Banks manipulating interest rates and abusing credit cards.

This is an enormous problem of crime by the banks and cannot be over emphasized. This is the main reason for the great recession and why the economy is in the dumps and housing is in the cellar. What is most outrageous is that the banks have the hubris to fight regulations and are succeeding because congressman and senators have no morals and are afraid of losing financing to to getting elected again. The public rightly holds the banks and congress in low regard. Commonweal’s editorial of June 15 is a step in the right direction. This is a corruption, collusion and cover-up which is bigger than the crimes of the bishops because it has endangered a whole nation and destroyed the Middle Class.

Sharing with Others.

One of the gospel messages of sharing one's material possessions so that one will grow in spiritual riches is largely ignored by most Christians. Especially bishops who regale in their luxurious mansions with plentifule servants. Bishops like Oscar Romero who declare for the poor are ostracized while those who side with the rich are honored and praised. Francis of Assissi made poverty  the mission of his order because he knew that wars were fought over money and that the way to have peace was to renounce wealth. Christianity has been the source for too many to build empires rather than to build up the body of Christ, Christ's people. 






“For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.” (2 Corinthians 8: 9, 13-15)

Ganging up on the Sisters

Now we add intrigue and deception to a CDF which prefers dogma over the gospel and subjugation to Rome as more important than fidelity to Christ. By clearly choosing the reputation of bishops to the care of victims, the hierarchy has shown that it is the church of the powerful and rich rather than the poor and downtrodden. The group in Rome and the bishops of America become more ugly daily. Many are saying that many bishops do not agree with these ingquisition type actions. That is not good enough. A false unity is not more important than charity and the gospel. These bishops of conscience should act accordingly.http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&entry_id=5101&comment=1&success=1#editcomments

HHS as the bishop's savior.

One thing is true is that the bishops have somewhat successfully got us into discussing HHS rather than their continued rogue actions in administering the church. One of the most dangerous things is that those who defend the bishops here and elsewhere, admit that they are scoundrels but are duped into believing that dogma is somehow more important than morality. If we want to get to our gospel roots we really need to consider that our faith is a Way of Life as opposed to the church of Dogma. Morality is always more important than dogmas. One can be moral without dogmas while dogmas are dead without morals. So think about how the bishops are changing the subject. Their finances are still a scandal while their continued cover-up reveals their character. Consider this current review in America lest we lose focus. http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=13390

The Inquisition Church wants Religious Liberty.

I don’t think it is even close when it comes to the question of whether the bishops are so off base in making HHS a religious liberty issue. How the bishops and people like Weigel, Garnett and Co. make the imposition of a health law a matter of religious liberty really is a fantasy if one examines the matter closely. In a country which allows witchcraft, for which the church has had people killed, it would be really laughable if it were not so polarizing that the bishops are making a war out of this. I suggest that the religious liberty, of all those who are employed by the church or are convinced that the bishops are infallible and even those dissenting Catholics who would welcome inspiring leadership from the bishops, are infringed upon by this stance of the USCCB.

So all the people who blindly follow the bishops, wherever they meander, really have less religious liberty today than those who practice witchcraft. Think about it. They certainly do not have the “freedom of the Children of God” which Paul the Apostle writes about, but rather they are slaves of the bishops and the call to them the bishops might make if they divert from the party line.

It is akin to the actions of John Paul II who propounded for liberty for everyone except those who are inside the Catholic church.

A Statement on Religious Liberty United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty

This is clearly the irony of Ironies. The RCC which from Augustine to the 20th century have denied others freedom of religion. The statement of Pius IX that "error has no rights" says it all. The bishops were aware of their lack of objectivity which compelled them to include other issues, like the seriously important one of services to immigrants. The other issues were marginal while the bishops main goal of attacking HHS recurs again and again. How some do not see this here is mysterious and baffling.

Originally, I was looking for an alternative to Obama. But the bishops, along with others on the far right have made Obama an easy choice. I imagine that the leadership in Washington and the democratic party are thanking God for this killer statement for the Republican party from the bishops. This is a greater gift than any super pac can produce. As Dolan prophesied, he has "helped his opponent." Immeasurably.

Fr. Richard O'Brien has accurately called the present crop of bishops the worst in American history. Damnably true. From their sheepish behavior in 2002, to their being called "worst than the Mafia" by a distinguished Catholic governor they appointed to the review board, to their continual proclivity towards political rather than pastoral behavior. This is a sorry, dishonorable bunch. And no contrived bombastic laughter by Tim Dolan can cover up this baldly, political group. A bunch of miscreants giving Catholics terrible witness.

The Crucifixion is the Center of Christianity

Perhaps a more signifcant lacuna is the emphasis of the Trinity as the most important doctrine whereas the Crucifixion is the defining act of Christianity coupled with the Resurrection. A proof of how idiotic the hierarchy of East and West has been is shown how they divide over the "filioque" question. Like anyone really knows what that is or what it means. Yet heads have literally rolled over such idiocy. While we forget that we should only know Jesus Crucified as Paul exemplifie.

Likewise, the cacophony over religious freedom in the US today. The babel is all about the hierarchy's rights while there is a very low decibel defending the immigrants, the poor and women. All of which tells us that we have to clamor more for the Christian Way than for dogma. As we celebrate the central event of our lives, the Crucifixion, we might tell it like it is when giving a reason for our hope. Namely, contrary to the verbiage from the bishops and EWTN we might preach the gospel and, as Francis said, "sometimes use words."