Mess with the bull, you get the horns...

This is an editorial that our local paper actually published after it printed a cartoon disrespecting our Archbishop.
I can't believe they published this....I respect them for that, but the CJ is still very bias in all it's coverage and I'm sure by next week, they will have another story or editorial slamming the Catholic Church as is the norm.


On Dec. 19 The Courier-Journal criticized my effort to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman. I am, in fact, honored to work with the body of bishops on the promotion and protection of marriage.
Unfortunately, the editors of The Courier-Journal characterized the support for marriage as bigotry. As archbishop, as a former social worker and as a citizen, I write to express my objection to referring to the church's efforts, as well as those of countless citizens throughout the United States, in such derogatory terms. In fact, the majority of voters in more than 30 states have supported marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
As a good citizen, I do not seek to impose assent to religious truths, such as those regarding Baptism or the Holy Eucharist. Marriage, however, as the union of one man and one woman is not only a religious conviction … it is a time-honored, classical norm recognized in almost every civilization. The church supports marriage for the same reason it supports laws against stealing. We oppose stealing not only because of the seventh commandment, but because of the natural moral law regarding the good of private ownership. The seventh commandment confirms with special clarity and authority what anyone of good will may discover by the application of reason.
The church takes positions on health care, protection of the unborn child and immigration. We do so not because these are purely religious realities, but because they are major moral issues, vital to the common good and newly presented to our culture today. The same is true for marriage.
The bishops of the United States uphold the dignity of individuals with same-sex attraction and recognize the suffering that unjust discrimination causes. The bishops affirm that every person, including those who experience same-sex attraction, deserve to live a fulfilling life inclusive of wholesome and chaste relationships. The rights associated with such relationships can be protected by other means under the law.
To refer to such genuine efforts as bigotry advances the misunderstanding and ill-will it purports to fight against.
The Most Rev. JOSEPH E. KURTZ
Archbishop of Louisville
Louisville 40203

Local Priest makes Bishop!!!!!!!

Appointment of William F. Medley as Fourth Bishop of Owensboro

With deep gratitude to almighty God, I welcome the wonderful news that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed one of our own as the new bishop of Owensboro. While I have known of Father William Medley for ten years, it has been my privilege in the last two years to come to know more deeply the gifts of holiness and leadership that God has bestowed upon him.
Raised in the Catholic “Holy Land” of Kentucky, Bishop-elect Medley served with distinction in many pastoral settings during his 27 years as a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Caring for the faithful in rural, urban and suburban settings, he has consistently shown to all a pastoral charity that combines the rare qualities of humble listening and courageous leadership. Highly respected among his brothers in the presbyterate as well as among the faithful, he is well prepared for the task and privilege of becoming the fourth bishop of Owensboro. Bishop-elect Medley will be greatly missed in the Archdiocese of Louisville, but he journeys west with the pride, affection and love of his "Louisville family."
As Metropolitan of the Province of Louisville, which includes the dioceses in Kentucky and Tennessee, I also acknowledge with deep gratitude the faithful service of Father Michael Clark, who ably administered the diocese of Owensboro during this transition. I rejoice with him, with emeritus Bishop John McRaith, and with all the faithful of Owensboro. How blessed that this announcement occurs today on Bishop John McRaith's 27th anniversary as a bishop.
It is especially fitting during this “Year for Priests,” that almighty God bestows such a sterling priest as the new bishop of Owensboro. May Bishop-elect Medley’s episcopal leadership and service abound in the grace of Jesus Christ, whose coming we await during these Advent days of hope. May our Blessed Mother Mary, the diocesan patron St. Stephen Martyr and all the saints intercede for him.
Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D
Archbishop of Louisville
December 15, 2009

The 12 Days of CHRISTmas

ORIGIN OF "THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS"

You're all familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I think. To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music. But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written.
It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts.
Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith - a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in *writing* indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment I'm not aware was ever practiced anywhere else.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith.
The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person.

The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."
The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
--Fr. Hal Stockert, Fishnet

@#*!*^#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished him who takes his name in vain.”– Exodus 20:7


Other than the disbelief or watered down belief in God, this has to be one of the top Commandments broken that I hear in my daily dealings with the secular world.
It is unbelievable how people will throw Gods name around just in normal conversation.
Even people that don’t believe in God, or don’t like to be affiliated with religious organizations, will use God, Jesus, or Lord as an interjection.

Many people think that this Commandment only relates to the “biggie”, the mother of all Blasphemies….but it doesn’t stop there.

Some people don’t even realize that they are doing it. They don’t realize that when they say
“Oh my God!!” or “Jesus Christ!!!” before a sentence other than in prayer, that they are blaspheming the name of the Lord.
I even hear the “biggie” blasphemy a lot (GD); I think we can blame stand up comedians and popular musicians for that, since they have made it seemingly OK and supposedly funny to say it.
Our nation is shaped by its cultural icons, and we have seen what that kind of mentality this has brought to our younger generation.

Throughout Scripture, the Lord warns us that our tongue is a very unruly member of our body.
Not only can we hurt others with our words, but more importantly, we hurt God.
We hurt God by speaking badly of our fellow mankind and we hurt God by using His name in a manner that doesn’t praise Him.

The ancient Hebrews and some modern day Jews won’t even say the name of God, which, in the original text, is actually spelled YHWH, the four consonants of the ancient Hebrew name for God.

If Exodus 20:7 is correct (which I firmly believe), then I think we should all take seriously this matter and be very careful not to allow our tongue to lead us into deadly sin.