Given the level of interest here at Vox Nova regarding Rev. John Hagee’s controversial endorsement of Senator John McCain, I thought I would republish a post of mine from Southern Appeal and RedState here at Vox Nova, which y’all can read below the fold. Read the rest of this entry »
On McCain and Hagee
March 13, 2008
50 Comments | 
Alexham, Feddie, McCain, Politics | 
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Alexham has left the building
March 7, 2008I don’t want to make a big deal of this, but I thought Vox Nova’s readers might be interested in reading this post of mine from Red State.
“Fathers and Sons”
February 26, 2008Os Guinness lays the smackdown on Frank Schaeffer’s “Crazy for God.”
1 Comment | 
Alexham, Uncategorized | 
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2008 Catholic Blog Awards
January 29, 2008Here are the details.
I am not saying who y’all should vote for, mind you. I just thought some of our readers might want to participate in the process.
O.k., I am just kidding. You really should vote for us. More importantly, you should vote for me. If for no other reason than to make Morning’s Minion shake his head in disbelief, and send Michael I. completely over the edge. :)
16 Comments | 
Alexham, Catholic Blog Awards | 
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No one is proabortion? Really?
January 29, 2008
17 Comments | Abortion, Alexham | Permalink
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A day to remember a moral and judicial abomination
January 22, 2008Thirty-five years ago today, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Roe v. Wade that a woman has a constitutional right to kill her unborn child. There is much I could say about Roe, which I believe is, hands down, the worst judicial decision in the history of our constitutional republic. But for today, I will hold my tongue.
Instead, I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the foot soliders in the pro-life movement; many of whom will brave the cold today to stand up for a “Culture of Life” in this country. God Bless you all. Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless; for being people who are willing to defend the most vulnerable members of our society. It is a call that we all should heed. As Pope John Paul the Great once remarked:
The inviolability of the person, which is a reflection of the absolute inviolability of God, finds its primary and fundamental expression in the inviolability of human life. Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination . . . The human being is entitled to such rights in every phase of development, from conception until natural death, whether healthy or sick, whole or handicapped, rich or poor . . . [Moreover, if,] indeed, everyone has the mission and responsibility of acknowledging the personal dignity of every human being and of defending the right to life, some lay faithful are given particular title to this task: such as parents, teachers, healthworkers and the many who hold economic and political power.
And to that, all I can add is: Amen.
6 Comments | Abortion, Alexham | Permalink
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Neuhaus on Cardinal O’Connor and Pope John Paul the Great
January 18, 2008I love this beautiful and funny vinette from Father Neuhaus, and simply had to share it with y’all:
Let me stop with a story. One ordinarily does not repeat in public what the pope says in private conversation, but I asked and John Paul gave me permission to tell this one. When during the O’Connor years I had occasion to meet with the pope, he would always ask, “How is Cardinal O’Connor?” And I would always say that Cardinal O’Connor is flourishing and is an inestimable gift to the Church. One time I went on to say, “You know what Cardinal O’Connor said the other day, Holy Father?” “No,” he answered. “What did Cardinal O’Connor say?” “Cardinal O’Connor said that he gets up every morning and prays that he will go to bed that night without having discouraged any impulse of the Holy Spirit. Now isn’t that a beautiful thing for a bishop to say?” A pause of several seconds. “Yes,” said the pope, “that is a beautiful thing for a bishop to say. I told him that.”
John Cardinal O’Connor. John Paul the Great. I think about them, I thank God for them, I talk with them, every day.
And all the people said: Amen!
9 Comments | Alexham | Permalink
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“Strangers in a Strange Land”
January 17, 2008If you don’t read anything else today, please read this excellent post by my RedState co-blogger, Leon H. Wolf, regarding the GOP establishment’s disdain for Southern Evangelicals.
6 Comments | Alexham, Politics | Permalink
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On Huckabee, Catholics, and listening to Alexham
January 8, 2008Dear Governor Huckabee,
Remember when I told you not to do this?
Well, this is what happens when you don’t listen to me.
Time to mend some fences, I’d say.
6 Comments | Alexham, Politics | Permalink
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“Huck’s win and the Revenge of the SoCons”
January 4, 2008Here is my post from last night over at RedState on, inter alia, the implications of Governor Huckabee’s big win in Iowa.
5 Comments | Alexham, Politics | Permalink
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My vote for “Death State”
December 28, 2007Say it with me, MM, “one of these things is not like the other.”
19 Comments | Abortion, Alexham | Permalink
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Getting back to first principles
December 13, 2007I thought Vox Nova’s readers would be interested in reading my latest front-page post over at RedState.
9 Comments | Alexham, Economy, Life, Politics | Permalink
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“The Pope condemns the climate change prophets of doom”
December 12, 2007Take that, Al Gore. :)
Update: My co-blogger Henry thinks the article I’ve linked to is badly misrepresenting the substance of the Holy Father’s speech (and others agree with him), and in some respects I agree. That having been said, it still seems to me that Pope Benedict XVI is warning folks like Al Gore to quit overhyping the issue. Here’s the money quote:
It is important for assessments in this regard to be carried out prudently, in dialogue with experts and people of wisdom, uninhibited by ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions, and above all with the aim of reaching agreement on a model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances.
Now, who do y’all think the Holy Father is referring to here? The skeptics? Come on.
Update II: Here’s a news report that may be of interest to some of my co-bloggers and Vox Noa’s readers given the comments to this post.
55 Comments | Alexham, Global Warming, Pope Benedict XVI | Permalink
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More on NRLC’s endorsement of Fred!
November 13, 2007Erick Erickson has the details over at RedState.
14 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Politics, Pro-Life | Permalink
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Who we are instead
October 24, 2007I thought Vox Nova’s readers would be interested in reading this post of mine at RedState, where I address the ever-widening rift in the Republican Party between social conservatives and fiscal/foreign-policy conservatives.
Enjoy!
18 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Culture of Death, Culture of Life, Politics | Permalink
Posted by alexham
Catholics Against Rudy Petition
October 19, 2007The good people at Catholics Against Rudy sent me an email tonight announcing that they now have a petition folks can sign if they’re interested in publicly opposing Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s bid for the GOP presidential nomination.
I plan on signing it, and I hope that many of you will as well.
6 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Culture of Death, Politics, Pro-Life | Permalink
Posted by alexham
Reason No. 457,987 to never send your child to a government school
October 16, 2007Chalk up another “victory” for the Culture of Contraception.
10 Comments | Alexham, Contraception, Education | Permalink
Posted by alexham
Archbishop Raymond Burke on Canon 915, and denying communion to proabortion pols
October 16, 2007Ed Peters has the details.
Suffice it to say, I am with Archbishop Burke on this one.
3 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Bishops, Canon Law | Permalink
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“Proportionate reasons”
October 13, 2007In a recent post of mine, Morning’s Minion offered the following comment:
I’m afraid Alex, well intentioned as he is, simply does not understand what proximity to the evil act means. Voting for a politician who supports abortion when you clearly do not share that intention, and when that politician’s influence on the actual incidence of abortion is strictly limited, is perfectly licit. The non-negotiability applies to the specfic act of directly-procured abortion itself, and formal cooperation with it, Especially given the circumstances in the US, the voter’s cooperation is of the remote material nature, nothing close to formal (assuming the intent is not there, of course). And yes, a voter’s assessment of the abortion issue does entail prudential judgment. Making a decision to vote for X because X will nominate judge Y who will overturn Roe v. Wade which will lower the abortion rate involves a number of steps that lie in the realm of uncertainty. It’s a valid position, but it’s not the only one.
Well, apparently, I am in pretty good company in my “misunderstanding” as to the meaning of “proportionate reasons.” Read the rest of this entry »
21 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Politics | Permalink
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“The Pragmatic Party of Death”
October 11, 2007Yet another excellent post by my good friend, Joe Carter, over at the Evangelical Outpost. Here’s a taste:
I am a political realist . . . Because I’m a political realist, I also believe that in the long run electing Rudy Giuliani will be even more detrimental to the pro-life cause than would a Hillary Clinton presidency . . . .
Giuliani supports abortion on demand, including partial birth abortion. He supports public funding of both abortion and embryo destructive research. Giuliani is unapologetically in favor of the right to end the life of the unborn. His position is almost indistinguishable from that of Hillary Clinton.
Anyone who thinks that Giuliani would disregard his deeply held commitment to abortion rights to placate a constituency who he despises doesn’t know the former Mayor of New York. He will relish sticking it to social conservatives, a group that will have done nothing to help him get elected. He will reason that his socially liberal positions will help win over enough Democrats to help him during his reelection efforts. And besides, if conservatives were willing to compromise and vote him in as the “lesser evil” in 2008, why would they do otherwise in 2012? Will the Democratic candidate be any better? Read the rest of this entry »
46 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Politics | Permalink
Posted by alexham
My thoughts on last night’s GOP debate
October 10, 2007I have a post up over at RedState re: last night’s Republican debate that may be of interest to some of Vox Nova’s readers.
In a nutshell, I think Rudy won, but I was also impressed with Fred Thompson’s performance.
You may wish to comment here though, as the RedState crowd is a bit riled up over my statement that I will not support Rudy under any circumstances.
35 Comments | Alexham, Politics | Permalink
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“Jimmy Carter’s Shamefully Ignorant Statement on Darfur”
October 9, 2007Eric Reeves takes aim at President Carter’s shameful statement that genocide has not taken place in Darfur. Here’s a taste:
Carter got one thing right–that there is a legal definition of genocide, embodied in the 1948 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide–but that’s it. The “atrocities” Carter refers to have included, over the past four and a half years, the deliberate, ethnically targeted destruction of not only African tribal populations, but their villages, homes, food- and seed-stocks, agricultural implements, and water sources. People die now in Darfur primarily because of this antecedent violence, directed against not only lives but livelihoods. Here, the Genocide Convention is explicit: You can commit genocide not only by “[k]illing members of [a] group” but also by “[d]eliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” The destruction in Darfur clearly meets that test.
11 Comments | Alexham, Darfur | Permalink
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America’s disgrace: Jimmy Carter
October 6, 2007According to President Carter, there is no genocide taking place in Darfur.
Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable.
There’s a great deal I would like to say, but blogging in anger is never a good idea, so I will refrain from commenting further for the time being.
Suffice it to say, President Carter is quite mistaken. The evidence that a genocide is taking place in Darfur is beyond dispute.
Please continue to pray for those suffering so greatly in Darfur. And may God have mercy on President Carter’s misguided soul.
Update: You can learn more about the genocide taking in place in Darfur here, here, here, here, and here.
62 Comments | Alexham, Darfur | Permalink
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“Robot Dance”
October 3, 2007O.k., I know this is a bit off topic, but I simply could not resist posting a link to Mastercard’s most recent “priceless” commercial.
Enjoy!
“This presidential campaign, Burke’s rebukes snare Giuliani”
October 3, 2007
20 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Church Doctrine, Politics | Permalink
Posted by alexham
“Take a stand, Fred”
September 17, 2007I am inclined to support Fred Thompson for president, but his answer to the “Schiavo question” is simply unacceptable.
Mr. Thompson, if you want to be the prolife alternative, then be the prolife alternative. Otherwise, I am voting for Huckabee or Brownback.
13 Comments | Alexham, Euthanasia, Politics | Permalink
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Zinger of the week
September 14, 2007Courtesy of Father Richard J. Neuhaus (from the latest First Things):
I see that Garry Willis has a new book out, What Jesus Meant. It purports to explain what Jesus meant to say and no doubt would have said had he the advantage of being Garry Willis.
Heh.
20 Comments | Alexham, First Things, Neuhaus | Permalink
Posted by alexham
“Pro-Life Group Passes IRS Exam After Pro-Abortion Groups File Complaints”
September 11, 2007To quote Nelson Muntz, “Ha! Ha!”
Comments Off | Abortion, Alexham, Culture of Death, Pro-Life | Permalink
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On pastoral sensitivity
September 11, 2007Stay classy, Cardinal Mahony.
(LvCC)
Update: Kudos to those willing to step up and help out the Santa Barbara nuns.
19 Comments | Alexham, Culture | Permalink
Posted by alexham
On putting prolife beliefs into action
September 10, 2007This is a welcomed trend in the prolife movement.
2 Comments | Abortion, Alexham, Life | Permalink
Posted by alexham
InsideCatholic.com
September 10, 2007A new Catholic website dedicated to discussing “faith. culture, and politics” is now and up and running. It’s called “InsideCatholic.com,” and is brought to you by the good folks at the Morley Institute.
It looks like a promising website, so check it out and let me know what you think.
16 Comments | Alexham, Culture, Faith, Politics | Permalink
Posted by alexham
Pope says abortion “not a human right”
September 7, 2007Reuters has this report:
Pope Benedict rejected the concept that abortion could be considered a human right on Friday and urged European leaders to do everything possible to raise birth rates and make their countries more child-friendly . . . .
“It was in Europe that the notion of human rights was first formulated. The fundamental human right, the presupposition of every other right, is the right to life itself,” he said in an address at the former imperial Hofburg Palace.
“This is true of life from the moment of conception until its natural end. Abortion, consequently, cannot be a human right — it is the very opposite. It is a deep wound in society” . . . .
1 Comment | Abortion, Alexham, Pope Benedict XVI, Pro-Life | Permalink
Posted by alexham
This past weekend
August 27, 2007Our parish is currently going through stewardship renewal, and this past weekend my wife and I had the honor of preaching the homily at all five Masses. It was exhausting, but rewarding. We had several people tell us that our remarks impacted them deeply, and that is always nice to hear.
Anyway, there are two (somewhat random) stories from this experience that I thought Vox Nova’s readers would get a kick out of hearing.
1. After the last homily we preached, a Baptist gentleman (who just married a Catholic and is getting ready to start RCIA classes) came up to me and said, “You may be a Catholic, but you preach as good as any Southern Baptist I’ve ever heard.”
A question for our protestant readers
August 27, 2007What is your understanding of the following passage from the Bible?:
For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction. You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. In every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
I am not trying to be divisive. I really am curious. Thanks in advance.
On Mother Teresa and the Christian Journey
August 25, 2007Of all the things said about Mother Teresa’s (now well publicized) periods of doubt, this is one my favorites (by a commenter at Get Religion, who blogs here):
While the secular press and even the writings of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta might indeed indicate some periods of doubt and disbelief on her part, the real truth of the matter is this: Teresa of Calcutta endured in her faith and offered people throughout the world the hope of Jesus Christ, despite a world of shattered peace and broken promises. She did this her entire life, it wasn’t always easy. It wasn’t always pleasant. It wasn’t always rewarding. However she never strayed from the message, the mission or the task. That’s why we hope and pray for her inclusion among the company of Saints. Even though she had reservations and doubts, she never stopped proclaiming her belief in the endless love of God’s infinite mercy.
We really need to recall not her doubts and spiritual pitfalls, but her legacy of success that will ultimately rank her among God’s saints.
Amen.
1 Comment | Alexham, Faith, Mother Teresa | Permalink
Posted by alexham
