The Anti-Modernist

Condoms for First Graders? Mass. Elementary School Under Fire PROVINCETOWN, Mass. (CBS/AP) How young is too young? Posted by Neil Katz   (istockphoto.com) That's the question a Massachusetts public school is facing as they have come under fire for making condoms available to all students, even those in elementary school. Children start first grade between 5 and 7 years old... Under the policy, any student requesting a condom from a school nurse must first receive counseling, which includes information on abstinence. The policy does not require the school to contact parents.[ Full Text Click Here ] Gone are the days of innocence, or so it would seem in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The school board has voted and decided that condoms be available to all students, including those in elementary schools. I guess gone the days of playing in the yard and having imaginary games of cops and robbers. I guess these days children in elementary school would rather hook-up. Wha...

In late 2009, Sr. Margaret McBride, an administrator at St. Joseph’s Hospital authorized the killing of a preborn child in the Diocese of Phoenix thereby incurring automatic excommunication from the Catholic Church by virtue of Canon Law 1398. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, in responding to this grave situation and obeying the Canon Law to which every Catholic is bound, publicly affirmed the excommunication — unleashing unabated anti-Catholic sentiment and the vitriol of the secular news media and dissident Catholic groups. [Excerpt from: http://www.supportolmsted.com/ ] Bishop Olmsted has been doing his job as a bishop by protecting his flock and sticking to Catholic moral truths; nevertheless, there continues to be a dissident catholic voice striking out against him and defaming his name. Despite this shameless outcry it must be noted that Bishop Olmsted has made the right decision in this matter and has even received the backing and support of the Catholic Physicians Guild of P...

I am constantly amazed at what can be said in the world, especially in the name of art or humor. It is truly abhorrent that people feel that mocking religion is humorous and worst still networks allow it to happen. What I am speaking of at the moment is the June 16th episode of the Jon Stewart Show, in which Louis C.K. says the following: "I was going to say that the pope f***ed boys and I didn't have time". How is this humor or even acceptable? In all actuality, it is much worse than all this. You can see for yourself. It has been demonstrated time and time again that anti-Catholic bigotry is the last acceptable prejudice. We know from the past that when Catholics gather together and write that a difference can be made. Let's stop this from happening any further. Comedy Central, the network of the show, needs to understand that making flaming accusations about the Pope or degrading our religion is not acceptable. Enough is enough. An additional thing to note ...

Being Catholics, we are often called to a higher level of moral discernment than those who are worldly and must constantly asks ourselves about the paths we take and where they are to lead us. Things that are frivolous and lead us nowhere should be cast away in an expedited manner, especially those things which lead us to the occasion of sin. In my experience, I found that we are often tried and tested and by these experiences we are formed; however, our faith and the morals and values instilled in us by that faith are often what help us to comprehend the depth of the situation. I think that one of the most common examples that is encountered in life, and is truly a test of a person's resolve to resist temptation, is not to gossip or even speak about things that matter not. We will often encounter people whom we do not get on well with, but there comes a point where our discussion about a person can transcend the mere venting of unhappy feelings and can proceed to the spreading o...

Yesterday, I had written about Hyundai's Commercial which mocked the Catholic Mass, and had encouraged people to write to them complaining about the offense and I know that many other bloggers had been doing the very same things. It would seem that the many emails/letters sent in by offended Catholics has had a positive result, as I received an email from Hyundai this morning which issued an apology for the commercial and stated it would no longer be aired. Here is a copy of that letter for your viewing pleasure. Hello and thank you for your feedback regarding Hyundai advertising. Hyundai Motor America would like to thank you and other consumers for sharing concerns about a new ad titled "Wedding" which aired during the opening games of the FIFA World Cup broadcast last week. We take comments of this nature very seriously. Because of feedback like yours, we have removed the ad from all Hyundai communications and stopped airing it. We credit the passionate World ...

This morning, I had a very disturbing email. My friend Dom had informed me that a commercial had been made that made a mockery of Catholicism. This, of course, got my attention and I had to check it out. He had sent me a link http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/americanpapist/index.php?p=7595 , which I promptly checked, and Thomas Peters of American Papist  had indeed caught another attack on Catholicism; in fact, it attacked what is most holy, the Mass. Please watch the video and see for yourself. I honestly agree with the ideas presented on American Papist, that we should write in and complain to Hyundai ( consumeraffairs@hmausa.com ), as we should not let this presentation of anti-Catholicism stand. It is truly a mockery of our Christian beliefs; what is more, we should demand that this video be removed from TV and that an apology be issued and until this is done Catholics should not purchase products from Hyundai. I am posting a copy of the letter that I made to complain....

Life is a beautiful thing. I must admit that sometimes I don't pay as close attention to things as I should and allow myself to get distracted, but I am often brought back to the reality that God calls us to serve and love our fellow man. In seeing death once again, I am reminded of life, not only the life that is bestowed upon us by God in His infinite mercy, but also the life that is maintained by the love that we give to one another. It is sometimes in the deepest suffering that we truly see the love of man manifest and present itself to lift us back up to light of God. It is in these moments of tender compassion that we see the beauty of life and the magnanimity of God, for we are never truly alone. In my short time upon this earth, I have seen death and I have seen suffering, but in that I have seen some of the most beautiful acts of compassion. I have seen people care for others whom they don't even know just purely for sake of love. There is just something about the wh...

Life is precious, but sometimes its value can be forgotten until one experiences loss. I am once again reminded of brevity of life as another person in my family has passed away. I now pray for the repose of his soul and all in purgatory. De profundis clamavi ad te Domine; Domine, exaudi vocem meam. Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem deprecationis meae. Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, Domine quies sistinebit? Quia apud te propitiatio est; et propter legem tuam sistinui te, Domine. Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: speravit anima mea in Domino. A custodia matutina usque ad noctem, speret Israel in Domino. Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio. Et ipse redimet Israel ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus. Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos induc...