Good Bye Anonymice

Anonymous comments are once again closed for awhile.  I think some of my anonymous commenters start drinking pretty early on Fridays - or they are still drunk after being up so late on Thursday night.  Weekends seem to be the opportune time for anonymice to leave their sometimes passive-aggressive, most times, mean-spirited comments.  I find the anonymous harassment annoying, largely because they are cheap shots without any back-up.  Obviously I am getting under someones skin - just because I exist.   One would imagine these people would be happy to identify themselves, especially since they feel the need to assert their superiority over myself.  I certainly won't contest that however.

That said, it is apparent at least one or two of my anonymice enemies are known on the blogosphere and therefore they want/need to hide their identity to preserve their good Catholic image.  It is a typical example of church-people duplicity and dishonesty - and is down right hypocritical.  Which may be why they were so easily dismissed in the first place...

A journalist asked me recently why I blog about such people - especially concerning the shadowy side of Catholics in monasteries, parishes, as well as the assortment of online Catholic dissociative personalities.  I answered I just find it interesting to point out that it doesn't matter if one is conservative or liberal, traditional or moderate, or even progressive - the Church has always been comprised of sinners and phonies working a rather vulnerable audience.  I'm right with them of course - but at least I try really hard to be honest about it.

So don't be afraid to criticize, shame, condemn or ridicule me - just identify yourself for what you are when doing so. 

A movie that should have been made by now...

The Murder of Alfred Kunz.

It is a story that scares rural and small town priests to this day... 

Father Alfred Kunz, (April 15, 1931 - March 4, 1998), was a Catholic priest who was found with his throat slit in his Roman Catholic church in Dane, Wisconsin.  His murder has never been solved. The Kuntz murder investigation has been described as the most expensive and time-consuming investigation in Dane County's history.

Kunz, though he continued to say the Latin Mass, also said the Mass in English and was in communion with his diocesan bishop. "Father Kunz was a well-known expert in cano law, so he knew how to walk the lines," Bill Brophy, a spokesman for the Madison Wisconsin Catholic Diocese said shortly after his murder.   Kunz was pastor at the church for 32 years before his death.

Prior to his death, Kunz had his own radio show and had been a close associate of Malachi Martin, an author and exorcist!  After Kunz was murdered, Martin alleged that the priest had been killed by "Luciferians" and said Kunz had performed several exorcisms before his death. Martin said Kunz felt his life was in danger in the weeks before his murder. Kunz's friend, Abbot Ryan St. Anne Scott felt Kunz's murder was related to Kunz's investigation of sexual abuse scandals in the diocese.  The Dane County Sheriff's Department also investigated a calf mutilation 15 miles from Kunz's church the day before his murder that a farmer attributed to a cult. Kunz had allegedly been investigating reports of homosexuality and sexual abuse by priests within the diocese of Springfield, Illinois. There were also allegations that Kunz had been involved with female parishioners.

"The motives are all over the place, anything from jealousy, power and control to betrayal and fear of exposure," Dane County Sheriff's Lieutenant Kevin Hughes said in 2001. "So take your pick at this point. We just don't know yet."  In 2002, Dane County sheriff Gary Hamblin stated that his department was still receiving tips about the case. By this time, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigators had concluded that the killer knew Kunz and was familiar with the church property.   Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney stated in March 2008 that his department no longer uses the term "intimate" in regard to the murder investigation of Father Kunz, which dispels any hint of impropriety. Mahoney is also willing to cooperate with "cold case" investigators, even though his department does not consider the Kunz investigation "cold."

By 2009, investigators with the Dane County sheriff's department were willing to state that they have a long-time suspect, who has never been named as they lack sufficient evidence to indict him. Steve Gilmore, lieutenant of detectives with the department, said that the suspect left town soon after Kunz's death, and that "We still know where he's at and what he's up to. If indeed he had committed this one, he's stayed pretty clean. We certainly don't think there's any threat to the public out there."  Gilmore has also stated that the suspect is alive (as of 2008) and under constant surveillance, although no longer living in the Dane County jurisdiction. - Wiki 

Very scary - and the killers are still out there.

Campy art...

Don't hold your breath or expect too much.

My "Blognic" is a redux on Bosch's "Concert In An Egg" - I substituted/updated the Bosh composition with updated symbolism and contemporary figures.  I have not painted any "online friends" per se - just in case you are curious as to who is who in the painting once it is finished.  And no - I will never identify by name who is depicted - if you can't tell from the painting then it is my failure as a painter.  Yes, it is 'campy art' - so you will not insult me with your criticism. 

Nevertheless, at this point, the canvas is far from finished, perhaps it will be completed by Thanksgiving.

After you are dead...

No one on earth will ever know you existed...

Attorney sees parallels in the Penn State abuse cover up to the Catholic Church scandals...

“It’s a real opportunity for the survivors to sue them and to hold them accountable, to bring the truth to bear, so they realize kids go first — reputations go second,” said Anderson.

Jeff Anderson is now assisting in the Penn State sex abuse scandals.

First let me say this:  If coaches were allowed to be married this would never have happened.  And let me add that something must be done about the gay subculture in college football and sports departments.  What?

So anyway - Jeff is off to the rescue.  He was on local news last night saying as much...

“Can we help there? Yes. Have we been called to help? Absolutely. Will we help? Definitely,” said Anderson.

Former Penn State defense coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been charged with molesting eight boys between 1994 and 2009. Two other school administrators have been charged in a cover up.

Because there was a cover up in the Penn State case, Anderson says the statute of limitations won’t apply.

“Because there has been a cover up here, that has both now been demonstrated publicly and revealed to us privately, we believe even those survivors that were abused by Sandusky decades ago still can get relief,” said Anderson.

In Anderson’s most recent blog, he details what he sees as the parallels between the Penn State scandal and the Catholic sex abuse scandals. He said the school faces enormous legal liability because the abuse occurred on Penn State property and administrators were made aware of some of the incidents. - WCCO

Personally, I think Paterno did right by the kid - he reported the incident to administration and got back to work.  I believe Paterno's superiors were the people responsible to have Sandusky arrested and fired.  That said - every institution/organization protects its own at the expense of others.  I've seen it at almost every place I have ever worked.

To be honest - the Jerry Sandusky situation reminds me of Covenant House in NYC and the 1990 scandal involving Fr. Bruce Ritter.
.
Photo:  Jeff Anderson - doing his job.

The weather report...

I did not post today - today being November 9, 2011.

I always post.  Every day.  Sometimes several times a day.  What up?

I can't say right now.  I'm just not sure.  But I am painting a lot.

Quick news:

From Sally Tomato:  "Snow flurries expected this week end in New Orleans."

Delusional, magical thinking and poodles... in urban myth.

I just came online to do some research - I needed photos of a couple of Catholic 'personalities' for my 'campy' painting.

Quick notes since I'm here...

This is so stupid - "Devil in the details" - restorers actually believing that Giotto, or one of his students painted the face of the devil in the clouds of a fresco.  Remember the guy who made a film about the San Damiano crucifix with the embedded penis?  Yeah, Michael Calaci and The Rape of the Soul.  Geesh!  People who think abstract expressionism is evil are willing to give their personal impressions credit when it comes to medieval and renaissance painting... and they make up all kinds of stories to support their 21st century POV. 

I use the term eidolon for this type of image these folks claim exist or were intentionally worked in to a composition.  Eidolon means 'an unsubstantial image: phantom'. popular culture has trademarked the term for other purposes, while Carl Sagan employed another similar term for such imaginary images: paeidolia. - Abbey Roads post: The Evil of Abstract Expresionism

Opinion page:  I believer Herman Cain's accusers BTW.  No big deal, really - if Cain hadn't lied about it.  It's the lying that gets me.

Church talk:  I do not know what the big deal is about the new changes in the liturgy - they are barely even noticeable, BUT - if my parish is any indication, the hymns and the music will continue to be sappy, sentimental, ass-slapping crap.  Oh, and there should never ever be special Eucharistic prayers for children - IMO that is.  Kids know the difference between disciples and friends.

Gotta run.

Warning!

>: The holiday season is upon us. <:

Never, ever purchase products that look like the item shown in the photo.  Never even think about it.

Teresa of Jesus

Trouble-maker.

I was watching the excellent Spanish miniseries on la Madre last evening on EWTN.  I know, I just said I don't watch EWTN any longer, but I was channel surfing and came across the film.

The episode dealt with the foundation in Seville and Teresa being called by the Inquisition.

Just a few comments...

I still think Mother's relationship with Fr. Gracian was way too natural.  I know!  Carmelites hate it when I say that.  I didn't like the vow of obedience deal either.  Then I think it is weird that family lived in the monastery with her - but Mother Angelica did the same thing with her mother - "Woo-wee, I'm the superior, anyone can move in!"  One other interesting tidbit is that evidently St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross acted in resistance to various bishops/superiors who got in the way of the reform...  Oh, c'mon - you knew that.

You never really know who's who in real life, do you.  Not a question.

Anyway - whatever the obstacles and difficulties - they became saints and doctors of the Church.