In November 1997, we learned that NBC paid author Glenn Kleier $1 million for the TV rights to his book, The Last Day; a miniseries was planned. The novel was certain to offend Catholics. We know this because Rich Horgan, who worked with Kleier on the book, said “This is a book that’s going to be a sort of kidney punch to organized religion,... [Read more...]
ANTI-CATHOLICISM IN AMERICAN CULTURE
A new book that Catholic League members will not want to miss is now available from Our Sunday Visitor. Anti-Catholicism in American Culture is a series of essays which includes the Center for Media and Public Affairs’ newest report on media coverage of the Catholic Church. The book is edited by Robert Lockwood, former president of the publishing... [Read more...]
BIGOTRY AND BIOGRAPHY
George W. Bush set off a firestorm when he decided to kick off his South Carolina campaign by going to Bob Jones University. It is a school that to this day regards Catholicism as “a satanic counterfeit” and the “Mother of Harlots.” If you are in doubt, check out their website. Why Bob Jones University hates our religion is the... [Read more...]
BROOKLYN CHURCHES VANDALIZED
Over the past few months, six Brooklyn Roman Catholic Churches have been vandalized. Statues have been decapitated, broken and defaced, and in some instances hate mail has accompanied the desecrations. In response, we contacted the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, asking the authorities to make these... [Read more...]
FATHER GUMPEL CORRECTS THE RECORD
In the last issue of Catalyst, we mentioned that one of the three Catholic scholars asked to join the commission on the Holocaust was Father John F. Morley. We also noted that Father Morley “has been critical of the work of Father Peter Gumpel, the Jesuit who is promoting the cause of sainthood for Pope Pius XII; Father Morley has labeled Father... [Read more...]
GETTING BASHED IN A TRAVEL GUIDE
Every bookstore carries volumes of Fodor’s travel guides. They are a useful source of information about cities and countries throughout the world. Unfortunately, they can also be a source of anti-Catholic bigotry. Take the Fodor’s Exploring Italy book. “Mammismo—the attachment of Italian men to their mothers—is as strong as ever. Christ,... [Read more...]
GOOD FRIDAY RULING YIELDS RIGHT RESULT
On January 18, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a retired school teacher that maintained that a Maryland law requiring the closing of all public schools on Good Friday was a violation of the constitutionally required separation of church and state. While the Catholic League approved of the conclusion it was not satisfied with the court’s... [Read more...]
GORE ENDORSED IN CHURCH
Vice president Al Gore was endorsed on February 13 by Rev. Floyd Flake inside Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Queens, New York. “I don’t do endorsements from across the pulpit,” said Rev. Flake, “because I never know who’s out there watching the types of laws that govern separation of church and state.” He then... [Read more...]
HATE MAIL
On January 26, we received a startling amount of text on the “Feedback” section of our website. It took 15 minutes just to open the page due to the volume. What it said was “HAIL HITLER HAIL PIUS.” The author of this brilliant expression actually took the time to write this approximately 208 times per page on more than 200 pages,... [Read more...]
HILLARY CLINTON—OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT
Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate on February 6, and she did so by sending the wrong message to Catholics. “I’ll be on your side in the fight against school vouchers, which drain taxpayer dollars from our public schools,” she told the crowd at SUNY Purchase, the Westchester campus of the State University... [Read more...]