Thursday, April 17, 2008

ADMINISTRATION SET TO USE NEW SPY PROGRAM...

Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in U.S.
Congressional Critics Want More Assurances of Legality

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 12, 2008; A03



The Bush administration said yesterday that it plans to start using the nation's most advanced spy technology for domestic purposes soon, rebuffing challenges by House Democrats over the idea's legal authority.


Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said his department will activate his department's new domestic satellite surveillance office in stages, starting as soon as possible with traditional scientific and homeland security activities -- such as tracking hurricane damage, monitoring climate change and creating terrain maps.


Sophisticated overhead sensor data will be used for law enforcement once privacy and civil rights concerns are resolved, he said. The department has previously said the program will not intercept communications.


"There is no basis to suggest that this process is in any way insufficient to protect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans," Chertoff wrote to Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) and Jane Harman (D-Calif.), chairmen of the House Homeland Security Committee and its intelligence subcommittee, respectively, in letters released yesterday.


"I think we've fully addressed anybody's concerns," Chertoff added in remarks last week to bloggers. "I think the way is now clear to stand it up and go warm on it."


His statements marked a fresh determination to operate the department's new National Applications Office as part of its counterterrorism efforts. The administration in May 2007 gave DHS authority to coordinate requests for satellite imagery, radar, electronic-signal information, chemical detection and other monitoring capabilities that have been used for decades within U.S. borders for mapping and disaster response.


But Congress delayed launch of the new office last October. Critics cited its potential to expand the role of military assets in domestic law enforcement, to turn new or as-yet-undeveloped technologies against Americans without adequate public debate, and to divert the existing civilian and scientific focus of some satellite work to security uses.


Democrats say Chertoff has not spelled out what federal laws govern the NAO, whose funding and size are classified. Congress barred Homeland Security from funding the office until its investigators could review the office's operating procedures and safeguards. The department submitted answers on Thursday, but some lawmakers promptly said the response was inadequate.


"I have had a firsthand experience with the trust-me theory of law from this administration," said Harman, citing the 2005 disclosure of the National Security Agency's domestic spying program, which included warrantless eavesdropping on calls and e-mails between people in the United States and overseas. "I won't make the same mistake. . . . I want to see the legal underpinnings for the whole program."


Thompson called DHS's release Thursday of the office's procedures and a civil liberties impact assessment "a good start." But, he said, "We still don't know whether the NAO will pass constitutional muster since no legal framework has been provided."


DHS officials said the demands are unwarranted. "The legal framework that governs the National Applications Office . . . is reflected in the Constitution, the U.S. Code and all other U.S. laws," said DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner. She said its operations will be subject to "robust," structured legal scrutiny by multiple agencies.

© 2008 The Washington Post Company

AND ALL THE WORLD WONDERED...

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BLAIR SAYS FAITH IS THE ANSWER

Blair says faith is the answer


Tony Blair

LONDON (CNS): Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has spoken of his "passionate" conviction that religious faith can transform humanity for the better.

Mr Blair, 54, a former Anglican who was received into the Catholic Church just days before Christmas, said he wanted to promote the "idea of faith itself as something dynamic, modern and full of present relevance".

He told 1600 people gathered in London's Westminster Cathedral on April 3 that faith had a "major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world and can and should be a force for progress".

"But it has to be rescued on the one hand from the extremist and exclusionary tendency within religion today and on the other from the danger that religious faith is seen as an interesting part of history and tradition, but with nothing to say about the contemporary human condition," he said.

"I see faith and reason, faith and progress, as in alliance, not contention."

His remarks came in a lecture on the subject of "Faith and Globalisation", the first in a series of six speeches hosted by Westminster archdiocese on "Faith and Life in Britain".

Mr Blair, now the Middle East peace envoy for the quartet of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, said many British people shared the notion that "religion is divisive, irrational and harmful".

"For years it was assumed that as humanity progressed intellectually and matured morally, so religion would decline," he said.

"But in fact at no time since the Enlightenment has religion ever gone away.

"It has always been at the very core of life for millions of people, the foundation of their existence, the motive for their behaviour, the thing which gives sense to their lives."

Faith is not in decline, he said: "It isn't disappearing inevitably under the weight of scientific and technological progress. It is still here with us, not just surviving but thriving."

Mr Blair said the world's religion could transform and humanise impersonal forces of globalisation and shape the values of changing economic and political relationships of the early 21st century.

He said power was shifting rapidly from the West to the emerging superpowers of China and India, and the role of faith was vital in the struggle for a world of peaceful co-existence.

Source: http://www.catholicleader.com.au/index.php?id=4231

Bolds and Highlights added for emphasis. Arsenio.

HOUSE PASSES BILL EXPANDING DEBT RELIEF TO POOR COUNTRIES



House passes bill expanding debt relief to poor countries

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Debt relief for many of the world's poorest countries is a step closer with the April 16 passage of a measure by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation passed 285-132. The vote was timed for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States. Receiving broad bipartisan support, the bill calls for expanding debt relief for as many as 24 countries with a per capita income of less than $1,065 a year as long as they meet specific criteria for more transparent and responsible behavior in the distribution of foreign aid. Forty other poor countries are eligible under existing debt relief guidelines. "We want to make sure the benefits of debt cancellation get to people who need it," said Neil Watkins, national coordinator of Jubilee USA Network, a coalition of organizations which is spearheading the debt relief campaign.

- - -


Source: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20080417.htm

ADDRESS TO INTERRELIGIOUS LEADERS

ZE08041708 - 2008-04-17
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-22327?l=english

Papal Address to Interreligious Leaders


"A United Society Can Indeed Arise From a Plurality of Peoples"


WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address Benedict XVI gave today to an interreligious meeting at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The theme of the meeting was "Peace Our Hope."

* * *

My dear friends,

I am pleased to have this occasion to meet with you today. I thank Bishop Sklba for his words of welcome, and I cordially greet all those in attendance representing various religions in the United States of America. Several of you kindly accepted the invitation to compose the reflections contained in today's program. For your thoughtful words on how each of your traditions bears witness to peace, I am particularly grateful. Thank you all.

This country has a long history of cooperation between different religions in many spheres of public life. Interreligious prayer services during the national feast of Thanksgiving, joint initiatives in charitable activities, a shared voice on important public issues: these are some ways in which members of different religions come together to enhance mutual understanding and promote the common good. I encourage all religious groups in America to persevere in their collaboration and thus enrich public life with the spiritual values that motivate your action in the world.

The place where we are now gathered was founded specifically for promoting this type of collaboration. Indeed, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center seeks to offer a Christian voice to the "human search for meaning and purpose in life" in a world of "varied religious, ethnic and cultural communities" (Mission Statement). This institution reminds us of this nation's conviction that all people should be free to pursue happiness in a way consonant with their nature as creatures endowed with reason and free will.

Americans have always valued the ability to worship freely and in accordance with their conscience. Alexis de Tocqueville, the French historian and observer of American affairs, was fascinated with this aspect of the nation. He remarked that this is a country in which religion and freedom are "intimately linked" in contributing to a stable democracy that fosters social virtues and participation in the communal life of all its citizens. In urban areas, it is common for individuals from different cultural backgrounds and religions to engage with one another daily in commercial, social and educational settings. Today, in classrooms throughout the country, young Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and indeed children of all religions sit side-by-side, learning with one another and from one another. This diversity gives rise to new challenges that spark a deeper reflection on the core principles of a democratic society. May others take heart from your experience, realizing that a united society can indeed arise from a plurality of peoples -- "E pluribus unum": "out of many, one" -- provided that all recognize religious liberty as a basic civil right (cf. Dignitatis Humanae, 2).

The task of upholding religious freedom is never completed. New situations and challenges invite citizens and leaders to reflect on how their decisions respect this basic human right. Protecting religious freedom within the rule of law does not guarantee that peoples -- particularly minorities -- will be spared from unjust forms of discrimination and prejudice. This requires constant effort on the part of all members of society to ensure that citizens are afforded the opportunity to worship peaceably and to pass on their religious heritage to their children.

The transmission of religious traditions to succeeding generations not only helps to preserve a heritage; it also sustains and nourishes the surrounding culture in the present day. The same holds true for dialogue between religions; both the participants and society are enriched. As we grow in understanding of one another, we see that we share an esteem for ethical values, discernable to human reason, which are revered by all peoples of goodwill. The world begs for a common witness to these values. I therefore invite all religious people to view dialogue not only as a means of enhancing mutual understanding, but also as a way of serving society at large. By bearing witness to those moral truths which they hold in common with all men and women of goodwill, religious groups will exert a positive influence on the wider culture, and inspire neighbors, co-workers and fellow citizens to join in the task of strengthening the ties of solidarity. In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: "no greater thing could come to our land today than a revival of the spirit of faith".

A concrete example of the contribution religious communities make to civil society is faith-based schools. These institutions enrich children both intellectually and spiritually. Led by their teachers to discover the divinely bestowed dignity of each human being, young people learn to respect the beliefs and practices of others, thus enhancing a nation's civic life.

What an enormous responsibility religious leaders have: to imbue society with a profound awe and respect for human life and freedom; to ensure that human dignity is recognized and cherished; to facilitate peace and justice; to teach children what is right, good and reasonable!

There is a further point I wish to touch upon here. I have noticed a growing interest among governments to sponsor programs intended to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue. These are praiseworthy initiatives. At the same time, religious freedom, interreligious dialogue and faith-based education aim at something more than a consensus regarding ways to implement practical strategies for advancing peace. The broader purpose of dialogue is to discover the truth. What is the origin and destiny of mankind? What are good and evil? What awaits us at the end of our earthly existence? Only by addressing these deeper questions can we build a solid basis for the peace and security of the human family, for "wherever and whenever men and women are enlightened by the splendor of truth, they naturally set out on the path of peace" (Message for the 2006 World Day of Peace, 3).

We are living in an age when these questions are too often marginalized. Yet they can never be erased from the human heart. Throughout history, men and women have striven to articulate their restlessness with this passing world. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Psalms are full of such expressions: "My spirit is overwhelmed within me" (Ps 143:4; cf. Ps 6:6; 31:10; 32:3; 38:8; 77:3); "why are you cast down, my soul, why groan within me?" (Ps 42:5). The response is always one of faith: "Hope in God, I will praise him still; my Savior and my God" (Ps 42:5, 11; cf. Ps 43:5; 62:5). Spiritual leaders have a special duty, and we might say competence, to place the deeper questions at the forefront of human consciousness, to reawaken mankind to the mystery of human existence, and to make space in a frenetic world for reflection and prayer.

Confronted with these deeper questions concerning the origin and destiny of mankind, Christianity proposes Jesus of Nazareth. He, we believe, is the eternal Logos who became flesh in order to reconcile man to God and reveal the underlying reason of all things. It is he whom we bring to the forum of interreligious dialogue. The ardent desire to follow in his footsteps spurs Christians to open their minds and hearts in dialogue (cf. Lk 10:25-37; Jn 4:7-26).

Dear friends, in our attempt to discover points of commonality, perhaps we have shied away from the responsibility to discuss our differences with calmness and clarity. While always uniting our hearts and minds in the call for peace, we must also listen attentively to the voice of truth. In this way, our dialogue will not stop at identifying a common set of values, but go on to probe their ultimate foundation. We have no reason to fear, for the truth unveils for us the essential relationship between the world and God. We are able to perceive that peace is a "heavenly gift" that calls us to conform human history to the divine order. Herein lies the "truth of peace" (cf. Message for the 2006 World Day of Peace).

As we have seen then, the higher goal of interreligious dialogue requires a clear exposition of our respective religious tenets. In this regard, colleges, universities and study centers are important forums for a candid exchange of religious ideas. The Holy See, for its part, seeks to carry forward this important work through the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, and various Pontifical Universities.

Dear friends, let our sincere dialogue and cooperation inspire all people to ponder the deeper questions of their origin and destiny. May the followers of all religions stand together in defending and promoting life and religious freedom everywhere. By giving ourselves generously to this sacred task -- through dialogue and countless small acts of love, understanding and compassion -- we can be instruments of peace for the whole human family.
Peace upon you all!

© Copyright 2008 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana

© Innovative Media, Inc.

Source: http://www.zenit.org/article-22327?l=english

CHURCH LEADERS MEET IN KENYA

Church leaders meet in Kenya

Beginning today, the Global Christian Forum brought together Christian churches for talks. An Anglican priest said that churches are now reluctant to make moral demands out of fear of being labelled "fundamentalist".

Tuesday, November 06, 2007


A global gathering aimed at bringing together representatives of all the world's main Christian traditions has opened in Kenya with leaders saying they want to find new ways of working together.

"I don't think it is going to be easy, but I hope we will find a meeting space," the Rev. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches told Ecumenical News International on the opening day of the 6-9 November meeting, called the Global Christian Forum, at Limuru, near Nairobi.

The forum was originally proposed in the mid-1990s by the Rev. Konrad Raiser, a German theologian who was then general secretary of the Geneva-based World Council of Churches.

He said it could reach out to Roman Catholic, Pentecostal and Evangelical churches that do not belong to the WCC, whose 347 member churches are drawn predominantly from Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox traditions.

"Our differences are not bigger than what binds us together," said Nyomi. "We have more in common, but how we express it is different."

The WCC described the Kenya gathering as bringing together "the broadest range of Christian traditions ever represented at a global meeting".

About half of the 250 participants come from Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, which are growing rapidly in many regions of the world, particularly in the Southern hemisphere.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for the broad spectrum of Christian churches and communities to encounter one another and to be in conversation with one another, not with the view of creating complicated structures, but rather with the view of maintaining the fellowship of conversation and of Christian hope," the Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky of the Orthodox Church in America, told ENI.

The WCC said the meeting is intended to allow representatives of all the main Christian traditions and of their global organizations to explore and address together common challenges.

Addressing the forum's opening session, the Rev. Peter Karanja, an Anglican priest and general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, said churches are increasingly reluctant to make moral, ethical or spiritual demands on their members for fear of being labelled legalistic, fundamentalist or fanatical.

"The individuals are left to choose what being a Christian means for them and as long as they are happy, then everything goes," said Karanja. "There is something inauthentic about our faith, if it just remains in our heads or liturgy, but does not translate into changed lives and conduct."

The Global Christian Forum states on its Web site that its intention to bring together Christians and churches from very different traditions who have little or no contact with each other. "It is about building bridges where there are none, overcoming prejudices, creating and nurturing new relationships," it says.

Regional meeting have been held under the auspices of the forum in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.

"I expect we shall come into an agreement regarding the future of the Global Christian Forum, and I hope we agree to have a very small staff to keep the contacts going," said the Rev. Ishmael Noko, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation.

He said, "These things [issues] should be delegated to the regions and national levels in the spirit of the global forum."

The Christian traditions represented at the Global Christian Forum are: African Instituted, Anglican, Baptist, Evangelical, Disciples (Churches of Christ), Friends, Holiness, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Moravian, Old Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Pentecostal, Reformed, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Seventh-day Adventist, United and Uniting Churches.

Reported by Fredrick Nzwili of ENI.

Info: Oikoumene

The Global Christian Forum

AMERICAN IDOL

FUNDAMENTALIST CHILDREN TODAY, YOURS ARE NEXT!

POLYGAMIST COMPOUND RAID

What has been portrayed as a warranted intervention by the Texas authorities to 'rescue' children from sexual abuse, hasn't been a dry run for intrusion into the rights of citizens; But, a repetition (Waco) of government intrusion into the lives law abiding citizens, and a violation of civil rights. This is following a pattern of government abuse of power in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Today, custody hearings will take place in Texas that will decide the welfare of helpless children.

I can only pray for the protection of those defenseless children and adolescents; I ask God for a miracle to deliver them from the clutches of the enemies of human rights, and their master Satan. There are legal procedures to address any type of allegations of a committed crime. But, since when does an anonymous phone call from an still unidentified (Might this be a crank call?) "16 year old lady", justify the wanton apprehension of 417 children??? What justifies the suspension of their right to the pursuit of happiness? This is a flagrant violation of civil, human, and children's rights. When they attempted to prevent a crime or interceded to impede 'it' from continuing, they perpetrated an additional (The Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure) crime, deliberately. There are civilized means and ways to handle everything under the sun; This is certainly not one of them.

May the Lord protect those innocent victims of a Texas government gone out of control, and oblivious to the fact that this is a free country, and we live in an enlightened time, not in the times of the Inquisition. May the Lord also rebuke them, and punish this atrocity of Law and Order. Lord intercede powerfully in the case, and mete out justice before these judges, lawyers, court personnel, bureaucrats, authorities, police officers, and all other culprits of this travesty of justice.

Hypocrisy ought to be the Latin name for Texas (tiles in Spanish); By removing these youngsters they are held captive in shelters (to sleep on floors) to prevent them from being abused. Next, they will make them wards of the State of Texas and place them in the infamous foster care system. Then, deliver them to the homes of "politically correct" households: homes with two daddies or two mommies, and pay these "New Agers" for the care of these poor children. Sound cynical to you? Well, it is a cynical and sinful world that we find ourselves living in; Where up is down; War is peace, etc.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!........................Isaiah 5:20

88888888888888888888888888

Woe, to those that that offend a mighty God.

*Don't show this scripture verse to the Senator from New York. She can't stand that word! I guess when you're rich and connected, it's not part of your 'environment'.


Did you see the "Baptist" School Bus used to transport some of the children away from the "Compound?"
............................Separation of Church and State went out the window in Texas, too!

Ruby Ridge, Waco, El Dorado, we are seeing government sponsored persecution not in Darfur, but here!

Meanwhile, the molestation on altar boys continues; Where are the raids, or the sieges of Cathedrals? The pedophiles posing as priest and pastors get a slap on the wrist. But not the fundamentalists; They're a Satanic cult, a sect even. They're heretics and should be punished by canonical temporal authorities. Up-side down!

Today the Fudamentalist's chidren; Could yours be taken next?

Arsenio.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

KISSING THE SLIPPERED TOE


Kissing the Slippered Toe of the Pope:
Will George W. Bush do in real life what he acted out as a Skull and Bones initiate ?

Pope to visit George W. Bush in the White House on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.

Wednesday, April 16 • Washington, D.C.
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Meeting with the President at the White House

President George Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush welcome Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.
This is only the second time in history that a pontiff has visited the White House.
11:15 a.m. - Pope Benedict XVI and President Bush meet for 45 minutes in private in the Oval Office
http://uspapalvisit.org/itinerary_en.htm

Bush readies big welcome for pope
www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-04-13-pope-bush_N.htm
April 13, 2008

Sovereign Head of Vatican City State (Pope) to visit the USA April 15-20, 2008
- "Supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power is vested in the pope,..."
- The pope "serves concurrently as bishop of Rome, supreme pontiff of the
Universal Church [sic],
primate of Italy, archbishop and metropolitan of the
Province of Rome, and sovereign of the Vatican City State."
http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/04/sovereign-head-of-vatican-city-state.html


Skull And Bones
Secret Yale Society Includes America's Power Elite
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/02/60minutes/main576332.shtml
"Ron Rosenbaum, author and columnist for the New York Observer, ... says the cast of the initiation ritual
is right out of Harry Potter meets Dracula: “There is a devil, a Don Quixote and a Pope who has one foot
sheathed in a white monogrammed slipper resting on a stone skull."


Yale's Skull and Bones Order and the History of the Luciferian Cult.
www.cloakanddagger.de/media/yale.htm
One of the great giveaways that the Masonic Skull and Bones Cult is controlled by the Papacy is found
in a portion of the rite of initiation. The initiate - like George W. Bush and his father, George H. W. Bush
- must KISS the slippered toe of the Pope. This act of treason to the American people confirms the
initiate's allegiance and loyalty the "man of sin" in the Vatican.


Is the President's Soul in Jeopardy?
An Evangelical Christian Looks at Bush's Skull and Bones Initiation
www.cuttingedge.org/news_updates/nz2064.htm
Then he is hurried to a man dressed as the Pope... The initiate bends to kiss the Pope's slippered toe on the skull."
(Robbins, p.120.) This is the core of the very un-Christian and blasphemous rite that enfolded so many members of the
Bush clan into the secret society, mirroring similar rites from earlier blasphemous societies and indeed even some
devil-worshipping sects.


Sovereign Head of Vatican City State (Pope) to visit the USA April 15-20, 2008
- "Supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power is vested in the pope,..."
- The pope "serves concurrently as bishop of Rome, supreme pontiff of the
Universal Church [sic],
primate of Italy, archbishop and metropolitan of the
Province of Rome, and sovereign of the Vatican City State."
http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/04/sovereign-head-of-vatican-city-state.html


Steve Lefemine
April 13, 2008

______________________________________________________________________

Skull And Bones
Secret Yale Society Includes America's Power Elite
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/02/60minutes/main576332.shtml
June 13, 2004
[emphasis added]

[photos]
Skull and Bones is an elite secret society at Yale University that includes
some of the most powerful men of the 20th century.
(60 Minutes/CBS)


(CBS) As opposite as George Bush and John Kerry may seem to be, they do share a common secret -
one they've shared for decades, and one they will not share with the electorate.

The secret: details of their membership in Skull and Bones, the elite Yale University society whose members
include some of the most powerful men of the 20th century.

Bonesmen, as they're called, are forbidden to reveal what goes on in their inner sanctum, the windowless building
on the Yale campus that is called the Tomb.

When 60 Minutes first reported on Skull & Bones last October, conspiracy theorists, who see Skull and Bones
behind just about everything that goes wrong, and even right, in the world, were relishing the unthinkable - the
possibility of two Bonesman fighting it out for the presidency.

Over the years, Bones has included presidents, cabinet officers, spies, Supreme Court justices, captains of industry,
and often their sons and lately their daughters, a social and political network like no other.

And to a man and women, they'd responded to questions with utter silence until an enterprising Yale graduate,
Alexandra Robbins, managed to penetrate the wall of silence in her book, “Secrets of the Tomb,” reports
CBS News Correspondent Morley Safer.

"I spoke with about 100 members of Skull and Bones and they were members who were tired of the secrecy,
and that's why they were willing to talk to me,” says Robbins. “But probably twice that number hung up on me,
harassed me, or threatened me.”

Secret or not, Skull and Bones is as essential to Yale as the Whiffenpoofs, the tables down at a pub called Mory's,
and the Yale mascot - that ever-slobbering bulldog.

Skull and Bones, with all its ritual and macabre relics, was founded in 1832 as a new world version of
secret student societies that were common in Germany at the time. Since then, it has chosen or "tapped"
only 15 senior students a year who become patriarchs when they graduate -- lifetime members of the
ultimate old boys' club.

“Skull and Bones is so tiny. That's what makes this staggering,” says Robbins. “There are only 15 people a year,
which means there are about 800 living members at any one time.”

But a lot of Bonesmen have gone on to positions of great power, which Robbins says is the main purpose of this
secret society: to get as many members as possible into positions of power.

“They do have many individuals in influential positions,” says Robbins. “And that's why this is something that
we need to know about.”

President Bush has tapped five fellow Bonesmen to join his administration. Most recently, he selected
William Donaldson, Skull and Bones 1953, the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Like the
President, he's taken the Bones oath of silence.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron Rosenbaum, author and columnist for the New York Observer, has become obsessed with cracking
that code of secrecy.

“I think there is a deep and legitimate distrust in America for power and privilege that are cloaked in secrecy.
It's not supposed to be the way we do things,” says Rosenbaum. “We're supposed to do things out in the open
in America. And so that any society or institution that hints that there is something hidden is, I think, a legitimate
subject for investigation.”

His investigation is a 30-year obsession dating back to his days as a Yale classmate of George W. Bush.
Rosenbaum, a self-described undergraduate nerd, was certainly not a contender for Bones. But he was
fascinated by its weirdness.

“It's this sepulchral, tomblike, windowless, granite, sandstone bulk that you can't miss. And I lived next to it,”
says Rosenbaum. “I had passed it all the time. And during the initiation rites, you could hear strange cries and
whispers coming from the Skull and Bones tomb.”

Despite a lifetime of attempts to get inside, the best Rosenbaum could do was hide out on the ledge of a nearby
building a few years ago to videotape a nocturnal initiation ceremony in the Tomb's courtyard.

“A woman holds a knife and pretends to slash the throat of another person lying down before them, and there's
screaming and yelling at the neophytes,” he says.

Robbins says the cast of the initiation ritual is right out of Harry Potter meets Dracula: “There is a devil,
a Don Quixote and a Pope who has one foot sheathed in a white monogrammed slipper resting on
a stone skull.
The initiates are led into the room one at a time. And once an initiate is inside, the Bonesmen
shriek at him. Finally, the Bonesman is shoved to his knees in front of Don Quixote as the shrieking crowd
falls silent. And Don Quixote lifts his sword and taps the Bonesman on his left shoulder and says, ‘By order
of our order, I dub thee knight of Euloga.’"

It’s a lot of mumbo-jumbo, says Robbins, but it means a lot to the people who are in it.

“Prescott Bush, George W's grandfather, and a band of Bonesmen, robbed the grave of Geronimo, took the skull
and some personal relics of the Apache chief and brought them back to the tomb,” says Robbins. “There is still
a glass case, Bonesmen tell me, within the tomb that displays a skull that they all refer to as Geronimo.”

“The preoccupation with bones, mortality, with coffins, lying in coffins, standing around coffins, all this sort of thing
I think is designed to give them the sense that, and it's very true, life is short,” says Rosenbaum. “You can spend it,
if you have a privileged background, enjoying yourself, contributing nothing, or you can spend it making a contribution.”

And plenty of Bonesmen have made a contribution, from William Howard Taft, the 27th President; Henry Luce,
the founder of Time Magazine; and W. Averell Harriman, the diplomat and confidant of U.S. presidents.

“What's important about the undergraduate years of Skull and Bones, as opposed to fraternities, is that it imbues
them with a kind of mission for moral leadership,” says Rosenbaum. “And it's something that they may ignore for
30 years of their life, as George W. Bush seemed to successfully ignore it for quite a long time. But he came back to it.”

Mr. Bush, like his father and grandfather before him, has refused to talk openly about Skull and Bones. But as a
Bonesman, he was required to reveal his innermost secrets to his fellow Bones initiates.

“They're supposed to recount their entire sexual histories in sort of a dim, a dimly-lit cozy room. The other 14 members
are sitting on plush couches, and the lights are dimmed,” says Robbins. “And there's a fire roaring. And the, this activity
is supposed to last anywhere from between one to three hours.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

What’s the point of this?

”I believe the point of the year in the tomb is to forge such a strong bond between these 15 new members that after they graduate, for them to betray Skull and Bones would mean they'd have to betray their 14 closest friends,” says Robbins.

One can't help but make certain comparisons with the mafia, for example. Secret society, bonding, stakes may be a
little higher in one than the other. But everybody knows everything about everybody, which is a form of protection.

“I think Skull and Bones has had slightly more success than the mafia in the sense that the leaders of the five families
are all doing 100 years in jail, and the leaders of the Skull and Bones families are doing four and eight years in the
White House,” says Rosenbaum.

Bones is not restricted to the Republican Party. Yet another Bonesman has his eye on the Oval Office:
Senator John Kerry, Democrat, Skull & Bones 1966.

“It is fascinating isn't it? I mean, again, all the people say, ‘Oh, these societies don't matter. The Eastern Establishment
is in decline.’ And you could not find two more quintessential Eastern establishment, privileged guys,” says Rosenbaum.
“I remember when I was a nerdy scholarship student in the reserve book room at, at the Yale Library, and John Kerry,
who at that point styled himself ‘John F. Kerry’ would walk in.”

“There was always a little buzz,” adds Rosenbaum. “Because even then he was seen to be destined for higher things.
He was head of the Yale Political Union, and a tap for Skull and Bones was seen as the natural sequel to that.”

David Brooks, a conservative commentator who has published a book on the social dynamics of the upwardly mobile,
says that while Skull & Bones may be elite and secret, it's anything but exciting.

“My view of secret societies is they're like the first class cabin in airplanes. They're really impressive until you get into
them, and then once you're there they're a little dull. So you hear all these conspiracy theories about Skull and Bones,”
says Brooks.

“And to me, to be in one of these organizations, you have to have an incredibly high tolerance for tedium 'cause you're
sittin' around talking, talking, and talking. You're not running the world, you're just gassing.”

Gassing or not, the best-connected white man's club in America has moved reluctantly into the 21st Century.

“Skull and Bones narrowly endorsed admitting women,” says Robbins. “The day before these women were supposed
to be initiated, a group of Bonesmen, including William F. Buckley, obtained a court order to block the initiation claiming
that letting women into the tomb would lead to date rape. Again more legal wrangling; finally it came down to another vote
and women were admitted and initiated.”

But Skull & Bones now has women, and it’s become more multicultural.

“It has gays who got the SAT scores, it's got the gays who got the straight A's,” says Brooks. “It's got the blacks who
are the president of the right associations. It's different criteria. More multicultural, but it's still an elite, selective institution.”

On balance, it may be bizarre, but on a certain perspective, does it provide something of value?

“You take these young strivers, you put them in this weird castle. They spill their guts with each other, fine.
But they learn something beyond themselves. They learn a commitment to each other, they learn a commitment
to the community,” says Brooks. “And maybe they inherit some of those old ideals of public service that are missing
in a lot of other parts of the country.”

And is that relationship, in some cases, stronger than family or faith?

“Absolutely,” says Robbins. “You know, they say, they say the motto at Yale is, ‘For God, for country, and for Yale.’
At Bones, I would think it's ‘For Bones.'”


©MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Other links:


Sovereign Head of Vatican City State (Pope) to visit the USA April 15-20, 2008
http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/03/sovereign-head-of-vatican-city-state.html

http://arcticbeacon.com/books/Skull_and_Bones_Chapter_32.html

http://rinf.com/news/nov05/skulls.html

www.postpositive.org/?p=59

www.counterpunch.com/alper11262005.html

www.cuttingedge.org/news/n2241.cfm

Roman Catholicism is NOT Biblical Christianity
http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/04/roman-catholicism-is-not-biblical.html


Rome's Pope to meet Muslims; furthers NWO goal of one-world (false) Religion
The anti-Christian New World Order (NWO) has three main planks:
1) one-world civil ('political') Government
2) one-world Money
3) one-world (false) Religion
http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/03/romes-pope-to-meet-muslims-furthers-nwo.html

__________________________________________________________________________________________


Steve Lefemine, pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
PO Box 50358, Columbia, SC
www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net
www.RighttoLifeActofSC.net
www.LefemineForLife.net

BEN EDICT TRAVELS WITH AMERICAN POWER PLAYERS



Pope Benedict travels with American power players


By Carol Eisenberg April 16, 2008 at 10:01am 0 Comments


Who are the Americans advising Pope Benedict XVI about U.S. politics and protocol as he begins his first official visit?


The pontiff’s inner circle has been a matter of some debate, especially since he is famous for keeping his own counsel, and spending his free hours in solitary pursuits like reading and playing the piano.



But the lineup of Americans, who are traveling as part of his 30-man entourage on Shepherd One, offers a glimpse of U.S. power players in Rome, including:


Archbishop James M. Harvey, head of the papal household and one of the most powerful Americans in the Vatican since he handles requests for meetings with the pope and arranges his appearances. The Milwaukee native has held the post for 10 years.


Cardinal William J. Levada, one of Benedict’s first appointments to replace himself as the church’s top cop. Before going to Rome, Levada was the archbishop of two of America’s most politically liberal cities, Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco. Besides being the enforcer of Catholic orthodoxy, in his new job, the fourth-generation Californian handles hundreds of complaints of clergy sex abuse.


Cardinal F. James Stafford, head of the Vatican office that deals with indulgences, who has spent 12 years in the Vatican. The son of a Baltimore furniture store owner who had planned to pursue a medical career as a young man before a friend’s violent death altered his course, Stafford served in Baltimore, Memphis and Denver before being called to Rome.


On this side of the Atlantic, of course, Edward Egan and Donald Wuerl, the archbishops of New York and Washington, respectively, are the pope’s hosts. But the Bavarian-born pontiff also has strong ties to a number of Catholic thinkers and activists in this country, ranging from lay men to princes of the church, most of whom are aligned with the church’s orthodox wing. Among them are:


Cardinal Avery Dulles, the son of former Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and nephew of former CIA Director Allen Dulles, who is one of the leading Catholic theologians in America. Dulles, a Catholic convert, is one of the few men ever made a prince of the church without having first served as a bishop. His name was suggested to Pope John Paul II by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, under the direction of then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.


Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who was reportedly an ally of Ratzinger’s in the conclave that elected him pope. Among the American cardinals, George has the profile closest to Benedict, says veteran Vatican correspondent John Allen: “Cerebral, difficult to pin down or to label, and given to speaking in fully formed paragraphs rather than sound-bites.”


Rev. Joseph Fessio, a former doctoral student and the founder of Ignatius Press, the U.S. publisher of Benedict’s writings The San Francisco-based Ignatius has been wildly successful for a small publishing company, printing 1.6 million books and videos this past year. Fessio had been provost of Ave Maria University, founded by Catholic philanthropist and pizza magnate Tom Monaghan. After being summarily dismissed from that post last year, he returned as theologian in residence.


Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita Kansas, who worked for Ratzinger for eight years in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Jackels was named a bishop in the last months of John Paul II’s reign.


Msgr. Charles Brown, a priest from the New York Archdiocese who also worked for Ratzinger in the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.


Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran-turned-Catholic priest who founded the monthly journal First Things, based in New York City. Neuhaus, who has advised President George W. Bush on religious and ethical issues including abortion, stem-cell research and cloning, was named one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential evangelicals in America in 2005.


George Weigel, a theologian, writer and activist based at the conservative Ethics and Policy Center in Washington D.C., who spent long hours interviewing then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger when he was writing a bestselling biography of the late John Paul II, “Witness to Hope.” Weigel, who has disagreed with Benedict and his predecessor on the death penalty and the church’s ‘just war’ teachings, is nevertheless a strong advocate of the pontiff.


Source: http://news.muckety.com/2008/04/16/pope-benedicts-american-team/2182


Note: Bolds added for emphasis................... Blogman

VATICAN EXPECTS FLOCK TO PONY UP ...

Vatican expects flock to pony up for pope

Passing the basket to protect pontiff’s historic Gotham visit

by patrick arden / metro new york

APR 16, 2008

BROOKLYN. Roman Catholics here are passing the collection plate to help pay for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit this weekend.

In a letter to the Diocese of Brooklyn’s 202 parishes in Brooklyn and Queens, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has asked the faithful to chip in on the cost of arrival and departure ceremonies at Kennedy Airport.

The Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., has already put a $3 million price tag on the pope’s three-day visit there, but it won’t use church funds. It has established a foundation to raise the cash.

The Archdiocese of New York has declined to make a guess at how much it will pay, but some churchgoers who heard the Brooklyn Diocese’s appeal last Sunday said that borough alone might be looking at a cool $2 million to cover additional security, such as police and fire protection, at JFK.

“I haven’t heard that number,” said Diocese of Brooklyn spokesman Frank DeRosa. An indoor facility is being created at the airport to seat 4,000 for a final two-hour religious program in multiple languages. A civil ceremony will follow, during which the pope and Vice President Dick Cheney will speak.

“There will be certain things that the Diocese will be paying for, and certain things that will be paid for by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,” DeRosa said.

The visit will inevitably cost the city something, especially since it’s not charging for the use of Yankee Stadium. Washington, D.C., expects to pay $2.2 million.

The pope’s security detail is supposed to be Secret Service. Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the U.S. Council of Bishops explained, “He’s a head of state, so it’s a State Department matter.”

“That’s bull,” said Kenneth Bronstein, president of New York City Atheists, Inc. “He’s a religious leader.”

Source: http://ny.metro.us/metro/local/article/Vatican_expects_flock_to_pony_up_for_pope/12257.html

LOWER THE CAP ON FARM SUBSIDIES


Lower the cap on farm subsidies
EDITORIAL - 04/13/2008





Otros Titulares
Nueva York honra a los inmigrantes
NYC celebrates immigrants
Corn prices are up. Same for flour. That means farmers are enjoying boom times.

The reasons for the rise in prices are well known a push for corn-based ethanol as an alternative to rising gasoline prices, and a shortage of wheat as farmers turn to plant more lucrative corn crops. So why would Congress even think of giving farmers more generous subsidies?

There`s really no good answer. A while ago, Congress seemed to be on the verge of reforming a farm subsidy program born of the Depression and woefully out of proportion for today`s agricultural economy. In the 1930s, farms were mostly family businesses that struggled at the mercy of the weather, fluctuating market prices and other variables. Today, the small farm is disappearing, replaced by huge corporate farms that make millions of dollars a year. And the definition of a farmer has changed. Under today`s criteria, someone like David Rockefeller, who owns a farm in New York, qualifies for subsidies ? $554,000 from 1995 to 2005, according to The Wall Street Journal.

President Bush took the unusual step of sending Congress a farm bill that, among other things, would limit subsidies to farms with incomes of $200,000 or less. The current standard is ridiculously high: $2.5 million.

Now, the House and the Senate have passed bills that are far more generous than envisioned by the White House. The House version reduces the eligibility cap for subsidies to $1 million, while the Senate version puts the ceiling at $750,000.

Bush has been hinting at a veto if Congress sends him a compromise package that does not include fundamental reforms. Unless lawmakers come to their senses soon, that`s exactly what he should do.

The Times Union of Albany/AP

Source: http://www.eldiariolaprensa.com/noticias/detail_print.aspx?section=25&desc=Editorial&id=1850696

P.S. Where's Jeb Bush in this Ethanol equation? Maybe, in Brazil?

BLAIR HONORED FOR PEACE COMMITMENT

Blair Honoured For Peace Commitment

Tony Blair has been honoured in Dublin for his role in helping to secure lasting peace in Northern Ireland.

Blair in Dublin with Taoiseach Ahern
Blair in Dublin with Taoiseach Ahern

On the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, hosted a special dinner in Dublin Castle to pay tribute to the man he said "had given tirelessly of himself to bring to an end decades of suffering and bloodshed."

Both men were central to the lengthy negotiations which culminated in that historic deal in April 1998.

It formed the basis for establishing a power-sharing government in Belfast but Mr Ahern said Mr Blair never wavered in his commitment to bringing the tough talks to a successful conclusion.

"He gave so, so much of his time," Mr Ahern said, "and he had to keep giving of his time because every time we seemed to be taking a step forward, there was a step backwards."

But the benefits of Tony Blair's dedication are now there for all to see, he said.

Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91211-1312673,00.html

BROWN AND MBEKI TALKS CANCELLED

Brown And Mbeki Talks Cancelled

Talks between Prime Minister Gordon Brown and South African President Thabo Mbeki have been cancelled today, British officials said.

Gordon Brown in America
Gordon Brown in America

The two men had been expected to meet at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of today's Security Council debate on peace-keeping in Africa

It had been thought Gordon Brown would press Mr Mbeki to use his influence with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, encouraging him accept the outcome of his country's disputed elections.

Earlier on his three-day visit to the US, Gordon Brown hailed the strength of the "special relationship" between Britain and America - and said it will continue to grow in the years to come.

Speaking on ABC's Good Morning America show, Mr Brown said: "It is a very special relationship, very special partnership, of peoples as well as governments."

And he insisted the bond will stay firm no matter who becomes the next President.

During the ABC interview Mr Brown refused to be drawn over his intentions for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, insisting that any future decisions depended on the situation on the ground.

He then headed to the UN headquarters where he will take part in a Security Council debate on peacekeeping operations in Africa.

The main focus of Mr Brown's visit is the worsening state of the global economy in the face of the international credit crunch.

He will be meeting senior Wall Street bankers later today to discuss the situation before holding talks tomorrow with President Bush at the White House.

Things have not been running smoothly for the Prime Minister during his trip, especially as he is being overshadowed by the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to the US.

Acting foreign editor of the Washington Times, Willis Witter told Sky News: "The main problem is the timing. Any foreign leader who comes when the Pope is here isn't going to get a whole lot of attention."

The Prime Minister also faces the task of shaking off memories of his predecessor who was regarded with affection by many in the US.

And an unscientific poll of pedestrians near the White House suggests the Prime Minister's team has its work cut out: over three quarters of those asked to identify his picture failed to recognise him.

Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91211-1313008,00.html

Note: G. Brown's arrival 'sans gloire' is intentional; As Tony Blair converted to Catholicism when he stepped down as Prime Minister, last year. Therefore, so as to not add any suspicion to the miraculous coincidence of the current Prime Minister of Britain and the Bishop of Rome. What a front? These people must think we're sleeping? Can you also see a pattern here, like I do? Can you see why he'd make a low-profile arrival?

MR. BROWN GOES TO WASHINGTON (QUIETLY)

Wednesday, 16 April 2008

Today in Politics: Mr Brown goes to Washington

By Andrew Grice

Gordon Brown begins a visit to the United States today but, as is often the case when a troubled leader goes abroad, he will find it difficult to escape his domestic woes. His trip is already being seen as accident-prone: it is getting little media coverage in America, as it is being eclipsed by Pope Benedict XVI's US visit and the Pennsylvania presidential primary.

Given his current difficulties, Brown will be more interested in how it plays back home. At least he will be in the right place today to discuss the global credit crunch when he meets bankers in New York. Whether he will be able to "do something" about the cause of the economic storm clouds in Britain is another matter.

The same problem may arise on Zimbabwe, which he will discuss when he visits the United Nations. His talks may have to be in the margins of a Security Council debate on co-operation with the African Union, since African nations are pursuing their own "softly, softly" approach to the Zimbabwe crisis and do not welcome lectures from leaders like Brown.

Although the PM will meet president George Bush at the White House tomorrow, the other main purpose of his visit will be to lay the ground for what his aides call the "post Bush era". Brown won't use that phrase as he still has to do business with Bush until he leaves office in January. But he will seek common ground with the next President by holding separate talks with John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (who he will meeting for the first time).

Brown will make a speech on Friday on his vision for a new world order, what he calls a "global society", and will seek the backing of the the three presidential contenders for a shake-up of institutions like the UN and World Bank. He has thought long and hard about the need to make bodies created after the second World War fit for the 21st century. However, his clout on the world stage will be reduced if he is seen as a beleaguered figure in his own country.

"IS THE VATICAN STRICTLY A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION?"



“The Vatican – Is It a Topic that Should Be Discussed?”

“Is the Vatican Strictly a ‘Religious’ Organization?” (And)


“Is the Vatican a Torture-Loving, Mass-Murdering Machine?”



By Darryl Eberhart, Editor of “Tackling the Tough Topics”


June 20, 2006 (Updated through: April 19, 2007)



On June 17, 2006 I had a telephone conversation with a friend of mine who also happens to be a broadcast host in the “alternative media”. Most people would characterize his broadcast and his organization as “secular” rather than as “religious”, although he has had several people on his broadcast to discuss topics that fall in the realm of “religion”. So I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when he noted that if we talked about the Vatican “on air” (i.e., on his broadcast), then people would say that we would be entering into a discussion of “religion”. I think we need to answer the three questions that are asked in the “three-part title” of this article concerning the Vatican. We will start first with the second question:



“Is the Vatican Strictly a ‘Religious’ Organization?”


Please visit the (Source) link for the whole story:


@ http://www.toughissues.org/The%20Vatican.htm

LAVISH WHITE HOUSE WELCOME PLANNED FOR BEN EDICT

Lavish White House welcome planned for Pope

Talk with U.S. bishops on sex abuse to follow

Last Updated: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:56 AM ET

Pope Benedict XVI will receive an elaborate White House welcome Wednesday on the first full day of his tour of the United States, in one of the largest arrival ceremonies ever held in the U.S. capital.

The pontiff was met by President George W. Bush on Tuesday when he arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland, his special Alitalia flight taxiing over to the reception with U.S. and Vatican flags waving from its cockpit.

Pope Benedict XVI is seen on Tuesday prior to boarding a plane bound for Washington at Rome's international airport.Pope Benedict XVI is seen on Tuesday prior to boarding a plane bound for Washington at Rome's international airport.
(Plinio Lepri/Associated Press)

The 81-year-old head of the Roman Catholic church emerged from the aircraft smiling and waving to an enthusiastic crowd of students, church officials and worshippers who gathered to greet him in his only public appearance Tuesday.

Bush, his wife Laura Bush and their daughter, Jenna, welcomed the Pope on the tarmac in a greeting ceremony complete with military honour guards and two brass bands.

It was the first time a U.S. president had greeted a leader or dignitary of any kind at the base. Neither Bush nor the Pope spoke with reporters.

Exclude pedophiles from church: Pope

While the Catholic Church is considered strong, the Pope will face the challenge of restoring unity and faith in the wake of sex abuse scandals that have devastated the church and forced the payout of nearly $2 billion in settlements.

On Wednesday, the pontiff will meet U.S. Roman Catholic bishops at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington and will address them on the issue of abuse in the church.

Aboard the flight to Washington from Rome, Pope Benedict told reporters he was "deeply ashamed" about the sex abuse scandal, adding the church "will do whatever is possible that this does not happen in the future."

"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," he told reporters.

In 2004, the bishops released a statistical review that found 4,392 priests had been accused of molesting children in 10,667 cases between 1950 and 2002.

Speaking to CBC, Barbara Blaine, the head of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said the Pope's words were not enough; actions were required.

"What would make a difference would be if the Holy Father would act," Blaine said, "… punish those pedophile priests and the cardinals who help them cover up.

"The Pope has such authority. With one mark of his pen, he could make children safer all over the world."

Pontiff to skip gala dinner

During his six-day stay in the U.S., the Pope will travel to just two cities — Washington and New York.

About 12,000 people are expected to gather for his official visit to the White House on Wednesday, the same day the Pope will celebrate his 81st birthday.

But he will skip a gala dinner planned for the evening, opting instead for a prayer service with American bishops. He will also celebrate mass at Washington's baseball stadium, Nationals Park.

While in New York, he will stop for prayer at Ground Zero, deliver a major address at the United Nations and celebrate mass at Yankee Stadium.

It is still unclear whether Pope Benedict will meet with any of the victims of the sex abuse scandal.

"It's a formidable challenge but he's a formidable man," said U.S. military Archbishop Timothy Broglio.

"We're obviously much more aware of the nature of this problem, of how the church has to respond to it and we're certainly much more attentive to it than we were before."

Soft spot for U.S.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, told the Associated Press in an interview last week that Pope Benedict will seek healing and reconciliation as he addresses a gathering of clergy at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral.

John Allen, who writes for the National Catholic Reporter, said he believes the Pope will offer "an expression of deep regret" for what has happened.

He added that the Pope also has a soft spot for America, unlike his predecessor, Pope John Paul II who was often critical of U.S. policy in Iraq and other areas.

"People who are expecting him to come in and go negative in one form or another I suspect are going to be disappointed," Allen said.

"I suspect the dominant note will be a deep appreciation for the religious vitality of American society," he said.

With files from the Associated Press

BIG WHITE HOUSE CROWDS TO GREET PONTIFF...

Q1x00128_9
Bush, big White House crowd to greet pope on his birthday


Wednesday, April 16, 2008

WASHINGTON - President Bush has quite a birthday present for Pope Benedict XVI: at least 9,000 excited guests gathered on the White House's South Lawn for a 21-gun salute, a famed soprano's rendition of "The Lord's Prayer" and an emotional presidential welcome.


The pontiff turned 81 on Wednesday, the first full day of his first trip to the United States as leader of the world's Roman Catholics. He'll spend most of the day at the White House, only the second pope to do so and the first in 29 years.


In remarks during pomp-filled festivities that have had Washington aflutter for days, Bush was to tell the pontiff and the crowd how glad America is to have him visit - and to tell Americans they should listen to his words.


"He will hear from the president that America and the world need to hear his message that God is love, that human life is sacred, that we all must be guided by common moral law, and that we have responsibilities to care for our brothers and sisters in need, at home and across the world," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.


The White House gates were opened to invited guests 2 1/2 hours before the welcoming ceremony and people stood in line at metal detectors before hurrying to assigned places on the South Lawn. Crowds jammed Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House for a glimpse of the pope's arrival.


On the way from Rome on Tuesday, Benedict said he was looking forward to meeting a "great people and a great church" during his first papal journey to the United States. The six-day trip to Washington and New York City coincides not just with his birthday, but the three-year anniversary of his ascendance to the Catholic church's top position. Nurturing the U.S. flock is a sensitive and important mission for Benedict at a time not just of ongoing scandal but also of his campaign to tamp down secularism and re-ignite faith.


This get-together by Bush and Benedict is the 25th meeting between a Roman Catholic pope and a U.S. president, sessions that span 89 years, five pontiffs and 11 American leaders.


These two leaders share much common ground, particularly in opposing abortion, gay marriage and embryonic stem cell research. But there are plenty of differences.


They disagree over the war in Iraq, the death penalty and the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Benedict also speaks for environmental protection and social welfare in ways that often run counter to Bush policies. And the pontiff told reporters on his plane that he planned to bring up immigration policy with Bush during their private Oval Office meeting. Benedict has talked forcefully in the past about the damage caused by punitive immigration laws.


Perino said Bush would focus on areas of agreement, such as on expanding religious tolerance and containing violent extremism. She said shared concerns for Africa and Lebanon would be on the president's agenda.


Perino predicted that Iraq would not "dominate the conversation in any way." If it comes up, it's likely to be focused almost exclusively on the fears of the Christian minority in Muslim-majority Iraq, she said.


Another topic that will get cursory attention, if any, is the clergy sex abuse scandal that continues to devastate the American church. Perino called it not "necessarily on the president's top priorities" for the meeting.


Benedict chose to talk on the topic on his flight to the United States. Answering questions submitted to and selected by Vatican officials in advance, Benedict said he was "deeply ashamed" by the scandal and "will do everything possible to heal this wound."


No pope has been to the United States since the case of a Boston serial molester triggered a crisis that spread throughout the U.S. and beyond in 2002. Benedict's prayer service with U.S. bishops on Wednesday night at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception will be watched closely for how he addresses the issue. Because of the prayer service, the pope was not planning to attend a dinner in his honor at the White House.


Bush has courted the Catholic vote, about a quarter of the U.S. electorate, since his first presidential campaign, with some success. But though Bush has no more campaigns to run now, he is laying out the red carpet for the pontiff.


The president kicked off the unprecedented series of events by motoring to Andrews Air Force Base just outside Washington on Tuesday to meet Benedict's plane, something he's never done for any leader. The pontiff received a screaming, cheering reception befitting a rock star from the hundreds of Catholic students and others who filled bleachers on the tarmac while Bush, accompanied by his wife, Laura, and daughter Jenna, assumed the unusual role of second fiddle.


Wednesday's South Lawn audience for the pope's arrival, filled out by members of the Knights of Columbus and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, is expected to be the largest of Bush's presidency and among the largest ever at the White House. So many people have been invited, in fact, that many will only be able to see Bush and Benedict on a large television screen.


Soprano Kathleen Battle has been enlisted to sing "The Lord's Prayer" - a decision the White House defended as appropriate despite the overt insertion of religion into a public event. "I think we've struck the right balance," Perino said. "Many people across America and across the world say that prayer in order to provide themselves comfort and confidence in getting their day started."


Source: http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp?cat=national&id=20080416/480579c0_3ca6_1552620080416-778690852


OOPS: Another violation of the separation of Church and State in the making. What, and where is this stuff coming from? The pits of hell! It's a "National Apostasy"; National ruin is soon to follow. It's not far behind.


Arsenio...