Feast of St. Jerome

September 30th

Patron saint of bloggers

(picture from an unnamed Albany clergyman)

The Diocese of Albany has one of the finest retreat centers in the country located at the edge of the Adirondack Mountains north of Albany, NY. (photos by Raymond Dague)

The newly completed Welcome Center contains the dining facilities to feed guests which in the summertime includes hundreds of children from 1st grade through high school at the Beaver Cross summer camp.

The convent of the Sisters of St. Mary.

One of the barns for horses and goats kept by the nuns.

Fr. Nigel Mumford, who usually spends his days with the healing ministry, blesses the animals.

All seem to be having a good time.

Fall colors are found even in the lowliest place of God's creation. (our back yard)

Raymond paid a visit to Christ the King Spiritual Life Center today and brought back these pictures. More info on the center can be found here.

Click on picture to enlarge

Interview with Bp Martyn Minns

This is an interview conducted at St Pauls Episcopal Church, Darien, CT Bp Martyn Minns is a missionary Bishop from CANA He is also the Rector of Truro Church, Fairfax, VA He was interviewed by Kevin Kallsen from AnglicanTV. Produced by AnglicanTV.org Recorded on September 29, 2006

And what kind of habitation pleases God? What must our natures be like before He can feel at home within us? He asks nothing but a pure heart and a single mind. He asks no rich paneling, no rugs from the Orient, no art treasures from afar. He desires but sincerety, transparency, humility, and love. He will see to the rest. AW Tozer photo

Archbishop Williams to Lead Farewell Service for Robin Eames
Dr Rowan Williams has announced that he will travel to Northern Ireland to preach a farewell service for the retiring longest-serving Primate of the Church of Ireland, Archbishop Robin Eames.
by Daniel Blake
Posted: Saturday, September 30, 2006

The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and leader of the Church of England, Dr Rowan Williams has announced that he will travel to Northern Ireland to preach a farewell service for the retiring Primate of the Church of Ireland, Archbishop Robin Eames.

A Thanksgiving Service will be held on 16 November in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh for Dr Eames, who has been Primate for 20 years now.

It has been touted by local Armagh reports that special guests representing all facets of the Archbishop’s life and ministry will be at the farewell service, and members of the Diocesan parishes will also be invited to attend the celebration of Dr Eames’ ministry.

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s attendance at the service reveals the deep respect Archbishop Eames holds amongst his peers. Dr Eames, who is the longest-serving Primate in the worldwide Anglican Communion is highly regarded throughout the Anglican Church, as well as other Church denominations and faiths. the rest

Lawsuit is filed over Fallbrook church
By Sandi Dolbee
UNION-TRIBUNE STA
FF WRITER
September 30, 2006

In what could be the first salvo of a wider legal battle over ownership issues, officers of St. John's Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego are suing for possession of what is now St. John's Anglican Church in Fallbrook.

A majority of St. John's members voted two months ago to leave the diocese, but remain on the property with its rector, the Rev. Donald Kroeger, under the jurisdiction of an Anglican bishop in Africa.

A civil lawsuit filed this week in San Diego Superior Court argues that St. John's Anglican is illegally occupying the Iowa Street property and excluding “faithful Episcopal clergy and members.”

“This is a part of due process,” Howard Smith, spokesman for the San Diego diocese, said yesterday. “It's determining who the rightful owners of the property are – and the church, as it was built as St. John's Episcopal Church, and the vestry of St. John's Episcopal Church believe that they are the rightful owners.” the rest



St. John's Anglican Church (Fallbrook, CA) Responds to Lawsuit by Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
September 29, 2006 10:23 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rick Crossley
Phone: 760-723-3246
E-Mail: stjohnsanglican@sbcglobal.net

Fallbrook, Calif. – September 28, 2006 – On Thursday, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, led by Episcopal Bishop James Mathes, filed suit against Fr. Donald Kroeger, nine church volunteers, and St. John’s Church, Fallbrook, in an attempt to confiscate their property and punish St. John’s members for exercising their religious freedom of choice to affiliate with another diocese and bishop in the Anglican Communion.

In July, an overwhelming majority of members of St. John’s voted to end their spiritual affiliation with the Episcopal Church due to its forty year drift away from orthodox Christian belief, and to align with the Anglican Church of Uganda. St. John’s is among hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals that have left the Episcopal Church in the past few years over issues of church doctrine.

the rest at Connecticut Six

Angels in Scripture

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD, who encamps with them, delivers all who fear God.

Psalm 91:11 For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 103:20 Bless the LORD, all you angels, mighty in strength and attentive, obedient to every command.

Psalm 148:2 Praise him, all you angels; give praise, all you hosts.

Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

Rev. 7:11 All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God,

Rev. 12:7-9 Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.

Rev. 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

icon

'Three parents' case heard in Ontario
By Jim Coggins

THE ONTARIO Court of Appeal has heard a case that could change the definition of the family and have widespread implications for family law.

Dubbed the "three parents case", it was originally heard in the Superior Court of Justice in 2003. It concerns a lesbian who asked a male friend to donate sperm to help her have a child through assisted human reproduction techniques.

After the child was born, the mother asked the court to have her lesbian partner also listed as a mother of the child under the declaration of parenthood provision of Ontario's Children's Law Reform Act (CLRA). This would mean the child would have one father -- the biological father, who wants to continue to have a relationship with the child -- and two mothers.

However, the judge ruled that the law only allows for two parents and he did not have the authority to change the law. The case was then appealed to the Ontario Court of Appeal. the rest

Branson unveils private spaceship model, first tourist flights in 2008

New York: British entrepreneur Richard Branson on Thursday unveiled an interior mock-up of the suborbital spaceship that his company plans to use to take paying passengers into space.

The full-size model of the interior of SpaceShipTwo was shown during a technology show in New York. The spaceship, to be operated by Virgin Galactic, will hold six passengers and two pilots.

The mock-up featured a spacious cabin with reclining seats and large portholes. The interior is designed to give passengers room to float around. A flight, including about five minutes of weightlessness, will cost each passenger $2,00,000. Story and photo

The Left’s Seminaries
How times change.
By David French
September 29, 2006

It is tough not to admire the campus Left’s mental agility. Over the past few decades, we have seen the architects of the free-speech movement become the authors of speech codes, and those who formerly glorified dissent clamp down on campus with a mind-numbing level of intellectual conformity. Scientific inquiry is welcome, unless it results in tough questions about possible innate gender differences. Open debate is the hallmark of the academy, unless of course that debate intrudes into areas where policy should be settled and morality decided (like when dealing with race, class, gender, war, peace, and sexuality).

Given the remarkable ability to reinvent its position on the free-speech clause of the First Amendment (from protesters to censors), it was only a matter of time before the Left began to rethink the religion clauses as well, especially the establishment clause. “Separation of church and state” has been a battle cry of the hard Left for many decades, but what if the Left ran the state — or at least dominated an important state agency? Would the Left remain dedicated to this allegedly bedrock principle? the rest

St. John’s Anglican Church Responds to Lawsuit by Episcopal Diocese of San Diego to Grab Its Property
Friday September 29th 2006 ,

Fallbrook, Calif. – September 28, 2006 – On Thursday, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, led by Episcopal Bishop James Mathes, filed suit against Fr. Donald Kroeger, nine church volunteers, and St. John’s Church, Fallbrook, in an attempt to confiscate their property and punish St. John’s members for exercising their religious freedom of choice to affiliate with another diocese and bishop in the Anglican Communion.

In July, an overwhelming majority of members of St. John’s voted to end their spiritual affiliation with the Episcopal Church due to its forty year drift away from orthodox Christian belief, and to align with the Anglican Church of Uganda. St. John’s is among hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals that have left the Episcopal Church in the past few years over issues of church doctrine.

Since St. John’s has never received a penny from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego or the national Episcopal Church to purchase or maintain its property, St. John’s volunteer board voted unanimously to continue to hold services at its current location. the rest

Supremes to reconsider landmark abortion case
Plaintiff in Doe v. Bolton case says ACLU attorney pushed her to have abortion
Posted: September 29, 2006

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to reconsider next week its landmark 1973 Doe vs. Bolton abortion decision, in response to a lawsuit brought by the case's original plaintiff, who claims she was pressured by ACLU attorneys to opt for abortion and that the case was based on fraud.

Like Norma McCorvey, the original "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade, Sandra Cano was "Mary Doe" of 1973's other historic abortion decision. Together, "Roe" and "Doe" eliminated all state laws prohibiting abortion and legalized abortion. Cano's case in particular – because of the "health exception" for the mother it created – opened the door to abortion on demand, for virtually any reason, at any stage of pregnancy up to the moment of birth.

Repeated polls show that only about 1 in 4 Americans agree with unfettered abortion on demand throughout all nine months of pregnancy. the rest

Ruth Gledhill Weblog: Church of England expected to revise Civil Partnership Guidelines

It now looks almost certain that the Church of England's bishops will next year be forced to revise their pastoral guidelines on civil partnerships. The latest to enter the debate is the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, who in a private pastoral letter to a number of his concerned parishes has made some extremely frank statements about his views on the matter. In the letter he describes the 1991 Issues document as "incoherent" and "demeaning to the laity". He notes that the bishops' pastoral statement on civil partnerships was drafted at a time when the Government was officially giving assurances that they did not intend to introduce same sex marriage by another name. He says: "Subsequently the situation has changed and Government spokespersons have undermined the official line..." The full text of the letter can be seen on Anglican Mainstream. It is also on Titusonenine with some good comments.

the rest

Republicans' bill to ease pressure on military chaplains
By Amy Fagan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 29, 2006

House Republicans said the defense authorization bill will address, at least for now, their belief that military chaplains should not be pressured to avoid using specifics of their faiths during public prayers.

Republican House members and aides said they were told that part of the massive final defense measure will freeze the recent Navy and Air Force chaplain prayer policies that call for nonsectarian prayers outside religious services.

But the defense bill was still caught up yesterday in other disagreements and it was unclear whether the House and Senate would approve it before they leave town. the rest

Penn State students get religion classes
Tribune news services
Published September 29, 2006

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- An evangelical seminary plans to open a small campus where Penn State students can take religion classes that would count toward graduation.

Eastern University, a 3,700-student school based in the Philadelphia suburb of St. Davids, plans to offer four classes starting in January to coincide with the Penn State spring semester. The courses will be taught downtown in church buildings. the rest

2 Christian films get the attention of Hollywood
Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, September 29, 2006

Two movies opening in the Bay Area today show that the evangelical Christian movie is coming of age, though with growing pains. Despite Hollywood's intentions to promote and distribute films to the widest possible market, the industry is finding that American audiences are as polarized at the movie theater as they are at the voting booths.

Studio heads and filmmakers are closely watching the performance of "Jesus Camp," a documentary made by two non-evangelicals, as well as the drama "Facing the Giants," made for $100,000 by two Georgia Christian pastors and an all-volunteer cast culled largely from their evangelical congregation. In addition, major Hollywood companies, including the new Christian-focused Fox Faith distributor, are tuning into the potentially lucrative market of an estimated 80 million evangelicals and promise more religious fare in the next few months.

Fox Faith intends to release six to 12 theatrical films annually based on works by Christian authors or with a clear Christian message. The first will be the Oct. 6 release of "Love's Abiding Joy" by best-selling Christian author Janette Oke. The production costs of these films will range from $3 million to $25 million; they have an equally modest marketing budget of $5 million.
the rest

God is not affected by our mutability; our changes do not alter Him. When we are restless, He remains serene and calm; when we are low, selfish, mean, or dispirited, He is still the unalterable I Am. The same yesterday, today, and forever, in Whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. What God is in Himself, not what we may chance to feel Him in this or that moment to be, that is our hope.
...Frederick William Robertson photo

Anglican Press Release: All Saints Anglican Church, Irondequoit, New York
ANGLICAN PRESS RELEASE
9/28/06

All Saints Anglican Church of Rochester, NY: Evicted, yet Moving Forward

A summary judgment of the NY State Supreme Court was issued on September 13, 2006 in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester forcing All Saints Anglican Church out of its church buildings at 759 Winona Boulevard in Irondequoit. A final decision awaits the outcome of an appeal, which is currently being taken from this judgment.

In loving generosity and Christian hospitality, the people of Reformation Lutheran Church have offered a place for All Saints’ ongoing life and worship. The Christian reality of faith in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ continues to be celebrated and witnessed by the members of All Saints.

The Rev. David Harnish has stated:

The church is its people and not the buildings where they worship, truly even “the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Christians of All Saints Anglican Church are indeed alive and, like the first Christians, they are finding strength through meeting in home groups and moving ahead in faith.

All Saints, where people are warmly welcomed, is in communion with the Anglican Church of Uganda. The congregation will be building on this international mission partnership with the people of Uganda, as well as sharing in local and regional ministries in upstate New York. All Saints seeks to join with fellow believers across denominational boundaries in promoting the primary place of the Bible as the traditional Christian guide for living and authority on matters of faith.

We welcome all those who would like to gather with All Saints Anglican Church for worship, prayer and witness at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at 111 N. Chestnut St. which is housed in Reformation Lutheran Church buildings.

May the genuine Christian faith, based upon the Holy Bible, come into greater strength and vitality in the lives of today’s believers. It is time to stand up for Jesus!

On behalf of the People of All Saints Anglican Church,
The Rev. David J. Harnish, Rector

Contact All Saints at: allsaintsr@yahoo.com
or P.O. Box 67824,
Rochester, NY 14617
blogsite: http://voice-in-wilderness.blogspot.com/

Support through prayers, letters of encouragement and financial gifts offered to God may be sent to:
All Saints Anglican Church,
P.O. Box 67824, Rochester, NY 14617 …and would be greatly appreciated.

Found at: Stand Firm

BREAKING NEWS....SCHOFIELD EXONERATED
EXCLUSIVE
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org

SAN JOAQUIN, CA (9/28/2006)--The Bishop of San Joaquin John-David Schofield called Virtueonline and announced that the Title of Review Committee had met and decided to drop all the charges by the four bishops of California.

The Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold phoned the orthodox Anglo-Catholic bishop and told him the news personally and said that there had been a misapplication of canon law and he, (Schofield) had not abandoned the communion. Charges had been brought against the bishop based on the use of Canon IV.9 (Abandonment of Communion).

"Of course I'm delighted and even though I knew all along I was not guilty, it is nice to know that those who brought charges against me have realized that I have never intended to abandon the faith of the Anglican Communion."END

Virtueonline

Pa. court says father can teach polygamy
By MARK SCOLFORO
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A father may teach his young daughter about his religious belief in polygamy despite his ex-wife's objections, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said Thursday.

The 5-1 decision by the state's highest court said Stanley M. Shepp, whose Mormon fundamentalist beliefs endorse polygamy, has a constitutional right to express his beliefs about plural marriages and multiple wives even though bigamy is illegal. the rest

California Governor Signs Abortion Bill Targeting Pro-Life Web Sites
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 27, 2006

Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a measure prohibiting any Internet web site posting of the picture, home address, or telephone number of an abortion practitioner. The measure targets those who would threaten abortion practitioners but could be used to prosecute anyone publishing a pro-life web site.

Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, a Democrat, sponsored the bill, which the state Senate approved following a spirited fight against it led by Republican Senator Dennis Hollingsworth. The state House supported on a 53-9 vote in May.The bill applies to the posting of personal information or pictures of volunteers, employees or other people associated with an abortion business."Women should never face vigilante justice for exercising their reproductive rights,” Evans said in a statement after the governor signed the bill. “The same goes for those who work to enable women to exercise these rights.” the rest

Episcopal Church head says split would cause chaos
By Michael Conlon
Reuters
Thursday, September 28, 2006

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A suggestion by African, Asian and Latin American Anglican bishops that the Episcopal Church be turned into two churches because of disputes over gay issues would lead to chaos, the head of the U.S. church said on Thursday.

Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the 2.4-million-member Episcopal Church, said a communique issued on September 22 from Kigali, Rwanda, by conservative bishops of a group known as the Global South "raises profound questions about the nature of the church, its ordering and its oversight."

Bishops at the meeting in the Rwandan capital suggested that it was time for Episcopalians upset with the 2003 consecration of Gene Robinson of New Hampshire as the first openly gay bishop in more than 450 years of Anglican Church history should form their own church.

But Griswold, in a formal response posted on Thursday by the Episcopal News Service, said he believes "such a division would open the way to multiple divisions across other provinces of the Communion, and any sense of a coherent mission would sink into chaos." the rest



Presiding Bishop reflects on Camp Allen, Kigali meetings
Thursday, September 28, 2006

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold has written to the bishops of the Episcopal Church sharing some reflections about the recent meeting of bishops at Camp Allen, Texas, and the gathering of Global South Anglican leaders in Kigali, Rwanda. The full text of Griswold's letter follows: here

Christian Groups Respond to Nigeria Church Burning with Support, Relief
By Michelle Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Sep. 28 2006

U.S. and U.K. Christian groups have voiced support for victims of the recent Nigeria church burnings as evaluation and distribution of relief supplies are underway.

The Voice of the Martyrs, a U.S.-based Christian persecution group, informed The Christian Post on Monday that its partners in Nigeria are currently working with victims of last week’s church attacks.

“Voice of the Martyrs contacts are currently on the ground in the city that was affected by this violence,” said Todd Nettleton, VOM’s director of news service. “We are evaluating the situation and we are carrying in relief supplies to the Christians who are being affected.”

Nettleton said that according to reports from VOM contacts in Nigeria, 18 churches were burned, 6 people were injured and no one was killed. Sources also informed the persecution watchdog group that the violence was sparked by a dispute between a Muslim woman who came to a Christian tailor woman to have some sewing done. the rest

A Church of England Newspaper Article on the recent New York Summit

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s New York summit has collapsed at the eleventh hour, after the US bishops pulled back from an agreement to give alternate pastoral oversight to seven recusant American dioceses. Called by Dr Williams on Aug 18 to seek a way forward through the most recent impasse in the Episcopal Church, sparked by the election of Presiding Bishop Katharine Schori in June, but having its roots in the disputes of doctrine and discipline surrounding the issue of homosexuality, the New York meeting hoped to address “some of the difficult issues facing the Church and to explore possible resolutions.”

Bishops from across the church spectrum were invited by Dr Williams to meet under the leadership of Bishops Peter Lee of Virginia and John Lipscomb of Southwest Florida. Dr Williams further asked ACC secretary general Canon Kenneth Kearon (pictured) to facilitate the meeting.

the rest at titusonenine

Dept. of Strange Bedfellows
The former Archbishop of Canterbury stands up for the Pope.
by Mark D. Tooley
09/28/2006

SOMETIMES there are pleasant surprises from the much-maligned Church of England. Last week, its former Archbishop of Canterbury defended Pope Benedict's remarks about violence in Islamic history.

Archbishops of Canterbury have not always distinguished themselves politically. Archbishop Laud infamously helped Charles I persecute the Puritans in the 1600s, igniting a revolution, and losing his own head. In more modern times, Archbishop Lang supported British appeasement policies towards Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. Archbishop Runcie often criticized Western resolve against the Soviet Union during the Cold War's final years in the 1980s.

But Archbishop Carey, who led the Church of England from 1991 to 2002, has remained politically temperate. He is so far one of the few major mainline Christian leaders who has dared to defend the Pope's recently articulated concerns about Islamic violence, concerns that in turn ignited violence by some angry Muslims. the rest

At Church, an `ATM for Jesus'
Pastor Marty Baker's `Giving Kiosks' are catching on. Members say they use credit cards for everything else -- why not tithing?
By Richard Fausset, Times Staff Writer
September 28, 2006

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Pastor Marty Baker preaches that the Bible is the eternal and inviolate word of God. On other church matters, he's willing to change with the times.

Jeans are welcome at Stevens Creek Community Church, the 1,100-member evangelical congregation Baker founded 19 years ago. Sermons are available as podcasts, and the electric house band has been known to cover Aerosmith's "Dream On." A recent men's fellowship breakfast was devoted to discussing the spiritual wages of lunching at Hooters.

It is a bid for relevance in a nation charmed by pop culture and consumerism, and it is not an uncommon one. But Baker has waded further into the 21st century than most fishers of American souls, as evidenced one Wednesday night when churchgoer Josh Marshall stepped up to a curious machine in the church lobby. the rest

Third Night of Ramadan Rioting in Capital of Europe
From the desk of Paul Belien
Wed, 2006-09-27

It looks as if immigrants youths want to turn nightly rioting during the Islamic holy month of ramadan into an annual tradition. Around 8:30pm last night violence erupted again in Brussels, the capital of Europe. The riots centered on the Brussels Marollen quarter and the area near the Midi Train Station, where the international trains from London and Paris arrive. Youths threw stones at passing people and cars, windows of parked cars were smashed, bus shelters were demolished, cars were set ablaze, a youth club was arsoned and a shop was looted. Two molotov cocktails were thrown into St.Peter’s hospital, one of the main hospitals of central Brussels. The fire brigade was able to extinguish the fires at the hospital, but youths managed to steal the keys of the fire engine. the rest

Manitoba Health Attempts to Block Parents Access to Controversial Sex Ed Book
Parents say manual contains dangerously inaccurate “safe sex” information
By Gudrun Schultz

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, September 27, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Manitoba Ministry of Health attempted to block parental access to a “teen health” guide slated to be released for use by Manitoba Schools in early November. The Manitoba manual, which an Ontario-based pro-family organization recently confused with another “Little Black Book” from Toronto that explicitly advocated teen lesbian sex, nevertheless also has parents up in arms over its content.

Concerned Manitoba parents interviewed by LifeSiteNews.com say the “teen health guide” contains dangerously inaccurate and misleading information and promotes sexual activity in young teenagers.

It took 8 months and three attempts under the Federal Access to Information Act before parents were able to obtain a copy of the material known as the ‘Little Black Book.’ the rest

A Sad Day In Rochester, NY
Richard Kew

In the last few days I learned that All Saints' Anglican Church, in the leafy Rochester, NY, suburb of Irondequoit was taken back into possession by the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester under court order. I was the Rector of All Saints' Church from the late seventies until early 1985, and although the years we spent in Rochester were very difficult for our family, I feel grieved for the people of that congregation -- some of whom were parishioners when I served there.

While I am not sure that the congregation behaved wisely in its approach toward the Diocese of Rochester following the unfaithful actions of the General Convention in August 2003, neither do I think the Bishop of Rochester and his supporters have shown the smallest shread of grace and generosity toward the parish. Last November they removed All Saints' from the diocese by declaring All Saints' extinct, using a diocesan canon whose intention was entirely different from the purpose to which it was put. This kind of canonical gerrymandering is the kind of disingenuousness that is designed to further alienate. the rest

And So the Purge Begins
David French
09/26 05:27 PM

Last Friday, the University of Wisconsin at Madison notified the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation that it would be denied recognition and student fee eligibility for the current school year. The reason? The Foundation allegedly does not meet the university’s requirements for “student leadership” (even though its student programs are run by students and its student fee awards are managed by students). The Foundation now joins the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Wisconsin-Superior(derecognized because its leaders must be Christian), the Knights of Columbus at Madison (derecognized because its members must be male Catholics), the Christian Legal Society (derecognized because its voting members and leaders must be Christians), and the Calvary Chapel, a Lutheran group (derecognized because of alleged lack of “student leadership” and its exclusively Lutheran membership), in the ranks of banished student organizations. Interestingly, the student leadership issue applied to Calvary Chapel in spite of the fact that students are a majority of its governing board.

the rest

For thou wilt light my candle. (Psalm 18:28)

It may be that my soul sits in darkness; and if this be of a spiritual kind, no human power can bring me light. Blessed be God! He can enlighten my darkness and at once light my candle. Even though I may be surrounded by a "darkness which might be felt," yet He can break the gloom and immediately make it bright around me.

The mercy is that if He lights the candle none can blow it out, neither will it go out for lack of substance, nor burn out of itself through the lapse of hours. The lights which the Lord kindled in the beginning are shining still. The Lord's lamps may need trimming, but He does not put them out.

Let me, then, like the nightingale sing in the dark. Expectation shall furnish me with music, and hope shall pitch the tune. Soon I shall rejoice in a candle of God's lighting. I am dull and dreary just now. Perhaps it is the weather, or bodily weakness, or the surprise of a sudden trouble; but whatever has made the darkness, it is God alone who will bring the light. My eyes are unto Him alone. I shall soon have the candles of the Lord shining about me; and, further on in His own good time, I shall be where they need no candle, neither light of the sun. Hallelujah!
...CH Spurgeon photo

Pennsylvania Bishop, Standing Committee Face Legal Challenges
09/27/2006

Legal and financial challenges continue to mount in the Diocese of Pennsylvania as the standing committee held its regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 26 with the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., bishop of the diocese. The meeting occurs before the Oct. 1 resignation of the diocesan chancellor becomes effective and shortly after the standing committee issued an appeal for donations to hire independent legal counsel.

“As any chancellor is unable to represent both the standing committee and the bishop in a disagreement, our chancellor has recommended that the standing committee retain Michael Rehill, Esq.,” the committee said in a statement posted on a website maintained by the committee. “Bishop Clay Matthews, executive director, [Presiding Bishop’s] Office of Pastoral Development for The Episcopal Church, has stated that the standing committee is entitled to independent legal counsel… The chancellor agreed to put this directive in writing to Rob Rogers and has done so. On Monday, September 18, 2006, at a special meeting of the standing committee, the bishop refused to issue the retainer check.”the rest

Mother of Seven Arrested Without Warning for Showing Abortion Image

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, Sept. 27, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A pro-life woman was arrested Tuesday for holding an image of an aborted child outside an abortion facility in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Suzie Ryan, mother of seven, was silently holding the image outside the Morgentaler centre as abortions were being performed inside. Mrs. Ryan was charged with violating s.163 of the Criminal Code. S.163 is about the display of obscene material. She was released after being held in a jail cell for several hours. She must face the charges in court in November.

Prior to her arrest Mrs. Ryan was not warned in any way that she was committing an illegal act. Six to eight police officers arrived and forcibly put her in a paddy wagon, while confiscating her sign and umbrella. the rest

The Corruption of the University
Albert Mohler
Posted: Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Not too long ago, colleges and universities were expected to function in loco parentis, fulfilling a parental role toward students and holding students responsible for their moral behavior. At the same time, the university was itself a place of dedicated learning -- civilizing the rising generation and preparing students for leadership and service. Well, the times have changed.

In his 2004 novel I Am Charlotte Simmons, author Tom Wolfe introduced his readers to the reality of collegiate life. Increasingly, it's all about sex. As columnist David Brooks of The New York Times explains, "Highly educated young people are tutored, taught and monitored in all aspects of their lives, except the most important, which is character building. When it comes to this, most universities leave them alone. And they find themselves in a world of unprecedented ambiguity, where it's not clear if you're going out with the person you're having sex with, where it's not clear if anything can be said to be absolutely true."

The university lies in ruins. The character of the university has been corrupted and, in turn, the university now threatens to corrupt, rather than to educate the young. the rest

Homosexual Game Plan -- Groups Prepare to Win Same-Sex Fight
By Ed Vitagliano
September 26, 2006

(AgapePress) - While pro-family organizations have won the battle of the ballot box when it comes to homosexual "marriage," homosexual activists aren't discouraged. Major initiatives are under way to affect a change in public attitudes toward same-sex marriage.

On August 1, three powerful homosexual groups launched an unprecedented, full-page newspaper ad campaign in 50 newspapers nationwide to promote same-sex marriage. (Click on image to the right to view.) The three groups -- the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and Freedom to Marry -- hope to convince much of Middle America that homosexual marriage should be legal.

In the ads "more than 60 civic, religious, labor and civil rights leaders and organizations declare their commitment to working toward equality for gay and lesbian families," said a press release. the rest

An Ancient Path for Modern Souls: In TLC's New Series THE MONASTERY, Five Men Live with 30 Monks for 40 Days and 40 Nights

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- In TLC’s groundbreaking new series, five men--each in the midst of personal crisis--agree to take a leap of faith: for 40 days they will leave families and jobs behind to embark on a spiritual quest led by 30 Benedictine monks.

THE MONASTERY premieres Sunday, October 22, at 10 PM (ET/PT) and follows five men of varied backgrounds and faiths who volunteer to join a Benedictine monastery. For the duration of their stay, they agree to the monastery’s strict rules and the regimen of prayer, study, reflection and manual labor set out by St. Benedict 1,500 years ago--a regimen that the monks believe, followed correctly, can transform lives.

The men featured in THE MONASTERY come from all walks of life -- a recovering alcoholic, an ex-con, a veteran of the war in Iraq, a cynic and an aspiring Episcopal priest. Despite their different backgrounds and faiths, all participants share hope that this journey will put their lives back on track. the rest

Ripe for schism – Episcopal Church closer after woman bishop elected
By Dennis O'Connor
9/27/2006
Our Sunday Visitor

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (Our Sunday Visitor) - They are dropping out like flies. So far, eight U.S. Episcopal dioceses have rejected the authority of Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada, who was elected presiding bishop of their American church in June.

At press time, the eight dioceses, labeled "conservative" for their views against same-sex marriage, have asked Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, England, the worldwide leader of the Anglican (or Episcopal) Church, to appoint them their own leader. The Washington Post reported that the defecting dioceses are Quincy, Ill., Dallas, Central Florida, Fort Worth, Fresno, Calif., Pittsburgh, Springfield, Ill., and South Carolina.

These dioceses garnered support last month from 20 African and Asian provinces who said they support the creation of a "two-church solution in the U.S.," according to the London Times. A two-church solution is not uncommon. It exists in England, Scotland and Wales as well.
the rest

Where Have All The Good Girls Gone?
by Michelle Malkin
September 26, 2006

Several years ago, I wrote a column praising a sweet and talented Welsh girl named Charlotte Church. A singer of arias and sacred songs, she possessed an uncommon sense of modesty and decorum in the skin-baring age of Britney Spears. Charlotte had the face and voice of an angel. Her signature piece was "Pie Jesu" (Blessed Jesus). Her favorite keepsake was a rosary blessed by the pope.

Or so she said at the time. Now, alas, the once-charming Charlotte is the new face of skankdom. And you won't believe what she's saying about the pope.

The 20-year-old entertainer has rebelled against the wholesome image that brought her fame, fortune and worldwide respect as a rare role model for young girls. She has traded in "Pie Jesu" for "Crazy Chick" -- a lousy pop anthem even Ashlee Simpson wouldn't be caught performing. Charlotte's gone from pure-hearted to pure crap. These days, she drinks, she smokes, she curses, she fights, she parties, and she tries very, very hard to shock and offend -- like a trashier Lindsay Lohan, only with better pipes. the rest

Soaking in Blood—Again
Sri Lankan violence costs 1,000 lives. Relief efforts set back.by Anto Akkara in Sri Lanka
09/27/2006

Braving gunfire, bombs, and artillery rounds, a fact-finding team from Sri Lanka's independent Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies in early August made its way into Muttur in the besieged northeast. The army of the Buddhist-dominated country and Tamil Tiger rebels, who seek autonomy for mainly Hindu Tamil-majority areas, were fighting intensely around the small coastal town.

On Sunday, August 6, the team arrived at the office of Action Against Hunger, a French charity, to find the corpses of 17 local Tamil aid workers. Someone had carefully arranged 15 bodies, each with a gunshot to the back of the head, face down on the front lawn. Two more workers who apparently attempted to flee were found shot dead in a car.

"The sight was too much to handle," one team member told Sri Lankan media. the rest

Film editors assert right to clean up movies
By Kara Rowland
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 27, 2006

Companies that clean up Hollywood films for family viewing told a congressional panel yesterday that consumers want edited movies, and they should be allowed to watch them despite objections from the film industry.

The hearing, which took place before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection, featured testimony from ClearPlay Inc., a provider of editing technology, and CleanFlicks Media Inc., which was forced out of business this past summer when a judge ruled that providing edited copies of movies violates copyright law.

Both companies lamented what they described as increasingly gratuitous sex, violence and adult language in Hollywood films and argued that parents need a solution so their children can watch popular movies without being exposed to objectionable content. the rest

'Gay Month' At Schools Irks Some Parents
September 26, 2006

The Philadelphia School District has designated October as Lesbian And Gay History Month, which has some parents upset.

Parents became aware of the designation when the district sent out more than 200,000 calendars.

The calendar also listed September as Hispanic Heritage Month, February as African-American History Month as Philadelphia School District and May as Asian Pacific-American Month.

The district told NBC 10 that were no scheduled events or activities planned to mark the occasion. the rest

Church removes Zambia archbishop

Pope Benedict XVI has excommunicated a Zambian archbishop, Emmanuel Milingo, two days after he ordained four married men as bishops.

A Vatican statement said he had been automatically excommunicated under church law because of his actions.

Archbishop Milingo, 76, who now lives in the US, performed the ordination ceremony in Washington DC on Sunday. the rest

Beheaded prophet opera dropped

Director Kirsten Harms has defended the cancellationA Berlin opera company cancelled a Mozart production over security fears because it features the severed heads of the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus.

Deutsche Oper said "incalculable" security risks would be posed by staging Idomeneo.
"We know the consequences of the conflict over the (Muhammad) caricatures," the opera company said in a statement.

"We believe that needs to be taken very seriously and hope for your support." the rest

Hindu idols to be immersed in Thames
By Debabani Majumdar BBC News, London

Autumn resonates with the rhythmic beating of drums, decorations and idols in the Indian subcontinent as the Bengali community gears up to celebrate the festival of Durga Puja.
Miles away, Bengalis in London will also get to give a traditional welcome and send-off to goddess Durga for the first time.

Usually, idols of the goddess and her family are made in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal by craftsmen, which are then shipped abroad.

At the end of the festival, they are dismantled, boxed and stored to be used for the next few years, instead of the traditional immersion in a river.

But this time around, images of the deities - 18ft by 20ft - were made in the British Museum by artisans from Bengal and they will be submerged in the river Thames at Putney on 2 October. the rest

Fr Michael Flynn sermon for Bp Love's Consecration

This is a video of the sermon given by Fr. Michael Flynn at the consecration of Bp William love in Albany, NY. Courtesy of AngllicanTV

Thou knowest how far Thou hast already changed me, who first healed me of the lust of vindicating myself, that so Thou mightest forgive all the rest of my iniquities, and heal all my infirmities, and redeem my life from corruption, and crown me with mercy and pity, and satisfy my desire with good things; who didst curb my pride with Thy fear, and tame my neck to Thy yoke. And now I bear it and it is light unto me, because so hast Thou promised, and hast made it; and verily it was so, and I knew it not, when I feared to take it. ... The Confessions of St. Augustine photo

Broken Bench
In Tiny Courts of N.Y., Abuses of Law and Power
By WILLIAM GLABERSON

Some of the courtrooms are not even courtrooms: tiny offices or basement rooms without a judge’s bench or jury box. Sometimes the public is not admitted, witnesses are not sworn to tell the truth, and there is no word-for-word record of the proceedings.

Nearly three-quarters of the judges are not lawyers, and many — truck drivers, sewer workers or laborers — have scant grasp of the most basic legal principles. Some never got through high school, and at least one went no further than grade school.

But serious things happen in these little rooms all over New York State. People have been sent to jail without a guilty plea or a trial, or tossed from their homes without a proper proceeding. In violation of the law, defendants have been refused lawyers, or sentenced to weeks in jail because they cannot pay a fine. Frightened women have been denied protection from abuse.

These are New York’s town and village courts, or justice courts, as the 1,250 of them are widely known. In the public imagination, they are quaint holdovers from a bygone era, handling nothing weightier than traffic tickets and small claims. They get a roll of the eyes from lawyers who amuse one another with tales of incompetent small-town justices.

A woman in Malone, N.Y., was not amused. A mother of four, she went to court in that North Country village seeking an order of protection against her husband, who the police said had choked her, kicked her in the stomach and threatened to kill her. The justice, Donald R. Roberts, a former state trooper with a high school diploma, not only refused, according to state officials, but later told the court clerk, “Every woman needs a good pounding every now and then.”

The rest (found at titusonenine)

Alaska Bishop Reflects on Camp Allen Meeting
09/26/2006

If The Episcopal Church fails to acknowledge that the New Hampshire consecration has precipitated a crisis within the Anglican Communion, it will be ever harder to bridge the widening chasm that is threatening to divide the worldwide association of Anglican churches, according to Alaska Bishop Mark L. MacDonald.

In a recent interview Bishop MacDonald said he attended the Sept. 19-22 meeting of “Windsor Bishops” at Camp Allen in Texas because the Windsor Report represents the only opportunity for a constructive debate over the human sexuality issues that the November 2003 consecration raised.

Interview (The Living Church)

MIT: engine on a chip promises to best the battery
Could power laptops, cell phones, radios, more
25-Sep-2006

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --MIT researchers are putting a tiny gas-turbine engine inside a silicon chip about the size of a quarter. The resulting device could run 10 times longer than a battery of the same weight can, powering laptops, cell phones, radios and other electronic devices.

It could also dramatically lighten the load for people who can't connect to a power grid, including soldiers who now must carry many pounds of batteries for a three-day mission -- all at a reasonable price.

The researchers say that in the long term, mass-production could bring the per-unit cost of power from microengines close to that for power from today's large gas-turbine power plants.

Making things tiny is all the rage. The field -- called microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS -- grew out of the computer industry's stunning success in developing and using micro technologies. "Forty years ago, a computer filled up a whole building," said Professor Alan Epstein of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "Now we all have microcomputers on our desks and inside our thermostats and our watches." the rest

Anglican Leaders Disagree on Global South Communiqué
By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter

Tue, Sep. 26 2006 An Anglican archbishop of South Africa clarified his position on a communiqué issued last week by the Global South, saying he is "deeply disturbed" by the approach of the leaders especially over homosexuality.

In a statement released Sunday, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town said he was not made aware of the communiqué that the Primates of the Global South had put their name to – a document that had confirmed their support for orthodox Anglicans against homosexuality.

"...there is no doubt that the tensions within the Anglican Communion, arising from actions within North America, raise serious and problematic concerns for our future," said Ndungane in the statement. "Yet I am deeply disturbed by the tenor of our approach, as reflected in this communiqué." the rest

Church Math
Attendance figures inflated.

Gallup's numbers, showing steady U.S. church attendance over five decades, may be artificially high, new research shows.

The Gallup Poll has asked the question, "Did you go to church or synagogue in the past seven days?" and received a 40 percent affirmative response since 1939. But researchers noticed that did not translate into 118 million Americans filling the pews each week.

According to The Barna Group, 76 million adults regularly do not go to church. In fact, about one-third of the population surveyed has not attended any type of church gathering, outside of weddings and funerals, in the past six months.

To answer the discrepancy, researchers Kirk Hadaway and Penny Marler developed a "count-based" estimate of church attendance, using the number of churches in the United States and determining the average attendance at these churches. They arrived at an attendance figure of about 20 percent of U.S. adults. the rest

First Things: Anglican Assessment (Must Read!)
September 26, 2006

Jordan Hylden writes:

For the first time in recent memory, Anglican conservatives have something to cheer about. Ever since the Episcopal Church’s general convention in June, things have been moving rapidly in the Anglican world, and this past week was no exception. There were not one but two events sure to shape the future of Anglican polity and doctrine, following fast on the heels of a major statement by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. But instead of the almost obligatory gloominess of conservatives in response to, well, any significant action of their church, there is today a powerful sense of hope among the Anglican faithful, thanks to the long-awaited convergence of Canterbury, the Global South, and a substantial number of orthodox American bishops. When Paul Zahl, dean of the evangelical Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, says that the past week has been “jumping-up-and-down terrific,” one knows that things may at last be looking up. Of course, a certain amount of unpleasantness and uncertainty remains, seeing as it has become more necessary, not less, for liberals and conservatives in the Episcopal Church to effect some degree of ecclesial separation. There is no guarantee that this process will be amicable, but should it be carried off in a manner befitting Christians (that is, in a spirit of peace and mutual respect), a strong case can be made that Anglicans, finally, have reason to hope for the future of their church.

the rest

Salvation in a Pill?
Academic Doping and America's Parents
By Albert Mohler
Posted: Tuesday, September 26, 2006

What if you could improve your child's academic performance with nothing more than a pill? That is no longer a hypothetical question.

Parents naturally want their children to excel. Some parents are taking that natural desire to new lengths -- asking doctors to prescribe drugs like Ritalin and Adderall so their students -- especially teenagers -- will perform better on tests and assignments. The practice is spreading fast, and is now known as "academic doping." the rest

What's hidden in the shadows
Radical Islam and U.S. prisons
By Chuck Colson
Tuesday, September 26, 2006

I don’t usually make predictions, but here’s one I’ll venture: If, God forbid, an attack by home-grown Islamist radicals occurs on American soil, many, if not most, of the perpetrators will have converted to Islam while in prison.

I am hardly going out on a limb here. I said this first in 2001. The spread of an especially virulent form of Islam within American prisons is obvious to those of us who have spent time in these prisons. It’s the rest of American society that is in denial. Now, thanks to a new study, ignorance is no longer an option.

The study, titled “Out of the Shadows,” concluded that “the U.S. . . . is at risk of facing the sort of homegrown terrorism currently plaguing other countries.” The source of that risk, according to researchers from George Washington University and the University of Virginia, is “[America’s] large prison population.”

“Radicalized prisoners” within this population “are a potential pool of recruits by terrorist groups,” the study says. The sources of radicalization are incarcerated Islamic extremists and outside organizations that support them. The report notes that the absence of “monitoring by authoritative Islamic chaplains” permits “materials that advocate violence [to infiltrate] the prison system undetected.” the rest

Indonesian Christians await fate of Muslims
By Anton Foek
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 26, 2006

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian Christians, deeply troubled by the executions of three Christians last week, say they are watching closely to see whether the government will be equally firm in dealing with three Muslims facing the ultimate sanction for their roles in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Unless Muslims and Christians are treated equally, they say, there could be a fresh outbreak of sectarian violence that claimed more than 1,000 lives on the island of Sulawesi between 1998 and 2002.

All weekend, Christians across the Indonesian archipelago exchanged telephone text messages requesting prayers for the souls of Fabianus Tibo, Domingus da Silva and Marianus Riwu, who were executed by a firing squad before dawn on Friday. the rest

Sympathetic ear at Pope's meeting
By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Castel Gondolfo, Rome

Pope Benedict XVI has met Muslim ambassadors and representatives at his summer palace outside Rome, in an effort to mend diplomatic relations.

It was the first time the Pope had been able to put in person an apology which he has now made in public on three occasions.

Amid tight security at Castel Gondolfo the ambassadors from some 20 countries attended.
They included the ambassador for Morocco, who has recently returned to Rome having being recalled by the King of Morocco in the wake of the controversy. the rest

Fr. Rees Interview

This is an interview at St Annes Anglican Church, Oceanside Ca. Fr Joe Rees is one of the San Diego Six priests from San Diego County that have left the Episcopal Church since December. He was interviewed by Anne Coletta. Recorded by Anne Coletta. Produced AnglicanTV.org Recorded on September 18, 2006

Many a congregation when it assembles in church must look to the angels like a muddy, puddly shore at low tide; littered with every kind of rubbish and odds and ends --a distressing sort of spectacle. And then the tide of worship comes in, and it's all gone: the dead sea-urchins and jelly-fish, the paper and the empty cans and the nameless bits of rubbish. The cleansing sea flows over the whole lot. So we are released from a narrow, selfish outlook on the universe by a common act of worship. Our little human affairs are reduced to their proper proportion when seen over against the spaceless Majesty and Beauty of God. ... Evelyn Underhill photo

Symantec Says There's No Safe Browser
By Ed Oswald, BetaNews
September 25, 2006

Whether you are using Firefox or Internet Explorer, Maxthon or Opera, there is no "safe" browser. This statement comes from Symantec as part of its twice-yearly Internet Security Threat Report, which showed attackers were no longer primarly focusing on Internet Explorer.

While Internet Explorer remains the most frequently targeted browser, accounting for 47 percent of all attacks, in the first six months of this year more vulnerabilities have appeared in Mozilla Firefox than within IE. 47 flaws were discovered in Firefox, compared with 38 for IE.

the rest

ENS: ALBANY: William Howard Love consecrated bishop coadjutor
Monday, September 25, 2006

The Very Rev. William Howard Love was consecrated September 16 as the bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Albany.

He will become the ninth bishop of Albany when Bishop Daniel W. Herzog, 65, retires. Herzog has not yet announced a date for his retirement, but a news release from the diocese said that the date will be within the next three years.

Among the approximately 1200 people in attendance at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center were all seven of the Albany priests who had been candidates along with Love.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold was the chief consecrator. Co-consecrators included: Herzog, Albany Bishop Suffragan David Bena, Retired Albany Bishop David Ball, and Bishop Harold Miller of Down and Dromore (Church of Ireland).

Episcopal Church bishops who participated in the service were Gladstone Adams of Central New York, Peter Beckwith of Springfield (Illinois), Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, Henry Scriven of Pittsburgh, Gordon Scruton of Western Massachusetts and Mark Sisk of New York. Duncan told an independent website, AnglicanTV.org, that he would not be a consecrator as such but wanted to support Albany as a member diocese of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, of which Duncan is moderator. The rest

photo by Raymond Dague

Text of Pope's speech
The following is the text of Pope Benedict XVI's speech to Muslim envoys, in which the pontiff tried to defuse tensions between the Catholic Church and Islam over comments he made earlier this month in southern Germany.

I am pleased to welcome you to this gathering that I wanted to arrange in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Holy See and Muslim communities throughout the world.

I thank Cardinal Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, for the words that he has just addressed to me, and I thank all of you for responding to my invitation.

The circumstances which have given rise to our gathering are well known. I have already had occasion to dwell upon them in the course of the past week. the rest

ACN: An interview with the Rev. Mark Lawrence

Father Mark Lawrence was elected on September 16 to succeed the Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr. as the next bishop of the Network Diocese of South Carolina. Elected on the first ballot by a majority vote from among three candidates, Lawrence will likely move to South Carolina to assume fulltime duties in early 2007.

Lawrence has served as rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish in Bakersfield, California, his home parish in his hometown, for the past nine years. He and his wife, Allison, have been married for 33 years, and have five children and six grandchildren. Bishop-elect Lawrence shared some of his thoughts with the Network during a recent interview.

Interview

First Things: Voting Pro-Life
September 25, 2006

Robert P. George writes:

Mirror of Justice, a website for Catholic law professors, has been the forum for some exceptionally thoughtful debates about the implications of Catholic social thought for questions of law and public policy. One question that has been explored in a sustained way since the 2004 presidential campaign concerns the obligations of Catholics and other pro-life citizens when it comes to voting for candidates who support legal abortion. Cornell law professor Eduardo Peñalver, a liberal MoJ blogger, has pressed the argument elsewhere that pro-lifers may legitimately vote for pro-abortion liberals. Indeed, he has suggested that voting for Democrats (even if they are “pro-choice”) may be the “pro-life” thing to do, because the Democratic party’s policies on taxation, welfare, etc., could reduce the number of abortions. Professor Peñalver’s MoJ colleague Richard Garnett of Notre Dame Law School has ably responded, pointing out that the Democrats, in addition to supporting legal abortion, (a) support public funding of abortions, (b) oppose judicial nominees who might permit even moderate regulation of abortion, (c) oppose even those minor regulations of abortion that are permitted under prevailing constitutional jurisprudence, (d) support proposals that would compel Catholic hospitals to provide abortions, and (e) demonize opponents of abortion as hostile to women’s rights and civil liberties.

the rest