When the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles sent a copy of a greeting card mocking Catholic priests to the Catholic League (see left), we thought the style looked familiar. Indeed, we soon realized that the company responsible for the card, Noble Works, Inc., had raised the league’s ire in both 1994 and 2002 by publishing similarly anti-Catholic cards.
A quick look at the Hoboken, NJ company’s website reveals a line of greeting cards dubbed “Extra,” which Noble Works states is “designed to be controversial and outrageous… This range is for the retailer who wishes to make a bold statement, and is not concerned that customers may be offended.”
And indeed, a good portion of the “Extra” cards are focused on mocking Jesus and Christianity. One card depicts the
Holy Family in the manger, but the caption above the Blessed Mother’s head reads “Immaculate Schmaculate. That f***ing hurt!” Another portrays a smiling vendor selling T-shirts at the foot of Jesus’ cross. The inside of the card reads “Happy Birthday.” If the connection is lost on you, you are not alone.
Previous appeals to any sense of decency that those in charge of Noble Works may possess were answered with scorn. In fact, former Noble Works president Christopher Noble wrote to us that “it is a horror how many lives of homosexual men the Catholic Church has directly ruined. I was strong enough to survive. Many others are not…The Catholic Church, by my experience, spreads bigotry, intolerance and homophobia throughout the world.”
However, the company has a new president now, Mr. Ron Kanfi. The Catholic League has written to Mr. Kanfi about the offensive cards, and is awaiting his response.
It would be good if he heard from you. Write to him at:
NobleWorks
P.O. Box 1275
123 Grand Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(800) 346-6253
fax: (201) 420-0679 RKanfi@NobleWorksInc.com
