Notes: Wednesday, November 9-Monday, November 14, 2011

1. "Franco resisted bid by Paul VI to end role in naming bishops"

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39637

According to the web-page to which that AQ thread-starter links,

In his letter, Paul VI recalled the Council’s appeal to governments to renounce their privilege in nominating bishops.
[http://www.osservatoreromano.va/portal/dt?JSPTabContainer.setSelected=JSPTabContainer%2FDetail&last=false=&path=/news/cultura/2011/258q11-A-Dio-quello-che---di-Dio.html&title=To%20God%20that%20which%20is%20God]

Would anyone care to let me know the Act of Vatican II in which the Council made that appeal? (I don't recall it being in Dignitatis humanæ, and I checked Lumen gentium, Gaudium et spes, and the Address of Paul VI., on behalf of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, to "all those who hold temporal power" but couldn't find it in any of them.)

Labels: Church and State, Francisco Franco, Hierarchy, John Charles I. Borbón, Paul VI. Montini, Spain

2. "The proportion of IVF cycles resulting in a live baby remained at 17 per cent in 2009, the same as in 2005, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare"

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/big-breakthrough-for-saving-tiny-lives-but-its-an-overseas-exclusive-20111110-1n9kj.html?skin=text-only

Labels: I.V.F.

3. Fr. Zuhlsdorf and Messrs. Magister and Keener on H.H. The Pope's apparent call, in Caritas in veritate, for a World State

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/11/more-on-the-one-world-government-white-paper-from-pont-council-for-justice-and-peace/#comment-305633

I do not find Mr. Magister's defence of the Holy Father's vision for the governance of globalisation convincing. The word "moderamen" is used once in Caritas in veritate, in §57:

Ne periculosa quaedam constituatur universalis potestas monocratici generis, globalizationis moderamen formam induere debet subsidiarietatis, diversis in gradibus ordinibusque dispositum, qui mutuo cooperentur.
[italics in the original,
AAS 101 [2009: 8], p. 693 (53 in Adobe),
http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/2009/agosto%202009.pdf]

The Vatican website's English section has the following translation:

In order not to produce a dangerous universal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of globalization must be marked by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together.
[italics in the original,
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html]

But the same logic would apply to ordinary, non-worldwide States; so for instance, in the case of several small States uniting into a Federation, one might say that 'in order not to produce a dangerous Federal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of interaction between member States must be marked by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together'; subsidiarity is, after all, a requirement of any society which is made up of other, smaller societies.

Furthermore, keep in mind the rest of §67; the proposed "true world political authority" ("vera Auctoritas politica mundialis"—italics in the original) would "need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice, and respect for rights" ("Auctoritas sane haec ab omnibus est agnoscenda, quae reali potestate pollere debet, ut unicuique securitas, iustitiae observantia, iurium item tuitio praestentur") and would "have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various international forums" ("facultate ipsa pollere debet suarum deliberationum observantiam sodalibus itemque simul disposita in internationalibus tribunalibus praecepta imperandi"). How is that anything other than a World State in all but name?

(Caritas in veritate in Latin is also available here.)

Labels: Benedict XVI. Ratzinger, Caritas in veritate, political science

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr, A.D. 2011

Notes: Tuesday-Wednesday, November 9-10, 2010

1. Word for the day: Heterophobic

A STRAIGHT heterosexual couple are so in love they plan to tie the knot, but insist they don't want to get married.

Londonders Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle are instead seeking to have a civil partnership, a form of legal union available in Britain only to same-sex couples.

Gay rights activists are backing the couple's bid in an attempt to legalise gay marriage.

Activist Peter Tatchell said "denying heterosexual couples the right to have a civil partnership is heterophobic".
[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/straight-uk-couple-seek-gay-union/story-fn3dxity-1225950432056]

2. On State funding of the Church in Spain

I was interested to learn that

the Spanish government spends E6 billion ($8.2bn) each year on financial support for the Catholic Church and recently shelved a law that would have given equal rights to other religions. ...
[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/pope-benedict-agitates-memories-of-spains-bloody-purge/story-e6frg6so-1225949637985]

That funding is a little suprising to me, given that, if I'm not mistaken, Catholicism is no longer Spain's State religion, from which I would infer that neither is the Church 'established by law' in Spain.

3. Some discussion board posts on, among other things, salvation by 'implicit Faith'

http://members7.boardhost.com/CathPews/msg/1289304555.html
http://members7.boardhost.com/CathPews/msg/1289306226.html
http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=386575#386575

4. "Pope summons all cardinals for discussion" on, among other things, religious liberty (its present situation in the world rather than the doctrine on it)

Full text of an item in today's edition of the Vatican Information Service daily e-mail bulletin:

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS MEETS FOR A DAY OF REFLECTION

VATICAN CITY, 9 NOV 2010 (VIS) - Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, has sent a letter to the members of the college, and to the cardinals-elect, announcing that the Pope has invited them all to participate in a day of "reflection and prayer" due to be held in the Vatican's New Synod Hall on Friday 19 November.

The day of prayer, which falls on the eve of the ordinary public consistory of 20 November, will focus on two themes. The first of these is the situation of religious freedom in the world and new challenges, with an introductory talk by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

The second theme for reflection will be the liturgy in the life of the Church today, with a preliminary contribution from Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Three other contributions are scheduled for the afternoon session: "Ten years on from 'Dominus Iesus" by Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; and "the Church's response to cases of sexual abuse" and "the Constitution 'Anglicanorum coetibus', both to be delivered by Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
OP/ VIS 20101109 (220)

See also
http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34618
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=24114
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2010/11/what-the-cardinals-will-discusslisten-to-at-the-consistory/

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Andrew Avellino, Confessor, and of Sts. Tryphon and Respicius, Martyrs, and St. Nympha, Virgin, Martyr, A.D. 2010

Notes: Thursday, November 4, 2010

1. "General Franco's Many Progressive Measures"

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34490

Some of the comments there are also interesting.

2. Mr. Brent on political parties 'standing for' something

http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/mumble/index.php/theaustralian/comments/party_stands_for_nothing_hold_the_presses/

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop, Confessor, and of Sts. Vitalis and Agricola, Martyrs, A.D. 2010

Notes: Saturday-Tuesday, June 19-22, 2010

Wedding of T.R.H. The Crown Princess of Sweden and The Duke of Västergötland

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/people/the-princess-and-her-gym-instructor-wed-in-regal-fashion-20100620-yp8j.html?skin=text-only

I found this bit particularly interesting:

In what was considered a controversial and old-fashioned decision in Sweden, which is renowned for its liberal views, the Crown Princess, 32, was escorted down the aisle by her father, the King, rather than walking with her husband-to-be, which is customary in Sweden.

More information on the wedding is available at the official website of the Swedish Royal Court. May Their Royal Highnesses' union be a long and happy one. And may the Lord deliver the Swedish Monarchy from Protestantism, Freemasonry, and liberalism.

Mr. Wilson on the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365982#365982

Excerpt from a comment at AQ:

Guernica is one of the greatest myths of the 20th Century, while based on a true event: The bombing of the city during the Spanish Civil War; most of the "facts" as recounted in the official versions are pure fiction. Guernica was a city of military value, laying on the front of the Communist lines; the Luftwaffe did bomb some of the outlying portions of the town, causing little damage, but the Communist forces deliberately set fire to the town and planted dynamite charges in buildings to cause cause greater damage, in order to prevent it from falling in to the hands of Franco's forces intact (this is what they did in Irun, and what they were planning to do in Bilbao, but were here prevented by the Basque militias). This arson fire burned out of control and caused the death to the majority of the victims which numbered around 100 (not the thousands that the red propaganda machine would have you believe). The town could have been saved even then, but the fire fighting forces sent from Bilbao were under orders not to do anything to prevent the fire from spreading, so that it took over eight hours of the fires burning out of control for the town to be destroyed.
Pablo Picasso's famous painting was nothing more than a product of the artist's own imagination fueled by his Communist ideology and his sympathy and support for the Communist forces fighting Franco.

"Jordanes" on the Virginity of Our Lady

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2010/06/eucharist-passion-sacrifice-priesthood.html

Excerpt from a comment at Rorate Cæli:

There is a long tradition connecting Mary to the Temple in Jersualem.

The tradition to which you refer tells us that Sts. Joachim and Anne presented their daughter and only child Mary to the Temple priests, who accepted her as one of the virgin handmaidens of the Temple who are mentioned in Judges (the story of the near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin, whose survivors were permitted to abduct and marry the young women who served at the Tabernacle in Shiloh) and I Kings (the story of Phinehas and Hophni, wicked sons of Eli the High Priest -- his sons defiled some of the Temple virgins).

"Putin's demons"

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/mal-no-bunny/story-e6frgdk6-1225878640572

From an article in a recent edition of The Weekend Australian:

Putin's demons

COMPARE that approach to Russia, where schoolchildren in St Petersburg have been given a prayer to say for PM Vladimir Putin, asking the power/s above to keep him safe from "demonic temptations". Putin has denied there is a personality cult growing around him. We suspect the same cannot be said for South Australian Treasurer Kevin Foley.

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, Confessor, A.D. 2010

Notes: Friday, June 11, 2010

"Panama Abp blasts government decision to abandon Sunday rest"

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32031

Here's the body of the article posted at AQ:

During a Corpus Christi address, Panama’s leading prelate strongly criticized a government decision to eliminate Sunday as a day of required rest for workers. “The dignity of man and woman is what must be upheld, if we do not want to become victims of economic interests,” said Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta. “For all men and women, not only for Christians, this has a great importance and significance, and this recognition should not be just formal but real, allowing the Sunday rest for all workers.”

"We Christians cannot abandon the Christian meaning of Sunday, paganizing it or underestimating its importance," he added. "To fully live out Sunday, the Church invites us to participate in Sunday Mass, to wear our appropriate outfit, to share meals with the family and with friends."

An interesting fact about Magna Carta

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32033

Here's an interesting excerpt from an article posted at AQ:

After many years during which John had abused his subjects and acted aggressively towards other countries, Innocent declared that his rule was no longer legitimate and he released John’s subjects from their obligations of fealty — his subjects thereupon were under no obligation to obey him. Eventually, this resulted in the subjects drawing up the famous Magna Carta, which they forced John to sign. The document was signed after John had placed himself under the Pope’s protection as his vassal. Because the Magna Carta was not only directed against the abuses by the king, but also the authority of the pope, Innocent declared it to be null and void. Eventually, after years of repeated deception and tyranny, through the tireless efforts of the pope, John’s influence was drastically reduced.

I didn't know that Magna Carta also challenged the authority of the Pope.

"Study confirms Jewish Middle East origins"

http://www.smh.com.au/world/study-confirms-jewish-middle-east-origins-20100610-y0lp.html?skin=text-only

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/dna-unites-jews-with-genetic-kin/story-e6frg6so-1225878143946

Excerpts from the first linked article:

PARIS: Research has found that Jews share a genetic bond with Cypriots and Druze and confirms the Jewish diaspora maintained a strong DNA continuity despite its long separation from the Middle East, scientists say.

[...] ''We found evidence that Jewish communities originated in the Near East,'' said the molecular scientist Doron Behar of the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, who led a team of experts from eight countries.

''Our genetic findings are concordant with historical records.''

[...] The study confirmed the Middle Eastern, or Levantine, origins of Jews as documented in ancient Hebrew scriptures. This lineage is visible in communities today, ages after the Jews were expelled from Israel.

More unexpected was the discovery that Jewish patterns of SNPs were closer to those of Cypriots and Druze than with Middle Eastern populations.

Mr Behar said he would be dismayed if his research became misused for genetic profiling.

''It is very important for me to mention here that as a scientist, genetics has nothing to do with the definition of the Jewish identity,'' he said.

Possible presentation of a Spanish law on religious liberty

POPE RECEIVES PRIME MINSTER OF SPAIN

VATICAN CITY, 10 JUN 2010 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain. The prime minister subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"The cordial discussions provided an opportunity to exchange opinions on Europe, the current economic-financial crisis and the role of ethics. Reference was also made to countries of Central America and the Caribbean as well as to other situations, in particular the Middle East.

"As the conversation continued, attention turned to bilateral relations, and to matters of current interest for the Church in Spain such as the possible presentation of a law on freedom of religion, the sacredness of life from conception, and the importance of education. Concerning the Holy Father's visit to Santiago and Barcelona this year, and to Madrid next year for World Youth Day, it was recognised that the Spanish government has shown great readiness to collaborate in the preparation and realisation of these events".
OP/ VIS 20100610 (200)

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Barnabas, Apostle, A.D. 2010

H.M. The King of Spain and H.M. The Queen of Spain to visit Australia

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25646955-26040,00.html

The Australian reports that

SPANISH King Juan Carlos arrives in Australia next week for his first official visit in 21 years as Spain rediscovers the Asia-Pacific.

In Sydney, Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will open Australia's first Cervantes Institute, a Spanish culture and language agency that has made Asian expansion a priority with new centres in Beijing and Tokyo.

The June 24-26 royal tour will be their first state visit since 1988, when they attended the Brisbane Expo. (Their visit to the 2000 Olympic Games was a "private" one.)
[bold type in the original]

The article contained the following interesting trivia:

In 1606, [Pedro Fernandez de Quiros] mistook present-day Vanuatu for the great south land, or Terra Australis, and christened it "Austrialia," a reference to the Austrian Habsburg ancestry of the Spanish king. Tweaked by Matthew Flinders, the name stuck.

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Gregory Barbarigo, Bishop, Confessor, A.D. 2009

R.I.P. Gen. Francisco Franco, Knight of Christ

In your charity please pray for the repose of the soul of His late Excellency General Francisco Franco, Knight of the Supreme Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the anniversary of whose death in 1975 we mark today. His flaws notwithstanding (such as his early Fascist leanings, his excesses in dealing with the national emergency, his failure to curb the post-War influence of the technocrats, and his caving in to the Vatican’s new post-Conciliar anti-Confessional State diplomacy), he was a distinguished anti-Communist, anti-Masonic, pro-family statesman who, for a time at least, stood for Catholicism as State religion and the Catholic Church as the Established Church. May he rest in peace.

Reginaldvs Cantvar

Feast of St. Felix of Valois, 2008 A.D.