It's all a conspiracy!

I wonder if the Christmas Incident will get any twists in Dan Brown's next book? Surely it was the work of some sinister force. Did anyone check where the people from Commonweal were? Or the National Catholic Distorter? And what IS the connection between the supposed lone rail-jumper and the enemies of Summorum Pontificam...?

Hehehe...Happy New Year everyone!

Fulton Sheen

With practically nobody else working at my company, I figured I'd get some sketching done...

REAL Hope

Doug Patton of Canada Free Press has a great article to go along with this cartoon.

Here's a snippet:

There will be plenty of time in the New Year to discuss health care, global warming, the development of nuclear weapons by our enemies, and so many other topics concerning the fight for freedom in 21st Century America. With so many people disillusioned with the “hope and change” proffered recently as a substitute for true faith, this might be the best of times to examine the only true hope of humanity.

Read the entire article:
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/18140

A change of pace

I've always thought that one of these days I might grow up to be a real artist, but as time marches on, I suppose I'll have to be content with what God's given me.

I've always wanted to do something involving the Blessed Mother, but for some reason, the face is a hang up. With all of the beautiful artwork done over the ages, and still today, I can't do her justice. So I won't try.

But - there must be something I can do.

So I visualize who she is to me - comfort.

As a boy, she basically became the source of all motherly comfort for me. A mother always loves you, always understands. She's always calling us to her, and by doing so calling us to Jesus and to His Church.

This sketch is my humble attempt at artistic (using the term loosely) devotion.

Which one of these is not like the others?

Now that Christmas card season is done, I thought I'd catch up on some of the Catholic news I've been missing.

Apparently the Vatican has a MySpace page? Well, I suppose once you've jumped on YouTube, all the other social media can't be far behind. But I read that one of the songs on the Vatican playlist is by Tupac Shakur? I had to double-check, because that sure sounds like a Curt Jester April Fool's prank.

But sure enough, it's there. And over at Catholic Sensibility, I see that some Paulist Father thinks it's an excellent choice for Advent: "I can’t help but think that Shakur’s song makes a fine Advent anthem. This holiday season is all about change and renewal. That grasshopper-eating prophet of repentance, John the Baptist, takes center stage in the liturgical readings, exhorting his followers to make way for a new day."

Um, yeah. What's next - will they add "Creeping Death" by Metallica, which sings about the Passover (believe it or not)?

Try as they might, too often when the Church tries to "be relevant" it just comes off as a little...lame.

Link: http://catholicsensibility.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/vatican-music-page-includes-tupac/

What the Hell, indeed.

No cartoon needed. Besides, any cartoon I'd come up with would be too offensive.

One second thought, think I'll skip the second collection

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has a good post about the upcoming Second Collection this Sunday for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).

I'll be skipping it, but I'm still a little miffed that my diocese is still collecting for this organization. If I was in Baltimore, or maybe Los Angeles, it wouldn't surprise me. But Harrisburg? Sheesh.

They should change the name to the Catholic Campaign for Human Destruction. A little truth in advertising, maybe?

Read more at :
http://hicatholicmom.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-weekend-cchd-collection-what-you.html

Obama and the American Soldier - 2009

If he's not going to help, then just get them out of there.

Holy Water Dispenser in the Age of Swine Flu

The Curt Jester has a post about someone apparently trying to come up with an automatic holy water font, to prevent people from pickup the creeping crud when dipping into the holy water. We could use a misting tent, like they do at summer picnics, or a good ol' water hose. Why not make it fun, and use a soda water dispenser like in those old Warner Brothers cartoons?

http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/2009/11/automatic-holy.php

Christmas hiatus

It's that time of year again. Despite the down economy, businesses are still sending out Christmas cards, thanks be to God. Of course, at some places they call them "Holiday Cards", but at Trade Greetings, Inc., it's Company Policy to call them what they are - CHRISTMAS CARDS.

Now, I understand that for some, political correctness is a way of life. I don't agree with it, but I understand it. As for me and my little company, it's Christmas. No other "holiday" even qualifies. I make Christmas Cards for companies to send out Christmas salutations during the Christmas Season.

I'll return in a month or so, and until then, I wish you all an early Happy Thanksgiving!

FAIL

So the Pope starts working on a large door to allow for truckloads of Anglicans to come on in. Welcome, welcome, welcome. But whenever conversion talk starts going on, Cardinal Kasper always seems to be ashamed that conversions take place.

He says : “We are not fishing in the Anglican lake; proselytism is not the policy of the Catholic Church.

Well, it certainly seemed to be the policy of Our Lord. Something about "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (for the politically sensitive, that includes women)

If Cardinal Kasper is head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, how exactly does he expect "unity" if not by conversion? And why does he seem so ashamed of the Faith of which he's a Authorized Representative?

Source: Catholic News Service
http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/cardinal-kasper-on-special-arrangement-for-former-anglicans/

RCIA in the Age of Obama

The Nobel Committee has officially sold their own prestige down the river with their preemptive awarding of the Peace prize to President Obama. Sheesh, if they wanted to honor an America-hating Peacenik, there are plenty of them who've done more than Obama, like maybe Tom Hayden, or Cindy Sheehan, or Jane Fonda.

Maybe the Committee is just trying to jump to the front of the line in the Obama Praise Department. Or, maybe they've just been watching too much MSNBC.

The [Catholic] Supreme Court?

David Gibson over at Politics Daily has a good article exploring the fact that, with the opening of the new term, fully 66% of the Justices are Catholic. (For those of you who went to public schools, that's 6 out of 9).

There are plenty out there who see this as a bad thing. This crowd is made up of the usual suspects - the nominal Catholics, the fallen-away Catholics, more than a few radical protestants, and unbelievers in general. And, as can be expected, their arguments center on the Big Two - abortion and homosexuality.

While the article is even-handed, Mr. Gibson does get one thing wrong. He states that the justices decided a case involving capital punishment, and then claims that the decision clashed with Church teaching on the issue (inferring that the Church doesn't allow for capital punishment).

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/04/a-catholic-court-let-the-arguments-begin/6#c22134352

Bishops & Health Care "reform"

From Catholic News Service:
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Though Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., concedes there's no political will in Washington to include illegal immigrants in health care reform, he believes it's the country's moral obligation to ensure that everyone in the nation receives proper medical care.

That includes those who enter the country illegally, he told Catholic News Service in mid-September.
-----------------------------------------------

The "big three" in the health care "reform" models are Abortion, Contraception, and Illegals. We don't want abortion funding. Well, tough, it'll be in there. We don't want contraception funding. Well, tough, it will be in there. We don't want illegals included. Well, tough, it will be in there.

The blind spot that the illegal cheerleader lobby has overlooked (willfully, I think), is that you won't be able to pick or choose from among the big three. By pushing for illegals to have access, the Bishops are aiding and abetting the expansion of abortion and contraception; Obama and the Democrats will not have a health care bill that doesn't include illegals, abortion, and contraception. That's the "big 3".

What the Bishops fail to realize is that by advocating a government takeover of health care, they're holding the door open for the very beast that will chew up Catholic healthcare and spit it out.

Read all about it at Catholic News Service:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0904223.htm

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Not that this is a complete list, but you get the idea. Take the poll and vote on which of these has had the worst effect on the Mass.

You say it like that's a bad thing...

Well, Fr. McBrien is up to his old (and getting older) tricks. This time, in his dissent-o-pulpit in the National Catholic Reporter, he said the following regarding Eucharistic Adoration:

"Eucharistic adoration, perpetual or not, is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward, not forward."

Gee, considering where the "forward-thinking" post-Vatican II types have been leading us for 40 years, maybe a step backward isn't such a bad idea.

But consider how, in this case, "reaching back to antiquity" is a bad thing. Yet when the dissenters want to trash the liturgy, they appeal to some old, long outdated practice as justification for their novelties.

So I suppose the only conclusion one can draw is this: that appealing to antiquity, in the dissenters eyes, is only a bad thing when it leads us closer to Christ.

Father Z gives McBrien his good-ol' RED LETTER treatment over at WDTPRS?:
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2009/09/nds-mcbrien-eucharistic-adoration-is-a-doctrinal-theological-and-spiritual-step-backward/

Obama - The New Schoolmarm

What Obama *didn't* say:
"Hi kids, it's me, your dear leader. I'm here to implore you to stick with school, so that you can become good citizens - plus, with all my entitlement programs, we're going to need many of you to foot the bill! So work hard, kids!"

Catholic Husbandry 101

Since Sunday's 2nd reading was on the controversial issue of wives submitting to husbands, maybe the USCCB should have this inserted into the missalette. This way, you could listen to the whole version of the reading without offending the feminists in the pews. Although, on second thought, they'd probably still be offended anyway, since there's really no placating them.

I've not heard of any Catholic Husband's group complaining that the shorter version only deals with how husbands should treat their wives, but I've heard that the Catholic Husbands United for Marital Peace (CHUMP) have held symposiums on the issue. ;o)~

Partners in Life and Death???

As you've probably heard, Obama had the gall to proclaim that "...we are partners with God in matters of life and death".

Wow.

First, I'm wondering who the "we" are. The Government? Obama himself? Who's "we"?

If Heaven were to ever issue an "Oh, B.S.!" memo, this would HAVE to be the time.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09082014.html

Robert Novak, RIP

I came of age politically in the 80's watching him hold forth on The McLaughlin Group. My favorite political observer/writer. May God rest his soul.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-08-18-novak-death_N.htm

LCWR celebrates the Year of the Priest (not)

In this Year of the Priest, many parishes and dioceses make mention of it on their websites and have special emphasis on appreciating everything these men do for the flock. Being the type of guy I am, I wondered "Hey, I wonder what the LCWR has to say about it?". Naturally, there doesn't appear to be any special mention of it on their website (big surprise!).

Then I read the article in the NC Reporter about their big Nag-Fest in New Orleans. Doesn't seem like they're too thrilled with it. It's bad enough that the big, bad ol' Catholic Church keeps women "down", but then to celebrate it with a special Year for Priests? AND actually have the gall to investigate the LCWR???? For heaven's sake, I'm surprised they didn't invite in some Muslims to assist them in burning the Pope in effigy.

The comments following the article are good for comical relief, too. Have a gander:
http://ncronline.org/news/women/under-fire-women-religious-leaders-gather-new-orleans

LazyBoy Liturgy

Ah, it's good to be back from the beach (not).

But in any event, I stumbled upon a post by The Reverend Father, Daren J. Zehnle, who is Parochial Vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Illinois.

Apparently, he's recently given a homily whereby he touched upon attire at Mass. He posts a few of the responses in the comment box. It's funny to read some of the reasons for being "laid back" in the attire department. I'm sure we've all seen and heard these reasons before.

Father Zehnle handles it well, it appears, and with good humor, and looks to gently guide his flock in the proper direction. Best of luck to him!

http://dzehnle.blogspot.com/2009/08/writers-block-unblocked.html

And for more, check out Denise Hunnell's column in the DC-Area Examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-9452-DC-Catholic-Living-Examiner~y2009m8d11-Catholic-Living-101-What-should-you-wear-to-Mass

If you build it, they will tear it down...

Inspired by a comment in the ComBox of the last cartoon, here's the Pope doing what he can to rebuild some Tradition into the Church. Of course, every time that he does, you see the uproar and disdain from those committed to a "new Church", which claims a history only as far back as 1968.

Recently we saw the uproar over the whole SSPX/Holocaust issue. As though someone who thinks a certain way on a particular issue can't possibly be allowed in the Church. And, to be clear, I certainly wouldn't deny the Holocaust. But if someone wants to deny it, or take issue with the # of people lost, I figure, hey, it's a free world.

But the uproar that it created, both on the theological Left and Right, was just too over the top, when you consider that we have things like this =====> http://www.stbernadette.org/teenhaven.htm going on in parishes that are considered more "in communion" with Rome than an SSPX parish.

There are parishes like this all over the country, but I don't see anything being done about it. The silence, or in some cases, outright endorsement of this sort of thing by dioceses and Archdioceses (in this case, Baltimore), makes the uproar over Bishop Williamson seem hollow.

Parishes like this St. Bernadette's are "in communion". But an SSPX isn't. Wow.

Thou Shalt Not Kneel...

I've read in a couple of places (most recently Portugal), that some dioceses or individual parishes are mandating communion in the hand, to combat the spread of the Swine Flu. In some areas, to me, that sounds reasonable, especially if they also suspend the Sign of Peace (Portugal). I know in my own parish, during flu season, the priest will invite us to give one another a "nod" instead of pressing the flesh and back slapping one another.

Maybe it's just the cynical side of me, but doesn't it seem like (yet) another backdoor way to mandate communion in the hand altogether?

This is how the destroyers of the Faith work. They seize on any opportunity to make it work towards their ends.

First, communion in the hand was introduced. Then, after the horses were out of the barn, it was approved.

Then, when Tradition begins to push back, they mandate standing as the "norm" to receive communion. Was there really some need to mandate standing? Other than spite?

Will communion in the hand be mandated soon, based on some backdoor "need"? Naturally, they'd say "Well, we understand those who like to receive on the tongue, but due to (insert excuse here), we need to have everyone receive in the hand.

Here's a link to an article (I don't know anything about the writer, so don't take this as some sort of endorsement. It appears to be just a general Catholic column):

http://catholicism.about.com/b/2009/05/02/swine-flu-and-communion-in-the-hand.htm

Half-Pint Pygmy (1948)

Now here's a truly weird cartoon even by Tex Avery's standards. "Half-Pint Pygmy" (release date: 8/17/1948) is one of Avery's less known and rarely seen works, and it marks the fourth and final appearance of George and Junior.
These characters inspired by George and Lennie from John Steinbeck's depression-era novel "Of Mice and Men" have previously appeared in three very good and entertaining cartoons:

• Henpecked Hoboes (1946)

• Hound Hunters (1947)

• Red Hot Rangers (1947)


Then for some unknown reason, Avery decided to take away nearly all of George and Junior's specific traits. The relationship between characters in "Mice and Men" style has almost completely vanished. The voices were changed too. Most significantly, Irv Spence's excellent and very funny character design was scraped in favor of a new design by Louie Schmitt that depicts George and Junior as relatively bland and generic cartoon bears.

Tex Avery's best cartoons are brilliantly structured and constructed, but "Half-Pint Pygmy" plays almost as an abstract collection of random crazy gags that barely have a connection with each other. There's an odd and somewhat detached feeling about it that I don't have when watching any other Avery's MGM cartoon. However, there are many positive things to recommend about "Half-Pint Pygmy". The animation is top notch, with some especially nice and clear examples of anticipation (if there's interest, I'll post a more complete series of screenshots for some of these scenes). Also, many of the gags are very inventive, unusual and bizarre. In a way, this might be one of the ultimate chase cartoons.

Due to heavy racial stereotypes, this cartoon has been banned from TV for the last few decades, and it was also omitted from French Tex Avery DVD box set (together with "Uncle Tom's Cabana").

Here's a selection of screenshots, taken from "The Compleat Tex Avery" laserdisc box set:





























Does this fugitive from Wackyland look familiar to you? Yup, that's the bartender from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".


















































And that's the end of George & Junior. They joined Screwy Squirrell in cartoon Heaven (or Hell). A moment of silence, please... :)

Finally, here's a whole cartoon in the best quality version that can be currently seen on the net (at Spike.com website):