Comments for OLAPR Council

Comment on Catholic Perspective on Immigration by Christine Y

Christine Y — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:30:26 +0000

Recently, one lady asked me if I have been told on how to vote and how I should view particular voting issues from the priest / parish / Church. This lady is an active attender at her syngogue. I simply say that I listen to what is being said HOWEVER I always take it upon myself to read up on the issue and read the policy as written. Now if someone wants me to vote in a particular way, I would say, come over to my house and attend to my needs 24/7 and believe me, you have to do everything for me. I believe I have to use my brain and my heart in all matters and I believe that voting is a responsibility that should not be handed over to someone else.

Comment on Rosary Rose Bowl - May 19, 2007 by Christine Y

Christine Y — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:24:51 +0000

I attended the Rosary Bowl. It was interesting. I do not speak or understand Spanish so the speakers who spoke Spanish - there was no subtitling that I could read on the large screen so I had not idea what was being said. Unclear on who some of the speakers were. It would of been great if the spanish speakers had the English version printed in the handout because I would loved to follow along and hear their story. Following the prayers was distracting. One speaker was just great, she was from Rwwanda. The rep from one of the orgs sounded like he was running for political office - very conservative. Again, when Spanish was spoken - I simply have no idea what was being said. Thanks.

Comment on Assembly shelves assisted suicide legislation by Sylvia Mendivil Salazar

Sylvia Mendivil Salazar — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:20:57 +0000

Good actions and prayers are powerful!

Prayers for all our relations.
Take Care and keep in touch,
Sylvia Mendivil Salazar

Comment on Catholic Perspective on Immigration by Steve

Steve — Sun, 27 May 2007 23:26:46 +0000

During the 1980s my Catholic Church became very political. Unlike some dominations traditionally Catholic churches were not very political (except on the issue of abortion) but during the 1980s left wing politics inserted itself unfortunately into the local Catholic church through the very liberal Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen . Things would turn up regularly in the church bulletin such as notices about anti-nuclear protests at Bangor Navy Base or protests against Reagan’s Central American policy, or other left wing causes. It got pretty bad at times and it was one of the reasons I personally left the church.

Well, while I left the church, many in my family didn’t and I have had the opportunity to frequently look at the church bulletin, and during the 1990s and the early part of this decade, the inappropriate notices in the bulletin slowed down and then for the most part stopped. The bulletin became the non-political forum for church information that it was always supposed to be. But still what went on in the 1980s left a bad taste in my mouth (and of course the Priests scandals which our church was in the center of long, long before it became a big issue nationally). But, again, after the turmoil of the Hunthausen days, things had really improved and the weekly bulletin hasn’t in recent years been used as the tool of the Left Wing radicals as it once was.

But it seems that this is not the case again. This Sunday in the weekly bulletin in my church was a yellow piece of paper promoting the radical leftist agenda on immigration. It was by a group that has the following webpage: http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org.

The yellow insert states that Catholics must pray the following:

The Justice Prayer

Come, O Holy Spirit!

Come, open us to the wonder, beauty and dignity of the diversity found in each culture,

in each face, and in each experience we have of the other among us.

Come, fill us with generosity

as we are challenged to let go and allow others to share with us

the goods and beauty of earth.

Come, heal the divisions

That keep us from seeing the face of Christ in all men, women, and children.

Come, free us to stand with and for those

who must leave their own lands in order to find work, security, and welcome in a new land,
one that has enough to share.

Come, bring us understanding, inspiration, wisdom, and

the courage needed to embrace change and stay on the journey.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

show us the way.

Well, what you need to understand about Catholics is that most of them don’t go to church for political reasons. The Parish they choose, most often they choose merely because it’s the parish closest to them. For them religion is a matter of tradition; it’s not a matter of politics. They go to church to form a spiritual community, not to promote a political agenda.

I know Catholics and I know that like the general community most of them are totally against the radical agenda of the political left. But given the social and spiritual importance Catholicism is to them, they are intimidated (most of them) from speaking out for fear of the social repercussions. It is easier for them to remain silent and just look the other way to what is going on in their name, in their midst. Most people (liberals excluded) strive to live a life as much as possible without conflict and in most cases tend to remain silent and not make waves and rock the boat.

Liberals on the other hand live for conflict and due to that they seem to have an advantage when it comes to promoting their agenda. They are obviously using the Church in an inappropriate way, but they are not being called on it.

But those of Catholic persuasion need to speak out against the renewed radicalization of the local Church. Modern day catholic teaching doesn’t say that the Church is infallible on such issues, and when the church is being used by a radical few (yeah many of them in high places) to do something that will harm America, they practically have a duty to speak out despite the friction and division that would cause. After all they weren’t the ones who started the friction, they weren’t the ones who inappropriately hijacked the church to be used as a tool to promote a political agenda.

On this issue the Catholic Church has become a destructive force. Let’s hope that average Catholics get beyond being timid and take the church back from the radicals. They finally wrestled it away from the Leftists who had such a hold of it in the 1980s. It is critical that they do so now.

Comment on Rosary Rose Bowl - May 19, 2007 by Ron Gentile

Ron Gentile — Sat, 26 May 2007 21:51:03 +0000

We (my wife and I) went to the Rosary Bowl to pray, but were not prepared for the testimonies of five people where a short discourse on mysteries should have been and for the different languages that were prayed during the first half of the Hail Mary. I’m sure that in God’s eyes that there was much spiritual benefit, but to say the least, these things were very distracting from the prayer. On top of that, we were disappointed that the procession with Our Lady was cancelled. I don’t believe we’ll be going to another Rosary Bowl. We’ll continue to pray the Rosary daily at home.

Ron and Antoinette Gentile

Comment on Contact Us by Bill Baldau

Bill Baldau — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:43:36 +0000

I attended the Rosary Bowl at the Rose Bowl this past Saturday, May 19.
I was part of a 20 person group from Our Lady of Malibu parish who traveled by bus.
It was a very worthwile experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the motivational speakers and the musical program.
I was disapointed that there was no press coverage of the event in the Sunday or Monday LA Times.
Since it was estimated to have in excess of fifty thousand attendees, it was certainly a newsworthy event.

Comment on About by Patty Johnson

Patty Johnson — Sat, 19 May 2007 20:28:00 +0000

Greetings,

I applaud the creation of this blog for your region. I hope to see its success and the creation of another for my region (San Gabriel).

Thank you for your efforts,

Patty

Comment on What Jesus Meant - A Review by Gary

Gary — Wed, 09 May 2007 21:09:40 +0000

Suzanne, I agree with your reading of Garry Wills book. I felt alternately comfortable and uncomfortable with Wills’ interpretation of the Gospels. I am Catholic by marriage and am therefore am often juxtaposed between what I think I know (from my Southern Baptist upbringing) and what I see on the surface of masses.

You did not mention Wills’ treatment of Pope Benedict XVI, which is not at all flattering. I’d be interested to know how you, and other US Catholics, square what the current Pontiff represents with Wills’ perspective.

Wills’ book has certainly driven me to look beyond the surface of both my own assumptions as well as the practice of the Catholic faith for a greater understanding.

Comment on What Jesus Meant - A Review by Michael Bailey

Michael Bailey — Sun, 06 May 2007 01:11:51 +0000

I like the book as well as the review. I saw the author on television speaking about the book about a year ago, and went out to buy it right away.
It was refreshing to read a book about religion and faith written by a scholar who was clearly interested in supporting the concepts of the faith, yet did not feel bound or limited by the constructs of the organizations that represent the faith.
I found the book and this review of it both pleasurable reads and thought provoking, and would encourage many to read both and then discuss with their closest friends and family how they feel.
Faith should not be challenged by knowledge, but enhanced by it.

Comment on What Jesus Meant - A Review by Jim Bailey

Jim Bailey — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:46:58 +0000

Interesting take on the book. Overall I have to agree with you; what makes Christianity ‘take hold’ inside of an individual is not the repetitive ritual angle, but the understanding of this is a feeling that can be felt inside, and then applied to what is happening outside.