Ever hear the joke about the Polish Pope...

Ever here the joke about the Polish Pope, who thought he could conquer the Iron curtain with no divisions, no armoryies, just simply real CHRISTIAN HOPE?

Well folks its no joke, John Paul II really did conquer the Iron Curtain.

It looks like B-16 (da Bomber if you will) is looking to repeat the performance in Africa:
Media missing 'true story' of Pope advancing hope in Africa, local leaders say (CNA)
Just like Pope Wojtyla was not recognized when the walls literally came tumbling down in Poland and across eastern Europe in 1991-2, but has since been recognized for being decisive (as some historians say) in this process, I think the same case perhaps can be made for Africa. Just a thought...

Papa Wojtyla knew a simple truth, history is not changed by "being popular," but be attracting people to the "splendor of truth." Benedict is not popular in the mainstream media, and perhaps this is the best sign for the long term.

New Attack on Apostolic Nunciature in Venezuela; Head Synagogue Also Vandalized

from Zenit:

New Attack on Apostolic Nunciature in Venezuela; Head Synagogue Also Vandalized

CARACAS, Venezuela, FEB. 5, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Three teargas bombs were thrown at the apostolic nunciature in Caracas, in the seventh attack against this diplomatic see, and the second in less than 15 days.

According to a communiqué from the nunciature, on Wednesday several unidentified men on motorcycles threw "three devices, of which two fell and exploded in the exterior area of the property, and the third fell and exploded in the interior patio of the diplomatic see."

The nunciature described the act as one of vandalism and irresponsibility, and authorities were called on to "take the needed measures so as to guarantee the security and safety of the diplomatic mission and its personnel, as is established by the Vienna Convention."

Several attacks by pro-government groups have taken place since a student leader Nixon Moreno, who opposes President Hugo Chávez, was given asylum at the nunciature. The most recent attack, with five teargas bombs, happened last Jan. 19.

Wednesday's incident comes just a few days after the Venezuelan bishops' conference released a statement denouncing an attack against the principal synagogue of Caracas.
On Jan. 31, 15 unidentified people broke into the synagogue, destroyed objects for worship, and left anti-Israel graffiti.

The statement of the bishops, published Wednesday, expressed their "consternation and sorrow at the violation of the sacred space and the profanation of the religious symbols most dear to the Jewish religion."

It asserted that this event "is far from the spirit of tolerance and welcome that is traditional for the Venezuelan people."

Where'd the Catholics go?

The child's father and Mother were amazed at what was said of him [Jesus], and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his Mother, "Behold this child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted, and you, yourself, a sword will pierce, so the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

Gospel kata Luke, 2:33-5

Contrary to long standing custom there are no Catholic clerics, priest or bishops invited to participate in the ceremonies or festivities surronding the inauguration of our new president. Should not Catholics be represented in some capacity if Mr. Obama is going to unit the country as he promised? We are after all the single largest religion in the country.

Considering the long standing custom, such an omission is not an accident. This omission is meant to exclude Catholics from having an official voice at the inauguration (Mr. Kmiec is not the official voice of the Church), in short at this important and historic event of our nations history, Catholics are being discriminated against.

What has the new president to fear? It is almost certain that any bishop invited to speak would almost certainly discuss the dignity of every human being. This would be too much of a sign of contradiction for the Obama-era.

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions: the "persecuted Church"

The martrydom of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, martyr and faithful witness, received into the bosom of Christ on this day in 1839

Christ was persecuted during his life on earth, and so the body that extends the life of Christ on earth, the Catholic Church, must also experience persecution. This has happened from the crucifixion, through the stoning of St. Stephan, through the killing of Christians in Rome, from those times up through our own times. One only needs to look at the persecuted Christians in Iraq, the Holy Land, India, and China to make this point clear.

Today’s saint highlights the witness that Christians make to the radical newness and the radical change that Christ brought to the world. Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions provided the ultimate witness to the truth of about Christ before their fellow country-men between the years of 1820 and 1862. They were among some of the first Catholics in Vietnam. These martyr-witnesses includes the namesake of this feast, a priest by the name of Andrew Dung-Lac, but families, normal men and women (even a nine year old girl) who gave the ultimate to be faithful to Christ.

As the United States bishops stated after a visit to the Church in Vietnam in January of 1989:

The Church in Vietnam is alive and vigorous, blessed with strong and faithful bishops, dedicated religious, and courageous and committed laypeople.... The Church in Vietnam is living out the gospel in a difficult and complex situation with remarkable persistence and strength.

The Church is feed by the blood of martyrs as the early Fathers used to say, and so She is still feed by Her martyrs as the vigor of the Church in Vietnam bears witness to in these days.

Let us take strength from the courageous example that Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions showed in the face of persecutions. Let us bear faithful witness as Christians in our public life, so that we too can bring new life and renewed vigor to the Church in the United States. What we can be the blessing of courageous and committed lay people, helping the Church live out the gospel in the complex times we live in.

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions...

…Pray for Us!

Mary, Queen of All Martyrs…

…Pray for Us!

Christ, King of All!

Christ the King, from an altar in Ghent, artist: Jan van Eyck

It has been an "open-secret" that when Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925 in the Encyclical, Quas Primas, he was doing so for very political reasons. He wanted to illustrate to points: (1) to provide a vivid example of proper government, and (2) to show that government had necessary limits that it could not step beyond. He was not endorsing one political system over another, nor was he endorsing one candidate over another. He was simply highlighting the role of government in relation to other intermediate powers.

The historical context of Quas Primas is Europe between the two world wars. In Russia Papa Pio is seeing the rapid transformation of the Soviet Union into the world’s first totalitarian state under the dictatorship of Josef Stalin. In Germany he can see the incompetence of the Wiemer Republic. In Italy he faces the rise of Mussolini. In many places in the world he is seeing the expansion of atheistic communism and totalitarian-fascism.

Christ the King as depicted in the Cathedral of Wheeling in West Virginia

Neither of these two systems were good forms of government. They subjected their people from their proper roles as citizens, to the subservient role of servants to the powers of the state. Papa Pio accurately fore-told that this would lead to a rapid erosion of personal and human rights, and also to some the catastrophe of Western Civilization we now call World War II and the Holocaust.

These consequences were inevitable, since they denied the basic truths about man: (1) that each person has an inherent dignity that ought not to be violated, (2) that the rights of each person are inherent, especially life – liberty – and the pursuit of happiness, and they cannot be dissolved by the state, and (3) that these ends are to be promoted by the state. In short the state properly exists to promote the temporal and moral well-being of humanity, and both communism and fascism reverses, reducing man to an instrument of the greatness of the state.

Papa Pio wished to counter this by the example of Christ as King. As Saint Irenaeus writes, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” The Kingship of Christ was meant to glorify man and prepare him for eternal life. Papa Pio wished that this serve as an analogous model for the “kingdom of the world” that there glory be found in supporting the full dignity of its citizens.