Abbey-Roads2

Pictured,  “The Flagellation Of Christ” - Carravagio

I asked myself this afternoon, “Where have I been?”  (The answer of course; “Somewhere with my head in the sand.”)

I got an email today from Catholic Parent’s Online, a local watchdog group that looks out for dangers affecting the family and our children.  It is an excellent group and they do a fine job.

The email had to do with the ongoing efforts of people associated with the homosexual agenda - you know, the agenda no one wants to admit exists.  Emphasized was a link to an organization called “Soul Force”  which will be hosting The “2007 Soulforce Equality Ride” .   It is a “freedom ride” in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. and the early civil rights movement. 

In this case, gays and lesbians are traveling to Christian colleges and schools to spread the message that gays are people too, and nothing is wrong with the gay lifestyle…here is an excerpt from the Soulforce Website:

“Homophobia is globally pervasive, and no community or school escapes its reach. In 2006, during the inaugural Equality Ride, participants traveled to nineteen schools and engaged students, faculty, and administrators in conversation about the damaging effects of homophobic doctrine, the false notion that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identities are sick and sinful. This year, the journey continues with fifty young adults going to thirty-two Christian colleges and universities. Two buses are taking the group on two distinct routes around the country in creative pursuit of social justice. In doing so, they are empowered to change countless lives. Love liberates the oppressed, redeems the lost, and resurrects the spirit.” - Soulforce 

It appears the Soulforce  focus is mainly Protestant Bible Colleges,  although attached to the CPO email, was an announcement from E-Spiritus, the CPCSM newsletter:

“E-SPIRITUS NEWS

February 2007, Special Edition

UP-COMING SPECIAL EVENTS:

2007 SOULFORCE EQUALITY RIDE

SEND OFF Saturday, March 3, 2007

Socialize with riders and Jim McGreevey, former Governor of New Jersey, 5PM Blessing and Sending Service, 7PM (Locations listed below)

This year Minneapolis is where the Equality Ride* will begin and end. Two buses will leave from Minneapolis on March 7th one bus will head East and one will head West. They meet again in Minnesota at the end of April after their two month journey across America. You can be a part of this historic event next Saturday, March 3rd! Hear stories of last year’s Equality Ride from the founder of the Rides, Jake Reitan.Meet the 2007 Equality Riders! All 50 of them! Hear about the colleges and schools they will visit from the 2007 4 co-directors- Haven Herrin, Alexey Bulokhov, Katie Higgins, and Jarrett Lucus.”  - E-Spiritus Newsletter.

I heard of CPCSM before, but never paid any attention to the acronym, or knew what they stood for.  Until today, I had no idea there was a local gay support organization that claims to work closely with the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, it is called “Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities” (CPCSM).  I have of course heard of Dignity, which is not approved by the Church, as well as Courage, which is approved.

Looking at CPCSM’s site, I learned board members of CPCSM include Catholic religious, two sisters from the Congregation of St. Joseph of Corondolet, a religious brother, and one woman who once was on the board for Cretin-Derham Hall, a local Catholic high school which happens to have a GLBT club.

 Of course, there is no gay agenda - it’s just a heterosexist conspiracy to say there is.  Well, that is what they want us to think. 

Photo credit: CNN

I have friends who sought Cardinal Egan’s help when he was in charge of the Bridgeport diocese.  From what I understand, he wasn’t the most warm and understanding priest they ever dealt with - in fact, he snubbed them. 

“When the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, John O’Connor had been informed of Egan’s nomination by the Pope as Auxiliary Bishop, he wrote  to his priests explaining that he had not personally chosen Monsignor Egan to be his auxiliary. To this day many people wonder at the Pope’s decision to place Egan in New York, after the fact that Egan had been promised he would be named coadjutor to  Cardinal Medeiros of Boston. ( Bernard Law got the position instead.)” - Adapted from Wikipedia

John Paul II, appointed Egan Bishop of Bridgeport.  From there, he took NYC.

Call me cynical, but he seems to be more a career churchman - ambitious and anxious for position, power, and prestige - more a beaureucrat and businessman than priest.  As Cardinal Archbishop of New York, he’s got the power, sans the devotion of his flock.

Yesterday, the Cardinal pulled a fast one, locking a priest out of his parish Church, one constructed through the hard work and sacrifice of Latvian immigrants.  Here is an excerpt from the story:

“February 27, 2007 — Edward Cardinal Egan pulled a fast one on a lower Manhattan parish pastor yesterday, summoning the priest to meet with him - then dispatching security guards to permanently lock the cleric’s church doors.” - read on at the New York Post

As everyone knows, major diocese throughout the country are closing Churches.  (It’s an athiest’s dream in a way.)  Is it because of the priest shortage?  Perhaps the fallen away who no longer attend Church?  Does it have anything to do with the confusion in the liturgy and moral teachings of the Church?  Or could it have more to do with diocese defaulting because of legal costs due to the clergy scandal?  After all, property in Manhattan is at a premium - selling Church property would rake in the cash big time.

Whatever - Cardinal Egan doesn’t seem to be much of a people person unless he’s dealing with the elite.

Don Marco has a wonderful post on Lectio Divina.  (I try to write about it, but he actually does.)  An excerpt:

Burn and Shine

The glow of holy desire requires a steady commitment to lectio and oratio. Lectio is the hearing of the Word; oratio is the Word turned into prayer. “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the scriptures?” (Lk 24:32). Lectio is completed by meditatio: the Word heard becomes the Word repeated and held in the mind until it begins to glow. Oratio is completed by contemplatio: the Word prayed opens the heart to a mysterious burning, to a fiery presence. Glow, then, with desire for God; burn with the fire of his presence, that the Lord may say of us what He said of John the Baptist: “He was a burning and shining lamp” (Jn 5:35).  - Vultus Christi: “Lent and Lectio Divina“

Should Don Marco maybe start writing some books?  I think so.