Pope Benedict’s general prayer intention for May is:
"That the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible promoters of priestly and religious vocations."

His mission intention is:
"That the recently founded Catholic Churches, grateful to the Lord for the gift of faith, may be ready to share in the universal mission of the Church, offering their availability to preach the Gospel throughout the world."

The long-in-the-tooth democrat-in-republican-clothes PA senator Arlen Spector, long having abandoned any pretense of standing for Republican values, announced today that he was formally changing (at least on paper) his allegiance to the party of the Democrats.



Of course, The One welcomed the move, which, if the hack commedian Franken is seated, will essentially usher in one-party rule in Washington, since this will eliminate the chance of mounting a successful filibuster blocking action on any give-aways, social engineering attempts, or other mischief that the hacks that sit in the senior chamber of the national legislature may decide to force down out throats.

As an example of his normally venal, self-centered approach, Spector stated, on March 17th, in an interview in "The Hill" magazine, "I am staying a Republican because I think I have an important role, a more important role, to play there. The United States very desperately needs a two-party system. That's the basis of politics in America. I'm afraid we are becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party with so little representation of the northeast or in the middle atlantic. I think as a governmental matter, it is very important to have a check and balance. That's a very important principle in the operation of our government. In the constitution on Separation of powers."

Until his election was threatened, that is.

He obviously doesn't care what his label is…he just wants to remain a US Senator. If the people of Pennsylvania don't care about having a Senator with no core values other than himself, they get what they deserve.

Of course, the latest Rasmussen poll covering the 2010 Senatorial election in Pennsylvania has him trailing PA Congressman Pat Toomey by close to 21 points, so, his survival as a Senator past the primary, should the numbers hold true, would have spelled the death knell (as they should have...) for this career politician with no other qualifications.

Good riddance.

From Lifenews, posted yesterday. If you can't persuade with logic, prayers, or exposing hypocrisy, I guess the pocketbook is as good a target as any.
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Notre Dame Alumni Withhold $8.2 Million Over Pro-Abortion Obama Invitation
by Steven Ertelt

South Bend, IN (LifeNews.com) -- University of Notre Dame alumni have withheld a total of $8.2 million in planned donations to the Catholic college as a result of its decision to have pro-abortion President Barack Obama give the commencement address at its upcoming graduation ceremonies.

David DiFranco, a Michigan businessman and Notre Dame graduate, started the effort to withhold donations to the college.

He has put together a web site, ReplaceJenkins.com, urging fellow alumni to not only withhold donations but to call on replacing ND president John Jenkins, who invited Obama and has strongly defended the decision.

The web site has received over 900 pledges from alumni and donors promising to withhold future donations and several of the largest gifts include estate bequests to the University that have been removed from donors’ wills.

“We knew many donors and alums were unhappy with the decision to honor a pro-abortion president, but we never expected this large of a response," DiFranco told LifeNews.com. "We can hardly keep up, and this is only the beginning. We can only imagine what fundraisers at the University are experiencing, but understandably not reporting.”

DiFranco says the $8.2 figure is a very conservative estimate as he and his colleagues are dismissing some bogus claims of withholding donations and have waited on tallying others to verify their accuracy.

"We are speaking directly with donors, and in several cases we have spoken with estate attorneys to confirm that Notre Dame has been stripped from a donor’s will. We are going about this process with a critical eye in order that the numbers we report are accurate," he said.

DiFranco told LifeNews.com he thinks the final financial impact for Notre Dame inviting Obama will be monumental.

“As momentum continues to build, we are now certain that the financial penalty resulting from the decision to honor the most pro-abortion president in our nation’s history, will be enormous," he said.

"The fact that this effort is necessary is unfortunate. However, alumni and supporters of Notre Dame have little other recourse than to protest with their pocketbooks. We will continue our efforts as long as it is necessary to bring about positive change at Notre Dame," he concluded.

News of the donations came on the same day that former Vatican ambassador and Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon announced she would not speak at the university nor accept an award from it.

Former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, Mary Ann Glendon, won't accept the school's Laetare Medal at commencement next month because of its decision to have President Barack Obama speak to graduates.

Glendon also says in a letter to Notre Dame's president that giving Obama an honorary degree violates the U.S. bishops' 2004 statement that Roman Catholic institutions shouldn't honor people whose actions conflict with the church's moral principles.

Glendon says she's concerned Notre Dame's example could have a ripple effect.

Dozens of bishops have criticized the Obama invitation because of his support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research.

The Laetare Medal is considered the most prestigious honor for American Catholics.

This writer salutes Mrs. Glendon for her principled and faithful stand.

Don't you love it when bishops TEACH and CORRECT?

The ball is in the court of Notre Dame. Let's see how this plays out.

From the website of the Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend (where ND is located):

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My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Recently, Father John Jenkins, CSC, in a letter of response to Bishop Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix, who had written him, critical of the decision to invite President Obama to speak and receive an honorary degree of law at Notre Dame, indicated that it was his conviction that the statement “Catholics in Political Life” (USCCB) did not apply in this matter. Father Jenkins kindly sent me a copy of his letter, and also at a later meeting, asked for a response.

In an April 15th letter to Father Jenkins, I responded to his letter.

Now the points made in his letter have been sent by Father Jenkins to the members of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees and have been publicized nationally, as well as locally in the South Bend Tribune. Since the matter is now public, it is my duty as the bishop of this diocese to respond and correct. I take up this responsibility with some sadness, but also with the conviction that if I did not do so, I would be remiss in my pastoral responsibility.

Rather than share my full letter, which I have shared with some in church leadership, I prefer to present some of the key points.

1. The meaning of the sentence in the USCCB document relative to Catholic institutions is clear. It places the responsibility on those institutions, and indeed, on the Catholic community itself.

“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” — “Catholics in Political Life,” USCCB.

2. When there is a doubt concerning the meaning of a document of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, where does one find the authentic interpretation? A fundamental, canonical and theological principal states that it is found in the local bishop, who is the teacher and lawgiver in his diocese. — Canon 330, 375 §§ 1 & 2; 380; 381 § 1; 391 § 1; 392, & 394 §1.

3. I informed Father Jenkins that if there was any genuine questions or doubt about the meaning of the relevant sentence in the conference’s document, any competent canonist with knowledge of the tradition and love for Christ’s church had the responsibility to inform Father Jenkins of the fundamental principle that the diocesan bishop alone bears the responsibility to provide an authoritative interpretation.

4. I reminded Father Jenkins that he indicated that he consulted presidents of other Catholic universities, and at least indirectly, consulted other bishops, since he asked those presidents to share with him those judgments of their own bishops. However, he chose not to consult his own bishop who, as I made clear, is the teacher and lawgiver in his own diocese. I reminded Father Jenkins that I was not informed of the invitation until after it was accepted by the president. I mentioned again that it is at the heart of the diocesan bishop’s pastoral responsibility to teach as revealed in sacred Scripture and the tradition. (“Lumen Gentium,” 20; and “Christus Dominus,” 2.) I reminded him that it is also central to the university’s relationship to the church. (“Ex corde ecclesiae,” 27 & 28; Gen. Norm., Art. 5, §§ 1-3.)

5. Another key point. In his letter to Bishop Olmsted and in the widespread publicity, which has taken place as the points in the letter have been made public, Father Jenkins declared the invitation to President Obama does not “suggest support” for his actions, because he has expressed and continues to express disagreement with him on issues surrounding protection of life. I wrote that the outpouring of hundreds of thousands who are shocked by the invitation clearly demonstrates, that this invitation has, in fact, scandalized many Catholics and other people of goodwill. In my office alone, there have been over 3,300 messages of shock, dismay and outrage, and they are still coming in. It seems that the action in itself speaks so loudly that people have not been able to hear the words of Father Jenkins, and indeed, the action has suggested approval to many.

In the publicity surrounding the points Father Jenkins has made, he also says he is “following the document of the bishops” by “laying a basis for engagement with the president on this issue.” I indicated that I, like many others, will await to see what the follow up is on this issue between Notre Dame and President Obama.

6. As I have said in a recent interview and which I have said to Father Jenkins, it would be one thing to bring the president here for a discussion on healthcare or immigration, and no person of goodwill could rightly oppose this. We have here, however, the granting of an honorary degree of law to someone whose activities both as president and previously, have been altogether supportive of laws against the dignity of the human person yet to be born.

In my letter, I have also asked Father Jenkins to correct, and if possible, withdraw the erroneous talking points, which appeared in the South Bend Tribune and in other media outlets across the country. The statements which Father Jenkins has made are simply wrong and give a flawed justification for his actions.

I consider it now settled — that the USCCB document, “Catholics in Public Life,” does indeed apply in this matter.

The failure to consult the local bishop who, whatever his unworthiness, is the teacher and lawgiver in the diocese, is a serious mistake. Proper consultation could have prevented an action, which has caused such painful division between Notre Dame and many bishops — and a large number of the faithful.

That division must be addressed through prayer and action, and I pledge to work with Father Jenkins and all at Notre Dame to heal the terrible breach, which has taken place between Notre Dame and the church. It cannot be allowed to continue.

I ask all to pray that this healing will take place in a way that is substantial and true, and not illusory. Notre Dame and Father Jenkins must do their part if this healing is to take place. I will do my part.

Sincerely yours in our Lord,
Most Reverend
John M. D’Arcy