A Catholic Citizen in America: New Location

The good news is still that Blogger's changes haven't made images in my posts here unviewable. (May 6-16, 2016)

Instead of jumping through the hoops necessary to keep track of what I've been showing you, and accommodate Blogger's — caution? — about image files, I decided to set up a new location for this blog, on one of my domains, using WordPress: A Catholic Citizen in America / brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen

The transition would have gone faster, if I hadn't been down with 'nothing serious' for all of May and part of June, and that's another topic.

Anyway, A Catholic Citizen in America has been relaunched at brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen:

• "Temperance, Catholic Style"
  (July 10, 2016)
• "All Lives Matter"
  (July 9, 2016)
• "One Saturday Afternoon in Minnesota"
  (July 2, 2016)

The schedule is the same as it was here, by the way: a post about 'science news' on Friday, another on 'being Catholic' on Sunday. I hope you'll check out what I've written there.

Death in Orlando: Love and Solidarity

The 49 folks killed at an Orlando entertainment venue late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, and the person who killed them, are still dead. Others are hospitalized, and may or may not survive. A whole lot of folks are mourning the loss of family and friends.

Repeating what I wrote Sunday afternoon, I should love God, love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37)

That's everybody. No exceptions.

Acting like love matters is — another topic. (March 9, 2016; July 27, 2014)

Folks living in and around Orlando are doing what they can to help survivors. Prayer seems like a good idea, too. No pressure, of course.

Here's what a Bishop, an Archbishop, and someone at the Vatican, had to say:

"A sword has pierced the heart of our city. ... Jesus calls us to remain fervent in our protection of life and human dignity and to pray unceasingly for peace in our world....

"... Priests, deacons and counselors from the Diocese of Orlando and Catholic Charities of Central Florida are serving at the Aid Center established by the City of Orlando. They are on site helping victims and families on the front lines of this tragedy....

"...We pray for the people of the city of Orlando that God's mercy and love will be upon us as we seek healing and consolation."
Bishop John Noonan of Orlando (June 12, 2016)

"...The merciful love of Christ calls us to solidarity with the suffering and to ever greater resolve in protecting the life and dignity of every person."
President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville (June 12, 2016)

"...The terrible massacre that has taken place in Orlando, with its dreadfully high number of innocent victims, has caused in Pope Francis, and in all of us, the deepest feelings of horror and condemnation....

"...We all hope that ways may be found, as soon as possible, to effectively identify and contrast the causes of such terrible and absurd violence which so deeply upsets the desire for peace of the American people and of the whole of humanity."
Director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. (June 13, 2016)

More of my take on love and life:

• "Mass Murder in Orlando"
  (June 12, 2016)
  Particularly
  • Love
• "Hate People? Not an Option"
  (September 6, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Love: NO EXCEPTIONS
• "Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip"
  (July 12, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving
• "Love!"
  (January 31, 2016)
  Particularly
  • "...Love One Another"
  • Best - News - Ever
• "Hate People? Not an Option"
  (September 6, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Love: NO EXCEPTIONS
  • Human Life
  • Death and Decisions
  • Recap

Mass Murder in Orlando

I'd be writing a longer, more detailed, post about this; but still haven't resolved some technical issues. (May 6, 2016; updated May 16, 2016)

A young man killed more than four dozen folks at an entertainment venue last night/early this morning. He took some of the survivors hostage, and is now dead, too.

I've run into several assumptions about what happened: and a few facts.

What seems certain is that 50 people are dead, and 53 injured. The killer may or may not be included in the 50 fatalities.

Reactions

In my considered opinion, murder is a bad idea and we shouldn't do it. Not even if we're upset about something the victim is doing. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2268-2269, 2302)

The killer's and victims' identity may, quite likely will, inspire various knee-jerk reactions —

Omar Mir Seddique Mateen's parents are from Afghanistan, he's probably a Muslim. ('Everybody knows what they're like.')

The victims were at what's called a gay nightclub. ('They're sinners and deserved to die.')

And so on.

Given the circumstances, and scale, of the incident; we'll probably be seeing this in the news for some time. Politicos are already, I've heard, making use of the deaths. That, I am not looking forward to.

My guess is that the killer's father has a point:

"...Mateen's father Mir Seddique told NBC News that the incident had nothing to do with religion, but may have been triggered by the sight of a gay couple kissing in Miami...."
(BBC News)

Instead of ranting about Afghani-Americans, Floridians, or anyone else; I'll repeat what I've said before. A lot.

Love

I should love God, love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37)

I've said this before, too (December 13, 2015):

Learning to notice whether something I'm about to do will help or hurt another is vital. (Catechism, 1776-1794)

We're social creatures, so I must think about the common good: which involves using my conscience. (Catechism, 1905-1912, 1928-1942)

That can include situations like the old "friends don't let friends drive drunk" public service ads. It's a matter of showing love and respect for another person. (Catechism, 1929-1933, 2284-2301)

"Love the sinner, hate the sin" may be a cliche, but it's a good idea. (April 26, 2015)

"...judging others leads us to hypocrisy ... a person who judges gets it wrong...because he takes the place of God, who is the only judge: taking that place is taking the wrong place!..."
(Francis I)

---

"...although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God."
(Catechism, 1861)

---

"Stop judging, that you may not be judged."
(Jesus, in Matthew 7:1)

More about love and neighbors:

• "Hate People? Not an Option"
  (September 6, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Love: NO EXCEPTIONS
• "Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip"
  (July 12, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving
• "Charleston Church Shooting: Emotions and Reason"
  (June 21, 2015)
  Particularly
  • "Our Country?" Difference, Acceptance, and Murder
  • Life and Reality
  • Looking Out For Each Other
• "Newtown, Connecticut: Mass Murder, Assumptions, and Judgment"
  (December 29, 2013)
• "The Catholic Church and Homosexuals: Harsh and Soft, Judgmental and Understanding"
  (March 13, 2009)
  Particularly
  • "Afraid of Anybody or Anything that was Not Like Him"