The phones at the Catholic League rang off the hook in response to the April 7 episode of the ABC show, “That’s Life.” Here is how league president William Donohue described the show to the press: “No show that I have ever seen was as viciously anti-Catholic as last night’s episode of ‘That’s Life.’ It was relentless in its... [Read more...]
CATHOLIC BELIEFS
“JESUS is the only Answer” is the way the ad begins. Here’s a sample of what follows: “Are Catholics Allowed to Believe the Truth regarding the Eternal Virginity of Mary; Prayer and Baptism?” We can only guess. The ad appeared in the section that advertisers religious services in the Baton RougeAdvocate, the second largest... [Read more...]
CLINTON AND COMMUNION
As everyone knows, President Clinton received Holy Communion from a South African Roman Catholic Church on March 29. Unfortunately, initial news reports were misleading and a true account barely surfaced. But perhaps the real story in all this was how the White House handled the matter once it broke. Most news reports said that Clinton took Communion... [Read more...]
CONSERVATIVE BIGOTRY
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, owned by the wealthy Richard Mellon Scaife, is known for its conservative political bent, especially when it comes to financing its war against President Clinton. Not as well known is its raging enthusiasm for the politics of abortion. Another addition to its legacy is affording columnists an opportunity to bash Catholicism. On... [Read more...]
DIRT IN DALLAS
Catholics who eat meat on Good Friday will receive free concert tickets. That’s what listeners of KDMX radio in Dallas were told on Good Friday. We didn’t think it was funny and so we let them know. Rick Hinshaw, the league’s director of communications, placed a call to the station and was told that this was just “tongue-in-cheek.”... [Read more...]
DO YOU PRACTICE?
It’s not everyday that an author is asked whether he practices his religion and whether it impacts on the way he writes. Unless he’s Catholic. On April 5, in an unusually unfriendly interview with historian Paul Johnson, Brian Lamb, on C-Span’s “Booknotes,” began probing the author of A History of the American Peopleabout his religion. Lamb:... [Read more...]
DOLCE & GABBANA’S FIXATION
It’s hard to say what the motivation is, but there is little question that Dolce & Gabanna seems obsessed with Our Blessed Mother. In last month’s Catalyst, we noted the designer’s dress that featured a full-length picture of Madonna, her head placed squarely in the pelvic area; we also noted the crude comments that Hollywood actors had to... [Read more...]
GONE TO THE DOGS
Just when we think we’ve head it all, we find out that we’re wrong. Try this one on for size: did you know that the reason why Puerto Rico has too many dogs is because the island is predominantly Catholic? That’s right. According to Teresa Warrick of the Greenhill Humane Society, Puerto Rico is overpopulated with dogs because the most of the people... [Read more...]
THE HYPOCRITES AT “SOUTH PARK”
In a recent episode of the Comedy Central program, “South Park,” Christians were linked to Nazis as oppressors of homosexuals. The show, which aired on March 25, and which was repeated on March 28, had a segment that described homosexuals throughout history. In the midst of this discussion, “Big Gay Al” interrupted his commentary... [Read more...]
LIBERTY AT RISK
On March 25, by a vote of 31-5 with one abstention, the House International Relations Committee voted to accept the Religious Persecution Act (H.R. 2431). Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia, who is spearheading this important legislation, is determined to stop the existing practice of allowing nations that practice religious persecution to get off scot-free.... [Read more...]