Bahamian Archbishop Speaks Out on Sexual Sins Within Marriage

Kevin Knowles, at the "Catholicism in the Bahamas" blog, reports:

The Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas, has come out in support of legislature to deal with marital rape.

“To the extent that the proposed legislation seeks to address the unfortunate reality of marital rape and in the measure that it seeks to preserve the dignity of every person and to safeguard marriage as a covenant of life and love between a man and woman, the Catholic Church offers its prayerful support”, reads an August 27 statement from Archbishop Patrick Pinder on the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2009.

Giving the Church’s perspective, Archbishop Pinder said God created man and woman in such a way that through their bodies “it would be self-evident that they are called to love and give themselves to one another in the gift of marriage”, a sacrament according to the Catholic understanding. “By its nature, then, marriage is an intimate union of life and love.” . . . (continue reading)

Spanish Bishop: Catholic Pols Who Vote for Abortion Excommunicate Themselves

Here's more good and encouraging news from the episcopal front, this time coming from Spain, where the Catholic bishops there are girding for battle with the country's leftist, pro-abortion government.

When Nancy and I were most recently in Spain, for two weeks in September, I spoke at length with as many Spaniards as I could about what they see happening in the Church over there. In addition to their general pessimism about how apathetic most Spanish Catholics tend to be about the Faith, they also seemed very heartened by the muscular efforts many Spanish bishops, priests, and laypeople have been making recently to publicly speak out in defense of unborn children against the country's pro-abortion laws.

One priest in Valencia, with whom I had two-hour conversation about the state of the Church there, lamented that the vast majority of Spaniards are at best only culturally Catholic. "During the week," he said, "they work to make money so that on the weekend, they can spend their time drinking, having sex, watching sports, and being entertained."

I guess he'd know what he's talking about, because, as one of the canons of the cathedral of Valencia, he hears confessions and observes what's going on around him. He added, though, that the abortion issue and the Spanish Government's efforts to ramrod even more legislation to promote abortion is steadily having a positive effect on a growing number of Spanish Catholics who, even if many of them are still tepid in the practice of their Faith, are beginning to wake up and smell the paella and recognize that they have to start fighting the good fight if they don't want to see their country go completely into spiritual ruin. Viva España!

MADRID, November 13, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The secretary general of the Spanish bishops' conference, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino of Madrid, warned that Spanish Catholic legislators who vote in favor of a bill to liberalize abortion which is currently before parliament would publicly place themselves in an "objective state of sin" and therefore may not receive Communion.

"Excommunication is provided in the Code of Canon Law for those who cooperate actively in the practice of abortion," Bishop Martinez Camino stated in an AFP report.

He said Catholics cannot support the legalization of abortion and if they do "they will objectively find themselves in a public state of sin and may not be admitted to Holy Communion."

While "the Church cannot judge their subjectivity," he added, those who "directly collaborate" in or promote abortion incur excommunication.

At the same time, Bishop Martinez Camino said the Church reaches out to women who have had an abortion or who are tempted to abort.

Encouraging those who have aborted to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he said, "Those who have not gone to confession are encouraged to do so because God wants to offer them a solution and deep peace." . . . (continue reading)

The Groveler in Chief Does it Again

(Dear Leader makes his obeisance to the Emperor of Japan.)

Isn't there some kind of charm school where men who've been elected president should go for at least a few weeks of tutoring in the basic dos and don'ts of being President of the United States? Apparently not, but there certainly should be such mandatory training so that this kind of silliness doesn't happen when the guy gets into office and embarrasses the country, the way Dear Leader has a knack of doing. Doesn't anyone coach him on what to do and not to do as head of state? Anyone? Please?

(And for those who will be quick to point out that in Japan they bow to greet one another, I know that. I've been to Japan many times and am familiar with their customs. But, as I see it, this incident is not one of "when in Rome, do as the Romans.")

(Courtesy of the Drudge Report)

Catholic Radio Is Coming On Strong Across the Country -- Take a Listen . . .

Catholic radio is expanding rapidly across the country, and it's very gratifying to see how many good things are happening — in particular conversions to the Catholic Church — that result when Catholic radio starts up in a given locale. A new station in the Immaculate Heart Radio network has gone live recently in Salt Lake City, blanketing most of the State of Utah, and another large station will go live in December, booming across the metro Phoenix area with 24/7 Catholic programming.

In addition to the many Catholics in Arizona who will be tuning in, you can be sure that there are also certain non-Catholic critics of the Church who will also no doubt be "closely monitoring" the Catholic airwaves once the new station gets up and running. That will make my job as host of the Thursday edition of EWTN's "Open Line" show that much more enjoyable. ("Open Line" airs each Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.)

Doug Sherman, president of Immaculate Heart Radio, estimates that upwards of 150 new stations may be going live next year across the U.S.

Yowza.

One of the leading shows, carried on virtually all Catholic stations, is the "Catholic Answers Live" program. I was on it last week, fielding questions for an hour. Among the various topics we covered was a call on whether God loves everyone, something that relates to a central error in the Calvinist religious system. Take a listen . . .