The governor of Wisconsin state, USA, recently made an announcement that “the Christmas Tree displayed in our state Capitol will have homemade ornaments . . . . etc.”

Horrified responses followed

“Freedom From Religion Foundation” (FFRF) called his words “rude and insensitive . . . a snub to non-Christians.”

Legal moves will possibly come next.

* * *

The FFRF refers to itself as a group of “freethinkers”

They believe in your “freedom” never to say the word Christmas in public.

Since the 1980’s, those Americans who hate the idea of “government endorsement of religion” have witch-hunted anybody saying Christmas tree . . . .

Instead of “Holiday tree” which is a permissible phrase.

So much for the status of belief in the USA.

What about Australia?

* * *

Researchers claim that only 40 percent of Australians now identify as Christians.

About 10 percent identify themselves with other religions.

The rest don’t believe in anything much.

20 percent call themselves “spiritual” but not “religious”.

We mostly want to feel good and — to some that way inclined — religion and/or spirituality can be a convenient feelgood.

Are we all — both religious and un-religious – alike primarily committed to self-fulfilment, self-esteem and self-worship?

Only the colour of the tinsel varying?

(stats from: OliveTree Media Research, 22 November 2011)

Pope Benedict, visiting his home country, Germany, has paid tribute to those who kept the faith during Nazi and Communist persecutions.

After meeting a group of victims of past sexual abuse by church workers, he humbly commented that he could “understand that, in the face of such reports, people, especially those close to victims, would say, ‘This isn’t my church anymore’.”

He vowed that the Church will “deal with all crimes of abuse” and is “committed to promotion of measures for the protection of children and young people”.

* * *

In a world where hatred seems to reign, to learn the message of God’s love is urgent and critical.

The people you meet every day need to discover that they are infinitely lovable, no matter how badly they feel about themselves.

And to experience the life-altering potency of God’s love.

It is the task of the Church to be God’s agent in passing on that message and that transforming experience of love.

Now is not the time for Christians to abandon the Church, but to redouble our efforts, at the personal level, to spread God’s life-changing love.

* * *

Today, try to let everyone you meet be aware of his/her lovability.

All are infinitely loveable, because God loves all infinitely.

We must first let God’s love change us — then endeavour to become change-agents in creating and spreading love.

It is not easy to act consistently with this kind of love.

None of us is as good at it as we ought to be.

If we humbly ask God for his grace, he will change us – and use the change in us as a step towards changing the world.

The US Military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy no longer exists, since its formal repeal as from 20 September.

This policy was a compromise, introduced 17 years ago under President Clinton, regarding the potential problems of having homosexually-active persons in the military.

* the “Don’t Ask” part was an attempt at fairness to people with homosexual orientation – not asking them, during medical and psychological assessments of fitness to enlist, about their “sexuality”. Previously some had been rejected on those grounds.

* the “Don’t Tell” part was an understanding that homosexually-inclined members of the forces not speak about their inclinations — nor indulge in homosexual conduct — the penalty being discharge from the service.

* there were also implied “Don’t Pursue” and “Don’t Harass” guidelines: service personnel being investigated (pursued) re homosexuality only if their openness about it was blatant –and they were not to be subjected to persecution or violence (harassed) by other troops.

* * *

Polls suggest that probably a majority of Americans favour the repeal.

However Archbishop Broglio, head Catholic military chaplain, favoured retaining “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

The basic Catholic position remains, of course, the same.

Namely that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”

Presidential hopeful, Rick Perry, has written, “I respect their right to engage in the individual behaviour of their choosing, but they must respect the rights of millions of Americans who refuse to normalise their behaviour . . . Tolerance is a two-way street.”

If Perry perseveres with this stance — and if he becomes President — “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” may well be reinstated.

Senator Nick Xenophon yesterday named in the Senate a Catholic priest who is being investigated regarding accusations of sexually abusing a boy 40-odd years ago.

The priest had hitherto not been publicly named because of the ongoing inquiry.

So today a Church officer, involved in carrying out the investigation, has had to resign as Chairman of the Mental Health Commission — conceding that his presence on the Commission would now be a “distraction” from the Commission’s work.

* * *

Senator Xenophon has successfully destroyed two Catholic officials in one hit.

One will never be able completely to free himself from loss of reputation – even if found absolutely innocent.

The other — accused of nothing except supposedly taking too long to investigate a difficult case – has had to withdraw from public office.

What if child-abuse accusations were levelled at every priest — with demands that each and every one be stood down while being investigated?

Would that succeed in destroying the Catholic religion?

Probably not.

The latest strategy to be announced – also yesterday – is an American group planning to sue the Pope for failing to prevent child abuse.

* * *

No Catholic is happy that priests have abused children . . . .

Nor that bishops have been known to cover-up for some of them . . . .

But the answer is NOT to quit the Church.

No. We must become even more fervent in the Faith.

It is the Catholic Church — God’s chosen means of communicating with mankind – on which mankind is dependent, if ever it is to learn to love purity . . . .

 And to live purely.

Julia Gillard is widely tipped to be about to lose her spot as Prime Minister.

Her plan to send boat people to Malaysia has been declared illegal.

Her comment that the court decision was “inconsistent” was out of order.

She is generally despised as a “liar”.

She’s a massive vote-loser in Queensland . . . .

Yes, it seems only a matter of time . . . .

* * *

Yet JG says she’s the best person for the job — and she’s toughing it out as though she believes it.

Who else in the ALP could do any better?

Perhaps Mr Rudd. But that seems unlikely.

Mr Rudd himself  is probably more interested in his present post as a pathway to becoming President of the UN Security Council.

If not KR, then one is reduced to scraping the lower reaches of the barrel — coming up with the likes of Shorten, Combet, Smith, Swan and Crean.

* * *

From a Catholic viewpoint, J Gillard doesn’t seem attractive at first sight. Or at subsequent sights.

But she does say she opposes same-sex “marriage”.

And that it isn’t possible to devise “safeguards” that work in the context of legalised euthanasia.

Most of her likely replacements probably have fewer scruples than she does.

PS Stephen Smith is a Catholic. A special kind of Catholic.

It was he who, as Foreign Minister, announced in 2009 Australia’s policy-reversal to now funding abortions as a form of “aid” to poor nations.

Thousands of prisoners are being released in Libya who have been in gaol for years and never had a fair trial.

Many Libyans now rejoice, hoping that a new era of justice is beginning.             

The rights to be (1) presumed innocent until proved guilty and (2) given a chance to face one’s accusers in an impartial court . . . .

These are universally acknowledged human “rights”.

* * *

Yet some western nations are moving in the opposite direction.

In the US, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Boston has published online a list of 159 clerics who have been accused of child abuse.

Including, not only those found guilty, but also those found innocent.

Is this bishop more interested in looking “tough” on child abusers – than in the future reputation of men who have done nothing wrong?

Some people visiting the website will think, “If Father X was accused, he must have been up to something. Where there’s smoke there must be fire . . . .”

* * *

In Australia, Senator Xenophon has forever been agitating for laws of “mandatory reporting” of alleged child abuse to apply to priests in the confessional.

He’s been at it again since the PM of Ireland introduced legislation making such refusal punishable by 5 years gaol.

For 2000 years, Christian priests haven’t revealed what they hear during confessions – even when tortured, threatened etc.

Some politicians want power over everything, including religion . . .  “big government” gone berserk.