It appears that a student commencement speaker at a —Roman Catholic College— the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been taken to the rack for proclaiming the Catholic faith.

At the commencement, the student spoke on the dichotomy of selfishness and selflessness. He particularly singled out as selfish those who use birth control and engage in pre-marital sexual; relations. An excerpt from the article “At St. Thomas, a sour ending” which appears in the Twin Cities Pioneer Press follows:

A spring term that began with controversy at the University of St. Thomas ended the same way Saturday when a student used part of his commencement address to admonish people he considered “selfish,” including women who use birth control.

The remarks by Ben Kessler, a well-known student recently honored by peers and faculty as Tommie of the Year, led to catcalls and boos during commencement at the Catholic university in St. Paul. Others booed those who were booing. Some students walked out on their own graduation ceremony.

Buzz about the incident dominated post-graduation parties, spread throughout the community and sparked a flurry of e-mails. By Monday, there were scattered requests to strip Kessler of his Tommie of the Year award and questions about why St. Thomas officials didn’t try to pull the plug on Kessler’s speech as the crowd’s unhappiness intensified.

“He definitely ruined the day for pretty much everyone in the audience,” said Darin Aus, who was awarded his bachelor’s degree Saturday and stayed for the entire ceremony. “He made people mad enough to leave their own graduation.”

Kind of like how Jesus ruined the day for the Pharisees and hypocrites?

Kessler, a celebrated football player with a deep Catholic faith, apologized Monday in a written statement distributed by the university.

“Instead of providing hope to all, I offended some by my words and by my decision to speak those words at commencement,” he wrote.

He was unavailable for comment beyond the statement.

The university’s president, the Rev. Dennis Dease, also expressed regret “that graduates and their families and guests were offended by Mr. Kessler’s remarks.” Dease said he told Kessler it was inappropriate for him to use commencement to express his opinions.

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So the Rev. Dease regrets “that graduates and their families and guests were offended by Mr. Kessler’s remarks.” As a clergyman I would regret it too. I would regret that they weren’t converted by his remarks.

But no, in this day and age the R.C. clergyman makes a devout Catholic apologize for being Catholic. The words of Revelation in my title seem to apply to the Rev. Dease.

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: `I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. `So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. `Because you say, I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. `Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. `Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. `He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Also, check out comments and a letter sent by Fr. Martin Fox to the school’s administration in ‘Spoiled Brat’ College Graduates.

Check out Pat Buchanan’s article on the DVC: Whose God may we mock?

If you would know who wields cultural power, ask yourself: Whom is it impermissible to offend? Thus the hoopla attending the release of “The Da Vinci Code,” based on the Dan Brown novel that has sold 7 million copies in the United States, tells us something about whose God it is permissible to mock and whose faith one is allowed to assault.

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If “The Da Vinci Code” is based upon facts, no other conclusion follows
than that to be a Catholic is either to be in on this fraud or to be the dupe of those perpetuating it. But if it is fiction, why would Hollywood put out so viciously anti-Catholic a film that can only have the effect of undermining the faith of millions of Christians?

Putting “The Da Vinci Code” on film, with what it alleges about the Catholic Church, is the moral equivalent of making a movie based on the “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” and implying this is the truth about the Jewish plot to control the world. One imagines Ron Howard and Tom Hanks would take a pass on that script.

Like the “Hitler’s Pope” smear of Pius XII, a man who did more than any other to save the Jews in World War II, “The Da Vinci Code” is a Big Lie that, though readily refuted by the facts, will be believed.

But that it will be a box-office smash, that it is the subject of lavish praise in the press, that it is the best-selling novel of the 21st century, tells us we live not just in a post-Christian era, but in an anti-Catholic culture not worth defending or saving, for it is truly satanic.

I don’t agree with the last point. Our efforts are to save humanity regardless of worthiness. We are all unworthy and it’s a mistake to assert some are more unworthy than others (ala Animal Farm). We can’t afford to ‘write-off’ anyone.

Biretta tip to Fr. Joseph at Orthodixie.

The DaVinci Code is entering theaters and many Christian bloggers are commenting on the falsehoods of the book/movie. Some of them are falling into the very same trap that Mr. Dan Brown is mired in. It’s the simple desire to know the unknown, to wallow in conspiracy theory. The commentators go on about the falsehoods of the book/movie and the conspiracy against Christianity.

To me it’s just a book/movie —“ a work of fiction. I am neither for nor against it. I’ve read Angels and Demons. I thought it was good, and like any fiction, exposed issues of greed, corruption, anger, and desire —“ albeit at a superficial level – which are all parts of our fallen human condition. We could even say that such exposure gives us a sort of insight into how personal motivations (sinful ones) overcome our call to goodness in the absense of God’s grace.

If people want to level serious criticism at the book/movie then let’s look at the values it puts out there. Is there gratuitous sex and violence? Now there’s a valid criticism. Does it give us insight into our behaviors and that of others or does it simply deal with people at the surface without understanding them as whole persons with individual motivations and a unique psychology.

A good writer will take you into a character so that you come out knowing a little more about yourself. Maybe they will even give you pause to consider the root causes of your own actions.

In my opinion Mr. Brown’s promotion of his book is beside the point. He will say whatever he has to to sell and promote his product. He’s getting rich. That’s the only conspiracy there is —“ and that’s not even a conspiracy —“ rather it is just part of his psychology. I need money —“ I’ll say whatever I have to. Mr. Brown has a lot of company in that category (name the evil group —“ politicians, actors, business people, etc.)

Mr. Brown could just as easily say that Jesus appeared to him in a dream and used him like pencil to write the book. Maybe the ‘Angel Moroni’ appeared to him and gave him the ‘Urim and Thummim’ ala Joseph Smith.

Regardless of the words used to explain the origin of the book, it is what old fashioned Hollywood used to call a ‘publicity stunt’.

If people choose to believe what the world puts on their plate —“ well we just need to witness better to the falsehood, not of the book, but of the world. Fighting the technicalities of Mr. Brown’s publicity campaign earns Christianity nothing. Living witness to the truth of Jesus Christ as the way, truth, and life is far more important.

Maybe the whole lesson is simply this —“ we should treat God’s gift to us in His Son as the mystery it is. Then, perhaps, people would engross themselves in the study of the only mystery that matters.

[dels]blogs4god/pundits[/dels]

The BBC, reporting on a clash between the All Poland Youth Group and a group of homosexual marchers in the Polish city of Krakow, gets it wrong yet again.

Background: A —gay tolerance— march on Krakow, Poland was attacked by some members of the youth group who threw rocks and eggs at the marchers.

Now, in the first place, that sort of violence, regardless of the reason, is absolutely wrong. Some youth group members (a very small part of the group) who took part in such violence should be arrested and prosecuted.

However, the BBC goes on to claim: —Homophobia is not uncommon in this staunchly Catholic country.—

Ummm, no!

The BBC’s report is not at all descriptive of what is going on, nor is it a fair or just statement. It’s painting an entire country as gripped by fear and aversion. It’s like saying all members of any group are something. I think that’s called stereotyping or racism. Can we say, racism is not uncommon among BBC reporters? Hmmmm…

No, the Poles are not homophobic. Homophobia is exactly that —“ a term used to describe a phobia. As we read in the phobia wiki:

A phobia (from the Greek φόβος “fear”), is a strong, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities, or persons.

No, the Catholic youth in Poland, who marched peacefully, were only standing in the forefront of a battle that is raging. They stood up for their faith and for the truth. For that, everyone in the entire country has been labeled by the BBC.

The Christian faithful, who adhere to the teachings of the Church on homosexuality, euthanasia, abortion, capitol punishment, war, and any number of other issues, are receiving what we will soon experience more and more: negative stereotypes and eventually outright persecution.

The teachings of the Roman Church, the PNCC, Orthodoxy, and any other orthodox Christian group are almost completely at odds with secular culture; a culture that believes that everyone has a right.

The real point is that no one has a right. There are no rights other than those given by God as interpreted through His Church.

The ‘gay’ culture is not a right. It is disordered and defective. Euthanasia is not a right nor is abortion. It is disordered, defective, and murder.

Certainly, homosexuality is a burden that some must bear. It is a heavy burden indeed. The Church is to love all people and support them in facing the burdens —“ the crosses they have been asked to bear. No one is to be —put out—. However, no one has a right to do as he or she pleases.

All that is required is that people come forward in truth and pledge to live the life Christ calls us to live. It is rarely the life we would like to live, yet its rewards are eternal.

See the entire BBC article: Clashes erupt at Poland gay march

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Shortly after he became Prime Minister, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said in an interview that homosexuality is unnatural.

According to surveys, nine out of 10 Poles agree with him.

Here’s a must read.

First check out the science fiction/horror story written by Dan Simmons in Dan Simmons April 2006 Message. Then read the dialog at his website forum (general dialog) and the response posted over at A (little) Light from the East.

Mr. Simmons is a one time educator (and one time Buffalonian 🙂 ) and since 1987 has been a full time author. His work spans the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, historical fiction, noir crime fiction, and mainstream literary fiction . His books are published in 27 foreign counties as well as the U.S. and Canada.