Culpability, Responsibility, & Actual Ability...Yours, Mine, Ours???

Culpability, Responsibility, & Actual Ability.... When we stand back and think about how we are supposed to live our daily lives; these "-abilities" play a major role. When we chose to follow Christ we are culpable for our actions, that is pretty easy to understand and accept. We then take the responsibility of our own actions and we use our personal physical ability to carry out the tasks the fruits of these actions are our own.

But what about our neighbor's actions? Are we responsible or culpable for those? If we know that our neighbor is going to act sinfully to hurt himself or another person does any of the culpability (or blame) fall upon us? Yes, sometimes even though an action is brought about by another person's physical abilities we still carry the culpability. This occurs when we have knowledge of the sinful actions and ignore our responsibility to follow Christ's example "admonish the sinner." Admonishing the Sinner is a Spiritual Work of Mercy, different from judging a sinner, admonishing is aimed toward changing the sinner's heart and returning them to the mystical body of Christ. If I pray for my neighbor is that enough to remove my culpability? Not always, for example a Church needs to be built and we pray to God to help us build the new Church; materials are provided... someone still needs to be God's hands on earth and build the Church. The same can be said for admonishing the sinner, we can pray for God's wisdom and direction, and although sometimes unpleasant we must be God's hands on earth. Christ told us in John 18:36 "his kingdom is not of this world," and in the modern world it is the trend to allow all people the "don't ask, don't tell" privilege even in regards to their immortal soul. When we are looking to live as Christ, we must do so fearlessly and not follow the trends... His kingdom is not of this world and we want as many souls to enjoy paradise as possible.

Cabrini College: Not Really Catholic

Cabrini College, a “Catholic” university has started a new effort for diversity. “The work the Diversity Task Force will do, includes a campus-wide assessment, as well as a study of best practices among colleges and universities,” said Dr. Cynthia Halpern, professor of romance languages and co-chair of the task force. “The Office of Student Diversity Initiatives strives to empower students of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome differences in age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic background and geographic origin," Melissa Waters, director of Student Diversity. This expensive new add-on will encourage increasing the number of African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native-Americans (ALANA), and also the amount of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students (LGBT.) This college has overlooked the teachings of the Catholic Church in regard to homosexuality and this movement is contrary to the faith. The Loquitur

Catholic Femina Speaks: First, Cabrini is not a Catholic college. Just because Catholic is in your title does not make your teachings Catholic. This action is contrary to the faith and this college is not on the Newman guide to Catholic colleges, for good reason. Secondly, I can not be classified as ALANA; but I would be angry that I was lumped with LGBT to be added for diversity. Students are free to attend what ever school they choose and their race should not be the deciding factor if they are seeking real equality. Furthermore my third point, why have an “Office of Student Diversity Initiatives?” College is expensive enough, cut out the pork… funding this ill-thought out anti-Catholic program costs the students more money and makes it harder for students to attend college. If you are looking for a Catholic University, don’t look to Cabrini.

Faithful Prefer Tridentine Mass!

A survey conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate has found that Catholics in the United States with an opinion on the subject favor the availability of the extraordinary form of the Mass by a two to one margin, with the majority having no opinion. When asked “Do you favor as an alternative to the newer Mass, bringing back the older Latin Tridentine Mass for those who would prefer this option?” 25% favor the option, 12% oppose it, and 63% have no opinion.
Support for the extraordinary form option is higher among older Catholics, those who attend Mass weekly, political independents, and those with graduate degrees.
A similar survey conducted in 1985 found that Catholics favored the option by a 40%-35% Catholic Culture
Catholic Femina Speaks: I enjoy the Tridentine Mass, when I have the option I attend mass in Latin. I attended mass as a child in Latin with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. I believe that in many ways the Tridentine Mass is more reverent with the priest facing the altar, and ultimately God rather than the distracting congregation. I love the Communion rail! I know that the Latin language is more traditional and can be a universal mark of the church because it is at the heart of the faith. I know that the Latin language adds mystery to the mass and makes people pay attention because they have to follow along in their missals rather than dose off...

What It Means To Be A "Catholic Femina"

I have been asked by blogger Salvation Is An Adventure to write the following:

Catholic Femina Speaks: The Women’s role in the Catholic Church… this has been a question that I have been answering regularly for the past seven years. In college I studied Theology, I felt God calling me to learn more about the faith. I loved what I studied and I grew spiritually as a result. Even now I am asked: “you are Catholic, why did you (a woman) study theology?” Then very quickly most people follow with the question, “Do you want to be a priest?” The mass down playing of the woman’s role in the Catholic Church is magnified by the feminist movement. Men and women are equal in the Catholic Church regardless of whether or not a woman can become a priest. Men should be priests because that is God’s plan. It was not a mistake or an over sight, Jesus chose twelve men. This was not a cultural or historical difference that needs correction, because pagan churches of Jesus’ time had priestesses. Christ created the complimentary natures of male and female; He understood the best roles in the Church for each. Men are to be priests and the Church is their bride: the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32). Women cannot have an ordered relationship as a priest with the Holy Mother Church. Men are to take the Church and protect her as Christ asked St. John to protect Mary while He hung from the cross. The proper role for women in the church is as an image of Mary, she stood at the foot of the cross faithfully. Swords pierced her heart as she shared in the pain that Christ endured; this true spiritual sharing with Christ is a woman’s role in the Church. Women in the gospels fearlessly pursued the truth and Christ. This is not a lesser role to men and despite feminists desire to undermine women’s role in the Catholic Church; woman are integral to the faith. The female nature has a heart open to loving unconditionally and giving selflessly. This sharing of self is unparalleled in the Blessed Mother and should be the goal of all women. Female religious can be truly espoused to Christ and give themselves freely as is ordered in the female nature. Men cannot experience this same espousal to Christ; priests represent Christ in the sacraments, but they cannot have this relationship with Him. In marriage a man and woman co-create with God a child, but it is the woman’s role to carry that child to term and feel the Creator’s hand on her as a new life begins. It is not a man’s nature and it should not be a concern that they cannot do this, because their role is vital as well. This is the same with the Catholic Church, women have an important place and this cannot be ignored or lessened by the male role. Men and Women are complimentary. Their proper ordered roles in the Catholic Church must reflect this and Jesus was not in error when He formed the Church. As a woman when I sit in Mass I feel proud of the heritage of noble Catholic women who through humility espoused themselves to Christ and took their place as His bride. I feel that the role of married and single women in the Church is just as important as they share in union with the priest through their humble ardent desire to fearlessly love and give. Women do not need to be ordained priests or claim titles in their parish because Christ gave them a position. The female role in the Church is honorable and should never be looked down on. It is not ordination that makes saints, following the Gospel plan left by Christ is the clear path. I hope that understanding the importance of women in the Body of Christ will encourage them to courageously give of their talents in ministry, as the women of scriptures, and nobly embrace their place in the Church.

Catholic University Promotes Planned Parenthood

After the Belmont Abbey incident, I was saddened to see another Catholic University in the headlines… but this time it is the attacker not the attackee. Gonzaga University is not expressing the Catholic faith. Their mission as a Catholic institute is to: “affirm the heritage which has developed through two thousand years of Christian living, theological reflection, and authentic interpretation. And as Jesuit, we are inspired by the vision of Christ at work in the world, transforming it by His love, and calling men and women to work with Him in loving service of the human community.” This is a beautiful Catholic mission lost long ago, now Gonzaga University is a spokes person for Planned Parenthood. Susie Prusch is Gonzaga's Manager of University Events and is a contact for questions in regard to commencement and major university functions. A gentleman, Stan W. Bill, emailed Prusch about a Lifesites News article. In response Prusch wrote in reply:

"Anyone who supports Sarah Palin is an A## hole. A dumb A## hole. Planned Parenthood is a great organization which does a great job of helping many women who need medical treatment, help, and advice, and support throughout their pregnancy.”

Jill Stanek

Catholic Femina Speaks: We now know that Gonzaga should be added to the list of fraudulent Catholic Colleges, with Notre Dame. To keep the Catholic faith in daily life is an essential aspect to a Catholic University. Defending an organization that provides abortion and hurts women is wrong. Prusch even says P.P. “does a great job!” Maybe if you are in favor of killing unborn babies, but her assumption is that the organization aids women through pregnancy. She has either buried her head in the sand or is truly lost; because defending the nation’s leading Death Machine is not the role of a Catholic. Abortion is the only sin listed for excommunication, so I wonder what happens to a Catholic University that promotes it, can the Pope stripe their title. Or does the response have to come from Catholics who stop supporting the University. I hope that Gonzaga University will dismiss this employee and get on track to return their very lost University to the faith.

Fessio to Attend Ratzinger Schulerkreis

Pope Benedict XVI is to hold his annual Ratzinger School Circle. Former students of his gather with him to discuss relevant topics and this year's theme is the "Mission of the Church." The members attending the group are the Pope's former students from the theology departments of Tubingen and Ratisbona. Included in the invitees Cardinal Cristoph Schonborn of Vienna, who was also one of the editors of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and from the United States Fr. Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press; the former Theologian in Residence at Ave Maria University. CNA

Bible Class In Texas Public Schools

A new class to be offered in Texas public schools, the class is going to be a look into the Bible. Texas has been preparing to offer a Bible class since 2007. The School board wanted to be sure that the teachers were prepared to teach the class and had the proper tools to offer it before initiating the mandate to offer a Bible class. Over 2008 the Texas Department of Education took the Legislators’ 2007 mandate, which ensures that a class on the Bible's impact on history and literature of Western civilization would be taught in an "objective, academic manner that neither promotes nor disparages religion," and not "from a particular sectarian point of view." The class is to give students an overview from a purely educational standpoint leaving out any particular religion. News-Journal
Catholic Femina Speaks: A public school class on the Bible, hmmm. This just sends up red flags for me. The Bible is the word of God, and it has to be represented as such. Taking religion away from the Bible is like taking Christ out of Christmas; you are left with the shell of something that once was good and is now a perversion of secularism. A class taught on the Bible will only be as true as the individual teacher’s representation. Furthermore giving parameters on teaching ties the hands of the teacher and degrades the Bible to merely literature. I foresee that this class will rob faith rather than spread it. Stripping reverence and honor due to the Word of God cannot bring good.

The Importance of the Catholic Church

This is a great testimony to why the Catholic Church is so important. Catholics Come Home is a wonderful website for learning how to join the Catholic Church

Obama To Take Federal Money From Christian Colleges? AMU At Risk...

President Barack Obama is planning to “crack down” on higher education. He believes that people are being discriminated against. Obama said “when it comes to the programs that are federally funded, then we do have to be careful to make sure that we are not creating a situation where people are being discriminated against.” Dr. Everett Piper is the president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the Tulsa, small Christian liberal arts school of roughly 1,100 students, has expressed fear over the practice of higher Christians for the university. Last year on the Campaign trail, Obama was quoted wanting to "be sure that all colleges fully comply” with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Dr. Everett said "about 80% of OKWU’s student body receives some sort of federal financial aid money. That federal money in turn gets spent by students at a university that — no great surprise here — intentionally hires and employs other Christians." East Valley Tribune

Catholic Femina Speaks: For Five years I worked, attended, and volunteered at Ave Maria University in Michigan and then in Florida. It is true that most employees at AMU are Catholic, but not all. AMU is an equal opportunity employer, having a staff comprised of people who will respect and up hold the mission of the school to the best of their ability. All of these people do not share the same beliefs; Rabbi David Dalin PhD. is a part of the AMU politics and history faculty. He is Jewish, but he respects the teachings of the Church magisterium and up holds these teachings in the classroom. AMU has a clear mission and those who are employed at the university accept that mission when taking a position at the university, but they are not asked to change their personal beliefs. AMU respects the faith of its employees and president Obama’s threat to “crack-down” on the hiring practices of Christian colleges should not frighten AMU. To rob federal funding from AMU is entirely unwarranted. If Federal funding is taken from AMU based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 it will be wholly unwarranted and ultimately an attempt by the government to relinquish the freedom of religion. The new "anti-discrimination" plan of Obama is very discriminating against Christians.

Correction: Medjugorie Validity Does Not Affect God's Grace

Fr. Vladic has been laicized, or he is no longer a priest in the church. First reports had indicated that he was defrocked, but these have been shown to be untrue. The Holy Father has paid close attention to the claimed 40,000 visions of our Lady to the six children in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje. Father Tomislav Vladic has been under investigation since 1981 when the apparitions began. Fr. Vladic prophesied to the Vatican that Mary would appear in Bosnia, and six months latter the alleged apparitions in Medjugorje began. Nearly 30 million people have visited the site since 1981, and continue to journey there. f Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI banned official pilgrimages to Medjugorje after his visits, but permitts individuals to visit based on their own conscience. Fr. Vladic was put on probation this past year by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith after three separate commissions found no viable evidence that visions of spiritual nature have taken place. Daily Mail UK

Now the next important issue, to be addressed is the millions of people who have found the grace of God in Medjugorje. Did the visitors who made pilgrimages in good faith experience God? The answer is yes! Whatever the intentions of the children, Fr. Vladic, or anyone else; if a person made a pilgrimage any where and opened their heart to God they can have a conversion. In scriptures it says “faith can move mountains” so the thousands of healings are from God. He bestowed grace on the people who visited, and helped them to see their life in a new light. This grace or experience is not lessened by the validity of the visionaries; in fact it has nothing to do with it. If God touched a person’s heart in Medjugorje it was not because they stood where Mary was seen, or prayed where the children sat. Clearly, God came into them, sometimes when you leave your bubble it is easier to find God’s grace and embrace his love. So real or fake, proven or not the grace that pilgrims received in Medjugorje is real. God’s love is so powerful and He uses every opportunity to touch the hearts of men. Whether the visions are real or not has no bearing on the souls that have been saved. Pray for Fr. Vladic that he might return to the church.

Does This Inicident Have Bearing on Medjugorje Apparitions? Click Here to see more...