Italian writers expose anti-Christian agenda

Wolfgang Polzer has written an article about how two Italian writers, Eugenia Roccella and Lucetta Scaraffia, have collaborated in writing a book exposing the anti-Christian (more specifically anti-Catholic) agenda of both the European Union and the United Nations titled Against Christianity: The UN and the EU as a New Ideology. Both entities wish to replace the Christian faith with their own New Age-like religious message, according to the authors.

The writers also note the double-standards when it comes to religious persecution. While the E.U. and U.N. are more than willing to strongly condemn the suppression of the Falun Gong movement in China, both are silent when it comes to persecutions of Christians around the world.

This certainly is good news that a book on this topic has been written, although to be fair similar remarks have been made elsewhere. For example, Mary Jo Anderson wrote a piece about this very topic for Crisis Magazine back in June of 2003. Hopefully these Italian writers were able to add new material to the discussion.

St. Thomas More

Today is the feast day of St. Thomas More, who was martyred in 1535 by King Henry VIII for refusing to go along with the English break with the Roman Catholic Church. More is recognized as the patron saint of statesmen and politicians. Since this blog is dedicated to Catholic Third Way politics, I pay homage to this great honourable man.

O Glorious St. Thomas More, Patron of Statesmen, Politicians, Judges and Lawyers, your life of prayer and penance and your zeal for justice, integrity and firm principle in public and family life led you to the path of martyrdom and sainthood. Intercede for our Statesmen, Politicians, Judges and Lawyers, that they may be courageous and effective in their defense and promotion of the sanctity of Human life - the foundation of all other human rights. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN

Update on Virgin Mary post

There's been an interesting discussion concerning my recent post about the Virgin Mary going on over at Catholic Community Forum Discussion Group. Feel free to read up and if possible add to the discussion. I certainly hope to be able to respond to some of the comments.

Terri Schiavo again

Well the autopsy of Terri Schiavo is out and it has sparked more controversy. I've already made my basic position clear on this issue back in my post of March 30. I still uphold the same position as then, this was a brutal murder of an innocent woman.

For continuning coverage of this, BlogsforTerri is perhaps your best resource. Again, these people devote more time and energy commenting on this than I ever could (especially now as I explained here).

Lies about Our Virgin Mother

Recently, I've been listening to the album La bele Marie, which is a collection of Medieval French chants dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This album is done by the musical group Anonymous4, which is well known for other recordings of Medieval religious music. I must say they do a fantastic job in singing these chants, and I strongly recommend this along with their other albums. However much I enjoy their music, I was very upset to read this pseudo-historical rambling within the album booklet(and can be read at the top link):

"From the Renaissance until today, the Catholic Church has periodically found it necessary to suppress the influence of the Virgin Mary in its liturgy and traditions."

Since when has the Catholic Church suppressed the Virgin Mary? I really cannot think of one example. Perhaps they're mistaking the actions of Protestant leaders who did do such a thing. In fact there are too many incidents of the Church honoring the Virgin that it's totally absurd to argue this. Why on earth would the Church find it necessary to suppress Mary? Well apparently it was because "[h]er cult, at certain times and places, became so zealous that Mary-worship overshadowed even the adoration of the Deity." This is equally absurd, the Catholic understanding of Mary is inseparable from her role as being the mother of Christ Our Lord. How on earth can venerating her (since we don't actually worship Mary) overshadow adoration of the Holy Father and Son? Of course this not explained.

Sadly the pseudo-history doesn't stop there, it continues until the very end when it states "There are those who hear in such extravagant praises of the Virgin, and in the cascades of natural images used to describe her, distant echoes of an intense prehistoric culture of goddess worship native to European soil. "

This can be knocked down on two levels. 1) Mary has little if any connection to pagan goddesses as this site goes into detail. This notion is largely the result of attempts made by Protestant propagandists to discredit the Catholic faith as nothing more than paganism with a Christian gloss.

2) The notion of there ever being a goddess worshipping society in prehistoric Europe has long been refuted as nothing more than Feminist nonsense. No serious scholar supports this assertion.

It's really upsetting that a musical group so devoted to preserving the great musical traditions of the Catholic faith would resort to this. Oh well. So anyways, enjoy the music of Anonymous4, for it truly is something worth listening to. Just beware of the phony history they preach.

Busy busy busy

I apologize for not being able to write posts on a regular basis(and well thought out posts at best) for a while. I've been busy with work and drained of energy in general lately. Hopefully things will begin to pick up soon enough so I'll be able to continue contributing to this.

I have been meaning to add new links to this blog and have entertained the idea of once again trying to create a website to serve as a library for Third Positionist texts. Everytime I usually try to attempt such a project, I usually get distracted by other priorities and often fall far behind in construction.

I've lately been reading a very interesting book by John Hellman titled The Communitarian Third Way: Alexandre Marc and Ordre Nouveau 1930-2000, which details the history of a great Catholic Third Positionist movement during the first half of the 20th century and it's influence on Catholic philosophy and political thinking. It certainly is a must read, I highly recommend it!

Anyways, I hope to be able to rejuvenate my energy and get back to blogging and other activities as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Eurocrats are not detered.

"Reports of the European Union's death are greatly exaggerated." Those are the opening words to the article "European Union's woes a storm in a teacup?" from the Christian Science Monitor. It seems the Eurocrats in Brussels are simply going to delay any major further moves untill 2007, when the French and Dutch are supposed to have new governments.

So yes, the battle may have been won, but the war still goes on. Perhaps it's time for a simple prayer:

Saint Michael the Archangel,defend us in battle.Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -by the Divine Power of God -cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Dutch also reject EU constitution!

Well the Dutch people have followed France's lead in rejecting the E.U. constitution. Good for them!