Please keep Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock in your prayers this morning - he died in an early morning car accident on highway 40 near Grand. Josh was only 29 years old, and joined the Cardinals in their 2006 season, helping them to win that year's World Series victory. He will be missed.
Time and time again since Archbishop Burke issued a press release yesterday concerning his opposition to the use of Sheryl Crow as a performer for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, people (on KMOX, on the Internet, etc.) have argued against the Archbishop, saying, "It's about the kids... and who cares about what the performer's personal beliefs are, as long as the money raised goes towards helping the kids?"
I'm sorry, Bob Costas et all, but that argument doesn't fly. First of all, saying that, as long as the greater good is served (i.e. helping the kids), we shouldn't worry about the means used to acheive that good, is a utilitarian argument. The end does not justify the means; this is not only a teaching of the Catholic Church, but also a long-held philosophical stance opposed to the utilitarian philosophy present in much of American society.
Another problem with the arguments 'for the kids' is that the issue the Archbishop is addressing has nothing at all to do with whether or not we should raise funds for the Children's Hospital. Rather, the Archbishop is making the point that Catholic institutions have a moral responsibility to ensure they do not bring scandal upon the Church. If the Hospital, which is supposed to hold to the Catholic teaching of abortion as a moral evil, hires a publicly outspoken musician who supports abortion and embryonic stem cell research, this will cause many to think the Church is being hypocritical. This is why the Archbishop was forced to resign his position as the chairman of the fundraising board: he did not want to bring this potential scandal upon the Church.
[UPDATE: They're discussing this issue on KMOX right now, and it seems many speaking about the issue are ignoring the main issue just as much as Bob Costas and others have... and also please remember that I speak on this Blog not for the Church, but concerning my own opinion.]
Archbishop Raymond Burke today released a video and a press release concerning the selection of Sheryl Crow as the performer for an SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital benefit concert. Sheryl Crow has publicly spoken in favor of Amendment 2, a Constitutional amendment which was recently passed allowing human cloning and embryonic stem cell research, and has been actively pro-choice in the past.
The benfit concert's organizers chose a performer (Ms. Crow) whose statements are most definitely against Church teaching, making it difficult for the faithful to recognize the Catholic identity of the hospital.
In my opinion, the hospital should know better than to select performers who stand against some of the Church's teachings, as they are, in fact, a Catholic institution. I see many places these days that are neglecting their Catholic identities in the name of money and prestige; why do so many feel it necessary to do these things? As a Catholic institution, the hospital should be wary of potentially scandalous issues such as the use of a performer whose views are so publicly against basic teachings of the Church.
There is a video of the Archbishop's statements available here, and an article explaining the issue more fully here.
A few days ago I had the privelage of visiting the youth office over at the Cardinal Rigali Center (a mere five minute drive from Kenrick-Glennon), and meeting with Ray, a friend who runs most of the technical aspects of the youth office (website, sound system, graphics, etc.). He let me use a new Nikon 55-200mm VR lens the office bought for their own Nikon D40 (I use the same camera...). And the Rigali Center has a beautiful chapel (the Rigali Center used to be 'Kenrick' Seminary a few decades ago), so I tested the lens in there.
The lens is great (especially since it reduces vibration... which is a problem with my somewhat shaky hands), but I like the pictures taken with it even more. Using HDR photography (where I take three pictures, one brighter and darker than the normal picture in-between), I made a few very beautiful images of the woodwork and artistry in the chapel. I hope to go back and spend a little more time taking pictures (and praying!) in that chapel.
The sanctuary and reardos of the chapel, with some stained glass behind:
Detail of some of the wood engraving in the rear of the Church (the Latin translates to 'shrine in honor of...' and on the other side of the entryway it has two saints—I forget who they are, though):
Sometime soon, when I have a few hours free, I will be taking some HDR pictures (like these) of the Seminary's Chapel of St. Joseph, which has it's own beauty (especially the stained glass windows!).
