Set the Markets Free. Not the Captives.

Let the free market reign. When workers complain about working conditions and strike I, since I have the money, will hire goons to beat the crap out of them. The Free Market is fantastic because it allows three year old females to be trafficked to all those admirable men who make our markets what they are. The free market is great I can store a years supply of the best food while the families of Spain and Greece can wait outside restaurants to salvage the scraps. What is Jesus talking about when he says: "I have compassion on the multitude." Does he not know they caused the hunger themselves? And surely Jesus is plumb out of his mind when he continues: "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED," Set the captives free? They chose their chains. And error of all errors; the Good Samaritan. What was that man doing walking alone anyway. The priest and the levite knew that. But the stupid, hated Samaritan had a senior or non-market moment. Let the free market roar so I can bribe officials who want to stop me from insider trading and screwing anybody I can. Why free the captives when the market is more catptivating? Why free the oppressed when they spoil all the fun. And if the blind stay blind there is more for me. Preach the Gospel to the Poor? Let them stay "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" and let me have my party!!!

Vatican II Fifty Years Later

Vatican II was a prodigious success. Relations with other Christians and other religions improved astronomically. The importance of baptism, not ordination, as the hallmark and responsibility of the followers of Christ. The recognition of the priesthood of all believers. Recognition of love as a primary end of marriage. Allowing Catholics to pray in their own language. The emergence of women in the church. And much more. The problem was that this was a cyclone which was not controlled. There was probably no way to control it because each side fought for its point of view negating a more practical catechesis for those not close to the council. In addition there were excesses. Some people in the renewal were just as intolerant as those they wanted to supplant. Others thought that anything goes. While there were structures that had to change, other structures like marriage and sex were not safeguarded wisely. On the whole, believe it or not, I think the church is more respected than it was before V2. Then it was considered an outdated institution that was out of touch. Few Catholics challenged the hierarchy while those outside considered the political ramifications. It is easy to repeat sound bites and charged words. Like less priests and closing parishes. Even many V2 critics acknowledge many of its positive aspects.

Bishops in Canada block foreign aid campaign for being too partisan

The bishops are not acting in accordance with Matthew 25: 31-46. Then again they have not for a long time. They insist on living in grandiose mansions with servants while Jesus did not have a home. Of course that is not the part they want to imitate. The fact that Jesus was male they will use to exclude women but the fact that he was poor is irresponsibly ignored. Their answer is they have to live according to their status. Then what is Jesus? Chopped Liver? And have they not learned that the reason all the religious orders insisted on a vow of poverty was because the hierarchy had forgot its mission. The actions of the Canadian bishops is scandalous just as the political actions of the American bishops are in covertly supporting Republicans. Few bishops, in my opinion, will pass the bar of Matthew 25.

Taxing Catholics and Independence of Bishops

While Germany is Europe’s wealthiest Catholic Church there are 25 million Catholics compared to the 75 million Catholics in the US. The numbers make up the difference money wise for the US church. As for the independence of the German bishops it may have to do more with the declining number of Catholics in Europe which keeps the European bishops on their toes. The American Catholic church is declining. Witness all those Indian and African priests making up for the unwillingness of American Catholics to join those ranks. The reason the Catholic bishops feel more secure is that religions are outwardly respected more in the US. As far as I am concerned that just means that there are more hypocrites in the US. Studies show that the morality of Catholics and Protestants are not in accordance with the gospel. Religion, at least in politics and in the media is still in. It will be interesting when that comes crashing down. Maybe the American bishops will become as humble as the German bishops. Perhaps wealthy Catholic Germans don’t use the church to exert power the way American Catholics due because the Church does not have the cachet that the American church has. The American Catholics are pretty fed up. It will be interesting what wealthy conservative Catholics will do when it becomes clear that they are betting on the wrong horse. The power vacuum that might ensue will hopefully be filled by the gospel.

German Bishops and the Church Tax

German bishops want to excommunicate any Catholics who opt out of the Church tax. Their reasoning is that those who refuse to pay the tax are opting out of membership in the church also. Many Catholics disagree. Notice how much the “Sacraments” are talked about in this issue. Critics rightly term the “Church of the Sacraments” as problematic. As if the very reception makes you a disciple rather than the imitation of Christ’s commands. Catholics know the sacraments more than they know the beatitudes which spell out the essential gospel. Somehow the sacraments can be reconciled with war and anger while the beatitudes not so easily. Indian and African priests come here on the money train to administer the sacraments while leaving the world’s poorest in their own country. Why can’t the Mafia be buried in the church when the hierarchy see the sacraments more as matter and form rather than discipleship.

Millions of children die before the age of five lacking basics

Fewer than seven million children around the world died before their fifth birthday from disease and birth complications in 2011 — a new low — the World Health Organization, theUnited Nations Children’s Fund and other agencies announced Wednesday. About 12 million children that age died in 1990, and the numberfell below 10 million for the first time in 2007, so the pace of saving children’s lives is accelerating, experts said. Half of all the deaths occurred in five countries: India, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and China. The leading causes, in descending order, were pneumonia, premature birth, diarrhea, birth complications and malaria. Most of those deaths were preventable with relatively cheap interventions, the United Nationsagencies said.

Undeclared Saints

Romero, the Jesuit martyrs  are shining examples of imitation of Christ. What is notable is that none of them have been officially recognized by Rome. Which means that the boys of the Tiber remains committed to Empire over the Way of Christ and remain more like the Scribes and Pharisees. They build cathedrals which have mausoleums for sale to the wealthy while the poor remain under-serviced. Another example of this lack of service which features Empire  is the inordinate amount of foreign priests who are in this country while they leave the poor in India and Africa neglected. American still has more priests per capita than African and India while more come here attracted by a better life for themselves not their people. This movement is driven by money from American bishops which foreign bishops relish more than service to their own people. 

There is indeed much good being done after the example of Romero and the Jesuit Martyrs. Little of it is coming from the chanceries.