Where the Rubber Hits the Road

Rationalist: I think that's the argument the a...

2012-05-25T09:09:34.564-04:00

Rationalist: I think that's the argument the article is making: that B16 is the sedevacantist in as much as he is illegitimate in the eyes of Kung.

Fr. Tim

To be a Sedevacantist you need to affirm that the ...

2012-05-24T22:05:20.028-04:00

To be a Sedevacantist you need to affirm that the papacy has been invalid since Paul VI, like the SSPX claims. By opposing the current pope's attempt to let the SSPX back into the church, Fr. Kung is being called a Sedevacantist. Isn't the wronge person being called a Sedevacantist?

The pope can't kick Kung out of the Church bec...

2012-05-24T18:12:31.225-04:00

The pope can't kick Kung out of the Church because he reflects the beliefs of the majority of German and Austrian Catholics. He can't let the SSPX back in because they affront the beliefs of most of those same people.

It's what's commonly called a "pickle".

How very true. The PM of Canada is actually more p...

2012-05-23T21:13:41.679-04:00

How very true. The PM of Canada is actually more powerful than the President of the US who must,on important matter, have the backing of the House and Senate.Not so the PM of Canada (or Britain for that matter).The Canadian PM has ,like the Pope, almost absolute power in most cases granted to him by The Head of the Church of England. (...oh boy....)

One last postscript: We don't have proportiona...

2012-05-23T21:10:25.516-04:00

One last postscript: We don't have proportional representation in our Parliament. It's a first past the post system as in Britain. This has kept the number of parties in parliament to only a few at a time. 'Coalitions' are only needed in minority parliaments of legislation. We have periods of this type of government occasionally as well, but our electoral system has quite often produced more than one majority government after another for the same party or PM.

Anon: No, not usually. For example, we recently we...

2012-05-23T21:03:51.980-04:00

Anon: No, not usually. For example, we recently went through a long period where there were five parties in Parliament, but only one had a majority for over 10 years and Jean Chrètien was Prime Minister. In his case, even when his adversaries controlled all the levers of power of the party he led, they could not force him to step down as Prime Minister.

Today there are three parties with official status (there's one Green member too so technically there are four present) but only one holds a majority of the total seats so that any legislation they wish can be passed whenever they wish. The opposition parties can try and slow the process down - by the Prime Minister has the power to enforce closure, effectively forcing a vote he's guaranteed as a right.

BTW, the PM also holds the power to establish commissions of inquiry (the Canadian special prosecutor of US fame). He also has the power to terminate one if he wishes, the most recent example of J. Chrètien ending the Somalia inquiry when he decided it was doing more harm than good (although, who was suffering the 'damage' is open to question).

Like I said. He holds full legislative power because he controls legislation that passes through Parliament with a quiver full of benefices and punishments to ensure party discipline. He holds full executive power as the defacto head of state. (Actually, it's the Queen.)

He controls who gets appointed to the Senate, the Federal courts, the head of the RCMP (police), and CSIS (Intelligence).

Being PM in Canada isn't like being in the major leagues. Canada is at best a mid-level economic and military power. But it's fair to say that whomever holds that office in Canada is one BIG FISH, even if he reigns supreme in a lesser pond.

Fr. Tim

Pro Life no longer means opposition to legal abort...

2012-05-23T20:05:39.017-04:00

Pro Life no longer means opposition to legal abortion for many people. This is becoming especially true among younger demographics.

The younger the demographic, the more likely the belief that while abortion is a moral wrong, it is still a woman's choice.

There is not the necessary support to re criminalize abortion. There likely will not be, at least for the next generation or two.

Therapy has it's good and bad points. It tends...

2012-05-23T19:57:44.775-04:00

Therapy has it's good and bad points. It tends to rip the scabs off your psyche.

Liberals tend to like ripping the scabs off repeatedly and so overdue. Reactionary type cherish their scabs and seldom mess with them.

Liberals could do with less therapy and reactionaries more, as a general rule.

But there are many parties and he must form a coal...

2012-05-23T19:50:50.848-04:00

But there are many parties and he must form a coalition, right?

Anon: They are extensive. They decide when electio...

2012-05-23T18:37:40.523-04:00

Anon: They are extensive. They decide when elections are called. They can block any candidate and appoint their own nominee in any riding (like a congressional district). He determines who gets what job in government including ministers, parliamentary secretaries, deputy and assistant deputy ministers, head of the privy council, all judges to the federal and supreme court. Virtually no one can make him quit the position unless he wants to.

That's just for starters.

If a Canadian Prime Minister's party holds a majority in the House of Commons - he can do what he wants. He can be a democratic despot.

Fr. Tim

What power do Canadian prime minister's have?

2012-05-23T17:19:02.977-04:00

What power do Canadian prime minister's have?

That's not a bad strategy. With education on...

2012-05-23T16:25:33.598-04:00

That's not a bad strategy. With education on how to prevent pregnancy, financial support for single mothers, enforcement of father support payments and gentle suggestions on adoption, it;'s a good strategy to limit as much as possible the number of abortions to extreme medical circumstances such as experience by Rick Santorum's wife.

Steve: This last comment is just more evidence tha...

2012-05-23T16:15:30.725-04:00

Steve: This last comment is just more evidence that you are a classy and charitable man. IF we all do as well in our offerings here, this blog would be a better place to visit. Thank you.

Tim

I freely and without hesitation apologize for my r...

2012-05-23T16:08:21.452-04:00

I freely and without hesitation apologize for my remarks. They were clearly uncalled for and unChristian.

These cases will likely be bundled together and pu...

2012-05-23T15:57:13.649-04:00

These cases will likely be bundled together and pushed toward the Supreme Court, with it's 4 justice, traditionalist Catholic plurality (Roberts, Scalia, Alito and Thomas). If they prevail in their support of the Bishops, there will never be another traditionalist Catholic nominated or confirmed to the US Supreme Court. I personally doubt Justice Roberts would let that happen but we'll see. It's likely he would let the verdict of the next lower Court stand, whatever that is, as a self protective measure for the court.

Should be interesting.

The case itself is not of real interest. Whether Catholic provides contraception coverage in it's insurance package is really a minor issue. Dolan and the other bishops have simply chosen this issue to draw the line in the sand on. That's what makes it interesting.

The Scandenavian countries, Norway in the lead, ma...

2012-05-23T15:42:19.054-04:00

The Scandenavian countries, Norway in the lead, may be the first countries in Europe to enter the post Christian era. My wife is Norwegian. I understand that many churches in Norway do not even hold weekly services because nobody comes. Churches do not have ministers or priests actively attached.

Many churches simply have a custodian that does basic upkeep and they don't even routinely belong to the denomination or even subscribe to Christianity.

The pro life movement is changing from a mandate l...

2012-05-23T15:34:06.796-04:00

The pro life movement is changing from a mandate legal change to prohibition movement to a movement that advocates moral change through education. That's good.

“Do you really think that waving around pictures o...

2012-05-23T13:24:45.083-04:00

“Do you really think that waving around pictures of bloody dead fetuses is going to bring about the kind of results you desire? LOL.”

Anonymous: Obviously, you have little experience with this kind of work. LOL.

However, you do have a point about it being off putting. Yeah, abortion is off putting. Pictures of dead people are gross and disgusting, but not nearly as gross as actually supporting the practice of live human dismemberment. The judicious use of graphic media in appropriate places like college campuses, the public square, and various public events with some kind of abortion connection is very effective. This is why so many of the larger and experienced pro-life activist organizations support the practice. They have position statements that explain the ethics of these tactics if you are interested. They were written especially for people like you Anonymous.

The use of graphic images at the entrances to abortion facilities has mixed or negative impacts on last minute deterrence results. Some may say it is better than nothing if sidewalk counseling is unavailable. (Personally, I would not recommend the use there…a simple prayerful presence works better.)

Well Tim you finally made it into the big times. ...

2012-05-23T12:22:18.874-04:00

Well Tim you finally made it into the big times. You got the smell you deserve.
If it walks like a duck............

Mark O'Neil quoted: "Not a good image fo...

2012-05-23T12:06:32.177-04:00

Mark O'Neil quoted:
"Not a good image for a Priest in Pembroke Diocese after all the Priests who have been outed, and a couple more to come, I am told."

What is Mark talking about? Perhaps a witch hunt for gay priests in the Pembroke Diocese?

It's bad for priests especially in Pembroke area that are living through difficult times with these scandals.
Now it seems he's going to use this suppose gay priest issue as an excuse for his uncharitable behavior remarks; such as using the phrase 'protecting your homo friend'.

A concern of mine. This comes from a friend that works in the funeral business. Obviously, has close contact with all priests.
One priest has a history of drinking problems but got help long ago and is good.
This friend from that funeral business (doesn't know about this priest drinking past) said 'Father, sure likes his Crown Royal.'
This is not a good sign about this one priest if it is true.

These priests are human and are under more stress than ever. It's not hard to believe some of these priests will only take so much pressure, reach a breaking point and fall back on bad destructive habits like drinking, over-eating and that may also include for some priests engaging in some risky sexual behavior.

I'm saying, do try to easy the burden of these priests instead of putting more unrealistic pressures on them.

I'm not making a statement for or against abor...

2012-05-23T11:18:30.988-04:00

I'm not making a statement for or against abortion but the obvious question that is raised in any discussion to make abortion illegal is what penalty, if any, would those who seek to make abortion illagal place upon those who participate in an abortion. Who would be charged, the doctor, the nurse, the mother, the father and if so would they face a fine or jail time?

P.S. If expecting that people can take a 'hig...

2012-05-23T10:05:18.795-04:00

P.S. If expecting that people can take a 'high road' in debating these topics is characteristic of the priests of the Pembroke Diocese - and I believe it is - then I am happy to put my comments defending Martin forward as an example of the goodness and charity of the presbyterate in this corner of the Catholic world.

Mark: 1) I am not more interested in protecting my...

2012-05-23T10:02:47.320-04:00

Mark: 1) I am not more interested in protecting my 'homo friend'. I am defending a friend. You should learn the difference. He is not a sexuality. He is a person. He deserves respect even if people don't agree with his positions. 2) I would do the same for you, even though your last comment (which very inappropriately calls Martin a 'pig') demonstrates that it is something that you don't deserve. 3) We have had three priests revealed out of the hundred or so priests that have served over the past 50 years in our diocese. That hardly qualifies as 'all the priests who have been outed'. If there are more, then let them be exposed as well. NO ONE who abuses or habitually violates his religious vow of celibacy (or obedience for that matter) should continue to serve as a priest in this Diocese or elsewhere.

If what you read here leads you to post such hateful and insulting commentary, please don't bother posting or visiting this site. It is intended as a place for intelligent discussion... not the venom of bigots and school yard bullies as you appear to be.

Fr. Tim

I agree that inappropriate comments should be dele...

2012-05-23T09:49:01.118-04:00

I agree that inappropriate comments should be deleted. It's your blog and people should observe basic civility.

That said Fr. Ballard's comment of "Clearly, you are a hateful idiot." was also inappropriate and warrants critical comment, but not necessarily deletion.

Fr. Moyle: Your reply explains nothing other than...

2012-05-23T09:47:38.295-04:00

Fr. Moyle: Your reply explains nothing other than your editing problems.
What about your own contributions?
You were not exactly a shining example of a Priest.
You seem to be more interested in protecting your homo friend than in dealing with his wrongness.
A family friend who is a farmer has a saying- if you sleep with the pigs long eneough you will smell like one.
Not a good image for a Priest in Pembroke Diocese after all the Priests who have been outed, and a couple more to come, I am told.