and we have no reason to believe is a famous, published Ralph Wetterhahn, his letter is a straight-up smear.

The only possible defence I can imagine is that perhaps the editor took this small comment out of the context of a much longer letter, purely for shock value I would imagine.  Even then it's difficult to imagine a serious argument that could include such obviously inflamatory language.

The LAT screwed up on this one.

Does the name Maximilian Kolbe ring a bell with you?

Yeah, he was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar who was imprisoned in Auschwitz after providing shelter to some 2,000 Jews in his friary and denouncing Nazi activities through radio broadcasts.

In Auschwitz, Kolbe volunteered to take the place of a Jewish man condemned to death (along with 9 others) after prisoners escaped the camp.  The ten men were starved to death.  During this time, Kolbe led them in song and prayer and kept their spirits up.

After three weeks of being starved, Kolbe and three others were still alive.  The guards eventually killed him with an injection of carbolic acid.

When Kolbe was canonized in 1982, Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man Kolbe volunteered to replace at Auschwitz, was present - along with his family.

But, let's not look at that.  Never mind that many Catholics risked their lives and homes to protect Jews from persecution, or that Pope Pius XII was a vocal and active opponent of Hitler and the Nazis (so much so that Hitler wanted him kidnapped).  No, no, no, no, no...ignore the history and fact.  The Catholic Church hates Jews because the MSM said so.

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam

From Catholic Cuture Org

http://www.catholicc...

very liberal paper

Unfortunately, the Reporter's version of honest and open exchange is to criticize the Church and many of its most central teachings.

The excommunications that were lifted in this case had nothing to do with anti-semitic points of view.

The SSPX (stands for Society of St. Pius X) is a traditionalist Catholic organization founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.  It was founded after the Second Vatican Council in opposition to what was perceived as liberalization of the Church (and, to a fault, they had a point...lots of theologically liberal types used the "spirit" of  Vatican II to engage in catechesis, theology, and liturgical practices that are in direct opposition to Catholic teaching).

In 1988, Lefebvre consecrated six bishops in violation of the Code of Canon Law, and his actions were considered schismatic and incurred automatic excommunication.

So the "excommunications" in question here deal not with Williamson or his views on the Holocaust; they deal specifically with the schismatic consecration of bishops in 1988.  That's it.  Nothing else.  Williamson was one of the bishops consecrated in 1988 in violation of Canon Law.

I also read somewhere that Lefebvre's father was killed by the Nazis for, among other things, helping Jews.  (Kinda smashes the whole anti-Semite angle, in my opinion).

Several bishops have told Williamson to shut it (see: http://markshea.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-hopeful-sign-that-sspx-is.html for one example) and Williamson himself apologized (see: http://catholicism.about.com/b/2009/01/30/bishop-williamson-apologizes.htm).

Now, some speculate that, ultimately, Williamson might not reconcile with Rome in the end.  That's his choice and on his soul.  But lifting the excommunications not only reconciles the remaining bishops with Rome, but also the lay members of the SSPX who are more traditionalist (following Benedict's lead back into more traditionalist Catholicism).

This also does not mean that the Church supports or condones everything even its bishops say or do.  Heck, there are dozens of American politicians who claim to be "Catholic" yet openly defy Church teaching on abortion and marriage - does this mean the Church is really pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage just because X prominent Catholics are?  No.  Williamson's views are his views.  He is a bishop, yes, but not the authority on Church views, so to say this somehow reflects our treatment of Jews or views on Jews is a lie.

Ultimately, what this boils down to is this:

After Vatican II, theological liberals had no problem making drastic, politically correct, and often heretical changes to catechesis, liturgy, and theology.  All in an attempt to remake the Catholic Church in their image (by removing all the parts that are fundamentally Catholic).

Liberals hate the Catholic Church because of our stance on marriage, sex and sexuality, contraception, and the all-male celibate priesthood.

They felt they made some headway since the 1960s.  But of course, all their actions did was give rise to the sex abuse scandal, diminish congregations, and create a generation or two of poorly catechized cafeteria Catholics.

Now that Benedict is signaling a return to more traditional Catholicism (as indicated by his loosening of the Latin mass, and his attempts at reconciliation with the SSPX), it's freaking them out.  They might lose all the footing they think they've gained.  People might go back to receiving the Eucharist on the tongue and women might wear chapel veils again!

So any smear to try to marginalize, undermine, and otherwise detract from the Church is fair game.

So I try to remember this passage from Scripture (Matthew 5:1-12a):

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

You can also gauge how right Pope Benedict's actions are based on who is ticked off at him.  In most cases, liberals and the media...which means he's doing the right thing.  Calls for him to resign, etc., and condemnation from politicians abound...so he needs the support of sensible people everywhere.

Please let me know if this clarifies things. Even as a Catholic who frequents good Catholic blogs who know 100x more about this than I do and it still is being discussed and debated by us.

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam