The Opinium survey of 18-year-olds commissioned by the UK-based Institute for Public Policy Research paints a bleak picture of teenage life where 80% of young girls and boys said it was too easy to stumble across explicit images and videos on the internet. Almost half (46%) said the phenomenon of “sexting,” where people send explicit pictures of themselves to others, was “part of everyday life for teenagers nowadays.” And a majority said pornography was making life harder for adolescents. Two-thirds of girls and almost half of boys said it would be “easier growing up if pornography was less easy to access for young people.” 70% said watching porn was seen as normal among their classmates at school. One in 10 said it had become common among their peers by the age of 11. More than half (55%) said they had stumbled across images that made them “worried or uncomfortable” while surfing the internet. Just one in 10 told their parents about the episodes. Worst of all: almost half of boys (45%) said porn helped young people “learn about sex,” compared to just 30% of girls. Some 16% said their main source of information about sex and relationships was pornographic websites, with another 26% identifying the internet as a major source.
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45% of Boys Think Porn Helps You Learn About Sex
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Taylor Swift Sells Her Soul To Satan In Latest Music Video
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| What ever became of Taylor Swift? |
Proving once again that the Devil will go after anyone - regardless of racial, ethnic, social, economic, or educational background; latest case in point: the pornographically ugly music video for Taylor Swift’ single “Shack It Off.” Up until the last couple of years or so, Swift was the little goody-two-shoes media darling of the middle-America set, with a rather squeaky clean background and innocuous hits such as “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” In fact, Swift has some of the highest Q Ratings in the United States: public awareness (90%) and popularity (80%.) Q Ratings, used by media, marketing, advertising, and public relations industries, is one of the most influential cultural determinants in the US. Yet, despite her nouveau-Doris Day image, as of late, Swift has decided to push the sexual envelope, most recently serving as MC at a Victoria’s Secret “fashion” show. Now, like previous teen queens before her, notably Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, Swift has strategically gone porn in her latest outing: crawling beneath a line of twerking women, coiled snake amulet hanging around her neck, all the while looking up into someone’s private parts. Only, she is still one of those rare creatures who, despite dipping their toe into the cesspool of Hollywood filth, nevertheless seems to retain a bit of her innocence; i.e. in the tradition of Marilyn Monroe. But, that makes the video even more tragic: witnessing a woman being corrupted; and a twisted nation lapping it all up.
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My Catholic Alma-Mater Has Stadium Named After Pro-Gay Marriage and Pro-Abortion Politician
“Catholic” Bill Dodd is running for a seat in the California Assembly representing the 4thDistrict which includes Napa County where I live. Dodd switched parties in 2012, becoming a Democrat, and citing that the reason was the Republican’s stance on gay marriage: “He says the tipping point in his decision to switch parties was the debate over gay marriage and marriage equality;” (Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/14/6321248/endorsements-2014-krovoza-dodd.html) Just this year, he also spoke about his support for abortion: “I’ve supported women’s rights, particularly the right to choose. I have consistently supported marriage equality and equality for everybody…It’s these kind of values that absolutely make me a Democrat and why I switched;” (Read more here: http://www.davisvanguard.org/assembly-candidate-bill-dodd-talks-to-the-vanguard) Yet, a stadium, Dodd Stadium, at my Catholic alma-mater is named after Mr. Dodd. While this took place in 2008, before many of Mr. Dodd’s anti-Catholic beliefs were fully known; it is now time for Justin- Siena High School to remove Mr. Dodd’s name from the stadium.
Taken from The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: “Considerations regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.”
“If it is true that all Catholics are obliged to oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions, Catholic politicians are obliged to do so in a particular way, in keeping with their responsibility as politicians.”
“When legislation in favor of the recognition of homosexual unions is already in force, the Catholic politician must oppose it in the ways that are possible for him and make his opposition known; it is his duty to witness to the truth.”
Link to above:
Contact Justin-Siena High School:
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Day Of Reflection and Healing
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We were all blessed that Fr. Gary Sumpter of the Diocese of Santa Rosa served as chaplain for our Day of Reflection and Healing. There are few priests with the Courage to both speak the Truth on the issue of same sex attraction while being charitable to those who suffer with it. God Bless you Father.
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Renewal and Destruction
A few months ago, I visited my blessed Carmelite Monastery and took a photo of me with my favorite statue: St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus. When I got out of the gay lifestyle and the porn industry, I sat for hours in the little chapel and that statue (see: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2013/04/revisiting-past.html) always kept getting into my frame of view. Joseph, Joseph, Joseph - I kept seeing St. Joseph. I didn’t want to deal with him. For, ever since I was a little boy - I hated my name: people kept calling me Joey; it sounded so infantile and puny. Then, in a horrible turn of self-fulfilling prophecy, when I got into porn, I was named Joey; after my porn idol Joey Stefano. Now, all these years later, I was once again confronted with my name and my namesake. Slowly, I got to Love St. Joseph and recognized him for the pinnacle of masculine charity and manly caring that he is. After the earthquake, among the ruins and the fallen pieces of walls and ceilings and shattered statues, the St. Joseph statue was okay; though another one, just as beautiful, suffered terribly. I thought, as Christ walked the Way of the Cross for our sins, Joseph took a big hit for me.
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Joseph as My Protector Even in the Midst of Ruin
Like the Christ Child, I have placed my trust in St. Joseph. But, unlike Our Savior - I was not born into the perfect beauty of the Holy Family. For, at times in my life - I was hurt, deceived, and felt abandoned. It was hard to trust. Only, the Lord wanted what was best for me - so, he gave me His foster father as my guardian. And, as Joseph of The Old Testament did for his thankless and selfish brothers, St. Joseph did the same for me and many more: suffering, so that we could survive. And, St. Joseph endured much: having to witness the Son of God being born in a stable, being forced into exile, searching fearfully for the lost Jesus. Without him, where would our precious Christ have laid His head. In my own life, when I hated everything having to do with Catholicism - even my own name, Joseph remained steadfast. In the earthquake, he nonetheless remained - was battered in my place, so, again, that I may live.
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San Francisco, Earthquakes, and Demons
“Storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters ordinarily happen as a result of natural causes. Nonetheless, the book of Revelation does teach us that God, at the end of time, will allow a freer manifestations of the power of demons (see Revelation 13:13-14), even to the point of affecting the physical world…Once, I was praying for a lady who suffered from a demonic influence. Soon it began to rain, then hail, and the hail became gradually more intense. Then a strong storm wind began to buffet the church.” ~ Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea
The last few days have been personally marked by huge swings of elation and sadness: on Saturday (August 23, 2014) I hosted a very successful Day of Reflection for men with same-sex attraction at the Carmelite Monastery in Oakville; the next day - I was back there looking at the enormous devastation caused by the earthquakes. I started to wonder, if one event was connected to the other. For, I believe that the once wicked city of San Francisco, and the surrounding Bay Area, is at the threshold of a great Christian renewal: the instillation of three wonderful Bishops of the Church - Cordileone in San Francisco, Barber in Oakland, and Vasa in Santa Rosa; the success of many smaller Catholic schools; and the continuing efforts to further the cause of Life (especially at the annual SF Walk for Life.) Satan does not want to lose the new Sodom. As in the Litany of the Saints, it includes this appeal: “Lord, save your people…From the scourge of earthquake.”
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Gay Population in U.S. Significantly Less Religious
Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender are significantly less likely than non-LGBT Americans to be highly religious, and significantly more likely to be classified as not religious. These results are based on more than 104,000 Gallup Daily tracking interviews conducted between Jan. 2 and July 31, 2014, including 3,242 adults who identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Some of the major findings include: 26% of LGBT Americans attend religious services at least once a week as compared to 42% of non-LGBT respondents; religion is not important in the daily lives of more than half (51%) of all LGBT Americans compared with 34% of non-LGBT; the majority of gays identified as Protestant (35%,) followed by no-religious affiliation (33%,) then Catholic (20%.)
Author’s note: This sad state of affairs for my gay brothers and sisters has somewhat to do with doctrine, but also reveals much about the mind-set of homosexuals. While most are angered by the teachings of certain Christian denominations, particularly the Catholics, which condemn homosexuals acts as gravely sinful, many gays have already created their own set of deities upon the sexual pantheon: in gay male culture this is specifically symbolized by the worship of the masculine archetype; in the lesbian community its within the adulation of the fleshy nurturing mother goddess. For the most part, these cure-alls poured upon their wounded psyches have replaced any inner need for a greater power - as the fantasy promises happiness and healing on Earth.
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Saint Francis the Exorcist
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| St Francis (in prayer on left) send a Brother to expel demons from a city. |
Although the practice of Exorcism was not confined solely to clerics in the early-Church, since at least the third century, the Catholic Church formally ordained men to the minor order of Exorcist. The office of Exorcist was not a part of the sacrament of Holy Orders but as a sacramental was instead first conferred on those who had the special charism to perform its duties and later to those studying for the priesthood. By 1972, the minor orders were no longer bestowed individually, yet, in the revised Rite Of Exorcism from 1999, it states that local Bishops can appoint certain priests into a permanent position as “Exorcist.”
Remarkably, while not an ordained cleric, St. Francis of Assisi performed several exorcisms during his lifetime. The most noteworthy are recorded by his contemporary in the most authoritative “Life of St. Francis” by Thomas of Celano. The first instance seems to be the curing of a Franciscan Brother, who, during possession episodes, would fly up into the air. Following soon after, a man approached Francis and asked the Saint to free his wife from the devil. At this “exorcism,” Francis said to the demon possessing the woman: “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you in holy obedience, evil spirit, to go out of her and never dare to hinder her again.”* On another occasion, the mere sight of Francis caused the possessed to “tremble and roll about on the ground.”
From the writings of Celano, its clearly evident that Francis had a very acute gift of discerning spirits; and conversely, the spirits would recognize him. For example, concerning one Franciscan Brother, who was acting strangely, Francis said: “ I saw a devil...on the back of that disobedient brother, clutching him by the neck.” There are many such cases as these: Brothers who were tempted and troubled – being freed from their suffering by Francis; or Francis predicting the future evil actions of others. One famous episode took place in the city of Arezzo, where Francis saw numerous demons hovering about the town and stirring up the populous to civil war. In his stead, Francis commanded a particularly holy and worthy Brother to travel to the city and expel the demons – which he did.
There are numerous such stories from the Franciscan hagiography. And, most importantly, these occurrences are certainly not relegated to the past. For instance, I know of a very holy and kind American priest who has strikingly similar gifts to that of Francis: for, he once saw a rather ugly and menacing demon lingering about me not long after I left the porn industry. With the authority of Jesus Christ and His Church, the same priest expelled the demon from my presence – and it was never seen again. As, we must not forget – we often have Saints in our presence.
* I placed quotation marks around “exorcism,” because Francis did not perform an exorcism proper as described in The Ritual. For the most part, his casting out of the devil involved intense prayer by himself and the various brothers with him, words of admonition against the demons, and the power of his sheer physical presence.
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The Gay Media (with the help of Miley Cyrus) Pushes Pedophilia
“V Magazine,” edited by openly gay Stephen Gan, will publish a series of photographs created by LGBT icon Karl Lagerfeld, featuring pedophilia-chic images of singer Miley Cyrus. This is no surprise as “V” continually pushes the porn envelope with such pictorials as Kate Moss and Rihanna in various lesbian sex positions, Miranda Kerr channeling former porn queen Cicciolina in a naked layout, and perennial favorite cover girl Lady Gaga in various stages of undress. Only, this time, they tapped Miley Cyrus and placed her naked on top of numerous stuffed animals; her wearing a furry child-like peak-a-boo pajama turned one-piece. Being a former Disney child-star, the pedophilia references are none-too-subtle, nor are they masked behind a veil of high-fashion; it’s vulgar and crass – designed merely to shock and titillate. It once again reflects the porno-ization of American pop-culture, and in terms of the human costs: the loss of innocence for everyone – especially our children.
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Padre Pio: Super Satan Slayer
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| This statue of Padre Pio was the only object left still standing in my earthquake ravaged store. |
“I am in the hands of the devil who is trying to snatch me from the arms of Jesus. Dear God! What a war he is waging against me! There are moments in which I am on the point of losing my reason through the continual violence I must do myself. How many tears and groans, dear Father, I ascend up to heaven in order to be set free. But no matter, I will never tire of praying to Jesus.” ~ Padre Pio
I rarely go to see films anymore. There are so few choices, as the local mega-plex will show the same Marvel comic-inspired blockbuster simultaneously on several screens at once. And, for the most part, these super-hero movies, which are all they seem to make anymore, leave me completely uninspired. For, an exorcist priest once said when questioned about it: I do not watch pictures about diabolical possession; I live it. In some manner, I get it. I understand what he was talking about: because, the Lord saved me in such a dramatic way, and I have seen the workings of Jesus is so many lives, that these fictional characters appear all the more empty. Now, Padre Pio - he is heroic! But, we are increasingly living in a world that has abandoned God. And, Man, is still - despite his best efforts, a creature that needs and longs for the transcendent and the supernatural. This, reason being - is why pop-culture is obsessed with these types of diversions. Mankind is collectively searching for a God. Well, I found Him; or, more precisely - He found me.
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Masculinity Through Chastity
“Chastity does indeed reside in the soul as its subject, though its matter is in the body. For it belongs to chastity that a man make moderate use of bodily members in accordance with the judgment of his reason and the choice of his will.” ~ St. Thomas Aquinas
“There is need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and undo the savage work of those who think that man is a beast.” ~ St. Josemaria Escriva
“It is often thought that continence causes inner tensions which man must free himself from…continence, understood integrally, is rather the only way to free man from such tensions. It means nothing other than the spiritual effort aimed at expressing the ‘language of the body,’ not only in truth but also in the authentic richness of the manifestations of affection.” ~ St. John Paul II
When I was a boy, most of my heroes were rather prodigious lotharios: Jack Tripper from “Three’s Company,” Roger Moore as James Bond, and Hugh Hefner. I thought that a free and unrestricted expression of male sexuality was what made you a man. Sex was something to be explored (as often as possible) and enjoyed; and that was it. The idea of curbing your desires, or bypassing an opportunity, was completely incomprehensible. Chastity was an unknown. In a very vague way, I understood that priests did not have wives or children – however, my awareness did not go beyond that. As far as I was concerned, being sexless was the sole punishment for children, the homely, and the handicapped. There was really no point of reference in which to observe or appreciate the chaste male.
In the teen-comedies of the 1980s, the plot was usually centered around someone losing their virginity; typically an unattractive nerdy male: “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Sixteen Candles,” and “Weird Science.” The curse of inexperience was viewed as a burdensome mark of embarrassment that needed to be discarded as soon as possible. Those who failed were seen as less than a man; or even homosexual. In the 1970s and afterwards, this false perception was intensified through the use of pornography. In those films, men were always sexually ready and willing. Yet, what the Saints have proposed is a very different view of man and what it means to be masculine: to be physically, psychologically and spiritually whole as a human and a sexual being; to rise above our purely animal instincts; and to experience what it truly means to be free.
To be continued…
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The Queen of Porn Lisa Ann Reveals the Evil Truth
In a recent interview, veteran porn star Lisa Ann (42) said this about growing old in the porn industry:
“You no longer get asked to be, like, your head in a toilet, smacked, spit on—something degrading that they might try to do to young girls because that’s what will sell. Poor things. You’ve got to earn your stripes…You’re in the trenches. You have to go through war so you can get to the other side and surrender.”
Tragic and true: Lisa Ann reveals how the porn industry is a trial to be endured, for those who dare to enter its dark passageways; greedily, it only rewards a handful with the stamina to survive. Luckily, for Lisa Ann, she has ridden the recent MILF wave in porn over the past few years; returning to the industry after a shorter stint as a porn newcomer in the 1990s; she left the business in 1997 for fear of AIDS. Now, she has replaced Nina Hartley as the unofficial grande-dame of porn: helping usher in new girls such as the astonishingly naive Belle Knox.
But, my experience, and history, has shown that a precious few, if any, really continue unscathed to reap the supposed rewards from the porn goldmine. For example, in 1999, just before I left San Francisco, I saw porn legend Marilyn Chambers perform at a downtown strip-club. During the show, I felt real empathy for her as half-cocked men loudly derided her sagging breasts and deflated bottom. Just before she died, Marilyn said “My advice to somebody who wants to go into adult films is: Absolutely not! It's heart-breaking. It leaves you kind of empty. So have a day job and don’t quit it.” More recently, former porn goddess Jenna Jameson has been plagued with a series of health and legal problems which have forever cast a shadow upon the glittery pinnacle she once seemingly stood upon; now, she is reduced to web-camming; once again revealing how shallow and transitory fame in porn truly is. When I was on the edges of the California porn scene, I met a former actress, then aged and strung-out, who was quickly descending into violent underground movies that bordered on snuff.
What’s left for many of these women is a sort of female vampirism, reminiscent of the virgin-blood-bathing Elizabeth Bathory, luring and grooming the new girls: Lisa Ann and Belle Knox, in their latest endeavor, were joined by the nearly embalmed Nina Hartley in a three-way sex scene. Again, Jenna Jameson, always honest in interviews to the point of reenacting her own self-confession, once said: “We all get paid kickbacks for finding gorgeous girls for films, so we’re always on the lookout for new talent…If I like a new discovery enough, I’ll even use her in one of my movies. Why give her away to someone else?”
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Chastity as the Integration of the Whole Man
“Chastity does indeed reside in the soul as its subject, though its matter is in the body. For it belongs to chastity that a man make moderate use of bodily members in accordance with the judgment of his reason and the choice of his will.” ~ St. Thomas Aquinas
The writings of St. Thomas Aquinas I have always found incredibly dense, and reading them often feels like getting lost within a medieval labyrinth: I know that it’s a worthwhile journey, but one that I would rather not make the strenuous effort to finish. Yet, here, when explaining the sexual urges, he is relatively clear: the willingness, or lack thereof, to abstain from sexual activity is greatly influenced by the body, but can only be regulated through reason; meaning a formed conscience will direct the free will. And, without God, the conscious cannot be formed and remains a purely instinctual driven reflex.
For example, when I was a young boy – I was completely uninformed, and in some cases misinformed. I thought that the sexual function was solely placed within my body for pleasure: I masturbated, it felt good, so I continued to do it; I looked at pornography, it made me feel good, so I continued to do it; when that became tiresome – I became sexually active with others, it felt good, so I continued to do it. During that time, I had very few complex thought processes which traveled through my mind. What ideas did enter my brain were all centered on how I could make this act more pleasurable, or what could I do different this time to make it more exciting than the last. What all this sex was doing to my mind, my body and my relationship with God, which was non-existent, I had no knowledge. For, sex was something almost separate from myself. It was something I did to get that rush of sensation. It took me to a place I wanted to go; but once I was there – it was over. And, then, I was fractured and desperately searching to make myself seemingly whole again.
Later, there came a time, when my body, and therefore sex, began to fail me: I couldn’t travel to my happy place any more. I was stuck; and trapped within a body that I really didn’t like anymore. In addition, my mind was going berserk; I lost all touch with myself. My parts all felt distinct and separated: my mind, body, and sexuality were drifting hopelessly around a dark space and I had no way to conjoin them. I was lost. Yet, beyond the desperation, I found myself – there was Hope within the promise of Christ Jesus. I saw this most firmly in His presence as the Jesus of Divine Mercy. Within His image were His Body, His Blood, and the Water of Salvation merging all together to pour down upon me and wash everything clean. At times, it felt like the Trinity. As a kid, I had a vague idea of what the Trinity was, saying In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as I entered the church, but I never paid it much mind and thought it all a bunch of meaningless ritual and posturing. Then, in my own restoration, I could simply understand: as my body, mind, and soul were healed and bound together through the Incarnation of Christ, so did the Trinity exist for all time. Christ had made me whole again, and made me into a true mirror of Himself. And, through Chasity, this state is perfected.
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Why Are American Men Obsessed with “Mommy” Porn?
According to free porn juggernaut PornHub: “Because Windows accounts for 85% of desktop searches…many of the top search terms we have found worldwide. Perennial pornstar favorites come out on top for Windows desktop searches. MILF superstar ‘Lisa Ann’ comes out top, followed by ‘Madison Ivy’, ‘Brandi Love’ and ‘Asa Akira’. Other terms like ‘mom’, ‘teen’, ‘massage’ and ‘milf’ round out the top searches.” This fact I have always found terribly disturbing: Why are so many men looking at “mommy” porn? Then, I realized that this phenomenon is analogous to the much older genre of “daddy” porn in gay culture. And, on this topic, I have written several blogs (see especially: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2013/03/gay-porn-unwittingly-reveals-cause-of.html) Therefore, if the same truisms that run through the gay male desire for “daddy” porn also relate to the heterosexual popularity of “mommy” porn, the causes are dramatically similar. Most telling, according to a 2013 Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, a record 40% (see graph) of all households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income for the family. The share was just 11% in 1960. Consequently, as the absentee or abusive father results in a later desire for resolution through “daddy” porn, the same goes for the absentee mother and her son. Yet, in “mommy” porn, there is not so much a longing for approval and cuddling as in “daddy” porn, but a more serious swerve towards violence and revenge: widely apparent in the traditional “mommy” porn plot of a younger man sadistically abusing the older woman. It’s a very sick way of working out the anger left over from childhood; but, because men, unlike women, seldom openly discuss their problems with family members or friends, instead, they attempt to self-restore themselves in the solitary pursuit of healing through porn.
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If Sex Is Your World...
“When we wish to call the passions by a common name, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special names, we call them passions. The passions are the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasure which comes from sexual passion, love of honor which gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance and pride of position, the craving to adorn oneself with luxurious clothes and vain ornaments, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancor and resentment, and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead…Someone has said of the Saints that while alive they were dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh.
See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world, and how far you are dead to it.” ~ St. Isaac the Syrian
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Joseph Sciambra to Speak in Napa - CA
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New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Goes Gay
Organizers of New York City’s St. Patrick's Day Parade said they will no longer ban gay groups from marching in the annual event. The parade committee said that a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender support group, would be marching up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue as a contingent in the parade March 17, 2015. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the 2015 grand marshal, offered parade organizers “confidence and support.” According to a statement from Dolan: “My predecessors and I have always left decisions on who would march to the organizers of the individual parades. As I do each year, I look forward to celebrating Mass in honor of Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, and the Patron Saint of this Archdiocese, to begin the feast, and pray that the parade would continue to be a source of unity for all of us.” J. Patrick Hornbeck, chairman of the theology department at Fordham University, said in response: “I think we're seeing the Catholicism of Pope Francis come to the Archdiocese of New York. Cardinal Dolan’s statement is welcoming. He did not make this decision, but sees the parade as an opportunity for unity.” The prohibition had become a problem: Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to march and Guinness Beer dropped its sponsorship. The committee said its “change of tone and expanded inclusiveness is a gesture of goodwill to the LGBT community in our continuing effort to keep the parade above politics.”
Author’s note: As someone who once participated in all sorts of parades, concerts, and demonstrations, eagerly pushing a gay agenda, I can testify that these sorts of public spectacles are propaganda tools in which the homosexual platform can be exhibited and furthered by a public display and through a saturation of the media. In fact, Randy Shilts’ gay magnum opus “And The Band Played On” starts with the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco. Rightly, Shilts saw the Parade as a locus of all homosexual longings and unfulfilled dreams; a place where “the future and the past met;” where evolving strategies took on a visible form: “The gay movement had shifted from one of self-exploration, in which people moved through their own fears and self-alienation, to a movement of electoral politics, focused outward.” Therefore, gay groups which bully and intimidate in order to be included in various events, which really serve no other purpose but to give a free stage to their views, are not interested in that particular occasion, or what it essentially stands for, – only in furthering their own cause; and, subversively, hoping to undermine the religious institutions which have traditionally contributed – namely the Catholic Church. Therefore, I think cardinal Dolan should refuse to be a participant in this political and social black-mail scheme and withdraw from the Parade.
Relevant statements from the Holy See and the USCCB:
“All support should be withdrawn from any organizations which seek to undermine the teaching of the Church, which are ambiguous about it, or which neglect it entirely. Such support, or even the semblance of such support, can be gravely misinterpreted.” ~ Congregation for The Doctrine of the Faith, “A Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons.”
“‘Departure from the Church’s teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral.” Love and truth go together. The Sacred Scriptures tell us that the way to grow more Christ-like is by ‘living the truth in love’ (Eph 4:15). The Church cannot support organizations or individuals whose work contradicts, is ambiguous about, or neglects her teaching on sexuality.” The USCCB, “Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care.”
“Moral conscience requires that, in every occasion, Christians give witness to the whole moral truth…” Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual.”
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St Joseph: The Storehouse of God’s Will and A Powerful Advocate in Heaven
“God found in St. Joseph, as in a second David, the man that His heart desired, the man whom he could entrust with the deepest and most sacred mystery of His heart. To him as to another David He revealed the most secret and difficult truths of His wisdom. He confided to him knowledge concerning a most eminent mystery, such as would not be granted to any of the mighty ones of this world.” ~ St. Bernard (Hom. 2, sup. Missus est.)
If the Almighty God and Creator of the Universe condescended to entrust a humble carpenter of Nazareth, why should we not commend many of our lowly worries and concerns to that same righteous man? For, on Earth, the Faith of Joseph truly moved mountains, as he protected the Christ Child from the very forces of Hell. Joseph always prayed earnestly, heard the voice of the Lord, and acted accordingly. Now, in heaven, His prayers are still as efficacious, and his actions still as effective.
If the Almighty God and Creator of the Universe condescended to entrust a humble carpenter of Nazareth, why should we not commend many of our lowly worries and concerns to that same righteous man? For, on Earth, the Faith of Joseph truly moved mountains, as he protected the Christ Child from the very forces of Hell. Joseph always prayed earnestly, heard the voice of the Lord, and acted accordingly. Now, in heaven, His prayers are still as efficacious, and his actions still as effective.
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World-Wide Clusters of Meningitis and Hepatitis C in Gay Male Populations
Three gay or bisexual men, all of them HIV positive and in New York City, have contracted invasive meningococcal disease since August 24, in an apparent resurgence of the 2010 to 2013 outbreak. At this time last year, signs indicated the meningitis outbreak was likely under control, thanks to an aggressive vaccination campaign. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a release on September 5, 2014 about the new cases and stressed that it still recommends the meningococcal conjugate vaccine for all HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as MSM, regardless of their HIV status, who regularly meet men for sex via websites, apps, bars or parties. HIV-positive people should receive two doses of the vaccine. Those gay men planning to visit New York should also consider vaccination
In London (UK), HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) are at a great risk for sexual acquisition of hepatitis C virus (HCV), the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project reports. Their risk factors are likely similar to those of HIV-positive men, among whom there is an emerging epidemic of sexually transmitted hep C. Researchers at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London conducted a retrospective study of the clinic’s patients in which they identified 44 acute cases of hep C among HIV-negative MSM between January 2010 and December 2013. 34% of the men spontaneously cleared the virus, 25% began treatment for hep C, 30% remained in care and 11% were lost to follow-up; the groups had a median age of 37.
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