Bruskewitz's denial based on Canon Law. Bishop Burke took the lead in denial of Eucharist to Kerry, as the article points out: On January 8, 2004, Archbishop Raymond Burke, then bishop of La Crosse, promulgated a diocesan 'canonical notification' based on canon 915, saying, "No good bishops could stand by and let this happen. These public legislators are in grave sin." Burke said he would deny Kerry Communion because Kerry's conduct is seriously, clearly and steadfastly contrary to the moral norm (EE n.37). Kerry's own Archbishop, Sean O'Malley, said he wouldn't go that far and would give Kerry the Eucharist. All ministers of the Eucharist must deny Communion to pro abortion legislators as they are ecclesiastically bound to obey Church law, regardless of whether their bishop or pastor does or does not obey. In fact, canon 915 places the responsibility on the minister - 'ne admittantur' - who, in some canonists' opinion, could be punished themselves according to canon 1389 �2, should he unlawfully administer the sacrament with the consequent danger of scandal. Of the 195 U.S. diocesan bishops, all except two still refuse to say they would deny the Eucharist to manifest, persistent, obstinate sinners. In doing so, these bishops are disregarding the clearly defined canons of the Church. Clearly a scandal has developed and the development is growing. Can public sin be treated like private sin? Rather isn't it more accurate to recognize that public sin is of much graver concern? Kerry chose to draw the line in the dust publicly yesterday. He has challenged the Bishops, and it comes down to making a decision for each of them. Where do they stand? Silence amounts to approval. They have asked the laity to choose candidates based on the single issue of abortion. Now is the time for them to demonstrate their conviction or lack of it. Do their actions match their stated beliefs? Do they uphold Catholic teaching, or do they close their eyes and hope it will go away just as they did with the sexual abuse scandal? As the Washington Dispatch article asks: What will it finally take for most of us to stand up and say we're not going to accept this abuse any longer? Faithful Catholics shouldn't have to tolerate this Eucharistic scandal anymore. Why do we Catholics not stand and fight this disobedience, not only by politicians but by the bishops for their lack of discipline. What will it take for us to finally get 'mad?'... If you're 'mad as hell,' write to your own bishop now - today - imploring him to follow Archbishop Burke and Bishop Bruskewitz's canonically correct actions. Ask your bishop why he is not obeying the Vatican's Doctrinal Note. Then write your bishop again next week, and the week after that. This is effective lobbying. Remember, Archbishop Burke said that the most compelling reason that lead him to issue a 'canonical notification' against the legislators was the many letters, faxes, emails and phone calls he received from his flock who were greatly scandalized by the politicians' sacrilegious Communions. CarrieTomko@aol.com

CATHOLIC(?) KERRY WATCH A blog set up by Christopher for this specific purpose. This is the blog linked in the Christianity Today article below. CarrieTomko@aol.com

CHRISTIANITY TODAY ON KERRY in an article titled "Communion Watch", has this to say: But Ardis says he isn't acting alone. He's still under Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley, who is trying not to get involved. "I got a call from them [the archdiocese] an hour ago," Ardis told Reuters Thursday. "They wanted me to know that the archbishop has not taken a stand and he is free to receive the Eucharist." So if Kerry is to be denied Communion, it looks like it won't happen in Boston. "The archbishop has made no comment about Sen. Kerry and his Catholicism, nor does he plan on doing so in the near future," archdiocese spokesman Christopher J. Coyne told the Herald. "If someone presents themselves for Communion, unless they're obviously not Catholic, we give them Communion," Coyne told The Boston Globe. "The important thing to recognize is that the reception of Holy Communion is not a reward for living an exemplary life; the reception of Holy Communion is, among many things, a remedy and nourishment of the soul for the Catholic Christian, to help them persevere in seeking a life of holiness and becoming more aligned with the church's life." However, O'Malley earlier said. "a Catholic politician who holds a public, prochoice position should not be receiving Communion and should on their own volition refrain from doing so. CarrieTomko@aol.com

SENATOR JOHN KERRY enjoyed a photo moment after his "campaign stop" for Easter Mass at the Paulist Center, where he received the Eucharist in defiance of Archbishop Sean O'Malley's statement that "Catholic politicians whose political views contradict Catholic teaching should voluntarily abstain, saying they 'shouldn't dare come to communion'." A commenter in this blog last week emailed me a request for calls to the Boston chancery objecting to Senator Kerry's plan to receive at the Paulist Center. I refused to post it because I believe that Holy Week belongs to God and not to the offenses of man. Today, however, after the fact, with the evidence of Kerry's defiance clearly before us, calls of complaint can be made to the Boston chancery, since Senator Kerry is making a mockery of Catholic faith. (I would present one caveat, however. Since Kerry received at the Paulist Center, is it possible that the center answers directly to a religious superior and not to the Bishop?) Contact information for the chancery offices is listed on this website. Complaints to The Pilot, Boston's Archdiocesan newspaper, are also an option. Some bishops, most notably Bishop Bruskewitz, have stated that they will not permit Kerry to receive in their diocese. There are several articles, including one about Bishop Bruskewitz, at this website. Readers have also sent this article from the New York Times. Kerry is being permitted to define what it means to be Catholic in America. If he is permitted to do so after taking so public a stance in defiance of his Bishop, the precedent will be set for other Catholics to believe they can pick and choose what it means to be Catholic. If Kerry can defy the magisterium to his own campaign advantage, a priest who publicly redefines Catholic moral teaching on homosexuality, and even on sexual abuse, will be within his rights in Kerry-style Catholicism. This is not an issue which can be swept under the rug. The Paulist Center where Kerry received was defined in the New York Times article as a "a kind of New Age church that describes itself as "a worship community of Christians in the Roman Catholic tradition" and that attracts people drawn to its dedication to "family religious education and social justice". Is Kerry's action indicative of what passes for "family religious education" in the Boston Archdiocese? Certainly Bishop O'Malley has a responsibility to assure that those teaching Roman Catholicism within his jurisdiction are teaching the faith correctly, both in words and in actions. How can this center claim to teach social justice and family religious education while at the same time giving support to political figures who refuse to uphold social justice for the most innocent life on the planet? It seems to be a case of lack of truth in advertising. Is the artwork in the chapel reflective of a Roman Catholic symbology? Is this the New Age Roman Catholic crucifix? If this denial of the Crucifixion is typical of New Age Catholicism, I am not a member of this church, and neither, I suspect, as most of the readers of this blog. VOTF at the Paulist Center in Boston has a lot of working groups. Here is contact information for the Paulist Center. Bishop O'Malley, the spotlight is upon you. We await your response. CarrieTomko@aol.com

A PRAYER REQUEST Some of you will remember Eljoya from another forum. He has asked for prayers for his mother who passed away this morning from the complications of pneumonia. Eternal rest grant to her, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. CarrieTomko@aol.com

REGINA CAELI LAETARE - QUEEN OF HEAVEN REJOICE Victoria, regina caeli a 8, sung by Cantabile REGINA CAELI LAETARE: TRH-#156, St.Basil #47 (click "Midi" to start) CarrieTomko@aol.com

EASTER SUNDAY Christ is risen! He is truly risen!! Rejoice!!! Happy Easter everyone. CarrieTomko@aol.com