Most of the reporting of Rome’s World Youth Day was fair and balanced. But there was one story that we objected to that rendered an unusual result: most of the offensive parts of the story were dropped from future web postings. The story in question appeared August 17 on the ABC News website, ABCNEWS.com. Reporter Sue Masterman ridiculed Catholicism... [Read more...]
AD CREATES STIR
A formidable group of Jewish scholars and rabbis—some 170 in all—have signed a document that says, “Nazism was not a Christian phenomenon.” While they acknowledge that Christian anti-Semitism paved the way for the Nazis, they clearly state, “Nazism itself was not an inevitable outcome of Christianity.” The document, “A Jewish Statement... [Read more...]
ANTI-RELIGIOUS FANATICISM
In late summer, a little girl from North Port, Florida learned at the age of eight what a gag order is. She had been practicing to sing the song Kum Ba Yah at the North Port Boys and Girls Club talent show. But because the song repeats the word “Lord,” she was barred from singing the tune the night of the event. Her outraged parents were... [Read more...]
KUDOS TO ARIZONA REPUBLIC
Catholic League members know that we always protest those insipid anti-Catholic ads that are placed in major newspapers by a breakaway splinter group of the Seventh Day Adventists. Fortunately, most publishers act responsibly and pledge not to run them again. But few are as professional as the people associated with the Arizona Republic. When the... [Read more...]
ART BANNED IN VIRGINIA
The city of Norfolk, Virginia wanted to put a piece of art at a downtown intersection but didn’t have the money to do so. Instead, they decided to borrow a piece from the Chrysler Museum of Art until a permanent display could be funded. But when a Jewish group protested, the art was removed. The artwork was a statue of St. Francis of Assisi. The... [Read more...]
“BIG LAUGHS” FOR BIGOTRY
In the last issue of Catalyst, we mentioned a play about gays and the Church, “Avow,” that William Donohue avowed not to see. As it turned out, one review of it said, “The anti-Catholic humor…drew big laughs.” It would, of course, be surprising if it did not: anti-Catholicism is sport among many in the gay community. Moreover, theater critics... [Read more...]
BUCHANAN STANDS ALONE AT BOB JONES
Once Patrick Buchanan secured the presidential nomination of the Reform Party, he received $12.6 million in federal campaign funds. He wasted no time announcing that the first stop on his new campaign would be an appearance at Bob Jones University. “I thought it would send the right message that first, I stand by my friends,” Buchanan said. The... [Read more...]
CAMPAIGNING IN CHURCH
What do Protestants, Jews, Republicans and Democrats have in common that is not true of Catholics? Protestants and Jews allow Republicans and Democrats to campaign in their churches and synagogues. But Catholics do not. Here are just a few examples. Both contenders for the New York Senate seat, Republican Rick Lazio and Democrat Hillary Clinton,... [Read more...]
CATHOLIC LEAGUE TO HILLARY: RETURN DONATION FROM HATE MONGER
On September 13, William Donohue told the media why he was asking Hillary Clinton to return a donation given to her campaign by a hate monger: “I was disturbed to read an article in today’s New York Post by Robert Hardt Jr. and Gregg Birnbaum that cited a donation of $8,200 by Dale Djerassi to the ‘New York Senate 2000’ committee of Hillary... [Read more...]
NO FREE SPEECH FOR CATHOLICS AT DENVER AIRPORT
Denver International Airport (DIA) has a chapel that is used by Christians, Jews and Muslims; an interfaith organization that represents the three religions, DIA Interfaith Chapel Inc., leases the space from DIA. Mass is available for Catholics on Sunday and holy days of obligation. Catholic passengers are alerted to the Mass schedule via the public... [Read more...]