Catalyst Online

ACCUSED PRIESTS AND RABBIS

On February 20th, the New York Times featured a story on a priest from the Diocese of Bridgeport who was arrested, Msgr. Kevin Wallin; it was the second story on him that the paper had featured in recent weeks. On the other hand, however, two New York rabbis have been arrested this year. Yet each of them only merited one story in the Times. On January... [Read more...]

CATHOLIC LEFT BRACES FOR NEW POPE

Here is how the Catholic Left reacted right before a new pope was elected on April 19, 2005: • E.J. Dionne blasted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger for using “fighting words” in an address before the cardinals. • Father Richard McBrien said, “I think this homily shows he realizes he’s not going to be elected. He is a polarizing figure.” • Peggy... [Read more...]

POPE’S LEGACY IS SECURE; UNSOLICITED ADVICE SURGES

The news of February 11 that Pope Benedict XVI was resigning hit everyone by surprise. Many were shocked, and with good reason: we live in a world of self-absorbed, ego-driven public figures, thus making the Holy Father’s decision seemingly incomprehensible. Pope Benedict’s legacy is secure. His encyclicals showed not only his brilliance, they demonstrated... [Read more...]

HHS RULES REVISED

Revised Health and Human Services (HHS) rules were released on February 1. In two separate statements, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and its president, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, made plain their interest in pursuing the ongoing conversation with Obama administration officials on the HHS mandate. Their goal, as expressed by... [Read more...]

OUR ANTI-CHILD CULTURE

William A. Donohue Jonathan V. Last is a senior writer at the Weekly Standard, the prominent conservative magazine that features Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes. He is also a gifted writer, a strong pro-life advocate, and a man not afraid to challenge the conventional wisdom. His new book, What to Expect When No One’s Expecting: America’s Coming Demographic... [Read more...]

ASSESSING THE POPE’S RECORD

Garry Wills [ex-seminarian]: “What we really need are no priests.” James Carroll [ex-priest]: The pope “has seen only a solemn obligation to defend the church.” [Italic added.] Richard Sipe [ex-priest]: “Certainly, he did a lot, but it was all reactionary.” [Italic added.] Daniel Maguire [ex-priest]: The “scandal of the papacy [is]... [Read more...]

HITCHENS IS BACK FROM THE DEAD

Following the announcement that the pope was resigning, Christopher Hitchens was resurrected by Slate and Andrew Sullivan, but it didn’t do them any good. They republished a hit piece by the atheist from 2010 that was vintage Hitchens: he was a great polemicist but a third-class scholar. Facts never mattered to him. Hitchens said the scandal “has... [Read more...]

POPE NEVER “JOINED” HITLER YOUTH

After Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, the following persons and media outlets erroneously said that he “joined” the Hitler Youth, without ever noting that it was compulsory: U.S.: AP Planner; Huffington Post; John Patrick Shanley, New York Times blog;  Philadelphia Daily News; Regional News Network (it said his “defenders” argue... [Read more...]

“ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT” SMEARS POPE

Following the announcement that the pope was resigning, bashers came out of the woodwork. But the hit piece that aired on “Entertainment Tonight” (ET) was clearly one of the worst. The segment began with correspondent Brian Ross complaining that many years ago he was slapped on the wrist by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The occasion for this “brutality”... [Read more...]

MAHER AND SNL GET DIRTY

The weekend following Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement, notorious Catholic-basher Bill Maher took another shot at the Catholic Church on his HBO show. The following night, “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) crossed the line in going after Jesus. It was quite a weekend for the haters. Speaking of the pope, Maher said, “Benedict told them he was going... [Read more...]

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