As Mattis Laments “Contempt”. . . Didn’t Former Pentagon Chief See That Suppression Was Culprit?

By DEXTER DUGGAN

Donald Trump’s former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis had been dubbed one of the adults in the room by Trump foes who painted the president as a tantrum-throwing child in need of mature supervision.
Trump’s defenders might reply that if these were tantrums, they’re a corrective that the U.S. sorely needed.
Whether or not Mattis agreed that he had been a necessary adult, the retired Marine Corps general expressed his concern on September 8 that one of the important threats to the United States today is the amount of sharp division between people here.
Asked by Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan on CBS News what he considered “the biggest national security threat,” Mattis broke it down to the external threat of Russia and China and two internal threats — “our growing debt that we’re going to transfer to the younger generation with seeming no fiscal discipline, and more than that it’s the — it’s the lack of friendliness.
“It’s the increasing contempt I see between Americans who have different opinions,” Mattis added. “I mean we’re going to have to sit down and remember if we want this country to survive, we are going to have to work together. And … there’s no way around that. That’s the way a democracy is set up.”
If Mattis meant “democracy” to be understood as simply the majority will of the people directly expressed, the U.S. has been sadly lacking in democracy for quite a bit of time. Moreover, as constitutionalists argue, the U.S. is intended as no pure democracy at all but a small-“r” republican form of government constrained by a written Constitution.
One might observe that the last thing the ascendant leftists in the Democratic Party want is either a democracy or republic. They prefer a managerial elite whose supposedly superior expertise entitles them to make the unchallengeable important calls that rule the “deplorables.” And establishment Republicans hadn’t seemed to disagree much with this system of governance.
Consider massive national permissive abortion imposed overnight in January 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court, overriding every abortion law in the U.S. back then, from the most restrictive to the least. It’s hardly the only example of a U.S. elite gone wild but remains perhaps the most vivid illustration in a half-century. … Continue Reading

Making The House Representative Again

BY CHRISTOPHER MANION

Rep. Sean Duffy, a Catholic member of Congress from Wisconsin, announced on August 26 that he will leave Congress before his term is up. Why? His ninth child will need heart surgery when the baby’s born next month, CNS News reports.
“I’m not a lifetime member of Congress,” Duffy told Fox News. “Service is not for a lifetime. . . . We [Republicans] have better transition than Democrats. Democrats stick around forever.” Duffy has served in Congress since 2011.
Duffy’s decision befits a family man. “There’s 435 members of Congress. There’s only one Duffy dad,” he says. He’s made no plans on what he’ll do next, apart from taking care of his family when Duffy baby number nine is born next month.
Duffy’s decision to choose his family first is so unusual that it’s news in itself. And that’s a problem.
Why? Well, the next time you see your congressman, ask him where he and his family live. Most likely he’ll say “Washington,” and that answer explains the dismal condition of Congress as it lurches, panic-stricken, toward elections every two years.
To most Representatives, politics means using taxpayer money to perpetuate themselves and their power. And don’t forget planning retirements designed to maximize sweetheart pension deals while keeping their campaign funds for personal use! They cultivate contacts (and cast votes) designed to create post-Congress jobs as million-dollar lobbyists. And there’s big money in those “retirements”: one study reveals that overall spending on lobbyists by special interests has increased by a factor of fifty — 5,000 percent! — since the 1980s.
With encouragement and funding from the special-interests, these “paid liars” do everything they can to keep the party going. As one insider put it, they knew when they came here that Washington was a sewer; the trouble is, they wind up treating it like a hot tub.
If Congress can’t put its own house in order, the American people will have to. This writer suggests that we do it by adopting a Choice in Representation plan that allows them to elect representatives who, instead of moving to Washington, would live and work in their districts. … Continue Reading

From The Papacy Of “Clarity And Dialog” . . . In-Flight Press Conference — More Stones From The Vatican

By JOSEPH MATT

In yet another in-flight press conference, Pope Francis in his return from Madagascar has created more confusion with his ambiguous and seemingly disingenuous remarks to a question asked by Jason Drew Horowitz from The New York Times.

Pope Francis is not a doctor but reading the following interview one is easily reminded of the old idiom “physician heal thyself.” Unfortunately one is hard pressed to see any evidence of the physician taking his own advice especially in response to matters such as the McCarrick scandal, the Vigano allegations, the dubia, the filial correction, and the multitude of other situations that require answers and clarity from the Chair of Peter. The Holy Father states in this interview that fair criticism of the Pope require dialogue and answers – fair enough — yet much of this pontificate has been a barren desert void of answers and clarity. Thus far the successor to Peter apparently is immune to his own advice. … Continue Reading

U.S. Presence in Afghanistan Should Have Only 1 Goal

By TERENCE P. JEFFREY

Eighteen years ago, al Qaida terrorists who had entered the United States attacked the U.S. in the U.S.
In response, we launched a war on the other side of the world.
The lead inspector general for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel — the current name for the war in Afghanistan — described that war’s genesis and original purpose in his latest report.
“On October 7, 2001,” said that report, “the U.S. launched combat operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom to topple the Taliban regime and eliminate al Qaida, the terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.”
U.S. military action did remove the Taliban from power in Kabul, but it did not destroy the Taliban. It did kill or capture many al Qaida terrorists, but it did not eliminate al Qaida.
In 2003, after invading Iraq, then-President George W. Bush converted the strategic aim of the U.S. in Afghanistan, Iraq — and, indeed, the world — into an ideological enterprise.
“We are committed to freedom in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in a peaceful Palestine,” Bush said, standing on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego.
“The advance of freedom is the surest strategy to undermine the appeal of terror in the world,” Bush said. “Where freedom takes hold, hatred gives way to hope. When freedom takes hold, men and women turn to the peaceful pursuit of a better life. American values and American interests lead in the same direction: We stand for human liberty.”
Two years later, Bush made this doctrine the centerpiece of his second Inaugural Address.
“(I)t is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world,” he said. … Continue Reading

Lifting Boxes To Release Souls . . . The Burden Of Possessions Includes Filling The Moving Van

By DEXTER DUGGAN

PHOENIX — Molly’s treasures on Earth were even lighter than her thin frame in well-worn clothing.
She approached me for the first time a few years ago, a complete stranger, as I prayed in church after daily Mass. Molly (a pseudonym I’m supplying for a very real person) just wanted to have a spiritual chat. She returned on another day. Around the third time, she recommended a certain pamphlet of prayers to read.
Molly was an older woman who, she went on to tell me, just lived out of her banged-up pickup truck, which I later saw in the church parking lot. She didn’t ask for money, although she apparently had little to her name.
She truly acted as if God would take care of what needed caring for. Molly talked about washing her hair under a hose and sleeping in the truck — not as any sort of complaint or rebuke to society for her circumstances, just a description of her humble doings.
As I recall, she once accepted a few dollars from me, but never requested a handout. She seemed to know of any charitable resources she could call upon if she thought she needed assistance.
She’d drive around this metropolitan area, stopping for the night here or there. I was concerned about her safety as an older single woman out on her own, but she lived life as it came to her. Molly would drop into my life at church and then drop out of sight.
She had an elderly mother in the Midwest but preferred to go her own way.
After I hadn’t seen Molly for some months and was concerned about her welfare, she popped up at church again. Oh, she said, she decided to drive to Florida, then came back here. Which, of course, meant crossing nearly the entire southern U.S. from west to east and then back.
One day Molly out in the church parking lot showed me her new doggie, which I’ll give the pseudonym of Lizzie — a fuzzy little white pooch on a leash who seemed to greet the new day with delight. Lizzie had one of those cute little pink tongues and clearly seemed to love being with Molly. … Continue Reading

Why Pope Francis Doesn’t Like Americans (It’s Complicated)

By SHAUN KENNEY

Much ink shall be spilled, and many trees condemned to the paper factory for Pope Francis’ quip that he enjoys being criticized by Americans, made aboard the papal plane en route to Mozambique. Not faithful Catholics, not pew-sitting Catholics, not conservative or liberal Catholics, neither progressive nor traditionalist Catholics mind you — but Americans.
Ah yes, Pope Francis the Off-Color Interviewee strikes again, and much to the panicked chagrin of the Holy See Press Office who mysteriously allowed the recently formed and decidedly leftist La Croix International (a blog) to ask the Holy Father about a book published by Nicolas Seneze – who just so happens to not only work for La Croix but was allowed to ask Pope Francis about his own book.
Now imagine the converse. Michael Voris of Church Militant stands up on the papal plane in front of Pope Pius XIII to ask about the latest infiltration of Freemasons into the Catholic Church by Germans, and Pius XIII states that it is an honor to be attacked by Germans, etc.
Imagine the uproar! Imagine the pearl clutching from the liberal media! Imagine the horror of the Holy See Press Office!
Instead, we were treated to what is either the most obtuse spin ever recorded in the history of Francis’ pontificate, or a piece of communications sophistry where even the East German judge would give the display high marks. Matteo Bruni offered the explanation that criticism from intellectuals is always welcome, and especially welcome from intellectuals from such an honorable country as America. Hence the reason Pope Francis can say, “For me it is an honor that Americans attack me.”
Ouch.

Surprise! No One Likes Americans

This might pain American readers to hear, but gosh darn it…Americans aren’t very well thought of outside of America. We are loud, fat, opinionated, and always trying to fix problems we were never invited to solve. … Continue Reading

To Disclose Or Not To Disclose… That Is The Political Question Of The Day

By DEACON MIKE MANNO, JD

Two weeks ago in this column we took up the issue of whether the public disclosure of those contributing to political candidates was, considering the adverse reaction against those persons, an infringement on their free speech rights. As was pointed out in that column, in today’s charged political environment, supporters of a political candidate or issues can easily have their First Amendment rights chilled, knowing that they could face public retribution for their donations.
Coincidentally, as that issue was being published, an appeal was filed with the Supreme Court challenging California’s attempt to obtain the names of donors to certain nonprofit charities. While the issue in the California case is not exactly the same as releasing lists of donors, it is perhaps similar enough to raise concerns about all donors and their free speech rights.
In the California case, a public nonprofit based in Michigan, the Thomas More Center, an organization that defends religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and family values, is appealing a Ninth Circuit decision that it must give the state a list of all its donors. The Thomas More Center is being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The case, in a nutshell, is this: California law requires that nonprofits that receive financial support in California and meet other threshold requirements, must file certain disclosures with the state’s attorney general. As part of that filing the organization must include an IRS Form 990 which describes the mission and significant activities of the entity, its receipts and expenditures, as well as its assets and liabilities.
Schedule B to Form 990 contains the names of all the organization’s donors who meet a certain contribution level. Until a few years ago the attorney general did not require the Schedule B to be attached. But that all changed when then attorney general, now senator and Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris started returning disclosures and threatening fines for those who did not include Schedule B.
Naturally a group like Thomas More is concerned about protecting the identities of its donors, especially when some have already been harassed in similar fashion to those making political donations described in the previous column. Additionally, while the attorney general’s office had promised confidentiality, it had a poor record of delivering on that promise and numerous names from Schedule B forms were listed as “public records” and those that were filed as confidential were easily obtainable from the AG’s website by finagling access identities.
It should be noted that, unlike the California AG’s records, none of the Schedule B forms that the IRS collects are on any website that can be accessed publicly. … Continue Reading

Which Is More Damaging?. . . Do Hurricanes Build Abortuaries And Host Drag Queen Story Hours?

By DEXTER DUGGAN

While Hurricane Dorian received emphatic round-the-clock news coverage as August swirled into September, a separate event that packed more long-range potential for damage hardly caused a ripple in national news.
That was summed up in the revelation of a history of vicious tweets, including against Catholics, by a Democratic activist who was appointed to the Virginia Council on Women by that state’s strongly pro-abortion, former black-faced Democrat governor, Ralph Northam.
Among her more-than-inflammatory tweets, Gail Gordon Donegan had said Catholic priests opposed abortion because “it results in fewer children to rape.”
Virginia’s Richmond Times-Dispatch also reported on August 23 that, among other highly offensive public tweets, Donegan had reacted to a bumper sticker that said “You can’t be both Catholic & pro-choice” by commenting, “You can be a pedophile, though!”
Did dominant U.S. media churn up prolonged national condemnation of this revelation? Or international reaction? Even brief strong national reaction? Of course not. And not. And not. Shush!
Now just imagine that, say, some state-level Republican official said Muslims or unauthorized immigrants need babies to rape or want to indulge in pedophilia.
The ferocious blasts of Hurricane Dorian along the southeastern U.S. coast would have been as nothing compared with the media fury out to utterly destroy such a GOP official and anyone else who could be dragged down with him, including Donald Trump and his entire administration.
Meanwhile, farther north on the Atlantic coast, the major Richmond news site also reported that corporate lawyer Donegan “regularly tweets pictures of herself at political events and rallies with Democratic elected officials, including Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.) and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.”
After strong traditionalist reaction fired up in the Old Dominion, the conservative PJ Media blog reported on August 29 that Northam still had declined to ask Donegan to resign as he refused to get into the issue further. … Continue Reading

Church Leaders Weigh In On Guns And Gaia

By CHRISTOPHER MANION

The “Dog Days of August” are usually uneventful, with Congress out of session and millions of folks enjoying their vacations. But our hard-working hierarchy hasn’t missed a day at the office, and their work product is truly prodigious.
God “offers creation to men and women as a precious gift to be preserved,” writes Pope Francis in his World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, released last week. “Tragically, the human response to this gift has been marked by sin, selfishness, and a greedy desire to possess and exploit. Egoism and self-interest have turned creation, a place of encounter and sharing, into an arena of competition and conflict,” he continued.
It’s difficult to tell whether His Holiness is criticizing individual productivity, private property, and competitive enterprise — or the abuse of these pillars of a free market economy. In recent years they have brought billions out of abject poverty. But either way, those who have created this plenty are nonetheless “exploiting” the environment, a gift which is “something good in God’s eyes.”
The Book of Genesis comes to mind. “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Gen. 1:28). Is the Pope telling us the reverse — to let the Earth take dominion over us? He comes pretty close:
“We were created not to be tyrants, but to be at the heart of a network of life made up of millions of species lovingly joined together for us by our Creator.”
So the real tyrants are those who employ the gifts of creation to help humanity survive and flourish? Because humanity has a unique share in Divine Life, while the rest will pass away? Again, we’re not sure.
“We have caused a climate emergency that gravely threatens nature and life itself, including our own,” Pope Francis writes. “Now is the time to repent, to be converted and to return to our roots.” And what should repentance bring? Government power. Yes, all of these exploitations “testify to the urgent need for interventions that can no longer be postponed.” … Continue Reading

Adventure Catholic… Offers Faith Formation And Leadership For Young Catholics

By REY FLORES

When I first heard of Adventure Catholic, I thought it was some kind of new Catholic amusement park. Instead, it is a unique training method developed by Adventure Catholic founders Alan Migliorato and Darryl Dziedzic.
Alan is an active youth minister, as well as Darryl who has been in ministry for over fifteen years now. Both men are fathers who also had the responsibility of helping minister to young people in various capacities in their own parishes, but they wanted to do more.
Alan and Darryl were discussing a solution to one of the biggest problems that faces the Catholic Church today — the loss of members in young adulthood. They were brainstorming ways to fix this problem and keep people connected with the Church, not only in their youth or in their old age, but throughout their lives.
They both shared ideas that they had and ways to achieve this goal with one another. What they came up with was Adventure Catholic.
Trainings are based on Sacred Scripture where Adventure Catholic Formation & Leadership Training allows young people to reach inside themselves to discover, develop, and implement their God-given leadership qualities and style.
Lord knows, with the extreme challenges teens and young adults are facing today, the opportunities that Adventure Catholic offers are so much needed in today’s world.
“We’ve seen the struggles young people face, negative peer pressure, insecurity, doubt, uncertainty, and fear. With Adventure Catholic we’ve created a way to help them confront those struggles, and we want to share that method with we can all work in confidence that we are bringing the best to our young people.”

More Vulnerable Than Ever

I’m fairly certain that many young people today are even more confused and vulnerable to the evil in this world than many of us parents were when we were young.
Thanks to increasing divorce rates among Catholics, so-called “smart” tech gadgets which tend to isolate people of all ages, and the lack of solid clergy to help guide their families as true Catholics, our children’s eternal souls are more vulnerable to the Devil than ever. … Continue Reading