Where do you get your NEWS from?

It has been awhile since I have blogged.  I have been busy and outside as much as I can, now that winter and our rainy Spring is over.  It is now one of the first days of summer and like everyone else I am looking forward getting together with Family and Friends.  In my family each year we look forward to the "Gatherin' at the River"... the St. Lawrence River that is.  Each year on, or very close to July Fourth, my Mom, my 7 brothers and sisters, their Families, and their families, Friends and others get together at my sister's summer Home on the St. Lawrence River near Clayton, NY.  For those of you not familiar with that area; it is the Thousand Islands Region and only about 8 miles from the 'Thousand Islands Bridge'.  In early June my sister Mary usually asks me to send out the yearly NEWS BULLETIN about the 'Gatherin'  Most people get it by email, others by snail mail, and yet others by the good old fashioned 'word of mouth' ... I like the personal touch myself.  Unfortunately many people are not real good about returning RSVPs, so i wonder... did they get the news?  I KNOW i sent it to them!  I know Ido my best to make sure to TELL them what's happening! Did they think it was junk mail?  Did they just not want to bother?  HOW do they get their other news?  DO they expect me to call their local TV and radio stations to send them a personal LIVE invitation?  Oh well... hopefully the 'word of mouth' thing still works well enough.  They all know that I send these 'invites' out!  Its been happenin' for YEARS! Are they just taking it for granted and not listening or reading my 'bulletins' any longer?

I'm beginning to feel like the Catholic Church.  No one is listening to me any more.  For so long, for CENTURIES, the Church has been the voice for Human Rights, social justice, Faith , and morality.  Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case any more.  NOW we let CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, and ABC and the rest of our politically charged MEDIA to be the 'go to guys' for ALL of our Information.  No longer do we look to the Church for direction or context ... we look to the pundants, Politicians, and OUR FAVORITE TV NEWs 'PERSONALITIES' for what ever we think is relative.  The key word there, is RELATIVE.  WHERE do you get your news from?  DO you watch only a certain Channel for ALL your news,  Do you ever watch or read opposing Views or Networks?  Most of us TRY to do that -ocassionally.  We read and watch the 'republican slanted', or the liberal slanted, or the Democratic slanted, or the Conservative slanted, papers, magazines, and news shows.  BUT, do you every look to news sources with the view from YOUR 'Church's Slant'?  IF NOT, WHY NOT?  I would say 95% or more do not- EVER! Do you think I'm right?  Do you as a Catholic know what 'Zenit' is?  How about CNS? How about 'The World Over Live'?  Do you know what your own Diocesan Newspaper is called?  The Diocese of Ogdensburg's paper is called 'The North Country Catholic'.

Right now in NY State our Legislature is debating, scheming, discussing, lobbying, and ordering it's members to consider legalizing Same Sex Marriage as a Gay Right or Human Rights Issue.  I just heard it WILL be coming up for a Vote, probably tomorrow.  I am sure you have heard.... it's been on EVERY NEWS channel!  MOST, if not ALL those channels, except ETWN, not only support Legalizing Gay Marriage... they are SILENCING anyone who might oppose it!  What these Network Media stations are not telling you is the slurs, the insults, the lies and yes... even the Death threats that Senators opposing this legislation are receiving right along with any MINISTER, Priest, Bishop, or Cardinal that might also speak out against it.  They are told that they as 'Chruch' should not FORCE their VIEWS on the rest of society.  YET, they do not recognize that 75 to 80% of New Yorkers do NOT support this legislation AT ALL!  They don't tell us this for one reason only.  They want to JAM their views down the throats of every New Yorker that holds the same definition of Marriage as all of humanity has for the past 6 thousand years or more.  Even the Natural laws of our great universe defines, supports and AFFIRMS that male and female are the building block of society.  Male and Female coming together as one to create a FAMILY.  NOT a man and man, not a woman and woman.  The Church has taught ONLY what has been known in the hearts and minds of EVERY HUMAN that ever Lived.  Marriage is between one man and one woman. ONLY with this combination can we build the BEST home for the CHILDREN of society. IT is this ONE COMBINATION of  HUMANs and ONLY this combination that is capable of creating a FAMILY which is the first, and most basic unit of our Society! If you believe in God... our FIRST CHURCH.

Tell me, have you every heard words like this on ANY one of the Network TV Channels? (other than EWTN's "World Over Live" news program?)  This explanation or Blog that i have written here, about Same Sex Marriage is VERY basic.  THERE will be COUNTLESS RAMIFICATIONS should this legislation be enacted.  Have you REALLY done your homework on this SUBJECT?  OR have you just been listening to what your FRIENDS say, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR FAVORITE NEWS ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY, or Network has told you.  WHAT are your sources?  WHO is behind them?  WHO are their SPONSORS?  WHY do they sponsor them?  WHAT other programing does that Network have?  What do they 'preach' on their stations.  EVERYONE has an ANGLE... EVERYONE!  EVEN the CHURCH!  UNFORTUNATELY... they, the CHURCH, doesn't have the best connections in the MEDIA here in the USA.  And EWTN... well, lets face it.  Only People like me, that are labeled 'holy rollers' watch shows like 'The World Over Live', because I WANT TO KNOW ALL POINTS OF VIEW.  And guess what... EWTN and the COUNTLESS... CATHOLIC NEWS OUTLETS On the INTERNET and in PRINT are MUCH MORE OBJECTIVE and FACTUAL than FOX, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and NBC will ever be!  IF you have never looked at the World, the US, your State, or you City through the lens of a Christian news source... you are NOT WELL INFORMED.  IF you CLAIM to be a CHRISTIAN... then you need to BE one!  EVERY network and media station knows all the important 'CHRUCH NEWS' websites and they watch them closely!  DO YOU?!  They watch them so they can counter them and marginalize them, or just plain lie to you about them, so they can convince you of their veiw on subject to meet their own politically charged agendas.  IF you have never looked at 'Zenit' or CNS (Catholic News Service) or the countless other CHRISTIAN NEWS sites... you are NOT well informed.  I CHALLENGE you to take the time... FREQUENTLY... to look at your Church's newspapers and Media Outlets.  YOU WILL see a different twist on almost EVERY GIVEN SUBJECT... but it will be the MOST PLAIN, OBJECTIVE, and SENSIBLE news you'll ever read. PLEASE give it some thought won't you?  Pray about it as well?

I would be AMISS, if I did not caution you about SOME of the Christian Websites out there.  Some are "a little TOO out there"...even for me.  :-)  So, please check out your own Church's websites... IF you are NY Catholic... that would be Zenit, the USCCB, NYSCC, CNS, EWTN, Catholic Online, ...  ALL the big ones.  Go to your church's website and read around to see who they use as news sources.  Check out their 'Links Page'.  Chances are... you will find the better ones referenced.  FINALLY... SUBSCRIBE to your own Diocese's NEWSPAPER... IF you are a NORTHERN NY CATHOLIC... that would be the North Country Catholic at: http://northcountrycatholic.org/  Don't just visit and use their website! SUBSCRIBE AND SUPPORT YOUR Church's PAPER.

Till Next time, May God Bless you and Keep you,
Blogger Bill.

LIBERAL CATHOLICS = PROTESTANTS

I have recently been seeing and hearing far too many Catholics who are constantly gripping about Rome and its antiquated approach to the modern age.  So often in their ‘new’ and ‘enlightened’ way of thinking, liberal Catholics believe the Church and Our faith need to conform to the current human condition of our modern society.  They believe the Church’s Magisterium are backward and out of touch.  Yet, these same people who feel they are far more educated and enlightened by their personal opinions and knowledge are blinded to the fact that the Church has been around for 2000 years and is still the oldest most successful organization on the face of the earth.  There is only one REASON for that!  THAT cannot happen without the ability to change what is needed, and KEEP what is important! This fact alone confirms that the Magisterium and the Pope know what they are doing is right.  DON’T MESS WITH SUCCESS!

So here, I would like to address my fellow Catholics who do nothing but complain about Rome and the Magisterium.  Please understand that the Church is still here because Christ commissioned her to Preach, Keep and Protect the Christian Faith.  HE promised to keep the ‘evil one’ from overcoming it.  He also promised to send the Holy Spirit as Her permanent Guide.  I ask you my fellow liberal Catholics, who should I as a faithful catholic, follow?  YOU and your ‘withering grass-like’ whims and fancies or the  TRUE and TIME-TESTED Apostolic Faith directed by the Magisterium who HAS the Holy Spirit as their Personal Guide?  YOUR enlightened brains SHOULD tell you that it is a NO-BRAINER!  I will follow Pope Benedict XVI and the rest of the Magisterium in all matters of Faith and Morals.  Although I know, I have, and may again fail to do so, I CONTINUALLY THANK GOD for his faithfulness to OUR CHURCH and her Magisterium.  Without their guidance and direction, we would be much worse off than we find ourselves today.  The ‘enemy’ has been working OVERTIME, trying to destroy us from within.

I know that as Catholics we should be patient with our brothers and sisters of the faith.  However, many of us have been hinting and coaxing them to get in step with Rome for years.  NOW, it’s time to either NOT SPARE THE ROD, LEST WE CONTINUE TO SPOIL THE CHILDREN, or tell them to MOVE ON to their own denomination just as ‘Luther’ did.  I still pray that all may be one, but for now… if you do not LIKE the Heat in this kitchen, DON'T LET the DOOR HIT YOU IN THE BEHIND on YOUR WAY OUT!  IT is time for ALL CATHOLICS who support Rome and the Magisterium to stand up and be counted.  CLEAN out the CHURCH and get ALL the heretics out!  They do not want to listen and are just RUINING the CATHOLIC FAITH for the rest of us here in the USA.  Pray for ‘conversion’ and get BACK in line with Rome, or move on!

When they leave as I once did, they will see and discover the ERRORS of their ways.  I am SURE the Church will be there to welcome them back with open arms.  Let them go and see why so many of us (and me PERSONALLY) realize why the Roman Catholic Church is TRULY the ONE PLACE where you will find the FULLNESS of FAITH, as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit intended!  AS those who crucified our Lord; those who oppose and persecute 'Rome' don’t know what they are doing!  THEY do not understand the JEWEL they have in the ROMAN Catholic Faith.