Chairman’s Thoughts

On August 22nd, at the Center for Pastoral Leadership, the Cleveland Catholic Forum will present the Cleveland Catholic Forum Award of Service & Valor to Sergeant Randolph Kloos.  Here is his amazing story:

Sergeant Randolph Thomas Kloos is an American hero, right from our own backyard in Cleveland. He serves his country and God with love, courage, and strength throughout his enlistment in the United States Army.

Randy volunteered for the United States Army after the September 11th terrorist attacks. He loved his country and he wanted to defend it. He talked a lot about this decision with his family, in particular his mom, Janet. She feared terribly for her son and was resistant to the idea of him enlisting, but given his drive to serve, she was moved to bless her son’s enlistment. Randy Kloos’ family fell to their knees to beg for God’s protection of their son.

In his first tour of duty in Iraq, he served in the 1st Infantry Division. He saw some of the bloodiest fighting in the war, going house to house, looking for terrorists with orders to capture or kill them. He was shot at and threatened with death from rockets, suicide bombers, or roadside bombs on a daily basis. He exercised extreme restraint and courage; not firing shots at the enemy if there was a very real possibility of harming innocent civilians. He saw the worst of war: murdered innocent Iraqi citizens and children, dead friends, killed brothers in arms. He used his faith and his love of God and country to get through these difficult times.

In LCpl Andrew S. Kloos’, US Marine Corps (Ret.), Randy’s brother, words:

“He always carried himself as a representative for our culture to the Iraqi people. He proved his loyalty to helping the Iraqi people by defending their neighborhoods, training Iraqi soldiers and giving medical treatment to wounded Iraqis. He also cared for the needy in Iraq by giving them food and water. He even reached out to the Iraqi children giving them candy and soccer balls. Before Randy left for Iraq my father told him that no matter what happens in Iraq - God will decide when you will meet him and nothing else. I believe these words of wisdom enabled Randy to show courage under fire and the ability to save his fellow soldiers when by doing so put himself in peril.”

Yet, his love of country and his courage to serve it and protect the men under his command is only one-half of the story. His faith, personal sacrifice, and character is the rest of the story.

Randy trained at a U.S base in Germany for his fighting in Iraq. During this time he met a woman by the name of Chantel and he fell deeply in love with her. He then served his 1st tour of duty in Iraq, and afterward, got engaged. Then before returning to Iraq, he got married at an old Catholic Church in Bavaria that escaped the ravages of World War II. His son, Dean, was born on December 27, 2008. He got to see his wife and newborn son for 2 weeks, and then he headed back to Iraq. He never really complained about this, despite the drag on his heart of not being able to physically be there for his wife and son. He is also deeply missed his family back home in America.

Amidst all of this, Randy went into combat zones daily. His father, Jim Kloos, told us a story how when out on a mission, his son saw that an Iraqi woman was bleeding to death. Randy then put his life at risk to administer first aid to her and he saved her life. Had he not done so she would be dead. He risked his life to save hers. It is acts of love such as this that show the true magnitude of his character.

Faith is what has sustained Randy through these difficult times. He takes his Catholic faith seriously. He is a graduate of St. Edward High School and a member of St. Mark’s Parish. Even as a kid, if his classmates were goofing off during Mass or saying negative comments about the faith, he would correct them. While serving in Iraq, Randy has carried a small pocket-sized Bible with him into combat. He has read from it in the midst of war, giving himself courage and giving courage to the men around him. On Sundays he often had to go into combat and wasn’t able to go to church, his pocket-sized Bible was the next best thing. He read from it for courage, love and inspiration.

He often talks with his brothers in arms about faith and God’s love. There is a young man in Randy’s unit who does not believe in God. The soldier was spared on six occasions coming within inches from death. The sixth time the soldier dodged death, Randy screamed to him shortly after, “Do you believe in God NOW?!”

Randy served his 1st tour of duty in the First Infantry Division. Today he is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq in the Alpha Company 1-2, Task Force 366, in the 174th Brigade.

He is a man of tremendous courage, faith, and love. He embodies what a United States solider is and should be. He gives hope to all of us for a better America through his sacrifice and the magnitude of his character. For his service, leadership and sacrifice, he is highly deserving of the Cleveland Catholic Forum Award of Service and Valor. We at the Cleveland Catholic Forum look forward to giving him this award, through his family, on August 22nd, while he is still valiantly serving our country in Iraq.

When is The Event:
Saturday, August 22, 2009
6:30 PM - Open Bar & Silent Auction Start
7:00 PM - Dinner & Music
After Dinner - Award Ceremoney & Keynote Address by Archbishop Timothy Broglio

Where:
Center for Pastoral Leadership Founder’s Room 28700 Euclid Avenue Wickliffe, OH 44092

How to Reserve Seats:
Tickets are $50 per person, a 100% tax-deductible donation, and may be reserved by going to ClevelandCatholicForum.com, or by calling Joe Soltis at 440-623-9183.

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I, myself, have never been in battle, or seen the horrors of war. Yet, in the process of searching for the recipient of the Cleveland Catholic Forum’s Award of Service & Valor, I have talked with several soldiers, several brothers and sisters, and many moms and dads, who have sent their beloved off to war. Many of the stories have moved me deeply and ignited in my heart a more fervent respect for the American solider. Here are some questions to ask ourselves to show us how grateful we should be.

Did you enlist in the war simply because you wanted to defend your country after 9/11?

Have you accepted, willingly and knowingly, that daily you could lose your life in service of your country and loved ones?

Have you put yourself in the line of fire, and put yourself in more risk than truly necessary simply to better protect the lives of the soldiers under your command?

Did you see your friends blown up around you?

In the midst of a battle, with explosions around you, did you stop fighting to save the life of an Iraqi woman, who would have been killed by extremists?

Have you been to hell for months at a time, and kept your faith in God and helped to strengthen the faith of those around you?

These questions reflect the hard truth of what really has happened in this war on terrorism. All of them inspiring. You won’t really find a word about it in the press - maybe only if they had lost their own life in battle. Yet these are the real daily lives of tens of thousands of men and women who have been valiantly doing their duty for our country, while we have enjoyed the peacefulness of our daily lives and the richness that America provides.

Most Americans have a deep thankfulness in their hearts to the men and women of the United States military. My friends, it’s time to let that be known. Say thank you to a soldier, for I tell you this: you owe them your life, your job, your home, your faith, and your freedoms. They are protecting you. At a minimum, you owe them a thank you, a prayer, and maybe a nice cold beer!

So with gratitude deep in my heart, I say:

Dear American Solider,

May God Bless you. May God protect you and our beloved nation. My beloved wife and kids sleep in peace at night because of you. I owe you my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Yours,

Joe Soltis, An American

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The Obama administration has signaled that it plans to secure passage of S.909, the “Hate Crimes” bill, this week. The House has already passed and the Senate is expected to vote this week on legislation that would create a new class of crimes based on the victim’s “actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.” Even more troubling is that S.909 could create special protections for pedophiles. Democrats voted down an amendment to the bill that would have excluded pedophilia and other “sexual orientations” from the definition of “sexual orientation.”“If a mother hears that their child has been raped, and she slaps the assailant with her purse, she is now gone after as a hate criminal because this is a protected class,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas.

Click here to get the direct telephone number for your two senators, along with suggested talking points for your call. Call your senators today to demand politely, but firmly, that they vote against S.909. Congress has refused to define the term “sexual orientation,” which means that all sexual orientations are protected.

 For years, AFA and other pro-family groups have issued warnings about federal Hate Crimes legislation. The reality is that the purpose of this bill is to silence those who speak out against homosexuality. If the legislation passes, pastors could be prosecuted under the federal inducement statute for preaching the biblical view of homosexuality. For example, a person could commit an act of violence against a homosexual individual and blame it on the pastor’s sermon. Similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.

The Senate is poised to pass S. 909, the “Hate Crimes” bill, unless there are an overwhelming number of phone calls today.

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A San Diego pastor says county officials have told him he needs a permit to host a weekly Bible study in his home.

Pastor David Jones and his wife, Mary, were hosting the weekly study near their church, when they say they were visited by a county code enforcement officer. According to Dean Broyles, an attorney for the Joneses, the county official asked the pastor if they hosted a regular weekly meeting in their home, and if they prayed and said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” at those meetings.

After replying in the affirmative to those inquiries, a subsequent citation notified the couple they were in violation of county regulations, should stop “religious assembly,” and needed to apply for a “major use” permit to continue the gatherings — a process that could cost several thousands of dollars.
 
Jones, his wife, and their attorney, Dean Broyles, were interviewed on the Fox News Channel. Broyles says the couple’s rights have been violated.
 
“The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion,” says the attorney. “And I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw that here in the year 2009 that a pastor and his wife are being told that they can’t have a simple Bible study in their own home.”
 
The American Family Association has launched an online petition drive related to the incident, asking the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to immediately stop interfering with the rights of individuals to hold Bible studies in their homes.
 
Jones and his wife say they will continue to challenge the county’s policy. About 15 people attend the weekly meetings.

This, my fellow Americans, is untolerable and un-American.  Stand up for liberty!!! 

 

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Join the Cleveland Catholic Forum & Archbishop Timothy Broglio
Saints Dinner and Silent Auction
Honoring the Men & Women of the U.S. Armed Forces
The Most Reverend Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of United States Military Services, joins the Cleveland Catholic Forum for our Saints Dinner and Silent Auction as we celebrate the life of soldier, St. Ignatius Loyola. You won’t want to miss this evening of fine food, beverage and inspiration as we honor the men & women of the United States Armed Forces & present the Cleveland Catholic Forum Award of Service & Valor to a local military hero.Click Here to Register.

When:
Saturday, August 22, 2008
6:30 PM - Open Bar & Silent Auction Start
7:00 PM - Dinner & Music
After Dinner - Keynote Address by Archbishop Timothy Broglio

Where:
Center for Pastoral Leadership
Founder’s Room
28700 Euclid Avenue
Wickliffe, OH 44092

Cost:
$50.00 per person, a 100% tax-deductible donation
The deadline for registration is Monday, August 17th.
Click Here to Register.

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The Cleveland Catholic Forum is also accepting corporate sponsorship for this event at $500 for an Archangel Sponsorship and $250 for an Angel Sponsorship. To read more about our corporate sponsorships click here. Your donation will allow the Cleveland Catholic Forum to continue to spread its message of Faith, Family & Freedom. Click here to Register.Tell Your Parish, Friends & Family
You can download and print out the event flyer here. Please post this flyer at your local parish and share it with friends.

Questions?
Contact us at saintsdinner@clevelandcatholicforum.com or 440-623-9183.

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The assessment reads like a sophomore’s bad political science essay in, for example, noting that right-wing extremism “may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.”

“This is an very unfortunately named document,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Sara Kudon told me.

No lie.

The not-quite-classified but-also-not-meant-for-public-distribution assessment reads like a rookie mistake penned by political lightweights. But Kudan told me it was written by “career officials,” who had been working on the assessment for more than a year. (Read: DHS started working on this when George W. Bush was in charge.) That career officials would write such tripe should scare you.

Fox News posted a Jan. 26, 2009, assessment entitled, “Left-wing Extremists Likely to Increase Use of Cyber-Attacks Over the Coming Decade.” This would suggest equal-opportunity political targeting. Not so. The “left-wing” assessment named entities - the Earth Liberation Front, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, The Hacktivist, the Internet Liberation Front - and explained the methods used in specific and recent cyber-attacks. It also warned how specific groups - loggers, farmers and named corporations - were or could be targeted. That is, the “left-wing” assessment included information that would be useful to officials investigating crimes.

The “right-wing” document, however, targeted not activities, but political thought - opposition to abortion, immigration amnesty and gun laws. While the “left-wing” assessment reported on known criminal activities, the “right-wing” document started with the acknowledgment that Department of Homeland Security intelligence “has no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence.”Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/04/15/ED5I1727J0.DTL

This, my fellow Americans, means that within the eyes of the Obama Administration you are a possible terrorist if you are pro-life, pro-second amendment (which means pro-constitution), for a secure border, or returning as a veteran from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Are there any facts behind this assessment? No.  It is completely made up.  This is big-brother at best, treason at worst.  This is unacceptable from our government.  This is not change we can beleive in, this is just stupid. What’s next, will church goers be named terrorists because they believe in God?

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The new $3.6 trillion budget includes a deficit of $1.2 trillion. One third of the budget is deficit spending, money we don’t have! That is on top of the $12 trillion we already owe. How much is $1 trillion? Consider this: A million seconds is 11.5 days. A billion seconds is 32 years. A trillion seconds is 32,000 years. We must strongly oppose this.This reckless spending is a moral issue. We are passing on to our grandchildren a debt that we created. Every man, woman and child in the country already owes $35,000, and we are piling more debt on them. We are robbing them of their right to enjoy the American Dream.  This plan, in the long run, will causes tax rates to skyrocket, the economy to stagnate, people’s income to drop, current Social Security and Medicare obligations to be impossible to meet.  This economic nightmare will lead to a decline in the U.S.’s ability to lead the world and, who I ask you will then step in our place?  Will they have respect for life, liberty, private property, human life, and God?  We deserve better!

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The Bush administration instituted a rule in its last days that strengthened job protections for doctors and nurses who refuse for moral reasons to perform abortions.  Now President Obama may want to force doctors and nurses to participate in abortions against their will.  Please send your comments to President Obama at president@whitehouse.gov.

President Obama wants to rescind a Bush administration rule that strengthened job protections for doctors and nurses who refuse for moral reasons to perform abortions.

A Health and Human Services official said Friday the administration will publish notice of its intentions early next week, opening a 30-day comment period for advocates, medical groups and the public. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the notice has not been completed.

The Bush administration instituted the rule in its last days, and it was quickly challenged in federal court by several states and medical organizations. As a candidate, Obama criticized the regulation and campaign aides promised that if elected, he would review it.

The news that he was doing so drew praise from abortion-rights supporters and condemnation from groups opposed to abortion.

“It would be a horrible move. These regulations were a long time coming,” said Tom McClusky, a vice president at Family Research Council. “What they seek to do is protect patients, nurses, doctors and other health care professionals from being forced to violate their consciences.”

McClusky and other abortion opponents said the Bush regulation clarified federal policies and raised awareness about the rights of medical providers to follow their consciences. But abortion rights advocates said it was vague and overly broad, and could reduce access to other services — allowing a drug store clerk to refuse to sell birth control pills, for example.

“I think it’s a wonderful step,” Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., who co-chairs the Congressional Pro-choice Caucus and has introduced legislation to overturn the regulation, said of Obama’s move.

“That rule was actually a poorly drafted last-minute attempt to, I think, restrict health care access and I think it would have had far-reaching and unintended consequences.”

Federal law has long forbidden discrimination against health care professionals who refuse to perform abortions or provide referrals for them on religious or moral grounds. The Obama administration supports those laws, said the HHS official.

The Bush administration’s rule adds a requirement that institutions that get federal money certify their compliance with laws protecting the rights of moral objectors. It was intended to block the flow of federal funds to hospitals and other institutions that ignore those rights.

But the Obama administration was concerned that the Bush regulation could also be used to refuse birth control, family planning services and counseling for vaccines and transfusions.

“The administration supports a tightly written conscience clause,” said the HHS official. “While we are concerned about the Bush rule, we also understand there might be a need to clarify existing laws.”

The administration will review comments from the public before making a final decision. Options range from repealing the regulation to writing a new one with a narrower scope.

The administration’s move was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

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Cleveland Bishop Richard Lennon appealed to Catholics this weekend to consider the special importance of issues such as abortion and euthanasia in making their decision on Tuesday.  The bishop’s statement, distributed at masses throughout the diocese on Sunday, said that Catholic teaching opposing abortion “is essential and foundational and can never be compromised.”

Lennon concluded: “As we all prepare for Election Day let us be guided by our Catholic faith and teaching which respects the inestimable value and dignity of every human life.”

I, Joe Soltis, ask you to prayerfully take into account our good Bishop’s words as you vote tomorrow.  It is our job to build a culture of life in the greatest country on God’s earth.

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Judging from what I can tell of the current financial and economic woes of the nation, I am beginning to believe that this presidential election may be a “no-win” proposition — the loser might very well be the lucky one, indeed.

We always will have our economic downturns. They basically are cyclical and we’ve suffered through many since World War II. There is simply no way of getting away from them.

Our current situation, however, is quite different. This time the difficulties are not a few in numbers but entail a rather long list. Neither are they simplistic but instead very complex, and I believe that they will take quite a long time, perhaps even a decade, to resolve.

Instead of looking at a recession, we might very well be looking at a complete economic meltdown more global in nature, rather than national, something that most of us never have seen.

The problems include a very weak American dollar; a trade deficit that will come to roughly $700 billion at year-end; the cost of foreign oil that has literally tripled over the past two years; possible trade wars with countries like China, which own sizable portions of our bond markets; a ballooning federal budget that has gone from $2.1 trillion to $3.6 trillion in just eight years — a whopping growth of 75 percent; a national debt of $9.6 trillion, closing fast on $10 trillion with a debt ceiling placed at $10.6 trillion and which cost the American taxpayer $230 billion in interest alone last year; untold numbers of jobs that are being outsourced to foreign nations through Free Trade acts adding long-term pressure to unemployment; a nation which has maxed out on credit-card debt; millions of Americans losing their homes due to the subprime lending debacle; and last, but not least, tens of millions of baby-boomers now coming close to retirement, which will dry-up America’s tax base while adding huge amounts to Social Security and Medicare outlays.

A growing number of financial institutions, including banks, are tanking-out with government picking up the tab in bail-outs and payments to depositors at taxpayer expense. Bear Sterns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and IndiMac and so many other big names, believe it or not, are only the early warning signs of what I fear is yet to come.

Neither presidential candidate, you will note, has done much talking about any of this either because he doesn’t have an answer; doesn’t want to give us the answers because this may only turnoff voters in the midst of a race for the nation’s highest office; or is simply afraid of panicking the nation, thereby adding fuel to the fire. All reasons have some validity.

If and when this meltdown does occur, whoever is president, of course, will be blamed and blamed heavily for the crisis, taking his party with him. But we should remember that successive administrations over the past 40 years all bear a share of the responsibility.

Both government and we overly consumer-minded Americans as well must realize that we cannot continue to spend what we do not have nor receive that for which we refuse to pay.

Put simply, there is no free ride in this world. And government at all levels, not only in Washington, has failed to understand this. Whoever wins this election had better be prepared to show some real leadership and be willing to take strong action immediately to save the nation from what could be tantamount to a catastrophe.

A good place to begin, I believe, would be freezing the federal budget and begin working toward some deep cuts and re-prioritizing expenses in favor of the nation’s infrastructure. Balancing our federal budget and making some headway against an out-of-control national debt are an absolute must.

There must be a return to sound fiscal policy.

Realizing that this could be political suicide for the new president, I can only say that he most likely will go down in history as the one who saved the nation.

 By: Paul M. Weyrich
Source: http://www.newsmax.com/weyrich/Economic_Crisis/2008/09/22/133116.html

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